Latest FFXIV plot analysis

[Rydin]

As far as the dragon and the ship... yea.. it was an explosion... I was being funny... Because you have to admit, he was moving slow as crap.....

Re: the guildleve itself...
what you guys are saying is definitely possible
But.... the Echo is used on a person.... not a guildleve plate

Momodi and other NPCs tell adventurers that within aetherytes exists the key to unlocking the power of guildleves. In order to carry out duties outside of the city-state, or that are very far away, a magic seal is applied to leve plates.

The aetherytes and aetherial gates function as a key, and by having them resonate when you complete your duties it is possible to open an aetherial node to return with. This is what the animations above your head signifies.

This is standard amongst adventurers, so even for duties within city-states that don’t utilize aetherial nodes, the same thing takes place when the leve begins. This is a kind of “wish” that you will complete your duties safely and return.

As a matter of fact, aetherytes are referred to as the manifestation of the planet’s lifeblood, which is made up of aether. Due to this, leve plates are also made of crystal which makes it easy for the two to resonate.

And this makes me think guildleves are a wish for a safe return on duties that need to be completed...
Implying that guildleves are not a past tense activity.... The nature of guildleves is work that needs to be done... guild tasks.. not reliving some special battle... that doesn't seem to embody the pragmatic nature of guild quests

Also, the guildhall and gear worn were unlike any we've ever seen...
Was that from Ishgard? Ishgard definitely doesn't employ adventurers now...
But they did 10 to 15 years ago
Or was that some guild hall in Mor Dhona... It makes sense that there would have been a city in Mor Dhona.... a city that wouldn't be there now....

[Jinko]

As far as the dragon and the ship... yea.. it was an explosion... I was being funny... Because you have to admit, he was moving slow as crap.....

If you weighed a couple hundred tons I would like to see how fast you moved ...

[Soukyuu]

Question... Why do YOU think the Garleans skipped over The Black Shroud for Mor Dhona? Looking for some great ancient power there?

I think they went for the aetherytes. Just like you said, the Shroud is not much than a wood with nothing of immediate value in it. There is also the crystal tower that is buried below the lake somewhere. You can see a lot of glowing crystals when they show an overview of silvertear falls and you can see they're really glowing like aetherytes in the scene where the ship is crashing.

Also, the guildhall and gear worn were unlike any we've ever seen...
Was that from Ishgard? Ishgard definitely doesn't employ adventurers now...
But they did 10 to 15 years ago
Or was that some guild hall in Mor Dhona... It makes sense that there would have been a city in Mor Dhona.... a city that wouldn't be there now....

I thought it was Ul'dah at first but nope, no aetheryte in the Quicksand and there are some greenish glass windows in the background like in Caroline's Canopy. I kinda doubt it's Ishgard and it can't be Ala Mhigo since it was conquered at that time already. So it might be some city that was planned to be implemented but never actually made it into the game

I do think the cutscene took part in present time, it doesn't fit the other way because the event in mor dhona took place 10-15 years ago (as told by Eric, the MNK npc). And Ishgard closed her gates around the same time...