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Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced 09) - Printable Version

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Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced 09) - Kage - 10-29-2015

Yesterday, Oct 28, the NA community time had its Duty Commenced episode, with another segment on LORE~ THANKFULLY CAMATE joking BAYOHNE aka Mattalos (tumblr and twitter) had no typos this time! *cough*Lolorito's name last time*cough*

This post is from Gamerescape's Lore Train, which was transcribed from the Duty Commenced episode slides.

What is aether?

Aether is an invisible, intangible substance that exists all around us and flows through every living being, and is what sustains us. It is also used to weave magicks. Once the spirit departs the body due to death, our remains are reduced to aether and returned to the aetherial river known as the Lifestream, which flows throughout the land.

Return and Teleport

These are spells that allow the caster to reduce his physical form to aether without severing the connection between body and soul, so that he may traverse the Lifestream safely and travel to his desired destination

Return

Compared to Teleport, Return is less taxing on our spiritual energies, as we are naturally drawn towards our “home point”- the aetheryte with which we have the strongest resonance. This spell can be cast quite quickly, making it ideal for emergencies

Teleport

Teleport offers greater versatility, in that you can travel to any aetheryte with which you have previously attuned. However, it requires a great deal of spirit energy known as “anima” to safely guide one’s body and soul to the weaker aetherial beacon. It also requires extended concentration to cast and therefore cannot be used during battle.

What is an aetheryte?

These crystalline agglomerations of aether, which are a common sight throughout Eorzea, are vital to aetherial travel. They are said to be solid manifestations of the planet’s lifeblood, aether, which form at the intersections of aetherial currents. By touching an aetheryte, the aether which makes up our bodies resonates with that contained in the crystal. This is called “attunement.”

Normally, when one’s body is reduced to aether, it will naturally gravitate to the location with which it resonates the greatest: one’s home point. This is why upon losing consciousness in battle, many wake to find themselves back at an aetheryte. In other words, they act as lodestones, assuring that the body, in its aetherial form, is not lost to the pull of the greater flow.

Why are aetherytes generally found in populated areas?

Aetherytes cannot be constructed just anywhere; rather, they can only be constructed in locations rich with aether, such as the intersections of aetherial currents. Like an oasis in a desert, these locations are often teeming with life. Settlements are commonly established near them, and so it can be reasonably assumed that most villages and cities are ideal locations for aetherytes.

Why does it cost gil to use aetherytes?

During the Calamity, many of the existing aetheryte camps were destroyed. The city-states subsequently coordinated their efforts to reloacte and restore the aetherytes which had been damaged or lost. Much of the capital used to fund this venture was lent by certain men of business from Ul’dah. The gil you pay when either leaving from or arriving at an aetheryte goes to paying off that debt.

While it may appear as though this is automatically deducted from your savings, you are in fact paying this fee to nearby attendants. This scene is simply omitted for gameplay reasons.

Who constructed  the aetherytes?

The aetherytes currently found in each of the city-states were reconstructed following the Calamity by Sharlayan engineers. These engineers were the only ones who possessed the skill and knowledge necessary to do so, and so they were richly compensated for their services.

Modern Aetherytes
[Image: modernaetheryte.jpg]
These are not an original Sharlayan design, but the product of research into existing aetherytes constructed in ancient times by civilizations unknown.

Early Aetherytes
[Image: earlyaetheryte.jpg]
These were constructed 1000-1500 years ago during the Sixth Astral Era.

Ancient Aetherytes
[Image: ancientaetheryte.jpg]
These were constructed before the Sixth Astral Era, more than 1500 years ago. Many of these aetherytes were damaged or destroyed during the Calamity.

[Image: aetherytes2.jpg]
Beast tribes also have their own unique ways of using aetheryte, but these methods, too, were not invented by them. In most cases, they are reutilizing relics from ancient civilizations or making use of the crystals that formed naturally.

Allagan Aetherytes
[Image: allaganaetheryte.jpg]
The Allagans possessed aetheryte technologies as well. However, it is unknown whether they developed their methods independently or if they expanded upon those of older civilizations.

Tumblr user tinolqa has taken screenshots of the lore lowdown slides from the Duty Commenced episode here.

A lot of this content is a bit of a "better look" at what was made available since this post on the forums by Camate
The Lore Team Wrote:What is an aetheryte?
Aetherytes are colossal structures comprised of crystallized aether. So that they may serve as waypoints for aetherial travel, these crystals have been amplified through the use of advanced Sharlayan technology.

Why doesn't everyone use aetherytes?
To traverse the Lifestream safely with Teleport and Return requires a great deal of spiritual energy, known as anima. While many individuals, such as adventurers, possess the fortitude to endure such travel, some individuals do not. What’s more, even if one has the ability to use aetherytes, the frequency with which one can do so varies. In essence, for some, the recast time for these spells can be far longer than for an adventurer.

As a result, only a fraction of the populace can utilize aetherial travel habitually, which is why chocobos, airships, and other forms of transportation still play a major role in Eorzea.

Why does it cost gil to use aetherytes?
Many aetheryte camps were destroyed during the Calamity, which necessitated their reconstruction. However, this came at great expense, and so teleportation fees must be collected to repay the as yet unpaid debt.

However, the gil doesn’t just magically disappear from your purse! Though it's not shown in the game, it's collected by the guards keeping watch of the aetherytes.

On a side note, guards posted by each city-state's aetheryte can tell you about aetherytes and teleportation magic. If you're interested, see what they have to say!


RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Warren Castille - 10-29-2015

So I guess an alternate explanation of why we homepoint when we "die" is that we're reflexively making use of the Return spell? Interesting food for thought; I suppose that means that anyone playing a sufficiently-aethered-up adventurer (namely anyone embodying a Job full-on) should be extremely difficult to kill if they aren't one-shotted, since the body will naturally try to ride away on the Lifestream to a homepoint.

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Kage - 10-29-2015

I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this idea because traveling using aether still requires some type of consciousness and concentration does it not? When we use return, we are still casting (hence concentrating). If we were able to do such a thing without consciousness, wouldn't the concentration factor be heavily reduced?

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Warren Castille - 10-29-2015

(10-29-2015, 09:20 AM)Kage Wrote: I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this idea because traveling using aether still requires some type of consciousness and concentration does it not? When we use return, we are still casting (hence concentrating). If we were able to do such a thing without consciousness, wouldn't the concentration factor be heavily reduced?

Iunno, I'm just spitballing. I mean they make it sound like anyone of sufficient aetherness can just Return at will, which blows open some holes in the MSQ. Why did the Scions run from Blades when they could just skirt out of town and regroup later? Why is Raubahn mega sad and sitting in a cell waiting to be rescued? How is anyone ever held prisoner in any place without constant, 24/8 beatings?

Blargh teleporting.

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Coda - 10-29-2015

Eh, sounds like the devs trying to explain away an ingame mechanic just for completion's sake. The whole concept sounds completely absurd if you consider the effects of such an ability on every day life.

-Going to war? lolreturn.
-Need to explore the desert? Welp, we can always just go running through the desert until we drop, then teleport, then try again.
-Captured? Nope.

I mean, really. This actually pokes some holes into some of the MSQ.

EDIT: Ninja'd >:

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Kage - 10-29-2015

It has been explained since 2.0 that the amount of of people who can actually use aether to the extent needed for teleport is not common. While not extremely rare, it is not the case where everyone can use it willy nilly.

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Berrod Armstrong - 10-29-2015

Notice that the requirements of Return are stated 'compared to Teleport'. It's relative. I'm pretty sure Return still requires a certain threshold of anima not available to the layman. Sure it's less taxing. That however, does not mean that it is not taxing at all.

There is nothing up there that suggests anyone can teleport willy-nilly.

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Coda - 10-29-2015

(10-29-2015, 10:56 AM)Kage Wrote: It has been explained since 2.0 that the amount of of people who can actually use aether to the extent needed for teleport is not common. While not extremely rare, it is not the case where everyone can use it willy nilly.

I get what you're saying, but even if 10% of people are able to do it, that's still a huge number of individuals with a gross advantage and it certainly would have had world repercussions, yet somehow hasn't been touched on until now?

I dunno, I guess it rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I would've preferred they ignored teleportation? Its one of the more game-y aspects of the world and really doesn't need concrete lore. But I'm just complaining at this point ;D

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Kage - 10-29-2015

I'm not one to poke holes into a game's story unless it's completely ridiculous that my suspension of disbelief cannot handle it.

Otherwise I'd wonder about the Early Aetheryte in Falcon's Nest, supposedly built 1000-1500 years ago.

Don't make me think about that too long. I'm already still internally speculating about the 3.1 theories since no one really cares to do the specula on that :<

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Berrod Armstrong - 10-29-2015

(10-29-2015, 11:07 AM)Secks Wrote:
(10-29-2015, 10:56 AM)Kage Wrote: It has been explained since 2.0 that the amount of of people who can actually use aether to the extent needed for teleport is not common. While not extremely rare, it is not the case where everyone can use it willy nilly.

I get what you're saying, but even if 10% of people are able to do it, that's still a huge number of individuals with a gross advantage and it certainly would have had world repercussions, yet somehow hasn't been touched on until now?

I dunno, I guess it rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I would've preferred they ignored teleportation? Its one of the more game-y aspects of the world and really doesn't need concrete lore. But I'm just complaining at this point ;D
It hasn't been touched until now because WE haven't touched it. They placed that lore-to-gameplay connection for us, the players, who are meant to represent adventurers in the world. We're the ones who chose to ignore it for the sake of roleplaying along the lines of a certain convention.

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Oli! - 10-29-2015

The only thing they said here that we didn't already know is the dating for some of the aetherytes.

I was kind of expecting more.

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Warren Castille - 10-29-2015

Still, you'd think that over the years there would have been someone who made themselves famous or infamous if they discovered they had untapped power to just BE elsewhere. This goes back to my "Are we overthinking the powers of aether" type thing: We have no real supervillains in a world with dozens and dozens of superheroes.

You'd think there'd be stories of world-famous explorers who were able to go places no one had ever been because they could spirit themselves away safely. Tales of horrible crime where the culprit could never be caught because they would vanish in the middle of a crowd, literally.

Don't get me wrong, it's entirely possible that these stories do exist in the fiction but haven't been told yet, but I've just always felt legit, seemingly-unlimited teleporting powers cheapens a setting, not enhances it. I know there's a rarity and a cost and some caveats but they're not really too substantial when you consider that there should have been at least ONE attempt to make a Weapon X project out of people found with the ability to leave a crime scene without incident. Politically they'd be the most sought-after folks for wetworks and it just...

I don't know. I appreciate SE giving us lore reasons for game mechanics, but it just feels bleh to me. Of course I'm biased against it in the first place, so take all of my grumbling with a pillar of salt.

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Kage - 10-29-2015

(10-29-2015, 11:37 AM)Oli! Wrote: The only thing they said here that we didn't already know is the dating for some of the aetherytes.

I was kind of expecting more.
These lore lowdown have never been substantial. See Lolorito Nanarito's Lore Lowdown.

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced) - Berrod Armstrong - 10-29-2015

(10-29-2015, 11:38 AM)Warren Castille Wrote: Still, you'd think that over the years there would have been someone who made themselves famous or infamous if they discovered they had untapped power to just BE elsewhere. This goes back to my "Are we overthinking the powers of aether" type thing: We have no real supervillains in a world with dozens and dozens of superheroes.

You'd think there'd be stories of world-famous explorers who were able to go places no one had ever been because they could spirit themselves away safely. Tales of horrible crime where the culprit could never be caught because they would vanish in the middle of a crowd, literally.

Don't get me wrong, it's entirely possible that these stories do exist in the fiction but haven't been told yet, but I've just always felt legit, seemingly-unlimited teleporting powers cheapens a setting, not enhances it. I know there's a rarity and a cost and some caveats but they're not really too substantial when you consider that there should have been at least ONE attempt to make a Weapon X project out of people found with the ability to leave a crime scene without incident. Politically they'd be the most sought-after folks for wetworks and it just...

I don't know. I appreciate SE giving us lore reasons for game mechanics, but it just feels bleh to me. Of course I'm biased against it in the first place, so take all of my grumbling with a pillar of salt.
They left it up to us to tell those stories. We're the weapon X projects, we're the ones capable of playing the supervillains. The teleporting lore is for US. Most of us are just too biased against it to use it -- which is fine, but the setting itself isn't really cheapened by it other than it not being what some of us want it to be -- and that's -our- problem and limitation, not the lore's. It's just a thing -- and it has ALWAYS been a thing, very little of this is new! A lot of us have managed to make it work well with our stories already, and the people who WOULD take undue, disruptive advantage of it have already been doing so. Business goes on as usual!

RE: Lore Lowdown - Aetherytes! (NA Duty Commenced 09) - Coda - 10-29-2015

(10-29-2015, 11:11 AM)Berrod Armstrong Wrote:
(10-29-2015, 11:07 AM)Secks Wrote:
(10-29-2015, 10:56 AM)Kage Wrote: It has been explained since 2.0 that the amount of of people who can actually use aether to the extent needed for teleport is not common. While not extremely rare, it is not the case where everyone can use it willy nilly.

I get what you're saying, but even if 10% of people are able to do it, that's still a huge number of individuals with a gross advantage and it certainly would have had world repercussions, yet somehow hasn't been touched on until now?

I dunno, I guess it rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I would've preferred they ignored teleportation? Its one of the more game-y aspects of the world and really doesn't need concrete lore. But I'm just complaining at this point ;D
It hasn't been touched until now because WE haven't touched it. They placed that lore-to-gameplay connection for us, the players, who are meant to represent adventurers in the world. We're the ones who chose to ignore it for the sake of roleplaying along the lines of a certain convention.
I think it hasn't been scrutinized because we didn't get this convenient lore bomb until yesterday. I'm not too well versed on this game's lore, but common knowledge on teleporting and aetherytes was that it was taxing and not everyone could do it. It was vague. We didn't know how long it took to do or anything like that. Now we know return can be casted quickly enough for emergencies. Giving it some serious thought, the whole concept sounds silly. 

In any other setting, a tiny amount of people who are able to have such an advantage over others spells trouble and persecution every time. Marvel's mutants, mages, whatever. And here in Eorzea, where just about everyone is hilariously racist or bigoted, I find it odd that they're simply taxed upon arrival then sent on their merry way. I find it downright funny that the teleporter advantage hasn't been touched on in the MSQ, either. Also, why pay Sharlayan engineers huge amounts of gil to tax a tiny percentage of the population? Why isn't return taxed like teleport is? Who is taking my money when I teleport to Azys Lla? That's why it rubs me the wrong way. I don't care much about RP conventions, because I've been RPing here a week; I don't even have conventions yet. And even if I did, a snippet of lore doesn't change that. We all omit, reshape, and see differently lore here and there to fit our personal styles. My issue is that they're trying to explain something via lore simply because its in the game, when it doesn't need an explanation. If anything, this lore bomb hurts the overall lore quality. In my opinion, of course. It feels cheap.