About the Blessing of Light and the Echo

[WhiteArchmage]

Arenvald actually does it, too. There's a scene he has where he mentions his Echo visions will put him on the floor while yours just make you space out a bit. And a few times Krile and Arenvald mention sharing our visions: "You saw that, too?"

Also, Ysayle, can't believe I forgot. She saw a vision and thought she was Shiva reincarnated, but the twist was that she saw Shiva's memory, yes, but from Hraesvelgr's aether.

[Rannie]

when Minfillia went with us for the Leviachan quests, she also had the vision that we saw with the Sahagin High priest.

Or was it spelled Leviabeetus.... i can never quite get it right... maybe i should go ask that Roe who was with the company of heroes <_< >_>

[KageTokage]

I'm kind of hoping we run into an Echo bearer in the New World, because it would be interesting to see how other cultures have received such individuals when it was typically viewed as a curse amongst the less educated in Eorzea.

Having the ability serve as more then a convenient plot delivery device again would be nice.

[Rannie]

Forgot to Mention But Krile also experiences a vision withs us when we see what happens in Garlemald at the end of SHB (with Estinien and Gaius and we fight that weird garlean fused Ultima as Estinien) she didnt see the stuff like we did but she Does get one.

[primarisgoazrr]

Since WellGramarye mentioned Zodiark earlier in the thread it got me thinking that we actually could see new Echo Bearers pop up. If it’s true that only ancient souls can awaken it, then when we beat zodiark all the souls used for the summoning should have returned to the aetherial sea. So in time more people with the potential for the echo should be born, in theory at least.

[KageTokage]

It would stand to reason that there were probably regions on the other continents that experienced the burning skies and by extension, may have awakened the Echo in people in the process, so I hope that's not glossed over and Tural has experienced at least some manner of fallout from the Final Days.

[Vyrerus]

Forgot to Mention But Krile also experiences a vision withs us when we see what happens in Garlemald at the end of SHB (with Estinien and Gaius and we fight that weird garlean fused Ultima as Estinien) she didnt see the stuff like we did but she Does get one.

She also gets Echo vision when we clash with the Warriors of Darkness after they put down Ravana. She mentions so afterwards, both in spoken and inbetween quest dialogue. Also every WoD does the facepalm thing that our WoL does after which Ardbert remarks on who we are.

[shadowclasper]

So addendum for the echo. All of it's abilities are hyper empathy.

Universal translator is intent
Past/object reading is living another person's memories or the memories of a place
Aura reading is being able to understand people
Ability to possess people is just an extension of the rest taken to it's ultimate extent.

If framed as a form of hyper empathy then ALL abilities expressly displayed by the echo (barring resistance to tempering, though I would argue that comes from making it impossible for you not to consider another person's poverty which tempering does) it all makes sense and has a clear through line

[Absimiliard]

If framed as a form of hyper empathy then ALL abilities expressly displayed by the echo (barring resistance to tempering, though I would argue that comes from making it impossible for you not to consider another person's poverty which tempering does) it all makes sense and has a clear through line

The echo's characteristics were already explained pretty handily. They line up with traits common to the ancients' abilities to perceive and interact/communicate with/through aether and the soul. Even psychometry makes sense here, as aetherial impressions are shown to linger long after the subject(s) -- mayhaps even their entire civilization -- turned to dust. The echo, as its name implies, is but a remnant of this set of characteristics.

The traveler's ward, or blessing of light, is what provides resistance to being tempered. More specifically, it protects from aetherial corruption of all sorts.

[LilimoLimomo]

Yo friends, I need help clarifying the difference between two, so if I have it right:

The Echo
- Let’s you see into someone/something’s past (can be controlled apparently)
- Resist primal/corrupting influence (or impose your own influence in the case of resonant)
- A Universal translator
- Some users have unique ability

The Blessing of Light
- Resist primal/corrupting influence
- An affinity toward light? (Although there’s a limit, we can absorb a good bit of light has shown in ShB)
- Be empowered by Haedelyn?

I've been thinking about this thread as a I replay content and here are some observations:

• I don't believe we ever see anyone with the Blessing of Light who doesn't also have the Echo. So the Echo may be a prerequisite to have the Blessing of Light.

• It seems like having the Blessing of Light and being a Warrior of Light are the same thing?

• For our WoL as well as the Warriors of Light from The First, acquiring a Crystal of Light gifted to them by Hydaelyn after an act of heroism seemed to be a meaningful aspect of — if not the defining feature of — what makes someone a Warrior of Light. This theory seems reinforced by the fact that when Midgardsormr removes the Blessing of Light from our WoL, it is represented by the removal of the 6 Crystals of Light we had previously collected.