New Tales from the Storm (August 18)

Yes there are, it seems to explain the new nature of Eistinien and probably hinting at something in the future.
Also of note in the DRG questline you see Haustienne bonding with a lil dragon which then bonds with us.
I'm still reading but I'm liking where this is going

I liked that story. Nice to see what he's up to and get some gaps filled in.

Also kinda cool (and good continuity) that he's still using the manacutter!

(Also I feel like I may need to switch out my drachen armour for the Lv70 armour now. Story relevance!)


Also, an interesting phrase in the ending...

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whether the skies that greet him will be the striking blue of day, the blazing crimson of dusk, or the deepening black of twilight

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A while ago (when I'd first caught up on MSQ) I went digging back through the Lore forum to look at interesting discussions. One brought up this colour/time-of-day allusion - linking Heavensward/azure/daytime, Stormblood/crimson/sunset and thus suggesting [5.0]/black/nightfall. So it's interesting to see that pattern 'spelt out' in an official story now.

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Originally Posted by Mieck

I've not levelled dragoon in Stormblood. Are there any parallels with this story and those quests?

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No, this just relates to his appearances in the MSQ of Stormblood.

He does play a part in the Lv70 dragoon quest, but I feel like that has to take place after the end of the main Stormblood MSQ (and thus this story) - even though, gameplay-wise, you can do it before the end. He's over in Othard and seems to be working as a mercenary, and he simply shouldn't be there when the story puts him in Gyr Abania up until he destroys the Eyes.

Maybe the prelude in violet is the sun beign nearly gone preceeding the black of the night which is also the color of garlemand armors, which is also funny since they have a white flag

Oh! Expanding on the pattern, ARR had its focus on "the Seventh Dawn".... so......

6.0 = midnight? (and was that supposed to be the planned climax of this storyline?)

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Originally Posted by Iscah

Oh! Expanding on the pattern, ARR had its focus on "the Seventh Dawn".... so......

6.0 = midnight? (and was that supposed to be the planned climax of this storyline?)

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Supposedly! It should conclude the Hydaelyn/Zodiark arc or something like that. I do recall reading they consider postponing the planned "ending" to that arc. It made me wonder if we'll be going to other worlds with Crystal Minfilia's aid maybe afterwards?

The new story implies that Estinien's lance absorbed some of Nidhogg's power, and has retained that power even after Nidhogg's passing. That would explain how Estinien was able to do the damage he did at Castrum Abania.

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Originally Posted by ChaoticCrimson

The new story implies that Estinien's lance absorbed some of Nidhogg's power, and has retained that power even after Nidhogg's passing. That would explain how Estinien was able to do the damage he did at Castrum Abania.

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I figured that's why Estinien was talking to it, sometimes, lol. A small flicker of the Azure Dragoon that was, a small flicker of the Nidhogg that was, still as mutually entwined as when they were both living to exact vengeance for a murdered loved one.

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Estinien
Come, Nidhogg. We are needed.

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You've all said most of what I would have already, though. Got a laugh out of the lampshade of the true definition of the word dragoon and working it into Eorzean history. Also nice to see a bold/underline on the acknowledgement that Estinien's story as it was died with Nidhogg; I felt that a big part of that story leaned on "Estinien and Nidhogg are basically the same person." and exploring the different implications and outcomes of choices and allies. I recall that Yoshida loves Estinien, though, so if we're going to keep seeing him, that "new chapter" sentimentality is wholly necessary.

Nice to see the lore team giving Estinien a proper epilogue. And so much headcanon stuff is confirmed as canon.

Although I'm still wondering what type of enemy would necessitate an entire order of dragoons mounted on dragons being created. That's not the kind of thing I see happening just for fun...

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Originally Posted by ChaoticCrimson

The new story implies that Estinien's lance absorbed some of Nidhogg's power, and has retained that power even after Nidhogg's passing. That would explain how Estinien was able to do the damage he did at Castrum Abania.

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The lorebook mentions that as well. From Estinien's profile (p.153), in the section about the Gae Bolg, it says that "when Estinien was possessed by the shade of Nidhogg, the spear was twisted and transformed by the great wyrm's magicks".

I also noticed, as Anonymoose quoted above, that he talks to the spear as if it's Nidhogg himself - at the time it made me a bit concerned that maybe he was still a little under Nidhogg's control and/or that using the spear to destroy the Eyes might have instead reunited some fragments of his power.

Still, that doesn't seem to be the intent after this story. Also I like the idea that Estinien is still essentially carrying part of Nidhogg's emotions - not the rage, but his memories and his mourning.


To go back to something I'd written while I was replaying the ARR dragoon quests:

Alberic says that when he came face-to-face with Nidhogg and looked into his eye, he felt a torrent of emotions "not his own" and that was why he had to give up his power before Nidhogg's mind consumed him. Whereas, at the end of Dragonsong when Estinien talks about what it was like being possessed by Nidhogg, he says that he identified with that sorrow and vengeance, and so perhaps that actually helped him to be able to hold onto himself where others would be lost.

It sets me thinking about Estinien, because of course he doesn't talk about his emotions much but I wonder whether he realised the parallels between himself and Nidhogg as we learned the truth throughout our quest, or only when he was directly in contact with Nidhogg's soul. Either way it seems such an interesting thing that, from his starting point of wanting venegeance, it's his empathy that's ultimately the key to the resolution.


(I like Estinien. He has a really interesting character arc.)

Story: "who knows where Estinien will end up after destroying Nidhogg's eyes"
Estinien: PSYCH I'm in Azim Steppe and giving Ratatoskr's armor to my best battle buddy. BTW the food here is great. I'm thinking about combing my hair more often.

This internal battle of Estinien vs Nidhogg makes me think of depression. Nidhogg is someone with no support network who drowns in it - Estinien has a strong support network and claws his way back out again and again...even when Nidhogg tries to bury him.

Story-wise Estinien worked as a foil to Nidhogg, but now without his foil buddy, he can and most likely will change as a character. It'll be interesting when he does show up again (because I've got a feeling he will - you can't just let someone as strong as him disappear completely).