Terin

Just curious, are there *ANY* Xaela NPC's in Heavensward? I ask because, if I even knew how they generally seem to speak, I feel like maybe I could better gauge how I want to progress with my own. I mean... Like I said, on the one hand, I kind of imagine the Xaela as being this brutal, angry sort of guy, but at the same time, I wonder if I'm sort of overshooting the goal? Not knowing much about the Dark Knight job, for example, I don't know what kind of "personality" really feeds into their "vibe". Are they brutal, bloodthirsty executioners? Are they more reserved, or more elegant than that? And which of the starting Classes, and Grand Companies, best feeds into that "Dark Knight vibe"? It's something I've given a great deal of thought to, and the truth is, I simply cannot come up with an answer. I seriously wish they'd have just added another starter-area, to make the decision that much simpler. With the choices that we have, though... I'm just not sure. It's kind of a shame you can't just totally piece your own story together, within the game itself.

I suppose my thinking is mainly... Do you think it "fits" the overarcing story better, to start in Ul'dah, where you meet Thancred first, and join the Immortal Flames, where you form a stronger bond with Raubaun? Or start in Limsa Lominsa, where the Au Ra are accepted (later on in the story), and are less about "money" and "fame", and more about "carrying your own weight". I'll admit, I really don't see any reason I would join the Maelstrom, other than to remain in the same city, although they also control Wolves' Den, right? Which is kind of the PvP capital? But then, maybe that shouldn't factor in so much? The only thing that I remember making a difference, is those first couple of Main Scenario Quests being based around your Grand Company. In some ways, both Grand Companies fall kind of short; the Admiral just talks about the sea, whereas Raubaun seems to talk largely about money. Plus, having seen the Defender armor-sets for both factions... to be honest, I'm not feeling either of them. I was much more excited about the Attacker sets; I thought those were the sets that were just shared between all Jobs, but given that, I'm not sure how I feel. Although... I suppose the Flames' Bull-themed armor is kind of cool, and definitely matches Raubaun. I mean... Do you guys have any further insight on what those two Grand Companies are about, beyond their memorial ceremonies just before you join one? Like, does one value honor and raw strength more than the other, in your eyes? Or is one a little more brutal than the other? Like I said, I'm just trying to put a lot of thought into this. I probably won't be able to actually PLAY the game until Wednesday, because I'm actually moving IRL, but I'd like to have settled on a choice, one way or the other. I've actually avoided playing my old main character, because I want to level up and experience the story fresh, with this new Xaela character leading the charge. I'll probably wind up doing the same thing once I hit Ishgard, in that I'll probably put everything on hold until I've caught the Dark Knight back up (which thankfully, will be a lot easier, as I'll have a TON of quests to go back and complete, whereas my "main" exhausted most of them, up until mid-40's).

Yeah, I'm thinking mostly in terms of just experiencing the Main Scenario; I doubt I actually get into serious role-playing. It might be something I try later, once I feel like I've "caught up" on Heavensward. Still, I feel like there are things that fit, and things that don't fit, about both options. And, you know, I also wonder if I should be treating my character as an Au Ra that arrives at the very beginning of ARR, or is it kind of a time-skip thing, where after the Doman refugees were turned away from Ul'dah? Or for that matter, being a Xaela (and the Doman Au Ra would clearly be Raen, based on their names), maybe he wouldn't even care all that much? And... something else that I've thought about, but I really don't know if it should factor in or not, are the AF sets. I've not seen the Dark Knight's yet, but at least on the character-creation screen, the Warrior gear looks *very* much suited for a Xaela, whereas the Paladin armor seems a little too "elegant". But then, maybe that's not even the real issue, since Gladiators aren't necessarily all destined to become Paladins, or that the pirate-y Marauders aren't that deeply connected to Warriors, beyond game-mechanics? It's just... tough to decide. I know I'm kind of obsessing over the choice, but I just want to pick the more "story-appropriate" choice. Even with Grand Company; I know you can change GC later on, but the choice still has a minor impact on the story, including your "Unending Journal" Main Scenario quests. I even sort of wonder... My knee-jerk reaction is to choose the same Grand Company as the City-State you start in, just so they "match". I wonder, though, if that's over-simplifying them? I always think that, starting as a Marauder just makes you naturally more inclined to become a Pirate or join the Maelstrom. Being a Gladiator feels a little more "open" though, although most of the NPC's I've seen are more concerned with "fortune and fame" than "glory and honor". Like I said, I know it's probably putting too much thought into fairly trivial choices, but considering how much time you invest in these characters, I don't want to wind up having to "re-start" the story as a new character, for it to feel "right".

Actually, just figured I'd add a little more about what I think my character, specifically, would be like, personality-wise. My thinking is that, at least initially, he's the type of character who values "the old ways", who believes that war and the pursuit of glory are a way of life. He sees himself as a leader, and his end-goal is to conquer new lands. That, by proving himself the baddest, meanest warrior in all the land, others that share his beliefs will answer his call, seeking to establish his own personal army/clan/tribe. At the same time, though, as someone who presumably either left or was cast-out from his original tribe, he's someone that has probably never experienced a real connection to anything; no friends, no lovers, only war. As such, Eorzea's people would seem "weak" to him, but also strange. Given how long the 2.0 storyline is, it makes sense that he would grow extremely attached to his allies, even if he's not one to show it. Probably the type who is quick to anger, and is always eager for a fight, but is also incredibly defensive of his new, only friends, and would kill, or even die to protect them. I mean, in a lot of ways, Raubaun totally seems like a kindred spirit; he's General of the Immortal Flames (and man, I *do* love the name of the Immortal Flames), and rose up from the Colosseum. At the same time, though, with my Xaela being a "might controls everything" sort of guy, the fact that Ul'dah is quite lavish, a place where *money* controls everything, might make it a poor fit to be his "home". As bloodthirsty as he might be, I would imagine my Xaela to have a pretty strict code of morals when it comes to fighting; no "ambushes", he's the type who fights his opponent face-to-face, and views those who fight from the shadows as cowards. In this way, I think both Gladiator and Marauder make sense, After "that stuff" that happens in 2.55, though, I would imagine that he just kind of "snaps". Distraught over whether or not he'll see his friends again, I imagine he would completely revert to "the old ways", looking more for vengeance than "justice" when he returns to Ul'dah. This actually segways pretty nicely into the Dark Knight job. Really, the only other thing I might add is that... well, for some reason, I just really dig Y'shtola. Given the brutal tendencies of my Xaela, I feel like Y'shtola is the character that would be able to get under his skin the most. To be honest, she and Raubaun are my two favorite characters in FFXIV. Kind of a bummer FFXIV doesn't have romance options, because I could see her being a good counterpart to sort of "hold his leash", being she seems the most level-headed of the Scions. .....Anyways, hah, I know this is a *TON* of stuff to read through! Like I said, I've never actually role-played before, but after experiencing the end of 2.0 all the way through 2.55, I've just been really inspired. Even if I'm not actively role-playing with other players, I guess I just like the thought of having a character in my head. After all, I never intended for my original Miqo'te Monk to develop into a "character", but I just really grew attached to him over time.

Okay, I apologize in advance for what is going to be a MASSIVE wall of text. I've honestly never role-played before, and to be honest, I've never played an MMO where I *actually* cared about my character, beyond "how he looks". In fact, my first "main" character (Miqo'te Monk), I skipped virtually all of the quest dialogue and cutscenes, up until the very end of 2.0. Since then, I've been hooked on the story, and I want to create a new character -- a Xaela, specifically -- that is as Lore-friendly as possible. So... What little we know of the Xaela is that they are made up of 51 nomadic, warring tribes (with a few exceptions). Apparently, just as the Raen's names are based on Japanese names (which suits their more tranquil culture), the Xaela's names are based on Mongolian names. Thing is, I don't know a single thing *about* Mongolians (Mongols?), of their culture. On top of that, though, I also want to the choice of starting-area and eventually Grand Company to be taken into account. Not just "which one I like best" -- because I genuinely like both Ul'dah as well as Limsa Lominsa -- but being invested in the story as I am, I want to make the choice that "fits" the best. For one, the two Classes I'd be choosing between are Gladiator and Marauder. Even though the choice doesn't *technically* matter, I feel like it plays a part in setting-up their whole narrative. On the one hand, real-world Gladiators were pretty brutal dudes, but in Eorzea, I don't know as much about them. What I *do* know is that they eventually become Paladins, which are the traditional "Holy Knight" style of character for Final Fantasy games. Plus, aren't Paladins part of the Sultansword? Assuming you started in Ul'dah, and became a Paladin, it actually makes more sense as to why you are forced to flee to Ishgard. My main, for example, belongs to the Twin Adders (who I chose simply because I was a Monk, and have a skill called "Twin Snakes"; literally wasn't paying attention to the story back then), and after "that stuff" that happens in 2.55, I couldn't help but think "WoW, Ken-E; you're just gonna *leave me*?!?" On the other hand, Limsa Lominsa seems like a more "rugged" kind of city, even if the landscape isn't so much. I'll admit, I really don't get a Nautical-vibe from the Xaela, and Limsa, the Maelstrom, and Marauder all give off a decidedly "Pirate-y" vibe. Not just "outlaw", but seafaring pirates *specifically*. At the same time, though, Ul'dah seems driven more by greed than might, whereas Limsa seems much more welcoming of new faces. Getting back to "narrative", though... Both Cities and Grand Companies seem to offer radically different "takes" on the story. If you start in Ul'dah, you meet Thancred first. If you join the Immortal Flames (not gonna lie; I definitely love the *name* of the Immortal Flames), you're part of an organization which obviously becomes *very* important in the 2.X Main Scenario quests. The whole story, then, becomes a recurring tale of betrayal, and the transition from Paladin (who, to my understanding, is an extension of the Sultansword, thus left without purpose) to Dark Knight becomes surprisingly believable. On the other hand, though... *should* a Xaela really be so concerned with the fate of Ul'dah or its people? With Y'shtola being the main Scion you deal with in Limsa Lominsa, I've always really liked her as a character, and considering Xaela are supposedly these menacing, ferocious warriors, there's something sort of fitting about Y'shtola being your first encounter with the Scions; whereas Thancred I found to be a little annoying, Y'shtola seems more like the type who would be able to "handle" the more barbaric sort of personalities. Plus, shallow as it sounds, Xaela definitely look *very* fitting in the Warrior AF armor (although to be fair, I don't know any of the Lore behind either Job, and I've always been keen on the Immortal Flames' Gladiator-style armor). Now, without spoiling anything... I naturally sort of wonder if Heavensward's story would make either of these choices seem easier than the other? I honestly don't want any story moments spelled out for me, but if you feel like there's a particular revelation in the story that would influence the decision one way or the other, just say what direction it would make you lean. For example, Merlwyb and the Maelstrom -- really, Limsa Lominsa as a whole -- has been fairly unremarkable, as far as story goes. Perhaps that changes? Honestly, as long as you don't dive into Heavensward-specific spoilers, I would love to read anything you guys have to say. By all means, spoiler the ARR stuff, including Job lore; for example, Marauders are clearly all pirates based out of Limsa Lominsa, but what of Warriors? Or what about Gladiators versus Paladins? Please, any detail is appreciated!