Theory of the end of Heavensward and the beggining of 4.0

[Enkidoh]

Wait there is a village of them ?!?! when was this said?

It's called Gridania.

But seriously, Rhykin is correct - padjal are exclusively born from Midlander Hyur who at a certain point in childhood are chosen by the elementals to serve as their intermediaries in Gridanian society. The exact process about how they physically transform into a padjal is not clear, but however it happens, it seals their physical form in late childhood and also results in them no longer aging (effectively making them biologically immortal) while causing horns to sprout from their heads, and greatly enhancing their aetheric sensitivity and magical ability. Henceforth they become the proxies of the elementals, serving as their voice in the mortal world and spending long lengths of time in meditation out in the forest with the elementals.

Also Kan E Senna was confirmed at the Fanfest by Ferne that her real form... is about the same as the other padjal (in other words, she really looks like a child), but she is in fact using glamour magic to enhance her appearance, as she was afraid a child would not be taken seriously by the other nations as Gridania's head of state. One may ask then how no one questions Nanamo's right to rule Ul'dah as a lalafell, but there you are.

[Morningstar1337]

One may ask then how no one questions Nanamo's right to rule Ul'dah as a lalafell, but there you are.

the Perspective of a Native essentially. To the players, the Lalafell appear as either kids, dwarfs or Christmas Elves (produce comparisons aside). But to a Native or Eorzea, in which Lalafell are more common than Padjal, probably don't find it as strange (thought there is the matter that Nanamo actually was a child when she took the throne)

In contrast, the Padjal are a special type of Hyur, but still Hyur nonetheless, and unlike the Lalafell usually have their adult forms differ from the children forms in much the same way real life humans do (Sans facial hair, the Lalafell have that too and as one of the few indicators of age). So Eorzeans might find it a little strange for the leader to be who appears to be a child of a race where the adules are easier to pick out, the Lalafell adults are too indistinguishable from the children for them to assume that the leader might be child.

[Frederick22]

Also Lalafells are a mayority in Uldah, and they are known to have mayor influcencial in welth and politics. That is not unknown history

[Powe]

Snip

So there are more than 4 Padjals in Girdania?

[Nici]

I doubt they would have the Padjal as a playable race for a quite a large number of reasons.

Hmmm i don't think this is true, i remember a very old interview with YoshiP on the races that might be introduced in the expansion...this was before heavensward was ever even announced, he said something along the lines of yes there was a new race they were planning but they were going to have a poll for the players to more or less decide what they would like to see, padjal was on that poll, so at the very least they had an idea on how to introduce them as a playable race despite the many "reasons" why they can't be a playable race, i'll see if i can scrounge google and find the interview.

[Ceasaria]

So there are more than 4 Padjals in Girdania?

There are A-Towa-Cant (he appeared, more precisely his soul, during a quest of the White Mage) and O-App-Pesi (Odin quest).
Don't know if there are others.

So we have 5 Padjals alive for now.

[Enkidoh]

Hmmm i don't think this is true, i remember a very old interview with YoshiP on the races that might be introduced in the expansion...this was before heavensward was ever even announced, he said something along the lines of yes there was a new race they were planning but they were going to have a poll for the players to more or less decide what they would like to see, padjal was on that poll, so at the very least they had an idea on how to introduce them as a playable race despite the many "reasons" why they can't be a playable race, i'll see if i can scrounge google and find the interview.

That doesn't mean "padjal can be a playable race" though - the lore makes it quite specific that the padjal are quite rare, and more importantly, they are pretty much bound to the elementals they serve and just can't go gallivanting around the world like an adventurer does on a whim. Like moogles, padjal simply will never be playable I'm afraid. But that is enough thread derailling for me.

[Nici]

That doesn't mean "padjal can be a playable race" though - the lore makes it quite specific that the padjal are quite rare, and more importantly, they are pretty much bound to the elementals they serve and just can't go gallivanting around the world like an adventurer does on a whim. Like moogles, padjal simply will never be playable I'm afraid. But that is enough thread derailling for me.

You have a point...but SE is the keepers of the Lore, i'm sure if they wanted to they could work around it to make Padjal a playable race, i guess the question for me isn't if it can be a playable race...but weather it should be, for me personally i wouldn't mind either way...but i would like to see more diverse races introduced in future expansions.

And yes sorry for derailing your thread Ceasaria!...ok people nothing to see here move along, move along.

[Powe]

There are A-Towa-Cant (he appeared, more precisely his soul, during a quest of the White Mage) and O-App-Pesi (Odin quest).
Don't know if there are others.

So we have 5 Padjals alive for now.

Then Girdania isn't a village for them, its like their neighborhood if anything.

[Powe]

You have a point...but SE is the keepers of the Lore, i'm sure if they wanted to they could work around it to make Padjal a playable race, i guess the question for me isn't if it can be a playable race...but weather it should be, for me personally i wouldn't mind either way...but i would like to see more diverse races introduced in future expansions.

If for some reason the padjals become playable they would have to be a different tribe for the Hyru, but Im pretty sure this wont happen because theres not enough for them , Lore wise, to start adventuring and risk their life. LikeI said earlier there was a similar thing in XI where a cat race was only playable as a girl because their male counterparts are scarce and it wouldn't make sense if the rare males risk their entire races continuation just because they wanted to go adventuring.