Are Garleans a Type of Hyur?

[PogueX]

They can't use magic but aren't their machines powered by Magitek? They basically draw on aether from crystals the same way magic users do but use it instead to power their machines

They also want to save all of Eorzean from the primals, the scions, and the alliance but yet they almost destroyed all of Eorzea with the meteor project

seems like they contradict themselves often

[WyrahFhurrst]

They can't use magic but aren't their machines powered by Magitek? They basically draw on aether from crystals the same way magic users do but use it instead to power their machines

They also want to save all of Eorzean from the primals, the scions, and the alliance but yet they almost destroyed all of Eorzea with the meteor project

seems like they contradict themselves often

That last one really involved a renegade scientist who was then tempered by Bahamut. They don't want to save Eorzea from the Scions or the Alliance, but they do disagree with them and dislike them for getting in their way so often in their attempts to conquer Eorzea.

[Anonymoose]

They can't use magic but aren't their machines powered by Magitek?

Garlean magitek run on a substance known as ceruleum. It is aetherial in origin, but doesn't seem to be magickal in any way. It's sort of like the crude oil of aetherial matter; it's mined out of the ground and refined. It's pretty rare in Eorzea (Northern Thanalan is the only large deposit we know of), but on the Garlean lands in the north, it's pretty common. The FFWiki claims that ceruleum can also be made by draining crystals, but I've yet to see this actually sourced anywhere.

They basically draw on aether from crystals the same way magic users do but use it instead to power their machines.

The crystal engine was an Allagan invention, and is the main difference between the magick+technology of Allag and the Magitek of Garlemald. The Garlean versions are a non-magickal knockoff.

They also want to save all of Eorzean from the primals, the scions, and the alliance but yet they almost destroyed all of Eorzea with the meteor project
seems like they contradict themselves often

This one requires a bit more background. Having faced primals in Othard, and knowing of their kind from Allagan records (hence how they came across the term eikon, I imagine), the Garleans do seek to eliminate primals in order to save the world. However, they also feel that annihilating groups, cultures, or even entire regions is completely permissible if it leads to the destruction of primals, which threaten everyone and everything.

Garlemald tried to take Eorzea traditionally, starting with Ala Mhigo in 1557, but the 1562 operation to take Silvertear Lake and deprive the beast tribes of a means to summon primals was so great a failure that primals began to appear immediately (read: I'm not saying it was Ascians, but it was Ascians). There's even some hint that the move on Silvertear was prompted by a primal showing up between 1557 and 1562, but this has never been proven and SE has played very, very coy about it. The identity of the primal in the references has never been revealed. But I digress.

From 1562 to 1572, the Garleans sat on their hands in Ala Mhigo, with no idea how to solve the primal problem. Nael van Darnus suggested just dropping a moon on Eorzea and being done with it. The Emperor, growing old and having failed to take Eorzea thus far, went along with it because he was desperate and because Nael could make it happen. Gaius thought it was depraved, though - he wanted to "save" Eorzea by bringing it under the yoke of Garlean rule by conquest (which only really became possible after the Ascians gifted him the Ultima weapon so he'd stop twiddling his thumbs and make some chaos). Whether that's salvation or not is up for debate, but the Ala Mhigans don't seem to have benefited much from it, what with all the massacres and conscription.

[myahele]

I imagine they are a type of hyur, another tribe most likely.

Afterall, many of the tribes of the current races are pretty "new" compared to their older counterparts based on their descriptions

Duskwights evolved after centuries of being in Gelmorra post Gridania (about 500yrs)

Dunesfolk lalafell came to be after their Plainsfolk (South Islanders) forebears settled in Thanalan. Those glassy eyes are a result of evolving to suit suns rays

Was stated that Raen branched off from Xaela to live a life of tranquility

[VargasVermillion]

I imagine they are a type of hyur, another tribe most likely.

Afterall, many of the tribes of the current races are pretty "new" compared to their older counterparts based on their descriptions

Duskwights evolved after centuries of being in Gelmorra post Gridania (about 500yrs)

Dunesfolk lalafell came to be after their Plainsfolk (South Islanders) forebears settled in Thanalan. Those glassy eyes are a result of evolving to suit suns rays

Was stated that Raen branched off from Xaela to live a life of tranquility

Maybe the current tribes of hyur share a distant relative with the garleans? My theory is the garleans are descent from the allagans and lost their magical abilities either through evolution or maybe even divine intervention.

[Kaiser-Ace]

Allagan was a nationality not a race. Same with Garlean. The Garlean "Pure Bloods" how ever could indeed (As they claim) be descended from the Allagan Royal Lines, which it's self had a "Pure Blood" elitism amongst the Allagan Empire. The ancestors of the Allagan Royals could turn out to be the common ancestors of The Highlanders, Midlanders, and Native Garleans and thus thousands of years forming three distinct races including the Garlen Pure Bloods who, via genetic degradation from the allagan inbreeding, could have either lost the ability to manipulate Aether or simply have the ability weakened beyond use.

I'm not really disputing modern Hyur clans and the Native Garlens having common ancestry simply stating that a distinguishment needs be made from The Garlen and Allagan Empires and the actual genetic lineage of the tribal sects.

[Zephanoa]

The why has never been directly pointed to at all, as far as I know - just that the issue exists. They're just completely inept at aether-related-anything.
That's why their magitek runs on ceruleum - they could never get the hybrid magic/tech of the Allagans to work as intended.

I usually just read through the lore forums rather than contribute... but we could draw speculations based on how Thancred can no longer use magic....

On another topic regarding the armors --- It is likely decoration. I am sure that the Garleans are proud of their heritage and thus it would make sense for anyone wearing their armor to don a "3rd eye" as it represents the nationality of whom they serve.

[Xanikk999]

My head canon is that the Garleans are descended from the remnents of the Allaghans who were cursed somehow to unable to use magic following the fall of the Allaghan empire.

[Theodric]

My head canon is that the Garleans are descended from the remnents of the Allaghans who were cursed somehow to unable to use magic following the fall of the Allaghan empire.

I've considered a similar theory, alongside the possibility that - like dragons - the Garlean race is from another planet. Or perhaps even descended from something that happened to be from a different planet and mated with Hyur.

[Wantcookie]

The crystal engine was an Allagan invention, and is the main difference between the magick+technology of Allag and the Magitek of Garlemald. The Garlean versions are a non-magickal knockoff.

Garlemald: the sugar-free Allag.