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Returning to the main story quests. I left off these in October: http://coldrungaming.blogspot.com/2018/10/ffxiv-p...
Some major recent points:
-Garlemald’s founder and former emperor, Solus, is still alive. And an Ascian.
-“Shadowhunter” (likely Gaius van Baelsar, a former antagonist) leads a Garlean resistance. Alphinaud is with him.
-A mysterious voice has incapacitated the Scions, warning of “twin dooms.” Likely to mean dark and light forces, the Ascians and Hydaelyn herself.
[Later edit: I’ve seen the “Shadowbringers” trailer, and will reference it at times in this post in plaintext.
It’s incredible. I’m really excited for the gunbreaker job. For the return of the Warriors of Darkness and Minfilia. For making Hydaelyn more than a generic positive force.]
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Soul Searching
-Alisaie is trying to process this mystical coma.
-Krile’s back to help! She’s been involved in a Eureka storyline. Haven’t touched that myself much because the super grind, FFXI-style systems didn’t appeal to me.
-Lol - even with Alphinaud away, she and Alisaie still mock him.
[very Alphinaud voice] “My life’s goal is naught less than the salvation of this star!”
-Krile checks in on the unconscious Scions. “I couldn’t sense the slightest trace of ‘them’ in their bodies. It’s as if their souls have taken leave of their physical forms.”
Going where? Tracking them is our next step. For that, we need Matoya. Over to her cave.
-Matoya is especially worried for Y’shtola. She taught Y’shtola, cares deeply for her.
I keep thinking about how Y’shtola was called “Master Matoya” in the trailer. Either Y’shtola takes up her mantle at some point, or maybe the person we saw was really a young Matoya.
-Krile takes Matoya’s crystal eye and begins tracking. Whatever she finds freaks her tf out.
-No luck. They’re gone. Their souls aren’t anywhere nearby. The Shadowbringers trailer makes me think they got sucked the Warriors of Darkness’ shard.
-Lyse interrupts us via linkshell. A group of Populares (more peaceful Garleans) have defected to Ala Mhigo. Maxima is here too, last seen with Alphinaud.
-And then, a really bad omen. One of Matoya’s enchanted brooms stops sweeping.
The game has been hinting the world’s aether is thinning. A major sign of the last calamity. Foreshadowing another.
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A Defector’s Tidings
-Alisaie and I head to Ala Mhigo.
-Maxima relates to Alisaie the events near the end of the last patch. How the Emperor’s guard fired on him and Alphinaud before Shadowhunter saved them.
-This is a titanic relief to Alisaie. She had no idea whether Alphinaud was even alive.
-The Garlean army has been busy “restoring order” in its provinces. Trying to make a comeback with a new weapon. Must be the Black Rose toxin. And they’re coming for Ala Mhigo.
-then BAM, more of that voice echo voice.
Wants us to “throw wide the gates.” I think this relates to the gateway between the other shards.
-Alisaie and I head off to Doma to get help from Lord Hien.
-Oh, right! Doma’s not alone anymore. They have a formal alliance with the Steppe tribes, the Kojin, and the Confederacy. Dalmasca and somewhere called Nagxia are with them too.
Note: calling the friendly allied group “the Confederacy” was still a bad idea.
-Doma can’t spare troops yet. Not until its energy barrier in the Burn is fully functional. Let’s go help.
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Seiryu’s Wall
-Lord Hien calls this “Seiryu’s Wall” after one of the Four Lords. The engineers rev it up.
-It works! I love how the Wall’s design is like the protect spell. A protect spell for Doma.
-An imperial airship suddenly comes over the horizon. The wall stops it. Test successful.
-The airship lands on the other side of the wall, and Shadowhunter steps out carrying Alphinaud in his arms. Come on in.
-That last echo blast seems to have put Alphinaud into one of those comas.
-Shadowhunter recognizes me from when we fought back in A Realm Reborn. He comes out as Gaius van Baelsar, the Black Wolf.
-I see that Shadowhunter has a gunblade on his back.
It’d be awesome if he were a trainer in the next expansion’s Gunbreaker job. That’s be awesome
-Lahabrea convinced him to bring peace to Eorzea by reactivating Ultima Weapon. “The Ascian used me, as he used so many others – all to further the restoration of his wretched god.”
-We destroyed Ultima Weapon. He was ready to burn in the ensuing explosion before swearing vengeance on the Ascians who misled him.
We defeated Lahabrea last expansion. Still plenty of Ascians left though.
-So we’re (sorta) on the same team for now. And I think for the long term.
-Gaius learned that the black-masked Ascians are subordinate to the red-masked ones. There’s a hierarchy even among the red masks. Those set adrift on the shards are below those near the “Source” (Zodiark I think).
-Lahabrea and Elidibus are two known red masks. He introduces a third, “the elusive Emet-Selch.”
Left to right: Lahabrea, Elidibus, Emet-Selch.
[Later edit: I’ll bet Emet-Selch is Solus’ true name.]
-Gaius already knows Elidibus is masquerading now as Zenos yae Galvus. His role as emissary is to maintain the equilibrium between darkness and light.
I still don’t get this. If the Ascians are about resurrecting Zodiark, isn’t that about tipping the balance towards dark rather than maintaining a balance?
GAIUS: “Your many deeds in Hydaelyn’s name have upset the balance, and I believe he seeks to restore it by throwing his considerable power behind the Empire.”
So maybe they’re trying to resurrect Zodiark in response to my acts on Hydaelyn’s behalf? Idk.
Bad Prediction Time: We’ll at least temporarily align with Elidibus by early in “Shadowbringers.”
-Gaius and Alphinaud found Allagan cloning technology in the Black Rose production facility. And a young Emperor Solus being cloned.
Still not over how cool that FFVII-looking cloning facility is.
-Gaius needs to know whether the Emperor has led Garlemald down this path or the Ascians. (Poor guy has a rough wake-up call coming when he finds out the answer is both.)
-He leaves, back to his Ascian hunt. We have a new ally.
-Now that Seiryu’s Wall is up and running, Lord Hien can afford to send reinforcements to Doma.
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Meanwhile, back at the Black Rose Chemical Plant…
-The current emperor Varis is here.
-Shit. They have a new Black Rose production plant up and running.
-Solus is here too, a devil on Varis’ already devilish shoulder.
-Interesting. Emperor Varis claims he’s preparing this weapon of mass destruction to save his soldiers’ lives in a possible invasion.
Whether intentional or not, this holds major parallels to the American decision to use the bombs.
-God, Varis HATES Solus. Partly because Varis honestly loves Garlemald; Solus “died” without naming a successor and that led to civil war. Chaos.
Solus now confirms that was intentional. To throw the world into chaos. Jesus. (I mean, Varis probably should’ve known.)
SOLUS: “I really must thank you for this surplus of vessels. I can mold any host into my own image, but having bodies tailor-made for me in this fashion is so much less tiresome!”
-That’s what those bodies are for. Ready-made meat suits.
A random player on an Ozma mount.
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Next time: parley with the Emperor.
