Re-examining "Answers" and the nature of Ascians

[NeruMew]

Very interesting post, as it was said before, gives a lot to discuss, I don't agree nor disagree, Though I would change some things, or well, better said see some things different (but it's too long to get into it right now)

So I just wanted to add:

-snip-
We are "bound" by the light of Hydaelyn. Imprisoned and Enslaved by Hydaelyn in his eyes.
-snip-

Just to be sure on one thing, when he says "The light... It binds them", I think he's just reffering to the bond between you and the scions. -snip-

It could easily mean both things. It can be seen with the direct meaning of they are all bound together (with his friends as they all seem to work as one and blah), but it could also have the underlying meaning that they are all blindlessly bound to Hydaelyn. As someone said before Garuda explicitly says it, well, ifrit too maybe, they may not say "YOU ARE BOUND TO THE CRYSTAL" but they say they are inmune to their influence as if they had already been claimed by someone else, AKA Hydaelyn.

[NeruMew]

Also I would like to add that the echo could be simply the connection between you and Hydaelyn. If we go down by the path where we -as player characters (lol)- have been tempered by her, it could be the way she connects with us and communicates, we only see what she shows us, she's the one doing the translations or replaying scenes from the past for you, she chooses who she wants to see what hence why it's different for every character.

As was said before, yes, evil and good could be seen depending on how we act accordnig to our beliefs, not simply by our beliefs. And Hydaelyn could be manipulating us for her own gain, seeing as how we are supposedly tempered by her, under her control.

And the theory about Zodiark and Hydaelyn being both -world- entities or -gods- is very interesting as well, and it would explain the rivality between Ascians and the ones that follow the crystal :P

Anyway! There's a lot to go on about, but those are the points I wanted to touch/remark for now.

[Klutz64]

I think maybe a few lines in the song might be referring to the Ascians, but in general the song is simply about Eorzea's history of destruction and rebirth ("In one fleeting moment... ...for anew it doth grow") and the struggle to finally end this cycle ("Look to those who walked before to lead those who walk after"/The entire second verse)

[JeniLinsky]

Of possible interest: The word "Ascian" is not made up, or a misspelling of "Asian." It means "one who lives in the tropics," from the ancient Greek ἄσκιος, literally 'without a shadow'.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ascian

[finiteHP]

Of possible interest: The word "Ascian" is not made up, or a misspelling of "Asian." It means "one who lives in the tropics," from the ancient Greek ἄσκιος, literally 'without a shadow'.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ascian

Which was very significant in 1.x.

[Livilda]

Wow, cool, what an insightful and poignant discussion, it's right on the money for Shadowbr--
HOLY SHIT THIS THREAD IS FROM 2013

[symbiote129]

Wow, cool, what an insightful and poignant discussion, it's right on the money for Shadowbr--
HOLY SHIT THIS THREAD IS FROM 2013

Yo, you've done this on purpose, Livilda.
Actually, even though they aren't like they were in 1.0 (as in they literally didn't have shadows in that FFXIV version), they kinda still don't have a "shadow" in a sense that the majority of people in Hydaelyn don't really know much of their origin. Only few people + certain Sharlayans are perhaps the only ones in the know of what these Ascians motivations, origins and so forth are.

To the common people they might not even know how much the Ascians were involved in the history of the world post-Sundering. Sure, there are legends surrounding these hooded people but that's that for the common people. They just know Umbral Calamaties happened but not necessarily that the Ascians were involved in those events or even the creation of the Void, the current state of the 13th Shard. They don't leave "shadows" to follow their secrets.