[Spoiler] Speculation: Origin of the Void

[Aaron]

Makes sense, with xiv being an mmo and all.

[Delilah Scythewood]

Well, if nothing else...(sorrynotsorryforthis)

 

Really adds a new definition to "First World Problems"

 

;D

[Valence]

Here we go at last!

 

71WJo45vne4

[Pip]

That said, I think it does open the door to the more sensible/well reasoned world traveling RP characters. I wouldn't say everyone and their mom does/can do it but it definitely proves that it is completely possible.

 

You just have to be dead and continue to exist elsewhere by the power of the Echo. Steep price to pay; hope it was.. worth it... No, YOU'RE crying! Shut up.

[Valence]

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[Martiallais]

Sharing this since it's somewhat relevant to the discussion topic here.

 

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[Valence]

Yeah I saw that earlier, and that's absolutely huge if correct. Can't wait for my lorebook.

[Delilah Scythewood]

Origins of the Void confirmed via the lore book I have my copy at home but it's explained when you read the description for Igeyorhm. I'll post the picture from the page when I have a chance.

 

Summary for now: shedunfuckedup.

[Kilieit]

Here's some relevant entries; [...] indicates that I have abridged the entry of what I've deemed details irrelevant to this particular subject, because man I am hand-typing gimme a break.

 

Igeyorhm

"For the glory of Lord Zodiark!"

In the Thirteenth, Igeyorhm's power proved too much for the inexperienced Bringer of Light and their one-sided battles eventually resulted in a Flood of Darkness consuming the entire world and rendering it a nigh-empty void. What life remained quickly atrophied into aether-starved monsters relegated to fighting amongst themselves for dominion over their corrupted realm. Void of its aether, the Thirteenth could no longer be rejoined with Hydaelyn, ultimately losing its value to the Ascians. After fleeing to the Source, Igeyorhm sought redemption for her failure by enacting Lahabrea's will. [...]

 

Nabriales

"T'is not a question of whether Eorzea's champion shall yield, but when."

An Ascian of the Twelfth - the fragment world adjoining the void - and not of the Source, Nabriales was possessed of far less raw power than the likes of Lahabrea and Elidibus. But what he lacked in sheer might, he made up with his expansive knowledge of the dark arts, earning him fear and respect amongst his peers. [...]

 

The Properties of the Void and Voidsent

If recent treatises penned by the Scions of the Seventh Dawn are to be believed, Hydaelyn may be more than a realm created and ruled by a pantheon of Twelve, but also the embodiment of two sentient beings - the eponymous "Mother" of our world and Her antithesis, Zodiark, and that it is a conflict between these two that resulted in the void's creation. Hydaelyn - will of Light - sensing treachery and the hands of Zodiark - will of Darkness - banished Her twin, sealing Him deep within the moon. This excision of Light from Darkness, however, left a wound in the aether, splitting the corporeal plane from the "Source" into ten and three mirrored "reflections" which, while identical upon their formation, saw separate and unique evolutions.

 

A successful foray into the void by members of an expeditionary party known as the "fellowship of NOAH" revealed the realm to be a dark vacuum lacking any and all traces of aether, but possessing traits that suggest that it may once have been teeming with life. The Scions expand on these observations, explaining that the void is actually one of Hydaelyn's reflections from which all light was struck following a "Flood of Darkness". Stripped of balance between Light and Darkness, ambient aether could no longer exist, leaving a realm "void" of life energy. Without the aether required for survival, the realm's denizens grew twisted of mind and body, eventually devolving into what we now know as voidsent.

 

Demon

[...] Scholars claim demons may once have been normal denizens of the void who were corrupted by the taint of darkness and transformed into mindless soldiers to serve the realm's cruel leaders.

 

Parthenope

Similar to the demons of the ninth rung, these occupants of the eighth rung of the voidsent's hierarchy of twelve are also believed by scholars to be the twisted remains of once-normal residents of the void corrupted beyond repair. [...]

 

Cuchulainn

One theory places the void's formation in the hands of champions such as Cuchulainn who wielded a stone known as "auracite" to conquer their plane's primals. The weapon, however, possessed a fatal imperfection: a propensity to bleed primal energies. With each victory, the heroes changed, transforming at last into fiends of endless appetite. Insatiable in their hunger for aether, they ultimately went to war over the star's ever-dwindling life force. It was during this war that the Flood of Darkness was unleashed.

 

 

Ofc the connection between the Ascians and the Scions of Light is old news now, but with Cúchulainn and Nabriales both from the 13th, it makes me wonder where Shemhazai will fit into the picture... looking forward to the boss list for part 3 of the current 24-man raids.

[Delilah Scythewood]

Here's some relevant entries; [...] indicates that I have abridged the entry of what I've deemed details irrelevant to this particular subject, because man I am hand-typing gimme a break.

 

Igeyorhm

"For the glory of Lord Zodiark!"

In the Thirteenth, Igeyorhm's power proved too much for the inexperienced Bringer of Light and their one-sided battles eventually resulted in a Flood of Darkness consuming the entire world and rendering it a nigh-empty void. What life remained quickly atrophied into aether-starved monsters relegated to fighting amongst themselves for dominion over their corrupted realm. Void of its aether, the Thirteenth could no longer be rejoined with Hydaelyn, ultimately losing its value to the Ascians. After fleeing to the Source, Igeyorhm sought redemption for her failure by enacting Lahabrea's will. [...]

 

Nabriales

"T'is not a question of whether Eorzea's champion shall yield, but when."

An Ascian of the Twelfth - the fragment world adjoining the void - and not of the Source, Nabriales was possessed of far less raw power than the likes of Lahabrea and Elidibus. But what he lacked in sheer might, he made up with his expansive knowledge of the dark arts, earning him fear and respect amongst his peers. [...]

 

The Properties of the Void and Voidsent

If recent treatises penned by the Scions of the Seventh Dawn are to be believed, Hydaelyn may be more than a realm created and ruled by a pantheon of Twelve, but also the embodiment of two sentient beings - the eponymous "Mother" of our world and Her antithesis, Zodiark, and that it is a conflict between these two that resulted in the void's creation. Hydaelyn - will of Light - sensing treachery and the hands of Zodiark - will of Darkness - banished Her twin, sealing Him deep within the moon. This excision of Light from Darkness, however, left a wound in the aether, splitting the corporeal plane from the "Source" into ten and three mirrored "reflections" which, while identical upon their formation, saw separate and unique evolutions.

 

A successful foray into the void by members of an expeditionary party known as the "fellowship of NOAH" revealed the realm to be a dark vacuum lacking any and all traces of aether, but possessing traits that suggest that it may once have been teeming with life. The Scions expand on these observations, explaining that the void is actually one of Hydaelyn's reflections from which all light was struck following a "Flood of Darkness". Stripped of balance between Light and Darkness, ambient aether could no longer exist, leaving a realm "void" of life energy. Without the aether required for survival, the realm's denizens grew twisted of mind and body, eventually devolving into what we now know as voidsent.

 

Demon

[...] Scholars claim demons may once have been normal denizens of the void who were corrupted by the taint of darkness and transformed into mindless soldiers to serve the realm's cruel leaders.

 

Parthenope

Similar to the demons of the ninth rung, these occupants of the eighth rung of the voidsent's hierarchy of twelve are also believed by scholars to be the twisted remains of once-normal residents of the void corrupted beyond repair. [...]

 

Cuchulainn

One theory places the void's formation in the hands of champions such as Cuchulainn who wielded a stone known as "auracite" to conquer their plane's primals. The weapon, however, possessed a fatal imperfection: a propensity to bleed primal energies. With each victory, the heroes changed, transforming at last into fiends of endless appetite. Insatiable in their hunger for aether, they ultimately went to war over the star's ever-dwindling life force. It was during this war that the Flood of Darkness was unleashed.

 

 

 

Ofc the connection between the Ascians and the Scions of Light is old news now, but with Cúchulainn and Nabriales both from the 13th, it makes me wonder where Shemhazai will fit into the picture... looking forward to the boss list for part 3 of the current 24-man raids.

Is it bad that I find it super amusing that the Void came into being because one of the Ascians couldn't keep their power in check while fighting a wee WoL babe?

[Kilieit]

Is it bad that I find it super amusing that the Void came into being because one of the Ascians couldn't keep their power in check while fighting a wee WoL babe?

 

I can only imagine it's part of why, other circumstances surrounding his choice of words notwidthstanding, Lahabrea was so pleased at how you continually rebutted the enemies he placed before you in the lead up to the 2.0 finale. A strong Warrior of Light seems to be good for the Ascians in some ways! Though maybe not quite so strong as we've ended up becoming...

 

I'm still curious about bebby totally-not-an-Elidibus-apprentice Unukalhai. I've heard rumours he's a denizen of the 13th, but I didn't spot that in his lore book profile (which is under "Faces from Journeys Past", opposite the Ascians' profiles, for anyone reading along). If anyone else has pointers on that I'd appreciate them!

[Valence]

It also means that while the Ascians fight endlessly to see the realm (The Source here) thrown into chaos with the goal to drain Hydaelyn enough that eventually she will have to reunite all the shards and Zodiark with them (coming back to where he was banned from), they also incidentally at least once almost drained Hydaelyn completely of its aether (the 5th Calamity after the war of Magi). It could have very well ended like the 13rd shard where Iyegorn failed. It's also possible that shard reflections may not have the same ability to resist such cataclysms, and maybe one single Calamity is enough to render them barren.

 

It is also interesting to learn more about auracyte. It seems to converge with what we already saw with the Scion's white auracyte that they used to 'capture' the soul of ascians in order to destroy them. It seems to be able to serve as a very strong prison for aetherial things (like ascians souls, primals, etc). Barring that white auracyte holds similar properties then, and that those weapons wielded by Cuchulainn and his peers probably sucked primals to the point of holding them captive (but slowly seeping out), it also could mean that ascians probably are infinitely more powerful than standard primals since Nabriales was about to break out of this white auracyte shard in a few minutes only.

 

Note: just musings and speculation.

[Gegenji]

It is also interesting to learn more about auracyte. It seems to converge with what we already saw with the Scion's white auracyte that they used to 'capture' the soul of ascians in order to destroy them. It seems to be able to serve as a very strong prison for aetherial things (like ascians souls, primals, etc). Barring that white auracyte holds similar properties then, and that those weapons wielded by Cuchulainn and his peers probably sucked primals to the point of holding them captive (but slowly seeping out), it also could mean that ascians probably are infinitely more powerful than standard primals since Nabriales was about to break out of this white auracyte shard in a few minutes only.

 

Note: just musings and speculation.

I wonder if it's possible that it could be a direct reference to the Zodiac Stones (later called auracite in War of the Lions, if I recall correctly) in Final Fantasy Tactics. I think I mentioned either here or somewhere else a joke theory of mine that each of the different worlds are actually each one of the worlds of the various Final Fantasy games - and Ivalice is FFT/FFTA/FFXII so it fits in the list.

[Valence]

It's interesting to note that we also have confirmation that Ascians are NOT voidsent. Perhaps they are considered top rank 1 voidsent or something for whatever reason, but they certainly aren't.

 

It also leads to that clear difference between Light and Dark, that are just tools at the service of Hydaelyn servants and Zodiark servants. Because, the Void, while the epitome of Darkness and therefore the result of the great flood of Darkness, is certainly a failure in the eyes of Ascians. It also means that pure darkness is of no use to them, probably the same way that pure Light as seen with Shard #1 of the Warriors of Darkness, is useless to Hydaelyn.

[Kilieit]

I think you could probably class Nabriales as a voidsent if you really wanted to, but in essence he's a different class of creature (almost certainly dating back before the Thirteenth became the Void, therefore not "voidsent"). I wouldn't consider him one.

 

I wonder what shard Igeyorhm is from, why she was sent to the Thirteenth, and what her relationship with Nabriales was like during and after her operations...

 

I also think it'd be really interesting to see better documented the process of "becoming Voidsent" from the starting point of being a regular living creature. Presumably there's some way Eorzean scholars learned of the original form of voidsent which are specifically mentioned as being believed to once have been people?

 

Also, we know the Allagans successfully developed methods of creating voidal flesh and fusing it to "normal" flesh, so presumably there is a method documented on some Eso tomestone or something somewhere about how that was created. Plus it has really interesting implications on its own:

 

Naga

[...] Naturalists now know that the aberrations are actually chimeras pieced together in a Third Astral Era laboratorium from the limbs of voidsent summoned to this realm by godless Allagan aetherochemists. Records claim that they created the naga for no other reason than to discern whether such grafting and splicing of voidal flesh was, in fact, possible.

 

Empuse

Using knowledge gained in the creation of the naga, Allagan aetherochemists ultimately succeeded in cloning flesh that, for all intents and purposes, was identical to that from creatures of the void despite being grown entirely on this plane. [...] Weapons division scientists fused it with antling tissue. [...]

 

 

And... I admit I'm not that read up on this, but I was lead to understand that some of the creatures you meet in the Void Ark / Weeping City used not to be denizens of the 13th, but voidmages of Mhach? If that's true, presumably the process of "becoming Voidsent" could have been documented there, too?

 

I assume tonberries aren't classified as voidsent by any measure despite the origin of their transformation, since not only did Raimdelle classified them as Spoken, but they don't exhibit any... uh. Aether-hunger, I guess?

 

I think that's what I'd consider the two defining characteristics of a voidsent - hailing from (and/or drawing power from, maybe?) the 13th in some form; and chronic aether deficiency (presenting as an "aether addiction" which, like all terrible and untreated addictions, consumes the personality of the person in question until all that's left is the quest for the object of the addiction).

 

I'm completely rambling and none of this has any bearing on my RP, I just find it really interesting.