#i have questions about xaela culture!!!!

[anthropwashere]

Man, I'm replaying Stormblood on a casual alt and the Lyse-Wuk Lamat comparisons absolutely SHIT on Lyse???

Like Stormblood was absolutely Lyse's Story but even at it's most egregious it didn't come anywhere near as In Your Face as Wuk's Story in Dawntrail?? Which is frickin' wild???

Like for real my biggest Stormblood Main Character Complaint is Lyse's first outfit design. Legit all I think about when she's on-screen is how unsupportive her white-ass bra is, and how likely she's dealing with wedgies with her white-ass booty shorts. Fucking for realsies, the rest of her OG outfit is great! But her "I'm 12 and unsure how to deal with puberty" undies-vibes drive me fuckin' nuts.

At least the recent graphic update saved Hien and Gosetsu's outfits? To the point that I'm probably gonna buy Hien's samurai outfit for my Xaela dude who hasn't even unlocked samurai??

Anyway outfit aside, Stormblood MSQ Lyse isn't HALF as frustrating as Dawntrail MSQ Wuk Lamat is, good christ can we stop shitting on Lyse for 5 dang minutes

[shadesofblades]

I am sorry to hear you are suffering so, and I wish you peace soon 💖

As for questions:

What's your favorite villain in the game and why?

Top 3 classes you enjoy playing?

What you'd want to change the most about a class and why?

Favorite non-FF14 video game?

FF14 hot take? (The more scalding the better)

Favorite piece of FF14 content? (Dungeon/trial/raid/etc)

Favorite FF14 song?

Sorry it took me a while to get to this one! There were a lot of questions so I took my time answering them each. Thank you so very much for your kindness ;-; <3

I'll be discussing content up to Shadowbringers.

What's your favorite villain in the game and why?

This was hard to think about bc I’m forgetful and there’s a lot of content in the game lol. But I’ve liked quite a few of the villains in the game! One of the ones that sticks out in my brain rn since I am currently bringing ShB to a close is Ran'jit. I think not a lot of people like this character, but I really loved his design and I think I just liked how duty bound and heartless he was? There are many other very good villains in ShB and throughout the game though. I just want to voice my love for the bastard lol

Top 3 classes you enjoy playing?

Paladin is my #1, I started with it! In MMOs, I greatly enjoy playing tank type classes that can take a hit. Paladins in general are an aesthetic I love a lot, be it in DnD or games or just like real life knights.

Samurai is #2, it’s just so easy now that I’ve played it so much. Also, I really love the aesthetic! I have always been interested in single sword style swordplay, like traditional samurai. It’s very elegant in the game!

#3 is a toss up that changes once in a while, but I think I currently enjoy Pictomancer! I’m not huge on casting classes because I’m impatient and don’t want to take the time to cast much, but the aesthetic for Pictomancer is adorable. The FX and sound design for the class make it that much more satisfying.

What you'd want to change the most about a class and why?

I’m not very good with designing the mechanics in games to be fully balanced, if I’ve learned anything from my actual game dev experience LOL. But I could complain about my experiences in frontlines and how certain classes and maps could be balanced better to be fairly and less painful to play. PvE and PvP are very different beasts and I feel like it’s more obvious to break down the mechanics of classes in PvP. 

That being said, DRK combos with other AOEs make me stop playing lmfao

Favorite non-FF14 video game?

I’m huge on video games but also don’t have a lot of time to play them. I’m a happy victim of gatcha games like Genshin and Star Rail, starting off is addiction with ye ol Fate/GO. But I grew up with Nintendo games mostly, so Zelda, Kirby, Metroid, etc. I like my fair share of different genres and gameplay styles: FPS, RPG, TCG, etc. 

I’m just rambling about this huh. Uh… I don’t know if I can label just one favorite, but I guess the most time I spend nowadays in a game other than FFXVI would be Star Rail? I am trying to get MH:World finished before Wilds comes out, but again, not much time!

FF14 hot take? (The more scalding the better)

OH uh… Odd that this might be a hot take, but I think Stormblood is a good expansion and my favorite trio in the game so far was introduced during it! (Hien, Gosetsu, Yugiri) And I love every piece of new culture and location in this expansion! Learning about the different cultures of Au Ra especially, both Raen and Xaela. The only thing I hate about it is the aether currents...

Favorite piece of FF14 content? (Dungeon/trial/raid/etc)

Can I say GPOSE? LOL. I really enjoy trials, I think. Something about the gameplay of fighting a single boss can be a lot of fun and figuring out the mechanics- especially with friends in your ears- is really fun!

Favorite FF14 song?

Papaya. Maybe… Gates of the Moon? There’s a LOT of good music in the whole game!

Thank you SO much @shamelessdisplay ! These were a lot of good questions that I feel like I didn't give good answers for lol

[pensola]

Xaela Lore Through the Fishing Log

One of the reasons Xaela is my favourite clan in XIV and Azim Steppe is my favourite zone forevermore is due to the lore presentend and how they are consistently shown and used. Not like how Seekers are given lore that is then contradicted in-game, or any other races/clans that are given lore but then it is all ignored because XIV prefers geographical culture and lore nowadays (which is fine, I just wish they would USE the lore they give rather than give arbitrary racial/clan lore that then never come up). Xaela's tribe facts are actually a thing that is used and referenced in the zone in many ways, MSQ, side-quests, FATEs and more. There are so many ways to learn more about the tribes and the zone's history, and it feels relevant. Azim Steppe was the first zone I ever completed all side-quests on, and I actually stopped the main-story-questing in order to do it because I was so curious about their place and culture.

One thing I love is how even the fish you can catch present humorous lore about the zone, and that the Azim Steppe fish lore stays consistent. Sure, it is never referenced anywhere else, but it is a charm to it. I just wanted to add in the ones I have found so far that I found related to lore and were not the general "the fish is named/looks like this because reasons" descriptions down below. A quick summary of Xaelan fish lore:

-The Xaela like fish. A lot. - Fishes are personifications and gifts from the gods, sometimes a representation of their love for the people they created. - Being reincarnated as a fish is seen as a high honour, only thing better would godhood. At least if you are a beloved animal.

Cavalry Catfish: The “cavalry” of its name arrives from the popular rumor that an esurient school of the catfish split a river-fording horse in two, devouring it from the stomach out. Horse-lovers and the weak of stomach might steer clear of this “meal that eats you back.” - Noted since there is a tribe that do love their horses, so I liked that addition.

Dotharli Gudgeon: This freshwater fish commonly found in the upper One River is also known as the Mol gudgeon, the Kahkoli gudgeon, the Dataqi gudgeon, the Horo gudgeon, and after whichever other Xaela tribe that insists their ancestors first caught the species. - Always love when the specific tribes are mentioned, if only because it is funny.

Dawn Herald: Denizen of the middle and lower rivers of Othard who loyally serves as the eyes of the Dawn Father, to hear the Xaela tell it. Dusk Herald: Looming larger than her dawn relative, the dusk herald benights the waters with silver-blue scales of twilight in devout service to Nhaama. - Just funny how the fish lore keeps reminding us how the Xaela view fishes as sacred and important to their gods.

Flamefish: The act of swallowing the sun burned a permanent orange hue in to the scales of this hungry fire-eater and brought about the first eclipse, in case there was any question concerning how that astronomical phenomenon occurred. - Again, fish are so important to the xaela. "Oh, the first eclipse in the world? No, no, that's not a bad omen, a fish did it."

Fickle Krait: Feared and reviled by the public for the role its deadly venom played in the infamous assassination of a feudal lord, the snake itself is blameless, exhibiting a passive temperament and not ordinarily given to biting. - I added this more because it is interesting that it mensions "feudal lord", something more suiting Yanxia than the steppes, yet the fish is only found in Azim Steppe's waters. Can help describe how some commoners in lower Othard would assosiate with the steppes.

Glaring Perch: Fiercely territorial from birth, the younglings seek to intimidate any and all who enter their perceived sphere of dominion, kin included; a posture that sits perfectly well with the Oronir. - Either the Oronir find the Glaring Perch's protectiveness well-working, or they identify with the fish' territorial attitude, and either way it is hillarious to think about.

Eternal Eye: Unblinking sentinel left in the wake of the Dawn Father and Dusk Mother's departure to watch over the Xaela in their absence. - Again, fish are mentioned to be the Xaelan creation gods' important servants.

Soul of the Stallion: "A rare white freshwater fish believed to harbor the soul of a once-proud steppe stallion" and "According to the existential hierarchy of Xaela reincarnation, fishliness is next to godliness. Horses who serve their masters well in life ascend to the waters afterward, with the most noble of destriers reborn in pristine scales of white." - This, I find, is the most important one. We know at least Dotharl and one other tribe believe in reincarnation fiercely, it would not be farfetched to assume it is what many or most Xaelan tribes believe. We do not know if this is a hierarchy for animals specifically, since they only mention horses, but still, it is written in canon that Xaela believe the only lifeform greater than fish is deity, and that is amazing.

Nhaama's Boon: A fish held in the highest esteem by desert denizens, who deem it a gift from the Dusk Mother herself. It's edible, but far from transcendent. Nhaama's Treasure: "A queen among Nhaama's boons, and lady of the waters of Dotharl Khaa." and "Believed by many of the Azim Steppe's Xaela tribes to be a gift from the Dusk Mother herself, this large wavekin is oft presented as a reward in contests of mettle held during sacred festivals." - If I ever make that fanfic where there is a big festival after the nadaam, I will absolutely include tribes gifting the Mol and my Warrior of Light this fish. My WoL is Miqo'te so she might wonder if it is an insult until it is clarified for her.

The Unconditional: "Not so much a lord as a god of Dotharl Khaa, this particular specimen is thought to be a blessing sent by the Dusk Mother and Dawn Father themselves. As such, this catch might be best left unboasted of." and "Possessed of both a dorsal fin not unlike a crescent moon, and a tail fin not unlike the rising sun, this distinctive wavekin is believed by nomads of the Azim Steppe to be the corporeal manifestation of the Dusk Mother and Dawn Father's love for their children on Hydaelyn." - I just. I just love how the fish are represented so often to be gifts from the gods to the xaela, and that they are considered reincarnations to strive for right next to godhood, and here it is explicitly said that it is quite rude, even insulting, to catch certain fish, this in particular.

Zagas Khaal: "A freshwater fish extremely common to many of the One River's northern tributaries. Its name literally translates to "river fish."" and "Ask a nomad of the Azim Steppe to blurt out the first fish that comes to mind, and without fail you will hear the name of this pervasive species, followed by an awkward silence." - I guess the joke is that they ask someone from a place with basically only a few rivers what the fish they think of is, and they just say "fish from the river".

Steppe Skipper: This fish's aerodynamic green fins allow it to jump to conclusions rather than go through the motions. The Auri Xaela, who know a thing or two about shortcuts, regard the steppe skipper as a portent of good things to come. Dry Steppe Skipper: Unlike its purportedly “lucky” brethren, encountering this withering-grass-colored variety of steppe skipper is regarded as an omen of ill fortune among nomads. Dry humor is often lost on the superstitious. Blade Skipper: Several of the Azim Steppe's nomadic tribes believe this blood skipper, native to the One River, leapt from the depths of its Yanxian home and rode the thick blades of lush Steppe grass all the way north and east to the Upper Yat Khaal where it now dwells. Garden Skipper: Some of the Othard's nomadic tribes view this large green skipper as an ill omen that their journey is about to end, and have been known to go as far as abandoning their fishing rods to the river rather than risk reeling one in. - Can we take a moment to appreciate how most of the skippers are used to determine someone's luck and fortune?

Dawn Crayfish: Devoted disciple of the Dawn Father who battles his sworn enemy for control of the Azim Steppe, and rises as his rival sets. Dusk Crayfish: Devoted disciple of the Dusk Mother who battles her sworn enemy for control of the Azim Steppe, and waxes as her nemesis wanes. - Who else are loving the amount of duelling sealife in Azim Steppe? I certainly am!

Bowfish: Xaela archers often present offerings of this high-strung arciform fish to their gods before venturing forth on the hunt.

Tao Bitterling: Though the breed is generally deemed unfit for consumption, the Mol nevertheless persist in fishing for them per the bidding of their holy men; a case of faith operating contrary to nature's plan. The Word of God: "A king among Tao bitterlings, and lord of the waters of Tao Khaal." and "The Mol believe they are made to endure divine trials that they must overcome to prove their worth. Catching a blessed Tao bitterling was one of these trials. Seeing as they did not catch it, their god will now punish them." - I always like whenever lorebits remind us that the Mol are considered weirdos by the other tribes for how much to the letter they follow their holy men and old gods.

Sun Bass: Azim in the sky is said to partake of this fish fit for a god, though you'll want to think twice before partaking yourself, as the parasites that riddle its body have proven potentially fatal to less-than-divine diners.

Sweatfish: The arduous sister of the Seraphim shines the glorious sunlit streaks of her Dawn Father against the ominous night sky of her Dusk Mother, and is said to be birthed from the very beads off their battle-wet brows.

Duskfish: "A khan among hardscales, and lord of the waters of Azim Khaat." and "Xaela legend has that this massive wavekin was born from a scale shed by the Dawn Father. Scholars insist it has simply had the good fortune not to be eaten."

Nhaama's Claw: A bivalve mollusk thought to resemble a claw of the Mother of the Dusk.

River Clam: One man's dross is another man's dinner with these clams, and while the Xaela may turn their nose up in the steppes, the Yanxians are more than happy to chow down by the river. - They are not fish, so I guess the Xaela simply don't care about clams that much, haha.

[wine-dark-soup]

ooh can you talk a bit more about the story of eos growing alienated from steppe culture and eventually being exiled?

ANON ANON THANK YOU. I already wrote a short bit about it here. Honestly this is something that was clear in my mind rather early on, and it barely evolved since. BUT ANYWAY HERE'S THE FULL VERSION. YOU NEED THE FULL BACKSTORY. DISCLAIMER:

As you may have noticed, her full name (eos rhododaktulos) isn't xaela. There's a reason for this. And strangely enough it's NOT a negative thing originally, it's even rooted in respect. Let me explain.

Eos was born to unknown parents and left on the steppe's ground after a skirmish between her tribe and another - she miraculously survived the ordeal but was completely forgotten. Maybe her parents died that day. Maybe not. Who knows. Anyway. The Qestir pass by the ruined camp and see her. They take her in and go back to the Reunion camp.

Roughly at the same time, an outsider came to the steppe and stopped in Reunion. He says he is a student of baldesion (he's voluntarily left unnamed, but i strongly like to think it was galuf baldesion himself) and that he's come here driven by curiosity and want to learn how the xaela view life. The Xaela are rather secluded and rarely welcome strangers but the Qestir - neutral tribe - let him stay and he befriends them because he's very nice and respectful (especially towards their law of silence). One evening he's having dinner with the khan and expresses his curiosity about the wailing baby that he just saw joining the tribe, because a lot of people are currently tending to her. The khan's oronir guard explains that the baby was just found and needed care and a name. Which prompts the question: why do you cling to these false deities? how do you name a baby if you Do Not Talk, Like Ever? Silence and intense stares from the khan, of course, and the oronir guard says nothing either.

Then the khan seems to have an idea for a name - he points at the sky. Now, by this point, the student of baldesion was aware of the basics of xaela mythology. it's the evening, it's dusk, the night is coming, the night is nhaama's domain, she's the moon. the student theorizes: the baby probably can't be named after the goddess; maybe the khan is trying to say her name needs to honor nhaama? that it needs to evoke the sky, sun or moon? then he exclaims "ah! if her name can't be dusk, if it is too similar to nhaama, why not dawn? where i come from, we would say 'eos' for this. 'eos rhododaktulos', the rosy-fingered dawn." the khan nods with a smile. he seems very pleased. the baby's name is officially eos.

*

Time passes; the student leaves, eos grows up. She has a normal, joyful childhood, and follows the steppe's lifestyle, i.e learn to hunt, tend to cattle, to trade, to travel according to a semi-nomadic (i think the qestir are still nomads but only leave Reunion at some point during the year) lifestyle, etc. fastforward to her 23th year on Etheirys: she loves her tribe, she's a placid young woman, with a passion for coursing the steppe - or at least, not being confined to reunion. with others, she's often in charge of tending to the qestir's cattle while the others are busy trading, or to scout areas during the tribe's migrations.

A stranger shows himself in reunion. His outfit is similar to the one the student of baldesion was wearing two decades earlier, so he's welcomed warmly - the qestir old enough to remember their previous visitor from sharlayan think that his kind can be trusted. So, this guy's an elezen called Scéléraud Gardemaloi. He's come to the steppe with a team of gleaners. Something is off almost immediately: he's rude, hot and bad tempered, and doesn't care much for qestiri laws. The tribe decides to ignore those bad signs for now: people have bad days, bad temperaments, and who are they to judge, after all, the xaela ARE hot tempered and never say no to a good fight.

scéléraud presents himself as an "associate" of the students of baldesion and says he's here to conduct a field study of the steppe. He mostly wishes to learn more about azim and nhaama and thus would love to visit sites where they are worshipped/said to reside in. but for this, he needs a guide. the qestir choose eos for the role: she's young, capable, she knows the steppe's every corner, and, interestingly, always immediately understood the rare strangers that visited reunion when they talked (the echo...). even if she can't answer, it would still facilitate communication once they'd be on their own on the steppe. besides, she's a qestir: in case they'd meet a tribe more hostile to strangers, she'd use the qestir's neutrality to show the man is their guest and must not be harmed.

anyway. eos is thrilled. but once they're off, the trip quickly becomes a living hell. scéléraud is verbally abusive towards his gleaners and eos. She's supposed to take care of everyday tasks on top of guiding the group, but if she doesn't complete them fast enough (according to scéléraud standards), she gets yelled at and insulted. On top of that, the gleaners are acting weird - they seem to collect samples from the soil? but eos never catches them in the act. she knows something is wrong but can't bring herself to complain: the laws of hospitality prevails. Besides, she only ever heard good things about sharlayan - maybe scéléraud's attitude is normal or will pass?

spoilers: it doesn't pass. he makes no effort in trying to adapt to the local culture - mostly, everyday, he wishes he had access to "the last stand's finest dishes" and refuses to eat steppe food (dairy products, cream stew, sheep meat, hunted animals, foraged goods, etc.) before actually stealing it behind eos' back.

eos is completely at a loss; the only thing that apparently appeases scéléraud is to indulge him and listen to his scientific rambling - though if you don't listen "well enough", you get scorned. but it's still better to listen to him for 15 minutes before he decides you suck than hear him scream for two hours. anyway, the steppe tour goes on; scéléraud is visibly disappointed by everything he sees and blames it on eos, who, on the other hand, is always very happy to point every detail on every building or mountain or bush or water stream - before she is ordered to stop gesticulating like a savage, that is.

one morning, when she wakes up in her small scouting yurt, her clothes are just... gone, including her qestiri mask, as well as her small sword. she desperately looks around camp while still in her night clothes, ashamed. this is of course scéléraud's doing. he pretends to be sorry and supplies her with strange clothes and a weirdly shaped sword (a rapier, but she never saw one before). the clothes don't seem to be sharlayan. They are uncomfortable, too tight, not warm enough, the wind just hits eos' skin with the same strength it would was she naked. she doesn't get a new mask.

she has no choice but complete her tasks in this outfit and with the sword scéléraud gave her. but she feels strangely tired, or worse, sick, whenever she tries to use it. scéléraud is displeased and forces her to listen to "the story of the lost magic art of gyr abania", "lessons on white and black magic", and thus on the "history of eorzea".

[nota: she doesn't understand what it is at all, but it's of course red magic. scéléraud is using her as a test subject in his experiment - he's trying to recreate red magic ex nihilo, since by this point all the red mages are presumed dead. except he barely understands how it works himself and on top of that, makes eos use the rapier without a magical focus. rather, he tried to put a semblance of magical focus directly into the sword's handle, which. doesn't allow for proper aether balance, hence why eos feels sick when she draws the weapon.]

of course she's not enough of a good student - her scattered thoughts (because of the aether imbalance) probably don't help - and gets called name at any given opportunity, especially now that, even if she says nothing, her facial expressions are visible: her discomfort is plain for all to see, which scéléraud sees as a weakness. she is now convinced she should react, but doesn't dare, for fear of consequences. in any case after two weeks of this treatment she doesn't have it in her anymore: all she can think about is to finish the trip and go back to reunion and her sheep and never ever interact with this man again. she follows scéléraud's orders because it's more bearable than contradicting him. consequently she's less and less authorized to act "the steppe way" even to provide sustenance for the group - she has to hunt with a RAPIER [i told you this guy knew nothing about survival, swordsmanship and red magic], for example - because if she did, she would NOT be able to comprehend "the lost art".

the breaking point is their arrival at the house of the crooked coin. scéléraud is suddenly extatic, even forgets about eos and the gleaners. he runs towards the crystalline structure. eos, who is now convinced enough this guy is a bad guy, gathers enough strength of will to go after him: she is exhausted and broken, but her love for the steppe takes over, and she knows scéléraud is up to no good. he can do what he wants with her, but not with nhaama's physical tie to this world.

when she gets into the house of the crooked coin, scéléraud is speaking to himself, congratulating himself, and says out loud he found what he wanted.

[nota: eos never knew what it was that he wanted. was he working on reincarnation? on crystalline monuments that were not aetherytes? was it part of his research on red magic?]

he sees eos entering the cave. she looks at him with barely contained rage, grinding her teeth, and tears in her eyes. she points the rapier at him. she gives him a chance: stop what he's doing now and no one will hear about all this. of course, he ignores her, laughing with contempt. and out of nowhere starts using a pickaxe on the crystals.

eos is so shocked she freezes for a few seconds. everything she has endured flashes before her eyes - was it all for this? by trying to play nice - thus doing good actions according to qestiri customs - did she really allow him to commit a sacrilege? but this questioning is brief: she sees him hurt the very steppe itself, and she can't bear it.

she runs towards him, and to the last, he kept hitting the crystal, laughing at eos. here she commits the unthinkable: she speaks. One single word, but it's too late: an insult, one she learned from him. In an instant scéléraud is dead.

*

this post is getting too long so i'll try to make this part brief. eos is horrified: she killed someone in a fit of rage, and she broke the prime qestiri law, and to yell an insult on top of that. the gleaners' presence kinda forces her to focus again. they apologize, and all of them decide to visit the dotharl - who share a special bond with the house of the crooked coin - to explain the situation. the gleaners do the explaining while eos is sullen in a corner. she's definitely a strange sight, dressed in outsider's clothes, covered in blood. in short, the dotharl understand that the gleaners were forced to work for scéléraud, and let them go with the promise they'll give back the samples they gathered to the land. the dotharl also understand eos did try to stop him, and thus propose to ask the qestir not to be too harsh with her.

but what's done is done: eos crawls at the qestir khan's feet, but nothing can change his mind. the problem is less that scéléraud desacrated the site - it's more of a problem for the dotharl - and more than she spoke, and spoke in a foreign tongue. this is an unseen level of falsehood for the qestir (according to their beliefs, an action is superior to words, that are lies; so words in a foreign tongue ring even less true): eos isn't eos anymore, she drifted away too much, can she even be sure she's still a xaela, and so on. she thankfully avoid just getting executed for the desecration of the site and the breaking of qestiri laws. it's a mercy: the new khan (now iturgen) always liked her. but she is immediately exiled from the steppe.

*

This happens right after the calamity that hit eorzea, so it means she has been on the road for roughly five years when ARR starts. she longs for the steppe, but feels too much guilt to feel like she still belongs to it. she is a nomad, but travels alone, which makes the ordeal more unpleasant than it already is. on the other hand she constantly needs to adapt to new cultures. except she's seen as a stranger. at the same time, she knows full well she is one, she hates their garbs, she fights with their weapons, she looks like them, and it just feel... strange. she feels out of place. she doesn't know how to act, how to feel, she's just a confused exile. Her world views were shattered: what were lies, what were truths? Wherein did they lie? In words? In actions? she is wandering aimlessly - which is the antithesis of being a nomad. This gets a resolution, but not before endwalker - she finds a new home, a new focal point, the twelveswood, around which she organizes her travels. as of now she's starting to be comfortable with her xaela identity again. but i reiterate. it took time.

[wolveragrace]

Pouty baby doesn't like to study. Ficlet under the cut.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vera’s eyes scanned the walls as she absently fiddled with the pages of her book. Reading over the page a fifth time was unlikely to make her retain the words if she hadn’t managed to by now. Unfortunately for her, the Stillglade Fane was intended for meditation and focus. As much as she has been allowed to put her own touches on this particular study, there was little to look at except more books, and she was not in the mood.

“I get the impression you aren’t enjoying your gift.”

She glanced behind her at the welcome distraction, surprised that she had not heard him open the door.

“I appreciate the gesture, brother, I really do. It’s just so… dry.”

“I would have thought you’d find the subject of your own heritage fascinating,” he questioned as he came to stand over her desk. “You never tire of asking the newcome adventurers about theirs.”

“A firsthand account of far-off places is a tad more intriguing than a book that manages to make nomadism and horse marriage of all things sound about as interesting as stale toast.”

He ignored the face she was making, leaning over to turn the book to a new page himself.

“That is in reference to a Xaela tribe, I believe. Have you learned naught of the Raen?”

“Besides those that have mysteriously vanished? Most Raen, the group of which I am allegedly a part—” 

He began to cut her off as soon as the word ‘allegedly’ left her mouth. Endearing as her stubbornness could sometimes be, he was trying to encourage her to grow out of it.

“We’ve been over this, Vera. You are not Padjali.”

A pout flashed across her face before she straightened up, mimicking her father's stoic nature. 

“You’re just jealous that I have more horns than you, E-Sumi. Now don’t interrupt. The Raen have fully assimilated into Doma’s culture, placing great importance on hierarchy and the master-servant relationship. Despite their low numbers, they are known to be loyal and trustworthy.” Vera flipped the book closed, relaxing and signaling the end of her miniature lecture. E-Sumi-Yan watched her expectantly, dutifully refraining from interrupting despite the extended pause. She sighed, dropping her eyes to her lap. “The book paints each culture with a single brush. There may be a few interesting details in there, but it’s impersonal. I could memorize it front to back and be no closer to the Au Ra than I am now.”

“You’re disappointed in the book because it’s a book, instead of a person. My purpose in procuring it for you was never to sate your curiosity, but to pique it. You seem so interested in learning about every culture but your own.”

“But it’s not my culture! I’m Gridanian! My home is here, my family—” She cut off her outburst abruptly, but he understood her all the same. My family is here. You’re my family. Not whoever left me or lost me. They’re not here. “Look, I want to see the world, I do. Every last ilm of it. But to go looking specifically for… whoever,” her eyes met his again, wide and pleading. “what if I don’t like what I find?”

“Then you’ll come home.”

[tenuuchlegch]

Do you have any headcanons or thoughts about your WOL's relationship with Hydaelyn?

Oh boy, what a question.

To start off with, I do believe Hydaelyn began "calling" Odtsetseg to Eorzea right before the calamity happened. The xaela, being a mere steppe-dwelling teen at the time did not know what to make of this unknown god goading her to somewhere far away. However, while there was a part of au ra that felt tempted to wander, there was some hesitancy in answering the visions. This was mainly due to cultural and personal experience. Xaela do not typically travel outside their sacred lands and the experiences involving her mother and twin being taken away by foreigners did not leave a good impression on dusk mother's child. Basically she felt as if she was being called away as a sacrifice of some sort. Twas not until Hotgo fell and some prompting by her father that scaled girl felt compelled to leave.

Having found more about Hydaelyn through the events of ARR, and establishing some form of communication with said entity, Odtsetseg quickly came to the conclusion that this was a benevolent being. In the very least, she did not wish for her or her newfound acquaintances to perish just yet. Even through that whole thing with Minfilia and their connection being temporarily severed, xaela never felt as if goddess intended to harm them. That was one of the reasons why during Shadowbringers, Odette had a difficult time believing in Emet-Selch's claims at first. Even after she accepted them as truth though, she refrained from any harsh judgements of Hydaelyn because auri knew the big picture was not known to her yet.

The events of EW are when she truly comprehends and accepts that she like her was a person. A very powerful one from an incomprehensible society, but still a person who had suffered eons of hardships, just so the star can be saved. In a way, she was akin towards a distant mother, always watching over her. It hurt, to end Venat's existence but considering how long she lived and endured Odtsetseg knew it only made sense that she would desire such outcomes. Plus considering what was at stake, auri didn't consider failure as an option.

[littlest-lancer]

Sabre would never have helped the Mol. She herself is a Qerel for one, and although she wound up a refugee in Eorzea (and had just. A really, really bad time there, I might add) she never let go of the heritage she'd been taught.

As far as she's concerned, she holds the same view of the Mol that many of the other more warmongering tribes do: they are weak. They participate in the Nadaam and they die, as sheep-herders with no warrior training should. That's how life goes.

For Sabre, she fights for her tribe. When she wins the Nadaam, she claims victory for the Qerel, not for the Mol. She allows Magnai and his kin to remain in the Dawn Throne purely because there's not enough Qerel that she can find to assume that throne, and in part because she has some family drama and expects it wouldn't help her tribe much. That, and because she knows - begrudgingly - that she can't stay on the Steppe herself, no matter how much she'd like to.

It's also her, not Hien, who then uses the attack on her immediately after the Naadam to justify leading the Xaela into war against the Garleans in Doma; specifically to crush the Empire's presence there as a way to safeguard and protect the Steppe. It isn't out of altruism for the people of Doma (who she cares very little about, Stormblood is a messy expansion for her filled with strife and grief thanks to Zenos that channels some of her very worst personality traits) and she certainly wasn't about to let some Doman runaway take command of a people stronger than his own for his own benefit.

Sabre really doesn't like Hien much at all, actually. She's not his friend, she doesn't consider him a strong warrior, and she certainly doesn't consider him a particularly strong leader. She leads the Xaela into Doman war out of a borderline obligation, knowing the rest of the Scions would never let her do otherwise, and even that in itself constantly makes her question whether she should even fight on their side. Nobody listens to her opinions, after all, she's just thrown at any fight they need to throw her at and expected to win for them. By the time she leaves the Steppe portion of Stormblood, Sabre's the angriest she's ever been at almost everybody in her life, especially the Scions. And even after Stormblood and she starts to sort her own head out, she never really comes around on Hien fully. She never truly trusts him given his rather imperialist idea of "force myself into Xaela culture, and use that as an excuse to lead them into war" - she can never let that go.

Good day everyone! I hope this day finds you well!

Once again, I have a WoLQotD question for you all!!

I know this may be opening a can of worms for some people, but regardless; what action in the Canon story goes directly against how you perceive your WoL's personality. A choice made in-game that you, in the mindset of your WoL, would have done drastically different?

The ending of a life or the sparing of one? Keeping your silence on something or speaking out? Choosing to go down the path you see laid out, or forging your own?

This game is beautiful in so many ways, one of the most beautiful ways is that we all have made our own unique characters. Characters that differ in more than just a few lines of dialogue here and there, so different that they really are just different people altogether despite following the same path.

I'd love to hear about what makes your WoL's different!

[the-littlest-kojin]

List Of My Characters, Haphazardly Sorted

The following page will be a list of all of the characters I am open to being approached about for RP, questions, or interactions, divided into categories to try to make the list easier to sort through.

First, my main!

Shio - Female - Identifies as a Kojin, Warrior of Light. My canon WoL. All over my blog. She’s snarky, strong, studies the cultures and languages of everywhere she meets, always eager to make friends and only has a harsh word when she feels taken advantage of. Accordingly, dislikes the Scions, who she feels take advantage of her. Loves fishing.

Further categories can be found beneath the read more! Not all of them have screens yet, but I will be adding more screens as my energy permits!

Basic Concept Characters - This category is for characters who are pretty basic, easy-access characters - ones that won’t require a huge amount of context or lore knowledge to grasp.

Conroy - Masculine, gender apathetic - Viera Archon of Aetherology, lives in Sharlayan. Very soft spoken, teaches people who can think "outside the box". Cannot cook. Has loving family.

~

Brilliant Caladium - Female - Roegadyn, adventurer. Blessed with the Echo but choosing not to overreach her limits in heroing. Does small scale jobs and tries to get other WoLs to relax and pace themselves. Jovial, friendly. Very fit.

~

Ava - Female - Viera brawler, adrenaline junky. Occasionally makes out with Sadu. Born in Rabanastre, was part of the Dalmascan Navy before Garlemald invaded. Has travelled the land since. Mainly wants to get in fights and find her family again.

~

Gologa - Male - Hrothgar soldier, was at Bozja when it got nuked, old and haggard and scarred. Can't use magic. Recently adopted a Garlean toddler. Very taciturn but very physical and practical.

~

Statera - Female - Miqo'te engineer, student of Conroy. Likes to tinker with machines in very reckless ways. Probably needs a few lectures on workplace safety. Very gung-ho, big hyperfocus energy.

~

Omikhle - Male - Lalafell, once was an infamously powerful black mage, made a deal with a demon for long life, now is a full time healer teaching students in Sharlayan. Brusque, rude, will set unruly students on fire.

~

Nith - Androgynous Agendered - Viera Ronin, wandering the land going where there are things to fight and teaching samurai arts to fellow travellers. Has no interest in politics, always interested in a drink and to hear tales of far off lands.

~

Ban - Male - Roegadyn ex-pirate, once cannoneer on the ship Thal's Mercy, now works a quiet life as an attendant at the Bokairo Inn. Very pragmatic, very rough spoken but ultimately kind in his recent years.

~

Gloyn - Feminine, gender apathetic - Viera botanist, was once a Warrior of Light but didn't like hurting people and so retired from it after some very unpleasant shenanigans. Took up healing and botany. Very short attention span, very bubbly personality. Likes glitter. Cannot hold still.

~

Odori - Female - Miqo’te singer, dancer, and entertainer. Hingan-born, spends her life travelling the world. Flirty, sultry, happy, and unusually tall. Enjoys being unexpected.

~

Khusel - Feminine Gender Apathetic - Xaela, left the Steppe after some familial clashes. Now wanders around, doing odd jobs. Travels a lot, kind of useless - vibe of “rat that went through the washing machine’s spin cycle.”

~

Alatyr - Male - Hrothgar, middle-aged traveling merchant. Travels the star over with a caravan of goods, always happy to buy or sell whatever is needed. Very relaxed, very calm, very friendly, very soft. Often found with a local beauty in a tavern, pub, or inn, drinking and smoking and laughing.

~

Blooming Arrowroot - Feminine gender apathetic - Roegadyn, full-time miner. Has two loving parents who she insisted should be able to retire, as such, works six days a week dawn to dusk to provide for herself and both of them. Permanently tired, very overworked, and can be found on her weekly days off drinking cheap swill in the Drowning Wench. Wishes she had the time or money to go see a play.

~

Unique Concept Characters - This category is for characters who I have come up with one or two unusual traits for, that come up commonly in their interactions and stories.

~

Amis - Feminine gender apathetic - Au Ra songstress, mute Qalli, writes music for a living in Radz-at-Han. Very short and explosive temper, communicates exclusively via music. Best songwriter you've ever goddamn heard of.

~

Lihtbryda - Female - Roegadyn mercenary, has a weird condition with her aether that makes her physically hot to the touch. Wants to save people and make friends but is very emotionally starved.

~

Saltsong - No Gender - Sea-deity given form, shapeshifter, usually takes the form of a coral-horned Xaela woman. Size shifter. Is the spirit of the ocean with all that entails.

~

Galdra - Feminine Gender Unsure - isn't sure what race she is, suspects artificial lifeform. Every time she dies, she wakes up again in the ruins of Nym. Has become blasé towards danger and death. Cordial but distant, has memory issues.

~

Acras - Female - Xaela, cursed by a Voidsent into becoming a vampire. Hedonistic, enjoys high society events, travels a lot. Likes to have blood from willing donors.

~

Amga Qestir - Feminine Gender Apathetic - Xaela, completely mute Qestir. Travels the world, despises civilisation. Friendly and gregarious, welcomes anybody to their campsites as they travel the world - as long as they do not speak. Lives off the land, and travels to everywhere on the planet, with the exception of any kind of town, settlement, or city.

~

Lore-Dependent Characters - This category is for characters who I have written to try to explore some particular facet of the FFXIV lore or story. Spoilers for the MSQ will inherently exist in this category.

~

Orinitt - Male - Dwarf blacksmith, had the Stoneblight that made him lose sight in one eye, shenanigans got him to the Source. Now lives in Limsa and is determined to become the best smith in two worlds. Alcoholic. Rivals with Gerolt. Very very grumpy.

~

Taraine - Genderfluid - Elezen knight, noble and heretic, lives in Ishgard. Extremely cruel and sadistic, incredibly angry at the Church and the Temple Knights, spent her life during the Dragonsong War undermining them. Now that peace has been found, does not trust the Church, is trying to find her new place.

~

Surya - Androgynous Agendered - Viis singer, lives in Eulmore and literally sings for their supper. Has no interest in anything beyond the now, wants to help people relax. Hedonist, kind, but uninterested in the long term.

~

Nehir - Male - Garlean deserter, son of Gaius. Was a sas in the Garlean army, posted on the walls at Ala Mhigo before deserting in disgust at Zenos's disregard for the men under his command. Believes in the Garlean message, hates the colonialism. Wants to help uplift people. 

~

Blaidd - Male - Elf Werewolf, given the power of the wolf by the Shadowkeeper on the First, then was stranded in the Void for years. Managed to get out to the Source, now lives in the wilderness in isolation, very uncomfortable in society. Has a very feral wolf side, keeps very tightly controlled most of the time.

~

Reson - Male - Viera escaped experiment, was in Garlean captivity for many years. Likely not his real name. Has the Resonant but can't control it, experiences physical agony if someone lies aloud near him. Very quiet, very distrusting. Has prosthetic legs, ending in hooves.

(Shadowbringers Spoilers) Amaurotine Characters - This sub-category is for Amaurotine characters I have created, who are by nature related to another character.

~

Thalassa - Female - The Amaurotine whose Sundered soul would become Shio. Once a Word of Mitron, designing microbiology for aquatic biospheres, she was given the responsibility of the Seat of Azem - against her will, but she took the duty seriously.

~

Kolokasia - Female - The Amaurotine whose Sundered soul would become Brilliant Caladium. Nobody of any particular important position or prominence, a mere florist in the Unsundered World. Collects flowers, and gives them to people who she likes.

NSFW Characters - Most of the characters listed above can be found at @the-lustful-kojin​ for NSFW content! However, there are two characters who are inherently NSFW in some fashion - be it violence, dark themes, or erotic content. They will be contained on their own blogs, which will be linked here.

Additionally,

~

Elucia - Gender N/A - Voidsent (succubus), mainly tries to seduce people and eat their aether, as well as keep their head down and not get slain by a hero. Very sexual, shapeshifter. Is NSFW for sexual and erotic themes, as well as violence. ( @thedemonelucia )

~

Nahla - Female - Elezen pirate, quartermaster on the Scorpio Siren. Is not nice. Is very ruthless. Never raises her voice. Mainly wants to keep sailing free. Hates chains. Is NSFW for reasons of torture and other dark themes, both in her backstory and her current actions. ( @quartermasternahla )

[sarenhale]

THIS IS SO DUMB but i have a question thats been on my mind!! what is your favorite ffxiv beast tribe?? :D theres no specific reason why im asking. i'm just scrolling through your ffxiv art tumblr again and suddenly the question of "what is sarenhale's favorite beast tribe 🤭" popped up ;u;

Ooooh this is such a fun question!!! I love beast tribes so much, aside from the ARR ones (too much time and grinding man, I have a limit), I have maxed out all of them in reputation and I've really enjoyed it! It's such a neat little feature in the game regarding side stories, more lore about the tribes, the funny missions and the rewards in the end.

I think my favourites have to be the Ananta, the Pixies and the Namazu!! I love the lore and peculiar story of the Ananta, they have such a unique culture and story in the game, I really loved getting to know them more and also the storyline at the fort. The pixies are of course great, Il Mheg is probably one of my favourite maps and places ever in the game, and I really like their story and funny missions too. The namazu probably take the cake because they're just so fucking great!! They're so funky looking, so funny, I love how they make that squishing sound when they walk, their propecy of getting cooked by everyone, especially Xaela (HJDGHJ???) and their missions and story. Getting to decorate Dhoro Iloh and interact with the Xaela in the Namazu beast tribe storyline was so fun and enjoyable! Plus I love crafting jobs, so getting to work with them was just great. I associate Aydee with Namazus a lot, I feel like she'd fit right in with them, wearing their festival attire and doing their dance with the fans.. I had to buy her the emote and attire from the mogstation because it was just too perfect for her 😂

She's just so dumb and enthusiastic like them... she wants to have a good time, party hard, and ride on the mikoshi!!

[bolt-from-the-dark]

LFRP: ARYNN VYXLANOVA

“The Sapphire Emissary”

BASICS---

NAME: Arynn Vyxlanova

Age: 25 Summers

Race: AuRa Xaela

Gender: Cis-Female

Sexuality: Pansexual/Demisexual

Relationship Status: Canonically Single

Sever: Crystal/Malboro

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE—-

Hair: Black with solid white streaks.

Eyes: Pale Blue with Dark Blue Rings

Height: 5′6″

Build: Rather stocky for her height, but still on the leaner side.

Distinguishing Features: Sapphire Blue Scales (Hence her Title), lack of glowing Limbral Rings, Skin is puckered around her scales from obvious trauma (refer to Carrd.). Her scales are grossly harder and less pliable than other AuRa scales.

Common Accessories: GIANT HATS (That’s it. Just hats everywhere.) 

PERSONAL---

Professions: The Emissary to Dravania and the Wilds of Abalithia’s Spine at the conclusion of the Dragonsong War. 

Hobbies: Book Collecting, Indoor Gardening (Her house looks like a Arbortorium.), A recent delve into weapons making for individuals (such as herself) that require expending vast amounts of Aether quickly.

Residence: A small Plot in Mist (Ward 23/Plot 42)

Birthplace: The Azim Steppe (Maybe? Probably?)

Patron Deity: HAHA. None.

Fears: Any sort of medical procedure (for good reason tbh), Organized religions (tbh she just hates them in general.), being stuck in the cold.

RELATIONSHIPS---

Parents: Both Deceased (Presumably)

Siblings; None

Other: She doesn’t have too many close friends or aquaintences, usually because of her own choosing, not because of lack of attempts. 

TRAITS---

Extroverted / In Between / Introverted 

Disorganized / In Between / Organized

 Close minded / In Between / Open Minded

 Calm / In Between / Anxious

 Disagreeable / In Between / Agreeable

 Cautions / In Between / Reckless

 Patient / In Between / Impatient

 Outspoken / In Between / Reserved

 Leader / In Between / Follower

 Empathetic / In Between / Apathetic

 Optimistic / In Between / Pessimistic

 Traditional / In Between / Modern

 Hard-working / In Between / Lazy

 Cultured / In Between / Uncultured

 Loyal / In Between / Disloyal

 Faithful / In Between / Unfaithful

RP HOOKS—-

•Emmisary: Do you have business in Ishgard and her surrounding lands? With complete knowledge of the Wilds of Dravania, Arynn would be your best bet for communication with the beast men and Dragons of the lands.

•Aether Manipulation: Having an excess of Aether, she became a master weapon designer, creating chakrams, lances, axes and other weapons meant for harnessing and releasing vast quantities of Aether without the threat of depletion or damaging the weapon itself.

•Social Butterfly: Never one to sit still very long, the Xaela can often be found at various parties and events throughout The Source, enjoying the nightlife and never ever turning down a drink.

OOC/CONTACT—-

Hello! Anyone wanting to know more about my lovely lizard child here is more than welcomed to send me a DM here on Tumblr or on Discord (by request). In game is a wee bit more difficult these days due to a crazy IRL schedule, but I’m hoping that will change soon enough. I also have her Carrd and F-List available upon request, but I ask that the Mun/OC in question be a MINIMUM of 21+.

I’m currently looking for long term RP with various themes, levels of intensity, Dark/Mature, Slice of Life, or even just comedic one-shots in odd settings (just to cut through the fact everyone wants to be edgy all the time, and we all need a break from serious RPs from time to time.)

Tagging: @crystal-ffxiv-lfrp @crystalxivrp @crystal-rp-ffxiv for funsies :3

[clemencied-moved]

i just finished the ranged role quest!! spoilers obviously

ranged role quest was overall good. i read it without letting my pre-determined hatred of hien cloud my judgement for it. i wouldn't rate it above healer, but it's certainly on the same quality with tank, if not only slightly better, but definitely above caster. (hien roleplayers i know, please don’t let this deter you from interacting with me. roleplay is how i try to have a different opinion of the canon character so i won’t treat you with that same distaste in character, just so we’re clear.)

at first it was unsettling entering the questline. it was weird how yotsuyu's crimes are very highlighted in here but less so of doma's hand in the tragedy which unfolded. which isn't to say that yotsuyu was definitely justified in the suffering she brought her people, but they spoke of her as if her life as tsuyu was forgiveness or freedom when it was anything but these things. her life was tsuyu was strictly monitored. i don't think you could ever really call that freedom or forgiveness. i do agree that she should have answered for her crimes properly by being alive, but she also deserved rest than being a pawn for zenos, asahi and elidibus. i would have wanted her to make amends for her actions in the way fordola is doing right now, but most of the time ffxiv hates evil women.

the izanami reference was really interesting to say the least. it's not very impressive, but it was definitely a nice touch that i can approve of.

yugiri donning a disguise for two occasions and it's just her changing out of her ninja outfit but still recognizable is fucking funny. at least the first one was. the second being the one she wore on our first meeting was acceptable and nostalgic

kisei's death communication ability reminds me a lot of temulun. i was really hoping they'd make a connection there, but nothing came out of that.

there's something good about seeing hien finally getting the scorn he rightfully deserves, but for the wrong reasons. in this questline he's being berated for his choice of granting mercy and reuniting some people, but not for the questionable decisions he had made as leader of doma i.e culturally appropriating the xaelas, the burn incident, yotsuyu's pimp etc.

something i wrote here earlier that i’ll reinstate: again, it seems super odd to mention kurenai in the ranged questline seeing as most of her character is hidden behind an optional dungeon and she doesn’t really expand her connections to the outside world unless you do her custom deliveries... like what context do people who haven’t done said things have???

like... hello?

are we to understand she extends her connection to the outside world regardless of whether or not you have a had in it?

on another note, yugiri returning home is so good. i've been waiting for them to do something about that and i've been fed. but also sad because she cannot visit as herself so a disguise must be done. YOU ACCOMPANY YUGIRI FIRST IN THIS QUEST AND NOT FUCKING HIEN IT REALLY IS THE YUGIRI DATING QUEST. like i know you accompany hien after, but this seems to be the only questline where you don't just accompany the alliance leader. that i know of. i havent done melee yet

also yugiri wearing a disguise but with her raen tail still showing is wack and hilarious cause how many raens have actually left sui-no-sato and known to take up blades??? you cant even claim her to be nagxian, eorzean or hannish cause her outfit is doman as shit

ngl seeing her parents again and that proud moment made me emo a lil bit. i chose the option to out her when her mom asked if they know each other, but she interrupted and shit. her parents loving her and being proud of her was very good to see. im glad yugiri can have that comfort and sad for hien who cannot.

ALSO BIGGEST SPOILER OF ALL GOSETSU IS IN THE RANGED ROLE QUESTS MCFUCKING GOD!!! he's a fucking healer im crying HE'S A SHUGENDO PRACTITIONER! ive never been so fucking glad to see a bald guy my entire life

the role quest was definitely a breath of fresh air when it comes to hien's character. good explanation for hien's actions and behavior overall. it almost feels like this was an entirely separate character from post stormblood hien who was just downright nasty and aggravating to deal with. i can safely say i like him in this role quest cause he was everything i loved and cared for before post sb made me want to beat his ass. it all makes sense. he made insensitive choices because he's just a little guy who's expected to remain composed and think logically rather than let emotions get in the way. i think i can accept it and forgive all the distaste i've previously had.

im also super happy cause they referenced the qitian dasheng short story!! it's nice knowing you've read that piece and be like.. WAIT THIS WAS IN THE SHORT STORY! hien making peace of his own after a good while of not being able to grieve and think about his own feelings and agony was... very very good.

my only other dissatisfaction with the role quest is the fact??? kisei??? there was no explanation as to why she lied about communicating with the dead to begin with. you just kinda accept she was a liar without knowing the root cause and im like hmmm weird lmao. i wanted more lore info about that.

[tern-rp]

L, Prompt #2: Aberrant

"How'd you even get interested in Magitek? Ain't like you normally see too many blackhorns as... erm.. Proficient as you." The question, tumbling out of his mouth in pure, innocent curiosity, gave L a reason to pause. They were doing nothing. Sorting through the latest haul, categorizing and cleaning pieces that caught their eye one after the other -- creating new, smaller piles out of the massive one at the center of the room.

Some of those pieces were from ruin dives, some were stolen, and some were purchased. Though, whether or not a piece procured during a dip into a crumbling ruin was considered theft, too, was still up for debate. L liked to think of it as ownership through discovery. Whomever left it there so many cycles ago, surely didn't have use for it anymore; that once loved and cherished piece of Magitek or Allagan tech abandoned and in some undetermined state of disrepair... Hoping for someone to come along and save it from its unfortunate circumstance. If objects could hope.

No, it wasn't theft. She was doing a service. That she made an unreasonable amount of money off of it had absolutely no bearing on that stance.

She looked up, pretty grey eyes half covered by a choppy curtain of black hair she liked to keep short. Her right hand, once twisting a screw out of a perfectly curved piece of glossy grey metal, stopped.

L remembered her first dive. She remembered first arriving in Eorzea... but, more than that, she remembered the first time her father brought something home that caught her attention. It was a BOILERMASTER, one of the first ever designs. He was so excited about making warm drinks with it, and that enthusiasm was infectious. They didn't have things like that in the Steppe. The Dalamiq, as odd as they were to the rest of the Steppe, not unlike the Kha, were as wary of Magitek as the rest. But not her father. He absolutely loved everything about the world and wanted nothing more than to learn everything he could about Eorzea.

His trips were frequent and, the older she got, more lengthy. But, he never took her with him. Every time she asked to participate, to wander off of the Steppe and see those beautiful cities he always described in such great detail? He told her that he couldn't. He shouldn't. That her home was on the Steppe and that, one day, she would help teach other Xaela not to be afraid of Eorzea. To take what they could from other cultures and use it to their benefit.

One time, on one of her father's trips away, she took the BOILERMASTER from the kitchen and snuck it away in her room. Her mother never used it when her father was away, so it wouldn't be missed. L picked the poor thing apart every single night her father was gone. She disassembled it completely and practiced putting it back together. She was diligent and careful, cataloguing and categorizing every piece, creating a mental blueprint so she could put it all back together again. And, to her surprise, she did. To watch it turn back on, to feel the heat push away from the heating element, to listen to it work again after she'd, by all rights, destroyed it? She was so, so pleased. L was hooked.

"L? Did you hear me," Kaal asked, head fallen to the side a little, a bushy brown brow lifted as he watched her transport herself to the past for a moment.

"Yea," she said, eyes falling back to those pieces in her hand. "I just got lucky, I guess. No real reason," came the answer as she tossed those pieces in one of the half-dozen piles surrounding her.

[orghanabolir]

The Summer Ends, and New Beginnings

Aa! So much time has passed since I last put quill to paper. I have neglected many things, I think, in my efforts to build and expand The Bleating Lamb. If I am to fulfill the wishes of my family and tribe, then I cannot let the Lamb fail, it is true. However, this was not their only reason for sending me to Eorzea.

While here, I was to continue my studies and complete my education. But I fear I have not been as attentive to these studies as I should have been. I cannot lie and say that I was not distracted by my other exertions, and when my family asked of my progress, I could not pretend to an accomplishment I had not made. My admission shamed me, and I could sense the disappointment in their response. I feared I should be recalled to the Steppes, but they chose another response.

They have enrolled me at the Silvergrace Academy of Leadership, and I must soon begin to attend classes there. I feel a strange mix of emotions at this prospect. I feel resolved to finish my studies as my family has tasked me. I feel excitement to learn new things. But I also feel trepidation, for the bulk of my learning was at the missionary school in Reunion, where I was surrounded by other Xaela youth. How will I be received in this school of more civilized folk? At the school in Reunion, I took joy in answering the questions of instructors, but I fear if I do the same here, my accent and my imperfect skill speaking in Eorzean may lead to unfortunate consequences. Many in Eorzea view the Xaela as little more than savages.

One thing that brightens my spirits is that some of my sisters and brothers of cheer attend this school. Perhaps that will keep me from being as isolated. Also, the school allowed that I may bring Lambchop with me, as long as she stays in the Agriculture area during the day. Perhaps the agriculture students have other sheep, and she will make acquaintances. If not, then the students may learn something about caring for them. Lambchop's demands might be most educational.

I went to the beach to celebrate the summer's end. There were fireworks for something called the Moonfire Faire. I do not quite understand this holiday, but I enjoyed the fireworks. We do not have much beach culture in the Steppes, but I do like to swim, and the waters in Costa were warm. Aa! One last celebration, and then? Time will tell.

[dawning-star]

LFRP - Rinalys Dawnstar {Updated}

Basics –––– ✢

▌NICKNAMES: Rin

▌AGE: 28 or so

▌RACE: Au Ra - Xaela

▌GENDER: Female

▌SEXUALITY: Heterosexual

▌MARITAL STATUS: Single. 

▌SERVER: Balmung - Crystal Data Center

Physical Appearance –––– ♤

▌HAIR: Rose colored pink, reaching down to around her chest. Usually worn up these days

▌EYES: Lilac, with violet limbal rings

▌HEIGHT: 4 fulm, 10 ilms

▌BUILD: Lean. Toned enough to maintain her dexterity.

▌DISTINGUISHING MARKS: Rinalys has a number of scars along her back in particular, remnants of her time in servitude. As of late, she has become less hesitant to show them, but will not quickly answer questions about them unless she trusts a person. The palm of her left hand is also heavily scarred, branded and cut. Each wound on her has a story, and many of them are, in fact, linked ot her past.

▌COMMON ACCESSORIES: Her left hand will always be gloved.

Personal –––– ♢

▌PROFESSION: Member of the Midnight Pearl, Part-time Associate of Priarch Enterprises. Formerly a mercenary

▌HOBBIES: Gardening. People watching. Information seeking. Social drinking.  

▌LANGUAGES: Eorzea Common, Xaelan

▌RESIDENCE:  Sealight Estate, though she also has a small home of her own in the Mist.

▌BIRTHPLACE: The Azim Steppe

▌RELIGION: She has a very basic belief in Azim and Nhaama. Mostly learned through childhood stories. However she’s lived in Eorzea longer than the steppe so that’s minimal at best.

▌FEARS: Being Abandoned. Feeling helpless. Death (at least a little). The past catching up with her. Abnormally large insects that should be set on fire ASAP.

Relationships –––– ♡

▌SPOUSE: None.

▌CHILDREN: None.

▌PARENTS: They exist, technically. She hasn’t been with them for most of her life, however. Their whereabouts are currently unknown, but presumed to still be the Steppe.

▌SIBLINGS: None that she’s aware of

▌OTHER RELATIVES: None.

Traits –––– ♧

extroverted / introverted / in between

disorganized / organized / in between

close minded / open-minded / in between

calm / anxious / in between

disagreeable / agreeable / in between

cautious / reckless / in between

patient / impatient / in between

outspoken / reserved / in between

leader / follower / in between

empathetic / unemphatic / in between

optimistic / pessimistic / in between

traditional / modern / in between

hard-working / lazy / in between

cultured / un-cultured / in between

loyal / disloyal / in between

faithful / unfaithful / in between

Vices / Flaws –––– ♠

▌SMOKING: never / sometimes (very rare) / frequently / to excess.

▌DRUGS: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess.

▌ALCOHOL: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess

▌OTHER FLAWS: Stubborn to a fault. Can be hotheaded under the right circumstances. Frequently short on gil for basic necessities. Illiterate. Is also a little bit of a troublemaker when the mood arises.

Possible Hooks –––– ♦

The Midnight Pearl - Saviors from hard times of her own, she once sought sanctuary within their walls. In time and in getting to know the others she would join their ranks herself, seeking to grow and become something more. As such she can often be seen in events that they may hold, or other business they conduct.

Priarch Enterprises - At best she’s employed in Edarien’s care part time, coming and going as her whims see fit. Anyone in contact with the company has likely heard mention of Rin in passing. Maybe a story or two about her temper and something she might have beheaded.

Taverns - She’s a bit notorious for being at the bar a little frequently. Rinalys has her fair share of tabs racked up, but finds it a good place to gather information. Of course the fun that comes from mingling there is important too.

The Wandering Kind - Despite a home of her own these days, this girl is one who can’t seem to stay in one locale for too long, which means that she might just end up in your neighborhood. How long she stays is another matter.

What I’m looking for –––– ♥

Mostly, to expand the number of contacts that I have and open up doors for possible interactions outside of my current ones. I tend to keep to myself and am hoping to change that even a little. IC or OOC alike.

New friends, possibly ships, I’m pretty open to stuff admittedly. Anything deep requires familiarity and communication before I’m likely to go with it. I’ve been burned at least a couple times. 

I’m all for pre-established relationships as well or establishing a job network for her. In the past she’s been a mercenary as well as a member of the Rogue’s guild, beyond being a former slave. There’s a large amount of wiggle room in it too given her tendency to not stick to one place. 

Out of Character –––– ♣

I get anxious. This can ease up once I’ve gotten to know a person. Groups/Events can take a lot of working up to go to, however. I’ve been better about it recently. Usually.

I also am very prone to getting distracted by things and can easily throw myself into something that wasn’t what I intended to do for hours on end.

My work schedule might make it a bit difficult for consistent RP. I tend to be scheduled where I’m on for 7 days, and then off the next 7 for ten hour shifts at a go. So patience is a must if you do want to make plans.

Most RP will generally be in game or on Discord, if it happens.

Contact Information –––– ✰

Tumblr - I’m always free to field asks or messages here. Headcanons, asks, starters are all things I adore as well if wanting to keep it casual.

Discord - On request

In game - Rinalys Dawnstar. 99% of the time on Balmung, usually in Ul’dah if I’m bored.

[wine-dark-soup]

ASKS BE UPON YE

1 / 3 / 5 / 7 / 20 / 21 🦎

Hey THANK YOU SORRY that i took a nap right after i told you i'd get to the asks. work.... exhaustion................... but you're giving me... enrichment. in these computerless times.

1. What's your oc's gender identity? What's their relationship to their gender?

Ough, tough one. Eos wouldn't be anything else than what she is - a soul in a woman's body - so i suppose i can safely say she's cis - or like, that she doesn't care enough to worry about her very gender. But she has a long story of slowly getting more and more alienated from the steppe's culture, which strongly impacted her gender presentation mostly. she was forced to dress à la sharlayan by a bad guy, which was awful and then the bad guy caused her exile, so we're not off to a great start. leaving the steppe's quite genderless robes behind was quite difficult, especially when she then reached other countries and continents and saw what some tailors had in store for women KJDSKJDSKJ. that made her feel even more different and weird than she already was. xaela are quite a rare sight outside of the steppe so she had no one to tell her if what she saw and felt was normal, and how to cope.

that's why all her outfits are 1. not specifically feminine (though the game makes them look more feminine than they are in my mind) and 2. not eorzean. yes, the crystarium aiming set is definitely not something she'd have worn back in the steppe. but it covers her body. same with gunbreaker outfits in general. recently, getting into white magic let her choose a more steppe-like outfit - large concealing coat, practical, with embroidered motifs, boots and skirt with pants (protection from whatever could crawl on her legs) that let her be finally closer to nature and herself again.

that gender and cultural question is also why she TECHNICALLY creates her own clothes but i haven't leveled the corresponding crafting classes yet cough. she's learned leatherwork in the steppe and she's most certainly a good weaver. tailoring your own outfits according to your own preferences and all that to avoid the shameful white mage mini skirt

3. How did your oc discover themself? Did something cause them to question, or did they always know?

She knew, I think. She had some kind of homoerotic friendship with Cotota (the khan's niece from Reunion) when they were teenagers. Then she got exiled and the fear and trauma resulting from this, then the wol business, buried her romantic and sexual feelings so deep she wouldn't find them back in years KJDSKJKJSD

she started feeling better after the elpis trip, though it still wasn't all perfect - still, she had enough hope to be the one defeating meteion and not the reverse. at the same time the twelveswood's blasphemy was roaming the forest and by dealing with it she became kan-e-senna's friend.

generally speaking, the last part of endwalker and the patchs are the moment she starts feeling good enough for people around her to feel real again. like suddenly she feels she's in the world again, and so can make friends. and she did. then among those friends was the elder seedseer and eos spent some time recovering from the ultima thule fight in gridania so their friendship grew into something else :) and it was all natural she didn't feel surprised by the fact she was into women at all. but she WAS surprised that she could FEEL SOMETHING.

5. How did you figure out your oc's identity?

For most of the MSQ eos was asexual in my head. just couldn't picture anything else, any other identity. but honestly that was caused by my personal issues, i was afraid to engage with the plot outside what was canonically defined (for reasons). yes i had depression. yes once i got better eos immediately became a lesbian. but her asexuality is still part of her story - though at this point i wouldn't call it asexuality to respect my asexy friends. that was just trauma. but that lack of interest in anything sexual/romantic was definitely an important part of her life and she is trying to make sense of it

7. Is there something that could cause your oc to question their identity? What?

Honestly. No.

20. Have your ocs helped you in self discovery? How?

Not in terms of labels or anything - my lesbian identity has been pretty solid for as long as i can remember - but i DO HAVE several forms of OCD, and have for five years, including homosexual OCD (aka comphet but make it a mental disorder) i have intrusive thoughts about having heterosexual sex and i compulsively check every thought to see if it means i'm straight. and finally setting in stone that my oc was also a lesbian and in a happy relationship helped me quiet the intrusive thoughts. that and sertraline. but i swear it makes me feel happy to see my oc happy - and it seems right, like it can't be otherwise. she couldn't be with anyone else than a woman. just like me irl. it's validating.

21. Free ramble card wee

i still hate square enix for what they've done to the female version of the neo-ishgardian outfits like let eos wear a leather jacket free her from that gender role prison yes i've said that a thousand times yes i will keep saying it

also gaia and ryne's story is the best lesbian representation i've ever seen and every young wlw should play it. literally felt a weight leave my shoulders as ryne caught gaia from the void and the camera cut to the rainbow crystal and a field of newly grown flowers where a desert stood but a second ago. sudden breath of fresh air and life brought by gay love

[immcrtalised]

LFRP - Mackenzie Killian - Crystal Data Center

the basics ––––

NAME: Mackenzie Killian

AGE: 24; 26th Sun of the 3rd Umbral Moon

RACE: Hyur Midlander  Veena Viera

GENDER: Cisgender Female

SEXUALITY: Heterosexual

MARITAL STATUS: Single

SERVER: Balmung

physical appearance ––––

HAIR:  Blonde, chin-length, shaggy

EYES: Blue

HEIGHT: 5 fulms 8 ilms

BUILD: Wiry, muscled, with broad hips

DISTINGUISHING MARKS: Freckles, scar across the bridge of her nose

COMMON ACCESSORIES: A gaelikitten named Fitz, septum piercing

personal ––––

PROFESSION: Machinist, engineer, troubleshooter; currently on retainer with Devon’s Irregulars. Occasional scout and ne’er-do-well. She’s actually a much more talented engineer than she lets on; both arms and her legs from the knee down are prosthetic and require constant maintenance, a glamour keeps them looking normal. People with the senses to do so would get a strong magitek “smell” off her, more than just one who handles it would exude. She’s also prone to greater glamours, changing her racial appearance on a whim (she went Xaela, for example, to better move around the Azim Steppes).

HOBBIES: Tinkering, gun smithing, people watching. Currently trying to be less embarrassing with the sword. Has picked up archery to try things the “old-fashioned” way. Also working to understand the nuances of gunbreakers.

LANGUAGES: Eorzean, Xaelic, Doman, working on Hingan

RESIDENCE: Her free company estate in The Mist

BIRTHPLACE: East Shroud

PATRON DEITY: Halone, the Fury

FEARS: The unknown, vast void intelligences, crickets

relationships –––-

SPOUSE: None

CHILDREN: None

PARENTS: Robert Killian (father), Janet Killian (nee Hayes, mother)

SIBLINGS: Franklin Killian (brother)

OTHER RELATIVES: Soon-Yi Killian (nee Long, sister-in-law), Marigold Killian (niece); extended family on both sides.

PETS: Fitz, her boon companion (he’s actually a very realistic automaton)

TRAITS ————-

extroverted / introverted / in between

disorganized / organized / in between

close minded / open-minded / in between

calm / anxious / in between

disagreeable / agreeable / in between

cautious / reckless / in between

patient / impatient / in between

outspoken / reserved / in between

leader / follower / in between

empathetic / unemphatic / in between

optimistic / pessimistic / in between

traditional / modern / in between

hard-working / lazy / in between

cultured / un-cultured / in between

loyal / disloyal / in between

faithful / unfaithful / in between

additional information ––––

SMOKING HABIT: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess

DRUGS: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess

ALCOHOL: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess

possible hooks ––––

She’s spent some time on the Gyr Abanian front doing recon against the Garlean troops. The conflict’s over now, but she may’be been spotted before.

Business with the machinists’ guild in Ishgard

Frequent traveler, from Limsa Lominsa all the way to Kugane and back

Likes to pub crawl on her time off

Someone willing to help her with swordsmanship. She really is terrible.

Questions about her tech? Have you discerned Fitz’ true nature?

what I’m looking for ––––

Friend, colleagues, former flings, rivals - you name it, I’m looking for it for Mackenzie. She’s a very sociable character, and I can’t see her keeping to herself for very long. She’s prone to approaching people on her own. More than happy to shuttle between servers on the Crystal Data Center to meet folks! I’m also more than happy to RP on Tumblr or Discord.

oocly, I am ––––

Easy-going

Friendly and helpful

Adaptable to many different stories and situations

An experienced writer and gamer, comfortable with many kinds of roleplay

A giant nerd

you can contact me via ––––

Discord - tanaloth#3415, probably your best bet as I have it up on my computer and my cell phone

@crystalxivrp​ @balmungrp​ @mooglemeet​