Are the Twelve Primals too?

[treuhavik]

Apologies if this has already been discussed, I couldn't find mention of it on the lore forums. During the quest An Univited Ascian, Nabriales says explicitly to Minfilia that the staff Tupsumati is able to draw upon a vast amount of ether from its surroundings. He also states that this was why Louisoix didn't need a large number of crystals to summon the Twelve. This seems like an explicit statement that the Twelve are primals. Yet the peoples of Eorzea treat the Twelve with veneration whereas Ifrit et al are seen as monstrous. Are there different degrees of 'primal ness'?
Also what is the 'horn' that Nabriales mentions in the same conversation?

All of these questions have a single answer, as frustrating as that answer may be: "We don't know."

It is believed by Eorzeans that The Twelve are living beings (in one form or another), out there, somewhere. But, we have no evidence pointing either way on that. As Moose suggested, it's probable that they are simply myth, similar to real-world religions.

But, as Y'shtola once said,

And so myth becomes reality...

Primals are anything that is summoned via aether and prayer. And, according to the game so far, anything--living, dead, imaginary, or inanimate--is able to be summoned with enough of these resources. Now, could you summon "The Twelve"? Yes and no. For while you could, in theory, create 12 aetherial beings, there's nothing saying that those constructs are The Twelve. For all we know, Louisoux did nothing but summon an aetherial power resembling that of what is believed to belong to the Eorzean pantheon, and nothing more.

I'll also add that, when Louisoux's summoned power failed to subdue Bahamut, he channeled this aether inward, imbuing himself with the power of a primal. Bahamut did not turn Louisoux into Phoenix, as he wasn't grasped by the primal until after releasing the aether, along with his own (meaning death), to the land. And "The Twelve" did not turn Louisoux into Phoenix, because, well, they likely didn't exist in that time and place. There's also the fact that Louisoux explicitly states he turned himself into a primal.


As for the horns--or "keys", as they're frequently called by the emo terror group--all we know is that they're devices (and there are many of them) what channel unimaginable amounts of aether. As far as we know, the use for this aether isn't exclusive, though, the obvious purpose for it would be summoning. Also, the WoL is referred to as "the Final Key" on an occasion or two, iirc. So make what you will out of that.