Absolute Virtue

**Family:** Aern
**Notorious Monster**

 Al'Taieu
* Sin of Insolence (Mars's Ring) (???%)
* Sin of Indulgence (Futsuno Mitama) (???%)
* Sin of Infatuation (Bellona's Ring) (???%)
* Sin of Indolence (Aureole) (???%)
* Sin of Invidiousness (Raphael's Rod) (???%)
* Sin of Intemperance (Minerva's Ring) (???%)

## **Notes:**

* Has a chance of popping a few seconds after the Jailer of Love is defeated.
* About 100,000 HP
* Auto Regen
* Casts Aero V, Aeroga IV, Tornado II. Also has instant-cast Meteor and Comet when Manafont and/or Chainspell are active.
* Uses all 2-hour abilities multiple times. 2-hour abilities are not in a set rotation and can be used randomly.
* Uses a polearm.

* Attacks for 400-500 damage.
* Medusa Javelin does about 2000 damage.
* Auroral Wind does about 800 damage.

* Enhanced movement speed.

* Resists Stun and Gravity, however it is susceptible to Shadowbind.

* Summons 3 Aern's Wynav to assist it.

* The Wynavs cast Tier IV single-target nukes and Tier III -gas corresponding to the current Vana'diel day.
* The Wynavs also use Mijin Gakure.
* The Wynavs can be resummoned after being killed via Call Wyvern.

* Draw In
* Can be very difficult to defeat due to its ability to use Benediction multiple times.
* **Grants Title:** Virtuous Saint

### **Rumors and Strategies**

Since the first time AV was spawned, there have been various rumors and theories over how to weaken or defeat it. These deal particularly with the problem of AV's Two Hour abilities and highly damaging spells.

* Various rumors among others included Ebon Panels, attacking with jailer weapons, killing various NMs in the same area, or quickly damaging it below 95%. At one point, the tactic that appeared the most successful in sealing his damaging moves was repeatedly killing the wynavs he summons at the same time; some Linkshells were able to kill AV several times by using this strategy.

* On occasion, it has been known to appear to stop using 2-hour abilities, but still cast magic and perform TP moves. When this occurs, dropping Absolute Virtue's HP to 79% causes it to begin casting Meteor and Comet constantly without the aid of Manafont and Chainspell. Allowing Absolute Virtue to heal back to 100% HP will not fix this.

* Currently, Absolute Virtue is an enigma. Strategies that were once successful have been rendered incapable by continued modifications of Absolute Virtue's behavior. It remains to be seen if the development team will reveal the secret, much like they did with the Goblin Drink recipe.

* According to the developers, you can lower its Auto-Regen by defeating as many of the pets of Jailer of Love as possible, and by using elemental spells corresponding with the current Vana'diel day.

## Dialogue

 **SPOILER WARNING: *Details about a quest, mission or other Final Fantasy XI in-game storyline follow.***

### Dialogue when it appears-

Absolute Virtue: "At lassst the time has come...

The ssscattered fragments of my thoughtsss once again mine. Long forgotten memoriesss filling me once more...

However... these memories generate sssuffering... These thoughtsss... bring remorssse...

Tell me... for what sssearcheth thou, to travel this far? Show me... by what principlesss art thou driven?"

### Dialogue when defeated-

Absolute Virtue: "By thy principlesss... I have been freed by the chainsss placed upon me from time immemorial.

Thy path... extends to the far reaches of time and ssspace... But sssomeday... thou shalt reach... thy destin..."

**Notes**

The dialogue does say freed *by* the chains, not freed *from* the chains.

Based on Absolute Virtue's manner of speaking, the voice heard at the "???"s for the 4 Al'Taieu Jailers is that of Absolute Virtue. This is apparent through the triple-s spoken when many words with the letter s are uttered as well as the use of "thou".

## Historical Background

Absolute Virtue is a concept found in ancient Greek philosophy and Christianity. To the Greeks, it was a principle which exists beyond material forms, an Idea located in the world of Ideas (as envisioned by Plato). Absolute Virtue was constant across different types of people, but relative virtue, how that virtue is displayed in that social class or that gender varies depending on the status or gender of the person. Socrates said it was possible for humans to attain absolute virtue and thus understand Truth. To Medieval Christianity, Absolute Virtue was defined as God. God was absolute virtue. Accordingly, to the Greeks, Absolute Virtue would contain the virtues of Wisdom (Prudence), Courage (Fortitude), Temperance, and Justice. To the medieval Christians, Absolute Virtue would contain the four Greek cardinal virtues of Prudence, Fortitude, Temperance, and Justice, as well as the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity/Love. Ancient and medieval theologians called the four Greek virtues "natural" or "pagan" virtues because they reasoned that these four virtues were able to be known and practiced by all mankind simply by the light of God's general revelation. The three "theological" virtues, on the other hand, are so called because they can only be known and practiced by finding their proper object in the light of God's special revelation: i.e., the Gospel (cf. 1 Cor 13:13).

Both the ancient Greeks and medieval Christians adhered to a concept called the "unity of the virtues." In Greek philosophy it can be found in Plato and Aristotle. It is the idea that the four virtues are harmonic, and that to perfect one virtue one must perfect them all. In medieval Christianity, this remains the case, but here the theological virtues perfect the natural virtues by supplying them with their proper object in the light of special revelation. In heaven, love is the only virtue, as perfect love contains all the virtues. This is probably the reason that Absolute Virtue spawns upon the death of the Jailer of Love.

While the 7 Jailers drop weapons and torques bearing the name of their virtue, Absolute Virtue only drops items bearing the name of seven sins. This would lead to the implication that Absolute Virtue may not be as virtuous as its name implies.

However, it may also drop these sins because upon defeating Absolute Virtue you theoretically destroy all the virtues, leaving the only thing left to gain to be sins. It is also possible that the sins are the "chains" placed on Absolute Virtue.