Summary: Starting the first expansion. Exploring Ishgard. A pup-focused seasonal event.
Expansion Expectations
-So this expansion looks like it’s going to be in Ishgard.
-There are a few plots cooking – the war against the dragons, the Ascians manipulating the religious leadership, and of course the brutal end of “A Realm Reborn” in the background where Lord Lolorito took power in Ul’dah and decimated the Scions of the Seventh Dawn (my group).
-I’ll play the expansion primarily as a dragoon. Feels appropriate. But in the background I’ll keep trying other jobs.
One change to how I’ll do this though focuses on jobs. I’ll still write up the job quests and storylines as I go, but I won’t post them in real time. Instead, when I complete a job (through 25, 50, and 60), I’ll put it as its own post so that the full story of that job gets collected in one place instead of split among like seven different unrelated posts.
Part of this is because I think the job stories work best as short stories, but part of it is also because I want to test out different jobs at different times. I might start gladiator to try that, continue a bit on bard, give astrologian a go, and two months later go back and finish gladiator.
It helps me to have the story of that job in one single place to remember what came before it, even with a time gap between play sessions on that job.
[Later edit: one last thing. A prediction, now that I’ve seen the Heavensward logo. The Ishgard storyline seems to be about some great dragon attack building, the dragon-worshipping cult helping it.
And right there on the logo is motherfucking Shinryu. I don’t know if he’ll be the expansion final boss or something else, but he’ll definitely have a role to play.]
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Coming to Ishgard
-The expansion starts in Coerthas with the Scions. Alphinaud wants to clear our names while I go to Ishgard, but that’s bound to fail for Alphinaud.
-Lord Haurchefant busts in with another option. Yay! Ishgard has granted us access to the city as wards of House Fortemps (Lord Haurchefant’s house).
-There’s new quest completion music! It’s like the original’s been remixed on a cathedral organ.
-I head through the Gates of Judgment, and into Ishgard itself. This is super exciting.
-Alphinaud, Tataru and I trudge through the snow towards Ishgard. An omniscient narrator announces this – is this new? Feels like it.
-The city itself is ruled by the archbishop of the Orthodox Church, with four high houses below him.
-Ishgard has been at war for a thousand years.
-Ah, Heavensward is the name of the memoir about this time! So it’s like Tactics, written from the future.
-The city reminds me strongly of Anor Londo from Dark Souls.
(Dark Souls 3 spoilers: naq orpnhfr bs gur fabj, vg'f rfcrpvnyyl yvxr gur irefvba bs nabe ybaqb gung ernccrnef va qf guerr.) I keep expecting archers to knock me off.
Expansion Expectations
-So this expansion looks like it’s going to be in Ishgard.
-There are a few plots cooking – the war against the dragons, the Ascians manipulating the religious leadership, and of course the brutal end of “A Realm Reborn” in the background where Lord Lolorito took power in Ul’dah and decimated the Scions of the Seventh Dawn (my group).
-I’ll play the expansion primarily as a dragoon. Feels appropriate. But in the background I’ll keep trying other jobs.
One change to how I’ll do this though focuses on jobs. I’ll still write up the job quests and storylines as I go, but I won’t post them in real time. Instead, when I complete a job (through 25, 50, and 60), I’ll put it as its own post so that the full story of that job gets collected in one place instead of split among like seven different unrelated posts.
Part of this is because I think the job stories work best as short stories, but part of it is also because I want to test out different jobs at different times. I might start gladiator to try that, continue a bit on bard, give astrologian a go, and two months later go back and finish gladiator.
It helps me to have the story of that job in one single place to remember what came before it, even with a time gap between play sessions on that job.
[Later edit: one last thing. A prediction, now that I’ve seen the Heavensward logo. The Ishgard storyline seems to be about some great dragon attack building, the dragon-worshipping cult helping it.
And right there on the logo is motherfucking Shinryu. I don’t know if he’ll be the expansion final boss or something else, but he’ll definitely have a role to play.]
---
Coming to Ishgard
-The expansion starts in Coerthas with the Scions. Alphinaud wants to clear our names while I go to Ishgard, but that’s bound to fail for Alphinaud.
-Lord Haurchefant busts in with another option. Yay! Ishgard has granted us access to the city as wards of House Fortemps (Lord Haurchefant’s house).
-There’s new quest completion music! It’s like the original’s been remixed on a cathedral organ.
-I head through the Gates of Judgment, and into Ishgard itself. This is super exciting.
-Alphinaud, Tataru and I trudge through the snow towards Ishgard. An omniscient narrator announces this – is this new? Feels like it.
-The city itself is ruled by the archbishop of the Orthodox Church, with four high houses below him.
-Ishgard has been at war for a thousand years.
-Ah, Heavensward is the name of the memoir about this time! So it’s like Tactics, written from the future.
-The city reminds me strongly of Anor Londo from Dark Souls.
(Dark Souls 3 spoilers: naq orpnhfr bs gur fabj, vg'f rfcrpvnyyl yvxr gur irefvba bs nabe ybaqb gung ernccrnef va qf guerr.) I keep expecting archers to knock me off.
-The city is not in great shape. The outskirts are wrecked from dragon attacks.
-I see starting quests as I walk through Ishgard for the new expansion jobs: Dark knight, machinist, and astrologian. They sound SO COOL! But not going to worry about them just yet.
-Feels good to gain xp again! I’d been capped at 50 for a while.
-I loooove the clothing of House Fortemps. Ishgard reminds me strongly of the Kingdom of San d’Oria from FFXI. Elf-based, medievally militaristic, sort of French.
-Count Fortemps made an unusual decision to grant us asylum, but he doesn’t think he’ll get much pushback. As long as we continue our “altruistic endeavors.”
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Taking in the Sights
-Tataru, Aphinaud and I will take a tour of the city from a House Fortemps servant.
-The Count gives us documents proving that we’re under House Fortemps’ protection. I wonder how much we’ll be harassed or stared at around the city.
Noble fashions of Ishgard.
A skeptical knight.
-The Holy Vault is the main cathedral. It’s the seat of government, and residence of the archbishop of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church.
The Holy Vault.
-There are statues of the Knights Twelve who put down Nidhogg and founded the nation.
The Knights Twelve.
I’m getting memories of the other FF game I’m currently playing, FF Tactics: War of the Lions, and the twelve Zodiac Braves.
-The city is HUGE. I also like how the music varies depending on what quarter you’re in.
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The Better Half
SERVANT: “To the south and east… well… ‘Twould be best if you avoided that area.” Is that where their secret police dwells or something?
-Oh, no. It’s just the poorer area. Alphinaud especially wants to head to the bar in that part of town, the Forgotten Knight, in hopes of hearing news of our missing companions.
-We head there and learn about the class divide in the city. The poorer folks in Ishgard get hit hardest by weather, wyvern attacks, everything.
-Tataru is especially excited to camp out here and hear news from all passers-by.
-I head back to House Fortemps. The Count asks me to help his sons, Emmanellain and Artoirel. They’re reluctant to accept, but the Count smacks them down.
-We have a start path for this expansion now. Help out House Fortemps and simultaneously further our own goals by building connections and learning news back home.
-I see starting quests as I walk through Ishgard for the new expansion jobs: Dark knight, machinist, and astrologian. They sound SO COOL! But not going to worry about them just yet.
-Feels good to gain xp again! I’d been capped at 50 for a while.
-I loooove the clothing of House Fortemps. Ishgard reminds me strongly of the Kingdom of San d’Oria from FFXI. Elf-based, medievally militaristic, sort of French.
-Count Fortemps made an unusual decision to grant us asylum, but he doesn’t think he’ll get much pushback. As long as we continue our “altruistic endeavors.”
---
Taking in the Sights
-Tataru, Aphinaud and I will take a tour of the city from a House Fortemps servant.
-The Count gives us documents proving that we’re under House Fortemps’ protection. I wonder how much we’ll be harassed or stared at around the city.
Noble fashions of Ishgard.
A skeptical knight.
-The Holy Vault is the main cathedral. It’s the seat of government, and residence of the archbishop of the Ishgardian Orthodox Church.
The Holy Vault.
-There are statues of the Knights Twelve who put down Nidhogg and founded the nation.
The Knights Twelve.
I’m getting memories of the other FF game I’m currently playing, FF Tactics: War of the Lions, and the twelve Zodiac Braves.
-The city is HUGE. I also like how the music varies depending on what quarter you’re in.
---
The Better Half
SERVANT: “To the south and east… well… ‘Twould be best if you avoided that area.” Is that where their secret police dwells or something?
-Oh, no. It’s just the poorer area. Alphinaud especially wants to head to the bar in that part of town, the Forgotten Knight, in hopes of hearing news of our missing companions.
-We head there and learn about the class divide in the city. The poorer folks in Ishgard get hit hardest by weather, wyvern attacks, everything.
-Tataru is especially excited to camp out here and hear news from all passers-by.
-I head back to House Fortemps. The Count asks me to help his sons, Emmanellain and Artoirel. They’re reluctant to accept, but the Count smacks them down.
-We have a start path for this expansion now. Help out House Fortemps and simultaneously further our own goals by building connections and learning news back home.
---
More Bark and Mochi Bite (Heavensturn seasonal event)
-There’s a new seasonal quest event called Heavensturn. Perhaps it’s a new year event – like, when the heavens turn.
-The quest giver is the “Inu Bugyo,” from the Far East. They have a zodiac-like system, where each year is dedicated to a particular beast.
-YESSS IT’S THE YEAR OF THE DOG… wait. Is this the Chinese calendar system it’s drawing on? Probably. I’ll bet this is actually the Year of the Dog in real life.
-OH MY GOD HE’S GOT A DOG HELM AND I WANT IT AND IT’S SO CUTE
-The quest is about giving out “advent rice cakes,” mochi.
omg ffxiv what are you doing
“Are you familiar with mochi pounding?
1. Yes, I am.
2. I’m something of a virgin.”
-THIS IS THE BEST QUEST EVER, THERE’S AN ACTUAL DOG NAMED TARO!
Taro and I will go promote the festival together.
-Our promotion style is unbeatable. Taro runs up to people in town, plays with them for like one minute, then runs away. I then tell the person that if they come to the festival, then they’ll get puppy time AND rice cakes. Who can say no?
-One asshole from a gang called the Rabid Wives threatens to sick their huge wolf-dog on Taro, scaring him. I WILL murder you.
-The Rabid Wives pirates are also attacking the mochi-pounding. I get to participate in a FATE saving the mochi from the pirates. The FATE is mechanically tricky. There’s a cyclops pounding the mochi, and I have to swoop in between pounds or else I get hit.
-Back in town, the pirates keep harassing people… but Taro stands up to them, barking with his little yap! Seeing that tiny pupper being so courageous encourages the townsfolk to do the same.
-My reward is amazing. I get a kabuto with a pupper on it.
Best holiday ever.
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Random Stuff Around Eorzea
This player’s mount looks like the CPU boss from FFIV:
I love how this white mage’s chocobo is all “CAN I HELP YOU?” with her fancy hat and barding:
I love literally everything about this player character design and armor and want a movie about her:
Close-up of my Christmas bear mount:
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Next time: Working for House Fortemps.
