House de Aubemarle

Urianger’s speech is inspired by Early Modern English, also known as Shakespearean English, Elizabethan English, or Early New English. I’m using the term Early Modern English as it’s a more general term, and what I think is going to give you the most useful search results when you need to look something up. Note that this is not the same as Old English (what Beowulf is written in, basically a different language altogether), or Middle English (Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, a bit more recognizable but still difficult to parse if you don’t know it). Early Modern English, while still different from Modern English (the English we speak today), shares a lot in common with it, just with some notable divergences.

My number one piece of advice for learning a character’s voice is to look at a lot of their dialogue. As such, there’s a lot of Urianger’s canon dialogue in this guide! I can give you grammatical rules, a vocabulary list, and stylistic examples, but ultimately looking at the character’s dialogue is how you’re going to get a feel for his style.

This guide presumes a base understanding of English parts of speech and verb tenses. If you need to brush up on those first:

Parts of Speech

Verb Tenses

If the length of this guide seems intimidating, I would recommend learning the pronouns and the present-tense verb conjugations first. These are the things that when they’re not correct are going to sound the most obviously off to someone familiar with the language. Once you’ve got those down, then maybe taking a look at vocabulary, syntax, and other aspects of Urianger’s style will be helpful. You don’t have to tackle it all at once. I've placed the Vocabulary list at the very end of the guide, as it's quite long and you don't necessarily have to sit down and read it end to end, but I would definitely recommend at least skimming over it and making use of it as a reference.

While I am posting the full text of this guide on tumblr because I know some people will prefer that, you might find it easier to navigate on AO3 or Dreamwidth, where you can more easily jump between sections.

Before we begin, there are some important disclaimers to get out of the way.

Disclaimer #1: This is a guide to the speech patterns of one fantasy elf and not to Early Modern English generally. My goal here is a study of how Urianger speaks in canon, and while some real-world knowledge is going to be very helpful here, I’m employing it in the service of the character, not the other way around. To that end, I've taken care to make sure that the examples I give here are directly from Urianger's canon dialogue.

Disclaimer #2: I understand that this is a Japanese game, localized in multiple languages, and that sometimes how characters are written differs considerably between different localizations. I play the game in English, this is a guide to the English version of Urianger, and I will not be discussing Urianger’s writing in other languages. Other versions of the character, while also interesting, are not the topic of this guide.

Disclaimer #3a: This guide is intended to be useful, not prescriptive. As much as possible I’ve tried to keep this guide to how Urianger speaks in canon; I take my own creative liberties in my own fic writing, and you should take yours as you see fit. You are the arbiter of your own writing and your own interpretation of a character at the end of the day. I'm writing this because I love the character, I have some relevant background knowledge, and I've also put a lot of research and study into him for my own enjoyment. I hope that sharing that will help other fan creators not only feel more confident writing Urianger, but also enjoy and appreciate him more as a character.

Disclaimer #3b: It is not my intent to push a prescriptivist approach to language generally. The "rules" and grammar of a language are determined by how they are used, not the other way around. When I say that something is "correct" or "incorrect" to Early Modern English, I am speaking of how it was used historically as we understand, not making a value judgment, and likewise when I say something is or is not present in Urianger's canon dialogue. Language, both historically and in the present, is always in a state of change. The English language was not as standardized historically as it is today, and Urianger's speech is arguably more standardized than what you'll find in texts from the time period. Modern English is also constantly changing, and has many forms in its present usage. My comparisons to Modern English here will refer to what's known as "Standard" English (a designation that reveals its own biases, but it's the term used at present), because that's what would be most relevant to a character like Urianger, but I do want to note that Standard English is not the only form of English and other forms have their own grammar, verb conjugations, etc. They are different, not "incorrect."

Disclaimer #4: I’m not infallible and it’s possible I’ve made errors here; should you kindly point one out (I’d appreciate sources), I will gladly correct it. If you’re really interested in this stuff, I would definitely recommend not getting all your information from one person! I’ve included a few reference links at the end. I also may update this post with more information as I think of it.

And when in doubt, don’t take my word for it, go back to the source material.

On that note, it would not be possible to put something like this together without the efforts of so many other fans painstakingly archiving and cataloging dialogue, and I'm truly grateful for the efforts of others which make my own work possible. In particular, my most effusive thanks to @eriyu for the searchable transcript at xiv.quest, which has been absolutely invaluable in this endeavor. Many thanks also to the contributors to the Gamer Escape and Console Games wikis.

Spoiler Warning: This guide contains many examples of Urianger’s speech from all expansions that exist at the time of writing (A Realm Reborn through Dawntrail, up to and including Patch 7.5). As such, you should consider this guide to contain some level of spoilers for all expansions, and maybe consider waiting until you’re fully caught up to read it.

So with that out of the way, let’s start with pronouns.

Pronouns

Informal Second-Person Singular: Thou/Thee

Urianger most commonly uses the second-person pronouns thou and thee. They are not interchangeable. One of the most common mistakes in Early Modern English is using the wrong one. Thou is the subject; thee is the object.

Part of the reason this can be so confusing is that in modern English, in the second person singular, the subject and the object are the same word: we use you for both. Most of the other pronouns are different: I/me, he/him, she/her, they/them, we/us.

One way to remember is that thee rhymes with me.

"Thou art ever welcome…" (2.1) - You are always welcome.

"He awaiteth thee at the Adders' Nest." (2.1) - He awaits you at the Adders’ Nest.

"I thought thee departed. To what end dost thou linger?" (2.1) - I thought you left. Why are you still hanging around?

Formal Second-Person Singular: You

So you might have noticed that Urianger actually does use you sometimes! Because we mostly see him talking to his fellow Scions, whom he considers close friends, it’s uncommon to the point that the first time I caught it I thought it was an editing oversight. My thanks to @plounce for drawing my attention to other instances, leading me to realize it was in fact intentional.

So there was a time in Early Modern English when both thou and you were used, where you was actually the formal (similar to vous if you speak French) and thou the informal. And Urianger does use this distinction! He mostly uses you when he speaks to the Leveilleur twins (though there are exceptions—we'll get to that later), owing perhaps to their high social status in Sharlayan or to his reverence for their late grandfather.

“I have more than words for you, my lady.” (4.0)

Urianger also uses the formal you to address:

Louisoix, when addressing him in prayer. (Note that this does change in Endwalker, where he uses "thou.")

The Word of the Mother. (Ordinarily Urianger uses thee/thou with Minfilia; however, after she becomes the Word of the Mother, in "One Life for One World," he addresses her as "you.")

Feo Ul as Titania (in accordance with their being royalty)

Hydaelyn

Possibly others! (I’d be interested to hear if you find more.)

Second Person Plural: You (and rarely, Ye)

You is also used as the second person plural in Early Modern English. So if Urianger is talking to just one of the Scions, he’ll typically use thou, but when addressing a group, he will use you. If you ever catch him in a you and it doesn't seem to be a formal usage, take another look at the context and see if he's speaking to multiple people.

He does so here in Heavensward when seeing Alphinaud and the Warrior of Light for the first time after the bloody banquet:

"My dearest friends! Praise be unto the Twelve for delivering you from the clutches of treachery." (3.0)

On rare occasion, you may also catch Urianger using ye, another archaic form of the plural you:

"So I bid ye seek out the amaro and make yourselves known unto them." (5.0)

Possessive: Thy/Thine, My/Mine

This is another very common one for people to mix up.

First, thine is the equivalent of yours. Mine in this usage is unchanged from modern English.

"What bringeth thee and thine here this day?" (3.4)

"The task of slaying the Lightwarden will ultimately be thine…" (5.0)

However! Thine and mine are also used instead of thy and my respectively when the possessive comes before a vowel sound (which may include H words, like heart, or may not). But only before a vowel sound! Otherwise just use thy and my.

"Thine arrival is customarily timely, [Forename]. The aetheric waves leave little room for doubt; thy talents will be needed ere long. " (2.1)

"Pray take thy leave unburdened by concern for my well-being." (2.1)

"At present, my thoughts turn not to the realm, but to those whom ever I hold in mine heart." (4.0)

"What thinkest thou of mine appearance?" (5.0)

"Pray take thine ease meanwhile." (5.0)

You may also sometimes see my and thy before words beginning with U whose pronunciation is more of a Y sound, such as:

"White auracite, newly forged for thy use." (5.0)

What about words beginning with H? It depends… really, on the whims of the writer in this case. You can find instances of both in Urianger's dialogue ("my heart" and "mine heart," for example), as well as the dialogue of other characters with similar speech patterns, such as Hydaelyn, and dragons. You will also find similar variance in the works of Shakespeare, so the variation is historically accurate! Go with what sounds best to you.

Verbs

Another very common mistake in Early Modern English is just… slapping the suffixes -eth or -est randomly onto verbs and calling it a day. This is not a matter of style, it's a matter of grammar, and to anyone who knows the language, it sounds very off if you use the wrong one. To contextualize this: If you have Urianger saying, for example, “I knoweth,” this translates to “I knows” in Modern English, probably not something that Urianger would say. So knowing how to conjugate verbs is one of the most important aspects of using the language accurately.

What are conjugations?

Conjugations are the different forms of verbs that we use depending on the person the verb is referring to. If you've ever studied a second language, you have probably had to write out conjugation lists for verbs. When you use them in your first language, you probably don't think about them at all; you just know the right ones intuitively, and most people know when they hear one that's wrong. even if they can't explain why.

Every verb has what's called an infinitive form as well—the base form, unconjugated, sometimes preceded by the word "to" in English.

Present Tense

For most verbs, you'll be able to convert their present tense forms to Early Modern English with some pretty simple changes.

Here’s a typical example, with Modern Standard English for comparison so you can see what’s different.

to go

Modern English

I go

You go

He goes / She goes / It goes

We go

You go (formal or plural)

They go

Early Modern English

I go

Thou goest

He goeth / She goeth / It goeth

We go

You go (formal or plural)

They go

Note that it is only the second and third person singular forms that are different! Where in Modern English we would say “You go” and “She goes,” in Early Modern you’re going to say “Thou goest” and “She goeth.”

So for the second person, you will add -est, or just -st if the verb already ends with E. For some words you can optionally leave out the E entirely, such as “needst” or "needest," and neither is incorrect.

"Swiftly now, to the Adders' Nest. High Serpent Commander Heuloix will have such details as thou needest to proceed." (2.1)

"Mine intent, as well thou knowest, was but to impress upon thee the gravity of the circumstance." (2.4)

"In the place whither thou goest, servants of Darkness do lie in wait." (3.0)

"Whatsoever may await us, when thou takest those final steps, I pray that it shall be with a smile upon thy face." (5.0)

“Thou needst but have faith.” (5.0)

For the third person, you will add -eth (or just -th if the verb already ends with E).

"It beginneth in earnest…" (5.0)

"As the chart maketh plain, our world is composed of six elements…" (5.0)

"Yet what knowledge we already possess sufficeth to explain the chain of events." (5.0)

This will work for most standard verbs, but as in Modern English, some verbs are special snowflakes, so we'll go over the most important irregular verbs.

to be

I am

Thou art

He is / She is / It is

We are

You are (formal or plural)

They are

Note here that the thou form is the only one that’s different! Unlike with most Early Modern English verbs, the third person is the same here. Yes, you can use “is” in Urianger’s speech! I think this one has a tendency to trip people up because in most other verbs, the third person is different, and so it feels like it should be different here.

If you look through Urianger’s canon dialogue, however you’ll see that he uses the word “is” all the time. Some examples:

"Mayhap it is the Echo which hath opened thine eyes to the lessons of history." (2.1)

"It is mine earnest hope that this ancient wisdom may serve to guide you on your journey…" (4.0)

In fact, if he didn’t use “is,” we wouldn’t have the “’Tis,” a contraction of “it is” frequently used in Early Modern English and by Urianger.

In short: don’t be afraid of “is.”

Here's some more irregular verbs.

to do

I do

Thou dost

He doth / She doth / It doth

We do

You do

They do

(Sidenote: In the original text of Shakespeare's works you will find some instances of these spelled as doest and doeth; however, this is usually standardized to "dost" and "doth" and these are what Urianger exclusively uses.)

It’s also not uncommon to use “dost” or “doth” plus an infinitive in present tense. (The Oxford English Dictionary calls this the periphrastic use of “to do.”) This is a good fallback if you aren’t sure what to do with a present-tense verb, or the standard conjugation sounds awkward. You can also use it just because! Here’s some examples of Urianger doing this.

“In man's eagerness to seize the future, how readily he doth set down the past.” (2.1)

“It doth concern our distant allies, the Students of Baldesion.” (2.1)

"Yet ere we discuss this step, I suggest thou dost conclude such pressing business as remains to thee in the Crystarium." (5.0)

"What dost thou see?" (5.0)

"Ryne's aspirations may not be as preposterous as thou dost surmise." (5.1)

"Yet one question doth arise in my mind." (6.0)

"As thou dost command." (6.5)

"Fate doth work in mysterious ways."(6.55)

An exception to this is “doth be,” which you will not find in Urianger’s canon dialogue. (You also won't find it in Shakespeare's writings.) In this case, as I stressed above, it is more accurate and far less awkward to use “is.”

Here’s to have, which you’re going to want to know because in addition to present tense, you will also use it to modify other verbs for past tense. (We'll get to that later.)

to have

I have

Thou hast

He hath / She hath / It hath

We have

You have (formal or plural)

They have

Imperative

“Imperative” refers to a sentence that is a command. The imperative does not use the second person form but the infinitive (the base verb form, not conjugated). It’s this way in modern English too; you don’t tell someone, “Are quiet!” when you want them to shut up, you say, “Be quiet!”) To use a classic Shakespearean example, it’s “Get thee to a nunnery!” not “Gettest thee to a nunnery!”

So the imperative of “to go” in Early Modern English would be simply “Go!” (just like in modern English).

Some examples of Urianger using the imperative:

"Unbind us, [Forename]." (2.0)

"Be not offended, [Forename]." (2.1)

"Pray attend me, Tataru." (2.1)

"Hark thee, then, to my words, and through them behold the vision that I did glimpse─that of the Eighth Umbral Calamity." (5.0)

Conditional

It’s also common in Early Modern English to use the infinitive rather than the third-person verb form in a conditional (e.g. if-then) statement. Most of the time, this means using "be" rather than "is."

“Be she damsel or devil, I shall direct her steps to Revenant's Toll.” (2.2)

“If it be so, I do fear for our friend.” (3.0)

“Though the night be lost, behind the shroud of blinding light, doubt not but that the stars shine still.” (5.0)

Past Tense

In addition to “to have,” above, here’s some verbs that will be very important for past tense.

Notice here that only the "thou" forms are different from modern English.

to be (past)

I was

Thou wert

He was / She was / It was

We were

You were (formal or plural)

They were

(Historically “thou wast” was also used, but from what I’ve found Urianger pretty much only uses “thou wert,” so for our purposes here, don’t worry about it.)

to do (past)

I did

Thou didst

He did / She did / It did

We did

You did

They did

Remember how we used “to do” with other verbs in the present tense above? Well, you can do the same thing in the past tense, and Urianger frequently does.

"Thou didst lure the legatus of the VIth Legion into a trap from which he was not intended to emerge." (3.3)

"As thou didst request, I sought out The Gerun Oracles, that we might better understand the aims of the Warriors of Darkness." (3.4)

"As I drifted hither to the First, traversing the boundary 'twixt reality and potentiality, I did bear witness to events yet to come…" (5.0)

"Thou didst invoke the power of Flow, which thence did usher thy soul unto the Lifestream." (5.0)

"A private audience, as thou didst request." (6.0)

"Meanwhile, I did observe a cook burying bundles wrapped in the leaf of najool─or banana, in certain localities." (7.0)

That said, its also quite common to use the simple past tense, and Urianger does this as well.

“Aye, my lady, they arrived but recently.” (2.0)

“Was that what gave you cause to cry out?” (2.1)

"Thou wert wise to come hither…" (3.4)

"As thou didst request, I sought out The Gerun Oracles, that we might better understand the aims of the Warriors of Darkness." (3.4)

"As I drifted hither to the First, traversing the boundary 'twixt reality and potentiality, I did bear witness to events yet to come…" (5.0)

"I attempted to do so earlier, but to my shame, my courage failed me at the last." (6.0)

"'Twas an ordeal, indeed." (7.0)

Sometimes, as you'll note in the examples above, he uses both in the same sentence. This is a stylistic choice, and you can pick and choose what you think sounds best!

Also important are the past tense forms of “will” and “shall,” conjugated as “would” and “should” respectively except in the second person, where you will use “wouldst” and “shouldst.” These are important to Urianger’s speech.

In addition to its modern usage, “would” is often used to express a desire or wish:

“I would fain hear more of this ageless sorcerer and his heroic deeds…” (5.0)

“Would that there had been another way.” (5.0)

“[Forename], indulge me a moment if thou wouldst.” (5.1)

And “should” is often used to mean, “if” or “in the case that.”

“Shouldst thou fail to trust in thy comrades, I foresee thy actions precipitating some terrible misfortune.” (3.3)

“Should they be persuaded to assist in our efforts to reach Meteion, we would do well to heed their counsel.” (6.0)

I mentioned above that “to have” was going to be important. You’ll use this verb for the present perfect and past perfect tenses.

to have (present)

I have

Thou hast

He hath / She hath / It hath

We have

You have (formal or plural)

They have

to have (past)

I had

Thou hadst

He had / She had / It had

We had

You had (formal or plural)

They had

And here are some examples of their use in the present perfect tense (describing something that has happened):

"Thy conduct hath ever been beyond reproach." (2.1)

"Twelve be praised, thou hast not yet set forth!" (3.0)

"To that end, I have labored during my sojourn in this world…"

"I take it thou hast met with our other comrades already?" (5.0)

"He hath since reclaimed his Talos and trolley both…" (5.0)

"Master Chai's own efforts have not been without struggle, but he hath proven himself to be a determined soul." (5.0)

"Ne'er hath teleportation induced such terrible discomfort…" (6.0)

"'Tis our understanding that strange fiends have emerged from the tower." (6.0)

And the past perfect tense (describing something that had happened):

"Never till this day had I looked upon his visage…" (2.3)

"Hadst thou deigned to share thine intentions with [Forename] or Mistress Krile, 'tis like that we would have closed the trap with less risk to life, and more success." (3.3)

"Peace and tranquility being as purest white unmarred by color, I was told, it had been given the name of 'Light'.” (5.0)

In Early Modern English you will sometimes see past participles shortened from what we use in modern English, which often means dropping the -en ending. Some common examples are writ instead of written, hid instead of hidden, even hap instead of happen. Here’s some examples of Urianger using these:

“To mine amazement, it lay hid amongst Moenbryda's last effects. 'Twas but blind chance, or providence, that I did hap to spy it.” (3.0)

"If I am not mistaken, they are writ in the script of the ancient empire of Ronka…" (5.0)

Future Tense

For for future tense, you will want to know will and shall. Urianger uses both.

will

I will

Thou wilt

He will / She will / It will

We will

You will (formal or plural)

They will

(To my knowledge there are no uses of “willeth” in FFXIV. There are a couple of rare uses in Shakespeare; they are not relevant to our purposes here, so don’t worry about it.)

shall

I shall

Thou shalt

He shall / She shall / It shall

We shall

You shall (formal or plural)

They shall

And here are some examples.

“The aetheric waves leave little room for doubt; thy talents will be needed ere long.” (2.1)

“Thou shalt not find me amenable.” (2.1)

“I shall cast the enchantment upon thee.” (5.0)

"Though it hath since been sealed, you will recall there is a great voidgate that we ourselves had cause to open." (7.5)

Adverbs

This one's short and sweet. Occasionally Early Modern English will omit the "-ly" suffix at the end of an adverb, though by no means always.

“But say, Warrior of Darkness, and speak true─what dost thou believe?” (3.4)

Syntax and Sentence Structure

Or, the order words go in!

Urianger's syntax is a little different than other characters', so sometimes you might have the pronouns and the verb conjugations and the word choices but something still just doesn't sound quite right to you and you aren't sure why. Often that's because of syntax.

In Early Modern English, the subject and object are sometimes inverted from what we’re used to, particularly when they are modified by an adverb:

“'Twixt this world and the next do the aetherial currents swirl, bearing the very essence of life.” (2.3)

“Knowingly did I deny my friend the comfort she craved.” (2.5)

“Full sure was I that I had come too late.” (3.0)

“Gladly shall I continue to serve as caretaker of the Waking Sands…” (4.0)

Urianger tends not to use modern “not” contractions like "don't," "won't," "can't," "didn't," "wouldn't," "couldn't." (A notable exception is “shan’t” which he does use occasionally.) Some examples of how he constructs negative statements:

“I bid you surrender not to sorrow, but abide instead in hopeful prayer.” (2.3)

"Did not the Lady Iceheart implore thee to seek the Keeper of the Lake?" (2.4)

"Be not downcast, my friends, for there is yet hope." (3.0)

Where we might say “both x and y,” Urianger typically places the “both” after “x and y.”

“Then out of love for my lady Minfilia and Moenbryda both, this shall be my solemn charge.” (3.4)

Metaphors

Urianger often employs metaphors and figurative language in his speech, part of what gives him his reputation for sounding poetic. By no means does every line need to have metaphor; he simply slips in a bit of figurative language when the opportunity arises.

Here are some examples:

“For a mercy, the weary road of our research hath brought us unto an answer.” (2.3)

“And 'tis my belief that we have found the thread that will allow us to unravel the twisted skein of their existence.” (2.5)

“Thine eagerness to hurl thyself into the jaws of danger cometh as little surprise.” (2.5)

“That they should succeed in unraveling so complex a skein of magecraft…” (3.3)

“'Twould be a pity for one foolish decision to wither their budding camaraderie ere it had a chance to bloom.” (3.3)

"The seeds sown in Vylbrand have been plucked from the earth and left to wither." (3.4)

“One life for one world. Such was the bargain, and you the coin, though it were not mine to spend.” (3.4)

“To survive amidst the chaos and upheaval, men came to live by the sword, the rule of law giving way, inevitably, to the rule of might. Thus was the spark struck and the fire kindled, and swiftly did it spread, as a blaze in a field of straw, to engulf every corner of the world.” (5.0)

“I have chosen to avail myself of their guidance, that I might navigate the sea of uncertainty that stretcheth before us.” (5.0)

"Were Alphinaud to paint the picture sketched by the lady's words, the result would surely turn the blood to ice." (5.0)

“Yet I dare not dwell overlong on my many regrets, for the world is a tapestry of fates, interwoven and inseparable, and we who strive to better it cannot choose but make difficult decisions.” (5.0)

"Thou hast, by subtle means, reached across the boundaries of time and space to unsow the seeds of catastrophe, ere its creeping vines drag our champion unto an early grave…" (5.0)

"Should said catastrophe be averted, the very skein of thine existence will unravel." (5.0)

"Yet even as thou stridest into the jaws of peril, forget not but that his fondest wish─and that of many others, besides─is to see thee survive unto the morrow." (5.0)

"Selfish wants born of everlasting regrets. Most days I put them from my mind, but could think of naught else when asked to swallow the same bitter draught. Subterfuge and sacrifice." (6.0)

(One might note from the above examples that many of these metaphors, especially those involving matters of fate, use imagery of clothcraft—thread, skeins, tapestries—fitting, as Nymeia the Spinner is the goddess of fate.)

Humor

Urianger has a sense of humor! When you understand what he’s saying, he is at times very funny. Here’s a few choice examples.

In 2.2, over linkpearl to Thancred:

“Ere thou goest─another matter requireth thine attention. A young maiden, full eager to─ Wherefore inquirest thou of her fairness!? Very well. Be she damsel or devil, I shall direct her steps to Revenant's Toll. …Save thine insinuations for one given to such impropriety. Thou shalt not find me amenable.”

In 3.4, when the twins and the Warrior of Light show up unannounced at the Waking Sands:

“Why, Master Alphinaud. Would that the Scholar had seen fit to grant me knowledge of thy coming.”

In 5.0, if the Warrior of Light claims not to have recognized him at first:

“Come now, 'tis scarce the first time thou hast beheld these fair features.”

In 6.0, when addressing the Loporrits, after asking Puddingway's name:

"Puddingway… Yes, indeed. A name of deep and abiding significance, I am sure, but one perhaps better communicated through delicious deeds than tasteless words. A judicious application of fae magicks at a later juncture may be appropriate…"

In 6.0, when Urianger returns to Etheirys from the moon:

"On our journey here, I was filled with an inexplicable sense of elation to see vegetables other than carrots being cultivated. Why, it near brought a tear to mine eye…"

In 6.0, after the Warrior of Light has shown the Loporrits around Labyrinthos's crops:

"I trust thy time at Meryall Agronomics did......bear fruit?"

In 7.0, in Ihuykatumu, after Bakool Ja Ja has damaged Wuk Lamat’s boat, forcing her team to take a detour:

“What strange happenstance. Hath some misfortune befallen thy vessel?”

Exclamations, Praises, Curses, etc.

In canon, Urianger isn't known to swear often. He will sometimes offer thanks or prayers to the Twelve. When he does invoke a specific god, it is Thaliak the Scholar, his patron as one Sharlayan-born.

"Praise be unto the Twelve…" (3.0)

"Twelve be praised!" (4.0)

"Twelve forfend I should make such a perilous journey again…" (5.5)

"Praise...be to the Twelve... My stomach doth loosen its death grip…" (6.0)

"Heavens forfend... That Azdaja should be used to birth a dread voidsent born of Zodiark's residual aether…” (6.4)

"Curses…” (7.0)

Addresses to Specific Characters

Urianger addresses Minfilia as “my lady” and refers to her as Lady Minfilia.

He addresses Y'shtola as "my lady," but simply refers to her as Y'shtola.

He refers to the twins as Master Alphinaud and Mistress Alisaie, and addresses Alisaie as “my lady.”

He refers to Tataru as Mistress Tataru.

He refers to Estinien as Ser Estinien.

He addresses Feo Ul (after their ascension to Titania) as "Your Majesty."

In canon, Urianger does not refer to the Warrior of Light as “my lady/my lord," and addresses them as a peer, using "thou/thee."

Inconsistencies

Are there errors and inconsistencies within Urianger's canon dialogue? Yes, without question; I've mentioned a few of them in passing above, and there are some others I've documented—particularly in the ARR patches, when Urianger starts to get more lines and more of a role in side content. Once you know the grammatical rules of Early Modern English, you will probably start to pick up on them when you see them. With any characters written serially by multiple writers, especially in a game with this sheer amount of dialogue, this sort of thing is largely inevitable.

Inconsistencies are not always errors. Sometimes, variations in language are stylistic choices that may change based on circumstances, or just vibes. As mentioned above, the variance in the use of thy/my or thine/mine before a word beginning with H is also present in Shakespeare's works; this is a variation but not an error.

Other variations leave open the possibility of Watsonian (in-universe) explanations, intended or not. Others are pretty clearly simply errors and should probably be ignored. I can't speak to authorial intent, only my own observations.

You will probably catch a few instances where Urianger doesn't use Early Modern verb conjugations.

"Verily, thy countenance bespeaks a desire to quit this place without further delay." (2.1)

"Unto a world weary of heroes, a hero wends her way…" (5.0)

"Alas, his condition remains unchanged." (5.0)

"Yet ere we discuss this step, I suggest thou dost conclude such pressing business as remains to thee in the Crystarium. (5.0)

These may be errors when it comes to intent (unintended by the writer and missed by an editor), but again, variations of this sort can be found in texts from the Early Modern period as the language was in the process of shifting. In fact, you'll find a lot more variation in verb forms in the work of Shakespeare than you will in Urianger's dialogue. So I wouldn't strictly call this an error, and some minor variation of this sort could be used with intent in fanworks.

In the Heavensward patches, Urianger addresses the twins using the informal thou/thee rather than the formal you. He returns to formal you in Stormblood and this remains consistent through later expacs. Because this anomaly is specific to one expansion, and does not shift at any major plot or character turning point (such as when Urianger's deception is revealed), I have my doubts that it was intentional, rather than simply a lack of a consistent style guide for the character. Ultimately though, how you interpret that change is up to you.

For most of the game, when Urianger addresses Lousoix in prayer, he uses formal you, but in Endwalker, he uses thou/thee. Whether this corresponds to a shift in his view of his old master, or simply an oversight, is again up to interpretation.

That said, you will occasionally find a line that’s just straight up incorrect:

“Though he wouldst be quick to deny it, his heart is in turmoil, and his thoughts clouded.” (5.0)

This should be “he would.” Sometimes writers make mistakes!

Does Urianger's speech grow more modern/less archaic over time?

In my opinion, having spent a great deal of time with his dialogue across all present expacs: no.

The core of Urianger's speech—his Early Modern usage of pronouns, verbs, and syntax—does not fundamentally change. What inconsistencies there are, are present from ARR onward (and in fact, his dialogue in the ARR patches has some of the greatest inconsistencies that I've found). Some fans have expressed feeling like Urianger's speech changes or grows easier to understand in later expacs. I offer a couple of explanations for that feeling:

You've simply gotten better at understanding him over time. Good job!

In ARR (and to some extent in Heavensward), Urianger functions largely as a quest-giver, and in that role a lot of his dialogue is impersonal lore dumps, which some players might be inclined to skim over quickly in order to get to the action, leaving only a vague impression of what he said. Later on, Urianger takes a role in the story that is both more active and more personal. His speech patterns are not meaningfully different in Shadowbringers than they were in A Realm Reborn; however, his speech is more conversational and you may be inclined to listen more closely to what he is saying due to his prominent role in the plot and a sense of his having a closer relationship to the Warrior of Light.

Other Similar Characters

Many of the notes in this guide apply to other characters in addition to Urianger. There is a pretty broad variance in how characters speak in the English game; some employ very modern speech patterns, while others are more archaic. Most of the Archons do employ some more archaic diction, though not as archaic as Urianger.

But you do find a few others who go so far as to use thou/thee and Early Modern verb conjugations. Of note:

Hydaelyn (but not Venat when we meet her in Elpis)

Dragons, when their runic language is translated into the Eorzean tongue.

Swaenhylt, the priest of Azeyma in ARR.

Some primals, including Ifrit, Titan, and Ramuh.

The siren in ARR.

In addition, some characters who otherwise use a more modern diction will sometimes use thee circumstantially, or colloquially. Thancred, for example, says "Fare thee well!" as a goodbye, as do some other NPCs. Drillemont, when making a formal accusation, says "I name thee heretic…" Hortefense uses "Prithee" for "please" while using you/you otherwise. There are probably some others floating around!

Further Questions?

Please do feel free to contact me with them. I hope it’s obvious by now, but this has been a labor of love for me—love for my favorite character and for the fandom to which I hope to contribute something. If you have questions, I’ll answer to the best of my ability.

The thing I’ll draw the line on is outright writing your dialogue for you. I want to give you the tools to write your fic your way, and there’s rarely only one right answer to “How would Urianger say…?”

I hope you find this guide helpful. Happy writing and creating!

Vocabulary List

Getting a sense of Urianger’s vocabulary will go a long way toward helping him sound like his canon self. Many of these words will be familiar, but you may not be familiar with the particular way they're used in Urianger's speech. The examples provided should help with that.

abed: in bed

"We were given to understand thou wert injured. Shouldst thou not be abed?" (5.3)

abide: remain in a place; remain in a fixed state

"Among the fae folk, they bear the distinction of having abided in these lands since before the Flood." (5.0)

abode: home

"Did Emet-Selch not invite [Forename] to visit his abode?" (5.0)

admit: allow, permit

"Pardon the intrusion, my lady, but the matter which bringeth me will admit no delay." (2.1)

aegis: shield; protection

"I shall cast the enchantment upon thee. Under its aegis, thou art to make thy way past the pixies and rejoin our comrades." (5.0)

aid: help

“I must beg thine aid on a point of research.” (5.0)

afeared: afraid

“Master Alphinaud was afeared you had met with some misfortune.” (5.0)

anon: at another time; later; soon; forthwith

“Thancred too should return anon.” (5.0)

aught: anything

"If there is aught I can do to assist thee…" (5.0)

alas: sadly, unfortunately

"Alas, we have not the luxury of time…" (2.1)

allay: alleviate

"Though frequent rest may allay the symptoms of prolonged exposure to the Empty's ambient aether, 'twould be unwise to linger here overlong." (5.01)

amity: friendship

"'Twould be remiss of me to refuse thy amity, and so I ask─wouldst thou join in mine endeavor?" (6.0)

arcane: magical

“…such arcane constructs are not wholly unfamiliar to me.” (5.0)

arduous: difficult

"That we were able to come so far along this arduous journey may rightly be attributed to thine unwavering resolve." (5.2)

artifice: trick false behavior; also skill or ingenuity

"The future whence our noble friend doth hail is a world fallen to Ascian artifice…" (5.0)

artless: clumsy, crude

"Thine artless attempts to misrepresent mine all-too-innocent motives do thee little credit!" (2.4)

assuredly: certainly

"Judging by the aetheric imprint that lingereth yet upon this wand, it hath assuredly been employed in the casting of a most uncommon magick." (3.0)

auspicious: fortunate or indicating good fortune (opposite inauspicious)

"A most auspicious title." (5.01)

avail: benefit, serve

“Their expertise shall greatly avail our efforts.” (5.0)

aye: yes

"Aye, my lady, they arrived but recently." (2.0)

babe: baby, infant

“From fighters upon the front lines to babes in their beds, none were spared.” (5.0)

baleful: deadly, pernicious, foreboding

“Through thine all-surpassing skill at arms do we now take our first step in ridding this star of the Warring Triad's baleful presence.” (3.2)

bastion: fortified area; stronghold

"At the height of Lakeland's prosperity, these sites served not as man's final bastion, but as testament to his ingenuity and architectural prowess." (5.0)

be assured: I assure you; rest assured

"Be assured that thou shalt find me more a help than a hindrance." (5.4)

bear fruit: produce results

"For which reason, we must needs trust to Y'shtola's ingenuity, and wait for her efforts to revive the ancients' device to bear fruit." (5.2)

befoul: sully, besmirch

"As one might expect, they deem Light to be abhorrent, and everything it touches befouled." (5.0)

be not: do not be

“Be not offended, [Forename.]” (2.1)

bear witness: see, observe

"Doubtless they account for but a fraction of the innumerable worlds to whose fall Meteion did bear witness." (6.0)

beauteous: beautiful

“In these parts, there abideth a vilekin known for its beauteous wings…” (5.0)

beg: ask (for); request

"I beg your permission to return to the Waking Sands." (2.5)

behoove: be necessary or proper

"'Twould behoove you all to learn something of the nature of this community…" (5.0)

bend (one's) steps: go, travel

"They have since endeavored to restore their home, and thither shall we bend our steps─to Fort Gohn." (5.0)

beseech: earnestly request, beg

"But even now, a powerful foe draweth near, and I fear I must beseech thee to hasten thy deliberations…" (5.0)

bespeak: indicate, suggest

"That Y'shtola should choose to employ such a spell bespeaketh the need for haste." (3.0)

betoken: show, give evidence of

"If I may, milady─the panel did formerly emit a soft-yet-perceptible glow. That it doth so no longer may betoken the depletion of some essential energy within." (5.2)

betwixt: between, sometimes abbreviated as'twixt

"Mayhap I might yet serve as a bridge betwixt them and our fellow man… as Moenbryda once did for me." (6.0)

"'Twixt this world and the next do the aetherial currents swirl, bearing the very essence of life." (2.3)

bid: ask (to); past tense bade

“Meanwhile, I bid thee attend to the task of eliminating the primals.” (3.0)

boon: blessing, benefit, favor

"'Tis a boon we find this sanctum intact." (5.2)

but: only

"We grasp but a piece of this puzzle." (2.0)

bring low: defeat, kill

"If, as Krile claimeth, they thought us agents of Allag, 'tis little wonder that they sought to bring us low." (3.4)

by rights: reasonably; properly

"Though by rights its youth should long since have faded." (5.0)

chance to: happen to

"Thou didst chance to overhear my conversation with Livingway, I presume?" (6.0)

clemency: leniency, mercy

"Carelessness shall find no clemency here." (5.0)

clime: climate

"…And to this bitter clime bring warmth and comfort." (6.0)

come by: find, discover

"How came he by such rarefied knowledge?" (3.4)

comrade: close friend or associate; fellow soldier

"Ne'er again would I betray your trust. This pledge I did make to my comrades." (6.0)

confer: consult

"…might I prevail upon thee to confer with Seto in private?" (5.0)

counsel: advice

"Some few may still come hither seeking counsel, and so shall I remain to aid them as need be." (6.0)

countenance: expression, face

"Thy countenance belies thy words, Master Thancred." (5.0)

course: path, route, direction

"But one course lieth before us." (5.0)

credence: credibility

"That so great an abundance should reside here lendeth credence to Y'shtola's conclusion." (5.2)

deiform: godlike, as in deiform entity (which Urianger sometimes uses to refer to primals)

"Lest thou doubt, a deiform entity shall shortly be summoned, save if thou, and no other, grantest my compeers thine aid." (2.4)

deign (to): condescend, stoop, reluctantly offer

“Hadst thou deigned to share thine intentions with [Forename] or Mistress Krile, 'tis like that we would have closed the trap with less risk to life, and more success.” (3.3)

denizen: resident

"And this power alloweth thee to tear open the fabric betwixt realities, that thou mayest call forth the aether-starved denizens of what remaineth of the Thirteenth?" (5.2)

design: plan, intention

"Can we but uncover Elidibus's true origins, we may yet come to understand his designs." (5.2)

dire: extreme; dismal

“Though Valigarmanda's escape is of dire concern, we must needs tend to those caught in the conflagration.” (7.0)

“I fear the condition of this Talos is more dire than I previously surmised.” (5.0)

divine: discover, determine

“Together shall we divine the steps by which our goals may be achieved.” (2.3)

doubt not but: don't doubt

"Doubt not but that they will fail completely ere long." (3.0)

duplicity: deception, two-facedness

"When I agreed to aid the Exarch with his plans, 'twas in full acceptance of the condemnation I would face when my duplicity was laid bare." (5.0)

dwellings: home.

“The path leadeth past my dwellings.”(5.0)

e’er/ne’er: contractions of “ever” and “never.” Urianger sometimes uses the full words as well.

“Linger overlong in the midst of this maelstrom, and the aether that formeth one's soul shall surely be scattered, ne'er to be reformed.” (3.0)

“So let us press forward together, as e'er we have, and find our way unto victory.” (6.0)

efficacious: effective

"The guard hath been afflicted with a most terrible and efficacious poison." (5.0)

eld: old times, antiquity, as in of eld

“I am no esteemed philosopher of eld.” (6.0)

embarassment of riches: great variety

"…we now possess an embarrassment of educational riches." (6.0)

enormity: great size or importance

“The proliferation of Talos fragments, as well as the enormity of the mechanisms here, suggest a considerable number were once in operation.” (5.0)

"Yet my mind straineth still to apprehend the enormity of this tale." (5.0)

entreaty: request (verb: entreat)

"We are come with an entreaty." (5.0)

"Provided we are able to decipher said instructions, we may entreat the ruin's protectors to grant us safe passage." (5.0)

environs: surroundings, vicinity

"Though we had but little time before the Eulmorans' most unwelcome arrival, we scoured the nearby environs…" (5.0)

equal to: up to, sufficient to overcome

"'Twould appear we have proven equal to the challenge." (6.0)

ere: before

"Ere the light of dawn breaketh, shall we follow whither the sand blows." (2.0)

ere long: before long

“Thancred and Minfilia will return ere long.” (5.0)

erstwhile: former; previous

"Meanwhile, we shall return to our erstwhile ways." (6.0)

espy: see, spot

"Having hearkened to her tale, it is my judgment that the sin eater which her late mother did espy was indeed the being we seek…" (5.0)

esteemed: highly regarded

“…full glad am I to stand in such esteemed company once more.” (7.5)

exacting: precise, demanding close attention

"Likewise, preparations for the imbuing have been made according to thine exacting instructions." (5.0)

fancy: whim, notion; liking

"…thou art free to go wheresoever thy fancy taketh thee." (5.3)

fast: secure, firmly fixed (as in to make fast, to hold fast, etc)

“I shall treat them at once to make fast their vibrant colors.” (5.0)

fair: pleasing, charming

“Come now, 'tis scarce the first time thou hast beheld these fair features.” (5.0)

fare: (verb) get along, manage

"How fareth the young guard?" (5.0)

feign: pretend

"I cannot well feign ignorance of the answer I have found within…" (6.0)

fixity: stability

"The requisite fixity of belief would be too much to ask even of our friend." (5.1)

foe: enemy

"Ware the unknown foe." (2,0)

for a blessing/for a mercy: thankfully, fortunately.

“For a blessing, they were found to be in good repair.” (5.0)

“A sacrifice averted, for a mercy.” (6.0)

for a certainty: certainly, without question

"For a certainty, Emet-Selch never uttered the name, speak though he did of the schism which Zodiark's advent wrought upon mankind." (5.2)

forfend: forbid

“Heavens forfend… That Azdaja should be used to birth a dread voidsent born of Zodiark's residual aether…” (6.4)

forsake: abandon (past tense forsook)

"For years upon end, she knew not what to believe, torn as she was 'twixt the man whom she revered, and the man who forsook her and his duty both." (2.5)

forsooth: truly, indeed.

“Roiling with torment, the dead sun is forsooth oblivion's apotheosis.” (6.0)

forestall: hinder, prevent

"'Twas he who forestalled the Eulmorans' procession." (5.0)

forthwith: immediately

"I shall minister to him forthwith." (5.0)

fortuitous: lucky, fortunate

“All things considered, 'twas a most fortuitous outcome.” (4.0)

fret: worry

"Yet it availeth us naught to fret in idleness." (5.2)

fulgent: radiant, dazzlingly bright

"For the creatures which then did rise from that fulgent deluge were seen as agents of divine punishment, sent to devour sin and sinner both─whence came the name of 'sin eater.'” (5.0)

full: very

“Twelve be praised! Full sure was I that I had come too late.” (3.0)

full glad: very glad.

"Full glad am I to see thee once more, my friend…" (5.0)

full oft: very often, frequently.

"Full oft have I wavered in my decisions, and afterwards been stricken with regret." (6.0)

glean: gather; figure out

"Ah. By thy looks, I gather thou hast gleaned that which I came to tell thee." (5.0)

hale: healthy

"'Tis a blessing to see thee so hale." (5.0)

hapless: unlucky

"Yet these hapless souls were compelled to accept a nation as the object of their devotion." (5.5)

happenstance: chance occurrence

“What strange happenstance.” (7.0)

harbor: give shelter; be the home or refuge of

"Thus am I all but certain that this underwater realm harboreth our friend and enemy both." (5.0)

hasten: rush, hurry

"Master Alphinaud informed me of your plan, and thus did I hasten to your side." (4.0)

have care: be careful

"Have care. That is no ordinary eater." (5.0)

have the right of it: be correct

"I believe thou hast the right of it, Master Alphinaud." (5.0)

hearken: listen, pay attention to

“Mother Hydaelyn, hearken unto Your children's plea!” (3.4)

heartened: encouraged

"Though mine aid be but modest, I nonetheless am heartened in my duties." (2.0)

heartily: strongly

"The matter beareth further investigation, I do heartily concur." (5.55)

hence/thence/whence: from here/from there/from where

“We shall accompany thee thither, and thence begin our journey.” (6.4)

"The future whence our noble friend doth hail is a world fallen to Ascian artifice, and he would not see such grim history repeated." (5.0)

henceforth: from this point on

“Hencforth I shall accompany you…” (5.0)

hie: go.

"First, let us hie to the lake…” (5.0)

hither/thither/whither: to here/to there/to where

“In spite of vehement opposition, he founded the Circle of Knowing and journeyed hither to the heart of Eorzea.” (2.5)

“We shall accompany thee thither, and thence begin our journey.” (6.4)

“In the place whither thou goest, servants of Darkness do lie in wait.” (3.0)

ill: (adverb) poorly, scarcely

"Try as she might, she could ill comprehend her master's motive." (2.5)

imbue: permeate

“At the appointed hour, we shall imbue the golems with aether.” (5.0)

immure: enclose, trap

"Yet were we to immure our souls within an object in her possession, mayhap then our safe passage could be assured." (5.01)

immutable: unchanging

"Yet there remaineth one immutable condition upon which success doth hinge." (5.3)

impertinent: rude, insolent

"I hope thou wilt not think the question impertinent…" (5.0)

import: importance, significance

"Ere you quit these shores for eastern climes, I wished to share some words of seeming import." (4.0)

in due course: in the expected or allotted time

"In due course shall the legatus be afforded a proper burial." (6.0)

in earnest: seriously; sincerely

"Spoken in earnest, thy words may yet move him to change his mind." (5.0)

in one’s cups: drunk

“Methinks this one is deep in his cups.” (5.0)

in sooth: in truth, truthfully, to be honest

"In sooth, we bore witness to this but moments ago." (5.2)

in such wise: in this way; thus

"In such wise, you will come to understand Seto's reason for refusing us…" (5.0)

in vain: for nothing

"We labor in vain!" (2.0)

incur: bring upon oneself

"Yet have care thou dost not add overmuch to thy burden, lest I incur Thancred's ire." (5.0)

indelicate: tactless, improper (noun: idelicacy)

"'Tis indelicate of me, I know full well, and I can but beg thy forgiveness." (6.0)

"And when his mortal form was─forgive mine indelicacy─consumed by thy foe to fuel his transformation, I posit that the crystal did tumble free." (5.3)

indolence: laziness

“In supplicant mood shall I return at once, and there atone for mine indolence!” (3.3)

infernal: damned, cursed

"This infernal creation is shielded by energies not its own."

inimical: at odds, hostile

"Were we to solve such problems as we have caused, and assure our hosts thereby that our purpose here is not inimical to them, they may yet prove amenable to reason."

inviolable: unassailable, secure from violation

"…'twould indeed prove a trifling matter─were we to disregard the inviolable link 'twixt mind and soul…" (5.1)

jape: joke

"Japes are a poor substitute for a viable stratagem." (5.01)

judicious: wise

"Nay, it must needs be maintained through judicious governance and stringent regulation." (6.0)

labor: work, struggle

"I, too, still labor to find mine own answer." (6.0)

languish: exist in a state of depression or weakness

"Though this land hath been afforded a respite, in turmoil do many others languish still." (6.0)

lay bare: reveal

"When I agreed to aid the Exarch with his plans, 'twas in full acceptance of the condemnation I would face when my duplicity was laid bare." (5.0)

lay waste: cause extreme damage (to)

"Two years past, a swarm of sin eaters did lay waste unto their largest settlement, killing a great many of their priests in so doing." (5.0)

learned: educated

“Even the most learned Archon would require some several moons to disentangle such an enchantment.” (3.3)

lest: for fear that: in order to prevent that

“Ah, lest I forget… White auracite, newly forged for thy use.” (5.0)

leave: permission; by thy leave: a request for permission

“By thy leave.” (3.4)

“If thou wilt grant me leave, I would gladly escort thee unto a refuge of thine own choosing.” (3.4)

like: likely (opposite unlike)

“'Twas never like to be simple.” (5.0)

"The form fear taketh is unlike to be pleasing." (5.0)

like unto: like, similar to, the same as

"…of a potency sufficient to induce a slumber like unto death." (3.0)

magick: referring to specific spells or types (as distinct from the more general magic)

“'Fae cloak,' 'tis called─a most ingenious magick which rendereth one invisible to fae folk, albeit briefly." (5.0)

manner: kind, sort, as in some manner of

“In the moments prior to Leviathan's most recent manifestation, the Sahagin elder who summoned him was observed to undergo some manner of ascension.” (2.3)

mark: take note of

“Mark the trajectory of his blades.” (7.0)

mayhap: maybe

“Mayhap thou thinkest this chapter of our tale concluded…” (2.1)

means: way, method, as in to have the means to, or by means of

“And without the aid of the Talos, even if thou wert somehow able to unbar the trolley's path, we would still have no means of propelling it.” (5.0)

“Rather than swim, mayhap it would be more...expeditious to walk upon the surface by means of magic.” (5.0)

meet with: encounter, be subjected to

“Master Alphinaud was afeared you had met with some misfortune.” (5.0)

men/man: people; umbrella term for the spoken races. (singular: man)

"They are also the friendliest to men…" (5.0)

"And still man glorieth in his discoveries." (2.1)

mere: nothing more than; just

"So, 'tis more than a mere rumor." (5.5)

methinks: I think

“Methinks the agents of chaos doth lurk in the shadows of this deed.” (2.2)

might: strength

"Now! Strike with all thy might!" (5.0)

minister: give aid; tend to

"…his wounds yet want for mending. I shall minister to him forthwith." (5.0)

ministration: the act of tending to

"I shall attend to Runar's ministrations." (5.0)

most/much: (adverb) very

“The aetheric readings taken by Y'shtola at the time of this transfiguration have proven most enlightening.” (2.3)

"I was much intrigued by the apparent ease with which Fordola, a theretofore unexceptional warrior, defied my lady's every attempt to do her harm." (4.0)

mote: tiny amount; particle; speck

"To defeat the deiform manifestations of both wind and fire shall require every last mote of thy strength." (5.2)

must needs: must necessarily

“Thou must needs invoke the power of thy crystal!” (3.4)

myriad: many

“…I was told that as life's myriad colors combine to produce black, the people of the First had called it ‘Darkness.’” (5.0)

nary: not any; not one

"C-C-Cold? N-N-Nay, I feel nary a thing... Nary a thing... " (6.0)

nay: no

"Alas, we have not the luxury of time to decipher our petitioners' machinations─nay, not while the beast tribes do labor unseen…" (2.1)

naught: nothing

"Naught was left to chance. Naught." (3.3)

nigh: near

"Should we be discovered ere our mission here is complete, and the Lightwarden yet liveth, our task will be rendered nigh impossible." (5.0)

no small: a large amount or to a great degree, as in in no small part or no small amount

“Due in no small part to thine inspirational courage, the alchemists were successful in reproducing warding scales of proven efficacy.” (6.0)

“The process requireth no small amount of time…” (5.0)

o'er: contraction of over

“Blessed are we to have made countless steadfast allies o'er our journey's course." (6.0)

of one mind/of like mind: in agreement, on the same page

"Difficult decisions must needs be made in the coming days, but I nevertheless believe we are all of one mind in our desire to save the people of Etheirys." (6.0)

"'Tis a comfort to know we are of like mind in that regard." (6.0)

oft: often

"Full oft have I wavered in my decisions, and afterwards been stricken with regret." (6.0)

on one’s account: for one’s sake

“Worry not on our account, and fix thy gaze upon the path ahead.” (7.0)

onerous: troublesome, burdensome

“To build such a golem would be an onerous undertaking indeed…” (5.0)

overlong: too long

“Yet I dare not dwell overlong on my many regrets…” (5.0)

partake (of): to have, consume, often as food or drink

“That Vauthry wieldeth power over sin eaters is known. Could it be that those who partake of their flesh do thereby render themselves susceptible to his influence?” (5.0)

passing strange/passing queer: a bit odd

“That they should succeed in unraveling so complex a skein of magecraft─and with such surpassing swiftness─is… 'Tis passing strange.” (3.3)

"'Tis passing queer that Y'shtola should mistake us for the enemy, is it not?" (5.0)

perchance: perhaps, maybe

"Some manner of sedative, perchance…" (3.0)

perforce: necessarily

“It beginneth in earnest... The hunting of the Lightwardens, and perforce the war with Eulmore.” (5.0)

perish: die

"…not one but two Lightwardens have already perished by her most puissant hand." (5.0)

plain: clear, obvious

"'Tis plain the passage of the years hath done little to dampen thy youthful spirits…" (2.4)

possessed of: having (some quality)

"With the coming of another possessed of the blessing of Light, the First hath begun to rise up in defiance of its fate." (5.0)

posthaste: with great haste; immediately

“I shall close the fissure posthaste.” (7.5)

pray: please

“Pray return to Radz-at-Han, where thou art needed.” (6.0)

prevail: triumph; predominate

“The coming struggle promiseth to test us to our limits, but so long as we stand together, I doubt not but that we shall prevail.” (5.0)

"For 'tis the faith of their ancestors which prevaileth in this land, and many are devout adherents still." (6.0)

prevail upon: ask, bother, trouble.

"Might I prevail upon thee to confer with Seto in private?" (5.0)

prise: pry; force

“Let us rejoin Y'shtola posthaste, and prise open our gate unto the void.” (6.4)

prithee: a contraction of “I pray thee,” literally “I ask you.” May be preceded by "I," or the "I" may be left implied. (Urianger more often seems to include the "I" but occasionally omits it.)

“Exercise due caution, I prithee.” (2.5)

“Prithee do as I bade and speak with Seto in private.” (5.0)

proffer: offer

"…those with power proffer aid with one hand whilst the other resteth ever on their hilt." (2.1)

procure: get, obtain

“If thou art willing, we would prevail upon thee to procure lumber.” (5.0)

provenance: origin, source

"Concoctions to fortify the flesh against wind and cold are commonly sold in the Ul'dahn markets─though they are of dubious provenance and efficacy." (6.0)

prudent: wise, discreet (noun: prudence)

"Thus doth prudence dictate that those with power proffer aid with one hand whilst the other resteth ever on their hilt." (2.1)

"A prudent endeavor." (5.4)

puissance: strength, power (adj. puissant)

“That thou wert able to triumph over this avatar of primordial rage is testament to thy puissance.” (5.1)

“Though she is but recently arrived here in the First, not one but two Lightwardens have already perished by her most puissant hand.” (5.0)

quarry: target, that which is sought or pursued

"In the absence of any subsequent sighting, I have no reason to believe our quarry hath sought out a new sanctuary." (5.0)

quicken: come to life; bring to life

"Nonetheless, 'tis cause to rejoice that the seeds of aether have quickened in the barren garden that is the Empty." (5.2)

quit: leave, depart

“Ere you quit these shores for eastern climes, I wished to share some words of seeming import.” (4.0)

rancor: anger, hostility

"…Yet it is not rancor but resolve that I sense in thee." (5.0)

ready: (verb) prepare

“To that end, thou shouldst take such ease as thou mayest, the better to ready thyself for the trials to come.” (5.0)

recount: tell (as a tale)

"Pray recount to us again that which thou witnessed in the ruins, omitting not the slightest detail." (5.0)

remiss: at fault, in error

“Irrespective, thou wert remiss in thy duty to thy comrades.” (3.3)

render up: give up, offer up

“The Ascians once labored to resurrect Zodiark and bring back those who rendered up their lives to summon Him.” (7.5)

rouse: awaken

" If we are to break the status quo, we must needs employ a catalyst─a third element that shall rouse and stabilize those unleashed energies in activity. (5.2)

sage: (adjective) wise

"Sage counsel indeed…" (6.0)

sally forth: proceed, leave a place

"Whilst thou salliest forth to meet with the Lightwarden, we shall join in the effort to obstruct the trespassers." (5.0)

save: but, except.

"None save thee can satisfy this need." (2.4)

scant: barely sufficient

"But mayhap some few scant traces yet remain to guide our steps." (3.0)

selfsame: the very same; identical

"As a reflection of the Source, the First naturally compriseth the selfsame forces…" (5.0)

shade: ghost

"Yet if the shade spoke true, Elidibus ceased to be ere even the sundering came to pass." (5.2)

simulacrum: image, insubstantal form or semblance (plural simulacra)

"I say, [Forename], whence came this─hic!─simulacrum that standeth beside thee?" (6.0)

"So faithfully formed are the simulacra, they believe themselves yet amongst the living." (6.0)

singular: exceptional, unusual

"To make clear our resolve to the Loporrits, I would offer them a gift. But its making doth require a most singular ingredient." (6.0)

slumber: sleep

"Thinkest thou they but slumber?" (6.0)

smite: strike heavily; attack (past tense smote, smitten)

"To unmake an Ascian soul, one must needs smite it with a concentrated burst, or “blade,” of purest aether." (2.4)

sojourn: temporary stay

“To that end, I have labored during my sojourn in this world, discovering in so doing the answer to a pressing mystery.” (5.0)

spurious: false

"Oft and many times did Eulmore make spurious overtures of friendship unto them, but they are no fools." (5.0)

spurn: scorn; reject

"Any discrepancy in the former may feasibly cause the latter to spurn its former flesh." (5.3)

spy: see, spot (see also espy)

"I chanced to spy this aggregation when crossing Zodiark's erstwhile prison." (6.0)

squander: waste

"No choice have we but to march onward, lest we squander their noble sacrifices…" (6.0)

star: any planetary body, including what we would now distinguish as stars and planets.

"The peoples of Eorzea, of the Far East, of Thavnair... Children of this star united in common cause against a dire threat. (6.0)

state of affairs: situation

“Truly a most vexing state of affairs.” (5.0)

stay: halt or delay the progress of

"Should we succeed in staying their advance, all the better." (5.0)

stint: stop; be sparing or frugal

“Had Unukalhai stinted in his defense of thee, thou may'st be certain thy hurts would be far worse.” (3.3)

"Though we are all grateful for thine unstinting efforts, thou need'st not labor to the exclusion of all else." (5.2)

storied: legendary, well-known

"Familiar though I am with the myths and legends of this island, to hear them spoken by heirs to this storied heritage giveth them new life."

stratagem: plan, scheme, one individual part of a strategy

"As such, thou must needs conceive new stratagems if thou art to triumph in the battle to come." (5.01)

succor: help; relief

"I bid thee offer succor to the guard." (5.0)

suffuse: spread over or through

“When the heart hath been suffused with a sufficient quantity of aether, the golem should be restored to life.” (5.0)

suffice: meet a need; be sufficient

"A gentle touch shall suffice by way of a greeting." (5.0)

supplication: prayer; humble request

"Now, I must needs ask for silence whilst I make my supplication…"

supposition: speculation, guessing

"Though it is mere supposition, it would behoove us to proceed with caution." (5.01)

surcease: cessation; end

"And so long as the Lightwarden remaineth, the sin eaters shall be free to prey upon these lands without surcease." (5.0)

surmise: guess, speculate

"'Tis as I did surmise." (3.0)

surpassing: (adjective) excessive

"Nevertheless, this mission is one of surpassing danger." (5.01)

surrounds: surroundings

"I would ask the rest of you to survey these surrounds." (6.0)

'tis/'twas/'twill/'twould: contractions of "it is," "it was," "it will," ït would."

take thine ease: relax, take it easy

“Perhaps thou shouldst take thine ease for a time?” (5.0)

tarry: linger, delay

“Now, let us not tarry any longer.” (5.0)

thereafter: after that

“As circumstances permit, I will thereafter rejoin the hunt for the remaining Lightwardens.” (5.0)

theretofore: previously, up until that point

"…I was much intrigued by the apparent ease with which Fordola, a theretofore unexceptional warrior, defied my lady's every attempt to do her harm." (4.0)

thus: in this way

“Thus the Divine Chronicles seek to warn us once more.” (2.0)

thwart: stop, defeat, successfully oppose

"Our mission being to thwart a Rejoining, we will most assuredly cross paths with those who crave the contrary." (5.0)

tidings: news

"What tidings bringest thou from Dravania?" (5.55)

to the last: until the end

"We must needs strive for victory to the last…" (6.0)

to wit: that is to say

“If left unchecked, they will inevitably seek to seize the power of the Warring Triad. This will serve to feed the confluence of chaos and hasten the eikons' awakening. To wit, we must needs vanquish both their kinds.” (6.0)

tome: book

"That tome in thy possession…" (6.0)

tongue: language

"From their tongue, their words, and their attire, 'tis like that our antagonists were Meracydian…" (3.4)

transpire: occur, happen

"Thou mayest safely leave the task of unfolding that which did transpire at Anamnesis to us." (5.2)

travail: laborious task; torment

“Full glad am I to see thee once more, my friend, and none the worse for thy travails.” (5.0)

trifling: trivial, insubstantial

"And armed as we are with Beq Lugg's invaluable insight, 'twould indeed prove a trifling matter─were we to disregard the inviolable link 'twixt mind and soul…" (5.1)

trouble: bother, concern

"Her condition yet troubleth thee?" (5.0)

unseemly: improper; opposite seemly

"'Twould be unseemly to leave them unattended." (2.4)

unto: to

“In taking you unto Her bosom, I knew that Hydaelyn had bequeathed to you a sliver of Her grace, granting you strength long sought.”

upon: on

“Moenbryda was an authority on aetherology─a field of study she did embark upon in pursuit of her parents' example.” (6.0)

vanquish: defeat, overcome

"We are resolved to vanquish the Lightwarden of this land." (5.0)

veracity: truth

"I doubt not the veracity of thy words…" (5.0)

verily: truly, indeed (Urianger uses this more often than forsooth.)

“Verily, 'tis an ensemble most becoming.” (6.0)

vex: annoy, irritate; distress

“Truly a most vexing state of affairs.” (5.0)

viand: food item

“I shall procure a selection of viands that shall please their palates.” (5.0)

vicissitude: changeability

“In spite of time's vicissitudes, some things endure.” (7.5)

visage: face

"Were one to study the annals of Garlean history, one would find yonder visage on many a page." (5.0)

want: (noun) lack, as in for want of

"'Twas not for want of love that Master Louisoix hid his intent." (2.5)

want for: need

"It would appear the worst hath passed, though his wounds yet want for mending." (5.0)

ware: beware (of)

"Ware the unknown foe." (2.0)

well met: hello; greetings

“Well met, my friend.” (7.5)

wellspring: constant source

"Sharlayan hath ever been the wellspring of aetherological knowledge." (5.55)

wend: travel

"Unto a world weary of heroes, a hero wends her way…" (5.0)

whosover/whatsoever/wheresoever/whensoever: whoever/whatever/wherever/whenever

“Yet whosoever this man may be, his words hold truth…” (5.2)

“Whatsoever may await us, when thou takest those final steps, I pray that it shall be with a smile upon thy face.” (5.0)

“'Tis plain our Ascian counterpart meaneth to follow wheresoever we lead.” (5.0)

"They are also the friendliest to men, and have served me faithfully whensoever I have called upon them." (5.0)

wherefore: why

“Wherefore inquirest thou of her fairness!?” (2.2)

with all haste: as fast as possible

“Word reached us of thy recovery, and thus did we gather with all haste.” (5.0)

would: want to, would like to

“Ere I speak of the task at hand, there is a question I would pose to thee.” (5.0)

would fain: would gladly, would happily

"I would fain hear more of this ageless sorcerer and his heroic deeds." (5.0)

would that: if only, I wish that

“Would that there had been another way.” (3.4)

wreak: bring about, cause (destruction or harm)

“Once released, the gas took on a life of its own, wreaking untold carnage not only in Eorzea, but in the provinces of the Empire besides.” (5.0)

wrought: caused, made (archaic past tense of work)

"Following the initial changes wrought by the release of water and earth, the Empty hath displayed no further signs of alteration. (5.2)

yearn: desire wistfully or sadly; long (for)

"The tablet of which he spoke no doubt provideth a glimpse into the history that she so yearneth to comprehend." (5.0)

yet: (adverb) still

"Judging by the aetheric imprint that lingereth yet upon this wand…" (3.0)

yonder: over there; adjective: that one there; sometimes abbreviated yon

"Yonder standeth no bloodless apparition, but a Warrior of Light and Darkness both." (5.2)

"Yonder creature doth resemble Griaule, a beast of Voeburtite legend." (5.0)

"Do my senses deceive me? In the shadow of yon corner…" (6.0)

References

Below are resources I’ve consulted in my own research that may be useful to you as well.

I recommend avoiding “Shakespeare translators” and similar automated tools you may find online. Most of them will make mistakes, and some of them are powered by AI, which I also do not recommend.

Resources for in-game dialogue

Final Fantasy XIV Game Script https://xiv.quest

Final Fantasy XIV Gamer Escape Wiki https://ffxiv.gamerescape.com

Final Fantasy XIV Console Games Wiki https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.com

Resources for Early Modern English

Merriam-Webster Dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com (Consulted heavily for this guide, and many of the definitions in the vocabulary list are taken or modified from here. Merriam-Webster is also good for archaic terms and etymology.)

Shakespeare's Words. https://www.shakespeareswords.com/Default.aspx (This site allows you to search the full works of William Shakespeare for any word or phrase. If you're trying to figure out whether a word or phrase is plausible to use in Early Modern English and you can’t find it in canon, this is an absolutely invaluable resource.)

Early Modern English Spelling, Grammar, and Pronunciation https://www.oed.com/discover/early-modern-english-spelling-grammar-and-pronunciation

"How do you conjugate Early Modern English verbs other than present tense?" (https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/76670/how-do-you-conjugate-early-modern-english-verbs-other-than-present-tense)

But first, my congratulations! I was ecstatic to hear that the caleumtree wine continues to be warmly received at Master Rafe's tavern. Doubtless that you'll be getting complaints from poor Dalmas any time now; as if his hands weren't already full with the cares and concerns of the ranch, now must needs he oversee this accidental brewery you've started? We must find some assistance for him, or at least empower him to find a deputy in short order. I would make a copy of Eddy if I could and send her over to Tailfeather, judging by how well she's taken to Marlstone. I'm very glad of it, even if it looks like I'll be losing my lady's maid and companion when I return. And it seems Eddy isn't the only one acquitting herself well; I have my own reports (never you mind who) that you've been handling your duties — and Mamma, Fury bless her always — with grace; I pray you continue to do so. Lest it be unclear, I'm proud of you, twin.

As for me, it's been two moons now, hasn't it? Two moons here, the longest I've been away from home. I think I'm becoming used to 'Leto'; I don't make quite as many mistakes with the name as I had in the first ten suns I was at the Guild.

They've been pleased enough with my progress to have me assist in the cutting of the patterns, and the handling of the materials. I learn the different properties of cotton and velveteen and silk and others, including their monetary worth; needless to say, the more easily the stuff can conduct aether, the higher the cost rises. The guild weavers have also taken note of Leto's knowledge of the patterns and themes the wealthy members of the city tend to favour (I thank Mamma and Etoile for the advantage of such memories).

So, at the moment, I'm part of those who work on the embroidery of a young woman's trousseau, to be delivered by the end of summer for her wedding to a merchant-prince of this city. The affair will be lavish and abundant, to be sure; my needle must fly quickly, neatly, and since both bride and groom are Lalafells, finely. I try to channel as much good will as I can into my thread - my seniors have taught me the symbols commonly considered lucky here in Ul'dah: the golden thread I've been instructed to use is luck itself, in addition to glowing suns and bright jewels. I aim to hide a few snowflakes somewhere subtle - a token of Ishgard. I hope the wisdom and intelligence I intend are passing through the thread as well, sewn tight to the beautiful things she will wear during her ceremonies (she, her parents and her husband-to-be have agreed to hold the full extent of the festivities - it could take up to two sennights, and therefore requires many kinds of fineries). No one has noticed just yet - I wonder if this is a good or bad thing.

I also embark on a small project, led by a Mistress Imania Morning. She's an Ul'dahn healer who came to seek better augmentation for her magicks through her clothing; while she has her own little clinic where any may seek her services, she further offers healing for those in the alleys and forgotten streets of this city, with particular attention to the ones who trade in their own bodies. The courtesans of name here have plenty of coin, but the men and women of the night who wander places like Pearl Lane don't, as I'm sure you can imagine.

I sought her out after others were assigned to her request, asking whether I might assist her in other practical capacities, if not in the making of her own tunics and trousers. She's been very gracious in allowing me to help make clean shifts, shirts, chemises and other such linen for the beneficiaries of her work. So by day, I attend to my duties from the guild, and by night, I try to sew strength and healing into the materials she distributes to the those who must make their fortunes in the back alleys of the city.

Mistress Morning also kindly agreed to let me come with her when she made her rounds, as an extra pair of hands, but also to see for myself how things stood, and what is needed. Ul'dahn women of good name may not enter such places without soiling their reputation, but I'm a foreign nobody here, and so Leto is free to do as she wills. These folk are deemed to be of ill-repute, but as I've learned, they are not generally of ill natures, once they find that all we ask is their time to take what we offer with whatever payment they can afford (to do things for free in Ul'dah is a sin, as I've been taught, but there are many kinds of currency - gil is just the most obvious cost and thus sometimes the safest thing to pay.) A little boy gave me a shiny button he'd found (though the grin on his face hinted to me the finding was not quite as providential as we would think) in exchange for a cap for his baby sister - I plan to use it on a shirt for him later. To face such squalor so consistently, and still keep up one's efforts to rectify what one may is what I admire most in Mistress Morning; I have much to learn from her, and not just in the making of healing materials and elixirs.

You see, she's also allowing me to practice what little alchemy I've picked up, and will continue to learn whenever I can. Merely basic salves and ointments, twin; Amaury would laugh at such childish concoctions, and then kindly teach me how to make them better, knowing his generous heart. That's if I even dared to show them to him, or to our uncles or any of our cousins who have seen active battle and open wounds. These mixes are nothing that would serve well in such serious situations. But they are what I can do for now, and so I bring the little vials with me anyway. The people who receive them do so with much grace.

I'd spend more time haunting the alchemists, but my first obligation is to the weavers of course, and now to Mistress Morning. Whatever hours left are tyrannised by Mars who insists on things like sleep, and fresh air, as he believes I will keel over in my feebleness. We've had our arguments over this, and I've abused him terribly in our skirmishes, yet lost most of the time. Master Pugilist frankly tells me I have weak blows and terrible aim in our verbal confrontations, though I seem to skate by on luck sometimes, which is frightfully rude, don't you think? (Don't tell me - I know very well you'll agree with him, and I've been cross with you in advance). However, since he kindly accompanies me to the back alleys, and even helped persuade some recalcitrant recipients to accept our offerings, I forgive him his keen guardianship.

By the by, will you send me some of Pecka's loose, clean feathers? I'd like to turn them into some kind of thread or ornament for him to wear. Her affinity with Mars will be a boon, I'm sure, and as he trains with the Pugilists, it ought to be of some use to him. If nothing else, it will be a small comfort. I know he misses her, and the other 'bos, even if he doesn't say anything at all. When I suggested we take the city 'bos just on a little ride outside the city, he got that light in his eye that he can't hide when he's genuinely pleased. And it was a lovely excursion; nothing we could have done in Ishgard since it'd have been far too cold after sundown. Here, a night ride is perfection. Not for the first time, I wish I had darling Salt with me.

This letter has grown far too long, and I would not have Mamma asking why my letter to you exceeds hers. So I shall end here for now, with a reminder to bring our friends some bottles of your fine wine, if you haven't already. Amaury would be glad of it and to meet with you. And I think it would be no bad idea to bring some when you eventually visit Bellevaux and its lord, among others. My love to Mamma, and the household; to the Vaillants and de Hellyeses, to Izzy and Joshua; and to our friends in the city; I think of you all every day. The Fury give you all strength, the Lover give you all light.

Your loving sister, Dine.

I've just received a word from Dalmas, and since his letter sits before me as I write this, I may as well tell you about it. He asks me to consider caelumtree cider, which he may be able send samples of by the end of this moon. It seems cider may entail an easier, faster process. It will allow us to supply more frequently to the Cranky, and potentially reap more profits (if Rafe will allow it). I think it a sound idea myself, and I intend to reply with encouragement to send the sample so I may discuss it with Rafe. Dalmas particularly mentioned that E'mhati was excited about the prospect of cider, so who am I to dim that pure soul's enthusiasm? That I have a soft spot for that boy, and cidermaking also happens to lighten Marlstone's workload as opposed to winemaking are happy coincidences. (I do believe I'll make provision for some sort of monetary compensation by Starlight - Dalmas is trying very hard to be subtle). I don't think you'll object, but let me know if there are any considerations I've overlooked. I'm sure they can be sorted.

Since we're on the matter of business, I made the suggestion to Eddy that she might look at the position of deputy manager as hers even after your eventual return to Ishgard. She looked at me as if I'd offered her dragon blood to drink, so it seems she still sees this as a temporary post. Granted, it's only been two moons, as you said - she may change her mind by the end of this turn. Or not, knowing her nature, but considering that we project your apprenticeship to at least take two more turns, who can say?

Izzy asked me that by the by, during our little archery contest the day before (I can already picture your face. Yes, I was a fool to challenge this specific cousin even on a friendly basis - you'll be unsurprised to learn he trounced me mercilessly in spite of my astounding bullseye. He's an eyewitness to the feat just so you don't accuse me of tales as tall as the cathedral spire.) I've told him of your plans at last; he looked a little disquieted by the prospect of your being away from the city for turns, not moons. Your 'comforting presence' reminds him 'the world hasn't gone entirely mad', so he said. Then we celebrated his victory and drank all night at the Cranky, and he was a perfect gentleman by taking me back home afterwards without compromise. Do be proud of me, ma soeur; as you see, I'm behaving beautifully.

Speaking of which, I would like to report that I was equally well behaved when I met with your friend, though I daresay now mine as well. My lord Amaury is a delight, as you'll also be unsurprised to hear. He's doing well, with his strong arms, flowing locks and handsome features (why have you not mentioned this in all our conversations? Also why did you not tell me he was once known as Miss des Rosiers? You really ought to give me such information beforehand so I won't embarrass myself in front of such a charming man). I've given him a bottle of our new venture. In return, he treated me to some excellent brandy, very intriguing conversation, and advice that will be a comfort in some cold hours. He's asked after you also; Mars is right to 'tyrannise' your leisure time - you have letters to personally write to your friends and reassure them of your well being. I'm willing to play the delivery boy seeing as I cannot be an exact reporter. And tis not just Izzy and Amaury - the family is naturally keen to know how you are. Thierremont and his wife stopped me in the street the other evening to send their regards, and Vliaisse de Vilauclaire demanded a direct address when we met at the Lantonceins' ball. It took a time to fob her off suitably, let me tell you! So in spite of your own claims that hardly anyone would miss you, you must concede once more to the wisdom of our mother who'd said otherwise. (Don't you hate this habit she's got of being right in all the important matters? Tis most frustrating.)

I mention all this to remind you that there are people here awaiting your safe return, so please, for the love of the Fury, the Lover, and all the rest of the Twelve, be careful in your embarkations to the back end of Ul'dah. Your heart does you credit, but only as far as your body remains intact. Recall that you're learning the arts of defense and some healing - it doesn't protect you from cutpurses and scoundrels. For the sake of those I mentioned, if not for mine, watch your steps. Frankly, the only thing stopping me from flying over directly is the reassurance that Mars stays with you; I trust him to watch over you for the both of us at least.

To reward him for his loyal service, I send a whole handful of Pecka's feathers, carefully collected and cleaned by our own Bremmant and Yisa. I hope they enhance his aim and footwork. Tell him to send me some account of his puglistic endeavours please — not that I don't enjoy your letters, but I do miss his entirely-too-succinct way of putting things now and again.

I'm also sending you a quill made from a particularly fine feather that your own prince of 'bos dropped. 'Darling Salt' has calmed enough to submit to being cleaned, fed and walked — but Twelve help the poor soul who attempts to take him for a ride. Leo very nearly had his head kicked clean off his neck and Cillien no longer dares to bring any manner of bridle or saddle within one fulm of him. I saw it myself — the look in Salt's eye is almost evil, Dine, if ever a 'bo that isn't crimson could be accused of that. So evidently, he still misses you terribly and hasn't forgiven any of us for letting you leave for this long. I don't know what might reassure him that you'll return eventually; perhaps I may ask for Dapple from the ranch to come visit and have a look. Her knack with 'bos may help. Any other idea however would be welcome.

I must stop here now, for time runs apace. Dalmas will just have to suffer reading my deteriorating handwriting — if I don't write a reply now, I'm sure I'll not remember to do so after this next appointment (I swear Dine, the next noble who reels me in with false promises of business only to throw me back out like an undergrown anchovy will feel Pin's claws in their neck, so help me Halone.) I promise not to take so long to answer your next letter, as long as you promise not to run yourself ragged. Her Spear before you, Her Moon above you.

All continues to be well here, and proceeds without incident. I've asked Mars to include some lines for you below as you've asked, since he's persuaded he cannot pen an entire letter on his own despite the very fine quill you sent (thank you for such a present — it does me much good to have Salt with me in some manner; if you can manage something from my little Olive next, that'd be beyond all expression). You may be assured I've attempted to oppose such an undeserved opinion, but you know your friend's Chocobo-like nature. I return to my needle now, and leave the rest of this letter for him. We will write again soon, or at least I will. Her spear and shield before you.

Love, Dine.

[The paragraph which follows after this cursive yet legible writing is scratchy, uneven and obviously of a hand unused to holding a quill for long periods of time]

Not sure what you want to hear exactly but the pugilists here know their art, and haven't neglected any part of their traditions. Been kept on the ropes too many times, but I suppose every newcomer has to accept his licks before he gets his own back. Would be worse off if not for your sister. Her salves are improving, and saves us coin at the apothecary. Though she's one to talk about Chocobo-like nature — she's learning desert stubbornness as well as weaving here, be told. Tell Dalmas not to neglect the ranch 'bos for booze, and watch for Pecka's diet; she'll be like to steal even from Salt's trough when she can.

— M.