Altai Iriq

16. …what really scares them.

Answered too! But let’s add some thoughts.

15. …where they see themselves in ten years.

16. …what really scares them.

15. This one was answered, but to add to it, Altai continues to have a very deeply-seated desire to have a family. By the time he returns to Othard, part of him would like to bring a family back with him, meaning a partner and children.

3. …how long they hold grudges.

It entirely depends on the wrong. Chances are he will never forget a wrong, since it still speaks of a fundamental flaw in the person’s character. If they didn’t know better, they were reckless and ignorant; if they did, they were heartless and selfish.

As for how long? Well, potentially forever, but still, if the issue is discussed, he will be open for the opposite party to prove themselves. If they do acts of good or show loyalty to him in ways that in this subjective karmic balance make the debt of honor be paid, he will let go of that feeling of a deeply held grudge, and the transgression will just become a memory that he will keep as a snapshot of their true self at one point in time, despite judging them for it no longer.

Since this was answered already, let’s give it another shot.

Altai still can’t take sweets. It’s one of the few flavors that are strange to come by in the Steppe, as everything is either hearty meats, sour dairy concoctions, or earthy flavors from foraged vegetables. Even the desserts he’s used to eating are essentially bland to anyone with a sweet tooth.

15. …where they see themselves in ten years.

Altai will waste nothing if you present him with a plate of meat or fish. He has a hard time watching the more civilized people eat for that same reason, since to him eating all of it is simply natural.

Hey guys, Altai Iriq from Balmung here! Thought I’d take a moment to compile for my fellow players the little information we have on Othard and what it looks like.

It’s awfully hard to RP a Xaela sometimes, when it’s so often centered on memories of the Azim Steppe, a place we’ve never seen even a map for. So here’s what I could find on it through the most obvious sources! Might be that some in-game items/quests give some other nuggets of information, feel free to add your own!

Geography

The steppes lie to northwest of Doma, “near” it. How near? Well we don’t know, and it depends on where you measure from. If anyone wanted to go from the west to Doma by land, they’d most certainly have to cross the steppes.The Domans left the city by sea, so we can assume it is somewhere in the east-southeast of the region, protected by mountains.

The north, at least from north to northeast is a vast mountain range, with mountains large enough to cover hidden valleys.

At least the northeastern mountain region has floating glaciers, and the northern mountain ranges’ winters are harsh enough to force at least some of the mountain tribes to descend.

The south is a dry desert.

The inner steppe has a great river called the One River that has a span of at least 2 miles (3.2km) at certain points, enough for small islets to be spread here and there. It’s the longest and widest watercourse in all three continents.

The inner steppe seems to have a consistently “fair” weather, and is described as a “wasteland” that makes establishing trade routes practically impossible.

The eastern coast of Othard leads to an “endless ocean” (the implication is that Xaela as a whole don’t know what’s beyond, save for perhaps legends about the Haragin tribe).

The inner steppe is a grassland where mostly only shrubs grow.

The Steppe can be traveled by boat through the One River, from the north to the southeastern region of Yanxia, where Doma lies.

Speculation: The Kha seek contact with other cultures other than the Au Ra in “the fringes” of Xaela lands. Might mean that there’s other neighboring cultures other than Doma/the Garleans? We know there’s a third Au Ra clan that is forgotten.

Fauna

Wild horses are found all over the Steppes, and are common.

There’s enough wild mountain goats in the northern ranges to sustain the Khatayin through the entire year, who eat either only that or predominantly that (and hunt them rather than herd them).

Beastkin, Wavekin and Cloudkin in general (aka land animals, sea creatures and flying creatures. Obvious enough).

Tigers.

Mammoths.

Oxen.

Some tribes herd nondescript “large winged beasts” (that we can assume to be herbivorous since it’s impractical to herd carnivores?).

Vilekin (insects of varying size. The Uyagir have legends of giant oliphant-like beetles, so larger invertebrates are not unlikely).

Poisonous pufferfish.

Sources:

Encyclopaedia Eorzea: the Au Ra

Encylopaedia Eorzea: Othard/Doma

The Xaela