#- anyway can someone do a wellness check on ysayle(?).

[brainrotzora]

these things are always happening to the ones i like :////////

anyways the lighting in this dungeon is so nice

didn't get any good pics bc i was too busy dungeoning but so pretty...best dungeon music so far goes to snowcloak though btw

[elfyourmother]

What would Gisele and her elves be doing post endwalker?

Gisele, Haurchefant and Ysayle join Estinien in Radz-at-Han for a long, well-deserved rest; Vrtra hosts them all in the Meghaduta. And Vrtra spends a lot of his time shyly wooing Gisele and Ysayle, since the alchemists fashioned him a new, adult homunculus after some extensive conversations with Estinien and suspiciously specific questions about what these two particular ladies find attractive.

Stephanivien is in and out, I think; despite his exit during MSQ the Manufactory very much remains a major part of the Ilsabard Contingent’s aid efforts in Garlemald, and he would want to personally check in on it from time to time, offering his assistance and also learning what he can of Garlean engineering. Radz-at-Han being a gateway to the region makes it a very attractive spot for him to linger—or at least provides a ready made excuse to his father for his extended absences from Ishgard, but by the time all of this is a thing, Baurendouin’s objections to Steph’s involvement with the others have disappeared so

Aymeric definitely joins them there in short order, on the pretense of establishing diplomatic relations with the satrap, and takes an extended working vacation there (though occasionally with too much emphasis on the “working” for the others’ liking, and Vrtra insists that he enjoys the city and his loved ones).

Gisele is somewhat of a hypocrite chastising him over it though because she spends her time there geeking out about everything, considering Radz-at-Han is a cultural powerhouse and the birthplace of so many things that interest her. Obviously it’s the birthplace of Troupe Falsiam and the Kriegstanz but also alchemy, the legendary silk trade, etc. Not to mention the Culinarian delights. So she’s very much a kid in a candy store just exploring and learning and immersing herself as much as she can in everything—the people there are incredibly warm and friendly anyway but Gisele is the Warrior of Light who saved Thavnair. OF COURSE she can have the family lassi recipe etc etc. She definitely establishes the second Atelier Surana boutique outside of Eorzea there in the bazaar (the first being the one in the Sharlayan Agora—homegirl is quietly building a Fenty-esque empire on top of saving the universe).

A while back, thanks to a really cool suggestion someone gave me on Discord, I decided Gisele has Bard after all but not in the canon way—she did study under Jehantel but she is a Trouvère, a different bardic tradition that doesn’t involve archery (which she’s terrible at) and is more about spellsong. So she’s fascinated by the songs and stories and epics of Thavnair and learns about those too. Probably learns to play the sitar.

I really like the idea of Estinien and Ysayle getting married there, with Vrtra doing the honors and the others sobbing the whole time.

But the fic I’m planning out right now takes place post-6.0 and begins with the lot of them in Radz-at-Han during this timeframe, digging into Aymeric’s sordid family background and it’s looking like it’ll be something of an Adventure

Speaking more broadly though, I just need for Pandaemonium to take place not immediately following the Scions’ return from Ultima Thule because god damn does Gisele specifically need a break. Not just to physically recover but emotionally too—there was so much she went through, with the others. Let her indulge her curiosities and do what she will as something other than Warrior of Light, you know?

[inviouswriting]

Aymeric x Kiya

During the travel to Anyx Trine, they had taken a longer path with Alphinaud. He wanted to take some white lily type flowers to the house that once belonged to Ysayle.

Kiya felt colder than usual as they had braved through a blizzard to get there even on dragon back. She felt a haze in her head and hoped it was nothing.

Thry had landed and soon wandered the outside of the house for dangers. A few monsters easily dealt with by a few flashes of fire from Kiya and Aymeric's sword. Aymeric noticed that Kiya's spells faltered a bit.

When they were inside, the place felt cold as long abandoned from the heretics. Aymeric marveled at the unique sculpture of Shiva and Hraesvelgr faintly touching it in how it now adorns the gate on Falcon's Nest.

"To think that a few girls would change Ishgard for beliefs that were once thought preposterous. I just hope the great wyrm can lend his strength to us." Aymeric murmurs more to himself, he still had alot to come to terms with. Alot to go through.

Alphinaud arranged the flowers he had brought on the altar to pay respects in his way. Kiya leaned against the wall close to the door rubbing her arms and shoulders. Still dancing with her thoughts. Her own memories she felt a little delirious on her feet. She shoved her own feelings aside keeping her ears up for sounds of foes.

Aymeric turns towards Kiya flashing a brief smile and earning one back. They were dancing around their feelings for each other. Aymeric held back because he didnt know how this dragonsong war would end with another dead either him, Estinien or her, someone he has grown to love dearly unadmitted. He rather go with unrequited love than face heartbreak that way.

Kiya kept her feelings to herself due to uncertainty. Once she admitted feelings it meant she had so much to lose in this. They would grave the others hand or stare a bit longer between them.

It is in one of these moments that Aymeric notices her face more pale than usual, with her painted lips it was hard to tell of she was hypothermic but she shivered on her feet.

"Alphinaud, would you fetch some wood for fire? I think we should hold here for a bit till the weather improves. Wont do for us to catch our death in the cold." Aymeric keeps his voice full of amusement and Alphinaud nods going to get the wood.

Aymeric turns to Kiya eyes a bit stern he knew something was off bow that he sees her gaze half there.

"Kiya? You should sit down and rest. It's been a long journey from Ishgard to here." Kiya nods understanding giving him a grin and a pat on her chest to play off how she felt. Perhaps it was a bit too late and the moment she moved the world was fuzzy to her then black.

"Kiya?!" She didnt hit the ground but was caught. Aymeric kneels with her and glances around for something to lay her down on top of. Alphinaud had returned and saw Aymeric holding Kiya looking panicked.

"By the twelve, what happened?" He is quick to set the wood down and get his tome out to use a cure and esuna on her to see if she had been poisoned or hurt somehow.

Aymeric places a hand to her forehead and feels heat but lingers his hand there feeling her press to it for the cool sensation.

"I believe she has a hypothermia. Along with exhaustion." Aymeric lifts her up again finding a makeshift bed to place her in furs.

"What can we do for her then?" Alphinaud asks.

"Let's get that fire lit. More importantly warm her up and let her rest like we've told her to do." Aymeric says as he removes some of his armor for the thick robe he wears to wrap Kiya in it.

Alphinaud sets about his task of lighting the fire half wishing Kiya was awake long enough to throw a flame. He spies Aymeric sitting with Kiya arms winding around her to draw her closer a worried expression gracing his features.

"I shall go see if I can find makings for a soup or stew." Alphinaud informs Aymeric and he nods agreeing.

"I'll stay here then go keep watch over her." Aymeric rubs a hand on Kiya's head feeling heat from her forehead but knew better than to uncover her from a exposure fever.

It was hours with a fire going and food being made. Aymeric leaving the bundled fur to help Alphinaud make something edible.

Kiya felt like she was dreaming but pleasant warmth throughout her. Her sleep was plagued with a nightmare as events came back to her from Azys Lla, Haurchefant, Estinien, Nidhogg, and Ysayle. She felt soothing hands on her head brief fingers on her forehead checking if her fever broke.

Aymeric sighs in relief when it does break. There is a flutter of Kiya's eyes and she is greeted to Aymeric's smile and most of his torso.

"By the fury, thank her that you are awake." His voice is low enough to hear him but quiet as if there were people asleep. Alphinaud had passed out at the foot of the bed strewn over her legs. Aymeric nestled next to Kiya to use his body heat to keep her from the cold settling in her bones.

"What happened.." Kiya half glares feeling stupid that she was caught in such a moment of weakness.

"You got cold again. Worse than the last time you got hypothermia in my arms." Kiya's cheeks pink at the memory. She had woken up to Aymeric after that night too.

Aymeric gets up and presents her a mug of tea and bowl of soup. She accepts both and eats slowly and drinks slower.

Aymeric sits next to her again and still in a hushed voice talks to her.

"Your fever broke a few hours ago, but we will remain here for the night. Conditions outside got bad best to travel during day anyway. Too many monsters and dravanians that are not friendly. Rather not chance itbwith toy out of it." Aymeric puts his concerns into the reality of their situations.

Kiya looks at the bowl in her hands and is reminded of that time she spent with ysayle and Estinien before they spoke to Hraesvelgr.

"I am sorry to stall our progress." This catches Aymeric by surprise.

"Nonsense, it should be mine fault at not realizing it sooner. Should have told us you were not feeling well." Aymeric reaches hisbhands to cup hers around the bowl. How much larger they are to hers. She noticed he isn't wearing his normal attire but an adventuring outfit. She then noticed her draped in his black robe.

"Thank you... I didnt want to burden you or Alphinaud with it." Kiya feels overwhelmed but the squeeze on her wrists reassures her.

"Again nonsense. You cannot help us if you are not feeling well." Aymeric urges her to best more while it was hot still. When she had finished her things. Aymeric takes the bowl and mug away, setting them down and returns to her. He fits into the fur with her and tugs her closer. He felt right with her next to him.

"Try not to worry over it. However rest, we have a long travel tomorrow to get to tailfeather then anyx trine." Kiya nods understanding feeling sheepish as she lays down. Arms wound around her and she feels safe and protected in his arms.

By morning Kiya woke up last. Feeling refreshed. The Lord Commanders clothes not on her anymore and she spies Aymeric fixing the blue cloak on him from a mirror and a few cups of tea steeping.

Kiya smiles knowing how he doesnt go a day without tea, Lucia telling her moons ago. Aymeric feels eyes on him and ice blue sees vivid green watching him.

Alphinaud already had woken up and went about his morning. When he catches up to the two downstairs he beams bright seeing Kiya up and about. He doesnt miss the way Kiya and Aymeric stare at each other. Tataru had said it is plain as day fir the look of love between them.

"Here we were so worried over you. Yet you look ready to tackle five garuda and two leviathans." He teases and Kiya grins wild at the idea.

"Only if Krile accompanies me." Alphinaud makes a face at that. Aymeric had finished his own morning tea.

"You two should drink up before we brave the cold again. Looks like the blizzard stopped. We should get going before ere long." Aymeric says as he heads up and outside to wait for them. Kiya nods and Alphinaud agrees.

When they were alone, Alphinaud looks over to Kiya as they share the moment.

"He worried about you more than I did. He didn't leave your side once." Alphinaud muses aloud, he sees Kiya glance over to him with a dust of pink.

"Really?" Kiya taps her nails on the mug as a fidget.

"Aye, I noticed you stare at him with love. When will you tell him your feelings?" Alphinaud pries.

"Maybe when this war is over.. or at Churning Mists." Kiya looks into the now empty mug she sets it down then goes to greet Aymeric outside. Turning back towards Alphinaud.

"The right time will present itself. But I dont think I am wrong to chase him." Kiya smiles as she speaks.

"No I do not think it wrong either. As long as he makes you happy." Kiya nods, once outside Aymeric ushers her to stand with him in the morning light. He motions for her to look over the cliffside and is greeted to the soft orange and reds that adorn the snow covered land. Kiya's eyes widen at such a sight, how pink, purples and blues dance off ice and yellows gleam on fresh fallen snow.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Aymeric watches her face over the landscape. How bright her expressions are and how she huddles closer to his side for warmth. She is wearing a thicker attire but cold is still cold.

Alphinaud soon joins them and they set off once more towards their objectives. Kiya holding onto Aymeric's hand a little tighter.

[syngigeim]

#2 - Silenced

“Code P everyone. Those who can, please head for Tailfeather in the Dravanian Forelands,” said the voice of Syngigeim into Cecetu’s linkpearl. She couldn’t help but smirk at that. It was near just like old times, with the call to slay Primals to be sent up and Cecetu coming along. Another “Warrior of Light,” or so the people sometimes said about her. Even though for her graces, Cecetu was just fine exploring dungeons and only occasionally doing a good deed. Like a regular adventurer.

Funny how some things stay the same even if everything else changes, she thought, feeling more keenly the gun at her backside.

A few hours of travel and Cecetu exited a cavern that exited into the Dravanian Forelands. She felt awed by the majestic peaks and tall trees but there was absolutely no time for this. Soon, after the fight, I’ll take a look around. she promised herself setting off on the road before her.

Dodging the flies that were along the road, (they were nearly her size!) Cecetu spotted an aetheryte beyond a gate. To into small settlement in which she presumed was Tailfeather. Just by it was, yep, there’s Syngigeim. Ever business as always. Alongside her was Eleone, Cecetu knew she was around the area, and Kaen, the standoffish Miqo’te astrologian.

“Where’s Mariko?” Cecetu strolled up and asked. “Thought he would be hanging around you.”

“There seems to be a spate of beast tribe activity down in Eorzea. He said he’d look into it while Arashi and I deal with Ishgardian business,” She said. “Shame that. We could use him right about now.”

Cecetu nodded. “Speaking of which, where is she? And aren’t you with uh, that Alphinaud guy?”

Syngigeim just pointed a bit further ahead. There she spotted the Elezen lad with an impatient looking dragoon fellow. He seemed to be nervously looking at Syngigeim, who just gave him a wave and a nod. “He’s nervous because we left Arashi and Ysayle down in the Gnath lair,”

And then Syngigeim filled in Cecetu in the details. About how she met up with Iceheart, the woman who summoned Shiva and are going to try to prevent a Dravanian attack on Ishgard via diplomacy. “Utmost secrecy on that by the by.”

Cecetu shrugged. “None too many Ishgardians trust Lalafell’s anyway,” she said.

“Now then, how many are going to fight here? Because by my recoking, we’ve got five,” Kaen matter-of-factly said.

“Q’hara informed me that he’s going off to get Aubin,” Syngigeim responded.

“That still makes seven. Which I guess is doable but do we want to risk that?” Kaen said.

“Certain we can’t use him?” Eleone asked, jerking her head towards the dragoon.

“Sadly, no. While he is capable, he does not have the Echo,” Syngigeim said.

“Did some say the Echo then?” A smug voice called out. The ladies turned around to see a very tall man striding confidently towards them. The first thing Cecetu noticed was the scales around his body, similar to Arashi but dark colored. The second thing was a burst of aether crackling around him. Heat, spark, ice-cold. He wears the vestments of black!

It felt like a slap in her face. Here was this stranger, following the path she felt forced to give up. How dare he! How dare he take her place!

“Well, I came to this land for I heard there were others like me. Those who receive visions and talk to others. Bit of a shame that when I arrived, the whole - sect was it? - was disbanded under the threat of treason!”

Oh good. Cecetu breathed an internal sigh of relief. She could legitimately hate him now.

She heard Syngigeim take a quick breath to steel herself. Ever the diplomat. “Who are you? And you have the Echo?”

“Ah! The name is Chotan Sasaki. Pleasure to meet you all,” He said, giving a low bow. “And why yes? Mother Hydaelyn bade me to travel on a journey to this land, as there would be need for my services. I just didn’t think it would be so literal!” He laughed and said.

All four of the women gave him the stoniest, harshest glares. Chotan coughed at that.

“Syngigeim! I’m back and I got him!” Q’hara called out, a reluctant looking Aubinaux following behind. He flinched when he saw the tall Au Ra. “Whoa, who are you!?”

“Chotan Sasaki! Nice to meet you!” he said, extending a hand to the bewildered Miqo’te. “I was just introducing myself to these women about myself. I happened to overhear that you needed someone who could fight and here I am! Amazing and wonderful is it not?”

“Uh yeah uh, right! Uh...Syngi!” Q’hara scampered on over to her and the two began whispering to each other. Cecetu, Eleone and Kaen continued staring at this strange man whom for his part, tried to start up a conversation with Aubinaux.

“So uh, are the women around here normally so standoffish?” Chotan asked.

Cecetu spotted Kaen putting a hand in front of Eleone.

“They, and myself as well, are wary of any new strangers that are as loud and boisterous as you,” Aubin said. He then noticed his staff. “You’re a mage?”

“Yes actually. None too many where I live. Aether is quite harder to reach. Not like here. It’s as if the very air itself is just bursting with energy,” He smiled quite eagerly. “It’s quite amazing and intoxicating, if I must say so.”

“Hmm. Well, I have an idea. We need a general uh, competency check on you. Cecetu? You wanna make sure this guy is decent?” Aubin asked, leaning to the side of Chotan to even see her. She gave him a shocked and angered look, a look of betrayal. Aubin sighed and added. “You’re the only one who can judge well enough.”

“Excellent! Yes! Exactly what I wanted to do! Prove to you how excellent I am!” Chotan said. “Come! Let us find some beasts to cull!” He said, running off. Cecetu gestured a rude gesture at Aubinaux as she ran off after him. It was rather annoying catching up to him. Cecetu was a fast runner but he had the legs! Eventually she caught up with him when he decided to actually take a look at the wildlife around him. “Now let’s see...aha! That looks trouble!” Cecetu panting, looked up and saw him pointing at a bunch of bears hanging around a bridge, catching what fish seemed to fall from a small waterfall near it. “What do they say in Eorzea? Tally ho friend! Let us face these beasts!”

Cecetu groaned, pulling her gun out from behind her back and sticking her new Gauss Barrel at the end. The two set to work, Cecetu looping around to tackle bears from the other side of the bridge. Mercifully, Chotan was quiet while focused on his magic. But much to her frustration, he was...well. He actually was good at this. Fire and ice seemed to flow from him naturally, his enemies burning in due time. All as a proper Black Mage should do…

It angered her! That should have been her mantle to wear! Instead here she was, fiddling with this! All because of actions she didn’t do, that she wasn’t at fault for! That she wasn’t even accused of!

Focus! A bear was right on top of her and about to strike! Quickly she ran up to the bear and fired a blank, forcing it backwards. A sizzle of fire exploded around the bear and it fell. Finally, the remaining bears fled back up the river, terrified of the two vicious adventurers.

“Well, what do you think? I was wonderful no?” Chotan asked, grinning. Instead of a positive affirmation that he was seeking, a gun was cocked in his direction. “Wh-what are you?”

“You...are fine. But please, shut up or I will not hesitate to do it myself.” Cecetu said glaring at him. She slowly looked up at him, giving him a look of venomous hatred.

Ha. The fear in his face. Been a long time since she saw that. It was when she last held the black. She smirked and strode down the river’s path back to Tailfeather, Chotan, so blissfully, walking alongside her. Quiet as the grave.

[spinneryesteryear]

Spinner plays FFXIV Heavensward

SPOILERS AHOY

- I made sure to unlock and lvl DRG before starting HW because reasons

- I… don’t really understand why people love Foulques so much? I can only presume it’s because they find him attractive

- at first I wondered why the lancers’ guild quests emphasized courage so much, but once you realize lancer upgrades to dragoon it all makes sense: they’re training the absolute maniacs who jump headfirst at DRAGONS; of course they’re going to emphasize courage

- the literal first thing I did as a dragoon after getting my soul crystal and the jump action was to launch myself into an AOE so clearly I’m playing my job right

- the drama between Alberic and Estinien was the only reason I made it through the 2.1 - 2.3 slog, tbh

- I picked up GLD/PLD somewhere in there, too, but the GLD quests weren’t exactly riveting and the PLD quests weren’t any better. I was just biding my time for DRK

- meanwhile I had hit like lvl 62 on WHM thanks to running lots of roulettes with Adventurer in Need: Healer so I’d switch to that while wandering through a lot of the HW regions so the mobs wouldn’t attack me. I did the HW story on DRG but ran dungeons as WHM the first time bc it’s my comfort role. 

- I’m… still not sure exactly how to do the mechanics on the Steps of Faith. Whoops. Fortunately, all but once I was WHM when I got it in roulette and I could just heal/spam Holy. The exception was on DRG and I just kinda… derped around killing what adds I could.

- those cutscenes at the end of 2.5, though. Dude. Duuuuuuude.

- it did give us Pipin Tarupin, however, and he is Best Lala.

- So, like… what exactly did Ysayle expect would happen when she broke Ishguard’s magic wards and opened it to assault by hordes of dragons??She seems genuinely regretful of the innocent lives lost when spoken to in the MSQ later in HW proper, but when she actually did the deed she was channeling ‘deranged witch’ for all it was worth and talking about how the sons should pay for the sins of their fathers. Did this incident give her a rude awakening about the Dravanian desire for vengeance?? Idk, maybe further quests will explain this.

—– me: *just arrives in Ishgard*

—– me: *taking the grand tour of the city*

—– me: *notices mob near cathedral, inquires about it, learns about recent violent death of heretic*

—– me: *finds heretic corpse*

—– me: *derails grand tour of Ishgard by slaughtering my way through the streets and through various chapels, laughing maniacally as I enjoy the greater reach of my brand-new greatsword and spam Unleash*

—– me, standing amid the broken corpses of a few dozen temple knights: Count Fortemps is probably gonna regret letting me into this city.

- that one dude in Camp Cloudtop who’s entirely too obsessed with the menu deserves to be booted off his lookout platform. I’ll even rescue him via flying mount before he splatters on the ground (however far down the ground happens to be, idk), but I really want to kick him off at least once. He gave me far too many fetch quests and my inner Fray is disgruntled, to say the least.

- me, just trying to make my way across the map: WILL EVERYTHING IN COERTHAS STOP CHASING ME???

- other people think the gaelicats are too cute to kill them. I, however, just want to kill them all the more. I’d be perfectly content to leave the mobs alone and continue on my merry way, but, nooooooo, they have to attack me. So I respond in savage kind.

- me, doing sidequest chains and getting mildly attached to extremely minor characters: So, I kinda ship Ayleth and Saintrelmaux now…

- ever since I unlocked it, I get Dusk Vigil all the time in lvling roulette so I’m now an expert on ice age megafauna, undead knights, and murderous griffins of the non-Sloppeh type

- Ravana is my fave HW primal, hands down, and his theme is definitely among my fave primal music. I would say it’s my absolute fave (I have listened to it on repeat for hours at a time, but I’ve done that with other music, so it’s not conclusive evidence) but it has stiff competition in the form of the Ultima theme, Leviathan’s theme, and the Knights of the Round theme.

- going on a life-changing field trip with Alphinaud, Estinien, and Ysayle was amazing. All we needed was Zuko.

- far too many side quests in Tailfeather. Far too many. And that one quest chain ended up with the poor dude’s pet baby chocobo as chicken tenders? If I didn’t hate chickens so much IRL that would have been super painful.

- the moogle quests required to progress the MSQ weren’t that bad. The sheer amount of moogle sidequests needed to unlock flying for that zone and their beast tribe quests, however…. well, I’m completely on board now with any plans Sidurgu might have for utter moogle genocide.

- lol, the moogles were about to give us more chores to do but Estinien’s sheer murderous rage panicked their chieftain into sending us on our way. I love him. (Estinien, that is. Not the moogles. I love to hate them.)

- Estinien is just… I love him so much. It’s more than his armor. It’s more than his jumps. It’s more than his sass and swearing. No stereotypical elf qualities to be found here, folks. Honestly, he could give some elves from The Silmarillion a run for their money, with even his own equivalent of Angband PTSD post-Nidhogg. I also immensely love that he’s a character on a power level similar to the WoL. (I don’t actually enjoy the main character being the most powerful person in the world, without equal. I like someone else being better in at least some ways and that being okay.) Heck, when possessed by Nidhogg he’s the final boss of the expansion + patches. And he lives. (Which is in itself a pretty powerful moment and Alphinaud and the WoL’s desire to save him lifts the whole plot point/theme into something more sublime. It would have been easy to kill him regretfully, both from a Watsonian and a Doylist perspective. The devs had no problems throwing painful deaths at us in this expansion. But we took the harder route. And it was worth it.)

- low-key painful Heavensward moments (bc heavens know there’s enough high-key painful moments): Alberic is extremely worried about his adopted son, whom he last saw nearly possessed by a dragon’s millennium’s worth of hate and rage, and who then vanished in an explosion, but he can’t do anything about it so instead he helps another retired dragoon worry about his own missing daughter

- ngl there was some red herring foreshadowing that the primal Archbishop Thordan planned to summon was actually Halone, the Fury, Goddess of Justice and Patroness of Ishgard. Which would have been badass. But I’m pretty sure Square Enix is going the Dragon Age route of never confirming/denying the presence of the Maker with their Twelve, Halone included, so I deemed it unlikely even as I secretly hoped. A lot of players probably missed these fake hints and would wonder what I’m even talking about. 

- I couldn’t even get mad about all the bad things that happened during the Vault because the characters were juggling Idiot Balls. (1) Aymeric thought his father, who has been consorting with Ascians and plans to summon a primal, could be reasoned with. (2) Aymeric went alone to go reason with him and was correspondingly captured and tortured. (3) We fought three of the twelve Heaven’s Ward in the Vault itself and NO ONE APPARENTLY QUESTIONED WHERE THE OTHER NINE WERE. Plus, said three have clearly already been tempered and are feeding off primal energy for their second forms, even if the mechanics are unknown. Those without the Echo should have promptly skedaddled after rescuing Aymeric. (4) After a dungeon full of ambush mobs, no one thought to secure the little airship landing behind the Vault before arguing with Archbishop Thordan. In Ishgard, city of verticality with its gravity-defying dragoons, personal airplanes, and millennium-long war against flying dragons. Everyone involved should have thought to check the nearby roofs for hostiles. Am I seriously the only person who has ever thought tactically about this situation??? (5) The WoL and Haurchefant rush forward to delay the Archbishop, again without considering the whereabouts of the rest of his presumably also tempered bodyguards or whether any hostiles remain in the building behind us. And so events happened as they did.

- Regula van Hydrus has a cool name and a cool silhouette with that helmet. Better than Varis, anyway. 

- the Vundu are probably my fave HW beast tribe. The moogles are the crafting tribe so Imma do them anyway (and have fun tricking them into doing work) but I’m actually looking forward to the Vundu. I’m just benevolently apathetic towards the Gnath.

- I just, like… did not care about Azys Lla in the slightest. It was more Allagan BS and I hated the map. (I still don’t have it fully explored??? What am I doing??) The ‘terms and conditions’ bit with the node was amusing, but… the entire place got old almost immediately. Finding Tiamat and talking to her with Midgardsormr was the only high point.

- why isn’t there an option to have Hrasevelgr come and talk to Tiamat to persuade her to abandon her self-chosen imprisonment??? Or to have Estinien later come and talk to her to possibly give her Nidhogg’s perspective? Bc I think Nidhogg would have some insight into her situation, definitely. She summoned elder primal Bahamut out of grief at his loss, while Nidhogg launched a millennium-long war out of grief at Ratatoskr’s loss, and now they’ve both abandoned their vengeance. 

- ARF TILL YOU BARF

- idk, man, the Aetherochemical Research Facility is such a weird conglomerate of things for a dugneon. Firstly, you got Allagan tech and machines. Then you got mutant creatures the Allagans made (bc, if it was mad science, then the Allagans were all over it). Then you got Ascians, evil ghosty dudes who laugh evilly and throw standard Evil Ascian Attacks at you before doing the fusion dance from Dragonball Z and becoming a Giant Evil Ascian. Igeyhorm has a feminine voice but is she(?) actually female or is she just presumably possessing a female body? Do Ascians have gender or do they even care about such things? (I am very much Not Thinking about Solus/Emet-Selch reproducing here.) 

- Archbishop Thordan reveals the millennium-old, perfectly preserved corpse of Haldrath, the original Thordan’s dragoon son, with NIDHOGG’S OTHER EYE FUSED INTO THE CORPSE’S CHEST, and, like, no one really comments on it in- or out-of-universe???? What happened??? Haldrath gave up the throne, apparently because he wasn’t 100% on board with his dad’s treachery against Ratatoskr and consequent decision to kill all dragons to maintain power. Dragoons were apparently already a thing at this point (HC: to combat the voidsent infesting Abalathia’s Spine and the mountains between Coerthas and Gridania, e.g. Witches’ Drop), so what happened to Haldrath? Is this explained somewhere and I missed it??? Did Nidhogg hijack his mind? Estinien had Nidhogg’s eyes (both of them, incidentally, which Haldrath didn’t have to deal with) fused to his arm & shoulder but Haldrath had an eye fused to his chest. To his HEART. What happened.

- And then Archbishop Thordan somehow turns Haldrath’s corpse + armor + Nidhogg’s eye into a sword, the primal version of presumably Ascalon, King Thordan’s sword, somehow designing it to eat primal/Ascian aether. And then he kills Lahabrea, which, no great loss there. But it leaves my questions unanswered.

- Thordan + Knights of the Round is such a cool trial, I love it to death and not because it’s easy. It could be as hard as Nidhogg Normal and I’d still love it. I wish I had a static with whom I could do Thordan Ex and other more complicated content.

- finishing that fight and the cutscenes after, however… man, I didn’t know how to feel. I was screaming internally and torn in at least three different directions. Couldn’t get through the patch content fast enough to fight Nidhogg.

- had to fight Raubahn as DRG to represent my decimated Knights Dragoon brethren and my missing possessed dragoon brother and restore their honor. I’m also 100% convinced Raubahn learned of Ifrit’s nail trick and decided, “I can totally do that with Tizona.”

- has Aymeric ever done a dragoon jump? No? Then he’s not a real Azure Dragoon even if he has a nice color scheme and has ridden a dragon. I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised if he can do a dragoon jump (he’s survived years as Estinien’s friend somehow, and I can’t help but imagine he’s dragged Estinien off more than one rooftop), but until he does it I’m not budging on this. 

- Aymeric getting stabbed by a rando with a pocketknife and nearly dying was (1) surprisingly realistic and (2) made him look wimpy next to all the punishment so many of the other characters take without dying. Sorry, man. It had to be said. I love you, Aymeric, but still.

- standing there on the Final Steps of Faith, on the broken bridge to the Gate of Judgment, staring down Nidhogg while that beautiful music plays (TELL ME WHY BREAK TRUST, WHY TURN THE PAST TO DUST) and waiting for the queue to pop… that was a powerful emotion unlike any other. Stormblood couldn’t match it.

- Nidhogg is such a fun fight because it’s still hard and I hate that I don’t get it in trial roulette more often. (Trial roulette is my favorite, actually. I love almost all trials - with the notable exception of the Chrysalis bc everyone runs around like chickens with their heads cut off on it and rages in chat, and with the possible exception of non-Final Steps of Faith.) Akh Morn is still a killer, I sometimes just want to watch bodies hit the floor, and Final Chorus is such a badass moment even as we’re all dodging for our puny lives. We’re fighting Bahamut’s brother. 

- Estinien takes advantage of Nidhogg’s temporary aether depletion to regain enough control over his body to try to kill himself before being used to wreak any more havoc. Estinien survived weeks, possibly months of possession via ancient angry dragon, and having two giant dragon eyeballs embedded in his body and feeding him enormous amounts of foreign aether. Estinien survived his body being aetherically remade into the shape of an enormous dragon and then into a giant dragon-man hybrid. Estinien survived the Warrior of Light. IMHO he doesn’t get enough credit for this. 

- do u ever wonder about Hraesvelgr and Estinien later meeting and Hraesvelgr identifying the spirit of his brother lingering within Estinien? Bc I think a lot of us have headcanon’d that Estinien is not as free of Nidhogg as one might think, what with his red fiery aura in SB and all. On the other hand… some of us further theorize that Estinien can’t be tempered now, so he could help us fight primals. It’d be awesome.