Any hidden effect on Glory Crown? [Thar be spoiler here]

[ringthree]

Naja Salaheem : And just so ya don't forget, I've engraved my signature on the inside of the rrim--now every time you put it on, ya can experience that swell of grratitude.

oh hey look

just in case you didn't catch it >_>


SPOILERS(LOL):


Also, Pieuje was never undercover? Fairly certain it was only Trion, and the way I understand Alexander chooses a vessel (particularly, a construct) to inhabit, kind of like Odin chooses a human vessel to become the Dark Rider and what not

and as such, Alexander inhabited the Alzadaal Ruins once, and then the first Ragnarok went down, and he left, (presumably so did Odin), much later, Razfahd tries to resummon Alexander, but from what I gather he didn't really understand that the Iron Colussus was a god, and a not a inanimate weapon- so he tries to recreate Alexander, and then Alexander is all "hay guyz wuts goin on"

I don't know I could be way off >_> Also, is it me or do the Candescences seem to have some sort of connection to the after-life/astral plane, since when Ovjang and Mnejing came in contact with it, shazam they were imbued with the personalities of Aphmau's late parents (from what I gather?) not to mention that bit in the last cutscene of the final BCNM

END SPOILERS

Yeah, I always got the impression that there were similarities between Alexander and Gozer the Gozerian.

[Septimus]

Naja Salaheem : And just so ya don't forget, I've engraved my signature on the inside of the rrim--now every time you put it on, ya can experience that swell of grratitude.

oh hey look

just in case you didn't catch it >_>


SPOILERS(LOL):


Also, Pieuje was never undercover? Fairly certain it was only Trion, and the way I understand Alexander chooses a vessel (particularly, a construct) to inhabit, kind of like Odin chooses a human vessel to become the Dark Rider and what not

and as such, Alexander inhabited the Alzadaal Ruins once, and then the first Ragnarok went down, and he left, (presumably so did Odin), much later, Razfahd tries to resummon Alexander, but from what I gather he didn't really understand that the Iron Colussus was a god, and a not a inanimate weapon- so he tries to recreate Alexander, and then Alexander is all "hay guyz wuts goin on"

I don't know I could be way off >_> Also, is it me or do the Candescences seem to have some sort of connection to the after-life/astral plane, since when Ovjang and Mnejing came in contact with it, shazam they were imbued with the personalities of Aphmau's late parents (from what I gather?) not to mention that bit in the last cutscene of the final BCNM

END SPOILERS

Connection spoilers.

In CoP, the moblins talked about an iron giant that they found buried under Vana'diel. Could it be that the Ragnarok in Olduum was actually the second one? Odin's protocrystal in the north was supposedly shattered, where is Alexander's protocrystal, and how did he get loose? Hmm... Sounds like an interesting follow up quest.

[Sagacious Sundi]

Naja Salaheem : And just so ya don't forget, I've engraved my signature on the inside of the rrim--now every time you put it on, ya can experience that swell of grratitude.

oh hey look

just in case you didn't catch it >_>


SPOILERS(LOL):


Also, Pieuje was never undercover? Fairly certain it was only Trion, and the way I understand Alexander chooses a vessel (particularly, a construct) to inhabit, kind of like Odin chooses a human vessel to become the Dark Rider and what not

and as such, Alexander inhabited the Alzadaal Ruins once, and then the first Ragnarok went down, and he left, (presumably so did Odin), much later, Razfahd tries to resummon Alexander, but from what I gather he didn't really understand that the Iron Colussus was a god, and a not a inanimate weapon- so he tries to recreate Alexander, and then Alexander is all "hay guyz wuts goin on"

I don't know I could be way off >_> Also, is it me or do the Candescences seem to have some sort of connection to the after-life/astral plane, since when Ovjang and Mnejing came in contact with it, shazam they were imbued with the personalities of Aphmau's late parents (from what I gather?) not to mention that bit in the last cutscene of the final BCNM

END SPOILERS

Connection spoilers.

In CoP, the moblins talked about an iron giant that they found buried under Vana'diel. Could it be that the Ragnarok in Olduum was actually the second one? Odin's protocrystal in the north was supposedly shattered, where is Alexander's protocrystal, and how did he get loose? Hmm... Sounds like an interesting follow up quest.

More spoilers:

Is it any coincidence that Moblins are unknowingly looking for Alex (probably), and they greatly oppose the Demons, who are Odin's minions? A similar thing exists with Aht Urhgan/Ephramad. Alex is tied to some Aht Urhgan story about a giant 'maton, and Odin is the guardian of Ephramad IIRC.

Also, I don't think they ever found the actual iron giant. First they found the Promathia statue, found out the Altana/Promathia story and saw the five races as their enemy, and opposed the Kindred, seeing them as "false deities" or w/e. Then they found the fifth mothercrystal, and resurfaced.

[Yutuyu]

Massive Spoilers:

Throughout the game and various queststs it becomes fairly obvious what the deal is with Odin.

Think back to the Lay of the Immortals, it awakens 'slumbering gods.' Odin likes to start wars, it's his thing. He's the one who started the crystal war and the problem with AU. The demons in the Northlands are his minions.

During the Crystal War, Odin wanted to be awakened so he sent some beastmen to find someone who could sing the Lay of the Immortals before his Protocrystal. Emelyn, Aldo's sister was abducted in the opening CS to do just that.

She sung, Odin awoke then began the search for his longtime rival, Alexander. He had the Goblins dig and search for the Iron Giant, but they were looking in the wrong place. Eventually one of them found it, or somehow Odin got a clue that Alex was in the East, so he left the Middle Lands.

Odin opposes Alexander just as simply as light opposes dark. They're drawn to fight, that's just how they are. They both seem to resemble their elements very well. Light preserves, protects. Dark destroys and decays.

The only unanswered big question at this point is who the voice was that talked to Eald'Narche through the Crystal Line so long ago which started the Zilart's dream. My money's on Odin. He does so love to stir up trouble.

[Rocl]

Massive Spoilers:

Throughout the game and various queststs it becomes fairly obvious what the deal is with Odin.

Think back to the Lay of the Immortals, it awakens 'slumbering gods.' Odin likes to start wars, it's his thing. He's the one who started the crystal war and the problem with AU. The demons in the Northlands are his minions.

During the Crystal War, Odin wanted to be awakened so he sent some beastmen to find someone who could sing the Lay of the Immortals before his Protocrystal. Emelyn, Aldo's sister was abducted in the opening CS to do just that.

She sung, Odin awoke then began the search for his longtime rival, Alexander. He had the Goblins dig and search for the Iron Giant, but they were looking in the wrong place. Eventually one of them found it, or somehow Odin got a clue that Alex was in the East, so he left the Middle Lands.

Odin opposes Alexander just as simply as light opposes dark. They're drawn to fight, that's just how they are. They both seem to resemble their elements very well. Light preserves, protects. Dark destroys and decays.

The only unanswered big question at this point is who the voice was that talked to Eald'Narche through the Crystal Line so long ago which started the Zilart's dream. My money's on Odin. He does so love to stir up trouble.

Wouldn't Odin already know Alexander rested in the East since that was the first place of Ragnarok? Which happened WAY before the Crystal War

[Yutuyu]

Massive Spoilers:

Throughout the game and various queststs it becomes fairly obvious what the deal is with Odin.

Think back to the Lay of the Immortals, it awakens 'slumbering gods.' Odin likes to start wars, it's his thing. He's the one who started the crystal war and the problem with AU. The demons in the Northlands are his minions.

During the Crystal War, Odin wanted to be awakened so he sent some beastmen to find someone who could sing the Lay of the Immortals before his Protocrystal. Emelyn, Aldo's sister was abducted in the opening CS to do just that.

She sung, Odin awoke then began the search for his longtime rival, Alexander. He had the Goblins dig and search for the Iron Giant, but they were looking in the wrong place. Eventually one of them found it, or somehow Odin got a clue that Alex was in the East, so he left the Middle Lands.

Odin opposes Alexander just as simply as light opposes dark. They're drawn to fight, that's just how they are. They both seem to resemble their elements very well. Light preserves, protects. Dark destroys and decays.

The only unanswered big question at this point is who the voice was that talked to Eald'Narche through the Crystal Line so long ago which started the Zilart's dream. My money's on Odin. He does so love to stir up trouble.

Wouldn't Odin already know Alexander rested in the East since that was the first place of Ragnarok? Which happened WAY before the Crystal War

That's what you'd think, but during the "Better the Demon you Know" quest, the Moblins tell you that the dark divinity is having the goblins search for the iron giant. Maybe the world changed heavily since the last ragnarok?

[Seraph]

Massive Spoilers:


The only unanswered big question at this point is who the voice was that talked to Eald'Narche through the Crystal Line so long ago which started the Zilart's dream. My money's on Odin. He does so love to stir up trouble.

I was under the impression the one speaking through the line to Eald'Narche was in fact Promathia. He needs the 'gates of paradise' open so he can revive himself and cause all the crap at the end of CoP that you try to prevent...

What does Odin gain from reverting the world to its previous state? Or, do the celestial avatars want that as much as Promathia did? I will admit this, Odin does seem to be highest on the list of Avarars causing trouble...

[BRP]

Odin entered through the hole in reality found in Hazhalm Testing Grounds.

[Khamsin]

They need to bring back the tribune and make a story for Odin and Alexander, how they were as mortals, and how Altana called them up to be celestial avatars. They have a story for each celestial avatar except them.

[Yutuyu]

Massive Spoilers:


The only unanswered big question at this point is who the voice was that talked to Eald'Narche through the Crystal Line so long ago which started the Zilart's dream. My money's on Odin. He does so love to stir up trouble.

I was under the impression the one speaking through the line to Eald'Narche was in fact Promathia. He needs the 'gates of paradise' open so he can revive himself and cause all the crap at the end of CoP that you try to prevent...

What does Odin gain from reverting the world to its previous state? Or, do the celestial avatars want that as much as Promathia did? I will admit this, Odin does seem to be highest on the list of Avarars causing trouble...

That depends if there's any connection between Odin and Emptiness. It'd make sense then. Admittedly I haven't seen the newest round of cutscenes yet. I don't think the voice through the line was Promathia though (I guess it could've been). Re-uniting the fragments of the crystal with the specs of Emptiness mixed in would probably be very bad. Before the Crystal split it was pure, but in modern-day Vana'diel light and dark are very heavily mixed. Whoever the voice was they clearly had malevolent intentions.

Also interesting note: Superman in ZM8, who was touched by the Crystal's power, seems to be wearing something very similar to the Dark Rider's armor... Zilart prices, first dark Rider(s)?

[Yutuyu]

Odin entered through the hole in reality found in Hazhalm Testing Grounds.

I think that's how he physically got to the East, but he was woken by Emelyn. There's a CS right before 6-4 (when you have to learn the verse from her) which pretty much proves it.

[Yutuyu]

They need to bring back the tribune and make a story for Odin and Alexander, how they were as mortals, and how Altana called them up to be celestial avatars. They have a story for each celestial avatar except them.

True, but it's pretty obvious anyway that the stories for the avatars aren't true. They're just folklore told to explain their existence by the common people. Who knows if their names are really what we call them, or if they were just assigned names of important historical figures. One thing is certain, they existed long before the myths created about their existence did.

[Don Katsu]

Hidden Effect: Inventory Space -1

[Seraph]

Massive Spoilers:


The only unanswered big question at this point is who the voice was that talked to Eald'Narche through the Crystal Line so long ago which started the Zilart's dream. My money's on Odin. He does so love to stir up trouble.

I was under the impression the one speaking through the line to Eald'Narche was in fact Promathia. He needs the 'gates of paradise' open so he can revive himself and cause all the crap at the end of CoP that you try to prevent...

What does Odin gain from reverting the world to its previous state? Or, do the celestial avatars want that as much as Promathia did? I will admit this, Odin does seem to be highest on the list of Avarars causing trouble...

That depends if there's any connection between Odin and Emptiness. It'd make sense then. Admittedly I haven't seen the newest round of cutscenes yet. I don't think the voice through the line was Promathia though (I guess it could've been). Re-uniting the fragments of the crystal with the specs of Emptiness mixed in would probably be very bad. Before the Crystal split it was pure, but in modern-day Vana'diel light and dark are very heavily mixed. Whoever the voice was they clearly had malevolent intentions.

Also interesting note: Superman in ZM8, who was touched by the Crystal's power, seems to be wearing something very similar to the Dark Rider's armor... Zilart prices, first dark Rider(s)?

I thought the original mothercrystal is split as the reason (side effect) of disabling Promathia so he couldn't kill himself? Who better to want the crystal line reassembled then the very entity who was dispatched by its seperation?

Odin and Alexander definately are referenced in CoP, but I think their influence might be much heavier in the next expansion (and their influence seems mostly absent in CoP and RotZ). I can definately see Odin/Alexander beating on each other during the crystal war, and you having to go back and stop them. There is a TON of stuff that never gets explained in the Crystal War. An example being that the Shadow Lord seems tainted by a mysterious power, and eventually goes apeshit in Dynamis. (Odin screwing with Diabolos' little playground perhaps? Do the 5 races seem to symbolize Alexander? Why send the Shadow Lord at all? 'Has thou seethed thy rage?' ...Rage?)

On a seperate note, Odin seems to use the tear in reality in the testing grounds to bypass the loophole that his protocrystal has been broken (Broken by whom? By us in the past? By Alexander?). Alexander is weird in that it seems to me as though he never had a Crystal. Perhaps the Gordeus is essentially his protocrystal? It seems to be the object that can summon him into existance... Maybe some of that gets explained in the past too. There are still unanswered questions from RotZ, CoP, and ToAU. Maybe they get answered in WotG...

[Sagacious Sundi]

They need to bring back the tribune and make a story for Odin and Alexander, how they were as mortals, and how Altana called them up to be celestial avatars. They have a story for each celestial avatar except them.

Side-note: Alex and Odin just seem to embody different stuff, which is what turning into a celestial avatar seems to be.

Odin entered through the hole in reality found in Hazhalm Testing Grounds.[/size]

That hole in reality was a plot hole, am I right? I'm guessing Odin just resided in the underworld after he was awakened, possibly preparing for Ragnorak. Then he entered via the hole, which was made before he was released, to quickly get to Alex. But when did he actually go through the hole? (lol) He mentions he often travelled to Hazhalm's isle in Einherjar, and there's the Dark Rider, but I'm guessing those are just shadows/avatars of him.

[Sagacious Sundi]

Massive Spoilers:


The only unanswered big question at this point is who the voice was that talked to Eald'Narche through the Crystal Line so long ago which started the Zilart's dream. My money's on Odin. He does so love to stir up trouble.

I was under the impression the one speaking through the line to Eald'Narche was in fact Promathia. He needs the 'gates of paradise' open so he can revive himself and cause all the crap at the end of CoP that you try to prevent...

What does Odin gain from reverting the world to its previous state? Or, do the celestial avatars want that as much as Promathia did? I will admit this, Odin does seem to be highest on the list of Avarars causing trouble...

That depends if there's any connection between Odin and Emptiness. It'd make sense then. Admittedly I haven't seen the newest round of cutscenes yet. I don't think the voice through the line was Promathia though (I guess it could've been). Re-uniting the fragments of the crystal with the specs of Emptiness mixed in would probably be very bad. Before the Crystal split it was pure, but in modern-day Vana'diel light and dark are very heavily mixed. Whoever the voice was they clearly had malevolent intentions.

Also interesting note: Superman in ZM8, who was touched by the Crystal's power, seems to be wearing something very similar to the Dark Rider's armor... Zilart prices, first dark Rider(s)?

I thought the original mothercrystal is split as the reason (side effect) of disabling Promathia so he couldn't kill himself? Who better to want the crystal line reassembled then the very entity who was dispatched by its seperation?

Odin and Alexander definately are referenced in CoP, but I think their influence might be much heavier in the next expansion (and their influence seems mostly absent in CoP and RotZ). I can definately see Odin/Alexander beating on each other during the crystal war, and you having to go back and stop them. There is a TON of stuff that never gets explained in the Crystal War. TAn example being that the Shadow Lord seems tainted by a mysterious power, and eventually goes apeshit in Dynamis. (Odin screwing with Diabolos' little playground perhaps? Do the 5 races seem to symbolize Alexander? Why send the Shadow Lord at all? 'Has thou seethed thy rage?' ...Rage?)

On a seperate note, Odin seems to use the tear in reality in the testing grounds to bypass the loophole that his protocrystal has been broken (Broken by whom? By us in the past? By Alexander?). Alexander is weird in that it seems to me as though he never had a Crystal. Perhaps the Gordeus is essentially his protocrystal? It seems to be the object that can summon him into existance... Maybe some of that gets explained in the past too. There are still unanswered questions from RotZ, CoP, and ToAU. Maybe they get answered in WotG...

As someone mentioned above, probably Emelyn. Also, here is some text which I tend to cite:

Prishe : What I want to hear is the lowdown on the big boss behind the Kindred of the Northlands.
Prishe : The Mithra seem to think that it's Promathia, but I know better than that.
Prishe : So, who the hell is it? He's called the Divinity of Darkness by the beastmen, apparently.
Louverance : I returned here to investigate that very fact...
Louverance : The legends of the northern islands tell that the Divinity of Darkness slumbers in this land.
Louverance : At some time in the past, the Shadow Lord followed the voice of this sleeping deity to its source.
Louverance : His actions led by the powerful stone in the possession of the Shadow Lord, the Divinity of Darkness created an army of demons to enter the service of his visitor.Prishe : I think I'm starting to get it now. The being who the beastmen call Promathia is actually...
Louverance : Tell me! I must know the truth!
??? : Prishe!
Louverance : Wait! Be on your guard! There is something strange afoot!

[Demosthenes11]

hay, remember that time I clicked through all the cs's because the missions were too far apart and so I forgot everything?

[lotmorning]

Man i must be going blind so hard to read these post now a days

[Khamsin]

Massive Spoilers:


The only unanswered big question at this point is who the voice was that talked to Eald'Narche through the Crystal Line so long ago which started the Zilart's dream. My money's on Odin. He does so love to stir up trouble.

I was under the impression the one speaking through the line to Eald'Narche was in fact Promathia. He needs the 'gates of paradise' open so he can revive himself and cause all the crap at the end of CoP that you try to prevent...

What does Odin gain from reverting the world to its previous state? Or, do the celestial avatars want that as much as Promathia did? I will admit this, Odin does seem to be highest on the list of Avarars causing trouble...

That depends if there's any connection between Odin and Emptiness. It'd make sense then. Admittedly I haven't seen the newest round of cutscenes yet. I don't think the voice through the line was Promathia though (I guess it could've been). Re-uniting the fragments of the crystal with the specs of Emptiness mixed in would probably be very bad. Before the Crystal split it was pure, but in modern-day Vana'diel light and dark are very heavily mixed. Whoever the voice was they clearly had malevolent intentions.

Also interesting note: Superman in ZM8, who was touched by the Crystal's power, seems to be wearing something very similar to the Dark Rider's armor... Zilart prices, first dark Rider(s)?

I thought the original mothercrystal is split as the reason (side effect) of disabling Promathia so he couldn't kill himself? Who better to want the crystal line reassembled then the very entity who was dispatched by its seperation?

Odin and Alexander definately are referenced in CoP, but I think their influence might be much heavier in the next expansion (and their influence seems mostly absent in CoP and RotZ). I can definately see Odin/Alexander beating on each other during the crystal war, and you having to go back and stop them. There is a TON of stuff that never gets explained in the Crystal War. TAn example being that the Shadow Lord seems tainted by a mysterious power, and eventually goes apeshit in Dynamis. (Odin screwing with Diabolos' little playground perhaps? Do the 5 races seem to symbolize Alexander? Why send the Shadow Lord at all? 'Has thou seethed thy rage?' ...Rage?)

On a seperate note, Odin seems to use the tear in reality in the testing grounds to bypass the loophole that his protocrystal has been broken (Broken by whom? By us in the past? By Alexander?). Alexander is weird in that it seems to me as though he never had a Crystal. Perhaps the Gordeus is essentially his protocrystal? It seems to be the object that can summon him into existance... Maybe some of that gets explained in the past too. There are still unanswered questions from RotZ, CoP, and ToAU. Maybe they get answered in WotG...

As someone mentioned above, probably Emelyn. Also, here is some text which I tend to cite:

Prishe : What I want to hear is the lowdown on the big boss behind the Kindred of the Northlands.
Prishe : The Mithra seem to think that it's Promathia, but I know better than that.
Prishe : So, who the hell is it? He's called the Divinity of Darkness by the beastmen, apparently.
Louverance : I returned here to investigate that very fact...
Louverance : The legends of the northern islands tell that the Divinity of Darkness slumbers in this land.
Louverance : At some time in the past, the Shadow Lord followed the voice of this sleeping deity to its source.
Louverance : His actions led by the powerful stone in the possession of the Shadow Lord, the Divinity of Darkness created an army of demons to enter the service of his visitor.Prishe : I think I'm starting to get it now. The being who the beastmen call Promathia is actually...
Louverance : Tell me! I must know the truth!
??? : Prishe!
Louverance : Wait! Be on your guard! There is something strange afoot!

I'm just fucking with people who are avoiding the spoilers. Pay no attention to the following:

The prerequisite to understanding this letter is to have encountered some of Alexander's whinges and to have realized how caustic they are. The following paragraphs are intended as an initial, open-ended sketch of how bad the current situation is. I cannot emphasize enough how much I resent Alexander's fairy tales. Alexander believes that all major world powers are controlled by a covert group of "insiders". Sorry, but I have to call foul on that one.

Take a good, close look at yourself, Alexander. What you'll probably find is that you're superficial. He is not just tasteless. He is unbelievably, astronomically tasteless.

We must criticize the obvious incongruities presented by Alexander and his cronies. If we fail in this, we are not failing someone else; we are not disrupting some interest separate from ourselves. Rather, it is we who suffer when we neglect to observe that there are some simple truths in this world. First, I have found, to my considerable surprise, that Alexander's virtue and brains are inversely proportionate to his vices and the size of his mouth. Second, like most people that have a destructive agenda to advocate, Alexander wants to take rights away from individuals whom only Alexander perceives as brutish. And finally, if Alexander opened his eyes, he'd realize that I sometimes use the hypocorism, "jaded ranters", when referring to him and his coadjutors. It's randy for Alexander to encourage every sort of indiscipline and degeneracy in the name of freedom. Or perhaps I should say, it's two-faced. Now, more than ever, we must see through the haze of absolutism. I can easily see him performing the following blathering, pompous acts. First, Alexander will repeat the mistakes of the past. Then, he will condone illegal activities. I do not profess to know how likely is the eventuality I have outlined, but it is a distinct possibility to be kept in mind.

In general, Alexander likes to cite poll results that "prove" that he has been robbed of all he does not possess. Really? Have you ever been contacted by one of his pollsters? Chances are good that you never have been contacted and never will be. Otherwise, the polls would show that if we bring strength to our families, power to our nation, and health to our cities, then the sea of antinomianism, on which Alexander so heavily relies, will begin to dry up. Nature is a wonderful teacher. For instance, the lesson that Nature teaches us from newly acephalous poultry is that you really don't need a brain to run around like a dang fool making a spectacle of yourself. Nature also teaches us that certain facts are clear. For instance, every time Alexander gets caught trying to dilute the nation's sense of common purpose and shared sacrifice, he promises he'll never do so again. Subsequently, his hangers-on always jump in and explain that he really shouldn't be blamed even if he does, because, as they insist, he is beyond reproach. Alexander really struck a nerve with me when he said that we should avoid personal responsibility. That lie is a painful reminder that what really irks me is that Alexander has presented us with a Hobson's choice. Either we let him subject human beings to indignities or he'll foist the most poisonously false and destructive myths imaginable upon us. Opposing his lame-brained proposed social programs actively and earnestly is the moral duty of every good human being. With enough time and room, it would be easy to show why this must be true, but the clinching argument is simply that I clearly don't believe that he knows 100% of everything 100% of the time. So when Alexander says that that's what I believe, I see how little he understands my position.

A colleague recently informed me that a bunch of yawping, daft serpents and others in Alexander's amen corner are about to siphon off scarce international capital intended for underdeveloped countries. I have no reason to doubt that story because it has been a long-standing observation of mine that whenever I confront Alexander about his pertinacious hastily mounted campaigns, he either tells me that I don't understand him or feeds me some meaningless mumbo-jumbo about Jacobinism. So don't feed me any phony baloney about how hedonism is the key to world peace. That's just not true. But don't despair. Rather, take comfort in the knowledge that it's irrelevant that my allegations are 100% true. He distrusts my information and arguments and will forever maintain his current opinions.

This should be a chance to examine and bring problems to light, to share and join in understanding, but there are three fairly obvious problems with Alexander's hypnopompic insights, each of which needs to be addressed by any letter that attempts to reveal the truth about Alexander's biases. First, Alexander's stratagems are some of the most duplicitous, rebarbative, and unstable I've ever encountered. Second, writing letters like this one has earned me more hate mail from Alexander than you would care to hear about. And third, Alexander is trying to brainwash us. He wants us to believe that it's antihumanist to resolve a number of lingering problems; that's boring; that's not cool. You know what I think of that, don't you? I think that Alexander doesn't use words for communication or for exchanging information. He uses them to disarm, to hypnotize, to mislead, and to deceive. I, for one, plan to work within the system to persuade my fellow citizens that I must add my voice to the chorus of those who condemn Alexander's hypocrisy, not because I lack the courage for more drastic steps, but because it's easy to tell if Alexander's lying. If his lips are moving, he's lying. Even though Alexander gives flattering titles to his natural distempers, we must step back and consider the problem of Alexander's prank phone calls in the larger picture of popular culture imagery. If we don't, future generations will not know freedom. Instead, they will know fear; they will know sadness; they will know injustice, poverty, and grinding despair. Most of all, they will realize, albeit far too late, that Alexander attributes the most distorted, bizarre, and ludicrous "meanings" to ordinary personality charcteristics. For example, if you're shy, he calls you "fearful and withdrawn". If, instead, you're the outgoing and active type, Alexander says you're "acting out due to trauma". Why does he say such things? While I don't know the answer to that particular question, I do know that his sentiments reek of negativism. I use the word "reek" because he has no discernible talents. The only things Alexander has indubitably mastered are biological functions. Well, I suppose he's also good at convincing people that truth is whatever your grievance group says it is, but my point is that Alexander has two imperatives. The first is to meddle in everyone else's affairs. The second imperative is to play fast and loose with the truth. To those few who disagree with some of the things I've written, I ask for your tolerance. Alexander is the picture of the insane person on the street, babbling to a tree, a wall, or a cloud, which cannot and does not respond to his opinions.

Alexander's reasoning is circular and therefore invalid. In other words, he always begins an argument with his conclusion (e.g., that we should abandon the institutionalized and revered concept of democracy) and therefore -- not surprisingly -- he always arrives at that very conclusion. Let me move now from the abstract to the concrete. That is, let me give you a (mercifully) few examples of Alexander's outrageous ineptitude. For starters, the first thing we need to do is to get him to admit that he has a problem. Alexander should be counseled to recite the following:

• I, Alexander, am an effrontive chiseler.
  I have been a participant in a giant scheme to step on other people's toes.
  I hereby admit my addiction to oligarchism. I ask for the strength and wisdom to fight this addiction.
  Once Alexander realizes that he has a problem, maybe then he'll see that at no time in the past did addlepated knuckle-draggers shamble through the streets of cities, demanding rights they imagine some supernatural power has bestowed upon them.

More to the point, it has been brought to my attention that Alexander's grievances are dangerous to my health. While this is true, I am sick of our illustrious "leaders" treading on eggshells so as not to upset Alexander. Here's what I have to say to them: Alexander not only lies, but he brags about his lying to his operatives. We all need to be aware of each other's existence as intelligent, feeling, human beings, even if some of us are misguided know-nothings (especially the churlish type). You may have noticed that pharisaism, as a social philosophy, is headstrong. But you don't know the half of it. For starters, I believe I have finally figured out what makes people like Alexander gum up what were once great ideas. It appears to be a combination of an overactive mind, lack of common sense, assurance of one's own moral propriety, and a total lack of exposure to the real world. One does not have to pass off all sorts of disingenuous and obviously snivelling stuff on others as a so-called "inner experience" in order to give direction to a universal human development of culture, ethics, and morality. It is a peevish person who believes otherwise. Consider the following, which I'll address in greater detail later: There is a proper place in life for hatred. Hatred of that which is wrong is a powerful and valuable tool. But when Alexander perverts hatred in order to keep a close eye on those who look like they might think an unapproved thought, it becomes clear that his ideological colors may have changed over the years. Nevertheless, Alexander's core principle has remained the same: to curry favor with nutty yutzes using a barrage of flattery, especially recognition of their "value", their "importance", their "educational mission", and other vainglorious nonsense. If you don't believe me, then note that if I didn't sincerely believe that my empirically validated theory is that the whole thrust of Alexander's monographs bothers me, then I wouldn't be writing this letter.

Given the range and unpredictability of human behavior, it is quite possible that Alexander uses the very intellectual tools he criticizes, namely consequentialist arguments rather than arguments about truth or falsity. Honest people will admit that in this era of rising Stalinism, we must give you some background information about him. Concerned people are not afraid to tell Alexander how wrong he is. And sensible people know that Alexander says that freedom must be abolished in order for people to be more secure and comfortable. Yet he also wants to form the association in the public's mind between any metanarratives he disagrees with and the ideas of hate and violence and illegality. Am I the only one who sees the irony there? I ask because the problem with him is not that he's cynical. It's that he wants to formulate social policies and action programs based on the most nerdy types of hooliganism in existence.

Alexander's comrades are not, technically, unconscionable, bleeding-heart moochers, but rather counter-productive mythomaniacs. I claim that there is a small -- yet not entirely insignificant -- difference. Some people think that deep down, Alexander knows that I'm right. Others believe that I commend to your earnest and philosophical consideration his plan to cultivate an unhealthy sense of victimhood. The truth lies somewhere inbetween, namely, that I don't want to build castles in the air. I don't want to plan things that I can't yet implement. But I do want to denounce those who claim that the Eleventh Commandment is, "Thou shalt make things worse" because doing so clearly demonstrates how one of the great mysteries of modern life is, Whatever happened to good sportsmanship? The complete answer to that question is a long, sad story. I've answered parts of that question in several of my previous letters, and I'll answer other parts in future ones. For now, I'll just say that the need his spokesmen have for his clumsy remarks is especially strong as a means of transferring blame -- an outlet for the despair they face when normal channels of protest and change are closed. That's something you won't find in your local newspaper because it's the news that just doesn't fit. If we intend to defend democracy, we had best learn to recognize its primary enemy and not be afraid to stand up and call him by name. That name is Alexander.

[Seraph]

Massive Spoilers:


The only unanswered big question at this point is who the voice was that talked to Eald'Narche through the Crystal Line so long ago which started the Zilart's dream. My money's on Odin. He does so love to stir up trouble.

I was under the impression the one speaking through the line to Eald'Narche was in fact Promathia. He needs the 'gates of paradise' open so he can revive himself and cause all the crap at the end of CoP that you try to prevent...

What does Odin gain from reverting the world to its previous state? Or, do the celestial avatars want that as much as Promathia did? I will admit this, Odin does seem to be highest on the list of Avarars causing trouble...

That depends if there's any connection between Odin and Emptiness. It'd make sense then. Admittedly I haven't seen the newest round of cutscenes yet. I don't think the voice through the line was Promathia though (I guess it could've been). Re-uniting the fragments of the crystal with the specs of Emptiness mixed in would probably be very bad. Before the Crystal split it was pure, but in modern-day Vana'diel light and dark are very heavily mixed. Whoever the voice was they clearly had malevolent intentions.

Also interesting note: Superman in ZM8, who was touched by the Crystal's power, seems to be wearing something very similar to the Dark Rider's armor... Zilart prices, first dark Rider(s)

I thought the original mothercrystal is split as the reason (side effect) of disabling Promathia so he couldn't kill himself? Who better to want the crystal line reassembled then the very entity who was dispatched by its seperation?

Odin and Alexander definately are referenced in CoP, but I think their influence might be much heavier in the next expansion (and their influence seems mostly absent in CoP and RotZ). I can definately see Odin/Alexander beating on each other during the crystal war, and you having to go back and stop them. There is a TON of stuff that never gets explained in the Crystal War. TAn example being that the Shadow Lord seems tainted by a mysterious power, and eventually goes apeshit in Dynamis. (Odin screwing with Diabolos' little playground perhaps? Do the 5 races seem to symbolize Alexander? Why send the Shadow Lord at all? 'Has thou seethed thy rage?' ...Rage?)

On a seperate note, Odin seems to use the tear in reality in the testing grounds to bypass the loophole that his protocrystal has been broken (Broken by whom? By us in the past? By Alexander?). Alexander is weird in that it seems to me as though he never had a Crystal. Perhaps the Gordeus is essentially his protocrystal? It seems to be the object that can summon him into existance... Maybe some of that gets explained in the past too. There are still unanswered questions from RotZ, CoP, and ToAU. Maybe they get answered in WotG..

As someone mentioned above, probably Emelyn. Also, here is some text which I tend to cite:

Prishe : What I want to hear is the lowdown on the big boss behind the Kindred of the Northlands.
Prishe : The Mithra seem to think that it's Promathia, but I know better than that.
Prishe : So, who the hell is it? He's called the Divinity of Darkness by the beastmen, apparently.
Louverance : I returned here to investigate that very fact...
Louverance : The legends of the northern islands tell that the Divinity of Darkness slumbers in this land.
Louverance : At some time in the past, the Shadow Lord followed the voice of this sleeping deity to its source.
Louverance : His actions led by the powerful stone in the possession of the Shadow Lord, the Divinity of Darkness created an army of demons to enter the service of his visitor.Prishe : I think I'm starting to get it now. The being who the beastmen call Promathia is actually...
Louverance : Tell me! I must know the truth!
??? : Prishe!
Louverance : Wait! Be on your guard! There is something strange afoot!

I do recall this very CS in CoP. They come so close to spilling the beans, and then distract you with other stuff. It has become clear that the Shadow Lord is a pawn or partner of Odin, but to what end? Was the Shadow Lord a failed incarnation since he gets trapped in Dynamis? Whatever the reason, the effects are still felt. Demons still roam the northlands and dynamis.
The problem is I don't know if Odin is just driven to fight Alexander, or if he wants to rule our world, and Alex is just his rival...
Filler post for the reading impared. How about those Chocobo Races?