Thoughts on how we might go from WoL to WoD

[AdamuKun322]

So I'm thinking we're in for another 2.5 series of events in 4.5. No, not the "bloody banquet" as it was, but rather we fail at performing a duty. So, read me out here.

Let's say in 4.5 MS Part 1 we have a moment with Hydalean and for some reason, our connection to her is severed completely. Thus, we wonder the realm not knowing what to do next. Pretty sure we have to fight Zenos-Elidbus again in Part 1. However, after that and failing Hydalean, we are weakened with no will to go on because we did not bring forth the "flood of light" as the WoD told us in 3.4 and 3.5.

Now onto 4.5 MS Part 2 after weeks of wondering the realm with our lost blessing of light if we do lose it, we come face to face with those of the Light. Hence the WoL getting rekt in the Shadowbringer Trailer by some Amdapor Hard beasties. After a fruitless battle we are beaten truly and unable to go on. Unable to get up. So, in our moment of defeat, we hear the voice once again "Throw wide the gates so that we may pass." We attempt to resist, but we can't. Thus the WoD comes back and talks to us. Asks us that balance must be bought to the shard and in order to do so we must accept the darkness or their darkness to beat back the flood of light. This goes back to the Twin Calamaties which I think now mean the two stars.

So once that is done, we absorb the power of darkness. Getting Kingdom Hearts up in here and use it to beat back the light and thus through 5.0 we seek balance between the Light and Darkness. Balance between Hydalean and Zodiark. But the Ascians as we know, seek to undo that balance.

Thoughts? Maybe I went too farfetch'd?

[Cilia]

As I recall the Warriors of Darkness' journey from their Shard to the Source was a one-way trip; by returning to their home world they submitted to the natural flow of the lifestream and properly died, so they aren't likely to come back.

Beyond that I'm not keen on guessing on where things are going to go, because I can't make sense of it all without adding time travel in there, and things get loopy when you do that.

[MetalSnakeXI1]

I had a similar thought although I was a bit crazy on my thread xD.

Although personally I think the Zenos-Elidibus battle would be in part 2 of 4.5 as a dungeon boss similar to how Illberd/Griffin was handled in Baelsar's Wall during the Far Edge of fate patches in Heavensward

As for how we'd become the warrior of darkness,I expect that the scene we saw in 5.0's trailer is from a solo instance fight at the end of 4.5 where Zodiark,making use of our severed connection with Hydaelyn,would temper us,allowing us to become the warrior of darkness and fend off Kiribu and the other Amdaporian light beasts coming to kill us.

And much like how we did with Hyadelyn in ARR where we collected the elemenal crystals from Eorzea's primals, we might need to collect crystals for Zodiark from Primals situated in Garlean territory.

Tho I wonder if the assault from the Amdaporian figures are the result of either Hydaelyn or Solus Zas Galvus's actions.

[Enkidoh]

I had a similar thought although I was a bit crazy on my thread xD.

Although personally I think the Zenos-Elidibus battle would be in part 2 of 4.5 as a dungeon boss similar to how Illberd/Griffin was handled in Baelsar's Wall during the Far Edge of fate patches in Heavensward

As for how we'd become the warrior of darkness,I expect that the scene we saw in 5.0's trailer is from a solo instance fight at the end of 4.5 where Zodiark,making use of our severed connection with Hydaelyn,would temper us,allowing us to become the warrior of darkness and fend off Kiribu and the other Amdaporian light beasts coming to kill us.

And much like how we did with Hyadelyn in ARR where we collected the elemenal crystals from Eorzea's primals, we might need to collect crystals for Zodiark from Primals situated in Garlean territory.

Tho I wonder if the assault from the Amdaporian figures are the result of either Hydaelyn or Solus Zas Galvus's actions.

That wouldn't work - the Blessing and the Crystals of Light (as in, Hydaelyn's hotline to us) is not what makes us immune to tempering/negative influence from a higher power, but the Echo. The two concepts are interlinked, but also seperate ideas.

As far as Crystals of Darkness go, they are already what the Ascians use as their way of trapping mortals to their will (specifically, it's how they enthrall a host, like what happened with Thancred). It's not clear exactly how the Ascians create them, but it appears it's rather easy to reproduce, or at least, a synthetic replica - the Students of Baldesion did just that, creating a synthetic Crystal of Darkness for Minfilia as a means to free Thancred from Lahabrea's control (although it appears it was never used, becoming just a red herring).

Sadly I think I'm going to hold off trying to theorycraft exactly what leads us down the path of darkness in 5.0, in that we just don't know enough from the teaser, so I'm just going to wait and see where this new Path takes us and deal with the results as they happen - exactly how my character would probably deal with that, come to think of it.

The difference is that Dark Knights wield their own darkness - or more accurately their hearts, negativity and all - as a weapon, as opposed to wielding Zodiark's divine power of Darkness.

That's a very good point which I think may be the key here to understanding this: the teaser just shows Derplander becoming a DRK to destroy a light-elemental Kuribu (after all his other Jobs failed), so his monologue about becoming the WoD therefore might be metaphorical rather than literal. Still Hydaelyn's Champion, still in fact literally the Warrior of Light, but needing to balance things by understanding that light and darkness are two sides of the same coin, and for Hydaelyn to be saved, that metaphorical coin now needs to be flipped side on, and DRK is the ultimate expression of that - a Job that uses emotion, both positive and negative, to power it, and learning to become, effectively lawful neutral (to use a DnD term). It's an interesting idea in any event.

[MetalSnakeXI1]

That wouldn't work - the Blessing and the Crystals of Light (as in, Hydaelyn's hotline to us) is not what makes us immune to tempering/negative influence from a higher power, but the Echo. The two concepts are interlinked, but also seperate ideas.

As far as Crystals of Darkness go, they are already what the Ascians use as their way of trapping mortals to their will (specifically, it's how they enthrall a host, like what happened with Thancred). It's not clear exactly how the Ascians create them, but it appears it's rather easy to reproduce, or at least, a synthetic replica - the Students of Baldesion did just that, creating a synthetic Crystal of Darkness for Minfilia as a means to free Thancred from Lahabrea's control (although it appears it was never used, becoming just a red herring).

Sadly I think I'm going to hold off trying to theorycraft exactly what leads us down the path of darkness in 5.0, in that we just don't know enough from the teaser, so I'm just going to wait and see where this new Path takes us and deal with the results as they happen - exactly how my character would probably deal with that, come to think of it.



That's a very good point which I think may be the key here to understanding this: the teaser just shows Derplander becoming a DRK to destroy a light-elemental Kuribu (after all his other Jobs failed), so his monologue about becoming the WoD therefore might be metaphorical rather than literal. Still Hydaelyn's Champion, still in fact literally the Warrior of Light, but needing to balance things by understanding that light and darkness are two sides of the same coin, and for Hydaelyn to be saved, that metaphorical coin now needs to be flipped side on, and DRK is the ultimate expression of that - a Job that uses emotion, both positive and negative, to power it, and learning to become, effectively lawful neutral (to use a DnD term). It's an interesting idea in any event.

Hmmmm, I think you're right

We're missing a lot of details from 4.5 that it's a bit hard to make a proper theory without enough details to back it up so I'll probably hold on until 4.5 comes in January and see what we'll be doing in part 1

[ObsidianFire]

A huge thing to remember is that the previous WoD never stopped being on Hydaelyn's side or ever supported Zodiark. The Ascians have always been implied to be the Echo-users who are allied with Zodiark. The Warriors (whether of Light or Darkness) have always been allied with Hydaelyn. For that to change would require one hell of a set-up that doesn't have any foreshadowing.

Until 4.5 Part one hits, the WoL siding with Zodiark to become the WoD is at the bottom of my predection list.

[MetalSnakeXI1]

A huge thing to remember is that the previous WoD never stopped being on Hydaelyn's side or ever supported Zodiark. The Ascians have always been implied to be the Echo-users who are allied with Zodiark. The Warriors (whether of Light or Darkness) have always been allied with Hydaelyn. For that to change would require one hell of a set-up that doesn't have any foreshadowing.

Until 4.5 Part one hits, the WoL siding with Zodiark to become the WoD is at the bottom of my predection list.

But Hydaelyn is heavily associated with Light heck she is more or less the source of light for the world.I mean it is still possible to become WoD through Zodiark and then turn on him to be on Hydaelyn's side again but I doubt Hydaelyn could give darkness to her chosen ones.

iirc during the WoDs plot in Heavensward their goal was to kill each beast tribe's primal as many times as they can until the ascians can goad them to pray to Zodiark instead so I assumed it was Zodiark that gave them the power of darkness

.........then again you can become a dark knight while being at Hydaelyn's side so it's a bit confusing

[Cilia]

iirc during the WoDs plot in Heavensward their goal was to kill each beast tribe's primal as many times as they can until the ascians can goad them to pray to Zodiark instead so I assumed it was Zodiark that gave them the power of darkness

Not per sé. The goal was to have the Warriors of Darkness kill primals to the point the beastmen had to collectively create a new god (primal) to protect them - one more powerful than their individual gods. Though the Warriors of Darkness ultimately failed in this endeavor, Ilberd succeeded with the added bonus of starting a war with the Empire.

Zodiark Himself never factored into it.

.........then again you can become a dark knight while being at Hydaelyn's side so it's a bit confusing

The difference is that Dark Knights wield their own darkness - or more accurately their hearts, negativity and all - as a weapon, as opposed to wielding Zodiark's divine power of Darkness.

[ObsidianFire]

It's worth noting that even the Ascians want a balance between light and darkness just like Hydaelyn does. However, they also want to spread Chaos. That is sosmething Hydaelyn and us do not want to do.

[AdamuKun322]

I like all the points everyone's making. It'll be interesting to see how we transition. But I see Time Travel being a thing. So, time to hopefully not mess up the timelines!