An 7.2-7.5 Speculation

[MikkoAkure]

...but in thinking about it, it might be exceptional that of all the names to crop up twice, it's the famously Greek one. Two civilizations in the game have a tendency to tap into Greek, but Sharlayan basically only uses it for place names and descriptors; Greek names for people and figures, that's squarely an Amaurotian thing... who happen to be damn near the only civilization that could've conceivably left fingerprints across shards.

I hate the notion that we might have more Ancient Time ahead of us, and I really hope we don't. But I'd think that, if the writers were ever inclined to write up a link between the primal and the city, it'd trace back to that.

I’m under the impression that on the surface Sharlayan and Amaurot using Greek is just because of the thousands of years of western culture associating the Greek language with knowledge. If you wanted to justify it in-universe, you could say the Sharlayans picked it up after studying the Ancients.

Alexandria’s use of the actual Ancient script is a bit more mysterious but until we see any proof of a direct connection, I’m convinced the devs just picked it due to being a third pre-made script and not having to make a fourth one just for Solution Nine. Its use seems uneven too since Honey B. Lovely to me looks to be using cursive Eorzean script especially with the shape of her ‘y’ and she could be Tonawawta rather than Hyune.

As for future Ancients showing up, there was still that comment before from Yoshi-P asking us to remember the Convocation seats unless that was a red herring. And I won’t be convinced Altima has nothing to do with the Arcadion questline until the last quests wrapping it up after M12.

[Vallavia]

I’m under the impression that on the surface Sharlayan and Amaurot using Greek is just because of the thousands of years of western culture associating the Greek language with knowledge. If you wanted to justify it in-universe, you could say the Sharlayans picked it up after studying the Ancients.

Not to veer entirely off topic, but I still believe that the original Archons who founded Sharlayan were either a) the actual Twelve in human form or b) acting on direct behalf of the Twelve, either of which put them on the trail of eventually making contact with Hydaelyn and thus solidifying the Ancient association (there's also the very conspicuous shots of the assembled Forum in their identical robes and obscured faces being direct parallels of assembled Ancients, but that could just as easily be entirely within the context of Endwalker's story).

This might get some more attention soon in the Occult Crescent with the accidentally leaked BGM making a tenuous link to the War of the Magi.

That said, though, I think I broadly agree with the 'on its face' interpretation you presented, the classical Greek association seems far more likely to be because it's suitably ancient and culturally ubiquitous. The Ancients/Ascians also fulfill a Titan-esque narrative role to the people of today; Hades even has a spell called 'Titanomachy'.

[MikkoAkure]

Not to veer entirely off topic, but I still believe that the original Archons who founded Sharlayan were either a) the actual Twelve in human form or b) acting on direct behalf of the Twelve, either of which put them on the trail of eventually making contact with Hydaelyn and thus solidifying the Ancient association (there's also the very conspicuous shots of the assembled Forum in their identical robes and obscured faces being direct parallels of assembled Ancients, but that could just as easily be entirely within the context of Endwalker's story).

One of the original twelve archons was indeed used as a basis of imagery for Rhalgr, but the same guy also defected to join the Ascians. Though that was 1.0 lore and I'm not sure how much carried over.

Relm was a member of the archons during this time period as well and she seemed to otherwise be a normal person so I don't think they're the actual Twelve. The Twelve also said that they don't interfere with the world.

[Vallavia]

One of the original twelve archons was indeed used as a basis of imagery for Rhalgr, but the same guy also defected to join the Ascians. Though that was 1.0 lore and I'm not sure how much carried over.

Relm was a member of the archons during this time period as well and she seemed to otherwise be a normal person so I don't think they're the actual Twelve. The Twelve also said that they don't interfere with the world.

I'm fairly certain that Ahldbhar has been mentioned again since then but not by name, though the imagery inspiration seems to have been retconned directly in favor of direct glimpses of the phantom realm (ostensibly the Ascian connection as well, but who knows?). I wish they hadn't, it was one of my favorite extracurricular lore tidbits (and could explain why Halone is consistently depicted as a Hyur and Thaliak as an Elezen).

I don't really think there's enough of Relm shown or described to make a determination either way, and I could conjure any number of characters saying something contrary to the things they do, most notably Hydaelyn herself, ie. their boss, who freely admits in her first direct conversation with you that she has repeatedly misled you or overly simplified her accounting of past events. The Twelve themselves also already lied straight to our faces to get us to do battle with them, which is admittedly a much different situation.

Granted, there's no reason for the Twelve to lie to us after Hydaelyn and Zodiark are gone and their missions fulfilled, but given their directive to guide and safeguard life on Etheirys I don't think it's out of the question that they might have given history a nudge when there's a particularly existential threat. The aforementioned direct Rhalgr sighting came after Rhalgr guided people to Gyr Abania with a comet. I'd call that an interference with the world, but Halone in her discussion of the matter with Menphina notes a delineation in their philosophy between 'aid' and 'intervening' in the affairs of mortals all while remaining unseen in their true forms. This suggests to me that certain measures of sending guidance or assistance are acceptable in certain circumstances.
I suppose there's a fair case against them being the literal Twelve, but certainly not against the Twelve's direct involvement or incitement of the post-Sixth Umbral Calamity recovery. Perhaps in the draft where one of their chosen Archons went off to become an Ascian they revised their policy on intervention in mortal affairs to be even more stringent, but who can say?

[Grimr]

I don't know about speculation though i did spot some familiar landmarks in the trailer for 7.2 of the occult cresant assuming they weren't the originals. The pyramid from weeping city of mhach and what looks like moss covered towers from the floating city of nym. Don't know why they are there much less in the same place.

As for 7.2 and beyond if i were to speculate to be quite honest we could have by now gone to the "unlost world" supposed ninth shard use a bunch of electrope and create a massive amount water aether i believe to counter act the massive lightning aether on the ninth and send everyone home.

I also wish they would stop beating around the bush with these shades of the thirteenth. From the ninth floor of pandemonium's boss, to Zorral ja becoming a voidsent with all those souls, to now with arcadian, and solution nine's soul use. it is just everywhere. Stop teasing us.

[Shookbeast]

I don't know about speculation though i did spot some familiar landmarks in the trailer for 7.2 of the occult cresant assuming they weren't the originals. The pyramid from weeping city of mhach and what looks like moss covered towers from the floating city of nym. Don't know why they are there much less in the same place.

As for 7.2 and beyond if i were to speculate to be quite honest we could have by now gone to the "unlost world" supposed ninth shard use a bunch of electrope and create a massive amount water aether i believe to counter act the massive lightning aether on the ninth and send everyone home.

I also wish they would stop beating around the bush with these shades of the thirteenth. From the ninth floor of pandemonium's boss, to Zorral ja becoming a voidsent with all those souls, to now with arcadian, and solution nine's soul use. it is just everywhere. Stop teasing us.

Calyx knows he’s from Reflection 9, and seems integral to creating “Solution 9.” If he knows his Reflection’s numerical designation, then he knows the others - which could mean he’s got a Solution 1, Solution 4, Solution 8, Solution 11, and possibly a Solution 13. Whether he’s put them into play yet is another question…

I bring this up, because it’s possible all the void related stuff is connected to a bigger story arc where souls are being shifted from their Reflections to the Source by Calyx. And it sure would be helpful if he could use Azem’s power to call others from across dimensions/shards - on a massive, industrialized scale.

[Cleretic]

Calyx knows he’s from Reflection 9, and seems integral to creating “Solution 9.” If he knows his Reflection’s numerical designation, then he knows the others - which could mean he’s got a Solution 1, Solution 4, Solution 8, Solution 11, and possibly a Solution 13. Whether he’s put them into play yet is another question…

Solution Nine is named that because it's on the ninth floor. This was literally the very first thing we were told when we entered Solution Nine.

Given that, actually went to 'Solution Eleven' in the base expansion--it's where we beat the snot out of Zoraal Ja--and know that 'Solution Twelve' and onward does not exist, because the twelfth floor was an organizational code name for the portal to the Ninth above the 'throne room'.

We've also been to the eighth floor in literally this patch, it was where one of the Arcadion raids took place.

[Shookbeast]

Solution Nine is named that because it's on the ninth floor. This was literally the very first thing we were told when we entered Solution Nine.

Given that, actually went to 'Solution Eleven' in the base expansion--it's where we beat the snot out of Zoraal Ja--and know that 'Solution Twelve' and onward does not exist, because the twelfth floor was an organizational code name for the portal to the Ninth above the 'throne room'.

We've also been to the eighth floor in literally this patch, it was where one of the Arcadion raids took place.

I think I’m in the “wait and see” department on this one still. We and the citizens have been lied to quite a bit by Preservation so far. Feels odd that the 9th Reflection and Solution 9 wouldn’t have more than a happenstance connection. But it’s possible. Disappointing if so. But possible.

[Cassar]

As much as I would love this to be true, I don't think there's any "wait and see". We already know for a fact there's a Solution 1, 2, 3 etc and they're referring to the floors of Everkeep. In fact you can talk to Ubuyu in Solution Nine and ask her "What kind of place is this?" and she'll explain the origin of the name. Even if the citizens were lied to about the name, how would that affect anything? Some citizens live in Solution 8 which is just downstairs and that has nothing to do with the 8th reflection.

And the reason why it's called a "Solution" is because there's a "Solution to every problem", as in, you can find anything you need there.

[Shookbeast]

As much as I would love this to be true, I don't think there's any "wait and see". We already know for a fact there's a Solution 1, 2, 3 etc and they're referring to the floors of Everkeep. In fact you can talk to Ubuyu in Solution Nine and ask her "What kind of place is this?" and she'll explain the origin of the name. Even if the citizens were lied to about the name, how would that affect anything? Some citizens live in Solution 8 which is just downstairs and that has nothing to do with the 8th reflection.

And the reason why it's called a "Solution" is because there's a "Solution to every problem", as in, you can find anything you need there.

Yeah, it does seem like that’s a reasonable explanation.

But does that mean “there’s a solution to every problem” on Solution 1, 2, 3 etc…?

Are they told that on each floor?

It still seems very sus to me.