"Lore-Wrecking" Mounts

[Tiergan]

While Tiergan uses a regular chocobo - I don't see what the big deal is about using a lot of others.

 

Fat Chocobo is just a morbidly obese chocobo.

 

The idea of taming a coeurl for use as a mount is not really mindblowing.

 

Drakes? Bomb Chariots? Water Lizard mount things? We have quests in game where you befriend different beast tribes and they can give you those things as mounts. If you're turning up your nose at people riding those things because you think they're breaking the lore, you're ironically also just picking and choosing what you feel is 'lore' based upon your own personal feelings as opposed to what is actually in the game as lore.

 

The only mounts I would kind of quirk a brow at are maybe behemoth, Sleipnir, and the primal unicorn ponies, but if you find a fun way to spin it RP wise in a way that's plausible ("It's not actually the real Sleipnir! It's just a horse dressed to resemble it.") - then I will just roll with it.

 

At the end of the day, a couple of people riding mounts that aren't standard yellow chocobos isn't going to shatter all of my RP.

[Steel Wolf]

Tell us more about Holskhyll? 

 

Well, as I had mentioned previously, the rough idea I had in my head was that she was found among other things in a marauder's hideout. Now that I've had a bit of time, I've fleshed it out a little more.

 

After Steel cleared out the cavern, she elected to bring the horse back. She had walked to this hideout previously in order to not arouse too much suspicion, and felt the animal could be stabled and kept safe. The entire time Steel readied her to mount, the horse didn't move. The second Steel saddled up, she bolted, blasting out of the cavern and charging like a possessed beast.

 

No amount of commands, either physical or verbal, was getting through, until Steel uttered out of sheer random desperation one word: "Sthan", the word "stand" in the Roegadyn language. Almost immediately, the animal complied, coming to a complete stop.

 

She tried another command. "Pha"--walk. The horse complied, trotting forward calmly.

 

Again. "Pha holsk"--walk fast. The horse began to gallop.

 

For whatever reason, the animal only responded to the Roegadyn language, and so the two would begin their adventures together. In honor of the horse's temperment, as well as its penchant for reacting to the language, Steel has named her "Holskhyll". Fast Hell.

 

She's still learning the animal, and Holskhyll is still seeing just how much she can get away with...but apparently the pair are in consort. Steel had even fashioned her new companion a set of armor to mark the beast as her own.

[Mosly]

It all comes down to how you explain certain mounts.

 

I for one Use the Couerl and Drake mount ICly, but my explination is as follows.  For the Couerl, Jethas rescued a kitten from poachers and raised it.  Yes it is partly tame, but if needed the thing could also still hunt and survive in the wild.  The only time I use the Couerl is in places where one could find them in the wild (La Noscea).  For the Drake, Jethas rescued an orphan drake and once more raised it.  Its tame yes, but again  could survive in the wild if needed.  Again, I use it generally in areas that you find drakes (Thanalan).

 

All that being said, I also still use my Chocobo, and I use it in areas that you don't find the previously mentioned ones.

 

As long as you can explain how you came across the mounts, and why you have them, then I see no reason they can't be cannon.  On the other hand, I do not take mounts like the Behemouth and any kind of voidsent all that seriously, despite the text saying they are cannon.

 

Just adding my own two sense to this discussion.  Also if i spelled words wrong, i don't care.  =P

[K'nahli]

Bah political correctness.

 

I've seen enough topics, particularly good ones, reduced to mindless drivel because some people decided to take things the wrong way and jump right into to aggressive/passive-aggressive replies to warrant my own leniency to caution ;_;

[Seriphyn]

Someone should RP a horse mount, then have it die, because horses aren't native to Eorzea, and it contracted some disease.

[Kellach Woods]

Bah political correctness.

 

I've seen enough topics, particularly good ones, reduced to mindless drivel because some people decided to take things the wrong way and jump right into to aggressive/passive-aggressive replies to warrant my own leniency to caution ;_;

 

Bah, people exhibiting concern and friendliness towards people who aren't them or their own inner circle?

[Seriphyn]

 

Here, look, a random Internet picture validated my opunion. I must be right, then.

[Havoc Snow]

"Immediately following the Calamity, an adventurer returning to Gridania from the Falcon's Nest in Coerthas happened upon a den of baby behemoths who had lost their mother to Bahamut's flames. Despite objections from friends and family alike, she kept the beasts, eventually training them to serve as mounts."

 

This little blurb in the Mount Guide is more than enough for me to excuse anyone riding a Behemoth ICly, this is more than just flavor text, this is a lore friendly explanation that says "this isn't just a behemoth mount for funsies, this is your own personal behemoth."

 

As for Ahriman, it's as simple as saying it's a bound Voidsent, though you had better be prepared to accept all of the IC consequences that come with riding around in public on a bound Voidsent.

 

In regards to the Coeurl, it essentially says in their info on the Mount Guide that they can be tamed and trained to act as pets, which not only canonizes the mount but also the minion if you were so inclined as to use it.

[Perth]

Someone should RP a horse mount, then have it die, because horses aren't native to Eorzea, and it contracted some disease.

 

Not sure if you're poking fun or trying to imply that horses wouldn't live healthily in Eorzea, just going to get that out there because assuming one over the other could be a bad miscalculation haha It'd be pretty sad to get a rare animal in Eorzea and watch it die, admittedly, but I imagine it could make for some pretty good roleplay.

 

To be fair though, in real-life while horses existed in North America a few million years ago, they ended up wiping out in North America and thriving in Europe and Asia. Domesticated horses were (in a sense re-) introduced into North America by the Spanish during their years of conquest. What horses managed to run off and do their own thing created the wild horses of the past few hundred years. They're pretty hardy, generally speaking.

 

(Edited, because it helps if I spell Eorzea right. Bagh.)

[ProvaDiServo]

Been Riding my Ahriman mount and my couerl ICly for as long as I remember. Think fore themost part I aint breaking the rules.

[Kellach Woods]

Eh, I sees an Ahrimans I kills the Ahrimans.

 

Voidsent need to be sent back to their homes, and killing them is the most merciful way.

[ProvaDiServo]

Eh, I sees an Ahrimans I kills the Ahrimans.

 

Voidsent need to be sent back to their homes, and killing them is the most merciful way.

 

I do not object to this

[Eva]

I've gotten used to turning the other way with regard to some of the stuff people have tried to RP relating to the mounts. Like a few others on this thread, I tend to favor the chocobo and if Eva is ever spotted riding something else, it's more than likely because I'm just goofing around OOC.

 

I'm not trying to say there aren't certain situations which might make sense. I pondered for a short while RPing the Unicorn, since there was grounds for it, albeit they're supposedly rare and that's ultimately why I let that idea go. I knew someone in 1.0 who had a very wonderful story centered on her goobbue and made it work through very compelling RP and I accept that others may be able to do similar things. It's just the being bombarded with it, or being told the EX Primal 'pony' is an IC thing, or someone is actually riding around on Garlean Magitek Armor (wouldn't that be dangerous, risking being attacked on sight?), etc. has left me a bit disenchanted by anyone RPing something 'special snowflakey'. Not saying it's wrong to RP whatever you enjoy, but at times it does force the imagination to stretch itself a bit farther than I think we're really expected to, if we're all just typical denizens of Eorzea.

 

Of course this is merely one RPer's opinion and shouldn't be taken for much more than that. For me I've never been a big fan of the "high fantasy" stuff, and I have always felt I fit better into this world being plain and ordinary and roaming around on my chocobo.

[Aaron]

I use the wolf mount ICly for Aaron. 

 

His puppy wolf grew up and bam, he got a loyal mount.

 

Fun fact - The pup was named Fenrir before I even heard Snowcloak was coming lol and the wolf mount is blue like the dungeon boss.

 

So that's a bonus X3

[Gegenji]

Is it wrong that I've been tempted to OOCly write off the Behemoth mount once I get it as Chachan He-Man'ing Gran like Battle-Cat?

 

BY THE POWER OF GREYSKULL!

 

...

 

... On a more serious note, I more or less agree with everyone who's said they'd be fine with it as long is it's presented reasonably. I'd go further into detail, but a lot of it's already been covered. It's already been mentioned how the blurbs explain how it CAN be done, as well as the point that you could probably work it in other ways if needed if those don't suit your tastes. And, of course, the whole point of being ready and willing to have to explain yourself should the matter be brought up is important as well.

 

Maybe I'm too easy-going, but as long as you can answer my curious "... How?", I'm good.

[Aaron]

If clouds motorbike ever became a mount. . .

 

I would have a eternal bond marriage with it.

[Altitis Acquired]

If clouds motorbike ever became a mount. . .

 

I would have a eternal bond marriage with it.

 

Well, it does have multiple exhaust pipes...

[Steel Wolf]

Is it wrong that I've been tempted to OOCly write off the Behemoth mount once I get it as Chachan He-Man'ing Gran like Battle-Cat?

 

BY THE POWER OF GREYSKULL!

 

I would want this harder than you maybe know. <3

 

... On a more serious note, I more or less agree with everyone who's said they'd be fine with it as long is it's presented reasonably. I'd go further into detail, but a lot of it's already been covered. It's already been mentioned how the blurbs explain how it CAN be done, as well as the point that you could probably work it in other ways if needed if those don't suit your tastes. And, of course, the whole point of being ready and willing to have to explain yourself should the matter be brought up is important as well.

 

Maybe I'm too easy-going, but as long as you can answer my curious "... How?", I'm good.

 

Yea, I think I did a pretty good job of explaining away the "Sleipnir-ness" of my chosen mount, expanding on my story idea in this very thread. Ideally. At least it's been rationalized enough in my head, along with the generally supportive advice offered in this discussion.

 

I hope the explanation fosters RP and engagement. Stories are more fun when shared anyway, no? :3

[Aya]

This little blurb in the Mount Guide is more than enough for me to excuse anyone riding a Behemoth ICly, this is more than just flavor text, this is a lore friendly explanation that says "this isn't just a behemoth mount for funsies, this is your own personal behemoth."

Its still weeeeeeeeeird like someone riding into Dodge on a trained Bear in one of those old Westerns

 

I reserve my character's right to look at the rider askance!!

[Havoc Snow]

we're all just typical denizens of Eorzea.

 

I reserve my character's right to look at the rider askance!!

 

I'm not necessarily targeting this response at either of you, this is more of a general statement about MMO communities as a whole (not just FFXIV), but I never understood this mentality. Why is it that most view the nail that sticks out deserves the hammer? I've seen this sort of mindset again and again and again over the years playing in games like WoW or TERA or even my brief stay in ArcheAge.

 

The community (or individuals in said community) tend to make these little "edicts" about what is acceptable, and whether it's intentional or not it always creates this sort of air of judgement around those communities as if to say "if you do this/don't do this then you're not worth my RP."

 

For example, in 1.0 the lore was that having the Echo was relatively common amongst Adventurers to some degree, at least common enough that an entire organization was formed around it (The Path of the Twelve), however in 2.0 the Path is gone and now we have the Scions, and other than Minfilia you are the only other person that seems to have the Echo anymore. Because of this anyone who RPs having the Echo is usually met with that askance look Aya mentioned, because of some edict that was created on the RPC that said having the Echo was somewhat mary sue. Likewise, having in your history that you have bested a Primal despite the fact that the quests and lore imply they are summoned with enough frequency to require sending out Adventurer's weekly to dispatch them is also viewed with that same level of snubbing by many.

 

In short what I'm getting at I guess is who cares what someone is running around on in the world (ICly or OOCly) so long as they don't completely break lore by doing it (such as claiming they are riding THE Sleipnir) and come up with a reasonable explanation for it (such as having a normal horse with Sleipnir-like barding)?

[Yssen]

we're all just typical denizens of Eorzea.

 

I reserve my character's right to look at the rider askance!!

 

I'm not necessarily targeting this response at either of you, this is more of a general statement about MMO communities as a whole (not just FFXIV), but I never understood this mentality. Why is it that most view the nail that sticks out deserves the hammer? I've seen this sort of mindset again and again and again over the years playing in games like WoW or TERA or even my brief stay in ArcheAge.

 

The community (or individuals in said community) tend to make these little "edicts" about what is acceptable, and whether it's intentional or not it always creates this sort of air of judgement around those communities as if to say "if you do this/don't do this then you're not worth my RP."

 

For example, in 1.0 the lore was that having the Echo was relatively common amongst Adventurers to some degree, at least common enough that an entire organization was formed around it (The Path of the Twelve), however in 2.0 the Path is gone and now we have the Scions, and other than Minfilia you are the only other person that seems to have the Echo anymore. Because of this anyone who RPs having the Echo is usually met with that askance look Aya mentioned, because of some edict that was created on the RPC that said having the Echo was somewhat mary sue. Likewise, having in your history that you have bested a Primal despite the fact that the quests and lore imply they are summoned with enough frequency to require sending out Adventurer's weekly to dispatch them is also viewed with that same level of snubbing by many.

 

In short what I'm getting at I guess is who cares what someone is running around on in the world (ICly or OOCly) so long as they don't completely break lore by doing it (such as claiming they are riding THE Sleipnir) and come up with a reasonable explanation for it (such as having a normal horse with Sleipnir-like barding)?

 

Just a side note. The Scions are the evolution of the Path of the Twelve. The Echo is still relatively widespread. In fact, I believe you cannot have time skipped from Carteneau without having it. Also, there are still several NPC around that also have it beside Minfilia. 

 

Further note. Absolute agreement on the point of air of judgement. I dislike seeing this, and thank ya for pointing it out so well. ^ ^

 

You may return to normal discussion of what is or is not a lore-breaking mount. Yar.

[Havoc Snow]

Just a side note. The Scions are the evolution of the Path of the Twelve. The Echo is still relatively widespread. In fact, I believe you cannot have time skipped from Carteneau without having it. Also, there are still several NPC around that also have it beside Minfilia. 

 

I'll have to go back and look but I can't really remember anyone in 2.0 who is demonstrated has having the Echo besides the PC and Minfilia, though I may just be drawing a blank since it's 1:30pm here and I've been up since 6pm yesterday. In either case, in 1.0 the Path of the Twelve was shown in a way that made it seem like there were quite a few, and you were just one of many, especially with the inclusion of the Path Companion.

 

In 2.0 the focus is primarily on the Archons, Minfilia, and you with little acknowledgement that there are supposed to be others out there who have your gifts, and the fact that the Scions are now primarily focused on fighting Primals and Ascians, and no longer concerned with the protection and nurturing of people with the Echo it makes it feel even more like they are trying to make the PC into a special snowflake for having it.

 

There's also the fact that Warrior of Light originally meant "Survivor of Carteneau" essentially, and then somehow got turned into a catchall term used for the PC specifically in the storyline, whether they fought in Carteneau or not, which sort of confuses the situation if you call yourself that, or claim to be one because you were one of the people the term was originally coined for.

[Delilah Scythewood]

Most people kind of said it for me already, but I think as long as it can be explained it should be alright Lili has her chocobo and out in Coerthas in a sanctuary is the behemoth her husband found as a cub when he was 'alive'. Since the mount notes say a woman originally found a collection of them as young and raised them as mounts I figured it wouldnt be too far out there for someone else to do the same.

[C'kayah Polaali]

I reserve my character's right to look at the rider askance!!

 

I'm not necessarily targeting this response at either of you, this is more of a general statement about MMO communities as a whole (not just FFXIV), but I never understood this mentality. Why is it that most view the nail that sticks out deserves the hammer? I've seen this sort of mindset again and again and again over the years playing in games like WoW or TERA or even my brief stay in ArcheAge.

 

The community (or individuals in said community) tend to make these little "edicts" about what is acceptable, and whether it's intentional or not it always creates this sort of air of judgement around those communities as if to say "if you do this/don't do this then you're not worth my RP."

 

I don't think that's what Aya's saying at all. The lore is filled with people riding around en masse on chocobos, so someone riding "a" Sleipnir is as new and surprising lore-wise as a cowboy riding his trusty elephant into Dodge City. If that's not worthy of being looked at askance, I don't know what is!

[Eva]

I'm not necessarily targeting this response at either of you, this is more of a general statement about MMO communities as a whole (not just FFXIV), but I never understood this mentality. Why is it that most view the nail that sticks out deserves the hammer? I've seen this sort of mindset again and again and again over the years playing in games like WoW or TERA or even my brief stay in ArcheAge.

 

The community (or individuals in said community) tend to make these little "edicts" about what is acceptable, and whether it's intentional or not it always creates this sort of air of judgement around those communities as if to say "if you do this/don't do this then you're not worth my RP."

 

Not wanting to derail this thread, but do want to address this point.  As I mentioned in my earlier post I knew of one instance where I felt the RP of what many would consider an unusual mount was handled well, and delicately.  I'm not in the business of hammering down nails that are sticking out, but I will remark that one or two nails sticking out isn't necessarily a problem.  It's when it's a constant barrage of such mounts that it gets harder and harder for me to just look the other way, as I try to do.  I have long felt that just because some thing exists in the game in some capacity doesn't mean it fits into everyday life, and I think we're all entitled our beliefs on the matter.  This is of course at the very core of why there are many different companies and linkpearls, to cater to all different styles and preferences.

 

As a footnote to the above, I generally do not withold/deny RP to people for something as simple as this, nor do I make any sort of edicts or such.  But from my own perspective, in excess the abundance of these 'abnormal things' (not just mounts) does at some level impede my enjoyment of the world and sense of immersion.  Generally speaking, if someone is adamant about riding a lion, magitek armor, or whatever else, I think that's great!  I also think, from my own character's perspective, it may be a bit extreme.  Even the RPer I referenced earlier with her ride-on goobbue got some sidelong glances early on.  I'm not going to write anyone off for it, nor am I in the habit of governing how others should RP in whatever manner suits them, but if engaged in RP I'm not going to pretend like something my character would view as an aberration is something commonplace.  Perhaps some interesting conversation or RP might arise from such a conversation.

 

I probably will not contribute much further to this thread.  My views are pretty widely known and not always very popular, but I am entitled them and just wanted to voice my opinion on this topic, as it does mirror a few others I have seen written here.