#i finally thought of a backstory for my wol! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

prbni · 2 years

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My controversial Kdrama opinions

1. Ko Moon Young was just a psychologically messed up girl. She isn't the 'girlpower' or 'badass' that the Kdrama fandom likes to dub her into.

2. In 'Hotel del Luna', they could've just chucked the entire character of Gu Chansung out of the window and gave Chang Myung a rebirth/rebirths,make him go through various trials and tribulations to repent and earn Man Wol's forgiveness. Didn't have to make it unnecessarily tragic.

3. Unnecessarily tragic reminds me, the 'realistic' ending of 2521 was a JOKE. There was NO point of developing such a power couple if they were to break up for such a mundane reason.

4. Romance genre isn't Song Kang's 'thing'. He shines better as an actor in non-romance genres.

5. Had they focused on developing Ju Kyung as an individual character who finally learns how to completely take a stand for herself instead of dangling her between Suho and Seojun, 'True Beauty' would've become a more popular and appreciated drama.

6. The love line between Hwang InYeop and Seo Hyun Jin's character in 'Why her: Oh Soo Jae' was absolutely unnecessary and awkward.

7. Jo Bo Ah and Ahn Bo Hyun and an amazing chemistry in 'Military Prosecutor: Do Bae Man'. However, they could've developed a slowburn romance between them instead of abruptly putting a kiss sequence in the last episode out of nowhere.

8. In 'Snowdrop', Eun Young Ro forgiving Soo Ho later on didn't make sense. Their kiss sequence was purely fan service,nothing else.

9. Individual acting aside,Kim Hye Yoon had more chemistry with Lee Jae Wook(2nd lead) than Rowoon(main lead) in 'Extraordinary You'.

10. Writers are overusing 'Let's kill off the main character and make the show tragically memorable' trope wayyy too much.

11. As much as it physically hurts me given the chemistry of the actors,Choi Do Il and Oh In Joo not having any proper romantic sequence till the end of 'Little Women' makes sense to the storyline(the shipper me might've wanted a hug though).

12. Also the writers should stop doing the 'lets make the second lead better than the main lead'. Its annoying to see one person actually making sincere effort for the girl but the girl ends up totally ignoring their effort and like the ML. Not in just Kdramas but in all sorts of dramas. I actually saw a Chinese drama where the second lead finally turned into a villain. I LITERALLY commented 'good for him' lmao.

13. Sunho in 'Cheer Up' is problematic. Neither his sad backstory nor his sincere feelings for Haeyi changes that fact.

14. The Heirs(2013) drama wasted an opportunity to pair Young Do(Kim Woobin) with Yoo Rachel(Kim Jiwon). No, they didn't need to be 'siblings'. I'd have chosen the two heartbroken yet sassy and tough people romance over the sappy romance of the main couple in a heartbeat. And the actors would've NAILED it.

15. Jojo not ending up with Sunho in 'Love Alarm' finally broke the 'Cinderella and Prince Charming' fairytale trope of Kdramas. That girl was too messed up in the head . She didn't need the rich,fierce and impulsive lover, but the quite,patient and thoughtful one. So don't go ahead and say the ending sucked. Maybe they could've made things more coherent, but no the ending didn't suck.

16. Moon Dong Eun should have remained single, with the last episode ending with him crossing paths with Do Yeong, with Yeonjin & gang & all the revenge agenda gone, she could hv offered him a smile and a game of Go, keeping an open ending for them. Lee Do Hyun was fabulous in playing Yeojeong and their chemistry was amazing. But they could hv just been partners in crime with their teamwork without the romantic plot between them.

17. No. Ryu Shi Oh doesn't give second lead syndrome. Byun Woo Seok is a very good actor but he plays the villain in 'Strong Woman Kang Nam Soon' and not anti-hero. Lee Yoo Mi and him should be paired opposite to e/o in some other project in the future but Shi Oh and Nam Soon ain't the 'enemies to lovers' you think it is.

18. After Byun Woo Seok's popularity skyrocketed with 'Lovely Runner', many people dug up his previous works & lamented over not noticing him earlier. People even felt sad that he got his recognition late. But honestly, he wasn't very noticeable as an actor in his earlier stages imo. He kept working hard on his acting skills to get to where he is now. What I applaud about him is not giving up & putting the efforts in all right places but he didn't start from a 100.

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autumnslance · 4 months

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Fic Writer Interview

Tagged by @sheepwithspecs technically on my main but this is where fanfic goes. Do this if you wanna!

How many works do you have on AO3?

47 as of 2/6/24. There's a few things I need to get around to adding there though.

What’s your total AO3 word count?

411,290 as of 2/6/24

What are your top 5 fics by kudos

Downtime (compilation of younger Scions & other teen chars being pals in Norvrandt) Unexpected (compilation of shippy nonsense) A Constant Distant Thunder (Thancred in ARR patches post-Lahabrea) Ruminations (General Warrior of Light introspections & adventures) Rogue's Prelude (My headcanons on Thancred meeting Louisoix, Papalymo, and Yda)

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I usually do! I often try to. So my comment count is almost, not quite though, doubled.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Hrm; I tend to do a lot of bittersweet endings. We'll keep it simple and say "Never Gets Easier", a fic where Edmont and Charlemend talk about their lost sons. There's no sweetness there, just men haunted by mistakes and losses.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Maybe "When Everything Changes" which is kid fic from the POV of my WoL's older brother when she's born and his ambivalence turns to big brother joy and love.

Do you write crossovers?

Haven't yet.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Not that I recall.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Occasionally. Usually pretty vanilla. It's all right, I guess.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Had an OC's backstory on our WoW RP server's fic blogging site lifted wholesale; they changed the names and class, and then…walked into our weekly guild meeting that I was leading and tried to join our guild. When confronted, the person claimed their partner had leveled the character for them and based the backstory on Skyrim (my OC's story is very specific to WoW). They tried to message me later as if we were pals who would laugh this off someday. I informed them that was not a thing and btw the site mods knew they were a plagiarist now. Also everyone knew who their alts were and a bunch of other trouble they'd caused. So far as I know, they bailed from our server after that.

I hoped they learned better and grew up quite a bit; this was well over a decade ago.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Once or twice now; so long as folks credit and link back to my originals, and share the translated link with me, it's all good!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Roleplay and actual story collaboration both. It's a lot of fun.

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

How dare you.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

*stares at WIP folder*

Come back with a warrant.

(I won't say never, but there's a lot that probably are just noodling and scraps to feed something else later)

What are your writing strengths?

Folks seem to like my dialogue.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Impatience, and certain grammatical abuses that do nothing for length nor clarity.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

Depends on the fic. Depends on the intended audience.

For dialects, mostly the concern is "don't overdo it" as it can slow things down, be really jarring at best and offensive at worst, and difficult to understand if laying it on too thick.

Other languages entirely have different guidelines though, from sprinkling in single words or short phrases, to entire passages, and whether or not you translate or leave it up to the reader. Depends on fandom, on the characters, on the story, author intentions.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Narnia, in a my little girl diary as a pre-teen. I wanted to pick up Susan's story as a grown up and bring her and family back to a magical land. Cuz I knew it could, would happen someday, even if Lewis never got to write it himself.

What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?

Final Fantasy XVI. Midst. The latter is tricky as I really don't have ideas at the moment, but really want to dig into that vibe. My writing needs to be more weird in general, really.

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

How dare you, come back with a warrant!

#About Me #Blogging #Fanfiction #Writing #Lyn Writing #Fandom #Ao3

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sjofn-lofnsdottr · 10 months

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Alright, I am going to TRY to do a BRIEF overview of Dusk's backstory, I guess. Just hit the highlights, up until he started actually adventuring. I will tell myself I can expand on everything later. Later!

Here's a picture that has nothing to do with anything, just because I like having a picture above the fold:

Alright, first off, Dusk's real name is Bellinor, and his sister is Oriane. Their father, when they were very small, started calling them Dusk and Dawn for reasons he never explained, and it stuck. Their grandparents use their given names, and basically no one else does.

He was born in Ishgard. I have thought a lot about his family and where they were in the Ishgardian hierarchy, but I am being BRIEF, so suffice to say, the fanciest of his relatives is his maternal grandmother, who was a knight in service to house Haillenarte.

His father is a spearman, and when Dusk and Dawn were eight or so, he began to train them how to use it. Their mother, a chirurgeon who was starting to break under the strain of being a healer in a Forever War, was still taken by surprise by how visceral a negative reaction she had to this. After talking it over with her husband, they began to plot an extreeeeemely slow desertion from the city. The timing turned out pretty good ... they were finally intending to leave for good when the twins were ten (who had no idea, of course) and during their very last trip outside of the city as a sort of dry run ... the Gates closed, and they couldn't go back, even if they had wanted to.

Dusk never thought of himself as not-Ishgardian, in spite of spending so much more of his life outside of the city than inside it, and he understands why his parents left, even if it was confusing and scary at the time. Unfortunately, part of why it was scary was ... they had fled to Gridania. I have a lot to say about his adolescence being spent in pre-Calamity Gridania and the stresses involved, but suffice to say ... sure, there were no dragons trying to kill them, but at least the dragons were somewhat predictable. The elementals were not.

Dusk and Dawn's parents never wanted them to have to fight, even though their father did continue their training with spears. Just in case. After the Calamity, the twins travelled to Limsa Lominsa. The plan had been for Dusk - who was already a fairly good carpenter - to train as a blacksmith there to supplement his skills. Dawn, a botanist, went with him for company, and just to spread her wings a little, the Calamity giving her an urge to travel while she could. Neither intended to adventure, although they were certainly dressed the part, the whole family still in the habit of being Ever Vigilant. None of them want to be caught unarmed when shit hits the fan, if you will.

As a result, though, while they were bumbling around the city trying to figure out who to even talk to, H'naanza spotted them, and thought they were new adventurers. She called them over and asked them to kill some wharf rats. Dusk agreed to it without correcting her, which made Dawn feel too awkward to correct her herself, and it all kind of spiraled from there.

It all worked out, at least.

I generally follow canon as far as his actual WoL career goes, filling in headcanon in the spaces the narrative itself provides. The biggest 'change' that isn't really a change regards his twin. Dawn, who also has the Echo, did not want to be a Scion, but she is extremely protective of her brother. So when it makes sense in my mind for her to be around, being very clear she is helping him and not the Scions, she's there. The big exception is Shadowbringers ... she's stuck at home and hating every second of it.

He was 30 when the Calamity hit, and was 35 when ARR began. I'm a one expansion = one year person ... except again for Shadowbringers, which in the Source timeline I think of only having happened in a couple of weeks. Which means he'll be turning 40 when 7.0 hits, I'm sure he's excited.

#ffxiv #ffxiv oc #just dusk #character ramblings #I meant it when I said he will Always Help #Dawn's kind of in denial on the Scion front

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stormbabylore · 3 months

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Look at her precious little shocked Pikachu face. ♡(◕‿◕๑)

I finally finished my first HW relic grind, and the plot for this really tugged hard on a key thread of Aeryn's backstory. I need to muse about it... So it's oc lore dump time! \o/

Spoilers for the HW relic weapon story, but that's it!

A quick tl;dr of Aeryn's story, pertinent to black mage:

Aeryn's soul is fused with the remnant magic of the star from her past life. It functions a bit like a shell, "protecting" her, but also blocking her access to the magic of the Source. This prevents her from doing most types of magic without significant effort.

In canon, Aeryn just lives like this, unable to do magic except in extreme circumstances. But in black mage AU, she works with the thaumaturges to disentangle her soul and the "foreign" magic (they none of them realize what it is), enabling her to both access and better utilize magic on the Source.

The disentangled star magic does not disperse. It lingers, greatly enhancing her newfound magical abilities, but also overwhelming her natural senses - especially her sight. Despite this, she takes to magic use with inexplicable ease and turns almost exclusively to magical combat.

Aeryn later channels most of the lingering star magic away during the finale of the StB class quest. The yellow in her hair fades as a result, and she is able to see without magical obstruction once again.

I thought that would be the end of it - that Aeryn-as-Black-Mage would no longer have her connection to her past life or her star following Stormblood. But rolling through the HW relic quests and awakening a new being connected to the WoL through their aether/soul/weapon got me thinking:

What if, in Aeryn's case, the soul she helps give voice and form to is what little remains of her star? (✧_✧)

The connection the anima feels towards the WoL and its desperation to get stronger so it can help/impress/protect them is very reminiscent of the headcanon I have about Aeryn's past connection with her home star and how it "saved" her in its/their last moments. Other than the timeline itself (and the suggestion that other warriors with similar experiences might likewise be able to connect with anima), nothing in the relic quest lore really breaks that theory.

And I'm casually obsessed.

Probably going to shirk the timeline and work this into Aeryn's black mage story, some time following Stormblood. Perhaps she needs a new weapon at that time. (The Stormblood class quest could feasibly have destroyed her existing weapon. Yeah, going with that.) I just love the circular notion of this: Aeryn's star dying in such a way that she was able to be "reborn," but then in turn being "reborn" itself in the form of an anima so that the two can learn, grow, and travel on together.

;-; Yes, this makes my heart is happy. I shall accept this headcanon. It shall be mine.

#aeryn stormwater #ffxiv #ffxiv oc #ffxiv wol #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv glamour #final fantasy 14 #relic weapon #ffxiv screenies #ffxiv screenshots #black mage relic weapon #black mage glam #black mage au #ffxiv black mage #hw spoilers #heavensward spoilers #relic weapon spoilers #stormblood #anima weapons

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isayoldbean · 1 year

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i've been slacking a bit on posting @woltourney propaganda for several reasons, mostly because i've been dealing with like 127 million projects irl, but! today i have returned to deliver an Exclusive lore drop that i haven't talked about much anywhere else yet!

please note that this involves major spoilers for shadowbringers and endwalker so please proceed with caution beyond the cut

that's right folks. it's the huge beef azem reveal!

tbh, beef Hates the idea that she is a shard of azem. she hates the thought that she could be so awesome only because she's actually somebody else instead of who she's always known herself to be. because of that, i've generally not really put any thought into her life as an ancient for the most part.

however, the fact remains that her past life as azem is an important factor in her story as a whole, and also has a bearing on how she became the person she is. and so, that being said...

please welcome dionysus into the world! (i don't have crimes installed on my computer so please pardon my having to use vanilla cc to show them off)

in addition to holding the seat of azem, they are also hythlodaeus's sibling! they are the pastel genderfuck twins who like to cause problems for emet. the two unicorns that harass emet's charlie the unicorn into going to candy mountain, if you will.

dionysus and emet definitely have a wlw/mlm hostility thing going on but it's mostly affectionate. can't be too mean to hythlo's boyfriend after all!

also on a classical/educational note, the mythological figure of dionysus is just. absolutely the perfect match both for azem and for beef! he is known primarily in modern times as the god of wine and grapes, revelry, and pleasure, and also for his connection to bacchanalia festivities, but there is actually much more to him--most of his stories involve him spending time traveling abroad, and then struggling for acceptance when he finally returns home. which is just extremely azemcore all the way around, and also pretty accurate for beef as well!

not only that, but there are many stories about him being killed/dying and getting resurrected, which is apt not only for the metaphor of azem's sundering leading to the eventual birth of the wol, but also for beef, who very much has the whole undead/zombie theming and the backstory of hydaelyn bringing her back from the brink of death so that she can go on to become the person she was destined to become.

also, dionysus was strongly associated with theater, which. considering emet is a Known Theater Enjoyer... hurts a little bit :')

as a final note, you may notice i refer to azem using they/them pronouns. dionysus was said to contain both male and female characteristics, and in keeping with that, beef's azem was nonbinary. i've been hesitant to give beef my own gender identity for various reasons, although i suppose it's still potentially on the table for her, but i have no such reservations about doing so with azem! perhaps one day i may also decide to take the plunge with beef, but in the meantime, this is a happy medium for me.

i hope you enjoyed this little peek into the deep Huge Beef lore! i'll be back with some more propaganda tomorrow :3

#Final Fantasy #Final Fantasy XIV #ff14 #WoL #Azem #Huge Beef #woltourney

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myrfing · 2 years

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did I talk about little ladies day 2018 this year yet. ok so in 2018 there's was the little ladies day event quest right and it was the songbirds performing and stuff and that's when the cheeronjumpwave emotes were released just fun idol stuff. when you finish there's a mostly rewardless (confetti) sidequest called "untended dreams" where you find a little girl who looks kind of apprehensive and lost and she tells you she lost her keepsakes and is worrying about them too much to watch the concert for the festival she's always wanted to see. so you go out into the thanalan wilds and its one of those no quest guide look at pictures and search quests and you find them washed up on the edge of that circular basin all rusty & return them to her and she says this:

and then your wol, smiling, just like. rolls with it without a word and kneels before her in front of a cherry tree like a seneschal would and she's surprised for a moment before rolling with it too, happily saying,

and she laughs and asks you a final favor to take her keepsakes to a man living in that fishing village near Horizon before leaving. as you both walk away she turns back around and...

you catch her words and turn around as well but there's nobody there. I MENTION THIS BECAUSE this is stupidly integral to the direction I went with gourd's character because of this moment of unabashed kindness the wol shows here and how happy it made this random girl. also you learn that she died a long, long time ago, kidnappers took her to the basin and killed her there on the day of the same festival. so that's where the whole gourd always trying to provide solace to people who "can't go home" as he can't sort of....began? where the backstory of him wandering for a few years around eorzea not outwardly tormented and enjoying the land and company of others but sort of being a like a ghost stuck in a point in time, mostly observing, comes from. and. the reason why he accepted hydaelyn the way he did is. IT'S *shaking my claw hand* IT'S RELATED AND well. ok he thought hydaelyn would provide the "guidance" he lost yes but he also thought hydaelyn was lonely and that hydaelyn was the world and that he should approach hydaelyn the same way he approached her without caring if she was just an apparition or not. and that he could play a role like he did here as the "seneschal" again but as her champion IM NOT JOKERING THIS RANDOM EVENT SIDEQUESTTHAT PPL CANT EVEN PLAY NOW IS SO FOUNDATIONAL TO THE BASIS OF HIS CHARACTER

#ffxiv #this was my first ever event iirc and i was like. level. 15ish.#gourd constantly had a mask and those novice hall robes on

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oathofpromises · 11 months

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Herein I commit the chronicle of the traveler. Shepherd to the stars in the dark. Though the world be sundered and our souls set adrift, where you walk, my dearest friend, fate shall surely follow. For yours is the Fourteenth seat—the seat of Azem.

I thought about making an official post about this for a bit and know that other wol also have similar thought that the wol is reincarnation of Azem. I do love this because it allows us to add so much more to our wol stories.

It's important to note that the backstory I have for Azem Stella goes a bit off canon, but mostly diverging into my own thing for her. A lot of Azem backstory is a mystery aside from small hints we get throughout Shadowbringers and Endwalker. The biggest one is when people refer to wol as looking very similar to Azem. They will always refer to Azem as either a man or woman depending on the gender of your wol. I thought long and hard what I wanted Stella version of Azem to look like and after some debate eventually came up with this.

When the way forward is hidden even from the mind's eye, look not to the invocation, but within yourself. These were the words of the crystal's original bearer.

I do want to cover Azem history before Final Fantasy XIV, as we know the seat of Azem used to be held by Venat, who didn't return to the aetherial sea after completing her duties. The next Azem was Venat's friend and protégé, who is noted being less than half Venat age when they first spared. This is mentioned during the main story quest where wol spares with Venat, who seems to know that the Warrior of Light is reincarnation of her friend.

Azem is also confirmed to be friend with Hades, also known as Emet-Selch and Hythlodeaus. As someone who tended to solve problems they fan into without seeking counsel or approval from the other Convocation members. This caused them to become quite a problem to their fellow Convocation members. A lot of Azem Stella Story runs same as much of what is revealed in the game. One thing I do want to point out is Azem opposed the Convocation's plan to sacrifice Elidibus and sacrifice their own people just to advert the final days.

It was during this time that Azem's soul and being were split into fourteen by the sundering, the ultimate result of Hydaelyn and Zodiark's battle. It was because they were against this plan that the Convocation considered Azem unworthy of having their memories preserved in a constellation crystal like the other members. It was only because of Emet-Selch acting behind his brothers backs did he create Azem's Crystal and imbued it with his friend's signature incantation, the ability to summon allies from a far. Which as we have seen the Wol has used multiple times to call fourth other Wol's from afar to assist them in various battles. It's stated that the greater part of Azem's soul would be reincarnated as the Warrior of Light, while the First's fragment would be Ardbert. It's why our Wol was able to see Ardbert when he visited them as a ghost. It is also why Ardbert was able to help stop the light progression in the final fight with Hades. Ryne makes a mention after better that Warrior of light soul is healed, which we can assume supports theory that the Azem soul in Ardbert merged with the Warrior of Light's soul.

Anyway, for my Azem backstory like stated it follows a lot of what is stated above aside from the fact that I do head canon that it was during this time that Stella Azem met and fell in love with G'raha's Ancient. I know a few people have thought of a similar thing but this relates to my overall story that they meet and fell in love with each other no matter what life time it is. First being before FFXIV, the next with Mako and T'sori and finally Stella and G'raha. They have a powerful love that surpasses time itself and keep meeting each other. It also adds to angst part of story when they are separated by fate.. I am a sucker for reincarnation stories and since ffxiv pretty much confirmed it is possible in this universe I am running with it.

I do also like the theory that Emet and Azem cared deeply for each other maybe more than friends but this would depend on the writer. I am up for writing any ships with Azem-Stella as long as writer and I build on that dynamic and follow the rules I have for shipping. Would love to write stuff prior to the final days too. I see so much cute stuff related to Azem and their time with Venet, Emet, and Hythlodeaus.

#— ❛❛ // AZEM STELLA ¦ Herein I commit the chronicle of the traveler・「 Headcanons」#— ❛❛ // STELLA CAELUM ¦ High #oh higher Carrying our song ・「 Headcanons」#ew spoilers #shb spoilers #ffxiv spoilers

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blindingspark · 1 year

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Solace

The night before the nadaam proves a harrowing one as the warrior of light grapples with old wounds from their former homeland, though a surprise visitor serves as a much needed balm. Rating: Mature Pairing: Estinien/WoL Notes: This one includes a bit of backstory lore for my wol! With that said... CW for blood, violence and mentions of child endangerment

Spinning, racing, chaotic.

The distress felt within the stray au ra as they paced in the nook they had hidden themselves away in was more than palpable, hands trembling and tail curling tight around themselves. They could scarce look to the horizon- to the entrance to Bardam's Mettle where their trial awaited upon sunrise- without feeling their stomach wrench in response; the trial itself hardly elicited a flicker of concern for them, but rather the beast they were to conquer.

Through panicked breaths sucked in through their teeth, Auri reached to rub their eyes of the dampness welling in their eyes with the moon as their only witness to the display, gleaming and full as it hung high in the sky over the Steppe's rolling plains, nearly offering comfort yet falling short. They attempted to calm themselves by steadying their breaths, Once you've tended to this trial- to this estranged lordling's whims… you can go. Never again do you have to step foot here, never have to worry about seeing another of those feathered abominations again, never again…

A frustrated sigh then left them, sniffling and swallowing down their frayed nerves and finally looking to the landscape around them again… tentatively turning their attention to the jagged chasm they would be venturing through and to the caves, to the roosts. The dredged up memories creeping forth and to the forefront…

—

The world around them was blurry, the young au ra's mind more blearily focused on the warm dampness staining her coat and dribbling down their arm- the torn garment framing the gaping wound upon their shoulder. The sight of exposed bone was enough to make her belly turn, whimpering as they buried their face in the hair of their friend… their friend, she recalled, their only friend… he had found her tucked behind a rock clinging to their arm 'to keep it from falling off', and now ran as fast as his little legs could to carry them- to safety of the Ura tribe's village, calling out to the adults who kept watch along the perimeter,

"Someone help! Kiyo- she's… she's hurt!" Their friend yelled, though the younger au ra could barely lift her head to see that he had carried them all the way home. The concerned mutterings and gasps of the other tribe members faintly reached them, the only voice clearly coming through was that of a grown man, approaching the two children and kneeling down beside them.

Kiyo groaned and looked up to see the older au ra's face contorted in agony, recognizing the blurred figure as her father as he drew close,

"Oh, my little gem… what happened to you?" He whispered, reaching to carefully scoop her into his arms and holding her close- a new dampness soaking into her hair as he trembled and wept.

"S-some of the other kids… I think they dared her, Kiyo was over at that Yol nest…" the boy muttered, pointing to the cliffs in the distance, "I saw them go there earlier, but I thought it was a bad idea and didn't go with them- I'm really, really sorry-"

"You saved our little one, you don't need to apologize…" another voice spoke up- Kiyo's mother, her features etched into a conflicted scowl as she looked to the yol roost, her voice tense when she spoke next, "We need to tend to her, where's the healer?"

An older auri man waved, approaching with his satchel of herbs and remedies, "I came as soon as a commotion started- 'tis not often we get the little ones yelling when they return to the village," he said, approaching the father and carefully kneeling down, reaching to gingerly examine the auri child and speaking gently, "Now, let's see…"

The young boy inched closer as the healer tended her wound, his own tail drooping and turning his attention to the father, "Do you think she'll be okay…?"

The older's mouth pressed to a firm line, gaze settling on the young au ra and struggling to maintain his hopeful demeanor, nodding in spite of his worries, "Aye… she'll need time, but she- she's a strong one, always has been."

His tentative confidence wavered as Kiyo's uninjured hand gripped his shirt, whimpering into the fabric as the healer did his work, the flow of blood seeming near-endless despite the mending…

—

As if snapping back into the present Auri's gut turned anew at the memory, that fateful evening that would have claimed them were it not for their only friend at the time; they could recall the unnerving sensation of torn flesh and bone, the way their head swam at the steady trickle of blood from their being, the way they had consigned themselves to passing into the embrace of the gods as they bled-

The mage turned and braced themselves against the rocky cliff face, their dinner spilling onto the grass and leaving them gasping for breath, spitting out what remained and cursing themselves for letting their guard down and agreeing to come here-

"Seems you're in no shape to be traveling if you can barely keep a meal down." a sudden voice, gruff and familiar, spoke up behind them; the au ra stiffened, looking over their shoulder and lingering as they gawked in disbelief,

"Estinien…?" They managed on a hoarse whisper after a too-long pause, seeing his head tilt slightly,

"You didn't seem the type to reminisce about your homeland," he replied, stepping closer and looking them over, "Though given your current state, it's a little more complicated than that, isn't it?"

The mage turned to face him slowly, brows furrowed and studying him as though he would disappear into thin air, "Esti…" their expression turned to a pained look, voice cracking when they spoke, "Where were you?"

His own expression hardened this time, jaw clenching as he sought the best answer, loosely crossing his arms and letting his gaze fall to the ground,

"I felt it best to take my leave for a time after recovering from Nidhogg's influence- to reflect and make amends where I could," the dragoon began, looking them over again, "But I neglected to let others know of my whereabouts, it wasn't necessary-" a slight wince this time, upon seeing the unwavering look the mage held him with, "I didn't feel it was necessary, though I'll work on apologizing proper at a later time… What are you doing here?"

Silence accompanied their lingering stare, eventually losing what little energy they had and sighing, reaching to fidget with the seams of their gloves, "I did not come here of my own volition, to start," murmured Auri, looking to their surroundings and settling on the Dragoon again, "I feel it may be best to discuss this away from the cold."

Estinien opened his mouth to speak, then closed it as the mage turned on their heel to have him follow, leading him to the outer edge of the nearby settlement and ducking their head as they entered one of the spare yurts, silently going about stoking the campfire within.

It was a long moment before Estinien would find his words,

"Not of your own volition, eh? I had heard about a scuffle in Yangxia a few days past, and given the details it seemed the sort of mess you usually find yourself dealing with."

Auri paused in the midst of removing the more cumbersome pieces of their garb, gaze fixated on the nearest beam and feeling their tail instinctively curl in thought, "Ah… Aye, I accompanied one of my companions on an impulsive assassination attempt knowing the Crown Prince was visiting Doma," they said, "A rather fearsome devil, I can understand his reputation- but it was suggested we… come here. Seeking the aid of the locals and finding someone of importance as well."

This time their teeth grit, wringing the strap of a harness they had been wearing, "My stomach is wrenched every which way- I do not wish to be here but I cannot stand to see the people here used for another's gain just so he can force their favor, they are still my people and were left well enough alone until that spoiled lordling took it upon himself to-"

"Auri."

They winced, then looked to their companion, a hopelessness peeking through in their voice, "I cannot handle being here much longer but I don't know what to do…"

Estinien lingered on them briefly before a sigh left him, "You're feeling pulled this way and that all over again, aren't you? Out of control despite what others try to tell you."

A small nod.

Estinien hummed softly this time, a rather thoughtful sound,

"You could come with me, have a taste of an adventurers life again for a bit. I turned in my official title while I was bedridden," he said, briefly showing a rather impish smirk, "Only if you wish it, though."

Auri's gaze remained locked onto him, weighing their options and his newfound proposal and sighing, resuming setting aside the satchels and gear leaving only their armors loose underclothes;

"I… I want to. I truly do, but…" their hands began to fidget again, "I'm in deep, I think. Too deep to simply run away from…"

Chewing their lip this time, they studied their companion in the firelight, hoping to glean some clue about what swirled in his mind,

"Could you… could you stay the night? You're welcome to leave come sunrise."

His brow perked, "A bit lonely otherwise, are we?"

"More than most realize." Auri said quietly, watching Estinien evenly and noting the faint nod he gave, walking over to the nearby basin and fetching a drink of water, a touch surprised as he then brought the cup to them,

" 'tis mighty uncomfortable to try and sleep with a burning throat, mind you." The dragoon noted, watching Auri nod and take the offered drink, taking a long swig of water and clearing their throat of any remaining roughness after.

The au ra set aside the cup after and sighed, leaning to rest their head on his arm with a thump and feeling Estinien still, silently eyeing them yet hardly daring to move,

"I haven't…" they chewed on their lip in consideration, "I haven't spoken of my childhood, have I? Why I left?"

"Briefly and lightly, I never thought it respectful to push for details you clearly did not seem keen to divulge." He replied, then watching them straighten themselves and nod- the fidgeting of their hands resuming from earlier,

"Perhaps we could… settle in. I would prefer to not relive the memories for long, but I would…" Auri paused, "It would give more clarity, and after all we've seen and endured so far I feel you have earned the right to know."

Estinien gave a conceding dip of the chin, following his companion to the cushioned seating and taking a moment to remove the more bulky pieces of armor before he settled down, gaze following the mage as they gingerly sat on the edge and appeared to seek where they wished to begin,

"It…" they sighed, reaching up to scratch their head, "When I was about… eight summers old, I took a bet proposed by some of the other children who would frequent Reunion, a rather stupid bet but… a child is often wont to seek approval from their peers."

Their attention lowered to the floor, studying the rugs strewn about as they found the right words,

"I was asked to retrieve something from one of the nearby yol nests- a feather, an egg, really it's such a trivial detail I can barely recall it- and… much to my misfortune, the beast itself had returned before I could escape as intended." Their shoulders slowly bunched this time as they traversed the memory, still staring at the floor, "Admittedly I'm quite lucky the yols talon did not strike as deeply as I had feared, I would have lost my arm completely at such an age otherwise, and bled out had an old friend not sought me out because he worried so."

Idly, their hand had reached up to rest on the massive scar that stretched across their shoulder, clenching their jaw as it faintly ached with the recollection, "It was the final straw for my parents, and when I was healed enough to make the journey safely we settled in Kugane; I helped attend their new shop when I could, but…"

The mage froze as they felt his hand tentatively brush against the covered scarring that trailed down their shoulder to their upper back, curious of such a gesture given his nature,

"It was good of them to do so," he said after a moment, tone unusually distant, "It would have been a shame had you lost your life or your arm, the star may well have never changed were it not for you."

Auri blinked, their cheeks warming at his words, "That's rather lofty praise from the Azure Dragoon, but… I suppose you're not far off," their gaze fell to watch the way he carefully ran his thumb along the edge of marked flesh hinted at beneath the fabric of their shirt, "Despite the heartaches and obstacles, I cannot say I regret this. Not when it has granted me the honor of companionship along the way."

"You should rest, and I'll try not to vanish before you rouse again." Estinien mused dryly, earning a snicker from Auri who then eased more fully as they drifted off to sleep, the deepened rise and fall of their chest indicating their exhaustion had finally won out.

His hand slowed in its careful traversal, nodding faintly as he stewed on their words before feeling them slowly shift to lean against him, freezing as their head rested upon his chest; the silence that filled the space dissipated any awkwardness while the two eased, being only carefully broken with the dragoon adjusting to rest his arm around them,

He turned his attention then to the campfire, mind turning with all he had come to terms with during his tenure away from Ishgard, the realization he had made the last time he had seen Auri gnawing at him most incessantly. Even now, as they rested, he felt the steady grasping claws in his chest to keep such feelings pushed down, they deserve far better than what I could dare to dream of providing, especially now of all times, he thought, hardly realizing the idleness with which he drew his hand along their arm as they slept.

Keeping a renewed sigh of frustration quieted, the elezen propped his other arm upon some of the extra cushions and leaned to rest his head on his palm- letting the comforting warmth of the yurt and company he kept lull him to sleep soon after.

The faint acknowledgement of a hand gently nudging them stirred Auri from their sleep, groaning and peeking one eye open to realize the main source of warmth had moved, leaving them curled up on the assortment of cushions and pillows; the aforementioned source quietly going about redressing himself in the pieces of armor he had temporarily discarded, watching as he glanced over at the sound of their grogginess,

"The sun is rising, I thought it best to try and get an early start to the day," he said, seeing them slowly pushing themselves to sit upright and rub their face,

"You stayed…?" They muttered, slowly swinging their legs over the edge of their makeshift bedding soon after and standing, giving Estinien pause in finishing his task,

"...of course. I had said I would try, after all."

Auri smiled and nodded concedingly, walking to their own traveling gear and readying themselves for the day, on occasion looking over their shoulder to their quiet companion before they made their way over to lightly nudge his hand with their own to get his attention,

"Thank you for last night," they said, "You have a talent for arriving at the right place at the right time."

He chuckled, "Not always, but… consider it my apology for leaving Ishgard without warning."

"Hmmh, and consider it, I will." Auri's smile broadened a bit, lingering a heartbeat too long in the quiet that followed before Estinien shifted from one foot to the other, making his way out of the yurt with the au ra trailing behind him.

The two were greeted by an early yet clear sunrise, the settlement a few yalms away still stirring from its own collective slumber and giving the two adventurers a little more time; the dragoon slowed to a stop and looked to the mage, his nagging thoughts near shouting at him, say something now or forever hold your peace, I suppose… he thought, noticing how they gave him an inquisitive look,

"Did you forget something? I can go fetch it if needed-"

"No, no I…" his mouth pressed to a firm line, jaw clenching with the nerves of a fretting boy rather than a seasoned soldier, "There was something I had meant to say- something I realized but did not feel worthy to give voice to at the time, though I had it somewhat found my resolve during my ventures."

Their attention was now unshakable as they listened, the faint display of their tail curling in anticipation hardly went unnoticed,

"Words are not my strength, I much prefer letting my actions speak for me, but…"

His words trailed off as Auri stepped closer, their usual fidgeting eased as they reached for his nearest hand, carefully grasping it and speaking quietly, "Then let them."

Blinking wide, Estinien considered their request- their gentle command- before leaning to place a tentative kiss to their forehead; he heard them inhale quiet yet sharp, pulling away and opening his mouth to apologize only to feel their free hand reaching up to tug his head back down and pressing their lips to his own.

He froze briefly at the forwardness of his companion, then pulled them closer and allowed himself the chance to express at last the affections he thought himself unfit to pursue, all too encouraged by the way they embraced him in turn.

When they parted, it was difficult to ignore the way the au ra's cheeks had become deeply flushed, a chuckle bubbling up from them as they smoothed the handful of hair they had grasped,

"I… Pardon my eagerness, I had just…" they paused, chewing on their lip as their mind now spun, "I suppose time away has given us both the time to… realize."

"Hmh, I suppose so." He replied, a faint smile showing before he gave a cautionary glance to the settlement, "And I also suppose I should take my leave before the others rouse, the sooner you finish your business here the sooner you can leave, aye?"

Auri's expression softened as the realization, the oncoming return to duty, idly squeezing the hand they still held and nodded at his word, "Aye… where will you go?"

His brows perked, "I had heard whisperings of progress in Gyr Abania, might see if I can cause a bit of trouble there until the rebellion catches up."

Slowly they let go of his hand, their fidgeting returning as they lingered on the elezen, "Be safe…. Please."

A crisp morning breeze rushed past the two, with the dragoon bowing his head as a silent promise and turning to depart, watched by the mage until he disappeared into the Steppe's vast hills before they looked to the distance where Bardam's Mettle resided… prompting them to exhale a calming breath.

We will meet again ere long, I'll make sure of that.

#Cata Writes #estinien x wol #wolstinien #estinien varlineau #estinien wyrmblood #ffxiv #otp: Auristinien

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carcharsaur · 1 year

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posting this here because I hate typing on twitter (¯▿¯)

with aymeric it was moment 1 as soon as he was even being mentioned and then the first actual meeting with him I lost my damn mind. which is extra funny because my wol back then was a vastly diff char than my “main” wol now but the parts that fit with him perfectly are the parts that became kozu. and thus it is written. (caranar/aymeric still has some spice too because of the heretic with the blood of the father of dragons some catholic guilty pleasures shit but I don’t actually ship them it’s just fun. if that makes any fucking sense) urianger was a sleeper cell where in ARR I was like “oh he’s weird I like him :)” and then over the course of HW patches and SB I realized his potential for deviousness and they brought the cryptid factor out and I was in love with him. and funny enough that’s when kozu celluar divisioned out of caranar into his own char (he was a miqo then though lol) AND THEN SHB HAPPENED and it was fucking over for me even though I adore his stupid goggles baldcap having ARR ass. stupid cryptic angsty elf ass

and then caranar and estinien (and sidurgu) didn’t click until late SB when he was finally developed into the version of himself I run with now and how good the SB dragoon (and drk) quests were and realizing that estinien is just a tsundere with how he was hovering over the wol but not admitting it to himself like the fucking ghimlyt dark shit brooooo. cmon

and then g’raha and kozu I didn’t even fully consider the potential of until laaate into SHB patches because it took me forever to connect viera kozu backstory to g’raha’s whole Thing. and then with g’raha and caranar I literally didn’t think about him after crystal tower I thought his ass wasn’t coming back though the eureka mentions of him made me go aww :( and then the pre-shb speculation started and I went catboy mode. though I love g’raha/meteor/wol in general with caranar specifically I’m not sure how to categorize him still tbh but caranar is definitely soft on him/fond of him because he’s also The Self Sacrifice Guy

#caranar #l'kozu #these are just the main ones too cause there's 2436425663486 side chars I like their dynamic with but haven't fleshed out at all bcs AUGUHEG

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yuri-cocaine · 2 years

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6.2 msq thoughts under the cut!

WIFE CITY WIFE CITY WIFE CITY

ZEROOOOOOO AND IIIIIIII WILL AAAAALLLWAYYYYSS LOVE YOUUUUUUUUU

idk anything abt ff4 so i did some research: zeromus/zemus is actually manipulating golbez in that game. zero...zeromus......whats goin on.......

i also got to thinking about pashtarot, one of the MIA ascians that’s still supposedly alive after ew. in ff12, pashtarot is the scion of light in opposition to the esper zeromus, named after the ff4 zeromus

pashtarot’s title is also knight-star, and the golbez of the 13th is referred to as a knight. idk if there’s any connection here

completely unrelated trivia, but knight-star is the name of a kind of lily, and the flower that grows out of zero’s eye in drakengard 3 looks like a lily

primals in the 13th are called eidolons bc summons in ff13 are eidolons!!!!!!! yeahyeaheyah ff13 refrances my beloved

the voidsent are all so endearing and cute ;w; the sin eaters are way scarier bc they’ve become 100% feral, but the voidsent still retain a bit of humanity and the low-rung voidsent act like cartoon minions hehe

is scarmiglione’s mortal form a catboy bc he hisses??? also he’s cowardly, which makes him a.....scaredy cat!! :3

also LMAO at the debuff scarmiglione gives us being called “brain rot”

the blobby quests show the backstory for scarmiglione and barbariccia and it looks like scarg comes from somewhere that looks like lakeland and barbariccia def comes from the 13th’s version of the black shroud. there’s even the same heavenspillar trees!

barbariccia is hot af wlw stay winning this patch

im so enamored with zero i hope she’s not an azem shard bc then wol might absorb her and we will never see her again like ardbert

speaking of azem, the azem crystal entry in unending codex says emet-selch made the crystal out of “lingering affection” ;w;

who is the ancient golbez was killing in the flashback???? i can’t think of any significant ancients in plain weenwoon robes that aren’t already accounted for. there’s some theories floating around that it might be versions of the watcher on the moons of other shards, but if golbez was killing the watcher to free zodiark, why is he making big moves now AFTER zodiark is already dead?

he mentions a “prison of passivity” which sounds like the moon? is there something else worth getting at on the moon other than zodiark?

he also says “how ironic that the blessed damned should set us free” during the still image of him about to kill a weenwoon so blessed damned could refer to A) memoriates B) echo bearers C) ascians/ancients???

this patch left me with more questions than answers tbh but!! im so glad we met zero i got lonely thinking that the wol doesnt have scions with her all the time and also new old friends hyth and hades are still in the aetherial sea

also re: hades, zero’s meditation so she doesnt forget herself reminds me of how emet rarely took over bodies and if he does he has to mold them to look like how he looked in the ancient world so he doesn’t forget himself.

Pandaemonium thoughts:

themis is so cute and cool! “say my name” you’re elidibus!!!!

oh....but then knowing what his fate is.....it makes me so sad again ;-;

pandaemonium showing up in the present day lifestream makes me think we’ll see elidibus in the aetherial sea for the last segment of the raids!

also azem is becoming more and more like their own character and less of an extra oc that we can have. they do a ton of stuff outside of player control, and it’s confirmed that they have tabs on wol the whole time

so what was azem doing during the final days???? there’s no way they’ll simply let it happen in order to preserve the timeline and ensure wol’s existence. they must have tried to find a different way, and i think there’s a definitive answer to what they were up to, bc at this point i don’t think we can simply imagine it for ourselves. azem is like.....a fire emblem MU now lol we can headcanon what they look like but ultimately they are their own character

so athena was the shittier parent all along............boi

both the msq and pandae have a theme of how merging yourself with others makes you lose individuality. the voidsents become influenced by other voidsent souls they devour, and lahabrea was infected by athena’s mad scientist proclivities

we also finally get to see an ancient child! child erich looks just like every other kid npc in the game but now hopefully we can finally end the themis is a minor discourse. themis is young, but he’s not a child!!!

lahabrea seems very.....okay....with wol being azem’s weird familiar. he just stated that creating souls is nigh impossible and yet here we are lying that we’re azem’s familiar. if i were lahabrea i’d go back to amaurot and shake azem for answers

themis also mentions a belief in gods, but i thought the ancients only conceive of gods purely for the sake of debate ?_? regardless, this is cool and gives more insight into their culture

claudien looking for the crystal that resonated with the one he found and then going missing in azys lla is worrying D: azys lla is where our lahabrea got killed. he’s going to get possessed isnt her

i still think claudien is an erich shard. erich is the “perfect test subject” so if he got away in pandae, then lahabrea/athena will just have to nab his shard.

#6.2 spoilers #yamwalkers #many thought head full

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wannabeelf · 3 months

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So I did not like the MSQ in the 6.55 patch for Final Fantasy XIV. I don't want to be too specific about why on the off chance that someone who is still trying to avoid spoilers stumbles across this. Suffice it to say, every single hint they gave about what to expect from Dawntrail is something that I personally find tedious and uninteresting at best, and actively turns my stomach at worst.

I'm sure that there will be more to it than they're hinting at now and I have hope that the things I currently find objectionable won't be as bad as I fear. If the worst case happens and Dawntrail is a flop for me, I'm confident that whatever the next expansion is, it will be something that I find more enjoyable. But it's probably about time I start getting to the actual point of this post.

The day before yesterday, I was having a really bad ADD day and could not focus on anything I was supposed to be doing. Instead I kept thinking about ways I might make 6.55 more acceptable to me. In the end, I was compelled to actually write out a little story that fixes one of the biggest problems I had with it. That problem being: given only the information she was given in those three quests, my WoL would not have accepted the job.

I spent much of yesterday obsessively editing and re-editing my story and I finally got it to a place that I'm really happy with. It's really short--only about a page and a half including the little background blurb/author's note--and probably about a third of it is directly copied from the cutscene that I jumped off of, but it's been years since I've written anything at all. And I don't think I've ever cared enough about something I've written before to do any editing beyond basic proofreading.

I know I'm the only person on the planet who gives a damn about the contents of this little story, but I'm really proud of it and it would mean a lot to me If i could get a few other people to read it. Spoilers up to 6.55, obviously.

Background:

Ember’s backstory is a bit weird in that she has two that are simultaneously canon.

In one backstory, she was born to a teenaged Duskwight mother after a less than willing liaison with a Garlean father. After witnessing her father beat her mother to death when she was around 7 or 8 years old, Ember fled and spent the rest of her childhood stealing to survive.

The other backstory is that real-world me got isekaied.

The backstories merge on the chocobo cart into Ul’dah at the beginning of ARR. In a process that left Ember disoriented and confused, the two entities became one person with the memories of both—including memories of playing 14. It took her a long time to process what had happened and even longer to accept the fact that she could change the details of the story, but not the events. She considers her foreknowledge to be a curse and is very cautious about what information she reveals when and to whom. But the Scions do know that it is a thing that happened.

The scene:

“I’d rather not get involved in politics.”

“If only others had the same good sense,” he responded. “If the prospect troubles you so, why not consider what you have to gain instead? That is, an exciting journey to a far away continent.”

She gritted her teeth, willing herself not to roll her eyes.

“In the course of seeing new lands and meeting new people, you might find yourself moved to help Wuk Lamat after all. And if not, well…you quietly take your leave. A brazen plan, perhaps, but one that befits a veteran adventurer, you must agree!”

She did not agree.

“Such a journey would be the envy of many a scholar. Distant as it is, Tural remains largely unknown to us, with only meager records to be found in Noumenon. The experiences to be had—all the things you might hear, feel, and think… It’s enough to stir me to the core. Life is a series of journeys, my friend…”

We are not friends, she thought.

“…and there’s no telling what awaits us on the long road. But what’s important is to be true to yourself as you walk it. Only then can we hope to be content when we arrive at the end of one—and step forward into another. Ah, but there’s an idea! I have a matter to attend to at the Agora. Please go on inside—I will join you shortly.”

Good riddance.

Even though she’d known that it would happen, it still annoyed Ember that the others had out voted her when the question of inviting G’raha Tia to join the Scions had come up. He’d been irritating before he’d sealed himself in that damn tower, but now he was the man who had kidnapped and endangered the lives of nearly everyone she loves. And then he extorted a deathbed promise of a shared adventure from her. Twice. She doubted she would ever forgive him.

With a sigh, she walked to the side of the bridge and propped her elbows on the railing. She looked at the statue of Thaliak in the harbor for just a moment—allowing herself a bittersweet smile at the thought that he was now gone—before sliding her gaze over to the white-clad shoulder just barely poking out from behind a nearby tree.

“The only time anyone ever asked me why I became an adventurer, it was right after the merger when I was in no fit state to answer. Now everyone just assumes I’m in it for the excitement, or the joy of traveling the unknown, or some such nonsense. But the truth is I became an adventurer because I needed to eat.”

She looked down at her hands, picking at the skin around her fingernails. “Thievery never really sat well with me, but the skills it taught me seemed to translate well to adventuring and my only other viable option at the time was to sell my body. I wasn’t willing to do that, so, naturally, I chose to become an adventurer.”

She took a deep breath and looked back toward the tree. “So much has happened since then and I’m not the same girl I once was. The empire is gone and no one is looking for me. I have no reason to run anymore; I have new skills I can use to put food on the table; and I’m nearing the end of my curse. Within a few bells time, I will no longer be bound by the narrative.”

She looked out at the water, shifting her weight to her other foot. “If fate wants to keep me from retiring to my island, it’s going to need to give me a better reason to go to Tural than a lost city of gold that I don’t care about. Or backing a woman who I do not believe would make a good leader in a political dispute that I have no right to decide.” She paused.

“So,” she resumed, fixing her eyes firmly back onto the shoulder. “Short of Y’shtola running up right now to tell me she believes the key to reuniting you with your daughter is in that lost city, the only thing I can think of that might convince me to go is whatever this client of yours has to say.”

Ember smirked and raised an eyebrow as the surprised face of Thancred peeked around the tree. He shook his head with a smile, clearly embarrassed at having been caught, then stepped out and started to walk toward her. She pushed herself off the railing and set out to meet him halfway, confident that no matter how this conversation went, it would give her the reason that she needed to step onto the Dawntrail.

#final fantasy xiv #final fantasy 14 #WoL fic #staring:#my oc #Ember Byrne #Featuring:#g'raha tia #thancred waters

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wol-taleal-desharn · 7 months

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So, here's an intro fic for Taleal Desharn, Au Ra (Raen) , ninja Warrior of Light. I'll do a bio sheet later.

And more backstory fics. Eventually.

I go between FFXIV and my latest fixation of BG3.

Anyway, this one is mid Endwalker.

Switcharoo

WoL x Graha angsty comfort fluff k bye

The camp was in chaos - people were screaming, Garleans fighting with their own minds…

And then Fandaniel appeared. His laugh, carefree and crazy, cut through Taleal’s soul, grating on her nerves.

Just as quickly as he had appeared, he disappeared, taking the Warrior of Light with him. She had expected a fight, a monologue — anything but a kidnapping.

~*~

“The experiment was a success, but I fear our time is short…”

“I shall begin the preparations.”

Consiousness came and went a few times for the auri female. Taleal tried to focus on the voices — she could recognize Fandaniel, vaguely — make herself wake, with no luck.

“Now, it is time for you to awaken.”

Finally, she did manage to come out of her stupor, only to find herself…at a dinner table? Opposite of Zenos, of all people.

So why did everything feel so wrong?

What was wrong with her?

Fandaniel stood before her, dressed in a suit of sorts and serving wine as Zenos ate dinner with his usual bland demeanor. What Fandaniel was saying was like a fly buzzing in her ear.

“Good morrow to you. Here-have a taste before it gets cold. Oh, but be sure to remove your helmet. Take a moment, too, to familiarize yourself with that borrowed flesh.”

Borrowed…flesh? What —

She looked down at her hands, and stared at hands not her own. She started shaking, in rage or disgust, she wasn’t sure. Maybe both. But, now she knew what was so wrong.

The Warrior of Light was no longer possessed of her own body. What poor soul had they killed to perform this monstrous stunt?

“So, how does it feel? I for one find those first moments within a new body to be most refreshing! We had a magitek engineer by the name of Aulus to thank for this method of soul extraction and implantation. I believe the two of you met briefly in Ala Mhigo? His was a rather sticky end, wasn’t it? Thankfully, he was thoughtful enough to leave behind his mindjack technology. I took the liberty of making some improvements - and selected you as my esteemed test subject.”

Taleal snarls, the sound rumbling deep in the throat. “Give me back my body!” She tried to stand and lunge at the Ascian, but found movement still to be difficult. This new body was too large, too heavy, too awkward.

Fandaniel cackled, shaking his head. “Come now, to us Ascians, it is no different from trying on new clothes. Why not make the most of it by partaking in this fine cuisine? I must say, I have gone to great lengths to reunite you with my lord! When I discovered that his ‘friend’ was in this neck of the woods, I suggested inviting you over for dinner.” He pauses briefly, then continues. “He never deigned to respond, but I took his silence as a resounding yes!”

Tally was sure that Fandaniel would go on for ages, until a roar like none she had ever heard erupted from the tower itself, shaking the place to the very foundation.

“Oh my! Daddy is pleased his grumpy little boy has finally found his playmate!” Fandaniel eyed Taleal before snickering again. “Ah, exposition is in order.” He cleared his throat and began.

“The Garlean Empire has long outlawed all forms of religion. No gods to worship, no risk of summoning. Brilliantly simple. But people, being people, must turn to something or someone in their hour of need. Who, then? Why, his Radiance the Emperor, or course! As you have observed firsthand, Garlemald has seen better days. The legendary Solus zos Galvus - dead. Provinces near and far - in open rebellion. Our bold new Emperor — assassinated! And that last one even sparked a civil war! What rotten luck. The people cried out for salvation, their earnest pleas - one might even call them prayers - a supplication united for the Empire to reclaim her former glory. And so their will did manifest, channeled through the corpse of none other than Emperor Varis himself. And lo, the savior was born! The embodiment of the Garlean spirit, their Anima! It calls to its subjects, compelling them to take up arms and fight. And just as the wealth and power gravitate towards the empires capital, so too does aether, from every corner of the globe! The towers with which you and your allies have been so preoccupied were created as an extension of Anima tiself. An ingenious design…Would you not agree, my lord?”

Zenos simply takes a drink of wine, ignoring the Ascian’s question entirely. “Does the pursuit of prey you have bested before excite you? Of course not. Absent the challenge, the thrill, your prize is a hollow victory. Butchery.”

Fandaniel goes to Zenos with wine while Zenos continues speaking. Taleal sits rigid in her chair, watching the pair across the room.

“Perhaps you think that to be the extent of my promise. I have no doubt fallen in your estimation since Ala Mhigo. Fair enough. But do not let your disdain deprive you - deprive us - of an opportunity to craft an even more majestic moment of euphoria. I have been honing my craft as I set the stage for our reunion.”

Fandaniel pours wine for Zenos, for a change keeping quiet.

“Wheresoever there is suffering and despair, you appear, to fulfill your duty as defender of this star. The chaos and destruction that my hordes have wrought…are my gifts to you alone.” <pause> “At a loss for words? No matter. As you will learn, I have only just begun.”

Zenos gets up from the table, turning and heading towards the throne…

“Oh? Will you not finish your meal?” Fandaniel asks with a curious tone.

Zenos continues speaking as he walks, ignoring Fandaniel. “There is only one thing that can sate my hunger, and it seems my friend as lost her appetite. I hoped this display of civility might prove an entertaining diversion, but clearly we are above such pretensions. While my lifeless body was in possession of the Ascian, I too claimed another as my own. It was an enlightening experience to fight in an unfamiliar form. Flaws and failings in my technique were plain to see. Whence rises one’s true strength? The flesh? The soul? Perhaps you should like to discover the answer for yourself?”

Taleal finally manages to work with the body she currently inhabits, convincing it to stumble and walk towards the throne after Zenos. A gurgling cry sounded from the body’s throat when she beheld her own body, slumped over on the Garlean throne.

Zenos eyes begin to glow as he utters one last phrase. “Or…together.” The Garlean prince cackles, aether of black and red forming and swirling around him as his soul rises from the one body…and into Taleal’s. All Taleal can do is watch as her small body rises from its slumped over state, dead, glassy eyes piercing through her…

Smiling, Zenos is Taleal’s body vanishes in a cloud of black and red aether before the real Taleal can react.

Fandaniel tilted his head with one of his ever present laughs. “Oh dear! Whatever would happen if my lord were to greet your friends as you? I shudder to think of the carnage. We better hurry if we want to avoid the bloodbath. You can thank me later for my generosity.”

Everything was spiraling out of control as Taleal was, again, teleported away by Fandaniel in a cloud of aether.

~*~

This is all a fever dream.

Some cruel trick.

Maybe she’s hallucinating - sick, even. It must be a fever dream.

Taleal avoided as many of the tempered soldiers throughout the abandoned city as she could, relying on the ruined buildings for cover. This over large body ill suited her, of course, but wasn’t that the point?

Fandaniel had appeared once or twice, egging her on, and then had all but abandoned her.

Well, to hells with him. She would find her way back to the camp, even if she had to CRAWL there.

Her thoughts were a bell tolling, over and over, how the Scions wouldn’t know it wasn’t her, what havoc Zenos would wreck in her form…

She had to save them, if it was the last thing she ever did.

She would save them.

This body must be that of a hyur. A garlean man, surely. Its…so heavy… she thought, sludging her way through the streets. She had just blown her way through some magitek devices, clearing the way onward.

From there, she had found a few non-tempered survivors, and they took her for one of their own, all with one mission in mind - escape the city.

Unfortunately, they ran into a large magitek suit of armor… they fought it off, at least until it, too, had exploded.

Once the dust settled, she found herself the only survivor. There was a ringing in her ears, and the body she wore seemed heavier than before. She could not even stand…

It seemed Taleal quite literally was going to crawl to the camp after all.

~*~

“…in the meantime we need to find our missing friend. May the Fury guide you.” Lucia saluted the Scions, turning on her heels and leaving.

“Of all the bloody times for a disappearing act…” Estinien grumbled. He eyed the others, who either sighed or nodded, but all wore worried looks on their faces.

“Right when the first wave struck. We’d be fools to think it a coincidence. But where to even begin the search? No one saw her leave in the chaos, and we’ve no trail to follow.” Thancred replied with a frown.

“While I know full well she can handle herself, I worry all the same.” Alphinaud stated, worry knitting his brows together. He shivered in the cold, wondering what was to be done about their missing Warrior of Light.

G’raha’s ears twitch, causing him to turn towards the road. A smile of relief tugs at his lips. “Ah, speak of the devil…” he muttered, gaining the attention of the rest of the Scions.

“Well! Time to call off the search.” Alisae said with a grin. She and G’raha took off down the road towards who they thought was their friend.

Alisae reached her first. “Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick!” Alisae looked Taleal up and down, appraising her. Was she all right? Was she hurt?

“Now now, alls well that ends well. Are you all right?” G’raha chided, coming to a stop next to Alisae. “ARE you all right?” his voice was laced with concern - but as soon as he looked at ‘Taleal’s’ eyes, his eyes widened, and the exarch stepped in front of the small elezen.

“…who are you?” His tone now took on an edge, sounding more like he had on the First than the G’raha Alisae was familiar with.

‘Taleal’ smirked - a look that was completely not one they were familiar with. No, this look was chilling, almost evil. And as red and black aether started to surround the Warrior of Light’s body…

“Get away from them, you bastard!!” came the cry, followed by a sword slicing the air. The voice was strange, unknown to the Scions, but the intent behind it was familiar.

The Garlean body came seemingly out of nowhere and rammed into Taleal’s body.

G’raha and Alisae drew their weapons just as the other Scions arrived, just in time to see the garlean armored body crash into their friends body.

Before any can make another move, Fandaniel appears in a cloud of black, standing just between the Scions and the bodies.

“Sadly, that is all we have time for today. The effect has run its course, and back to your own bodies you must go.” He proclaimed before turning back to the Scions.

“But where are my manners? You have all traveled so very far, and I have yet to pay my respects. Though in my defense, I was ill prepared for so many uninvited guests. As such, preliminary entertainments were in order. A handful of tempered soldiers to hamper your progress. Refugees to command your attention while I siphoned their ceruleum from the shadows - particularly effective, that. Charitable souls that you are, you bent over backwards to aid them, heedless of the delay. Predictable to a fault! And so my plan approaches completion unhindered. Anima will soon have absorbed the requisite amount of aether, and then shall come the spectacle to end all spectacles! The eldest and most powerful of primals will awaken, and all shall bear witness to the Final Days!”

Taleal blacks out. Or does she? She sees the image of Zenos before her in her semi-conscious state.

“The gods themselves will be my meal. Your dear companions my dessert. Upon this world I’ll feast, and death shall follow in my wake. All your hate, all your rage, you will render unto me.” His voice echoes and rings in her ears..

Now she blacks out in truth.

~*~

“Hnngh…” Her head was pounding. Her side hurt something fierce. What did she —

Oh.

“She’s coming to…” Taleal heard the voice as if she was under water. Her head was swimming in pain. Wincing, she slowly cracked an eye open to see the very worried, concerned faces of her friends.

This time, at least, she FELT right. Sort of. The auri held up a hand to her face to shield it from the dying light of the sun, and found the hand to be her own familiar one.

She was herself again, Tally noted.

“Everything in working order?” Y’shtola questioned, looking her friend over.

Taleal nodded carefully as she hoisted herself up to stand, wiping snow off her backside as she did so, and looked herself over. Arms, legs, armor….everything was as it should be.

“Y..yes, it seems so.” She stammered in response.

Her chest felt tight; it was far to cold, but far to warm at the same time, and everyone was staring…

Thancred’s gaze, in particular, was one of sympathetic understanding, and it just made Taleal feel all the worse. Dirty, even.

“Well. Now that THATS settled, we should make a full report to Lucia.” Alphinaud’s voice broke through Taleal’s thoughts. She managed a nod, and off they went. Though truly, she wanted nothing more than to run the other way.

How was she suppose to keep anyone safe now?

~*~

It was some hours later when Tally finally managed to slip away. Trekking through the snow, the ninja-trained warrior made her way to a lone vantage point in the wilds, thinking she was alone. She shivered despite her warm gear.

She wanted to cry, to scream…she wanted to wash away the feeling of violation from her body. Taleal felt nothing but filthy, disgusting, used…

Finally the tears began to fall, trickling down her face like the first drops of a spring rain. Her face she covered with her hands as her small body began to shake.

G’raha had seen Taleal slip away from the camp; truly, he had become so used to keeping track of her just out of habit that it was almost second nature to him now. He did not do it intentionally, but more out of worry for his dearest of friends. Without really thinking about it, he set out to follow her at a distance so as not to spook Taleal. He knew, in his heart, she probably shouldn’t be alone right now. Gods knew he wouldn’t want to be alone after what had happened.

Watching her from a behind a small tree near her vantage point - she had found a small boulder to sit on - his heart broke, seeing her in such a state. Perhaps he wasn’t suppose to see this moment, this time where she let herself break down. But here he was. If there was anyone who deserved to not be alone, especially now, it was she.

So, slowly as to not startle her, G’raha slipped up next to Taleal, gently laying a hand on her shoulder. Regardless of how careful he was, she started, wide blue eyes reddened by cold and crying stare up at him in some confusion.

For all that she was hurting now, it relieved G’raha to SEE emotion behind those eyes again. A brief thought of the dead eyed, possessed Taleal flashed in his minds eye, and he shuddered.

She sniffed, attempting to wipe her face and pretend nothing was wrong. That broke his heart all over again.

“Is…is everything okay, G’raha? Something wrong?” she asked in a feeble attempt to steady her voice, but he could hear the shakiness to her words.

“I was going to ask you something like that,” he replied, sqatting down next to her on the balls of his feet, in that way that only a miqo’te can call ‘sitting’.

“Oh, I’m —“

“Don’t tell me you’re fine,” he said, cutting her off, using what Alisae had come to call the ‘exarch tone’ of voice. “You do not have to be so strong all the time, you know. You’re allowed to…” he trailed off, watching her for reaction.

Tally looked conflicted, unsure of what to do or what he wanted. It would be so nice to have someone to lean on, to hold and be held, she thought. I want to be held right now. I’m not fine, I’m not okay!

“I…” she waivered, tears threatening to spill forth again. At her hestitation, G’raha shifted to face her better, opening his arms in a ‘come here’ gesture, as if reading her mind.

“Please. Let me help you, as you have helped me?”

The tears spilt forth then, and the white haired auri fell from her rock perch and into G’raha’s arms, tumbling both down into the garlean snow.

She cried, and he let her. G’raha held her for some time - how long, he couldn’t say, he wasn’t keeping track - and just let her weep. He ran a hand through her hair, and the other down her back, in attempts to help comfort and soothe her.

Finally, her tears began to subside, leaving behind reddened eyes and some sniffles. Tally looked up, blue eyes meeting red, and opened her mouth to speak.

“Don’t. You’ve no need to apologize, especially to me…” he’d put a finger over her lips to silence her. When she closed her mouth, G’raha wiped the tears from Tally’s face with tender, gentle fingers.

A sigh escaped Taleal’s lips as her eyes closed against his touch, tail swaying slowly behind her before it became still, resting in the snow.

G’raha’s own red eyes closed, relishing the moment - Tally splayed out against him, her arms wrapped around his torso; his fingers idly tracing the scale patterns of her cheeks, his other arm wrapped back around her waist…

Tally was, likewise, surprised but pleased. It was no secret, to most, that she was partial to and maybe even fancied the former exarch. Why she wouldn’t say anything, however, was a different matter. She was loathe to break the moment. So, she leaned in against him, savoring the touch of his fingers against skin and scale.

“I was so, so scared, G’raha. Scared he’d hurt….he’d hurt you, and Alisae, and the others…”her voice lowered, shakey with emotion. “..with. With my body. I was so scared I wouldn’t — wouldn’t get there in time to - to stop him.” A sob escaped, making any further words difficult.

All G’raha knew to do in that moment was to pull her in and hug her tighter, resting his chin upon her head.

“Its okay, now. You stopped him. He’s gone, and you’re here.”

“But what if…I almost, I almost didn’t —“

“But you did. You made it, and you stopped him. We’re fine.” He ran his hand through her hair again in what he hoped was a comforting way. G’raha kept his voice gentle but firm, hoping to confer his sincerity at what he knew to be the truth in his eyes.

When he felt Tally nod, even if it was a small gesture, it gave him some relief.

Tally hummed to herself, enjoying the feel of G’raha’s hand running through her long white hair. If she herself were a Miqo’te, well, she would be purring. It was so soothing a gesture for her, in fact, that she found herself drifting off to sleep. Instinctively, she curled up closer to G’raha for warmth, and let herself drift off.

That surprised G’raha greatly, that the small ninja would show such trust in him that she would fall asleep in his arms. He chanced a look down at her sleeping face, finally relaxed and still. He found he had let his thoughts wander, and didn’t realize right away when she was asleep.

If only we could stay this way… he thought, ‘What would I give to have more moments like this with you? To call you mine…to be yours…’

Shaking his head, he realized it had become rather late, and he was cold. Shifting carefully, the miqo’te gathered the auri woman up in his arms as best he could without disturbing her.

Holding her carefully in his arms, G’raha made his way back to camp, making a beeline for Taleal’s quarters. For the few people that were still out and about, who gave an odd look to the miqo’te carrying the Warrior of Light, he ignored.

He put her to bed, making sure she was properly covered and tucked in. As much as he would have liked to stay, he felt perhaps he may cross a line by doing so. Instead, he leaned over, leaving a light kiss on her forehead before retreating for his own room.

#ffxiv #ffxiv wol #wolgraha #wolship #ffxiv endwalker #ffxiv fanfiction

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autumnslance · 7 months

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Fic Stats Breakdown

Rules: give us the links to your fic with the most hits, second most kudos, third most comments, fourth most bookmarks, fifth most words, and finally the fic with the least words.

Stats page my beloved. When I feel uncertain about myself, going there to see how much I’ve written, and how much it’s been interacted with, is always enlightening.

Also where you’ll see the accurate count of Bookmarks; you still can’t see info on private Bookmarks, but you get the actual number of them.

Tagged by @rinzukodas if you want to do it, by all means!

1. Most Hits: Unexpected. It's the one with the most updates, so makes sense.

She made it halfway across the room to the large man when she stopped and frowned. ’Was Thancred flirting with me?’ She always had such a hard time telling, and he seemed to have a mischievous reputation and way with women–especially if those visions were true and not some strange aetheric fever dreams. Aeryn shook her head. Thancred was a gregarious man, objectively handsome–the open cut of the oasis style shirt and jacket he wore tonight flattered his athletic form–and they’d fought alongside one another a few times now. He had been looking out for her, naught more, his perceptive skills noting her discomfort.

2. Second Most Kudos: Unexpected again! Cuz that and Downtime compete for my most read and popular fics. I should update Downtime.

3. Third Most Comments: Downtime! I tend to reply often, so my comment counts are high, but Unexpected is #1, while Bearing Sins of the Past is #2 for comment threads.

“I believe the Exarch wished Urianger’s aid with some arcane matter,” Alphinaud said, as he joined his sister. “They are like to be occupied for several bells. Why don’t you join us?” He said. “We were going to explore the Crystarium’s new nightlife, before retiring to our quarters--and knowing Alisaie, continuing to stay up half the night.” “Me? You’re the one wanting to gab endlessly as you write every stray thought into your journal,” Alisaie countered. Minfilia looked between them, bewildered for a moment--then she smiled, realizing the honest affection beneath the banter. She nodded. “I...think I would like that.”

4. Fourth Most Bookmarks: Rogue’s Prelude. An earlier longfic (37.2k words) of my headcanon of Thancred meeting Louisoix, Papalymo, and Yda as a youth in Limsa Lominsa.

The docks were busy; the tide had come in recently and had brought a number of ships with it, divesting cargo and people into the city. Thancred enjoyed the sights, sounds, and even some of the smells as he wove between fishermen stalls and merchant carts, seeking unfamiliar faces. He didn’t even look as he brushed past a few Thavnairian traders, listening to their sing-song language as he cloyed a purse from one animated fellow, arguing with the bosun of the ship they had just left. He should really pay more attention to his surroundings when in a foreign city. As should the older elezen man Thancred noted, leaning on a staff while a pretty blonde hyur woman consulted a map. Her elder listened to her with patience--or perhaps he was simply half-asleep in the sun and heat. Thancred ambled toward the pair, falling in behind sailors moving crates from the pier onto their ship, now that their passengers had disembarked. As he moved past his mark, he deftly nicked the contents from the old man’s belt pouch-- --and found himself skidding a few fulms down the dock, a brief flash of light and a sound like a small, localized clap of thunder ringing Thancred’s ears and causing stars to burst before his eyes. A few people nearby were startled; he thought he maybe heard someone laugh.

5. Fifth Most Words: Bearing Sins of the Past. A 25.1k longfic that unexpectedly came out of various FFXIV Write prompts about my WoL Aeryn's backstory; her bio-father's involvement in the Dragonsong War, and the Dragoon that hid that knowledge for twenty years to keep her safe--and bury his own guilt.

X’rhun narrowed his eyes. “I agreed to the secret for your damnable Ishgardian politics,” he said. “But it’s just us out here. Are you truly protecting Aeryn—or yourself?” Alberic turned, and X’rhun braced himself, as he was certain the dragoon was about to strike him. Instead, Alberic remained in a state of tension, staring without seeing at some middle distant point. “You ever carry something so long it’s become woven into you?” he asked quietly.

6. Least Words: Savior, the very first thing I posted to Ao3. 262 words, 2nd person POV about the aftermath of the Final Steps of Faith. There are technically shorter works, but they tend to go into my prompt or specific topic-chaptered fics.

You couldn’t save them. They had sacrificed themselves, to ensure you lived, to ensure this moment. They had come, once again, to your side. To end the war. To protect the city. To save a friend.

#Fanfiction #Lyn Writing #Stats #Ao3 #Final Fantasy XIV #literally haven't posted any other fandoms to Ao3 yet #I have old WoW stuff I ought to clean up and post #debating writing some FF16 fic too

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