Revelations from Patch 6.3: Gods Revel, Lands Tremble

[RyuDragnier]

With Deryk being already sad about the goodbye in the future and him probably being one of the gods I really fear that this sadness is more than just not being able to interact with us anymore but that the gods plan to die after we fulfill whatever plan they have.

Sadly not a surprise, since no more calamities means no more reason for them to watch over mortals. Their purpose is at its end, and it's likely we'll be sending them off in the end back to the Lifestream.

[YianKutku]

I would not even be surprised if the faith in the twelves gave the Ascians the idea that they could use such faith for their own plans. (It could be their own tempering too of course or maybe a combination of both?)

There's a very strong implication that this has happened. The Second Astral Era (ie the one before Allagans) was characterized by religion and worship, which led to the widespread use of magic, since the earliest "spells" were basically prayers that turned out to have an effect.

This led to organized churches leading holy wars and witch hunts. The first lorebook states that "the gods wearied of Man's hubris" and caused the Third Calamity (of fire, in the form of droughts), but that's obviously incorrect given what we know now of Calamities and the Twelve. The Twelve, in the post-Euphrosyne quests, state they do not interfere with or judge mortals, whether the mortals do good things or bad things in their name. And Calamities are Ascian-made, so the "gods" have no part in it anyway.

But the general idea that the Ascians use religious fervour to cause chaos enough for a Rejoining is already there. We don't know that the "gods" referred to in the pre-Allagan era are the Twelve, but given how the Twelve here claim mortals have been aware of them since the beginning, it's likely.

(I don't actually know how the holy wars of the Second Astral Era turned into a Calamity of Fire. Too many witch-burnings?)

[Cleretic]

Sadly not a surprise, since no more calamities means no more reason for them to watch over mortals. Their purpose is at its end, and it's likely we'll be sending them off in the end back to the Lifestream.

Except that as far as we can tell from their monument, that isn't their goal at all. (In fact they very specifically didn't help stop a Calamity when called on for exactly that.) Their purposes were basically to make sure the world held together and mankind reached their potential.

They probably didn't like when Calamities happened, but it wasn't their job to prevent them. Glaciers still exist, Halone's duty to rule over them isn't over.

[YianKutku]

Except that as far as we can tell from their monument, that isn't their goal at all. (In fact they very specifically didn't help stop a Calamity when called on for exactly that.) Their purposes were basically to make sure the world held together and mankind reached their potential.

They probably didn't like when Calamities happened, but it wasn't their job to prevent them. Glaciers still exist, Halone's duty to rule over them isn't over.

I'm guessing wildly and based on nothing more than gut feelings, but I have the vague impression that the goal of the Twelve, while not exactly known now, has something to do with how we (as in the current expedition into the Phantom Realm) are acting with regards to finding information.

They seem quite happy when they see that Krile wants to figure things out on her own, without relying entirely on guidance from the gods. There seems to be a trend towards "let us rest when we are certain our duty is done", but the "duty is done" part seems contingent on mortals being willing to put in the extra effort to really understand stuff. Doing things because we personally want to and understand why we want to, rather than because we're told to.

Which doesn't seem to have much to do with "regulating natural processes" that the monument in the Phantom Realm claimed. But there's always the third part of the Alliance Raid series to tell us what it's really about, so I'm kind of withholding serious speculation for now. Maybe the Twelve are making sure that mortals are now wise enough to take off the training wheels when it comes to natural disasters?

[Tehmon]

Nald'thal says that they cannot speak of their aspirations and dreams, and that we must find out for ourselves. Perhaps this is similar to when the Forum had an enhancement on them that they couldn't speak of certain matters without being choked. I would speculate that they either want to lift that enhancement and they can only do so by having mankind realize the truth themselves, or perhaps they may never speak of the truth of their origins without exception, and are just hoping that you might stumble upon the truth yourselves through your own wits and prowess, as they try and do what they can to help.

I am unsure where the whole '' let's battle! '' fits in all this, aside from it being PvE content lol.

[Nav_Fae]

I think the final fight of the last tier will be the Watcher. He come, take his robe off, we learn his real name and do battle. Concluding the Vanat Squad story.

[Seraphor]

I think the final fight of the last tier will be the Watcher. He come, take his robe off, we learn his real name and do battle. Concluding the Vanat Squad story.

We're going to need a massive lore dump before the final tier, because as it stands, I can't think of anything that would make the Watcher a compelling 'final boss'.
CT had Cloud of Darkness
Mhach had Scathach and Diabolos
Ivalice had Ultima
Nier had... more Nier shit

With the Twelve being a purely original pantheon to XIV, and no leading figure besides Hydaelyn herself, it seems like a blank page with no emotional stakes.

[Alleo]

I think the final fight of the last tier will be the Watcher. He come, take his robe off, we learn his real name and do battle. Concluding the Vanat Squad story.

Isnt his name Elpis? I think I remember that he stated this when he saw the Elpis flower on the moon. And since he is not part of the convocation he would not have a "job" name.

Anyway if the gods do disappear than I totally claim Dalamutt. He can hang out with Argos and both can be the goodest boys out there.

[Cleretic]

Isnt his name Elpis? I think I remember that he stated this when he saw the Elpis flower on the moon. And since he is not part of the convocation he would not have a "job" name.

Anyway if the gods do disappear than I totally claim Dalamutt. He can hang out with Argos and both can be the goodest boys out there.

No, he said the flower was named Elpis, which was our clue to pursue. We still don't know his name (and rather pointedly, even to others he was called 'nameless' this patch). But my guess, it's some kind of clever mutation of 'FuSoYa'.

But honestly, my read of the raid, the Watcher could have a really rad end boss in him. He doesn't even have to change his form, fighting him as-is would have that sort of 'fight the innocent NPC that it turns out is a badass' vibe. If he has to transform instead, I'm sure they can figure something out that's still a satisfying conclusion of this lineup. I've heard one theory that I don't think I believe, but do admit it would be cool:

He takes the form of Louisoix for some reason, letting the whole thing culminate in fighting our old mentor/idol.

[Tehmon]

I am pretty 50/50 on whether Watcher is involved. Yes, the quote about a nameless male figure who shall keep on watch does seem fitting, but the Watcher is neither watching mankind nor the Twelve. His role is on the moon and very much detached from the purpose of the Twelve, and his overall powers seem quite limited for a supposed god who is to stand guard over his charge. The descriptor for the nameless thirteenth lad makes im sound like a much more of an imposing figure than the Watcher, who is just chilling on the moon, sitting on his chair, talking to bunnies and weirdos who come to visit. Of course, it could all be another ruse and the Watcher is more capable and active than he leads on, but don't we have enough ruses already in this raid!?

I think the Watcher will say '' I am no god silly children, but let me tell you something about Venat's other collaborators '' and that way we are closer to the truth.