Revelations from Fan Festival Around the World 2021

[NorthernLadMSP]

OMG and they are adding female Hrothgar, just at a later time!!!

[Drkdays]

Believe it when I see it...

[myahele]

Anybody know who the person on top is? Could it be a new character?

[Fenral]

Unukalhai? It was pointed out to me that they're holding a mask, and the colors are right.


On an unrelated note, I will probably stay cat, but my 1.0 alt is definitely going bunny (he's the one with the tattoo, anyway).

[Enkidoh]

I'm going to just throw out Moenbrdya because at this stage nothing is surprising me. :P

Or Minfilia avatar Mk XVI.

[JeanneOrnitier]

I'm guessing Venat.

[Rosenstrauch]

My money is on Venat, with an infinitesimal chance of it being Minfilia. Which is to say I'd really like it to be Minfilia, but that ship sailed, sunk, got pulled out of the sea, sailed, and sunk again. I don't particularly expect them to try a second (third?) time.

What's more interesting to me is that Zenos is in the lineup there alongside the Scions. That could be because he's a villain in Endwalker, but then it's strange that Fandaniel is a no show.

[Theodric]

What's more interesting to me is that Zenos is in the lineup there alongside the Scions. That could be because he's a villain in Endwalker, but then it's strange that Fandaniel is a no show.

Yotsuyu and Fordola were on the Stormblood art, I believe. Emet-Selch was on the Shadowbringers art as well. I'm reluctant to read too much into the placement of the characters at the moment - there's a good chance we'll meet a lot of important ones that aren't featured such as whoever is left leading Garlemald and whoever is in charge of Radz-at-Han. There's only so much room though.

As for Fandaniel, it's implied he has a 'secret'. So maybe that plays into why he's not being shown.

[Tracewood]

My money is on Venat, with an infinitesimal chance of it being Minfilia. Which is to say I'd really like it to be Minfilia, but that ship sailed, sunk, got pulled out of the sea, sailed, and sunk again. I don't particularly expect them to try a second (third?) time.

What's more interesting to me is that Zenos is in the lineup there alongside the Scions. That could be because he's a villain in Endwalker, but then it's strange that Fandaniel is a no show.

Going to take a very wild guess that by the end of Endwalker Zenos calls for a very unlikely alliance because his plans went up in smoke and he's fixated on revenge so it's a truce of sorts. Fandaniel embodies the loyal servant turned mega villain trope just by the way he acts. Hey, if it worked for Kefka...

Also I've seen this trope in other media. I think Obito from Naruto was this. And Palpatine from StarWars though played far more straight.

[Cilia]

Was busy with D&D and didn't see the point in doing a play by play on the Opening Keynote, so I'll just go all at once.

Full trailer as expected, as expected it's very pretty. None of the Scions will be sidelined. Hordes of Terminus monsters showing up all over the world. Estinien fighting alongside Vrtra in Coerthas / Dravania, Thancred and Urianger in Radz-at-Han, and Y'shtola and G'raha in Sharlayan. Sharlayan continues its policy of nonintervention and isolationism, confident it will survive. Derplander last shown on the moon, striking down what appears to be a gigantic version of "The First Beast" from the Amaurot dungeon.

New Job is the scythe-wielding melee DPS "Reaper," which in addition to the scythe draws power from the Void and even calls on a familiar from it. The overall look and feel seems to be a massive homage to Bloodborne (specifically Gehrman). Zenos will be switching to this Job instead of the PC, and his gunscythe looks like a god-damned God Arc from God Eater.

[Old] Sharlayan confirmed to be the main hub city, featuring lots of Greek architecture. Alphinaud and Alisae's father Fourchenalt is supposed to play a big role in the story. Interesting there's so much Greek inspiration, given how there are tentative Greek ties to Amaurot though their names. The spiraling shell design, seen at the end of Akademia Anyder and used as Sharlayan's emblem, continues to appear, again suggesting a link between the two.

The first of two newly detailed areas is Labyrinthos, a subterranean city using a projected sky and false sun. I believe the architecture was Greek (re: Sharlayan), but I'll need to review it. Without NPCs it's hard to tell what the location's like, but I'm interested.

The second is Mare Lamentorum; here "Mare" probably refers to an astronomical definition of the word, which is "a large, level basalt plain on the surface of the moon, appearing dark by contrast with highland areas." "Lamentorum" is derived from "lament," "lamentation" etc., and shouldn't need a great deal of explanation. The location has Amaurotine architecture, and appears to be maintained by a race of small rabbitfolk named "Loporrits," more than likely a reference to the Namingways of IV.

A third location was teased, and appears to be a floating city akin to the Kingdom of Zeal from Chrono Trigger.

All of these locations, except for the third unnamed location, were given detailed looks at how they're going to appear in-game. Further runthroughs of Radz-at-Han and Old Sharlayan were also given to show off those locations as well.

A new take on the Magus Sisters will be part of the story, though they appear to be based in Thavnair.

The new Alliance raid is "Myths of the Realm," and will be exploring the Twelve.

Showcasing new dungeons, one of which looks very similar to the Pandaemonium artwork, one of which heavily implies Doom / Phantom Train.

Bunny femboys Male Viera to be implemented. Female Hrothgar are in the works (re: "when they're finished™", likely no earlier than 7.0. Sorry, kiddos!).

Release date Nov. 23. I suppose technically it's in autumn, but it's getting pretty late in the season...

Key art has pretty much all of the major players (even Tataru!), plus a heretofore-unseen character at the very top. Venat?

I am still interested, but not as hype as usual. Not a whole lot to satisfy my inquisitive nature, but I suppose that's to be expected.

EDIT: HYDRATE, YOSHI-P! HYDRATE!!!