Melkire

There are actually craftable jukeboxes now (GSM), and I'm pretty sure the music in Gold Saucer is both in-universe and recorded. I wouldn't necessarily rule those out lore-wise just yet. Are they common though? Likely not. A luxury good. My mind jumps to that one exchange from Back to the Future. "Wow! You must be rich." "Oh, honey, he's teasing you. Nobody has two television sets."

[align=center] "I wished to... ask you for your aid as well. In a sense, I suppose." "That's freely given." "You have my thanks, as always." "Don't thank me. Been a cycle or more 'n' Banurein's still at large. You put yourself in the line o' fire right along with the rest of us, when you trusted me with her name, and I failed you." "You had your chances to be rid of me, and you did not. That is enough, I should think. I am rather fond of living."[/align]

Yyyyyeaaaaah, think they might've goofed with this announcement. Usually for issues of this magnitude, developers will just state, "We've identified the cause and we're working on a solution, please stay tuned" and leave it at that. Prevents malicious users from deliberately exploiting and/or impacting the game in a harmful fashion. ...good to know though, I suppose? EDIT: That said, I don't see a conspiracy here to cull "massively multiplayer," just a genuine, honest-to-God issue with... dun dun dunnnn... their infrastructure.

Isn't Shas head over heels for Coatleque? 'cause, like, this is nearly the same situation as Caleb and Berrod, where you rarely see the former in public unless it's in the presence of the latter, and we all know how THAT worked out....

The real question that needs to be asked is, "who should we ship Jancis with?" Crofte says Barengar. I don't know about that. I know a certain green-haired midget....

Threads like these. I like threads like these. 1. Osric would be one of the first to help break up a bar fight... by getting involved and beating any or all participants senseless from ambush. He doesn't care if he's the fantasy equivalent of a measly five foot eight inches, he's appointing himself to head bouncer whenever, wherever. Cue Shakira. 2. Any mentions of close friends, relatives, or family in the midlander's vicinity are going to result in him zeroing in on the discussion like a homing pigeon dispatched to HQ. He's the jealous type and he's also ridiculously overprotective... which ultimately culminate in his being very, very nosy about people who are familiar with those he cares about. 3. You offer to buy him food or drink. That'll get you, at the very least, an amicable conversation. What you do with it is entirely up to you, but there's a means to making inroads where Osric is concerned. 4. You're in a position to hire him to find someone, snoop on someone, beat someone up, or see to it that someone dies, and you make this position known to him. 5. Someone else has hired him to find you, snoop on you, beat you up, or see to it that you die. Run.

...beautiful cinnamon roll, too good for this world? I thought they already sailed. ...quick, someone molotov the galleon.

I hear Morn crying somewhere... I'M IN A B-BOY STANCE, I'M NOT DANCING I GOT HIS GIRL IN THE BACK DOING TANDEM BECAUSE I'M TOO DAMN QUICK, I'M TOO DAMN SLICK WHOLE DOWNTOWN YELLING OUT "WHO DAT IS?" It's me, the M the E-L the K...

Had a bit of a slow-down due to more RL shenanigans! Half our officer base moved recently. Going to be ramping back up to FC RP events starting this week! Not much else to report... other than we now have Diadem (Hard) access. :thumbsup:

It's been implemented already, as of Patch 3.1 a few weeks ago. On the Preview window, next to the button that says "Display Gear" is now a new button. The icon looks like a page. Click that to toggle it on and it will retain all the items you preview moving forward, meaning you can try on and preview multiple items together without ever having to buy any of them. ...the only downside is that you still can't view them dyed unless you own the pieces.

[align=center] "Can you drink it without a pink umbrella? "They didn't have a yellow one?" "Nope, sorry. Is there rules about that shit?" "Depends on which side o' the mizzenmast you're workin'." "Oh, for real? Like a code?" "Like if you're more interested in clams or cods." "I knew these sailors that would all do the earring thing. Left ear if you take an' right side if you give. Or... maybe it was the other way." "So. This mutual friend you spoke of?" "...damn, can you believe ice is free here? Guess it makes sense." "If it wasn't, folks would riot." "Wait, so what's yellow umbrella mean? ...you're not into getting pissed on, are you? I knew a guy." "--what? NO!" "I don't judge!" "...I've other interests, thank you." "A'ight! Just tryin' to figure out the code, man, relax. I've heard weirder... so what's yellow umbrella mean?" "Means all hands t'sheets 'n' braces, if it means anythin'." "Ohhh, heh. So yellow umbrella means you like more'n one dude at a time. A'right, right on, man... no?" "Red for that one." "Ohhhh." "You should make use o' that. Seem the type." "Anyroad... Tash, was it?" "Yep. Tash Holbrook." "Never heard o' you... should I have?" "Nah. I mean, not unless you're in the market for some quality merc work." "Oh. Right. The message. You know who I'm talkin' about, right?" "Someone shows up in Ishgard lookin' for Melkire, 'n' I ain't dead or in irons or runnin' for my life? Aye, I can guess." "There ya go. He thought it'd be best if ya weren't seen together. No offense. I'm sure he'd appreciate the umbrellas." "...was about t'reach out, truth be told. I'm ready t'deliver. Whole shipment, all at once. Though I ain't sure that's what you're here for." "A'ight, I'll pass it on. Basically, you need to get a message, I'm your girl." "Is that all you're m'girl for?" "Ain't no one's girl like that." "Just checkin'." [/align]

Congrats, Alothia! Hello, Childe Roland....

...holy shit, the coincidence is uncanny. Though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Expect a PM. I need to get an alt of mine in on this, or involved at the very least.

Don't let that stop you, the guy LOVES monk roleplay and will usually cease whatever he's doing at the drop of a hat to have monk-on-monk scenes. All you have to do is poke him in PMs or in-game tells. ...the same goes for most if not all of us, actually. Not sure whether we're all RP-starved or if a passion for beating each other senseless is a hunger that craves to be fed.

"Osric Melkire. With regards to the charges of conspiracy and assassination brought against you, the defendant, as the primary suspect allegedly responsible for arranging the murders of Lords Rezhenne, Quillburn, and Mumuqaru, in accordance with the regulations of the Immortal Flames and the laws of Ul'dah as set forth by the Arrzaneth Ossuary, we find the evidence brought against you insufficient. Burden of proof is upon the prosecution, not the defense, to provide, and we find the supposed 'proof' in this case to be circumstantial at best." "However." "Eyewitnesses place you at the scene the night that Jameson Taeros disappeared. By your own admission, you were present for the altercation, and it is a matter of military record that you negotiated with a criminal and terrorist and that said negotiations were the reason, the cause as it were, for said presence, for said altercation. Furthermore, you were under no orders from your ranking officers to pursue such a course, and as such this constitutes an act of vigilantism on your part. The evidence, I'm afraid, is rather damning... particularly Miss Callae's testimony pertaining to the use of a firearm. As it stands, we have little choice but to find you guilty of the charges of assault, battery and attempted murder upon the person of Lord Taeros." "That said." "There are extenuating circumstances. This case is rife with them. First and foremost, it has come to our attention that Taeros survived the incident and still numbers among the living. That neither he nor his representatives have come forth in the intervening moons to bring a suit against you... well, we would be remiss if we did not take such a strange turn of events into account. The same would hold true if we were to disregard the fact that you struck the bargain you did for the sake of the 'greater good,' as it were. You saved many lives, and not all of them refugees. Quite a few citizens owe their well-being to you, and we kept that under consideration. We deliberated long and hard as a result, and came to a decision." "Leniency." "You are henceforth dishonorably discharged from the Immortal Flames for conduct unbecoming an enlisted man. Moving forward, you will neither benefit nor profit from Sultanate and Syndicate alike. We are cutting you loose, with all that entails. Given your time spent drilling new recruits, we will be contacting your fellow servicemen, instructing them to refuse you, to turn you away, to shut and bar their doors against you. Never again will you abuse our Grand Company." "You are no hero, Master Melkire, though you strive for heroics. You are little more than a thug, a dog we leashed for a time. Do keep that in mind."

[align=center] "...." "I don't think I'm up to sneaking up on anyone, you know." "No. That is not one of your talents, Arbiter." "I'm only the Arbiter at the Grindstone." "Then you are either woefully ignorant of the significance of the title, or in denial." "...you can't have him. I won't exchange one part of me for another." "Sometimes, one must part with the valuable to procure the valuable."[/align]

*stares at Warrior of Light* *stares at Terra Branford* Some of us were gaming before 1997. Ergo, we need a third qualifier: 3) new and shiny enough for the younger generations to actually recognize.

Dieter pushed himself to his feet and circled out from behind his desk. He stood, hands clasped behind his back, for a good long while in thought as he considered the man on the stand. At last, he grinned. His grin was that of a marine predator of the Sea of Ash, the hunger in his eyes that of a shark scenting blood in the water. “Sergeant Melkire, are you familiar with Hammerlea, in western Thanalan?” Osric’s smile faltered and died. “...aye.” “And you are familiar with its three hammers, employed in the excavation of certain natural resources, yes?” “Aye.” “What is not well-known,” explained Dieter as he turned to fetch several copies of a report from his desk, “is that there was once a fourth hammer to the north. What is even less well-known is that beneath where it once stood is the opening to a rather long man-made tunnel dating back to the ancient civilization of Sil’Dh. Your Honors, if I may approach the bench?” At the Marshal’s approving nod, the prosecutor handed over a number of copies before turning to approach the defense table and providing a copy for Primrose. “Sergeant,” Dieter asked as he turned back to the stand, “are you familiar with this tunnel?” “...aye.” “For those not in the know, this tunnel was, until recently, classified. ’Tis yet another ancient ruin from Sil’Dih, I’m afraid, one that leads into our dear city proper. At least one point of egress,” Dieter looked pointedly at Melkire, “leads directly into the former manse of one Jameson Taeros.” Osric’s expression was calm, cool, collected. He merely stared across the room at the prosecutor. “The report you now hold, Your Honors, is but an excerpt of a larger, more complete report that encompasses the sum total of Private Kokojo’s investigation….” The man on trial snuck a glance towards the audience where Kanaria was waiting. Their eyes met for a brief moment before the woman pursed her lips and shook her head, her eyes falling to the floor. Damn. When he’d agreed to take Jameson’s life in exchange for information vital to preventing an all-out massacre on Pearl Lane at the hands of Ernis Randolph and his revolutionaries, Osric had been counting on the inevitable correspondence from Nero Lazarov to help clear his own name in the event that his transgression ever saw the light of day. Though he’d allowed Ser Coatleque Crofte to make copies, he’d left the originals in Kanaria’s care, with explicit instructions to take them to Swift should the need ever arise. He’d hoped that, somehow, the Flames could spin it as a case where he’d acted for the greater good, that the commander and his staff could convince those on the Syndicate that the loss of one merchant-noble’s life was worth the saving of countless others. Evidently, the Monetarists didn’t agree. Halatali all over again. Who cares for the little folk when a businessman’s life and coin are on the line? That the prosecutor was even pursuing this line of questioning - that he, the accused, was on trial not just for suspicion of assassination but for attempted murder - meant that Nero’s letters were worthless before the law. Ul’dah apparently valued its sons and their coin more than its own honor. He felt nauseous, as if he could feel bile slowly climbing up his throat. “...you’ll find written testimony from one Private Hearn. who was stationed at the former site of the North Hammer on the sun in question and tasked with guarding the entrance to said tunnel. I say ‘written’,” Dieter sneered as he snuck a glance at Melkire, “because the man in question will never be able to speak again. Given the trauma he endured, we deemed his presence here today too strenuous to his health.” The prosecutor paced up and down the courtroom again. “In his testimony, Hearn describes being set upon by a small band of vigilantes, one of which matched a description he’d been given belonging to one Nero Lazarov. Hearn’s unit was slaughtered almost to a man; he owes his life solely to a timely communique by way of linkshell, an alert from his commanding officer that served to raise the alarm. The chirurgeons arrived in time to save Hearn’s life, but not his voice… nor his left leg.” Dieter faced the bench. “On the next page, Your Honors, you will find written testimony provided by Brynnalia Callae, a mercenary woman who was at the time under the employ of Jameson Taeros. In her testimony, Callae claims that Lord Taeros set out into the tunnel to apprehend these vigilantes, chief among them one Nero Lazarov. May I remind you that Lazarov was, and remains to this sun, a wanted man. Lord Taeros was taking upon himself the civic duty to apprehend such a criminal! And yet, upon making contact with the enemy, Callae notes that she heard her lord bellow the following words.” The prosecutor’s eyes met the accused’s own. “Melkire, where is Lazarov?” Osric closed his eyes for a brief moment, took a deep breath… and then opened them again. Mistake. Too late. Far too late. He could tell from the horrified, wide-eyed look on Evangeline’s face. He hadn’t just blinked. No, he’d done something far worse. He’d given himself away. As far as tells went, he’d given the courtroom Dalamud in the sky. Dieter smiled at him. “Curious. Very, very curious. Your Honors, please note that in Hearn’s testimony, he claims the presence of four distinct vigilantes. Two Miqo’te women, a Keeper and a Seeker. One highlander male in heavy armor. One midlander matching the description of Nero Lazarov. And yet, according to Jameson Taeros by recollection of Brynnalia Callae, Lazarov was not present… Melkire was.” The prosecutor approached the stand, hands folded behind his back, chest thrust up and out as though he were a rooster. Confident in his victory, the man apparently could not help but strut. “Sergeant Osric Melkire, were you present in that tunnel on the night in question?” He has me. Fear surged up his spine… but something caught it by the tail and dragged it back down before it could lodge itself in his throat. Something fed it to his gut, fed it to his fire. Minimize the damage. Find a way out. “Aye...” The courtroom exploded. Or it ought to have, given the noise. Evangeline was on her feet, protesting profusely. The Marshal was on hers, shouting the Elezen down. The audience was abuzz. Dieter and Melkire alone stood… and sat… in silence. The prosecutor looked quite smug as order was at last restored and the chamber quieted. “...but not for Taeros.” Dieter frowned. “Please answer the questions as I ask them, Sergeant. No more, no less.” Osric smirked. “Sure.” Dieter turned to fetch yet another set of documents from his table before approaching the stand. “Sergeant Melkire, is this your handwriting?” Oh, gods. He has them.. The very papers he’d hoped would exonerate him were now being used to condemn him. I should’ve told Evangeline. Too late now. He glanced down and there it was, staring him straight in the face. “No,” he answered. “Do you recognize this handwriting?” “...aye.” “Your Honors, if you would turn to the next page, you will find that the remainder of the provided excerpt contains a copy of a letter addressed to ‘Flame Sergeant Osric Melkire,’ from one ‘Nero Lazarov’. We have had this handwriting compared with other extant samples; the authenticity of this letter is not in question. ‘Surprising utility as an assassin,’ he says… oh, my… please note, Your Honors, that the accused allowed this criminal to escape justice… Sergeant Melkire, the testimonies of Hearn and Callae, as well as your own admission, place you at the scene. As for this letter, Sergeant… did you attempt to assassinate Jameson Taeros?” “No.” Dieter’s eyebrows rose. “No? But Lazarov’s letter clearly suggest that--” “--you’re lackin’ context, my original correspondence--” “--is unavailable, Sergeant--” Liar. “--we only just barely managed to acquire a warrant for Lazarov’s correspondence, Commander Swift was quite unwilling to part with it--” Primrose was on her feet again; she and Dieter bellowed back and forth at each other and at the bench until the gavel came down hard with three sharp raps. The prosecutor looked frustrated and furious as he turned and barked his next question at the accused. “--Sergeant Melkire, if you insist that you were not conducting an assassination, then for what purpose were you present at the scene?!” Osric smiled. “Jameson Taeros was holding one of Lazarov’s associates prisoner. The pirate wanted his associate back in return for information pertaining to Ernis Randolph and the terrorist’s organization. I can only assume that ‘surprising utility as an assassin’ is some reference to the ease with which the merchant-noble’s sellswords were dispatched.” Dieter smirked. “And the name of this associate?” The accused snuck a glance up at the bench. He couldn’t count on knowing what Callae might or might not have known. To be caught in a lie at this junction… he couldn’t afford for Dieter to strip him of what little credibility he had. The truth, then. “Roen Deneith.” The courtroom erupted again. This time, despite the Marshal’s best efforts, the clamor refused to die down. Apparently, that name still carried weight with the men and women in service to the Jewel, the weight of memory. Scandal, he thought to himself in his best impression of an appalled maid, scandal! Dieter had to yell to be heard over the crowd. “Last question, Sergeant! Last question! Were you under orders to strike such a bargain with the pirate Lazarov, to forcibly and illegally free Roen Deneith from her gaol cell?” That demanded everyone’s attention. The chamber fell silent as everyone strained to hear the answer… the answer which was not immediately forthcoming, and for good reason. The accused’s thoughts were racing. If I were under orders, then there’d be no reason to hold me responsible. I can’t sell out the Dauntless. I won’t. He wants Mikh’a and the others. Give him what he wants. He’ll let you go. No. Ain’t right to shift the blame. It’s your life on the line. It’s my responsibility. Damn your honor. They’re my mistakes. Damn your guilt. No one else pays. He chuckled. “No. No, I wasn’t.” His barrister came to his defense in an instant. She, the prosecutor, and the Marshal went back and forth for several long minutes as the general cacophony rose one last time to a fevered pitch. At last, Dieter spun on one heel and thrust one fat finger of condemnation at him. “--that the sergeant, knowing and willingly of his own accord, did turn vigilante and strike bargains with the condemned, that he did violate the sanctity of personal property, that he and accomplices struck down Brass Blades and lawfully employed mercenaries alike, that he did aid and abet in the illegal release of a prisoner of the state, and that, when his path was barred, he did make an attempt on the life of one Jameson Taeros! Without orders, and in violation of both the spirit and letter of his oath!” The prosecutor’s chest heaved as he took several deep, shuddering breaths with which to cover his excitement. “No. Further. Questions. Your Honors!” The gavel sounded out a further three times. “Recess while we retire to deliberate on a verdict.” The Marshal looked grave as the bailiff manhandled Melkire off the stand. “We will reconvene one bell from now.”

Gods damn it, Verad. Signing Tengri up for Sunday.

The sergeant swallowed as a deputy helped Mikh’a down off the stand in time for the bailiff to lead the man himself up to the stand. He took a seat, rolled some tension out of his shoulders, and gave Eva his best grin. Sans shite-eating, of course; that wouldn’t have done for this crowd. As Mikh’a retreated from the stand, he lingered while passing Dieter and lifted a small hand to rest it on his arm. “...I’m sorry.” he said quietly. “That you’re so angry. If you ever want to talk you can come to the house and have some cookies with me and talk… if you want.” And then he drifted past to take his seat again. Dieter turned in his chair with wide eyes and stared. His lips quivered as though he were about to bark an obscenity… but the portly prosecutor mastered himself and turned back to the trial at hand. The Elezen cleared her throat, “Sergeant Melkire, I believe we’re all eminently familiar with your record by now. As I do not wish to put the bench to sleep, I’ll refrain from going over the basics.” She smoothed down her coat. “Do you have any association with the white haired association who is presumed to have killed the victims in this trial?” Osric threw back his head and chuckled. “I do.” The crowd filled with murmurs, and the judges leaned forward along the bench. “Well then.” Evangeline nodded. “Could you explain to the court what that association consists of?” “Under pain o’ death - that o’ m’self and m’wife, then m’fiance - I was commanded by Jin’li Epinoch t’attempt an assassination upon the sultana herself. A crime, I might add, that I’ve been pardoned for. Anyroad... to aid me in the endeavor, he assigned a number o’ fellow professionals t’me. One o’ those was a white hair by name o’ Blizzard Yuko. We tried, we failed, we were imprisoned together, we escaped together… ‘n’ then I threatened him. Told his arse t’flee Thanalan ‘n’ not return.” Evangeline blanched at this retelling. An attempt on the sultana? Not only that, but he helped another assassin escape? She coughed nervously. “W-well… how long ago was that? Have you had any contact with him since?” “A cycle ago, perhaps a tad more. Before I joined the Red Wings. I saw him once more a moon or so after the Lazarov case was closed.” “And what was the nature of this meeting?” “He wanted the coin he was owed.” Evangeline could feel sweat trickling down her back. “W-why did you owe coin to an assassin?” “Wasn’t I,” Osric explained with a wink. “Yuko came t’collect a debt he felt he was owed. Two million. From Epinoch.” She sighed in relief, “The man who… forced you into this situation. Very well. Was that the extent of the meeting?” “Aye. I gave him a paltry sum and turned him away” Evangeline blinked. “Y-you paid him for attempting to kill the Sultana?” “I paid him t’leave and never return, t’never work in the Jewel… or Thanalan… again.” She nodded slowly, “Could you then explain, to the court, the packages you’ve been sending to Limsa?” Osric opened his mouth and paused for a moment. “....ah. Those. Well. Um. They weren’t for my mother.” Evangeline wondered if it might be better to let this one lie… if she doesn’t ask the question, though, Dieter would. “Who were they for, Sergeant?” “...I owed a lass. A Keeper. She did me a favor once, but… it cost her. I cost her.... a lot. I was… makin’ amends.” “Did this favor involve killing three men?” “No. I merely wished t’know whether I was still on record with the Maelstrom as a convict. She has… had… connections. She asked around. She got me an answer. That was all.” Evangeline sighed in relief, “Very well. So for the last, you had every chance to escape this situation Sergeant. Why did you remain for this trial?” Osric had the grace… or lack thereof… to look surprised. “Was the right thing t’do.” Evangeline smiled. “The right thing to do.” She nodded to the bench, “No further questions.” The sergeant smiled back.

I find that how welcome walk-ups are depends on what sort of scenario the individual in question is walking up to. In my experience: If fellow members of my free company and I are having a private FC RP event in the middle of some gods-forsaken corner of, say, Coerthas Western Highlands and someone we don't know walks up to us and starts emoting and throwing out hooks, odds are that we won't be very receptive. Like as not, we'll acknowledge the presence of another character but the scene in question will be sidelined and/or put on hold until the interruption has been addressed and the newcomer has moved along. This is an easy scenario to spot, since the group of roleplayers will usually all share the same FC tag. I'm aware of a few free companies who do all their private event scenes in party chat, so you might not see them emoting (in which case it's pretty taboo to walk up) but if you do, it's generally a sign that the free company and/or its members are open to walk-ups... again, provided that you're not intruding at a rather awkward moment, in which case they'll deal with it. Be aware that, regardless of whether they're in the same free company, if you have reason to suspect that a cluster of roleplayers isn't emoting out in the open, then you should know that they probably won't appreciate a walk-up. If the roleplayers are in a public venue (Quicksand, Drowning Wench, Carline Canopy, Coffer & Coffin, Buscarron's Druthers, etc.) and are engaged in what is obviously a public scene (roleplayers are emoting and talking in /say) then generally speaking they are usually open to walk-ups. That's rather the point of public roleplay in a public venue: most people are looking to meet with and roleplay with others, and more often than not they won't mind an additional person or two chiming in. Anyone with sense who desires privacy will make sure to move on from the venue once a situation calls for privacy, so don't worry about strolling on up. If two roleplayers are having a public scene in a rather private venue (Ul'dah Airship Landing comes to mind), then you're probably better off not walking up. They've likely selected the venue in question because it's a secluded one, which implies that they like the privacy and won't be very welcoming of any strangers. If two roleplayers look like they're having a heated discussion or conflict in what appears to be a private scene in public channels, then you have a mixed bag. Could be that they'd appreciate a walk-up. Could be they'd hate you for it. Some people despise using private channels. Others don't mind being overheard or otherwise interrupted. Regardless of the scenario, I suggest always sending a /tell to at least one of the roleplayers to check and see whether a walk-up would be appropriate... even if every roleplayer at the scene in question is sporting "Walk-ups Welcome" in their search info! You never know!

YOSHIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA You adorable bastard. I love you. Quit giving me heart attacks.

This is a reminder that all aspects of 3.1 content are considered spoilers and will be considered such until we reach a three-month marker past the general release on 11-10-2015. Do Not Post Spoilers in Thread Titles Tag Your Thread Titles with [spoilers] At The Beginning If They Contain Spoilers Make Use of Spoiler Tags in Your Posts Where Appropriate Moderators Reserve the Right to Strictly Enforce the Above The Only Exception to the Above is the Town Square (IC) Board. Obviously, the above rules do not apply to FFXIV News threads where patch notes and the like are under discussion. Thank You.

/raises a hand I'm down for rivalries. Not so much for mentoring.

IT'S ALL FAHN AND GAMES UNTIL SOMEONE GETS HURT ...tentative sign-up for Tengri, awaiting word on new raid nights from static leader.