tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11362338165468929142024-03-12T23:28:45.899+00:00Life in Eorzea, a Final FantasyThis is intended to document the life and experiences of the character Hugus Primvs in Final Fantasy XIV.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-63051695621415377692011-08-23T10:55:00.000+01:002011-08-23T10:55:29.098+01:00Miracle PatchWith so much talk about the (at the time) incoming changes to FFXIV some people started talking about a miracle patch in FFXIV which would make the game a new and more enjoyable experience. Even at the time I was more of the opinion of a holy trinity of patches, instead of a major change to the game this would happen over a certain amount of time which was to include patch 1.18, 1.19 and 1.20. For those of you that want more detailed information about the various changes you can see a post I made on <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/forum.html?forum=152&mid=131106947612153336&p=1#1">ZAM community forum</a>.<br />
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I've been delaying this post first because I wanted to wait for patch 1.18 and then because I wanted to actually get used to it so I could form an educated opinion on the impact that this (along with 1.18a and 1.18b) has had on the game. Then I though maybe to wait for 1.19 and eventually make a review of 1.18 to 1.20 changes but news has since been release that 1.19 will only come out at the end of next month and as such the latter will be unpractical.<br />
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Before going into any details I would just like to make it clear (in case you didn't notice on previous posts) that I am mainly a Disciple of the Hand (crafter) with a limited experience in fighting which I only really use to be part of Linkshell events and to help out other people.<br />
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Even so the main change to the game post the patch 1.18 family is to fighting and the way you now get to skill up and increase in rank (soon to be level). Although still a viable option, due to the decrease in Skill Points gained from fighting Guildleves, people in general no longer restrict themselves to repeat the same old leves reset after reset having abandoned them at the last possible moment to optimize Skill Points gain. At any one time you can now see people shouting in Ul'Dah for SP parties which will either be focused on the rank 25 new dungeon (to be discussed later) or most likely in the various Beastmen settlements now spread all over Eorzea.<br />
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In my opinion these new settlements have brought 3 positive points to the game along with promoting group content:<br />
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- They have populated an otherwise empty map, giving something to look at or run away from for those adventurers who run to camps delivering/engaging in leves.<br />
- Increase the interaction with the members of races which from lore appear to be so dominant but till now you would barely see them unless on main storyline quests.<br />
- Enable adventurers to train (read skill up) their skills on appropriate enemies earning them the ability to move on and learn new more powerful moves at an appropriate pace.<br />
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If you don't have the time or inclination for party fighting you can still avail of the old Guild Leves and although in comparison with the old SP gains they seem a disappointment, if you take into consideration their new target audience being solo players their SP gain is still at the same leves as Disciples of the Land and Hand leves for the same ranks at about 4 to 7k SP.<br />
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Along with the Beastmen camps we also got two instanced dungeons linked to the long awaited Grand Company content which should complement the camps on possible leveling spots and another way to obtain specific gear. Although the company content feels a bit lacking at the moment (due to be fleshed out in 1.19, will dedicate more time to them then) the dungeons themselves seem to have been accepted by the player base as a success. You have challenging encounters with bosses, non-fighting conditions to look out for so you can move ahead and new equipment to obtain, specially for rank 50 casters which had previously been left out from Notorious Monster drops.<br />
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Probably the main point in patch 1.18 and once that will impact on most was the changes to combat of which the greatest impact was the removal of the Stamina Bar and introduction of timers on the various abilities along with the implementation of an automated attack. Personally I don't see in practice much of a change between the two systems but as mentioned before this can be attributed to my focus being mostly on crafting, the main difference I have noticed on this new system is the impact on Regimen.<br />
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On the old system you would maybe need to wait about 3 seconds to have enough stamina to perform a move and waiting for your party members to add their own would usually not take too long so it would actually enable you to fill up a previously depleted Stamina gauge. In my point of view this would produce fights in which we would have a "fury" of abilities being used followed by an absence of damage while the group was stacking battle regimen then back to the first step.<br />
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The new system with the shortest "recast" timers of 30 seconds doesn't quite lend itself to initiating or taking part of battle regimen at a moment's notice, mane were the times that I have someone in my party start a regimen just to notice that I have to wait over 10, 15 seconds to even have an ability ready never mind the specific one for the target debuff.<br />
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Still regarding combat the old adage If you do something, do it right! comes to mind in regards to the "Enmity Meter". I would actually be against it's implementation because in my opinion threat management is something which should be learned intuitively but since Square Enix decided to implement one then they should have done it properly. As it is I find this to have two major drawbacks, by only showing if you are targeting an opposing monster, if you are a healer and as such only really target your party members you won't really have the time to keep checking your enmity level. also, since each player can only see their relative level in comparison to the player at the top of the list the Tank has no idea of how close other party members are of "Stealing" threat.<br />
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Both these issues could easily be resolved by making a graphical enmity meter displaying to all party members each and every member's placement in the mob's enmity list and relative placement between them, something which has been done years ago in user UI mods for other games (which leads me to believe a company like SE should find much easier to make).<br />
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Another hot topic change to the game was the change in MP costs for healing spells and the Area of Effect version of some of these spells. Not having touched any caster class in FFXIV I do not really have a personal opinion on how they impact the ability of these classes to play but the community has been divided between those that say the old way things were just to easy and those that say you can no longer solo hard mobs on Disciples of War due to lack of MP. I feel that casting AoE heals at the same MP cost as the original spell just didn't feel right.<br />
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The inclusion of new/changed spells in the Conjurer list made even the most hard defender of the Thaumaturge healer community accept that SE really sees the Conjurer as healer and not THM. Personally I would have put these spells in the (upcoming) White Mage list and not Conjurer but depending on how long it will take to actually introduce the jobs in FFXIV I can see why this was added to CON spells.<br />
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One of the changes in 1.18 that should have been more of an impact to me was the change into the materials required for repair. We no longer need mats which are used/crafted by the specific Disciple of the Hand and instead we have Dark Matter which can be used by any DoH for any repair within the appropriate leve range. The reason why this hasn't impacted me as much as it probably should is that due the player base I no longer take the time to help people repair items outside my Linkshell.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">[rant]</span> One of the things that most demotivated me from engaging in repairs is the offers put up on people's Bazaars. There was a time when I got some of my DoHs to a certain rank that I decided to check the local Mender's Ward once when I logged in and once before I logged out but I eventually got demotivated due to the large amount of people just putting up repairs of high rank items for hundreds of gil. About a month or so later I decided that doing so was a waste of my time and no longer offered repairs.<br />
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With the new system I initial reaction was that this would only make the crafter classes simpler and help increasing the gap between fighting classes and the other "classes", while more content was being introduced for DoW and DoM, crafting was being simplified. Afterwards I came to realise that this new Dark Matter might actually not be too bad, with it clearly available for sale in every town, people who might not have been aware of the costs involved in the old repair materials would now be able to clearly see the actual cost of the new Dark Matter and make repair offers accordingly.<br />
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It's now been just over a month since the patch is up and this still hasn't happen, from people offering 3000 Gil for a repair requiring mats that cost 2800 to people even offering 1000 for repairs which require mats well over four times as expensive seems people just don't (want to) learn. People may say that purchasing these at the NPC is not the only way to obtain them which is correct but anyone that has tried will know that you will only obtain them as Disciple of the Land, not Hand and even so you might get a couple of them an hour, they are not that common to make the cost of using them any lower than their cost at the NPC. Eventually I just went back to my old self not caring about repairing other people's gear. <span style="color: red;">[/rant]</span><br />
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Although these are no the only changes to the game includes on the latest patches these are the ones I feel most impact the game, if you are interested in more detailed information the link above has the full official patch notes linked on it, enjoy!!Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-23262739814584367512011-06-08T14:09:00.000+01:002011-06-08T14:09:50.494+01:00Nevermind an iPhone, I want a Linkshell Pearl!In this article I'm looking to approach what I think is one of the most important things in a MMORPG, it's people and community in general. Although i have played more, the only 2 games (before FFXIV) that I spent any length of time were Final Fantasy XI and World of Warcraft and to me at least the memories are very different from one game to the other and I think this is mainly due the community that inhabit(ed) these games.<br />
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Not wanting to go into a detailed study on each game and why they were different I think we can all agree that the building block of a MMO's comunity is the Linkshell/Guild system, this is what enables you to keep constant contact with a group of people the you like or feel confortable with and as such is one of the most unrecognized mechanics in games like this. This usually holds true until the system just plain doesnt work properlly (or fully as it is the case in FFXIV).<br />
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With this in mind, even before the game was launched I looked into different Linkshells I could apply to. At the time I was looking for a new experience in a MMO and because of this my search was mainly for a Role Playing Linkshell which I found in <a href="http://www.ffxiv-roleplayers.com/">FFXIV Role Player's Coalition</a> and after a couple weeks joining their web forum we all eventually me ingame during collector's edition launch. At the time we mostly were learning about the game, what to do and how to do it, although everyone was very polite and helpfull I never really felt like part of a group of people.<br />
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After the initial surge in discovering a new game it came the disapointement of the comunity in general about the state of the game when it was launched, and with it the slow but constant disapearing of players from the Linkshell. Myself I was please about the game, call me naive, fan boy or White Knight I actually enjoyed the game so I never really though about leaving, I just needed to find a active group of people, preferably one that played at around the same times as me.<br />
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Searching for an European Linkshell led me to Tainted, a linkshell based around a couple in the UK along with a real life friend of theirs and I was happy to notice that the same sense of familiarity and kinship that I remembered from FFXI was also present in FFXIV, there was a desire to do things together, to help other people and generally answer their questions by people with more experience than yourself.<br />
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It was during this time that I was faced for the first time with the Linkshell managment restrictions imposed by Square Enix in FFXIV and their impact on the comunity in general. At this time there were quite a number of players who would join the game and after a couple weeks would be disapointed at it and would just stoop playing, because of this Linkshell rosters would sometimes get full with non active characters which Linkshell leaders were unable to oust since that option was only possible when the character in question was within a few yalms of the leader.<br />
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Because of this the Linkshell leaders had decided to just scrap Tainted and create a new Linkshell with just the active members and as such I came to be part of Sin, all but in name the same as Tainted. With character development, my character's needs for higher ranked tools and equipment grew and neither I or the members of Tainted were able to craft some of my needs, this was what led me to find some very helpful people in another European Linkshell, Fabulous Cats, headed by an Italian young woman.<br />
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After a couple interactions with some of their members I eventually asked if I too could become part of their Linkshell and I was accepted into their group. While Tainted's members were mainly people that were just looking to get their fighting skills as high as possible, Fabulous Cats appeared to have members which dedicated themselves equally to fighting and crafting, some of them like myself even showed a main interest in crafting and left fighting as a second activity.<br />
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For some time I kept swapping between one Linkshell and the other, depending on the conversation and activies going in both of them, I eventually got asked to become an Officer in Tainted but I started feeling a bit apart as the great majority of it's memebrs would get together to do fighting Guildleves and I would just stay in town crafting. some time elapsed and I started noticing that by sharing my time between the two Linkshells I wasn't allowing myself to really know either, to really be friend of their group of people. As such I decided that I should choose one and just be part of one Linkshell, the choice came down to where did I find myself most at hom, where could I find people that shared the same approach to the game as myself and crafting.<br />
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I got to know the most active players in Cats quite well and there was a group of us who mearlly just stood together in the BSM/ARM guild in Limsa Lominsa crafting and chatting together. After Christmas I was once again faced with the prospect of having to change Linkshells because of the lack of LS managment. At around this time the LS leader had started coming into the game less and less and suddently the other Officers from Fabulous Cats had created a new Linkshell, Vagrant's Requiem.<br />
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At heart, Vagrats was the same people as Cats minus inactive characters headed by the Officers in Cats, same people and same feeling of friendship. Vagrats lasted quite a while untill some of it's members, Officers included, started having doubts about whether the Linkshell leader was using automated programs to advance in game or not. One evening, during a conversation in linkshell chat it became aparent to me that the leader and me had quite oposite approaches to the game and it's Terms of Use, while I saw them and "laws" to the game's users he saw htem more as advice which could/should be disregarded as Square Enix had no way to police or enforce it.<br />
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This conversation, along with previous suspicions led me to announce me quitting the Linkshell as I could not abide by a Linkshell leader promoting these kind of actions to Linkshell members. Suddently it all happened very quickly, suspitions came to the fore and Officers started quiting Vagrants. With 30 to 50 minutes before that night's scheduled maintenance talks of creating a new LS headed by the Officers in Vagrants started and these afficers and a small number of LS members, including myself, were invited to Seraphim. Within a couple days I was invited to become an Officer in Seraphim and we started inviting Vagrant's embers which we felt we active members of our little comunity.<br />
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Seraphim became a core of long time players and some new ones to the game but we eventually rebuilt our numbers to an average of 15 members on (GMT) peak times and a total membership of about 30. Dedicating myself to the strengthening of this new Linkshell I was faced with first hand knowledge of the lack of management options for Linkshells in FFXIV, if someone was to decide to stop playing the game they would most likely not delete their characters so the spot that they took on Linskhell roster would be taken with no option from Leader or Officers to remove that character.<br />
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Seraphim endured untill the Earthquake hit Japan and forced the game to go offline for 2 weeks. It seems that for the people that had doubts about the game, those 2 weeks away from it were enough to make them just give up alltogether. a couple weeks after the game was back on, from a total of 6 Officers only 2 were actually back, myself and another player from the US. With no option to remove or promote other members some members of Seraphim started requesting another restructure, that once again requiring the creation of another Linkshell.<br />
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And this brings us to today and Esuna Linkshell, as the most active officer from Seraphim I was asked to create the new Linkshell which joined by the other officer from Seraphim and two other long time members of Fabulous Cats for the Officer cadre of Esuna. the earquake doesn't feel that long ago but I'm starting to see the same signals as previous events, there are a few players which I haven't seen in weeks or even in months but the Linkshell population seems to be increasing.<br />
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At the moment we only have a roster of 45 members of which 24 were online last weekend at the same time so we don't really have an issue about lacking room to invite new people, or about the Linkshell being empty but to me at least it just feels that this is something that SE should look into. I understand that there are things which should be given priority like the new content and battle system but the Linkshell managment system should not just be seen as somrthing that does not require looking into.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-50312918734459708562011-04-30T17:45:00.000+01:002011-04-30T17:45:15.611+01:00Personal Achievements.One of the main complaints from players in FFXIV is the lack of content, people feel that there is nothing to do specially at end game. Personally I understand this statement but I also see that in a MMORPG people don't need to just do what the developers designed as "content", as with real life we don't walk on this earth aimlessly looking for things to do, we decide ourselves our targets and what we want to do to achieve them.<br />
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With this in mind I have set to myself a number of targets that I wish to reach, from the first desire to get to maximum (50) rank in Armourer to get all sub crafts required of it. This were my first two targets and I'm glad that I finally achieved one of them, get to Armourer 50. The sub crafts are also on their way, I've got to Weaver 25, Leatherworker 35, Goldsmith 30 (5 short of my target) and Carpenter 24 (6 short of 30).<br />
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I also decided to get one fighting class, chose Marauder, to 50 so I could experience all the game has to offer and have already defeated 2 out of 3 Guildleve Notorious Monsters usually associated with Tier 3 Faction Leves. On top of that I have recently aimed to get myself and my Linkshell to look into defeating "Open World" Notorious Monsters, specially Dodore which through its loot will enable me to get a Dodore Doublet, arguably the best body equipment for crafters.<br />
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Having achieved ARM50 I have now also set a new target for myself, finish the two sub crafts required for ARM and at the same time start ranking Blacksmith. Along with a new Discipline of the Hand comes the also required sub crafts and although some I have already from Armourer other need to be improved. Weaver 20 is not a problem as I already am 28, Leatherworker 35 the same, Goldsmith will now be required to take up to 38 instead of my initial target of 35 and Alchemy needs to be raised to 30.<br />
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So as a final advice, don't just hurry to get to 50 and be left with nothing to do, actually try and enjoy the path that leads you there, also set your own targets, don't just expect the developers to hand you everything on a plate and most important of all, find a friendly group of people with which to spend your time in game, it will only make the game more enjoyable.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-13258911106291928772011-04-06T14:55:00.000+01:002011-04-06T14:55:11.719+01:00Wanted AdventurersAfter the first couple months Final Fantasy XIV hasn't really had that much of a population boom as many of us had expected. There has been a constant flow of people leaving the game, mainly because of the lack of content and the hurry to get to cap level.<br />
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Even so you could still see Ul'Dah being full of character running around and even Limsa Lominsa had it's fair share of characters runing around the place either getting leves or just crafting around the Guilds. This hasn't had much of an impact on me as the group of people that I ended up playing with stayed the same with the exception of Black Pearl.<br />
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Even with low population you would still notice a few new people every week joining the game and with the promisse of the PS3 launch in the horizon we were bound to get a new influx of players into the game. But then we got the team renovation and the notice that the game would remain free to play for as long as it was considered by SE to not be up to par with others in the same genre. Along with that came the news that the launch on PS3 would be delayed untill further notice, the light at the end of the tunnel had been extinguished.<br />
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Even so the game and comunity remained in what I felt to be acceptable up till March. Without wanting to minimize the impact that the Earthquake and Tsunami had on real people and real lives all over Japan this also had a major impact on the game and it's population. SE decided to take their servers down to save power comsuption in Japan and in some way support the disaster effort. In no way do I disagree with this decision but 4 weeks after this happened, 2 of those in which the game has been back up again it feels that it's now clear the impact this decision has had on the game and the ammount of people playing it.<br />
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As many of us might know MMO games such as FFXIV can easily be seen as social adictions, it's not that you crave to play it but more that you are so used to play the game for a certain ammount of time a day that you don't even think about what else you might use your time doing. The (almost) 2 weeks in which the game was down provided these people the oportunity to re-think their habits and re-evaluate their choices.<br />
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A lot of people probbaly spent those two weeks (re)playing old games, some went back to old MMOs, some tried out newer MMOs or even offline games. This basically "created" two extreme responses when the game came back on, one one end of the spectrum you have the players which as soon as the game came back on they were online SPing, grinding or doing leves, on the other end you had people who just couldnt remember what was so good/fun to do in FFXIV in the first place.<br />
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Since I have been playing I've been in a couple LSs in which we had about a general population of between 30 to 50 characters and an average of 7 to 15 characters at any one (peak GMT) time. Since the game came back on the current LS I'm in, Seraphim, although holding 33 members we have maybe an average 4 to 6 characters and there are quite a few that simply haven't showed up in the last 2 weeks.<br />
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As with any MMO FFXIV depends not only on it's own merits but also on the population/comunity that it holds, with this sudden depleetion of it's player base I don't know if it ever will survive the current situation. Here is hoping that some these people will come back when the new update comes. Here is hoping that this update is ten times better than the mediocre addition of quests from the last update.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-68017773880901323082011-02-15T11:24:00.000+00:002011-02-15T11:24:30.065+00:00Linkshells and Friends.As anyone who has played MMOs before will tell you the enjoyment of these games is multiplied if you have a group of friends who you can enjoy the game and to a certain extent depend on to do some advanced content.<br />
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In FFXIV these groups of people are called Linkshells and characters can have up to 8 "pearls", 1 for each which will enable them to communicate with different people around Eorzea without the need to be in the same area. Personally I have found it hard to pay attention and interact with 2 LSs at any one time as the system requires you to use the main menu to change which Ls you talk to.<br />
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Because of this I made the decision of basically being on just one of them 100% of the time so that a connection and friendships can grow. At the time I had 2 LSs, one which I had been in for some time and another which although being part of for only a few months I really felt at home but unfortunately the leader appeared to be leaving the game.<br />
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When the core group of people of the second LS created a new LS which were to include the most active people in the original one I decided to make a choice between the two of them. On one hand I had a LS with about 20 active members with almost an exclusive focus on Disciples of War/Magic, on the other I had a 6 members LS which focused both on fighting and crafting and this was what led me to chose Vagrants Requiem.<br />
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In Vagrants Requiem people had an almost equal focus on both fighting and crafting and because my main (if not only) focus was on crafting I found myself having more in common with this group of people. Because of the various crafting members that took part in the LS we also have the support to help each other in making gear for each other. Eventually we decided to start recruiting more people with a desire not just to get to end game but to create a community of people that could help each other.<br />
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After 3 weeks or recruiting we now have almost 50 members from both Europe, United States and even some Eastern Europe and Middle East time zones. We got such a good response that we decided to put recruiting on hold and try to properly meet and know all new members. So as it is at the moment we have a group of core crafters, quite a few new crafters, a small group of 40+ doing those regional leves and another group of people doing 30 regional leves.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-30465009487702411302011-01-23T13:14:00.000+00:002011-01-23T13:14:45.094+00:00Letter from the Author"From the beginning, this Blog was supposed to the a first person view of Hugus' experiences in Eorzea, Besaid server. As some of you who might follow this every now and again I started posting new entries less and less and now I haven't posted one for quite some time.<br />
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This has come about because of although I, as a player still enjoy playing and meeting the people that I have met, as a character Hugus Primvs keeps doing the same over and over again because of the lack on new content present in the game. As such I've took a page from the game's producer and decided to let people that read this blog know what's been going on.<br />
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Mainly I try to do Local Guildleves as my first priority and as within them I give Armourcraft my first choice and then move on to the classes which can be considered as subs, classes which are needed for some of the ARM synths. With this in mind I have achieved WVR26 which should be enough, keep on increasing LW to 35 (27 at the moment) and stated skilling up CRP which is now at 13.<br />
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At the same time but less important to me, I still do leves for MRD and MIN when these present Guild Marks as rewards and that has enabled me to raise MRD to 30 and MIN to 28.<br />
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With the news from FFXIV producer about the <a href="http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/pl/topics/detail?id=1122963cf532ba1f555aab15f2ed538a52d0fa40">changes which will be implemented</a> I hope that more content will be added soon and if I feel that will enable me to continue posting "In Character" I will try to do so, if not I will just keep news of Hugus updated as I've done in this post"Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-72717000256306293532010-12-17T11:54:00.000+00:002010-12-17T11:54:50.793+00:00More than meets the eyeUntil a few days ago I was under the impression that the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Beast_Tribes_%28FFXIV%29">Beastman</a> tribes inhabiting <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Eorzea">Eorzea</a> were little more than enemies we, the intelligent races had to face when exploring the farther reaches of our lands. Beings that from their intolerance of others had somehow summoned the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Primals">Primals</a> that were causing so much concern to the Wanderers of the Path and to those awakened to their presence.<br />
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A few days ago I was once again asked to meet <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000843">Minfilia</a> in the Merchant Ward of <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=7">Ul'dah</a> and to my astonishment the view I had of these tribes sharing Eorzea was completely turned inside out. I was told that as savage as they might seem to the uneducated adventurer they actually were a major contributor to Eorzea's economy and the crafting practiced throughout the land.<br />
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As most if not all of you know crystals and their derivatives are a requirement for all crafting, without which we would be unable to craft something as simple as a nugget or ingot. It was brought to my attention that the influx of these crystals to the various guilds in Eorzea was done through a group of beings, some not even from the main 4 races, called Ashcrow Consortium and that this group regularly engaged in trading with Beastmen to obtain the crystals that drive our economy.<br />
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I was asked to aid this group in their dealings with the Beastmen as their trade had been dwindling of late. Upon my arrival in the Peasant's Ward of <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=8">Gridania</a> it was explained to me that the Beastmen had started refusing to trade their crystals because their "gods", the Primals required these same crystals to obtain and maintain their power. Even worse, the tribes was starting to meet the Consortium's representatives with anger and resentfulness.<br />
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Even as we spoke the Consortium had a group of their representatives sent to meet both <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=2106312">Ixal</a> and <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=2106502">Amalj'aa</a> and try to convince them to re initiate trading in crystals. Unfortunately no news had arrived of their progress and people were starting to get worried. I was asked to accompany Nells, my companion in the Path, to <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=5">Thanalan</a> where this negotiations were taking place and assist as much as possible with my understanding of other languages.<br />
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Upon our arrival in a cave just southeast of Camp Drybone we were faced not with a negotiation but with the start of a skirmish between the two tribes of Beastmen. With both Ixal and Amalj'aa almost at each other's throats the consortium representatives were finding it harder and harder to keep tempers down and both tribe's leaders were about to come to blows or even worst, summon their Primals. This was only prevented through the magic of the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=2106713">Sylphs</a> which appeared to have frozen both tribes in time.<br />
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With the little reprieve given to us I decided to talk to both leaders of the tribes and engage in <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/ability.html?ffxivability=29494">Parley</a> with them. After some effort with each of the leaders I was able to finally calm them down and each of them returned to their tribes in peace. Without any crystals but having prevented the situation from escalating to open warfare we decided to call it a successful outing and each go on with their lives.<br />
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When things didn't seem to be able to get any worst a strange eerie sound appeared and suddenly we were faced with a strange creature that <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1001050">Nananoby</a> and the Sylphs identified as being an <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=2106805">Ascian</a>. Quickly, the Sylphs were able to cast a veil on invisibility upon us and we were able to observe a strange being like nothing I had seen before. When the Ascian left I was left with the realisation that I know nothing of the strange beings that I share this land with.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-16036101831085275902010-12-04T11:44:00.001+00:002010-12-04T11:52:01.368+00:00Prayers to the TwelveLife in <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Eorzea">Eorzea</a> has changed considerably this last couple weeks. For some times now many Adventurers have raised their voices to <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/The_Twelve">The Twelve</a> praying that their lives would be made easier and as a benevolent father to his child it appears now those prayers have been answered. In all walks of life changes have taken place that seem to impact the least important activity.<br />
<br />
One of the simplest examples I can remember would be the gifts that the Twelve sometimes appear to put in our path in the form of treasure chests lying around in the world. Some people think I'm crazy for linking these chests to the gods but since we are only able to find these under our guardian's favour and people outside our group can't even see them I think this idea is as believable as any other. Before, we had to actually concentrate on these chests before we were able to open them but now all it seem to be needed is just to flip the latch and they get open.<br />
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As an <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Armorer_(FFXIV)">armourer</a> the change that most impacted me was shard related, not only it appears easier to find more shards in the remnants of defeated animals but recipes that have long been established with a certain number of these magically imbued items seem to have changed and now require a smaller quantity of them. On the other hand I've also noticed that using Bold Synthesis now increases the quality of the item in much lower increments.<br />
<br />
It also appears that the first 20 levels of understanding in every class seem easier to reach now, along with the skills that one learn from them, that associated with Disciples of the War and Magic finding it easier to hit their enemies has raised a lot of support and recognition towards whichever of the Twelve that might be responsible for this. It appears that monsters on the other hand are finding it harder to actually hit adventurers and cause them harm.<br />
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Of course this might just have been a reaction from the Twelve to other evens taking place, myself I've noticed a considerable increase in the population of some animals and have heard rumours of never seen before monsters now roaming the continent. Some say that this influx of mobs is only related to the change in the seasons while others see it as the beginning of something worst. For ages now there have been myths of notorious monsters plaguing the world outside Eorzea and whether the increase of population is because of monsters running from them or scouting the territory on their behalf both are being seen as a signal for harder fights to come.<br />
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One of the events that most have had a visible impact on the population is the discovery that some <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Aetheryte_%28FFXIV%29">Eatherite</a> crystals now require much less <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Transportation_(FFXIV)">Anima</a> to be used. As you might well know the use of the Aetherite nodes although enables us to travel vast distances in mear seconds but also causes a depletion of this element in our bodies and can only be used so many times in a certain amount of time. This reduction is allowing people to travel much more often while still not exhausting our Anima.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-25970332840213649952010-11-21T15:44:00.000+00:002010-11-21T15:44:41.399+00:00The enemy of my enemy is my friendThese past few days have been unremarkable but for one event. Mostly I've been improving my skills in <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Armorer_(FFXIV)">armour crafting</a> and <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Leatherworker_(FFXIV)">leather working</a>, something I came to realise is that as good as I might be crafting out of metal I will always need to know some of what makes a good piece of leather or even cloth. The main reason for this is that for me to create some of the more advanced armour I will need to do it using materials which I have no knowledge of.<br />
<br />
A good example of this is <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/recipe.html?ffxivrecipe=1695">Bronze Scale Mail</a>, as much knowledge as I might have of the metals that make it I will also need to be comfortable working with the leather materials that help to make it. Other pieces like <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/recipe.html?ffxivrecipe=1231">Bronze Cuirass</a> for example require some know how in both leather working as and <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Weaver_(FFXIV)">weaving</a> in addition to the usual armour crafting since it's components come from all three Disciplines of the Hand.<br />
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With this in mind I have decided to start delving in more detail into leather working until I feel comfortable using these materials and will then move on to weaving as well with the same intent. It was upon arriving in <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=7">Ul'Dah</a> from the various journeys I usually take across <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Eorzea">Eorzea</a> perfecting my skills that I was told of strange visitors in the Waking Sands, the Head Quarters of the <a href="http://hugusff14.blogspot.com/2010/10/secret-society.html">Walkers of the Path</a>. Upon arriving in the building I was informed that some <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=2106713">Sylphs</a> were keeping <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000843">Minfilia</a> and asked to help resolve the situation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bwUuniWHUp9wWhS3gQ1Fix3GICR7O0tnjJc0c5yGvVAEcz5FI-QBFmrg3LK-WyhSHqVR5nlYwDorvNNOGEgQ2N9N58rmzL1ibXg6vYDH6lh7FxmmCAg6I-LTXfSbPN65FuFmsLijjnw/s1600/Sylphs.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bwUuniWHUp9wWhS3gQ1Fix3GICR7O0tnjJc0c5yGvVAEcz5FI-QBFmrg3LK-WyhSHqVR5nlYwDorvNNOGEgQ2N9N58rmzL1ibXg6vYDH6lh7FxmmCAg6I-LTXfSbPN65FuFmsLijjnw/s400/Sylphs.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><br />
When I arrived in her office, Minfilia was trying to communicate with the Sylphs but not being able to understand them she couldn't do much. Probably because of my latent Echo power I somehow could understand the forest beings and translate their speech. It appeared that the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Garlean_Empire">Garlean Empire</a> had started a new incursion into Eorzea, this time in the surrounding area of <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=8">Gridania</a> where the Sylph inhabit. They somehow had come into the woods and endangered their homes.<br />
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At Minfilia's request I contacted Nells, my Path Companion, and we arranged to meet in Gridania to scout the events taking place and report back to the Walkers of the Path. I set to Gridania where I met up with Nells and we both headed to Camp Nine Ivies after which we found the Sylphs. Apparently the Garleans had come with weapons and were scouring the forest to find their homes and their young, with some strange magic the Garlean soldiers were able to somewhat counter the Sylph magic and actually see them sometimes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44OxR_reaajvafl4k2R3f_LAn2uqPy5t_XegXRhFE7ZdY1aZ_XKger5OikqI1czk9KhUeN7ZmK2ZGauO1KpbkmC_OdxF195K4kJqQp6EPJrqtI6ZKlrfee1htZ4YEgCpunJJuwxTI9_Q/s1600/ffxivgame+2010-11-21+14-09-48-43.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44OxR_reaajvafl4k2R3f_LAn2uqPy5t_XegXRhFE7ZdY1aZ_XKger5OikqI1czk9KhUeN7ZmK2ZGauO1KpbkmC_OdxF195K4kJqQp6EPJrqtI6ZKlrfee1htZ4YEgCpunJJuwxTI9_Q/s400/ffxivgame+2010-11-21+14-09-48-43.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><br />
With this new development both myself and Nells decided to not just observe what was happening but to attempt to save the podlings from Garlean hands. With the help of some Sylph keeping us hidden from Garlean eyes we were able to remain hidden all the way to their home and take the podlings back with us to keep them safe. On the way back we were spotted by some Garlean soldiers but once again the Sylph intervened and cast their magic on us making the soldiers unable to see us.<br />
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When we arrived back in Camp Nine Ivies where the Sylph had gathered we were happy to hand back the podlings into their care to keep them safe. This was when a group of three strange individuals appeared and made a comment that we had done more than simply scouting the area, from this statement I assume that they too were Walkers of the Path but not having offered any names I cannot be sure. In the end I simply reported these events back to Tataru in the Waking Sands hoping that more experienced persons would know what to do.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Cn8T-bFoE0IaZFP8bmkxDQetOF2IjxqUFKLYQsTUnhs7xXMicWI1HEQQqPLcGJ6bGxX6uo6baCbKpTD6L-jQP4RfAlsXldn3kKKZYZyKb1OirXXIFUhytSVLi4XbA-Pk3TQNrHRWVdM/s1600/ffxivgame+2010-11-21+14-21-32-33.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Cn8T-bFoE0IaZFP8bmkxDQetOF2IjxqUFKLYQsTUnhs7xXMicWI1HEQQqPLcGJ6bGxX6uo6baCbKpTD6L-jQP4RfAlsXldn3kKKZYZyKb1OirXXIFUhytSVLi4XbA-Pk3TQNrHRWVdM/s320/ffxivgame+2010-11-21+14-21-32-33.bmp" width="320" /></a></div>Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-92070780122608371102010-11-13T12:25:00.000+00:002010-11-13T12:25:12.791+00:00First foray into fighting.After the opening of Primvs' Armours business stayed a at low but steady rate. I'm hoping that current customers might have spread the word that I'm available for commissions, business will start to improve. I even took some time giving out some advice to a new <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Blacksmith_(FFXIV)">Blacksmith</a>. Even though the particulars of the different crafts are relatively different the main rules will still be the same. I was happy to have been told by <a href="http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/rc/character/status?cicuid=6821185">Richard Preston</a> that following my advice he noticed a clear improvement in his craft.<br />
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Since business has been slow I decided to bring my wares to where they are most needed. Instead of just providing them to other adventurers I started thinking of using them myself. With that in mind I choose to attempt taking on the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Gladiator_(FFXIV)">Gladiator</a>'s ma<span style="background-color: white;">ntle</span> and learn their style of fighting. Making this decision known to my Linkshell it was brought to my attention by <a href="http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/rc/character/status?cicuid=2011390">Tik Tok</a> that although the Gladiator's way of fighting can be enough on it's own, it's can be much more successful if aided by certain skill from other fighting styles.<br />
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Overall the aim of the Gladiator is to have the enemy's attention focused on them so that other adventurers can focus of dealing damage or healing the party members. To this, gladiators rely on skills such as <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/ability.html?ffxivability=26797">Phalanx</a> and <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/ability.html?ffxivability=26685">Provoke</a> but these can sometimes prove insufficient as other party members deal high amounts of damage or healing which will attract the enemy's attention. An attentive Gladiator will also study other fighting styles so they can learn their particular skills or even spells and then use them alongside their original knowledge.<br />
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Good examples of these are <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/ability.html?ffxivability=29009">Cure</a> from <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Conjurer_(FFXIV)">Conjurer</a> or <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/ability.html?ffxivability=26867">Foresight</a> from <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Marauder_(FFXIV)">Marauders</a>. If a Gladiator uses Cure then not only will he support the healing done and as such allow casters to use their magic in other ways but will also reduce the amount of enmity to the caster and transfer that to the gladiator and as such keep the attention of the monster more strongly fixated on himself. Foresight improves the Gladiator's chance at parrying attacks and as such also reduce the amount of healing required and once again reduce the threat to the caster assigned to healing.<br />
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With this in mind I decide to place an order for a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/item.html?ffxivitem=4030002">Bronze Spatha</a> from my colleague Richard and start training in the Marauder way of fighting. This way I can start to use the equipment I had set aside for my use as a Gladiator and once I actually practice the gladiatorial way I will have the support of some of the Marauder skills. Learning spells and abilities from other styles will prove more difficult as I will require to also find equipment suited to those classes but since I'm still focusing in improving my <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Armorer_(FFXIV)">armour crafting</a> and Disciplines of the Hand in general I'm in no hurry to get a beating.<br />
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In the mean time I'll keep crafting on request to my customers and on behalf of the Adventurer Guilds that post requests for armour and timber. On my spare time I will start studying what skills might be helpful to eventually developing my fighting as a gladiator.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-34489670580799391052010-11-06T12:39:00.000+00:002010-11-06T12:39:47.737+00:00New Friends And New BusinessIt has been quite a few moons since I came back to my adopted city of <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=7">Ul'Dah</a> and my day to day had fallen into a routine, traveling between the three nations helping out the local Adventurer's Guilds and providing my services them. It was on one of this journeys that I met <a href="http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/rc/character/status?cicuid=1338823">Gun Anam</a>, a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Player_Races_(FFXIV)#Hyur">Hyur</a> adventurer and we started talking about life and the situation with the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Garlean_Empire">Garlean Empire</a>. Gun Anam mentioned that he was part of a group of adventurers that had got together to benefit of mutual help and otherwise have company and people to talk to.<br />
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These adventurers were led by a couple named <a href="http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/rc/character/status?cicuid=2011120">Envi</a> and <a href="http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/rc/character/status?cicuid=1366417">Ylanna Larue</a> with the help of a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Player_Races_(FFXIV)#Miqo'te">Miquo'te</a> called <a href="http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/rc/character/status?cicuid=2011390">Tik Tok</a> and called themselves <a href="http://tainted-besaid.guildlaunch.com/index.php?gid=173785">Tainted</a>. Although I found it strange that a group of adventurers would call themselves such a name I found them to be a group of nice, welcoming people with various aims but all with the same easy going way to approach the difficulties that life presented them.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLrEifIuMfpVgd0DI9wVGth13SRcywCCIu5_KcDBIVAegDm9mhr95Vvs4eeKSm-iEfRp0eOq-O8I_CBVNwcmg5i5nja9-5AH03YVBXwFIEAwwYt2MChd0eeqWTaRGYxm6EsC1-Kzosog/s1600/Ferry2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixLrEifIuMfpVgd0DI9wVGth13SRcywCCIu5_KcDBIVAegDm9mhr95Vvs4eeKSm-iEfRp0eOq-O8I_CBVNwcmg5i5nja9-5AH03YVBXwFIEAwwYt2MChd0eeqWTaRGYxm6EsC1-Kzosog/s320/Ferry2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Eventually, noticing my discomfort in standing in the rain, Gun Anam advised me to use the ferry's cabin. I found it amazing that after taking the ferry so many times in the past I hadn't noticed the presence of this comfortable cabin that kept me safe from the elements. As comfortable and warm as the cabin was, it appears I had been in the rain for far too long and a few days later came down with the flu which left me quite debilitated and prevented me from my usual travels across Eorzea. But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining.<br />
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Because of my condition I ended up spending much more time in my old shop than usual and eventually decided to clean it up and revert it to it's old appearance. With it presentable and my confidence in my <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Armorer_(FFXIV)">Armour crafting</a> skills increasing every day I decided to reopen Primvs' Armour to the public, I might not be able to provide <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/item.html?ffxivitem=8070603">Iron Mitt Gauntlets</a> but <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/item.html?ffxivitem=8080019">Bronze Sabatons</a> are easily done with my current skills.<br />
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The opening of my shop was a small event that passed unnoticed but eventually adventurers started coming in looking for wares. I sold 2 Iron Skilets to some new friends of mine from Tainted, one to Tik tok and the other to <a href="http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/rc/character/status?cicuid=5961073">Dark Mike</a> and even had a stranger placing an order for 6 <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/item.html?ffxivitem=10002022#Recipes">Iron Plates</a>. All and all it was a small event but one that reminded me how happy I had been in the past providing help to other people.<br />
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One of reasons that I felt confident enough to reopen my shop was the crafting of some <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/item.html?ffxivitem=10311212">Bronze Buckles</a>, even in my old days I don't remember ever producing such good quality items. I was only sorry that these were a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Guildleves">commission</a> to Camp Black Brush and I wasn't able to keep them as a keep sake to put on show in the shop so people could see the quality of my work.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1QRMkujJG-E/TNVJ4Z7D4AI/AAAAAAAAAEE/bF4A0iBVBEU/s1600/Buckle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="71" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1QRMkujJG-E/TNVJ4Z7D4AI/AAAAAAAAAEE/bF4A0iBVBEU/s320/Buckle.png" width="320" /></a></div>Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-45109752287439380232010-10-30T16:38:00.000+01:002010-10-30T16:38:49.955+01:00A little knowledge can go a long way.To be honest the last few days haven't had that much novelty to them, I think as I get more and more skill in my craft things start becoming second nature and filled with the same jobs while helping out the various adventurer guilds across <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Eorzea">Eorzea</a>. I have learned a couple things though.<br />
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First thing that I realized is that just because I might have great skill in <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Armorer_(FFXIV)">Armourcrafting</a> it doesn't mean I can easily do all the items I choose to, some of them also require that I have some proficiency in other Disciplines of the Hand. This is specially true in regards to <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Leatherworker_%28FFXIV%29">Leather working</a> and <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Weaver_%28FFXIV%29">Weaving</a> as these two provide some of the materials I needs to make armour.<br />
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Because of this I decided to get a minimal knowledge in the various other Disciplines of the Hand so I might better perform in my chosen one. So far I have achieved my (short term) target in Blacksmithing, <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Goldsmith_%28FFXIV%29">Goldsmithing</a> and Leatherworking. By learning the initial steps in these crafts not only am I able to improve my crafting in armour but I also learned some skills which have been of great help. Although skills like <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/ability.html?ffxivability=29509">Maker's Muse</a> are achieved by training <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Blacksmith_%28FFXIV%29">Blacksmithing</a> these can eventually be used in any other craft I so choose.<br />
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For this reason my Armourcrafting has seen much improvement derived from the use of that same skill along with <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/ability.html?ffxivability=29514">Fulfillment</a> and to some extent <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/ability.html?ffxivability=29545">Epiphany</a>. these not only improved the overall quality of lower skill items but improved my success rate on high skill parts, even some usually associated with skills higher than the ones I possess at the moment. I would advise any person thinking of delving into the Disciplines of the Hand to look at skill from other crafts and see which (if not all) that might be of help to them.<br />
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Since I'm in a mood to offer advice here is another one that might be of help to any person reading this journal, just because the great majority of beasts roaming the land don't pay you any more attention than maybe following you for a yalm or two, that doesn't mean they all behave this way. From my own experience I can say that <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Miner_(FFXIV)">Mining</a> within hearing range of a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=2103203">goobbue</a> is a bad idea as they will most likely look for the source of the noise and not be very happy with your presence in what they perceive to be their territory.<br />
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Feeling something hitting me in the back of the head and founding myself waking up in Camp Skull Valley still aching from the pain was a lesson that I will not so soon forget. Also be aware that goobbues are not the only ones, <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=2101321">Lone Wolves</a> around Gridania usually take to attack stray adventurers passing beside them, even if these adventurers try to give them room and not make any noise. Overall be aware of your surrounding and the other creatures that share it with you.<br />
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Also of note is a complaint I felt obliged to present to <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000861">Linette</a> and to the Miner's Guild in general. After finally being accepted in the guild, I decided to lawfully enter Nanawa Mines and search for what riches might be there to find. After so much talk in the guild headquarters of the best finds taking place in actual mines instead of the outside world I decided to take a chance in that scary place.<br />
<br />
Imagine my astonishment to discover that not only weren't there riches to be found but that all nodes appeared to have been mined to exhaustion, after almost running the mines from one end to another I couldn't find one spot that might deliver something, anything. In the end all I did was run around keeping an eye out for some <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=2101903&mid=1287120963162756691&page=1">skeletons</a> haunting the lower depths of the mines and trying not to step on the many <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=2102105">Iron Coblyns</a> that inhabit those caves.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-59092378118460092222010-10-23T13:14:00.000+01:002010-10-23T13:14:50.500+01:00A Secret Society<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It was during one of my return visits to <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=7">Ul’Dah</a> that <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000841">Momodi</a> told me that someone had been in the Quicksand looking for me; it appeared that a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Midland_Hyur">Midlander Hyur</a> called <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000843">Minfilia</a> had asked for me by name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I had never met such a person I found it strange and decided to find out what that person wanted with me. Momodi told me I could find the Hyur in the Waking Sands, a building in the Merchant Wards of Ul’Dah.</span></div><br />
When I presented myself to the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Player_Races_(FFXIV)#Lalafell">Lalafell</a> at the door I was advised that Minfilia was their organization’s leader and that her office was located at the end of the main corridor and I should go ahead and meet her there. When I finally met Minfilia she explained all she knew about the Echo, to had walked the continent looking for information and having someone so close to my own house being the one to offer it seemed another intervention of the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/The_Twelve">Twelve</a>, maybe <span style="color: #383838;"><a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Nald'thal">Nald'thal</a> had led me to my desired destination.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Minfilia explained to me that I wasn’t the only one, others had come to them through the times with the same gift but that lately the numbers of people like me had been increasing drastically for some reason. Some of them, like me, reported seeing a meteor shower in the skies but a small few had never seen an event like that, some were “awakened” at a young age, others at a much later stage in life; it all sounded so random.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Minfilia also mentioned that she believed that this Echo of ours was a gift from the Twelve, a way that through which they helped their followers to live through some hard times in their lives. Because of the mystic connotations and little understanding of the Echo powers, the population at large was fearful of whom she called the Walkers of the Path, and sometimes the people in general would become angry and aggressive for fear of the unknown. I could now understand why so very few people in my travels had talked to me about the Echo, were they fearful for themselves of maybe for what I might be?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The main reason why people not with the gift appeared to fear the Walkers was because the Echo doesn’t just allow for us to see what a person has seen in the past but also to be a presence in their minds, we can understand their most personal inner thoughts and sometimes even influence their own actions through decisions of our own. Another interesting effect of the Echo is that whenever we experience someone’s past we are able to understand any language in use, whether we ourselves have learnt it or not. This too might give us an insight to knowledge that would otherwise be secret.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Eventually Minfilia asked me if I wished to join the Path of the Twelve, to become a Walker and travel the world in search of insights into the Echo and using it to help others, be them Walkers or not. With curiosity of my own situation I decided to do so and was asked to talk to Lady Tataru at the entrance of the building and have my name written in the Path register and become a member of the Path of the Twelve.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Tataru explained that because of the hardships one must face upon our journeys walkers usually travel in pairs, supporting each other and finding safety in their number. I was introduced to various other Walkers that happened to be in the building at the time and asked to choose someone that I could feel comfortable with while on my travels. I eventually decided upon Nells, a Midlander Hyur and practitioner of the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Conjurer_(FFXIV)">Conjurer</a> arts. I was then given a Path of the Twelve Linkpearl and told that I should present myself to Minfilia and request her acceptance of our grouping.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Minfilia was quick to give her blessing to my request to be grouped with Nells and told me that my companion was waiting for me with Tataru at the building’s exit and that I should go to them and we would be introduced to each other. When I arrived at the door Tataru made the introductions and Nells requested a meeting between ourselves in the Quicksand so we could discuss our future endeavour.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Our first meeting wasn’t quite what I expected, although I had been told that Nells was an experienced Walker and that she had gone through some hardships as life changing as mine her demeanour was one of someone without a worry in the world, where I was sometimes solemn and introspect, she appeared to be lively and jolly. We might not be of a same mind but maybe our differences would be useful in the future, maybe we would complement each other and for that be greater than the sum of just the two of us.</span></div></span>Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-2184309877200841362010-10-19T14:31:00.001+01:002010-10-19T14:33:02.618+01:00Roads are dangerous things.The following days saw once more leave my adopted city to travel <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Eorzea">Eorzea</a>, I needed to find out what danger there was to everyone I knew and how my Echo experience might be related to it. After I gathered some provisions I started on my way to <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=8">Gridania</a> the forest city in the North. Crossing the desert valleys of Northeast <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=5">Thanalan</a> I finally arrived in <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=6">The Black Shroud</a> and the difference couldn't be more striking. This land has much greenery as Thanalan has sand, instead of the open spaces you are faced with winding hunting tracks that cross the thick vegetation without ever knowing what kind of beasts might wait around a corner.<br />
<br />
With the help of my tattered Adventurer's Map I was able to find my way to Gridania itself but even here there were trees and flowers everywhere, the buildings seemingly incorporated into the landscape instead of forcing their own presence. My first stop was the local Adventurer's Guild but I could find no information on the Echo or meteor shower, life here as in <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=7">Ul'Dah</a> seemed to go oblivious to any danger besides a possible <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Garlean_Empire">Garlean intrusion</a>. It might be that because of Gridania being so close to old <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_2101962437">Ala </a><a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Ala_Mhigo">Mhigo</a>'s boarders one could notice a stronger armed presence in this city than in Ul'Dah, where the Gladiator's Guild seemed to me to mainly provide entertainment to the people the Lancer's Guild was clearly assigned to the defence of Gridania and it's surrounding areas. Even with this considerable military activity there were no rumours about anything else but the Garlean Empire, no fears but where to find the next meal, life went on as normal.<br />
<br />
I walked about the city trying to find any new information besides the usual rumours and taking in the views and at the next day I still didn't know any more than I did upon leaving Ul'Dah. The following day I decided to lend a hand crafting some armour to the surrounding camps, maybe in the camps there might be travellers with news from abroad. The next few days went by and although I traveled from Camp Emerald to Camp Nine Ivies there was no mention of Echo or any other danger besides the Garlean, to be honest the most danger I experienced was when a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=2101321">Lone Wolf</a> came out of the dark and attacked me when I was looking for a Silver vein. In time I decided to go back to Ul'Dah and take on more supplies to try and see if the port city of <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=2">Limsa Lominsa</a> had any news, if any rumours were to be heard from the coast of Eorzea then they would undoubtedly reach the city.<br />
<br />
Limsa Lominsa was just the way I remembered it to be, a jungle of towers and walkways, a maze of routes on low and higher levels interconnected by towering stairways. The sunlight reflected on the many white building faces gave you a feeling of freedom and openness that neither Ul'Dah nor Gridania were able to provide. The wide city planing allowed for the fresh salty sea air to flow over the city carrying the noise of every day city living from one end of the city to the other. Upon reflection I came to realise that Limsa Lominsa was the city in which Garlean action least had influenced the city's day to day routine, it almost felt like Ala Migho before the fall.<br />
<br />
Once again I walked through the city searching for any rumours about danger or this new power of mine but I couldn't find anyone with new information which I didn't already possess. I went to Limsa's Adventurer Guild and Armourer's Guild but if anything people in general were relaxed and content, even the Garlean threat seemed a distant worry abated by distance of geography and time. I found myself once more using renewed skills in <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Armorer_(FFXIV)">armour crafting</a> and <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Miner_(FFXIV)">Mining</a> to the benefit of the local patrons in exchange of some Gil and was even given a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/item.html?ffxivitem=8011809">Cotton Scarf</a> and eventually also a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/item.html?ffxivitem=8091003">Canvas Sash</a> as rewards from finding a new Iron veins close to Camp Bloodshore.<br />
<br />
Although I could not find any new information about Echo or any other danger to Eorzea I found that by traveling between these three cities I was able to offer my services to many more people and more often. This, in turn allowed me to improve my crafting and gathering skills much more quickly until I was once more asked to write my name in both the Mining and Armorer Guild member's books. The first offer came from <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000861">Linette</a> in the Amajina & Sons Mineral Concern which apparently had kept an eye on my miming skills. I was asked to go to <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=12">Nanawa Mines</a>, the same Nanawa Mines which I had been in, <a href="http://hugusff14.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html">looking for a fabled Crimson Blade</a> not that long ago. At least this time I didn't have to go into the mines proper and talking to Z'ssapa I was told that I needed to bring some new and interesting finds so that I might be <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/quest.html?ffxivquest=110446">considered to join the Guild</a>. After some searching around I was able to find amongst other things a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/item.html?ffxivitem=11000014">Ewer Fragment</a> which eventually proved to be curious enough.<br />
<br />
A few days later it was the turn of <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000144">Bodenolf</a>, an old acquaintance of mine to advise me that to keep my membership in the Armorer's Guild I needed to once pass a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/quest.html?ffxivquest=110306#Journal">test of quality</a> which <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000176&mid=128749501788115619&page=1">Mimidoa</a> would be judging. Knowing Mimidoa's reputation for forgetfulness and loose connection on reality I was fearful that this time my skills might not be up to his standards but eventually my efforts were rewarded with his acceptance and some guild marks. I was happy to be able to have Bodenolf update my name in the guild roster and promised to keep at it and not just achieve my previous skill but to even surpass it. Bodenolf said he would keep me to my promise and let me know when he though a new test was due.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-48928972552091869012010-10-08T14:53:00.000+01:002010-10-08T14:53:42.446+01:00Friends in High PlacesI remember when I first visited the coliseum overhearing a conversation between <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000039">Greinfarr</a> and <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000037">Niellefresne</a> in which they talked about meetings and how Greinfarr was probably gonna be reprimanded for letting the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=2103203">goobbue</a> run free. I remember finding it strange when I noticed Thancred hiding in a dark corner listening to their conversation. Unfortunately the beast hadn't been killed soon enough and <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000186">Warburton</a> had to give his life protecting his daughter <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000042">Ascilia</a>. How this could have been Greinfarr fault I couldn't understand, he had been one of the few people that had faced the monster in the street.<br />
<br />
At a later time I went to the Frondaile's Phrontistery looking to see if there was anything I could do to help with the injuries caused by the goobbue and maybe earn myself a little Gil. The wards were full of old and new, <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Player_Races_(FFXIV)#Miqo'te">Miquo'te</a> and <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Player_Races_(FFXIV)#Roegadyn">Roegadyn</a> all with either a blank stare in their eye or full of tears rolling from their cheeks. It was during my rounds that I found Ascilia mourning her father's death and was told that both had just arrived from <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Ala_Mhigo">Ala Mhigo</a>, my home city. Suddenly Ascilia mentioned that her father had talked about a grave danger upon the city of <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=7">Ul'Dah</a>, what was worst was that she had no further knowledge of what that danger might be.<br />
<br />
During one of, what were starting to be quite regular, conversations with <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000841">Momodi</a> when she was talking about some rumour or another Thancred walked into the Inn and once more got himself involved in a conversation which had nothing to do with him. After this interruption the conversation turned into the possibility of <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Garlean_Empire">Garlean</a> spies in the city and the expected incoming war. It seemed that the high born of the city had been meeting in the Platinum Mirage making arrangements for a war which was as good as present in their minds.<br />
<br />
With a little encouragement from Momodi and some curiosity from myself I ended up going into the Platinum Mirage myself pretending to be looking for work. While walking though the inner corridors of the establishment I noticed a commotion in a room and found Niellefresne accusing Thancred of cheating in some kind of game. It appeared that Thancred's curiosity had also lead him to this same spot and after some clever use of words it suddenly became apparent that the goobbue hadn't got free by accident while on the parade. It had been a scheme orchestrated by Niellefresne to once more induce the idea of a Garlean spy within the city of Ul'Dah. This appeared to have a two-fold target, to show the people that war was upon them and they should get ready and also to elevate the group of high-borns as their saviours when the beast went down, specially Greinfarr and Niellefresne themselves.<br />
<br />
The problem was that even having distributed the flower that was supposed to keep beasts away through the crowd to protect them, one person had died in the attack, Ascilia's father. This news caused some surprise and sadness but Niellefresne looked unmoved, the statement casualty of war came to mind. The same couldn't be said about F'lhaminn, looking visibly shocked she had left the room and I eventually met back with her in North <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=5">Thanalan</a>. Maybe because of her involvement in Warburton's death or some feeling of responsibility the songstress of Ul'Dah appeared to be taking care of Ascilia teaching her some <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Miner_(FFXIV)">mining</a> which might not make up for the loss but at least got the child to think of something else.<br />
<br />
After a few minutes Corguevais arrived and said that he too was from Al Migho and that he too had the same purpose as Warburton. Still feeling responsible for the goobbue and the loss caused by it Corguevais offers to pay for the funeral since the child has no Gil of her own but not aware of anyone else's possible involvement, Ascilia faces Corguevais in tears but firm and accuses him of murdering her father. Not being able to calm the child Corguevais eventually leaves back to the city. With both Corguevais and Ascilia away F'lhaminn mentions the rumours about the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Thaumaturge_(FFXIV)">Order of Nald'thal</a> having a way to communicate with the dead.<br />
<br />
At F'lhaminn's request I found myself in the Arrzaneth Ossuary speaking to Mumuepo, the Thaumaturge in charge of the Ossuary. Somehow Mumuepo knew why I was there and even who had led me there, apparently it wasn't the first time that an unfounded rumour about talking and raising the dead had found it's way to the Thaumaturge's Guild but once more Mumuepo explained both to me and to F'lhaminn who had arrived in the mean time that this was not possible. Just as I was about to leave I noticed Warburton's funeral starting and decided to stay a while longer.<br />
<br />
A few days later, while updating Momodi on the latest events she told me about a group of both <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Gladiator_(FFXIV)">gladiators</a> and <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Pugilist_(FFXIV)">pugilists</a>, all members of the city guard, that had left the city in a hurry on chocobos. Talking to <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000840">Rururaji</a> of the chocobo stable he confirmed that the guard had left after receiving some report of trouble outside the walls. It appeared that Corguevais had taken Ascilia and left the city and a group nobles had set after them. Rururaji had a good idea where they were heading and offered to take me there which I accepted.<br />
North of Central Thanalan we find Niellefresne and his group facing Corguevais and Ascilia, soon it becomes clear that Ascilia was told about the group's involvement in her father's death and the hatred she had been displaying towards Corguevais is now aimed at the others, even F'lhaminn. To make matters more complicated Ascilia has another revelation, the news that her father had been carrying and that everyone assumed to be a Garlean threat was instead something even worse and not related to the empire. Immediately Niellefresne tried to obtain more information from the couple but to no avail.<br />
<br />
Instead Corguevais unveils the mysterious horn that had been used to free the goobbue and threatening the group's lives, summons minemites to kill the group while he boards the chocobo carriage and leaves everyone else to their fate. Left alone across from everyone else, Ascilia finds herself between the minemite's rampage and their intended victims. Trying to protect the kid from harm, F'lhaminn was knocked unconscious along with Ascilia which left Greinfarr, Niellefresne and me to face the horde. To be honest this wasn't at all comfortable to me as my idea of fighting was to run away as fast as possible in the opposing direction but at least I was able to <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/ability.html?ffxivability=22114">throw some stones</a> at the little pricks and even <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/ability.html?ffxivability=29861">stun</a> then a few times. I owe my life to Greinfarr as he pretty much defeated all those minemites single handed, even though I was able to stun them I did almost no damage and Niellefresne just stood there staring at the air probably still stunned from Ascilia's revelation.<br />
<br />
Once the fight was over the group of friends carried F'lhaminn and Ascilia to Frondale's Phrontistery in Ul'Dah leaving me to follow then on foot as Corguevais had escaped pursuit by the twin <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Player_Races_(FFXIV)#Lalafell">Lalafell</a> in my carriage. By the time I finally arrived in F'lhaminn's room in the Phrontistery she was awake and along with everyone else discussing the news of a possible new greater threat than the Garlean Empire. With no knowledge of the situation outside Ul'dah and it's surrounding regions F'lhaminn decided our best chance would to speak to the well traveled Thancred and see if he might know anything relevant. The idea was a good one but not so easy since it became known that Thancred had been exiled from the city (by Niellefresne I assumed because of the events in Platinum Mirage). I went back to Momodi and as expected she was able to guide me in the right direction, it seemed that an exile had been seen around Camp Black Brush and that city guards had been sent after him. Finding it to be too much of a coincidence I headed to Black Brush myself to try my luck.<br />
<br />
When I arrived at Black Brush I recognised Qoqoba and headed towards her to check if she might have seen Thancred. While we were talking Greinfarr arrives with Thancred and from their conversation I understand that Niellefresne is still looking into using the Thaumaturges to bring Warburton back to life and question him about the news he was supposed to be carrying from Ala Migho. With this knowledge and to Thancred's distress the three of us head onto the Arrzaneth Ossuary to face Niellefresne. When we arrive F'lhaminn has joined us and we find Niellefresne lying in a crypt barely alive with Ascilia behind a tomb. Fearing she might have done something drastic I approached the girl cautiously and to my amazement the air in the crypt started to thicken and swirl around me.<br />
<br />
I was experiencing for the first time what I would be told to be the Echo, a special "power" that some adventurers had which enabled them to go back into the past and experience someone else's life events. I found myself in the same crypt but alone, neither Ascilia, Niellefresne or F'lhaminn were where they had been just a second before. In this new time I listen to Niellefresne and Mumuepo discussing their plans to revive Warburton (so much for trusting Mumuepo again) and they approach his tomb. Suddenly, as Niellefresne appears to almost start an incantation or spell he his stabbed from behind and the Echo takes me back to my own time.<br />
<br />
When reality reasserts itself upon me I notice Thancred looking at me with knowing eyes, he is the one that recognizes the Echo for what it is and will explain it to me. Just as I accept my presence in this time a dark storm breaks over Ul'Dah with meteors shooting through the sky streaking it in fire. Thancred's gaze fixes in the storm's centre and he makes a statement that the danger we feared in Ul'Dah is not restricted to the city, this danger might very well envelope the whole continent of <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Eorzea">Eorzea</a>. This was when the strain of the Echo experience caught up with me and I felt my legs against my chest, my face lying on the cold cobbles.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-39912079367967080932010-10-03T00:09:00.000+01:002010-10-03T00:09:49.552+01:00A new Begining.<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">It was a warm and dry day when <a href="http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/rc/personal/character">Hugus</a> arrived back in <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=7">Ul´Dah</a>, the slow moving caravan held aloft by air balloons and pulled by a team of chocobos. The city appeared in the horizon just as another mountain in the airy desert with its keep aimed at the sky.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">At arrival I noticed a procession with wild beasts, the largest an enormous <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=2103203">goobbue</a> being carried at the head or file kept bound by <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Thaumaturge_(FFXIV)">Thaumaturgical</a> skills. The whole city was in festivity mode, people lingered in the streets laughing and drinking with friends and lovers and artists performed their arts dancing and singing along the route.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Suddenly and unexpectedly the magic keeping the gobbue dissipated and to everyone’s surprise the herbkin turned on its keeper throwing the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Player_Races_(FFXIV)#Elezen">Elezen</a> clear across the street. Everyone started running, screams and sobs filled the air as the monster kept attacking everyone in its path and I included.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Eventually the goobbue was killed but the devastation wrought was clearly noticeable in the people and walls laying in the street and the festive mood was over, people still lingered the streets but where before there had been smiles in many faces, this same were now wet with tears and soot. Where the air had been filled with laughter and songs it now hung heavy with silence only interrupted by sobs and cries.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Eventually I found myself heading to the Quicksand, an inn and the hub for adventurers in Ul’Dah. It felt strange when <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000841">Momodi</a> didn´t recognise me but after so many years away from home and the few scars I gathered across my journeys I think I understand. I had never spent that much time drinking here, maybe when meeting potential buyers which for some reason couldn´t or wouldn´t meet me at my workshop.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Rumours abounded of the beast that had gotten free in the parade and how the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Garlean_Empire">Garlean Empire</a> must have been behind it but there was no proof. Mostly people were trying to get back to their usual lives, leaving behind events that they could or would not understand. I ended up returning home to find it empty and in disrepair, since the last time I left it appeared that my creditors had resourcefully taken my tools and furniture to pay for my debts.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">With none of my tools and much of my knowledge forgotten in the futile search for the fabled Crimson Blade I found myself starting my life again. To fund my new life I started taking on <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Guildleves">jobs for the Adventurer’s Guild</a>, looking for new possible mines and attempting to do armour that would have a few years back be behind my notice and skill.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">With the small funds I was able to get from Momodi I bought myself a <span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/item.html?ffxivitem=6030001">Weathered Doming Hammer</a> and a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/item.html?ffxivitem=7010005">Weathered Pickaxe</a> and started to recover my skills at both <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Armorer_(FFXIV)">Armour crafting</a> and <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Miner_(FFXIV)">Mining</a> with some limited success. Mining wasn’t very hard once you found a suitable vein but the art I had once possessed in making armour was almost completely gone, I struggled with even the simplest materials.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Sometime later while mining I remembered a particular conversation I had overheard in my initial tour of the city and decided to go to Momodi and see if she had heard anything about it. With her help I discovered that what had happened the day of my return might not have been a mistake or even just bad luck, it looked quite possible that some members of the Syndicate might have been involved in purposefully freeing that beast and causing the mayhem that ensued to strengthen the belief of the people that war was upon us. </span></span></span></div></span>Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-35731740216358622862010-09-04T00:32:00.000+01:002010-09-04T00:32:46.179+01:00In search of a dream.It had been a few years and Hugus have had no success searching for new materials that proved any better than the ones currently used in <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Eorzea">Eorzea</a> so a new chain of thought came to him. Maybe he didn’t need to find a new metal, maybe he just needed to re-discover a metal which wasn’t common knowledge and might have been forgotten in past times.<br />
<br />
<br />
So instead of looking for new deposits, Hugus started going through old texts and scrolls trying to find some mention, a rumour of something that appeared to be a new metal or even mineral that might help him.<br />
<br />
It was during the study of such a manuscript that Hugus came upon a reference of a special blade that could cut through armour like a dagger through a Mandragora’s stalk. There wasn’t much information in regards to this Crimson Blade but its wielder was clearly stated as a <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Midland_Hyur">Midland Hyur</a> mercenary named Litev Kogaru from the city of <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Limsa_Lominsa">Limsa Lominsa</a>.<br />
<br />
Known as an above average <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Armorer_(FFXIV)">Armorer</a>, it’s wasn’t very hard for Hugus to contact the <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Naldiq_and_Vymelli's_%28FFXIV%29">Armorer’s Guild</a> in Limsa Lominsa and recruit their member’s help in locating any person with the Kogaru surname. Actually it only took six months until news came that a supposed pirate named Kogaru would indeed show up in Limsa Lominsa every few months and use <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/The_Drowning_Wench_%28FFXIV%29">The Drowning Wench</a> as it’s office of sorts.<br />
<br />
As such Hugus arranged with the Armourer’s Guild to have a letter left with the Inn’s proprietor <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/mob.html?ffxivmob=1000137">Baderon Tenfingers</a>’s possession so that if indeed Kogaru did show up this letter would be passed on in exchange to a not so small payment for the help provided.<br />
<br />
“<em>Dear Sir:</em><br />
<br />
<em>As a Scholar of sorts I have been reading some old texts and came upon a manuscript regarding a certain Litev Kogaru whom I think might have been a member of your family.</em><br />
<br />
<em>If my assumption is indeed correct I would appreciate if you could contact me through the Miner’s Guild in <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/wiki/Ul'dah">Ul’dah</a> and I’m certain that depending on your assistance I could remunerate you for your time and attention.</em><br />
<br />
<em>With best regards.</em><br />
<br />
<em>Hugus Primus</em>”<br />
<br />
It had been six months since Hugus first sent his letter when he received an answer to his message in which the pirate Kogaru admitted being the son of Litev Kogaru. In his letter he stated that although he might be inclined to earn some extra Gil he needed to know what kind of “assistance” Hugus was asking for.<br />
<br />
Hugus explained that he was looking into Litev Kogaru’s life as a possible source for a study/paper in mercenary life to better prepare future adventurers in their choice of life. To that effect Hugus would be willing to buy or rent any journals or letters that Litev might have kept.<br />
<br />
The two eventually came to an agreement in which Hugus was able to purchase some journals of Litev’s early adulthood. After taking a first glance at the journals Hugus was happy to notice that although there was no mention of the Crimson Blade itself there were references to something that Litev was actually looking for but when he was due to find it the journals just stopped on the night before:<br />
<br />
“<em>I’m feeling confident my quest is almost over. After months of searching, only this can be the place I’m looking for. After so many clues and riddles I can feel it just waiting for me.</em><br />
<br />
<em>Can’t fall asleep and can’t go onwards, this is not a place to enter at night, especially if one is alone. I can’t decide what is worst, the dead silence of the surrounding area or the aerie screeching that sometimes comes out of this <a href="http://www.zam.com/wiki/The_Twelve">gods</a>' forsaken place.</em>"<br />
<br />
Although dated years before the original manuscript placed the Crimson Blade in Litev Kogaru’s hands this was the very last entry in his journal, followed only by blank pages. Something must have happened the following day that Litev didn’t want anyone to know.<br />
<br />
Try as he might, Hugus was not able to place the last entry’s location from the journals and he did the only thing he could. Looking through the older entries he was finally able to put a place and name to one of the journal’s entries and from there follow Litev’s steps.<br />
<br />
With the help of the journal Hugus own quest didn’t take as long as the original but still he was out of Ul’dah for the best part of a year until he was faced with the same locale as the journal described, <a href="http://ffxiv.zam.com/en/zone.html?ffxivzone=12">Nanawa Mines</a>. Deep in the mines was supposed to be the end of Hugus’ search, the Crimson Blade.<br />
<br />
The following week, when Hugus arrived in his shop in Ul’dah he couldn’t be more solemn, his home and workplace were full of dust and spider webs, the result of his time away and all he had to show for it were two trinkets: a ring and a linkshell.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1136233816546892914.post-82654501113018666532010-08-29T15:28:00.000+01:002010-08-29T16:56:27.467+01:0035 Years agoThe earliest memories that Hugus had of his childhood are wondering alone in <a href="http://www.zam.com/wiki/Ala_Mhigo">Ala Mhigo</a>, an orphan in the busy bustle of the most civilized city in <a href="http://www.zam.com/wiki/Eorzea">Eorzea</a>. Life was hard for a <a href="http://www.zam.com/wiki/Roegadyn">Roegadyn</a> youth living on the streets, eyes downcast searching for Gil left on the floor.<br />
With so many riches in eyesight and none within arms reach Hugus devoted himself to <a href="http://www.zam.com/wiki/Nald'thal">Nald’thal</a>, god of commerce and distributor of fortunes. Each night before falling asleep in a dark alley corner he would pray for a change in circumstances, for a little more Gil so he could survive.<br />
<br />
One early morning at age 14 Hugus noticed a <a href="http://www.zam.com/wiki/Highland_Hyur">Highland Hyur</a> pulling a cart with logs of wood who seemed to be struggling with the weight and offered to help asking only for some breakfast. After a few seconds thought the <a href="http://www.zam.com/wiki/Hyur">Hyur</a> accepted the offer and led Hugus throughout the city to the Crafter’s Quarters.<br />
<br />
Going through an alley they finally arrived at a backyard with a forge, anvils and tools. The Hyur pointed at some logs in a corner and told Hugus to pile the logs from the cart on top while he would get breakfast ready, and then went inside the building.<br />
<br />
When the Hyur came back out Hugus was sitting in the dust beside the pile of logs with the cart empty.<br />
<br />
<br />
- Go and wash yourself before you come in and eat something. There’s a barrel with water on that corner over there.<br />
<br />
<br />
With the Hyur looking over him Hugus scrubbed his arms, head and neck free of the dirt and followed into the house to a clean kitchen where a table was set for two. There was nothing fancy on the table but Hugus had never seen so much food aside from the market stalls in town.<br />
<br />
<br />
- So what’s your name kid?<br />
- Hugus, sir.<br />
- I’m Primus, Vagus Primus.<br />
- Thank you for your kindness.<br />
- Have you ever considered taking on a trade Hugus?<br />
- Not really sir…<br />
- If you are willing to work hard, I think I could take you on as an apprentice here at Primus’ Armour.<br />
<br />
<br />
For years, while scrubbing the floor and keeping the forge at the correct temperatures Hugus was able to learn from Vagus the skills of the <a href="http://www.zam.com/wiki/Armorer_%28FFXIV%29">Armorer</a>. The relationship between the two became more and more like father and son until the time when Vagus formally adopted Hugus and the later took the family name Primus.<br />
<br />
<br />
A long time later, news came of armies gathering in the <a href="http://www.zam.com/wiki/Garlean_Empire">Garlean Empire</a> and so Hugus Primus left the city of Ala Mhigo to search for his <a href="http://www.zam.com/wiki/Hellsguard">Hellsguard</a> kinsmen's settlement in the mountains of <a href="http://www.zam.com/wiki/Ul'dah">Ul’dah</a>. His aim was to discover if with the help of their arcane arts the Hellsguard had discovered new metals or developed new ways to enhance existing alloys.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkdMzLQuGUajotU9Zh-oI_NJMrsZGFHuod02H1BLdEHWvWr9xH_csC29PizuFqe7nQcqtNgCcYufvTe6gRcdqrTmwuU_fnESMN8FJ_B1TZ6sTwX0Hf7efCkvpZTrKShqXF1caFEKtVyw/s1600/Ul'dah_1-01_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkdMzLQuGUajotU9Zh-oI_NJMrsZGFHuod02H1BLdEHWvWr9xH_csC29PizuFqe7nQcqtNgCcYufvTe6gRcdqrTmwuU_fnESMN8FJ_B1TZ6sTwX0Hf7efCkvpZTrKShqXF1caFEKtVyw/s320/Ul'dah_1-01_600.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It was during this voyage that the unthinkable happened, news came that the Garlean Empire had already attacked and against all expectations Ala Mhigo was no more. It appeared that Garlean technology was years, decades even ahead of anything known in Eorzea and that his home city had been nothing more than an annoying pebble in Garlean's boots.<br />
<br />
<br />
On that day Hugus Primus vowed to no longer depend on metals found by others, he himself would find other, better ways to craft the best armour in Eorzea to better defend the other cities.<br />
<br />
<br />
Since then Hugus has settled in Ul’dah where he opened his own shop, Primus' Armour, not just crafting armour with the knowledge passed on by his father but also developing his <a href="http://www.zam.com/wiki/Miner_%28FFXIV%29">mining</a> skills so one day he will find a metal from which he will craft armour used to defeat the Garlean Empire.Hugushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03116136013458283648noreply@blogger.com0