Birds of A Feather

My fondest memories of Final Fantasy XIV have undoubtedly been those I’ve shared with others. The cooperative nature of the game has allowed me to foster new friendships alongside invite my old gaming friends on adventures across Eorzea and beyond. If I had to choose one moment that stood out to me the most, however, it would be my experience during the Moogle Treasure Trove.

After taking a three year break from the game, I had the insanely poor luck of returning during the very tail end of the event. Barring that, I made the questionably wise decision (dragging my best friend along) to grind for irregular tombstones of philosophy until we could earn cool mounts⁠—a great way to scrub the rust off my weapons and leap back into the fray!

This would mean running Castrum Meridianum/The Praetorium a collective seventeen times in two days. Sure, it would have been way easier to score the mount the usual way through Extreme runs, but if Final Fantasy XIV has taught me anything it’s to appreciate the experience.. and also the EXP (also, I was still on base game and wouldn’t reach the content for some time, shh).

By the end of the grind we had memorized the dialogue to a T (dOn’T eVeN tHiNk AbOuT dYiNg, YoU’rE tOo BlOoDy UsEfUl) and had witnessed everything from a half naked Godbert Manderville look-alike (so really, just Godbert Manderville) to the spelling of C-I-D’s name in waymarks out of fantastical adoration by those equally blessed to remember the cutscenes line for line. It’s these little things that make me appreciate the community’s sense of humor.. and hey, we did earn our matching white lanners! I could think of no nobler steed (barring my loyal chocobo, Chocola, of course) to accompany me during Heavensward!

(Noble Barding for Chocola <3)


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