New Years Poem 2015

[Phyllo]

Viridiana, so far no ascian fought us in a melee way, so maybe they're all (those we've seen) mages.

[Viridiana]

Viridiana, so far no ascian fought us in a melee way, so maybe they're all (those we've seen) mages.

Right? None of them seem to be wearing mail, to include even the ones we saw in their base of operations.

Garleans, though. Well, they at least wear actual armor. English seems to be the only one that specifies mail and not just generic armor, so I'm just going to posit that it's referencing the Empire, not the Ascians.

[Anonymoose]

Now, the renewed Garlean threat, on the other hand, I would reference as ebon mail.

I'm just going to posit that it's referencing the Empire, not the Ascians.

I'd buy that as easy as the Ascians. Many Garlean soldiers (and some magitek) are known for black armor, especially centurions and reapers. Granted, you usually see the Garleans in plate, not mail. Ishgard being needed to face the might of Garlemald is a given, and the only thing stopping them is the Dravanians. It makes perfect sense, I just didn't jump to that immediately because it's such old news. That's been the Ishgardian's issue for a long time - seems like a waste to spend 50% of your New Years poem on it... even though it looks like they may have.

Viridiana, so far no ascian fought us in a melee way, so maybe they're all (those we've seen) mages.

We've seen most of them use magicks, and we've only seen two with weapons - THMs and CNJs. I always get curious when I hear something that reminds me of this:

Perhaps you, too, have heard the legend of the Sixth Umbral Era, and how the great deluge that ushered in the dark age was in fact conjured forth by a band of immortal mages who forged a blood pact with the demon lords of the seven hells to deliver a thousand thousand souls in exchange for sole dominion over Eorzea. I believe that the false prophet Urianger is one of those mages, awoken from fifteen centuries of slumber to complete the fell pact left unfinished so long ago.

One of several early foreshadows to 2.0 Ascian involvement - but how much of that is true?

The "responsible for the umbral era" part. The "immortal" part. The "mages" part? How about the rest of that - anything in there?

[Viridiana]

It makes perfect sense, I just didn't jump to that immediately because it's such old news. That's been the Ishgardian's issue for a long time - seems like a waste to spend 50% of your New Years poem on it... even though it looks like they may have.

It's old news, yes, but the story has breathed new life into it. A new Emperor has claimed the throne in 2.4, and something in 2.5 is paving the way for a radical change in Ishgard. Makes sense to me that the new year poem would focus on the upcoming expansion.

[Grayve]

Perhaps it's hinting at future patches. The main 3.0 story is about Ishgard, Dravania, and the Dragonsong War. But the 3.1 and beyond patches will be about the now United Eorzian Allience dealing with the Empire. The Aceians remain the puppet masters, not truly confronted yet, but we slowly deal with their schemes throughout 3.0 and beyond.

[Balipu]

We've seen most of them use magicks, and we've only seen two with weapons - THMs and CNJs. I always get curious when I hear something that reminds me of this:



One of several early foreshadows to 2.0 Ascian involvement - but how much of that is true?

The "responsible for the umbral era" part. The "immortal" part. The "mages" part? How about the rest of that - anything in there?

Dang. I really hate not being around for the 1.0 times. Who said this one?
Urianger really IS creepy by the way.

[Nalien]

Perhaps you, too, have heard the legend of the Sixth Umbral Era, and how the great deluge that ushered in the dark age was in fact conjured forth by a band of immortal mages who forged a blood pact with the demon lords of the seven hells to deliver a thousand thousand souls in exchange for sole dominion over Eorzea. I believe that the false prophet Urianger is one of those mages, awoken from fifteen centuries of slumber to complete the fell pact left unfinished so long ago.

One of several early foreshadows to 2.0 Ascian involvement - but how much of that is true?

The "responsible for the umbral era" part. The "immortal" part. The "mages" part? How about the rest of that - anything in there?

That... Actually makes me think more along the lines of the Lambs of Dalamud more than Ascians... "Immortal mages" certainly screams Ascians, but everything else (bar Urianger) really does seem more like the Lambs territory... "Immortal mages" needn't even imply Ascians come to think about it, immortality seems to be the natural progression of the Echo based on the Sahagin priest... The Lambs though, they have a strong connection to both human sacrifices and Voidsent... Wonder if Amdapor Keep (Hard) might touch on their lore some more...

If it's Ascians though, then that would mean they were responsible for the fall of Amdapor, and perhaps even Diabolos? Diabolos is a demon lord, right? I wonder if that was just all part of their plan, or if they actually originated in the Sixth Astral Era, perhaps as the Eras Warriors of Light-turned-Dark? Do we actually have and idea how old they are? I hope they're not too old, "We even manipulated the Allagan!" just makes me question how they still haven't succeeded... Part of their plan was "Put a dragon in orbit and wait thousands of years"? That's silly.

[Phyllo]

I
We've seen most of them use magicks, and we've only seen two with weapons - THMs and CNJs. I always get curious when I hear something that reminds me of this:



One of several early foreshadows to 2.0 Ascian involvement - but how much of that is true?

The "responsible for the umbral era" part. The "immortal" part. The "mages" part? How about the rest of that - anything in there?

My, my lord Moose, you brought up on the table material that was long forgotten o.o

So... If it's a band of immortal mages, It would mean that the Ascians are a pt that DID listen u-u
Joke aside, if from the beginning they were known as mages it means they always had humanoid forms... In that case what in the hells was that thing?!



If humanoid appearance was their original form, it means those grim reaper guys are not lesser Ascians like some thought but higher ones maybe?

[lololink]

I don't think that ascians only existed since the 6th astral Era, they talked as if they were here since before the first astral era and they say that we awoke a little after the seventh calamity so that now we can see the truth more, explaining that we don't see them as reapers anymore.

[Anonymoose]

Joke aside, if from the beginning they were known as mages it means they always had humanoid forms... In that case what in the hells was that thing?!

To start with the easy answer,

Shadowless, fleshless, formless... What truth there is in each tale is diluted by time and telling. Knowledge dictates expectation, and expectation colors perception.

Elidibus explains to Minfilia that what you know about Ascians colors how they are perceived. To Tataru, who lacks the Echo, the Ascians are indistinct, and thus did she see nothing. Notice the first two of Elidibus examples? Shadowless and fleshless, or perhaps we might infer... Travanchet and the Reaper. In the five years between 1.0 and ARR, the Scions acquired quite a bit of information with the perspective given by the Calamity. By the time we got back, they knew a great deal about the Mothercrystal and Ascians whereas in 1.0, they knew little as of 1572 (and nearly nothing in the Echoes of 1562). One could argue that this information, added to Hydaelyn's preview of Lahabrea, colored our expectations and thus our perceptions of Ascians, shifting them from shadowless and fleshless to the hyuran mages we see (incidentally, hyurs with shadows... which I think might have something to do with the game not being able to turn shadows off for individual objects).

On the other hand... that 3D model probably took a hefty chunk of resources and time to craft... and both Fernehalwes and Banri Oda-san have kinda glazed over the Reaper when asked about it. I wouldn't entirely count out a better explanation... someday... Until given better food for thought, I'm sticking with my original assumption that the Reaper was part of an Ascian "false flag" operation designed to scare the everloving bejesus out of the beast tribes so they'd put the knowledge of summoning that the Paragons gave them to good use. We know for a fact that The Reaper and the Paragons were both Ascians, and yet, in 1.0, the beast tribes spoke quite highly of the Paragons and fled in terror from the Reaper.

I don't think that ascians only existed since the 6th astral Era, they talked as if they were here since before the first astral era

Agreed. They discuss pretty openly that they've been responsible for seven attempts at "The Rejoining."