#((because Odtsetseg did not grow up in an environment where she was prominently worshipped))

[tenuuchlegch]

Do you have any headcanons or thoughts about your WOL's relationship with Hydaelyn?

Oh boy, what a question.

To start off with, I do believe Hydaelyn began "calling" Odtsetseg to Eorzea right before the calamity happened. The xaela, being a mere steppe-dwelling teen at the time did not know what to make of this unknown god goading her to somewhere far away. However, while there was a part of au ra that felt tempted to wander, there was some hesitancy in answering the visions. This was mainly due to cultural and personal experience. Xaela do not typically travel outside their sacred lands and the experiences involving her mother and twin being taken away by foreigners did not leave a good impression on dusk mother's child. Basically she felt as if she was being called away as a sacrifice of some sort. Twas not until Hotgo fell and some prompting by her father that scaled girl felt compelled to leave.

Having found more about Hydaelyn through the events of ARR, and establishing some form of communication with said entity, Odtsetseg quickly came to the conclusion that this was a benevolent being. In the very least, she did not wish for her or her newfound acquaintances to perish just yet. Even through that whole thing with Minfilia and their connection being temporarily severed, xaela never felt as if goddess intended to harm them. That was one of the reasons why during Shadowbringers, Odette had a difficult time believing in Emet-Selch's claims at first. Even after she accepted them as truth though, she refrained from any harsh judgements of Hydaelyn because auri knew the big picture was not known to her yet.

The events of EW are when she truly comprehends and accepts that she like her was a person. A very powerful one from an incomprehensible society, but still a person who had suffered eons of hardships, just so the star can be saved. In a way, she was akin towards a distant mother, always watching over her. It hurt, to end Venat's existence but considering how long she lived and endured Odtsetseg knew it only made sense that she would desire such outcomes. Plus considering what was at stake, auri didn't consider failure as an option.