via
https://ift.tt/2H3vfUAsparklecryptid:
charlottedabookworm:
Trying to work on some FFXV prompts about Galahdian culture and I realised that I really wanted the Galahdians to have Kings. Maybe not in the sense that Lucis would recognise, but still a King to their people. So, many words later, have some headcanons. Tell me what you think. Also, everything to do with Ardyn is totally the fault of @sparklecryptid so blame them.
Royalty:
· The Galahdians have always had kings, but not in the way that the rest of the people think of them. Even when they were nothing more than small tribes scattered around several small, isolated islands, they had leaders who could be called kings.
· They honour their roots in this and Galahdian kings are more like tribal leaders - they are warriors, respected but not catered to, deferred to but not worshipped, living in much the same situation as everyone else. So when outsiders see them, they see a leader and not a king. This is their mistake.
o Galahdians are supremely loyal to their king. Traitors are despised and often either exiled or executed.
§ Their kings are chosen by Ramuh, not from some specific bloodline. This not only throughs outsiders off, but also helps to secure succession because any child born could be chosen as the next king.
· Used to be that Galahdian kings were fairly well known. They had treaties with Solheim, so Ardyn knows that the Galahdian kings still exist even to this day because he can recognise the signs of a Galahdian king
o One of the reasons that Galahd isn’t fond of the Astrals, and Bahamut specifically, is because they remember what they did to the Sage all those years ago. How they told him his destiny and then betrayed him for fulfilling it. Of how he had had faith in the gods and they had turned that against him to curse him. The story is passed down from generation to generation as a warning of the gods’ betrayal of their saviour and their torture of him afterwards.
§ Ardyn would have found allies in Galahd. Many a king would have stood with him against his brother and the Astrals. In fact, the Galahdian king at the time was a friend of Ardyns and offered to stand against him - Ardyn refused, remembering the love he had once held for his brother, but the king broke their treaty with Solheim and never once revealed themselves to the Lucians or treated with them again - even when considered a state. Until Nyx Ulric, chosen king of Bahamut, swore himself to Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII, King of Lucis, to repay a life debt. Still, the secret of Galahd was not revealed.
· When he was sane, Ardyn asked that they not take revenge - because for all this he was a king, and this would hurt his people. So they would not hurt Solheim, and later Lucis, but they would not help them either. Not until the time came that Niflheim targeted Galahd and they had no choice but to accept Lucis’ aid or be destroyed.
· (They paid for this non-interference later, when the refugees came to Lucis and the people despised them for it. When they were spat upon for not fighting in the war that had nothing to do with them, until it affected him. When they were looked down on for their culture and appearance and lifestyle. When they were seen as barbarians for not worshipping the Astrals)
· (they would do it all again. Every single one of them. Galahdians are loyal, and even after 2000 years that betrayal was a part of them. As long as their people lived, as long as their histories were passed on, they would remember and they wouldn’t regret. Ardyn was - is - theirs and they would fight for him. No matter what they would suffer due to outsiders. Even when they thought him long gone.
· A part of Ardyn remembered that brotherhood, that acceptance, and so he never came to them to ask for help. Despite knowing, even 2000 years later, that Galahd would rally behind him - he never asked. Never put those who could be considered the last of his people in that sort of danger.
· Despite this, Galahd and its kings still recognise Ardyn as a king, as well as one of them.
§ Galahdians remember, and they hold a grudge. Ardyn Lucis Caelum, the Sage, was sworn brother to a Galahdian king. In their culture, that made him Galahdian. So Bahamut and Somnus’ betrayal of Ardyn was a betrayal of all of Galahd.
I hope you dont mind me rebloggin this but i want to compliment you on how well thought out this is and askboxes are restricting. i love how Ardyn still considers Galahdians his people, I love the difference between Lucian and Galahdian culutre that you highlighted here and I love that Nyx is Ramuh’s chosen? Love it I tell you. Your worldbuilding is amazing. my galahdians are possessive of their own too, well maybe possessive isnt the right word but protective, once you are theirs you are theirs for life, galahd is very community oriented for me tbh, so that loyalty, that possessive/protectiveness, it makes sense to me.
anywho. i love all of this. and kinda wanna share my own headcanons about galahd and its kings because i have a verse with galahdian royalty already (thats a lie i have two) because of course i do.
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