Arenvald - Garlean half-breed?

[myahele]

Arenvald


I am currently leveling an alt and I am now at the point where you're called into Waking Sands for the 1st time.

While chatting with other npcs I ran across Arenvald, an Ala Mhigan. He also has the echo (had that dream with Hydaelyn) and he and his companions refer to himself as a Garlean half-breed.

It's very vague, but it seems like his father was a pure-blooded Garlean and may not have been a mere soldier from a conquered nation. It's also emphasized that Arenvald's a half-breed from Ala Mhigo.

We know mixed race children are possible and are highly frowned upon. And based on his story, he was frowned upon as a child and his mother eventually abandoned him.

From what little we know of pure-blooded Garleans, their males pretty much look like highlanders and are typically blond and they have a "3rd eye". Due to Arenvald's hair style it's not known if he has that 3rd eye, and it doesn't help that most Highlanders originate from Ala Mhigo as well.

Though, interestingly enough I'm guessing he's able to use aether due to also having the echo and seeing a similar vision our character saw in the beginning of the game

A shame he doesn't have a role in the plot, his story is very interesting and tragic.

[Anonymoose]

It's very vague, but it seems like his father was a pure-blooded Garlean and may not have been a mere soldier from a conquered nation. <...> We know mixed race children are possible and are highly frowned upon. And based on his story, he was frowned upon as a child and his mother eventually abandoned him.

If you read the comments from his two friends (when they're around) and put all the pieces together, his position is not so much that he was a half-breed and half-breeds are frowned upon as much as ... more tragedy, lol.

When Gaius sparked revolt from the shadows, Ala Mhigo's coup was relatively bloodless in terms of that it wasn't a war with a protracted siege, but that doesn't mean it didn't get downright brutal once the Empire swooped in and took control - sacking the city, putting down rebellions, subjugating and consolidating all factions under Imperial law, etc.

Arvenald's friends heavily imply that a presumably pure-blooded Garlean (midlander-looking a with third eye) raped Arvenald's mother (presumably a highlander female) during the sack of the city and she couldn't bear the sight of him.

Everyone knows what happens when a city is sacked, even if the bards choose to omit that part. But Arenvald shouldn't be pitied. Boys like him have a clean slate, an opportunity to write their own story, free of the ties that bind the common man.

I'm glad to see he's still around, but if you've been talking with him between every quest... he's lost more since the game began than he even had before we started it. Tragic, indeed. A lot of the characters who weave in and out of the Scion HQ over the story have very interesting tales.

Keep checking in with them! Even the Scions get up to shenanigans when nobody's looking.

[Kaiser-Ace]

.

Keep checking in with them! Even the Scions get up to shenanigans when nobody's looking.

So that's what Tataru wanted my Rouge Knives for,

[lilirulu]

snip

If I recall correctly didn't the Ala Mhigan Highlander in Mor Dhona (can't recall name at this moment; he sits by the lalafell) say his sister & mother were also raped by Garlean soldiers? And that it was one of the factors that led to them killing themselves?

I wish I had known about all the different dialogue NPCs had during my first playthrough of the MS it would have made the Waking Sands Raid so much more heart-breaking. Uma Tayuun was my favorite w/ A'aba, Arenvald and the Elezen woman as close seconds.

[Conradus]

So that's what Tataru wanted my Rouge Knives for,

You had knives with makeup?

[lilirulu]

You had knives with makeup?

Even Rogues need to touch up their look occasionally

[Kaiser-Ace]

You had knives with makeup?

Don't hate my knives because of how faaaabulous they looked, lol

[AskaRay]

Only pure-blooded Garleans have the third eye and magic allergy, so. Yeah. Even if he is half, he won't have the eye.

[VargasVermillion]

Only pure-blooded Garleans have the third eye and magic allergy, so. Yeah. Even if he is half, he won't have the eye.

We don't actually know if halfbreeds could get either of the traits since we haven't gotten much information about half-breeds or even garleans.

[Fenral]

I'm glad to see he's still around, but if you've been talking with him between every quest... he's lost more since the game began than he even had before we started it. Tragic, indeed. A lot of the characters who weave in and out of the Scion HQ over the story have very interesting tales.

I spent a lot of time talking with the minor Scions (I always talk to everyone in games like this), checking in after every quest, wondering when I'd end up hanging out with them on some random errand or another (which, in retrospect, was a terrible habit to hold on to up through 2.5).

I'm hoping all the dudes and dudettes still hanging around the Waking Sands find really cozy placements on the complete opposite end of Eorzea from wherever the action is. Maybe Urianger can find some nice old library to set up shop in, after we've cleared out any killer books lurking on the shelves.