Stormblood page updated with new lore.

[Shiro--Tsubasa]

I might believe that theory but

Lyse states specifically that she saw her die iirc. If they never actually saw the body or just say... saw her fall to the ground while being surrounded by enemies I might believe it.

I'm going to have to agree with Rocl's theory that the viceroy is that female with the long pipe we see in the poster, I currently believe she is an imperial collaborator due to her clearly non-Garlean appearance but she could have the distinctive third eye underneath the bangs of her hair, the way she is in the image makes it impossible to tell one way or the other.

For those that don't know who I'm referring to, here's the poster, forgive my crudely drawn circle.

I thought she assumed her sister died. I could be wrong, but i'm not sure if Lyse actually saw her sister die.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Samurai sounds more like Ronin in practice.

While I can see why you would think that, I believe it's more the case of restless knights looking for things to do to stay relevant in a time of peace. The impression I got is that Hingashi has only been recently united after long years of war. And peace has, not surprisingly, rendered soldiers redundant, hence the worries of "neglected blades" growing "dull with rust", and men-at-arms forgetting their "purpose". They aren't masterless (unless one chooses to role-play as the former samurai of a defeated lord), as much as they are left suddenly without a direction in life.

There are historical analogies aplenty for such circumstances, especially in the immediate aftermath of the Warring States period (Sengokujidai) of Japan. But even without resorting to real history, think about the immediate problems that the Eorzean Alliance faced when an anticipated Garlean invasion did not materialise. All the sell-/spell-swords that answered the Grand Companies' call to arms were suddenly left without a job to do. Thankfully, the Adventurers' Guild was soon founded to give the restless youth meaningful employment, otherwise the city-states would have had quite a fair bit of unrest to deal with.

[Keever]

Wasn't it specifically stated that the Allagans created Omega, though, in order to defeat and contain Bahamut? The Allagans didn't exist outside of Hydaelyn's realm, so why would their creation? Does this mean that the Omega we're fighting in the Rift is not the same Omega that we just recently activated to fight Shinryu? This is pretty confusing if it is the case.

Perhaps the Allagans FOUND Omega, and rebuilt/repurposed/enslaved it as a Primal hunter?

It seems like the "Allagan origin" of Omega has been quietly scaled back since the Lore Book release. Recall that we've never been told by an infallible source that the Allagans created Omega - Eorzean scholars just discovered it beneath Cartenau, and assumed it must be of Allagan make.

In truth, however, Teledji Adeledji's aim was not to claim the Cartenau Flats itself, but what had once been buried deep beneath it: Omega, an Allagan creation not unlike the Ultima Weapon, which had been laid bare by the destruction wrought by Bahamut during the Calamity. Allagan inscriptions indicated it was created to contend with the dreadwyrm himself, and were someone to harness this relic, they would have the strength subjugate all of Eorzea—or so it was feared.

Emphasis mine. We've been told that the Encyclopædia is written by Eorzean scholars, who are fallible. We're told it's an Allagan creation, but the only hard evidence we seem to have of this is that it was accompanied by Allagan inscriptions mentioning a "dreadwyrm" and found beneath the Allagan hulks in Cartenau.

Note also: the Lore Book's account of the defeat of Bahamut says that he was defeated after a long battle of attrition with Allag's horde of voidsent-possessed zombies - Omega isn't mentioned, yet other accounts seem to credit it with Bahamut's defeat and capture. Maybe the "dreadwyrm" in these Allagan inscriptions doesn't refer to Bahamut, but to something else... another big dragon which is classically in opposition to Omega in the Final Fantasy series?

I'd love to find out the origin of the "Shinryu" of Doman folklore. A member of the first brood? Midgardsormr? Something else?

[Bloody]

While I can see why you would think that, I believe it's more the case of restless knights looking for things to do to stay relevant in a time of peace. The impression I got is that Hingashi has only been recently united after long years of war.

I disagree with the assumption that Hingashi is free. The description of Kugane literally states "Kugane stands as the only port in Hingashi whose docks remain open to foreign vessels in the era of occupation." and the trailer shows garleans chasing samurai WoL. Definitely not indicators of a free city. It reminds me more of a "occupied gem" so to speak, one of those locations given more freedom due to either their good behavior or the strategic value of that freedom (or both). Since Kugane seems to be an important trade port, I wouldn't be surprised if the Garleans wanted to take advantage of that.

[Yuella]

Red Mage seems to mix Alabathia's Warrior Art, Amdapori White Magic and Mhachi Black Magic.

[Anonymoose]

Ruby Sea
They call the place that runs it the Confederacy. Has that been in the lore anywhere before? Or is it a brand new faction? I'm sure Moose knows. :P

I usually keep an eye out for by-name requests and somehow missed one in the OP. Shame on House Moose.

Anyroad, I do believe that it's an entirely fresh reference, yes; I didn't find Confederacy or Ruby Sea in a cursory scan of the shelves.

[Vexander]

Red Mage seems to mix Alabathia's Warrior Art, Amdapori White Magic and Mhachi Black Magic.

I might be biased but I was disappointed with that. Red Mage made perfect sense to be a Sharlayan thing (especially as the lorebook even seems to suggest Sharlayan was founded by survivors of the War of the Magi, I'm not positive as I don't own a copy but someone mentioned it). Far enough away from Eorzea to avoid the Witch Hunts, perfect reason to have not been seen before now (Sharlayans don't like to share their magic), and heck, Alisae honestly seemed to be going down that path. Not to mention the Red Mage AF gear screams Sharlayan in terms of aesthetic.

Disappointed in SE on this missed opportunity. Still, eagerly looking forward to more Red Mage lore.

[Hinoto-no-Ryuji]

I disagree with the assumption that Hingashi is free. The description of Kugane literally states "Kugane stands as the only port in Hingashi whose docks remain open to foreign vessels in the era of occupation." and the trailer shows garleans chasing samurai WoL. Definitely not indicators of a free city. It reminds me more of a "occupied gem" so to speak, one of those locations given more freedom due to either their good behavior or the strategic value of that freedom (or both). Since Kugane seems to be an important trade port, I wouldn't be surprised if the Garleans wanted to take advantage of that.

On the other hand, Yugiri and her band of fleeing Domans were denied port at Hingashi specifically to avoid poking the Garlean hornet nest, so there's pretty solid implication that Hingashi does indeed exist outside Imperial control, ala Thavnair. Garlemald would obviously have a presence in Kugane, it being a major port for trade and the like, but from what we know so far, they don't actually control it.

As for the soldiers - I wonder if they are Garlean. Their armor has some similar aesthetics to it, but their weapons - flintlock pistols, specifically - seem a pretty far cry from the tech wielded by the other Garlean soldiers we've faced. Could just be my imagination, but they could also be a local militia or something, unrelated to Garlemald's military.

[ADVSS]

Red Mage seems to mix Alabathia's Warrior Art, Amdapori White Magic and Mhachi Black Magic.

I cant wait for the lore in the job quests following, clarifying even more of mhach and amdapor lore

Samurai's whole story sounds like Gintama to me. Heck looking on that page at each actions trailer, red mage just looks way way way better to me

[Hinoto-no-Ryuji]

Samurai's whole story sounds like Gintama to me.

The Samurai lore is basically exactly what real-life samurai were during the Edo period. I haven't seen Gintama, but isn't it based around an alternate Meiji era?