Midgardsormr and the Crystals

[treuhavik]

Elidibus just completely ignored Tupsimati (...) Though, now I have to wonder what would keep Lahabrea from going after Tupsimati. . .

Tupsimati simply doesn't interest them. As Myahele mentioned, It's a tool for channeling incredible amounts of aether, extremely helpful in summoning primals. Tupsimati isn't the only "key" in our realm either. So, why would the seal be just on that one?


Here's my take on things:

The crystals are Hydaelyn's power, and Hydaelyn is the crystals all made one.

The crystals have, in someway or another, always existed, and so too the barrier which repels the darkness. This "seal" prevents agents of the darkness from taking form in the realm of light, making difficult their ability to detect aetherial signatures, the likes of which are present in certain objects (Tupsimati).

Through the story we literally collect pieces of Hydaelyn, scattered by time throughout the realm, and, once together, allow her power to emerge.

We hear from her last at the end of 2.0 before being shown a darkened Mothercrystal - her power in its entirety nigh expended from the recent battle. Later, in 2.5, Midgardsormr communes with and finds her power waning. There isn't much left, he suggests to the Warrior of Light. So, using the remainder, he creates for himself a new form from Hydaelyn, as commanded by Hydaelyn, to watch over and aid her Champion against the encroaching darkness. The crystals, completely drained of their power now, shatter, removing the "Blessing of Light" from the player and breaking the seal that kept the dark ones at bay.


Nabriales, now able to freely enter our realm, sought Tupsimati out of desperation for greater power, as he seeks to take Elidibus' seat next to Zodiark.

[Viridiana]

Tupsimati simply doesn't interest them.

Hmm. . .I'll grant that it doesn't really fit Elidibus or Lahabrea's plans. But Lahabrea doesn't really seem the type to leave such a powerful tool in the hands of his enemies. Unless I've just misread the character. . .

Here's my take on things:

The crystals are Hydaelyn's power, and Hydaelyn is the crystals all made one.

The crystals have, in someway or another, always existed, and so too the barrier which repels the darkness. This "seal" prevents agents of the darkness from taking form in the realm of light, making difficult their ability to detect aetherial signatures, the likes of which are present in certain objects (Tupsimati).

Agreed, mostly. I'm not sure that it keeps them from manifesting in our realm so much as either keeping them from approaching certain artifacts (Tupsimati included) or from entering certain areas of our realm (like the headquarters). I think if the seal Nabriales was talking about prevented his manifestation, he would have realized Tupsimati's vulnerability even sooner. As soon as he realizes the seal is down, he cuts short the conversation to seize the artifact. It seems to me more like he knows how to check for the presence of the seal, but it isn't something he does habitually and he only thinks to do it when he realizes we no longer have the blessing.

Through the story we literally collect pieces of Hydaelyn, scattered by time throughout the realm, and, once together, allow her power to emerge.

We hear from her last at the end of 2.0 before being shown a darkened Mothercrystal - her power in its entirety nigh expended from the recent battle. Later, in 2.5, Midgardsormr communes with and finds her power waning. There isn't much left, he suggests to the Warrior of Light. So, using the remainder, he creates for himself a new form from Hydaelyn, as commanded by Hydaelyn, to watch over and aid her Champion against the encroaching darkness. The crystals, completely drained of their power now, shatter, removing the "Blessing of Light" from the player and breaking the seal that kept the dark ones at bay.

So, you take the crystal shown to be Hydaelyn and not Zodiark? I'm personally undecided but leaning towards the latter. Either way, we're agreed that Hydaelyn is much weakened. I disagree, though, that Midgardsormr drains fresh power from Hydaelyn specifically to make his avatar. I mean, maybe he does, but I think he already has enough power from the last 15 years to do that much. Before we even reveal that we have the Crystals, he says that he is going to rise up against Ishgard with his progeny. I'd say that even if we hadn't shown up he was on the brink of renewal. As such, I don't think he's ramped up how much he's taking from Hydaelyn, and I doubt that he's using the Crystals.

Also, I don't think he's drained the Crystals. For starters, I'm not sure they can be drained. Even after all the crap they've been put through, they still have energy. Besides, the only thing that shatters in our aether-vision is the pattern. And other languages make it clear that he has only sealed the blessing.

Nabriales, now able to freely enter our realm, sought Tupsimati out of desperation for greater power, as he seeks to take Elidibus' seat next to Zodiark.

That I totally agree with, though. Why stick to the long plan when you see a way to not only finish it now but win personal glory in so doing, right?

[treuhavik]

Also, I don't think he's drained the Crystals. For starters, I'm not sure they can be drained. Even after all the crap they've been put through, they still have energy. Besides, the only thing that shatters in our aether-vision is the pattern. And other languages make it clear that he has only sealed the blessing.

If you watch the CS again, you'll see the color fade from the crystals, one by one. Once all have been "drained" the seal shatters.

[Viridiana]

If you watch the CS again, you'll see the color fade from the crystals, one by one. Once all have been "drained" the seal shatters.

That's the thing, though. They go from "so full of aether it's literally sparking off the crystal" straight to blackened. There is no fading, as such. That's why I suspect Mid has sealed them off from everything for the time being.

[Wournsfeik_Untawhasyn]

Or that he drew on the power of the blessing of light to finish creating his new body. I'd imagine that the power of the blessing would probably have been enough for him to finish anything it might have still taken for such an ancient being to reincarnate (since he'd been kind of working on that for more than a decade.)

That was the impression I got, at least. That we'll get the Blessing back, but it'll be in a Midgardsomr flavor next time when he's deemed us worthy of having it back. In the meantime, he's not going to let that power simply languish in a being he deems currently unworthy of it.