#bloody sunset (patch 4.1-4.3)

[witchofthescions]

@ferocitysflipside replied to your post “Truth: What do you hide in your hat?”:

CLEVER

​Ain't it? I can't remember who first suggested it to me. I wanna say it was either Thancred or one of the guildmasters of the Thaumaturges' Guild. But I've kept it in mind ever since.

Also, howdy! I don't believe we've met. I'm Ernastral, nice to meet you!

[sageofthescions]

Which god chooses you?

Ater, the God of Void Between Stars As you stand in the final chamber, awaiting your judgement, you are aware of the light dimming around you. The few candles that stand about sparkle in the gloom, flickering this way and that, their light bleaching to white. But you are in the centre, in the gloom, in the silent dark. That is when you are aware of her. A presence, all around you. Lurking in the places where the light does not touch. She says nothing - can she speak? - but you feel her icy fingers on the back of your neck, tracing the sign of a question mark. You feel your skin grow colder, tiny crystals of black ice forming across your body, freezing down to your torso and up to your head. And as frost forms over your eyes, they snap wide open. You know. You understand. The depths of space hold room for all the secrets of the universe. And now they ricochet through your head, a babbling chaos of mysteries and answers. Her finger brushes against your lips, teasing. You feel her cold hand slip into yours, an outline of pure darkness against your flesh. Smiling, you let her lead you between the stars' light, to lose yourself in the never-ending secrets.

An interesting choice.

[witchofthescions]

@clawmxrks replied to your post “ψ Do they think they deserve punishment for their...”:

PICKS YOU UP

​Aw, don't worry about me! I'm fine!

[witchofthescions]

Realized it's been a hot minute since the last time I actually posted a pic of myself, so here! A quick shot of me up in my apartment.

[witchofthescions]

@dreams-of-cerulean replied to your post “Lenar's been spending the past hour or so yelling...”:

Every time...

​Ain't technology so grand? Doesn't help that this stuff's like, over a thousand years old. Some days it's a wonder that it actually works at all.

[sageofthescions]

Ernastral insisted that I put an image of myself on this site and suggested I use this one. I can only hope it isn't something unflattering.

[witchofthescions]

you like to rough house huh

Hells yeah! I love a good brawl!

Honestly I'm down to brawl with anybody who's up for it!

[witchofthescions]

There was only so much that Lalah could teach Lenar of the sage's art, and she was well aware of this fact. Loifa, however, seemed to have a knack for it that went beyond Guildivain's twisted tinkering, and so she suggested that he take over instructing Lenar. Thus, the two set out into the Dravanian wilderness to help a couple of Midnight Dew's wayward hunters who had bitten off more than they could chew. Because what better way to learn than by doing?

As the newly revived hunter headed back to civilization, thanking them profusely for the second chance Loifa had granted him, the Viera fell quiet.

"You know," he said, "I used to dream about the future I knew I'd never see."

"Hm?" Lenar turned towards him.

"About overcoming my illness and protecting the forest as a Wood-warder, as is the duty of Viera men. I wanted to repay my people for not giving up on me. My tribe and my master." He paused ever so briefly, hands balling into fists. "I allowed myself to hope when I went with Guildivain... until the dream died once and for all in his laboratory. Alongside those who were sacrificed in the pursuit of his twisted ambition. For the 'betterment of mankind,' that depraved fiend took everything from me."

Lenar remained silent, but he regarded Loifa with a sympathetic look.

"Since then, I have been bent upon revenge. Save that, there was no purpose for my sage's power." Loifa finally lifted his head and looked right at Lenar. "But since meeting you and Lalah, I feel as though I'm beginning to understand why this soul crystal was given to me. The hope that all might live to know a better tomorrow. There is a warmth and comfort in that... and a purpose."

"He sounds just like you, Lenar!" Lily chirped next to his ear.

"Hm? What do you mean by that?" Loifa asked, shooting the fairy a curious look.

Lenar let out a breath, smiling a little despite himself as he collected his thoughts. "I have mentioned before that I am from the neighboring land of Ishgard, yes? How much do you know of its history?"

"Precious little," Loifa admitted. "I had no interest in the outside world when I was a Wood-warder, and no opportunity to learn once I was in Guildivain's custody."

"In brief, then: for a thousand years, Ishgard and the dragons of Dravania were at war. The particulars can wait for another time, but suffice to say that the war was still ongoing when I was born." Lenar paused, pressing a hand to his chest before continuing. "I... have never had a stomach for war, or violence in general. Despite being the son of a rather accomplished knight, I had no interest in joining the fight. Not out of cowardice exactly, but out of... for lack of a better word, grief."

"Grief?" Loifa repeated.

"Grief. Grief for the lives of all those I had lost, for those whom I'd never known and would never have the chance to. Grief for all the generations that had lived and died without ever knowing peace." He sighed, voice growing quiet. "Grief for myself and the awful fate I had been born into."

"...You, too, believed yourself not long for this world, didn't you?" Loifa said, his own voice quiet.

"I did." Lily sat on his shoulder and gently patted his cheek as a gesture of support. "I do not mean to make light of your own situation, of course. Dying a slow death due to illness is nowhere near the same as dying in combat."

"But the looming specter of your own mortality would have looked the same."

Lenar chuckled dryly. "'Tis one way of putting it." He distractedly twirled his cane between his fingers. "But, of course, in a war there is precious little room for one who does not wish to join the fight. And I was far too frightened of dying to contemplate any other course of action. So, one day, I took up a tome of magic my father had procured and fled my homeland. I claimed at the time that it was to find a way to stop the war. It was not entirely a lie."

"But it wasn't entirely the truth, either."

Lenar's silence was all the affirmation he needed. After a moment, he continued. "I wandered Eorzea, getting into various adventures that allowed me to cross paths with two people who have become my dearest friends. And it was while traveling with them that I came across Lily's stone."

"What stone?"

Lenar produced the Scholar's soul stone, holding it out for Loifa to inspect. Lily rose from Lenar's shoulder and did a little spin, before pointing excitedly at it.

"My stone! My stone!"

"Specifically, it is a soul stone containing the memories and skills of countless Nymian scholars. I chanced across it on a mission—well, technically the stone was part of said mission's goals. I was accompanying a marauder who was looking into the ancient art himself, specifically Nym's warfare tactics." Lenar's fist closed around the stone in his hand, and he brought it to his chest. "The moment I first held the stone, when I heard the whispers of ancient healing techniques... It was as if everything suddenly fell into place."

Loifa's eyes widened. Lily beamed at Loifa.

"I doubt I will ever truly feel comfortable with violence. But in the healing arts I found comfort... and purpose. With this power, I can change people's lives, hopefully for the better. I can protect those dear to me, and ensure that others live to see another day." "To protect those dear to me..." Loifa repeated, softly. He held up his own sage crystal, examining the well-worn surface. "Come what may, I vow to protect those dear to me. For that purpose, and no other, will I use my power." His hand closed around the stone. "This I swear upon the crystal."

He lifted his head and looked to Lenar, determination writ across his face. "That being said, soon we must confront Guildivain. If we're to triumph, we must trust each other with our lives. Are you prepared to trust yours to me?"

Lenar smiled back. "Of course. Are you willing to do the same?"

"I am. So see to it you keep up."

Lenar laughed. "I shall do the best a fool can."

Loifa's ears drooped a bit in embarrassment. "You're still sore about that? I didn't realize you were so sensitive..."

"I kid, I kid," Lenar quickly reassured him. "You are not the first to call me out for foolishly taking things at face value when I should not have."

"Still, I'm sorry all the same." Loifa huffed. "I believe that's enough training for one day, anyway. Let's head back to Idyllshire. Hopefully Lalah's allies have made progress."

"One can only hope."

[witchofthescions]

what's your favorite town to hang out at

Well... I don't usually stay in one spot too long honestly, haha. You can usually find me hanging out either in Ul'dah, Ishgard, or Mor Dhona depending on my mood. Probably Mor Dhona most often, really, since that's where the Scions usually are.

At the moment I'm spending a lot of time around Castrum Oriens, though, trying to figure out what's the deal with Gatty.

[witchofthescions]

@blueeyesking

Howdy! I see you're fairly new around here, so I hope the site's been treating you well so far. My name's Ernastral, nice to meet ya!

[witchofthescions]

@creepy-crowleys replied to your post “Truth- What did you realize?”:

Would you like to have a friendly round sometime this weekend?

​YES ABSOLUTELY!!! Lemme know what time works for you!

[sageofthescions]

@clawmxrks

Please put her in the therapy sock.

[witchofthescions]

They met up again in their usual spot in Rowena's House of Splendors. The air was much lighter, as they all discussed their plans for the future. With Guildivain arrested and the fugitives "mysteriously escaped," they were finally free to do as they wished.

"I never asked for my powers, but fate has decreed that I have them," Loifa said. "And I will use them as they were intended, and fight for the future of all lives."

Lenar couldn't help the proud smile that crossed his face. Loifa had grown so much in the brief time Lenar had known him. More and more he found himself reminded of his own personal journey.

"I'll also seek a cure for the procedure's side effects," Loifa continued. "And when I succeed, my friends will finally be able to return home, safe in the knowledge that they won't lose control again."

"We'll aid Loifa in his research, of course," Mahaud said, "and it'll be as much for his sake as ours. For all his bravado, he can't stand to be alone."

Loifa blustered, clearly caught off-guard by her remark. Mahaud burst out laughing.

"Aye, we thought that Viera men prefer solitude, but not our Loifa," Ancel said, slinging an arm around his shoulders. "Deep down, he's a lonely little boy."

Lenar frowned slightly and muttered to himself, "Viera men prefer solitude?"

He thought back to Cress and all the times he'd casually lean against someone, or all the times he'd seek out him and Erna just to chat and spend time in their company. All the times he'd start up a song on the road for them all to sing along, or the times he'd swing by one of their apartments with food. And that other Viera lad he'd seen with Cress a couple of times—Svaran, he believed the man was called? He was a bit quiet, but had seemed just as friendly. If he'd based his impression of Viera on those two alone, he would very much have thought the opposite.

"Family indeed," Lalah said, snapping Lenar out of his thoughts. "As a little girl, I regarded the sages of eld with awe. In the tales, all were stern, nigh-mythical figures, untouchable in their virtues and ideals."

"I remember thinking the same of the original Knights Twelve of Ishgard," Lenar mused, "the ones who went on to found the High Houses. Pinnacles of virtue, stalwart defenders of humanity. Legends, through and through. But the more I find myself entering the ranks of these so-called legends, the more I feel that is far from the truth."

"Indeed. At their core, they were ordinary folk who bore great love for friends and family. But I feel the love the sages of eld held extended beyond their friends and family. It extended to all life. Now more than ever, I see this love in my dear departed mother. And in you, Lenar."

Lenar's eyes widened in surprise, and Lalah had to suppress a giggle.

"I... I am not so sure I would go so far as to claim that," Lenar said, sheepishly twirling his cane between his fingers.

"Believe what you will," Lalah said, with a hint of mischief in her voice. "Though I still have much and more to learn, ever will I endeavor to do my mother proud. Thank you, Lenar. I couldn't have learned these lessons—or accomplished my mission—without you. As our work is done, our time together is over. But I shall linger in Eorzea a while, and hope to hear more of you and hear your tales."

"Well, then I shall endeavor to make sure I have something worth telling when next we meet." Lenar cleared his throat and distractedly tapped his cane against the floor. "Ah, but, before we all part ways, I had something I wished to discuss."

"What is it?" Loifa said.

"Loifa, I would like to extend an offer to you and your friends. And this offer is open to you as well, Lalah."

"Oh?" Lalah tilted her head curiously, greatly resembling a curious cat for a brief moment.

"If ever you find yourselves in need of aid—or more friends," Lenar heard Loifa let out a flustered huff, "seek out The Seventh Heaven bar in the settlement of Revenant's Toll in Mor Dhona. Head through the door in the back and you will find yourself in the headquarters of a group known as the Scions of the Seventh Dawn."

"Scions of the Seventh Dawn?" Mahaud repeated.

"Yes. You may have already heard of them, and if you haven't, you undoubtedly will eventually if you spend enough time in Eorzea. We've made something of a name for ourselves recently, despite our best efforts to remain out of the spotlight."

"We?" Loifa noted. "So you're a part of this group, then?"

"I am. As such, I can confidently vouch for your safety among them, even as some of their members hail from Sharlayan." There were some noises of discontent from the trio of fugitives. "Make no mistake, the Scions are beholden to no single nation, and that includes Sharlayan. Anyway, if you decide to seek them out, let them know I sent you, and remember the passphrase 'wild rose.'"

"'Wild rose...'" Loifa muttered.

"As in, 'I go whither the wild rose blooms.'" Lenar shrugged. "Or at least that's how I wound up using it. It should work all the same. Utter those words and they will know you for a friend."

"I am flattered that you would trust us with this information, Lenar," Lalah said. "Thank you. If my travels around Eorzea take me that way, I shall be sure to pay a visit."

"And I am sure my friends would be glad to meet you."

[witchofthescions]

You seem like you'd be a lady to throw a hit and take a hit and that's a good look for someone yea yea

Vibe Check

HELL YEAH!

And hey, if you ever wanna see how good I am at taking and giving hits, lemme know! I'd be totally down to do some roughhousing with a fellow rough-and-tumble lady!

[witchofthescions]

Truth: What do you hide in your hat?

Truth Serum

Well, nothing, usually. Sometimes I'll stick some ice under my hat if it's real warm out and I gotta keep cool somehow. Which I might do because it's kinda warm in my apartment today. Comes with living in a desert area and all.

[witchofthescions]

@creepy-crowleys replied to your post “NO LENAR I AM NOT GONNA ASK HER OUT BY GRABBING...”:

I suppose the next best thing would be asking her out by outright asking her out, haha!

​Ha, yeah, that's what I'm leaning towards doing, honestly.

I'm thinking of swinging by and asking if she has time to grab lunch, and oh hey why don't we swing by the celebration since we're already out anyway. It's not like Gridania is that far from Ala Mhigo, anyway, teleporting straight over won't cost too much.