Possible clue about the Nier: Automata raid

Just the other day, I discovered a curious line from one of the side quests in Amaurot. Something that could be potentially linked to the upcoming Alliance series YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse.

The Quest is Responsible Creation, if you’re curious.

Passionate Amaurotine: I’ve been credited with a few popular concepts, I’m proud to say. I’m hoping that my latest will be equally well received: autonomous figures.

I say “my” latest, but really it’s the product of many others’ efforts and individual insights. But such is the case for every masterwork, I reckon.

Autonomy notwithstanding, these creations know no fear. They are wholly devoid of emotion, and will without hesitation or resistance engage in any dangerous activity – even if death is assured.

There’s a beauty in that, I think… and I hope the officials do so as well.

Sounds very familiar, doesn’t it? Granted, this could be a throwaway line to colour Amaurotine society, but when considering the plot to Nier: Automata, this might be an important clue.

Spoilers for Nier: Automata below, obviously.

In the game, one of the earliest plot-twists and source of conflict throughout the story is that humanity is extinct. To the Androids of YoRHa, that means everything from the Council of Humanity, their mission and their very purpose is a lie. They made a god to die for, because the gods they yearn for are no longer with them and will never return.

Since this is a core aspect of Automata’s story, it’s not unreasonable to assume that a similar story thread is going to be explored in the Alliance raid. Thing is, mankind is not extinct in the XIV universe. But who are extinct, the ancient Ascians. (Well, unbroken Asicans, that is. Only Elidebus remains.)

So, maybe the Androids of YoRHa were creations of ancient Amaurot as disposable troops for war, but even after the sundering, they remain and still fight for their dead masters. It’s possible that they were made to fight against the apocalypse that Zodiark was created to stop. Or perhaps they were created to settle disputes with rival cities, so that the Amaurotines didn’t have to war against other Ascians. If the latter, the rival city might’ve created something akin to the Machine lifeform.

Well, this could all be bloated nonsense in the end, but that's what makes speculations fun. What about you? Out of existing lore, what could justify the existence of Nier: Automata in the XIV universe?

The moment Emet-Selch mentioned his forgotten, fallen civilization of Amaurot I figured that the NieR: Automata raid might have ties to it. That quest just added fuel to the fire.

Until 5.1 actually releases it, my bet is it's either Amaurot or some other civilization that fell to the Flood on the First - but given Eden has ties to the latter, I'm still banking on the former.

The Androids for sure seem to have the more obvious origin story now, the real question is whether the Machines are still alien-based or are they from the First, or possibly even from a different shard invading another one. Pulling towards Alien myself given Omega but still.

I've never played nier, but my best guess for how the story will go is we're going to a different star like how we went to the first just so the storytellers can go as crazy as they want and not have to worry about ruining any lore. But I'd gladly take any excuse to spend more time in amaruot, that place is super cool.

I honestly saw it more in the dwarven sidequest.

This line is very Yoko Taro, and I could see it as hinting at Automata or Hildi. But after experiencing Taro when describing his games, this seems like something he'd say.

http://oi65.tinypic.com/2uti9sz.jpg

That was my first impression upon seeing that, as well. If we're all thinkin' it...

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Originally Posted by Gula

I honestly saw it more in the dwarven sidequest.

This line is very Yoko Taro, and I could see it as hinting at Automata or Hildi. But after experiencing Taro when describing his games, this seems like something he'd say.

http://oi65.tinypic.com/2uti9sz.jpg

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I suspect the dwarves will play a part, since their own creations makes me think of the Machine Lifeform. Judging by that dialogue, I'm guessing they are the quest providers.

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Originally Posted by Gula

I honestly saw it more in the dwarven sidequest.

This line is very Yoko Taro, and I could see it as hinting at Automata or Hildi. But after experiencing Taro when describing his games, this seems like something he'd say.

http://oi65.tinypic.com/2uti9sz.jpg

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The general silliness of the rest of that sidequest must have caused me to forget this specific part. I also thought it was going to be the lead up to a lvl 80 dungeon at the time. Thanks for bringing it up!

Figured that Amaurotine just made golems or something.

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Originally Posted by Pastahnak

I've never played nier, but my best guess for how the story will go is we're going to a different star like how we went to the first just so the storytellers can go as crazy as they want and not have to worry about ruining any lore. But I'd gladly take any excuse to spend more time in amaruot, that place is super cool.

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Could be both. Since Amaurot was pre-sundering, its ruins could exist on every shard. Y'shtola hypothesizes that the calamities obliterated them on the source, but then again has anyone actually looked?

I'd be more interested in how the androids react to sundered peoples; meeting non-hostile, non-android or machine entities is something which (for good reason) never came up in Neir: Automata. Or if that question is averted by putting them in a location where ancient and sundered peoples are both extinct (and if that's a shard that isn't the 13th, what does that mean for the Ascian's plan, given that the Void itself already seems a unaddressed stumbling block?).

There's also another random line from an NPC in the Crystarium's library that mentions Omega (without giving away its name) and the alien civilization that made it. Considering that Omega got to the Source after the Sundering, it could be possible that the people of the First somehow made contact with said civilization too (or with someone/something else that knew of its existence). Unless they got that information from the Crystal Tower itself, but why would the Exarch allow them to have access to such material and learn about the Source when he has been trying so hard to hide it (not even allowing people to get in the spire)?

And let's not forget about that bit about Omega being capable of cross-dimensional travel, as it's mentioned too during The Twinning. So I wouldn't be surprised if the Nier raid is related with whoever made it. Maybe something else followed uncle Middy and Omega, but got to the wrong shard?

Anyway, the dwarve's route seem to be the most feasible one, considering how they left it kinda unfinished in the side quest. Whatever waits inside, and whoever made it, who knows.

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Originally Posted by Gaethan_Tessula

Could be both. Since Amaurot was pre-sundering, its ruins could exist on every shard. Y'shtola hypothesizes that the calamities obliterated them on the source, but then again has anyone actually looked?

I'd be more interested in how the androids react to sundered peoples; meeting non-hostile, non-android or machine entities is something which (for good reason) never came up in Neir: Automata. Or if that question is averted by putting them in a location where ancient and sundered peoples are both extinct (and if that's a shard that isn't the 13th, what does that mean for the Ascian's plan, given that the Void itself already seems a unaddressed stumbling block?).

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if you look on top of the one building with the level 80 dungeon in it (the dungeon that looks like a garden/science lab) you will see a zod statue that look disturbingly like the one shown on the moon back in i think it was arr or maybe heavensward with elidibus after the credits. actually im pretty sure it was HW cause it was when he was talking to ardbert.

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Originally Posted by Yshnal

There's also another random line from an NPC in the Crystarium's library that mentions Omega (without giving away its name) and the alien civilization that made it. Considering that Omega got to the Source after the Sundering, it could be possible that the people of the First somehow made contact with said civilization too (or with someone/something else that knew of its existence). Unless they got that information from the Crystal Tower itself, but why would the Exarch allow them to have access to such material and learn about the Source when he has been trying so hard to hide it (not even allowing people to get in the spire)?

And let's not forget about that bit about Omega being capable of cross-dimensional travel, as it's mentioned too during The Twinning. So I wouldn't be surprised if the Nier raid is related with whoever made it. Maybe something else followed uncle Middy and Omega, but got to the wrong shard?

Anyway, the dwarve's route seem to be the most feasible one, considering how they left it kinda unfinished in the side quest. Whatever waits inside, and whoever made it, who knows.

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A friend and I have had the strongest feeling it could be Omega related, and Omega is actually a well traveled, evolved form of a very prominent Nier Gestalt character which was the cause of a whole area in Automata. Taking to the stars and all.

Well the 4.X raid already hinted that 5.X raid maybe involved in Dimensional travel since the Prize for Garlean Empire was the knowledge and technology for Dimensional Travel.

Hm...this is a more general idea on the Raid Tier, but with all of the talks of FFXIV's themes recently, Nier is actually a pretty good choice! Spoilers for Nier, Nier Automata, and FFXIV below!

Consider playing them before spoiling yourself. They are highly recommended!

One of the primary themes of FFXIV so far is the idea that one has to give up the past and push for a better future. Those who are able to move on tend to build better happier lives/societies, and those who can't tend to end up as villains. The Garlean Empire can't forgive the other nations for their mistreatment ages ago. Yotsuyu cannot forgive Doman Society for mistreating her. Vauthry can't give up on his self-indulgent paradise despite it harming others and doing tons of long term damage. The Ascians are ready and willing to eliminate entire worlds to reclaim their home.

In the Nier series (it's slightly less prelavent in Drakenguard but who cares since we're talking about Nier) many of the characters including the protagonists are trapped in similar self-destructive cycles. They fight for a world that was, desperate to reclaim without really understanding what made it great.

In Nier, both the Gestalt and Replicant versions of Nier cannot cope with the coming death of their daughter (or sister but I played Gestalt), Yonah. Yonah herself accepts her death and simply wants to spend more time with her father. But neither of the fathers seem to care about her wishes, instead plunging into destructive quests to save her. The Gestalt begins a war between Shades and humans and attempts to steal her body to save Yonah (not unlike several plot points in FFXIV). The Replicant spends the rest of his life on a mad crusade and eventually dooms all of humanity to extinction.

In Nier Automata both the characters and the entire setting are stuck in dangerous cycles of revenge, violence and misery. The Androids and Machine Lifeforms eternally battle for masters that have long since disappeared. Neither side can truly move on, despite desperate attempts to. On the individual level the game confronts characters stuck in ruts seeking their own absolution, whether through revenge, destruction, or impotent rage. These sorts of characters fit well into FFXIV as it turns out.

Honestly, I'm betting it's what left of the original future time line and they are pulling a Chrono Cross with it.

Having finally done that sidequest (I skipped most of them from the return to Ahm Araeng onward), I concur that sidequest does have the feel of Yoko Taro's humor to it.

That said...

What drove the Ancients to madness and summoned their nightmares against their will was a "sound." The boss from the ending path of Drakengard that leads to the NieR timeline is introduced with the dialogue "I. Hear. A. Sound." An Amaroutine sidequest has one Ancient talking about designing automata that will fight to the death if so commanded.

Coincidence? I think not!

So what you're saying is that the 5.5 raid is going to be a 90-minute 24-man rhythm game whereby the victory cutscene is interrupted and the fight resets if you don't hit the 5 silent notes after the song ends.

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

So what you're saying is that the 5.5 raid is going to be a 90-minute 24-man rhythm game whereby the victory cutscene is interrupted and the fight resets if you don't hit the 5 silent notes after the song ends.

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Don't forget the to dodge the Su-47 that appears to try and take us down right after that!

Someone in another thread mentioned a "Robot Graveyard" in Kholusia? What were they talking about?

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Originally Posted by CaesarCV

Someone in another thread mentioned a "Robot Graveyard" in Kholusia? What were they talking about?

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One of the Dwarf sidequests has a machine graveyard mentioned in it. Its basically foreshadowing, you don't get to see it yet.

Oooooo I figured that was a tease for a dungeon coming in a patch but it could also have something to do with Nier.

Amaurot related.

Dwarf machine graveyard related.

Omega related.

Relics from the dead timeline related.

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Hmm, not sure which I prefer. Think Amaurot and dead timeline are my favourite possibilities, I'd like to know more about Amaurot but I do love dimension hopping shenanigans.