What's your character's back story?

[TinyRedLeaf]

My issue with this is that Hydaelyn, the "mother Goddess", is essentially Earth itself. This is incredibly pagan and "Wiccaish". From what I gather, Wiccans worship Mother Earth.

In principle, a role-play character should be separate from the player's actual identity and beliefs, in the same way the different roles played by a movie or TV actor are not actual representations of the actor's beliefs and personality.

In practice, of course, it's not always the case. I'd be lying if I claimed my character didn't end up being some version of me in real life, despite my best efforts at imagining him as his own person.

I'm curious, though, about how you're internalising the broader themes that define this world's cosmology, because it is, in fact, very different in philosophy and motivation from Judeo-Christian monotheism. This is a potentially sensitive topic, so I'd kindly request that all posters to keep replies civil.

The key point is that FFXIV emphasises the need for balance. Too much light or darkness is not good, either way. The two concepts may be in conflict, but they are also co-dependent.

[Jirah]

As a rouge, Jira tried her best to stick out and prevail as a hero but to no avail. With the champion after champion proving much stronger and reliable than her and better equid, she decided she was no longer needed and set sail to Gridania and learned the ways of Archery

After the events of A realm reborn, she later left behind her Bow in Uldah and picked up a toolbox and a musketoon

The rest is history...

[Tsumdere]

Anloix Etiegeant was the only child of a Dzemael servant girl and a mysterious, but loving man who shortly disappeared after Anloix's birth. Rightfully paranoid that she would lose her child to the same unspeakable fate she lost her husband to, Anloix's mother fled to the South Shroud where she holed the two of them up in a cave for 19 years. Anloix would have lived out the rest of life in the cave with his mother if it were not for a young Miqo'te lass who he quickly became friends with and subsequently ran away with (much to his mother's horror).

Now the two live in Limsa, both learning about the hardships of the real world away from their families and the truth behind Anloix's father's death and his mother's feverish paranoia.

Duh duh dunnn.

[kamenkuro]

Smartass, foul mouthed desk jockey vying for a cushy job that accidentally fell into the role of a hero. Eventually switched gears and now happily mows down whatever is in his way because he drank the kool-aid and believes the hype. Currently nursing his fragile ego after certain events and considering just using his clout and position to tell others to fight things.

[Kidria]

A Doman refugee who ends up training under a Warrior of Light, only to have her die during the coup in Ul'dah and leaving him with near crippling survivor's guilt and her soul crystal, so he abandons his name/'self' to take her name/how he perceives her 'self' in order for her to 'live'. He gets better after HW.

[Gemina]

My character is speculated to not even be human at all, but a Lunarian. For those who don't know, Lunarians in FF lore are a race of humanoids that reside on the moon. They are far more civilized and advanced than humans. They look like regular humans with the exception of their light colored hair (typically white or platinum). My character actually dyes her hair because she dislikes it's "lack of warmth" as she would call it.

Gemina is an orphan. She was found by a dragoon knight in the hills of Sohm Al. Two deceased dragons appeared to have been caring for her. These two dragons had no visible mortal wounds, and despite the heat of Mourn, the area surrounding Gemina and the Dragons was quite cold. Confounded, and compelled by her gem-like lavender eyes, the dragoon took the infant child to Coerthas and began to raise her as his own and named her Gemina Lunarian. He was impressed by her magical prowess so young without having been tutored by any schools or disciplines.

Before his passing, Gemina's adoptive father told her all he knew about the Lunarians, how she was found, and that a darkness in her was the likely cause to the death's of the two dragons that he found caring for her and feared it could bring about the next umbral calamity. He advised her to seek out the city-state of Gridania, and the conjurers there would continue her tutelage far better than he.

[Aeliott]

Technically the forum code is a lot less than 1k characters. And I made this ages ago and cba to condense :P

[Iscah]

My issue with this is that Hydaelyn, the "mother Goddess", is essentially Earth itself. This is incredibly pagan and "Wiccaish". From what I gather, Wiccans worship Mother Earth.

Sorry I didn't reply to you on this earlier. I wrote most of a response but then the page crashed, and then I got caught up in the new patch discussions and forgot to come back to this.


I think we're approaching the question from very different angles. As far as I'm concerned, it's a fantasy world completely separate from our own, so we start from scratch. It has its own cosmology and there's nothing 'wrong' with God-as-we-know-Him not existing in it.

The reason we wouldn't worship an Earth-mother-goddess isn't because it's an Earth-mother-goddess or because it's something that other religions worship (otherwise we're in trouble because other real-world religions do have a similar concept of God to us), but simply because she isn't God.

However, in the game's fictional universe, the Earth-mother *is* a real goddess (or something like one) that our character has seen and spoken with.

If you try to put the Christian God - who does not co-exist with other 'good' gods - into this universe, what does that make Hydaelyn and Her blessing upon our character? Why is She the one addressing us as her beloved child?

It seems much simpler to accept what is presented to us in-game, than try to rewrite it to fit God where there is no space for Him to be. Hydaelyn takes the role that He would have if He existed in this universe, even if her exact form and the scope of her power is different. And if you have to compromise what God is and does to make Him fit within the game's universe, then is it even still Him?


Of course most Eorzeans don't worship Hydaelyn herself, but the Twelve (who the game hints may or may not actually be real, but people believe that they are). I have no issue with the idea of my characters praying to these lesser gods, because it's what they know. I feel like the parallel is more about the intent than the exact form of the gods? So whether my characters are praying to Thaliak for wisdom, or to Oschon for a safe journey, or giving thanks to Nophica, it's all some form of prayer to [a god] and they do it with the same intent that I would have in praying to God for any of those things.

You could still consider us learning of Hydaelyn as "a higher true god beyond the Twelve" as part of your narrative, if you want to look at it that way?

[DamianFatale]

Ikigai Mol was born to an Orinir woman, and a Mol man. He had a pleasant time growing up in the steppe fields with his siblings, but was unfortunately kidknapped by the Buduga when he was fourteen years old. He had been returned to the tribe due to Interference, and rescue at the age of 17. When he returned he had reached the conclusion that he was homosexual, though a bit put off by the way the Buduga treated him.

He prayed to Nhaama, and asked for guidance. She told him to travel the world, and learn about all things. The journey was meant to strengthen, and heal his suffering. He managed to find his way to Ishgard, she join the ranks of Astrology due to his natural ability to see the future as a mol.

It’s a bit dark, but I have had a rough life outside the game, and roleplaying helps with that.

[RezWolf]

Born and raised in Gridania to a conjurer mother (who is a descendant of an Amdapori White Mage) and a thaumaturge father (who is a descendant of a Mhachi Black Mage). She grew up learning conjury but grew tired with it and when she was old enough traveled to Limsa Lominsa to learn arcanium, then eventually went to Ul'Dah to learn thaumaturgy. after completing her training in both she returned to Gridania and became an adventure to satiate the feeling of trying to find her true purpose... while getting caught up in grand adventures that took her to all corners of Eorzea.

In here travels she met an old sun seeker Mi'qote in flamboyant red garb, helped him out with dealing with some rogue thamaturges, all the while learning how to use a rapier and magic focus, awakening the something that she's been searching for.