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Lore tidbits relating to everday life in Ishgard (which by all accounts is not pretty.) I have TONS of these screenies relating to Ishgard (the Temple Leves in particular have a ton of stuff.)

More under cut: modest dress, education of the lower classes, marriage, funerals, and festivals.

Keep reading

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Belias, Chaos, Hashmal, and Mateus.

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“On the beach.” “Really? Reyr?” “Definitely her - and in next to nothing.” “I…” He paused and reconsidered his thoughts before inevitably answering with, “Well, you must be mistaken. She would never wear anything unprofessional. Not even on private trips to the beach.” But it begged him to question just why she might be on the beach in the first place.

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The Drowned City of Skalla

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ffxiv primal fights

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The Maiden

The Maiden is hosting a small gathering for Garleans located in Eorzea, as well as our associates and supporters of the non-Garlean variety. Feel free to stop by for drinks and a small trivia hour. We look forward to seeing you there! July 14th, 2018 - Mateus 8 pm EST (5 pm PST) @ The Maiden The Mist, 8th ward, plot 33. ooc: Message Reyr Cassian for more information, an invite to the LS in-game, or the link to our discord.

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Tips On Writing Fight Scenes

– I decided to finally make a list of tips on writing fight scenes for all of you who come to me with questions. I am definitely not an expert, though, so I’ve included another resource at the bottom that you can visit if you have further questions. Happy writing!

Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Work In Progress || Request

Don’t Write Meaningless Action Scenes

Your story isn’t a movie. Time shouldn’t be taken up by action that doesn’t have a purpose. Your fight scene should resolve some form of conflict or have some function other than pure entertainment. Action scenes in books don’t have the visual factor, so you need to fill that gap with emotion and significance to the plot.

Reveal Characterization

Fight scenes are a fantastic way to add depth to your characters. Real, genuine emotions and traits come out when a person is in an intense situation, and fight scenes are definitely intense for characters. The way your character feels and reacts during a fight, as well as what is going through their head, are great details to display to your reader in order to make their personalities more three-dimensional.

Emotion Emotion Emotion

Fight scenes in books are about emotions. Emotional significance, emotional reactions, and emotional consequences. Fear, uncertainty, desperation, pain, suspense, stress, etc. are all emotions your character will endure and you should make these visible to your reader or the scene will bore them.

Do Your Research

Know where the suspension of disbelief ends. It’s important to know details like “If you jump off a building and land on your feet, your chicken legs will shatter, so your character, being a smarty pants, will know to tuck and roll.”

There’s no better way to explain this than to just say that if you have a question, any question at all, ask it. Find a reliable source, use your common sense, and try to write as accurately as you can.

Avoid Cliche’s and Conveniences

Simply, avoid the tropes that make your readers roll their eyes. Such as a completely inexperienced kid suddenly being able to take on 3 all powerful beings and leaving the battle without a scratch. Also, please make sure that your characters that are very skilled in combat have established limits and weaknesses. It doesn’t matter how talented you are with a sword, it is not possible, or at least very very difficult to take on a whole army of dead soldiers. Just keep that line between impressive and impossible in mind.

Create Some Actual Stakes

There are a lot of fight scenes out there that have little to no actual suspense because there’s nothing at risk. Yeah, maybe someone might get hurt or a castle will be lost, but there’s no bigger picture there or significant emotional loss to be experienced. If your characters are going to put their lives at risk to fight a battle they’ll likely lose, then there must be a really freaking good reason, and that needs to be clear to the reader. Context and connection will make the scene more intense for the reader, and that is key.

Use Your Fancy Writer Skills

Fight scenes are a really great opportunity to show off your technical skills as a writer, as they rely a lot on pacing, word choice, and description. You get to work with varying sentence structure, fancy words you don’t usually have the occasion to use, and descriptions that include more than one sense in a single sentence.

Pacing

Sentence structure and choreography are an important part of fight scenes, because they convey a sense of place and realism to your reader’s experience. When it comes to sentence length, short, chopped sentences invoke suddenness, like quick actions that are happening in your story. Longer sentences, with more detail, slow it down and add for build up before another boom of action.

Word choice

Use powerful words to accompany your powerful scene. Slice, shatter, pound, strike, crush, attack, escape, etc. These are all powerful words that will evoke more imagery in your reader’s mental depiction of the scene. Additionally, avoid adverbs at all cost. This is an occasion where you simply can’t afford them.

Sensory Description

Work mostly with details that trigger the reader’s 5 senses. What the character smells, hears, sees, feels, and tastes. A lot of people feel this is difficult to do in such a fast paced scene type, but you can be dynamic with it by saying things like “The copper taste on his tongue and the blaring sirens in the distance didn’t phase him as he continued strike the man’s already bruised face”.

For More Information On The Subject

@howtofightwrite is a really great blog that focuses on writing fight scenes. They have a bunch of great resources and advice and I definitely recommend checking them out.

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dun scaith. 

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Often called the People of the Wood, the viera are a lithe and swift race. Like humes, they can fill a great variety of roles on the battlefield.

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Fantasy Armoury: Swords

I love swords. Love them. Swords are to fantasy as walls to a castle. You need your swords to battle dragons, usurpers, knights and wizards. So lets go into the armory and learn about swords.

Anatomy of a typical sword

Crossguard: This is the part of the sword between the hilt and blade. This protects the hand.

Blade: The sharp end, duh

Hilt: This is the part you hold. Also called a grip.

Pommel: the end of the sword attached to the hilt. This can be decorated as you like.

Fuller: this is a hollow running up the sword. Debates go on whether it is made to reduce suction or make blood run off quicker or to make the sword more dynamic.

Edge: the sharpened sides of the blade. Can be singular or double.

The point: The pointy bit at the top. Stick them into the person (jon snow logic)

Types of Swords

Claymore: This is the Scottish Gaelic version of the Great Sword. It is a heavy sword with a long reach

Longsword: Medieval and Renaissance weapon commonly used with with two hands.

Bastard sword: refers to a sword of an uncertain origin. It may be a cross between a long sword and a great sword.

Gladius: an ancient Roman blade used by gladiators and then legionaires. There is no crossguard. It is also called a shortsword. Made for stabbing rather than slashing.

Xiphos: double-edged, single-handed sword used by ancient greeks. The blade is commonly leaf shaped made for slashing.

Sabre or Rapier: This is a slender blade used by fencers. This blade might not be able to hack a head but its light weight makes the blade an asset in speed.

Katana: The Japanese samurai sword. This is single-edged and the blade os hammer thin. Made for speed and deadly sharp.

Scimitar: a curved blade with a singled edge.

Sword Moves

Advance - to attack, going forward.

Deflect - engaging sword with your own and pushing it away

Empty Fade - jumping backwards as if to retreat then attacking.

Front Guard - the sword is held in front of your face.

Full Iron Gate Guard - the sword is halfway between your legs, angled right.

Half Iron Gate Guard - the sword is held before your left leg.

Lunge - leaping forwards while feet are in the same stance.

Pass Back - moving your front foot into the rear position.

Pass Forward - moving your rear foot into the front position.

Pivot - Rotating 180 degrees, keeping dominant foot stationary.

Retreat - a movement backwards.

Shed - to allow a sword to slide away off your sword.

Short Guard - the hilt is at your hip and the point is forward.

Step Across - Rotating 180 degrees, crossing feet and spinning.

Tail Guard - the hilt is at your hip and the sword is behind you.

Two Horn Guard - pommel is at your chest with the sword pointing out.

Window Guard - a guard where the hilt is at your ear and the sword points forwards

Things to remember about swords

1. When drawing your sword, the scabbard is on your opposite hip.

2. If a sword is two-handed, use two hands. Don’t try be cool. You will cut yourself.

3. Swords are sharpened using a whetstone and polished with oil clothes. Water rusts them. Look after your swords.

4. Swords can stick to to scabbard if the air is icy. To prevent it, you can line your scabbard with leather.

5. Practise with a blunted sword first. Blunt swords are used in tourneys.

6. Defense over Attack. Better to defend rather than attack.

7. Shields are your friend in defence but hamper your ability to attack.

8. Sword to size. Smaller and weaker swordsmen(women) can’t any wield heavier swords. Bulkier and stronger swordsmen(women) can wield heavier swords. Match sword type to body type.

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Juedi - The Legendary Horse. 

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Hey. We cleared HoH. c:

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The Maiden

The Garlean Consulate of Kugane offers refuge to our brothers and sisters still stationed in Eorzea with the addition of a private lounge that caters only to Garleans and allies. Hidden away in the scenic hills of the Mist, The Maiden is a quiet place to spend the long hours separated from our mother Garlemald, built directly into the lower half of a small estate in an effort to remain inconspicuous. The Maiden is open to private meetings and small gatherings, so please feel free to come and go as you wish. The doorman is there to screen credentials, though anyone with proper authorization to use the Garleans Ambassador's linkshell will have access to the club and its amenities. Please join us this weekend for our opening celebration: July 7th, 2018 8 pm EST (5 pm PST) @ The Maiden The Mist, 8th ward, plot 33. We look forward to seeing you there! For more information, please feel free to message Kade Destros, Reyr Cassian, or Leon Dzemael in-game for an invite to the Garlean Consulate linkshell and/or discord. Even if you can't make it, we're always looking to take new members.

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t h e  p r i m a l  t h r e a t .

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Heaven on High - floors 21-60

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