Kylin

Just an update to let everyone know we're still around and active~ We just recently finished up our main story arch that led to a plethora of new lore behind the Stormguard. Feel free to check it out on the site if interested (more still pending). We'll also be overhauling our application process within the next month or so to make the transition to joining much more streamlined.

Website has been overhauled with expansion of lore, a new theme, and various other quality of life site stuff. Feel free to check us out. I've also updated the original post here to add a tab for each of our specialized "legions," factions within the Stormguard that help tell a fragment of our 900 year history~ After some upcoming storyline advancements, the Stormguard will become more publicly known and slightly less secretive. At that time, we will be streamlining and overhauling the application process (and the trial/rank up process)

Reply referencing a now, edited topic

How utterly hilarious. This argument isn't familiar at all. Nope. :lol: It seems some just can't keep politics out of things that aren't meant to be political. The RPC was founded, and exists, for this very purpose: to bring RP groups together in some capacity or another. "Meetings" like this have happened since its inception. And when they did actually happen, the community tended to be closer and more communicative. In contrast, as it is presently, many groups seldom communicate with one another at all. Walls are built up in every direction. Meetings like these are meant to build doorways and windows in said walls. It has nothing to do with creating a "council" or such. It's just easier to communicate and get results in smaller groups rather than large forums or huge skype chats. People are more prone to talk when they're not feeling drowned out by others. Believe it or not, not everyone is out to take over the world. Seeing the vast majority of the community support this endeavor speaks volumes. So arguing it at all is a rather pointless waste of energy that could go elsewhere. "Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it."

Order of Stormguard will attempt to show up. If I can't make it (based on date/time), I'll try to get two of our officers to go. Tentatively, put me and Keru Lowry down for it.

Hello all! Hope everyone is enjoying the Gold Saucer thus far. The following is a public service announcement regarding future Stormguard happenings. With Heavensward edging ever closer to reality (hopefully PAX East gives us a release date...), Stormguard is set for an 'expansion' of its very own. I'm dubbing this simply the "Stormguard Evolution" (creative, right? >.>; ). What does this mean? Since the rebirth of Stormguard, I've had a vision that I've been working toward achieving for it. Now that we're over 5 months into the rebirth (wow), I'm ready to begin this transition starting in about 1-2 weeks. See below to find out details! The Website: The website is currently being reworked and a new skin will launch during this evolution. While it will not look -drastically- different (same software, etc), there will be some changes. The color scheme will go from dark to light. The user interface is being upgraded. New features are being added (alerts system, advanced user profiles that may allow for uploading and displaying your character theme song, etc). A trove of new lore will be released. A few minor quality of life enhancements will launch as well. I'm actually viewing the new site look every time I log in now and am operating fully off of it in order to fix things quickly. Should one absolutely hate the new look, they can easily swap back to the current SG site appearance while logged in, though the old theme will no longer be supported when it comes to updates/fixes. A launch date for the new site layout will be announced on SG's site at a later time. Please look forward to it! The Storyline: As many may or may not know, Stormguard existed since back in 2010 during XIV's 1.0 launch. As such, there are still numerous loose end stories that exist (Sundering, 'Cabal,' etc). These loose ends are ready to be fully tied up to allow new stories and adventures (crafted by our own individual members). Things are going to start happening in game (and via the Memory of the Sword forum section for the viewing pleasure of those Templar rank or higher) to edge the group closer to unraveling the mystery of the Sundering and the Cabal who brought it about. Trust me when I say, -nobody- will see the ending revelation coming malms away! This will kickoff in about a week or two via in game happenings and probably last between 1-2.5 months, depending on the speed and IC reactions to in game events. The legions will also become fully operational over these events. As a sidenote, it should be mentioned that the 'Cabal' is not going anywhere with the conclusion of the story. They will remain a threat still, but they will be unveiled and it will thus be muuuch easier for members to utilize them in their own stories if so desired. Stormguard's Concept: Here's the biggy... Stormguard's theme is officially "a secret society seeking and guarding relics." This will remain unchanged with its upcoming evolution. However! The Stormguard will be 'coming out of the closet' after 900 years of being in it. No, get your head of the gutter, not that closet. The veil of secrecy will come to a close. That said, it will obviously keep secrets here and there as always (certain artifacts, certain operations, etc). But it will become a known public entity at long last, allowing us to streamline recruitment and allowing for a greater ease of access in public RP. The original ad post will get a bit of an overhaul at the time of this evolution.

Monthly update: The veil of secrecy has been lessened dramatically! Or at least, OOCly anyway. We've opened up more lore pages on the site to the public (specifically, lore on the legions and the Sundering). Feel free to check them out at our site under the Lore tab! The Artifacts section will remain member only access. Stormguard continues to grow in membership size and diversity. We're preparing for our biggest initiation ceremony yet next week. Not only will new initates become full members, but almost all current members are set for a rank up in some manner or another. We'll even be ICly getting our first Highguards to lead and setup each legion! Renovations on the new HQ (dubbed Sanctum) have been progressing. Outsiders merely see a regular house on the cliffs in the Goblet, unaware that the cliffs below actually house numerous floors of secret rooms built by kobolds and goblins in which the Stormguard previously was allied with. Stormguard has also just managed to recruit its new Seer, a rank in which Stormguard has always had in its roster since its inception 900 years ago. Thinking they were to retrieve an artifact called the Seeing Light from a corrupt Ul'dahn menace, they instead found a Keeper teenager shackled in a secret room with the power of prophecy. They've since rescued him and are keeping him at Sanctum. Prior to this, the Stormguard also conducted an excavation into the old ruins of the old Stormguard's HQ called Haven. There, they came face-to-face (sorta..) with the mysterious enemies behind the Sundering years ago, whom they refer to as the "Cabal." They also managed to secure their first artifact in the encounter, a scepter that recreates battlefields that said scepter has previously been in by making powerful and realistic illusions (aka: a means to do Primals/Trials ICly without said trials actually being a -real- primal that could temper them). We're continuing to move forward at a comfortable pace, and the linkshell sees IC chatter daily. We also have a skype chat that's quite busy for OOC chatter. Any questions or such can be directed via PM on these forums or the SG forums, or via in game with the following people: Kylin Felstar (Maven) (Highguard Fortis pending) Camille Everadi (Highguard Fidelis #1) Moltove Mon'tova (Highguard Ferrata) Keru Lowry (Highguard Fidelis #2)

I shall be dragging Stormguard (or at least the ones I can drag) to this tomorrow~ Looking forward to it.

One of Stormguard's two patron deities is Halone, so this would be right up their alley. Unfortunately, this month is mad busy with events on our end, and being a secret society makes it hard to get involved with this kind of thing in any official capacity ><. I'll try to think more on it and reply again if I can think of a proper angle.

Stormguard purchased a home last night in the Goblet (Ward 8 subdivision, plot 34, medium). While it is currently an OOC acquirement at the moment, we will be acquiring it by about mid-January IC via a mini story. Also coming in January are a myriad of events (starting with the Unity Vigil new year's event on the 1st). Stormguard will hopefully obtain a new seer, a new headquarters, and a new outlook on things as lots of important stuff happens over the course this upcoming month. We also have our first batch of members reaching Warden status and about to learn the biggest secrets of the Guard while welcoming new members who will be tested and initiated in the coming month. January is gonna be busy busy busy for us!

Kylin is emotionally messed up when it comes to love. To better illustrate it, here's some of the things he did in an attempt to win back a former love (Gerik) after Gerik had moved on with another (Burgenheim). It got progressively worse as time went on and desperation set in... --Hired someone to pretend to be his date during a double date with Gerik/Burgenheim, in an attempt to make Gerik jealous and sow seeds of distrust to Burgenheim. --Hired two people to fake mug one of Gerik's friends, so Kylin could fake rescue her and try to use said friend to get into Gerik's good graces. --Created fake invites to a new cruise ship, making it look like Gerik and Burgenheim won said tickets. Kylin then hired Tyriont to use his pirate ship as said fake cruise ship, where Kylin attempted to get Burgenheim thrown off in order to get alone time with Gerik. --Set up a fake wedding planner to reveal to Burgenheim that Gerik was secretly in an arranged engagement with a (*gasp*) girl, thus causing Gerik and Burg to get in a huge fight. --Hired an alchemist to create a drug to disorient Gerik. Kylin got Gerik in an inn room bed, stripped both himself and Gerik down, and set events in motion for Burgenheim to walk in on the duo sleeping naked together. Someone managed to prevent Burgenheim from walking in on this scene though and foiled the plot. --Seduced poor K'aworu in order to use him as leverage to force one of Gerik's friends (Aysun--K'aworu's sis) to help get Ky and Gerik back together. --Went ballistic and nearly killed Aysun, Fenix, and Rhio during their final interference with Kylin wannabe relationship with Gerik. And that's just probably half the stuff >.>. He's really desperate for love. When he's not after someone, he's burying himself in work to avoid thinking about his loneliness ; ; I need to set his sights on someone new...

Just a quick monthly 'bump' to indicate we're still around in order to avoid pruning. 8-)

Had a long post ready to post but it was getting waaay off topic and seemed to be shifting focus to the "wealthy/powerful family" angle and ways to RP it without overstepping bounds. So gonna trim this down to be more on topic . In the case you mentioned of a random person starting the fight, it's a bit trickier than with someone you already know. So there are best two routes to take in this circumstance, in my opinion were I in the same situation. --Go with the flow, making sure the other player knows that there may be consequences (letting them know in detail what kind of consequences in advance) and see what they would want to do with this, if anything. If the player doesn't agree to your terms, you can cease the RP session and both go separate ways, taking note of each other's conflicting style for the future. OR --Let the fight happen, take a whipping, and just assume you were unable to find out who the person was and thus can't exact your revenge. Then ICly take out your anger on your buddies or something to rebuild ego . Nebbs's suggestions are also valid means to deal with the situation. OOC communication is always crucial in IC conflict (especially actual fighting). It doesn't matter if one of the characters is wealthy, poor, powerful, etc. The only reasons you don't OOC communicate with the other party is if you're apathetic to the outcome, or you're comfortable with the other party.

Monthly update: Stormguard had its first initiation ceremony last night at Steel Vigil. Here, four members were elevated to Templar rank (despite numerous annoying temporary interruptions from Svara and the mobs of people with it -.-). Grats on your rad new tattoos~ As members go up in rank, they also learn more about the Stormguard. In this instance, our four new Templars gained access to new information about the Sundering event that wiped out the former Stormguard in its near entirety (as well as being alerted about the mysterious Cabal behind it). They also now have access to extensive information about the four old legions of the Guard, and some history of each. All in all, the revived Guard has gained a total of 8 new active members since its return and will continue to grow from there. I also started an OOC free company for the group, though it is primarily to increase OOC awareness of the group, and eventually gain a linkshell headquarters. Alts are generally encouraged to join, as said alts can later secure a personal room for the member's main. In this manner, it is easy to gain the perks of the Free Company without actually joining it.

Surprised this hasn't been posted anywhere yet, although the hype around 3.0 likely drowned it out. First time hearing it, I actually didn't care for it much. But it's growing quickly on me personally, especially if it's used in combination with the 2.4 trailer music post Diamond Dust style. So, love it or hate it? And more importantly, what are those blasted lyrics!? aDosGXQZz9I Lyrics (may not be 100% correct. Guessing involved!):

Too many to name over all these years, and I feel like one is insufficient. So here's three! 1. Kylin joined a secret society over five years ago prior to the Calamity, and is now its leader (he has the mark/tattoo on his upper right shoulder blade). 2. His birth name was "Castiel." He changed it to Kylin during his rebellion against his father prior to the Calamity and in honor of his deceased mother, who originally wanted him named Kylin anyway. 3. Due to conspiracies against his mother while she was pregnant, Kylin was born with mana/aether poisoning. He must take medication frequently to keep it at bay, and overtaxing himself with magic use can take a heavy toll on him at times.

Spoiled rich heir, represent! Kylin has been playing the 'rich kid' card since 2010~ He hasn't really earned any of said wealth up until now. It's all his daddy's. He lives in the Ul'dahn Felstar Manor, and makes that no secret. He helps run the family's owned museum (determining exhibits and also planning excavation projects). According to the RPC Census awhile back, the number of overall IC wealthy players is actually rather representative of what it realistically -should- be. Which is a pleasant surprise.

[align=center][/align] [align=center]About Us[/align] The Order of the Stormguard is a community whose concept has existed since version 1.0 in 2010. We are both a linkshell and free company, though free company membership is completely optional and considered a strictly OOC channel. The linkshell is strictly IC. Stormguard has naturally been a secret society since its inception. This has recently changed, and the group is now a fully registered free company know to the public. While it does still keep some of its inner secrets unknown to the world (such as its most important artifact), there are likely numerous scholars and tomes that mention some of its secrets now. The Stormguard makes little effort to snuff out these secrets now. The primary focus of the Order revolves around expansion and preservation of its artifacts. The Order strives to collect the numerous relics that were lost to it in its previous downfalls. These relics will range from simple historical pieces and text to more powerful artifacts with certain attributes or abilities. The reclaiming of these may potentially put the Order in conflict and/or allegiance with other groups out there and create some possibly interesting cross-linkshell RP story arcs and individual interactions. While there is an overarching storyline for the group, individual stories and character development take a much more significant role and we place a lot of stress on creating an environment where there is room for such personal growth. Characters from all walks of life are recruited into the group. Scholarly characters are needed to rebuild or translate the Order's lost texts, or study artifacts. Merchants are needed to build funds for the group's sustainment and expansion. Mercenaries are needed to protect the Order from external threats and/or bring in another source of income. Thieves, pirates, and the more shadowy characters are needed to covertly acquire intel and/or artifacts that belong to the Order. Stormguard has a massive library of lore that is constantly being added to (about 900 years worth of lore and history!). We have numerous events ranging from initiation ceremonies in which new members are branded with the Stormguard tattoo and sworn to oath, to trials testing a member's worth, to excavations meant to add more puzzle pieces to the group's history. [align=center]Rules[/align] 1. On Respect. •This is the most important rule of them all. All members are expected to show respect to not only fellow members, but also to non-members. All members represent the shell on some level and they are expected to behave in a way that best reflects us all. We do not tolerate discrimination of any form related to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or any personal beliefs. Harassment of another player, member or otherwise, is also not tolerated. 2. On OOC. •Stormguard is a heavy RP shell. It focuses heavily on immersion. As such, it is expected that OOC (out of character) chat be kept to an absolute minimum over linkshell chat and during any public RP. In theory, the linkshell chat is approximately 90% IC, with OOC communication only when absolutely necessary. That said, we recognize that players can't be IC all the time. Dungeons and other game content (which we strive to do regularly IC) require some degree of OOC communication after all. In these instances, OOC will be reserved to party chat or tells and IC will remain in say and linkshell chat modes, unless noted otherwise. 3. On Rating. •The shell is rated M for mature. That said, we do NOT condone scenes that are overly sexual in nature (in linkshell or public chat). That type of RP should always be kept private. However, there is bound to be some sexual innuendo and/or mature themes over the linkshell chat every now and then. 4. On Role-Play. •Once again, Stormguard is a heavy RP shell. We have relatively high standards. While we welcome beginners, we still hold even them to some degree of high expectation. Typos and errors here and there are fine. Slaughtering the English language is not. Pushing the lore envelope is also fine, to an extent. We, however, will not accept players who claim their character to be royalty, an alien from outer space, a deity, and so forth. We also expect our members to be proactive in their RP. The leadership cannot be expected to plan all linkshell events, plots, and/or gatherings. Part of being a member is about being able to contribute to the group. •Members agree to adhere to our RP etiquette found here. 5. On Gameplay. •You must abide by Square Enix's Terms of Service.

[align=center]Part IV: End of the Beginning[/align] Kylin walked confidently down the narrow tunnel, the lantern in his hand the only source of light since he entered the cavern nearly ten ticks ago. He wore his summoner attire, an outfit he had not donned since his battle with Aysun, Fenix, and Rhio on the Thanalan bridge. It was two suns ago since his talk with Cordelia, or Cora as she preferred to be called. The tunnel was exactly where she said it was, though the entrance hadn't been easy to find. The hyur continued the long walk down the winding maze of sand and stone, turning at each point he was previously instructed to do so. As he navigated his way toward the end, he recalled part of his conversation with Cora, her words echoing in his head. ----------------- "The Stormguard seems ill fated for an end, despite existing for hundreds of years. Since the Sundering, and the subsequent Calamity, we've lacked leadership. The few surviving members out there live in fear, hiding away from any and all who they think would do them harm. Meanwhile, our relics remain scattered like leaves across Eorzea. Our guarded artifacts. Our strongholds and havens. Our memories. Ready to be picked by vultures who would use them for their own gain, even at the detriment of all others. We are dying, and not one dares to stand up to give us hope, for there is no hope from where they stand. But this need not be the end. It can still become the beginning of something else. A new chapter. And you, Kylin Felstar, are in position to help write that chapter." "Me?" Kylin seemed completely caught off guard by the suggestion. "I'm hardly the right one to do this. I already told you what I've done..." A chuckle slipped out from the old woman. "You had the chance to betray Keir and the Stormguard, and you didn't. That speaks volumes. Besides, you're one of the only ones left who may have even made contact with the last Highguard. And if he himself recruited you as you say, he must have done so for good reason. Add to that the fact that you hail from the Felstar family, and you're a perfect candidate. You have access to wealth and resources beyond any current known living members. You even knew of the Stormguard before you joined it. I believe this is destiny. Iyana's death cannot be in vain. How many more must die, or live in fear forever, before someone stands up to protect what is rightfully ours? "Are you sure this isn't just your way of justifying and coming to terms with Iyana's death?" The younger hyur's question was as pointed as they came. "Mayhaps some small part of my mind is in that train of thought," Cora stated somberly. "But everything I've said is true. We lack leadership. And nobody seems willing to step up to the cause. Should this continue much longer, I fear the Stormguard will perish once and for all. I am far too old to raise the flag or gain support. And Iyana was too disheartened to try following her beloved's demise. You, however..." "I just...I don't know if I'm right for this..." "Nobody ever is, Kylin. Nobody ever is." ----------------- There was still time to turn back. To go back to the Felstar Manor and act like these past couple days didn't even happen. And then what? Brood over his past mistakes? Live in the shadow of the mighty Cartius Felstar? Was his reasoning for taking on this burden a selfish one, just like he had accused Cora's reasoning of being? Was it simply out of his own guilt from nearly betraying the Stormguard years ago? Was it out of guilt of his more recent sins? Was this 'good deed' just a means to clear his own conscious? Or to step out of his father's shadow? The hyur's thoughts were cut short as he reached the end of the path. A stone wall stood before him, various engravings etched onto it. An ordinary person wouldn't make heads or tails from the engravings. But Kylin recognized them. His managing of the Avalon Heritage Museum for the family certainly paid off. It was the language of an old Sil'dihn tribe. As instructed by Cora, the hyur held out his hand and began to channel aether toward the door. The aether manifested in a soft blue glow and the midlander promptly began to read the inscription on the wall aloud. "Lord Byregot, I grant you this blessing in thanks for your gift of a Haven through your skill and knowledge. Lady Halone, I grant you this blessing in thanks for your gift of a Sword to protect our flock through your might and strength. For your protection, we will stand eternally with the Blessed Siblings." The stone door began to shake, causing dirt and debris to crumble gently around the hyur. Slowly, the sealed gate slid inward until it stopped. Kylin bit his lower lip as he tried to peer inside the chamber from where he stood, to no avail. There was no going back now. He let out a soft sigh and walked forward, entering the chamber with some trepidation. The walls inside were filled with murals of all sorts, though even Kylin didn't recognize any of them. The room was otherwise completely bare, save for the pedestal in the middle of the chamber. Upon the pedestal, as promised by Cora, was a large ornate book that any historian would marvel at. The front cover and binding were seemingly made out of a thin gold and silver metal and on the front was etched the familiar symbol of the Stormguard, the lightning bolt atop a knotted circle. Kylin touched the book gently with his free hand, still holding the lantern with his other. The book was massive, likely nigh a thousand pages long. In it were all of the secrets of Legio Fortis, one of the four Stormguard legions. Only the Highguards of old have ever gazed upon its contents, let alone touched the book. It would have made for a marvelous museum exhibition, and if it had been found by him six moons earlier, it possibly would have ended up there. Yet it is was merely the first of many lost relics to the Guard. The midlander further recalled more of Cora's words. ----------------- "The Stormguard is shattered. The members of old that are left remain hidden in fear. They will not come to you right away, and some not at all. As Byregot would, you must first build something to come back to. Build it, and they will come. But so too will our enemies. As Halone would, you must make ready for battle at all times. For to protect the memories you build and reclaim, you will need to be also firmly grounded in reality. That is the duality by which we live. So it has been for hundreds of years." ----------------- "Build it, and they will come," Kylin repeated to himself softly. He tapped the book with his index finger softly as he thought quietly to himself. He would have to search for new loyal members of the Guard. Members who could build it back up to its former glory. And so the search for talent would begin, though the hyur knew right away it wouldn't be easy. His own reputation would likely make it hard enough. Add to that the necessity for secrecy, and the challenge was amplified greatly. The Order of the Stormguard wasn't ending though, regardless. The disastrous effects of the Sundering and the Calamity were merely the end of the beginning, not the end itself.

I think the point was missed entirely, but that's okay. Having been in the community since forever, I know and accept that there are different camps for different things. And I doubt any amount of discourse will sway one camp or the other. But it's important to know that fiercely clinging to the notion of using a character straight out of another universe is going to limit to some extent the people you're able to RP with. That's just the culture of many MMO RP communities. MMO RP, while certainly sharing similarities with other RP venues, is still a very different beast of its own culture. If you're happy with your character, then great! If you're able to find an acceptable chunk of the player base who is also happy with your character, great! Again, however, just know going into this that there is a sizeable portion of the population that has strong feelings toward this type of RP and won't take part in it. And you need to go into this knowing that it's their choice to feel that way, and that their opinion is no less legitimate than your own. As such, they shouldn't ever be labeled as elitists or jerks or anything like that when you actually start to see this refusal to RP with you in real time. Regardless of what you choose to do, good luck and hope you enjoy your character :thumbsup:

This is a slippery slope in my opinion. It depends on how far you take it. It's perfectly fine to draw inspiration from external characters and I'd say it's even okay to (partially) utilize names that you like. And if one is just simply using a particular trope, that's probably fine too. However, if you're outright using the full character and transferring it to another world, that's where the problem will be. Personal opinions aside, it comes down to one thing in that regard: Copyright infringement. Video games/tv shows/books/etc all have copyrights for a reason. Their characters belong to the original creators, and nobody else. And it's completely understandable. While I may not legally have copyright powers over my character (SE technically does), I'd be downright furious if I saw another "Kylin Felstar" that looked and had an almost identical history to my character. To me, that's stealing my work and passing it off as your own. And that's not okay with me. Likewise, it's not okay with other character creators out there. It's the very reason SE outright disallows names like "Cloud Strife." I challenge someone to find a character in XIV named that, exactly spelled like that. You won't. You'll find "Cloud' Strife" (lots of 'em) with an added apostrophe. But that's the closest you'll get. There's a reason for that. SE doesn't allow it. It's their character and their intellectual property. Likewise, other character creators (such as anime characters) don't like their intellectual property being used without their permission. That being said, I very highly doubt any of these character creators are going to come after someone for using the character concept in an MMO RP community. But it doesn't make it any more 'right.' Drawing inspiration from a character you like (whether a particular name or a specific character trait) is one thing. Everyone does that to some extent, even famous authors. Outright using the exact character of someone else is another entirely, and, in my opinion, should be avoided at all costs. So to answer the question: For me personally, no. I wouldn't take such a character seriously at all. If I see someone RPing a Naruto Uzumaki, I'm rolling my eyes and walking the opposite direction. That's just me though. I'd challenge you to isolate the particular traits of the character you like and use those as inspiration, rather than just outright using the character itself. Then let the character develop its own identity that's of your own making.

[align=center]Part III: Memories and Reality[/align] The sun had risen over the Silver Bazaar, though it was still early enough in the morning where the dry desert heat hadn't taken full form yet. Kylin had waited until morning to come to the address on the book, though he hadn't slept much prior. Before leaving Ul'dah, he had covertly donated enough gil to the Thaumaturge's Guild to ensure the woman was buried properly, rather than left to the vultures in the desert. The midlander gazed at the small book, then up to the little house before him. The address matched. He had dressed himself up to something more formal this time, a red and white coatee with matching breeches. He took in a soft sigh before knocking on the door gently. A moment passed that seemed like an eternity. When no response came, Kylin turned around and began to leave. That was when the door creaked open, revealing the weathered old face of a midlander woman. Her white hair was tied up neatly in a bun and her attire was that of a somewhat typical Ul'dahn 'commoner,' a weathered white tunic and matching slops. "May I help you, young man?" Her voice was raspy, though gentle. Her soft gaze helped alleviate some of Kylin's hesitation, though he secretly wondered if he was even at the right place. He had half expected another miqo'te to answer. The hyur stuttered at first, before finally clearing his throat to respond. "I uh, I found something that perhaps belongs to you?" Kylin slowly held out the book. The woman's gaze followed his hand, her eyes resting gently on the item before her. She sighed quietly and closed her eyes. "Young man, where did you find this?" Kylin swallowed for a moment. He wasn't sure if this woman was perhaps an enemy of the miqo'te, or a friend. He figured he'd have to make a risky move to find out, such as showing this woman the tattoo and determining the reaction. "A miqo'te woman entrusted it to me. I figured she wanted me to bring it here. She only trusted me with it after I showed her this though..." The midlander turned partly to the woman and pulled his shirt down just enough to reveal half of the tattoo, keeping his eyes fixated on the woman's expression. The old woman's eyes widened, and then she simply went quiet. After a moment of awkward silence, she reached a hand out. Kylin instantly assumed it was for the book and went to hand it to her. However, her hand quite suddenly shifted course and smacked the younger hyur upside the head, much to his surprise and momentary sharp pain. "What the bloody hell are you thinking? You don't just go around showing that to anyone. Now get in here. I'll make us some tea." --------------------- The woman, who had introduced herself as Cordelia, sat a tray with the two cups of tea on the little table and gently slid one toward her guest after sitting on the cushy chair opposite of him. Sorrow filled her eyes as Kylin recounted his story to her, and the death of the miqo'te woman. "Iyana," Cordelia said matter-of-factly as she gently wiped a tear from her eye. "Her name was Iyana. A bright and fiercely loyal woman full of talent like the which I've never seen before. She and her beloved of many years were like my own children, even if not by blood. That little book you brought is her beloved's journal." Kylin looked oddly at Cordelia and then to the book on the table. "A journal? Is that all that is?" The old woman laughed softly as she wrapped a cloth scarf around her neck. "Is that all, you say? What more need it be? Our memories are one of the most defining aspects of our lives. Almost all will deny that their past is of any relevance. But that is complete hogwash. Our pasts, more specifically our memories, forge us into the people we are today. Memories have tremendous power over us all. Why do you think that people smile upon remembering something pleasant? Or frown when recalling something terrible? They are the very soul of our being, and determine the paths we walk. Memories and reality create a powerful duality. Our memories are forged in reality, and reality is determined by our memories. Byregot's masterpieces are symbolic of memory, creating pieces of work that are meant to be immortalized. Halone, in contrast, teaches us the harshness of an ever-changing and dangerous reality, a reality that determines whether memory survives or perishes. Is it any wonder the two are siblings? They create a celestial balance in all things. So yes, that is simply a journal. But it contains power within its pages. Memories worth fighting for. It is thus no wonder Iyana died protecting it." Kylin bit his lower lip as he listened to the older woman carefully. "She died...for that? That's a bit tragic, don't you think? And who in their right mind would even kill someone for a journal anyway?" Cordelia's face went stern at the question as she took a sip of her tea. "Who else do you think? Our still elusive enemies behind the Sundering of course. That horrible fateful day so many years ago that wiped out the Stormguard in its near entirety, leaving them unable to recover as the Calamity came and unintentionally finished the job. You see, Mister Felstar, that is no simple journal. It contains the memories of a very important person. Iyana's lover, you see, was not any ordinary Stormguard member. He was a Highguard, last one of Legio Fortis, and she his mystic...Had our enemies got their hands on that journal, I wouldn't be here right now, as they'd be at my door instead of you. Furthermore, they'd have access to the memoires and secrets of one of the former highest ranking members of the Guard. So yes, tragic as it is, it was as worth dying for as it was killing for. Surely you know what the Stormguard lives to protect?" Kylin frowned slightly, taking a moment to sip from his tea in order to think of his response. "I...found out a lot of things on my own prior to Keir recruiting me. And after I joined, I--" "Keir Lowell?!" The woman shot up in her seat, her old feeble bones seeming suddenly invigorated. "Halone be praised! He survived the Sundering? And you've seen him?" "Y-yes," Kylin stated with surprise over the woman's reaction. "But that was before the Calamity. I haven't seen or heard from him since. I assume he..." Cordelia slowly returned to her seat, her hopeful face shifting back to one of sorrow. "I see. How terrible. Mister Felstar, I think we have much more to discuss before this day is over. Let me make us something to eat. It's going to be a long day, one that perhaps will change both of our fates, and so many others'..."

[align=center]Part II: Something Worth Dying For[/align] "We've done all we can to stop the bleeding," a female lalafell medic stated with a sigh. "But I don't suspect she'll survive. I'll go notify the Thaumaturge's Guild." The medic left the room, not noticing the hidden hyur in the dark corner of the next chamber as she did so. Kylin waited another moment as the other medic, a roegadyn man, left as well. With nobody else remaining in the immediate area, the midlander quietly slipped into the neighboring room where the miqo'te patient was located. She appeared older up close than originally thought, though perhaps it was just due to her deteriorating condition. She was pale, likely from the blood loss since she was clearly a Seeker and no doubt well tanned from the desert sun. Her clothes, a tribal looking outfit one may see out in Sagoli, were partly ripped from whatever mysterious confrontation she had. Her hair was a soft brown and reminded him of the pictures of his own mother. Kylin's gaze shifted to the miqo'te's hand, where he had seen the tattoo. Carefully, he reached out to gingerly take the hand for a closer look, only to be startled by its sudden pull back from him. The woman let out a panicked gasp as she regained consciousness, though she was in no condition to actually move from her bed. She continued to gasp for breath, the panic in her demeanor not fading an inkling. Kylin, unsure what to do as he watched the frantic woman, slowly put his hands up in the air to signal he meant no harm, careful to not say anything for fear someone would hear him and come to investigate. It didn't help, so he did the only other thing he could think of. He turned partly around and pulled part of his shirt down where his right shoulder was, so that the woman could see the tattoo there...the tattoo that matched the one on her hand. It worked, and the panic faded almost instantly as relief seemed to set into the woman's eyes. Before the hyur could get out a quiet word, the woman used her hand to undo a satchel at her hip, letting it drop off her bed and to the floor with a loud thud. She then looked at Kylin with a hint of serenity and peace before slowly closing her eyes. The hyur stared in slight shock. He didn't need to be a medic to know that she had just passed to the realm of Thal. Though he didn't know the woman, nor exchange a single word with her, he couldn't help but feel sorrow for her passing. The mark connected them, after all. The midlander shifted his saddened gaze to the floor where the bag was. He reached down and picked it up, pulling out the item within. It was a small book, small enough to rest on the palm of one's hand, with a tiny lock on it to keep the contents from prying eyes. Kylin turned the small book over. Engraved in the back of the book was small text that simply read: 'If found, please return to the below address.' Directly below that was a Silver Bazaar address. Kylin bit his lower lip, staring at the book for a long moment before returning his gaze to the deceased miqo'te. She clearly had given this book to him for a reason. And he wouldn't be able to open it without a key, at least not without the risk of damaging the book itself. Voices sounded from the other side of the wall. The summoned thaumaturge had no doubt arrived. Kylin took one final glance to the miqo'te woman before pocketing the small book and casting a teleport spell to travel the aether just before the thaumaturge entered the room.

[align=center]Part I: Mark of the Forgotten[/align] The sun had long since waned from the sky, stars left in its absence to leave a dazzling display over the city of Ul'dah. The streets were still busy, though not nearly as much as they were during the day. Several shops were finishing with last minute customers and preparing to close up for the night. Kylin walked casually past the Adventurer's Guild, watching quietly as everyone finished up their last minute business for the day. It had become a nightly ritual for him lately, to simply walk around the city and take in the night chill while clearing his head. The thoughts that came to him were the same every night though, and then he'd go home and lie in his bed...alone. The midlander stopped near the fountain outside the Adventurer's Guild and glanced up to the sky. He wore simple white kecks and a reddish brown open cotton shirt, casual attire by his standards. He gently ran his hand through his light blond hair as the same old nightly thoughts started entering his head. He was alone. Always alone. He spent so many moons attempting to win Gerik back through deceit and manipulations, only to end up alone. And what a waste of energy it was. He wasn't even sure what he ever really saw in Gerik, aside from his boyish innocence and good looks. The highlander certainly wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, that was for sure. So many people suffered just for those attempts. Aysun. Fenix. K'aworu. Burgenheim. Gerik. Rhio. Tyriont. Seohyun. The Poet. Even his own sister, Elza, suffered by taking his side and losing the Poet over it, which led to her hate-filled revenge and ultimately, to her exile after she made double the amount of Felstar enemies suffer first. The list of casualties by his family that snowballed over a simple infatuation was nothing short of extraordinary. Some forgave him, some didn't, and some he had yet to even find to attempt an apology. He was alone though. His sins had cost him any potential friends or allies. His sister was gone. Gerik was forever lost to him. All he had left was his work for his father. His father. That's all that remained. Sad, that. A grown man still living in the shadow of his wealthy and powerful father. It was almost-- Kylin's depressed train of thoughts were instantly interrupted over the shrill scream coming from down the road. He watched with uncertainty as several others began to gather near the Aetheryte Plaza, hesitantly moving in that direction to see what the fuss was about. As he joined the crowd of onlookers, he quickly saw what caused the distress. A miqo'te woman, perhaps in her thirties or so, laid upon the city's stone ground covered in blood. A trail of the crimson fluid could easily be traced back to the aetheryte crystal, where the woman no doubt entered in this present condition. Several of the onlookers quietly whispered while a medic leaned down to inspect the woman. Three Brass Blades soon joined the crowd, one of them quickly joining the medic while the other two looked toward the onlookers to figure out what had happened. Kylin could hear the medic state that the woman was still alive, though barely hanging on. Two more medics soon joined the fray, likely alerted via pearl. They carried with them a long flat board where they gently moved the injured woman onto before lifting it back up and leaving toward the closest city clinic. The Brass Blades stayed behind and questioned the crowd. As the medics left with the miqo'te, her hand gently fell to the side and Kylin's eyes instantly widened in shock. The mark on her hand was an all too familiar one. It was the very same mark he himself had branded on his back for more than five years now. There was no denying it. The woman was a member of the secretive society known as the Order of the Stormguard, a group that had long since been believed dead and gone since the Calamity. The midlander quietly excused himself from the crowd, staying out of sight of the Brass Blades as to not be deterred from his new investigation. He followed the medics down the road as covertly as possible, seeking answers to the sudden appearance of a forgotten society...

^This. Aside from RP, housing was literally the most important feature in the game for me that I was looking forward to since 1.0. I'm literally devastated right now. Not planning to quit over it or anything. But I'm presently extremely disappointed over this entire situation.