Working on re-writing a character, would like some opinions on lore-compatibility

[Marisa]

So um, none of that "RP what you want" stuff here. I mean that's wonderful that everyone's so tolerant of different RP styles, but I'm really looking for some honest opinions here. Because I'm in the process of a complete character re-write, and RPing anything you want is no fun if nobody wants to RP with you. If you could take a moment to give your personal view on a few topics, that'd be great

 

Feel free to go into as much or as little depth as you want with your answers! Every bit helps!

 

1)  I'm trying to more or less keep Ryoko's parents the same. Originally, her father was a Hyur, and a Lominsan Sailor. Her mother was a Gridanian Miqo'te he met during his travels, who then died from complications during childbirth. I feel like this was already a borderline subject when her father was Lominsan, but what if he was Ishgardian? Still plausible, or completely insane? Would Ishgard, specifically House Fortemps, ever tolerate one of it's own 'mingling' with an outsider, and one of another race?

 

2) What do you think of the idea of Ishgard pursuing heretics beyond it's own borders? As in, sending agents to chase them through the Shroud and beyond, with or without the approval of local authorities? Seems to me like they would certainly have the means to do it. They're a very bold people, so they'd likely have the audacity to do it. And being religious zealots, I doubt they'd ever adopt a policy of 'out of sight, out of mind'. 

 

3) As a devout worshiper of Halone, could I use ice magic? Or would that still be heresy? I mean, obviously not though thaumaturgy, but might there be other means of controlling ice? Perhaps through conjury, or arcanima? For that matter, would Ishgardians even associate with either of those fields of magic? 

 

4) (Assuming you actually support the idea to begin with) Suppose you were an Ishgardian witch hunter, tracking heretics at large, what would your go-to combat outfit look like? Black for night ops? White for arctic ops? Blue&Gold/Blue&Silver to display your Ishgardian pride? Or something else entirely? 

 

5) What's a more mundane job I could start as, that could lead into witch hunter? Pre-retcon, I was working as a Maelstrom inspector with the Port Authority, trying to work my way up to Field Officer. I want to do something similar. Right now the plan is to start off as Assistant to the Witch Hunter, then work my way up to Assistant Witch Hunter! 

 

These questions will honestly lead to more questions, I'm sure, so  Thanks!

[Sounsyy]

1. Ishgardian (if that's what you want to do) is totally plausible. Ishgard and Gridania are very close allies and offer support to one another on a variety of issues. Ishgard also didn't become all isolation-y and seal its gates to all outsiders until sometime between 1557~1562. So 15-20 years ago. Which makes it entirely plausible that your character's mother and father met and mingled either in Gridania or Ishgard depending on how you want to move your story along.

 

2. Yes! Absolutely, we have lore proving that Ishgardian Knights do actually engage and pursue heretics beyond their own borders and the Gridanians sanction them to do this within the Twelveswood. It comes as part of the two nations' alliance and friendship since the time of the Autumn War 100 years ago. Here's a link to "The Foreboding Forest":

 

 

 

 

3. Hmmm... if, as a heretic hunter from Ishgard, you were wanting to play on the whole Holy Halone kind of thing, then I would say you could play with having an affinity to ice magic. So, if you're wanting to avoid Thaumaturgy, Conjury is technically another canon way to use Ice elemental magic. And as a Gridanian/Ishgardian Conjury is certainly a skillset within your reach. You might catch flak for it, IDK?, but as far as I'm concerned A) if you're character is older than 5 years old, 1.0 lore is canon to your character, and B) no lore was EVER released explaining exactly why Conjurers suddenly and inexplicably lost the ability to commune with Fire, Thunder, and Ice Elementals. So werk it!

 

4. If it were me... I'd wear what heretics wear, but maybe with an Ishgardian twist? Idk that's difficult question. =0

 

5. You could be a knight or retainer of the one of the noble houses or one of the lesser noble houses? You could be a Holy Knight or a squire for one of the Holy Knights? That is assuming you want to work from the Ishgard side of things? If you want to be on the Gridanian side of things, maybe as a Gods Quivermen who guides the Ishgardian Holy Knights when they enter the Wood on one of their Hunts? Or maybe as a Conjurer from Stillglade Fane who quiets the Elementals that the Knights presence disturbs, only you begin to hear the call of the Elementals directing you to the heretics in hiding, or warning you of the heretic ambush ahead...

[Aldotsk]

So um, none of that "RP what you want" stuff here. I mean that's wonderful that everyone's so tolerant of different RP styles, but I'm really looking for some honest opinions here. Because I'm in the process of a complete character re-write, and RPing anything you want is no fun if nobody wants to RP with you. If you could take a moment to give your personal view on a few topics, that'd be great

 

These questions will honestly lead to more questions, I'm sure, so  Thanks!

 

Feel free to find me as Anelia Sadowyn (not this Wed/Thurs) if you are interested in RPing together and discuss your character focus. I know how it feels like being brushed off on people not RPing with you due to character backgrounds or name etc.

[Marisa]

Wow, it seems like there's a 1.x cutscene to address almost anything. It's unfortunate the wikis don't document that information better. 

 

As for the heretic outfits, don't they typically wear whatever they have on hand? Or even civilian clothes? I wasn't under the impression they had a uniform.

[Marisa]

So um, none of that "RP what you want" stuff here. I mean that's wonderful that everyone's so tolerant of different RP styles, but I'm really looking for some honest opinions here. Because I'm in the process of a complete character re-write, and RPing anything you want is no fun if nobody wants to RP with you. If you could take a moment to give your personal view on a few topics, that'd be great

 

These questions will honestly lead to more questions, I'm sure, so  Thanks!

 

Feel free to find me as Anelia Sadowyn (not this Wed/Thurs) if you are interested in RPing together and discuss your character focus. I know how it feels like being brushed off on people not RPing with you due to character backgrounds or name etc.

 

Cool! I'll see if I can find you!

[Aya]

There is an organization of Ishgardian Exiles who were brought together by a plot specifically regarding Ishgardian Inquisitors hunting them down and trying to bring them to justice (by murder, essentially).  Many of the Exiles are still around and know each other. The group could provide some RP opportunities!

 

The only questionable thing I see is that her parents were Hyur and Miqo'te, as far as I am aware the species are not cross-fertile and there aren't any half-breeds.

[Warren Castille]

There is an organization of Ishgardian Exiles who were brought together by a plot specifically regarding Ishgardian Inquisitors hunting them down and trying to bring them to justice (by murder, essentially).  Many of the Exiles are still around and know each other. The group could provide some RP opportunities!

 

The only questionable thing I see is that her parents were Hyur and Miqo'te, as far as I am aware the species are not cross-fertile and there aren't any half-breeds.

 

To provide an alternate take on the mix, it's possible the races can interbreed but one gene overwrites the other. A hyur and a miqo'te could conceive, but the child would be either hyur or miqo'te, just not hyuqo'te.

 

I'm not sure there's hard canon either way.

 

SOUNSYY. SOUNSYY GET IN HERE THIS IS A LORE THREAD NOW

[Unnamed Mercenary]

The only questionable thing I see is that her parents were Hyur and Miqo'te, as far as I am aware the species are not cross-fertile and there aren't any half-breeds.

 

I remember there being a past thread here or on offical forums where it was said all the "races" came from some common ancestor and half-breeds would be possible, but unlikely. It might be easier to handwave and say a child takes after one parent's more 'racial' traits. You know, like eyes, ears, and maybe tails.

[Aya]

The only questionable thing I see is that her parents were Hyur and Miqo'te, as far as I am aware the species are not cross-fertile and there aren't any half-breeds.

 

I remember there being a past thread here or on offical forums where it was said all the "races" came from some common ancestor and half-breeds would be possible, but unlikely. It might be easier to handwave and say a child takes after one parent's more 'racial' traits. You know, like eyes, ears, and maybe tails.

It may be the case, but I am no expert.  I remember the discusion here and the conclusion seemed to be that there were no half-breeds in Lore.  It just strikes me that a Hyur-Miqo'te child (even if fully Miqo'te) is going to be much much less likely than an Ishgardo-Gridanian child from before the gate was sealed

[Sounsyy]

Half breeds are canon, just very rare, according to a Dev post a loooong while back. I'll go see if I can dig it up. Clan mixing is also canon too. (F'lhaminn, Minfillia's foster mother is mixed clan according to Fernehalwes.) I'll edit this post with the link once I find it.

 

EDIT: Race Mixing | Clan Mixing

 

FOUND IT! Finally.

[Warren Castille]

Half breeds are canon, just very rare, according to a Dev post a loooong while back. I'll go see if I can dig it up. Clan mixing is also canon too. (F'lhaminn, Minfillia's foster mother is mixed clan according to Fernehalwes.) I'll edit this post with the link once I find it.

 

I'm going to declare my office a Lore Office and shout down hallways to see if you show up. It's like magic.

[Sounsyy]

I'm going to declare my office a Lore Office and shout down hallways to see if you show up. It's like magic.

 

I feel like...

Like a Good Loremonger, Sounsyy is there!

 

Also! Update above ^ I found them! Mixed races and clans canon!

 

Also!

 

As for the heretic outfits, don't they typically wear whatever they have on hand? Or even civilian clothes? I wasn't under the impression they had a uniform.

 

Hmm... I was thinking there were some outfits (pieces) in common but perhaps not. Maybe could be inspired by some combination of these?

 

 

 

or the Seer's Cowl from Cutter's Cry has kind of a witchhunter kinda look to it...

 

 

 

Ultimately your choice of witchhunter wardrobe! ^^ You may even consider just subscribing to the outfit of whatever faction you wish to be "witch hunting" for, be that Ishgardian Holy Knight, Wood Wailer, or Gods Quiver, etc. Guess it really depends on which class you're going to be playing?

[Unnamed Mercenary]

I'm going to declare my office a Lore Office and shout down hallways to see if you show up. It's like magic.

 

I feel like...

Like a Good Loremonger, Sounsyy is there!

 

 

We need to just make a fancy image macro for this. Then anytime someone needs to light up the Sounsyy Signal, we can just post it. On a side note, why have we not RPed yet? This needs fixing

[Sounsyy]

On a side note, why have we not RPed yet? This needs fixing

 

Cuzzzzzzzzz I don't want Sounsyy to find out you're Garlean and try to murder you in your own home after you baked her some really delicious fish dish! ; ;

 

But maybe Sounsyy will swing by the ULDAH house sometime this week to check on poor Iron...

[Unnamed Mercenary]

On a side note, why have we not RPed yet? This needs fixing

 

Cuzzzzzzzzz I don't want Sounsyy to find out you're Garlean and try to murder you in your own home after you baked her some really delicious fish dish! ;     ;

 

But maybe Sounsyy will swing by the ULDAH house sometime this week to check on poor Iron...

 

Who's to say he can't get Cid-like status be nice? We've have lore methods to fix this! ...better visit before Iron tries to run away or something. Maybe it's time to put some magitek fields in the house to lock him in. He'll just have to stand in the circle for an hour before it'll get deactivated, like DD gone insane.

[Marisa]

Personally, I use the in-game appearance for all of my characters, and Ryoko looks almost entirely human as it is. 

 

 

Basically the least cat-like a Miqo'te can be. 

 

As for the outfit, I'm in the process of seeing what I can make as a White Mage. Armor choices are pretty slim, but I have this thing where I need to be able to glamour my RP gear over my raiding gear. So PLD and DRG are kind of off the table.

[LiveVoltage]

Since the OP just wants an honest opinion, might as well drop several pieces.

 

1) In my strange head cannon, it would make more sense for the parents to be from Grid/Limsa rather than Grid/Coerth. It's not uncommon or unheard of for Miqo'te in Limsa to have inter-species relations. The difficult aspect though you would need to apply to it is genetics. Since her mother was Miqo and her father Hyur, she will be taller, more beefy and be less cat like and with skin tones balancing between both races than the average miqo. Would still have her ear's, tail or anything genetically ancestral.

 

Grid x Ishgard on the other hand would be weird and touchy. They seem to be the types to be... only interested in those of the same race. They probably (not canon mind you) Have a form of arranged marriages, mostly determined when they are young. Would make an interesting love based history for them to be honest, but since they probably weren't married (or were and I didn't read this thoroughly) Ryoko would probably be a bastard child of sorts since she wasn't a wed-born child. This wont change their parental relationship between father and daughter much, but she wont be recognized as a legitimate child of his by others.

 

2) They would probably operate something like the KGB or the CIA. Undercover knights and inquisitors of Ishgard who have a skill for subtlety and espionage. I mean, they are pridefull and traditional, like the Gridanians, but riling up the Grand Companys by slaying what they would call herritics in the streets who havent been tried or convicted by the laws of the city state reflects poorly on the Ishgardians and that would also make them borderline or full blown extremists. (*cough* Much like Isis in the middle east. *cough*)

 

3) Probably not. She may have an ice affinity, but formal training in the Manipulation of one's personal Aether is required.

 

That said, she could pose a much higher resistance to cold weather/things and ice magic than others.

 

4) Honestly, it all depends on the look you like ICly, there is no definite outfit one can recommend, but experimentation with outfits is a recommendation I would make so just play around with different apparel and stuff. You might find a set you like.

 

5) Knight apprentice, retainer of a knight or cleric/inquisitor or an apprentice cleric to an inquisitor.

 

Generally, if you want to follow a holy doctrine/mandate of hunting witches, you need to be in the Lawful Good spectrum, which is basically Paladin alignment right there.

 

A clerical apprentice to a Inquisitor means more direct hands on experience, but it also means the PC will develop a Zealot doctrine and will be solidified in the highest Lawful Good sphere of influence (Basically, the become rule-aholic's that don't care for anything save following mandate and helping others so long as it falls into this mandate). (Unless they become evil that is.)

 

A knight retainer or apprentice however will be more involved with the more dangerous side of being a witch hunter and will usually have to risk their lives attempting to kill witches that are too dangerous to be captured and tried for heresy and witchcraft. They will be the more lenient of two, but will still largely be Lawful good, but they have more flexibility and are capable of bending the rules if it does even more good. They will not be able to break rules however. (unless they turn evil.)

 

 

 

Hope this input help's!    

[Jariana]

The discussion on this is rather interesting, and I figured I'd throw my two gil in on something.

 

Grid x Ishgard on the other hand would be weird and touchy. They seem to be the types to be... only interested in those of the same race. They probably (not canon mind you) Have a form of arranged marriages, mostly determined when they are young. Would make an interesting love based history for them to be honest, but since they probably weren't married (or were and I didn't read this thoroughly) Ryoko would probably be a bastard child of sorts since she wasn't a wed-born child. This wont change their parental relationship between father and daughter much, but she wont be recognized as a legitimate child of his by others.

 

My thought on this (while not necessarily cannon) it definitely could make for some very interesting RP.  From what I saw in the main ARR questline there, an Inquisitor is a highly respected (and public) office inside of the political structure of Ishgard. Nobles have to pay heed to them and are subject to their rulings.  The entire 'burn the witch' mentality, and the fact that they are somewhat above the law of the general rabble does put them in an interesting niche.

 

But I would imagine that the position of Inquisitor could restrict the individual quite a bit.  It's not like they would necessarily be able to infiltrate a group of heretics all that well, especially if they were well known. So having some 'half-breed' about that can do some of the 'dirty' work could make a lot of sense for someone in that position.

 

What could an interesting twist on that would be if her boss had no respect for her because of her parentage.  She's just a tool to him in the fight against the heretics. And if the heretics were suddenly more welcoming to her it could present some fun moral dilemmas for the character.

 

Of course NONE of that is written out in the lore as far as I know.  But considering how most Ishgardian's treat outsiders, and their fascination with purity (Peridot Choker leve, I'm looking at you), I don't see it as much of a stretch.

 

 

Generally, if you want to follow a holy doctrine/mandate of hunting witches, you need to be in the Lawful Good spectrum, which is basically Paladin alignment right there.

 

A clerical apprentice to a Inquisitor means more direct hands on experience, but it also means the PC will develop a Zealot doctrine and will be solidified in the highest Lawful Good sphere of influence (Basically, the become rule-aholic's that don't care for anything save following mandate and helping others so long as it falls into this mandate). (Unless they become evil that is.)

 

Ah alignment... the subject that has launched a thousand internet wars.    This one is always a bit touchy, but all I want to say is if you wish to use an alignment, and for some that's a very big IF, I would argue that Lawful Good isn't necessarily a requirement.  The Lawful side of it does makes sense, you are executing the law of the Holy See after all.

 

But the Good side is definitely flexible.  In fact, I would argue that Ishgard itself has a very Lawful Neutral to the infamous Lawful Stupid vibe to it.  Despite the name, that's not a bad thing though, it just presents a very lopsided worldview in some ways.  Of course that may just be because Ishgard is at war, but war can bring people do some really frightening things, all for the 'greater' good.

 

Regardless, it seems like you've got a rather interesting character concept on your hands there, and I'm more than a bit curious as to where you'll take her.  I've no idea what your game times are, but if you ever would like to chat or RP, and are on sometime in the Pacific timezone evenings, feel free to look up Jariana.  Hope to see you around!

[Marisa]

Thank Inessa and Jariana! That's a lot of great suggestions to think about.

[LiveVoltage]

Forgot about the Dravanian for a moment there.

 

Yeah, but its essentially a war against Dragons, but the thralls the dragons have enslaved are a legitimate evil threat that would paint the inquisitors and knights in a good light.

 

(I do agree with youre Lawful Neutral statement though Jariana.)

 

The thralled vassals of the dragons make blood sacrifices to the Dragons which they call their gods and they do abduct people and give them to the Dragons to be thralled so there is a legitimate evil threat right there, granted the threat is exclusive to the mountains.

 

Since Ryoko doesn't most likely have the echo, I would avoid an infiltration plot, cause they are just going to get her thralled if they catch her or if she try's to infiltrate them.

 

Another thing you could do is shadow a Dragoon. Just an idea aside from temple knights and inquisitors. (Normal one's, not the Azure Dragoon mind you.)

 

Also, keep in mind though that Dragoon isn't really so much as a class, but a formal ishgardian title awarded to knights that slay a massive dragon in battle. To what extent massive would be, I dont know, but the most elite temple knights that have Dragoon soul stone would also be the ideal group to follow.

 

A last thought is just being a cleric of the holy see without having to shadow anyone. Attending to the pope is one way to also gain the desire and holy doctrine to be a witch hunter, but I digress.

 

I had to learn alot about Ishgardian stuff since Inessa is a Dragoon secretly ICly.   (no backstory spoilers for why btw.) So if you need to know anything about Ishgardian culture or lore, just ask. I know a ton. 

[Marisa]

Guys, I'm doing some sketchy non-canon stuff and I need help! 

 

I'm building this entire character around an Ishgardian organization of spies and assassins, which of course exists to track and kill/capture heretics. 

 

So as is often my problem, I can't quite come up with a fitting name for it. Pls halp?