Viera Lore Question

[AlaqaSvalnesi]

So, was pondering something for a story (as I love to write - fanfic right now) and pondering a FF14v fanfic that might morph later on into crossovers.

My question involves how plausible it would be for any Viera Village to take in a babe orphaned that is not of Viera origin? I can't really see anyone abandoning a babe to the harshness of nature and the elements.

(What I got in mind is a Xaela Au Ra baby - girl - who's mom dies in the bounds of the Skatay or Golmore and is of one of the two known extinct tribes. Trying to think under what is known so far how that would work as well. Thanks for consideration.)

[sidurgu-12]

Not.... Very likely. Most viera villages tend to be very isolationists if not outright xenophobic. Though the ones on the first are more open than most. Then again since its fanfic you can ignore that aspect.

[AlaqaSvalnesi]

I was thinking of a valid way it works. It is clear there have to be the equivalent of Conjurers (and possibly Hearers) among the Viera of either clan. It would make sense if the two forests also had their own version of the Elementals (seriously, we need more Viera lore) and they might warn against killing or abandoning the child. Again, with how little we have in the way of lore about their society on the First...

[Cleretic]

If you want to swing this, I advise not taking a societal angle and instead taking an individual angle; vieran society as a whole will not bend their rules for one random xaela girl, they obviously hold their weird societal rules and traditions very close. But every society has some total softies in it, so it's just a matter of there being one who can't turn down a cute kid!

Of course then there's the question of how the rest of the village handles it, and I feel like that's where the actual story is. Was she hidden from them, did they barely tolerate her, was she kicked out eventually? I couldn't tell you, but I bet there's a good story there.

When you come up with a messy and difficult character concept as a writer, realize that might be a good thing, because questioning societal norms is a great story angle.

[Lyth]

It's difficult to say for certain without the story taking us to a Viera village on the source to give us the appropriate cultural backdrop. I suspect we'd have to go to southern Ilsabard for that. Until then, we won't know how closely FFXIV aligns with Tactics Advance/XII.

There is an alternative for you to get a bit of perspective, however - the Viis of Fanow. While they're isolationist, there's signs of their society changing as you progress through the various quests in the area. More recently, they're looking at starting up trade with the Night's Blessed and perhaps even Crystarium. At the very least, I would work through their various sidequests and talk with the people there for some reference material.

[AlaqaSvalnesi]

If you want to swing this, I advise not taking a societal angle and instead taking an individual angle; vieran society as a whole will not bend their rules for one random xaela girl, they obviously hold their weird societal rules and traditions very close. But every society has some total softies in it, so it's just a matter of there being one who can't turn down a cute kid!

Of course then there's the question of how the rest of the village handles it, and I feel like that's where the actual story is. Was she hidden from them, did they barely tolerate her, was she kicked out eventually? I couldn't tell you, but I bet there's a good story there.

When you come up with a messy and difficult character concept as a writer, realize that might be a good thing, because questioning societal norms is a great story angle.

This is actual rather helpful, and I was planning this to be the start of a series of short stories that involve such an origin for the Warrior of Light and what happens either between adventures or slice of life to start out with. Thinking she will be tolerated and leave eventually but on her own terms.

It's difficult to say for certain without the story taking us to a Viera village on the source to give us the appropriate cultural backdrop. I suspect we'd have to go to southern Ilsabard for that. Until then, we won't know how closely FFXIV aligns with Tactics Advance/XII.

There is an alternative for you to get a bit of perspective, however - the Viis of Fanow. While they're isolationist, there's signs of their society changing as you progress through the various quests in the area. More recently, they're looking at starting up trade with the Night's Blessed and perhaps even Crystarium. At the very least, I would work through their various sidequests and talk with the people there for some reference material.

Been looking at that lore and while I think conclusions could be drawn from it, The First is still in enough of a different state from The Source that you can't really draw a full set of conclusions. We still only know that the Green Word in The Source is a set of laws that prohibit contact with the outside world unless absolutely necessary (from my understanding of the lore and reading up).

[MikkoAkure]

Been looking at that lore and while I think conclusions could be drawn from it, The First is still in enough of a different state from The Source that you can't really draw a full set of conclusions. We still only know that the Green Word in The Source is a set of laws that prohibit contact with the outside world unless absolutely necessary (from my understanding of the lore and reading up).

I think it was said in an interview before where someone on the dev team had mentioned that the Viis of the First are for all intents and purposes what the Viera of the Source would be like. Also pretty sure Matsuno himself said that FFXIV Viera lore is generally identical to their lore in his other games so you can just take from there.

The first issue you would need to navigate around for a non-Viera orphan to be taken in would be the male Viera. No one can even approach a Viera village without them knowing about and killing the intruder without asking questions. But that could explain why such a character could be orphaned in the first place, if their parent carrying them was killed by a forest guardian and then felt bad for the baby later. Depending on the timing, the forests were also invaded by Garleans a few decades ago and that may have tied up the attention of the males, but then again it could have made them more diligent.

After that, it would be up to the village if they'd even take in a baby of a race of people that's probably different from anything they've seen before and if you'd be a productive member of their tribal society. As an Au Ra, you'd be 2/3 their height and live 1/3 as long and as far as we know wouldn't be able to produce children or it would be very difficult. Neither would you have their same heightened senses of hearing or communicate with the wood.

That said, getting over these challenges can make a compelling story and how devout you are to the lore depends on who the story is for and what it is for. Casual RPers probably don't care that much for how canon a story is, but that can vary person to person. And if you're making a story for just yourself and your friends, you can pretty much do whatever you want.

[Lyth]

True. I was thinking that you could use Fanow itself as the backdrop for your story, given that we have all the necessary information about it, but if your protagonist is to be the Warrior of Light then that doesn't really work.

There are always exceptions to every rule, and even if you visit Fanow amidst its traditions, you'll see Cymet is rather openly plotting to leave the wood despite it being something of a taboo. There's nothing to say that there aren't some eccentric Viera out there willing to put themselves at odds with their culture in the name of their beliefs. I remember in my own past I looked suspiciously like a Xaela with rabbit ears. But have some fun with it.

[Iscah]

There are always exceptions to every rule, and even if you visit Fanow amidst its traditions, you'll see Cymet is rather openly plotting to leave the wood despite it being something of a taboo.

It's not taboo to leave, only to return. (And even that seems to be on the verge of changing.)

It's a major decision that few undertake because it means cutting themselves off from their society and losing connection with the voice of the forest. But it's not something they're prevented from doing, and they have specific rituals to remember those who left. There are a few sidequests dealing with aspects of this.