Patch 6.1 trailer speculations

[Kranel_San]

What do you guys think after watching the trailer? We get to fight the twelve but do you guys think they're primals? Concepts? or actual beings?
It seems we're also going to adventure a bit more with the scions, seeing as some of them are featured in the trust.
I know the trailer doesn't show much, but it would still be fun to try speculate things

[Enkidoh]

Possible spoilers ahead

I suspect the Twelve in the Raid are somewhat akin to Primals, but probably more aetherial constructs/arcane entities, given Azeyma and Rhalgr's appearences at least are identical to their artwork on AST's cards (plus the first part of the raid seems to feature Rhalgr's mechanical tower, also from the AST cards). Azeyma especially is going to be interesting to fight, given, well, you know...

Also in the Live Letter thread in General Discussion, an interesting point was raised that it seems that we'll be fighting them in order of the elemental wheel, starting with Lightning and Fire, so I don't know what importance to the story that has.

Not too sure what direction the main story is going - all I can see is these points:

Y'shtola's confirmed to be looking into dimensional travel to the Shards (apparently without much headway so far)
Thavnair finally reveals to Estinien what they want him for - involving a treasure map and a dungeon (with mobs from FFXI's Treasures of Aht Urhgan expansion it seems).
Looks like the Forum are investigating the Tower of Babil more deeply (apparently a Blasphemy is lurking within), although whether that is to further utilize the Allagan transporter to the Moon at the top for pragmatism's sake (given the exodus plan is defunct and no longer needed), is unclear.
A brief shot of what look like three Ascians in front of gargoyle statues (can't tell if they're Sundered overlords or just the black-masked ones)
Hildibrand seems to be still trapped as a ghost in the First! (referencing his cameo back in 5.3 in the Heroes' Gauntlet)
Strange scene of a mysterious figure of light disappearing alongside G'raha, who also then disappears into light as well (Y'shtola's aforementioned inter-Shard travel?)
Also rhino chariot races in Thavnair!

I was actually surprised at just how little things seemed to be spoilerish in regards to EW's main story - probably for the benefit of those who haven't yet finished it.

[JeanneOrnitier]

I also expect that the Twelve are going to be Primals or something similar. Throughout the entire game I never got the impression that they were real, so it'd be weird for that to shift gears now.

I assume that shot in the trailer of WoL and G'raha disappearing into light will be going to the raid itself, like in some other plane or something. Though it might also be from the MSQ if Y'shtola has already found a way to go between shards, but I think it's less likely that she's already done that. I think that Shtola's stuff is going to be more long-term.

The dungeon looks like it's some islands near Thavnair.

It seems like the role quest finale will be about Voidsent? That's really interesting. Maybe this is where we'll get answers about Zenos's reaper avatar.

[NoblePigeon]

I also expect that the Twelve are going to be Primals or something similar. Throughout the entire game I never got the impression that they were real, so it'd be weird for that to shift gears now.

Stares at the Answers cinematic.

We've never gotten an impression either way on whether they're real or not. Hell they may not even do so for the raid, somehow.

[KageTokage]

I only saw blasphemies in the scenes pertaining to the role quest.

The sudden re-association of Ascians with voidsent is...interesting considering that it's strictly been the low-ranked nameless ones getting involved with that business, and largely just in ARR, with the only other incident being Shisui of the Violet Tide.

[SeverianLyonesse]

I also expect that the Twelve are going to be Primals or something similar. Throughout the entire game I never got the impression that they were real, so it'd be weird for that to shift gears now.

I assume that shot in the trailer of WoL and G'raha disappearing into light will be going to the raid itself, like in some other plane or something. Though it might also be from the MSQ if Y'shtola has already found a way to go between shards, but I think it's less likely that she's already done that. I think that Shtola's stuff is going to be more long-term.

The dungeon looks like it's some islands near Thavnair.

It seems like the role quest finale will be about Voidsent? That's really interesting. Maybe this is where we'll get answers about Zenos's reaper avatar.

I'm curious if we will be going to other shards to fight the Twelve. Seems like it could be a really efficient way of giving us a tour of the remaining shards, especially since there seems to be some parallels between the Heavens/Hells and the Calamities, as well as the order of the Calamities and the cycle of elements.

If we could knock out six of the shards in one raid and then save the Void for some extra content, that would be extremely satisfying from a lore-building perspective. It would allow us to focus more on fleshing out the map on the Source, which is where I think most of the game's creativity and appeal lies.

[JeanneOrnitier]

Stares at the Answers cinematic.

We've never gotten an impression either way on whether they're real or not. Hell they may not even do so for the raid, somehow.

The Answers cinematic was very explicitly summoning them as Primals. That's why Louisoix had everyone praying to them, Primals are prayers + aether. That was what Gaius's whole rant in Praetorium was about.

We also know the myth of the Seven Hells/Heavens is false because we've seen the afterlife in this very expansion and it's just the aetherial sea. As is the legend that Midgardsormr was told to watch over Lake Silvertear by Althyk and Nymeia, because it was actually his pact with Hydaelyn that had him doing that. And back in 5.3 Urianger set up the idea that Azeyma was inspired by Azem.

I've never gotten the impression we were supposed to think they actually existed. So I doubt this raid is "really" them any more than Ysayle's Shiva was "really" Shiva.

[KizuyaKatogami]

Where are people getting that the robed people are ascians? Their robes don’t match the design of any of them, even the black masks, their robes were still fairly intricate and had the ascian design on them. Can’t be the lambs of dalamud either i suppose since their robes are red.

[EaraGrace]

Interesting note, when we enter the Heaven of Fire it’s shown to have the sun blazing behind it (obviously), but when we fight Azeyma it’s replaced by the moon and it becomes night.

Menphina also appearing or being teased maybe?

[KageTokage]

It has been forever and half since the low-ranked Ascians last showed up, so I honestly forgot how they looked and lazily assumed such just from black robes + dark energies. I do feel like the voidsent business is going to end up connecting to whatever's likely going on with Zenos' avatar, though.

I also find it a little curious that Nero seems to be tagging along for the role quest finale...though him wanting to investigate the Tower of Babil mostly for sake of figuring out what's making it tick would be entirely in character.