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Back in Rak’tika…
-General Ran’jit is here outside the Night’s Blessed camp, with a wounded Blessed at his feet.
-oh shit, the Children of the Everlasting Dark are by Ran’jit’s side. They’re going full Vichy, collaborating with Eulmore to save themselves.
Eulmore is claiming dominion over Rak’tika and granting the Children of the Everlasting Dark authority to rule in its stead.
VOICE OF THE EVERLASTING DARK: “Little wonder the Warrior of Darkness visits both Lakeland and Il Mheg, yet shuns Rak’tika. [The Night’s Blessed’s] teachings hold blessed shadow at bay!”
UHHH NOW SEEMS LIKE A GREAT TIME FOR ME TO REVEAL MYSELF AS THE WOD
-Ran’jit leaves to give us a short time to think it over. Join the Children and submit to Eulmore or die.
(though tbh I imagine if we submit to eulmore, we’re dead anyway)
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Put to the Proof
-The Night’s Blessed are in despair. They can’t fight both the Children and Eulmore, but won’t give in and abandon their faith.
-Y’shtola’s got her “ready to fight” face on and I love it.
If we take out the Lightwarden quickly, we destroy Eulmore’s reason for being here.
-So how do we get past the tribe into Yx’Maja? The tablet says we first need a seal used to identify ourselves as Ronka’s ancient allies. It lies in nearby underwater ruins.
-The Ronkans considered certain animals to be sacred. Snake was the head of the pantheon. Below it were the coeurl, Colibri, opo-oo, and wolf. Knowing this is key to unlocking these Ronkan ruins:
“Give praise unto the snake. By its strength do our lands prosper.
“Be as the opo-opo, rival thy kin. As all parts seek betterment, so too does the whole.
Be as the wolf, move as one. Peace comes to all who seek harmony with their kin.”
-I head underwater and unlock statues/pillars in that order. Got the symbol of Ronka. An owl talisman.
GOD THIS MUSIC! The “Civilization” theme playing here adds so much. Really one of FF’s best pieces.
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Into the Wood
-It just hit me. I know who the guardians of Yx’Maja are. They’re a secretive, fierce, tribal group at home in the woods. Gotta be the viera. I’d bet my hat.
-We head into the zone’s previously closed eastern half. We expect the guardians to fall upon us shortly.
-There’s a beautiful carpeting of blue flowers.
-Yuuuup. Arrows pour around us from the trees. HI VIERA!
-They attack furiously until Y’shtola finds a spare half-second to break out the Ronkan talisman.
-They’re overjoyed to see this. All suddenly hopeful. We head back to their village to regroup.
SENTINEL: “For three thousand years we have waited for this moment, and now you are finally here. I bid you welcome, allies of Ronka. I am Almet, chieftaness of Fanow.”
-The purple-haired woman is Uimet, her younger sister. The orange-haired is Cymet.
-They were expecting us. Huh.
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Top of the Tree
-Theirs is a classic treetop village. Think the Ewok village on Endor, or Kelethin in Everquest.
-The viera – or Viis, as they call themselves here in the First - descend from the palace guard under the last Ronkan emperor. Their duty is to carry out the Emperor’s final decree:
“By the wisdom of our people was Ronka made to thrive. Such knowledge must never be forgotten, nor may it be suffered to fall into the hands of the wicked.
“Keep it secret. Keep it safe. [ok gandalf] And look to the coming of our allies. Unto them, you shall bequeath our all, and thus will Ronka live on.”
We’re those fabled allies, even if we didn’t know it.
-The Viis are long-lived, fierce fighters.
-The Flood hurt them badly. Fanow is their only settlement still remaining
-So about that ancient Ronkan wisdom… where’s the Lightwarden? This trio doesn’t know, but I can ask around the town.
-Signs point to the Lightwarden being hidden behind Rak’tika Falls. Every time the Viis try to push into there, the sin eaters drove them back.
-The Qitana Ravel is a temple that provides access to the Falls.
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Feels Like Moonfire (Moonfire Faire 2019)
-Haven’t done one of these seasonal quests in a while, but it’s summer. Let’s do it.
-This year’s main attraction is the “Eorzean Nimble Warrior” course. Lololol
-One new green adventurer signed up. A Miqo’te named R’fhul Tia with his sister, R’majha.
-I love their relationship. He’s kinda hapless – “I slew 10 ladybugs just the other day!” – and his sister thinks he’s just the best.
-We have a contest. Who can collect faire tickets the quickest?
-I head right for the Eorzean Nimble Warrior challenge. There are SO MANY PEOPLE!
All stumbling over each other in this giant jumping puzzle.
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Anything You Can Do (Moonfire Faire 2019)
-Victory! It takes a few attempts after I fall fail the jumps, but I get it. Where’s R’fhul?
-The bartender tells me he lost much of his family. He’s his sister’s sole protector. That’s why even as a new adventurer, he feels he’s got something to prove.
-Found him, preparing to take on the obstacle course.
-He starts, he makes a couple of platform leaps… and splats into the water below.
ANNOUNCER: “Oh, the ignominy! The agony of defeat! R’fhul Tia’s challenge is over, but not for a lack of effort!”
-He lost that, and he lost our contest. He emerges humbler and wiser, excited to learn slowly. With a loving sister, to boot. Not a bad start for this adventurer.
A friendly player chef passing out fish for the cooking quest.
Ququshu in her Moonfire Faire outfit, in front of a festival balloon.
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Random Stuff Around Eorzea
-Some great player names:
Requited Love
Cookie Crumble
Sergeantina Mcbogloid
Stubby Littleking
Tender Morsel (a Lalafel)
Olive Garden
Dingding Ding
Fat Timmy
Senor Sabotender
My friend in dwarf cosplay:
A comfy chair mount:
Fighting off 3-5 wild hogs:
An enemy in Rak’tika calling back to FFIX:
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Next time: Pushing towards the Lightwarden of Rak’tika.
