Ramuh: A History and Speculation

[Catapult]

All the Primals were worshipped by the their respective beastmen tribe before the Ascians paid them a visit.

This is a fair point to remember. The Ascians didn't introduce Garuda to the Ixal, because legends of Garuda (including on the origin of her brutality) existed well before her first materialisation in recent history. They simply gave the Ixal a means of calling her forth from amongst the aether.

I would not call it tempering. My mind is still whole. I'm being shielded from tempering. And Ultima spells.

And according to the Ascians, Hydaelyn is the source of my power. The opposite of what happens with tempered subjects: they are the source of power for the primal.

Ah, but you would think that if you were tempered wouldn't you. You would be incapable of seeing Hydaelyn as anything other than the way, the truth and the light and would seek arguments to justify that belief.

Just saying...

[LaurelinKementari]

Ah, but you would think that if you were tempered wouldn't you. You would be incapable of seeing Hydaelyn as anything other than the way, the truth and the light and would seek arguments to justify that belief.

Just saying...

But a tempered soul can only worship the primal that tempered it (and are very zealous about it, too), which isn't the case with the Echo. Even if we leave the Adventurer out of it, take Minfilia. She also has the echo, but I don't see her running around shouting Hydaelyn is the one true god on top of her lungs.

Though, that did make me wonder: does anyone know if Minfilia at any point in the story worships or swears by the Twelve? Just out of memory, I only recall her saying "walk in the light of the crystal", but can't immediately recall any instance where she talked about the Twelve as if she believed (or worshipped) in them.

[Kicha]

She uses the line "Twleve Preserve" quite a few times...most notably at the end of the 2.2 storyline.

[Enkidoh]

But a tempered soul can only worship the primal that tempered it (and are very zealous about it, too), which isn't the case with the Echo. Even if we leave the Adventurer out of it, take Minfilia. She also has the echo, but I don't see her running around shouting Hydaelyn is the one true god on top of her lungs.

Though, that did make me wonder: does anyone know if Minfilia at any point in the story worships or swears by the Twelve? Just out of memory, I only recall her saying "walk in the light of the crystal", but can't immediately recall any instance where she talked about the Twelve as if she believed (or worshipped) in them.

Minfilia most definitely believes in the Twelve at least (although it's not known which specific deity she worships, although as she is from Ala Mhigo originally by birth Rhalgr would be a good choice), as she named her predecessor research organization of Echo-users The Path of the Twelve in version 1.0, as it was first believed the Echo was actually granted by the Twelve (although Minfilia was not entirely convinced herself about whether that was indeed the case or not).

It should be noted though in 1.0 there was no actual references to Hydaelyn or the Mothercrystal at all, other than a single ambiguous line made by one of the Archons about 'the One who gave the player the Echo', so it's likely the knowledge of Hydaelyn has only become commonplace recently. Or, it could just be another retcon. Either way, without any mention of Hydaelyn in 1.0, it's only natural therefore that Minfilia and her colleagues researching the Echo would have come to the logical conclusion it was the Twelve responsible, even if that actually didn't turn out to be the case.

As for tempering and the Echo, as you mentioned there's just too much difference between the two to regard the Echo as 'Hydaelyn tempering us' - a tempered becomes a mindless slave of the Primal who tempered them which the Primal leeches devotion from. The Echo on the other hand merely grants those so gifted (this is an important point, how the Echo is always mentioned as being 'a gift'), several unique abilities that in the real world we would call psychic (and this is in a fantasy world where magic exists). How they then use that power however is completely up to them. If they wish to hide themselves away from the world or to use their Echo powers for selfish or self-serving ends, it's up to them (in fact, 1.0 clearly showed this - the Waking Sands in 1.0 was full of Echo users from all walks of life - merchants, farmers and craftspeople, including people who regarded the Echo as having driven them to murder out of jealousy, and even people who had turned the information gained through the Echo into a business. And as adventurers, we are the same.

Yes we're guided by Hydaelyn through the Echo, but we're not forced against our will. She simply gives us visions, telling us along the lines of "this is happening, it's bad. These guys are responsible.The world's existence is threatened. Please help me!" And we comply and help simply because that's who we are. We're adventurers. We go wherever money, power and fame take us. It just so happens we're granted an extraordinary ability to do so and are backed up by the planet Herself.

[Icecylee]

Minfilia most definitely believes in the Twelve at least (although it's not known which specific deity she worships, although as she is from Ala Mhigo originally by birth Rhalgr would be a good choice), as she named her predecessor research organization of Echo-users The Path of the Twelve in version 1.0, as it was first believed the Echo was actually granted by the Twelve (although Minfilia was not entirely convinced herself about whether that was indeed the case or not).

Kind of nitpicky, but the path of the twelve wasn't really Minfilia's in the sense that you're implying. She wasn't the founder or even the leader of it - just the person that was left in charge of it when the actual leader mysteriously vanished (left with little warning? I can't remember exactly if she knew why the leader left or not, it's been a while. I *do* remember her just being the "temporary" acting leader being a point though).

[Catapult]

I *do* remember her just being the "temporary" acting leader being a point though).

Call it a hunch but... could it have been Warburton who founded the path? And with her refusing to take the full Antecedent's title as long as his body remained missing? (v1.0 L15 Ul'dah quest) But with a new organization that could have changed?
/speculation