Althyk

Althyk, the Keeper, is one of the Twelve in Final Fantasy XIV. He is the surveyor of change and god of space and time, commands the element of earth and is associated with the Sixth Umbral Moon (twelfth month). He is depicted as an austere emperor wielding a mythril greataxe. His symbol is the hourglass. He is the father of Azeyma and Menphina, and elder brother to Nymeia.
==History==
===Creation myth===
In the beginning there was neither light nor darkness. Only the Whorl. And it was not until Althyk emerged thence in his nakedness, did time take its first step forward. With Him, the Keeper also carried weight, and with weight were the realms of land and firmament defined. Yet Althyk would not be alone overlong, for soon from the Whorl did another step forth. Her name was Nymeia, and She was but a mewling babe who could do naught but weep, and soon Her tears had created a vast lake. At this time the waters also came into being, and through it the Silvertear Falls came to be at the center of everything. These waters were also the source of all magic. At this time the great wyrm Midgardsormr also appeared. Fearing that the Falls would fall into the hands of evil, Althyk and Nymeia ordered Midgardsormr to become its protector and warden.
Althyk, seeking companionship in the empty realm of His creation, took the younger goddess under His wing and cared for Her as one would a daughter. As Nymeia grew, however, so too, did their love for one another, until it could no longer be contained, culminating in a divine coupling which resulted in the birth of two holy daughters: Azeyma, the sun, and Menphina, the moon.
When the Twelve considered their work in Eorzea complete, they proceeded to create a realm in which they could reside and watch over their creation, thus leaving the rule of Eorzea to mankind. This realm is known as the seven heavens that were associated with each of the six elements. To create the Heaven of Earth, Nophica planted a single sapling which Althyk instantly coaxed to maturity by bending time itself. The World Tree is the source from which all life is said to have sprung. Under this mighty sentinel's boughs sit farmers and naturalists, historians and archaeologists. Leaves fallen from the tree and left to rot in the pit are what create the Hell of Earth. Here lie buried thieves and defilers of nature, liars and revisionists. This Heaven is represented in Sharlayan astrology by the constellation of the Bole.
===Eorzean worship===
Althyk is the deity dedicated to the dimensions of space and time. He receives praise from people who passionately pursue the particulars of the past, as well as those who fumble to fathom the future.
Althyk has three saints canonized by the Council of Loetstym. The first is Saint Coinach, a seminary student who became a merchant to fund his research into the mythical Allag. He found irrefutable evidence Allag had really existed. The second is Saint Meryall, a archaeologist who uncovered Sil'dih inspired her workers by paying attention to them, their families and what kind of work they did best. The third is Saint Rhita, a huntress and her siblings who charged over a cliff to rescue their younger sibling from slavers.
In preparation for the Seventh Umbral Calamity, the archon Louisoix Leveilleur carved the symbols of the Twelve across Eorzea and encouraged adventurers to pilgrimage and pray to the Twelve. When the Calamity arrived, Louisoix used the accumulated aether from the prayers to summon a primal manifestation of the Twelve in an attempt to defend the realm from the elder primal Bahamut. Louisoix conjured the power of Althyk during the battle to deliver the adventurers to a safer place.
==Characteristics==
===Appearance===
Althyk appears as a tall fair-skinned man with well-toned musculature. He wears a stylized helmet that obscures the upper half of his face, and sports a long, white, curly beard. He wears long purple and white robes, opposite to his sister Nymeia. The lower half of his robe is held aloft by half of an hourglass. In battle, he wields an axe and rides on a black-furred horse, where the other half of his hourglass floats above the steed's head.
===Personality===
Althyk, like most of the Twelve, is soft-spoken and formal. He is never far from his sister and does not object to her intrusions. Nymeia has described him as somewhat bashful who would hide his elation or worry over subject matters.
==Gameplay==
After creating a character and choosing a birth date, players must align to one of the twelve deities. Originally, this slightly raised the character's elemental resistances based on the element of the chosen deity. As of Patch 4.2, elemental resistance stats were removed, leaving this decision with no in game effect.
===Battle===
Althyk and Nymeia are faced simultaneously as the second boss of raid.
===Miscellaneous===
The "Living on a Prayer" quest in version 1.0 required the player to visit all the Twelve symbols throughout Eorzea. Once completed this rewarded with the ring of one of the Twelve, this included the . Although the original quest was removed with the relaunch of the game, in patch 2.45 the quest was added, which repeats the same pilgrimage through the marks of the Twelve. The mark of Althyk is located at South Shroud, near Amdapor Keep. Prior to the Calamity, it could be found in a stone formation near Lynxpelt Patch in the Black Shroud.
The Astrologian card represents the Heaven of Earth, the card artwork describes the World Tree that was planted by Nophica and cultivated by Althyk, the symbol of both can also be seen in the background.
 was an item that invoked Althyk's power over time to reset the player's bonus attributes. In patch 4.0, these attributes have been removed and the item lost its effect.
==Behind the scenes==
Heavensturn is a celebration that marks twelve passages of the moon in the night sky, and with them, the vigil of each of the Twelve over the realm. Each year one of the Twelves is chosen to oversee the coming year. Althyk was chosen at Heavensturn in 2012. While in the Far East, noble beasts take the place of the Twelve, with the dragon being chosen this year.Lodestone - Heavensturn (12/28/2011)
Althyk Lavender is a fragrant variety of lavender rarely found in the arid lowland regions of Thanalan. Due to its rarity, it is prized as an offering at funerals held at the Church of Saint Adama Landama.
The Choral Attire was fashioned by a minstrel of yore as an act of devotion to Althyk the Keeper.
The Twelve's Striking and Scouting gears sold at Wolves' Den Pier for Wolf Marks are inspired by Althyk.
==Gallery==
Althyk from FFXIV.png
FFXIV Althyk Stone.jpg|Stone with Althyk's symbol in version 1.0.
FFXIV The Bole Constellation.gif|The Bole constellation.
FFXIV AST The Bole Card.png|The Bole card.
Althyk's Twelve Gear from FFXIV.png|Althyk's Gear of Striking and Scouting.
==Citations==
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy XIV
Category:Deities
Category:The Twelve