ZindelloTarantella

Dear Phoenix, I joined the Maelstrom to see the world. I've seen it. Now how do I get out? Signed, Salty Wolf Dear Salty Wolf, I would suggest a career in piracy, but the odds are, you've already done that being from Lominsa, so perhaps you could either serve your term and retire or try to steal something from the Admiral? I can tell you that will end your term very abruptly. Signed, The Phoenix

Aw! That is SO unhelpful! Anyway, I should have known that this was coming since they included Final Fantasy Type-0 in the new TheaterRhythm game. Not only several playable characters, including Machina, but also a large playlist of songs and an FMV to boot.

"Are you sure this is the kind of thing you need? Not that I don't mind being done with this whole business, Ser Tarot, but I don't understand why you feel that this is worth all the--" "Ah, so you WANT to stay in debt to me?" The blacksmith blinked then shook his head. The typically smug and coy tones of Crooked Tarot's voice had been replaced by a cool and calm vibration. It rang deeply in the craftsman's heart and it honestly wasn't a nice feeling at all. There was danger there and he fell silent as he moved to pick up the long packing box that held Crooked Tarot's order. It wasn't heavy at all, lighter than even a sword. It was an odd request--oddly specific and oddly placed. But again, he dare not overlook this chance generosity from Tarot to have his own debts with the man wiped clean if he did this one simple thing for him and told no one of it. Ever. The dissimilar eyes of the merchant looked at the box before taking it, opening the lid and looking inside with a grim sort of satisfaction. "Yes, this will do nicely." Lips turned up at the corners, eyes glinting with that same cool thoughtfulness, as if he'd just told a joke. "I won't lie to you--this piece of work will undoubtedly leave quite an impression." "I would certainly hope so! That's what it's for after all!" the blacksmith said anxiously, risking a small smile as he licked his lip unconsciously. "I uh--I mad sure it was just to your specifications. Right down to the handle there--" "Yes, I see that. Excellent work." Again, the merchant seemed to be elsewhere as he looked over the product in his hands. "I--I didn't know you had business all the way up there, Ser Tarot." "I've got business all over, Master Blacksmith." Good. Tarot had already forgotten his name. The blacksmith sighed in relief and nodded, not pressing his luck on the matter. It was true that no one really care three damns about Dravania here in Limsa for the most part (unless they were of Ishgard stock, naturally) but it was still an odd request. "Not to pry, Ser, but--I thought you hated chocobos. Are you getting into breeding or--?" "It's for another customer of mine," Tarot replied, closing the box and turning on his heel. "I hate the birds, you know that." With the snap of the box lid still ringing in the air, the merchant left the small smithy, leaving the blacksmith behind to wonder. "Just what in the Hells would someone want with a branding iron--and why would they want the Dravanian brand on it, of all things?"

Don't they already have Cactuar earrings out?

Dear Phoenix, I have a man I can't trust. He cheats so much, I'm not even sure the baby I'm carrying is his. Sincerely, Maru-Paru ================= Dear Maru-Paru, I don't know how to break this to you, but I'm fairly sure that his brand of disloyalty isn't just vulgar and stupid--it also may be contagious. Head to the Alchemist's Guild and see if they can't get you taken care of before trying to square things away with your husband. Signed, The Phoenix

Dear Pinkest Bard, I'm afraid I'm not entirely familiar with Chocobo raising. However, I do know enough to tell you that letting your bloated Bo sit in the oven at temperatures of about 250 degrees for at least three hours and a good carving knife is one way to help cut the fat. I recommend a nice dressing if Big Bo isn't one of the new 'pretty' colored chocobos I've seen around town. Signed, The Phoenix

Dear Otto Vann, I would recommend that you take a moment and consider your priorities. On the one hand, you have a woman who is dedicated to you (presumably) and finds you engaging and attractive enough to overlook the effect your ungodly amount of charisma with the opposite sex. On the other hand, you have (again presumably) an ungodly amount of charisma that results in an equally ungodly amount of bragging rights. The question is less about what I would do if I was in this mess and more about which you value more; a quiet evening alone with the one you love, or a room full of well-armed, well-trained women all vying to be the apple of your eye. If the former, I recommend a good dead bolt and possibly a trained behemoth. Signed, The Phoenix

Dear Phoenix, I've suspected that my husband has been fooling around, and when confronted with the evidence, he denied everything - and said it would never happen again. Signed, Worry-Wort ========== Dear Worry-Wort, It sounds to me as if your husband has seen the error of his ways. In fact, he's gone so far as to promise never to repeat an offense he's yet to commit! The fact is, this man appears to be able to see into the future and I strongly urge you to remain married to him. A man that can peer through the veil to foresee his own problems rarely makes the same mistake twice. Signed, The Phoenix.

While perusing a copy of the Mythril Eye it is not unlikely that one may notice in the back of the illustrious newsletter of Ul'dah that there is a small column. Marked simply as 'Ask the Phoenix' it appears to be an advice column that various people send letters into to have answered in print by the ever witty and enlightened 'Phoenix'. Although, most everyone who knows anything about the merchants of Ul'dah likely have an idea of who the 'mysterious' Phoenix is, it still does not change the fact that this column is still in the back of nearly every issue. Of course, readers are encouraged to send in their letters for advice, under the protection of whatever name they sign the letter as... [[This is not meant entirely to be taken seriously--something more along the lines of a Dear Abby column. While it is indeed IC, it's meant more to divulge problems of characters may have that range from the serious to the silly. Of course keep things appropriate considering the Mythril Eye likely wouldn't allow into print anything TOO dark or shocking. Your character may use their real name or a pen-name. This is free and open to anyone that wants to give it a try!]

This looks like fun! TAROT WANTS MAKE DO TOO! Level 1 Hugger-Mugger Tarot immediately loses all Aggro. Skill recharge time is reduced by 75% and every Physical attack he makes recovers 15% HP. Level 2 Break the Bank Tarot immediately loses all Aggro. Skill recharge time is reduced by 75% and Passives are reset. Every successful attack he makes recovers 15% HP. He also gains 2% of the damage dealt as Gil. Level 3 Crooked Phoenix Delivers an attack with a potency of 400 to all target enemies. All allies regain HP equal to the amount of damage dealt. KO'ed allies are revived and healed for 50% of the total damage dealt.

Tarot would mostly likely be Tempered by Garuda. 1. Although Tarot is all about exploring the deep places of the world--and about personal gain from doing so--one would think that Titan might suit him. However, Tarot values his freedom far more and his ability to go anywhere and do as he pleases; as free as the Wind. 2. Garuda being regarded as one of the more powerful Primals in general would appeal to Tarot, given his own desires and superiority complex. He feels he is simply better and cleverer than most, and therefore, deserves to be recognized for his accomplishments and abilities. Aligning himself with one of the more highly regarded Primals in the 'food chain' would be too good to refuse. 3. Garuda's power comes from a mixture of subtlety and severity. She can distract and slowly whittle down her prey or blast them into shreds--her versatility in her powers chimes a chord with Tarot given his own desire to adapt and remain above everyone. Ready for everything, able to work every angle either subtly or not so subtly. Tarot would hate being tempered by Ramuh. 1. Given the more lawful bearing of Ramuh, Tarot would be far more uncomfortable with having to follow rules--what's more, the fact that Ramuh keeps his interest in the Twelveswood and thus would keep Tarot there as well would drive him insane. He cannot abide rules anymore than he can abide being told he can't go where he wants when he wants. 2. The sheer brutality and lack of subtly in lightning would wear on Tarot's nerves too. While he loves a good thunderstorm, lightning bolts have no grace or charm--they strike and then are gone. No questions asked, you know every time when they've hit. He prefers to enjoy keeping his targets guessing even AFTER he's attacked them. The way Tarot would be Willingly Tempered. If Tarot found himself at the end of his rope, either without money or a complete lack of freedom, he would fall prey easily to Garuda's charms. The power of traveling freely, to do what he wanted and the promise to have this ability to move freely indefinitely protected would be enough to push him into serving the Wind Primal. The only stipulation would be timing; under no circumstances would Tarot enter into a contract from which there was no backing out unless he himself thought that it would be better to serve one master and gain a lifetime of freedom than to suffer in bondage of any kind.

Let's play pretend for a moment that we all aren't special snowflakes in the main storyline world for a moment and take a look at the Primals that are all out and about--there's quite a few. Some are more dangerous than others but the main theme when it comes to Primals is you do NOT want to be Tempered. Ever. But let's play pretend that your character(s) don't have the Echo. Let's say that out of all the Primals that have been revealed so far (including Shiva since she HAS been revealed), your character(s) must become Tempered by one for whatever reason. Tell us, in your own words, which Primal they would not be--adverse to being Tempered by. List at least 3 REASONS OR TRAINS OF THOUGHT WHY. Try to avoid the most obvious reasons of 'Well he/she/it likes Fire so YAY IFRIT!' Elements are all well and good, but remember we're talking about selling your soul here--pretty sure (and this is just me) most folks don't want to sell their soul to another being because their symbolic color happens to match your eyes. Of course, do the same for the Primal they would be most loathed (if they had to chose) to be Tempered by as well. Again, give at least two reasons why they would NOT want to be tempered (again avoiding the obvious response of 'well duh no one wants to be tempered'). For an added bonus/challenge, give us a situation where your character might willingly chose to be Tempered. It need not be incredibly detailed but list some sort of circumstance where they would be alright being Tempered by their chose Primal. And.....GO!

UGH! It's true! Tarot wears all kinds of light clothing and fabrics that easily attract static and his various baubles and jewelry pieces don't help! :dazed:

In Limsa especially, Tarot orders a 'Black Flag' which is nothing but a black coffee and strong rum with a hint of citrus (to fend off scurvy, you see).

Tarot has a lot of quirks--the question is which ones are real and which ones are practiced? Always has a way of turning the conversation back towards money. Talks to himself occasionally as if there was another person there. HATES Coblyns. All those legs and their static electricity pisses him off. Is a pack-rat that picks up anything he finds interesting or that may turn a profit (but more often than not the former).

Tarot orders these every time he goes someplace else and is always annoyed when he has to explain how to make it! It's one of his new favorite drinks! 8D

By that argument, Pugilist and Monk should be called black belt and master, but you don't take issue with that? Not that I would care either way as they're both classes/jobs/whatever that punch things in the face. A name is a name... it shouldn't matter enough to make you change the way you play your character. Pugilist is fine because it becomes Monk, a standard class name that has been around for a while. It was Monk in Final Fantasy I in most releases. It's been Monk in most every fantasy game. Pugilist is fine because it BECOMES the traditional class Monk. Just like Conjurer becomes White Mage and Thau becomes Black Mage. Thief usually upgraded to Ninja. It's what it's always been. So why is it not Rogue into Ninja with a promise, as good a promise as we can get that Rogue will NOT become Thief? And why shouldn't Thief be an advanced class? Monks are not some designated sect upheld by any given city beyond the destroyed one that for the time being holds no direct relevance to the plot? Monks are not some organized group in Ul'dah. They are rebels in and of themselves essentially. So why can't Rogues become Thieves? Why can't there be an advanced class where the one who teaches you what you need is indeed a shady-shadester? Five letters, one title is not going to cause stagnation. If that's the case then White Mage should now be Cleric, Black Mage should be 'Sorcerer', Summoner should be Evoker and so on and so forth. If it's good for the goose, why is it not good for the pick-pocketing gander? What makes me so fussy about this is their logic. You know, sure, let's say 'It doesn't fit'. But don't give me some cock and bull story about how 'Thieves can't be heroes'. If assassins can be heroes then thieves can be too.

The one point I can agree with, to an extent, is the impact on the cities themselves. That being said, there will still be a rogue's guild... and, short of the in game lore stating otherwise, one can easily roleplay that there is a shadier, seedier underside to the guild that focuses more on criminal activity. TL; DR: It seems you have an issue of semantics when, at least to me, it seems this class is essentially going to play like a thief would, it's just being called a rogue (same as Knight turning into Paladin as you pointed out as well). The guild impact that you worry about may exist, but as roleplayers... there shouldn't be too much issue to work around there, either. May I direct your attention to 'Fiddler on the Roof'? 'Tradition. Tradition. Because of our traditions, we have kept our balance for many, many years!' The semantics are important in this case. It has always been a Thief. Square has never seen a reason to deviate from this, even when you could have easily called them a Rogue. They were a Thief in Game 1, they were a Thief in FF III (which is what 14 seems to be revolving around) and it's been Thief in title ever since then.

About why Ninjas (which yes, are spies and assassins) are 'OK' is because the game is made by SquareEnix. What is SquareEnix? A JAPANESE based company. Where did Ninjas originate from? That's right. BELGIUM. Obviously we are seeing SquareEnix doing that gushing that all companies do about the glories of the Belgian ninjas and their mark on history. No, but seriously, that is why ninjas are a-okay. Because it's a cultural thing. It's like expecting an MMO made by Americans, set in a modern setting to NOT have a 'soldier' class or a 'commando'. But let's look at this 'open-mind' thing. Yes. I will accept whatever is given to me and yes 'Rogue' is a polite term for 'Thief'. but you know that 'rogue' is still more or less associated with someone who skirts the law and does what they please. There's a reason why rogues in D&D (until recently) were never allowed to be Lawful. Rogues are not associated, simply put, with being people who follow they law. As said before, Final Fantasy has a rich tradition of thieves. Zidane Tribal didn't even bother to call himself a 'treasure hunter'. He was a thief and a kidnapper. Granted, again, he did it for 'good' reasons but the fact remains he was breaking the law and took things that didn't belong to him. Yes, it's nice to see their 'own take on it' but the fact remains that this is a series with a tradition. We're not talking about turning dragoons from being lancers into men and women that use flails and maces. We are talking about something as simple as five letters. Five letters separates us from a proud legacy of characters and lore that we, the players have loved and expected from the beginning. Yuffie was a thief AND a ninja. Rikku was a Mechanist and a thief. Hell just about ANYONE could be a Thief in any of the free-form class choosing games. So why here? Why now? Why, after twenty-something years are they NOW putting down their foot on what is arguably their most ambitious world-building project? And on a personal note, though obviously this has nothing to do with the creators, Tarot is not a rogue. He's not a (well not entirely) a treasure hunter. He's a Thief. He's a scoundrel that takes things that don't belong to him for his own reasons. He may be a roguish knave, but he is NOT a Rogue.

Yeah that's what I remember reading of a translation from when Ninja and Rogue were announced by Yoshi-P In what setting WOULD a Thieves Guild be welcome, realistically? Look, I get it. I know, I really do, Yoshi. But for a game is essentially love letter to the entire series, saying that one of the staple classes, going as far back as GAME 1, as 'not being welcome' is surprising. There has been a designated Thief class in every single game in one form or another. Steal is a classic action of thieves, even when not called thieves--I could rant about this for hours, but it's more out of confusion and disappointment than anger.

To paraphrase Yoshi: 'Who would want to play a Thief when everyone is supposed to be a hero?'

Another day, another gil. Tarot wasn't the drinking sort of man--drinks cost money, and since they were drinks, it was money he'd never see again. But then, he wasn't here to slake his own thirst but that of his ever unquenchable associate, Moggie-Moglin. Moggie-Moglin, the moogle that Tarot worked closely with and that acted as more or less his enforcer when the need arose, was know for two things--one, his love of blunt instruments that he could use to swing wildly at people he didn't care for, and two, his love of drink. And while the moogle considered himself a connoisseur of alcohol, the trough was, he'd drink anything that gave his little body a buzz. And so it was that Tarot had found himself sitting at a table near the lone woman with her paperwork. His eyes traced over her a moment, taking in details. Name started with an 'A', and she was a Sultansworn, if he recalled correctly. She seemed to be in a bit of the moody-blues at the moment, and Tarot was bored at the moment, which mean that nothing good could come of this. Leaning his broad form on the back of his chair, his free hand knocked the salt shaker off the table to the floor and onto his bare foot, catching it and muffling the sound of it falling. His foot then covered the condiment dispenser as he leaned towards the Sultansworn whose name started with an 'A' and grinned, motioning with his hand. "Hey, excuse me, Ser, you wouldn't happen to have a salt shaker on your table, would you? Mine seems to have disappeared."

Looks like Tarot now how a goal to open his shop!

I PLEAD GUILTY! You still don't count nearly enough to tip the scales, I'm afraid!

I'm sure someone else has noted this, but like I also mentioned in another thread, it seems that in this case it boils down to an issue of players not quite separating in-game mechanics from their own personal roleplay. Yeah it's all well and good to play how you want and have fun but when you're fun and play effectively ruin immersion for others to the point where you are being rude, it's not good. Like the ranks thing--just because you ARE a certain rank doesn't mean your character is. Like Aya said, Miss Foxheart is likely a terrible candidate for an officer (granted I've known RL officers who were also terrible candidates for an officer too so, grain of salt), but the fact remains that all of these little side things, especially where the Beast Tribes and anything with a rank are concerned, are not there for roleplayers. They're there to extend gameplay and replay value. They could literally call them ANYTHING else and take away titles and it would serve the same purpose; the only reason there are military ranks is for the sake of building a world. Let's not be taken in by our own propaganda, so to speak--or in this case the creator's game mechanics. I know everyone wants to be a special snowflake for their character but sometimes, one has to do better than throw a title around and hope for the best. Which brings me to my next point--these types of threads seem almost to preach to the choir after looking over the posts. Most everyone seems to agree or has found a work-around. So it seems to me that the issues are far more uncommon than common, at least as far as this community is concerned. Seriously, count up how many people say 'Oh, I don't do that' versus those that admit to doing it.