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dawntrail, l94-96 questing

mandatory tuliyollal image deployed

Before I say anything, let me preface this by mentioning that I told Bern: "No matter what happens when we learn of Bakool Ja Ja, I'm going to be thinking about the Sad Backstreet's Back piano."

Anyways, Mamook!

Lovely place. Tragic place.

Honestly, I had a sinking feeling about what that dark secret was ever since I saw the jars, but I wasn't sure of the nature of it. Just that it's likely a lot of Bakool Ja Ja's siblings did not make it. How, I was not sure.

Seeing him actually start his arc to be on the straight and narrow was heartening, as was the fact that we all know that while Bakool Ja Ja had his reasons, he still has amends to make. Not just to us as Wuk Lamat's groupies, but the people he harmed in his desperation to win. I think he means to do so, really.

Learning of the plight of Mamook, and what we could do to help them, was neat. The mass amount of species amassed for the exodus finally get to be used in a tangible and helpful way on the star that was saved, which is neat. I want to see what the people there have to say once I'm done with the expansion.

I think it's significant he apologized tbh.

(Yes, the entire time, even if the whole thing was tragic, I was thinking about sad backstreet's back piano. Sorry Bakool Ja Ja)

I was surprised by Zareel Ja's willingness to accept the offered solution, somewhat, but I think anyone would be a fool to say no to crops that can actually grow in their forest.

And then, the dungeon. I had a bunch of fun. Then accidentaly killed myself on the last boss the first time he did his punch kb. I honestly did not see the indicator on the floor, since I had placed myself where I could barely see anything with the boss model looming over me. Hilarious first death where I could say 'perfect legend btw'. 10/10. Lots of fresh mechanics here.

The reward, then.

I was super uninterested in the city of gold from the get go, but I was also surprised that we got to actually get to it so soon. I was wondering if we would spend some time in the expansion on this actual search for the city of Gold, and maybe travel north for it as the Yok Huy did, but I should have gone with my gut that it had to be in the south. After all, the legend of El Dorado did start and mostly take place in South America, it'd have made little sense to place it north if you really wanted to base it on that. The revelations that came after the events that transpire while we're doing the spaghetti western bit, though, make it at least a little more interesting. A portal to another shard... some huge shit.

I kind of miss the storybeats already of learning and appreciating the cultures of Tural, but said spaghetti western bit was pretty fun. We officially left the area of expertise I had with pronounciation.. but not by much. I don't really have a hard time figuring out how most is said, frankly. The 'cop is actually part of the bandits' storybeat was one I was expecting from go, but I'm familiar with the genre... particularly the mexican brand of westerns and some spaghetti westerns.

I had fun on this short jaunt where it's just us and Erenville doing some stunts and letting the locals save the day.

And then the shoe dropped. When I saw the quest name as the train was about to depart, I kept telling Bern over call I had a BAD feeling about it. And boy were my expectations not even enough to cover all the shit that went down the toilet once those cutscenes played. With all that tragedy, I was half expecting Source Magnus to lose his wife.

Instead, we got the worse version where the red flags I had been seeing all over Gulool Ja Ja were taken down for a more mournful color. I did not need this so close to my own father's death, honestly. I'm still... taken aback, if anything. Like, I figured it'd happen, but I had hope that we were just getting the rug pulled under us and he'd live a happy and healthy full life (the half of him that was alive, anyway).

PS: I think it's dumb we did not intervene once Zarool Ja cheated death and started to augument himself. We should have. Pride be damned, that's cheating.

Alas.

Here's where I mentioned I thought Zarool Ja's croney would live long enough to attempt betraying him, but I guess the man's not a fool to keep someone so shady around once his use is up. Kinda satisfying to see him go, but the enabling had gone on long enough and now the guy's a threat to everyone. And cheated to kill his dad. Had popped a damn reraise and all. (aside, I could not give less of a shit about that white bitch standing there watching the people get murdered)

Damn was the aftermath heartbreaking. The First Promise wanted to give a message but he sure was brutal about it. We knew him capable, but I did not think him ready to kill children. Parents. At least, not at this juncture.

I, for one, was not happy to see G'raha back. Kinda hoped he'd stay gone and instead we got mom and dad Urianger and Thancred back on the saddle. I'll cope about it, just annoyed I had to tolerate his ass in the Alliance Raid and some of the void storyline. I'll get over it.

Anyway, scene at train and getting that sucker running to blast into the dome? Sick. Love to see folks working together after such a fucking tragic attack. I have a feeling the dungeon is coming up next, but maybe it'll be a duty instead...? We'll see. The speech before we left was also good, and I do like Bakool Ja Ja rising to the challenge to both help defend the city and rally the peoples. He may not have become Dawnservant, but he's coming onto his own!

Sidenote, but Ketenramm why did you keep those dumb rocks in your dumb house. Bury them somewhere or something.

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dawntrail, l94-95 quest section

I just arrived to the second town proper (Mamook)

Not much has happened plot wise to the point I'm at, but it's still interesting. I'm intrigued by whatever Bakool Ja Ja's flashback meant with all those pots...

That said, the parallels are killing me! They're killing me! I didn't mention it last post, but Bern and I have been noticing incidental parallels of Wuk Lamat and Koana with Alm and Celica (were they siblings). This is literally not all of it but the one that we were thinking about the most simply because of Plot Development (learning of Koana's abandonment in the earlier segment, and now with visiting Wuk Lamat's birthplace her own)

wuk lamat was so young when orphaned that she does not remember her parents. It turns out the reason she was 'orphaned' was an attempt on her life, in which she is given away for her protection (alm parallel)

koana was old enough to remember his parents and their abandonment, he is incredibly protective over the family that chose him as a result (celica parallel)

Geeeeez.

AND WUK LAMAT IS LIKE BABY AGED. SHE'S BELOW 20. LIKE PROBABLY 18. SHE SHOULD BE AT THE CLUB!

Anyways

It was fun to find out that the dish was based on cochinita pibil that we had to make, and how it came about ingame. It lead to a discussion between bern and me about the spelling of achote (achoite in ph), underground ovens, and dishes made on those. Lots of underground oven stuff in mx, but also ph and other locations this expansion is based on.

The duty where we RPed as Wuk Lamat was really fun! I was just smashing with a HAMMER by the end tbh........ bonk them all! bonk bonk bonk! None are free of sin! Great to see Wuk Lamat come onto her own and tackle her biggest bully without our help. She deserved that one— I feel it'd be a disservice if we had to save her from him again.

Ngl I'm kind of glad that Wuk Lamat didnt get her own flavor of identity crisis at knowing her birth father, but I'm pretty sure it's because she's been aware since she was 'a fuzzball' that she's been adopted and nevertheless loved. Unlike the other guy (Alm).

Again, curious about Bakool Ja Ja's flashback? I'm sure we'll find out more soon enough. I'm also wondering who da hell gave us the flashback to the feast. Someone was watching, sure, but it meant it had to be someone who was present at the time. Curious.

The shaders changing for when you get to the undergrowth deep below.. wrow. Sexey.

Here's some shots

[almrudolfxiv]

dawntrail, up to 93 trial

hehe, yaaay!

filler image here

my thoughts storywise so far have been:

Boy, am I glad this story is not about the WoL, but about someone else, and we're just some guy she brought with her from another country, and her entourage is just a gaggle of guys.

No, I really can't tell you how fucking glad I am that we aren't the Warrior of Light from whom the whole plot circles around.

Wuk Lamat and Koana's relationship is very wholesome now that we know Koana's backstory and why he's so protective of his adoptive family. I get it, little guy.

I'm so fucking glad no one knows the WoL's history with the tribes in ARR jesus fucking christ. It's not canon for Alm but like... geez.

I gotta fanta Alm to the talles Miqo'te asap. It'll make the height difference with Koana funnier while making it funnier that he's so fucking short to like half the people here anyway.

At first I thought Bakool Ja Ja might go thru a character arc but now I just want him to eat rocks a little more than I already did. It'd be funny if he got Guel'd tho.

NGL BERN AND I WERE LIKE 'THIS DOESNT LOOK RIGHT WE GOTTA GO' WHEN THE STORY MADE US WAIT FOR WUK LAMAT AND IM LIKE (BARKBARKBARK) HER DAD TOLD US TO TAKE CARE OF HER

Did I ever mention how Gulaal Ja Ja's story and character is literally Alm. The Head of Resolve anyway. The Head of Reason is more Celica-core. But the whole 'unites a peoples by resolving their conflicts and trying to talk things out or otherwise use force when all else fails' is.. yea you know.

I, not my catboy, would like to become Wuk Lamat's third father. With all that it entails.

Yes, Papá, I COULD tell this trial was to MAKE a Dawnservant, not choose one. The moment the trials were to learn about the peoples, their traditions, and why they do what they do, it was kind of obvious. I also really liked it. Been having a good time thus far with how we have been respectfully shown these people's history and traditions, at least some of it, and come to understand them a little better.

I'm so uninterested about The City of Gold, you don't even know.

That trial ruled. I'm mad at the sch who read that I said I wanted to run it blind and to let me die if I was dumb, then proceeded to rescue me out of a mechanic. Go away!

Dungeon design thus far has been very exciting

Anyway, some screenshots

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Dawntrail, 90-91 (stopping at dungeon)

So I'll get my wrong prediction out of the way: I thought that if you picked one of the people to do first, the brother that didn't show up for the Hanuhanu questline would have never shown up either way, and it'd be a gary situation of him having already done the trial when you arrived. Happy to find I was wrong, but it'd have been really fucking funny.

Anyway, thus far, I'm having a good time. We stopped at the point where we can finally talk to Wuk Lamat about the problem that the WoL has definitely been noticing from the outset (that she does not let herself appear weak and does not want to lean on others for support), which I figure is painfully obvious to someone who used to do the same up until the supporting cast actually did supporting things (shadowbringers).

That said, Wuk Lamat feels like a Lise 2.0, in that she's a character that is likely to ascend the throne to leadership at the end of the expansion, therefore making it so she will not be a permanent addition to the team. Unlike Lise, though, it looks like she's being allowed to actually grow in the story instead of offscreen after you dumped her in Ala Mhigo.

I do appreciate the love for tradition and yet the love for innovation that the story is currently trying to present. Advancements are a good thing but traditions exists for a reason, and all that. A marriage of the two concepts would be ideal for Tural, I think.

Here's some screenshots I took with bern so far :)

We also got recognized by people twice :)

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early dt

I just got here and I'm already jiving w the atmosphere :)

Alm and Celica are having a date night!!

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same picture.......?

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GOD

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i need an adult i think

[almrudolfxiv]

dawntrail:

pct job quests (first two), vpr job quests (first two), job first impressions, etc

Pictomancer in itself is kind of cute, job quest wise. Moogles have always been silly little guys, so our teacher's behaviour isn't surprising. I'm happy we finally have a moogle tutor — which I THOUGHT would happen with bard, but alas.

Anyway, the job itself I'm starting to get a grasp of, I just need to figure out when in my rotation to paint my muses and when to focus on getting gauge, both of which are important for burst. It's funny I understand the more technical job more than the easier one (spoilers for vpr... I'm too stupid, my brain is too smooth, but I do like how it plays and I'll get it eventually lol), but jobs like PCT (and BLM before it, as well as old SMN, PLD and BRD) have always drawn me more than the simpler ones.

I need to play VPR more, but PCT has been riveting for me. A bunch of fun, too. It'll be what I level to 80 with Bern before starting MSQ :)

With regards to the VPR quest... not sure how I felt about the mentor at first, then realized he really do be just the one headempty guy when everyone else knew how to barter with people that he hung out with lmao. I kind of... relate... I used to let other people handle that stuff bc they always just jumped at the chance anyway. Big mistake, but eh.

That said, it's funny my WoL has to be taught how to hunt animals when its like... the whole miqo'te thing is that they are ambush predators and hunters. He'd already know all this, especially since he learned how in Meracydia. Obviously not the VPR techniques but the basics of hunting and tracking prey would be obvious to him. And most miqo'te actually. I wonder why there wasn't racial dialogue to the fact? Since it's literally their lore...

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HES SO CRISPY BUT ITS HARD TO SEE HIS SLIT PUPILS NOW. DEVASTATION

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Duty Pinder

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3D Animation Commission

Character belongs to @wanderingwastelands

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tank buster with swap . png

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the fur pattern i finally landed on i think

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