I finished my Japanese (Client) playthrough, between gathering, crafting, raiding, and maps.
Moko has finished his story, and I now have a lot to write up.
My very first question had been, "If the English Quests are written with weird letters that have hidden messages, then what do the Japanese quests look like?"
First problem was realizing the quest log only showed like 4 of the 8 you actually got, so I had to play through.
I also wanted the zone intros and some of the cutscenes that are subbed on screen, but not in the chat log; like the masks pre-Zodiark fight.
So~... When I started EW with Moko, I did it completely in the Japanese Client, and committed to only progressing his story in JP... which I just finished yesterday. (1/19/22)
There's a lot to sort through and write up, but I did the last zone as I went through, so it'll be the easiest to clean up. lol
For now, I'll give you this as I spend today writing up a better formatted post than the 50 Discord DMs I threw at my friends. lol
(Snip for image. It's the buff you get near the end. If you know, you know, if you don't, don't click for Spoilers. ^^; )
It was the same as English, but those feelings still hit.
Kanji
エンドウォーカー
終わりの旅を孤独歩む状態。その足取りわ重い。
Romaji
ENDOUOOKAA
owari no tabi o kodoku ayumu joutai. sono ashidori wa omoi.
English
Endwalker
Solitary walk to journey's end. Your footsteps are heavy.
Welcome back to the (delayed posting of) ramblings on memories of Amaurot; glimpses of a long-forgotten past. Now, obviously, there’s Patch 5.3 Spoilers in this, so if you haven’t gotten through Shadowbringers yet, I would suggest not yet clicking through.
This post discusses the first Echo vision we see in 5.3. It’s kinda-sorta short, but I feel like it’s very important to set up the longer vision we see in Anemnesis Anyder later; which will be the focus on the next post. (I know I said that before, but I mean it this time. lol ^_^; )
Once again, credit where credit is due, and much thanks to @xehniscreations and @shiro-from-cafeberry for the French and German Translations! We’ve got one more for me to finish writing up/formatting yet after this!
[Cut for Spoilers and Images]
Part Two: Welcome, Elidibus
The first of two Echo Visions/Flashbacks we have is on the lookout tower in the Crystarium when Elidibert shows up behind us and doesn't know why he's there.
He saw us as Amaurotine for only a blink. After we glimpse into his memories, he asks us straight, what was it that Emet-Selch seemed to see in us. We have the opportunity to tell him what Hytholodaeus said to us or keep silent. Either way, he doesn’t seem doesn’t seem to recognize us at all.
The vision we had here, is from when he was welcomed to the Convocation; when he first gained the Seat of Elidibus.
English:
”On behalf of the Convocation, I bid you welcome to our order.
At times you will stand with us. At times you will stand against us. All that you might steer mankind and the very star upon their true course.
For yours is the seat of Elidibus, the Emissary, and by this name shall your every action be guided."
Romanization:
Committee Speaker: omedetou, omae o jyuuyonnin iinkai no ichiin to shite mukaeyou.
Committee Speaker: toki ni warera to dou to nari, toki ni warera ni koto o tonae,
hito to hoshi to ga tadashiku susumu you, jinryokushite.
Committee Speaker: shouteisha no gi......ERIDIBUSU.
sore ga ima yori, omae no shirube tonaru na da yo.
English Translation:
“Congratulations, you're accepted as a member of the Convocation of Fourteen.
At times, we will agree, at times, we will yell at each other in opposition,
I'd like you to endeavor to properly advance this star and its people.
Elidibus... The Seat of the Arbitrator
From now on, let this title become your guidance.”
French: (Thanks to Xehnis)
Président du Concile des Quatorze: Félicitations, to fais désormais partie du Concile des Quatorze.
Président du Concile des Quatorze: Tu nous conforteras dans nos idées ou tu t'y opposeras, mais toujours pour le plus grand bien de la planéte et de ses habitants.
Président du Concile des Quatorze: Elidibus, le médiateur. Bien plus qu'un poste ou un titre, ce nom guidera désormais chacun de tes actes.
English Translation:
President of the Council of Fourteen: Congratulations, you are now part of the Council of Fourteen.
President of the Council of Fourteen: You will consolidate in our ideas or you will oppose them, but always for the greater good of the planet and its inhabitants.
President of the Council of Fourteen: Elidibus, the mediator. Much more than a position or title, its name will guide each of your actions.
German: (Thanks to Shiro)
Anführer des Konvents: Hiermit bestätige ich deine Erhebung zum ordentlichen Konventsmitglied. Willkommen in unserer Mitte.
Anführer des Konvents: Du wirst uns zuzeiten bestärken, zuzeiten widersprechen. Du wirst unser Tun leiten, auf dass dieser Planet und seine Kinder dem rechten Pfad folgen.
Anführer des Konvents: Dies ist deine Aufgabe als Elidibus - als Fürsprecher. Beherzige sie stets.
(Note from Shiro: “Konventsmitglied” means 'member of the convocation'.)
English Translation:
Leader of the Convention: I hereby confirm that you have been promoted to be a full member of the Convention. Welcome to our midst.
Covenant leader: You will at times encourage us, at times contradict us. You will guide our actions so that this planet and its children may follow the right path.
Covenant Leader: This is your job as Elidibus - as an advocate. Always heed them.
From the moment he's brought in as Elidibus, he's told exactly what he held onto for the rest of his existence. He is Elidibus; his title will dictate his actions. The phrasing may be slightly different in each language, but no matter what, he is told that he may not always be on the same side as the Convocation, however, so long as he holds onto his title as his identity, he'll guide the Star and its inhabitants on the proper course, and that is what is the most important aspect of his Title. Mediation, Arbitration, Advocacy, Emissary. So long as he does this, he will fulfill the expectations and duties of Elidibus.
After all this time, Elidibus knows what drives him. Elidibus knows what Zodiark was summoned to do. He only remembers "I am Elidibus."
We saw this because it helped us understand his motivation, and an understanding of how it could have gotten so far out of hand. He was not a Primal when he gained his seat, that happened when he became Zodiark’s Heart; one could even argue, Zodiark himself. To quote Emet-Selch/Hades, one of “the eldest and most powerful of Primals”. He held on to just enough of himself to remember what he was supposed to do. He was supposed to save the star, save the people, save his family and friends, prevent the star from being destroyed; he was to maintain homeostasis as best he could, while trying to return things to the way they once were. The desires of those who had first summoned Zodiark.
The question Y'shtola asked him after she confronted him in the Capitol, "you who've spoken with such a cacophony of voices, how can you be so sure you still speak with your own?" is a perfect one. After all this time, how can he be so sure he retains anything that is his own? I believe we saw what was left in the last scene, the Remnant of Elidibus; his sorrow and his own hope to be with everyone again when everything was over.
There is an importance to this moment though. It's the first time since we gained our 8th shard that we've seen into the memory of an Ascian. Before the final battle with Hades, we saw nothing from him as much as we were around him. The argument could be that it's because Elidibus was inhabiting the body of Ardbert; the body that once belonged to a piece of our soul; that we were able to break whatever protection there was and finally see something with our Echo. It could also be argued that since we regained another soul shard, we've grown in power too. The Echo in these situations seemed different too, more static, and a brighter light when they started and ended. Perhaps because the memories were so long ago, but... maybe also because Elidibus might not even consciously recall much of his past. After all, he says we wouldn't have seen anything useful, but who's he to say what we consider useful? lol
This actually sets up the second, longer flashback we see in Anemnesis Anyder later in the patch, when we go to pick up Y'shtola and tell her that she's been in the library long enough, she should come eat this breadcake Tataru sent over before she passes out. (...only to find we were a bit late on that last part. Oops!)
This was a short-ish post but it better sets up the second flashback sequence, and I think helps understand what drove him to awaken the Warriors of Light at the end; it was just instinct. Oppose Darkness. Awaken Heroes. Save the World. He's been looking at things in such black-and-white terms for so long, he's completely forgotten the shades of gray that exist on the Moral Spectrum. Something we learned by helping the First and forestalling the Eight Umbral Calamity. We aren't perfect, but we can strive to do our best to give everyone hope even when we're no longer there; for those we have lost and those we can yet save.
I will update with a link to the next part when I’ve compiled it... it’s longer just because the flashbacks are longer, but it contains the line about the rain, which we only call back to in English.
