ForestGuardian

People asking for advice: Ashren Snow: I prefer the older option for your miqo'te. Runa Dawning: I really like the lighter skin on Adriel. ( Also I love your miqo'te, Tyakha Zhwan. :] ) Tarath: I prefer Hyur #1 or miqo'te version. Also I played around with the Moonkeeper miqo'te creation, not that I'm planning to play one, but I could see my roegadyn falling for one (though a Wildwood might be more likely), wanted to see what that might look like. : P Do you guys think the yellow eyes still fit Moonkeepers? I like them for Sunseekers, but I considered going with silverish instead. And here's another one I like, at night, with silver eyes. And I think this is my favorite... Also at night, with silver eyes.

Nice hair style on that one, I didn't get to play with the humans yet. But I just look at that necklace and I imagine the danger it presents... Someone grabs it or it gets snagged, that sharp crystal-... right in the neck... Ow...

I didn't see a thread like this, so I figured I'd put it up. As many of us know and are VERY VERY HAPPY ABOUT... The Character Creation benchmark was launched today, the 1st of August, so download it if you haven't already and post your character's appearance. :] I used Picasa to screenshot mine but I'm sure there are many other ways to do it. Hyltwakka Ahldbharsyn, "Gentle Giant and Friend of Gridania" A'navek Tia-... Lion-y Sunseeker (Yes, he's got the tail.) Don't know too much about him, he'll probably be aloof, a bit of a jerk, maybe high most of the time. Wildwood Elezen that I might make as my third character:

Well I think lightning has always had a close connection to nature, not that the other elements don't. But in games where a true "life / plant / green" magic isn't available and earth magic isn't focused on by it's self, lightning seems the next best thing (to me, at least). In The Elder Scrolls Online, I'll probably have my Bosmer be a Lightning-based Sorcerer if not a Sun Heals Templar, he'll be a particularly devout follower of Y'ffre the Forest God, and fire magic or ice magic just don't fit that as well. Hoping very hard that I'll be able to specialize in one element. Hated that about GW2 elementalists. But I'm actually satisfied with the Conjurer specializing in Wind, Water and Earth, those three go nicely together, IMO. And I'm rambling... The point: I don't think Ramuh being the Primal of the Sylphs is too crazy. Druids in WoW had Hurricane, an AoE lightning spell, and Robyn, the first druid I was introduced to through The Moonshae Trilogy (Forgotten Realms) once called down a lightning storm on some northmen. I'm really sorry if I've derailed the thread at all, I mean it's SORT OF on topic, plus as far as I can tell there isn't anything else to be said that IS 100% on topic and relating to fairy lore. I do hope I'm wrong though, and someone might offer some truly useful information that has nothing to do with sylphs, other games, druidic magic or lightning magic. xP

Sylphs: http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/world/threats/primals/ramuh "A diminutive people who dwell deep within the Black Shroud, sylphs resemble delicate dolls wrapped in vibrant leaves. By and large, these woodland folk hold favorable relations with other races, and have become an almost common sight since a trade in crystals was established. The Garlean invasion of the Black Shroud, however, has quickly soured the sylphs' view of outsiders." They're considered among the "Beastmen", and venerate Ramuh. I haven't actually played the game / I know very little, but I'm hoping for my Roegadyn Conjurer to have some RP revolving around them and diplomacy with Gridania. @ Ashren Snow, I don't know if that post was directed at me, but I was just pointing out that in past games they've been nearly indistinguishable. These are Sylphs (from other Final Fantasy games):

Personally I can't stand the fairy model, and will be facepalming anyway. : P The Sylphs are infinitely more appealing to me as a sort of "fae pet"... Even better than the sylphs, I would have liked a Job with Seedkin companions, like Mandragora, etc. Maybe even some druid or animist-like spells. I don't know how well that would have fit into lore, admittedly. But visually, the impact of the graduation hat, glasses, book and fairy is doing nothing for me at all, I'm kind of shocked that they put it in as a Job, alongside Dragoons, Monks, Paladins and Summoners. But to each their own. If you like it, you like it, and in time I'll probably stop being annoyed by their appearance. Now to actually respond to your question... I don't see much established lore for the fairies in FFXIV, but I found a few bits and pieces about the pixies in FFXI and Titania, their leader. Nothing too important aside from the fact that they've been benevolent, and have a good grip on white magic and healing. It seems the names are pretty interchangeable throughout Final Fantasy games, everything from fae, fairy, faerie, pixie, sidhe to sylph being nearly the same thing (there are actually creatures called sylphs that look identical to the fairies we've got in FFXIV). The Fairy server in FFXI was even merged into the Sylph server apparently, which just makes it more obvious to me that there's very little distinction between the two fae-like creatures. This link has the most information, I think, again these are from Final Fantasy 11 so they're not exactly the same creatures: http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/wiki/Category:Pixies If all else fails and the lore never comes, you can try to piece together your own story. Maybe the fairy was bound to an old tome you discovered, or by following an obscure trail of hints, clues and riddles from book to book you were lead to a fairy "fountain". There seems to be a recurring theme of "bottled fairies" in the Final Fantasy games. "Bottled Pixies" were apparently dropped by goblins and orcs in FFXI, freeing them in Witchfire Glen gained you reputation with Titania, their queen. So, it could be as simple as rescuing one and proving yourself. I'm sure, even when/if lore comes out, some creative freedom will be allowed.

[align=center][/align] Hyltwakka (Only representation of him I have so far. :<) Not 100% on these, but they kind of fit. [align=center][/align] Tohru from Jackie Chan Adventures. xP [align=center][/align] Rubeus Hagrid from Harry Potter. [align=center][/align] Snorlax? Yes-... Snorlax.

Definitely, yes. I love the added flavor that this brings to the world. In other games, we usually get some basic idea just by looking at NPCs. Elven names tend to be pretty clearly elven, longer and elegant sounding, dwarven names tend to have the rougher sounds and such, but here we have more than what sounds or feels right, we have what IS right. We're not just trying to follow lore, we're actually able to have our names be 100% accurate to the setting. That's kind of a big deal for me, as someone who gets really frustrated when games don't give us enough lore about a race and their culture or customs. I think, whatever people choose to do with it, the naming conventions can really add a layer of understanding and reality to our characters, which will only help us with roleplaying. Hyltwakka will be my main, a Sea Wolf Roegadyn. I'm pretty sure it's said "Heelt-vwahkkah"... But if you know better, let me know. He'll probably go by (v)Wakka more often than not, and yes I realize this is a character from FFX. >.> Do you guys think people will have a problem with that? As long as it's just his nickname and not the name above him, I think it should be okay... Plus there's the v sound, so it's not actually said the same way.

So this is the Reo way of saying things? Not sure what you mean. I said I don't know if Roegadyn would refer to their food in the old tongue, but I was bored and playing around with the dictionary. I started off just putting smoked salmon (my character's favorite) into the Roegadyn language, because I thought I'd use it in RP, but I clearly got carried away. By no means am I trying to say that any or all should use these names in RP, but it's there if anyone wants to. /shrug

23 myself. Got into MMOs at 13, with Everquest Online Adventures (on PS2) and eventually Dark Age of Camelot before the WoW craze started. It's weird how much I still remember about EQOA... I'm pretty sure guild banks weren't a thing yet, so I ended up being my guild's banker, and would hop to an alt to get things for people. And I remember playing my Halfling Druid in their home city, Rivervale and suddenly a group of trolls charged in, killing NPCs and I was like "THIS CAN HAPPEN??? O_O OHGOD! *RUNS AWAY*" I even remember that the trolls were coming from "12" on that map, because I was fishing at the time. Oh and my best friend joined the game, but HAD to play a Dark Elf. /sigh I remember trying to find a place we could play together, and the many deaths we had on our journey. We even ended up in the most ridiculously over-leveled areas, massive deserts filled with gigantic, terrifying enemies that would have one-shot us if we got too close. Sometimes being a noob is the best way to enjoy a game, but I still can't help but read up and prepare myself for MMOs these days. :<

[align=center][/align] This is kind of how I see Hyltwakka. Tried to give him some chest definition but the line's a little low... Would also help if I could give him wider shoulders, but I guess that's chibis for you.

I don't even know if Roegadyn would refer to food in the old tongue, but they seem very fond of both tradition AND food... So I put this together, using the Roegadyn dictionary. I just might have to make my Roegadyn a Culinarian... Some words might be off slightly. I wasn't sure what to do to make Herb/Smoke/Boil into Herbed/Smoked/Boiled, so I chose either ING (n) or Y (i) depending on what sounded right. If something seems completely off, let me know. Also, some dishes / ingredients might not seem typical for Roegadyn, but might be something other races eat. Frog Legs, for example, I would relate to Wildwood Elezen (their names sound very french). Anyway, this isn't completely "done", so I might edit things in or out. [align=center]====Food=====[/align] Complete Examples Alyruhtnlahz (Alder Smoking Salmon) Wurtiwyrst (Herbed/y Sausage) Ahlahct (River Eel) Skapfmaga (Sheep Stomach) Elakbhrat (Elk Meat) Aenthaerz (Duck Heart) Fruskbenn (Frog Leg) Sunnfhis (Sun Fish) Wallimhol (Boiled/y Eft) Pfefilorh (Peppered/y Rabbit) Pfrymcwin (Plum Wine) Zoeropyl (Sour Apple) Swozbera (Sweet Berry) Eifakyrss (Bitter Cherry) Flazswaen (Flat Mushroom) Noezbrot (Walnut Bread) Saelzisaem (Salted/y Seed) Berktu (xP Just kidding...) Rymmibhir jho ruhtnhezzurs (Frosty beer and smoking hot auroch.) Meat Frusk = Frog Wyrn = Snake Ahl = Eel Fhis (Fhisk) = Fish Lahz = Salmon Mhol = Salamander/Eft Aent = Duck Folg = Bird Spaer = Sparrow Lorh = Rabbit Rael = Doe Skapf = Sheep Gaez = Goat Ramm = Ram Born = Boar Kilb = Calf Elak = Elk Farr = Bull Urs = Auroch Faez = Fat Haerz = Heart Broes = Chest Maga = Stomach Benn = Leg Zagyl = Tail Zoeng = Tongue Bhrat = Meat Gara = Skin Plant Frut = Fruit Bera = Berry Kyrss = Cherry Pfrym = Plum Opyl = Apple Eyhil = Acorn Kest = Chestnut Noez = Walnut Saem = Seed Klet = Burdock Loef = Leaf Pfef = Pepper Swaen = Mushroom Weitz = Wheat Brot = Bread Descriptor Ruht = Smoke Wall = Boil Wurt = Herb Hezz = Hot Kelt = Cold Waem = Warm Ais = Ice Saelz = Salt Swoz = Sweet Zoer = Sour Eifa = Bitter Ahct = River Merl = Sea Wilt = Wild Berk = Mountain Hylt = Forest Isil = Island Byrm = Tree Rymm = Frost Sunn = Sun Moen = Moon Alyr = Alder (Tree) Eyha = Oak (Tree) Aren = Harvest Blaet = Blood Bryn = Spring Cwaen = Pine Fyr = Fire Geiss = Ghost Grina = Howl Keim = Purple Gryne = Green Bloe = Blue Rhot = Red Fhil = Yellow Guld = Gold Broen = Brown Swar = Black Sylb = Silver Thosin = Grey Blei = Pale Flaz = Flat Flekk = Spotted Skoen = Shining Swyn = Round Jho = And Denn = Thin Doer = Dry Edz = Eat Guht = Good Drink Bhir = Ale Cwin = Wine Tu = Dew Wyta = Water Glaz = Glass

Shuck, you (not specifically) were asked to "modify your behavior". Slamming on people, acting like they're mentally incapable, calling their comments "crazy" and labeling people as passive aggressive for sparing your name from a valid point... It is true that you agitated this, and you continue to do so. Though it was smart to act like you were ready to move onto a friendly discussion. I only stepped in because of the harshly worded post you directed at Ryanti, I wanted to make sure they didn't get chased out of the community for (rightly) getting defensive in here. There was an attack, it was defended, you attacked that defense, and attacked it and attacked it, and then someone defended the defense, and you attacked it and attacked it some more... It's pretty clear by now, who in here is being aggressive, crude and careless, and who's trying to set things straight and spare feelings... The best thing that could happen at this point is this thread being locked, and a new thread being made, where people are respectful of differences... Where the thread title is indicating a positive discussion, and where that positive discussion doesn't take any opportunities to knock down other people's play-styles or preferences, because that stuff doesn't belong in ANY community.

I'm sorry, I was highlighting the things I most agreed with and wanted people to look at. Fixed.

Thank you. You couldn't be more right about the title. The title sets pretty characters up to be on the defensive.

There's a reason so many people have responded defensively to this topic. Ryanti's post was just longer than the others, and more passionate... So I was pretty disturbed to see the responses to it. I'm not saying that this is what you said, or what you meant, but this is how what you said could be interpreted, and how it could provoke defensive responses. "...being a rough bitch visually is refreshing to see." (Interpreted as preferable.) "I personally feel that it shouldn't be that foreign of a concept." ("More people should be rough.") "Pretty characters in a rough world just come off as very unrealistic to me." (Needs no explanation... Saying an entire group of characters are less realistic than yours.) "...looking fresh faced and bug eyed just doesn't seem to fit the world..." (Final Fantasy's worlds are some of the worlds where it DOES fit.)

I'd just like to say that people's reactions to Ryanti's post were FAR more hostile than anything he said... I really don't think he meant to tell you that you can't play rugged characters, but whether you realize it or not, some posts have been a bit condescending toward "pretty characters" and the people who play them, and we see this in just about every game... Final Fantasy should be the LAST place we have to defend ourselves, because yes, the art style is very idealized and in general there's a distinct lack of realism-... People often have more balance, agility and speed than would be realistically possible. I, personally, am not a big fan of anime, but I'm not about to impose a western sense of realism on a game that's based around something else. To everyone harping on this guy for this: I seriously SERIOUSLY doubt he was telling you to get out if you want rugged characters. He was NOT telling you not to play FFXIV, he was telling you to not make him feel looked down on for RPing a pretty character in a pretty world with other pretty characters. He was telling you not to ask other people to ugly-up their characters to achieve a sense of realism that isn't always present in JRPGs and Final Fantasy in particular.

I really don't think any way of doing it is better than the other, so I can't really offer applause for those who want rougher, dirtier characters, it's just another aspect of your character which leans closer to realism and further from Fantasy. And let's face it, this is a Final Fantasy game... Looking back through the series, characters keep ridiculous hairstyles with ease, wear incredibly uncomfortable armor and do some rather exaggerated stunts... I'm not going to expect people to carry around hair product and fix up their hairstyle that the game gave them after every battle, and I'm not going to assume that it's messed up unless they say it is. As for getting dirty, I think it's entirely possible some characters may be more self aware, light of foot, agile and careful about not getting dirty. Where as some characters will trudge right through the mud, some will be so observant that they walk around, hop across, or step over the mud. This definitely is NOT Skyrim, but we do have to acknowledge that, to our characters, it's just as real, even if the art style and the background of the series allows for well kept characters taking on the biggest baddest enemies. It's just not up to anyone but ourselves to decide whether our pristine white robe is covered in muck after a battle in the woods.

[align=center][/align] [align=center]+[/align] [align=center][/align] = Tortoise Black Bear = Hyltwakka. xP The cat is-... I don't know, representing a Moonkeeper Miqo'te?

I've got a question about Roegadyn pronunciations... Y: A long 'e' such as the 'ea' in 'eat' or the first 'e' in 'Steve' Alyr (alder) would be pronounced 'ah-leer' Blyss (blossom) would be pronounced like 'bleece' (rhymes with 'fleece') So "y" = "ee"...? But I heard him say "Roo (hate that it's not "row") - guh - din"... Is it not "Roo gah deen"? I'm not fond of it, and really prefer "Row gah din"... But-... I dunno. I also prefer male surnames as ending in "sin" rather than "seen" (spelled syn).

If you hadn't considered it yet, the Culinarian class and information about it might be a good resource. http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Culinarian http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Category:Foods Other than that, I almost think it might be acceptable to draw from real world influences... Let me know if I'm totally off base here, but-... Roegadyn might have some dishes that resemble german cuisine. Sunseeker Miqo'te might have some dishes that resemble native american or mexican cuisine. Wildwood Elezen might have some dishes that resemble french cuisine. Dunesfolk Lalafell might have some dishes that resemble middle eastern cuisine. Just some assumptions, based on naming, geography, etc. Either way, it will be interesting to see how the game shows these kinds of things. My own characters? I think Hyltwakka will have less of an appetite than most Roegadyn, but smoked salmon (or whatever fish exists) will be a favorite, and he'll be perfectly happy with whatever's common in Gridania or to the Wildwood / Moonkeepers. I really don't have my Sunseeker figured out too much, but I imagine he'll be reluctant to eat anything that he hasn't killed or that someone he's close to hasn't killed. He'll want to know what everything is, how it died, what the person who prepared it was like. Maybe. It sounds like an interesting sort of quirk, and I sort of base it on the fact that he'll be from the Antelope tribe, and he (at least) will feel a sort of honorable, reverent relationship between himself and his prey / food. edit: There is something called a Tomato Pie... Sounds like pizza. edit: I might have been a bit off. Maybe. Examples of actual racial food: -http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Dark_Pretzel (Dunesfolk) -http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Dodo_Omelette (Dunesfolk) -http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Rabbit_Pie (Wildwood) -http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Meat_Miq%27abob (Sunseeker) -http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Forest_Miq%27abob (Sunseeker) -http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Tuna_Miq%27abob (Moonkeeper) -http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Salmon_Meuniere (Moonkeeper) -http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Honey_Muffin (Midlander) -http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Aldgoat_Steak (Highlander) -http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Smoked_Raptor (Hellsguard) -http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Stuffed_Cabbage (Sea Wolf) I'm going to try guessing a little here... Common with Sea Wolves? -A fresh, raw oyster, shucked and splashed with a squeeze of sun lemon. (Raw Oyster) -A tiger cod salted and dried in the sun. (Salt Cod) -A traditional Sea Wolf dish consisting of pike wrapped in cabbage and steamed until soft. (Stuffed Cabbage) -Chopped midland cabbage pickled with salt. A staple on all Lominsan trade ships, as it is said to prevent the scurvy. (Sauerkraut) -A light soup of butter-sauteed whitefish and vegetables. (Fish Soup) -A complimentary acorn treat baked by the Mizzenmast Inn. May contain nuts. (Mizzenmast Biscuit) -Apkallu eggs beaten and then cooked in rich butter until fluffy and light. A favorite in Vylbrand's coastal hamlets. (Apkallu Omelette) An apple-filled pastry shaped to resemble the legendary sunfish. (Pastry Fish) -A rich bon-bon made from sweet white chocolate infused with heavier-than-air bubbles. (Pearl Chocolate) -This dark green variety of seaweed found in all five of Eorzea's seas has been known to grow up to a malm in length. (Malm Kelp) Common with Sunseekers? -Cactus leaves roasted like a steak and slathered in a colorful vegetable sauce. (Roasted Nopales) -This vegetable soup is made cold and then heated by inserting a scalding rock. (Stone Soup) -A roasted artichoke stuffed with a savory blend of pungent cheese and succulent crab meat. (Stuffed Artichoke) -A thick strip of lean buffalo meat dried in the sun. (Jerked Beef) -Simple, unleavened bread made of flour and water. (Flatbread) -A tough piece of meat taken from the upper-leg of an antelope. (Antelope Shank) -A thick, spiny-leaved cactus indigenous to the southern continent of Meracydia. The Miqo'te are known to treat severe burns with the cool gel-like substance found inside the leaves. (Aloe) -An edible, oval-leaved cactus brought back by explorers of the New Continent. (Nopales) -The fruit of a sunflower, this small seed is covered by a thin, black shell. (Sunflower Seeds) -Hundreds of sweet yellow kernels adorn each cob of this vegetable native to the recently discovered New Continent. (Millioncorn) Bleh, so many kinds of food... It would be really difficult to try and pin all of it to a certain race, since there's most definitely a lot of cross-over. But I did what I could, and it's still probably not 100% accurate.

Edited for reasons.

I'm playing Rift and Arcane Saga off and on. Can't get too into either of them, but the occasional dungeons, warfronts and bouts of leveling can be entertaining enough. I'm keeping my distance from GW2, since the RP I wanted sort of shifted into something entirely different that I wanted no part in... I'm considering downloading Tera again and playing my Baraka Priest a bit... But I might try to make myself enjoy Neverwinter instead once that's out of beta. Not at all enthusiastic about my options right now. x_x FFXIV is the closest and I'm really excited about that, but I'm also planning to get TESO once it's out. Had hoped for a fall release, but it looks like it's spring now. :[ I'll only get Wildstar if it's free to play, otherwise it's not worth it to me.

[align=center][/align] [align=center]==Physical==[/align] Age: 29 Years Old. (348 Moons) (Born in 1548? Current year 1577?) Height: Significantly, but not unnaturally, shorter than the average Roegadyn. Weight: Hyltwakka is not the strongest or most muscular Roegadyn, although he's hardly let himself go. Through a mixture of spiritual and physical exercises, the man keeps a considerably muscular body with just a small layer of firm fat. Hair: Thick, black and more or less well groomed. It's clear that Hyltwakka is trying to impress the rarely impressed Gridanians. Eyes: A verdant green, full of warmth and life. Details: In addition to the two black streaks beneath his eyes, Hyltwakka has the symbol of Nophica tattooed in light black ink on the undersides of his forearms, leaves reaching toward his palms. He also has a gold hoop earring through each ear, with a second smaller one on the right ear. [align=center][/align] Misc. Notes: Most commonly seen with a faint but gentle smile, smelling of freshly cut herbs or exotic incense from the Conjurer's guild, Hyltwakka is followed closely by a young mandragora that "answers" to the name of Sprout. Occasionally Sprout will be seen perched on Hyltwakka's shoulder or clinging to one of the man's boots as he strides through Gridania and the surrounding areas of the Twelveswood. [align=center]==Present==[/align] Hyltwakka trains sporadically at Stillglade Fane with the conjurers of Gridania, but more often he is found performing tasks for the inhabitants of the Greatloam Growery, also known as the Botanist's Guild. In his free time, and even while working, he's been known to travel the many forests of Eorzea, watching and studying various types of seedkin, which is how he came to meet and befriend his small leafed companion. [align=center]==Past==[/align] Hyltwakka's life started much the same way as any other Sea Wolf in Limsa Lominsa. His mother Ryssanka, the skilled fisher with her own boat, his father Ahldbhar the chef and merchant, their house, crowded, smelling of salt water and fresh bread. His brothers and sisters, all much older than him, tended to brush him off as useless, a nuisance really, even his own mother had little time for the smallest pup in her pack. His father, the one solid rock in his life, gave him his name and taught him the basics of cooking and trading before he died in the tenth year of Hyltwakka's life. After four years of managing his father's business and growing increasingly distant from his family, Hyltwakka set out from Limsa Lominsa with only a small portion of the gil he'd earned. Taking odd jobs here and there, Hyltwakka was still unable to provide for himself and turned to those who claimed they could. After almost five more years of being pushed around, taken advantage of and stabbed in the back, Hyltwakka's anger was practically a tangible part of him. He resented everyone and everything, himself above all else, for not deserving the respect of his family, for not enduring the cold silence of his previous life just a little longer, for not being strong enough for this new life he'd chosen... With the last of his gil, Hyltwakka drank himself stupid and bought an airship ticket, the last thing he remembered was nearly falling off of the ship, which he believed was headed for Ul'dah. Thankfully for him an elezen in rich green robes had grabbed him by his collar and pulled him back to the center of the ship, which was in fact headed for Gridania, where Hyltwakka would spend the next ten years of his life. Disclaimer: No, Hyltwakka is not related to the lore character Ahldbhar, I did not know of this character when I created mine. I. Basic Info Primary character: Hyltwakka Ahldbharsyn (Forest Awakener, Old Bear's Son.) Pronunciation: "EELT-vwah-kah" "Ald-bar-seen" Nickname: 'Wakka ("Vwah-kah") Linkshells: Intermission 2, The Night Shift, The Spectrum Guard Free Company: Unity II. RP Style Amount of RP (light, medium, heavy): Medium-Heavy. I pick and choose what makes sense for my characters and what I want to happen to them. If I fall in combat via game mechanics, please don't take that IC until I acknowledge it through an emote. If I'm running around some random city, please don't approach me IC until I sit down, emote or begin walking. Views on RP combat and injuries: I will avoid RP combat like the plague. Every time I've seen it, it has gone horribly wrong and devolved into OOC bickering. I have, however, created "throw away" and "persistent" villain NPCs for story-lines. I will occasionally "control" them to give people something to fight. Never is my own ego attached to these villains, as such I have no issue (and actually encourage) killing them off. During the RP, all attacks are attempts. Views on IC romance: In the past I've resorted to putting my characters together romantically. Romance, love and affection can add much-needed layers to characters, so I have no issue getting into that kind of RP, as long as it's kept appropriate. I do, however, need to know that the other person is 18 years or older. (Even if all they do is kiss, hug or act flirty with each other.) I am gay, and unusually picky about my characters' types, so I understand if they never find what they're looking for. (Hint: My Roegadyn will have a quiet, honorable fondness for Wildwood Elezen and possibly Moonkeeper Miqo'te.) Views on non-romantic RP (family ties, etc): I don't, at this time, have any interest in a family for my Roegadyn. Views on lore: Lore is important to the integrity of a roleplay community, and I have always done my best to adhere to it. At the same time, however, the lore can never begin to account for all aspects of every character. There are almost always exceptions to what's put down in front of us, and you can be a perfectly good, respectable role-player while bending the lore a bit. It's only when you BREAK lore that you need to worry.

I, too, see this discussion pop up in every RP community, and I think I have one of the less popular opinions about it. While I definitely support "attempts" and putting the power in the target's hands, I think we also need to look at just how powerful destructive magic is. In games where you can summon meteor showers over a group of enemies or literally change every cell in a person's body to polymorph them into a sheep, it makes no sense to me that people want to place huge limitations on restorative magic. I love playing healers, and roleplaying as them, so I certainly don't want people to try normalizing the idea that they're less useful or less powerful than a destructive spellcaster. That said, I haven't seen a lot from FFXIV yet, so I don't know how my opinions on this relate to the game 100%. I just think there shouldn't be a huge gap between restorative magic power (potential) and destructive magic power (potential), unless it absolutely makes sense to the game's lore. But as I said, I am all for allowing the people I heal to react to it as they will. Even if my character is supposed to be a rather decent healer, if they want to RP that broken arm they're free to say the magic wasn't strong enough. Also I do tend to RP fatigue after healing serious injuries. A fractured skull? Punctured lung? Severed hand? Fatigue. Minor gashes on arms, arrows that haven't punctured anything major / etc. I treat those as typical battle-wounds that I'd be able to heal and keep going alongside the fireball-flinging mages and greatsword-flailing warriors.