Goodmorning,

Fodlan, to some this may be an example of yet another great civilization extinguished by time; yet here we find ourselves still intrigued over a millenia later. Why is there persistent contemporary interest in this realm, this, this period of supposed magic, monsters, demonic beasts, and goddesses? If you decided to attend this lecture because you think I have mastered a miasma spell and will teach it to you in this very hall, I'm sorry. (Laughter). What I can tell you, is that Fodlan was an extraordinary nation— there is simply too much to discuss. Today, I would like to discuss recently discovered artwork that illustrates Javelins of Light witnessed during Fodlan's second great war. Before I begin I would first like to thank the university for affording me the opportunity to stand in front of you today, and my sister Kelsey who traveled an hour to see me. Thanks Kels.

A Javelin of Light. Can anyone guess how big this must be (based on a projected image of one recovered illustration)? This illustration depicts two Javelins of Light destroying the fortress city of Arianrhod, a fortress city that had survived a milenia of militaristic onslaught. These Javelins of Light came down upon Arianrhod perpendicular to the earth. I say this so as to encourage you to contemplate the trajectory of this javelin. Was it thrown high up from another part of the world, or did it come straight down from the heavens? No militaristic, technological, or even "magical," aspect of Fodlan was capable of such destruction. Still, it was reported similarly in artwork from all three warring regions. This means that we are faced with a few possibilities. Is it possible that these javelins were thrown by the Goddess herself? (Laughter). Was it a new technological, or, magical development from Seiros? Lastly, and in earnest, is it possible that these Javelins of Light could have been a meteorological catastrophe? The Adrestian siege of Seiros was kindled by Empress Edelgard' mistrust of the church, and their eugenical system of crests. Crests were a means to assign intergenerational power via awarded privilege. Edelgard was awarded such privilege, but several of her siblings had allegedly died at the hands of the Lady Rhea, Seiros' undisputed leader. This is all to say that the second great Fodlan war was waged against the Goddess, and against Seiros. This may have set the stage for a monocultural misinterpretation of a completely unrelated meteorological detonation (of sorts). In essence, such a disaster was a perfect symbol for all involved in the second great war. For those fighting against Seiros, it was a sign of the waning power of the Goddess, and for those defending Seiros it was a sign that they had not yet been abandoned by their progenitor God.

What kind of meteorological catastrophe is capable of destroying a fortressed city, or creating a canyon? Modern astrology would point to the projected effects of a small rock colliding with the Earth. Such a random, and catastrophic collision is in effect one of a few reasonable events that could effectuate such devastation. At the onset of Fodlan's development, our planet experienced a gentle plateau in temperature and weather. The climate of Fodlan was similar to that of our present day. This stagnation of dangerous weather, famine, and astrological chaos allowed for the uninterrupted development of man in Fodlan. The dark age that punctuated Fodlan's fall is undoubtedly due to the end of this period of ecological predictability.

Now, as anecdotal as that sounds— it is an unignorable possibility... that or the Javelins of Light are in effect, made up. Even though the Goddess is certainly made up, it is important that we do not discard such ideology as premodern hysteria. Instead we should observe it as a symptom of a 'contemporary mood,' indicative of something we have obviously yet to grasp. In this lecture I would like to press us all on what it is we have yet to grasp, and why we may never "get our hands on it."

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