#need more keeper miqo'te

[tt-vision]

I have art block, have Nhaza'a 🔪🐈

[layalu]

beanpole kitty! no i don't care that the retractable claws don't make sense <3

[lookbluesoup]

So while I get that Gridanians live under these.... essentially toddler-gods who can afflict the entire territory with horrible plague, who will severely punish well-intentioned children that were manipulated by adults instead of the adult, and can't communicate their desires clearly, which leads the community to adopt a lot of hostility to change, paranoia, hate and even violence toward outsiders, etc...

Unless there's more explanation for this I haven't found? I know I'm not 100% up to speed on everything Gridania, especially pre-ARR....

Keepers of the Moon were living in the Black Shroud outside of Gridanian authority, for generations, presumably not being laserbeamed out of existence. There would have been a lot going on outside of the Seedseer's effective reach, and there aren't Moonkeeper Padjal to make up the gap there, only Hyur get to be Padjal.

Miqo'te are described as traditionally being far more in tune with nature and eschewing things like major city developments and whatnot. They're predators, yes, but predators have a place and function in the natural balance of the world.

"Beast Tribes" are a made up word from Ul'dah to protect trade monopolies in Thanalan, and Miqo'te could easily have ended up on the wrong side of that label if the rich elites had wanted them barred from the city. Historically, they're a lot more "feral" than a lot of the other spoken races.

I mention all this because it's unlikely the Elementals divide people into Beast Tribes and Human Races. Sylph's aren't being deleted by the Elementals, either, despite certainly having no inclination to live like the Gridanians do and being fairly mischievous.

My point being... I wonder if maybe the Gridanians kind of brought the Greenwrath on themselves. A lot of the time. The same way that some IRL religious institutions preach hate in the name of a deity and stir paranoia and fear of eternal condemnation. They create sins where there didn't need to be... Justifying division and destruction and isolation out of fear (and thus a need for control), and actually creating their own problems.

Elementals might not care about a lot of the stuff Gridania does, its clear a few times when something bad happens to someone, even just getting sick, panic strikes that the Elementals are behind it and people act irrationally out of fear, like the IRL Salem Witch Trials.

If you look at places like Haukke Manor... a country living in balance with nature does not need massive monuments to vanity like that. And there's apparently a whole quarter devoted to mansions for nobility in Gridania (which the npc says we're not allowed to visit.) Why do you have that. Why do you think that promotes peace with the natural world.

There's Wood Wailers who talk about wanting to kill Moonkeepers on sight, just in case they're "poachers." That's sort of like killing wolves because they're predators. Outside of some genuine bad apples, though, a lot of what seems to drive actual Moonkeeper poachers AND Duskwight Elezen to banditry is a straight up need to survive. Gridania's essential demand that they have dictatorial rights over management of the forest leads them to disrupt these group's lives, sometimes with exceptional cruelty.

I know that "central authority" is kind of... not super really a thing for Gridania, power is pretty divided up and a lot of it seems to run on an honor system. But that seems to have led to a lot of Process Loss and enabled a lot of prejudice and abuse to run rampant. Especially now that the Elementals are weaker than pre-Calamity.

I guess basically I wonder if the reason Sylphs and traditional Moonkeeper clans managed to survive out there was because, unlike Gridania, they don't have social systems built from the ground up on fear and condemnation. They're not constantly LOOKING for reasons to think the Elementals hate them and someone to blame for it.

They just live "natural" lives, that aren't inherently dangerous to the overall balance of the forest ecosystem, and they don't have an entire religious/government body dedicated to trying to interpret vague impressions from the Elementals (this is a HORRIBLE system of government and EXTREMELY susceptible to personal prejudices/bias), so these non-Gridanians run into conflict with the Elementals far less often.

i.e. Moonkeeper kills a rabbit, uses the meat, skin, and bones, is behaving like a hunter, Elementals don't care. VERSUS Gridanian kills a rabbit, uses it the same way, but then a villager gets sick and their friends panic and they turn into a mob and punish the Gridanian, Elementals didn't care but now they're a little pissy bc you're disrupting the forest with your insanity.

Basically... Gridania is the real affront to the Elementals, their very infrastructure and their culture of micromanaging the forest and constantly looking for scapegoats, kind of flies in the face of actually living in balance with nature. The Elementals aren't omnipotent or a unified group, and seem to struggle to understand human minds anyway, so they're trying to work with this city-state and have established some kind of partnership, but Gridania is really its own worst enemy.

[wildstar25]

Many thoughts specifically about miqo'te having their own unique wintertime celebration akin to a festival of lights and/or warmth that would date back to the fifth umbral era (age of endless frost). It could be something that recounts their peoples' great crossing over the ice bridge during a time where days were short and nights were frigid.

The two tribes could celebrate it slightly differently, I think:

Seekers would focus on bringing light into their lives by gathering as a tribe around a big bonfire as the sun goes down. The eldest of the tribe recounts the blessing of fire granted to them by their goddess Azeyma. They mention the torches their ancestors carried along their journey never went out, no matter how strong or cold the winds became over the frozen ocean straight. The light of the flames kept their tribe together in the dark; it let them see the path ahead when the sun went down and was strong enough to be seen by even the slowest trailing members of the migrating tribes. Food is cooked by the flames as children run and play. Of Age Tias endlessly sing over each other, all trying to demonstrate how well they know their clan's traditional songs. The Nuhn keeps the fire going through the night, making sure it doesn't burn out until the light of tomorrow's dawn arrives.

Keepers would focus how the warmth of their family clans kept them alive where most other life perished in the cold. They would hold a large feast on the night of a full moon; stewed game, seasoned preserves, fresh loafs of sesame flour bread, roasted mushrooms and root vegetables would fill their bellies as the night festivities went on. Tokens of love and appreciation would be shared among clan members. As a rare occurrence in keeper life, wandering males would be invited in to partake in the revelry. Prayers would be sung in honour of Menphina, giving thanks bringing love to their lives and for guiding their ancestors together across the horizon. Arms would link together to create circles of dancing miqo'te. Hyms and cheers would carry through the forest for as long as the moon remained high in the sky. Love struck pairings might slink off to deepen their new connections while the remaining family members sleep in groups, sharing each others warmth for the night like those who crossed over into Eorzea so long ago.

Something like that!! Idk this is just off of the top of my head thoughts. Mostly just think that it would make more sense that the Miqo'te tribes and clans have their own cultural practises as they were/are a nomadic people that (in lore) are small in number and tend to keep to themselves. Stories of their people would need to be passed down in one way or another, why not make it a holiday??

[idalenn]

Lillian Kyo - Lore Details

Thank you so much for giving me an opportunity to talk @elliewiltarwyn!! One day I'll write my way to some of these.....someday.

Under a read more because it's, uh, long.

--B A S I C S--

Name: Lillian Kyo

Nicknames: None given, unless you count "hero" and "kit" (though that last one is a bit of a Gridanian slur)

Age: Late twenties in ARR, just considered early 30s by the end of Endwalker. Stormblood takes up a good chunk of this time. (She's a year younger than she should be: Seat of Sacrifice and time spinning out of control because of Elidibus/The Crystal Tower/the flow of time between shards cause her to miss a year on the Source. The Scions' bodies sure don't, though)

Nameday: 16th Sun of the 1st Astral Moon

Race: Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te

Gender: Transwoman. Will never outright state so

Orientation: Pansexual, though more in theory than practice

Profession: Member of the Conjurers' Guild, member of the Botanists' Guild (on indefinite, and unpaid, sabbatical). Warrior of Light and current holder of the Soul of the White Mage

--P H Y S I C A L     A S P E C  T S--

Hair: Grey as storm clouds. Starts off short and unkempt in ARR, growing to her shoulders in Heavensward where it stays that length until Stormblood where she quickly learns combat and longer hair do her no favors. Once Temulun cleans it up, it goes to about neck length. However, Lillian has no experience in maintaining the Xaela-influenced appearance, so she keeps the general shape but leaves the beads, complex braiding, and oils out. She keeps this look until her story's end.

Eyes: a soft golden hue, often called "piss yellow"

Skin: a brownish-grey

Tattoos/scars: Oh boy. Lillian's most noticeable set are the ones across her face, the edges of her face, and striping her throat in service to some purpose others can't discern - the result of attempting facial feminization before the events of ARR with a knife, a hot flame, a basic grasp of healing magic, and a book on anatomy she could barely read with diagrams interpreted increasingly wrong as the night went on. The end result was mostly a success, though.

Other than those, she collects several over time. Notable ones include burns from dragon fire, being impaled on Zenos' sword at Rhalgr's Reach, being skewered on his sword again later but - unable to pull it out - instead pulling her body away so it cut it's own way out, and another across her front from shoulder to hip in their final fight (somewhat mitigated by a timely application of Benediction)

Healers can take a lot of abuse. No tattoos though.

--F A M I L Y--

Parents: Being a Keeper of the Moon, she has no knowledge of her father. Her mother, however, taught her child what she needed to survive in the world beyond the reach of the tribe knowing the day would eventually come where she'd walk that path and explore the wide, open world. Not seen since the day of Lillian's leaving.

Siblings: Grew up among a litter of siblings in which she was the youngest of all. Hasn't seen a single one since leaving the tribe.

Grandparents: The closest person to a grandparent was her Elder Mother, whom she much respected and loved and continues to be a source of inspiration. Taught Lillian the ways of the Conjurer and of faith in Menphina and the elementals. Likely found the same fate as the tribe.

In-laws and Other: Scions count, right?

Pets: Scions count, right?

--S K I L L S--

Abilities: Being born and raised in the wilds of the Twelveswood have made her specially attuned to the elementals to the point that she's often confused for a Hearer. While naturally a Conjurer/White Mage, the events of Rhalgr's Reach encouraged her to learn from Lyse in putting on some muscle and to take on pugilist training.

Hobbies: Dancing, but moving in general. Tribe life didn't allow her much freedom to dance in general and she was never allowed to take part in the rite of passage other girls enjoyed in which they sang and danced to a certain enchanting tune. Enjoyed playing the flute while living with her tribe, but hasn't done so since leaving.

--T R A I T S--

Most Positive Trait: Will always try to seek the best possible solution to any given problem, even at cost to herself.

Most Negative Trait: The most petulant woman you'll ever meet in her worst moments; absolutely taking pleasure in your pain. Uses the idea of "the logical choice" and removing herself from emotions as a defense mechanism, simultaneously confuses the believed results of these choices with the "greater good".

The decision she makes in Ktisis Hyperboreia is THE nail in the coffin for Meteion's outlook on life.

--L I K E S--

Colors: Different shades of greys and blacks with splashes of blue. The white associated with healers and White Mages does not appeal to her.

Smells: Overpowering floral scents. Lillian uses these to keep herself sweet-smelling in place of showering (unless forced) until Shadowbringers. Also enjoys the aroma of burning and ash in small amounts.

Textures: Woolen clothing and thick, inflexible metal plates. The heavier, the better.

Drinks: Spiced strawberry wine

--O T H E R    D E T A I L S--

Smokes: Not at all. The colored smokes of Radz-at-Han are appealing at first, but she can't be around them for too long or her eyes start to water.

Drinks: None at first, but she picks up the habit during celebrations at the end of Stormblood, which becomes a bigger problem at the end of Shadowbringers as she tries to cope with being a woman out of time and seeing how much the world has progressed and how much she's lost (The resolution of the Bozja conflict, peace with those formerly known as the "beast tribes", the twins' comatose bodies being carried off back to Sharlayan by their father, Y'shtola's being taken by Matoya to better care for her, etc.) By Endwalker she's thinking about picking up a glass of water and tasting wine before she knows what's happening.

Drugs: Not a whole lot of interest.

Mount Issuance: Unicorn babbyyyyyyyy

Been Arrested: Charged with regicide and, later, heresy; they didn't stick.

---------

For tagging (apologies if you get double-tagged by me) the OCs I haven't seen yet are @zoroarkthief @viiioca @candycryptids @sylaurin @reconditerune @amalthea-felsblood @arinaxiv @dreadwyrmz and YOU reader for making it this far!

[woltourney]

ROUND 3 / SIDE B / POLL 3

Stelak Ganzthuv (@drtanner) v. Lopu Rhaavuna (@mages-ballad)

Stelak Ganzthuv:

q. What is your WoL name and pronouns? a. Stelak Ganzthuv (he/him)

q. What is your WoL's species? a. Roegadyn

q. What is your WoL's class? Or classes? a. Gunbreaker, Bard

q. What data centre/server are you on, if you want people to find you? a. Crystal/Malboro! Come say hi!

q. Tell us a bit about your WoL! a. Stelak is an amnesiac and can't remember anything about who he was before he arrived in Gridania. He woke up in the back that cart with nothing but a name, the clothes on his back and a robust set of instincts and principles, and while he has no memory of his life before then - if, indeed, he existed at all - he knows he's a whore. That's his literal job, he's a sex worker, he knows how to do that and he's very good at it. He's also picked up playing music suspiciously quickly, so there's a decent chance he might have been a bard previously, too. To Stelak's knowledge, Hydaelyn pretty much just plucked him out of the aether, or from wherever, to be Her hero, and Stelak is a little reluctant in his role but he's keenly aware that he has little choice in the matter; everything will go to shit in a big hurry if he doesn't step up when people need him to step up, and as much as he'd rather be doing other things and really doesn't enjoy the recognition or fame he gets for being the WoL, there's precious little to be done about it. He's doing his best, lmao.

q. Why should YOU win? (Answer IC!) a. "I'm gonna be honest with you, darlin'. I don't mind, I'm just here for a laugh." Stelak pauses, glancing away for a moment, considering. "… Sayin' that, though. Please. I'm very tired." His brow knots as he gives a weary smile. "It would be very nice to get a little appreciation for once."

q. Anything else you wanna add? a. Stelak is available for hire. Just sayin'. 💜

Lopu Rhaavuna:

q. What is your WoL name and pronouns? a. Lopu Rhaavuna, she/her

q. What is your WoL's species? a. Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te

q. What is your WoL's class? Or classes? a. IC-ly her primary jobs are Bard and Dancer. Secondary to that, Sage and Reaper. (Note from submitter: CUL and BOT)

q. What data centre/server are you on, if you want people to find you? a. Mateus [Crystal]

q. Tell us a bit about your WoL! a. I took inspiration for Lopu's character and story from the mahou shoujo genre, with the core elements being that a seemingly-average girl discovers she actually has the capability for magical powers, and uses those to help spread hope and save others. Love is a major theme for Lopu, and its what gives her the strength and motivation to do what she does. Lopu grew up in Gridania, where she left and became the Warrior of Light at age 25. She's always had a deep feeling of wanderlust within her, and the events of the MSQ are what kickstart her into being able to get out and see the world. She's lived her life knowing there had to eventually be more out there for her, and her assumptions are proven right as she takes up the title of the WoL and makes herself known. She's no doubt had her ups and downs, but never once has she regret her journey. Others may call her a hero; but even after all this time she still considers herself just an adventurer that likes to help people. In her free time, Lopu has a few hobbies she likes to indulge in! She's very big on cooking and sharing the food she makes, gardening and growing her own ingredients, hunting, training, running Treasure Maps, and of course hanging out with the Scions. Outside of saving the universe, she's a very sweet and humble woman.

q. Why should YOU win? (Answer IC!) a. "Ah? Um…" Lopu takes a lock of her thick hair to twirl around and play with while she ponders the question. "I think I should win because… It would make me really happy if I did?" She laughs a little, giving a flash of fangs. "Truthfully, I can't really think of a good reason! I guess there is the fact I saved the universe, but I wouldn't want people to feel obliged to put me on a pedestal just for that." "Maybe… If I win, I'll bake a huge celebratory cake to share with everyone! That works, right? People tend to be more motivated to vote if there's food involved, yes?"

q. Anything else you wanna add? a. AS HER CREATOR I SAY VOTE FOR LOPU BECAUSE SHE IS SO CUTE AND HUGGABLE AND SILLYGIRL-CORE AND HAS THICK THIGHS AND I LIKE HER A LOT AND ALSO IF SHE WINS I WILL ACTUALLY DO A GPOSE OF HER AND THE CAKE AND EVERYONE CAN HAVE SOME!!!!! VOTE FOR LOPU #LOPUSWEEP #LOPUSWEEP #LOPUSWEEP #LOPUSWEEP #LOPUSWEEP

[jakey-beefed-it]

I more or less finished my FFXIV house, absent a few more wall decorations and incidentals as I think of them, up to and including the mounted behemoth head in the living room and some staff to actually manage such a big place and the business side of things.

The main steward lady and the chef are locals (his house is in Shirogane) while the ones involved with the shadier bounty hunting business are Eorzeans he brought in.

Varian would 100% be on a first-name basis with his staff, because he literally doesn't remember their surnames (keeper of the sun miqo'te excepted given the naming conventions).

"This here's Azumi. She runs the whole staff, and the house, and probably a few other things besides. I stay out of her way as best I can. She's pretty much the only reason the place ain't halfway to condemned."

"Daisuke's the chef, and I ain't never eaten so good. [aside] I'm not sure we need to spend as much as he's budgeted for sushi, but either it's for him to eat or resell, in which case, good on him, or it's for some kinda charity, in which case he could let me know and I'd save him a step, but he's a good enough cook I wouldn't care if he kicked me in the shins."

"Emma here manages the records and the books for the bounty hunting business. I made a crack one time about budgeting more for 'incidentals' and she told me I could get piss drunk on my own dime. That's when I knew she was right for the job."

"U'lemri runs the bar and the short orders down in the basement. She's generous on the pour but quick to cut folks off if they're makin' trouble. And she makes a mean chili if you're tired of eatin' fancy."

[crossroadsdimension]

Friend, amigo, fam Plz tell me about your OC, I'm all for that stuff 🙏

@metalmewtwo-kxb, I hope you know what you have unleashed.

Time to talk about the two characters I've made for FFXIV!

To preface -- you can have multiple characters attached to one account for this MMO without paying extra per character slot. Since I'm paying the Entry-level of that, I can have a total of 8 characters, 1 per server. I really don't need more than that, since I was planning on having just my main and that's it, but then I got interested in a defunct FF mobile game, and I needed to play through the story on a fresh save. So that's where #2 came in. (He'll get a separate post, if people are interested in him, too.)

Anywho! Let's get this ramble rolling -- under the cut cause it's gonna get long.

First, I'm gonna talk about my "main" character, the one I've been playing for the last two and a half years and have done...almost everything on, at this point.

I don't have any screenshots of her because I don't mess around with gpose that much and only figured out recently how to take screenshots on my PS5. Sooo -- here's the profile picture from the Lodestone for reference.

Behold, Cross Sylvan!

I didn't come up with a lot of backstory for her when I first started the game back in October 2021, right before Endwalker's release. Because miqo'te -- or cat people -- have naming conventions that have an apostrophe in their name after a "clan letter" (i.e., Y'shtola is of Clan Y, and is only Shtola to her friends), I wanted to pick something that would have something of a pun involved, and I like the word "Cross" too much to leave it out.

So she's M'Cross (pronounced Macross), but dropped the tribe letter for her own reasons. Her parents were booted from the M tribe, you see -- her mom married a male miqo'te who wasn't the leader of the tribe, and because the two of them broke tribe rules, they were kicked out.

(Further context -- the leader of a Sun Seeker tribe, the Nunh, gets to lay with every single female miqo'te in the tribe. Yes, they get a harem; no, I'm not making this up. This is in-game lore. Moon Keepers, a different group of miqo'te, tend to do it in reverse.)

Anyway, Cross' parents left their home in Gyr Abania and moved to Thanalan, a desert region located at the southern region of the continent of Aldenard, which contains the region of Eorzea (If it helps you picture the region, the continent is basically shaped like Africa, with some differences in climate). They raised her there, and Cross' father eventually left to become an adventurer, while her mother stayed at home and focused on becoming a half-decent merchant in the Silver Bazaar.

And then the events of FF14's 1.0 happened. I'm not gonna go into detail here because I didn't play 1.0 before they shut down the servers and restarted them with 2.0 as the starting point, but suffice it to say that Cross' father either died or vanished during a big battle in a place called Carteneau. During that big battle, something happened that wiped out everyone's memory of how that battle ended. It had the side-effect of preventing everyone in Eorzea from remembering certain people clearly. Including Cross' father.

So you can imagine how confusing and distraught she would be to not only realize Dad wasn't coming home -- but also that she couldn't remember his face, his voice, the sorts of things he liked to do...very traumatic.

Cross leaves five years later -- the start of 2.0 -- to become an adventurer herself. Mom got overprotective and more than a little overbearing after the Calamity, and Cross wanted to get away for a bit. She still likes her mom, she just wanted space to breathe. That, and something's driving her to travel. See the realm that her barely-remembered father sacrificed himself for.

And then the game starts, and Cross gets rapidly pulled into events that...might have been what her father had been involved in before his disappearance. She wouldn't know, much less remember.

Backstory out of the way -- time to talk about Cross as a person!

Cross is a sponge when it comes to absorbing knowledge. She's naturally curious and wants to get her nose into everything -- different jobs, cultures, food, history...you name it, she's probably got a cursory knowledge of it. As a result, that means I can say she's at least picked up every single job in the game, but she has her favorites.

Her parents taught her archery from a young age, and she has some magical talent as well. She prefers Black Mage over Bard, and between fighting melee and ranged, she'd prefer ranged. She didn't have a healing job that really clicked with her until Sage, and out of the tanking jobs, she prefers Dark Knight and Warrior. Paladin is in a strange position with her, because she believes that's how her father used to fight, and she made an effort to learn the style, but it hasn't sat right with her.

She's also picked up all the crafting and gathering jobs, but she prefers the hard work of botany and miner over the patience of fishing, and likes weaving and leatherworking more than the rest of the crafters.

As Viper and Pictomancer are the newest jobs added to the game, I haven't figured out if they're going to be among Cross' "favorites" yet, but since I like Pictomancer a lot, she's probably going to like that one, too.

Cross has a little bit of snark, a little bit of a temper, but neither really show up unless you've pushed her buttons (temper) or she's comfortable enough to let down her walls around you (snark). She's been known to trade banter with the young twins who are a part of the NPC main cast, for example, or join in the berating of other characters if her fellow miqo'te mage (another NPC) is unleashing a rather nasty burn in someone's general direction.

She likes writing music based on her surroundings. More than a few orchestrion rolls have shown up in shops based on some of her scribbles and playing around on her harp and the like. Some of the songs based on strange, faraway lands have gotten the attention of those who are too young to travel, making them want to follow in her footsteps.

She has a chocobo. His name is Cloudstreak, and she's considering changing his feather color to sky blue (yes, you can do this in-game, I just haven't done it yet). Cross has other mounts, too, but Cloudstreak is her first and favorite of the bunch.

Over the course of the first "book series" in the game (A Realm Reborn, Heavensward, Stormblood, Shadowbringers, Endwalker), Cross grew from a young adult who was somewhat inexperienced with the world outside Thanalan to a worldly woman who has traveled extensively, and grown in confidence, knowledge, and strength as a result. She's become a hero of the realm. The Warrior of Light in more than name, because she got that title way back in A Realm Reborn and has only reshaped its meaning repeatedly since then.

She is a Traveler, and Travel she will. There's a desire to see the world beyond what she's already seen, and she will see every nook and cranny of her planet.

If you get into the game and want to see a somewhat shortened version of her journey through A Realm Reborn...I've got a fanfic going for her. The Chronicles of a Young Adventurer is the first part of her series, which I'm separating out according to main expansion and patch content. It's mostly journal entries, letters, and the occasional scene that's been more written out, but I like what I'm doing with it so far!

[voidtouched-blue]

Semi-plotted starter for @alexissero

The continent had been dangerously balanced on the brink of war. Only five years since the calamity that befell Carteneau, and the Garleans had once again began to pressure the city-states under their Imperial boot. It had taken some convincing to bring the healer into their ranks, but the Scions certainly had their own way of proving their need for her talents. Normally, she wouldn't have hesitated to assist, but there was a fear that commanded her choice in the matter. One she had been ashamed to admit to the organization. So it was with great confusion, and contrasting emotions that the Keeper accepted the request from Y'shtola.

"We have not the manpower to spare, nor a true White Mage on hand to ensure his safety. You've proven yourself more than a capable battle-ready mage, so it is of no question that your talents are more suited for this task", she had been clear with her intentions from the start. Though her talents in conjury had been nothing to sniff at, Y'shtola had a far more diverse arsenal of magic at her disposal than Cyra. When she asked why the Sun Seeker hadn't elected to accompany Alexis, the Miqo'te's eyes narrowed with her grin.

"I should warn you," the Keeper remembered how the woman crossed her arms and tapped her nails in irritation on her sleeve. "His careless tendencies to throw himself into the fray with little regard for his health may frustrate you. You would do well to keep that in mind. Your talents far exceed mine own, and offer a higher margin of success. Please, go with care."

Cyra couldn't argue with that.

To a woman of her talents, the Moon Keeper had great respect for Y'shtola's magick capabilities. For her to suggest that she was more well suited for the task came as a surprise. It's true that she was able to complete her studies in Conjury and even excel in her practice as a White Mage, but offensive magic had not yet become part of her arsenal. Surely, being able to provide a more destructive force to the battlefield was a higher priority than bringing along a healer? Yet, when she tried to question the Scion again, her words had been met with a sharp stare of emerald silence. It was almost as if the Conjuror had known that keeping firm and making her request into a demand would be what ceased Cyra's prying and send her on her way.

Though their conversation was brief and to the point, Y'shtola left her with plenty of questions to plague her mind about her new charge. The anticipation of such a strong warrior needing a more learned mage to provide protection and support felt quite comical. Though, if what the Seeker said was true, then perhaps the man was as reckless as she assumed. Such brash and thoughtless behavior would not be tolerated by any means in her presence. Regardless of that curious warning, Cyra would need to treat this with the same importance as any job. Despite her unease with the nature of their mission, she would need to keep herself together.

Night quickly passed into morning, and with the rising sun of the new day, the miqo'te had arrived with her pack secured over each shoulder.

"Ser Sero?" She called out. Unsure of how to greet a man she hadn't formally met, the Keeper thumbed over the wood of her staff to calm her nerves. It wasn't every day that one met a rather renowned hero of the realm, much less being given the opportunity to aid them. "Y'shtola had requested for me to aid you on your mission, if you're ready we should depart quickly lest we waste daylight."

[amoebaforce]

do you think I could request some fluffy stuff from a MiqoWol/Y'shtola/G'raha? Cat bonding… good

thank you for the life bringing HCs

Of course you can, anon! Enjoy! :)

characters featured: Y'shtola Rhul, G'raha Tia tags: fluff, gn!Miqo!WoL

These three have almost certainly developed a secret cat-language of their own. It exists mostly in gestures. Ear twitches, tail flicks, facial expressions. Little nonverbal cues they use to communicate messages that cannot be said aloud, such as "we need to talk later" or "it's too loud in here" or "that guy over there looks really shady."

It comes in handy on the job, especially because the WoL tends to be paired up at least one of them at a time. It's arguably even handier in social situations, or out in public. Miqo'te senses are easily overwhelmed, and it comforts each of them to know that a sympathetic friend is just a foot-tap away.

G'raha was raised in a traditional Miqo'te home, so he's retained a lot of the traditions and habits that such an upbringing instills. The most obvious is his tendency to gift and share food.

He's always bringing the others cups of tea, bowls of soup, plates of fruit... He'll claim he "made too much", or that the cashier at The Last Stand "gave him an extra order" of fries, but Y'shtola and the WoL know the truth.

Now, it's important to note that Miqo'te don't clean themselves with their mouths like common housecats (and to imply otherwise is considered offensive!), but many of them do take their hygiene very seriously. These three are no exception. Sleepovers involve lots of fur-brushing, hair braiding, face masks, and manicures.

And gossip. Those Miqo'te ears are more sensitive than people think! Y'shtola comes bearing news from her trip to the library, while G'raha keeps "accidentally" overhearing the details of Thancred's love life. The WoL doesn't mind one bit. They have plenty of their own tidbits to share.

Both G'raha and Y'shtola are Seekers of the Sun, which means the diurnal schedule kept by the Scions (and society at large) is right in line with their biological clocks. However, if the Miqo!WoL happens to be a traditionally nocturnal Keeper of the Moon, that might not be the case for them.

Sure, a Keeper WoL would have adapted to this schedule over their years of adventuring. It'd be impossible not to! But they're still a certified night owl, staying up hours later than the other Scions, and usually rising later, too.

After a while, though, the WoL notices that Y'shtola and G'raha linger with them in the common room, reading their books and sipping their evening drinks in calm quiet. It's a comfortable, familiar companionship. One that might only exist between those of shared experience.

[emevergreen]

OC lore time (weird boygirl edition)

thank you sm for the tag @zoroarkthief!! I'm always happy to share about my wol :'))

Khed'a Dakwhil

—B A S I C S

Name: Khed'a Dakwhil

Nicknames: His adoptive mother called him cicada :> The scions will sometimes call him khedy (tataru started it and then everyone else followed). Aymeric calls him angel as a term of endearment.

Age: 28 at the beginning of ARR

Nameday: Second Astral Moon, 16th Sun

Race: Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te

Gender: Nonbinary, Genderfluid

Orientation: Bisexual with a slight lean towards guys

Profession: He's held every odd job you can think of but predominantly considers himself a white mage.

—P H Y S I C A L     A S P E C  T S

Hair: Dark brown bob

Eyes: Orange-Brown

Skin: light skin tone

Tattoos/scars: He has a scar of hardened skin in the center of his chest. He also has crystalline streaks going up his forearms. Both are a result of prolonged exposure to earth attuned aether.

—F A M I L Y

Parents: His birth mom is [redacted], and he doesn't know who his father is. His adoptive mother, Aria-A-Yan, was his conjury mentor when he was taken in as an orphan to the conjurer's guild. She was really supportive of him and helped him open up.

Siblings: None!

Grandparents: He heard stories of his grandmother but never knew her.

In-laws and Other: I really like him with Aymeric and considering the end of Heavensward, he's not on good terms with his father-in-law. Lol. As for other relatives, he's very close with the brother of his adopted mother, E-Sumi-Yan, and considers him like an uncle.

Pets: He has a little bird that follows him around named Thistle. He befriended it on the road to Ishgard.

—S K I L L S

Abilities: Khed'a has precise aetheric control as a highly skilled white mage. Due to the condition with his body, he has to keep a careful eye on his aether. During his time with the padjal, he learned how to properly manage and control the aether in his body. He is a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to healing. He learned self-defense techniques while among the padjal that later served him when he moved on to pick up lancer/dragoon as a job.

Hobbies: He enjoys collecting and brewing different teas. He also really likes going on walks, especially when he is in a new place or just needs some time to think. Khed'a has a journal where he takes notes on the local flowers, plants, and insects of an area (and will sometimes press flora in it). He also likes to keep plants, though as a traveler he's found that difficult to maintain. He has a plant in a small pot that he's kept alive by propagating every so often. Khed'a also enjoys birdwatching.

—T R A I T S

Most Positive Trait: His resilience and commitment to making the best of things in any given situation. He doesn't get discouraged despite it all.

Most Negative Trait: He's sometimes too willing to help others, to the point of stretching himself thin. He has issues with being objectified/being treated as a tool for others. He still falls into that role and struggles to properly adovcate for himself since it's a deeply ingrained pattern of behavior he's unlearning.

—L I K E S

Colors: Deep green, earthy browns, red, deep blue, smoky gray.

Smells: Freshly fallen snow, bergamot, chamomile, freshly washed sheets, a warm fire, flowers in bloom.

Textures: soft fabrics like silk and satin, freshly polished wood, the steadiness of a lance, leather, smooth pieces of metal (like jewelry or trinkets).

Drinks: He likes tea most, especially bergamot. He will also drink juices and lemonade. He enjoys hot chocolate as well.

—O T H E R    D E T A I L S

Smokes: Nope.

Drinks: He doesn't drink alcohol but he will enjoy tea :3

Drugs: Nope.

Mount Issuance: Black Chocobo gifted from his friend Haurchefant. He will also use the unicorn he befriended as a conjurer, or the witch's broom mount.

Been Arrested: Yes (Post ARR :) Aside from that he hasn't run into too much more on that front.

I tag @freckledfemme @redgemwink @eirikaily @lululeighsworld @cogentsummoner @gnusnoteunuchs & anyone else who wants to talk about their wol/oc in general :3c

[nilaseras-afterdark]

@goodxdog Continued from here

"I often like to visibly digest my meals before consuming."

Reine could only give a giggle in response, tongue lashing out to lick at her lips; this one was far more handsy than the wolf were use to, though she didn't quite mind the attention either.

She were cute; tanned and a beauty, not something that Reine got a lot of chances to make snacks out of.

She'd only make a movement to mimic the other, making sure she stayed close; responding in kind, she'd actually nibble the other's ear, however, breathing against it as she spoke.

"It's Reine. Though you can call me Mistress or Good Girl, depending on..."

Eyes flicked down to appraise this delicious bronze beauty up close; her skin, as perfect as the chocolate she liked, red braids complimenting those pretty green eyes of hers (although, to be honest, Reine was looking everywhere but her eyes).

That lowcut shirt that revealed the perfect amount of skin; seemed that she did this often, from the confidence she showed.

"... How well you can tame me. I enjoy both ruining cute women... And letting them believe they can be on top. Whatever one you'd prefer, is up to you~"

Hands slid down to touch her tailbone, two fingers gently massaging that point just above the Miqo'tes tail. It was Reine's favorite spot, so she figured it'd like be hers, too.

They both shared tails, after all.

Nila barked out a bit of laughter at that, the woman's forwardness surprising her a bit but a welcome change to her usual clientele. The woman's hand on her rear earned a grin, Nila casually returning the favor and giving Reine an idle smack. Even from a relatively gentle blow, there was an evident strength apparent in the Miqo'te's motions, her fingers sinking against Reine's backside as Nila spoke.

"Careful, girl. Ain't a good idea to wind up a Keeper like that. We like challenges, especially ones as sure as yourself." Now with given permission and returning the favor, the Miqo'te would tease Reine's ear with sharp teeth, pulling lightly before releasing her. Her lips remained near however as she continued, the claws of the hand on the woman's rear digging in slightly and pulling her closer.

"If ya need some company to keep ya warm, I suppose I could do the job. Just know looks can be deceiving, girl." Guiding the woman's free hand to her groin, Reine would be free to the subtle but sizeable bulge growing in the woman's pants, following the path of Nila's thigh and evidence of the Miqo'te's attraction to Reine.

"If ya think ya can handle it, 'course..."

[fisherrprince]

i have been rotating your ffxiv specbio in my head for several days so if you don't mind my asking, would you be willing to elaborate on some of the specbio for miqo'te and lalafell, if you've not done so already?

OF COURSE im gonna focus a bit more on miqo since the main points of lalas were in that doodle 

first of all: miqote would be lesser cats — unable to roar, but able to hiss and purr and chirp and yowl! and they do, do this, often. baby miqo are constantly mewling and chirping and crying, and that’s where a communal child rearing culture comes in handy, because you would not make one parent deal with a very needy (and blind for a month) baby alone. Adult miqo use vocalization for emphasis, along with gesture and expression. They very often express two emotions at once while in conversation with their words/expressions and body language, which makes understanding others’ intentions harder for them. Ex: sad tail, angry ears = upset, happy tail, angry face = teasing, angry tail, angry hands = furious. They might get confused if there’s no tail to denote teasing. Tails are used for balance And emotion, ears are used for listening and emotion, etc, sometimes more so than facial expression, which can sometimes look inexpressive to those who haven’t taught themselves how to emote communicatively among other races.

They are fuzzy all over! like my friend izutsumi. Sun cats are usually less furry, having only translucent-to-tip colored fuzz but some moon keepers can get VERY furry, like Maine coons. It tends to be longest on the forearms, ankles, back (like a cheetah ruff, some miqo have a line of long fur going down to their tail. Whole body Mohawk), and stomach trail, and shortest on the face, most having only peach fuzz up there. Fur length can vary no matter the miqo, and fur pattern also varies - unlike cats, stripes or spots will sometimes color the skin as well. Prominent fur patterns are pretty rare. Please do not shave your miqo’te, it was a bit more popular a few years ago and it turns out it can lead to very patchy or ingrown coats that require shaving for the rest of ever. They have rough tongues and they have brushes and combs, they can take care of their fur, and sometimes other miqos’ fur. Grooming, though, is either for baby or for people you’re close with. Babies are scrungly.

My friend Izutsumi vv

Miqo can digest raw meat, but it’s really more of a you can eat tree bark if you’re lost in the woods situation. The correct thing to do is bring the hunt back home, so everyone can cook and eat. They are not obligate carnivores, but their systems need more meat than a hyur would. They have non-retractable claws, and every miqo has fangs, though sun seekers tend to have bigger chunkier fangs and moon keepers thinner and longer canines. It has to do with the size/type of their prey. 

They also have slightly looser skin like a cat. This doesn’t really mean they have wrinkles all over, it means they’re a bit stretchy? They can wriggle their naturally lithe bodies into weird positions to climb and run, and if you give a miqo a mochi kiss it will look like a cartoon. Older male cats (mostly, but it can happen to anyone) will often develop tomcat jowls as they age, and it’s basically balding for a cat in the societal sense, because miqo don’t bald with age. Their fur gets scraggly (but there are hairless cats out there). It’s often considered attractive! Some families consider it a sign that the cat is getting too old. 

Miqo’te can see in the dark, and have a reflective layer in their eyes. moon keepers are very adept at darkvision, having near perfect vision at night, and have a little trouble in bright desert sun, while sun seekers have to deal with vastly reduced color perception at night and have pupils that can go very thin to block out sun. Their cheetah face marks help with this!

Lalafell, too, have a difference in eye biology across their species. Only dunesfolk have a thin third eyelid, to repel sand while keeping their eyes open, while plainsfolk have eyes that work similar to a sun seeker. No layered eyelid, just a vertical pupil. All of them have tapetum lucidum. 

Also, last point for fun, lalafell stay the same size from 8 years old to 100 years old, and before then they’re about the size of a small hedgehog (baby) to about the size of a kinda small Lala (3-8). A point of annoyance for elezen, who stay the size of a child until they’re 20 or so and then have the worst growing pains in history at a point where complaining about it is less acceptable than getting mad as a kid because your legs hurt. The reason you don’t see very many baby lala is the same reason you don’t see many baby pigeons. You either do and don’t realize it, or they’re VERY SMALL and bundled in blankets or sitting at home and not in the city. A good way to tell if you’re talking to a ten year old or a thirty year old Lala (aside from their intelligence and mannerisms) is by looking at their ears. The tips will darken with age — young lalafell will have light colored ears, sometimes with white fuzz, mature lalafell will have dark ear tips. Good to know for bartenders. 

Baby lalafell also have sharp needle teeth. Much like baby miqo, roe, and au ra. Unlike those three, the sharp teeth go away. They’re helpless pink beans when they’re newborns, they will not hesitate to bite you if you bother them too much. 

[gothmiqote]

— B A S I C S

Name: Varha Naiarro Nicknames: N/A Age: Mid/Late twenties- Early thirties during the game timeline. Nameday: 5th Sun of the 4th Umbral Moon Race: Miqo'te, Keeper Gender: Female Orientation: Bisexual Profession: Warrior of Light

— P H Y S I C A L     A S P E C T S

Hair: Long & black with a bit of texture to it. Gave herself bangs after Heavensward and never looked back. Eyes: Red. Inherited the pupil shape more commonly found in Seekers from her father. Skin: Pale, greyish-blue undertones. She's got the Keeper marking on her forehead. Tattoos/scars: Surprisingly has no tattoos. She's got multiple piercings, though—several on her ears, one on her navel, & she got her nipples done sometime around Endwalker. Varha has an impressive collection of scars on her body. Most are from fighting, and there's a few notably nastier ones on her ribs & thigh that didn't heal as well as the others. After ARR, she added one on the left side of her jaw to her inventory. It's not particularly gnarly, especially when compared to some of the others, but you can still see it easily enough.

— F A M I L Y

Parents: Keeper mother, Seeker father. Both died in the last Calamity. Siblings: Third oldest out of six. The only other sibling who survived the Calamity with her was Rhaya'ra, the second youngest. Grandparents: Also dead, but 3/4 died prior to the Calamity. Other: Her relationship with Rhaya is... not the best, honestly. They were never the closest before losing the rest of the family, but after? It was worse, & she doesn't really tell people she even has a brother at this point. They happened to cross paths for the first time in a few years in Sharlayan, not long before her fight with [Redacted]. He left a spectacularly bad impression on the Scions. They're working on their relationship presently, even if it's not easy. Pets: N/A. The only 'living' things in her place are the fake plants; it's about all she trusts herself with to keep alive.

— S K I L L S

Abilities: The girl loves her guns, what can she say? Her go-to skillset is Machinist, but she typically fights with a blend of that and the projectile skills of a dancer. (Bit of a blend of the fight choreo from Kingsman and John Wick, actually.) More recently, she's discovered that she makes a fair gunbreaker too. Is she able to use magic? Sure, but it's never going to be the first thing she relies on in a fight. Hobbies: Like her partner Estinien, she has none Pre-Calamity, Varha held professional dance aspirations and would like to pick it up again sometime. You could probably count working out & travelling, even if they're incidental. She does like to keep up to date with the tech she uses though, and it's a genuine interest of hers.

— T R A I T S

Most Positive Trait: Determination, dedication to causes/people she believes in, the ability to somehow maintain an aggressive sense of optimism through it all. Most Negative Trait: Recklessness at her own expense, tunnel-visioned stubbornness, impatience.

— L I K E S

Colors: Carmine, black, ink-blue. Smells: Something faintly metallic, gunsmoke, mint, floral soaps, a crisp winter night. Textures: Leather, a fresh coat of nail polish, the feeling of blood in your teeth, lips against a fresh scar. Drinks: Sparkling wine, honey mead, citrus juices, cold spring water.

— O T H E R    D E T A I L S

Smokes: N/A. Needs those lungs in top-shape to fight, y'know. Drinks: Drinks socially & tries not to overdo it often but doesn't mind being drunk if she does. Varha does try to avoid drinking if she's already in a bad mood though; if she's trashed and feeling good, then she's great. Otherwise, she has a tendency to become a bit fatalistic & self-loathing. Drugs: Regularly? No. Will she have an edible here & there if she knows she has nowhere to be? Occasionally. They really just make her more relaxed and less awkward about experiencing the full spectrum of emotion. Mount Issuance: She'll ride whatever. A chocobo will do if there's nothing else, or the Amaro in the first. Been Arrested: Yeah, yeah, we all know about the regicide thing. She's never been to prison or been charged with anything, but she will die on the (very stupid) hill of 'spending the night in jail once or is not the same thing as actually being charged.' It wasn't for anything terrible, just being a bit of an intoxicated menace in public after a night out, but still.

tagged by @emotional-support-carbuncle, tagging @tellings @verpine95 @nabulsi

[eikonoklast]

Day 21 (Shade): The Second Hand

   Krile ran through the hallway and down the stairs as quickly as she could. There weren't that many people in the building tonight to watch the match because - as Minimas had claimed - it wasn't a televised event; it was more casual practice to keep fighters sharp. With the soul supply they didn't need to fear dying in the ring, and injuries were easily cared for with Everkeep's advanced technology. Minimas had warned Krile of Silver's lack of backup souls with concern, however; so she had elected to watch the match in-person in case she needed to intervene. Though she was glad it hadn't been necessary.

   The plan had been for Jabberwocky to lose the match if need be, but once Silver had started going berserk, Krile worried it might be difficult to rationalize with him. Until…Minimas knocked him out, thankfully. Her feet resounded with a tap tap in the empty hallway, its dark tiles lit up from within with a pleasant bluish color. The walls were lined with a comfortable magenta and yellow set of strip lights as she ran through, her palette bouncing on her hip. Just a little further!

   After the fight the arena had reverted back to its normal form, lowering the fighters to private rooms below. Minimas had explained how to reach them. As she descended the last set of stairs she took a sharp left and saw a row of rooms with the names of fighters on the doors. Minimas’ door was hanging open and on the end several yalms down, Silver's was as well; the lights on and leaking soft yellow into the hallway. 

   Krile passed the first only to see it empty, knowing they'd both be in the second. As she turned into the doorway she saw Minimas carefully trying to pull his unconscious friend off the table. At once she was stricken by how similar the young miqo'te looked to Chiteni. He had messy purple hair tufted with tiny wisps of red and a long fluffy tail to match; his skin a sort've sickly gray that was a fairly normal sight on some Keepers. He lacked the face markings most male miqo'te had, but his mouth hung open as Minimas shifted him and she saw the glint of his fangs. 

   Fascinating, she thought. Why does he look like that?

   Minimas noticed her standing there and stopped briefly, his red eyes full of worry, brow furrowed. “He looks a bit different,” he said, his voice wavering on the last word. “He's…bigger? The red certainly isn't normal. I noticed in the ring but…do you know what's happening to him?”

   Krile shook her head. “I've not seen him until now.” She walked over, helping the struggling young man as they both lifted him over their shoulders. “He looks a lot like our missing friend, but I'm not sure why he's so young.”

   Curious, Minimas inquired as they stepped into the hallway. “How uh, how old is he?”

   “Ah, maybe thirty summers or so. I don't think that's ever come up in conversation!” she chuckled. Minimas paused, staring forward; and Krile's expression softened. “We'll find out what's going on, let's just get him out of here.” Minimas nodded, clearly not wanting to think about it too hard. His lips were pressed together in a tight line, and Krile thought maybe he was trying not to cry.

   Silver groaned as they stepped into the hallway, shifting as they held him. Realizing he'd probably be easier to carry on his own two feet, the lalafells nodded to one another, propping him up against the wall. He tilted his head back, his eyes slowly opening. Noticing the two people crowding close to him on the floor, he started slightly, flinching backwards. 

   “Wh- who are you?” he asked, eyes wide, staring at Krile. “And what do you want?” he seemed confused, eyes darting over to Minimas. There was a wariness in them, and Minimas sighed and turned away.

   “We're here to help,” Krile suggested calmly, holding her hand out in a soothing gesture. “Are you alright? What do you remember?”

   “I remember…” Silver trailed off, seeming confused. He closed his eyes. “I was fighting Jabberwocky. You were saying something - something about following me?” He looked at Minimas, perplexed. 

   “I'm sorry about what I said!” Minimas blurted out suddenly, his eyes shut tight. He covered them with his arm as he sniffed, “I was mad because I thought you didn't want me to be around so you…you were pushing me away…” he trailed off. 

   “What are you talking about?”

   “The argument we had! After we left Neon Stein. You tried to tell me you didn't know anything and I just…I assumed you were lying! Ok!?” Minimas pressed both his clenched fists to the floor, sniffling.

   “I don't…I don't remember that,” Silver murmured, turning his head to the side and averting his gaze. 

   “What?” Minimas seemed distressed. “It was just the other night! You…you protected me.”

   Silver closed his eyes, saying nothing. Minimas grabbed the collar of his jacket angrily, yanking him forward and staring hard at him. Silver continued not to look at the lalafell, squeezing his eyes shut as if he feared he was about to be stricken.

   Krile intervened, separating the two. “Now now! That is quite enough. You're both tired and we need to leave as soon as possible.” She stood quickly, offering Minimas a hand. The young man ignored her and stood on his own, storming down the hall. She watched him go, wondering if there was anything they could do to help. In some part she felt slightly responsible for this in a roundabout sense - as illogical as it seemed. Their friend was always causing trouble in different ways everywhere he ended up. 

   She looked down at Silver as he stared at his lap. When she offered him her hand he turned his head up slightly to look at her, his lavender eyes dull and sightless. Wordlessly he reached for it, grasping her palm.

   

Pain lanced out from his chest, hot and ever-present as he staggered down the ramp at the bottom of the elevator. He coughed, covering his face with a hand and withdrawing it, now peppered with drops of blood. His vision was cloudy and slightly dark as he leaned heavily on the solid electrope structures that lined the exit, working his way to the bottom; smears of red where he'd wiped his hands covered the edges of his dirty jacket, his tail drooping, ears flat.

   His feet finally touched down on the dusty surface - a real surface - and he reveled in the feeling. The contours of the sandy stone under his shoe as he ground his heel into it. It wasn't a projection. It wasn't going to go away the moment a fight ended. A fight he didn't want to participate in. A fight he never asked for. He breathed in the warm, dry air as stormclouds rumbled overhead, closing his tired eyes and clenching his fist.

   The ravine. Down in the ravine.

   Something within him urged him onward. An obsession or…a compulsion. His regulator continued its incessant high-pitched cries as he slid to the ground against a rock face. His limbs were going numb and it was so incredibly dark outside. The only time he could see was when a flash of lightning lit up the clouds above. He coughed again, not bothering to wipe the blood off his hands as he sat there, too weary to move. His body refused to help him; his chest on fire as it spread to every part of him as if he were being lit from within. 

   Am I…going to die? he finally wondered. Everyone will forget me just like I've forgotten them.

   He slumped over into the dust, unable to move. He lay there for a time, alone. The stormclouds rumbled overhead in the darkness; promising a rain that may never come. The wind - real wind - blew pebbles and sand gently across the ground, and he wondered what the real sun felt like. It was supposed to be warm. He imagined maybe he'd get to see it after some sleep. After all, there was a way outside the barrier, now…

   Eventually a figure came to stand over him - a sentry? It picked him up and carried him to his destination as he gasped for breath, his lungs filled with liquid, his body hot and cold and useless. He could tell they were approaching the ravine. He could feel it. Hear the water as it ran between the high cliffs. But his eyes failed to see anything, even when they were open. Everything was shutting down and still his chest burned. 

   So hot. It's so hot in here. This cannot hold me.

   A door closed. He felt the cold, sterile feeling of electrope as he was placed down…somewhere. Hushed voices discussed something in another room. It was beginning to be hard to hear. He tried to call out to ask who was there - to ask for help. No sound issued forth from his lips as he lay there, waiting for whatever might happen to just…happen.

   An exasperated voice spoke over him, a young man, seemingly more annoyed than upset, “This is what happens when you don't listen to me.” Someone lifted Silver, taking him to another room; his blind eyes looking around but seeing only darkness. “I wouldn't have let you get into this state. Not that you'll remember any of this.” He could tell the person was extremely displeased, their footsteps hurried.

   A feeling overcame him as they entered another room. A pulling sensation. He could hear water and heavy machinery - the beep of a heart monitor somewhere in the space on the far end. The pulling sensation intensified, as if there were a trapped bird in his burning chest trying to escape. Someone grasped his regulator and then-

   

Krile stood there, clutching her head. Silver was hovering over her, his soft lavender eyes concerned. 

   “Are you alright, miss?” he asked gently.

   “Krile,” she gave him a pained smile. “And yes I'm alright. We had better follow Minimas before he gets into trouble. Are you well enough to come with us?” She hesitated slightly before adding, “Do…do you want to?”

   Silver laughed a bit, looking down at her with a smile. “I'm not sure I've ever been asked what I want to do before.” He looked down the hall. “I kind've like that.”

   Krile thought of the pain he was in during her vision. Of the room and the voices. And yet…he stood before her now, healthy and whole - minus his regulator, of course. None of it made sense, especially with Minimas’ account of his appearance. Unless…

   She put a hand on her temple, massaging it. Either a ghost stood before her or something far stranger. Something faded and fragile - possibly by design. She looked up at him as he nodded to himself, wondering what someone like that could be thinking. He flashed her a nervous smile and her heart ached for her friend as much as the poor boy standing in front of her. Whether or not he was dead or alive, he was still very much here. In this moment. 

   “I'll go with you, miss Krile,” he said calmly. “Maybe you can help me remember what I've forgotten. And…I don't like seeing Minimas so upset.”

   Krile walked with him as they started down the hall together. “What kind've relationship do you two have?” she asked, smiling.

   “Well uh, not much of one,” Silver admitted sheepishly. He rubbed his hands together, his ears flattening. “Usually he's yelling at me so this isn't different in that sense.” He paused before adding thoughtfully, “But he seems more distressed than angry. And I'd like to understand. But I get the feeling he's not interested in talking about it right now.”

   Krile chided herself for thinking his mind would work differently simply because there were things he'd forgotten. They walked down the hall together in silence and Krile watched him out of the corner of her eye. He was a young man - maybe eighteen summers - and he certainly acted the part. He wasn't some unknowable shade of her friend trapped in some cycle of forgetting to the point his thoughts were alien. He was just a boy. He looked like someone else and shared that person's mannerisms but…he wasn't difficult to understand. 

   “You were always so compassionate,” she whispered to herself. “Is that how things ended up this way?”

Author's Note: A shorter one today as I sort've mentally recover. Not feeling well. I'm not trying to make this too much of a mystery so if you figure it out then that's completely fine by me! But keeping up with the pace of this story is taking a toll and I need some time to let my creativity pick up some steam again. I'm just as curious as anyone to see the pieces fall into place, but I can only think so hard before I start to doubt some of my ideas. So we'll see if I'm feeling better tomorrow, maybe.

[lal-ffxiv]

Prompt #14: Telling

Summary: M'arianni is being held hostage and beaten. Then Luc and Epohkan rescue her. There is more violence and bit more graphic than what I usually publish on this blog.

Smack! Forehand. Smack! Backhand. On the backhand the studded glove cut Arianni's cheek. Deeper each time, or maybe it has been 100 cuts coming together into one bloody wound.

A wound that getting mud into it. Arianni had fallen over on last swing of the hand, or was because she didn't have the strength to keep herself upright anymore?

"Pick 'em up." The hitting hand spoke.

Other hands were on her then. Forcing her onto her sore, bruised knees again. With her wrist tied together to her ankles, she was stuck kneeling there.

Upright again the blood and saliva she been drooling welled in her mouth, so she spat it out.

It was so dark, or her eyes were swollen shut. Didn't matter since she spat it at the hitting hand either way. Another hit. On her chin upwards. It made her teeth clack against each other. She tastes the blood at the back of her throat in a more irony flavor.

"Ready to answer the question?"

Arianni couldn't help the gurgling giggle. This isn't answer the hand wants from her.

"My employer, the man you stole from, is lost in grief over his late wife. Now, to have the only physical ties to her taken from him? That is unacceptable. I don't care who stole it, only how to retrieve it. You tell me and you can leave just a little beaten. Otherwise, we leave you in this cave to be seen as victim of the Duskwight or toss you where there is woodrot and let woodsin finish you." He allowed Arianni a minute to consider this information. Then asked, "Where is the necklace?" Arianni had the answer in the back of her throat with the blood.

The necklace wouldn't be found whole. It was set to be cut and delivered as a pouch of stones to a jeweler in Ul'dah who would rearrange it into a set for a rich, living lady. This would all been done already by Epokhan and Luc as planned depending on how long Arianni been here.

Then, those two would become the brute's targets since the jewels couldn't be retrieved. He would need to deliver the thieves. Which wouldn't include Arianni, if she walked out of her and disappeared. Leaving the keepers with the restitution or most likely retribution. Arianni only need to say the names. Give Epokhan and Luc over the brute in trade for her life.

Arianni swallows them down. Those names belonged to her. In the pit of her stomach where the fire burns. On her life those names would stay there.

Arianni uses the fire to look directly at the hand's owner through her blurred vision. "I don't know anything. Expect that lady had very good taste."

The voice sighs. The open hand is lifted again. An arrow is shot through it on the forehand swing. The owner recoils with a grunt. An arrow shot through his neck before he could make another sound.

No more asking questions for you, Arianni thought as closed her eyes to gruesome gore of her rescue.

"There you are." Epokans voice was soft. His hands were cool as cupped her face to inspect the wounds. She feels the instant relief as he cleans and heals her superficial wounds with a potion.

"Hey there Thatcher." Arianni's face still hurts, but she couldn't help a smile when she heard him. "Where is the Songbird?" "Teaching a lesson and leaving a message. For anyone that thinks of coming after us."

Arianni shudders. "Don't kill them in front of me. I want to get away from here first." Arianni wasn't one for mercenary work or murder, no matter how justified.

Epohkan carries out Arianni's request by calling his partner over.

Arianni recognizes Luc's by touch as she cuts away the restraints. "Took you long enough. Almost was worried you wouldn't come for your favorite liar."

"Don't jest right now. You're hurt." Luc lifts her in a cradling embrace. "You should have given them whatever they wanted."

Arianni leans into the other Miqo'te to rest and says, "That would be telling."