6.0 Story Speculations

[Beddict]

Except we've never really seen anything like mechanized road transport used widely anywhere in the game made by the Empire, for ground transport they've always gone for bipedal vehicles like the magitek armour (even the Juggernaut air fighters have legs that can walk on the ground as well).

We've also never actually been to Garlemald, or even the continent of Ilsabard itself. Think of the places we've been to that the Garleans have conquered in the past. Ala Mhigo, which is way very far away from the capital of Garlemald on a completely different continent; the Bozjan Southern Front and Zadnor which are battlefields and not cities that might have paved roadways since they are very far away from the capital of Garlemald on a completely different continent; Doma which most recently got burnt to the ground during King Kaien's rebellion and again, is super far away from the capital of Garlemald on a completely different continent; and Terncliff where we see what, a super tiny area sectioned off from the rest of the city? In fact, we've only recently gotten our first proper look at Garlemald since cutscenes usually take place inside of buildings like the throne room or the labs where they were cooking up Black Rose. If motor vehicles are a rather recent technology then yeah, can't imagine the Empire has gone out of their way to slap down a highway system from Garlemald to Eorzea, especially when they've already got railroads set up which are far more efficient. Also, to add on to what Vyrerus said, another example of Garlean wheeled vehicles is the second boss of the Ghimlyt Dark, the Prometheus:



That's actually the Epimetheus mount from Season 14 of The Feast, but it's the exact same design as Prometheus and recreated by Cid using blueprints stolen from Garlemald so I'm just using that image because it's better than trying to grab a picture of the boss from some Youtube video. Anyways, point is, Garlemald does have vehicles with wheels, they just aren't widespread from what we've seen which makes sense if it's newer technology. Personal motor vehicles especially since maybe only Garlemald has a paved road system in place for them, and if it has spread then maybe a few of the nations that got conquered early on before the Republic declared itself an Empire. Either way, we're talking about places on a different continent so far to the north we've gotten nowhere near it.

[YianKutku]

Granted it's a tank. But I mean, its locomotion is still on those razor blender wheels as an crazy fantasy sci-fi all terrain sort of deal.

Also granted, I don't think hexadrones have pilots, but they could if the Garleans wanted them to be piloted.

Something I've been pondering is how, by the nature of the story, the Garlean vehicles we see are all machines of war. (I'm putting aside stuff like the Prima Vista, which is a civilian airship, but apparently built on a standard military chassis.) We only see them when we're fighting them, or when we steal the blueprints for one and make our own, or in the case of the Phantom Train when it's idle.

Whereas from the benchmark trailer scenes of Garlemald, we see what basically looks like a burned-out Fiat. Hatchback coupe shape, not very large comparatively, and the implication from its sheer mundanity is that this is a mid-range civilian car. Meaning that the "average middle-class" citizen of Garlemald would at least have the opportunity to get one, but also that there's enough infrastructure built into Garlean cities to provide for these vehicles, in enough numbers to allow for economical sense.

I'd imagine high-class elite civilian transport to be rather more ostentatious, because from what we've seen of Garlean war vehicles, ostentation is kind of the default. So maybe a limousine or such, rather than the workhorse shape of that Garlean Fiat.

So from there, we can speculate on the rest of Garlean civilian life. How's their public transport? Do they have buses and trams? Maybe trolley cars? Taxis? A subway? It would be hilarious if there's some Garlean magitek version of the Yamanote Circle delineating the boundaries of the part of Garlemald we can actually interact with in-game.

[Vyrerus]

Something I've been pondering is how, by the nature of the story, the Garlean vehicles we see are all machines of war. (I'm putting aside stuff like the Prima Vista, which is a civilian airship, but apparently built on a standard military chassis.) We only see them when we're fighting them, or when we steal the blueprints for one and make our own, or in the case of the Phantom Train when it's idle.

Whereas from the benchmark trailer scenes of Garlemald, we see what basically looks like a burned-out Fiat. Hatchback coupe shape, not very large comparatively, and the implication from its sheer mundanity is that this is a mid-range civilian car. Meaning that the "average middle-class" citizen of Garlemald would at least have the opportunity to get one, but also that there's enough infrastructure built into Garlean cities to provide for these vehicles, in enough numbers to allow for economical sense.

I'd imagine high-class elite civilian transport to be rather more ostentatious, because from what we've seen of Garlean war vehicles, ostentation is kind of the default. So maybe a limousine or such, rather than the workhorse shape of that Garlean Fiat.

So from there, we can speculate on the rest of Garlean civilian life. How's their public transport? Do they have buses and trams? Maybe trolley cars? Taxis? A subway? It would be hilarious if there's some Garlean magitek version of the Yamanote Circle delineating the boundaries of the part of Garlemald we can actually interact with in-game.

Maybe to Garleans the workhorse shaped cars are the luxury shape. I mean, the Fiat's wheels can't even blenderize anybody!

[WhiteArchmage]

So from there, we can speculate on the rest of Garlean civilian life. How's their public transport? Do they have buses and trams? Maybe trolley cars? Taxis? A subway? It would be hilarious if there's some Garlean magitek version of the Yamanote Circle delineating the boundaries of the part of Garlemald we can actually interact with in-game.

Well... at least in the capital we can be sure they don't... anymore...

[Bright-Flower]

I expect we're probably going to have to return there at some point if they stick to the pattern of two half-zones initially as opposed to one full zone that they've been using since Stormblood.

Perhaps to learn the full scope of what their plans for the Final Days are once things truly start going to heck.

I'm fully expecting it. HW did it too sending us to part of sea of clouds and and western coerthas at the start. It's just that the second half of WCH was like, right after so there wasn't much of a gap between it.

I think it's at least partly a way to split players up in the early expansion to have people spread throughout more zones and avoid everyone at the same spot.

[Elissar]

I expect nothing less than ARR "2.0" or Silmarilion-like story development with the Twelves.
The Endwalker is unique because they will end a lore that was being constructed as a product of a disaster (1.0).
I wonder how they will work with Twelves and Zodiark...if they will show any conflict at all.
"It's all or nothing" - Estinien bro

[Kesey]

I expect nothing less than ARR "2.0" or Silmarilion-like story development with the Twelves.
The Endwalker is unique because they will end a lore that was being constructed as a product of a disaster (1.0).
I wonder how they will work with Twelves and Zodiark...if they will show any conflict at all.
"It's all or nothing" - Estinien bro

I think the msq will reveal that "The Twelve" are the 12 Ancients with Venat in the 5.2 recording somewhere in 6.0.

Then this 24 man raid series will bring us to "relive" the moments that made them heroic (and eventually achieve godhood over time) in the history of the world.

Maybe the evil thing they defeated or sealed away in the name of Hydaelyn will resurface when Hydaelyn and Zodiark are no more.

[RyuDragnier]

I think the msq will reveal that "The Twelve" are the 12 Ancients with Venat in the 5.2 recording somewhere in 6.0.

13 Ancients. Remember, Nald'thal by lore is the single manifestation of a pair of twins. Which along with Venat ironically makes 14 people that made up Hydaelyn. 14 Parts of Hydaelyn, 14 Shards...besides the obvious arc number because this is Final Fantasy 14, it's a little too much of a coincidence to not play an important role in what we find out about the Sundering.

[WhiteArchmage]

It's also funny because said twins would correspond to the Gemini constellation (which would ofc mean that they would be tied with Emet/Zalera as the Gemini zodiac among the convocation). The astrological implications of the Convocation and the Twelve is just... confusing... especially when you factor in the Greek Gods they're named after (of those that we know).

Of course, even more confusingly, two of those we know aren't even part of the dodekatheon. The twelve Olympians: Hades usually is kicked out, though sometimes Hestia willingly gives up her seat when Dyonisius is raised, meaning Hades remains an Olympian; Gaia is a Titaness and never part of the "Twelve". Meaning that of those Ascians whose true names we know, only 1 is part of the actual Olympians and one is sometimes part of them (Artemis, and Hades). And the one that for sure is named after an Olympian isn't explicitly named as such in EN (Mitron, btw).

Trying to draw parallelisms between the Twelve, the Convocation, the Dodekatheon, and the Ivalician Espers (which are themselves based around astrology) including their Scions of Light and Darkness brings me to madness.

(Amusingly: Dodekatheon is Greek for "The Twelve Gods")

Edit because I have entirely too much time and have now hyperfixated on this:

1. Halone, The Fury. She fits with depictions of Athena, as she's usually depicted with a spear, a shield at her feet, and the goddess of Victory, Nike, on her hand. The statues of Halone in Ishgard resemble the Athena Parthenos. However, her personality is far from Athena's.
2. Menphina, the Lover. Easy comparison to Aphrodite, although as a moon goddess she should be closer to Artemis. However, Artemis is a virgin goddess, while Menphina is Oschon's lover.
3. Thaliak, the Scholar: As the God of Wisdom, he should be the closest to Athena, however, his depiction is nowhere close, and his deciption as a man with an Ewer is closer to Ganymede, Zeus' water carrier and who became the constellation of Aquaruis. This would put him in opposition to Emmerololth.
4. Nymeia, the Spinner. As "the Spinner" and goddess of Fate, her counterpart isn't an Olympian, but rather the Moirae: the Fates, who spin the thread of life.
5. Llymlaen, the Navigator: The obvious choice is Poseidon, as god of the Sea. However, Poseidon is usually representative of the seas' wrath, while Llymlaen tames then as a goddess of wind.
6. Oschon, the Wanderer... honestly, this actually sounds most like Odin. Since Woden is most commonly depicted as a wanderer, so much that in Wagner's Siegfried, he's named "Der Wanderer" before revealing himself. His symbol is even the walking stick; though since depictions of Oschon paint him carrying a bow, one COULD make a connection to Sagittarius, which would then put him in opposition to Igeyorhm.
7. Byregot, the Builder: Obvious connection is Hephaestus, it even makes some sense as Zeus (or in some versions, Hera) throwing him off Olympus and him landing in a volcano where he learned the craft, parallel Rhalgr's ligthning powering Byregot's Spire.
8. Rhalgr the Destroyer, considering the previously mentioned lighting bolts, the obvious connection would be Zeus, considering Rhalgr is depicted as an elder man with a beard, he also fits Zeus' depictions. Thankfully, he doesn't seem to be the leader of the Twelve.
9. Azeyma, the Warden... as a Sun Goddess, her counterpart would be Apollo. But Azeyma is a woman commonly depicted with a fan, while Apollo is a god of Archery and Music. She IS the sister of Menphina the Moon Goddess, However, see Menphina above...
10. Nald'thal, their rule of the Underworld begets Hades, but their nature as twins brings to mind Castor and Pollux, the Gemini constellation. And, mentioned above, putting them in opposition to Emet Selch... so that fits a little TOO well...
11. Nophica, the Matron, would be closer to Demeter as Goddess of the Harvest, her symbol is the sickle, while Nophica's is the scythe. Demeter is also known as the Mother of Persephone, Hades' wife. Which also fits her Matron name.
12. Althyk, the god of Time... actually sort of fits Chronos better, as the personification of time. however, Althyk is father to Azeyma and Nymeia, while... well, actually... the birth of Venus represents the goddess being born from sea foam created from Chronos' testicles hitting the ocean, which WOULD fit if Menphina were Aphrodite, but NOT if the goddesses were Apollo and Artemis

[Tensaihime]

I expect nothing less than ARR "2.0" or Silmarilion-like story development with the Twelves.
The Endwalker is unique because they will end a lore that was being constructed as a product of a disaster (1.0).
I wonder how they will work with Twelves and Zodiark...if they will show any conflict at all.
"It's all or nothing" - Estinien bro

When you say Silmarillion-like, which part of the book are you referring to? There are some things I’d enjoy seeing referenced in Endwalker, but there are also some things it would be nice to not have happen after working so hard to keep these people saved.