(01-16-2014, 05:08 AM)ansemaru Wrote: I think it's not necessarily a good idea to assume that they would be everywhere, or that they're all-powerful.
In 1.0, at least, they appeared in the game and in the lore outside of the Shroud. Several quests/levequests had Elementals appearing as far away as La Noscea. So there isn't any assuming. Elementals were, literally, everywhere. But you are correct that none of them displayed the power that those within the Wood display.Â
(01-16-2014, 06:31 AM)ansemaru Wrote: I'm struggling to think what would make the Shroud so ~special~ and ~important to protect~ as opposed to literally any other region in Eorzea or Hydaelyn.
Also, maybe this is just the impression I'm getting, but are the elementals even remotely a force of good in the world? They're certainly something, but they only appear to have their own best interest at heart, and I'm kind of baffled that people treat them as something that needs to be appeased and obeyed rather than an overt threat like Primals.
Maybe we're all over thinking it when the answer could be right in front of us? The "Twelveswood." "Tinolqa" - Blessed Forest. Could it possibly be that this Wood has prevailed against the ages and was actually around or even the Home of the Twelve back before the Age of Man?Â
I know part of the 6th Umbral Era included the Woods rising and growing and becoming wild to bar entrance and protect what was within. Protect the original Wood maybe? The Elementals have existed since time immeasurable according to them. Why go to all of the trouble to protect one place in Hydaelyn over others if not for a very specific reason? Secrets of Succor? Probably not. The Elementals didn't gift Man succor until 5th Astral Era. This is their Wood they say, they have been there since time immeasurable. We call it the "Twelveswood." Where did we get that name from? Because in Gelmorrans' minds, you would think the Wood belonged to the Elementals right? So why wouldn't it be called the Elementalswood? Other than that name sounds ridiculous. We call it the Twelveswood. And when we hurt it, we brought on an Umbral Era...
I dunno, that's my thought on it.
And I'd say that yes, the Elementals are a force of Good. But I think they have their own best interests in mind, and by extention, Hydaelyn's best interest in mind. They are just aether remember. Just think if the physical incarnation of Nature came to life in real life Earth. Don't you think they'd be more than a little wrathful over what we've done to the planet over the last thousand years?Â
I think the better question is, do you consider the Children of Man a force of Good? Because I'd say no. There's a lot more bad than good.
