#Iyna Prompts

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send HELPED for a scene from my muse's past in which someone helped / saved them

For Iyna, please!

She was surrounded.

The magitek smoked and sparked beyond the line of advancing soldiers; she'd accomplished that much, at least.

"Make sure to capture her," the Pilus called. "Sas Laccius will be pleased we've snared this hare!"

Iyna froze, pulse hammering in her ears, mouth dry, fingers clenched on her gun's stock. She had to move, had to react, had to do something, but the mention of Tyrsis had unnerved her far more than it should.

He still hunted her? After all this time?!

The soldiers nearest to her fell, cries cut short and blood spurting, arrows protruding from their necks and torsos. The squad reacted, turning to the new threat.

"More of her rebel friends!"

But she did not know these people; she had been on a solo mission to destroy this depot, her last cell dead and none willing to work with her--not with her strange visions of others' pasts.

Still, the sudden appearance of others unfroze her, and she lifted her gun and fired.

The battle was quickly finished, and the rebels dispersed into the depot to complete their work. Their leader, however, walked up to Iyna, her eyes wide at the sight of another Viera. The woman wore filigree armor, her thick white hair hanging long down her back, and her sharp red eyes raking over Iyna.

She was more threatening than the Garleans had been.

"Didn't know anyone else was operating here," the other Viera said.

Iyna shook her head. "It's just me."

The Viera's brows raised. "Working alone? No wonder you were in such a tight spot." Her long ears twitched and she looked toward the road. Iyna heard it too; the faint, tell-tale sounds of vehicles on the way. "We need to move; there's room, if you want to join us."

Iyna was certain the woman didn't just mean to leave the depot, but she nodded. "If you've got an extract plan, I'll take it. I...didn't really," she looked away.

The Viera studied her a moment, even as she called to her team. "I'm Fran," she finally said to Iyna. "General of Lente's Tears."

"Iyna. Not of anything," she replied as she followed the group through the ruined fence. Behind them, the depot exploded into a brilliant plume of fire and smoke, the incoming vehicles screeching to a halt outside the gate on the opposite side. "Thanks for the help." Her own plan to disable the depot had been terribly incomplete.

Somewhat on purpose, if she was being honest.

Fran's slight smile was feral. "You're welcome. Let's go--and maybe we can talk about making you a talented operative of somewhere again."

Iyna drew in a breath, nodded, and followed Fran.

#final fantasy xiv #Lyn Writing #Iyna Prompts #Fran Eryut #Iyna Cauld #Backstory

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22. Do you  have a unique tale for their job class or is it pretty much like what it is in the game?

Most of them are fairly close to the original stories, if tweaked slightly to suit my changes to the world; DRK for Aeryn, for instance, starts before getting to Ishgard, with Fray's body dropped outside the city. But otherwise it progresses normally, and she starts the 50-60 portion between 3.0's end and the start of 3.1.

None of my girls do Paladin stuff; Gladiator, sure, and the Ul Cup Tournament. But I ignore the 30-60 stories. C'oretta learned sword & board from growing up around the Coliseum and being Khell's daughter, and then learned from Ishgardians. Aeryn learned free paladin skills from her friend @erickgage. Dark trained in a Gridanian style, Iyna learned sword & shield while in the Garlean army.

The main thing is that there's certain jobs where one of my OCs does the quest chain, while the others learn from them, or just normally without crazy story stuff happening. There's some stuff that's kinda almost shared, but it still leans more heavily on one OC or the other.

But most of them follow the story as written, with maybe a few tweaks here and there, and dependent on which OC is running that quest.

I won't make any decisions on the new jobs for the next expac until I actually play those storylines.

#final fantasy xiv #Aeryn Prompts #Dark Prompts #Punchy Prompts #Iyna Prompts

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33. How did Aeryn feel about what happened with Yotsuyu? Did they feel like she was justified in her actions?

22. Do you have a unique tale for C'oretta's job class or is it pretty much like what it is in the game?

13. Is Dark close with any of the other Scions? Who do they get along with the best?

16. What does Iyna do to relax? What sorts of distractions do they seek? Do they foster any bad habits as a result?

33. Answered!

22. Partly answered in a general post for the others, but for C'oretta, her jobs of Monk, Dancer, Summoner, and Scholar follow the in game storylines.

She learned how to use a sword and shield from growing up around the Coliseum Gladiators, but she does not do the 30-60 Paladin story; she learns to free paladin in Ishgard.

She also knows Machinist and Rogue skills, but those were learned from friends, as other OCs do those stories.

13. Dark's pals with most of the senior Scions, though her friendship with Urianger was a little awkward after his return from the First and it took a bit for her to get an answer why (I need to finish writing that scene sometime; he had a sorta almost Thing going with Dark's shard and doppelgänger, Felina).

But Dark actually gets along best with the junior Scions like the Boulder brothers, the Cockburne sisters, Alianne and her grandpa, Ephemie, that elusive roegadyn duo, etc.

16. Iyna reads or trains her various combat and magic skills. She also tends to sit at a cafe somewhere, sunglasses on, and people watches out of long habit as a spy herself. She doesn't really have hobbies, so it gets close to overworking cuz she has nothing else to do.

#final fantasy xiv #aeryn prompts #dark prompts #punchy prompts #iyna prompts

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20. Of all the places they've been to, which is their favorite? Do they like to go back there? 

Dark enjoys travel and adventure, but in the end, she loves the Twelveswood and her little home there, and all her family under its boughs.

C'oretta's so fond of Kugane's vibrancy she has a vacation apartment there. Big fan of major, modern metropolitans, and Kugane's got a bit of everything.

Iyna's found herself strangely drawn to the Twelveswood, but for different reasons than Dark. There's a bit of hiraeth involved. She cannot remember her original home clearly, but the Twelveswood has that sort of "similar to home" feeling she cannot articulate in words.

Aeryn it can depend on the day and her mood, but she's actually very fond of Sharlayan; it's just cool enough to be cold but not miserably so like in Coerthas or Garlemald, it's academic, and she enjoys connecting with her beloved friends' histories. It's got its problems for sure; so does everywhere else.

She also regrets not returning to Thavnair sooner; after so long away, seeing it with fresh perspective, who and what changed, why and how, and watching it come out the other side of the Final Days altered yet still vibrant, has been a heartwarming revelation of how much she still loves her childhood home, its culture, its history, its people.

#final fantasy xiv #Dark Prompts #Punchy Prompts #Iyna Prompts #Aeryn Prompts

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✨ = How important is family to your muse?

Iyna: Not at all, due to not really understanding the concept, not recalling her own, never having one step into place--nor feeling as if she needs one at this point. There's no ache or longing there; she's just by herself and that's fine, though she'd like some history and context someday.

C'oretta: A little; she sometimes misses how things used to be when she was a child, with her parents. It was always just the three of them, and their close friends in the theater and Pugilist Guild. She has her friends and comrades still, so isn't lonely or unmoored. She's not looking to build a family now, in a spot in her youth where being free of such responsibilities is pretty keen, really. She does have to have some responsibility for her mom's continuing institutional care, which is a financial and emotional burden at times, and makes her consider how much other people would be and how she doesn't want to deal with that any time soon. Maybe someday her answer will change.

Aeryn: Family is who and what you make of it; blood is incidental and a lottery, choice and emotional connection means much more. Her comrades mean the world to her, and sometimes she finds herself placing them above the family that raised her, like at the end of everything when she desperately wished to live and return--to the Scions, first and foremost. So, family can be important, but her definition of "family" is pretty broad and loosey-goosey.

Dark: Knows she won the family lottery and has a fantastic pair of parents and a bunch of great siblings and extended family. They're important to her, she is confident in her importance to them, and she tries to make sure her friends get a bit of that connection and support as they have the ability to give it as needed/wanted. Because she knows having some sort of stable, reliable, loving grounding like that is important for a person, and even if they weren't born into it, there's no time like the present to join in. She hasn't added to her family by marrying or having kids of her own yet, but she brings her friends around to share in the fortune and help them find some of what she was lucky enough to just have.

It helps Dark's parents are of the opinion adventurers need a good and stable home base to fall back on, especially if they don't or never had such, and they're willing to provide it if it's wanted and needed, cuz family is paramount to them but they also understand it's all by chance, so they offer a choice for those who were dealt a poor hand naturally.

#final fantasy xiv #dark prompts #aeryn prompts #punchy prompts #iyna prompts

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💕 = What are your muse’s thoughts on parenting and being a parent even if they aren’t one?

Aeryn never wants to be pregnant; just no desire to deal with that at all ever. But after everything with Ryne...she thinks she might like to be a mom, through adoption. It wasn't something she ever really considered for herself before, but seeing her partner as a guardian, falling into the role herself, realizing her own "big sistering" of her younger friends was really Mom Friending...well, OK.

She knows it isn't easy, and there's a lot with it, but figures if adventuring and saving the world stops being enough of a thrill and challenge, figuring out how to raise a person or two could do it.

Aeryn watched her mother cling to her role as mother to get through the worst days of their life, and give up everything for Aeryn and Zaine. And then watched Emelia pick up her own life again, making room for all their happiness as a unit. It wasn't always perfect, but she never doubted her mother's intentions to protect and care for them, and strives for that example.

(in an alternate post-EW AU, Aeryn does get pregnant anyway, ends up with twins, adopts a few other kids too, and quits adventuring, mostly, for awhile at least, to focus on giving them everything her own mom and stepdad gave her and her brother and step-siblings.)

Dark: Something she may want to do someday, with the right partner, but it's not a priority, and until it is, it's a nebulous future "maybe" as she has to be sure she wants it. There's no take backs with kids, after all. And her parents were the best, so she has a pretty high standard and admiration for the role.

C'oretta: Parenting is hard and some people crack under the pressure so she's never even going to bother cuz what if she turns out like her own mom and just stops being there for her kid cuz life got harder?

People like Dark's parents, and Aeryn's family, are pretty cool, but it's not for everyone and realizing as a kid you were never as important as the partner, just an incidental result of that union, hit C'oretta kinda hard. She loves her mom and takes care of her cuz someone has to, but the knowledge is there.

Iyna: Definitely something for other people. The good ones are to be admired, the bad ones need dealt with in some manner depending on severity, but in the end it's not Iyna's concern.

She has no real memories of her parents nor any parental figures to look to.

#final fantasy xiv #Aeryn Prompts #Dark Prompts #Punchy Prompts #Iyna Prompts

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Which Chess Piece Are You?

Tagged by @ainyan

Quiz is HERE; have at it if you wish!

AERYN STRIKER & DARK AUTUMN pawn pawns are often the most influential pieces on the board, usually because they’re so underestimated. in the same way that the vote of one person can determine the outcome of an election, so can the actions of a single pawn decide the course of the game. the pawn is the voice in the crowd who shouts down a dictator, the broken bottle that starts a rebellion. like revolutions, they don’t move backwards. like kings, pawns are capable of seeing the bigger picture. unlike kings, they are willing to make personal sacrifices to achieve it. the pawn believes in something greater than themselves, whether that’s a friendship or a political idea. their faith can be vulnerable to manipulation, and pawns can often find themselves taken advantage of to serve others’ ends. yet woe betide anyone who takes them for granted – they have no idea how much power a pawn is truly capable of.

C'ORETTA KHELL knight knights are easily the most creative pieces on the board, able to move in unique ways and get to places no other pieces can go. they’re complex, fiddly, cocky little shits who leap over any obstacles in their path and laugh while doing so. knights are useful for creating difficult situations, or tangling players up in problems of their own causing. they’re incredibly difficult to pin down, and are just as likely to get you in the shit than out of it. knights as individuals are unique and creative thinkers, able to think up solutions and ideas that would escape others. witty and charismatic, they are the light of every social gathering, the one friend who always has a ridiculous story to tell. forever going boldly where none have gone before, they do so at their own risk – for overconfidence is the peril of the knight, and though they’re constantly overleaping, they should be wary of jumping too high.

IYNA CAULD bishop sneaky sneaky bishop. bishops appear unassuming, a more subtle version of their rookish counterparts. but then, just at the moment you’ve forgotten they exist, they come zooming across the board to wreak all hell and havoc. strategy is everything when it comes to the bishop, and when placed in the right position they can be deadly. they’re the poison in the wine, the dagger in the mattress. the propaganda in the marvel movie. bishops are first and foremost logicians. they consider the world in terms of facts and figures that can be manipulated to their benefit. intelligent and ambitious, the bishop can be ruthless in getting what they want, with the result that people get hurt in the process. however, they can also be excellent diplomats, able to build relationships and influence events in subtle but undeniable ways. as a friend, the bishop is an indispensible ally. as an enemy, well. bitches get stitches.

#Final Fantasy XIV #memes #prompts #Aeryn Prompts #Dark Prompts #Punchy Prompts #Iyna Prompts

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This is a very silly ask (and feel free to ignore it completely), but do you think any of your OCs would be friends with characters from other franchises? (Fun fact, this was inspired by a piece of fanart that made me believe that Thancred and Leon Kennedy of Resident Evil fame would absolutely be friends. Or at least drinking buddies.)

Hrm, I don't often think in terms of crossovers and mashups anymore--which is funny, as one of my earliest online RP experiences was a multiverse setting where OCs from any and all settings--franchise, gaming, original, etc--could co-exist. Normal mortals teaming up with demigods from novel series and mega-damage users from RIFTS and an array of fantasy and sci-fi and horror characters in between.

I sometimes think about how my OCs in various settings would interact together; how my WoW OCs would get along, or not, with the FF14 crew, or the FF14 OCs with my D&D characters. I tend to lean into certain archetypes (bards and paladins/clerics/priests are favorites), so there'd be some overlap and things in common, and also some frustrations at similarities that grate and clash.

So I don't think too much about how they'd interact with canon figures from other settings, but any OCs I'd have in that realm instead.

Well, the adventuring parties of Actual Play shows like Critical Role (and its animated series spinoffs) is pretty easy; Vox Machina, the Mighty Nein, and Bells Hells are all as chaotic and as helpful as adventurers tend to be, for good or bad. So there'd be eye rolling and irritation, but also understanding and diving in alongside, forming friendships with the weirdos cuz well, adventurers are Like That. They're RP characters too though so might be cheating, or at least easier to figure out for me.

Vax has that sort of noble rogue energy that'd make Aeryn fond of him, while Vex would initially drive her up a wall until they reached an understanding. Scanlan's annoy the heck out of her until they got to sit down and talk for real and she saw under the vulgar exterior. Percy'd be tolerated as Insufferable Noble Trying Too Hard. She'd be patient with Grog and enjoy his overlarge childish glee at everything. And who doesn't love Pike? Literal angel with a chaotic bent herself, she adds a bit of calm when not engaging in sibling shenanigans with Grog. I think Aeryn'd relate most to Keyleth, funnily, and they'd get along decently. Tary, too, would get a lot of sympathy concerning expectations, and also nerding around with his crafts, and may make dealing with Percy a tad easier.

Of the Nein, Caduceus is a spot of calm, aroace energy. Not as right as he thinks he is about many things, but he means well and tries, and that counts for a lot. Aeryn'd have tea with him any day. She'd also be drawn to Beau's bravado and brashness and they'd get into trouble together. Same with Fjord and Caleb, really; there's a level of familiarity in how they approach things with 'let's poke it and see what happens' but also the care they have for others in general. Same with Yasha. Jester's a bright light ball of energy and oh gods her and C'oretta in the same space would be exhausting. Nott/Veth is a bit more complicated; probably depends on when in the campaign, is it before or after Veth's reunited with her family, as she undergoes a shift emotionally once she has her original self back as well as her husband and son. Molly would aggravate and charm Aeryn by turns; Kingsley she'd be sympathetic to and understand too well that living in another's shadow aspect. Essek is fine; he's a wizard to talk shop with, learn from, mess around with spellwork. Luc is a brat also in the shadow of his accomplished mom and adventuring family, and needs mentoring and guidance and a lot of patience oh gosh.

A lot of the Hells would honestly be irritating, especially Imogen's propensity to just use telepathy intrusively; girl needs a lesson in why you don't want to poke around uninvited or casually to get your answers, and a WoL's head is wilder than most. FCG needs mentoring and guidance like whoa. Fearne's also an agent of energetic chaos; fun in doses. Laudna's not so scary, very sweet and fun and sad and likely needs help she doesn't know how to ask for. Ashton's grating in his arrogance and rebelliousness for rebellion's sake (though that may shift given recent things...). Chetney's surface attitude would be annoying, but soon enough he'd be a safe and calming point, given his perceptions. Orym's also just calming and reasonable; maybe a little too much sometimes, and needs to be reminded to cut loose now and then, it's good for you (and your friends).

Dark rolls with it all; she's very easy to get along with. Iyna wouldn't be able to stand most of them. C'oretta would get along well with most everyone but lord her and Jester and/or Fearne in the same place...Terrifying!

That's one off the top of my head, after a long holiday weekend thinking about it off and on, anyway!

#final fantasy xiv #lyn prompts #characters #crossovers #aeryn prompts #dark prompts #punchy prompts #iyna prompts

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Mythological Tropes

Tagged by @ainyan!

Tagging: Whoever would like to try it!

Mythological Tropes Quiz

Aeryn Striker

lady descending to underworld

examples include persephone, ishtar/inanna, etc… you are responsible, caring, brave, and more powerful than you probably realise. you are almost always beautiful. however, you are not very realistic, and you can sometimes be naive, depending on how the teller of the tale perceives you. you tend to be misunderstood, and interpreted in a wide variety of ways. but ultimately, you save the world with your actions, and you're a force of good in people's lives.

(...OK, that works in more ways than one...)

Dark Autumn

heroic horse who is king over other horses

you manage to be a combination of extremely loyal to your friends, yet extremely regal and authoritative. you're dignified, street-smart, and loving. this is the result everyone wants in their life. you are valued for how good a friend you are! but also if you don't like horses then that's your problem, i love horses very much

(Also fitting, and horses are rather cool, I say as a former horse girl practically raised in barns.)

C'oretta Khell

primeval sentient abyss of ocean/space/creation

you are Mysterious… hide your thoughts… very generous and giving… and sleepy. you contain multitudes. you have more emotions than people realise. you are artistically gifted. sometimes you are unkind, sometimes you are kind, but more than anything, you're unpredictable, fluid, and vast in spirit.

(Some of this works, some I'm a bit so-so on, or it stretches a little. But nothing's untrue, either)

Iyna Cauld

world-bearing cosmic turtle!

excerpt from its wiki page: "The World Turtle (also referred to as the Cosmic Turtle or the World-bearing Turtle) is a mytheme of a giant turtle (or tortoise) supporting or containing the world. The mytheme, which is similar to that of the World Elephant and the Hindu World Serpent (not to be confused with the Norse World Serpent), occurs in Hindu mythology, Chinese mythology and the mythologies of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. The "World-Tortoise" mytheme was discussed comparatively by Edward Burnett Tylor." … if you got this result you are wise, magnanimous, worldly, and dignified. you're also very slow to react to things and don't take change well. but ultimately you contain… Multitudes. i love you, this is my favourite result.

(This one I'm not sure about at all. There's something in here that rings true, but not all of it.)

#Final Fantasy XIV #Tropes #Mythology #Archetypes #Aeryn Prompts #Dark Prompts #Punchy Prompts #Iyna Prompts

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Friendship ask: Cid?

Iyna thinks Cid is a pleasant enough fellow, and means well, but she also recalls him as a youth in Bozja, working with his father. While they weren't friends or worked together often back then--she had entirely other duties, when not trying to subvert the Garleans entirely--she knew of him as the boss's kid, pretty much, and a naive, idealistic, oblivious young fool.

And he still is, really. Cid's focus is so narrow, he doesn't grasp some basic things about the world--like the source of his best friend/rival's anger and bitterness, even. It had to be spelled out and he still didn't seem to quite get it. But then, he also still cares, and tries, because overall, Cid's a good man.

They'll never be friends. Iyna goes through one of the other Ironworks members for the things she needs, as she prefers magitek still, given its familiarity. But she probably won't ever stop feeling awkward and cool around Cid Garlond, and those feelings are pretty mutual from his side.

C'oretta thinks Cid has a Weird but Fun Uncle vibe. She enjoys nerding out with him and the other Ironworks crew. He's dependable and there when you need him, even sometimes before you know you do. Cid makes sense to C'oretta the same ways Urianger or Professor Erik do, and she can listen to any of them attentively for bells on end cuz what they have to say is neat.

Cid's used to finding C'oretta hanging out in the workshop; usually one knows she's there by nearly tripping over Violet first, but the little Seeker's enthusiasm and energy is always welcome. She can stop trying to convince Jessie to change the company colors any time, though. Also Cid will haze newbies by suggesting they play Triple Triad with C'oretta (and seeing how they handle getting utterly destroyed by her card playing skills).

Dark thinks Cid is dependable, reliable, a model client, a helpful ally. He's a good man, but not one she's particularly close to. No real reason or issues; they are friendly, but not close friends, despite all the adventures she's accompanied the Warrior of Light and the Ironworks team on. They just don't gel that way. They'll help each other out as needed, more for good business and their mutual friends more than for affection for one another.

Aeryn is friends with Cid; they aren't as close as some of her other relationships, but she knows without a doubt he will always have her back, and if he needs her, she will be there as soon as she can to have his. Their nerdery compliments each other, as do their various skillsets. They've been through hells and back together, and sometimes she does feel a little guilty he's not as central to her life as some of her fellow Scions, but that's no one's fault or intention; like with Dark, it's just how it is. Aeryn still loves the guy, just differently from her Scions family. Cid, I think, feels some guilt at how his friendship with Aeryn seems to hinge on needing her combat skills, and likewise feels they're close but others in his life are simply closer, but she'll be there if needed, and he'll be there for her. That reliability is just a simple fact of life for both of them.

#final fantasy xiv #iyna prompts #punchy prompts #dark prompts #aeryn prompts #cid garlond

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Platonic shipping ask: How would/do your ladies get along with Nidhana?

Dark: Amused, nodding along, she's the expert and an absolute sweetheart and delight and honestly someone should help hook her up with that nice fisherman cuz he will give her the adoration she deserves for being so brilliant.

So admiration and very impressed, friendly, not expecting to be noticed herself and having a moment of ' :o senpai noticed me' when she does.

Iyna: Nidhana's a scientist, way too smart for a grunt like me, and way too nice. Most of Thavnair is way too nice, how are these people so nice what is this???

Mostly a little stunned and an interested sort of suspicious, wary; Iyna takes time to relax and trust around genuinely kind and good people after her long and difficult history. Nidhana's enthusiasm about her work would make Iyna smile though.

C'oretta: OMG she is the coolest and so smart and really does have very nice eyes and I kinda wanna be her when I grow up I mean not a literal Arkasodara of course but how knowledgeable and respected and awesome she is and she figured out so much stuff and--

Basically C'oretta fangirls a bit, which Nidhana finds flattering and only a little weird, but C'oretta's energy fits right in with the alchemists of the Great Work, and while it's not the miqo'te's specialty, she can be willingly put to work helping out and it's a cheerful time for everyone.

Aeryn: A little starstruck at first, funnily; this is the woman in charge of the Great Work, works directly for the satrap, and while Aeryn's dealt with lots of important people, returning to Thavnair makes it a little different. She immediately relaxes around Nidhana, though, due to the woman's good nature and kindness and nerding out in a way Aeryn recognizes and understands.

They're nerd pals, and Nidhana's a sweetheart besides. Nidhana's help during the Final Days was invaluable--not just the theories of Akasa, but also the practical things like making people tea. It's grounding, and so appreciated in a friend.

#final fantasy xiv #dark prompts #iyna prompts #punchy prompts #aeryn prompts #Nidhana

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21. Are there any raid storylines (Ivalice, Coil of Bahamut, Werlyt, etc.) you consider to be canon for your WoL(s)? Which ones don't you consider canon (or do you divvy it up)? 

Most of the side stories are canon in some way or another for Aeryn; sometimes with minor alterations, or changes in timing once all the patches are complete. Usually it's the whole team in raids and many trials, but splitting up the Combat and DoH/DoL quests between my characters in some way. I have lists and ideas and timelines to keep track of who does what and when.

Crystal Tower was one C'oretta and Dark helped on, and C'oretta had a bit of a no-strings fling with a certain catboy--so his return to the storyline years later has made her go "oh no that's weird and awkward now." Return to Ivalice is when and where Iyna joined the team, as meeting the Eorzeans at General Fran's side made them realize "oh hey, Iyna has the Echo and these people can teach her about that and she can act as a liaison to Eorzea..." So they usually help Aeryn out, except in the First, when only Aeryn could travel there while the other three held down the fort, so to speak, while the WoL and senior Scions were gone.

With Werlyt and Bozja, some of that was handled by the friend crew with Aeryn coming in at specific points, due to how back and forth she was between the Source and the First. I tend to say events in the Source in ShB happened on a shorter timeframe, based on a few vague comments, compared to events in the First. So some things started during 5.0 MSQ instead of later in the patches. It just makes sense time-wise in my story for Aeryn to entrust some of those adventures and duties to her capable friends, especially since the main story's own themes and events run that way, with the Eorzean and Eastern Alliances taking on more of their own responsibilities, rather than relying on the Scions so heavily.

But that also means Aeryn did the Role and Crystalline Mean quests, Eden, and other First-specific side stories on her own. Same with anything in Elpis or Ultima Thule.

I'm still determining how to handle Pandaemonium; I absolutely want it to be canon for Aeryn, want to rewrite parts in the third tier to involve Thancred a little bit cuz of Lahabrea, but I also tend to see Ultima Thule and Elpis as 1 time, 1 way visits, so may have to reconsider that and rework some things as the nature of MMO gameplay means those zones can't just be 1 time use only, so other quests and stories keep going back there. So Panda happens but there's some rewriting to go along with it--once I figure it out!

I also need to NG+ the Myths of the Realm, just shotgun it in one go over a weekend, to really get down how Aeryn feels, as that raid ended up rather important to her for reasons pertaining to her lost faith, all she experienced with the Ancients, and the nature of divinity.

The only story that is absolutely not canon for my OCs is the YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse raids. More on that under the cut.

After hearing such good things about the NieR games and how they approach stories and characters and themes, I was looking forward to them. They seemed of to a decent-ish start, but I was severely disappointed as time went on, and the finales of both the raid and the weekly follow-up quests made me extremely salty. A FFXIV Writing prompt a year or two ago ended up with Aeryn waking up post-festival, to find the twins sleep-dusted her while she was drinking dwarven ale and eating festival food, and the whole thing had been a weird dream, while the twins scampered off to have adventures out in the world. No androids or machines, though. Intact mountain. Town never bombarded.

I like the fights, the music, and the glamours for those raids. I love the idea of the between-patches quests and wish they'd do that for other 24 and 8 man stories that alternate patches.

But even Sorrow of Werlyt is canon for Aeryn and crew, and my salt over that storyline is also no secret. There's at least salvageable plot elements and characters that are actually part of the FFXIV world in that machina chain, though.

The NieR raid was by an auteur who apparently didn't want to play in someone else's sandbox, seems to have had to thanks to corporate, likely doubly screwed by pandemic shenanigans, and so it became an empty Abrams Mystery Box reference-fest only barely understandable in any part by existing players of that series, utterly incomprehensible to non-fans, and de-centered the WoL so badly that players were left to feel like NPCs, not a main character as things happened offscreen and major elements resolved on their own with no player presence/input (which is also a major problem Werlyt has, to be honest). It made my kneejerk reaction "I never want to play this series now", and I know other non-players and even fans who were left feeling the same confusion and frustration, which is, bluntly, a failure for a property crossover.

Ivalice's story was reworked to fit into FFXIV and continues to influence elements in the Near East/South Ilsabard. Garo is pretty much just items, for Monster Hunter the setup was also reworked to fit in and is mostly items and a neat fight. Other raids have story connections and characters that have impacts and ties to MSQ and other side tales and can get optionally worked in, like the entire bonus scene at the end of 6.5 prt 1 if one completed Eden, how you can find Alpha & Omega wandering the world and how their story ties into Endwalker plots, Werlyt does have ongoing relevance, how Crystal Tower became integral to the greater plot, Alexander has influence in the Shadowbringers storyline, and so on.

But YoRHa never happened. As it has absolutely 0 impact on or connection to literally anything else in FFXIV by apparent design, I doubt it will ever be an issue for my OCs' stories and connecting to future FFXIV plots.

#final fantasy xiv #warrior of light #raids #side stories #trials #Aeryn Prompts #Dark Prompts #Punchy Prompts #Iyna Prompts

[autumnslance]

Friend: Gaia?

(Of my crew, Aeryn's the only one to have gone to the First, the other three ladies holding the fort as it were back in the Source.)

Aeryn's relationship with Gaia is pretty friendly, overall. There's a little clashing as Aeryn tends to unconsciously fall into Mom Mode around her adolescent comrades, especially where Ryne is concerned. So some of that splashes onto the headstrong Gaia and can be a bit of friction, as the girl's natural tendency is to resist/rebel against that.

Though semi-secretly, I think, Gaia doesn't mind having someone looking out for her; with her own memories stolen and muddled, she's left with only the vague impressions of her own parents and is still just a kid herself, and ultimately a good one once that snotty demeanor is gotten past. So while she makes the token annoyed and bratty noises, she doesn't mean it, either, and there's worse guardians out there than the Warrior of Darkness.

it helps too that Aeryn trusts the girls and considers their opinions, lets them form their own ideas and plans with only a bit of nudging guidance, and then is there to help...and bail them out if they get in over their heads. From Gaia's perspective, she's letting them learn and make mistakes while supporting and helping them. From Aeryn's perspective, she's glad the girls are capable and quick cuz Aeryn's own impetuous tendencies and habit of 'deal with it when it becomes an issue' lack of planning means she's thinking things through only slightly more than the less experienced girls are, and is kinda glad they haven't seemed to cotton onto that "I have no real idea what I'm doing we're just seeing what works" yet.

If the other ladies did get the chance to meet Gaia, I think she'd find Dark solidly supportive and handy, if a little boring from the teenager's perspective. Dark has tons of nieces and nephews, so knows how to deal with teen moodiness and if she can't be the 'cool aunt' she'll still be a far more practical and thoughtful mentor than Aeryn.

Iyna would be mysteriously cool and a bit scary (though never admits it and scoffs at the thought) to Gaia. Iyna'd put up with the brattiness with silence or precision snark, and an infuriating patience. Just wait out the adolescence, in about a decade or so the kid'll be worth talking to, maybe.

C'oretta and Gaia would initially drive each other up the walls and they'd seem to be such complete opposites in everything, from personality to fashion to attitudes--and then would end up fast friends with the miqo'te being a wild older sister figure, running around getting into nonsense and trouble with her pal.

#final fantasy xiv #Gaia #aeryn prompts #dark prompts #iyna prompts #punchy prompts

[autumnslance]

Uno reverse! 💭💭💭💭 the squad re: Erick Gage

Dark .oO(Thank gods he got off his arse finally. He's happy right now--and so is she. Here's hoping it continues.)

C'oretta .oO(It's been awhile since I pranked him, where's my dyes...)

Aeryn .oO(Maybe I should tell him about my doubts with this whole Twelve nonsense...Nah, I don't want to cause a fuss, he and Meya are in that cute stage. ...No double dates, we are not putting up with him and Thancred trying to show up one another.)

Iyna .oO(Unnerved Gage again. Add to his file later.)

#Final Fantasy XIV #guildmates #Dark Prompts #Aeryn Prompts #Punchy Prompts #Iyna Prompts

[autumnslance]

Has your character ever committed a crime? Is it something they've come to actively regret/potentially done time for(?) or do the see it as a necessary evil - or even something to be admired for?

This turned into a bit of a ramble as these questions are always interesting, cuz "crime" is so terribly subjective. Criminal behavior depends on laws, which aren't always sensible nor just (which the last part of the Ask touches on in a way).

This was something I actually learned from a childhood book called "Donkeys Can't Sleep in Bathtubs" about all sorts of weird laws still on the books in many places across the US, and which got me a radio call in contest reward cuz I knew pinball machines were considered dangerous somehow in the state of Georgia; from there it wasn't too far a hop to understand how immoral laws could be justified and exist for far longer than they ought to.

FFXIV OCs exist in a video game where gameplay mechanics don't really care about arbitrary laws while also making the usual stereotyped pre-industrial fantasy setting assumptions about how casual theft, assault, and killing are and whether or not they even count as "crime" or are justified based on one's role, reasons, and those tricky legal issues on top of "it's just a game mechanic."

Though it's also interesting if you pay attention to enough quests, the WoL doesn't kill quite so many people as can initially be assumed, even if the "death animation" is used. Or it's mechanically placed mobs in weird locations that'd realistically absolutely alert multiple packs of nearby enemies and why would they be clumped like that anyway in actuality but this is for gameplay and experience points...

ALL THAT SAID.

Iyna's probably the primary "criminal" in the group, at least as long as the Empire was still a thing, given how she committed acts of rebellion and treason before going AWOL and defecting and then joining rebel groups set to fight Garlemald and regain their freedoms...and now, while all those experiences were necessary and shaped her for the last 60+ years, no one's exactly lining up to arrest and prosecute her with the Empire fallen (there might be one or two officers out there who want revenge on her for something, but that's not the same as legal pursuit and justice).

The Warrior of Light, especially when wandering around Garlemald and talking to people in Tertium, isn't always popular, but again as of Endwalker it's not really much of an issue as the provisional government starts picking up the pieces. Other actions the WoL undertakes may be otherwise considered criminal, but tend to end with little more than a scolding from leaders. C'oretta and Dark Autumn have probably bent more than a few laws in Ul'dah, which is generally dealt with by paying the right bribes and favors in which case can one say a law was actually broken and a crime committed if the default handling of it is so blase (and then we come back to real world issues of "some laws are unjust/immoral as they only apply to some while merely inconveniencing those with the money/power to ignore them").

Only other thing I can think of is ignoring prejudicial Hearers to do things that absolutely would not cause woodsin and anger the Elementals (which also comes up in story a few times), which is something Dark's had to navigate, especially as she comes to realize sometimes some Hearers are pushing their own agenda and she's started to pay more attention to those claims and how various groups in the Twelveswood actually live and interact.

Otherwise my girls are boringly law-abiding and moral; they'll fight or ignore an unjust law as needed, but don't go out of their way to break rules for the heck of it, and outside of Iyna, weren't in any positions in their lives to need to survive by any means necessary.

Which means they tend to come to the necessities of adventuring and that casual flaunting of many rules and legalities from other perspectives, and while C'oretta can be pretty nonchalant about "well if that's how it is OK", Dark and Aeryn take more fretting and thinking about it and "wanting to make it right later," while Iyna's likely to do what needs done, expediently, though she takes no joy or pride in it. It's simply reality.

#final fantasy xiv #lyn prompts #lyn meta #lore #setting #writing #characters #Dark Prompts #Iyna Prompts #Aeryn Prompts #Punchy Prompts

[autumnslance]

8. Does your character enjoy reading? If so, what kind of books?

Already answered for Aeryn so...

Dark enjoys a wide range in fiction, as well as history. She's more into the "cozy" modes of each fiction genre though; classic romance with at most a fade to black, lighter mysteries and horror without a lot of actual murder or gore to them. She gets enough of the darker things in her life, so she wants to keep it lighter in regards to her fiction.

History she delves into in all its detail, though, due to it's good to mine for bardic songs and stories; it's a duty, after all.

C'oretta likes arcane theories and the cheesiest of romances, erotica, and hardboiled mysteries. She likes it dark and nasty cuz it makes reality seem a little easier. Also she just likes to critique and make fun of many of the stories.

Iyna's still sorting out her own preferences; history not written by Garlemald has been an interesting one to delve into, as has military non fiction and fiction, and she's been borrowing from C'oretta's library as the grittier fiction she enjoys strikes Iyna as easier to suspend disbelief on than the lighter fare Dark and Aeryn tend to enjoy.

#Final Fantasy XIV #Dark Prompts #Punchy Prompts #Iyna Prompts