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dawnslight-aegis · 7 months ago

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and that's a wrap on my tarot series! the upright majors, at least. there may be others sometime in the future if I am seized by a combination of insanity and hyperfixation once again.

you might notice a few cards are a bit (or in the case of the fool and alternate chariot, a lot) different! I did a few retakes for consistency/style.

below the read more I've included a bunch of notes about symbolism and reasoning behind my choices if that interests you!

(tag for individual card posts)

0. The Fool: Ardbert was really the only choice for this one. He's our stand-in, our shard, our mirror. Feo Ul is included partially because of lore (they are my co-WoL's shard on the First) and also because they also fit the themes of adventure and new beginnings and exploration. Most of the cards I played pretty loose on the posing vs traditional depictions, but this one I wanted to hew a little closer, which is why he's on a cliff with a foot hanging over the edge a bit, with his axe standing in for the bindle. This is my second attempt at the card -- the first was in Il Mheg, but I moved it to Kholusia (Ardbert's home) and dawn to more closely symbolize that it's the beginning of something. Attempts: 2. Difficulty: 8/10, posing Feo Ul was annoying.

1. The Magician: This card could have had several subjects, chief among them Alphinaud or a more modern G'raha, but I settled on Alisaie a) because the other two cards I had in mind for her (Chariot and Justice) were already taken, and b) the card's focus on physical magic and depicting the "tools of the trade" reminded me a lot of Angelo's creation! So that's why she's here, and why I set the card in Matoya's Relict, among the tools of magicians who came before (Matoya, Y'shtola). I retook the shot because I was unsatisfied with the blurriness/the way the light covered her face in the first one. Attempts: 2. Difficulty: 5/10, simple pose but working with Impact's spell effect complicated things.

2. The High Priestess: Another that I never questioned who would appear on it. Y'shtola's arc is entirely about uncovering forbidden, secret knowledge and wisdom, so she fits beautifully. The blue-white orb and the purple staff depict duality between dark and light, and how Y'shtola walks in two worlds, seeing things that are beyond sight, standing before an altar/holy place to the Night's Blessed. Attempts: 1. Difficulty: 2/10. Premade pose, knew where I wanted to place her -- the only thing was finding a prop for her off hand.

3. The Empress: Hoo boy did Minfi give me some trouble. I knew that I wanted our Antecedent, who provides both authority and care for the Scions, to represent the Empress, but I struggled to find a depiction that wasn't, well, boring. Minfilia is deeply linked with the Solar, and I didn't want to lean too hard into Word of the Mother/Hydaelyn territory, so I settled on a triple goddess-like idea. Attempts: 3. Difficulty: 6/10. Not mechanically difficult, just conceptually.

4. The Emperor: Another one that I knew who I wanted but struggled with the concept. Haurchefant is very much emblematic of the stability, structure, and masculinity provided by the Emperor, but it wasn't until I decided to add his equally-Emperor-coded father that things settled into place. Together, Edmont and Haurchefant evoke the image of father and son as well as king and knight, filling both major male authority roles that the Emperor exemplifies. Attempts: 4. Difficulty: 6/10. Same as the Empress.

5. The Hierophant: this one was one of the hardest to choose a subject for -- the WoL's allies are largely a bunch of revolutionary firebrands, and I disagree HEAVILY with the popular choice of placing Aymeric here. So I landed on Alphinaud -- out of the Scions, he is the one most concerned with tradition and the "right" way to do things, with formal education and structure. He wants to bring Sharlayan into the modern day, not upend the institutions that raised him and that he very much still respects, much like how he still respects his very traditionally Hierophant-coded father. So I placed him in his family home with a sort of smug look since he can be a pretentious little shit sometimes (affectionate). The spell effect is from Kardia, and I paid special attention to having the shapes align perfectly with the lines in the background, to give a sense of stability and order to the shot, especially contrasted with Alisaie's more dynamic and chaotic depiction. Attempts: 1. Difficulty: 4/10, entirely in alignment.

6. The Lovers: Hrasevelgr and Saint Shiva are a great choice for depicting the Lovers as two people, but no one does the Lovers in one subject better than Ysayle. Invoking the spirit of a woman who died for love in order to bring harmony to her people, but it truly being her own power and her own choice the whole time... it's great. Her pose is her transformation/summoning pose, turned into a gesture of affection, which I was particularly proud of. Attempts: 1. Difficulty: 3/10, posing monsters is always a little funky.

7. The Chariot: This one has two options -- my co-WoL, Marz, and Tataru/Cid/Nero for the NPC variant. All 4 characters share a singular drive and refusal to let anything stop them once they've set their mind to something, and the 3 NPCs have the added benefit of being associated with a literal "chariot" in the form of airship design. Marz's place on Shadowkeeper has some lore associations (Cylva is her shard on the 13th) as well as being a void mirror to Kaede's sin eater shot. For both I wanted to have dynamic poses to evoke the activity of the card. Attempts: 1 (Marz), 2 (NPCs). Difficulty: 3/10 for both, no major hurdles once the lovely @/karoiseka pointed me at an airship in NG+.

8. Justice: The heart of the Justice card is its emphasis on truth, and no character in FFXIV is more committed to truth even in the face of great suffering than Aymeric de Borel. Because of this, the shot is taken at the top of the Vault, where he confronted his father over his concealment of the truth of the Dragonsong War. The card is usually depicted with a woman holding a sword and balanced scales -- Aymeric is holding his sword in a pose used in statues in the Pillars, and the symmetry of the shot/light and shadow split down the middle is meant to give the feeling of balance. Attempts: 1. Difficulty: 1/10. I knew my concept, location, and shader before I even went in, and it came out exactly like I wanted.

9. The Hermit: Originally I had Urianger for this card, who still fits well, but when I moved him to Wheel of Fortune, there was a clear second choice: The Exarch. He even resembles the Hermit, with his cloak and staff, holding himself in isolation and possessing secret knowledge with which he guides the party. G'raha has grown out of this role as of Endwalker, but the Exarch fits it to a tee. I wanted to show his longing to return through his body language and reaching out for the portal that shows him the world he is set apart from. Attempts: 2. Difficulty: 4/10. Nothing major but did have to do two entirely separate cards lmao.

10. The Wheel of Fortune: The one I struggled with the most, conceptually. At first I had a more abstract choice, with the 3 starting city state leaders and Tataru, in a sort of "fate leads to the Scions" idea. But then I remembered that Urianger is a fortune teller who uses a wheel-like weapon with a literal wheel of cards, and, well. Yeah. The man is intimately associated with fate and choice, and the choice to place him on the moon is intentional, to separate him from his more secretive depictions in HW/ShB. He is the one who prepares our second option (flight) while giving us the choice to make our first (fight). Attempts: 2. Difficulty: 7/10. He's up on a high ledge that's not normally accessible and that's always a pain in the ass.

11. Strength: The one that started it all. The original shot of Kaede contained some layer elements I wasn't happy with so I ended up retaking it to better cohere with the others. Strength is about confidence and inner strength "leashing" power, symbolized by the woman and the tamed lion, and there's exactly one good lion model in XIV -- Forgiven Cruelty. It also has the fun side meaning of Kaede conquering and wielding the light that almost killed her. For Moenbryda's, I went with something simple -- her axe to symbolize her strength, but with her archon mark and the Sharlayan Thaliak statue prominently featured, emphasizing her intelligence. Attempts: 2 (Kaede), 1 (Moenbryda). Difficulty: 6/10. Kaede's was straightforward enough (though I had to wait an annoyingly long time for the sky to shift colors correctly), but Moenbryda's involved me floating her up on a building so i could get Thaliak in the shot correctly.

12. The Hanged Man: Holy moly this one was a PAIN IN THE ASS. I knew from the minute I started this what I wanted to do with it -- Lahabrea holding Thancred's ankle as he reaches for Minfilia. The Hanged Man is one that I felt it was especially important to mimic the iconic pose on the card, and this was how I decided to do it, but it took me over an hour and a half to accomplish. Anyway, the Zodiark idol stands in for the Tree of Life, which I really liked. Attempts: 1. Difficulty: 10/10. Absolutely infuriating to have to pose 3 actors in three dimensional space like that.

13. Death: I only ever considered Estinien for this card. It stands for transformation and change, for shedding the old to make way for the new, and I chose to depict that by having his old corrupted drachen mail posed behind him like a shadow or an abandoned husk. He has left the hate and the rage behind, but the helmet is meant to symbolize that he always remembers it, and carries it with him so that he can do better. His lance is also vaguely reminiscent of the traditional Death scythe. That spot in Coerthas is where he challenges you in the early DRG quests while controlled by Nidhogg, as well as being just visually striking. Attempts: 1, but it took a while. Difficulty: 9/10. The ground is very much not flat, the helmet is on a minion, and I had to change angles and locations a few times.

14. Temperance: I briefly considered Hythlodaeus here, but Krile fits very well. Calm, competent, but unsure of her own worth. I chose Eureka Hydatos both for its importance to Krile as well as its easily accessible water -- instead of pouring from a cup, Krile is looking at her reflection. This one came together so quickly and easily. Attempts: 1. Difficulty: 1/10. In and out of Eureka in less than 20 minutes.

15. The Tower: Originally, before I reshuffled, G'raha was going to be the Tower simply because I didn't know where to put him, and I couldn't think of an ally who is ultimately a destructive force, but it always bothered me because he truly didn't fit. Meteion, though -- despite her innocence and unwillingness, is THE destructive force within Endwalker's story. This card had the highest hurdles -- I had to get 7 friends to help me queue for Endsinger and then leave, and I almost couldn't get my tools to load Meteion in properly. After that it was smooth sailing, however. I used the whole lockout timer, but this was only the 4th shot I took, and it's one of my personal favorites. Attempts: 1. Difficulty: 4/10, purely for queuing.

16. The Devil: Addiction, obsession, and control -- Zenos was the only answer for this card. I included Zero as well, despite intending this to be a primarily 6.0 and earlier set, to represent the humans bound in chains to the Devil, using the way she's pinned between Zenos and the scythe to symbolize that she's trapped. Afterward I realized this exact shot and character choice would have also worked quite well for the Tower, as well, but I ultimately prefer the Devil for him. Attempts: 1. Difficulty: 3/10. Came together surprisingly easily, despite the fact that I had to make Zero's hat touch pose myself.

17. The Star: Symbolizing hope and new life, I can think of no one better suited than Ryne and the Empty. Ryne herself was given her own new life when Minfilia passed on her power, and the ability to make her own destiny -- and she used that power to revitalize a barren wasteland. My first version of this shot had a photoshopped in central star, but I decided to revisit the concept with an in game effect for the star instead. Helios provided what I needed, with the fun extra benefit of some additional rainbows (happy pride!). Attempts: 3. Difficulty: 3/10. Nothing crazy beyond trying to find a good angle to get the star in the shot, as well as Eden and the rainbow crystal. Second attempt I messed up the framing and had to redo it again.

18. The Moon: The card of dreams, fear, anxiety, and secrets, Gaia is perfect here (and a lovely companion to Ryne as the Star), though I did briefly consider Urianger as well. I wanted to have Gaia on the sand, with the moon hanging between the crystal walls of the Empty above her, but the angles would NOT cooperate to allow me to get the moon in the shot. So, levitation was the only answer. Fortunately it suits Gaia well, especially the distance that it evokes. Attempts: 1. Difficulty: 6/10. I hate midair posing.

19. The Sun: Another card that sprang fully formed into my mind. Joy and fulfillment is symbolized by Lyse enjoying the morning light in a free Ala Mhigo, thinking of Papalymo. It also allowed me to get both of these very different characters into a single card, as they are very much a package deal, though I did consider Papalymo for the Hierophant as well. Attempts: 1. Difficulty: 2/10. Came together very quickly.

20. Judgement: The last two cards of the Major Arcana are very high concept, with very lofty ideals, so they felt hard to pin down. I thought of doing both my WoLs here, or maybe Elidibus with his three forms for light, dark, and balance. But ultimately I ended up on Emet-Selch and Hythlodaeus, as the sort of "final judgement" before the battle with the endsinger, the last step before everything ends. Their literal rebirth, the resolution of Emet-Selch's conflict with the WoL, the not-redemption but understanding reached, our efforts judged worthy -- it all just seemed to fit. The card design is simple but I hope the colors and emotion of the scene carry the weight of the arcana. Attempts: 1. Difficulty: 2/10. No major roadblocks.

21. The World: At last we arrive at the end, not only the last posted but the last taken as well. I always knew I wanted Venat/Hydaelyn for this card, as she is the literal heart of our world, as well as an Azem who has reached the end of her journey, as Ardbert was one who was at the beginning of his all the way back at the Fool. But when I didn't use Elidibus anywhere else, I decided to add him here as well, since he also served as the heart of the star for a time. Light and dark united together, watching over Etheirys. The one who destroyed our world in order to save it, and the one who saved our world only to try to destroy it. Perfect symmetry, a completion of the circle. Attempts: 1. Difficulty: 9/10. I had to stitch together 3 separate screenshots in photoshop, with the fore and backgrounds cut apart so I could control the opacities separately. Probably the card that took me the longest, but it was worth it.

#ffxiv #ffxiv tarot #tarot #ffxiv gpose #had so much fun with this project #I've wanted to do it for years #I'll link this on twitter in a couple days but y'all get it early

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lost-tales-ffxiv · 8 months ago

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Alisaie doesn't know who Fray is, or any of how Dark Knight works. But whether she like it or not, she can't deny the face that stares back at her from the Abyss was her own.

#ffxiv #alisaie leveilleur #drk!au #dark knight alisaie #bonus picture because I like how red it looks #if only I discover that shader sooner #ffxiv gpose #gposers #my gpose

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fisherrprince · 9 months ago

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more of dark knight alisaie feat Comics

#ffxiv #alisaie leveilleur #MAYBE ITS A BIT OBTUSE BUT. SO IS THE DRK QUESTLINE-#she doesn’t know what fray looks like only that he’s a powerful mentor. the drk stone resonates with her and forms her esteem into a mentor #she would trust - looks like Ari #says his name is Fray #All ch’ari told her was that he’s powerful the drk abilities are the way they are and that his mentor was named fray and sort of looks like #him! That’s all her subconscious has to work with #ch’ari #my art

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voidsentprinces · 8 months ago

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myreia · 4 months ago

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Sketches of Times Lost

Day 20: Duel

a duel between friends, a moment of forgiveness. alisaie, warrior of light. set at an undetermined time during shadowbringers. written for ffxivwrite2024. rating: general words: 2189 ao3 link

The mid morning sun rises high above Lakeland, nestled between waves of puffy clouds. For all appearances, it is a regular day, bright and airy and cheerful—and completely ignorant of what is happening below.

The fields outside the Ostall Imperative crackle with energy and whoosh with wind, magic searing the air as it passes back and forth between the two combatants. A clash of blades, steel striking steel, then synchronized shouts as they part ways and fly back, catapulting in graceful arcs to opposite sides of the arena.

Alisaie lands on her feet, nimble as a cat, boots scuffing the ground as she skips backward and falls into a crouch. Sweat drips down the back of her neck, hair is plastered to her forehead, breath catches in her throat, and yet her body is thrumming with the thrill of it all. Her rapier slips in her grip and she tightens her fingers, holding fast, her focus balanced above the palm of her other hand. A smirk tugs at the corner of her lips.

One. Two. Three.

Her head snaps up, bright eyes searching for her opponent, and moves.

She darts across the trampled grass, careful not to slip—the sun has not quite warmed away the dew. Aether surges within her, a roar of wind and lightning, her focus trailing a line of misty red behind her. Across the clearing, Aureia stands, firm, patient, prepared, waiting with the stillness of a black mage and a stance reminiscent of a dark knight’s. Her outstretched rapier tilts downward, her focus hovers above her head, its rotating beads of fire and ice sparkling in the bright light. She gives no sign of her next move—it is what makes her a daunting opponent.

How do you predict the unpredictable?

Alisaie is determined to find out.

With a yell, she cuts her rush short and pulls to a stop, ramming her rapier and focus together. Blinding red light spirals out of it and bursts across the clearing. Aureia cocks her head to the side, eyes narrowed as she watches the wave of red rush towards her—why isn’t she moving?—rapier still downturned. At the last minute, she sidesteps and lets the magic shoot by her, its impact rustling her clothes in its wake.

“You missed,” she calls, ruby eyes shining with a challenge. “Surely you can do better than that!”

“Ha!” Alisaie grins. “For all you know, that was the warm up and this—”

Her fingers twist, drawing aether from her focus. A crystalized bulb of red blooms above Aureia’s head.

“—is the grand finale!”

Aureia’s eyes flick upward. Without moving a muscle, a shimmering barrier springs up around her, glistening like a rainbow in the sunlight. A second later, the bulb bursts, its power scattering uselessly across the barrier and evaporating in an instant.

Alisaie’s jaw drops. Though she desperately wishes to shout that’s not fair, she has no choice but to shove the childish part of her down and hold her tongue. To be true, it isn’t fair—that shield’s strength has a whiff of a gunbreaker’s skill about it—but she never specified that their sparring match include only red magic. She has no desire to raise the issue now. That would be something Alphinaud would do. Insist on fairness.

Besides, if Aureia draws on all aspects of her training, it will only make it more satisfying when she finally beats her.

Aureia sweeps her dark hair out of her face. “Then shall we continue?” she suggests, smiling deviously. “A chance to redeem your grand finale.”

“Must you rub it in like that?”

“If you like—!”

She charges forward. Alisaie skips back, feet slipping on the dew, and bends over backward as Aureia’s blade flies overhead. She twists, shaking with laughter from the close call, and spins, grounding herself as she raises her rapier in return, dancing between the choice to cast and the choice to strike.

“You should take care,” she begins. “You never know when—”

Aureia strikes again without warning, forcing her to leap back. Their rapiers clash, Alisaie catching the tip of Aureia’s blade in a parry. The Warrior of Darkness shrugs it off, steel singing in the air, and continues her slow, determined march. “Roll forward and under next time,” she says. “Get closer to your opponent.”

Alisaie twists to the side, dancing on the edge of her range, and brings her focus and rapier together once more. “I don’t want to be closer!” she says through clenched teeth, releasing a jolt of magic. Aureia deftly sidesteps it—as expected—but hitting her wasn’t the point. Aether courses through her, revitalizing her, its power pulsing within her veins. “I want to—”

“You want to control the battlefield, no?” A flash of steel, a clash of swords. No time to release her spell. “Rapiers are like lances, or any weapon with reach. Moving backwards only keeps you in their range, but they are out of yours. They can follow up quickly—”

She presses the attack. Alisaie ducks once more, narrowly avoiding the blow. She didn’t even bother to counter it this time.

“Like that.” Aureia pauses, holding her rapier aloft with poise. This is the difficulty with fighting her—she has studied too many forms, trained in too many ways, become an expert with too many weapons. Her combat style is informed by a myriad of backgrounds; even when she prefers one over another, the lessons from the other always bleed through. “But if you move into them, you are too close for their weapon to hit easily—”

A blue glyph appears above her head, crackling with energy. Lightning-aspected magic rains down around her, striking the ground. Aureia curses and reels back, shrugging off the magic.

“Or I could hit now,” Alisaie says with a smirk.

Aureia meets her eyes. “Your mana is out of balance,” she remarks pointedly.

“And I didn’t invite you here to be lectured, I invited you to spar.” She raises her rapier once again and grins, eyes shining with the thrill. It has been a long time since they have had a proper bout. Not since before they came to the First. “As the others seem to have no faith that a sparring match between us won’t blow up the surrounding area, how about we say enough talk—let’s give them a show.”

Aureia smiles and settles into a new stance, outstretching a hand in an invitation to attack.

A duel of two red mages is like an improvised dance. Harmonized to each other, pushing and pulling, testing the limits. Quiet pauses wherein they take a breath, movement coming to a halt as the next spell is cast. Moments of speed and grace, executed with unerring precision. More than any other combat style, it seeks balance—magic and melee, black and white, attacking and defending.

Alisaie whoops with glee, eyes bright, her ponytail flying behind her as she darts in to strike and darts away. She is faster than Aureia, less skilled, but more reckless. And she has grown stronger during her time on the First. If she can simply wear her down, perhaps she can gain an advantage.

A green glyph appears above her and she leaps to the side, a blast of wind rushing over her. Wind, lightning, fire, and stone—Aureia alternates faster than she can keep track, light wisping around her focus, somehow casting and moving at the same time. How she can so quickly prepare a complex spell without standing still, Alisaie doesn’t know. She still struggles—and remembers the days when she had nothing but a scholar’s codex to reference. She has long since outgrown the need for books and paper, but she has so much further to go.

She turns, throwing a blast of magic at Aureia, and darts in for the attack. Their blades clash and she pushes her back, the well-trampled grass turning muddy beneath her boots. Alisaie grunts, determined to hold her ground, and an idea takes hold. She pivots and pulls back her blade, then dives under Aureia’s blow and strikes, sending a jolt of lightning down the blade—

“Ouch!” Aureia gasps in surprise, her fingers seizing, and drops her blade. Her focus remains spinning above her other palm.

Alisaie whoops and lowers her blade. “Ha!” she crows. “Admit defeat, Aureia, I finally have—”

Aureia gives her a flat look and tosses her focus. It hits Alisaie’s blade and sends it flying, the silver edge glinting as it tumbles through the air and out of sight. She watches it go, mouth open, too shocked to move.

“That… is not fair,” she says finally.

Aureia throws back her head and laughs, her whole body shaking. Alisaie’s lips twist and she slaps a hand over her mouth, holding back a laugh, but it doesn’t last for long. Soon, the both of them are clutching their stomachs and giggling uncontrollably, their voices echoing right across the clearing. Finally, they flop down on the grass and stare up at the endless blue sky above.

“Call it a draw?” Aureia says after a moment.

Alisaie exhales a breath. “No,” she groans, resting her arm across her forehead to cover her eyes. “No. As ridiculous as that was, you won. We don’t have to call it a draw just to soothe my ego.”

“It was a good trick with the verthunder. I’m sorry. I… got carried away, I think.”

“You were thinking on your feet, using your resources. Countering a dirty trick with a dirty trick.”

“Even so, I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard.”

“To be honest, I was afraid you weren’t going to go hard on me. If you had given me the victory outright, I would be quite cross with you.”

Aureia chuckles. “That’s a relief then,” she murmurs. Alisaie can hear the grass rustling as she sits up. “You have many good reasons to be cross with me.”

Alisaie pauses, her stomach sinking. It was only a matter of time before this topic was broached. They did not part ways on good terms on the Source. Just prior to the fateful Alliance meeting where Thancred’s soul vanished, they had had a terrible fight. Aureia’s secrets had been unearthed at last, blindsiding them all. For years they did not know that the Warrior of Light had roots within the Garlean Empire, nor that she had once been their agent. They didn’t even know that her name was not her own.

Kira quo Theorzen. That was her name once.

How strange how suddenly so much and so little made sense.

Some in the Alliance saw it as a betrayal. Lyse was furious, Yugiri shaken, Hien struck silent. But for Alisaie, it wasn’t the facts that stung. It was the fundamental lack of a trust from a friend. Thinking on it again, she doesn’t care who or what Aureia was in her past, that is all long gone now. But she did—does—care that she never trusted her enough to tell her on her.

She was angry. She was angry even as their friends fell one by one, pulled to the First by the Exarch’s summoning. She was still angry when she herself was taken.

It was a year before she saw Aureia again, and by then things had changed. There is only so long anyone in their right mind can hold onto past hurts when there are more important things at stake, but even if their forgiveness has been unconditional, it has been unspoken. And if they do not speak of it… perhaps the shadow of it will never disappear.

“I do,” Alisaie says finally, lowering her arm. “But I wouldn’t say I was entirely reasonable on that front. It would be insincere of me not to recognize my own faults while shunning you for yours.”

Aureia nods quietly and pulls her knees into her chest, resting her chin atop them. A breeze picks up, tugging at her loose hair as it rushes through the grass. “I don’t know what I can say,” she says. “I can offer an explanation, if you would like. I can say that I’m sorry. And I am. I have no good reason as to why I hid this from the Scions, but most of all from you.”

“I think you do.” Alisaie pushes herself up on her elbows, gazing calmly across the clearing. A few adventurers have struck out from the fortress, some by foot on the road, others taking flight by amaro. “When you have finally found your place, you are terrified of losing it. I think it’s understandable that anyone would do what they feel is right to hold onto what is dearest to them.”

“Yet by doing so I almost lost you all.”

“And you found us again.” She glances at her, a smile on her face. “That’s the most important part, isn’t it?”

Aureia smiles back. “For what it’s worth,” she says after a moment. “I think our duel does count as a draw.”

“Then I’ll be certain to beat you properly next time.”

#ffxiv #ff14 #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv fanfic #ffxiv fanfiction #ffxivwrite #ffxivwrite2024 #writing tag #myreiawrites2024 #shadowbringers #alisaie leveilleur #aureia malathar #oc tag

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dalmascan-requiem · 11 days ago

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Hope's Capriccio Moments: Magicks

(Gen-uary Jubilee 2: Coworkers)

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Imagine if he realized.

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Read on AO3 or keep reading after the jump

content warnings: none

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It's time for the second Gen-uary Jubilee prompt, and yes, it's another post-EW chapter, technically! This time, we could choose between coworkers or enemies, and I decided coworkers would be more fun.

I mentioned G'raha helping Kris to learn how to aetherically summon a greatsword so he didn't need to carry on around, so I made this one about that, as well as various other bits of Kris's lore that's only been kinda implied. Shame Kris is a bit of an idiot huh

"It's a bit difficult, but once you get used to it…" G'raha Tia falls silent as he concentrates, and a few seconds later a sword and shield materializes in his hands.

"I see…" Kris bends over to examine the aether-based weaponry more closely. "So I should be able to do the same with a greatsword?"

G'raha nods. "Well, yes, theoretically…" He frowns, deep in thought before continuing. "It'd take more aether to make and maintain a greatsword than a normal sword, but it should be possible."

"So how do I control my aether to do this?"

"It's… sort of similar to how you cast magic, just without a focus. You move your aether into your hands and envision it becoming a blade."

Kris frowns, then focuses on his hands for a moment. G'raha could feel the aether shifting, and eventually, a small dagger formulated. "Hm, not quite the right size, but it is a blade…" He shakes his hand with an annoyed grunt, then stares at his hands again.

Huh? How did he manage to make a blade already…? Channeling aether without a focus isn't easy… G'raha continued to watch as Kris tried to manifest a greatsword, and—while unsuccessful—he did manage to make a blade the size of a normal sword.

"Gods, this is tiring, and I haven't even done it right yet!" Kris sighs dramatically. "I don't know how you manage it so often, G'raha."

"The decades of practice helps."

Kris laughs. "Well, I hope I can learn to do this before I'm 200. I don't wish to carry a greatsword everywhere…"

"I don't believe it'll take that long—but try not to rush it, or you may feel some ill effects."

"Right." Kris nods, once again dispersing the aether, before sitting on a nearby crate with a huff. "I'll try again tomorrow, then." He warmly smiles at the Mi'qote. "Thank you, for trying to help."

"O-oh, it's—" G'raha faces away from the Warrior of Light, trying to hide a blush. "I know you came to the First with a greatsword, but I've always assumed you were more magically inclined, Kris." After all, he's able to control aether so easily…

Kris frowns. "I learned a bit of conjury, I suppose, when I was in the Resistance. That and Alisaie helping me with Red Magic when your summoning messed… something up, I don't know what."

"…Huh? That's it?"

"Yeah, but I can't seem to use Red Magic now that we're back on the Source." Kris waves a hand with another huff. "I guess some weird… dimensional thing?"

No, that's not quite it… G'raha knew the issue had nothing to do with where and when he learned Red Magic. While the influx of light aether left no physical scars, the marks on his soul from the light poisoning were permanent, and the aether he draws and uses will always be heavily aspected towards the element. But he truly doesn't seem to notice? Imagine if he did learn to practice magicks—

"Anyway," Kris leans back against the wall and continues, "I had been a dark knight for a while, to be on the frontlines and protect everyone, but… I've always been better with archery. I thought maybe it's better for others to take the lead—now that I have so many stalwart allies." The Viera flashes a grin at G'raha, and he feels his cheeks heat up again.

But then, Kris looks away and up to the sky, an unreadable expression on his face. "Besides, I have a reason to keep myself safe, now."

The Warrior of Light looks back to G'raha, the sudden intense glare throwing him off. "But that doesn't mean you get to keep pulling your self-sacrificial stunts. Don't make me have to… oh, I don't know." The threat and glare fizzled out as quickly as they came. "Don't make me have to think of something."

G'raha chuckles, and Kris gets up from the crate and stretches. "I have another engagement to get to, and I'm sure you're busy as well. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow, then." Kris waves to G'raha, and watches him head in the direction of the Studium. He's such a… strange, fascinating man.

#ffxiv fanfiction #ffxiv fic #ffxiv oc #my oc #final fantasy 14 #final fantasy xiv #ff14 #ao3 #genuary jubilee #genuary jubilee 2025 #series: hope's capriccio #moments one shots

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ooeygooeyghoul · 1 year ago

Text

Introductions

Hi, hello, nice to meet you. I'm Quaid, and this is the tumblr I have recycled into posting content about my lizard man. This will primarily be a FFXIV blog, as it's my current obsession, wherein I will post rambles, pictures, my art, and maybe a few other things, idk. I'll try to keep it organized with the tags, but the system is a WIP.

I've only got my main man here at the moment, but maybe I'll make some more heroes in the future! Might update this a few times, too...

Other socials - Twitter | Insta

DAWNTRAILED! - NOT A SPOILER-FREE ZONE!

Shiun Kazumasa - Primal | Behemoth

Warrior of Light - Main

B A S I C S | |

Primary Jobs | Warrior, Gunbreaker & Dark Knight

Guardian | Rhalgr, The Destroyer

Nameday | 18th Sun of the 3rd Astral Moon (May 18th)

Age | 25 years [ARR] - 30 years [EW/DT]

Height | 230cm / 8ft 6in

Homeland | Doma, Yanxia

Occupation | Scion, Sellsword, Blacksmith

Sexuality | bisexual, leaning toward men

Strengths | duty-driven, good at anything that requires physical strength, protective, unbreakable will

Weaknesses | Quick-tempered, stubborn as a mule, emotionally constipated, never asks for help, hides his hurts

Tags | #primordial flame: shiun kazumasa (main), #thaniun (wolship), #forgiven fury (Lightwarden AU), #wandering swordsmith: vulcan (ancient counterpart)

P E R S O N A L I T Y | |

An Au Ra whose face is always scowling or smirking, never anything in between. Shiun is brash, rude, and loud - fueled by constant rage. He acts almost purely on instinct and impulse, which causes his friends no small amount of stress. Don't be fooled by his prickly attitude, he's a true hero with a heart of gold. Devoted to saving and serving as many people as he can to the point of being self-sacrificing. Good luck prying any of his deep emotions out of him, he'd really prefer that those stay hidden.

B A C K S T O R Y | |

Shiun grew up in Doma during the Garlean occupation, so his early life was full of troubles. His parents were quiet artisans that submitted, which afforded them a fairly upper-class lifestyle. But Shiun was different in a way they didn't like. He got into fights with other kids, ignored his schoolwork, and was angry at the injustices he saw all around him. His family did everything they could to extinguish the fire in his heart, but he wouldn't be put down any further. After a chance encounter with a resistance fighter, he fought back against a Garlean soldier that had been harassing people in his village. The Empire didn't take kindly to that, and his family suffered for it. He barely escaped and was forced into exile at the young age of 9. Eventually, he made his way to the Azim Steppe and was taken in by a kind family in the Malaguld Xaela tribe. Scarred by his failed attempt at resistance and the pain it caused, he kept his head down and stewed in his anger for years. That is, until a voice called him to a distant land...

R E L A T I O N S H I P S | |

Alphinaud & Alisaie | practically siblings

Shiun is fiercely protective of the twins. He sees a lot of his younger self in them and has taken on a brotherly role with them. He hates that they've been thrust into this world at such a young age, and tries to urge them to just be kids every once in a while.

Thancred | lover

At first, Shiun couldn't stand Thancred. His overconfident playboy persona really got on Shiun's nerves, so he went out of his way to piss off Thancred, too. After rescuing him from Lahabrea, he stopped being so antagonistic. Over the course of the Dragonsong war, Shiun's feelings towards Thancred began to change, which REALLY freaked him out. So much so, that he pretty much ignored Thancred's existence throughout Stormblood while he considered things. He figured it out pretty quick once the Scions started getting yoinked to another realm. More on this later...

Y'shtola | voice of reason

Shiun appreciates Y'shtola's sharp wit and sharper tongue. She sees right through his bullshit and is often scolding him for his reluctance to rely on others. They get into banter contests a lot, which he rarely ever wins.

Urianger | jock & nerd

When they first met, Shiun couldn't understand a word Urianger was saying, but he learned to communicate with him over the course of their adventures. He's got a good friendship going with Urianger, where he patiently explains complex things to Shiun five times and Shiun helps him get better at socializing.

Tataru | ride or die

Shiun would die for Tataru. She continues to baffle him with her limitless talent towards anything other than combat, and he'll do pretty much anything she asks him to. To be honest, her ability to sniff out the truth and love of gossip frightens him a little bit.

Estinien | friendly rivalry

Despite being an axe-user, Shiun's skill with the lance is nothing to sneeze at. The two talk through their sparring more than they do with their words. Shiun was happy when Estinien decided to stop skulking about and join the Scions, but he still gives him shit about it.

G'raha | brotherly friends

When he found out just how much G'raha idolized him, Shiun was flabbergasted. He certainly wasn't used to that amount of admiration, and he found it difficult to deal with at first. But the hesitation faded away as G'raha accompanied him on more and more outings. Now Shiun thinks of him as a brother and irreplaceable friend, determined to make him into a hero too.

T R I V I A & E X T R A S | |

Favorite non-chocobo mount is the SDS Fenrir.

Favorite minion is gaelikitten named Potato.

Has a major sweet tooth he tries to hide from others.

Is really really bad at cooking. Don't taste what he makes for your own safety.

Actually really does like to fight (don't tell Zenos).

I tend to draw him pretty off model lol.

#ffxiv #ff14 #au ra #ffxiv oc #final fantasy xiv #primordial flame: shiun kazumasa #ffxiv wol #blog intro #wol profile #I'll probably edit this a billion times #anyway here he is #pinned post

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