Hatching-tide 2023 tidbits.

According to Hamlyn the Nymians turned tonberries aren't true tonberries. I also suspect that he's a Seeq. No other race makes snort noises let alone that much. I suspect the Slyphs know he's a Seeq too as they complain that the tusked one(s) get to enjoy playing tricks and the festivities but they don't get to. If pixies exist on the source somewhere I am full glad they haven't made themselves known with any of the other festivals. As having to deal with Slyphs, possible Spriggans aaaaaaand pixies would just be such a headache.

Post quests we have Erenville meeting our bunny quota. He says Hamlyn basically pounced him and made him put on the tonberry costume. I first thought the one labeled as Moon was a bunch of loporrits in a trench-coat. Only to realize that it's Yellow Moon who I guess got offered some tea by I'm going to assume was Mother Miounne. Redolent Rose continues their love of wearing costumes as he stands next to Yellow Moon. If you have at least the Faculty of Archaeology done you'll find professor Rurusha, Boric, and professor Namono Tayamono. They're in the area to explore the ruins of thr Black Shroud. Rurusha gives a shout out to the Faculty of Aetherology unless I miss remembered and they did say Anthropology which would make more sense as those two were more interested in culture customs than the Fish guy.

We have both A-Ruhn-Senna, Raya-O-Senna and at least two moogles in a trench coat er tonberry outfit. Alka Zolka and Setoto are also enjoying thr festivities. To wrap up all of the npcs we have a Slyph wearing a tonberry outfit who just wants to enjoy the festival and not want to cause harm. I think you need to have at least unlocked Scholar to get the "I know some Tonberries" option at the start of the quest.

The "tusked ones" the sylphs are referring to are their fighting boars, as referenced in this quest and previously in a few FATEs around the Black Shroud.

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SYLPHA04721
Well, if these ones can't have fun with tusked ones, walking ones won't have any fun either! This one will make sure of it!

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SYLPHC04721
Hyaaaaaa! Monstrous one! This is why these ones need tusked oneees!

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NONOTTA
The sylphs presented no demands, offered no reason behind their rampant pillaging. But they did keep squeaking about “tusked ones” and “no fair” and “why should walking ones have all the fun?” What do you suppose they meant?

JIHLI ALIAPOH
Ah. I heard the sylphs once held an annual spring festival, but there was an incident involving one of their fighting boars... I believe that was the end of such festivities.

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Hamlyn appears to be a Highlander and the name seems to match, although from the angle of it being an improbably proportioned disguise, it does seem like it could be a pig pun... on the other hand, going by his character data, someone seems to have put effort into his appearance with a tonberry-themed colour scheme and even a non-standard face under that mask, apparently. (Oddly enough the "three moogles in a trenchcoat" are also actually a Highlander NPC with a different design.)

I took him to be just a really creepy nerd characterisation. Whatever they were aiming for, it just squicked me right out getting the constant sound effects throughout his dialogue.

You might be right about him not being a Seeq. Just the snorts and heavy breathing tend to be a thing they do. The males also have small tusks. I also felt a bit uncomfortable with him after the one time he slurped. Either way I hope we don't see more of him. He seems kinda nefarious as he does have that one "all according to my plan..." line. I do wonder if lightning is playing around with skintone once more as the unnamed Elezen that starts the event sitting down on the right side, outside of the amphitheater looks fairly ashen which made me think he's a Duskwight. Yet in the cutscene and post event he has a slightly lighter skin tone. I'm always looking for any Duskwight representation in hopes they're not being made bandit #672. I do wonder which other moogle is talking to Pukni Pakk who seems to have fainted from the heat of the costume. Also the Pukni Paaaaaaaaaaak! is a cute nod to the whole Mad Snake nod that in itself is a nod to "Snaaaaaaaaaaake!".

A Seeq wouldn't fit into that robe's shape.

And I think Hamlyn's talk about tonberries is a great example of a common question when figuring out lore conveyed through dialog: Are the real Tonberries dismissed by people as mythical creatures? Or is it just Hamlyn who thinks that, and he's just under the impression everyone else does too?

Also worth noting that we have an existing Seeq character (Daguza from the Bozja skirmishes) who talks entirely normally, as far as I recall.

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Originally Posted by Cleretic

A Seeq wouldn't fit into that robe's shape.

And I think Hamlyn's talk about tonberries is a great example of a common question when figuring out lore conveyed through dialog: Are the real Tonberries dismissed by people as mythical creatures? Or is it just Hamlyn who thinks that, and he's just under the impression everyone else does too?

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Yeah, that's why I raised an eyebrow at him saying such and using Myth and Mythical. Makes me wonder how tonberries got a mythical label. Might be from a surviving Nymian or someone from Mach or Amdapor that knew about them wanting to try and keep people away from Wander's Palace? Idk a Seeq could fit if a Hrothgar and male Roegadyn can fit a squat pig person could. Or do you mean that one?

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Originally Posted by Iscah

Also worth noting that we have an existing Seeq character (Daguza from the Bozja skirmishes) who talks entirely normally, as far as I recall.

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I want to say they might during Rabanaster? And in XII yet it's been years since I played XII and Tactics Advanced. Still I almost want Spriggy back.

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Originally Posted by SannaR

According to Hamlyn the Nymians turned tonberries aren't true tonberries. I also suspect that he's a Seeq.

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he's just Nerdy/Dork stereo type high lander

I appreciate this thread because the whole premise of the sylphs being angry, because they didn't have the tusked ones for their Spring festival, so they decide to disrupt ours, confused me. What happened to their tusked ones?

Hamlyn makes odd noises when he speaks. I don't know what or who he's supposed to be under that tonberry disguise. I still have no idea what really is going on. What plan?

At least some of the conjectures here make some sense. Anyways, I did like the tonberry costume and it's now my scholar glamour.

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Originally Posted by Kacho_Nacho

Hamlyn makes odd noises when he speaks. I don't know what or who he's supposed to be under that tonberry disguise. I still have no idea what really is going on. What plan?

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I'm pretty sure Hamlyn's just a weird nerd with breathing problems. Remember that this is an event quest; it by nature can't have any deeper impact on any story, and any continuity can't go deeper than cute little in-jokes.

Event quests aren't long, and because they can only be played in a specific window can also never have any meaningful plot beats happen in them. The only event that's ever trying to push these limitations is Valentione's, but even that I don't think exactly leaves anyone in the dark if they're new or just weren't playing one year.