The Legacy of Alexander and the Xaela [Spoilers]

[LystAP]

It struck me as a little odd that the only Ascian meddling we've heard of in Stormblood so far was directed at the Raen when the Xaela have a culture full of conflict and strife that seems like it would suit their desires much better.

I'm kind of hoping the future MSQs will involve them stirring up some trouble on the steppe if they haven't already.

Yeah, a violent place like the Steppes. You'll think it'll draw the Ascians in like flies. Maybe it's also related with why the Garleans are avoiding the area.

[Ultimatecalibur]

The first Goro we meet at Reunion supports the text of the horse marriage... Seeing as how he talks to his horse as one would talk to their love. While at the same time, the text also states that reproductive mates are chosen, so its clear that they don't exactly mate with their horses. Marriage doesn't have to imply anything sexual and we see a lot of that in history. In this case, its just be a special bond between two individuals (or horse in this matter).

The Dataqi Chronicles Fate chain involves both the Goro and Dataqi tribes and goes into a bit more about them and explains a bit about the Goro/horse relationship. Pointing out that the relationship is more one of owner and lifelong pet/animal companion.

The first encounter with a Goro at reunion alongside the the biased/flawed text (which mentions the opposite sex pairings of Goro and horse) is intended to trigger feelings of disquiet through implications and make the tribe appear strange and/or crazy. Marriage inherently implies sexual relations which kinda is why sexless marriages are an anomaly. Calling the relationship "marriage" was part of why I was calling the text flawed and no good as a record of empirical evidence.

I fully expect the conversation that generated that line in universe was something like this:

Traveler talking about the Xaela tribes: "... and the Goro have a coming of age ceremony where they form a lifebond with a horse of the opposite sex."
Eorzean Scholar: "You mean like a wedding?"
Traveler: "Kinda."
Eorzean Scholar: (writes down "Goro marry horses of the opposite sex.") "How do they determine procreative partners?"
Traveler: (shrugs) "Drawing lots I guess."

[LineageRazor]

Mide and Dayan were idealistic dreamers, as were their kin. The Enigma Codex was completed over a long period of time, and presumably it stayed in the Hotgo. At the moment, there's very little evidence that the Hotgo have been hostile or bad at all, while the Dotharl have a fearsome history, to the point that Cirina admitted in the MSQ that she was frightened of talking to Sadu.

If we go by my scenario, there's no reason why the Hotgo couldn't be perfectly pleasant to everyone not a Dotharl, and their shady dealings with the Dotharl might not be widely known. As for Mide and Dayan (and their kin? Don't remember that, but sure, let's go with it) being idealistic dreamers, it is highly unlikely that the entire tribe was so inclined. People are different from one another, after all. And even if they WERE all idealistic dreamers, there might be the acknowledgement that as long as the shadow of the Dotharl is over them, the dream cannot be realized.

Anyway, it's just a theory, and one I came up with myself. There's no support for it in-game, aside from the overall oddity that the Dotharl don't seem to be as vicious as they're supposed to be - EXCEPT when it came to the Hotgo.

THe question is, would Dayan and Mide stoop to those levels, considering they had the mindset to actually activate the Enigma Codex and control Alexander from within?

Who's doing any stooping? All they needed to do is pass on the knowledge. It would be up to future generations to decide what to do with it. I very much doubt that Mide or Dayan would encourage any sort of cold-blooded genocidal policy against the Dotharl - but their childrens' childrens' children? Who's to say?

[LystAP]

Having a tribe destroyed is different from a whole-scale massacre. Technically, the Avagnar are destroyed, as their culture was wholly assimilated by the Adarkim. But there were survivors. The outlier is the implication in the Hotgo text that the Dotharl massacred every last member they could get their hands on.

The question being asked in Kiht's post isn't about how the tribe was destroyed, but how every man, woman and child was killed by a strangely honorable tribe in the MSQ. The Dotharl revel in the battle and seek to have their souls shine bright, I doubt slaughtering children would make their souls very bright.

A issue is that the tribal descriptions are in the Lorebook, which means it is near Word of God for FFXIV. The Lorebook itself has several instances that references things which would be improbable for a Eorzean scholar to know, or make comparisons with how Japanese is involved. Unless its mentioned explicitly in-game, sources external to the game have precedence, including the naming conventions, which came before SE identified Mide as a Hotgo.

Which raises a interesting question, SE could have just given Mide a random tribe name, such as they did for Sidurgu. Why did they pick the Hotgo, a PC name option, and in SB, why did they pick the Dotharl - whom are connected to the Hotgo by being the instruments of the former's destruction.

Anyway, it's just a theory, and one I came up with myself. There's no support for it in-game, aside from the overall oddity that the Dotharl don't seem to be as vicious as they're supposed to be - EXCEPT when it came to the Hotgo.

This is the point of interest, the Hotgo seemed an exception, while the Dotharl supposed revelry of massacre is rather tamed in application.

That said, the naming conventions themselves are actually quite accurate, although broad. The Goro view of marriage is very similar to how dragons view their mates, so it could be said to be married. The Dataqi chief himself admits that they often do sleep on their saddles and those who infer as such wouldn't be incorrect. The low numbers from combat attrition part of the Dotharl description was acknowledged by Sadu herself, when Gosetu inquired about it to her. And we know the Oronir description is very accurate.

The only exception that hasn't yet to be explained or noted seems to be the Hotgo and their face paint.

[Ultimatecalibur]

A issue is that the tribal descriptions are in the Lorebook, which means it is near Word of God for FFXIV. The Lorebook itself has several instances that references things which would be improbable for a Eorzean scholar to know, or make comparisons with how Japanese is involved. Unless its mentioned explicitly in-game, sources external to the game have precedence, including the naming conventions, which came before SE identified Mide as a Hotgo.

Actually the information in Encyclopedia Eorzea can not be taken as "word of god." It is an intentional abridged version of FFXIV's setting bible with various parts obfuscated and other parts "translated" in order to intrigue fans with more info about the world.

Mide's tribe was likely determined before the HW expansion was released when they completed the outline of the Alexander story.

Which raises a interesting question, SE could have just given Mide a random tribe name, such as they did for Sidurgu. Why did they pick the Hotgo, a PC name option, and in SB, why did they pick the Dotharl - whom are connected to the Hotgo by being the instruments of the former's destruction.

The simple answer is that Mide was made a Hotgo due to them being a dispossessed tribe and the Dotharl were chosen for their deathseeker mentality which stands out among the other tribes.

[LystAP]

Actually the information in Encyclopedia Eorzea can not be taken as "word of god." It is an intentional abridged version of FFXIV's setting bible with various parts obfuscated and other parts "translated" in order to intrigue fans with more info about the world.

The tribe list isn't only in the Lorebook, but also directly on the forums ( http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...ng-Conventions ). The tribal identifiers are not 'translated', but direct factoids by SE.

Mide's tribe was likely determined before the HW expansion was released when they completed the outline of the Alexander story.

The simple answer is that Mide was made a Hotgo due to them being a dispossessed tribe and the Dotharl were chosen for their deathseeker mentality which stands out among the other tribes.

They could have made Mide a Orl, which was the tribe Sidurgu belong too and got wiped out by the Ishgardians. However, they picked another tribe - a PC tribe, and also neglected to incorporate the identifying trait of said tribe - face paint. Given the thoroughness of the Lore team in the past, this can't just be coincidence.

The Dotharl are not death seekers, Sadu highlights this, they do not fear death, but they are not suicidal. In regards to tribe selection; they could have made another tribe - if they wanted a Nhaama - they could have picked the Kagon. if the Oronir ruled the Steppes, why can't the Kagon be their opponents? They could have the same mentality as the Dotharl, considering the association of Nhaama with death (i.e. the House of Crooked Coin).

[JepMZ]

I like to think before WOL got involved, Hotgo werent into facepaint and just easily dies out by the competition, thus the dynamics of Steppes were a lot more different with the Dithurl numbers not decreasing and Mol being wiped out and a certain character becoming a slave. But after your involvement, the Hotgo's past got changed to have virgin immaculation two Xaena to begin everything. Their love for each other reflects their tribe with new joyful face paint culture. Their warfare includes high technology stuff making them formadible opponent and dwindling dethurl numbers before wiping out, giving the Mol a chance to achieve the impossible.

[Balipu]

The tribe list isn't only in the Lorebook, but also directly on the forums ( http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...ng-Conventions ). The tribal identifiers are not 'translated', but direct factoids by SE.



They could have made Mide a Orl, which was the tribe Sidurgu belong too and got wiped out by the Ishgardians. However, they picked another tribe - a PC tribe, and also neglected to incorporate the identifying trait of said tribe - face paint. Given the thoroughness of the Lore team in the past, this can't just be coincidence.

Yes it is on the forum but maybe it was always intended to be a flawed in universe account. A question for a lore panel. Or a second lore book.

[Melichoir]

Just a thought, but is it possible the Hotgo Tribe are the villains in all of this? That the Dotharl went out of their way to Massacre the Hotgo because of something the Hotgo were doing. While I know the Dotharl are extremely war like, to go out and completely obliterate another Clan over nothing seems unusual. Maybe not villains, but Hotgo did something instigate the massacre.

[Balipu]

Just a thought, but is it possible the Hotgo Tribe are the villains in all of this? That the Dotharl went out of their way to Massacre the Hotgo because of something the Hotgo were doing. While I know the Dotharl are extremely war like, to go out and completely obliterate another Clan over nothing seems unusual. Maybe not villains, but Hotgo did something instigate the massacre.

Could be. We know very little about what actually happened.