Hydra (Server)

From FFXIclopedia, the free Final Fantasy XI encyclopedia

Hydra was the server used for beta testing of the Xbox 360 version of FFXI. Japanese, North American, and European players all played on the same server (in contrast to previous Betas).

Japanese players received a copy of the Xbox 360 beta version with the purchase of the Xbox 360 console; North American, UK, French, German, and Italian players received a copy of this beta version with purchase of an Official Xbox Magazine issue. In the US, this issue was released to newsstands on January 17, 2006.

(Note: The beta discs are all included in the same issue of the magazine, but the month this issue will be dated varied between January and March, depending on country of release.)

The Xbox 360 beta version included all content from the Rise of the Zilart and Chains of Promathia expansions. It was not a beta test for any material from the Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion.

Hydra was shut down at 01:00 (PST), April 3, 2006. World Shifters were available on Hydra from March 24, 2006 to April 3, 2006 to allow beta testers to pick the server they will migrate to when they log into FFXI on April 20, 2006 or after with the official release of Final Fantasy XI for the Xbox 360.

ID Number: N/A

Activation Date: December 10, 2005

Deactivation Dates: April 3, 2006

Duration by Region

JP Beta Testing: December 10, 2005 through April 3, 2006

NA Beta Testing: January 5, 2006 through April 3, 2006

EU Beta Testing: January 5, 2006 through April 3, 2006

History in the FF Series

Syldra (FFV [JP]), Hydra (FFV [EN])

Syldra/Hydra was a Summon which only appeared once in the Final Fantasy series, in Final Fantasy V. Syldra was originally a sea dragon which pulled the ship of Faris' band of pirates. It was docile and friendly. It pulled their ship as a horse pulls a wagon, giving the pirates an advantage in a world without wind (due to the Wind Crystal shattering). Syldra assisted the party for a while until it got into a battle with Karlabos (a red crayfish-like boss) in Torna Canal, who pulled into whirlpool and mortally wounded. She would survive and eventually save the heroes when Worus Tower sinks after the shattering of the Water Crystal, but succumbed to her wounds shortly thereafter. However, her spirit revisited Faris and joined her as a Summon. She appeared as a Loch Ness-like creature, an aquatic reptile of sorts. It had smooth purple skin with brown spots and a white underbelly. Its 4 limbs were flippers. It also had a dorsal fin and a long tail. It spit out lightning and ice crystals (explaining why it was confused as a Thunder-element Summon). In actuality though, it was a Wind-element Summon.

• In FFV, Syldra as a Summon could be obtained by revisiting the Pirates' Base on World-3. Her spirit gives itself to the group so that she may still be of help. Syldra was classified as Level 4 Summon Magic.

Moves:

"Thunderstorm"- Wind-element attack on all enemies (FF5) [correct]

Attributes:

N/A

Historical Background

In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra a serpent-like creature which had either 9 heads, 8 heads or an uncountable number of heads. It had the unique power of regenerating any of its heads when they were cut off. Some accounts stated 2 heads would regenerate in the lost one's place, some accounts said only 1 head would regenerate. It had a poison breath as well and its blood was poisonous and made for potent poison-tipped arrows should arrows be immersed in its blood. It resided in the Lake near Lerna in Argolid. The Hydra was slain by Hercules (assisted by Iolaus) as one of his 12 labors using a sickle and a torch to cauterize the wound left by removing the heads. Some accounts stated this lake was one of the entrances to the Underworld and the Hydra guarded it. Hydra was one of the offspring of the monstrous Echidna and Typhon. The others were: Cerberus, Ladon, Sphinx, Nemean Lion, Ethon (the eagle that eats Prometheus' liver eternally), and Orthrus (2-headed guard dog). Hera immortalized the fallen monster by placing it in the heavens as a constellation.

Hydra is also the name of one of the constellations. It is located next to the constellation Cancer and the constellation Leo, which according to Greek mythology represented the Crab that tried to stop Hercules when he was fighting the Hydra and the Nemean Lion. Hydra is the largest constellation in the sky since the mega-constellation Argo Navis was broken up in the 1600s or 1700s.

Hydra is also the name of the 3rd moon of Pluto, a ~50km diameter moon discovered on June 15, 2005.