The Griffin

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Originally Posted by HorseBoots

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On the flip side, whoever this Griffin is, knows some amount of information about how the Ascians are organised and their members behave (or otherwise). If it were Gaius, did he have dealings with our favourite white-robed Ascian before, or was it just Lahabrea? How much of the world knows about what's been happening in Ishgard or with the WoD behind the scenes to have an understanding of the internal politics and struggles of the Ascians as we have (from a player POV)? Is there someone we've forgotten? Roll on 3.5...!

According to Elidibus, he had been "away" for some time until our encounter with him in 2.1, likely on one of the Shard Worlds. Logically, that would mean it was impossible for Gaius to have dealt with him.

There's no evidence to suggest the Griffin is working closely with Elidibus. All we know at this point is that he was aware of the Warriors of Darkness and Elidibus' plans for them.

I don't think it's Ilberd. The timing doesn't seem to line up for that. From the way Yda and Papalymo phrase things, it sounds like they went to work with the Resistance and the Griffin almost immediately after the events of 2.55, and at that point Ilberd is still toady-ing it up as Crystal Brave Commander. It seems implausible that he managed to do that and be the Griffin at the same time.

Most likely the Griffin simply isn't anyone we've met yet. The world's a big place. He could be some significant figure tied to the original overthrow of the King of Ala Mhigo that we've never heard of.

Or an unsuspecting vessel to lahabrea/nidhogg. I dont even know what those eyes can do being frozen in crystal like that, but im assuming theyre collecting aether. Unless thats auricite theyre trapped in, then i got no idea what they do besides an aetheric bomb Any number of these things would force us to get involved way moreso than just cause yda wants to, even the grand companies would probably have to step in after seeing what devestation theyre capable of, ishgard as well. Time wise, its hard to say because we were off solving the dragonsong war,
while the wod were torturing beast men and besting their primals.

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Originally Posted by ADVSS

Or an unsuspecting vessel to lahabrea/nidhogg. I dont even know what those eyes can do being frozen in crystal like that, but im assuming theyre collecting aether. Unless thats auricite theyre trapped in, then i got no idea what they do besides an aetheric bomb Any number of these things would force us to get involved way moreso than just cause yda wants to, even the grand companies would probably have to step in after seeing what devestation theyre capable of, ishgard as well. Time wise, its hard to say because we were off solving the dragonsong war,
while the wod were torturing beast men and besting their primals.

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I assume the Auracite Unukalhai mentioned would look similar to the White supposedly harmless (unless you're an Ascian) version that we've used on Nabriales and Igeyourm, as opposed to ice that would blend in at the frozen wastes of Coerthas

And yes that's what the eyes are currently trapped in, ice.

The collecting Aether might still apply however.

There's no way to say for certain when the Griffin first appeared on the scene. All we know is that they sought help from the Resistance to hide after the coup in Ul'dah, and later learned of the Masks. The first time we see the Griffin is when he is reaching for his mask in the 3.1 stinger, and a fair amount of time passes between then and 3.4. It can be assumed, then, that is the point in time which the Griffin first appears on the scene (even if the Masks were already a group).

Other stuff, but I accidentally deleted it when trying to copy and paste. To cut it short, we don't know when the Griffin first appeared on the scene - presumably after 3.1, some time after Ilberd had been discharged from Lolorito's service. It doesn't conflict with the Griffin's appearance on the Ala Mhigan Resistance's stage.

Lahabrea was killed and eaten by Thordan, or otherwise burned by King Thordan and/or Nidhogg. The Ascians also had hand on the Eyes for a significant amount of time, so if he were important to them (and still alive) there's no reason they would no have freed him.

Nidhogg can similarly be safely assumed dead. We saw his spirit ascend into the heavens, for goodness' sake. If that damn dragon cheats death twice, I swear...

None can say what Elidibus intends to have the Griffin do with the Eyes. He is a much more hands-off director than Lahabrea, though, so like as not he just gave them to the Griffin and will sit back to watch the sparks fly. With Nero standing around in Cartenau (despite the myriad questions that raises), the likelihood of them being used as batteries for Omega has risen significantly...

I feel like the scene of Nidhogg "ascending" was meant to be the nail in the coffin for him. Nidhogg is dead, spirit passed on, but his aether absorbing eyes remain.

I can't understand the obsession with Lahabrea being alive, other than the time that has passed with none of the other Ascians trying to free him (the SMN quests made it apparent he has some rank and power.) He was reduced to raw aether after his defeat, and instead of hoping into his black auracite and fleeing, he was absorbed by one of the eyes.

If he were he had Estinien and Nidhogg right there! He would've acted!

So, what we have a pair of aether batteries that react to rage and anguish in the hands of a man hellbent on starting a war of vengeance. It's a bum deal.

Based on the character data for the NPCs, the False Griffin is

No one we've ever actually met. If his data isn't just random, his story is total lie as he looks nothing like the man we helped

While the real one is

Ilberd. The NPC under the mask looks identical to him

I need to research it a bit more, but the reason i bring nidhogg idea back is the same reason midgardsormr reincarnated himself. Of course the eyes look dead, but i was pretty certain the only way to destroy a dragon was to destroy the eyes completely and/or eat them as per ratotaskr, but if the eyes are dead, theres absolutely no reason to even bother with them, i agree with the battery idea but that would mean theyre able to collect aether, which means theyre not dead. And if a dragons eyes are not destroyed then what?

The issue is there is so much about dragon physiology that just don't know. They follow completely different rules on most fronts from life created on Hydaelyn, and we have contradictory details from one dragon type to another.

Like, the only dragons we can confirm follow the eye rules are the First Brood, and only one do we know died via her brutal murder.

Nidhogg was almost dead when his eyes were ripped from him, but Hreasvelgr gave up one of his eyes to sustain his brother, so would Nidhogg have whithered away if Hreasvelgr hadn't saved him? Would his consciousness stayed alive in his eyes then? Or could he control the eyes from a distance due to Hreasvelgr's power?

We don't know how Bahamut died exactly beyond it being against the Allag.