Refugees (Spoilers)

[Enkidoh]

So how I described. The Gridanians are offended by the Ala Mhgians seemingly rejecting their culture when they are trying to share there as well. Those tensions are the usual xenophobic tensions that Gridanians have for anybody not forest born. Nothing to do with the war which was a long time ago. The only quest that has to do with that war are the bard quest because one person has a personal grudge.

It's far more complicated than that though - there is still lingering resentment and contempt by Gridania towards Ala Mhigo due to the Autumn War that occured a century before (basically Ala Mhigo attacked Gridania, resulting in the rest of Eorzea allying with Gridania to drive Ala Mhigo's forces back over the Velodyna), and even in the present day, there is still the air of "you attacked us back then, you got what you deserved you warmongers".

Of course the present day generation were not alive when that happened and only heard about the war through second information, but the padjal who are ageless would - hell, it was stated back in 1.0 that the bloodshed the Ala Mhigans caused back then still has a lingering effect on the forest to this day, and unfortunately the elementals being completely obtuse don't differentiate between "the ones who caused death and destruction in the forest 100 years ago" to "innocents fleeing war", it's all the same to them.

[thegreatonemal]

It's far more complicated than that though - there is still lingering resentment and contempt by Gridania towards Ala Mhigo due to the Autumn War that occured a century before (basically Ala Mhigo attacked Gridania, resulting in the rest of Eorzea allying with Gridania to drive Ala Mhigo's forces back over the Velodyna), and even in the present day, there is still the air of "you attacked us back then, you got what you deserved you warmongers".

Of course the present day generation were not alive when that happened and only heard about the war through second information, but the padjal who are ageless would - hell, it was stated back in 1.0 that the bloodshed the Ala Mhigans caused back then still has a lingering effect on the forest to this day, and unfortunately the elementals being completely obtuse don't differentiate between "the ones who caused death and destruction in the forest 100 years ago" to "innocents fleeing war", it's all the same to them.

I'm aware of the war but there is nothing in game that says that there are lingering tensions outside of the bard quests because one person has a personal grudge.
The Elementals don't not care about people in that way which is why the people living in the forest are so xenophobic, If anybody breaks the rules than the forest holds all people into account. Considering that they do let some refugees in during ARR and they reject some is proof of that. They just chose who can live there and who can't at random. The only group that they seem to have outright banned is the Ixal(not even all of them).

[MikkoAkure]

I'm aware of the war but there is nothing in game that says that there are lingering tensions outside of the bard quests because one person has a personal grudge.
The Elementals don't not care about people in that way which is why the people living in the forest are so xenophobic, If anybody breaks the rules than the forest holds all people into account. Considering that they do let some refugees in during ARR and they reject some is proof of that. They just chose who can live there and who can't at random. The only group that they seem to have outright banned is the Ixal(not even all of them).

A war isn't a "one and done" event. It was the only war Gridania had ever taken part in its history against another non-beastman nation up until very recently, and it was the first time another country fully invaded it and posed an existential threat. It was also the genesis of city-state cooperation in Eorzea, the first time they all came together to fight a common foe and led to where we are now and a common Eorzean identity. It was also the genesis of the Bard job, which spread patriotic stories about the war to years to come, and the Lancers' Guild, which still exists today. And for years after the war, Gridania shared a long border with a belligerent, militaristic, and unstable nation whose main export was mercenaries and then after a purge, civil war, and invasion, they exported refugees and Garlean spies.

After the war, Ishgard and Gridania even held reenactments and mock battles in celebration every year, so it's not like it's something that disappeared from the public consciousness.


My point was that Gridanians view all outsiders with suspicion. But I would imagine that with the history they have, Ala Mhigans already have more baggage than a Lominsan or an Ul'dahn in the eyes of the average Gridanian citizen.

The fact that we have a whole questline around a guy being angry about it shows that some are less OK than others. While I'm sure many Gridanians are accepting, Nourval wasn't alone, he had a whole band of people with him that hated Ala Mhigo. Though the majority probably lie in between the extremes of him and Beatin. In that questline one of the NPCs even says that Gridanians are already grumbling about Ala Mhigan liberation. The point of the story arc is to stop Nourval because he would fan the embers of mistrust specifically aimed at Ala Mhigans into a diplomatic crisis.

[Vyrerus]

I particularly like the Levequest lore in Quarrymill revolving around making arms and armor for Ala Mhigans who've joined the settlement's militia or something akin to that. It's been quite a while since I read through the crafter leves there, though.

As far as tensions from the Autumn War go, it's about the same distance back in time as World War II is now. While it wasn't a war of that scale, plenty of conflicts from 60+ years ago still ripple into today in a lot of ways, on personal levels. People's kids and grandkids learn the stories. They see the trauma of war etched into their elders' faces. Gridanian's mistrust and call for blood all make sense. It would have been a big deal.

[Zero-ELEC]

Generational trauma is a very real thing.

[Luizgazen]

About the lingering resentment between Gridanians and Ala Mhigans, don't forget that elezen are stated to live up to around 180 years... so most of the elezens that were present during war times are probably still around, and that Ala Mhigo was was basically Garlemald back in the day, in that they were a massive invading force which forced the rest of Eorzea to unite to fight back.

[thegreatonemal]

About the lingering resentment between Gridanians and Ala Mhigans, don't forget that elezen are stated to live up to around 180 years... so most of the elezens that were present during war times are probably still around, and that Ala Mhigo was was basically Garlemald back in the day, in that they were a massive invading force which forced the rest of Eorzea to unite to fight back.

120 there about and most people are never gonna make it to that age. This is a medieval world and they live in a place where the forest can delete you if you step on the wrong mushroom. Also Ala Mhigo invaded to take land (East Ends and part of Central Shourd.)
Ishgard joined because they saw it as a potential threat if Ala Mhigo would continue their advance. Limsa and Uldah joined so that Gridania would owe them a favor and it would reduce Ala Mhigo's military might, as they were the strongest on the continent. Comparing them to the Garleans is just way out there.

[MikkoAkure]

120 there about and most people are never gonna make it to that age. This is a medieval world and they live in a place where the forest can delete you if you step on the wrong mushroom.

People in our world like Plato and Theophrastus reached their 80s 1000 years before the medieval period so it's not out of the realm of possibility. In-universe, there's a Lalafell running around who is 132 years old. The Padjal who RUN the country that was attacked live into their hundreds. Magic can do some crazy things.

[thegreatonemal]

People in our world like Plato and Theophrastus reached their 80s 1000 years before the medieval period so it's not out of the realm of possibility. In-universe, there's a Lalafell running around who is 132 years old. The Padjal who RUN the country that was attacked live into their hundreds. Magic can do some crazy things.

The devs have already said that most don't due to the world they live in.

[MikkoAkure]

The devs have already said that most don't due to the world they live in.

Most is not the same as all. Most Greeks didn't live to be that age either, but some did.

In the line that you're quoting from me I also say that there's a Lalafell who is much older than the "typical" expiration date. His age is confirmed in the Eorzea Encyclopedia as 132 but he's a race that's "supposed" to have a limit of 100 but he's not infirm or anything. He does happen to be a mage, which most certainly helps. I'm pretty sure most Eorzean peasants aren't mages so that probably skews the average.

And again, the Padjal lead Gridania and we know of at least one who would have been alive back during the Autumn War. E-Sumi-Yan stopped counting after 100 and people think he's at least 230. He would certainly have been involved in those events. Besides, even if there was no one from back then who was still alive, resentment doesn't last just a single generation, just ask the Garleans who are still pissed off over lands lost 600 years ago. And again, there was a whole faction that supported the guy in the bard quests and an NPC said there was grumbling about Ala Mhigo being liberated.