Durandal

The Durandal is a Galaxy Federation and Kukai Foundation spaceship captained by Jr., Mary and Shelley Godwin.

The Durandal's activities mainly involve missions from the Second Miltian government or Contact Subcommittee that must be kept from the public eye. As a result, the Durandal's movements are not a matter of public record. The U-TIC Organization has taken advantage of this situation to ensnare the Durandal in Episode I. Currently, its contracted mission is to protect the Zohar Emulators and hunt down the Gnosis.

Details

General design

Docking_at_the_Kukai_Foundation — Docking at the Kukai Foundation

The Durandal docks at the Kukai Foundation.

At over 4000 meters long, the Durandal looks like a massive red sword in space with two white wing-like orbiters circling around it, possibly to maintain some kind of centrifugal gravity.

Its front side can dock with the Kukai Foundation (the organization which owns the Durandal), and these wings rotate at the structure's bottom, adding to the elaborate design of the combined objects. This also enables the colony to travel about with the Durandal functioning as the colony's main propulsion system.

This specialized design came about as the result of careful thought over the evacuation of the colony in an emergency. In such a case, citizens could evacuate directly into the Durandal, which would then take off, abandoning the colony.

Locations

The Durandal houses Joachim Mizrahi's 12 Zohar Emulators in an isolation area, and a 13th empty case meant for the Zohar. This isolation area also contains a small room where classified Gnosis specimens are on display such as Betty.

The Durandal is suited for comfort/recreation. Other locations include the park (complete with a viewport that takes up almost the entire far side of the room), the residential area (home to fierce battles during the Galaxy Federation occupation of the ship in Episode I and Dmitri Yuriev's invasion in Episode III), and the always busy main bridge.

Weaponry

The Durandal can also function as a battleship. It is extremely advanced in warfare against the Gnosis. Its primary weapons consist of over a thousand photon torpedo tubes, a main frontal laser cannon, and several hundred railgun batteries. Like with all other combat ships it has a force-shielding system. Some of the weaponry was manufactured by Vector Industries.

Moreover, the Durandal's sheer size allows it to carry a wide array of anti-Gnosis laser weapons; these were put into use during the escape from the Cathedral Ship in Episode I, as well as the Ormus Stronghold incident in Episode II. However, the Durandal itself is dwarfed by the huge Dämmerung and is minuscule compared to the colossal Abel's Ark.

Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht

In Episode I, the Durandal succeeds in fighting a U-TIC fleet and infiltrates one of their motherships.

Later, the Durandal is temporarily placed under the custody of the Federation for acts of treason against Federation vessels (i.e. the Woglinde), due to doctored video footage by U-TIC.

Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse

In Episode II, both the Durandal and the Kukai Foundation are a visitable location.

Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra

Occupation_of_the_Durandal — Occupation of the Durandal

Occupation of the Durandal.

The Durandal finally meets its end in Episode III when it is attacked by forces loyal to Dmitri Yuriev. After a violent battle, Durandal's defence forces are overwhelmed by Yuriev's soldiers and the entire crew is killed, save Mary Godwin, Shelley Godwin, Juli Mizrahi, Canaan and Alby. Yuriev then proceeds to unlock the Zohar Emulators from the isolation area and plows the ship into Abel's Ark. The Durandal is completely absorbed by the Ark and split in two. It is visible as a twisted and degenerated wreck within the Ark.

Etymology

The Durandal was named after the sword Durandal, the legendary blade wielded by Roland, one of King Charlemange's generals from medieval France, and "Gaignun" was the name of his horse.

Episode III database

A heavily-armed Kukai Foundation ship that extends over 4000 meters in length. Jr. is normally in command of the ship; otherwise, it is run by the sisters Mary and Shelley.

Its front end plunges into the center of the Foundation colony to dock with it, turning the whole ship into a Metropolis. It has now become a tourist attraction, and is even listed in travel guides.

This specialized design came about as the result of careful thought over the evacuation of the colony in an emergency. In such a case, citizens could evacuate directly into the Durandal, which would then take off, abandoning the colony.

The Durandal's activities mainly involve missions from the Second Miltian government or Contact Subcommittee that must be kept from the public eye. As a result, the Durandal's movements are not a matter of public record. The U-TIC Organization has taken advantage of this situation to ensnare the Durandal in the past.

Currently, its contracted mission is to protect the Zohar emulators and hunt down the Gnosis.