As a fan of FFXIV, this is an attempt to rewrite parts of Dawntrail due to some disappointing parts within the story. By no means is this meant to be disrespectful towards the original writers-- it is my belief that they were hampered by the theme imposed upon them by higher-ups-- to avoid overly in-depth exploration of certain conflicts, to present a summer vacation vibe in contrast to the more dark tone of the previous expansion, Endwalker.

This rewrite will only present short snapshots to redefine and flush out certain relationships, characters, and key moments. It will require prior completion of the Dawntrail story in the game to understand.

It is my belief that the story had all the necessary elements, but the weaving and interconnection of said elements were, unfortunately, subpar. Anyhow let us begin. First, I will be making a few adjustments to the characters and the background lore. This may create a butterfly effect that will change many aspects of latter parts of the story.

ADJUSTMENTS TO THE LORE AND CHARACTERS

->In this fan rewrite, the lore will be changed as follows to connect the first and second part of the story, as well as introduce intrigue into the characters themselves:

The Mamool Ja are only able to create two-headed offspring because of Alexandria’s assistance. Prior to this, the two-headed mamool ja eggs had a hundred percent mortality rate.

When they settled in the lower Yak T’el forest, they discovered the Skydeep Cenote and the electrobe entrance to the ‘Golden City’.

It is here that the voice of Sphene gave them an explanation for the failure of their two-headed offspring that arose from the intermingling of two tribes-- a disconnect between number of souls and heads of the body.

When two one-headed mamool ja of different tribes procreate, it led to the unique situation of one soul being born in a two-headed body.

This is the reason for the baby’s inability to be born from its egg.

Sphene offered a deal. Though she could not cross over, she could control the electrobes of the skydeep cenote to transfer one soul from another egg, thus allowing two souls to inhabit a two-headed body, granting said child, birth.

The price for this was that for every two-headed mamool ja born, she would be allowed to take thousands of souls within other eggs that would not be born without her help anyway. These other souls would have originally returned to the aetherial sea of the source.

Sphene’s use for these souls are, of course, to replenish Alexandria.

So it was that a deal was struck between Sphene, overseen by the Autarch of the mamool ja. This secret would be locked away, only known to the Autarch of each generation. Usually, not even the two-headed mamool ja given the status of ‘Warlord’ would become aware of the circumstances of his/her creation.

The mamool ja soon discovered that children of two headed mamool ja also could not be born. They soon discovered that a similar reason was the cause.

A child of a two-headed mamool ja was instead of the unique condition of having one head, but two souls.

Sphene offered assistance again, claiming that she could take that extra soul such that the one headed mamool ja child of the two-headed could be born. An additional price had to be paid, of course.

The Autarch of the Mamook rejected such an offer-- it would be ridiculous to pay a price for only an ordinary one-head.

->This is the adjusted background of the mamool ja, and obviously has an effect on Gulool Ja Ja and Zoraal Ja. Here are adjustments to Gulool Ja Ja’s backstory prior to the Dawntrail:

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Gulool Ja Ja, as most two-headed mamool ja prior to him, remained unaware of the circumstances of his creation for much of his early life.

However, during the creation of Tuliyollal, he built a much stronger relationship with the Yuk Hoy, who originally resided in the Yak T’el forest and dreamt of the Golden City.

He would soon develop suspicion of the Autarch and Skydeep Cenote, after learning of the details of these dreams that often spoke of souls and power.

A confrontation would lead to the truth revealed to him by the Autarch. For days, Gulool Ja Ja felt a sense of loss, desiring to end the very practice and agreement between Alexandria and Mamook.

He bore the pain within his heart thanks to a female mamool ja who comforted and supported him. An ill-advised night would lead to the conception of Zoraal Ja.

Gulool Ja Ja knew Zoraal Ja would not live, and the very cause of it. It was then that he himself, despite condemning his very own actions, sought out Sphene’s assistance to remove the second soul from Zoraal Ja’s one-headed body.

The price was Zoraal Ja’s mother, and much of the head of wisdom’s lifeforce. Knowing Gulool Ja Ja’s distaste for the deal between Alexandria and Mamook, the Autarch requesetd a third clause to be added-- Gulool Ja Ja was not to interfere with the deal between Alexandria and Mamook for the rest of his life.

Zoraal Ja would grow up, often feeling as if a part of him was missing-- as if a sibling beside him had vanished into thin air. He would seek such companionship within the members of the landsguard, eventually becoming a respected leader of the Tuliyollal force.

->Zoraal Ja’s character will be somewhat adjusted in the rewrite:

Zoraal Ja begins the story beloved by the landsguard and the citizens of Tuliyolla, an incredibly noble prince. He also has a loving sibling relationship with Koana and Wuk Lamat.

He continues to suffer an inferior complex against his father, and sought to complete tasks in such an emphatic manner as to overcome his father’s shadow. Expanding Tuliyollal’s influence was such a goal.

He would end up seeking out Estinien’s assistance in the rite of succession, and his worldview would change upon learning of the Dragonsong War.

->Wuk Lamat’s character will be heavily changed in these short snapshots, though her nature remains somewhat similar in some aspects:

Often, peace-loving people, especially at an immature stage, are conflict avoidant pacifists. Such is Wuk Lamat’s nature.

At the beginning of interaction, this would frustrate the Warrior of Light and Alisaie to no end-- Wuk Lamat’s laidback, conflict-avoidant nature.

Wuk Lamat begins the story not having any interest in the rite of succession whatsoever, believing her older brother, Zoraal Ja, to be the noblest of souls. It was only because her father threatened her that she was forcefully sent to Sharlayan and given help from Erenville to recruit the Warrior of Light.

->As for the rite of succession?

Gulool Ja Ja’s true intention is to allow his children to discover the deal between Mamook and Alexandria in hopes that they could carve out a better future. He had bid them to seek out help from Sharlayan and Eorzea, after hearing of the Warrior of Light’s tales.

->Here are some changes to Alexandria’s lore:

Alexandria is from the shard destroyed by the lightning calamity.

Upon the impending destruction of their shard, the Preservation sought to protect Alexandria, hoping to preserve parts of the people’s lives and culture.

It was then that they came across a voidsent that contained the memories and souls of those that it consumed. Through researching the functions of the voidsent and the thirteenth, they understood the necessity of an artificial aetherial sea to preserve their fragment of a shard, which may exist in a vacuum by itself for many years.

After arduous efforts, they successfully created a bubble around Alexandria with its very own artificial aetherial sea system built upon their understanding of the void.

Thanks to the Millala relic, they eventually managed to hook Alexandria, a fragment of a destroyed shard, to another unknown world (of which the WoL know to be the source), after many years of isolated existence in a bubble. This ensured the continued existence of its society.

Finally, they created Sphene based on the long-dead beloved princess prior to the shard’s destruction, to watch eternally over Alexandria.

I will also be adding a new character, Fiona, who was the one of the splintered fourteen souls of the Warrior of Light that presided in the shard that Alexandria existed in prior to the lightning calamity. This soul, now, has become part of the Warrior of Light, having passed before the Preservation’s success at manipulating memories and souls.

These are not necessarily all the changes, but the major ones that I will be basing my rewrite of parts of Dawntrail off of.