starlightinitiative

[starlightinitiative]

@starlightinitiative prize art for noahnonsense @ bluesky!

[starlightinitiative]

Happy February, fellow travelers!

With less than two weeks remaining until March, I figured it was announcement time.

Bring your warm glams and some hot cocoa, because we're headed to Ishgard!

That's right, our Heavensward walk will be taking place on March 1st at 8pm EST!

We will be meeting at Camp Dragonhead by the aetheryte on Exodus, Primal this time! So please come join us if you can! We'd love to have you along for the ride!

[starlightinitiative]

Did I ever show these off? I won a raffle for the Starlight Initiative and the delightful @irisopranta made these poses of Daephrin and his boyfriend Sorren (played by @sorren-greystone). I totally love these shots; they have so much character and emotion in them! Iris is a fantastic gposer and I am so glad to have won this little prize.

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| Introducing The Order of Saint Gabineaux |

A secretive order of Ishgardian mages that open their doors once a moon to those who seek knowledge of curses, hexes, death, and the terrifying future.

Don your mask and assume an alias before joining us for a night of occult themed RP.

The Order of Saint Gabineaux is both an RP community and a heavy RP venue focused on an ancient fraternal order of mages within Ishgard. The Order blends the use of powerful magics that the church might find heretical with the worship of the Fury. They believe that such skills are gifts sent from Halone, and said gifts are meant to be nurtured rather than stifled. After all, they are the most pious and the most devout. How could they be heretical?

The Order of Saint Gabineaux opens its door once a moon to outsiders. Invitations arrive without a return address, delivered to those who have caught the interest of the High Priest. Masks are required for entry and aliases are encouraged. Come to gawp, find answers to all of your burning questions, or to seek out the brother's esoteric skills. It matters not what brings you to The Order's door, for when you leave you will not be able to find it again. Until next moon.

What: A lounge night with Ishgard's most notorious occult society. When: | The Fourth Saturday of Every Month Starting in March | 9 PM EST - 1 AM EST | Where: | Dynamis Data Center | Golem | Empyreum | Ward 16 | Plot 48 |

The Order is a 21+ community and venue both IC and OOC.

We are currently looking to fill our ranks with alchemists, diviners, mediums, and practitioners of any and all esoteric magicks! More information can be found on our carrd and in our discord.

Carrd: https://saint-gabineaux.carrd.co/

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Join us for a romantic evening at the Cracked Cluster!

We'll be serving a special Valentione's cake made for two, alongside our regular selection of goodies! Don't have a date? That's ok, come for some good food, some good conversation, and some good fun anyway! Maybe you'll find a sweetheart while you're here.~

When: Sunday, February 16th, 7 - 10 PM EST.

Where: ICly located in Revenant's Toll, Mor Dhona

OOC info: NA Crystal DC - Mateus - Lavender Beds - Ward 19 - 57 - tavern located upstairs!

For more info and menu click here!

We hope to see you there! We welcome RPers of all styles, skills, and respectful non-RPers to our events!

--

@balmungrpcalendar @ffxiv-rp-events @ffxivrp

[starlightinitiative]

Room to Grow

This past December I had the pleasure of volunteering for the @starlightinitiative, where I offered to write a gift fic for a raffle prize. My winner was @hythlodaeus-mynewoldfriend, and the piece focuses on their Ancient, Anthea, and their relationship with Hythlodaeus.

Please enjoy!

The gleaming spires of Amaurot are ever a sight to behold, winding upward toward the sun as its rays bathe them in a gentle glow, their uniform perfection unperturbed by shadow. Much the same could be said for the gardens atop the roof of each, blooming with carefully-curated life: bone-white ironwoods, pruned just enough to encourage growth in new and interesting directions; sykon trees heavy with fruit, waiting to be plucked by the next passer-by; and rocky beds filled with sideritis, pretty pale sprigs shining bright with the morning light.

Anyone can visit these gardens, but it is only the residents of the buildings on which they grow who may tend to them. It’s a simple matter of filing paperwork to state your intention to join the resident kipouroí, followed by an interview and, should you pass, two exams (one written and one practical) to ensure that you know at least enough to keep the plants alive.

None of this lets you plant anything new, of course. That requires a waiting list, another interview, a separate proposal process for each plant you intend to grow, and then (surprise, surprise) another waiting list.

It’s the sort of bureaucracy one might rightly call ridiculous, even in a place like Amaurot, and Hythlodaeus can only wonder which of his esteemed fellow citizens came up with such an exhausting set of rules. Certainly, care has to be taken to ensure the ecosystem atop each roof can thrive, but this is excessive. More than once had the endless paperwork tempted him to pull rank, but temptation is all it remained – the Chief of the Bureau of the Architect doesn’t earn his position by being the type to abuse it, after all.

Besides, he’s already technically cheated by signing himself up for the kipouroí instead of Anthea. How else would he keep it a surprise? And it’s not as though others don’t bring their loved ones up sometimes to help them anyway. He can allow himself just a touch of flexibility, surely.

So he sits in wait on a bench by the door to the stairs, taking in the warmth of the sun and the breeze against his skin, imagining the look on his beloved’s face when they see how much space there is to work with – how much room, he thinks with a smile, to grow. A far cry from a pot on the balcony, this.

Though, most of the space has already been filled. His smile wavers as he scans the planters, wondering how much room they might afford a few of Anthea’s elpis flowers, and if perhaps he’s brought too many seedlings with him.

There’s no time to worry, though: the light catches the glass of the door as it pushes open, and out walks Anthea, hesitant in the split-second before they see him. Only when their eyes meet do they seem to brighten, tension leaving their shoulders as they greet him.

“Hythlodaeus,” they sigh, soon finding themselves wrapped in the comfort of his arms.

“I trust the day wasn’t too arduous, beloved?”

A tease, if only slight – the other day they had met with Emet-Selch in a bid to practice their magic, and to hear Azem tell it, no one had escaped unsinged. Anthea’s cheeks had been ablaze with embarrassment upon their return, and it is only because he notices that today they are reduced to their usual pink flush that he takes the liberty.

“It was, um, fine,” they say, before they step back, an expectant look in their eyes. “I heard from Morus at the Words of Emmerololth – he said one of my plants ‘showed signs of being excellent in salve-work’.”

Hythlodaeus laughs warmly, all fondness and adoration.

“And that is simply ‘fine’, beloved? It sounds like high enough praise, to my ears.”

At that Anthea looks off to the side, fiddling with the hem of their sleeve.

“W-well, he went on,” they continue, focusing on a far-off part of the skyline. A window, a spire, a balcony much like this one – the details don’t matter so much as the fact it’s not here.

“And?”

“… And the other plant I sent ate it before they could extract any more samples. S-something about the first one releasing a chemical when they took a second cutting...”

Admittedly, the visual is an amusing one, but Hythlodaeus knows better than to make light of such an incident. Instead he steps in to comfort them, one hand on their shoulder and another smoothing out their hair.

“That rather sounds like their fault for not keeping them separated during testing, no?”

“The second one broke through both of their containers to get to it,” Anthea says quietly, not meeting his eyes as he lets out a quiet ‘ah.’

 Silence hangs between them for a moment, but Hythlodaeus refuses to let it drag out: he’s not one to let his love dwell on such things, and there is a project for them to complete. So he steps aside to reveal the gardening equipment at his feet, and the neat rows of Elpis sprouts in their paper pots, already giving off a faint blue-pink glow.

“I’d venture Morus just needs to remember how to properly care for the plants in his laboratory,” he says, passing them a trowel with a canny look in his eye. “Perhaps we can practice tonight, and then you might pen him a response later, complete with instructions?”

Anthea hesitates to take the trowel at first, as though to touch it is some tacit agreement that yes, they will write that letter, but something must embolden them—whether it's the fear of losing another plant to Morus's poor caretaking, or the promise of an evening forgetting all about him, Hythlodaeus can't be sure. But he is relieved, and takes the chance to guide them to the bed the kipouroí allotted him before they can change their mind.

The flowerbed is far from empty: it's home to a fastidiously-trimmed hedge, surrounded by pale blooms that give off a cloyingly sweet scent. They too have been meticulously placed, and the whole thing gives Hythlodaeus the impression that someone must have spent months agonizing over every detail, as if following the same rote formulas for success he sees in applications at the bureau. The picture it paints is uninspired, a variation on a popular trend with little to no sign of experimentation - the botanical equivalent of a shark with an extra set of fins.

But there's still a chance to get creative; to transform it into something better. The elpis flowers scattered nearby will light up its dreary neighbours in all sorts of colours, changing throughout an afternoon depending on who's enjoying the garden and what they might be feeling, and maybe even inspiring some new emotions in turn. A work of art in the truest sense.

Not that standing around imagining it will get him anywhere, he thinks, watching Anthea look around the whole of the garden, cautious optimism on their face.

“And we can plant them—everywhere?”

The way their eyes light up causes his stomach to sink: he has brought too many seedlings after all – just enough to give the impression that this is just a starting point. The free corners of the planter, so vast and empty compared to the few pots on their balcony below, now seem just as insufficient.

It's hard to remain cheery in the face of that, but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t give it his best effort.

“Ah, well—certainly, so long as we define everywhere as… this,” he says, holding his arms out in front of him, barely even spreading them apart to mark the area available to them.

Hythlodaeus gives Anthea a smile that he hopes comes off as convincing, but he can see the skepticism on their face clear as day - though it only lasts a moment. It seems it's his beloved's turn to be reassuring, even if their disappointment is plain.

“It might be enough,” they say gently, gripping his hand as they kneel by the flowerbed. Down he goes with them, steadily leaning closer, til they squat shoulder-to-shoulder before their canvas. “At least, more than half, perhaps… i-if we put them close enough together.”

He turns to look at them, mirroring the sweet smile blooming on their face.

“And they won’t be too cramped as they grow?”

They hold their fingers out about an inch apart, and shake their head, the day’s woes falling by the wayside and making way for the confidence that comes with expertise.

“Not if we leave about this much between each. If they were closer they would have to fight for sunlight as they get bigger, but they are quite hardy. It would be hard for them to spread in the wild if not.”

“I see,” Hythlodaeus says cheerily, opting not to mention that such hardiness was part of the reason it took so long for his request to plant the flowers here to be approved, and why they were only given this small corner, far from some of the more delicate flora in the garden. Some of the skeptics in the kipouroí still need convincing they aren’t weeds.

As if reading his mind, Anthea then goes on to muse aloud:

“It is a shame we can’t spread them out, though… It would be nice to see them lit up at night, all across the garden. They’re so pretty when they grow among other flowers, or at the base of a tree. Sometimes I sit against one and read, and they change to match how the story makes me feel.”

Peace spreads across their face with the memory, and the elpis seedlings stir in response, a sky-blue glow lighting up each paper pot one by one. Hythlodaeus, too, is moved by the scene - not only of the one Anthea describes, nor the one in front of him, but of the promise they both hold: a lush garden bursting with life, full of blossoming wildflowers in every colour of the rainbow, growing freely instead of guided by the hands of man. Trees laden with fruit, birds nesting in their boughs, and a spread of shrubs and herbs at their feet.

In the middle of it all stands Anthea, their smile shining brighter than any elpis flower ever could.

The image stands so vivid in his mind that he swears he could reach out and touch it, and in that instant he knows he will do anything to make it a reality: no matter the beaurocracy, no matter the endless rules of an overpowered committee, he will get Anthea their garden - even if it means leaving this shared one, and the apartment that comes with it, behind.

"Hythlodaeus?"

Anthea's voice shakes him gently from his musings, and he looks across at them apologetically.

"Ah, I do apologise, beloved. I got caught up wondering what colour the elpis might turn were one to read Ceto's most recent pamphlet on kelp as a dietary supplement."

He gives them a conspiritorial wink, and they cover their giggle behind one hand.

"I suppose," they say, a hint of cheek in their tone. "It would depend on how you feel about kelp."

They pick up a plant and out to him, waiting for him to take it with a shy look that somehow still manages to mirror the slyness in his own.

"Shall we get to work? It won't take long, with us both working together."

As Anthea passes the flower over, their fingers brush gently against Hythodaeus's own, and its petals blush such a deep pink in response that the two can't help but share a coy laugh. He wonders if it will be like this when they plant a garden of their own, too.

"Together," he says, heart spilling over with warmth, and begins to dig.

[starlightinitiative]

Hello again, Wanderers! Long time no see!

2025 has begun in earnest, and with only two weeks left until February, I figured it was announcement time.

"Has your journey been good? Has it been worthwhile?"

A question that left many of us to think back, and remember. The good times and the bad. But I pray this journey will spark memories of the good.

Come join us February 1st at 8pm EST for the first of our walks through MSQ, traversing the great expanse of Eorzea and beyond. From Source to reflection, and beyond, to reminisce on what made the journey worthwhile.

Bring your story glams, your favorite mount, and maybe a friend or two! We embark on our Realm Reborn journey soon!

If you'd like to keep up with happenings over these next few months, feel free to join our discord! Though all major announcements will be posted here as well!

You can also visit our carrd for dates and general information!

[starlightinitiative]

Hello again, Wanderers! Long time no see!

2025 has begun in earnest, and with only two weeks left until February, I figured it was announcement time.

"Has your journey been good? Has it been worthwhile?"

A question that left many of us to think back, and remember. The good times and the bad. But I pray this journey will spark memories of the good.

Come join us February 1st at 8pm EST for the first of our walks through MSQ, traversing the great expanse of Eorzea and beyond. From Source to reflection, and beyond, to reminisce on what made the journey worthwhile.

Bring your story glams, your favorite mount, and maybe a friend or two! We embark on our Realm Reborn journey soon!

If you'd like to keep up with happenings over these next few months, feel free to join our discord! Though all major announcements will be posted here as well!

You can also visit our carrd for dates and general information!

[starlightinitiative]

Raffleprize done for Starlight Initiative

[starlightinitiative]

The Starlight Initiative prize for winner Roodee Ookami!

[starlightinitiative]

Join us this month at the Cracked Cluster for some food and fun!

(Challenge Fennie to a game of darts if you'd like, if it's not too busy!)

When: Sunday, January 19th, 7 -10 PM EST

Where: ICly located in Revenant's Toll, Mor Dhona

OOC: NA - Crystal DC - Mateus - Lavender Beds - Ward 19 - 57 (SE Subdivision aetheryte!)

For more info and menu, click here!

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Just a note that the Cracked Cluster is a venue open to RPers of all skill levels, and respectful non-RPers or curious folk that would just like to observe. We don't have any requirements for mods, but we welcome anyone who enjoys them, and welcome writers of all types! We aim to make the Cracked Cluster a place anyone can come to for some good food and some good fun!

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@ffxiv-rp-events @ffxivrp @balmungrpcalendar

[starlightinitiative]

Raffle winner for our Starlight Initiative '24: Mim!

@ kabochako.bsky.social

Their character is so cute! Definitely go check them out!

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Don’t forget!!!

Tomorrow night.

”FIKA NIGHT / Meet & Greet"

This Saturday **January 4th, 2025**

• Doors open at 7pm EST and close when the last person leaves.

• All are welcome to attend! (Feel free to invite some friends.)

• Location: Primal, Behemoth, Empyreum, Ward 25, Plot 47

https://discord.gg/qbXSCMrKWy

[starlightinitiative]

Salutations and Happy New Year! 🎉 I thought I'd start 2025 off right with a Compendium update, especially since I plan on trying to run a drive to put the document out into the world again and try to find some new communities in the wake of a fresh year.

This update is small, mostly because I was travelling the month of December, but I'm hoping to have some new resources/communities very soon. ✨ As always, if you know of a place that isn't featured here, feel free to submit it using the google form here!

However, without further adieu, the following communities have been added to Sea's Community Compendium for XIV Creatives.

LORE

FFXIV The Twelve—Collected and compiled by ann0yance(bsky)/@sa8oteur, this spreadsheet contains currently available lore, trivia and speculation about the twelve deities commonly worshipped in Eorzea.

Have you thought about joining our Tumblr Community? You can find it here!

Want to submit? You can either fill out the google form here or send me an ask with the relevant information!

Is my space suitable for the Compendium? Most of the time, yes! Below the read more is some more information/stipulations. This is all publicly available on the document. 🍷

Below are the following things I do not accept on the Compendium:

Personal/Single-Character LFC ads. (Though these get posted to the SEAFLOOR Tumblr Community when I find them!)

Content intended for or can be used for bullying, harassment and OOC gossip. E.g. ‘Secrets’ blogs, receipts, callout posts, etc. This does not include IC tabloid blogs or other ventures used to generate roleplay.

Communities that do not have an RP/writing element (large-scale exempt).

Anything I find personally distasteful or goes against the spirit of this project.

Common-sense rule applies.

I want to put my community on the Compendium but we have an application process. Is this okay?

Yes! Just note somewhere in your application that's a requirement. The only thing that is mandatory for the Compendium is that you must be open to new members or have a public-facing/accessible facet. There's no point advertising a community if no one can join it in some way!

I want to put my Community on the compendium but I only have x number of members —

Also totally okay! People don't start with large communities. Activity is a must but, whether your server has two or two thousand members, if you're looking for new people to join, I'd love to help you find people.

I want to put my community/resource on the Compendium but I worry its too niche?

Okay, and? If your Eorzean Fishing Alliance has four members but you roleplay every second weekend, I still want to know about it. The same goes for resources; if it's relevant to the game, it'll be useful to someone.

How active does a community need to be?

If you find a community has not been active in about two/three months, send me a message and I'll take a look at it. Communities have ebbs and flows, especially event spaces that may take hiatuses depending on member interest/life events. I'm not strict in my implementation provided a space isn't dead. If a link or anything is broken, contact me asap!

I have [insert a question not stated here]?

No drama! Send me an ask or use the #Compendium channel in my Discord!

[starlightinitiative]

Starlight Initiative 2024 Wrap Up

Good evening, everyone!

Thank you, first and foremost, to the volunteers of the Starlight Initiative. Without them, this would not be what it is. I'm so happy to have many of them still active and wanting to fulfill many wishes. I am happy to have our new volunteers, who have added that much more to our group in fulfilling wishes and making this year's Starlight Initiative even better!

We would not have been able to raffle off some of the prizes we had without them. Whether they turned out their own pockets for the sake of the Initiative, donated what they were already hanging onto, or even just helped with farming certain things, it has all been appreciated.

To those of you waiting for the Creatives Raffle, winners will be announced tomorrow (on our Discord) when I am awake. Unlike the bot raffles, these ones are more closely moderated to ensure that I can get people paired to the creatives that can best fulfill what they are hoping for should they win.

It is my sincerest wish that next year, we may be able to go out of our way to fulfill all kinds of wishes; that we can lift the gil cap we've enforced to keep our collective savings from running dry too quickly. I hope next year, we can give you all what you wish for far more reliably than we sometimes are able to.

Thank you everyone who came by and made it possible for this event to persist. Last year, we fulfilled a total of forty-three wishes. This year, we fulfilled a total of fifty-five! While it may not seem like a giant leap, that's still fifty-five people that got something that made their season that much brighter. I'm glad we could do that for you.

Please look forward to any events we do in the future, and please look forward to the Starlight Initiative's Weekend of Gift Giving 2025!

-Admin Prim

[starlightinitiative]

Our fifth and final mount raffle is live on our Discord!

To end the night, we have a Pinky mount from the Excite-a-Tron 9000! We hope that it brings fun and whimsy to your life should you win! \ o w o /

[starlightinitiative]

Our fourth mount raffle is live on our Discord!

Here's hoping we can put an end to diving deep into Palace of the Dead past floor 150, or even opening all those 3.0 Materiel Coffers! Best of luck to all those who enter!