Yoshi

Just a couple suggestions to people looking for Eorzean drug parallel-y stuff: - For an Eorzean equivalent of ecstasy, one may look at the sassafras tree and how it is harvested for various purposes (culinary, medicinal... recreational). Sassafras oil/safrole is what's used in making the drug IRL - so you don't necessarily have to look to crazy witchcraft or voodoo for the creation of the substance. Alchemists/botanists would certainly be useful for its extraction/manufacturing though. :3 I'm sure there's some tree in the Black Shroud you could point to and say "Hey, that's the guy" and take the RP from there. Don't piss off the Elementals, though, when you go chopping down their nice trees! I hear they're pretty straight-edge. - I also suggest kratum, 'cause it's a chewable leaf thing, and that seems fun and do-able in a fantasy realm. It's also not super hard-core, it's actually kind of like coffee's sister. Perfect for the Eorzean working man. The only other thing I have to add (if I remember correctly) is that milkroot stinks.

Hm! Well, you see. I am totally useless at giving alts all the love and attention they deserve, but that does not stop me from constantly developing new stories and changing my characters like I change my clothes (which is a lot.) @_@ It's dizzying, really. I have made designs and concepts for all the races, all of which I've liked and been ecstatic to try. All of the races, I think, have very intriguing lore and cultures - plenty to work with for role-play fun and collaboration with others. Then why have most of my characters turned out to be Miqo'te? I just really don't like the customization and sliders of the other races. So I suppose you could call me shallow! While the concepts for Hyur or Elezen or what-have-you may have enthralled me, if I don't enjoy how my character looks and behaves physically in game, I just... don't want to play them. It really comes down to that. If others pay it no mind, or love how their characters turn out after customization, then koodos! Great work. I'm happy for you! But my happiness was found in Miqo'te. Having said that, I consistently seem to be drawn back again and again to the concept of an "escort." Not that kind of escort! A spunky, cocky, brawn-over-brains hired-muscle brat (mostly influenced by Kunoichi from Samurai Warriors, although confessedly any small girl that's lethal with a blade makes my heart throb), and I was really leaning towards a ninja-esque character for FFXIV (especially with the class being released). However, I just couldn't seem to develop someone I would like to play with the races and lore provided to me. It just didn't sit well. Until the release of the Au'Ra! And the rest, as they say, is history. >:3 Though she is more a ninja by action than name, and is less and less a combatant than when I first began her. I will also never stop loving Miqo'te, because, cats. @_@ And I will likely roll a Highlander looter someday to appease the little Scotslady in me.

Fae: (Cropped!)

I love this idea, Wolf! I'm certainly a 'yea' over here! *Waggles arms* I also second the idea of making this a regular occurrence, if others can fit it in between schedules. Having said that~ my character isn't really a craftswoman, but I would very much like to participate - events such as balls and what-have-you *Throws sparkles for lazy description* are totally attractive and fantastic to my mind, but not so suitable for my lady... yet. :ninja: This sort of atmosphere is much more her style, and fancy. Mm... Perhaps I'll harvest some botanical goods and sell those as sort of holistic remedies... at low, low, competitive prices! ;3

The immediate influx of Au'ra players could also be ICly accounted to the sudden amount of Doman refugees. Could be! Not meaning it has to. I think it's a good point - how will you stand out as a character? I think it varies per role-player, because ofcourse we're all looking for different things, but I think this question should be important to all the peoples. I think you can have underplayed characters, or stories (you can see it with tv shows and books) that are absolute gold, and you wish they were more popular. I'm thinking Firefly. <.< By the turn of a coin, these can also be very, very poor, because sometimes different just isn't always appealing. We all love Lalafell, but this doesn't mean just by playing a little person you're character is somehow more solid or creditable than any other races. Alternatively, you can have a unanimously popular medium that is popular for a reason - it's fun. It's good. It plays at your heart strings. A lot of people liked Breaking Bad. A lot of people like Game of Thrones (I'm not fishing for arguments with any of these examples by the by - I'm just pointing them out, even if you particularly don't find them as such). Again, many of us roll our eyes at "pop culture." Being hip has negative connotations. Perhaps it's associated with not thinking for yourself and following the grain. Neither is wrong, and ideas and feelings are allowed, and should, differ. As a personal belief, I can appreciate a good, strong role-player and a good, strong character, regardless of minor cliches. How many people play an orphan?

:roll: There's something to be said for patience. Indeed! There's also something to be said about enthusiasm for one's hobby. But I digress, to each their own. :3

There was plenty to go on when 1.0 came out, even in beta, as the naming conventions were definitely present and in use in the game world. They just weren't published. If you ran around and looked at all the NPC names you could easily tell what was consistently "Seawolf" or "Keeper", etc. People just missed that entirely and did whatever they wanted, then later exclaimed they had nothing to go on, which wasn't true at all. I mean before the release, we had no real idea. And as a lot of us were too excited to wait, role-playing commenced months before the game actually started. Also, you had to decide on a name before you entered the game - and for some, that just stuck. :3 Anyway, my point was a few mistakes can easily [enough] be justified. How other people intend to name their characters, play their characters, and apply their characters, makes no real difference to me unless I humour them in role-play. So! *Shrugs*

I think it's good to be tentative, but I remember at the start of 1.0 (before release) myself and plenty of other people were excitedly creating our characters with very little to go by in terms of racial lore and naming conventions. Particular to Miqo'te, I do know characters who do not adhere to the "tradition" or cultural norms of their respective clans. Having said that, it's been easy enough to justify why those characters have such unusual names! So, I am not too worried. Though also not disagreeing that waiting is probably best. I am personally going with the "titles" consideration, in regards to surnames. This is likely easier for people who intend on role-playing someone from a ninja-esque or warrior/military background.

I would've definitely preferred that, thank-you! :3 Though... I actually already invested real currency into a name-change, so Yumeko Dreamcatcher is how she shall remain. e_e It's just as well, I like the sound of it enough to add it to my "potentials" list. Hehe, feel free to still use something similar to mine! Like you said, you were pondering it also. It's not all that strange for two people to be named the same, or similarly. In every country there's the "popular," "common" names. It'd be the same for this one!

I would've definitely preferred that, thank-you! :3 Though... I actually already invested real currency into a name-change, so Yumeko Dreamcatcher is how she shall remain. e_e

This is somewhat similar to one of my name candidates. >.>; <.< You could call it... ... ... ... ... (Whispers~) Fate ....... Actually, on that note, I was planning for something based off of this: Wisteria Maiden! I may still include it in her stuff because it was one of those special first thoughts. But I just couldn't handle the name Fuji. I wanted Yuna but I noticed that was taken. ._. Which doesn't totally mattered, but... *Shrugs*

Eh, I agree there are an excess of Miqo'te. Can't really disagree. However! I do feel as if there were once more Miqo'te. Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I feel as if with time, players have simmered down on experimenting with the options available to them and have become comfortable in whatever suits their virtual skin. What I mean is... I think there will most definitely be a surplus in Au'ra come expansion, but I think those numbers will dwindle with time as everyone gets over it. Play whatever suits your fancy, honestly. Popular, not popular, cute, rugged, whatever. I'm personally excited.

Relative to naming conventions, I just opted to copy Yugiri's; Yugiri means 'Evening Mist', to the best of my knowledge, while obviously her last name is Mistwalker. With that in mind, my Au'ra Raen lady will be known as Yumeko Dreamcatcher. If this does not remain the case when Heavensward is released, I still hope to play it off as a "coming of age" ninja-thing, traditional to her particular clan. Also, while I am afraid of butchering the Au'ra by perhaps jumping the gun and seeking role-play as soon as possible, I do have intentions for my character that hopefully allow her to stand on her own two feet, regardless of any additional details or alterations (unless like, super extreme). None of the other races ever completely suited me (I am constantly changing my characters... drastically @_@), so I was terrifically thrilled with their announcement. Yumeko will be a sort of disgraced ninja, which I expect to be a playful twist on the conservative sophistication of the Au'ra Raen.

You guys are cute as buttons! And if you were buttons, I'd collect you! But you're not... *Holds empty button sheet aloft* ._.

Fae was based a lot off of Hanna from... Hanna. All blue eyed and frost-bitten.