#stelae

Naos stela with Pa-inmu and his father It, son of Pedise

Late Period, Saite

Perkwunos | Stelae | 2022

Icelandic Atmospheric Black Metal

Spoilers for Royal Edition

The stelae scattered in the depths of the Lucis teach us more about the actions of the ancient Kings and Oracles. We discover that the Oracles were able to create magic "cages" at the cost of their own lives to lock away powerful daemons that can’t be defeated. (stele found at the sanctuary of Balouve mine’s depths)

A stele in Costlemark’s depths

It is very likely that the very first Oracle cage was used to enclose Ardyn somewhere. We know he has been imprisoned (Talcott Chap.14), which is logical considering his immeasurable powers. So people have certainly appealed to the Oracle to contain him, thus explaining Ardyn's hatred for the Nox Fleurets. (About Ardyn hate for Nox Fleurets)

 Many believe Ardyn was imprisoned in Angelgard. I thought about it too, but before that I believed that Ardyn had been locked up in an ancient place, a remnant of Solheim able to restrain him such as Costlemark, Steyliff but also Taelpar where Gilgamesh is or even Pitioss that can be a magical prison.

It is possible Ardyn was also locked in the depths of Lucis and was awakened by inquisitive visitors in search of technologies from the past.

In fact, the description of Steyliff Woods in the archives as well as the stelae inside the place tell us that expeditions took place to learn more about Solheim and use its knowledge to fight against today's threats.

A similar thing happened in Costlemark where an expedition was looking for knowledge from the past but instead only “opened a cage that contained a dangerous prisoner” (Ingwen sanctuary), awaking a “threat that is several millennia old” (Encefain sanctuary). If the stelae usually refer to the boss locked at the end of the dungeon, this description may also evoke Ardyn.

Because we have no idea how Ardyn reappeared into this world. This might be the answer.

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The Kurgan Stelae are a series of anthropomorphic stone stelae cut from stone and installed on top of tumuli, cemeteries, or as set up as fences throughout South Russia, Ukraine, Prussia, Siberia, Central Asia, Turkey, and Mongolia. They are the products of many many different cultures, and reflect the predominantly funerary traditions of various Slavic and steppe peoples over the course of 3000 years.

The stelae are carved from a variety of different stones, most commonly sandstone, limestone, and granite. Because of the diverse cultures that made them, their heights and dimensions aren’t always consistent, the tallest one to date measures 3.5 meters tall, and the smallest only 70 centimeters tall.

Their depictions can also range from very crude, to incredibly detailed. Men are often indicated by their hands and the vague impression of a belt around their waist. In more detailed examples, the head is fully depicted, along with the body, arms, both legs, a dress or headdress, and – most distinctly – a moustache or beard. Swords only sometimes accompanied the male versions of these stelae. Carvings of females more often received less detail, and were namely identifiable by bared breasts, headdresses, and necklackes.