Memoirs of Adventure Creative Writing Contest (NA) - Official Entry Thread

https://img2.finalfantasyxiv.com/acc...aaea21d88a.jpg


The "Warrior of Light", so they called me. It was a title rather exhausted, a title I had worn for far too long in expectance of ease and comfort, as I had experienced with that of my previous enemies. However, at this moment, such a title was meaningless. I fought not in the name of Eorzea, nor the Scions, mayhap not even myself, but in my desperate pursuit for veracity. For once in my journey, I had realized the meaninglessness of my own being. This was not a conflict that concerned myself nor my idiosyncratic blessings, for such blessings were powerless in their faith before the might of the pitch-black dragon standing before.

For the first time in my journey, I felt wanted rather than needed, and felt shared comradery in place of feeling as though I were always being ordered around. Even with the blessings of Hydaelyn once restored to me, the Final Steps of Faith called not for the hopes of the crystal mother, but the aspirations of generations of a thousand years. I stared on ahead, yet what stood before me was not just an encompassment of ever-lasting hatred and vengeance, but also a figure filled with a pain that could not be let go of, an understanding too harsh to come to terms with, along with the changed and twisted ideals of the one who I've been able to come to call an ally through my journeys across what felt like heaven.

The hole of emptiness one is left with following traitorous deception, I knew too well. Never could I understand the skewed desires of my kind to bury the truth in more misery. Never could I understand the black dragon's unwavering longing to kill, for his brother had given onto our regrettable kind his vulnerability once more, and to me, the utmost of his strength. For the maiden of ice who's heart was the warmest of all, the dragoon who had learned to empathize with his worst enemy, and the white dragon who had undergone the worst pain; to let go, fear was absent from mine body and soul. The thousand-year Dragonsong war would end with me.

Yet, I could not take credit for that victory alone. "Warrior of Light" they called me, yet I stood as a black mage, ready to rain the lasts of bitter destruction that this war would ever need. Who stood beside me was my fond and most trusted ally, a Dark Knight who's ambitions were identical to mine. As a mage of black and a knight of darkness, our titles as Hydealyn's children were hollow. Light had already shed upon the truths of what lead us to this path. All-consuming dusk and destruction that held the misery and agony of countless generations of both humans and dragons was the only reciprocation that could be deemed deserved retribution. With two personifications of darkness standing side by side like a burning eclipse, Nidhogg would not live to see another millennium.

If selected as a winner, I would like the bluebird earrings.

I normally solve my problems with scouring fire. So far, it’s a winning strategy. But when I first saw you, the captain of your guard was right there, and she’d done nothing wrong. You wanted to go someplace more private, which suited me fine.

Hearing your voice for the first time was a surprise, I’ll admit. When your words aren’t stabbing me in the brain, you’re rather nice to listen to. But everything you said, every excuse about “the salvation of two worlds” stoked my anger more. How could I stand there in the middle of the road just listening when you were the one who…

Yes, your city is impressive. Parading me in front of all these innocents is very clever. This isn’t the first time I’ve been manipulated, you know. You’re not the first to dangle the lives of thousands in front of me.

In your ridiculous Ocular, I nearly did it. Aether pours off the walls in the Tower. Just a thought, and I could have wrapped you in flames that never went out, until you suffered as I had. Until someone who loved you would have to look down at your body, lying still on a bed, and know that some power had stolen you away, with nothing to be done.

I don’t like being told there’s nothing to be done, Exarch. It’s never true. That’s the only thing that saved you that day. I had a path to save my friends, and by Nymeia’s Wheel I would take it. You weren’t going anywhere. Alisaie probably wants a piece of your skin, too.

*

Gods damn it, not again!

I can’t hear what Urianger is saying over the Light. I can feel it, pressing against my skin, my ears, blotting out everything.

Then, like coming up for air, it’s you. All I can see is you, trying to help me stand one more time, letting the Light come for you instead. No, you have to get away! I’ll kill you, can’t you see that, Exarch? Take the Scions, leave me on this mountaintop!

A stupid quirk of the wind finally pulls back that hood, what I’ve been longing to do for weeks. At first, all I see are the pieces - the scars filled in with azure crystal, the scarlet hair bleached to colorlessness at the tips, the pointed ears flicking to and fro, just like my own. And a pair of blood-red eyes, staring at me with more intensity, more desire, than I ever dared hope I might see.

Blood red eyes? A Seeker, pale-skinned to my Keeper’s dark? The barely-visible mark of an Archon, under the crystalline scars?

Your name bursts out of my throat, a desperate cry. You have to leave, before I kill you all, G’raha, no! Yours can’t be the last face I see!

And then a gunshot.

And then you fall.

And he’s there. I can’t even process what he’s saying. If I could make my muscles work, if I could pick up my fallen staff, I could use all this Light, somehow, I know I could. I could save you the way you’ve been asking me to save this world, this world that isn’t yours -

But I’m frozen, powerless, useless. And he takes you away.

And the sky is boiling with Light.

(Scarf of Wondrous Wit)

It was that time so long ago, my girlfriend who was my crush that live in different town back online after she having bad health, invite me to play final fantasy XIV. Obviously i would accept, heart racing with excitement to try the world of eorzea.
I choosing Gladiator as starter class, while she is Conjurer. i had no idea that starting town of that job would be diferent town. So, i ask her where her location is and go there myself by walking at that time i'm still a pure noob, who dont know anything.
I arrive at Central Thanalan, my next goal is to reach Eastern Thanalan, so far so good then i just spamming sprint to avoid all mobs.
Few minutes later i arrive at Southern Thanalan which is almost near gridania, but when i arrive at Lower Path, a Condor suddenly slap me, ofcourse i died and got returned back to Ul'dah. And get to try again, long short story i arrive at Gridania which we both then leveling together.
after then we both agree to doing some story, which i dont realize that after the story you can go to Gridania easily, and i wasted my 2 hours trying to get there.
Also, those toad at The Unholy Heir, really love sticking their tonge to kill me, i hate them. Thats my most fond memory for me, my journey to gridania at lv 1 by running.

(i choose gaelicap)

From a slumber eternal, I awoke far from home bathed in a crimson sunrise. A soul torn from the heavens, I began my journey in oblivion. Seeking an equilibrium to ward off the dark’s embrace, my mind shattered by an endless battle. Against the tempest of a cold wind fell silver tears, until I found a light in the storm.

A shelter, a piece of mind. Together we traveled through hallowed halls, the warrens, out of the labyrinth to an ancient city and beyond the gates of the moon. Our mutual hunger sought to find answers. We challenged ourselves to the extreme, you broke your axe, I broke my sword, heavenly heel broke my shield and my hubris. Time and time again we rose from the ashes. We faced the sins of the father and the son, endured the exponential entropy to fell the metal most savage.

Yours was the hand that gives the rose, we embraced the insanity. Even though you wore a thousand faces, it was always the same heart. With revelation we took the weight of the sword upon our shoulders to rally and protect those we loved. I covered your back while you unleash your inner beast. Yet life is not always black and white, the scars of battle we wore many, ours became a world apart.

A man consumed with apoplexy, the parting ways felt like an ending. The missing pages of my own story was locked behind closed doors. We all tread frontiers within, keeping our fears beyond the wall. Fear is a pall most murderous, deep down a long fall into the belly of the beast. Blind to the dark dwelling within causing us to keep tumbling down.

A rencounter brought about my own reflections, and from a friend I found serenity. I can say now I know the truth, it was old wounds pushing me towards the edge. The inner contention like an eternal wind, testing my tenacity. I rise letting all the people I met along this journey be my new locus. Knowing you cannot force your way through the fog of phantom deception.

Tricksome be the shadows withal, a fallen angel, rise of heroes. Shadowbringers under the stars, with steel reason. Breaking boundaries and forming new ones. Remember friends who are unbending steel and let go those beyond redemption.

Strong bonds of friendship make it feel like coming home in this world of imagination. Where we can go up the down staircase, through the mushroomery, embrace the blackbosom, see skies of limitless blue, dance the woe that is madness and give comfort to a wayward daughter. The only path forward is in a new hope, and a hope forgotten. Never giving apologies for our mortal instants.

We fall to rise.

(If chosen, I would like Scarf of Wondrous Wit. Thanks for reading.)

The Bringers of Light

The journey's and expectations of the Warrior of Light really takes a toll on you as time passes. It seems like the world expects everything from you and you carry on because this world needed saved. Yet, who can save the person that needed it the most? The Rising Stones were always there for me but as time continued there was a small rift slowly expanding causing us to drift away. The emptiness continued to grow as well. It wasn't till I realized that the Warrior of Light shouldn't be battle alone and taking all of the responsibilities. I was not alone, I stood with many Warriors of Light coming together to strengthen our bonds, driving out darkness, and making memories. Without all of Warriors of Light coming together darkness would've feel upon my eyes because we're not strong alone but we are strong TOGETHER. Godspeed

Twisting through the arcanum
Shared minds as one
Together we can do it
We can get it done!

Journeying through a phantasm
A fantasia, beyond reality, and our dreams
Unlocking our potential together
Sealing reality's seams!

Forever united, independent and free
We wander together, we explore and see
Within a wonderful ocean that we walk
Unity is the key!

Friends everywhere, everywhere you spy
Under the haystack, Even in the blue sky
We'll keep making friends forever
Until that fateful day we die!

It’s me again. I don’t even know if anyone will read these messages. This is my fifth message so far, and I’m running out of bottles. This time, I’ll tell you about a moment where perseverance won the day. We were about a week out from opening the First Turn of Bahamut, and ADS proved to be a hearty foe. My companions and I stood uniform in dark light armor, all of us sick of hearing Cid explain battle plans for invading Garlean occupied territories. The explosion from the old Allagan device, ADS, lead into a cavern-like area filled with crystallized orange rocks and lost technological wonders. We fought our way past golems and other fiends that closely resembled basilisks.

When we reached the staging ground for the final battle, a slippery serpent by the name of Caduceus appeared before us. It’s only by the grace of Hydaelyn that we stood a chance at all. We weren’t strong enough, we weren’t fast enough. The moment it seemed like everything was going our way, the bastard split in two. I took up my shield, and grabbed one snake as our warrior grabbed the other. A vision that played out more than once. The battle was hard, and we fought for hours. Finally, one snake fell and the other was a little too strong. Our warrior fell to its monstrous strength. I provoked it from my comrades, and grit my teeth against its relentless assault. I felt just about as though I were visiting deaths door again when... the attacks stopped. I lowered my shield to find the husk of the snake vanishing before my eyes, and chest of Allagan-make in its place. I forsook the uniformity of my companions, and I bore proof of our triumph on my chest with the first of our many spoils, an Allagan fashioned chest piece. It took many kills to get to that moment, but somehow this one felt special. My friends and I celebrated a good long while and over enough drinks I’ll still tell the story today. And now you know why this bottle is empty.

-Aeirou Orlay
(If chosen; The Scarf of Wondrous Wit)

To my friend,

It's difficult for me to imagine that it's only been a year since our paths first crossed. Somehow it feels like it's been much longer. The Rising had, once again, come to Eorzea, celebrating the anniversary of this world and all of its wonders, as the fireworks lit up the sky.

You were new to this world yourself. A brand new player, setting foot into Eorzea for the first time, a whole world of experiences to be had still laid out far before you. I don't encounter new players as often as I would've imagined, but I do enjoy the chance to speak with them. I love seeing if they need any help, or simply see how they're enjoying the game so far. I was excited that you were willing to let me share your path and lend you a hand.

It felt refreshing to go back to the basics alongside someone new. As we grow and get stronger, I think we often forget how it felt to struggle in those first few adventures as we established our footing in the world. We forget, too, how it feels to see Eorzea with fresh eyes. We're used to the coastlines of La Noscea, the forests of the Black Shroud, and the deserts of Thanalan.

Very quickly, I felt we were becoming friends. Someone I'd love to share adventures in this world with. Which is why when you had told me you were changing servers, as we sat beneath the trees of the East Shroud, I felt my heart sink. I understood, of course. You had other friends you wished to adventure with, and it wasn't my place to stop you. So we went our separate ways, encouraging each other to become stronger.

A year has passed now, and like ourselves, Eorzea has gone through changes. Being able to visit other worlds now, we're able to spend time together once again, sharing our adventures. As we sat beneath the fireworks once again on the beach of Shirogane, I can't help but see how much stronger you've become. Such is the life of adventurers, though, isn't it? You meet friends, people to share your path with, but soon the paths diverge and you travel alone, only to one day meet again when your paths meet once more. I hope our paths stay together for years to come.

Your friend,
A'tehri.

(If selected, I'd like the Gaelicap. Thank you for reading!)

Frustration, anguish, the feelings of dread.

All of these plagued my mind while I was working my way through Baldesion Arsenal during 4.5 working with my fellow peers, planning with 48 others to meet up in Hydatos to plan our raid. I've met many a people, some hardened vets, others fresh and unaware, and my favorites the ones with a beating desire to clear.

I went through BA for almost two months, working with people, joining my own little clique and gradually making my way through the dungeon. I saw many a people get knocked out as we made our way through facing the bosses that made their lair.

However the experience that gave me the resolve I needed was getting to Demi Ozma. I was determined and assured myself I would clear it this one night. We were at 4% and I was ready to finally get it, but tragedy struck. I got struck by a tankbuster just off the platform and died, no one could raise me. I saw the health ticking down, 3%... and it happened, the callout to stand on platforms to avoid being sucked out. I panicked and prayed to a god that I wouldn't be kicked out in time, my body gets picked up and the countdown gets to 2%, I'm screaming in panic on the voice chat, and then... I find my body on the floor in camp, my teammates cheering as they received their clear. I clenched my fist in anguish but in new found resolve knowing that I can do this. I WILL clear this content!

I joined groups, getting my gear completely maxed, and made my way back to BA. Clearing the bosses with ease, and faced Demi-Ozma, my greatest foe. After knowing my defeat and staying focused, seeing others get sucked into the void, that clear screen popped up and I stood up in joy and screamed most likely waking up my neighbors at 2 AM.

Was it worth it? Absolutely.
(Gaelicap please!)

“Mailmoogle, at your service! Kupo!” A familiar, welcomed chirp, but Eorzea’s most faithful delivery service isn’t always the most reliable. Curious moogles might tear into the more tempting packages, parading it’s parcels like a well-earned trophy; The nosiest could dig through personal mail if they wanted, discarding and disregarding the intended recipient in favour of their own entertainment! One such moogle had that in mind, leaving the tattered remains of an envelope strewn across the lawn of whom it had intended to reach in one piece.

“Kupo!” The irresponsible moogle cleared his throat, and began to read the letter…

Ifri, darling, a woman after my own heart~

May this letter reach you well. The shores of the Far East are beautiful this time of year, though I crave naught more than to return to your side as quickly as I can. Seeing young lovers on these gentle roads turns me into a fool, and made me reminisce of the years we had first met. Do you recall? You seemed lost in Eorzea, an adventurer fresh off a caravan, taking her first steps into the salty, biting air of Limsa Lominsa as a fledgling arcanist. You’d tell me about your adventures, and I’d cling, maybe a bit too eagerly to every word. I watched you grow, I heard your tales, I shared what ailed you, and through the good and the bad, I looked forward each day to seeing you yet again. It reminded me that times… will get better. Even when they seem at their darkest hour. A ‘beacon of hope’ would be a cliché unworthy of how much you’ve come to mean to me, but it’s hard to say you’re not that and more to this old miqo’te. (Or, ‘mongrel’ as you so lovingly deemed me when we first met.) I remember your advice when I need it, and I look to you for inspiration, your guiding words driving me further and further to my own goals so that in their end, I may help you with yours.
Besides, you put up with me. What more could I ever ask for?
I still believe the day we first spoke wasn’t by chance, it was fate, and our Eternity Rings are proof that the Twelve haven’t abandoned us just yet! As each year turns, I’m still reduced to an eager, purring kitten in the time we spend together. And soon - quite soon, I hope! - the home we’ll share in the Lavender Beds will radiate with the afterglow of your companionship.

Safe journeys to the First and back, and may you forever walk in the light of the crystal,
C’rik Tia

...naughty moogles. In the end, the letter had been jammed haphazardly into it’s proper post box!

~♥~
https://img2.finalfantasyxiv.com/acc...7e8a58d591.png
~♥~

◘((Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. The memory I hold the closest to me is probably a bit overdone, but through Final Fantasy 14, I bonded with who is now the most important person of my life. ♥ I owe so much more than a simple ‘thank you’ to this game.))

◘((If selected, I would like the Mandragora Choker, please!))

The time of the year has come once again: The Rising. A time to relfect upon the memories, friends, encounters, all that shape us into the adventurer we are today. Countless people have touched my life since I stepped foot into Gridania as a brand new adventurer. The battles, victories, and even defeats made me stronger, more determined, and remind me not to lose sight of what's important. Reflecting upon my past adventures, I pick the bottle up and remove the note from inside.



Lanterns fill the sky above, each one telling its own story. Flickers representing so much that was lost, memories of those who once stood at our sides and suffered. I close my eyes as I slowly release my own light. Quietly I watch my lantern join the countless multitudes which gently rose into the night sky.

"For my friend who long since parted", I whisper as I remember his smiling face. The one who sacrificed his life to protect my own.

Warrior of light, it was not until this moment that I truly understand what the title means. The impact of the realization both astonish and overwhelm my senses. I opened my eyes and scan the faces that stood with me, their eyes shining with their own light. I study their expressions each one in turn, old and young alike. A bounty of smiles surrounds me where sorrow once prevailed. Hope. The image I would carry with me no matter where my adventures take me.

"It would never happen, stranger", I remember the words spoken to me when I first arrived in the Doman lands. The magnitude of despair the Domans and Ala Mhigans endured was unlike anything I had ever seen. Dreams smashed, hopes fleeting, lives no longer mattered greeted me in plenty. The mere thought of freedom was like a flimsy bubble ready to pop. We encouraged them to never give up no matter how hard the struggle. We stood tall even when they turned their backs on us. So many sacrifices were made to break the chains of oppression. Countless lives lost, bodies littered the battleground where we made our stand. A long, near impossible, journey turned into the greatest adventure we could have hoped for. I smile knowing the fallen were smiling along with us.



The letter from the bottle rest in my hand as a tear travels down my cheek. -Thank you, An overjoyed Doman.

How that moment changed my life words could never explain. Each battle that was fought, their faces gave me strength. When I was close to giving up, they became my resolve. I wish the person who wrote the letter in the bottle was standing before me, for in that moment it is I who wants to give them my thanks.

(Thank you for reading, if I am selected I would like the Gaelicap)

To you, my love,

Not a day goes by that I don’t miss you. That day at Ghimlyt Dark still haunts me while I sleep. Your side of the bed feels empty without your warmth, and I find myself missing you more and more with every day.

Do you remember that day, the day we got married? Beneath the stars on the only clear night in Ishgard. I remember it clearly, the way you held my hand, the way that you looked under the stars. There’s nothing about that day that I would change, only that I want to relive it again now that I am without you.

Raubahn has said he’d prefer me to a hundred soldiers. It’s burned into my memory. Am I nothing more than their weapon? This feeling haunts me, that I am disposable. The savior of Eorzea, the Warrior of Light, nothing more than a tool to be used.

The world while you sleep moves on. News from the frontline comes to my room in Foundation, no news of the scions or their state. Like them, you sleep soundly, unaware.

The calling has grown stronger, strong enough to have met with the one in question. Surrounded by stars I didn’t recognize, I wonder if where you are the stars are different as well. I hope you’re safe, alive and well even where I can’t protect you.

It pains me to not leave this letter for you when you wake, on your bedside table in the event you return while I am gone. It feels impersonal, like you are not even there. I sometimes sit at your bedside hoping you wake. I long to see your smile, to return to something simple. There’s no way that would happen, even if I pray it might. I’ve never quite been one for religion, but for you I’d try and try again.

I hold on to this, in hopes on the First that we can meet again. Ever of stalwart soul, I rewrite stars so that we may be brought together again.

Orion

( noble barding! )

Hello Reader!,

I hope this letter finds you well and in good health. It is likely you have experienced much in your time, as the same can be said for me. Often I wonder what my favored memory is, spent in this realm. Yet I could honestly state, it seems a bit different from others experiences.

Never have I experienced the excitement behind defeating enemies. Nor have I reveled over such as triumphs. What has always been my favored times upon this realm, is the journey towards it. The people I have met, the smiles they have brought. The tears they have forced me to shed.

However, more important, is the courage and happiness there company has brought me and the journey we have tread together. I have traveled through many realms and made many different friends along the way. Some have had to leave us for another life calls, and yet saying goodbye will never be easy. To them and to you I would like to leave this letter.

Enjoy the journey and cherish those whom wish to be around you. For a day will come when we all move forward. It is not a sad time, no, more or a time to remember and keep those memories for as long as your mind might be capable.

Yours always,

The Wandering Adventurer, and friends.


(Ahriman Choker)

“I can see it!” I exclaim breathlessly, “I can see the top!”

With the better part of an afternoon all but spent on the La Noscea Bloodshore, what little remained of my sanity waned with every apprehensive step taken on this tower stretched seemingly endlessly into the clouds above. Having exhausted all the platforming techniques I knew— from popping sprint to jumping backwards— I stubbornly blundered my way onto each new plank. Determined was I to reach the top, I knew to pay absolutely no mind to my character’s cries of agony in breaking what was likely every bone in her body from falling for the two hundredth time. Nevertheless, with every fall to the bottom, I became faster, my jumps grew cleaner, and my aim grew keener.

And now, I find myself within reach of my goal.

“Come on, I can do this. This is going to be the one!” I grit my teeth hard, damp fingers jittering on the keyboard with anxiety.

“...You know you can just teleport to me with the Eternity Ring.” My husband, who has been waiting patiently atop the tower for hours now, remarks in amusement. “All this effort just for the sake of watching fireworks with me...”

“Shush, you’re ruining my concentration!” I hiss back willfully. He turns away chuckling as I reposition my camera in preparation for the next jump.

Then with one firm press of the spacebar, I push off onto the next plank. Followed by the next one… and the one thereafter. My hold on the W key ever calculating, my mind fixed solely on victory. My heartbeat accelerating rapidly as I closed in on the finish line, voices are cheering in my head as my eyes lock onto the final plank.

There it is, the final plank…! This will be my last jump!

I pause to take a deep breath, reflecting on the countless trials and struggles I have had to endure to arrive at this point. The end had seemed so far away, so impossibly out of my reach… And yet, here I am. Thus, I sharpen my focus, positioning my character dreadfully fastidiously before taking a final, hopeful leap——

https://img2.finalfantasyxiv.com/acc...7a3c97e29d.jpg

https://img2.finalfantasyxiv.com/acc...edcef667c8.jpg

[If chosen, I would like the Scarf of Wondrous Wit, please and thank you!]

The war in Ala Mhigo had been grueling and brutal from the start. I was still new to these lands, but I had risen through the ranks quickly and proven myself in battle after battle. My shield was battered and beaten, the beads of sweat across my brow were dark with the grime of this conflict, and my blade glistened crimson with the blood of the garlean soldiers who had stood in my path. There was nothing that would stop me from getting to him now. He who had done so much damage. He who had hurt so many. He who would be stopped this day. “Zenos!” I shouted at the top of my lungs, my voice echoing across the Ghimlyt. I wanted him to know I was coming.

I remember facing him for the first time in Rhalgr’s Reach. I swore then he wasn’t human. Little did I know then how true that would come to be. He was like no enemy I had faced before. He seemed impossible to hurt and the strength in his sword swings was like getting struck by one of the many primals I had faced, maybe even more so. I remember the rage I felt when he struck down Y’shtola. I was to hurt to be able to do anything about it, which only stoked the fire burning within me. I would have vengeance.

The ringing of metal against metal brings me back into the moment as another garlean bullet ricochets off my shield. “On your left!” The dragoon calls out as two more garleans join the fray. They bring their swords to bear against my shield as I dig into the dark soil to hold them at bay. I can feel the sudden rush of heat against my face as a fiery explosion from behind them immolates them both. I glance over my shoulder as the black mage gives me a nod from beneath the brim of his hood. Just then a suit of magitek armor bursts forth from debris in front of us and takes aim. I leap in front of our white mage and bring my shield up, digging my heels into the dirt as the magitek beam blasts forth. It takes everything I have to hold on as the beam forces me back, my heels digging small trenches in the blood-soaked earth. The little lalafell that had been tending to our wounds huddled behind me as I bared the brunt of the attack. Unfortunately for the pilot of the magitek armor, he didn’t see the dragoon leaping through the air from behind him and bringing his spear down into the back of his neck. As the beam abated, I took a moment to catch my breath as my small friend healed me up. The migo’te who had been showering our enemies with the elements gazed out at the battlefield ahead. “Zenos has spared no expense on this battle.” My fellow Au Ra, the man with the spear laughed a little at her observation. “Me thinks he may be a coward deep down. He hides behind an army when he used to fight his own battles.” I finally stand and give them both a terse nod. “He may yet realize that his time has come. Let’s not disappoint him.”

Shortly after this I finally faced Zenos, but that is a story for another time.

(That and I ran out of words!)
(If I win I would like the Scarf of Wondrous Wit)

The World of Darkness. It was back during the ARR days, where everyone was still getting their feet wet, seeing what the game had to offer. I had run this world countless times, and so had many others. The voidsent and abominations, though formidable, often proved no match for our swarming might.

But this time, it was different.

Hefting a shield and joining the raid, I swiftly realized that this run had been populated by new meat. Those who didn't know the terror of these creatures of darkness. We wiped the on Angra Mainyu. Someone needed to take charge, if only so we can get this done.

So I explained mechanics, and with other veterans guided the players like a well-oiled machine. It was all successful... until Cloud of Darkness. We were doing fine, but the clouds started rolling in, and I watched with trepidation, then shock, then horror - they were getting through. It looked like they were getting through. It seemed we would fail...

'Wall of NOPE!'

I slammed the Limit Break button, and the rock solid walls came down, shielding us from the inevitable particle beam catastrophe. We defeated the abomination, and I was praised by everyone... and by everyone, I meant five commendations from my party of eight.

Still feels bad.

The day I received my Chocobo companion was the most memorable day I can recall. Working to get Lunaire her tank barding which was unheard of back then since we could only choose one path and healer was the one most people started with. I always imagined Lunaire looking at me and thinking "Kweh. Do we really have to go training again?" Yes. Yes we did. Hours upon hours of blowing up Natalaan hordes with holy just to get that precious thing to level 10. To my excitement and her chagrin the level cap was raised to 20. Back out to training we went. Good times great times.

Noble Barding

Ul'dah was unlike any place I'd ever been before... not quite as cheerful and quiant as the manicured lanes of Gridania, but the cobblestone streets had an excitement all their own. The energy that swirled around me made my focus falter and my eyes failed to take in one thing at a time. The dancers giggled and sashayed as the crowd nearby tossed gil their way, almost enticing my attentions with their magical performance.

That's when I noticed you standing there, back against the sandstone walls near the Quicksand. You'd been watching me for some time, my indecision and outlandish garb not being lost on you. That's when you made the first move... you spoke to me with candied lips about a promise of adventure. Perhaps I was a bit too stubborn with you, but the thrill of the chase was rewarding enough, I suppose.

It's funny how life works... I never expected I'd find someone whom I'd so closely ally myself. We've fought off countless enemies and braved the storm together, so I cannot imagine the malms we shall walk together, nor the lands we'll visit with both fear and wonder in our hearts. I will gladly take those steps with you, every ilm of the way.

There's no telling how many years we've ahead together, but the ones we've spent so far have been the most important of my life. We've nothing but this strange land and even stranger tale to thank for starting our own chapters, but thank them I shall.

To many more years together, my love.

A Woman Who Love Hath Conquered

https://i.imgur.com/54dOzwZ.jpg

_______________________________________________________________

G'iselle Bellerose - Balmung
Prize of Choice: Noble Barding
Art by https://twitter.com/Neri0r

My most fond memory of Eorzea is not of slaying a vicious primal, navigating some intricate dungeon or triumphing in a grandiose quest. Instead, it was a simple stroll down a housing district.

On a unremarkable and routine trip to Limsa, I decided to make conversation with a random Viera because I thought she had a cute outfit and wanted to know how I might achieve the same. We soon became fast friends, with her going so far as to join my Free Company and even take part in the Ceremony of Eternal Bonding with me. But none of that was my best memory.

It was taking a slow sunlit stroll down the streets of our housing district together, while she led me by the figurative hand to explore all the strange and unique homes people had careful crafted for themselves. One across the street from us was unexpectedly eerie, with spooky snake-women arranged in a threatening display, eating a hunk of meat roasting over an open fire. Another mansion turned out to be a surprise shopping mall, with carefully arranged rooms set up as boutiques. Yet another was a casino of sorts, with people performing on a grand stage and pouring each other drinks. We took our time to carefully investigate each nook and cranny, and ended up meeting new friends along the way.

The magic of this game is that her and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to meet each other and in turn got to experience this fun moment together. It might not be as epic a tale as many others posted here, but it was special to us, and I’m glad this game allows special moments to be had with one another across the world.

(If selected I would like the Noble Barding please, thank you for this contest!)

If you are reading this, lt means that I'm DEAD...nah, I jest. But now that I've got your attention I'd love it if you read me out.

What's your fondest memory, adventurer? Was it the first time you set foot in a dungeon with a party? Was it when you realised you had a whole company of friends? Or was it the time you fell in love with someone special? It's hard, isn't it? I will tell you mine while you think yours.

I was on an expedition to a mystery land called Eureka. One of the craziest places I've ever been to. Monsters that could kill you in one hit, treacherous paths full of deadly traps, hordes of people running from one place to another, shouting their personal business no one wanted know… it was madness but, in a twisted way, (though I'm sure not everyone will agree) also fun.

In the midst of chaos, between dozens of people, I noticed this person. A beautiful miqo'te with silky long blue-ish hair with piercing green eyes. It took me by surprise but as I was admiring her, she was doing the same with me. In that moment, we smiled at each other and the world stopped. There was nothing else going on in my head. It was me, her and that wonderful smile. To even further the "out of space and time" situation, we said hi at the same time. To say that I was completely overwhelmed with sweet feelings is a bit of an understatement.

We fell in love with each other immediately. It took 3 days to confess our feelings and even less days to move in together. We connected in a level that I really can't explain. It was right off a fairy tale. Everything was perfect.

You may be thinking now how lovely this is...or the alternative "ugh, this a bit too sweet for my taste" eh? Haha, yeah, I don't blame you...it was. It really was like that. But truth is: things didn't go well. Maybe in another time I will write another message in another bottle about it, but for now let's just say we weren't meant for each other at that right moment of our lives.

What a depressing turn of events, right? I can't deny it. Again I say: It really was that way. But you know what? The moment when I met her, it still is and will always be one of my fondest memories. Nothing could change it. Not even the worst stuff you can imagine. I'm so happy and grateful for what I could live with her and that's enough.

So, my friend. Even though your fondest memories are long gone in the past, even if things didn't turn out alright, even if they ended up bringing sadness or despair to your life, that doesn't make them less valuable. What I'm trying to say is: cheer up. Happy can turn sad, yes, but no one can't take that happy moment from you. And if you were once happy, you can be it again. I mean, isn't that the point of fond memories? To remind us that life doesn't always suck? Heh. Anyways, I'm starting to ramble now. Thank you, for taking the time to read this...but you should move on, adventurer. Go make your own stories.

Sincerely,
Someone who needed to write this.

Every adventure begins with a desire for the extraordinary. But never was there an adventure worth having that didn’t come with its share of pain. Pain withstood… and pain inflicted. Only after several years spent fighting desperate battles across every yalm of Eorzea and beyond alongside my comrades in the Scions of the Seventh Dawn did I finally learn that precious lesson.

Some time after the liberation of Ala Mhigo, a stroke of whimsy guided my steps back to Ishgard. The bracing cold chased away warmer memories in my mind, bringing to surface thoughts that had been buried for many moons. Some pleasant, others… less so. In the midst of this reflection, I reunited with a familiar face — the Dark Knight known as Sidurgu of the Obsidian Heart. I was gladdened to see him, as well as his companion Rielle. That was also the day I met Myste. My first interactions with the boy also felt like a reunion of sorts, as his features bore such striking similarities to friends from journeys past. I first doubted my sanity for feeling as such, but the events to follow confirmed that the connection Myste bore to me and my fallen comrades ran truly deep indeed.

The four of us partied up, following Myste’s lead on a naive quest to end the suffering of all those we happened upon along the way. Easing the regret of those who have died, and of those who are left behind… could such a thing have ever been possible? A day came when I encountered Myste for the final time. By his strange power, I confronted numerous simulacra — realistic depictions of foes whose blood had stained my own blade… my own hands, and even my very soul.

Even now, not a moon goes by that I don’t relive the events of that day in my dreams. I am grateful for it, as I could not forgive myself if the lessons I learned then were to fade into the obscurity of time. I realized, for the first time, that there is weight to every life one takes. Whether performed under the presence of justice or no, punishment must be meted out to the man who presumes to decide the fate of another. To bear the lingering regret of the lives piled high upon my conscience until the distant day that I can face them in reconciliation — that is my own punishment, one I carry out proudly.

Forget not, though, that suffering is just one side of the coin. On the reverse is joy, and therein lies the true reason that I remember Myste so fondly. When my mind’s eye looks upon the silhouettes of departed heroes from yesteryear, I also see the heroes who continue to stand beside me now and forevermore. I remember the day I procured a linkshell, and engraved upon it the name “Bottled Glory”. I remember the moment I met each fellow adventurer that graciously accepted one of those linkpearls from me. Countless faces that brightened all my days and gave every journey a purpose. They are every bit the Warrior of Light that I am, if not more so. May they ever walk in the light of the Crystal.

(Request: Scarf of Wondrous Wit)

A couple of years ago I had decided to retry and finish ARR, around this time I had a shadow of darkness overlooking me everyday. Everyday felt like a chore to waking up, brushing my teeth, etc. I was alone, and cowering in my room hiding away from reality. I was dealing with all these emotions the best anyone can. Then one day my friend messaged me "Hey! I didn't know you played! I can help you grind out stuff!" and just like that this cloud of darkness slowly began fading away. He told me stuff i didn't know the crafting classes, the best way to level up, doing my dailies. and of course about my relic weapons, then 1 day on my way to Ifrit, my friend messaged me "Hey man I'm in this FC and id super happy to have you here so you can do end game stuff with us!' I was nervous at first, awkward, shy, weary of meeting new people. But joining that FC was the first time I've ever felt the sense of a small little family. they helped me with some crafting some gear and even some gill to get me by. The time i spent with them made me feel whole again made me feel alive. as the story goes though all good things must come to an end. I broke my PC and didn't have any way to play FFXIV anymore. but even so I trampled on and hoping one day I can play again.
Regardless of where you all are or what FC you're in If you're reading this Knights of The Round.
Thank you all for being my personal warriors of light in the darkest moments of my life.

The first crash could be felt for miles. A shockwave of pure energy, wiping over the landscape of the forested Shroud, sending an eerie rustle through the trees. The second and third equally powerful, sending 10-foot-tall waves over the decks of Limsa Lominsa, and kicking up sandstorms in Ul'Dah. They were near instant, alarums and shouted warnings through the three cities echoing to the outer settlements and housing districts with high speed. It was during this time that a particular residence- the Dreamers free company- stopped all motion. Five children, all girls, looked to the sky, where the Lesser Moon, Dalamud, didn't seem as far off as it did just a few minutes ago...

"Girls!" A thin, lithe Miqo'te female shouted, her voice sharp and urgent. "Get inside!" They were obedient, for a welcome change, and filed inside quickly, not bothering to grab the toys they had been playing with.

"Litani." A crackling female voice issued from a linkpearl tucked into the feline's ear, tinged with the barest hint of breathlessness, as if she couldn't believe her eyes. "Something's going down. It's hell on Hydaelyn out here... Make sure the kids are safe."

"Aye. Already done."

"Good. Keep them inside until we get home." The female voice changed to a different channel on the linkpearl, to the open channel for the clan. "Fey, Sully. I... Chi and I are in Ul'Dah right now. There's voidsent everywhere, and Dalamud is on its way down. Reports are saying it's the same in all the city states... Chunks of Dalamud are crashing, some settlements are being leveled... Be fuckin' careful, you hear me? I'm not coming home to hear any of you didn't make it back. Am I clear?" Without waiting for an answer, her voice softened to a tone she didn't take too often. "I love you. Do what you have to. Make it home."

(I would like the Bluebird Earrings if selected.)

When I'm not slaying gods or obsessing over glamour, even the Warrior of Light has his pastimes. For today, gathering is on the calendar. Or it would be, if I weren’t so stubborn.

It wasn't the botanist’s axe that troubled me so, but rather that of the warrior’s, pleading to be unsheathed — to exact revenge upon the beast that had slain its owner.

At the levemete’s request, I made my rounds just south of Summerford. Strangely, as I began to dig up the La Noscean soil, it was almost as if I could sense some kind of powerful presence.

Warily, I scouted a dark figure in the distance; a creature, both burly yet lanky. As I drew in, it revealed itself to be a massive, mountainous… goobbue.

This goobbue, towering before me in all of his flowery, mossy greatness, was nothing to sneeze at. By tradition, I spare no monster and certainly no goobbue in my way, but for the moment, logic prevailed as I sneakily tiptoed around him.

Though, as the other tradition goes, my logic never fails to disappoint. He quickly turned around and heartily slapped me in the face.

A single hit had knocked me out, and I returned to the aether, soon awakening in Limsa Lominsa. So began the cyclic tragedy, for my ego would never allow the tale to end so abruptly. And besides, Mr. Zango wouldn’t let me off so easily.

Upon my first return, I came in gear that was befitting of my new goal: to best this vile, putrid fiend, here and now. In other words, it was a long day. The traces of moldy phlegm that linger in my attire, even now, are a testament to either my bravery or my stupidity.

A dozen attempts had passed before long, all comprised of throwing myself against a literal stone wall. But by Thal’s balls was I going to see this goobbue pushing up daisies — not from his head, but from the ground.

Countless tries later, a fellow adventurer drew near, likely to witness another personal Calamity. But swiftly, she activated her linkpearl and uttered:

“S Rank ▶Middle La Noscea ( 24.2 , 20.1 )”

Were those words a declaration of war? A magical spell from the arcanist's guild? Clearly, it must’ve been the latter, for it summoned what seemed like the entire continent before I could process an answer. A colossal crowd lied patiently in wait, thirsting for goobbue blood, until one began to dash forward and draw his attention. Like a stampede did the rest follow, weapons raised, delivering unto him a pain even greater than my own. Within mere seconds, he fell, and in another few did people say their thanks and disperse.

At the time, I hadn’t a clue what kind of spontaneous murder meeting I bore witness to. All I knew was that I was in sheer awe from such a beautiful display of teamwork; and though it put a dent in my pride, watching the systematic destruction of my foe was cathartic enough to repair it.

Rest in peace, Croque-Mitaine, until we meet again… down here, in Eorzea.

https://i.imgur.com/fzu44JC.jpg
(Gaelicap)

“Hey, red mage, you’re gonna need to help the healer out for this.”

Excuse me?! was the initial thought. I stared at the tank, a burly shirtless Hrothgar with a gunblade toted over one shoulder. The second damage-dealer, a ninja or a dancer or something – it didn’t really matter, as long as they did their job right – stood there and said nothing. The healer was mum, too.
This was not my job. This was absolutely not the job of a red mage. I had a single healing spell and a single revive spell, and that was it. That was the extent of my ability to ‘help the healer heal’.

There wasn’t time to argue, though. The Hrothgar didn’t wait for a response. He hurled himself right up to the giant angry dragon perched in the middle of the snowy hellscape of a field.

For roughly five minutes, everything went fine. Mostly. As fine as these things tended to go, anyway. The living snowglobe that was The Burn was a mass of indecipherable white around us, but everything else moved clear as crystal, if only because everyone else was stark and dark against it. I sent a few heals here and there – stupid healer, do your job – but it was nothing intolerable. For a moment, I thought that everything would be fine and the healer would pull themselves up.

Then, I noticed the tank – stupid white Hrothgar – wasn’t looking so hot. He wheezed and heaved between movements, visibly aching.

After that, I noticed that the healer was down. How in the heck?! Is it really so hard to stay out direct line of fire?!

I think I let out a hysterical laugh, thin lalafellian voice ripping the sky. “Scrap to you all, I’m the healer now!”

I got the healer back up. I then promptly gave them a solid heal of my own. Then I healed the tank, just to make sure that everything was on the up-and-up. I couldn’t keep this up for long; I wasn’t made for this sort of extended drain.

The other damage-dealer then decided that it was a good time to fall. Nice of them, really. The healer had that one handled, though, finally, but then the tank fell and that was on me to fix.

It was a dance of staying just out of the path of danger while also making sure three toddlers didn’t die. It was as if they were doing their utmost best to get as many wounds as possible, healer included.

In the end, we pulled it off. The dragon wailed and fell, death throes echoing in to the midday sky. But only because I got it done.

The other three stumbled off and away without so much as a nod of thanks. No gratitude; no commendations.

But the swell of pride makes it the most cherished of memories.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EDbr8sdX...jpg&name=small

(Gaelicap, please)

A memoir? An account of my fondest memory? As if I could choose one out of the many. After six years, there are too many to choose from. But I suppose I could start with one of my earliest...

Taking those first fledgling steps into the lands of Eorzea, seeing this vibrant world for the very first time, choosing a homeland from the verdant, vibrant emerald gem of the Shroud. Setting foot into Gridania as naught but a fledgling adventurer and feeling that sense of wonder, taking those first steps into a fresh new world of fantasy, adventure and magic.

And as that first day became the first week, and the first week became the first month, and the first month became the first year...I realized that at long last, I had finally found what I had sought in the years prior: A place I truly belonged. I have so many fond memories of Eorzea- of my adventures within, the friends gained (and those lost; dear Haurchefant, I try to smile every day, my friend), the enemies overcome, the hurdles mounted and the challenges surpassed.

It has been six long years, and while not all the memories may be good, there are far more good than bad. I felt myself stepping into the shoes of my Warrior of Light, becoming them and allowing myself to be transported into their world. The laughter that they shared, they shared with me. Their joys and sorrows, their anger and dispair, their triumphs and defeats- all of these, my Warrior and I came to bear together.

We faced the might of the Garlean Empire together. Brought low an Ascian. Ended a thousand-year war. Liberated war-ravaged lands. Felled a mighty beast of fire and a mistress of ice. Passed a test of judgement. Defied fate and made our own path. We fell into the pits of deepest despair, and clawed our way out tooth and nail and denied the attempts to stop us and bring us low.

Together, we have surmounted the insurmountable. Made possible the impossible. The unbelievable become believable. My friend, since those first uncertain steps into this fantastic new world, we have never wavered, never faltered. And through each of those six years, we have held fast to the original sense of wonder we felt when we first set foot into this realm.

You ask me to recount my most cherished, my fondest memory? Well. That memory is you, Warrior. We have laughed, cried, shed blood, felt every sort of pain and heartache, joy and happiness and experienced them as one. You are the Warrior of Light. And I? I am, as I always have been and shall always be, your guiding hand...

(Scarf of Wondrous Wit. Thank you for reading.)

It was nights such as these, calm and stagnant, where I would find myself lost amidst the skies, like diamonds, pockets of light upon an endless ocean. War torn, and weary, I looked upon my scarred hands until I felt my eyes sting and I thought--surely this was what I had been searching for all this time?

The years had left me bedraggled and tired. Waking before the sun to stare upon mine own reflection and gaze at the shadow housed within. From a vantage point high above the distant snowcaps of Coerthas, names and faces flew through my mind like glimmering motes of light, like the stars themselves, fading with the coming of the sun.

Beside me, I hear commotion. My beloved emerges from their tent, scrubbing sleep from their eyes and wearing an expression that begets their familiarity with my morning habits.

“The sunrise is beautiful.” They say,

I am only a man. Weak in constitution, gorged on power beyond what I could comprehend. Destiny was a far reaching current which had pulled me upon all directions for so many years, but it was the gratitude that kept me going. The knowledge that those I had never met, and never would meet, were somehow saved by my actions. Insurmountable responsibility.

There were many things I kept close to my heart. Faces that lingered. Voices I could swear I heard when the evenings got too dark and quiet to bear. Many, I know not where they are. But one I do.

We reach the cliff overlooking Coerthas by mid-morning, and pause to gaze upon the spires of Ishgard as they challenge the heavens with precision. The age of Dragonsong had long since ended, but it was only now the people were beginning to heal. I could see signs of construction bringing broken stone and glass to life once more, and my heart leaps.

At the apex of a jutting cliff sat the snow laden stone which kept my breaths at a reverent murmur.

His shield, worn with rust sat as it always had.

I smile. Take my seat beside the stone. My beloved comes to rest beside me, and we break bread beneath a cloudless sky.


[I choose the scarf of wonderous wit if chosen. Thank you for reading!]

From the journal of Tannlore Belegeria:

Smoke, ash, blood… these scents linger still in my nose all these years when my mind wanders back to that day. The heavy, oppressive aether of the elder primal clung to every fiber of my being, down to my soul. My eyes, filled with the rancor and seething hatred given form in the shape of an impending terra flare, could scarlessly believe what they were seeing. I and my companions had lost all hope, was it all for naught? But then it all vanished, in a blinding flash of light and aether unlike that of Bahamut; this aether was filled with hope. I was moving, being sent somewhere, but where? One by one my companions vanished before my eyes, until it was my turn. I turned my gaze behind me in time to see the world vanish, instead replaced by stillness, beauty, calm and peace.

https://img2.finalfantasyxiv.com/acc...eca001e2e4.jpg

I was in the twelveswood once more. But, how did I get here? Where exactly was I? I had explored these woods to the very dark depths and never had I seen a place like this. It was like waking from a nightmare, and I was happy for it. Somehow, I knew I was sent forward in time, beyond the reach of that calamity. My heart soared for joy that Eorzea had somehow survived that looming doom of flame and destruction, though mine eyes could see the scars in the land left in its wake. But was I alone? I could think of one friend to call.

I let out a whistle, a clarion call to my companion, my chocobo, “Hurricane”. We had been through much over the years. Was he still alive? Was he still looking for me? As silence greeted mine ears, my heart began to sink. Was I so naive to believe that he would survive such an event? But, then a reply, a clear “Wark” from the woods. I know that call, I’ve known it since he and I took to our journey together. Had he been waiting for me all this time?

With a sudden burst of movement, a yellow blur lept towards me. However, I did not panic. I knew this blur, I knew this bird, and before he could scarcely come to a halt, mine arms were wrapped around him. After seeing such anguish and devastation, to find happiness in this simple moment, to be reunited with my old friend, was beyond my ability to put into words until many years later in these pages. The years had been good to him. Someone had donned him in armor I did not recognize and marked him with a strange glyph upon his beak; one I would later discover upon mine own back as well.

My friend still journeys with me. Though I have been gifted many a steed of various kinds, from mechanical to magical, my companion still fights at my side. Together we journey on, as we always have, as we always will making memories to last a lifetime and beyond. Should you come across these pages, think of my companion. Spend a moment to remember and consider his contributions to mine battles. Battles, that saved the lives of countless people here and on another star. Remember the joy this simple chocobo brought to the heart of the Warrior of Light.

https://img2.finalfantasyxiv.com/acc...a2dee834cb.jpg

[Thanks for the read! My choice is the Gaelicap!]

“There are many things you learn after spending years adventuring” I looked on at the faces of the children surrounding the campfire in front of me. Khloe Aliapoh, a young Miqo’te that is fascinated with the stories I have from my adventures, had asked Zhloe if she could get me to hold a story night for all the children at the Menphina’s Arms Orphanage. Having caught a break on my journeys I heartily agreed. “The first and most important lesson is to always believe in your companions.”

“The children here around the fire? They’re your family, are they not?” I smiled. “You laugh with them, you cry with them, you play games together and you eat together. When you become an adventurer, you do the same with those you meet in the wilds and in the Adventurer’s Guilds. While we often face GIANT monsters and even the gods of beast tribes together, there’s nothing more relaxing than spending time with your comrades, your family, like we’re doing right now.” My owlet, Hoot, let out a pleased hoo as she nudged up against me. She always seemed to understand the meaning of my words and that they included her as well.

“When I first met one of my dearest of friends, I was but a fledgling conjuror wandering through the city-state of Gridania. I had traveled alone until that point, learning both the bow and the conjuring arts.” I recalled. “She was trying to recruit adventurers to her Free Company, and while normally I ignored most such criers, something compelled me to listen.”

“What’s a free company like?” The pink haired Miqo’te girl name T’kebbe questioned.

“Well…” I pondered for a moment and looked at the children. “Why… it’s much akin to the orphanage here. While you younglings may not have chosen to be here, you’ve put together a bunch of scrappy young people and made a family. I didn’t know what it was like either when I first approached her about her Free Company either, but that was the start of some of the best times in all my life.”

I took time to share with them some of the countless stories of my times with my friends within the Free Company and without, of the fun times, the dangers we faced together, and the different places we traveled. Though it wasn’t as exciting as telling Khloe about all the battles I had fought in the journals she keeps supplying me with, the kids seemed interested all the same. I punctuated important parts with wild gesturing, and some fireworks I had saved up from the Moonfire Faire.

“The best part of the adventure…” I concluded my stories. “…is that while you may part ways with friends for a time, like me and those that I met in my first Free Company, you’re always connected through the bonds that made you family in the first place. So, make stories now, even just here in Idyllshire, and with those stories make memories and bonds that will last a lifetime. That is the true spirit of being an adventurer and why I still enjoy every moment of it.”

(Scarf of Wonderous Wit, thanks for reading!)

The Prissy Pictomancer


Hardly two summers have passed since I made sojourn from the motherland to the world wider. Day in and day out I find myself surprised at how Eorzeans carry themselves and just how alike we are in spite of the many shapes and sizes we come in.

I was such a naive girl when I set out from Thamasa. I remember me granddad was so upset that I would leave ere long. he worried endlessly, being a scholar who specializes in the new world, that may have colored his perception on the rest of the world, including places that he right well knew were just as civilized as any Sharlayan hamlet. If the Levilleur family sees Eorzea worth cultivating, why can't we?!?

I digress, though. It's been so long since I've gone back home. Well, I say 'home', but... well, I'm a property owner here. I'm up to my bandanna in friends, and I've seen so many wondrous things. I've seen how ugly and petty people can be, and I've seen radiant examples of unyielding courage. adventuring around the world has given me perspective and broadened my horizons, it has stoked fires under my muse, and it has moved me physically, atherically, and emotionally.

To whomever finds this bottle: Don't be afraid to be the one who sticks their hand in the fire, climbs that building, sees the world. Sure, people may call you rude and reckless, but I say to you, find that vista, see the sun peak over those mountains at just the right angle! Come up with a clever way to get up on that unassuming lamp post in the middle of a town square or walk those support beams. Go fourth and meet people, see places! Weather friend or foe, THAT is the spirit of adventure, and I hope that I capture even a bit of that in my portraits.

https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca88...uTsPU7HgGna1iQ

One of my fondest memories was experiencing player vs player competition of Frontline. So many amazing combinations on the field of battle, and here I was a paladin still trying to learn my new abilities. Sadly, we lost the first few matches, but my teammates didn't overreact but help others to improve. Giving tips and suggestions on strategy to help our team to improve with every match. Frontline because the enjoying the moment of competition, rather than focusing on the end game results. I now wear Golden Wolf armor i earned with pride and focus on helping my new teammates to enjoy the world of player vs player competition as much as I have. It is a great reminder, that the greatest people that lead you to victory, were once following others!

Game Prize: Noble Barding

ark_solace
I have walked the world for many years now but through it all, I remember one thing more fondly than any other. My friends. As a fledgling, unarmed and unknowing of Eorzea, I found a highlander woman amongst the streets of Uldah who took me in and taught me how to survive. In time, however, she went away and I was left again to wander. For a time I did so but the solitary life began to weigh on me. Then I found others. A couple fighting off a great bird in Coerthas, a mi'qote girl and her love. I helped them and in turn they followed me into the dark and dangerous world of Ishgard. In time those hallowed halls fell and again I wandered alone through the world, until again I was found. An Au'ra couple who were as world traveled as myself helped me stand up against dragon and voidsent alike. Together we protected Ishgard and brought down the devilish Diabolos. They did not follow me across the sea. I stepped into the lands of Doma alone but I was not alone for long. A lalafell found me in the midst of the resistance and I joined his armada. Never had I seen so many allies at my side. I stayed with them a time. Though I now walk with others I remember them all. My friends from long ago, gone away, will be with me always and when the voidsent, the sin eaters, the Garleans rear their ugly heads I stand not as one, but as them all. They stand with me, each having taught me something different, something special. Each gave me a gift I will never forget. Friendship, each unique and valuable to me.

(Game Prize: Scarf of Wonderous Wit)

To the One Who Walked Before,

Perhaps you know everything I would think to say in this letter—you and I share that gift, to know something of the whispers of the soul. But I have had reason of late to think of legacy, and what will endure after we’re gone.

Do you remember when we met? I doubt it, and you give no sign—I was then to you but one of the hundreds you had helped. I counted it chance, but it was rather more your doing, wasn’t it? After all, I never would have come running for a pet bear if you hadn’t made it your mission to hand them out. When I asked why, your answer was simple: Because everyone deserves a friend.

It wasn’t until I saw the mark on the back of your neck that I understood.

You come from a harder world, in some ways. You have told me of it, of this world which no longer exists, enduring only in the memories you choose to share. Before I ever dreamed of crystals and calamities, you were there to provide for your fellow adventurers: to arm them, yes, to mend their gear; but more than that, to make sure that everyone had a friend.

Sometimes I picture you in Ul’dah—the Ul’dah that once was, different from the one where I find you now—and in my vision you are offering a frightened child a toy bear to hold onto while the red moon looms like a bruise in the sky.

Is it the Echo, I wonder, or imagination?

The world is different now. You are different now; I am different now. But I have been changed, too, by the knowledge that once there was a hero who put himself between Eorzea and the Empire— the Meteor—total destruction. And when he awoke in a world far different than the one he tried to save, he was still resolved to help.

It falls to me to protect them now. You are not bitter about this; you have been my solace and support for longer than you know. Perhaps since the day the Warrior that was told the Warrior that is that she deserved a friend. Each time I saw you, you brought me a smile. Each time I see you with others, you bring them the same. I guard their bodies, yes. You do something far more important than you give yourself credit for. You guard their hearts.

I am glad that you have been part of my adventure. I know you do not do this for my approbation, and perhaps for me to say all of this so directly would only embarrass us both. But perhaps you would smile. I like to think you would. I like to think this letter, cast adrift into a stream that I have not known you to visit, will find you anyway. I know it is only imagination when I picture you reading it. When I think that these words might repay some of the joy you have given to others. In the end, all I really have to say is this: thank you.

Thank you for being the hope of the realm. Thank you for being my hope.

Ever with you in the light of the Crystal,
One Who Walks After

[Character: X’shasi Kilntreader@Mateus || Prize: Noble Barding]
[And a very special thanks to Baro Llyonesse for everything he’s done.]

How do I choose a single memory from an ocean of countless joy? It's difficult. Eorzea is home to a precious part of my life. It has led me to meet people I hold dear; it has taught me lessons, the greatest being of myself; and it is a source of immeasurable joy.

Nonetheless, there is one, perhaps mundane, that I eternally reminisce with smiles.

I can't place less vital details - such as color scheme, or the music that played. Were the flowers shades of red and pinks, or were blues and purples chosen? I don't know. What I won't forget was the excitement before the moment, hands joined with nervousness - and contrariwise. It's easy to confuse the two.

I wondered then, if this is how I would feel for my real wedding.

We invited friends, and nearly all attended. Another detail I can recount - everyone present. There's a gentle joy that lingers from being surrounded by dear people, as you partake in a euphoric memory shared with your love.

The preparations before the ceremony, together in the room, are a blur. We had ourselves a few moments to settle our nerves before we rang the bell.

My gown was midnight-blue; matching blue roses adorned my head with the veil swirling to my ankles. I'd chosen only one ring as an article of jewelry - a ring he had crafted for me. In my arms, a matching bouquet of roses.

As for him, he donned a suit of red and black, and...Pince-nez glasses.

I still makes me giggle.

The walk to meet our officiant was steady. I avoided glancing closely at those watching, too shy. However, my heart swelled happily.

If you asked me to repeat the words spoken, I honestly couldn't in specifics. I simply remember how the vows and the exchange of rings made me feel. Unmatched joy and endless love for the person I was marrying. Those feelings remain within my heart even now.

We kissed, to seal the marriage. I imagined what the kiss must have felt like. Eyes closing, distance shortening until touch, and then - soft, warm love promised between lips.

Thus did the rose marry the iris.

Only in time would I experience it outside of imagination. A couple years since that day, and I didn't know it then, but my in-game marriage was only the beginning. We stayed together. Our love strengthened as our bond grew. Until, recently, we tied the knot in real life.

I felt an echo in the moment of our kiss of promised love, one that took me back to that day of game marriage, and I knew - the marriage within Eorzea was a pathway to forever with my love.

I have never loved a person - never imagined I could - as much as I love my husband.

Final Fantasy XIV brought me to meet my husband, soul mate, and best friend. Thank you, Square Enix. Thank you for creating the world of Eorzea and everyone within. I met my true love because of you.

And so does our real life adventure go on, forever intertwined with the adventures of Eorzea.

(If selected, I would like to have the Gaelicap)

My existence, though feigning, has all but brought me here today to tell you of my fondest memory of that day. That day of the calamity rung down onto us by the unholy serpent fiend Bahamut himself. Myself along with seven other Warriors of light endured a trial of tribulations and wardens such the likes of Nael and Twintania as we fought our way through exhausting hours to finally confront the beast incarnate himself. The revelation of Bahamut was epic as the behemoth of a dragon through a sky lit alflame, breaks out of his prison chains and descended onto the party with a strong desire of malice. He opened attack onto us with different breaths of colorful fire, lighting up the already bright stage we had to face him on. Comrades fell left and right to the scorching blasts it had to offer us but alas with the last of my strength I could muster, I managed to channel all my energies into one final attack; the Dragonsong Dive. I felt it, the anger, aether, sadness, swirling inside of me in an explosion of blue flames taking the form of a dragon, empowering the tip of my spear as I plunged it straight into the creatures heart thus ending its reign of terror! It felt so surreal, a bitter sweet sadness to yeah comrades and I have fallen the beast, but what else is in stored for us in the future? I'll never forget how good it felt, the sense of accomplishment we had..
Thank you denizen of Eorzea for listening to this wanderer's tale. I, Noctis Rhapsodos, leave the future of Eorzea in your hands.

Final Omega: A Haiku

One Percent Enrage
Frustration; Anger. RESOLVE!
We cleared the next day

\o/

[scarf for prize]

Dear Dairy,
I think back on the raid of yesterday, and it all started with this healer that refused to stop jumping up and down. When asked why she was jumping she said we were supposed to jump, jump, jump!

So we all started jumping as good healers are hard to find, after about ten minutes everyone stopped but being bored I typed up the colors I saw. Everyone in that group got the joke, so there after for the next two months trying to see who had run with the healer and if she had kept doing it, I would at the start of the dungeons type the colors I saw. Some times people freaked out and clearly what ever the color meant to them was clearly something else, and the rumors going around the server were some of the funniest things to read in chat.

No one seemed to know who started it and I added oiled by pointing out that the jumpy fairy was jumping before I ran a pick up raid with her.

So my fondest memories was the players reactions to what because a server wide raid, and sillier as months went on. I even stopped playing for two months to see if it had developed a life of itʻs own. It was down right simple and some people started saying colors at the start of runs, and it was fun to try and guess what people thought the colors meant originally. Which was the socks of characters in the order they were jumping. The puns though were made it funnier as time went on because everyone who got the joke made a reference to it using puns, also known as play on words.

So I leave with the last one, green, blue, blue, red, purple, pink, yellow, and rainbow.

A petite platinum blonde miqo’te woman kneels before her hingan desk in her Lavender Beds apartment. In hand, a quill dipped in ink dances across a piece of parchment. An empty glass bottle with a cork lay close by her read to hold the note once completed. It reads:

Dear Mother,

It has been years since you have departed Eorzea from your illness and do I miss you still with each passing day. I wish that I was able to tell you of all the amazing adventures I had and all the people who I have grown close to but this will have to do.

I have continued dancing and with every step it reminds me of you. The dungeons you told me about when I was a young child are just as great as the stories. There have been many more dungeons discovered since your passing and I have yet to explore them all. One day though, I hope to see them all with friends and family I have accumulated along my travels.

Leon and his wife, Constance, took me under their wing not too long after I lost you. They spotted me in the Adventurers Guild in New Gridania sipping on some grape juice at a table all by myself. They are kind and I consider them like a brother and sister. Y'shalva I bumped into each other when I join the guild she was apart of. She is sweet, though she has a sassy side which can be quite entertaining at times. Last, but certainly not least, is my husband Feo. I can already hear you squealing out of joy that your little girl finally allowed someone to get close to her. We were introduced by Leon during a dungeon raid and he teased me on the way I danced around the boss room. From that point forward, he assisted me in honing my skills as well as helping me get the gear I needed to protect myself from the harmful beasts as the dungeons got harder. We grew closer through these experiences and bonded not long ago. He treats me well and along with all of the others, protects me. We look after each other and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I hope this helps your soul rest easy since you were worried about me before you departed. Know that I am well taken care of and I will write to you again soon.

I love you,
Valinnah

She finalizes it with her signature, setting the quill back into the ink beside her. She reads through it, smirking softly as tears ran down her cheeks. Taking a deep breath she rolls the parchment up and stuffs it into the bottle, stuffing the cork into the neck to seal it off. She raises from her place at her desk and walks out of her small apartment, heading for the sandy beaches of Costa del Sol with her message in hand.

(If I win, I wish to obtain the earrings or barding please.)

I joined the FFXIV community just before Stormblood. I was a White Mage that took their job seriously. If someone died on my watch, I felt a personal failure.

Ah, Cape Westwind, quite a tale hangs on it. Cape Westwind being the first 8 man content I knew meant that I would need to be at the top of my game. So, I snuck around as I needed to and managed to get the magical message, "Cape Westwind now accessible."

After making sure I had the right food and hyperventilating appropriately, I queued into the Duty Finder. The normal insta-que occurs, well I am a healer, and into the cut scene I go. Coming out of the cut scene I observe everyone heading for the boss. I pop my food and locate a good spot to go to work from. As I arrive at my chosen location and prepare to cast my first spell, the fight ends and seconds later I find myself on an empty battlefield.

'What the hell just happened?' I learned a valuable lesson, things are not always what they seem, not even in Eorzea.

I would like the Gaelicap if I win.

I was logging rosewood logs near the Hawthorne Hut when the call came. I tried to enjoy the work, the feeling of physical labor, the sound the axe made against the tree, but only the presence of my friend from my Free Company made the work bearable.

I called him Uri, but that wasn’t his full name. Despite the face he was a Miqo’te like me, I found his name uneasy on my tongue. He called me Toby. Together we worked on gathering logs to make into lumber.

“Anyone available to help with maps?” came the call over the Free Company chat line.

I ignored it. I was still relatively new to the game, despite just reaching the higher levels of adventuring. My focus had been moving through what the Scions had requested of me, gaining more and more experience. As far as I knew maps were just what you pulled out to see which way you were heading.

“I need a few more for maps!” came the cry again. It was from Dani, a senior member of the group.

“Want to do maps, Toby girl?” Uri asked me, pausing the work of gathering logs.

“What do I do?” My muscles clenched and I bit my lip.

“Gear up your bard,” he said, “and put away the axe.”

Truth be told, I loved singing songs and shooting arrows far more than I liked whacking at trees for their bounty. We geared up.

As we got closer to the coordinates, I blinked, confused. Right there in the middle of the zone was a glowing portal. I had never seen anything like it before! While it glowed around the edges, the center of the oval was blacker than night. Were we going in there?

“Everyone ready?” Dani asked.

Affirmatives sounded. I found myself in dissolved into blackness. When light returned to my world, I stood inside a circular chamber with my party mates. One large circle dominated the center, several smaller ones were around the outside. “Here we go!” Dani announced.

One circle lit up, and then the one next to it, faster and faster, then slower and slower until the light hit upon a certain blue circle. It was like a game in the Gold Saucer!

A song of announcement played, and we had landed on something called a Lesser Summon. I pulled out my bow and aimed it at the mob. One shot, two, singing a song to support my fellow adventurers. I soon became involved in the mechanics of barding. The monster was soon down.

We spun again. Purple. What mob will this be, I wondered?

But the party groaned.

Atomos. He arose from the platform in a swirl of dark smoke. We spun and twisted in a great wind, headed directly into his mouth.

The world went dark once more.

Sometimes the maps seem cruel, denying portals, or letting us in only to be instantly kicked out by the ever-watchful Atomos. Others they are generous, with those of us who participated walking away with the sounds of gil in our pockets.

Though I have participated many times since, my heart still skips in anticipation when Uri asks me, “Want to run some maps?”