Random Thoughts.....What Are You Thinking?

Hello guys! Thanks for all the kind words following the first post. This past week has seen Oda-san and myself begin work on the official lore book that I mentioned at the Producer Letter Live in Kagoshima. We've finished all our meetings regarding the length, content, and layout, and now it's just a matter of writing everything. I can't comment on exactly how many pages we finally agreed upon...but let's just say using the words 'blunt instrument' to describe it wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration.

In between lore book duties, however, I was able to find some time to field another three of the questions from the original thread, so here we go!

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Q:
Will we learn anything regarding the 1st or 2nd Astral Eras, or the nations contemporaneous to the Allagans during the 3rd and 4th Astral Eras?

A:
The further we look back into history, the less that remains in the way of clues telling us about those distant times. If one civilization had existed for the duration of all six eras, there would likely be more information compiled, more hypotheses formed. The problem with Eorzea is that every time civilizations rise, they are not merely toppled by another, but literally wiped of the face of the planet by the Calamities. This 'reset' button undoes everything that came before, impeding mankind's progress into learning its past. Civilizations spend so much time trying to get back on their feet after each Calamity, that by the time they get to a point where they can start accurately delving into the past, it's time for another disaster. But what of architecture? Does anything from the 1st or 2nd Astral Eras remain? Well, considering that very little of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Eras remain, it is difficult to believe that anything could have survived longer than that, especially if those civilizations did their building in stone or wood. Look at ancient Roman ruins. Many are approximately 2000 years old, and most are not in what you'd call the best of shape. Now imagine what they'll look like in another 8000 years. If anything is left after wind, water, and war take their tolls, the pieces will probably look like nothing more than weathered stones--which is more than likely the state of most of the 1st and 2nd Astral Era ruins still existing in Eorzea. That isn't to say, however, that no information on the earliest of the Astral Eras exists. The Allagans did their research, and some of that is just now being uncovered by Garlean and Eorzean scholars. And from what I've heard, their findings are slated to be published in a certain tome of lore scheduled for release later this year.

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Q:
Will we hear about the 2 remaining dragons of Midgardsormr's First Brood during the Heavensward story-line, or at all?

A:
The remaining two dragons of the first brood are alive and well...but remain far removed from all the action in Eorzea. Where are they? Why are they there? Why are they not interested in the happenings in Eorzea with their kin? Why don't their kin in Eorzea mention them? All excellent questions...but unfortunately ones we cannot yet give you answers for, as their stories are being saved for future content. So, what does 'future' mean here? Well, I've spoken Oda-san, and I'm sorry to report that there are currently no plans to have either of the wyrms appear in the Heavensward (3.x) story-line. That isn't to say that they won't appear (you never know what Yoshi-P will bring to a future patch brainstorming session), but chances are decent that you won't be hearing about them for some time. However, you never know what sliver of foreshadowing you might find in the help text of an upcoming item or minion (just not in the help text of a 3.2 item or minion).

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Q:
After looking through the info given to us in game, I am pretty sure Saint Shiva was Elezen. However after studying her statue, I am curious why her ears are shaped that of a Hyurs. Does this perhaps mean she was a Hyur instead? or is it just designed incorrectly?

A:
This actually has quite an interesting backstory. The original Saint Shiva who fostered peace between her people and the dragons was most definitely an Elezen (see: flashback cutscene). Well, then, what about the decidedly round ears on the supposed statue of Shiva located in the western reaches of the Churning Mists? Doesn't this prove that she was a Hyur? Not necessarily, but it does show how depictions of prominent religious figures are heavily influenced by the views/knowledge of the persons creating those depictions. In the approximately one-and-a-half to two centuries of peace that passed following Shiva's sacrifice, the tale of her deeds slowly evolved from fact into folklore and ultimately into legend (remember, this is a time early in the 6th Astra Era when there are not photographs, formal education for the masses is relatively non-existent, and much information was passed down via religious services). When the statues at Zenith were being constructed, the rulers of the colony (now known by the moogles as the Landlord Colony) commissioned talented architects, artists, masons, and sculptors from around the region to carry out those monumental tasks. The Hyuran sculptor who was tasked with the creation of the statue now known as the Mother of the Sheave most likely knew little of the 'true' Shiva--privy only to the legends that told of her beauty and her deeds--and therefore was left to essentially recreate Shiva based on his own ideals. When the statue was finally unveiled, there were more than likely those who opposed the depiction. However, before the issue could be addressed, the the seas of conflict once again swelled and the colony was eventually abandoned.