General Lore Questions

[Valence]

You seem to already answer to your own questions regarding the matter to be honest.

 

There was 2 nunhs, they chose not to fight when only one was needed at some point - more clearly, one chose to step down. Son is wiling to get revenge, then thinks better of it when he learns of the context and what really happened.

 

Maybe the current nunh is taking him under his wing. Maybe the current nunh has no other son or male miqo'te to count on. Maybe he does that just out of pity. Maybe he intends to step down when the son is deemed worthy enough, or maybe he doesn't intend to give him an easy way and make the son prove his worth in combat in spite of anything... 

 

It's more of the domain of speculation rather than lore facts unless we get an extension of that questline at some point... I'm not totally sure what could be answered here?

[Aoi Fukiku]

You seem to already answer to your own questions regarding the matter to be honest.

 

There was 2 nunhs, they chose not to fight when only one was needed at some point - more clearly, one chose to step down. Son is wiling to get revenge, then thinks better of it when he learns of the context and what really happened.

 

Maybe the current nunh is taking him under his wing. Maybe the current nunh has no other son or male miqo'te to count on. Maybe he does that just out of pity. Maybe he intends to step down when the son is deemed worthy enough, or maybe he doesn't intend to give him an easy way and make the son prove his worth in combat in spite of anything... 

 

It's more of the domain of speculation rather than lore facts unless we get an extension of that questline at some point... I'm not totally sure what could be answered here?

 

My main thing was trying to understand if this is just a specific instance of occurrence or if there has been other things within lore hidden away that has shown other Seekers to do this. I was always of the belief they fight to get their rank. Why just step down? The way the general lore seems to be is that they are males determined to run a pride yet they seem to show more humanity then anything with this one alone. I feel as if this actually should be a focus of Seeker lore rather then the mass 'I love to fight, I'm the strongest nunh ever!' I constantly see people play.

[V'aleera]

I was always of the belief they fight to get their rank.

 

This is a common belief, but also an incorrect one. Seeker tribes are stated to elevate the "strongest" to the position of Nunh, but when examined within the context of the lore it would be more accurate to say that they elevate the most capable; in many cases due to their hostile environment capability and fighting strength may be considered interchangeable, but ultimately every Seeker tribe has its own guidelines for what determines a Nunh and what additional functions a Nunh performs for the tribe outside his reproductive role.

[Aoi Fukiku]

I was always of the belief they fight to get their rank.

 

This is a common belief, but also an incorrect one. Seeker tribes are stated to elevate the "strongest" to the position of Nunh, but when examined within the context of the lore it would be more accurate to say that they elevate the most capable; in many cases due to their hostile environment capability and fighting strength may be considered interchangeable, but ultimately every Seeker tribe has its own guidelines for what determines a Nunh and what additional functions a Nunh performs for the tribe outside his reproductive role.

Ah. So it isn't more lore-wise but most of the players I see doing this are just doing it by personal preference? Makes sense. The whole M-tribe sidequest line threw me for a loop. Thanks!

[Valence]

You seem to already answer to your own questions regarding the matter to be honest.

 

There was 2 nunhs, they chose not to fight when only one was needed at some point - more clearly, one chose to step down. Son is wiling to get revenge, then thinks better of it when he learns of the context and what really happened.

 

Maybe the current nunh is taking him under his wing. Maybe the current nunh has no other son or male miqo'te to count on. Maybe he does that just out of pity. Maybe he intends to step down when the son is deemed worthy enough, or maybe he doesn't intend to give him an easy way and make the son prove his worth in combat in spite of anything... 

 

It's more of the domain of speculation rather than lore facts unless we get an extension of that questline at some point... I'm not totally sure what could be answered here?

 

My main thing was trying to understand if this is just a specific instance of occurrence or if there has been other things within lore hidden away that has shown other Seekers to do this. I was always of the belief they fight to get their rank. Why just step down? The way the general lore seems to be is that they are males determined to run a pride yet they seem to show more humanity then anything with this one alone. I feel as if this actually should be a focus of Seeker lore rather then the mass 'I love to fight, I'm the strongest nunh ever!' I constantly see people play.

 

Yes it seems to usually be determined by a fight or a contest of skills.

 

Here in the case of that tribe we were confronted to a whole other case scenario where there are too many nunhs. While we don't know if the nunhs would have to fight to determine who remains in position and who gets back to being a tia ultimately, we know that they didn't do it here and one chose to step down.

 

It doesn't absolve however the son, willing to challenge the nunh status, to have to go through the usual challenge of the current nunh.

 

What I meant above is that if we follow the general guidelines, that son would probably have to challenge the nunh like he has done so far, when he's ready. I don't see anything preventing that current nunh to step down when he's too old, or out of shape, or whatever, but I rarely see that as a necessity since most of the time a capable tia will probably show up and challenge him anyway. And the son seems determined so...

[Yian Kutku]

Maybe the current nunh is taking him under his wing. Maybe the current nunh has no other son or male miqo'te to count on. Maybe he does that just out of pity. Maybe he intends to step down when the son is deemed worthy enough, or maybe he doesn't intend to give him an easy way and make the son prove his worth in combat in spite of anything...

 

I got the impression the current Nunh was perfectly happy with the tradition of having a Tia challenge him in personal combat in order to take over Nunh-ship, but the son (of the other former Nunh) was just so bad at it that he feels it's a waste of time to keep it at status quo, so he wants to train the son up to present a more respectable (and fair?) challenge.

 

Presumably if some other (unseen) Tia shows up, challenges the Nunh, and wins, the now-former Nunh will just shrug and go "well, that's just how it is".

 

I do find it a little odd that apparently the position of Nunh, as expressed in the U and M tribes, is determined solely by personal combat prowess. It's not as though the Nunh has to 1v1 solo any threats to the tribe.

 

I'm curious if it's possible for a challenge to the Nunh to involve... I'm blanking on the exact term, but I'm thinking more of a leadership challenge, rather than a combat challenge. Being able to lead the tribe in politics and relations with others, rather than combat.

 

(I was thinking of the Mass Effect Krogan krannt, but then I realized any Tia who can command enough respect among their peers will probably be able to peel off and make their own tribe anyway.)

[Aoi Fukiku]

Maybe the current nunh is taking him under his wing. Maybe the current nunh has no other son or male miqo'te to count on. Maybe he does that just out of pity. Maybe he intends to step down when the son is deemed worthy enough, or maybe he doesn't intend to give him an easy way and make the son prove his worth in combat in spite of anything...

 

I got the impression the current Nunh was perfectly happy with the tradition of having a Tia challenge him in personal combat in order to take over Nunh-ship, but the son (of the other former Nunh) was just so bad at it that he feels it's a waste of time to keep it at status quo, so he wants to train the son up to present a more respectable (and fair?) challenge.

 

Presumably if some other (unseen) Tia shows up, challenges the Nunh, and wins, the now-former Nunh will just shrug and go "well, that's just how it is".

 

I do find it a little odd that apparently the position of Nunh, as expressed in the U and M tribes, is determined solely by personal combat prowess. It's not as though the Nunh has to 1v1 solo any threats to the tribe.

 

I'm curious if it's possible for a challenge to the Nunh to involve... I'm blanking on the exact term, but I'm thinking more of a leadership challenge, rather than a combat challenge. Being able to lead the tribe in politics and relations with others, rather than combat.

 

(I was thinking of the Mass Effect Krogan krannt, but then I realized any Tia who can command enough respect among their peers will probably be able to peel off and make their own tribe anyway.)

From what I recall of the lore, nunhs don't really lead the tribe. It is just a rare case with the M and U tribe. A nunh fights to gain his title to ensure strong offspring.... I think? The idea of only the strong survive, and males are supposed to be rare compared to females so the idea of a nunh that can hold his own and perhaps pass those genes on is more appealing then a weak nunh with a silver tongue.

 

Or I could be completely wrong.

[Aedan Marceaux]

Per SE's own lore on the naming conventions page:

 

"Males do not take family names, as they are each considered the ‘origins’ of new families. In place of a family name, they are given a title that denotes their tribe, and their position within it. For a male Seeker of the Sun, there are only two positions available—breeding males (nunh – pronounced ‘noon’) and all others (tia – pronounced ‘tea-ah’). All males are born as tia. At any time in their lives, a tia can challenge the tribe nunh to battle. If the tia is victorious, he takes the nunh’s place as tribe breeding male (until he is challenged and defeated), and the nunh becomes a tia once again (if he survives the ordeal). This is done to ensure that the tribe’s offspring are of the finest stock. Depending on its size, a tribe may have multiple nunh (a ratio of one nunh per ten to fifty females is average).

 

There is only one other way a tia can become a nunh, and that is to leave his tribe, and start his own. This, of course, requires several females to accomplish, and most female Seekers of the Sun are rarely impressed by a male who cannot defeat a nunh.

 

Nunh status does not equate to leadership within a tribe, and in fact, very few nunh ever become leaders."

 

 

So the U and M tribes (that we see, there may be other U and M tribes out there) are supposed to be rare situations. That being said, the next seeker tribe we run into... my money is on the nuhn being leader again..... because SE.

 

Edit: bolded pertinent parts.

[Valence]

Not necessarily rare or uncommon.

 

It's just that a nunh leading can happen as much as a non leading nunh can from the wording of the lore to my eyes.

[Sounsyy]

M'rahz is still going to make M'zhet fight him for the position. That is just the M tribe's way. I found all of the pertinent lore behind the M nunhs story and put it below. I think it provides the answers to a lot of the questions I saw in the previous posts. I also included the general Seeker lore in the spoiler at the bottom for comparison. Hope this helps!

 

 

The fires of war spread across Gyr Abania' date=' and soon we ourselves may be forced to enter the fray. Should it come to pass, then it will fall to me to guide my people through the flames, for I have the rare and unfortunate honor to serve not only as nunh, but as leader of my people.[/quote']

Our father, M'rahz Nunh, is leader of the M tribe. He's likely one of the few males you'll ever see among us. They stay only to challenge him in a bid to claim his title of nunh. Those who fail remain as tia, or leave and attempt to create tribes of their own. Under normal circumstances, there can only be one nunh in our tribe, you see. Although there was a time our lands were vast, and two nunhs led our people.

 

Thanks to you and yours driving the Garleans out of Castellum Velodyna, we can finally start getting things back to the way they were. In the darker days of their occupation, it was M'rahz Nunh who inspired us, who gave us the strength to live. We owe him our lives, and we'll gladly give them to defend him and our home. I doubt there has ever been a nunh before him so loved by his people.

We're all equal in the eyes of M'rahz Nunh. His fair-mindedness is part of what makes him so well loved among our people.

In recent days, a young Seeker of the Sun has seen fit to issue me several challenges to combat. I can only assume he means to assume the role of nunh and leader of our people. Tradition dictates the strongest among us must take the position, so I gladly face any who believe they are fit to lead. The problem, however, is this challenger is decidedly weak. Yet no matter how many times I put him down, he refuses to concede.

 

His invitations to duel were a mild annoyance at first, but I've come to find his single-minded determination to be intriguing. In fact, I was hoping you would consider training him. I realize how absurd it sounds to help my rival-to-be, but I am curious of his potential.

There was a time when the M tribe was led by two Nunhs. In the common tongue it is often interpreted as chief of the tribe, but first and foremost we are a father to our people. When our hunting grounds are vast and children many, it is sometimes necessary to have a second nunh as we once did. After the Garleans invaded, however, our lands diminished as did our numbers. We agreed only a single nunh was needed.

 

Under normal circumstances, we would do battle, the loser abdicating their title. But his father relinquished it willingly, and left with him from the Peering Stones. We never heard from him again. M'zhet, son of M'aht. After all these years he returns. But why would his father leave him to survive on his own? His spirit burns bright as ever, but he will need more than spirit if he wishes to lead.

A terrible tale told to me by the Vira. Twenty years ago, a miqo'te of the M tribe traveling with child happened upon their people. He claimed to be a nunh who relinquished his title to avoid creating discord within the tribe. Though no longer one of them, he planned to watch over them from afar. One fateful day, the local wildlife were afflicted with a strange illness that drove them into a frenzy. It was as if they were possessed, forming a monstrous herd storming toward the Peering Stones. He could not stand idly by and watch his former home be destroyed. And so he chose to face the beasts alone, leaving his child in the Ananta's care.

 

One after another the beasts fell as he drove them into a nearby cavern. Yet he would not escape unscathed, for one of the creatures struck him with poison that would soon turn him to stone. His limbs growing stiff, he used the last of his strength to collapse the cave entrance. The remaining crevice that would have allowed their escape was blocked by his cold, petrified flesh. That man was M'aht, your father.

 

There are those who called him a coward for leaving, but in truth he was the bravest among us. Be strong, M'zhet. You are your father's son, and one day you shall make a great nunh. We are men of the M tribe, it is only natural that we might quarrel in one way or another. Now that you know the truth, what will you do now?

If you would have me' date=' I wish to rejoin the M tribe. As a tia. By his blade, I swear it.[/quote']

Very well. I welcome you once more as M'zhet Tia of the M tribe. Train hard' date=' young one, and become the man I know your father believed you could be. I would also hold a memorial service to honor your father's sacrifice. We do not have his remains, but I pray his soul will at last be at peace. Words fail to express my gratitude, adventurer. He will make a fine nunh someday. When his time comes, I hope you will offer him support again as you did this day.[/quote']

 

Unsurprisingly' date=' given their self-bestowed clan name, the Seekers of the Sun count numerous devotees of Azeyma, the Warden, among their ranks. While their overall numbers are not great, their twenty-six tribes are scattered across all reaches of the realm, with small Seeker settlements to be found from the sands of the Sagolii Desert in southern Thanalan to the jagged peaks of Gyr Abania. Yet other Seekers have settled in Limsa Lominsa, drawn to the freedom of pirate life. Many Seekers, particularly those of the younger generation, choose to set off as adventurers, perhaps heeding the same call of the wild their ancestors once heard.[/quote']

The self-proclaimed Seekers of the Sun are the diurnal clan of the Miqo'te race. Their preference for the warm light of day pervades all aspects of their culture' date=' as is apparent in their devout reverence for Azeyma the Warden, goddess of the sun. Though relatively few in Eorzea, a small number of them have been accepted into everyday life by the other races in the port city of Limsa Lominsa. Others are known to make their home in the region of the Sagolii Desert.[/quote']

The self-proclaimed Seekers of the Sun are the diurnal clan of the Miqo'te race. Their preference for the warm light of day pervades all aspects of their culture, as is apparent in their devout reverence for Azeyma the Warden, goddess of the sun.

They are perhaps known best for their striking eyes - the result of their vertically aligned pupils and faintly colored irises. It is also not uncommon for their eyes to be disparately colored from birth, a trait considered auspicious amongst their kind. The Seekers are widely regarded as quick-witted and prone to action, and many exhibit a tendency to bore easily.

The Seekers of the Sun are a true miracle of evolution at work. Though lean and flexible, they possess immense strength and stamina, and excel at near any physical act─be it bounding amongst the treetops or swimming in rough waters.

 

Above all that, their powers of expression are also second to none. Yes, Seekers of the Sun make fine study specimens─fine study specimens indeed. Still, it is the males of the race which remain a near complete mystery. An effective medicine requires detailed study of both the male and female of a species, but male Miqo'te are simply nowhere to be found. Rumors say that some reside right here in Ul'dah, but they must avoid people like the bloody plague, because I've yet to set eyes on a single one!

Roughly a head shorter and smaller of body than the average Hyur' date=' the Seekers are blessed with a wiry strength, surpassing agility, and the stamina to run for hours under the blazing sun - a combination of traits that makes them uncommonly suited to hunting in arid climes. As many Seekers are adept at climbing and diving, they also make for excellent sailors. Among their most striking physical features are their eyes, with their narrow, vertically-aligned pupils and faintly colored irises.[/quote']

The Seekers of the Sun are a highly patriarchal culture' date=' with each tribe centered around a strong breeding male (nunh) whose duty it is to form a harem and lead his people to glory and prosperity. Young males are born and raised as "tia", and must either assume the position of nunh by challenging and defeating an existing nunh in single combat, or leave the community to find a harem of his own. In particularly large tribes, multiple nunh may coexist in the same community, though such cases are rare.[/quote']

When the Seekers of the Sun came to Eorzea from their homelands, there were only 26 tribes. Since that time, there have been some males who, instead of defeating their tribe's nunh and becoming a breeding male by normal means, opt to leave the tribe and form their own. However, it is rare for female Seekers of the Sun to follow these males, so these newly formed tribes almost always die out.

 

This does not mean that it doesn't happen.

If a male leaves to form his own tribe, he will replace the letter from his original tribe (for example, the "Y" in Y'shtola) with a new one. Since the 26 letters of the Eorzean alphabet are already taken, the new tribal prefix will be often be two letters (Ma -> Ma'shtola) which are of the tribe-forming male's choosing (and all people in his tribe will use that same prefix).

 

His last name will be Nunh, as he is now the new breeding male (as designated by himself) of his new tribe.

 

While not impossible (people can do what they want with their names), a Seeker of the Sun choosing his mother's name to be his last, would amount to shunning his culture and adopting the rules of the Keepers of the Moon. There will be some Seekers of the Sun who will respect this, but others who frown upon it.

 

There are tia within the 26 existing tribes who, instead of defeating an existing nunh, prove their worth to the tribe by extending its hunting grounds. These tia will venture out into the world and claim territory of their own (by either finding somewhere unoccupied, or taking an area by force from another tribe). If they can maintain it for an extended period of time, then they become the nunh of that area, while still remaining a member of their original tribe.

 

This actually happens quite often. And is far more accepted than merely leaving the tribe to make one's own (which, ultimately makes that person an outcast). This is why you will almost never see Seekers of the Sun with tribal letters beyond the original 26 (like the Ma'shtola I mentioned earlier). There are simply not that many, and those that do exist, rarely admit it, for fear of ostracism.

 

[Gegenji]

Really, given how the situation played out... it doesn't seem all that surprising that M'rahz is taking M'zhet under his wing. Not as a Nunh, but as the leader of the tribe. He's thinking to the future of it, and he sees Zhet's tenacity and resolve as potentially good traits to have. However, Zhet also needs the strength to claim the title of Nunh and then hold onto it.

 

What's interesting to muse on, however... that even if Zhet does ultimately succeed and claim the title of Nunh from Rahz, Rahz could technically still serve in that leadership (or, at least, an advisory) position while still a Tia. After all, with the apparent respect Zhet has for Rhaz now, I'm pretty sure their final challenge won't result in death or exile or anything like that. So, rather than having double-duty like Rahz has now, Zhet could handle the Nunh duties while Rahz carries on being that inspiring leader.

 

That honestly would be an interesting tribe to see, really. One where a Tia is effectively the leader, but is not the best choice for Nunh. The other option, of course, is that there is a Seeker matriarch who is the leader. Or perhaps even a council of elders sort of situation.

[MagicCat]

Hello all! First post.

 

 

Is there any direct reason that Arcanists/Summoners are tied to diseases and such with their spells? 

 

 

I haven't found any lore on it but it strikes me as super interesting (doubly so because from the spell descriptions you are literally filling their lungs with fluids/infecting them with a rapid degenerating cancerous-like disease).

[Gegenji]

Hello all! First post.

 

Is there any direct reason that Arcanists/Summoners are tied to diseases and such with their spells? 

 

I haven't found any lore on it but it strikes me as super interesting (doubly so because from the spell descriptions you are literally filling their lungs with fluids/infecting them with a rapid degenerating cancerous-like disease).

 

Welcome!

 

And, I think it actually got mentioned in the Umbral/Astral magic debate earlier... but I think it had something to do with the fact that Arcanima (the magic Arcanists/Summoners/Scholars use) does not use elements like Conjury/White Magic or Thaumaturgy/Black Magic. It's "unaspected" aether.

 

And so... somehow that turns into pathogens? Something like that. However, I don't know if there's actual lore in-game that references this stuff or if it's extrapolation based on theories by the players.

[MagicCat]

Hello all! First post.

 

Is there any direct reason that Arcanists/Summoners are tied to diseases and such with their spells? 

 

I haven't found any lore on it but it strikes me as super interesting (doubly so because from the spell descriptions you are literally filling their lungs with fluids/infecting them with a rapid degenerating cancerous-like disease).

 

Welcome!

 

And, I think it actually got mentioned in the Umbral/Astral magic debate earlier... but I think it had something to do with the fact that Arcanima (the magic Arcanists/Summoners/Scholars use) does not use elements like Conjury/White Magic or Thaumaturgy/Black Magic. It's "unaspected" aether.

 

And so... somehow that turns into pathogens? Something like that. However, I don't know if there's actual lore in-game that references this stuff or if it's extrapolation based on theories by the players.

Thanks for the response!

 

Given some of the high-level spells are clearly guided expansions on the basics such as Fester (it doesn't seem to be something you just 'stumble on') is it possible such specialization is intentional? At the very least it's a pretty brutal way to kill someone even compared to the direct elemental magics, and nobody seems to bat an eye on an IC level about it.

 

It's certainly an interesting angle but I'm also not sure how it'd tie into general Arcanist work.

[Gegenji]

To delve more into the matter, if my assumption and recollection is correct (which it probably isn't)... since you can't do such things as burn or freeze or shock or anything like that without aspecting your aether, you're just left with what aether is at its base - life energy.

 

So, manipulating that means diseases, pathogens, and decay. And if that's the format you're sticking to, then it's not too far-fetched to believe that the Arcanists would hone and improve on those techniques. So whether the specialization is intentional... or that it's a restriction that they simply chose to embrace... is hard to say.

 

Then again, as I mentioned, I could just be horribly misremembering. :lol:

[Silmanos]

From near as I can tell, unless Sounnsy has a lore post hidden away some where that I haven't seen, there is actually no lore reason behind those being the Arcanist spells. In fact there is nothing in lore that states an arcanist cannot use aspected aether. They already in fact do in the form of their carbuncles. In lore what defines someone as an arcanist is that they manipulate aether through the use of aether conductive ink and arcane geometries. I believe the actual reason behind the spells available to them in game is actually simply nothing more than game play. SE already had a dps class and a heal class based off of elemental usage and needed something different. I also am of the opinion that the person who designed Arcanist/SMN had a thing for affliction warlocks in WoW. It's pretty much the same reason Conjurers only use three elements in the visible game, Game Play reasons. There is nothing actually stopping a conjurer from making use of all of the elements.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

My speculation is that the arcanist spells cause a sort of aetherial imbalance in their targets, which manifests as the short-term effects.

 

We already know that too much of any aspect of aether can cause aethersickness, so what if this was further refined for that very effect? I'm still a staunch believer that any school of magic could find a way to replicate another school's without too much difficulty, but the way the aether is consumed and shaped is what makes them all different.

 

The battle system is really only a small selection of available spells, many of which I'd assume are either unnamed or are based on function. And that's not even touching upon "older" schools of magic that have been rediscovered and reinvented over the various eras.

 

tldr: I made guesses. There's not any specific lore for or against these guesses.

[Sounsyy]

Is there any direct reason that Arcanists/Summoners are tied to diseases and such with their spells?

 

I don't think there's a "direct" reason given in lore, but there's a couple of things that I think might've heavily influenced the class's direction.

 

The first is out of lore, sorta. In an older Fanfest interview, Fernehalwes said that when the arcanist class was originally meant to release in the 1.0 version of the game, its original storyline revolved around a disease which was spreading rapidly around Vylbrand called the Green Rot. Due to the lethality of the disease, many foreign merchants and alchemists began selling fake tonics and potions, preying upon the desperate. As arcanists, being assessors of the port's custom house, it was your duty to halt the spread of this contraband and find a real cure for the disease.

 

I used t' sail the five seas with the League o' Lost Bastards' date=' but I packed it all in when me ma came down with the Green Rot. I now gather herbs for the local medicine women, hopin' that while I'm at it, I might find a cure…[/quote']

Fishback raids' date=' legendary serpents, the Green Rot, an' now the sirens… There be some as say we're witness t' th' Navigator ventin' Her wroth. Mayhap 'tis time I paid th' bethel another visit.[/quote']

 

Because of development issues in the early game, the arcanist class was never put into the game until ARR and the original storyline was scrapped - though traces of it remained in the game, as seen in the quotes above and in the existing 1.0 alchemy questline where arcanists attempted to aid the Phrontistery only to be shooed away for fear that they would steal alchemy secrets to solve their own woes. Similar to how the Marauders' Guild was originally penned as the Executioners' Guild, I think the ARR redraft of the class and its abilities gave a shoutout to the original storyline. (Similar to how the marauders are no longer executioners, but abilities such as Butcher's Block and the addition of the central pirate faction known as the Bloody Executioners were included as callbacks to the original idea.)

 

In Limsa Lominsa, the original Arcanist quest that was supposed to be released in 1.0 was actually about this disease spreading around La Noscea called the Green Rot. It would infect all of these people and they would die. To make money off of this, a bunch of merchants would try to smuggle in snake oils and tonics and things like that, and try to sell those to the people dying so they could get their money because they knew they were going to die anyway and were desperate.

 

You, as the Assessors (because at Mealvaan’s Gate the arcanists are Assessors) would check the stuff coming in. One of the jobs would have you check ships and confiscate all of this contraband. That was going to be the original arcanist story, but that got completely scrapped and turned into the current version.

 

 

The second point of influence is from the lore behind the origins of the Arcanists. Them being the survivors and descendants of the Scholars of Nym 1600 years before. As well as being masters of arcane magicks, military strategems, aetherial manipulation, and knowledges allowing them to create and bind elemental-like deities to them and their soul stones - the ancient Scholars of Nym were also talented healers and phrontists. A single scholar and faerie able to maintain and support an entire party of Nymian marines.

 

This spell cleanses the recipient of deleterious effects. According to the histories of Nym' date=' it was devised to counter the insidious, debilitating magicks favored by the black mages of Mhach.[/quote']

 

In order to develop cures for myraid diseases, however, the disease usually must be studied or even recreated. Perhaps this is why the Scholars grew so adept at the art? Though adept healers of many ailments, even the scholars of Nym eventually succumbed to a disease wrought by a Mhachi-summoned voidsent. Those debilitated were sealed away within the Wanderer's Palace to quarantine the spread.

 

But the scholars can trace their routes, though far more distantly, to the Summoners of Allag. While I can't flat out say why the paragons of Allagan magic decided to focus so heavily upon magicks which debilitated their foes instead of vanquishing (perhaps because they already had powerful egis to accomplish that for them?) or even why it was those specific magicks which survived to the modern day, the lore book does give a hint at what might have inspired the creation of those spells:

 

An offensive incantation comprised of three separate corrosive elements that gnaw away at a foe's corporeal being. This technique is thought to have been devised in remembrance of the trio of catastrophes instigated by the Warring Triad.

 

 

In short, we don't know for certain. Though we have enough info for pretty good guesswork. Hope this helps though! ^^ You can find more lore on the modern arcanists and various aetherology questions in the links below:

 

-Arcanist and Mealvaan's Gate Lore

-Aether and Magic Lore Compilation Index

[Arashin Kujqai]

From the WoL's perspective of playing the game, is there any particular relative concept for the duty finder that's "in lore". Like why they would revisit dungeons or specific one-off trials. I know certain trials make sense with them being summoned repetitively like Titan and the like, or the minstrel's ballad that basically just has you on a nostalgia trip through them, or hard mdoe anything having you revisit after a bit of time has taken place. However I wondered if duty finder had any physical attachment to lore or reason or if that's just a game mechanic purposed thing for us to be able to queue easily for specific instances. If so, all the dungeons WoL does are basically one-offs then I assume? We go there, it's cleared/completed, then onto the next one.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

From the WoL's perspective of playing the game, is there any particular relative concept for the duty finder that's "in lore". Like why they would revisit dungeons or specific one-off trials. I know certain trials make sense with them being summoned repetitively like Titan and the like, or the minstrel's ballad that basically just has you on a nostalgia trip through them, or hard mdoe anything having you revisit after a bit of time has taken place. However I wondered if duty finder had any physical attachment to lore or reason or if that's just a game mechanic purposed thing for us to be able to queue easily for specific instances. If so, all the dungeons WoL does are basically one-offs then I assume? We go there, it's cleared/completed, then onto the next one.

 

The Duty Finder is 100% gameplay mechanic. In 1.0, all dungeons were open-world or you had to join a "content finder" by walking to the entrance. Even the primal fights involved giving Louisoix materials to teleport you there. (Part of this was carried into 2.0 with the whole attune to the beast tribe's aetheryte to fight that primal.)

 

But you'll also notice that all the hard mode dungeons have additional story to them too. And the extremes. (But not really savage afaik. But that might've changed in 4.0 by giving more story).

[Valence]

Given how Allagan were masters of bioengineering and flesh/organic aetherochemical manipulation, I'm not really surprised that their summoners privileged spells like that.

[Jana]

It's worth keeping in mind that we do have examples of schools of magic casting different spells. In 1.0, THM cast the debilitating spells like Bio while CNJ cast from all elements. The OOC reason for the change was to streamline things and have enough spells for 3 casters, be we do know the elemental wheel from 1.0 is still canon and that the THM guild changed Masters and teaching methods between the Calamity and the start of 2.0's story.

[Pascaleret]

Is the sword and crystal medium combo restricted to red magic/mages? 'Cause.. I'd like to have a character use the chicken knife as a generic spellsword or something rather than roleplaying an actual Red Mage™.

[Gegenji]

Is the sword and crystal medium combo restricted to red magic/mages? 'Cause.. I'd like to have a character use the chicken knife as a generic spellsword or something rather than roleplaying an actual Red Mage™.

 

I'm pretty sure you'll be fine. There are plenty of folks who don't do the DRK thing and instead are just "dude with big sword." A rapier is a simple enough weapon that I think you can get away with just being a fencer or something similar without having to go the whole RDM route.

 

The only complication I could see is potentially having to tell folks that the crystal isn't there or something if you're running just the sword.

[Pascaleret]

The only complication I could see is potentially having to tell folks that the crystal isn't there or something if you're running just the sword.

 

Yeah, that's the part I'm worried about since the crystal medium seems like it would be something unique to Red Mages. I was hoping to get away with it by saying it's just part of the ensemble since the little chocobo doesn't look like anything special.