Melkire

Aaand ending on Knahli's note. Most which can be said has already been said so for sake of preventing further drama... Locked.

[Moderator Hardhat] This thread is on-watch. Some folks have gotten rather expressive, but we've not outright broken rules yet despite coming perilously close. Might be handing out some warnings at the least. Please respect Rule #1: Be excellent to each other. [/Moderator Hardhat]

All hail our new lancer-turned-barmaid overlord.

[align=center]Meet Brick.[/align] [align=center][/align] As the new doorman and head of security for the Dauntless, Corporal Brick has memorized "The List," a series of names, faces, and associations belonging to allies, affiliates, and trusted acquaintances of the company who are permitted access to the unit's headquarters. The corporal may be slow, dim, unlettered, confused, uneducated, slow, dim, and uncultured, but he also possesses a fine number of virtues, such as a polite demeanor, excellent memory, superb concentration, the various advantages of size and strength, exceptional tenacity, the vigor of youth, fierce loyalty, and the most beautiful calligraphy this side of the Shroud. He puts these virtues to use alongside his skills quite frequently, given the nature of his newfound position, barring entry from hooligans, miscreants, thieves, criminals, individuals whom Sergeant Melkire forgot to mention, the aetherically-inclined, Brass Blades, Sultansworn, and Monetarists alike. His duties consume all of his time and attention, requiring his utmost concentration. Such focus in a young Hellsguard proves invaluable time and again, though it does put a damper on his conversation... though that may be a blessing in disguise, given his relative lack of social grace. Speaking of social grace or lack thereof, [align=center]Meet Mortar.[/align] [align=center][/align] The corporal is so attentive to his responsibilities that time and time again he wears himself out and collapses for bells on end, leaving the company without physical security (ask us about our aetherial wards sometime). For this reason, upon request the Hall assigned Private Mortar to the Dauntless. Mortar is a... different breed of animal altogether. In fact, "animal" is perhaps the best way to describe him. This perverted little chatterbox is everything that Brick isn't: witty, hyperactive, lewd, boisterous, forgetful, and SHORT. Their only common interest? Cigars. Go figure. That said, this tiny terror has his own legend going for him, a legend of insubordination, confrontation, fisticuffs, bar brawls, broken ribs, teeth marks, broken femurs, stubbed toes, cracked skulls, devoured pets, gambling, and worst of all, an atrocious neglect for hygiene. His new post challenges him every sun: to stand still, to accept baths-by-bucket on a regular basis, and to cover for his corporal whenever the roegadyn needs his sleep. So what if the lalafell peddles company goods now and again? The new security for Dauntless HQ, ladies and gentlemen.

More hip-hop than rap, but... cross-posting from tumblr. [video=youtube]

Posting to second everything Kiht wrote, as well as to reword the following: Sometimes, RP FCs can and will pull others into their plot(s) and/or interact extensively on a FC level with non-members and other FCs. That said, this shouldn't be an expectation, as it doesn't happen regularly or frequently enough with most free companies. We make the effort, but it doesn't always pan out, and ultimately FC and personal storylines of members take precedence before most non-FC narratives. Exceptions, of course, but that's the general rule of thumb. EDIT: Kayak quit making us blush.

Zhavi writes my favorite forum IC posts, her threads with everyone always make for amazing reads, and her character's personal pieces/stories are just... hnnnnngh. And Zhi is so sleazy and low key, too! Great writer and roleplayer.

Updated. Even more broken now than it was.

Hail Lala.

You can have an Overpower equivalent when we can start being viable MTs in Final Coil. Seriously, our mitigation outside of SP, IB, and Vengeance is comparatively shit for content that hits that hard. Need more useful CDs. Foresight does not cut it.

*scawny midlander walks up to ripped highlander, head at chest level, and stares almost ninety degrees up into the latter's eyes* "u wot m8?"

Hamon is brilliant, and I'm glad to see at least one NPC being cheery and determined and steadfast (outside of maybe Pipin? I'm not there yet) in light of recent rumors. I'd probably trade in the Hildibrand chain if it meant we could get more Hamon Holyfist. To me, he's XIV's perfect mix of serious drama and light-hearted comedy.

Thanks, I missed that for some reason.

I might dump Hamon's text whenever I get around to finishing the MSQ. Unless someone would like to do so for me? I haven't seen it here yet.

Private security.

...I take it back. As a Monk, I would happily trade in Final Heaven for the chance to Suplex a Doom Train.

*kicks his way through the wall, Kool-Aid fashion* April Status Report Wrapped up our introductory storyline, more or less. Major kudos to Grieving Hound for coming to us with a personal narrative that could be spun into a "THE TEAM GETS TOGETHER" arc. Likewise to Althea Mourelz for helping us out. A big round of applause to both for alt'ing back and forth so much. A ruffle of the hair to Merri for hanging out with us and getting involved. Thanks to Lilithium and Whispervine for throwing in for some of it, to Coatleque and to Sounsyy for playing tribunal for us, to Aya for taking a linkpearl (we're going to get to you very soon, I swear) and to everyone else I'm forgetting right now: :love: The Dauntless have one somewhat-successful-with-questionable-results mission under their... cap? belt? ...right now. We'll be shooting for two soon. For now, some downtime as we kick some personal stories along and bring more people in. We are still recruiting. I'm at fault for a few folks that I haven't gotten back to yet: I will be getting back to you. Please note that we do turn people down. We're selective: if it makes sense for a character to join either the FC or the LS and we've no issues IC or OoC, they'll more likely than not be approved. If it doesn't make sense, or if there is an issue IC or OoC, your character isn't getting in. Simple as that. Still recruiting on the civilian side, as well. Don't need to be a Flame to join up or take a linkpearl. Rumor is our next assignment will be somewhat chilly. Immortal Flames unit or not, we might be heading north soon.... EDIT: Also, please note we have a doorman now. Wyss Wyrst, known only as Corporal Brick to everyone including himself, will be watching for intruders. You only get in with his say-so. The house has been tagged "Locked" in the greeting, as have most of the personal rooms inside. Helps let folks know not to go unintentionally godmodding into secure areas, while saving us the trouble of constantly locking-and-unlocking the doors (XIV's housing UI makes that a pain in the ass)

Remorseful assassin stumbles into a soldiering career, then has consecutive conniptions over the severe lack of competence in his new environment.

It was Sisipu in the bedchambers with a fishing rod. Conspiracy theories are just that, conspiracy theories. Unless your name is Riol.

Gratuitous Animal Sidekick. ...that might've been harsh, but it's based on what little I know of Howl. EDIT: GDI GEGENJI

Haven't <> and a few other FCs done this?

On behalf of MNKs everywhere: we'd like to keep Final Heaven as our job-exclusive LB3, thank you very much and have a nice day.

Osric had the same impression, though they've never met face-to-face and only ever chatted over a linkshell.

I think we're just missing pieces of the puzzle, that's all. Such as, "what if Alberic was the 24/7 guard of the Eye in the Vault?" That would, as you say, answer some questions. Enough missing puzzle pieces like that and you end up where we are now. ...lack of dialogue change for Alberic is most likely an oversight.

So I unlocked Steps last night. Haven't run the Trial yet. I've had Dragoon unlocked, at 50, and its Job Quests finished since before 2.55. I took a moment to revisit those quests and the relevant dialogue. I think it's pretty obvious what happened. Alberic spoke of dragonsblood coursing through a dragoon's body, resonating with the soul. "Fatal Seduction" is the title of one of the DRG quests, in which he discussed with the MC the inherent danger of such power: that one might fall under the thrall of a dragon. Estinien later confirms in the lead-up to Steps of Faith that the power/blood/whatever of Nidhogg does, in fact, run through his veins/arteries/what-have-you. He also mentions somewhat in passing about its "lingering influence," if I recall the exact words properly. Estinien also pointed out - and I think he was telling the truth - that Alberic hid the theft of the Eye from Ishgard and the Holy See itself. He later confirms that he doesn't need to physically keep the Eye on him to benefit from his relation to it, which lines up well with the Eye resonating with and calling out to the MC, effectively acknowledging the MC as a second potential Azure Dragoon. What happened, near as I can tell: 1. Alberic acknowledged as greatest in all Ishgard, Eye passes to him. 2. Twenty years prior to ARR, Nidhogg assaults Ishgard. Alberic holds him off, fights off the temptation and seduction of giving in to the dragon within him, and in doing so routs Nidhogg... but at the cost of Ferndale. Estinien is the only survivor. 3. Estinien raised to the arts of a dragoon and ultimately acknowledged by Ishgard as the greatest since Insert-Original-Dragoon-Who-Cut-Out-Nidhogg's-Eye-Here. The Eye acknowledges him. 4. Estinien senses, through the Eye, that Nidhogg is soon to reawaken. Gets it into his fool head that maybe he can lure Nidhogg away from Ishgard and double-suicide with the great beast, thereby enacting his revenge for Ferndale and at the same time saving countless lives. 5. Estinien enacts his plan, stealing the Eye away and running off. Alberic covers this up and takes off after him in a matter of "great secrecy". Ishgard doesn't even know. Alberic gets word out to Ywain through others re: his need for an exceptional lancer. 6. DRG Job Quests level 30 - 45 happen. 7. DRG Job Quest Level 50. Alberic and the MC confront Estinien at Steel Vigil. The MC sides with Alberic rather than with Estinien. Estinien, emotionally distraught that he has been bested by his fellow Azure Dragoon (there CAN be two, we've been over this, it just so happens that E & the MC are the first ever case of two in the same generation, despite E's arrogant egocentric assertion that "there can only be one"), succumbs to Nidhogg's influence and invokes the wyrm's name, beseeching him for power. MC and Alberic triumph regardless, and Estinien disappears in a flash of aether. Alberic mentions his hopes that Estinien is still out there somewhere. The Eye, it seems, is not recovered. It is not mentioned or shown to have been recovered, nor does Alberic mention it again after Estinien disappears. 8. SPECULATION TIME: Given his later mentions at Dragonhead of not seeking to challenge you again, and that Nidhogg's influence is now only "lingering within him," I'd say his defeat at the hands of MC resulted in his recovering his faculties, i.e. the emotional turmoil having subsided, he was once again his own man. For the anime-inclined, as much as I hate the comparison, see the early arcs of Naruto and how emotional distress would cause the Kyuubi's influence to leak through and send him into a demon-powered rage. Similar concept, different execution. Having returned to himself, Estinien is likely still hiding his theft of the Eye from Ishgard, or else he has returned it there (whether the Holy See is aware or not is beside the point). Since no one but Alberic, the MC, and Estinien himself knew of his treacherous plot, Isghard, Alphinaud, and the rest of the cast are none the wiser, so Estinien continues to walk about in everyone's good graces. EDIT: Souns, nowhere have I seen any mention of Estinien being pronounced dead to the Holy See. Where's that come from? -sifts through this thread- EDIT 2: Regarding the Vault, it's ridiculous to assume that the Azure Dragoon wouldn't have unimpeded access to the Eye, the very relic that supposedly empowers him far beyond any would-be peers. Especially if Estinien had been loyal up until his theft of it. The most loyal DID have access to the Vault, after all. EDIT 3: The MC, as a potential Azure Dragon, has neither the Eye in his/her possession nor are they capable of stepping into the "official" post of A.D. The MC has been too busy doing Scion-WoL-Hydaelyn's Chosen things to sit around Ishgard as its greatest protector. Alberic's words don't mean they aren't an Azure Dragoon or are incapable of being such, it just means they can't be.