FFXIV story/lore thread

[Seravi Edalborez]

I would though like to rekindle the "Hildibrand is canon-canon" and "Enkidu is a primal" debate with the new inner workings of how we know primals are now (in that they are romanticized versions of the legend, ala Moggle Mog as we previously sort of knew).

Literally any idiot with a box of crystals can pray hard enough to have a god-like being appear. Dispute me bro.

Though on that note, I might have missed it but how is Ysayle transforming at will? I think vs Ravana she cheated and used crystals in the same room but that doesn't explain the other time.

[Rocl]

Give me an example of a Primal being summoned w/o Ascian intervention. Considering Oda/KojiFox's actual response to the Hildibrand canon question I'm honestly putting it in the XI Crafting Compass bin for now. If you wanna believe it, go ahead but I'll still think you're retarded.

She used a Crystal of Light to turn into Shiva the second time. Y'shtola even remarks about it.

[Niiro]

Give me an example of a Primal being summoned w/o Ascian intervention.

Phoenix

[Seravi Edalborez]

She used a Crystal of Light to turn into Shiva the second time. Y'shtola even remarks about it.

Huh, this works?

Actually, can I get a layman's explanation for the whole crystal of light thing. I get that when our 6 crystal line thingys were repaired we had Hydalaen's number again but does it represent anything other than that? Like the element of the 6 to the moment we first or re- acquired them? Or is it just arbitrary plot-o-meter.

Did Shiva have Ascian backing, or is her deal because she was a WoL after all? Is there implication that anyone that has the Echo can become a living primal?

[Obsidian]

Give me an example of a Primal being summoned w/o Ascian intervention.

The Twelve?

I also read a theory on reddit that the player character is slowly becoming what is essentially a Primal. As they gain fame for their accomplishments, more and more of the people of Eorzea rest their hopes on the Warrior of Light and doubtless pray for their success. I doubt this is the direction they're going but it was an interesting parallel all the same.

[Rocl]

Phoenix

Touche, but I counter with the idea Louisoix is probably way more learned in the art of summoning shit than Gilgamesh. Additionally Louisoix had Tupsimati to facilitate Summoning, something powerful enough to make the Ascians lust after it. Gilgamesh has nothing like that.

Actually, can I get a layman's explanation for the whole crystal of light thing. I get that when our 6 crystal line thingys were repaired we had Hydalaen's number again but does it represent anything other than that? Like the element of the 6 to the moment we first or re- acquired them? Or is it just arbitrary plot-o-meter.

Did Shiva have Ascian backing, or is her deal because she was a WoL after all? Is there implication that anyone that has the Echo can become a living primal?

Crystals of Light are bestowed upon Echo users by Hydaelyn. We don't really know a whole lot more than that and that they're super powerful/important.

Shiva is heavily implied to have Ascian backing, with Nabriales' comments after hardmode.

[Aumaan_Kujata]

Speaking of the crystal/some-other-concentrated-aether-source requirement for summoning, where is that coming from for Thordan's Heaven'sWard lackeys? I suspect the answer is something handwavy about the second Eye of Nidhogg, but I'm not sure it was sufficiently nearby during, say, the Vault boss fights, or that scene where they first transform just off-camera earlier on in the storyline.

Also, while I'm thinking about the Knights of the Round, was there anything concrete and on-screen that I missed that indicated just why they had to get to the Celestial Nexus (er...) to do their thing instead of just powering up wherever they were keeping the corpse, or is all we have to go on that implication afterward about the Triad being destabilized in some way? Seems like they kept enough back about that zone for 3.1+ that it feels unnecessary for 3.0, in hindsight.

They certainly left a lot of plot hooks laying around. I hope they do a little bit better by them than they did with the whole Ul'dah fizzle-out. I'm very excited about the potential for certain FF6 remixes.

[Niiro]

I assume everything regarding the Triad is for the patches to come, they barely seemed to have anything to do with the story so far.

[Cutriss]

Interrupting 3.0 talk, I found this today:

http://imgur.com/a/GQcus

Spoiler: show

This image here puzzles me. It's obvious by the title and the other two that the guy was intending to show Coerthas 1.0, but the map itself is labeled "Thanalan", and has regional markers which are all over the place. Carteneau Flats to the NW and Bay of Dha'yuz would be correct if it was Thanalan, but the markers for Abalathia's Spine/North Shroud/White Maiden/Yafaem put it where Coerthas would be. (Interestingly it doesn't annotate Ishgard.)

And then there's the layout itself, which is pretty much identical to 2.0 Coerthas Central. In a 1.0 map.

Is this in the original DATs for 1.0? I don't see anything like this in TinEye, but it doesn't look like it's a forgery or that there'd be any reason to make one.

[Lokus]

I remember coming across that a while ago and it confused me as well. I assume it was just a template/placeholder that SE used to create some of the maps then fixed it later. Probably one of the files gleaned from the 2.0 benchmark. 1.0 didn't have any maps like that btw. What you saw in the other two images is how all the maps in 1.0 were, basically one giant zone map.

Since we're talking about weird shit... wonder when this will make an entry into the story:

Spoiler: show

[Cutriss]

Oh, I guess I forgot they didn't have full-on regional maps. I think they had intended to but just never implemented it, along with a few million other things in 1.0.

[Eurell]

Has anyone translated the demon book yet?

[Rocl]

It was transcribed a while ago (back when it was first shown); http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...=1#post3063991

that's a link to the most recent iteration

[Seravi Edalborez]

I know for sure OF did.

http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...xt-on-his-page.

e: What Rocl said. Gibberish.

[Eurell]

Cool, thanks.

[Silenka]

JP really like to grab random words and pages of words for things like this. In manga and anime often you can find screentones that are simply pages of text "borrowed" from other things such as Tshirts, advertisements, one time I saw a D&D book page (in the first version of the FMA anime I think?). That's way different from purposefully inserting lore. So it's one or the other with that book and I'm inclined to believe it's the former and they just grabbed a bunch of words from places (maybe even from their own lore) and scrambled it. On the other hand if it IS purposefully-inserted lore and there IS something to decipher here I would love to try...

[Alkar]

Also, while I'm thinking about the Knights of the Round, was there anything concrete and on-screen that I missed that indicated just why they had to get to the Celestial Nexus (er...) to do their thing instead of just powering up wherever they were keeping the corpse, or is all we have to go on that implication afterward about the Triad being destabilized in some way? Seems like they kept enough back about that zone for 3.1+ that it feels unnecessary for 3.0, in hindsight.

They certainly left a lot of plot hooks laying around. I hope they do a little bit better by them than they did with the whole Ul'dah fizzle-out. I'm very excited about the potential for certain FF6 remixes.

They were looking for the Triad. They simply transformed there because they needed to (absorb Lahabrea and try to defeat the WoL), I don't think it needed any more explanation really.

[Niiro]

Also, Ilberd is my new favorite character, and they fucking better be going somewhere with this.

Spoiler: show

[jibini]

Actually, can I get a layman's explanation for the whole crystal of light thing. I get that when our 6 crystal line thingys were repaired we had Hydalaen's number again but does it represent anything other than that? Like the element of the 6 to the moment we first or re- acquired them? Or is it just arbitrary plot-o-meter.

The elemental connections fit with when we first acquire most of them (fire/earth/wind from Ifrit/Titan/Garuda, lightning from the Slyphs, ice from Stone Vigil), but I wasn't clearly able to identify similar connections to when they're re-acquired. I suspect there is something to the order/timing of when we re-acquire them though, since it doesn't just go in order around the circle.

Generally speaking, I think there's an implication that they shield us in some way from the Ascian's powers. Compare the scene after Bismarck, where Igeyorhm is able to easy immobilize us by herself, to the end of the Aetherochemical Research Facility, where we're able to overwhelm not just her and Lahabrea simultaneously, but also when they merge. I don't know if there's anything significant about particular crystals to that though. Probably not.

Mostly unrelated, but on the subject of elements, Bismark's Baleen and The Burning Eye of Ravana have descriptions that indicate that each of those primals are attuned to two elements each. Wind and Water for Bismarck, Earth and Fire for Ravana. It wouldn't be surprising to get a Lightning and Ice primal at some point in 3.x, though I couldn't quickly think of any likely candidates from previous games.

[Eurell]

Also, Ilberd is my new favorite character, and they fucking better be going somewhere with this.

Spoiler: show

Eh. Ilberds a bitch. He's bitter and whiny. Nanamo didn't invite us into her chambers for a tea party because she's using us. These people actually respect us and consider us friends. Of course they are all using our power, but they all also care about us personally.