Aetherytes, Garleans, and You!

[Rosenoire]

Okay, there's really no "and you," but I was wondering if Garleans inability to manipulate aether means they can't use aetherytes. I seem to remember Y'shtola saying that Thancred couldn't use them any more after his dip into the Lifestream messed with his magic; would something similar apply to Garleans?

[Enkidoh]

Pure-born Garleans, most definitely, for exactly the reason you mentioned. Having said that, like everything it seems the Garleans have developed a technological alternative to teleporting instead - they appear to make use of a magitek transporter gate that connects their crag-like Castri to a nearby landform (this is actually why Cape Westwind exists - it's the location of the transporter gate for Castrum Marinum that lies offshore on a rocky island in the Rhotano Strait, hence this was actually the true objective for the fight against Rhiatayn during Operation Archon.

We weren't just there to assassinate him and take him out of the equation, we were also there to destroy, or at least shut down, the transporter gate there in order to prevent Castrum Marinum sending troops through it into Thanalan to reinforce Castrum Meridanium - which we do by literally killing two birds with one stone - the death blow we land on Rhiatayn sends him flying backwards at the gate, the force of his weight impacting the delicate magitek device so severely as to effectively destroy it. The Gration's landing spot in Azys Lla has also apparently gained a similar gate, allowing the VIth to quickly evacuate troops onto the Delta Quadrant, establishing several rudimentary bases there.

Either way, it's clear the Garleans cannot use teleportation magic, instead they make use of magitek transporter gates which effectively serve the same purpose (albeit with a fixed departure and destination point).

[Rosenoire]

Either way, it's clear the Garleans cannot use teleportation magic, instead they make use of magitek transporter gates which effectively serve the same purpose (albeit with a fixed departure and destination point).

Thanks for the comprehensive answer! I guess this means that Cid and Lucia have to travel by airship only?

Full disclosure: I'm asking for nefarious reasons. I'm writing a fic involving Cid, and it occurred to me that he can't just use the aetheryte from Rhalgr's Reach to get to Foundation.

[Mysterysword]

I think it might be theoretically possible for someone else to cast Teleport for a Garlean. At its core, the concept of teleportation involves breaking your body down to its component aether, hitching that aether to a ride on the Lifestream, and popping back out at specific preset aetheric "beacons" - in this case, aetheryte crystals.

The Garleans' inability to cast this spell is purely because they cannot innately manipulate aether, but their souls and bodies are still made out of it. If somebody else could break down the Garlean's body for them and send them into the Lifestream, they might be able to do the rest themself. As shown in-game, it is possible to cast Teleport for someone else.

[Jyera]

Thanks for the comprehensive answer! I guess this means that Cid and Lucia have to travel by airship only?

Full disclosure: I'm asking for nefarious reasons. I'm writing a fic involving Cid, and it occurred to me that he can't just use the aetheryte from Rhalgr's Reach to get to Foundation.

-scoots closer- Do tell. ;]

And, I'm not precisely sure. The only teleporter I can remember Cid using off the top of my head is the Allagan terminal in 3.56 MSQ, unless you count going back and forth between Eorzea and Omega's clubhouse. He doesn't seem to be able to enter Alexander Prime's time bubble, and didn't catch up to us in the Crystal Tower until we cleared out a direct footpath. I don't recall him teleporting anywhere in 1.0, either. Hmm...

Is it still canon that 'anima' is how normies and WoLs use aetherytes?

[Rongway]

Is it still canon that 'anima' is how normies and WoLs use aetherytes?

I don't have the exact time and place written down, but I think it was in the House of the Fierce where Alphinaud remarked that most people are "not as replete with anima" as the WoL, or something to that effect, preventing them from teleporting to and fro so freely.

[YianKutku]

I don't have the exact time and place written down, but I think it was in the House of the Fierce where Alphinaud remarked that most people are "not as replete with anima" as the WoL, or something to that effect, preventing them from teleporting to and fro so freely.

Context was Alphinaud and Alisaie completing repairs on the aetheryte in the House of the Fierce, yes.

Image (nothing interesting, just confirmation):

[Mysterysword]

Kind of makes you wonder why the Garleans allowed aetherytes to even exist in Doma and Ala Mhigo. You'd think they wouldn't want constant reminders of their genetic disability everywhere.

[PArcher]

Kind of makes you wonder why the Garleans allowed aetherytes to even exist in Doma and Ala Mhigo. You'd think they wouldn't want constant reminders of their genetic disability everywhere.

Pureblood Garleans aren't common out in the provinces, so allowing everyone else (which includes the majority of their armies) the ability to get from point a to point b effectively isn't a bad idea

[Theodric]

I'd also point out that Regula van Hydrus is shown to use some manner of teleportation during the Warring Triad quest chain. So there's direct evidence of a Pureblood Garlean making use of teleportation - though I'm inclined to believe he simply attuned himself to the magitek gate overlooking The Gration in Ayzs Lla.