Tales from the Calamity Lore Discussion

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

That's what I thought too - I even tried verifying that but sadly the media player I was using I couldn't pause the video at the right frame to see the statue in the split second before it becomes enveloped in light, but that is the proof - if it's the Ossurary the statue would be of Thal (with the serpent sword); if it's the Sacrarium it's Nald (who is holding a long tall vase). If someone could verify this it would put this to rest.

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So, by sheer coincidence I got my Before Meteor soundtrack today and noticed that it included A New Beginning. On a whim I tried to see if we could get some extra frames here and sure enough, the statue being enveloped in blue light is holding a sword.

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Originally Posted by Alberel

That Louisoix would say this when his goal was actually to imprison Bahamut once more strikes me as odd. I wonder if it might have something to do with his last-ditch effort to save the realm by doing whatever it was that caused himself and Bahamut to disappear

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Yes, that's my take on it. Once it was clear that the binding attempt failed (when his staff shatters, etc), that's when he cast whatever he did to teleport folks forward in time. If he was praying for Eorzea to be reborn somehow as well, that may mean that it wasn't 'just' a time-jump spell that he cast.

And a fresh story put up. All the stories are so overwhelming. But so far this one is my favorite.

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Originally Posted by ruskie

And a fresh story put up.

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And I was so close to getting the Sultana one wrapped up... Maybe this is where I'll get ahead of the curve, lol.

Until then, though, oh, man, Louisoix's staff! We get a name - Tupsimati - same as the Scholar mythic from XI (named for the tablet of Mesopotamian legend that granted Enlil authority over the universe). But, something way important comes afterwards... if you're me, anyway. The description of how Tupsimati was made connects directly to a subject I've been knocking on doors about just short of forever, which leads me to suspect Ferne may have had a hand in this, somewhere...

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Originally Posted by Of Friends Lost and Found

Tupsimati, he explained, was fashioned from stone engraved with ancient incantations and a treasured horn of bone passed down from antiquity. As his late master had told it, the staff was the beacon that would summon the Twelve down from the heavens and bring about Eorzea’s deliverance.

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Where else have we seen an engraved stone and a horn of bone...

HINT:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psad66afd7.png

Gonna be fun annotating this one... <cracks tomes>

The most fascinating trait common to all three stories is how the leaders don't spare a thought to what happened to Bahamut. They acknowledge the great beast surged from Dalamud, rained destruction on the realm and... nothing more.

Well, they know that Bahamut is a Primal, so they probably assumed he 'returned to the aether' like regular Primals do when they're defeated. Besides, when they awoke Bahamut was nowhere to be seen and they had far more pressing matters to attend to. It's all a matter of priorities.

I am surprised a foreigner was let into the "Keepers of the Entwined Serpent"

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Originally Posted by Nialle

Yes, that's my take on it. Once it was clear that the binding attempt failed (when his staff shatters, etc), that's when he cast whatever he did to teleport folks forward in time. If he was praying for Eorzea to be reborn somehow as well, that may mean that it wasn't 'just' a time-jump spell that he cast.

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Yeah that's what I read it as too. It suggests he may have done something more significant than we realised and I have a feeling it may be linked to how everyone seems to have fallen unconscious just before Bahamut used megaflare...

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Originally Posted by D-Gold

I am surprised a foreigner was let into the "Keepers of the Entwined Serpent"

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If the Elementals approved of it, no one would say a word.

If Kan-E-Senna says the Elementals approved of it, no one's going to disagree with her.

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

Well, they know that Bahamut is a Primal, so they probably assumed he 'returned to the aether' like regular Primals do when they're defeated. Besides, when they awoke Bahamut was nowhere to be seen and they had far more pressing matters to attend to. It's all a matter of priorities.

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That's an unsubstantiated assumption. They don't even mention the bright flash of light. The three stories happen in the course of a week and a biggest question at the time would be to wonder when Bahamut would strike next and where nor do they revisit Bahamut's demise. There's something fishy going on here.

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Originally Posted by FJerome

If Kan-E-Senna says the Elementals approved of it, no one's going to disagree with her.

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A Hearer.

Kinda disappointed that the hyur wasnt Dunstan. Anyways, I knew that was gonna happen.

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Originally Posted by Toranja

That's an unsubstantiated assumption. They don't even mention the bright flash of light. The three stories happen in the course of a week and a biggest question at the time would be to wonder when Bahamut would strike next and where nor do they revisit Bahamut's demise. There's something fishy going on here.

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There's actually nothing fishing going on - you have to view those stories in context with information that has already been mentioned in game. During the level 15 envoy quests Merlwyb mentions what happened to her during the Battle of Carteneau, and how there was a "bright flash" and the next thing she knew she was alone on the 'still flaming battlefield':

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Originally Posted by main scenario quest 'The Gridanian Envoy'

Merlwyb: "Hmm... a memorial service to remember the fallen."
Merlwyb: "Seven hells... has it been five years?"
Merlwyb: "Five years since the Empire sought to wrest Eorzea from our grasp..."
Merlwyb: "It was in answer to the imperial threat that the city-states formed the Grand Companies, and forged the Eorzean Alliance anew. But Garlemald was not content to wager all on a simple contest of martial might. They had other plans - the Meteor Project."
Merlwyb: "Legatus Nael van Darnus - hells take him - intended to 'cleanse' our realm by snatching the lesser moon Dalamud from the heavens and casting it down upon our heads. Desperate to prevent this lunatic scheme, we marched our forces to the Carteneau Flats and there met the VIIth Imperial Legion in battle."
Merlwyb: "Never have I seen a fight like the Battle of Carteneau - and I have full seen many."
Merlwyb: "But though we gave no quarter, spared not one onze of effort... we could not prevent what followed."
Merlwyb: "From inside the shell of Dalamud came a winged nightmare - a dragon the size of a bloody city. 'Twas the elder Primal Bahamut, bent on making an eighth hell of Eorzea."
Merlwyb: "In the space of a breath, the legions of the Empire were set aflame, while our own armies fared little better. 'Twas if the whole world was burning.... Words cannot well describe the scene."
Merlwyb: "And yet... by some miracle, a few among us were spared."
Merlwyb: "Even as I steeled myself for death, a blinding white light enveloped me, robbing me of my senses."
Merlwyb: "When I regained them, the dragon was gone, and the still-smouldering land was warped beyond all knowing."
Merlwyb: "Were Archon Louisoix still with us, he would doubtless shed some light on these unfathomable happenings. Alas, he is not, and I fear we would want his wisdom in the days to come."

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I admit, if I had been in her shoes I would have been more concerned with trying to find as many survivors as possible too to worry about a dragon who was clearly nowhere to be seen.

We are not talking about the main scenario. The topic is about the five short stories about the Calamity. No matter what anyone assumes, in those short stories there is no mention of Bahamut's fate, the star of the battle. That is simply bizarre.

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

I admit, if I had been in her shoes I would have been more concerned with trying to find as many survivors as possible too to worry about a dragon who was clearly nowhere to be seen.

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I'm very well acquainted with the "What do we do now? We bury the dead and heal the living" motto. And yet, over the week or so these stories transpire, the weapon that kill the remaining survivors and obliterate your town gets no mention. Any commander would definitely be more worried about the enemy he cannot see.

What makes you think Bahamut simply dissolved into the aether?

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Originally Posted by Toranja

A Hearer.

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I don't think a mere Hearer's protests would be trusted over the word of the Elder Seedseer, if the elementals had meant for them to get uppity they would have given them horns and a growth hormone problem.

It'd need at least one of the other Padjal to disagree with her to cause any real issues.

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Originally Posted by Toranja

We are not talking about the main scenario. The topic is about the five short stories about the Calamity. No matter what anyone assumes, in those short stories there is no mention of Bahamut's fate, the star of the battle. That is simply bizarre.

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I'm expecting one of these last two stories to talk about Bahamut more in-depth. So far, we have stories for the three City-State leaders, and theirs largely deals with their own individual issues both on the battlefield and at home, which makes sense. Their main concerns should be, first and foremost, the well-being of their people, and the stories we have definitely deal with that. Out of the remaining characters I can think of for a story (ie, people who were either there or were connected to it in some way)...

-Minfillia
-Louisoix
-Gaius
-Lahabrea

...I can easily see Louisoix and Lahabrea (if they're give a story) talking about Bahamut. Minfilla's would most likely deal with the adventurers and worrying about Louisoix. And Gaius' would probably be about... I don't know, actually. He was strictly an observer of the battle, so probably musing about the events taking place. Personally, I'm leaning more towards Minfillia and Louisoix being the last two, although seeing Gaius' perspective would be interesting.

I think #4 will be Raubahn. If not, he'll certainly be the 5th one.

Probably Raubahn and Minfillia.
Though I could also see Minfillia and a sort of "Aftermath Report".
It feels to me like these stories could just as easily be in-game news articles of sorts.

And it's Minfillia. Damn good tales so far... I want more...

It's probably just me, but I swear each story is better than the last, reviving my desire to return full-time to the game.

Here's hoping that, sometime in the future, S-E would compile these tales into an art book or compendium, not just for Japanese fans, but for an international audience as well.

I'm thrilled to learn more about the backstory behind the Path of the Twelve and, more importantly, the circumstances that led to the merging of the Path with the Circle of Knowing. And it's especially exciting to learn at last of how the coming "the Adventurer" was foretold, because it generates further ideas on how I can mesh Lyland's backstory with canonical lore.

All-in-all, these tales have been a treasure trove of inspiration for RP-players. :)

I wonder what the next one is going to be. I figured we'd get Raubahn and then a big info-laden Minfilia one... but exactly what I expected their big finisher to be was released today and there's still one to go! Maybe they're skipping the Flame General since we already know what he was up to on the battlefield and he leads under Nanamo whereas the other two lead their cities directly. Surely they'd save the best for last, no? ... Could we be about to get one for Louisoix!? Though, part of me hopes that SE took the opportunity to go dark side and have the last one be from an Ascian perspective...

One thing I noticed about today's - it says Minfilia gained the echo one year before her 18th nameday, which makes it 1567 of the Sixth Astral Era. I'd always assumed she was one of the first who got it in 1562 with the starshower (during which they make note that "the echo has sounded"). I thought that was why they kept mentioning that Minfilia was "one of the few survivors of the Fall of the Keeper," which I took to mean she was in Mor Dhona during the Battle of Silvertear Skies. I wonder what the significance of that was, then, if there was any.

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Louisoix’s voice was distant. “Mayhap not. But the Twelve cannot be suffered to set foot upon Eorzean soil.” And then, head bowed, he told her the rest.
No. Minfilia shivered, suddenly feeling weak and cold. She had to fight the urge to rub her arms. “Is there truly no other way?”
“None half as reliable.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “If I do not return, the others will look to you. You must be prepared to lead them.”
But I am not ready. She turned away, closing her eyes in a bid to stem the tears. “Do they know what you intend?”
“They know enough.”

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Minfilia's story makes plain at last that Louisoix definitely did something that no one else knew about beyond just summoning the Twelve, and he didn't expect to return from the attempt. It appears he only confided his true intentions in the antecedent though. I'm assuming this is his trump card that somehow caused Bahamut to vanish.

Hopefully the final account will give us a big tease for whatever the twist at the end of Coil is going to be.

His vehement opposition to a full summoning of the Twelve is interesting as well. Almost sounds like something Gaius would have said...

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Originally Posted by Alberel

Minfilia's story makes plain at last that Louisoix definitely did something that no one else knew about beyond just summoning the Twelve, and he didn't expect to return from the attempt. It appears he only confided his true intentions in the antecedent though. I'm assuming this is his trump card that somehow caused Bahamut to vanish.

Hopefully the final account will give us a big tease for whatever the twist at the end of Coil is going to be.

His vehement opposition to a full summoning of the Twelve is interesting as well. Almost sounds like something Gaius would have said...

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Maybe Louisoux knows a deeper connection between the the Twelve and the Primals, something that shoudl shake all that the people Eorzea knew about them to the core,

and maybe Gaius and the Garlean Empire also knew of this connection

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Originally Posted by Alberel

I'm assuming this is his trump card that somehow caused Bahamut to vanish.

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I used to think that the cause was Dalamud itself - that it was so well engineered that even in pieces it tried to re-connect what chunks of itself it could, causing Bahamut to be torn apart as he was pulled back between the internment hulks. Now, I've just stopped theorizing and am going to let the surprise happen. That said, the last thing we saw Louisoix do was channel all the remaining power into summoning Althyk at the last second (you can even see the god's glyph as the Warriors of Light are sent away). We don't actually know what the full effects of that were - perhaps Bahamut's vanishing and Nanamo's hearing of "Let Eorzea be born anew" were related to a secondary effect this invocation had. Right now, I'm thinking that

the evil, aetherial re-construction of Louisoix is going to spill the beans in the third coil.

We know that part of Nael's essence was prevented from returning to the lifestream and used to reconstruct that thing in Turn 9. We don't know how Bahamut "botched the job," in the words of Urianger, and made him that female, Garlean Hyur, though. (It's easy to say "Well, maybe he was!" but then you have to explain how, even though he didn't have a voice actor, everyone he ever talked to - including Gaius, who presumably saw him without his mask back at the base many a time - maintained the masculine pronoun when referring to him.) Still, when defeated, Bahamut relinquished his hold on this creation and Nael's essence regained consciousness for a brief second. ("No... A moment... My thoughts are clouded...and this body is not mine own."). Even the nametag changed back to Nael van Darnus, until evil-Louisoix throws a javelin through him, anyway.

It's predictable from there that evil-Louisoix knows exactly what real-Louisoix did, and will either mock it as part of his pre-battle diatribe, or, that after his defeat, true Louisoix will return for a brief moment to say his goodbyes, which incidentally is something that could do the plot (and especially Alisae) some good.

I've said all along that Lou being alive would ruin the End of an Era cutscene and the entire meaning of his sacrifice, but SE's managed to tread the very, very thin line around this loophole without going far enough to knock over their house of cards, yet (knock on wood), which is commendable, because pretty much everyone who tries the "dead good guy is back as the bad guy" thing does go too far and does f[kupo]k the whole thing up.

If SE can keep toeing the line skillfully, Louisoix's delayed final moments could be freakin' heartbreaking. (Again.)

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Originally Posted by Alberel

His vehement opposition to a full summoning of the Twelve is interesting as well. Almost sounds like something Gaius would have said...

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Something he did say in the Praetorium encounter.

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Originally Posted by Gaius van Baelsar

In Eorzea, the beast tribes often summon gods to fight in their stead─though your comrades only rarely respond in kind. Which is strange, is it not? Are the “Twelve” otherwise engaged? I was given to understand they were your protectors. If you truly believe them your guardians, why do you not repeat the trick that served you so well at Carteneau, and call them down? They will answer─so long as you lavish them with crystals and gorge them on aether. Your gods are no different from those of the beasts─eikons every one. Accept but this, and you will see how Eorzea's faith is bleeding the land dry.

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I knew that Louisoix was afraid the physical manifestations would drain the realm dry as surely as Bahamut, but it's very interesting to see him frame it the same as Gaius - no different than the beastmen. No different than false icons... Very interesting, indeed... but does it go towards shifting perception of the true nature of the Twelve, or the true nature of primal essences? Hmmm...

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

I knew that Louisoix was afraid the physical manifestations would drain the realm dry as surely as Bahamut, but it's very interesting to see him frame it the same as Gaius - no different than the beastmen. No different than false icons... Very interesting, indeed... but does it go towards shifting perception of the true nature of the Twelve, or the true nature of primal essences? Hmmm...

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I think that the Twelve may be something like the Greeks' Protogenoi, primordial deities. To continue the analogy, the Titans would be the Elder Primals Odin and Bahamut and the Olympians would be Ifrit, Titan (ironic), Garuda, leviathan, ramuh and Shiva (Though how Hydealyn and Zodiarc fits in especially considerind Ramuh's musings on the primals preceding the Light/Dark dichotomy has me considering lumping all the primals into one group)

Point being that I think the Twelve might be the predecessors to the Primals.

Also note that Christianity has a concept called "Idoltry" the worship of false idols/icons. This can be loosely apply to the primals in relation to Hydealyn (thought as far as we know the primals are godlikely enought that the connection is loose at best) But what about the Twelve? They might be false idols within this context as well, especially if they turn out to be the primals' predecessors

Interesting. This truly confirms that summoning the 12 is dangerous to the land. I always thought the Ascian method of summoning caused primals to feed on aether and the the 12 are more or less good.


The ala mhigans trid to summon ther god, but we stopped them. Now there Ishgard. No matter how benevolent they are they still consume large aether and might stay.

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Originally Posted by myahele

Interesting. This truly confirms that summoning the 12 is dangerous to the land. I always thought the Ascian method of summoning caused primals to feed on aether and the the 12 are more or less good.


The ala mhigans trid to summon ther god, but we stopped them. Now there Ishgard. No matter how benevolent they are they still consume large aether and might stay.

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The thing is, the game's storyline has pretty much told us that summoning period, regardless of what actually is summoned, is what is bad - what is being evoked is pretty much irrelevant as ultimately it all ends up the same anyway. Good King Moggle Mog the XII is the poster child for this - his existence pretty much all but screams that with enough willpower and crystals you could summon anything you wish, and the form would be exactly the same as the Primals, a dangerous aetheric sponge that is a warped form of it's source who then proceeds to brainwash others in order to continue to anchor itself to the corporeal realm. You could wish for a fish sandwich and summoning it with enough crystals would result in a giant fish sandwich monster that would then turn you and everyone in earshot into mindless zealots hopelessly devoted to it.

Hence why Louisoix only summoned a portion of the Primal's power - he knew that summoning the Twelve wouldn't actually result in the Twelve appearing as shining beacons of light. He used the shortcut to summon a portion of their power as it was the only safe option. Ironically, if you think about it, this is also somewhat analogous to the exact same thing players are doing with the SMN Job - summoning a portion of a Primal's power instead of the full Primal itself.

As for the latest Calamity Tale, I really enjoyed this one as it answered some long standing questions, particularly, 'who founded the Path of the Twelve?' I'm pleased that Minfilia was revealed to have been the one who was responsible for the Path's formation (with prodding from Louisoix of course ;)), but it does raise a question as to why she called her position Acting Antecedent in 1.0. However I noticed a slight contentious point that seems a bit odd in it's inclusion:

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Originally Posted by FFXIV Lodestone Anniversary Site

Nael van Darnus is dead. It should be over. Alone in the solar of the Waking Sands, Minfilia paced. Overhead, the lesser moon Dalamud continued its descent towards Eorzea, apparently indifferent to the demise of the Meteor project’s chief orchestrator. Can naught else be done?

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This has a possible error in that in version 1.0 Minfilia's office in the Waking Sands (the original one in Ul'dah), was actually called The Hall of the First Step, not 'the solar' which is it's name in ARR in the relocated Waking Sands in Vesper Bay. This might be a possible retcon though (especially for the benefit of those who didn't play 1.0, but for a 1.0 player it does seem pretty jarring). I know I'm being pedantic here but I can't help it, I'm weird like that. :p

Anyway, thank you so much for these juicy lore morsels Ferne! I must admit I can't wait to see what the final one is. :)

I'm trying to figure this out:


"You Will See the Truth of this , Minfilia, when one who bears the light comes to stand before you. One who is gifted, like you. Together, you will greet the dawn. "
and
Five years Spent working, Watching, waiting. But not in vain . WHEN For the Adventurer Entered the Solar to greet the scions, She Knew at once. I am ready.


What does this mean for 1.0 players, who she already had met and knew? The first quote takes place before the whole "we've forgotten the Warriors of Light" thing...

I'm not a 1.0 player; did something change about them (besides being forgotten) that would make this "true", for you to have not been recognized as this person before the Calamity?



EDIT: I was also sure that Minfilia would have been last of the five tales. Still unsure who the fifth is, but I don't think the Flame General will be it, and I also don't really think Gaius will be either (though his tale would be a good one to hear). As for Lahabrea...I just can't see it. Only other thing I can think of is if the last Tale is a "collection" of smaller tales from the Sharlayans...
While I really doubt it would be this...watch that its our favorite Inspector :D

I think the 5th tale would be Louisoux or Alphinaud

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

summoning period, regardless of what actually is summoned, is what is bad

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Unless it's done with Arcanima, at least. Shaping local aether with symbols into beings that you can control and return to the aether at will differs somehow from ritual summoning, even though ones that specialize in doing it with primal essences are called summoners. I don't even really understand the functional difference. Does the individual summoner with lack of worship for the egi limit the conjuration beyond the feedback loop? Perhaps that's why you must bend it to your will before it will obey.

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

You could wish for a fish sandwich and summoning it with enough crystals would result in a giant fish sandwich monster that would then turn you and everyone in earshot into mindless zealots hopelessly devoted to it.

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ALL GLORY TO THE BURRITO KNIGHT.

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

Louisoix <...> knew that summoning the Twelve wouldn't actually result in the Twelve

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I'm curious if this is true, or if he simply thought that not even the Twelve could overcome the hunger a summoned deity inherently has for aether. During Living on a Prayer he spoke of the beings he intended to summon with a lot of reverence for a source of power he didn't think would be legit.

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Originally Posted by Louisoix

I would have you become the beacon to summon forth the Twelve─aye, the guardian deities of Eorzea. Nophica, the Matron <...> and Thaliak, the Scholar─patron deity of mine own Sharlayan. <...> Faith in the Twelve is strong in this land. By channeling that faith through prayer, we should be able to call upon their aid. <...> Alas, we cannot simply pray wheresoever we please. We must needs present ourselves before the gods, at the places where they lie in slumber. <...> I would have you embark on a pilgrimage to each of the locations and give fervent prayer─a prayer for Eorzea's salvation. In so doing, the gods shall awaken to lend us their aid. <...> By the grace of the Twelve, let us deliver Eorzea from her doom, and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity!

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EDIT:
I wonder if Lewphon had a hand in this - the early Sixth Astral Era Sharlayan theologian who wove together all of Eorzeas disparate histories into one common thread. It looks like he took the gods of nations recently fallen, and the gods of nations currently rising, and bound them all together in one pantheon in a spirit of unification and co-operation. By invoking the strength of all of them from their respective locations, it would surround Cartenau and perhaps be enough to reverse the fall of a moon. If Lewphon never lived, Louisoix's ritual might have looked very, very different. The fact that geography and elements are so important, linked with the Summoner storyline, even fits with my fringe theory about the primals being the gods of past eras, "souls torn and bodies forsaken."

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Originally Posted by PArcher

What does this mean for 1.0 players, who she already had met and knew?

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Minfilia met and oversaw a good number of people, and while you were indeed helpful to the Path in 1.0, there wasn't much that made you stand out against all of the other Walkers until you went off with Louisoix to stop the primals, kill the Raven, and fight at Cartenau. During that time, the quests involved the Grand Companies, not Minfilia, so there was some distance between you.

When Louisoix tells her to look out for the one who will herald the dawn, it needs to work for old and new players. For new players, it's their first meeting and Minfilia watches them become a Warrior of Light throughout the game and Louisoix seems like he was prophesying that she should be looking out for this event. For 1.0 players, when you walk through the door, Louisoix's words become instead a prophecy that she'd know as soon as she saw you (a Warrior of Light vanished from Cartenau) return, they must be the one.

Actually, a note of interest! The other languages make that line about 'told her the rest' a lot less vague -- basically, he knew he was going to die at Carteneau. This is from both a friend who reads Japanese and a German friend, so....

Mayby someone from the thread could find the translations, because I don't have them, but...ow. Ow, really, Lou?

(Also I think #5 is either going to be Louisoix, Cid, or Gaius.)

Love this lore talk!!!! And i think the last one is going to be Louisoix, and then we will all get the minon thats shown on the anniversary cover page art!! (well i can hope at least!!)

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

This has a possible error in that in version 1.0 Minfilia's office in the Waking Sands (the original one in Ul'dah), was actually called The Hall of the First Step, not 'the solar' which is it's name in ARR in the relocated Waking Sands in Vesper Bay. This might be a possible retcon though (especially for the benefit of those who didn't play 1.0, but for a 1.0 player it does seem pretty jarring). I know I'm being pedantic here but I can't help it, I'm weird like that. :p

Anyway, thank you so much for these juicy lore morsels Ferne! I must admit I can't wait to see what the final one is. :)

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Not a retcon; just a simple mistake on my part. The text should be revised within a day. Thanks for the heads up!

Also, I must confess that I've enjoyed following everyone's reactions. The JP writer and the EN translators put a great deal of effort into crafting these stories, and it's gratifying to see that they've been so well received. Here's hoping that y'all like the last one as much as the others!

You're most welcome Corvinoobus! :D Thank you and the rest of the writing/lore/translation teams for these lore morsels, I've thoroughly enjoyed reading them.

I hope this could actually be the start of possible future 'story introspectives' dealing with plot/character ideas that haven't been covered in the game or were from 1.0 that have been kind of forgotten (I'm still holding out hope that one day the events of the 1.0 Gridanian storyline would finally have a resolution, like, what happened to Khrimm, Fye and Dunstan. ;)). Either way, I can't wait for the the final story of Tales from the Calamity - I'm sure it will be the best yet!

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Originally Posted by Enkidoh

I hope this could actually be the start of possible future 'story introspectives' dealing with plot/character ideas that haven't been covered in the game or were from 1.0 that have been kind of forgotten (I'm still holding out hope that one day the events of the 1.0 Gridanian storyline would finally have a resolution, like, what happened to Khrimm, Fye and Dunstan).

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And what happened to Stahlmann (from the Limsa Lominsan storyline)? And probably many other loose ends from 1.0.

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Originally Posted by Corvinoobus

The JP writer and the EN translators put a great deal of effort into crafting these stories, and it's gratifying to see that they've been so well received. Here's hoping that y'all like the last one as much as the others!

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Good to see you again, Corvinoobus! I'm sure we will. I hope this is a tradition when The Rising comes back around, too; I can see all sorts of opportunities for clearing up things that fell through the cracks or getting a story out there that the writer never found a place for.

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Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

And what happened to Stahlmann (from the Limsa Lominsan storyline)? And probably many other loose ends from 1.0.

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It is a crime that I can't [Like!] this at least once for every time I've said that. The longer SE ignores our missing, treasonous, drunken Ex-Commodore, the more I expect that when he finally turns up, it's going to be badass enough to make me leap from my seat to do a celebratory dropkick. At least with the secret group of insurgents Gridania sent Ala Mhigo's way, they were prepared to die and probably died and none of them were important figures, so the biggest mystery in Gridania is what Dunstan did to get his name on that spire.

Sthalmann was trying his damnedest to, (sure, while protecting what fragile identity he had left by being a drunken jackass), make things right, somehow. Even if it is a likely scenario, the thought of him getting crushed by falling debris or stumbling into the sea to drown in the chaos during the Calamity just upsets me.

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

You know that whole Dark Knight Rises thing where Alfred had that fantasy he'd go on vacation and just see Bruce living a normal life somewhere? That's me, except I've convinced myself that, when expansion packs come out, we'll go to the Far East and find out that Sthalmann (feeling alienated when Dalamud fell and everyone came together under the Maelstrom but still wanted nothing to do with him) sobered up (sort of; you know, enough to function), sailed for a free city on the Far Eastern coast of Othard, and did something great with his life; maybe fighting the Imperial cause and recruiting their refugees into an authentic, Lominsan-style pirate fleet that now defends what's left of the independent cities there.

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Raubahn’s place was with the host at the Carteneau Flats. It was his duty to lead his men into battle against the XIVth Imperial Legion.

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

I know the XIVth was ordered to support the VIIth under Nael van Darnus, but didn't the XIVth haul ass back to Ala Mhigo as soon as he was defeated? The way the NPC spoke about it in Living on a Prayer, Gaius van Baelsar came back without his army to watch the battle quietly in his airship from a distance in hopes that Eorzea would survive until his conquest of it.

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Jumping on the apology bandwagon, albeit a couple of weeks late, this was also a mistake. It was indeed van Darnus's VIIth that fought the Eorzean Alliance at Carteneau. As you may recall in the End of an Era video, while the battle raged on down below, van Baelsar watched on from above while munching popcorn. If you listen really closely, you can hear a muffled chewing noise at the 1:35 mark.

Aaanyway, the fix is already live. Those of you who kindly reposted the Nanamo story, feel free to make the same change on your sites. Thank you, Moose, for pointing this out!

I just want to cuddle the voidsents when they pop on the forums! Thanks Pinurabi and Corvinoobus, and the other thralls of voidsent localisation workers, for your wonderful work!

The more I think about it, the more I feel Cid is going to be the last Tale.

Currently working hard to get the annotated Tales finished before the next one comes out, but popping in to say that I did manage to read the translations of the other languages. Indeed, English is unique in Louisoix saying "If I don't return" rather than "I will not be returning." The English version conveys Louisoix's gentle personality, actually leaving out his admission and simply saying he told Minfilia "the rest." The German translation articulates the concise Japanese most clearly without omitting the blunt truth.

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Das Ritual ähnelte einer Primae-Beschwörung und barg die Gefahr, alle Bewohner Eorzeas in von den Zwölf Besessene zu verwandeln.
The ritual resembled a primal summong and had the potential to turn every resident of Eorzea into Twelve's tempered servants.

Er würde die Kraft der Götter kanalisieren müssen, ohne ihnen Gelegenheit zu geben, sich körperlich zu manifestieren.
He would have to channel the power of the gods, but without giving them the opportunity to manifest physically.

Dazu gab es nur einen Weg: die Eliminierung des Mediums, kurz bevor dies geschah.
There was only one way: the elimination of the medium, just before this happened.

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We've known for a while that Louisoix's plan failed because the Twelve's strength alone was not enough to overcome Bahamut's power, but we didn't know that even if Dalamud was a simply moon, even if Bahamut did not appear, even if the Twelve's power were enough to raise Dalamud, Louisoix still intended to die. The plan was that, after the Twelve's power was invoked, but before they could physically manifest, he would take his own life to interrupt the ritual. He never got far enough into the summoning for us to see that part, however, because Bahamut interrupted the ritual well beforehand and he decided to fall back on something else...

Makes you wonder, though... when he sends the Warriors of Light away, you see the same type of circular glyph that appears around the wrists of summoners around his own, and within it is the symbol of Althyk. Were Bahamut's disappearance and all this memory loss a result of Althyk's power, as well? Was this invocation interrupted, or did Althyk manifest somewhere? Or is it all related to something else?

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Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

And what happened to Stahlmann (from the Limsa Lominsan storyline)? And probably many other loose ends from 1.0.

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

It is a crime that I can't [Like!] this at least once for every time I've said that. The longer SE ignores our missing, treasonous, drunken Ex-Commodore, the more I expect that when he finally turns up, it's going to be badass enough to make me leap from my seat to do a celebratory dropkick. At least with the secret group of insurgents Gridania sent Ala Mhigo's way, they were prepared to die and probably died and none of them were important figures, so the biggest mystery in Gridania is what Dunstan did to get his name on that spire.

Sthalmann was trying his damnedest to, (sure, while protecting what fragile identity he had left by being a drunken jackass), make things right, somehow. Even if it is a likely scenario, the thought of him getting crushed by falling debris or stumbling into the sea to drown in the chaos during the Calamity just upsets me.

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I've always leaned more to it being an identity crisis between rosensthal and sthalmann. We know that they're interlinked because
a drunken rosensthal says "rosen sthal mann" at one point (rusty steel man). Since both Rosensthal and Sthalmann exist in cutscenes
in the same time period, I didn't see it as sthalmann being in the past and rosthenstal being the current incarnation. Although its
possible he gets drunk and moonlights as a nicer rostensthal.