Name of the Lodestone

[Yrusama]

FFIV Lodestone Cavern

Its also possible they consider Lodestone a more modern terminology for levistone, which was used in FF1 to allow the airship to fly.

Damn, you beat me to it. This was exactly what I was going to put... pretty much verbatim.

Those are the only instances I can think of in terms of FF. Other than that, I really like the proto-compass explanation.

[Yrusama]

Magnetite is pretty shiny in certain forms. I think this might be one of those "hungry like the wolf" kind of things.

I think in the context Merlwyb used, it's meant to be like "the sea", or "the air". Of course in that case it would be more like "shine like lodestone" without the word "the". Ah, well.

[Anonymoose]

I think I missed something; how does lode lead to crystal? Not even THE crystal, just crystal. If I'm not mistaken, the lode in lodestone (meaning way, or path) was seen as a guide stone, but the lode in motherlode meant the principal way or path of an ore deposit, as in the central vein. I've never heard it used in geology to refer to anything other than metal.

[Fantasia]

I think I missed something; how does lode lead to crystal? Not even THE crystal, just crystal. If I'm not mistaken, the lode in lodestone (meaning way, or path) was seen as a guide stone, but the lode in motherlode meant the principal way or path of an ore deposit, as in the central vein. I've never heard it used in geology to refer to anything other than metal.

I prefer your analogy about guidance, but to be fair one of the definitions of lode is "a rich source of something" and isn't specific in what it might be.

So, in a way, the mothercrystal could be defined as a lodestone since it is a stone which has a great source of life and aether.

[Fantasia]

I prefer your analogy about guidance, but to be fair one of the definitions of lode is "a rich source of something" and isn't specific in what it might be.

So, in a way, the mothercrystal could be defined as a lodestone since it is a stone which has a great source of life and aether.

Although, saying that:

lodestone
noun
- a piece of magnetite or other naturally magnetized mineral, able to be used as a magnet.
[mass noun] a naturally magnetized mineral; magnetite.
- a person or thing that is the focus of attention or attraction:
'the revolution in eastern Europe has robbed the state of its ideological lodestone'

lodestar
noun
- a star that is used to guide the course of a ship, especially the pole star:
figurative
'she dominated his existence as chief muse and intellectual lodestar'

(I wasn't aware that Lodestar was an actual word)

[Fleurette]

Heeere ye go.

holy mother of nymeia HOW DO YOU DO THAT?! that's the exact line I was looking for; thank you! i'm starting to think you're more of a magician or something...

but on the subject of Catapult's theory, that actually sounds really interesting...like Moose is saying, "stone" and "crystal" are a pretty far stretch from one another, but other than that, it sounds really plausible...i mean, think about it:

Hydaelyn "guided" us towards our first adventures with the gift of the echo, just as a lodestone would help us get to our destination. If we weren't guided by that voice at the beginning, the beginning story quests and those following would cease to exist. We were pushed towards the right direction and the echo was kind of an extension of that lodestone, like having a personal Hydaelyn to guide you when you needed it. (Or...when she/it (?) needed it, because the beginning city-state stories you can't control it, as far as I know. It's not until much later that they actually prompt you on if you want to use the echo.) And Fantasia's definition, "a person or thing that is the focus of attention" may very well also apply to Hydaelyn...since it's kind of the entire planet and the archons (namely Louisoix) were very much focusing their energies on the planet and its aether/how the primals were affecting it/hurting it.

[Fantasia]

but on the subject of Catapult's theory, that actually sounds really interesting...like Moose is saying, "stone" and "crystal" are a pretty far stretch from one another, but other than that, it sounds really plausible...i mean, think about it:

Well, crystals are stones of some kind, in a geological sense ^^; it's far less a metal, though.

Hydaelyn "guided" us towards our first adventures with the gift of the echo, just as a lodestone would help us get to our destination. If we weren't guided by that voice at the beginning, the beginning story quests and those following would cease to exist. We were pushed towards the right direction and the echo was kind of an extension of that lodestone, like having a personal Hydaelyn to guide you when you needed it. (Or...when she/it (?) needed it, because the beginning city-state stories you can't control it, as far as I know. It's not until much later that they actually prompt you on if you want to use the echo.) And Fantasia's definition, "a person or thing that is the focus of attention" may very well also apply to Hydaelyn...since it's kind of the entire planet and the archons (namely Louisoix) were very much focusing their energies on the planet and its aether/how the primals were affecting it/hurting it.

This conversation is getting much more in depth than I thought it would! Love it =) At least we've established that the Lodestone exists to guide adventurer's through their goals and such, it'd be nice if the ARR one would have more of a 'crystally' theme to make it suit the name even more.

I can't think of anything/one other than Hydaelyn that the name 'Lodestone' could actually apply to, though. Maybe there's no actual physical representation of it.

Or it could just be that the devs were like "Yeah, that sounds like a good name; No-one will question it, either."

[Catapult]

like Moose is saying, "stone" and "crystal" are a pretty far stretch from one another

To the contrary. The term "crystal" actually has great geological significance.

When a body of magma cools to form an igneous rock, it undergoes crystallization. Yes, that is the technical term. Rocks are made up of lots of minerals, their crystals interlocked. The slower a rock cools from magma, the larger its crystals will typically be, helping us learn more about how, when and where the rock formed. There are some crystals that got freaking huge throughout history - this article shows some of the largest crystals found.

Crystals are made of rock. And stones are essentially pieces of rock. (There is a more technical definition, but I won't go there.)
I wouldn't hesitate drawing a connection between "stone" and crystal when discussing the "lodestone".

[Myranda]

To the contrary. The term "crystal" actually has great geological significance.

When a body of magma cools to form an igneous rock, it undergoes crystallization. Yes, that is the technical term. Rocks are made up of lots of minerals, their crystals interlocked. The slower a rock cools from magma, the larger its crystals will typically be, helping us learn more about how, when and where the rock formed. There are some crystals that got freaking huge throughout history - this article shows some of the largest crystals found.

Crystals are made of rock. And stones are essentially pieces of rock. (There is a more technical definition, but I won't go there.)
I wouldn't hesitate drawing a connection between "stone" and crystal when discussing the "lodestone".

Wouldn't that more appropriately be rocks are made of minerals, and minerals form as crystals of various sizes? Saying crystals are made of rock sounds backwards to me.

Anyways when it comes to the Lodestone name, I personally am one that wouldn't read too far into it besides the original suggestion of magnetite or other similar magnetic substances being used for compass navigation, helping us adventurers find our way. Any more general, alternative definitions of lodestone/lode/mother lode as something, anything, of great value or import are likely just derived from the original specific meanings as a magnetic rock or an ore/mineral deposit.

[Fantasia]

I personally am one that wouldn't read too far into it besides the original suggestion of magnetite or other similar magnetic substances being used for compass navigation, helping us adventurers find our way. Any more general, alternative definitions of lodestone/lode/mother lode as something, anything, of great value or import are likely just derived from the original specific meanings as a magnetic rock or an ore/mineral deposit.

Yeah, I think I'm inclined to agree, it makes more sense that it's used as a method of helping us journey than an actual 'being'.

It was just nice to see semi-intelligent discussion on these forums for a change ^^