(09-25-2013, 07:18 PM)Naunet Wrote:(09-25-2013, 07:06 PM)LiadansWhisper Wrote: But they're all sworn, and their liegelords, as part and parcel of their oath, should be taking care of them.
Should and do are completely different things. There are a lot of things our current "rulers" should be doing for those they "rule" but aren't as well. This is the same society that is obsessed with rooting out and eliminating heretics and tosses innocent people to their deaths to... prove their innocence. I highly doubt those living potentially comfier lives do a whole awful lot to help out those lesser nobles and might even see them as a threat, depending on how Ishgardian social structures work. Which, we don't know how they work so it's impossible to say any which way.
There are refineries for those natural resources Eorzeans harvest - it comes part and parcel with the mines and the oil fields and whatever else. Ceruleum is one resource in particular that gets a lot of attention in lore.
And look, it's not like I'm saying Eorzeans live nice and shiny lives. In fact, I think I've been saying quite the opposite. However, I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say late 20s/early 30s qualifies as old when we've seen quite a few clearly aged individuals in-game (particularly individuals who tend not to be involved in the obviously deadly activities of adventuring or the military, such as caretakers or cooks or other such things).
Other than the one Ceruleum refinery (and honestly, it's not much more than 3 or 4 buildings around a central Aetheryte, there's no evidence of large-scale industrial production there unless I completely missed it) and the "Garlond Ironworks" (which we never actually see in game, but is mentioned in quest text), there doesn't appear to be anything. Â No factories. Â No sweatshops, even! Â Weavers are still using hand-cranked spinning wheels! Â
 No automated vehicles other than what the Garleans have - and they are very much industrialized, but that's the whole juxtaposition of the game.  Eorzea (a more agrarian society) vs. Garlemand (a hyper-industrialized society).  The biggest indication that it's not industrialized?  Everything is handmade.  Everything.  That's the biggest indication that it's not industrialized.
I agree that 20-30 isn't "old," however. Â Even if Eorzea isn't industrialized, they have freaking magic! Â And are composed of several magical races. Â So it's difficult for me to believe 30 would be "old" to them.
Edit: @Twin: Yes, but but...there are no Mind Worms here. o_O I actually don't remember who started the convo, but I will let it die. :-\ Sorry for the tangent!
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