Answers About the Archons

[Anonymoose]

My understanding was that the Circle was specifically the group that came with Louisoix to Eorzea, and that Moenbryda was left out for reasons, but I had enough emotional difficulty as it is re-watching the CT scenes the once, so I'll admit I haven't gone back through 2.5 again yet.

Dug it up just in case!

Full oft did he impress upon us that knowledge existeth to serve the greater good. This sentiment, however, was contrary to the nation's policy of neutrality, which censured intercedence in the affairs of foreign lands. In spite of vehement opposition, he founded the Circle of Knowing and journeyed hither to the heart of Eorzea. Through his noble sacrifice was the realm spared its doom. Yet this great soul, whom all should rightly have honored, was branded a pariah in his own land. His peers did accuse him of forsaking his duty as a man of learning, and of meddling in the course of history. When he left Sharlayan behind, Master Louisoix gave no word to signal his intent to Moenbryda. Close as they were, as master and disciple, she was deeply wounded by the sudden exclusion from his confidence.Above all, however, she was confused. Try as she might, she could ill comprehend her master's motive. The slanders that were heaped upon him after his passing served only to inflame the turmoil within her.For years upon end, she knew not what to believe, torn as she was 'twixt the man whom she revered, and the man who forsook her and his duty both.

This quote actually makes it very ambiguous, doesn't it? It could strongly hint that the tattoo is from an original non-Circle purpose that they were all a part of or that he formed the Circle and then left. I might have to dice my theory up a bit - that the tattoo is part of a larger meaning and the Circle did not include Moenbryda.

Something tells me I'm going to have to discard assumptions built on having seen the tattoo since 1.0... Gonna need to see with fresh eyes.

First impressions, I suspect that "record the past to read the present" is a longstanding Sharlayan thing, and that those who do so earn the tattoo. I also suspect that Louisoix's schism with tradition was that he tried to tack "read the present to write the future" onto the end of it, and that the Circle of Knowing represents that break with the nation. Because Louisoix is specifically said to have formed the Circle, but the "learn the past to understand the present" is a much older sentiment, I suspect that the tattoo =/= The Circle of Knowing.

Suspect being the key word in all of those sentences. If it is the case, it's possible that almost all of the confusion originates with Louisoix's exposition including that recording the past to understand the future was the Circle's thing, never clarifying that only the future part the Circle's alone.

Like I said, though, I can very clearly tell now that a few years worth of knowns, unknowns, and assumptions are at play in my head and blocking me from putting the pieces together cleanly and confidently. I'll need to dig it all back up and look at it anew.

If that was supposed to make it hurt less, thank you for trying.

"Hurt" is definitely the last thing I intend, more or less (though, if I had to choose, yeah, less, lol); I just mean that there may be bigger hints in the mechanic of using it than in what people actually say in the game, sometimes.