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Kilieit · **07-04-2016, 07:55 PM**

I don't know how I think of the "tempered by Hydaelyn" thing because on the one hand: I think it's likely...

But on the other hand: Balmung SL Aghurlal has (somewhat unknowingly - he's only had the meteor dream) disregarded the will of Hydaelyn, despite having the Echo. Which wouldn't work if the Echo was evidence of him having been tempered in Her name. So... obviously not. xD

And if the theory that the Warriors of Darkness are Carteneau's Warriors of Light holds any water, then She obviously hasn't exerted Her will directly over them, either. Unless the Ascians have somehow developed a method to reverse the tempering process.

I guess the way we write it in our WoL AU is that Hydaelyn could exert Her will over our characters if She wished, but it's simply not Her way. She styles Herself as a mother, and She likely knows enough about motherhood from millennia of watching it take place upon Her surface to know that a good mother does not directly control Her children.

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As for WoL as a primal... I mean, I have a few tin foil hat theories that the WoL has summoned Primals onto themself.

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Actual spoilers this time, including for 3.3Ã la Shiva or Thordan, really. The bit that stuck out to me was the DRG 50 quest where Haldrath, the First Dragoon, suddenly appirates around you and literally banishes your powerful enemy from the arena. You know, that thing that it took an entire 8-man party to do, later on.

But the "what are you?" is very telling as well, and something that's been weighing very heavily on WoL!Aghurlal's mind lately. Shirogawa's perspective is "well, no matter what we are, if we stop people are going to die," and Aghurlal agrees with him to a certain extent. But he's also not sure he can ignore the questions in his heart any more. I think it's likely he'll go travelling with Thancred and Alisaie, leaving the diplomatic-minded Shirogawa to play the role of ~The Warrior of Light~ in Ishgard while Aghurlal tries to learn the truth behind matters. Even if he doesn't like what he finds, he'll still feel better for knowing, he thinks. There's a reason I set his title to <Seeker of Truth>.

I'm reminded of Louisoix, who, when all was said and done, planned to summon Primals in order to save Eorzea - no different from any beastman. And then became one. By accident, but nonetheless - the precedent has already been set that even the "good guys" can do this Bad Thing that we spent two expansions dwelling on what a Bad Thing it is. Not only do the Bad Thing, but become the Bad Thing.

It's questions about the end justifying the means and whether it's really that different for us to do it when, whoever it is, it means that Hydaelyn has started eating people as a means to sustain Herself. (An oversimplification, but nonetheless.)

It would surprise me if it turned out that we were, or that it was irreversible, or that it was an unequivocally Always Bad Thing. Because at the end of the day, we're the player-characters, which means we're the protagonists - until SE intends to put down the cash-cow that is our subscriptions, the storyline is unable to end in any sort of definitive way in the forseeable future. And this plot hook has been brought up so consistently and so often that I'm unsure how long they can put off resolving it without irritating people.

TL;DR: Yes and no. Depends on the intentions of the writers as to the tone of the story. But it's definitely interesting to think about.

Today on kilieit doesn't know how to write anything without writing an essay. xD;;

[Discussion] Your opinions on certain theories

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes