A New Path
My crafting jobs are currently at level 50, the pre-Heavensward (the first expansion) cap. It was a lot of fun, and I’m glad I got to explore those, but the cost of pushing so hard on crafting is that I left off the main story for a while. Hell, the last time I posted a session dealing with the main story was November 12th. Before that, it was October 13th.
I don’t exactly regret it. I’m glad I got to explore that side of the game! But I don’t plan to do that again until I finish the main story.
A lot of it is about the mindset to approach an MMO. This is not a game intended to be done in a “completionist” way. You have to pick and choose what to spend your time on. Even now, there’s SO MUCH I have left to do!
A small sampling:
-Combat job leveling
-hard mode dungeons
-achievements
-Gold Saucer mini-games
-“squads” (not sure what this is, but it’s related to Grand Companies somehow)
-FFXII-style hunts/bounties
Here’s my plan going forward: I’ll focus on the main story as much as I can – doing the time-limited seasonal quests along the way) until I complete the main story.
However, a lot of the story quests require a group. So when I reach those stopping points, I’ll chip away at extra solo content that FFXIV has to offer. The next couple of things I have in mind:
1) continue leveling up archer to 25, then bard to 50
2) try hunts
But for now… back to the story!
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The Rising Chorus
-Last time, we defeated the ancient dragon Midgardsormr, but he stripped me of Hydaelyn’s blessing and bound me to him instead. His projection/spirit now follows me and spouts ominous words.
-I report back into Scions HQ, especially about Midgardsormr’s prophecy:
“My people have heard the song. Ishgard shall burn.”
-We warn the Ishgardian representative of the threat. She thinks this’ll just be another in a long line of Dravanian (dragon-worshipper) assaults that they’ll weather. I’m not so sure.
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Aether on Demand
-We pause the Ishgard plot and turn to the Ascians. Moenbryda has been developing a weapon to trap an Ascian’s soul, using white auracite.
OH SHIT, IT’s A REFERENCE! I just learned about auracite in FF Tactics, since I just met Mustadio.
-Anyway, once we trap the Ascian, we need a burst of pure aether to destroy it.
-The corrupted crystals that dot the Mor Dhona landscape have tons of aether. Moenbryda is investigating a way to tap their power from afar.
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An Uninvited Ascian
-I meet Moenbryda in the field. I really love her character. She’s a scholar, but one built like a tank who loves kicking ass with her axe.
-She can now siphon aether from crystals. Next, to forge an aether blade.
-An Ascian named Nabriales interrupts us. I think we met him briefly once.
-Moenbryda leaps with a massive axe strike at him. He literally stops her with his finger.
NABRIALES: “Shorn of Light as you are, you are no longer a threat. And better yet, the seal is broken.”
He senses that my Light blessing is gone. Maybe the seal he’s talking about contains Zodiark?
-lol or not. Nabriales says it a “staff” is now unsealed. If he gets this staff, whatever it is, he’ll be “Lord Zodiark’s right-hand man.” He leaves.
*brb, “Hamilton” break*
-Moenbryda thinks the staff is Tupsimati, Louisoix’s old staff. Minfilia has it back at Scion HQ.
-We rush back to Scion HQ. Nabriales is already there, threatening Minfilia. He’s the one behind the destruction of the Isle of Val, of which Krile is the lone survivor.
-Moenbryda attacks again, and he blasts her out of the air.
GAME, YOU BETTER NOT HAVE JUST FUCKING KILLED MOENBRYDA. YOU BETTER NOT.
-Though Minfilia kept Tupsimati just as a memorial to her grandfather Louisoix, it has real power. Tupsimati can draw vast quantities of aether.
-He wants to kill her to take the staff, but Elidibus (another Ascian) won’t let her. Hm. Perhaps Elidibus has some relation to Louisoix.
-Nabriales opens a void portal and sucks Minfilia in, kidnapping her.
I pursue.
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Starlight Celebration (seasonal quest)
-I’ll come back to the main story later. For now, it’s CHRISTMAS IN EORZEA! The cities are decorated for not!Christmas, FFXIV’s “Starlight Celebration.”
The in-game lore seems to have to do with Saint Nymeia, one of the twelve gods of Eorzea.
-OMG THERE ARE SANTA BEARS, SO CUUUUTE
-Someone has been stealing decorations. My investigation finds a witness! A kid.
It’s… the Starlight Tree itself! It stole decorations from others and decorated itself.
-Ah lol. It was a plain ol’ treant disguised as the Starlight Tree. It saw everyone celebrating trees and wanted some of the festive glory for itself.
-I mount a trusty Christmas bear (because of course) and head to the grinchy treants’ gathering spot.
-It’s a vehicle fight. I stay on my bear and lob holiday-themed flashbangs at the treants. It stuns them into submission without damaging the stolen decorations.
-WOOHOO!! I saved the holiday, and even got to keep the bear as a reward.
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Next time: rescuing Minfilia from the Ascians.
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djinn87 126p · 383 weeks ago
Coldrun 137p · 383 weeks ago
Like, if you get a cat companion, it constantly trips you by walking through your legs. It interrupts your spellcasts by clawing up your legs for snuggle time. It meows loudly for attention so that you can't hear the voice-acted cutscenes.
djinn87 126p · 383 weeks ago