Revelations from Patch 4.3

[Theodric]

Ivalice story stuff:

(Spoilers for original Ivalice included)

It's likely that Delita will turn out to be responsible for the explosion and then the blame will be pinned on Ramza. That's...a very, very simplified version of the Final Fantasy Tactics story, though Delitia was by no means a bad guy. Not at first, anyway. Just someone driven to the edge and Ramza himself was indirectly responsible for getting Delita's sister killed as well as the sister of another character though that was more of a matter of self defence. In both cases, though, it was Ramza's naive streak that created the chain of events leading to such tragedy.

On the other hand, B'gamnan was an outright villain in FFXII, a ruthless and cruel bounty hunter. That isn't the case in FFXIV's take on Ivalice. Ashe and Rasler were also lovers, not twins. So it's possible that FFXIV's Ivalice story will have other differences.

[Cilia]

Clarifying just a little bit more on Yotsuyu (then I'll get off the topic for good because I think I've covered all the bases):

While I do think her actions in the end had positive consequences, her motivation remained fixated on vengeance - just directed at the people who deserved it instead of Domans in general. "Tsuyu" had definitely become a part of her, perhaps more than she was willing to admit to herself - she clearly doesn't want to go back to being the Witch of Doma, but knows that Asahi will never let her have the peaceful life Tsuyu might. Her actions then could be seen both as repaying Gosetsu for his kindness and as a giant "screw you" to Asahi - while she doesn't care much for Doma she still cares for Gosetsu and wants to spare him pain, while Asahi not only died by her hand but also with the knowledge that his carefully crafted plan had fallen to pieces. That Doma was spared another war and Garlemald granted a chance to expose the corruption growing within it were just positive byproducts.

The theatricality she employs before summoning, as well as the need for the add phase at all (and especially the Gosetsu phantom) all strongly suggest that she's trying to convince herself as much as anyone else that she's Yotsuyu the Witch of Doma, though. No matter what she tells herself or anyone else, that simply isn't true - the Witch of Doma died with the collapse of Doma Castle.

... that's what I'd like to believe, at any rate.

Anyway, enough of that depressing crap!

Shadowhunter:

I'd wager the main reason he's carrying around his old mask fragment (if it is indeed Gaius) is as a reminder of what trusting an Ascian cost him. At this point he's lost everything but his weapon, a good majority of it from trusting Lahabrea. He failed to conquer Eorzea three times - once before Legacy, once during, and during ARR - at this point he's likely a disgrace in Garlemald. Trusting Lahabrea's word with the Ultima Weapon, he went rogue and tried to conquer Eorzea only to be rebuffed by the Warrior of Light, marking him as a deserter punishable by death in his homeland. The Ultima Weapon itself proved far more destructive than he desired or intended, which led to his supposed death back in the Praetorium and probably burned / scarred him (notice the bandages on his free arm).

Gaius, at this point, would have little left but vengeance on the Ascians - carrying a reminder of his past life, and how they cost him that life, would be a very good reason. I think.

I doubt he chose this moment to reveal himself - he just helped some Garlean soldiers that had been shot down because, disgraced and exiled as he may be, he probably still loves his homeland. Alphinaud just happened to be on the craft. Coincidences do happen!

Four Lords

I haven't finished it quite yet (my iLvs are a bit too low for the instanced fight, or perhaps I just suck) but...

SON GOKU!!!

Ivalice

Haven't finished the raid, but thus far I'm still not engaged. I'll get to it over the long weekend.

Having to spend a modest amount of time fetching vintage wine for Yasumi Matsuno's avatar character for no real reason did not motivate me, though.

[Fenral]

[On Yotsuyu]
Perhaps. Or perhaps it's just my ego and naivete talking.

This is right after you said you were done, but I felt you'd want me to weigh in, given the circumstances.

I think you're trying really hard to find some sort of positive frame of reference for what happened to Tsuyu. Because you want there to be one. It's why FFXIV leaned so twelvesdamnned hard on the sacrifice angle in past cycles: it's easier to accept tragedy when we can find some reason to believe it was necessary.

But it wasn't necessary. Not in the least. Even with the things we learned by Echoing into Asahi, even with Alphinaud's new role as envoy, the end result is still less than what we would have gotten, which is the actual cessation of hostilities between Doma and Garlemald. Not only was Asahi's agreement never put in writing, the return trip was cut mercilessly short. All that's left is for someone on our side to find out that Alphi never made it to Garlemald and the partying is going to be cut way short.

I think Yotsuyu was just trying to make the best of a series of really bad hands. She didn't get to stay as Tsuyu, but if she had to go back to being Yotsuyu, she could at least kill those assholes who made her that way. She didn't get to reign as Tsukuyomi, but she could at least kill that wretch who used her. It's just what she always did.

But ultimately it's about what you want to believe, and what it takes for you to carry on.

[Theodric]

Shadowhunter:

I have my doubts that the developers would bring back Gaius just to kill him off again. He's almost certainly going to play a major part in the story moving forward, no doubt as an 'Estinien' type ally of the Warrior of Light. Ascians are the ultimate threat as they manipulate whatever they can and sow the seeds of strife and discord in the protest. It begs the question, then, as to how many Ascians exist in Garlemald. The MSQ's seemed to make a point to imply that Elidibus would likely not be alone.

On the other hand, didn't Yoshi-P state that the force behind Garlemald wasn't Ascians? Or could it simply be a case of him specifically referring to the fact that Garlemald's origins and rise to power was not due to Ascian meddling but a mere consequence of being naturally inclined to technology due to their implied origins and natural aptitude?

[Cilia]

This is right after you said you were done, but I felt you'd want me to weigh in, given the circumstances.

It's more like...

I'm probably trying to rationalize something that happened that was completely avoidable. This didn't have to happen - if everyone had been more vigilant and thought a bit more, the tragedy could have been avoided. I hate having to kill people when there are other ways to resolve the situation... it makes me feel powerless.

... but what happened happened, and no amount of thought and rationalization will change that. Just gotta keep going. (At least it didn't mess me up as bad as Kuo's death at the end of inFamous 2.)

Shadowhunter:

When I said trusting Lahabrea cost Gaius his life, I wasn't speaking literally. Metaphorically, Gaius lost his life - his status, his friends, his connections, and so on. He's not "Gaius van Baelsar, Legatus of the XIVth Imperial Legion" anymore - he can't be. At this point he's Gaius Baelsar, the wandering Garlean mercenary (it seems) who hunts Ascians as revenge for taking everything from him in their machinations. (Again, assuming the Shadowhunter is Gaius, which is very likely based on present evidence.)

Whether he will be a traveling companion is unknown (no bet). Whether Elidibus is acting alone in Garlemald is also unknown (presently betting yes based on available information).

I don't recall Yoshi-P ever stating the Ascians weren't behind the Garleans (and that's something of a significant bit of information; I'd like a reference if possible), but if he ever did say so it's likely in reference to the past (i.e. their rise to power). It's pretty clear they're going to try to pull the Empire's strings going forward, or at least Elidibus is.

[Iscah]

Re. Yotsuyu

But it wasn't necessary. Not in the least. Even with the things we learned by Echoing into Asahi, even with Alphinaud's new role as envoy, the end result is still less than what we would have gotten, which is the actual cessation of hostilities between Doma and Garlemald. Not only was Asahi's agreement never put in writing, the return trip was cut mercilessly short. All that's left is for someone on our side to find out that Alphi never made it to Garlemald and the partying is going to be cut way short.

You seem to be assuming here that the peace deal would have gone ahead successfully if not for Yotsuyu's interruption, but I suspect that's not the case. Not when the offer of a peace deal is an element of whatever scheme Elidibus is orchestrating.

I don't believe they ever intended to go through with the peace deal, but rather to offer it while arranging circumstances that could be blamed on Doma and then say that the deal is off.

Goading Yotsuyu to breaking point and convincing her to summon a primal was part of the plan - but one that was unreliable if her memories couldn't be triggered, so there had to be a backup plan if Asahi had no choice but to go through with the peace deal and prisoner trade.

It seems that the attack on the airship was that backup plan - and "the prince" had ordered the ground troops to leave none alive. (Perhaps even Asahi would have been expendable at this point.)

No survivors means nobody to contradict the story that it was the Domans who sabotaged the airship, killing the Garlean ambassador and their released prisoners, and voiding the peace deal.

Fortunately for us, Shadowhunter was a completely unforseen wrench in the works.

On a side note, I saved footage of that last solo event battle, and can rewatch it on my PS4, but it gives an error code if I try to copy that particular video file to USB. It seems they may have locked it down so people can't upload the footage to Youtube? I assume this is what they were talking about when they said that we'd have to pay attention because we couldn't revisit some things.

[Belhi]

(Four Lords) Am I the only one to find the fact that:

members of the beast tribes can become Auspices a really huge deal with some serious potential lore implications. In the first part we were lead to believe that animals that lived long enough become Auspices. This suggest either the beast tribes, due to their beastlike characteristics, can also become Auspices or maybe literally any living thing can become an Auspice if it lives long enough. Also makes me wonder if the origin of the Beast tribes might be tied to the Auspices.\

On a side note, they seem to suggest that the decent into madness is an inevitable fate of all Auspices. A pretty tragic outcome for them. Die or live long enough to become a monster.

[Pomelo]

Shadowhunter

My revelation this patch is that, ZOMG GAIUS is beautiful, just when you think the pinnacle of Garlean men is Nero...BAM we get this. AWAITING CUSTOM DELIVERY DRESS UP

[Remedi]

Re. Yotsuyu

You seem to be assuming here that the peace deal would have gone ahead successfully if not for Yotsuyu's interruption, but I suspect that's not the case. Not when the offer of a peace deal is an element of whatever scheme Elidibus is orchestrating.

I don't believe they ever intended to go through with the peace deal, but rather to offer it while arranging circumstances that could be blamed on Doma and then say that the deal is off.

Goading Yotsuyu to breaking point and convincing her to summon a primal was part of the plan - but one that was unreliable if her memories couldn't be triggered, so there had to be a backup plan if Asahi had no choice but to go through with the peace deal and prisoner trade.

It seems that the attack on the airship was that backup plan - and "the prince" had ordered the ground troops to leave none alive. (Perhaps even Asahi would have been expendable at this point.)

No survivors means nobody to contradict the story that it was the Domans who sabotaged the airship, killing the Garlean ambassador and their released prisoners, and voiding the peace deal.

Fortunately for us, Shadowhunter was a completely unforseen wrench in the works.

.

about the peace

As I said I believe that Asahi was not meant to return home, Elidubus simply used his infatuation to Zenos, let's not forget that he said he was the toiling bell, once Tsukuyomi was summoned he had outlived his purpose especially since Maxima and probably the whole airship cruise was not on his page. In short they were troublesome witnesses and they had to be put down.
That said I think it's safe to assume that only Maxima and the crew meant for the peace to continue since they are idd memebers of the pupulares faction, Asahi is surely just a worm and frankly the Brutus was a hint to his true nature.

unrelated about the shadowhunter

note how the cutscene with him has no voice acting, they didn't want us to learn it too soon

[Iscah]

..........

about the peace

As I said I believe that Asahi was not meant to return home, Elidubus simply used his infatuation to Zenos, let's not forget that he said he was the toiling bell, once Tsukuyomi was summoned he had outlived his purpose especially since Maxima and probably the whole airship cruise was not on his page. In short they were troublesome witnesses and they had to be put down.
That said I think it's safe to assume that only Maxima and the crew meant for the peace to continue since they are idd memebers of the pupulares faction, Asahi is surely just a worm and frankly the Brutus was a hint to his true nature.

Good point on the Populares. It's quite possible (as you said, and the more I think about it) that they planned to shoot down the ship with or without a 'success' at the peace treaty stage, specifically to get rid of political inconveniences.

And yes I do think it's quite likely that Asahi was expendable at that stage, unless Elidibus had something else in mind that he'd be useful for. But it's likely that his relationship to Yotsuyu was the only thing that made him valuable in the first place.