I did the 1-50 black mage story a LONG time ago. Like, two years ago. I initially baked it into a lot of separate posts, mixed with main story. But since it’s “Black Mage Week,” I collected them:
1-30: http://coldrungaming.blogspot.com/2019/07/ffxiv-p...
30-50: http://coldrungaming.blogspot.com/2019/07/ffxiv-p...
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Black Books
-The black mage Lalai was rummaging through his master Ququruqa’s notes found a parchment with the location of two ancient tomes of ancient magic, the Books of Nald’thal.
-We find them at two locations in the desert, just where the tomes said. We got the Book of Nald.
-The Book of Thal, not so much. It was recently taken.
Me and Lalai by the empty chest.
-The camera then shows a robed figure walking away. “There is nothing more for me here.” I assume that’s the guy who took the book.
Or maybe someone beat him to the punch and he was also looking. Hard to say.
-The Book of Nald is covered by protective enchantments. The Book of Thal probably is too, so the thief might need some time before grabbing whatever destructive magic lies inside.
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An Unexpected Journey
-Lalai hasn’t heard any word of the thief trying to sell the Book of Thal. Thus it’s safe to assume he’s a mage himself or familiar with black magic, and that’s a small circle of people.
Time to check in with Kazagg Chah, a beastman friend who helped me in the 30-50 quest line.
-He’s got a lead!
KAZAGG: “A robed man appeared before me. ‘Join me,’ he said, ‘and together we shall master the dark arts!’ A dubious offer, which naturally I declined.”
LOLOL. Ok, so this thief is super extra.
-Upon declining, the thief lobbed black magic at Kazagg. Which is strange, since there really aren’t many black mages in the world.
-I find the robed miqo’te from outside Thal’s Reflection here, someone named Zhai’a Nelhah.
“You are a black mage, and you will lead me to him!”
-Turns out Zhai’a isn’t the thief. He’s a conjurer sent to find the black mage by his guild.
-He’s skeptical of me, too. I’m a black mage after all. But he’s willing to put that aside until we deal with the Book of Nald.
-The thief is part of a group called the Defiant, whose aim is to master the art of destruction. Black mage fanboys looking to get their hands on the real deal, maybe.
-The thief is their leader, a former conjurer named Waldeve.
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A Cunning Plan
-Lalai got word from one of my old friends from the 30-50 black mage quest, the kobold Da Za.
-Waldeve approached him too. Wanted Da Za’s knowledge. Da Za stalled, called me for help. Let’s ambush!
-They have the meeting (with me watching from the shadows), and while the Defiant have some SWEEET purple gear, Waldeve sounds classically villainous.
Meeting with the beastman mage.
Literally said “you might have been a powerful ally, but as an enemy, I cannot suffer you to live.”
His minions attack the kobold, and time to jump in.
-It’s a quick fight. I take out the minions… and perhaps go a bit too hard, killing them instead of letting them live for questioning. I wonder if this is a sign about some future development around my black magic getting out of control.
-The conjurer Zhai’a sees all this. He’s pissed, tut-tutting us about playing with forces beyond our control and all that. And I don’t blame him – this is a world with the War of the Magi in its distant past.
But that was the result not just of black magic, but of black magic clashing with white magic. Is Zhai’a’s presence bolstering our powers somehow?
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Black Squawk Down
-The last of our black mage beastman allies writes us for help: Dozol Melec, the Ixal. Waldeve must have approached him too.
[Later edit: LOL. I only just now got the quest name, given that the Ixali are bird-type beastmen.]
-Sure enough, I find him under attack and save him from the Defiant.
-ok seriously, wtf is going on? I keep accidentally killing the attacking mages and zhai’a thinks I’m on a bloodthirsty rampage
-Zhai’a inspects the bodies, and says it’s like they burned up from inside.
-Ah. The issue is that the mages tried using black magic without the Gem of Shatotto (which I have). At least I know I’m not accidentally out of control.
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Destruction in the Name of Justice
-The Defiant have been sighted at the Holy See of Ishgard. They’re trying to gain followers, offering black magic as a weapon. (This is during the time of the Dragonsong War, when the Ishgardians are hard-pressed against the dragons.)
-Zhai’a says he’s accepted us now as allies. Lalai is not so sure. It would be an awfully sudden change for someone as anti-black magic as Zhai’a.
-Zhai’a runs off to Ishgard in pursuit. I track him down, where a swarm of Defiant mages and voidsent attack.
I’m wondering now if Zhai’a is secretly a leader of the Defiant and was hoping they’d kill me.
-It’s a legit tough fight. There are just so many mages.
-Hm. Maybe I’m wrong about Zhai’a.
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The Defiant Ones
-Zhai’a got more news of the Defiant in the Thanalan Desert and went off to meet them. If he’s forthright, he’s putting himself in danger.
Lalai and I pursue.
-We catch up to the still-masked Waldeve after fighting through Defiants. I’m now all but certain that Waldeve is Zhai’a.
-He’s comic book villainous. “Mwahahaha! The summoning ritual is complete! All shall congregate in worship of my might!”
-He summons a giant barghest to attack us.
-…and Zhai’a appears behind us to support us. Lol nm. I guess Waldeve really is just a black mage wanna-be.
-LOLOL the Barghest turns around and smacks Waldeve, perhaps even killing him.
Talk about anti-climactic.
-New prediction: Waldeve is Zhai’a’s brother or sister.
-Fun fight against the barghest!
-After the fight, Zhai’a walks up to Waldeve, who is wounded but alive. Casts some sort of healy thing on him. He intends to bring Waldeve to justice after all and needs him alive for that.
-We regroup back in Ul’dah. Zhai’a found the Book of Thal on Waldeve and hands it over to me and Lalai for safekeeping. He has learned that black magic is only as evil as the mage wielding it.
Zhai’a and Lalai, new friends of different color magics.
-I get the level 60 black mage gear set, and… look. I’m usually super positive on the design of these sets.
But this? The gigantic hat, the button up shirt… that’s a no from me.
At least I still have my general level 60 caster formal gear:
-So that’s the 50-60 black mage quest. I’m a bit embarrassed about all the super anime twists I kept predicting that never came to pass. IN the end, it really was just about teaming up with a skeptical conjurer to catch some bad black mage fanboys.
Not great. Not bad, just not super memorable.
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Random Stuff Around Eorzea
-Some great player names:
Bacontotem Baconaxe
Squal Leon
Lucky Birb
Gae Rights
Zanarkand Tiduss
Babyface Mcfaceface
Austyn With-a-y
Barley Parley
Hyrule Hero
Catstab Mcdoggypunch
Mina Alucard
Dorphus Beansloober
Fred Buttman
Foot Stool
Curry Parmesan (ew)
Zanarkand Tiduss:
My friend in her slick chocobo suit:
A Gold Saucer event advertisement. Hola, gracialsgc!
PUPPY MINION!
Fabio’s cousin:
A player in a beautiful silver dress, from a wedding:
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Next time: The level 60-70 black mage story line. Ho ho ho!
