Final Fantasy 16: Everything You Need To Know About A Bearer

Bearers are enslaved people with an inborn ability to conjure magic without using Mothercrystals. This rare ability, unfortunately, serves as nothing short of a curse on these enslaved entities. How so? Let me explain in detail.

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Key Takeaways

• The bearer is a supernatural being who can use magic without crystals.
• Despite having exciting powers, bearers are the most subjugated people in the game.
• They are used as slaves to maintain cities and as weapons during wars. Clive is also a former Bearer.
• Dominants are superior to Bearers as they can summon Eikons. However, both these creatures are bound to the Crystal’s Curse, ultimately killing them by verification.

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Bearer In Final Fantasy 16?

These are some disturbing facts that I could gather about these creatures:

• Mothers give off their newborn children when they find out their children are bearers with no sense of remorse or empathy.
• To conserve Mothercrystals, bearers forcefully exploit their abilities to utilize them in wars, maintaining the decorum and beauty of cities in Final Fantasy 16.
• Usually, when a bearer is used to its full potential, its body stiffens and evaporates as sand. 
• Even though bearers are also humans, the general masses of Valisthea show no sympathy or kindness. I think it is because this practice has been going on for centuries.
• Unfortunately, bearers have accepted their fate and show no sense of retaliation or revolt.

What Are Branded Bearers?

Bearers were considered equally humans during Elwin Rosfield’s era. Later on, to preserve the precious reserves of crystals, Bearers became an easy sacrifice for the common folk of all kingdoms. Let me tell you how a bearer becomes branded:

1. Parents first identify their offspring as a bearer.
2. They hand over the bearer to the government of their respective region in Valisthea.
3. The government then physically marks the face of the bearer with a black sign using the ink from Wyvern Tail flowers of Sanbreque.
4. The black mark on a bearer’s face means he is formally branded as a slave and will remain so for the rest of his life.

Is Clive A Bearer?

• Players can see a double-crossed black mark on Clive’s cheek during the prologue of Final Fantasy 16. It means he is also a bearer in the game.
• But I would not call him a low-born; Clive is a prince of the Kingdom of Rosaria. Born to the Grand Dutchy of Rosaria, Clive was the first-born prince destined to rule the region after growing up.
• However, like all newly born children, he was also examined for his supernatural and rare abilities. Unfortunately, when he checked out as a bearer, Clive’s mother gave him up, and he was officially branded as a bearer.
• With that, his subjugation started until he ran away and got his mark removed by surgery. Later on, he joined The Bastards under the supervision of Tiamat, where his journey started.

• While Clive removed his slave mark surgically, thanks to the skillful surgeon Tarja, the healer in Hideaway, not all bearers can do that. If anyone does so or assists other bearers to do so, he is immediately killed.
• Even if no one finds out, removing marks from a bearer’s face is severely dangerous and can result in death. It is because the ink from Wyvern Tail flowers is poisonous, and if it accidentally joins the bloodstream, it will kill the bearer immediately.

Notable Appearance Of Bearers

I encountered various Bearers on my missions to complete the main story quests. While there are many cutscenes with heartwrenching graphics of these people being abused wildly, here are two notable appearances of Bearers according to me:

• During this quest, Clive and Joshua will go to Glaidemond Abbey, west of central Rosaria, on Martha’s recommendation to meet a few branded bearers near death. 
• In another scene, you will see a group of bearers fighting to defend their defenders.

  

Bearer Vs. Dominant

Despite appearing alike, there are some obvious differences between these two creatures.

• Dominants are different and far more superior creatures than bearers.
• Like any bearer, dominants can use their supernatural powers without using crystals.
• However, bearers can only use simple magic, while dominants can summon and control the most powerful creatures, Eikons.
• Dominants are respected globally in Valisthea because of their usefulness in wars. They are considered different from humans, like bearers, but not treated as slaves.
• Another thing these two groups have in common is that they both are bearers of Crystal’s Curse. You can find details about this Curse below.

Dominants and Bearers, or any creature with the ability to use magic without crystals, are bound to the Crystal’s Curse. This Curse causes extreme suffering that leads to a painful death. Here is what happens during this phenomenon of Petrification:

• As bearers use Aether of the World to use magic instead of crystals, their body takes a heavy toll.
• Petrification is an incurable phenomenon during which bearers’ and Dominants’ body stiffens up slowly after using magic for a longer period of time. 
• They will start losing mobility with time, and the stiffened parts will remain dead. It is an irreversible process.
• Finally, one day after using magic for a longer period, their body will stiffen completely into stones.
• The stones, over time, dissolve into sand, concluding the tragic death of these unfortunate creatures.

My Thoughts On Bearers

Indeed, the world of Velisthea is unjust, especially for these poor people. However, the transcendence of one of these people, Clive, represents a ray of hope. I think the developers have done a beautiful job of illustrating this injustice and leading on with a bright finish. 

While you are here, check out more from us:

• Final Fantasy 16 Scarletite.
• Final Fantasy 16 Griffin’s Location & How To Beat.
• Final Fantasy 16 Breaker Of Worlds.