MMO Players are no strangers to side stories. Some of them are just ways to get items or unlock new content. Others however are those that leave a lasting impact on the player. Final Fantasy XIV is no stranger to this either, and this article will be diving into the tragic story of Edda Pureheart, an NPC that is easily missed but has a tale to tell – one that will spook you to your very core.
WARNING: BELOW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE GAME FINAL FANTASY XIV.
Edda Pureheart is an NPC that players will meet while completing the main story. One of the members in a band of four, she is first found exhausted outside of a dungeon with her fellow adventurers. Panting and doubled over, their adventure into the dungeon Tam-Tara Deepcroft was not as successful as yours. After gathering potions and supplies, they aim to try again.
The next time the party is spotted is during a cutscene, with the party berating Edda. As the healer, it was Edda’s duty to save everyone. However the leader of the party, Avere who was also Edda’s fiancé, was killed. Riddled by grief, the healer carried her lover’s decapitated head back with her. The party; also grieving, angered and disgusted, all disbanded. However, this also is not the last time the Warrior of Light finds Edda.
Edda finds the Warrior of Light once more after yet another successful mission. She explains to the Warrior that Avere was always inspired by the Warrior of Light, and aspired to be similar. After a brief exchange, Edda is determined to become a strong adventurer herself.
The Side Story Continues…
For some, the story may end there. However, this is far from the end for Edda. Instead of continuing learning white magic for healing, she instead turned to dark arts while descending further into madness. Thinking her new magic would bring Avere back from the dead, she started to send out invitations to her previous adventuring party. Scared and suspicious, they turn to you, the Warrior of Light, for guidance.
The Warrior of Light stumbles upon a grieving Edda, who has used the decapitated head of her fiancé to summon a demon. As any hero would, they vanquish the demon, much to Edda’s dismay. She panics and backs away from the Warrior of Light, slipping on the wax of candles. She descends into the abyss as her robe bursts into flames, but all with a smile upon her face.
Returning to the concerned party member, the Warrior of Light relays everything they witnessed and of Edda’s fate. There is a moment of reprieve, but it is only that – a moment, as they look up to see Edda’s spirit watching with the same eerie, twisted smile upon her face.
And Continues Even More…
The Warrior of Light makes their way into a warped, unusual place known as the Palace of the Dead. With the more they descend, the more warped creatures they must fight. One however takes the form of a familiar face – of a young healer, now clad in black. Telling the Warrior that they have overstayed their welcome, a battle ensues.
After their victory, the black robed form vanishes to reveal Edda how she originally was. Her soul expresses it’s confusion, stating that she only remembered falling and then seeing a figure. As her spirit fades, a ring remains.
Returning to the adventurer previously seen, they explain it was Edda and Avere’s engagement ring. Questing onward to find Avere’s matching ring, the Warrior of Light then makes a small ceremony to commemorate their deaths, but also their love. A faint ‘thank you’ from Edda can be heard as she can finally rest after all this time.
… But Does It Ever End?
Though it is a side story, this tale expands outward into being an Easter egg only few have a chance to witness. In the first three city states, during rainy and gloomy weather, players can see the silhouette of Edda’s ghost watching the living.
So what are your thoughts on the story of Edda Pureheart? Can you think of any other eerie Easter eggs ready for this spooky season? Share them in the comments!
