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As I've been revisiting the Warring Triad quests for fic purposes, I've been struck by just how prickly Krile is with Unukalhai when they first meet, how she immediately takes offense to him calling her "diminutive" and continues to needle him from that point on.

There's some really interesting stuff going on with Krile in Heavensward, I think. She's recently awakened as the sole survivor of a mysterious cataclysm that robbed her of her beloved grandfather as well as many close friends and colleagues; immediately after that, she learns that her best friend is missing, and sets off for Eorzea to help find her, only to learn that she's become Hydaelyn's emissary and isn't coming back.

Her first interaction with Thancred is also frankly bizarre, with seemingly neither of them really knowing much about Minfilia's relationship with the other despite both of them supposedly being so close with her. I think a lot of Krile's early interactions with the Scions bely some insecurity--understandably so. They're all friends, and she's the newcomer; they all had their own relationships with Minfilia that she wasn't a part of. So I'd venture that a lot of Krile's early prickly and over-the-top behavior boils down to that. She's trying to find her place in this group, she wants to be liked and belong and be useful (especially as she basically has nowhere else to go!) but she doesn't know their dynamic. She tries to break the ice with Thancred with teasing that lands very poorly because she doesn't know him like that, and doesn't understand his state of mind at the time, as his present manner doesn't much resemble the Thancred she heard about from Minfilia.

I also wonder if the offense she takes at any mention of her size has to do with her not being raised by Lalafellin parents--and misliking the reminder that she is "different" from the larger people she's always around.

In "When the Bough Wakes," early in the Warring Triad quests, Krile makes reference to "You Scions," implying that she does not yet consider herself to be one of them. This is in the context too of her admitting to being frightened of facing Sephirot, even at the side of the Warrior of Light.

Following Sephirot's defeat, Krile prods at Unukalhai thus:

Just what are you hiding beneath that mask of yours? Hmmm... A longing for hope. An appetite for power. A lingering sense of regret. And do I detect a desire to test your strength against a certain hero...?

Unukalhai's reaction suggests that Krile is not wrong. She subsequently assures him that the Echo does not allow her to read minds, and these were merely "wild guesses." I think perhaps they were not so wild, though--that Krile simply saw something of herself in Unukalhai, even without knowing his history. As we'll later learn, there are some striking similarities in what they've endured, as sole survivors who have lost their homes, their families, their people.

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estinien!

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"Completely... and utterly... fine! Better than fine! Hale and hearty and still alive to mourn those who are not. Who I failed to protect when they needed me most. We've come so far - so godsdamned far! I could have sworn the end was in sight! And now they will never see it"

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Apparently the silksong subreddit has started doing human "sacrifices", where they ritually elect someone to be banned, in order to guarantee the timely release of the game. somehow this isn't even surprising

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The Gangs all here

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forever grateful i was simply too lazy to let the makeup industrial complex get its hooks in me. I was just like im not doing all of that. in fact. im doing none of that

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some recent portraits of butches of color. via butchisnotadirtyword

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LMFAO

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sixteen

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Thinkin about how Alisaie and Alphinaud Levelleur were prodigies, even in a nation of scholars (not to mention being from a wealthy and politically powerful family). They were definitely expected to earn their archon marks and do great things.

But instead of getting their fantasy PhDs in glowing squirrel theory or whatever, these two gifted kids dipped as soon as they finished high school to go backpacking in Europe Eorzea with their eccentric grandpa’s old buddies. Respect

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Thinking abt the fact that Haurchefant snapped and killed Francel’s attackers at the age of 17, but elezen don’t hit puberty until around 20, so he was maybe all of 5 foot nothing when he killed three grown men

No wonder six knights had to hold him back from going after WoL

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I’d like to think that Vauthry is so focused on Alphinaud’s insults, that he is literally just ignoring the Warrior of Light the entire time. Alphinaud IS his rival. He sends Ran’jit to go get ALPHINAUD and his assistant. Preferrably just Alphinaud. When we are climbing up Mt. Gulg to fight him, I’d like to imagine he is just ranting and raving at Alphinaud in particular. It just makes it 100% funner to actually be the side character in someone else’s story.

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By the way I remain firm in my belief that the only reason Alisaie comes across as less of a Rich Kid is that she lets Alphinaud say the Stupid Rich Kid Shit first (this is not hard because he talks VERY much) and then just. Acts like she knew that was Rich Kid Shit all along. I think it took Alisaie a Long While to not be mourning the loss of her huge gorgeous perfect bed but someone made fun of Alphinaud for mentioning the "insufficent conditions for rest" early on so now she can never say a thing about it.

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not to downplay the very important events of FFXIV: Heavensward by any means, it just felt like a road trip with the lads at times ya know??

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Alisaie Leveilleur & Alphinaud Leveilleur Illustrator: Justyna Dura