#anyroad

[bran-ridire]

Moon Elf

I took a stab at a Forgotten Realms classic, please, let me know what you think? (Elven Subrace for 5e) By Bran-Ridire Type: Humanoid (of the Elf Subtype) Age: Moon Elves claim their adult names sometime around reaching their first century of life, and live nearly 1 millennium. Size: Medium, Moon Elves stand roughly 6ft tall. Speed: Your base land speed is 30 ft. (6 Squares) Typical Alignment: Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, Rebel Moral or Rebel Neutral. Base Languages: Moon Elves Read/Write and Speak Elven and the home language of their nation if not already listed as well as one Bonus language of their choice from the following; Abyssal, Celestial, Dragonic or Sylvan. Moon Elf Adventurers also speak Common or Oriental depending on your Campaign Setting. Ability Scores: +2 Wisdom, +1 Intelligence. Cantrip: You begin play knowing one extra Cantrip of your choice.  This Cantrip must be from the Druid Spell list and Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this Cantrip. Darkvision: 60 ft. (Out to a range of 60 ft. you can see in dim light as if it were bright light, and in darkness you see in distinctive shades of grey). Moon Elf Weapon Training: You begin play Proficient in the Use of Light Crossbows, Longbows, Longswords, and Rapiers. Fey Ancestry: You may not be put to sleep through magical means, and  you have Advantage on Saves vs Charm Spells and effects. Keen Senses: You begin play Proficient in the Perception (Wisdom) skill. Trance: Elves do not “Sleep” as most humanoids do, instead, elves Meditate for roughly half the time humans sleep. Elves do dream in this semi-conscious state, but instead of strange flights of fantasy and fear, elven dreams are more readily understood as mental exercises.   

#d20 #Forgotten Realms #5th #5th edition #5e #HASBRO #Wizards of the Coast #Dungeons and Dragons #DnD #Dungeons & Dragons #Advanced Dungeons and Dragons #DnD Next #DnD Beyond #5th Edition Role Playing #Fantasy #sword and sorcery #Classic elf #Moon Elf #Moon Elves #Anyroad #and now for something completely different #tabletop role-playing game

[voidsentprinces]

You know how long someone has played FFXIV by how much of their sentence begins to leak Urianger speak.

#{ thou must assuredly } #{ anyroad }

[marzipanandminutiae]

I have strong hands and have been sewing, knitting, and embroidering most of my life. I developed carpal tunnel when I worked on a farm for a few months. All it really is is the tendon in your hand getting too strong and expanding. If the carpal tunnel is too narrow (usually genetic), then it starts pressing on nerves. If you're starting to get pain or numbness with sleep, that's a definite red flag. Make sure your hand braces have a solid busk along the wrist to keep them from moving.

...busk, you say?

someone please tell me that designing and making orthopedic braces based on corsets/using corset boning when I have no experience with crafting medical devices is a bad idea

#ask #anyroads #personal #carpal tunnel maybe

[ordinaryxxgirl]

@deepdxsire said: Would I really be K if I didn't say something out of pocket horny at every opportunity

Now that I've eaten...No, you wouldn't be our dearly enjoyed K at all! ...Still, I don't think you really want that, hon.

#{out of love | ooc} #deepdxsire #Knowing you though you probably wanna fuck like a monster anyroad lmao

[blu-screen]

⋆ every time i so much as look at a pic of an eeveelution

⋆ scarf gets so frickin mad?

⋆ i get it, i do. if folks only thought of me for the things i could turn into all the time 'd be pretty sore too

⋆ but 've explained before i don't care if they do that...

⋆ say this cos they're still layin' on me from the last time. 'pparently my punishment if 'm not allowed to leave tonight... h eh

#⋆ .txt #⋆ not even sure they can anyroad.. weird code there #((being specifically a lets go eevee? no. they can not))

[john-lennon-unofficial]

idk whats going on with me rn I'm feeling so forgotten

#kinda just now realizing this is coming off as me saying you guys are forgetting me #when literally the way you treat me hasn't changed at all my blog is just a generally quiet place #anyroad it is not you it is the world #I have a feeling if I took a walk and never came back no one would notice until they realized the dishes weren't washed #I feel like Nicky Beautte #if somebody killed me and hid me in my closet nobody would know I was dead #hashtag didn't mean to vent in the tags

[lalalaugenbrot]

by now my expectations for kde are on the ground but maybe thats a good place to start

#am now especially afraid of what kp called humor #it could all be very good or very very bad #anyroad i should stop reading spoilers #was extremly angry a month ago when i read that on tumblr #and now sz i pulling the same shit #like i know i'm anti spoiler culture but i just... #i want to find out that it's bad while i watch it #not a month ahead #also i'm beginning to lowkey looking more forward to the case than to ~rest of it #(ich hätte mir eher des himmels einfall vermutet als ein solches stück auf unserem großen theater zu sehen... - kennen sie das stück #denn schon? - nicht im mindesten! etc etc) #(ich habe große lust zu pochen)

[crystal-verse]

Fun lore:

Since he's a god, K'pheli cannot be tempted by a primal.

Odin possesses the body of whoever landed the killing blow.

K'pheli is a Dark Knight and also a system.

To connect the dots: K'pheli kills Odin, Odin tries to possess him and instead gets added to the system, and K'pheli wields Zantetsuken as his Dark Knight weapon.

#bound with thread | original posts #letters to keep | lore #divine being of crystal and star | k'pheli tia (sae'pheli'ehva) #i came up with this like‚ today‚ but it fits very nicely into the other k'pheli lore #also since sleipnir just kinda comes with odin and odin and k'pheli share a body‚ k'pheli can summon sleipnir wherever. #new mobility aid aqcuired! he uses sleipnir to terrorize the twelveswood like odin did. just a little. as a treat. #sae'pheli'ehva is gelmorran‚ he's allowed to #anyroad. odin is to k'pheli what fray is to dark knights. fun don't'cha think? #also k'pheli is a system bc I'm a system and he's my self-insert WoL lol. based on my OSDD system. as a treat #be normal about it or I'll kill you <3

[okami-zero]

Oh, just saw a gross-ass ad for The Babylon Bee. I looked them up, based on the pejoratice usage of "woke" ("Woke Hollywood writers are on strike, but our comedy team is still on the job..." along with some dude dressed as The Devil™ ranting about something, I couldn't find the unmute for it, kind of glad about that) and found out this via Wikipedia:

 "It has been referred to as a Christian, evangelical, or conservative version of The Onion."

Apparently this ad was for their podcast. I prefer seeing notpikaman to that kind of ick.

#okami rants #okami rambles #just a blip on the scroll but... ick #gotten to the point where if I see the word 'woke' my guard and suspicions go up #maybe i need to try ad-free... hm #anyroad back to shenanigans xp

[bran-ridire]

Holy fat, somehow I'd forgotten just how bad I look...

#Anyroad before I'm too drunk to type, #HappyHalloween /#goodsamhain everyone. It's back to booze and movies for me!

#ihateselfies #AllHallowsEve #LLAP

#happy halloween #good Samhain #llap #anyroad

[slavonicrhapsody]

Bernahl and the Blasphemous Claw

Bernahl seems to be the most senior recusant at the Volcano Manor; he’s been an agent of the Manor since we meet him in Limgrave (“You are an enigma, to be certain. The Volcano Manor awaits you.”), he’s a seasoned killer on the Manor’s behalf, and he wields a very important weapon to the Manor’s mission — the Devourer’s Scepter, depicting the serpent cult’s prophecy of the serpent devouring the world. Tanith bestows weapons upon the manor’s greatest champions, so it makes sense that she gave Bernahl the scepter as a reward for his exemplary service. This begs the question, though: if Tanith’s goal is to feed Volcano Manor’s strongest champions to Rykard, so they might join the “family” and aid in his growth and power, then why was Bernahl not eaten? 

I think this is because he was entrusted with a special task; by Rykard, or by Tanith in Rykard’s stead. After Bernahl leaves the Manor, the next time we see him, he invades us in Farum Azula, carrying the Blasphemous Claw:

“A slab of rock engraved with traces of the Rune of Death. Can deflect the power of the Black Blade. On the night of the dire plot, Ranni rewarded Praetor Rykard with these traces. Should the coming trespass one day transpire, they would serve as a last-resort foil, allowing Rykard to challenge Maliketh the Black Blade, the black beast of Destined Death.”

Why does Bernahl have this object? Given that we encounter him on the way to Maliketh, and that the claw has the unique ability to deflect the power of his black blade, it’s safe to assume Bernahl is going after Maliketh. On our own journey, after Melina gives herself to the flames, we are transported to Farum Azula, where we defeat Maliketh in order to unbind the Rune of Death, bringing “death’s dark fate” back to the Lands Between and causing the Erdtree to burn. Crucially, Maliketh must be defeated so the Rune of Death can be unbound, allowing the Erdtree to burn… so this must also be Bernahl’s intention in going after Maliketh. This reading is supported by Bernahl’s speech to us before leaving:

“So. You killed Rykard? I harbour you no ill will. The strong take. Such is our code. Even he was prepared to meet a wretched end when he first took blasphemy unto his very flesh. But anyroad, the Volcano Manor is no more. Though we may yet fulfill an old promise. We hunted our own kind, and took what was theirs. And with everything in hand, the time has come to rise, against the Erdtree. O Greater Will, hear my voice. I am the recusant Bernahl, inheritor of my brother's will, and you will fall to my blade. We refuse to become your pawns. Consider this fair warning.”

Bernahl says that now, the time has come to rise against the Erdtree, and he calls out the Greater Will specifically. I think it’s clear that he intends to fight against the Greater Will by first burning the Erdtree. When Bernahl refers to “his brother,” he’s referring to Rykard, in the sense that they are brothers-in-arms in a wider struggle against the Greater Will, and that Rykard’s will has now become Bernahl’s will… in fact, Rykard has actually intended to burn the Erdtree and to go after Maliketh and the Rune of Death for a long time: there are paintings of the Erdtree burning hung throughout the Manor, and Ranni had given him the Blasphemous Claw in the first place so that he could challenge Maliketh, “challenge” implying an offensive attack. 

I believe the “old promise” Bernahl speaks of is not only a promise he made to Rykard and Tanith to fulfill this task, but it might also refer to a promise Rykard himself made to Ranni. Long before the Shattering, the siblings mutually agreed that the Greater Will must be overthrown: the “coming trespass” mentioned in the Blasphemous Claw’s description refers to an open act of treason, one that Rykard and Ranni must have intended to carry out against the Erdtree. I speculate that the two had a kind of agreement, that Ranni would slay her empyrean flesh, then eventually kill her Two Fingers and be free of their influence for good, while Rykard challenged Maliketh and burned the Erdtree, opening the door for a new age free of the Greater Will’s control. Obviously, things went... awry. 

But indeed, Bernahl’s message to the Greater Will that “we refuse to become your pawns” is essentially the exact same sentiment as Ranni’s words against her Two Fingers: “I would not be controlled by that thing.” For me, that’s proof enough that Ranni and Rykard’s joint struggle against the Greater Will left a lasting impression. 

#elden ring #elden ring lore #bernahl #rykard #ranni #i love bernahl deeply i don't talk about him enough

[autumnslance]

We can finally share our works for The Thancred Anthology, the free pdf fanzine.

Here's my short story, of Thancred checking on the specter of Pandaemonium in the Aitiascope, and having an unexpected but perhaps due conversation with Fourchenault.

On Ao3 and under the cut for those who prefer Tumblr.

--

Being one of the saviors of the star had its perks in certain places. No one questioned Thancred’s presence in Thaumazein, nor his use of the Aitiascope’s elevator to reach the research platforms built in the shallows of the Aetherial Sea.

Researchers measured and recorded the current unusual phenomenon: the presence of the ancient research facility and prison called Pandaemonium. The creation and responsibility of the Convocation’s Speaker.

Lahabrea.

Thancred could mostly touch on the topic when it rarely came up. So long as he did not linger, anyroad. There were still rare moments, however, when the thought of that red mask made him break out in a sudden sweat.

Much had happened since that day he had walked out of Raubahn’s office, dejected and self-remonstrating, and on his way to the Sapphire Exchange had been distracted by strangeness in an alley…

And then a looming blank period; only a few terrible, hazy scenes flashing through that darkness, until waking in an Adder tent with the Elder Seedseer leaning over him. Sometimes it seemed he was still waking from the nightmare, that he would blink and find Kan-E’s sad green eyes and calm voice explaining all he had done.

It was difficult to take that first step from the elevator.

On the Ragnarok, when they reached Ultima Thule’s crushing non-weight of uninhabitable despair, he had managed to trudge forward to protect the others. There was no avatar of despair holding him back now, but also no one to protect, no reason to force his feet closer to that inimical ancient visage.

Yet he kept moving, until he ran out of platform.

Thancred stood at the edge and watched the swinging cages and flickering torches. The reports—and a late-into-the-night discussion—of Lahabrea’s involvement had given him insights into his recurring nightmare that he had not expected.

A stubborn man dedicated to the burdens of his great responsibilities. Who loved his child but held him at arms’ length, keeping important secrets, telling himself it was for the child’s own good, unable to see the hurt he caused because he was so wrapped up in his own situation.

From his pocket, Thancred drew out a pink ribbon wrapped around a letter, Ryne’s handwriting covering the folded pages.

“Horrifying, isn’t it?” A familiar deep voice said from behind him.

Thancred nodded. “It doesn’t match other Ancient architecture, as if purposefully twisted to match the terrors it kept inside.”

“If the reports are accurate,” Fourchenault said as he joined Thancred at the rail.

“Given who wrote them,” Thancred replied, tucking the letter back into a pocket. “They are.”

They stood in silence for a long while. They had always been awkward; Fourchenault had graduated from the Studium and was entering politics when his father brought home a Limsan orphan. Between the constant trips to and from the Motherland, and Thancred’s intense training, he and his foster brother had seen little of one another before Emporium was abandoned and Thancred sent to Ul’dah. Their differences in political opinions had not helped their bonds.

Now here they were a lifetime later, knowing only slightly better what had led each of them upon their respective paths.

“I’ve a question—unrelated to the current view,” Thancred said. Unrelated so far as Fourchenault was concerned. Thancred continued before losing his nerve. “Did parenting that pair of rapscallions highlight…well…the ways in which Louisoix…”

“Failed?” Fourchenault finished quietly. His blue eyes turned to the researchers engrossed in their duties.

“I wouldn’t put it quite so harshly, but…Yes, about the mistakes he made, I suppose. As a parent, specifically.”

“This is about the girl on the first reflection of Etheirys?”

“Naught gets left out of Alphinaud’s letters,” Thancred said dryly. “Yes; I found myself unexpectedly guardian to an adolescent. It was…” He suddenly floundered on how to explain.

“Enlightening,” Fourchenault said. “Terrifying, horrible…and wonderful.”

Thancred nodded.

Fourchenault sighed. “Yes, raising my children did highlight the matters I wished my father had handled…better. That I tried to handle better. At the same time, it showed me goals hopelessly out of my reach, my own shortcomings as a parent. You’re rather familiar with some of my failings already.”

“At one point, while in the First, Alisaie bluntly said I reminded her of you; in that instance, she did not mean it as a compliment.”

Fourchenault laughed, brief and a tad bitter. “Was she wrong?”

Thancred had to laugh sheepishly as well. “Not at all.”

“We did have a singular model,” Fourchenault said. “Much as we perhaps tried to fight against that image.”

“Or did not, at the time, understand what we had,” Thancred replied quietly.

“You were a stubborn little wharf rat,” Fourchenault said, with little of the sting of their youth. “That stubbornness at least has not changed, thank the Twelve.” Fourchenault smiled genuinely, reminiscent of Alphinaud��or perhaps the other way around. “But I do recall thinking you ungrateful for the opportunity Father had inexplicably granted you.”

“I had more than a few unkind thoughts of you myself. ‘Tis only recently that they have…adjusted. In some ways.”

“I find myself in a similar frame of mind,” Fourchenault said, a ghost of that smile still visible. He studied Pandaemonium. “Did you come to see what new trouble your colleague dredged onto our doorstep—or to face your specters?” he asked, voice soft and almost kind.

“I suppose the letters included that as well.” Thancred had the terrible urge to drink until just before that darkness swallowed him again. He bit it down.

“Not explicitly. In stories since, however, quite a few of the Scions’ adventures have been detailed.” Fourchenault paused. “The twins enjoy my discomfort almost as much as their mother does.”

Thancred couldn’t help huffing out another laugh. “Well, you do make quite the graceful picture when tripping out of a room lest you faint,” he noted. Some things blessedly never changed.

“Bah,” Fourchenault waved a dismissive hand. “Though the tales of your time under the Ascians’ thrall sounded particularly horrifying.”

“It was.” Thancred rubbed his eyes; he would have to speak to Alphinaud about what he shared, even with family. “Though from the reports now I wonder if Lahabrea influenced me more than I’d first thought. Or perhaps…sought a familiar resonance.” Hand in his pocket, he threaded the ribbon through his fingers.

“From what little I’ve heard, there seem to be some superficial similarities,” Fourchenault said. “But the same might be said for my own tale as a parent. Or even Father’s choices. We do what we think is best for our children, and don’t always realize when we’re truly making it easier on ourselves. One doesn’t need an Ascian’s influence to fall into that trap.”

“Hrmph. I know the twins told you what a hash I made of things.” Even now, recalling how close his girl had come to tragedy due to his own actions ran around his mind in darker hours, though she would hate to hear that; it was past.

“They also told me how you admitted your errors and strove to do better by the girl, your comrades, and yourself,” Fourchenault said. “Lessons I myself yet struggle with, after a lifetime of assurance that I knew best.” He smiled wryly. “Not the first time that you’ve outpaced me; nor I suspect the last.”

Thancred stared at Fourchenault. Louisoix’s actual son, born to privilege, beloved of the amazing Ameliance, national leader, brilliant sage…

“If you try to deny it, I shall tell your fellow Scions,” Fourchenault continued blithely.

“We’re disbanded,” Thancred reminded him.

Fourchenault did not quite roll his eyes. “I once asked Father why he was more…available for the twins than myself,” he continued. “Or even for you, off with your master for much of your time under our roof. I remember the…regret, I think, in Father’s smile, when he said he had learned better since our youths. He urged me not to make the same mistakes, and I swore I would not. Yet here we are.” He turned to Thancred. “I think Father would be proud of you. Not just for all you’ve done as a Scion, but for your girl, and the man you’ve become. I am, for as little as it counts from me.”

Thancred couldn’t manage to say that it meant more than he had imagined, so he settled for “Thank you. Though I feel there’s still much to learn about parenting.”

“There always is. Especially when they’re far away. But we’ve now the time. And if that ancient sorcerer could learn better, we certainly can,” Fourchenault gestured at the ghost facility.

Thancred laughed, squeezing Ryne’s letter. “We do have that singular example.”

Fourchenault nodded, then took a breath. “You should—I was thinking—Would you join us for dinner?” As Thancred raised a brow he hastily continued, “Ameliance would love to see you.”

“Of course,” Thancred replied. Learning how to be better fathers wasn’t the only thing he and Fourchenault needed to figure out. But as he had said, there was now time to make even a belated start.

#final fantasy xiv #Lyn Writing #Fanzine #The Thancred Anthology #Thancred Waters #Fourchenault Leveilleur #Endwalker

[estinininininen]

Aymeric: 32

Thordan: 74

Thordan had Aymeric when he was 42. When he was damn old enough to know better. Out of wedlock child when you're 20, barely of Elezen age? You're a young idiot but you can be forgiven and expected to do better. Out of wedlock child at age 42? This fucker wasn't making one "oopsy" after 20ish years of pious celibacy. This was a pattern.

How many half-siblings do y'all think Aymeric has?

. . . A few members of the Heavens' Ward kinda resemble him or Thordan.

Haumeric, Adelphel, Noudenet. Adelphel and Noudenet in particular have those startlingly blue eyes. Weird. I'm sure it's a coincidence. Not to mention if someone resembled their mother more than their father. And what was going on with Zephirin expected to be the Lord Commander? (The only Ward member who's definitely not Thordan's son is Grinnaux de Dzemael, not necessarily because he comes from a Great House but because his skin is pretty dark.) Anyroad. I'm sure Archbishop Thordan wouldn't pull from an available pool of young men desperate for his attention when only he knew their true connection if he had something he needed loyal followers for. Nope.

#thordan #thordan vii #aymeric de borel #ffxiv heavensward #aymeric #ishgard #it's probably just one or two heavens ward members #maybe. probably. uhhhh #also i think aymeric finds a few others after heavensward but if they dont know they're adopted he leaves them be #and if we treat this crack to its fullest extent then thordan actually had like 20+ bastards cause some of them also had to be girls #heavens' ward #zephirin de valhourdin #haumeric #noudenet #adelphel #i feel bad for thinking this

[blu-screen]

⋆ so..

⋆ first sans to get the checkmarks becomes the first official real sans ‘m guessin’?

⋆ that’ll be fun...

#⋆ .txt #⋆ 'm too lazy myself #⋆ but hey this could be a giggle.. #⋆ sure fill hadz prophecy of a one true alpha sans anyroad.. heh heh #((i dont think that was really a prophecy blu.. but okay))

[driftward]

Holy crap. Final Fantasy XIV fandom.

Everyone saw my very silly post and the outpouring of positivity, commiserating, and so on is incredible. I'm touched! I got everything from positive notes, Elezen admiration, commiseration on the limitations of our tools, some helpful guides, and so on.

Gotta say, I've actually taken a lot of screenshots, but I do have pretty serious trouble making gpose sing for me; I am in awe with what other people do in baseline, whereas I usually have to do a fair amount of cleanup in post in a photo editor, but you've inspired me. New goal for the year, use those tutorials and whatnot, and see if I can't do, say, Junelezen with nothing but the in game tooling and see if I can't get some sweet lighting setups.

Oh and for the one person who said she looked like a lawyer and then went and verified it, that's hilarious; she actually hasn't done lawyer work IC since early last year due to a series of hilarious misfortunes, but yes, she used to be her Free Company's lawyer. (seen below: the legal offices)

Though one of my friends says she looks more like an assassin. I'm not sure I see it. Maybe if she was, like 20%-50% cooler, like so:

(though let me be clear, I love her because she's actually an awkward nerdbaby)

Anyroad. Thank you all. Not every fandom is this positive, and I like the community we've got, and the response to my silly post was a heartwarming start to 2024.

#final fantasy xiv #meta

[lettersnorth]

The Gift

To the untrained eye her study had become a disorganized mess. A collection of mechanical contraptions and spare parts spilled across the desk of her terminal. Books lay splayed open, scattered on nearly every available surface as though the reader had stepped away for a moment. Maybe to write a note or sketch a quick diagram in one of several notebooks that were piled haphazardly across her writing desk.

But to Aislinn there was order in this chaos. She knew the location and title of every book scattershot around the study, the purpose of every mechanism she had pulled from her workshop. She was working, thinking, racking her mind to try and make any of this problem with Lewra and the other seemingly lifeless bodies make sense. She barely ate, slept in short fits when she’d succumb for a bell or two at her desk and generally had no time for anyone in Heartwood outside of those that needed her attention in the clinic. 

A planning meeting had been called of which she did not attend. She’d been around long enough to know how “planning” meetings went when Heartwood’s group of mercenaries got together. They never met a meeting they couldn’t turn into an opportunity to bicker and argue. She may as well go outside and wander in ever-maddening circles. Instead, she was in her study digging through her shelves and cabinets of spare parts she kept on hand for Sergius. Finally she found it. The aether signature creator. 

The inconvenient truth was that everything that had been happening was creeping up on Aislinn like a rising tide. Lewra. The Kugane job. Sterling. Stark Oak. Yami had said to let her anger out but when had that ever in her life done her one lick of good? Anger didn’t bring Lewra back. It didn’t untangle her complicated feelings over watching Sterling bleed out in the dirt. It did nothing to the knowledge that she could do no more for Stark Oak than hope the monks followed through on their promise or the low grade anxiety that was ever present when Locke was away on a voyage, wondering if the last time she saw him would end up being the last time. Because one day, it would be. 

No. Anger changed nothing. All her life it had been a luxury she couldn’t afford. So instead, she worked. She worked until all these thoughts became nothing but background noise. Until there was just her and a problem to be solved. 

She powered up the signature creator, letting the mock aether stabilize and then she opened her senses. The signature wasn’t a perfect replica. If she focused on it she could pick out the wrongness, the sour, artificial note, but for most applications it would do the job of fooling anyone but the extremely versed and aetherically sensitive. 

She had no idea if this would end up being of any use to her, Yami or Tynos but in her experience it was better to be prepared than to find yourself wishing for something you didn’t have. 

She turned away from the row of cabinets and bumped against a work table. Hard enough to jostle a round sphere decorated in Starlight wrapping paper. A gift from Lewra. It rolled until it hit a book and stopped. Guilt washed over Aislinn. Yami had given it to her days ago and she hadn’t brought herself to open it. She had missed the family Starlight gathering, off on the Kugane business. It wasn’t something she could have explained in a note. Or in person. Or…she just couldn’t. So she just sent her regrets. That life wouldn’t intrude on this one and with any luck it was behind her for good now, anyroads. 

She set the signature creator down and picked up the sphere. It was heavy and solid, whatever it was. Slowly, she unpeeled the wrapping to expose a brass metallic sphere. She didn’t know what else she was expecting, after all the wrapping had done little to hide the shape of the object underneath. Etched across the interlocking plates of the sphere’s surface were geometric designs not unlike constellations but no matter how she looked at it, its purpose eluded her. Lewra had to know one of the only ways to stop the woman she loved like a daughter in her tracks was to present her with a puzzle. 

Sidetracked by this new development Aislinn ran her hands over the sphere, testing the interlocking plates as she slowly made her way to the couch and sank down to sit and solve this new problem. Something about it soothed the frazzled edges of her tired mind. 

Time slipped away like water through cupped hands as she sat there on the couch, head bent over the sphere in her lap, her deft fingers and agile mind moving in concert over the sphere’s puzzle until all at once with a satisfying click two things happened. Green aether pulsed out of the sphere in a rush and a panel popped open, revealing a note that had been tucked inside. Still images formed from the aether in the air around the sphere. A multitude of ghostly projections, hovering in place. 

'To my oldest,

Happy Starlight, and I hope you enjoyed the puzzle to get to your gift. Keep it close for when those dark times come to keep you going, and don't worry, I'll teach you how to add more memories to your aetherical album when you're ready so you can have more of you and Locke. I only had one to start it out. I have a feeling you're wondering how this works, I'll go over that with you don't worry. Other family members have one as well, and memories can be exchanged to add to your own album.

You may not be mine by blood but I'll always love you, and be so proud of you like you're my own.

Love, Mom’

Reaching out, Aislinn touched one of the images and at once it came to life. A memory. Lewra’s memories. 

Their first meeting. Her first medical lesson. The way Lewra had patiently taken her alarmingly unscrupulous and criminal alchemical knowledge and honed it against her own Sharlayan practices. The moments Aislinn opened up to Lewra. Talks over tea and baklava. Aislinn introducing her to Locke for the first time. She had gently teased her all while overjoyed by the casual way he could reach for Aislinn’s hand, understanding it for the feat it was. All of it. It was all here. 

These were shared experiences but as seen from Lewra’s perspective. Memory was not so much a camera as a filter. The particulars it held on to was nothing compared to what bled through. 

She hugged the sphere tight against her body. As though it could fill the gaping hollow that had been carved from Aislinn’s chest. Too much. The grief and very real possibility that she may never speak to Lewra again threatened to drown her and she struggled to keep her head above water. Her searching hand dove into the pocket of her coat, wrapping tight around Yami’s crystal she found there. For when it all became too much, the Seeker had said. And now the crystal siphoned the waves of emotions before they could buffet Aislinn to even darker depths. A burden shared.

Aislinn was not good with words. The ones she had were unwieldy tools improperly calibrated for the swirling riptide inside her. Anger was too small a word. Grief, too vague. Sadness was an insipid and reductive term. But Yami knew that. Hence the crystal. Through that tether Aislinn’s outward silence was shown for what Lewra always understood it to be, a barrier to be navigated and nothing more. She felt drained and yet her whole rib cage ached, her heart banging around like it was angrily trying to find a way out of her chest. Fiercely, savagely reminding her in case she had forgotten; 

She had to get up. She had to get up, there was work to do. 

#ffxiv writing #ffxiv rp #balmung rp #The Hubris of Peace