#also totally not a voidsent either
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3 and 6 for lorenzaaa
Hehe, sure thing, friend!! Thank you very much for sending these in, they really mean a lot!!~
(question source: "Self-insert Development Meme" by blushpanda)
3. Who in her canon is she closest to? Who would she drop everything to come help, if anyone? Who’s the person she's least close to? Who would she most likely not get along with, if anyone? - When Lorenza first initially comes to the Source, the person she's closest to would be K'pheli Tia, my friend Simon's self-insert; this is because he's the one who made a pact with her, giving up his aether in return for her support, and is therefore the reason she is hanging around on the Source in the first place. Other than him, though, her affection for Zero probably takes everyone by surprise when the two finally get to reunite on the Thirteenth, given that they'd been separated for a bit prior to that point. I can see her being fond of some of the Scions as well, over the time she would end up spending with them - Y'shtola stands out as an example, since I really like what I've read about her personality so far, even if I haven't seen much of her in-game yet.
Lorenza is not generally not the sort of person to drop everything to go help someone, partially due to being so used to the transactional way the voidsent tend to do everything - she won't help unless she gets something out of it. She would have to care about someone a lot to go over and help them if helping them would be an inconvenience to her, and then probably have to justify the assistance, in that kind of denying "no it totally wasn't because i care about you" way, maybe
I don't have a concrete answer for who she's least close to out of the main cast yet, but speaking in more general terms, she doesn't exactly suffer fools gladly - other people being too stupid or stubborn is a fairly easy way to get her irritated at them, and she also obviously wouldn't get on well with anyone who distrusts her for what she is despite the ways she helps the party out. Like, she definitely understands - ordinary people don't exactly tend to react well when someone shows up having made a pact with what's essentially a demon, especially given how many quests scattered across the game are to do with destroying voidsent - but that doesn't mean she has to like people who don't like her, especially when it's in an active "you are a voidsent so you must be 100% evil and about to betray us" way than just a "you're a bit scary so even though you're helping us it's hard to be around you" way.
6. Does she fight? What’s her weapon of choice? Does she stay on the sidelines? What would it take for her to get off the sidelines? Revenge? Saving a loved one? What’s the motivation for her to fight, or to stay OUT of a fight? - From a story perspective, Lorenza doesn't really fight directly I don't think, but if ever she does, her weapon would be dark magic (since, in-game, I play her as a black mage)!
She mostly stays on the sidelines in battles, though that's less out of not wanting to participate in fights and more out of her role being to provide power to K'pheli who then does the actual fighting, especially after he actually properly becomes a reaper. For her to get off the sidelines would probably take either a desperate situation where she has to give all she can alongside the others, or else be a fight she herself has personal motivation in seeing won and wants to deal the death blow in.
On a similar note, Lorenza prefers fighting in more underhanded ways - surprise sneak attacks, etc. - than more direct challenges to combat. It keeps her safe and gives her the opening advantage, after all!~ So, she'd be more likely to stay out of a fight if she couldn't see a way of attacking without as much risk to herself; self-preservation is important to her.
I hope that all of that makes sense!! Thank you very much again for sending the questions, friend~
#a call from the void#heart of the void#selfshipping#self-inserts#self‑insert: wings of the void (lorenza)#although I suppose I did also mention her (and therefore my) affection for zero a bit so#selfship: in a land forever strange (zero/lorenza)#out of the inbox#selfship asks#clara tag!#sorry that this has been in the inbox for like two weeks at this point#I am also aware that there are multiple other asks in the inbox that have been in there for the same amount of time or longer#and I apologise for not having been quick to write answers for them all#but i'm trying to bounce around them and answer the ones i feel i can in the moment so they at least get done#rather than trying to write answers for the ones that have been in there the longest first even when i'm stuck on them#it's twenty to two in the morning I should probably sleep now oops
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Treasure in the Darkness - Gatekeeping
The Drunk Dungeoneers have been contracted to fulfill their most controversial job yet, a treasure hunt into the Void itself!
Ages ago, a short story survives that tells of a wealthy Lord traveling with a carriage laden with all their worldly treasures. In their travels they were suddenly thrown from their carriage as it fell into what seemed like a tear in the road itself, filled with darkness and howls of anguish. As the carriage full of all their worldly treasures sunk into the space, the Lord was overcome with grief and passed out.
Thankfully, his driver, who survived the event, managed to record what best he could. While details have been lost over the years, it has remained a piece of interest nonetheless.
In the modern day, it is believed this event may have been an encounter with a void tear!
Before heading into the Void though, safety is paramount to be discussed! Enter, Laplace De'Amon, Archon of the Void! While the initial, and most fervent, focus of the safety seminar was to just not go into the Void at all, she did discuss safety in the Void. Namely to keep travel time to a minimum and cloak your aether, as to avoid attracting denizens that would wish to consume you. Very important things to know!
Also covered was the great importance to not ingest anything from within the Void, lest the taint of the Void be passed into the body and really fuck it up. In an emergency, Anhe and L'kahlee do angrily offer aetherosurgeries to correct the taint, but it will be an emotionally damaging experience for the patient.
With safety covered, the next step was to discuss the how of entering the Void, in the company of the fine folks at the Aetherbound Institute!
With standard Void travel being either a surprise or requiring a Void portal, of which notable few can be found, the team was required to come up with an alternative method, while still maintaining the safety of not creating something that a Void Lord could manipulate to enter the world themselves and really cause some problems.
Something that could be manipulated, closed at leisure, and wouldn't become so large as to allow really dangerous Voidsent to pass through. The problem was difficult to say the least, though the ideas were fast flowing.
In the end, the team elected to design a portal that used either some mechanical componentry to create an arc way, or use a biological basis to create an easy manipulatable gateway; possibly to use both!
While Osren, and some of the other Archons, would see about the tek side of things, the rest of the dungeoneers would cover the biological; they were going Morbol hunting!
In addition to the gate, matters of protection were important. While the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, or whatever that group was going by since they closed shop, had fancy Thavnairian sourced warding scales made from a Firstbrood dragon, the Dungeoneers were less resource heavy; though Cassia did offer to try and get a Warding Scale for them.
To this effort, the team came up with a less well crafted but still effective design, utilizing dragon scales of an older creature, combined with the aetheric density metal of some Allagan space tek. With these sources combined, they hoped to match the aetheric resistance of the Warding Scale itself. It would just require a short jaunt to the moon, to gather some unharvested Allagan tek. Easy! Totally.
Morbol hunting proved.... Actually not too bad. A team of Dungeoneers set out to the Shroud, equipped with some tranquilizer serum and a net. With some well placed shooting, and spellwork, the Dungeoneers managed to subdue the Morbol quickly, and no one even got breathed on.
Although Arae'sae did suffer a magical kickback, forcing him to shrink in size. It'll probably wear off soon.
The moon proved more of a challenge. While Osren, Anhe, and L'kahlee were able to use credentials to get the team access to the moon, though by more hitching a ride than direct use; concern for optics and the like. Still, the other team of Dungeoneers landed on the lunar surface and, after some freaking out by certain otherworldly team members, they were able to locate the Allagan wreck. With some careful avoidance of bots and a lot of searching, they managed to locate the aether antenna they sought, and spent the last of the bit chunking through the ship hull to gather the materials.
Now, armed with a morbol corpse, tek arches, and some warding materials, the Dungeoneers prepare for the next step of the job. Making a gate, and figuring out where to set the thing up!
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Dear Diary 14
Armand is up and has been making great progress on his recovery! Last week he even started back training. Nothing heavy, but he was adamant about not wanting to be laid out and vulnerable any longer. I completely understand that feeling.
He wasn’t happy when he learned I’d been one of the people who had helped find his antidote. In fact, he was pissed off about it. Good to know his distaste for me hasn’t waned since he’d gotten sick, but really? ‘I would have rather died than gotten any handouts from you?’
I usually let what he says roll off but it was hard not to get mad at that. I know he doesn’t like me but I worried for him, cried for him. I wasn’t wanting a thanks, but I didn’t need that, either. I snapped back. Hells, I don’t even remember what I said, I usually don’t when I get angry but whatever I said made him really angry. We got into a shouting match. Fitaan came out right as Armand challenged me to a duel. I remember Fitaan just sighing and going back into his tent.
To be fair, Armand challenges me to duels often, I don’t blame Fitaan for feeling exasperated. He came back out with Esila who looked thoroughly amused. I wanted to refuse, since Armand wasn’t even close to being in fighting shape, but to refuse him would be a huge blow to his pride, and the godsdamned diva would never let it go. So I accepted.
It wasn’t even a contest. And no, I didn’t hold back because he would have known and I would have gotten an earful. So I laid his ass out. He was barely able to get a swing in and it felt like I was stomping on a wounded animal, which in a way he is. It’s not a crowning achievement nor anything I’m proud of, but the one thing I’ll give Armand is that he’ll at least take a beating with grace.
Sort of.
He didn’t complain, anyway. I left after that, feeling out of sorts and upset. I had to get ready for my trip to the Gubal Library.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from a place like that, although I wasn’t disappointed, either. We met up with some masons who were knowledgeable about the place and headed over. The weather wasn’t great and my thoughts were all over the place. I feel bad I didn’t think to offer Jasper my spare umbrella. By the time I remembered I even had it, we were already there.
A weird voidsent thing popped up asking for us to impart knowledge for entry, I guess. A book or something it could assimilate into the library. Just had this diary and one of my better romance novels The Eastern Pirate and the Isgardian Maiden. I wasn’t really all that eager to part with it but that godsdamned library wasn’t having any of my sneaking about. It took my book.
I was at the good part too. [There’s doodles of a little Zahra crying along the margins and broken hearts]
We were ported in and immediately it felt weird inside. Well, outside of the stink of musty books and how dusty it was. Something jumped into someone’s bag and some sort of...shadow tapped my shoulder and whispered into my horn. I think it was messing with everyone. The Librarian voidsent thingie was summoned and Sir Sinclaire asked for us to get teleported to a different room but the Librarian was suspicious about us having brought something weird in and threatened to purge us all.
Voidsent suck, by the way. That thing totally wanted to purge us.
Anyway, so we were ported into a different room, which felt like my stomach wanted to come back up through my throat. Great feeling. We were trying to sort through for information and I found a few books on some creatures called ‘fae’. Also found some books on the allag and chemistry. I honestly wasn’t all that interested in the fae stories like Sir Sinclair was, but those allag books on chemistry were pretty neat.
I don’t remember a lot of what my mother tried to teach me about alchemy, but she did try. It was part of my studies growing up and mother made sure I had a varied education. I didn’t really understand the chemistry stuff until I saw an index that spoke about transmutation, alteration, and other concepts that you’d also see in alchemy. It made me wonder...did chemistry give birth to alchemy? Allag is pretty old you know? I didn’t really have time to give much thought about it, since everyone gained some insight about those rods they’d brought.
Poor Jasper and some corsair with funky dice ended up being mediums to the possessed aether rods and we were trying to suss out more information about some spirits that were in them, I guess. Looks like our leads are sending us to the Shroud. Because of course it’s sending us to that creepy forest with the weird spirits.
We’re going to get that woodsin Erith’s always talking about. Everything will be fine!
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Always Looking for RP - Chachanji Gegenji (Shadowbringers)
General Information ––––
NAME: Chachanji Gegenji
NICKNAMES: Chachan, Chanchan, Chach, Chachi, Chan, Cha, Chanji, Bunchan, Chagenji, “Champion” Chachan, and Mallet Masher
AGE: 19
RACE: Lalafell - Dunesfolk
GENDER: Male
SEXUALITY: Heterosexual
MARITAL STATUS: Single
SERVER: Balmung
Physical Appearance ––––
HAIR: Green with a snowy white patch. Frosting is not dye, but caused due to time spent in training and meditation in an area of highly positive-aspected aether.
EYES: Violet, with a slight mirror-y sheen. Effect also caused by training mentioned above.
HEIGHT: 2'10"
BUILD: Short, stocky. General Lalafellin build but with broader shoulders, bulkier arms and legs, and a bit of visible muscle definition (though he often tries to hide it). Endomorphic musculature.
DISTINGUISHING MARKS: Light dusting of freckles over cheeks and shoulders, burly physique, forehead stone with the family seal engraved in it.
COMMON ACCESSORIES: Cactuar earring, his (very large) smithing hammer, a worn bokken, various small smithing tools, a pouch full of Yellow Drops, satchel of jerky, canteen of sweetwater.
Personal –––-
PROFESSION: Doman Blacksmith, Armorsmith, and Leatherworker. Seneschal of House Dentra (minor Ul’dahn noble house and smelting guild), Free Paladin of Ul'dah, and Samurai-in-Training.
HOBBIES: Reading storybooks, chocobo riding, Triple Triad (both playing and just collecting cards)
LANGUAGES: Eorzean, Doman/Hingan, little bit of sign language.
RESIDENCE: Usagenji Ironworks (Goblet Ward 11, Plot 15)
Traits –––-
extroverted / introverted / in between
disorganized / organized / in between
close minded / open-minded / in between
calm / anxious / in between
disagreeable / agreeable / in between
cautious / reckless / in between
patient / impatient / in between
outspoken / reserved / in between
leader / follower / in between
empathetic / unemphatic / in between
optimistic / pessimistic / in between
traditional / modern / in between
hard-working / lazy / in between
cultured / uncultured / in between
loyal / disloyal / in between
faithful / unfaithful / in between
Additional Information –––-
SMOKING HABIT: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess
DRUGS: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess
ALCOHOL: never / sometimes / frequently / to excess
Possible Hooks –––-
Highly Skilled Gegenji Smith - Member of the Gegenji family, which has some fame around Yanxia, Chachanji is extremely skilled at his craft. While he focuses mainly on crafting armor to protect others, he is also able to craft tools, perform all sorts of repairs and maintenance and - should he be properly swayed and convinced to do so - craft very powerful weaponry.
(It should be noted that due to his pacifistic nature, getting him to make or improve weaponry will require a high degree of trust with the individual.)
Seneschal of House Dentra - Through a strange rite of initiation, Chachanji is now the current head of a minor Ul’dahn noble house. House Dentra is most notable for also being the owner of a Smelting Guild, owning various facilities and mines scattered across Eorzea. They also help staff the satellite facility “Three Ingot Outlet” (named after the aforementioned initiation) that opens during the Sultana’s Breath Shopping Arcade.
Mr. Eorzea/”Champion” Chachan - Chachanji has been crowned the victor in two competitions - the Mr. Eorzea competition and the Grindstone. While he has only won each once, these victories somehow remain decently well known - likely due to how much it flusters him - with the latter in no small part due to the sweetwater and fruit juice drink named after him at the Quicksand. Despite this he still tends to pop by the Grindstone itself now and then as either a spectator or a participant for training purposes.
Free Paladin of Ul’dah - While he doesn’t directly work with the Sultansworn, Chachanji has been ordained a proper Free Paladin of Ul’dah by one Coatleque Crofte. He does often take up various levequests to help people under that title, and - more commonly - serves as a regular resource for the Sultansworn to have their regalia repaired and refitted. He also assists the Flames in a similar capacity, so anyone with connections with either group might have seen or heard of the little smith.
Source or First - Chachan is currently on the Source but I do have plans in mind for Chachan to end up stuck on the First thanks to the antics of a Pixie named Gria Gai - and possibly need of help and/or a way back home! When it happens is still up in the air (and probably can be shifted around if needed), but it does mean Chachan could potentially encountered in either Shard. And even if Chachan is still on the Source, he has a Reflection on the First that is still plenty available to be interacted with.
What I’m Looking for ––––
Friends - Chachan is always one to make new friends, even if they seem the sort that most might not give a fair shake to. From Garleans to half-voidsent, if you seem like a decent enough person, he’ll probably be willing to at least try!
Customers - As a skilled smith, it’s nice to actually have Chachan doing his job via RP rather than just saying he does. This extends from armorcraft to repair to possibly even serving a potential source of work at one of House Dentra’s facilities or mines.
Helping People - Chachan likes trying to help people out, so whether for one-shots or in longer arcs, getting to have the little guy help out someone in need would be pretty neat. Just lemme know what the general idea is and we can see if the floofy-haired dork can help out in it!
RP in General - Slice of life, RP events, arcs. Basically I’m just looking to interact more with the various interesting people, places, and occurrences that take place in the world of FFXIV! It’s part of my goal in Shadowbringers to really get Chachan out there a lot more.
OOCly, I am ––––
A contract programmer who is free most evenings, and frequently looking for someone to RP with, just hang out, or even go flail around in Overwatch. Most of my evenings and weekends tend to be open, so I’m looking to fill them with SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
I will warn up front that I’m the sort that doesn’t like to idle around too much, however. So, if I don’t have anything planned for the day, I’ll often try to entertain myself doing something - whether it be leveling Jobs or Trusts or what-have-you. The thing to keep in mind is that these are usually just my way to waste time, and I would often prefer to do something like RP instead! So please feel free to poke me via /tells or Discord or whatever, even if it looks like I’m busy. I will definitely let you know if I am, but more likely I’ll totally drop whatever I’m doing for something far more fun - like RPing with you!
As for the RP itself... I’m open to try most things within reason. Overly dark or violent themes will likely need to be okayed first (I’m not against them but Chachan’s a cheerful, friendly, gentle sort and that can clash with very gritty stories sometimes!), but I’m willing to give a lot of more lore-bendy ideas and plots a shot if you can sell me on it! I am also open for RP/chatting both in-game proper as well as over Discord (Hamelin#0069).
Additional Plot Hook: Gojirafell ––––
Chachanji - due to a sort of monkey’s paw situation involving a strange snake oil salesman and a modified Gobbielixir potion - has gained the ability to pull an Apache Chief or Ultraman and become quite large. How large is dependent on how much aether he intakes - and thus something he has to watch out for. Overhealing, anything with ether-like properties, and even the aether that Primals use when they seek to temper (which oddly enough makes him immune to that effect) will cause this to happen whether he likes it or not. As such, he tries to avoid situations where the very large cat might be let out of the bag.
This is kept under a Read More mostly because it is a Plot Hook that could fall outside people’s comfort zones where it comes to lore-bending and personal head-canons. As such, it’s something that only will be a Thing in situations where it is clearly identified that it is being used and, more importantly, that everyone involved is okay with it. Otherwise, it will rarely - if ever - be directly alluded to or even referenced. After all, it’s something Chachan would be trying to keep secret about in either case!
As for how someone might come across this odd trait, the events of his trip to Kugane - the rescue of the sinking ship specifically - resulted in a drunken captain and crew spouting tales of a sea giant that rescued them. These were overheard by a Kugane writer and have become the basis of a series of Doman stories and picture books. Not to mention the events of the recently completed Kyodai Hero arc could provide further ways!
Or we could probably manage to manufacture a scene where the secret slips - either just slip of the tongue or witnessing the Gojirafell himself! Especially for any First RP as the Pixie that abducted him is well aware of his ability and gets an absolute kick out of messing with him with it. Both to embarrass him and to glamour his outfit to show off her burgeoning fashion sense on such a sizable canvas (Yes, she takes some cues from Tomoyo from Cardcaptor Sakura)!
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Vex’s Brief Guide to Eureka Pagos
“Exactly what frozen ‘ell is this?”
Considering today is the release of Eureka Pyros, I understand a lot of people may want to catch up through Pagos! Having done a lot of Pagos I’ve accumulated a little guide I’ll share if anyone is interested. This guide isn’t complete but it’s what I could think of when I wrote it!
A further note is that there’s been two EXP buffs since Pagos’ release, meaning that FATE-training is very viable and it’s relatively quick to level in. Light gain has also been buffed. Always remember that first and foremost your goal is to level before you bother about light farming, this is relatively quick at higher levels!
Also, yes there are people doing Pagos, and it is definitely possible to catch up! Don’t be disheartened by feeling behind the curve, as there are people in the instance. Lots of people are in the same boat and want to catch up to get their hands on all the flashy new things in Pyros, I would advise not hesitating and getting in there sooner rather than later, as the older instances of Eureka see about 4 weeks of activity once the latest comes out. It is possible to catch up, and easily doable in that time frame without playing the place to death!
I hope this helps anyone who may need it!
The Elemental Level cap of Eureka Pagos is 35
You will get access to your mount after completion of the level 35 quest.
You need a total of 31 Frosted Protean Crystals, 500 Pagos Crystals, and 5 Louhi's Ice to get your relic weapon. Frosted Proteans are gained by bringing light from your kettle to the Crystal Forge.
Pagos Crystals drop from NMs, and yep the first FATE only drops 1, don’t be discouraged as the amount grows as the NM levels go up.
Louhi’s Ice is gained from killing the final boss of Pagos, Louhi, who spawns in the Northeast corner of the map, you have to drop off a ledge towards the easternmost part of the ice shelf. (There’s a picture of him below the cut)
When dropping off the ice shelves or cliffs, ALWAYS walk. There’s Frozen Dragons usually on the ledges you want to drop on to, and these will kill you, being ELvl 40
Your kettle only holds 9 crystals. Once you hit 9 you won't get any more light. Go to the crystal forge preferably at 8/9. (I’ve included what the kettle aether bar looks like below the cut!)
Aetherytes are at ELvl 21, 30, 32. These being central, northwest, northeast.
There are two FATEs which are always up: Down The Rabbit Hole, and Curiouser And Curiouser. These are not NMs. They're Bunny FATEs and on completion will award a random amount of people a Happy Bunny. Go into your Key Items and bind the Lucky Carrot to your bar, then use the carrot as you would an Aether Compass.
The NM FATE "Wobbler In The Dark" will NOT give you gold, ever. You get the same EXP as gold at silver, the reason for this is you need a crafted item called Hakutaku Eye Cluster to get gold. The only thing gold gives you is a glamour item called the Optics Hat from FFXI
Frozen Dragons aggro through sound, but not touch. RP walk past/through them or you'll die.
Nearly all plant mobs aggro through sound AND touch. Don't touch them or run past them if they're higher level. The Sankchinis in the main pathway up north count as plants, too. (I’ve seen them take many lives)
Ashkin aggro on low HP. They only appear at night.
Sprites aggro on cast. Cast too close and they'll kill you. Sprites only appear during their associated weather condition. I.E. Heatwaves spawns fire bois
Mutated mobs change element, drop around 2x-4x the EXP, and have a much higher light drop chance. Higher level mobs mutate more often. NM spawning associated mobs do not mutate. Mutated mobs drop Cold-Warped Lockboxes more often. Anubys and Frozen Dragons are the mobs of choice for farming these boxes.
There's no extra magicite in Pagos.
Chaining mobs increases the chances of them dropping a Cold-Warped Lockbox. These lockboxes drop rare things like /shiver
You nearly always want to be killing mobs which are 5+ levels higher than you.
Basic Map:
This is increeedibly basic for a map. Yellow crosses denote Quest Markers, Purple crosses denote NM FATEs, Pink circle denotes the location of Louhi’s Room, Blue circle denotes the location of the Crystal Forge, Red lines denote Ice Shelves/Cliffs.
Kettle Bars:
There’s a few different types of light that fill your bar a different amount for each. These are: Feeble, Gentle, Bright, Brilliant. Brilliant will completely fill a bar or two.
Louhi
He’s fine, frosted voidsent gentleman. His mechanic is ice cleave, he’ll either swipe left or right depending on the ability a la Larboard Starboard, though it’s called Dextrous (Right) and Sinestral (Left) Ice Cleave depending on which. Don���t be on the same side as the cleave.
You can see the effects of ice cleave on both your facial expression and health pool below. It freezes you and gives you vulnerability stacks. Me being me, I made sure to get hit by them constantly because what even are directions??
BEST OF LUCK
#This is all I could think of but#I HOPE IT HELPS#FFXIV#Eureka Pagos#Eureka#long post#Pagos#Eureka Guides
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My Turn! (Either Caudecus or Trimayne | Which ever you prefer)
Going for Caudecus since I know him better. :) With Ala (RDM):Starting a dungeon: Time to have some fun!Running back after grabbing too many enemies: CAUDECUS I BROUGHT FRIENDS BUT THEY’RE ANGRY!Assisting: Caaaaudecus!! I think you’re off your game a bit?Being Assisted: S-sorry, m-my bad? (spoken with an embarrassed grin)Reviving: PLEASE GET BACK UP! QUICKLY!Being Revived: Oops... That may have been too many... At least one of us is okay! Finishing a Dungeon: There we go! Made it through! Yay!Idle Dialogue: “I’ll make you proud!” “Anything you can tell me about the void? I’d like to understand better.” “Think we’ll find anything cool here? I’ve been enjoying the new discoveries!”“Would you and Dacien ever take me on one of those search-y trips? I promise I’d behave!” “Wow! You’re really good with that magic! I’m impressed!”Extras: I feel like Ala would look up to Caudecus in a way. He’d admire the man’s casting ability and skill in general. ...Though once he learned about any kind of reaerch things he’d totally want to go on the grounds of: “learn new things!” He’d appreciate the guiding hand though even if he does make the poor Elezen put up with his bullshit. :’) ...Also when/if he learns about the voidsent ties he’d want to learn more and understand it all better.
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The Last Hunt
This story is a possibility. It is not a story of what will be, merely a story of what could be.
The old man dozed in his chair on the back porch of his house.
He wasn’t as young as he used to be, and the pleasant weather combined with the comfortable cacophony of children playing about in the water relaxed him to the point of drowsiness. Were he capable of more than just nodding off comfortably in his chair at the moment, he might grump about how even as little as five years ago he would have been eagerly joining in their play. But such was life, and such was the harsh mistresses that were Time and Age.
At eight-and-sixty, Arden Tide had surpassed his own life expectancy by a good three decades. Many of the people he’d called friend had preceded him into whatever came after, precious few still lived, and they rarely visited anymore- mostly due to their own infirmities in dealing with their dotage. It didn't bother him. They still communicated by pearl when the mood struck them. He knew everyone had their hands full these days.
“Tell us a story, Gran’papa Tide!”
The abruptness woke him with a start, and the old man cursed up a storm that had the dozen miqo’te children that had scampered up to the porch giggling in amusement. Arden couldn’t help but curl his lips into a wry smile.
“Come on now, children,” came a voice from behind him as the mesh-screen door opened and out came a miqo’te woman- lovely, statuesque, far taller than a normal miqo’te, standing at just a shade over six fulms in height, with jet black hair, piercing blue eyes and skin the color of chocolate. “You leave yoah Gran’papa to rest, don’t botha him none!” she said in an admonishing tone of voice.
Arden couldn’t help but chuckle indulgently as the cubs before him looked abashed. “It’s fine, Arha,” he said at length, shifting in his seat. “Nap time was almost over anyway,” he deadpanned. “What story do you li’l troublemakers wanna hear this time, eh?”
“The one about the creepy house!”
“Unka Dunrai’s battle in Bahdam’s Mettle!”
“The great morbol hunt!”
“Gran’mama Zareen’s last hunt!”
All became silent at this last one. That story was a favorite, and it showed as many young cubs’ heads all rapidly nodded in a rare show of solidarity. Gran’mama Zareen, the last of the Jaguar Tribe, and also Mother of the Jaguar Tribe. A legend. A myth that had lived and breathed, whose memory lived on in the Shroud, where the new Jaguar made their home.
She, the love of his life.
Everything that this iteration of the Jaguar was they owed to Y’zareen Serhan. all of the stories, all of the laws that the Jaguar followed had been set down by her, at first so that the Jaguar would not be forgotten… but then so that her cubs- their cubs, her and Arden’s- would have something to go by, a blueprint to follow.
Y’arha was the eldest of them, the mistress of the hunt, the teacher, the mother either in fact or in spirit to a whole generation. And it was her hand which came to rest on Arden’s left shoulder. Another warm sensation came to rest on his right- another hand, this one belonging to their youngest, Y’sarang, the one who most closely resembled her mother- the same build, the same height, the same color eyes, the same color hair, the same facial features and sometimes even the same expressions. She, too, was a huntress and a teacher. And a Sin-Eater, like their mother had been. But unlike their mother, she had not been shunned for her duty. The new Jaguar learned from the mistakes of the past, after all, and she was honored and revered for her sacrifice like Y’zareen should have been.
Y’ravin, their son and middle cub- who like his elder sister inherited his unusually large size, his hair and his eyes from his father- carried his own young cub on his shoulders, grinning as he approached the gathering. He’d never shown interest in becoming a leader, or challenging for the position of Nunh, but he supported his family in all things- in his case, along with Arden’s sister Ravija’s children, he kept the family business, the Aldenard Protection Agency, alive and well decades after its inception. “Hah, they’re all so quiet. Must be tellin’ that story again, eh, Pop?”
Arden smirked at his boy- no, he wasn’t a boy anymore but a man grown with a cub of his own. “Near as I can remember, a certain someone who’s gotten too big for his britches used t’sit just as quiet-like.”
“Hey, I still do! Just making an observation- sic ‘im, Y’zareen,” he said as he set the toddler down, and the little girl who was his great love’s namesake ran right towards her grandfather, all but crashing into him like only a young cub who had just learned how to run could.
Arden laughed and picked the cub into his arms and set her down on his lap. “Well now, someone’s happy to see me,” he grinned.
“Stowwy!” the girl said, patting the old man’s chest playfully.
“Oh, I see how it is, just like these little heathens over here, ya just want me for me words,” he play-grumped. The little girl giggled.
“Awright, awright, gather in close, I ain’t gonna yell it out for the lotta ya,” he said, smiling when all of the cubs sitting near his feet- his son included- scooched closer.
“Let’s see now...It was nigh on ten years ago,” he began, and slowly lost himself in the familiar cadence and rhythm and words of the story. He didn’t even have to think about it anymore, so well-practiced and well-memorized was this story. It was, without a doubt his favorite story to tell. The one that stung the most, yet filled him with the most pride. The story of his Jaguar, his mate, his fire, his shadow, his storm. His Zareen.
And it was a complete and total lie.
The story was as much a dramatic retelling of their final hunt together as it was an exaggeration of the things that Zareen- and now Arha- had tried to instill in the young ones. Discipline. Duty. Ferocity and implacability against your enemies. Letting your emotions run free but not letting them run away from you. Keeping a level head. Doing what you must. Making the hard choices and living with them, or dying by them
But he never told them what actually happened during that precious hour that Sarangerel’s bracelet gave her, the hour to decide exactly how she wanted to end her life after she finally succumbed to the Void within. And Twelve willing, he never would. That bittersweet pain was all his own and it always would be.
They knew from the beginning that they were on borrowed time, but neither of them expected to spend twenty-three glorious years together. More than enough, yet not nearly enough. She had been careful over the years, and the signs of her inner void taint took a long time to develop. Discipline. Self-control. The will to resist temptation. Considering how Zareen loved to live life to its fullest right to the end- dancing on that razor’s edge, playing with fire and shadow, becoming that storm that Arden loved so intensely, hunting her prey until the very last moment, spending all those years burning in her fire were as great a gift as the three cubs that they made together. Year after year the taint inside her changed her outwardly, but she was still the same. Her hair became closer to a mane. She grew downwardly curved horns. The tattoos on her body came alive, spreading and covering her arms. Her hands became larger, her claws stretched and became long, wicked razors that she could retract at a whim, and near the end of their time together, whenever she called upon her aether a nimbus crown of blue-black void energy floated above her head- as if they needed more confirmation of what she was slowly becoming.
But even though every second they spent together was as precious as the rarest of gems, that last day- that last hour- was the most precious of all.
They had known going into that day, when the veins in her body and the blood within them grew black, that it was almost time. And so they hunted one last time, together. They went to the ruins of the ancient city of Mhach, which were still infested by powerful voidsent. And it wasn’t long after they began their hunt that Sarangerel’s bracelet finally activated- the dull metal disc finally opened and revealed the arcane pattern of gems that blazed with power which it hid.
They both knew what that meant- Zareen’s mind would no longer be her own in an hour’s time. She would become that which she had hunted and destroyed for decades.
And so Arden wove a fanciful story.
A story of a frightful battle against a voidsent he didn’t actually know existed or not, against hordes of creatures that never actually happened. Of Zareen deciding that it was finally time to end her last hunt, bolting on ahead to the heart of the city and detonating her soulstone, like a star itself being born before his eye, burning as brightly and as furiously as her heart always had.
His children knew the story for a lie, but they allowed him this one thing- this one lie- because they saw how happy it made him to share this story with the cubs. They heard the fierce pride in his voice when he spoke of how they battled their way through the hordes of minor voidlings to reach their target, and they saw the painful longing in his eye when he spoke of his great love: Y’zareen Serhan, their mother.
They didn’t know the truth. They didn’t have to know it. No one but his old friends Khenbish and Dunrai knew the truth, because they were the ones he went to after Zareen’s hunt was over.
No one else needed to know what happened in that last, precious hour. No one needed to know about the tears and the screams, about the anguish and the terror. No one needed to know exactly how much a man and a woman could do with one another or say to one another when there is literally no time to waste. No one needed to hear about the gentle retellings of their favorite moments together, about the fierce, loving pride they felt at all they accomplished as partners and mates. No one needed to know how badly Arden wished to follow his mate to the Lady’s side, but for his need to stay. Ravin and Sarang were young yet, and needed their father’s guidance, and Arha was yet too young and unproven to lead the reborn Jaguar on her own.
But for them- for the three beautiful, strong, courageous, intelligent cubs created from Arden and Zareen’s love, fire, shadow and storm- the story would have ended before it was ever told.
And so Arden watched his beloved go, before the void claimed her forever, and watched as the voidsent swarmed her. And she fought them, roaring in defiance the entire time as they wounded her time and again, until that brilliant flash of light and power from her exploding soulstone claimed them all along with her.
Arden stayed rooted to the spot long after the marsh had reclaimed the crater that had been the center of the ancient ruin, and he hardly remembered returning to the custom mana-cutter he’d had built for traveling on their tandem hunts. He hardly remembered getting in and flying his way back to the Shroud, to Khenbish and Dunrai’s home, where they had so often welcomed his and Zareen’s cubs when they went out to hunt, where their own procession of adoptive children had come and gone. He hardly remembered collapsing to his knees in front of them when they greeted him. There were no words exchanged- no words needed to be exchanged, they knew immediately why he had come.
And his brothers held onto him, kept him together when the shattered pieces of his heart threatened to fall and disappear into the nothing where they had been hidden before Zareen had walked into his life. They kept him together for this, he thought to himself as he brought the story to its conclusion, smiling at the awed, joyful expression in each cubs’ face, at the way his son’s eyes glistened with emotion, at the fierce pride in the smiles of his daughters.
He wouldn’t have known any of this without Zareen. He wouldn’t have seen their cubs grow and thrive and have cubs of their own. He wouldn’t have known the bittersweetness of raising his own family, with and without his beloved.
*********
The old man dozed in his chair on the back porch of his house.
Vah’an...
He wasn’t as young as he used to be, and the sun’s rays had slowly begun to dip down and darkness filled the Shroud combined with the comfortable cacophony of children playing about in the water had relaxed him to the point of drowsiness.
Vah’an…
Were he capable of more than just nodding off comfortably in his chair at the moment, he might grump about how even as little as five years ago he would have been eagerly joining in their play.
It is being time to awaken, my vah’an…
But such was life, and such was the harsh mistresses that were Time and Age.
It is being time foah one last hunt, yes?
The gentleness of the call woke him with a start, and the old man cursed up a storm. Arden looked around and saw that the moon’s light was the only thing illuminating the clearing behind his home. Where were his cubs? Where were the grandcubs? He forced himself to calm down. Something had to be wrong- they wouldn’t just leave him there, asleep. Abruptly he shot to his feet when he saw something out of the corner of his eye.
A cat.
A large one.
A jaguar, sitting at the edge of the treeline, as slight blue-white corona of aether surrounding it. Arden gasped, rubbing his eye and blinking rapidly. When he looked again the jaguar was trotting away, into the forest.
Arden didn’t think- he simply gave chase, all thoughts of his children and grandchildren flying away like startled birds, because he knew this had to be a dream. The rapidity with which he ran out of breath and his muscles protested the sudden activity after such a long time without it quickly put paid to that belief.
Arden panicked as he lost sight of the jaguar, and he spun in place, gulping air as he tried to find it. Find her.
Because it had to be her.
“My vah’an…”
Arden turned abruptly at the sound of her voice.
“Zareen,” he said, breathless, eye wide in wonder as the very image of Y’zareen Serhan as she had been on the day they met stood before him, shrouded in that blue-white light.
“Ahden, my mate,” she replied, her smile as dazzling and her eyes as brilliant as he remembered them. “Long have I missed you,” she said, lifting her hands to his cheeks. They felt warm, with the familiar calluses and the very tiny pinpricks of her claws that he’d long ago committed to memory.
It felt like an eternity before Arden was able to speak. “I’ve missed you too. Every damn second of every damn day.” His voice was thick with emotion, his eye glistening with unshed tears as he touched one of her cheeks with an aged, well-spotted hand.
“I know,” he said, her smile turning sad, “I am being sorreh. But I am also being proud, my vah’an. Proud of what you and ouah cubs have built. It is being theah time, now. It is being time foah you to come home, aftah one last hunt togethah, like befoah,” she said, and leaned up to kiss him on the lips.
Instantly, the old man felt that rush he hadn’t felt since the day she died- that fire, that shadow, that storm.
And in that one moment, Arden Tide was no longer an old man.
He was as young, as happy and as full of vigor as the day they met, as the day she said she loved him for the first time, as the day she told him she was carrying their first cub.
“One last hunt,” she smiled. “One last hunt, and then we return home to The Rivah- to be letting it take us wheah it may, so we can find each othah again in the next life, yes?”
Arden’s response was simply in the kiss he gave her in return.
********
The tiger and the jaguar padded away together into the forest.
Y’arha, Y’ravin and Y’sarang wept tears of joy as they saw their parents reunited for the last time- the perfect end to their imperfect love story.
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BACKSTORY
20th Sun of the Sixth Umbral Moon, year XXXX, Unknown perspective
“Captain! Over ‘ere! I found it!” a private called out as we reached the top of the hillside for a better view. The Maelstrom, the Twin Adders, the Immortal Flames, and a small group of thaumaturges..All gathered in a small squadron, sent out to investigate a large increase in voidal energy that appeared by the coast 3 suns ago. There, standing a good 100 yalms away, was a massive shipwreck with dark fire still burning in some areas, a few voidsent were seen about nearby, but not close enough to cause us any trouble.
“By the twelve..did the voidsent really cause all of this? There's no way that little could have done such a thing!” Shouted someone, I did not see which group they belonged to as I stared out amidst the ruins. “Well don’ just stand there! We were sent to investigate weren’t we!?” I heard as the maelstrom group started heading toward it, soon followed by the rest of us. What is there to investigate? If this truly was voidsent, no one would remain..At least that's what i thought, until I heard shouting nearly a bell later, “Hey! We need a conjurer over here! I found survivors!” Survivors? We rushed over as quickly as we could. Sure enough there were survivors….
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Journal Entry, 20th Sun of the Sixth Umbral Moon.
After investigating the wreckage, we located a total of 8 survivors; 8 children, all without their memories. These kids... with no memories, we can't exactly figure out who their family could be, and with no family members coming to claim them, it's all a big mess. For some, we attempted to contact various tribes or groups, yet none would come forward, either that or they were unwanted. 1 male midlander, 1 female wildwood, 1 male seeker of the sun, 1 male hellsguard, 1 female dunesfolk, 1 female Xaela, 1 Male Helion, and 1 female Veena. The thaumaturges all agree that each child has been affected by the voidal energy in some way. While for many it was not known what was affected, what was in common between them all was one or both of their eyes had turned an erie yellow. The thaumaturges told us it was best to try and keep the children calm. When prompted why, they said that the miqo’te had a necklace that was drawing in the void, but when they tried to take it, he freaked out and his yellow eye started glowing, they said that the energy in the room suddenly shifted and became darker until he calmed down..
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Journal Entry, 6th Sun of the First Astral Moon.
After being apart for a few Suns, we decided the best course of action for the 8 was to bring them together, hope that we could adopt them out, seeing as no one has come to claim them..They all immediately clicked, as if they knew each other their entire lives..Since none knew their names, they each decided to go by a nickname they gave:
-The Hyur was known as Wit. He was the smartest of the group, and when not with the others, he was often found reading, learning about whatever he could. He got along best with “North Star” He was the youngest of the group at 5.
-The Elezen was known as Hope. She was the most optimistic and innocent of the group. She did her best to make sure everyone was happy, and often encouraged the others. No matter what, she was always seen with “Night”, it was like the two never left each others sides.
-The Miqo’te was known as Mischief. A fitting name considering the amount of trouble he would get into and the pranks he pulled. He gets along well with “Mayhem”.
-The Roegadyn was known as Mayhem, named by us for the amount of damage he causes, he and “Mischief” seem to get along well.
-The Lalafell was known as North Star. The oldest of the group at 7, and the one they all went and looked to. While her methods about it were odd, her instincts always pulled them in the right direction. She got along best with “Wit”
-The Au Ra was known as Night. Part of me wondered it she was named that way due to her dark-colored scales, but it may have also been that she is the stealthiest of the group; often able to take things while people are distracted with Mischief. No matter what, she was always seen with “Hope”, never leaving her side.
-The Hrothgar was called Grace, and despite its feminine sounding, he didn’t seem to mind it at all. This nickname was due to how the boy moved, almost as if he was dancing. He got along best with “Shield”
-The Viera was known as Shield, simply cause she did her best to protect the group, even if it did leave her bruised up most of the time. She got along best with “grace.”
While alone, they didn’t do much, but together, these kids were something..It breaks my heart to know that they will be separated when they’re adopted out..Honestly, I just hope that they are able to find each other again someday..
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20th Sun of the Sixth Umbral Moon, “mischief perspective”
“Are you sure about this?” I heard be questioned “Of course!” the female said, “No one else is taking the poor lad, and we did say if in a year’s time no one adopted ‘em we would take who’s left!”
“It just don’t seem right ye know? None o’ the miqo’te are willin’ to take ‘im, and I don't want to see the lad grow up without a family.” A male voice this time.
I gave a sigh as I thought about it. Over the course of a year, my friends..my family.. got adopted out, some went with those of their kind, while others were adopted by another race.. Wit was the first to go, North star the last.. By the time a year came, I was the only one left. None of the tribes, both seeker and keeper, want anything to do with me. Heck no one seems to want me, why are they even still bothering?
. “..alright, if your serious on this..” The shuffling of papers was heard “just sign these, and he’s yours.” Its a prank, It has to be, to get back at all the ones i’ve done..it has to be, right? After a few minutes, i heard the door open, out stepped the maelstrom officer who had been watching me, followed by two lalafells, they dont look like North star, Plainsfolk maybe? Wit mentioned those..
“Ah, there you are little one, here, I want to introduce you to someone” He said as he gestured to the two smiling lalas “greetings! Im Hurihu, and this is my wife Iraha..we’re going to be yer parents from now on ya hear?” Are they..were they being serious? I was hesitant to greet them until, “Now then, we ‘eard you don’t have a proper name yet, just been going by mischief eh? Sorry to say but neither of us really know how miqo’te name their children, so..” Hurihu said, before looking back up with a smile “‘ope you like the name Nevi Solevi!” Nevi..they gave me a name..there's no way this is a prank then! I started to cry a moment later, embracing the two in a hug. My new family….I just hope I can find my old one too..
(ah, and feel free to msg me if you’d like to take claim of one of the other 5 kids ^^)
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - One for each about Jun // ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - One for Kho, Ceres, and Myra about Shuu // ⭐️⭐️ - One for Ceres and Myra about Caomhan // ⭐️ - One for Kho about Nasan. Have fuckin' fun :^) ♥
Alright asshole :^)
Jun’to!
Jun is Lorna’s go to for all sorts of stuff. Be it keeping company while she’s out working. Relationship advice. Critiquing her outfits or disguises for work. Or just straight up ‘hey nobody’s around and I’m horny wanna have pearl sex?’ Just general close friend shit.
Khojin finds Jun attractive, this is little surprise, but he also holds him in respect in many ways. Particularly his magical prowess. He’s heard tell from many sources about the skill of Jun’s casting and he’s actually quite intrigued to fight either with or against him to see. Perhaps even seeking to learn himself some day from the cat.
Ceres, if she got to know him better, would find his taste for learning and research admirable. And they would likely have bonded over that. She always likes fellows in the academic fields. There probably would have been a lot of book sharing and mutual study going on. Particularly in magical experimentation.
Myra just doesn’t know what’s best for her. If she did she would have avoided Jun. But now she’s in a position where she is torn between the times he’s gone and times he’s around resigning herself to just accept that he’ll be there when he wants. While it’s a painful notion to the Seeker who’s instinct is to have a close knit family and community, she does her best to make due with others. Treating Jun more like a Nunh than an actual mate.
Shuuki
Shuuki is Ceres’ one big exception. The woman was very staunchly gay before him. But it’s not for the reasons most think. It wasn’t because of his girlish looks. That was what made her give him a go, sure, but it was the rather sickeningly sweet way they actually hit it off romantically that endeared her to him. The almost innocent sort of whirlwind romance they had. It was sweet. It was genuine. And it was what made her accept him.
Myra and Shuuki are absolute gymrats and total bros. When he was around they totally did daily workouts together, shot the shit, and just hang out as they scarf food down out somewhere once they’ve finished working out. We’re talkin’ like those big giant ‘eat this giant steak in 30 minutes and it’s free’ kinda places. Need that protein bro!
Khojin regrets not being there when Shuuki left. Not only to ensure that he’s properly warded to kill many enemies and hopefully come back safely. But also because he was going to actually come out about his feelings for the boy right before he did leave. And were he there at the time, he would have gone to war right at Shu’s side.
Caomhan
Ceres is 100% sure that the man is lying at all times that he’s not stating an explicit empirical fact. And that he’s most definitely involved in some voidsent shit. If not one himself.
Myra thinks Cowman is legit the only cool teacher she’s ever known. Lux doesn’t count as that’s not actually her profession. And they probably spent more than a few nights hanging out and drinking while Myra learned to read better. Probably talking shit about everyone else at the school at the time. Because they seem the type to just badmouth people as bonding experience.
Nasandai
Nasan was the only one who ever stood up for Khojin before coming to Eorzea. Yeah he teases the boy but it wasn’t in the malicious ways the other Dotharl did. That’s what got him crushing on the man at first. It started off more as a friendly sort of affection and grew into the crush despite the reactions he gave every time Nasan horridly teased him. It grew to be something he liked. In that sort of Tsundere fashion. It was Nasan who also made him realize he was gay. considering he was the only person in the warband Khojin was ever really attracted to.
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