The black shroud elementals

[Reginald_Cain]

Ff has had "elementals" as an enemy type since I think ff10 but while they appear all over eitherys and other ffs, the ones in the shroud seem to be more aggressive and more sapient.

What makes the gridanian elementals behave differently compared to their lesser ilk? Examples of their ilk, the various elementals sprites we fight in different arr zones, the elementals that gave up boost in eureka and the anima spirit in our heavensward relics.

Gridanian elemental from 1.0

[Connor]

Someone else will have the ‘proper lore answer’ and I could be wrong, but I’d assume it’s something like a higher concentration of aether in the Black Shroud affording them higher powers than what elements in other regions would have? Especially since it’s close to Mor Dhona.

[Reginald_Cain]

Oh okay so basically they had enough resources to actually establish higher sapience than their lesser ilk. Im guessing being comprised of raw aether would make them behave more erratic like a primal who also tend to have their personality affected by their specific elemental affinity

[Connor]

Oh okay so basically they had enough resources to actually establish higher sapience than their lesser ilk. Im guessing being comprised of raw aether would make them behave more erratic like a primal who also tend to have their personality affected by their specific elemental affinity

For the primal’s personality I think it’s actually the belief of the summoner(s) that determines their personality. I.E if they worship a god for being a warmonger and bringer of victory, they get a primal that likes fighting. If they worship a god for being lazy and incompetent, they’d get a primal that literally can’t do anything but be lazy and incompetent (and probably temper others into that same state lol), regardless of the associated element.

Like how Garuda is batshit crazy because of the Ixal story of how she went mad from eating a snake or something. Which I think in turn relates to the story of Ixal origins. It’s not as much ‘she’s mad because this event really happened’, it’s their expectation of her being that way that results in the summoned Garuda being so crazy. Even the Egi gives a creepy laugh lol - can’t have Garuda without it being loopy lol.

For elementals though they’re (I think) naturally forming ‘creatures’ as opposed to primals which are manifested through ritual. Hence, their way of thinking and understanding is probably completely different to the ‘human’ races, which also could explain the difficulty they have understanding human interaction. It’s not as much that they’re ‘erratic’, it’s that they’re ’singing from a completely different hymn book’ compared to the ‘human’ races.

But again, I don’t like own the lore book or something so same disclaimer that this is just my understanding of them and may be entirely wrong. Not trying to assume some kind of lore authority or anything like I could be talking crap lol

[RedLolly]

Elementals are also something that just does not translate or localize into the West since we just don't have an equivalent in the most common religions or spiritualities here. Our closest idea of "Mother Nature" even has a softness to it that is unique from the type of spirits Elementals resemble.

Japanese players don't tend to view the Elementals as a hostile force that oppresses people like we tend to, as a result.

[Enkidoh]

The 'elementals are everywhere in nature but more powerful and potent in the Black Shroud' thing is a really old bit of 1.0 lore that was actually reflected in gameplay at the time (elemental mobs would appear all over Eorzea, not just in the Black Shroud in 1.0).

However, this seems to have been mostly toned down or even handwaved in ARR (instead of elementals as random enemies, we get the formless aetherial 'sprites' now), and the elementals have been mostly depowered and defanged in the Black Shroud, with the reason being the Calamity altered the aetherial makeup of the land which the elementals used to power themselves. And, as EW revealed, the elementals are just familiars created by the Ancients who communicate through information laden aether, hence why they're so obtuse and difficult to communicate with.

Really, ignore the 1.0 lore generally about them as it's no longer relevant.

[Connor]

The 'elementals are everywhere in nature but more powerful and potent in the Black Shroud' thing is a really old bit of 1.0 lore that was actually reflected in gameplay at the time (elemental mobs would appear all over Eorzea, not just in the Black Shroud in 1.0).

However, this seems to have been mostly toned down or even handwaved in ARR (instead of elementals as random enemies, we get the formless aetherial 'sprites' now), and the elementals have been mostly depowered and defanged in the Black Shroud, with the reason being the Calamity altered the aetherial makeup of the land which the elementals used to power themselves. And, as EW revealed, the elementals are just familiars created by the Ancients who communicate through information laden aether, hence why they're so obtuse and difficult to communicate with.

Really, ignore the 1.0 lore generally about them as it's no longer relevant.

It’s been so long since I went to Elpis I completely forgot about the ‘elemental’ we see hanging around there. I guess they weren’t ’naturally forming’ at all. Though, I suppose I should’ve seen it coming that the answer would inevitably be ‘(pre) Ascians did it’ lol. I’d guess the same applies to the sprites as ‘de-formed elementals’ with Eorzea’s aether getting all weird after Bahamut popped out (as ultimately being the result of artifice rather than nature).

Still, as I said in the other thread about this topic I don’t think we’ve seen much to suggest that have ‘much less’ influence than before in terms of how Gridania operates. Not that we’ve seen much suggesting they do either though tbh. Or maybe they were always there and we just can’t see or hear them? Lol.

They’re much weaker in terms of actual power, but I’d imagine they still hold at least somewhat of an important role in Gridania / the Shroud. At least to the point that their voices are still heard/considered when it comes to governing the area.

And fair point about the 1.0 lore; barely any of it remains the same as how it was then. But then I suppose that’s inevitable for any ‘developing story’ to an extent. I’m terrible at keeping track of what’s still relevant and what’s old news lol.

[Reginald_Cain]

The 'elementals are everywhere in nature but more powerful and potent in the Black Shroud' thing is a really old bit of 1.0 lore that was actually reflected in gameplay at the time (elemental mobs would appear all over Eorzea, not just in the Black Shroud in 1.0).

However, this seems to have been mostly toned down or even handwaved in ARR (instead of elementals as random enemies, we get the formless aetherial 'sprites' now), and the elementals have been mostly depowered and defanged in the Black Shroud, with the reason being the Calamity altered the aetherial makeup of the land which the elementals used to power themselves. And, as EW revealed, the elementals are just familiars created by the Ancients who communicate through information laden aether, hence why they're so obtuse and difficult to communicate with.

Really, ignore the 1.0 lore generally about them as it's no longer relevant.

Thanks for sharing this info! I forgot about the Elpis reference completely. I only recall the behemoth prototyp there lol

[Asari5]

the walking corn in tursl is the same isnt it? now i imagine gridania elementals as walking apples xD

[CaptainLagbeard]

I think the Elementals were to make a physical appearance, they'd probably look like gigantic versions of the sprite enemies.