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Namazu also have the benefit of being after Moogles as the devs refined the tribe thing. Nothing is worse than pre ARR flight Sylphs
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Jan 8, 2024 23:02
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Sylphs, who live in a twisty maze full of aggressive monsters and have a bunch of quests requiring both stealth and speed which could not as of introduction, be outleveled.
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Jan 9, 2024 00:49
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I just finished all the ARR tribes and Sylph were the worst by a country mile
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Jan 9, 2024 00:58
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It's really funny tracing their increasingly light and casual approach to dailies through the tribe quests, and Ixal to Moogle to Namazu is one of the clearest demonstrations.
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Jan 9, 2024 01:03
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On a relevant note to this discussion, as I work on the final Stormblood chapters I'm also tinkering away at the bonus chapters for the ARR beast tribes as a prelude to the StB Beast Tribe Finale. They're coming along nicely. I don't think I'll ALSO be able to squeeze in the HW tribes and their finale if I want to meet my Feb. Deadline to kick off Shadowbringers, but we'll see what happens.
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Jan 9, 2024 01:12
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the Ixal weren't too bad because I could cram all 12 allowances per day into them and finish pretty quickly and the moogles are around 40 days no matter what you do. Also I like the Ixali.
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Jan 9, 2024 01:14
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The Ixal were high if we're grading on story but really annoying mechanically. I was always misplacing my crafting gloves or going to the wrong forge or forgetting to grab the buff before going on to the next step and having to backtrack
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Jan 9, 2024 01:28
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Sanguinia posted:On a relevant note to this discussion, as I work on the final Stormblood chapters I'm also tinkering away at the bonus chapters for the ARR beast tribes as a prelude to the StB Beast Tribe Finale. They're coming along nicely. I don't think I'll ALSO be able to squeeze in the HW tribes and their finale if I want to meet my Feb. Deadline to kick off Shadowbringers, but we'll see what happens. Don't forget you need time to play a little bit of Shadowbringers for an OP First Post. 
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Jan 9, 2024 01:33
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that's fair, my perspective is from blitzing them all at max level
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Jan 9, 2024 01:34
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Apropos of nothing current, I just remembered that I had wanted to bring up the "dating sim scenes" back at the end of 4.3 and totally forgot - and I remember why I forgot, it's because I had thought about it after the Tsukuyomi fight but the Alphinaud Role Play segment hadn't yet been shown so I had to hold it back. The Rising of 2018 was also the 5th anniversary of 2.0, so they had the Japanese voice cast do readings of scenes about the various prominent characters spending some personal Rising moments with the Warrior of Light. Y'shtola, Alisaie, Hien, Magnai, Lyse, Sadu, Yugiri, and Alphinaud all weigh in. It's all set after the end of patch 4.3 - most notable with Alphinaud in the Burn. It's just some fun for the fans, and doesn't have to be taken as serious canon, but they weren't included in-game or anywhere else besides their anniversary livestream.
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Jan 9, 2024 02:55
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dyslexicfaser posted:The Ixal were high if we're grading on story but really annoying mechanically. I was always misplacing my crafting gloves or going to the wrong forge or forgetting to grab the buff before going on to the next step and having to backtrack Don't forget that the debuffs could stack. 
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Jan 9, 2024 05:59
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Sanguinia posted:On a relevant note to this discussion, as I work on the final Stormblood chapters I'm also tinkering away at the bonus chapters for the ARR beast tribes as a prelude to the StB Beast Tribe Finale. They're coming along nicely. I don't think I'll ALSO be able to squeeze in the HW tribes and their finale if I want to meet my Feb. Deadline to kick off Shadowbringers, but we'll see what happens. I also feel we should be giving you a congrats on your first 90 job(fisher)! Well done!
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Jan 9, 2024 08:18
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Pointless Namazu Fact: they actually have finger-like bones in their flippers so they're basically about as dexterous as a
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Jan 9, 2024 12:07
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I think what would have helped is get some of the Ixal leaders to be put in charge of the Moogles and Namazu. Only good things could come out of this.
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Jan 9, 2024 12:29
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Shogeton posted:I think what would have helped is get some of the Ixal leaders to be put in charge of the Moogles and Namazu. Only good things could come out of this. SQWAAAK I'm not sure anyone without the patience of a saint could help any of these people. Remember the Moogle plot begins with all the Ishgardian stonemasons quitting due to the Moogles' relentless pranks, until Tarresson shows up and sees right through them. Anyone but the Warrior of Light would have killed, cooked, and eaten the Namazu by the end of their unlock quests.
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Jan 9, 2024 15:21
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Certainly any of the Xaela would have, fish is fish, regardless of if it walks and talks it tastes great in a buuz.
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Jan 9, 2024 17:34
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FuturePastNow posted:Anyone but the Warrior of Light would have killed, cooked, and eaten the Namazu by the end of their unlock quests. As this picture shows Even the Warrior of Light is sorely tempted.
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Jan 9, 2024 19:43
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Talking catfish, meet talking fishercat.
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Jan 9, 2024 20:00
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Big fishing always sounds like an exercise in masochism, but it's interesting to hear about. I only ever went for one that wasn't Nepto-related (which I did to clear the quests off my map). It was of course  1stGear posted:As this picture shows
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Jan 10, 2024 03:03
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The only time I've ever used DC travel was to see the Eorzea Aquarium. Well worth the trip. Every fish in the game in one building. Definitely contains spoilers of the zones they're from, though.
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Jan 10, 2024 03:08
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FuturePastNow posted:The only time I've ever used DC travel was to see the Eorzea Aquarium. Well worth the trip. Every fish in the game in one building. Definitely contains spoilers of the zones they're from, though. How does that even work? You definitely can't fit enough aquariums even in a large to include all aquarium fish.
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Jan 10, 2024 05:29
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Thundarr posted:How does that even work? You definitely can't fit enough aquariums even in a large to include all aquarium fish. You can make fish into paintings
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Jan 10, 2024 05:36
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ZenMasterBullshit posted:You can make fish into paintings Yeah but there's over 1200 fish.
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Jan 10, 2024 05:47
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Thundarr posted:Yeah but there's over 1200 fish. You know you can go into guild members rooms if they set them to open, right? And they can stick furniture in each of those as well?
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Jan 10, 2024 05:54
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Actually I kind of forgot that FC member rooms exist.
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Jan 10, 2024 06:08
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Yeah IIRC it makes extensive use of FC rooms. I should really visit myself one day.
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Jan 10, 2024 06:11
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It's really great, I highly recommend checking it out if you get the chance!
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Jan 10, 2024 06:39
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Wouldn't recommend it to Sang yet because there be spoilers
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Jan 10, 2024 09:09
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tried to catch one of shadowbringers fish for the first time in several months, and failed, and now i remember why i give up on this nonsense every time
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Jan 11, 2024 00:42
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The Namazu are my favorite, they're good little guys. I had one for my discord avatar for the longest time, and I've gotten in the habit of putting at least one in my housing builds. Please remember to close the door behind you or the Namazu will get in again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw1SKvRijWw
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Jan 11, 2024 02:57
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Chapter 76: Surf and Turf The festival's first phase (aka Friendly Rank) is largely preparatory. SEIGETSU THE ENLIGHTENED(TM) has read many books on these events and has ideas on how to kick off his new era of cultural flowering. If only the others could appreciate them!  If you ask around the town or do the quests, you'll find that most of the Namazu roped into this scheme aren't exactly committed. One notes that he's only participating because of the potential for a seven-year vacation, another because he got all hopped up on tea and would have agreed to anything. A third is so forgetful he doesn't even remember why he's here. The laid-back vibes from the town's theme music,  "Seven Hundred Seventy-Seven Whiskers," are certainly fitting.Does this dishearten SEIGETSU THE ENLIGHTENED(TM)? Not on your life!  Then again, the fact that he refers to the others as simpletons and lackeys and consistently fails to display any concern for the hardships they're going through to make this festival happen probably doesn't help. But hey, that's what the Warrior of Light is for! If there's one thing you can't fault the guy for, it's his thoroughness. Quests at this level include purifying the grounds, making more festival happi, constructing braziers so they can operate at night, and crafting souvenir fans. If you try these out on various DoH and DoL Jobs, you'll see he's accounted for every imaginable aspect of these projects. A Blacksmith or Armorsmith will be asked to craft frames for the braziers, while a Fisher will bring fatty oilfish to feed their fires. Carpenters will make handles for the fans, Goldsmiths embellishments for the coats, and Culinarians purified salt to cleanse evil spirits from the land. Still, after the first few days, I stuck to Mining and Botany. They were far faster than going through the extra steps required by crafting and fishing. On top of prepping the main festival grounds and various sundries, Seigetsu has the bright idea of endearing their group to their nearest neighboring Xaela. After all, what could be more civilized than peaceful, productive relations between societies? Unfortunately, the tribe next door is the Uyagir.  Well, it's the thought that counts. The most interesting quest in this set is the one where you're sent to scout sites for a pilgrimage. Seigetsu explains that the Namazu originate from the Azim Steppe, not the lower One River in Yangxia, which is pretty startling. It makes me even more curious about what the place was like in the forgotten past represented by all those ruins. You're asked to pray at a sacred battleground where the two greatest Namazu clans clashed to determine who would lead their migration into southern Othard. Then, you pay a visit to Chakha Zol, the resting place of a legendary Xaela dragonslayer. The guard there is confused by the influx of Namazu travelers to his post. Could our fishy friends have played some role in that pivotal battle between Wyrm and Steppe Warrior?  …You know, I can't even be mad. Who knew enlightenment included the fine art of the hustle? Once preparations are sufficiently far along, Gyoshin steals Kheris away to deal with the thing he considers most crucial for the festival's success: the 777 participants. It was, after all, a requirement in his vision to avert all the doom. But how will we get that many Namazu to travel all this way?  Of course! Star power! Our hero pops down to Doma and starts handing out festival clothes and invitations to anyone who will listen to her. Many are bored and/or drunk and thus eager to fill their days with some sort of activity. Even her money-grubbing pal Gyorin is intrigued.  It seems like everything is coming together. Once a few folks show up and have a good time, word will spread, and we'll get to that prophesized number in no time! There's just one problem: nobody can have a good time if we don't offer any activities.   Luckily, we have SEIGETSU THE ENLIGHTENED(TM) on our side! He figured something like this might happen since his cohorts are dopes and spent endless hours uncovering the traditions of his ancestors!   Unfortunately, the ancient Namazu had no system of writing, and no surviving secondary sources from the period record anything about them. A lesser scholar would have quit in the face of such a hurdle, but Seigetsu elected to do what he did with those holy sites and fake his way through the problem. A Hingan text on the general anthropological trends of the continent suggests that festivals of this type tend to be focused on expressing gratitude by making offerings to society's preferred gods or ancestors. In Namazu culture, the ideal candidate for this is a mytho-historical figure known simply as The Big One. The obvious offerings to make to him would be the bounties of the One River.  Gyoshin puts his prodigious crafting skills to work, creating an altar worthy of a solid gold catfish. Kheris happily acquires the stones he needs for the task.  Gyorei is a good friend.  …   …  OH, I see! It's one of THOSE kinds of stories. I love it! This unlocks the Trusted daily set. One of these quests involves trading with Gyorin to acquire timber due to the general lack of trees in the Steppe. It's an intriguing quest because the proprietor of The New Rich shows absolute contempt for Seigetsu.  Gyorin is generally good-natured, even if he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer. One wouldn't expect him to have such vitriolic hate for anyone, even a scholar with a superiority complex that could block out the sun. The other quests involve collecting special offerings for The Big One's altar. You can help a Namazu fisherman pull a legendary catfish from the lake under the Dawn Throne or create blessed meals to invite spirits to temporarily dwell within the festival tents, bringing good fortune to all. You can also help Seigetsu deal with a series of thefts. Some of his kin don't appreciate the whole "give food to the spirits," concept. Gyoshin has the restraint to wait until the old food is replaced, but others don't want the delicious treats to become rotting garbage before they eat them.   Seigetsu's plan is to leave things on the altar that look delicious but will have unpleasant side effects if eaten by the moochers.  It's hard to see why Gyorin has such a problem with this guy! Sure, he's an acerbic jerk with a frozen lump where his heart ought to be, but you have to admire his intellectual prowess. Plus, he's always trying to learn more! Another quest involves him sending a festival worker to the Mol tribe to study their sacred tea ceremonies. This tea is comprised of numerous rare ingredients and prepared in an elaborate ritual using sanctified tools before being offered to their gods. It's sure to make a fantastic gift to The Big One.   Ah. Well, that explains some things. (The final quest in this segment features the other Namazu "whining," because the last batch of buuz Seigetsu fed them was made from poisonous bug meat. You know, just in case you were curious.) Despite The Enlightened One's open despotism, the festival flourishes as more Namazu trek to the Steppe. Still, Gyoshin isn't happy. His dreams are haunted by his glorious golden ancestor, which he takes as a sign that the promised disaster is still looming.  …  Seigetsu offers a suggestion. His anthropological studies have suggested that the rise of shamans and other religious leaders in Othardian history coincided with a distinct change in the character of ancient festivals. They moved from austere and somber occasions to events of increasing pomp. Elaborate rituals and other spectacles became normalized as part of making offerings, and performance skills helped these mystics increase their importance within their societies. As the displays grew larger in scale, the shamans eventually began incorporating the common folk into their acts.  …  …  A mikoshi is a sort of portable shrine. In real-life Shintoism, kami and other important spirits typically live inside sacred structures or natural features where priests can properly attend them. During festival seasons, mikoshi allow such spirits to safely leave their homes and travel around the areas that worship them, conferring blessings upon the land. These containers are elaborate, and the largest can weigh more than a ton. Despite this, volunteers from the community carry the things everywhere they need to go on their shoulders.  In FFXIV, the practice was invented in Hingashi, so Gyoshin asks to be ferried to Kugane.  …  Ingrate.  Serves him right… but Kheris immediately figures out what's going on and is once again too nice.  The shipwrights can't apologize enough for mistaking some innocent Namazu for their resident scumbag. As penance, they're happy to hand over a design schematic and even show off some traditional Hingan woodworking techniques. They just don't see how the weak little fish people can haul the weight.  Gyoshin comes up with a rather ingenious solution. He constructs the shrine using Cloudsbreath, an exotic crafting material from the Sea of Clouds that can defy gravity. With those plant fibers running through it, the mikoshi is so light that it can fly away, leaving its bearers clinging on for dear life! He invites Kheris to ride along during the parade.   While riding this monstrosity, either for quests or as a proper mount once you reach the higher rep levels, the exuberant and festive mount music "Wasshoi, Wasshoi!" plays. "Wasshoi," is a traditional Japanese chant that mikoshi carriers use to coordinate their movements and keep the thing balanced. It roughly translates to "harmonious connection."As a side note, some regions of Japan hold that humans are forbidden to ride on a mikoshi because they are only for gods. If you're in one of those places, you can still ride on the slightly less sacred dashi or festival float. Naturally, Gyoshin builds one of those to complete the set.  …   …  This may be the first time in the history of the RPG Genre that religion brought people together and averted a sectarian conflict. ~*~*~ The Respected rank quests are heavily focused on our new god taxies. Several involve crafting improvements for them, like supplies of confetti for maximum WASSHOI and fancy new taiko drums.  Others see Kheris taking the mikoshi out for a spin. The more amusing of those two see us attempt to further ingratiate ourselves with the Xaela by WASSHOI-ing for them. Their appreciation for the gesture is… reserved.  We also cook up some authentic Namazu cuisine as a form of cultural exchange.  But there's no time for that! For you see, Gyoshin has received yet another vision from his great-grandfather in the form of a dream!  Or we could listen to Seigetsu's ideas about what we should do next.  …  …    In short, to know what our festival needs, we should ask the Xaela. It's a good thing we earned all that goodwill from them in the daily quests! As usual, we start by dropping in on the Mol. They're the most likely to take such a request seriously and the least likely to reply with some form of violence.  Hm?  Wait a second… quote:The two warriors are sworn to serve the man rather than the office of Khan, so they're content to remain in Idyllshire. Adkiragh insists that they contribute to restoring the business if they plan on staying, and they offer a brand new flavor of buuz that's sweeping the Steppe. CIRINA NOOOOOOO!  The most sacred event at Mol festivals ends up being a horse race. They believe that racing is a form of worship because it showcases how well the horse (a gift to the Xaela from the divine) has been cared for. Gyoshin never imagined a competition functioning as a form of worship. He's so intrigued that he gets over his abject terror and visits Sadu and Magnai to ask them the same question. The Dotharl regularly hold a archery contest because careful aim is thought to honor the Dusk Mother. The Oronir's most sacred ritual is the tournament they use to determine who is raised to Eldest Brother. Their method of combat is a form of wrestling called Azim Bokh. The Sun is gracious enough to comment that his Khagan would likely acquit herself well in the matches but mocks the notion of a Namazu participating.  …  I see that burn hasn't quite scabbed over yet.  Back in town, the rest of the team is excited by the possibilities presented by these festival games. Offering so many different activities could greatly aid the effort to attract 777 participants. Thank goodness the Steppe Tribes have such a robust culture to share with us!  Ok, put the phrenology forceps away, Measurehead. We divide up the jobs. While Seigetsu sticks his nose into a wrestling rulebook and Gyorei ponders adhesives that might help a catfish stick to a saddle, Kheris is left to craft bows, arrows, and targets. The process goes more smoothly than expected.  There's just one problem.  This, naturally, leads to a rant from Seigetsu about what a scatterbrain their chief craftsman is. Less naturally, their argument leads Gyoshin to be volunteered against his will to hold up the target by hand.  He sometimes pops out of the pot sans bullseye, so one shouldn't be too itchy with their trigger finger.  After finishing this slightly insane exercise, we soon complete our collection of games. We even hire some locals to help us administer them for maximum authenticity.  These activities draw a large population of new visitors who are eager to try them. Perhaps the absurd number the prophecy demanded isn't out of reach after all! Speaking of prophecy…   That is a truly enormous yikes. Thank goodness everyone learned that fish are friends, not food. Except for Cirina.  Every quest at Honored illustrates the earnest efforts of the Namazu to do right by the Xaela's traditions and thank the people sharing them. Perhaps the dev team felt their story that our friends avoided their fate by not annoying the neighbors wouldn't be believable if we didn't see the process. For the Dotharl, the plan is to make a habit of throwing them thank-you feasts as long as they continue to offer instruction in archery. Seigetsu predicts they'll be feeding that tribe for a very long time. Given the fishfolk's response when Kheris offers a few pointers-  -he might be right. The Mol are honored through the care shown to the horses they've lent the Namazu. In one quest, the Warrior of Light is called upon to craft a veritable cornucopia of horse grooming tools, and in another, you ride a homesick pony back to Mol Iloh. The animal's caretaker doesn't have much positive to say about the Namazu as equestrians, but he is delighted by how healthy the animal has remained under their care. Don't worry about that riding skill issue; Seigetsu has it covered.  There better not be any fanart of that…  Ironically, the Oronir seem the most charmed by the festival's efforts. The fish have thrown themselves into learning Bokh wrestling with almost shocking gusto. They've even traveled to Dawn Throne to submit themselves for instruction.  Some even study the traditional dances done by onlookers to support their preferred combatant.  The head instructor (the one who threatened to put Kheris on her back  ) thinks highly of her tiny pupils. The fact that they've been showering her with gifts as thanks for the training probably helps. All the togetherness and mutual love for culture on display is almost enough to make you forget that Seigetsu might be the teensiest bit evil.  Despite all our efforts, Gyoshin's dreams remain haunted.  To avoid having to listen to more fretting, Seigetsu again prepared research in advance and thinks he's found one last thing our festival needs: spectacle. Yes, we have worship and activities, but what is a celebration of culture without showmanship? Sizzle? Dare I say it? ZAZZ!? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho5Pt4pPKsg The few references he's found to their ancestor's festivals heavily reference unusual and unforgettable displays of worship. Considering how much about that history has been completely lost, there is no doubt in Seigetsu's mind that these "carnivals of the bizarre," are crucial to making us worthy of the past and allowing a new generation of Namazu to stamp their presence onto Othardian culture for centuries to come. So, what did the ancestors do that captured the imagination of ancient historians enough to survive the intervening millennia?  …  Of course, Seigetsu didn't steal all those ideas to give up yards away from the finish line! But we'll need something more than the speculation of random scholars if we want to invent a deliberately nonsensical religious ritual out of whole cloth. This time, The Enlightened One wants to steal from an Archon of Sharalayan! He assumes Kheris must know one because all foreigners know each other, and lucky for him, he's coincidentally correct. Of course, most of the Archons she's friends with are locked in a magical coma, but there is one hanging around who is an expert on history and arcane rituals.  …  Being an ancient witch with a magic eye and enough knowledge to fill a second Great Gubbal Library, Matoya takes Gyoshin's portent of doom rather seriously. She assures us that she's willing to share forbidden knowledge of abandoned, barbaric rites but warns that performing them may imperil the souls of all involved. Gyoshin replies that he's willing to pay any price if it saves his people. The earnestness of this seems to please the old woman, so she spends a few hours penning a 300-page tome on various macabre rites and wishes us the best in our effort to fight fate.  When we return to the festival, Seigetsu can scarcely believe we've brought back a hand-written manuscript. He demands the right to read it, but Gyoshin begins perusing it first. That seems fair; after all, he did go through the trouble of collecting it. But fairness is for suckers, and it takes only moments for our loveable dictator to run out of patience.  …  …  What a tragedy. If only we had some kind of hero around! …Not Kheris, though. A different, more emotionally invested hero.  Hooray!  …Hooray?  Ooof.  …  …  …  When Gyoshin gets back on his feet a few moments later, his eyes are unfocused, but he moves with purpose. He snatches the book from Seigetsu's hand and mutters insanely about a revelation from the flames. Only one ritual can satisfy the Big One and break the prophecy. They must render unto their ancestor a sacrifice, burned alive in the belly of an enormous effigy! We must construct… THE WICKER MAN!  My God, I knew we were doing something evil, but this is worse than anything I could have ever imagined.  …  Gyoshin orders every Namazu to begin collecting various ingredients, 107 different items in total. Kheris is assigned heat-refracting lava rocks, a task that comes with an entirely too casual suggestion that defying his wishes might be hazardous to her health.  Consumed by his mania, Gyoshin works tirelessly until the Wicker Man rises.  It's pretty cute for a thing that burns living creatures to death. Of course, now that the flurry of construction and mind-altering trauma are over, we are left with the question of what the hell we're going to burn in this thing. Seigetsu, predictably, is less horrified about having come to this grisly moment than he is annoyed that nobody decided sooner.  …  I am glad to see Gyoshin's back to normal. Gyorei solves the most idiotic debate in Namazu history by pointing out that, according to the book, properly manufactured cloth dolls are acceptable as a substitute for burning anything alive. She's been sewing them for days to ensure nobody did anything stupid.  We've set the record for religion's most adorable sacrificial offering.   …  …  I imagine this is how Hank Hill felt at the end of any given episode. These boys ain't right… With the achievement of Sworn reputation, the other two Tribal Reputation narratives came to what felt like a satisfying conclusion and offered no further new dailies. Namazu is different. There is no sense of closure at this rank, and we add three more quests to the rotational pool. All are further attempts to integrate borrowed religious activities from foreign cultures into the event, doubtless because the Wicker Man turned out so well. One involves collecting vegetables for the fish to throw at onlookers, ostensibly to celebrate a bountiful harvest even though the Namazu don't practice agriculture. Another features ceremonial skydiving.  …   Don't worry. He survives. By far the most prominent of the three, a contender for the most bizarre and hilarious of any Tribal quest, begins by informing us that Honoroit wrote a book.  Well, I'll be darned. Good for him! In his chronicle, our little buddy described a Vanu Vanu sport involving Paissas, those giant dead-eyed puffball creatures we met in Heavensward. Seigetsu has acquired a few of the beasts to integrate that competition into the festival. They're initially lazy and sleep most of the day, but once Kheris gets some toys, they're eager to perform. As a reward for helping, she's invited to see what all the fuss is about.  Ooh, ominous!  Ah, the sweet science! This should be good!  …So, are they going to, uh-  But… but they're just-    Nevermind. With that… whatever it was… out of the way, the Namazu finale begins with Gyorin giving us a gift of persimmons. He still hates Seigetsu, but all the other people who visited the festival had such a fun time that they paid him a bundle to offer his whole supply to the staff in a show of gratitude. Since the Xaela's contributions were equally essential, Gyoshin decides to pay some of the fruit forward to show his appreciation. Sadu seems to appreciate the gift (though she's not sure how to eat one) and notes that the children of the Dotharl have been begging her to see the dumb fishies try and fail to shoot bows. The insult comes threaded with a bit of affection, so Gyoshin lets it slide. By comparison, Magnai's declaration that the Wicker Man is an eyesore and Kheris' involvement in building it calls her judgment into question is rather lacking in kindness. He changes his tune when he also gets a present.  As for Cirina…   Some things are better left unsaid. With his gifts given, Gyoshin returns to the festival grounds to meditate on everything that's transpired. He has seven more years of work ahead of him and wonders if any of it will make a difference. He has no way of knowing if the terrible fate foretold to him will be averted by the things he's built. He has done everything in his power to make the festival "meaningful," but he can't know if that was the right path, and that's not easy to live with. Still, even if all his efforts fail, that doesn't mean they were worthless.  ...   It's a surprisingly thoughtful sentiment from these knuckleheads. From the start, this storyline's conflict has been rooted in fear. Everything Gyoshin has done was in reaction to the threat of doom and the fact that nothing he tried stopped those prophetic dreams. He's confronted doubts and mockery at every step of this process and taken it all in stride for the sake of his people's future. Now, as he looks back on everything he's built and outsiders finally begin to appreciate his works, he realizes that he's taken personal meaning from the effort all along. Whatever the end might be, the journey had merit. As the flashforwards to the Namazu's various averted dooms played out, I wondered what Kheris would think if she'd seen them. She's still a long way off from any resolution on the issue of her destiny. She worries about the cosmic powers that influence and manipulate her and whether she has any control over the path she's walking. She thinks constantly about how the other Warriors of Light seemed condemned to fail. Even learning of the triumph of Tenzen has only done so much to assuage her fear. After all, he had to die to achieve his victory, and in the end, the evil he vanquished is eternal and will never stop returning. He inspired a bulwark against it that is just as eternal, but there is no guarantee the vigilance of the Auspices will stand the test of time. They only need to be unlucky once. If she'd seen the Namazu festival repeatedly avert disaster only for new doom to replace the old, would that comfort her or intensify her anxieties? Gyoshin's closing thoughts speak rather poignantly to that conflict. In his own way, he was called by a higher power to a great purpose, struggled to find the proper way to achieve it, and had to live with the fear that he wasn't up to the task ordained for him, not to mention the horrific consequences that would ensue if he failed. Perhaps the greatest wisdom for 'heroes' when it comes to their destiny is to find joy and pride in the work they do working toward it and the grace to accept it when it arrives.   We also learned the siren song of being a published academic is a lot sweeter than dictatorial power. Now, that's a great lesson! The adventure concludes with a special gift from your fellow disciple of creation.  …  Very cat-appropriate! Namazu is a strange one as far as Reputation storylines go. There isn't a lot of narrative momentum or coherence to how things progress. There are a lot of gags and silly dalliances, and as much as the last quest felt thoughtful, I don't know if the stuff that came before really did the job of building toward those ideas. But I wouldn't say I disliked any part of this. For lack of a better term, there's a warmth to everything about this content. The fish lads (and ladies) have a charm that's difficult to define. Even the nameless one-shots that appear in the daily quests ooze personality. They're dumb, but they're earnest. They speak their minds even if those minds have nothing of value inside, and they do their best no matter how idiotic their scheme of the day is. The overall plot may not necessarily fire on all cylinders, but every part of it was fun, and it DID succeed as a showcase for why the Namazu are a fun addition to the game world. ~*~*~ Since we're now Bloodsworn with our fishy peeps, it's worth looking at the other two Reputation finales I put off. The Kojin and the Ananta really feel like they're finished at Sworn. You get an achievement, there are no new quests, and the stories feel complete. You can even buy a reward from their vendors that feels like the last one, like a mount or an armor set. Despite this, if you keep going, you will get one last quest (and a final wave of prizes) after about ten extra days. The Kojin quest begins with Kabuto bragging about his success filling out the Blue's vault. Things have gone so well he's decided to take some time off to thank everyone who helped him. We visit Gyokei, who is eternally grateful for breaking the bird droppings curse, and Uchikin in Reunion, whose fame as an archer has already spread across the Steppe because we saved his bow. Both conversations take a turn for the weird.    …  Kabuto is understandably disturbed that none of his friends remember Tsukumo, so he decides to go straight to Shihoumi. She gave him the doll, so he can't imagine she's forgotten. When we reach Kugane, she recalls the toy's existence and even that the Materia she put on Kabuto's helm came out of its body. But beyond this, her memory has somehow been rewritten. In Shihoumi's mind, Tsukumo never walked or talked. All the doll's actions are ascribed to Kabuto, and she only remembers its presence because she thinks he was carrying it around on all those adventures. This is deeply upsetting to the poor Samurai.  On top of the unpleasant feeling of being gaslit about his memories, the idea of Tsukumo being forgotten is too much for Kabuto. Without the little kami's help, he wouldn't have grown into the leader he is today, and the Blue would have never gained all these sacred treasures. We return to Tamamizu to question Chief Bunchin and the Divine Circle. To Kabuto's horror, they all remember Tsukumo only as the puppet he placed in the vault. At this point, I was starting to wonder if there would be some ghost story twist explaining that Tsukumo never existed and Kabuto did everything himself. That would be a big stretch to sell the player, though. You'd be demanding they go along with the idea that nothing they saw in this quest really happened to a level that would surpass even the trickery we saw in Dark Knight 30-50. Plus, they give you the option to remember in character.  …  The Echo sure is handy, isn't it? Chief Bunchin steps up to offer an explanation for what the heck happened here.   Kami move in mysterious ways. They do what they please for their own reasons. Tsukumo's guidance may have benefitted the whole tribe, but it was only given to one person. He decided that Kabuto needed to learn that helping people in isolation instead of forging bonds with them was flawed. Now that Kabuto has changed, the guardian angel who taught him has chosen to be forgotten by all others. At least, that's what Chief Bunchin believes. It's hard to say if he's right. Despite all the lore on magical mechanics and beings we've learned, it's tough to theorize what happened here. Between Primals, Lucavi, Voidsent, Spirits, Anima, Zodiac Weapons, and more, we've seen our fair share of weird existences born from souls and wishes. Was Tsukumo truly some kind of divine being or a facsimile born from a Materia? Did Kabuto create this kami, or did the tribe's desire for Kabuto to be closer to them attract it, or did it seek Kabuto of its own accord to fulfill some purpose innate to his existence? Through what mechanism was it able to influence so many people's memories? It's all very mysterious and reminds me again that there's a tremendous amount about this world we don't know, even after everything we've learned. The only thing we can say for sure is that the real vault of treasures was, unironically, the friends we made along the way.  By comparison, the Ananta's ending is a lot more straightforward. To celebrate her triumphs in forging the Velodyna Gatekeepers, Alpa has decided to host a party for the friends who helped her succeed.   Gales is assigned to cook the meal while Kheris delivers invitations to Tahla and M'zhet. Before we can kick back and relax, however, a minor crisis emerges from the woods.  …  Alpa doesn't miss a beat. She orders J'olhmyn to get the man and his bird to the infirmary, scrambles a recon griffin to survey for anyone else who might be injured, and personally leads a contingent of troops into the East End to eliminate the beast. She doesn't even bother to take Kheris with her, and when she returns a short time later, she almost smugly notes that the creature barely put up a fight.  …  Even J'olhmyn has to admit that her empty-headed little pal has become a real leader. With the danger resolved (or with Alpa demonstrating that our hard work has ensured there is no longer any danger in this part of Gyr Abania), we can eat, drink, and be merry!  …  …   Well, the first two, at least. Eventually, things settle to a more appropriate and less gross level of revelry. Alpa gives a small speech about how she could have never made the Gatekeepers a success without our contributions. Her audience then turns things around on her because she's done just as much to help them. Together, they pledge to keep making the Fringes a better place for everyone who lives there.  …  …  …  Of the three Bloodsworn quests, this one was my favorite. It's nothing fancy, but it is effective at knitting together the threads of the Ananta's entire storyline and making them relevant to the central plot of the expansion to boot. Lyse wanted to make a Gyr Abania for everyone, and while she did that by setting up the council and making peace with Fordola in the MSQ, we were told more than we were shown. The formal council has never appeared on-screen, and the tribal folks of the region don't suddenly appear in the various settlements to represent the idea that they've been accepted into Ala Mhigan society's mainstream. The Ananta Reputation is where we see the idea made manifest, even including the enemy Qalyana tribe. The Fringes represent the new Ala Mhigo we've been working toward (somewhat ironically, given the name), and it felt amazing to build that up brick by brick with this cast of goofballs. Seeing Alpa, a non-human, complete her transformation into the leader of the first chunk of that world is the perfect finisher for the tale. ~*~*~ With the Namazu Festival no longer needing her help, Kheris returns to Kugane to plan her next move. She has a few important things to take care of in Othard, and the last thing she needs is another distraction!  Hey… I've seen that guy before. But he's from Eorzea. What's he doing all the way over here?   A helpless damsel in distress, eh? This looks like a job for-  -someone else. Like, literally anyone else in the world. …No, no, she's talking to Gyodo. We have to help. gently caress my life… Nashu is once again hoping to find Inspector Hildibrand. After our last adventurer ended with his mother sending him flying toward the east, his stalwart assistant has been scouring every 'east' on the map. Having arrived in the Far East, she's officially out of money, which is why she was just about to volunteer to do anything for information on a mysterious gentleman. Kheris won't abide such exploitation!   …  Yep, that sure did take every one of his skills.  Kheris suggests we start looking for Hildi in any conspicuous holes in the ground, but Nashu has a better idea. His finely honed detective instincts will undoubtedly draw his SPIRIT OF INQUIRY to the juiciest case this city has to offer! All we need to do is find a crime, and we'll find our gentleman. Having already run into her share of crime in Kugane, the Warrior of Light begins the hunt in the Rakuza District.  Alright, what are you up to, you little creeper?   Ah, so… he's a stalker. Bad, but probably not a big enough crime for our purposes. Still, best to check in with the victim.  You can tell that Hildibrand taught her everything he ever learned about detecting. In more relevant news, the market is abuzz with talk of a mysterious thief who's been swiping things from the estates of the city's wealthiest and most influential merchants. The most recent victim is Akebono, a man whose riches are as vast as his somehow not-fake mustache.  On top of the crime being high-profile, it has the ultimate in Agent of Inquiry bait: the thief left a calling card.  If this mess doesn't help us find Hildibrand, I don't know what will! Certainly not the preview trailer, which features a bunch of stuff that doesn't happen in the next chapter.  …  Why must they turn my fun detective story into a HOUSE OF LIES? So, what actually happens? Find out next time!  …  …  Oh yeah, we're back in the saddle. Sanguinia fucked around with this message at 16:37 on Jan 16, 2024 |
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Jan 16, 2024 04:44
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Repelling off the Dawn Throne and Paissa MMA are two of the funniest little sidequests in the game.
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Jan 16, 2024 05:27
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I, and I repeat, I love my stupid catfish friends. Also, more Hildy! 
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Jan 16, 2024 05:56
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His whiskers are pretty spectacular, as is this update, yes yes!
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Jan 16, 2024 06:01
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I like how you can buy your own Namazu wicker man to put in your yard. It's a genuine eyesore and people will complain until you take it down if you have real neighbors with no sense of humor.
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Jan 16, 2024 06:06
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FuturePastNow posted:Repelling off the Dawn Throne and Paissa MMA are two of the funniest little sidequests in the game. Godspeed, namazu BASE jumper. One of these days maybe you'll remember the rope. And yes, Cirina is now known as "that lady that hungers for grilled The lalafel stalker has actually had background cameos in previous Hildy quests, but iirc the Stormblood arc is the first time you actually get to interact with him at all.
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Jan 16, 2024 06:07
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Thundarr posted:The lalafel stalker has actually had background cameos in previous Hildy quests, but iirc the Stormblood arc is the first time you actually get to interact with him at all. I noticed him for the first time at... I think the wedding on the beach? I don't remember if I took note of him in my ARR Journals though. I never mentioned him after that because I figured he was just an easter egg and not really worth noting
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Jan 16, 2024 06:09
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A lot of people think he was added in after he finally "debuts" in a speaking role in the quests. This is untrue. You can find youtube footage of the ARR Hildibrand quests from when they were brand new in ~2014ish and he's there.
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Jan 16, 2024 06:13
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Missed opportunity to name this picture Mackerelaveli. Also, I love how there's a weird, half-dead Namazu on the back left of this mount. Though, it'd be funnier if he only took that face when you started flying. Also, I love how the biggest threat to the Namazu is Cirina's normally harmless clan just deciding they could really go for some seafood one day. No Nhaamas?  Of course the rich mogul who staged a coup against the government won't actually be punished by law and just engages in some more unethical business practices. Wait a minute, this is just the moral of Batman Begins. FuturePastNow posted:Repelling off the Dawn Throne and Paissa MMA are two of the funniest little sidequests in the game. 
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Jan 16, 2024 06:22
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Blueberry Pancakes posted:
truly Nhaama-less behavior
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Jan 16, 2024 06:23
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