#location: nabradia

[ff12-ultimania]

history of IVALICE 

The story of this game is narrated according to the Old Valendian Calendar, the very first year begins with the founding of the Galtean Alliance by Dynast King Raithwall.  

The history of Ivalice can be divided into three major periods:

"Ancient Era" before the emergence of Dynast Kings,

"Middle Age" during the Galtean Alliance,

and "Modern Age" after the fall of the Galtean Alliance.

In the following sections, we will follow these three periods and unravel the history of Ivalice up to the year 706 of the Old Valendian Calendar, where Vaan's story begins.

Column: Situation in the year 704 of the Old Valendian Calendar --- Before the fall of Nabradia

The Kingdom of Nabradia, which bordered the Empire of Archadia, had been under constant diplomatic pressure from the Empire. To strengthen relations with her sister kingdom Dalmasca, the Kingdom of Nabradia arranged the betrothal of the second prince Rasler, with Ashelia of Dalmasca.

Meanwhile, in Nabradia, the "neo-Rozarrian faction" which sought to bring in fleet from mainland Rozarria grew in number, causing internal struggle which boiled over into civil war. In the name of suppressing the civil war, Vayne, the third prince of the Emperor of Archadia, marched his army into Nabradia and destroyed the kingdom before Rozarria could send contigency.

The kingdom of Nabradia seemed to have destroyed itself in the civil war, but it was Vayne who pulled the strings behind the scenes. It was Vayne who was behind the scenes manipulating the neo-Rozarrian faction in Nabradia. However, there are very few people who knew about this fact and Vayne’s schemes.

[beyondtheroll]

Tabaxis*

(*please note, while based on the dnd race, this deviates away from dnd!)

Tabaxis are closely related to the Rev, although they're not quite the same. Although humanoid, much like the Rev, Tabaxis are considered more feline-like than their Rev counterpart - having noses, muzzles, eyes, and teeth like felines, as well as (most) having longer tails and retractable claws. Their hands are also padded at the fingertips and palms, much like a cat's paw, although their fingers are human-like, and their feet are closer to that of paws, which are also padded. Fur patterns vary from Tabaxi to Tabaxi, although they're usually stripped or spotted in some way, with few being a solid color. Also, despite being humanoid, it's normal for Tabaxis to have twins or triplets. Most families have two to four kits (children), and although having a single kit is uncommon, it's not unheard of.

They're an uncommon race and can primarily be found living in Halivaara, although they can be found in various other locations throughout Ivalice, such as Balfonheim, Mt Bur-Omisace, Bhujerba, and Rozarria. They can be found in Nabradia and Dalmasca, though in smaller numbers, and even fewer can be found throughout Archadia - primarily there because they have been unable to leave the Empire. Most Tabaxis used to live in Orkala and some in Landis, but both kingdoms have since been wiped from the Ivalician map because of Archadia's bloody expansion.

The spoken history of the Tabaxis is that Halivaara had been their place of origin. While their religion is similar to the one found across Ivalice, Kybris is the god they primarily worship, rather than the Great Father. They say that Kybris dug into Halivaara twice, and that Halivaara bears the healed scars to prove it. The first time she dug, she dug to find mud and clay to create the Tabaxi, and left behind the Starfall Basin - a large body of water found in the mountains of Halivaara that, at night, mirror the stars perfectly, as if they had fallen into the water. The second time Kybris dug, she dug into the side of the mountain itself to create shelter for the Tabaxi, which allowed them to build a village safe from the elements. That village still stands today as Juna Outpost*, though the original name had been lost to time. *(Juna Outpost takes inspiration from the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings!)

Their history also states that Kybris had shown them the way to Orkala, which is why most had left Halivaara and why Orkala became their kingdom for generations, because she wanted them to protect the magistonite mines. In turn for their guardianship, she taught them how to find magistonite and how to handle it with ease, and that is the reason why the Tabaxis keep magistonite a closely guarded secret, even with the resource lost. They rarely sold anything made of magistonite, let alone raw magistonite, and it was the reason why they refused to grant Archadia access to the magistonite mines. It was also the reason why Reyhana and a handful of other Tabaxis decided to collapse the mines during the Siege of Larnwick.

Tabaxis tend to keep to themselves, although they don't isolate themselves like the Viera, and are more peaceful in nature, though most found in Halivaara are cautious, if not hostile, of Humes because of Archadia. Those living outside Halivaara, however, are more open to interacting with Humes. And before the Siege of Larnwick, those who lived in Orkala had also been more open to interacting with Humes, with some even traveling to Landis to trade and sell various goods. They often brought with them various other resources found within the mines, herbs found throughout Orkala, various weapons, and handcrafted jewelry and leather goods.

Aside from Common, Tabaxi primarily speak Kaalabi - an evolution of their original language, Payrit, which is now considered to be dead. Kaalabi is both a verbal and written language, while Payrit had been strictly verbal, and is even spoken by those who did not come from Orkala. It's unknown why or when Payrit was replaced by Kaalabi and where Kaalabi originated from, though some Tabaxis say that they're separate languages altogether. They also communicate through vocalizations like hissing, growling, and purring; sign language; and eye contact, such as showing trust through long, slow blinks, and distrust through unwavering stares. They can also reveal their emotions through their ears, such as pinning them back when upset or perking them when interested, and their tails can fluff up when frightened or angry. Kits have been known to actually hold onto their tails for comfort, or onto the tails of their friends or family to stay close.

Tabaxis will bump their heads together as a sign of comfort, affection, and trust, and there have been times when a Tabaxi will do that to someone of another race without thinking about it. It's considered polite and respectful to dip their heads at each other, especially to those in authority or when meeting someone new. Young kits tend to have fun with it by seeing who can be "the most respectful", and it's not uncommon for them to end up literally butting heads in the process.

They're primarily carnivorous, although they have a broad diet like that of other races, which allows them to digest fruits, vegetables, grains, and other non-meat foodstuffs. They can eat more raw meat than most other races outside of certain fish and shellfish, but they primarily tend to cook their meats - it's just normally more on the rare side than anything else. Their food tends to be savory with certain spicy dishes, and they're primarily known for their stews and soups made from whatever they have available. They're also known for their game jerky, usually made of venison or rabbit, and it was something they would occasionally sell in Landis from time to time.

Tabaxis age similarly to Humes, and have a lifespan of around 100 years, with the oldest known Tabaxi having lived until they were 127 years old. They usually follow the laws of whatever kingdom or Empire they live in regarding age, but in Orkala and Halivaara, they have their own laws and social customs surrounding it. At 16 they're able to work certain jobs (usually helping their family if their family owns a business, but work is usually considered "low-risk"); at 18 they're able to drink, join the militia, and have more career options; and at 20 they're considered adults, which allows them to have their own home or business, get married, and have kits. Tabaxis are also able to leave Orkala or Halivaara when they turn 20 if they desire, but that is purely a social norm - it hasn't stopped Tabaxis from leaving sooner, and that norm was shaken up after the Siege of Larnwick.

[charactercreatorlimbo]

So I'm playing through Final Fantasy XII it's been wayyyy longer than a decade since I last played it. I don't plan on spoiling big things, but may talk about future parts of the game before they happen, but not really spoiling story developments, anything remotely spoilery happens after the read more:

The last time I played this the color was blown out because I didn't have the right converter and and for added fun, blownout speakers.

Yasumi Matsuno deserved better.

Rather than being known for the fashion choices of its cast (tho we'll get there trust me) this final fantasy places more emphasis on the lore and history of the world, which I remember to be pretty neat.

It's the Year 704 in the world of Ivalice a lot has happened in the past, there have been wars between the nations, invasions, stuff you'd expect from kingdom politics. Sending your invading army over to the nearest kingdom is just how you ask your neighbor if they have a cup of sugar they can spare.

Currently Ivalice is is experiencing a golden age brought on by the invention of airships and industrialization advances (brought about by the invention of airships). Today happens to be the royal wedding, see Lady Ashelia of Dalmasca, and Prince Rasler of Nabradia tying the knot.

This wedding is significant in this world because it unites the territory of Nabradia that lies above Rabanastre with that of Dalmasca of which Rabanastre is its capital.

But as is the case with games in this franchise even the most prosperous times can turn turbulent in s a flash, as we'll see in for the desert capital of Rabanastre.

The city of Nabudis in Nabradia which as served as a prime bulwark between this city and the invading Arcadian empire (they ARE called The Empire, the star wars comparisons are completely justified) has fallen, the opposing army will make it to the city by sunrise tomorrow.

Prince Rasler whom hails from Nabradia leads the charge to Nalbina fortress, the last line of defense before Rabanastre.

does every game have to have names and locations that sound so similar, like ya its to show that connections that can be seen in the language alone but I wish there would be more variation present to prevent confusion, I have this bad when trying to remember anything that happened in Elden Ring.

This transition of the airship from its departure from the capital to Nalbina

Playing Final Fantasy 14 means you become immediately attentive when there's a crystal tower supplying a magic barrier in any given piece of media

hey can I play as Rasler now?

shit.

Defending Nalbina completely failed, King Raminas B'nargin Dalmasca of Rabanastre, (also Ashelia's father) is being flown to Nalbina to sign terms of surrender for Dalmasca. Captain Basch of Dalmasca (above) brought Rasler's corpse back home, there was a funeral, everyones sorta feeling it rn

On the night of the signing Basch smells hijnx and is gathering up any able bodies that are still alive from the previous battle, in this case fresh faced Reks who we'll be playing as.

This section has so much detailed geometry for just this tutorial section where all u do is learn how to run and talk to ppl.

There's even some small breadcrumbing done for the player, this red dome stands out in this sea of blue and it's an identifiable architectural feature in the next screen once we pass the level transition.

Me looking for ppl irl with :) above their heads so I can talk to them.

Also having the infantry wearing gym shorts is very funny, also this outfit gets copied and used in Final Fantasy 14, it won't be the last thing that gets repurposed

Seriously there's no reason why this entrance is so elaborate it's not like we're not coming back here.

This shot of the tonberry in front of the moon still striking in 2023 even though it won't even take a minute to scrap.

boom

Somehow it's not destroyed after that, Some of the empire's airships, especially from a distance seem like they should have more capabilities in devastation but this tonberry model uses radio communication with a WW2 era audio compression that for me helps ground the technology in this world.

Dawn is breaking.

Now we're in this gorgeous hallway, but its cut off from the symbolic victory of bringing dawn back from the night. We're completely encased in.

All of the environments have been largely transitory so guessing this room exists to demonstrate the level of clutter players could expect in these spaces. Spoiler- it's a lot for something that originally released on ps2

King Raminas is beyond this door

oh.

oh that might be a problemmm

oh Reks being betrayed and murdered is so you

Ok so this guy above is Vayne. Compared to other final fantasy villain designs he's pretty muted. I like to think that if his design was more memorable and maybe had a unique pattern of speech the game wouldn't need this pickup shot of his face which dispels a bit of the intrigue.

kinda keeps u guessing with these twinks the first has iconic armor that looks important sure, players first thinking that he's the protagonist and then gets one-shotd

then theres muffin Reks we just played as, unbaptized in the fires of war, unprepared for the challenges that lay in front of him, that's pretty close to how these protagonists start out o wait plot got them too, honk now boarding the party Vaan

After it's revealed by Arcadian empire that Dalmasca's king has been assassinated by the captain of its guard. Basch is executed for treason, Princess Ashelia takes her own life, and the empire proceeds to occupy Rabanastre the game doesn't want you to be too down because now its time to bag some rats in a sewer

This is Vaan they've been living in occupied Rabanastre, they had strange textures on their abs that got removed in the remaster

Going from Reks fighting in Nalbina with a short sword to Vaan's here with dagger maybe creates an unconscious connection before the game outright tells you that the gutterpunk is Rek's younger brother.

this was kind of a lot, now's a good place to stop. next update will be checking out Rabanastre proper

[tarnishedxknight]

As Mantis and Gamora left the dungeon, a few more members of the Royal Guard entered it, making their way to Vossler's cell at Soryn's order, to stand watch and make certain he does not escape. Soryn made haste to King Raminas in the throne room, hoping Prince Caelen would still be there, for he should hear all of this as well. Munoh, went to find Basch, keying in on his energy and locating him in... the princess' room? Munoh actually thought that was sweet. They knew well the affections between the two humes and liked to see them together. Now was not the time for idle love, though, Munoh thought, and they lamented that their news might tear Basch away from Ashelia.

Soryn arrived at the throne room and, upon finding his king still shaken and his prince attempting to calm him, he made apology as he knew his news would further distress them both. After relating all that Vossler had said, Soryn remained for further orders.

Caelen looked to his father, a sad and worried look upon his face. "To think... that one of our most trusted knights... would offer us up to the Archadians as a sacrifice..."

"Steady, boy. There will be time enough for reflection later," Raminas said, the news causing him to forget his own fears and the jarring encounter with Munoh in favor of doing what must be done as king. "Vossler is under lock and key, correct?"

"Aye, my liege," Soryn confirmed.

"Who else knows of all this?" he asked.

"The Occurian goes now to inform Captain Ronsenburg. All others have simply been told that Vossler has been imprisoned, nothing more," Soryn explained.

"Good," Raminas replied. "Let the Archadians think that he is yet their faithful pawn. It will delay action against us until we can better prepare. Nabradia must be warned of this threat immediately. Have Ser Ronsenburg come to-"

The doors to the throne room opened, and in walked Basch, with Munoh gliding no short distance behind.

"Ah, Basch," Raminas said. "Good that you are come here. There is much to discuss.

"Aye, Majesty. I have only now been informed," Basch said. "We must send word to Nabradia, though the air waves may not be a secure method of doing so."

"I agree," Raminas said. "'Tis easy enough for them to intercept our frequencies. We must send an emissary to House Nabradia in person."

"I will go," Basch offered.

"Nay-" Sorry interjected. He looked at Basch, knowing he had much here to attend to. "Let me, Your Majesty. The Captain has much here that requires his attention."

Basch did not object. He did have a lot here to deal with and he did not want to leave. With the princess about to wed and a huge celebration planned, there were many people gathering all about the palace, scaffoldings built and decorations hung. The chaos would draw some of the resources from the Royal Guard away from the palace proper. Better that he remain and be able to delegate responsibilities as needed.

Munoh, then, threw in their thoughts. "Or, I can go, and relay the message almost instantly." Occuria could travel swiftly over long distances, after all.

"The... Nabradian King... would... respect the presence and word of an Occurian," Soryn agreed.

"Aye, and the time saved would be well worth it, if Munoh is willing to lend aid," Basch said.

"I am... if Caelen permits it," Munoh said.

All present looked to Caelen, somewhat shocked that an Occurian was deferring to him. They did not have to, of course, but they were doing so out of respect for their dear friend. "His safety has been called into question. While I am gone, however briefly, prince and king shall be entirely under hume guard. With no offense meant, that guard is inferior to any that I, myself, would provide. 'Tis a risk most great to my friend, and so I will not go except at his leave,"

Caelen's eyes widened. "Munoh... you are always free to do as you wish. I've neither right nor desire to hold you back from-"

"And I wish... to ask your permission," Munoh said.

Caelen was truly touched. He swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the decision, but then nodded. "Go, please. It could mean life or death for those in Nabudis. Deliver the message to their king, then let us know what it is they decide to do about it. And... thank you."

"As you wish, my friend," Munoh said.

Basch was in awe of this. Caelen had obviously earned the respect of this immensely powerful being, and that was no small matter. He was proud to know to the prince, and Munoh as well.

Munoh turned to Soryn and Basch. "Protect him. Protect them. I am trusting you."

"We shall," Basch said with a strong and confident nod. "Thank you."

Soryn nodded in agreement and support.

Munoh then... disappeared, dissipating into nothingness as far as any hume could tell.

After a moment, King Raminas turned to Basch. "Why is it that you have never spoken to me of an identical twin brother?"

"We are estranged, Majesty," Basch explained. "I have not seen him in two decades."

"How it is that he is now a general in Emperor Gramis' army, of the very Empire that destroyed your homeland? Judge Magister Gabranth, no less. The unspoken leader of his rank and most powerful servant to Gramis' throne..." Raminas asked.

"After the fall of Landis, we went our separate ways. He wished to accompany our mother to Archadia. She... was of Archadian blood, though our father was Landisian, and so she wanted to return to her own homeland after our father was slain in the battle. I... chose not to follow."

"You... are half Archadian by blood...?" he asked.

"Aye," Basch said simply, his gaze falling a for just a moment, as if in shame.

"I see," Raminas said. "Ser Vedrai."

"My liege," Soryn responded.

"Make certain that all the Guard knows of the differences in the two brothers' appearances to watch for so that this... assassination plot against me and my son can be foiled, should it otherwise be set into motion," Raminas ordered.

"Aye, my liege. I will spread the word." Soryn replied with a nod. He glanced at Basch, who gave him leave to go and do just that.

With Soryn gone, King Raminas dismissed all other guards in the throne room. It echoed with emptiness as the doors were closed. Basch was left alone with King Raminas and Prince Caelen. The king leaned forward on his throne, all sixty-eight of his years suddenly showing in gray, tattered focus for all the stress he was under. He addressed Basch very solemnly. "I want there to be something between us and between you and my son that is unmistakably you, and you alone. Should an imposter attempt to get close to either of us, we must have a phrase only we know, to be spoken to validate that you are who you are."

"Aye, I agree. That is the best way. And those guardsmen closest to you both should know of the phrase as well," Basch said. "If, for whatever reason, I cannot give you that phrase... then I am not myself," he implied.

Raminas nodded. But before discussion of what that phrase could be commenced, the old man's expression softened, and there were the traces of tears in his eyes. "Basch..." he said. "Forgive me... for my blindness. For my... cheapening of the unwavering loyalty and service to Dalmasca that you have given to me, my family, and the city of Rabanastre. That you are half Archadian by blood means nothing to me, in that you are, in my mind, Dalmascan."

Basch was caught wholly of guard by this. He swallowed hard. "Majesty... I understand the pressure you are under and the important matters you are balancing. I took no offense to-"

"No," Raminas said strongly. "No, what I said and did to you earlier this day was wrong. Stripping you of your title... was wrong. I want you to hear that, I want my son to hear it, and I want you to know... that I... that I have regarded you... as I might a son... for some time now."

Basch's usual stoic demeanor cracked just then and he fought back tears. To hear his king say something like that, he understood, was nothing short of earthshattering. Raminas simply did not emote in this manner very often, and never to him. Even Caelen was looking at his father with surprise. "I am deeply honored, Your Majesty," he said softly, his voice wavering a bit with emotion. "Know that I will do all in my power to thwart what Vossler and my brother have set into motion."

Raminas nodded. "Send the guardsmen back in, and continue to oversee the arrangements for the upcoming wedding. Nabradia may well choose to delay it now, in light of recent revelations, but until we hear that for certain, we must continue to make plans to receive the prince and princess and their entourage."

Basch nodded. "Aye, I will see to all of that." He lingered, though.

"Something else, is there?" Raminas asked.

"Vossler... He ought to be placed on trial for his crimes. he assassination plot and... and what he has done to the princess. There is much occurring now, I know, but he should be brought to justice," Basch stressed.

"And he shall be. Let us only wait to hear what Nabradia wishes to do about this news, and then we shall proceed with a trial or not, depending on what must be done in the immediate time. Rest assured, though, that if a trial does not proceed within days, it will still proceed, when the dust of this betrayal and sedition has settled," Raminas said strongly.

Caelen smiled, happy to hear it.

"I will go now, then, and see to all I must," Basch said.

"Dismissed, Ser Ronsenburg," Raminas agreed with a nod and a grateful smile.

"Thank you, father..." Caelen whispered to him, taking his hand as he sat nearby to him still.

"I have... not been the best king..." he admitted once Basch had left. "I pray you will be a better one."

"Hush now, you are hume, as we all are in this family. Mistakes are made. You have apologized to Basch, and that is a start, but-" Caelen stopped himself.

"Yes...?" Raminas asked.

"You ought to apologize to Ashe. She thinks you did not believe her about Vossler. She does not understand all that you have been juggling for Dalmasca's benefit. To her, she knows only that her father dismissed her during her time of need..."

"Ohh, Ashelia... My child..." Raminas groaned, his hand slowly moving to cover his face in shame. "That has plagued me since it occurred. To have such a thing happen, and I, unable to act..."

"You can act, father. Now. We will put Vossler on trial, for that and other transgressions. And you can still make amends with Ashe. Talk to her about it? Please?" Caelen begged.

"Mm..." Raminas said. "Very well. I shall."

- - - - -

"M-my shoulder?" Reks said in surprised and then... well, he was positively beaming. To have this small, innocent little plant person want to sit on him... He felt honored. As Groot was placed on Reks' shoulder, the young man grinned. "Careful now. Here, grip this..." he said, showing Groot a leather portion of his armor that he could hold onto while he sat so that he would not fall off. Groot, instead, decided to grip his longish hair, and Reks chuckled at that, not minding in the slightest. In fact, he tilted his head to give Groot more hair length to hold onto.

As Reks took the lizard off his head, he seemed to effortlessly and expertly hold it securely in its hand so it could nit wriggle out. Doubtless, he had done this many times before. Most Dalmsacan citizens were used to dealing with their tiny reptilian city-mates. He then lifted the lizard over to Groot. "See? You can pet it like this, if you like. I've got hold of him for you." He could tell that the little person liked the lizards, but at his diminutive size, he could not be expected to catch one himself. Reks was happy to help Groot get up close and personal with one of them.

The lizard, for its part, made a high-pitched sound of miffed inconvenience, but otherwise settled down. There was a way to hold them securely such that they could not move, but that would not cause any harm or restrict their breathing, and that was the very hold Reks used now. His father had taught him how to do it, and he'd taught his little brother, Vaan, how as well.

- - - - -

The pair of guards flagged down by Mantis looked at each other in mild confusion. "There... are many maids throughout the palace for-" one of them started to say, but as Mantis clarified that she needed some help changing clothes, they both seemed to understand. "Ah, the ladies-in-waiting. Of course. Simply wait in your room, and we will sent them to you at once." With that, the guards left off, heading towards the servants' quarters.

After some time, four maids arrived at the Guardians' guest suite. They were all very sweet and polite, happy to help Mantis with whatever she needed. There was one among them, however, a young maid of only twenty, who was carry a secret. No one could tell to look at her and with the way she'd tied her dress, but an empath, and one who could sense souls and lives, could easily detect the four months along that she was... and the new life growing within her.

Another Time, Another Place (A Hollow Universe In Space) || closed with tarnishedxknight

@tarnishedxknight continued from here

The Guardians stood there, letting Captain Basch formally introduce them to King Raminas. They all then bowed respectfully except for Rocket, who only did so because Gamora pushed his head down. They trusted Basch for the most part, as he assured them no one would hurt them after telling them to leave their weapons at the ship. Quill and Gamora were the first ones to leave theirs; Drax didn't want to leave his knives, but did so after Mantis looked at him, while Rocket pulled a comical amount of retractable weapons from his pockets.

As they followed Basch, Mantis had stayed behind for a moment to approach Vossler. She felt much better after Munoh sent her some calm energy, and she smirked at the man. Suddenly, her hand was on his cheek, her antennae aglow. "Whenever you open your mouth to say something unkind, you will wail like a baby. Honestly, it might be more coherent than anything else you have said," she whispered. She patted his cheek twice as if to seal her whimsical behest, and hurried to follow the Guardians as Basch guided them through the palace of Rabanastre.

Quill straightened and cleared his throat to speak to the King. Mantis took his hand; Quill was a little confused, but he allowed it since he knew she wasn't feeling great.

"Your Majesty," he said, once again lowering his voice in an attempt to mirror Basch's formal tone and presence, hoping it would make the King like him more. "We come in peace. We thank you for your time, and we apologize for occupying one of your docks. I think I have–" He stopped talking rather suddenly, and swallowed. "Uh... I think... I have..."

What was happening was that Mantis was frantically reading his thoughts as he spoke, using her powers to interrupt him because he was going to say he had the perfect stuff to make up for it, wanting to show the King some Terran music with the Zune. While Terran music was excellent, Mantis knew not everyone would like it, nor find it an acceptable form of apology.

"I have no excuse," Quill said instead. "And I have to... shut up... now."

[stingslikeabee]

❛   volumes .   gaze  at  my  muse  in  a  way  that  silently  says  ‘i love you’ .

loud and deafening silence starters . accepting

Leaving her home in the company of a travelling troupe had been one of the hardest decisions in Lilian’s life – and also one of the most rewarding experiences as well. She had a loving family and comfortable living conditions back in Bhujerba, but it was only thanks to her craft that she had visited so many different kingdoms and nations and got introduced to such a varied number of people and lifestyles – from the nomadic gypsies in Rozarria to the Bunansa family home in Archades.

And it was precisely under Doctor Cidolfus’ patronage of the foreign and exotic arts that she had met his sons – and one of them in particular. Ffamran was a few years younger than Lilian, but their connection had been… Unexpected. It had been his father who brought the young man over to her, his comments nothing short of encouraging (and borderlining obvious) in relation to his own progeny – a trait she had not really anticipated from a long, respected family line from the imperial capital.

However, despite the initial parental meddling, there was a mutual interest there – and his interest in the dancer went far and beyond her colorful attire or the enticing jingle of the jewelry – he wished to know more about the world, the places she had seen, the food she had tasted – a sample of freedom.

And from her part, Lilian had hardly been drawn to such an instigating and sharp mind before. He was obviously a well-trained conversationalist, but there was a genuine edge to his curiosity. Unlike other youthful heirs she had been paraded to, Ffamran did not talk down to her as if she was incapable of following intricate discussions topics, or ogled her like a prize they sought to win over for bragging rights – there was respect before there was any sort of yearning and pining, enough to briefly had her wonder about how different would her life be if she had just… Agreed to settle?

To give up her incessant travelling for a home, a life shared with an admirable man – wouldn’t it be wonderful to follow in her own mother’s footsteps, to create a family of her own?

But Lilian knew it would be impossible – not at that time, not when they had only known each other so briefly. Just over a couple of months – their stay at the Archadian capital had been fruitful and rewarding, but eventually it was time to move on, to become fresh news at a different location… And the dancer found herself struggling to part ways with the young judge.

And that was how she found herself boarding the airship that was ready to take the entire troupe to their next destination – the kingdom of Nabradia was their upcoming step, but rather than the familiar excitement before visiting an unknown land, Lilian felt immense sorrow at the idea of departing. The young dancer found herself looking everywhere for Ffamran’s familiar face in the crowds – and once she saw him, in full judge garb but without a helmet and refusing to break away from her gaze, she almost felt rooted to the ground.

Lilian followed him with her eyes – accompanied his intense gaze as she finished boarding and then within the ship, her face pressed to the transparent glass of the observation deck and both hands pushing against the crystalline surface as if she hoped to traverse that barrier to rejoin the judge on the ground. They never said a word – but the way she gazed at him until they no longer could see each other spoke volumes of the feelings they both kept in their hearts.

She loved Ffamran – and she had no idea of how cruelly fate would intervene to keep them apart for years before they were allowed to see each other again, under different identities and in the midst of a war, but with the same intense, shared longing locked away in their souls.

[cellarspider]

The Royal Palace of Rabanastre Consul’s Chambers

Final Fantasy XII has a bit of a developing trend of delivering a bunch of short cutscenes all in a row to advance the plot, broken up by jumping back and forth between different locations. Here’s the first time we get a cutscene with none of the party even close to the action: Hi Vayne! Hi Gabranth!

Vayne: Those decrepit, basking fools in Archades tie my hands, and look what happens! I tell you, this country’s obstinancy knows no bounds.  

Also this officially marks the first time that Microsoft Word’s spellcheck has freaked out over an actual English word the game’s script has included. I honestly thought it would have happened sooner, but we’re just getting started with the upper-class characters and their dialects.

In any case, Vayne appears unhappy with… something that’s happened recently, either the scale of the attack on the palace or Basch getting stolen.

Gabranth: The insurgents in Rabanastre operate alone at present. However, should they garner external support, the situation could worsen. We have found the counter-Imperial elements in Bhujerba to be conspicuously well funded. No doubt Marquis Ondore is behind this.

Whups.

Gabranth: Ondore must be reined in.

Vayne: By the way, the Marquis has written us a letter. He claims that he’s recaptured our runaway. He’s given him to Ghis.

And now I’m a little confused by the timeline of these cutscenes. It appears to be the same night as the last scene, wherein our party was being dragged away. I suppose given the purported speed of moogle-built airships and their association with Bhujerba, the mail can get delivered really quickly.

Also we’re privy to yet another shining moment in the Ludicrously Dysfunctional Ronsenburg Family series:

Gabranth: He will die by my hand.

It’s a hell of a loyalty test when you’re expected to respond to “oh we found your twin” with “I will murder him posthaste”

Vayne: Your fraternity is moving.

Says the guy who was possibly involved in the executions of his two elder brothers.

Vayne: Ah, Ghis returns with Larsa. Tomorrow morning they will leave Bhujerba. See him home safely, Gabranth. Now, I’m expecting Doctor Cid. You may leave.

Oh hey, a Cid! The recurring name throughout Final Fantasy returns. He’s been an airship builder, airship captain, knight, engineer, school headmaster and regent across every one of the previous Final Fantasy games. Square has been so insistent about this that they went back and wrote him into the original Final Fantasy upon one of its re-releases. In all cases, he’s been either a party member or a helpful ally. What’s he going to be this time?

Cid: We must see the real thing to be sure. Nabudis taught us much!

Uh. Well, he’s holding a conversation with the empty air next to his head. And apparently the total destruction of Nabradia’s capital city was a useful learning experience??

Cid: Yes, it’s well hidden. They’ll be off chasing after shadows, the fools. Ah, yes! The reins of History back in the hands of Man.

Gabranth may be a man whose three main jobs are “spymaster”, “child guardian” and “fratricide” right now, but even he seems to find this fucking weird. He pauses in the background to glance at Cid like “the fuck is wrong with this man.”

Cid: Hah, Vayne! You seem to be enjoying your job as consul.

Vayne: I was kept waiting fully two years. What news of Archades? Our honored members of the Senate?

Cid: Hard at work as always, trying to find a dagger for your back.

Vayne: They are welcome to try.

I’ll start filling in a few details before the game does, just to give this context: despite Vayne’s previous statement to Migelo that the Archadian people elect their emperors, this is not strictly the case. The Archadian senate elects the emperor. Previously the highest authority in the country, a few hundred years ago they were largely pushed aside by the military and its opponents in the powerful Solidor family as the Archadian Republic became the Archadian Empire.

The senate is now a mostly toothless body, especially since the first Solidor emperor created the Judges. In theory they elect the next emperor, but there’s been a remarkable consistency in electing Solidors to the position. All of these things are definitely based off of the senate of the Roman Empire, which as we all know is a great model for people who live together in peace and harmony without any political intrigue or politically-motivated murder.

The fact that Vayne actually cares about what they’re doing indicates that his position isn’t necessarily as strong as it’s appeared up until now: He’s the eldest surviving son, and we’ve had some whispers about the ill-health of his father. His only other sibling is twelve. Under normal circumstances that would mean he’d be the heir. But it seems his father might not have made that clear to the senate.

Anyway! This Cid appears to still be an academic of some kind. …And a conspirator in whatever Vayne is planning, and completely bugfuck.

Honestly if you’re a long-time player of the series, this is an even bigger twist than “Basch secretly has a king-murdering twin”, and a bigger source of intrigue than that ramble I just went on. Cid? An antagonist? Surely not!

…Right?

[cosmiciaria]

Final Fantasy XII Zodiac Age Review (Spoiler Free!)

I'm terribly sorry, but I'm one of those who played FFXII for the first time this year.

 Final Fantasy XII was actually the first game I ever got on my PS2, because the vendor recommended it to me, but alongside that game, I brought many others, including Final Fantasy X-2 (yes, not X, but X-2). By then, I didn't even know what Final Fantasy was, so I tried XII, didn't like the gameplay, got stuck after two hours and never touched it again.

 After 2014, which was when I've played Final Fantasy X for the first time ever (yes, quite late) and fell in love with the franchise, I actually tried FFXII again, to see if I could manage beyond those first hours of story. It turns out, I managed, but got stuck again, at six hours, without being able to leave the dungeon where I was. I was quite underleveled and didn't have many resources to buy supplies, so I said 'screw it!' and never touched it once again.

 I was really not fond of the gameplay. I was all about turn based combat, not this real-time-thingy-but-not-so-real-time. But when I saw that this game was coming completely upgraded for the PS4, and with the new gameplay mechanics from the International Zodiac Job System (which should be called Japanese ZJS, not International), I desperately wanted to play the game. I have a friend who wouldn't stop recommending it to me, and insisted even more when she knew about this new version. I had no excuses, so… yes, third time lucky!

 I managed to play beyond those first six hours, and up until now, I've played over sixty hours, and there's plenty more. And I can say, what a good game! What a good Final Fantasy! How could I pass on this all these years?

 I must start this (or… continue?) by saying that I'm completely, utterly, totally, overwhelmingly surprised. With two previous failed trials, I didn't have many expectations for the game in general. I only knew this was a Final Fantasy game, and it was going to have a guy called Cid, chocobos, magic, crystals and friendship and all that cheesiness. I did not expect a political conflict, I did not expect such a diversity of characters, I did not expect that much of a challenge. Guess what, I was wrong, of course! It is a Final Fantasy game after all, why would I doubt it?

 Final Fantasy XII happens in the world of Ivalice, in the middle of a political turmoil. The Archadian Empire is engulfing everything in its stride, and pretends to claim the Rozarrian lands. In between these two behemoths (no pun intended) we have two small kingdoms, Nabradia and Dalmasca. The king of Dalmasca marries his daughter, Princess Ashe, to the prince of Nabradia, Rasler, thus sealing an alliance. Rasler will take the reins of this newly formed nation and fight the Archadian Empire back, who was trying to step on both their kingdoms to get to Rozarria. Overwhelmed by their power and strength, Rasler falls in battle (because it seems these people had no sense while designing their armors), and the Empire takes Nabradia and Dalmasca under its totalitarian wing.

 Princess Ashe isn't oblivious to what's happening. The Empire kills her father and she, the only survivor of her dynasty, fakes her own death to fool Archadia. She starts working in the shadows, preparing a resistance, an insurgence, and waits for the right moment to reclaim her throne and her title.

 Two years pass, and fate will bring together six very different characters: the aforementioned Princess Ashe, fighting to get back what's hers; Vaan, an orphan and thief, the so called main protagonist but is less protagonist than that chocobo over there; Penelo, who follows Vaan wherever he goes because, yes, they're friends; Basch, a forgotten soldier who lost everything, even his honor, in the war, but is willing to regain his dignity and to defend Dalmasca; Balthier, a sky pirate with whom I may've fallen in love SO HARD; and Fran, a very beautiful viera (a hybrid with bunny) who's Balthier partner in crime and senses the Mist and speaks in encrypted riddles.

 These guys, who seemed to be taken out of a magician's top hat, will be accompanying Princess Ashe in her pursuit of regaining Dalmasca back, revisiting her ancestor's scattered hints across the globe to learn of a power beyond her comprehension. Along the way we'll MEET: many creatures; different landscapes; lots of tracking and backtracking and tracking again; lots of grinding, grinding, grinding, GRINDING; a very weird but crucially important stone called nethicite (of which I still don't understand much about); the almighty and solemnly mysterious MIST; giant bunnies; some guys with horns called 'garif'; some people who are always acolytes and when you see them from a close up you can learn they're actually white MONKEYS; beautiful and 'step on me senpai' BRITISH ACCENT; sky pirates and ships addressed as 'she'; summons who are not the summons we're accustomed, and the summons we are accustomed were put in the game as names of ships; violent chocobos; a thousand hunts; moogles everywhere doing everything and always in the right time for you; A GIANT ASS CRYSTAL WHICH DOESN'T HAVE A FRICKING MAP; Vaan asking stupid questions; Fran sensing the Mist and collapsing into Balthier's strong arms sorry not sorry; a twelve year old boy who acts and speaks better than all of us; and a ton crap of places to visit and maps to fill and dungeons to suffer through.

 I'll be honest, the game has a lot of content compared to its predecessor in the PS2. FFXII feels like an open world but condensed into zones (because of the limitations of the hardware, of course). But it's, in fact, the closest thing we had to that genre, and it does it perfectly. There's always something to do besides the main story. There's a ton of optional bosses, of unlockable Espers, of spells and technics to find, of weapons to seek, of maps to explore. There are also many, many hunts available, which unlock new areas in previously visited places, and also some hidden fetch quests, which are a must for those looking for the platinum. The game still doesn't cease to amaze me with its content.

 The gameplay might be a bit problematic at first, but you soon learn to grasp it. You basically can control any of the six party members, and set up the orders for the others to fulfill in a certain order. It seems hard to understand when the game explains it, but hey, if I could, then anyone can! The idea is to give priority to those orders which will save your character's life, and then make the appropriate combinations that suit you for fighting. These orders are called 'gambits', and they're the core of your gameplay. Better befriend them.

 You also have 'License Boards'. These licenses 'authorize' you to learn certain ability, or to wield certain weapon. For instance, to wield Excalibur, you not only need to have the actual sword, but also the license for it. And so on, so on. It goes the same for spells and technics. You can buy them at shops or find them in chests across the dungeons. Just bear in mind that some of them are only attainable in certain parts of the game (COF COF, HOLY, ARDOR, FLARE) and won't respawn later if you don't get them on time. 

 In this Zodiac Age version, we get to choose two jobs for each character. Now, I recommend you search in Internet for the best combinations, for I've made many mistakes choosing those, and I'm in no position of giving any strategy to anyone. I'm just going to say that, if I ever replay this, I'll be having a White Mage/Knight character, and it'd be a badass paladin.

 Dungeons can be a pain of the ass, and there's no shame, I repeat, there's no shame in looking for maps and guides. The Crystal has a great dungeon design, I won't deny it, but it can be really annoying and confusing to traverse. Pharos is also a great example of good dungeon crawling, but it can be really tiring with all its many, many floors. 

(Oh, and in case you were wondering because you’ve already played this game, there are no more ‘forbidden chests’ and the Zodiac Spear is located in another place altogether. So don’t worry about opening whatever appears in front of you)

 I can keep on talking about the gameplay and stuff, but I'm missing the most important thing here. What I liked the most about this game and what enthralled me so much, was the complexity of its characters. As I said before, I didn't expect many things. I didn't expect the characters to be morally grey. Ashe, who is the main driving force in the story, many a time doubts about the right path to follow, and blindingly falls into temptation. Gabranth, Basch's twin brother, has a divided loyalty, a complete devotion to his young master Larsa, and contradictory feelings about his brother. Balthier claims to be only there because of the treasure and the sky pirate spirit, but he soon gets on the personal race thing when his father appears on screen. All this, I've never seen it before in an FF game (maybe there was, but not in the ones I've played – that's a conversation for another day), and I was very glad to find that my characters weren't all on the heroes side. Speaking of heroes, our main villain might be the very first Final Fantasy villain I completely hate; he's not relatable, you can't sympathize with him in any moment, he kills his siblings because reasons, he's just bad because he wants to be bad. And also I hate him because I had to replay his battle three times before I finally defeated him. F*ck him.

 So, overall, I really enjoyed this FF. With each game I play, I fall in love more and more with the franchise. I'm glad I've come back to this one after all those years. The story is mature, the cast of characters is adorable (except for Vaan, sorry) and the soundtrack is on point, with many memorable themes. If you haven't already played this game (like me), this is the moment to give it a shot. And if you're a die hard FFXII fan, just dive in and enjoy the same old ride, but in HD!

 Final Fantasy XII is one of those stories which you've heard about but never actually experienced it. But once you do, there's no way in hell to let go of it.

[hey-rogby]

edgemaverick ha respondido a tu set de fotos: The Great Cathedral of Lea Monde - Vagrant Story...

hmmm lea monde is located where nabradia was so the cathedral was probably the necrohol of nabudis at one time since the architecture is similar

I thought the events of Vagrant story happened on a different continent other than Ivalice :o that would be really cool!

[ff12-ultimania]

Tchita Uplands

The Tchita Uplands is a sprawling, verdant grassland situated in the southern hills of the Archadia region. It serves as a vital crossroads with roads connecting several key locations: the former Kingdom of Nabradia to the west, the Imperial Capital of Archades to the north, and the bustling port city of Balfonheim to the east.

Scattered throughout the uplands are ancient, crumbling ruins believed to predate the Galtean era. These remnants of the past are being meticulously studied by researchers from the Imperial Academy, offering valuable insights into the enigmatic civilizations that once thrived in Ivalice.

<- The vast, lush Tchita Grasslands are renowned across the Archadia Empire as a key region for breeding fine chocobos.

[ff12-ultimania]

Salikawood

Located in the heart of the Nabradia region, Salikawood is a vast, tranquil forest bathed in soft sunlight filtering through the canopy of towering trees. A system of elevated forest roads, created by constructing bridges between the tree branches, was once the main travel route through this area. However, with the rise of airship travel, use of these roads has significantly declined. Since the fall of Nabradia, which once maintained and patrolled the forest roads, the area has become overrun with monsters.

One of Salikawood's exits leads to Archadia's Phon Coast, but the gate at this point has recently malfunctioned, preventing travelers from passing through. A Moogle and his team of nine Craftsmoogles' League apprentices are currently working on repairing the gate to restore the path.

[ff12-ultimania]

The Expansion of Two Major Empires

After the disintegration of the Galtean Alliance, Archadia and Rozarria became particularly powerful. The city-state of Archadia which became republic at the end of the Alliance, forced for the annexation of neighboring countries and in about 100 years became the Empire of Archadia. In contrast, the Empire of Rozarria was established upon the dissolution of the Alliance and followed a relatively moderate course for the next 100 years, but Rozarria was repeatedly defeated in skirmishes against Archadia which had grown rapidly as a militaristic empire. House Margrace, which had led the moderate course of Rozarria, temporarily lost the imperial seat and the empire quickly became a military state to rival Archadia, leading to more intensified conflicts. The kingdoms of Dalmasca and Nabradia, located between the two empires, were inevitably drawn into this conflict.

[ff12-ultimania]

the Light of Kiltia

Located in the northern region of Jagd Ramooda, Mt Bur-Omisace serves as the headquarters of the Light of Kiltia. This sacred site is where the prophet Kiltia first spread his teachings. The area is marked by floating islands in the sky and the grand temple where the Gran Kiltias resides, creating a solemn and reverent atmosphere.

Surrounding the temple are homes for worshippers, as well as outdoor stalls and tents for pilgrims. However, with the rising conflicts between nations, the number of tents sheltering war refugees has surged. While the Kiltian priests are working to provide food and aid, they are starting to reach the limits of what they can offer.

Gran Kiltias Anastasis

race: helgas sex: male age: 184 years old (120~130 years in hume standards) place of birth: mt bur-omisace

the Dreamsage who disapproves of conflict

Gran Kiltias Anastasis is the esteemed leader of the Kiltia sect, entrusted by King Raithwall to oversee the regions of Dalmasca and Nabradia. His rulings wield significant influence throughout the land.

Known for his generosity, the Gran Kiltias maintains a strict stance against those who misuse his power or commit crimes. He is particularly concerned with moral issues, including the plight of refugees seeking shelter at the foot of Mt. Bur-Omisace.

As one of the most intelligent and long-lived Helgas, he has earned the title "Realm's Wisest Man" due to his unique ability to dream and perceive beyond the awareness of the waking world.

[stingslikeabee]

FFXII verse

Lilian Rani Drysdell was born in 677 OV in the sky city of Bhujerba, daughter to a Bhujerban mother, Eleanor, and an Archadian father, Edgar. From her mother side of the family, women had always traditionally pursued some sort of art - her grandmother had been a moderately successful actress, her mother used to sing somewhat professionally, and Lilian turned out to be a skilled dancer. 

With her talent and the support of her parents, Lilian was instructed in the local costumes pretty early on, enough to earn her a place at the birthday festivities of the Marquis of Ondore IV when she was barely over 18 and juggling her studies, her hobby and looking after her younger sisters, born in 683 OV. 

It was at such occasion that her dancing captured the attention of a travelling troupe – composed of people from different countries and varied skills, who had been hired for the party. They invited Lilian to join them – a chance to see all of Ivalice, from the distant villages to the nobility palaces... And she took it with joy. 

Her following years were spent everywhere – the Rozarrian Empire, the Kingdom of Dalmasca, the Republic of Landis and the Kingdom of Nabradia were all places she got acquainted with, but the Archadian Empire was often the location of most of their presentations. Living with so many different individuals in her troupe taught her a bit of other languages, to get used to foreign cultural traditions and to build relationship with loyal fans until war became inevitable and travelling was ultimately suspended as countries started to fall to the mighty power of Archades.

Only then Lilian returned home – forced by dire circumstances to part from her dream and only to realize that Bhujerba no longer had anything for her after the last, months-old letters. Her family had been in Nalbina, a mere stop on their way to Archades hoping to hide from the ever-present threat of armed conflict in the sky city despite the Marquis’ efforts – but they never escaped the merciless raid from Archades. Lilian became, like many others, a victim to the greed of a place she once thought to be a second home of sorts.

The empty family home, the distressing news that came from the planet below every day – all these events led her to experience profound grief and shock, almost enough to plunge her into a bottomless depression – if it hadn’t been for friends and neighbors who brought her back from the abyss. It was during one day of non-stop crying that she was suddenly approached by the Marquis himself in plain clothes, his expression marked by both pain and iron determination.

Whispers of her situation had reached him, and the Marquis saw in her tragic story a way to get revenge for her family – for Bhujerba. Now, he was the local ruler, closely monitored by the Archadian Empire and powerless to act but in the shadows – and even so, the Resistance had limited reach. But what if she had privileged access to the noble houses and palaces they sorely needed eyes and ears on?

Despite the horrors of war, a renowned entertainer would surely still be welcomed by the elite of Archades – no city would love an exotic, expensive and talented woman with stories from foreign lands more than the capital of the Empire with their penchant for flaunting their own riches and power. If Lilian was willing to be a spy for the Resistance, the Marquis could place her at the heart of the enemy – even if she was partially Archadian herself.

And that was when Lilian became ‘Melissa’ – a new persona, advertised as this dancer who was as graceful as a Galbana lily and sweeter than the Ivalice-famous madhu. For the traditional Archadian eye, she embodied all things foreign – the warmth and the spice of other lands where summer skies were the rule, with her dance being lively, colorful and sensual – carefully balancing the necessary elegance to be sought after by the Archadian nobility and the right amount of mystery to be considered almost scandalous in a country where appearances matter so much.

All that was left for Melissa was to prove that she could attract more flies with her honeyed words and moves than the Resistance ever could with hard, cold steel.

Note: So, FFXII has been my favorite entry of the franchise for years now and I needed to have a verse for XII too - and despite this being born on a whim, I just couldn’t miss the chance to adapt somehow the story of Mata Hari for the FFXII world, particularly given the political intrigue and the world war going on.

Particularly for this verse, Melissa isn’t as ‘kind’ as she is by default - she looks and talks like she is, but she is truly looking for a weak spot and for the juicy secrets to feed back to the Marquis. She plays up the delicate, exotic foreign card - particularly in hopes that the judges and the military men around her will feel comfortable and loose in the presence of expensive alcohol and talk about things they presume she doesn’t understand (or cares for).

I also imagine that the Bhujerban dance to be something similar to the stereotypical ‘Indian’ dancing we see in the western media - given how the city follows some sanskrit for words/naming, and how people dress/walk around, Melissa would dress in a fashion that is heavily inspired by the colorful and eye-catching Bollywood, but making it a bit more sensual and sexy to align with the Mata Hari idea. ;)