#who up getting fucking scarred in shadowbringers!!!!

[exmeowstic]

i once again. played ffxiv for at least 12 hours 👍

[abimee]

5, 17, 18, 20 for your wols :]

how do they typically dress? does their wardrobe lean more towards practicality or aesthetics?

Ruyan dresses for a majority of her time as an adventurer in what I cal the ''never seen Eorzean fashion before and just bought shit that looked comfortable'' and therefore dresses looking a bit like an idiot. She wears THREE shirts underneath her coat, the flannel patterned pants, and white dirty nasty sneakers with no socks. She has refused new clothes multiple times for religious reasons and if you watch her around shadowbringers era you can see the sole of his left shoe is falling off slightly but he still wont get new shoes. Ryder calls it combat clothes.

Ryder definitely tries to dress for style but also mostly just copies whats in-fashion to blend in, she doesn't think about her appearance at all and will just wear whatever, though she often prefers things that will obscure her big ass

Althaea obviously during amaurotine time dressed in her robes and has no concept of ''fashion'', but in Eorzean times when she's around in a silly offshoot concept she's defos out here wearing cute and sexy outfits, especially beachwear and long dresses that lets her show skin because its a new concept for her and she loves trying new things :]

tock is ALL ABOUT trying new clothes but she especially loves big frilly dresses and button up shirts, but after the horrors of Endwalker shes been walking around strictly wearing the sophist robes and a wedding veil of (dynamis) flowers for mental unwellness reasons

how did they spend their summers/free time as a child?

WELL Tock is 11-12 so she's still a child doing fuck all. but a reason why she went to become an Adventurer at such a young age is because she spent most of her (remembered) childhood inside her family's shop in Ul'dah unable to leave, both because the Calamity hit when she was 8 and scarred her deeply and therefore her mother didn't want her playing around outside during the rebuilding efforts, but also because Tock is the only Tutti child to have been able to survive the family curse (any Tutti child who is a man dies before they are full grown) Tatala is reluctant to let her out and possibly endanger herself, since she is the only Tutti in her generation and therefore the only one left to carry on the legacy of her mother and her 24 aunts.

Due to this Tock spent a LOT of her time indoors by herself, so she mostly just learned to play musical instruments and various trades her 24 aunts work on like woodcarving and moneycounting, but otherwise she'd play by herself and create elaborate plays and concepts to act out in her own room alone with her stuffed animals

ruyan spent her childhood literally just living in a cave and staring at shadows on the wall all day and then sleeping on the cold hard floor. For years. Sometimes going outside to sit in the grass and stare at the clouds but mostly just sat in the cave with his community and did light help around. He and Ryder left the steppe when Ruyan was around I thiiiink age 14, so during his teen years he spent his summers upkeeping his and ryder's small inn room they lived in for years as Ryder took on odd jobs around Kugane :]

Ryder spent her living childhood on a boat out in the sea as her mothers sailed the world and robbed Garlean ships so she spent a lot of it fishing/drawing underdeck and talking to pirates!

Althaea doesnt remember a chunk of her childhood because she concussed herself so hard she lost blood flow to her brain once and a bit of time got lost in the aftermath, but Althaea was born and raised in Elpis by two cthonic horn researches, but would get sent to Amaurot when the city had it's warm, summer months. She actually met Hades this way because she didnt know anybody in the city and just one day saw hades playing by himself and ran up to him and asked if they could be friends, he said no but she kept asking until he gave in and let her sit next to him. He didnt have any other friends so Althaea and Hades spent all their summers together, and when Althaea permanently moved to Amaurot as a teenager to apprentice under Venat she oft spent her summers then travelling the world :]

their opinion on lying, stealing, and killing?

Ryder loves murder

HOWEVER Ryder does believe liars and stealers and murderers are unjust, and she recognizes she's a hypocrite in this regard but that she has no qualms with being seeing as a bad person for doing these things. She believes she is doing what she's doing (lying/stealing/killing) for a just cause, but in the end of the day it's still lives she's taking and people she's lying to and things she's stealing, so she accepts she's not the best person and is in fact going against her own moral code to further something (which is an image of hatred and fear so that she knows others dislike her for reasons she created, and not reasons out of her control, because thats what scares her)

Ruyan believes that violence is a constance in the universe and that while there is no truly just reason to kill, there is no way to rid of it entirely, so every life taken needs to be considered and reasoned in a greater balance. That is that you will need to kill eventually in your life, but to take any enjoyment out of it is vile.

Ruyan however is not above lying or stealing, as she sees the inequality within the world and believes that these small acts can both be a justified and unjustified mean; stealing food to eat or jewerly to sell to make money to eat is just, but stealing purely for the sake of owning something for personal enjoyment is unjust to her.

Ruyan also cannot say shit about lying considering he is a confirmed cheater who lied about something that happened and slept with someone under the assumption Ruyan was single👍 so she dodges all conversation about personal beliefs on lying

Tock is absolutely 100% oblivious to the concept of death and killing as a moral concept but she defos thinks lying sends you to hell. She's not above stealing though

Althaea....... althaea [stares wistfully] she is 100% under the belief that killing is wrong, stealing is wrong, and lying is wrong. No take backs. To take away a life from something when an alternative route can be chosen is an evil in her eye and so hythlo and hades particularly dodge doing anything funny to concepts when shes looking

if applicable, can they drive? if they have their own, what color is their vehicle? is the inside neat and tidy, or a mess?

MY FAVORITE TOPIC. IN ORDER

RYDER drives a 1978 Mercury Monarch. In my mind Ryder would never learn to drive but in a small part of me she WOULD drive and would own an M. Monarch. Absolutely clean inside besides for an insane amount of change in her cup holder and three large coffee mugs left in the back seat because she drinks whole cups of coffee out of glass mugs when driving. Absolutely pristine otherwise though interior wise. She takes immaculate care of her car and will yell at you if you leave any trash in it or spill anything. She gets it routinely checked and only gets parts replaced if she can find pristine makes and models that match. Her Monarch is her prize and joy

RUYAN drives a 1991 Ford F-150 and it smells like cigarettes. Stickers and sharpie marks on the interior. Absolutely blasted breaks and suspension but its still street legal, just a bit scary when youre parked on an incline and the truck rocks back a good 2 feet before its able to push forward. It has absolutely rocked back and hit many tailgaters because of it. It is the most trailer trash ''bought it for $500 on craigslist" truck ever but it has literally never broken down on them and always gets Ruyan to where he needs to go. They give her a name and call it Hydaelyn because its a piece of shit but it gets the job done

Tock is 12 she cant even ride a bike cause its scary

ALTHAEA... 1980 Pontiac firebird Trans AM. It is absolutely a shitter just like Ruyans car but its SLEEK and its VINTAGE. she's blasting The Platters on its shitty CD player that Hades had to build into it for her. she's blasting Searchin' by The Coasters while doing 60 mph on a 50 mph downhill road in this. It's pretty clean but theres some clothes and cups in the back. She and hythlodaeus have abolustely had intimate relations in this car but have also knocked their heads against the roof multiple times. It gets her around but its also on the verge of blowing up i think

[ehslye]

@thyleave​

The guilt wells in his averting gaze – where cloth unbinds and reveals the glimmer of light stains that trickle up the expanse of his arm; Jahliqai hides, as he is wont to do more often than not. Of course, there would be those who would rip the veil from him – which comes to no surprise that one of those would be Urianger (he would pretend, too, that he does not see Y’shtola’s vacant eyes trail to where his arm would be in her aether-filled sight). “ T’was... recklessness –– on my part, “ comes the muddled confession after an equally guilty sigh hisses past his once sealed lips. ‘But I would do it again,’ remains unsaid (never one to leave possibilities un-walked). Jahliqai keeps his arm propped up on the table to allow Urianger to examine it proper, but he feels so... bare. It’s difficult.

     “ ...And –– I could... do without the worry. It isn’t fatal. “ Strained words with awkward pauses, to simply fill the silence he cannot handle underneath the student’s observant eye. 

[blucifer08]

Tell me about your OCs!

I want to know:

Favourite food

Day job

Shoe size

Deepest fear

Preferred genre of music

Full name and all titles

Most embarrassing ship-related moment (if any)

Best friend's name

Bra size (if applicable)

Leisurely pasttime

Preferred mount, including name and any headcanons

All the scars they have (if applicable)

Favourite flower

Place of residence

Where they consider "home"

Skill level with regards to juggling (if any)

And one fact that you always want to talk about that is too obscure to come up in normal questions

- Signed, someone who wants to know about your OCs

Might be long, but I'll do all 3 of my OCS :)

more below the cut because long post

Naru

Favourite food: Spicy fish dishes with vegetables

Day job - Warrior of Light

Shoe size - probably a woman's six? she's 5'2 so i googled average

Deepest fear - Hurting those she loves :')

Preferred genre of music - anything with piano

Full name and all titles - Naru Kahkol, Bringer of Light, Traveling Arist

Most embarrassing ship-related moment (if any) - In a fic, she gets wounded and can't reach a glass that's near to her and Elidibus offers to get it for her. But she's still like. not warmed up to him, so she's a bitch about it won't accept his help. Well eventually she DOES, but by that point, he's having too much fun fucking with her--so he makes her drink from the glass as he's holding it up to her lips and she hates it

Best friend's name - Ehva and Levi

Bra size (if applicable) - man. i don't know anything about bra size. they are not small and not big. i don't even know my own bra size. i'm so sorry. i have drawings of her boobies if you are of age and are interested.

Leisurely pasttime - Drawing!

Preferred mount, including name and any headcanons - Though she left him on the Steppe, whenever she can make it back, she loves to ride her Yol Bones. Bones is named Bones because he has an unfortunate habit of eating and coughing up... bones...

I also imagine she rides the night pegasus from PoTD on her adventures. She just doesn't ride chocobos.

All the scars they have (if applicable) - (SHADOWBRINGERS SPOILERS) She has a few scars here or there from fights but after Shadowbringers her body is covered in gold, thin scars like pottery that has been glued back together with gold.

Favourite flower - White bellflowers

Place of residence - Originally the steppe, owns a house in the lav beds

Where they consider "home" - The Steppe (and anywhere with Elidibus )

Skill level with regards to juggling (if any) - I hate to admit it but she might be good at juggling if she gave it a go. She's good with her hands.

And one fact that you always want to talk about that is too obscure to come up in normal questions - I think when she was a kid she beat the fuck out of Magnai during sparring matches. She's not physically very strong but she's smart and fast.

Ehva

Favourite food - Beef stew

Day job - Ex bartender, now a scion

Shoe size - probably a 7

Deepest fear - Being alone

Preferred genre of music - i asked my friends after giving a description of her as to what music they think she'd like and they said "Indie folk music" so whatever that means

Full name and all titles - Ehva Thevo, best bartender in eorzea (self given title)

Most embarrassing ship-related moment (if any) - n/a so far

Best friend's name - Naru and Levi

Bra size (if applicable) - she has big boobies this is all i know

Leisurely pasttime - this the type of bitch to have a sudoku book on hand at all times

Preferred mount, including name and any headcanons - I haven't considered this but I think she'd like the Kirin mount!

All the scars they have (if applicable) - prominently, a horizontal scar along her nose

Favourite flower - Hydrangeas

Place of residence - Ul'dah

Where they consider "home" - Limsa

Skill level with regards to juggling (if any) - she would drop them immediately.

And one fact that you always want to talk about that is too obscure to come up in normal questions - despite being a bartender ehva is really picky about her alcohol and prefers high class wine over anything else.

Levi

Favourite food - sweets, cakes

Day job - the party's slutty white mage who stops cracking jokes

Shoe size - big? he's tall. big viera.

Deepest fear - Being unlovable.

Preferred genre of music - anything upbeat

Full name and all titles - Levi is his only name. He didn't choose a last name.

Most embarrassing ship-related moment (if any) - He wore very revealing gear in Ishgard because he wanted to fuck Estinien really badly and Estinien was not interested

Best friend's name - Naru, Ehva

Bra size (if applicable) - n/a

Leisurely pasttime - sex, drawing, bathing

Preferred mount, including name and any headcanons - he probably rides the whm unicorn mount

All the scars they have (if applicable) - probably only a few, he doesn't usually get up close during combat

Favourite flower - hibiscus

Place of residence - ul'dah

Where they consider "home" - Ul'dah

Skill level with regards to juggling (if any) - he would not even try.

And one fact that you always want to talk about that is too obscure to come up in normal questions - he is nonbinary he/him king :)

[blackestnight]

WiP Meme: DRK self care!

first of all i am never going to be able to write a better DRK self care fic than Monarchs in Flight, which is an absolutely incredible (but very much 18+) shadowbringers au in which the wol becomes titania, and fray becomes the warrior of light. go read it. holy fuck. ANYWAY.

i really wish i could give a long, well-thought-out answer to this, but the tl;dr of it is: i am not immune to fraywol and i think hanami should get to make out a little with her own inner demon, as a treat.

the slightly longer version is i think hanami should get to make out a little with her own self-care demon because if there is one thing she is bad at, it’s loving herself, and she really learns better hands-on, as it were. not that she doesn’t already have people in her life who adore her--she does!--but she tends to dismiss a lot of their attempts to encourage her self-esteem as seeing her through rose-colored glasses. but if there’s anyone who has had a chance to see her filthy, rotten soul up close and personal, who knows all the worst parts of her and loves them with a ferocity that would level cities? who would fight and kill for her selfishness? it’s fray. and more than that, fray is a safe thing to love, at least in her eyes, since. well.

remember, hanami doesn’t think very highly of herself at all.

She doesn’t say it—doesn’t dare. To speak the words would be to call down catastrophe, to peel back the layers of her skin and bones and bare her tattered heart to the daggers ready to cut it out of her. There are other ways. Safer ways. She can show it, through her hands as gentle as she can make them, through the press of her palm to a temple, or threaded through fingers next to her own. Through the silent curl of her mouth and the contented shutter of her eyelids. But to let it pass her teeth—

Her homeland, razed. The overcrowded graves overlooking Drybone. The scorch marks on the Steps of Faith. The metal aether-seared silver atop Baelsar’s Wall. 

The slender line of a scar nestled between Aymeric’s ribs.

Woe betide the man who stands with the Weapon of Light—

She is the Deathbringer, the harbinger of ruin, disaster pouring from her hands, spilling from the raw parts where the calluses peel from her heart. But what curse can she lay here? What force in the world could unmake a ghost?

She doesn’t need to close her eyes, no difference with no light to see. But she does anyway, as she turns in the hold of the arms behind her, around her, buries her face in the warm leather of Fray’s coat. “I love you,” she gasps, ragged, ripped from her. “I love you, I love you—”

there is one (1) other fic i’ve written where hanami actually says the words “i love you,” and she wasn’t really in a great spot for that either.

She had tried to hate Ul’dah and she couldn’t; she had tried to hate Ishgard and she finds she loves it, now, and she already loves Doma in some place deeper than her heart and if she keeps losing the places she doesn’t want to love then what will happen to the place she does?

“Go to sleep,” she begs him. “Dream of that.”

“Of the dress, or the dinner, or of you?” he asks.

She feels like she’s festering, breathing rot into the air, when she says, “All of it.” And then, clenching her hot eyes tight against the ill-luck wind off the sea, against the sunrise diffused through the gray clouds rolling in: “I love you.”

fray take the wheel. gods know getting through this absolute clusterfuck of warped self-perception is not a one-woman job.

[houseisekai]

House Isekai: Shadowbringers -Interlude 2

House Isekai Shadowbringers AU Masterlist Here

—

Interlude: Megumi Sakura

[Spiderweb - Fire Emblem: Three Houses OST]

It was a quiet night at Derdriu. As usual.

Ever since the outbreak of the war, no one dared go out at night, especially when the reports of Angels reached the Alliance.

Not to mention the unholy creatures that Those Who Slithered used to combat the Church.

Everyone in the city was scared of what tomorrow would bring. The fact their leader had gone out with those strange offworlders brought even less comfort to the people of Dedriu.

The guards had been ordered not to utter a word about Claude’s disappearance, lest they bring suspicion onto themselves from those fighting in the war.

They had heard what happened to Fhirdiad and Enbarr. They were keen on not repeating it on themselves.

Percy sighed to himself as he watched the empty roads, leaning against the wall with his lance on his shoulders.

He just wanted to protect his hometown as a soldier of the Alliance, not get wrapped up in...whatever this war was. If you could even call it a war.

What was going on now felt like ants watching wolves tear each other into pieces.

It had been 5 years since the Empire first invaded the Church, but only 2 since all three nations put a halt on their fighting.

The advent of the Church and TWSITD was fierce and ruthless, to the point where the Alliance had complete neutral grounds and took in refugees from all sides into their territories, by order of Claude.

These thoughts continued in Percy’s head until he thought he saw something move in the distance.

He quickly stood up straight and held tightly onto his lance.

Percy knocked on the door behind him, which he could hear the guards hastily grab their weapons.

They eventually went out the door and stood alongside Percy, readying themselves for trouble.

Over the hill, they saw Edelgard, Dimitri, the Professor and far more behind them.

Percy didn’t sigh in relief seeing these familiar faces. In fact it made him even more anxious. Claude had told the guards that group would arrive. 

He didn’t explain why.

(Percy) “Professor.”

(Lahabrea) “Percy, right?”

(Percy) “Yes sir. We were told to expect you, you can enter.”

(Lahabrea) “Much appreciated.”

Percy and the other guards opened the gates, closely watching around them to ensure they weren’t followed.

His eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw some House Isekai members carry the professor past him.

(Percy) “What in the...?”

(Guard) “H-Hey, didn’t that professor just...?”

(Guard 2) “What the hell is going on?”

The talk quickly began amongst the guards, and eventually the citizens who saw the group outside their windows.

Lahabrea led the group to the main capital building, where Claude’s second in command, Judith stood outside.

(Judith) “Ah, took you guys long enough. Get in before you cause a scene.”

He nodded and everyone followed suit, entering the building as Judith shut the door behind them.

Byleth, the Persona Users, Sharon, and Megumi went to the infirmary. The rest stayed inside the main hall with Lahabrea.

(Kazuma) “So, NOW can we get some answers as to what the fuck is going on?”

(Lahabrea) “Just a little longer. Claude is supposed to be here tomorrow, and it’s then I’ll answer all the questions you have.”

Rean sighed and put a hand on Kazuma’s shoulder.

(Rean) “It’s late anyway, we should probably get some rest. We’ve been travelling for a few days.”

Kazuma mumbled under his breath as he smacked away Rean’s hand.

(Ainz) “I’m assuming we have rooms of our own?”

(Judith) “Yup. All upstairs, prepared for ya.”

Ainz nodded and went up the stairs, the denizens of Nazarick scattering to the rest of the rooms, only some following Ainz.

Class VII, the Blue Lions, and Black Eagles went upstairs as well to get some much needed rest.

The School-Living Club went to the Infirmary to help out, leaving just Lahabrea in the room by himself.

(Lahabrea) “...”

(Sothis) “You’re sure about this?”

(Lahabrea) “No matter how many times you ask, my answer isn’t changing. Even if by the end of all this they hate me, if they’re safe, it’s all that matters.”

He shook his head and went up the stairs.

(Lahabrea) “We’ve lived too many lives trying to stop this. If this plan even has a slightly better chance of working than Plan B, then I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Sothis shook her head, then quickly faded away.

...

Inside the infirmary, the Persona Users laid on the beds resting, with Byleth at the farthest bed.

Sitri was at Byleth’s side while Sharon and the School-Living Club spoke to the healer.

(Healer) “We see no obvious battle scars, so we think it might be exhaustion. The same goes for the other kids.”

(Megumi) “I-I see.”

(Yuki) “Is there anything we can do to help?”

(Sharon) “You do not have to worry, Miss Yuki. I will help her with whatever she needs. You all must be tired.”

(Miki) “Come on Yuki-senpai, she’s right. We have to rest.”

Yuki hesitated at first but nodded.

(Kurumi) “Thank you, Sharon.”

(Sharon) “Of course. Please rest well everyone.”

(Yuuri) “Let’s go.”

(Megumi) “...You kids go upstairs, I’ll be with you soon.”

Yuuri nodded and the students went upstairs.

Sharon began checking the Persona Users as she pulled out her Arcus unit, leaving only Sitri to notice Megumi going outside.

Sitri looked at Byleth one last time before getting up to follow Megumi.

[Yasashii Megu-nee Arigatou - Gakkou Gurashi OST]

Megumi stood out in the plaza, staring into the water falling from the fountain.

(Megumi) “...”

She stared at her hand quietly thinking to herself as she frowned.

(Sitri’s voice) “Megumi, right?”

Megumi turned around and saw Sitri walk up to her.

(Sitri) “Is everything alright?”

(Megumi) “Ye-...”

Megumi looked behind Sitri, and then around her.

(Megumi) “Truthfully? No, it’s not.”

She sat down on the stone part of the fountain, which Sitri sat beside her.

(Megumi) “I have no idea what’s going on right now. With Byleth, with the kids, myself and you...U-Uh, sorry that came out wrong-”

Sitri giggled.

(Sitri) “Please, don’t worry. It must be...odd, seeing someone come back from the dead.”

(Megumi) “Normally I’d agree but...”

Megumi stared at her own arm again.

(Megumi) “You’re not the only one.”

She sighed as Sitri looked shocked.

(Megumi) “Our world is...not what you’d call ideal, to put it gently. There was an infection you got if you were bit by the dead and you’d become one of them.”

Megumi rolled her sleeve and pointed where the mark used to be.

(Megumi) “I was bit saving my students, Yuuri, Yuki and Kurumi. When my vision went dark-”

(Kazuma) “Shit, she looks beat up bad!”

(Byleth) “There’s blood everywhere, what happened to her?!”

(Aqua) “You guys didn’t try to get a healer first?”

(Alois) “We tried! There’s something in her arm that’s spreading and we can’t stop it!”

...

(Kazuma) “Aqua, it doesn’t look like she’s fully infected yet, so maybe it can stop it before it spreads! We gotta do SOMETHING!”

(Aqua) “Damn, TURN UNDEAD!”

(Megumi) “Kazuma’s group saved me. It gave me a second chance, to teach these children, and...It let me see my own again.”

(Sitri) “But, since you’re out here, I assume you have something on your mind?”

(Megumi) “Those flashes we keep getting? They weren’t visions. They were memories. Each catered to us, from our original world, and our time in Fodlan...For example, I have memories when it was just only me here. No House Isekai, and none of my students.”

(Sitri) “But...you’ve been here this entire time?”

(Megumi) “I have no idea what it means, honestly. But that’s not the part that worries me. I have memories of Yuki-chan, and Kurumi, Yuuri, and even Miki. Even though she was not part of my original group, I still see her memories as well. And I saw them leave the school we trapped ourselves in. And how they are now.”

(Sitri) “...You weren’t there, were you?”

(Megumi) “...No. And I’m sure they saw the same thing.”

Megumi held onto her cross necklace, looking down.

(Megumi) “I have no idea if I’m going to survive this, or if things will play its natural course. But if they’re safe, that’s all that matters to me.”

(Sitri) “I can see why the students and staff look up to you so much.”

(Megumi) “Huh?”

(Sitri) “Even though you’re not confident, you’re still willing to defend your students no matter what.”

Sitri smiled.

(Sitri) “I’m glad you were here for Byleth.”

Megumi smiled back.

(Megumi) “T-Thank you.”

(Sitri) “Though...if you saw what happens in the future and that’s where your students appear to be...why are they acting like their past selves?”

The two remained quiet to process that question.

...Why were they acting as their past selves if the memories that were shown to them was were from the present?

(Megumi) “...If...That’s the case with my group...Then, what about the others?”

(Sitri) “...”

(Megumi) “...S-Sorry, we should probably wait to hear answers from Byle-...Lahabrea.”

(Sitri) “Right...”

Sitri walked Megumi back into the building, and both went to bed.

Tomorrow was going to be very confusing...

[This Beautiful Cruel World - Attack On Titan OST]

Your dream is where your heart is

It’s something more fragile than life itself

No matter how many times you throw it away, you still find it

So rest in peace now

Your wish is violated by your pulsing urge

and as much as you forget about it, you recall it again

In this beautiful and cruel world

We only ask “why” we’re still alive…

Ah, what are we going to protect

with our strength and weakness? If reason no longer exists

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

[dragons-bones]

FFXIV Write Entry #3: Bloodhound

Prompt: Lost | Master Post | On AO3

Note: What happens when your carbuncle can track anything you tell her to? Four quests you don’t need to do! Also, the events of this story immediately follow from Entry #1: First Meetings. Mild spoilers for Shadowbringers MSQ in the very last section of the fic.

Not even Rereha was one to make light of a massacre, and that’s exactly what the remains of the caravan to Revenant’s Toll were. She scowled behind her scarf and tuggged her hat down more firmly over her ears. Bloody fucking cold.

The snow was rapidly covering the charred remains of the wagons, and the blood from where Ishgardian knights fell. Heron and Alakhai were speaking to the House Fortemps knight in charge of the guards here, whereas Synnove and all three of her carbuncles were stalking the perimeter. Tyr and Ivar were mostly clearing the snow for Galette, who had her nose to the ground, sniffing intently at everything.

Rereha narrowed her eyes. Galette wasn’t even complaining about the cold and snow, which meant she might have something.

Heron and Alakhai joined her, both looking over at Galette. The Hellsguard and the Xaela exchanged a look, then looked down at Rereha. She blinked back at them. “What’d ya learn?” she said, voice muffled through her layers of scarf wrapped around the lower half of her face.

“One survivor,” Alakhai said.

“A squire, currently recuperating over at the Observatorium,” Heron added.

“And the cargo included crystals. All gone.”

Rereha tilted her head towards Synnove and the carbuncles. Galette was circling in one spot, ears pricking straight up like a hare’s. She drawled, “We going to bother untangling that thread?”

Alakhai snorted. Heron grinned, the white of her teeth blinding against her deep russet skin.

“Didn’t think so,” Rereha said. “So: who’s telling the bunny?”

The trio looked at one another, then over at Synnove. She was already scowling back at them, one finger on her nose.

“How does she do that?” Rereha muttered, her tone that of someone who has asked the question countless times before, and will continue to ask countless times into the future. She turned her attention back to the other members of their group—and scowled ferociously. “Oh, fuck you both!”

Heron and Alakhai also had their forefingers touching their noses.

Rereha held up both middle fingers at them; the pair merely laughed at her.

Still scowling, she shoved her gloved hand up under the earflap of her hat to tap her linkpearl cuff. “Oi, bunny, pick up.”

Indignant sputtering came over the line. “Rereha, how many more times must I ask not to call me that?”

“All of them, because I don’t give a fuck. Put the ‘pearl on open speaker so Haurchefant and that dreamy tall glass of water can hear me.”

“REREHA REHA.” Oh dear gods, she was never going to get tired of scandalizing that boy, it was almost too easy.

“Shall I take that as a compliment, then?”

Rereha grinned wolfishly as the voice of Ser Aymeric’s blonde Second echoed across the linkpearl. “Ma’am, please do. I will write songs about how badly I’d like to climb you like a tree, and get thrown out of the Quicksand by Momodi until I get new material because I won’t stop and the patrons are bored.”

Both Haurchefant and the Temple Knight’s laughter came through that time, easily drowning out Alphinaud’s sputtering. Heron and Alakhai rolled their eyes, and Synnove gestured rudely from the other end of the caravan to stop flirting and hurry it up.

“Anyway, one of the squires survived, he’s currently at the Observatorium, but we’ll—”

“I will meet you there, once we have his report we can best decide how to—”

“Alphinaud, we aren’t doing that.”

“—I beg your pardon?”

Rereha sighed. Loudly. “Alphinaud, bunny: you are more than welcome to acquire the squire’s report yourself, but there is only one reason I can think of for why a bunch of heretics want an obscene amount of crystals. What they intend to summon, I don’t know, and I don’t care, but we need to quash this now.”

She nodded to herself in satisfaction as a horrified silence clearly settled over the command room back at Camp Dragonhead.

She continued, “As I was going to say before your eagerness to lead the charge interrupted me, there’s one survivor at the Observatorium, but we won’t be heading that way, since Galette has gotten the scent. We’ll be following her.”

There was a long moment of quiet over the line, before the Temple Knight asked, somewhat incredulously, “She can do that?”

“Ma’am,” Rereha said respectfully, “Galette knows when the Bismarck is making chocolate pudding pie for their daily dessert special from Three Malm Bend at the northern end of Middle La Noscea, and won’t stop begging Synnove for a slice until they actually go get it. She can absolutely sniff out an obscene amount of aether-charged crystals and blood-covered heretics in the middle of a blizzard.”

“What about aetheric interference from—”

“Alphinaud,” and she was much less respectful and far more annoyed now, “before you finish that question, I’d like to remind you that the assessors of Mealvaan’s Gate know every trick in the smuggler’s book for trying to get illicit cargo into Limsa Lominsa, Galette has a one hundred percent success rate, and Synnove will have no qualms about throwing you off the Aftcastle if you question her carbuncle’s abilities and programming.”

Alphinaud’s mouth snapped closed with an audible clack of teeth. “…Duly noted. My apologies.”

Rereha hummed noncommittally. “In any event, we’re off. We’ll check back in once we’ve got a location. Toodles!” She snapped the line closed and dropped her hand from her ear.

“All right, let’s move out!”

~~

The quartet followed the trio of carbuncles on their chocobos, their mounts all used to following the lead of the aether constructs. It was especially helpful now, with the blizzard raging through the highlands reducing visibility: the glow of Galette and Tyr and Ivar kept the birds from veering off course.

Galette lead them northwest from the caravan ruins for at least two bells, across Boulder Downs in near a straight line. She bounded through the snow, veering around the great impact craters that scarred the landscape from Dalamud’s fall. Eventually, the came right up to the cliff wall of one of the smaller Coerthan peaks; Galette was sniffing frantically back and forth at a section of rockface, growling in frustration, and the group came up on their chocobos.

Synnove looked around cautiously. “Tunnels, perhaps?”

“Aye,” Alakhai said. “Lord Drillemont muttered about it once to Haurchefant, he suspects it’s how the heretics are able to move so quickly throughout Coerthas.”

Heron had pulled a map out, holding it up practically to her nose to read it as the wind howled around them. She nodded, rolled it up, and slid it back into its tube on her saddle. “We’re not far from Daniffen Pass,” she called out. “Let’s take that up to Whitebrim and see if Galette can pick the trail back up from there!”

Synnove whistled sharply. All three carbuncles immediately darted over; Chantilly braced herself, and Tyr leaped onto the pillion pad right behind Synnove, with Galette scrambling to take her customary place around Synnove’s neck, and Ivar settling into the saddle in front of his mama. Galette, rather than trying to snuggle down into Synnove’s fur-lined jacket, had her ears still pricked and face turned due northwest, even as the group turned their chocobos northeast towards the pass.

“I don’t think she’s losing the trail at all,” Rereha said once they made it to the tunnel that would take them into the Whitebrim region. She shook the snow off herself, and brushed it free of Madrigal’s feathers; the jennet warked her thanks.

And, indeed, Galette’s nose was still pointing towards where the heretics had likely buggered off to, almost true west, now. Synnove reached up to scratch behind her ears, and Galette gave a quiet purr, but the normally sugar-obsessed carbuncle was currently all business. The group lapsed into a comfortable silence as they proceeded through the pass.

When they emerged from the tunnel, the storm had finally dissipated, and night had fallen. Another half a bell and they crested the rise, Ishgard rising from the Sea of Clouds far north of them; the inviting lights of the fortifications of the Whitebrim Front flickered a malm off.

And Galette was staring due west. She flickered an ear and chittered quietly. Mommy, it’s that way.

Synnove gave her another ear scratch. “Snowcloak,” she said.

Heron nodded grimly. “Probably not their only encampment, either. If they’re able to move between Snowcloak and Boulder Downs undetected so easily…”

Alakhai grimaced. “At least one traitor or sympathizer at one of the Ishgardian outposts,” she said.

“And they have a golden opportunity to move their troops in such a way they can potentially surround an attacking force,” Rereha finished.

“What a fine mess,” Synnove drawled.

When the four friends made the gates at the Whitebrim Front, they were met by Lord Drillemont himself. As grooms took their chocobos to the stables, the Durendaire lord led the group into the command post and up to his office. They were met with mugs of hot cider, bowls of thick stew (even for the carbuncles)—and one Ser Aymeric, who had apparently been conferring with Lord Drillemont over the defenses.

Rereha took especial pleasure in noting that both the Lord Commander and Synnove seemed to perk up at the sight of one another. As she ate her dinner, she listened as Lord Drillemont shared what information the lone survivor of the caravan had acquired, confirming that this Iceheart and her followers were apparently planning to summon a primal. Heron and Synnove gave the full report of their investigation, and Rere snickered quietly as Ser Aymeric turned an appreciative gaze on both Synnove and Galette.

“You are a most remarkable creature, little miss,” he said to Galette. “And Ishgard is grateful for your assistance in verifying our suspicions about how Iceheart and her followers have evaded justice for so long.” The carbuncle preened at the attention, sitting up primly and draping her tails about her elegantly.

Rere’s Echo pinged again.

“And of course, I must thank her summoner for such superb guidance and aptitude,” Ser Aymeric said to Synnove, smiling at her.

Wait, no. Was that a purr? That was definitely a purr. Oh, and he had not hidden that well, because Alakhai was Looking at him and Heron had narrowed her eyes. And Synnove was absolutely blushing.

Rereha grinned into her mug of cider. This was going to be fantastic.

~~

“And that, my lovely little fox kit,” Rereha said cheerfully, “is why you don’t leave anything sweet unattended if you want to eat it yourself, but also why if you want something found, you go ask Galette!”

Ryne clapped in delight, smiling fit to burst. Synnove had her elbows braced on the table and her face in her hands, and she sighed as Heron patted her on the head. Alakhai merely snickered.

“Fuck’s sake, Rere,” Synnove said, voice muffled. “Did you have to include that much side commentary?”

“Yes,” Rere said with a firm nod. “I made a promise to myself: no leaving the story half-finished. Not anymore.”

tag: @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

[blueyemxn]

My Persephone (Pt. 3)

Giver of Life

Spoiler Warning: Content below contains spoilers for the lvl 80 Shadowbringers MSQ, if you have not reached this point in the game and do not wish to be spoiled please refrain from reading. Otherwise enjoy my trash shipping at your own risk.

Mature Warning: The content below features mature themes pertaining to blood, swearing, and descriptive injuries.

Relationship: Emet-SelchxWoL

Ao3 Story - Here    Part One: Here    Part Two: Here    Part Four: Here    Part Five: Here    Part Six: Here

“Yes, you certainly would love that wouldn’t you?” He asked, a sort of venom in his tone as he looked at a hastily written letter. He cared not for the wanted secrecy between Persephone and her mother, only that she had been so kind as to mention where it was, this sanctuary. All he had to do was make haste from his current location, determination in his step; determination not to lose anyone else in this accursed war Hydaelyn brought to the planet.

Thankfully, he knew all the shortcuts in the city and whatever blocked his way was met with a variety of spells to deal with a variety of problems. He tried to be conservative, only opting to use when necessary, but it was already taking a toll on his body. He was sweating profusely, his legs trembled and he had a hard time walking without staggering and risk falling flat on his face. There was also dust everywhere that hadn’t settled from the buildings that had collapsed; his lungs felt constricted so catching his breath was an agonizingly slow process. It felt like his was dying along with the world around him. But he wasn’t going to stop, he couldn’t stop, she was all he had left. He wasn’t going to lose her too.

He couldn’t lose her. He couldn’t lose her. He couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not ever. He won’t. He won’t. He won’t. HE WON’T. HE CAN’T—

STOP!

A thought, a voice nearly caused him to tumble over as it permeated all of the scattered thoughts inside his mind. Hades stood straight, trying to assess where it had been coming from. At first he thought it was a plea for help, but where he currently was, that was nigh improbable; which only meant one person.

Persephone!

With his mind and soul, Hades reaches out to the source, desperately trying to prompt a response. He went to take a step forward as worry clouded his mind, but at that moment a disturbance caught his attention and he saw something large in his peripheral vision. A whip-like appendage soared towards him, the tip razor sharp to use as a piercing weapon for any creature it snagged on. Luckily for him, it only made it to the side of his cheek before it snapped away suddenly. 

He peered over to see it’s host body, pummeled into the ground by a bare-footed, half sized Amaurotine with pink hair and fierce pink eyes that blended in well with the red consuming her sclera. The air fizzed, static heating up the area as what seemed like lightening curled over her form, sending shock waves and denting the ground into the size of a small crater. 

Flesh squished between her toes as her weight crushed the monster, making sure to give a few extra points of muscle in her legs just in case. When there was no movement, Persephone took a deep sigh and the charged air around her dissipated, her eyes changing back to normal. 

He continued to stare, frozen in place and unable to summon his voice, but managed to make a step towards her. She looked like her normal self despite her clothing being torn in various places and the bags underneath her eyes. But other than those peculiar features she was fine; in fact, there wasn’t a scratch on her as far as he could tell.

“Persephone…” Finally he found his voice, though it was more like a whisper when he desired to call to her. Not that it mattered, she noticed him right away and that smile he had loved shown itself on her face.

“Hades! Are you okay?” She asked, jumping down with ease after staggering once. “You didn’t get hurt by that thing did you?”

It took him a moment before he managed to give a signature quirk of the brow; him getting hurt? “Me? Hurt? Persephone, might I remind you that I’m one of the Convocation? ‘Tis nothing but a scratch at most I assure you.” He paused. “Though I suppose your timely arrival did save me an inconvenience. Bravo, hero!” 

Ah there it was, the dramatic arrogance that she was so used to. It was nice to know that he seemed to be okay... still—

“Don’t patronize me! This is a serious situation right now!” Persephone narrowed her eyes, wondering exactly what it would take for Hades not to be a teasing bastard if not the end of the world. 

“I am being serious, my dear Persephone, though it is not I you should be worrying about.” He took a slow step forward, eyes gazing down at her, back hunched and arms behind said backside as if he were analyzing her. “You look far worse for wear, how long have you been here fighting off those things?” He asked, gaze a bit more accusatory than she would have liked, Persephone really didn’t need him to try and guilt trip her from her own decisions. 

“I’m fine. Do you see any wounds or scratches? No? Then you can stop acting like I can’t take care of myself.” In her heart she knew that he was just worried, but even at the end of the world people seemed to treat her as if she were a child, even with this gift of strength she had been given. 

She couldn’t understand and she really, really hated it. 

“Anyway, we need to—” Persephone half turned, ready to move on from the subject when another appendage came out of nowhere and pierced right through her shoulder. “Oh fuck that hurts!” She growled before grabbing the appendage and ripping it out of her shoulder, doing her best to ignore the pain and blood gushing from the wound. Instead she focused her attention on the monster which was a near identical to the one she just killed, just way smaller; an easy kill.

Wrapping the appendage around her hand and gripping it with her Olympian strength, she pulled it towards her and subsequently punched it so hard that most of the organic flesh within splattered out and oozed onto the ground, killing it instantly. 

She touched her shoulder lightly, but couldn’t even breathe a sigh of relief before Hades grasped at her. “Tsk, tsk, still reckless as ever I see, you should be more careful hero." He said before his hand reached out for her shoulder, but Persephone took his wrist, shaking her head. 

“Hades, its fine—” she started to say, but the tightening grip on her arm and the look he gave her signaled a defiance of whatever it was she was going to say. But she wasn’t going to back down either. “Don’t— look, just watch.” She said as her eyes directed to her shoulder as it started glowing, the wound closing on its own. 

Hades peered closer, eyes squinting and even touching where had been moments before. There wasn’t even a scar or any sign that there had been a wound there at all, save for where her clothes were torn. “See? I’m okay, my wounds heal up on their own.” She was smiling as always, but he could tell she was strained. Her skin was lackluster compared that beautiful bronze he loved to kiss and touch and her eyes had lost some of the fire that completely enamored him.

Persephone’s expression then changed, as if she had just remembered something. Her eyes darted around, scanning the area but frowned when she didn’t see what she was looking for. 

“Hades...Where’s Daeus…?” She asked, a concerned look over taking her features as she looked back to him.

Hades felt his entire body grow cold, the pit in his stomach threatening to tear him apart from the inside. 

“Save your energy Hades… it’s far too late for me…” Hythlodaes’ voice was still as soft and calm as ever, though the shallow breath was a good indication that the Amaurotine was close to death. His friend put a weak hand on his shoulder in some vain attempt to give comfort. “It would be in bad taste… to die for another who is slated to pass on. There… there are others waiting for you.” 

Others. Others. What others could there be—

Hades’ heart nearly stopped when he realized what he was about to say out loud. His lips trembled as he attempted to get a hold of his own mind and banish the overzealous thoughts and feelings bursting at the seams. He was supposed to be more composed than this, more in control of his emotions, but he was falling apart. His planet was dying, his friends were dying, his people were dying. Everyone was dying and there wasn’t a thing he could do about. Even such a powerful sorcerer as he was helpless in this situation and such despair could only hasten the panic overtaking his mind. 

A slight grip on his shoulder planted Hades back into reality and he looked over to Daes. In his other hand was a piece of parchment. “This is… a letter from Fandaniel— to Kore… before she… died. She’s… probably there… at the garden. Go to her… quickly now. You won’t want to lose her too… You are…hope… both of you…” the last of his energy and his dear friend slumped over, his soul finally flickering away.

How was he to tell her about that? That even as powerful as he was, he failed to save him? 

“Persephone—” 

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” Her tone of voice, usually warm and energetic, was cold and rather distant; it caught him off guard. He looked at her, seeing her eyes go to the floor, her attempt to stop her mouth from quivering by biting down on it. “I should have known... he… he was supposed to be here by now… dammit.” Her clenched fists shook, her mind wandering the ‘what ifs’ the ‘should have beens’ if she hadn’t just stood there and waited for Daeus to come to her. She should have went to him. She should have been able to save him when he was hurt. She should have--

Before Persephone could finish her thoughts, Hades was already embracing her, the tip of his nose nuzzling into her hair, his soul emerging and caressing hers in a way that sought to give comfort. “Hades… I… I should have been there for him…”

“Hush now, we’ll have none of that,” he cooed “He was at peace when he passed, I made sure of it. When all of this is over, we will summon Zodiark again and He will be able to revive all of our loved ones back, I promise.” He squeezed her lightly, trying his best to give her some comfort, to let her know that all wasn’t for naught, that there was hope. Their people could live again, rebuild again, it would just take some time. 

Yet, despite his confidence, Persephone was not comforted nor was she given any hope that such a being such as He would be able to bring back the dead. Her mother was convinced the god had no intention of doing so and Persephone was prone to believe it as well. Zodiark was powerful, that could not be disputed, but he was never meant to bring back the dead, all he wanted was more energy, more aether, more sacrifices. His hunger seemed insatiable and she feared that it WAS.

“Trust me, Persephone, things will return to normal.” He assured her, as if he read her thoughts. As if it were so easy to believe. As if everything that has happened in the last few days, weeks, months would disappear from their minds and never be mentioned again. No, there was no going back from this, there was no washing this pain and agony away even if things returned to normal. Nothing would be normal again, not with what they knew now; what she knew now. 

“We should go,” she said, wiping her eyes and backing away from his arms. “Our world is being torn apart and if we don’t leave now we won’t find mother’s sanctuary—” Before she could finish, Persephone heard something crack before a foreign object made an impact within her chest cavity. At first she froze, eyes wide, slowly blinking before she looked down and saw a hook-like appendage sticking out of her chest. “Oh.”

Another crack boomed behind her and Persephone was pulled back at an alarming rate, her body being thrown against a wall once, twice, three times, leaving her quite bruised. Her hand gripped at the hook to try and get it out, but severe pain coupled with being thrashed around made it difficult. She started to feel dizzy, her ears ringing from being slammed over and over again as her headache started to pound merciless against her skull. She could feel blood pouring from her head over her eye now and her vision was rapidly declining.

“Scurry and Scatter!” As sudden did Hades call out did she feel her body fall to the floor, the limb holding her now detached from the body. The impact to the ground, while being a short distance from where she had fallen, sent sharp pains through her chest. Her ribs pressed against the hook, making it sink deeper into her flesh and letting more blood spill onto the ground. She was feeling light headed, but until the monster was killed, there was no way she was going to let herself die, not like this.

Hear… Feel… Think…

For a moment she heard her mother’s voice; calm, encouraging and wise as it always had been, echoing through her body, giving her strength she didn’t know she had and she actually managed to prop herself up on one knee. With one eye open, Persephone turned her head to where she had heard the battle pressing on.

Standing tall, confident and wholly arrogant, Hades was always one to show off the power he wielded, especially when he had an audience. But this wasn’t him, this was a Hades filled with rage; eyes constricted, mouth in a snarl and magic so wild it lashed out with reckless abandon; he was angry— no livid. A rare sight to see and Persephone would be a liar if she said it didn’t terrify her a small bit. But within that anger, while his head was clouded of thoughts of protecting her, protecting what was his, protecting what he had left, he did not realize just how much danger he was in.

Even now she could see his ragged breath, his blurry eyes, his staggering legs. How he was standing when he was exhausting himself was beyond her, but she had to put a stop to it, and the only way to do that was to kill the monster before it ended up killing him or he ended up killing himself.

Suddenly she had energy again. The aether within her body manifesting itself, humming and crackling to the rhythm of her determination as her muscles gained back their strength. She took a hand and gripped the remaining talon in her chest and ripping it out with such vigor that a chunk of flesh still clung to it. She could feel her chest burn and in her haste to remove it she coughed out more blood and fluid, but even with her own constricted breath her eyes laid on her prey.

Persephone was on it in a matter of moments, talon in hand and, using her herculean strength, shoved it straight into its head, cracking through the skull and embedding it into its cranium. The creature made one last howl before it eventually stopped moving entirely.

The air became still, the only sound being their ragged breaths. She gave a long, drawn out sigh of relief; it was over, it was finally over—

Or so she thought, but as the monster lay dying, twitching as the last of its life sucked away back into the aether, it did one last push, one last act of violence and stabbed her with every hook it had. Blood poured from every wound profusely, spilling upon the ground and flowing into the cracks of the floor like a river styx.Her breath became still, her lung caught in her throat, unable to make a sound other than a pathetic squeal as she fell. As she collapsed she could hear someone calling her name and her glazed eyes focused on he who called for her, who loved her, who would mourn for her.

Hades...

Hades had been frozen utterly, his words caught in his throat as his Persephone, as strong as she was, fell to the final attack by that monster. The world was eerily silent, his breathing the only thing he could hear other than the loud beating of his heart. He felt it again, pits of despair sending cold fires into his stomach, panic wrecking havoc and chaos in his mind, legs refusing to move as another one, as the one he loved the most fell to her knees.

When she finally landed on the ground he managed to get the energy to move again, rushing to her side, trying not to collapse himself as he gently picked up her body. He attempted to remove the hooks from her body, but as sudden as he got the energy to move it was gone again, leaving him heavy and unable to support himself as the pain from the battle came into effect. His lumbering limbs, his stinging, open wounds provided by some of the hooks that were still latched onto his flesh, his lack of ability to breathe properly. He felt like he was being strangled, that death was there, squeezing at his neck, sucking out the last of his life as his soul would be transported to the life after death.  

With the last of his energy, Hades managed to pull the remaining hooks out from his body in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain, throwing them lazily on the floor. He began closing his eyes, clutching onto Persephone’s body, holding her close as he embraced the hold death had on them, the idea of both of them passing on together bringing him a sense of peace.

Yet, from within his arms she moved, her eyes fluttering open, though it was easy to tell she was straining herself to keep them so. Her arm was heavy, but she managed to lift it, touching his face, rousing him from the start of his deep slumber, rubbing his cheek with her thumb. When he opened his own to peer down at her, she gave that grin that filled his heart with light and love, though it was tremendously weaker.

“Perseph..one…”

He started to speak, but a finger to his lips stopped him. Slowly she lifted herself up, moving both hands to hold his face, leaning into his slouched form and kissing him softly. At first he stiffened up, but it only took a moment for his body to relax, closing his eyes as he felt her soul wrap around his body, giving him comfort and love in their final moments together. Warmth enveloped his body, his mind feeling at ease, rested as the weight of his limbs lifted and the pain of his wounds dissipated.

You are strong, stronger than I could ever hope to be. It can only be you.You must not die, not yet. 

His eyes shot open as he heard her words through his mind and before him he saw the life from her body slowly draining, pouring it into his own. 

Persephone— Kore stop! He commanded, trying to push her away, but her grip was fierce, refusing to budge as she continued. 

This is a gift to you, my beloved Hades; a gift of life.

He was screaming. He was screaming and thrashing and begging and pleading as waves of despair washed over him, the pit of his stomach churning and churning, threatening to rip itself apart. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want this gift. Take it back. Take it back. Take it back take it back take it back TAKE IT BACK TAKE IT BACK TAKE IT BACK—

But she never did; she continued on, her tears mixing with his as the warmth of her lips faded and her body grew cold. 

Remember us. Remember that we once lived. 

[several-very-small-eggs]

Tell me about your FFXIV character, please!

Apologies for the late response, I had to actually decide on a lot of stuff I'd not figured out firm ideas for! (And get a bunch of screenshots.)

Octave Marceaux Chastain, Octave Chastain ingame and often simply shortened to Oct. He is 26-28 or so over the course of the story. He is a bi trans guy, and like a lot of first rpg characters, is not so loosely based on myself. He lives on Famfrit, and is part of an FC with people I mostly consider friends.

Name lore, since you can't stop me: French, following the elezen name trend. Octave referencing his start as a bard. Marceaux, which I think I made up? from 'mars' referencing the fact that you fight everything. Chastain meaning 'chestnut' referencing his brown hair and origin in the foresty Black Shroud.

He is a Wildwood Elezen, born on the 9th Sun of the 3rd Umbral Moon [ie, March 9th]. He is 6'6, and I imagine him a little more gangly than the game really allows.

Something that I can't really show ingame, he's got top surgery scars and no nipples. The no nipples thing was originally a joke about the ken doll body model, but I got attached to it. And he voluntarily had the scars not get magically healed, he's proud of it.

I would consider my main classes to be Dark Knight, Bard, Dancer, and Red Mage, not in any particular order aside from that's how they're listed in the classes list.

(I have a problem. Yes, every single class is over 50. I really needed to clear out my Armory Chest. And I still do.)

I've dipped my toes into fashion a little, here's what I've got, and I'm somewhat proud of it.

DRK - Went a little Dark Souls, with the veil and very spiky everything.

DNC - Cheerleader! I'm still not quite satisfied with the shirt though. :(

MCH - Cool biker/bad boy kind of look?

RDM - I just like putting him in suits, and I got very attached to the look of the Shire casting gear, so I kept his RDM in a suit.

DoL - Hipster Oct! He was gathering before it was cool. (Except not, since I've only been playing since November.)

Wedding! Fancy fancy boy.

As mentioned above, I started playing in late November, and I've already put over 1300 hours into Octave alone. (Help.) I've also got a bunch of alts, only one of which has really gotten particularly into the plot, and even then, he's only in post-ARR rn.

Pinning down his personality is a little difficult since he's mostly just an idealized version of myself, and I have no idea where the lines are. Generally kind and helpful, but tends to lose himself in his hero duties? Often takes on too much work and needs someone to remind him that he's a people too, not just a hero. Incredible soft spot for kids and people in fucked up situations, eagerly accepting ex-enemies as friends. But goes a little Warrior rage mode if someone threatens or hurts people he cares about. Often a Little Shit to his friends, annoying them for his amusement.

Backstory, still in development, but here's what I've got:

Born in Gridania to Miounne and Jehantel, wanted to be an adventurer when he was young, but didn't act on it immediately? Realized he was trans mid-teens or so, but didn't come out before he left home. Ended up travelling to Sharlayan around 20 or so and studying there for a while - during which time the 7th Umbral Calamity occurred - but didn't receive his Archon marks. Major undecided. Working idea is that he didn't want a fantasy doctorate, he just wanted a fantasy bachelors degree. He also transitioned physically there, because magic. But studying there brought forward his childhood desire to be an adventurer, especially after the Calamity when there was so much discord, and he could help with that! So he put down his books, picked up a bow, and moved back home to Gridania. Initially, he didn't tell his parents of his true identity, fearful of their reaction both to his transition and that he didn't tell them about it. But once things got really serious, like mid-Shadowbringers or so, he took a trip back to Gridania to set up a dinner and reveal everything to them. He couldn't handle the idea of dying before getting a resolution to the whole situation.

After first arriving back in Gridania, he got embroiled in all sorts of shit, and feels a responsibility to see it through because he's really the only person that can do it, being the Warrior of Variable Luminosity. (Read that title once and it's stuck with me ever since.) Don't get him wrong, he's happy to help, but sometimes he has to get Fray to come yell at people to give him a break, y'know?

(His original joke backstory is that he was adventuring to pay off student loans, and was also on parole, as an explanation for the Free Trial limitations. I did not decide what he was on parole for. Probably either assault or unsafe aetherial experimentation.)

Heavy ShB spoilers, skip over the blue text.

After learning Emet-Selch's story of how Zodiark and Hydaelyn came to be, he's got some serious doubts about whether he's doing the right thing, fighting for Hydaelyn and the light. Certainly, he doesn't want the Ascians to keep killing everybody, but beyond that, it's really shaken everything he'd taken as fact before then. Everything is a primal, the god who's name you've been fighting in fucked the universe, and the evil shadow figures are just trying to bring their loved ones back. (Ends certainly don't justify the means, but still.)

He is currently married to my irl bf's character, Hikaru! They're very cute together.

Miscellaneous bits, his favorite color is green, his favorite animals are furry noodles (ferrets, weasels, otters, etc), he has a weakness for trashy novels (if soap operas exist, he's into those too), and he falls a little bit in love with every hot person that becomes his friend. (I don't think I could list everybody. It's extensive. We have a lot of love to share, okay.)

[astroellipse]

ghggh

Anooother big ol long post for the day probably.

I realize now why the device G’raha sent has the Ironworks logo on it... I didn’t remember this detail before but it’s nice. Also that BIGGS is the character that’s front and center during this sequence.

Ohhhhhhh my god the WoL reaching for the memory of Ardbert!!!! Oh my god!!!! WAIT! I GET TO SEE ARDBERT AGAIN SOON!!!!!!!!! FUCK YES. GOD. Have I mentioned that I fucking adore Shadowbringers???

OH THERE HE IS... BABY NO.... TO SUFFER FOR SO LONG AS A SHADOW OF YOURSELF...

Kinda funny that they have a merchant triplet look-alike from the intro to the game, just to kill him off immediately. Oh. OH. He thinks you’re turning? I think that’s it. That confused me so much originally.

“The one true struggle” Between dark and light... I wonder how that will continue and eventually end in Endwalker.

G’raha this is completely unfair. i come in search of my dear friends who I thought might as well have been dead. When I ask if they’re here, you say “It’s complicated”. And now you’re wasting more time trying to endear me to your city, but why should I go along when you won’t even tell me about my friends? Oh also he almost got the WoL killed? Why the hell would they go along with any of this lmao.

Oh. It’s whose FATES that are closest to the WoL’s that were called but ah. That’s a bit of a grandfather paradox, no? I sincerely doubt Urianger would have contributed much to the WoL’s fate otherwise, weaseled away constantly as he was from the action. Speaking of, right off the bat G’raha is setting up his deception. I’m forgetting why G’raha isn’t allowed to talk about why he knows the future, though. He already established that there exist in the world time shenanigans.

Ohh G’raha is so excited to have his friend here this is cute. “Perhaps I can show you around?” Dude you already sent me on a tour of a city. And he sounds so happy about it. The WoL hasn’t even mentioned yet that they nearly got murdered because of him...

Aw hell yeah Feo Ul. I remember I really didn’t like her at first but... she’s so funny and nice I wuv her. OH! And here’s Ardbert! Love that guy.

My goodness G’raha has a nasty habit of obscuring information. Why don’t you wanna tell me about Thancred’s companion, huh, G’raha? Oh you’re supposed to be this scholarly master of the tower and don’t even know that name I gave you, your name? What makes getting to Urianger and Y’shtola so difficult?

While in the Thanalan equivalent, “Would that everyone was so willing to take in refugees regardless of race or creed.” That is so cheeky and uncalled for lmao. This town is hilarious. My guy just tried to eat 15 whole jars of glazed worms on his own... i had him chicken out of it just to see the dialogue but know that Secret ate all of her chosen meal--the spiced lizard meat--all on her lonesome.

Just decided I’m going to level SMN to 70. I want all the roles.

I am now eradicating Doran’s freckles. They served him well with his previous hair and general vibe but there was just too much going on in the center of his face with the scar on top of it. His previous hair framed his face a lot closer, but with this hair all of that made the negative space on his forehead that much more prominent. I’ll excuse it as him... I don’t know, growing out of it? Maybe visiting the First did something to him idk.

He looks like a shitty goth dude now this is hilarious. With the face paint freed up I can give him faint black eye shadow that make his eyes look even more sullen/strange. this is great. He’s pasty as hell, has long dark purple hair, the scar across his face... exclusively now wears dark blues and purples... this is so fucking funny Doran depression era is real. Grappling with his own existence has been so hard on him that it popped the freckles right off of his face. I will not lie though. This is an improvement. His previous outfits and hair were supposed to be more fun and a bit silly bit we are now in Serious territory. He watched his friends pretty much die. Almost got killed himself. All that previous trauma. Is going to make a very dear friend/enemy and defeat him. Almost die himself again AND kill literally everyone else at the same time because he isn’t strong enough. And of course once he finally remembers who he and Secret and Ardbert are, things are gonna go to shit.

At least he still looks permanently bemused, at least to me. One my fc gets a house and we all finally meet up I’ll have to ask their opinion about Doran. He looks perfectly off-putting and oddly pretty to me.

Hm... I’ve been wondering how I would describe Doran. His personality, I mean. He was originally conceived to be in general the cocky promiscuous bard sort, hence his starting class

oh man when did i write that. i was gonna explain my Thoughts. but it has been hours and i’m sleepy it’s daylight out/ this is enough for now.