#hunmu rruk

[syngigeim]

Day 20 - Duel

“What is the meaning of this?” Wuk Lamat asked. “And just how far are you planning on taking us?” She asked the stone-silent Mamool Ja in front of her. He said nothing, just glanced at her, and so she and Syngigeim were led further on into the Xobr’it Cinderfield. Soon, the two were brought before an approaching Bakool Ja Ja and his goons...bringing alongside a captured Hunmu Rruk.

“Hunmu Rruk!?” Wuk Lamat exclaimed upon seeing him. The Doppro behind him forced Hunmu Rruk onto his knees. “Bakool Ja Ja, you snake! If you want my keystones so badly, you deal with me and me alone! Leave the elector out of this!”

Bakool Ja Ja laughed uproariously at that. “Is that all you think he is? Foolish kitty, this man is the reason we are here.” At her look of confusion, he only smirked and said, “Take a good look at him. Go on, look. Surely you recognize your real father!”

Hunmu Rruk closed his eyes and bowed his head at that. Why-?

“Don’t believe us?” The other head of Bakool Ja Ja said. “Then ask your trusted sellsword – she heard it straight from the old man’s mouth!”

She had to look over at Syngigeim. “Is it true? Is Hunmu Rruk my…” She couldn’t finish saying it. Syngigeim quickly glanced over at Wuk Lamat, giving her the slightest of nods and apologetic looks, before returning to a stony, steely expression of simmering rage towards Bakool Ja Ja. “...I see.” Wuk Lamat softly said.

“Now that you understand the situation, let’s see those keystones. I’ll even let you fight for them – just you and me,” Bakool Ja Ja said. “If that adventurer attempts to interfere… I’ll kill the old man myself!” he said, readying into a couching position. His goons only smiled at that threat.

Wuk Lamat could only clench her fist in rage and anger. “You despicable, heartless fiend…” He teeth were fully bared as she yelled out, “Kinsman or no, I won’t stand for you taking hostages! Come on, then! You want a fight? I’ll give you a fight!”

“Oooh, such heroic caterwauling, Promise. I’m shaking,” Bakool Ja Ja’s left head said in contempt and sarcasm. “Guard our hostage well. We wouldn’t want to tempt any thoughts of rescue,” he then ordered his men. They picked up the man, and scurried off. “By the by, house cat. They’ve been instructed to put down Papa dearest when you lose. Hopefully he’s settled his affairs.”

Wuk Lamat could hear an angered grunt from Syngigeim as she stepped forward. She swiftly put her hand out, stopping the famed Warrior. “Don’t worry. I’m not losing to the likes of him,” she said with a confident smile. Syngigeim immediately moved back with one of her lovely smiles already on her face, giving a sight chuckle as she nodded. Wuk Lamat turned to the dual-headed Mamool Ja, confident and smiling. “Well, what are you waiting for, you blessed bastards!? It’s two against one! Don’t tell me you’re scared!”

The right head gritted his teeth and growled out, “I know I didn’t hear you right…”

Wuk Lamat heard Syngigeim laugh. “Cowards don’t stand a chance against Wuk Lamat.”

“You dare call us cowards!? I’ll kill you – kill you – kill you all!” He said, clearly affected by Syngigeim’s oh-so-simple taunt. “Don’t look away, salt! I want you to watch as I tear your beloved Promise to shreds!”

Syngigeim looked over to Wuk Lamat, giving her a slight smile before she nodded and stepped aside. Since she had full confidence, there was no way Wuk Lamat felt she was ever going to lose. “Hey, eyes on me. The house cat, remember?” She took out her axe and slung it across her shoulder, glaring at Bakool Ja Ja. “I’ll say it again: I’m not losing to the likes of you! I’m going to become Dawnservant-” She said, bringing her axe in front of her, ready to attack, “-and I will protect my people!”

She rushed towards Bakool Ja Ja, shoulder-checking him. “Come you mangy house cat, so I can rip you to pieces!” Bakool Ja Ja growled as he began attacking in earnest. He let out a fearsome roar, which on it’s own felt near enough to send her to her knees, but she wouldn’t be bowed. Not so easily! She took a breath and felt the air around her cool her down, could feel the life around her, and could claw it out of the ever-cocky Bakool Ja Ja for her own sake! He rushed to another side of the sands, readying up for a massive cleave. This was simple. She just needed to get behind him, and give herself a perfect opportunity to wail on him. She could even use his aether to help her out.

I can do this! She thought, her resolve strengthening.

“My magic should be more than enough for Miss Mittens!” The left head said, and before the arena, there were some sort of fire-y orbs around it. “I’ll make you eat dirt!” The right head yelled, lifting his foot up and- Ah! He was going to shove her back. Just like how Syngigeim would do it, she angled herself so that when he knocked her to the side, she’d be nowhere near any of the standards. The kick connected and her guess was right, as the fiery orbs busted around the sands, but not near her. She rushed back to Bakool Ja Ja, continuing her attacks.

“No more tricks Bakool Ja Ja! We’re settling this here and now!”

“Still playing the part of the brave warrior?” The left head taunted while the right head summoned rocks to fall around the area, forcing her to keep moving to avoid any falls. She saw Bakool Ja Ja ready himself to leap onto a bit of sand, kicking it up with force, and so she made sure to stand far out from that attack!

This is nothing! She thought, her resolve strengthening.

He again made to cleave across the sands and she again used that opportunity to feel the life around her and restore her vitality with his aether. And she felt it! A pulse of energy! Her will and resolve! “Miss Mitten’s is no longer amusing me!” The left head said, annoyed.

“This rite has taught me so much!” Wuk Lamat said, readying that force of energy. “About my nation, my people, and myself!” She could feel that will strengthen her, help her, as she struck Bakool Ja Ja with it’s full force. The left head, in retaliation, set up more...standards, she figured she could call them. There was some new ones now, ones that shone with a green light. If the fiery ones exploded around them in a circle, surely this one would do something different. She stood close and as it exploded, it exploded in a gust of wind around her but not too close to the standard itself. It was safer to be close to those. Good to know.

Bakool Ja Ja rushed across the arena again, “What? Can’t keep up?” His right head taunted.

Ha! You’re the one who’s being predictable! She thought, her resolve strengthening.

Bakool Ja Ja dashed into the centre, still being annoying when all she needed to do was attack him! “How do you like this?” The left head said, casting some sort of spell and leaping up into the sky. When he came back down, there were three other Bakool Ja Jas with him, all readying up his sword slice. “Here kitty kitty kitty!” He taunted. Only one of them was gathering aether, she could see it! She got behind and attacked him as he cleaved and the rest of the false Bakool Ja Jas exploded.

“I finally understand what it means to live in peace!” She said, feeling that massive surge of energy once more. “To greet each day in safety and happiness!” She took that force of will and struck Bakool Ja Ja with it.

He grunted, frustrated and angry. “Irritating pest!” he said, roaring out for force. “It’s time we finished her, Brother.” The left head said. “This is the end for you, kitten!” The twin heads said, and something felt off with the ground around her. Like she needed to take the force of his rushdowns, or else something much worse would happen. She rushed over to each area, thrice around the sands, taking the full force of each time Bakool Ja Ja struck at her.

I’ve gotten so much stronger than I was before, she thought, her resolve growing stronger still.

The left head set up the standards again, and the right head readied to kick her. Once again, she found the safe spot, a wind standard she could be safely knocked into. He readied another rush of strikes against the ground. She withstood every single one.

“It’s not enough to claim the title of Dawnservant,” she said, feeling that rush of energy once more. “I must carry on Papa’s legacy – his love for our people!” She said, unleashing it once more.

“Flea-ridden upstart! Why won’t you die!?” Wuk Lamat didn’t care. She just kept up her assault against Bakool Ja Ja. She was getting somewhere, she knew it!

He rushed to another corner of the arena and the left head set up some more standards, but before she could realize what had happened, she was enchained by them, and he was readying to kill her, gathering up dark aether. “Fine! I’ll show you the true power of the blessed!”

She grunted and struggled and felt the chains easily break away from her. “I will be the next Dawnservant! And I’ll protect my people’s happiness to the last!” A massive rush of power emboldened her. She brought up the earth itself to help her, to be the mighty shield Tural needed! To withstand the full force of the coward Bakool Ja Ja! “That’s why there’s no way…” she said grunting, “...I’ll ever lose…” She felt the earth rise up in front of her. “...to the likes…” The light between her defence and his attack was blinding, “...of you!”

And in a golden light, she struggled to her feet. This wasn’t over. Tural itself stood with her.

“What!? But that was everything I had!” Bakool Ja Ja said in frustration.

One of his goons yelled out. “Agh, I can’t stand this any more! Attack!” A flurry of bandits was upon her as someone was throwing magic spells around the arena. She took wide swings at the bandits, doing her best to dodge around the spells and magic.

“This is our fight! Stay out of it!” Bakool Ja Ja yelled in frustration.

Stay calm. Just like Syngigeim. You can handle this. Wuk Lamat thought, her resolve strengthening.

“You bring shame upon us,” The left head of Bakool Ja Ja chided, joining the fray once more.

“You think we care about your stupid pride?” One of his underlings chided back. “This is for Mamook! We cannot loose!”

Wuk Lamat heard, but kept calm. She needed to be focused. Ever moving, but always doing. That was one of the most important things of battle Syngigeim told her. Always be doing something!

“Oho! The great Bakool Ja Ja needs help, I see!” She grinned and taunted. “Send your whole army, you still won’t win.” She felt her resolve surge again. “I will prove that my allies are right to believe in me.”

“Such confidence. What changed? She wasn’t like this before?” An underling said, scared to the point of quivering. She laughed, as she felt the will of her resolve once more. One, two, three, four, five strikes with her axe and finally! Finally, Bakool Ja Ja was forced on his knees. She had won!

She sheathed her axe and strode towards Bakool Ja Ja, who pounded the ground in frustration. His tablets fell out and with it, the one that held the stolen keystone. She bent over and grabbed took it out and placed it back within her tablet. “I reclaim what you stole,” she said with finality.

“N-no… H-how can this be?” The right head of Bakool Ja Ja said, with something approaching fear and horror in his voice. The left chimed in, “How could that puny house cat beat all of us…?”

Wuk Lamat folded her arms. “You’ve caused nothing but trouble with your dirty tricks. “Threatening the Hanuhanu, releasing Valigarmanda – harassing me is one thing, but you’ve endangered too many innocents! No more, Bakool Ja Ja!” She said, clasping a fisted and together in resolve. “I will not stand for it! If you even think of tormenting my people again, you will answer to me!”

“Nooo...nooo…” The two heads muttered. They were distraught yes, but it still felt a little strange. Wuk Lamat thought he would be more angry at her. Instead he was...scared? The two screamed and ran away in horror.

A Hoobigo sighed and stepped towards Wuk Lamat and Syngigeim, who rejoined her. “And he goes and forgets he had the way blocked…”

“What? That was his doing?” Wuk Lamat asked.

“Well, that was my suspicion as soon as we heard about the blockage,” Syngigeim added.

“The only part left in the saga is the Lay of Brotherhood – in Mamook,” the Hoobigo said. “The plan was to force you here so we could take the rest of your keystones.”

“So that’s what he was up to… but, uh, should you be telling us this?” Wuk Lamat asked.

The Hoobigo sighed. “What does it matter? You’ve beaten us. It’s over.” He turned away from her. “We’ll release the hostage,” he said, as he walked away.

“No need, I’m way ahead of you there!” Melya strode forward with Hunmu Rruk beside her. “What, you think after the incident with the bandits I was not going to keep an eye on Bakool Ja Ja? Fat chance of that happening,” She said.

“Huh, well done,” Syngigeim said. Melya responded with bright smile and a slight giggle.

Hunmu Rruk stepped forward to Wuk Lamat. “I’m sorry. I was careless.”

“Are you alright?” Wuk Lamat asked. He nodded. Still there was- “So what Bakool Ja Ja said… about you and me…”

“I – Ah, but to single-handedly defeat Bakool Ja Ja!” He stumbled but swiftly praised. “You are truly the Dawnservant’s daughter.” His face brightened, and he said in earnest. “It has been my honour to bear witness to your journey, Promise.”

Wuk Lamat kept looking at him as he smiled at her. Like a proud parent but...she knew what he was not saying...and what he did say. “Promise… yes, that’s what I am.” She knew what she was. “I’m Gulool Ja Ja’s daughter, and Tuliyollal’s next Dawnservant!” She matched his smile. Melya decided to step forward and behind Wuk Lamat, gently touching her back for a brief moment and giving her a smile. She nodded to her and then turned to Syngigeim. “Come on. Let’s rejoin the others.”

Syngigeim gave her own smile and nod, and the four of them began to make their way back to Iq Br’aax. Wuk Lamat stretched out her arms. That was a lot of work! She thought. But she felt warmed by the sun’s rays above. She was going to be the next Dawnservant, she was all but sure of that now.

[castellankurze]

One thing I'd like to see from Dawntrail patch content is some kind of "Labors of Bakool Ja Ja" side chain or MSQ subplot where Bakool Ja Ja retraces the steps of the Succession journey and does some community work.

Ok'hanu Where he attempted to steal the Ihih'hana festival float and threatened violence when opposed. Reparation: Gathering reeds and learning to weave new roofs for the hanu hanu buildings, which teaches delicacy and respect for the work put in to maintain their homes. In specific he works with Linuhanu and Wuk Evu to ensure he gets the job done right.

Wachunpelo We didn't see his work here, but I wouldn't put it past Bakool Ja Ja to hear "bring me an alpaca from the valley" and immediately use his bulk and strength to forcibly carry back a screaming, spitting, terrified animal that needs serious pacification. Reparation: Herding a group of Tobli's alpacas from Wachunpelo to Miplu's Mate Garden to pick up a shipment of mate leaves and bringing them back without them spitting on anyone. Contributes to the pelu pelu love of trade and their care for their animals.

Earthenshire Where he failed to bring in any returning or new Potsworn. (He also tried to fight Zoraal Ja and kidnapped Wuk Lamat, but that's part of the game.) Reparation: It's probably too late to recruit new Potsworn by now, so maybe something to do with crafting, I'm fuzzy on this one. Maybe helping the moblins talk to the independent crafters at Cracked Cistern?

Worlar's Echo The big one; not only did he fail to climb Worqor Zormor and fight Gurfurlur, he loosed Valigarmanda on the world putting untold lives in danger. Reparation: I like the idea of Gurfurlur tasking him with taking up a big load of stone and the pair of them climbing the mountain together, martial arts master & student style; once at the top Gurfulur has him use the stone to build a sepulcher and directs him to carve Yok Huy runes into it which turn out to tell the tale of how he freed Valigarmanda, how he changed the course of history for Mamook and defended Tuliyollal. And then they fight, natch.

Iq Br'aax Another big debacle. Failing the cooking challenge for one, but more importantly kidnapping the Elector Hunmu Rruk and threatening his life. Reparation: I like the idea of him redoing the cooking. Dawntrail is enamored of its food and usage of it in storytelling, and giving the blessed siblings a chance to cook real xibruq pibil (with the challenge being to cook enough for everyone in the village) maybe even with Hunmu Rruk stepping in to help, seems a good way to revisit this part of the plot with a healing metaphor.

Mamook My instinct is to say there's nothing for him to do here; after all we had a whole plot about him helping Wuk Lamat pull the Mamool Ja hardliners away from their obsession with blessed siblings. Add to that the way his father the Autarch bullied him and this was already where Bakool Ja Ja really started his face turn. Reparation: A part of me still likes the idea that he asks the Autarch to resummon the shade of Gulool Ja Ja for a fight and although it's close, he's losing until the three mamool ja he was previously traveling with jump into the fight to help him and they win together; and together they all bury the hatchet on how crappy they all were to each other.

Tuliyollal You squashed our tacos. >:( Reparation: Dinner at the Xbalyav Ty'e to conclude the quest chain.

[aotopmha]

I had no idea they were doing an emergency maintenance and didn't see the notice, so I was kicked out during a series of really good cutscenes.

I was all invested, so it just made me laugh.

The one level 94 twist involving a certain character got me nicely.

They've got something really, really good on the character and thematic level here if they take full advantage of it.

Spoilers for lvl 94 MSQ.

For talking so much about peace and harmony, Wuk has actually never tried to truly reach out and communicate with her more "hated" siblings. Particularly Bakool Ja Ja, but also Zoraal Ja.

And I think this is kind of true for Koana, too.

To me it seems like she keeps moving forward without truly fully emotionally processing what is going on.

And the situation with Wuk having a "real" father is interesting, too.

Gulool Ja Ja is her true dad, after all.

I hope we get at least a little bit more of Hunmu Rruk. It's a interesting complicated situation within the trope of found family.

Because Rruk cared and still "lost" her.

As far as we know, he made peace with it, but I think it's an interesting idea to think about.

And then in the cutscene after everything with Wuk, we get a really good one with Koana with much about the same idea on the macro scale, about leadership and genuinely connecting with people, but that one was the one that was interrupted by the maintenance and I couldn't finish.

And thanks to this bit of substance, I think I can finally properly spell out why some people dislike Lyse so much (outside of those who dislike her because she is a female character).

I think it's because eventhough it's obvious she learns, people don't feel it; it still feels fake to some, unearned to those who dislike her character, not just that she's boring, annoying or one-dimensional or whatever else. (And that's valid!)

I personally liked how her character came together, but struggled to put into words why some might dislike her so fiercely, but I think this is what it is.

And I think this is also how some people feel about Wuk Lamat. The story and even she herself says she has grown and she even acts differently, but some just don't feel that supposed growth or don't see it as genuine. Thus she is "annoying" and "one-dimensional" for some, which leads to this strange vitriol (nevermind her voice actress being a trans woman and Puerto Rican).

And I think this is the potential in Wuk's character so far. She truly, genuinely needs to learn how to slow down, be honest and connect with others, particularly her brothers. And I think this is where the story is heading in regards to her.

If it's not, that's a shame, but I think this could be some of the strongest character material in the entire game if properly developed and leaned on in the writing.

The little flashback Bakool Ja Ja had after the solo duty and how those who were with them treated him was interesting, too.

I can see how people would see all of these characters as one-dimensional rather than mystery boxes because I think some of these elements in their characters are pretty missable, but I've really enjoyed the environments and the cultures themselves, the sense of adventure.

And I'm waiting for the shoe drop and how all of this work on part of the writers comes together.

Or whether it does. It's entirely possible I think it doesn't, but at this point I definitely don't agree with the more extreme takes I've seen. At best they've got something really amazing brewing here, at worst a cute adventure with wonderful locations.

I think so far, especially these zones and music might be my favourites out of all of the expacs, even compared to ShB and EW and some of their amazing tracks and zones.

And I think the gameplay substance itself has been great. Great first two dungeons and first trial. I think it's really good as a game if nothing else.

The Solo Duty in this section was another pretty solid one, too, for example. Not as interesting in gameplay/narrative integration as some of the ShB or EW stuff, but still solid.

[tobyfoxmademeascaly]

Dawntrail Part 13

In which i get to swing around bakool ja ja like an olympic hammer throw. hopefully

hey. know what I said about how hunmu rruk is DEFINITELY related to wuk lamat. remember that

REMEMBER THAT

HM. HMMM.

CALLED IT

WHO would try to harm ms. kitty. I want names and addresses.

... i dont like the look of this lizard

oh that's not a good sign

... but also if this is my chance to So Long Gay Bowser bakool ja ja i'll gladly take it

oh i dont trust this

DIPSHIT SIGHTED

yeah to be fair. it was a bit obvious

LET. ME. CHUCK. THIS. LIZARD.

how many cat puns do you even have on hand. im impressed honestly

awww, you're all red in the face! believe me ive been WAITING for a chance to speak the truth.

GO KITTY GO

Oh my god. she really is a shonen protagonist

Naruto Cat... they could never make me hate you...

FRUIT! GUMMY! REOBTAINED!

BECAUSE SHE HAS THE POWER OF GOD AND ANIME ON HER SIDE

off he goes. tail between his legs

yeah of COURSE it was his fault that i can't gather bananas. of course. fucker.

CATBOY CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. Calling it now, he and his sister are going to share the title of Dawnservant. Their dad has two heads, it'd be easy to justify.

"I share in thine experiences with undiagnosed autism"

OOOOOOUUUUUUGH GLOWING JUNGLE

imagining some poor mugger or something setting upon what would SEEM like the easiest duo to handle to the unaware. Only to realize The Unmatched Ferocity Of The Teenage Girl

somehow bakool ja ja was NOT the first to be disqualified

HEY i'm the only one here with rights to dunk on that man. lay off.

... this is going to be some sort of mad science mass graveyard, isn't it.

Next Time: we bear witness to The Horrors, probably.

[myrfing]

I feel like it's been a long time since they gave a place an actual history too so I'm so into the bits where they talk about the history of tural. NOT THAT it doesnt exist in shb/endwalker but in shb, norvrandt sort of exists between a giant cataclysm and their end with the flood literally erasing most of the world's history. i wanted so much more about amh areng but the tragedy is in the fact so much of it was lost. of course stuff endures nonetheless and I loved those ruins scattered about but it's not exactly a LIVING history like tural is. EW had sharlayan and radz and apart from well vrtra's backstory lol and some minor mentions of conflict between the au ra and the arkasodara, i honestly still feel like I know nothing about their histories and much of it is handwaved off with "well they're neutral states". the unsundered world is still a world written "without a history" to me which is neat as a storytelling device but again doesn't satisfy the itch for THIS WORLD the way this does oh fuck I forgot hunmu rruk was talking to me and I keep thinking the occasional mosquito buzzing ambient noise is a bug in my headset and I've been trying to hunt down the thing biting me irl all night aaaaaaogggguh

[ofdarklands]

wuk lamat, i thought you might be 24 like erenville. are you telling me you're 19 or less

*looks at my personal timeline* girl the twins are older than you...

hmmm. considering the earlier convo with alisaie, this would indeed hit hard for mitr'a

it is very interesting how it's now we who have secret conversations with the powers of the land, and we make our own plans that we cannot tell our companions and students about, because we have given our word. so far, we have context everyone else is lacking. what a new feeling

also having made my guy officially declare himself as The Twins' Dad in endwalker, this certainly has been a fucking story so far

mitr'a, absolutely serious: if someone -other than me, playfully- threw alisaie down a cenote, i'd kill everyone in this continent and then myself. personally speaking

hunmu rruk, getting an ominous feeling: i... appreciate the agreement?

mamool ja listening behind the tree, also getting the same ominous feeling: uh

[dualcastimpact]

The thing about writing up my Dawntrail impressions months after playing it is that they're either what's jogged in my memory after seeing the screenshots I've taken, or they're things that made such an impact on me that I remember how I felt even months later.

That whole thing with Hunmu Rruk and Wuk Lamat I'd mentioned in the latest impressions I'd posted? That was the latter case, and that's not a good thing.

[dearestcherry]

i've made it to mamook now! as soon as hunmu rruk mentioned it was mostly traditionalists who are wary of outsiders, and probably won't be too welcoming... i thought of how it sounds similar to the garlemald section of endwalker, my favourite part of the expansion by far.

upon arrival, the dialogue was much the same! the citizens "clearly had no intention to speak with me." they did respond verbally more than the garleans did.

i'm keeping an eye on this response's wording. "sorry, but i can't talk to you." i have a feeling i'll enjoy this part!

[voidsentprinces]

Hunmu Rruk: Yes, Master Galuf WoL: :O Krile: :O Wuk: :3

[zylphiacrowley]

I am respectfully calmly demanding X’vahl’s answers for 13 and 17 for the Dawntrail questions please!!

WoL/OC Dawntrail questions!

Since you so respectfully and calmly demanded it lol:

13. What was their initial impression of Cahciua?

Having already been made privy to the fact that she was Erenville's mom, X'vahl was actually kind of nervous to meet her? He had a rough relationship with his own mother (which is it's own whole can of worms tbh) but Erenville seemed enthusiastic to have him meet her and he spoke quite highly of her so he figured they must've had a good relationship so he wanted to make sure he left a good impression. Upon first actually meeting her, or rather "meeting" her little robot avatar he thought she seemed… intersting? Sweet maybe? After he noticed Erenville acting so much differently than what he had expected (given how he spoke of her previously) he was immediately put on high alert though. His trust issues given previous betrayals were telling him that something wasn't adding up and he was partially convinced that this wasn't even her and it was some sort of trap being laid for them. He was cautiously accepting of her after Erenville confirmed that this did in fact, seem to be his mother though.

17. The theme of family and legacy is repeated throughout Dawntrail—did this theme resonate with your character? Were there specific moments relating to family that impacted them?

YES! A LOT! As a father himself, seeing all the familial bonds really kept hammering at X'vahl's heart, sometimes for good, like the somewhat warm melancholy of seeing how good of a father Gulool Ja Ja was to his children (mostly seeing it from Wuk Lamat's point-of-ciew of course). Sometimes for the bad, like seeing Zoraal Ja's callousness towards Gulool Ja. Sometimes they hit far too close to home and broke off a little piece of his heart, like seeing Hunmu Rruk with Wuk Lamat and being able to sympathize with the pain of not being able to raise your own children. The part with Hunmu Rruk will have left him with much to think about. For instance, if by some circumstance, he were ever to meet his children again in the future, would he be able to accept that they might not consider him their father, that they might even see him as nothing more than a stranger they share blood with? He's kept them in his heart always, but he can't even be sure they know he exists. Would he be able to concede that despite them being a driving force motivating him to keep pressing on for their sake, to make sure that wherever they are out there, they're happy and healthy and the star is safe for them to call home, that they might call another man their dad?

Thank you for hurting me the ask! ~♥ Also thank you for putting the prompts together! ♥

[toomanywols]

ough I am filled with Dad Feelings.......... both Wuk Lamat's adoptive dad and biological dad asking the WoL to take care of her..... I was really doubtful of whether or not I wanted to bring L'yara into DT but now I feel like this story is actually perfect for her LMAO

(rambling about my wol's lore under the cut)

I don't think I've talked much about L'yara's current lore here but the reason I was debating whether or not to have her go to Tural is because she's just had a baby sometime post 6.55, and I wasn't sure I'd want her to leave the baby behind, and especially now that I'm playing through DT I don't want her to bring the baby with, unless Oboro and the baby stay in Tuliyollal the whole time and don't travel with them, because Bakool Ja Ja in particular is clearly a godawful piece of shit who would not be above kidnapping an infant and I don't want to even have to think about that happening.

BUT LIKE..... L'yara's biological father chose not to be in her life because he was a member of the Ala Mhigan resistance, her mom passed away when she was young, and then she was raised by her adoptive father..... Koana being so protective of Wuk Lamat is giving the same vibes as L'yara's adoptive brother K'yaht being super protective of her....... L'yara met her biological father as an adult in stormblood and has been trying to make amends with him & understand why he chose not to be in her life and is trying to have a relationship with him now, and I'm assuming since L'yara and Hunmu Rruk were overheard talking about him being Wuk Lamat's father, surely Wuk Lamat is going to find out at some point, and there will probably be the same story beat of her trying to understand why he gave her up and them trying to have a relationship as adults......

AAAHHHHH THIS IS ALL JUST SO PERFECT FOR L'YARA and I feel like having all these loving fathers around her being like "please look out for my kid" will help her feel better about leaving her kid with Oboro...... it just still seems like it would be really hard to get her to leave them in the first place unless I throw a huge time gap in between 6.5(5) and 7.0

[dualcastimpact]

dawntrail impressions pt. x

In this installment: breaking a death flag and some realisations come to being.

Spoilers under the cut, as always:

Hunmu Rruk's gotten himself kidnapped right after confessing the truth of Wuk Lamat's parentage to Raginmar. Not that it's not a compelling drama angle, but the sheer pacing from Hunmu Rruk spilling his heart out to then immediately getting kidnapped is really way too fast, there's almost no impact to the revelation. It's just there to set up Bakool Ja Ja's scheme.

Wuk Lamat: "Come on, then! You want a fight? I'll give you a fight!"

Said scheme mainly revolves around pressuring Wuk Lamat into a one-on-one fight with her birth father's life on the line and without the assistance of the singular most powerful combat force in her entourage: the Warrior of Light.

Obviously, since Wuk Lamat is a shōnen manga protagonist in the most obviously trope-y JRPG in recent memory, there's no way she'd lose even without the Warrior of Light.

———

What will you say? > Cowards don't stand a chance against Wuk Lamat. > You should back down before you get hurt. > Don't worry—the scary adventurer won't try anything funny.

I personally love how unconcerned Raginmar looks in this shot, paired with his unbothered, nonchalant response to Bakool Ja Ja's taunting. Also any shot where he's got his arms crossed and showing off his biceps and forearms is really just (chef's kiss) mwah, this game is so good to me.

Also he just looks unconcerned; if you think he's not keeping an eye on Hunmu Rruk to make sure he's unharmed via some arcane means you've got another think coming.

———

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "You think this weakling could hurt me!?"

The emphasis on me instead of weakling is really rather interesting; it shows that his disdain towards Wuk Lamat is secondary towards his ego. He cares more about the slight against him instead of insulting Wuk Lamat.

That said Raginmar did not have to stand with his hip cocked to one side like that, that is just plain disrespect, unbelievable, how dare he—

———

In this battle, you will play as Wuk Lamat.

Oh heck yeah! I love it when we get to play battles as other characters! I still remember how excited I got during post-Stormblood when the in-game messages went from "In this battle, you will play as Hien" to "In this battle, you will play as Raginmar Steelbiter"—just seeing his name on-screen like that like he's part of the cast was so satisfying.

———

Hoobigo Guardian: "We'll release the hostage."

Raginmar's figured as much since he's secretly keeping an eye on them, but I have to be honest: I was expecting some kind of betrayal from them. I really wasn't expecting this particular drama to be resolved so quickly, I was expecting some more treachery or tragedy or death.

Was this sideplot even necessary?

———

Hunmu Rruk: "I—Ah, but to single-handedly defeat Bakool Ja Ja! You truly are the Dawnservant's daughter."

Hunmu Rruk: "It has been my honor to bear witness to your journey, Promise."

Oh no, he's forcibly enforcing distance between them...

———

Wuk Lamat: "Promise... Yes, that's what I am."

Wuk Lamat: "I'm Gulool Ja Ja's daughter, and Tuliyollal's next Dawnservant!"

Hunmu Rruk's said it himself, she's destined to lead more than just the Xbr'aal. She's been raised as the Dawnservant's daughter all her life, I get where they're coming from, but also it kinda... sucks? Like they're just going to dismiss that possible bond between them? Hunmu Rruk's just going to watch her from afar, even after explicitly still thinking of her as his daughter after years?

That's some bullshit, honestly.

———

Erenville: "The twins ran me from one end of the Ut'ohmu Horizon to the other, asking about everything of remote interest along the way..."

Suffer. Time to deal with the younger siblings you never had.

———

Koana: "Our nation is built upon the bonds that Father forged during his journey across Tural."

Koana: "But so single-minded have I been in my advocacy of foreign innovations...that I failed to understand my own people."

ABOUT FUCKING TIME.

I don't care how clichéd this is, so long as I don't have to deal with his stupid insistence that tradition is bad and useless and the sun shines out Sharlayan's ass, I'm good.

———

Thancred: "Let them see you for who you really are. What makes you laugh and cry and rage. That sort of honesty is the first step towards mutual understanding and connection."

What, the kind of honesty none of you showed Raginmar during his first few years with the Scions?

———

Thancred: "You said you wished to use the knowledge you acquired in Sharlayan for your country—and in doing so repay your father for the opportunities he afforded you."

Sounds familiar eh, Thancred?

———

Thancred: "What won me over was not your ambition, but your motivation."

Thancred: "So let your people know this. And in time, they'll come to support you as we do."

Thancred: "You can't hide behind that stoicism forever."

First of all, you can absolutely hide behind a stoicism forever—Raginmar did just fine. Koana's just too green behind the ears to warrant that stoicism. He has no experience behind that stoicism, that's his problem.

Second of all, I like how Koana has his mentor moment with Thancred, arguably the most dad-like amongst the Scions. To be fair it's more to set up the plot twist(?) later on but it's nice to see the Scions not be completely useless.

———

Alisaie: "Come to think of it, isn't it Bakool Ja Ja's home? We can only hope its residences don't share his winning personality."

We're headed to the Ja Tiika Heartland next and oh, don't worry, Alisaie—they're worse.

———

Alphinaud: "If it is indeed the city where Ketenramm first met the Dawnservant, surely some civility awaits us."

Hunmu Rruk: "I would not be so certain."

First of all, calling Mamook a city is a tad generous. Second of all... well, you'll see.

———

Wuk Lamat: "Thank you for everything, Hunmu Rruk. Till next time, take care!"

Hunmu Rruk: "How you have grown indeed..."

I don't know what I'm meant to feel here. Am I meant to feel sad, that Hunmu Rruk's forced to watch his daughter walk away and hope she understands how proud he is of her without him ever having the chance (or the right) to make that apparent? Am I supposed to feel touched, that he's making this sacrifice for the greater good? Like I said, that whole conflict with his secretly being her father and having to pretend that they're not connected in any way so Wuk Lamat could focus on continuing and protecting the Dawnservant's legacy felt so rushed and so... unimportant, I don't really see any point to it. Maybe it'll be an important plot point later on, I don't know, but so far I just think this part specifically was rather badly done, and had little to no impact on me as the player.

[dualcastimpact]

dawntrail impressions pt. ix

In this installment: family revelations and the irony of having a Dellemont d'Or winner as your sous chef.

Spoilers below the cut, as always.

History learned, ibruq hunted, Ja Tiika banana leaves obtained, relevant spices and seasonings and cooking utensils acquired—now it's time for the actual cooking!

Koana: "Then all that remains is to prepare the dish itself. I presume that at least one among us is versed in the culinary arts?"

You fucking presume right, Koana.

Krile: "I can hardly claim profound skill, but I have cooked for myself. You can leave the rest to me."

Krile: "And you, I hope. As I recall, you are an accomplished culinarian."

If by accomplished culinarian you mean resident guest chef at premiere culinary establishment The Bismarck with a waiting list moons' long, three-time winner of the Dellemont d'Or and advocate for innovative travelling rations that are both portable and convenient and yet tasteful, hearty and healthy, then yeah—Raginmar's an accomplished culinarian, all right.

———

Hunmu Rruk: "In taste, texture, and aroma, you have recreated xibruq pibil admirably."

Did you really expect anything less from the plot when Raginmar's involved?

———

Sareel Ja: "The meat was marinated in spice before being steamed in an earthen oven! This is xibruq pibil!"

Hunmu Rruk: "Oh? And what about the Ja Tiika banana leaf?"

This is the fantasy equivalent of pulling FutureCanoe shenanigans in the Masterchef kitchen and then getting mad when Gordon Ramsay says you're a shit chef and you should be ashamed of yourself.

———

Hunmu Rruk: "Your dish lacks an essential ingredient. As you have failed to demonstrate an adequate understanding of xibruq pibil, I must deem your performance unsatisfactory. Your team will not receive keystones."

It's a lot less harsh when you consider xibruq pibil is really just code for "the history behind two of Turali's peoples and the conflicts that drive them until today" but on surface level that's frankly kind of ridiculous. Imagine being disqualified for the presidential race just because you didn't get a recipe right.

———

Krile: "His ambition only grows more intense. That someone could harbor such dark thoughts towards family..."

Does... does anyone remember that Wuk Lamat and Koana are adopted? Like, is it any surprise that the firstborn true-blooded son resents his adopted siblings and possibly sees them as interlopers instead of family?

———

Wuk Lamat: "This is the taste of harmony. Someone who only knows brute force and deception could never appreciate it."

Ixnay on the oasting-bay, Wuk Lamat. And again, I'm beating a dead horse here but she's acting very much like the overconfident and brash shōnen manga protagonist who's all too eager to show off what they've learned and it is not! endearing! I've always been more a shōjo and seinen fan anyhow!

———

Wuk Lamat: "You've got real culinary talent. If you ever tire of adventuring, you can always be my personal chef!"

Raginmar smiles and says "You can't afford me," and he says it so pleasantly and matter-of-factly it rather takes everyone by surprise and leaves them wondering if he's serious or joking.

(He's deadly serious.)

———

Wuk Lamat: "Um...was there any xibruq pibil left? I could really use another helping..."

Oh haha, Wuk Lamat's so immature and unladylike with her shameless request for more food and her big appetite, har dee har har. I don't know, I just don't find this way of establishing (or playing up?) her personality to be very amusing or interesting.

———

Hello? A Father's Grief? What's this expansion's got against fathers, man??

———

Hunmu Rruk: "Speaking of which, I have a query of my own for you, Raginmar."

Oh boy, here we go again.

Hunmu Rruk: "May I request a moment of your company?"

Mmhmm, yeah, sure, it's not as if Raginmar has anything better to do than to be a one-man walking-talking confessional booth for all the conflicted fathers in this expansion.

———

Hunmu Rruk: "As the leader of our community, I am gladdened to see that the Third Promise has surrounded herself with such compassionate and trustworthy companions."

Hunmu Rruk: "Would you tell me of her journey thus far?"

Weird question to ask in private considering you could have just made Wuk Lamat regale you with tales of her adventures—and I'm pretty sure she'd be more than happy to!—but sure.

———

Hunmu Rruk: "...My daughter would be about her age."

Hello??? What's this suddenly about a daughter?

Hunmu Rruk: "Girls are rarely born amongst the Xbr'aal. So when she arrived, the village was elated. Such joy I felt when first I held her...and pain when I found her at the bottom of a cenote."

Hunmu Rruk: "Three years old. An accident, it was said. But I knew better."

Hunmu Rruk: "She had been pushed."

Hello???

Hunmu Rruk: "Though we never caught them, a suspicious figure was seen fleeing towards the Ja Tiika Heartland. Towards Mamook."

Hunmu Rruk: "I was determined not to let them succeed. And so I let the memory of my daughter die in that cenote, and gave her into the care of the one person I knew who could protect her."

Hunmu Rruk: "...Dawnservant Gulool Ja Ja."

HELLO???

Hunmu Rruk: "Though she was born to lead the Xbr'aal, fate had a greater plan for Wuk Lamat."

Hunmu Rruk: "Only the Dawnservant and I know the truth. But I must now take you into my confidence for one reason."

Could these poor fathers please stop taking Raginmar into their confidences? Please! Enough! Do you know how tiring it is playing secret-keeper?! Enough!!

Hunmu Rruk: "If the villain who attempted to murder my daughter was indeed of Mamook, then rancor towards the Xbr'aal still burns."

Hunmu Rruk: "I was caught off-guard once. I will not suffer the same tragedy again."

Hunmu Rruk: "And so I ask you, not as the Dawnservant's elector but as a father, to watch over the Third Promise. Defend her from her enemies that may be lurking in shadow. Will you do this for me?"

Listen, at this point Raginmar's been implored by two different fathers to help look out for their daughter, what's he gonna do? Say no?? When the whole reason he sailed to Eorzea was because of how distraught and worried his own father was when Hyllizirn left home with nary a word??? Perish the thought.

Also this is very much a death flag, Hunmu Rruk, you know that right? I just wanted you to know that—good dads don't survive for very long in JRPGs.

Hunmu Rruk: "Suffice it to say, this conversation must remain between us. Pray breathe not a word of this to anyone."

Again with the secret-keeping!

———

Oh come on! What did I say about the death flag?!

[dualcastimpact]

dawntrail impressions pt. viii

In this installment: a trip into the past and... a cooking contest?

Spoilers below the cut, as always:

Wuk Lamat: "Hah! I've fallen into High Tide Harbor enough times to be a professional diver—there's no way I'd fall into something like this on accident!"

Falling into High Tide Harbor so many times sort of implies you absolutely would fall into a cenote by accident, you know.

———

Alisaie: "Just so you know, I shall be very cross if you push me."

It's rather tempting, I'm not gonna lie. But also good god I wanted to swim in that cenote so badly; this game always has incredible water visuals, it's almost infuriating.

———

Hunmu Rruk: "Thus far, you have faced each other as rivals. The Feat of Repast, however, will test your cooperation. You must complete this challenge in teams of two."

Hunmu Rruk: "Be warned—only the triumphant team will receive keystones. I advise you to cooperate with your partner."

Mmmm yeah that's gonna be difficult for these guys.

———

Alisaie: "Twelve forbid Wuk Lamat is paired with Bakool Ja Ja. After all he's put her through, I wouldn't blame her if she did something rash. I might even help."

This would have been a lovely moment to demonstrate how Wuk Lamat would need to work with a beloathed enemy like Bakool Ja Ja for the greater good, a foreshadowing of what she'd might have to do one day in order to be a good leader...

Wuk Lamat: "Red. Which means..."

Koana: "Together again, as fate would have it."

...but no, it's the siblings who actually get along that get paired up together in a team, with the lone wolf First Promise and the egotistic braggart, neither of whom would know the meaning of teamwork and connecting with others without a gun to their head(s), forming the other. It's a foregone conclusion at this point, surely.

———

Hunmu Rruk: "Each team is to prepare a sample of traditional Xbr'aal cuisine—xibruq pibil."

Xibruq pibil is based on the traditional Yucatec Mayan dish of slow-roasted pork called cochinita pibil, which I do believe a friend got to try on their recent vacation and I gotta tell you, I have never been more jealous. It's really hard to get any kind of South American dishes where I'm from, much less good ones—hell, it's so bad that Taco Bell is considered good around these parts.

———

Wuk Lamat: "So it might seem, but there's bound to be deeper meaning to it."

Koana: "Agreed. Given that the very future of our nation is at stake, all parts of this rite must have significance."

Frankly it's about bloody time you lot realise this about the Feats, considering you've gone through about four of them already and all of them were designed to teach you a lesson about Tural and its peoples. Good lord.

———

Thancred: "Our Promises have grown rather promising, wouldn't you say?"

I like to imagine everyone except for Raginmar is mostly appalled at this most heinous of dad jokes from the only confirmed dad of the Scions present (because puns and other awful wordplays are the few things guaranteed to amuse Raginmar), but also methinks Thancred's a little too optimistic here...

Koana: "But a leader with his vision must see that the past doesn't hold the answers we need. It is through embracing innovation, not adhering to tradition, that we will usher Tuliyollal unto a more prosperous future."

And there it fucking is.

———

Hunmu Rruk: "The first team to prepare and partake of satisfactory xibruq pibil will be deemed victorious. You will be judged by your samples' taste and appearance, as well as your adherence to appropriate cooking techniques."

So it's a cooking contest, got it, let's go.

———

Alisaie: "Did you suppose the First Promise and Bakool Ja Ja will wear matching aprons? I dearly hope so."

Ha!

———

Wuk Lamat: "Heh. Of course we do! Any team I'm on is bound to succeed."

Don't get so cocky, kid, the only reason you've made it so far is because of plot armour.

———

Cheerful Cook: "Oh no, it appears I've gone and dropped my najool—I mean, Ja Tiika banana peel! I could barely see it for all the steam issuing from my underground oven. Ahhh, there's nothing like enjoying a taste banana while you use the leaves in your cooking!"

We're going around the village looking for information on how to cook xibruq pibil and the villagers aren't allowed to directly assist us, but they sure are being obvious and heavy-handed with their tips (laughs) call me simple but them being so obvious and eager to help was really funny to me, it was cute.

———

Alphinaud: "Permit me to assist as well. Our ovens will doubtless require firewood, and I have some experience in its gathering."

Firewood-gathering aside, I'd imagine that's the only thing Alphinaud can contribute to when it comes to cooking. Maybe Raginmar would have taught him some basics over their years travelling together, but certainly nothing that would help in this context.

———

Cheerful Cook: "I was told not to talk about xibruq pibil. The history of our people and the—<cough>—important developments therein are another matter."

The history of our people and important developments therein took us to the ashen wasteland that is the Xobr'it Cinderfield, a remnant of the war between the Xbr'aal and the Mamool Ja. It's here that Wuk Evu, who's somehow made a reappearance, regales Wuk Lamat and Koana with the history of the conflict between the two races and how Gulool Ja Ja put an end to that conflict.

Of course, it wouldn't be a history lesson without an Echo trip down memory lane for Raginmar...

———

Vow of Reason Gulool Ja Ja: "Not until those affairs come to Tural—like our honored visitor here."

One thing that's really rather neat about FFXIV is how it adheres to the geographical distribution of its peoples pretty strictly, even expansions later. You'll never see a Miqo'te, Elezen or highlander Hyurs in the Far East because they're simply not native there, just like how you'll never see an Au Ra, Viera or Hrothgar in Eorzea. In Tural's case, it's clear that this Roegadyn is a visitor from distant lands not just from his outfit, but because out of the playable races, there are only Hhetsarro (Miqo'te), Tonawawta (midlander Hyur), Xbr'aal (Hrothgar) and Shetona (Viera) in Tural.

Of course, if you'd paid any attention to the lore you'd immediately clock him for who he is and know what Gulool Ja Ja meant by honored visitor, but I thought I'd just point that out.

———

Vow of Reason Gulool Ja Ja: "Tell me—do you know of the vast continent that lies far to the east, where numerous nations vie for dominance?"

Oh boy do I.

Vow of Reason Gulool Ja Ja: "That such technology exists is indisputable—as is foreign powers' awareness of Tural."

You know, for all of Emet-Selch's warmongering and conquering bullshit, I'm surprised the Empire never made it to Tural. He must've had contact with the Turali given how long he'd been around; even the Meracydians weren't exempt from the Allagans' conquest and that was very much an Ascian doing. He was the one who told us about "the fabled golden cities of the New World", he must've known about this whole thing!

———

Vow of Reason Gulool Ja Ja: "If any such country were to develop a taste for Turali soil, and bring to bear the might of innovations we can only imagine—what do you suppose happens then?"

War and conquest, brother. But also, intending to unite a disparate nation aside, did Gulool Ja Ja really think hordes of invaders from a country from the far east would be a possibility? Sure, Ketenramm managed to sail all the way to Tural from Limsa Lominsa, but that in itself was such a rare feat that it took over 50 years for someone else to successfully make that trip again and it's still considered such a dangerous and lengthy sea journey that it's not widely accessible to many outside of merchants and (select) scholars.

Which I guess answers my previous question, somewhat—no sane and self-respecting conqueror would look at the sheer manpower and resources needed to travel to Tural and go, yeah that's a worthwhile effort. Ceruleum resources aside—which Garlemald has plenty of—Tural is just not worth the effort conquering.

———

Vow of Reason Gulool Ja Ja: "You do not know the warlords of the east. But you know that if they come, they would not settle for a single forest."

Vow of Reason Gulool Ja Ja: "By joining hands, we might create a unified front—an alliance capable of repelling them as any other foe."

I mean, if the Empire was really serious about conquering them I don't think the entirety of Tural combined would have stood a chance, but okay.

———

Vow of Resolve Gulool Ja Ja: "Give us an evening to convince you."

And thus by the power of good food were the two warring peoples united! Incredible! Amazing! If only we could end every war like this!

...okay that sarcasm was a little unwarranted but come on!

———

I'm always happy for any reason for Raginmar to look unfairly hot and menacing when he senses a threat but honestly, with his sensitivity to aetheric signatures there's no way he only just clocked the people following them. I'm just going to chalk this up to his usual habit of noticing things and then never telling anyone about them, because I think it's so ingrained in him he'd probably die never growing out of that habit.

[dualcastimpact]

dawntrail impressions pt. xii

In this installment: the sins of a people and—what's this? A mother who's not dead in FFXIV????

Spoilers below the cut, as always:

I'm being a little cavalier about the whole mothers thing but if you really think about it, fathers (or grandfathers) play pretty significant roles throughout all the expansions. There's:

Louisoix, who kicked the whole thing off in ARR;

Heavensward which was almost completely about fathers: Count Edmont de Fortemps' and his foil Archbishop Thordan VII, with one dedicated to bettering Ishgard's future alongside his sons and the other dedicated to preserving Ishgard's past in direct conflict against his son, and Midgardsormr—the father of all dragons—giving his children wake-up calls;

Lyse's relationship with her father helping her understand the Ala Mhigan spirit of resistance better, Gosetsu's adoption of the amnesiac Yotsuyu because of how she reminded him of his dearly departed daughter, and Jenomis cen Lexentale's obsession with Ivalice impacting his children in Stormblood;

the Crystal Exarch and his granddaughter Lyna, Gaius and his adopted children, and that one questline about the young woman on the trail of her father who'd committed suicide in Shadowbringers;

Fourchenault's entire fucking deal in Endwalker;

and finally the well-meaning and doting father Gulool Ja Ja, the father who gave up all rights to that title Hunmu Rruk, and the asshole dad Zereel Ja in Dawntrail.

There's a lot to be said about (grand)fathers in each expansion like I've highlighted above, but very little about (grand)mothers. We don't know jack about Louisoix's wife. The only thing we know about Count Edmont de Fortemps' wife is that she's dead and hated Haurchefant. We don't know anything about Aymeric's mother. Presumably Curtis Hext's wife is dead just like Gosetsu's is, but we don't know anything about her in the context of the resistance against the Empire (unlike Gosetsu and Jenomis' wives whose only role is to be their Lost Lenores). Even in Dawntrail there isn't any mention of Gulool Ja Ja or Hunmu Rruk's wives; maybe Mamool Ja can reproduce asexually so there's no need for a wife in Gulool Ja Ja's case, but surely Wuk Lamat would have a mother?

It's why Miilal Ja is such an interesting character to me; living mothers are very rare in FFXIV, and she's not like the typical living mothers we've seen so far either. Barring Athena, F'lhaminn (as per my knowledge of her from 2.0 onwards), Dulia-Chai and Ameliance are all loving mothers who are in relatively good places—F'lhaminn is supported by the Scions, and Dulia-Chai and Ameliance are rich with loving husbands—while Miilal Ja is living in an abusive society (more on that later) with a very clearly abusive spouse. It makes her taking the initiative to reach out to Wuk Lamat and ultimately reveal the darkness behind Mamook all the more meaningful—it's easy to take action when you're a woman of action (F'lhaminn) or in a position of power and privilege (Dulia-Chai and Ameliance), not so much when you're beaten and downtrodden like Miilal Ja.

———

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "...What, couldn't wait to laugh at the failure?"

It's not an uncommon shōnen trope, the secretly-insecure braggart who blusters and boasts and bullies his way to hide and overcompensate for his perceived failings, who's later revealed to be facing intense pressure and abuse from a domineering patriarch. It doesn't excuse everything he's done, but among the four claimants it makes him a far more relatable character than the others—even (especially) stock shōnen hero Wuk Lamat. It's easy to dismiss this line as part of his egotism, but this is simply a boy hiding away and licking his wounds after failing to do the one thing he's supposedly good for. Maybe it's just my own experiences, but it's hard not to relate to that or at least feel a little sorry for him—especially after Zereel Ja's very public display earlier.

———

Miilal Ja: "The Third Promise seeks to learn about Mamook. She may be our chance to finally end what we have been powerless to stop."

Miilal Ja: "Talk with her. Tell her...what we have done."

And now we come to the truth of the matter: the darkness within Mamook's heart.

———

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "Fine. Perhaps it's only right that we be the ones to speak of it. "Blessed" as we are..."

Bakool Ja Ja the Mystic: "Do you know how blessed siblings are made?"

Krile: "I heard that they are born to Hoobigo and Boonewa parents."

Bakool Ja Ja the Mystic: "Such unions between clans were originally arranged to stop infighting. The war between the Xbr'aal was going poorly, and we needed to be united."

Bakool Ja Ja the Mystic: "Then one day, a child was born. One blessed with two heads...and tremendous power."

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "When this child grew old enough to lead our army, we became unstoppable. The Xbr'aal had no answer, and we drove them all the way back to the trees above."

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "That taste of victory awakened our greed. We became obsessed with conceiving more and more of these superior children. No matter the cost..."

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "Of the countless born, most die...trapped in their shells."

Bakool Ja Ja the Mystic: "Only one in a hundred survive."

Remember what I said earlier about how it's all the more meaningful that Miilal Ja is the one who takes the initiative to bring Wuk Lamat into the fold, in hopes of ending that which they "have been powerless to stop"? Even this shows her limits—as the Autarch's wife, as the one who gave birth to the blessed siblings Bakool Ja Ja, not only she would have not been exempt from having to conceive as many children as she could in hopes of one of the children being a two-headed Mamool Ja, she would have been expected to contribute the most. We don't know if the Autarch's wife plays a role within Mamook society—if she was seen as a guiding matriarch for the womenfolk—but if she did, she would have not been able to console those grieving for their lost children, or defend those suffering from what is essentially sexual slavery.

Because that's one thing that I don't see people talk about when it comes to this particular revelation/plot point—it's sad and tragic that so many children are conceived and die in their shells, essentially stillborn, but nobody talks about what it does to the men and women involved. If we're going by the idea that Mamool Ja can reproduce asexually, that might not have been an issue but! Blessed siblings are explicitly said to be born from the union of Hoobigo and Boonewa parents, therefore it's unlikely for them to come from asexual reproduction, which means sex is involved, and treating the men and women of Mamook as a never-ending baby factory is no different than subjecting them to sexual slavery.

Miilal Ja is so tied to this pervasive cycle herself, it's to the point where it's not she who reveals the darkness within Mamook's heart to our heroes—it's Bakool Ja Ja who's telling this story. And yet she's the one who reaches out to Wuk Lamat and acts as the bridge between her and Bakool Ja Ja—the hope of Mamook. Without her, there could be no reconciliation. There could be no hope for Mamook.

And it all began with the words of a weary, downtrodden mother and wife. That means a lot, I think.

———

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "If we are "blessed," it is only because we yet live. Unlike our brothers and sisters who were sacrificed for the glory of Mamook."

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "Of course it's horrible! It's an atrocity we can never take back!"

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "Those children died so that we could live! So we had to succeed, no matter what! To fail would mean it was all for nothing! ...Nothing!"

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "...But I did fail. I squandered their sacrifice."

And there we have it. It's not just pressure from the overbearing, domineering, abusive patriarch—it's the weight of all the dead children before him, born to die for the sake of Mamook's glory, so heavy on his shoulders to the point where he's internalised the sins of Mamook as his own.

———

What will you say? > I sympathize with your pain, but... > Don't use them as an excuse.

There comes a point where as much as I enjoy seeing my Warrior of Light take center stage, I don't really like how the game shoehorns the Warrior into reacting in situations that don't involve them. Dawntrail has several of these instances, and they're all the more aggravating considering Wuk Lamat is supposed to the main character—so why is the Warrior of Light chiming in when it doesn't involve them? Remember, the Warrior of Light is only acting as a mentor, an outsider providing a third perspective, a neutral party there to assist their chosen claimant. They're not here to judge, what the heck.

———

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "I...I should never have been born."

Now that's just fucking sad, man.

———

Of course, since Dawntrail is basically the shōnen manga/JRPG tropes expansion, we can't have a scene between the stock shōnen hero and her bully of a rival without a rousing speech from the hero!

Wuk Lamat: "You're wrong."

Wuk Lamat: "You didn't ask to be born as you are, and—you aren't responsible for your siblings' deaths."

Wuk Lamat: "The people obsessed with blessed siblings are. They made their choices...but they don't make yours!"

Wuk Lamat: "Since when do you let others push you around, Bakool Ja Ja? What do you want? Say it!"

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "I...want it to end."

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "I don't want any more to die."

Wuk Lamat: "Then you have my word. We'll put a stop to this madness."

———

Can't forget the bully turning over a new leaf and apologising...

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "I'm sorry. For what I've said...and done. I don't expect your forgiveness."

Wuk Lamat: "You had your reasons. I'm glad I could know them."

...and a heart-warming scene of the two putting aside their differences to work together for the betterment of all.

———

Aaaaaand finally the stock shōnen hero derails the tension with a cheeky, juvenile joke—that's always a classic!

Wuk Lamat: "Which is to say...you're not a complete alpaca's ass."

(sighs)

I have Thoughts™ about this whole plot point, most of which I've outlined re: Miilal Ja and the inherent sexual horror of Mamook's obsession with the blessed siblings, but also I know, I know the premise of so many stillborn children being birthed to the point where it's said to be countless is supposed to be horrifying in itself, but a good degree of that horror is diluted by the sheer fact that the Mamool Ja are, well, non-human. They're very distinctly reptilian-coded, they would have been (and were!) known as beastmen before FFXIV did away with that terminology, Bakool Ja Ja states that the infants die in their shells which means they're born from eggs... and I get that a life in an egg is a life regardless but people don't really think of eggs that way! You don't feel sad when you see a smashed bird egg, or mourn the loss of potential life in that egg. Yes, it's very likely Mamool Ja eggs don't quite work that way but it doesn't really register; there's so much distance from the reality of that horror that it doesn't really sink in. We know so little about how Mamool Ja reproduce and procreate and the exact circumstances surrounding a Mamool Ja's birth—do they lay eggs? do the women keep the eggs within them until the embryo inside reaches infancy like a pregnancy, or do the eggs mature outside the mother? is laying an egg as painful a process as giving birth?—to the point where that horror doesn't really connect for us. I can't help but wonder why they made this a plot point with the Mamool Ja—was it a clever way to create conflict around the existence of two-headed Mamool Ja, or was it because if we applied this same concept to a more mammalian or human-like race, it'd be a thousand degrees more traumatising? Imagine women constantly getting pregnant and giving birth to stillborn babies, again and again and again and again—

It's the stuff nightmares are made of.

I'd usually say I'm happy to hear your thoughts on this matter, but 1) I'm STILL at level 95 MSQ so would appreciate no spoilers regarding the Mamool Ja since I know we learn a little more about them in the later stages of the MSQ; and 2) it's frankly too disturbing to think about.

[dualcastimpact]

dawntrail impressions pt. xi

In this installment: a terrible mistake is made.

Spoilers under the cut, as always:

After the Feat of Repast, we move on to Mamook for the next part of the Rite of Succession.

She clearly has no intention of speaking with you.

Well now, that's just rude.

The entire settlement is extremely dismissive and wary of strangers to the point where even the merchants don't want to have anything to do with you, and therefore you can't buy any items or mend any gear—it's really a rather nice show of gameplay–story integration. The best bit is this one Mamool Ja who's walking around the settlement: you can't talk to him, but if you keep following him around closely he'll have speech bubbles above his head asking why are you following him and imploring you to just go away and leave him alone.

I did feel a little bad harassing him like that, but it was really rather funny watching him become increasingly distressed at being followed around by some stranger (laughs)

———

Zoraal Ja: "Bested...by a mere shade..."

Alphinaud: "Not as you know him. What you see is an arcane manifestation of the Dawnservant as he was in his prime."

Zoraal Ja thinks it's beneath him to have been defeated by "a mere shade", but Raginmar's probably having flashbacks to all the primals he's had to fight—because primals are basically "arcane manifestations" of the originals too, and his first time fighting Ifrit he genuinely thought he was going to die. They're no joke.

———

Zereel Ja: "Tuliyollal's mightiest warrior... Yet wisest you are not. You who spurned your retainer's aid when battling your betters."

I want you to pay real close attention to the Autarch's words here, when he's lambasting Zoraal Ja for fighting solo instead of with his retainers. Just take note of that.

———

Alphinaud: "To prove oneself superior to blessed siblings by surpassing the shade of Gulook Ja Ja himself—that is the final feat."

Alphinaud: "The First Promise fought alone and fell short, but that is now the least of his concerns."

Thank you, Alphinaud "Mr. Exposition" Leveilleur, for the recap. Genuinely we could have learned this just from the scene with Zoraal Ja and Zereel Ja alone, I don't know why we needed to have the situation spelled out so blatantly like this.

———

Zereel Ja: "You could have let your foolishness end with your failure. But instead you attempted to harm an anointed elector."

Oh shit.

Zereel Ja: "Zoraal Ja. As of this moment, you are no longer a claimant. I disqualify you form the rite of succession. Begone from my sight."

Sure, Zoraal Ja absolutely fucked himself over when he gave into his rage and attacked the Autarch, but at the same time you can't help but feel his glee in disqualifying Zoraal Ja considering...

Zereel Ja: "My dearest child. Welcome home."

...he's Bakool Ja Ja's father. Like, that has got to be a conflict of interest, right? Sure, Hunmu Rruk is also Wuk Lamat's blood father but at least it was a secret! It wasn't like he went around blatantly siding with Wuk Lamat over the others like Zereel Ja is so clearly doing here. Also why are there so many fathers in this expansion???

———

Zereel Ja: "But ere we begin, I would see the fruits of your triumphs. Come, show me your tablets."

"The fruits of your triumphs"—dude, he's so confident that Bakool Ja Ja's going to win, that the pride of Mamook will be the next Dawnservant. How's this proper behaviour for an elector anointed by the Dawnservant to hold the heavy responsibility of watching over the Rite of Succession when he's so clearly biased?

———

Zereel Ja: "What is this? Where are your keystones?"

Zereel Ja: "Explain yourself, boy!"

I don't know how old Bakool Ja Ja is, he's presumably either in his late teens or early twenties but I hate the way Zereel Ja immediately defaults to calling him a "boy" the moment Bakool Ja Ja doesn't live up to his expectation. If we had doting fathers with Gulool Ja Ja and Hunmu Rruk, now we're getting the asshole dad with Zereel Ja.

———

Zereel Ja: "No matter. Not all can be expected to go to plan. What keystones you lack..."

Zereel Ja: "...you can easily take."

HELLO??? This is clearly biased, unsportsmanlike behaviour from an anointed elector who's meant to be unbiased and impartial, is no one paying attention to this?! Gulool Ja Ja, just how do you pick your damn electors, man!

———

Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty: "I...I tried. B-but I couldn't—I cannot beat her."

Zereel Ja: "You mean to tell me that you, glory of Mamook—for whom all here have sacrificed—were defeated by your inferiors?"

Zereel Ja: "You are as useless as your siblings. A failure."

Zereel Ja: "Leave and never return! You have no place here!"

That's kinda harsh, dude failed once and it's immediate banishment??

———

Bakool Ja Ja the Mystic: "...Let's go, Brother."

I know he's a prick but from the get-go he's never really set up to be the irredeemable kind of antagonist, I think. Zoraal Ja's the same way too, I think neither of them were meant to be hatesinks but Bakool Ja Ja sort of takes the cake here with how much you can relate to him if you have any experience with abusive parents.

Even the way he tells Zereel Ja that he's unable to defeat Wuk Lamat hits home for me; reminds me of the times when I had to admit not having done well in exams and I'd be given hell for it from my mother not unlike how Zereel Ja's treating his own son.

———

Zereel Ja: "Worthless! Pathetic! This was our chance to claim sovereignty, and he ruins it!"

He genuinely could not have been more blatant, how is nobody complaining about thisssss

———

Raginmar Steelbiter strongly disapproves. Wuk Lamat strongly disapproves.

I like how no dialogue was needed to convey the sheer disapproval from our heroes here.

———

Zereel Ja: "But...when these stragglers fail, Gulool Ja Ja will be forced to extend his rule. And in the next rite of succession, we will present a better claimant."

Zereel Ja: "So come. Stand before me...and fall."

(gestures wildly at Zereel Ja) This man very clearly does not intend to not let anyone else pass the feat! How is he an elector!

Also again, I want to take note about the way he talks about presenting "a better claimant" with what's going to be revealed in the next post. Just wanted to note that.

———

It's really incredible how they can convey a tired, beaten and defeated mother and wife in this one single shot, with a non-humanoid model without any particularly distinguishing features. I took one look and I recognised her.

Maybe because I knew what a beaten wife looks like.

———

Zereel Ja: "Do as you will. But until you triumph over the shade, you shall proceed no further."

Jesus, we get it.

———

Dignified Lady: "Promise, I would speak with you. Meet me on the western outskirts."

Oh?

———

Alisaie: "That was a dramatic escalation..."

Really, Alisaie?