WotG Storyline Discussion (Spoilers)

[Myrrial]

I considered posting this in the WotG Missions topic but decided not to mesh theorycrafting with information related to actually doing any of the missions.

With only the three current core storyline missions for the expansion to go on and having the player-character assigned to the dubious task of finding the Champions of the Dawn to aid Cait Sith there doesn't seem like a whole lot to be pondered at first glance; but I got to thinking about the whole situation while writing in my LJ entry today.

So here are some "interesting points" I figured were worth sharing with the community.

Cait Sith states that he/she/it is seeking the "Champions of the Dawn" who are apparently very important to the war.
(insert lots of my usual ramblings)
but I have to question this bugger's motives. Cait Sith's speech patterns lead me to believe that Cait Sith is either very, very scatter-brained or hiding its real intelligence...

Before Cait Sith wandered into the field of vision it gets identified as "a disembodied metallic voice." Metallic? Thats an interesting word to use. Especially considering that in its 3 previous appearances in the FF series Cait Sith was twice a nonorganic being: A puppet in FF7 and again as a puppet in FFX. And then once as an Esper in FF6.

Lets go out on a limb here and make the wild assumption that Cait Sith is indeed a puppet. This means that someone or something somewhere (or would that be "somewhen?") is pulling the strings. There are two completely seperate lines of thought here.

The first line of thought is: Cait Sith is a good guy, sent by Altana to try and ease the suffering of her children during a time of war. Evidence to support this theory would be the fact that, upon first encounter with Cait Sith, the player is given a Pure White Feather (key item). White Feather? Wings of the Goddess? Look at the box that your expansion came in. There stands what could very well be Altana in all her white-feathered glory. So maybe Cait Sith was sent as a messenger to deliver this important item?

The other line of thought: Cait Sith is an evil bastard who wants to trick you into gathering up the Champions of the Dawn to slay them for his boss. Who might that be? Maybe its some devious plot by The Shadowlord (the Cavernous Maws -do- look demonic). Or, on a more grand scheme: Theres Atomos who apparently exists in the sky that overlooks the bizare planescape that Cait Sith resides in.

Theres also the matter of the comet that looms in the sky during the Crystal War. Maybe Atomos and the Cavernous Maws are alien lifeforms, sort of like FFXI's answer to Lavos and the Lavos Spawn of Chrono Trigger.

I have yet to make the trip to Windurst but I hear that NPCs there speak more of the comet in the sky. So I figured it would be neat to get perspective from other players as to their thoughts and lay down some added information for each other in case anyone has heard anything interest from any NPCs in relation to the comet, the cat, or the maws.

I do hope this topic isn't frowned upon. I'm honestly not sure if this should go anywhere else on the board; but I do very much enjoy bouncing ideas around with other folks--so heres hoping that some good can come of this.

[Priran]

all the NPCs say in regards to the comet is that it exists and it appeared recently, you're not missing much

[Tarage]

From Windurst's perspective, there is a bandaged Tarutaru, I forget his name, who seems to be a very powerful blackmage. The Yagudo are seen talking about something dubious, as well as the same Taru talking to someone about the same things Caitsith was talking about.

I have yet to see either of these things in the other nation's questmissionthings.

Another reason to join Windurst, we get better cutscenes.

[6souls]

Robel Akbel

[Tarage]

Robel Akbel

Thats him. Dude is badass. I can't wait to see more of him.

[Belkin]

a nigga already died in bastok's storyline. we hood

[Teakwood]

Forget Bastok Ghetto... Robel-Akbel casts Ultima. >.>

But yeah, I'm thinking along the same lines... Speculating perhaps even that we (the player characters) are from an alternate timeline in which the Crystal War is won by the Allied Forces, whereas perhaps Cait Sith is from a timeline in which the Beastmen win. The dialogue is ambiguous enough that this is possible. It'd be rather quirky and typical of this game and the save-Vana'diel-ten-times motif if you were directly responsible for the outcome of the Crystal War in the end, twenty years before you start the original storyline.

Looking at ToAU as a lead-in to WotG, which it basically was, looking at the story they chose to tell (Odin, the Demons that are involved with him, his shattered Protocrystal in the North from CoP, the fact that Luzaf and Raogrimm seemed to have made the same sort of deal with the devil so to speak) kind of sheds another light on the situation : There's obviously SOMETHING going on behind the scenes, that twenty years later everyone's forgotten about or refuses to mention. I'm really interested in where this is going because I think WotG will be the thign that finally ties up all the disparate storylines, and I'm very much looking forward to that.

[LinktheDeme]

From Windurst's perspective, there is a bandaged Tarutaru, I forget his name, who seems to be a very powerful blackmage. The Yagudo are seen talking about something dubious, as well as the same Taru talking to someone about the same things Caitsith was talking about.

I have yet to see either of these things in the other nation's questmissionthings.

Another reason to join Windurst, we get better cutscenes.

Sandy had the best imo. I won't spoil it but something about an orc being of elf descent is involved.

In the windy one though they mentioned the yagudos working with someone else. I wonder who this someone else is.

[Gilthas]

I don't remember much of CoP, but when is it mentioned that Odin's protocrystal is shattered? When you go fight the snoll?

[Avé]

Snoll fight and the Tuning Out quest. There's not much mention of it though.

[Varrin]

The background picture in the PC installer (the drawing of Altana with the white background) has, in the bottom left hand corner, a guy with a huge horned helmet on a warhorse. I don't think we've seen the last of Odin.

[Tyros]

I am pretty sure there is a mistake in one of the Windy Storyline Cut Scenes. I recall them mentioning that Zonpa-Zipa is the Minister of the Orastery (SP?) which is the War Warlock academy. But Present Day Storyline mentions that he was the Minister of the Manstuary (SP?), which makes sense because he is the creator of the Cardians. I am pretty sure that Shantoto is the Minister of the Orastery, since she is all...you know... boom and doom, but she seems to be in the north for some reason right now.

[Falconfire]

I am pretty sure there is a mistake in one of the Windy Storyline Cut Scenes. I recall them mentioning that Zonpa-Zipa is the Minister of the Orastery (SP?) which is the War Warlock academy. But Present Day Storyline mentions that he was the Minister of the Manstuary (SP?), which makes sense because he is the creator of the Cardians. I am pretty sure that Shantoto is the Minister of the Orastery, since she is all...you know... boom and doom, but she seems to be in the north for some reason right now.

Well thats easy to explain, Zonpa-Zipa could be both, the Minister of the Manstuary, AND the temporary Minister of the Orastery while Shantoto is away.

Or because this is supposed to be at the very beginning of the war, after the lines have stabilized from the initial beastman surge, it could be that Shantoto was not yet the Minister, and will be appointed when she gets back, splintering Zonpa-Zipa off to create the Manstuary to further the pursuit of the development of the Cardians.

Its not unprecedented for a Minister to be in charge of two places. Already in Bastok we have this happening since one was assassinated and if I read the CS right our President took over for him on top of his other duties planning the war.

[Tyros]

Ah, that would make sense. Kinda like how Karaha-Baruha is technically the Minister of the Opistery (The library) and he splinters off to create the Animastery.

[Kael]

I am pretty sure there is a mistake in one of the Windy Storyline Cut Scenes. I recall them mentioning that Zonpa-Zipa is the Minister of the Orastery (SP?) which is the War Warlock academy. But Present Day Storyline mentions that he was the Minister of the Manstuary (SP?), which makes sense because he is the creator of the Cardians. I am pretty sure that Shantoto is the Minister of the Orastery, since she is all...you know... boom and doom, but she seems to be in the north for some reason right now.

She is currently solo-ing the Demon Hosts until the allied forces get on their feet.

[Rocl]

Shantoto should be having a fun time with a doll in Castle Zvahl right about now

[Tyros]

Oh, ya, BLM AF story. Thanks Rocl.

[Rocl]

So after completing all the new quests, is it me or do the Beastmen seem to catch that we're from the "future", well the Yagudo and the Orc anyway.

[Remyo]

Shantoto should be having a fun time with a doll in Castle Zvahl right about now

i hate that doll.

[Kyreth]

Shantoto should be having a fun time with a doll in Castle Zvahl right about now

One of the Tarus towards the back of Windurst mentions she's up there in the Northlands. Prima donna no matter when she is.