The Ring, and what it represents. (Questions for RPers and ppl who made backstories)

[Morningstar1337]

In the Beginning, we talked to a guy who asked us a question. Why did we come to Eorzea? We got a ring depending on the answer. Those who were indecisive got one of freedom, those who sought power got one of fortitude, those who sought money got one of fortune and those who sought fame got one of fidelity.

I want to know what ring you got and how it represents your character.

[Enkidoh]

I'm pretty sure it doesn't actually have any actual lore basis I'm afraid, it's just a little thing to help a new player out in the beginning. FFXI did something similar where if you started in a city that was the city of the player character's race (like, Windurst for tarutaru), you got that nation's ring which boosted stats as well.

And as 1.0 players who satisfied the requirements for the 'Legacy' story where at the start they teleport in and just walk through the gates of their starting city and never actually ride the chocobo carriage/ferry (thus they never actually meet the merchant, leading to a potential plot hole much later in 2.55), this pretty much just shows that ring is nothing but a helping hand to a new player and has no actual story connection I'm sorry to say.

That doesn't mean you can't make up something for lore reasons yourself though.

[Anonymoose]

I don't really RP, though I keep a bit of a backstory since (learning so much about the world at large) it's hard not to.

I took it as a reminder; "the merchant" wishing you well and hoping that you stay true to the course. For those who are indecisive, freedom is the best possible outcome rather than failure, inaction, or whimsy. For those who desire power, fortitude is the best possible outcome rather than abuse, tyranny, and retribution. For those who seek money, fortune is much better than poverty, bad investment, or ill-gotten gains. And to those who seek fame, how easy would it be to fall into falsehood and deception to achieve or maintain an image.

I took it as a wish for success and to remember for whom and what you fight.

[Enkidoh]

That is actually a good way of looking at it Moose, and I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't think of it that way myself haha. I guess I was just too annoyed at the time being treated so condescendingly by the game at the very start, how Enki was treated as a 'new' adventurer when she actually wasn't, being an adventurer before the Calamity and all (for reasons I won't go into here).

But yeah, what the merchant asks you does kind of make sense in regards to the name of the ring he gives.

[Morningstar1337]

That doesn't mean you can't make up something for lore reasons yourself though.

That's preety much what I'm asking, I wanted to know if players incorporated their starting ring into their backstory

[Kaiser-Ace]

My story started in Ul'dah back in 1.0, but since I never met the Legacy CS requirents (I was lvl 16 when 1.0 ended) I shoehorned in my choice of Lancer sending me to Gridania as the reason I was on the carriage.

After Ul'dah's fate post calamity I set out on my own to Gridania to find my own path. One which inevitably came full circle back in Ul'dah's.

[Hinoto-no-Ryuji]

I don't remember the ring! Interesting.

I don't really role-play in game, but I did craft a backstory for my character during the process of coming up with his name (some parts are more fleshed out than others - I really wish we knew more about Raen society, both in general and vis-a-vis a conquered Othard, as I'm kind of using Edo-period-isolationist-Japan as a holdover), and some broad motivations for him that would explain why he throws his lot in with the Scions.

Based on the notes I made, I probably took the Freedom one, because it seems wanderlust and a search for novelty were part of Ryuji's personality from a really early point.

[Atoli]

Where is my ring?! D:
I remember creating alts from time to time and always having these rings and slightly wondering in the back of my head where Meo's ring is...
Well, if I never rode the ship, I guess that makes sense ._.
I want one too...;_;

If I got to choose now, I'd pick the "..." option because the other 3 never appealed to me. Meo is neither the type to go after money nor power. Her character is basically established as doing everything she does because she considers it exciting. She's not a hero, if she suddenly lost interest in beating up primals they could suck the world dry for all she cares..
So while fame is something she doesn't mind achieving (since it draws stronger foes to her), it's not really her goal
Therefore she woul have gotten the ring of freedom I assume.

[Anonymoose]

Where is my ring?!

You could always make a new character, get a Ring of Freedom, and have a friend pass it to your main.
Make up some story about how you got it and where it was. Problem solved! \o/

[Atoli]

Silver linings; the rings are tradeable. [...]pass it to a friend[...]. Problem solved! \o/

I have no friends
Actually, the first thing I did after answering this thread was going to the local marketboard to buy one xD
2 of the 4 are not available and the others cost 100k and 300k respectively
I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow for friends to be awake again and do the whole new character trade thing ._.

Wearing it alongside my special 1.x ring will be wonderful <3
One hand will represent the past and the reliance on a path that is laid out before me (Nymeia's ring, goddess of fate). The other one is for the present, where I make my own choices (Ring of Freedom).
I like that