Vrtra (Final Fantasy XIV)

Vrtra , also known as Varshahn , is a dragon in Final Fantasy XIV introduced in the expansion Endwalker. He is the youngest of the first brood sired by Midgardsormr and makes the isle of Thavnair his home.
== History ==
===Before Final Fantasy XIV===
As the youngest of the first brood, Vrtra hatched after Midgardsormr entered dormancy. Vrtra in his youth once asked his sire why he chose to settle on the Source after escaping from the Dragonstar. Midgardsormr replied, "'Twas the last bastion of hope." 
He was cared for by his brood-sister, Azdaja. During the Third Astral Era, when the Allagan Empire assaulted Meracydia and Bahamut fell, Vrtra and Azdaja answered Tiamat's call and flew to Meracydia to fight the Allagans and their voidsent. No matter how many voidsent were slain, however, more appeared to take their place. In a desperate gamble, Azdaja flew into the voidgate about the Crystal Tower to cut off the reinforcements at their source, and the voidgate closed behind her. Vrtra was left saddened over Azdaja's sacrifice, yet he kept up hope that she survived.
Long after Allag's fall, Vrtra still searched for a way to reunite with Azdaja, and eventually discovered a planar fissure beneath the waves of the Bounty. Though too small for a dragon to fit through, Vrtra took the nearby island of Thavnair as his abode. When mortals—first the Matanga and later the Au Ra—came to the island, Vrtra allowed them to stay so long as they left him and his lair in peace. The peace held for many years until a group of Hyur arrived at Thavnair and waged war on them, intent on occupying the island. Tiring of the bloodshed, Vrtra intervened and brokered peace between the three groups, together establishing the city of Radz-at-Han.
Knowing that if his presence was to become known outside Thavnair others would come seeking his power, Vrtra swore all to secrecy and remained hidden, naming an Au Ra named Alzadaal to act as the ruling satrap in his stead. Over time Vrtra and his involvement in Thavnair's founding were forgotten, even by his own people, who knew only that their satrap had made an alliance with a dragon. Only the satrap knew that Vrtra was the true ruler of Radz-at-Han. To interact with his people, Vrtra used his right eye to create a homunculus in the guise of the satrap's ambassador. From time to time, this ambassador would depart to foreign lands while Vrtra created a new homunculus to watch his people.
With Thavnair's alchemists at his disposal, Vrtra enlisted them to expand the undersea fissure. After decades of work, it was large enough for a child to pass through. Using a simulacrum, Vrtra entered the Void and found himself facing an army of voidsent swarming around the rift. Vrtra fled and had the gate sealed rather than risk the a voidsent invasion that would endanger Radz-at-Han. Mourning his sister, Vrtra gave her up as lost.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward===
When Nidhogg cried out for revenge against Ishgard, Vrtra refused to answer the call as he could not bring himself to hate those who looked upon him for guidance with smiles upon their faces. Vrtra hid away in Radz-at-Han, hoping that the conflict between his brood-brother and Ishgard would never reach his people.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker===
When the Scions of the Seventh Dawn came to Thavnair seeking to prevent the Final Days, they met with Vrtra's latest homunculus, an Au Ra child named Varshahn. Together, they helped the Thavnairian alchemists create a ward against tempering using Vrtra's scales. Once the ward proved effective, Vrtra donated many of his own scales to the cause to protect his people, despite the pain it caused him to give so many at once. Ahewann, the current satrap, invited the Scions to Radz-at-Han where Vrtra revealed himself and explained Thavnair's true history. 
After the Scions destroyed the Tower of Zot, Vrtra thanked them for doing a great service to his people and agreed to supply wards to the Grand Company of Eorzea. As the others left, Vrtra talked with the Warrior of Light alone, recognizing them as the one, whom his sire had deemed worthy. While the Warrior was saddened that Midgardsormr couldn't be there, Vrtra assured the Warrior that despite sleeping now, his sire was still watching over the Warrior. Vrtra also advised the Warrior of Light to protect their companions well, for when the time comes, they would be their strength and hope. 
When the Final Days struck Thavnair, Ahewann urged Vrtra to reveal himself to the Thavnairians and rule openly. Though Vrtra was initially opposed to the idea, worried they would fear and hate him for both his nature and his deception, after Ahewann's death Estinien Varlineau convinced the dragon to honor Ahewann's final request. Vrtra swooped down with Estinien to save Matsya and an orphaned baby from beasts about to kill them. He escorted them to Palaka's stand, where he revealed the truth to its inhabitants. Later, Vrtra announced his identity in Radz-at-Han, and was relieved when his people accepted him without reservation. When the Scions put out the call for items strong in aether for their plan to stop the Final Days, Vrtra and his surviving siblings agreed to provide some of Midgardsormr's scales to the cause. After the Final Days ended, he requested Estinien's aid once more at Radz-at-Han.
A few months later, Estinien purchased a map purported to lead to the lost treasure of Alzadaal III. Together with Y'shtola Rhul, G'raha Tia, Urianger Augurelt, and the Warrior of Light, they set sail for the ruins where they discovered Alzadaal's treasure along with the sealed voidgate. Vrtra, sensing that the gate's defenses had been breached, sent Varshahn to investigate. After explaining about his search for Azdaja, Y'shtola decided to help renew the efforts to enter the Void and search for her. Though Vrtra was hesitant, he relented and assisted her after his people encouraged their beloved satrap to save his sister. He called upon the Radiant Host to help transport the treasure back to Radz-at-Han; Vrtra had spent centuries filling the treasure hoard against a day when it would be needed to help Thavnair, and the aftermath of the Final Days was such an occasion. While Y'shtola worked to devise a way to safely enter the Void, Vrtra directed the nation's functionaries to sell the treasure and invest the proceeds into restoring their merchants' businesses and establishing an orphanage to care for the children whose parents had died.
After the preparations for the the expedition into the Void were completed, Vrtra, in a new, combat-ready Varshahn body, accompanied the Warrior of Light, Estinien, and Y'shtola as they crossed over to the Thirteenth reflection: the Void. They arrived in a A castle and fought off hordes of voidsent culminating with defeating Scarmiglione. They talked with the surviving voidsent, who were docile towards demonstrably stronger people, to learn more of the world and the whereabouts of Azdaja. They met Zero, a voidsent-Hyur hybrid, who agreed to aid them in return for some of their aether. A regenerated Scarmiglione ambushed the group, but with Zero's help, they defeated the Archfiend. The Warrior of Light's Echo showed them a vision of Scarmiglione's past and a horrifying revelation: while Azdaja was alive, she had been captured and was now hostage to Golbez, who let his four Archfiends devour part of the dragon's aether.
Vrtra and the party traveled to Zero's domain to learn more about Golbez. While questioning the local voidsent, the Archfiend Barbariccia attacked them. The Warrior of Light defeated her, but could not trigger an Echo vision and learn anything that could help the party find Azdaja. The party was forced to leave the Void soon after when Zero collapsed from exhaustion. Vrtra arranged for Zero to stay in Radz-at-Han and provide her food. The party suspended the expedition until they recovered.
Some time later, the group reconvened and prepared to travel to the Void again. Before they departed Radz-at-Han, Vrtra detected Azdaja's aether in the Source and attempted to call her. Azdaja's aether disappeared from the Source and Vrtra was equally confused at the location where he detected his sister: far to the north, near Garlemald. The party decided to investigate there. After helping Alphinaud and Alisaie with the day-to-day work to aid the Garleans, Vrtra and his party traveled to Lapis Manalis, home of the Reapers. They defeated Cagnazzo, another of Golbez's Archfiends, who revealed the presence Vrtra felt was Azdaja's eye, ripped from her body. Vrtra was distraught but reasoned that there was still hope to save Azdaja and the group returned to Radz-at-Han to discuss their next move. They were interrupted by a mysterious explosion coming from Alzadaal III's vault. Vrtra heard reports of a monster flying out from the area, and realized it is another, powerful voidsent. He initially wanted to do battle, but was convinced to focus on calming the people while the Warrior of Light dealt with the threat. After the Archfiend was slain, Vrtra, Y'shtola, Zero, Estinien, and the Warrior of Light reconvened to debrief the recent events. Having learned of Golbez's ultimate plan to conquer the Source, the group knew such a war would be a Calamity. They determined the best course of action was to find another way to the Void (their original way in was destroyed by Rubicante) and stop Golbez before the war could happen. As the rest of the party left Vrtra's chamber, Vrtra vowed to save Azdaja.
After much research, Y'shtola and Urianger came with the theory that they may be able to reach the Moon of the Thirteenth, where Azdaja and Golbez were located, via creating a voidgate upon their own moon, believing a link exists between them. However, to open a portal large enough for a dragon to pass through, the group required a massive amount of aether and a means to transporting it to the moon. Y'shtola believed that they can gain the required amount of aether from the rich reserves found on the Isle of Haam and by using the Tower of Babil in Garlemald, they can deliver it to the Moon. The group gained the Forum's approval in gaining the aether but gaining permission to use the Tower proved more difficult as the Garleans remained haunted that their once glorious capital was warped into a nightmarish hold and their pride had been hurt since their empire fell apart, thus making any negotiations difficult. Vrtra traveled with the group at this point but found a way to gain the Garleans' permission by offering a trade agreement, between Thavnair and Garlemald, an agreement of equals rather than one of charity as the Garlean people were forced to accept since the loss of their home. With both requirements gained, Vrtra had been advised to head to moon in his true form as the group finished preparations there for the voidgate.
Vrtra agreed and as he made his way to the moon, the group succeeded in opening a voidgate large enough to pass through. With the Warrior of Light, Estinien, Y'shtola and Zero upon his back, the group journeyed into the void once more. Emerging form the gate, the group landed upon the sanguine ground of the Thirteenth's moon with Vrtra immediately becoming anxious as he could not find Azdaja, leading the dragoon to steady him and remind him to focus. Frustrated but agreeing, Vrtra decided to scout ahead from the sky while the rest of the group surveyed from the ground. The ground group took notice of a large chasm which Y'shtola noted was similar to the Cradle of Darkness in the Source, therefore believing that a piece of Zodiark was likely imprisoned within. From above, Vrtra heard a faint roar from within the cham, immediately detecting his sister. Informing his allies, the group descended into the chasm and hovering above Golbez's throne, lied an imprisoned Azdaja. Returning Azdaja's stolen eye, the dragon awakened and after five thousand year, the siblings were reunited, much to Vrtra's joy. However, Azdaja stated that her chains were bound to the will of Golbez and likely his death would shatter them but she stated that there is something of personal importance to Golbez on the surface nearby. The group found a memoriate crystal before being confronted by Golbez himself who brought the captive Azdaja with him. After a short exchange of words, Golbez stated that by finding Azdaja and rekindling her hope to return home, they gave him exactly what he needed. Golbez shattered Azdaja's prison but doing so allowed the Darkness of the Thirteenth to ravage her. To Vrtra's horror, he could only watch as his sister became the voidsent Shadow Dragon and made to obey Golbez.
Golbez then ordered his new servant to attack Vrtra who did so viciously. Yet despite his sister's corruption, Vrtra couldn't bring himself to harm Azdaja, leading him to get mauled by the Shadow Dragon. Falling to the ground wounded, Vrtra could only beg the Warrior of Light to save his sister as they went to face Golbez and the Shadow Dragon while the rest of the group battled voidsent minions. Though the warrior prevailed against Golbez, the voidsent master only laughed as he stated defeating them wasn't his plan. Bringing the unconscious Shadow Dragon over to the chasm, Golbez stated that after Zodiark was destroyed, the piece that was dormant within the chasm disapiated into a haze of aether but in the absence of the Great Flow, that aether had no where to go. Instead, it coalesced giving rise to a powerful and mighty voidsent. Despite his pleas, Vrtra could only despair as Golbez tossed Azdaja into the chasm, merging her with Zodiark's aether, giving birth to a voidsent Golbez named Zeromus. Zero attempted to seal Zeromus into memoria but her attacks had little affect and with their warding scales fraying against the darkness borned from Zodiark's aether, the group had no choice but to flee back to the Source. Agreeing, Vrtra gathering his friends upon his back but renewed his vow to Azdaja and sent her free.
Back in Vrtras' hall, Zero assures him that despite Azdaja being consumed by Zeromus, his sister still exists within it as is the nature of voidsent being consumed by another. Therefore, there is still a chance to free Azdaja and when the time comes, he must call to her with every fiber of his being. Heartened by Zero's words, he refuses to wallow in despair and seeks to prepare for when Golbez is ready to use Zeromus to break down the barriers between worlds and invade the Source.
Upon hearing from Urianger that brands on the moon are failing, Vrtra informs everyone that time is of the essence. Y'shtola explains that she discovered a way to channel Light into the Void using Aether transmitters. While the Warrior of Light travels to the First with Zero, Vrtra and the others tend to their own preparations in the meantime. Once they return, everyone heads to the moon, while Vrtra and Varshahn fly via dragon. Everyone then descends into the Void once more and arrive at the moon. Golbez and Zeromus are nowhere to be found, and everyone uses the aether transmitters to pierce a path through the Darkness. While too small for Vrtra's dragon self, Varshahn goes into Golbez's domain with Estinien, Y'shtola, Zero, and the Warrior of Light. While down there, they witness a memory from the memoriate crystal and discover that Golbez was sealed by his friend, Durante, who then took his name and legacy. Durante then appears and despite Zero's pleas, he had no intention of changing his course. They pursue him and do battle with Golbez and shades of the archfiends, while the Warrior battles Zeromus. Once Zeromus is defeated, Vrtra calls out to Azdaja and she hears his roar. Using his right eye, Varshahn gives aether to Azdaja and gives her a corporeal form as a young dragon. Azdaja returns to the Source with everyone except Zero, and a feast is held to celebrate her homecoming. During that night, Vrtra and Azdaja are outside Meghaduta roaring together. The following day, little Varshahn thanks the Warrior for everything they've done to help bring Azdaja back home.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail===
The nation of Tuliyollal, far to the west on the continent of Tural, made an alliance with Radz-at-Han. With this alliance in place, Vrtra and his dragon horde arrived to defend Tuliyollal when they came under attack by Alexandria.
== Characteristics ==
=== Appearance ===
Vrtra has dark greenish scales, and like his siblings, long serpentine body. His eyes are red with black irises, though the right one is absent when stored within the body of his Au Ra simulacrum, Varshahn. Like his brood-brother Hraesvelgr and his sire Midgardsormr (but unlike his other known brood-siblings Nidhogg, Tiamat, and Bahamut), he has a second smaller pair of wings aligned with his rear legs. A large distinctive horn extends from the front of his head, a trait not shared by any of his known brood-siblings, and two large fangs extend from his lower jaw on either side of his snout. 
While his in-game render depicts him as normal, in-game, the sides of his mid-section are red with exposed muscle due to having offered up his scales in the use of the warding scale project.
Varshahn is an Au Ra simulacrum hosting Vrtra's right eye, created by Hannish alchemists to allow him to interact more closely with the people of Thavnair. For the expedition to the Thirteenth, Varshahn was given another vessel in the likeness of a full-grown Auri male, allowing him to aid his allies in combat.
=== Personality ===
Unlike his siblings Hraesvelgr and Nidhogg, Vrtra holds no grudge towards men, and in fact harbors much love for mortals, refusing to take up arms against them even in the face of the murder of his broodsister by King Thordan I and his knights, the event that precipitated the Dragonsong War. This love extends to his manner of speech as he chooses to speak almost exclusively in the tongue of the Spoken. He only hopes for the best for his people, yet fears how they would react to the truth of him being the real ruler. He overcomes this fear with Estinien's help because his people need him. As leader of Radz-at-Han, Vrtra has proven to be a wise, fair and loving leader towards his people, despite the initial secrecy, taking their safety and happiness as his top priority. Further, he has shown to be kind and respectful towards friends and allies, providing sage council towards the Warrior of Light on one occasion. 
Vrtra grieves over the fate of his brood-sister, Azdaja, after she sacrificed herself to seal the Allagan voidrift that stranded her within the Void. As she took care of him when he was an egg and young hatchling, the two shared a powerful bond, Vrtra admitting that even after learning to care and fend for himself, he rarely strayed from his sister's side. This love drove Vrtra to find a way to enter the Void as he hoped that his sister still lived. However, after founding Radz-at-Han and becoming satrap, he was torn between his desire to save his sister and his duty towards his people. Ultimately, after a brief journey into the Void, Vrtra somberly concluded that his sister was lost and the endeavor was too dangerous as any journey would risk his people being attacked by the voidsent. Nonetheless, the loss of his sister would weigh heavily upon him for years to come. Only after being encouraged by his people and seeing the Scions' resolve to enter the Void to find Azdaja he reluctantly agreed to aid them, renewing his hope of seeing his sister again.
As the group and Vrtra managed to reach the void and gather evidence of Azdaja's whereabouts, Vrtra slowly but surely became eager, if not frantic, in finding his brood sister, forcing the other members to rein him in and calm him down. He especially expressed irritation, if not outright anger, with Golbez's Archfiends when they taunted him about Azdaja's captivity and how she and he bear the same "scent". Though he was overjoyed to finally meet his sister again on the Thirteenth's moon, albeit imprisoned, he would be horrified to witness Golbez corrupt her into a voidsent, the Shadow Dragon, bound to his will. His love for Azdaja ultimately prevented him from defending himself against what his sister had become, unable to bring himself to harm her, leading him to plead the Warrior of Light to save Azdaja. Vrtra would despair as Golbez would use his sister to create the voidsent Zeromus, but Zero's encouragement lifted his spirits and provided some hope that Azdaja could still be saved.
== Gameplay ==
Vrtra is briefly present in , where he shields several Thavnairians from the burning forest and beasts of the Final Days. He takes to the skies soon after to combat the beasts from above.
Varshahn is available as a Duty Support party member in , , , and . His job, Satrap, is an All-Rounder that can fill the Gladiator and Dragoon roles.
The minion is redeemable from an item code bundled with the Endwalker: Final Fantasy XIV Original Soundtrack.
===Triple Triad===
==Gallery==
FFXIV 2024 New Year Yoshida artwork.png|2024 New Year artwork of Vrtra and Naoki Yoshida.
FFXIV Endwalker trailer screenshot 13.png|Vrtra with Estinien in the Endwalker expansion trailer.
FFXIV Endwalker trailer screenshot 22.png|Vrtra with Estinien.
==Etymology==
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy XIV
Category:Dragons
Category:Dragoons
Category:Paladins