What is Zodiark?

[Enkidoh]

Also, keep in mind that our very own Pld soul crystal is not strictly ours. We received it from Solkzagyl. It was his. This means that our foundation for the knowledge and skill set of a Pld was bequeathedto us by another Pld. We didn't steal it by beating the guy who came before us and eating his crystal light, and he didn't smack us with his own superiority. He merely gave us the tool we needed to grow and prosper. Solkzagyl also didn't lose any power after giving us the crystal. If anything, he gained power, and a fancy new set of duds, between our first meeting and our last.

Actually, that's not entirely true. Solkzagyl did give you a soul crystal the first time you meet him, but when you returned to Jenlyns, he sees you already have one and demands you give it to him to dispose of, saying that the player can only wear a soul crystal "granted to you by a Captain of the Sultansworn" - the player's own Soul Crystal is one Jenlyns gives you after you return the one Solkzagyl gave you:

Jenlyns: "You have taken your first steps on a new path, and you have earned the right to bear this, the Soul of the Paladin. Upon it's surface are carved the deeds of paladins of eras past. <He/She> who bears it commands the respect of all knights of honour."
Jenlyns: "Bahamut's fang! You already possess the crystal? And you say it was given to you by an unknown free paladin, who told you to hand it to me?"
(The player then has to physically open their inventory and trade the soul crystal to Jenlyns to continue, which then disappears from their key item list in the inventory)
Jenlyns: "Curse him, he has made a mockery of the trial. That crystal you bear is indeed the Soul of the Paladin. But it is disgraced, impure. It was stolen from the Sultansworn."
Jenlyns: "The man who gave you this soul is the very traitor whom I have been seeking these many moons."
Jenlyns: "He is an oathbreaker who bent the knee to the Ul'dahn sultanate and who swore allegiance to the Sultansworn, but then single-handedly sullied our name, and trampled it underfoot until it was lost, perhaps forever. How dare he give counsel on honour, on the paladin way!?"
Jenlyns: "Give me that soul. It is polluted and I must dispose of it. When you come to wield your sword as a paladin, the only soul you may wear is that which is bestowed on you by a captain of the Sultansworn."
Jenlyns: "That traitor is no Sultansworn, still less a captain. By giving you a soul, he insulted not only the brotherhood, but you too."

Given the fact Solkzagyl had left the organization by that stage, it seems he was basically returning what was not even his to begin with, effectively stating that the PLD soul crystal at least, besides being a container for the accumulated memories and experiences of previous owners, it is also a token of the Sultansworn's authority, rather like a badge or medallion - hence Solkzagyl returning it. Besides, we're not even actual members of the Sultansworn, we're free PLDs - knight errants effectively, thus wearing the soul crystal seems to have even more importance for that reason. But I digress.

But yeah, I agree with everything else you mentioned Februs.