Possible [spoiler] between Dragons and Garleans?
This was an encounter with a reporter NPC, back in 2011:
Quote:
Petyr Winsome: Why hello there adventurers, My name is Petyr Winsome, reporter for the Harbor Herald.
Petyr Winsome: Say have you heard the rumors about some beastmen tribe attempting to ally themself with the Empire?
Uni Neko: not really, but considering how the empire feels about beastmen, I don't see an alliance happening
Petyr Winsome: It does seem unlikely, and the rumors were unsubstantiated. But from what I have heard it was some sort of really big Beastmen.
Uni Neko: Amal'jaa? I'm sure they're on the empire's genocide list
Jaison Aurelio: I wonder if it's the Ixali! Isn't Garuda their primal?
Petyr Winsome: I do not think it was them, was some tribe I have not heard of, all I heard was that they were very big.
Uni Neko: like trolls?
Petyr Winsome: Perhaps. The only other part of the rumor said that they had an icy demeanor.
Uni Neko: I've met my share of trolls over the year, though they tend to be more obnoxious jerks than "icy"
Petyr Winsome: Then again this all could just be bunk, made by the mind of someone who spent a little too much time rummaging around underground.
Uni Neko: maybe, there sometimes is truth in rumours though
Jaison Aurelio: I wonder where this beastman tribe could be found?
Petyr Winsome: Yes, there is usually some grain of truth somewhere in a rumor. Only time would tell though.
Nyeik Knight: Great, so now we wait.
Petyr Winsome: The report I saw with the rumor said something about "up north" somewhere.
Petyr Winsome: No real specific location was mentioned unfortunately.
Jaison Aurelio: I wonder if we adventurers can travel there at the moment?
Uni Neko: must be pretty cold up north
Jaison Aurelio: I want to confront these icy beastmen!
Taylor Tots: and negotiate with my fine tip sword to their throats!
Petyr Winsome: I wonder that myself honestly. But I think I'll leave first contact to you strong adventurers.
Petyr Winsome: A bit too old to be wandering about in dangerous territory now.
Jaison Aurelio: I wonder if these icy beastmen call upon Shiva as their primal!
Petyr Winsome: I think that would make sense, certainly more so than having it be Ifrit. I do believe that one would get cold up there.
Petyr Winsome: Well I must be off now to get these notes to my editor. You have been a great help. Thank you kindly.
While it is true that dragons are effectively immortal and tend to hold grudges, the Battle of Silver Tear Skies ended largely in a stalemate, with no clear representation of either side being enemies of the other- rather, the Garleans were investigating the region's concentrated aether, and were effectively attacked for trespassing.
Fast forward to 3.0- Garleans just got walloped by the Eorzean alliance, and are losing their foothold in the region. The Dragons played their best card by attacking Ishgard head-on, with the help of their new found access to Primal Shiva- And were also effectively trounced.
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend"... I believe that based on the state of affairs across Aldenard, and the quotes listed above, that we may be soon running into a powerful alliance between these former rivals. Especially since these "unsubstantiated" rumors appear to be entirely factual, at least so far.
Thoughts?