#ffxiv characters and their linkpearls

[capsicrew]

Like many a FFXIV character blog, I think about fics I never write.

Made myself laugh thinking about one focusimg on Ejvi. She calls Thancred on linkpearl to get advice and of course hes gotta pick up and answer with "This is Thancred."

[paintedscales]

FFXIV Write 2024 :: Day Eighteen

Prompt: Hackneyed Characters: Nomin tal Kheeriin, Ruyah Tchuvu, Francel de Haillenarte Word Count: 697 Notes: Neo-Ishgard / Steampunk AU; also not exactly the happiest with this one, but hey. It's done.

Master List

“This hair clip has a linkpearl?” Nomin asked, picking up the decorative opal clip, its shape that of a crescent moon. Appropriate for that of the Keepers of the Moon.

“Indeed. With it, I’ll be able to hear everything that you are party to, and I shall be able to guide you in discussion with the others with things I would say while remaining perfectly safe here,” Ruyah replied, sitting back in the chair. Her tail curled as a smile spread over her lips. “Lucia put it together, you see. She has quite the way with little things like these.”

Indeed she did…

Nomin sighed, though took the hair clip. She would have to figure out how to put it on after her glamour took hold.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ruyah -- or rather, Nomin glamoured as Ruyah -- was dressed for the event, sporting an emerald green dress with fetching white adornments to accent her ensemble. In her hair was an opal hairpin, a veritable treasure there upon her head to make her look all the more striking for the evening. She had a fan in one of her hands. It was unfolded and hid the lower half of her face as she walked about the area.

“I hear Lord Francel close by. Approach him.”

Nomin looked around before she spotted the bright green of Francel, and she slowly walked over, fanning herself all the while. She did her best to mimic what Ruyah showed her.

The linkpearl whispered into her ear again, and so the act of being a puppet began. Nomin had been thankful that she had plenty of practice listening and speaking at the same time so that she could regurgitate the words as quickly as they were given to her. A spoken script.

“A fine eve to you, Lord Francel,” Nomin greeted, picking up part of her dress before offering a brief curtsey. Another practiced form.

“Lady Ruyah!” Francel greeted, bowing in kind. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

“I’ve been informed your brother, Lord Stephanivien, would not be in attendance tonight. An unfortunate circumstance to be sure,” Nomin recited, a sigh escaping her lips in her act of disappointment. “I was hoping that I could bend his ear and ask some questions about his inventions with the Skysteel Manufactory.”

“Ah, yes…” Francel gave a brief nod, a sheepish look crossing his face. “I understand that some of these drones he’s been creating with some Garlean influence must seem like a threat to those who neighbor so close to us in the Black Shroud. My Lady Ruyah, please allow me to assuage any concerns: my brother does not seek to allow these works to threaten the rest of Eorzea, merely work in repelling any Dravanian threat.”

Nomin snapped the fan shut, a frown creasing on her lips with the severity of the words that were given to her.

“You must ask your brother to reconsider his inventions if they are meant for violence,” Nomin said. “Be they for good intentions or no, I must stress that espousing the hackneyed rhetoric that is proliferated throughout the whole of Ishgard is simply that. I want the Council of Menphina to be on good terms with House Haillenarte, but I simply cannot agree with such inventions. For if they are as powerful as we have seen samples of, it worries me and my people that it may one day be used against us.”

Francel looked shocked, and then a sheepish expression fell upon his face.

“I…I can see your concerns, Lady Ruyah…” Francel sputtered. He was not terribly fond of being confronted, it seemed. “I…can pass along your sentiment to my brother. He desires what’s best for Ishgard and her people. But I greatly doubt he would want to jeopardize the relations between our people.”

Nomin relaxed, unfolding her fan once more and covering the bottom of her face. Her eyes crinkled with a smile. “Very good. And if at all possible, I would very much enjoy a meeting with him so that I might talk to him in person one of these days.”

“I can see what I can arrange, but I can’t promise you anything.”

[myreia]

✦ multifandom | fanfic & art | screenshots

final fantasy, dragon age, fire emblem: three houses, baldur’s gate, dragon's dogma 2, elden ring, cosmere, clair obscur: expedition 33, the occasional star wars, & a few other interests. my blog runs on a queue!

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✦ ffxiv

—aureia malathar [she/her] | character tag

warrior of light. ex-garlean operative. combat specialist. mage. either making up for the past or burying her trauma six fulms deep, there is no in-between.

• expacs are tagged by expac name (not consistent, but I try!) • this blog is not spoiler free for a realm reborn to endwalker • no dawntrail spoilers or news, please and thank you!

—projects

• febhyurary 2024 • wolcred week 2024 • level 90 compendium

• ffxivwrites 2024: sketches of times lost — collection, many ships, many genres, see table of contents for ratings & tags (includes f/f, m/f & gen fics) — tumblr tag | masterpost • wolmeric week 2025: the crux of me & you — anthology, 7 stories set between a realm reborn and stormblood 4.5 — tumblr tag | masterpost

—recent fics

• her answer — wolcred, wol & estinien friendship, wol & alisaie friendship | angst, heartbreak, loss of faith, hopepunk | teen | 5 chapters [wip] • guiding night — alisaie & wol friendship, background alisaie x tesleen | death, grief and loss | general | 3,633 word [complete] • silver linings, hearts of gold — serendipity & wol friendship | light-hearted, humour | teen | 3,172 words [complete] • all the spaces in-between — wolmeric | romance, smut, linkpearl sex | explicit | 5,245 words [complete] • halcyon's end — ryne x gaia | hurt/comfort, young love, set during endwalker | teen | 4 chapters | 9,065 words [complete]

• 18+ only. may occasionally be explicit • my pronouns are she/they • answered asks are under answered! • feel free to interact/collab (even if we're not mutuals!), I love hearing from people <3 • mutuals can message me for my discord <3 • if you need something tagged, please let me know!

[anneapocalypse]

Writing Pattern Tag Game

Thank you for the tag, @crackinglamb!

Rules: list the first line of your last 10 (posted) fi cs and see if there's a pattern!

Tagging: @farfromdaylight @dreadfutures @rosella-writes @darethshirl @bluewren @delicatefade and anyone else who'd like to play!

Ariane's linkpearl chimed late in the evening, well after she had returned to her apartment and stoked the fire against the Ishgardian chill, had some supper, and settled in bed under her down coverlet with a book. (In Thine Arms, Ere Long, FFXIV)

"I'm going," said Maric. (Before You Go, Dragon Age)

It's been years since Shianni set foot outside Denerim. (What We Can Do Together, Dragon Age)

Theron was still having the nightmares. (For You, Anywhere, Dragon Age)

The thing is, it has to have been there the whole time. (Objects of Wonder, Dragon Age)

In her oldest memories, the ones that fade more with every passing winter, she is little and hungry. (A Pot to Piss In, Dragon Age)

There's something different about Shepard, since Tali has returned to the Normandy SR-2. (Between Us, Mass Effect)

He knows it now, the aroma of Sencha green tea. (Sencha Green, Person of Interest)

The problem with being a writer is you get a feel for how stories end. (Someone Else's Story, Dragon Age)

The second attempt on Arl Tabris's life came upon her visit to Denerim for First Day. (No Woman Rules Alone, Dragon Age)

Looking at the above, I'd say it's a pretty even split between scene-setting and in medias res. I don't have a consistent way I do openers--it's what works for the story and the POV character, I think.

[xiv-wolfram]

Do they (or would they) pursue the other character’s affection, and if so, how? Do they tell the other character how they feel? Try to earn their admiration? Woo them with romantic gestures? Flirt with them, skillfully or otherwise?

This will have spoilers for my comic/script series. That can be followed here.

Wolfram:

For most of the events of FFXIV Wolf was actively trying to NOT pursue Raubahn romantically because 1) He didn't think his ex could possibly love him back. 2) He didn't want to risk the voidsent within him hurting Rau. The voice in his head had often become louder anytime he actually thought of pursuing anything that could make him happy. Until the SB patches, he didn't even realize Rau had feelings for him too. (Lots of self-gaslighting.)

Despite that he often justified calling Rau's linkpearl, checking up on him, and planning outings/adventures for the two as "just having fun with an old friend."

During SB and ShB Raubahn is upset with him (he deserved it) and wouldn't even acknowledge him outside of work, so Wolf didn't have the opportunity to make amends. He tried calling his linkshell or sending him mail. Even sent a basket of coffee biscuits! Eventually, he cornered the commander after a war meeting. So uh ... I guess that's an example of pursuit? 😂

Most of his concerns were resolved in EW, a bit after Vanaspati. So while he was obviously focused on saving the world, Wolf did call Raubahn on his linkpearl when he could just to ask him about his day and how he was feeling given everything going on. Conversations occasionally got a bit flirty, but mostly he just wanted Rau to know that despite everything he was still thinking about him and cared about his well-being during the difficult time. After Wolf returned to Sharlayan he gave a big romantic speech about how he felt and they were married the next day.

Now that they're back together Wolfram is free to show his affection, so he enjoys finally getting to his charms on his husband. He's a shameless flirt and very good at it. 😂 Often he'll whisper something to Rau before he gives a speech just because he thinks it's cute when the Ala Mhigan commander is a bit flustered. Wolf isn't great at the usual romantic gestures like bringing flowers or chocolate, but he is an empath so he can usually sense if there is something his partner wants or if he needs cheering up. His go-to for showing affection is cooking Raubahn his favorite foods or sparring with the gladiator.

Raubahn:

From the ARR patches onward Raubahn knew he loved Wolfram. He was also pretty sure that Wolf was into him too. But he also knew him well enough that he figured he needed time to kind of get out of his own head about everything. Still, they called each other often and had *totally not dates* when possible. He did his best not to be flirty but it happened quite a bit anyway.

In SB he impulsively told Wolf how he felt. It didn't go well... In ShB they make amends but agree to be colleagues.

In EW Raubahn didn't join in Garlemald because Wolf would be there. He eventually changed his mind and decided the mission was too important. He was heading there in a spare flyer when Wolfram called his linkpearl in distress. So once he landed he headed right for the shack Wolf was hiding in, ignoring everyone else wondering why he was there. Wolfram was having a prolonged intense panic attack - triggered by Zenos's possession. Raubahn cursed himself for putting his feelings first and did his best to comfort Wolf. Once the mage calmed down he told Rau that the voidsent was gone. The commander did his best to hide his happiness, knowing that Wolf didn't need another distraction, but he did resolve to himself that they would get back together with that hurdle out of the way.

So for the rest of EW Rau sort of pursued Wolf from a respectful distance. 😂 He ended any casual relationships he was in. He started having his contacts in the thaumaturge guild research what could cause a voidsent to be forced out of a person unexpectedly like that. He didn't want to bother Wolf but did use a blasphemy in Ala Mhigo (that he could have handled himself) as an excuse to summon the Warrior of Light there because he had information he wanted to give him in person. While the news did cause Wolf to almost turn into a blasphemy himself, Rau talked him through the ordeal. He told Wolf how much he loved him and that he always would no matter what form their bond took. After the blasphemy aura left Wolfram, Raubahn comforted him and watched over him through the night. After that Rau started to become increasingly flirtatious (although he's more subtle than Wolf), calling the Warrior of Light's linkpearl at least once a day even though he himself was extremely busy too. When he learned of the journey the Scions would make to the end of the universe, he surprised Wolf by venturing to Sharlayan to see him off. Once the mage returned and confessed his feelings, Raubahn proposed (albeit horrible timing) and Wolf enthusiastically accepted. After they were wed Rau took about a month away from his position to take care of Wolf as he healed from his extreme aether sickness as a result of his sacrifice.

As far as showing affection, Raubahn is very good at big romantic gestures. Some examples - 1) Based on an odd thing Wolf said while recounting the night he was possessed by a voidsent and killed his family, Rau had his contacts in various city-states search for Wolfram's siblings. Eventually, he found them and helped his husband reunite with the brother and sister he thought he'd lost two decades ago. 2) For their first Valentione's Day he commissioned a special longsword with an aether focus pommel, allowing Wolfram to have a more versatile fighting style. 3) Knowing that being around so many voidsent could be difficult for Wolf, he asked Lyse to cover for him and went to the 13th with his husband. (Yeah, I still need to write that arc. It's wild.)

Original Ask Meme

[ayakamizu]

FFXIV Write 2024 Day 17 - Sally

Sally: Noun. An excursion or trip, usually off the main course. Characters: Erenville, Alphinaud Leveilleur, Alisaie Leveilleur Expansion: Dawntrail Rating: G Notes: Erenville's POV! Takes place at the start of Dawntrail (they just docked in Tural). Short and silly little moment between these three as Erenville finds out that Ayaka has no sense of direction. Poor guy!

Ever since that fateful encounter, Erenville has unwillingly learned a few things about the vaulted Warrior of Light.

Her frog impression is terrible—her and the Leveilleur twins.

The stories had somehow exaggerated her height. She was, in fact, much shorter than they ever made her out to be.

Despite being an adventurer, she had a terrible sense of direction.

The third fact he only found out upon arriving in Tuliyollal. Wuk Lamat, Krile, and Ayaka had forged ahead to take a tour of the city while Erenville and the twins elected to remain behind and secure their luggage. It was then that the twins had passed this information along.

“‘Tis a good thing Wuk Lamat and Krile are with her,” Alphinaud sighed, turning to face his sister. A shared look of fond exasperation passed between the two. “Otherwise I fear we may not ever find her again.”

“Now that’s an exaggeration,” Alisaie snorted, though she was grinning. “I’m sure we’d find her… eventually.”

“I’m afraid to ask,” Erenville started, not for the first time wondering if introducing Wuk Lamat to Ayaka was a good idea. “But… who is this ‘her’ you both speak of?” As if there wasn’t any other possible answer.

“Ayaka,” they answered simultaneously, both deadpan in their tone.

“Despite many of her accomplishments, she has a, uh, well.”

“Terrible sense of direction,” Alisaie finished bluntly, ignoring the way her brother hissed next to her about ‘wording it more gently.’ “Quite frankly, not even the most detailed map will help.”

Erenville stared at the two of them and sighed, deeply and loudly. “An adventurer with a terrible sense of direction.” What a novel concept—a warrior of great renown who couldn’t read a map.

Alisaie came over and gave a comforting pat on the shoulder. “Chin up,” she started, another grin stretching across her face as her brother muttered something behind her. “The worst that will happen is that we need to contact her via linkpearl.”

“That,” Erenville started, feeling a headache coming on. “Is not as comforting as you think.”

[driftward]

Title: FFXIV Write 2023 - 26. Last Characters: Nyx Blackmoon Rating: Teen Summary: The Crystal Braves captured everyone that was important, right? Notes: Bloody Banquet

"Alright, that should be the last of them," he said, closing the door to the Rising Stones. Now it would serve as an impromptu prison cell for some of his 'fellow' Crystal Braves. "Well, most of them, anyway."

The Lalafell woman who was working with him gave him a sharp look. "What do you mean, most of them? For what we're being paid, we'd better make sure."

"Who is it?" Rumbled his other companion, a large Roegadyn whose name he'd never bothered to remember. Didn't bother to try to remember any of their names, really.

Show up, do the work, get paid, move on, that was the ticket.

"The little black Miqo'te. The one who stares too much. She's the last one missing," he said.

The Lalafell relaxed a little. "Oh, the one the Warrior of Light likes to train with? I don't know that I see her do much else other than get used as a target dummy."

The Roegadyn rumbled. "And she's not great at that. I tried her once. She walloped me and then asked if I wanted a report on how I did. Humiliating, but not very helpful."

He tried not to laugh. "Not sure I would have admitted to that one, friend."

The Roegadyn stuck his chin out at him. "Least I had the testicular fortitude to try having a dance with the Warrior of Light's very own trainer. Bet you wouldn't care to have a go."

"Not with the way she stares. Not without a bag first."

"Gentlemen," said the Lalafell. "This is the very definition of a bullshit argument that's not worth having."

He was about to respond when he glanced up and saw the captain coming, and turned and gave her a salute alongside the other two.

"Unit, report."

He noticed his compatriot giving him a side-eye and he nodded. She was right, she was right.

Show up, do the work, do the work well, get paid, move on. She knew the score too.

"Almost everyone is in shackles down in the Rising Stones," he said dutifully. "We are missing one."

The captain just nodded thoughtfully.

"No surprise. We did expect a few to get through the cracks. Unit four is still having trouble finding their hidden location in Vesper Bay. That's fine. We just have to get enough of them to blunt their strength and make clear that we are the ones who have control. Who's missing?"

"The little black Miqo'te. The one who stares too much," he said.

The captain went tense immediately.

"Shite," she said. And then, a moment later, "Shite! I told Ilberd we needed another unit here, they're more experienced, seven -hells-."

The Lalafell was now glancing around nervously. He exchanged a look with the Roegadyn.

"Captain?"

But she was already on the linkpearl. "Everyone sound off, and once I've acknowledged, report in to the Rising Stones." She lifted her hand off her pearl as he heard confused voices starting to call back. "You three. Get in there, verify the place is secure, and get ready to barricade the place as soon as everyone's in."

He was confused, but he just nodded, and saluted. "As you say, captain," he said, before glancing at the other two and heading in to the Rising Stones.

Show up, do the work, get paid, move on, that was how this was supposed to work. What the hell had gone wrong?

High above Mor Dhona, Nyx had watched the flurry of activity that had been going on below. Some announcement had come over the linkpearl, which they had not bothered to intercept. But then the infighting had begun, and the Domans had scattered in its wake.

Nyx was not certain what was happening, but while their were some injuries, there were no casualties. They had not seen fit to get involved yet. Instead they just hung out in the shadows on the high walkway, observing.

Almost a bell after the chaos had started, it was over, and Nyx had received a call from Zoissette Vauban.

The Crystal Braves had been compromised. The Scions of the Seventh Dawn were almost to a person missing in action. Vauban had given them orders. Rescue who you can. Go to ground. And above all, survive.

Nyx had to ask about parameters. Vauban had hesitated only briefly before telling them to use their discretion, but that unrestricted mode was authorized.

They watched the movements of the Crystal Braves now. The Braves were scared of something, and had retreated back into the Rising Stones for the most part, with only a few handful of them now on patrol, looking around for someone or something.

Nyx was the last member of the Vanguard of Light who was free to act.

They slipped through the shadows until they were above a patrol, and they slid out their knives.

[eorziapple]

Death Master Post

Doing some organizing to make things a bit easier for anyone wanting to jump into this storyline. Links from the earliest part of the plot to the present day.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3: (break for readibility)

Clues Part 1:

Clues Part 2:

Clues Part 3:

Apple's Trail Part 1:

Apple's Trail Part 2:

Apple's Trail Part 3:

And one final gut punch:

[eorzeanflowers]

FFXIV WRITE 2023 Prompt 5: Barbarous

(Character: Snapdragon, Tatiava Eir Arctah, Timeframe: Before the Seventh Umbral Calamity CW: Graphic Violence, Extreme cruelty)

“Agent Arctah, in position. Ready to receive orders.” Tatiava lowered her visor and lifted her rifle to her eye. The scope revealed a simple camp of the Order of the Twin Adder. The target in question was a rank and file soldier of the Adders. A runaway member of Castrum Oriens, a soldier with little military intelligence. A simple mission really. He wasn’t even trying to hide. Tatiava had her sights already leveled on the man. 

The linkpearl chimed. “Agent Arctah, you have been given clearance to execute. He is not worth bringing in. No witnesses either, Agent… And make it brutal.” the calm male voice ended the connection after that last word.

“Understood.” Tatiava frowned, shifting over to the Adder talking to the turncoat soldier, discharging the first ceruleum round into the soldier’s skull. Chambering the next round, she flicked her sights to the next soldier, eliminating him efficiently. 

Over the next thirty seconds, and fifteen rounds later, only the turncoat remained. The man was on the ground quivering in fear. Tatiava took two quick shots, kneecapping him. He screamed in pain and started to crawl away. Tatiava shouldered her rifle and slid down the hill she was on. A quick jog to the camp later, and the turncoat had crawled several fulms away from where she had left him. 

She sighed, and did not disguise her approach. The pleas started, but as she stepped on the crying man’s lower back, they quickly ended with a squeak. She then took one of her tonfas to lift his head up by his chin, arching his back in a painful contortion. He started to plead again, seemingly earnestly. It fell on deaf ears. Tatiava did not want to hear what he was saying. It made her role in this harder.

Tatiava took her other tonfa, slamming it into his right shoulder, breaking the shoulder blade and causing the man to flinch and scream in pain. Pressing deeper into his back with her boot, she dropped the man face down into the dirt. She spun her tonfas in her grip and slammed both down hard into both of his sides. He almost leapt forward in the pain, his left hand trying to grip the dirt and rock to pull him away from his pain. Tatiava pitied him. But a turncoat is a turncoat. And this barbarous act was over. The sniveling man was so broken and defeated. The brutality her superior had requested was done.

She stepped off the man, watched with disinterest as he redoubled his efforts to crawl away. She pulled out her small pistol and finished the job she had started. The man crumpled so quickly it was almost comical.

“The job’s done, sir. Should we leave this camp as a warning, sir?” Tatiava sounded her linkpearl as she left, the carnage now starting to stink of death.

“Leave it. The higher ups want the warning to be loud and clear to any other deserters.”

Tatiava ended the connection, looking one last time at the camp. Orders were orders. A sour taste in her mouth started to form and she turned away and started to make her way to Oriens. Maybe soon she could get that promotion she was seeking, the hidden agent in Eorzea’s heart. The role she felt she was born to play. Not this… barbarity.

They were supposed to be the civilized ones.

[isolaradiale]

quick question, would our character's phones gotten when arriving in spirale still work? like, could they call others they know that happen to be in the same world as them or no?

any cellphones you got arriving in spirale would be converted into that worlds communication system to fit in, essentially. an example being were you going into the ffxiv world, your cellphone would convert into a linkpearl. so while it might not look like the same phone you got, you could technically still have the contacts of someone else who showed up in that world if they did or be able to get in touch with them. just remember they'd have to be in the same world as you for this to work!

[semi-imaginary-place]

more ffxiv 6.0 thravnir

helped a woman not be racist

the au ra and mar... the elephant people, actually have some deep history. clan warfare drove 1 half into azim steppe where they're still fighting against the au ra to this day.

varshan gets a voiced cutscene and a unique horn color. important character incoming

why have hamsa anyways, thought thravnir was big on chocobos or am i getting it confused with ala mhigo chocobos...

so might equals rights and whoever does violence better gets to decide for everyone else? i dont agree with that. but the death cult does need to be stopped from destroying the world.

we didn't bring any tempering reversals methods with us? im very worried for nidhana going into the (literally cursed) tower. this seems needlessly dangerous and reckless

of course estinien goes and uses "omae" for vitra. treats them like another dude on the street. he's just collecting first brood dragons at this point. nidhogg nii-san!

uh I thought thancred couldn't use aetherytes anymore that was like a plot point in hw. also why bother traveling all the way to sharlayan when this discussion can happen over linkpearl. the definition of this could have been an email instead of a 3 day international business trip meeting

even if the core is destroyed, all the captives would still be tempered. salvageable but a lot of work

hmm i need a fashion upgrade for the dungeon

oh interesting, the radz at han aytheryte is the first i've seen absent of water. glaringly obvious given others have fountains or pools of water and there's a fountain like 100ft away from this one

satrap is really pretty with the pastel pallette lavender, pink and cream

im calling the writers' bluff. squeenix doesn't have the guts to kill y'shtola. cowards. "for those we have lost" and yet they won't make the player lose anyone since end of hw.

wow the writers gave zenos and fandaniel a heart to heart. villian girltalk. asahi is malding from beyond the grave,

back to sharlayan. memory soul physical as aspects of aether. the inkblot metaphor though can't really be reversed especially if the ink is still wet the ink has no way to differentiate ink just put down vs ink in the bottle.

[azuragna]

wrote up a big lore dump about my ffxiv wol and the last time he cried on twitter and i wanna put it on here under a cut too for the oomfies

dama cried when he finally came home to ala ghiri, after all the endwalker stuff, and his mum was there waiting at the gate for him 🥺

i should talk abt dama's mum more, shes a roe named beloved yew, she's an archer, and she took dama and ejnar in when they arrived in ala mihgo as kids after having to flee the takeover of dalmasca, it was financially hard for her but she was the first to build trust w/ the boys

shes the one that gave them their new names, dama was nonverbal as a child (he speaks now but rarely), so she initially just called him "the dalmascan kid" which over time morphed into damascus, the greyroot is bc she's a hellsguard and what else do you name a grey haired kid

ejnar's childhood name is [redacted] but eventually beloved was able to get a letter over to an anthropologist who knew some viera names so ejnar was able to choose his new male name from there, beloved isn't extremely charismatic but she is determined when it comes to networking

for a while beloved and the kids went to live in thanalan, while the situation in ala mihgo got worse (thats where dama and ejnar picked up their new brother zazakura), and beloved worked as a wild game hunter and occasional indie contract miner

she was concerned but overall supportive when zaza and dama wanted to join the gladiators guild and later the sultansworn, she didn't really Get It and couldn't teach them, but she brought mid-training lunch sometimes, and otherwise stayed home and helped ejnar with his books

she. didn't really know what was happening with dama and zaza for a long time, she kept in contact with ejnar while he studied in kugane, but other than hearing about bounties on her two oldests heads.. not much news, dama and zaza are. bad. at communicating and at being safe

she moved back to ala ghiri eventually, once it was more safe, and moved back into her old home that she now shares with another family who was living there, she made friends with them and doesn't mind the small space with no more kids to look after

she didn't know dama was even making his way home until someone spotted him in ala gannha and sent her a linkpearl message, she waited at the gate for a few hours before he arrived and collapsed in her arms, and cried, they both cried so hard

wandering characters having somewhere and someone to come home to is such an important trope for me, culmination of the heros journey etc etc

[paintedscales]

FFXIV Write 2023 :: Day 26

Prompt :: Last Characters :: Chotan / Fleurette Varlineau, Esenaij / Hamignant Varlineau, Izi Raha, Lalleve Coertha Word Count :: 1,583

FFXIV Write 2023 Master List

As it so happened, Sharlayan was on the list of okay places to have taken Hamingnant when it concerned traveling alongside either of his sisters. When the opportunity had come up, Fleur had been the one available to make the trip out there while Cyrielle had been off helping with some defense efforts alongside the Ala Mhigans and the Ananta against the threat of Lakshmi. Though Fleur was loath to imagine that she would not be needed as well, it was when she had received a linkpearl communication from her twin that everything had been proceeding apace.

So now, Fleurette had found herself at the docks of Sharlayan, Hamignant excitedly at her heels after roughly a moon or so at sea since he could not teleport there himself. It was a far sight better than the boredom that he had so freely expressed at being cooped up on the ship, that was for certain. At least the fishers had given him ample opportunity to show him new creatures that he could quickly sketch into his journals while Fleur had watched.

“Fleur, Fleur! Look! That’s Thaliak!” Hamignant excitedly pointed out the statue of the Scholar as he walked alongside her. He had every opportunity to point out the statue on the ship, but he seemed more stunned and taken with the fact that he was finally seeing Sharlayan outside of their mother’s paintings.

“He’s so big up there like that…and he looks just the way mum always described him when she talks about when she met with the Twelve herself!” Hamignant’s elation at being in Sharlayan was boundless. Even as he and Fleur went through customs to confirm their reason for visitation at the Worldly Affairs.

As always, Fleur had given her name as ‘Ishgardian name: Fleurette, Steppe name: Chotan, surname: Varlineau.’ It was nearly mechanical the way she had listed off everything that was required of her. Her occupation had been that of an adventurer, and representative of both the Warrior of Light and Vrtra of Radz-at-Han. Typically, her reason for visitation had been to provide assistance with unruly creatures within Labyrinthos, though this time she stated that she was being hired as a helping hand to the Isle of Hamm.

When it came to Hamignant, though, he had been more than excited to divulge much and more about himself that seemed to make the poor customs officer sit and endure it with a bit of a grimace forming on their face; “Ishgardian name: Hamignant, Steppe name: Esenaij, surname: Varlineau. I don’t have an occupation, but I’d like to learn stuff here, maybe even be a student at some point! I’m thinking I really want to just learn about entomology, arachnology, and stuff!”

Fleurette had only offered a sympathetic smile to the customs officer before they were finally cleared to go into the rest of the city. Telling Hamignant to stay close, Fleur had led the way past the Peristyle before pausing. She then pointed over toward the wooden pergola that stood tall over a deck-like structure next to a smaller building with an open-air front.

“Hungry?” Fleurette asked. “We can take a much needed detour to the Last Stand before we go ahead and tour around the rest of the city.”

“Of course I am!” Hamignant exclaimed, bringing a hand to his stomach. “You didn’t tell me that the boat ride would just be stale bread and tough, dried meat!”

“I thought mother implied as much when she packed you what she thought would last you. I warned you not to eat it all too fast,” Fleurette said, chuckling. She had sacrificed some of her own food just to make sure that Hami had been taken care of during their travels.

Hamignant grumbled something about not knowing about how long the trip would have actually taken before looking back to where the Last Stand was situated. He reached up and tugged at Fluerette’s arm, following along after her as she then led the way. Seeing the local students in their uniforms and coats made everything feel so official and clean.

The two of them had gotten themselves seated close to the railing overlooking the ocean after putting in their order. Hamignant was happily prattling away at his idea of what all the possibilities could be in studying bug biology and habitats in Sharlayan could mean for him. Admittedly, while Fleur had been glad that Hamignant found passion in actually pursuing the study of bugs because he found them fascinating, she had begun to tune him out.

It had not been until the arrival of some familiar faces to Fleur, at the very least, that she had looked up after they had called to her. A miqo’te with snowy white hair had waved to Fleur in particular, her other hand intertwined with that of a viera who had dusty brown hair and dappled markings on her ears.

“You know them, Fleur?” Hamignant asked, glancing over in the two women’s direction. He had not been too sure whether or not to wave back, so deferred to Fleurette.

“That’d be Izi and Lallerev. You ever get to meet mum’s friends from when she was an adventurer?” Fleur asked before waving back to them with a small grin. Hamignant shook his head in response, following her example, his wave had been a little more uncertain. This seemed to have been more than enough permission for the two to have come over.

“How long are you in the city, Fleur?” Izi asked, letting go of Lallerev’s hand and skipping forward to their table. She then looked at Hamignant and gasped, “is this your little brother? Aw, look at him! I can’t believe we’re finally getting to meet you. Hami, right?”

“Hamignant…” he replied, almost shyly. “Only Cy and Fleur get to call me Hami.”

“Oh… I’m sorry. Well, it’s really nice to meet you, Hamignant,” Izi said, keeping a chipper smile on her face. “Well, I’m Izi Raha. Our mums used to travel together for a while. And this lovely bun over here is~”

“Lallerev Coerth,” the viera introduced herself rather plainly, a small, more reserved smile on her face. “Most of my friends just call me ‘Lolly’ or ‘Rev’ though.”

“It’s nice to meet you both…” Hamignant said, glancing in Fleur’s direction to let her take the lead on talking. He had not been used to too many people just walking up to him and making themselves friendly. He had been more okay when he got to walk up to others and speak more freely, though having someone that came off with about as powerful a personality as Cyrielle had been different.

“To answer your question, I don’t think I’ll be in the city long…” Fleur said, going back to the initial question Izi asked. “I have to help with Professor Dalnesi’s foray into the Isle of Hamm -- just to keep him protected from the other creatures that might be more inclined toward aggressive behaviors and attacking any of the professors or other visitors that are coming by.”

“Wait…where will I be, then?” Hamignant asked, realizing what that meant.

“Ameliance said she would be more than happy to have you come by the Leveilleur estate while I’m away. I thought I told you this while we were on our way here.”

“... I forgot.” Hamignant fidgeted, and then looked up when he saw Izi and Lallerev take up seats next to one another at their table.

“Don’t you worry about anything,” Fleur said, trying to be reassuring. “The estate is large and has a whole bunch of study material you could ask if you can look at. Alphi and Ali had to start somewhere, after all!”

Izi gasped, her feet tapping excitedly against the wood panels below her feet in rapid succession. “Are you going to be a student here, Hamignant!?”

“... Maybe?” Hamignant trepidatiously answered the question.

An enthusiastic squeal had been made before Izi uncontrollably reached over for Lallerev’s shoulder and shook her. “You can hang out with me! I can show you all around Sharlayan! The Noumenon -- one of the largest libraries ever! Oh! And I can introduce you to so many professors at the Studium, including my mother! I don’t know if she teaches what you’re interested in, but she’s really well versed and traveled, which leads to her coveted classes for histories of civilizations studies!”

Hamignant had almost replied that he looked forward to it, though was silenced when a server had come by with their order. Suddenly, the excitement for having a tour through Sharlayan turned into excitement for having proper food. After all, the two large and fluffy pancakes that sat in front of him towered with powdered sugar sprinkled on top with a pap of butter melting on it. He felt his mouth water, wanting after the last couple weeks living off of nuts, crackers, dried meat, aaruul, and water.

“I hope your eyes aren’t as big as your stomach, Hami… You are going to eat all of that, right?” Fleur asked, concerned as the bowl of skyr topped with skyon compote was placed in front of her. She offered a small word of thanks to the server before she picked up her spoon and started on her meal.

“I’m gonna eat every last bite!” Hami said, taking his fork and happily cutting into the thick pancake.

“I’ll hold you to that, because I don’t want to be the one eating every last bite when you’ve only eaten a quarter.”

[littlelordalphinaud]

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[sasslett]

FFXIV Naughty Fic Prompts

a collection of my favorite smutty tropes and ideas that I desperately want to see people write

Only One Bed Trope (tm)

Someone accidentally walks in on your OC pleasuring themselves

Your OC accidentally walks in on someone pleasuring themselves

Your Echo-bearing OC has a vision of someone in a private moment

Sparring leads to steamy times

Bandaging wounds/cleaning up after battle

Your OC being watched (alone or with others) during a private moment by Midgardsormr/Feo Ul/Ardbert/Fray (Esteem)/Emet Selch/Crystal Exarch/that fucking shoebill/Hydaelyn, or anyone else who regularly spies on them

A linkpearl call at a very bad time

Discovering/dealing with racial physical differences during intimacy (ears horns tails height differences etc etc etc)

Vacation to the Gold Saucer/Costa Del Sol/one of the many hot springs in the game (Kugane, Camp Bronze Lake, Lakeland)

Combat abilities used sensually/sexually

Post-battle emotional high/"Holy shit we're alive" moment

Pre-huge battle "We might not make it out of this alive" moment

Fun with fantasias

Everyone is attracted to the WoL/everyone wants a piece of the WoL

"I know we shouldn't but I can't help it" sorts of dynamics

Fellow Scion/acquaintance walks in on WoL/OC with their partner - gossip ensues

That damn Ishgardian ball we never got but deserved (ok I guess this isn't really steamy but it can be)

Other character with special sensing abilities (Y'shtola's aether sight, Krile's super sensitive Echo, Hythlodaeus' soul sight etc) knows what the WoL/OC has been up to/knows OC and their partner are a couple before they're out (or uses their ability in the heat of the moment if shipping with them)

Something fueled by armor/glams (and we know there's a lot of sexy outfits in game)

WoL/OC being given comfort after one of their few defeats (Zenos, Ranjit, Final Days etc)

That inn room scene in Endwalker (if you know you know)

[autumnslance]

Few pet peeves about FFXIV irritate me more than the ice cold take of “Aymeric was dumb for telling us to throw the Eyes of Nidhogg into the chasm.”

No he fricking wasn’t.

In the heat of the moment, when the need to get the Eyes as far from Estinien as possible seemed necessary, the best thing to do was to drop them into the unsurvivable storm of aether constantly churning in the abyss. The hope was that they would be destroyed by that hellish situation, and even if it took awhile, “no living being” can survive down there, so no one could get to them.

Alphinaud and WoL, in the heat of the moment, also agreed.

NO ONE, not even the Scions of the Seventh Dawn whose entire job to this point is deal with the messes the Ascians make in the forms of fighting primals, thought of the Ascians managing to send an already dead man (who we were not yet aware was a spirit brought from one world to another) into that torrent of wild aether to bring back the Eyes and give them to the Griffin.

(And actually, we don’t know that Branden actually did it; we only saw him standing on the edge and talking into this linkpearl and grinning madly; maybe he only verified the location for Elidibus to let the Emissary retrieve the Eyes himself.)

The choice to throw the Eyes off the Steps ONLY looks “bad” in retrospect, with the benefit of hindsight and player meta-knowledge, though the Warriors of Darkness’ own special situation, patronage by Elidibus, and general badassery, is also too often forgotten by the playerbase it seems.

I know my personal reaction to Elidibus presenting the frozen eyes to the Griffin was “oh you rat bastard.” Not “I guess Aymeric was a fool.”

Whether one likes Aymeric or not, I feel it’s utterly unfair to constantly call him “stupid” for a choice that makes perfectly logical in character sense for that point and moment in the plot.

I know, it’s hard to rag too hard on the guy; he’s ridiculously well put together compared to many other characters, though he has his hangups and flaws they aren’t as obvious or pronounced, but he’s not an idiot for this moment (nor a “himbo”, Aymeric does not meet enough of the criteria, get on Hildibrand’s level if you want that appellation). But I really wish people would find some new material to tease our Lord Commander about after playing/replaying Heavensward.