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otherworldseekers · 1 year

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6.x msq thoughts

I've seen a lot of negativity about the 6.x msq series. So let me just say to begin with that I've really loved it. No, it's no ShB or even EW. It's not supposed to be. It's an interlude between stories (a filler arc one could say, but I would insist not in a negative sense) and as such it perfectly serves its purpose.

We'd dealt with the situation on the First. For balance, it was important to deal with the situation on the Thirteenth as well. A true resolution to the Ascian plot required we do something about it. Not to mention that the game has been trickling details about the Void throughout the story since the beginning of ARR (at least, I never played 1.0) and there are a lot of fans with a keen interest in it.

And the story was beautifully written to flow naturally from the themes of Endwalker. Not only did it give us some needed insight into the mind of Zenos through Zero but using Zenos' avatar to go on a journey from deepest despair to burgeoning hope makes Zenos' fate even more poignant.

Perhaps some might feel that the story of finding hope from despair to be repetitive after EW, but that wasn't my experience. Because EW is the journey of our WoL finding that light in the darkness, but 6.x was Zero's story. Personally, I adore Zero. She is both like and unlike my WoL. Severia also began her story from a place of despair and eventually found hope and happiness through the people who believe in her. But this time she gets to help someone else through that journey, someone completely void of hope. And I felt that it was a very positive and affirming experience for my WoL. And in general I think that the message that there is always hope even in the blackest darkness is one that can't be repeated too often.

Another thing that I think was extremely well done, was the consideration the story showed for the victims of trauma due to the game's story. This is something stories with large world-altering events often seem to overlook. That survival isn't the end. That the people who experienced the wars and the Final Days and other dramatic events have to live with not just the physical fallout, but the mental health repercussions as well. And the heroes can't just go around doing whatever they want without considering the ramifications on regular people and still be heroes. Obviously the game hasn't always been good at this. But these patches and the way they considered even the trauma of the Garlean survivors really gives me hope for the future storytelling of the game.

The worldbuilding done with the Void itself has been really fascinating as well. The realization that the cycle of life and death is completely broken there paints such an interesting picture. And of course allows us to get to know someone who was there thousands of years ago when the world fell to darkness. As usual, I could have done with 10 times the amount of information we got, but I realize they need to balance the story for people who aren't lore fanatics as well. I would love to know absolutely everything about the Contramemoria. In particular, the dungeon this patch gave us such a tantalizing view of what things were like back then. I really loved it.

About Golbez. I think that his arc was, overall, worth it. To be fair, I think it could have been paced better. It really only came to fruition in this patch, but I enjoyed the result. I will never not get emotional over stories of failed heroes. People who tried so hard and did everything right but still failed. It's different than Ardbert's because Ardbert never actually was a villain the way Golbez is. It may have been corny, but I really liked how Zero extended her hand in friendship and was able at last to convince Golbez to try again together. Golbez (Durante) went wrong when he lost his friend, his support. None of us can be our best selves without the support of people who believe in us. Friendship is magic and the older I get the more I like seeing stories where friendship changes people and makes the world better.

As for the implication that Golbez (the real one) was an Azem shard... I think it was purposefully left vague so that we can still interpret it how we want to. Durante sees Golbez in the WoL, but there could be other reasons for that. You don't have to make it canon for your OC.

I also think it's ok that we didn't save the Thirteenth during these patches. Zero and Golbez deserve the chance to right their failures and bring hope and light to the shard themselves. I really, really hope the story will check in on them in the future and we'll see the the Void become full of life again. But I wouldn't be surprised if it takes a long time.

Overall, I found the story to be both compelling and satisfying as an in between tale. Am I excited to move on to bigger things? Absolutely. But I have been entertained and Zero is a character I won't soon forget.

#Patch 6.5 #6.5 spoilers #Endwalker spoilers #msq thoughts

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avirael · 2 months

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The City of Stone & Ice

Ishgard - At first Rael thought it a cold and uninviting city, artificial and made out of nothing but dead, grey stones, populated by equally cold and uninviting people. They had never been in a place further away and more different from their home.

Coerthas had already felt very disconnected to Rael, but there they had at least still sensed the ghosts of all the lifes that the calamity had buried under a thick suffocating blanket of ice and snow. They had still felt the echoes of what this land had once been and could easily imagine the green flowery meadows, the wide golden farmlands and sweetly smelling orchards that this landscape had once harboured.

But now Coerthas was only pines and snow and stone as far as the eye could see. The fauna too must have been very different before. Only a few resilient peaceful species had managed to adapt to the new climate, while vast areas were mostly populated by more hostile creatures nowadays. It remained yet to be seen what the sudden changes of the environment had done to the people living in this frozen land.

When Haurchefant had told them the news - that they were to be welcomed in Ishgard as guests of his father, the first outsiders since the calamity - Rael had thoroughly evaluated this development with a mixture of scepticism and worry.

Neither did they think that a secluded city-state like Ishgard would be much help in their current situation, which still meant clearing their names from regicide and finding their friends - or what remained of them -, nor was Rael naive enough to believe that such an invitation would be offered out of sheer kindness alone, without a second thought or some favor expected in return.

But mostly Rael wasn’t sure what another sudden change of scenery would to do A'viloh.

Many weeks had passed since that night he almost died out there in the merciless cold landscape of Coerthas and although he seemed to feel much better now, Rael still feared that whatever change their visit to Ishgard would bring might destabilise him yet again. Some days, when the Viera saw him struggle, they thought that maybe the two of them weren’t so different. Destined for a calm life in some secluded small village. But while Rael had decidedly thrown their whole being against this fate, A'viloh had been pulled into all of this against his own will and now simply had missed the right point to opt out. Rael knew it was a cruel thought but occasionally they thought that, given the chance, A'viloh wouldn’t hesitate a second to just go back to the boring, peaceful life he was used to.

And on other days, seeing how much he tried and tried and tried despite everything, they wanted to kick themself for ever thinking so.

In fact A'viloh had grown accustomed to life at Camp Dragonhead quite quickly after his recovery. Of course he often whined about the cold weather or the lack of comfort but he also tried his best to repay the hospitality they were granted by making himself useful. While Rael had practiced magic mit Alphinaud, A'viloh had started training again too. At first with a young ishgardian noblewoman, who belonged to Ishgard‘s infamous dragoons, and later, as Yuguri reappeared, also with her. He was an eager student, always willing to learn, always aiming to impress his teachers with his result, but mostly trying to prove himself, to grow stronger. It was almost impossible to miss the glint in his eyes when something he thought beyond his capabilities finally worked and even more so when his efforts actually helped someone, as tiny as that help might be.

Some days he even laughed in a way that did not just seem like out of politeness. Then he smiled and laughed with all his heart, not just at the stories Haurchefant told them over warm drinks in the flicker of a fire place but also about small things. At the sun when it was a particularly nice day and at the small sparrow on his windowsill for which he had developed a habit of stealing grains from the kitchen.

A'viloh had found his place here at Camp Dragonhead and while Rael knew that all of this was only a temporary solution they feared that whatever might come next, whatever they might find, in war-torn Ishgard as well as in their research regarding the happenings in Ul’dah, would only upset him again.

As they arrived now in this icy town such a fear seemed to be entirely unnecessary though. Venturing beyond the area known to them, past the Gates of Judgement and along the Steps of Faith, the giant bridge spanning across the Holy Sea, had been exciting without doubt. A journey into a territory not many people were allowed to visit these days. Even though the wind had picked up and made him shiver A'viloh’s eyes had been turned upwards, sparkling brightly with curiosity and fixed on the city with all its towers and spires.

It was an impressive view of course, Rael had to admit that, and certainly there were a lot of things to see and learn here which they had only read about in books so far. But still there was also an ominous feeling in the pit of their stomach, like a distant foreign whisper warning them to be careful.

The city itself with all it’s tall buildings and grand plazas crafted by extraordinary stonemasons was nothing either of them had seen before. But while Rael had not missed the glimpses that followed them wherever they went and the way they were carefully ushered away from the parts of town that looked rather desolate, A'viloh as well as Tataru and Alphinaud seemed entirely transfixed by the beautiful strangeness of this place - even despite the cold.

A lot warmer had been their welcome with House Fortemps. Haurchefant already awaited them in front of the grand family manor and he seemed all too excited about showing them the city and introducing them to his family. The last months Rael had started to believe that Haurchefant was a kind and loyal man but sometimes he was too eager in his excitement, too rash to speak or act out of an impulse. Certainly Rael would not forget that it was him who had granted them refuge and risked his life to save A'viloh - both were decision a more pensive man may have handled differently. He also had been a great help in cheering the Miqo'te up again and motivating him to not loose hope yet but Rael wasn’t sure if so much optimism was truly adequate now or if they only were headed for a great disappointment. No such dark thought seemed to have ever crossed the mind of cheerful and openly affectionate Haurchefant though.

Lord Edmont however seemed a lot more cautious than his son, still very kind but a lot less impulsive. With a very controlled but cordial voice that perfectly matched his elegant appearance he greeted them. It didn’t take Rael long to realise that this man knew how to choose the right words according to the situation. Despite the fact that they were wanted fugitives Lord Fortemps easily made it seem like his kindness and hospitality were the least he could offer, considering all the good they had already done for Ishgard by exposing the fake inquisitor and supporting them in their fight against Vishap. Almost Rael would have believed that all of this was done out of pure kindness and gratitude. However then Lord Fortemps also spoke of allies and rivalling houses. Maybe he wants something after all, Rael thought, already wondering what it could be.

Then Edmont Fortemps suggested that it would be best to get to know the city before inviting them to a welcoming dinner later this evening. While both his other sons stood there silently with varying degrees of friendliness and curiosity - or the lack thereof - written on their faces, it was of course Haurchefant who immediately jumped to action. Eagerly he offered to accompany them on their tour through the city and offered multiple possible destinations. It would certainly be clever to get to know this city a little better as soon as possible. It was a pragmatic approach which Tataru also seemed to share, while A'viloh and Alphinaud seemed to be all to excited about the possibilities of seeing magnificent churches, grand statues and Ishgard's famous Chocobos.

Rael hadn’t found these any less interesting but it seemed wrong to just go on a merry sightseeing tour while forgetting about the tragic circumstances that had led to their visit here.

Well, for Alphinaud and A'viloh it maybe wasn’t such a bad idea, both of them still reacted rather poorly every time the banquet in Ul'dah and their missing friends were mentioned. Should the boys have fun instead, while Tataru and Rael would try to clear up this conspiracy as fast and quiet as possible. With Yugiri’s help maybe that was truly possible... There definitely was no reason to upset the Miqo'te and the young Elezen neither with worry nor with misplaced hope before Rael could tell with certainty what had happened exactly and what needed to be done next.

It would probably take a while but Rael would see it through.

#ffxiv #ff14 #final fantasy xiv #final fantasy 14 #ffxiv writing #Rael Hyskaris #Aviloh Tia #This time it is just a short bit of writing and nothing really happens #But I thought a proper introduction for Heavensward was a good idea #Like I said I try to write more about Rael but somehow it is still awfully much about A'vi XD #But now that I am going through MSQ and realise the flaws in the plot I had in mind for Rael I still have a few things to figure out #which should not change much of what I planned for HW but I am already too busy with thinking ahead and keep on sabotaging myself #So thats why I am awfully slow with writing at the moment...

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