What's Next? Story/Level/Class?

[Kyan]

We briefly visited the Cieldalaes in Version 1.0 and they were quite small. There's not much to explore at all; they were just battlegrounds used by the Maelstrom to train recruits. I wouldn't be surprised to see it as a PVP zone.

Well, we do know that the rich and gregarious Gegeruju has a holiday home in the Cieldalaes. And there must be some sort of township or community: Gegeruju's chef is a native of the region and has recipes which were developed from the native flora of the Cieldalaes (information from Botanist leves in Costa Del Sol, as listed in the Wider World of Hydaelyn thread).

[Catapult]

and, as far as we know, the Gigants(?) haven't summoned Shiva, yet.

Woah there, buddy. We don't know what is summoning Shiva yet. The Mor Dhona sidequests show the gigants consider the crystal tower sacred. I think there is definitely something going on there, but it's not Shiva.

I seem to recall a dev/loc member saying at some point that the tribe summoning Shiva was not yet in the game (I'll see if I can find it), so that is why my money is currently on the people of Doma, Othard.

[Anonymoose]

I seem to recall a dev/loc member saying at some point that the tribe summoning Shiva was not yet in the game (I'll see if I can find it), so that is why my money is currently on the people of Doma, Othard.

Hence the question mark; I haven't seen any indication that gives one theory credence over another, considering Shiva's a ways away. Gigants are just kind of my mental place-holder considering they're a beast tribe from a snowy region of aether-rich Eorzea, the last room of Copperbell is the Cold Throne, and Crystal Tower looks like a giant icicle. As you say, though, that interview quote swiftly tosses that theory out if we can find it.

The Garlean Empire was able to conquer all of Othard without ever seeing a primal (getting my damn continents confused again, lol); do you figure that's why the Doma have come to Eorzea? That quote you mentioned refers to a beast tribe, no? So the Doma are a "beast tribe" as opposed to a "civilized race?" Perhaps feigning the seeking of asylum in hopes of settling enough of their tribe on Eorzean soil to summon one of these mythical demigods capable of felling Imperial plans? How do you get her home? What about all the poor souls who've already decided that they're bunny girls? If you're right, and birds are associated with the air, salamanders with fire, and moles with earth... what creatures are associated with ice (SNOW BUNNIES!)? Perhaps we can figure out what's under that cowl in terms of your theory. <cracks open Pliny the Ender's Naturalis Historia>

[Catapult]

The Garlean Empire was able to conquer all of Othard without ever seeing a primal.

I feel bad doing this...

The eastern nations were the first to feel the newborn empire's mighty fist. It was during this campaign that the emperor witnessed firsthand the destruction wrought by the primals—an experience that led to an imperial mandate for their annihilation.

That quote you mentioned refers to a beast tribe, no? So the Doma are a "beast tribe" as opposed to a "civilized race?" If you're right, and birds are associated with the air, salamanders with fire, and moles with earth... what creatures are associated with ice (SNOW BUNNIES!)? Perhaps we can figure out what's under that cowl in terms of your theory. <cracks open Pliny the Ender's Naturalis Historia>

That is the idea I'm running with. The Doma lady is certainly dressed warmly. Penguins?

We also need to recall Minfilia's approach to the "beast" tribes, wishing we could all get along. It would be a magnificent plot point if she had befriended an untempered member of Shiva's tribe.

[Anonymoose]

I feel bad doing this...

Bah, been too long since I picked up the Raven's tomes. Getting my Ilsabard and Othard mixed up again, lol. Okay, reset button: this plays back to why it was important that the Raven piece couldn't claim that all of Othard was conquered - a few nations on the far eastern shores held out. This makes sense then. Still digging into what the tribe could be based on.

Gonna take a while for me to get over the idea of a lob-eared snow bunny, which would be the best race to summon Shiva ever

[RolandDebreton]

Woah there, buddy. We don't know what is summoning Shiva yet. The Mor Dhona sidequests show the gigants consider the crystal tower sacred. I think there is definitely something going on there, but it's not Shiva.

I seem to recall a dev/loc member saying at some point that the tribe summoning Shiva was not yet in the game (I'll see if I can find it), so that is why my money is currently on the people of Doma, Othard.

I had a brief encounter with a GM in the guise of Kipih Jakkya in 1.0 as some friends and I stood in the Emerald Exchange in Ul'dah. They began asking us about a northern tribe of giants who seemed to be intent upon summoning a primal with a, "most icy disposition." They also started to hint about the Imperials and Primals as I chatted with them about, "hating" the Imperial menace. I began to banter with them about journeys trying to take a very RP lean, playing along in an effort to find more info.

Unfortunately this was Durandal, and it happened to be near the, "standing grounds" of a good many so-called elite LS. They began to mock and ask stupid very unrelated questions, and the GM excused themselves before I could get them to tell me much more.

It is my understanding that that same week several other individuals on a variety of servers received some news about an icy primal and a massive/giant beastman tribe. I have never doubted that we would have a giant tribe of beastmen after that encounter. After I first saw the Gigants I knew fairly well these were likely our culprits. I wish I'd taken screenies but alas.

[Catapult]

Gonna take a while for me to get over the idea of a lob-eared snow bunny, which would be the best race to summon Shiva ever

Does this help?

They began asking us about a northern tribe of giants who seemed to be intent upon summoning a primal with a, "most icy disposition."

It is certainly plausible, but we have to remember that the Eorzean media is not all knowing. They are, like all newspapers, want to publish rumour and speculation that makes a really good story.

[Kyan]

a few nations on the far eastern shores held out.

I'm not so sure I agree, at least concerning the nation of Doma. The official 2.2 website says this under Yugiri's image:

Hailing from the nation of Doma on the shores of Othard, Yugiri and her countrymen have fled their war-torn home and the oppression of Garlean rule in search of refuge.

[Anonymoose]

I'm not so sure I agree, at least concerning the nation of Doma. The official 2.2 website says this under Yugiri's image:

Oh, she might not be from one of the far eastern holdouts; I'm just saying that we know that Garlemald doesn't have complete rule of Othardian city-states. It sounds like she specifically is from one that's in an Ala Mhigo situation. What I mean is that it it wouldn't require crossing vast amounts of Garlean territory for them to get to us; she could just get to a freehold and stow away on a trade galley, perhaps. It's an interesting theory, to be sure, but the beast tribes tend to have much more "non-humanoid" body shapes whereas Yigiri's is quite "normal" aside from the ear/horn/protrusions. This implies more of a new a new race more than new tribe (SUPERFICIALLY). Not to say that primals can't be summoned by races and clans, but I found the quote we're looking for:

For 2.1 we’re going to bring back Good King Moogle Mog, as well as add a new level of Titan, Garuda and Ifrit battles… super, hard, ultra, hyper… we don’t know what we’ll call them yet. As for Ramuh, Leviathan and Shiva…one will be appearing in 2.2 but we can’t say anymore right now because it affects the story line. Shiva will be the Primal of a beast tribe that no one has seen. As for when the Free Companies will be able to summon the Primals, we’re thinking 2.2 or 2.3. That’s when the Primals will start entering the fields.

This was a few days after launch, so Mor Dhona's Gigas tribe (higher than the giants and the hecatons) had just been introduced; they weren't familiar, but they'd been seen.

[Wadoka]

...<cracks open Pliny the Ender's Naturalis Historia>...

I see your Pliny... and raise you the Monster Manual v1.0

Landsharks and Erinyes and Owlbears, Oh my...


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If Shiva turns out to look more or less like she did in FFVII, I will volunteer to be Tempered.

***

...and why do the Beast Tribe primals look more "human-oid" by far, than they in any way resemble the physical forms of their summoning tribes?