#patch 6.3

[dragoon-mid-jump]

A basic and hasty meme about Myths of the Realm:

The Eorzean Pantheon circa. once Dalamud became a figure of worship:

[storms-path]

Day 15 - Presence (Extra Credit)

Sanda wondered, as she traipsed through the sweltering city, if Zero had adapted to feel the heat again yet. Dressed in such tight, dark clothing as the voidsent was, she’d surely be feeling it if she had. Sanda certainly was, even with the tactical (as she repeatedly told her sister) holes in her rearper’s garb providing some level of relief from it. Still, better to be sweating most of her fluids than freezing near to death in the icy wastes of Garlemald. Thankfully they would be headed into the relatively temperate Void again, rather than that frozen hell.

Provided Sanda could find Zero, of course.

She’d be lying if she said that she didn’t know why she specifically had been sent to corral the wayward reaper. Arashi, irritating big sister that she was, was attempting unsubtly to play match-maker. Whatever lingering doubts she had about the voidsent had apparently been quelled, but now she had flung herself too far in the other direction. Not that Sanda could deny the rush of… something she felt when around Zero, but she couldn’t help but feel a very different emotion that emerged from her bonded voidsent.

Hunger. She could practically feel Oscuro licking its lips whenever Zero was near.

That one is not your prey. And if you forget that, you’ll be starved of the aether you so desperately crave until your memory returns to you. She felt the creature shrink back in her mind. Oscuro described themselves as an opportunist. Sanda described them as a coward. They had fled back into the Void to avoid true death, and they had attached themselves to Sanda only after trying to ambush and devour her when she picked up her soul crystal. Fear was its only leash, so Sanda made sure to keep it tightly held.

Still, the conflicting emotions made it… difficult to voice them. Quite aside from the fact that Sanda didn’t even know if Zero remembered what romance was. She’d barely gotten the hang of trust, after all. Even then, she had to frame it as bargaining.

Sanda found Zero standing at the edge of one of the great bridges, staring down at the townspeople going about their days. Her face, as usual, was unreadable, but there was the slightest hint of a frown on her face. She seemed to sense Sanda’s eyes on her, for she turned towards the au ra as she approached. Zero’s lips curled into the semblance of a smile. Sanda tried to ignore the effect that small gesture had on her. Zero’s gaze soon returned to the people below her as Sanda approached, though.

“Everyone here is so… carefree.” The frown returned to her otherwise expressionless face. “Unafraid and unconcerned in spite of their weakness, and how easily their lives could be torn apart in an instant.” Sanda remembered the crimson skies, the people becoming monsters before her very eyes, the utmost despair claiming people at random, causing cascades of fear and pain, everything burning, burning, burning…

“You’re wrong.” The words freed themselves from her before she could stop herself. “They’re fully aware of how easily their world could end. That’s why they strive so hard to put it to one side. The people down there survived the Final Days. They’re so much stronger than you know.”

Sanda flushed, unused to such outbursts. Arashi must be rubbing off on me. Still, Zero appeared to have taken her words to heart. She looked upon the people of Radz-at-Han with more consideration. “Perhaps I was wrong. But still, such luxuries as these are lost to us. We have no hopes or dreams – not even the release of death. Only hunger.”

Oscuro stirred again, as if to remind Sanda of that last fact. Sanda shunted it back into its slumber. Zero was looking at her now, Sanda realised. As Sanda met her gaze, Zero tugged her hat down over her eyes, turning away.

“Zenos was the same,” Zero continued. “Lives were as tools to him, to be used and discarded at whim. In that respect, he was a voidsent at heart. But towards your sister, he behaved… differently. And I cannot fathom why.”

Sanda remembered Arashi’s words, her bitter declaration of herself as a weapon. She remembered the near-feral hunger that overtook the vaunted Warrior of Light in battle sometimes. She remembered Arashi throwing herself into the jaws of death over and over again. She said nothing. Whatever else Arashi was, she remained Sanda’s sister. She remained caring to a fault. She remained a woman of strength and conviction that Sanda could only dream of attaining. She was far from the monster Zenos had been, no matter what she thought of herself.

Zero took Sanda’s silence for a lack of knowledge rather than a lack of ability to speak. “But enough of that man. He is dead, and we are better for it. Why are you here? Is there something you needed?”

“We’re making ready to return to the Void,” Sanda replied. “I was sent to retrieve you, if you’re ready.”

Zero nodded. “Very well. As per the terms of our bargain, I will join you.” Then, more quietly. “Thank you. You’ve given me something to consider.”

Sanda had already turned around, so thankfully Zero did not see the blush rise to her cheeks. The pair returned to Varshahn in silence after that.

…

Zero had faced oblivion before. She had known the razor’s edge of its embrace. She had escaped it time and time again. So she knew, as she lay in the snow, that there was no escaping it this time. The same mistakes, the same ends. Again and again. What should I… What could I have done? Memories flooded back to her, of a time before the darkness had taken everything. A time where she had stood her ground… and failed. She remembered nothing else after that. The same weak light shone down on her now. The same darkness was waiting to end her, properly this time. Zero closed her eyes. At least she had bought those soldiers some time. A strange thought to have, at the end of it all, but-

[HELL’S INGRESS]

[GALLOWS]

The voidsent that had been readying its annihilating blast burst apart in a rush of aether. She felt, vaguely, another voidsent greedily devouring what aether it could as the wretched thing’s soul finally found peace. Then she felt someone pulling her to her feet, and an impossible warmth filling her body. “What…?” She opened her eyes to see Sanda supporting her. The two children were present as well. Alphinaud and Alisaie, her flagging mind provided. They were providing a share of their aether to sustain her. Fools. You’ll only weaken yourself. “You? What are you doing here?”

Sanda’s eyes were full of something Zero couldn’t place. “Oscuro warned me of another incursion, so I got here as quickly as I could. Don’t worry, Arashi’s mopping up the remainder of our share with Estinien and Y’shtola.” Concern. That was the emotion there. How strange, that Sanda should feel something so tender towards a mere voidsent such as herself. Stranger still, the odd rush of heat that began burning in Zero’s chest. A different kind of heat than before. Warmer. Stronger.

“Are you able to stand?” asked Alphinaud, the flow of his aether still steadily pouring into her.

“Never mind that, can you fight?” Alisaie blasted a winged voidsent out of the air with a blast of wind-aspected magic. Zero responded by reaching for her scythe, trembling though her hands were.

“Don’t push yourself.” Worry creased the edges of Sanda’s eyes. It steadied her, somehow. I will not fall here. Not while you yet stand.

“...All right. I will let it burn, this fire in my breast! Let it burn and rage.” Zero faced the assorted voidsent before them. “We fight together, Sanda.”

[coldshrugs]

Spicy oc asks 18 and 20 for miss Io W Laithe pls? :3

ty meg!! mwah! 💗💗

18. Their favorite actions during sex—chin-grabbing, hair-pulling, wrists being pinned, etc.

answered here!!

20. What do they like seeing their partner in when they “dress-up?”

lsjkfhdsk this is so funny to me because "estinien" and "dress up" are not things that fit. however, there are a couple of situations she likes :>

partially in his armor, either still putting it on, or in the middle of taking it off. which she can help with :>

shirtless after training. self-explanatory tbh

[shivasdarknight]

Disconnected 6.5 thoughts below the cut; I've only finished the alliance raid and msq so keep that in mind - also pandae stuff because I'm still miffed about it.

Honestly, it's just a lot of conflicted feelings. On one hand, I'm glad that Zero and Azdaja actually survived the patch; on the other, Zero has been removed from the story right as we were really getting to know her and get used to her being there and Azdaja barely has any presence or lines in her appearances. Tiny Azdaja cute, but narratively she was just...really just Vrtra's motivation and not much outside of herself and very hollow. She was also Golbez's weapon, and now that she's her own person again she struggles to communicate and the most we get is a thanks from her and "Radz-at-Han...home...". Like I want to be glad that they survived patch, but that's such a bare minimum desire considering how the rest of XIV has gone. While Zero got to stand more on her own and be her own person, I just can't help but feel like Azdaja was robbed of so much agency and ironically more so once she was free of her imprisonment.

The writing of this patch series has been all over the place and it's been hard to stay invested in it. 6.1-2 and this patch have been ig the best in terms of msq, but 6.1-2 are still significantly better than 6.5, and then there's 6.3-4. The pacing is all over the place - either lots of fluff, or you're being hit with so much all at once that it barely makes sense - and they're trying to tackle a lot of plot threads while not letting them play out or mature naturally. I loved Zero's arc, but 6.3, 6.4, and the first part of 6.5 all felt like the same story to an extent - like gaining the trust of the Garleans versus the Eulmorans, learning about friendship vs learning about trust and dependability. While 6.3 is the one that had Lapis Manalis and was overall a lot stronger since Rubicante, most of 6.4 felt like fluff that went nowhere. 6.5 still has that fluff problem but actually gets going - and what's frustrating! Is they have some genuinely interesting ideas in there that they don't really capitalize on!

We are presented with a treasure hunt that leads to the void and their turf wars. But instead of going into that, we have to now help with the Garlean reconstruction and making them seem like Oh So Poor Victims when they've spent the last expansions trying to colonize the entire star? Trying to wipe out the religions and cultures of various peoples on Etheirys? Now we have to play nice with them and treat them like fragile glass and give them trade routes and whatnot? Beyond the fact it continues ENW's problem of only showing Garlemald through the eyes of the upper class (problem that extends through all of our focuses, but this especially with the people who were ripped from their homelands and forced to work for the Garleans in Garlemald), it invalidates a lot of the genuine harm they've caused and obfuscates their role in the state of things. I wish this care and attention had been placed in Ala Mhigo instead, but here we are - doing with Garlemald what Ala Mhigo has been starved of for ages now. Oh and now we're back to the Archfiends, and now we're back to the Garleans, and now we keep throwing Jullus in here and the devs really really really want to make him and Zero a thing (the thought of it gives me Fucking Hives), and then we're in Sharlayan, and oh look an arbitrary FF4 reference, and now we're on the moon and now we're on the First, and NOW shit is finally happening.

Like my god, either condense this story into a concise proper trial series (like the Four Lords or Werlyt - honestly a Four Lords structure would've been perfect), or give this the proper attention it deserves as an expansion pack focused on the Void. The turf wars, the restoration of the Thirteenth - also where the fuck was Cylva?? I'm happy to see Gaia again and in a voiced cutscene, but where the fuck are Cylva and Unukalhai? They're literally relevant to it, you can tell Zero about them and vice versa and the most it amounts to is just "Interesting. Anyways-" and there's no progress on any of that. Both of their stories have just halted right when Zero's was gaining momentum and while Cylva's has been in limbo since the end of the SHB role quests.

And Zero. God, Zero. It felt like they were floundering with her for the longest time before they decided to make her follow Cecil's example. I'm glad she's alive, and I really do like the new design for paladin, but honestly the reaper stuff fits her way way better? Aesthetically and design wise, I get story wise that it was about her breaking from the confines of the darkness she'd been submersed in, but her old design was literally so much better orz As in more fitting, more interesting. Yeah ik I'm biased because I love the Vampire Hunter D look, but her immediate shift was just...weird. They floundered with making her the food motivated moe lead and then they just shoved that into her last second - the stuff with wanting to harness the light was fascinating, but it should've been brought in way sooner instead of an extended scene of people eating really hot curry. We were just starting to get into an extremely interesting character and then they went "Arc's over, time for everyone to go home without Zero (:". Yes, I'm now sitting here regretting the fact I didn't listen to my gut feeling about writing romantic stuff with her, especially since GWEN, but I'm mostly miffed from the point of. This is the first major ADULT female character we've had in a bit to be in the main party and now she's just back on the Thirteenth. And with Dawntrail and Tural coming up, we probably won't be seeing her for literal irl years - if at all. I know that not in msq is a better fate than dead, but between her and Lyse and Fordola all getting sidelined when they had the potential to carry some pretty serious story, it's just exhausting. Also the speed at which wolzero and yshtola/zero became predominant sapphic ships, then suddenly there's a lot of zero/jullus, yshtola and zero become increasingly distant with each other, and Zero is removed from msq? What the fuck?

People have been calling the Scions more one-note lately, which I agree. Estinien and Y'shtola were definitely the focus this time to build them up - which is great! I like how they're developing them! - but it seems like they only know how to do one thing with them when there isn't action, which is like. Research and nixie-related threats for Y'shtola, and training and squid with Estinien. Y'shtola has been at her most endearing and likable in these patches, and I really don't want them to strip her of what makes her fun. Estinien was also really good in 6.1 with that merchant (fight me, he knew what he was doing - he is not financially illiterate, he just doesn't give a fuck about material possessions), the stuff with the orphanage and him connecting with the children of Thavnair is really sweet considering his backstory, and he was really great with like Zero and Azdaja and how reliable he ended up being towards the tail end - but him just bailing last second? That fkn fanservice shirt scene? The constant squid shit i'm just. He's one of the most interesting characters that's still alive and relevant (hate that that's a factor in this) and the more they turn him into a joke character the more it feels like they're missing the point with him. Like you can still have him grow from his experiences and actually be fairly carefree without doubling down on food motivation or the "he's the dumb scion" - ENW portrayed that very clearly in all of his interactions with the Scions. Whoever is doing the 6.X patches doesn't seem to get that with the exception of moments like in 6.1 and the later half of 6.5.

I think the only storyline that I've really liked so far has been Myths of the Realm. Tataru's whole thing is fine, just really hated dealing with Gaius and Emmanellain. Sil'dihn Subterrane was fun, Rokkon is...tiring. Pandaemonium started promising and ended up leaving me feeling gross at the end. I wasn't really looking forward to Myths of the Realm because it started off with the implication that the Eorzean tribes' gods were "knockoffs" of the Twelve - but I'm glad they specified that it's more that the Twelve took influence from them but at the same time. We still have a pantheon of twelve extremely white humanoids that are supposed to represent the sum of their believers - and thats what they look like? I appreciate the Leviathan stuff in Llymlaen, but it's just disappointing seeing their designs if they're supposed to be a culmination of faith.

The story of Myths of the Realm was way better as it went on, though there are so many boring designs within it which includes gear. Obviously Azeyma, Halone, Llymlaen, and Nald'thal had really nice designs - Nald'thal's is beyond fun - but so many of the others are just Zeus knockoffs or Guys. Byregot, Zeus. Rhalgr, also Zeus. Althyk? Zeus. Or at least old greek man but so much of that Is From Zeus. And again, they're all so fucking white. Conceptually, Eulogia is interesting. In execution, it's...something. I don't hate it, I just wonder how it could be refined. I also don't really agree with this idea that people are saying the ending was just putting in a prayer answering machine because it was pretty clear as to what was happening? The gods weren't there to assist people directly, they were there as aetheric balancing for an unstable star. People worshipping them happened when people caught glimpses of them, and from there the religion came about and began to further and further grant them power. As that religion grew and so did their strength, they harbored aether they wanted to return to the start to help facilitate its stability and longevity - hence why they seek you out and hence the device. Y'know, the device that was meant to collect prayers and funnel it into the star so that they could be released and finally rest. They're a lot like Hydaelyn, but whereas Hydaelyn was conscious because she was directly made of Venat, these twelve were constructs based on their original selves. That they have this much autonomy - especially Oschon - was beyond the original plan and exists because of the faith of the peoples of Etheirys. That story in it of itself is honestly really compelling to me and I really like the conclusion as it makes sense that the remnants of the old world should eventually be laid to rest and allow for the people of today to live without the shackles of the past tying them down. It lets the Twelve actually get to live amongst the people they watched over as people themselves, since they're not really the people Venat worked with. My only thing is that Deryk's conclusion is what I'd wished Venat had gotten. I'm not against him getting that ending - it fits, it makes sense, I really liked it and him - but it feels weird that they meta-textually say that her entire spirit being decimated in your fight against her is a good thing when it just feels like murder in the context of the game. I wish we could've gotten to adventure with her and let her actually see the star she so diligently tried to protect. That Deryk gets to is great, I just wish Venat had been given that chance but we all know why he got to but she didn't.

Myths of the Realm is definitely one of the best stories in the 6.X series so far, but I don't think I can say it's like...any better than stuff like the Void Ark, Eden, Omega, the Four Lords, or even Eureka. At least it's better than Pandaemonium, though - which god. That shit is a mess. I'm going to spare anyone reading this the rant of how insidious it is that they included so many references to notable instances of rape/attempted rape in Greek mythology and named their antagonist after the target of attempted rape, or the fact that this series is a huge step back from Eden in how gd sexist it is (and god especially the fans of this and how they so quickly dropped Ryne/Gaia (who were already just an extension of thanuri) for erich and themis), or the fact that we got to watch Lahabrea immolate a woman ON SCREEN in a really GRUESOME attack that was only revealed last minute that she was secretly evil all along!! With no hints towards that!! So all our female rep is either evil or dead or both!!! No, besides all that, it shares msq's issue of horrible pacing and just a bizarrely written sequence of events that frankly should've been reversed - start with the threat, then go to Elpis to investigate said threat. There's so much fluff in pandae, we spend so much time meandering around, and things that feel like they're gonna matter just never get touched. Not to mention this should've been Erichtonios' story but instead Themis overshadows Everything. Erich never got voiced! In his own story!! And yet we wrap up Themis' story in a side quest series?? Pandaemonium, Kokytos, Themis, Athena, and Hephaistos all get voiced - but what about the fucking emotional core of the story?

Before anyone tries to come at me with the "if you hate it so much, just play another game" - I like this game. There's a lot I have found within the 6.X series that I like that has spurred my enthusiasm and creativity wrt my writing. Which makes all of this all the more frustrating and disappointing when they can clearly do better but then actively don't. They've fumbled the stories of some of their best characters - yes I am still pissed about Ysayle and the fact that Fordola's been treated like crap - and they continue to pace their stories poorly (which implies cram to me). It's really clear they want to be done with everything from 1.0-6.0 and have no love for that part of the game anymore - it's tangible. But it's such a shame that they're relying so heavily on FF4 to prop this part of the story up instead of the years of unexplored content they've referenced. And I'm saying this as an FF4 liker, all of the FF4 references were really heavy handed and obnoxious. So much for an "unpredictable story", it was probably their most predictable yet (PREDICTABLE=/=BAD AND VICE VERSA UNPREDICTABLE=/=GOOD, im just point it out because they themselves said that fans of 4 "wouldn't be able to guess where this was going" And Yet-).

I want to see them capitalizing on parts of the story where they did really well! Capitalizing on their good writers!! And the frustrating thing about this isn't that this patch was egregiously bad or anything, it was just meh. 6.0 and 6.X as a whole has just been very meh the longer I sit on it.

i oughta replay eden.

[toraznaangieszki]

Desires Untold Chapter 1 of ?

WOL x Zero fic occurring concurrently with 6.3-6.4

https://archiveofourown.org/works/48150283/chapters/121420231

[bi-disastersoup]

Into the Void - Part 3

Things are getting a little weird, and some people are starting to take notice...

Spoilers for Patch 6.3 MSQ

Part 1 Part 2

(Part 4)

[stardustdiver]

thinking that maybe theias 🥺 and heart melting moment with deryk was when he gives us the backstory of the opo-opo, how he rescued him and nursed him back to health, and now the lil guy follows him everywhere

wint is just: "yeah that sounds like something theia would do", and also "that lil opo-opo is definitely oschon but im not saying anything to theia ill let her figure that out on her own"

[love-and-hisses]

I know I've been focusing pretty hard on Carmy, so let's get a good look at his beautiful new mama, Tina. She's about 1 year old, is pretty small (Huntsville Animal Services lists her weight at 6.3 pounds/2.86 kg; I have not weighed her yet, but have no reason to believe they're wrong), has beautiful green eyes (that photograph as gold depending on the light). Her fur is very silky (with a few small missing patches; I'm sure she was loaded with fleas when HAS got her), she likes to be brushed, has the LONGEST tail, and has opinions on every little thing. I'll be posting a video of her later, hopefully.

She is very protective of her kittens (all four of them!) but more in a standing-nearby-looking-worried way than a smack-the-lady-for-being-so-handsy way, which I appreciate (look, I don't TRY to make the babies cry, but they've gotta get weighed!)

She is PLAYFUL - I tossed a toy across the room and she bounded after it. She likes to pull toys out of the basket, and she is partial to catnip. I don't know if this is her first litter (at 1 year old, it could be!), but she is doing an amazing job of keeping them fed and clean.

[ilikeloons]

Okidokie, some more editing content - my non-photog moots avert your eyes.

Before/After stills and additional deets below.

This video is about 10-15mins of editing sped up. I go back and forth on settings a lot to make sure I haven't overcooked it.

The before image is a little flatter and cooler than I'd prefer - and the green cast from light filtering through the trees made for a pretty dull initial image - specifically muddy yellows and oranges. I do really like the roundness of the lighter patch of water and the organic shapes of the leaves in the foreground around the heron. Gives a nod to the marshy area this lil heron dwells in.

Image Deets:

Nikon Z7II

Nikkor 800mm 6.3 Z series lens

1/1000 | F6.3 | ISO 5000 | 800mm

Edits focused on pulling out warmth and contrast in the image, removing the stick that cut through the beak (I can live with the one through the middle of the bird but don't really like that either), and pulling out some of the noise. This is a little noisy at 5000 than is standard - it was a really weird lighting conditions.

LMK what else you'd like to see/know about - love yappin about stuff like this.

[shadowed-dancer]

My guess of when Capitano will be playable

(Not based on leaks or anything, just guesses and vibes)

This isn't necessarily what I want to happen, but it's one of the ways I think they may go about releasing his banner.

If he's not 5.8, I think he will be in either 6.3 or 6.6. Here's why.

Let's get a few assumptions out of the way first. Let's assume the bird is Columbina, the nails are Capitano, and the thing after the fatui insignia (a plague mask?) is Dottore. Let's also assume that all Harbingers will have a boss fight, they will follow the order of the wheel, and that the next weekly bosses will be released in 6.2 and 6.6.

We know Dottore is going to be present in Nod Krai, so personally I think it makes sense to make him playable and give him a boss fight during this region. He was introduced way back in Sumeru, so we've waited long enough.

But if we're following the wheel, Columbina and Capitano would need to be playable and get their weekly bosses before Dottore. Columbina could be the 6.2 boss and Dottore the 6.6, but where would that leave the Captain?

Well, my theory is that one of these weekly boss fights is actually going to involve two harbingers (one per phase). It would depend on who revives Capitano and when that happens, but one of them would end up sharing the boss fight with him. Either Columbina is phase 1 and the Captain is phase 2 in 6.2, OR the Captain is phase 1 and Dottore is phase 2 in 6.6.

Assuming they don't release 2 harbingers in the same patch and that they do the banners in order of the wheel, then Columbina would be 6.2 and Capitano would either be 6.3 (if he's paired with her) or 6.6 (if he's paired with Dottore). Remember, we've had a harbinger debut after their boss fight, so it wouldn't be unheard of (Scaramouche's boss was 3.2 and his banner was 3.3).

I hope this made sense. This is just the feeling I have/how I think they could try and match the wheel.

[bestworstcase]

@red-bulbasaur from here

ok but he's probably working with glynda?? it combines him saving people and protecting the relic in a way that makes sense and gives him important work that he can't abandon without making him too important to the plot. qrow not telling the girls much could be for a million reason including keeping a sensitive mission secret and not worrying the girls since they have enough allready.

three issues with the idea that tai and glynda are working as partners on the same ‘assignment’ for oz:

that’s not how ozpin did things. in every other context he assigned one person per task

we know what glynda is doing: she left vale to find help, presumably in mistral and/or menagerie. if tai is working with her, there’s no reason for his ‘assignment’ to be kept secret; even if “trying to find help” is a cover for the real mission (eg, moving the crown somewhere else), then the cover story should cover tai as well.

there is zero narrative connection between glynda and tai other than both of them being adjacent to ozpin, and glynda is much closer to ozpin than tai is. he’s on patch sitting at home during the broadcast, she’s visiting the dust shop in downtown vale. she spearheads the failed effort to retake the academy, he stays at home.

the issue with qrow lying to the girls is that lying is always framed as the wrong choice. the idea that they’re not trustworthy enough to know more than “your dad is on assignment,” or that they need to be protected from the truth, is exactly why everyone—including qrow—was spitting mad at ozpin after 6.2/6.3; qrow is also the one who chose to bring the kids into the loop and has since v6 consistently trusted their judgment and been forthcoming with them.

for him to outright lie to their faces about information they specifically asked him about would be an enormous, shocking reversal for his character—and that’s a frankly bizarre thing to expect the story to do at a point where qrow is sober and more optimistic than he’s ever been. bordering on character assassination, like i said. this is a narrative where you cannot be a good person and lie to people. period. the liar is always wrong.

so it’s like. it comes down to whether you think the narrative will just sabotage everything it’s developed with oz and qrow in the last few volumes for the sake of making tai look better, or if you think the two characters who have been present and actively trying to better themselves since v6 will prove to be more trustworthy than the one who’s been sitting at home off screen since v4.

[primamchorus]

cleaning up some folders and found a filled template that my friend, @linllen made in a state of being unhinged a patch or two before dawntrail dropped.

most screenshots are approximated, though i managed to find a number of screenshots from my old fc's server that effectively documented my journey from the start of when i played till 6.3

[morocosmos]

FFXIVWrite 2024 Day 10 - Stable

Masterlist Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV Characters/Pairings: Leofard Myste, Warrior of Light Rating: Gen Additional Notes: Takes place during the post-Endwalker quests, sometime after patch 6.3 MSQ. Ao3 Link

Frost and cold did little to improve the state of a chocobo stable, and for all its exposure to the Fury’s elements, Camp Dragonhead’s stables were no different. Leofard had never really taken a liking to the birds, either; they smelled, they nipped, and they knew when you talked shite about them. So the hyur stood with his back against a wooden beam, well out of the way of any beaks, and tried not to wrinkle his nose as he waited for Moro’a to finish his business. 

The nature of it still puzzled Leofard — he’d come here to iron out the particulars of Tataru’s wares with Emmanellain, and when he travelled to Coerthas he preferred to do so alone, or with Stacia at the very most. But Moro’a had insisted on coming along. Something I’ve been neglecting, was all he’d say.

He watched as Moro’a approached a chocobo, one that didn’t seem particularly remarkable from the others. “Chantal, it’s me,” he spoke, surprisingly soft. The black-feathered bird cocked its head and stared at him for a moment, before opening its mouth to let out an aggrieved kweh. “I know, I’m sorry. It’s been a while.” 

Moro’a had never seemed like the type to be close to creatures; curious, Leofard watched as he pulled out a krakka root from his satchel to offer to the bird, who just about sang at the sight of the snack. Well, that explained the name. “Pretty name for a ‘bo,” he remarked, if only to keep himself a tad more occupied.

“It wasn’t mine. I mean…he isn’t. Not quite.” Leofard recognised that dip in his voice; the way something in Moro’a would dim before his eyes, and always when he hearkened back to the same thing. “I promised I’d take care of him, but Sal knows if I’ve ridden him, and she gets jealous. So I try to visit when I can.”

Chantal was happily gorging on the krakka root, all past transgressions forgiven. But Moro’a’s eyes were cast down, and he remained distant, receding, as though taken somewhere Leofard couldn’t see. 

Then he was back, as though it hadn’t happened at all. “I’ll be done soon,” he said. “You can go on ahead, if you’d like.”

[chaobunnyarts]

Memories made (oc lore under the cut, spoilers for Heavensward)

I don't think I ever properly introduced my husband's WoL on this blog! Her name is Croissant Labaguette, and she traded away all of her pre-Calamity memories (birth name included) to a fae in exchange for unparalleled baking abilities sometime before A Realm Reborn.

Croissant ends up falling for Haurchefant during Heavensward! Unfortunately, the post-Vault cutscene glitched out when my husband got there on his playthrough and Croissant just disappeared from the cutscene all together.

Apparently this was a known bug when he hit the cutscene in patch 6.3, but he's decided that Croissant got knocked out earlier in the fight and didn't actually get to see what happened to Haurchefant.

My husband's and my stories for our WoLs don't really interact that much! In the "Grimm is the WoL" universe, Croissant runs the bakery that Grimm's apartment is on top of. In the "Croissant is the WoL" universe, Grimm is the deliveryman for the bakery that Croissant opens up post-Heavensward.

[pheobescreatures]

Northern megalithodon (Bovis rostridentis) 

[Megalithodon adult female] Human danger rating: 3/5, intermediate  Low probability of attack but high fatality rate.   Megalithodons prioritise flight over fight. They are unlikely to be dangerous unless provoked, with calf, or diseased. Incidents predominantly occur during breeding season and when males are in musth.  Distribution and habitat:  Geographic range:  Oxia Palus/MC-11 - Lunae Palus/MC-10 quadrangles.  Range extends from the western tip of the Tempe Terra border to the north-west border of the Margaritifer Terra region.   Habitat: Lowland Chryse Planitia  Roams relatively flat crater plains and fluvial outflow channels containing meteorite deposits and rocky outcrops. 

[Northern megalithodon range] Description:  Northern megalithodons are gregarious ungulates that live in matriarchal herds in symbiosis with northern megpeckers (Alatus equitem). Their common name, meaning 'large rock tooth', is in reference to their size, as well as their beak-like teeth which are used to rasp boulders and meterorites for sustenance.  Morphology:  Individuals of both sexes are long, tall, and stocky with short, sparsely-haired tails. Underneath the epidermis is dermal armor layer composed of small, rounded osteoderms, giving the skin a rough, bumpy texture. The neck is pronounced by thick muscles and dense cervical vertebrae which taper towards the upper thoracic spine. On their back legs are a set of defensive spikes, and bone-like plates protect the knees. The hooves are wide and flat, with a split at the front and a soft pad for maneuverability on uneven ground.   Megalithodon heads are aerodynamically shaped, reducing damage to the skin from abrasion during storms and dust devils; cells on the head and back have a fast regeneration rate to replace lost skin. Both sexes have a spiked mandible which is widest in mature males. Males also have a pair of long, straight horns which act as both defence and a tool.  Dark eye patches absorb UV rays, reducing glare and visual impairment from photokeratitis. Multicolour arcs above the eye act as individual identification. The thickness of each arc, and the number of circular blue markings underneath the eye, combine to give a unique impression. The eyes themselves start off as compound eyes, then divide off into four separate eyes as the individual matures. The heart shaped noses are lined with dense cilia which filter air, and gills behind the ear holes expel fine dust particles accumulated through inhalation.  Like the horns of the males, the crenulated, beak-like teeth are composed of microscopically woven tectosilicates. Crystaline polymers narrow from 5 microns wide at the base of the teeth to 2 microns wide at the tip. Where rasping wears or cracks the enamel, acidophilic bacteria on the surface of the teeth aid repair. A secretory gland on the roof of the mouth produces a reductase that helps break down rock; calves lack this gland and receive this reductase from the mother until they are 3 months old. Adult megalithodons have a bite force of 1060 pounds per square inch (PSI).  

[Megalithodon adult male] The ichor (blood) of a megalithodon, like many Martians, contains cryoprotectant anti-freeze proteins (AFPs) to protect cells from intracellular ice formation (IIF). Ichor must be kept at an internal temperature of -93.15 to 24.85°C to remain liquid and transport minerals around the body.  Megalithodons have several adaptations to maximise their energy and oxygen input. Acidic glands on their hard palate produce acid that breaks down rock. Hindgut fermentation increases mineral absorption. Several Geobacter spp. form an obligate symbiosis with Megalithodons, conducting electricity for metabolism, and remediating toxic perchlorate accumulation.  Females/cows: 5.6-6 metres long (from nose to tail), 3.4-3.8 metres tall, 3.8-4.2 thousand kilograms  Males/bulls: 5.9-6.3 metres long, (from horns to tail), 3.8-4 metres tall, 4.3-4.7 thousand kilograms  Lifespan: 38-42 years  Behaviour and ecology:  Behaviour:  Megalithodon herds are nomadic, travelling anti-clockwise across Chryse Planitia over the span of a year. After overwintering in the Ares Vallis and Tiu Vallis outflow channels (of the Valles Marineris canyon system), herds traverse wide, flat and open areas of Chryse Planitia before reaching the edge of Kasei Vallis in Summer. Megalithodons generally avoid wrinkle ridges and enclosed terrain due to ambush attacks from wrinkle-ridge divers (Iugum raptores).  Megalithodons learn the body language and vocalisations of megpeckers shortly after birth. As diurnal creatures, megalithodons rely on warning vocalisations by megpeckers during the night to alert the sleeping herd to predators. They can interpret the volume and frequency of warning clicks to determine the size and distance of the predator/s.  During a severe storm, megalithodons form a circle with their herd and create a shield wall with their forelegs. Young calves are positioned in the centre of the circle for protection, and the eldest females form the second ring. Young males and females form the outermost ring. Bachelor males simply find rocks and hide among them unless they form bachelor herds, in which case rings are organised by dominance.  Common body language and vocalisations include:  ⦁ Moos - friendly greeting  ⦁ Mwonks + tail flicking - happiness  ⦁ Huffs + tail flicking - annoyance  ⦁ Grunting - annoyance, warning signal  ⦁ Grunting + stomping - aggression, dominance  ⦁ Growling + bow - aggression, fear, attack imminent  ⦁ Panting - alertness, regroup signal  ⦁ Trumpetting - fear, predator alarm  ⦁ Squeaks (in calves) - hunger  ⦁ Squeaks + head swinging/hops - excitement, playfulness  Megalithodons can also produce an infrasonic whistle-pop which reaches up to 20km away, yet the reason for this vocalisation is unknown. 

[Megalithodon calf] Diet:  Megalithodons primarily consume boulders, rasping the outer layers with their teeth. Small meteorites and stones make up a limited portion of the diet and are consumed whole, with a preference shown for calcareous or siliceous stones with colonies of Rusavskia spp. lichen.  Reproduction:  K-selection with type 3 survivorship curve.  Megalithodons are semelparous and reproduce sexually, choosing their mate depending on their ability to create a stable (and aesthetic) den for the mother to give birth to her offspring. The reproductive cycle begins from 4 years old and repeats every 2 years.  In Spring, males go into reproductive musth and become hyper-aggressive towards other males, defending their dens against sabotage. Males create dens by arranging boulders around depressions in the ground with their horns, forming semi-circular domes which face away from prevailing winds.  The females then inspect the dens, kicking or butting them to test stability. After choosing a suitable den, the female will mate with the male who then marks it with scent glands on the side of his head. Mated males are then ejected from the herd, often forming bachelor herds with other males, and the females continue their migration.  For the last month of their 14-month gestation, the female lays in her den until she gives birth. The newborn emerged in an egg made of stone and is tapped out with the mother's teeth. Both the mother and her female relatives look after the calf; if the mother dies during the 12-month nursing period, the next youngest female with calf becomes the surrogate.  By the end of Autumn, post reductase weaning, the calf will either stay with the herd (if female) or be ejected (if male).  Predation:  Adults rarely predated due to their large size and herding behaviour, but sick and injured adults are attacked by opportunistic hunters and scavengers.   Calves are particularly vulnerable to attack from triple-headed saildogs (Erpeto kerveros). A saildog's appearance vaguely mimics a megalithodon calf from the side, allowing them to target unsuspecting strays in the herd. When ready to attack, the saildog splits into three separate bodies and flanks the calf. Adults will attempt to chase and crush the assailants.  A covert dune snatcher (Placename latinus) has been documented to have been attacked by a megalithodon individual, perhaps in self defence, but the ranges of the two species do not overlap and so this event has been classified as an anomaly. 

[awkwardgtace]

Gt July 2023 All Stories

So like last year I did a list of all the stories alongside a little blurb, the prompt, and included characters all under a read more

Enchantment or Curse: Rhys has been cursed by an enchanted ring, but then he meets Vincent. Characters: Rhys(Giant then Tiny), Vincent(Tiny then giant) Prompt: Enchanted

A Small Unkindness: Dabria needs medicine for her son, winds up asking Vitus for help Characters: Dabria(Tiny), Vitus(Giant), Rhys(Giant) Prompt: Bird

Fighting Doubts: Ryder wakes up in a bad spot that gets worse when his brothers start fighting (Mafia AU) Characters: Rhys(Giant), Felix(Giant), Ryder(Tiny), Vitus(Giant), Dabria(Tiny) Prompt: Impulsive

StarGazing: Meg is watching the stars and Streya makes it better Characters: Streya(giant), Meg(Tiny) Prompt: Stargazing

Is Indoors Really Safe?: Alessia has been living with the humans and still doesn’t trust them completely. An attempt to spy goes a bit wrong. (Continued from First Time Indoors) Characters: Alessia(Tiny), Vitus(Giant), Felix(Giant), Rhys(Tiny), Ryder(Tiny) Prompt: Caught

Meeting Your God: ff14 AU(Spoilers for patch 6.3 raids) Delphia and Ash sneak ahead of the group to see their next fight, but it doesn't go as planned. Characters: Delphia(Tiny), Ash(Tiny), Alessia(Giant) Prompt: AU

Legendary Phantom Thief: You want to be a legendary phantom thief, and this heist will make you one. Characters: Self insert size shifter Prompt: Thief

Meeting Through Dreams: Mira reaches the point in her life the dreams to meet her perfect match start and she’s not exactly happy. Characters: Mira(Tiny), Kaya(Tiny), Corus(Giant) Prompt: Dream

Rainy Changes: Dabria was walking home in the rain and came across what she thought was an empty bottle. Characters: Dabria(Giant), Alessia(Tiny) Prompt: Rainy Day

Forgotten Pasts: Mira and Kaya are exploring a cave of ruins when they find something strange. Characters: Mira(Giant), Kaya(tiny), Corus(tiny), Zeke(giant) Prompt: Ancient

Self Reflection: Kaiju Ash is thinking about their life, both current and former. Unsure what they want if they should let things continue as they are. Characters: Ash(Giant), Delphia(tiny), Alessia(tiny), Rhys(tiny), Vincent(tiny) Prompt: Melancholy

Statues Aren’t Great For Hiding: Kyrie gets caught trying to watch Melody. Characters: Melody(giant), Kyrie(tiny), Caprice(giant), Byssal(tiny), Pelago(Tiny) Prompt: Video Games

A Normal Afternoon: Rhys is tangled in his string, but keeps joking with his human brothers. (Continued from Ice Cube Prank Gone Wrong… or Right?) Characters: Rhys(Tiny), Felix(Giant), Ryder(Giant) Prompt: Banter

Destruction and Hero: Melody was given a role she hates, but will she even be able to fill it? Characters: Melody(Tiny), Kyrie(Giant) Prompt: Instrument

Broken Changes:Ash is just trying to get some food for them and Rhys. Vitus hears a crash and goes to investigate. Characters: Vitus(giant), Ash(tiny), Rhys(tiny), Dabria(Giant) Prompt: Designated break day, used the word Break

Escaped Cake Topper: At a party for the daughter of the Kamias a human is brought as a gift. They manage to escape, but can they survive? Characters: Alessia(Giant), Vitus(Giant), Sloan(one off tiny) Prompt: Celebrating

Adjustment Period: Ian is slowly adjusting to the expectations of the alien Mikhail. Characters: Ian(Tiny), Mikhail(Giant) Prompt: Home

Beauty in Flames: Two strangers enjoy the beauty of fire and each other Characters: Self insert Giant, unnamed tiny Prompt: Fire

The Menace of Salt: Mira is a house sprite who enjoys playing tricks, but this time something went wrong. Characters: Mira(tiny), Kaya(giant) Prompt: Trickster

Intimidating Presence: Dabria goes out into the forest to find out about the giant watching the town Characters: Dabria(Tiny), Felix(Giant), Vitus(Tiny) Prompt: Intimidate

Open Secrets: Alessia and Delphia take a bath together Characters: Alessia(giant), Delphia(tiny) Prompt: Secret

Garden Mishaps: Mira tried to take a relaxing walk in the garden, a misfired spell changed that Characters: Corus(Giant), Mira(tiny) Prompt: Garden

Subject 829: Subject 829 is a weapon, but maybe that’s not all. Characters: Ryder(Giant), Rhys(tiny), Felix(tiny), Vitus(tiny) Prompt: Weapon

“Please, share with me your memories…”: The story of someone who found hope in a small human Characters: Harmony(giant), Sy(tiny) Prompt: Memory 

Simple Night: Evelyn waits for Conny to come home and join her in bed Characters: Evelyn(Tiny/Giant) Conny(Giant/Tiny Sizeshifter) Prompt: Pajamas

Tangled Emotions: Rhys is woken up by Sola and Luna climbing his hair, but they aren’t the only humans on him Characters: Rhys(Giant), Ryder(Tiny), Sola(tiny), Luna(tiny) Prompt: Tangled

Planetary Pearls: Streya drifts through space when she finds something strange. Characters: Streya(giant), unnamed tiny Prompt: Jewelry

Cursed Dreams: Melody feels like she's cursed. It gets worse when the dreams of her perfect match start. Characters: Melody(Tiny), Caprice(Tiny), Kyrie(Giant), Byssal(Giant), Pelago(Giant) Prompt: Cursed

Step After Step: You wake up confused, in pain, and tired. Someone helps you. Characters: Self insert giant. Unnamed they to she Tiny Prompt: Element

A Needed Break: You wake up confused as your phone goes off, but your bed is suddenly massive. Characters: Self insert tiny, Unnamed Giant Prompt: Self Care

Secrets Exposed: Rhys has a secret his foster parents just saw so he runs Characters: Vitus(giant), Rhys(Tiny), Dabria(giant) Prompt: Free Day

Princess and Protectors: Alessia and Ash are carrying Delphia home after she took a trip to a human city on her own again. She's caught up in her memories for much of the walk (Using the same world as Enchantment or Curse) Characters: Delphia(Tiny), Alessia(Giant), Ash(Giant) Prompt: Free Day