Ishgard' s archbisschop

[Enkidoh]

Well, if they are tempered by Shiva, they're doing a very good job at hiding it - usually tempered are so zealous they can't wait to immediately let everyone in earshot know their 'devotion' to the Primal who tempered them. Ishgardians only have been shown to state their traditional worship of Halone, other than the heretics seen held in the cells under Whitebrim Front (and those unfortunates ramble about the Dravanian Horde, ala the dragons, not Shiva).

Besides, Shiva has not actually yet been stated as having been summoned - all that was stated in the past was that she was worshiped by "an unknown beast tribe to the north", who were "very large", leading to suspicions she's the Primal of the Gigas/Giants. But I guess we'll find out one way or another.

[Icepick823]

Well, if they are tempered by Shiva, they're doing a very good job at hiding it - usually tempered are so zealous they can't wait to immediately let everyone in earshot know their 'devotion' to the Primal who tempered them.

There are different levels of tempering, so it's possible Shiva has tempered the Ishgardians to believe that she is Halone, while she builds up her plan.

Yoshi has been very cryptic regarding Shiva, and I get the feeling that she's "different" from the other Primals. All the other Primals met are devoted to protecting their beastmen worshippers. The Primal's goals seem very short-term: gather more followers and kill their enemies. Shiva, Ramuh possibly as well, seem to be playing a long-term game. If she has tempered the archbishop, the she has done it in away that isn't obvious. She wants to remain hidden and steer Ishgard from the shadows. Since Ishgard is fighting the dragons, it's reasonable to assume that the dragons are a threat to her plan. I'm getting a vibe that Shiva is being built up as the next "big bad" after Gaius.

[Morningstar1337]

snip

Then I can see Ishgard declaring war in the rest of Eorzea. a fantasy version of the War on Terror perhaps? Oh and an Enemy Mine with the Empire.

[Xmbei]

Then I can see Ishgard declaring war in the rest of Eorzea. a fantasy version of the War on Terror perhaps? Oh and an Enemy Mine with the Empire.

Well Yoshi hinted prerelease that Ishgard will be more of a battlefield location and not a straight up city. I cant find interview now but it was last year sometime.

[Catapult]

other than the heretics seen held in the cells under Whitebrim Front (and those unfortunates ramble about the Dravanian Horde, ala the dragons, not Shiva).

Now this is an excellent point. The heretics certainly exhibit the traits typical of the heavily-tempered.
Thus far we have only seen symptoms of the lightly-tempered amongst Ishgardian behaviour, which is difficult to distinguish from conventional zealotry. Could this be due to remaining outside the Gates of Judgement?

I had an earlier theory that thought Shiva may be the primal of the dragons. That's still plausible, though I still think her being summoned as Halone is more probable, playing the long-term game with the Holy See as discussed by others.

[Kyan]

Now this is an excellent point. The heretics certainly exhibit the traits typical of the heavily-tempered.

My only concern there is that, many sources of dialogue suggest that people are behaving that way because of excessive torture. Some of them may be heretics, some may just be saying anything at all because they've been broken physically and mentally.