Gridania is Dead (and other talk)

[Brigandier]

I just find it stupid people complain about roleplay full stop.

Setting aside the fact it's right there in the genre name, if a player is so offended by roleplayers' /say output, why the hell haven't they blacklisted the people doing it? If roleplayers are anything, they're consistent enough in their playing habits for a blacklist entry to be worthwhile.

As someone who has 90ish people blacklisted from /say RPing from when it was really heavy, I can tell you blisting people gets old fast. I also like how you go on like it's some huge act of laziness on our part, when RP'ers could just as easily have their furry fantasies in /linkshell. Why should potentially dozens of players /blist you, when you could do your deviant crap in private? The only answer to this I can come up with is you do it for attention, probably to cope from your father abandoning you as a small child.

Then again, you might think if people were so horribly offended by roleplay they might have the passing interest to make a quick check for that and all - seriously, '"Final Fantasy XIV" roleplay server' on Google and the information was right there without so much as a click further.

A lot of us are/were FFXI players, and in all my years of playing FFXI I have only seen RPing a couple times (and usually seen the whole server come down hard on it), and nothing on the scale of FFXIV's idiocy. We do hate it enough to Google and check into it now that we've been exposed, but we signed on without any expectation that this RP deviancy would even be a factor.

[Skies]

As someone who has 90ish people blacklisted from /say RPing from when it was really heavy, I can tell you blisting people gets old fast. I also like how you go on like it's some huge act of laziness on our part, when RP'ers could just as easily have their furry fantasies in /linkshell. Why should potentially dozens of players /blist you, when you could do your deviant crap in private? The only answer to this I can come up with is you do it for attention, probably to cope from your father abandoning you as a small child.

A lot of us are/were FFXI players, and in all my years of playing FFXI I have only seen RPing a couple times (and usually seen the whole server come down hard on it), and nothing on the scale of FFXIV's idiocy. We do hate it enough to Google and check into it now that we've been exposed, but we signed on without any expectation that this RP deviancy would even be a factor.

Okay so... I'm a tabletop RPG player with a lot of experience, RPed in Ragnarok Online with a rather famous Guild in Brazil... And from what I see from your reaction I don't think what you're running into is the sort of RPing I've been thinking you have been running into, and you're making me baffled.
Just, what sort, exactly, of things are you running into? From your words I think it's something even someone like me would have to take measures against.

Edit: That being said, I do understand that people perhaps dislike /say spamming, but you get that ANYWAY with all those sorts of shouts.

[Kinseykinz]

I just find it stupid people complain about roleplay full stop.

Setting aside the fact it's right there in the genre name, if a player is so offended by roleplayers' /say output, why the hell haven't they blacklisted the people doing it? If roleplayers are anything, they're consistent enough in their playing habits for a blacklist entry to be worthwhile.

That said, while Answa was a bit of a jerk about it, it is somewhat true that while we roleplayers have made it clear amongst ourselves and to each other that Besaid is where the roleplayers will gather by and large, people do have to have a passing interest in roleplay to bother looking up the RPC and finding that out.

Then again, you might think if people were so horribly offended by roleplay they might have the passing interest to make a quick check for that and all - seriously, '"Final Fantasy XIV" roleplay server' on Google and the information was right there without so much as a click further.

I am not a Role player...but I have no problem with them. (I actually thought the OP was cute). But I must say, I DID know Besaid was the 'unofficial RP server' when I was choosing a sever back at release. I did not look up this information, so it must have been pretty easy to find. That being said, it probably would be nice if SE could officially dedicate a RP server once they allow us to transfer servers and/or release 2.0.

On topic. 1/3 of my LS happens to be in Gridania's Company Guild and/or originated from grid. We DO hang out there semi-regularly just because many of us happen to like the town. I go there because I happen to like it. My retainers, however live in Uldah.
Also, while I understand why people just got use to 'hanging out in Uldah', between the airships/short chocobo rides etc, you can make any city 'your hub' and still keep the retainers in the central market. People just don't seem to want to think that way. (Currently my HP is Treespeak for example). So i spend 3 anima once a day to tele to Uldah to check retainers/NPC/craft and then 'return' back to Treespeak where I can do rank 45 Company Leves/work on grade 5 BTN. It's actually more efficient to set your return point this way (anima-wise) than to set it in a main city. And I can run down to Grid/tele cheaply to Moogle if needed. Also, people need to start using 'search' more and shouting for parties in Uldah less....but old habits die hard.

Now all this being said, the game is in major overhaul mode...still. Ishgard SHOULD have been our 'Hub' by now. However, the game kinda got stuck in this odd 'middle-zone' between dev team swaps/game re-writes/ map redesigns etc. And well, Uldah just sorta suits the playerbase need for a hub. Also not to go all 'lore/roleplay ' on people but Uldah IS supposed to be a HUB of Commerce and trade based on the actual in game storyline. It is living up to just that. However, it would be nice if people could be encouraged to call their actual Home or GC nation Home. (Free teles/homes/exp bonus something). Might help people spread out more.

[Momita]

Tbh Ul'Dah will always be the center of attention. Why? Geographically it *is* the central city. If you have no anima (like me) you stay in uldah. If I need to get to limsa, its a hop, skip, and a boat ride away. If I need to get to grid, its the next map over. In grid and I need to get to limsa? [Return] to Uldah and hit the boat. Basically, its a central location and will stay that way (unless the 3 starting cities are geographically redesigned).

My vision for 2.0 is something where lower-levels tend to stay clustered in their starting cities, while higher levels will congregate in Uldah or other cities in higher level zones. As someone said earlier, there will always be a central area where players congregate. There almost needs to be, or finding parties would be a royal pain.

mmmmm.... Airship (Can I Have It?) ... ops already in game

[Matsume]

I loved this. Printed it at work and now gonna go over Azury's Compendium. Thank you!

My post needs more than 2 likes...

I choose Gridania.

I am an Ul'dahn man myself.

(It is a strange thing, but I see the events of this game tie in with events in real life, and I'm not talking about just seasonal events, I'm talking about the seventh umbral era. A cataclysmic event that will change the world forever. The secret goblin society, the Illuminati, The Sultanant, The Empire...maybe I'm just crazy)

Okay, I'm going to work with you on this one because I have had a lot of fun ranting about conspiracy theories represented via FFXIV in my linkshell.

First Rhetorical Question: Where do you think SE gets the material for all of the Final Fantasy series?

Moving on: The Seventh Umbral Era and the Arrival of 2.0 Is due to arrive late December 2012. It would not surprise me if SE decides to release it Dec.21 2012 on the winter Solstice which just so happens to be the proposed Mayan "End of the world" :

. Scenarios suggested for the end of the world include the arrival of the next solar maximum, or Earth's collision with a black hole, passing asteroid or a planet called "Nibiru".

Sound Familiar? "Meteor"? anyone?

Next, let's discuss the Era's themselves. A GM quote can be found here indicating that each Era has lasted roughly 1500 years..

Thank you for your questions.

What happened in the earlier Umbral Eras?
The further back in history the era is, the less clues we have that can tell us as to what exactly happened. Those who live in Eorzea now can only speculate and construct a picture of the past based on myths and lore.
But because the still rather recent 6th Umbral Era (although it was already about 1,500 years ago) was such a highly significant event in history, there are still many records on the topic that allow us to reconstruct what happened.

Theologists and Historians have studied many sources and from them concluded what struck in the first through sixth Umbral eras.
1. The Umbral Era of Wind. This was the end of the divine's era and simultaneously the beginning of men's era.
2. The Umbral Era of Lightning.
3. The Umbral Era of Fire.
4. The Umbral Era of Earth.
5. The Umbral Era of Ice.
6. The Umbral Era of Water. Severe flooding caused the submersion and damage of many parts of Eorzea.

Because all six Umbral eras are based on the six elements, the people have believed that there will be no more. But since the discovery of the 7th Verse of Mezaya's prophesy, they are instead beginning to believe in an impending 7th Umbral Era.

Considering we are at the end of the 6th Era, multipled by 2 (umbral and astral era of each element) we arrive at = 6 x 2 = 12 x 1500 = 18,000 years being the "beginning" of Eorzean Men as we know it. This just so happens to coincide with the Last Glacial Maximum when humanity first began to flourish with the retreat of the glaciares and the prime soil they left behind.

But, the Last Glacial Maximum was between 26,000 and 20,400 years ago not 18,000 as you have Indicated.

Correct! But the first era (18,000 years ago) was wind, so If we go back 2 more eras (2x astral+umbral = 4 x 1500 years = 6,000 years) to the beginning of the preceding Ice Era (assuming they repeat) we obtain 24,000 years ago, which corresponds perfectly with the Last Glacial Maximum.

Furthermore, the current Eorzian Umbral Era of Water corresponds perfectly with what we may call the beginning of the Great Flood of Noah's Ark (roughly 600 C.E)

All this talking of Elements moves me to my next point: the Wu Xing an ancient chinese mnemonic device related to the elements and their interactions as well as Yin an Yang corresponding to Astral and Umbral affinities. Let it be known the origin of Yin Yang had to do with which side of a hill recieved light from the sun or was shaded at sunrise yet these reversed at sunset...

And then, of course, there are The Twelve:

Nald'thal is the brother of Oschon.
Oschon is the brother of Nald'thal, Menphina's lover, and the teacher of Halone.
Menphina is the sister of Azeyma, Oschon's lover, and the daughter of Althyk.
Azeyma is the sister of Menphina, Thaliak's lover, the daughter of Althyk, and the mother of Llymlaen and Nophica.
Thaliak is the teacher of Byregot, Azeyma's lover, and the father of Llymlaen and Nophica.
Rhalgr is the apprentice of Nymeia and the father of Byregot and Halone.
Althyk is the brother of Nymeia, the father of Menphina and Azeyma, and the grandfather of Llymlaen and Nophica.
Nymeia is the sister of Althyk and Rhalgr's master.
Llymlaen is the sister of Nophica, is the daughter of Azeyma and Thaliak, and is the grandaughter of Althyk.
Nophica is the sister of Llymlaen, is the daughter of Azeyma and Thaliak, is the grandaughter of Athlyk, and is rivals with Halone.
Byregot is the brother of Halone, the son of Rhalgr, and the student of Thaliak.
Halone is the sister of Byregot, the daughter of Rhalgr, the student of Oschon, and the rival of Nophica.

Twelve not unlike the calendar used in ancient Chinese Astrology. Now, If you know just a little about the Four Pillars of Destiny, you would realize that every year, month, day and hour are related to and have an affinity with an astrological animal and yin yang element. Not unlike what is revealed to us by the first three chapters of the Dusty Tomes in the Gridanian Conjurer's Guild:

Chapter 1 - The Suns:

By the unit of a sole Sun we mean that period which lasts for the duration of four cycles of the six elemental hours─those of Ice, Water, Wind, Lightning, Fire, and Earth. And so is the Sun twenty hours and four, and so shall it ever be.
The life of a single Moon spans four cycles of eight Suns, and is thus the sum of thirty and two. The eight deriveth from the elements six, Ice, Water, Wind, Lightning, Fire, and Earth, and the polarities two, Astral and Umbral.

Chapter II - The Moons:

The life of a single Moon spans four cycles of eight Suns, and is thus the sum of thirty and two. The eight deriveth from the elements six, Ice, Water, Wind, Lightning, Fire, and Earth, and the polarities two, Astral and Umbral.

Chapter III - The Years:

The Year is made when the Moons go round the two Astral and Umbral poles, fluctuating between the six elements, and that in turn. In this, the Year can be said to be the length of twelve Moons.

The first and second Moons of the Year are the first Astral and first Umbral, and together they share an affinity with Ice. On their watch, all is frozen, and breath of life sloweth to near silence beneath.

The second Astral and second Umbral Moons come third and fourth in turn, and they are the Water of the melting Ice, and with their flowing slaketh the thirst of life again.

Fifth and sixth are the third Astral and third Umbral Moons, and the Wind bloweth over the Water, carrying its heavenly boons near and far.

The fourth pairing of Astral and Umbral Moons come seven and eight, when the heavens rageth with the furies of Lightning, and sendeth them below with godly terror to test the faith of men.

The ninth and tenth Moons are the fifth Astral and Umbral, as the Lightning turns to Fire, and it charreth growing life with the colors of its flames, bleeding blade and leaf with brilliant hues of crimson and scarlet.

Year's end cometh in the eleventh and twelfth Moons, the sixth Astral and sixth Umbral, in which Earth consumes all, for out of the ground we are taken for the dust we are, and to the dust we shall return.

Hmmm... Very interesting.

Last but not least I think I'll discuss the Names of Final Fantasy Characters, specifically the Primals:

Carbuncle: This creature was alleged to be seen in Latin America. Legends say the Carbuncle has some sort of jewel on its head.

Quetzalcoatl: a Mesoamerican deity whose name comes from the Nahuatl language and has the meaning of "feathered serpent". Again, related to the Maya.

Ifrit: are supernatural creatures in Arabic and Islamic cultures. They are in a class of infernal Jinn, spirits below the level of angels, noted for their strength and cunning. An ifrit is an enormous winged creature of fire, either male or female, who lives underground and frequents ruins.

Leviathan: is a sea monster referred to in the Bible. In Demonology, the Leviathan is one of the seven princes of Hell and its gatekeeper (see Hellmouth).

Odin: is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard (!sounds like Ishgard!)

Ramuh (rama): is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian Puranas.

Shivah: is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power, he lives a life of a sage at Mount Kailash.

Garudah: is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.

Pheonix: is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabian, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese and (according to Sanchuniathon) Phoenicians.

Titan: In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of powerful deities, descendants of Gaia and Uranus, that ruled during the legendary Golden Age.

Fenrir: n Norse mythology, Fenrir is a monstrous wolf.

Bahamut: is a vast fish that supports the earth in Arabian mythology. In some sources, Bahamut is described as having a head resembling a hippopotamus or elephant

Kujata: A bull generally thought to be resting on the head of Bahamut in Arabian mythology.

Lakshmi: is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity (both material and spiritual), light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm.

and the list goes on and on and on...

And you are surprised that SE made reference to the goblin Illuminati or the Knights Templar?

In short, Final Fantasy is an Allegory constructed of symbols drawn from Humanities rich past including but not limited to the ancient civilizations and religions of the Mesoamerican, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Roman, Arabian, Islamic, and Norse peoples.

This could serve as a great educational experience to some...For more information on FFXIV Lore I will kindly refer you to Azury Ariella's Lore Compendium.

Happy hunting!

[ObeiKinstar]

@Matsume

Thanks for responding!! I love info like this, it will be treasured!

[Matsume]

@Matsume

Thanks for responding!! I love info like this, it will be treasured!

Good, I'm glad I could be of service ^^;