#and don't get me started on Alisaie

[warriorofyapping]

Alphinaud's character development over the expansions has been so good. I remember how I used to not like him much, he was a bit snobbish and thought he was always in the right, he refused to accept when he was wrong. Yes, he's young, but 16 is old enough to know when you're wrong and to accept it. It didn't help how sheltered he was and how much the people around him allowed him to stay that way, hiding things from him when he should rightfully know them.

After what happened with the Crystal Braves, you could see how he realized just how his mindset came to bite him in the bud and we get to watch as he slowly begins growing as a person. He has his moments where he still struggles, but then he realizes and he backtracks, he tries again. We see him rely on the people around him more and accept help from them, especially the WoL, Estinien, and Ysayle during Heavensward.

You can't tell me that ARR-STB took place in less than a year, especially with all the traveling via land and sea alike the group had to do during Stormblood. We get to watch him grow over at least a year and then, in Shadowbringers, he grows again, just without us there. You can tell how he has matured a bit more during the near year he was in The First without us and it's nice to see the difference between the arrogant, stuck up kid we met and the boy he is now.

I love my son so much okay.....

[anneapocalypse]

On the role of outsiders.

One thing I think makes the Scions' relationship with Wuk Lamat unique isn't that they're mentoring her--I don't really see it as a mentor relationship and for various reasons I think it's better for it not to be that--but that, as outsiders, she finds that she can show vulnerability with them that she's only rarely been able to show with anyone else.

When we meet Wuk Lamat in 6.55, it's pretty heavily telegraphed that she's posturing a lot to cover up some personal weaknesses or insecurities. This made me really curious about her, who she was and what that overconfident demeanor was covering for. And when I got into Dawntrail and started getting to know her, I wasn't disappointed.

(No Wuk Lamat hate on this post, please. Any responses clearly trying to pick a fight will be removed and blocked without reply.)

Wuk Lamat has a couple of foils in this story, but a big one is Sphene, and I love @unmovingtroika's description of Sphene as "unpersoned to an extreme degree." And as a distorted mirror of our main character, Sphene reminds us that any person in a position of authority or heroism is depersonalized to some degree, no matter how down-to-earth or benevolent.

Gulool Ja Ja is really presented to us as very much a people's ruler, the charismatic blessed siblings who united the peoples of Tural through curiosity and open-mindedness and understanding. And that may be largely true, but it's also made of him a myth, a legend inscribed in stone and memory. Meanwhile in the course of Dawntrail's story we also meet the real person Gulool Ja Ja... at least, the one who's left. The man who has spent three years grieving his brother, his ever-present companion, the Reason to his Resolve, a man who for the sake of political stability has had to hide his grief and loneliness from even his own children, as he does his best to carry out the work they had begun together, and complete the Rite of Succession in his brother's absence. And if there are places where Gulool Ja Ja failed to foresee the potential negative outcomes to the Rite, like Bakool Ja Ja's actions endangering his people, we might see there in hindsight the Head of Reason's absence in the final stages of the Rite's preparation. And we see, in some of Zoraal Ja's anger and resentment and insecurity, a glimpse of the ways in which the people's Dawnservant might have failed his own son.

One of Wuk Lamat's early growth moments is when the Scions convince her that she doesn't need to try and hide her obvious seasickness--an affliction she can't help, and which represents no failure of character on her part but which is, well, embarrassing. I love that she seems to particularly connect with Alisaie, who's had her own experiences of feeling inadequate next to her sibling, and feeling the need to prove herself on her own terms.

Could Wuk Lamat have been convinced to drop the act by her allies if they weren't outsiders? The problem is that everyone else in Tural, even her own siblings, are the people she'll have authority over if she wins. Erenville frequently rolls his eyes at his old friend's posturing, and fairly so, but Wuk Lamat doesn't behave that way just because she's insecure. In the same way that her father has had to conceal the death of his brother even from his own children, Wuk Lamat recognizes the danger of showing weakness before the people she will have to rule--especially when she's already aware of her reputation as being less qualified than her brothers. But these outsiders from Eorzea are different. They're allies who will never be her subjects. In private moments, she can be a person with them. She can be vulnerable. She can be Lamaty'í.

(Incidentally, I think this is also why I found Sphene calling her Lamaty'i so unsettling. Initially it seems like a simple misunderstanding, an outsider mistaking a very personal nickname for someone's "public" name. But in the hindsight of what we learn about Sphene, I think it feels a lot worse. Sphene is, consciously or unconsciously, pushing past the walls of formality and reticence that necessarily exist around a ruler when interacting with most people--nevermind a foreign head of state whose intentions are unknown. She's positioning herself as a friend when she is not.)

As the story progresses, we learn the Wuk Lamat and Koana have always been close. Now, in the Rite of Succession, they must treat one another as rivals and can no longer share confidences--at least, at first. Koana's love and protectiveness of his sister emerges with a vengeance when Wuk Lamat is in danger--and I'd venture a guess that he, too, feels safer showing this sudden vulnerability before his allies and those of his sister, because again, they will never be his subjects. While we get only briefer glimpses of Koana's journey with Thancred and Urianger, I'd guess that their friendship has affected him in similar ways.

One of the benefits of blessed siblings is that they are never alone. They bring two perspectives to any situation, but they also have one another to confide in, to understand, to commiserate over the burdens of leadership in a way they can't with anyone else, not even family. Wuk Lamat and Koana taking on the role of Dawnservant together brings the benefit of their very different strengths and perspectives to their people. But it also means that neither must take on those burdens alone. When their allies depart, they will still have one another. There will always be someone at their side with whom they can just be a person.

The tragedy of Zoraal Ja is that he's evidently never had that kind of relationship with anyone. The myth of his seemingly miraculous birth has depersonalized him from the very start. All his life, he has carried the burden of living up to the expectations of the Resilient Son, and has never enjoyed the close relationship his brother and sister have with one another. To the very last, he attempts to live up to the legend alone--and he fails.

One of the biggest themes throughout Final Fantasy XIV is standing together. There is strength in companionship and cooperation, but for that strength to flourish, there must also be trust and vulnerability. Wuk Lamat and Koana ultimately find that in one another, as siblings and co-rulers, but the Scions play the important role of offering them an outsider's friendship in their journeys when they are cut off from one another, and would otherwise be alone. As Ketenramm and Galuf Baldesion once were to Gulool Ja Ja, the Scions to Wuk Lamat and Koana are neither mentors nor subjects, but companions and friends.

[nights-at-crystarium]

You know what, I assume that people always read my pinned, or notice the pointer "new reader? start here" in every new Fragments' episode. I might be deluding myself. So hi hello lemme TALK ABOUT MY COMIC.

Before I get too rambly (and I mean RAMBLY), here's a quick intro. Fragments is a comic focused on feels and slice of life, made by a queer guy, aiming to ~character study~ the main cast (Vivi, Raha, Alisaie, Feo Ul) and fill in the gaps in canon (or linger in canon moments that needed more air imo), the tone ranging from angst to fluff to meme. Good punches require a good windup, so please don't expect angst anytime soon :3c

The story's segmented (fragmented, heh) into episodes. Episodes 1-11 take place in ARR, you can enjoy them with no worry about spoilers. Episode 12 onward is ShB, with all the spoilers and lorebending.

My storytelling style assumes you haven't only played through ShB, but know it like the back of your hand, i.e. it's for nerds and thinkers. Of course there's plenty of silly moments that don't require any deep knowledge, but the overarching story does. Often I skip canon events, only hinting that they took place, simply because I don't wanna retell the msq 1:1, I've got plenty of original scenes waiting to be drawn. You're in for a treat if you like obsessing over emotional and moral implications of things. And, yes, this's a story about a morally grey mc. Don't expect to be spoon-fed "and this's why that thing's bad, kids".

Currently I've outlined all the main story beats up until post EW, so it's like, not being winged as I go. Yes I refine things here and there, but I know where I'm going. I'm going ham!!!! With the lorebending post ShB. Initially I didn't plan to, but the more I learned about Vivi and personally grew as a writer, the more courage I got to "divorce" from canon. The general xiv story may still be good wherever it's headed, but it's not suited for an established wolgraha, so I'm making food for myself.

Everyone imagines the lil scenes from their wol's life, I'm taking that a tiiiiiny step further. Fragments tells a cohesive story that's looking to be the longest project at least in our corner. I can and will hyperfixate on this for years.

I started out just like many others, being hit with ShB like a truck, I wanted to put a catboy under a microscope and rotate him forever. Although I'd already been drawing for decades, I didn't have the comic-making skills yet, or eloquence to write the dialogue, so I spent the first half of 2022 self-studying, just because I needed a mouth to be able to scream about my ship.

Vivi didn't exist prior to my obsession with Exarch. He was made for this, he started out as a reagent (or a foil, now that I know fancy writing terms) for a rich and fun chemistry, and keep myself entertained for years, first and foremost.

Me, a fool: okay let's make a guy that falls in love with Exarch in this particular moment, what kinda life must he have led to- Me: ....oh no

The chemistry quickly bubbled up and exploded in my face, involving not only Exarch, but other characters (first as a means to subtly tell about Vivi, then they also demanded their own screentime), and here I am, sitting with a massive script on my hands, drawing my blorbos every day. Thanks for enabling that btw.

I care about characters a lot. I ask a lot of whys and hows. I'm critical-minded and burned on many bad stories that did their characters dirty, and I wanna be an opposing example. What I'm doing is extremely ambitious and risky, yes, but I can only invite you to tag along and see if I stick to my word.

The internet's a cruel and unforgiving place nowadays, and here I am, pitting my passion against what feels like decaying humanity. I'm making this comic to keep myself happy above all else, being sincere and cringe because life's too short to be anything else.

Thanks for reading this, and if you haven't yet, read Fragments here!

[yzeltia]

FFXIVwrite2024 6. Halcyon

Characters: Wuk Lamat, Gulool Ja Ja, Koana, V'anille Tia, U'rahn Nuhn, Zoraal Ja, Y'zel Tia, Bakool Ja Ja, Gulool Ja, Krile Mayer, G'raha Tia, Violet Fisher, Alisaie Leveilleur Expansion: Dawntrail Rating: T Summary: Lamaty'i's perfect day.

“Papa! Papa! Watch this!”

Wuk Lamat let out a little howl of excitement as she launched herself up in the air, spiking a blue and white ball with her ball toward Koana as the Head of Resolve turned to watch while crunching loudly on a rather large taco. Koana rushed forward but found himself stumbling into the sand, letting the ball bounce beside him then whiz past toward V’anille at the aetheric barrier the former had created to make use as a goal. A loud victory fanfare played across the beach as Wuk Lamat let out a “Wahoo!” and turned to give a high-ten to U'rahn at their goal.

“Well done Lamaty'i,” Gulool Ja Ja praised, giving a booming clap of his hands together. “Though we shall see your victory short lived once Zoraal Ja is ready to play. Isn't that right son?”

Zoraal Ja let out a grunt of acknowledgement, narrowing his eyes as he rolled his shoulders only to straighten up and let out a surprised gasp as a pair of hands slid down his back.

“Sit still will you! Your scales will dry out from the salt if you don't let me do this,” a pink-haired Miqo'te scolded, popping up from behind Zoraal Ja’s back, rubbing lotion over his arms.

“Sorry,” Zoraal mumbled, facing away from his family. 

Wuk Lamat crossed her arms and leaned toward Koana as he brushed the sand off his body and readjusted his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Hey. Who's that all over Zoraal Ja?”

“I believe it is the Doman Consort, Y'zel Tia,” Koana responded.

“Ooooooh. I didn't think Zoraal Ja would let anyone get that close to him…if he wasn't trying to stab them,” Wuk Lamat mused before covering her mouth with her paw. “Are they…?”

“That is none of our businesses Lamaty'i. You've already proposed on one brother’s behalf. At this rate you'll be playing matchmaker for father too,” Koana sighed before idly playing with his wedding ring as he looked over to V'anille smiling and giving him a little wave then jumping as a loud popping sound shot across the beach. 

“Aw…my ball,” U’rahn whined, slumping a little as his ears drooped as Bakool Ja Ja lifted his foot and peeled the flattened off his foot.

“Why did you do that Bakool Ja Ja!?” Wuk Lamat demanded, tail flicking up in anger as she stomped a foot into the sand.

Bakool Ja Ja cowered back a bit. “I just…,” the Mystic started.

“I just wanted to play too,” Mighty finished before shoving a bag into Wuk Lamat’s arms before running away with tears in his eyes.

“Not again,” Y'zel sighed, finishing rubbing scale lotion on Zarool Ja’s cheeks before hurrying off after Bakool Ja Ja, looking back to fall. “Make sure the Dawnservant is covered too!’

Wuk Lamat blinked then opened the bag, finding a party sized amount of Anut Tii’s Tacos inside. “Oh! That dummy. He should have just said so.”

“But uh…you're the one that yelled at him,” U’rahn pointed out while Gulool Ja Ja joined them in the sand.

The Dawnservant scratched at his chin of Resolve, watching Bakool Ja Ja get chased down by Y'zel, many people leaping out of his path. “I think he likes you Lamaty'i.”

The bag of tacos fell to the ground, Wuk Lamat's jaw dropping as her eyes widened up at her father. “Papa! No! Don't be gross! He does not,” Wuk Lamat protested, her face heating up.

“I will have to keep closer watch on him,” Koana said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose while Zoraal Ja wandered over, hand on the hilt of one of his blades.

“You're all the worst! Cut it out! Right now,” Wuk Lamat demanded.

“Is Auntie Lamaty'i going to marry Bakool Ja Ja?” Gulool Ja’s voice sounded out from behind.

Gulool Ja Ja let out a ground shaking laugh as Wuk Lamat wheeled around, finding her nephew holding a rather large ice cream, G'raha Tia and Krile accompanying him, both trying to politely hide their snickering behind their own cones.

“No! Never! Everyone better cut it out right now!” Wuk Lamat demanded, eyes welling up as the teasing got to her.

“Alright Lamaty'i. We’ll stop,” Galool Ja Ja soothed, patting his daughter's back gently before looking to his grandson with his ice cream. “Why don't you show Grandpa where you got that? He could use a treat.”

“Okay! This way,” Gulool Ja said excitedly, hurrying off back the way he came, the Dawnservant following.

“Aw. I wanted to Papa to get a chance to play with us,” Wuk Lamat whined as U'rahn went blue in the face behind her trying to blow up his ball again.

“If you can't play your silly game then we can entertain ourselves with practice combat,” Zoraal Ja said, unsheathing his blades.

Wuk Lamat turned, looking at her elder brother as he attempted a smile. She took a step back then let her ears perk as Violet’s voice called out, “Lamaty'i! Stop playing with boys and come swiven join us already!”

“Oh! Maybe next time brother! It seems like it is girl's night! Why don't you train with Koana? Or U'rahn! He's indestructible,” she said, backing away with her paws back before looking around Zoraal Ja as U'rahn flopped backward into the sand out of breath, “Um..mostly.”

With that, she turned heel and hurried to join Violet and Alisae at the bar in Xbalyav T’ve. Taking a seat, she beamed then pulled over and ordered a pineapple cup before spinning around on her stool. Violet hummed, sipping at some sort of dark coloured liquor while Alisae nursed a virgin daiquiri. She brushed her hair from her face as she looked out toward the horizon, the setting sun starting to let pinks and blues paint the sky. The boys out in the sand scuffled about, playing fighting until suddenly fleeing as Gulool Ja Ja jumped in with his swords drawn then seized up as his back gave out again.

“Oh Papa,” Wuke Lamat sighed with a little smile, setting her drink aside before running out to join her brother’s in trying to get the Dawnservant back up on his feet again.

-

V’anille frowned as he found Lamaty’i smiling and hunched over her writing desk beside a stack of unfinished paperwork while Koana shook his head and sighed behind him. “Oh Papa, you’re getting too old for this…,” Lamaty’i said in her sleep.

“Should I wake her,” V’anille asked, looking to his husband as he moved the paperwork to see if there was something he could do for her.

“No. She seems to be enjoying herself. Let her have rest,” Koana said, draping a blanket over his sister’s shoulders before kissing the top of her head then taking V’anille’s hand to lead him out of the room and back to their chambers to let Lamaty’i enjoy her dream a little longer.

[voidsentprinces]

Shadowbringers took Emet-Selch from ARR Lahabrea levels of mustache twirling, Saturday Morning Cartoon villain. All monologue and evil laughter while his evil boobs malevolently boobed down the Post-Stormblood's darker breast boobily and changed him into an actual character. And the first Ascian who actually spent time with us in a more meaningful way. Flipping them from one note, evil that must be defeated. To one we came to understand and a group that connected to our character's literal past reincarnation that we do not recall.

Additionally, atmospherically, Shadowbringers brought us to Post-Apocalypse that wasn't 28 Days Later, Mad Max or Rapture-esque. While pulling from all those series. Its a world 100 years after the Apocalypse was averted but still causes the world to live in its shadow.

This expansion seems to be the beloved darling of the community. Even topping Heavensward in most regards. But, also, personally, I feel like Shadowbringers is only good Shadowbringers for the last three levels of it. And rest is just so much set dressing and putting together the A-Team. For lack of a better comparison, 70 - 79 is our Avengers Infinity War. We get the band back together, fight off the big bad and actually almost win. But then we lose and we lose HARD and we spend a handful of quests somewhat wandering aimlessly until we resolve to go after the one who took victory away from us. That lead up, to me, is alright but the story didn't really HIT, outside of my long winded story analysis reasons, until we reach Amaurot.

Even its Post-Patches seemed to struggle to figure out what to do. Having Elidibus bounce hither and thither without the Scions really trying to stop him because, "We don't know what he is up to." which was counterproductively frustrating to me. You are literally not stopping and banishing the villain so the plot can happen. Alisaie literally kept tabs on the Warriors of Darkness because we were focusing on dealing with Nidhogg. Why the hell couldn't they have kept tracked and harassed Elidibus at least? But no, the sky starts to shower stars and then it is go time. And while To the Edge and the Seat of Sacrifice are awesome. My suspense of disbelief that our Scions would just shrug and only off screen keep tags on lesser Ascians and then just be like, "I dunno fellas, this here Elidibus is tricky." strikes me as dense. Like, this is denser than a dead star. They let things happen for the sake of it happening.

Bottomline, there is some wiggle room here. Shadowbringers may be the community's darling. But I wonder if, its just because we remember the super highs of Amaurot to Seat of Sacrifice. And kind of brush things like; the Ran'jit fights, the Supernatural problem of Lucifer's Cousin's Roommate being the big bad in Lunar Primals, Thancred's treatment of Ryne and Speedrunning him some redemption in the Amh Araeng second half.

I'm rambling now, as a whole. Did you enjoy Shadowbringers? If not why? Vote your answer and leave your opinion in the tags if you'd like.

Note: I am aware that the Post-Patch production was stunted by the COVID Pandemic. Still, I'd like your opinion about anything you felt lacking. Even with that dead whale hanging over the entire thing.

[sebille]

Hi, I was reading some of your posts on Zenos (it’s very early in the morning here sorry if it doesn’t make sense) but how do you think Zenos would react if we show him compassion and care ? True compassion and care? Those things he never received as a child? (I made myself cry while writing this because he is the monster Varis created but what If he was loved to begin with ..)

Hi lovely, thank you for the ask! This is a really difficult question to answer, because other than what we see at the very very very end of Endwalker between him and the warrior of light, we don't really see him around anyone he's built a positive relationship with at all in the game. So i'm just going to ramble on about what we see IN the game and build my conclusions on that: The wol is able to show him an act of compassion in Stormblood, where they're able to tell him that they accept him. However, as we all know he will brush it off and move along - because he doesn't trust the wol to mean what they're saying.

"You and I are one and the same. Together, we could while away the quiet hours, as friend and confidant...if you will accept me?" "-  I accept you." "Heh heh...are we to embrace and let bygones be bygones? Do our deeds weigh so little that you would cast all aside? Come. 'Twas plain for the first how this would end." Slowly but surely throughout the expansions he creates this image of who the wol is in his own head - not really understanding what he himself ACTUALLY wants, while also believing that the wol is his "mirror", that they're one and the same. We see the confusion and desperation in his actions in early Endwalker, when the wol doesn't act the way he believes that they would. And how lost he is after the wol gets genuinely upset with him on the moon. In a sense I'd say that Alisaie yelling at him in Endwalker is an act of care and compassion - and we see how he reacts to that: He takes her words to heart and tries to do and be better. And at the end of Endwalker he trusts the wol completely ( we all know about the legendary line " I take it this is your prey. But why does it still live? Surely it is no match for you?" ) and we all know that he gets really vulnerable at the very end and opens up to the wol in a way he really hasn't before. SO with all that being said... I think it's really difficult to say who he would have been had he been shown compassion and care from the start of his life - because other than what we see from him at the very end of Endwalker, he's in a very negative headspace throughout the whole game. And if we go by what we see at the very end, once he trusts that a person is his friend he's loyal, willing to risk it all for his friend, vulnerable, and perceptive. Had Zenos been allowed to live at the end of EW and therefore would have been able to build an actual relationship with the wol (platonic or otherwise) I feel like he'd be very ride or die for them, lol. Also I don't believe that Zenos is a monster. I know that he's called that at least twice in the game, by Varis and Krile - but I don't trust Varis opinions on Zenos AT ALL. And Krile says that he's got "the eyes of a monster." I believe, and I feel like that's more...him looking dead inside? And we know that AT THAT POINT in stormblood he basically is. ( I think his voice actor said that he's basically at his limits at the start of Stormblood. ) tldr I think calling him a monster is unfair - my man is just depressed. He's done some awful and unforgivable things, however. I feel like I did not answer your question but rather just went on a long ramble-session about Zenos - but I'm sure that my Zenos mutuals/followers could answer this question better than me, or build on what I've already said.

[amoebaforce]

You're doing the Twelve's work over here. How would you like the Scions (plus Emet 🫣) with a restless WoL who copes with the stress and loses of their trade by doing even more work?

aw thank you, friend!

here's the main Scions + Emet, but let me know if you'd like a part two with the rest of the crew. enjoy! :D

characters featured: Thancred Waters, Y'shtola Rhul, Urianger Augerelt, Alphinaud + Alisaie Leveilleur, Emet-Selch tags: very light angst, WoL is stressed, gn!WoL

Thancred stands in the doorway of the WoL's room, arms crossed, watching them scribble away at a stack of paperwork. It's after midnight, and the Rising Stones is dead quiet.

"You're doing it again," he says. The noise startles the Warrior; they whirl around, knocking pens and parchment all over the floor. They start to deny his claim, but it's no use. They've been caught red-handed, working after saying they were headed to bed. Again. But Thancred isn't angry. His expression is gentle, his eyes betraying the empathy within.

"Can't sleep?" he asks. The Warrior shakes their head, sheepish. Thancred sighs. "Me neither."

The gunbreaker steps inside and closes the door behind him. He stalks to a chair, picking up a half-done field report on the way. Thancred sits. He hands the paper back to the WoL, careful not to smudge the still-wet ink.

"Pass me a quill," he says. "We can get more done if we work together."

***

Y'shtola finds the WoL in the common room long after dark. They're so buried in their research, they don't even hear her come in. She takes advantage of the moment to examine her friend. Their brow is furrowed, neck bent, bottom lip caught between their teeth as they focus on the page in front of them. A look of pure, unyielding dedication.

Y'shtola's lips curl into a half-smile. She's spent uncounted hours in the same position. She knows precisely how stiff their neck will be as soon as they lift their head. Knows precisely what will help.

The mage breezes toward the kitchenette, where a kettle full of water sits ready to be boiled. It isn't until the steam begins to hiss that the WoL realizes they aren't alone. Their ears perk up; when their eyes meet Y'shtola's, they give her a grimace that's half-apology, half-commiseration. She just chuckles, knowing and gentle. With a mug in each hand, she settles into the couch beside them.

"Here," she says. "You'll need tea."

***

Urianger walks past the meeting room door and stops dead in his tracks. The Scions' discussion of battle tactics ended hours ago, but the Warrior of Light still sits in their chair, hunched over the plans. He studies them for a moment, noting the knit of their brow, before he clears his throat. The Warrior snaps their head up, spell of concentration broken.

"I'm sorry," they begin, hurrying to gather their things. "If you need the room, I can-"

"I have no need of it," Urianger says. "I was merely surprised to find it occupied." A pause stretches between them. The words he wants to say clang through his head, but he swallows them. Instead, he smiles. "Say, Mistress Taru has just returned from her visit with Master Hancock. Would it trouble you to accompany me to the airship dock? I believe she promised everyone a souvenir ere she departed, and t'would be a shame if you did not get first pick."

The Warrior laughs, shoulders going lax as they close the folder before them. Urianger laughs, too, having perfectly executed his rouse. The souvenirs are real enough -- but the sunshine and fresh air they will get on the walk to retrieve them was the real goal.

***

Alphinaud and Alisaie may have their differences, but at the end of the day, they're still twins. Their minds work very similarly at times -- especially when it comes to their friends. They've both noticed the WoL's habit of overworking themselves, and they've decided to combat it together. Strength in numbers and all that.

Alphinaud takes point. He's the one who interrupts the Warrior at work, usually under the guise of needing a favor from them. "I hate to ask when you're busy... But can you please deliver this note to someone?" or "Will you please check in on this order we placed?"

Of course, the WoL never says no to him. That's where Alisaie comes in. She's lying in wait, hiding somewhere along the path the WoL will need to take to complete their task, and when the moment is right, the ambush is enacted. "Oh, fancy seeing you here!" she calls. They exchange greetings. Pleasantries. Alisaie asks what the WoL is up to, and, upon hearing it's some boring, menial favor for her brother, convinces the WoL to hang out with her instead.

"That note can wait an hour or two," she insists. "Why don't we explore these ruins on the way? Why don't we stop for tea, or pastries, or candy? Alphinaud will never know! And besides, you look like you could use some fun!"

The WoL figured out the game after the second time it happened. They'll never admit that, though. It's much more fun to play along.

***

Emet-Selch can't stand it. The way the Warrior promises to take a break from work, to prioritize their health and sanity, only to break their word. Every. Time. And tonight, he's had enough. The Ascian storms into the WoL's study, ignoring their cry of surprise as he takes them by the shoulders and lifts them from their chair.

"If you won't listen to reason," Emet tells them through his teeth, "then you will have to be forced."

He drags the Warrior to the kitchen table, plants them at its head. The look in Emet's eyes is terrifying enough to glue them in place, heart thudding as they watch the Ascian stomp about the room. He gathers quite a random assortment of foods: two kinds of fruit, half a head of cabbage, mystery-meat jerky, a pint of dhalmel milk, a slice of someone's leftover pie (which he'd have to apologize for tomorrow). Emet shoves the pile toward them.

"Do you have any idea how long it's been since you've eaten?" he seethes. The WoL doesn't get the chance to answer. "Seventeen hours. You're not even supposed to be awake that long, let alone hungry!"

"Emet-" the Warrior tries, but it's no use.

"Spare me your apologies! I am not interested in the slightest. You have plenty of options before you -- choose one and occupy your mouth with it, instead."

They stare at him dumbfounded. Defeated. A growl of their stomach punctuates the silence. With a sigh, the Warrior resigns themselves to their fate and pulls the pie-slice toward them.

"I'll need a fork," they say. Emet scoffs, but the utensil manifests, anyway.

[asleepinawell]

while they've definitely improved some of that, the npcs will always run to the middle for that particular stack in holminster (similar situation with the armadillo in malikah's well). I suspect it's to prevent them from dropping the aoe puddle in the middle of the safe area since it would then be harder to program the AI to avoid that during the next part but idk. by comparison, they do come to you for the line stack in the last boss and in some other places. I'm not sure what the logic was in the hydaelyn fight because I rage quit after that since urianger had already murdered me and I didn't want to start over

and speaking of that armadillo boss, it does a proximity mine in the center followed by a donut aoe. so you need to get out to the edge until the proximity goes off and then in to the center get out of the donut one. the scions will always run into the center before the proximity goes off. it doesn't seem to be that big a problem except sometimes the healer will run directly on top of the proximity and instantly die. I've had urianger do this 3-4 times now. I just know to bring alisaie along now if I don't have a rez myself

in general, learning the scion AI behaviors in trusts is kinda like keeping track of another mechanic since in a lot of instances they're programmed to go to one specific place. for the second boss in vanaspati they all seem to have a set water bubble to run to and will get hit if you take their bubble

despite that, I do like that the supports/trusts let you follow the scions around to learn mechanics and I think it's great for people who are nervous about doing something new with other people and messing it up (like me!), but there's definitely some fun quirks you need to get used to. like the fact they'll often stand exactly one pixel outside of an attack so if you're following them and aren't directly on top of them you may still get hit 😔

though the flip side of that is that sometimes I simply do not learn the mechanics. ktisis hyberboreia is one I run exclusively in support (love the elpis squad) unless I'm playing with someone else and the first time I went in with real people I realized I had no clue how the snake man's head attacks worked because I usually just followed venat around like a lost baby bird. also everyone went to a different spot for the cross line aoes and I was Distressed™ because I was so used to where the npcs went

ALSO (minor 6.3 dungeon spoilers will try to leave vague) in the latest dungeon, on the last boss, there's a super confusing bunch of line and circle aoes that vanish before they go off and the scions will sometimes just go stand directly in one and fuck you over. thanks team!!!!

and then there's the thing where I swear sometimes urianger will get an aoe spread and just run full speed right at me. that guy. but really it's mostly that the npcs are programmed to go to a specific location with those and once you know it's not a big deal but man it can lead to some hilarious disasters

the funniest moment I ever had in a trust was in the hydaelyn fight when I got a stack marker and all the scions came running over to me and then. then. at the very last second every single one of them ran out from under the stack to group in the middle (AI anticipating the next attack I presume) and the stack went off .0001 seconds after they ABANDONED me before I could catch up and the wol's mom resundered the shit out of my poor lizard boy. the sheer and utter betrayal of that moment. exquisite. hydaelyn was like yeah you guys should probably just get on the moon ship and gtfo

[forgesahead]

For some reason, the Scions, in all their curated wisdom, had decided that Meteor would be the mentor of their group. It had begun with Thancred advising Zero to look to Meteor for her answers rather than him, and now Alisaie and Alphinaud looked to him expectantly to help usher Wuk Lamat along her path with more than just his strength.

From a purely logical, objective standpoint, it made sense; Meteor was more than the Warrior of Light, he was perhaps the most hardened soldier in all of Eorzea. It stood to reason, then, that he would have the most lessons to impart to those who would come after him. Yet that was only looking at the larger picture. When it was also factored in that he often chose to follow rather than speak and offered deliveries of food rather than words of comfort to the needy, he really has to question the wisdom behind it all.

Even now, with all the time he'd spent with Wuk Lamat, he flails in silence. So much for all the time he'd spent journaling his experiences as he went-- any wise words he could impart were scarcely covered in the breadth of the few sentences he spoke when prompted to talk in turn, and he found that he'd struggled with much tutoring beyond that. It was why he'd preferred the company of other Scions most of the time. They'd been more than happy to speak where he chose to stay silent, wearing their flowery oratory like a fine frock where he would have floundered.

The Scions were not here, though. Thancred and Urianger had joined Koana's team, and though Alisaie and Alphinaud were with him, this time they had wandered off to question the Mamool Ja on their own, leaving him to deal with Wuk Lamat as she moped over her failed attempts to converse with the locals.

"Gods, I've dealt with unfriendliness before, but this is something else! They won't even talk to us!"

House cat, Bakool Ja Ja had jeered towards her, and Meteor saw where the nickname might have stemmed from, though in a way more affectionate than unkind. Her ears drooped as she rested her hands on her chin, and her tail, once animated even when she stood idle, lay still at her rear, as though it were a prop rather than a proper part of her. It was cute, and he couldn't help the smile on his face despite the circumstances.

Nor could he blame her for her frustration. After getting so far along her quest, she's hit a roadblock. A seemingly insurmountable one, given her approach. She requires open dialogue to be able to understand the people's problems and offer a solution, but the residents here don't even want to breathe towards them. An unpleasantness that is not all unfamiliar to him, given his last expedition to Ilsaberd.

"They're like the Garleans." Meteor murmurs to himself. He looks out at the shadow-shrouded landscape and the stony buildings and finds himself back at the subway station, when he had first arrived. The junkmonger, the mender the people huddled around the fire-- none of them had wanted to talk to him, and the few that did made it well and clear that they wanted him gone. As if the environment wasn't hostile enough, the residents that took shelter within it were as cold and immovable as all the grey contraptions around them.

He hadn't realized he'd been thinking out loud until Wuk Lamat startles him back to the present with a "really?" and he flinches back when he turns around and sees just how close she's gotten. She's peering at him with wide eyes-- newfound hope, he supposes, now that he potentially has some words of wisdom. Meteor blinks at first, because he thinks surely Wuk Lamat would have known about the Garleans already, if she's already talked with Alphinaud and Alisaie. If she had, his words wouldn't have been anything new, only a reminder of what they probably would have relayed to her before. But her stare doesn't relent, so Meteor sighs and looks to the distance.

"They... the Mamool Ja remind me of them, is all." He starts, and winces. This is why he doesn't like explaining so much. He's out of practice, and the delivery is wooden, jilted. Still, Wuk Lamat doesn't seem to mind at all, and only looks at him with more interest, so he continues. "Most of the locals wanted nothing to do with us, and when we came to their leadership offering supplies, they took the twins hostage instead. That's when I realized... our way of saving them was pretty one-sided.. and admittedly naive."

Wuk Lamat seems shocked by the sudden pessimism with the way she recoils, but with his flow found, Meteor looks at her and continues. "Everyone has their own idea of saving themselves, I think. For the Garleans, or at least their leadership, that idea didn't include outsiders at all. Anyone outside of the empire were their enemies, so they would kill them and use their spoils to feed their people, and they would survive. Life would go on. They almost followed through with that, before we finally convinced them to cease fire and lay down their weapons."

There's a long pause after that. Wuk Lamat seems to be considering the words, and Meteor lets her. He turns away and folds his hands behind his back, but beyond that, barely moves where he stands. The drone of the forest's insects fills the absence of words.

Then, "I... am I being naive then? Do you think my approach is wrong?" Her voice is too quiet, and when Meteor looks back at her, he frowns. The sad droop of her ears are back.

He purses his lips as he's flooded with memory, first of his conversation with Gulool Ja Ja. He remembers being asked what he thinks of the Third Promise, he remembers gritting out that he thought her too green, too unprepared for her duties to come. He remembers the raucous laughter that followed after that, the surprise that washed away his frustration when he realized the Dawnservant knew, yet put his faith in his daughter anyways.

He remembers his doubts starting to be assuaged as their journey went on and despite her shortcomings, Wuk Lamat finally, finally started finding her footing again.

He remembers himself, surrounded by Garlean soldiers that were too scared to get close to him despite having weapons pointed at him, as if he would slaughter them all at the first provocation, because he was Eorzea's champion, Garlemald's ill-famed butcherer.

He remembers Fray's solemn words at Myste's reminder of all the blood spilled in his heroics. The reminder that when he cut others down with his sword, he could save only one. Himself.

"I offer you peace! Restitution! A chance to make amends! Do not think you are above it! Do not think that a reckoning will be postponed indefinitely!"

"When it comes, I shall welcome it with open arms... but today will not be the day, and you will not be the judge!"

He exhales.

"Despite all my experience, I can't claim to know what the right way forward is." Is what he finally says, and then he looks meaningfully into Wuk Lamat's wide eyes. "You showed me that. I thought you too naive, once, and though I helped you along, I didn't believe in you, not really. Yet despite my doubts, you've succeeded, and now you've come this far. You're one stone's throw away from becoming Dawnservant."

He gazes at her. Even with the canopies above smothering all sunlight, her orange mane and pale yellow fur stand out starkly against the blue and black backdrop. A flame in the dark. A splash of vibrancy on a murky canvas.

"So I'm going to believe in you still. I want to see you use this method and succeed, however misguided it may be. I want to believe your way works, because I'm tired of fixing one evil by causing another."

Wuk Lamat is eerily silent after that, to the point where Meteor's confidence falters, and he starts to wonder if he'd spoken out of turn. If his honesty had been too much, and doused her spirits completely. Then before he can ask, she gives him a toothy grin, and smacks him on the back hard enough to make him yelp, surprised by the sudden force of the blow.

She laughs at the reaction. "Then that means I'll just have to succeed again!" And despite the pain, Meteor is smiling again. Finally, there's that enthusiasm. "I've finally earned your faith; I'm not going to let you down now just because some people don't want to talk to me."

"Don't get so ahead of yourself." Meteor grouses, but there's no bite to the words, and he elbows her. "Let's go find Alphinaud and Alisaie first, alright? If they haven't gotten anything out of the locals, at least we'll have their counsel."

They make their way to the twins, who seem heartened by how determined their Third Promise looks. Meteor nods to them with a small grin, spirits lifted well enough that he forgets to ask himself if he played his part correctly this time.

For the first time in a while, a weight is lifted off his shoulders.

[kharia-adarkim]

A Quiet Night

The Third Promise begins her trials, and her companions are left to wait.

(slight early [lv 90-91] dawntrail spoilers)

As Wuk Lamat disappeared into the valleys of Urqopacha, Erenville released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

"That's all there is to it for now, I suppose," he said, more to himself than his companions. "For now all we can do is wait for Lamaty'i to capture an alpaca and bring it back. All by herself." His eyes widened in panic, and he sat on a nearby boulder to steady himself. "Oh gods."

"Relax, she can take care of herself." Kharia gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "If it helps, I know a few spells to soothe anxiety, and I've also got some Triple Triad cards to help pass the time." Erenville took a breath to regain his composure and shook his head.

"No, magic won't be necessary. A game sounds nice, though."

"Triple Triad against you is going to make him even more stressed," Alisaie interjected. Kharia grinned mischeviously.

"Nonsense, it'll be fine!" She began to rummage through her bag. "I'll even let Erenville pick his deck first."

"Do I even want to know?" Erenville asked.

"Kharia is a, shall we say, devoted Triple Triad player," Alphinaud chuckled. "I daresay even if we stacked the rules against her she'd still come out on top more often than not."

"I see," Erenville mused. "Do any of you have a standard deck of cards then? During my travels I managed to glean the rules of poker well enough." Kharia snickered at the sly pun. Alisaie's eyes seemed to light aflame.

"Sharlayan rules, Archons high?" she asked. Alphinaud groaned and Erenville nodded.

Hours passed as the four of them chatted about the first trial and tossed cards between them. Slowly, the sky shifted from blue to gold as the sun began to set. Alisaie threw her cards down in a fit of frustration.

"You must be cheating!" she complained. "I don't know how, but nobody is that lucky." Erenville shrugged nonchalantly, then scooped up the small pile of pebbles they'd gathered to use as betting tokens.

"Just be glad we aren't using gil, or you'd be destitute," Alphinaud remarked. He gathered the cards and began to shuffle the deck once more. "I'm surprised that she's doing almost as bad as you are," he continued, nodding towards Kharia, who'd gone off to gather more stones to replenish her supply and Alisaie's.

"If I could use the echo to win at poker I'd be at the Gold Saucer," she called back with a laugh. She rummaged in the grass for a few minutes before frowning. "I can't find any more rocks, can we just split the pile back up?"

"And relinquish my hard earned winnings?" Erenville replied. "I think not." Alphinaud laughed, and Alisaie threw a torn clump of grass at him.

"Go gather some firewood, why don't you? It's starting to get chilly." Alphinaud rolled his eyes and headed up the nearby hill to scour the brush. Kharia gave up on her hunt for more pebbles and returned to the others. She considered following up Alisaie's remark with another firewood-centric jab, but stopped short. Erenville's gaze was distant, loosly directed towards the gate to the valley, and his jaw was clenched.

"She'll be okay Erenville," she said softly. "I doubt anything in the valley will pose much of a threat to her. Besides, it's sundown. We won't be able to do much now anyways. Let's set up camp, and if she isn't back by morning, we can go look for her." Erenville was quiet for a moment, then sighed.

"You make a good point," he admitted. "Help me pitch the tent? It'll go faster with two sets of hands." Kharia nodded, and Erenville began to pull various rods and ties from his pack. Alphinaud returned about halfway through the assembly, and he and Alisaie used Erenville's poker winnings to build a pit and get a fire going. The four of them gathered as the sun withdrew behind the mountains, and the chill of night advanced with full force. Kharia unwrapped a loaf of bread she'd bought in the pelupelu village and cut it into slices, distributing it among her companions. Erenville added some trail mix and jerky to their meal, while the twins poured out cups of water. They ate in comfortable silence, the crack of the fire and distant chitter of animals serving to accentuate the quiet rather than break it. As the last bands of gold faded from the horizon, Alisaie gave an exaggerated yawn.

"I suppose it's getting to be time to unpack our bedrolls," she announced. "You two can take the tent, Alphinaud and I can sleep under the stars. Doesn't look like there's any risk of rain tonight."

"The tent seems plenty large en- ugh!" Alphinaud's observation was interrupted by his twin's elbow digging into his side. She furrowed her brow at him and nodded across the campfire. The elezen girl's proclamation had stirred Kharia from her unplanned slumber, and she wasn't yet awake enough to realized she'd fallen asleep on Erenville's arm. For his part, Erenville maintained his same poker face from earlier, but when the Shetona nodded in agreement with Alisaie's suggestion, Alphinaud cursed himself for being so oblivious.

"Shit, did I fall asleep?" Kharia yawned. "That usually doesn't happen." She looked between her companions, who said nothing in response. "Why are you all so quiet?"

"It's nothing. We're just... tired, is all," Erenville stammered. "The twins have offered us the tent... if that's fine with you that is."

"Hell yeah," Kharia mumbled. Rather than standing, she rolled to the side and crawled over to the tent. By the time Erenville joined her, she was already once again fast asleep. As the front flap of the tent fell closed, Erenville finally dropped his stoic expression and smiled at the au ra curled up before him. He laid on his own bedroll beside her, and took advantage of the privacy to admire the faint golden light that spilled from the small cracks in her scales, bathing her in a gentle radiance. He hadn't yet worked up the courage to ask the story behind them, but now, with the fire out and the tent blocking out the stars, Kharia's glow gave her an ethereal appearance he couldn't look away from. Eventually, carefully, he slipped Kharia's glasses off her face, setting them aside for safety. He allowed himself a few more moments to admire her, then brushed a strand of hair from her face, rolled over, and drifted off to sleep himself.

The morning brought a thick blanket of fog, and rather than help rebuild the fire, Kharia opted to shiver in the tent and complain.

"How in the hells is it colder after sunrise?" she groaned.

"Would you like me to warm you up with a Verfire?" Alisaie warned. Kharia glowered and brought her knees to her chest.

"Maybe I would," she grumbled, "'s'colder than Halone's-"

"I'm baaaa-aaaack!" Wuk Lamat's voice drowned out Kharia's creative comparison and gathered everyone's attention. "And I brought a new friend!" She rode up the path astride a newly saddled alpaca, who she gave a few pats before dismounting. "It wasn't easy, let me tell you, but I finally managed to catch one of the fluffy little bast-" she gave the alpaca a worried glance. "Creatures an hour or so before dawn. Looks like I got back just in time too. How about we go grab breakfast in town?" The mention of food lured Kharia out of the tent, which Erenville quickly set about to disassembling.

"Congrats Wuk Lamat," she smiled and looked up at the alpaca. "He's a pretty tall one, huh?"

"You're hardly one to judge," Alisaie smirked. Kharia rolled here eyes.

"Coming from you?" Alisaie's grin quickly inverted itself.

"I'm- I've-" she stuttered, "This isn't even as tall as I'll get, you know!"

"As you are ever-fond of reminding us," Alphinaud chuckled. Alisaie's face became as red as her garments as she fumed. Wuk Lamat's laughter defused the growing tension, and the five of them set about cleaning the campsite so they could begin the trek back to Wachunpelo.

[b00kwyrm7]

In lieu of an Ao3 comment

(since I don't have an account yet hhhhh) I'm doing a tumblr review of an incomplete fic from a series I adore very much! Why? Partly in honour of the fact that the adrenaline rush I got when I saw the update was so intense it shocked me into staying awake and attentive through my entire chemistry class 🙏🙏 also this has become my comfort series lately. It was so difficult to keep a straight face, the angst-lover in me was so gleeful.

Now, onward!

Fandom: FFXIV, spoilers for Shadowbringers

Authors: the amazing @azems-familiar and @sunderedazem

HE CUT HIMSELF OFF FROM THE LIFESTREAM?? Emet-Selch were you just planning to float in the Rift forever-

Hhh after everything he still trusts the Exarch and the Warriors TOT

:OOOOO Elidibus!!

Literally had to put a screenshot cause. I love this so much. Sliding this scene into the bookshelf in my soul. No words only cry. There's just something about Elidibus being so gentle, and his last traces of memory.

Of course he regrets ascending Fandaniel because of his opinions on THEATRE you fussy old man. This made me giggle though

URGH FANDANIEL WHY

Oh...the first place he thinks of to get help from is the tower...without even thinking... TOT

(remembers AN at the start saying this takes place after 5.3) (reads Emet-Selch going up the stairs) OH. OHHH. YESS

This scene is just. So well-written. I almost started kicking my legs with delight in class. *slots this scene into my bookshelf*

The way he's slowly dying but his grief just numbs out everything else until it's sundown before he begins to move again

A KISS!! A PROMISE!! WAUGH

A walk in the rain with a stab wound this poor man

Elidibus had the right idea (let👏him👏rest) but sadly plot needs must be fueled

;-;

Chapter 2!!

(and in comes the authors with the steel chair) TATTOO!!! YES!!!

Omg Corrain knows about Emet-Selch's Darkness-aligned aether 👀 it's so cool how he's modifying his healing magic for it

I suspect Emet-Selch is barely processing what he's seeing at this point (understandably)

TOT G'raha supports him and he just lets go (he's safe, he's among his trusted, his loves ;-;)

Just the way small intimacies are written in this series just makes me want to incorporate it into my own style so badly

Also Alphinaud and Alisaie being here in the background is such a nice touch

Lelesu is such a steady rock in this storm 🙏🙏🙏 so quick on the uptake too

The image of G'raha crying quietly next to the two ppl he loves once everything is settled is so bittersweet

Lelesuuuu

Hmm G'raha in-game is an all-rounder, but in this AU once his connection to the Tower has been broken, what magics can he do now? Seems like healing is not in the repertoire anymore

PROMISE!!!

The tea. The freaking plays from Voeburt *puts head in hands* HHHHHHHHHH

'delicate art of Ascian wrangling' well said well said

Before this series I never read a fic with two WoLs, but because Corrain and Lelesu have been written so well I actually think it's so much more fitting. Just the way their dynamic works and how it affects their relationship between themselves, with the ✨horrors✨ and with the rest of the Scions? I know FFXIV has the WoL be so solitary (even with the Scions) but just the thought of someone else who truly knows what you've been through on an equal level is so comforting tbh

If you've gotten to the end of this thanks so much holy crap. Idk if I'll do many more of these but if you're a fellow player 🫵 pls read the fic!! And the series!! Its all so wonderful I can't say enough about it XD

[captainqster]

Dawntrail thoughts below. Major spoilers of course

I'll start off by saying that I enjoyed it. Some of the cutscenes were so fun and DT managed to make me cry at the end. The most important thing for me is that the story have an emotional impact on me and this one did. Not as much as SHB or even EW, but that's to be expected given they were the final two expansions in an ongoing story.

ANYWAY I don't intend to rant too much so I'll just make some key points about what I remember (which is never much, I have a terrible memory).

The environments! I'm not one to veer off course during msq to explore the scenery but this time I was doing that constantly. I was in HEAVEN in the desert areas especially, as I live in the Sonoran desert but Thanalan and Ahm Araeng never did much for me. Urqopacha was just beautiful, I could afk there all day. Solution 9 is even more incredible than I'd dared to hope. And Tuliyollal...my goodness.

The worldbuilding. I enjoyed the time spent fleshing out these cultures and the 'why and when' of some of their traditions. Cooking the...what was it called...was fun, I come from a Hispanic family and cooking massive batches of food together was always a big part of get togethers, especially around the holidays (I am made to suffer the tamale assembly line every year). So I liked when you were made to understand the people and why they do what they do and the impact it has on their community bonds.

The duties. Really liked those as well. Can I remember anything? No. Do I have a lingering feeling of "that was new" leftover? Yes.

The NPCs. New cast! Somehow I didn't anticipate the turnaround of both Zoraal Ja and Bakool Ja Ja, but I love a reformed cartoon bully and a Golden Child who crumples under the weight of expectation. Koana is incredible, I was iffy about him at first but you could hear the desperation in his voice when Wuk Lamat was kidnapped (fantastic job by the voice actor, sincerely) and from there I just continued to love him more.

For Wuk Lamat specifically she really grated on my nerves for the first few levels. I know the intention of her archetype/character growth, but it felt like some of her frequent complaining was played for comedy and it just fell flat for me. But the moment she said "hey I'm gonna turn around and be better" she really did do that. Asking to hold the WOL's hand and her little "um...do you want to explore with me?" AND WANTING THE WOL TO STAY IN TULIYOLLAL WITH HER god those just hit me right in the heart. She grew on me.

The final zone. I cried. I've seen some complaints about whiplash with the direction DT took from the first to second half, and I kind of get that, but for me it kept things a little fresher. I would have liked to see more payoff in Tural after all the time and energy you spent learning about the different cultures but it is what it is.

I love that SE decided that once you shut down a terminal you will lose the beauty of that area. It really made me hesitate and want to look around more, which just drove home the point of saying goodbye to the Endless. I was teary-eyed leading up to Cahciua's terminal especially. IDK I love my mom and it HURT SO BAD.

The cutscenes: Some of them were such a delight that I was in tears. I don't care if people found it cheesy, I LOVED the train bomb. At first I was disappointed that it wasn't going to be an interactive duty but watching G'raha Tia pull Alisaie back onto the platform just for the WOL to save them both? Jumping off the train? Everything my southwestern heart could want.

And the cowboys. The duels. The accents. I was in love.

Last thing I'll say is I've seen a lot of "do you need to be the hero?" questions/polls/etc. For me it's not about whether you're the hero, I just need to have that rapport with the NPCs and to feel present. So I appreciated the few times we got a bit of that.

Anyway I'm not gonna say anything negative because I just don't feel like it. There were a few things I would have liked to see done better, differently, whatever, but I'm satisfied enough. I'm really looking forward to what comes in the patches.

[anneapocalypse]

I have joked before that Stormblood feels like the writers thought they maybe went too hard on Major Character Death™️in Heavensward and so almost nobody gets to die. But looking back over the arc of the Scions as a whole, I think Stormblood through Endwalker are really the Scions learning (if slowly) that Heroic Sacrifice is not always the answer, and also growing closer to one another as people as a result. Especially for those of us who didn't play 1.0, I think it's so easy to forget sometimes that these characters just survived an apocalypse--and lost the guy who was the glue holding them all together. I think a lot of what feels like the Scions being cavalier with their comrade's life in ARR is the fact that they are all waiting, consciously or unconsciously, for their own Louisoix Moment, and they're so deep in that mindset that they probably don't even realize how it feels to an outsider, that understanding that they're all ready to die. Because when that moment does come, they all take it. Moenbryda takes it, Minfilia takes it, Papalymo takes it... and the rest are left to pick up the pieces.

And what do they do with those pieces? After Moenbryda's death Urianger goes on a very long arc where he starts mired in isolation and self-flagellation, but ultimately comes to see that turning to his friends for help is better than suffering alone. Alphinaud faces down the arrogance that made him so easy to manipulate and becomes better at working with others and not over and around them. Alisaie comes to terms with her grandfather's death and pushes those around her to see alternatives to sacrifice. Lyse decides to stop hiding, to live as herself, and to fight for what she believes in, ultimately becoming a leader in her newly-freed homeland. Thancred learns to better respect the agency of the people he loves while still acting as a protector. Y'shtola begins--slowly, and haltingly, but she does begin--to share her struggles with her friends instead of keeping everything to herself. G'raha, after years of secrecy and preparing to sacrifice himself, finds himself given a second chance and a new life to share with the people he loves. Estinien finds deeply meaningful friendships with people he would have once considered his enemy, and lets go of a life of solitude in favor of joining the Scions.

There's a reason the Scions don't really feel like a family in ARR. There's a reason that, to me, they do feel like one by Endwalker. Sometimes media will try to force a found family dynamic between a group of characters who don't even necessarily like each other very much; FFXIV lets the cracks in the Scions show early and then shatters them, then brings them back together in a long journey of reforging those bonds and making them stronger than they ever were.

[klopford]

My thoughts on the Dawntrail extended teaser

Spoilers, duh, at least through 6.5

First of all I'm disappointed we didn't see Krile's new job. Viper looks cool, but eh it's not for me.

About the division in the Scions: I'm already banking on the female Hrothgar wanting to recruit us for whatever side she's on in the succession thing, while Thancred and Urianger's "client" is the opposition.

Krile is going to Tural most likely to speak with Galool Ja Ja, but we don't know if his side is the one we're supporting for succession or not. Maybe Krile is not on the boat with us after all and she's going separately? Maybe there are three sides to the conflict and Krile/Galool will also be opposing whoever we're siding with?

The Twins are certainly going along as an opportunity to take a break as they were told, and to continue looking for ways to support Garlemald. Alphinaud is definitely going to get involved in politics around the succession and probably try to establish an alliance between Tural and Garlemald. Alisaie is just there to help out and also find her own things to do. Seems she might befriend a Moblin? (I think that's what threw the fruit to her)(edit: nvm it was a Mamool Ja. It was 4am when I watched this lol).

Now... about why we haven't actually gotten a full glimpse of Alphinaud in the trailer yet...

Back when 6.4 happened and Thancred and Urianger discussed their client seeking Archons specifically, I had the suspicion that either the WoL or the Twins were going to be nominated for Archon status. The fact that after 6.5, if you speak to Alisaie hanging around at the estate, she says Fourchenault wants to have a word with you... I started to get the feeling that Fourchenault wants to nominate his children as Archons. Now, I know Archons can only be nominated by other Archons, but one of the wikis says that Fourchenault is one. We haven't seen his tattoo though...

Maybe we haven't seen Alphinaud yet because he's got the mark now? What if, after becoming an Archon, the client recruits him too, and now he has to be a double agent like Urianger was?

Which is actually kind of disappointing because if anyone deserves to become an Archon, it would be Alisaie for discovering the cure for tempering. Maybe she declines the honor? We don't see a mark on her in the trailer... could be the camera angles, could be editing, could be she chooses to have it put somewhere we don't see like her father did, who knows.

...Or we can just go with the more popular fan theory right now that Alphinaud hits his growth spurt first. Which would also be very cool! The other theory is he's actually standing near the female Hrothgar or has dialogue with her in the final trailer. Which is also cool too!

But whatever happens to Alphinaud, I think we're going to see it in 6.55. And then they'll be free to show him fully in the trailer.

Ugh! January can't come fast enough!

[tritoch]

Deciding that my wol does not deviate from canon as presented in the game makes every point where I would have deviated so enjoyably juicy. I thought Wolund might be a WAR in Dawntrail after everything with Zenos and tapping back into his love for adventure! I was extremely wrong.

Musings on character class and Dawntrail. Spoilers through the end of 7.0 below.

I don't think the WoL in Dawntrail can be a Warrior, really: rather than tapping into their love of combat, they've clearly learned to take their foot off the gas. All your most interesting moments in 7.0 are when you don't fight someone, or when you are slow to violence. WAR just doesn't fit, to me.

In fact, no tank fits for me: tanking in duty support means pushing Wuk Lamat out of the tank role, or at least the main tank role for the 99 trial, and that just seems wrong to me from a story and vibes standpoint. Similarly, playing a DPS means making Alisaie heal the 93 dungeon and trial, which is insane to me. I don't think it should be legal to staff-chick Alisaie, as it were. I've also never liked healer G'raha, who shows up in the 97, 99, and 100 dungeons if you're DPS; we see him use PLD and BLM (well, their equivalents) a lot in the story, but only rarely, if ever, WHM.

Of course, playing healer means DPS Alphinaud in the 91 dungeon. That means an ideal "everyone stays in their ideal roles" job means being able to flex DPS or healing. And that leaves me right back where I started the game, withl CBU3's Blessed Siblings: SMN/SCH.

SMN has always been so canon to me: it's FF's special-est magical girl class, it involves claiming your enemies' power for your own, it gives a lot of weight to you as "the savior of the savages" in the eyes of the empire, Y'mhitra shows up in MSQ, Fordola and Arenvald show up in SMN quests. You get the Hydaelyn&Azem-esque Solar Bahamut this time out! Very main character stuff.

And SCH! Dawntrail is, to me, such a healer expansion. Only once, at the very end, do you really bring your own might to bear, and then in the form of the classic Azem trick, Instant Queue Duty Finder. You spend a lot of the MSQ and every role quest mostly playing the role of support, backing people up and rarely taking point. Serving as Wuk Lamat's emotional support is most of the expansion, and MSQ is pretty pointedly about how you're not really the main hero this time out.

So the idea of a WoL who mostly doesn't fight (okay he's spamming Art of War II. It's a gain on 2, Wuk Lamat), but calls directions, warns of incoming attacks, throws up shields, pulls people out of AOEs, that's very good to me. And healer can be the only role you need to pull you over the finish line, as myself and a cohealer learned today when I burned everything to heal him through repeated AOEs (thanks Dissipation and Seraphism) so he could pull off a healer LB3 (double mhroth scholar team, to boot) in the final trial. And wouldn't it make sense for Azem to play that role of battlefield tactician, coordinating their disparate friends? It's also the only role Emet and Hythlodaeus lack between them...

We're not taking center stage and holding aggro this time out, and that's a fun change! Curious to see how it plays out in patches. But rather than having his blood up and pumping again, Wolund seems very much at peace, and I'm excited to see how that plays out.

also biolysis-swiftcast-recitation-adlo-deployment tactics into a raidwide hits so fucking good. that shit's like candy to me.

miscellaneous related thoughts:

- SCH and SMN are also connected to arcanima and the South Seas Isle Lalafells, who seem like they might suddenly be somewhat more important than expected

- I feel bad for many scholars because I know Seraphism doesn't fit your class fantasy. But if you're playing SCH as "this is just the WoL class this time" it hits so good. You're a secretive mentor figure with a secret special ANGEL form that maybe is due to the time your soul was almost permanently warped by light aether or maybe is a fusion with your summon, both of which are basically boss phase concepts to me tbh.

- also looking on Twitter it looks like Seraphism functions normally for most people but uh it removes Wolund's hrothgar coeurlstache. I choose to believe it's light aether fucking him up and if you could see under the hood he basically looks like Forgiven Reticence its NOT his real face

- his pets are ruby (SMN) and emerald (SCH) carbuncle, to avoid scaring people and to keep a low profile.

[kannedia]

FFXIV Write 2024 - Day 6 - Halcyon

In the early hours of the morning, two Scions talk about dreams and one tries to remember better days.

"We have got to stop meeting like this."

Eirini's gaze lingered on her tea for a moment before she looked up to meet Thancred's eyes. From the look on his face, she probably looked as tired as he felt. She held back a sigh.

"I take it had another nightmare too." He shrugged half-heartedly before taking a seat next to her at the table. "Mind if I join you?"

Eirini shook her head. She picked up the teapot and poured him a cup. This was, as he stated, something that happened a little too often. If it wasn't Thancred, it was Y'shtola or Urianger after long hours of studying. She knew to keep another cup handy.

"Thancred?" She finally said as she passed the cup to him.

"Yes?"

"Do you ever dream about how things were before...?" Eirini paused, sighed, and took a drink from her cup. It too was bittersweet.

Thancred was still for a moment before he answered, "Before? How far back?"

"I think I had a dream of the village I grew up in." She explained softly, "But I'm not sure."

The two sat in silence for a moment, both favoring their cups. Then Thancred motioned for her to continue.

"What?" He questioned at her confused look. "You already know so much about me." This didn't help. "And perhaps it would help us both get back to bed before the others awaken."

"T-that is fair," Eirini noted, remembering the last time such had happened. Alphinaud and Alisaie spent the next moon trying to help her.

"It was all very peaceful. I was fishing at a river at the edge of the village. The sounds of nature surrounded me and I could hear the voices of the market in the distance." Eirini told him, her tone wistful. "Then it took my catch back home and on the way I ran into so many friendly faces. All of them seemed to know me and they were all friendly. I think my parents were among them. But I can't tell. It's been so long since I've seen them."

Thancred reached over and wiped a tear off her cheek at this point. She hadn't realized she was crying.

"Well. You were luckier than me." He admitted.

"Yes," Eirini noted with a sad smile. "I know Thancred."

"I meant my dream, Eirini."

"Oh." She said with mild surprise. "Why don't you tell me about it, my friend? It may be helpful."

"Very funny... Very well." Thancred countered before starting on his own tale.

---

Tataru let out a long sigh as she stepped into the Rising Stones.

"Oh. What will we do with you two." She said as she took in the scene before her. Eirini and Thancred sat asleep in their chairs, their tea long cold. She wished this didn't happen so often.