Tales from the Calamity Lore Discussion

[myahele]

Kinda disappointed that the hyur wasnt Dunstan. Anyways, I knew that was gonna happen.

[Enkidoh]

That's an unsubstantiated assumption. They don't even mention the bright flash of light. The three stories happen in the course of a week and a biggest question at the time would be to wonder when Bahamut would strike next and where nor do they revisit Bahamut's demise. There's something fishy going on here.

There's actually nothing fishing going on - you have to view those stories in context with information that has already been mentioned in game. During the level 15 envoy quests Merlwyb mentions what happened to her during the Battle of Carteneau, and how there was a "bright flash" and the next thing she knew she was alone on the 'still flaming battlefield':

Merlwyb: "Hmm... a memorial service to remember the fallen."
Merlwyb: "Seven hells... has it been five years?"
Merlwyb: "Five years since the Empire sought to wrest Eorzea from our grasp..."
Merlwyb: "It was in answer to the imperial threat that the city-states formed the Grand Companies, and forged the Eorzean Alliance anew. But Garlemald was not content to wager all on a simple contest of martial might. They had other plans - the Meteor Project."
Merlwyb: "Legatus Nael van Darnus - hells take him - intended to 'cleanse' our realm by snatching the lesser moon Dalamud from the heavens and casting it down upon our heads. Desperate to prevent this lunatic scheme, we marched our forces to the Carteneau Flats and there met the VIIth Imperial Legion in battle."
Merlwyb: "Never have I seen a fight like the Battle of Carteneau - and I have full seen many."
Merlwyb: "But though we gave no quarter, spared not one onze of effort... we could not prevent what followed."
Merlwyb: "From inside the shell of Dalamud came a winged nightmare - a dragon the size of a bloody city. 'Twas the elder Primal Bahamut, bent on making an eighth hell of Eorzea."
Merlwyb: "In the space of a breath, the legions of the Empire were set aflame, while our own armies fared little better. 'Twas if the whole world was burning.... Words cannot well describe the scene."
Merlwyb: "And yet... by some miracle, a few among us were spared."
Merlwyb: "Even as I steeled myself for death, a blinding white light enveloped me, robbing me of my senses."
Merlwyb: "When I regained them, the dragon was gone, and the still-smouldering land was warped beyond all knowing."
Merlwyb: "Were Archon Louisoix still with us, he would doubtless shed some light on these unfathomable happenings. Alas, he is not, and I fear we would want his wisdom in the days to come."

I admit, if I had been in her shoes I would have been more concerned with trying to find as many survivors as possible too to worry about a dragon who was clearly nowhere to be seen.

[Toranja]

We are not talking about the main scenario. The topic is about the five short stories about the Calamity. No matter what anyone assumes, in those short stories there is no mention of Bahamut's fate, the star of the battle. That is simply bizarre.

I admit, if I had been in her shoes I would have been more concerned with trying to find as many survivors as possible too to worry about a dragon who was clearly nowhere to be seen.

I'm very well acquainted with the "What do we do now? We bury the dead and heal the living" motto. And yet, over the week or so these stories transpire, the weapon that kill the remaining survivors and obliterate your town gets no mention. Any commander would definitely be more worried about the enemy he cannot see.

What makes you think Bahamut simply dissolved into the aether?

[FJerome]

A Hearer.

I don't think a mere Hearer's protests would be trusted over the word of the Elder Seedseer, if the elementals had meant for them to get uppity they would have given them horns and a growth hormone problem.

It'd need at least one of the other Padjal to disagree with her to cause any real issues.

[Mysteltain]

We are not talking about the main scenario. The topic is about the five short stories about the Calamity. No matter what anyone assumes, in those short stories there is no mention of Bahamut's fate, the star of the battle. That is simply bizarre.

I'm expecting one of these last two stories to talk about Bahamut more in-depth. So far, we have stories for the three City-State leaders, and theirs largely deals with their own individual issues both on the battlefield and at home, which makes sense. Their main concerns should be, first and foremost, the well-being of their people, and the stories we have definitely deal with that. Out of the remaining characters I can think of for a story (ie, people who were either there or were connected to it in some way)...

-Minfillia
-Louisoix
-Gaius
-Lahabrea

...I can easily see Louisoix and Lahabrea (if they're give a story) talking about Bahamut. Minfilla's would most likely deal with the adventurers and worrying about Louisoix. And Gaius' would probably be about... I don't know, actually. He was strictly an observer of the battle, so probably musing about the events taking place. Personally, I'm leaning more towards Minfillia and Louisoix being the last two, although seeing Gaius' perspective would be interesting.

[RickiFake02]

I think #4 will be Raubahn. If not, he'll certainly be the 5th one.

[Falen]

Probably Raubahn and Minfillia.
Though I could also see Minfillia and a sort of "Aftermath Report".
It feels to me like these stories could just as easily be in-game news articles of sorts.

[ruskie]

And it's Minfillia. Damn good tales so far... I want more...

[TinyRedLeaf]

It's probably just me, but I swear each story is better than the last, reviving my desire to return full-time to the game.

Here's hoping that, sometime in the future, S-E would compile these tales into an art book or compendium, not just for Japanese fans, but for an international audience as well.

I'm thrilled to learn more about the backstory behind the Path of the Twelve and, more importantly, the circumstances that led to the merging of the Path with the Circle of Knowing. And it's especially exciting to learn at last of how the coming "the Adventurer" was foretold, because it generates further ideas on how I can mesh Lyland's backstory with canonical lore.

All-in-all, these tales have been a treasure trove of inspiration for RP-players.

[Anonymoose]

I wonder what the next one is going to be. I figured we'd get Raubahn and then a big info-laden Minfilia one... but exactly what I expected their big finisher to be was released today and there's still one to go! Maybe they're skipping the Flame General since we already know what he was up to on the battlefield and he leads under Nanamo whereas the other two lead their cities directly. Surely they'd save the best for last, no? ... Could we be about to get one for Louisoix!? Though, part of me hopes that SE took the opportunity to go dark side and have the last one be from an Ascian perspective...

One thing I noticed about today's - it says Minfilia gained the echo one year before her 18th nameday, which makes it 1567 of the Sixth Astral Era. I'd always assumed she was one of the first who got it in 1562 with the starshower (during which they make note that "the echo has sounded"). I thought that was why they kept mentioning that Minfilia was "one of the few survivors of the Fall of the Keeper," which I took to mean she was in Mor Dhona during the Battle of Silvertear Skies. I wonder what the significance of that was, then, if there was any.