โ Artist | Writer | RPer โ
โ Professional Dreamer and Fumbler โ
This is a blog I've chosen to dedicate (mostly) to my FFIX shenanigans, notably Starlight, a rather small and curious FFIX x Original tale of sorts!
Major emphasis on the "(mostly)" part.
Also, speaking of fall...
It'd be cool if I took the time to express what Fabula Infinita looks like a little more visually this Fall-bula Infinita. ๐ ๐
Abylua talk is inspiring me to want to do so.
And the Fabula itch is starting to take hold the closer we get to August...!
I forget I never did share its mood boards publicly either...
Though, I may not be able to share all of them for the sake of not publicly intruding upon other artists and their work.
I'll share what I feel I can later, though. ๐
I might also share the funky dimensions diagram thing...
... That's going to be an experience to explain, until further notice... ๐ซ
๐ ๐ฎ The Estai'i Festival ๐
Also known as the Starfall Festival โ๏ธ
An estel-val of Abylua, if you will.~
Because crystals are known as estel and they're a big part of everything and included in this festival, haha, estel-val, get it? Yeah, anywayโฆ
The Estai'i Festival, also known as the Starfall Festival, is a celebration that formulated around the starfall season on Etrua (outer planetary layer of Abylua.) It is a holiday that is not limited to just a single day, spanning across a single month near the end of the starfall season. Modern day, it is celebrated through the crafting of paper lanterns that are sent back to the stars with estai'i, gifts and letters expressing thanks as well as wishes, hopes, dreams - words than anyone may wish to send out in hopes that they may be seen and considered by something greater within the beyond.
โ๏ธ Starfall & Estai'i
Essentially, there is a phenomenon in which special, mostly seasonal meteor showers take place and instead of consisting purely of space debris burning to a crisp in the atmosphere, they are comprised of tiny, glowing crystalline flecks of light, often pointed, no bigger than pebbles (think of them as a combo meal of star sand, gemstones and rocks in shape.)
They are like abstract renditions of "falling stars" made real that are able to descend, land and float after landing, to varying degrees.
Like magical hail that is harmless with a slice of "like fireflies!"
They can be collected and kept in a well lit and/or well energized place (often in bottles and jars - don't add too many, though, again, they can float!) until used or they fade away.
But Ashe, how do you collect spooky light crystals? Very carefully with little to no mistakes. (jk jk) With magic, of course! Magic is prominent in Abylua, so "just use magic" is as natural as saying "just use gloves" to any Abyluan, in this context, hahaha.
In Abylua, these little "falling stars" are known as estai'i - a special type of estel (crystal) that is not quite a sentient and animate Estaial (Ethereal equivalent,) but of a similar stellar nature. Some may even theorize they are merely the "stardust" that can come off of a radiant Estaial and thus further speculate they originate from the same place(s) the Estaial do.
And while the occasional estai'i may be experienced all throughout the year, they are known for accumulating en masse for only a certain portion, which has fittingly come to be known as the starfall season. โจ
I also love imagining its their rendition of autumn, because fall.
โจ Star + fall. Why not, right? ๐
๐ฎ Star Lanterns
Because the estai'i, much like the Estaial, originate from the stars, they are interpreted a few different ways in Abyluan folklore.
Generally, they are viewed as being "star sent" (a brand of divine, to some,) gifts and signs from the stars and beyond, interpreted as heralding good fortune. Because their most prominent numbers have coincided with fall harvests, this is part of why the latter perspective exists and why many Abyluans have formed the tradition of convening with and giving thanks to the stars and beyond from whence the estai'i came for these interpreted blessings and making use of the estai'i to do so.
Abyluans spend the season gathering up estai'i as it appears for various purposes, the most notable being that which will "return to the stars" - used to create star lanterns in celebration of the festival.
As the estai'i naturally float and glow, they can be used to light and send off these lanterns into the skies, so, these lanterns aren't just ordinary lanternsโฆ star lanterns are, in fact, star powered (in a way!) And as a means of communicating with the heavens, letters are often included within these lanterns, secured in a special side pocket often found in an interior wall of a star lantern. Living up to their name in more ways than one as well, the nights in which these lights are sent off, they put on a rather remarkable celestial show of their own. ๐
Obviously, the main event of this festival consists of collecting estai'i, preparing the star lanterns and letters and returning them to the stars, however, much like any festivity, there are additional things that may be considered beyond the lanterns to celebrate the occasion more fully!
๐ Food
Special dishes and desserts may be offered within households and communities in further celebration. As this coincides with the height of fall harvest bounties, food is plentiful and very much involved in this celebration. While it is not limited to flora harvests, it is because most are flora harvests that most festival cuisine has more of a vegetarian focus.
Fresh sipping flowers, fruits and vegetables may be served along with various spirits (notably fruit wines - yes, star fruit wine is a top pick for many for reasons) juices, teas, breads, pastas, salads, pies and a wide array of largely fruity and floral treats. Floral and sap syrups as well as honeys are also a popular addition to any festive dinner table.
๐ ๐ท ๐ฅ ๐ฅง ๐ธ ๐ฏ
๐ช Entertainment
There are also specific forms of music, dance and games that surface during starfall!
In particular, forms of traditional music and dance are found to be most prominent among gatherings.
(There is a belt of inspiration spanning from Italy all the way to Polynesia in regards to Abyluan traditional dances - specific dances that have so far been listed among said inspiration are: hula, legong, odissi, ballet and tango! Music often has a similar flavor as well, very much intended to pair with the flow of these dances.)
๐ Caui'lu
Just think of these as Abyluan parties that draw some inspiration from Hawaiian luaus.
As they do draw inspiration from luaus, they have a tendency to be banquet and entertainment focused (live performance involving music and/or dance, particularly,) but they truly are just parties that take many forms and can be hosted for various occasions - including the Starfall Festival!
Everything here pretty much follows the aforementioned starfall dress code, it's just wrapped in "party" packaging. Much like there are parties for pretty much any occasion, there too are parties for the Starfall Festival. ๐
A spot of lore regarding a particular cipeke today for Abylua!
A critter commonly known as a gem weaver. ๐ธ๏ธ ๐
Estel laden, shimmering in the day, aglow in the night, these large, beautiful arachnids weave their homes throughout much of Abylua. Between the resources they provide, their assistance in dealing with smaller pests, their docile nature and even their occasional capacity for magic, they make for wonderful companion cipeke!
Though, perhaps they are treasured too to a regrettable extent.
Coveted for their bejeweled silk, these creatures eventually reached an endangered status in the wild due to their webs being over farmed and, in some cases, being over hunted for their crystalline features. Nowadays, there are conservation efforts dedicated to restoring their natural presence.
Gem silk, like honey, wax, eggs and other cipeke materials is by no means criminal to harvest - there are still markets that thrive off of gem silk and gem silk products - but with every reserve sanctioned and every act made in the name of preserving these lovely arthropods, there are hopes of educating the masses on resourcing these creatures responsibly and furthering the ideals of balance and coexistence.
Like most cipeke, this spider proves rather sizeable compared to the ones we know on Earth, but is actually considered to be on the smaller side, cipeke-wise, ranging from 40-90 cm in total length (12-30 cm in body) often appearing roughly squirrel or small dog sized (in body.)
They are, like others arachnids, carnivorous, utilizing their precious webs to not only trap prey, but also attract it with its dazzle. Similar to glow worms, angler fish, etc., they often take advantage of their bioluminescence here. Tucking themselves away into tree hollows and other forms of cover, lying in wait, the crystal-like lumps of heavy gem silk concentrations upon their webs appear like light sources in the night, drawing in unsuspecting prey. For domesticated cipeke, this is still often the case, though some may form a bond close enough that allows for them to feed their gem weaver(s) more directly.
As they are technically "estel laden," these creatures are actually capable of utilizing magic associated with their given estel as well. Sometimes! This can be quite rare, given that this is often determined by the size of the estel it bears. If large enough, the estel may retain traces of magic within. This magic can vary greatly.
The wreckage of Nauca and Tenua's collision is theorized to be responsible for the unique make of Abylua.
From its vast stretches of sea, its many life-bearing moons and many, many more floating islands, to its most unique feature: multiple layers of gravity that give form to its planetary strata, Abylua, though appearing predominantly tropical and oceanic, actually hosts a rather wide variety of life - wider than one may think!
While its indexes of flora, fauna, attributes, landmarks and other remarkable features are still in their infancy and ever growing, there are certainly a number of things that can be listed here today, nonetheless!
And I may keep returning to this list to update it, as these things are... er, "discovered!"
I'll also link back to these entries as more in depth posts may be made about them too.
๐ This post is essentially an Abyluan glossary or wiki.
"Keep reading" at your own risk! It's gonna get long! ๐๐
Note:
Various species of animals, plants, etc. that can be found right here on this good green earth, especially from tropical and aquatic regions, can also be found on Abylua as well, but I obviously will not be listing anything that isn't more specific to Abylua and its given universe here.
I'm silly, but not that silly!
Fauna
(Anthropoid)
๐ฆ Keoka'u (Keoka'uan)
(Largely arthropod based centaur-like)
๐ฆ Noaka (Noakan)
(Anthropomorphic animals broadly labeled, FFIX "Beastkin"-like)
๐ฆ Vaha'i (Vaha'ian)
(Harpy + Romancing SaGa II "Iris"-like)
๐ Henaks (Henaksi)
(Naga-like)
๐งโโ๏ธ Fana (Fanan)
(Fairy/Fae-like)
๐งโโ๏ธ Siros (Sirosian)
(Merfolk-like)
โจ Sifau (Sifauan)
("Merfae" merfolk + fae-like)
๐บ Iolen
(FFIX Genome-like, resulting from limited Tenuan DNA being intermixed with Sifau)
(Non-anthropoid)
๐ข Marunau
(Titanic "shell can pass for an island itself sometimes" sea turtles)
๐ฒ Dro Meaku
(Dragons, wyverns, serpents and wyrms of all shapes and sizes)
๐ Bana Koha
(Sky + sea faring cetaceans, also of all shapes and sizes, often domesticated)
๐ Cipeke
(Big pet-sized bugs, also often domesticated)
๐ Popahi
("Firefly cats" basically, also x2 often domesticated)
Flora
๐ณ Vilau
(FFIX Iifa Tree-like, also consisting of watered down subspecies)
Attributes
(Affects both fauna and flora)
๐ฆ Anika'a
(FFVII "Ancient" and FFIX "Summoner" equivalent, only able to affect all species, known by the unicorn-like horn it can sometimes manifest and special abilities to communicate with and call upon aspects of the Vistel)
๐ Daorokou
(Demon-like, recognized for special horn structures and affinity for dark magic)
๐งโโ๏ธ Saokou
(Vampire-like, known for its unique fangs, blood needs and sensitivity to sunlight as well as magical prowess, seen as a cousin attribute to the Daorokou)
๐ Estaial
(Ethereal-like, also known as "star sent," recognized for their unique tentacle structures as well as their staia affinities - star-like and spectral powers)
๐ผ Amaial
(Angel-like, known particularly by halo-like features and affinity for light magic, seen as a cousin attribute to the Estaial)
๐ Huin
(Umbrella term for entities that may host multiple attributes of any kind, though not all attributes can be layered)
Features
(Universal, not strictly Abyluan)
๐ Vistaia
(The primordial crystal from which all life originates in this universe)
๐ท Vistel
("Seeds" originally from the Vistaia, able to grow life, formulating planets and moons)
๐น Estel
("Seeds" from the Vistel, hosting vestiges of the Vistel that can contain various forms of elemental magic and more)
๐ถ Staia
(The stars, many of which are theorized to be of a primordial nature and earliest known seeds directly from the Vistaia itself)
๐ธ Estai'i
(Very fine celestial crystals resulting from "starfalls," particularly during the starfall season, sometimes additionally interpreted as "stardust" from the "star sent")
So...
While I lack the visuals for some of these things currently, I decided a nice place to start would be with some very basic Abyluan lore!
I can always come back with visuals and share these posts again anyways.
Not stress myself too much over visuals as I tend to.
Also worth mentioning right off the bat:
Abylua draws a very obvious and heavy handed bit of inspo from FFIX in its foundation with a little dash of FFVII and FFIV, complete with Romancing SaGa II on the side (depending on the story.) And of course, Anthology of Anon, etc. There are many inspirational culprits here! It also draws inspiration in design from a number of cultures, particularly Hawaiian/Polynesian culture (this may also be obvious, given the feel many of the names for things have here!)
Now, for a history intro. ๐ ๐
Nauca and Tenua
Before Abylua, there was a planet known as Nauca; a planet not unlike the Earth we know, orbited by a single satellite, if that. A much simpler product of its universe, lacking the iconic planetary layers of Abylua. Though, like all heavenly bodies of this respective corner of the cosmos, it was birthed from a seed - a Vistel - of the great Vistaia - a primordial crystal from which all life originates.
Occupied by a wealth of creatures, among them being anthropoid species we may personally recognize from mythos as fae, merfolk and many crosses in between, Nauca's seas and shores were already sculpted by our interpretations of fantasy. And it was not the only one of its kind...
A nomadic, invasive planet, comprised of once sprawling flora and myriad cultures assimilated over eons into itself now lay barren and on the cusp of death. Guided by its remaining sentient branches (literally,) it would seek out new prey to fill its dwindling stomach. Through the eyes of Naucan kind, this planet came to be known as Tenua - or "The World Eater."
And many, many millenia ago, despite Tenua's devastating impact, its attempts to absorb Nauca all but paled in comparison to the actual one.
The Calamity
Through the seemingly endless and parasitic roots of the Vilau - a great tree that knowledgeable Tenuans could treat as conduits of energy - there was hope yet of new life to be taken into Tenua's failing Vistel, stolen away from Nauca's, still young and sprightly. Nauca was not without its defenses, however. Among such defenses were a collective of Estaial, the "star sent," whose celestial power cloaked in mystery and reverence may possibly liberate the planet from such terror.
The power of one Estaial alone would be enough to change the course of fate. For it was more than enough; it was too much.
In the end, it would be this one Estaial that would bring an end to both Nauca and Tenua - by accident - as the true gravity (also literally) of his strength escaped even him. The planets collided. Nearly nothing remained of either within the aftermath... but only nearly. As truly as something may remain, life would find a way.
"Life, uh, finds a way," as they say.
Yes, say it Jeff Goldblum style, it's better that way!
And that way, in a rather distant future, would lead to Abylua.
So, I am... sifting through my notes...
(There are a lot.)
While there is a plethora of lore and world building, there is story material too! And I'm trying to decide if I should talk about both stories here or not... ๐ค
One story includes friendly interpretations of canon characters (Wagnas, Kzinssie, Bokhohn, Mateus, Kuja, etc.) from series other than FFIX (including my own Noel) and kind of has a lot more going on and different story beats. Generally broader.
I don't even know if most who follow me here are familiar with Romancing SaGa II or FFII (beyond, you know, The Emperor.) I kind of hesitated when it came to speaking of these elements (and more) with Fabula Infinita in the past for this reason too. Are we down for talking about these things here in greater length as well? Is it not too disconnected from the usual? Hahaha.
The other is smaller (in theory - it keeps growing) and sticks to just Anon and FFIX guys (including my own Kuja.) Has an Ethereal Route-esque focus (which basically means it focuses on things after Kuja rises from death and begins trying to rebuild Terra - or Tenua, in this story.) Just Abylua flavored, here.
And very much the one I will talk about, no matter what!
There is... definitely more coming, but it may take me a bit to figure out how tf to start presenting all of this here and translate much of this into public yap vs. Ashe notes (that only make sense to me.)
Bear with the ๐.
๐ tries their best to deliver. Eventually.
๐ ๐ ๐
Lawd, Ashe breakin' out that custom header complete with title and everything...
That's right. Welcome to โจ Abylua posting! โจ
So, kind of similar to what was done with Altalkia and Fabula Infinita, I'm creating an art gallery post where I'll keep everything artsy and Abyluan, in the long run. This is where we'll start with this series. ๐ฉต
(And while new pieces may be shared in separate posts with their respective tags, this gallery will be regularly updated with those new entries. Er, hopefully, anyway!)
๐ Abylua world concepts + mood board.
๐งโโ๏ธ Sifau/Merfae concept v.1.
(OG design, now dated.)
โจ Sifau/Merfae Sal v.2.
(Aquatic, current design. Previews + full views.)
๐ฆ Sifau/Merfae Wagnas v.2.
(Aerial, current design. Previews + full views.)
And some sneaky peekies at a bunch of Sifau concept art doodles and other Sifau characters in the works! ๐จ ๐
Last year, a sliver of the infinite cosmos was met by a small and colorful collection of paper strips, adorned with wishes we may never know. They were hung from many branches of bamboo with care, left to the fates by a single hand.
While I am still recovering from my post Moon joy depression, mulling over character bios and figuring out what the heck to post next (be it Starlight or Fabula Infinita,) I figured I'd just fill the void with a little bit of headcanoning and brainstorming I had the other day for Starlight!
Ozma and Ark are Terran eidolons.
(Supported by most given flavor text and drops.)
The reason for Ozma's appearance, even in considering it as "unknowable/unfathomable" as source material has suggested, is because it is an eidolon of marred/forgotten memory, both in the fact that Terran civilization has declined (to the extent Terra's crystal is too weak to produce eidolons) and that it also could have been damaged as a result of the failed merging of Terra and Gaia.
In addition, Ark's presence at Oeilvert is more "knowable," despite the crystal's diminution, given the presence of the archives - these memories help shape it. But Ark is still incomplete, which explains why it never takes its other form and is capable of being fought (a.k.a not superboss level difficult) by Zidane's gang, at the time.
Something lending credence to both Ark and Ozma being incomplete in their own ways here also lies in the pumice pieces and pumice.
(Ark only drops a pumice piece itself while Ozma drops a full pumice - but then, this pumice was designed for Ark. Whether it was by phenomenal events of the failed merge or by Ozma's own volition to try to repossess an image for itself, Ozma possesses the full pumice - and pieces can be stolen from it - all of which do not actually belong to it.)
And speaking of pumice piecesโฆ
Some Hades stuff. So, the fact that Hades was originally designed to be the final boss vs. Necron, but development kept that arena that was designed around Hades specifically in place serves as more insight to Hades still! In multiple ways. The first way is: this further supports the idea - or eye-dea, haha, ahโฆ - of Hades being Terran in nature, given that both Hades, that arena and Terra (especially Pandemonium) have very eye-catching designs (sorry, I'm done.)
It is possible for Zidane, Kuja, Mikoto and other Genomes - Garland as well - to see memories from their past lives vs. their current ones while walking Memoria lane.
(And you could easily explain why they don't in OG contexts: Memoria was mucked up during the Gaia/Terra merge and not everything can be seen as a result.)
Some more speculative stuff I'm contemplating too...
The fact that Hades has a clear eye motif along with Pandemonium could lead one to wonder if Hades is actually connected to Pandemonium affairs more specifically too.
(Maybe he plays/played some part of Pandemonium - or he is an extension of Pandemonium? A branch, even, that can be found in Memoria - not merely as a memory, but as a construct actively involved in formations of Memoria.)
Leading me to my next thoughtโฆ!
What if Hades is actually part of what helps Memoria function as a bit of an archive?
(This is connected to a theory I developed a while back, drawing from a cool theory I happened upon - where Memoria could be a natural phenomenon accessed and shaped into its own sort of archive through Terran involvement. Memoria is its own thing, but Terrans shape it into a library, basically - before it's blown to bits and mucked up during the failed merging of Terra and Gaia.)
And speaking of eyesโฆ
A cool headcanon that I enjoy from Fabula Infinita that I entertained the thought of handing to Kuja in Starlight as well: that Kuja has entities that can be used to scry and spy. Actual eyes to see through, not simply proxies that report back to Ku.
(Again, as a reminder: in Fabula Infinita, he predominantly makes use of birds - doves, which I sometimes think should be black as a further nod to the Blasphemous inspo - that have special eyes that he uses as special spies to have special scries through. He sees what they see through mirrors of his, whenever he "tunes in" to them.)
In Starlight, I'm unsure of the design of the birds, but I swear, it's going to be through birds again...
(Because you see these very specific white birds here and there in FFIX - and you see official art of Kuja with them - and I justโฆ want to toss all of that into a blender and make this idea happen in Starlight as well! Hahaha.)
The other day, some friendlies shared this video, saying it has some SajaKusa #๐๐น๐ energy going on and it absolutely does!
I cannot stop thinking about it...!
Also, for clarification:
I couldn't care less for the series itself, but the animation slaps!
Like, the dance energy is simply there. The dynamic is there. But I'll go into a little more detail about what translates to metaphor/the less literal.
Please, join me for my TED talk below. ๐๏ธ ๐
The dance itself is a metaphor for their beginnings not only Starlight, but pretty much every story and AU that they're in!
Essentially, Kuja identifies Sal as an anomaly of sorts and develops an interest in her, simply wondering what she is and whether or not she is a threat or could be of use to him. Of course, feelings happen along the way and this fascination does a little tango with other forms of interest.
Sal is a quiet and mysterious character who has a past she will not speak of as well as a nature, both bearing some haunting shades; she is a lot more dangerous than she seems and hides it well enough.
Both concepts are represented nicely in this animation!
The violent aspects of this are where a few more specific things could be pointed out as well, though...
Could be a portrayal of what it would be like to glimpse into some of Sal's memories during the agency days. Particularly during the loss of her team; the NA would realize the extent of her wrath. To this day, it is something she deeply regrets.
Could also be a portrayal of Sal confronting and downing the Waltz-like that precedes Adagio's creation (and in turn, the one Adagio inherits this trauma from.) One of few instances in which the more monstrous side of Sal's Ethereal nature can be witnessed in Starlight. And yet another echo of the day she lost her team within the agency.
Both of these could be viewed simply as recollections for the audience or memories belonging to Sal.
As memories, seeing as Sal would not be included within Memoria, these could only be glimpsed via ascendant memories in Kuja's dreams (on occasion) during his growth as an Ethereal in the Ethereal Route.
I would also like to invite another interpretation of the violence that requires warping the portrayal some; one where the Kuja in here proves most formidable in the end! A Kuja x A Target interpretation.~
Or rather, one which could turn out to be more like this!
To me, there have always been some Kuja vibes going on here. Kuja is threatening gent; seriously, that Angel of Death moniker isn't for nothing! While this violence isn't necessarily directed at Sal, it is showcased to her as a sort of dominance display, meant to prove himself and heck, even impress her. He's like a predatory peacock!
To consider some of Fabula Infinita's storytelling in particular (though, not limited to it as it is also being considered for other stories) Kuja can be especially keen on expressing this brand of violence towards entities that Sal targets on her behalf or, even less: those that he may perceive as offending her. On rare occasion, these particular targets may receive Sal's blessing, allowing Kuja to live up to his daunting title. And with added gusto, to boot, knowing that it may please her!
Anyway...
I merely wish to express that this The Greatest Living Show | Angel of Death Kuja energy should be considered alongside some of that Honkai: Star Rail | Ethereal Sal energy above too.
Because I cannot emphasize this enough... these blorbos are deadly.
One expresses reserve in guilt, the other revels in secret. They both have their own brand of veiled violence, beautiful, captivating, but one is just as uniquely dangerous as the other!
