(SPOILERS) Did “An Uninvited Ascian.” I salute Square... and have questions.

[Enkidoh]

As MistakeNot mentioned above, the Echo and Blessing of Light are two totally different things. The Echo is what grants immunity to Primal influence (tempering), not the Blessing, the later which is what Midgardsormr seals. The Blessing allows one to materialize the Crystals of Light and effectively have a direct line to Hydaelyn herself, allowing the Mothercrystal to directly step in and influence events (as in, protect her champion, the Warrior of Light).

What the Echo truly is, and where it comes from, is a major story revelation during ShB's story so I won't spoil it here for you.

Either way, both your questions are answered during Heavensward's storyline, so keep playing! It will all be revealed. Also, you're about to experience an earth-shaking event that was until Shadowbringers's final events my favourite part of the game. And still is. So keep at it, you'll get the answers you seek.!

[Tensaihime]

Thanks for this! I will definitely keep playing and learn the truth.

You do NOT have to answer this, but the morbid part of me has looked at what you typed and started wondering if WoL is either going to abuse people’s life force, or turn out to be part Allagan or someone’s uncooperative science project. I also like eavesdropping on the Novice Network chat while I farm/gather, and I’ve seen a fair bit of salt over the ARR-HW transition, so I am VERY curious about what the near future holds.

[MistakeNot]

Thanks for this! I will definitely keep playing and learn the truth.

You do NOT have to answer this, but the morbid part of me has looked at what you typed and started wondering if WoL is either going to abuse people’s life force, or turn out to be part Allagan or someone’s uncooperative science project. I also like eavesdropping on the Novice Network chat while I farm/gather, and I’ve seen a fair bit of salt over the ARR-HW transition, so I am VERY curious about what the near future holds.

There is a bit of interesting information about the WoL that you find out late in the Shadowbringers storyline, but I won't spoil that. For now, just assume the WoL is exactly what they appear to be - an unusually skilled adventurer who have been blessed by Hydaelyn. It is after all the truth, even if perhaps not quite all the truth.

Most of the salt about the ARR-HW transition is about people thinking there are way too many quests between destroying the Ultimate Weapon and entering Ishgard. You are almost done with all of those quests, so nothing you need to worry about.

[Frizze]

Most of the salt about the ARR-HW transition is about people thinking there are way too many quests between destroying the Ultimate Weapon and entering Ishgard. You are almost done with all of those quests, so nothing you need to worry about.

This is 100% the truth. They complain about the length and pacing of this segment of the story. I wonder though. The devs recently went through this content and streamlined it a fair amount. They made cuts and changes to make it feel and play faster. What im starting to wonder is how much of the complaining is still real, and how much is that these people have heard this part of the story described as "a slog to endure" and are thus coloring their perception of it negatively before they truly get into it.