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A whole load of Garlean machinery using "magitek" aka. ceruleum (concentrated aetheric energy extracted from crystals). Then there's the Echo. To a race that has zero connection with aether, why the drive to understand something fundamentally connected to it?
I don't know if ceruleum is necessarily derived directly from crystals but it is some form of concentrated aether, yes. However it seems to be mined/extracted from the Ceruleum Fields in Northern Thanalan (at least this is the Eorzean source of Ceruleum, I have to imagine Garleans have their own Ceruleum Fields somewhere) and is the Garlean's answer to dealing with magic-wielding peoples. As for understanding the Echo, the Garleans are super into killing Primals. The Echo prevents you from being tempered by a Primal. I'd imagine they want to understand the Echo in order to utilize that in their conquest of Eorzea.
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I just have a real problem understanding the practicality of the lore regarding these two issues. Quite often, it's directly conflicting or certain parts are poorly explained, we're tossed scraps as to the reality of what Garleans are, how they work, how aether exists outside of Eorzea, why Hydaelyn focused all of her attention onto a single sub-continent etc. Makes for good discussion though.
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