Sundering and specific character questions. [Spoilers]

[Vyrerus]

Gordian of how the time lag/sync shenanigans works

So if we look at General Relativity and the Hafele-Keating experiment, we can see that when you move objects through space, time for them will speed up compared with any other objects closer to a center of gravity.

From the mess I cobbled together before, we know that the shards all have different Aetherial Coordinates while still occupying the same physical space. These Aetherial Coordinates make them further out of phase from the physical reality of the FFXIV universe, making them on that one plane, further from or closer to the gravity well of the Source. This means that their Aetherial Coordinates dictate how much faster or slower time passes on the Shards. Given that the Ascians essentially bring them in phase for Rejoinings, the closer a Shard gets to Rejoining status, the closer in phase it becomes to the Source's gravity well, causing their time scales to realign.

That's the best I've got on that. I would have gotten to it sooner, but I was preoccupied with my lunacy.

[Brightamethyst]

The lack of explanation for the time differences on the shards never bothered me since it's clearly just a plot device. They needed a way for it to be a 100 years ago, a month ago, and right now, all at the same time, and 'time sync shenanigans' is an easy way to explain it. The how and why is unimportant (probably.)

[Theozilla]

Oh the time differences themselves don't bother me one bit, I am completely aware their main purpose is for their plot device utility, and I think they are rather clever plot device that can allow for a lot of potential creative routes.
I am more just befuddled in trying to extrapolate the implications of what that means for how the Shards would interact with the rest of the cosmos/outer-space (even if it is all purely hypothetical stuff, that will never really be relevant in-game), if the notion that the Shards don't have their own outer-space/cosmos synced to their unique plane of reality is true, and that there is only one outer-space/cosmos that is synced to the The Source.

[RyuDragnier]

My personal theory? The Source exists in the universe at large in a protective bubble (or Reality Marble). Every Shard is tethered to it through the Rift, which is a dimensional distortion where time and space become muddled (as proven by Gilgamesh's many many shenanigans over the course of the franchise). Other worlds on the outside looking in would not notice anything different to the star, and looking outside from on a Shard would not let you see anything other than what is outside of the bubble (meaning the moon is the same everywhere, and possibly outside it within a certain distance). Anything coming into the bubble not originally from a Shard or the Source would be directed onto the Source (explaining why Middy, Omega, and the dragons are only found there). Dalamud was likely on the inside edge of the bubble, making it only seeable on the Source.

[Theozilla]

My personal theory? The Source exists in the universe at large in a protective bubble (or Reality Marble). Every Shard is tethered to it through the Rift, which is a dimensional distortion where time and space become muddled (as proven by Gilgamesh's many many shenanigans over the course of the franchise). Other worlds on the outside looking in would not notice anything different to the star, and looking outside from on a Shard would not let you see anything other than what is outside of the bubble (meaning the moon is the same everywhere, and possibly outside it within a certain distance). Anything coming into the bubble not originally from a Shard or the Source would be directed onto the Source (explaining why Middy, Omega, and the dragons are only found there). Dalamud was likely on the inside edge of the bubble, making it only seeable on the Source.

That's sorta what I can conceive of too (if the Shards don't have their own unique outer-spaces), though I figure non-living things would be copied to affect the Source and Shards (as it seems unlikely that the Shards would never have any meteors/shooting starts hit their planets). Also in your scenario/theory what would happen to individuals from Shards who exited the "bubble" if they were able to through some type of space travel, would they be able to interact with the outside cosmos? And upon returning would they just reenter their Shard automatically?

[Rosenstrauch]

I think one piece of evidence pointing to the shards separated on a transdimensional level rather than by physical space would be the skyboxes. It wouldn't have been too much effort to create an original skybox for the First, but it actually shares the same skybox as the Source. This is most readily apparent if you're viewing the night sky during clear weather, of course.

[RyuDragnier]

That's sorta what I can conceive of too (if the Shards don't have their own unique outer-spaces), though I figure non-living things would be copied to affect the Source and Shards (as it seems unlikely that the Shards would never have any meteors/shooting starts hit their planets). Also in your scenario/theory what would happen to individuals from Shards who exited the "bubble" if they were able to through some type of space travel, would they be able to interact with the outside cosmos? And upon returning would they just reenter their Shard automatically?

That's something I'm not sure of, but it could be possible if their aether is attuned to that shard specifically.

[Theozilla]

That's something I'm not sure of, but it could be possible if their aether is attuned to that shard specifically.

What are your thoughts then on meteors and shooting stars? Do you think the Shards are never impacted by them? Or do you think they essentially duplicate themselves and hit both the Source and all the Shards?

[RyuDragnier]

What are your thoughts then on meteors and shooting stars? Do you think the Shards are never impacted by them? Or do you think they essentially duplicate themselves and hit both the Source and all the Shards?

I personally think the shards are not hit by meteors at all, with any impacts being on the Source, and I believe they can see shooting stars that are on the outskirts of the bubble.

[Theozilla]

I personally think the shards are not hit by meteors at all, with any impacts being on the Source, and I believe they can see shooting stars that are on the outskirts of the bubble.

Interesting, so if the Shards never get hit by Meteors, would that mean none of the Black Mages (or whatever is analogous to them) on the Shards would call their Level 3 Limit Breaks "Meteor" then? (since no one would have ever seen/experienced a meteorite hitting their planet?)

For some reason the idea that the Shard's planets would have never experienced a meteor impact is what I find too unbelievable (don't know why this specifically), that's why I think non-living things would "duplicate" upon coming into impact with the Source/Shards.