Revelations from Patch 4.5

[Crushnight]

More Varis and Solus

So was Varis's father murdered for the sake of making the civil war happen since it was by design to meant to happen sort of like a backup plan should the empire not create sufficient enough chaos for a calamity, Varis seemed particulary angered by this rightfully so but does make me wonder why he would follow the ascians plan at all even just trying to use it against them i have to agree with Theo this seems like their is something else on his agenda.

as for the flood of light black rose certainly seems like it will be invovled in some way we just don't know the catalyst yet do we unintentionally set it off or is their another force that is going to come into play time will tell.

[Iscah]

MSQ-ish...

Spoilery speculation:

Ever since I read the dialogue about Ultima The High Seraph and how Hydaelyn somehow sealed her away some unknown time ago, I've been thinking that there has been a major missed opportunity to place Seraph Ultima not in Ivalice in Othard, but instead deep under Silvertear Lake.

We've had all this hinting from Koji Fox about how there was originally supposed to be something else that was sealed in Silvertear that Midgardsormr was guarding, apart from the aether nexus, that was to play into the 1.0 storyline. We've had questions about why Midgardsormr roused for the Garleans, but not, say, the Allagans or Omega. We've seen the dialogue linking the Ultima spell with the Ultima Seraph.

Placing Seraph Ultima under Silvertear Lake would solve so many of these dangling plot threads. It gives a solid reason for Hydaelyn to want someone to guard the seal. Midgardsormr roused for the Garleans because the Garleans are descended from Ivalice and Goug, and so plausibly had knowledge of Ultima (he probably would not know that the legends of Seraph Ultima would be lost in the interim). Ultima the spell could now be used in the Praetorium, after Midgardsormr was KOed fifteen years ago, because the seal is broken.

The timeline might be wonky with respect to Ramza and Delita and all, but that can be explained by Seraph Ultima being awakened from time to time and needing to be sealed away again, but never achieving her full power due to Midgardsormr standing guard. Midgardsormr might have been concentrating on stopping the Ascians from using Ultima's power (both spell and Seraph), which applies to the Garlean Empire, but might not apply to the mortal politics and wars of the Zodiac Braves.

Sadly, I can't think of a way to transport the Ivalice setting of Seraph Ultima to Aldenard, without going into handwavey "spatial anomalies mean we enter in Orbonne but exit in Silvertear".

Could there be something similar in play with Kuribu? They are similarly "angelic beings from another plane" and she's going to come into the story somehow...

People have commented before that the landscape in the 5.0 trailer (where Kuribu appears) could be Mor Dhona.

Suppose she's the one under Silvertear Lake, and is going to somehow be set free?

[Iscah]

Custom deliveries!

Adkiragh has officially won "best thing about patch 4.5".



Also I might have just worked out why he had to go into hiding at the other end of the continent....


But on a more serious note, I noticed he swears by Azim rather than Nhaama, but I thought it was just the Oronir that worshipped Azim? (Though I'm a bit foggy on all the Xaela tribes.)

[Sylvain]

So... regarding the 24man raid

During the third boss, what's up with environnement that seems to bath in light and the quote "it feels like we're in a different dimension"? Did we somehow move to the first shard briefly?

[DamianFatale]

Based on my experiences in the msq, I believe that the Garleans are luring us into a trap, so that they can unleash the black rose on our armies.

As for Ivalice, Im excited to see where the new map reveals take us, and how the Vana, and Veena Viera will look. It's also interesting that the Alliance is trying to work with Dalmasca now.

[Dualblade]

So by this point everyone has said quite a bit about the patch so I'll put some thoughts for something else.

Ivalice

Specifically the Viera. After completing the raid you can talk to the Dramaturge to learn more about the Viera. One of the subjects he talks about is the difference between how males and females work in the forest and that, due to their solitary nature, we will be unlikely to EVER see a male Viera. To the point of almost saying its impossible. I wonder if this is basically saying we won't be getting Male Viera in character creation as certain leakers seem to claim. Course it could also be changed easily if you ARE playing a male Viera, or Viera in general.

On the MSQ

I'm throwing my hat in on Varis not actually being Varis but Solus shape-shifting to him. I'll also say that if Solus is doing things behind Elidibus's back it will eventually be revealed that Elidibus was aware of atleast most of his actions the whole time and has been accounting for them. Unless Lahabrea somehow comes back Elidibus will be our final Ascian boss and so far has shown himself to be the most intelligent.

As for the WoL possibly causing a flood of light in the source? I'm still not feeling it. So far there simply haven't been any actual consequences involving Light, only actions/reactions from dark sources. I'm hoping Part 2 shows actual reason for us to become a WoD because it just seems weird right now, even more so since we already know defeating the Garlean Empire and the Ascians will STILL be a main goal as a WoD.

[Haxaan]

MSQ - Am I the only one who is wondering?

Am I the only one who is wondering what is going on with Unukalhai this entire time? He is still standing in the Solar, a doors reach away from anyone to talk to, yet nothing. People's souls are being stolen from bodies, Asians are on the rise and the balance between light and dark is teetering on the edge, yet no one thinks it a good idea to discuss what's going on with him? It just seems odd to me. He may have some insight as to what is going on, or at least be able to help look for an answer. I wonder if this is an oversight and if he will be brought in in the next part of the story, or if he has been completely forgotten about after HW. So far he has spent the entire expansion in the Solar twiddling his thumbs.

[Crushnight]

MSQ - Am I the only one who is wondering?

Am I the only one who is wondering what is going on with Unukalhai this entire time? He is still standing in the Solar, a doors reach away from anyone to talk to, yet nothing. People's souls are being stolen from bodies, Asians are on the rise and the balance between light and dark is teetering on the edge, yet no one thinks it a good idea to discuss what's going on with him? It just seems odd to me. He may have some insight as to what is going on, or at least be able to help look for an answer. I wonder if this is an oversight and if he will be brought in in the next part of the story, or if he has been completely forgotten about after HW. So far he has spent the entire expansion in the Solar twiddling his thumbs.

gotta love /10char

my guess he hasn't been brought in is because he is purely in the Warring triad arc and they would have to reintroduce him in case people haven't done that storyline clearly the devs don't want to yet

[Brightamethyst]

MSQ - Am I the only one who is wondering?

Am I the only one who is wondering what is going on with Unukalhai this entire time? He is still standing in the Solar, a doors reach away from anyone to talk to, yet nothing. People's souls are being stolen from bodies, Asians are on the rise and the balance between light and dark is teetering on the edge, yet no one thinks it a good idea to discuss what's going on with him? It just seems odd to me. He may have some insight as to what is going on, or at least be able to help look for an answer. I wonder if this is an oversight and if he will be brought in in the next part of the story, or if he has been completely forgotten about after HW. So far he has spent the entire expansion in the Solar twiddling his thumbs.

That's been bugging the hell out of me since SB launch.

The writers' refusal to use certain side story pieces in MSQ is incredibly frustrating. Unukalhai is an official member of the Scions, and one of the few with the Echo. that seems like it should be pretty damn important but since WT is technically sidequest he's not in the MSQ at all. I know they don't want to leave out people who didn't do the WT quests, but come on.

Back on topic... While there are still unanswered questions from this round of MSQ, my big one is:

What exactly have we been doing that's creating an excess of light? Especially considering the world is still in a pretty bad place. Almost everything we do is reactionary in an attempt to restore balance. Primal summoned? We kill it. Ascian causing trouble? We sort it out, etc. What are we doing wrong? Are we saving too many lives, stopping too many wars, giving people too much hope? What exactly is the problem?

[GenBroadaxe]

Back on topic... While there are still unanswered questions from this round of MSQ, my big one is:

What exactly have we been doing that's creating an excess of light? Especially considering the world is still in a pretty bad place. Almost everything we do is reactionary in an attempt to restore balance. Primal summoned? We kill it. Ascian causing trouble? We sort it out, etc. What are we doing wrong? Are we saving too many lives, stopping too many wars, giving people too much hope? What exactly is the problem?

That's been the main thing on my mind too the further we get into the story.

The Ascian's (especially Elidibus) go on about balance and things being thrown out of whack due to our actions. I don't see how this can be remotely true given that at the end of the day their idea of "balance" is their god being reborn and in control of things. Lahabrea specifically says that Hydaelyn's influence must be burned out and it's noted repeatedly that Hydaelyn's influence has gotten weaker and weaker which seems to directly contradict this whole "balance" idea.

After seeing Solus' little aside about somehow using the Light with Black Rose, I'm wordering if light and dark aren't so much balances on a scale, but a mingling of agnostic energy that can be used as a resource by whoever figures out how. Because that line makes it sound that anyone with the know how can tap into light or dark energy regardless of who they support in the Zodiark/Hydaelyn battle.