#(gyr abania has some amazing spots)

[neriyon]

I've finally taken the next pics for my scenery screenshot project. Now to just... come up with some writing to go with it.

[sajiri]

Gpose locations!

To go along with my screenshot tutorial, here’s a collection of areas I really like going to for screenshots. It’s not an exhaustive list, but these are some of my favourites.

Edit: Adding in some old screenshots I’ve taken in these locations as examples

OVERWORLD ZONES

La Noscea

Lets start with Costa Del Sol. There are some rocks out in the water you can stand on if you want a nice, uninterrupted view of the ocean.

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

The areas around Camp Bronze Lake in Upper La Noscea are super pretty. This was taken early in the morning, but when it’s all lit up on a sunny day, the water is really beautiful.

Example

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

Black Shroud

The Carline Canopy in Gridania has these beautiful windows that make a pretty backdrop.

How much have you explored the Sylphlands? There’s some really weird and interesting spots out there.

It also has this spooky blue lighting.

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

Mor Dhona

There’s this neat crystal tree at Rathefrost in Mor Dhona. The zone can also get the unique Gloom Weather which I caught here.

Example

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

HEAVENSWARD

I didnt manage to get screenshots of these because I’m not bothered waiting out in the zones for them. Rather than specific locations, the Sea of Clouds and Churning Mists both get unique Wind and Lightning weathers. The sea of clouds sky turns green and looks like an aurora. If you manage to catch these weathers, they can make for really cool backdrops.

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

OTHARD

I took these at night...during the rain...trust me, they look a lot nicer normally. Anyway, there’s this isolated little spot in Yanxia with these pretty trees.

The Doman Enclave has some great spots too, unfortunately you would need to progress through the weekly restoration questline to see the zone in all it’s glory.

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

GYR ABANIA

This is actually one of my favourite spots for screenshots. While it may not look like anything special here, it has all these nice flower bushes. I’ve taken a number of screenshots zoomed in close using these flowers as a backdrop. Speaking of flowers..

Example

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

The Menagerie of course has to make an appearance. I must be really unlucky though, because near every time I’ve gone out there to try to take screenshots, people have been up there and start photobombing me.

Example

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

THE FIRST

While there are a lot of nice spots in Lakeland, I find this cliff edge to be a great location if you want the crystal tower in the background. It’s maybe better than Mor Dhona (if you can angle out the crystarium below) because you don’t have a dragon corpse and gloomy weather in the way.

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

All of Il Mheg is amazing. The flowering fields by the shore are great though, and the fountain right outside the castle doors has a lot of big, beautiful flowers in it (Do you notice I really like flowers?)

Example

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

This one spot in Rak’tika is nice for a wild forest backdrop.

Example

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

Amaurot...oh Amaurot. There’s no specific spot here, this whole cityscape is amazing.

HOUSING AREAS

I’m not going to look for all the cool spots, but each housing area has a lot of really nice locations, some are kind of hidden away (like the little hotspring seacave in Shirogane there). Not to mention all the yards people decorate.

DUNGEONS

I’m only showing the ShB dungeons in explorer mode here, but you can also go into the lvl 70 dungeons. Any dungeons before that aren’t available for explorer mode, but you can easily solo your way through them at max level, you just wont have access to a striking dummy if you want combat poses.

Chances are, when you go running through dungeons focusing on killing things, you aren’t noticing a lot of the cool places in them.

This is one of my favourite locations in the whole game. The forest path leading up to the first boss in Holminster Switch looks like a magical forest, and the light shafts coming through the trees make it even better.

Example

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

The final boss area of Mt Gulg makes a really magestic, holy looking background.

You want an apocalyptic hellscape? Amaurot has you covered.

And of course, the final boss platform in the same dungeon has this amazing backdrop.

Extra little tidbit to think about for Endwalker, notice how there’s no moon in the sky in Amaurot ;)

[onwesterlywinds]

As the Riskbreakers enter the Sandsea's workshop, they will notice two things: first, that the entire room is filled with the high-pitched whine of a very effective signal jammer; the other, that the Grand Steward's eyes are wide and distracted. Those who know her well will recognize that it's the look she gets when she hasn't slept.

Ashelia Riot: Thank you all for answering my summons. I'm aware that there are others who wished to join but couldn't. Alaq'it Moks has hands clasped over her horns at the whine. Sylvan Rain looks around the workshop and a wave of familiarity washes over her. It had been some time since she had been here, and the first time she had been in a group Riskbreaker setting since her return. She looks around from face to face and notes the unfamiliar ones before settling her gaze on Ashelia Riot, who clearly had something important to discuss with them. Akhutai Urit tilts his head to the sound of the whine before looking over at Ashelia Riot. He quirks a brow but doesn't ask anything just yet as he settles in to a spot. Timid Fawn nods affirmatively, but fights back wincing at the loud noise that's assaulting their ears. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn: Who on earth made that thing? Good lord the whine! Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn frowns at Ashelia Riot. Ashelia Riot: Our good friend Anota Rinside. Ivaan Arkwright hardly notices; he is too busy staring at the ghost in the room. Etone Greennote offers a loud hissing whine of his own as he covers his ears. Hinako Daigo reads the situation quizzically as the screeching ambience persists, noting the steward's disposition just since she saw her last. Eindride Stokys brings a finger to one ear at an attempt to block out the noise, but otherwise says nothing to the group of unfamiliar faces. Ashelia Riot: Firstly, some introductions. Everyone, meet Eindride Stokys; we met in Ala Mhigo and he's agreed to join us. Sylvan Rain smiles at Eindride Stokys. Alaq'it Moks waves to Eindride Stokys. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn bows courteously to Eindride Stokys. Ivaan Arkwright nods to Eindride Stokys. Orella Steelhand nods to Eindride Stokys. Timid Fawn steals glances of the faces she's never met in this room as of yet... She scoots ever so slightly closer to Bull as she listens to Ashelia Riot. Eindride Stokys blinks at mention of himself. Eindride Stokys: Greetings. Akhutai Urit gives the man a two-fingered salute. Ashelia Riot: ...And, of course, a welcome back from the dead to Sylvan Rain. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn: Too strong for even death. Sylvan Rain smirks and chuckles. More or less a true statement. Sylvan Rain: A pleasure to be back with you all. Sylvan Rain bows. Ivaan Arkwright: ...This. This is good. Sylvan Rain smiles at Ivaan Arkwright. Ashelia Riot: Sylvan encountered Hinako Daigo, who has also joined us. Hinako Daigo performs an Eastern bow. Hinako Daigo: Greetings, everyone. A pleasure. Orella Steelhand greets each new face in turn, still nonplussed by the amount of people Ashelia has managed to convince to fight alongside her. It never ceases to amaze. Ashelia Riot: With introductions aside... I wish we could have assembled under better circumstances. However, thanks to Priscilla Scaevola, we've received some critical intelligence about the state of the rebellion against the Empire. In Dalmasca. Etone Greennote: Noiiiiicce! Akhutai Urit grins in amusement at some unknown joke before nodding a greeting at Hinako Daigo. Orella Steelhand’s gaze snaps back to Ashelia Riot at the mention of the Empire, expression sharp. Orella Steelhand: Rebellion? Ivaan Arkwright quickly turns his head at this announcement, his mind jumping to conclusions at where this is about to lead. Ashelia Riot nods to Orella Steelhand. Akhutai Urit gives a hum of thought. Orella Steelhand frowns. Hinako Daigo 's expression tenses. Hinako Daigo: So it continues… Ashelia Riot: I know as well as anyone that our previous operations in the Far East were marked by uncertainty - and, in some cases, failure. And so, I will commit to the utmost transparency. Hence the need for- Ashelia Riot gestures behind her at the device making the penetrating noise. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn: ...Making us deaf? Don't see how that helps. Alaq'it Moks questions Ashelia Riot. Alaq'it Moks: If we cannot, ah, hear secrets, we cannot share them with the enemy. Etone Greennote: Or any far ears from listening in. Etone Greennote plucks his link pearl from his ear, the static and interference too obnoxious to continue to ignore. Ashelia Riot: I made contact with my maternal aunt, whom I have long believed dead. Ashelia Riot speaks as though she herself still cannot believe the words. Ashelia Riot: After twenty years of conscripted service in the Empire's Frumentarium, she has gained a position under Legatus Noah van Gabranth of the IVth Legion. Orella Steelhand's frown only deepens at the mention of the legatus. Ashelia Riot: I understand if this source, and her proximity to the Empire, gives anyone pause. However, I trust her implicitly. Hinako Daigo: I do not question it, then. Akhutai Urit folds his arms but remains silent. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn: Seems all too convenient if you ask me... Ashelia Riot: She has reached out on behalf of one of the leaders of the Dalmascan Resistance to forge an alliance, that the Riskbreakers might help Dalmasca gain more ground in their thirty-year fight for freedom. Ivaan Arkwright gives Ashelia Riot a long searching look, but says nothing; the setting of his jaw might hint at his thoughts on the matter. Ashelia Riot notes their skepticism and takes it in stride. Nivelth Ajuyn quickly sneaks in and stands to the back, nursing a cup of coffee. Not tea. She looks bleary and tired, and sips at it as she listens to the conversation. Ashelia Riot: I, for one, intend to assess what is being asked of us - and I will contribute to their fight however possible. If there are those of you who feel the same, you are free to join me. Ashelia Riot yields the floor with those words said. Sylvan Rain: What sort of fight are we looking at? Alaq'it Moks eyes Nivelth Ajuyn's cup of coffee. Ashelia Riot: Not the kind you enjoy, I'm afraid: secrecy, subterfuge, and hunting for information. Sylvan Rain shrugs. Sylvan Rain: I've been too preoccupied with other things. At this point I'm just happy to be on the field. Etone Greennote: Hmhmhm, oh that's up my ally more than a straight out fist fight these days. Nivelth Ajuyn offers the mug to Alaq'it Moks. Hinako Daigo gives a sort of wry grin, in which those words carry a sort of irony to her in how much that is her *girlfriend's* specialty... Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn: Am I allowed to beat someone up for information? If so I can get behind it. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn laughs. Akhutai Urit: Information gathering I can do, certainly. But in what way are we being expected to help? Ashelia Riot: That's among the questions that have yet to be answered. A direct conversation with the Resistance is in order... but for that, we will need to go to them in Dalmasca. Ivaan Arkwright: So this is less a campaign, but an infiltration? Ashelia Riot: Perhaps a bit of both, until we know more. Timid Fawn nods along in agreement with Bull, and offers a fleeting moment of ease in her posture. Alaq'it Moks eagerly takes the mug for a sip.  She's in a good mood; she likes sneaking. Hinako Daigo seems lost in thought. Nivelth Ajuyn: There's already a spy reporting to us? Ashelia Riot: She’s one of the Frumentarium's most talented clerks - with more than twenty years of dedicated knowledge on the subject. Alaq'it Moks: The--- the what? Alaq’it Moks freezes passing the mug back to Nivelth Ajuyn. Eindride Stokys eyes widen. Dalmasca? He had never even left Gyr Abania before this. Alaq'it Moks: Frum. Frumy. Frum.... Ashelia Riot: Frumentarium. The Empire's intelligence bureau. ...For sneaking. Alaq'it Moks: Oh! Alaq’it Moks nods at 'sneaking'. Nivelth Ajuyn takes the mug back and drains half of it. Nivelth Ajuyn: I see. I take it you're proposing that we commit our forces to the liberation of Dalmasca? Or do you just wish to help the rebellion therein? Nivelth Ajuyn feels it’s an important distinction. Ashelia Riot: That would depend - not only on what we find, but on whether or not we are capable of rising to the challenge of fighting so far from our headquarters. In any case... Ashelia Riot sighs. Ashelia Riot: I would be lying if I said I did not hope that we, as a company, could commit to Dalmasca's liberation. Its position is far worse than Ala Mhigo's ever was - its language, its customs, and its histories at greater risk than ever of being obliterated. Orella Steelhand, frowning still, lifts a hand in a gesture intended to get Ashelia Riot's attention. Orella Steelhand: ... Do I understand correctly, then, that your aunt has been working with the Empire for the last however long and Legatus van Gabranth has caught neither hide nor hair of... any of this? Ivaan Arkwright merely folds his arms, Orella Steelhand touching on what he had been waiting to ask Ashelia Riot after everyone had left. Ashelia Riot: From what I understand, our informant worked alongside another agent for the first fifteen years. He was a Dalmascan sympathizer within the upper ranks of the Empire; after his death, she was reassigned to Legatus van Gabranth. Orella Steelhand gazes upon Ashelia Riot in deep reflection. Ashelia Riot: As for what he may or may not suspect, she says that the man is as keen as anyone she's ever known. Akhutai Urit smirks. Akutai Urit: ...Another run in at something we don't have all the information. Risk indeed. Alaq'it Moks laughs at Akhutai Urit. Etone Greennote’s dull canine teeth peek over his lip as his smirk cracks across his face. Ashelia Riot nods to Akhutai Urit. Ashelia Riot: Again, I would not commit those who might be uncomfortable with acting without all of the details to a fight of this magnitude. Particularly our newcomers. Hinako Daigo takes a moment of silence. Nivelth Ajuyn looks around the room and spots two new faces, and one long dead one. Well. Seems it's that kind of morning. She drinks more coffee. Sylvan Rain: As long as no buildings will be falling on me this time around I should be fine. Ashelia Riot: ...Rabanastre is in such a state of disrepair that buildings are continuously falling on its residents. Ashelia Riot makes a straight face at Sylvan Rain. Sylvan Rain: I guess I had better be on my toes then. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn waves a hand dismissively. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn: Sent me out with less, I've never been the plannin' type. Eindride Stokys shakes his head. Eindride Stokys: Worry not. I will go wherever you feel need of me. Eindride Stokys, despite his words, seems to harbor some reluctance. Akhutai Urit: Acting without all the details is rather commonplace as far as I'm concerned. Just point me in the right direction. Etone Greennote: I've complete faith in your choices, Boss'm. Etone Greennote’s comment, though it sounds catty, is such that anyone who has spent a bit of time with the redhead knows it to be dead serious and complimentary. Ashelia Riot, smiling, glances around at each of the speakers and their various levels of confidence. For the first time since receiving the news, she feels somewhat more at ease. Nivelth Ajuyn thinks on the idea of acting without all the information, and winces when she recalls the Vegnagun plot. Hinako Daigo: I myself would lie if did not say I had my apprehensions... yet do I know where my part might fit into all of this, but if that is risk I must take in coming here then so be it. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn: We take risks, an' we break 'em. Always have, always will. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn winks. Alaq'it Moks: How... how does one get to Dalmasca? Ashelia Riot: By air. Akhutai Urit grins. Alaq'it Moks tries to groan as respectfully as possible. Ashelia Riot: Specifically - some of us have been invited aboard the Prima Vista - which you may know as that massive Garlean ship berthed in Kugane's harbor. Their principal is one of the foremost experts of Dalmascan history - and while he has no ties to the Resistance, he has agreed to offer us passage to the capital. Hinako Daigo: Dalmasca is nothing if not "inviting" for its climes as I would understand it. Not to mention nigh-out of reach from Doma with the inhospitability of the Burn... Ashelia Riot nods. Ashelia Riot: Additionally, as a gesture of goodwill, the Resistance have, through Alma, given to us... a token that may be helpful to our cause. Ashelia Riot visibly hesitates. Nivelth Ajuyn: A token? Ashelia Riot: ...Again. In the interest of full and unabashed transparency... I did not know whether or not to accept it. Alma seemed... put off by its presence. Eindride Stokys's brow furrows in confusion. Akhutai Urit: ...Did you accept it? Ashelia Riot: I did. Conditionally. Ashelia Riot steps somewhat closer to the group, slipping a hand into one of her many pockets. Inside it is a silk bag; inside the bag is a stone. Timid Fawn is far more curious that she had put on. Orella Steelhand: ... A rock? Akhutai Urit sighs in what can only be interpreted as disappointment. The stone is of a faintly rose-violet hue with flecks of gold; for a moment, it seems to gleam once in the light, and then it is still. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn: Awful nice to give us a rock, I guess. Timid Fawn squints at it, increasingly puzzled. Nivelth Ajuyn 's eyes narrow as she looks at it. Something is pinging her senses, but she has no idea what. Akhutai Urit rubs the back of his neck. Far be it from him to question his boss. Hinako Daigo: That's... no ordinary rock... Ashelia Riot nods to Hinako Daigo. Ashelia Riot: Auracite. Ivaan Arkwright: I thought auracite was supposed to be white... Ashelia Riot: These stones hold meaning in Dalmasca. In their stories, they were given to warriors who fought for justice. Some say the stones themselves aided them in their quests. Etone Greennote: ...Impossible... Sylvan Rain raises an eyebrow to the stone, sensing some sort of energy coming from it. Sylvan Rain: ...Is it just me or... am I feeling something coming off of it? Ashelia Riot nods to Sylvan Rain. Ashelia Riot: The Scions' studies of auracite have found that the stones are capable of holding vast amounts of aetheric energies. Alaq'it Moks feels a wave of familiar queasiness. Sylvan Rain: I barely had to reach out with my senses to feel it… Hinako Daigo: I thought that feeling I felt was just a product of the noise from that jammer, but.. Akhutai Urit: Did it happen to be mentioned how it was supposed to help? Ashelia Riot: No. I'll have to brush up on my Dalmascan faerie tales. Etone Greennote huffs down from his perch, his usual over excited “grabby hands” nature barely contained as he quite obviously shuffles toward Ashelia Riot. Nivelth Ajuyn sips her coffee and stares at the rock some more, eyes narrowing. Nivelth Ajuyn: Are there more of these? Ashelia Riot: Yes. Perhaps not enough for all of us - but more. Akhutai Urit takes a deep breath, frowning heavily, but says nothing in response. Ashelia Riot: This is a great deal for all of us to consider, but I sense that we must all be prepared for a difficult fight. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn: Wouldn't be as fun if it was easy, y'know! Sylvan Rain: The phrase “a difficult fight” is practically bribing me, so you know where I stand. Orella Steelhand: What's your goal? Orella Steelhand is done with looking at a rock. Orella Steelhand: What do you expect to manage here? Are we supposed to... just go in and fight blindly? Are we taking this all the way to the legatus? Alaq'it Moks looks thoughtfully at Orella Steelhand. Ashelia Riot: My goal, at the very least, is to empower the Dalmascan Resistance on their own terms. I expect to take things one by one - and if that includes forming a full-scale attack against this Legatus van Gabranth, then yes, we will take the fight to him. Etone Greennote is within two feet of Ashelia at this point; he reaches tentatively toward her. Etone Greennote: ... May I have a look? Orella Steelhand: Hm. Orella Steelhand just nods at that, both satisfied and not with the answer. Ashelia Riot holds out the stone but does not relinquish it. For whatever else it might be, it is also still the only physical connection she has had in twenty years to her mother's sister. Rhotfarr Sundyrfyrsyn leans in, nudging Timid Fawn. Rhotfarr Syndyrfyrsyn: Sounds like a bit of fun, eh? Timid Fawn flinches at Bull's nudging, giving a shallow nod and fragile smile. Nivelth Ajuyn: So... Not directly fighting the legatus, but if it comes down to it, we'll have fun taking him down. Sounds about right. Ashelia Riot: And while I will not order any of you to join in this fight... I believe, from the bottom of my heart, that this is the front upon which the Riskbreakers' future lies. Hinako Daigo: Well, I came in part to see if I may lend my aid so that other lands may see the same light of freedom as Ala Mhigo, as Doma... so it feels right. Akhutai Urit looks visibly unhappy. A rather sharp contrast to when he first entered. Ivaan Arkwright’s gaze is directed to the floor, or rather, through it. Ashelia Riot: ...With that said and done, I propose drinks. Etone Greennote cups his hands round Ashelia's hands as she retains a firm grip on the stone. He traces the outline in the air above the stone, tempted to touch it - but he refrains.

[kukurubean]

Ala Mhigan Food & Remedies

CUL 70 quest & Gyr Abanian side-quest spoilers ahead!

Despite not having any actual Ala Mhigan recipes, we do get to learn a little bit about dishes that are made in areas and towns in Gyr Abania! I like to try to discuss/interpret the lore, so I���ll also expand on my thoughts/views of the information. (This got pretty long thanks to that, so everything’s under the cut!)

Disclaimer: I haven’t done everything in SB or all of the Gyr Abanian side-quests yet, so there could very well be more! I’ll update this post if I spot/learn anything else. Additionally, I use my own screenshots, so this post only contains what I have personally taken for reference. It isn’t end-all because I miss things and I lost a good amount of my old screenshots.

First and foremost, the lore book has a nice description that’s pretty much a good indicator of what’s to come.

Diet: With so few crops, the Ala Mhigan diet is a rather stark affair. However, as a stop on the trade routes, the city-state has adopted some fare from the Near East and Ilsabard. The foreign influence is said to be particularly apparent in the usage of spices. For drinks, it is customary to brew medicinal teas, such as ones made by steeping the ground horns of beasts in boiling water.

CUL divulges on one meal during the level 70 quest―buckler stew. It is described as being made by simmering meat and vegetables in a shallow pot.

Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard of soldiers using their gear to cook food. A Limsian levequest called Waist Not, Want Not explains that this also happens in Ishgard’s military. (screenshot link) Sorry for PS3 quality!

“There are also reports that the dragoons cook rustic viands on the sun-seared plates, when home is far and the archbishop’s commands weigh heavy on their souls.”

But back to buckler stew. Thanks to Ala Mhigan traders, it has become an “enduring favorite” in Radz-at-Han. The stew then made its way, albeit altered, to Doma when a merchant tried it while in Radz-at-Han.

When the Doman merchant returned home, he recreated the dish with local ingredients. The result was sukiyaki. Here’s the two dishes next to each other, with buckler stew on the left and sukiyaki on the right! 

For reference, the model for the latter is used in the Oriental Supper furniture item. I don’t recognize buckler stew’s model from anywhere, so I hope this means that Ala Mhigans use stars to allude to Rhalgr’s comet in their cooking! (I can totally get behind this.)

The next is an unnamed “Gyr Abanian dish” prepared by a Gridanian chef in Castrum Oriens. It uses sarcosuchus meat and velodyna mushrooms. (screenshots for both)

The lean meat of the sarcosuchus is said to have the texture of chicken but with a faint fishy taste.

A curious mushroom found in the forests of East End. Their earthy, savory greatly enhances any dish they’re used in.

The chef says that those two ingredients are “all [he] needs” to create the dish, so it is unclear if he has other ingredients or if alligator meat and mushrooms is all the dish is!

Another stew we learn about is one specifically from Ala Ghiri―or at least, from one of the resident bartenders. It is made from the legs of chapulis: giant grasshoppers that are found outside of the town.

Weidheri goes on to say that the Garleans thought they “were savages for eating the stuff” and that he had to stop serving it while they controlled Ala Ghiri.

Now for one that personally really surprised me! Griffins are a well-known symbol of Ala Mhigo and I honestly assumed there would be a rule or creed that went against killing them. A small boy named Papin in Coldhearth proves otherwise, and has the WoL hunt griffins for their meat.

Arak is a local specialty in Ala Ghiri that once made the town famous. Several NPCs speak of the spirit, but stores of it were “promptly depleted when the Garleans took control.” 

The drink uses date palms, but “all of the date palms native to [the Peaks] have been cut down.“ As such, the ingredients to make it “have grown increasingly sparse” so bottles are very rare and expensive. 

However, a spy in Skulls sent date palm seeds from Garlemald to his mother in Coldhearth. Coldhearth has planted the seeds, and plans to trade with Ala Ghiri when they make their harvest.

J’dyalani: “It will take a lot of work, to be sure, but in a few years’ time traders from all over will be talking of the famous brew from Ala Ghiri and Coldhearth.”

                                             Onto remedies!

Like what the fighter above mentions, a lot of these involve grinding up horns and making a broth or tea out of them! Another interesting tidbit is that she mentions that “some say these recipes came about from trade with the Near East.” As a note, Stormblood has added a few Near Eastern recipes, like Baklava and Jhammel Moussaka. 

I’m particularly curious about this because Ala Mhigans in Little Ala Mhigo have expressed fervent disapproval of alchemic potions! However, those potions were explicitly Ul’dahn, so their refusal is attributed to the origin, not the premise. One resident named Alfan explained that “Ala Mhigans aren’t much fer alchemy, but we’ve got our fair share of remedies passed down through the years.” (screenshot)

I believe the amount of Hannish influence on Ala Mhigan remedies is unclear, and that they have their own identity beyond whatever shared recipes exist!

To elaborate, another example of these remedies being an Ala Mhigan tradition is expressed by Guntmar, an NPC found in the Peaks. 

“You know, with so few resources to get by on here in the mountains, it sometimes amazes me how we’ve managed to survive as long as we have. I suppose you could say it’s a testament to the value of the knowledge and skills our forebears have passed down through the generations.”

The last relevant statement I’m aware of is from 1.0.

“Many [curative regeants] from the lands of Ala Mhigo, for example, show great promise…”

According to the lore book, Ul’dah took up huge trade ships to Radz-at-Han after 1190 (and bypassed the Ala Mhigan trade route.). Ul’dah has had a direct trade connection to the city for several hundred years, so there is little reason that they would want to go to Ala Mhigo for it’s adopted recipes.

Anyway, let’s get on to it!

Guntmar has a quest asking for you to fetch him some muud suud horns.

The result is called muud suud broth. It is described as flavorful in its *coughs* flavor text. Later it is lauded as rich, robust, and “simply to die for” by a Resistance fighter.

The next one is unnamed, but is supposed to be a pain killer. Griseldis, a woman from Ala Gannha, wants to alleviate her leg pain. Her leg was severely injured by an imperial patrol.

This isn’t an Ala Mhigan remedy, but it is possibly an ingredient used in one. It’s used in a few CUL recipes and, if it counts for anything, is gathered in the Lochs. 

Jhammel ginger’s bulbous, aromatic roots can be sliced fresh and added to stews and seafood dishes to remove gaminess, ground and steeped in hot water to cure head colds, or dried and ground into a powder to use as a spice for breads and cookies. (screenshot link)

One last source from 4.0 is from a level 60 botanist levequest! (screenshot)

In the East End of the Black Shroud you will find the sap said to be a gift from the very gods themselves.

Its curative properties are nothing short of miraculous; this natural panacea that cures the ill, heals the weak, and mends the wounded.

We ask that you bring us this─the gift of life.

Orella, a healer at the Barber, requests it. Speaking of panaceas, though, there is another levequest concerning them with mandragoras!

The alchemists at Radz-at-Han claim to have developed a cure-all from the leaves found growing atop the heads of mandragoras, increasing demand for the item tenfold.

Ahldskyf, captain of the Orion, is the NPC who requests this. His ship regularly makes trips between Limsa Lominsa and Radz-at-Han! If you started in Limsa, you may recognize him as one of the first NPCs you meet. 

Needless to say, I refuse to do this leve.

Heading back to 2.0 now!

I’ll start with Alfan. He is, as of 4.0, making medicine with other LAM residents for the Resistance!

After Hihira’s failed attempt at distributing Ul’dahn medicine, you speak to Alfan and he tells you about cactus tea. It is “a traditional Ala Mhigan remedy made from steeping the fruit of a sabotender in hot water.”

Meffrid is the one who requests the next one! Meffrid is one of the first Ala Mhigans we really meet, and his questline is what began my interest in AM.

Gallien is hurt, and Meffrid is desperately trying to find a way to save him. The adventurer is the one person “in this place who gives a damn” about their plight, and you go to seek help from the only other person who might help―Buscarron. He says that an Ala Mhigan friend once saved his life with it and that he has some in his stores. Thankfully, Gallien survives, so I’d say two saved lives speaks for the effectiveness. 

[ffxiv-angora]

Looking for RP Contacts!

I’ve been slowly trying to get back into the RP scene for FFXIV so I thought I’d make one of these to help people get to know Angora bit more/update where she is now story wise. Throwing it under a read more so it doesn’t take up a ton of space lol I currently play on Balmung and Jenova, but also do some RP on discord. 

(Art is by the amazing @ferai-caolann QvQ )

Name: Angora Khilo

Age: 26

Height: 4′ 11″

Race: Miqo’te, Seeker

Gender: Female 

Sexuality: Pansexual

Relationship status: Single

IC class/job: Mage - Thaumaturge, though for 4.0 she has started to pick up Red Mage

Family: No living relatives, spouse ( @moonlifter lol ) or children, but has an adoptive older brother and sister who somehow always seems to know where she is... 

Appearance: Yellow eyes, white hair with some darker silver mixed in. She has a lighter complexion that has grown a bit tanner over her time out in the sun. Despite being short in stature, Angora is muscular (though it is lean) and has taken down those who are larger than her many times. Her physique is more like someone who is made for running and climbing instead of brute force like her brother. 

Personality: Towards strangers, she is very secretive. They likely will not even see her face due to her wearing a mask** of some kind. She can come off as cold to some. It takes time to gain her trust to the point that she will start to open up and show her more care-free side. For family and close friends, there is no end to her loyalty towards them or how she will go to keep them safe. She has no issue with taking the life of another if she must. 

Job: She has no set job, though she’ll pick odd jobs that her sister gives to her. They can be anything from acting as security, sneaking about for information, or even taking out targets. She has even had to play the part of some rich man’s date. Working in the shadows is where she is comfortable and she often works alone. 

Current location: Unknown. She is currently moving back and forth between Gyr Abania and Othard for jobs. Angora owns an apartment in the Goblet but rarely can be found there now a days. Her current hiding spot is in the Peaks. 

For anymore on her current and backstory, you’ll have to RP with her to find out~

**For characters who have seen her old mask: Her beloved mask that her deceased fiance made for her was shattered in a recent encounter. So now she’s having to switch to different masks.** 

OOC notes: 

Timezone: Eastern

Your character doesn’t have to be friends with Angora. They can be enemies, your character could have hired her for something, or Angora could even be hunting down your character due to a hit put on your character. There’s lots of possibilities and I am open to just about anything o/ 

If you wanna talk about plot things, feel free to add me on discord (Lavi#1396) or shoot me a message here on tumblr!

[nazih-fares]

As someone who works in the gaming industry as a full time job, launching a MMORPG is a rather time-consuming activity for both the publisher and developers, but mostly for the players. Considering such games requires hundreds of hours of gaming to get to the epitome of experience, I can’t keep up with all the changes and will just simply dream of catching up with my already high-level friends. But I have a soft spot for MMORPGs and in general online experiences that love to add more than just cosmetic changes, and this is how I felt with Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, and I couldn’t miss this second expansion pack called Stormblood, especially after the great 2015 Heavensward. And so even after fighting the temptation for couple of days, I decided to shamefully jump on the paid Job Level-Boost and Scenario Skip to start with a new character, and so I can experience one of the new jobs from the previous expansion (the Dark Knight).

So what’s new in this expansion? Well seems like the core of Stormblood has been used to redesign all classes to overcome the main game problem, and narrow the gap between new and old players, making each one of them trully unique to play. Ditching the somewhat complex system of shared skills, each class will now have a well-defined RPG role: Healer, Tank, DPS, Long Distance, Support… etc. While many skills and actions have changed, others were simply suppressed for the sake of clarity, and a job gauge has also been added, specific to each one, rather relevant and well thought out, to be able to realize combos efficiently. The result is a more fluid gameplay, certainly, but also more simplistic, a bit too easy for some veteran players, making certain combos almost child play (especially those used to DPS).

As most of my fellow raiders pointed out, this new system kind of establish a sort of routine. Some classes lost a bit of interest in the game which will probably be improved in the next patches, while others gained drastic changes in maneuverability. It is also regrettable that the dynamics of the global cooldown has remained unchanged, still making the game a little slower than its competitors in terms of pace, but it is also understandable for a game of this scale in terms of technicalities. After all, Final Fantasy XIV is a cross-platform game (PC and PlayStation 4), and I always felt like the gameplay was slowed down to facilitate the task for us consoles players who obviously don’t have the upper hand in comparison to those using keyboard and mouse combos, with a much clearer engine and animation. In any case, after a few hours of game we quickly get used to these new game mechanics, realizing that Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood is more fun, easier to manage, more complex in some ways, and as you imagine brings bigger challenges and new raids.

The biggest strength of Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood lies mainly in its story, and Naoki Yoshida’s desire to affirm his desire to create a full-fledged Final Fantasy, attracting all the fans of the series and making it his perennial episode. By consolidating the Final Fantasy universe, spreading several easter eggs and references, the game never ceases to amaze me by its choices, stories that are often audacious. In Stormblood, your character is at the heart of the revolution in the Gyr Abania and Doma territories, lands now desolated. You and your companions will have to travel through these different regions in order to motivate the troops and to unite the different factions of insurgents to fight a common enemy and take over the city-state of Ala Mhigo. That resistance is organized around new charismatic and endearing characters, reminding us how good the team at Square Enix can be in terms of writing. Your involvement as player is perfectly positioned in this story, and some epic quests will make you witness particularly fun moments, despite its rather laborious start as an adventure.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Different in terms of theme when comparing to Heavensward (which was very “Middle Age” oriented), Stormblood focuses on a mystical style full of contemplation and wandering among its various landscapes inspired by Asian countries. The region seem to be depopulated, with scattered camps but the scenery works, and one feels cut off from the mainland, discovering new customs and beliefs of the locals. While this is quite enchanting can leaves sometimes an impression of emptiness, not really tempting into replaying some areas, on top of an excessive number of fetch-and-deliver quests, despite an effort to make them sometimes more entertaining with the use of mini-games. The new city of Kugane, strongly inspired by the architecture of shogun-era Tokyo (or known as Edo at that time), full of detailed alleys, with life at every corner, and of course a supporting artistic and soundscape direction.

Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood  also marks the arrival of a new important game mechanics: swimming. For the moment, that new game mechanic is as easy to control and manage as flying, but it mainly breaks these “invisible” barrier, adding a true feeling of freedom in these new lands, especially after your first dip in the ​​Ruby Sea. Who knows, maybe the team will add Blitzball?

The game of course adds new jobs, mainly two DPS classes which are the Samurai. The latter is a melee class, perfect for new players, and a little easy for regulars, with Its core mechanics resting on a 3-combos to cooldown then powerful attack, plus a management of its gauge of “rage” which grows according to the success of the previously mentioned hits. The second job is the Red Mage, which is more interesting, as it combines melee and distance attacks, and requires you to balance two magical sides (black and white) in an innovative asymmetric gameplay.

Finally, new dungeons and two new raids have been added thanks to Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood. Inspired by Japanese mythology or legends and artistically remarkable, you’ll need to go through quite a chunk of the storyline to test the first dungeons, which are rather linear. Again this choice of level design has certainly been thought of so that the new players can get used to the game without too much of a hitch, and the whole is in the end well paced, with awesome boss strategies to figure out. I’ll admit that I finally feel there was a desire to break the monotony of the previous expansion pack, and establishing new mechanics has brought a wind of fresh air. Finally the end game promises to be consistent since we remind you that it is possible to alternate between all the available classes, and that this time you will have to reach level 70 to participate in the next raids (Omega) planned to launch soon.

Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood was reviewed using an PlayStation 4 copy of the game provided by Square Enix. The game is also available on PC in both retail and online stores releases. We don’t discuss review scores with publishers or developers prior to the review being published.

Final Fantasy XIV has always been an episode of the series in its own right, but Stormblood solidify that statement with style. As someone who works in the gaming industry as a full time job, launching a MMORPG is a rather time-consuming activity for both the publisher and developers, but mostly for the players.