ansemaru

Descriptive or relevant ones are nice. I tend to check peoples' FC information if I suspect they might be a roleplayer, but if they've got one of the "-RP" tags, I don't even need to check to know. But those aren't needed, at the same time. Lansquenet's is <>, which sounds pretty cool and suggests the name of our FC, even in brief. Being a little clever with abbreviations seems more appropriate for OOC FCs, but it's really up to personal preference.

And, well. The existence of Tempering directly contradicts "only beastmen worship Primals". A case could be made for "only beastmen willingly worship Primals", I suppose, but the distinction is still necessary.

Are the Gigas actually established as a canon beastman race in FFXIV? I've seen nothing suggesting them, nor their connection to Shiva, other than your post here.

Maybe more Elezen than now, in the past. Currently? The Ishgardians. I don't think the Duskwights are likely candidates, though that might be my bias from actually playing one and familiarizing myself with the lore. After all, the Duskwights in Coerthas are few and far between, if at all present.

Elezen Name: Aumeric Chassebel Elezen clan: Duskwight Gender: Male Timezone: EST Looking for?: Friends, fellow actors, "traditional" Duskwights and Wildwoods to bounce off of, possibly family, and even hypothetically romance (gentlemen only need apply for that last one, though) Wiki is here. 2. Does your character fit the 'common' lore of your elezen or are they singular? (Eg. Raised by hyur so does not understand X or Y = singular) My character is sort of half-typical, half-atypical. He's an Elezen raised by Elezen in a fashion that is consistent with the common lore for Elezen- just not a typical Duskwight. His family is more well-off than the majority of their kind and aspire to live more like the Wildwoods of Gridania and Ishgard, though they are still organized criminals, rather than old money or nobility. 3. What are your Rp limits, if any? (Eg: no permadeath, no ERp etc) Death, permanent or otherwise, is off-limits as of now. Permanent injury needs discussion and a good reason, but is not 100% out of bounds. ERP would have to be discussed- definitely nothing non-con, definitely nothing heterosexual. The "nothing heterosexual" also applies to relationships- obviously, I can't stop anybody from developing a crush on Aumeric, but he's not going to reciprocate the affection from any woman. Also things that directly contradict the lore of the game? Not my friend, though I don't think that needs to be said.

@Rickter This is the concept art I was talking about. Shiva is tall, lanky, and pointy-eared. You may note that the Ixal are feathery, the Kobolds hunched and bulky, the Amalj'aa scaly and horned, the Sylphs robed and levitating, the Sahaugin finned and aquatic, and the dragons are... well, dragons. Each beastman race associated with a Primal shares prominent physical characteristics with it. From lore in the similar XI and from 1.0, the suggestion exists that worship of a Primal causes a group to become more and more like said Primal over time- hence the zealous Amalj'aa, who have a more frequent success rate in summoning Ifrit, bearing a stronger resemblance to their god, while the Sylphs, who even amongst the tempered do not make frequent efforts to call upon Ramuh, do not look quite as close to him. There's a very real possibility that before the worship of Primals took, the beastmen appeared very different. Shiva's primary characteristics are not dissimilar to those of the Elezen. The implication being that it may not be impossible that they are, in fact, a "bastard" offshoot of Hyur- those whose worship of a "Halone" who was not Halone, but Shiva- caused them to over time take on characteristics of Shiva and resemble Hyur less and less, until they became a distinct lineage separate from their shorter, less pointy-eared kin. That said, it's very unlikely this hypothesis is true. Although there's a strong possibility that Shiva is responsible for Ishgard's current state, there's no telling if she has been posing as or is the true identity of Halone, or if her influence is what made the Elezen the Elezen. It's just an interesting way to look at things.

It should be /em, not /e, and if it isn't that, you should probably check what your name display settings for the chat window.

I know I've read that somewhere, too, and I'm fairly certain it was an official source. There's, uh. Well, once again, hesitant to apply laws of biology to a fantasy setting, but there appear to be enough consistencies that assuming at least a common shared ancestor between Hyur and Elezen isn't out of the question, but science isn't advanced in Eorzea to the point where that could be determined by anybody living there. There's also the Crazy As Balls Hypothesis for why the Hyur and Elezen are similar enough that the Hyur have made note of it while the Elezen vehemently deny it. Have you seen the concept art for Shiva? And have you noticed how a certain region that is mostly inhabited by Elezen has suddenly and mysteriously become covered in ice and snow after years of being a more temperate region- a region inhabited by individuals who display fanatical devotion to an icy goddess? You know how the beastmen races have grown to resemble their Primal over time? Cough. Cough.

Given the relative rarity and story-importance of Padjal, it seems unlikely that they'll be made available to play any more than, say, moogles. Going from what we know about their physiology and role in the world, I'm not entirely sure they function on the same time scale as normal races- they almost definitely have some kind of preternatural extended lifespan deal going on. As for Miqo'te- obviously, normal biology cannot be applied in the case of an animal that has major features of primates and felines, which are certainly both mammals but hardly related beyond that. Given that they have feline senses, dentition, and tails, it may be tempting to assume that their ancestors were more cat than chimp, as it were. Elezen, Roegadyn, and even Lalafell might be reasoned to share a common ancestor with Hyur, but I find it unlikely, barring magical intervention, that Miqo'te also do.

Certainly not all of us are performers. Anstarra on the forums here is a member of the FC whose primary job is security at shows/our future bar and sticking things with the pointy end of a spear. And she could always use co-workers. I'd recommend seeking out either Skoena Fraewyn or Fenr'ir Nebelung in-game about actually joining, or barring them, Cendrillon Braids.

Someday we'll get the Chocobokeep gear. Someday.

So sometimes you start a new class, and the only equipment you have on hand for a level 1 character is... mismatched.

What kind of stories has your character gotten into? Thus far, most of Aumeric's story has been that of his Free Company, Lansquenet. Since I started playing the game, he's starred in a play as a names-changed-to-protect-the-innocent version of Lucrecia, gotten volunteered to dance half-nude for money (and realized he can't dance), volunteered himself to teach a Miqo'te how to read, and has gotten mistaken for both an Immortal Flames soldier and a Garlean spy while trying to carry out business for his company. As an FC, Lansquenet has tried to flow with the ongoing events of the world- planning on organizing a gambling ring at the Wolves' Den and a bar in the Lavender Beds, as well as ongoing attempts to make their names known as entertainers across Eorzea. How has your character changed since the game re-launch? Well, for Aumeric, re-launch was "launch". He started as innocent and unsure, freshly kidnapped and having trouble interacting with people outside of the FC. But after some conversations and enough time spent around the other members of Lansquenet, as well as a successful show in which he was the co-star, he's become more confident and outgoing. It's also helped him that he's now the senior of several members who've joined Lansquenet since the game's re-launch. What has been your favorite RP moment so far? Either the time Aumeric was mistaken for an Immortal Flames soldier at Camp Drybone by an actual Immortal Flame, and got out of suspicion by revealing he was an actor (but not that he was there to steal something), or the time he tried to listen in on a conversation between one of his fellow free company members and a stranger at Camp Bronze Lake and got mistaken for a Garlean Spy. Or maybe the time he accidentally stumbled onto his FC's leader bathing in the hot springs at the Hermit's Hovel. Aumeric really has some rotten luck, but it's one hell of a time RPing the situations that come out of it. What was the most shocking RP moment this year? Probably the day when Aumeric got volunteered into dancing by Fenr'ir. It came out of left field and was kind of bewildering and hilarious, but provided a great opportunity for character development. As did the conversation he had with Barbarccia afterwards, in which he gained a bit of perspective on how he felt about his "kidnapping". What was the most surprising thing you found out about your character? I didn't expect him to develop feelings for a Miqo'te. That's all I'm saying. What relationships did your character build? He really bonded with the other members of Lansquenet! That's really too many people to list here, but I'm particularly fond of his friendships with Cendrillon Braids and Y'tuma Tia, and the grudging respect/mentorship he's got with Maya Alcor. What are you looking most forward to seeing in the future with your characters growth and story? I am particularly excited for the eventual revelation that Aumeric's family organized the whole fake kidnapping that he thought was his gambit to get out from under their thumb, and the crisis that will come from the fact that he was meant to learn to be a criminal, rather than an actor.

I'm in love with how this describes horses, and the fact that horses are a rare, exotic animal in the context of Final Fantasy. This is exactly what makes fantasy so fun as a genre for me.

I keep story-based roleplaying to private interactions with personal friends, in /party chat. It's an enjoyable thing, as long as it's kept somewhat separate as a canon from my public RP.

I'd err on the side on not assuming anybody lives multiple centuries. The only precedents we've got for unusually lifespans are that Lalafell that was apparently in 1.0, and some obviously supernatural examples. So while Elezen live longer than Hyur, I think it's better to not assume they're functionally immortal. While they are more or less elves, they certainly aren't Tolkien elves. Also keep in mind that a big piece of average lifespan has to do with living conditions. Folks who are more well-off and have regular access to good, healthy, fresh food and good medical care are going to live longer than those living in poverty. So Wildwood Elezen, who are socially near the top of the heap in Gridania, which is a lush natural paradise for the most part and also home to an entire guild of adept healers, would have an advantage in lifespan that doesn't even come from being naturally predisposed to live longer than others. Meanwhile, Duskwight Elezen are marginalized in the exact same spaces where Wildwoods flourish- they wouldn't have the same access to health care and proper nutrition, and might even be denied healing from Conjurers on the basis of maintaining the natural balance and not offending the Elementals. So it wouldn't be implausible to assume Duskwights do not live as long as Wildwoods. The same might be said for Highlanders versus Midlanders- while Highlanders have a hardier constitution, they are also outsiders in the regions they inhabit, due to their (typically) Ala Mhigan background. We've all seen the living conditions in Little Ala Mhigo and places like Pearl Lane. There's also the issue of the Ala Mhigans who refuse medicine that is not traditional for their people- and the fact that the medicine available in the city is, as we've seen, experimental and dangerous handouts from the Alchemists' Guild, that the people have little choice but to accept. It seems unlikely that on average a Highlander Hyur would live much longer than a Midlander at all. As for the other three... Many Miqo'te live as assimilated into Eorzean society as the average Midlander, but there are still quite a number living out in tribal situations outside of the city-states, who lack the steady access to resources and care that city-dwelling Miqo'te would. They've also got what appears to be a diet that skews more carnivorous, and a more small, delicate build than the other non-beastman races of Eorzea. These factors tend to contribute towards a shorter lifespan on average, but given that Miqo'te are still fairly human-like, it wouldn't make a huge difference, especially with city-dwelling Miqo'te. Roegadyn are larger and not actively marginalized in any circles, and would likely on average have decent access to resources and care. They'd probably live around the same length of lifespan as Hyur, possibly a little longer. And Lalafell? Evidently there are examples of them living well over a century in 1.0, though I'd love to get a source on that. There are a lot of Lalafell in the upper echelons of Eorzean society, especially Ul'dah, so they also have the benefit of resources, moreso than a number of other races. Ultimately, I think the range of average lifespans for the five main races in FFXIV is probably not hugely variant, and likely crosses the span between 60 to 120 at the extremes. There's nothing indicating any of the races live multiple centuries, or anything shorter than a respectable 60 years, barring extraordinary circumstances. What I'm curious about is the average lifespan for beastmen. What's the life expectancy for a Sylph, Ixal, or Amalj'aa? What about Goblins and Qiqirn?

Morally questionable FCs, you say? Well, I can help with that. Lansquenet is a troupe of shady individuals who've got their paws stuck in all kinds of underground business- smuggling, thieving, illegal gambling rings, hostile takeovers of mines, that sort of thing. Of course, they're also a theatre troupe trying to make a name for themselves in Eorzea's city states. It's a good cover for the nastier stuff, and it does net them a fair bit of money from far more legitimate means. We certainly have an eye for those who have become disillusioned with the city-states and Grand Companies, though most of our members are, if anything, specifically disillusioned with Gridania.

There are Ishgardian Midlanders, yes. And they definitely seem to conform to Ishgardian culture, from what we see. There are also Gridanian Midlanders, Limsa Lominsan Midlanders, and Ul'dahn Midlanders. Garlean Midlanders. There are more or less Midlanders in every region of Hydaelyn, and they seem to generally conform to their regional culture more than anybody else. Though it's also fairly apparent that Lalafell and Roegadyn generally fit in with their regional culture more than displaying cultural traits that are race-specific- that appears to be a tendency displayed in Miqo'te, Highlanders, and some Elezen. Though Wildwood Elezen culture is, in a way, the culture that defines Gridania and Ishgard. It's. It's complicated. The point is, I get what you're saying. There is no monolithic Midlander culture in the way that there is for, say, Wildwoods or Highlanders or Seekers. They're the people who embrace and make up the cultures of many regions.

Oh, I see. I guess I was expecting more variety from the Amalj'aa ones, but that's cool, too.

Well, if she's a Gridanian Wildwood, she more than likely comes from a more well-to-do background than a Wildwood elsewhere or a Duskwight anywhere. Gridania is pretty much Wildwood Central in terms of population distribution, and they tend to hold positions of authority and power alongside the Padjal. Look to the Archers' Guild, the Adventurers' Guild, the Carpenters' Guild, and the markets, and you'll find Wildwoods running the show. So, if for example, you wanted her to come from a wealthy old Gridanian family, either nobility of merchants, you're in a good position to. Of course, there are loads of Wildwoods who aren't as well-off, but no less noteworthy. Many of them use their skills in combat to support the Wood Wailers or the Twin Adders, defending Gridania from outside threats like the Ixal. Or are farmers outside the city. Or merchants. You get the idea. Since you're playing an archer, I'm guessing you'll want to roll with that, though. A good hook might be the fact that Wildwoods and Gridanians are wary towards outsiders. They wish to protect their homeland, and since their homeland has a history of rejecting outsiders by way of the elementals' wrath, they belong to a culture that doesn't precisely smile on people who aren't already from Gridania. Not to say she needs to be a snob (unless you want her to be), but she might be intensely protective of Gridania, as well as proud of the relative beauty and tranquility of the place. Or she could be someone who's always felt stifled by living in one place that's very content to keep to itself, and wants to travel a world that she is overall not very familiar with yet. In that case, you should have her brace for culture shock when she goes to Limsa Lominsa or Ul'dah for the first time. Ultimately, it's up to you. My recommendations are very much tailored to your character being a Wildwood from Gridania. You also have the option open to make her Ishgardian, which... if you've played the game's story, you've gotten a taste of what the Ishgardians are like. The most snobbish and uptight of Gridania times ten, typically speaking, though there are obviously good eggs in there.

I'm guessing there's a different set for the Amalj'aa. I'd be interested in seeing those colors, if anybody around here is close to achieving a higher reputation than "neutral" with them.

The forest just outside of Gridania was not difficult to navigate. It wasn't heavily logged, gods forfend, like some wooded regions near towns or cities. The elementals wouldn't have stood for that- but at the same time, thanks to the respect afforded them, the trees of the Black Shroud were less dense there, as a respect paid to the Hearers and whoever would listen to them. It was somewhere where winding dirt roads still cut through the moss and fallen leaves, where the dappled sunlight easily counterbalanced the cool green shade and where the ground was unbroken by the Calamity. It sent a tingle of worry down Ahlek'zi's spine, fluffing out the fur on his tail as though he was actually in physical danger. That wouldn't do at all. His path had led him out of Gridania's gates and quickly off the main road, through scrubby undergrowth and unruly saplings, and though he was fairly certain nobody could see him, he still felt a crawling guilt for showing outward signs of worry. The fact that he was traveling through so much underbrush in a place where none could see him was just as worrisome, however. A few years ago, there was a path here. Now there was a faint track where the plants were younger than the surrounding ones, cutting through the undergrowth that made it nigh-impossible for even one as small as Ahlek'zi to navigate. He'd thought to carry a botanist's axe, but without proper clearance and understanding of the area's environment, it would be unwise to hack away at young shrubbery with wild abandon. This place was being reclaimed by the forest- that wasn't something to get upset over. It was the cycle of nature. It made Ahlek'zi feel ill. Up ahead, he could see an area where the plants didn't yet grow above head level, not quite a clearing but close enough to count. This was, by all accounts, his destination. Disregarding the tangle of branches and leaves between point a and point b, the boy rushed ahead, pushing foliage out of his way and stumbling over unseen obstacles in amongst the small shoots already carpeting the former path. Twigs snagged on his robe and broke off, but he no longer cared- nervous energy coursed through his veins, heating him up like a fever, and he finally burst through the bushes to the other side. There was a tree here- not an impressive tree, not huge like the Guardian or imbued with magical significance like the hedgetrees. It was large and old, and very centrally located, but by all accounts it was an ordinary sort of tree. No markings or decorations, nothing at all to differentiate it from any other similar elm. The ground around it was unsurprisingly covered in leaf litter, fungus, and small plants, whichever could grow in the spotty sunlight that made it through the canopy above- and in the space of five years. Ahlek'zi bent over to catch his breath, and looked around more thoroughly, not just at the plants. There were houses here. Small wooden houses, not unlike the ones being constructed in the Lavender Beds, but abandoned, faded and rotting. There were no overt signs of damage to any of them, nor old bloodstains. Not a single skeleton or cast-off weapon. No signs of Voidsent, Ixal, or even the greenwrath. Just a collection of six little houses, silent and empty, wearing moss and young plants like a funeral shroud. There was no sound, no movement here, save for the light summer breeze through the leaves above and the distant calls of birds- certainly nothing approaching a voice. When the Calamity came, not all was destroyed with a bang, all fire and bloodshed and falling rock. This destruction was the gangrene that set in after the wound- families, businesses, and communities falling apart with deaths and loss of capacity to be self-sustaining. And certainly, some things that had started to fester deserved nothing worse than a merciful death, so that nature could reclaim what was hers in the end. But the sight of the forest taking back this place only brought a dull ache to Ahlek'zi's chest, and he found himself sitting down amongst the ferns, staring at nothing in particular until the ache would leave him.

But I don't think that much can be chalked up to Elezen having longer lifespans. They aren't Lord of the Rings elves, and don't live for centuries on end, so the comparative difference in lifespan between them and Hyur isn't so huge. If anything, it's probably only a few decades at most, and for that matter something that is probably only the case with Wildwoods- most Duskwights don't share their living conditions, and likely have a higher rate of dying at around the same age as everyone else. If you can't find lore sources on anything official, you might be basing your assumption on fanon rather than canon. Seems like that's a running issue around here lately. Here's the thing about "intelligence". The way you're talking about it, you seem to be thinking about availability of knowledge by way of study or research, rather than an inherent mental quality. And that's not something intrinsic to anybody based on race. It's something that comes from one's circumstances, the availability of material to learn from, etc. And for centuries, Eorzean culture has been a melting pot of influences from all five of the major non-beastman, non-Garlean races. They developed concurrently, share a history, and share resources like research and knowledge. So the comparative intelligence of any individual in Eorzea is more to do with their access to higher learning, rather than their brain being naturally better at knowledge. Midlanders aren't all going to be super-geniuses as a flavor thing- you may note that there are numerous Midlander NPCs in the game, none of which who are portrayed as more intelligent than anybody else. Hell, look at the figures of authority in the most "intellectual" guilds and professions: the Thaumaturges' Guild is run by a group of Dunesfolk Lalafell, the Arcanist guildmaster is a Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te and his deputy is a Sea Wolf Roegadyn. The Scholar questline involves a fairly intellectual Plainsfolk Lalafell (and another Lalafell scholar in the backstory). Even in the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, the members of the organization that are shown to be more focused on learning and intellectual subjects are not the Midlanders. We've got a couple of wise and mysterious Elezen, and of course Papalymo, who is a Plainsfolk! I don't think anybody, looking at Thancred and Minfilia, would go "ah, yes, the stereotype for Midlander Hyur like these two is that they're SUPER-GENIUSES".

Is that actually in the lore, or is that just Zac trying to be a special snowflake?

As a counter-offer to a more good-aligned FC, if you're interested in a character who's of a more criminal or artistic persuasion, I'd recommend looking into Lansquenet, the FC that I'm a part of. Depending on who you ask, we're a theatre troupe who also do work with smuggling, gambling rings, and thievery, or a bunch of criminal lowlifes posing as a bunch of entertainers. It's not for everyone, but I figured I should put a word in, in case your character concept suits either half of our FC's premise.