Thread: Revelations from Patch 7.4: Into the Mist

Originally Posted by Cleretic

The Ancients are a poor answer to the question not because they are an inherently bad answer, but because that route is just... a dead end. The Ancients don't have those gears, that's just not the notes their story plays. Making the key a product of Azem, or any Ancient (save maybe Venat, but that story was already told), just makes less story; there are not compelling, satisfying and interesting answers to the questions the key raises if those questions are being asked in the Ancient world.

I agree. But I can also understand why people usually think about this connexion first, given that most of the game comes from some form os Ascian meddling or Ancient storylines. And once the Ancient arching story was over, not even a full extension in and we are again confronted to another Ascian. And while I also agree that a great story can stem from this, there are considerable chances that the writers will tie the Winterer story to the Ancients somehow.

I also like it when people make suggestions and interpretations out of the (ascian) box here on the forums. But I would tend to think the writers usually stick to what they know rather than making brand new stories when it comes to MSQ. The "all new" features are usually world building related (like Doman / First / Tural history for instance).

Originally Posted by Cleretic

All that is to say, I don't think the key was made by anyone we currently know about, Ancient or otherwise. That the reason the question has not been answered, and why all of our speculative theories have such clear holes, is because the answer has not been introduced yet.

I'm with you on this. Although I can see the difficulty to write something all new in a 10+ years narrative without feeling like an odd retcon. Still, I'd rather see them try something different.
The shard hopping narrative is up in the air since Shadowbringers, and I hope we will have a side quest at some point where Y'Shtola visits Runar back lol

I think there's the possibility that Azem created the crystal for a simple reason.
They knew the Sundering was going to happen, and so created something that would allow travel between worlds.
Azem was an adventurer, and could very well have made it simply for this sake. So that all the peoples could keep in touch.

Reposting my findings about The Key from 7.3, and 7.4 from another thread.

Originally Posted by mallleable

7.3

During the escape room puzzle section in the Preservation labs, we learned that the actual Key is the white crystal, and the rest is an electrope housing made my Preservation. There was also some documents that demonstrate the volatility of The Key during Preservation's early experiments on it.

"Nothing of note. The mystery of the key's activation condition remains unsolved.

The key triggered an explosion today. Temporary interdimensional portal verified. Continue attempts to stabilize the core's energy reactions.

Thirteen researchers sustained fatal injuries in the explosion. Memory faculties of four personnel sufficiently intact for Endless conversion. Remaining nine designated for aether reclamation processing.

Nothing of note. Rejected resignations of two Milalla researchers.

Major incident. Details in full report."

It describes The Key causing an explosion big enough to kill 13 scientists, and violent enough that most of the scientists could not become Endless as a result.

7.4

While no definitive answers were given, we did get some statements about The Key from a direct descendant of the original Speaker, Miayli, and rather ominous ones. Miayli is also Alayla's sister.

Miayli: But be that as it may, my sister gave up not only her life, but her darling daughter to prevent its misuse.

Miayli: They devoted their lives to understanding the key so that future generations would not be burdened by it.

Miayli: A word of caution, keeper of the key.
Miayli: As you know, it is a relic that has traveled across centuries and worlds, passing through countless hands...
Miayli: ...Oft beckoning to those ruled by ambition or avarice. Indeed, some have wondered if it chooses its master.
Miayli: But I believe differently. I believe that some inexorable force─call it “fate” if you will─ushers it from one bearer to the next.
Miayli: Be wary, for fate's regard now falls upon you.

At one point she asks the Warrior of Light what they would do with The Key if they can get it to work, and the player has dialog choices.

'Travel'

Miayli: For some, that might be a self-serving end. But your deeds are proof that I needn't worry.

'Herosim'

Miayli: For some, that might be a self-serving end. But your deeds are proof that I needn't worry.

'I don't know'

Miayli: The very fact that you don't have an answer is proof that you understand the weight of this power, and do not take it lightly.

The 'I don't know' option is the only one where Miayli has unique dialog.

While these are all Miayli's feelings, there doesn't seem to be a reason to doubt her given her relation to The Key. The Key seems as dangerous as ever, especially with the idea that it may have 'chosen' the Warrior of Light. Perhaps that is what was happening when the Azem symbol appeared on it at the start of the Queen Eternal fight. The idea of it being a burden, and not a gift is very much alive still.

They seem to be setting up that The Key might be something sinister.

Originally Posted by mallleable

They seem to be setting up that The Key might be something sinister.

I would buy this, or alternately that it draws its power from or is composed of something of such tremendous power and esoterica (without being necessarily malicious) that it surpassed the knowledge and skills of even the Ancients. The accounts of it from Preservation, Alayla, and Miayli all paint a picture that the uses they know of for it have been either haphazard or very ignorant of how or why it works, like trying to grasp something far too large to hold. Halmarut's dialogue gave some shades of this too, particularly the allusions to the specific something that's creeping in ('nature's proclamation') in Hydaelyn and Zodiark's absence. I'd wager this is also what Miayli identifies as fate, which immediately called to mind the quote from Emet-Selch to commemorate Azem's crystal:

Originally Posted by Emet-Selch

Though the world be sundered and our souls set adrift, where you walk, my dearest friend, fate shall surely follow.

Where is Moose

Originally Posted by Lunaxia

I have a question.

I've been skimming through the story and not really taking in any of the finer details, so if this is totally off the table for reasons we've already been told please correct me. But is there a possibility that the "key" and its powers of interdimensional fusion (I think it's called?) was potentially Azem's answer to the problem of the Final Days and the Sundering? We know they disappeared and that they "sought to defy fate in their own way," and I find it interesting that it's termed "dimensional fusion" when it's being referred to as an object that supposedly enables travel, particularly since fusing dimensions is surely the reversal of creating and dispersing dimensions, or shards, as the Sundering did? It seems to me more that the existing Alexandria fused itself with the Source, particularly considering the remnants of the old city still remain, or am I misreading another pluck and drop as with the Crystal Tower? Environs seem much harder to "travel" through dimensions than a single building, though, and the way we have parts of Yyasulani with parts of the Ninth feels again more like a "fusion" to me, but like I said I haven't been keeping up with the current lore and theories at all and could be way off base, lol.

Spoilers on FFIX ahead:

The first time I heard the expression Dimensional Fusion it reminded me of the main plot of Final Fantasy IX, on which the planet Terra is terraforming Gaia so Terra inhabitants may live once again.
It was partially thwarted by the heroes.

Its process had already began and there is no definite answer in FFIX if it was completely halted.

Though, at the end of FFIX the Crystal that holds all creation together was destroyed and a eternal being appeared saying as long as there is the desire to die, he will someday come back and destroy everything once and for all, then disappear in a purple lighting effect too much similar to the thunder calamity to be a coincidence.

So, if Ninth really is the world of FFIX, heavily inspired
or not, the technology of Dimension Fusion was Terran and may have been studied by Gaians and of Calyx and Sphene's generation to save their lives from the levying calamity.

Originally Posted by Brandr

Spoilers on FFIX ahead:

Ah, thank you for this! IX is one of the FF games I haven't played, so the references are lost on me. This gives me a bit more insight at least. I feel like they have a habit of drawing a bit too much from prior games and expect the existing lore to bridge in the gap of its meaning in the story, as with Necron, and I'm left a little confused by it.