Tale of Emet [FF14 x Nier Reincarnation event story]

[Lyth]

I suspect that the player character and Azem are possibly the same person, but by the reverse explanation. My prediction is that Azem will end up travelling forward in time sometime either during the events of Pandaemonium or shortly afterwards, which is why they seemingly disappear after stepping down from the Convocation. I also predict that our foray into Pandaemonium will put us at odds with Lahabrea (possibly over killing Athena a second time after she gets turned into a hemitheos), end up with Azem taking the blame on our behalf, and result in Elidibus making his famous promise to his idol to protect the world in their stead. Bonus points if the entire Convocation shows up for one last time to mistakenly condemn Azem. I also wonder if Venat's project on Elpis with her friend involving 'concept crystals' is to create the Convocation's soul crystals, which is why an unfinished Lahabrea crystal also ends up adrift in the future in our current timeline.

I think that the alternative (i.e. the player character travelling back in time to become Azem) is less likely because it creates a Captain America situation where you permanently retire the character off.

[Shookbeast]

I suspect that the player character and Azem are possibly the same person, but by the reverse explanation. My prediction is that Azem will end up travelling forward in time sometime either during the events of Pandaemonium or shortly afterwards, which is why they seemingly disappear after stepping down from the Convocation. I also predict that our foray into Pandaemonium will put us at odds with Lahabrea (possibly over killing Athena a second time after she gets turned into a hemitheos), end up with Azem taking the blame on our behalf, and result in Elidibus making his famous promise to his idol to protect the world in their stead. Bonus points if the entire Convocation shows up for one last time to mistakenly condemn Azem. I also wonder if Venat's project on Elpis with her friend involving 'concept crystals' is to create the Convocation's soul crystals, which is why an unfinished Lahabrea crystal also ends up adrift in the future in our current timeline.

I think that the alternative (i.e. the player character travelling back in time to become Azem) is less likely because it creates a Captain America situation where you permanently retire the character off.

That’s a pretty interesting idea. Definitely could fit in with current patches (:

How do we get Azem split up in the sundering? Do they/we go back in time again?

I like that it’s an unexpected move to have Azem hop forward instead of us going back. Would our WOL still literally be Azem somehow, or would you consider Azem to their own character, unrelated to us except by soul-chunks?

I agree with the Captain America issue - although it wouldn’t be a problem if that’s how the writers plan to end the MSQ (a loooong time from now). Or, if they do it sooner, the writers might have a plan to somehow alter the timeline so Azem/Us stays back in time, the Sundering happens, and we get to keep our WOL to continue playing in expansions going forward. I’d guess we accomplish this using some combination of Soul Crystals (with help from Venat) and perhaps Alexander.

[KizuyaKatogami]

I’m quite curious to see how they handle pandaemonium, mainly because it’s kind of extremely messed up to have us constantly go back and forth in time for it and having to interact with the ancients and just not saying anything to them about the world ending. I hope in the end it results in some sort of AU scenario where we can tell them the truth ourselves. I’d feel much better about not having to be complicit in Venat’s genocide plan and i’d love some agency

[Lyth]

...

That's a good question. If Azem time travels during the events of Pandaemonium, then they'd have to be sundered before everyone else. In order for that to be the case, either Azem had figured out how to do the Argos trick and it went awry, or Venat would have to sunder Azem directly.

I think that the events of Pandaemonium are directly linked to the original Final Days. The memory inscribed on the unmarked Lahabrea crystal tells us that 'the star is in grave danger'. Also, think back to the Amaurotians' memory of how it all started:

'One day, from within the earth, a terrible cry issued forth, affecting a profound change in all manner of life.'

We know, from the case of Thavnair, that the Final Days itself didn't manifest until after Khalzahl transformed into Svarbhanu. The sky above Thavnair changed only afterwards. That suggests to me that the index case might occur in the depths of Pandaemonium. One possible reason for that despair might be if someone was turned into a hemitheos when they really didn't want to be. You'd have the perfect medium - an Amaurotian soul, but with the reduced aetheric density of creation magic. Hence the 'terrible cry' from the depths as it transforms.

I think that if Azem is blamed for the trouble at Pandaemonium, it puts the Convocation in a difficult position. Perhaps Venat intercedes to administer punishment on their behalf to render Azem bereft of power, and places a traveller's ward on us before we go into exile.

[Alleo]

I suspect that the player character and Azem are possibly the same person, but by the reverse explanation. My prediction is that Azem will end up travelling forward in time sometime either during the events of Pandaemonium or shortly afterwards, which is why they seemingly disappear after stepping down from the Convocation.

But there is no indication ingame right now that says that Pandaemonium even takes place after the plan of Zodiark came forward. That plan only existed after many parts of the planet were already destroyed. I really doubt that any of the characters would be so relaxed if their planet was dieing right now.

Not only that but Azem had to be sundered too because we are the reborn sundered Azem. So they must have been there when Hydealyn did the attack on Zodiark.

The only thing I can remember is Ysayle mentioning that seeing WoL battle Ravana is the first time she's seen WoL bring their all to bear since their battle at Akh Afah Ampitheatre. Which speaks much more about the idea of breaking your limits via dynamis than WoL purposefully holding back even in life-or-death situations.

It could also speak to us trying not to outright kill everyone. After all Shiva was a human turned primal so we might have gone easier on her while Ravana was just a pure primal. Of course it could also mean that we simply got stronger since her fight.

But I guess it could also be Dynamis.