#*starter prompts

― FFXIV: SHADOWBRINGERS.

prompts from ffxiv: shadowbringers, including patch 5.1: vows of virtue, deeds of cruelty, patch 5:2: echoes of a fallen star, patch 5.3: reflections in crystal, patch 5.4: futures rewritten and patch 5.5: death unto dawn. spoilers may be present.

what brings you into the wilds this time o’ night?

another of your mysterious friends, is it? i should have known. 

i will answer whatever questions you have when we are somewhere more private. 

if you would prefer something visual to accompany the account, then i think i have an illustrated history book for children somewhere…

yet just when it seemed that all would be lost, a savior appeared before us… 

...i am not familiar with that name. is there something i should know? 

have i earned your trust for the moment, at least?

what a brave and reckless and marvelous thing you did!

my hands find no purchase. my gestures catch no eye. and my pleas, be they whispered or screamed, reach not a single ear… 

this world is beyond saving - like those who try to save it. 

this world has had its fill of heroes.

i… was not aware the room was haunted.

time has only added to the relief i feel, seeing you safe and well.

come - tell me of your arrival, and all that came before! 

what say you, old friend? hungry for another adventure? 

there’s naught to be had here but cobwebs and memories.

they are predators - and we are their prey. 

it is also known as the “city of final pleasures.”

they seem unwilling - nay, unable - to conceive of any other way of life…

i am not so naive as to think there is some miraculous solution to all of this.

let us see to it that both these stories have a happy ending.

welcome, welcome, to the city of final pleasures! 

that silken hair, those pearly cheeks… oh, and you even smell wonderful - like a bed of flowers!

though we share no blood, we have stood by each other through life’s many challenges, resolved to prevail together - or not at all. 

if my wife has given her permission, then you need not seek my say-so.

i tell you what: you hop up on stage and give us a dance first, and then we can have our little talk!

why is this poor man bleeding to death on your floor!?

― FFXIV: ENDWALKER.

a list of starter prompts from ffxiv: endwalker, including patch 6.1: newfound adventure, patch 6.2: buried memory, patch 6.3: gods revel, lands tremble, 6.4: the dark throne and 6.5: growing light. spoilers may be present.

and when one asked, "what is the point?", there were none left to answer.

my love will be with you forever.

i pray we meet again. if not in this life, then perhaps another.

no more will man have wings to bear him to paradise, henceforth, he shall walk.

i did it! i killed them all! i... killed them all...

they are my meaning and my purpose.

would you be 'happier' had i a 'good reason?'

if my motives met with your approval, would you no longer resent the outcome?

if so, then perhaps a beast's skin would suit you better.

think, and find your way in the darkness.

why would i do something so idiotic and inexplicable?

i also take offence to my portrayal and a megalomaniacal madman.

to live is to suffer.

do not avert your eyes, see your life for what it is.

my ideal is inviolate, invincible.

remember when i said i wanted to die and take everyone with me? i meant that.

has your journey been good? has it been worthwhile?

i would have thought you to be above something so banal as despair.

"remove from the field" was not a euphemism for "enthusiastically murder."

it's the little things that make life worth living, don't you think so?

may we please... be friends?

after all, miracles happen every day, do they not?

the air is thick with a palpable aura of malevolence…

but for what you've accomplished, you have my respect and admiration.

the way the sky changes color with the passage of time... it's probably a mundane thing to you, but to me its a marvel.

― FFXIV : DARK KNIGHT QUESTS.

a collection of starter prompts taken from the dark knight job quests in ffxiv - there may be spoilers for these quests. change pronouns and gender as needed.

after witnessing a spectacle like that, everyday life seems rather dull in comparison…

even after he took several wounds, he showed no sign of pain - though there was no mistaking the blood.

open your eyes. look. do you see now? do you see?

there's a darkness within us all - nothing dangerous, mind.

now, bear in mind that while the darkness gives you strength, that strength comes at cost.

that is but one sacrifice, though - and justice demands many.

we're not here for her; we're here for you.

fear, pain, rage - that which lies in the deepest depths of our soul makes for a potent fuel.

the first step over the threshold is always the hardest.

but drink not too deep, lest the flames consume you…

those of you who yet live, remember this horror!

punctual as ever, i see.

do not, however, presume the risks to be any less than before.

i want you to kill something for me.

come on, let's get this over with. i know you're not having second thoughts.

i pity the man who dies without scars.

i’ve sins aplenty, aye, but regrets? not so much.

don't pretend you haven't done this before.

strength is pain. strength is suffering. strength is sacrifice.

close your eyes and hold out your hand towards me

listen to my voice. listen to your heartbeat.

breathe deep through your nose - let the air fill your lungs, then let it pass from your lips. slower, slower…

yet no good deed goes unpunished, does it?

to mete out justice, one must be strong - a simple truth which you already knew, of course.

it begins, as always, with blood.

offer yourself to them. they will come.

remember this feeling. treasure it.

it's time to play the hero!

i mean, look at yourself. most of that's not even your blood!

leave it. you've nothing to be ashamed of.

they know nothing of true sacrifice, and are weak for their ignorance.

in sacrifice there is strength. in sacrifice there is liberation.

at the very least, you must realize that you cannot continue to carry all these burdens…

those who have never known true sacrifice quake at the sight of it.

you know i'm trying to help you, don't you? all of this is for your benefit.

you listen, but you don't understand -

you're the stubborn type. i know that.

..never much cared for the ocean, myself.

i kill your enemies. i fetch your things. i do what you people can't or won't do yourselves.

you're helpless. weak. all you do is want and need.

you must see now what it's doing to us… what they're doing to us…

i wish i could tell you. i wish i could make you see.

felt good, didn't it? seeing that sniveling wretch tremble.

…you stand at the precipice, but do not fear the fall.

ask, and we shall quit this place forever.

only when you have renounced everything are you free to do anything.

this could be the greatest moment of our life…

say my name. say it. my real name.

what you wanted was a mentor.

deny me all you want - you cannot deny what we have done.

a house divided cannot stand, you know.

this childish rebellion ends now.

have i not been good to you? have i not given you everything i promised?

you can't really kill me, you know.

they have borne witness to the darkness within us…

wipe the slate clean. forgive and forget!

darkness dwells within us all, but few are forced to confront it as you are.

well? are you going to kill him, or shall i?

this is the part where you beg for your life.

…i pray you do not make a habit of following men plotting to kill you into secluded areas.

mercy, some would call it. idiocy, i name it.

if i have to drown in the abyss to see it done, i will!

..don't be foolish. you've naught to apologize for.

i couldn't tell when it was raining - whether it was day or night…

…it's not a sin if someone made you do it.

..i should've had them cut out your tongue.

am i supposed to be grateful when you come back covered in blood? when i put you back together so you can do it again!?

you drag me to halfway across the world so you can discover a new way to kill yourself, and you tell me it's for my sake!?

she's just a burden to you. so why do you care what happens to her?

…mayhap it was all but a convenient excuse to indulge in vengeance.

i bore that monster into this world!

for everything that you are - that you have done - you are still her mother.

i will follow you to the ends of the world, if i must.

for a long time, i prayed for forgiveness. i prayed you would take me in your arms and hold me as you did before…

is not this world filled with sadness and despair?

i… i will never be a hero.

it is not death itself we fear, but the unfinished story.

it is enough to break a heart... and a man.

i'm only trying to put the fear of the gods into the little shite, but by all means, go ahead and undermine my authority!

yet the brighter the light, the deeper the shadow.

for all your victories, for all your accomplishments, you cannot turn your mind from the failures.

that which was taken has been reclaimed, but we are not yet whole.

no one can accuse you of not giving the man a chance.

do be sure to wipe the blood from your boots before meeting [ name ].

a lie, however sweet, is nevertheless a lie.

fight, if it be your will, and if the gods show you favor, then so be it.

i knew you would understand. how could you not?

life here is not easy, but it is fulfilling all the same.

a swift death is more than that bastard deserves.

pain is all that is left to her, don't you see?

they say the war's over now, but it never ends for people like you, does it?

she is still a good person. and so are you.

can there be truth in a lie.. .and perhaps salvation as well...?

a lesser man would be tempted to forget, but we know better.

it's not as though i threatened to kill every last one of them and burn their village to cinders. not recently, at least.

here you can immerse yourself in the beauty and the calm, and forget the horrors. almost.

how far we have come, you and i.

this pain, this sadness… it is mine to bear.

we have always been apart, have we not?

if the little bastards didn't want their heads caved in, they shouldn't've tried to sneak up on me.

these are your memories, remember?

the point is, deep down, you wanted this.

i saved lives and punished the wicked, and for a time, that was enough.

we have wept rivers for our dead and cursed the gods for their cruelty.

memories can be powerful and painful… in more ways than one.

the little bastard's a handful and a half.

even now, after everything we have done, we can still go home…

it was not mine to take, but i took it.

…what good are prayers to the dead. they have not ears to listen.

how are we to withstand this relentless onslaught which threatens to consume us?

is there no truth but this, that all men must die?

they made their choices, and such are the consequences.

when i have finished, naught will remain of me.

look how he burns with fervor, with desperation, with faith.

he is not the first, nor will he be the last to betray you.

the dead are forever beyond our reach, and we have no choice but to accept the inevitability that everyone we know and love will join them in time… or do we?

for all our faults, for all our failures, we have made a difference.

time and death, our true enemies, need hold no power over us.

i can make a place for you in my world. you need only ask.

you knew from the first that there was only one way this could end.

if you would not forsake me, then of course you would not forsake him.

he is a fool, but he is our little fool.

he's going to get us killed one of these days...but what can i say? i love him. i forgive him.

you are still a good person.

say your name. your real name!

…shall i ask you the same? who holds the reins?

we are complicit, you and i.

can you even remember why you came here?

can you even remember how many you killed? how many lives shattered, how many stories ended?

justice is an excuse. nobility is a lie. murder is murder!

though we are most definitely not without fault, it is this cruel, indifferent world which has made murderers of us all.

this world is brutal, uncaring, without logic or justice…

no justice but that which we make for ourselves!

i'll be damned if i give it up so you can force your illusions upon us to assuage your guilt!

i am not your enemy. not then or now. i will not fight you.

it's never too late to turn back. you are still a good person.

you can still be…a good person…

ours is the greatest lie of all.

so many broken by this world, and then by you.

everything we fight so desperately to protect slips through our fingers…

what remains… is us. only us, and the memory of our sin.

i wasn't about to stand idly by while that imbecile tries to do… whatever it was he was trying to do.

i offer you peace! restitution! a chance to make amends!

when it comes, i shall welcome it with open arms…

again and again and again you kill. do you feel nothing!?

you know my heart! it bleeds like any other!

these scars and sins are ours to bear - not to deny!

no, no, no... that is not how this story goes...

i ask, i beg, i pray, but it never comes…

such is the fate of all who are born - to suffer and to die.

do not seek forgiveness, for it will not ease the burden. it weighs as it should.

no one likes having to say good-bye. but it's… it's a part of life.

i forgive you. i forgive you. i forgive you…

thank you. that is… that is all i ever wanted…

so… this is it. one last parting.

in your darkest hour, in the blackest night… think of me… and i will be with you.

for where else could i go? who else could i love but you?

a man can never truly understand what's in another's heart… and probably not their own, for that matter…

i like you. i respect you. and i'll always be here for you, if you need me.

part of me can't help but think this was all a fever dream.

it's nice to dream of a world without pain and suffering. but the world is what it is, and dreams will only carry you so far.

not a day goes by without your name being spoken, you know.

the pleasure of your company alone would be more than enough.

your destiny was never to remain here, was it? though a part of me wishes that you would…

you will always have a place here, [ name ]. for you are family.

the world waits for none - not even you.

you've an insatiable hunger for it, don't you?

even when you bite off more than you can chew, you refuse to let go.

from the moment i laid eyes on you, i suspected you were a particular blend of impulsive and stubborn.

victories like that are always bought with blood.

being grim and dark will only get you so far, don't you remember?

now, if you'll excuse me, i have an angry girl to mollify.

yet you never were one to let a mystery remain unsolved, were you?

they will tell you who they see, but you and you alone know who you are.

if you find comfort in my words, they are yours for the taking, but that is your choice.

but if you're reading this, then you know how the story goes, don't you?

what will your legacy be tomorrow, and the day after, and in the days after that…?

it never had to be this way. this world is exactly as we choose to make it.

i told you before you know how the story goes, didn't i?

it's been a long, strange journey, filled with all kinds of ups and downs.

i want to believe - i need to believe that this was not for nothing.

i don't know when we'll do this again - if we'll ever do this again.

the little trick you've learned doesn't count, you know.

even if this is our end, it won't change what we had.

i love you more than you'll ever know.

― FROM THE MOUTH OF : THE SCIONS.

a collection of starter prompts taken from hoary and ochre boulder, coultenet, f'lhaminn, alianne, ephemie, riol, bluomwyda, aergmhus, v'mah tia, j'moldva, aenor and clemence cockburne from ffxiv - there may be spoilers. change pronouns and gender as needed.

yours is a welcome face indeed in these troubled times.

well, far be it from me to turn away good company.

to see them as they are and be powerless to help them… it is a pain beyond words.

i believe proper introductions have yet to be made.

if i didn't know you better ─ and i do ─ i'd say you were merely seeking to test yourself against a legend.

…do try not to disappoint them, hm?

what better way to test my mettle?

the tales barely do you justice!

these moments of peace never last long though, do they?

i had no idea that you would be assisting us personally, [ name ]!

if such thoughts bring you joy, you are welcome to think them.

i know it's important work, but sometimes you want to be in the thick of it, you know?

he is a good man, but i can tell the betrayal yet weighs on his mind.

i'm thinking of commissioning a pair of rings…

[ name ], you cannot be serious! he must be three times your size! i mean, how would you even...

no, no, don't tell me. i don't want to know.

long has it been since we last met, but surely you haven't forgotten, have you?

really, you didn't have to come all this way just for us!

come here - let me have a good look at you.

those dark days are behind us at last.

…it feels good to be home again.

…gods help me, but the older i get, the more sentimental i become.

glad though i am to be home, i cannot help but think of those who have yet to return…

an unexpected but welcome reunion indeed!

a passing fancy i could suffer, but this!?

i keep thinking about you… and your brother… and me…

would that i had something other than grim tidings to share with her…

leave the worrying to us, for the time being, at least.

my wardrobe will certainly not lack for color!

gods, i did not expect to meet you strolling about town!

to fight at your side has long been a dream that i can scarce believe is coming true.

since when did you become a bloodhound?

a storm of blood approaches fast…

we travel where the wind takes us, and drink in all the wonders this world has to offer.

i ain't ready to climb into me grave just yet!

i too have been reflecting on the choices which shaped my path.

i thought long and hard about how to approach you without arousing suspicion...

still, there are nights when i lie awake wondering, if i had done things differently...

we must count our blessings, must we not? we are still here, and most of what was broken can be rebuilt.

i am heartened to see not a single face clouded with despair!

i hoped you'd come to your senses, but I see you're still in the throes of withdrawal.

how cruel fate is to force me to choose...

i don't think i'd be much use on a battlefield these days.

i know your instinct is to charge into the fray, but even heroes need rest.

these revelations are dire, but the flame of hope yet burns bright.

i followed your every success, and celebrated in secret.

it was no trouble to me, my darling.

i need you to realize how far you've come, and how much further you may still ─ must still go.

you have succeeded where i failed, and made me so proud that... that words fail me.

never did i imagine such greatness could be born from a beginning so humble.

not everyone who endeavors to find me does so with the best intentions.

do you imagine i travelled all this way on a whim?

duty is an unforgiving mistress, eh?

such is the fate of he who would toy with women's hearts.

let us see how [ names]'s silver tongue wags its way out of this one.

repetition and routine beget skill. skill begets confidence.

not that I expected any less, but 'tis good to see you home and unharmed.

wish they'd hurry up and get their arses back over here…

it would seem her legacy is indeed in capable hands.

if this is simply a matter of satisfying your curiosity, i'm afraid i must refuse.

oh, as if you wouldn't try to get rid of me at the first opportunity!

my sister has the most curious ideas about courtship…

you mean to help us, even after learning of the horrible thing we've done?

oh, [ name ], why must you always fall for these tragic types?

adventurers never stay in one place, for it is not who we are.

you would think i'd be used to it by now, having to see your children off, but...

they're smitten with the newcomer, the both of them!

i won't let him come between us! hmmm, if he were to join us, on the other hand...

even as “bit players” they show such passion, such fervor!

oh, what i wouldn't give to be a bit player too ─ or better yet, play with their ─

there was nothing i could do but pray from here.

i was relieved to the point of tears when everyone made it back safely.

since she can't seem to spare any concern for me, i won't offer any to her, either!

strange to say that it is amidst this ceaseless clamor that i feel most at peace.

pain is but weakness leaving the body…

far too much blood has been spilt, and far too many lives lost.

full glad am i to have everyone back ─ the place had been too quiet.

they're practically inseparable these days, and i don't think he has many other friends…

much has happened these past moons, and we all can use a rest every now and again.

the memory remains vivid, yet it feels like a lifetime ago.

do i truly inspire so little confidence…?

look forward, never back. devote yourself only to the present.

what of this fetching young lady with whom you seem so well acquainted?

i set out on this journey with a single goal, and it has been achieved.

now that freedom is won, we'd be fools to let it slip through our fingers.

none of us could have foreseen what unfolded there…

i've been friends with [ name ] long enough to know he doesn't like people fussing over him.

indeed, her skillful ministrations have provided much comfort…

i know all too well the burden that is a precocious sibling.

i've realized it's time I found my own way in life.

while we may enjoy a comparatively peaceful life at present, it does not mean that no trouble is afoot.

though the worst has yet to come, i must abstain from indulging in a glass of wine until after it's passed.

i must admit, her enthusiasm is rather contagious.

remember ─ you do not walk alone, my friend.

besides, you should be out having grand adventures, not withering away here with me.

over the years i've learned that it is better to busy yourself with things you can control rather than worry about things you cannot.

yes, the world may still be in the throes of change, but it is improving.

i sit here, praying that whatever new road you walk will bring you the wonder and joy you deserve.

― FFXIV : PHYSICAL DPS QUESTS.

a collection of starter prompts taken from the physical dps role quests in ffxiv - there may be spoilers for these quests. change pronouns and gender as needed.

wait. you wouldn’t happen to be… 

you're just the sort of man i’ve been looking for! 

w-wait! i have money! lots and lots of money!

i daresay this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership! 

let us commemorate the occasion with a feast! eat, drink, and be merry!

whether or not they were heroes or villains or whatever a hundred years ago doesn’t matter to me.

i can see it now - you and me in the heat of battle, fighting side by side, the picture of courage and camaraderie!

...oh? is the reward lacking? my apologies.

wait… it’s you! it’s really you! you actually came -

nothing for it but to roll up our proverbial sleeves and do the dirty work ourselves!

finish it, you bloody bastard! finish me! 

i’ll not let it end like this. i promise.

i have heard this tale before, i know it… 

there’s really nothing quite like a hearty meal after a job well done.

i am prepared to fund our activities as needed - no expense shall be spared! none whatsoever!

don’t tell me you’re the little lordling’s newest “bosom companion”?

hate to say it, [ name ], but it seems we’re late to the party.

you poor, daft sod…

unlike you, i’m not all talk.

how much did it cost you to buy his “friendship”? do tell.

when it all goes wrong, don’t say i didn’t warn you…

now then, how much do you require this time? out with it.

that is why you are here, is it not? another handout?

don’t play coy. you’ve never been any good at it.

i have enjoyed a relatively privileged upbringing. privileged... and unbearably boring.

for all the good they had done in life, none could deny the chaos they sowed in death.

when you wanted to hear tales of adventure and heroism, i couldn’t help but share with you the ones nearest and dearest to my heart.

even if the tales were a little embellished over the years, they were rooted in truth. 

she was and will always be a hero to me - and to you, i hope.

don’t just accept what others tell you as good and true.

listen to your heart and decide for yourself.

the way she carries herself even now bespeaks a confidence i cannot help but envy…

i wish you were all here with me… but i know it’s better that you’re not. 

we have a score to settle, you bloody bastard - and this time, i’m ready for your tricks…

if i’d only been this strong back then, they’d still be alive…

the lone wolf just had to do it on her own terms…

i’ll tell you all about it after we kill this bloody bastard, aye?

i’m sorry for trying to go it alone.

why, pray tell, did you even try to do something so foolish? 

i survived, they didn’t. 

i swore vengeance, but had no idea how to go about pursuing it.

i never intended to keep it all a secret. it’s just… you never asked, and since i’d rather not talk about it… 

easier to live in the moment, you know? 

are we or are we not comrades? through thick and thin? 

these bonds of fellowship between us must come before all else. otherwise, they may as well not exist. 

you say the thought of losing us pained you?

what of our feelings? what of our loss? what if we had not arrived when we did!? 

you've saved our lives more times than i can count - how dare you refuse to let us do the same!

ignorance is not bliss, let me tell you! 

honestly, i don’t know why i ever placed my faith in you.

i think you may have been the only friend he has had for some time… 

call me a coward if you like, but my cowardice saved my life! 

good luck, friend… but have no doubt that you’re going to your doom.

why are you here? don’t tell me you came for me? 

i hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for all the things i said.

i’ve regretted my behavior ever since the day we parted ways. it was stupid and nonsensical and utterly pointless. 

i’m not sure i could even tell you why i did what i did…

[ name ], my friend, my partner - i trust you are ready? 

i struggled to conceive of how even to broach the subject… 

i will do whatever must needs be done to see this through to the end! 

he said he found my industriousness… endearing. 

i’m sorry you’re dead but you don’t have to be such a bloody arse about it!

i should’ve never betrayed your trust. never again, i swore. never again. 

that’s what it means to let someone into your heart, knowing full well that nothing lasts forever.

what else could we do but offer up that tiny remainder in a final, futile effort?

even knowing, deep down, it was worth but a few moments more…

you gave me fear…and that fear gave me strength…

it’s not right. it’s not fair.

heroes sacrificing themselves for nothing. becoming villains. being forgotten… 

she was hero to me too, and it broke my heart to know what had become of her… 

at least i can take comfort in knowing she can finally enjoy a long rest.

that… that is so preposterous a tale that i have no choice but to assume it is true.

i would like to think that if you were in mortal peril that i would fly to your side without hesitation… 

if i were challenged to offer up my life for others, without even knowing if it would amount to aught… i doubt i could rise to the occasion. 

i cannot recall a time i have felt happier and more alive than when i have traveled with you.

you have countless other journeys ahead of you, don’t you?

for you are destined for greater challenges - whereas i am suited to rather more pedestrian affairs.

i can scarce begin to imagine the horrors you have witnessed there.

we remain very much in the dark as to the precise nature of the threat we face. 

despite our differences, we cannot abandon our kin to such a cruel fate. 

they walk this path of their own free will.

together, we will weather this storm, and usher in a new age of harmony. 

‘tis a daunting task that lies before us.

should the talks deteriorate and things come to blows, i cannot be seen to bloody my hands.

prolonging this conflict any further will lead only to needless suffering. 

you would call this a blessing!?

what happiness can be found in giving over their hearts and minds to a false god?

if i didn’t know better, i’d think you’d been leading us for years.

they sound more like mortal enemies than old companions…

watch as i get him talking without so much as lifting a finger. 

do you have any words for your men on the eve of battle?

there it is… the dread beast i saw beneath the waves…

oh, for a blessed moment, i felt the faintest touch of hope… 

you tell then that we have no future…? 

when no path to victory can be found, flee and fight another day.

to defeat your enemy, first you must know your enemy

why’d you have to go and bloody whistle…

quite the view, wouldn’t ye say?

i often come here to admire the sea. 

rush in blindly, and it will go as poorly for you as it did the first time.

forgive us for what we must do. 

it is not her - it is not. remember this always. you must. 

i will not ask you to shoulder the burden of matricide. 

when the time comes to strike the final blow, i will do the deed.

you’ve grown into this role quite well, haven’t you?

you mustn’t sully your hands with the blood of your mother!

i prefer to think of myself as… fashionably late. 

not to worry - unlike you, i’m not a baby.

i will not ask for your forgiveness.

but no more - i would break the cycle. 

i daresay we have a lot of talking to do as well

we can take pride in the respite we’ve won, but we must never forget those who could not be here with us to enjoy it.

let’s hear your excuse - and it had better be a good one. 

but i’ve got you now, and i will have satisfaction!

there i thought you were too much of a coward to face me in battle.

any parting words before we go our separate ways?

speaking of wine, i’ve always preferred the older vintages.

slipping away again, are we? you are a creature of habit. 

i resented you for it at the time, you know.

i'm a creature of whimsy - a man who lets the tailwind carry him where it will.

if you hadn’t been there for us both, i don’t know if i could’ve pulled the trigger… 

it is clear we are united more by our similarities than we are divided by our differences. 

i fear this may be a hunt she cannot undertake alone. 

no doubt she will be grateful to have someone familiar with our city and customs at her side.

what’s more, eerie accounts have begun to circulate amongst the residents.

now, what say we see if there’s any trouble afoot? 

you dare add insult to injury by calling her a liar!?

if anything out of the ordinary has occurred, no doubt they’ll be aware of it.

the waters will flow red. of that, there can be no doubt. 

if you ask me, they’re the ones thirsty for blood… 

if we do this, we won’t just be starting a battle - we’ll be starting a war! 

i say we give the bastards what they deserve!

they’ll go for their neighbor’s jugular to save their own skin.

for a blessing, all has been peaceful. 

‘tis all we can do to hold onto peace while it lasts.

she was fearsome, that one, right up until the moment i drove my blade into her back. 

exceptional talent? exceptional egos, more like… 

just once, i wanted to be acknowledged. i wanted to feel pride…

more importantly, i apologize for deceiving you. 

i thought with someone as strong as you at my side, maybe…just maybe, i could avenge her.

i thought you might resent me for lying to you.

what i’m trying to say is… i can’t do anything on my own. 

i’m reckless, and impulsive, and… i’m just really glad to have you by my side.

i’m sorry, you must be completely bewildered. 

all my life, i thought this was simply how nature intended for me to be.

i don’t know if i can properly describe this feeling to you.

finally, i don’t feel like a burden. 

i feel as though i have just woken from the strangest dream…

in the shadows will you scream, yet none will hear.

― BLOODBORNE STARTER PROMPTS.

a collection of starter prompts from fromsoftware's bloodborne ( 2015 ), featuring unused dialogue and dialogue from the old hunters dlc.

we are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood.

without fear in our hearts, we're little different from the beasts themselves.

but do the gods love their creations?

a hunter is a hunter, even in a dream.

the nightmare swirls and churns unending!

you call me a beast? a beast? what would you know?

what a joy it is, to behold the divine.

rancid beasts, every last one of us…

the night… and the dream… were long…

it's enough to make a man sick…

now I may sleep in peace. even in this darkest of nights, i see… the moonlight…

beasts all over the shop. you'll be one of them… sooner or later…

but, where's an outsider like yourself to begin?

what a mess you've been caught up in. and tonight, of all nights.

i can see things. i knew it; i'm different.

only an honest death will cure you now.

too proud to show your true face, eh?

try stirring up trouble in this sorry state!

but beware, secrets are secrets for a reason.

ahh, tonight, there's something different in the air…

you should appreciate it, if you've a grain of gratitude in you!

the locals aren't apt to share any local history.

you are a skilled hunter. adept, merciless, half-cut with blood. as the best hunters are.

go slit some throats, get this mess done with.

we must find a way to surpass our own stupidity.

the night brims with defiled scum, and is permeated by their rotten stench.

aah, you were at my side, all along.

a corpse… should be left well alone.

this bloody fate is ours alone.

so, don't be brash, turn back before it's too late.

this town is cursed. whatever your reasons might be, you should plan a swift exit.

go on, admit it, you think we're all mad, don't ya?

just don't let the blood intoxicate you.

what was it? the hunt? the blood? or the horrible dream?

a pitiful tale of petty arrogance, really. high time someone exposed the whole charade.

this night is long, but morning always comes.

whatever happens... you may think it all a mere bad dream...

a fellow outsider. you must have had a fine time of it.

haven't you seen enough of the wretched beasts, freakish slugs, and mad doctors?

i only wanted to help… just once in my life…

i can wait. i won’t be afraid.

i will not die, tarnished as i am.

in the age of the great ones, wedlock was a blood contract.

here we stand, feet planted in the earth, but might the cosmos be very near us, only just above our heads?

welcome to my quarters. i've never entertained a guest before.

that on a night of the hunt, no, on any night, nothing out there deserves to live.

the reek of blood. that intolerable scent. it sickens me.

it isn't fair. it just isn't fair...

now the only voices heard there are the howls of beasts.

you can always tell me. mother will make everything better.

this may sound strange, but... have i somehow changed?

vermin writhe deep within all filth, and are the root of man's impurity.

oh, thank the stars, you're fairly normal.

one must be strong, resilient to the seduction of blood, and gracious when taking a comrade's life.

what is friendship, but a chance encounter?

everything is pale, now…

makes me think, once dawn breaks, maybe I can just, you know, start-over.

this village is the true secret... testament to the old sins.

you have the whole night to dream. make the best of it.

may you find your worth in the waking world.

would you ever think to love me? of course... i do love you.

if a weapon ain't got kick, it just ain't worth it.

my glory days were long ago now…

you've given me hope, terribly kind of you.

please, somebody, anybody, somebody look into my eyes.

let flame cleanse this house of horrors.

in the end, it is said, he left his secret with the lake.

if you still insist on hunting them, then i will hunt you first.

we shall not give audience to an ill-mannered beast.

i'd like to tender my thanks, but i haven't much to offer..

this chamber was not made for one alone.

we made it, with our lives.

yeah sorry, too sharp for that bollocks. i know a superstition when i hear one.

nightmares and secrets… they will only get you so far.

now I'm waking up, i'll forget everything…

the beasts you seek will not be found here.

have you got a screw loose? or is it your… animal intuition?

oh, this cannot be, you cannot be..

i'm not entirely useless… i can still do my share.

bathed in pools of their blood, and forever steeped in their ire.

i will be here for you, to embolden your sickly spirit.

look at you, you sorry drunk.

i know what you did to them… it's not your fault.

you must find your own way on this hunt. as I have mine.

i'll string you up like the filthy beast you are.

it's you -- you're the beast.

the damp darkness… it, it frightens me.

the blood makes us human. makes us more than human. makes us human no more.

acts of goodness are not always wise.

oh, the good old days, what a laugh, eh?

curse the fiends. their children too. and their children, forever, true.

you told me to live, and so i did.

why not co-operate, and discuss the things we've learned?

oh is that you again? i'm afraid i've made a bit of a blunder.

she hears people whisper, she knows what people think of her.

do you hear the toll of the bell?

oh, you are a sick puppy…

are we left no other choice, than to burn it all to cinders?

you know not the value you possess.

time is a cruel, cruel thing.

do you hear the graveyard murmurs?

please, tell me that it was enough. please, my dear…

i might be trapped here, but i should do something to help.

in case you fail to realise, the things you hunt -- they're not beasts, they're people.

like the moment one licks one's own blood, only to be startled by its sweetness.

do you think the water drips, even down deep below at the bottom of the sea?

just think about what you're doing - it's utter madness.

unshackle me please, anybody… i've had enough of this dream…

you'll do the rescuing, and i'll do the saving.

we're not like you. don't you understand that, we're still normal.

fear the old blood.

for the night of the hunt is long, and unchanging.

we fail to realize our own latent potential, until the moment it is lost, and we sense its absence.

it won't end very nicely, not this time.

amazing, really. not cause you're a hunter, but because you're you.

how long I've waited. for this chance to do something.

― FFXIV : DRAGOON QUESTS.

a collection of starter prompts taken from the dragoon job quests in ffxiv - there may be spoilers for these quests. change pronouns and gender as needed.

secrecy being paramount, i can provide no details as to the nature of the task.

you may be assured that a fate worse than death awaits him upon capture. 

now go, and speak not a word of what i have told you to anyone.

i know not whether to laugh or feel insulted. 

our paths shall cross again. you can be sure of it.

to pursue [ name ] in your current state would be tantamount to suicide. 

the power of the dragon is a thing to be loathed. 

but enough of history - let us return our attention to the present.

raging infernos painting the belly of the sky an angry red… 

i was there through it all - bore witness to all the horrors. 

my thoughts wandered to all the innocent lives that had been lost - the people i had failed to protect. 

i would not have you think me noble. 

my actions were born not of compassion but of guilt. 

the armor is yours - wear it with pride and honor. 

do not let overconfidence be your downfall.

you stand before me as prepared for your ultimate challenge as any could be. 

the power did not abandon me, forename. it was i who abandoned it. 

sorrow… rancor… pity… they threatened to drown the man in me

the desire to protect and the desire to avenge are opposing forces that can ill be reconciled. 

never allow yourself to forget the origin of your strength. 

i have borne witness to many and more wonders over the years, yet none compares to you.

i pray that he is somewhere out there still… and that he has not wholly forgotten the great man he once was. 

if we are to survive, we must grow stronger - i must grow stronger! 

if i am to transcend my limits, ‘tis plain i must cast aside my preconceptions. 

all that i do, i do to honor you.

my child, you would honor me best by taking care of yourself.

it shall be my honor to fight shoulder to shoulder with you. 

remember, the dead cannot serve their nation.

now, before you go, there is something i wish you to have. 

strong as she is, she cannot have survived that… 

tell me everything that happened. everything.

tell them that i… that i fell in battle. 

whatever you might think of my request, believe me when i say that i remain firm in my purpose. 

thank you for giving me this hope, at least.

rest assured your secret is safe with us. 

i wish with all my heart to return home, but i have no choice! 

if i alone must suffer, then so be it.

you cannot mean to throw your life away!

if i must die, it shall not be in vain! 

the hour of reckoning is at hand.

i have come to bring you home.

not once have you yielded to fate, and you mustn’t yield to it now.

the road ahead will be fraught with hardships, this i do not doubt, but i have faith that you will overcome them all and return to us.

i owe you a debt of gratitude once more. 

‘tis a queer new world indeed that we inhabit, though not one i dislike. 

these kinds of legends are oft told in increasingly... colorful ways as the years go on. 

i do not know about you, but that was somewhat bigger than what i was expecting. 

my voice does not reach her. 

i have been alive far, far longer than you and yet have nothing to show for it. 

old habits do not die so easily.

i chose to embark upon my own journey. 

it should come as no surprise that she would succumb to madness.

why? why must we go to war…? i have no ill will, no desire to fight… 

mere words will scarce be enough to convey mine appreciation. 

i refused to allow his hatred to take root within me.

ever did i regret not following my heart - and my beloved. 

your strength far exceeds the tales i have heard.

i have long since left that life behind. 

to fall so far from grace… ‘tis a tragic tale, if ever i heard one.

even death could not quell his thirst for vengeance. 

i fear his soul yet lingers, doomed to wander endlessly.

such rage… such sorrow…

two souls, entwined by fate. 

we are all the same. slaves to our emotion, subservient to our hearts.

i mourn the loss of what he once was, what he may have become had he been dealt a kinder fate. 

were you able to pay your respects? 

a pity he is far beyond the reach of justice.

― FFXIV : TANK ROLE QUESTS.

a collection of starter prompts taken from the tank role quests in ffxiv - there may be spoilers for these quests. change pronouns and gender as needed.

seen your fair share of fighting, have you?

when i first laid eyes on you, i had a feeling you were a tough bastard.

easy, killer. i couldn't care less who you are or what you've done

the only thing i'm looking for these days is a like-minded partner.

i like you, sinner.

you'll be doing them a favor putting them out of their misery.

you can be sure that they haven't forgotten the day the bastard came through…

well, i was planning to tell you the whole story eventually, but I suppose now is as good a time as any…

there wasn't time to mourn or to think.

i could never say no to her. not once in the years we'd been together.

i swore then and there i'd have my vengeance.

sorry to have kept you waiting, sinner.

"no such thing as a thing without value." that's the creed of these folk.

he… he can't keep getting away with it…

it's just… every time i cut one down, it reminds me of my first.

i've been there, so maybe it'll help me to find the right words. not that there ever are any.

how many such innocents will die before you do what must needs be done?

so I am to gamble with their lives instead? let them shield me while i alone take shelter and look down on them from on high!?

i will not stand idly by when i have the power to make a difference.

indeed, i have dealt with many a stubborn child in my life…

he's a murderer, and i'll not hear it said otherwise.

every night i go to bed dreaming of the day i'll take my revenge.

while your thirst for vengeance is quite natural and understandable, it is ultimately misguided.

hate and anger and vengeance are all i've got now!

this is how it has to be, hmm? who you have to be?

you are most tenacious, but everyone has their limits…

don't you touch her, you bastard!

am I… your princess still?

would you honor your vows, even now?

i'll not hesitate again. no matter the cost - no matter the sacrifice…

indeed, there is comfort and certainty in hatred… but it is a false and fleeting comfort.

the unwavering blade cares not whom it serves nor who it cuts.

i wanted to hollow myself out… and fill up that hole with hate.

“hard men” making hard choices… what rot.

i don't need the hate. never did.

i can't live off hate. shouldn't've made it this far, frankly.

no, i will not forsake compassion and love.

has the turmoil in your heart subsided at last?

are you getting misty-eyed at the thought of us parting ways?

you will forgive me for eschewing further formalities, as time is of the essence.

you saved my life, and one good turn deserves another.

in these troubled times, fear and despair can drive even the goodliest of souls to desperate ends.

no road is closed to those true of heart.

keep heart, for brighter days lie ahead of us.

we can cower in fear, or we can strive to lift one another's flagging spirits.

i've seen the dead with my own eyes - don't tell me what is and isn't true!

is there naught that can be done for these poor souls?

this storm has passed, but a darker tempest roils in the distance.

maybe we didn't choose to be born this way, but i don't think it makes us that different from everyone else.

you've suffered terrible trials, yet still you stand tall and resolute.

you grow numb to the violence and the killing out of necessity.

when the dust had settled, i was another body clinging to life amongst the fallen.

i could not keep watch over you at all hours, not even if I tried.

your reputation for magnanimity is well deserved!

truth be told, i couldn't remember the ancient rite's name, so I just made something up on the spot.

my duty weighed heavy on my heart - so heavy that at times i scarce remembered to breathe.

i was not there for you then, but i am here for you now

you were inspiring to behold - and not for the first time, I must say…

in all our time together, i have never seen you so hard-pressed.

i do what i love, and desire naught else.