Is anyon else tired of Ascians story?

[LineageRazor]

On the topic of whether or not the Sundered Ascians are Tempered...

As has been stated, it's very likely that having a shard of a Convocation member's soul doesn't automatically mean you're Tempered, with Gaia being a prime example of one such person who is obviously not Tempered. There's also Nael's epilogue in the Binding Coil of Bahamut; the implication is that death releases you from a Primal's hold, and most, if not all bearers of a sundered Convocation member's soul have died at least once.

As for whether you become Tempered when you're raised to the status of being an Ascian - that's less clear. Prior to Fandaniel, all the Ascians seemed on-board with the whole resurrection of Zodiark thing, but it's unclear whether they were compelled to be, or whether restoring their Ancient memories simply convinced them that it had to be done. There's also the factor that Elidibus turned out to be a Primal himself; he could, in theory, have Tempered any of the Ascians he liked.

Fandaniel is the real wrench in the theory of ALL the Ascians being Tempered. Assuming he's being honest in his motivations, it's difficult to rationalize how his intentions serve the interests of Zodiark (or Elidibus) in any way. It COULD all be a ruse, but at the moment we have no evidence that he's anything other than what he says he is.

Personally, I think the evidence right now is that most Ascians are not Tempered, and are working toward Zodiark's resurrection because they truly believe it's for the best. Fandaniel is an outlier, and was likely hiding his true intentions up until the point where the Big Three were finally out of the picture.

[BunnyChain]

Yes, since 2.0 nearly every major plot in the main story had Ascians behind it. And it always got resolved one way, we have to defeat them. There is no middle ground to be won or compromises to be made, either it's you (and the entire world) or them. I was really hoping we won't see either of their faces for a while after the big climax in 5.3 but here we are with yet another clown. Yes his antics are great, like a "refined Hildibrand", very theatrical, but give me a break!
Honestly, I'd like to see more political intrigue that can't be resolved with us stepping in and just eliminating the other side. And it gets pretty boring that it always ends that way.
More plots like 5.4 Limsa, although I feel that was resolved way too easily. And everything that has been going on in the side story with the "milk drinker".

[Tlamila]

I've been tired of them since they first appeared, after so many expansions more than ever. At least before it wasn't all about them, but now that it comes out that "every bad thing ever? ascians were behind it. When you got bullied in school? Also ascians. " it's just so two-dimensional that it's sad. I guess it will be even worse with 6.0, but hopefully we'll focus on something else completely different after that.

And I agree with 5.4 Limsa plot, things like that are actually more interesting, more slice of life and less deus ex machina. Probably why I like SB so much.

[Kesey]

I've been tired of them since they first appeared, after so many expansions more than ever. At least before it wasn't all about them, but now that it comes out that "every bad thing ever? ascians were behind it. When you got bullied in school? Also ascians. " it's just so two-dimensional that it's sad. I guess it will be even worse with 6.0, but hopefully we'll focus on something else completely different after that.

The problem with the Ascians is their numbers. We've barely killed half of them. And even taking out Fandaniel, still doesn't put us anywhere their extinction. Even if 6.0 finishes the Hydaelyn/Zodiark thread, all that might ultimately fall into place afterwards that Zodiark isn't an avenue of chaos the Ascians can use anymore.

But more realistically, I see one or more of them continuing to show up as wild cards, just to complicate the plot.

Another thread on this forum is tracking the remaining legions of the empire, and again, those are just possible avenues of future stories, just like the remaining Ascians.

[Slatersev]

Yes, since 2.0 nearly every major plot in the main story had Ascians behind it. And it always got resolved one way, we have to defeat them. There is no middle ground to be won or compromises to be made, either it's you (and the entire world) or them. I was really hoping we won't see either of their faces for a while after the big climax in 5.3 but here we are with yet another clown. Yes his antics are great, like a "refined Hildibrand", very theatrical, but give me a break!
Honestly, I'd like to see more political intrigue that can't be resolved with us stepping in and just eliminating the other side. And it gets pretty boring that it always ends that way.
More plots like 5.4 Limsa, although I feel that was resolved way too easily. And everything that has been going on in the side story with the "milk drinker".

Ascians had nothing to do with the Dragonsong war at all. Lahabrea and Igeyorhm were involved in Thordan's scheme, but Thordan was the one using them and they weren't behind the conflicts origins. And the climaxes in both 3.0 and 3.3 deal with Ishgard and the Dragons, not them.

I feel like not being behind the main events of 3.0 is a pretty big whole in the idea that there behind "everything".

[Veloran]

but Thordan was the one using them and they weren't behind the conflicts origins.

Isn't it heavily implied the Ascians were at least in part responsible for the conflict between the original Thordan and the dragons? At the very least they were explicitly responsible for Allag and the summoning of Bahamut, which led to Nidhogg's hatred of mankind, which helped prompt Thordan to betray them.

[Kesey]

Isn't it heavily implied the Ascians were at least in part responsible for the conflict between the original Thordan and the dragons? At the very least they were explicitly responsible for Allag and the summoning of Bahamut, which led to Nidhogg's hatred of mankind, which helped prompt Thordan to betray them.

I think Thordan's betrayal of the dragons is represented as a sudden shift in the dragon-mankind alliance. I think we can heavily speculate an Ascian manipulated Thordan into betraying the dragons and gave them the knowledge that a dragon's power resided in the eyes. This is actually a good lore question to ask an ffxiv writer at a lore panel or interview.

[Kesey]

Ascians had nothing to do with the Dragonsong war at all. Lahabrea and Igeyorhm were involved in Thordan's scheme, but Thordan was the one using them and they weren't behind the conflicts origins. And the climaxes in both 3.0 and 3.3 deal with Ishgard and the Dragons, not them.

I feel like not being behind the main events of 3.0 is a pretty big whole in the idea that there behind "everything".

The Ascians, by the time we get to Heavensward, are looking to accelerate the Dragonsong War to push for a calamity/rejoining. You can see this in their planning session in ending of the patch right before Heavensward.

[Rosenstrauch]

I can't remember where precisely it was stated in-game, but according to one wiki, the Ascians did indeed play a role in Thordan's betrayal of Ratatoskr.

Early in the Sixth Astral Era, several tribes who followed Halone arrived in Coerthas in search of "The Promised Land." Being the dominion of dragons, they feuded with the natives until Saint Shiva's love for Hraesvelgr inspired a time of peace. The Ascians helped destroy that peace two centuries later by revealing to King Thordan the power of a great wyrm's eyes. The King invited Ratatoskr to speak to them on behalf of the dragons, and she expressed their desire to peacefully coexist. However, when the King asked her about her brood-brother Nidhogg, she truthfully answered that he did not believe mankind capable of protecting the world and felt that only the seven great wyrms could accomplish that task.

Seeing that Nidhogg held them in such contempt, and fearing the dragons would seek to supplant them, Thordan and his Knights Twelve betrayed and murdered Ratatoskr, ripping out her eyes to consume them for their power. Nidhogg attempted to avenge her and though Thordan and four of the knights were slain, Nidhogg's eyes were gouged out. He told Hraesvelgr of the treachery so to receive his brood-brother's eye and continue his campaign of vengeance against the descendants of Thordan and his Knights Twelve: the Holy See of Ishgard.

As Ishgardian citizens are ultimately descended from the Knights Twelve, including the lowborn, an element of Ratatoskr's power in them could be activated by dragon blood. Many heretics opposed to Holy See doctrine would consume dragon blood to transform into humanoid dragons, such as aevis, syrictae, or diresaurs, and side with the Dravanian Horde.

The bits about Thordan's views on Nidhogg being the reason for his betrayal come from the level 80 Dragoon quest.

[ReynTime]

I'm certainly not. If anything I couldn't care less about the Ascians before 4.1+ (well, in 1.X they were creepy and mysterious at least, while in 2.0~4.0 they just struck me as bland). They finally became interesting thanks to Shadowbringers. And I feel like once this "saga" is over my interest in the story will dwindle anyway. So I'm in no rush to see them gone.