Hi Cheshire,
Zhavi pretty much covered everything in that excellent post. But if you're concerned about Hydaelyn's lore, there's some great resources online. Here, here, here, and here. Some of these links detail the story of version 1.0, the initial release of FFXIV.
In terms of incorporating the official story into your character's story, it really depends how you do it. For example, some people have their characters be Warriors of Light, others don't. I personally don't because, as Zhavi said, it makes my character feel too much like 'The One' for my tastes. But there are plenty of story elements you can use for your character, if done right.
Lastly, Balmung is the server most populated by role-players, by far. Gilgamesh is second. It can be tricky to get on to either of these servers, but you can get on if you keeping trying.
Zhavi pretty much covered everything in that excellent post. But if you're concerned about Hydaelyn's lore, there's some great resources online. Here, here, here, and here. Some of these links detail the story of version 1.0, the initial release of FFXIV.
In terms of incorporating the official story into your character's story, it really depends how you do it. For example, some people have their characters be Warriors of Light, others don't. I personally don't because, as Zhavi said, it makes my character feel too much like 'The One' for my tastes. But there are plenty of story elements you can use for your character, if done right.
Lastly, Balmung is the server most populated by role-players, by far. Gilgamesh is second. It can be tricky to get on to either of these servers, but you can get on if you keeping trying.
