#i think sharlayan would be all over accessibility personally

[faelune-home]

FFXIVWrite 2023 #9: Fair

(A/n: Kind of a mix of character interaction exploring and a bit of backstory diving with Thancred and Alisaie here. I like the thought of Thancred maybe getting some chance to spend time with baby kids in their youth, but ultimately it's probably not something that did/could happen given the circumstances. :'D All the more reason to think on it I suppose, as readers and for the characters.

I think they could pair well in terms of personality, she can match him in his jesting and keep up with him without letting him win out too much, meanwhile he'd probably hold back with her anyway, stop himself from saying anything too overt. Inspiration came from the idea of him being a bad influence on them as kids, even if I didn't get to write that and only hinted at the end aha

Takes place on the ship ride to Sharlayan in early EndW, so that entire boat ride has plenty of downtime opportunities.

Word count: 670)

“I’m well aware that I won’t be able to remember it–” Thancred paused in his frantic bag sifting, looking up at Alisaie leaning against the hull’s pillar, a curious look upon her face.

“But did you ever spend time around our estate when we were young? Looking after us?” she asked.

“Why, did you think I’d give you a knife to play with?” he asked back, smirking. She rolled her eyes.

“Father would probably have murdered you before you even considered the idea, nevermind if you had one out in front of us at all,” she scoffed.

“Then that’ll be your answer. Your father didn’t approve of me and insisted I had no place in the family,” he shrugged, more matter of fact about it than upset. Alisaie couldn’t help but frown though.

“I can’t say I’m surprised, but tis a shame to hear. Aside from some over-amorous behaviour you’ve mostly grown out of, you’re a decent man,” she said, a small smile growing when she noticed the mock-offended look he gained at her comment.

“Over-amorous? Mostly?” he mumbled, loud enough for her to hear his “outrage”, causing her to giggle. Adding in an affected head shake for good measure, he stood straight and leaned against the wall beside her.

“That aside, you needn’t be too upset at your father on my behalf. I didn’t get to go to your lovely abode much since Louisoix set me up with an old acquaintance of his that specialised in subterfuge, so I spent more of my time in training. Kept me busy before and after you two were born, so it was that and your father’s disapproval that kept me away. Besides, if he needed a babysitter, Urianger was always on hand as you well know.” She still looked uncertain at his explanation.

“I suppose that’s true. Still doesn’t seem wholly fair though…”

“Yes, yes, unfortunately that is the way of the world. Oh woe is me to be cast out on the streets and forbidden access to your lovely presence, at an age when you knew naught but how to scream and cry,” Thancred exaggerated, earning himself another scoff and a shove.

“Keep that up and maybe I won’t regret that we never had you around,” Alisaie pouted, though even then a small smile snuck its way back to her lips.

“But you’d probably still miss me,” he said, with a sly wink.

“Miss your charming self? Perhaps, perhaps not, I’m not so easily swayed by sweet talk,” Alisaie matched him, smirking at his playful remark. He tutted.

“Pity.” Their little corner of the ship fell into quieter conversation, people watching the other passengers while avoiding the talk of their future plans. Better those were kept for the whole group, as spread out as everyone else was on the ship, still in the early stages of their voyage.

Later into the trip, as night began to fall and they’d settled back down onto the floor, getting ready for sleep, did he speak up again on the matter, an older memory come to mind. 

“If you wouldn’t mind to hear it?” The way Alisaie sat up straighter answered the question for him.

“Though I did say I never got to spend time with your family, or you and your brother as young ones, there was one instance. Courtesy of your very open minded mother needing some assistance one day. Just an extra hand to mind you both.” He suddenly looked very sheepish.

“She is a very forgiving woman, I’ll say, given what happened that day. Yes, I’m especially thankful that she’s never made mention of it to your father…”

“Oh?” Curiosity peaked again, Alisaie’s eyes lit up at the thought of whatever faux pas he could’ve made.

“Let it be said that as a boy,” he said, mouth already curling in an uneasy grimace, “perhaps my vocabulary was still on the rather crude side, regardless of the company I kept…and well, babes are wont to emulate those around them as they learn…”

[whispersafterdusk]

Prompt #28: Vainglory

The breeze that raced up the cliffside carried with it the strong scent of saltwater and was moist as well; Gaius could feel the sleeve of his shirt growing steadily more damp but he had no desire to move from his seat.

At his side sat Gitawen, still heavily swaddled in bandages and with an arm in a sling.  Zenos had damn near killed her; she'd spent weeks in Sharlayan recovering enough to be able to leave, and had opted (to his great surprise) to recover in Werlyt.  The chirurgeons had actually agreed with the choice -- in their opinion the pleasant weather and access to the ocean would speed her recovery.

The people of Terncliff had welcomed her as both their personal hero and the hero of the realm, much to the woman's chagrin...and, as she calmly spoke of her past and the reason why she'd left Garlemald in the first place Gaius finally understood why she had such an odd relationship with praise.

"And didn't even matter that it wasn't his hands doing the work - he claimed credit for it all the same," Gita was saying.

Augustus sas Drusus...  The man who had ripped Gitawen from her family, done his best to erase all she was and mold her into what Garlemald required, and because of his pride and outright barbarism toward her had brought about his own downfall.  Gaius turned his gaze from the distant waves below and nodded to her.  "I see...  I never knew the man, personally.  His reputation was that of a good, honorable, and ambitious man...  He served Garlemald well."

She offered him a wry smile.  "Yes, he really knew how to wear that mask."

"I understand that now.  Such vainglory and sickness would not have been tolerated if it had been noticed.  Had I known I would have pushed harder to get you under my command.  It is beyond belief that so many failed you, and in turn failed everyone in the end -- it makes me wonder how differently things would have gone if you had remained in Garlemald."

Gita shrugged and with the motion winced, reaching up to adjust the sling.  "Who knows... Like as not, the world wouldn't have survived -- I wouldn't have been where I needed to be or had the loyalties I needed to end up at this outcome.  Sort of frightening, you know?  How close we came to the brink and how many things could have gone wrong long before we knew what was coming.  If he'd been more of a loving father, or if he'd succeeded in turning me into a heartless creature, or even if I'd had ambition bigger than his cruelty..."

"But you triumphed.  As I knew you would."

She let out a sound that was half snort, half chuckle.  "Very nearly didn't.  But I suppose even a narrow victory is still a victory."

He quietly grunted in acknowledgement then gazed back out over the ocean; for a time there was just the sound of the waves and of the wind whistling through the gaps in the stone railing near the bench they occupied.  "-what will you do now?" he asked finally.  "What is your plan for the future?"

"I...haven't figured that out yet.  There's so much that needs doing I don't even know where to start.  I WANT to make the surviving Garleans my first priority but they're still resistant to our help even with the remaining legions trickling in to the region to help-"

"-you can hardly help if you're still injured," he interrupted, tone dry.

She rolled her eyes.  "It's not the first time I've been beaten within an inch of my life and it's not going to be the last; not when there's still so many threats lurking around.  As I was saying, there's also still the malformed monstrosities at large in some of the nations.  Those can't be allowed to terrorize and kill more than they already have."

"Which is, again, something you cannot manage while injured."

"Yes, I know, thank you, message received," she growled.  "What are you, my mother?"

He chuckled.  "I merely do not want to see you maimed or killed because you're forced to carry burdens even when you're ailing yourself."

"I'll survive."

"I don't want you to survive, I want you to live," he replied flatly.  "Stop thinking of those who rely on you for one moment and think about what it is you want."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw her face twist into a look of surprise; just as quickly she looked away and down, ears laid back against her head.  "...you seem awfully concerned with my future when you don't even have plans for yours."

"I am hoping to change that.  I am glad you came to Werlyt."

She mumbled something, ears remaining flat; Gaius cleared his throat and swallowed anything else he felt like saying -- there'd be time to discuss it later and he wasn't even certain what he wanted to ask of her himself.

[semi-imaginary-place]

Clarify for me if I get any of this wrong, but I'm trying to figure out the lore-specific distribution of job soulstones. And a question on crafter-related soulstones! Any information or input is welcome/helpful.

Black Mage: Pretty much unobtainable for the average person, black mages need them to not burn up by their own magic, and it's only available to a few people, including the WoL. It's forbidden to practice. White Mage: Very specifically provided by few, to few. With the WoL being an exception, the average person would likely have no way to get their hands on something like that. Pretty much only Padjal and WoL can practice it. So pretty much forbidden. Warriors; The specific class, which is basically marauder, is probably not uncommon at all, but warrior-specific, hellsguard tribe-taught tactics and jobstones are likely especially rare, not available to most. Paladin: Similar to warriors, a bit less common and more of a royal guard kind of style, outside of free paladins. Probably not the rarest around but their jobstones are likely difficult to come across unless you're special and part of an order of some sort, or a squire to a paladin who passes it on to you. Dragoons: Not super rare, but not common either, after the war. Probably follow a similar process to a paladin to get access to the training, with Ishgard-specific stuff in mind, more exclusivity. But a jobstone is likely about as rare as a paladin one, something passed down or handed out to special people. Machinists: Brand new. Not sure how likely the common person could get access, especially to the jobstone, but if the jobstones are all fresh it might be similar to blue mage in time. Astrologian: Sharlyan Astromancy is pretty rare still, but expanding in Ishgard, so the job is likely opening to more over time. The jobstones are, like most I imagine, rarer than the job by a decent amount. Red Mages: Not many in existence, but unlike black and white, not 'illegal' or as limited in teachability. Not sure how needed the jobstone is, its likely especially rare and needed to be passed down or handed out to someone special. Could probably learn it from a teacher, though, without one. Not 100% on that. Dancer: Probably limited jobstone-wise. Job is open to new students, so its possible it can expand on that end. Gunbreaker: Royal guard, so jobstones are probably very limited. Not sure if it's needed to learn, though, but since theres so few, it's likely difficult to learn properly.

Summoners are ancient forbidden magic because no one understands how Alleg works anymore. The only people running around with jobstones are those crazy, powerful, and knowledgeable enough to go dig one up aka you (with the help of a team of Sharlayan scholars/archeologists/magic computer programmers).

Scholar is another lost art because Nym has been gone for a long time. Not forbidden like blm, just forgotten. You are part of the movement to revive the scholar art, nothing really stopping there from being more scholars.

Ninja: job stones are passed down through ninja clans, which are secretive and hidden so there are a lot of job stones but a normal person has no way of getting one.

Samurai: nowhere near as hard to get as ninja. Doesn't mean it's easy either, Othard (Hingashi specifically) seems to have a lot of traditions and structure surrounding samurai and jobstones. Unsure of the specifics but I suspect some normal samurai don't have jobstones.

Monk: I imagine there were a lot but most of them might have been destroyed when the order was destroyed. It is unclear how many Widargwlt saved.

Blue mage + machinist: I think it is interesting that these are both manufactured jobstones seeking to imitate natural ones. Ridiculously easy to get, Stephanivien is handing them out like candy to undermine the nobility and Martin was originally selling them for prices normal people could afford.

Dark knight: another forbidden art, yet Ompaign... Whatshisname implies that it is an old established art so there probably are a few but you really have to go looking and pass a lot of trials to find one.

(https://mirkemenagerie.tumblr.com/post/149512988109/is-there-lore-regarding-soul-crystals-and-spirit)

[autumnslance]

would you be willing to make a masterpost of all your sharlayan research and headcanons? please please please and THANK YOU if you do

I can certainly try! A lot of my info is from what little we have so far, and my own fics are where a lot of my headcanons go to live, with little snippets about various characters here and there in my scattered lore posts, as well as stuff I’ve collected from other players.

Other Resources In Louisoix’s Wake - The twins’ official Calamity short story on the Lodestone. One Name, One Promise - Thancred’s backstory, from Limsa to Sharlayan training to his early assignment in Ul’dah and then early Shadowbringers. Mirke’s Menagerie - A compilation of lore info from in game, lorebooks, panels, interviews, short stories, etc. There are about 4 or 5 Sharlayan-specific posts @mirkemenagerie has made.

Encyclopaedia Eorzea - If you can get your hands on copies (physical officially; digitally is Unofficial so far as I know), I recommend it! They’re both good reads, though EE 1 is the one with a blurb on Sharlayan as a nation.

Posts by Other People - that I have collected Leveva Comment About Archon Loaf - Keeping in mind Sharlayan’s bad cuisine has been canonical for years per lorebook 1. They care more about ease of eating while studying, also seeing culinary arts as an academic field, not a practical daily exercise. Lorebook 1 Astrologian Lore - screencaps from the lorebook. Phaedra’s Teen Scion Sharlayan Antics fic - I am happy to take responsibility for inspiring @phaedra-mero to write this delightful scene.

My Own Posts Red Mage Research - Includes books from Gubal Library. Scion Ages - Pointing out the ages of the Scions, particularly the Archons.

My Fics - Sometimes there’s more HC musings in the Notes and Comments. I try to stay close to canon, at least as it is when the fic was written. Rogue’s Prelude - Multichapter, teen Thancred meets Louisoix, Yda, and Papalymo. Written a year prior to Thancred’s official ShB story above. Aetherology & Skulking Boots-Beginnings - Y’shtola agrees to tutor Thancred in how to speak properly as teenagers in the colony. Chin Up - Yda gives Thancred advice as youths in the colony. Dreams of Home-Lucubration - Yda, Lyse, and Thancred in the colony. Younger Sister - Thancred’s relationships with the Hext sisters over time. In Violet’s Wake-Louisoix’s Children - A Master Matoya PoV from StB patches. There’s a brief chapter with her and Y’mhitra in Dreams of Home, too. Excerpts from other posts - things that ended up as commentary on other threads, with some editing since.

From a thread that started off as about Thancred’s Gear from ARR to HW:

Sharlayan is a nation on an island NW of Eorzea proper; the Sharlayan everyone we know hails from was a colony that became a city-state a few hundred years back and part of the Eorzean Alliance, in the Dravanian Hinterlands, where Idyllshire is now. After the fall of Ala Mhigo and then the Battle of Silvertear Skies, the Forum (their ruling body) decided to abandon the city and return to the motherland, a process that took 5 years before they all just teleported out in a day. Except Matoya, and those archons that worked for Louisoix and that he asked to stay and go to the remaining 3 Alliance cities. This would have been 15 years before ARR/Heavensward.

The Students of Baldesion are also Sharlayan; the Isle of Val, their headquarters, being under that nation’s banner. Sons of St Coinach are another offshoot; Rammbroes (Crystal Tower raid story) was originally part of Louisoix’s Circle of Knowing (who eventually became the Scions), and Y’shtola’s sister Y’mhitra is one of the Sons and part of the Summoner storyline.

Thancred got involved as a youth–by trying to pick Louisoix’s pocket, and impressing the old man with his skills, and so Louisoix brought Thancred back with him to give the kid an opportunity for study. Yda and Lyse escaped Ala Mhigo, and with help from Papalymo, who was part of an effort to help refugees seeking shelter in Sharlayan, they ended up there, and Yda is the one who actually became an archon.

Most of the other senior Scions, so far as I know, are native to Sharlayan, either the motherland or the colony. The Leveilleur twins were born in the Hinterlands Sharlayan, but raised in the motherland, as they were less than a year old when the exodus happened. The university they and Krile attended is the Studium. Becoming an Archon seems to be a separate process not everyone goes through, and is a demonstration of mastery in chosen field(s) of study. That’s the significance of the tattoos some of the Scions have on their necks or faces.

Sharlayan is basically a nation particularly focused on academia; the trouble is, for the last couple decades, it’s been controlled by a faction of isolationists who would rather hoard knowledge and sit in the proverbial ivory tower looking down on non-Sharlayans, claiming others would abuse their knowledge, and that they should simply observe history and not try to affect it. Louisoix, Matoya, and the organizations they associate with (the Circle of Knowing/Scions; Sons of St Coinach, the Students of Baldesion, etc), think that viewpoint is stupid and go against it. A big part of the Astrologian storyline is dealing with Sharlayans who dislike Leveva’s family sharing Sharlayan astrology with outsiders, for example.

What sort of relationship Sharlayan and Ishgard had before the exodus isn’t really detailed much; both were pretty insular and focused on their own issues (like many of Eorzea’s city-states outside of crises), and the Dravanian threat at the time might have kept them pretty separated by land. Sharlayan was responsible for Eorzea’s aetherytes and keeping the aethernets working, though, and it’s suggested they still handle that post-Calamity to some degree. We pay fees for teleports because reconstruction and upkeep is pricey for all of the city-states.

Next post:

The Isle of Val was the headquarters of the Students of Baldesion, Krile’s family and order, and was a Sharlayan institution. It’s destruction/missing status happened during the ARR patches, and Krile was saved by Hydaelyn as she has the Echo (as an aside: you can hear Minfilia talking to Krile via linkpearl in the background on the Enterprise after rescuing the Scions from Castrum Centri before Ultima, and she constantly refers to and worries about Krile after the Isle of Val goes missing, but then plot happened to Minfilia so we never see them together as friends). The Ascians seemed to have a hand in the Isle’s disappearance…but there’s story about the fate of the Isle of Val and the Students of Baldesion in Stormblood’s Eureka plotline.

As for the Archon Marks, if they do confer social benefits, aside from being an easily seen status symbol for some highly skilled & educated folks, it hasn’t been mentioned yet in concrete terms, though we know the rank has benefits (like access to forbidden lore). Mostly they are a way to tell at a glance who has obtained the rank. It’s like if people with doctorates had a tattoo of their degree symbol on them so you knew just by looking.

As of Shadowbringers 5.4, we know that to become an Archon a thesis is required, and it’s a great deal more work than a Studium graduate’s final thesis. It strikes me that Studium (which some of the Scion Archons also attended) is like undergrad or Masters studies, while Archon is a Doctorate level.

I personally headcanon that the arcane marks confer some minor, slowed visible aging and other vague magical benefits befitting their rank in Sharlayan society. Really, that’s a way for the devs to avoid new models and add to the confusion in 1.0′s intros and the running joke about Y’shtola’s age, BUT let’s come up with an in-world thing, too. There has to be some explanation for Thancred’s perpetual baby face when he’s not RPing a Mountain Hobo ;) Also we really don’t know for sure how old Matoya is. Just old.

Lorebook 2 Notes:

Mikoto Jinba (Return to Ivalice, Save the Queen storylines) worked on aetheric siphon research with Moenbryda, and at 29 is the youngest Raen with the rank of Archon in recent history. It was Jessie’s connections that brought her to Cid’s attention and got her involved in the Return to Ivalice story.

Ejika Tsunjika (Eureka storyline) went to school at the same time as Krile and Leveilleur twins, endorsed by Galuf Baldesion, who Ejika later chose to work under. He’s resentful of Krile and the twins as Ejika himself is of humble origins and had to struggle to get to where he is, yet hides his Archon brands with high collars as he refuses to believe himself unique or exceptional.

[eremiss]

WIP Asks: "Reminisce" next

Rules: Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder,   regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little   snippet of it or tell them something about it! and then tag as many   people as you like.

I’m not sure when this one is set yet, definitely post-Dragonsong War and post-Foibles (FFXIVWrite2020.) Maybe post-4.0, depending. This is another Thancred PoV one, where they both open up a little bit about their pasts, him about Sharlayan and Gwen about how she made a living and what made her decide to learn botany and pick up a lance.

I’m really liking this one so far, but I’ve been torn about how the conversation about Gwen’s past should go. I’m not sure if I would rather it be dialogue, or a more vague description of what she’s talking about and his reactions to it. I’m sorta-kinda writing both at once and waiting for one of them to start coming easier and/or take off lol

(this is also where that First Lines snippet came from!)

Part of the WIP and a bit more summary below the cut.

Gwen and Thancred are fairly solidly together by this point, though they’re both still avoiding labels or addressing ‘them’ like the plague lest they upset this good thing they have going on. They’re both dinguses.

Despite that, he still doesn’t know much about her, as Gwen isn’t prone to offer much about herself unless it’s something particularly prudent or useful (”You need to shoot something? Don’t give me a bow, I’m not good with them.”) and even when asked she’s more likely to sort of avoid the question or give half-answers as she’s embarrassed about her past, even with Thancred. She’s very self-conscious about growing up alone and with nothing, struggling to get by and picking up and honing skills out of pure desperation. She’s also just a private person in general and not used to talking about herself, so even when she’s asked 100% judgement-free she’s just not sure what to say.

It can grow to be a bit frustrating, to say the least lol

-

Despite what the Adders’ reports and the increase in Ixali activity seemed to suggest, two days of reconnaissance in the Shroud has yielded little and less. No news is good news in the case of Primals, however, even if it makes the investigation feel a bit tedious.

The Ixali haven’t created any new routes to try and smuggle crystals under the Wailer’s and Adders’ noses, and their old paths have been abandoned since the last time Gwen laid Garuda low. The items stolen in roadside attacks were mostly sundries and foodstuffs bound for Coerthas which, while troubling, isn’t cause for the Scions’ concern. 

None of the travelers and merchants they’ve spoken with over the course of their investigation have been happy about being accosted in the middle of the woods, no matter how politely Gwen and the Adder recruits try to go about it. 

Thancred watches the latest victim of circumstance storm off down the road from his vantage point high in the trees. He lifts a hand to his linkpearl and remarks, “Seems he took offense.”

Gwen shakes her head, casting her gaze around the trees in search of him. “Just a bit. See anyone else?”

Thancred scans the road. “The road is clear, apart from your new acquaintance.”

She passes that on to the Adders, and they have a small discussion he can only assume pertains to what they intend to do next. Given the way things have been going, this investigation will surely be coming to an end soon.

Eventually the recruits salute and depart back up the way the traveler had come. Gwen doesn’t follow.

Thancred waits until they’re yalms away before speaking into the linkpearl. “What’s the word?”

“They’re going to the rendezvous with the other team, then contact the Adders’ Nest.” She tries to spot him in the trees again. And misses him, again. 

“And we get to hold position and await further word?” he drawls.

She nods. Then she remembers they’re speaking over linkpearl, “Yes.”

He sighs at the thought of more bells in the muggy forest. “Wonderful.”

Rather than continue searching the treetops for him, Gwen turns and makes for the bushes on the far side of the road. He watches with mild interest as she wanders through the untamed foliage, ducking out of sight every now and then and gradually wandering further from the road until he’s lost sight of her.

Foraging, if he had to guess. She’s never been a fan of sitting still, and it’s the perfect way to pass the time in a forest. He’s not sure how much she’ll find close to the road, as surely other travelers have already helped themselves to everything convenient.

Gwen has never hidden her skills as a botanist, per say, but she’s a great deal more open about them than she used to be, particularly when it comes to gathering herbs for her own use. Fetching tea leaves for a friend or herbs for a leve is all well and good, but collecting esoteric botanicals for herself is, apparently, a different matter. Perhaps a few too many people have commented about her snacking on dandelions and roots, or balked at the suggestion that they could do the same. 

Thancred winces and shifts on the branch, knowing he ought to count himself amongst the former. He puts that little blunder out of his mind, reminding himself he’d meant no ill will and had only been teasing. Her knowledge of Eorzea’s vegetation is nothing to be embarrassed about, nor is utilizing it as she sees fit, and they’re both well aware of that. She knows more than he does, despite the fact she hadn’t had access to the same extensive education and training.

He idly surveys the road, musing about how she’s rather reluctant to discuss how she learned botany, evasive when asked and quick to direct the conversation elsewhere. He can’t fault her for that, though. Many people consider childhoods spent mired in hardship to be a sore subject, and the two of them are no exceptions. Necessity, desperation and survival are wonderful motivators, but they don’t make for good small talk.

Which is likely also why comments about nibbling on weeds or foraging for odd ingredients are unwelcome; those ‘weeds’ may well have kept her alive. And isn’t that a hell of a thing to admit to? It’s not unlike the fact he’s not embarrassed by his ability to pick locks in seconds, but he recoils from the thought of admitting he’d picked up the skill breaking into homes and shops to steal food.

Eventually her lightly-staticy voice rings in his ear again. “Hungry?”

He’s mostly bored, and tired of the tree bark making an impression in his rear. “I take it you are, if you went looking for a snack.” 

“Just passing time, mostly.” A pause. Communicating when he can’t read her expression or fidgeting is always interesting, and occasionally vexing. “But we’ve been out here a while, so…”

Thancred gets to his feet and peers up and down the road again, straining his eye and searching for the shapes of travelers through the sparse trees. It’s all clear. 

“I don’t suppose you managed to find a wild bakery growing out there?” he asks, stretching his arms and legs in preparation for his descent. 

She laughs as the red of her coat comes into view through the trees. “I’m afraid not.”

He scoffs. “All that time studying botany and you can’t track down fresh bread in the wilderness?”

“Not even a single loaf,” she confesses, her remorseful tone colored with mirth.

“Shameful, honestly. Why did I even bring you along?” He starts climbing back down to the ground, her laugh bubbling warmly in his ear.

 Gwen’s excursion into the woods turned up a handful of roots, weeds and flowers that the average traveler wouldn’t look twice at. Between his survival training and his time in Dravania, particularly before he’d fashioned those obsidian knives, Thancred isn’t so easily perturbed.

They stroll along the road and snack, chatting and keeping an eye out for travelers or signs of movement in the trees. She walks on his left, sparing him the inconvenience of his blindspot. He has to turn his head to see her, though, but doesn’t mention it.

She shows him how to shave the hard skin off the roots, and then stares confusedly when he does it more masterfully than she had. He makes a bit of a show of it, carelessly flipping his hunting knife around in his fingers in a way that always makes her tense and reveling in her silent disapproval.

Gwen asks about Sharlayan and what the time he spent there was like, intent as ever to know more about him and draw out the things he normally keeps hidden. 

He chews, thinks, and decides to oblige her. Mayhap she’ll be convinced to return the favor.

He tells her about the city, the people, and the Studium to start. Then they spend a handful of yalms musing about the growing pains that came with maturing from a Lominsan wharf rat into a Sharlayan scholar. She has some questions, he has some answers --some more open and direct than others. Secrecy and facades are his habit, despite how easy she is to speak to and how well she can coax him out of his shell.

With the scene set, he weaves her a tale about some of his more harrowing lessons with Sharlayan’s masters of stealth and subtlety, sprinkling in a bit of the mischief he’d gotten up to here and there. She makes a good audience, listening attentively and reacting at the right parts. 

He finishes his tale and throws in a flick of his wrist for a bit of flourish, followed by a grandiose half-bow that earns him a laugh and a brief applause.

 They haven’t run into another traveler yet, or seen any suspicious movement in the woods. They turn around and begin making their way back to where they’d parted with the Adders recruits.

“Your turn,” Thancred prompts, lacing his fingers together behind his head.

Gwen cocks her head.

“A story for a story,” he says. “Tell me about yourself.”

-

(((Tangent: This reminded me I also want to write a fic about Gwen studying her ass off post-ARR because and struggling with self-consciousness when she realizes how limited her knowledge is and how little she knows about the fine details and advanced aspects of Aetherology and a dozen other things the Archons all discuss and debate with ease. She doesn’t feel stupid per say, it’s more she’s intimidated and embarrassed at how limited her knowledge is in comparison to them, as well as feeling a bit foolish for being proud of her novice conjury and thaumaturgy, and even her red magic. (Which is ridiculous, obvs.) It’s a bit like being a novice at something and then being humbled, even unintentionally, by an expert. Also a little bit of “being a smart person in a room of smarter people,” kind of feeling. She’s not dumb, but she feels way less smart than she is/thought she was when she’s around the Archons (too much so, even.) There’s also no small amount of envy about them growing up at studying in Sharlayan, and wishing she’d ever had, or would have, the chance to go to school and get/have that same breadth of knowledge. She’s not a very prideful person, but she is/was proud of learning all she did despite her situation, and being reminded of how non-comprehensive her knowledge is kinda stings. She did great, considering her circumstances... and that qualifier has never ceased to be annoying. Some of her self-consciousness also stems from her realizing a great deal of her mastery of red- and black-magic skills has to do with the Echo letting her absorb stuff super quickly, and she almost feels like that was cheating and wonders if she really actually knows it all as well as she thinks, or if the Echo is just...doing it for her, kinda.))) 

[silvernsteel]

SEVEN ITEMS - SILF SILVERWOOD

Name 7 items your character has on them at all times.

1. Singing Blade: The silver rapier, thin and elegant, almost never leaves Silf’s side. The Singing Blade is an heirloom passed down thru her family and once was held by her mother, Petra. Given to Silf as a gift when she came of age, and proved she had honed the skills taught to her as a Blade Dancer. The filigree and design work around the Guard is intricate, showing elements of nature with leaves and vines blended into the metalwork. The focus of the blade, held in the off hand, mirrors the same design elements - though the bulk of the focus seems to be made of crystal that glows when active. The focus is imbued with aether, and coupled with the thin blade, causes a faint whistle to occur when the weapon is swung...hence where the name is derived from as the blade “sings” in battle. 

2. Woven Bracelet: This simple and thin bracelet never comes off Silf’s right wrist. The colors from the dyes have faded over many long years, and it shows signs of wear, tear, and some mending. If one were to inspect the bracelet closely, they might notice that the item seems like it was made by a child, and for a child...and they would be correct. The mended parts of the band were done so to increase the size over the years so it could be worn more comfortably by an adult wrist rather than a child’s. This woven bracelet, made of simple material, was a birthday gift from Silf’s twin brother, Fjorn, who also made himself one to match. Ever since he was taken away by the Warders, Silf has never taken the bracelet off. She not only keeps the bracelet on and close as a way of keeping Fjorn always in her thoughts, but also in a wishful hope that if the two were ever to cross paths again...they’d know each other by the matching woven trinket around their identical wrists. 

3. Worn Book: If you tried to peek over Silf’s shoulder at the book she’s reading, off in some forest grove or on a bench near home, she’d probably react with a surprised start and hide the book in haste. Silf is always book hungry and loves to read all sorts of stories, so most of the ones she owns are worn out lovingly. Having lived most of her life in The Wood, Silf didn’t have easy access to a lot of the fiction that can be found in libraries across Eorzea. Once novels became a part of her every day world, she ate them up whenever she could, all sorts from history books to fairy tales. And that hastily hidden book, the one she shoved back into her pack with a blush across her face? Well...she may or may not have a weak spot for romance, but she’d never admit it openly. 

4. Face Paint: In Silf’s pack you’ll always find a small pot of a thick, murky black paste. Using a tried and true recipe from her tribe, Silf makes her own face paints to apply her tribal markings. The paste can dry out after a lot of wear, and sweat will eventually cause it to fade off, so Silf keeps some on hand at all times for reapplication. It’s rare to see Silf without markings of some kind, as a part of her feels proverbially ‘naked’ without them. 

5. Flute: The wind instrument Silf keeps on hand is nothing fancy, but it’s one she started to carve herself. She had learned to craft such instruments when she still lived with her family tribe, and the act of wood carving became a meditative side hobby for Silf. Playing the flute is an act she does for herself and for herself alone, only pulling it out to either work on the carvings, or to play in solitude. The music is for no one’s ears but her’s and The Wood she sings too.

6. Gil Pouch: In Silf’s line of work, and really for anyone making a living in the world, a trusty gil pouch is never far off hand. Silf keeps hers safely tucked away in a hard to reach pocket at her hip. The thick, soft leather coupled with the pouch being placed inside another pocket keeps the tell tale jingle sound of coins to an almost imperceptible level. 

7. Wedding Ring: Much the same as the woven bracelet, the simple silver band is never seen off of Silf’s person. The band is usually found worn upon her ring finger, though Silf had a simple chain made in those times when one might find that a ring can’t be worn...or are better hidden. The ring has a simple filigree design (something akin to feathers) around the outside, that leads up to the setting where a stone should be. In this case, instead of a precious gem, there is a petrified piece of bark from the Golmore Jungle serving as a beautiful reminder of where her and Leona had first met and called home together. 

- Tagged by: @kich-rp , @yshai-tia , and @journeybetweenworlds - Thank you so much you awesome, beautiful peoples!! :3 <3 <3 <3 Took a lot of thinking to come up with these items, but it was fun to do! Thank you again! - Tagging: OH BOY. I was tagged by Kich so long ago for this so I’m sure most have done it by now! I’m just going to tag a bunch of you lovely beans - if you have done it feel free to ignore and just enjoy the ping love <3 if by some chance you have not, then GO FOR IT! And really just do it, tag or not, it’s a lot of fun! @ash-like-snow-xiv | @feralfm | @fair-fae | @lightdevoid | @lela-ffxiv | @carmen-ffxiv | @terugan-ffxiv | @paleshadeofrose | @a-sharlayan-abroad | @fairwindsandblueskies | @ff14vamir | @khaamara | @cigarettes-n-daisies | @anika-ffxiv | @ahlis-xiv | @voidwife | @jump-n-dive | @shofie-ffxiv  | @kazexvoss​ | @iona-xiv | @drachenlance | @maeltaa-ktemo | @nenet-ffxiv | @nightmaze  |  @lukelxiv    |  @whisperingdawn |  @under-the-blood-moonlight |  @mai-takeda  | @aethernoise  | @elezendad  | @rhalgr  | @alinteau  | @the-lady-bettencourt  | @hingashi-fox  | @lordsnark  | @theshroudwolf | @hikarinokusari | @yemyfuhai | @morneshade | @manaforged | @syerraffxiv | @lihzeh | @menphinasbow | @sokaffxiv | @clearsundays​ | @sinuntosea | @wood-warder | @wondereverlasting | @lavender-hemlock | @violet-warder | @captainkurosolaire | @keeperofthelilacs | @manabuns | @ter-avest | @dyri-lionroar | @leilani-ffxiv | @nheirexo  | @wayward-whelpling | @zhauric | @yuki-yukichan | @yuriveisffxiv | @shadiyah-ffxiv | @vexredain | @sola-ffxiv | @strayed-from-the-sun | @knightingale-xiv | @theceruleandream | @vysaldhe | @vylette-elakha | @arabeka-ffxiv | @avwalya | @miqojak | @fletchlingfletcher​

[dragons-bones]

Entry #12: Reactions

FFXIV Write 2017 prompt #12: Caste

A/N: GUILD SHENANIGANS! I love writing about how I think the Arcanist’s Guild functions. This ended up more of a worldbuilding piece than anything, but I’m cool with that.

Featuring @tehjai‘s Keltgeim and @aethericgeometry‘s Khebi, both used with permission!

While the Arcanist’s Guild had a formal hierarchy delineating responsibilities, skill levels, and pay scales, members could generally be lumped into one of three categories: initiates, middlers, and vets. Exactly what made one which varied depending on whom one asked. Some based it purely on seniority, some based it on arcanima proficiency, some based it on number of ships assessed, and so on.

Synnove did it a little differently, and the best way to see it was at breakfast in the Guild mess hall.

The mess was a necessity. With ships coming into the harbor at any time of the day or night, assessors had to be available every hour of the day, every day of the year. A central location for caffeine, and a meal or two, was essential when the city was asleep.

Second, many of the students and a good number of journeymen and adepts lived on the premise, either in dorms or private suites (or, in the case of people like Synnove, using the couches in their offices as beds and keeping a chest of fresh clothes to change into behind a partition). Especially for students, whose individual stipends could only go so far, the mess was the best way to have a hot meal or get a snack at any time of day. And the researchers liked not having to venture far from their offices when hunger finally distracted them from theorems and breakthroughs.

(And the third that no one talked about to anyone who didn’t have full membership was that since Mealvaan’s Gate was the customs house, too, for the city-state, their cooks had access to the best coffee and tea from around the known world, and they knew how to brew it. Cafes in Limsa Lominsa and Ul’dah both would kill to get their hands on the Gate stock.)

This particular morning, Synnove was a functional enough person to be in the mess at all, sitting at one of the many long tables, idly cutting off pieces of a dodo omelette (filled with roasted red peppers, spinach, and aldgoat cheese) with her fork and unceremoniously shoving the food into her mouth as she marked up another arcanist’s draft paper in red ink. A pot of fragrant, steaming black coffee sat next to her plate, no cup in sight.

Across from her sat Keltgeim, engrossed in an observational astrology paper from Sharlayan, her grilled herring breakfast picked at but mostly ignored. Synnove couldn’t make out what the Sea Wolf was muttering under her breath, but she could have sworn she heard Kelt scoff and say, “Oh, suck my dick, Clotaire.”

Next to them, on the bench on Keltgeim’s side, sat Khebi. She’d only just recently stumbled into the mess, still in her nightgown, a plush coeurl under one arm, and Carby carefully steering her around chairs and benches and other barely-awake arcanists. One of the wait staff had dropped off Khebi’s usual breakfast of cold cereal and tea, and Khebi was listing to one side with the spoon sticking from her mouth, looking as if she’d fall back asleep again. Carby sat between her and Kelt, placid as always.

Khebi yawned, spoon falling out of her mouth and into her cereal with a plop!, (Kelt absently moved the tea cup out of the way before the spoon could knock it over) and then reached into Carby to do her usual morning tinkering of his programming along whatever parameters it was she’d decided she needed for the day.

Synnove picked up the coffee pot and took three long pulls of the ambrosia, set it down, and unabashedly took in the reactions from around the hall.

The initiates who’d spotted the action, and never seen it before, had gone pale as new sailcloth, jaws dropping. Carbuncles were pure aether, but non-arcanists frequently forgot they weren’t flesh-and-blood beastkin, and seeing tiny little Khebi’s arms phase through Carby up to the elbow was... unsettling.

The middlers, of course, had seen it before, so they weren’t so much shocked as they were green about the gills. Carbuncles were pure aether, and sticking your hands into that much raw energy was how explosions or mutations or losing a limb could happen if you didn’t know what you were doing.

And the vets, finally, didn’t even bat an eye or turn away from their coffee or tea. They’d seen it too many times, had pretty much all stuck their hands into their carbuncles for emergency field re-coding (even Synnove, and those instances had not been pleasant affairs), and had nearly all stuck their hands into Carby specifically to find whatever missing item of theirs had ended up in the carbuncle’s subspace storage when he ate it.

Speaking of which, while Khebi was distracted, Carby had turned his head and was sniffing at Kelt’s pen: the very nice fountain pen with a subtle enchantment that kept it constantly filled with ink.

Keltgeim saw this time, thankfully, and snatched it away before Carby could eat it for the third time this week. She leaned down so she could look him in the eye, and pointed a finger at him. “No,” she said, firmly.

Carby blinked guilelessly and sat back upright, interest in the pen gone now that it was out of sight. Kelt eyed him suspiciously for a few moments longer, pen now stuck behind her on the side opposite to Carby, then eventually went back to her paper and muttering less than pleasant things about Sharlayan astrologians and their mysticism under her breath.

Synnove snickered under her breath, took another chug of coffee, and resumed peer reviewing.

[kaoru-takaida]

His Worth...

Hope stretches as Kaoru and her both step off the boat. "That was a long trip. Hopefully we'll find this gem in time..." Hope replies.

Kaoru keeps her eyes on the handwritten notes left by her mother, and her father before her. Yes, Hope and Kaoru were in search of the Un-no-hoseki. "The Jewel of Luck". It was a legendary gem that Kaoru's grandfather had attempted and almost found in Doma. She recalls trying to convince Hope to aid her in the endeavor. "Despite the Imperial rule in Doma, my grandfather had set out with a few of his closest friends to find it." Kaoru had told Hope, over some refreshments in Kaoru's apartment. "They had almost succeeded according to my mother."

Hope pursed her eyebrows. "Why go through the trouble of looking for a mystical jewel as a Starlight Gift?" Hope wondered. Kaoru looked at her hands, folded in her lap.

"I thought that Alphinaud would appreciate something like that." She answered. "I'd already gotten something special for Alisaie as well." Kaoru looked into her tea cup. "Besides, with everything that's happened to them both just recently, I thought that this year it'd be nice to get them presents that mean a lot to them."

Hope cocked an eyebrow. "What did you get for Alisaie?" She asked. Kaoru's eyes lit up.

"Alisaie used to have a special music box that she would play everynight to fall asleep to. But after years of use it finally broke a little bit before they left to Eorzea." Kaoru smiled. "I got her a new music box with a Sharlayan lullaby as the song it plays."

Hope looked alarmed. "How in Seven Hells did you get that? Just how much Gil did you have to spend to acquire such a thing?" Kaoru's smile faded quickly, looking as though she was in trouble. She leaned over and whispered it in Hope's ear. Hope's eyes widened and she gasped. "Thank the Twelve that Alphinaud does not know you've spent that much!!"

Yes. Kaoru had spent an uninsignificant amount of Gil on the music box. It's a vintage music box in it's best condition and with a special protective ward on it preventing it from the damage that comes from overuse. On top of the Sharlayan Lullaby, that made it worth even more.

Kaoru finds herself in the present, her and Hope striding through Kugane. "Are you sure you think it wise to ask the East Aldenard Trading Company about a legendary gem?" Kaoru's sour face was proof enough that she was concerned as well.

"While I am in no thrill of being in Hancock's company, I will endure due to the simple fact that they're the best lead we have at finding the Un-no-hoseki." Kaoru tells Hope. "If there's one thing I know of Lord Lolorito, it's that he doubtlessly has at least heard of the legend. I would be pleasantly surprised if he hadn't personally led his own expedition in finding the treasure itself."

Hope turns and scowls, stopping Kaoru in her tracks. "What if they've never heard of it?"

Kaoru turns to her now. "Then we'll start where my grandsire started!" Kaoru argues. "I've thought this through!"

"Are you sure?" Hope argues back. "It doesn't really seem like it. You could have fooled me..."

"Ladies! Ladies!" A familiar voice calls. "Arguing won't avail you one bit."

Hope and Kaoru cease their arguing to turn and see Hancock standing there with a smug smile on his lips. They both pull away and yelp in surprise as he begins to laugh. Kaoru takes some time to calm and compose herself. "Tis a small surprise seeing you here. We've but just arrived..."

Hancock shrugs, seemingly amused. "Whence Master Lolorito had heard of your endeavor to retrieve the Un-no-hoseki, he'd commissioned we provide such succor and aid needed." Kaoru keeps a skeptical glare on her face. Hancock notices.

"And just what is it that your master is looking for in exchange?" Kaoru hisses. "I won't bother trying to hide that we'd considered to petition your aid in our search. However, if the request is beyond reason, I will look elsewhere..."

Hancock shakes his head. "My, my. Such skepticism. You've no reason to doubt our motives. We won't ask for much." Kaoru looks at Hope. Hope shakes her head, but Kaoru sighs and looks back at Hancock.

"Fine, then." Kaoru replies. "But I would like to make one thing clear to Lolorito..." Kaoru points at Hope. "Hope's to have no part in my debt to Lolorito. She's here to assist only me and not him." Hope can't help but scowl at this. But she says nothing. She knows Kaoru has the best intentions.

Kaoru and Hope find themselves at The East Aldenard Trading Company Offices. Hancock has poured some tea and Hope is waiting out in the lobby as Hancock and Kaoru discuss details. "Lord Lolorito was impressed by the effort you and the other Warriors of Light put into liberating both Doma and Ala Mhigo. He will grant a favor to you as a way of showing thanks." Hancock sets a map down.

It's similar to the one Kaoru has with her. Except there are more marks and a final location marked in red. She gasps slightly. "You mean to tell me that you've found a location?" She asks.

Hancock smiles. "Thanks to our trade agreement with the Kojin of the Blue, we've been able to make inquiries with the residents of Tamamizu. Though Sui-no-sato has remained withdrawn from our requests for information, the Kojin have divulged to us a secret and Legendary cavern that holds treasure, thought to be a collection of a desperate king."

Kaoru puts a hand to her chin, thinking about this. "Grandfather never thought to search the waters... What an ingenious way of hiding treasure in plain sight..."

Hancock nods. "Indeed. With the Kojin's Blessing it should be a small task getting to said underwater cavern." Kaoru gives Hancock a questionable look. "So the favor he's granted to you is the location and access to the cavern. You can even take the gold and riches you find there." Hancock sits back, folding his hands. "However... Tataru has picked up some new information. It seems that you've amassed quite a bounty out on you as of now via the Sekiseigumi. Something of a skirmish with them and a criminal you'd allegedly aided to slip away..."

Kaoru cringes at the mention and gives Hancock a very scary and dark look. It would have scared him had he not been ready for the reaction. "Just tell me what that has to do with any of this?" Kaoru hisses, clearly enraged.

"Lord Lolorito will be willing to clear the charges with the Sekiseigumi. Clean your slate, or something of its like." Hancock begins. "In exchange, you owe him a favor. That is all..." Hancock sighs, seeing Kaoru fall silent in disgust and discontent. "Do you think owing a simple favor is worth the trouble?"

A simple favor? For Lolorito? And to clear the incident that had happened with Hinami? Is it worth it? The question changed in Kaoru's head as she remembers just why she's going through this. Is HE worth it?

Hope looks up at Kaoru as she exits the room. "Come on, Hope." Hope stands and walks beside her. Kaoru can tell that Hope wants to say something. So Kaoru says it. "Alphinaud is worth it."

Hope doesn't argue. "Miss Gallant!" Hancock's voice calls out. Kaoru and Hope both stop to see Hancock standing in the doorway. "Pray keep Miss Takaida safe."

Hope cocks an eyebrow. "I don't need you to tell me that." With that, Hope grabs Kaoru by the bicep and drags her out of the building, despite Kaoru's protests. When they make it to the markets, Hope stops. "Tell me you are sure of this?" Hope asks. This takes Kaoru by surprise. That Hope was so concerned. "Look," Hope starts, calming herself a bit, "for one reason or another, you and the twins befriended me. Why is beyond me, but we're friends nevertheless..." Hope puts a hand on Kaoru's shoulder. "I need to hear you say that you are sure of this. You're indebted to Lolorito for this. Are you sure you want that?"

Kaoru blinks once before inhaling. She sighs lightly and smiles up at Hope. It's a smile the puts Hope's nerves to ease. Within a few seconds, Hope's grip on Kaoru softens. "All I know is if it means I can make Alphinaud and Alisaie safe and happy, I would gladly die to have it happen..." Kaoru answers. Hope still seems uncertain, but she understands.

Hope nods now. "As long as you are okay with it..." Hope tells Kaoru. Kaoru nods. "Okay." Hope gives a weak and uncertain smile to Kaoru. "We should make for Tamamizu. Mayhap we could contact Tansui." Hope begins to walk away when Kaoru grabs her by the sleeve of her white robe. Hope stops immediately and looks over her shoulder at her. "Hm? What is it?"

Kaoru stands straight, releasing Hope's sleeve. "Thank you for this..." Hope simply nods. But that was all Kaoru needed to make herself ready for the next part of their journey.

HEYO dear readers and followers of mine! I hoped you enjoyed this segment. There will be one more chapter released before a Christmas/ Starlight special as well as a matching pic drawn by yours truly and a Christmas themed music video. I would also like to thank @louderthanthedj for allowing me to use her amazingly awesome Hope Gallant as a character. Stay tuned for future content! Thank you all!!!

[katzenkrieg]

Loredump: Cam’s thoughts on Y’shtola

I have a massive loredump (see link in my bio) I work on updating occasionally, recording all kinds of details on my WoL, paladin Camille Delane, and his journey to date. Got Y’shtola’s updated just now! So if you like reading other people’s thoughts on their characters and on NPCs, here you go.

Spoilers through all of the ShB!

Y'shtola (canon, Scion; 23 at start, 27 before ShB time jump, 30 after; 31 at end of ShB) – For most of their fight against Gaius, Camille was deeply curious about Y'shtola; he suspected she had a complicated past and a lot of deeply-rooted beliefs and values that she rarely articulated but always acted on. He respected and found intriguing her commitment to understanding and valuing the beast tribes, and turned to her, hesitantly and diffidently, for insight on their cultures, histories, and their relationships to the city-states of Eorzea. Of all the Scions, he trusted her most to give him thorough, accurate information untouched by nationalism, stereotypes, or old grievances, on both the beast tribes and Eorzean leadership.

Whenever she seemed open to spending time together or being joined in her studies (even if it just meant he sat quietly in the same room and worked through reading and taking notes on something), he would join her, though he always kept to himself. Y’shtola was the first one to notice Cam’s reading/writing/learning disorder and to begin making accommodations for it without any fanfare (reading texts out loud when the Scions were discussing them, making sure there are note-taking materials available at meetings, etc.).

In a lot of ways, though Cam himself hasn’t really realized it and would be a bit mortified if he did, Y’shtola reminds him of his mother--crisp, uncompromising, incredibly competent, driven, an unconventional scholar and magic user, devoted to family and friends in her own way but also difficult to reach. In the same way that Cam held his mother in something like fear and awe and simultaneously felt like he was always a bit of a disappointment and a mystery to her, Cam always feels insufficient around Y’shtola but not in a way he really even notices or holds against her. He just accepts it as fact (though it would be good for his personal growth and self-esteem if he noticed and began to work to get over it).

During his time as a fugitive in Ishgard, Cam didn’t have that much time to think about the other Scions--and that was a good thing. Though it didn’t affect his relationship with Y’shtola greatly when she reappeared, his time working as an equal with Ysayle and Estinien helped him value and trust himself more.

With Y’shtola’s recovery from the Lifestream, Cam quickly went back to treating her as the de facto leader of the Scions, especially in the light of Papalymo (the other Scion Cam regarded as a senior)’s absence and then death. He did notice her blindness before the plot canonically has him do so--he has his own disabilities, after all, and is sensitive to them in others--but didn’t press her about it. It took him more than five years to feel comfortable with his own muteness, after all, and he’s *still* not comfortable with his learning disabilities. He gets needing time and space.

When Cam finally met Matoya, it explained a *lot.* Cam understands growing up with a mother figure you just can’t seem to be good enough for, although he wouldn’t easily articulate that fact to himself or anyone else. If Cam’s intimidated by Y’shtola, he’s near-superstitiously terrified of Matoya. 

Losing Y’shtola to unconsciousness when the Scions’ souls were being summoned to the First left Cam much more uncertain and lost than the loss of any of the other Scions--except for Alisaie and Alphinaud, of course. Without Y’shtola’s knowledge and directness, Cam had no idea how he could possibly figure out what had happened to his friends and how to get them back. (True, he could have tried working directly with Matoya, but, honestly, that thought never occurred to him. *Talking* to Matoya is something that Cam hardly thinks he’s capable of.)

Finally meeting Y’shtola again in the First left Cam in an interesting emotional spot--he simultaneously continued to find her intimidating and also began to be concerned for her. Taking Matoya’s name and, in many ways, her role directly made it hard for Cam to look away from the fact that Y’shtola, too, likely shares Cam’s struggle to live up to an image of a parent figure--and after she jumped into the Lifestream a *second* time in order to save others she’d decided she was responsible for, she made it clear she valued herself much less than she should. Throwing one’s life away recklessly to save others leaves a burden on them and makes them feel like you didn’t understand what you meant to them--it’s not a gift. It’s not something Cam would ever do, if he could help it.

As the events in the First drew to a head and finally concluded with the final banishing of the Light, Cam had finally moved beyond thinking of Y’shtola as a superior. Though he still will default to deference around her, he’s, uncomfortably, realized this probably isn’t good for either of them. Cam’s made a point of getting to know Runar better and encouraging Runar in getting closer to Y’shtola; Runar is one of the only people, if not *the* only person, Cam’s seen get anywhere close to breaking through Y’shtola’s distance. He’s talked to Runar about Y’shtola and about his experiences with her quite a bit by this point. Runar’s shown Cam how to make certain teas and snacks that Y’shtola really enjoys, and Cam makes sure to make them for her now and then, and to remind her to take breaks from her work.

Cam is *incredibly relieved* that Y’shtola finally gave her true name to the Night’s Blessed. Y’shtola needs family that she doesn’t feel like she has to keep up walls around. If the Scions can’t be that for her, than at least, possibly, the Night’s Blessed might be, some day. 

Cam was stunned and horrified when Y’shtola didn’t recognize him when they first met in the First. To have his aether and soul altered so much that someone that smart, in Cam’s estimation, and who’d known him that long couldn’t recognize him and to not have even felt the change himself left Cam very, very lost and confirmed his growing feeling since arriving in the First that events would, inevitably, erase his identity and turn him into something he would no longer recognize. And that his friends would eventually have to kill or imprison him. He very much appreciated and was surprised by the fact that she made a point of telling him about his condition directly and that she continued to confront Urianger about it. To have her respect him enough--and even care for him enough--that she would let him know what was happening and continue to advocate for him was a surprise to him, and one he was grateful for.

Cam appreciates that Y’shtola’s more forthcoming about her blindness now and has tried to talk to her about it--and has definitely talked to Urianger about it, to see what Urianger’s learned that Y’shtola might not yet have revealed to Cam. 

Cam wants to know what Alisaie, Alphinaud, and Y’shtola did and talked about while Y’shtola was claiming mom time with the twins during their work distracting Eulmoran forces in Amh Araeng :| DID THEY TALK ABOUT HIM. WHAT DID THEY SAY.

Following events in the First, Y’shtola is the *only* Scion Cam thinks would be able to keep cool enough to lead the Scions and kill or imprison Cam if the transformation Cam still half-suspects is inevitable, even after being purged of the Light, ever happened. He’s also been surprised by the fact that now, he thinks she might try to save him, first. He wouldn’t really have expected that from her. 

Following events in the First, Cam is also less cagey about his learning disabilities around Y’shtola and publicly and openly uses some magical tools she gave him much earlier that can make reading more accessible for him--particularly a small device that can read out many printed texts (and can make a go at written texts). What Cam *doesn’t* know is that Matoya gave Y’shtola this device without any prompting and told Y’shtola to give it to “that boy of hers who’s terrified of books.” It took Y’shtola a few moments to figure out who the hell Matoya was talking about… (The device is actually one some Sharlayan institutes give students with learning disabilities like Cam’s, specifically to help them have access to higher learning.) If Cam knew it came from Matoya, he’d probably throw it right across the room. It might do something! Weird! And scholarly! :||||| Why would Matoya be nice to him?

Prior to events in the First, Cam would have sworn Y’shtola and Thancred were going to get together eventually. How that broke down and Thancred ended up with Urianger is still a story Cam’s not sure he wants to hear…

Cam and Y’shtola both have an unspoken agreement at this point to regularly butt into Urianger’s life and private business to make sure he’s not up to something secret, tragic, and unnecessary *again.*