#(from: ktjn)

[thatskynews]

Greetings Adventurers 👋

Samantha here, though some of you may know me as Ktjn one of the designers who focuses on Sky's economy!

I want to talk about some bugs we discovered that took place during the first few weeks of Season of Nesting, and the steps we're taking to address them.

Four items from the stone furniture set were introduced incorrectly:

🔹️Single stone bed from week 1

🔹️Tall stone dresser from week 2

🔹️Pillow decor from week 3

🔹️Folded cloth decor from week 4

The purchase menu mistakenly indicated that players could place two beds and one dresser—but the edit mode correctly reflected the ability to place two dressers and one bed.

We then found that the pillow and folded cloth prices were incorrect. They were priced in Hearts when they should have been priced in Candles. This is fixed now, but players who unlocked those items at the incorrect price will receive a complete currency refund due to this error.

We also considered those who might have been discouraged by the incorrect Heart prices the first time these appeared. For folks who wanted to consider adding these items to their furniture lineup, we’ll have the pillow and folded cloth return with the regularly scheduled Nesting Shop rotation for two weeks: July 8th through 21st PDT.

I'd also like to personally apologize for the amount of time it has taken to find these bugs and bring them to your attention. We wanted to thoroughly and thoughtfully discuss our options that would make right for our mistake, but responsibility for the delay rests on me. 🙇‍♂️

Season of Nesting introduced the largest collection of items since Sky's launch nearly five years ago, and it's been exciting to see all the creative ways you've used the stone furniture set in your Nests and Shared Spaces. I also want to thank everyone who has taken the time to send bug reports during the Season. Many bugs (like the ones with these four items) we discover ourselves, but the bug reports you send help us capture issues that only appear at large scale—they're instrumental to shaping Sky. 🐛

As always, words cannot fully express my gratitude for the trust and patience you have given us. Thank you! 🫶

[furrholic]

Commission for KomorebiHebi of Ktjn from FFXII

If you are interested in my commissions, click here for all the information https://bit.ly/furrholic-com

[lily-of-rabanastre]

Minfilia/Galbana Lily Bodyswap Excerpt

Gonna workshop that title, lol. This teaser isn't quite the best slice of the fic to present. But I write linearly, so it's literally all I have done at the moment. Just wanted to show I've made some progress on the promised story. Without further ado.

As the sun hung low upon the western skyline, a cool summer breeze slipped into the port of Valnain from the southern bay. Night would soon fall on the people of Dalmasca, the stars twinkling to life far above Valnain’s wooden and stone piers. It was a sight Minfilia had never grown tired of seeing no matter how many years passed, and tonight was no exception.

A week short of three months ago she had come back from the dead, her soul carried out from the depths of the aetherial sea in the bosom of her shining beacon of light—the Warrior of Light, Galbana Lily. After reuniting with the body Hydaelyn had crafted for her, she remained in Sharlayan for a time, that she might acclimate to mortal life once again. But restlessness was quick to set in for the both of them, and after just two short weeks they departed by sky for these distant lands.

They had been here for about nine weeks now. If they weren’t fighting in skirmishes between the Dalmascan resistance forces and the scattered remnants of the IVth Legion, then they were putting their minds and means to good use supporting Princess Ashelia’s restoration efforts. Just a week prior, they aided in putting down an attempt to seize the docks by the remaining soldiers under the command of Origa rem Brunyasch—an aging Hrothgar lioness and veteran of countless battles across Ilsabard’s southern seaboard.

With her defeat, the ships needed to reopen trade with the outside world remain in Dalmasca’s possession. More than that, Ashelia and her entourage were able to set sail for Thavnair, where they could begin laying the groundwork for a brighter tomorrow.

That’s what they were here for, more than anything else. Whatever glory there was to be had in fighting the IVth Legion paled in comparison.

All that said, it was rather refreshing to be out on the frontlines for a change. To step out from behind her desk, from behind her duty, and live a life all her own. So she didn’t mind it too much that Lily—or Ktjn, rather—suggested they set aside their names for the occasion. She swore it was just an alias, and Minfilia saw no reason not to humor her. But it was amusing, seeing her get flustered whenever she mispronounced it.

And as for herself…

“Ascilia, look over there!” exclaimed the soldier beside her—Zulal was her name; an Auri farmgirl with teal blue hair, a passion for winemaking, and a mere twenty-two summers behind her. “I think I see a ship on the horizon!”

At Zulal’s request, Minfilia had transferred to her unit two weeks prior. Before then they weren’t even acquaintances. They hadn’t even met, in fact, and while Zulal knew of the mercenary calling herself a Warrior of Light through gossip, Zulal herself was just another rank and file scout and sniper. If not for a fortuitous encounter Minfilia might never have met the girl, nor learned of her gift.

“Hold a moment,” Minfilia told her as she reached for her pack. After producing from within it a simple but high quality spyglass—a parting gift from her brother, Thancred—she brought it up to her right eye and peered across the horizon to the southwest. “... You’ve a good eye, Zulal. ‘Tis indeed a ship, and it’s flying our colors, too. Seems Her Royal Highness has concluded her business in Thavnair.”

“Really? May I see?” As Minfilia silently handed her the spyglass, Zulal took it and peered through the crystal lens on the small end. “Oh thank Faram. When I’d heard where the Princess had run off to, I was worried sick. Er, do you think she’s alright, actually? That’s where the Final Days kicked off, after all...”

“According to my partner, Thavnair managed to weather the Final Days better than most afflicted nations,” Minfilia explained, recalling the stories her kith and kin shared of the event. “But if you’re truly curious, why not listen in on them?”

Zulal gave her a quizzical look. “Weren’t you the one who stressed using my power responsibly?”

“Setting your mind at ease is a very responsible use of the Echo,” Minfilia answered, nodding sagely and giving the girl her most innocent smile. “Though if you feel you’d be crossing your own boundaries by doing so, then put the thought out of your mind. We must simply imagine the Princess safe and sound.”

Handing the spyglass back to Minfilia with a heavy sigh, Zulal turned to face the ship in the distance and closed her eyes, appearing to concentrate. Her mind was elsewhere now, a curious manifestation of her Echo. Where most could only glimpse memories of the past, she was able to experience them as they were being made. Power such as this would ordinarily require specialized equipment and powerful magicks—yet for an ordinary girl like Zulal, it was almost effortless.

But it was not always so, nor could she control it when her Echo first awoke in the tail end of the FInal Days. The girl had shared plenty of stories of losing consciousness for hours at a time, her mind adrift like a leaf on the wind. Yet through Minfilia’s own guidance and training, she was able to master this sliver of power bequeathed unto her by her own sundered soul. Even better, she was able to make good use of it in her duties to the Resistance.

Well, most of the time.

Several minutes had passed before Zulal’s eyes fluttered back open, her cheeks flushed red as her gaze slid to the floor beneath them. “W-well, she’s safe and sound, alright. But I think that surly attendant of hers might have a few words for me after they make landfall…”

“What makes you say that?” Minfilia asked, her curiosity piqued. “Whose mind did you anchor yourself to?”

“Princess Ashelia’s,” Zulal admitted, tapping her forefingers together sheepishly. “She, um, was sleeping. And cuddling a little stuffed lion.”

“That’s adorable, hm hm,” Ascilia softly chuckled. “But surely that wouldn’t trouble you so much. What happened?”

“Her attendant was glaring daggers at me the whole time,” Zulal began to clarify, looking Minfilia in the eyes like a scared doe. “At first I thought she was just keeping a close eye on the Princess, but as I was leaving she, she called out to me.”

“... By name?” Minfilia asked, somewhat incredulously.

“Mhm.” Zulal nodded. “I didn’t think she even knew who I was.”

“Mayhap she knows you better than you think,” Minfilia offered, though another possibility came to mind.

If this attendant was able to identify the presence of a wandering mind by name, then it suggested a unique talent in her own right: The power of soul sight. A gift able to be replicated, just as Zulal’s projection, but not quite to the extent the attendant had demonstrated. Of course, this was no more than an educated guess.

“Anyroad, don’t worry yourself sick over this,” she continued, clapping her young friend on the shoulder. “If she comes asking, state your case calmly and be sure to mention my role in getting you to spy on her, alright?”

“Thank you, Ascilia. Faram help me, I could face off against a dozen IVth Legion dastards, but the thought of getting on Her Majesty's bad side…” With another heavy sigh, Zulal shook her head. “We’d best stop slacking off. Only an hour left ‘till shift change. Any plans for the evening? One of my friends invited me to play cards, and you’re welcome to come along.”

“Actually, I was planning to seek out my partner,” Minfilia beamed. She wouldn’t have minded joining Zulal, of course. But it had been some time since she and Lily had been intimate, and she was feeling a little needy tonight. “Would you mind looking around the city for her? I’ll repay the favor next chance I get.”

At this, Zulal’s skin began to pale. “Y-You want me to spy on the B-Black Vulture? But d-doesn’t she have the Echo? She’ll see me for sure!”

But Minfilia merely shook her head. “Ktjn isn’t that gifted. So long as you don’t try anything funny with her, she won’t even notice.”

“O-Okay…” With a heavy swallow, Zulal turned around, scanning the breadth of Valnain’s rooftops. “Shouldn’t be too hard to find her, at least. Even someone like me could make out a soul with a presence like hers…”

[rayveewrites]

I am fully aware nobody asked, but you're hearing about Pumpkin's story anyway. Because she's my baby and I love her.

The thing with Flight Rising is that a massive aspect of it is this thing called dominance. The vast majority of dragons are exalted to serve one of the eleven elemental deities, and the flight that exalts the most in proportion to the number of active accounts in their flight each week gets dom (which gives a few neat buffs to the flight in question). It's usually Earth.

Now obviously, with all these fodder dragons, there exists fodder rescues! Groups of people coming together to save dragons, often which fit into a certain theme. There's the Snapper Save, Only a Mother Rescue, and so on. But I'm part of Galopa's Old Oaks Rescue Service, which is dedicated to dragons who are three years or older.

And we have a Discord server and it's full of extremely lovely people and all of us are a little crazy and one of the members lives in invisible and is called Hell.

So Hell has been saving their money up for *checks flight* Earthshaker knows how long, because they want a familiar called a Red-Footed Akirbeak. The Akirbeak was given out as a gift in 2013 de to a really bad bout of server downtime and is rather rare and expensive these days.

Specifically, Hell had saved up all but 400 of the needed 18,000 gems to purchase their Akirbeak, and they made the mistake of mentioning this in the Old Oaks discord.

Here's the thing about the OOD: the server is full of criminals Who Will Crime You ate the drop of a hat in most cases. And hey, 400g isn't too much for a group of players, some of which have been going for years. I donated to the cause alongside fellow users Eso, Ktjn, Loki and Night, and Hell just kinda yelled at us but got enough to buy their bird.

Now Hell isn't one to let a crime go unpunished, and this was in the middle of Flight Rising's December event, Night of the Nocturne, in which you murder sentient furniture for unborn children. It's a fun time. So Hell, like most of us, had a large collection of Unhatched Nocturne Eggs, which are actually pretty valuable (prices tank during NotN, but after a few months they go back to the standard 300g). But this was a special egg, a gift from Hell, and so I hatched mine.

And so Pumpkin was born.

I fell in love with her immediately, despite the fact I'm not usually a big fan of orange, and decided almost immediately that I was gonna give this girl a Scroll of Eternal Youth so she'd remain a hatchling forever, because she was adorable.

It was decided that Pumpkin and the other Hell hatches (her 'siblings' Pecan, Hades and a currently-unnamed girl) were hatched by Hell's Akirbeak (which canonically steal and care for dragon eggs).

Mostly because of this very cute artwork made by Eso.

I contributed via a fake achievement that I managed to misspell twice. Hey, I got it right eventually!

And that's the story of Pumpkin!

[ainarosewood]

SeasWolWritingChallenge Day 7

@seaswolchallenge​ @ffxiv-writers​

Prompt: Revenant

"Sister!" Yvet turned to see to see Phyna striding toward her the Viis standing out in the Crystarium in the garb of her homeland. Turning toward her she cocked her head, "Is aught amiss Phyna you seem troubled?"

The other woman nodded her eyes troubled, "Ciuna tells me that there is trouble in the Wood, several of our patrols have been attacked by a mysterious creature in ruins.  Even Lanille doesn't know what is causing the wounds."

Yvet nodded, "You'd like me to see would you not?"

The other Viis gave a grim nod, "If you've the time Sister, I'm still gathering Viis to return home and while I worry for my Sister I...."

"Fear not, I will go to Fanow and see how I may aid." Yvet responded at her feet her Carbuncle Ktjn chimed in agreeance at her feet.

Relief filled the other woman’s features and she nodded, "Give my Sister my love,"

Yvet waved in acknowledgement before readying the teleport spell.  Moments later she found herself in the Fanow aetheryte plaza a heavy rain drenching the settlement.

Without hesitation she strode toward where she knew Almet would be as she approached she could see the older Viis's face set with concern.

Before her was an equally concerned Lanille the priestess frustrated overtly.  Approaching she gave a wave in greeting.  Almet gave her a warm smile but it was clear she was still upset.

"Phyna mentioned that several patrols were injured by a strange creature," Yvet stated

Lanille nodded, "Some of the wounds seem as if they could come from a Caracal however, I do not believe the beasts responsible due to the fact that the injuries are rimed with frost."

"And typically once would expect burns from the levin bolts the beasts command." Yvet stated.

Lanille nodded continuing, "Also in some of the cases there is little to no wounds but the afflicted are cold to the touch and their aether seems....drained."

At her feet Ktjn chimed Sounds like a voidsent....sister

Yvet looked down at the construct stating, "Those injuries yes, but the rime coated claws....no."

Looking at the other two Viis she asked, "Where have the majority of the attacks happened?"

Almet retrieved a map from the table nearby and pointed, "The K'mul Astropolis, specifically the Great Pyramid of Ux'ner.  All of the ones attacked were patrolling close to the Pyramid when the attacks occurred."

Yvet nodded, "I shall see if I can locate the beast drive it off if can or if I must destroy it,"

Almet looked concerned but nodded, "Be careful Sister, I know I shouldn't worry given that you are the Warrior of Darkness none the less..."

Yvet gave her a gentle smile, "I understand Sister fear not, I am not one to be reckless."

With that she pulled out the horn they had gifted her when she had defeated the Lightwarden.  She pressed it to her lips and sounded it.  From not far away came a piercing cry and the flap of wings.  

She turned as the blast of air announced the Jacculus's arrival that was tied to the horn.  It Chirped a greeting and nudged her.

Patting her neck she greeted her and then swung astride.  Beside her Ktjn leapt onto the hindquarters and balanced there as the bird tilted off the platform and aimed northwest.

In a matter of moments they alighted in front of the Pyramid and she sent the Jacculus on its way to await her call.  Looking down at Ktjn, "I think Anja would be more suited for this considering that we are dealing with something that uses ice aspected aether."

The carbuncle nodded and disappeared in a burst of aether.  A moment later Anja popped forth in another burst the heat of her body causing steam to form around her as the rain struck the ruby carbuncle."

Looking up at her she asked, I take it I will take point?

Yvet nodded, "I will follow, I know not what we are dealing with aside from it can wield ice aspected aether and drain a being of their aether."

Nodding the carbuncle strode through the gap in the roots that used to be the pyramid's door.  As Yvet followed her she felt a pang of sorry knowing the beauty the Pyramid once had.  She could remember what it looked like at the height of the Empire before the Wood reclaimed it.

As they entered the only sound to be heard was the patter of the carbuncle's paws and the steady drip of what rain made it through the gaps in the stone.  As they went deeper Yvet noticed an odd chill permeating the normally humid air.  Something had to be causing it, the question was what.  

As they entered one of the deeper chambers Anja paused then whirled slashing with a fiery claw at a creature that hissed and let out a haunting howl.

Yvet drew her tome and faced it feeling a pang of sorrow as she saw it in the glow of the stones that lit the pyramid.

It was gaunt, skin clinging to what was once thick muscle now just bones.  Its face was that of a Ronso a strange light filing its eyes.  Judging by its garb it had once been one of the living guardians of the Pyramid set to watch over those who were buried here.

Yvet closed her cerulean eyes in grief.  He had awoken because of her and she knew it.  Specifically when she Y'shtola and the Viis of Fanow opened the door that led to Tiuna's tomb.  In life he would have guarded it and it seemed as if he continued to do so after his demise.

"Brother," she said softly in Ronkan, "Your work is done, you may rest in Ox'Dalan's arms now.  There are others to continue your duty to the Archmage.  Please brother rest."

The only response she received was him stalking forward bony hand outstretched.  The room was so cold that her breath began to cloud in front of her.

Closing her eyes she nodded to Anja who charged forward once more slashing with fiery claws as she unleased several ruin spells striking the ancient guardian causing sever damage to its body.

Between her and the carbuncle they finally managed to down it and before them stood a spirit.  Once again Yvet appealed to him in Ronkan, "Brother please your duty is done, let the Viis who remain carry on for you, please take your rest."

He bowed his head in acknowledgement and then dispersed back into the aether.  Instantly the unnatural cold faded leaving only the standard cool of the depth of the Pyramid.

Sighing in relief she turned and made her way back to the surface.  Once again she called the Jacculus and mounted up.  As she launched into the sky she looked back at the ruins and said a soft prayer to Ox'Dalan asking him to see to it that no more guardians were disturbed from their eternal slumber and offering apologies for being responsible for this last ones.

[rivellon-fr]

Ktjn

Ktjn wanted to become a warrior and after meeting Mjrn, she felt that she needed to protect her from harm. Mjrn, being an adventurer herself, always had a knack for getting herself in trouble. It was only after Mjrn noticed how much Ktjn cared about her that she stopped doing dangerous deeds and started encouraging Ktjn to pursue a different career. Ktjn became the teacher of the Order. She functions as a rolemodel for the hatchlings and young dragons and with the help of the other members, conveys the knowledge of the Order. She hasn't stopped protecting Mjrn, but now that they're in a relationship, they've settled into their domestic life in the forest.

[whitebookposts]

let's also not forget that in it's essence, sky is a GAME. and just like KTJN, one of the devs said: “Not everything is necessarily official canon for this season [of Sanctuary]. Though that can be applied to any season. Sometimes we need to break the fourth wall a bit to create good gameplay experiences." There is a chance that there isn't any big lore implication of the statues staying behind even after the children break out of it, or them being bigger than the normal sky kid. It all can be just game design or a bug. Perhaps the children that are freed from the statues are made bigger so that we will see them better at the flying through the castle sequence. Maybe it's just a game bug. We must take everything we see in the game with a grain of salt, as there is always a chance that it's the way it is because sky is a game, and not a movie\a book

When did they change the Eden death scene? It actually shows the skykid turn into a statue, rather than crumble and disintegrate.

So I guess this means that the other statues are dead skykids? Which to be honest just creates more lore problems/questions?

Does this mean that when we "die" our original current "soul" gets split - one half staying in the statue and one becoming a winged light? If so, and we therefore get given a brand new soul when we are reborn, does that mean that we are never the same skykid twice since technically what makes us us is new each time?

Is every skykid actually the same person? All just fragments of the original skykid to go through eden? But that would only work if they went through a few times without managing to find any of their previous bodies.

Also brings up the problem of if all the bodies are skykids why were the first ones sent, there wouldn't have been any there to save. If skykids are winged light, but skykids need winged light how does that work.

The change could also only be for the Little Prince quest but I don't do Eden enough to be able to tell

[cellarspider]

Ktjn: Hello. Have you come for another visit?

Tl;dr (too late, I know), Ktjn admits that she came to the city out of a hope she could be like her world-travelling adventurer of a sister. When she asks if we think she could ever achieve that dream, we have to tell her no.

Ktjn: …I see. So you think me too naïve to follow in my sister’s footsteps.

Or we’re just a massive jerk, because this is the most counter-intuitive way to build someone’s self confidence that I’ve ever seen.

As penance, I take a contract to fight another goddamn murder-turtle. It’s called the Gil Snapper, which implies it eats money. I hope this is metaphorical, because again, it has no head. It doesn’t even have an ass either! Nothing can go in or out!

I have no idea how turtles work in this game, guys.

Rabanastran: I know that look. Reks used to have that same determined fire in his eyes. Whatever you may be thinking, don’t do anything stupid, okay, Vaan? You owe it to your brother.

A good try, unnamed citizen, but Vaan has so many stupid things left to do in this plot, and not all of them are his idea!

Taking all of these contracts is probably on him, though. In order: retrieve a key for a moogle named Sorbet (NAME SO CUTE), kill a giant dragon for the Resistance member Balzac (name still hilarious), kill a giant snake so it can be made into booze, kill a giant stomper thingy because… because, and kill a weird-ass lizard frog that’s eaten a ring, desired by a pretty ominous-sounding petitioner. Aiight.

Rabanastran: Have you ever heard of King Raithwall? He’s an ancestor of the Dalmasca family from a long, long time ago. “He was a leader of unrivaled wisdom, and a warrior of peerless fortitude.” At least, that’s what my folks told me. They say he even had a powerful gigas that had to do whatever he said, and that the gigas still guards his tomb to this day. I don’t know if that part about the gigas is true or not, but it was somethin’ mighty strong, anyways.

It’s false, because we have in fact run off with Raithwall’s home security system. One hopes that the tomb won’t get ransacked by anyone else while all the plot drama’s going on.

Anyway, with that reminder not to end up like Balthier and actually earn some money for our time, it’s off to go see the almost suspiciously conscientious imperial guardsman, Sherral.

Sherral: Slain the wyvern lord, have you? You’ve done Rabanastre a great service, boy. After you’d set out, I thought I might have been overreacting just a touch after all, but there’s naught to be gained from doubting now, is there? You’ve done a man’s job. Here’s your bounty. Take it with my thanks.

He hands over his own paycheck to square things with Vaan. Which makes me hope he didn’t have any friends on the 8th Fleet because that would really extra suck.

And one last sidequest to start on:

Cotze: The Empire dispatched a natural philosopher here to look into something or the other. He tried askin’ me some questions, but I won’t have any part in it. He’s probably still over at Westgate tryin’ to figure out what to do next.

Alright, so where’s this nerd got to, I don’t see him anywhere in the Westga—

Rimzat: Hha! I have been waiting for some time. You see, I am in need of assistance. Please, hear my words. I have been sent from Archadia to study the sandstorms of the Dalmasca Westersand, but the storm’s violence makes such study…impossible.

Oh. He’s a bangaa. Now I feel like an asshole.

He wants to get into an area where the winds are literally too strong to get through, a place where I spied the ominous scaley butt of a giant dinosaur way back when I went on one of my very first wanderings in the game. Local dude knows a way to get into the storm, but you need a weathervane widget to get through it. That’s been split in two pieces, and we know where at least one half of it is. While this is transparent fetchquesty bullshit, it will allow us access to a new area once this is done. …If I can do it, because fighting this dinosaur is probably above my pay grade at the moment. I will make an attempt, and possibly fail painfully. Hurray!

So now it’s time to start trekking around the country on foot, filling contracts and—wait a minute, we have Balthier’s airship, don’t we? Why don’t we just—

Nono: Terrible news, kupo! When the Imperial fleet exploded over the Westersand, the Strahl was damaged! I’m gathering the parts I need to make repairs as quickly as I can, but it may take some time, kupo.

—Oh. Well that’d be why.

[carotillustrations]

@winbemular: #deviantart Ktjn: for ! He won a half-body from me and wished his OC! :3 I think it was really fun… https://t.co/z3OFFtBcCi #draws #pictures

http://twitter.com/winbemular

[lily-of-rabanastre]

Galbana Lily of Rabanastre Age: 53 Gender: Female Height 6'0"/183cm Race: Viera (Rava)

Born Ktjn of Camoa, daughter of Ruuj of Camoa and Ulfr Djt-Dvre. Like her mother before her, Ktjn was born with a rare gift. Much as the Hearers of Gridania can "hear" the voices of the forest's Elementals, so too can Ktjn "listen" to the spirits of the land, a voice she often interprets as song. At the tender age of ten summers, her mother absconded with her from their forest home across the Dalmascan desert, settling within the city of Rabanastre. It was there that the two took on their new names:

Galbana Lily and Seventh Heaven.

In her youth, Galbana Lily was a carefree spirit, wild and energetic. Not a day went by that she wasn't getting into mischief with her friends. And though she is still the same girl at heart, the years since her mother's passing had not been kind to her. By age 50, as she journeyed to Eorzea in search of the Conjurer's Guild, Lily had long considered the world of Hydaelyn—and herself—to be unworthy of love or happiness. Though she claimed to be there to learn the art of Conjury, in truth Lily's only ambition was to return to her native Golmore and disappear from the annals of history without a trace.

But the whims of fate are ever fickle, and she soon found herself in possession of another rare gift: The Echo. Soon after she was inducted into the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, where she met the woman she would fall head over heels in love with: The Antecedent, Minfilia Warde.

[ainarosewood]

Omen

@gatheredfates​

Yvet and her sisters landed their Jaculus  at the edge of the pale sickly grass.  She shivered as she felt the wrongness of the spot not far from them.  In what seemed to be a roughly circular patch the forest was devoid of life giving aether.  The plants within it were shriveled and a sickly white.  All around it was still the vibrant life of the forest but this places was inexplicably dead. 

“How many does this make, she asked.

“Five,” Ktjn stated her brow furrowed with concern.

“What disturbs me the more is what had been found in each.” Anja stated cautiously entering the dead zone and kneeling down next what she was speaking of.

“Aye,” Yvet responded as she looked in front of the other Viis.  There lying in the dead grass was a serpent it too devoid of life.  No wounds, no obvious trauma it just seemed to be lying there its aether gone.

What could it mean?  In each dead spot they found the literal physical representation of the Wood’s Protector lying dead.  Did it mean that the Wood was dying?  Was it mere coincidence?  

“Come sisters,” Anja said as she stood, “We must inform the Chieftoness of this.  And see if there are other areas within the Empire showing this phenomena.

Together they remounted their Jaculus and turned toward their village unease in each of their hearts.  This had to portend something just what did it?  That was anyone’s guess.

[ainarosewood]

FFXIVWrite2020 Writing Challenge Day 24 (Make-up Entry)

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast​ @ffxiv-writers​

Prompt-Beam

Relaxing Day

Ktjn stretched out letting out a hum of contentment.  She loved nothing more than lounging in a warm patch of sun on the warm wood floor of her summoner’s apartment.

A chuckle sounded from her side and the carbuncle opened an eye to see her summoners mate standing near.  The Miqo'te wore an amused smirk and she strode over to the construct and knelt down petting it.

"I don't blame you, if I can get away with it I'd be lounging in the sun as well little one." she murmured.

Ktjn let out a chime in agreement and then resumed her stretch out in the patch of sun.  This was what the little construct enjoyed the most relaxing with nothing to worry about.  No enemies to fight no realm shattering worries just a quiet relaxing day.  And she was damn determined to enjoy it.

Another chuckle resounded and Ktjn recognized it as her summoner.  The Carbuncle once again cracked an eye and she gave her a chime of greeting.

"I see your enjoying yourself," the Viis murmured, "Then again days like this are rare indeed,"

"Quite," Y'shtola responded then gave a mischievous smirk, "Shall we two find a means to enjoy the quiet?"

Yvet gave a sultry laugh and nodded, "Might as well come along then."

With that the two of them strode off toward the bedchamber leaving the carbuncle to bask in the sunlight.  Which was fine by her, she let out a contented chime and dozed off in her little patch of sun.

[ainarosewood]

30 Day WoL Writing Challenge-Day 21-Prey

@seaswolchallenge​ @ffxiv-writers​

Here Ktjn stated the topaz carbuncle staring intently at spot in the sand.

Yvet knelt down next to the construct her eyes barely discerning the tracks.  The harsh desert winds had all but erased them.

"Good work sister," The Viis responded, "Let us continue and see if we can follow where they go."

She continued to follow the track relying on the carbuncle's nose when the sand laden wind had swept them away.

In her mind it was a blessing that the skills she had learned in the depths of the Rak'tika Greatwood could server her here.  She couldn't even tell herself so far from home because she didn't know if it was. 

Suddenly the Ktjn stopped her quiet chimes shifting to the deep rumble tone that was her signal danger was near.

Yvet quickly drew her tome ears twitching sniffing the air her self hoping to find some sign of their prey.

The beast had been taunting and maiming the hunters of the drake tribe for a while now prompting the Nunh to call for her aid.  Now here she was deep in the Sagolii desert searching for the best to end it.  

The Viis closed her eyes allowing herself to feel the river of aether that surrounded them.   She could feel the solid presence of the Earth aspected carbuncle next to her.  The myriad of small energies that represented the nearby fauna and to her right another massive form poised between the rocks.

Swiftly she dodged left as the beast charged the massive drake causing the ground to tremble upon his landing.  Ktjn leapt forward summoning a stone spike to stab the beast getting its attention onto her.

The battle was fierce the filled with the sounds of the drakes roars, the jangle of his barding and the sizzle of its levin breath.  Yvet found hersefl often struggling with spell interruptions due to the paralysis caused by its shocks.  

But she endured and soon the monster sprawled on the ground its body still convulsing from the virulence of her spells and the multiple holes and crushed bones caused by the carbuncle.

Hours later she trudged into the forgotten springs her chocobo aiding her in dragging the beast in for the hunters to butcher fully.

U'odou himself met her at the gate and the Viis gave him a tired smile,  "Zanig'oh will trouble your hunters no more,"

The Miqo'te gave her a huge smile, "Aye I see that come my friend rest at the hot springs and then let us have a celebration of your triumph."

The Viis nodded letting the hunters deal with the beast's corpse and made her way over to the springs to soak away the strain of combat.

[cellarspider]

Finally, a couple bits and bobs before I return to actual plot: Fran’s not the only viera out on the streets today!

This is Ktjn, who appears to be quite timid, despite her only vague familiarity with the application of clothing. She’s only recently left the home of the viera, and would very much like someone to talk to.

Ktjn: Is the city not wonderful? I still lose my way on occasion, but I have come to know some of her walks and alleyways. But the land, I cannot hear it… Should this not trouble me as a viera?

This is actually a sidequest, and you determine the outcome with your answers. While first instinct for most would be to comfort her, the eventual result of doing so will lead her to continue to be very timid and unassertive over time. So instead, I’m going to act like an asshole and tell her yes, she has done a PROBLEMATIC.

[Yes, you should be ashamed.]

Ktjn: I see. Then perhaps it was a mistake to leave the Wood… Pay no mind to my mutterings. Pray, speak with me again soon.

I swear, this will end up with her in a more self-assured place. …And also net me an item that will be of actual use at the end of the questline.

Swarthy Bangaa: I used to be a sky pirate m’self. I remember this one time I was deep inside a huge cavern lookin’ for some treasure… Just when I thought I’d found me some loot, out jumps the horriblest monster you ever did see! Get the shivers just thinkin’ on it…

Oh hey, like that spooky cavern I tried to run Vaan into a while back but then fled from the killer slimes inside? Eventually that will lead to places @mazarinedrake will be happy to see.

One of the other topics of general conversation is the independent city-state of Bhujerba. This totally doesn’t have anything to do with where we’re going next. Some admire it for its continued independence, the good reputation of the Marquis, and the high-paying jobs people can get in their mines, others are not so sunny.

Patient Bangaa: We was just talkin’about Bhujerba, the skycity. Put my friend here in a foul mood. He can’t abide the fact that they’re free of the Empire, gettin’ rich off those magicite mines of theirs.

Even without the extra intrigue the general populous doesn’t know about, Bhujerba’s  independence is seen by some to be dependent on its wealth and willingness to sell its magicite to anyone, including the Empire. Obviously, that’s a sore subject in Dalmasca, which, despite its own former wealth as a trading capital, Rabanastre was seen as a strategic frontier city by the Archadians, that they needed to deny to their enemies in Rozarria.

Trader: Quite an unusual stone you’ve got there. Don’t think it would be worth much, though. Nah, you best hold onto it.

Thank fuck this man can’t identify the crown jewel of the kingdom either, because it would be a great big oopsie if Vaan sold it for a corn chip right now.

This is less weird if you’re aware that unlike royal regalia in Europe, the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan--a sword, mirror, and jewel—are not shown to the public, no replicas of them are officially on display, and no known photographs or drawings of them exist. 

Reks’s Friend: If you feel like you’ve nowhere to turn, talk to your friends. Reks may be gone, but you’re not alone, you hear?

Awwwww