Faded Castle

Faded Castle is a subarea located in Nostoi Region, Fontaine.

Points of Interest[]

There are no points of interest in Faded Castle.

Quests[]

World Quests

Canticles of Harmony
- First Movement: In the Hall of the Sea King
  - Underwater Nocturne
- Second Movement: Prisoner in Shackles
  - The Last Day of Remuria

Features[]

Exploration[]

Enemies[]

Normal Bosses[]

"Statue of Marble and Brass"

Interactables[]

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Ruggiero's Notes II image

Harmost's Notes (I)[]

This interactable is located behind a Mysterious Bookshelf on the north side of the pool in Faded Castle: Lower Level.

...The matter of paramount importance is to be able to properly distinguish the different categories of music, so as not to misunderstandings caused by confusion regarding the meaning of words...

...There are three categories of music in this world. One the Musica Mundana, another the Musica Humana, and the third the Musica Instrumentalis...

...The Musica Mundana is the music of origin. It is the beginning and end of all music; from it does all spring, and to it shall all return. False and true celestial signs (namely, the inner and outer, lower and upper astrological signs. Euergetia will provide a detailed explanation of this section), the turning of the seasons and passing of time, the defined elements, everything in the universe operations according to the order of music...

...Here, special attention should be paid to the connection between the Musica Mundana and Fortuna. The latter includes the former, while the former does not equate to the latter. Any music with specifications similar to Fortuna can be called Musica Mundana, for it itself would be equal to an entire world...

...Just as Cassiodor taught you before, the "Fortuna" we speak of here and the Sebastos's have no... ...latter is named for the former, while the former is the "rules" that governs all things, the "fate" of which slaves speak...

...Musica Humana is the music of the world of mortals. The music of mortals and gods are no different from one another, and both can be classified in this category, for their essence is that of the harmony produced by the Musica Mundana striking the Quality of the Soul...

...Imagine a harp, where every physical entity in the world corresponds to a single one of its fine strings... Magnificent music comes not from a single string, but the resonance of all strings... This is the music we call Musica Mundana...

...As your fingers glide across the ends of the strings, the middle section will vibrate along with it, creating a sound most pleasing. However, you did not touch the middle of the strings at all, and the reason it sounds is simply because it's attached to...

...What I must emphasize to you is that, just as in the string metaphor, the music of mortals and gods can both be played, just like you can choose to play the middle of the strings, and not the ends. And it is for this reason that the Musica Humana can replace the Musica Mundana. We will discuss that in detail later...

...The Musica Instrumentalis is the most fundamental music, and there is no need to elaborate on it. Even slaves can understand...

...Next, I must elaborate for you the nature of Phobos, and why the musicless cannot be regardless as humans equal to us... Based on morality and rationality...

Investigation of the Northern Barbarians[]

This interactable is located on Faded Castle: Higher Level, near a Praetorian Golem.

There have been various misunderstandings regarding the northern barbarians. These misunderstandings are not conducive to conquering and pacifying them, nor are they beneficial to the long-term well-being of the empire.

For these reasons, I, Hirtius, the Vicarius of Legio VI Rithimi Versi, in accordance with the exalted Harmost Euergetia's universally known benevolence and authority, hereby faithfully record all I know for posterity, so that future successors may fulfill their duty to safeguard the northern border with less trouble.

Society

The social structures of different chiefdoms vary dramatically. Most chiefdoms are still in the stage of rudimentary clan-based societies, with councils composed of clan chiefs holding the highest authority. However, the moniker "tribe" has long ceased to be an accurate descriptor for some chiefdoms. Though many are loath to admit this, we must face the fact they have broken free from primal barbarism.

For example, before the polis of Lugdunensis was razed by Legio V, its population exceeded (...). As the trade hub of many northern chiefdoms, its degree of prosperity could be favorably compared to (...). The ruler of the area did not call themselves a "Chieftain," but a "Holy King," and they believed their authority to rule came from an ancient sword bestowed upon them by the "Mother of Many Springs." Naturally, any rational citizen knows that strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from melody and harmony, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.

Another example: (...) is ruled by a council of astrologists, and they use (...) to set apart young children with elemental affinity, raising them to become (...), and these "people" can nearly rival our legions in battle. (Note by Marius Servius: the city mentioned here has already been subjugated and razed by the exalted Harmost Boethius, its name erased from memory.)

In the past, the conquest of tribes still in a primitive state could be completed simply by dealing with the clan elders of each clan. A few decades ago, the exalted Harmost Aurelius successfully concluded his northern campaign through such methods: Without even resorting to violence, simply by dispatching legionnaires to announce the conquest, the various insular tribes on those remote islands were incorporated into the empire's territory. However, following the conquest of Aremorica, such tribes grew fewer and fewer. Different methods ought to be used to pacify different chiefdoms. Just as the exalted Harmost Euergetia once said, It is because they are ignorant savages by nature, that we must first understand them before they can understand us...

(The following pages have been erased, and cannot be read.)

Beliefs

Today, the belief that the barbarians of the north worship a false god (or evil god) known as the "Mistress of All Waters" is widespread. However, this is a fiction created as a result of the conquest of Aremorica — Its leader had forced other chiefdoms to acknowledge that their gods were all aspects of the "Mistress of All Waters," regardless of what god they originally worshipped or what names they had.

In other words, the barbarians of the northern border region do not have a single centralized belief system. Even to this day, they do not have a unified understanding of the concept of the "Mistress of All Waters." The leader of Aremorica seemed not to mind this point, as she only demanded they worship the same name without prescribing the content of their beliefs.

Regardless, blood and barbarism pervade their belief systems. Some scholars believe this is because they never received a response from the gods, and can only resort to increasingly violent and extreme sacrifices to prop up their false beliefs.

Showing them the mercy of the Sebastos is meaningless, for mercy is regarded as weakness by the savages. The correct approach is to point out to them that the Sebastos can easily defeat their false gods, and only the Sebastos is powerful enough to be worthy of worship...

(The following pages have been erased, and cannot be read.)

Aremorica

Once an obscure and unknown tribe, but today the center of power in the northern border region.

Its former ruler, Cunoricus, bent the knee to the empire some twenty years ago. As for its current ruler — the infamous Erinnyes — we know little indeed. From captured slaves, we have learned that she is not the heir of Cunoricus. The latter did originally have a son as well, named Caius. However, we are unsure when and how she became the ruler of Aremorica.

Regardless of how she claims to have been blessed by the false god, she has never demonstrated any abilities surpassing those to be expected of an ordinary mortal. Everything she has done so far amounts to nothing more than using insidious plots and base treachery to commit abhorrent crimes against the Empire and its citizens. Only those who are utterly helpless, teetering on the brink of death would choose to believe in a woman proclaiming to be able to hear the will of the gods and flock to her banner. Just as the exalted Harmost Euergetia said, she simply does not believe in any gods at all — for none with faith would commit such atrocities in the name of god.

(Note by Marius Servius: The name "Erinnyes" is suspected to be the result of a careless error when it was first transcribed, for this name has no meaning in their language. In the script of the people of bygone times, the symbol for the sound "gh" looks quite similar to "y," and so was copied as such. There is a precedent for similar mistakes. The proper pronunciation of the name should be "Errighenth of Aremorica" — in the language of the people of bygone times, "Er" signifies "high" while "Righenth" would be the feminine case of "ruler."
From this perspective, the name is perhaps not her praenomen, but rather her title. However, since many scholars already refer to her as "Erinnyes," there is no need for me to assume the authority to revise it.)

Ruggiero's Notes (I)[]

This interactable is located in a hidden room behind a Mysterious Bookshelf in the hallway entrance to the Faded Castle.

...

The Golden Hunter knows far more about Remuria than I expected.

According to historical records, the Marechaussee Hunters should have first become active a few decades after the fall of Remuria, by which point the concept of the Lochknights had completely died out in Fontaine. No matter the dramatic adaptation, none would put the Marechaussee Hunters, Remuria, and Lochknights together — For these concepts simply do not belong to the same era. Even a five-year-old child would not commit such a grave error...

Yet none of what he discussed seemed to have anything to do with the Golden Troupe, but instead was — indeed, always was — about ancient Remuria...

I have a theory that I dare not raise with him directly. Perhaps the Golden Hunter is not the "Devout orphan called and chosen by Egeria," but is in fact one of the last Remurian remnants. The only problem with this theory is that it cannot explain his immortality...

I indirectly broached the issues of the Lochknights with him. I couldn't discern his expression, but he seemed reluctant to discuss the topic. Quite surprising. After all, it is commonly said the first Marechaussee Hunters to follow him were the heirs of the Lochknights, such as Este and Walter. Could it be that they were like him...?

No matter what, according to him, the priority now is to stop (...) awakening from the seals. As for these historical questions, they can be left for a later date...

...

Ruggiero's Notes (II)[]

This interactable is located on the Faded Castle: Middle Level, beside a Switch and a painting of Domus Aurea.

Transcription missing

Alas, we found no noteworthy Remurian treasures other than (...). Nothing but Mora-a-dozen bric-a-brac from storehouses.

If what the Golden Hunter said was true, then the (...) we initially sought has long since sunk to the bottom of the sea alongside Capitolium. Most of the relics here are from the Golden Troupe, not...

Regardless, we have not the time to retrieve the relics now. Our current priority is to seal this place. I've marked the location of the relics on the map, perhaps someday...

Ruggiero's Notes (III)[]

This interactable is located near the northern Teleport Waypoint on Faded Castle: Middle Level, under a painting of Domus Aurea.

...

I already completely understand everything.

Humanity has no need to — nor should they — control any knowledge beyond their abilities. In a way, it is not people who pursue knowledge, but knowledge that pursues people.

I have an idea. It's one I never mentioned to the Golden Hunter before he left. Why not rebuild the long-abandoned town of Petrichor? We can attract refugees to live here, and spread other versions of the legend. This way, they will actively protect the rebuilt seals, and the secrets of this place will be forever...

...

Someone's Notes[]

This interactable is located on Faded Castle: Middle Level near a Midlander Claymore Billet, behind a Mysterious Bookshelf in the library.

...Through these methods, the Quality can be pierced, endowed with the form of its Substance...

...similar to Remus's ancient authority, stripped away (...), placed within (...) ...This way, it is possible to recreate once more the perfect harmonious symphony that belonged only to humanity that played before their utter downfall... No more gods. Only man can rule over man...

...Substance and Prosperity are not important, Quality is what determines the essence of things... The object that plays the music, it could be the strings of a harp, a sword, or even (...), as long as it is an object bestowed with meaning, anything...

...this sword, forged from the bones of (...) to honor the memory of the noble Euergetia... Had Phobos's collapse not caused her music to sink into the sea of pandemonium, we could have together...

...For a moment of madness, he betrayed us all... The false god's will was like a weed floating upon the water, unable to rival that of humans... But that matters not now. In the end, humans alone shall be saved, if only...

(The following lines have been brutally erased, and cannot be read.)

Descriptions[]

The conductor bereft of music once lamented a past that could never return here, at the end of all greatness and glory.

Version 4.6 New Contents Display Page

Trivia[]

Harmost's Notes (I) is based on Boethius' De institutione musica, or Fundamentals of Music.
In Investigation of the Northern Barbarians:
- The sword used to choose a Holy King is based on Excalibur from Arthurian legend. Likewise, the "Mother of Many Springs" is based on the Lady of the Lake.
- The line "...strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from melody and harmony, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony" is a reference to the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
- Lugdenesis is a reference to Gallia Lugdunensis.
- Cunoricus is a reference to Cynyr Ceinfarfog.
- The note by Marius Servius is likely a reference to the fact that the lowercase form of the Greek letters Upsilon (ν, or, with an oxia as ύ seen in Ἐρινύες) and Gamma (γ) resemble each other.
- The name Marius Servius may be a reference to Servius the Grammarian.

Soundtracks[]

No.	Soundtrack Name	Album	Played In
06	Storia Humana	Cantus Aeternus	Faded Castle
07	Faded Banquet	Cantus Aeternus	Faded Castle Serenitea Pot
09	Splendorous Heritage	Cantus Aeternus	Faded Castle
25	Year of Tribulation	Cantus Aeternus	Faded Castle (bubble popping challenge)
36	Requiem Resonantia	Cantus Aeternus	Combat in Faded Castle: "Statue of Marble and Brass"
76	Calamitous Tides	Fountain of Belleau	Institute of Natural Philosophy (Current), Faded Castle (Current)

Other Languages[]

Language	Official Name	Literal Meaning
English	Faded Castle	—
Chinese (Simplified)	褪色古堡
Chinese (Traditional)	褪色古堡
Japanese	色褪せた城 Iroaseta Shiro	Faded Castle
Korean	빛바랜 고성 Bitbaraen Goseong
Spanish	Castillo Apagado	Faded Castle
French	Château fané	Faded Castle
Russian	Обветшалый замок Obvetshalyy zamok	Dilapidated Castle
Thai	Faded Castle	—
Vietnamese	Lâu Đài Phai Màu
German	Verblassendes altes Schloss	Fading Old Castle
Indonesian	Faded Castle	—
Portuguese	Castelo Desvanecido
Turkish	Solgun Kale	Faded Castle
Italian	Castello Sbiadito