#and ishgard. obviously.

[thefreelanceangel]

I never thought I'd see so much heated debate about rock salt crossing my dashboard, but here we are in the Year of Our Lord 2024

[vixlenxe]

@s1lxcs said: //cat boi as much as he loves the flowers & nature & stuff, that same thing ivy feels is a thing. he needs that excitement & that rush of adventures & fights, he feels so restless if always staying still.

"I'm sure Tiff wouldn't mind if I steal Raha for an adventure or two."

"... Or you could just... take me with you? I don't really have anything in Cortheas that makes me want to stay."

[sunshineevee]

god i really love video game soundtracks, they really just make me feel things. Some can even just make me cry on the spot, they're filled with emotion and mean alot to me.

[tritoch]

i know a lot of people (very understandably) dislike the paladin job quests in ffxiv, particularly HW, but i do think it's fun that, now that the pre-ShB MSQ revamp is complete, paladins now have a very cool and thematic in-game storyline that happens without a word being spoken: the development of passage of arms.

none of the below is directly stated in the script, but imo it's a fairly obvious gloss on what the game presents, if you assume a paladin warrior of light. spoilers for all expansions through the end of 6.X.

in the new version of steps of faith, as vishap breaks through each ward protecting ishgard from attack, lucia mounts a final desperate effort to hold him back, with a very familiar looking animation:

but even lucia can't hold back vishap's flame alone, so the temple knights surge forward to assist her. their efforts make the shield visually more powerful and larger. the temple knights here band together in defense of ishgard, and their knightly resolve to protect their home is the difference between victory and defeat.

lucia and the knights do ultimately succeed in defending the last ward, as you have to defeat vishap before their shield falls or you lose.

later in heavensward, obviously, we will get ffxiv's most famous (failed) attempt at blocking something with a shield.

this moment can be read as fairly impactful on the warrior of light's development; as i've noted elsewhere, after the trauma of watching haurchefant bleed out in their arms at level 57, at level 58 paladins learn to channel their magic into healing (and it's called "clemency," or mercy. mercy for whom? who was guilty?), and as someone pointed out on that post, at level 58 dark knights used to get "sole survivor", letting them heal in response to a marked target's death.

for a time, you literally carry haurchefant's shield with you, and 3.3 very much literalizes in genre fashion the idea that even when you are standing alone, your fallen friends stand with you. you don't need to call any allies to stand at your side and raise their shields with you because they are already there, in spirit.

stormblood marks a pretty important turning point in the warrior of light as a combatant, in my opinion, and the text makes this clear in several ways. first, in pretty much all your jobs, you've now far exceeded your trainers and are pioneering new techniques. this is no less true of paladin, which for 60-70 abandons any trainers at all for you to show off your peerless skills in a tournament.

second, stormblood is straight up a story about you getting stronger. at level 61, zenos kicks your ass. at level 70, you kick his ass. why? because you fought and got stronger and developed incredible new techniques and became a one-man army.

for a lot of classes, this story lines up nicely with the big rotation changes or flashy new finishers on the way from 60 to 70. SMN is now busting out bahamut and casting akh morn; RDM gets verflare and verholy; DRG starts harnessing nidhogg's power directly through dragon sight and nastrond.

the tanks are divided in two: warriors and gunbreakers get huge damaging upgrades at 70 in the form of inner release and continuation, each of which lets them hit the same button many times for lots of damage and satisfying animations. paladin and dark knight get more protective abilities; dark knight gets the blackest night, and there's been plenty said about that already by pretty much everyone.

paladins get passage of arms. instead of a relentless new attack (and you get requiescat at 68, which is a way bigger deal for your dps rotation), your big reveal at 70 for zenos in your fight in ala mhigo is a superior way to protect your party, a shield that lets you stand for your allies so they never have to fall for you again. it's lucia's same shield, except you need no allies' shields to reinforce you, proof of your martial prowess and your ability to transcend limits, and perhaps in truth a reminder that you never really stand alone.

in many respects passage of arms should really feel like a paladin signature move to you now if you are playing it at this point, because you should be popping it in pretty much every fight (you are using your mits, right...?). basically every FFXIV fight has at least one big AOE with downtime that warrants passage of arms usage, usually after the mid-fight add phase with slowly filling bar. since that AOE usually drops during downtime, there's no reason not to pop passage of arms (which otherwise restricts your movement and actions), and even on normal, sometimes every little bit counts on a damage check even if it means dropping DPS (thinking here of harrowing hell P10N on release, which was...less consistent for a lot of roulette parties than you might hope).

so from 70 onward, passage of arms is in a sense a paladin warrior of light's signature move, and certainly the one a player gets to most actually enjoy (since if you're using it, you're by necessity not doing anything besides moving your camera and admiring your sick animation). it doesn't have any competition in terms of spectacle until confiteor, and those you're usually throwing out in the middle of movement.

it's such a signature, in fact, that the only other person shown using your one-person version of passage of arms is your greatest admirer, who studied your legend for over a century.

and it's when he fails (should've popped arm's length, bud) that the warrior of light decides they can't let their friends fall for them, and sends them away with the transporter beacon. this is all wrong: you were meant to die for them, not the other way around. yours is the shield that stands between your allies and defeat. it is you who will win this passage of arms and break your opponents lance. and you do.

and then later, when they need to quickly establish zero's domain as a place of fallen grandeur, the home of someone who once believed in heroes but is now a cool and cynical vampire hunter d, what do they use? a decayed statue of someone in the paladin endwalker gear doing the passage of arms animation, of course.

from a visible instantiation of knighthood as a joint effort to defend what is sacred, to a tribute to the fallen friends whose memories stand by you and animate you, to a symbol of the wol's power as emulated by their allies or darkly mirrored in other shards.

not bad for a mit button you hit once per fight and otherwise never think about!

[haunted-xander]

I think one of the (several) reason for why Shadowbringers is so good is because the narrative is more about the individual characters than it is the Greater Conflict.

Like, the Greater Conflict is definitely there, obviously, it's what keeps the story going, but the focus is always on the people, much more so than the other expacs. HW and STB also have some level of character focus ofc, but it's very selective and even then the focus is based on them in the specific context of the current conflict.

But in SHB, the story bends around the characters' narratives, rather than the other way around. The story forms to put them in situations that challenges their flaws and limitations, by forcing them to confront it and actually deal with it. Even just at the very beginning, you see the twins being dealt a terrible hand that very neatly clashes against their faults.

Alisaie is confronted with a situation that she can and could never do anything about. She has no means to help the patients (at the time at least). The only way for her to help them is by eradicating the source of the affliction itself: the Light. But the Light isn't just some Big Bad she can kill and be done with. Even when all the lightwardens are down the Light is still there, it's just more manageable. Alisaie learns to not only see the bigger picture, but to care for it for her own reasons. For all that she has participated in Big Operations, it has always been because that's what others were doing, what others cared for to be done. She feels for the people of Doma and Ala Mhigo, but she didn't set out to liberate their homelands because she has any personal investment in it. But other people do, and she cares about what other people- be they strangers or friends- care about.

Caring about other peoples feelings and opinions isn't a flaw by itself of course, but doing things without any sense of personal purpose, is. This is what SHB helps her fix and confront, because it is personal now, she does it because she cares.

Alphinaud is forced into a situation where diplomacy and negotiations does and would never work. He can't talk himself into Eulemore, and he sure as hell can't convince Vauthry or the free citizens to let go of their life of ignorant luxury. The problem here also isn't as straightforward as a corrupt ruler, because even after Vauthry is revealed for the bastard he is, it takes considerable effort and convincing to get them to get off their asses and get to work. It's one thing to change the minds of people who wanted the same outcome just in a different way (like Ishgard- they rejected unity with the dragons, but they still wanted an end to the war), but it's another thing entirely to convince people that another way of life is even worth it.

And this is what SHB teaches Alphinaud, that words and deeds can achieve much, but that there is much more to diplomacy than appealing to their wants and/or sensibilities to convince them of an alternative outcome. His development may not be as immediately noticable as some of the others (largely bc he had a lot of it already from HW), but it is still very much there.

Urianger's development had already been build up and sort-of started already, but we don't really get to see it until it near explodes in his face after we kill Vauthry. Even after he swore off secrecy, he's forced to confront his morals when the Exarch bids his assistance. Urianger has always been looking at the greater picture, to the point he'd almost lose himself in it if it wasn't for the overwhelming guilt he feels. He works with the Exarch, because he knows he's the only one capable of it, and he hates the very fact that he is. When the climax of the plan is about to be executed, he is pained to the point that even he can't mask it anymore. He has betrayed their trust once more and once more it will result in the death of a friend.

But it doesn't, and that's what's needed for him to confront himself. As terrible and unexpected as the circumstances around it was, it did show him that there are other ways. There is no one way to solve a problem, the first choice doesn't need to be the only one. And he would find those other ones of he had just talked to the others.

The pay-off doesn't quite come until EW, where we see him actively make the choice to go against his first instinct of acquiesing to the Loporrits' plans, and instead chooses to consult us, but that scene wouldn't have made sense or even happened had it not been for his development in SHB.

Now, Y'shtola is a bit of an odd one because while she does get her due focus, she doesn't quite get the same amount of development as the others. Rather, it shows how she thrives when not held back by others interests and (often somewhat needless) bounderies. Her intelligence and charisma have the chance to shine, her independence and confidence now rewarded rather than punished. In ARR, she is constantly annoyed by the Maelstroms way of dealing with things, and how no one bothers to actually listen to her. Her advice and reprimands are almost entirely ignored until the problem blows up in their faces and they have no choice but to concede that she was right.

Being independent and confident aren't flaws by themselves, but her sometimes aggressive approaches to telling others off does her few favors. In SHB, she has the Night's Blessed who actually heed her word and respect her, they listen to her and actually take what she says- be it advise or reprimand- to heart.

She does also, however, have to deal with Thancred who, much like the Maelstrom, ignores her reprimands and doesn't listen to her. The difference here is that her bluntness actually serves a purpose. In ARR, her bluntness lacks tact and meaning, simply a result of frustration. The Maelstrom won't listen to someone who doesn't come up with fleshed-out arguments and solutions, but Y'shtola doesn't bother giving them any until she knows they'll listen. But with Thancred, she does give him the solution. It's just that the solution is him. His words, to be precise, and his acceptance. And he needs to be reminded of that, and she does. It doesn't automatically solve anything, but that's simply how it is with complicated situations like that.

Speaking of Thancred, his narrative is probably the most important of all for SHB. He's always been shown as a capable, but ultimately self-destructive man who genuinely does not know how to deal with himself in a healthy manner. Theoretically speaking he knows, he recognizes that he is self-destructive, but he still has no idea how to actually fix it. It's been shown as early as ARR when it results in him getting possessed, but it's not really made a point of until it almost ruins his relationship with Ryne. Up until now he could just ignore his problems, but with Ryne he can't because now The Problem(s) aren't just his anymore. Anything that would hurt him now would also hurt her, meaning that if he wants to continue doing the one thing he actually cares about (protecting his loved ones) then he needs to get his shit together.

But Thancred doesn't know how to. And for all that his friends try and try to help him, he doesn't know how to. He's paralyzed. Thancred is so deep into his self-destructive habits that it takes the threat of both his and the person(s) he loves the most in the worlds deaths to get him into action. He doesn't know if it's Minfilia or Ryne who will return, and I'm not sure he expected to survive Ran'jit. He only has this chance, and if he wants to die without (as many) regrets he has to do something now.

And he does. He does and what it is he does is tell Ryne that whatever happens, it has to be her own choice. That he will accept any outcome, that he will still care about her no matter what, that as long as she lives or dies as she wants to, that he still loves her. He still loves her. And it works, because that's what he's needed to do all this time, to be able to just tell her that she matters. That he cares.

He tells her to live her own life, and he learns to live his own too.

[autumnslance]

Gridania vs the Elementals

Had a bit of a grouse on Twitter after seeing a decent take with a buncha of real not decent replies. Transcript of the tweets:

ARR inherited the mess in Gridania from the 1.0 team, no idea how to fix it, so ignore it.

It's also clear it's mostly a People problem, not the utterly alien blue-orange morality Elementals the folks who live in the Shroud adapt to living with (& corrupt folks use as excuses).

The Elementals are obviously not policing every detail of folks' lives & barely comprehend mortals as seen several times. When they lash out it's cuz they sense a threat they don't understand. Hence the need for Padjal & Hearers. Who are people & make mistakes or are corruptible.

Assuming the Elementals are evil or cruel for the hell of it is grossly misunderstanding the alien horror aspect of the Shroud & the druidic story of the Padjal. Nature isn't all kind & fluffy. The Elementals aren't even personified nature; they're aspects of it that can react.

The trouble in Gridania always comes from people mistreating each other, & sometimes that includes making claims about the Elementals. It's the same as corrupt priests in Ishgard or Monetarists in Ul'dah. Using authority for personal gain. It's explicit in the StB LTW quest.

I'd love to see Gridania get a glowup the way the other city-states have. I don't expect it to happen. Mostly I wish for it so maybe a fraction of folks would grasp slightly better the concepts of corrupt authorities vs alien nature elements.

I also once wrote a lot more about "why doesn't Kan-E just fix it?" as if it's that easy. https://autumnslance.tumblr.com/post/625180125899669504/the-seedseers-privilege

What happened in the EW Tank quest was cuz the Elementals couldn't tell who was at fault or why. They do not understand mortals or their reasons. They just knew something was happening. Removing padjal aspects instead of killing the boy too likely was their idea of mercy.

Meanwhile I'd side-eye any Hearer who claims "your kid specifically can't be cured cuz the Elementals say so."

If you don't trust an Ishgard priest making such claims of Halone telling him the same Herself, you shouldn't believe that Hearer, either. Why would they care or not?

Anyway. Not everything's a nice neat black & white easily understood & fixed situation. And the Elementals don't actually need fixing. Gridania does, but that's gonna take longer & isn't necessarily the WoL's job, but it's peoples'.

[watanabes-cum-dump]

I will forever think about this now because yeah this applies to an astounding amount of characters in ffxiv whom you could see their friendship with WoL as more of a convenience and how they use WoL as a tool. I think Aymeric is obviously guilty of it (bc of the above image) but I also think to some extent the Crystal Exarch is guilty of this (yeah ik it's not for HIS benefit but he still did kinda use WoL and he would not have taken it well if WoL stopped being a hero)

So many characters that are "friends" with WoL kind of only see them for what they can do. I think to some extent even the Scions are like that. Actually come to think of it, the Scions are the most egregious case of this because WoL is their champion. After we killed Ifrit that solidified WoL as something to be used and thrown at any danger that came at the world.

A lot of characters The Exarch included only know WoL as the hero. For what they can do for everyone else and it makes me insaaaannnneee. Likes yes OBVIOUSLY Exarch/G'raha admires the WoL as a hero and sure he got to know us for a time- but he just thinks that we are the hero from the books. WoL is inspiring; they give people hope and they give people the strength to push on but that's all he knows them for. Listen, I'm still on post Shadowbringers, but so far Exarch has done nothing but sing our praises as hero and yeah I'm sure he has good intentions but it's still a little dehumanizing that to him that's all WoL is. Everyone is free to make their WoL's relationships with the other characters whatever the hell they want ofc, but I kinda read a lot of the characters this way just because it's so easy to water down one person for only cherry picked parts of their whole personality. Celebrities are the best example of this but we also to this to the people around us every single day.

I think Aymeric and WoL's relationship has also sort of been put into question with this moment (for me at least) because now I'm thinking "Oh my god, Aymeric did extend his friendship to WoL for either his own gain or for that of Ishgard's" and it's not a rag on him I love Aymeric but he is a politician. I don't doubt he admires WoL for all they've done for Ishgard, but I also don't think that if Aymeric hadn't pushed us we wouldn't have ended the Dragonsong war. I wouldn't say he manipulated us, but he didn't exactly have any qualms about making us battle on the Steps of Faith for Ishgard- yk, the closed off nation that's pretty hostile to outsiders- despite not knowing us for super long at that point. He thought that we could get it done and was like "Sure. You can fight for my country" and yeah I think Alphinaud's handling of the whole thing was also to blame- but Aymeric being okay with letting an outsider deal with things that should be handled by the Temple Knights is kinda sus to me now lmao. Like you are in charge of Ishgard's military shouldn't YOU have dealt with this???? Okay lol.

Listen, obviously I still love Aymeric and Exarch/G'raha but I think the potential that they only see WoL for their deeds is great and would make for an interesting hurdle to get over in a relationship. Actually, you can literally just slap this onto almost any character you want to ship with your WoL and it will be an interesting point of tension. The possibility that they only love WoL for being the hero and not in spite of it.

Anyways I need to thibk about this more bc I just finished the little Elidibus plot of Shadowbringers which is sort of about how heroes are remembered and how history can easily twisted and/or forgotten so uh yeah. I have lots of thoughts and I am very normal.

[ungrateful-cyborg-moved]

DT spoilers

Between those saying that nothing was imperfectly done in the writing of DT and its characters and those unhappy with anything and everything, I feel like an aspect that gets quite overlooked is why the story couldn't have been written with the WoL as the central character.

We're asked to come to Tural not because the people are in immediate danger but because an idealistic princess fears for what might happen if one of her brothers wins the Rite of Succession.

It's vastly different when we get embroidered in a political mess in a heavily corrupted nation (Ishgard) or come to help a people in immediate danger against a threat only us can deal with (Thavnair) than when we're here to mentor/accompany a royal heir.

We come to Tural firmly on the side of the statu quo and for the WoL it's quite frankly a novelty.

So yeah. Obviously, Wuk Lamat is the one who had to be at the center of the story. It's *her* country, in more than one way. And she's the one who we want on the throne, so obviously we're not going to act in her place. She has to prove herself, even once she's Dawnservant.

But in my opinion, most of the criticism wouldn't have happened if the stakes hadn't been world shattering after the coronation.

Because saving shards is very much *our* job. Whereas if the danger Zoraal Ja had posed was simply that he meant to invade the North America of Etheirys rather that the entire world, and if Sphene had only kept her eyes on Tural instead of the Source AND its shards, Wuk Lamat remaining the focal point of the story would have felt a lot more in line with what was at stake.

I have other issues such as the Scions 'stealing' lines from the WoL that would have made us feel more mentor-y/knowledgeable/more useful overall, but I really feel like most of what people blame on Wuk Lamat's writing is actually a problem of scaling in the second half.

[sealrock]

09. lend an ear

no content warnings word count: 940 words

If Hector had spoken up earlier to break the stalemate, he wouldn't be soaked to the skin. He situated himself on a nearby rock, watching as Achille and Melita, both equally soaked, barked insults to each other as the heavens dumped a deluge's worth of rare rain onto the parched Thanalan plains, right on the cusp of winter. Somehow, the trio got lost on their way back from Hector's gleaner assignment, and Hector forgot to take his map with him, a rookie mistake he never thought to make four years into his career. Trying to rely on waymarks was difficult when you have people yelling at each other over your head.

"This is all your fault!"

"How is it my fault!? You're the one who said you knew this area like the back of your hand, you fucking shrew!"

"I do, but I also didn't have to deal with a dishonest kvetch who doesn't know which way is up!"

Achille offered an indignant grunt in response, his red hair sticking to the back of his neck and dripping with rainwater. Melita stood on the opposite side of the road, hands curled to fists and shoulders quivering with rage. Achille, saying only that he was from Ishgard, obviously had no clue where they were going, but he couldn't help but jab at their traveling companion's blunder of taking the wrong path back to camp. To add insult to injury, the trio stumbled into a nest of antlings and had to run for their lives, further straying from the beaten path.

Melita, a self-proclaimed mercenary Hector met in a seedy tavern on the outskirts of Ul'dah, only agreed to come along because Hector not-so-subtly begged her for her aid, ignoring Achille's advice to reconsider. He didn't know the landscape all too well with his assignments keeping him closer to home in the temperate regions of Dravania.

"We could've taken that pack of antlings easy, or are your spindly arms not strong enough to lift that rusty sword of yours?"

Melita let out a frustrated growl at Achille's attempt to rile her up, a petty smirk spreading across his face as she fell for it.

"Oh, sure, I trust you and your little gats could handle even the mightiest of vilekin! Such a shame your aim is hindered by your lopsided vision!"

Hector cringed at that; if it was one thing he learned from traveling with Achille, he learned to never ask about Achille's missing left eye. Melita had only been with them for two moons, but she wasn't doing herself any favors.

Hector could've jumped in to break them up before things turned ugly, but he didn't.

Hector wasn't the assertive type—the word "no" wasn't in his vocabulary. If he had a problem, he would figure it out himself so as not to be a bother, but if other people had problems, he would drop everything to help them. It was in his nature to give, to always lend an ear to those in need, even if it meant he didn't receive the same treatment in kind. Hector was the type of person to be easily taken advantage of, someone who didn't think twice if somebody was trying to stab him in the back before offering the shirt off his back. Achille once remarked that he had no spine, something Hector easily agreed with (he didn't miss Achille's dissatisfied side eye).

Hector knew it made him much like a doormat, someone who rolls over at the first sign of disagreement to try and appease people. He would try his best to be the neutral party in arguments, but he would make it worse by not taking either side. So to be caught between two lovely, but extremely bullheaded, people who couldn't see eye to eye on anything took him out of his comfort zone. Hector seemed to attract people like that; those with prickly, cheerless exteriors latch onto his squishy and malleable personality. The fact this happened twice concerned him a bit.

That is why he's currently stuck in a downpour, his boots soggy and skin goosefleshed, with nothing more to say than a defeated sigh and a stifled sneeze. Achille and Melita paused their verbal assault to watch Hector descend into a sneezing fit; Hector didn't see their guilt-ridden stares from the curtain of his bangs. A sudden weight fell over him and a familiar scent tickled his nose—it was Achille's bulky leather coat. It practically swallowed him as he slipped his arms through the sleeves.

"Wear this, it'll keep you warm, though it might not be much help now."

"But," Hector sniffled, burrowing himself into the coat, "what about you?"

"I'll live."

Hector noticed how Achille's tone wasn't that of anger or derision, it was soft and awkward as the taller man refused to look him in the eye. Exposed in the rain, Achille's scarred, strong arms seemed to not react to the change in temperature, his twin pistols holstered at his hips. With little effort, Achille slung Hector's pack over his shoulder as he led the gleaner to Melita's place under a nearby tree for an ounce of shelter. She rolled her eyes when she and Achille glanced at each other, though Hector could tell she felt a bit ashamed for her behavior.

Hector understood why gleaners traveled alone, so he couldn't help it when he let out a small chuckle, standing between his two bodyguards.

"I'm not a bodyguard."

"I'm not your bodyguard!"

Without thinking, the two of them were in unison with their response. Embarrassed, the two looked in opposite directions with a scoff.

Hector blinked. He didn't mean to say that out loud.

[sangre]

A VERY DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE OF YOUR MUSE.  REPOST, DO NOT REBLOG, with the information of your muse,  including headcanons, etc.

pawn and arisen edition!

TAGGED BY: no one i stole this from myself :}  TAGGING: @reides @the-lovely-lady-luck @interstices @ritens @soloavengers

@muracasardis @pawnguild @lepidopteralabyrinth @edgier-than-a-diamond

@ishgard @hit-tab @lesbianbreastmilk if you like!

name: adamaris solvesal nicknames: “ada” to her sister, only. “maris” with close friends. “ves” in a formal/informal sense, and obviously, pawn titles/endearments. age: thirty-three. race: human. gender: fluid, predominantly she/her but happy with he/him. Especially likes masculine titles – lord, king, sir. mx. and mistrex (acofaf reference). are also good. orientation: bisexual. zodiac: cancer. moral alignment: chaotic neutral. class/subclass: warfarer; mystic archer + sorcerer. briefly trained in spearhand, but she liked the on-hand brutality more than she wanted to deal with at the time and didn’t like it as an outlet. effectively “i’m not unpacking all that” and moving on. very proficient spellcaster, exceptional archer. the back definition hehe background: she and her younger sister (diantha) were taken in by their grandma, who was already rather old when she took them in. their grandmother was a fish and abalone/jewelry merchant who had adamaris take lessons at the apothecary so that she might be helpful in an emergency. diantha helped her grandmother with fishing and collecting things for the shop! (adamaris did this too of course, i think she just spent more time at lessons as elder sib.) interests/hobbies: mapmaking, navigating, astronomy, sailing, reading. spoken languages: dd2 equivalent of common as well as pseudospanish. also, the arisen's innate ability to understand the dragons after losing their heart. profession: the arisen, sovran-to-be. height: 5’7” colors: deep pink reds, pale red-browns, dark purple-red, almost black-red, wine red. the wine dark sea. fruits: raspberries, cherries, mango, lime, strawberry. drinks: ciders, guava and citrus juices, pulpy drinks like with aloe vera... alcoholic beverages: sweet/white wines, fruit sangrias, mango margarita with tajin, in theory... smokes: nope drugs: not really. just kind of hasn't had the time. drivers license: CAN drive a carriage. ever been arrested: almost and then she lifted the guard and threw him off the cliff in the inside of the jail. that's their fault for having cells that open up into cliffs of endlessness

pawn info under readmore:

name: yvaine nicknames: yve (adamaris), vaine. age: ??? race: pawn - yvaine is more draconic in NG+, admittedly. his pointed ears and fangs are from plague overexposure. and other things. :-) gender: transmasc, he/him. orientation: bisexual. zodiac: sagittarius somehow. moral alignment: neutral good in first run, but chaotic neutral later and then in NG+ class/subclass: he was a mage to begin with! he was also a fighter, but his steady class now is thief. i think he likes having his 2 big knives. background: a somewhat eccentric summoning. adamaris attempted to frankenstein a body prior to becoming an arisen (with parts from corpses) but could not bring it to life/reanimate it/give live to it as what would have been a homunculus/a familiar. however! adamaris' first rift summoning brought her face to face with the animate version of that body she built. except... this time, he's very much alive. so there's a sort of inexplicable tether to his coming to life and rift-traveling! he doesn't remember much of his life prior to being summoned, so he and adamaris are in the same boat to start with. but. much has happened since then. interests/hobbies: he's a bit of a history and the arts dweeb. i think he loves seeing where things come from and learning about the stories that make up people's lives. music makes him cry like all the time. so he has been studying how to play the lute! spoken languages: dd2 equivalent of comic, and the language of dragons as well. profession: effectively the sovran's 'seneschal'/advisor/right hand/assassin. before that point, he's just my party's sweetheart. :-) height: 5'9" colors: lavender! pale lilac/desaturated brown, silvery purples! like silk, moonlight, like opal and fluorescent purple. and crimson red. fruits: honeydew..! kiwis, passionfruit, plums :) and papayas drinks: mulch. just kidding umm. very strong things! like i just think he's weirdly fond of VERY strong flavors or bitterness! i can't think of anything to describe this outside of black coffee but you get the vibe alcoholic beverages: i don't think alcohol affects him much but i also think he doesn't like the way it does feel for him. smokes: no. drugs: no by happenstance but he would try some substances recreationally with maris if it ever came up haha. drivers license: NO! ever been arrested: no he's too fast.

[hythlodaeus-mynewoldfriend]

Day 5: Stamp no warnings. word count 855

“Thank you, Katla,” Lady Akagane says, flipping through the various letters and missives, finding many of them for her husband. “Has any other news come in about her?” 

The older caretaker shakes her head, “No, my lady, I’m afraid the last thing we know for sure is that she was in Ishgard.”

“And that was over a year ago,” Lady Akagane sighs, waving Katla away, “I will see these to my husband, and see to it that lunch will be suitable to have outdoors.”

“Yes, my lady.” 

Katla gives a bow, leaving Lady Akagane alone in the sitting area, tears starting to form in her eyes, “Where could you possibly be my little Siberite?” The coarse envelope pulls her from visions of what could have befell her daughter, thicker and more crude than the rest of the letters with its grey envelope. While there’s no return address the Kugane ink stamp is undeniable as it sits above a pasted on stamp from the Thavnair embassy. Lady Akagane gasps, fingers rushing to open it, shaking hands pulling out paper with handwriting she knows all too well. “Honey!” She cries out running to her husband’s office, “Honey, my love, take a look at this.” She hands the letter and envelope to her husband, “Tell me I’m not dreaming, that you too recognize the handwriting.”

Lord Akagane exhales as eyes scan to the signature at the bottom, “It’s from her. There is no denying our Siberite’s signature.”

Lady Akagane takes the letter back quickly, hugging it to her chest, spinning around, “She’s alive! My baby girl is alive!”

“What does she say, darling?”

“Hm? Oh yes.” Lady Akagane clears her throat, and sits in an effort to steady her shaking hands.

Dear Mother and Father,

I shall start this off by saying that I am alive and well. I am also no longer in Ishgard, if you could not tell by the post markings, and by the time you get this I will no longer be in Kugane. So there is no point in sending Khutula after me.

I will keep what I have been up to brief. After I spent time in Ishgard, I went to Ala Mhigo to help with the resistance effort. It didn’t go quite as planned so I soon found myself in the Far East! It’s been liberated now, and I got to meet Lord Hien. 

Oh I should tell you I have befriended many a leader in my travels. From the Sultana to Ser Aymeric and to obviously Lord Hien. Which, if I am being honest mother, I can understand the reason for why he was a top choice for you. However we are just friends and I prefer it that way. 

Now that Doma has been liberated, along with Ala Mhigo, I don’t know exactly what comes next. For now I think father will be happy to know that I am finally putting my political studies to proof, as the aftermath is….something. 

I hope you both are doing well. I love you. And please don’t go looking for me. I will return home when I am ready or needed. 

Sincerely,

Siberite

P.S. Please also take care of the invoice I sent. It would be much appreciated. You can even take it out of my inheritance if you would like. Thank you!

“Oh did you hear that honey! She’s befriended Lord Hien and is alive and well!” Lady Akagane squeals, holding the letter to her chest. “Where’s Khutula? He must hear this, he has been as worried as I am. And I now have a lead on her whereabouts.”

Lord Akagane looks down at the handwritten invoice from a pawn shop, shaking his head and groaning, “She spent five million gil on a sword, dear.”

Lady Akagane looks over at the invoice, “No, it was only three. The rest is taxes and fees she has no control over.”

“That’s still three million for a single item. At a pawn shop no less.”

“Oh what does that matter. Our daughter is alive and well, and has befriended Lord Hien most of all!” The woman spins with a smile, “Happy news! Happy news indeed! And should the man truly be opposed to marriage then she has the Lord Commander Aymeric as a friend.”

“I believe he’s the Lord Speaker now that the Dragonsong War came to a close.”

“Hm? Oh right, yes. She has befriended the Lord Speaker Aymeric which is a close second.” She waltzes around the room, “Yes, I shall foster these friendships and encourage them to pursue her, and before you know it she will be safe and married and we will never have to worry about her again, my dear!” Lady Akagane gives her husband a kiss on the cheek, making her way out of his office. “My Siberite has befriended suitable matches, thank the Sisters!”

Siberite’s father begins to write out the withdrawal from their accounts, calling out to his blissful humming wife, “Please refrain from excessive letter writing, dear. We wouldn’t want to scare them off.”

“I won’t! I only mean to pen a few letters!”

[starrysnowdrop]

A little Hali question, if I may?

Sharlayan is obviously a little bit chilly and Northern and, post-Calamity, Ishgard is locked into a perpetual frozen winter (although growing up under the artificial warmth of the "sun" in Labyrinthos might have been a little bit warmer...)

What did she make of hotter climates, such as Thanalan or Thavnair? Did she have a wardrobe suitable for the heat already prepared? Or did she have to quickly obtain some more suitable outfits once she arrived? Did she find any aspects of life in tropical climates surprising or startling?

Is she feeling prepared for adventuring in the New World? Hopefully she has some outfits planned that are elegant, but also practical for the range of climates she might encounter?

Yay another Mimble ask!!! 🎉 I’m sorry that it took me a while to respond, but I very much have been seriously lacking in spoons lately and I finally have the time and energy to write out all my thoughts on this well thought out question. So let’s get into it!!

As you mentioned before, yes, Hali is Sharlayan, but she was born and raised in Labyrinthos, not Old Sharlayan proper. As Labyrinthos was designed to be a temperate climate, it was always warm and comfortable, as Hali never had to wear a coat or anything of the sort unless she ventured up to the surface. Usually her grandparents would visit Hali in Labyrinthos, so her visits to the surface were few and far between. She wouldn’t be exposed to the cold for extended periods of time until she attended the Studium, and by that point, her body was acclimated to the warm climate simulated in Labyrinthos.

Therefore, Hali doesn’t do well with either extreme, neither heat nor cold. In Old Sharlayan and later on in Ishgard, Hali would never go outside without her coat or her heavier Astrologian robes, and you can ask Aymeric how cold her hands and feet can get. 🥶

When Hali left Sharlayan to become an adventurer, she first came to Ul’dah, the birthplace of her maternal grandmother. She bought and packed some lighter weight clothing, but she was still not prepared for the heat, and whenever outside, she was suffering. She hates sweating and she stayed inside as much as possible. Over the years, Hali was gotten a bit better with the heat, but she still hates being sweaty. 🥵

Currently Hali and Aymeric are awaiting their voyage to Tural, and because Hali has been informed that there are some warmer climes, she has planned accordingly, as she will initially be wearing the Night’s Blessed robes that were gifted to her by Runar. The top is lightweight fabric and the skirt is made from a breathable cotton, so she hopes that will be appropriate for traveling in Tural.

I believe that’s all I’ve got for now! Once again, thank you so much @mimble-sparklepudding for the well thought out ask!!! It’s always a pleasure to answer your questions my friend!! 🥰💖

[karoiseka]

16) Third-rate

((ahhhhhh! Actually getting one 100% posted before bed!! ... even if it's entirely too late!! Thank you @newty for letting me borrow your characters!! <3 Very vague post 6.0 timeframe, but not dealing with anything spoilers))

The storm raged outside the doors of the Bobbing Cork, though inside the lights shone warmly against the gloom.  It was a quiet evening, with custom being as slow as it ever got–which meant not very.  Traffic had picked up between the Shroud and Coerthas, and the outpost of Revenant’s Toll having built up over the years and being almost as close as Ishgard meant almost all travelers coming from that side of Eorzea inevitably ended up at the inn.

Through the doors came an adventurer–not an uncommon sight by any means–bundled up against the weather, pack upon their back, hood pulled up to cover the face.  Unremarked, they headed to the counter like anyone else, before shaking the covering from their head.  Dark hair shone in the light, blue like the storm outside tinting the edges.  Aeluuin the innkeep shouted in surprised recognition, catching the attention of a few of the patrons, who now looked at the newcomer with curiosity.  

The lady chatted amicably for several minutes with the staff, a friendly argument obviously arising as her coin was pushed back to her once, twice, three times before she sighed and put the gil back into the pouch at her side.  It was not often that someone would be allowed to keep their gil, instead of paying fairly for their lodging, but this adventurer must be someone who was owed a favor.

Placing her bag in the corralled area with the rest, the wood wailer nodded to her amicably before his own eyes grew wide, and he adjusted some of the belongings so her’s was closest to him, and most protected.  An amused smile graced her lips as she pulled a harp out from its case attached to the pack.  The filigree walking stick that had been in her hand went with the pack as well–some noticing that it looked more akin to a mage’s staff than a fancy hiking aid.

Whispers had started as they saw the instrument, the musician finding a spot to play–and gathering some odd looks when she balanced on the upstairs rail, looping a foot around the tines and tuning the harp.

“Who’s this third-rate fool that’s about to play?” the words were loud enough for almost the whole room to hear, but it only made the adventurer's mouth twitch into a smile, her blue eyes scanning the room.  The man’s refill came with a gentle smack upside the back of his head from his server.

“Hush you, if you don’t know who that is now, then you’ll figure it out soon enough!” Y’lantaa scowled down at the patron, green eyes flashing, before turning to help another guest with their order.  All around, people adjusted their seats to try and glimpse the Miqo’te who was preparing to play.  Most assumed (partially right) that it was how she was paying for her fare, but the few that recognized her already were watching wide-eyed that they were about to get this performance at no cost.

The harp strings sang, the opening chord one of joy and happiness, yet a calm tune to match the storm.  Conversations drifted off, chatter dulled, and a lull overtook the establishment as the true magic of a full Bard resonated against the rafters.  As the first song came to a close, a rustling of hushed whispers wove a background to the applause.  Could it really be her?  Why would she want to play in this small hamlet?  Surely she could easily be the guest of the Seedseer! Or the Sultana or the Lords of Ishagard!  What was she doing here? For one and all had figured out the mysterious stranger was none other than Karoiseka O’dayla; archer, bard, Saviour of Ishgard, Eorzea’s Champion, Liberator of Ala Mhigo and Doma, Savior of the Star.  Warrior of Light.

Heedless of the whispers, she launched into another song–one unheard in this world, but a simple shepherd's song sang in a community much like this.  It was familiar and not, one could almost hum along before the tune changed just subtly from what expectation allowed.  One after another, she dazzled one and all–mixing songs they knew with tunes they would never hear again.

After a bell or so, Karo felt a nudge on her shoulder, and a familiar face looking down with a smile.  The harp was held loosely for the moment–but not forgotten as she turned to half-hug L’selle, come to bring her a drink.  Mischief could wait for another night, for tonight was a night of magic, and after downing the cider, was woven once more.

[tritoch]

for those we have lost; for those we can yet save

just want to write a quick post about the most famous recurring line in FFXIV. People generally recognize it as something characters say a lot, but if you pay close attention to when and how it comes up it's actually very VERY interesting, and deployed in very specific ways. To me, It's Minfilia's line but also in many ways a reminder of Moenbryda, and is very specifically raised by characters close to the two of them. spoilers through 6.0 below.

it's Minfilia's line, first of all, in that she's literally the first one to say it. She says it in 2.55, right before you throw in with Ishgard and assist in the defense of the steps of faith. As the patch number suggests, it's one of the last things any of the Scions hear from her before the Bloody Banquet.

(Quest: Committed to the Cause, 2.55. All this dialogue from the extremely excellent resource xiv.quest, by the way.)

In context, "those we have lost" and "those we can yet save" actually have two pretty specific meanings! While "those we have lost" obviously encompasses all the fallen Scions, from Louisoix to the attack on the Waking Sands to Wilred, its particular meaning here is almost certainly in reference to Moenbryda, because 2.55 starts with you attending her memorial service, and because Moenbryda specifically dies to save Minfilia! "Those we can yet save" refers, in part, to the fact that you are about to risk your lives in defense of Ishgard against the Dravanians, in part due to Aymeric's argument that should Ishgard fall, all of Eorzea is at risk. For these two reasons—to honor the sacrifice of a fallen friend and with an eye toward preventing needless bloodshed—you willingly forsake your neutrality.

When Minfilia returns in 3.2, she says it to you again, an echo of some of her final words to you:

(Quest: The Word of the Mother)

Note how the intent subtly shades differently here. Rather than taking up arms for a cause that isn't yours, Minfilia's use of the line is to justify offering herself to Hydaelyn. Here the connection to Moenbryda becomes even stronger: like Moenbryda, Minfilia is sacrificing herself for the good of the cause and with the aim of protecting her friends. Her self-sacrifice echoes and reinforces the legacy of her friend's sacrifice for her.

She repeats it again in 3.4, and by this point it's clearly and specifically her catchphrase:

(Quest: One Life for One World)

And of course, her use of it here precedes a triple sacrifice: her journey to the First, to remain there forever, to guard against the Flood of Light; the sacrifices of Ardbert's friends, who have already died once for the First and will offer up their aether in death to empower Minfilia against the Flood; and Ardbert, who is about to undergo his own version of Hydaelyn's Endwalk in miniature.

Minfilia says the line three times, taking it on as a kind of mantra and core justification behind all of her actions, and now in 3.X and 4.X they'll let you, the Warrior of Light, do the same.

The very first time the Warrior of Light gets to say it happens in the very same patch:

(Quest: An Ending to Mark a New Beginning)

Minfilia dies (okay sacrifices herself to become a good guy Ascian which will lead to her permanent death), and the very first dialogue option you get in the quest immediately after that is an option to echo her final words.

Because just as she said them to remind herself that she was following in Moenbryda's footsteps and honoring the sacrifice Moenbryda made for her, now you will do the same in her memory.

The next use, right at the start of 4.0, pretty much reiterates the same idea:

(Quest: Crossing the Velodyna)

It's Alphinaud basically giving you a chance to choose in-character why exactly your character is willing to go from minor sellsword work, to saving Eorzea, to saving Ishgard, to taking the fight to the Empire directly. In context, it suggests a sort of fatalism: events keep happening, and all you can do is keep your head high and do your best to honor the sacrifices of those who came before.

(also, notice how even here back in 4.0, the option that boils down to "I just love fights, and also fighting" has Alphinaud specifically call you "an adventurer," a theme Zenos will later build on two expansions later to great effect.)

Its other use in Stormblood, in 4.1, has it as the only clear and concrete answer you're allowed to give Fordola after she sees your memories with the Echo and asks why you keep fighting:

(Quest: The Butcher's Blood)

Nothing against the other two answers, they're just intentionally very vague. Only #2 lets you give a clearer answer. You keep fighting because so many have died (so many of them specifically for you, to save you), and there are so many who may yet still be given a chance to live. To honor the fallen and to protect the living. For grief and for hope.

Now, just as Minfilia and the Warrior of Light say it three times to affirm it as part of their characters, Urianger and Thancred get a pair of uses each, and the ways they use it specifically honor and invoke Minfilia and Moenbryda.

Urianger is the first to use it in 5.0, when he accompanies you to hunt for Titania's relics:

(Quest: A Visit to the Nu Mou)

He textually invokes Minfilia at the start of his lines here, which are intended to explain why he so clearly feels he has some moral duty towards the First. And that's very specific phrasing he uses, ignore the plight: that's specifically invoking Louisoix's oft-quote "To ignore the plight of those one might conceivably save is not wisdom—it is indolence." So even as he says he does it because it is right, he acknowledges that he also does it because he feels its the moral duty that Louisoix, Minfilia, and Moenbryda's sacrifices have placed on him: to labor for those he has lost, for those that they too wanted to save. For Urianger, it's an expression of his deep compassion and almost utilitarian desire to do the greatest good for the greatest number of people, bound up in his grief and regret.

Next is Thancred:

(Quest: The Truth Hurts)

This one really hurts. Obviously, Thancred uses it because he's talking specifically about Minfilia, but he's not talking about her sacrifice. He's talking about the loss of her father, and about the idea that he failed to ever repay that first harm. For him, pressing on is not just about honoring her sacrifice, but about atoning for his unpardonable sins. It's about guilt.

And the irony in Thancred deploying it here is that in his own eyes, he says it as he attempts to expiate his sins by honoring Minfilia's sacrifice and giving Ryne a chance to choose her own future. Yet at the same time, he is adding to his sins because this time, in his eyes, his hands are also on the knife. Before, Minfilia's fate was an unlucky break, a black swan event. The Banquet, Hydaelyn, Urianger's machinations, the Warriors of Darkness, all of that was beyond his control.

But now, he will willingly stand by and let Minfilia die for a final time, because she has asked him to do so.

He is still learning from her, and from her choices:

(Quest: Full Steam Ahead)

To me, his use of it here, after the fight with Ran'jit when he kind of seems like he might die, is almost rueful. Like he never fully understood the import of her words until now, couldn't see past his own grief to the meaning at their core. But now he gets it. He understands why she had to do what she did, and how in turn he can honor her legacy not by clinging to her memory but living life as she would have.

"Your kindness, your compassion, your love..." he says, and this too is an echo of something she said at their parting. The last half of the line is: "These are your gifts to me, and our gifts to them, forming a bond which transcends time and space." Gifts passed from brother to sister, and now back again, and on to the future through Ryne.

Urianger gets the final use of it through 6.55, and it both honors all the uses of it prior and points the way to new lines of thinking:

(Quest: Back to Old Tricks; FFXIV's love for allusion shines through here but rather more subtly than with the Hamilton lines, as "dreadful algebra of necessity" is a direct pull from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series)

Here, the use is explicitly and textually tied to Minfilia and, for the first time since 2.55, Moenbryda. And Urianger is the first person in the text to explicitly question the line, painting it not as the principled output of noble martyrs but as a justification that the people those martyrs leave behind cling to in their grief, something they tell themselves to convince themselves that the sacrifice was justified. Or worse, the reasoning of a cold and bloodless utilitarian, who would willingly sacrifice his own friends and loved ones for the greater good.

They are dead, says Urianger, and we are not. What of those we cannot save? And, no less, what of us, who must go on in this world without them? How can anything ever justify this? How can we ever make peace with this?

It is the Warrior of Light who gets to answer Urianger, but he ultimately takes less from your answer itself than from the fact that you too struggle with the question:

Endwalker is, as ever, interested in the idea that perhaps some questions aren't quite answerable, but that the universality of the questions itself can be a great uniter and creator of purpose. None can easily make peace with the "dreadful algebra of necessity", but from Louisoix, to Moenbryda, to Minfilia, to you and the Scions, to Ryne and others, a rough, developing ethic has arisen: each of you, and the sacrifices you have made, honored the work and the will of those who came before, to pave the way for those who will come after.

Hope, arising from grief.

[gayleviticus]

jrpgs are famous for having mixed to negative depictions of religion but I feel like ffxiv is one of the more atheistic, materialist ones I've seen. (this is not a criticism or a negative post! this is an observation of the games perspective. materialist here meaning 'the material world is all there is' not 'buys lots of stuff)

thats not to say it's *anti theist*; it's not even particularly negative about religion - the church in ishgard is bad but it's reformed rather than abolished, beast tribes seem to be stereotypical savage heathens summoning their barbaric gods but this is just in game racism, and in fact Garlemald is such an interesting example of a people who think they're so above such primitive superstitions they don't realise their god is just nationalism.

and even with the knowledge of what these many so called gods are, the game still doesn't take any kind of anti theist bent. when the topic of regional gods comes up they're treated like respectable cultural beliefs. at worst, there's maybe a kind of implicit condescension where the main characters privy to the truth are happy to let the plebs keep on believing in falsehoods bc it's their culture, but thats more reading into gaps left in a story that i dont think is that interested in religion than anything else.

but ffxiv is also a game that at this point has plunged pretty much all the mysteries of its setting w a kind of materialist thoroughness. magic is a thing of scientific study and technobabble, the gods have been unmasked, the afterlife is a place you can go, the cycle of rebirth is verifiable, even the power of the human heart is a quantifiable energy source.

obviously it's not unusual for fantasy media to have all sorts of fantastic things that are just objectively true. like, being able to visit the afterlife is a very old trope. but I feel like ffxiv brings an extra level of stripping away the mysterious, the numinous, the spiritual that you don't see elsewhere.

and I don't think that's necessarily bc it has some specific ideology in mind. I think a lot of it is as much practical storytelling - as the game has gone on and on, it's built itself on successive reveals about the nature of its universe and so naturally the consequence is that mystery is going to fade away. even something like taking the classic ff magic/technology mix seriously for worldbuilding means a much more technobabble-y approach to magic than something built on mystery or symbolism or association

but even games that are explicitly about killing God I don't think have this same level of 'we have plumbed all the mysteries of the universe.'

and for an example of media that is atheistic but not so rigidly materialist - fma 03 omits Truth, the godlike figure from the manga, and doesn't give any indication of any kind of deity. instead it replaces it with the impersonal Gate, which represents everything incomprehensible about the universe.

the absence of deity to impose order and logic upon the chaos of the universe *increases* the mystery of fma 03s setting, whereas in ffxiv dethroning the gods is used to decrease it.

[quinn-borel]

Edmont

A fresh dust of snow paved the way to his destination, his cane clutched in his palm as he felt a roar of excitement wash over him, yet his old legs couldn’t carry him as quickly as he would have liked.  Still, Edmont de Fortemps, accompanied by his son, Count Artoirel de Fortemps, hastily made his way to the main hospital within the Pillars.  Up that road, down this road, through this tunnel, and across from that house–Edmont knew the area very well, though necessarily not by fortune.  However, this occasion was fortunate indeed, for he received a missive merely hours prior stating that the Lady of House Borel had given birth.  ‘Twas an exciting moment that caused him to rip himself from his desk and summon the steward to fetch his coat—his ward, the woman who called him her adoptive father, the savior of Ishgard, had brought a new life into their cold, cold world.  And he was honored to be the first to be told out of the potential hundreds of others who could have found out about Ishgard’s newest blessing–not even the Scions knew.

Not even the Lady’s own parents were notified.

The pair made their way into the main hall, greeted kindly by one of the secretaries as she realized instantly who they were and what they were there for.  With a smile, she guided both men towards the maternity ward.  Each bed area was blocked off by partitions and curtains alike, giving each mother their privacy.  Though, towards the end of the ward one curtain was slightly ajar for just a moment as a gentleman made his way through the veil.  Immediately recognizing him, Edmont picked up his pace to greet the man before him,

“Ser Aymeric,” Edmont began, “how is she?  Is she well?  Are both mother and babe-”

“L-Lord Edmont, Lord Artoirel, we weren’t expecting you both to arrive so soon.” Aymeric said with raised brows, though a smile nonetheless, “They’re fine, both of them.  Though, the little one is asleep right now.”

My boy...I’m so proud…

Edmont held his tongue, giving Aymeric a nod, “I received the missive.  Is she...free for visitors?”

“Yes, she’s free for the moment.  I was just about to call upon one of the nurses to bring her something to eat as she is famished.”

“I can imagine, given the circumstances.” Artoirel stated flatly as he was so one to do.  Aymeric smiled and shrugged a bit,

“I’m not in the position to really deny her or delay her requests at the moment-”

“Of course.” Artoirel sighed, “I’ll tell the nurse to bring her something, you stay here with your wife.”

“Th-that’s very kind of you.”  Aymeric seemed rather flustered, but Artoirel knew that Quinn wouldn’t want Aymeric out of her sight.  He was there when the knight casually approached him and the Lord Speaker to tell them that Quinn had been in labor for two hours already, and for sure she was not too happy with her husband being as tardy as he was.  Obviously he had gotten an earful and then some.

“I’m sure she’ll forgive you...eventually.” Edmont chuckled, “Right now, I think you and the babe are at the forefront of her mind though.”

“Please, allow me.” Aymeric pulled the curtain back slightly to allow the elder in, just enough so that he could sidestep through.

She was sitting up holding a small bundle in her arms with an exhausted look in her eyes, yet that warm, glowing smile on her features was ever present.  Edmont was taken aback by the scene, for the last time he had seen her was at a party just a week prior when she looked like she was ready to pop and miserable as ever.

“Lord Edmont,” she whispered as she looked up from the babe, “thank you for coming by.”

“It is an honor, Quinn–err, Mistress Borel.” he said with a chuckle as he took to the chair next to her.

“You know ‘Quinn’ is just fine for me.”  Her voice was hoarse and soft, a harsh contrast from her more boisterous vocals.

“Well, is it a boy or a girl?” he asked curiously,

“A healthy little boy.”

“And what of you, my dear?” he sat his cane to the side so that he could offer his gloved hand to her, just as a father would.  She accepted it, giving it a gentle squeeze,

“I’m fine.  They said we can go home in a few days.”

“I’ve elected to postpose any meetings until I know they’re both back at the manor safe and sound, rest assured.” Aymeric interrupted before Edmont could question the new father’s willingness to put his own duties aside.  Edmont gave Aymeric a proud nod before going back to Quinn,

“That warms my heart to hear.”

“Would you like to hold him?”

Edmont froze, for the last time he held a child was when Emmanellain was just a babe.  That was years ago…he wondered if he still knew the proper way to hold one.  But, it was fatherly instincts which kept him at ease, and Quinn gently handed the tiny bundle over to him.

“I figured it would be nice for him to meet his grandfather.” Quinn beamed as she made the statement.  Edmont felt his cheeks go rosy at the thought, taking the child in his arms as he warmed to the idea of being a grandfather, even if he and the babe and the babe’s parents didn’t share blood.  

The little boy’s eyes were shut tight as he was perfectly snuggled into the warm swaddle.  Edmont couldn’t help but to wonder whose hair he got and whose ears he inherited, but he dare not disturb the child’s slumber.  

“Oh, by the Fury, he is perfect.” Edmont stated loud enough so both parents could hear his praises, “Have you given him a name yet?”

...

That’s when Quinn and Aymeric’s eyes locked on to one another, both grinning with delight about their little kept secret.  Aymeric rubbed the back of his neck,

“Well, Lord Edmont, we wanted to give him a strong name.  A name that meant the world to both Quinn and I.” he explained.

Quinn went on, “...so, Aymeric and I discussed it…and we decided to name him after a knight.  A knight that served Ishgard to the fullest.  A knight who was known for his kindness, generosity, and overall selflessness.  Those are characteristics we want to see in our son, so...please meet Haurchefant de Borel.”

…

“H-haurchefant…” Edmont stared wide-eyed at the child, “...Haurchefant de Borel.”

Quinn hesitated for a moment, unable to gauge the man’s thoughts by the way he looked at the babe.  Her gaze fell to Aymeric once more, who equally had a look of concern in his eyes.

Before either of them could explain further, the former count pulled the babe closer to his chest, his free hand wiping away what appeared to be tears rolling down his cheek,

“What...what a wonderful name.” he wept, “I am…I am so honored you chose to give that name to your own son.”

Quinn smiled softly, “He gave his life for me...I wanted to honor that sacrifice.  And we will raise our son to be just as honorable as he was, that we promise.”

“Oh, by the Fury,” Edmont sniffled, “to hear that name once again–Haurchefant.  Ah, forgive me. I am filled with joy, truly.  My ward, and the friend of our family, raising a son named after my own?  Words cannot describe not only my surprise, but my gratitude that you would choose to carry on his legacy in such a way.”

“We apologize that we did not run it by you first, but it came to us the moment Quinn held him for the first time.”

“We honestly didn’t have any names lined up beforehand.” Quinn admitted bashfully, “But, I think the name fits him perfectly.”

“It truly will,” Edmont said with a smile, “I have faith in you both to honor my son’s legacy...isn’t that right, Haurchefant?”

The babe cooed softly in his sleep.  Truly, he had quite the boots to fill.  But, with the guidance of his parents and extended family, he would grow up to be a knight worthy of carrying the name.