Revelations from Patch 7.4: Into the Mist

[Lunaxia]

I do just want to say that while I think we technically can't rule 'Azem made the crystal' out (although I do think their case is exceptionally weak), I do think it's by far the least interesting option.

Yeah, I get it, you don't like the Ancients. The rest wasn't necessary.

Edit: Catching up on the thread, and to answer something a little less pointed:

Beyond that is just speculation, but why would Azem create the Key if s/he knew s/he was going to lose their memories in the Sundering (and by extension both what the Key was and how to use it properly)?

Perhaps to ensure knowledge of the shards and their existence, and/ or the world prior to the Sundering and its inhabitants, for any number of reasons. To combat a yet-unknown threat that might require certain information or access to a particular period in time, as we had with Elpis? That it might not simply be forgotten (sentimental, admittedly, but we have seen how devoted the Convocation could be)? For a chance at reversing the effects of the Sundering in some form? To enable their future self to do the above? I don't think any of these ideas are especially out of line for Azem. And while it's true they hasn't ever been "stated" to have foresight, the prediction of our time in Elpis and their defecting from the Convocation feel like pretty big plot points it'd be silly to dismiss outright.

I'm not even going the whole hog and suggesting they would have been diametrically opposed to the Sundering, but we are now both Hydaelyn and Zodiark-less, who acted as the anchors around which the current world was stabilised. Who's to say what might happen without them? And then obviously there's the auracite. I feel there's an intentional thread left lingering post-Pandaemonium with regards to that, and logically speaking it's the most likely place we're like to divine future information should the issue arise again.

Edit, Part 2: The reference to their researching concepts to aid travel in the short story... the time frame is interesting. Much like Lahabrea was researching Guardian entitites to the end of developing the Zodiark concept, could Azem have been researching the subject in pursuit of a different goal? A funny tidbit to drop. I might check out the other versions to compare.

[eloralora]

And while it's true they hasn't ever been "stated" to have foresight, the prediction of our time in Elpis and their defecting from the Convocation feel like pretty big plot points it'd be silly to dismiss outright.

Tbh I think Themis provides just enough detail to suggest that Azem's foresight is an actual thing, even if Azem has nothing to do with the key and we never learn more about their abilities. Isolated, we might be able to write off their prediction of the WoL's arrival in Elpis for Pandaemonium (perhaps they were informed of our existence by Venat, and considered it likely we'd show up again, etc). But they were extremely specific about the manner of our arrival, and Themis acknowledges that while they're typically more cryptic about their predictions, they do tend to be correct. And after P8, he mentions seeking Azem out specifically to ask just how much they foresaw. So we at least know that they have a habit of making predictions, they tend to be correct, and they're meaningful enough for Themis to wonder exactly how much Azem knew about what would happen in Pandaemonium.

[Lunaxia]

Tbh I think Themis provides just enough detail to suggest that Azem's foresight is an actual thing...

Good point. I couldn't find the P8 quote, but for the unenlightened:

I decided to go [to Pandaemonium] alone, but he left me with these words: “Fear not, for in my absence a star shall fall before you.”

While I could not comprehend his meaning at the time, I believe now I understand. He does have a way of being right about these things.

Even so, his hints of what to come are generally more cryptic. I suppose I should have kept my gaze to the heavens.

It seems fairly clear they possessed something that allowed them a glimpse of the future, be it their own abilities or otherwise, and if it were as common an occurrence as Themis makes it sound, it's hardly unlikely that they might have foreseen something relating to the Final Days or the Sundering. It may have been what caused them to defect. As for the idea that Azem can't have their own feelings, thoughts and traits as a character because they relate to us, I think that flew out the window when the writing started actively quoting them, inserting them into stories, and roping them into a polycule with Hythlodaeus and Emet-Selch. They were their own person, and even our WoL has been steamrolled into having an at the very least cordial and respectful relationship with Emet in spite of some players' disdain for him. They're not above pushing a narrative for our character.

[Iscah]

It's quite possible that the devs' coyness so far regarding Azem's actions isn't really because they want Azem to be a self-insert, "fill in the blank with what your character would do" sort of situation, but that they don't yet want to show their hand as to what Azem was actually doing.

[Voidmage]

Perhaps to ensure knowledge of the shards and their existence, and/ or the world prior to the Sundering and its inhabitants, for any number of reasons. To combat a yet-unknown threat that might require certain information or access to a particular period in time, as we had with Elpis? That it might not simply be forgotten (sentimental, admittedly, but we have seen how devoted the Convocation could be)? For a chance at reversing the effects of the Sundering in some form? To enable their future self to do the above?

I think right now we just don't have enough information about the key to know about it's purpose. It could, like you wrote, have several functions.

Opening rifts to shards might only be a byproduct of it's original function.
Maybe it was a solution to the sundering and a means of escape from people of the Shards if the withering happened or maybe it simply is a literal key to something in another dimension like something sealed by Azem and that's why it has that power.
Interesting for me is that Calyx and his scientists, even with the help of an Ascian seemingly don't know it's function.
For all intents and purposes the Key could be even older than Azem and the Ancients and the former one was just the last one to use it's power.


Outside the key what I do find interesting from 7.4 was the indication that at least one Ascian actually seemingly cares for the sundered in some way, from a shard even.
We already knew beforehand that the sundered Ascians weren't all in line with the plans of the unsundered ones but never we seen something like that.
Tbh I had already hoped for their help back when we flew to deal with the Endsinger and my hope is still there that we might actually get a sundered Ascian in our team down the line.
On the other hand the withering could also simply be because of the tinkering of the Ascians of tilting the balance of a shard and that without a rejoining, an emergency break like on the first or a collapse like the void could in time simply wither it away if nothing is done, though I think that would be a bit too easy and on the nose.

What we do know is that sundered souls can live normally on the Source and that the aspect of a Shards aether influences how easily it can interact with the Source (the thirteens the easiest and the first actually the hardest).
My guess was always that the ninth through lightning was also rather "easy" to connect with the source.
The monsters in the last dungeon showed (though we already knew that to an extent) that inhabitants, in this case the monsters, evolve to survive in there, no matter the aetherial aspect.
If the ninth is any indication then all of the shards might be aetherial imbalanced nowadays.
7.4 could maybe also have been meant as an introduction as to how even there people are still alive and fighting and I do wish we see more of them.

What I wonder though is if the key has always been in the posession of the Lalas and was only on the Source and 9th or if through the ages it has been in several Shards and we might have more connections to them then we thought.

[SilverArrow20XX]

I think there's the possibility that Azem created the crystal for a simple reason.
They knew the Sundering was going to happen, and so created something that would allow travel between worlds.
Azem was an adventurer, and could very well have made it simply for this sake. So that all the peoples could keep in touch.

[mallleable]

Reposting my findings about The Key from 7.3, and 7.4 from another thread.

7.3

During the escape room puzzle section in the Preservation labs, we learned that the actual Key is the white crystal, and the rest is an electrope housing made my Preservation. There was also some documents that demonstrate the volatility of The Key during Preservation's early experiments on it.

"Nothing of note. The mystery of the key's activation condition remains unsolved.

The key triggered an explosion today. Temporary interdimensional portal verified. Continue attempts to stabilize the core's energy reactions.

Thirteen researchers sustained fatal injuries in the explosion. Memory faculties of four personnel sufficiently intact for Endless conversion. Remaining nine designated for aether reclamation processing.

Nothing of note. Rejected resignations of two Milalla researchers.

Major incident. Details in full report."

It describes The Key causing an explosion big enough to kill 13 scientists, and violent enough that most of the scientists could not become Endless as a result.

7.4

While no definitive answers were given, we did get some statements about The Key from a direct descendant of the original Speaker, Miayli, and rather ominous ones. Miayli is also Alayla's sister.

Miayli: But be that as it may, my sister gave up not only her life, but her darling daughter to prevent its misuse.

Miayli: They devoted their lives to understanding the key so that future generations would not be burdened by it.

Miayli: A word of caution, keeper of the key.
Miayli: As you know, it is a relic that has traveled across centuries and worlds, passing through countless hands...
Miayli: ...Oft beckoning to those ruled by ambition or avarice. Indeed, some have wondered if it chooses its master.
Miayli: But I believe differently. I believe that some inexorable force─call it “fate” if you will─ushers it from one bearer to the next.
Miayli: Be wary, for fate's regard now falls upon you.

At one point she asks the Warrior of Light what they would do with The Key if they can get it to work, and the player has dialog choices.

'Travel'

Miayli: For some, that might be a self-serving end. But your deeds are proof that I needn't worry.

'Herosim'

Miayli: For some, that might be a self-serving end. But your deeds are proof that I needn't worry.

'I don't know'

Miayli: The very fact that you don't have an answer is proof that you understand the weight of this power, and do not take it lightly.

The 'I don't know' option is the only one where Miayli has unique dialog.

While these are all Miayli's feelings, there doesn't seem to be a reason to doubt her given her relation to The Key. The Key seems as dangerous as ever, especially with the idea that it may have 'chosen' the Warrior of Light. Perhaps that is what was happening when the Azem symbol appeared on it at the start of the Queen Eternal fight. The idea of it being a burden, and not a gift is very much alive still.

They seem to be setting up that The Key might be something sinister.

[eloralora]

It seems fairly clear they possessed something that allowed them a glimpse of the future, be it their own abilities or otherwise, and if it were as common an occurrence as Themis makes it sound, it's hardly unlikely that they might have foreseen something relating to the Final Days or the Sundering. It may have been what caused them to defect. As for the idea that Azem can't have their own feelings, thoughts and traits as a character because they relate to us, I think that flew out the window when the writing started actively quoting them, inserting them into stories, and roping them into a polycule with Hythlodaeus and Emet-Selch. They were their own person, and even our WoL has been steamrolled into having an at the very least cordial and respectful relationship with Emet in spite of some players' disdain for him. They're not above pushing a narrative for our character.

Assuming Azem is connected to the key's creation in some way, I'm honestly not sure how much we'll find out beyond that. I feel like the amount of detail we've been given about their role, relationships, and decisions is at odds with the idea of Azem being intended as a blank slate or self-insert. I also feel like it's in direct opposition to the core theme that you are not your soul in this universe, even if your soul tends to be heroic and adventurous. I didn't get to craft Ardbert's appearance, personality, and story, so why should I be able to make those decisions about Azem?

However, there are many players who don't agree with me, and who would hate for SE to make any decisions about Azem that could possibly conflict with their own ideas. I might disagree, but I don't think they're wrong, since SE has obviously left space for this. I have no idea what the original intention was, but I feel like SE will keep Azem the way they are (like WoL in many ways, but otherwise unknown and nonspecific).

As for the key, it's probably worth mentioning that G'raha draws a direct comparison between the key's interdimensional fusion, his own summoning spell, and Azem's summoning spell:

Cahciua: But [Preservation's] magnum opus was without a doubt the power which was used to join Alexandria to Tural: interdimensional fusion.
G'raha Tia: Said power isn't unlike my summoning technique and the magick within Azem's crystal.

(And his summoning technique is something that Ascians have never been able to do)

[Vallavia]

They seem to be setting up that The Key might be something sinister.

I would buy this, or alternately that it draws its power from or is composed of something of such tremendous power and esoterica (without being necessarily malicious) that it surpassed the knowledge and skills of even the Ancients. The accounts of it from Preservation, Alayla, and Miayli all paint a picture that the uses they know of for it have been either haphazard or very ignorant of how or why it works, like trying to grasp something far too large to hold. Halmarut's dialogue gave some shades of this too, particularly the allusions to the specific something that's creeping in ('nature's proclamation') in Hydaelyn and Zodiark's absence. I'd wager this is also what Miayli identifies as fate, which immediately called to mind the quote from Emet-Selch to commemorate Azem's crystal:

Though the world be sundered and our souls set adrift, where you walk, my dearest friend, fate shall surely follow.

[Cleretic]

Honestly, I don't reject the Ancient/Azem key theory not because of a dislike for the Ancients or Azem; it's just that when that's the only theory being entertained, everything else kinda has to take the form of a refutation.

I don't like the theory because it's not their story, and there's just more potential and interest in giving that 'creator' role to to people whose story it is. I don't care about the key because it's the key, it's interesting because of its part in the story of the milalla and Alexandria; how it's simultaneously a tool of exploration, migration and domination, and the symbol of curiosity, relief and terror that all brings. The things that it can do are so enormous and meaningful, and so the story should link it to previous bearers that can actually grapple with those ideas and potentials: people who, for good or ill, want to use it themselves, eventually to the point of making it*.

The Ancients are a poor answer to the question not because they are an inherently bad answer, but because that route is just... a dead end. The Ancients don't have those gears, that's just not the notes their story plays. Making the key a product of Azem, or any Ancient (save maybe Venat, but that story was already told), just makes less story; there are not compelling, satisfying and interesting answers to the questions the key raises if those questions are being asked in the Ancient world.

There are just more exciting answers to this question than 'Azem', and honestly I really, REALLY wish this forum (and the playerbase as a whole but these forums are exceptionally bad about it) would stop immediately insisting that the answer to every mystery is the shortest possible line they can draw to 'the Ancients' or 'the Ascians', and ignoring all possible answers otherwise. I'd have thought people would have learned from when Sphene's hip ornament and the Arcadion's logo both turned out to not be Ascian glyphs, but apparently not.

*For another example of an alternate theory I wish we'd be able to discuss more and independently: I'm not certain anyone 'made' the key. Knowing what we do now that the chalice is merely a control system and the 'key' is the crystal inside, I think it's entirely possible that it's a natural occurrence. Which raises its own suite of entirely different questions.