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Cherished Memories
-The questgiver is… an Allagan recording node.
RECORDING NODE: “<beep> Error. Aether blockage detected. Firm blow required. <buzz> Hit me. Hit me.”
That was how I cleared “aether blockages” from my old Nintendo Entertainment System too.
-It roams off, finding a Viis named Thiuna. She owns the Cherished Memories shop, restoring artwork and other items of sentimental value. The node is her assistant.
-It’s a relic from the Crystal Tower. Of course! She just scavenged it up and turned it to her need.
RECORDING NODE: “<blip> Am I a good node?”
THIUNA: “Yes, you are! No one keeps records like you, Noddy!”
IT’S LIKE A PUPPY THIS IS THE BEST
-She wants my help honing her techniques in different crafting professions. I’m so in.
-My first goal is to help restore a painting of Dampsole, a Lakeland village that the sin eaters destroyed 90 years ago. The client is descended from those villagers.
-The crafting requirement to get to the next level is interesting. Unlike the 60-70 quests, they don’t just give me the materials; I have to farm them. But unlike the 50-60 quests, the quality doesn’t matter beyond a small rewards bonus.
Also, I have to craft six items, not just one.
(I still prefer them just giving me the material, but this is okay too.)
-The client is delighted with the job. The painting dates back to when the elves held Lakeland.
-As the quest wraps up, it sounds like Thiuna has some sort of family issues going on. We’ll see.
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-An asshole artisan named Owell comes by to gives Thiuna some guff. Doesn’t value her work, thinks she’s wasting her time on sentimental nonsense that doesn’t help anyone.
-AND HE CALLS THE RECORDING NODE A “RUSTBALL,” HE MUST DIE
-They used to be close. Both lost their parents young, and a crafter named Harig apprenticed them.
-Harig was a restorer too. Little Thiuna had a doll from her dead mother that was falling apart, and he was the only one who cared enough in that time of hardship to help bring it back.
THIUNA: “There’re more such items at the Crystarium that serve no practical purpose, that won’t help us survive… yet mean the world to someone.” You’re super great, Thiuna.
-The next client is an elderly Drahn (the First’s Au’Ra) descended from Voeburtite nobility. We help her restore an old jewelry box.
-It’s to be the client’s wedding gift for her daughter. Family history to pass on proudly.
THIUNA: “Such connectivity to one’s homeland. An orphan like me can only dream…”
You can hear the ache in her words.
NODDY THE NODE: “I have a homeland. Glory to Allag! Long may she endure.” Bless you.
-Thiuna is philosophical about the idea of restoration. Repair is for making something work as intended again, while restoration is for returning something to its original state, imperfections and all.
-Anyway, next task is to restore an old Zun amaro barding. The Zun were nomadic before the Flood, and they relied on their amaro.
-About a half hour of crafting later…
-I can’t get over how cool it is to see these “beast tribes” as allies and friends in the First. Love it.
-This Zun here thanks me. They lost their nomadic way of life in the Flood, and maintain the traditional bardings to retain that connection to the before time.
Though Noddy doesn’t approve: “<blip> A feathered reptile, amaro are known to spray water from their nostrils. <buzz> Water and nodes do not mix.” He’s had some bad experience with these chocobo-camels it sounds like. XD
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-Owell really disrespects her. Their master was killed by a sin eater in his work, and he seems to see restoration as just a waste of talent, just screwing around given the hardships of Crystarium life.
“In the time it took you to restore a single decrepit set of amaro barding, I crafted a dozen new ones!”
-Thiuna is determined to impress Owell, to win her former fellow pupil back to her cause. Or at least win his respect. Having someone who’s basically a brother despise you like that must feel awful. I don’t blame her focus.
-Her main strategy here is to restore a broken old lute that belonged to master Harig. She and Owell used to love listening to it before Harig disappeared. My next big crafting task.
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The Notes of Bond Restoring
(What a great quest name!)
-It hasn’t worked out great. I gave her the materials to technically restore the lute, and it looks as it should, but the sound is all wrong.
Noddy the Allagan Recording Node starts to buzz: “The answer lies in Harig’s final destination. He went to Kholusia to procure material for the soundboard.”
Aha! The answer is some piece of Ondo-bought wood Thiuna has in her storage. I use it to craft the upgraded soundboard, and NOW it’s a solid restoration.
-There’s kind of a beautiful summation at the end here about the nature of this work:
“Pay due respect to your materials and the life whence they come.” A way to honor and respect history, and the lives and spirits that lived it.
-Thiuna calls Owell back. He’s honestly impressed by the work, but his mind isn’t changed. It’s nice, but it still isn’t what he sees as crucial work.
-He starts to walk away and then she begins to play the refurbished lute. And I fucking LOOOOOVE this.
Citizens draw near. The music reminds them of beloved family, of comfort in despair. It heartens them.
SZEN GWONBAI (the amaro barding client): “After a hard day’s work, there was nothing better than listening to these soothing notes while trading tales with my kin. It helped us to face another day with a smile.”
Other clients gather around, sharing how much richer and happier their lives are with Thiuna’s work. This is an argument that finally wins over Owell.
-Noddy the Recording Node adds that its former master, “Archmagus Noah,” imbued the lute with a prayer of hope when she created it. I wonder if that’s a name I should know.
-ohh shiiiiit. Owell confessed that he was the one who (accidentally) broke the lute. He’s tried distancing himself from the work of restoration out of guilt as much as anything else, since Harig died gathering the supplies to restore it.
Shame is a powerful thing. It legit moves me to see the restoration of this particular relationship.
THAT WAS AWESOME, I LOVED THAT QUESTLINE
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Pretty in Peaches (Little Ladies Day)
-The goal of this event is celebrating girls and making them feel special. Some past events have been light-hearted, others quite dark (e.g. laying to rest the spirit of a murdered kid).
-A woman named Aldiytha spotted a troubled young girl in the streets and wants my help to find her and solve whatever her problem is. Ququshu is on the case.
-She’s Momoru, a lalafell. She was in the infirmary and met a friend. They promised they’d get better together and play under a peach tree. She got better; her friend has gotten worse.
-So in this case, we plan a surprise. We wait until the kids in the infirmary are out for an examination, and then decorate the infirmary for them to look like Little Ladies’ Day. A sweet little ending.
-I especially like how we find out at the end that Aldiytha was a sick orphan herself. This little quest was a way for her to give back, to help those who are now in the position she was in.
Ququshu wearing her Little Ladies’ Day flower garland.
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Random Stuff Around Eorzea
A scantily clad Miqo’te:
Poogie, the pajama piggy minion:
A woman suspicious of her bird:
ADORABLE NU MOU MINION! Those floppy ears!
Another adorable minion:
-Some great player names:
Merry Meadow
Yeoldeman Skyloft
Volde Mort
Zucchini Dad
Pizza Joe
Harsh Death
Wootini Houdini
Touchh Me
Father Playstation
Eggy Nician
Calm Storm
Which Witch
Clueless Player
Mister Marvelous
Rufio Ruuufiiiooooooo
Lady Deathwish (whose free company’s abbreviation is “YRP”)
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Next time: Three Shadowbringers crafting questlines are down. The two that remain are the facet of forging (blacksmith, armorer, goldsmith) and facet of nourishing (alchemist, culinarian). I flipped a coin that decided I’ll work on facet of nourishing next.
