Thread: Revelations from Patch 3.4

If you're going to ask, well... it would be rude of me to deny you. That said, this is just idle speculation, and probably a bit more than asked for, so take it for what you will.

Ilberd is the Griffin. Everything about his MO lines up with what you'd expect of a man in his situation.

For some reason, Nero is working with him (despite the fact he shouldn't be able to get into Cartenau and he was supposed to have had some positive character development after CT, but I digress). Now that Ilberd has Nidhogg's eyes, and Nero knows the location of Omega, the ancient doomsday machine is going to be reactivated with Nidhogg's eyes as batteries and the Resistance (or at lest the Masks) are going to use it to punch on through the Garlean defenses surrounding Ala Mhigo. This will lead into 4.0 as we try and get both the Ala Mhigan Resistance and Garleans to focus their attention on the enemy they should really be concerned about - Ilberd and the Masks rampaging around in Omega, causing collateral damage that kills Garleans and Ala Mhigans alike - and, after strained negotiations, possibly aggressive negotiations, we'll enter an uneasy alliance of convenience with Garlemald to take down Omega. The Masks will use Omega to eat the primals of the local beast tribes after we defeat them until we destroy the thing a la Ultima Weapon.

Haven proven our valor and honor to him by taking down the Triad, Regula van Hydrus will turn on Garlemald or at least be the bridge between us and the Empire.

Nidhogg may be reborn as Shinryu as a result of some resonance effect with Omega. After the merciless thrashing we gave him despite not being Ishgardian, his enmity will have shifted from Ishgard only to all mortal races, and the 4.x patch series will be about taking him down along with easing hostilities with Garlemald and repatriating the Ala Mhigans. 5.0 will lead us into Garlemald, though for what reason I could not even begin to guess.

Where Tupsimati factors into this, I have no idea. I can't fathom why Papalymo wanted it "to keep it safe," given we're put in mortal danger time and again and always manage to come out on top. The further away from 3.5 we go the more vague it gets - I'm guessing based on what seems apparent, not psychic.

Red Mage and Samurai are almost definitely being added. I'd like Viking just because it's such an oddball class to add, but...

Originally Posted by ChocoFeru

That would be cool, but

How are you asuming that Nero is linked with Griffin? I don't remember any direct link to them.

Honestly Nero is a total wildcard at this point. He has no loyalties to anyone but himself. His only motivation is besting Cid. Nero could use Omega either to help the Ala Mhigan resistance OR to help the Garlean defence of the city. It could be either, or it could be something entirely separate from the coming war for Ala Mhigo.

I believe the speculation that he'll likely be siding with Ilberd lies in Nidhogg's eyes. Omega is going to need a power source. Unless the Heart of Sabik reenters the story (which, interestingly, Koji said it would) the eyes are the best bet for Omega's reactivation, thus it's likely Nero and Ilberd may end up working together.

Originally Posted by Cilia

Where Tupsimati factors into this, I have no idea. I can't fathom why Papalymo wanted it "to keep it safe," given we're put in mortal danger time and again and always manage to come out on top. The further away from 3.5 we go the more vague it gets - I'm guessing based on what seems apparent, not psychic.

Given the context of that scene Papalymo knows something that he's not telling us. Yda is clearly important in some way and has a history with Ala Mhigo and the resistance. He's concerned that she's going to do something rash I think. If I were to guess, Papalymo fears that Yda may try to use Tupsimati for something and wants to keep hold of it precisely because he's the only one aware of her situation. The WoL may be the best person to keep the Key safe from our enemies, but we would likely not think twice about giving it to a fellow Scion...

Ohhh, that is makes much more sense than what I was thinking of. It felt ominous with the narration shift of Papalymo and his sudden request to take Tupsimati from the WoL. It just felt super suspicious. Even the WoL and Alphinaud shared a 'lolwut?' moment before going " eh, why not? ". my Darksteel tinfoil hat made me suspect Papalymo was the ascian lalafell we saw in the 2.0 era of cutscenes when we saw all the super-evil silhouettes and the first glimpse of zodiark....

While I think Cilia is correct with his assertions that Yda is probably not a princess, I wonder what her importance is to Ala Mhigo. She's important enough to be recognized, and recognized fondly. Gundobald didn't really start revering her, but then again we don't know much about Ala Mihgan culture.
And another question...
Why was she hiding from Gundobald and only "discovered" after the WoL arrives to confront the Griffin?
Is it because she failed protecting her family and is ashamed of facing people who are direct links to her past?
Or is it something else....?

Originally Posted by Cilia

How Nero factors into this, I don't know.

Aside from seemingly losing his character development from CT (which was what made me like him in the first place), Nero is a rogue factor. He can't work with Garlemald since he's a survivor of the Rogue XIVth and has made no effort to integrate into Eorzea.

He's going to do something with Omega. Be it help the Garleans, help the Ala Mhigans, or help us, I don't know.

I was thinking

If he's not loyal to anyone but himself, then he might not care who he worked with. Elidibus gives Ilberd the Eyes, and Ilberd goes to Nero and says, "Hey, I just so happen to have something that you might be able to use to power that big Weapon of yours--no pun intended."

Just finished MSQs (finally).

How could the Eyes of Nidhogg be back? We threw them off a bridge! Nothing could possibly survive that! It was a bridge, I tell you! A briiiiidge!

And Elidibus presents them in a shard of ice? YSAYLE SURVIVAL CONFIRMED! She turned into Shiva, and caught the eyes in an ice bolt! And... gave them to Elidibus... okay, theory starting to fall apart... but Ysayle/Estinien OTP must live on!!!

Originally Posted by Cilia

I can't fathom why Papalymo wanted it "to keep it safe," given we're put in mortal danger time and again and always manage to come out on top.

To be fair, we didn't do a great job of hanging onto the Key to Azys Lla. XD