(04-13-2017, 12:30 PM)Gegenji Wrote:(04-13-2017, 12:22 PM)PhantasticPanda Wrote:(04-13-2017, 08:18 AM)Virella Wrote:(04-13-2017, 07:47 AM)Teadrinker Wrote: Flamboyant, tuxedo wearing mages from....the harsh mountains where they can barely grow food I'mWell in SE defence, we really don't know what Ala Mhigan 'aesthetic' is. We've seen the Fist of Rhalgr, who are wierdo religious cult esque group, and a heap of poor hobos, refugees and mercenaries.
That said, I don't think it is that far-fetched beyond the 'flamboyant' aesthetic (once more for all we know it might be legit Ala Mhigan aesthetic >_>. Perhaps the RDM class was the 'upper' class type of job? Nobles ect? Ala Mhigans were after all super advanced compared to any other Eorzean city. So writing it off on "well they had to focus on survival" doesn't make exactly sense. They were a wartorn area, and if real life logic applies a little bit to it, nations who actively war then to progress quickly on warfare, so I don't see why it would be far-fetched to have RMD to have its origins there.
I think we were all just thrown off by the fact it looks super flamboyant. Honestly, aesthetic wise I could have said Ishgardian, but alas.
Maybe we're looking into it too deeply atm with Ala Mhigan influence. So far we only know Red Mages came from the ancestors of Amdapor and Mhachi, around the same region that houses Ala Mhigo, and if I recall correctly, they were primarily Midlander Hyurs and Lalafells. With Ala Mhigans being dominantly Highlanders, it could be as Sounssy stated, the Red Mages could have came before the Ala Mhigans, only to seclude themselves again as they came into power, which could explain their current 'absence'. I honestly don't see Ala Mhigans as the mage sort of society which they have focused so much on lancer legions and monks.
Not going to lie, when I read the bit about them fleeing the mountains of Ala Mhigo and whatnot... the first thing that came to mind was that jungle full of dinosaurs that apparently exists at the... south pole? in the X-Men universe. Just, instead of dinosaurs, it's a hidden enclave of ancient magic.
... which then immediately made me think of Dalaran and its big barrier shield in the older versions of WoW.
Of note, I recall that the Black Mage corpses in Weeping City seem to be Highlanders.
