(06-24-2016, 06:43 AM)savail Wrote: [ -> ]So here's the problem...what would be her age and race? Â If I remember MSQ right, Falcon's Nest was cut off during or around the time of the Calamity. Â In order to be well-off as an Ishgardian, she most likely has to be Elezen with a possibility of Hyur (could explain the father's drive and strict denouncement of outsiders/heretics/etc...not wanting to accidentally lose their "status"). Â Because of her family history, she's positioned to be well-educated with a wide variety of learned skills (albeit nothing specialized due to the young age she was separated), so she could also theoretically swing as an Elezen child of 12-14 years (a la Lalafell character model similar to the "12 summers" girl in Gridania) masquerading as an adult Lalafell to get by.
After the Calamity 5 years ago, Ishgard experienced a perpetual winter. Soon after the snows began, the lakes in western Coerthas froze and the ice crept to the Gargoyle Pass, sealing it in ice. Today, this ice wall is called Snowcloak, but it did trap many of the residents of western Coerthas (Falcon's Nest, Hemlock, Gorgagne Mills, Dusk Vigil...) behind in the worst of the winter. A little bit more lore about these settlements can be found in the
Eorzean Settlements Timeline.
As for having a background of well-off knights, you might first want to move your backstory away from Falcon's Nest. Prior to its destruction in the Calamity, it was a very humble and poor hamlet, notable only for its shepherds and falconers. A knight of some prestige would've been more likely to have been stationed or living in the Dusk Vigil at the time, and had some affiliation with House Durendaire. If your family were artisans of repute, I'd have suggested Hemlock.
As for the race thing, Elezen are the majority race in Ishgard, followed by Hyur, with very small populations of the other races as well. Elezen and Hyur have equal chances of becoming nobility, so you don't need to feel pressured into Elezen. There are plenty of Hyuran nobility running around Heavensward.
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(06-24-2016, 06:43 AM)savail Wrote: [ -> ]Now, if there was a convincing way to have a Miqo'te or Au Ra in that situation...from a model standpoint, I'd find that preferable, but I don't think the lore really fits outside of "adopted." Buuuut I also have doubts that Ishgard would be open to adopting outsider children...even a "curiosity" like an Au Ra.
Au Ra is tricky because of the very limited number of times Xaela have traveled to Eorzea in the past, most of them have been slaughtered within a matter of a few months. The first Xaela tribe to come to Ishgard was about 25-30 years ago and there was only one survivor.
Sidurgu Wrote:The first Ishgardians to encounter Au Ra saw Dravanians. We had fled Garlemald’s armies only to come to a land where we were mistaken for another nation’s mortal enemy. They bared steel and came to kill us…but we did not die so easily. We spared them and sent them on their way…and how do you think they repaid our kindness? With fire and blood! With death for every man, woman, and child!
…I was about Rielle’s age when I came to Ishgard. My parents, they…they said we would find a better life here. When the Temple Knights we had shown mercy returned, they let us choose the order in which we would die. That would be their mercy to us, they declared.
Nowadays, there is less confusion about Au Ra being dragons and the race now faces less animosity in Eorzea. However, they're still quite rare and likely would not have been in Ishgard around the timeframe you're looking for. Much less in a position of wealth or nobility.
Miqo'te is also a tricky one. Also a topic that has sparked debate before. Miqo'te existed in Coerthas in the 1.0 version of the game, along with every other race. However, the ARR version does a pretty horrendous job at displaying proper racial demographics in pretty much every city-state, and races besides Elezen and Midlanders go unrepresented with game models despite their being there in quest/levequest lore (see: Highlanders, Roegadyn).
This has pretty much given rise to the belief that because they aren't there and RPers can't see them, they're not there and its impossible to RP as one. Which is why I post this:
Areas marked in red are where Miqo'te appear in Eorzea if we ignore 1.0 distribution and look only at ARR model demographics. As you can see there are Miqo'te populations surrounding Coerthas on all sides, with several Miqo'te-heavy city-states actively engaging in trade with Ishgard for the last hundred-plus years. Gridania and Sharlayan being the two biggest and geographically closest, but also Ul'dah and Limsa Lominsa. Now, including 1.0 lore, there were a few Miqo'te Gatewardens, captains of the knights who protected the aetheryte camps and the surrounding regions. Also Lalafell.
So if you want to play a Miqo'te, play a Miqo'te. There's no reason they can't be in Ishgard. Now, could they be wealthy, respected nobility? That would likely require a more specific backstory involving the father slaying a dragon.
Dominiac Wrote:The only way to gain the power of nobility is through a truly noble display of courage. There's one simple way to do that - slay a monstrous, ancient dragon. There are some feats that cannot be ignored.
Jantellot Wrote:Granted, such work will not earn you a lordship like slaying a dragon might, but it pays well and is far less prone to end in incineration...
More lore on Ishgard, dragons, dragoons, etc can be found in the links below:
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Ishgardian Lore Compilation
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(Updated) Dragoon/Dragon Lore
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Eorzean Settlements Timeline
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(06-25-2016, 05:05 PM)Teadrinker Wrote: [ -> ]I wouldn't say it's out of the question to find a Miqo'te in Ishgard but they'd likely be a Brume rat, poor and a victim of a vast amount of racism.
Okay, have to step in here. With the exception of 1) the first Xaela who came to Ishgard and 2) those of mixed-race parentage (which is
highly taboo across ALL Eorzea), Ishgard has demonstrated very little in the way of racism. Rampant xenophobia, yes! But not racism, there is a difference.
In a systemically racist state, such as Gridania, we see things like Duskwights and Keepers of the Moon being targeted for their race, being denied in many cases employment, food, fair treatment in trade. Duskwights are given the derogatory name, "Greys," and are outright stated to be untrustworthy and more than likely criminals to avoid should you encounter one.
In Ishgard we see none of that. We see a mistrusting of "outsiders" and "foreigners" but nothing in regards to their race. A foreign Elezen would face the same mistrust as a foreign Roegadyn. Hells, the Elezen from the Pillars look down on the Elezen from the Brume. There don't seem to be any racial barriers that make it more difficult or even impossible for those of other races to achieve the same stature as their Elezen counterparts.
A Hyur can kill a dragon and become a dragoon just as well as an Elezen.
Ayleth Wrote:I have to climb higher. I have to raise my status through merit. I have to─
There are Roegadyn temple knights
even in ARR.
Dyrstweitz Wrote:A hearty hail to you, adventurer. I am Dyrstweitz, son of Dyrstweitz. I serve House Dzemael, as did my father and his father before him. Like them, I have sworn a solemn oath to protect the count’s lands and holdings from any and all that would do them harm. Originally designed to provide protection against air and land attacks from the Wyrmking’s horde, construction on the Darkhold began several generations ago when Count Dzemael, fifty-third of his line and lord of House Dzemael - greatest of the four high houses of Ishgard - discovered a hidden network of caves while foxing near the Nail.
Alberic Bale, a Hyur, was selected as an Azure Dragoon, the champion of Ishgard. There is no single greater honor in all Ishgard.
Alberic Wrote:The Azure Dragoon is the light of hope for all Ishgardians, and the paragon of all dragoons.
When Highlander and Roegadyn mercenaries come under the employ of House Fortemps, the knights say nothing about the merc's race, they mention only their distaste for their profession.
House Fortemps Knight Wrote:Indeed, the count has but recently seen fit to hire foreign sellswords for their experience and knowledge of other lands. You are to work with Oschon's Raiders, one such company under our banner. Their captain, Haimirich, can be found between jobs at the Forgotten Knight. No doubt he is enjoying the excellent ale. Whatever his profession, I do think Haimirich a man of honor. I have even joined him for a cup at the Forgotten Knight.
Also, here's a Dzemael knight talking about his fellow Roegadyn in arms,
Dyrstweitz and Raenhyml. Note that Dzemael is one of the High Houses who is most vocal about their mistrust of outsiders and do not hire foreign sellswords at all. Meaning, the Roegadyn under their banner are native Ishgardians.
Yvelont Wrote:My brothers and I are knights of House Dzemael. The count has ordered us to stand guard over the Darkhold and prevent any unauthorized entry by persons of suspicious intent. This includes you, adventurer. Begone, or I shall have you removed.
There's a number of Hyuran nobility in game as well, like
Gerhardt or
Glenda. And Hyuran knight commanders of the various High House knights, like
Redwald, who actually inherited Ser Yuhelmeric Brillelame's position. Redwald even says this:
Redwald Wrote:Mayhap your deeds here will serve to demonstrate the folly in continuing to exclude foreigners from our lands. With more hardworking men and women like you, Ishgard would be much the stronger.
And there's Highlanders who've been in Coerthas since the fall of Ala Mhigo:
The Goodwill Traders Wrote:During the fall of Ala Mhigo, hundreds of refugees were forced to flee their homes, taking only what they could carry and leaving the rest of their possessions behind. Many of those who survived the exodus found refuge in the hamlets of Coerthas and Thanalan, however, were soon faced with poverty, often lacking the coin to buy clothes enough to protect them from the elements. Black Rabbit Traders has heard their cries for help, and has devised a plan to help the Ala Mhigans while ridding the Twelveswood of troublesome poachers in the process. The outfit is hiring adventurers to seek out Humblehearth poachers and slay the criminals, then bring their jerkins back to the Black Rabbit so they can fix them up and sell them to the refugees at a price they can afford.
So, TL;DR: Ishgard racist? Not really no. Ishgard xenophobic? Much more so, yes. Though they do seem to be getting better about that as the events of Heavensward progress.
/endrant
/deepbreath
Hope this all helps! ^^;