#wol/carvallain

[littleautobot]

these 2 are only vaguely acquainted in their canon but i've never posed them together despite me being literally obsessed with them so

[kaidawrite-a]

21 - Grave

Kaida bonding with Carvallain over ~family issues~.

Mid-Stormblood somewhere

[juweldom]

Ch 29: What's Love Got To Do With It

The Heart of the Song - Chapter 29 - Juwelz - Final Fantasy XIV [Archive of Our Own]

Summary:

Vallerin spends some time with pirate captain Carvallain. To "distract" himself.

(Spoilers for Heavensward 3.0, "A Knight's Calling")

[splitdemonidentity]

Before.

After.

Not only did Piane finally get to transition, but he got to hang out with his boy in the beach. I think it's a pretty good summer for him.

[avampyone]

My FFXIV OC blog ☠️

Feel free to call me Pharos. Chill, non-binary (any pronouns), pan goth with a love for vampires, RPGs and horror games! I may reblog content from other fandoms I adore.

I go between content and occasionally rping or visiting RP venues in game - venue recs welcome! I'll be posting primarily gpose (mostly Hemlocke) on here but will include gpose/story snippets and writing when I have the time and energy to do so.

☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾

Hemlocke:

Former Ishgardian noble who’s come to Eorzea searching for a specific black mage cult. A workaholic - Hemlocke is usually busy with bartending or working off his debt to the Thaumaturge guild. Confident and reckless, you’ll rarely find him without a smirk on his face no matter what situation he's facing. A mysterious elezen who's easy to talk with but difficult to truly know. Unfortunately, his supernatural constitution affects his ability to wield magic effectively, and he's likely one of the worst cooks you'll ever met. Hemlocke has a pet bat named Bruce.

https://hemlockevamp.carrd.co/

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A relationship chart and alt OC Info below the cut:

An OC + important figures relationship chart:

Dr Arazul De'Fleur:

A renowned doctor born of the De’Fleur family of Old Sharlayan - quiet, enigmatic and calculating. Like his father, he excels in medical practice and alchemy. A run in with the Garlemald empire and surviving Black Rose changes the course of his life forever. He awakes with an odd mark over his eye, silver hair and lips stained with a purple hue proving remnants of the poison lingers, unbalancing his aether. Worst of all, he develops a ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personality’. Will he ever find a way to cure himself completely?

Seiro Malkavi:

A WoL and a skilled hunter of the Dotharl clan from the Azim Steppe. His stoic demeanor hides a softer interior, unable to ignore a cry for help. He's honest, straightforward and generally warms up to others quickly. After a tragic incident involving a friend of the Mol clan and in disagreements about war, Seiro leaves his homeland to become an adventurer. The lust for battle and desire for stronger opponents consume all sense from him, and he finds the thrill of the fight in hunting monsters.

Cerys La'Sorciere:

An eccentric sorceress from the Churning Mists who wields a powerful command over the elements and plant life. She has a knowledge of herbal remedies and potions. Merciless to her enemies and seen as a trickster to many – At her core, Cerys carries an ancient secret that none would believe. Unwelcomed in Ishgard, she is the last of the long line of the La’sorciere family whom have made the mists their home for many decades. She allies herself with the Moogle tribe, dragons and the RedBills.

Amaranth Vyce:

A Dhampir priest in training from Ishgard. Trained from his youth at the orphanage, Amaranth primarily fights against the packs of the feral undead and aids Hemlocke when he can. He seems cold, vicious and detached, but he truly doesn't want to harm anyone unless he has to. One of his strengths is the strong connection to spirits and ability to see/talk to them. As a dhampir, he naturally struggles with less than priestly thoughts and hopes fervent prayer to the fury will overcome this.

☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾ ☽༺༻☾

Alts profile carrd below:

https://pharosgremlins.carrd.co/#

FFXIV NPCs:

Carvallain De Gorgagne, considering Deryk.

[constellariums]

FFXIVWrite Day #3: Tempest and Wolchefant Week Day #3: AU

Rating: T

Pairing: Warrior of Light/Haurchefant Greystone

Description: Named WoL, Stella Altair. Haurchefant, cast adrift from his home and seeking a new beginning aboard a certain pirate ship, has a chance encounter with an adventurer amidst a raging storm.

Notes: AU where the Warrior of Light is... well, not exactly the Warrior of Light, and Haurchefant is not in Ishgard anymore for reasons.

Also this is my first time writing my actual named WoL in any real capacity!

Read on AO3!

The storm was relentless, unlike anything Haurchefant had seen. Sheets of rain heavy and loud as buckets of nails pounded down on the deck, tendrils of levin coiled around the darkened clouds, shooting bolts that lit up the blackened skies with stark, piercing light. The scent of salt and lightning set his nerves on end. He'd been up in the rigging when it had begun, patching a tear in the ropes in an attempt to be of some use, when the sun had suddenly gone dark. Frustratingly, it had been all he could do to climb down and get out of the way.

Now the brave men and women of the Kraken's Arms ran back and forth across the deck, struggling to keep the Misery afloat among the dark, towering waves. He could hear Captain Carvallain shouting orders to his men from up near the helm, see the seasoned sailors all around him working in unison to keep them on course.

"Navigator guide our sails," he found himself uttering in awe from where he'd hidden himself in the entryway to the cargo hold.

"Oh? Not the Fury this time?" an amused voice came from behind him, calm and at ease amidst crisis as ever.

He turned to see the familiar presence of an Auri woman with dark horns and scales -- an adventurer of some renown, he'd been told, hired as insurance on this dangerous mission -- standing behind him, eyes glowing pale violet in the dim light of the cargo hold, saber gleaming at her hip. She was an incredibly slight thing, though she insisted she was somewhat of a giant among Auri women; but she cut an imposing silhouette nonetheless, one that seemed to inspire his courage.

He shook his head earnestly, despite her clear teasing. "I suppose life at sea is finally wearing off on me. 'Tis difficult to witness a storm so furious and pray to the Fury of all gods to get us safely through it."

"I suppose I would agree," she shrugged, taking a step closer, so that she stood in the doorway by his side. "Though 'tis more difficult still to witness such a storm and sit idly by doing nothing," she vented, dark tail lashing behind her as she spoke.

"Aye, that it is," he agreed, finding himself wishing he was behind his shield again -- but, no, he'd left that behind long ago, and it would be of little use in these circumstances besides.

"You still haven't told me, by the way -- what are you doing here? You are clearly no sailor, and your faith and your accent speak of Ishgard of all places -- highborn, perhaps?"

She looked at him expectantly, openly curious. On their previous encounters these past few days aboard the ship she'd also asked as much, but circumstances and interruptions had prevented him from being forced to answer.

Yet... Fury, she was godsdamned perceptive. "H-How did you--"

The woman shrugged, the points of her forward-curving horns gleaming in a sudden flash of lightning. She looked towards the skies briefly, then back to him, unphased. "I've been places. Not Ishgard, admittedly; their tight borders have kept me from scratching that one off my list for quite a while -- but I've dealt with enough in various ports to distinguish your countrymen."

"I see," he answered, finding himself a bit dumbfounded.

"So? How does an Ishgardian nobleman find himself aboard a Limsan pirate ship bound for the treacherous seas of the Near East?"

Hm.

It was probably for the best not for him to speak of his circumstances; Captain Carvallain had instructed him as much when he and his network had helped him flee the continent -- keep a low profile, adopt a new identity if possible, don't let word get back home. But Carvallain's presence was wanted in Ishgard; he was House Durendaire's missing heir, whose father mourned him still. And Haurchefant... well, he'd been branded a heretic and only granted exile at the pleading of his father for mercy. Ishgard would not open its gates for him again.

And something about this woman looking at him, strong and savvy but somehow appearing terribly honest, gave him an instinctual feeling that she was someone he could trust. He didn't rightly know why -- but it wasn't simply that she was a pretty face, he was certain.

"And how does a Xaela of the Azim Steppe find herself in a similar circumstance?"

She blinked at him, then smiled knowingly -- oh, he truly was intrigued by her. "Oh? You have heard of it? I thought Ishgardians thought my kind dragonkin," she laughed, running a hand through her dark, short hair.

He cringed a bit, the little he'd learned about the Au Ra in regards to Ishgardian history coming back to him. "Some still may, perhaps... I am glad to be better educated than that," he answered sincerely. "Plus, any dragons worth fearing tend to be a bit larger than you," he teased, and the scoff that came from her lips made him grin.

"I may not be a towering dragon, but I assure you, I am still worth fearing," she answered, her glowing eyes glimmering with amusement. "So will you tell me or not?"

A powerful wave rocked the boat then, and Haurchefant stumbled, struggling to stay standing upright -- the woman at his side grabbed his arm to steady him as she held fast to the doorframe, positioning him with a rather shocking strength.

When the wave passed, both of them breathing heavily but still intact and notably not underwater, she let go of him, cocking an eyebrow as if to say "Well?"

"Are you sure this is the time?" Haurchefant panted, still catching his breath.

"Why not? We aren't sailors; we are both useless in this storm. All we can do is watch and wait while others do the work -- wouldn't you rather share stories?"

"An excellent point," he conceded, and she smiled again, seeming pleased. A flicker of warmth lit in his chest, and he found himself offering her his outstretched hand. "Haurchefant Greystone, at your service," he said, placing a palm at his chest.

She grinned, taking his hand in a firm handshake, the smooth texture of the scales at the back of her hand surprising under his fingertips. "Stella Altair of the Kha," she answered, making eye contact before dropping her hand from his.

[meowww-ffxiv]

Oh yes! Non-WoL Meowdred and Theodore.

I made them to be compatible with my friends' WoLverses, but I mean. It's good food to chew on.

✧ They're contractors for the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Skilled adventurers, but mostly just 2 guys who floated between high-paying jobs. They had an apartment set up in the Mist, but were reachable through linkshells and Thancred's contacts.

✧ Despite each possessing the Blessing of Light and the Echo, Minfilia could NOT for the life of her recruit them.

✧ Meowdred said the Scions sounded like a cult, offending everyone. He also said do-gooders like them were fated to die a wretched, meaningless death because he was still in his emo-era so yeah.

✧ He does the thing where he "belongs" to several free companies, but his main one was a money-focused if prestigious group of adventurers. Funnily enough, Theodore was not signed up with the same FC. Taxes, you understand.

✧ Meowdred and Theodore are available as Duty Support for all the ARR primal trials, and with an extra quest, could be available for Heavensward duties, replacing the random banneret or soldier.

✧ They could also be involved in the immediate aftermath of the Waking Sands being sacked by that Livia lady.

✧ Despite what Meowdred told Minfilia, he came running when he heard they were attacked. He was looking for survivors, and volunteered his services as a funeral priest to inter the dead and ensure news of their passing reach their families.

He told the Warrior of Light he was sorry for their loss, if there were any among those who passed. And that he would work to find out where the survivors were taken.

✧ Mordred and Theodore WERE able to corroborate the information of where the captured Scions were kept. They joined the duty to get them out of that castrum near Silvertear, and Theodore would remark that the "corpse" of Midgardsormr still felt like it echoed with a song.

✧ Mordred helped the WoL and company escape during the bloody banquet, putting the Brass Blades to sleep and guiding Lyse and Papalymo out of the dead end they found themselves in. He spent most of HW patches absent after returning from Ishgard, but returns for Baelsar's Wall where both he and Theodore were with the Grand Companies' forces.

✧ Although the two were involved in the Ala Mhigan front during StB, Mordred could mysteriously be found apparently in jail with the Sekiseigumi in Hingashi. Gosetsu remarked on it, because he recognized him from having hung out with the Doman refugees back in ARR.

✧ But the WoL can leave the cat for later because it would literally be a useless fucking side quest where apparently Mordred was found in the forbidden zones of the Garlean Embassy, and was summarily arrested. He was impatiently waiting in jail with the Sekiseigumi, but had broken out by himself at this point.

If/when the WoL caught up with him, he told them he was in the process of assaulting a "mobile Garlean base" south of Rhalgr's Reach, but they must've had a teleporter or something because he felt himself yoinked away and emerged in an unfamiliar case with the WORST nausea.

This was, of course, the precursor to the WoL being able to travel to the unattuned aetheryte in Yedlhimad. The Garleans had their own version of it.

✧ Anyway, you could take Mordred through Duty Support in the Far East if you do the quest. He doesn't offer anything particularly useful as a new companion, but is an extremely high-damage caster DPS who will explicitly use AoE attacks and might therefore get ur team through a lil faster.

Also he can be found around Locations offering his thoughts etc.

✧ Meowdred gets to go home when your WoL does, yaaay. Apparently he knew Carvallain and actually quite a few people in Limsa Lominsa, having spent his childhood there.

Theodore was BESIDE HIMSELF when u bring the cat back to Ala Mhigo. He thought he was DEAD like DUDE. and Meowdred said sorry, the linkpearl broke with the teleport, etc.

✧ Oh yeah they're background NPCs in Ala Mhigo dungeon and also were there during Ghimlyt Dark.

✧ Tbh anywhere the WoL went that wasn't the First, it seemed Meowdred and Theodore were there somewhere. The 2 Guys, you know?

[tk-duveraun]

Lian and the Capitalist Fuckboy AU 2/?

1. 2 (here). 3. 4.

So they go on little dates, go to the markets, attend festivals, etc. At first Hancock is lowkey jealous of Carvallain, who does have a business relationship with Lian and her family, but then Lian reveals that she’s fleecing the hell out of Carvallain. Not that she lies in her assessments, but that Carvallain really has no idea what enchanted objects are worth.

Anyway, things are going pretty well.

Then Hancock goes back to Ul’dah for business and since he can’t aetheryte hop like a WoL, he’s gone for weeks. When he gets back, Lian meets him on the pier and is like oh. Oh, I really like him.

But he’s an orphan and a bastard. In addition to being a foreigner? Zero chance she’s gonna be able to Crazy Rich Asians this shit. But Lian refuses to cause all of the trouble that her own parents did with their own determination to be together.

So the next time she goes home, she goes to see nainai and explain the situation. Because she is determined to be filial, even if it means giving up on her beau (it probably does)

Nainai listens then sends her off to go practice magic with the elders. She needs to consider this. Because while Lian’s parents did go against their families’ wishes, no small amount of the drama was caused by the families’ own refusal to consider and acknowledge the match. She doesn’t want to be hasty again, especially given Lian’s value to the community as a mage with the Blessing.

Lian is summoned to see her paternal grandmother who proposes a compromise. Lian is allowed to have her little boyfriend as long as they fulfill the following conditions: no children, natural or adopted, no marriage of any kind and don’t bring him home.

It’s more than Lian expected. A lot more! After all, just because he can’t come home with her doesn’t mean he can’t meet her family. He already knows most of her siblings! Lian returns to the surface and delightedly tells Hancock the news.

They discuss the terms and are pretty happy about it! Mostly! See, they’re ignoring the elephant in the room, which is that Lian is super valuable to her people and will eventually not be able to spend so much time topside.

And then there’s the children thing. See, Lian can’t help but mother everyone she meets. She loves children. Is she really going to be okay with this condition? Is Hancock really worth it? Because for his entire life, people have only cared about him as far as his usefulness went. This is the opposite of useful.

Lian assures him that they are way too busy to have kids, plus she’s got 6 siblings, they’re going to be neck-deep in niblings in a few years! And, most importantly, she’d rather have him than children and a spouse she doesn’t love. He’s dubious and redoubles his efforts to make the East Aldenard Company a force in Othard because he needs to prove that he’s useful so he’s not replaced.

In their unwedded bliss, he does realize he’s being insecure, but that doesn’t make the insecurities go away!

Lolorito is mostly just confused. He doesn’t really understand why Hancock is so invested in this girl who is not going to put out professionally, but whatever, as long as Hancock brings in the gil in general, it doesn’t really matter? And the other merchants in Kugane do take his relationship with Lian into consideration when making deals. She’s reputable, after all, so Hancock can’t be too bad for a foreigner.

But fate cannot be avoided forever. Lian contracts the Blue Tongue Flu. Hancock has an eidetic memory. He’s read about this. This is why there aren’t that many au’ra in Eorzea. Lian wants to go home and be coddled by her mom while she’s sick, but Hancock insists she let a doctor look at her here and now.

She feels pretty awful, so she agrees.

But he was right. It is the Blue Tongue Flu. There’s no cure. There’s nothing to do except keep her comfortable. White magic can’t do anything because it can’t discriminate against the virus. Lian can’t even see her family. She calls them constantly via linkpearl, but she weakens every day. By the time her scales fall off, she’s barely awake long enough to eat.

Obviously it’s horrible for business to either cancel all of his meetings or send his assistant, but Hancock does it because Lian is dying. There is no coming back from this. He hires an apothecary-healer to help with her care, but he handles most of it himself to limit the spread of disease, even if it’s only mildly annoying for hyur.

He never had any particular investment in being married, but losing her without it feels significant in the worst way.

Ten days in, over a bowl of fortifying broth, Lian breaks, silently crying before saying, “I don’t want to die.”

[rexstorm]

Sweet, Sweet Misery

WoL/Carvallain, Explicit

Koh’sae stood on the upper deck of Limsa Lominsa. He was readying himself for the long journey and the unknown ahead of him. He was used to traveling long distances. Even before he had come to Limsa but he had never been to the far east. He had no idea what he would find in Doma beyond what he’d heard. He was pulled from his thoughts by Alphinaud’s voice. He was trying to focus on the plan at hand but it was hard when he was worrying. He wasn’t sure how they were supposed to find their friends let alone help fight a war halfway across the world. He was worried it would be all for nothing. He didn’t want to let down the Ala Mhigans who were counting on their success. So much was hanging in the balance and it weighed heavily on him.

“You can’t be serious! We’re not going to get help from pirates.” Alisaie yelled at his brother.

Koh’sae was startled from his thoughts by footsteps followed by a voice that was too familiar. “Am I to understand our deal is off then?” The elezen man flashed a grin at Koh’sae before turning to Alphinaud. Koh’sae wanted to disappear. His ears pressed against his head and his tail swished a little side to side with anxiety. He hoped Carvallain couldn’t see how he was anxious about seeing him after a long time. He hadn’t expected to see him at a time like this. He wished Alphinaud would’ve found anyone else to get them all the way to the far east. He couldn’t stand the thought of being stuck on a boat with the other man for a long while with no way to run. No one else seemed to notice his agony which was a small comfort in the situation. He turned his gaze to the ground and tried to focus on the conversation. The quicker they were done here the quicker he could retire to the farthest corner of the ship and stew alone for the duration of the trip.

Continue reading

[starcunning]

26. Slosh

And have all gone to the sea in the wind

For @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast’s FFXIVWrite 2019. [Title] [AO3 mirror]

They were two days out of sight of land before Odette dared say anything to him. He had been avoiding her, doggedly, and her twin reported similar treatment. But Odette had espied him on the quarterdeck, bracketed by the twin shrines there to Llymlaen and Halone. They were underway, and the crew shouted back and forth to one another across the deck. This far from shore there were few birds, so that call-and-response was the only song she had heard all day. Carvallain—Captain Carvallain de Gorgagne—walked the deck, pleased to observe in idleness.

Were they in private, Odette might have greeted him another way, but to do so now seemed a poor gambit. “Captain,” she said. He gave an overly theatrical bow. “Lady Odette,” he replied. There was contempt in the words, and worn nakedly on his face; he had quite thoroughly unlearned the graces of court that demanded of her a subtler tongue. “May I come up?” she asked, gesturing to the gangway before her. “Use that one,” Carvallain said, gesturing across the deck to the port side. Odette knew a snub when she was dealt one, even in a context so unfamiliar as the customs of a ship. “Very well,” she said, and crossed the deck to mount the stairs.

Carvallain had turned away then to put his face into the wind, and Odette drew abreast of him. The Misery left a broad wake with its passing, and even up here she could hear the waves spanking the side of the ship as they traversed some current.

“So,” he said, not deigning to look at her. “What is it.” His tone was blunt, no better pleased than it had been when she was yalms away. Indeed, he seemed annoyed by her presence. Odette glanced back, sweeping her eyes over the deck. When she was certain there was no one in earshot, she said, “I’ve had a word with Tataru.” “A bit more than that, I should say,” he said, scoffing. “Ten years we kept your secret. Do you really think we would give you up so readily?” “I don’t know, my lady,” he said. “The answer seems self-evident.” Odette sighed. “Whatever she knows, she gleaned at the Forgotten Knight. I swear it on my honor as—” “As a knight of Ishgard?” He laughed. “As an exile,” she said. “As I was when we chanced to meet again.” “Ah, but you are restored to the rook and spears,” he said, “while I shall never again hearken to the bell. Unless, of course, you were to drag me home. Perhaps you thought you would be a countess?” Her laughter resounded across the deck, louder than the sloshing churn of water below. It was true that Cesaire had been her favorite of all the Durendaire cousins, and truer still that her mother had hoped to arrange matters such that he would be wed to Odette. But they had been children—she had just begun her training with the sword and he his apprenticeship as an astrologian—when he had disappeared.

Or, as it turned out, had run away. Odette shook her head. “Carvallain,” she said, stressing the use of that name rather than the one he was born to. “If I wished to be a lord’s wife, I would have let Lord Speaker Aymeric de Borel press his suit on any of the hundred occasions he had to offer his hand.” “Why refuse him?” Carvallain wondered. There was a note of curiosity in his voice—he was warming to her, Odette surmised. Men were not so difficult to figure out. Easier still, afterward, to ply. It helped that they did have certain commonalities of experience. “I would not be good for that office, nor it for me, having found little happiness at the Dzemael manse. I expect I would have received no better welcome among House Durendaire. Better to ask me to be your pirate queen.” He laughed. “And would you be?” Odette laughed with him. “No,” she said. “I would never be welcome in Limsa Lominsa again; Captain Rhoswen would kill me as soon as look at me.” Carvallain shook his head. “You are twice the swordswoman she is,” he pointed out. “Well,” Odette said. “It is a long voyage, so perhaps I will sample the lifestyle.

“Do you believe me yet?” she wondered, plying him with a gentle smile. “Forgive me my doubts, my lady,” he said, and turned toward her to offer up his hand. She appeared to consider the gesture a moment, and then placed her hand in his. “Only if you never occasion to doubt me again,” she said. He looked up into her pouting face and nodded. “I do so swear,” he said, bowing his head and lifting her hand to kiss her knuckles. He had not lost all of his courtly graces, nor indeed all of his charms. “Allow me to invite you—and your sister, of course—to dine at my table tonight.” She favored him with a smile then, inclining her head. “But that is a courtesy,” she said, “and not an apology.” He laughed, still clinging tight to her hand. “I will make plain my contrition,” Carvallain promised. “Perhaps, too, I will show you that a swan’s place is on the waters.” Odette’s smile twitched upward in satisfaction. “Perhaps,” she said. “I will tell my sister to make ready for dinner, then.” She withdrew her hand at last.

The bow he gave her then was far more sincere than the one he greeted her with, and he indicated with a sweep of his hand the starboard gangway, so she knew she had succeeded in winning her way back into his favor. That put a spring in her step as she descended to the main deck, and proceeded onward below.

[hydaelynsgallery]

Inspired by this post by @totallycorrectffxivquotes and @the-manderville-mambo

[yloiseconeillants]

This has been a rough week for Yloise.

[juweldom]

Ch 28: A Simple Proposition

The Heart of the Song - Chapter 28 - Juwelz - Final Fantasy XIV [Archive of Our Own]

Summary:

A step beyond surviving, and a risky proposition. How far does one go for a distraction?

(Spoilers for Heavensward 3.0, takes place following "A Knight's Calling")

[whispersafterdusk]

Prompt #23: Pitch

Though it brought a faint ache to the heart Roaring Whisper nonetheless felt right at home on the Misery; he moved with a grace that he'd thought he would have forgotten with how long he'd been on dry land but one would be hard-pressed to tell him apart from the rest of the crew if he'd been wearing the same clothes -- though the Misery was large and didn't rock with the waves much the deck still gently pitched and rolled beneath his boots.

The twins and Lyse clearly needed time to get their sea legs; he could see a stumble every once and awhile as they moved along the railing and admired the view.  He inhaled deeply and turned his face into the wind, smiling slightly, and was content to remain there until Carvallain came to show them their quarters below the decks.

They were six to a room - men and women, with the Scions sharing quarters with some of the crew; Roaring didn't mind it as it was an arrangement he'd been expecting.  He also expected to sleep well tonight as it'd been too long since he'd been rocked to sleep by the waves.

Except...

As they returned to the galley and gathering area (far larger than it seemed it should be, Roaring thought - it almost seemed TOO large, even though the ship itself was massive) he swore he felt the sea stilling under the hull.  It was possible that the sway of the waves felt lessened simply because he could no longer see the waves with his eyes (meaning, his mind was making them out to be more than they were, because of what his eyes were telling him) but...  That didn't feel right.  

He raised his head slightly, nostrils flaring as he took in a deep breath -- he certainly couldn't smell a storm coming; Carvallain clearly noticed the slight movement as the man gave him a curious look moments before the entire ship shuddered and a crewman came bursting into the room.

"Captain!  You're needed on deck.  Somethin' queer's afoot.  The winds died down, the waters went still, and all of a sudden we were dragged off course..." the man shouted at them from over the rail.

Carvallain narrowed his eyes and took a few steps forward.  "Dragged?  By what?"

"Can't rightly say, sir, but some of the lads are mutterin' about seein' things in the water.  Things as shouldn't be there..."

Carvallain swore quietly under his breath then "-if you will excuse me."  There was a brief pause before he turned to look to Roaring.  "...actually, might I persuade you to join me?"

Roaring was already moving before he'd turned and was matching the man stride for stride as they headed above decks.

"Loath as I am to admit it, I have a bad feeling about this," the captain continued.

The roegadyn simply nodded and hurried to survey whatever had befallen the ship.

[tiredassmage]

a weather eye

Another in the “this wip has sat in my Google Docs for Too Long” series of attempting to actually finish things, and also something short I wrote to satisfy the fact that I. Almost never create content for Theo, even though he lives absolutely rent free in my head and is just as, if not more so, developed than some of my other “main” cast. Anyway uhhh... enjoy??? Also, it is purely coincidental that this piece is also set around the Banquet at the end of ARR, I swear. They are unrelated. And were also started at wildly different times. But now we’re all here, lol.

A Realm Reborn afterstory ;; no content warnings apply, but pretty big spoilers for the end of ARR... The Parting Glass, I think it is? So, I’d give this one a pass until you’re safe in HW territory, if you want to avoid spoilers.

--

Theo paused in the shadows, eyeing the cascading moonlight leaving a pattern of feint spires across the wood and stone towers and stretches. He was one of the lucky ones, from what he’d been able to count in the quick descent to chaos. Having kept his one good eye on the perimeter had allowed him to plot a relatively easy escape through the throngs of descending Crystal Braves and Brass Blades that had thought to twist the night.

Not for the first time, something twinged inside the rogue’s chest. Something that told him he’d left them behind, and he shouldn’t have. His eyes narrowed slightly, slender fingers flexing carefully over a dagger’s hilt before he inhaled deeply and carefully picked his way forward.

It didn’t matter that he’d been told to get out, didn’t matter that it might’ve been the right bloody thing to maybe save his life. The hell were a few soldiers to the adventurers that had downed primals, and the XIVth bloody Imperial Legion, besides.

He’d find them. He’d find every last damn one of ‘em. He was a rogue. It was what he was good at. Play to your strengths. They’d be fine.

And lucky for him, he knew he’d have at least one friendly face waiting. Not that he’d bloody like him coming through the window instead of the door, but-

“Theodore!”

The rogue barely had time to check over his shoulder to see if he’d been spotted before his name came with a familiar hiss of exasperation, pulling a faint smirk across his lips.

Carvallain grabbed him by the collar of his jacket, pulling him the rest of the way inside and stealing a quick kiss that gave Theo just enough time to wind his arms around the captain’s waist before he was fixed in a sharp, pale glare.

“You bloody well know how to turn up trouble, don’t you?”

“That didn’t take bloody long,” Theo grumbled, his characteristic smirk falling from his lips.

“You’re not the only one with friends in low places.”

“And you say I’m indecent,” the rogue fired back without missing so much as a beat.

“This is hardly the time!” Carvallain hissed, one hand balling into a fist before the captain released his breath in one puff that seemed to drain all his energy, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. “They say the whole bloody sultanate’s after you lot. What in the seventh hell happened?”

“I wish I bloody knew.” Theo finally frowned, arms folding across his chest.

“You’re alone?”

“Come now, love, you know me better than that.”

The slant of his brow. The curve of his lips in that frown. Theo’s gaze dropped to the floor, candlelight glinting off his untouched blades. Mercifully, he’d been spared the trouble of spilling a single onze of blood - theirs or his - to make good his escape and find a goodly soul to ferry him back towards Limsa.

“Some banquet it was.”

“Aye,” his captain agreed, “but that’s about all I’ve heard. Whatever you lot got into, the specifics haven’t spread to the streets.”

That got the rogue’s brow to furrow. “No word of the Braves?”

“Bastards are still out and about. Seem too sharp to not be lookin' for something. Naught but trouble, if I read my winds right."

Theo frowned, withdrawing from their loosely tangled arms to shake his head, fingers reaching up to toy with a loose strand of his hair. He'd agreed with Riol. Something just hadn't quite smelled right about it all. And that boy they'd found dead…

"Bloody fucking politics…"

"Theodore..," Carvallain warned. "You going to tell me what fresh hell you're in now, or am I meant to guess?"

"That's the bloody trouble. I'm not sure the whole of it."

"What's all of this with the Braves then? They were hitched with you Scions, no?"

"Were," Theo growled quietly. "They were after the whole bloody lot of us! Them and the Brass Blades! They’re sayin’ the sultana’s dead."

“Dead?” Theo nodded mutely, chewing on his lower lip as the captain stared back at him. “And the hells it got to do with you lot?”

A shake of his head and a shrug in his shoulders. “‘Fraid they were more interested in clappin’ me in irons than fillin’ me in on the details.”

Carvallain drew in a deep breath slowly, closing his eyes as he shook his head for a moment. “As if you’d bloody complain..,” he muttered under his breath.

“‘Ey! And who of us was just sayin’ about the time?”

“I haven’t seen you so tense since Meridianum,” Carvallain reasoned quietly. “You’re lucky I was here.”

The rogue’s fingers dug at the back of his neck in a rare twitch of anxiousness. “Aye.” An almost annoyed frown flickered across his lips. “Bastards…”

Puffing out another sigh, Carvallain lightly cuffed his arm. “Well, you aren’t going to figure it out tonight. Least you can do for my silence is come to bed. Some of us were tryin’ to sleep, y’know..?”

Finally, a faint smile pulled at his lover’s lips once more. “D’aww, you do worry about me.”

“Eugh, and don’t make me regret it. I could still strand you on a deserted island. Maybe I’d even get paid for it this time.”

“Ass.”

“Mmhmm. Now, get yours in bed.”

[autumnslance]

Heya! I just got back into FFXIV again and I'm looking for some wolship/lore & meta blogs to follow (I'm already following you, dragons-bones, and nuclearanomaly), so I was wondering if you could give me some recs?

I honestly don't follow a lot of blogs, and not all of them FF blogs, for my time and sanity. But I can give some recs, and others can recommend more!

for lore @mirkemenagerie is the one to follow and also keep in your FF lore bookmarks folder. Sounsyy collects text from the game, supplements (lorebooks, short stories), and when possible interviews and panels with the devs for textual lore information.

I'd also add @thecat-inthehat for commentary/lore, particularly on their main main blog, @reflectionsofacreator though that's more general anything goes. @onwesterlywinds too for good writing, roleplay, and MSQ analysis from sideblog @livvyplaysfinalfantasy (though not been updated in a bit due to time).

@haillenarte for translations. @illegiblewords also usually has some good meta commentary and lore discussion.

@bloodsworn-marshal is for Pipin fans (cuz who isn't?); good stuff for Pipin/Nanamo, and sometimes Pipin and an OC, as well as the player's own WoL char too.

For more Thancred shipping, my pals @anomaliewrites, @raelly-writing / @darantha, @phaedra-mero, and @eremiss. I'll add @karoiseka as she's got a triad involving Thancred & G'raha with her WoL. I'm followed by quite a few other Thancred-likers, funny story.

For more Aymeric shipping, @aethernoise, @starswornoaths, @blackestnight, @ahlis-xiv.

For more Estinien shipping, @holyja, @elveny, and @scrollsfromarebornrealm.

If you like Urianger ships, @gunbun, @foewreckem between other very fun posts, and @beetlebrownleaf.

Raubahn your jam? @punchelf (kickin' art) and @three-fulm-thaumaturd (who also has interesting lore things to say at times).

@windup-dragoon has a cute ship with Hien. @ishgard has various ships going. @smitten-miqitten if Cid ships and cute art are your thing.

Other creators/artists/writers I don't know quite where to classify; they have some ships, they have some other stuff.

@skyboundsheep (where I go for Carvallain/Rhoswyn), @thebmatt, !@destiny-islanders (wonderful comics of MSQ and Scion shenanigans), @goblin-alchemist (Gaius ship, good writing), @usagi-mitsu, @locke-rinannis, @bad-moen-rising (roegadyn), @roegadynroost (more roegadyn), @loldragoon-ffxiv & @scholarlostintime are a matched set with their boys, @zenathered.

Gage Acq, my FC: @erickgage & @healerstail (such good screenshots) have a long going will they/won't they in RP, while their WoLverse versions have other things going on.

This is by no means everyone I follow or keep track of, but should be a good variety to get started. If other folks have recs, please add 'em in replies and/or reblogs!