(11-08-2014, 07:12 AM)Sastra Wrote: Many questions! I'll have a stab at them: 

Balmungs character creation window is /usually/ open during the very early mornings US time. On the mogstation you can always see a topic called "Regarding character creation restrictions" or so where they list the re-evaluation points (every 5 hrs) - It all depends on the servers load in the given window, Balmung is one of the most popular US servers so the creation is never open in primetime. Additionally, whenever there is maintenance, the creation is usually open when the servers come up again. When you create a character, save their appearance data so that you can quickly go through the process when the windows open, and have a name in mind. 
You can find the naming conventions here: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/forums/491-Lore

On Balmung, I dare say there's always some sort of RP going no matter what time of day it is. There is a strong EU presence, and we RP during the US daytime and well, then there of course is the US primetime too. The adventurers guild in Ul'dah is one of the hotspots for random RP. 

Depending on what you want, you can find FC's that have a mix of PvE and RP and you may see those FC's having statics for the raids, so yes absolutely can you both do PVE and RP. 

As for what type of RP that is accepted.. Honestly a bit of everything, I've seen representations of the full spectrum from light to heavy RP. I would recommend looking through the Linkshell hall here and find a couple of linkshells and an FC that you can sympathize with. Whilst a lot of RP is out in the open, it's always best to have a group. 

I'll leave the lancer lore to someone else, cause I haven't the faintest about that one ^^ 
I also can not comment on how things are on Gilgamesh as I have never been there.

(11-08-2014, 08:14 AM)Enteris Wrote: I am by no means the master of lore, either, but to fill in a bit of the lancer bit for you... 

Ala Mhigo had a very strong lancer core. As such, you can make a Highlander/Midlander from there that is a refugee from the war with the Empire that knows a thing or two about poking things with spears. 
Otherwise, you're looking at Gridania/Ishgard for the more "well known" skilled lancers. The guild itself is in Gridania (hence the in game reason you're stuck with starting there) and of course Ishgard has dragoons. So that opens up miqo'te and elezen for you. 

Now, all of that being said, you're more than welcome to go lala or roe if you prefer... or to even say your character is from Limsa. I was just stating that in those areas mentioned above, the races I mentioned have a particularly "strong" presence. As such, it'll be a bit easier for you to explain ICly. Also, I'd suggest sticking to the naming conventions like Sastra posted to make things a little easier as well. 

Now, if you plan to take it a step further and call yourself a dragoon... make sure you don't call yourself the azure dragoon. Although there's speculation that there's more than one azure dragoon now, it's generally frowned upon in RP when a person labels them self as such. So, stick to simply being a dragoon. This still leaves you with the ability to do the jumps and such.

As far as Gilgamesh vs. Balmung... What I've read in the past is that Gilgamesh RP is more FC-focused and around the housing districts, while Balmung is more open RP focused. That's not to say you won't find open RP on Gilgamesh or FC-RP on Balmung... just that the seem to exist in higher quantities in the ways mentioned above.

Hopefully that all made sense and helped clear up a little bit for you. Sorry if it's all a muddled mess, I quite literally just got out of bed.... 

(11-08-2014, 08:41 AM)Odin Agmundr Wrote: Hey, thanks. I'll start out with Balmung. Can you give me some info on a marauder's lore? Does Limsa Lominsa have active open roleplay, since that's the place that I'll be starting at if I go as a marauder?

(11-08-2014, 12:15 PM)Sounsyy Wrote:

(11-08-2014, 08:41 AM)Odin Agmundr Wrote: Hey, thanks. I'll start out with Balmung. Can you give me some info on a marauder's lore? Does Limsa Lominsa have active open roleplay, since that's the place that I'll be starting at if I go as a marauder?

Marauders are pirates, essentially. Eorzeans equate the axe to being pirate-y similarly to how we, in real life, equate peg-legs to pirates. Limsa Lominsa has, for the last 700 years, been a sanctuary for pirates. Ships from all over the world make port there and it's where most pirates and other seafaring folk make land. The Marauders' Guild used to be on one such ship, called the Astalicia, run by one of the most feared pirate crews, The Bloody Executioners.

However, when Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn defeated the Bloody Executioners and became Admiral of Limsa Lominsa ten years ago (1567 6AE), she outlawed piracy in Eorzean waters. Instead of killing off all the pirates though, she tried to ally all pirates under the Lominsan banner and conscripted as many willing pirate crews and factions to work as "Privateers." These Privateers could legally pillage/plunder/kill/do pirate-y things that they'd always done so long as it wasn't against a fellow Lominsan vessel.

Now, with former pirates (Privateers) working under the Lominsan banner, the Marauders' Guild was moved into the Thalassocratic Navy's headquarters, the Coral Tower, where initiates into Limsa's Navy are taught the ways of the axe and the musket.

Hope that helps! ^^ Lemme know if you have more lore questions! Oh and there is some open RP activity in Limsa, but it seems to be highly dependent on day/time. Try visiting The Drowning Wench, The Missing Member, or The Bismarck for the most active RP in Limsa.

(11-08-2014, 01:14 PM)Odin Agmundr Wrote: Thank you! I'll probably start as a marauder. Roleplaying as a pirate sounds fun. Does Limsa Lominsa provide the same amount of open-rp while compared with Gridania or Uldah?

(11-08-2014, 01:22 PM)Sounsyy Wrote:

(11-08-2014, 01:14 PM)Odin Agmundr Wrote: Thank you! I'll probably start as a marauder. Roleplaying as a pirate sounds fun. Does Limsa Lominsa provide the same amount of open-rp while compared with Gridania or Uldah?

Ul'dah hands down has the most active open RP scene going on in and around the city-state. Gridania proper seems to have the lowest, leaving Limsa somewhere in the middle. A while back there was a pretty successful push to increase RP in Limsa and there's a Limsa Lominsa Character Directory thread because of it. That's a good place to look for possible character connections! ^^

(11-08-2014, 02:52 PM)Odin Agmundr Wrote: Can I leave Limsa and travel to Uld'ah later on in the game? Or is it not possible till I reach the end-game? I'll probably start out with something that puts me in Uld'ah once I get the opportunity to create a character in Balmung if Uld'ah has the most active open-rp scheme.

(11-08-2014, 02:56 PM)Unnamed Mercenary Wrote:

(11-08-2014, 02:52 PM)Odin Agmundr Wrote: Can I leave Limsa and travel to Uld'ah later on in the game? Or is it not possible till I reach the end-game? I'll probably start out with something that puts me in Uld'ah once I get the opportunity to create a character in Balmung if Uld'ah has the most active open-rp scheme.

You need to finish lv15 story quests. Then you can get to any city.