Gerel Kha

I can't really answer the first two prompts, since I try to keep myself from getting too embroiled in any sort of drama/politics, but the third is something I can help with! For Balmung? Pearl Lane in Ul'dah's Steps of Thal has become a prominent random RP spot for walk-ups and the like. You could also try looking at the party finder for any social events/gatherings, as well as FC recruitment ads. There is also the Fellowship addition which can lead you to specified groups and communities that fit your criteria.

Anyway, that aside, welcome to the community! If you haven't already, taking a trip to either Balmung or Mateus can give you a greater chance at walk-up RP. I can't speak for Mateus, but Balmung's scene tends to gravitate towards Pearl Lane in Ul'dah these days--but you can definitely still find the occasional thing going on elsewhere! Another way is popping in on events that're being advertised in the party finder. Plenty of bars/restaurants/clubs being hosted for those looking to find a more relaxed environment for making connections. Finally, I'll throw my hat into the ring as well! I'm Gerel Kha on Balmung; feel free to shoot me a message if you ever see me around! Always happy to do a bit of walk-up RP (if I'm able) or discuss this or that about the community/lore/etc.

I mean, ultimately, it boils down to the same thing: player discretion. The thing about injuries is that they're inherently limiting. You can't go out on big adventures if you're nursing a wound every other day because of this or that. It tends to be why the actual thing gets downplayed or easy-fixed in a few days time. At the same time, though, people still like playing off said injuries for dynamism or drama. Really, it's gonna come down to who you're RPing with, what you're looking for, and the kind of character you're playing. Mine's no stranger to war and death and injury-- but that's precisely why they're fairly good at avoiding it. They've done the song and dance enough times to know that getting injured all the time isn't exactly wise or productive, so they do their absolute best to mitigate it as much as possible. But it's all contextual, as you said. Some people are gonna look at the OOC aspect of content and apply it IC, yeah, but there's also still a good chance they'll play it the same way: stuff happens, oh well, not hurt. And that could then translate into how they handle conflict and consequence. This kind of topic is always going to cycle back to communication and trust.

So, as Faye mentioned, it's gonna differ between everybody. My character is a battle-hardened veteran who does do the aforementioned and kits herself out to be the best she can possibly be in a fight--from enchanted and highly conductive weaponry/armor to having a passing-to-expert knowledge of various magical disciplines. This does tend to make her fairly hearty. At the same time? She's been injured by something as simple as getting beaned by a bean bag. Her guard's not up all the time, after all. But there are plenty of characters who prefer to tread the more grounded and everyday aspects. The average adventurer who's still learning the ropes, the grizzled veteran who's a little past their prime, the flower-selling merchant who wanders about... lot of them are likely not to be in a position where they can suffer grievous blows and make it out unscathed. And that's fine. It does add a touch of drama to a general scene and contributes to a more vibrant atmosphere. But in either situation, you're gonna find people who just aren't "with that." And that's fine, too. The most important thing to do is to communicate with your RP partners of the time and find some common ground. When it comes to injuries and healing? Something I'll often do with my character's attempts at mending others is put on a stipulation of "yeah, no, she's not great at it and her method of healing doesn't work as well for those aren't Monks--it hurts." Along with that? There's still a recovery period I try and put out there (which can be ignored, of course) to give those who're still seeking an injury arc without it being incredibly lengthy. When it comes to anything that's really dire, though, I tend to leave it up to the player in question. Always a good chance there's something they're trying to do story-wise.

It's a hand wave, mostly. They also say that they'll meet you in Kugane, at one point, since they know you can just teleport there and they can't. They still end up meeting you almost immediately after. You often just have to assume that "indeterminate amount of time has passed" in such situations.

Would likely depend on their aether reserves, honestly. Some RP as having the bare minimum, and so they're unable to functionally use the Aetheryte System past cities. They'll often hoof it, sail the seas, book an airship, or rely on friends with vaster pools of energy to help speed things along. So for them? It may be far more likely they're running a caravan-style setup for whenever they're on prolonged adventures. But for a lot of veteran adventurers? Using the Aetherytes tends to mitigate the actual need for that. Why prep three different chocobos when you can just hop over, do the deed, and pop back to the city for a cold drink in the span of a day? Granted! They may still opt for a caravan if they're going into uncharted territory/on a lengthy quest/off to gather materials. There's a lot of leeway for how someone wishes to approach this, with a bit of circumstance coloring the details.

Honestly, there are a ton of ways to get involved. One of the more common? Walk-up RP! Type /roleplaying whenever you're ready to begin, hit the walk button, and go searching for anything that really piques your interest. Popular scene at the moment for Balmung is Ul'dah's Pearl Lane. Another way is to keep tabs of various RP events that're going on. If you take a look at the party finder on any given night, you'll likely find a number of RP get-togethers being advertised. They're often bars/taverns and restaurants, but it you'll sometimes find more niche gatherings being advertised across the entirety of the data center. You could also throw up an advertisement on this very site for any potential plots/ideas you'd like to explore with like-minded and interested souls. Really, main way of finding RP is persistence and communication with your fellow RPers. Keeping a friendly and open mind will do wonders to help you find your place in things as you experiment and find what, exactly, works for you in MMO RP.

Afraid I can't think of any off the top of my head. Following Stormblood's initial release, the Steppe RP scene sort of died down due to the requisite of needing to level that high through the MSQ for the chance. Turned away a lot of people with newly-made Xaela characters.

Chiming in as someone who plays a Healer-specialized Arcanist on an alt! Yeah, it's totally fine to branch out and start developing your own spells. It's part of how anything grows and evolves to encompass more than the base field--something Arcanima excels at, actually. It's meant to be a fairly adaptable and strategic form of magick. It may lack the raw force and power of other schools that mirror it, but that's because it can theoretically be far more dynamic. So long as you put in the effort, the work, and the research? Your idea sounds very plausible.Just make sure you do avoid the "I have the cure-all!" factor when you're approaching healing. Communicate with your patient OOCly, get the specifics, all that. Don't wanna step on any toes and take away any tension the writer is trying to draw from the injury/sickness, after all!

It's a pretty staple thing in Japenese comedy/drama, but I believe you're right!

Think I know which one you're talking about, and it was more about a guy being attracted to an actor who he at first thought was a woman--but was revealed to be a man who regularly played women. Basically a small homage to the onnagata of Kabuki theater. He did still end up finding the man and his performance incredibly attractive, though, and felt that it didn't matter in the long road--the depth of his passion was enough.

I'd say so, yeah. You're gonna get people who'll disagree, but you'll find that even for people who do RP concepts that're considered "more canon" than others. At the end of the day? Just RP and have fun. You'll find people who'll join in soon enough.

Much as Valence said, there really isn't a lore precedent I can think of that really touches upon anything of that nature. Fantasias are the only thing I can recall that are even remotely similar--and as you said, it's not entirely considered "canon" by some. Otherwise? The only transgender characters I've seen in the setting are other RPers exploring it.

Welcome to the community! Hope you continue to have a great time!

It's from a Kotaku article that went up today. Last question. https://kotaku.com/final-fantasy-xiv-director-talks-class-changes-music-1838148771