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When East Meets West
-Redolent Rose of the Ul’dah guild has me meet Keimei, a new Kugane business contact. He just took over his father’s business and wants to explore new styles.
-This is his first time in the west. He’s taken aback by all the skin shown here, so maybe something more modest, like Ishgardian fashion. There’s an Ishgardian ball in town soon.
-Hey, some Heavensward friends showing off their style!
-Keimei and his Au’Ra companion are in, locking in an exclusive trade agreement with our guild.
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The Butterfly Effect
-Now I head east to meet Keimei to craft a bustle similar to what he saw at the ball. It’s to be a gift for a “geiko” (Kugane’s dancers/entertainers) he likes. Is this like XIV’s geishas?
-Ah, it’s the woman who accompanied him in Ul’dah. Kotocho. She wants a light green bustle, with a pattern like butterfly wings.
-Interesting – this is a major statement. It will draw heavy pushback from the city’s more conservative artisans who see Keimei’s business as an attack on their culture.
-I craft it. Keimei and Kotocho (me too) are certainly fans. She’ll wear it at her premiere as a geiko.
-I know very little about the actual westernization of Japan in the 1800s beyond the basics. I’ll be curious if they use this to map onto some of those cultural changes. (Probably not, given that this is a minor questline.)
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The Crane’s Caveat
-The bustle was well-received. Kotocho boosted her status and demand. (Btw, I like that Keimei isn’t possessive of her.) And Keimei’s business has seen a surge in demand for western garments.
She’s invited to perform at the Kaiko-odori, celebrating Kugane opening its ports to the world.
-The event will be outdoors, so I’ll craft something that gives a bit more breathing room. A spring dress.
-Again, looks great! The hat looks weirdly-shaped, but that could be a real thing. She’s hyped.
-A new party enters, Kototsuru, who rips Kotocho’s dancing ability (which even Kotocho admits isn’t great). Is this a rival being outshone?
She even calls Kotocho “a clumsy child who hides her shameful lack of skill with gaudy, uncultured garb.” Says that she’s a novelty, that tradition is too highly valued for her to last. BURRRRN. Ow.
-Kototsuru is a senior geiko, in charge of training the younger ones.
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A Geiko for All Seasons
-The event went… surprisingly well. Surprising to me, anyway; I feel like there’s something coming soon to knock Kotocho down a peg or change her attitude. Foreign demand for Kotocho has jumped.
-Kugane’s bugyo, its highest magistrate, will hold a state dinner. He’s invited geiko, including Kotocho. Success there should cement her status. Again, I’m doubtful this’ll go great.
-Kototsuru strongly counsels Kotocho to dress in a traditional silk komono. Kotocho is reluctant.
-COMPETITION TIME. Kotocho and Kototsuru will compete for the bugyo’s favor in their own styles. Whoever loses has to restart from the lowest rungs of the geiko profession.
-She directs me to craft a “Seductive Bustier,” and I’m legit nervous. This is gonna come off as too far forward, isn’t it?
-I mean, I personally think it looks awesome, but I trust the senior geiko’s read on the culture.
-Later…
KOTOCHO: “I saw the looks of shocked surprise on [the audience’s] faces, and before I knew it, my mind was blank. My body frozen. If only I had given my training the same attention as my attire…”
Aha! So the dress was fine. She just relied overmuch on it.
-Kototsuru adds the context. The dinner guests were from the desert. They’re used to scantily clad dress and came here to see Kugane’s traditions.
-It heartens me to see how Kotocho takes this. It’s a sign to change, to listen to Kototsuru’s wisdom. And to appreciate Kototsuru more personally. It’s a great model for how to accept failure, especially failure caused by one’s own headstrong attitude.
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Send Me an Angel
-Time passes. Kotocho has worked hard and re-earned the status of geiko, with her teachers’ support.
-The Kugane-odori festival is coming up to show off the city’s culture. It’s also a competition of sorts, with the winning geiko reigning for the year. Kototsuru is the current champ.
-Interesting! I thought this was shaping up to be a rematch, but Kototsuru is retiring, marrying. This is Kotocho’s chance.
-…Or not. Kototsuru was a legend to her, an inspiration. Kototsuru’s retirement makes Kotocho want to quit. She feels she’ll never live up to her greatness.
Kototsuru, at the sunset of her career.
-Keimei and I approach Kototsuru directly. Won’t she compete just one more year?
Okay, this is great. She agrees to compete to protect her legacy and finish Kotocho’s education. They’ll both compete with the same challenging dance and same traditional garb.
-Hearing this challenge sparks Kotocho’s competitive fires once more. She’s back.
-The dance is the tennyo-no-mai. Legend holds that the dance enticed an angel from the sky. Rarely done in tandem.
-I craft them the required dresses, and it’s on.
-The dance itself is quite beautiful.
My favorite part is the joy each dancer clearly takes in the dance itself and in each other’s skill.
KOTOCHO: “…Kototsuru. Forgive the headstrong, foolish girl you knew. The woman who stands before you understands all you have done for me through the years – and thanks you from the bottom of her heart. Farewell, my dear sister, and may happiness fill the rest of your days.”
-She’s taking that mantle.
AWWWW and Kototsuru even invites Kotocho to perform at her wedding ceremony.
-This was awesome. A tremendously sweet questline.
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Random Stuff Around Eorzea
Some of Ququshu’s crafting garb:
Ququshu or Kuato?
Flying near Ala Mhigo:
Huhu Wuaua, snowman:
-Some great player names:
Maximum Penetration
Maximum Dong (I wonder if these two players know each other.)
Aeneas Valentine
Snakeeater Muddles
Scuba Shrimp
Moiste Owlette (HALL OF FAME NAME)
Yorha Two’bee
Nuzzles Uwu
Baldur Dash
Buu Yaka
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Next time: Continuing on my 60-70 crafting surge.
