As Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker closing out the game’s most recent narrative arc, it cloaks a lot of easter eggs and references to events from previous expansions. Many of these references and easter eggs exist in side quests and the wider game world, outside the main questline. Many of the easter eggs listed below are ones I discovered myself. Others were found after a bit of research.
This article contains spoilers. We’ve split the list up by location so that readers can more easily avoid spoiling themselves. Continue reading at your own discretion.
Class Quest NPCs
One of Square’s favourite Final Fantasy XIV easter eggs is to simply hide familiar faces in plain sight. Here’s how they do it.
Each disciple of War or Magic class quest often features an NPC or two to help guide players through the story while teaching and unlocking new abilities. These NPC’s generally have no bearing on the main story quest and are completely separate.
As the Scions board the ship for Old Sharlayan, the camera pans over two Lalafells. One in a green outfit and one in yellow. They are Momozigo and Captain Milala, last seen in the Samurai and Rogue class quests.
Later, when meeting the Ilsabard contingent, players will recognise many familiar faces in the crowd. There are main story quest NPCs mixed in the crowd. This scene is so dense with Final Fantasy XIV easter eggs that I hope you’ll bear with me while I run through them. Those players that have done their class quests will recognise a few more. Every era of the game is represented, with characters from the main quest, the base game and each expansion. There is Lucia from Ishgard temple knights, introduced in Heavensward. Maximilian from the Skysteel manufactory, introduced in Stormblood‘s post-game content. Lyse (originally Yda) is there too, a character that only left the Scions in Stormblood but has been part of the game since the beginning. Especially if players started in Gridania!
I spotted Captain Pipin, the captain of the Immortal flames, who was introduced all the way back in A Realm Reborn. Sicard, who is only introduced in the post-Shadowbringers main story quest, plays an incredibly large role. He was the stand-in captain for Bloody Executioners, but no longer. Emmanellain of House Fortempts: this mostly useless being is introduced in Heavensward when the Warrior of Light plays babysitter to him for a while. Lastly, the Steppe warriors, who were introduced during Stormblood. The major NPCs of the Steppe are Cirina of the Mol, Sadu of the Dotharl and Magnai of the Oronir.
The remaining NPCs that can be spoken to are from the class quests. What they say will be dependent on whether the player has completed all the class quests for that class/job. I’m uncertain if what they say requires players to have completed all class quests up to 70, or if it’s only to a certain point.
Some players have said who appears in the contingent is dependent on which classes have had their quests completed, but this isn’t actually the case. The people that appear are always the same ones. With that out of the way, here are the class quest NPCs I spotted and where they are from.
A-Ruhn-Senna from the White Mage class quests. During the cutscene, A-Rhun will say that the player is a gifted white Mage themselves. He will add Raya-o, the other white Mage NPC, sends her regards. Players will have the opportunity to speak to him after the cutscene as well, where he mentions Eschiva from the 60-70 White Mage class quests. He informs the player they wanted to come, but it was decided they would be of better use if they were to stay behind to protect Gridania.
Alberic from dragoon class quests. He quips that the room has three Azure dragoons in attendance. (Estinien comments that he didn’t expect the other Azure dragoon to be there).
Guydelot and Sanson from the Bard class quests. Chuchuto from the Pugilist Class quest. Cocobuki and four of his brothers from the Thaumaturge class quest. Stephanivien from the Machinest Class quest. Alka Zolka from the scholar class quests. Broenbhar from the Marauder’s class quest.
If players have done the Stormblood raids and the Save the queen side story, they will probably recognise the Bozjan Resistance and the Dalmascan rebellion faction “Lente’s Tears”. Only Rostik of the Bozjan resistance can be spoken to, but it makes sense as he is also the Gunbreaker NPC. He mentions the players help in liberating Bozja if players completed the Save the Queen side quest.
It’s very much a nod to the players who had dedicated their time to do all the class quests and it’s one of the few times when the main story questline and the class quests have overlapped. (The only other instance is when the Warrior of Light sought aid from Y’hmrita to help Y’shtola).
If players speak to Alisaie, she will mention that she’s disappointed that the man who taught her red magic is not there. This is because X’rhun and Arya, as well as Dark knights’ Sidurgu and Rielle, have their own cutscene background appearances.
From what I can tell, only Reaper, Sage, Paladin and Summoner are not represented at all.
There is a throwaway remark in one of the main story quests about Nashmeira from the Dancer class quests, but she is never seen. Astrologian is represented during the book quest in Sharlayan.
This is already a lot of Final Fantasy XIV easter eggs, I know, but it doesn’t end there!
Old Sharlayan
Old Sharlayan has several side quests that reference events of the past, if one knows where to find them. This area is a particularly rich vein of Final Fantasy XIV references and easter eggs.
One of the quests sees the Warrior of Light deliver a sandwich to Papalymo’s father. Another has players tending to Moenbryda’s young neighbour. There’s a quest given to the player by a woman where they have to decipher clues and speak to three people. The woman was actually Thancred’s teacher in disguise. A quest where a Sharlayan asks for help identifying a creature is related to the beavers of Shadowbringers. There’s a whole side quest in Il Mheg involving them. A Levielleur butler requests help to plant Nymiea Lillies after Alphinaud and Alisaie told their mother that they’re given to people for protection in their travels. They are also the flower of mourning.
A literary delivery quest finds the player delivering rare books to three people. Two of these books are important. The first one is a delivery to the house of Albright. This house opposed the Sharlayan Astrologian’s teaching the art to outsiders. They are the main antagonist of the Astrologian class quest line. Surprisingly, the book the person is delivering is on Ishgardian Astrology and is written by Jannequinard himself!
One of the other books to be delivered is actually a book written by Honoroit detailing his time in the sea of clouds.
The third book has no ulterior motive, but afterwards, the quest giver will ask the player if they want to buy the bestselling book by Edmont De Fortempts on the Warrior of Light’s exploits in Ishgard.
Towards the end of the expansion heading towards the point of no return, it’s possible to find Nero at the last Stand and Soroban in the Market place. There may be other allies hiding around Sharlayan and possibly Labyrinthos, but Nero and Soroban were the only two I found.
Thavnair
Thavnair has been mentioned in the game since A Realm Reborn. Despite this, there isn’t much in the way of easter eggs. Dancers are mentioned a few times, as it is the birthplace of the Dancer class. There’s no sign of the NPCs that accompany the dance quest line, which is a shame. As I said earlier Nashimera is mentioned in passing, but not by name. I suppose it makes sense as the other Dancer NPC is currently stationed in Kugane.
Garlemald
Garlemald doesn’t have much in terms of Final Fantasy XIV easter eggs, but it shouldn’t be ignored. One of the Garlean soldiers talk about how they were at Praetorium when the Warrior of light came through back in A Realm Reborn. She treats players coldly, informing them that we killed her friend in cold blood and she will never forgive us.
Another quest is from an engineer, hidden in the corner. After the quest is handed in, he gripes about a flaxen haired man who has managed to create magitek with intelligence. The person who vexes him so is most likely Nero. He seems to have that effect on people.
The last quest is a simple one given by an ishgardian soldier. He asks the player to give hot soup to people who need it, and not to delay. It is upon the return he explains that when he was at his lowest in the holy stables in Ishgard, someone did this for him. There is a side quest in Heavensward where the warrior of light is asked to hand out soup to weary soldiers to help lift their spirits. One of those soldiers is now in Garlemald and passing that simple joy onto others.
Mare Lamentoreum
Mare Lamentoreum doesn’t actually have references to the previous game events but rather it is closely tied to another Final Fantasy game. Specifically, IV.
The Loporrit tribe that inhabits Bestaway burrows are based on Hummingways from Final Fantasy IV. All the Loporrits feature names with “way” in them. When players first meet with the Loporrits, they hum a small tune, which is the same one that the Hummingways in IV hum.
Another reference to IV occurs when players fight anywhere inside of Bestaway burrows. The battle music is IV’s, rather than the Endwalker battle music. It’s a lovely touch. I haven’t played IV myself, but I managed to guess that these were related as it was rather obvious.
Elpis
Elpis has a veritable treasure trove of references and Easter eggs. Even just wandering around Elpis without doing any of the quests, there are creatures of mythic proportions just wandering about.
The Monoceros and Okupeyte enemies are actually a reference to the Save the Queen side story where they are considered rare animals. Monoceros is an ally, whereas Okupeyte is an enemy. Both have their own Critical Engagements.
Melanion and Thunderhead Keraunos are from epic world fates in Dravanian Forelands and The Lochs. In those they are very rare creatures and are known as CoeurlRegina and Ixion respectively.
Aside from the enemies wandering around, it’s possible to see minions everywhere. One ancient even has the three variety of cat minions with them. One of the minions is a Pegasus Colt which is flying around.
Cait Sith from the Heavensward sky pirates’ alliance raids is also hanging about. There are rumours that there’s one hidden in each telescope/blow Dart minigame, but I haven’t been able to verify that at all.
There are several characters talking about Acadaemia Anyder. It was a dungeon players could complete at the end of Shadowbringers. Ironically it was because several of the creations were running amok after becoming free. You think they would have that ironed out in Elpis.
There are two quests which requires players to ride mounts as they would while doing beast tribes quests. One is a Laurel Goobbue and it is from the Sylph beast tribe in ARR. The other is a griffin and it is from the Ananta beast tribe. Strangely the griffin is the same as the Heavenward’s bonus mount and not the white griffin that players normally get.
One quest asks players capture Oreiai, which have become energised once given mana stones. These will eventually become the Spriggans. The ancients believed the issue was the stones and not the creatures themselves. They were very wrong.
Players are introduced to an Ailurous. They are told that the wings are given to them at birth to help them adapt. It’s possible they weren’t aware of how adaptable the animals are, as one who appears in Ishgard’s Firmament becomes a weatherproof Gaelikitten, to combat the cold.
During a tour of Anagnorisis, the tour guide Charmion stops and points out a house on an isle in the distance. They say that this crazy researcher is cross-breeding plants to make new ones, saying how it’s a silly way to do things. As someone who gardens in FFXIV, I took personal offence to that.
The Giant beavers return, but this time as a creature called Nymphe. Upon returning to the quest giver, it turns out the Nymphe were supposed to be pixies, but have somehow transformed into beavers in the time away from their creator. Instead of fixing this, the creator requests the WoL keeps quiet about it
One researcher requests the warrior of light aid them into their research of poisonous things. During the course of this, one observer says that they have no idea why anyone invented the morbol and its awful counterpart, the morbol marquis. Morbols are still relatively common in the modern world but the only Marquis before Garlemald was Cassie in Eureka, a small side area in Stormblood.
A harried observer is playing a “fun” little game of chase the creation. The warrior of light volunteers themselves to help using a blow dart. The creature is a Bipedal elephant. The observer thinks it is a good design, but needs some intelligence to balance the creature out. This is most likely the origins of the Matanga and by extension the Arkadosara.
One researcher is surrounded by what looks like three fairies. These are actually elementals which show up in Eureka to give players bonus exp and attack. Another researcher uses them as a familiar, but explains they can’t handle more than one task at a time.
One quest giver tells players that she’s worried about a colleague who ran after a concept after hearing a commotion. Coming to the co-worker’s aid, the player finds the NPC is protecting a small rabbit creature. In the modern day, these creatures are happy bunnies and can only be found in Eureka. They are participants of fates and thank players by giving them a carrot. This carrot tells players how far away a treasure chest the happy bunny is trying to lead them to is. True to form, the Elpis rabbit also leaves a carrot.
Kleos shows the WoL and company one of his latest creations, which is a toad/Nyx. He talks about how adorably rotund it is. Another researcher argues that as nice as it is, it currently doesn’t fulfill its intended purpose. The toad is supposed to guard waterways and help keep them safe, however as it is, it doesn’t react to external stimuli and is too docile. At this point, the WoL is asked to solve the problem. The three options given to players are all the mechanics that make these creatures incredibly annoying to fight.
Continuing this quest chain, Kleos asks the WoL to see another of his darling creations. He wants his concept to be an apex predator but Sokles responds that due to the hair, it would be better off being livestock. Crestfallen, Kleos makes an appeal to the WoL. Both options lead to the same conclusion. The animal becomes what is known in game as a Behemoth. In his gratitude, Kleos gives the player the honour of naming the creature. Of course, the options are limited to Behemoth and Queen Behemoth, so Behemoth it is.
Image: Renee O’Flynn
If a player continues with the quest chain, the end quest covers what happens when a concepts fight. One of the concepts has murdered three others. Wanting to thank the creatures for the life they would give back unto the earth, the WoL is asked how they deal with passing. It is explained that Nymiea Lillies are usually put at the place of deceased. This is the second time this expansion that Nymiea Lillies are used, once for protection, and once for loss. It’s possible that the flower reference a journey, whether it be this one or the next.
Labyrinthos
Labyrinthos is almost a modern-day version of Elpis, but instead of it being to decide what will be released in Etheryis, it’s deciding what will be saved. By extension, both relate to Azys lla. It was an artificial world in the sky that was used to experiment with life, rather than create or preserve it.
Similar to Sharlayan, there’s a few side quests that feature familiar creatures. A gleaner has brought a pot back from the East, but thinks it’s moving. It one ups this by talking and revealing it is in fact a Namazu. They often like to hide in pots where ever they are.
A Studium member asks for the players help finding a Carbuncle that has escaped. It is very heavily implied that this Carbuncle once belonged to Tataru, who summoned it all the way back in ARR. It’s considered unique and its wielder powerful. Not powerful enough to get it to listen though.
Checking on an NPC at another’s request, the WoL will encounter two brown Kokkopurs. These are covered in the special mud that can only be found in the Arboretum. Saint Mocianne’s arboretum hard is a stormblood dungeon that these critters refer to.
Ultima Thule
The last area of Endwalker is Ultima Thule. It is actually comprised of four areas, Ostrakon Deka-okto, Ostrakon Tria, Ostrakon Deka-hexi and Ostrakon Hena. Ostrakon Deka-okto is a simulation of Midgradsomr’s homestar. Ostrakon Tria is where the simulation of the Ea reside. Ostrakon Deka-hexi is a simulation of Omega’s home planet. Ostrakon Hena is abandoned.
Several of the quests in Ostrakon Deka-okto reference Midgardsomr and how he fled to Etheryis. The Dragons lament calling him a coward and not following him. During the cutscene explaining this, the music changes to Misconception from the Heavensward soundtrack.
One dragon unsure of how to continue without their consort asks the Warrior of Light for advice. Both options reference Tiamat, the Dragon in Azys Lla who also lost her consort.
One quest has the Wol ride on a wyvern’s back and roar, just like they did in the Moogle beast tribe quests. These are from Heavensward.
The Envious Ea is trying to figure out what type of body they once had. Attempting to help, the WoL suggests a Namazu’s body as it has a similar shape to the one the Ea currently has. The Ea tries on the Namazu body, but decides that wasn’t it either.
Another Namazu reference is during the final dungeon, The dead ends. In the first area is the Grebuloff and their kind is suffering from an epidemic. The Grebuloff’s footsteps make squeaking noises, just like the Namazu, and they share the flopping animation as well. On top of that, the Grebuloff minion text says a Namazu dreamt of and crafted it.
In Ostrakon-Tria, there are only three types of enemies. The hostile Ea, the Other Ones and the Luminions. The luminions are straight from the Pharos Sirius hard boss and each one of its forms is represented in Tria. This dungeon is unlocked in Heavensward.
Laid-back ea poses a question to the player. They ask what is the meaning of life. One of the options is 42, referencing Douglas Adams Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
An inquisitive Omicron is trying to figure out the meaning behind Love and Family. Omega also wanted to understand how this gives heroes their power. They understand that it gives weak people power, but not why. Neither experiment works.
Although it was hinted at heavily but never outright confirmed, the Omicron and Dragons fought on the dragon’s star. While the Omicrons eventually won, the land was so wounded it could not be used and so they retreated.
Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker is full of references and easter eggs. Most of the ones in this article come from the surroundings or side quests, but there is definitely more hidden in there. Most fates and achievements are puns or references as they have been for the base game and every expansion. There are probably some side quest references that I missed as I haven’t done all the content in Final fantasy XIV. I have read that there are some included in the crafting and gathering role quests and it is possible that there are some in the disciple of War and Magic Role quests as well. There may even be some hidden in dungeons, but this article would end up an encyclopaedia if I even attempted to include them all!
How many of these Final Fantasy XIV easter eggs did you notice? Do you know of any I may have missed? Feel free to leave them in the comments below.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is out now on Windows PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. You can read Renee’s full review right here.
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