The clones of Emet.

[Rosenstrauch]

I don't know. Something like that would serve to make Nerva a more interesting character, and possibly help mend the minor plot hole of Nerva existing when Titus allegedly didn't have an heir. But I don't think it would actually explain anything about Varis's whole "I'm going to clone my grandfather" thing.

And besides, it wouldn't be the first plot point to end up just disappearing. The Ascians having crystals of darkness that enabled them to possess people was quietly retconned into being a power of the Echo instead, and said crystals of darkness haven't shown up since. And then there's Warburton's journal. The information within was allegedly so valuable that Minfilia had us give it to Urianger to decipher way back in 2.1, and afaik it's never come up again.

[Cleretic]

The Ascians having crystals of darkness that enabled them to possess people was quietly retconned into being a power of the Echo instead, and said crystals of darkness haven't shown up since.

Actually, that wasn't retconned, it has been linked up. The crystals weren't used to possess people, although it was a fair mistake for the Scions to make in-universe, because what they actually do is use them to travel between their 'home base' in the void and the Source and its shards. Thancred snagging one of Lahabrea's crystals didn't directly cause him to get possessed, it just gave Lahabrea a very easy target when he'd otherwise have REALLY had to look to find someone as well-positioned as Thancred.

We actually last saw one of those crystals in the same place we learned they had 'the true power of the Echo'--Lahabrea says that at the end of the Aetherochemical Research Facility before forming the Ascian Prime with Igeyorhm. And after we kick their ass, Igeyorhm's right about to use her crystal to ollie right on out of there before we laser her with the Eye of Nidhogg.

And as for the Imperial line of succession... well, remember that the title of Emperor was held by Emet-Selch as Solus right up until his death. And he deliberately didn't name an heir, because he wanted Garlemald to freak out and pull knives on each other. We know that the war of succession was between Varis and Titus--although Titus was named later. We know NOTHING about Titus, including his relationship with Nerva, but she was mostly considered the main competition to Zenos in the second war of succession not really because of blood rite, but because Zenos is nutsbar crazy and she is, presumably, not.

[Rosenstrauch]

Actually, that wasn't retconned, it has been linked up. The crystals weren't used to possess people, although it was a fair mistake for the Scions to make in-universe, because what they actually do is use them to travel between their 'home base' in the void and the Source and its shards. Thancred snagging one of Lahabrea's crystals didn't directly cause him to get possessed, it just gave Lahabrea a very easy target when he'd otherwise have REALLY had to look to find someone as well-positioned as Thancred.

That sounds exactly like a retcon to me. But okay, fair enough.

And as for the Imperial line of succession... well, remember that the title of Emperor was held by Emet-Selch as Solus right up until his death. And he deliberately didn't name an heir, because he wanted Garlemald to freak out and pull knives on each other. We know that the war of succession was between Varis and Titus--although Titus was named later. We know NOTHING about Titus, including his relationship with Nerva, but she was mostly considered the main competition to Zenos in the second war of succession not really because of blood rite, but because Zenos is nutsbar crazy and she is, presumably, not.

I'm not sure you understand what I'm talking about when I say "Nerva's existence is a plot hole", so I'll elaborate. Nerva was first introduced in patch 5.2/5.25 via dialogue between Menenius and Lyon after the events of Castrum Lacus Litore. Specifically, Nerva, Legatus of the IIIrd Legion, had ordered Gabranth and the IVth Legion to return to Garlemald. Gabranth had refused, and Lyon had this to say on the matter:

I thought as much. Not that it matters. Nerva is just like his father Titus, weak and a coward. Unfit to give orders, let alone lead a nation.

Thus, from his very introduction into the story, Nerva was established to be the son of Titus Galvus. The problem with this comes from the short story In Darkness Blooms the Lily, where it's established that one of the reasons Varis had stronger backing for the throne in the wake of Solus's death is because he had a ready heir in the form of Zenos. By contrast, there was no one who could succeed Titus if he took the throne and then died.

It's a minor plot hole at best, and one that could be easily filled in. I bring it up entirely because it hasn't been filled and from the look of things it might never be, as the IIIrd Legion are now the Telophoroi—tempered thralls in service to Fandaniel and Zenos's whatever the heck they're doing.

https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodes.../sidestory_05/ - The story in question

[KageTokage]

I feel like Fandaniel had something a bit more...important planned for Nerva and the third legion.

It would take one heck of a summoning ritual to spawn a primal with a world-spanning influence like his so-called "dreamer" (Which in all seriousness is almost 100% guaranteed to be Anima), and backing their war effort would put him in the perfect position to manipulate them into becoming fodder for it.

Having a would-be heir to the Empire and his men unceremoniously killed off before the Garlean populace would provide the perfect conditions for such a thing; moreso with the aid of some sort of powerful catalyst akin to Nidhogg's eyes (Perhaps that's where the Eye of Sabik disappeared off to...?).

Though I suppose that wouldn't really address the issue with the unfilled plot hole.

[Cleretic]

I'm not sure you understand what I'm talking about when I say "Nerva's existence is a plot hole", so I'll elaborate. Nerva was first introduced in patch 5.2/5.25 via dialogue between Menenius and Lyon after the events of Castrum Lacus Litore. Specifically, Nerva, Legatus of the IIIrd Legion, had ordered Gabranth and the IVth Legion to return to Garlemald. Gabranth had refused, and Lyon had this to say on the matter:



Thus, from his very introduction into the story, Nerva was established to be the son of Titus Galvus. The problem with this comes from the short story In Darkness Blooms the Lily, where it's established that one of the reasons Varis had stronger backing for the throne in the wake of Solus's death is because he had a ready heir in the form of Zenos. By contrast, there was no one who could succeed Titus if he took the throne and then died.

It's a minor plot hole at best, and one that could be easily filled in. I bring it up entirely because it hasn't been filled and from the look of things it might never be, as the IIIrd Legion are now the Telophoroi—tempered thralls in service to Fandaniel and Zenos's whatever the heck they're doing.

https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodes.../sidestory_05/ - The story in question

I don't think I quite explained what I meant by 'relationship' between the two. Basically, while we know they're father and son (and somehow I thought Nerva was a woman...), we have no concept whatsoever of how that replationship panned out, since all we've got is second or third-hand mentions of either. We might be looking at a 'secret bastard child' situation like Aymeric. Or, hell, it could even be that the fact the story calls Zenos 'a ready heir' is the important part: it might be that Nerva was known, but was nowhere near ready, possibly still in education or just a much less accomplished soldier (we know he becomes head of a Legion at some point, although he wasn't there for long). It might just be that he's not ready; and sure enough, Lyon's quote sounds like it.

The second war of succession would probably make complete sense to learn that it was a clash between two completely different types of failson.

EDIT: Although, I should say, I have a suspicion as to where Nerva went. Notice that he and his Legion just sort of vanish from the story right around when the tower plan starts happening and the Telophoroi start appearing. Since we know that the towers work by cramming tower-tempered believers into it, and we know that they turned the Imperial Palace into something resembling one of them... well, the notion that the whole scheme started by putting some true believers in the Empire in that thing suddenly makes some sense.

[Vyrerus]

Well, there's also the benchmark which starts with the WoL on a snowy field at the van of a head of Garleans fighting Fandaniel's monstrosities. Could be that Nerva's legion is holding out, basically a lot have been taken to the tower, but what remains are a resistance against the Telophoroi.

[kaynide]

On the current topic of towers and possible summoning:

We already have a lot of precedent set up with binding coil and the warring triad that show if you can imprison a number of creatures and keep them alive Matrix-style, you can essentially create a summon battery. Right now we have seen a lunar bahamut and a lunar ifrit…but it wouldn’t surprise me if there is an end goal of siphoning all of that energy towards creating Anima, or drawing Anima into our world from elsewhere.

This would fit the narrative perhaps, as in X-2, the heroes battled Anima on their way to the Farplane…essentially our Void 13th shard. Of course assuming we are going to the 13th in the future (as it relates to some of the threads Yoshi-P said we might want to revisit like warring triad/coil).

[Bright-Flower]

Well, there's also the benchmark which starts with the WoL on a snowy field at the van of a head of Garleans fighting Fandaniel's monstrosities. Could be that Nerva's legion is holding out, basically a lot have been taken to the tower, but what remains are a resistance against the Telophoroi.

Yeah. I'd assumed at one point the 'garlean expansion' would involve us siding with 'good garleans' like the Populares against 'bad garleans' to bring about reform, but it seems to me it's likely to be similar except helping them retake their country from Fandaniel/Zenos. I mean, if Garlemald is going to be a zone there have to be at least a few small towns/outposts there for aetherites and quest hubs right? I doubt the writers would just wipe everyone out. Even if there's no hub city there there's got to be 'something.'

[SannaR]

If "towns" like Wright can exist so close to Eulmore then you'd think something similar could happen with Garlemald.

[Cleretic]

If "towns" like Wright can exist so close to Eulmore then you'd think something similar could happen with Garlemald.

The thing about that, though, is that Vauthry's form of control wasn't ambient magic or anything, it was specifically focused into the food he was distributing.