Quote Originally Posted by Anonymoose View Post
The Antitower was constructed after finding deep subterranean tunnels (circa 1311) that seemed ideal for studying the aetherial sea. During the 1562 exodus, they had planned to destroy it on the way out but, as it was so valuable, they ultimately decided to lock it behind a ton of wards instead. After all, if you've been using it as a research observatory for over 200 years, how long could it possibly take - relatively speaking - for a war to wrap up? If y'all end up speaking some "Venat left the Mothercrystal if 1320 and has been hanging out in Sharlayan ever since" into existence... <shakes fist>
I'd missed the given date for the establishing of the colony (from the history page) but was looking at the description of the aetherial sea on page 11 – saying that the tower was built, allowing them to open a window to the aetherial realm and "direct contact with the Mothercrystal was the next step in Sharlayan's research before the scholars were forced to flee Eorzea" following the Garlean invasion. That's ambiguous whether they made contact or were just looking into how to do it, but in any case it sounded like a more recent project than "ongoing since 1311".

Where are you getting the exact details that they found tunnels there and that they planned to destroy it on the way out? I can't see that noted in the lorebook.

Also, the whole Sharlayan history sounds fishy to me. Nyunkrepf's ark set out from the northern islands, accidentally teleported to Gyr Abania, and instead of staying in the new location they made the massive journey back to where they started from to establish a new home for themselves.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but there's certainly room for something strange and ancient to be going on with this.