FFXIV – Part 244: Cause for Joye [Machinist 50-60]

Summary: Helping an Ishgardian bring glory to his House through the relatively new art of machinistry.

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Savior of Skysteel

-The machinist unlock starts in Ishgard’s Skysteel Manufactory in Ishgard my contact is the elaborately named Stephanvivien.

-First, we track down a rogue who left the guild, a piratic-looking Roegadyn named Rostnsthal.

-HE PULLS A GUN ON US AS WE APPROACH, AND A WOMAN ACCOMPANYING US (Joye) BLOWS THE GUN OUT OF HIS HANDS.

This is already awesome.

-Rostnsthal was a machinist trainer. If I can prove I have potential, he’ll return to Ishgard to train me.

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Master of Marksmanship

-Standard intro tests. Kill some local beasties then a brief duel with Rostnsthal himself.

-“Joye of the Nine Faces” is my favorite here. I like how she often transforms personalities in a puff of smoke, from meek to aggressive (and presumably to seven more).



-Rostnsthal had left the manufactory was because someone PAID him to do so. Not for a specific job. Just… to leave. Why would someone want to strip the Skysteel Manufactory of its teacher?

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The Last Place You Look

-Similar to the core relationship in the Ixali quests, Stephanvivien’s father, a count, is an asshole who looks down on his son for engaging in work beneath his station.



-He wants Stephanvivien to become a knight, while Stephanvivien believes the future lies in machinstry.

-The more mechanical segment of this quest is also pretty fun. We’re scavenging some wreckage for a particular gyroscope, only to find it in the belly of a big goobue I kill. “Last place you look” indeed.

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Rook Before You Reap

-The debate over machinistry is a systemic conflict. The son envisions an army of the masses being able to use guns to fight dragons while the father holds onto the notion of trained knights.

(Not that you can’t have both. Modern military forces use guns and are exceptionally well-trained.)

-A dragon attack is looming. This’ll be a good chance for the machinists to show our stuff.

-In the background are some saboteurs attacking the Manufactory. These have to be the father’s underlings trying to disrupt the son’s work.



-Our defense against the dragon attack goes swimmingly… and the father is even convinced. Huh. That was too easy. No way he was behind the sabotages if he’s now supportive.

-Here we go. A new asshole knight from House Dzamael arrives, Lord Tedalgrinche. wondering why the lowborn are taking up arms when that’s not their place. THIS is the saboteur.


Lord Tedalgrinche.

Even his NAME sounds mean.

-There’s an upcoming tournament. Usually it’s just for noble knights, but this time the MACHINISTS will enter the fray on behalf of House Haillenarte. 

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A Suppressive Strategy

-The machinists represent a threat to the class order of Ishgard. It’s currently a social hierarchy that supports knights that take tons of money to raise up and train. Guns are an equalizer.

This is why Lord Tedalgrinche is fighting so hard to undermine the machinists.

-The radiant Joye is key. She’s a commoner, looked down on by the likes of Tedalgrinche.



Her kicking ass in the tournament will prove the power of machinistry.

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Rage Against the Machinists

-Tourney time, but again, Tedalgrinche is up to shenanigans. His agents have destroyed many of our firearms. NOT ENOUGH FRIEND-O.

-The contest is a team thing. We have to destroy their banner before they destroy ours.

-There’s some strategy – ambushes and the like – but in practice, it’s mostly about just about defeating the Dzamael attackers and then pushing to their standard. Victory!


Ququshu and Joye shooting the banner down together.

-Tedalgrinche is kind of a shit loser. Acknowledges our victory (which I’ve learned is a bare minimum that not everyone can meet) while still being all “FINE you won our silly little flag game, I just hope you don’t crumble when the stakes are real!”

-It should be time for celebration. But Joye looks upset and I’m not sure why.

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Random Stuff Around Eorzea

-An awesome-looking player, though I didn’t get his name:


-Some great player names I’ve seen recently:

Saint Damnable
Medicare For’all
Mr Fahrenheit (a Queen fan!)
Watchnusleep Deeply (…a Twilight fan?)
Trouble’s Comin’
Doom Kitty
Scrub Lyfe
Mint T’astic
Normal Guy
Alice Wondaland
Nadia Lalafell-killer
Merry Knightmare
Pizza Joe

Zephyr Trueshot
Osoro Noseripper
Lynn Starlight

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Next time: the machinist 50-60 quests.