Bloody banquet

The bloody banquet is an incident in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, depicted as growing tensions and unrest in the Seventh Astral Era main scenario quests, culminating in patch 2.55. It transitions the story into the events of Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward.
== Background ==
Though the city-state of Ul'dah was officially a sultanate for cultural and economic reasons, the nation's political power has been held by the Monetarist faction rather than the Royalists. Before the Seventh Umbral Era many prominent Monetarists, such as Lord Lolorito, schemed to expand their power and locked horns with the royal family.
The young Sultana Nanamo Ul Namo, the last of the Ul dynasty, struggled against the Monetarists. Nanamo was popular with the people, and had the support of Raubahn Aldynn, an Ala Mhigan expatriate who had earned his placed in Ul'dah via Coliseum winnings as a gladiator, obtaining a seat on the Syndicate and later reinstated the Immortal Flames. He was the only Royalist on the Syndicate; the remainder being Monetarists of major economic consortia. As such, the Sultana was largely powerless against the Monetarist faction, under which the smallfolk would frequently suffer.
These tensions never dissipated as Eorzea struggled to rebuild after the Calamity, nor would the triumph against Gaius van Baelsar in Operation Archon. In fact, the Battle of Carteneau unearthed a major catalyst for the bloody banquet: a dormant Allagan superweapon known as Omega.
== Unrest ==
After the attempt to give sanctuary to the Doman refugees failed, a series of riots flared among the city-state refugees. The investigation conducted by the Immortal Flames uncovered it was due to black market arms dealers distributing weapons to the poor, and traced it back to Teledji Adeledji of the Mirage Trust. Raubahn and Nanamo believed he was trying to pressure the Syndicate into passing the Carteneau Reclamation Bill as a means to seize Omega. The growing unrest would have consequences elsewhere in Eorzea with many of the refugees fleeing into the Black Shroud and causing the provoked Sylphs to summon their primal Ramuh. This convinced Alphinaud Leveilleur the need for the Scions of the Seventh Dawn to have their own Grand Company, establishing the Crystal Braves from volunteer adventurers and sellswords under the leadership of Grand Marshal Ilberd Feare.
Alphinaud failed to foresee that a majority of the Crystal Braves were financed by the Mirage Trust through proxies and that the Monetarists' bribes would sway those like Ilberd (who resented Raubahn), Yuyuhase (a man obsessed with earning wealth), and Laurentius (a former Wood Wailer who sold intel to Garleans). The Crystal Braves played a role in the investigation of an Imperial spy known as "the Ivy", revealed to be Flame Marshal Eline Roaille who also had dealings with both the Monetarists and the Ishgardian heretics.
Nanamo, faced with her powerlessness against the Monetarists, resolved to abolish the monarchy and have Ul'dah become a republic. She confided her plans to Admiral Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn and Elder Seedseer Kan-E-Senna during a private dinner meeting to make her announcement at a banquet in Ul'dah to celebrate the success of the Defense of Ishgard against the Dravanian Horde. Teledji learned of Nanamo's plans and decided to take over the country by poisoning the sultana and using a member of House Thorne as a puppet ruler.
== Betrayal and coup ==
The chain of events culminated in at the Sultana's banquet in Ul'dah, inviting all members of the alliance and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn alongside Lord Commander Aymeric de Borel of Ishgard's Temple Knights. At the banquet, Lord Commander Aymeric de Borel of the Temple Knights had planned to announce his formal endorsement for the Holy See to join the alliance so all Eorzean nations could be an united against the new Garlean Emperor Varis zos Galvus. As the feast started, Nanamo summoned the adventurer for a private conversation in her chambers.
Nanamo confided her plan to abolish the monarchy to the realm's savior while requesting the adventurer to support Raubahn in Ul'dah's transition. After drinking a goblet of wine that her lady-in-waiting Meriel had served, apparently filled with Teledji's poison, Nanamo collapsed to the floor. Teledji arrested the adventurer on the charge of regicide and Yuyuhase and other Crystal Braves revealed their treachery to Alphinaud, whom they held at swordpoint. As Aymeric and his attendant Lucia goe Junius were forced to leave upon being informed of the Dravanians renewing their assault, Raubahn denounced Teledji for bringing armed men into the hall. Teledji refused to follow his orders, while criticizing Raubahn's leadership and failure to recognize a spy in his ranks.
Teledji accused the adventurer of assassinating the sultana to Minfilia's face, having Ilberd bring the captive adventurer in while accusing the Scions of conspiracy to assassinate Nanamo. Teledji added the vial containing a sample of the poison was found in their possession (planted due to manipulation by Laurentius). He further accused the Scions of using sorcery to manipulate the Alliance leaders to defend Ishgard as a ruse to divide their forces. As the Scions denied the accusations, Raubahn asked to see the Sultana. Ilberd told him he saw her with his own eyes, and that her death was quick.
While Raubahn was beside himself in grief, Teledji's gloating over Nanamo's demise resulted with him being bisected by the enraged Flame General's blades. As most attendees began to flee, making his own move in the coup, Lolorito stepped forth to condemn Raubahn for drawing his blades on a fellow Syndicate member within the royal chambers while accusing him of being in league with the Scions. Raubahn, believing Lolorito the mastermind, charged at the other "scheming bastard" before Ilberd cut off his arm. As Lolorito ordered the arrest of the Scions and Raubahn, Merlwyb and Kan-E-Senna were left with no choice but to leave lest the situation worsened.
Thancred was confronted by a group of Brass Blades on the charge of Imperial espionage and practicing forbidden arts. Though Thancred asserted he "wasn't himself" at that time, he was forced to brandish his daggers. Back in the hall, Ilberd expressed his contempt before the wounded Raubahn and provoked him further by taking responsibility for killing Nanamo. Raubahn grabbed his sword and engaged his old friend. After evading a Red Lotus Blade from Ilberd, Raubahn severed the bindings on the adventurer. Believing the plot ran deeper than just Lord Lolorito, he implored the Scions to flee, clear their names, and discover who was behind everything.
When the Scions regrouped with Thancred, he advised escaping via a secret route through the sultana's chambers. At the Royal Promenade, Yda and Papalymo stayed behind to give the other Scions time to escape while they held off the Brass Blades before they made their own escape and went into hiding. The group entered the Sil'dih Aqueducts where it became apparent their pursuers had followed them. Y'shtola and Thancred held them off while Minfilia and the adventurer went on ahead, intending to bring down the passage. Y'shtola used the ancient spell Flow to spirit herself and Thancred away—while she transformed into aether and entered the Lifestream, Thancred would end up in Dravania. Nearing the exit, Minfilia received a message from the mothercrystal, and declared she needed to stay behind. She begged the adventurer to go on without her, being the flame of hope for the realm.
After escaping the aqueducts into Central Thanalan, the adventurer encountered Vice Marshal Pipin Tarupin who had rescued Alphinaud. With aid from Alisaie Leveilleur and Cid Garlond, they escaped to Coerthas.
== Aftermath ==
The few remaining Scions who escaped capture regrouped at Camp Dragonhead under the hospitality of Lord Haurchefant Greystone. The Warrior of Light, Alphinaud, and Tataru Taru were granted asylum in the Holy See of Ishgard as wards of House Fortemps and made efforts to find and reunite their missing comrades.
In truth, Nanamo did not die as everyone believed. Lolorito learned of Teledji's scheme to assassinate the sultana and Meriel, revealed to be one of his spies, substituted the poison with a concoction to place its drinker into a death-like slumber. Lolorito allowed Teledji to believe he succeeded so the events resulting in the traitor's death by Raubahn would occur, and he would rid himself of two rivals by arresting the latter. With Merlwyb and Kan-E-Senna using their influence, they convinced Lolorito not to take action against the Scions as he covered up the events by claiming the sultana was ill, even to the Sultansworn, likely to prevent full scale civil war from erupting. Raubahn was incarcerated in the Masaraja Pit, with Pipin taking charge of the Immortal Flames while trying to prove his father's innocence. Regardless, rumors of the event spread. After the Scions rescued Raubahn from the Crystal Braves, the truth of Nanamo's survival was made known and Lolorito gave Raubahn the antidote to wake her. Raubahn was subsequently cleared of all charges in Teledji's murder and reinstated as Flame General.
As a consequence of using Flow, Y'shtola was rendered physically blind and relied on seeing aether to compensate. Conversely, Thancred's aether was distorted and he became unable to manipulate magicks, including teleportation.
Minfilia did not escape alive, but instead transcended, fusing with Hydaelyn to become "the Word of the Mother", an avatar of the goddess. The general population believed she was still missing, and that the Scions of the Seventh Dawn did not know what became of her.
Yda and Papalymo were rescued by Ala Mhigan refugees and spent time aiding the Resistance to repay their debts. Their involvement after regrouping with the Scions would lead to the eventual liberation effort of Ala Mhigo in Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood.
==Behind the scenes==
In terms of gameplay, players could still visit Ul'dah or Revenant's Toll unimpeded, as the public still viewed the Warrior of Light as a hero. Speaking with various NPCs makes it clear there's doubt and confusion over what happened, even among the Brass Blades and Crystal Braves. Nevertheless, the atmosphere in Ul'dah remains tense. Rumors begin circulating that many consortia are tanking following the banquet, and a feeling of uneasiness persists in the refugee sector.
The term "bloody banquet" is used several places in-game, including in the journal entries for the quest and the official description of Edmont de Fortemps.
== Gallery ==
FFXIV Nanamo Death.png|The sultana lying unconscious.
FFXIV Ilberd blaming WoL.png|The Warrior of Light is blamed for the assassination of the sultana.
FFXIV Teledji.png|Teledji blames the Scions for the sultana's death.
FFXIV Raubahn Angry.png|Raubahn doesn't believe Teledji's lies.
FFXIV Ilberd cuts Raubahn.png|Ilberd cuts Raubahn's left arm off.
FFXIV Ilberd culprid.png|Ilberd admits he's the one who killed the sultana.
FFXIV Yda & Papalymo last stand.png|Yda and Papalymo hold the enemies while the other Scions escape from the royal palace.
FFXIV Y'shtola & Thancred last stand.png|Y'shtola and Thancred destroy the enemies and also hurt themselves.
FFXIV Minifilia last stand.png|Minfilia tells the Warrior of Light to go alone.
FFXIV Bremondt.png|Bremondt helps the Warrior of Light, Alphinaud, and Pipin escape with his chocobo carriage.
FFXIV Yugiri unmasked.png|The Scions meet Yugiri again in Coerthas.
FFXIV Emo Alphinaud.png|Alphinaud blames himself for getting fooled by Teledji.
Category:Events in Final Fantasy XIV