Zelmanov

This is more to sate my own curiosity if anything. My current perception at the moment is that a majority of Ishgardians are combatant roles, be it templar or Dragoon or rank and file. This is understandable in times of war but we also see a good deal of "civilian" NPCS milling about Coerthas (notably many females but that's aside the point) and a lot the civillian RP'ers are deserters/declared heretics. so my question is, do you plan to RP a more mundane character upon the gates opening in Heavensward since you'll have an actual region to hang out in? If my question seems strange, I just want to put it in context to Ul'dah. Not EVERYONE is a sultansworn or Brass Blade, all sorts of life are there, granted Ishgard may be more constrained but I am curious if the population will even out. Not a complaint or anything, just musing.

There isn't much said already so I want to give my 2 cents with some personal headcanon, especially as someone who has taken every job to 50 and thus seen the other story quests. SO TAKE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE CORRECTIONS/CONTRADICTIONS TO MY THOUGHTS TO BETTER REFINE MY UNDERSTANDING. I've always seen Chakra as a refinement of Aether that fuels all physical disciplines. The domans call it Ninjutsu, the Warriors call it the beast within, It is what allows Bards to sing songs that can rouse allies and allows paladins to brunt the toughest of attacks. Chakra is in reference to a very specific manner of tapping into that personal aether pool which seems to imply a great deal of control and understanding which would be in line with mythos surrounding warrior monks, especially those in Japan and China. It is contrasting to say the Warrior which doesn't open the faucet the whole way but rather tears the faucet off and must struggle with installing it back on and that is why it can be consuming. It is, in short, the same god but a different interpretation, much akin to the Abrahamic religions in that some aspects are emphasized over others. Probably a Monk takes time to open up Chakras to avoid being like the Warrior which could, perhaps by a Monk's definition, opens all of them up at once and forcibly reseals them. A monk can actually live with all chakras open at all times and maintain control, which could also lend to the in game interpretation of them being high damage dealers in comparison to Warrior. It contrasts directly with classes, both physical and magical that seek external conduits for their abilities. Dragoons in possession of Drachen Mail have their armor quenched in Dragon's blood, a corrupting element, as a bargain for power, perhaps another shortcut to obtaining a degree of opened chakras. Both Arcanist Grimoires and Black Mage staves have blood in them in order to better channel their spells, blood in the ink and blood somewhere on the staff. Blood, being very closely tied to aether, perhaps with aether even dissolved in the liquid which can then be wrung dry as a power source. So I think of MNK chakra as being the most a living thing can be in a controlled manner, as opposed to an explosion of energy that would peter out seconds after being unleashed but in a sustainable manner.

I'll be available for this saturday

http://i.imgur.com/65XGJ7M.jpg as you can see, we have an actual item we may be dealing with in Heavensward. HYPE TRAAAAAIN

Closest to it has been holding someone at bladepoint to incur a stalemate in combat.

Using the Futures Perfect cutscene, you can see that most of the time the traveling bullets are visible. This is quite impossible in the real world, even old timey flintlocks managed to fire at velocities much faster than the human eye could see. Given that we can see these bullets, one may argue lower velocities, velocities that could be dodged for the more combat inclined. I do believe, especially when it comes to the MCN of Eorzea, a majority of the power of them comes from a combination of tech and Aetherial hand waving. They might punch hard, but their visual representation shows them to be quite slow. Then of course you have Merlwyb against the Sahagin and her bullets are like those light gun games. In the end, if your character couldn't off set an arrow, guns are no more dangerous because everything to your character may as well be classified "deadly". If your character is someone who is in the line of fire anyways and is rocking hard armor, ala Dragoon, or a tank class or some ironworks gear, just remember that BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA is still a thing. Even people wearing kevlar still get stunned/knocked on their asses when hit. actually, even if you are in typical leather rogue gear, just use aether as justification for shrugging off a hit. We live in a universe that full on ACKNOWLEDGES that armor possesses enhancing attributes to make one stronger, smarter, more dexterous. Armor in this world doesn't just increase your vitality and defense, which would be the best in game indicators of having tougher armor, but increases everything and they worked it into the canon. So maybe you got some good gear. Also, rule of cool, any person who chooses a gun to get a one hit kill button in RP is not someone will be fun to play with anyway. A good RP'er gets his ass handed to him as often as he dishes it out if his goal is to pick fights with other players. And yes I acknowledge that as one of the "Too cool for school" jobs I kinda get a free out anyway with jumps, jumps don't always work with a 6 foot ceiling >_>

For a thousand year old dragon (at least) I am disappointed by the size of Niddy and Falcor considering what a BEAST Midgardsormr is. HOWEVER, I am glad that it is essentially confirmed that we get to punch Nidhogg in the dick eventually. As a Dragoon main...I don't think it gets any better than that....aside from beating Midgardsormr, but we only killed a ghost anyway.

Realistically, he'd lose all the patience he would have had when the company of heroes do that obscene errand quest and may decide then to either pack up his toys and go back home or go headfirst against titan. Either that or would be quick to speak of who he was to the owner of Costa Del Sol...whose name escapes me at the moment. Barring that, Ysayle would have never made it to that aetheryte crystal and thus no shiva, no heretic leader, perhaps no weakened barrier.

RP is unique in its trappings that unlike a novel or movie, where a character's backstory can be revealed in an exposition dump or piece-meal ONCE and move on, RP cannot afford the same luxuries for the same audience is not always present. So what if you have a wonderfully crafted back-story? Many of us RP'ers are cut from the same cloth as wannabe actors and writers, we want to SHOW our work. I feel a lot of us eventually want someone to know all about our character eventually, to understand them beyond say, their flirting at quicksands. To which I say Background is important in how your character acts, their perceptions, their allegiances, their skills, their ability to form connections and what types of connections. I personally want someone to know about my backstory, its why I made a Wiki, its why said wiki has a long list of "You can know this about Orrin without me shouting Metagaming/godmodding" but I also endeavor to make my actions be reflections of his history. But what happens when you are someone turning over a new leaf? The reformed thief? The Soldier who can't erase the blood stained on his hands? Or in my case, the Dragoon questioning his faith. How long do you keep that SECRET? How many months do you let someone live their life before their past comes back to haunt them? And what do you do when it comes? Does it then become the realm's worst kept secret? To this, I answer that do not allow your character to be tethered too tightly to the past that you created. The background that is created in synthesis with other players should, eventually take precedence over the one your character has at "birth". That is not to say that you have to get rid of it all at once. You can make a checklist of things that will be resolved (or never will) and if there is something so monumental and important that can't be resolved without fundamentally changing the character, you stand at a precipice for real character growth and development and if it turns that character into something unfun to play, it may be then that you retire and create another. Embrace the transience of your character, that what makes them real, human. If their arc concludes and they are in "Happily Ever After" mode, start anew, relegate them to cameo status. I think I got off base >_>

I'm waiting on Lore on the flyable mounts, if Ishgard suddenly has a Griffin Division I will undoubtedly use that as an IC mount. Likewise as to why we have a dragon mount (I bet its midgardsormr, almost undoubtedly, making its VERY special snowflake). Otherwise, it shall be Chocoboes, Pride of Ishgard and all that.

Orrin is Duty Bound to go where the forces of Ishgard are in most need. Sign me up as well.

As an Ishgard nut, want to point out/expand/speculate: Stated here, Ysale is leader of the heretics full stop. So all are rallied beneath her, not just a sect it seems. Thordan VII: Thordan is the name of the man who led the people to Ishgard by Halone's guidance and was the one who was tossed into the sea of clouds by his men when Nidhogg sewed madness into them by sheer presence. This is the VIIth person to bear this legendary name, and most likely reserved for the popes. Possible confirmation that Thordan was Elezen (for those who care about race) and likely pronounced with a french accent (though I've been saying it as Thor Dan in my head). Possible resolution of the DRG job quest with the fact Estinien went missing for a time after the climactic confrontation between him and the warrior of light, seems like its the classic japanese "beat the ever loving reason back into them" trope.

Also, This actually happened: Seeking Adventurers for escort deep into Wanderer's Palace, Gil reward.

"Of COURSE we have enough men to take back steel vigil, Its not like they have anything big leftover there..."

Either that or a an illegitimate child. This is from the music video released IT MAY HAVE POSSIBLE SPOILERS OF THE OPENING CUTSCENE I WARN YOUFtuwltmTp9I At 2:11-2:13 mark there is a very angry Hyuran child that could easily serve as Orrin's childhood doppleganger...That is all I wanted to say. *edit* Pretty sure statue at 3:07 is a statue of Halone

Darn I missed seeing the last one, I wanna see this one and hopefully catch it. Also, if the ape runs to coerthas then i'll finally sign up

Ic'ly in Coerthas, Orrin has a little Dragoon perch up in Dragonhead...no one comes to visit him T_T

Orrin originally had leave to explore the outside world under the mission of finding means of aiding Ishgard. He got sidetracked by an Ul'dahn plot involving Dragons and what not. Once that was concluded I've restricted Orrin to Coerthas, he has no reason to be anywhere else, not with ol Niddy awake.

I'mma watch, alert me when it happens can ya?

In response to Warren: Did it with a bunch of randoms day one at about 11 am. Took us 3 tries, 1 to see what was going one, a 2nd to try and organize and the 3rd to put it into the coffin. Luckily the insane people that can do Steps of Faith at 11 am on a Tuesday tend to be the ones that listen and are actually looking to clear instead of carry so they actually listened to strategy and advice. I was the one that took charge to formulate the strategy and thankfully my standoffish attitude didn't turn them away.

I do what others have said here, post the "Off screen" scenes, times that my character has to himself to brood or meditate. This is good for characters like mine that tend to be mostly business (Flirting at quicksands aside) That stay to themselves until duty calls. So if people care to see what's going on I do those posts. It also helps a lot in on going plots in game so that even if you haven't logged on in a week you can still contribute.

A heartfelt thank you to Verad for being so patient as we fumbled are way through the system and came out the other end standing tall and confident (and somewhat fearful of whats to come). I am lover of GM'd plots and this was a fantastic one that I was more than happy to see through to the end. Bravo Verad, Bravo. Thank you to Evangeline for dragging me into the plot, were it not for her I'd be hitting on cat girls at the quicksands, not knowing any better.

As a Dragoon...Boooooo I need to find something OTHER than the heavensward video

Orrin didn't even know it was really a date...I mean Spahro's ex was there and everything!

Orrin backed up with a little sigh, crossing his arms for a moment as he looked upon the freshly tied bundle upon the table. His hand reached out and traced over the front of it, feeling the firm steel that lay underneath. The campaign that had derailed his quest for answers to Ishgard's weakness had finally come to an end. Though disheartened somewhat by not bearing witness to the death of the two instigators first hand, he found it somewhat fitting. He was a Dragoon first, slayer of dragons, not a persecutor of heretics. To find his part concluded with the slaying of the mourning dragon was more than fitting. However, there was a bitterness that lingered in his mouth still. Thefinale came none too soon, wyverns managing to make it into Ishgard proper, emboldened by the reawakening of Nidhogg, meant that the nation was in dire need of the competent and healthy. Though he was returning, he felt as if he brought nothing back beyond his own conviction. In a sense, it was that he sought when he had first left, leaving behind his Drachen Mail in search of proving his true worth. What had he to show for it? For the lives he could have preserved if he had remained in Coerthas to fight? He had saved a heretic from the influence of the horde, had a hand in destroying a cultist cell, saved the lives of Ul'dahn men and women. These were things of worth to him, but to the state of Ishgard? He was no closer to helping his nation regain the strength that he felt they were lacking. Furthermore a single Wyrmtear still was free, in the hands of that damned Miqo'te. His face turned to that of a snarl for a moment before he closed his eyes and inhaled and exhaled deeply, letting the draconic rage subside. He takes his hand off the pack to turn away and thread his arms into the leather straps at either side to shoulder the weight. There was hope. For even though much was left unanswered for him, he found answers to questions he did not know to ask. He knew now that his title was not given to him for lack of more worthy candidates: that he too measured to the men and women that fought and died before him. He knew now the strength of men over the will of dragons and those who surrendered themselves to them. And he knew now that people could find redemption and with that, perhaps a nation could as well. It was all he had to bring back with him to Ishgard and it would have to do, he could linger no longer. Orrin made his way to the door,opening it wide, letting the bustling sound of the Quicksands coming from below be heard. He ducked his head to get the burdensome pack through the frame and he shut the door behind him. In a way, his hopes lay with her, the woman who would return to Ishgard and seek hearing in front of the High Court of heresies. This was a woman who had the mind of the likes that first sought to forge the Drachen mail. The Ishgard he believed in would see her conviction and forgive her. Or so he hoped so dearly. He took solace in that the Mourner and its pall bearers lay dead and with it, perhaps granted Ishgard some reprieve by dispatching such a powerful member of the horde. It would have to do for now, he had a war to fight and a rogue tear to seek out.