Viera lore: non-existant?

[Amnmaat]

I fully expect there to be Viera lore in the next lorebook, but lore for playable races on the whole is something I'd like to see more of. Let's visit the Southern Isles to see the OG lalfell living in hobbit holes, let's see some Duskwight Elezen communities, or some Hellsguard Roe volcanic regions.

Regarding the Viis as you mentioned; the Ronkan thing is the major difference, but from what we know the Viera of the Source at least live in similar communities. Forest dwelling (and protecting) female tribes, with male Viera living separately as slightly more militant protectors. Definitely enough of a starting point for a deeper dive, I hope.

But that's the problem with all the First's races, their race portrayal is as basic and as shallow as it comes. The devs did the Viis very dirty, they were an afterthought in the story; you get to their village and any lore we get out of them is "we defend ronka, we lived 200 years, come friend of ronka open the pyramids. thank you for fulfilling ronka's prophecy."

We learn barely 1% about the Viis themselves. With Au ra we learned so much about them in Stormblood, a whole lot about Hrothgar in 5.2, and will learn a whole lot in 5.3.

Unless we miraculously stumble upon the Skatay range Viera will get no real in game representation of the race in terms of lore and culture. The Viis and Ratika was a huge mistake, they were added as a gimmick without substance. I just hope Yoshida reverses his stance on creating the same design theme again and we get to visit both Golmore and Skatay or one or the other in 6.0; even if it's just through the relic quest like they're doing for Hrothgar.

Without in game representation the Viera lose a lot of value. I can go to Thanalan, immediately lalafel/miqo'te society is there, Limsa there's the Roegadyn/miqo'te, Black shroud there's the Elezen, Gyr Abana there's Highlander/Roe, Othard there's Au ra. Now Bozja there's Hrothgar.

The Viis are very superficial, an intro cutscene of them shooting an arrow at you don't really show you much. I walk into Azim steppe and their culture and lore was well explored. At Ratika you didn't learn anything about Viera, you just learned what Ronka wanted.