Revelations from Keynote III (2019)

[LineageRazor]

I would have tended to suspect this is occurring in the First as well, as we know that the Scions are NPCs that will be available as part of the Trust system (which means they are on the First with you, unless they also have the ability to go back and forth freely). The "hold the line" scene could be shortly after they "wake up" on the First, while they're waiting for the WoL/WoD to appear there (so basically, in roughly our current timeframe).

In FFXI, the Trust system summoned NPCs to your side, but they were COPIES of the original NPCs, forged from the emotional bonds of trust that existed between you and the NPC (or, in the case of Shantoto, bonds of complete submission and servitude OHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!). They might go with something similar in this game - and probably will. If we're fighting along side the ACTUAL NPC, that gives that NPC some pretty impressive plot armor - unless, I suppose, they take away your ability to summon that NPC when that NPC dies or otherwise becomes unavailable. Still, I find it far more likely that FFXIV's trusts will be copies, as well, in particular because that opens up the ability to have Trusts of popular NPCs that are no longer with us, like Haurchefant or Moenbryda.

If Trusts are copies, there will be no obstacle to bringing them with us to the First Shard.

[SkyEdge1]

If anyone has ever read Stephen Kings the Dark Tower series, I'm getting some pretty similar vibes coming from the Crystal Tower.
For example what if the Allagans didn't create it, but rather re-purposed it? And instead the Crystal Tower exists in all the shards and serves as sort of a lynchpin to creation. Keeping all the Aether between the shards separate but linked together in one finite point. And like someone said above all we see is the tip of the iceberg, and the Crystal Tower extends much further into the world than previously thought. Would be a nice explanation to how one earthquake could wipe out a civilization as vastly spread as the Allagans, because it happened at the crux of all worlds? Just headcannon

[Cilia]

Well, the simplest explanation for the dual Crystal Towers is that it predates the Sundering.

I would then posit that it predates the Sundering and serves as a waypoint between Shards (and the Source). If it exists in two realities it probably would exist in all of them, and there has to be some significance in that case. Of course there's no reason to visit the other Shards since they aren't in danger, but maybe it's a sort of terminus for inter-Shard travel?

Ah... well, while I was initially reluctant to agree with the G'raha theory due to the scarring on the hooded figure not seen on him, with the reveal that the hooded figure is crystallizing and that we need to do CT for some additional context I'm willing to admit it's got a bit more credence. If that's the case I'd argue that he's acting as our observer. Maybe. Possibly.

[Iscah]

Is Krile just going to be benched this expac because of variable Eureka progression? I've been waiting for a Krile and G'raha reunion since she was introduced as the "only" surviving Student of Baldesion, and it would be unfortunate (and not in a poetic/dramatic way) if he managed to get himself Killed Off For Real before that happened. Hopefully whatever lets Echo bearers travel shards cleanly works for her, too.

I'm pretty sure characters being sidelined due to involvement in optional quests only lasts until the end of that expansion - eg. Cid is involved in the Crystal Tower raids, but also in Heavensward MSQ. (For that matter, he could potentially be occupied with CT, Alexander and Omega simultaneously, if you left all those storylines half-done for some reason.)

Krile seems like an excellent character to be with us when we first re-encounter G'raha (or possible lookalike), since she'd recognise him whether the individual player knows him or not. Rather like Nero's "introduction" at Lv60, if you skipped the Crystal Tower raids, relies mostly on his conversation with other people at the meeting - they definitely haven't met him yet, and the raid doesn't change that, so he has to introduce himself there whether you know him or not.

So the same thing could play out with G'raha and Krile. If you know him, she's asking all the same questions you probably want to ask, and if you don't know him, then their conversation will ideally fill in the critical details of what the player needs to know.

If we're fighting along side the ACTUAL NPC, that gives that NPC some pretty impressive plot armor - unless, I suppose, they take away your ability to summon that NPC when that NPC dies or otherwise becomes unavailable.

It depends how they handle it, but it could also be possible that they'd base it on which characters are available to help you at that point in the story - perhaps with a fixed set of characters per dungeon, and possibly able to use different classes depending on yours, eg. Thancred switching back to rogue if you're playing tank. In that case you'd only need three designated trust characters per dungeon - one in each role, with the tank and healer having a DPS class to switch to if needed.

So if they did it that way, there would be no "plot armour" guarantee just because someone is available for the Lv73 dungeon that they'll still be here for the Lv80 finale.

(But the Lv77 dungeon is going to be the one to watch out for, given that both Lv57 and 67 ended badly for certain NPCs...)

[Fenral]

The same discussion is progressing in multiple places and in slightly different directions, but here's some added context on the Tower we saw in the trailer.

There's a possibility that it's a time- and space-displaced version of the original tower, though its true origins could still be subject to New Revelations. The actual time frames being fuzzed out are practically irrelevant, since some stuff will have to have happened outside the bubble (before and after!) if it is indeed the same tower.


I'm just wondering if any of it has to do with Salina's True Purpose, or this is all one giant side-trip as far as the Great Allagan Destiny.

[Yuyuka3]

Not quite sure where to put this and if it has been posted somewhere here already, but Yoshida actually addressed travel between dimensions in an interview on Saturday:

Q: Will we be able to travel between the First world and the Source?

A: It's possible with the WoL's power of the echo. It's an extremely convenient setup *laughs* but the echo allows you to cross between dimensions and parallel worlds. During the WoD arc in Patch 3.4, the former WoLs from the First world abandoned their lives to come to the Source, but there is a way to move without doing that, which will also be explained in the MSQ. You can think of it as something that amplifies the power of the echo. Relax, your WoL won't be dying *laughs* Once you've been there, you'll be able to teleport.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/comme...w_with_yoship/

[Rocl]

Of the people who've been experiencing the Voice, we're the only ones in possession of the Echo. I would bet good money they somehow use the Echo to explain why we're able travel with less dire consequences than our allies.

EDIT: Apparently, Yoshida agrees and I didn't get to win any money. I guess we'll also figure out why the Warriors of Darkness had to die to travel...but that could be as explained simply as "Elidibus is a lying snake and convinced them it was the only way."

[Yuyuka3]

Of the people who've been experiencing the Voice, we're the only ones in possession of the Echo. I would bet good money they somehow use the Echo to explain why we're able travel with less dire consequences than our allies.

EDIT: Apparently, Yoshida agrees and I didn't get to win any money. I guess we'll also figure out why the Warriors of Darkness had to die to travel...but that could be as explained simply as "Elidibus is a lying snake and convinced them it was the only way."

I'm 90% sure that's the explanation, actually.

[Fenral]

Is Krile just going to be benched this expac because of variable Eureka progression? I've been waiting for a Krile and G'raha reunion since she was introduced as the "only" surviving Student of Baldesion, and it would be unfortunate (and not in a poetic/dramatic way) if he managed to get himself Killed Off For Real before that happened. Hopefully whatever lets Echo bearers travel shards cleanly works for her, too.

[Theodric]

I don't suppose anybody has a link to a word for word transcript of the lore Q&A session? It would be very much appreciated!