Aegyl

The Aegyl are a race of winged humanoids from Ivalice.

Physiology
The Aegyl resemble Humes, except they have large wings on their back. These wings can come in different colours, from brown to red to black. These wings allow the Aegyl to fly with no problems. However, the strain they put on their body means they have the shortest life span of any race in Ivalice, only living for forty years.

Demeanor
All Aegyl, including Llyud, are cold and aloof. They are either incapable at showing emotions, or don't feel them at all. This is due to their use of Auracite to summon the Yarhi and the repeating circle mentioned earlier that saps them of all of their anima. The Aegyl are not too keen on other races, since most of the Sky Pirates who arrived attacked or enslaved them. This was also in part due to their leader Feolthanos and his dislike of all the other races.

Architecture
Aegyl make their home in many stone edifices erected over several of Lemurés' continents. These homes were build by the first generation of Aegyl to reach Lemurés following their banishment by the Occuria. Successive generations have elected to inhabit these century-old dwellings rather than construct new ones, an effort made easier by the small aegyl population.

From what the player can determine from the world map, there are several clusters of stone buildings on every island of Lemurés barring Tswarra. This is because the Aegyl only inhabit places deemed "right and proper" in the canon. One of these major Aegyl gatherings is Heaven's Vigil, a city of stone resplendant with windmills and a breathtaking view over the endless skies surrounding the Isle of Arda.

The Aegyl have also built temples to enshrine geological formations that are sacred to them. These buildings are called "Fanes", and four exist in Lemurés.


 * Fane of Gucuma Qul: This shrine rises high above the ground, so much so that the party requires a long rope ladder to reach its first level. The Fane of Gucuma Qul's interior decorations are dominated by the image of a mythological bird. A coffin that bears the bird's likeness is built into the ground in the first room of the Fane. At the Dais of the Auracite in the back of the Fane, a large chunk of auracite is embedded into a huge stone likeness of the winged creature, resplendent with four magnificent wings and coated with other precious jewels and rare metals.


 * Fane of Tehp Qul: Protects the first auralith on Tormelados. The outdoor entrance features a long stone walkway flanked by many pillars. This temple has a secret entrance that Vaan must reach in order to allow his whole team to infiltrate the Fane.


 * Underfane of Yaxin Qul: Deep within the lava-filled chambers of the Yapih Caverns, this Underfane houses the Skystone of Fire, which, along with its twin, keeps the skysea intact. The ramp to the glowing gem consists of a large stone bridge with narrow crossings, all over a sea of fire. The skystone is destroyed along with the entire Underfane after Bahamut is summoned by the Judge of Wings.


 * Underfane of Huin Qul: This shrine surfaces only after the destruction of its sister Fane, Yaxin. Aligned with the element of Water, the Underfane of Huin Qul's layout is an exact replica of Yaxin's. The only difference is the notable change in temperature and replacement of lava with sea and fog. Huin contains the Skystone of Water.

Diet and Dress
According to the Folio, Aegyl are mostly vegetarians, the majority of their diet being wild fruits and vegetables. The Damson, a plump red fruit that grows in the Bosco Pampa, appears to be their favorite. Aegyl harvest the waters of Lemurés for native fish, and eggs are also a part of their cuisine. However, other hunting sources are nonexistent, as the Yarhi beasts that would normally yield meat are but illusions, and fade to nothing when killed.

Since the climate of Lemurés is mostly tropical, Aegyl garb is light and geared for flight. Indeed, most aegyl males do not wear an upper garment, and Aegyl armor is likewise sparsely distributed over the Aegyl form. As Llyud exemplifies, Aegyl jewlery is simplistic, being of lightweight gold and lacking in inlaid jewels. This absence of exquisite garments is yet another indication of Aegyl humility.

Warfare
Aegyl have been geared for war against the native Yarhi of Lemurés, all thanks to their god Feolthanos. All Aegyl are flying units, and they wield various metallic weapons geared for close-range combat. It is interesting to note that Aegyl abilities seem to exclude Magicks common in Ivalice, such as Firaga or Cure. Instead, Aegyl use their own unique powers to substitute for these effects, such as the Dragon Knight's Fire Breath and Dragonmend.




 * Sky Soldier: A female class, the Sky Soldier wields a two-bladed sword. The Sky Soldier's abilities focus heavily on decreasing enemy statistics. One notable Sky Soldier is Ansei, Llyud's fellow Pampa patroller and eventual leader of the Aegyl attack on the Galbana.


 * Sky Warrior: A male class, Sky Warriors use battleaxes in combat. They tend to have higher offensive stats than other Aegyl jobs.


 * Dragon Knight: A male class, the Dragon Knight strongly resembles Dragoons from past games. This is due to the fact that they equip spears and have access to the Jump skill and various Breath attacks. Llyud could be said to be a Dragon Knight, though the crimson-haired aegyl has traded in elemental attacks for supportive magic.


 * Sky Samurai: A female unit, the Sky Samurai wields a standard sword, which she uses to inflict multiple status ailments on enemies.

Trivia
The Floating Castle Wonder of Final Fantasy Tactics mentions that winged men once existed in Ivalice and knew how to build floating castles:

It is possible that this is referring to the Aegyl.