Minstrel's Song from The Rising

[EdwinLi]

So can anyone guess what the new song the Minstrel gave us tell of the future story events?

I know you all read it as well for possible future story content information.

[Enkidoh]

What, you mean this?



That was released here on the Lodestone as part of Yoshi's New Year's message at the beginning of this year, and basically was a teaser of how the story was going to unfold in the 2.2 and 2.3 patches. So the event has basically just referenced that (although it did confirm

the 'lances of light' is the player, ending that speculation).

[Ecks007]

Pretty sure he was talking about the second part, after that, Enkidoh.

The Wandering Minstrel even says that those are words from Louisoix. But he sings a new song after that.

Gah, now I wanna log back in to remember what his words were. I remember the part about a great gate groaning but that's about it off the top of my head. That part refers to the Gates of Judgement, leading to Ishgard. Pretty sure on that.

[Jacost]

Well, the Rime-kissed blade can only refer to Shiva.

[Ecks007]

"A growing light o'er all the realm
Fingers bright on highlands white
In an instance, a blade that smites the night.

But ill winds rise as the great gates yawn
Hope rides to meet what naught can cheat
An old despair astride a new-shod mare..."

There.. logged back in just to see what it was. XD
An obvious reference to Coerthas Central Highlands as "highlands white", and the "great gates yawn", or in other words, open. Meaning the Gates of Judgement will be open at some point. But I think that's a given with the way the story is going. The rest, well I suppose is open to interpretation, or perhaps unknown currently. Well, the very first line I believe is referring to us adventurers or perhaps Hydaelyn.

The final line.. I think of Odin for some reason. But it could be that it is referring to the Ishgardian Holy See (the old guy we see surrounded by Ishgardian Knights).

[WinterSolstice]

Gah, now I wanna log back in to remember what his words were. I remember the part about a great gate groaning but that's about it off the top of my head. That part refers to the Gates of Judgement, leading to Ishgard. Pretty sure on that.

It's for sure Ishgard. We've already gotten a view of the Archbishop of Ishgard (Cutscene shows the Archbishop on his throne, and we see Lahabrea and Elidibus on either side of him). Yoshi has also clearly stated, along with other devs, that we'd be going to Ishgard in the future. I for one can't wait, it's about time for the world to get a bit bigger ^^

The final line.. I think of Odin for some reason. But it could be that it is referring to the Ishgardian Holy See (the old guy we see surrounded by Ishgardian Knights).

I thought of Odin at first as well, but that seems too easy. It might be referring to the fact that the Ascians are manipulating the Archbishop, hence an old threat masquerading as a new one?

[EdwinLi]

Ya the song sounds like it say we may eventually have to fight our way into Ishgard first to defeat the new evil now growing in Ishgard behind their Gates.

It would be interesting if the first step to unlocking Ishgard is to stop the Pope's plan for all out war considering the final step to awakening Zordiak is to make Ishgard go to war.

[WinterSolstice]

Ya the song sounds like it say we may eventually have to fight our way into Ishgard first to defeat the new evil now growing in Ishgard behind their Gates.

It would be interesting if the first step to unlocking Ishgard is to stop the Pope's plan for all out war considering the final step to awakening Zordiak is to make Ishgard go to war.

That would be interesting, but if we go off of speculation and assume what we're getting at is all true, the line "Hope rides to meet what naught can cheat" might very well mean that we try and fail, which leads nicely into Zodiark.

That, coupled with the fact that we have a very strong tendency to do absolutely jack-shit about stopping anything from being summoned. Seriously we just stood there and watched for some of them.

[Fendred]

That would be interesting, but if we go off of speculation and assume what we're getting at is all true, the line "Hope rides to meet what naught can cheat" might very well mean that we try and fail, which leads nicely into Zodiark.

That, coupled with the fact that we have a very strong tendency to do absolutely jack-shit about stopping anything from being summoned. Seriously we just stood there and watched for some of them.

It's a problem made even worse by the EX primals being cannon in the story. The second we saw the first three get resummoned, we should have made countermeasures to deal with future beast tribes attempting to do the same thing. They can make some exceptions for Leviathan since they could just summon him in the depths of the ocean out of our reach, but Ramuh and King Mog are kinda toss ups.

Also, the minstrel's song is just... meh?... after you decipher it. So the hidden message is "You have brought light to the realm, but because you are getting in the way of every big bad's plans, nastier stuff awaits you!" Seriously? You made a cryptic song just to tell us what even our characters' already know? We're at war with an enemy we have yet to defeat. Of course there is going to be a magical arms race!

[HaelseMikiro]

An old despair astride a new-shod mare.

I'd interpret that either as 'the primal threat' with Shiva simply being the newest incarnation of it (also we expect her to drop a new horse)
or
less likely it's Lahabrea with a new physical host