What's the history behind St. Loa?

[Archangelknux2]

Does anyone know who St. Loa is? If the battle between Sword and Shield created everything then why do people worship St. Loa? Was she a savior? Did she found the Zexan Country? or is this just another Suikoden mystery?

[ender_maker]

Playing through the suikoden games, it seems like the creators have added a good sense of realism in which many mysterious and unanswered events, places, characters, etc. are mentioned. I'm guessing St. Loa is another one of those "things."

[Silvermouse]

Does anyone know who St. Loa is? If the battle between Sword and Shield created everything then why do people worship St. Loa? Was she a savior? Did she found the Zexan Country? or is this just another Suikoden mystery?

Maybe not everyone believes in the story of the Sword and Shield. Like in our world, how there are many religions.

[thcrock]

Maybe not everyone believes in the story of the Sword and Shield. Like in our world, how there are many religions.

Indeed, the Zexens and Grasslanders even acknowledge their differing faiths at the peace treaty negotiations at the Amur Plains, referring to the Goddess and the spirits, respectively.

St. Loa just seems to be a revered figure within Zexen's religion. Real or myth, I don't know. But certainly not the founder of Zexen, it seems some merchant leaders formed the council and did that.

[Archangelknux2]

Im sorry if i wasn't clear, but what i meant was what is the history behind her and the religion itself. You are all correct that there are different faiths in the suikoden world thats obvious to anyone who played the game.

Every religion has a history behind it and I was wondering what the history behind this one was. Was St. Loa like a Christ or Mohummad figure? Or does no one know this info?

[Vextor]

St. Loa is the deity of the Zexen religion, also called the "Horned Loa." She is a goddess who has horns much like a deer's antlers.

Because Zexen is a new nation that has only about 50 years of history, the religion would also be quite new. Because deer antlers is Zexen's national symbol, it's likely that the religion started with the nation.

[KQswst104]

Makes you wonder if any Grasslanders and/or Zexens questioned their faith after finding their leaders have true runes. Then again, I don't know if Chris, Hugo and Geddoe kept it a secret or not.

[Sol Fury]

One of the bulletins you read in chapter 5 refers to the successor's possession of True Fire, so I'm guessing that it's not that big a secret that the leader of the unified Grasslands / Zexen forces has True Fire. I think Geddoe keeps True Lightning a secret though.

[Fliktor]

I don't think the two things are exclusive. To believe in St. Loa doesn't negate the existence of the Sword and Shield. The Flame Champion would have most likely become something of a religion if certain events had or had not happened. I always thought of St. Loa as someone like Joan of Arc (although I appreciate St Loa probably didn't communicate with God, but she possibly could've had a connection with the Runes) and probably gained religious status through that means. Although this is just PURE speculation.

[True Griever]

I also heard there was something like a Zexen rune or something, perhaps it's a true rune(which it would most likely be). Then it could be that St. Loa was/is connected with it.

[Arcadius]

i think that was suppose to be zexen crest? that's what sarsadmin said.

[Fliktor]

The Zexen rune was a mistranslation of the Zexen Crest

[Delfina]

St. Loa is the deity of the Zexen religion, also called the "Horned Loa." She is a goddess who has horns much like a deer's antlers.

Because Zexen is a new nation that has only about 50 years of history, the religion would also be quite new. Because deer antlers is Zexen's national symbol, it's likely that the religion started with the nation.

I don't agree that the religion would necessarily be new. They were part of Grassland before, most likely it was a religion that carried over to the new country. Most modern religions are rooted in the past after all, for example most Catholic saints are just canonized old world deities - to make Catholicism more palatable to the new converts.

The Horned Loa might have undergone a slight transformation with the forming of the new country, but it's probably a relic of their Grassland past. And considering how very young the country is, I doubt that the religion has undergone that much of a change. Especially since there doesn't seem to be a strong religious influence or any signs of conversion - priests aren't exactly in positions of power so that adds to my skepticism about whether the religion has been altered, much less newly formed for the new country.

Then again, this *is* a video game, and natural laws do not apply.

[Reideen]

Well ...something Aila said in Suikoden 3 is interesting I believe.

"True Runes ?"

In the world of Suikoden it seems that not every 'standart-citizen' is aware of the existance of the 27 true Runes.
Just look how fast knowledge of the Flame Champion dissapeared.
It was only 50 Years after a war with Harmonia and only a hand full of people remember that "Legend" as part of an old Grandma-Story.
Its not unusual that People in societys without modern kinds of transport don't come out of their Town/City for their whole life.
And since Zexen was made ba Traders and Merchants I think they made/choose St. Loa as the Patron of Zexen to unite this messed up bunch of people who likely came from more than one part of the world.

They take over a new religion , give birth to children and they take over the religion without even knowing the Battle between Sword and Shield.
Only those who read may have the chance of getting a book of it...

thats my way of seeing this.

[LadyChris]

The Zexens still believe in the rune of begining ect., but they have their own godess that they worship much in the same way as our Christian god (they have churches.) She is probably someone from their past because although their nation didn't exist very long, but the actual people did.