FFXIV story/lore thread

[Dotsudoku]

Fantastic

[Pruviant]

You win 1 internet, that was funny.

[Kaixin]

From quest text.

Long accustomed to the sight of your triumphant swagger, Urianger discerns that Saint Shiva is no more before you have even opened your mouth.

Lol ok dick

[Obsidian]

Is the sword that Aymeric uses one of the three special ones? It looks too unique to be an ordinary sword.

[Rocl]

We don't have any information, but I'm assuming you're talking about Oathkeeper etc from the Paladin quests. In which case, it should be unlikely to be related (despite appearances) as those 3 swords were made for the Sultansworn iirc

[Edelweiss]

Isn't really anything preventing it from being Hrotti or something, though.

[Rocl]

Hrotti is actually a pretty solid guess all things considered

[Edelweiss]

Well, I suppose there's any number of dragon-slaying/dragon-related swords that could be candidates..

That weird blue crystal/metal material is what made me think Hrotti though (thanks Fafnir).

[Brave]

Spoilers for 2.4 Main Scenario.


Hey all! I was (likely over)analyzing Shiva's lyrics. It seems that her lyrics, like other primals, revolve around who she is. I believe that her song is about the time that she lay with a dragon, and it seems to point towards the fact that she wasn't entirely willing to do it to begin with--or perhaps was not in her right mind.

Spoiler: show

Fear in my chest, I take my breath
There's nothing left,
now I close my eyes for the last time I say goodbye
Lying naked while the snow falls all around me
Drifting closer to the edge but she won't have me
Wake up in sweat, full of regret, try to forget
These memories what do they mean? Lost in a dream

So this is the beginning part of the song, and it seems to talk about the act of her sleeping with a dragon ("Lying naked..."). Immediately after it mentions that she regrets it.

The reason I don't think she wanted to do it is later on in the song, here:

Spoiler: show

These voices screaming to let it go (let it all go)
This time I'm swinging at no no no (say no)
My mind's made up and my fear is gone (where did it go?)
Open my eyes now here I come I'm breaking out

Here, the way I interpreted this part of the song is that she was still "full of regret", but hailed as a saint of heretics for her actions. Unfortunately, it seems in the end she just had to accept her new role, especially since Ishgard wouldn't accept her back.

[Rocl]

Considering dragons are known to have a tempering like effect on people it would be interesting if Saint Shiva was just a victim of that. Some dragon makes her a thrall and then uh... you know... then is like okay bye.


Man that's pretty dark lol, pretty much mind-control & rape

[ronin sparthos]

Woah, I read totally different into the song. I feel Shiva's theme is more about Lady Iceheart than anything else which makes sense since for all intents and purposes she is Shiva (the primal before you) and follows the pattern on primal themes. Most of the song references her personal struggle with the events she's seen via the echo that lead her towards becoming the 'new' Saint Shiva. Complete with J-pop tunes!

[ronin sparthos]

Lyrics I'm working off:

Fear in my chest, I take my breath
There’s nothing left
And I close my eyes for one last time
And say goodbye
Lying naked while the snow falls all around me
Drifting closer to the edge, but she won’t help me

Wake up in sweat, full of regret
Tried to forget
These memories, lurking beneath
Lost in a dream

A chosen path
A broken past
Fore-spoken wrath
Their pain won’t cease
I’ll find no peace, the sweet release

Fragile creatures; we are taught to fear the reaper
Everyone around me, we were dead before we meet her
These voices telling me, “Let it go”
Let it go
I try and I try and I can’t say no
Cannot say no

This endless nightmare has just begun
Gone to hell
My pride is dragging me down into
Oblivion

The endless lies I cast aside, lock them in ice
Still is my soul, my blood drawn cold
I gain control

Fearless creatures; we are right to fight the reaper
Can’t defeat her so instead I’ll have to be her
These voices spinning in me, “Let it go”
Let it go
This time I’m spinning to hell, I know
Cannot say no

My mind’s made up and my fear is gone
Let it go
Open my eyes and here I go
Oblivion

For the last time, I will say goodbye
For the last time, I will say goodbye
For the last time, I will say goodbye
For the last time...

Iceheart learns the truth via echo in the first bit of the song. 'Fear in my chest, I take a breath' is her initial reaction.
She's 'waking up in sweat, full of regret' 'tried to forget' because whatever it is she saw is some serious shit.
She keeps trying to 'let it go' (oh Soken...) but it fails. The seeds already been planted in her mind.
'A broken past', 'A chosen path', 'forespoken wrath' are references to Shiva throwing in with dragons.
The conflict between Ishgardians and Dravanians won't end on its current path 'their pain won’t cease' 'I’ll find no peace, the sweet release' so she 'locks the lies in ice', gains her composure and resolves to become Shiva.

Now of course we're justified because she turns herself into a primal which is the purpose of the Scions existing and we need Ishgard to play political ball in order to shore up Eorzean defense against Garlemald but we'll probably soon learn in Heavenward that Iceheart was partially right.

[Rionel]

Going through the story cutscenes right now... man, all the newly voiced characters have excellent VAs. Lady Iceheart, Ilbert, Aymeric... Moenbryda is definitely one of my favourites though. Love her look too of course.

I'm approving of this increase in voicing quality! I hope it continues.

Edit: Oh yeah, Moenbryda is definitely my fav of the new bunch.

[Niiro]

Speaking of Shiva's theme has the 2.4 soundtrack been ripped yet?

I can't find anywhere that has a decent sounding track of the 2nd half of the Shiva theme.

[Dotsudoku]

Woah, I read totally different into the song. I feel Shiva's theme is more about Lady Iceheart than anything else which makes sense since for all intents and purposes she is Shiva (the primal before you) and follows the pattern on primal themes. Most of the song references her personal struggle with the events she's seen via the echo that lead her towards becoming the 'new' Saint Shiva. Complete with J-pop tunes!

Cosigning. Her lyrics seem to be all about personal struggle, and her rising above it- while hoping her peers find the strength to do the same. I mean, her character is all about anti-convention and self liberation.

Being on the brink of and welcoming death, having death denied to you, realizing you need to turn things around and reluctantly accepting head of the charge, and finally finding the power to overcome your obstacles(even if we end up defeating her because we're sanctimonious assholes)

All seems very self explanatory

[Dotsudoku]

Also speaking of voices, Aymeric's is downright sexual

~~~***like this if u swoon evertim***~~~

[Rocl]

Credit to tumblr lol (and solracht for linking me)

Someone in the MQS is no quite what they appear...
(potentially major spoiler for 2.5 lol)

Spoiler: show

Surprising they let such a thing be visible so early, but nifty nonetheless. I wonder how it'll play out.

[Gokulo]

What are we looking at? >.>

[Niiro]

Spoiler: show

She has the Garlean "third eye".

Which makes no sense, isn't she an elvaan? All of the native Garleans have been hume.

[solracht]

she's not an elf lol