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A Final Peace (continued)
-Scene change to the Dawn Throne (Oronir HQ) where Lyse and Hien sit and talk in a holding cell.
Oronir HQ seen from the outside.
-It always confused Lyse why more Ala Mhigans didn’t support the resistance. And here in Doma and among the Confederates, most people were content to put up with the Empire’s oppression..
She understands why they endured the Empire, but it still made her angry that folks wouldn’t rise up.
HIEN: “People are pragmatic creatures at heart. They hold onto hope until they taste true hardship. Then comes fear and regret. Safer not to dream, they conclude at last.”
-But perhaps someone who knows their pain can convince them to strive for something more.
-This is a great conversation. Both Hien and Lyse are in the same position for their people.
-Lyse remembers someone who performed that role for her. Papalymo.
Rubbing her old scion mark.
-Hien is so young! He’s only 25. He has never lived in a free Doma. And such a leader already.
LYSE: “I won’t have you put me to shame any longer… I’m going to seize the future I want with my own two hands!”
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As the Gods Will
-We return to Magnai. He’s not surprised that the Dotharl don’t have any secret strategies for the Nadaam. It’s not their way.
-Gosetsu passes Sadu Khatun’s final message/threat that they’ll meet on the Nadaam field. Even hearing Sadu’s name drives Magnai into a fury.
After the last Nadaam, Magnai summoned a bunch of Xaela women as potential mates (I think).
“But that gedan, that feral udgan! She spat curses and called forth flames! She scorched the soil and refused to present herself!”
GET REKKKKT MAGNAI LOLOLOL! Just when I thought I couldn’t love Sadu more.
-Magnai is fair. He accepts our account as a good faith effort to serve the Sun, and frees Lyse and Hien.
-Before Magnai lets us go, one last thing: we must swear that if we participate in the Nadaam, we’ll abide by Steppe law. That means accepting the “khagan’s” authority afterwards.
[Later edit: later voice actors pronounce “khagan” like “khan,” with the KH like the CH in “challah.” One syllable.]
That’s fair. If we’re competing to rule the Xaela, it makes sense that if, say, the Oronir win, we’d pledge to serve them. That’s what we’d want of others should we win.
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Naadam
-We return to Mol Iloh. The Nadaam to determine a new khagan is tomorrow.
-Many Mol are nervous. They take some cheering, but they’re determined.
The Mol have some of my favorite costumes and colors.
-The real all-star is their leader, Temulun Khatun. This old woman is kind, peaceful, pious. And yet:
TEMULUN KHATUN: “We are of the soil. The wind and the water. We are not conquerors. But we are yet the children of Nhaama – we are yet Xaela. We were made for battle – to kill and be killed. We delight not in such things, but let no man doubt they are in our nature.
“Flesh, blood, bone – that which was given, we offer unto the gods as tribute. This day we embrace death. Ours and our enemies’.”
HELL YES I’M FUCKING PUMPING MY FIST IN MY APARTMENT! I love this old woman deeply.
-The night passes and the dawn rises.
-Some Xaela approach a spot of earth and lay down sacred soil, the “ovoo.” Whoever controls the ovoo at Nadaam’s end is the new khagan. It begins.
-Quick montage of some main tribes. Magnai flies above and sees the new soil go down.
-Sadu Khatun gives the Dotharl a fiery speech. Her voice actor is especially great here.
”Go forth and claim [the ovoo], Dotharl, and bring death to all who bar your way!”
You hear the vocal cords strain and scratch with raw passion.
-Temulun sees the ritual soil glowing in the distance, and quietly points towards it. Here we go.
”It begins, Grandmother.”
-So our goal here is to reach the ovoo. Fight off tribes on the way and fight off tribes upon the ovoo.
- Lyse and other Mol fighters have our back while Gosetsu, Cirina and I push on to the ovoo.
-Magnai and Sadu both arrive, and a fantastic battle royale commences. I have to split my focus between taking out smaller Xaela troops and the two other Xaela leaders.
Plus, random opposing Xaela every once in a while try to channel on the ovoo. If they get the channel off, they win the Nadaam, so I gotta keep an eye on those little guys and interrupt them.
-Once I clear enough of the enemies to stop bothering me, it’s time to channel on the ovoo myself.
-WOOHOO!! That was AWESOME! VICTORY FOR THE MOL!
Cirina takes in our success.
-Sadu feels… odd. She suffered us to live, and now pays the price. But I think she’ll accept it.
-“Men in iron” from the Empire interrupt the celebration. Yotsuyu’s bodyguard, Grynewaht, leads them.
This asshole.
OH RIGHT! Yotsuyu sent him after us. He tracked us down.
-You know what’s strange about this? If Yotsuyu hadn’t acted, she would’ve been safer. We would’ve had a hard time convincing the Xaela to join us against the Empire.
Not anymore. Yotsuyu having Grynewaht invade the Steppe may get the Xaela aboard Team Doma.
-Hien smells this opportunity and steps up.
HIEN: “Hearken to me, honored warriors of the Steppe! Our enemies intrude upon this sacred ground! Have you yet the strength to oppose them!?”
-Again, this is how a major battle should be done. It’s not just a one-on-one with others on the outside. It’s a massive clash between both sides. The game does a great job making it chaotic, but not confusing.
I can focus on the adds or Grynewaht himself, or both, and I have to dodge attacks from all sides.
-Sadu is my ace in the hole. She channels a “ritual of dusk.” I protect her for 30 seconds and she fucking OBLITERATES the Imperials when the cast goes off, laughing as she goes.
-Grynewaht is forced to flee. What is this, the fourth time? Kinda wish we could just kill the goober.
The might of the Steppe.
-The Mol now rule the Xaela. I think Cirina is stepping up as khagan, but maybe that’s just temporary on the battlefield. I imagine that Temulun Khatun will sit upon the Dawn Throne.
CIRINA: “No demands shall we make of you save these: heed our comrades’ words, and honor the law of the Steppe.”
-Hien steps up. Tells his story and asks their help.
-Sadu is on board. She just wants battle, and gets a little jab in at the Oronir on the way.
-Magnai steps up too. “Wild as the wind the udgan and her brood may be, but they will deliver you naught. We will deliver you your kingdom.”
This is amazing. Hien is leveraging their rivalry to fight for him.
(Btw, I didn’t expect this, but the rivalry makes me ship the EVERLIVING FUCK out of Magnai and Sadu.)
-Credit where credit is due. Magnai was a dick, still is, but he’s fair, loyal, and true to his word. He’s abiding by the new khagan. I didn’t expect that, and I really, really like it.
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Glory to the Khagan
-We go see Temulun Khatun. She watched the battle from afar, weeping with joy at our victory.
-Some Mol were wounded, even seriously wounded, but NO MOL DEATHS!
-It sure sounds Ququshu is khagan now. Idk.
-I get to go around the camp and talk with the victorious Mol. It’s delightful.
-Cirina thanks me with a morin khurr, a traditional instrument.
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Random Stuff Around Eorzea
A scholar in classic scholar gear:
lol at this bridge name referencing Hyrule Warriors:
I met my first Cardian enemy! They were a big deal in the last MMO. Their FFXIV version:
Compare with an FFXI Cardian:
Two players on matching horses:
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Next time: Hien will probably lead us away from the Steppe, back towards Doma, with his new Xaela army.
