3.1 MSQ Reaction [SPOILERS]

[Tayolynn]

All I could think of was, "omg derplander is his own separate identity, separate from mine own. I SHALL MAKE HIM BE MY HUSBANDO! THROW HIM IN MY HOUSE!" when I first saw him. I was school-girl crushing over him ever since FFXIV 1.0 opening, and more so FFXIV:ARR 2.0 opening, and even more so that he has a oh so masculine voice hurhur.

[Anonymoose]

Oh, man - busy thread, today. Let's keep clearing things up.

• Primals were summoned in Othard pre-1562, and are even hints that the Garleans faced a primal in Eorzea between 1557 and 1562, but it has been mentioned vaguely and briefly and nobody will talk to me about it. It's been "planned since the beginning" and that's all I know.
• Nael van Darnus was tempered by Bahamut in 1562 via improper use of a lunar transmitter. (Confirmed by Fernehalwes)
• The Garleans attacked Silvertear Lake because they, too, knew of the legends about the place and realized its aetherial importance and knew that it could be tapped for summoning. (Confirmed by Fernehalwes)
• Midgardsormr was guarding a seal on the lake's aether. What exactly that means will be revealed before 4.0 (Confirmed by Oda-san)
• The Battle of Silvertear Skies playing out like it did wasn't unusual, it was downright ironic. The Garleans sought to prevent the summoning of primals and ened up making it easier. Midgardsormr fought to protect the seal and ended up accidentally breaking it. Everyone lost - chaos ensued. Makes you wonder if Ascians moved any pieces on the board.
• Sharlayan ex Machina goes back a lot longer than you think. Even (some of?) the Archons of Old were said to have come from across the Bloodbrine (though who's to say which legends are true, right?)

[Morningstar1337]

The Battle of Silvertear Skies playing out like it did wasn't unusual, it was downright ironic. The Garleans sought to prevent the summoning of primals and ened up making it easier. Midgardsormr fought to protect the seal and ended up accidentally breaking it. Everyone lost - chaos ensued. Makes you wonder if Ascians moved any pieces on the board.

Do we know exactly when Lahabrea started working with Gaius? He seems the mostly likely to be moving pieces given his plan for Ultima

[StarDrake]

We do not. Gaius made no indication of knowing Ascians in 1.0. Though it has to be remembered that the existence of the "overlord" Ascians wasn't even known until 2.0.

[AutumnHarvestwind]

Just some thoughts here.
Since Alphinaud and Alisaie represent, in a sense, duality, do you guys suppose that Alisaie will be with the WOD as their "alphinaud"?

[Anonymoose]

Do we know exactly when Lahabrea started working with Gaius?

I imagine that Gaius would have acted very, very differently if he'd been in contact with Lahabrea much earlier than we saw. Otherwise why sit on Ala Mhigo for ten years feeling that the primals couldn't be dealt with? Why let Nael convince the Emperor that Meteor was the only reasonable option left? Why accept being treated like a failure and assigned as Nael's personal attache?

The earliest I can fathom is when Gaius turned on Nael and shot down his airship. It would imply that Lahabrea came to him shortly after he was torn down by Cid in La Noscea and capitalized on his helplessness and rage at being relegated to Darnus' lapdog. However, I don't think that's the most likely scenario. When Gaius finally decides it's best for the Empire if Darnus does not succeed, thus quietly helping the Alliance undo him and retreating to Ala Mhigo, the only new information he seems to have is that Nael isn't right - that he's been touched by something and deceives the Emperor.

I think Lahabrea came to him right after - when Louisoix cut off the seventh rejoining. The ARR Echo of the Battle of Cartenau suggested that Lahabrea was sure that this is it, baby. Why come to Gaius before that? Once the whole "phoenix" thing happened, I think Lahabrea figured - welp - needs moar chaos - and pulled Ultima out of Gyr Abania's basement knowing that Gaius would be the most likely to embrace gifts of extraordinary power in such a way that he'd immediately use them to wage war.

If Gaius was acting in service to the Empire (as far as he was concerned) when he let us take down Darnus, I assume contact with Lahabrea was what encouraged him to immediately go rogue and invade Eorzea alone, swiftly setting the stage for Ultima's appearance. After all, the Emperor was starting to fall ill and claimants to the throne were getting anxious... if ever there was a time to prove his worth...

[Fenral]

Just some thoughts here.
Since Alphinaud and Alisaie represent, in a sense, duality, do you guys suppose that Alisaie will be with the WOD as their "alphinaud"?

Part of me wants Nero to join them as their anti-Cid, as well.

[Frederick22]

snip

All this situation with Gaius really made me feel pitty about him.

[StarDrake]

Just some thoughts here.
Since Alphinaud and Alisaie represent, in a sense, duality, do you guys suppose that Alisaie will be with the WOD as their "alphinaud"?

Given her position in the Coil storyline, that would be intensely weird, tbh.

[Morningstar1337]

Y'know I think 3.15 will have some MSQ content as well as the relic.