FFXIV story/lore thread

[Rocl]

You can rewatch any cutscene you've experienced in the Binding Coil before clearing Turn 5 by going to the Duty list of the Unending Journey. There's something like 15 cutscenes before Twintania, lol. I go through them occasionally and I haven't yet slain the dragon. I've also rewatched the full run of Turns 1 -> 3 before I cleared Turn 4.

The Crystal Tower was alluded to as the Crypt / Tomb (depending on the patch) of Xandes. I believe Erik (the monk scholar) mentions that he recently discovered a giant aetheric disturbance resembling a crystal or some shit under Mor Dhona and mentioned legends dating back to the Third Astral Era / Allagan Empire of an Emperor who entombed himself in crystal to cheat death. This was widely regarded as just that, a legend, but we know how these things go in fantasy settings. Interesting/annoying to note is that the Crystal Tower should be on the other side of the map. Thaliak's stone was originally implied to be the Crypt way back in 1.0 and now it's on the east side of Mor Dhona instead of the west side.

As for the dalamud fragments, that's all we really know. They're bits of Dalamud that were scattered across Eorzea when Bahamut was freed during the Battle of Carteneau. What bothers me about Alisaie's statement there is that there are clearly more than 2 fragments, though as I recall you can't make out the fragment in Occidens. There's a fragment near Fallgourd Float (which actually still spawns Lunar Golems), a fragment near the Burning Wall, a fragment or two in Coerthas, a fragment in Mor Dhona, and probably even the far-off Corrupted Aether to the west of the Shroud.

A whole lot of the Binding Coil doesn't make a lot of sense. The beginning of Turn 1 looks to be made out of Imperial shit + corrupted aether + dalamud fragments and Turn 2 is quite obviously a giant sword-key thing which fell out of Dalamud and after that... well... not to mention the top of the sword-key is completely underground. Then again you're teleported by Terminals at the end of every Turn I guess... but Turn 3 is where it changes to The Ragnarok which is another big wtf? It seems to be some sort of Allagan device, and the obvious thing that jumps out is AIRSHIP AIRSHIP IT"S AN AIRSHIP but maybe it's a giant fucking computer. Engine rooms and drive cylinders oh my

Turn 2 is a key proof:




I just realized the name of Turn 2 implies Imperials might've actually gotten that far down? Though if solracht's ascian + snake theory is right it'd make sense considering the confirmed ascian + empire alliance during MSQ

[Edelweiss]

Though if solracht's ascian + snake theory is right it'd make sense considering the confirmed ascian + empire alliance during MSQ

About that, I never really got the sense that alliance actually permeated the entirety of the Empire's military and government. With the Emperor apparently on his last legs, am I alone in getting the feeling there's internal conflicts/civil war brewing over succeeding him? It seemed more like the Ascians needed to guide the XIVth Legion to accomplish whatever they have to do regarding Zodiark (with Ultima being more than just an anti-Primal trump card and aether-freeing device; for that matter I don't even think we actually destroyed it as much as it dismissed itself for now).

That in mind, Gaius's focus with conquering Eorzea gave me the impression he had more riding on a successful conquest than honor/pride - maybe he or the faction he's alligned with have designs on the throne. I'm sure this will develop more in the coming months; I doubt any of the Imperials besides Rhitalyn sas Arvina are even dead either..

Speaking of Imperials, what's with Nero tol Scaeva seemingly having his own plans and being kinda scheming behind Gaius' back? He can't be that butthurt about the esteem Gaius holds Cid in.

[Niiro]

You can rewatch any cutscene you've experienced in the Binding Coil before clearing Turn 5 by going to the Duty list of the Unending Journey. There's something like 15 cutscenes before Twintania, lol. I go through them occasionally and I haven't yet slain the dragon.

You're right, but it's all listed under "Turn 1" when it's everything.

Also there's no indication in the window of how many cutscenes there are for a given selection, which is also confusing.

[Therin]

As for the dalamud fragments, that's all we really know. They're bits of Dalamud that were scattered across Eorzea when Bahamut was freed during the Battle of Carteneau. What bothers me about Alisaie's statement there is that there are clearly more than 2 fragments, though as I recall you can't make out the fragment in Occidens. There's a fragment near Fallgourd Float (which actually still spawns Lunar Golems), a fragment near the Burning Wall, a fragment or two in Coerthas, a fragment in Mor Dhona, and probably even the far-off Corrupted Aether to the west of the Shroud.

Thanks, I'm going to go around and look for these fragments later on for funzies.

There's so much potential for the lore in this game but so often it feels like SE takes the lazy way out, at least in XI and XIV. "We could make all of this shit cool and relevant but that would take too long, so let's spend our time and money on making cool encounters that have no lore significance whatsoever." Annoying.

[Raldo]

What bothers me about Alisaie's statement there is that there are clearly more than 2 fragments, though as I recall you can't make out the fragment in Occidens. There's a fragment near Fallgourd Float (which actually still spawns Lunar Golems), a fragment near the Burning Wall, a fragment or two in Coerthas, a fragment in Mor Dhona, and probably even the far-off Corrupted Aether to the west of the Shroud.

She seems to only care about the key-like fragments, as far as I can tell. The one out by Fallgourd float is clearly a Dalamud fragment, but probably not what she's looking for. Though I guess it could be equally as likely that they're just making her a complete dunce, and those will be the future coil entrances.

Also, she doesn't seem to care about the one at the Burning Wall, since that's the turn-5 exit point, but that also doesn't make any sense at all, since these things shouldn't magically curve through the ground. Wtf is going on there?

[solracht]

There are two types of fragments: red, sword/key-like ones (like the Binding Coil/Turn 2) and brown, curved ones (Fallgourd, the Burning Wall, etc). The first ones seem to be the keys that held Dalamud together, the other ones appear to be parts of Dalamud.

Not including the "key" in Occidens (which you can't see anyway) so far I have only found two keys: by Boulder Downs in Coerthas and Singing Shards in Mor Dhona.

Screenshots:

Spoiler: show

My guess is these two will be the next Bahamut dungeons. As for what's going on with the brown fragments... I have no idea. Perhaps her interest will shift to them once we're done exploring the swords?

----

I have been wondering what the fuck is up with the Ragnarok ever since I mined the maps and I still can't make heads or tails of it. Initially I thought it referred to the inside of the key, but the Turn 3-5 areas are too big to fit inside the key (which we see during Turn 2). Pretty mysterious stuff.

It might be an underground Allagan lab... the Crystal Tower was underground too at some point, so maybe a lot of allagan cities/palaces/etc ended up buried during the different eras.

[Rocl]

Also, she doesn't seem to care about the one at the Burning Wall, since that's the turn-5 exit point, but that also doesn't make any sense at all, since these things shouldn't magically curve through the ground. Wtf is going on there?

Assuming the dialogue is correct you exit Turn in Northern Thanalan and the Burning Wall is Eastern Thanalan.

About that, I never really got the sense that alliance actually permeated the entirety of the Empire's military and government. With the Emperor apparently on his last legs, am I alone in getting the feeling there's internal conflicts/civil war brewing over succeeding him? It seemed more like the Ascians needed to guide the XIVth Legion to accomplish whatever they have to do regarding Zodiark (with Ultima being more than just an anti-Primal trump card and aether-freeing device; for that matter I don't even think we actually destroyed it as much as it dismissed itself for now).

Nael van Darnus et al. could be in league with the Ascians as well during the 7UE considering his overall motives. After all the summoning of Bahamut did more to throw Eorzea into disarray than anything else. Apparently chaos is all they need for Zodiark to strengthen so !!!

That in mind, Gaius's focus with conquering Eorzea gave me the impression he had more riding on a successful conquest than honor/pride - maybe he or the faction he's alligned with have designs on the throne. I'm sure this will develop more in the coming months; I doubt any of the Imperials besides Rhitalyn sas Arvina are even dead either..

I hope to hell Livia stays dead. It's obvious Nero survives but with the way they broke Gaius down at the end I'm hoping his arc is at a close as well. I would've loved to see his original story, but I'm content with what it is now. I also don't get the feeling Gaius had his eyes on the throne-- he always seemed like the last Garlean to forsake his devotion to Galvus. His conquest of Eorzea and his zeal for it was always interesting though...

Speaking of Imperials, what's with Nero tol Scaeva seemingly having his own plans and being kinda scheming behind Gaius' back? He can't be that butthurt about the esteem Gaius holds Cid in.

Unsure of how you mean? I'm way too busy leveling my chocobo to go back to my Inn room at the moment, but I always got the feeling that Nero was incredibly butthurt being second fiddle to Cid nan Garlond (in case you'd forgotten!) After all his entire life he was compared to Cid and man Cid betrayed his nation and it only made his countrymen get bigger boners for him. I'd be pretty pissed if I was Nero too; nothing he did was ever good enough. Nigga refitted Ultima Weapon, what'd Cid do? Build an airship? Who the fuck builds an airship?

[Obsidian]

Could all the unremarkable (to Alisaie, at least) fragments of Dalamud be linked by the teleporters we use in the Binding Coil? Perhaps each one of them is a Turn and they're all connected via the teleportation devices?

[solracht]

I wouldn't say so. The area titles are pretty clear about where the Turns are and that's.... underground. The connection between Turn 1 and 2 is pretty obvious, just like 3, 4 and 5. Turn 2 -> 3 is the only one that's "weird" but again, the game does tell you keep on going underground after that teleport.

I imagine the brown fragments will be used eventually though.

[solracht]

This is nothing important but they fixed the JP text for the Coil areas. Post-Turn 1-4 are now "Eorzean Subterrane" and the post-Turn 5 area is "Ragnarok Main Bridge".

[miokomioko]

I think there's a "key" fragment underground (unless obviously visible/above-ground) anywhere there's a crystallized aether splash. The curve of a few (Burning Wall/Fallgourd Float) just might simply be not what we're used to seeing as a "typical" key fragment such as the iconic Singing Shards one. If you look at the Wind-up Dalamud minion, some of the keys have blue accents, some have obvious sword-hilt shapes, some are jagged, some are straight pillars, some are solid black... none of which we can see the piercing tip of....... which makes me want to look at some stills of the Twelve summoning in the End of an Era cinematic...

There could just be a bit of variation in how they are shaped/colored, like a Gilgamesh-style variety of blades. I don't think the curved ones would be any different since any non-key parts of Dalamud consisted of much smaller and numerous Tetris block-shaped bits (likely lacking any importance). Plus, the only obvious remnant of Dalamud that isn't a "key" fragment is that spherical husk of sorts up at Singing Shards (where the first fragment shot straight downwards from Dalamud and the "husk" landed on/around it).

(Just realized you can see the fragment in the top-left of this still has a slightly curved edge).

Eiiiither that or the curved bits were just a fragmented... collar... of sorts...?

[Rocl]

Casual reminder that when Minfilia is speaking to her linkpearl and the dialogue isn't shown she talks about "Krile" and "giving regards to your grandfather" while it's implied to be the students of Baldesion she's speaking to.

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/K...ayer_Baldesion

and her grandfather

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Galuf_Halm_Baldesion

[solracht]

son of a bitch how did I miss this

[Rocl]

it might be assumed that the Ascian encountered at the end of the SMN quest (Ascian of the Twelfth Staff)

http://xivdb.com/?search/ascian

Sword, Staff and when I rewatch the final SMN CS right now in my Inn Room it's an Ascian of the Twelfth Chalice

maybe tomorrow/tuesday will shed more light on the Ascians (probably) but '='; figured I'd remind myself of some story points before 2.1

[Enygma55]

Lore Train with info on the Crystal Tower.

http://gamerescape.com/2013/12/15/th...-tower-awaits/

Erik, a first-rate scholar of Eorzean military history, aether, and pompous demeanor, was the first to theorize that something was amiss beneath the earth of Mor Dhona. He suspected that the chaotic nature of the aether there was a direct result of an aerial battle fought between the Garlean Empire and the Dravanian Horde in the year 1562 of the Sixth Astral Era, known today as the Battle of Silvertear Skies. His measurements, however, revealed a puzzling anomaly: beyond the aetherial waves emitted by the Keeper of the Lake, even stronger waves originated from beneath the ground to the east. Reconstructing an image of their source revealed the visage of a great tower, which Erik theorized to be the mythical tomb of Xandes, first emperor of the Allagan Empire, laid to rest beneath Mor Dhona in hopes that Silvertear’s mystical power would wake him from eternal slumber. Alas, there was no way to confirm this theory… until the events of the Calamity in 1572.

http://gamerescape.com/wp-content/up...2013/12/CT.png

The shifting and grinding of the earth caused by the Calamity woke the tower from its slumber of some five thousand years and from beneath the rock it rose to the heavens nigh overnight, opening the minds and purse strings of scholars and historians the realm over. Particularly determined were those of the Sons of Saint Coinach, an organization named for the man who proved the existence of the Allagan Empire and dedicated to unraveling their lost secrets. However, the efforts of the Sons have been repeatedly hindered by attacks upon their research sites by a bewildering enemy.

Following the Calamity, the Gigas tribe of Abalathia’s Spine began to migrate in droves to Mor Dhona, frequently attacking the dig sites of the Sons of Saint Coinach. At first, it was assumed that the gigants’ former location was destabilized to the point that they sought out a new home near Silvertear Lake. However, it has since been revealed via Sharlayan documents that the Gigas have long venerated the legend of the Crystal Tower—information supported by the fact that many of their fallen have been found to be carrying crude statues of its likeness. Why do the Gigas believe the tower to be a holy place? Why have they come from so far to claim it as their own? Ought we be more concerned? After all, those who lead can create armies, and those who worship can start crusades…

The time has come for the adventurers of Eorzea to steal into the Tower and unravel its mysteries, but what will they find inside? Before we can enter the tower itself, we must survive the Labyrinth of the Ancients that leads to its doors… What enemies will be faced within, and which are yet to come? We see some of the usual suspects—demons, bombs, skeletons, dahak—but we also see the familiar cavernous maw, as well. Has Atomos returned? Will we learn more about his Eorzean incarnation?


The Patch 2.1 website highlights four key enemies: King Behemoth, Bone Dragon, Thanatos, and Acheron. In the preview video, King Behemoth is fought along the yellow path, and Bone Dragon along the blue. Towards the end, we see more than eight players rushing Acheron, who appears to be the final boss of this encounter, so it may very well be the case that Thanatos is the boss for the red path.

However, if we look back at the artwork promoting the Crystal Tower content line, we see many more familiar Final Fantasy III enemies. Will any more await within the Labyrinth of the Ancients as a surprise, or will we have to wait for Patch 2.3 and beyond to challenge Scylla, The Guardian, Amon, Cerberus, The Ahriman, Xandes, and the Cloud of Darkness, who still wait within the tower’s heights? If the concept artwork is any hint to the boss order…

[Rocl]

Going through the Eorzea database and (2.1 spoilers)

Spoiler: show

Called it. F'lhaminn returns

Edit: Also a cursory reminder that the game hints at Allagans and Gigas/Giants being related several times

[Jinn]

Going through the Eorzea database and (2.1 spoilers)

Spoiler: show

Called it. F'lhaminn returns

Edit: Also a cursory reminder that the game hints at Allagans and Gigas/Giants being related several times

Spoiler: show

uploaded this the other day and totally forgot to post it :/

[Qeomash]

Spoiler: show

Guessing Gigas were created by the Allagans as slaves?

[Seravi Edalborez]

Aren't the giants divided up into sub-races though?

From the lv40 guildhest with all the giants:

The gigants are made up of three distinctive classes: the ruling class of gigas, the slave class of giants, and the hecatoncheires─a second class of slaves who have spent the past several centuries trapped in a sealed mine. The enmity between the classes runs deep, and when any two converge, sparks will fly. But, when all three converge...the results can be devastating. Parties from all three of the gigant classes have stumbled onto a dig site of the Sons of Saint Coinach. The researchers have all fled to safety, but the artifacts they discovered remain on the field. Slay the intruders while protecting the relics from needless destruction.

[solracht]

the 2.1 story will shed more light on the relationship between the allagans and the gigas but I don't want to say much else until tomorrow since it's all datamined shit