[SPOILERS] Revelations from Patch 3.3

[Rocl]

I'm unsure the specific point you're mentioning but:

Midgardsormr appeared to Ishgardians at the end of Heavensward/3.0 and the general assembly at the Pillars after we bested Thordan. (We returned to Ishgard upon his back and he spoke to Aymeric)
He's also revealed himself to Ysale when we confronted her at the Gorgagne Mills.

I can't recall any other times off the top of my head, but the first one is particularly telling that they'd know he traveled with us. Minfilia and Alphinaud were both present when we told our story about the Keeper of the Lake, so it's no surprise to the Scions, for sure.

If you furnish me with the specific appearance you mean, I could probably clarify further

[CyrilLucifer]

partial snip

As for Unukalhai's exposition on his past... yeah. Probably "artificially" given the Echo a la the Sahagin Elder, chances are it were Elidibus. I'm still not entirely sold on the idea; I'd like to think they wouldn't make it that obvious while still keeping the whole air of mystery around the kid.

In regards to Unu -

I'm not sure if I would say it's entirely obvious. You'd be surprised how many people (at least before this patch) were saying what he took at face value - eg, just being a normal skilled kid whose master knows Urianger. Despite, like, buttloads of evidence and direct use of quotes saying otherwise.

I guess not everyone is observant as the average person on the Lore forums.

[Theodric]

I'm still confused by Unu:

Is he playing us? He pretty much baited Regula into getting through the wards that Urianger placed upon the research lab in Azyz Lla. He claims this was to create a trap to kill Regula...and yet Elidibus has repeatedly claimed that the Garleans will 'play their part' which suggests that the stuff related to the Triad will, in fact, play into the MSQ's at some point. Assuming he's not referring to a different bunch of Garleans...which is unlikely. He also mentioned that Thancred and Alisae would 'play their part' in the ending teaser of 3.3.

3.4 will have us facing another Triad member, I reckon, with the Primal energy leaking into Regula somehow?

[Rocl]

Mog Dailies

So... Whei Ahf seems to imply that Hraesvelgr is basically responsible for Bard... He mentions that Hraesvelgr gave men magicks to fashion sacred instruments, so that man could join in their chorus, and that the horn entrusted to the Moogles is one of those... So... Hraesvelgr essentially taught music and that's why Moogles have magical instruments, and thus Bard?

What's more... Doesn't that imply that the Twelveswood Moogles did indeed leave during the start of the Dragonsong War? They're the ones that teach us Bard, after all... If they separated earlier, they'd not have been around when Hraesvelgr created Bard... Though perhaps I'm just reading too far into this...

I really should go do the MSQ some time...

So, I just got to this part and: (Moogle quest spoilers)

Despite being a huge proponent of Listening to Dragons™ when talking about the past, Whei Ahf specifically mentions he's too young to know of peace between man and dragon. It's possible this is just a legend warped by time that Hraesvelgr was singularly responsible for mankind's music, but it does help to cement why he was so drawn to the horn at Zenith. I'm not sure what I believe regarding this particular development, personally.

@current Triad discussion

While I firmly believe Unukalhai is one of Elidibus' chess pieces, I don't necessarily believe killing Regula was part of the great White Ascian plot. I don't think Unukalhai is pulling a fast one on us either nor deliberately going against the wishes of his master. I don't think he was given direction for his part; I think it's likely Elidibus has kept him in the dark regarding his master plan. After all, he's still a boy and has a grudge against those seeking to use a Primal's powers. It's also possible that Elidibus' grand scheme does involve Regula's death and his demise will directly play into the Garlean's role in the coming Rejoining (or whatever he's trying to do). My mind is slightly addled still from the rush of patch week, so it's possible I'm glossing over older established facts from the 3.X series thus far. I was honestly far more interested the "Genesis Expression" and it's potential relevance to Allag ingenuity and chimeric abominations. Creating "something out of nothing" immediately brought to mind summoning aetherial beings, but I feel like that's probably not the case.

Random retrospective thought:

With Nanamo donating a large portion of Lolorito's gift to Revenant's Toll, I wonder if we'll ever see it change some more?

[CyrilLucifer]

It's really hard to say what exactly is going on - and honestly, that's why the subplot appeals to me. It's showing a different side of things.

While I'm hesitant to make such a statement because I have nothing to back it up, it might be that whole tidbit was actually Unukalhai acting on his own. He admitted he was being emotional about the abuse/use of Primal power. Lahabrea's Lesser Ascians were independent as well and while they seem to follow his orders, they also acted on their own.

I'm wondering if he was even supposed to tell you what he's told you - alternative, perhaps he was, and that's part of Eli's plan. It's the whole "unpleasant truths can be hard to swallow whole" thing. Feed us them slowly, bit by bit, and they're easier to accept. I mean Elidibus is Elidibus, but even that seems rather far-reaching, even for Second Best Ascian, so I'm more willing to say he's telling you things he's not supposed to be sharing.

I'm repeating this a lot, but I really hope that this eventually ties back into the MSQ. It seems so wasteful for the Garleans in Azys Lla to not. Like, that's a pretty major plotpoint in 3.0, to just relegate it to some optional sidequest seems so wasteful.

[Dualblade]

The Garlean plot will eventually tie back into the MSQ, it wouldn't surprise me if you have to complete it before getting access to 4.0 (if it ends up working like how you could get into 3.0.) The first three hard mode Primals were optional but eventually had to be completed for MSQ purposes afterall.

Now onto something not many have talked about here...

Ferdiad has made his return, and is working in Diabolos's service. And I'm pretty sure the pyramid the two ended up talking at was near Highbridge? As well Diabolos seems to be attempting to use Scathach's power for his own means, so not neccessarily working under her like Ferdiad seems to be under him. Possibly means Diabolos will end up being the final boss!

[Laerune]

Since Estinien is no Azure Dragoon anymore, do you guys think there is a chance that Estinien might join the scions? There was also something that I did not understand so well. Is Aymeric a new Azure Dragoon or did they mean that, because of the bonds that Ishgardians and the dragons now have this bond makes them a new kind of Azure Dragoon (in name only.) Maybe someone could explain this part to me. The sidequests after 3.3 MSQ end the Dragonsong War and I liked how the WoL retraced his/her steps and rememberd the events that happend in 3.0

Heavensward has ended, I take it Edmont de Fortemps will not be narating anymore, since 3.4 and 3.5 will probably shift the story back to the 3 other states? !

I liked this patch, it was a little short compared to the 3.2 patch, but storywise, this one was alot better and I enjoyed it. I hope 3.4 will answer few of the questions that we have had since 2.55.

[Laili]

My speculation on the fate of Nidhogg's Eyes:

The WoD are going to give them to Ilberd to use as batteries for Omega to drive the Garleans out of Ala Mhigo. That particular plot thread has been conspicuously absent since 3.0 and surprise surprise we find our boy Eli and friends skulking about the East Shroud around the same time.

[MilesSaintboroguh]

Everyone complaining about the eyes forgets one thing.

Nidhogg's influence are still in the eyes and Krille warns Alphinaud that he could become the dragon's next host if he tore the eyes off the armor. If him and the WOL held onto the eyes any longer, it would end badly. Short of eating the eyes, I don't think any of them would know on how to destroy an object that has such power and Aymeric was rightfully worried about the two of them holding onto something so dangerous and there was probably little time to think on what they could do.

]

[Theodric]

Something I want to see:

Now that we've opened the can of worms that is 'Ysayle and Haurchefant return briefly to help Estinien' I want to see something similar play out between two antagonists. The relative or lover of a Garlean commander intervening to prevent the Scions and Warrior of Light from killing their loved one would be pretty neat to see and it'd also have the benefit of highlighting that, yes, Garleans have families and loved ones to and war isn't pretty. Of course it doesn't have to be Garleans - it could be some other form of antagonist.