The Black Towers

I've taken the liberty of hunting down where the towers are. Feel free to talk about what they mean, but there are quite a few besides the obvious ones you're shown. Personally I think they look Mchaian more than Garlean, but hey. I scoured a lot of places, but I may have missed something. I'll add it if you say something, and credit you.

1.) Floating City of Nym, Outter La Noscea
2.) South of The Ala Mhigan Quarter, The Loches
3.) South East of the Sagolii Desert, Southern Thanalan
4.) Near The Lost City of Amdapor, Camp Tranquil, South Shroud
5.) West of Tail Feather, Dravanian Forelands.
6.) South of Castrum Fluminis, Yanxia.

I agree they definitely look more Mhachi than Garlean despite what the quests say.

Thanks for tracking them down! Interesting that Yanxia is the only one in Othard.

What are these black towers?
Are they from some new event?

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Originally Posted by ItMe

What are these black towers?
Are they from some new event?

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They're from the new main story stuff.

I'm certain that those towers were actually made via Creation Magicks, and as such are

1. Capable of Tempering
2. Able to pop up form Thin air.

As such if that is the case, then it would explain what happened at the end, both their appearance and the tempered scout.


I think the Goal of these Towers might be to Summon other Primals as well, with the tempering of those that draw close being used to call forth other Primals under Garlemald's Banner.

Interesting points there Morningstar. I think you're bang on with the Summoning thought track, but what or who exactly are they going to summon?
Could they be a kind of power grid that builds enough energy to eventually summon Zodiark perhaps?

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Originally Posted by Teraluna

Interesting points there Morningstar. I think you're bang on with the Summoning thought track, but what or who exactly are they going to summon?
Could they be a kind of power grid that builds enough energy to eventually summon Zodiark perhaps?

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I'm think something along the lines of Terminus Eikons, considering Fandaniel's stated goals of recreating the Final Days

Is there two in southern thanaland? As I saw the one in the NE corner of the map. Never mind I must be confusing it with another one.

Many of these seem to be near lost civilizations. I was surprised I couldn't find any in Coerthas. I checked Churning Mists as well, but I couldn't find anything. I was also really expecting one in the Hinterlands/Idllyshire but I turned up nothing. To be fair though.. the one in Forelands is kinda on the border of the Fore and Hinterlands.

My theory on the towers is that they dry the land of aether. You can see that they emit something into the air which they have to get from somewhere, and Fandaniel might just use that aether to create beasts like Lunar Bahamut.

After all, we got pretty tight implications that the immense use of creation magic/aether was one of the reasons for the Final Days, and beasts on the loose shaped the Final Days as well. Would make sense Fandaniel resorts to that if he wants to recreate them.

Reminds me when everyone was speculating on why Dalamud was getting closer.


Coincidence?

Worth noting, there isn't one in the Leap of Faith version of the Floating City. Not sure if it's an oversight or they just didn't bother with phasing it for a Gold Saucer instance.

What if the towers are used to link the source and the 13th, seeing how they got a certain mhachi design even if they are garlean made.

And what better place to get hold of beings of unspeakable horrors equivalent to those of the calamity than from the void.

I'm wondering if towers have also appeared in places we haven't yet visited. Places like Garlemald proper, Sharlayan, Meracydia, and the like. We know there's essentially one in every major region, with Eorzea having a lot more, though that makes sense, given it's the aetheric heart of the world or whatever.

Imagine, 6.0, we go to Sharlayan, and half of them are tempered and sided with Fandaniel's Garlemald. Hahaha oh boy

Fandaniel notes something a the end of the patch that just sticks out to me. Apologies in advance for what I'm about to do.

"The piles have been driven as planned, and the first of the beasts has roared to life..."

Now it could just be Lunar Bahamut. But something just feels off about that being the case. He made that the same way Emet made Aumarot: creation magick. To me the towers are reminiscent of Aether siphons. Drawing the ambient energy to a certain point to awaken something buried out of the ground in those specific points. However, it could also be that it is also acting as a beacon seeing as the aether moves away from it as though it were calling out to something from beyond the stars. Aliens exist within this world. The dragons are proof of that, as is Omega.

I've said it once so I'll say it again. This is eerily similar to Chrono Trigger territory to me.

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Originally Posted by Riastrad

Easy, Chrono Cross deals almost exclusively with alternate realities. Considering we supposedly (I almost doubt it) just altered our own timeline, and it was hand waived that the old timeline in which we died was simply cut off and set adrift, an entity like Lavos being the reason the fracture happened (which let us directly affect time) kind of fits a little too well. The best ending in Trigger leads directly into Cross. Lavos itself latched onto Schala in the Darkness beyond Time and began creating split realities to keep itself alive. Becoming the Dream/Time Devourer, a crystalline monster that had a young blonde woman in a white dress bound to it no less. Big hmm moment for me there when I saw the 3.2 patch art.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1c/ac...3a2c2770ef.jpg
https://lparchive.org/Chrono-Trigger...ngproper28.jpg

I don't trust Hydaelyn or the narrative that the Ascians are pushing. I think a parasite has literally wrapped its claws around the very weapons used to stop it. It's just a matter of time till we need to address that issue.

https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca88...gq342jjdMIPyPc

https://i.imgur.com/SGDKT6u.jpg

Forgive me the pictures. I don't like having to add so many, but I really needed the visual aids.

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Fandaniel wants to bring about the Final Days, meteors and all. He is trying to awaken a beast from slumber to do so. One that rains death and destroys worlds. I would say this fits the bill a bit too well.

"Behold, my pretties, destiny, in its most brutal form! All the dreams that might have been. All the happiness, and sorrow, you might have experienced, gone forever! For you there will be no tomorrow!"
— Queen Zeal

This also ties into another theory I have about an imminent reboot. Don't think for a moment I didn't catch Nero salivating over the prospect (fact) of time travel being possible...

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Originally Posted by TheMightyMollusk

Worth noting, there isn't one in the Leap of Faith version of the Floating City. Not sure if it's an oversight or they just didn't bother with phasing it for a Gold Saucer instance.

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I guess you can assume the same "time bubble" logic as when you go back and play the Binding Coil midway through Shadowbringers, or whatever - the Gold Saucer is ARR content and the tower hasn't appeared yet.

(Assuming the Leap of Faith course is actually teleporting you to La Noscea anyway - it could be some kind of Allagan VR device. It's probably not in their best interests to actually be sending their patrons to a death-trap course hundreds of yalms above the earth.)

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Originally Posted by Riastrad

Chrono Trigger

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I do love the idea that they'd reference Chrono Trigger, as I've said when you've brought this up in the past. Only thing is, at least in the picture comparison is, how would the mural artists know to draw him as the secret background sleuth. That and, wouldn't that put a Lavos-like entity on every reflection? Meaning the Ascians would have found its presence prior to each successful Rejoining? I don't hate the idea, I just don't think it fits into the narratively neatly.

Considering that we're dealing with Lunar Bahamut, I have no doubts that Zodiark is somehow being used as a battery to fuel the creation of new primals; though considering the former was stated to be a product of creation magick rather then a summoning, the towers are likely for summoning something else and it's just a means to an end created as a byproduct.

The fact that the fellow who was seemingly tempered by one of the towers mentioned Garlemald makes me have a hunch that we might be treading back to that little tidbit where it was mentioned that the emperors of Garlemald were revered in a nigh-god-like capacity.

The trying circumstances with the civil war raging in the capital could very well have enough faith and prayer being stirred up in the populace to fuel a primal's creation given the right catalysts...which could easily be put into place by a trouble-making Ascian or several. We also already know from Bahamut that a primal can temper people over very long distances as long their aether is reaching them in sufficient quantities, so it could be that the primal already exists in some capacity and the towers are broadcasting its influence somehow in order to provide it with more followers and more strength by extension.

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Originally Posted by Iscah

I guess you can assume the same "time bubble" logic as when you go back and play the Binding Coil midway through Shadowbringers, or whatever - the Gold Saucer is ARR content and the tower hasn't appeared yet.

(Assuming the Leap of Faith course is actually teleporting you to La Noscea anyway - it could be some kind of Allagan VR device. It's probably not in their best interests to actually be sending their patrons to a death-trap course hundreds of yalms above the earth.)

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Non-instanced events inside the Gold Saucer involve throwing bombs at patrons to knock us off elevated platforms, having a voidsent blast us across the room with snorts, and a samurai dropping gigantic bamboo on us to bash us around. It's probably safe to say that either magic is involved to ensure safety, or that the games aren't entirely to be taken at face value.

But yeah, I'm just gonna assume time bubble shenanigans.

Assuming the Final Days were indeed caused by the Ancient straining the planet too much with their Creation magic - which I have always felt was a very safe bet - then I agree the towers are probably draining the world's aether somehow. Maybe they'll mass-produce these Lunar primals, since Fandaniel implied there are going to be more than just Lunar Bahamut.

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Originally Posted by Vyrerus

I do love the idea that they'd reference Chrono Trigger, as I've said when you've brought this up in the past. Only thing is, at least in the picture comparison is, how would the mural artists know to draw him as the secret background sleuth. That and, wouldn't that put a Lavos-like entity on every reflection? Meaning the Ascians would have found its presence prior to each successful Rejoining? I don't hate the idea, I just don't think it fits into the narratively neatly.

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I see it as some half remembered dream much like some of the murals in the Qitana Ravel. A possible clue to the Final Days. That there was something more going on than just the Hydaelyn/Zodiark feud as remembered by one of the Sundered. Which we know is the case, because instead of actually dealing with the issue themselves, they summoned Zodiark to deal with it. The XIVth left to try to find the source of the problem but ran out of time or was killed by the cause of the sound. For all we know the painter of the murals could have been Hythlodaeus's fractured incarnation (that is wild speculation and not at all backed by any information).

And yes, essentially that would be what I'm saying. Something is buried in Silvertear Falls under the Guardianship of Midgardsormr, and there is a huge reserve of aether there for a reason. As for the Ascians not finding it after all the years that followed, Midgardsormr is still alive and holding true to the covenant he made with Hydaelyn to protect said lake. Meaning they can't deal with him easily and are weary of doing so. So in the Source we have Silvertear and on the First we have The Source where Bismark is currently residing. One is surrounded by crystals and the other has those same crystals growing out of it, and both have a guardian of sorts watching over it. That is not a coincidence. There is something more going on here. I wonder if next patch will have Fandaniel place one of the Towers (Black Omens maybe?) in Mor Dhona, one for every calamity thus far...

It should be noted that the areas these towers were appearing are very close to where primals were defeated as pointed out in the 5.4 spoiler thread.

Floating City of Nym -> O'gomoro Mines -> Titan
Ala Mhigan Quarter -> Royal Promenade -> Shinryu (Also relatively close to where Lakshmi was defeated. Just a zone over.)
Sangolii Desert -> Zahar'ak -> Ifrit
Lost City of Amdapor -> Enkidu (This is where it gets interesting since it was a side story summon. Also while not a summon, Diabolos was trapped here for a long time. If he is to be believed, he was rather powerful prior to his imprisonment.)
Dravanian Forelands -> Loth ast Gnath -> Ravana
Yanxia -> Castrum Fluminis -> Tsukuyomi

As said poster also mentioned, it is possible they are drawing on the aether from these primals in order to help fuel their tempering properties. It can also be assumed that they are also in other areas as we do know of other primals that have been defeated in recent memory that the WoL has never faced. (Sorrow of Werlyt)

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Originally Posted by KylePearlsand

Lost City of Amdapor -> Enkidu )

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While this is true, it's more to the east, closer to Amdapor Keep. But really, the biggest primal for this zone was sealed in Urth's Fount. Odin. The Black Rider, who rides all over the shroud. Not too mention, Ramuh is just north of this tower as well.

This also makes me realize that each of the towers is near primals that have Lunar counterparts from the FFIV Advanced/PSP versions of the game.

So we'll get:

Lunar Titan
Lunar Ifrit
Lunar Odin
Tsukuyomi
Lunar Dragon (Though this may just be Lunar Bahamut from Shinryu's tower location)

Only one that doesn't have a direct Lunar Eidolon counterpart is Ravana. Maybe that's to leave room for more originality for FFXIV dev team, or maybe they'll surprise us with Lunar Asura given she also has multiple arms and weapons.

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Originally Posted by KylePearlsand

Ala Mhigan Quarter -> Royal Promenade -> Shinryu (Also relatively close to where Lakshmi was defeated. Just a zone over.)

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We also fought Lakshmi in the throne room in 5.1, so that could still count for her.

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Originally Posted by Vyrerus

Only one that doesn't have a direct Lunar Eidolon counterpart is Ravana. Maybe that's to leave room for more originality for FFXIV dev team, or maybe they'll surprise us with Lunar Asura given she also has multiple arms and weapons.

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I'd have a feeling that if Lunar Asura is involved, then there would be a Tower in Bozja, and if that is the case then we wills ee several other towers scattered about first to to spoil that twist.

That said I do think the Lunar Primals if they do exist might hem towards either iconic summons of the ARR primals,so Lunar Gardua, Lunar Bismarck and Lunar Odin are as likely as Lunar Ifrit, Lunar Shiva and Luna Titan.

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Originally Posted by Morningstar1337

I'd have a feeling that if Lunar Asura is involved, then there would be a Tower in Bozja, and if that is the case then we wills ee several other towers scattered about first to to spoil that twist.

That said I do think the Lunar Primals if they do exist might hem towards either iconic summons of the ARR primals,so Lunar Gardua, Lunar Bismarck and Lunar Odin are as likely as Lunar Ifrit, Lunar Shiva and Luna Titan.

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While this may be the outcome, I'd much prefer something completely new. We've already had modified bosses in Eden and it was a nice twist. Another reiteration could seem like a same old with a new paint job. Or worse, give the impression of struggling for new ideas.
Now with the game being so well established, it makes it more difficult to work-in a brand new concept. But isn't that all the more reason to have something brand new?

As much as I love Chrono Trigger, and would really like to see some kind of crossover content with Chrono Trigger in Final Fantasy XIV. I think that if any alien were causing the sound beneath the earth in Amaurot, they would likely prioritize referencing Jenova over Lavos.

I agree with others, that they don't look Garlean to me. I wonder where the Eorzean Alliance got the notion they were Garlean? Though that idea is further supported by the fact they at least appear to be tempering people. While Fandaniel's motivations seem pretty cliché. I'm really curious what these towers actually are and for the next Patch, once again. I wonder when the reveal for the next expansion will be. My friends have been estimating around February.

The fact that towers or beacon's around the world will naturally be pointing at space. And with one of our only other things to go off of being the name "Lunar Bahamut", points us in the direction of the moon being somehow connected to these towers. But we known next to nothing about the moon, except that we've seen Elidibus on the moon several times before.

I wish I had something more to go off of. I'm completely lost as to what they could be exactly.

I wonder if continued exposure to the Black Tower's signal will result in mutation of people?

In the same patch, they've reminded us that exposure to Primal's aether can lead to Tempering and continued exposure will transform the person. The example used was Zurvan turning his tempered into Zurvan-egi, but we also saw this early on back in ARR where Leviathan mutated the pirates and gave them aquatic life-like features.

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Originally Posted by Morningstar1337

I'd have a feeling that if Lunar Asura is involved, then there would be a Tower in Bozja, and if that is the case then we wills ee several other towers scattered about first to to spoil that twist.

That said I do think the Lunar Primals if they do exist might hem towards either iconic summons of the ARR primals,so Lunar Gardua, Lunar Bismarck and Lunar Odin are as likely as Lunar Ifrit, Lunar Shiva and Luna Titan.

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My list was just going off of what Eidolons had Lunar variants in FFIV Advanced and PSP. Personally, I'd rather they referenced other bosses from FFIV entirely, if not in name, then in appearance. Mainly because in the original game, the only dark versions of things we fought in the Lunar Subterrane were Dark Bahamut(localized as Wyvern for some reason) and Dark Leviathan(Ogopogo).

Struggling to remember if Pashtarot has been killed or not as well, since going by FF12 standards, that'd be the Ascian to reference Zemus/Zeromus with.

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Originally Posted by myahele

I wonder if continued exposure to the Black Tower's signal will result in mutation of people?

In the same patch, they've reminded us that exposure to Primal's aether can lead to Tempering and continued exposure will transform the person. The example used was Zurvan turning his tempered into Zurvan-egi, but we also saw this early on back in ARR where Leviathan mutated the pirates and gave them aquatic life-like features.

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That was Sephirot, not Zurvan, heh.

But that's a cool direction they could take this in, though it'd mean the Tempered people would go back to the towers over and over, so I'm not sure that'll be what happens. Particularly since we just got the cure for Tempering.

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Originally Posted by Vyrerus

Struggling to remember if Pashtarot has been killed or not as well, since going by FF12 standards, that'd be the Ascian to reference Zemus/Zeromus with.

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The currently deceased Ascians are Emmerololth*, Nabriales, Igeyorhm, Lahabrea, Mitron, Loghrif, Emet-Selch, and Elidibus.

Living/potentially living Ascians: Fandaniel, Halmarut, Deudalaphon, Altima, and Pashtarot. At least two of them aside from Fandaniel are still alive, based on the number of red masks Gaius was carrying. And depending on how thorough a job he did, all five of them can still be alive.

*A continuity error has her still alive after the time of her death on the Isle of Val, suggesting she may have been replaced. But since she's made zero appearances since then, nobody knows for sure.

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Originally Posted by Rosenstrauch

The currently deceased Ascians are Emmerololth*, Nabriales, Igeyorhm, Lahabrea, Mitron, Loghrif, Emet-Selch, and Elidibus.

Living/potentially living Ascians: Fandaniel, Halmarut, Deudalaphon, Altima, and Pashtarot. At least two of them aside from Fandaniel are still alive, based on the number of red masks Gaius was carrying. And depending on how thorough a job he did, all five of them can still be alive.

*A continuity error has her still alive after the time of her death on the Isle of Val, suggesting she may have been replaced. But since she's made zero appearances since then, nobody knows for sure.

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Merci kupo~

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Originally Posted by Rosenstrauch

The currently deceased Ascians are Emmerololth*, Nabriales, Igeyorhm, Lahabrea, Mitron, Loghrif, Emet-Selch, and Elidibus.

Living/potentially living Ascians: Fandaniel, Halmarut, Deudalaphon, Altima, and Pashtarot. At least two of them aside from Fandaniel are still alive, based on the number of red masks Gaius was carrying. And depending on how thorough a job he did, all five of them can still be alive.

*A continuity error has her still alive after the time of her death on the Isle of Val, suggesting she may have been replaced. But since she's made zero appearances since then, nobody knows for sure.

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You know, out of all the Ascian overlords, Deudalaphon is the only one we do not have actually named within the game, something that used to be shared with Fandaniel until fairly recently.

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Originally Posted by Rosenstrauch

The currently deceased Ascians are Emmerololth*, Nabriales, Igeyorhm, Lahabrea, Mitron, Loghrif, Emet-Selch, and Elidibus.

Living/potentially living Ascians: Fandaniel, Halmarut, Deudalaphon, Altima, and Pashtarot. At least two of them aside from Fandaniel are still alive, based on the number of red masks Gaius was carrying. And depending on how thorough a job he did, all five of them can still be alive.

*A continuity error has her still alive after the time of her death on the Isle of Val, suggesting she may have been replaced. But since she's made zero appearances since then, nobody knows for sure.

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Quick note: Loghrif is still alive (See Eden's Promise)

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Originally Posted by MercuryD

Quick note: Loghrif is still alive (See Eden's Promise)

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Spoilers for Eden.

So too technically is Mitron, as his soul was left to be reincarnated. Ardbert killed them but their souls weren't destroyed. But that's lore discussion for elsewhere as I don't get why their souls didn't retreat to the void

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Originally Posted by Lusavari

Spoilers for Eden.

So too technically is Mitron, as his soul was left to be reincarnated. Ardbert killed them but their souls weren't destroyed. But that's lore discussion for elsewhere as I don't get why their souls didn't retreat to the void

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Ten chars......

Even if his soul reincarnates, he would still have to grow up, then be reawakened as an Ascian (which requires another Ascian to find him), before he'd be a threat. With the time bubble never progressing, he's still functionally out of the game.

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Originally Posted by MercuryD

Quick note: Loghrif is still alive (See Eden's Promise)

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Loghrif is... complicated.

I would say Loghrif the Ascian is dead, and unlikely to be raised again since the constellation stones are lost.

A raised Ascian has two elements: a mortal host (preferably with a soul shard of the original Convocation member) and their reawakened memories.

Gaia is a potential Loghrif who was ultimately not raised to that position.

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Originally Posted by Iscah

Loghrif is... complicated.

I would say Loghrif the Ascian is dead, and unlikely to be raised again since the constellation stones are lost.

A raised Ascian has two elements: a mortal host (preferably with a soul shard of the original Convocation member) and their reawakened memories.

Gaia is a potential Loghrif who was ultimately not raised to that position.

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Ten Characters

But she is aware of herself.

RE: Schrodinger's Ascian, Loghrif

What makes the Loghrif situation so interesting to me is how the character herself handles it. Much like the WoL, Gaia is well aware of whom she used to be, and more or less acknowledges that as her past. But while she accepts this, it doesn't define her future going forward. Much like her forgotten childhood. And though she still wields the power of Darkness, it's no longer used in service to Zodiark, but for her own heroic ends.

But yes, she's technically alive. I don't count her among the living Ascians, though, on account of her no longer being one.