Category Archives: Writing

Fiction, non-fiction, fanfiction, poetry…

Devil’s Due: Part 11: Into the Shadows

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Why yes hello I also write about emo Sith bois once in a while (wow it’s been a whole year!)

I’ve been having a rough start to the fall so I figured why not channel my wild mood swings and general depression into something that benefits from negativity? So here we go, let’s crank the Corpse Party OST and plumb the dark depraved depths of BioWare’s garbage writing!

This chapter was one of the most important ones for giving the Inquisitor back some agency. In the game, they just run off at Thanaton’s order, almost get killed, and then Grandpa shows up to save them and yell at them for being stupid when the player isn’t allowed any other choice? I don’t like that. If BioWare’s pretending I’m playing a cunning, scheming character, that’s bad writing. I also don’t like getting scraped off the floor by Kaal and Corrin because the Inquisitor was too dumb to plan any sort of escape route (in b4 anyone complains that there was no time to execute an escape route), even if I do like the part where the Inquisitor straight up dies-but-not (cockroach like). The confrontation wasn’t the worst writing ever, it was just lazy. So I’m adding some proper drama.

Researching ambiance; Thanaton show-down music!

Part 10: Lord Kallig

 

Part 11: Into the Shadows Continue reading →

FFXIV: Shining Ishgard Among the Clouds

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In which Tam is a massive ace. (His medallion was last mentioned halfway through Chapter 4 if you care.)

I tried to take a break from fic writing BUT I CAN’T so have another chapter of random bits and pieces

Description of Ishgard should be read with Solid in mind (Ishgard should always be beheld with Solid in mind; still my favourite city theme! MY HEART)

Also, fun fact: since Tharash has quit the video game, Crim/Yllamse talked him into DMing a FFXIV-themed 5.0 DnD game for us based on pre-HW Ishgard (I’m still working through the lore resource lol). Crim is playing another Xaela grump, Yllamse is an astro, and I’m playing my Temple Knight sunshine boi Syndael Argennoux who was mentioned a couple times in this fic.

Chapter 19: The Parting Glass

 

Chapter 20: Shining Ishgard Among the Clouds

Achiyo had said they would go to Ishgard, and she still wished to. The way they’d been chased through Ul’dah… She feared to return to Eorzea, and Ishgard’s ingrained hostility towards her race seemed far more mild and bearable than Eorzea suspecting her of being a murderer. And, too, there was a nagging feeling of responsibility… Ishgard’s wards had fallen, and they’d already suffered dragon raids as a direct result. If they’d been able to hold the dragon back a little longer… Continue reading →

FFXIV: The Parting Glass

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And BOOM goes the dramatic tension! Thanks for reading everyone! I’m going to take a break from writing for a bit to play Legend of Dragoon, but I’m sure I’ll be back with HW sooner or later!

Regarding the song Thancred and R’nyath sing at the beginning of the chapter: I was subbing for a choir earlier this year, and one of the pieces they were singing was ‘Quick, we have but a second‘ by Stanford, and I realized immediately that it fit this chapter perfectly. And I’ve been waiting for this one… Vivienne’s fight song is RichaadEB’s cover of Bad Apple!

R’inwa is actually a lot taller than R’nyath, I learned when making him into a retainer; his height is at max, and I think R’nyath’s in the bottom third of the scale.

EDIT: Vivienne’s soul crystal has broken for story purposes.

Chapter 18: Blushes and Blood Pearls

 

Chapter 19: The Parting Glass

The air in the Rising Stones was merry, despite everything that had happened in the last little while, despite the tension that Rinala felt in her chest like a distant thundercloud. But if the others were worried, though she suspected they were, she couldn’t tell from their demeanour. Perhaps they were pretending and putting on a good face, as the other folk at the banquet would neither know nor care about the horrible murder that had just happened, or the sinister plot behind it that no one would tell her about. She didn’t begrudge them maintaining her ignorance; she was terrible with secrets, only… she wanted to know what to be worried about, and also she was just curious! Continue reading →

FFXIV: Blushes and Blood Pearls

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I’m weak. I started playing R’nyath Tia lol.

At the beach, Rinala’s wearing the 2017 summer top with the 2018 summer bottom, both dyed Dalamud red; R’nyath is wearing the 2018 top in Meadow green and bottom in Nophica green.

Chapter 17: Faith in Her Fury

 

Chapter 18: Blushes and Blood Pearls

 

At first it was just one out-of-place woman in town, a blonde Miqo’te dressed in a beautiful white dress and looking about in wonderment. And then it was another, a brunette Hyur from Ul’dah, and another, a long-legged Elezen, and another, and another, and one by one they were all directed to the Rising Stones. Continue reading →

FFXIV: Faith in Her Fury

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This chapter is obviously named for an OST track; one of my favourite tracks (a shame it’s only used for this one trial!) and one I absolutely needed for writing inspiration. Other OST used in this chapter would be Battle Theme 1.x, which is Chuchupa’s theme!

Only two more chapters left in ARR!

Chapter 16: The Tightening Noose

 

Chapter 17: Faith in Her Fury

 

As promised, Aymeric rode in haste to Camp Dragonhead with Estinien to meet with Haurchefant and the Warriors of Light. Lucia was already with them. Iceheart had shattered Ishgard’s outermost defensive wards, the Temple Knights had had terrible losses in the northwest, and he knew Commander Leveilleur was going to try and be clever rather than helpful. But his beautiful city was more direly threatened than any other time in their nation’s history, and he needed reinforcements. Any reinforcements. If but a single Warrior of Light were to come to their aid, well, it would be a start. But somehow he did not think they would turn a cold shoulder to his impassioned plea. And not simply because it was impassioned. Continue reading →

FFXIV: The Tightening Noose

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Whew! Didn’t expect to end this chapter on a downer note but it seems like this one 5-page scene I wrote last month doesn’t happen yet and I’m now very confused about when it does happen. I’m feeling a bit down about the game itself in general, and I’m not sure how to fix it other than get Achiyo into HW so I can replay one of my favourite parts of the story.

Chapter 15: The Elder Primal

 

Chapter 16: The Tightening Noose

 

Rinala was away attending to a private matter, but Achiyo and two of her close companions had been sent to reinforce Captain Ilberd in interrupting a black market weapons deal at the Burning Wall… ‘Overkill’, Ilberd’s lieutenant had muttered with a grin, and they’d all chuckled a little, but the more allies present, the easier it would be to end without bloodshed, wouldn’t it? Continue reading →

FFXIV: The Elder Primal

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So life has been busy since I last wrote: between work, a dire cold, a (working) trip to Europe (trip pics coming out… between XIV stuff), and Shadowbringers, I haven’t had much time to write. However I’m determined to put a dent in the story now, as a lot of the writing I did do is recording thoughts on 5.0 happenings, so I do want to catch up to it sooner rather than later lol! Still going to take me years…

My spoiler-free thoughts on Shadowbringers now that I’m done: it’s SO GOOD! I love how the focus closes in from Stormblood’s sprawling war epic to a highly character-driven conflict, getting closer to people we already care about, the lore bombs (oh the lore bombs), the tension and drama (cried multiple times, screamed of excitement multiple times, will upload video evidence). That ENDING. My heart. Respect. I am not sure how I’m going to write it with 8 people. Also Soken is a GOD. Still. I’ve tried the new raid and I think it’s going to be the best raid yet; I don’t even remember much of FFVIII but the XIV plot is really intriguing. Still haven’t downed any of the EX primals, though I’ve actually made a go of it with friends and without, but I do want a weapon. Also, to fit the story, I fantasia’d to Vivienne! And also one thing that made me way too excited was a part where Alphinaud said words that inadvertently title-dropped this fic! I started writing this almost two years ago! I can’t believe it, it’s too perfect lol Continue reading →

Space Garden: Epilogue: Space Dad, For Real

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IT’S DONE NOW I CAN FOCUS ON FFXIV, SPECIFICALLY ENJOYING SHADOWBRINGERS AND GETTING ACHIYO INTO HEAVENSWARD. Omg Soken is a genius (rockin’ that 10/8 time in the Lakeland area, also can I get a ‘hell yeah’ for the basic fight music (both videos spoiler-free)) and I worship him, also DAMN my children are kick-ass. (Here’s my out-of-game DRK fight song! And I think I’m going to need it because Tam and Vivienne are burning mad. Everyone is, but them especially. WE’RE GOING TO TEAR IT ALL DOWN AND BUILD IT UP AGAIN)

Oh yeah I guess I should also work on travel blogs.

Author’s note: I actually don’t like lasagna. I like pasta, I like cake, pasta-cake does nothing for me. I’m no doubt on Hunk’s “do not trust” list lol. Also Shiro and Matt Holt were always little shits, they just pretend they’re not.

Chapter 14: Bring Them Home

 

Epilogue: Space Dad, For Real

“Teacher! Teacher! Wait for me!” A desperate wail echoed through the white vaulted halls of New Altea’s Pilot Training Centre as a young Olkari dashed towards the light of the hangar mouth. Continue reading →

Space Garden: Part 14: Bring Them Home

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Take a bunch of drama llamas, a generous sprinkling of Clockie metas (example), a butt-load of action scenes, and my personal taste in endings, and this is what I came up with for a Voltron finale. Smaller scale than the show? Yes. Do I like it more? Yes. Hope you do too.

This last chapter is long. As I thought it might, it bloated a lot. Think of it as a series finale double special lol! But I couldn’t quite get the Shiro/Elslince power-couple dynamic I was going for. Oh well. Side note: Lotor’s fighter’s colours are based on the colours of the ‘alliance’ banner from S5. (It was Lance’s idea, probably.)

There is an epilogue of course!

Chapter 13: Once More Unto the Fray

 

Part 14: Bring Them Home

The situation in the medbay was not sustainable. Lotor was regaining his physical strength well, but psychologically he was a complete guilt-ridden wreck. Elslince was considering putting him in a strait-jacket in a padded room, not because he was insane, but because he kept trying to harm himself. She and Acxa were taking it in turns to watch over him, to make sure he wouldn’t try to kill himself. And she wished she didn’t have to, he was paranoid enough as it was without being observed constantly, but she didn’t want to lose him now. Continue reading →