And thus we find ourselves in a new month...what do they call the months and years here in Eorzea? Umbral Moons? I'm still not completely anchored into the whole sense of time here in this world.
A few highlights over the last few days/week:
- High-Tailing it to Halatali: I had my first excursion with my squadron to an old dungeon known as Halatali; it's not too far from Camp Drybone in the region of Thanalan. Having the squadron's loyalty towards me and my goals has been uplifting; eventually I will need to look into retraining a few of them though, as my squadron has a need for medics and healers. As a group, we did a few practice runs in Halatali, using the local monsters as training fodder for combat. While the squadron is still rather green, they are overall reliable; in the future as I get to know them a bit more personally, I will write more about their names and backgrounds, that way people may get to know them as well as I do.
- The Hunt Began, Did I miss it?: So I've recently been getting involved in what the locals have referred to as "hunts" for marks, or bounties as a more layman-ranked individual would consider it. Already my efforts have begun to bear fruit, as I have pitted my skills against ruthless targets such as Albin the Ashen. It's interesting; hunting down these marks actually has been giving me more insight as to what sort of creatures actually exist in Eorzea that are beyond the pale of what I have already encountered; I am hoping that in pursuing these creatures, it will yield me great rewards as well, as the Immortal Flames for example have provided me "Allied Seals" as payment for my services. I am supposed to turn these seals in for greater gear...here's hoping such gear exists.
- Trouble with Beast Tribes (Ixali): As a means of learning more about the creatures I once considered enemies with no sense of remorse, I have begun to work with the Grand Companies to better understand, and in return aid, the various Beast Tribes across Eorzea. At current, my greatest focus currently involves working to assist the Ixali, specifically a tribe known as the Ecahtl Nine, in pairing themselves away from their more violent brethren and seeking to pursue their goal of flying to the heavens. In return, the Ecahtl Nine have provided me with techniques that are unique to their culture, allowing me to trade with them via their own form of currency, and even partake in their collection of Materia to further enhance my equipment. Should they continue to prove fruitful to me ere I grow in power and influence, I would seek to permit them quarter and freedom to continue to peruse their craft, so long as they do not see my own efforts as opposing theirs.
- 'Lo and Behold, the Lord of Levin: Apparently some of the primal threats haven't quite quieted down even after the removal of the Ascian influence; it appears other forms of influence, such as the need for primal protection, and the threat of Garlean occupation have gotten some of the beast tribes to resume their desperate calls for their "gods." In the latest development in this cycle, apparently the "touched ones" of the Sylphs have managed to awaken their primal, Ramuh. I was tasked once again with dealing with the primal, however I was told that Ramuh actually would be willing to speak, rather than just immediately try to destroy me. It was...interesting to actually speak to Ramuh; he reminded me very much of the Storm Giants that roam the Atmosian Heights back in Anestoril. Unlike other primals, Ramuh seemed to have more of an even-keel approach to the situation rather than just unbridled rage; he addressed the movements of refugees and other intruders within the Shroud, and how it had begun to cause mistrust and dislocation between the Sylphs who claimed it as their home. After explaining to him my earlier efforts to help the Sylphs, and showing what they had trusted me with already, Ramuh stayed his hand, offering up to me a trial to prove my ability to defend the Sylphs if I could withstand the tempest he would bring down upon me. I currently prepare to do battle with Ramuh, and this will not only be a victory I will claim, but also a means of gaining insight into Ramuh's sources of power, potentially for me to learn and harness myself.
- Better in Blue?: In my recent research among Eorzea, I was requested by a Yellowjacket in Limsa Lominsa to investigate the emergence of a new type of "magic" that was beginning to gain publicity; this magic, known as "Blue" magic, seems to utilize the aether that monsters and various elemental spirits harness to create magical effects of their own. I've been aware of monsters having their own grasp and ways of manipulating magical power, but I have never heard yet of a method where civilized species such as man or beastman could use these powers. That said, in my investigation into this magic, I found that Blue Magic is indeed real, and seems to provide a unique method of power as opposed to White or Black Magic. A magic that...kind of measures the boundaries between magical disciplines, that has become all its own. It is still rather early for me to say anything concrete about how I would apply this magic to my own techniques, but that doesn't mean I am not going to keep it in my repertoire for when I do find a use...
So much done in the last few days, and still more to come. Hopefully my encounter with Ramuh will prove fruitful, and I will have more to write in the days to come.
