Spoiler Note: This goes through Heavensward and covers a bit about lands discovered in Stormblood. Will not spoil a lot of Major Events, but will discuss some of the Trials (in ARR especially), including major spoilers for the first Titan trial, and a bit about Coerthas/Ishgard History from Heavensward.
Aetherytes form one of the backbones of fast travel, if not THE backbone, in FFXIV. They're the only method accessible from anywhere in the world, and anyone can travel to any they've attuned to for a fee.
However, I had a question that occurred to me starting around the very first Titan fight. In the story, the Company of Heroes explain that they were able to infiltrate the Kobold area called the Navel by essentially hacking their Aetheryte network, using an exposed Aetheryte in Upper La Noscea. In order to do so, however, someone had to act to stabilize it using Sharlyean knowledge (ostensibly about Aether, given how Matoya was Y'shtola's teacher in Aetheric mechanics especially). Later, we are able to use a more direct connection without a guide in the "Hard" versions of the original three fights, going through more central Aetherytes in the respective lands instead of an external one.
However, that got me thinking. When you attune to an Aetheryte in a city or settlement, you can teleport to it. But even when you've attuned to multiple Beastmen Aetherytes, you can't use them to fast travel into those areas. Granted, they're usually surrounded by enemies who are actively hostile, but still, why can't you go into those areas using Teleport?
The first thought was that the other Aetherytes are somehow connected through a network. After ARR's main finale, when discussing the future, Minfillia brings up that there is no Aetheryte in Vesper Bay due to Syndicate interference, implying that they built or funded the building of the Ul'Dan Aetheryte network. But Heavensward makes the idea of a "network very clearly not the case - none of the Aetherytes you attune to should in any way be connected to the rest of Eorzea because of the isolation of Ishgard, or because they specifically were never part of any other modern network (most of the ones in any area unlocked after Tailfeather are controlled by a beastman group or dragons, or are described as "ancient" by someone, and many are both). Further, if they were networked, you wouldn't need to attune TO them to teleport to them - the network would connect them. Further, if they were all fully networked, you would need to be teleporting from Aetheryte to Aetheryte to travel, not able to go to one from anywhere.
Another possibility is that the various Beastman Aetherytes, which are stationary, are composed of corrupted crystals. This may play some role - almost all of the ones we see used by Beastmen (save the Vanu in Ok' Zunda) are a darker blue or even purple color, compared to the blue-white of Aetherytes (and Hydaelyn). So this could have something to do with it, but it doesn't feel QUITE right.
Then I noticed something odd. One of the write-ups I read online mentioned that the bands around the Aetherytes served an unknown purpose. My first thought was that perhaps they were related to Aethernets in major cities, but plenty of settlements have bands that are just as elaborate, so that's not it. Then I did a sidequest in Idyllshire that involved getting some kind of "Aetheric Resonator;" when you deliver them, the quest giver mention that they use them to help keep the Aetheryte spinning. That was very interesting. And then the final piece of the puzzle came in when I realized something about all the Aetherytes you can teleport to versus those you can't, including the one that is just a setpiece in the Western Coerthas Highlands area of Rivermeet - you can only teleport to those that spin, and can't to any that don't. This includes the Ok' Zundu Beastman Aetheryte, which is shaped differently but does in fact spin. The only one that I can't recall spinning is in Alys Lla, and it has components that spin around it all the same. You can also see broken Aethershards in the ruins of Sharlyean, presumably part of the Aethernet that Idyllshire was, and large, non-spinning crystals in one of the major buildings in the heart of the city. This post shows the various Aetherytes and shard designs through the game, and it looks like everything you can use through Stormblood involves spinning crystal.
And then I realized something else - the Rested Bonus. You get one from being inside a Sanctuary. The thing is, as far as I can tell only areas that have Aetherytes are sanctuaries. Non-instanced fights also rarely happen inside sanctuaries - the only fight I can think of inside a Sanctuary that isn't an Instance or at least associated with a quest is a Fate in Southern Thanalan where the Wyrms come into the southern oasis settlement. Something about Aetherytes gives a sense of rest to those in their influence.
This in turn made me realize that the Aetherytes are much more than just huge chunks of crystal. The fact that they spin is key both to teleportation and to keeping the areas they are in safe.
In physics, spinning can have important physical consequences. Rotation of certain objects can produce magnetic fields - most notably, iron spun fast enough makes a powerful magnetic field, which is what the core of the Earth does for us to generate a field protecting us from certain particles. The same principle is part of how generators work - using a power source, often steam generated by heating water with something else, to spin turbines and produce electricity. This suggests that spinning a pure crystal fast enough results in some kind of Aetheric field that helps people be stronger and keeps areas safe. Furthermore, this spinning creates a special area of Aetheric density. A theory about teleportation is that the magic used breaks down the body, and the soul drags the particles to the destination. In this suggestion, the soul becomes attuned to the Aetherytes and allows the user to connect their soul from any distance, dragging it back to that location. This also is how coming back at a homepoint works - the home point is an anchor and can be used in emergencies when someone is down and no one can revive them.
This also explains why Riversmeet hasn't been reclaimed despite having an Aetheryte. Until it gets spinning again, the area is vulnerable to creatures that live there.
Obviously, this is just speculation... but the fact that it is seen time and again throughout Eorzea suggests that this is intentional by the FFXIV design team. The details of a frozen Aetheryte and broken Sharlyean Aethershards similarly points to the spin being a key element.
Is there anything (pre-Stormblood for spoilers sake) that I have missed? I realize this doesn't account for every detail but if there are major factors I need to consider, please let me know, as well as if there is more material that points to this being related to the truth!
submitted by /u/EndlessKng
[link] [comments]
Continue reading...
Aetherytes form one of the backbones of fast travel, if not THE backbone, in FFXIV. They're the only method accessible from anywhere in the world, and anyone can travel to any they've attuned to for a fee.
However, I had a question that occurred to me starting around the very first Titan fight. In the story, the Company of Heroes explain that they were able to infiltrate the Kobold area called the Navel by essentially hacking their Aetheryte network, using an exposed Aetheryte in Upper La Noscea. In order to do so, however, someone had to act to stabilize it using Sharlyean knowledge (ostensibly about Aether, given how Matoya was Y'shtola's teacher in Aetheric mechanics especially). Later, we are able to use a more direct connection without a guide in the "Hard" versions of the original three fights, going through more central Aetherytes in the respective lands instead of an external one.
However, that got me thinking. When you attune to an Aetheryte in a city or settlement, you can teleport to it. But even when you've attuned to multiple Beastmen Aetherytes, you can't use them to fast travel into those areas. Granted, they're usually surrounded by enemies who are actively hostile, but still, why can't you go into those areas using Teleport?
The first thought was that the other Aetherytes are somehow connected through a network. After ARR's main finale, when discussing the future, Minfillia brings up that there is no Aetheryte in Vesper Bay due to Syndicate interference, implying that they built or funded the building of the Ul'Dan Aetheryte network. But Heavensward makes the idea of a "network very clearly not the case - none of the Aetherytes you attune to should in any way be connected to the rest of Eorzea because of the isolation of Ishgard, or because they specifically were never part of any other modern network (most of the ones in any area unlocked after Tailfeather are controlled by a beastman group or dragons, or are described as "ancient" by someone, and many are both). Further, if they were networked, you wouldn't need to attune TO them to teleport to them - the network would connect them. Further, if they were all fully networked, you would need to be teleporting from Aetheryte to Aetheryte to travel, not able to go to one from anywhere.
Another possibility is that the various Beastman Aetherytes, which are stationary, are composed of corrupted crystals. This may play some role - almost all of the ones we see used by Beastmen (save the Vanu in Ok' Zunda) are a darker blue or even purple color, compared to the blue-white of Aetherytes (and Hydaelyn). So this could have something to do with it, but it doesn't feel QUITE right.
Then I noticed something odd. One of the write-ups I read online mentioned that the bands around the Aetherytes served an unknown purpose. My first thought was that perhaps they were related to Aethernets in major cities, but plenty of settlements have bands that are just as elaborate, so that's not it. Then I did a sidequest in Idyllshire that involved getting some kind of "Aetheric Resonator;" when you deliver them, the quest giver mention that they use them to help keep the Aetheryte spinning. That was very interesting. And then the final piece of the puzzle came in when I realized something about all the Aetherytes you can teleport to versus those you can't, including the one that is just a setpiece in the Western Coerthas Highlands area of Rivermeet - you can only teleport to those that spin, and can't to any that don't. This includes the Ok' Zundu Beastman Aetheryte, which is shaped differently but does in fact spin. The only one that I can't recall spinning is in Alys Lla, and it has components that spin around it all the same. You can also see broken Aethershards in the ruins of Sharlyean, presumably part of the Aethernet that Idyllshire was, and large, non-spinning crystals in one of the major buildings in the heart of the city. This post shows the various Aetherytes and shard designs through the game, and it looks like everything you can use through Stormblood involves spinning crystal.
And then I realized something else - the Rested Bonus. You get one from being inside a Sanctuary. The thing is, as far as I can tell only areas that have Aetherytes are sanctuaries. Non-instanced fights also rarely happen inside sanctuaries - the only fight I can think of inside a Sanctuary that isn't an Instance or at least associated with a quest is a Fate in Southern Thanalan where the Wyrms come into the southern oasis settlement. Something about Aetherytes gives a sense of rest to those in their influence.
This in turn made me realize that the Aetherytes are much more than just huge chunks of crystal. The fact that they spin is key both to teleportation and to keeping the areas they are in safe.
In physics, spinning can have important physical consequences. Rotation of certain objects can produce magnetic fields - most notably, iron spun fast enough makes a powerful magnetic field, which is what the core of the Earth does for us to generate a field protecting us from certain particles. The same principle is part of how generators work - using a power source, often steam generated by heating water with something else, to spin turbines and produce electricity. This suggests that spinning a pure crystal fast enough results in some kind of Aetheric field that helps people be stronger and keeps areas safe. Furthermore, this spinning creates a special area of Aetheric density. A theory about teleportation is that the magic used breaks down the body, and the soul drags the particles to the destination. In this suggestion, the soul becomes attuned to the Aetherytes and allows the user to connect their soul from any distance, dragging it back to that location. This also is how coming back at a homepoint works - the home point is an anchor and can be used in emergencies when someone is down and no one can revive them.
This also explains why Riversmeet hasn't been reclaimed despite having an Aetheryte. Until it gets spinning again, the area is vulnerable to creatures that live there.
Obviously, this is just speculation... but the fact that it is seen time and again throughout Eorzea suggests that this is intentional by the FFXIV design team. The details of a frozen Aetheryte and broken Sharlyean Aethershards similarly points to the spin being a key element.
Is there anything (pre-Stormblood for spoilers sake) that I have missed? I realize this doesn't account for every detail but if there are major factors I need to consider, please let me know, as well as if there is more material that points to this being related to the truth!
submitted by /u/EndlessKng
[link] [comments]
Continue reading...