#welkin cluster

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Forspoken Photo Dump 139: Visoria Castle Town, Part 7

[claudiaeparvier]

Lamentia: A nail design crafted by Tanta Frey and the demon Susurrus. When imbued with the blood of the Tantas this design enhances Frey’s stats in battle.

improved critical hit rate

makes it easier to knock enemies to the ground

Cost: x1 Lucid Bloom

Odessa: A nail design crafted by Tanta Frey and the demon Susurrus. When imbued with the blood of the Tantas this design enhances healing effects.

healing item effect boost when health is low

all damage -5%

Cost: x2 Welkin Cluster

[local-starry-catboi]

Sinfonia Items

Under the cut for length

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✶ Artifacts

Eternal Bloodthirst

Serene Lyricist

Renaissance Protector

Tradition's Embrace

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✶ Namecards

Achievement: Celestial Sojourner

Achievement: Elite Rival

Achievement: Roamers

Achievement: Overture

Achievement: Maestro

Sinfonia: Citadel (Reputation Lvl. 4)

Sinfonia: Composer (Reputation Lvl. 7)

Superstar in Sinfonia (Reputation Lvl. 10)

Sinfonia: Forge (Crescendo Forge Lvl. 6)

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✶ Weapons

Celestial Series:

★★★★★

Obtainable from City Blacksmiths

Lunar Cadence (Sword)

Celestial Serenade (Claymore)

Solar Minuet (Polearm)

Ethereal Sonata (Catalyst)

Nebula Bolero (Bow)

Welkin Nocturne (Pistol)

Star Cluster Ballad (Scythe)

Firmament Lullaby (Club)

Galaxy Chorale (Instrument)

Coment Hymn (Knuckles)

Asteroid Elegy (Whip)

Volcanic Series:

★★★★

Obtainable from Crescendo Forge's Blacksmith

Volcanic Flamberge (Sword)

Volcanic Demonsbane (Claymore)

Volcanic Guard (Polearm)

Volcanic Pearl (Catalyst)

Volcanic Avenger (Bow)

Volcanic Bullet (Pistol)

Volcanic Reaper (Scythe)

Volcanic Scepter (Club)

Volcanic Drum (Instrument)

Volcanic Punch (Knuckles)

Volcanic Thresher (Whip)

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✶ Character Development Items

Character and Weapon Enhancement Items

Common Enemy Drops:

Slime Materials

Hilichurl | Hilichurl Shooter | Samachurl Materials

Fatui Skirmisher Materials

Treasure Hoarder Materials

Whopperflower Materials

Specter Materials

Elite Enemy Drops:

Mitachurl | Hilichurl Rogue Materials

Abyss Mage Materials

Humanoid Ruin Machine Materials

Fatui Cicin Mage | Fatui Pyro Agent | Mirror Maiden | Fatui Operative Materials

Cacophony Beast Materials (Cacophonic Scale | Cacophonic Mane | Cacophonic Core)

Drumming Golem Materials (Drummer's Gear | Rhythmic Gear | Percussion Gearwheel)

Harmonic Spirit Materials (Ethereal Wisp | Resonating Soul | Resonating Core)

Imphony Materials (Cursed Horn | Alluring Horn | Dissonant Horn)

Operatic Phantom Materials (Ephemeral Lace | Ghostly Silk | Spectral Fabric)

Sirenity Materials (Enchanting Scale | Melodic Scale | Serenade Scale)

Sonic Serpent Materials (Sonic Hide | Vibrant Hide | Harmony Hide)

Character Ascension Materials

Agnidus Agate

Varunada Lazurite

Vayuda Turquoise

Shivada Jade

Prithiva Topaz

Sarasya Alexandrite

Character Level-Up Materials

Normal Boss Drops:

Bassline Behemoth: Booming Fang

Havoc Harpist: Harmonic Strings

Sono Hypostasis: Melismatic Note

Sono Regisvine: Vibrating Bloom

Weekly Boss Materials:

Echo Weaver: Essence Fragment, Crystal Core, Sonic Heart

Lullaby Labyrinth Keeper: Luring Orbs, Enchanting Lantern, Antique Music Box

Seraph Maestra: Conductor's Baton, Gilded Plumes, Celestial Sheet Music

Character Talent Materials

Monday/Thursday: Artistry Talent Books

Tuesday/Friday: Patronage Talent Books

Wednesday/Saturday: Innovation Talent Books

Sunday: All

Weapon Ascension Materials

Olive Branches:

These special olives are harvested from ancient olive groves in Sinfonia. (5☆ Golden Olive Branch > 4☆ Silver Olive Branch > 3☆ Black Olive Branch > 2☆ Brown Olive Branch)

Diminuendo Ingots:

Refined metal ingots bearing the insignia of the influential Diminuendo family. (5☆ Golden Diminuendo Ingots, > ☆4 Silver Diminuendo Ingots > 3☆ Iron Diminuendo Ingots > 2☆ Copper Diminuendo Ingots)

Clef Fragments:

Fragments of enchanted clefs imbued with musical symbols and patterns. (5☆ Uniting Clef Fragments > 4☆ Large Clef Fragments > 3☆ Chunky Clef Fragments > 2☆ Shattered Clef Fragments)

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✶ Food

Arancini (2× Rice, 2× Bird Egg, 2× Spice, 1× Olive Oil, 1× Butter, 1× Onion, 1× Flour, 1× Cheese)

Artichoke Truffle (2× Truffle, 2× Spice, 1× Limoncello Citrus, 1× Artichoke, 1× Potato, 1× Cream, 1× Cheese, 1× Milk, 1× Bird Egg)

Bicerin (1× Coffee Beans, 1× Cocoa Powder, 1× Milk)

Ciabatta (3× Wheat, 2× Salt, 1× Olive Oil, 1× Milk)

Carbonara (2× Pasta, 2× Bird Egg, 2× Cream, 1× Spice, 1× Olive Oil, 1× Ham, 1× Tomato, 1× Basil)

Cassata (2× Flour, 1× Sunsettia, 1× Amarena Cherry, 1× Bulle Fruit, 1× Vivace Grape, 1× Apple)

Espresso (2× Coffee Beans)

Flaming Red Bolognese (2× Flour, 2× Raw Meat, 1× Tomato)

Focaccia (2× Flour, 2× Salt, 1× Spice, 1× Olive Oil)

Frutti di Mare (2× Crab, 2× Shrimp Meat, 2× Shellfish, 2× Pasta, 1× Olive Oil, 1× Vino Bianco, 1× Tomato, 1× Spice)

Gelato (1× Milk, 1× Cream, 1× Sugar, 1× Almond, 1× Limoncello Citrus, 1× Sunsettia)

Panettone (2× Flour, 1× Bulle Fruit, 1× Limoncello Citrus, 1× Vivace Grape, 1× Apple, 1× Sunsettia)

Panna cotta (2× Cream, 2× Sugar, 1× Coffee Beans, 1× Berries)

Panzanella (2× Spice, 1× Ciabatta Bread, 1× Tomato, 1× Cabbage, 1× Olive Oil, 1× Cheese)

Ravioli (2× Pasta, 2× Raw Meat, 2× Spice, 1× Cream, 1× Olive Oil, 1× Tomato)

Risotto (2× Rice, 2× Spice, 1× Olive Oil, 1× Onion, 1× Butter, 1× Vino Bianco)

Spaghetti All'Assassina (2× Pasta, 2× Jueyun Chili, 1× Olive Oil, 1× Spice, 1× Tomato, 1× Basil)

Stracciatella (3× Bird Egg, 2× Cheese, 1× Cabbage, 1× Limoncello Citrus, 1× Spice)

Struffoli (1× Flour, 1× Milk, 1× Honey)

Tiramisu (1× Flour, 1× Bird Egg, 1× Cream, 1× Cocoa Powder, 1× Coffee Beans)

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✶ Fishing Rods

Tidesong:

If you can stay within the Ideal Tension Zone while fishing, this rod will shorten the time in which fish will struggle by a stable amount and increase your chances of success. This effect only works in Sinfonia.

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✶ Furnishing

Objects:

Any Serenitea Pot Furnishings (i.e., for exterior and interior design) are inspired by landscape, landform, furniture, decoration, and buildings in irl Renaissance Italy.

Animals:

Trillibird:

A colourful and melodious bird species known for its enchanting songs. Its feathers are used in traditional Sinfonian crafts and musical instrument decorations.

Canto Cricket:

These small, musical crickets are known for their enchanting tunes.

Sonetto Rabbit:

Small rabbits known for their swift movements and curious nature.

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✶ Fashion Items

Fashion items inspired by Sinfonian's clothing, allowing players to customize their Traveller's appearance, can be purchased with leftover Sono Sigils at the Echoes From The Past souvenir shop in Armonia.

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✶ Gadgets

Echo Lens:

A pair of enchanted glasses that reveal hidden musical notes in the environment. Wearing them enhances the visual and auditory experience, allowing players to discover secret melodies.

Melodia Flute:

A magical flute that can be played to create harmonious melodies. It can also resonate with certain ancient structures, revealing hidden paths and secrets.

Message Decoder:

A gadget used to decipher encoded messages or inscriptions in the environment. It is particularly useful for uncovering hidden lore, solving riddles, or unlocking doors and chests with musical locks.

Ritmo Lantern:

A lantern that emits a gentle, pulsing light when lit. The light can reveal hidden pathways or interact with specific environmental elements by pulsating stronger when you pass by.

Sonoculus Resonance Stone

Sono Treasure Compass

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✶ Materials

Local Specialities:

Amarena Cherry: A sweet and tart cherry variety native to Sinfonia.

Aria Quartz: A crystal with a soft, ethereal glow.

Bella Rosa: A vibrant red rose with a sweet fragrance, symbolizing passion and love.

Bellissimo Bellflower: Found in the countryside, they are known for their beauty and unique sound when the wind gently rustles their petals.

Lira Fig: A sweet and succulent fig that adds a delightful flavour to local cuisine.

Serenade Blossoms: Delicate white flowers that bloom under the moonlight, emitting a sweet aroma.

Vivace Grape: A sweet and succulent grape variety cultivated in Sinfonia's vineyards. Vivace Grapes symbolize the richness of the nation's agricultural heritage and the sweetness of life.

Crafting Materials:

Cooking Ingredients

Materials used in Cooking.

Almond

Amarena Cherry

Apple

Artichokes

Basil

Berry

Bird Egg

Butter

Cabbage

Carrot

Cheese

Ciabatta Bread

Cocoa Powder

Coffee Beans

Crab

Crab Roe

Cream

Dolce Honey

Fish

Flour

Fowl

Ham

Jam

Limoncello Citrus

Lira Fig

Milk

Mint

Mushroom

Olive

Olive Oil

Onion

Pepper

Pinecone

Potato

Radish

Pasta

Raw Meat

Rice

Salt

Sausage

Shellfish

Shrimp Meat

Spice

Sugar

Sunsettia

Sweet Flower

Tomato

Truffles

Vino Bianco

Vino Rosso

Vivace Grape

Wheat

Forging Ingredients

Materials used in Forging.

Crystal Chunk

Dolomite Ore: A mineral found in the mountains of Sinfonia, known for its unique composition of calcium and magnesium.

Iron Chunk

Magical Crystal Chunk

Northlander Bow Billet

Northlander Catalyst Billet

Northlander Claymore Billet

Northlander Polearm Billet

Northlander Sword Billet

Northlander Pistol Billet

Northlander Scythe Billet

Northlander Club Billet

Northlander Instrument Billet

Northlander Knuckles Billet

Northlander Whip Billet

Starsilver

White Iron Chunk

Uncategorized Materials

Materials that can be harvested around Teyvat that are mainly used in Alchemy.

Butterfly Wings

Crystal Core

Flaming Flower Stamen

Frog

Lizard Tail

Luminescent Spine

Mist Flower Corolla

Serenitea Pot Materials:

Furnishing Materials

Cypress Wood

Pine Wood

Oak Wood

Poplar Wood

Laurel Wood

Juniper Wood

Holly Wood

Hazel Wood

Cuihua Wood

Gardening Materials

Artichoke Seed

Truffle Spores

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✶ Quest Items

Lost Verses

Reliquary Key

Lyre Strings

Ephemeral Scepter

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✶ Glider

Clefwind Glider:

A glider designed in the shape of a musical clef. When equipped, it plays a harmonious melody as players glide through the air.

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Crossposted on Genshin Impact Amino

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[ofourmaker]

Chartered after the clean keel took the right angled horn, buttered off the round scale into the impervious sheet, sable and deep, dank with the giddy dew and velveted in filed zinc. Water whale, the growing field in summerstine, with prying goad pierced through with coniferous needles, softened by the furs of sea stars, we knew the frail gate when we saw it down.

Draped, the cold-galled heinous wright travelled well into the brown decay, and the dust that set the friends in shivered range; he knew the bold new-fangled welkin, and took flayed the broad dayside with a hatchet and rays.

While the keys rimmed the hollow juggler in the store window and its reflection, meteyards and skies were at it in the corner, raving the cobbles, the flesh, and the dry. I will not pass the winter way alone, at night, or in the eaves of the clustered feeds.

2023/02/02 #DailyWrittenOOM

[dragons-bones]

FFXIV: A Rising Chorus

A/N: \o/ It’s done! Been working on this off and on since Balmung finished its Firmament, and I’m so happy I finally get to share it.

RATING: G WORD COUNT: 3032 WARNINGS: Spoilers for the final Ishgard Restoration quest line that begins with “Not By Bread Alone;” tooth-rotting fluff. Crossposted to AO3!

After months of hard work by Ishgardians and outsiders alike, the Firmament lies finished: the last of its homes ready to welcome the indigent of the Brume; its new businesses awaiting eager customers; and the warmth of Snowsoak prepared to soothe the aches and pains of its residents.

They’ve already had one impromptu party...time for an encore!

---

Hoarfrost Hall cast a long shadow over the Firmament as the sun set, the welkin overhead shading from gold to rose to inky blue with the first of the stars beginning to twinkle into existence far to the east. The image of the Hall’s belltower crept down the Abacus, ever closer to the crowd gathering at the far end of Saint Roelle’s Dais, but the growing gloom was offset by the work of the lamplighters, steadily making their way from Featherfall to the New Nest and Eastern Risensong, and the warm glow of candles and hearthfires spilling from the windows of newly-occupied homes. A low susurrus of noise echoed from the Dais as the assembly talked amongst themselves, the sound broken by the occasional bright peal of laughter or the strident twang of a violin being forced back into tune.

Synnove leaned on the railing overlooking the Dais, chin propped in her hand as she watched the Risensong Players warm up for their encore concert. The piano wasn’t Rereha’s usual choice of instrument—she was fonder of violin and lute and harp—but she had cracked her knuckles and thrown herself into that first practice before the first concert with relish, pulling a swirling song from the instrument even as she had complained about being horrifically rusty, the show-off. And better Rere than herself.

She shuddered. Just because she could hear aether as music did not mean that she had any talent or inclination for the art. And wouldn’t that have been the omen, a Warrior of Light and participating skybuilder mucking up the Firmament’s celebratory concert?

At least Rere could say she had participated during the Restoration; her creative talents lay strictly with music and storytelling, but she could plane wood into lumber.

She caught the sound of footsteps coming up behind her, and Synnove turned around in curiosity—and smiled. “Fancy meeting you here,” she drawled.

Aymeric, dressed down in simple leathers, laughed softly as he came to stand beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Synnove pushed herself to her tiptoes to kiss his cheek—he beamed at her, as pleased as any knight when their love bestowed their favor—while he said, “I hope this time I’m not too late!”

“Just in time, my love,” she said fondly, leaning into him. “They’re finishing warm ups, by the sound of it.”

Her knight pressed a kiss into her hair, causing her to beam in turn, and they settled into comfortable silence, looking out to the Dais as a similar hush fell on the crowd. Synnove could vaguely see familiar forms in the press of people, even at this distance: Uncle Edmont with Artoirel (no doubt still wearing that expression of bewildered delight at having his own composition as the showcase of these concerts) and Honoroit; the Haillenarte siblings clustered close to where Francel sat at his piano, radiating pride so fiercely they nearly flavored the aether of the Firmament with it; Heron, off to the side so she wouldn’t block anyone’s view, Amandina and Roksana perched on either shoulder and Arvide with his jaunty beret beside her. Alakhai lurked among a group of Forgotten Knight staff and regulars and Tailfeather hunters at the back of the crowd, and not far from there, Lucia successfully snuck up on Hilda and her Hounds.

(Nobles, commoners, outsiders, even a few of the dragonets who perched on streetlamps and statues. The sight of so many disparate peoples coming together set a warmth in her chest.)

Even this far from the Risensong Players, anticipation made the air nearly hum, no less potent than it had been for the noon show, and Synnove drew in an expectant breath along with Aymeric beside her as the Players raised their instruments or bows to the ready. And then—

—the first notes from Rereha and Francel’s pianos rang out, and their fellows—Handeloup and Emmanellain still on flute, Elaisse and Lizbeth still on violin, and Potkin and Augebert still on cello—joined the symphony.

For all that she didn’t consider herself musical, Synnove found herself humming along, and both felt and heard Aymeric do so, too. She recognized some of the melody Artoirel had used as part of a popular Halonic hymn, but rather than the martial or dirge-like tones of the versions she had heard when she had first come to Ishgard, it had been transformed into something happy and brilliant and celebratory and hopeful. The Firmament was practically giddy with the music, its ambient aether overwhelmed…or perhaps it was harmonizing instead.

Aymeric drew away from her, and she twisted around to look at him in surprise that quickly morphed into delight when he bowed and held out his hand to her, smiling fit to burst all the while. “May I have this dance, my lady?”

Synnove took his hand with a grin and replied, “My lord, it would be my honor.”

He pulled her close, his other arm going around her waist as she brought her other hand to his shoulder, and he dropped a kiss on her nose. As she giggled, he twirled them around, turning her giggles into breathless laughter. They made up the steps as they went along, an awful mix of a minuet and a rigaudon, nearly tripping over their own feet, Synnove’s laughter becoming inelegant snorting cackles and Aymeric snickering into her hair. Over the sounds of their mirth, Synnove could hear the crowd clapping along with the music, and out of the corner of her eye she spotted the movement of other spontaneous dancers.

Aymeric and Synnove collided to a halt as the song ended with a final flourish and the crowd cheered, pressing their foreheads together as they tried to catch their breath between residual giggles. The air between was white from their panting, and she was about to suggest they go to try one of the new food and drink stalls in Featherfall for something hot when the cheery twang of a fiddle rang out across the Dais.

They turned their heads, and even from here they could both see Rereha had abandoned the white piano in favor of her beloved violin, and her bow whipped across the strings to begin a popular reel that was quickly picked up by the other Players, flutes and cellos and piano. Another raucous cheer went up from the crowd, and without prompting, they began to clear a large, open area where lines of dancers quickly formed of both Ishgardians and skybuilders; couples like Lucia and Hilda were hand-in-hand, and friends and family dragged loved ones into the merry scrum. The hulking form of Marcelloix, shaking his head and hunching his shoulders, was easy to pick out, and though the person leading him determinedly through the crowd to the lines couldn’t be seen, there was no doubt in Synnove’s mind that it was Audaine. Those that weren’t lining up to dance instead clapped in time, and in a few more beats, the dancers had begun to dip and spin and whirl about one another in a fast-paced cotillion.

“Turning it into a proper party, this time,” Synnove laughed softly. “Shall we join them?”

Aymeric kissed her temple. “In a little while,” he said. “I’d like to have you to myself for a bit; I’ve barely seen hide nor hair of you in the past sennights.”

“That likely could have been mitigated if a certain someone hadn’t been holed up in parliamentary meetings for whole days at a time…”

“Now that, my love,” he said as they began to dance again in a proper waltz, turning up his nose in faux affront, “is unkind and unjust.”

“But not untrue!”

Their teasing continued as they danced, stepping lightly as the laughter of the crowd and the joy of the music echoed from the Dais. They were coming to the end of the song and slowly twirling towards the Abacus to head to the Dais proper, when—

[Oh! Oh! Is that dancing?!]

The pair glanced up in surprise at the voice that rang out, just in time to see Ehll Tou swoop out of the lamp-studded gloom to gracefully backwing and land a few fulms away. Hautdilong, in a boy-sized fleece-lined leather jacket popular with airship pilots, slid off her back and pushed his flying goggles up to the top of his head, blinking rapidly against the light. His dragon friend, meanwhile, dashed over to the railing, placing her dexterous front hands on the stone and leaning forward with an excited, gravelly trill.

“Oh, goodness,” Hautdilong said, looking out at Saint Roelle’s Dais with wide eyes. “What did we miss? Ehll Tou and I were visiting Gullinbursti and the moogles at Bahrr Lehs the past few days.”

“We finished the Skybuilders’ Monument,” Synnove said, grinning down at the boy when he looked up at her, mouth dropping open. She fought the urge to burst out laughing when Hautdilong’s gaze slid from her to the man next to her and he registered just with whom she had been dancing, and saw Aymeric give a brief half-bow to the lad in acknowledgement. “To make a long story short, a few of the residents wanted to put together a thank you for Francel for his work in overseeing the restoration, and put together a music troupe that performed for the first time earlier today. This,” she gestured at the reforming lines of dancers and the swelling crowd as the Risensong Players began a new song, “is the encore!”

“That explains why I saw Lord Tarresson begin to pack for a trip just as we left this morning!” Hautdilong said. “Someone must have sent him word; he had been speaking to us of how excited he was to see the Firmament finished.”

Ehll Tou suddenly barreled over in the manner of a dragon who sometimes forgot she was much bigger than she used to be, skidding to a halt before she could topple into her two-legged friends. [I want to learn to dance like a child of man!] she said, hopping from foot to foot and wearing her wide, excited smile. [Will you teach me? Please?]

Synnove blinked, momentarily stunned, but it was Aymeric who recovered first. “It would be our honor, Sky Lady,” he said warmly. “Perhaps one of the circle dances to start?”

[I have no idea what that is,] Ehll Tou said, her smile still in place. [But it sounds like fun, so yes!]

“You’ll have to teach me, too, lover-boy,” Synnove teased good-naturedly, poking him in the arm. “You, Hersande, and Baptistaux taught me quadrilles and other court dances, but none of the properly fun ones.”

“Then we will correct that deficiency posthaste,” he said cheerfully. “In fact... Master Hautdilong?”

The boy whipped his head around to Aymeric. “Ah, yes, Lord Speak—er, Ser—” The poor thing had the look of the suddenly nervous and overwhelmed.

“Just ‘Aymeric,’ is fine, especially among friends,” her knight said with a broad wink. Hautdilong slowly smiled back, while Aymeric continued: “Would you happen to be familiar at all with Coerthan circle dances? Particularly the ones from Eastern Coerthas like the branle?”

“I am!” Hautdilong said. “My mother is from the Eastern Lowlands and I was fortunate to travel with her to her home village for the spring planting festivals before the Calamity.”

“My own mama was from the Eastern Highlands,” Aymeric said. “And there’s just enough similarity in some of the town traditions that I believe we’ll manage to teach the ladies well enough. And perhaps some of our other friends, too?”

At that last, he raised his voice, calling out in the shadows, and a with a whoop, a gaggle of children came pelting up the Abacus and rounded the corner to their overlook. Synnove recognized Maelie, Noalle, and some of the Rolanberry Fields children—Lycelle, Peyraquile, and Julchiezain at the forefront—among the group, and following them were a handful of the shier dragonets whose names she had yet to learn. She had been so intent on Aymeric and the music and their mutual joy that she had completely missed the audience they had acquired.

Hautdilong was beaming and, without prompting, began organizing the group of Ishgardian and Dravanian children into a proper circle, with Ehll Tou and her cousins obediently tucking their wings close to avoid knocking other dancers off balance at his suggestion. Synnove dutifully allowed herself to herded elsewhere, exchanging a grin with Aymeric as she was shuffled into the circle between a blue dragonet on her left, who stood on tippy toe to ensure she could properly reach, and Julchiezain on her right. Synnove took a moment to ruffle Julchiezain’s hair—the boy tried to duck around Maelie on his own right to get away from it, but Maelie deftly dodged in turn and shoved him back into his spot and Synnove’s reach with a giggle—before her attention was drawn to the little dragonet tugging at the bottom hem of her vest.

“Hello, little one,” Synnove said, bending down so her face was at level with the dragonet’s. “What can I do for you?”

[My name is Ahm Sorn,] she said shyly, and Synnove melted only a little bit at the sweet, fluting notes of her mental voice. [May we teach this dance to the moogles and our other friends when we return home?]

“You absolutely may!” Synnove said with a smile. “Dances like this are the kind to be shared.”

Little Ahm Sorn made a small, purring little burble in the back of her throat. Synnove’s heart skipped a beat, but she absolutely did not gurgle and try to yank the dragonet into a cuddle. Aymeric shot Synnove a warning look anyway, which she ignored with only a slight pout as she stood up straight once more. She wasn’t actually going to forcibly adopt every sweet little dragonet that crossed her path!

(…She would ask Ehll Tou later who Ahm Sorn’s dam was, and if her dam would like an occasional minder for her daughter.)

Finally, once everyone was settled and hands and paws firmly linked, they all turned to Aymeric expectantly. He smiled at them all and said, “All right, the first set of movements goes like so…”

The next handful of bells were spent stumbling, tripping, and laughing their way through multiple circle dances, most of them Coerthan, until Aymeric made a sly, off-hand comment about Gyr Abanian dances that had the group of children clamoring for Synnove to teach them what she knew. Then Ehll Tou took lead to show them a grounded version of the fluttering, hopping dances that the moogles and dragons of Bahrr Lehs performed, and finally, as children always did, they took turns in making up new dances from what they had learned, until their laughter nearly drowned out the music soaring out from the edge of the Dais.

But all good things came to an end, and eventually the children began to droop with exhaustion and the party wound down. They fit in one last circle dance—a bit too slow for the song the Players were performing to end the encore show, but easier on tired feet wanting to shuffle rather than skip—and finished to the applause of parents and guardians come to take their charges home. They dispersed to all corners of the Firmaments, though most headed south into the New Nest; Noalle passed out almost as soon as her father picked her up, her cheek pillowed on his scaly green shoulder, and Marcelloix and Audaine fell into easy conversation with Rasequin, Gontrandoix, and Pehainel for the trek home while Lycelle, Julchiezain, and Peyraquile helped herd their fellow orphans along, with the older children each carrying one of the smaller ones piggyback. Ehll Tou crouched down to help Hautdilong onto her back, and they—and Ahm Sorn and the other dragonets—waved goodbye before winging off into the night for the sanctuary of Ehll Tou’s workshop roost.

Synnove and Aymeric collected the twins from Heron, off to the Forgotten Knight with Alakhai, and they meandered arm-in-arm up Quill’s Trace while Roksana and Amandina dozed in the crook of Synnove’s opposite arm. When they reached Bright Ballad’s Passage, without saying anything, they simultaneously turned to look out over the Firmament.

The district glowed with golden light, a mirror to the river of stars spangling the black velvet of the sky above. The soft blue glimmer of the new aetheryte system provided spots of color among the shadows, and the faint shapes of people passing in front of windows could be spotted in the houses closest to the Passage. And even with midnight nearing, the Mendicant’s Court still bustled with the night owls of the skybuilder corps, hard at work crafting goods for the residents of the Firmament or lifting off in manacutters from the Skysteel Workshop for the Diadem.

Sighing quietly, a sense of pride and satisfaction settling in her chest, Synnove leaned her head against Aymeric’s shoulder. Her knight kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek on her hair, moving his arm to wrap around her waist and squeeze tightly.

“Even seeing it,” Aymeric said, voice hushed and reverent, “it’s difficult to believe the work is finished. The repairs to the Brume and Foundation are still ongoing, of course, but knowing so many of my countrymen no longer need to worry about where to sleep at night…”

“It’s difficult to fathom the hopes for one’s home coming to fruition within your own lifetime,” Synnove replied, leaning into him. “I never thought I’d see Ala Mhigo free. I never thought a cure for tempering would be found. But here we are: griffon flags fly in Ala Mhigo; capture by a primal is no longer a death sentence; and Ishgard stands at peace and ready to do whatever is necessary to take care of her people.”

Her knight sighed, as satisfied sounding as she felt. “Our star is far from perfect, and its people less so,” he said. “But by Halone, it’s wonderful to see them try, and succeed.”

Synnove hummed her agreement and together, they turned, the Firmament at their backs, and wandered home.

[carewyncromwell]

“Good evening, everyone. I hope that your holiday season is appropriately merry. I am called Bartholomew, or Bat, Varney, and this is my singular favorite part of the entire year. As she is aware of this, my mundane has given me special access to her ‘Askbox,’ so that I may interact, educate, and debate with all of you about subjects involving this most wondrous time of year. I was raised in the later half of the 18th century and I’ve also lived through what my mundane calls the ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ and ‘Fantastic Beasts’ timelines, or the 19th century and early 20th century...and, courtesy of my mundane, I’ve been also given access to the fourth wall so that I can discuss things that came later, as well, as long as they involve Christmas.”

‘I must say, as much as I still don’t understand about my mundane and this communication method of hers, discussing Christmas traditions of the future is incredibly appealing.’

“For more such Christmas content, my mundane says you may consult the ‘Bat Comments on Christmas!’ tag...and naturally, she encourages you to send in those Christmas-related owls my way.

“Today’s topic of discussion is one of Christmas’s most central traditions -- caroling.

“Now of course, holiday songs are as old as holidays themselves, so there was naturally plenty of music centering around Christ and his birth from the start -- generally hymns, which were written in Latin and meant to be sung in church, whether on Christmas or not. But since Christmas was always split into both secular and non-secular traditions, there were also less formal songs that people sang outside of church as well. The first written carols of this sort that we know of originated during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I -- in fact, one of the most popular Christmas songs we know of today, ‘What Child is This?’, uses the tune of the song ‘Greensleeves,’ which was written at that time.

“Christmas caroling on people’s doorsteps -- much like Halloween’s ‘trick-or-treating’ tradition -- was inspired by a custom from older winter holidays where poor people would go door to door in wintertime, singing vaguely threatening songs to beg the houses’ rich owners for food, lodging, and/or money. As time went on, that tradition was called ‘wassailing,’ after a hot spiced beverage called wassail, which I suppose would be comparable to eggnog today. Caroling became more mainstream once people took to writing the songs down and printing copies in the 16th and 17th century -- even though there was a significant span of time in England when caroling was banned, thanks to the efforts of Oliver Cromwell and the Puritan-led Parliament. Even with the ban, though, the singing of carols persisted. Christmas caroling in organized groups really took off with Christmas’s rebirth in the 19th century. Thanks in part to a rather popular novel by Charles Dickens -- which was, appropriately enough, called A Christmas Carol -- the holiday that was once a bawdy outdoor festival was rebranded as a time for togetherness, love, peace, and giving to the needy...and caroling cheery songs door-to-door with others for pay fit perfectly with that theme. More song books were published, compiling many traditional Christmas songs together specifically for caroling.

“Now then...shall we discuss some individual Christmas songs? I suppose I can always start with a few of my favorites, from over the years...and, perhaps, you all can contribute others for me to discuss as well, if you so desire.

“‘Hark! How All the Welkin Rings’ is a song I learned in my childhood from my mother. The version I grew up with was originally written in 1739 under the name ‘a Hymn for Christmas-Day,’ by Charles Welsey -- over the years, the lyrics and melody were modified and transformed into what you all may know as ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.’

“‘The World Turned Upside Down,’ as I’ve mentioned previously, centers around the time that Christmas was banned in England. Interestingly one could easily compare its structure to that of traditional sea shanties, as it’s a rather repetitive cluster of notes that always ends with an identical line that everyone can sing along to, even if they don’t know the rest of the words.

“‘Joy to the World’ is based largely off of psalm 98 of the Christian Bible. Its first musical variation was published in 1719, though the tune used today is from an slightly more recent version from 1848. From what I understand, the popularity of that second version has only increased exponentially, over time.

“‘O Holy Night’ was originally written in French in the mid-1800′s as ‘Cantique de Noël.’ It was based off a poem called ‘Midnight, Christians.’ It’s also a favorite of my esteemed friends, Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel.

“‘The Santa Claus Express’ sadly did not take off the way other Christmas songs have, from what I gather, but it without fail always reminds me of my close associate Grim. @cursebreakerfarrier Trains have been closely associated with Christmas at least since the 1860s when the first wooden toy trains were made, but they only became more popular with the invention of the first electric toy trains at the very beginning of the 20th century. It’s little wonder that since then model train sets became popular gifts and that -- likewise -- trains now spark a lot of nostalgia for both childhood and Christmas in a lot of people. I suppose that’s why one of my mundanes’ favorite Christmas-themed moving pictures, The Polar Express, focuses around a train that travels to the North Pole.

“‘Winter Wonderland’ is the newest of these songs, as it was written in 1934, but from what I understand, it’s become very well-beloved over time. One story I’ve heard is that its writer had been in treatment for tuberculosis when he wrote its lyrics, taking inspiration from his memory of New York City’s snow-capped Central Park. I must confess that I always enjoy ‘echoing’ each line until it comes to the chorus whenever I hear it -- you know, ‘Sleigh bells ring (sleigh bells ring) -- are you listening? (Are you listening?)’ Violet and Bertie @that-ravenpuff-witch tend to do the same thing, whenever either of them are in my earshot and the song starts playing.”

[harrowingbranch]

✧･ﾟ “A Blackened dwarf woman Beyond the Barred galaxy, Buried By Bodies of Binary stars. Billions of Blacks holes Between Battling Bolide Bursts, hung in Bars of Balanced Benightment. Breathing and Belching up clustering Bats of Beaming light!” #mywriting ﾟ✧ 🦇🌠🌌 Lately I have really been appreciating SciFi///Medieval age astronomical illustrations, which gave me a rise of vision to possessing the eyes of a sentient #Nycteridae in outer space ﾟ✧ Ascending an endless black tinseled welkin, sleeping clung and snug Beneath craters Bulging caves and shadows on the moon ✧･ﾟ “We are the bright new stars born of a screaming black hole, the nascent suns burst from the darkness, from the grasping void of space that folds and swallows--a darkness that would devour anyone not as strong as we. We are oddities, sideshows, talk show subjects. We capture everyone's imagination.” ― Dave Eggers, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius ✧･ﾟ

[scotianostra]

The Battle of Sheriffmuir

A Historical Poem by William McGonagall.

’TWAS in the year 1715, and on the 10th of November, Which the people of Scotland have cause to remember; On that day the Earl of Mar left Perth bound for Sheriffmuir, At the same time leaving behind a garrison under Colonel Balfour.

Besides leaving a force of about three thousand men quartered in different parts of Fife, To protect the people’s property, and quell party strife, The army along with him amounted to three thousand foot and twelve hundred cavalry, All in the best of order, a most pleasant sight to see.

The two armies bivouacked near Sheriffmuir during the night, And around their camp-fires they talked concerning the coming fight. The Duke of Argyle’s English army numbered eight thousand strong, Besides four hundred horse, posted in the rear all along.

And the centre of the first line was composed of ten battalions of foot, Consisting of about four thousand, under the command of Clanranald and Glengarry to boot; And at the head of these battalions Sir John Maclean and Brigadier Ogilvie, And the two brothers of Sir Donald Macdonald of Sleat, all in high glee.

The Marquis of Huntly’s squadron of horse was also there; Likewise the Stirling squadron, carrying the Chevalier’s standard, I do declare; And the Perthshire squadron formed the left wing, And with their boisterous shouts they made the welkin ring.

The centre of the second line consisted of eight battalions of infantry, And three of the Earl of Seaforth’s foot, famous for their bravery; There were also two battalions of the Marquis of Huntly, Besides the Earl of Panmure’s battalion, all men of high degree.

And those of the Marquis of Tullibardine, commanded by the Viscount of Strathallan, And of Logie Almond, and likewise Robertson of Strowan; Besides two squadrons of horse under the Earl Marischal, And the Angus squadron was on the left: these include them all.

During this formation, the Duke of Argyle was watching all the time, But owing to the ground occupied by them he couldn’t see their line, Which was unfortunately obstructed by the brow of a hill, At the thought thereof the Duke’s heart with fear did fill.

The hill was occupied by a party of Earl Mar’s troops looking towards Dunblane, Which the Earl of Mar no doubt resolved to maintain; Then the Duke returned to the army, and ordered the drums to beat, But an hour elapsed before his army were ready Mar’s to meet.

As soon as the Earl of Mar perceived Argyle’s line was partially formed, He gave orders that Argyle’s army should be instantly stormed. Then Mar placed himself at the head of the clans, and led forward his men, As a noble hero would do, which no one can condemn.

Then he pulled off his hat, which he waved in his right hand, And when he arrived within pistol-shot the Highlanders made·a bold stand, And they poured in a volley upon the English infantry, And to the dismay of the Highlanders the English returned fire instantly.

And to the horror of the Highlanders Alan Muidartach was wounded mortally, Then he was carried off the field, a most pitiful sight to see; And as his men clustered around him they stood aghast, And before he died he told them to hold their posts fast.

While lamenting the death of the Captain of Clanranald most pitifully, Glengarry at this juncture sprang forward right manfully, And throwing his bonnet into the air, he cried, heroically, Revenge! revenge! revenge to-day ! and mourning to-morrow ye shall see!

No sooner had he pronounced these words than the Highlanders rushed forward, sword in hand, Upon the royal battalions with the utmost fury, which they could not withstand, And with their broadswords among the enemy they spread death and dismay, Until the three battalions of Argyle’s left wing instantly gave way.

Then a complete rout ensued, and the Earl of Mar pursued them half-a-mile; Then he ordered his men to halt and rest a while, Until he should put them into order right speedily, Then follow the enemy at the double-march and complete the victory.

Then the Highlanders chased them and poured in a volley, Besides they hewed them down with their broadswords mercilessly; But somehow both armies got mixed together, and a general rout ensued, While the Highlanders eagerly the English army hotly pursued.

The success on either side is doubtful to this day, And all that can be said is, both armies ran away; And on whichsoever side success lay it was toward the Government, And to allay all doubts about which party won, we must feel content.

[readbookywooks]

THEN from the moorland, by misty crags, with God's wrath laden, Grendel came. The monster was minded of mankind now sundry to seize in the stately house. Under welkin he walked, till the wine-palace there, gold-hall of men, he gladly discerned, flashing with fretwork. Not first time, this, that he the home of Hrothgar sought, -- yet ne'er in his life-day, late or early, such hardy heroes, such hall-thanes, found! To the house the warrior walked apace, parted from peace;[1] the portal opended, though with forged bolts fast, when his fists had struck it, and baleful he burst in his blatant rage, the house's mouth. All hastily, then, o'er fair-paved floor the fiend trod on, ireful he strode; there streamed from his eyes fearful flashes, like flame to see.

He spied in hall the hero-band, kin and clansmen clustered asleep, hardy liegemen. Then laughed his heart; for the monster was minded, ere morn should dawn, savage, to sever the soul of each, life from body, since lusty banquet waited his will! But Wyrd forbade him to seize any more of men on earth after that evening. Eagerly watched Hygelac's kinsman his cursed foe, how he would fare in fell attack. Not that the monster was minded to pause! Straightway he seized a sleeping warrior for the first, and tore him fiercely asunder, the bone-frame bit, drank blood in streams, swallowed him piecemeal: swiftly thus the lifeless corse was clear devoured, e'en feet and hands. Then farther he hied; for the hardy hero with hand he grasped, felt for the foe with fiendish claw, for the hero reclining, -- who clutched it boldly, prompt to answer, propped on his arm. Soon then saw that shepherd-of-evils that never he met in this middle-world, in the ways of earth, another wight with heavier hand-gripe; at heart he feared, sorrowed in soul, -- none the sooner escaped! Fain would he flee, his fastness seek, the den of devils: no doings now such as oft he had done in days of old! Then bethought him the hardy Hygelac-thane of his boast at evening: up he bounded, grasped firm his foe, whose fingers cracked. The fiend made off, but the earl close followed. The monster meant -- if he might at all -- to fling himself free, and far away fly to the fens, -- knew his fingers' power in the gripe of the grim one. Gruesome march to Heorot this monster of harm had made! Din filled the room; the Danes were bereft, castle-dwellers and clansmen all, earls, of their ale. Angry were both those savage hall-guards: the house resounded. Wonder it was the wine-hall firm in the strain of their struggle stood, to earth the fair house fell not; too fast it was within and without by its iron bands craftily clamped; though there crashed from sill many a mead-bench -- men have told me -- gay with gold, where the grim foes wrestled. So well had weened the wisest Scyldings that not ever at all might any man that bone-decked, brave house break asunder, crush by craft, -- unless clasp of fire in smoke engulfed it. -- Again uprose din redoubled. Danes of the North with fear and frenzy were filled, each one, who from the wall that wailing heard, God's foe sounding his grisly song, cry of the conquered, clamorous pain from captive of hell. Too closely held him he who of men in might was strongest in that same day of this our life.

[1] That is, he was a "lost soul," doomed to hell.