(Spoiler) About amaurots downfall

[foussi]

Heyo guys

So basically after finishing shb, I have wondered about something, emet told us that the creation magic suddenly went crazy and more stuff happened forcing the amaurotians to summon zodiark (from what I understood).

Now the question is , what caused all these catastrophes?

I theorize that there was something inside the planet that caused the chain reaction.

What do you think?

[Edax]

I theorize that there was something inside the planet that caused the chain reaction.

What do you think?

According to the wiki : "At some point, a mysterious "sound" emanating from the depths of their star caused the Ancients to lose control of their Creation magic, unleashing monsters formed from their subconscious fears. "

Now what caused the sound, we don't know. It may have been the result of some malicious design to destroy The Ancients. It appears even the Ascians never figured out the cause in the years after the Sundering and if Emet managed to Rejoin the Star, history may well have repeated itself. I assume the Ascians were complacent because they assume they'll have Zodiark to prevent the effects and thus never looked too deeply into the cause. This is pure speculation on my part.

[Sylve]

According to the wiki : "At some point, a mysterious "sound" emanating from the depths of their star caused the Ancients to lose control of their Creation magic, unleashing monsters formed from their subconscious fears. "

Now what caused the sound, we don't know. It may have been the result of some malicious design to destroy The Ancients. It appears even the Ascians never figured out the cause in the years after the Sundering and if Emet managed to Rejoin the Star, history may well have repeated itself. I assume the Ascians were complacent because they assume they'll have Zodiark to prevent the effects and thus never looked too deeply into the cause. This is pure speculation on my part.

Something interesting to note about sound in general is that in real life, there are certain frequencies of sound that can induce anxiety, fear and even hallucinations in humans.

During the Magic DPS Role quests, we discover that a mountain is on the verge of collapsing because the aether is being sucked dry via the crystal and the various nasties that were attracted to it.

We also know that Primals devour aether. Primals are created via Creation Magic. From the Lakshmi stuff in Stormblood as well as just general evidence from ARR up to this point, The amount of aether used for the summoning only dictates the size and strength of the Primal.
It could be argued that a Primals devouring of aether is due to an intentional flaw in the process to specifically cause problems for Hydaelyn. But we also know that the Primal in question is formed by the minds of the those who conduct the summoning. So theoretically, it should be possible to summon a Primal that DOESN'T require continual sacrifice of aether to keep it 'fueled'. Which is sorta supported by Bahamut. IIRC, at some point I read ingame that he's considered an 'Elder Primal' and doesn't need external aether. (I could be misremembering)

During one of the Side Quests in Amaurot to make the robes, we get sent out to capture a Cubus to use as fuel for Creating the robes. A device is then produced that converts the captured creature into aether to fuel the robe concept. Only reason we don't make the robes is because we don't know how to use the concept.
Additionally, when the clerk mentions how we don't seem to have any aether whatsoever, he goes to on to give this line {We have special tools that may be used to address this very eventuality.}
That statement implies that the inability to inherently provide Aether for a Creation is something that happens often enough that warranted specialty tools to be developed to get around the limitation.

Which throws doubt onto Emets statements about the aetherial capacity of every Ancient being limitless. If it was limitless, why then would they have a special tool for the "eventuality" of an Ancient incapable of providing their own fuel for a Creation?

To bring this all back around to the sound and its cause, just because Emet and other leading figures in the Ancient world had near limitless aetherial capacities and thus created self contained entites that needed no external aether source, does not mean that every Ancient who ever created a thing was able to do that.
We also know that the tiniest lapse of concentration irrevocably alters the outcome.

If enough Ancients created enough things that drained inconsequential amounts of ambient aether from the land over a long enough period of time (we don't know the scope of their history), then conceivably the Sound was caused by an event within the core of the planet not unlike the collapsing mountain scenario from the Role Quest.

If such an event caused a volcanic eruption of significant force, ejecta from this eruption could easily be thrown into the atmosphere. This would cool and eventually fall back down to the planet, striking regions across the entire planet as we see in the dungeon.

If the Sound caused by such an event was at the appropriate frequency to cause those nearest to feel fear and hallucinate at the same time, anything they attempted to Create would be altered.
Consider the following hypothetical scenario:
-Ancient is affected by the sound and hallucinates.
-Ancient attempts to use Creation Magic to Create something to defend themselves from this hallucination, possibly thinking "Oh no, its going to kill me!" at the time. All while meteors are slamming down around them.
-Concept is tainted by the hallucination, instead of creating a guardian they literally give form to the hallucination which promptly attacks the Creator.

Now imagine that happening to an entire city at the same time. Even those unaffected by the sound itself will find themselves under assault.
The creatures created in this way decimate the city and then roam freely. Potentially seeking sources of aether which they would find in the citizenry of other cities.

But that's just a theory I had during a long work shift...

[Edax]

Something interesting to note about sound in general is that in real life, there are certain frequencies of sound that can induce anxiety, fear and even hallucinations in humans.

I believe that's one of the theories of the infamous Dyatlov Pass incident. A wind going around Kholatsyakal Mountain created a Kármán vortex street, which can produce infrasound capable of inducing panic attacks that caused those mountaineers to tear their way out of their tents and flee the campsite, all while inadequately dressed for the heavy snowfall and sub-zero temperatures. It's almost borderline Event Horizon level of the environment turning people insane.

[geekgirl101]

During one of the Side Quests in Amaurot to make the robes, we get sent out to capture a Cubus to use as fuel for Creating the robes. A device is then produced that converts the captured creature into aether to fuel the robe concept. Only reason we don't make the robes is because we don't know how to use the concept.
Additionally, when the clerk mentions how we don't seem to have any aether whatsoever, he goes to on to give this line {We have special tools that may be used to address this very eventuality.}
That statement implies that the inability to inherently provide Aether for a Creation is something that happens often enough that warranted specialty tools to be developed to get around the limitation.

Which throws doubt onto Emets statements about the aetherial capacity of every Ancient being limitless. If it was limitless, why then would they have a special tool for the "eventuality" of an Ancient incapable of providing their own fuel for a Creation?

This kind of reminds me of the situation between the Zilart and Khulu in FFXI as well as the Eorzeans and Garleans. Sorry if this was already brought up btw, a tonne of reading material to wade through here. My hypothesis on this is that some of the Ancients may have started becoming incapable of producing creation magic or noticed a weakening of aether in themselves and were possibly cast out as imperfect beings. They may well be the people who traveled to the Far East and needed to rely on other ways to create things, possibly harming the planet as they did so as they were drawing the aether from the planet itself rather than from themselves. This would explain why the tools were being produced because some were realising that they weren't as limitless as they thought they were or it was happening too often that whilst others like Emet turned a blind eye to the fact that so many were being exiled they still believed themselves to be perfect and not see the greater picture that eventually they would drain themselves if they continued to wrecklessly spend their own aether on creation magic.

This could then explain a certain number of things. The Amauritines refused to help the people of the Far East, possibly as a way of purging the impure. A position opened up in the seat for the council, that may have been because one of them was found to have been becoming weaker and was cast out of the council and exiled. Lahabrea might've been noticing deterioration of his own aether and could be why he regularly hopped body to body to conserve his own aether and his reasons for being more angrier could've been that he was also angry with himself.

I'm just speculating here so...

[Avidria]

According to the wiki : "At some point, a mysterious "sound" emanating from the depths of their star caused the Ancients to lose control of their Creation magic, unleashing monsters formed from their subconscious fears. "

Does anyone remember where this was said in game? I vaguely remember something to that effect, but I also remember the catastrophe starting on the other side of the planet. Just want to make sure I haven't missed something.

Also speculation on my part, but they did snatch Archaeotania and bring it directly into the heart of their city - and unless it breaking out is just a product of Emet's illusions going awry, it may well have broken out in Ancient times too. Makes me wonder if that might have really been the start of things going sideways in Amaurot proper. Or a catalyst to make things much worse for them... taking the disease they're trying to cure and (unintentionally) letting it loose where it can cause the most damage.

Could be off base there though lmao

[YianKutku]

Does anyone remember where this was said in game? I vaguely remember something to that effect, but I also remember the catastrophe starting on the other side of the planet. Just want to make sure I haven't missed something.

It was stated in MSQ dialogue, yes. During the part where you first explore Amaurot, and talk with some unnamed Amaurotines about the "current" (to them) situation. The NPC in specific is called "Anxious Amaurotine", during the quest "The End of a World".

Good gracious, child, where is your family? You should not be alone at a time like this. Run along home. Quickly now!

Have you not heard? Though yet confined to the lands across the sea, a terrible phenomenon afflicts our star. They are calling it the "Final Days".

'Tis said it starts suddenly, a cacophonous keening from beneath the earth. The sound distorts all living things within earshot, and wrests from us control of our creation magicks.

Once that happens, all is lost. Fear, pain, despair... every dread impulse is siphoned from our minds and given substance: an eternal fall of fiery rain; an incessant spawning of nightmarish beasts...

None can point to the source of the phenomenon. 'Tis as if the star itself has fallen ill -- as if a force inimical to life now festers and spreads.

'Tis only a matter of time until Amaurot, too, resounds to that discordant squall. You should stay with your loved ones, child... Stay with them...

Please tell me I'm not the only one to immediately think of Lavos.

[QT_Melon]

One thing to keep in mind, that Amaurot is a CITY. It's not the entire planet. It was just seen as a "capital". (Just saying it because the race isn't called after the city - small distinction).

What was known is that there was a sound that disrupted the creation magic - it's not known what caused this sound but it was a cry from the planet itself from what we know.

This caused creation magic to go wild because of the disruption and also caused the Ancients to create beings out of their own fears.

[Ardox]

Heyo guys

So basically after finishing shb, I have wondered about something, emet told us that the creation magic suddenly went crazy and more stuff happened forcing the amaurotians to summon zodiark (from what I understood).

Now the question is , what caused all these catastrophes?

I theorize that there was something inside the planet that caused the chain reaction.

What do you think?

What is said in game is A noise from within the earth started to manifest, disrupting the Ancient's creation magic every time they heard it. It started localized, but has time went, the problem amplified. At the end, the problem was so bad their own magic started to manifest their deepest fears.

That's what we know and we can only speculate from here. It's already said the sound's origin was from deep within the star/planet. My hypothesis is the Ancient's creation magick is somehow related to the primordial Darkness and its heavy usage created the original imbalance between Light and Darkness. If I'm right, bolstering the Darkness so, might have given the Darkness that hunger for more power.

Here I'm referring to the Antitower cutscene: There, Minifilia/Hydelyn told us that Light and Darkness were at peace/equilibrium at the beginning of time. I'm increasingly skeptical it might refer to a time after their summoning. I think, somehow, the Darkness have lured the convocation to summon a deity so Darkness could overwhelm Light.

[Alleluia]

Wanna also call attention to the fact there were a LOT of meteors from space involved in the end there. Whether that's something/someone/the Ancients casting "meteor" or whether its actual debris from space, I don't know. But the calamity seemed to come at them from both directions, below the ground and above it.

Looking forward to defeating Zodiark, thinking we've done good, only for the ground to start screaming and meteor showers to start pelting the world again. lol

What is said in game is A noise from within the earth started to manifest, disrupting the Ancient's creation magic every time they heard it. It started localized, but has time went, the problem amplified. At the end, the problem was so bad their own magic started to manifest their deepest fears.

That's what we know and we can only speculate from here. It's already said the sound's origin was from deep within the star/planet. My hypothesis is the Ancient's creation magick is somehow related to the primordial Darkness and its heavy usage created the original imbalance between Light and Darkness. If I'm right, bolstering the Darkness so, might have given the Darkness that hunger for more power.

Here I'm referring to the Antitower cutscene: There, Minifilia/Hydelyn told us that Light and Darkness were at peace/equilibrium at the beginning of time. I'm increasingly skeptical it might refer to a time after their summoning. I think, somehow, the Darkness have lured the convocation to summon a deity so Darkness could overwhelm Light.

I agree. I think this is becoming the only way that you can interpret that scene at this point. Either that or "Hydaelyn lied" and I don't think she did. She just didn't mention the Ancients in btwn the "primordial light/dark" bit and the sundering.