Aether Lore

[Etoile]

Reddit quote:

The yellow crystals are explained in the game as crystallized Aether. Aether is crystallized in large formations like this when a large number of people/animals/living things die all at once. So these giant crystals are basically mass graves' tombstones when you think about it. A ton of people died at the battle of Carteneau when Bahamut went berserk, that's why they appeared around that time.

[Virella]

That sounds a bit vague without any context. I'm taking your are talking about the crystals the Garleans mine for Ceruleum in Thanalan?

 

Or about the crystal in Mor Dhona?

 

The crystals around the Coil?

 

Or something else? I'm doing complete guessing work at the moment here

 

... Context, and we can help!

[Edda]

That sounds a bit vague without any context. I'm taking your are talking about the crystals the Garleans mine for Ceruleum in Thanalan?

 

Or about the crystal in Mor Dhona?

 

Or something else? I'm doing complete guessing work at the moment here

 

... Context, and we can help!

Think OP is referring to the yellow, glowing crystal formations as seen in Eastern and Northern Thanalan... maybe? It's unclear. I was quite sure at first and now I'm second guessing myself.

[V'aleera]

Isn't that just corrupted aether?

[Sounsyy]

Reddit quote:

The yellow crystals are explained in the game as crystallized Aether. Aether is crystallized in large formations like this when a large number of people/animals/living things die all at once. So these giant crystals are basically mass graves' tombstones when you think about it. A ton of people died at the battle of Carteneau when Bahamut went berserk, that's why they appeared around that time.

 

It sounds like you're talking specifically about corrupted aether, which are the yellow/orange crystals. But yes, the solidification of mass aether loss is how crystals in general are formed. Here's the lore on both:

 

-Aether and Aetheryte Lore Masterpost

-Corrupted Aether Lore

 

Hope this helps! ^^

[Etoile]

Thanks, here's the source for reference.

 

[Andromeda]

From the loredump linked above on Corrupted Crystals:

Corrupted crystals are far more prevalent due to the recent destruction to the land caused by the fall of Dalamud. Severe loss of life or the death of the land, according to Erik, causes a violent separation of aether from its host. Usually, aether returns to the Lifestream and rejoins the Aetherial Plane before cycling back to the Physical Plane to become new life.

So the explaination in the OP of the 'yellow' (corrupted) crystals is accurate, but incomplete. There are other reasons aether can be corrupted as well, including voidsent.

[Etoile]

Thanks, the purpose of the research is to figure out what happens to the land around where pieces of Dalamud fell down. If anyone has good links or would care to add in what they know, it would be very helpful!

[Kilieit]

The Coil storyline will probably be very helpful in that regard, since it revolves around the exact same bits of land!

 

Here's the first part of it. The "Dialogue" section is what you want to be reading; the next quest in the series is under the "Unlocks" section near the top.

 

Spoilers, obviously.

 

You can probably also find a group in-game to clear it unsynced fairly easily, if you want to see it first-hand instead; since it was recently announced that having cleared Coil or not influences some of the content in the patch that's coming out next month (3.4).