The magical Tantas are a presence that appears from early on in the story of Forspoken, taking on the roles of the godly villains that Frey Holland will be tasked with defeating if she wants to return to New York. However, digging deeper into the history of the Tanta, these characters go a step further than ordinary Final Fantasy-styled villains.
One place to start with the complete history of the Tantas in Forspoken is to note that these powerful spellcasters aren't quite the "godly" women that zealous worshipers believe them to be within Athia. In order to dive deeply into the true history of the class of women known as the Tanta, discussing the story and ending of Forspoken is crucial to fully understanding it.
WARNING: This article contains MASSIVE spoilers about Forspoken. Proceed at your own risk.
Forspoken's First Tanta Wasn't a God
Frey only discovers a handful of notes from the earliest eras of Athia, with only six writings from the First Tanta being available through Forspoken's Locked Labyrinths. However, in these few excerpts from her story, it can be seen that the First Tanta was little more than a warrior woman with a talent for magic, not the godly being that those with her title are known for by the 3800s. She made a name for herself by fending off the Rheddah (not to be confused with the Rheddig) and the powerful demon this warring nation summoned, known as Susurrus.
After a six-day battle with Susurrus, she only managed to seal the demon away and not kill it entirely, but the First Tanta was still given the title of Tanta for having saved her people. Beyond this first woman, it is difficult to say exactly how many have earned the title of Tanta and inherited Forspoken's signature magic abilities. All that the history archive will really explain further is the fact that this distant ancestor of the Tantas appears to be gone, and the four new women currently holding the title are the only ones of note in almost four thousand years.
Explaining The Four Tantas' Roles in Forspoken Before the Break
Though it isn't initially apparent through Frey and Cuff's relationship and the latter's instructions about the history of the Tantas from his perspective, the four women who rule Athia were once completely benevolent. Each one dedicated themselves to a pursuit that would make their own individual realms excel, but also keep all of Athia progressing forward into the future. Then, once a year, all four would convene at Cipal in order to discuss how to better improve Athia and keep working together for the betterment of the people.
The duties of each Tanta in Forspoken could be broken down into the four different pillars that each stood for. Sila built an army to stem away invaders like the Rheddig as the Tanta of War. Prav set the rule of law and arbitrated punishments seen to be so fair that not a single criminal argued their sentences. Olas dove into the pursuit of knowledge, gathering scholars from around the world and teaching the children of Athia. Finally, Cinta is somewhat of a tethering figure, whose role as the Tanta of Love bolsters her people and her fellow Tantas to be kind.
What Happened to Forspoken's Tantas After the Break
As the history of these Tantas approaches the point where Forspoken opens, things begin to take a darker turn. This starts with a war with a group of foreign invaders known as the Rheddig. While the reason for this war has seemingly been lost to time, writings from this era of fighting do give a timeline of events, where the Rheddig would be repelled only a short few months after their initial attack. However, after being rebuffed, the Rheddig still managed to set free the monster Susurrus, which had previously been summoned to the land by the Rheddah and sealed by the first Tanta.
In an effort to stop the demon Susurrus, the four Tantas of the 3800s took on the being in the form of a set of four magical cuffs. These would eventually drive each of them out of their minds, forcing them to warp the pillars, by culling all those who aren't strong enough to be warriors, judging people harshly for innocent infractions, and turning all of their knowledge inward and hoarding for themselves. It's the complete antithesis of what these women stood for before, completely warping the realms of Forspoken's Athia from their Breaking in the process.
However, their minds and kindness aren't the only things the Tantas lost at the start of the Break. Cinta, noted as one of the strongest and kindest of these powerful women, seemingly lost the most. In the three short years between the war with the Rheddig, Cinta had discovered a way to open her Toranas into other realms and met a man she calls a brave hero in New York City. So, when Susurrus' corruption came for her, this meant having to give up her daughter, Forspoken's protagonist Frey Holland, and transforming into a draconic icon of destruction that lashes out at everything and everyone.
The Isolated Villains Prodded into Attacking Frey
By the time the events of Forspoken kick off with a 21-year-old Frey Holland, the Tantas have all isolated themselves away, partially as a way to protect their people from their own madness. However, as Frey appears and starts traveling openly around Forspoken's Athia, the remaining Tantas are compelled to track her down and face off against this interloper. Unfortunately for the Tantas and Frey, the compulsion to fight isn't of their own making, but a byproduct of Susurrus' prodding.
The era of the Four Tantas ends with Frey tracking them down and killing as many as she can, all while being prodded by the demon attached to her own wrist. It's a tragic end, where these benevolent overseers who dedicated themselves to abandoning the hope of ever having their own families would sacrifice their own minds and eventually their lives in their final attempts to fight off the final curse of both the Rheddah and the Rheddig. Of course, as these previous rulers pass on their powers and their command, Forspoken does end with a hopeful tone for the future, and possibly another game coming in what could be an incredible series.
Forspoken is available now for PC and PS5.