RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes

Rosamund · **04-26-2015, 01:28 PM**

I have a Hellsguard alt I've been meaning to RP for awhile now but...I'm unsure whether my concept is acceptable. I've done some digging around for lore but it's been hard to find anything substantial. Or maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places, which is entirely probable possible!

I suppose I should just outline what I've had in mind.

Laughing Raven is a Hellsguard from Ala Mhigo. She lived there with her merchant family until the nation was taken over by the Garleans. Chaos and discord followed, with the end result being that her parents paid for her safe passage to Ul'dah. Sadly, the 'safe passage' was a ruse and instead their child (I guess if she's in her 20s/30s now she would've been a child then?) was sold into slavery. After some years, she escaped and went on to live a free life in Ul'dah, fighting in the Coliseum...

And this is where it all starts to sound a bit hackneyed and I think about scrapping the whole concept altogether!

Is any of this feasible? I'm desperate for more information about Hellsguard family structure, slavery in general, and how life would've been for ordinary Ala Mhigans following the Garlean invasion. I also read something about Ala Mhigan lancers that piqued my interest since I was planning to have her be a lancer.

Sorry if this is a muddled mess; it's even worse in my head, I assure you! Many, many thanks to anyone who can help.

DoomsdayClock · **04-26-2015, 01:36 PM**

I've been tweaking an idea and playing a gladiator from Halatali...Also Roe. He has been at the Grindstone the past few weeks. If you need help developing or Rp hooks linking to a background like that I can help?

**Unnamed Mercenary** · **04-26-2015, 01:39 PM**

While I can't cite any lore like Sounsyy might be able to, the concept checks out as far as I can tell.

I don't think we're given too much on Hellsguard family structure, but i'd imagine it likely mirrors that of the other non-miqo'te races, with typical families and "mating" habits.

We know that slavery existed in the game, but was eventually deemed illegal, but if we draw similarities to modern day society IRL, we know that there is still slavery that happens. It could be similar for your character.

As for the Ala Mhigans following the fall of their city, it seems likely that the ones who were able to get out sooner than later and establish lives turned out ok, but there are many refugees who struggle with life. The Hildibrand quests actually talk about this just a -tiny- bit, about a female Highlander from Ala Mhigo who was going to have matches thrown so she could use the money to better the life of her and her sister.

On the topic of weapons, I'm sure most cities had fighters trained to use any variety of weapons. We just have guilds in particular ones for mechanics and lore. There's nothing stopping someone from practicing with a weapon.

Seriphyn · **04-26-2015, 02:51 PM**

The two Hellsguard Roegadyn in Little Ala Mhigo are married, a threatening Highlander goes "Don't want anything to happen to your wife, do we?", which infers a standard Eorzean family structure.

Hellsguard have been part of Ul'dah as well for at least several hundred years, so unlike Miqo'te I think they exhibit a nuclear 'civilized'/city-state structure

Rosamund · **04-26-2015, 02:58 PM**

(04-26-2015, 01:36 PM)DoomsdayClock Wrote: I've been tweaking an idea and playing a gladiator from Halatali...Also Roe. He has been at the Grindstone the past few weeks. If you need help developing or Rp hooks linking to a background like that I can help?

That would be appreciated, yes! I'm drawing a blank when I try to think about how she's lived since obtaining her freedom, and not even sure how she escaped slavery in the first place. Is the Coliseum a brutal place or do the combatants manage to form friendships with each other?

As far as personality, all I've got so far is the hardships she's suffered have given her a carpe diem attitude towards life - no time for complaining or time wasting, live each day fully.

(04-26-2015, 01:39 PM)Unnamed Mercenary Wrote: While I can't cite any lore like Sounsyy might be able to, the concept checks out as far as I can tell.

Thank you! Yes, I got the impression from quests that slavery was still going on, but forced underground. I'm just, as I said above, unsure how life was like for her during it or how she escaped. I suppose I can just come up with my own ideas but if there is existing lore then I'd like to hear it so I don't tread on anything.

I also thought that maybe her family was relatively wealthy (so she's got some education) but lost everything when the nation fell so, coupled with the slavery, she would be living hand to mouth now.

And yeah, I figured as much, but with the mention of Ala Mhigan lancers it got me thinking of perhaps a deceased relative being renowned for it and her trying to live up to the family history.

(04-26-2015, 02:51 PM)Seriphyn Wrote: The two Hellsguard Roegadyn in Little Ala Mhigo are married, a threatening Highlander goes "Don't want anything to happen to your wife, do we?", which infers a standard Eorzean family structure.

Ah, I see. Thank you!

Sounsyy · **04-26-2015, 03:31 PM**

(04-26-2015, 01:28 PM)Inarah Wrote: (I guess if she's in her 20s/30s now she would've been a child then?)

Ala Mhigo fell in the Year 1557 6AE, or 20 years ago. So your Ala Mhigan would most likely have been a very young child during the fall.

(04-26-2015, 01:28 PM)Inarah Wrote: I'm desperate for more information about Hellsguard family structure, slavery in general, and how life would've been for ordinary Ala Mhigans following the Garlean invasion.

Most of the Hellsguard lore we have is from the Roegadyn Naming Conventions and the 1.0 Character Creation screen, which was worlds more informative than the 2.0 one. So I'll quote some pertinent excerpts below:

From the northern mountains of Abalathia's Spine.
Believe that the volcanoes in their homelands are gates to the underworld and they believe that they protect souls from travelling back to the realm of the living.
Regard alchemy as sacrilegious sorcery against the Twelve.
Due to low resources, they tend to send their second or thirdborns away, and they often end up in Eorzean cities where many become better off than those who stayed in the homeland.

Quote:You will find the "old language" used in a lot of Sea Wolf names, as the Sea Wolves tend to adhere to the ancient traditions and customs the northern islands from which they hail. The Hellsguard, on the other hand, are more prone to adapt to their surroundings, and often choose to 'translate' their names from the old language to modern Eorzean. That said, the lines between the two clans aren't set in stone, and you will find some Hellsguard have chosen to use the old language in their names, and some Sea Wolves have given themselves "translated" names.

Quote:Highly independent in nature, Hellsguard despise being defined by the actions of anyone but themselves, and therefore those who leave their mountain homes for the city-states of Eorzea, will often completely drop their family names, choosing only to be referred to by their first.

Some additional things I've found in game:

The Halbard is an invention of the Hellsguard. Their marauders first used them to repel mounted units.
The Hellsguardians from Abalthia's Spine are also credited with the art of the Warrior's Inner Beast and were unstoppable wielders of destruction. Until the need for Warriors died out one hundred years ago after the Autumn War, these mercenaries were common across Eorzea.

(04-26-2015, 01:28 PM)Inarah Wrote: I also read something about Ala Mhigan lancers that piqued my interest since I was planning to have her be a lancer.

Yes, Ala Mhigans were famous for their elite lancer legions and were widely considered the best in the world. The Ala Mhigans specialized in the long pike, taking down foes before they could even be reached. However, they were also skilled in other polearms, just were especially noted for the long pike.

During the Autumn War, 100 years ago, Ala Mhigo nearly faced defeat from the Gridanians (This is before the rest of the Eorzean Alliance was formed and showed up to help!) because the Ala Mhigans could not easily maneuver their pikes between the thick underbrush of the Shroud - allowing Gridania's archers to carry out devastating guerrilla strikes.

The Ala Mhigans were also home to the Order of the Fists of Rhalgr, a religious and political order of Monks who believed that by perfecting both mind and body one might achieve greater closeness with Ala Mhigo's patron deity Rhalgr. With the combined might of the Monkhood and Ala Mhigo's lancers, the city-state was one of the foremost military powers in the known world before its fall.

Hope that helps! ^^ Lemme know if you have more questions!

Rosamund · **04-27-2015, 06:08 AM**

(04-26-2015, 03:31 PM)Sounsyy Wrote: Hope that helps! ^^ Lemme know if you have more questions!

That did indeed help! I think I can start writing up her background now. Thanks so much for all the information!

No Longer Exists · **04-27-2015, 06:36 AM**

Sounsyy has the lore and it is indeed very useful.

*Peeks out from under his hat*

I would like to mention that you should and can play it your way though. Case in point, if you click on Zealous Oak in my signature, you'll see my Hellsguard's wiki and there are a few points in it that lean away from the lore in plausible fashion.Â

Such as:

Oak was born on an island. I did this because volcanoes form many an island and it allowed him to have a more sheltered childhood, lending to his love of nature and his quiet temperament. I also made mention of a nameday, because I draw parallels between Hellsguardian naming and native american naming so it seemed to my mind that Hellsguard would have a rite of passage at maturity.

Oak also practices alchemy, which a more traditional Roe might sneer at. He does this because of his profession, it is an extension of his healing practices and even though his traditionalist sensibilities dictate it is apocryphal (big word, I know), its practical applications serve him well in his service to the twelve. Think of it as turning evil to a good use.

So please, feel free to play with concepts in regards to Lore and enjoy yourself. Interpretation is key and can make for some fun RP as well. I'd be happy to debate Alchemy with a more closed-minded Roe some day and have Oak deal with a social stigma because of his beliefs.

Rosamund · **05-01-2015, 06:06 AM**

(04-27-2015, 06:36 AM)Black Hat Wrote: So please, feel free to play with concepts in regards to Lore and enjoy yourself. Interpretation is key and can make for some fun RP as well. I'd be happy to debate Alchemy with a more closed-minded Roe some day and have Oak deal with a social stigma because of his beliefs.

Good advice, thank you (and sorry for lateness, I missed your reply)! I'm not averse to going against the grain but it helps to know what the grain actually is, haha. I've been RPing her a bit and she's starting to come together now and all these little tidbits help me flesh her out. I'm thinking she would be one of the more closed minded types so would be interesting to see how Oak and her get on!

No Longer Exists · **05-01-2015, 06:49 AM**

(05-01-2015, 06:06 AM)Inarah Wrote:
(04-27-2015, 06:36 AM)Black Hat Wrote: So please, feel free to play with concepts in regards to Lore and enjoy yourself. Interpretation is key and can make for some fun RP as well. I'd be happy to debate Alchemy with a more closed-minded Roe some day and have Oak deal with a social stigma because of his beliefs.

Good advice, thank you (and sorry for lateness, I missed your reply)! I'm not averse to going against the grain but it helps to know what the grain actually is, haha. I've been RPing her a bit and she's starting to come together now and all these little tidbits help me flesh her out. I'm thinking she would be one of the more closed minded types so would be interesting to see how Oak and her get on!

No problem! Research is always a good start. Smile

Â Meeting another Roe would be most welcome and I look forward to seeing how she reacts to him and vice versa!

Roegadyn concept and questions about Ala Mhigo

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes