Theory: The Primal invasion of Ul'dah

[DoctaruRavenbe]

Also a thought that comes up is that those tears may be tears of relief rather than tears of sadness. she is running to someone afterall.

[Enkidoh]

Just thought I'd point out that they also have knowledge of the summonings (in fact they taught some Ala Mhigo kids the ritual).

They didn't just teach those kids how to summon Rhalgr, they are in fact the ones who taught all the beast tribes how to summon. They appear to them in the guise of the 'Paragons' - figures from beastmen myth who appear to the beastmen in times of crisis to lead them to the 'protection' of their gods. Naturally amongst the beast tribes only the sylphs realized the danger and that the Primals were an evil influence best left alone.

And in the final battle Lahabrea mentioned exactly why they teach the summoning of Primals/gods/aetheric beings to 'lesser races' - that it's a means to an end to ensure a 'massive confluence of chaos in the planet', in an effort to expunge Hydaelyn and allow Zodiark to be reborn. This also explains why the Ascians are now becoming more and more blatant in their dealings with other races - they're simply becoming more desperate, given the efforts of the 'Warrior of Light' (ala the player) in frustrating their plans.

[Morningstar1337]

snip

I see. So this makes my invasion theory a little more likely.

BTW would the "Chosen one" from the sylph quests be one of those "Paragons"

[Enkidoh]

No, the Paragon is actually an Ascian masquerading in a form that the beastmen don't find threatening, who teaches them to summon their Primal - the slyphs were visited by a Paragon back before the Calamity, where they debated summoning Ramuh in order to protect themselves from the Garleans, but ultimately decided not to after seeing how the Primals were corrupting the other beast tribes. The 'Chosen One' however is simply a sylph that is born (or rather, 'sprouted') in a time of despair and who will lead the sylphs into a new age.

Hence the tug-of-war between the free sylphs led by Frixio and the tempered versions over the Chosen One's podling - he's basically a sylvan messiah in a sense. But the important thing is the sylphs' Chosen One has nothing to do with the Ascians.

[Morningstar1337]

Hence the tug-of-war between the free sylphs led by Frixio and the tempered versions over the Chosen One's podling - he's basically a sylvan messiah in a sense. But the important thing is the sylphs' Chosen One has nothing to do with the Ascians.

Ah good. I don't want to think that I accidentally doomed the sylphs like that.

Back to the OP. the reason I listed Ifrit and Shiva is because I don't see the other primals interested in Ul'Dah

• Ramuh is an enigma, but not to the same extent as Shiva. We know that he would defend the Tweveswood (which seems to be close to Thanalan) but odds are that he won't get close enough to try or get killed by the player before he can do anything about Ul'Dah (and besides gridana would be a higher priority for him
• Leviathan is more of less sea bound. On top of that the Sahagin would rather try to conquer Limso Lominsa first)
• Titan is painted as more of a guardian and the Kobolds wouldn't be interested in Ul'dah anyway (ether becuase of general laziness and their own beef with the Maelstrom)
• Garuda seem likely just to wage war with anybody, but the Ixal would be the furthermost Ul'dah and also more concerned with the other closers companies.
• Enkidoh already disproved the Ifrit as a possiblity for the invasion but he is the only Primal worshoped by beastemn who actualy have abeef with Ul'dah.

So if anyone Primal were to attack Ul'Dah it would have to be Shiva (and only because of her being an enigma) or an unknown primals that the Asceans discovered. Or maybe the Asceans gathered a hoard of crystals and said tio the Amalj'aa "To bring salvation to your kind, the god (Ifrit) must show the people of the shelled city (Ul'dah) the light" in their paragon disguise.

[Malrend]

Lolorito, Teledji, and Dewlala seem the most likely to foment revolution as, based on what little we know, these 3 have the most to gain from it. Teledji has the blood to become Emperor, Dwlala could become High Priest, and Lolorito would be their Tywin Lannister.

I knew it!
Lalafells are all greedy, manipulative, and in general just plain evil. Nanamo might look all nice and innocent now, but if the Syndicate disappears, it will just be one evil replacing another.

[Rennah]

This is only tangentially related, but re: Raubahn's Push - wasn't it so named because they were fighting their way to Castrum Meridianum for Operation Archon, in the main story? I remember wondering about the place itself in beta, and upon finding the ingame dialogue there once I actually leveled through it, it seemed to explain it that way. Raubahn himself is present near the aetheryte in that point of the story. It's a bit lore-breaking, just a little, to technically be able to head up there at any point in the game before the story takes you there, but story-wise, all those Brass Blades and Flames hanging around there were there for that battle. The area quests tie into it.

[Catapult]

A few things to clear up...

Director Eolande of Frondale's is dead. Godbert Manderville has taken her seat. So consider not the thoughts of a career doctor, but of a vain goldsmith obsessed with things looking inspirationally beautiful.

Piror Dewlala has little to gain from a full-blown theocracy. This is because Dewlala is of Milvaneth Sacrarium, not Arrzanaeth Ossuary. Where the Ossuary appeals to the poorer masses by virtue of is focus on salvation in the afterlife, the Sacrarium appeals to the wealthy elite by virtue of its focus of assuring prosperty for the living (which requires substantial donations). In a tempered state (even if tempered by a summoned Nald'thal), her clientele would lose incentives to donate to the order, so her business model would be ruined. She has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, as does most of the syndicate, notably Lord Lolorito (a tempered state would dissaude trading partners and shut down trade routes).

I personally don't buy the primal invasion idea, mostly because of what it would mean from a development perspective for having to overhaul every single NPC and Ul'dahn sidequest to allow continuity for players doing different things at different times relative to the main scenario. Too much pointless work.

[Kyan]

I personally don't buy the primal invasion idea, mostly because of what it would mean from a development perspective for having to overhaul every single NPC and Ul'dahn sidequest to allow continuity for players doing different things at different times relative to the main scenario. Too much pointless work.

Which is why I am not buying into the "Rhauban is gonna die" theory, as tragic and Final Fantasy it would be. There are several incidental NPCs that talk about him in the present as you run past in Ul'dah, and I do not think Square will change all that text either. My theory is she just stubs her toe and is running for a hug!

Well, that's how I look when I stub my toe anyways.

[Kicha]

Usually the simplest answers are the best. It would seem to me with the foreshadowing of revolution, she just received word from the syndicate in the form of an ultimatum.