#Ala Mhigan resistance

[swiftcast-selene]

Day 6: Road

"aye, aye, I know. it's cold, it's miserable. but count your lucky stars we know these roads at night, and the Imperials don't."

[kukurubean]

anyway you're all welcome for the 1.0 chocolate lore bc I brought rothe back just for the event and square enix said wow. we have to bring back the chocolate and let jillian buy 999 of each bc she wiped out the entire aether data centers marketboard of them ages ago

[coldshrugs]

Glam game! #1 please?

the canon bard glam always gets the #1 spot in the glam dresser 😌💗 thanks kary!!

[ihaveatypeanditstrickstergods]

I really need to write an Ascian!Ariadne scene where Ariadne has infiltrated some rebellion or resistance or another, gets "captured" during an infiltration mission, then gets "interrogated" by Emet.

The whole thing is, naturally, a ruse so she can get a message to him, and they have a nice chat about humanity while someone is breaking in to try to "rescue" her.

[galpalaven]

i have so many ocs now pls go look its jfdklsfjs

[maids-of-stardust]

LYSE WIR GALVUS

This is a likeable headcanon, if you consider it for a moment with us.(Spoilers for like... everything story-wise? In Stormblood??? Also, this is not Lyse hate, this is Lyse appreciation and character flavor.)

Lyse's complexion is notoriously non-congruent to the typical features of Ala Mhigans, despite being born and raised Ala Mhigan herself... for this, we deliberated with @feycircles that she, hilariously, looks more similar to Zenos, than to her own people. Which, really got us thinking... We know a few things about Curtis Hext, Yda and Lyse's father; that he was in King Thedoric's royal guard, and later fled with his daughters when the King's rule became too oppressive. But, we know nothing about Yda and Lyse's mother.

It makes sense for some intermingling to occur right at the beginning of, or even prior to the Garlean occupation of Ala Mhigo. It's not impossible for Varis, possibly a Legatus at that point, to have visited at such a time, to have came into contact with Thedoric and his guards, and possibly even the wife of one of these guards...

Well, you get the idea. Regardless of the details, it comes to be feasible that Lyse is Varis' bastard daughter- with Varis likely never knowing, and most definitely never finding out. It's equally feasible for her to be half Garlean by any other sire, but let's be real this is cooler and in some ways more relevant to the following themes in Stormblood...

One must imagine Lyse and Zenos as half-siblings, as fate would chance it.

If you told me these two were related, I would believe you.

Amazing things this does for the narritive:

Expands on Lyse's out-of-place position in Gyr Abania. She wasn't there to experience the fighting that broke it's spirit, true, and after spending all the time and effort to gain back their trust, girly finds out she is of the same blood as their colonizers. Not just one of them, but even related to the Viceroy actively oppressing them. The guilt and turmoil that goes into paying back an unpayable debt, one that even victimized Lyse herself, is intense.

Becoming a leader of the resistance, and actively vying for change and liberty that defies her heritage is an ICONIC contrast to Zenos, who has perpetuated the cycle of violence and invasion by their father and his father before. Just sibling dichotomy things✨

On a grander scale, this is representative of the empire having occupied Ala Mhigo for so long, the picturesque liberty they dream of is no longer something that can exist. The nations have integrated, and been changed forever, for better or worse. Their children are the greatest example of this- even up to being equal parts Ala Mhigan, and Garlean. The best they can do is often the most realistic side effect of war- try to heal, and bear the scars of the conflict.

In conclusion, do we think this is based in reality? NOT REALLY. However, if this WERE true, it would change next to nothing about the plot (especially if nobody uncovered this information), and it also explains/resolves a lot of the common issues with Lyse as a character. If you can suspend your disbelief and BE DELUSIONAL for that crucial moment then this is a VERY enjoyable hc to spice up your Stormblood experience.

[anneapocalypse]

On the Former Scions and Leadership

Something that's kind of interesting to me about the Warrior of Light, which has always been there but which Dawntrail has me thinking about in a new way, is that the WoL really isn't a leader.

(Disclaimer: Obviously everyone has their own version of the Warrior of Light and is free to headcanon over and rewrite parts of the story to suit their character, and so what I'm saying here may not apply to everyone's character! For our purposes here, I'm just talking about The Warrior of Light as written.)

(Further note: I understand that there are a variety of feelings out there about the new characters and everyone is entitled to their own opinions about that; however this post is not an invitation to trash those characters in the notes so please refrain from that here; thank you.)

The Warrior of Light is a hero, but not a leader. Thanks to the linear nature of FFXIV's storyline, the game can't really offer us the conceit of making real choices, and so pretty much everything the WoL does is a result of someone else asking them to do it. So many of our major relationships with NPCs are with leaders: Minfilia, Nanamo, Kan-E-Senna, Merlwyb, Aymeric, Raubahn, Hien, the Exarch, Vrtra, Fourchenault, Wuk Lamat and Koana, every guild leader in our job quests. The WoL is someone called upon by leaders rather than being a leader themselves.

The Scions themselves have an interesting relationship to leadership in general. I've written before about how much the Scions feel like they're living in the shadow of Louisoix, especially in ARR, and how this affects their actions. As the leader of the former Circle of Knowing, Minfilia steps into the leadership position in his absence. I love Minfilia dearly; I think she has a true gift for bringing people together, making people feel welcomed and not alone, and helping them find purpose. I think all those skills probably availed her well as the leader of her Echo support group. It's when the Scions suddenly find themselves in the spotlight on an international scale following the defeat of the Ultima Weapon that I think the cracks start to show. I think that, very understandably, Minfilia is not prepared for the weight of that situation, and that's part of the reason she allows Alphinaud to step into such a leadership role himself (and also, and I say this with all the love in the world for both Alphinaud and Minfilia, why she even kind of lets him push her around at times). For Alphinaud himself, his experience of leadership with the Scions is disastrous, for which I think some responsibility also has to be laid upon the adults around him, who might have seen the red flags but didn't stop that train.

When Minfilia disappears, I think it's so telling that no one else steps up to fill the role of the Antecedent. Alphinaud is no longer so eager to take on that burden, and no one else is jumping at it either. Certainly the Warrior of Light isn't going to do it. (They're the boots on the ground, and the Antecedent is largely an administrative job.) The Scions instead just kind of agree to keep carrying on doing what they each do best, without an official leader. If anything, the glue holding the Scions together at this point is Tataru, who keeps the books and manages the budget and does her damnedest to keep certain people from putting overpriced purchases on the company card.

And that's not to say that none of the others have leadership skills! But it's interesting how, for those who do take on leadership positions, it's generally away from the Scions. After years of hiding under her sister's identity and "Papalymo's little shadow," Lyse takes an active role in the Ala Mhigan resistance, and helps to lead her people to freedom--a journey which ultimately takes her out of the Scions as she decides to stay in Ala Mhigo.

I'm counting G'raha as a Scion here since he does become one eventually, though not until after his hundred-year stint as the Exarch. It's clear both from the community that has grown up around the Crystal Tower, and from some really great G'raha moments in Endwalker, that he has real skills both at bringing people together for a common cause, and at taking charge in a crisis to protect the vulnerable. For the most part, though, he seems quite happy to take on a sidekick role after he returns to the Source. After a hundred years, I imagine anyone might be ready for a break from being in charge.

Y'shtola is harder to analyze because she's gotten less direct character development than most of the surviving Scions, and has remained largely in a supporting role thus far (though she remains a very interesting character to me, and I am hoping for a bit more of her in the Dawntrail patches given the setup for a cross-rift-travel solution). Y'shtola has always seemed reserved and a bit of a loner, and never seemed particularly interested in leadership until she threw in her lot with the Night's Blessed in the First. By the time we meet her again, she's become a trusted figure among the Blessed and the others clearly look to her for guidance and leadership. (It's also kind of interesting to me how both of the characters who wind up in leadership positions in the First are Seeker Miqo'te, and it probably was just a coincidence, but it'd be interesting to analyze how Seeker culture might prime a capable person to be willing to rise to the occasion where they see a group of people need.) Yet Y'shtola too seems perfectly content to settle back into a support role when she returns to the Source.

Endwalker is all about standing together, working together, the necessity of hope to overcome despair not merely individually but as a collective effort. The Scions all rally, each bringing what they have to offer, and they do so without ever appointing a new leader. They go where they see a need, like Urianger choosing to stay on the moon, or Thancred watching over the Warrior of Light and the twins when things go south on the relief mission to Garlemald, or the twins later taking a personal interest in the rebuilding efforts there. They also defer to leaders within the Eorzean Alliance where appropriate, happy at this point to work alongside the nations' armies rather than attempting to command one.

And the more I look at the Scions' history this way, the more their disbanding at the end of Endwalker seems inevitable and the logical end to the organization. In a very real sense they have completed the work that Louisoix and Minfilia set out to do. They've been leaderless for some time now already and it has not stopped them from doing good where needed. They are not leaders. Their goal was never to steer the course of world events indefinitely. They've all learned a lot about applying their individual talents for the greater good and having faith in one another to do the same, without having to be directed by one charismatic leader every step of the way--a major point of growth from where they were in ARR.

And all of this makes our role in Dawntrail really interesting to me, because it's all about leadership! And the Warrior of Light and their companions are, as characters, perfectly primed to take a supporting role and take initiative in that role where needed (see: Thancred and Urianger doing what needs to be done behind the scenes during the second act crisis). What the former Scions aren't, as a whole, at this point in their story, is people inclined to step up and take over. And this is a good thing for this story. Both Wuk Lamat and Koana need to learn and grow on their own, and in the context of their own cultures. The former Scions can help, they can support, and they do, but they aren't going to take over. Sure, they have opinions! At various points, we see characters on both teams (including the Warrior of Light) make some pointed faces at one another indicating that they have some doubts about the direction in which their candidates are taking things. But they withhold direct judgment or criticism for the most part and I think that makes sense both for their characters, and for the nature of the story.

I also think it was probably intentional that the former Scion with the most extensive leadership experience, G'raha, is not one of the characters hired by the claimants and doesn't come back to the plot until later. While I love G'raha and I did miss him, I understand story-wise why he couldn't be here; his unique circumstances mean that he has had more leadership experience than most people could ever have in a single lifetime, and it's probably for the best that that doesn't overpower the experiences of our young claimants who need to learn their own lessons on their own terms.

The support role of the former Scions also makes sense in other ways, I think, in terms of allowing the Turali characters and especially Wuk Lamat, as the main character, to shine in their own right and to avoid what could otherwise have been some problematic tropes. But I also think it works pretty well as a natural outgrowth of who these characters are and have grown into over multiple expansions, the Warrior of Light included.

[eemamminy-art]

This is a Lyse defense post, as I've just replayed 4.1 and I am full of emotions about her!!!!

People always complain about how "stupid" Lyse was for letting the Qalyana attend the peace talks in Ala Mhigo and it blows my mind how it's just taken at face value as naivety when she is clearly and boldly stating all through stormblood and its patches that she wants freedom for everyone

this part was from the end of the peaks section of stormblood, level 69 or so in msq, right after she's been instated as the acting commander of the resistance and the weight of it all sits on her! Raubahn shows her his old home and talks about her father and all that he stood for and fought for, and this is how she responds! ;0;

And here she is in 4.1-- she's struggling with her position as a leader in Ala Mhigo (a leader, not the leader-- important distinction) but she's still holding true to her beliefs! That no matter how despised she is she wants to do right by everyone and see everyone free!!

Even Fordola, who she has fought with and been so angry with for her actions (you know the scene-- murderer! butcher!! traitor!! poetic cinema and then they KISS)

And she even tries to mitigate any possible incidents by asking the Qalyana to surrender their jewelry to prevent a summoning!!

Also RE: "Lyse shouldn't be running Ala Mhigo" not only is she not but she also makes it clear that she is not looking to install any leader!! That Ala Mhigo would follow Ishgard's lead and become a democracy with its own house of commons

And although Lyse is a vocal representative for Ala Mhigo, she makes it clear that there are other leaders making up the Ala Mhigan government (as was mentioned above) and that Raubahn will be commanding the military forces/remnants of the resistance and not her

Anyway this isn't a particularly thought out post or anything!! Just one of the more common criticisms of Lyse I see online that is completely based on shit people made up because they don't like her or don't like stormblood more generally. Which I think then gets passed around because a lot of people forgot how the msq went in 4.X or just skipped through the msq quickly because so many regard it as "bad".

In conclusion: Lyse good. Raubahn good. Stormblood good. Please replay 4.1 in new game+ or something, you'll be pleasantly surprised!!!

[ubejamjar]

kawanami family // kana & tatsuo

"I've had about enough of the Empire fucking with our family!" kana kawanami kana was nearly killed trying to stop imperial soldiers from taking her daughter. when she recovered, she swore she would dismantle the empire brick by brick. she was among the doomed rebellion's survivors and has been waiting impatiently for the day the resistance might strike again. tatsuo kawanami tatsuo served livia sas junius during dalmasca's destruction and ala mhigo's capture. in the years before joining the ala mhigan resistance, he'd passed by his conscripted daughter several times without realizing who she was. he is extremely proud when he learns the warrior of light is none other than his little star.

[autumnslance]

This is probably the most complete as well as one of the better quality uploads of the 1.x quest "Futures Perfect" that I've seen.

The Path Companion was a partner for the WoL, someone to make and give commentary during the storyline. They were customizable like a retainer; you chose their race/gender (of the available 1.0 options), class, and personality type. They were also Ala Mhigan originally, with a (variable) relative in the Resistance.

The WoL is defended, and spoken to at the end, by their starter city archon (this is during the Circle of Knowing/Path of the Twelve era, as the Scions were formed by combining the organizations after the Calamity).

This is also the introduction of Gaius van Baelsar as an imperial enemy; going forward there were scenes that include him shooting Cid for being angry and insulting, and also talking to WoL about how Gaius disagrees with Nael van Darnus's plans and the Meteor Project. But here, he crushes the Resistance's operation and gets into a fight with the archons--that only ends when he calls in an airstrike, sending WoL into a brief Echo vision before returning home to get medical aid for their companion.

[calico-heart]

Me rn trying to figure out ways to force X'rhun and Arya and I'lyrha to be involved in the Bozja plotline

There's a pair of Red Mage resistance fighters there, a Legion conscript named Lovro and his apprentice Meryall, who defected from the Empire to fight for the liberation of Bozja. How did they learn Red Magic? Lambard. Lambard agreed to teach Red Magic to Legion soldiers as part of his betrayal.

Lovro hated Lambard's guts. When Lovro went on to train new Red Mages for the Empire, he deliberately tried to recruit revolutionaries who he could encourage to use the magic against the Empire. Absolutely hilarious to me. But the narrative potential of finding out Red Mages live on and fight for freedom elsewhere... because of Lambard, is something I really want to see X'rhun react to.

There is ALSO a Vochstein beastmaster enemy - and a neat chunk of lore on what happened to that noble Ala Mhigan house after they let their griffins loose to prevent the Garlean's having them. Cairm insisted their griffins could not fall into the hands of oppressors. To spare his father's life, one of Cairm's sons agreed to enlist and teach the Garleans their secrets to training griffins. His adopted daughter now serves the Legion loyally, with Vochstein griffins and - there's just something very cool to explore there.

Trimaran, Lyrha's griffin, is only half Vochstein - but he has the notorious temperament of that breed and inherited the vibrant blue coloration. She's not a beastmaster. That combination of flaws shows in their tempestuous relationship. Pagaga would recognize Trimaran's lineage, and the intense rivalry that might spawn there - two inheritors of a vaunted bloodline, each accusing the other of being unworthy to claim it. Idk! Sounds fun! Plus like. Griffin fight. Griffin fight.

But X'rhun is pretty allergic to leaving Eorzea and getting involved in large military movements so somehow I'm going to have to make the plot kidnap him 😔

[ffxivxd]

The Crimson Cider is the official beverage of both the Ala Mhigan Resistance and the Doman Liberation Front, (so cider brewers would have you believe). The former utilizes bourbon, raspberry liquor and lime; the latter uses sake, Midori and lemon.

[orime-stories]

Day 12 - Quarry

"You don't remember me, do you?" one of the Resistance officers at Rhalgr's Reach asked once the chatter had died down and everyone had started splitting off.

Shrinking away from the sudden test, Aurelle stammered out the beginnings of an apology.

"Quarrymill. Was seeking refuge with my men. Your elementals said no."

Her stomach tightening as she did remember. The small band of Ala Mhigan refugees arguing with the conjurers, one of them — this man — turning to her. Noting her adventurer's garb and mistaking her for someone bound by different rules.

But the Hearers had spoken. And therefore the forest had spoken.

There was nothing Aurelle, or the man, or anyone could do.

"One of my men, Gallien, he was sick," the man continued, the barest of echoes of the rage she had seen on his face that day trembling at his lip anew.

"I want you to know that he died."

For the Final Fantasy XIV Writing Challenge 2024

Other Entries: Steer / Horizon / Tempest / Reticent / Stamp / Halcyon / Morsel / Lend an Ear / Stable / Surrogate / Quarry

[briar-ffxiv]

FFXIV Write #12 - Quarry

FFXIV Write 2024 Master Post

Prompt #12 - Quarry

Trigger Warning: Blood, violence, injuries. Not overly graphic, but present because, well, I wrote Zenos for the first time!

This is my particular take about how the end of Rhalgr's Reach (aka the first time meeting Zenos) went for Briar.

Briar's ribs ached as he panted, one knee on stony ground and a hand steadying him. With his free hand, he reached to touch his side. He grimaced as each breath caused pain and a glance showed his fingers smeared with red. Gritting his teeth, the half-Elezen glanced at his bow, but the weapon was useless now. The slash of a sword had severed the string even as it sliced into his flesh. Forcing the pain and fear away, Briar turned his eyes toward his opponent.

Zenos yae Galvus.

The crown prince of the Garlean Empire was an imposing, alien figure in his eyes. Towering near two fulms over Briar, he was wrapped in jagged, dark plate armour with a bone-white mask. There was only the occasional flash of light from the eyes within to mark the prince as a man instead of a machine. As he watched, Zenos flicked his sword absently, sending drops of blood across the sand to clean the blade.

All around them, there was chaos in Rhalgr's Reach. The dead and the dying were everywhere. The Ala Mhigan Resistance was desperately trying to their own against the Garlean soldiers. Somewhere nearby Y'shtola lay in the sands, protected by a frantic Lyse. Krile, Aliasaie, and Alphinaud were doing their best to get the wounded to safety.

But at the moment, none of that mattered.

In this moment, there was only Zenos and the wide sand stretched between them as the statue of the Destroyer looked down.

"Will you run, Beast?" Zenos tilted his helm as he took a step toward Briar. "Will that fierce spirit break?"

In answer, Briar stood slowly, hearing the soft platter of blood drops hitting the sand. Reaching for the sheath on his thigh, he pulled out the curved knife, gripping it as he walked to meet Zenos.

"Good!" The laugh boomed out of Zenos as he walked faster. "Let the beast bare its fang at me!"

Without meeting to, Briar showed his teeth at Zenos, green eyes sharp as he darted forward. He twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding the slash of the long samurai sword. Briar lashed out, knife scraping along Zeno's leg near the knee. He gave a frustrated snarl under his breath as he threw himself away to avoid a backward strike at him. The Garlean Steel prevented Zenos from being hamstrung, but the boldness of Briar's attack had him barking another laugh.

The Garlean prince attacked in a flurry of strikes, although his movements were almost lazy. Briar hissed and twisted, dodging and twisting, forced back step by step. But he gave grudgingly, teeth still showing and eyes locked on Zenos. While his determination did not waiver, he was not the warrior Zenos was and his stamina faded.

A small stumble was all it took for a brutal backhand to slam into his chest, sending his slim frame through the air to crash on the blood-stained sand. Briar rolled and twisted, coming to his hands and knees, body heaving and sweat drenching his thin leather armour. He started to rise, only to give a strangled gasp as a gauntlet-covered hand seized his throat and jerked him upward.

Briar gagged, vision blurring and full of spots as Zenos squeezed with casual viciousness. The sharp points of the armour pierced his skin, sending trickles down his neck and chest as the half-Elezen dangled from the ground. "Pathetic," Zenos sighed, voice strangely soft as he brought Briar closer to his face. "Such potential to be a fine quarry but--!"

His words turned into a grunt of surprise as Briar twisted suddenly. One hand grabbed Zenos's wrist, jerking the armour aside just enough for the half-Elezen to plunge the short blade into the Garlean's forearm. At the same moment, Briar coiled like a snake and slammed both heels into the prince's helm with everything he could manage. And it was enough, if only just.

Zenos staggered back, grip loosening around to drop Briar to the ground. The half-Elezen sucked in a deep breath, only to cough and spit blood from his injured throat. His fingers were still curled around his dagger though, now red with Garlean blood. He staggered to his feet, free hand at his own throat to try and staunch the bleeding.

Zenos stared down at the slim little Eorzean with wild red hair and green eyes that gleamed with a quiet fury. He watched as Briar showed his teeth yet again in a blood-tinted snarl, even as he swayed in place, dizzy from wounds and lack of air. That savage gaze did not waver though, despite blood trickling down Briar's chin and his thin chest heaved with the effort to breathe.

The Garlean tilted his head, absently reaching up to remove his helm. He shook long blond hair out of his face as he hooked the helmet to his waist. He studied the slow drip of blood from his injured forearm. He reached up to wipe away a small smear of blood from his nose. Elegant features furrowed a bit as he considered the battered but defiant Briar. The sight of the slim half-Elezen still standing his ground made Zenos's lips twitch up in a very faint smile.

Then Zenos simply turned away. Without another word or glance, he simply stalked away, departing the field. Briar stared after him, watching the last of Garlean soldiers quickly moving to follow their prince out of Rhalgr's Reach.

Only then did Briar shudder, knees giving way so he fell to the sand. He gave a strangled gasp, spitting out blood again. A wave of pain and exhaustion swam over his vision and he only dimly heard General Aldynn shouting his name and calling a healer. Briar made an effort to rise, but darkness washed over him. The last thing he was aware of was Raubahn's hand catching him before he hit the ground as the pain faded into nothingness.

[sasslett]

B A S I C S

Name: Jess Varlineau

Nicknames: None, actually.

Age: 28

Nameday: 22nd Sun of the 11th Umbral Moon, I think.

Race: Hyur (Highlander)

Gender: Female

Orientation: Varrus

Profession: the Warrior of Light's shadow

P H Y S I C A L   A S P E C T S

Hair: Straight, long, dark brown. Typically partially pulled back or left loose.

Eyes: Brown

Skin: Fairly pale, all things considered

Tattoos/scars: No tattoos, but a scar across her abdomen from when Zenos caught her unaware in Rhalgr's Reach

F A M I L Y

Parents: Roric and Gisela, freedom fighters for the Ala Mhigan Resistance, deceased

Siblings: None that she knows of (though in some alternate non-WoL universe she's become @scholarlostintime's Eolyn's long lost older sister lol)

Grandparents: All I can say is they lived in Gyr Abania and they're deceased

In-laws and Other: Her husband, Varrus Varlineau, and his family: His mother, Marienne, his sister, Valissa, and his cousin, Estinien

Pets: None at the moment

S K I L L S

Abilities: Dragoon/lance combat, as the Azure Dragoon she's able to push her limits and harness the power of the Eye, though she draws her power from Hraesvelgr rather than Nidhogg after the Steps of Faith, and also she's damn good at cooking

Hobbies: Reading, particularly history tomes and stories of adventure, exploring, helping others (genuinely), sparring, and sleeping in the arms of the man she loves

T R A I T S

Most Positive Trait: Determination. She never lets anything stop her, and once she decides on something, she damn well follows it through

Most Negative Trait: Impatience. She often prefers to act first, think later, and much dislikes waiting around for the other boot to drop, even when it's the correct thing to do

L I K E S

Colors: Red, gold, silver, purple by association

Smells: Worn leather, fresh bread, a crackling fire, the smell of the forest after a rain

Textures: Worn wood, polished steel, creased leather, the smooth skin of her husband's chest

Drinks: Hot cocoa, warm tea, pineapple juice on the beach (soon)

O T H E R    D E T A I L S

Smokes: No

Drinks: No, despite being a bartender for ten years - or perhaps because of it

Drugs: Never

Mount Issuance: Due to her frequently helping out around Bentbranch, the breeders offered her one of their runtier birds, who she thusly dubbed Helios

Been Arrested: No, not until it happens in the MSQ, inevitably. She may be chaotic in theory but she's fully lawful good

tagged by both @paintedscales and @ubejamjar, thank you! And I'll leave this as an open tag, as I was late to do this (sorry this week has been hell) and so most everyone I know has done it already!

[amons-hat-enthusiast]

Ending the year with some dragonposing!

I decided to make my main trio as dragoons and match them with three great wyrms of Eorzea. (and I'm very proud of how it turned out :D)

The first two actually have a connection with the dragon they're paired with. Some OC lore explained under the cut! :)

Matheli is the Warrior of Light, so their relationship with Midgardsormr is the one seen in the msq. Though they didn't start off in the best way (Midgardsormr taking Matheli's Blessing of Light), they bonded over time and Matheli grew to see him as a father figure they needed.

Jia follows the dragoon storyline and is chosen by Nidhogg's eye. It's power influenced her to some degree, but unlike Estinien in lvl 50 dragoon quest, she managed to resist. Both Nidhogg's and Jia's actions are motivated by anger and vengeance - Nidhogg towards Ishgard and Jia towards Garlean Empire (she is Ala Mhigan and lost her father to the Garleans). Also, a spirit (?) of Nidhogg also appears above her when she's about to execute the Dragonsong Dive.