#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.

[tarnishedxknight]

FFXII Week ~ Day 5 Prompt: Royalty

{out of dalmasca} Disclaimer: This post may include canon-divergent interpretations of canon characters, info about OCs featured on this blog, and AUs that may not align with the canon plot/characters of FFXII and/or may contain triggering material.

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We get to see at least one member of four different ruling Houses in FFXII, and they all live and engage in different cultures politically, socially, and diplomatically. Let's talk a little about the different agendas, ambitions, views toward different genders, and views regarding the war that make all of these royal Houses different from each other. Some of this may be based on my own headcanons, but I will include as much canon information as possible.

House Dalmasca of the Kingdom of Dalmasca

House Dalmasca presides over the smallest nation on this list of royal families. Dalmasca is a tiny kingdom that is located very close to Nabradia and culturally shares many of its traditional, patriarchal culture with its sister kingdom.

Dalmasca has only ever had kings, and only men are permitted to join the royal guard and the army. In addition, Princess Ashe's life was laid out for her, dictated by what a princess should learn, do, and how she should behave. She was not permitted to participate in important meetings her father held with his generals or his court, she was denied access to the majority of books in the royal library, and she was not permitted to learn weaponry or join with her brothers to fight in the war. Only through Basch's instruction was she able to gain access to many books, maps, and other writings pertaining to history and the war, and was able to learn the sword. Her brothers, though less restricted, were not only expected to want to fight in the war... but were required to.

When it comes to their stance on the war, House Dalmasca has attempted, unsuccessfully, to remain neutral. Not delcaring themselves supporters of either of the warring Archadian or Rozarrian Empires, House Dalmasca and specifically King Raminas has tried not to provoke either Empire into invading its small kingdom. With larger airships, more of them, and more numerous and devastating weapons than Dalmasca, either Empire could do serious damage to the small kingdom if they wanted to. King Raminas is aware of this, and despite sending his sons and knights to fight in solidarity with the Nabradian army, he fights to remain politically neutral.

Through an emphasis on tradition, royal breeding, and Dynast line blood, House Dalmasca joined Princess Ashelia to Prince Rasler in marriage. This act was taken as a Dalmascan declaration for Rozarria by the Archadian Empire, triggering a military response from them. Seeing a Dalmascan-Nabradian alliance that has declared for Rozarria as a threat, Archadia invaded both Nabradia and Dalmasca, effectively ending both royal lines as far as the general public knew by killing King Raminas, Rasler's father the King of Nabradia, and Prince Rasler. Rumors that Ashelia had taken her own life were then spread to prevent further resistance to Archadian occupation.

House Nabradia of the Kingdom of Nabradia

Like House Dalmasca, House Nabradia is a patriarchal and misogynistic House that is rigidly steeped in longstanding tradition. Like Dalmasca, Nabradia is resistant to change and to challenges of its culture. Nabradia is perhaps even more no-nonsense than Dalmasca, though, and Rasler's father ruled with a bit of an iron fist. Nabradia is far more militaristic than Dalmasca, possessing larger armies and greater presences in the skies and on land than her sister kingdom.

Prince Rasler was eventually left as the last remaining heir of his particular line of Dynast descendants, just like Princess Ashelia was left as the last of her line. Rasler's father, the King of Nabradia, saw an opportunity to make one of his own ambitions a reality, that being the joining of their two kingdoms under his rule. Because of their medieval-style rules of succession and preferential treatment towards men vs. women, both Dalmasca and Nabradia agreed that, in a marriage between Rasler and Ashelia, Dalmasca would be left the subordinate nation to Nabradia. This combined with Raminas being quite a bit older than Rasler's father meant that the King of Nabradia would one day rule over a fused larger kingdom of the two smaller ones someday. Unfortunately, due to the murders of both kings and of Prince Rasler, none of that came to pass.

Unlike House Dalmasca, House Nabradia had all but thrown in their lot with the Rozarrian Empire. There was a strong Rozarrian Resistance force based out of the capital city of Nabradia, Nabudis, and House Nabradia was secretly aiding and funding that Resistance force. It is unclear why the Nabradian king chose Rozarria over Archadia to ally with, but it was to be a fateful decision for both ruling House of the sister kingdoms.

House Margrace of the Rozarrian Empire

Not as much is known about the Rozarrian Empire in FFXII, but what little we are told tells volumes about their culture and politics as well as the social environment of their ruling House. Al-Cid identifies himself as a prince of his Empire, but "one of many." He also seems to have a rather cavalier and dismissive attitude with regard to the rigid trappings of royalty. Yet, he is also clearly permitted to engage in important diplomacy with Lady Ashelia and Lord Larsa.

All of this taken together seems to suggest that House Margrace is not facing the same problem of a lack of heirs that Dalmasca and Nabradia are. It also suggests that Al-Cid may be a young son of his House, not directly in line for the throne, or if he is, that he is not all that excited about the position. It is not the first thing on his mind, nor does he let that drive his thoughts and actions. If an heir who is not in line for the throne or who has little interest in taking the throne is still permitted to engage in diplomacy, this shows a level of cooperation and trust within the members of House Margrace that frankly is not seen in Houses Dalmasca, Nabradia, or Solidor.

Could it be possible that all members of House Margrace are valued equally for their ability to advance the future of their Empire and to protect their family? It's a refreshing idea after considering the misogyny of Houses Dalmasca and Nabradia, or the backstabbing, competitive shenanigans of House Sollidor.

A stark difference between House Margrace and Houses Dalmasca and Nabradia is their treatment of and regard for women. There are no restrictions on women becoming soldiers, pursuing various occupations, or engaging in learning and personal development, whether for royalty or commonfolk, in the Rozarrian Empire. The sexes seem to be a great deal more equal, which results in something of a culture shock for Ashelia when she meets Al-Cid.

Although it is mentioned by Al-Cid that other members of his House are pro-war and just itching to get into it hard with the Archadian Empire, he was still permitted to travel to meet Ashelia and Larsa to discuss potential peaceful alternatives. This is another display of freedom and trust within House Margrace that sets them apart in the game, for if Al-Cid was going rogue here, he would have stated that he was under duress, feared for his life, had to get back before he was noticed missing, or any other number of things. Instead, he said there wasn't much time before his House acted on their desire for war, but beyond that, he was willing to discuss peaceful solutions.

House Solidor of the Archadian Empire

House Solidor is the most "interesting" House in my opinion because they... have unique "rules" for their control of the Empire... yet seem to follow almost none of them, heh. They are the only ruling House in FFXII that does not automatically rule through the generations by medieval-esque lines of royal succession and bloodline, but rather, they are democratically elected by the masses and their Senate through an actual election process. However... that seems to be little more than a front for House Solidor actually having the exact same succession as the other ruling Houses, but just not wanting the public to think that's true. And their succession is even worse than having it done through strict rules of bloodline, because they are deceiving their public into thinking theirs is a democratic process.

It is not explicitly ever said, but I'd place good money on the fact that when these "elections" are held in the Archadian Empire, one or all of these things is true:

The election processes are always rigged so that a member of House Solidor always wins

The elections lack other potential candidates because those outside House Solidor are too afraid to put in a bid or simply don't believe they have any real chance of winning

Other candidates are forced out of the election by intimidation campaigns from House Solidor or tend to meet with "unfortunate accidents"

Potential voters and/or Senate members are bribed or threatened to vote a certain way or else

My point is, the Archadian Empire may hold elections on the surface, but there is never any intention other than for a member of House Solidor to continue to rule. That there technically is supposed to be a path for others to rule outside of House Solidor is clear, though, given Judge Ghis' supposition that if he can gain enough power, possibly through the acquisition of nethicite, he can take the throne away from Vayne Solidor. So technically... it is possible, but in reality? Who knows.

This deception and duplicity of saying or promoting one ideal while practicing another also extends to the treatment of women in the Archadian Empire. Although the sexes are legally equal, discrimination, prejudice, and misogyny still exist. There are no female Senators. Out of 20+ Judge Magisters, there are only two female ones, and only one of them do we ever get to meet in FFXII. Drace has certainly earned her place as a Judge Magister, and she does seem to have the respect of her peers... to an extent. But the road to gain that title for herself was paved with jests, insults, insinuations, taunts, and a general sense that no one expected her to succeed. So although women have legal rights in Archadia to work, join the military, and hold political office, they still face far more difficulty in achieving those things than men. So the equality of the sexes is more on paper than it is in practice at times in the Archadian Empire.

Finally, the dynamic within House Solidor is very different from Houses Dalmasca and Nabradia and from House Margrace. While Houses Dalmasca and Nabradia seem complacent inside their rigid cultural system and House Margrace seems able to foster a culture of cooperation and trust within itself, House Solidor frankly cannot... stop... killing other family members. Emperor Gramis's two eldest sons were attempting to organize a coup that would result in his assassination, so he acted first, sentencing them both to be executed. Who did he choose as his executioner? His third eldest son, Vayne. House Solidor is a family characterized and consumed by arrogance, greed, lust for power, ambition, and general cruelty to each other.

Only little Larsa seems to be different, and in my own headcanons for House Solidor in my Dark!Ivalice AU, that's because Larsa actually isn't Gramis' son, biologically. He's Gabranth's son with the Empress, Amoretta Solidor (an OC/NPC I created), conceived through her abuse of her power over the then very young and new Judge Magister Gabranth. You can read about Amoretta, the circumstances of Larsa's conception, and about her death in this post if you like, but please take care, as there are some very potentially triggering themes contained within it! But Larsa never knew his manipulative and cruel mother, and Emperor Gramis was a pretty absent dad. Instead, Larsa was largely "raised" by his mentors, Gabranth and Drace, both of whom knew the truth of his paternity but kept the secret for all of Larsa's life, largely for his own safety. Vayne, on the other hand, takes very much after his mother, with whom he had a bit of a frenemies style relationship with. He looks very much like her, he learned his silver tongue and manipulative skills from her, and he has her disingenuous, carefully crafted smile, masking sinister intentions.

But even if you don't subscribe to my particular versions of these characters, Larsa still is the odd person out in his family. Going just on canon-based information, that could be due to both Gramis' and Gabranth's influences, since both of them have seen what war between nations and within families can produce, and both wanted a different vision for the Archadian Empire. So Larsa was raised to have different ideals than his brothers or even Gramis, and being the precocious, intelligent, observant, and clever child he was, Larsa could see what was going on and was very well educated, so he could also choose for himself to follow a different path... and he did.

[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 Faram. 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]

Basch noticed the little furry person's raised paw and nodded to him as they walked. "Aye?" he said, giving him an opening to say what was on his mind. Hearing both his words and those of his captain, Basch sighed, stopped walking, and turned to them. The sigh was not out of frustration for their questions, no. Rather, his expression changed from one of dignified professionalism to... troubled empathy.

"Prince Caelen is King Raminas' last remaining living son," Basch explained. "Only he and Princess Ashelia remain of nine children. The rest of their brothers are deceased, having fallen in battle or been taken by the plague. Dalmasca cannot have queens, only kings, and so therefore Caelen is Crown Prince and his father's only heir. That distinction... unfortunately comes with duties that are neither optional nor negotiable. It is his duty to succeed his father someday, and to join in the war, whether he wishes to or not.

"Our sister kingdom of Nabradia is actively engaged in war with the Archadia Empire, having all but declared their support of the Rozarrian Empire. Although Dalmasca remains officially neutral and has declared for neither empire, Nabradia has brought the war to our door. Because we share borders, land, and resources, Dalmasca cannot afford to break ties with Nabradia. Thus, Prince Caelen must join with their Prince Rasler in solidarity on the battlefront. Anything less than that would be perceived by Nabradia's king as a slight, and we would risk alienating our oldest ally.

"Prince Caelen, even in his addled condition according to his father, must join in the war, and Princess Ashelia must be given to Prince Rasler in marriage. King Raminas has ordered it. They have no choice in the matter," Basch said. It was clear from both his soft tone and his saddened expression that he felt badly about this. "I, myself, must also often engage in this show of solidarity, and lead the Order against Archadia. I have done what I can to assist and shield Prince Caelen at the battlefront as best I can," he added, "but beyond that, I can only recommend or comment as to what would be best for him, and it is the king's prerogative to disregard it."

Noticing their reaction to the "colder" temperatures in Lowtown, Basch smiled. "It is only because Rabanastre proper is so hot that you feel a chill. Once you acclimate, it will begin to feel more comfortable for you," he said.

At the mention of the tavern, Basch stopped again on his way to the blacksmith's. "Aye, the Sandsea Tavern," he replied. At the argument between Drax and Groot, Basch sought to clarify. "Children are permitted inside the tavern. They cannot purchase spirits, but there is food and other drinks available as well."

At Rocket's comment about what he dealt with on a daily basis, Basch smiled softly. "And yet they are your comrades and friends, and you love them, aye?" he said, for that was how it was with him. Rocket struck Basch as the type of person who would not stay with anyone he truly hated, but perhaps that was only a superficial first impression.

As they all entered the tavern, several heads turned to see Basch, including the barkeep. There was a sizeable bar to back left of the tavern, several round tables around the rest of the floor, and a jobs board posted to the left of the bar. Toward the back right, a bard was playing music on a lute and singing a song of high adventure.

The jobs board was filled with parchments that had been tacked onto it, directing readers to various contacts if they wished to take jobs for payment. Some regarded missing persons or items that needed to be located. Others told of vicious creatures tormenting travelers or terrorizing trade routes that needed hunting. Still others were simply offering payment to make deliveries of various kinds.

"Sit wherever you wish," Basch directed the Guardians, while he approached the bar. After friend greetings were exchanged, Basch instructed the barkeep to allow the foreigners to purchase whatever they like, and to keep track of their bill. He would be paying it himself, he said, to which the barkeep agreed with a nod and a smile.

Sitting upon the bar and dangling his legs as children often do, a boy watched the exchange between Basch and the barkeep. When finished, Basch turned to the boy. "You there, lad," he said.

"Hi, Captain Basch," the boy said with a smile.

"How would you like to make a few coins?" Basch asked.

"Oh boy, would I!" the boy said, lighting up.

"Go down to the blacksmith at the end of the corridor and see if Prince Caelen is there. If he is, tell him to meet me here as soon as possible," Basch said, taking out three gold coins and handing them to the boy.

The boy's eyes widened even more. "Wow, thanks, captain! I'll do it right away!" he said, jumping off the bar and running out of the tavern.

"You spoil them, captain," the barkeep said with a friendly chuckle.

"They have suffered enough hardships for their age. Children should know joy as well," Basch replied.

- - - - - -

The nearby palace guards kept exchanging bewildered glances the longer this conversation went on. Who was this odd woman and why was she standing here talking to herself? It was very strange, indeed.

The longer they spoke, the more things began to come into focus for Munoh, and seemingly for Mantis as well. "Ah..." Munoh said. "Time traveler, you are not. Universe bounder, you may yet be." It would explain so much, everything from her strange "illness" to why she was energetically such a foreign being to Munoh.

"Powerful forces create such rifts sometimes, though rarely by accident do they weave such magic. Be you from another universe, then so too were you likely either sent here, or brought here," they explained. "If such magic be conscious, be deliberate, then watch you well your surroundings and take note of the company you keep. Answers there may yet well be, the reason for your displacement, hidden among your circumstances."

Seeing that she was faltering a bit again, Munoh slowly approached and let their influence wash over her, warm and calming. "Be at ease, star-traveler. You are safe here with me."

The guards had seen and heard enough. Clearly, this person needed help. One of them cautiously approached Mantis. "E-excuse me, miss..." he said gently. "Do you require assistance? You have been... talking to yourself." He was concerned but also cautious.

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.

[tarnishedxknight]

Gabranth was silent as he took all of this in, listened to Gylfie as she explained the snare Vayne had set for her. Only... it was not really for her. It was for him. He could see it plain as day, for he knew what Vayne ultimately wanted, and marrying Gylfie would gain him nothing. Even so, he was quiet, taking in every detail and feeding it into the bank of information he'd already stored on Vayne and his motivations. Gabranth knew he cared nothing for Gylfie or what happened to her, but getting him out of the way was almost essential to his plans.

"Alright..." he whispered when she had finished explaining everything to him, keeping his voice gentle so as to keep her from spiraling. "You've a few avenues at your disposal," he began. "Let's discuss them, yes? Take a few deep breaths, and let us decide upon your best course of action together." Together. Although he didn't say it in so many words, he wanted her to know that she was not alone in this.

"Vayne does not wish to marry you, and I would venture to say that he never will. He wants... only two things: Archadian superiority over all of Ivalice, and supreme power for himself. Unrestrained expansion of the Empire with him at its helm, that is his design. In order to accomplish this, he must either subjugate or destroy every land that has not already sworn allegiance to the Empire."

"The most strategic of these lands are Dalmasca and Nabradia. Nabradia could not be controlled because its throne could not be married into by Vayne with only a Prince remaining as heir. Destroying its seat of power with nethicite was the quickest and easiest option for him. Dalmasca, however, does have a Princess who can be married to gain control of her land. As soon as she can be located and captured, Vayne will seize her for himself. Dalmasca has a system of divine succession, believing that only those chosen by the gods are fit to rule. Vayne is not of Dynast blood, but by marrying the Princess, he can gain the right to rule in her place. With Nabradia on its knees and Dalmasca his by marriage, Vayne can control the peninsula and shut the Rozarrian Empire out of much of central and eastern Ivalice."

He paused for a moment to make sure she was alright and listening, before continuing. "So you see... marrying you would derail all of that for him. I know for a fact that these are his plans. My agents have been elucidating Vayne's plans in detail for some time now. I see no reason why he should change them now, when he is so close to achieving his goals, and so I do not believe he will ever marry you. Which means he is expecting you to refuse him, and that makes a great deal of sense. The Judge Magisters are the only ones with any reasonable power, both legally and in military might, to oppose Vayne. If he places you in this position, and you refuse him, he forces me to either denounce you, a trusted ally, and casts doubts on my own allegiances, a move that failed previously with Drace. Or, he forces me to defend you against my equals, causing a rift within our rank. Either way, it works to Vayne's advantage and destabilizes the rank of Judge Magister, his greatest threat."

"So... to remove that advantage, we must remove the benefits he stands to gain. Are you with me thus far?" He could see that she was very upset, but they needed to think this through very carefully and make an important play in this game of Vayne's. Not playing... wasn't an option. "It will be alright," he whispered. "You have options. Several of them. If you wish me to place you on probation, I can certainly do that, but that may not be our best course of action."

"Vayne will not give up Dalmasca. She is his pet project and has been for some time. Marrying the Princess is essential to that project. One of your options... would be to call Vayne's bluff and accept his offer of marriage. He will not want to go through with it, forcing him to either backtrack or rescind his offer, or to let you linger in a state of engagement until such time as he can break with you to marry the Princess. Either way, your loyalty to him cannot be questioned because you have not refused him. That is your second option."

"Your third... is to voluntarily resign. You can cite personal reasons. What this does is end your appointment as Judge, but on your terms. If you are dismissed or placed on probation, your loyalty is called into question and you may never be permitted to serve in the Imperial Army again. If you resign for personal reasons, that leaves you eligible to be reinstated at a later date... for example, a date in the future when Vayne may no longer be in power..." Gabranth said that very carefully, not going so far as to say that he was certain Vayne would not be in power for very long, but implying that it was a possibility. "It also removes his leverage over me, for you would, by your own choosing, no longer be one of my subordinates."

"Your fourth option... is perhaps a bit trickier." He didn't know if she would want to discuss this at all, but it was as decent an option as any. "May I ask you a very personal question?" he said gently. "What is your sexual preference? Would it happen to be homosexual or asexual? I ask because you could refuse Vayne on the grounds that it violate your sexuality to marry a man and bear children. It is a reason to refuse him that has nothing to do with politics or allegiances, but one that would be difficult for Vayne to press you too hard on."

"If Vayne tries to force you to go against your own sexuality, and you make that pressure public, he will make an enemy of Ghis. If you were not aware, Ghis is homosexual, and he becomes very sensitive about it when he is mocked or challenged for it, as well he should. I hold no love for the man, but he deserves to have his preferences respected... as do you. Vayne wants total allegiance of all the Judge Magisters to himself. Right now, they follow my lead, save for Bergan. But this would give Ghis a very personal reason to oppose Vayne's rule that has nothing to do with you or me. Vayne would not risk that, not while his hold on the throne is still in its infancy."

And here he stopped, knowing that he was hitting Gylfie with a lot. Unfortunately, Vayne pulling this sort of petty move warranted this kind of serious, in-depth discussion, however. Much as he might like to give Gylfie time and space, that may not be the best choice to make. He was trying to keep her safe while juggling Vayne's own ambitions long enough to find a way to take him down and seat Larsa on the throne. There was no time to shy away from a challenge like this one. "What say you...?" he asked after a time, that same gentle, fatherly tone remaining. It was a lot, but he was willing to spend as much time with her as she needed to arrive at a course of action she thought best.

@tarnishedxknight - continued from here

Gylfie didn't react as Gabranth stood from his desk and calmly walked by her. Didn't react as he locked the door and waited for her to give him a reason for her being there. For her distress. She only focused on her breathing - doing her best to keep it under control as she did her best to recall what Drace had told her. To try and regain some composure even though she knew Gabranth would not judge her.

But that could still not stop the shame that sludged through her. That lodged like a thorn in her heart and caused her to shudder, even through her fear and... panic.

Oh, there was still a part of her still lodged enough in reality to hate how far she was falling. She was not one to give to her panic. To her terror. But this...

She choked back bile and swallowed thickly as a cough caught in her chest, and she shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut as she turned her head away. Unable to meet Gabranth's steady gaze as he spoke gently to her. As he attempted to coax an answer out with a voice so soothing, it almost brought her to her knees with grief. Why could my father not be like you? she thought, and tightened her grip on her helm to keep it from clattering to the ground.

"Vayne is going to call for my dismissal," she finally forced out - her strained voice wobbling. "He... He claims the other Judge Magisters are... are worried about Drace's influence and believe I may... I may follow..." Her voice cracked, and she shook her head - clenching her jaw tight as she inhaled sharply through her teeth. "He says it's... for my benefit-" those words spat out in shaky disgust "-but that he knows I... That my loyalty is not treacherous. He has... has offered--"

Gylfie couldn't bear to bring herself to say it aloud, but... she knew she needed to. She had already damned herself by not revealing Vayne's intentions sooner with Gabranth so he could take it into account - in believing she could handle it alone. And... although she dared not to admit it, she knew it was probably too late for her to be saved.

"He has offered me power if I agree to marry him."

There was venom in her voice as she spat it out - anger twisting her features despite the way panic still gleamed in her eyes like a fever. Still unable to meet Gabranth's gaze as her hands trembled. Unable to shake the fear that clawed at her heart and encouraged her to flee.

"I know there will be no power with him." She shuddered again, and breathed out through her teeth as she clenched her jaw once more. Doing her best to try and settle her stomach. "Being Empress would mean nothing more than me being a broodmare. But if I... if I refuse him..." Vayne's offer was a veiled threat she recognized immediately, and... she knew he would not hesitate to use it against anyone he saw as a threat. There was little doubt in her mind that he would find a way to make Gabranth force his hand once more if she did refuse, and have him be the one to kill her for treason. To tighten that noose around his neck to remind him who was in power. To test to see how far he would go to keep Larsa safe.

She jerked her head up and stared up at Gabranth pleadingly - a desperation bright in her eyes that shined beneath her fear. "But if... if you call for my probation, then... then it would be public that my loyalty is in question. He would be fool to marry someone who may follow a traitor's path. I would be removed from position, yes, but at least then I would have time to... to..."

To figure something else out.

It was clear her plea was her last Hail Faram. Her final, desperate attempt to keep her piece on the board before she lost it all. Because... the only other option she saw was to flee, and... she could not bring herself to abandon Archadia. Could not bring herself to abandon Gabranth and Larsa and everything she fought for.

[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]

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.

[tarnishedxknight]

“Ashe… this is Raccoon City. My boyfriend lives here,” Catalina explained. She swallowed hard. Was it safe to have her friend — not a friend, a target — here right now? Did Catalina really want to teach her superiors about nethicite? And why were they even asking in the first place? Carlos’ message had seemed urgent, though, and she couldn’t just abandon Ashe in the middle of their girls’ trip. The more time she spent with the Avengers, the more she considered defecting to SHIELD. “And… and I work here, but I think something is seriously wrong….”

Ashelia wasn't sure why Catalina has been so insistent upon her traveling to Raccoon City with her. If her boyfriend had sent her a missive, was it not something private that was not meant for Ashelia's attention? Perhaps, but her friend seemed very rattled, and for that reason alone, whether it was her business or not, Ashe went along with it. For moral support, if nothing else.

She looked around at the city and immediately sensed that something was seriously wrong, just as Catalina has said. Her brow furrowed with concern. The city looked dark, dirty, and in disrepair. In the distance she could hear-... Was that screaming? "Did your lover share with you his location? Or give you somewhere he wished you to meet him?" she asked.

As soon as she did, however, she caught sight of something moving down the street. Ashelia began to confidently walk forward to see what it was, but quickly realizes it wasn't a what, it was a whom. She saw a person, with wounds all over their body, walking uncoordinatedly, snarling and reaching out for them. The person looked like so many others she'd seen in the Necrohol of Nabudis, fueled by the Mist from the nethicite explosion that had claimed the capital city of Nabradia.

On instinct, Ashelia cast a spell to turn and destroy the person, which proved very effective. The person was nothing more than dust in the wind by the time the spell was completed. "It would seem that the city has been tainted with undead," she said with perhaps a lot more matter-of-factness than anyone of this time period would understand. "Revenants," she said, turning to look at Catalina. "Ravenous, half-insane creatures who were once humes, like you or I. The raised, reanimated bodies of the dead. In my time, Mist was to blame for their creation. But now..." She shook her head. "Something else must be causing it."

[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.

[tarnishedxknight]

Sunrise || (open to mutuals)

{ This is for Ashelia's MCU verse! ^_^ So any muses who are shipped with her and would already be in a room with her, or who would come to call on her at sunrise, can hop onto this starter. }

In her own time, Ashelia always rose with the sun. It was as if, as it came up and over the horizon, it stirred her awake with its warmth and light. It felt natural to her to wake at that time, and she'd never thought much of it. But now, stuck in this more modern time and forever far away from her homeland, it had taken on new meaning for her...

Rising with the sun had become a fervent ritual she needed to engage in every morning. She even set an alarm for herself now, with the funny little device at her bedside, so that she did not miss it. The sun was perhaps the one thing that was still the same in this world, something that reminded her of home because... the same sun had risen over Dalmasca that was rising now.

Thus, every morning, before eating, drinking, bathing, dressing, or any of her other morning activities, Ashelia took some time to observe and feel the sunrise. This particular morning was no different. Idly twisting some of her pale hair in her fingers, she looked directly at the sun with eyes that could not be damaged by it, feeling the warmth of it on skin that could never be burned by it, and otherwise letting the sun heal some part of her heart, as it did every morning.

It made her feel sad, but in a cathartic way. A nostalgic one. But more importantly, it brought her peace and comfort in a way nothing else could here in this unwanted world she was now surrounded by. At least the sun is the same. She had been deeply grateful to Stark for placing her in a room with a large window that faced the sunrise. If not for that, she would have had to venture outside each morn.

Dalmascans were sometimes called Children of the Sun by foreigners, and the Dynast line had become associated with the sun because of where Dalmasca and Nabradia were located, and because of their pale, sometimes golden coloration. Her grayish-blonde hair seemed to take on a life of its own in sunlight, looking more blonde, more golden, than it did indoors. Ashelia knew she was a Child of the Sun, and that would never change. As long as the sun rose and set in reality, it would also do so in her heart.

Hearing someone nearby, she turned and smiled. "Oh, forgive me. How long have you been there? I was just... saying hello to the sun, in my own way," she said, glancing back at it. It was now fully over the horizon. Time to move on with her day.

[tarnishedxknight]

"Cou-could you tell me abou-about Dalmasca?" Carter asked suddenly - breaking the peaceful silence that had fallen between her and Ashelia. She turned her head to look at her as they laid together, and offered a small smile. Warmth bright in her gaze. "If- if you don't- don't mind. I- I would like to know- know more about your home-homeland."

Ashelia's eyes had been closed, but she hadn't been sleeping. She was simply enjoying the peace that came along with having a nice, lazy moment with her girlfriend. When she heard her speak, though, Ashe opened her eyes and turned her head toward Carter, blinking a couple times. "Yes! Of course I could!" she burst out excitedly, pleasantly surprised by the question. "What do you want to know? I am happy to talk about anything you like!" And that was very apparent in the way she'd come alive simply with the idea of speaking about Dalamsca.

"I loved it so much," she said, her smile turning soft. "During the day, the heat was intense but dry, so it was bearable. And then at night, it became so much cooler, especially when the winds were coming from the direction of the ocean. Dalmasca was located on a peninsula along with Nabradia, you see, so it was bounded by the sea to the far north and south. Whenever the winds came from those directions, the nights were downright cold. When it came from the west or east, they were cool and pleasant."

There was no stopping her now. Her eyes had lost their focus and she was back there again, looking around at things only she could see in her mind's eye. "My quarters was open on one side. It was high up and the palace was guarded, so there was not a fear that someone might come in through the open balcony, but yes, it was open except for a couple of sandstone pillars and of course the curtain that I could draw for modesty's sake, or if it grew too cold. But because of that, I woke with the sun every morning because the light would pour in through the open balcony, even through the curtain. It was always warm and it filled the whole of my room like it was alive and chasing away the darkness."

"There were lizards everywhere!" she said, suddenly looking at Carter with an excited, animated face. "Tiny ones. About this long." She indicated about six inches between her two index fingers. "Or hmm... if you count their tails..." She widened it to about one foot long. "Slender, delicate little things they were. I loved to play with them, but they were also a source of food. If we did not eat them, they would overrun everything, and so everyone did. We ate them in the palace, and rich and poor alike ate them all over the city. We would cure them with rock salt to preserve them, and then we would fry them when we wanted to eat them. I never ate any of the ones I played with, though, because I felt too badly for the poor things," she said, scrunching up her nose and shaking her head.

"I also woke every day to the sounds of the city all around. Even from high up in the palace, one could hear in the morning the large bell rung to indicate the market had opened, and hear people talking in the distance. There was shouting and heckling and laughing and all sorts of sounds, but there were also the airships that came and went. They did so at all hours, but in the early mornings and just before sunset were times when traffic was highest. I could hear the hum of the glossair rings and the power of the engines. I did not realize how much a part of me such sounds were until they were all gone..."

Ashe paused, having a bit of a sad moment, but then was quick to dismiss it in favor of telling Carter more about Dalmasca. "Is there anything specific you would like to know about it?" she asked.

[tarnishedxknight]

They bowed to him. "Understood, your Honor. I have already started the report, so it will be turned in shortly. As for Judge Ynarra, we have witnesses who had seen her with Princess Ashelia and the other fugitives on the Leviathan before their escape. Judge Ynarra was not found onboard after, and Captain Azelas has confirmed she was with them at the Marquis's estate. He has also confirmed she had aided their escape from Judge Ghis."

They already were bracing themselves for Judge Gabranth's anger. "Captain Azelas has reported they are with the sky pirates Fran and Balthier, as well as two Dalmascan orphans named Penelo and Vaan. He has said that it was because of the sky pirates and Vaan that Ronsenburg had escaped Nalbina. Their current location is uncertain, but Captain Azelas has given reason to believe they will be heading to the Jagd Yensa. He says that the Tomb of Raithwall lies west of the Nam-Yensa Sandsea and they may be heading there to find proof of Princess Ashelia's bloodline so she can reclaim her throne."

@disillusionedjudge

Hearing this, that Gylfie was there on the Leviathan with the Dalmascan Princess and aided the fugitives' escape from Ghis... Gabranth's fists tightened. Thought he said nothing and his helm obscured his expression, the sound of the metal in his gauntlets straining under the pressure of his anger spoke more loudly than words as to his mindset. "See that it is," Gabranth said darkly, meaning the report. He wanted it now. Yesterday. Time was of the essence.

This... was worst case scenario, or at the very least, close to it. He needed Ashelia in custody. She was an integral part of Vayne's plan, and without her, without the ability to marry her and take Dalmasca through somewhat legal means, Vayne would become increasingly unstable. His designs on Dalmasca would turn ever more violent. What's more, Gabranth knew of the proof the Princess sought, he just didn't know where it had been located. If she were to retrieve it and it fell into Vayne's hands, he would have the exact weapon he needed to obliterate Dalmasca in the image of Nabradia, just the weapon he needed to bring most of Ivalice to its knees.

Deifacted nethicite...

The Nam-Yensa Sandsea was a perilous place, crawling with the Urutan-Yensa, among other hostiles. The Tomb of Raithwall was rumored to have its own perils attached. They were no place for an asset as important as the Princess of Dalmasca.

"Prepare the Penumbra for immediate departure," he said. "And I intend to read the evidence report on board," he added, implying that it had better be ready soon.