Avatar (Final Fantasy XI)

Avatars are magical beings in Final Fantasy XI, some of which can be called forth by Summoners, who form a pact with an Avatar, enabling them to summon them in battle. Certain Avatars can only exist in Vana'diel through a conjured fragment of their energy, while other Avatars exist in Vana'diel in their entirety. Avatars can be encountered as both allies and enemies. 
Avatars are the powerful beings and lesser deities in the world of Vana'diel. They can roughly be divided into three distinct categories: the Celestial Avatars, the Terrestrial Avatars, and the "other Avatars" that fit neither category. Avatars are the servants of Altana and carry out her will. In some cases, they work towards a specified end, such as Cait Sith. Certain Avatars ensure the necessary balance to maintain Altana's involvement in Vana'diel, such as Odin. There are few Avatars who do not serve Altana but work towards their own ends, such as Atomos or Chaos. All of the Avatars are heavily involved in shaping Vana'diel into what it is, and they often play an important role in the storylines of Final Fantasy XI.
==Characteristics==
The different categories of Avatars achieve their divinity in different ways. 
===Origin===
Celestial Avatars (player-given name) were once mortal creatures in Vana'diel whose great acts of virtue that moved Altana, elevating them to becoming an Avatar. Altana has made many different types of life into Avatars, not just the enlightened races; certain Celestial Avatars were simple animals while others were beastmen. Sometimes, the process of becoming an Avatar does not change the subject's appearance; Leviathan was a sea serpent since before it became the Avatar of Water. When elevated by Altana, she gives the new Avatar an associated constellation. These Avatars desire is for the restoration of the world to its former state of unity, where the realm of the gods and the lower realm of Vana'diel were unified.
Before the creation of Vana'diel and the splitting higher and lower realms of the world, the Terrestrial Avatars were regular animals. After Vana'diel came into existence, these animals survived and became gods compared to what they were before. Each was given immense power over a domain of existence (Fenrir has power of the moon and stars, Bahamut is the ruler of the sky, etc). These Avatars were tasked with the protection of the four Vana'diel Mothercrystals. If the light of the Mothercrystals were to merge, the Terrestrial Avatars would become mundane beasts again. Because the Terrestrial and Celestial Avatars are tasked with opposing goals, it is prophesied there will be a war between them.
There are also Avatars who do not fit into either category due to their origins being ambiguous or obscure. One of the Avatars in this category fits far more closely with the supreme beings of Vana'diel rather than a mere Avatar. Another was created shortly before the events of Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess. These Avatars cannot be classified as Celestial Avatars because they were never mortal, nor are they associated with a constellation. They are distinct from the Terrestrial Avatars as well because they were not elevated through the creation of Vana'diel.
=== Summoning ===
Mages trained in the magic of summoning are able to form bonds with an avatar known as a blood pact. These pacts allow summoners to conjure a fraction of the Avatar's energy from the higher realm into Vana'diel to fight for them. Certain Avatars allow the summoner to control their conjured fragment and perform two different types of blood pact commands: "rages", which compel the Avatar to directly fight an opponent, and "wards", which compel the Avatar to support the summoner. Certain Avatars do not allow the summoner to control their conjured fragment, only to call upon them when the summoner is in a state referred to as "astral flow". These Avatars only perform one or two abilities before dismissing from battle.
It is possible for a mage to summon the entirety of the Avatar's existence out of the higher realm into Vana'diel resulting in an immensely powerful summoning that outclasses what summoners can do with blood pacts. This was used by a Windurstian mage and a single, short-lived summoning was sufficient to turn the tides of a losing war. The summoner must use a powerful form of energy to subdue the will of the Avatar and the only energy strong enough is the summoner's life force. A complete summoning kills the summoner and traps the Avatar in the lower realm. There are very few recorded attempts of a complete summoning. 
==Avatars of Vana'diel==
===The Sleeping Gods===
There are eight Avatars known as the Sleeping Gods represented on a stellar map. Each is tied to one of the eight elements of Vana'diel and has a constellation in the night sky. The Sleeping Gods reside within protocrystals hidden inside the Elemental Cloisters all across the world, and if a summoner defeats them in battle, they may form a pact with the creature and are allowed to summon a part of their power (in the form of an Avatar) within the normal world. It is said when the sleeping Avatars awaken, they will return the world to its true state. However, this does not apply to Alexander or Odin who are the subjects of separate myths. Because of the events surrounding their protocrystals, these two sleeping gods have awoken.
According to legend these Avatars were previously mortal beings—enlightened races, animals, and beastmen alike—that were transformed into Avatars and taken by Goddess Altana to heaven because she was touched by their action in their lifetime. They also appear as constellations upon Vana'diel's night sky, with an important person or artifact in their legend as their brightest star, along with notable beasts in the Final Fantasy series, like Behemoth and Bomb.
Among the English speaking playerbase, the sleeping god avatars have received the player-given name of "Celestial Avatars".
Name 	Image	Title 	Element 	Summonability 	Description
Alexander	 	The Colossus 	Light 	Astral Flow Summon	Alexander was defeated 900 years ago in Ragnarok, a battle between him and Odin. It is prophesied that he and his nemesis will clash once more and bring about a new Ragnarok. Because Alexander's physical body was destroyed, a medium is required for him to be manifest in Vana'diel.
Garuda 	 	Avatar of Wind 	Wind 	Full Summon 	Garuda was a small bird raised by a young prince who sought out the aid of the King of Birds, who could awaken the healing wind, Vuychap. Garuda was made a god due to her loyalty to the prince who raised her.
Ifrit 	 	Avatar of Fire 	Fire 	Full Summon 	Once a fearsome general named Frit, who selflessly prayed to Altana for those he cared about. His undying loyalty to his servant and daughter moved Altana, who made him a god.
Leviathan	 	Avatar of Water 	Water 	Full Summon 	Leviathan was a great sea serpent who used to terrorize the Gugru Sea in protest of the development of sea commerce. In the most tumultuous times, Leviathan showed mercy to Veydal, the brave warrior.
Odin 	 	The Harbinger 	Darkness 	Astral Flow Summon	Odin was once a Sleeping God, like the other Celestial Avatars, but after the beastmen's attempts to harness his power, he now roams Vana'diel free. Odin's nemesis is Alexander, the "Light Divinity".
Ramuh 	 	Avatar of Lightning	Lightning	Full Summon 	He was a sage from a nation situated on the Buburimu Peninsula whose great learning allowed the country to prosper and develop advanced technology. Thanks to his selfless protection of those who once mocked him, Altana rewarded him by making him a god.
Shiva 	 	Avatar of Ice 	Ice 	Full Summon 	Shiva was the young ruler of a small kingdom situated in the south of Vana'diel. Despite her age, she was a wise and competent ruler, loved by her people. Her unyielding leadership is what earned her Altana's favor.
Titan 	 	Avatar of Earth 	Earth 	Full Summon 	Titan was originally a member of a tribe of giants (the Titans) who lived in the south of the Quon continent. The tribe was in conflict with the people of a neighboring city over the ownership and use of a forest. Despite being dearly loved by most, he was wrongly condemned by certain villagers. Altana took pity on him and made him an Avatar.
===Terrestrial Avatars ===
The five Terrestrial Avatars are mighty beasts tasked with protecting the Mothercrystals. Unlike the Sleeping Gods, Terrestrial Avatars have a given purpose in Vana'diel and are servants of Altana. These Avatars have shaped and guided the history of the enlightened races for thousands of years. With the exception of one other Avatar, the Terrestrial Avatars are the most ancient species of Avatars whose age predates the creation of Vana'diel and their first major battle was before the Great Meltdown ten thousand years ago. 
Name 	Image	Title 	Element 	Summonability 	Description
Bahamut 	 	Conqueror of the Skies 	Unknown 	Not summonable	Bahamut made an ancient pact to protect the Mothercrystals and defeat the Keeper of the Apocalypse when the time would come. He is also known as the "Wyrm King" due to his control of the wyrms of Vana'diel.
Carbuncle	 	Bringer of Rainbows 	Light 	Full summon 	Carbuncle is the first Avatar that summoners form a pact with. Carbuncle guides summoners through their mastery of summoning magic.
Chaos 	 	The Voracious Beast 	Unknown 	Not summonable	He is a former Avatar that 5000 years ago waged war on all new life. He was defeated by an alliance of beastmen, but scattered eggs across the land so that he may be reborn. Rather than being associated with a standard constellation in the night sky, Chaos has a hidden constellation of black stars.
Diabolos 	 	Ruler of Dreams 	Darkness	Full summon 	Diabolos created the world of Dreamworld Dynamis in the event of the apocalypse. He sought to protect the enlightened races in Dynamis while the world would be destroyed.
Fenrir 	 	Guardian of the Moon 	Light 	Full summon 	Fenrir brought growth and flourishing to the continent of Mindartia and the Federation of Windurst until the Crystal War. During Windurst's decisive battle, a powerful mage performed a complete summoning of Fenrir, killing the Avatar.
Phoenix 	 	Fiery Bird of Resurrection	Fire 	Not summonable	While her body was destroyed many years ago, her flame burned strong in the Far East. The remnants of the Phoenix's power were forged into a blade that guides the warriors of the Far East. Phoenix can be resurrected once more should Altana evey demand contributions of the energies of all the other Avatars.
===Other Avatars ===
There are a few Avatars throughout Vana'diel whose origins are mysterious. While these Avatars fit more closely with the Terrestrial Avatars, they are never explicitly categorized. As such, they are left separate from the other classes of Avatars. These remaining Avatars play important roles in the storylines of Wings of the Goddess, Abyssea, Seekers of Adoulin, and Rhapsodies of Vana'diel.
Name 	Image	Title 	Element	Summonability 	Description
Atomos 	 	Distorter of Time 	Unknown	Astral Flow summon	An Avatar that exists beyond the normal realms of reality. Residing in the Walk of Echoes, it is the devourer of time and serves to indiscriminately return dispensable time to the void. Smaller representations of it appear as Cavernous Maws strewn across Vana'diel. These maws serve as portals for players to travel between different dimensions and times.
Cait Sith	 	Tear of Altana 	Light 	Full summon 	Altana created many Cait Siths to negate the timeline where the enlightened races lose the Crystal War and are driven to extinction. There are initially ten black Cait Siths and ten white Cait Siths. The black ones eventually merge into a single entity, which is the one players can summon.
Siren 	300px	The Forgotten Avatar	Wind 	Full summon 	Siren is a mysterious Avatar that has a strong connection with the Lifestream of Vana'diel and the World Trees that mediate it.
==History ==
=== Before Final Fantasy XI===
==== The First Avatar====
The great crystal in the beginning of time created the two Supreme Beings: Promathia, the god of darkness, and Altana, the goddess of light. The creation of the world followed. At some afterward, the great crystal shattered into great shards, and the world split into two realms. This event is referred to as the "Closing of the Gates of Paradise". The world split into a higher realm, the realm of the gods, and a lower realm, Vana'diel, an imperfect realm full of the virtues and vices inherited from Altana and Promathia. Certain events would take place that would make reality "unfit" for existence. All the unfit realities were consumed by Atomos, the Distorter of Time. After consuming a reality, Atomos would deposit what it had consumed in a space between worlds known as the "Walk of Echoes". While the origin and date of creation of Atomos are not specified, Atomos began consuming realities after the splitting of the great crystal, making Atomos the oldest Avatar and it has characteristics similar to the Supreme Beings rather than the other Avatars, such as the capacity to travel between the higher and lower realms.
==== The Great Meltdown====
Five mundane animals survived the splitting of the great crystal, and became deities in Vana'diel. This is the origin of the Terrestrial Avatars. An ancient enlightened race known as the Zilart made plans to reopen the Gates of Paradise, and unify the world once more. Toward these ends they constructed the monolithic arks to encase the Mothercrystals and the Crystal Line, which could unify the light gathered by the arks. By reconnecting the Mothercrystals, the Gates of Paradise would be opened, unifying the world. Certain Kuluu and Bahamut, on behalf of the Terrestrial Avatars, formed a pact that, should there be a possibility of Promathia's return, Bahamut would do anything necessary to prevent it. The Kuluu and the Terrestrial Avatars fought against the Zilart to keep them from succeeding. The Crystal Line failing caused the catastrophe later known as "The Great Meltdown", resulting in all of the Kuluu becoming Tonberries, the near extinction of the Zilart race, and the death of the Terrestrial Avatar, Phoenix whose remaining flames were used to forge a sword blessed by its power by the nation in the Far East. Due to the pact he formed with the Kuluu, Bahamut watches over Vana'diel, waiting for the arrival of the Keeper of the Apocalypse. 
====Wars of the Celestial Avatars====
Throughout the following years, Altana watched over Vana'diel and the life that the Mothercrystals supported. Throughout the following millennia there were several instances of a mortal demonstrating virtue befitting of a deity that moved Altana who elevated nine mortals into the higher realm, turning them into Avatars who would receive a constellation in the night sky denoting their new position. These "Celestial Avatars" slept in protocrystals that connect their higher realm with Vana'diel, and it was prophesied that, upon their awakening, they would return the world to its original state.
Five thousand years after the Great Meltdown, one of the new Avatars, Chaos, waged a war on all life in Vana'diel. He nearly succeeded but the beastmen unified their forces and narrowly avoided extinction. Before Chaos died, he scattered eggs around the world that he might be reborn. When Odin saw that Chaos was bound to return, he began collecting powerful souls in Valhalla. While collecting souls, Odin saw the might of the Galka race and granted them the gift of Reincarnation along with the power of the Shadow Lord.
Over the next five thousand years, the protocrystals of Odin and Alexander were destroyed in what appeared to be attempts at performing "complete summonings" of the two Avatars. Because Odin harbored the element of Promathia and Alexander the element of Altana, these two Avatars were destined to fight. Alexander animated the Iron Colossus, a massive body constructed for him by the ancient civilization of Alzadaal. Both Odin and Alexander were defeated in this clash, and the ancient civilization of Alzadaal was destroyed. While both were defeated, neither Avatar was killed. Left without protocrystals, Odin retreated to Valhalla while Alexander no longer had a connection to Vana'diel, stranding him in the higher realm. This battle became known as Ragnarok. Because two of the eight Avatars were no longer "sleeping gods", they became associated with new legends of repeating Ragnarok rather than restoring the world to its former state. 
====The Crystal War====
Another five thousand years later, Altana saw a great conflict unfold in Vana'diel that became known as the Crystal War. Unable to persuade Atomos to intervene, Altana cried tears of sorrow. Each tear became a Cait Sith, a cat-like Avatar that worked as a direct servant of Altana who tasked them with the prevention of the eternal suffering of the enlightened races. The Cait Sith used projections of Atomos, known as Cavernous Maws, to travel between the Walk of Echoes and the original timeline known as the Shadowreign era. The Cait Siths saved the world and produced a second timeline where the Shadow Lord was defeated by Zeid and the enlightened races knew peace. 
===Nation missions===
Windurst Federation has been in a vulnerable state since the Crystal War. The continent of Mindartia was not flourishing like it had centuries past. To keep peace between the federation and the Yaguda, Windurst must give the Yaguda a tax to keep the armies from attacking. Ajido-Marujido began looking into the magic that Karaha-Baruha had invented, the father of summoning magic, to use it against the Yaguda once more. The Ace Cardigans, under the leadership of a cardigan named Joker, revived Karaha-Baruha. Joker led the cardigans against the Star Sybil, the leader of Windurst, to destroy the federation. The Star Sybil used the Full Moon Fountain to read the stars and provide proper leadership to their people. The Full Moon Fountain is the home of Fenrir, and through Fenrir's power the fountain allowed the Star Sybil to perform star readings. However, when the adventurer went to help fight against Joker, it was revealed that the Full Moon Fountain was void of Fenrir's power.
The Star Sybil explained that Karaha Baruha successfully performed a complete summoning of Fenrir during the Crystal War to protect Windurst. During this battle, Fenrir died, and the power of the Full Moon Fountain disappeared along with him, leading to the waning of Mindartia for the last twenty years. Star Sybil and Ajido-Marujido proved their worthiness to Joker, gaining his favor, as Joker was inhabited by the great beast, Fenrir. When Karaha-Baruha was brought back from the dead, so was his cardigan. Because of the bond that Fenrir and Karaha-Baruha shared, the cardigan provided a medium for the Terrestrial Avatar to return in. Joker helped return the full might of Fenrir to the Full Moon Fountain, allowing the Star Sybil to read the stars as she should.
===Rise of the Zilart===
During the Headstone Pilgrimage, the adventurer had to collect seven elemental fragments located near the protocrystals of the Sleeping Gods. The Ice Fragment was even located inside the Cloister of Frost, the same chamber that housed the protocrystal of Shiva. When the adventurer took the carbuncle ruby to the house of the hero in Windurst, Carbuncle guided them through the process of learning a special form of magic called summoning. Carbuncle was the first Avatar to form a pact with the adventurer, who went on to meet with and form pacts with the six Sleeping Gods of Vana'diel, meeting with a Tarutaru researcher in Bastok named Juroro. Here, the adventurer learned of a device known as a tuning fork, which vibrates when brought near one of the protocrystals of the Sleeping Gods. When approached with a tuning fork, the protocrystal allows passage into the realm of the Avatar that it houses. Juroro struggled advancing his research because Uran-Mafran was found to be stealing a portion of the power of any adventurer who had made a pact with an Avatar. Uran-Mafran also erased the memory of anyone who could stop him. Carbuncle explained that Uran-Mafran was becoming powerful and needed to be stopped. After the adventurer chased Uran-Mafran from the protocrystals, he was defeated in the protocrystal that resided in the Cloister of Gales.
When the adventurer gained access to one of the six Sleeping Gods, they awakened in a state of confusion before demanding amusement. After the adventurer passed their trials of combat, they formed a pact with the Avatar, granting them a fraction of the Avatar's power.
===Chains of Promathia===
After the flow of energy reversed in the Crystal Line, Bahamut emerged from the sea north of Dlkfutt's Tower to announce the coming arrival of the Keeper of the Apocalypse. He declared war on the enlightened races and called his minions, the wyrms of Vana'diel, to aid him in this war. After chasing Selh'teus and the adventurer from three of the four mothercrystals, Nag'molada was transported to the Tavnazian Archipelago. He made his way to Cape Riverne to summon an audience with Bahamut, learning that when the Gates of Paradise were about to be opened, Bahamut sacrificed himself as the bar to restrain them. This injured him so badly that he crashed back down into the north sea where he recently reemerged from. Bahamut explained to Nag'molada the ancient pact he formed with the Kuluu, which compels him to wage war against the enlightened races.
A samurai from the far east arrived in Jeuno to speak with Esha'ntarl about the growing threat the Emptiness posed against the Far East. Tenzen carried the Phoenix Blade, a sword endowed with the will and power of the Phoenix, who guided Tenzen through his path in the conflict between Bahamut and the enlightened races. At one point, Prishe's consciousness was abducted by Diabolos, the Ruler of Dreams. While Tenzen approached Prishe, the Phoenix Blade indicated that her coma was connected to the conflict. When Ulmia noticed that Prishe's amulet was missing, Monberaux explained that a boy who had the amulet was spotted in Pso'xja. Realizing that the fourth Vana'diel Mothercrystal wan in Pso'xja, Tenzen headed there with the adventurer where they encountered Diabolos. The presence of Phoenix gained Tenzen an audience with Diabolos who further explained that he had no plans of stopping the apocalypse, but invited them to live in the world he had created: Dreamworld Dynamis. Tenzen went to Bahamut and also gained an audience thanks to the Phoenix Blade. Bahamut explained to Tenzen that the enlightened races were bound with Promathian chains, a force that they called the Emptiness, and their actions were leading to the destruction of the world. 
When the adventurer and Tenzen got to the fourth Mothercrystal, they confronted Diabolos a second time. He insisted that the hope Phoenix was giving them was futile in the face of Promathia. Later, Tenzen and the adventurer sought out Carbuncle for help in fighting the Keeper of the Apocalypse. Carbuncle desired to share a fraction of its power with Phoenix and directed them to Pso'Xja to find that power. After obtaining it, Phoenix led Tenzen to discover a path to the celestial capital of Al'taieu. Tenzen encountered Nag'molada, who told Tenzen the truth of the Terrestrial Avatars. Should the Gates of Paradise be opened, the Terrestrial Avatars would lose their power as deities, and they only desire to preserve themselves over any other life. Tenzen questioned Phoenix about this, but the only response Phoenix gave was to speak with Fenrir in Pso'xja.
When they spoke with Fenrir, the adventurer and Tenzen saw a vision of Fenrir warning the ancients about their destiny of destruction. Esha'ntarl, one of the ancients Fenrir addressed, requested a new destiny for the people. She vowed to defeat the Keeper of the Apocalypse, and break the ancient pact Bahamut made with the Kuluu. Fenrir admitted his inability to see the destiny of those who escaped the Promathian chains, and Esha'ntarl convinced him to aid her in saving the world. Fenrir told Esha'ntarl that the Keeper of the Apocalypse would emerge in Tavnazia.
When the Jueno armada attacked Bahamut, Prishe snuck aboard one of the airships. The adventurer and the others snuck into the armada, prepared to help with the fight against Bahamut, but they aimed to find Prishe. Nag'molada attacked the adventurer and the others and summoned an audience with Bahamut. Bahamut heeded the call and found that the Zilart in the leadership of Jueno was among the airships that had come to attack. Knowing this would happen, Prishe approached Bahamut and revealed that she, the Keeper of the Apocalypse, planned to destroy Promathia herself. Bahamut denied this and claimed she was not the Keeper of the Apocalypse, but rather someone in Al'taieu. He told them that once Promathia awoke, he would consume the enlightened races and start his eternal reign. To keep this from happening, Bahamut aimed to destroy all of mankind to keep Promathia from having anyone to consume. Bahamut sensed the aggregated light of the Mothercrystals in the adventurer and attempted to kill them. Tenzen used the Phoenix's power to defend against Bahamut's attack.
Eventually, Phoenix informed Tenzen that the adventurer must be killed near the fifth Mothercrystal of Al'taieu. Tenzen and the adventurer boarded an airship to go to there, and Tenzen revealed it was the adventurer's soul that must return to the fifth Mothercrystal, not their body. Tenzen failed at defeating the adventurer, and after the clash, Prishe directed the airship to the fifth mothercrystal. After their arrival, Tenzen revealed that the fifth Mothercrystal's energy was waning. Should the fifth Mothercrystal lose its light, the Gates of Paradise would open and Vana'diel would be destroyed. Selh'teus, who was already at the Mothercrystal, revealed he did not bear the light of the four Vana'diel Mothercrystals, but rather the adventurer who had followed Selh'teus to all the previous ones, leading to Phoenix ordering the adventurer's soul be returned to the fifth Mothercrystal to bring with it the light of the other four Mothercrystals and rejuvenate the Al'taieu Mothercrystal. After Prishe convinced Selh'teus that there must be a way of saving the world without the adventurer's death, a fragment of Phoenix's power fused with Selh'teus and he went on to help the adventurer and the others to stop Promathia.
After the battle with Promathia, Bahamut believed the inevitable apocalypse was only delayed. The adventurer, Ulmia, and Prishe confronted him and defeated him in battle, Bahamut imploring them to unite and form a future in which they can survive. 
===Treasures of Aht Urhgan===
After the first Ragnarok 900 years ago between Odin and Alexander, the Iron Colossus fell from the sky back down to Vana'diel, and landed in the near east. Alexander's body broke into five fragments, which now constitute the regions of the Alzadaal Undersea Ruins, the Zhayolm Remnants, the Arrapago Remnant, the Bhaflau Remnants, the Silver Sea Remnants, and Nyzul Isle. These areas are large, labyrinthine ruins scattered throughout the empire of Aht Urhgan. 
The grand vizier of the empire of Aht Urhgan, Fazfahd, sought to resurrect and control the power of the Iron Colossus, by providing the Avatar a medium to inhibit. Knowing this pursuit of power would stir up tensions with the middle land nations and the far east, Razfahd placed the Astral Candescence on the outskirts of the city where it would flair up battles with the beastmen. He intended to use the ongoing conflict with the beastmen as his public rationale for reconstructing the Iron Colossus. Razfahd's plan was to construct and control Alexander using the same puppetry techniques that the puppet masters of Aht Urhgan used. Razfahd found the blueprints for the remnants of the colossus and reconstructed it on a smaller scale with the help of Ghatsads, a researcher of puppets. While this happened, Odin brought back to the Ashu Talif and granted life back to its crew. This was a old war ship from the kingdom of Ephramad, which was destroyed by Aht Urhgan. Odin brought back the captain of the ship, Luzaf, to pursue revenge against Aht Urhgan for destroying his kingdom. 
After Luzaf kidnapped Aphmau, Razfahd's sister, Luzaf wished to reveal the horrible goals that Razfahd was attempting with the empire's experiments on monsters. Luzaf took Aphmau to the Arrapago Islands where Razfahd was conducting experiments on the lamia. Aphmau confronted Razfahd who remained unbothered. Luzaf, in a fit of rage, summoned Odin. Razfahd attempted to fend off the Dark Rider with the lamia under his control, but Odin easily destroyed them. Aphmau cried out to Luzaf, which caused Odin to dissipate and Luzaf to pass out. Flit transported Luzaf and Aphmau out of the Arrapago Islands, saving Luzaf from Razfahd. 
After Aphmau convinced Luzaf to pursue a different path from revenge, Luzaf summoned Odin once again to change the pact he formed with the Avatar. Odin refused to hear Luzaf, simply repeating his question to Luzaf about his revenge. Convinced Odin would not hear his plea, Luzaf attacked Odin, but was unable to hurt the Avatar. Odin retaliated, injuring Luzaf's arm before telling him that he was bound to the pact he formed, saying that Luzaf would be his knight till Alexander was once again destroyed. 
Razfahd and Ghatsad worked tirelessly until they were able to reconstruct Alexander's body. Razfahd used it to down an incoming airship carrying ambassadors from the middle land nations. Ghatsad said that there was so much more to the machine that he did not know, but the power it held was unlike anything they had seen. This convinced Razfahd that they could take control of all of Urhguum and force a new age of peace. Luzaf pursued Razfahd and the newly constructed Iron Colossus in the Alzadaal Undersea Ruins along with Aphmau and the adventurer. Upon Luzaf's arrival, Odin emerged from him and Alexander took the control from his newly constructed body from Razfahd. As Odin and Alexander prepared to clash, the resolve Razfahd and Luzaf had for peace quelled the Avatars' ambitions of war. Odin and Alexander left the corporeal realm and Luzaf gave the remaining life he had gotten from Odin to Aphmau to save her life.
=== Wings of the Goddess ===
When the adventurer went to examine one of the petrified Cavernous Maws, it came back to life and devoured the adventurer, depositing them into the Walk of Echoes where one of the Cait Sith was. The adventurer traveled twenty years into the past after falling out of the Walk and then went to aid the different nations while the Cait Siths worked to involve the adventurer and Lilisette in the will of Altana to save the enlightened races. 
On the Sarutabaruta front of the War, a male Mithra named Lehko Habhoka traveled to Windurst with Robel-Arkbel to help in the federation's war efforts against the Yaguda. Lehko Habhoka was merged with one of the Cait Sith and was aided by Carbuncle throughout their fight. He worked closely with Robel-Arkbel to ensure a successful complete summoning of Fenrir by Karaha-Baruha. As the Yaguda armies approached Windurst for one of the final battles, the warlord requested that they hold the line for several hours to complete the preparations needed to perform the complete summoning of Fenrir. The Terrestrial Avatar of the moon lived in the Full Moon Fountain, close to Windurst. When the time came, Robel-Akbel and Karaha-Baruha summoned the entirety of Fenrir's energy out of the higher realms into Vana'diel to unleash its power on the Yaguda armies. 
The Avatar tore through the enemy's rank, decimating the Yaguda army. The leader of the Yaguda arm fled back to Castle Oztroja, and after destroying the armies, Fenrir gave chase. The adventurer and Lehko Habhoka followed Fenrir, and together they defeated the Yaguda leader. Fenrir was losing its restraints as the lives of its summoners were on the verge of extinguishing. With a carefully executed plan, Lehko Habhoka and the adventurer killed Fenrir before it turned against Windurst. Before Fenrir passed, he acknowledged the strength of the wills of those fighting for Altana's desired future, and admonished them for continuing defying their fate. Lehko Habhoka sacrificed himself to ensure the safety of his comrades, the Cait Sith that had merged with him rewarded his valiant efforts by saving his life.
During this war, the Cait Siths involved the adventurer and Lilisette in the will of Altana. Cait Sith Naoi's first request of them was to help her identify which of the Cait Siths was the traitor among them. After planting surveillance devices on each of the other Cait Siths, Cait Sith Naoi explained Altana's motivation: the Cait Siths were created to end the Crystal War and save the enlightened races from perpetual conflict. As Altana looked at the future of the enlightened races, she saw a Crystal War that never ended, leading to untold suffering. Altana tasked the Cait Siths with the purpose of saving the world with the help of the Wings of the Goddess, which were the two only individuals capable of this task.
After Cait Sith, the adventurer, and Lilisette began working together, their series of failures resulted in Atomos devouring the seeds of Altana's desired future. The first failure occurred when the spite warden, Aquila, attacked the Cait Siths and killed two of them. Atomos deemed Altana's desired future to be less viable and began consuming Lilisette's memories. Other failures that resulted in more consumption by Atomos included the failure to save Portia Fonteyn from being kidnapped by Lady Lilith. During their attempt to stop this, Cait Sith Ceithir summoned Atomos to devour all the other Cait Siths. To keep from being destroyed, they merged their powers, becoming a single Cait Sith who retained the memories and personality of Cait Sith Naoi. They also failed to stop Lady Lilith from disrupting Ragelise's attack on Castle Zvahl, and the Shadow Lord took the field to decimate the allied forces. The greatest failure was when Ragelise B Baloumat and Portia willingly turned to Lady Lilith for the power to protect those they cared about in the war. When the adventurer and Cait Sith attempted to stop them, Lady Lilith convinced Lilisette that Cait Sith was not to be trusted. Lady Lilith summoned Odin and subjugated Ragelise and Portia's wills to the Dark Rider. Seeing this, Atomos deemed Altana's desired future to be unfit and consumed Lilisette.
Because the adventurer and Lilisette were the Wings of the Goddess, they were both needed to bring about the saved timeline. Now that Lilisette was gone, all seemed lost. Cait Sith was devastated by her continuous failures, and after an episode of despondence, decided to do the only thing she knew was left to do: collect the fragments of Lilisette's existence and save her from Atomos. The adventurer and Cait Sith went on a long escapade to collect these fragments. After they unified Lilisette's fragments, Atomos reversed the devouring, and regurgitated an egg, which contained Lilisette's existence. While they waited for Lilisette to return from the egg, the adventurer and Cait Sith launched an assault on the spite wardens. After defeating them all in a hard-fought battle, they returned to Lilisette and found that she had fully returned. Lilisette and the adventurer were reunited, Cait Sith aided them in defeating Lady Lilith in one final battle. The defeat prompted Atomos to deem both versions of history dispensable and attempted to ingest everything. Even the memories of Altana herself would be consumed and it proved too much for the Distorter to bear. It regurgitated both worlds and allowed them to exist independently. Through the efforts of Lilisette and her companion, the rift between the worlds was sealed and the Cavernous Maws degraded into lifeless stone. Before the maws were petrified, Lilisette agreed to watch over Lady Lilith's world in her place to protect the people that Lady Lilith loved.
After some time had passed, Cait Sith offered the adventurer the opportunity to fight her in exchange for a pact with the Avatar, or a reward. Cait Sith alerted the adventurer that Lilisette was in need of their help, as certain demons from the Shadowreign timeline had reopened the Cavernous Maws and traversed to the Walk of Echoes with the intention of getting to the saved timeline. Cait Sith brought the adventurer and Lilisette, the Wings of the Goddess, back together once more to defeat these powerful demons. Upon their defeat, they revealed a nascent Cavernous Maw. Cait Sith told them that they could form a pact to Atomos through the Cavernous Maw.
===Seekers of Adoulin===
There exists another class of mighty beasts in the jungles of Ulbuka that were integral to the Founder King and the adventurer's journeys to uncover the jungle's secrets. These mighty beasts are not the Avatars, but rather the Naakuals, guardians of the jungle. There are seven of these beasts and each protects a different domain of the jungle and its wildlife to maintain a careful balance of the lifestream. Centuries past, the Founder King subjugated them to his conquest of the Ulbuka jungles. They fought alongside him against the hordes emerging from Rakaznar up till the final battle, when they returned to their roles as protectors and guardians.
After Iroha and the adventurer stirred the winds of time, Arciela V Adoulin went to the newly planted world tree to request help from Siren while she led the Sacred City of Adoulin. While Siren agreed to this, she wanted to test the adventurer's strength first, both to measure their might and also to determine how much power she still had. After the adventurer defeated her in battle, she granted her favor to Arciela and gifted the adventurer.
===Rhapsodies of Vana'diel===
Volto Oscuro summoned Siren outside Norg to attack Iroha, Zeid, and the adventurer. After Iroha fended him off, Volto Oscuro dismissed Siren before fleeing. The adventurer and Zeid chased after him, and when they caught him in Yuhtunga Jungle, he summoned Siren again. The adventurer broke Volto Oscuro's pact with Siren just before Volto absorbed Siren's energy into himself. After he lost control of Siren, he fled. Siren, freed from her blood pact, explained what Volto Oscuro was, where he came from, and the threats he posed to the world.
Later in Escha Ru'Aunn, Siren and Siren Prime met with Iroha to destroy those who had come from the future, Volto Oscuro along with herself. They captured Volto Oscuro, and as they prepared to destroy him and Iroha, Tenzen shot down the bell being used as a medium, disrupting the spell. Iroha demanded they finish the spell, but Tenzen refused. Siren explained to Iroha that she was not meant to die in the past as she demanded, otherwise Altana would not have let her form strong bonds with Tenzen and the adventurer. Hearing this gave Iroha the drive to keep fighting alongside them.
After the adventurer repelled the Cloud of Darkness from Vana'diel, Iroha discovered that a fragment of its presence still resided in Selh'teus's mothercrystal. To combat this fragment, the power of the Phoenix was needed to consolidate the fragment into physical form within the mothercrystal. Iroha requested that Phoenix be revived, and Altana repeated her request to all the Avatars. The Phoenix was a Terrestrial Avatar that had long since been dead, with only fragments of its power remaining. In preparation for the final battle with the Cloud of Darkness, all the Avatars (except for Chaos) came together to grant Phoenix a portion of their energy to revive the Terrestrial Avatar.
==Gameplay==
=== Player Avatars ===
Avatars is the name given to summons used by the Summoner job. Each Avatar has unique abilities that allow them to fill different roles in groups, but they continually drain the Summoner's MP while summoned. This is known as their perpetuation cost. When the Summoner's MP reached 0, the Avatar is dismissed.
Elemental Spirits can also be summoned. They have a much shorter casting time but a higher perpetuation cost, and cannot be controlled through the use of blood pacts. While summonable Elementals are classified as Avatars, those that are fought as enemies belong to the Elemental genus.
Avatars are controlled via Blood Pact abilities. Blood Pacts are divided into two groups, Blood Pact: Rage and Blood Pact: Ward. Rage abilities are focused on dealing damage, while Ward abilities are focused on healing, supporting, and enfeeblement. Using a Blood Pact from either group locks out the other abilities in that group for 1 minute.
In addition to Blood Pacts, Summoners can use Astral Flow, which unleashes the Avatar's full power. In this state, Avatars do not drain MP, and the Summoner can command an Avatar to use its signature ultimate attack, such as Shiva's Diamond Dust. Astral Flow pacts consume all of the Summoner's MP but do not release the Avatar because of the free perpetuation. The Avatars Odin and Alexander can only be briefly summoned while the Summoner is under the effect of Astral Flow, performing their own powerful abilities before disappearing once more. Alexander and Odin uniquely cancel Astral Flow.
=== Notorious Monsters===
Avatar is a genus of seldomly fought enemies. Players usually fight them in battlefields to obtain them as summonable Avatars, or in battlefields relating to quests and missions. Almost all other instances of Avatars in battle are when they are called forth by enemy summoners. In such instances, defeating the summoner will dismiss the Avatar. Some Avatars also appear only to unleash their Astral Flow attacks when enemy summoners use Astral Flow, and are not seen for the rest of the battle.
Name 	Avatar of Origin 	Content
Akash 	Carbuncle 	Abyssea
Alexander 	Alexander 	Mission Battlefield
Atomos 	Atomos 	Mission Battlefield
Ayakashi 	Leviathan 	Battlefield
Baa's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Dreamworld Dynamis
Bahamut 	Bahamut 	Mission Battlefield
Bhumi 	Titan 	Abyssea
Brulo 	Ifrit 	Abyssea
Carbuncle Prime 	Carbuncle 	Battlefield
High Tier Battlefield
Cait Sith Ceithir 	Cait Sith 	Mission Battlefield
Cait Sith Prime 	Cait Sith 	Battlefield
High Tier Battlefield
Chaos 	Chaos 	Mission Battlefield
Chione 	Shiva 	Abyssea
Dagourmarche's Avatar	Fenrir 	Dreamworld Dynamis
Dark Rider 	Odin 	Field Notorious Monster
Demon's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Field Notorious Monster
Diabolos 	Diabolos 	Battlefield
Diabolos Club 	Diabolos 	Dreamworld Dynamis
Diabolos Diamond 	Diabolos 	Dreamworld Dynamis
Diabolos Heart 	Diabolos 	Dreamworld Dynamis
Diabolos Spade 	Diabolos 	Dreamworld Dynamis
Diabolos's Shard 	Diabolos 	Dreamworld Dynamis
Dragon's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Field Notorious Monster
Fantoccini Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Empty Burning Circle Notorious Monster
Fenrir Prime 	Fenrir 	Battlefield
High Tier Battlefield
Fomor's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Field Notorious Monster
Fulmotondro 	Ramuh 	Abyssea
Garuda Prime 	Garuda 	Battlefield
High Tier Battlefield
Gamayun 	Garuda 	Abyssea
Hydra's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Field Notorious Monster
Ifrit Prime 	Ifrit 	Battlefield
High Tier Battlefield
Jala 	Leviathan 	Abyssea
Kindred's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Dynamis
Dreamworld Dynamis
Limbus
Kirin's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Sky NM System
Lamia's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Besieged
Assault
Leviathan Prime 	Leviathan 	Battlefield
High Tier Battlefield
Maere 	Diabolos 	Abyssea
Mystic Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Limbus
Nebiros's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Dynamis
Odin 	Odin 	Einherjar
Odin Prime 	Odin 	Battlefield
High Tier Battlefield
Ogopogo 	Leviathan 	Abyssea
Osschaart's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Battlefield
Pandemonium Lamp 	Not based on an Avatar. 	Zeni NM System
Pavan 	Garuda 	Abyssea
Pet Prime 	One of the sleeping gods	Battlefield
Ramuh Prime 	Ramuh 	Battlefield
High Tier Battlefield
Razfahd 	Alexander 	Mission Battlefield
Shiva Prime 	Shiva 	Battlefield
High Tier Battlefield
Siren 	Siren 	Mission Battlefield
Siren Prime 	Siren 	Battlefield
Tejas 	Ifrit 	Abyssea
Teles 	Siren 	Geas Fete: Reisenjima
Titan Prime 	Titan 	Battlefield
High Tier Battlefield
Tonberry's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Field Notorious Monster
Umbral Diabolos 	Diabolos 	Dreamworld Dynamis
Vanguard's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Dynamis
Dreamworld Dynamis
Yagudo's Avatar 	One of the sleeping gods	Field Notorious Monster
Flame Giant 	Ifrit 	Campaign (Ally)
Shown here are images of two miscellaneous avatar enemy types that are not listed above.
Odin Image (FFXI).png|Odin Image.
Alexander Image (FFXI).png|Alexander Image.
==Other appearances==
===Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008)===
Ramuh and Carbuncle appear as automatic summons.
DFFRamuh2.png|Ramuh.
DFFCarbuncle2.png|Carbuncle.
===Final Fantasy Dimensions II===
Carbuncle appears as a summon.
FFLSTC Carbuncle.png|Carbuncle.
===Final Fantasy Trading Card Game===
Some avatars appear as cards.
Carbuncle4 TCG.png|Carbuncle.
Ifrit FFXI TCG.png|Ifrit.
Shiva FFXI TCG.png|Shiva.
Garuda FFXI TCG.png|Garuda.
Titan FFXI TCG.png|Titan.
Leviathan FFXI TCG.png|Leviathan.
FF TCG XI Ramuh.jpg|Ramuh.
==Gallery==
Bahamut talking to the Phoenix Blade.png|Bahamut and his wyrms.
Fenrir's Power FFXI.png|Fenrir's iconic pose in Final Fantasy XI.
Odin Vs. Alexander FFXI.png|Alexander vs. Odin.
Atomos Devouring.png|Atomos devouring.
Alexander Prime.jpg|Alexander Prime.
Fire Proto-crystal.webp|Ifrit's protocrystal.
Ifrit FFXI.png|Ifrit boss fight.
Siren talking.png|The adventurer and Zeid talk to Siren.
Lilisette vs. Cait Sith FFXI.png|Lilisette antagonizing Cait Sith.
Shiva Prime.jpg|Shiva Prime.
Garuda Prime.jpg|Garuda Prime
Ramuh Prime.jpg|Ramuh Prime
Titan Prime.jpg|Titan Prime.
Leviathan Prime.jpg|Ramuh Prime
Odin Prime.jpg|Odin Prime.
Cait Sith Prime.jpg|Cait Sith Prime.
Siren with the World Tree.png|Siren Prime.
==Etymology==
Category:Avatars in Final Fantasy XI
Category:Summons in Final Fantasy XI
Category:Summons