Midgardsormr and the Crystals

[DoctaruRavenbe]

Ironic considering how badly the tempered Sylphs treat the Sylphs of Little Solace.

Just cause grandpa gives you a nice gift doesn't mean the other half of the family will treat you like scum

[Wournsfeik_Untawhasyn]

The tempered Sylphs always struck me as being merely 'xenophobic'. Literally afraid of other ones. And they want all their brothers and sisters to be these ones because then they'll all be together and safe with Ramuh, their protector. Why wouldn't you want to be one of these ones, there must be something wrong with this one and these ones will correct it!

It comes with Ramuh's somewhat guarded and insular nature. He's not like any of the other primals in that the rest attack you in a furious rage over some perceived slight or because you're getting in their way. Ramuh challenges you to a duel after you have a conversation with him. He's even so kind as to wait for you to go gather up 7 allies and at no point does he make a move to temper any non-Sylph.

I kind of wish we knew more about the original summoning of Ramuh, because it almost seems to me like the Sylphs would have almost had to beg Ramuh to temper them, with the way he acted.

Of course, I could have read everything involving Ramuh incredibly wrong, that's always possible.

To contribute a bit to the original topic: I'm almost certain that the seal was not on the room but the area around Tipsumati. I seem to recall Elidibus showing up in the Solar in the Waking Sands, but I can't recall if they had freshly moved Tipsumati making it possible for him to arrive. It's been a while. If that's the case it's possible the seal existed even before the Calamity or was even created at the moment when it was used to channel the Power of the Twelve during Bahamut's rampage.

It's entirely possible that the Crystals of Light exist because the seal was made, like a physical manifestation of Hydaelyn's Will to protect a tool of the Gods from the hands of Zodiark's minions. Not that Hydaelyn reached out, picked up the crystals and made the seal, but like they were the runoff from it's creation during that moment when Aether in Eorzea was being almost literally thrown across the entire realm.

[treuhavik]

I kind of wish we knew more about the original summoning of Ramuh, because it almost seems to me like the Sylphs would have almost had to beg Ramuh to temper them, with the way he acted.

Ramuh implies that their tempering was simply due to their presence at his summoning, a side effect.

[Viridiana]

To contribute a bit to the original topic: I'm almost certain that the seal was not on the room but the area around Tipsumati. I seem to recall Elidibus showing up in the Solar in the Waking Sands, but I can't recall if they had freshly moved Tipsumati making it possible for him to arrive. It's been a while. If that's the case it's possible the seal existed even before the Calamity or was even created at the moment when it was used to channel the Power of the Twelve during Bahamut's rampage.

I did check for that before making the topic, because I was also curious. Tupsimati is still in the room when Elidibus shows up. In fact, Nabriales tells us that the seal had no effect on Elidibus or Lahabrea. Elidibus just completely ignored Tupsimati, though, which I have to assume is because he's playing more of a long game, hoping that as we more fully manifest our Echo we'll sway to the Ascian side.

Though, now I have to wonder what would keep Lahabrea from going after Tupsimati. . .

Also, do we know when Ramuh was first summoned? I get the impression it was around the time of the Calamity, but I don't think I've seen anything definite.

[Wournsfeik_Untawhasyn]

It could also be possible that Tipsumati doesn't play into their plans at all. So why let on that it had any significance to us if our ignorance protected them from having to deal with someone with the Echo, the Blessing of Light, and Tipsumati?

Even if it could prove useful, it may merely be a case where the potential risk of revealing its significance would be more harmful.

As for Ramuh, yeah I seem to remember getting that impression, I wasn't sure if I just inferred something that wasn't there.

[myahele]

Never played 1.0, but as far as I know the aciens there were collecting horns similar to Tupsimati for whatever reasons, but they're apperantly "keys".

Whatwe know is that horns in general act like foci, for example: summoners, padjal. Tupsimati (and these other horns probably) can focus and concentrate vast amounts of aether. I'm guessing once things are setup Tupsimati will be summon Zodiark.

[treuhavik]

Elidibus just completely ignored Tupsimati (...) Though, now I have to wonder what would keep Lahabrea from going after Tupsimati. . .

Tupsimati simply doesn't interest them. As Myahele mentioned, It's a tool for channeling incredible amounts of aether, extremely helpful in summoning primals. Tupsimati isn't the only "key" in our realm either. So, why would the seal be just on that one?


Here's my take on things:

The crystals are Hydaelyn's power, and Hydaelyn is the crystals all made one.

The crystals have, in someway or another, always existed, and so too the barrier which repels the darkness. This "seal" prevents agents of the darkness from taking form in the realm of light, making difficult their ability to detect aetherial signatures, the likes of which are present in certain objects (Tupsimati).

Through the story we literally collect pieces of Hydaelyn, scattered by time throughout the realm, and, once together, allow her power to emerge.

We hear from her last at the end of 2.0 before being shown a darkened Mothercrystal - her power in its entirety nigh expended from the recent battle. Later, in 2.5, Midgardsormr communes with and finds her power waning. There isn't much left, he suggests to the Warrior of Light. So, using the remainder, he creates for himself a new form from Hydaelyn, as commanded by Hydaelyn, to watch over and aid her Champion against the encroaching darkness. The crystals, completely drained of their power now, shatter, removing the "Blessing of Light" from the player and breaking the seal that kept the dark ones at bay.


Nabriales, now able to freely enter our realm, sought Tupsimati out of desperation for greater power, as he seeks to take Elidibus' seat next to Zodiark.

[Viridiana]

Tupsimati simply doesn't interest them.

Hmm. . .I'll grant that it doesn't really fit Elidibus or Lahabrea's plans. But Lahabrea doesn't really seem the type to leave such a powerful tool in the hands of his enemies. Unless I've just misread the character. . .

Here's my take on things:

The crystals are Hydaelyn's power, and Hydaelyn is the crystals all made one.

The crystals have, in someway or another, always existed, and so too the barrier which repels the darkness. This "seal" prevents agents of the darkness from taking form in the realm of light, making difficult their ability to detect aetherial signatures, the likes of which are present in certain objects (Tupsimati).

Agreed, mostly. I'm not sure that it keeps them from manifesting in our realm so much as either keeping them from approaching certain artifacts (Tupsimati included) or from entering certain areas of our realm (like the headquarters). I think if the seal Nabriales was talking about prevented his manifestation, he would have realized Tupsimati's vulnerability even sooner. As soon as he realizes the seal is down, he cuts short the conversation to seize the artifact. It seems to me more like he knows how to check for the presence of the seal, but it isn't something he does habitually and he only thinks to do it when he realizes we no longer have the blessing.

Through the story we literally collect pieces of Hydaelyn, scattered by time throughout the realm, and, once together, allow her power to emerge.

We hear from her last at the end of 2.0 before being shown a darkened Mothercrystal - her power in its entirety nigh expended from the recent battle. Later, in 2.5, Midgardsormr communes with and finds her power waning. There isn't much left, he suggests to the Warrior of Light. So, using the remainder, he creates for himself a new form from Hydaelyn, as commanded by Hydaelyn, to watch over and aid her Champion against the encroaching darkness. The crystals, completely drained of their power now, shatter, removing the "Blessing of Light" from the player and breaking the seal that kept the dark ones at bay.

So, you take the crystal shown to be Hydaelyn and not Zodiark? I'm personally undecided but leaning towards the latter. Either way, we're agreed that Hydaelyn is much weakened. I disagree, though, that Midgardsormr drains fresh power from Hydaelyn specifically to make his avatar. I mean, maybe he does, but I think he already has enough power from the last 15 years to do that much. Before we even reveal that we have the Crystals, he says that he is going to rise up against Ishgard with his progeny. I'd say that even if we hadn't shown up he was on the brink of renewal. As such, I don't think he's ramped up how much he's taking from Hydaelyn, and I doubt that he's using the Crystals.

Also, I don't think he's drained the Crystals. For starters, I'm not sure they can be drained. Even after all the crap they've been put through, they still have energy. Besides, the only thing that shatters in our aether-vision is the pattern. And other languages make it clear that he has only sealed the blessing.

Nabriales, now able to freely enter our realm, sought Tupsimati out of desperation for greater power, as he seeks to take Elidibus' seat next to Zodiark.

That I totally agree with, though. Why stick to the long plan when you see a way to not only finish it now but win personal glory in so doing, right?

[Frederick22]

Guys, Midgardsormir didnt refer to Hydaelyn, he meaned the Agrius. He is drinking of the Agrius and making a new body for him. Somewhere there is a post of someone telling of what Midgarsomir was talking about with the WoL.

[AlexionSkylark]

Mmmm... to be quite honest, I think the crystals are METAPHORIC. You don't go around carrying those crystals, they are not physical objects that were scattered in the world. They, along with the mandala they're placed in, are a metaphysical representation of the blessing, and each crystal represented a step towards hydaelyn, your "coming of age" as one of Hydaelyn's champions, a building block of the blessing which is not in an object, but grafted deep within your very soul.

What Midgarsormr did was sever the connection. Thus, the game represented this graphically with the dimming of the crystals (since they represent the blessing, their demise signify the blessing being destroyed, or at the very least being "turned off". Note that Midgarsormr fired a beam of light that impaled you, and THAT'S what provoked the effect.

In resume? the crystals are not literal objects.