#Also to answer the question for my own WoL:

[tiniest-hands-in-all-the-land]

POV: You're the Warrior of Light, and you've just retired to your room in the Pendants after a long day of sin eater slaying. You open the door to find Emet-Selch laying like this on YOUR bed, reading YOUR diary, eating YOUR sandwiches! WDYD?

[almostyours]

★   .   WWW.ANGELINE.COM A  LOOK  INTO  THE FUTURE? posted  by  @ angelthoughts  VERIFIEDANGEL

we all know how incredibly busy hiraeth has been in the year of ███.  from performing for their continuously sold-out tour to gracing multiple magazine covers,  appearing in high-profile fashion shows,  and racking up prestigious awards at major ceremonies thanks to the runaway success of their million-selling first full album,  their presence and impact has been nothing short of unstoppable—  even in the face of challenges and rumors!

and with the unreleased songs they’ve teased on tour,  such as vivae’s juno and the main vocalist’s energetic love me like this,  angels and many others have been thrilled to hear more from the group.  but as time passed,  the most exciting news of the year isn’t just the promise of their haunting concept stealing our hearts once again—  it's the individual opportunities that have emerged for each member,  setting the stage for what’s to come next year.

back in february of the past year,  the spotlight was on yvan when it was announced that they would portray this generation’s glinda in the upcoming musical film adaptation of wicked.  this news created a wave of excitement and awe,  especially among fans who have been aware of yvan’s passion for musical theatre and the aforementioned character.  having played roles such as annie,  young cosette,  and others in their youth,  yvan’s casting as glinda feels like a natural yet monumental step in their long resume as an artist.  a video shared by the film’s director showed a teary-eyed yvan expressing heartfelt gratitude when the news was revealed to them,  sobbing,  “thank you so much,  i love her so much  [...]  i promise i will take such a good care of her.”  and now,  with filming set to begin shortly after the tour wraps up,  the anticipation is only growing—  but no one will be as excited as yvan themselves,  of course!

meanwhile,  poppy’s sudden,  and upcoming re-debut as an actress has also been making quite a buzz.  earlier this year,  back in january,  she flew to los angeles for undisclosed reasons,  leaving fans and knetizens speculating as she never acknowledged any of the rumors.  fast forward to october,  and netflix officially confirmed that she will be playing sophie baek,  the female lead in the fourth season of bridgerton.  sophie,  a maid whose literal and figurative masks conceal a mysterious past,  seems like a role tailor-made for someone as enigmatic and captivating as the proclaimed miss korea.  the announcement,  accompanied by a netflix video that immediately went viral,  marks poppy’s first role since her acclaimed portrayal of jang man-wol in hotel del luna in 2022.  the main dancer acknowledged the news and the overwhelming support from angels with a lighthearted message on bubble.

이제 왜 내가 영국식 억양을 연습해 왔는지 알겠지  ㅋㅋ now u know why i’ve been practicing my british accent lol

today,  billboard released their interview with vivi yoo,  the manager of the angels of asia,  who shed light on what’s next for the group she helped rise to the sensation they are today.  “they’ve been in the industry for,  what,  seven years?  it’s refreshing to see them taking on new challenges and opportunities that are meant for them.   [...]   they may need to leave some space in their schedule for the group at some point during the year,  but they’re free to do whatever they’d like,  and we will support their decision to step out of the same old,”  she said.  “it’s exciting to watch [them do their own thing].  yvan’s going big screen,  poppy’s stepping into the hollywood spotlight,  and kaia will be going solo.”

the interviewer expressed surprise at the mention of kaia,  especially since she has long been known for showing no interest in going solo and has been the only member without any updates regarding her career.  vivi laughed off the flood of questions she faced,  offering no answers but casually hinting at her excitement for summer.  this playful tease left all of us speculating about what lies ahead for the group's leader as the first member going solo.

with all of this information in mind,  vivi has just hinted that hiraeth may not be venturing together as a group next year…  at least not in the way we’re used to,  though there will be a moment where they will be coming together,  apparently.  but one thing is clear:  their influence will continue to be felt everywhere—  whether on stage,  the big screen,  or through solo projects.  individually or as a group,  the angels are just getting started,  and i’m sure we’re all excited to see how next year will unfold for our angels!

[mistercrowbar]

heyyy, sorry if this is annoying but I really admire the way you bring Aldiirn to life through your various works (& also found your tips about making comics etc very enlightening) so I figured I may as well at least try asking: how did you get into posting stuff (art, lore, etc) about your own characters to begin with?

I’m sort of new to the general OC-sharing scene and I’m struggling with trying to figure out how to start posting “content” for my characters in a way that will mean other people who aren’t me will be able to appreciate or even just understand anything about them, yknow? Like, it’s really hard to condense information into tasty digestible bits, or know what parts to start with… I know a lot of it is probably just a matter of biting the bullet and getting on with it, but if you have any pointers at all I would really appreciate it because I’ve honestly been tearing my hair out about this for months lol.

I’ve been an OC artist since forever really, I just like the guys in my head and I’m the only one that’s gonna get them out. I got more into comics with D&D and would draw scenes similar to what I’m doing with BG3, though it was a bit harder since obviously no one knows the context of the entire campaign.

BG3 fandom is advantageous since it’s acceptable to insert your little guy into a cast and story a lot of people know, so that gives an audience context to start with. I don’t have to comic out the entire game, just moments where I can put an individual spin on for Aldiirn, and I can piggyback off the fandom to gain an audience.

There isn’t really a one size fits all to OC popularity. There’s OC artists out there who just post pretty pinups and little else and there and their OCs are popular. There’s others who post huge swaths of writing and lore and answer questions and their OCs are popular. Most OC artists I know just keep drawing their guys in standalone images and maybe keep OC biographies to toyhouse or something.

it does help to interact with other creators, hype up other OCs as well as your own. If you’re on Bluesky, there’s usually multiple people doing question of the day for tavs and rooks and wols and OCs in general and those can be a fun point for dripping in lore.

[tsunael]

If there's anyone out there that cares about flower language and symbolism like I do, I made an informal write-up some time ago about the in-game flowers (that you can put in your house) and the different symbolism that they can mean.

I only included the symbolism for the in-game colors and also their general meaning.

Also as a disclaimer these could be incorrect, have contrasting meanings, or have different meanings in different real-world cultures. White chrysanthemums (kiku) are usually a funeral flower in Japan for instance. (My Japanese professor once said they were a faux pas for her to receive in a bouquet!) So your mileage may vary!

Now with added sunflower.

This was simply a fun personal project I made for myself that I thought other people might enjoy as well! So here's a question to answer in the tags:

What flowers would your WoL have in their residence?

Arums (calla lily) 🔷magnificent beauty, feminine modesty

Brightlilies (easter lily) 🔷purity, refined beauty 🔷White: virginity, purity, majesty 🔷Pink: wealth and prosperity 🔷Red: warmth, desire 🔷Yellow: gaiety, falsehood, "I’m walking on air" 🔷Orange: hatred

Campanulas (bellflower) 🔷humility, constancy

Chrysanthemum   🔷cheerfulness, "You’re a wonderful friend" 🔷Red: I love you 🔷White: truth 🔷Yellow: slighted love

Cosmos 🔷harmony, peace, modesty, "the joys that love and life can bring", beautiful

Dahlias 🔷dignity, elegance

Daisies 🔷innocence, beauty

Lilies of the Valley 🔷return of happiness, sweetness, humility, purity

Oldrose 🔷Red: I love you, love, beauty, passion, romance 🔷Blue: mystery, attaining the impossible, love at first sight 🔷White: innocence and purity, "I am worthy of you", reverence 🔷Yellow: decrease of love, jealousy, friendship

Shroud Cherries (cherry blossom) 🔷spiritual beauty, a good education

Tulips 🔷perfect lover, fame 🔷Red: declaration of love, true love, eternal love, romantic love, "believe me" 🔷Yellow: hopeless love, unrequited love, brightness, sunshine 🔷White: ask for forgiveness, purity 🔷Purple: royalty

Hyacinths 🔷sports, games, rashness 🔷Purple: I am sorry, sorrow, "please forgive me" 🔷Red: play 🔷White: loveliness, "I’ll pray for you" 🔷Blue: constancy, sincerity 🔷Yellow: jealousy

Hydrangeas 🔷heartlessness, boastfulness, "You are cold"

Morning Glories 🔷love in vain, affection

Violas (violets) 🔷modesty, faithfulness 🔷Purple: daydreaming, "You occupy my thoughts" 🔷Blue: watchfulness, love 🔷White: candor, innocence 🔷Yellow: rural happiness

Byregotia (begonia?) 🔷Beware

Carnation 🔷fascination, love, distinction 🔷Red: "My heart aches for you", deep love, admiration 🔷White: sweet and lovely, innocence, pure love 🔷Yellow: "You have disappointed me", rejection, disdain 🔷Purple: capriciousness, changeable

Moth Orchid 🔷love, beauty, refinement, beautiful lady

Sweet Pea 🔷departure, good-bye, delicate pleasure, tender memory, blissful pleasure

Triteleia 🔷 They're a North American wildflower also called 'triplet lilies' or 'Ithuriel's spear' which is a reference to John Milton's epic English poem, Paradise Lost. It's about an angel sent by Gabriel to find Satan in the Garden of Eden. Satan, in the form of a toad, is introducing evil suggestions into the ear of Eve when Ithuriel pokes him with a spear. Satan then returns to his true form, "... for no falsehood can endure Touch of Celestial temper, but returns Of force to its own likeness."

So, I can't find any symbolism for this one. Would make a possibly good Halone/Ishgard reference if you wanted to read into it, though.

Sunflower ��� Haughtiness, respect, passionate love, adoration, radiance.

[aotopmha]

Spoiler embargo is up this week, so here's some more elaborate thoughts on the FFXIV 7.2 MSQ:

- I think the most interesting part about Calyx is actually his role in a meta sense.

His character is what literally gave the story a direction to go towards in the future.

I enjoyed Dawntrail myself, but it was largely self-contained, with not many long-term story beats left behind after it beyond the mystery of the Key despite it being "a new start".

I could see Sphene's crown, maybe Mamook's meteors and the Key leading us somewhere (which was indeed the case with the Crown and Key, at least, as far as this patch proved), but Calyx finally gave it a true direction, which I luckily am enjoying so far.

It doesn't even matter if he's a stepping stone to something bigger or the big threat itself or even something else entirely, he is a goal the narrative can work with and move along with and now actually an example of how villains can give a narrative goals which punctuate its progression. A story can have a beginning, middle and end solely based on the arc and motive of the villain.

But I do find disabled villains interesting because limiting agency can in itself make for some really interesting writing. I think these days agency is often mistaken for depth, when in reality an unambigiously competent character can be just as deeply boring as any other.

So if Calyx was burdened by his illness and physically limited for a large chunk of his life, not wanting to suffer, wanting to be strong and wanting to survive would be one obvious and logical reaction.

So my idea is that his real plan, the new question he wishes to answer, is about strength and adaptability. He already figured out immortality, but nothing beyond it.

And we might be looking at a WoL bot fueled by 5000(+, depending on how the dust works out) Alexandrians who really, really don't want to feel any kind of pain or perhaps more specifically, not to die.

Calyx is still in the Ascian ballpark of eugenics and creating a superior race, but he seems to have a different end goal. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if he saw anything ancient-related and went "maybe we could be them, but better".

(Also as I said in another post, I'm happy an Ascian mask didn't pop up anywhere yet, I think they should be/make sense to be addressed in some form at some point, but I'd rather have a break from them for now.)

I also kind of like that he is just kind of a creepy guy with eyebags. A fairly unique villain type for FFXIV. Everyone is very conventionally attractive in this game.

- I think Endless Sphene might be the question I'm most curious about within the mysteries this patch set up.

Is she actually just an AI or is she her own person? The framing around her intrigues me because there is a throughline about memories making a person in this patch.

The characters posit that she is simply a Sphene that learned different lessons from the Real Sphene and I think that kind of narrative always catches my attention because of the nature vs. nurture argument it brings up.

The reality of nature vs nurture is that we're all probably a bit of a mixture of both our genes and experiences, but it sure makes for some fun speculative sci-fi depending on how it is explored.

Same for an AI or any kind of artificial being gaining sentience, feelings or a will of their own.

Living Memory is an insult, but I love me some complicated insults that lead to difficult questions because of shitty people.

This patch also puts 7.0 Sphene (and her many awkward pauses) in a bit of a different perspective because she was clearly being constantly supervised by Calyx.

The simulant version with Calyx seemed like a really obvious modified copy, too.

So, I wonder if Endless Sphene might have more agency than we think?

- I think I already said pretty much all I wanted to say about Real Sphene. It's nice to have clarity regarding her nature and a clearly-defined mini character arc for her within this patch itself.

She is an empathic girl with a pretty well-defined struggle about not belonging in the world she woke up in and a desire to get stronger.

(In a way, she simply seems like the heroic version of Calyx.)

The last part is nice and I "like" her in a general sense, but I also feel like her character doesn't feel particularly unique: she feels like a "standard" romance option in visual novels and I tend to find that archetype pretty uninteresting.

But I am pretty impressed with what was done with her in just a single patch and that I like her regardless.

It's G'raha all over again. Not an archetype I generally find interesting, but done really well.

- The dust is the mystery with the least clues in my eyes.

Since everyone remembers the one who turned into dust, it feels like it was unrelated to Regulators, which is pretty interesting.

Just what could it be?

I associate this kind of dust imagery with the Nier series, actually.

(Spoilers: in that series, it was people turning into salt because that's what an Eldrich goddess made them choose to do. You either obeyed and became a pawn or turned into toxic salt, if I'm not mistaken.)

The story in this patch is in general very sci-fi leaning, but a lot of it reminded very specifically of the Nier series, from the character archetypes to the atmosphere to the thematic interests. I wonder if it was a specific inspiration?

Wouldn't surprise me because of the general Square Enix connection and Yoko Taro having literally worked with the FFXIV team before.

- Calyx's reaction to the Azem crystal was interesting, too. It seems like he had noticed it before and simply wants to learn more about it.

To me the big deal made of the Azem crystal even now is kind of strange because as far as we know since Hydaelyn's power is gone from it, right now it's essentially just a teleportation device.

Yes, it's very important symbolically and yes, Shard travel is a big deal, but Y'Shtola is already working on Shard travel and it feels like almost has it figured out, so at this point it's even feeling a little redundant.

Probably could be misused in the wrong hands, though, especially in conjunction with the Key, which is the more interesting plot device for me because we know less about its full nature.

At the very least, we don't know the full extent of its power.

Because it helps with Shard travel, it's logical there would be a lot of aether in it, but we don't know the true extent of it nor the artifact's function and relation to Azem.

An Auracite was mentioned in a short story with the implication that Azem left it behind, but that's the most we potentially know of it beyond it being able to be used for Shard travel.

(There is also the potential Milala/South Sea Isle connection, but that's also just a small tidbit related to it, so it is very much a bigger mystery to be solved.)

- In a general sense, I just really enjoyed this patch because of this new sense of direction it gave the story.

The narrative also flowed really well, with maybe only a little bit of a pacing dip in the latter half.

We now also have several moving parts connected to various questions and a promise for new thematic concerns.

Just very solid writing in my eyes.

[sebille]

Hi, I was reading some of your posts on Zenos (it’s very early in the morning here sorry if it doesn’t make sense) but how do you think Zenos would react if we show him compassion and care ? True compassion and care? Those things he never received as a child? (I made myself cry while writing this because he is the monster Varis created but what If he was loved to begin with ..)

Hi lovely, thank you for the ask! This is a really difficult question to answer, because other than what we see at the very very very end of Endwalker between him and the warrior of light, we don't really see him around anyone he's built a positive relationship with at all in the game. So i'm just going to ramble on about what we see IN the game and build my conclusions on that: The wol is able to show him an act of compassion in Stormblood, where they're able to tell him that they accept him. However, as we all know he will brush it off and move along - because he doesn't trust the wol to mean what they're saying.

"You and I are one and the same. Together, we could while away the quiet hours, as friend and confidant...if you will accept me?" "-  I accept you." "Heh heh...are we to embrace and let bygones be bygones? Do our deeds weigh so little that you would cast all aside? Come. 'Twas plain for the first how this would end." Slowly but surely throughout the expansions he creates this image of who the wol is in his own head - not really understanding what he himself ACTUALLY wants, while also believing that the wol is his "mirror", that they're one and the same. We see the confusion and desperation in his actions in early Endwalker, when the wol doesn't act the way he believes that they would. And how lost he is after the wol gets genuinely upset with him on the moon. In a sense I'd say that Alisaie yelling at him in Endwalker is an act of care and compassion - and we see how he reacts to that: He takes her words to heart and tries to do and be better. And at the end of Endwalker he trusts the wol completely ( we all know about the legendary line " I take it this is your prey. But why does it still live? Surely it is no match for you?" ) and we all know that he gets really vulnerable at the very end and opens up to the wol in a way he really hasn't before. SO with all that being said... I think it's really difficult to say who he would have been had he been shown compassion and care from the start of his life - because other than what we see from him at the very end of Endwalker, he's in a very negative headspace throughout the whole game. And if we go by what we see at the very end, once he trusts that a person is his friend he's loyal, willing to risk it all for his friend, vulnerable, and perceptive. Had Zenos been allowed to live at the end of EW and therefore would have been able to build an actual relationship with the wol (platonic or otherwise) I feel like he'd be very ride or die for them, lol. Also I don't believe that Zenos is a monster. I know that he's called that at least twice in the game, by Varis and Krile - but I don't trust Varis opinions on Zenos AT ALL. And Krile says that he's got "the eyes of a monster." I believe, and I feel like that's more...him looking dead inside? And we know that AT THAT POINT in stormblood he basically is. ( I think his voice actor said that he's basically at his limits at the start of Stormblood. ) tldr I think calling him a monster is unfair - my man is just depressed. He's done some awful and unforgivable things, however. I feel like I did not answer your question but rather just went on a long ramble-session about Zenos - but I'm sure that my Zenos mutuals/followers could answer this question better than me, or build on what I've already said.

[dawntread]

rare moment of me posting about the blorbo things that happen in my friends' dms rather than the other way around: i'm still crying about that damn orange cat and his goth elezen bestie (who belongs to @tiredassmage)

the tl;dr is they are each other's Answer to "The Question" i.e. venat's question to the wol in elpis. meteor, who represents the beauty and joy and hope in the world. although he does not hold azem's soul, he does hold their crystal and has inherited their legacy and that was by his own choices, not by fate. to shay, meteor is the tender flame of hope needed to salve the burns of the realm's suffering - a strong sword-arm and bitter resolve are not the only things one need's to save the world, although shay brings both and more to the table. he can slay all the gods he wants, but the world's not going to change for the better without a genuine desire and drive for it to be so. so the journey is worth it, yes, because meteor shows him what can be.

but shay is also meteor's answer to the question. because if meteor shows shay What Can Be, shay shows meteor What Is, and that for all the pain, it is still life, and life by its own virtue demonstrates the reason for its continued existence. because, first of all, it's a miracle and a privilege that any of them are alive at all. it's a kind of "bad miracle" or act of divine intervention that they're alive in the way that they are (the sundering). shay is someone who has gone through and bears great pain. it's threaded throughout the way he carries himself and that isn't to say it's All He Is, but that pain is a defining feature. and meteor looks at shay, and who shay is because of those experiences, and he can say too that the journey was worth it, the suffering was worth it, because where would they be, who would they be, if it'd never happened at all.

it's also like ... it'd be a little shallow, if meteor claimed to love the world wholly and only loved the scions of the world - the alphinauds and alisaies and lyses and so on. not to say those guys are Perfect or Non-Messy either, but clearly there's a marked difference between them and, say, thancred, or estinien, or shay. and the world, frankly, has a lot more messy and complicated and even straight up awful people in it than it does good ones.

but meteor will protect this world. he will love this world. that is what he bears even before he takes up azem's crystal. he will take up the burden of loving the world and its people even if they'll bite and curse him for it, and he'll still want the best for them, and expend his breath to see to it that maybe there's one less lonely child, one less broken home, one less injustice, than there was when he found it. and looking at shay reminds him of that promise. reminds him of the answer that the journey was worth it, because he'd rather live in this "world of suffering" than not at all. the journey is worth it by the simple fact he even got to embark upon it at all.

[azems-familiar]

hi! i also don't know the first thing about your wol(s) so far so uhmm... 5 for the oc questions? <3

oho i'll answer this for both my main wols! (they live in separate universes)

5. Did their parents/guardians inspire them on a certain path in life?

for Lelesu, you could say it was the opposite, hahahaha. her parents are upper-class Ul'dahn merchant-nobles, belonging to a social stratum of the very rich who aren't on the Syndicate but could be, potentially, if/when an opening comes up. because of that, Lelesu was raised in the knowledge that she was expected to take over their business when she was an adult, and educated for that possibility. despite an aptitude for magic, she wasn't allowed to study with the thaumaturges. it was directly because of her parents' stifling and controlling behavior that she chose to run away to Limsa Lominsa and become an adventurer, and if she hadn't, she would likely have never become the Warrior of Light!

for Seika, this is also true, in a sense. their adopted father was an Ishgardian elezen, a Temple Knight who participated in the massacre of the Coerthan au ra refugee camp. it didn't sit right with him, and when he found a young child in among the dead, he decided to take them in and raise them as his own, as proof that their dragon scales didn't make them a heretic. he loved them and was kind and caring, and did his best, but he raised them to be a bit of a religious zealot for Halone because he knew if they weren't absolutely perfect they'd be hounded by accusations of heresy their whole life. this zealotry then turned into the perfect weapon for Hydaelyn to twist when She tempered them. so his own actions also directly pushed them onto the path they took.

[alicesadventuresinffxiv]

What are the most popular F/F Final Fantasy XIV ships?

(*on AO3, as of October 13, 2024)

I like writing femslash, so while I was doing the FFxivWrite challenge, I had the thought: wouldn’t it be fun to try writing each of the top 10 most popular FFXIV F/F ships? 

I figured it would be a good way for me to learn to write characters I wasn’t used to, plus hopefully it would mean some of the well-liked but rarely-written pairings would get more fic for them!

But then I ran head-first into the question: what are those F/F ships? I hit some interesting challenges attempting to figure that out, so here’s a post about how I reached my answer!

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First things first: I’m using AO3 stats for this analysis, entirely because AO3 has the most robust searching and filtering tools. Trying to wrangle this kind of analysis on tumblr or twitter would be a nightmare, as much as I’d love to know the answer on those sites!

Second, let’s quickly double check my assumption that F/F ships are indeed rarepairs in this fandom.

Yep, if you’re at all familiar with @centrumlumina's work on AO3 stats (which this analysis is somewhat inspired by ^^;), this is exactly in line with general fandom trends! For reasons that I understand intellectually but not in my heart, F/F fics tend to hover at around 6% of AO3 output overall.

Interestingly, this small slice of femslash makes FFXIV more similar to large, broad fandoms like the MCU or MHA (pictured above), and less similar to other online multiplayer videogame fandoms (pictured below). You might think that given its friendly reputation, FFXIV would attract more women and/or LGBTQ+ players and therefore have a higher proportion of femslash. But nope!

(Admittedly, pitting FFXIV against the fandom that contains Arcane feels a little unfair... :P)

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So alright, with that out of the way, let’s start by doing the obvious thing. Hey AO3, what are the top 10 relationship tags when searching FFXIV on the F/F category?

[Note: Since the Warrior of Light is typically written as the author’s original character - especially in cases with multiple WoLs - I am combining the WoL/WoL and WoL/OC tags together.]

If you’ve been in FFXIV spaces for a while, you probably already guessed the #1 result! But as someone relatively new to the fandom, I was actually quite surprised. None of my previous fandoms had nearly this much focus on original characters!

Indeed, WoL/NPC ships and OC/ OC ships absolutely dwarf the numbers for any NPC/NPC ships, with the exception of the three largest M/M pairings (Aymeric/Estinien, Emet-Selch/Hythlodaeus, and Thancred/Urianger). Also, given that not everyone tags their OCs using either of the WoL or OC tags (ack! please use tags, your works get lost otherwise!)… you can always expect results for OCs to be an undercount. Woah!

Anyway, since WoL ships are so huge, I decided it made the most sense to give them their own list:

Another thing that surprised me is that male characters in FFXIV are so many times more popular than female characters that genderbent M/M pairings will show up in these F/F lists.

And… I wasn’t quite sure how to count those ships in my tallies.

On the one hand, genderbending (not to mention trans headcanoning-ing!) characters is a fun and often subversive way to approach popular ships. More power to everyone doing it!

On the other hand, part of the underlying motivation for my own writing goal was that I wanted to write pairings that fandom somewhat overlooks. 

As such, I went with a compromise: I’m including pairings with canonically male characters in my graphs (those are the pink bars), but I kept the lists going until I reached 10 pairings involving characters who are portrayed as women in the source material.

(There were no nonbinary FFXIV characters which placed on any of my lists, sadly. Apologies to Feo Ul, who is still the loveliest of branches in my heart.)

Other than that caveat, the results here aren’t too far off from my own guesses. Anecdotally, I’d seen that a lot of WoLs are self-inserts for their players, so it makes sense that typical WoL ships are with NPCs that are generally considered to be attractive by the fanbase. Correspondingly, the Reader/Character fics that are somewhat common in other fandoms don’t even rank on these lists, which might suggest WoL/NPC ships are largely fulfilling that niche.

(Something something, FFXIV is a dating sim with combat, in this essay I will…. :P)

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Anyway, WoL ships are nice, but what I actually wanted to write were NPC/NPC ships. So let’s add a bunch more excludes to the filtering… and…

Hm. That's interesting. There's a bunch of F/F ships that I know I’ve seen fic and art for that are missing from this list!

Out of curiosity, I did a few searches specifically on these missing pairings, in case they were so rarely tagged as purely F/F (or so commonly shipped alongside a WoL ship) that trying to find them via excludes didn’t work. These were:

Alisaie/Tesleen (20 total, 13 tagged F/F)

Krile/Tataru (14 total, 7 tagged F/F)

Ysayle/Heustienne (5 total, 5 tagged F/F)

Wuk Lamat/Sphene (4 total, 4 tagged as F/F)

[Note: The first number is what I used during the writing challenge last month… which is how I ended up putting Krile/Tataru over Lucia/Hilda. Oops! But the second number is more in line with the rest of the analysis here, so I will use that going forward.]

Seems my expectations were flat-out incorrect! Of these four, only Alisaie/Tesleen makes the top ten. Meanwhile Wuk Lamat/Sphene is a pairing consisting of very new characters... so perhaps it will grow over time!

Right then, let's add Alisaie/Tesleen in, and while we're at it, let's run direct searches on all the potential candidates rather than using excludes to ensure no fics are getting needlessly thrown out.

With those adjustments in place... I reached my final top ten!

Not bad! Predictably, pairings that get more focus in canon (Gaia/Ryne and Sadu/Cirina) tend to place high, as do pairings involving Y’shtola (since she’s a very popular character overall). 

As a Lyse-enjoyer, I found Lyse getting 3/10 spots on the list to be pretty funny, as was the heavy presence of Stormblood characters! Apparently I’m not the only one who thought StB was a good expansion for lesbians. :D

There are also a few pairings here that I hadn’t ever considered before doing this analysis. But hey, that was the point of making the list! And trying to figure out the dynamics for pairings I didn’t usually ship did indeed turn out to be a fun writing exercise last month.

So what do you all think, tumblr? Did the results surprise you like they did me? Or did I overlook a pairing that really deserved to be included?

In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading this analysis!

[eemamminy-art]

Hi!

For the ship questions, could I ask a few? You can answer for SDV or FF - whichever you'd prefer (especially if they're repeats of one fandom or the other)

• what is your absolute favorite ship?

• is there a ship you used to ship, but don't anymore?

(and a bonus maybe, what's a meme/quote that reminds you of Malex? >:3c )

Sorry if any of these were already asked! Hope you have a good day bestie 😤✌️

what is your absolute favorite ship?

I think this is something that changes over time, not a forever favorite like you'd have a favorite color!

I think probably unsurprisingly, at the moment I'm most focused on OC stuff :3 So in sdv that's malex, and in ffxiv that's leigh with my partner's wol! I've really entered my OC loving era again and I feel like I'm thriving because of it 🥰

Honorary mentions though go to: - Marupenny - Sambastigail - Fordolyse - Zenoswol - Estimeric (duh. Those last three are some of my forever faves but I've had them on the back burner lately. But get me going about them and I WILL gush and kick my feet!)

is there a ship you used to ship, but don't anymore?

This one had me racking my brain a little bit because it's not often that I stop shipping something once I get into it. But there are some instances where it did happen!

The main one I can think of is from final fantasy 8, when I was a teenager I was really into the pairing of Selphie and Irvine. I have bad associations with it now due to some trauma I suffered at the time, so while I still love both characters separately and have tried to make the ship mine again years later, I just can't bring myself to do it 😭

(and a bonus maybe, what's a meme/quote that reminds you of Malex? >:3c )

Omg okay actually I do have something in mind for this... and the millennial girlies will know what I mean.. This line that Blaine says to Kurt in glee, when they first get together?

"There is a moment when you say to yourself, 'Oh! There you are. I've been looking for you forever.' "

dieddd deadddd dyinggggg I've always been so obsessed with that scene, and also with the one earlier on in the same episode where Blaine has his aha moment while Kurt is singing and his expression slowly changes and he's like ohhhh fuck I'm in love with my best friend oh my god okay this is happening!! This one right here:

Like tell me that's not the way Alex looks at Mal when he's lost in his own head gdshjghjds ANYWAYYYY I'm not exaggerating when I say this show did irreparable damage to my psyche (positive) lol this is the reason why Chris Colfer's cover of "Blackbird" is on my malex playlist! The exact reason!!

Thank you for sending me these, Kat!!! You're the best!! 🥰💛💛💛

Ship asks

[mmorpg-escapism]

Well, I was right. The credits are rolling. The sun is rising over Living Memory, finally. I still have questions but I imagine we'll get some of them answered in the 7.x patches.

Lots of little reveals here. Bakool Ja Ja survived the invasion and joined the Landsguard. WoL gets to keep the key. Gulool Ja gets introduced to Everkeep's people, right after the news is broken that Sphene is dead.

(Per the credits here, Otis' VA is not the same as Hien's as I mused earlier. Just me hearing things...)

Ah we don't get to participate (in quests) in the 3 day party? Rats.

I like the references to the trailer that are going on in this scene. It's great.

I also like that they left some things open to the post Dawntrail stuff. It's gonna take me a while and probably a review of my own liveblog to figure out what the questions I have are. And I'll probably post a true summary of my thoughts at some point...

And I'll definitely pick this back up for the post-DT patches. I think my next stop is going to be dragging all my job levels up to 100, though... I still have to learn PCT!

[eorzeanpages]

Hi I'm Going To Talk About A Shadowbrings Song: "Tomorrow and Tomorrow" (With Bonus Endwalker Spoilers)

I'm going to go through a breakdown of "Tomorrow and Tomorrow" bc I got on the topic elsewhere and it's driving me crazy Spoilers for both Shadowbringers and Endwalker

For whom weeps the storm Her tears on our skin The days of our years gone Our souls soaked in sin

This feels like it's talking about Hydaelyn and the Sundering, especially in light of the cutscene from Endwalker where Venat says, "All is excruciating pain. I breathe fire and torment. I birth a world of suffering to mire and plague. In one fleeting moment, lives come and go. Ever moving towards the unknown. And in that fleeting moment, they cry for the answer to the question: Why, given life, are they meant to suffer. To die..."

These memories ache with the weight of tomorrow

For the souls who were Sundered - those who hear Hydaelyn's call - there seems to be something... haunting about it. Pains with no source, no memory. You see this in the way people reacted to Elidibus's initial meteor storm and the mirage of Amaurot. They want to cry but don't know why.

Who fights?

It's always the Warrior of Light, isn't it? And, from the slight bit of information we know about Azem, it seems to have always been them as well.

Who flies?

I think this is G'raha, always headlong into something. To the Crystal Tower, through time and the rift, to gather your Light and throw himself away. Running towards as well as running from.

Who falls?

This seems to be very blatantly Emet-Selch, but it can also be the Warrior of Light, who fails his test to contain the power of the Lightwardens, and Azem, who failed to stop the final days.

Stand tall my friend May all of the dark lost inside you find light again

This is everyone, to an extent. G'raha to the WoL, the WoL to G'raha, the WoL to Emet-Selch, and Azem to Emet-Selch. By the time of ShB, everyone has lost so much and are longing for a better world.

In time tumbling, turning we seek amends

I think to an extent this is Emet. I think by the Qitana Ravel, he knows it will come down to him vs the WoL. It mirrors him vs. Azem in the original Final Days. I think he's honest about not wanting to fight you. I think he desperately wants to find some semblance of Azem in you.

This is also G'raha, having built up a century of lies to try to save both the First and the Souce, manipulating the WoL and Scions for the purpose. This is why I think it's G'raha that's Emet's narrative foil, not the WoL.

Eternal winds to the land descend Our journey will never end

This is a sentiment expressed right before the final battle with Emet by the Scions, but also said by Emet in the battle with Hermes in Endwalker. Both saying that no singular person should have the power to decide the fate of civilization (oh the irony there)

From those who've fallen to those who arise A prayer to keep us ever by your side An undying promise that we just might Carry on in a song

This is 100% an expansion of Emet at the end of Dying Gasp. It's further shown in the post-patch content with Hythlodaeus and the gathering of the Convocation memory crystals that Emet left for you. He has nothing to offer you but memories.

Pray don't forget us, your bygone kin With one world's end does a new begin And should our soul scatter onto the wind Still we shall live on

This is more of Emet, but with a different focus. He tells the WoL, in his own way, that the WoL is kin to the Ancients, and that as long as people continue to live, and the memories of the Ancients spoken, that legacy will continue indefinitely.

Stand tall my friend May all of the dark deep inside you find light again

This can be read two ways

The first and probably most obvious is the WoL to G'raha, who has endured over a century of heavy burdens, and feels that he is unworthy of the WoL's kindness.

The second is Azem to Emet-Selch. In the cutscene post Hades battle, Emet's poor posture is noticeably absent. This is also when "Tomorrow and Tomorrow" starts playing. This is a minor detail but I quite like the implications.

This time, tumbling, turning we make amends

By giving up the fight he had resigned himself to early on in your adventures, Emet is... not quite apologizing (I don't think he know how tbh), but saying with his actions that the fighting is stopping. By giving you the Azem stone, he's also setting Elidibus up for failure, even before stepping into the arena himself.

This, too, is G'raha's time to make amends. At the end of the conflict with Elidibus, he goes back to the Source with you and is allowed a new, better life. "It's good to be awake" echoes in my mind when I hear this line.

Eternal winds from the land ascend Here to lift us that we won't end

The WoL are the winds here. The WoL is bringing change, holding the memories of the Ancients alive, as the WoL holds the memories of everyone who's fallen.

There's a relevant quote from the Discworld book "Going Postal" that resonates with me and the themes of ShB: "Do you not know that a man is not dead as long as his name is still spoken?"

Anyway, that's my weird essay and how I personally see "Tomorrow and Tomorrow," a song about death, life, and legacy.

[cantspelldragoonwithoutgoon]

I don't know your wols at all (yet) so 17 for the oc questions?

Is there a particular NPC you could save or alter their canon fate or death? Did your oc change this for them?

Oh OUGH. *cracks knuckles* i think this is more interesting for Eclaire than Haru, since she's a healer and therefore might have had more opportunities to try and save people - in theory at least. (also i have rotated her more in this regard ^^°)

beware, wall of text incoming

Some instances in the story are a bit weird for me to accept from a healer perspective without a little bit of mind gymnastics tbh. (even though or more because I generally don't like breaking canon too much, i don't know why either) The Vault for example. My headcanon is that the WoL-squad around Kaylah (my friend's oc, Warrior of Light, capital W) did a very smart (not) thing and split up the party, sending Eclaire with the team that searched for Aymeric. As a result she arrived at the roof later than the others. On top of that she is still very much struggling with her own recently disturbed aether balance at that time and is simply not powerful enough to save Haurchefant.

Edda as well... oh Edda. If only they had been closer and interacted more I like to think Eclaire might have taken Edda under her wing a bit and maybe helped her get away from this abusive relationship she was stuck in with her entire party. But alas, she can only focus on so much at once, especially in the beginning of her adventuring career and she's kinda busy with keeping her own adventuring teenager whom she's following around (Kaylah, just out of her teens actually) alive (and also squinting at those mega sus Scions)

Anyway, if you have read so far and got the suspicion i keep on rambling just to avoid talking about Elidibus you would be correct. She tried! She tried so hard to make him stray from this path he set for himself! (Shadowbringers patch times were very much her I Can Fix Him Era) But she can't. In the end they both chose (perceived/expected/self assigned) duty over whatever the heck is going on between them. That kind of melodrama is unfortunately how she rolls. (i blame this mostly on Ishgardian Upbringing TM)

But then The Events in Endwalker times just keep dangling him in front of her like the ghysal greens on a stick in front of the fat chocobo (and caused me the player physical pain) I really do want to give them a chance and fish him from the aetherial sea, you know? I don't know how (yet?) but i would like them to get to be Just Some Guys (gender neutral) who try to figure out what they actually mean to each other without some imminent doom hanging overhead - and be a little silly along the way. I think this would be a chance for both of them to learn that it's okay to want things for themselves and not always put a (real or perceived) "greater good" before personal wishes.

I don't know if these rambles even answer the question at all, oopsie. The more i keep typing the more i realise i don't really have a clear answer in a set narrative, just ideas in either direction about how these scenarios might work out. That said, AU/canon divergence where Themis comes back after the Pandaemonium storyline is what comes to mind first in regards to reversing canon deaths q.q

@azems-familiar thank youuuu! 💜 ik we've found each other on this here site like 10 minutes ago but omg you immediately hit my rambling buttons! i'm sorry this kinda got out of hand, i was actually pondering this question over multiple days.

[berryzawati]

Rambling about wolnpc....

One of the reasons why I'm so deep into multishipping hell with my wol is that I love genuinely love exploring dynamics with different npcs. FFXIV throws so many awesome npcs at me, how can I just stick with one or two?

Ok, there's also the fact that she fell in love twice and the first time her lover died and the second time, the guy was already dead BUT...

As far as canon goes Layla had a whirlwind romance with Haurchefant. They fell in love fast and the romance ended just as fast at the Vault. It was a very cliched romance, Haurchefant swept Layla off her feet. Often literally. He was very affectionate with her and often times Layla was a bit shy, especially when they are in public. But she loved him just as much.

Her love for Ardbert was doomed due to the fact that he was already dead and not from the Source. Ardbert fell in love with Layla during Shadowbringers too but denied his feelings for her until the very end.

Layla felt like Ardbert was truly her soulmate and often wonders if she would feel similar about the other Azem shards. By then, Layla overcame her timidly and often persued Ardbert romantically and Ardbert was often unsure how to react to her advances - all the while he slowly fell for her. Also I constantly think of newlywed AUs for them lmfao

Layla and Leofard are friends with benefits but on a non-sexual level, they enjoy each other's company a lot. Leofard understands that Layla comes from a very different background and starts to banter with her accordingly. I call their dynamics charming rogue x graceful, courtly fighter.

Layla may act as if Leofard's teasing bothered her a little but deep down she appreciates him as a dear, dear companion. Someone who understands that the world is vast and that there is still so much for them to discover...

When it comes to non-canon ships, I'm afraid this is where my brainrot truly shines. I ship my wol with so many npcs, I sometimes even forget which minor msq/general npc I ship my wol with. It do be like that. Though these days I often think of job/role quest npcs.

As someone who ADORES job quest npcs, I was extremely sad that the stopped doing them in Shadowbringers.

Some of my favorites include:

Gransonwol. They're both tanks and they both lost a loved one. In my mind, Layla and Granson lick each other's wounds and get closer in the progress. Their personalities don't clash at all and they go well together.

But Granson is from the First and Layla is from the Source. Not only are they griefing but it is hard to deal with physical distance. This often leads to conflicts between them. Will they be able to overcome this? Who knows...

Oborowol. The first thing I think when I think of Layla and Oboro was how when she became a ninja, Oboro asked her to teach him about the culture of Eorzea. But Layla is not a native of Eorzea either! I think this may have lead to funny moments to them, Layla loves helping people, so she often answered all the question.

The second thing is:

Oboro's Zadnor field note gave me a lot inspiration. Layla may be experienced in all things romance but she can get pretty bashful and lets her partner lead. Oboro however is not really experienced, so she waits a long time for him to make a move on her. So, here's a rare case of Layla often taking charge in the relationship. Oboro is often thankful but eventually overcomes his own shyness, methinks.

Widargeltwol. Probably the ship that is connected to Layla's lore the most, even more than her canonical ships. Layla is half Ala Mhigan and her Ala Mhigan mother is one of the last surviving monks. This had a huge impact on Layla growing up. Growing up her mother strictly trained her to become a monk but Layla could not open a chakra despite her apititude for fighting and her strong body.

It wasn't until she met Widargelt during the first monk job quest that she opened her first chakra. Widargelt realized her potential and made plans to use her for his revenge against the Garleans (as shown during the ARR MNK job quests). I love this because during A Realm Reborn, Layla felt connected to the Ala Mhigans and started to see herself as an Ala Mhigan more and more.

So, queue in the angst when during the level 50 quest, Widargelt tried to kill her. Layla quickly became fond of Widargelt, so her heart broke after this but during the Heavensward quests they've mended their relationship fast. Even in the canonical timeline in which they don't end up together, Layla sees Widargelt as one of the most precious person she has met during her journey.

It is worth noting that Layla has kept her mother's identity hidden but after the events of the last ARR MNK quests, Layla confessed to Widargelt and Erik that her mother was a monk as well. They were the first people, Layla has told about her mother.

I think out of all my ships, this one is the one I'd label a slowburn. They saw each other as siblings in monkhood first but I also think that their romance is also a very smooth one once they realize their feelings. No need for big words, both know very well that the other has nothing but love in their heart. But first steps are hard...

[memoriesofgelmorra]

FFXIVWrite Prompt 14: Telling

General spoilers for DT, but nothing directly about canon and lore. Just introducing some details that deal with my own WoL's story!

While Chantelle was unlikely to stick around Tural as a permanent adviser for The Dawnservants, Traveler that she was, while the matters at hand required to stay and explore the region? Well, she was more than willing at the moment to answer the relevant questions that she could answer. Her role as The Warrior of Light, and her livelihood as an experienced Bard meant she had insights others simply hadn’t been able to develop yet. Many experiences, many traumas…

Nevertheless, Chant was unlikely to turn down an informal meeting when it was half working lunch. (Tural’s varied cuisine was both new and delicious to her) When the Dawnservants were new friends and The Scions fire forged friends, discussions were either extremely productive… Or extremely not. The conversations between Shtola and Thancred alone that had derailed debates…

She wasn’t immune to noticing the upturn of Thancred’s mouth when Koana had asked , “Miss Chantelle, you have much experience with Ishgard and its government, correct?” She had given him a pointed look before she thought to remark, and it looked that at least Shtola had tilted her head towards him with the same type of expression. She may have caught the tail end of rolled eyes from Urianger even.

Koana and Wuk Lamat had noticed -something-, but she had a made a little wave to relax any assumptions. They too had sibling language, after all.

“Yes, I do!”, Chantelle replied. “I became well acquainted with The Temple Knights during my stay in Ishgard, and Aymeric de Borel is still a good friend. I also have friends and acquaintances among the folks of Dravania, the Sea of Clouds and the Churning Mists! And of course, I have the same among the High Houses of Ishgard as well. House Hailleinarte and Fortemps foremost among them.”

“Oh yes, your relationship with House Fortemps is quite telling.”, drawled Thancred. Within a moment of the comment, Urianger had sighed in resignation, Y’shtola had stepped on his foot and Chantelle had deigned to throw one of her wadded napkins at his face. In that order.

“Ummmm, what?”, Wuk Lamat stated. “I feel like I’m missing some context here.”

Koana had cleared his throat. “Chantelle and the new Count Fortemps, Artoirel de Fortemps are in a relationship, correct?” At her nod, he continued. “That much was known in Old Sharlayan.”

“Figures as much.”, Chantelle shrugged. “With my adventuring and my dear Artoirel’s time being managed by House matters and being in the House of Lords of a new republic, we’re effectively betrothed. The only condition upon eventual bonding is that Edmont be in well health when we do have a ceremony.” She took a bite of her taco before continuing. “At least being the Warrior of Light is useful at these times. Sorry, can’t attend this gala, world to save!”

The table tittered with laughter as her comment registered among the group. “Now, I assume you had a reason to ask, Vow Koana? Besides teasing about my love life, like a certain rogue turned gunbreaker of ours?”

“Ah, yes.”, said Koana as he leaned in seriously. “Given that Tulliyolal allied with Rad-at-Han, how open would Ishgard potentially be about a similar alliance?”

Chantelle smiled, from one that morphed from joy to a look more familiar on those who enjoyed political debate. “Let me tell you, Vow, about a conversation Artoirel and I had before I left for the Rite of Succession….”

[gardenofballads]

Please note: I am, vicariously, currently up to patch 5.2, having watched my partner finish SHB. I will not interact with EW content to not only avoid spoilers, but will try to tag expansions in order to help others avoid them too!

Welcome to my blog! This is where I document the life and times of my Final Fantasy 14 characters. I have a many that will all be featured here to some degree, but with a focus on my main WoL, Trya Papaya, my Dunesfolk Lalafell! I’m mainly a PS4 player so 99% of my screenshots will be vanilla but I'll do my best! I'm also an artist and plan to draw her and the rest of the gang so that's something you can hopefully look forward to! FAQs and more info under the cut.

Eventually, I plan to write out bios for all of my characters, but Trya will be my starting point!

Trya’s look varies a lot between expansions, so I’ll differentiate her looks in the tags! Also, I’ll answer some quick easy questions in this pinned post for easy access:

What is/are Trya’s main class(es)?

As she is my main I plan to eventually level them all, but her canon classes are currently as follows -

MNK | Main | DPS | A Realm Reborn

DRK | TNK | Heavensward

SAM | DPS | Stormblood

Shadowbringers TBA!

How do I pronounce her name?

Trya: Trai·uh [Pronounced like Try-a]

Papaya: puh·pai·uh [Literally like the fruit!] Starting as a joke, her name is meant to be a play on Try a papaya, while also still following the Lalafellan naming/rhyming conventions!

Is Trya your only Warrior of Light?

Trya is a bit of an unconventional case in my book. While I don't see her as the Warrior of Light—that title aptly belonging to my fiancée's character, Tsinaan Do'koor—she is a Warrior of Light that is affected by the Echo, much like Ardbert and his party. We have built the world together where she, and many of my other characters, are strongly tied to Tsinaan and have also been given the Echo to varying degrees. Tsinaan’s Echo is the most powerful or ‘complete’ of the group, but has the most drastic side effects.

The current known members influenced by the Echo are:

Trya Papaya

Cvetko Zorasch Petalpaw*

Zana'tan Chai**

Kinkaze Saizo

Tsinaan Do’koor* *owned by my fiancee **joint character(s) between my fiancee and I

Thank you for stopping by and visiting! Let’s get to know each other and explore Eorzea together, I’m always open to make friends, gush about our silly characters and the FF14 story, and everything in between!