Spare Cartridges Needed

like on the list of things that make FFXIV insanely good to play is "most content except seasonal events should be evergreen and always playable, and there should be incentives for endgame players to go back and do it." you would think this is the most basic player retention and growth thing ever and yet the other mega-successful mmos don't actually do it (which is not to say it's totally unique, waving to my eso friends here). class dps balance issues which make people frustrated here wouldn't even register as issues in most games, which have significantly higher deltas in damage output between the best and worst performers.

Alphinaud is an Academician, so he gets to have Scholar spells while keeping his carbuncle. Minfillia was able to cast spells as a Rogue. Urianger has a Death spell as an Astrologian.

People who’ve known me for a while have probably heard this speech before, but what defines a Disciple of Magic class or job in this world has nothing to do with what spells they cast! It has everything to do with how those spells are cast. How do they manipulate aether? How do they focus that aether into a spell? And sometimes what medium are used to facilitate spellcasting. These are the things that define a mage, not what spells they cast. 

For example, in lore a conjurer has access to all six elements: Wind, Lightning, Fire, Earth, Ice, Water. Y’shtola was originally trained as a Sharlayan conjurer. Thus, she has access to spells of all those elements. But how she casts those spells now as a “sorceress” might be different than what we, at a glance, might suspect from a conjurer, white mage, or black mage on the Source. It might be the same, just with a different name like how the WoD mage was a “Magus”.

Alphinaud isn’t a Scholar, because he doesn’t have a faery companion, or training as a Nymian Scholar. But he is a Sharlayan trained arcanist versed in healing magicks. Likewise, Urianger may be casting spells in the manner of a Sharlayan Astrologian, but he’s versed in other forms of magic from before, like arcanima. Those spells don’t necessarily go away just because you pick up a different tool… but you might have to reinvent how you work the spell!

A great example of this is Red Mage! They cast spells that were originally used by Black Mages and White Mages. The difference isn’t in the spells they cast, but again, it’s how they cast them that distinguishes them from their predecessors - casting using only internal aether.

body image and dysphoria. does this character voluntarily throw their clothes off, do they have to be coaxed, do they enjoy looking in the mirror, are there any areas they refuse to acknowledge? scars? tattoos? what does this say about their past?

what role do they take in the bedroom, and what relationship does it have to the role they take in day to day life?

social/communication skills. how good are they at eye contact, asking their bedmate what they want, are they about verbal communication or body language? what is their body language, is it open or closed off? are they nervously chatty, are their words short and clipped, are they nervously quiet?

touch starvation. how do they react to touch? when's the last time they were touched intimately? how does this touch remind them of their previous encounters with touch, or is this their first time?

glimpses of their education, sexual and otherwise, and the ways this influences their view of the world. what is their understanding of consent? where did they get it from? what do they think of kink vs vanilla? what is their relationship to both?

self esteem. do they take on a role of service in the bedroom because they want to, or because they feel like they have to in order to be worthy, no matter what they really want? how good are they at expressing these thoughts? do they freeze up when their bedmate asks them what they want? do they even know what they want?

how much attention do they want on themselves vs how much are they comfortable with? would they rather the attention was just on their bedmate?

how much guilt, shame, or repression do they have about sex in general? does it feel like a performance, is it true for them? how do they do with being vulnerable with another person, clothes on or off?

how do they feel about submission/domination, about penetration? do they want marks to be left, or do they insist on no trace left behind?

how do they treat their bedmate? loving, rough, tender, gentle, harsh, sadistic, deferring, no matter the scene/dynamic?

what about aftercare? for themself, for their bedmate? do they do it, do they know what it is, how do they do it? do they value it or do they do it just because you're supposed to?

here's some recent art i've done:

I haven't written in a while, but the lionhearts do have an FFXIVWrite series from 2024!

It would mean a lot to me this year's Pride, to see acknowledgement and celebration for queers of color of every stripe. Often it feels like BIPOC are an afterthought in Pride celebrations, not only left unacknowledged, but further marginalized by the intersection of their identities. And yet the weight of queer history roars with the resistance of people like Marsha P. Johnson and Silvia Rivera who did not stop fighting for liberation until they passed. The uprising at Stonewall itself is a culmination of years of queer activism.

When it comes to conversations about queer suppression, especially as shown by the attitude inspiring this post, we often see takes that certain people inherently don't "understand" gay coding or any number of nods to queer identity, simply due to the circumstances of our birth. I'd like to bring attention to the fact that many people in the world are still unable to openly call themselves queer of any kind of identity, without being severely punished by their own governments. At the same time, BIPOC in the USA especially Black and Indigenous people, regardless of their queer status, are policed and killed every day for the most frivolous reasons; and queerness amplifies the danger they face on the daily, especially if they are perceived as being gender-nonconforming. I'd like us all to remember what we think of as 'normal' now, like posting about queerness and being queer online, is an incredible, incredible privilege that people lived, fought, and died for. Our elders died dreaming that we, the future generations, have a chance to breathe and love together.

Stereotyping a whole kind of people, or blanketing a nation's attitude onto the people who live there, feels extremely antithetical to the history of the term 'queer' as a community and as a movement of liberation. Personally speaking, I was practically raised by a butch while we were both navigating the complexities and danger of being queer, in a country whose textbooks promote civilians to punish homosexuality by stoning gays or putting lesbians into house arrest, whose laws criminalize private citizens' sex lives. I saw firsthand the discrimination she could not shake for the entirety of her work, how she had to bring her own friends as advocates for her because her coworkers and administration disliked her, the way our organization suffered due to the perception of her as a corrupting influence on the band kids she trained. She shepherded us through the most successful years of marching band our school had ever seen, and her reward was to be kicked out of the school the moment my class graduated. Luckily, no worse outcome happened that I know of, but we all saw it happen. She had no partner that I knew of, and she never spoke of her orientation publicly, but that she was so gender-nonconforming as a butch was enough to mark her for life.

I don't care if that artist sent themselves the anon ask. I don't care who anon actually is. What I want to highlight is just how prevalent their bigoted way of thinking actually is in queer spaces, particularly when it comes to White queers.

The truth, whether we accept it or not, is that White queers — especially but not just cis gay men — still benefit from their Whiteness. And rather than using this position of privilege to uplift Black queers and other queers of color, so many are instead content to maintain the misogynistic lily-white status quo. (You bet your ass White women do this too.)

The wrongful assumption that existing within a marginalized group like the queer community exempts them from being discriminatory. False. Racism can and does manifest in the alphabet community, as can any other -ism.

These are the same people who, when faced with very real criticisms, invoke their queerness like a multipass that absolves them of their own prejudices and bigotry. How can I be racist? I'm gay.

Black and other people of color who exert any sort of pushback may be accused of engaging in the oppression olympics or playing the race card, as if being marginalized were a fucking contest. Hey, losers, you don't get a gold medal for being the most oppressed and attacked minority on the internet.

(tags via @tobyfoxmademeascaly)

Zenos was so good at combat, so physically strong, he could do whatever he wanted. No individual or political entity could stop him. He could win a war for Garlemald, or kill its emperor unopposed. He had the power to determine the fate of the entire world. To destroy it, or save it, depending on if he felt like it.

The warrior of light is the same. Are you sure your motivations are pure and altruistic? Do you know youre doing the 'right thing?' Or are you just chasing what makes you feel good... doing whatever you want because nobody can stop you... just like he did?

Halmarut knows she cant stop you. If every other Ascian failed, what hope does a sundered one + a dozen randoms from other worlds have. Idk if she really believes she can reason with you. You are supposed to represent the best of mankind, the beings she loves and admires, but you are always outside it. Above it. Something else. Does she see you as one of the humans she loves, or some godlike being who will determine mankinds fate, where all she can do is pray to it to make the right choice. Idk, I find her really interesting.

I can no longer find part of it either; it seems Garland Tools has cleared out a lot of incidental/side dialogue, nor did the FFXIV Game Script seem to capture it.

I know there was a "WoL's mindset in ARR patches" post recently mentioning it in a reblog comment, and I do think the analysis has merit with the lore backing mentioned, but to call it a "prepared feast the Scions ate without WoL" or that "everyone else was more important" (as the reblog addition puts it) is honestly, I feel, a gross overstatement of what happens in optional dialogue between quests.

In very old screenshots, as WoL returns to the Rising Stones, I found a line where F'lhaminn apologizes to WoL as she thought she made enough food for everyone, but everyone else coming in from their own adventures and assignments were also really hungry.

There's the dialogue with Nanamo praying just before this in the screenshot log, so I want to say it's right after "Let Us Cling Together" when Eline Roaille escaped and then had to be recaptured in a solo instance, while the other Scions are investigating the ways to make white auracite work to defeat the Ascians. WoL hasn't even been in Mor Dhona for a bit (a day or several, depending how one decides to run one's timelines and teleporting travel), but in Thanalan dealing with Roaille's escape.

So it's really just a case of the folks in the kitchen not having enough meals readily on hand, and F'lhaminn kinda feels bad about it as 1) it's her entire self-determined job and 2) IIRC, she did mention something about having a meal ready for WoL when they got home, but by the time the quest is over, it's clear she underestimated.

Also, after the quest shifts to the next one ("Good Intentions"), talking to Tataru has her say this:

#if i recall correctly #this was at the point where Ysayle and her followers were disrupting supply shipments from Ishgard #that was why the Scions got involved in the first place #so I think this was more things happening outside of their control #than apathy on the case of F'lhaminn or the other Scions

I'm going to agree with @kannedia's tags here, as there's a LOT going on in this section (which is, actually, one of the reason the second half of ARR patches are some of my favorites; we haven't gotten political intrigue like this since).

Part 6 of A Realm Reborn NG+ starts just after the Crystal Braves' creations and their initial investigation into the Ivy, and finding the ties to the Heretics and Monetarists, setting up for the endgame. Meanwhile, Ishgard is seeing increase in its war with Dravania, and the Scions are also trying to deal with the Ascian problem and the summoning of new primals in addition to the old ones.

The Rising Stones is also rather full in this time period; Scions, Domans, and Crystal Braves are constantly in and out on their own missions.

These plots start to converge with Shiva. This is when Moenbryda arrives, introduces the concept of white auracite, and the risky attempt to recreate the broken aetheryte to get to Shiva.

Another thing I am noticing on this playthrough is how much the Scions, the Braves, city leaders, and everyone else praises WoL; their heroism, their skills, their luck, their prowess. Everyone leans on the WoL, but the Hero Worship aspect is the trap here, and goes back to the above linked post thread about not realizing at this point how unintentionally they're taking WoL's heroics for granted.

This is also one of those points where the timelines are really dang fuzzy, as Moenbyrda's called in to help after "The Path of the Righteous", when the Snowcloak dungeon occurs. Which is 5 quests before Moen arrives in "A Simple Plan", just before "The Instruments of Our Deliverance", which is the battle with Shiva.

I point this out because according to the lorebooks, canonically it's a 2 week journey from Old Sharlayan to Limsa Lominsa. So unless Moen (or someone in Sharlayan) has access to an aetheryte in Eorzea, or a ship was able to port somewhere closer on the coast, between Snowcloak and Moenbryda's arrival in Revenant's Toll--while WoL and Ilberd and the shinobi are having leadership meetings and chasing Eline Roaille across Gridania and the Twelveswood--that's quite a bit of time!

Anyway. Moen's plan is a super risky one, but there isn't any more time to waste; the summoning of Saint Shiva is imminent.

So F'lhaminn goes into Worried Mom Mode:

This is what folks are recalling as a "promised feast" for this dangerous mission.

The Scions go to Snowcloak, imbue the white auracite, and mostly withdrawal because they know they've alerted Iceheart to the plan and none of them can face a primal. Moenbryda waits for WoL while they fight Shiva. And is there afterwards to turn in the quest and pick up the next, "The Road Less Traveled":

Embiggen or use the alt text; Moen's manner is relief and excitement (the latter as is usual for her). She checks the WoL over--especially after hearing their account of the battle and Iceheart's strange words and actions--and she returns to the Rising Stones to report, since WoL has to go to Whitebrim.

And then Dragonhead, to put Haurchefant's worries at ease.

And then meet with Aymeric and Lucia again, for more diplomacy and the infamous argument between Aymeric and Alphinaud.

At this point we are now on "Eyes Unclouded". This is when the WoL FINALLY comes home, 2 quests and a good deal of travel, check-ins, and politicking later. This is the first instance of F'lhaminn's apology:

From where it appeared in my much older screenshots, she continues to say it, her dialogue not changing again for awhile, as we go right back to the Ivy plot and Roaille's escape after this, while the Scions go back to redefining their understanding of primals, based on Moen's readings of the Shiva fight and then WoL's account.

This is also where Higiri is worried about their supplies, specifically wine stores, as Moen is drinking a lot, and encouraging the heavy drinkers like Thancred and Hoary Boulder to do so, too.

This is why New Game+ is so handy; my own logs were incomplete (I wasn't keeping as close track back then and later started copying the log instead of a million screenshots), the optional side dialogue is often missing from online sources and entirely from the Journals and Unending Journey in game, and that optional dialogue often tends to hang around and repeat for awhile in some cases; in 6.5 Sark Malark and Glaumunt in Revenant's Toll are still mentioning Heavensward events (Slafborn's finally talking about something other than Papalymo at least).

Still, I don't think this is a deliberate "WoL is unimportant" or intentional selfishness; they knew WoL was alive and safe, but also reporting to and playing diplomat in Whitebrim and Dragonhead. And with as many people in and out of the Stones at this point going through the stores, and everything else going on, F'lhaminn's comments still strike me as "worried mom made food, but in trying to feed everyone, realized she hadn't made enough after all."

Also probably as an attempt at humor, but it falls flat, given the seriousness of the storylines.

ARR patches have the Scions, and everyone else in Eorzea, admiring and grateful for the WoL, and a bit of taking them for granted, but none of it's maliciously intended. The Scions have known each other for years, and have a few romantic notions still at this point of heroism; the lionization of Louisoix shows that. They see the WoL as a hero worthy of admiration, and who has skills and luck they do not, despite their own prowess.

of course!! this is before and after you go to confront shiva, a mission which is explicitly and repeatedly described as a suicide mission against impossible odds, and involves using an experimental aetheryte with 0 known case of success and a 100% mortality rate (if i remember correctly), to confront an unknown primal INSIDE an ice labyrinth, ALONE. aymeric literally recites your eulogy before you go. like, while your comrades are like "haha surely hydaelyn will not let you die :) i have a good feeling about this :) ummmm but you're sure you want to do this right? haha well yeah anywayyyyy it's not like we have a choice here so uh... good luck!" it's very much clear to everyone that you are not expected to triumph AND survive. as @viiioca also reminded me, this is put in a stark contrast with aymeric (whom you practically just met and is not yet an ally, and is shown as a shrewd diplomat and competent general), who explicitly tells alphinaud (in the wol's presence) that he values his men's lives more than the enemy's defeat. before you leave the rising stones, f'lhaminn tells you that "there will be a piping hot bowl of stew waiting for you!" but when you come back (and find - if i recall correctly - that only moenbryda stayed behind?) and return to the rising stones, f'lhaminn tells you that "there is no more stew because the others ate your portion. i'm sorry :("

Drop a lightning AoE on your Terrified party members to shock them out of it!

Today's cameo is Sylux BountyHunter, the poor bard who didn't get to play the game. Thanks for letting me draw your character! ♥

More comics available at my website! [ Just PUG Things ]

As we see above, by her own account she pursued Fourchenault despite his reputation as an unpleasant man and possibly also a workaholic. Or, I submit, maybe in part because of that last one.

Sphene: I saw you.

'some people just want to get the tomes and get the fuck out'

...okay so if you're in a rush, why the fuck did you sign up for a roulette? Alliance raid roulette? Why are you even trying to possibly speedrush something that with x amount of other random people has the possibility of taking a significant amount of time depending on everyone's else's level of skill or multiple wipes? There are other ways to get the mogtomes, go do those instead of inflicting your poor ass time decisions on the rest of us.

This kind of shit is the reason why we got unskippable cutscenes for the ending of ARR MSQ. Because people kept fucking rushing newbies. I was one of them. I didn't get to see any of those cutscenes until they became unskippable.