Tags: Bad Ending, Background Genocide, Ponzi Scheme, Implied/Referenced Sex, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Implied/Referenced Torture, Imprisonment, Period-Typical SexismTempering (Final Fantasy XIV) Additional Warnings Apply
Word Count: 24,000
Summary: Written August 4, 2016 — October 13, 2019; spoilers for 3.0; five chapters. The AU where Thordan wins, as told by each of the Haillenarte siblings in turn.
Chapter 1: The Vault comes with more demands, and Stephanivien must sate them.
Chapter 2: If there’s one thing Aurvael is sure of, it’s that his brothers are fools.
Chapter 3: When the inquisitors release Laniaitte, they do not leave her with scars.
Chapter 4: Francel does not protest when the knights come to claim him. They offer explanations, documentation, signed scrolls, and writs of seizure, but none of that is important. He knows this has been coming. He lets them take him. This time, he is guilty as charged.
Hi! After discussing my problems with the DRK storyline with a friend and a plot hole surrounding how we know to call Esteem by the name Fray when we first encounter him (since the English localization doesn't touch on that), I stumbled across your translation of the quests, which answered all my questions. But that led us to wonder, how does the Japanese version of the game deal with "Fray's" appearance during the level 70 Dark Knight Quest? Do they call him Fray? The Hero's Shade?
i have, somewhat humorously, been avoiding all questions about the drk quests past 50 for one simple reason: i have not done the drk quests past 50
"you have played this game for years" yes and every patch i only play the easiest job because i'm lazy as fuck. i'm a rdm main because i have no brain
that being said i know i really should get around to it because it's easily the most altered script in the entire game but l-lol
tl;dr i'm sorry i never translated drk 60 and 70 but looking really quickly at the quest for you... they just call him fray
I was asked by a friend to translate the patch title, though, please take the following information with a grain of salt as I don’t know any more than you do...
Following the usual naming convention, Stormblood was 紅蓮のリベレーター Guren no Liberator or "The Crimson Liberator," Heavensward was 蒼天のイシュガルド Souten no Ishgard or "Blue Skies of Ishgard," and the Japanese title for Endwalker is 暁月のフィナーレ Gyougetsu no Finale.
Much like Stormblood indicated that リベレーター liberator was the intended reading of 解放者 kaihousha meaning the same thing, the title of Endwalker indicates that フィナーレ finale is the intended reading of a second word: 終焉 shuuen or "demise."
Gyougetsu refers to the moon at dawn — you know, the specific phenomenon when you can still see the moon as the sun is rising.
That being said, there's a pretty strong implication being made here because the "gyou" in 暁月 gyougetsu is the same as "akatsuki" in 暁の血盟 akatsuki no ketsumei — "Scions of the Seventh Dawn."
So I think a comparable English translation for the Japanese expansion title is "Finale of the Dawn," or perhaps "Dawn's End" or “Dawn’s Demise”...
We shouldn't assume any of the Scions are dying, necessarily, but the implication being made seems to be that this is the end of the group, or that the group's stated reason for being is going to be resolved.
Then again, another implication made by the title is "the demise of the moon," so...
Here is a partial translation of “Looking to the Future,” that level 51 sidequest from Ishgard where you help some Hyur find the childhood friend he promised to marry.
Yesterday’s question about Charibert prompted a conversation among my friends about other characters in FFXIV who are or might be gay, and somewhere along this train of thought I said something like, “Oh, yeah, and the lesbian Rose Knight with a big crush on Laniaitte...”
To which my friends rightfully responded, “There’s a lesbian Rose Knight?”
...Well, apparently I’d forgotten that I thought about translating this at some point and then I... didn’t do that. Oops? Anyway, here she is...
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
男の過去、女の未来
"a man’s past, a woman’s future”
DEEPLY TROUBLED MAN: Hail, adventurer. Might I trouble you for a moment? I’ve no dearer wish than to join the Temple Knights and serve for the betterment of Ishgard, but I cannot help but note that knights-in-training are prohibited from marriage. Moreover, none can say how many years may pass ere I win my spurs and claim true knighthood.
DEEPLY TROUBLED MAN: In my youth, however, I promised my hand in marriage to a girl mine own age. We were only children at the time, of course, and I cannot now even recall her name. But I worry that she is still waiting for me to return to her after all these years...
DEEPLY TROUBLED MAN: I realize this would be a trying thing to ask of anyone, but I would like to find her, and tell her that she needs no longer wait for the boy who promised her that he would love her. I know only that she was eventually taken in as a ward of House Haillenarte. Perhaps someone sworn to the rose will be able to help you track her down.
MARIELLE: ...A childhood promise of marriage? Now that you mention it... why, yes, some such thing might have happened.
MARIELLE: Ah, yes, I do remember it now. Indeed, I may have sworn such a vow when I was a little girl. But if it were not for your reminding me of it, I would have wholly forgotten such a thing. I am now sworn to serve Lady Laniaitte, and I have little interest in marriage.
MARIELLE: Oh, captain, my sweet captain. Why, just look at the flies that are drawn to her warm heart. I’ll not rest upon my laurels until I’ve exterminated every last pathetic pest that dares to approach my genteel lady!
TRANSLATOR’S NOTES
1. Obviously, I’ve done this with quite a bit of polish. A more clunky and literal approach to what Marielle says about Laniaitte might simply be “I've sworn my life to serving Lady Laniaitte, so I'm not interested in getting married. I'm not going to rest until I've stomped out the filthy insects that keep getting close to her because of her kind heart!"
2. ...I’m about 70% sure the “filthy insect” in question is Emmanellain, but I may be biased as I’m personally very fond of Emmanellain.
3. Both of these characters touch on romantic tropes that are immediately recognizable in Japanese pop culture — the overly-angsty guy who thinks his childhood friend is still waiting for him to marry her, and the girl who worships another girl to the point of rabid protectiveness. The “joke” in this quest is, of course, that they don’t usually intersect...
4. Marielle has a couple of other lines in other quests that allude to her admiration for Laniaitte (things like “Oh, Lady Laniaitte is going to be troubled by this!” and “Lady Laniaitte will be pleased!”), but it’s nothing too crazy. Aside from her one line here, she’s otherwise pretty lowkey about it.
LOCALIZATION
Hyur on Hard Times: The Temple Knights are recruiting! It has long been my dream to join their ranks, and soon I shall make it reality. I've told myself I would give anything to be a Temple Knight, but one of their rules gives me pause: we are forbidden from marrying while undergoing training.
Hyur on Hard Times: Hearing this brought to mind a promise I made long ago. Given to flights of fancy and romance─as children are wont to be─I promised a girl that we would marry when we came of age. I was just a boy, and to be honest I cannot even remember her name. But I worry she may still be waiting for me.
Hyur on Hard Times: All I can recall is she was a ward of House Haillenarte. I realize the chances are slim, but I ask that you find her. Tell her she need not wait for me any longer. I could not bear knowing a girl wastes her life waiting for the impossible.
Marielle: A promise of marriage? Now that you mention it... Why, yes I do believe I made such a promise.
Marielle: But I was just a child. Who would think to remember such a thing after all these years? Besides, I have sworn to serve Lady Laniaitte.
Marielle: My only concerns now are fulfilling my duties and the protection of Camp Cloudtop. Whoever this boy is, he need not worry of old, forgotten promises.
Here is a full translation of the (thus far) Japanese-exclusive White Day 2020 Developer’s Blog post.
First, the dry translator’s disclaimers: I acknowledge that this post is four months old. Once upon a time, I was the sort of fan translator who would have rushed to get this done within a week of its posting, but in this case, I was busy with the Ishgardian Restoration Skybuilders’ Ranking when it was first posted, and then after that... well, I just busied myself with other things. I was tempted to skip doing this one completely, but then I felt obligated to complete the series given that I’d translated the post from 2018, so... goodbye to my Saturday morning and afternoon, I suppose.
This post is intended as a polished translation on par with official content. As such, I have taken certain liberties with the text: though it was originally in more or less a script format, I embellished it to make it a prose post consistent with other English developer’s blog posts. Most of the moogle’s narration was invented by me in order to preserve humor and narrative flow. This is nothing that the localization team itself does not do. I can assure you that the core details remain essentially intact and untouched.
If you would prefer to read a more literal take on this text, I am sure that more than a few rough translations exist of it already, so please look for someone else’s post if you want something that’s more of a word-for-word take.
Special thanks to the person I trust best to write Urianger’s dialogue for helping me with Urianger’s dialogue, and then to a second good friend for Elizabethan grammar-checking the both of us!
Happy White Day, Kupo!
March 13, 2020
It’s ever so nice to speak with you again, kupo!
Do you remember me from the last report, perchance? ‘Tis I, the ever-industrious deputy postmoogle’s apprentice! The rising star that’s, ahem, still training to become a full-fledged postmoogle... kupopo...
This Valentione’s Day — like every Valentione’s Day — we postmoogles were once again entrusted with delivering confessions of love all throughout the realm. So I’m here to give you an exclusive rundown on how my deliveries unfolded, kupo!
First, I tapped into my considerable experience as an aspiring postmoogle to... erm... take care of the most difficult delivery on my list before all the rest. A-As any professional would, obviously!
...Phew!
Oh, it was such a relief that he was asleep when I dropped by, kupopo... I thought my heart was going to thump straight out of my fluffy chest! My paws might have been severed... my pom plucked...
Honestly, I was of the distinct opinion that I had done more than my fair share of the year’s work after that, kupo, but of course I tirelessly flew away to my next destination without complaint!
The second set of Valentione’s Day packages in my delivery satchel were meant for Lord Hien of Doma!
Lord Hien greeted me himself, kupo, friendly as ever. "Ah, the postmaster — right on time as always!” he said, a little breathlessly. “You have my thanks. Would you just leave your deliveries on that table so that they come to no harm?”
What harm? I was more a bit confused, but then I realized that he was in the middle of some sort of... game?
He was running around, being chased by the leader of the Buduga clan, kupo. I suppose they were in the middle of an extremely spirited game of tag! How fun! I remember when I was a young moogle playing tag with my friends, floating in circles with the wind in my whiskers... Oh, for those halcyon days!
Daidukul received a fair bit of stuff from his admirers, too, kupo. More than Magnai, that’s for sure...
Then Isse looked at me as I was laying out everyone’s packages. “Oh, the postmoogle’s arrived?” he asked. “Um, by any chance, are you the one who delivered the year-end gifts from last time? I meant to give my thanks to the person who sent me something then...”
Of course, I told him that would be perfectly fine!
After all, even when it’s not Valentione’s Day, it’s the responsibility of a delivery moogle — or delivery person — to ensure that all the tender feelings they’ve been entrusted with reach their intended recipients. That’s why there’s no better job for me than being a postmoogle!
After my business in Doma was concluded, I flew back to Eorzea, kupo.
I’m a real go-getter — and someone really ought to tell the deputy postmoogle of my great work ethic — so I darted straight to the Black Shroud to unload my paws of all the packages I had for the people there. And what luck! As fortune would have it, I met one of my delivery targets on the road: Sanson Smyth!
“Happy Valentione’s Day, Sanson!” I chirped. “I have some very special deliveries for you and your usual companion!”
“Companion?” Sanson repeated. He sounded a little incredulous. “Er, no, that’s not quite right — it would really be more accurate to call him a vexing subordinate... Regardless, if it is Guydelot you seek, he is no doubt at his usual tavern. Would you like me to walk there with you?”
Oh, but of course I did, kupo! Sanson’s such a thoughtful, helpful man, isn’t he? It was so very nice of him to ask.
Taverns are where travelers go to rest, so they seem like such wonderful places to meet other people, kupo...
Once I’d finished with my deliveries in the Shroud, I let the cool northern winds carry me straight to Ishgard, kupo. And what change it’s gone through! The city was just bustling with the reconstruction effort!
I told Edmont (Count Edmont? Lord Edmont? So confusing!) that I’d come to deliver joyful tidings of love to everyone in House Fortemps again, kupo!
And to Ser Aymeric as well, of course!
And... well, I had a whole sack of things to give to Estinien, but just like last time, he wasn’t anywhere to be found. Since writing his name on it and leaving it by the window seemed to work last Valentione’s Day, I asked Aymeric if I should do the same this year, but... kupopo... He didn’t quite seem to approve of the idea.
“We’ve received word from our men afield that Estinien may no longer be operating in Ishgard,” Aymeric explained, “so it may not be enough merely to leave his gifts by the nearest window and expect him to come across them.”
My pom drooped a bit at this pronouncement, kupo. After all, how was I going to deliver Estinien’s presents if even the Ishgardians couldn’t find him? Was it all hopeless, kupo?! All those packages to be returned to their senders... What a waste!
“No, well... Another report indicated some success in luring him with the scent of roasted kraken, seared by dragon’s breath. We might try that, if you’d like.”
I thought that seemed like a reasonable suggestion, but Edmont looked a little concerned. “Ser Aymeric, do you truly think — ?” he began, but then he seemed to change his mind. “...No, forget that I spoke. That being said, the restoration of the Firmament is proceeding apace, so I would exercise caution around undue use of fire...”
Well, I am nothing if not a cautious moogle, so I very carefully cooked up some delicious grilled kraken over an open fire, kupo. We postmoogles truly go above and beyond for our work!
I left his packages with the salted cephalopod as it was roasting, so I’ll bet he was thrilled to find everything set up for him!
I didn’t forget to make deliveries to this place either, kupo.
Whenever I come here, the atmosphere of the room feels so... so holy, kupo. As if the very air is clear... but empty, too. Do you know what I mean?
I cleaned up my posture before I left, kupo, and then it was off to finish the rest of the deliveries!
I had successfully shared everyone’s expressions of love with all sorts of people in Eorzea, and now it was time for... um... the impossible, kupo. You see, I still had a whole stack of especially challenging deliveries to make to the First!
We moogles have a lot of special tricks up our poms, kupo, but even I can’t possibly visit another shard without a bit of help...
I really hadn’t the foggiest idea how to get there, so I wound up consulting the helpful folks at the Eighteenth Floor to ask them how I could get to the First!
And do you know what? They were so nice, kupo! They said that because Valentione’s Day was such a special day, and because they wanted to accommodate everyone’s heartfelt feelings, they’d let me use a special door that would take me safely to the First. Though it was not without... stipulations...
They handed me an enchanted pocket watch and said that if I failed to return before the hand on the watch made a full turn around the clock, I’d never be able to go back to Eorzea again, kupo.
Terrifying! Utterly terrifying! What other job would possibly ask you to put your existence as you know it on the line, kupo?!
But I am, as I’ve said, a professional beyond compare... so I made up my mind and zipped right through that door!
...I admit, I passed out and lost consciousness as I was traveling between the worlds, kupo. But when I came to, I was in a beautiful purple forest, and I could vaguely hear someone calling for me!
So I bounced back into the air and fluttered off to the Crystal Tower, kupo!
Naturally, the first First resident I delivered packages to was the Crystal Exarch. I had things to give him as the Crystal Exarch, and... other things to give him, too, kupo. Presents from a different time, from when he went by a different name.
Now, I must admit, I’ve never quite understood his situation, but I did dutifully deliver his Valentione’s Day gifts each and every year! I simply wasn’t able to enter the Crystal Tower, so I would leave them at the entrance, kupo. I told him this, and then I asked him if he’d received them.
...But he didn’t answer me, kupo! He just started crying!
What was a poor moogle to do? I mean, you’ll notice our paws aren’t exactly great for wiping tears away. Had I made a terrible mistake after all? Should I not have done that?
“No,” the Exarch said, shaking his head. “No, you... you have done nothing wrong, little moogle. Forgive me. Let us move on. We must needs formulate a plan to keep you safe as you navigate this shard.“
I was very grateful to have made the acquaintance of such a cooperative colleague, kupo! With his help, I charted a path through Norvrandt that would let me finish my deliveries in time.
Next time, though, I hope I’m given a bit more time to take in the sights. I still think of those beautiful flowers in Il Mheg, and all the sights and sounds in that luxurious seaside city, Eulmore...
The Scions of the Seventh Dawn were there on some sort of business trip, I suppose, and of course they received as many gifts as ever, kupopo. I was very pleased to meet young Ryne for the first time, though!
She was delighted to meet me too, I do believe, and when I explained to her what Valentione’s Day was all about, she smiled and said, “It’s so wonderful that there are such beautiful holidays on the Source!”
“I’m sure Norvrandt will begin celebrating its own holidays before long, now that it isn’t under threat of the Light,” Thancred told her. “If you want, you can start a holiday of your own, with your friends.”
“That’s true,” Ryne giggled.
Urianger was especially pleased to see Ryne smile, kupo! Er, what was it he said again? “Pray enjoy thy gifts, to the delight of those who give thee affection.” Something like that, kupo? And also, um... “Have care lest thou shouldst cross paths with pixies and their kin, for therein lieth a penchant for mischief most troublesome.”
Yes, that was it, kupo!
Seeing everyone smile made my heart feel all warm and fuzzy too, kupo. I realize I’m always warm and fuzzy, but I mean extraordinarily so!
After ensuring that all of my packages arrived in the hands of their recipients on land, I then had to travel all the way to the bottom of the deep blue sea. It still boggles my mind that people on the First live beneath the ocean waves, kupo!
It took me some time to find someone who would respond to me, but I managed it eventually. “Why, hello there!” I said. “Yes, you, the tall fellow over there! Do you know where I might find someone by the name of Emet-Selch? I’ve a long story that I haven’t the time to tell, but to cut it all short, I have a pile of presents that I must see into his hands!”
I couldn’t quite make out the tall fellow’s face behind his mask, but I got the impression that he was smiling at me, kupo. “You are troubled, little one. Yes, I understand... If you would deliver these glad tidings to him, then let me give you a helping hand. Here.”
Poof!
I couldn’t believe my eyes, kupo! With a snap of his fingers, the tall man made all my packages for Emet-Selch disappear into bits of light!
This wasn’t in any of the procedural manuals the deputy postmoogle made me memorize back-to-front, so I admit I might have panicked a little bit... but the tall fellow calmed me down soon enough.
“Even sweet gifts such as those you bear are only masses of aether,” he explained. “Once reduced to their base components, they will go to where he is — where all life eventually arrives. Be at ease, child. Whatever his faults in character, our lord of the dead and king of the underworld is an exceedingly clever man. No matter how vast the sea of life may be, he will surely be able to pluck his presents from the aetherial flow... supposing he desires to do so, that is.”
Now, I didn’t truly understand the finer points of this explanation, kupo... but the masked man seemed sincere about getting those gifts to Emet-Selch, so I decided to believe that he hadn’t done any harm.
I wanted to thank him for his help, but then he was gone in the blink of an eye! Even though I was in the middle of speaking with him when he vanished!
The citizens of that place are so mysterious, kupopo...
After all that was said and done, kupo, I had one final delivery to make. Just one last addressee to track down, and then I’d be finished, kupo!
And I really put my all into it. I swear upon my postmoogle’s cap and bag! I looked everywhere, every mountain high and valley low, but I simply couldn’t track him down.
The time left on my pocket watch was starting to run out, kupo, so I had to accept defeat. Disappointed, dragging my drooping pom behind me, I made my way back to the door between worlds, which already looked like it was in danger of disappearing, and leapt through the gates...
Mayhap I had cut it so close to the last second that something went wrong, kupo?
I passed out again, and when I came to, I was rolling around on an unfamiliar grassy knoll... while someone was poking at me to wake up, kupo!
What luck! What incredible luck! It was the very person I’d been searching for, for all that time, up until the very last second — Ardbert!
I almost cried and threw myself at him, I was so happy! To think that I would find him like this! “Ardbert, Ardbert!” I said, like he was an old friend. “I finally found you! I had all these presents to give you, kupo!”
He laughed and took it all in stride, though this must have been greatly puzzling to him. “What’s this? Another reward for the quest we just finished?”
“No, it’s not, kupo!” I replied, perhaps a little more crossly than I should have. “Here, this is for you! Take this, and this, and this! It’s all yours, kupo! Each package represents someone’s feelings for you, kupo! Everyone loves you so much!”
“Careful, now — oh, these look delicious!” he exclaimed, affably embarrassed as he sorted through the boxes I was admittedly pelting him with. “And this is all for me? You’re sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure, kupo! Eat them all up and have more faith in yourself, Ardbert!”
His eyes crinkled at their corners when he smiled. “Hahah! You’ve got a point. Then I’ll share these with my friends just over there. My thanks for bringing them all this way here, postmoogle. You’ve done a great job.”
...
...
I don’t quite remember what happened after that, kupo...
When I came to, I was lying on the counter of the Seventh Heaven, evidently having dozed off next to that Wandering Minstrel fellow. At first, I thought perhaps meeting Ardbert in that strange world had been nothing but a dream, but when I checked my postmoogle’s bag, I realized that it was much lighter, kupo!
So I really had met him, and I really had completed all my deliveries!
This year’s Valentione’s Day deliveries were arduous and difficult, kupo, but at the end of the day, I really did have a lot of fun.
I delivered all of your love to everyone else, kupo... and now I’m here to deliver their love back to you!
One more time, for everyone’s sake: Happy White Day, kupo!
Here are translations of the Uniqlo x FFXIV advertisements that hit Japanese stores in December 2019.
Wait... What?
An announcement was posted on Lodestone today that tapestries (basically just banners) of FFXIV characters would be displayed in select Uniqlo stores in Shinjuku and Ikebukuro.
I’ve heard of Uniqlo, but I don’t know what it is...
Uniqlo is a Japanese fashion brand that’s pretty much known for selling basics — think single-color shirts, sweaters, pants, coats, and scarves. While I won’t speak for everyone, and I’m sure some people have wildly different opinions, my personal experience is that in Tokyo, Uniqlo is thought of as a very basic, bargain-bin place to buy clothes: yeah, it’s normal to shop there, and pretty much everyone has some item from Uniqlo in their closet somewhere, but it’s not really considered fashionable, and it’s honestly a bit uncool to wear Uniqlo from head to toe. In New York, however, Uniqlo is generally thought of as basic but trendy — people tend to like the quality of the clothing even though individual items can be pricey. In the end, a brand is a brand. If they operate in your country, you may as well head to their website to get your own idea of it.
So this is basically just an advertising campaign?
Yes, and a very limited one. If I understand correctly, the ads are only running in three Uniqlo stores in all of Tokyo. They’re pretty big stores in trendy neighborhoods, but not the flagship store or anything. (Their flagship store is in Ginza, which is very nice, but rather mature and austere.) Also, they are specifically advertising Uniqlo’s “HEATTECH” clothing line, which, I don’t know, uses science to keep you warm or something. I have never tried HEATTECH clothes, though I have other pieces of clothing from Uniqlo, but I am told that they are pretty warm.
How weird is this for Uniqlo?
Honestly, not that weird — Uniqlo does a lot of collaborations with popular series, mostly thanks to their T-shirt line that’s collaborated with such characters and series as Mario, Gundam, Pokémon, Hello Kitty, and all manner of mangas. I don’t know whether or not they’ve run fake testimonials from characters before, but the testimonial-based ads themselves are just a thing that Uniqlo does. I’m pretty sure they’ve done comparable campaigns in Singapore and Taiwan, albeit with real people giving their opinions and not Final Fantasy characters. Their “Voices of New York” series was somewhat similar as well — they got a bunch of famous New Yorkers to wear Uniqlo and do little interviews, basically.
How weird is this for Square Enix?
Honestly, not that weird — I mean, will anything ever be as weird as when they decided to have Lightning and other characters from FFXIII model for Prada and Louis Vuitton? FFXV had fashion collaborations with Vivienne Westwood and Roen built into the game, too, although that was a little more... serious. I’m actually just disappointed that they didn’t whip up a Uniqlo HEATTECH shirt for the characters to actually wear.
How weird is this, like... generally?
Oh, it’s very silly, but character collaborations are all kind of a big joke anyway. And, to be honest, they do get nerds to get into their stores and buy shit.
Photos were taken randomly off Twitter. Thank you to everyone who visited Uniqlo just to share the banners with social media.
As for the text itself, I... I don’t want to talk about it...
HEATTECH x FINAL FANTASY XIV ONLINE
The reason I wear Heattech every day...
ESTINIEN
Former Azure Dragoon
Heattech lover for 5 years.
Under my armor, I’m always wearing Heattech. Has it already been 5 years, now? 'Twas Ser Aymeric who originally recommended to me these garments. At first, I was half in doubt as to the veracity of his claims, but once I equipped mine own apparel, I was stunned by how well it performed. It doesn't matter how high I jump through the frigid air of Coerthas — I never get cold. Now I can't even imagine fighting in the skies without Heattech.
ALPHINAUD LEVEILLEUR
Academician of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn
Heattech lover for 1 year.
In Heattech, I'm warm from the tips of my fingers down to my toes. During my journey through Ishgard, a companion of mine recommended that I wear these curious garments to stay warm, and I have not been parted from them since. Even as I gathered bits of brush and kindling in the Churning Mists for our campfire, I felt not the slightest chill.
ALISAIE LEVEILLEUR
Red Mage of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn
Heattech lover for 1 year.
When something red catches my eye, I just have to have it. And each time a new Heattech product comes out, I'll add it to my wardrobe without hesitation. These garments don't get in the way during frenzied combat, and they provide the ease of movement that I need in the heat of battle. They come in so many tempting colors that I do find it difficult to choose between them every now and then — but in the end, I always pick red!
Y’SHTOLA RHUL
Sorceress of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn
Heattech lover for 6 years.
Every sorceress worth her salt keeps a few secrets... and Heattech is one of mine. Naturally, these vestments will keep you warm, and I particularly appreciate that they feel smooth to the touch. ‘Twould be an exaggeration to say that I could forget that I am wearing them, but... I do find myself advantaged by the way that they do not obstruct the flow of magic. As Master Matoya has chosen to reside in a rather dark, chilly cave, I thought it prudent to send her a selection of Heattech raiments. I wonder how well she found them.
CID NAN GARLOND
President of Garlond Ironworks
Heattech lover for 9 years.
Heattech is our company's hidden uniform. Garlond Ironworks engineers often work in cold environments, so Heattech garments have become indispensable to our performance. Anyone who's ever flown an airship knows this well: when you're at the helm, you're at the mercy of the winds, and those winds are cold. That's why every engineer in our organization is provided with a Heattech undershirt. And you? Will you join our number?
NERO TOL SCAEVA
Freelance Genius Engineer
Heattech lover for 9 years.
This is something I might engineer — which is how you know it’s good. Garlond’s Heattech undershirt is naught but a simple garment, whereas mine is fitted with a magitek weave that promotes superior heat retention!
KRILE BALDESION
Archon of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn
Heattech lover for 3 years.
Do you suppose we might call this... the power to transcend the cold? Thanks to the raging aether surrounding the isle, Eureka Anemos undergoes volatile changes in temperature, making Heattech an absolute necessity for exploring the more frosty areas of the Forbidden Land. Even that obstinate Ejika hides an undershirt beneath his robes, you know! I myself am rather partial to sporting a good pair of Heattech short pants whilst on expedition. I don't believe even the brightest minds at the Studium could have conceived of such practical use for this technology.
Please note that Sharlayan lore isn’t my strong suit, and I never set foot in Eureka, so it is possible that there are better ways to interpret some of Krile’s remarks here.
Here are translations of the elven dialogue in the Grand Cosmos. Relevant to fans of the Heavens’ Ward.
Here’s a first: a multi-language compilation! I roped my boyfriend into contributing the DE/FR translations, whereas the JP ones are mine, as usual. Overall edits were done jointly by the both of us.
Lord Tolthewil / “Thordan”
Archbishop and Ancient King
EN: For Lakeland!
JP: レイクランドよ永遠に…！
DE: Lang lebe das Seenland!
FR: Longue vie à Grand-Lac!
TRANSLATIONS
JP: For Lakeland, towards eternity!
DE: Long live Lakeland!
FR: Long live Lakeland!
EN: The elves shall prevail!
JP: すべてのエルフのために…！
DE: Lang lebe das Geschlecht der Elfen!
FR: Longue vie aux Elfes!
TRANSLATIONS
JP: For the glory of the elves...
DE: Long live the elven race!
FR: Long live the elves!
EN: And now you fall!
JP: これで終わりだ…！
DE: Das ist das Ende...
FR: C’est terminé!
TRANSLATIONS
JP: This is the end!
DE: This is the end...
FR: It's over!
Ser Intheran / “Zephirin”
First Seat of the Heavens’ Ward
EN: The chivalric spirit shall prevail this day!
JP: 今こそ我らの真の力を見せるときぞ！
DE: Jetzt zeigen wir euch, wie die Helden der Elfen kämpfen!
FR: Éprouvez la puissance des chevaliers de Grand-Lac!
TRANSLATIONS
JP: Brothers! It is time to call upon our true power!
DE: The time is come to show you how elven heroes fight!
FR: Witness the might of the knights of Lakeland!
*This line appears to be a reference to Zephirin’s battle call shortly before the battle in the Singularity Reactor, so I’ve translated it as such.
“Vellguine”
Second Seat of the Heavens’ Ward
EN: <gasp> Would he truly say such things?
JP: なんと！？真でありますか？
DE: Wirklich? Meint Ihr das auch ernst?
FR: Vraiment!? Vous êtes sûre?
TRANSLATIONS
JP: What?! Is it true?
DE: Truly? Do you say that quite in earnest?
FR: Truly?! You are certain?
*This line appears to be a reference to Vellguine’s exclamation in the Japanese version of the fifth Tale from the Dragonsong War, “What Remains of a Knight.” It is not present in the English version of the story.
“Charibert”
Third Seat of the Heavens’ Ward
EN: Would that my last partner could dance so well.
JP: いいですね、アナタ！アタシに合わせなサイ！
DE: Gut so, schön im Rhythmus bleiben.
FR: Gardez le rythme, et tout ira bien!
TRANSLATIONS
JP: Excellent work, darling! With me!
DE: Good. Keep to the rhythm just so.
FR: Keep the rhythm, and all will be well!
*This line appears to be a reference to one of Charibert’s lines from Thordan’s Reign. As before, I have translated it with respect to his flamboyant Japanese personality.
Ser Grymme / “Grinnaux”
Fourth Seat of the Heavens’ Ward
EN: Taste mine axe!
JP: ミンチにしてやる！
DE: Ich mach euch zu Hackfleisch!
FR: Je vais vous découper en tranches!
TRANSLATIONS:
JP: I'll make mincemeat out of you!
DE: I'll make mincemeat out of you!
FR: I'll cut you to pieces!
*This line appears to be a reference to a voiced line Grinnaux says in The Vault. As his fans are no doubt already well aware, “Minchi ni shite yaru!” attained a kind of memetic notoriety within the Japanese fandom on par with the English fandom’s fondness for Charibert’s “Sickness must be purged!”
“Adelphel”
Fifth Seat of the Heavens’ Ward
EN: The next time you step on my toes, dear, it shall be the last.
JP: 我が美剣にかけて踊ってみせましょう
DE: Dürfte ich Euch meinen besten Schritt vorführen?
FR: Laissez-moi vous montrer mes talents de danseur!
TRANSLATIONS
JP: Now you dance with the Brightblade.
DE: Shall I show you my finest steps?
FR: Let me show you my skill on the dance floor!
*This line appears to be a reference to one of Adelphel’s lines from Thordan’s Reign. I translated it... how I think his entrance into KotR Ultimate should go...
Ser Phinibert / “Paulecrain”
Sixth Seat of the Heavens’ Ward
EN: Have at thee!
JP: ブッ刺しちまうぞ？
DE: Ich klatsch euch weg!
FR: Vous allez sentir passer ma lame!
TRANSLATIONS
JP: Shall I cut you to ribbons?
DE: I'll crush you!
FR: I’ll have this bayonet through you!
EN: I have you!
JP: 突き殺してやる！
DE: Tod! Tod allen Feinden!
FR: Vous finirez empalés sur ma lance!
TRANSLATIONS
JP: Death waits at the end of my spear!
DE: Death! Death to all our foes!
FR: You'll perish on my lance!
*These lines appear to reference Paulecrain’s dialogue from Thordan’s Reign.
Ser Hamonth / “Haumeric”
Seventh Seat of the Heavens’ Ward
EN: Down with you!
JP: 震えるがいい！
DE: Zittert und fürchtet euch!
FR: Tremblez, mauviettes!
TRANSLATIONS
JP: Tremble before me!
DE: Tremble in fear!
FR: Tremble, cravens!
EN: This cannot be...
JP: 仕方あるまい…
DE: Was für ein tragisches Ende...
FR: Quelle tragédie...
TRANSLATIONS
JP: So must it be...
DE: What a tragic end...
FR: Such a tragedy...
*These lines appear to reference Haumeric’s dialogue from Thordan’s Reign.
“Guerrique”
Eighth Seat of the Heavens’ Ward
EN: We should have a contest.
JP: 舞踏勝負か、面白い！
DE: Famose Idee, einen Wettbewerb im Tanze abzuhalten.
FR: J'adore les concours de danse!
TRANSLATIONS
JP: A dancing competition? How droll!
DE: Splendid idea, to hold a dance contest.
FR: I love dance competitions!
*This line appears to be a reference to one of Guerrique’s lines from Thordan’s Reign.
“Hermenost”
Ninth Seat of the Heavens’ Ward
EN: It’s all in the hips.
JP: 力を束ねるのだ…
DE: Wir sind ein traumhaftes Paar. Der erste Preis ist uns sicher...
FR: À deux, c'est plus facile...
TRANSLATIONS
JP: Power gathers before me...
DE: We make a fantastic pair. We're sure to place first...
FR: Together, it's easier...
*This line appears to be a reference to one of Hermenost’s lines from Thordan’s Reign... at least in Japanese.
Ser Mothbert / “Noudenet”
Tenth Seat of the Heavens’ Ward
EN: Know your folly!
JP: 魔力よ降り注げ！
DE: Mächte zwischen Himmel und Erde, ich rufe euch!
FR: Vous n'êtes pas de taille face à mes sorts!
TRANSLATIONS
JP: Ancient magics, descend upon us!
DE: Forces of heaven and earth, I call upon you!
FR: You’re no match for my spells!
*This line appears to be a reference to one of Noudenet’s lines from Thordan’s Reign.
Ser Javyth / “Janlenoux”
Eleventh Seat of the Heavens’ Ward
EN: We must drive them out!
JP: この一矢を総長に捧ぐ！
DE: Diesen Pfeil widme ich dem König der Elfen!
FR: Mes flèches vont vous transpercer le cœur!
TRANSLATIONS
JP: This arrow strikes in the commander’s name!
DE: I loose this arrow in the name of the Elvenking!
FR: My arrows will pierce through your hearts!
*This line appears to be a reference to one of Janlenoux’s lines from Thordan’s Reign.
“Ignasse”
Twelfth Seat of the Heavens’ Ward
EN: One-two-three, one-two-three.
JP: ところで副長はどちらに…？
DE: Wo ist denn eigentlich der gute Herr Vize-Kommandant?
FR: Où est passé le vice-commandant?
TRANSLATIONS
JP: Incidentally, where is the second-in-command...?
DE: Say, where is our honorable vice-commander?
FR: Where did the vice-commander go?
*This line does not reference anything Ignasse has said in the past, but instead is an acknowledgement of his admiration for Vellguine, I suppose...
Here is a translation of the dialogue between Ran’jit, Minfilia, and Thancred in “Full Steam Ahead,” the level 77 Shadowbringers main story quest.
First, a preface: This translation is not a word-for-word translation, though it is slightly more loyal to the Japanese script than the official localization. As always, the Japanese text is enclosed for you to make your own comparisons and judge my decisions if need be. I have some more comments about where I departed from the original text at the bottom of the post.
FULL STEAM AHEAD
廃都ナバスアレン
"the sealed city of nabaath areng”
TRANSLATION
RAN’JIT: I pity you, apostates.
Had you surrendered to my liege when you were given the chance, you would have no need to squirm through the darkness and the earth like rats.
RAN’JIT: And you, Minfilia... my wretched daughter.
You shall wait there as I exterminate these pests.
LOCALIZATION
Ran'jit: Had you only sworn fealty to Lord Vauthry, you would have no cause to skulk about like frightened animals.
Ran'jit: You will remain as you are, while I dispatch these villains.
TRANSLATION
MINFILIA: No... No, you can’t! You can’t...
RAN’JIT: Why not?
Have you forgotten who I am? It was I who found you. I who raised you, time and time again. I who stood on the battlefield beside you, slaying hundreds and thousands of sin eaters by your side!
RAN’JIT: But we accomplished nothing. The world never changed. And I watched you die, over and over and over again!
RAN’JIT: What would these filthy vermin bring you?! They encourage you to fight only because they would lead you down a path of chaos we have already tread!
RAN’JIT: Do not be deceived, child! Only Lord Vauthry has the power to save us from this endless cycle of torment!
LOCALIZATION
Minfilia: No! I won't...! I won't let you!
Ran'jit: You forget to whom you speak! Who armed you? Trained you? Fought and killed a thousand sin eaters with you!?
Ran'jit: And when you were inevitably cut down and lay lifeless in my arms─who sought out your successor to carry on the futile struggle again and again!?
Ran'jit: We seek to bring peace to what is left of this shattered land, while these mad fools would only bring further chaos down upon us!
Ran'jit: Do not be deceived, child! Only by Lord Vauthry's hand will this dying world know a sliver of salvation!
TRANSLATION
MINFILIA: ...But I... I never asked to be saved.
MINFILIA: I know that fighting hurts. Living hurts. It hurts, and we suffer, through the bitterness and the tears... But that very pain is proof of how far we’ve come.
MINFILIA: The things that everyone said to me... I remember them. The things that everyone showed me... I remember them.
MINFILIA: Even if having these memories hurts me, I can’t just go back to my cell and pretend that nothing happened.
MINFILIA: ...I want to be able to say things like “I love you” and “thank you” because that’s what it means to be alive.
MINFILIA: So I can’t take your hand anymore. I won’t accept what you offer me. Please, stand aside and let us pass!
LOCALIZATION
Minfilia: I don't know about the world...but I never asked to be saved.
Minfilia: However much it hurts, and however hard it gets, it's my life, and I want to live it on my own terms!
Minfilia: And those “mad fools” you want me to abandon? The ones I've traveled with, fought with, and may one day die with─they feel the same.
Minfilia: So no, I will not be deceived! No matter what you say, I refuse to believe it's all for nothing!
Minfilia: They're everything to me. All I have and all I need. And I would gladly do anything for them.
Minfilia: Let us pass, or kill me. I'm not leaving here without them.
ランジート : 愚かな……！
反逆者どもに染められおって、仕置きが必要か……！
TRANSLATION
RAN’JIT: Foolish girl...!
Very well — you must be disciplined. If you would stain your hands with rebellion, then you have earned your father’s ire!
LOCALIZATION
Ran'jit: How dare you! Very well─if you would cast your lot with villains, then you shall share their fate!
TRANSLATION
THANCRED: ...I heard what you said.
And I understand how you feel. I know it so well that it hurts...
I’m sorry I never said it myself.
THANCRED: Go! I’ll deal with him!
MINFILIA: But —
THANCRED: You’re doing this for yourself, right? And not for anyone else.
THANCRED: I...
If it’s for you, I’ll do anything.
LOCALIZATION
Thancred: I heard what you said. And I'm sorry for all the things I've left unspoken.
Thancred: You have to go. Now!
Minfilia: Thancred, no─
Thancred: Go! Do what you came here to do.
Thancred: I'll not have you waste that newfound resolve on me.
サンクレッド : そいつを頼んだ！
必ず、「ミンフィリア」のもとまで届けてやってくれ。
TRANSLATION
THANCRED: I’ll leave her in your hands. Take her to Minfilia!
LOCALIZATION
Thancred: I leave her in your hands. Hurry!
TRANSLATION
THANCRED: You’re not getting past me, old man.
My sister, or your daughter... which do you think she’d rather be?
RAN’JIT: Don’t make me laugh, boy...
A brat like you couldn’t possibly call himself her kin!
LOCALIZATION
Thancred: Not another step! Your fight is with me.
Ran'jit: You think yourself her protector!? Hah! As if a whelp like you could be a better father to her than me!
TRANSLATION
RAN’JIT: That girl... she was born under a calamitous star. She must be shielded from her misfortune... I must...
THANCRED: You don’t understand. You can only protect her as long as she wants to be protected.
LOCALIZATION
Ran'jit: You would have her suffer and die. I would spare her that fate!
Thancred: That is not for you or anyone else to decide─ever again.
TRANSLATION
THANCRED: ...Still, I wanted to do it right, just once.
Because I’m your big brother...
THANCRED: Minfilia...
LOCALIZATION
Thancred: One last time, with a little help. I'm so proud to have been a part of your life...
Thancred: Oh, Minfilia...
TRANSLATOR’S NOTES
I wound up “rewriting” the script a lot more than I intended to, mostly for emotional impact, but for fairness’s sake, let me note where I really changed things up.
MINFILIA: Even if having these memories hurts me, I can’t just go back to my cell and pretend that nothing happened.
To be fair, Minfilia does not mention going back to her cell in Eulmore here. However, I threw it in because her speech about pain being inevitable in life doesn’t really sound like she’s even talking to Ran’jit otherwise. The gist of their argument, obviously, is that he wants to insulate her from all of life’s suffering by throwing her in a cage, but she is trying to tell him that she can accept that pain.
MINFILIA: ...I want to be able to say things like “I love you” and “thank you” because that’s what it means to be alive.
This isn’t a significant change in my opinion, but I had to reword the nuance of the original text very slightly or else it wouldn’t make a lot of sense. What Minfilia says in Japanese is something closer to “I want to convey it... [things like] I love you, and thank you, and everything in this life of mine,” but I went with “what it means to be alive” since that’s a much more familiar turn of phrase in English literature and pop culture.
RAN’JIT: Very well — you must be disciplined. If you would stain your hands with rebellion, then you have earned your father’s ire!
There’s nothing actually wrong with the localization’s decision to render this as “cast your lot with villains.” I actually might have done the same thing if not for the fact that I try not to repeat the localization unless it’s necessary. What he says literally is “if you would allow yourself to be stained by the rebels,” but I didn’t like the sexual connotations of words like “tainted,” “besmirched,” and “corrupted,” so I avoided all that by turning “rebels” into “rebellion” instead. This isn’t really important enough to be explained, but I just wanted to defend myself against anyone who might think that I misread this sentence. I know it says “rebels” — it was just unpleasant to keep it that way!
THANCRED: If it’s for you, I’ll do anything.
Definitely the most aggressive rewrite on my part here, but I think it’s defensible (and would have hurt me a lot more than “I'll not have you waste that newfound resolve on me”). Thancred’s Japanese line, in a really clunky literal way, is “If it’s for your selfishness, I can accept a great number [of burdens/blows]” — but obviously, no one talks like that in English, so I felt it made the most sense to straight up render it “If it’s for you, I’ll do anything.”
THANCRED: You’re not getting past me, old man. My sister, or your daughter... which do you think she’d rather be?
Thancred doesn’t call Ran’jit an old man in Japanese here, but I thought the aggressive banter between “old man” and “boy” was charming, so I threw it in. The second line is also a pretty liberal reinterpretation on my part: the Japanese is something like “Sister and daughter, two feelings of family, don’t think you can break it so easily!” — but, again, this is weird as hell in English, so I made it more of a taunting statement on Thancred’s part.
RAN’JIT: That girl... she was born under a calamitous star. She must be shielded from her misfortune... I must...
THANCRED: You don’t understand. You can only protect her as long as she wants to be protected.
This is, again, a reinterpretation on my part. Ran’jit says something roughly like “That girl was born under a calamitous star, she has always been suffering, even now,” and Thancred replies, “Then I’ll protect her. As long as she wants me to, that is.” I think the English script wanted this exchange to be more about giving Minfilia the ability to decide her own fate, but I thought this take on it gave more weight to Ran’jit’s madness — the reason he’s so hellbent on “protecting” her is because he still thinks of Minfilia as his daughter, the one that was born under a bad sign, and he still needs to protect her, because he’s still her father. The localization probably changed this because they didn’t want Ran’jit spouting random mumbo-jumbo about stars, but I think there’s actually something very sad about Ran’jit suddenly going on about his daughter’s astrological sign, do you know what I mean? He doesn’t at all understand that she’s long gone. There’s certainly power in “That is not for you or anyone else to decide─ever again,” though.
THANCRED: ...Still, I wanted to do it right, just once.
Because I’m your big brother...
THANCRED: Minfilia...
I don’t know if I successfully carried this thought over from the previous sentence correctly, and maybe this was already obvious in English, I'm not sure — but what Thancred says in Japanese is “I wanted to make it happen just once,” where when he says “make it happen” he means essentially, “I wanted to see my dream come true.” Basically, his “dream” is that he wanted to protect Minfilia like a real big brother — both the Minfilia from the First, yes, but also the Minfilia from the Source, whom he feels he failed to protect.
Yes... This dork really just wanted to have that big damn hero moment where he gets to protect his little sister from the bad guys that are after her... I also cried...
Here is a translation of Minfilia’s monologue from “The Lawless Ones,” the level 73 main story quest, and a translation of Y’shtola and Thancred’s conversation from “Into the Dark,” the level 74 main story quest.
I did this mainly because a friend asked me to. I... don’t have much else to say about it. I think it speaks for itself. I’ve also been pretty tired lately, but that’s neither here nor there.
I try in general to be loyal to the source text while prioritizing the styling of the localization, but I've chosen to be rather casual with Minfilia’s dialogue, firstly out of respect to her young age, and secondly because I’m not sure how else I should reflect her lack of authority and agency. In Japanese, she generally speaks with a kind of implied insecurity: she routinely calls the Minfilia from the Source the “real” Minfilia, implying that she is the “fake,” and she tends to refer to herself in ways that imply that she thinks of herself as a “thing” — she refers to herself as being “stored,” “put away,” or “taken out,” for example. This isn’t necessarily unusual, per se, but it strikes me as deliberate.
THE LAWLESS ONES
アンチロウ
“anti-law”
The “lawless” Nu Mou are called “the Anti-Laws” in Japanese as a reference to Ezel Berbier’s Anti-Law cards from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.
MINFILIA: Oh... There you are.
Um... I left with as much of the ink as I could carry.
MINFILIA: Those Anti-Laws are a little scary, aren’t they?
It’s good that we’re both unharmed...
LOCALIZATION
Minfilia: Oh, thank goodness. There you are.
Minfilia: Those Nu Mou were rather frightening. I'm glad you're safe.
(The player is prompted at this point to choose one of three options. I’m not interested in recording or translating the outcomes of each response, so we’ll proceed with the first answer. If I recall correctly, it’s something along the lines of “I’m glad you’re safe” in both languages.)
MINFILIA: Oh... yes! Thank you.
I don’t have much experience with combat, so I was rather nervous, but if I helped you even a little, then that’s a relief...
MINFILIA: ...All the Minfilias before me joined the Eulmoran Army and helped fight the sin eaters, you see.
MINFILIA: But I didn’t have to fight after I was discovered. They kept me in a cell so that I wouldn’t fight the sin eaters at all.
MINFILIA: When Thancred came to retrieve me, I knew nothing of battle, and even less of life...
LOCALIZATION
Minfilia: I haven't seen much actual combat, so I was a little nervous, but I'm happy I could help.
Minfilia: The Minfilias before me battled sin eaters as part of the Eulmoran Army.
Minfilia: But that had all changed by the time I was found. They held me captive so that I wouldn't follow in the others' footsteps.
Minfilia: I'd still be in my cell now had Thancred not spirited me away. When he found me, I knew nothing of the world. I didn't know how to live, let alone fight.
MINFILIA: Thancred once told me that if your summoning failed, then I would have to fight the Lightwardens with the Oracle’s blessing.
MINFILIA: ...That’s really the only reason he keeps me around. The truth is, he can’t even stand to look at me.
MINFILIA: Because I’m not the real Minfilia. I’m not the one he cared about — the one that was like family to him.
LOCALIZATION
Minfilia: Thancred once told me that if the efforts to summon you failed, it would fall to me to face the Lightwardens.
Minfilia: I realized then that it was the only reason he kept me close─as a contingency. The truth is, he can't stand to be around me.
Minfilia: Because I'm not her. I'm not his Minfilia.
MINFILIA: ...Once, we journeyed to the ruined city of Nabaath Areng. To the place where the Oracle appeared and stopped the Flood.
MINFILIA: When we got closer, I... I started to feel like I wasn’t myself. I was... afraid. I didn’t want to... to see or listen to whatever was happening to me, and... and then I think I fell unconscious.
MINFILIA: ...I’m not sure what happened after that.
MINFILIA: But I have this vague feeling... the way one remembers a forgotten dream... that the real Minfilia spoke with Thancred.
MINFILIA: He never told me the truth of what happened. But after that, sometimes he’d... he’d make this face like he was sick of me...
(A more strictly literal interpretation of what she says is “After that, sometimes, when we were together, he’d make a pained expression.”)
LOCALIZATION
Minfilia: ...Once, we journeyed to Nabaath Areng together. To the place where the Oracle appeared and stayed the Flood.
Minfilia: As we drew near, I felt as though...I was fading away... I shut my eyes and covered my ears, and then... And then...
Minfilia: I'm not sure what happened after that.
Minfilia: I have a vague feeling that I said something to him. Only it wasn't me at all. It was her.
Minfilia: Afterwards, Thancred didn't say a word. Only kept to himself and brooded.
MINFILIA: ...I know how he feels, but there’s nothing I can do. I... I only ever hurt the people who’ve helped me.
MINFILIA: It would be better if I were her — if I could become her, or trade places with her. So I listened to the... the thoughts inside me that aren’t from me, and then I set out to find you.
MINFILIA: But now that you’re here... I just can’t seem to understand why she needed us to meet.
MINFILIA: It’s like there’s something I have to tell you... or someone you have to talk to...? I get that feeling, but I just can’t —
Minfilia: There's nothing I can do for him. Nothing I can offer but my presence─though it only reminds him of his loss.
Minfilia: She should be the one to live on. That's why I tried to find you─because I knew that was what she wanted.
Minfilia: But now that you're here...I'm not entirely sure what it was she intended me to do.
Minfilia: Was I meant to tell you something? Or bring you to someone? Or somewhere? I can feel the answer at the edge of my mind, just out of reach─
Next scene!
I’m not going to be the one to do the actual breakdown because I’m more than certain that there are dedicated Exarch fans who will do it without my input, but I should note that the Exarch is a much more immediately friendly character in Japanese, thus partially explaining Y’shtola’s adjusted attitude toward him in her first lines. The remainder of the conversation plays out much the same way, however, as she regards the tablet with suspicion because she suspects the Exarch has retained it as a “bargaining chip” for all this time.
Y’SHTOLA: I see. And now you seek the Lightwarden of Rak’tika.
Y’SHTOLA: For my part, I have spent much of my time researching the history of the First. The Crystal Exarch will have given you his own account, of course. I cannot say that I distrust him entirely, but I see little wisdom in acting solely upon the word of one man.
LOCALIZATION
Y'shtola: I see. And now you seek the Lightwarden of Rak'tika.
Y'shtola: In the days after I arrived in the First, I too relied upon the Crystal Exarch for guidance. But his penchant for secrecy and the telling of half-truths soon lost him my trust. And thus did I strike out on my own.
(I have decided not to translate the majority of this next section as there is little upon which I would differ with the localization. I’ve left the text in for your comparison.)
LOCALIZATION
Y'shtola: My work eventually led me here to the forest, which I have come to know like the back of my hand.
Y'shtola: I cannot say with certainty where your quarry is hiding, but I am confident I can narrow the search.
Thancred: Well...go on, then.
LOCALIZATION
Y'shtola: Some few thousand years ago, this forest stood at the heart of the empire of Ronka.
Y'shtola: A great many relics of that civilization can still be found to the east in Yx'Maja.
Y'shtola: Or rather, could be found─were the area not fiercely guarded.
Y'shtola: Yx'Maja, you see, is home to a tribe of warriors whose lineage is said to date back to the time of the empire. Any attempt to enter their territory is met with lethal force. They offer no warnings, and suffer no trespasser to escape.
Y'shtola: Needless to say, my every attempt to survey the area has been thwarted.
LOCALIZATION
Urianger: Mayhap the Warden hideth there full knowing none may approach it for fear of these protectors.
Y'shtola: As for the tablet...
Y'shtola: I find the timing of its discovery suspiciously convenient. If I did not know better, I would think someone was trying to curry favor with me.
Y'shtola: Regardless, it will take time to decipher these writings. Yet I would not be at all surprised if they somehow held the key to entering Yx'Maja unmolested. The Exarch has a nose for serendipity.
Urianger: If there is aught I can do to assist thee in unraveling their secrets, thou need'st only ask.
Y'shtola: Thank you, Urianger. I may well take you up on that offer.
Y'shtola: While we set to work, might I suggest you take a tour of the city?
Y'shtola: Should you be in any doubt as to the importance of your role as the “Warrior of Darkness,” the people here will surely cure you of it.
(Here’s the part I’m actually interested in translating:)
THANCRED: ...Marvel of marvels. I've never seen her so enthusiastic. I must say, Y’shtola, you seem happier here than you ever were in our world.
Y’SHTOLA: You find that unnatural? Lest you forget, Master Matoya and I were ever dedicated to the study of the world’s foundations.
Y’SHTOLA: The opportunity to explore a reflection of the Source is unlike any other. The mere thought of all the new knowledge available to us here should be enough to make any true scholar’s blood boil. So, yes: to answer your point, I am happy.
Y’SHTOLA: ...And what of you, Thancred? Are you happy now that you've met your beloved princess?
THANCRED: We aren’t children, Y’shtola, and you know very well this is no tale of knights and princesses. The sarcasm is hardly necessary. ...I’ll make myself of use.
(Quite a lot to unpack here, and this is just my take on a very odd conversation. Since I’m sure people will want it, here it is in a super-clunky, source-loyal format:
THANCRED: How mysterious. You seem rather lively right now. Certainly more lively than you were in the world beyond.
Y’SHTOLA: Naturally. That is because I... My master and I have always tried to solve the origins of the world.
Y’SHTOLA: Being able to cross into this reflection and explore it is an opportunity like none other. The information that might be gathered here is intellectually exciting.
Y’SHTOLA: And what about you, Thancred? After meeting the princess you longed for... are you happy?
THANCRED: Neither you nor I are children, so cut the sarcasm. ...I’m going to do some scouting.)
LOCALIZATION
Thancred: I must say, Y'shtola...while most of us have struggled to come to terms with our altered circumstances, you seem to have adapted rather well.
Y'shtola: Lest you forget, Master Matoya and I dedicated our lives to uncovering the truth which hides at the heart of our world.
Y'shtola: Though separate, the fate of this reflection is nevertheless bound to that of our home. That I would be daunted by such an invaluable opportunity is absurd.
Y'shtola: But what of you, Thancred? Could it be that you are still struggling to “come to terms” with the nature of your young companion?
Thancred: My “struggles” are none of your concern. Quite why you would speak thus─and in this company─I do not know. Perhaps you left more of yourself back in the Source than I assumed. If you'll excuse me.
MINFILIA: Um... I think you’ve misunderstood. Thancred, he... he knows I’m not the real Minfilia... so...
Y’SHTOLA: It is simple, is it not, child? To sit and enumerate the myriad forces working to keep you from your heart’s desire. Far more difficult — and more important — is how you plan to combat those forces.
Y’SHTOLA: We must all learn to carry our own weight. Wait as you will, none will shoulder your burdens for you.
Y’SHTOLA: Why not go for a breath of fresh air? Perhaps, given time, you will learn to think differently.
(I fully admit I may have misinterpreted something about Y’shtola’s monologue here, as it’s pretty vague and hard to follow. Here’s the rough reading of what I was working with:
Y’SHTOLA: It’s easy to list the reasons that things won’t turn out as you want them to. But the important thing is how you deal with them.
Y’SHTOLA: The burdens that you all have are heavy. But even if you wait, nobody else will take on those burdens for you.
Y’SHTOLA: ...You should go for a walk. If you come across something new, you might be able to think differently.)
LOCALIZATION
Minfilia: He understands that I'm not the same. That I'm not her.
Y'shtola: Understands, perhaps, but does not accept. The question being whether he ever will.
Y'shtola: And whether you will, more importantly. As difficult as your circumstances may be, they are yours, not his. 'Tis you and you alone who bears ultimate responsibility for your life.
Y'shtola: But you need not make any hard choices now. Why not go and get some fresh air─clear your head?
I wasn't going to post again until I returned from Japan, but to those of you who are upset about the gender-locked races, there are a number of official forum threads that are addressing the topic in a constructive manner:
Male Viera as a playable character! show your support
Female Hrothgar as a playable race. Show your support!
A Poll About The New Races (Viera & Hrothgar)
If you don't have the energy to write out an entire post, engage with detractors, or take the fan-run poll, I would nevertheless encourage you to log on the forums and “like” the first posts of each thread.
You are not obligated to defend your dissatisfaction or justify the way you feel; you pay for this game and your opinion is no less important than anyone else's.
Those who are happy with the races as they currently stand and who are still eager for other aspects of the expansion are quite welcome to celebrate and remain excited without telling others that they need to be silenced.
Everything else I have to say on the issue is on page 39 of the first thread.
Here is a partial translation of “Not-so-silent Night,” this year’s Starlight Celebration quest.
Longtime followers of this blog will be well aware of my general translation style, but for the record, this is a slightly stylized translation done in the style of the official localization. It is not completely literal in some parts. For example, in a place where Maisenta simply said “Delicate and beautiful music is sold,” an awkward sentence by English literary standards, I invented a followup to make it “Delicate and beautiful music always sells well — all the better when it is performed by delicate and beautiful men.” I do this kind of thing primarily because people criticize “the Japanese version” as being “dry and boring” if I don’t, but I promise you that apart from minor additions like these, the sentiment and tone of the Japanese version is unchanged.
Note that Maisenta’s reaction to you is slightly different depending on whether or not you completed the postmoogle quest “Sweet Words, Shadowy Dealings.” The guildmasters also react differently if they have reason to recognize you.
NOT-SO-SILENT NIGHT
星芒祭の協力者たち
"starlight symphonists”
(lit. “collaborators of the starlight celebration”)
MAISENTA: Thank you for waiting on my behalf. Guildmaster Geva and I know each other through business, so she lets me use the terrace here for, ahem, confidential negotiations. And other such things.
MAISENTA: Oh, are you concerned about our speaking outside? I assure you, there’s no need to worry. The security around the Leatherworker’s Guild is so reliable that I’ve had plenty of private conversations here without issue. Besides, even if anyone spots us leaving or entering, they’ll simply assume that I’m here to purchase Fen-Yll goods.
LOCALIZATION
Maisenta: Thank you for agreeing to meet me here. I'm on good terms with Guildmaster Geva and she lets me use this space for...well, that's a story for another time. Or perhaps never.
Maisenta: Naturally, a quiet spot like this is ideal for avoiding unwanted attention, while the guard─who has been asked to turn a blind eye─is an effective deterrent to any would-be eavesdroppers.
→ If you have not completed the Postmoogle quest...
MAISENTA: Now, shall I introduce you to my boys? These are the traveling bards known as the Homunculi. We maintain a mutually beneficial relationship, you see: Black Rabbit Traders gives them financial support for their musical endeavors, and they promote our fine range of fashionable attire in return.
MAISENTA: As I’m sure you can imagine, they are wildly adored by the women of Gridania. Delicate and beautiful music always sells well — all the better when it is performed by delicate and beautiful men.
LOCALIZATION
Maisenta: It gives me great pleasure to introduce the Homunculi, the greatest musical sensation the realm has ever known. While I am not one to boast, I should point out that I played no small part in bringing them and my organization, Black Rabbit Traders, together in a mutually beneficial partnership.
Maisenta: We cover their expenses while they promote our fine range of fashionable attire as they enchant hoards of besotted onlookers. Although I should warn you─any rumors of them siring a string of bastards across Eorzea are entirely unfounded. Well, mostly unfounded.
MAISENTA: Still, when I see you here together with the Homunculi, I’m reminded of that time we nearly dissolved our contract. Strange to think about it now, isn’t it? It feels like a long time ago and only a little while ago at the same time.
MAISENTA: The boys are just as beloved as ever, of course. Black Rabbit Traders is well on its way to funding that musical tour of Eorzea they’ve always dreamed of!
LOCALIZATION
Maisenta: As I am sure you know, the Homunculi cause a stir wherever they go, and I need them focused on the task at hand. It's strange to think that without your intervention all those moons ago, they would have escaped my clu─ahem─would have been lost to me forever, and here we all are, reunited.
Maisenta: You will no doubt be pleased to hear that since the last time you saw them, my honey-tongued musical geniuses have been touring the breadth of the realm. Naturally, Black Rabbit Traders continue to enjoy a profitable relationship with Eorzea's most beloved traveling bards.
MAISENTA: Now, why don’t we talk shop? I heard that the Starlight Celebration was in need of musical entertainment, so naturally, I volunteered my wonderful Homunculi for the task.
MAISENTA: I mean, as a businesswoman, I’d be a fool to let this opportunity slip me by!
MAISENTA: By performing at the Starlight Celebration, the Homunculi will acquire new admirers, and Black Rabbit Traders will make plenty of gil selling the luxurious garments that the boys wear onstage.
MAISENTA: And what’s more, the Homunculi’s existing fans will flock to the Starlight Celebration — which means a bigger turnout for the celebrants, and good business for virtually everyone involved. A flawless plan, no?
MAISENTA: Well, the concert hall has been appropriately decorated, and it looks as though everything will go off without a hitch... but alas, we have one last crucial problem on our hands.
OSCARLET: It’s the music, see... Normally, we compose our own songs, but that won’t work this time around.
LOCALIZATION
Maisenta: Of course, it won't do to have this conversation interrupted by legions of squealing followers, hence our current venue. As for their role in the Starlight Celebration, I jumped at the chance to have them take center stage.
Maisenta: Admirers will flock from malms around for the chance to see the Homunculi and their new, specially prepared material.
Maisenta: I can picture it now... The dulcet tones of my beautiful bards filling the ears of festival-goers young and old, with Black Rabbit Traders making gil hand over fist from all of the garments we sell.
Maisenta: And what's more, the presence of such renowned artists will raise the profile of the celebration, meaning that Amh Garanjy and her Starlight celebrants will have even more reason to be cheerful.
Maisenta: All that remains is for the Homunculi to fulfill their part of the bargain, and put together a few songs for the concert itself. Therein lies the problem.
Oscarlet: Were this any other performance, we would mesmerize the crowds with a few favorites from our repertoire, such as “Fair Lady, Return My Breeches” or “Hey Nonny, Nonny, Maiden Most Bonny.” Fearing that such material may not be...appropriate, we thought it best to work on some new pieces.
AUGUSTINIEL: Our music is composed in the Gridanian tradition, but given that the Starlight Celebration is an Ishgardian holiday, and a holy festival at that, we thought it best to reserve our sylvan melodies for another performance on some other day. Thus, we sought the aid of an Ishgardian composer who would have better knowledge of what the celebrants envision.
AUGUSTINIEL: So imagine our surprise when we received the manuscripts only to find that they were not as we requested! This score is written for a mixed choir — four singers, two male and two female. How could they have possibly misconstrued something so important?
ORSELFAUX: And there certainly isn’t enough time to have it rewritten. We are helpless as fragile maidens, wandering lost in the Shroud...
LOCALIZATION
Augustiniel: But this occasion calls for traditional Ishgardian music, whereas we weave our entrancing melodies in the classic Gridanian style. To better fulfill the needs of the Starlight Celebration, we sought the aid of an Ishgardian composer.
Augustiniel: Upon taking receipt of the manuscripts, however, we found that they were written for a mixed choir. Four singers, two male and two female. It does not take a musical aficionado to appreciate that the Homunculi are ill-equipped for such a performance.
Orselfaux: To make matters worse, there simply isn't time to have the pieces rewritten. We are well and truly out of our element, like proverbial babes in the wood. Whatever will we do?
MAISENTA: Oh, come on, now! Do you all plan to just stand there and mope until the celebration starts? With things the way they are, we need to evaluate our options and decide on what we can do about it!
MAISENTA: Let’s focus on the issue of our vocalists. With a mixed choir of two men and two women, we have three roles that need to be filled. I’m sure one of you can take at least one of the male roles.
MAISENTA: Fortunately, the composer saw fit to provide instructions on the kinds of voices this score requires. But these descriptions are certainly... abstract.
MAISENTA: First, we need a female voice “light and airy as the chirping of a bird,” whereas the other female voice must be “velvety as water.” One male voice needs to be “reminiscent of the outstretched branches of a tree,” but the second male voice must “rumble with the strength of the earth.”
LOCALIZATION
Maisenta: All of this moping is getting us nowhere! Are you professionals or not?
Maisenta: What we need are solutions, and fast. First of all, let us select our vocalists.
Maisenta: Luckily, the composer has provided instructions on the kind of voices required to carry the melody. Though I must admit, I can make neither head nor tail of these notes.
Maisenta: One of the female voices must be “as uplifting as birdsong on a crisp winter's morning,” and the other “ephemeral as a zephyr across a sun-dappled stream.” For the males, “reminiscent of a mighty oak's outstretched boughs” and “deep and cavernous as the bowels of the earth.”
Maisenta: We have to start our search somewhere I suppose.
MAISENTA: [PLAYER], what do you think?
MAISENTA: Can you think of anyone with a voice as “light and airy as the chirping of a bird?”
LOCALIZATION
Maisenta: Francel, perhaps you can help.
Maisenta: Can you think of anyone who possesses a voice “as uplifting as birdsong on a crisp winter's morning?”
MAISENTA: She does have an rather cute voice, doesn’t she?
MAISENTA: And as a Starlight celebrant, she isn’t likely to refuse us should we ask for her aid. I daresay there’s no one better-suited to the role. My, you’ve chosen well.
LOCALIZATION
Maisenta: Why hadn't I thought of that? If the cheerful manner in which she speaks is any indication, her singing voice may be exactly what we are looking for.
Maisenta: Being a Starlight celebrant, she can hardly refuse. I daresay you've found the perfect candidate.
MAISENTA: A-A chocobo?! I’m sorry, are you suggesting that in earnest? You do realize we’re talking about a choir, here?!
MAISENTA: Ugh, well, how about Amh? She’ll be perfectly suited to the task! I think she’s an excellent choice — even if I do say so myself...
LOCALIZATION
Maisenta: A chocobo!? Where the manuscripts mention birdsong, I don't think it was supposed to be taken literally! We can't have one of those smelly beasts kweh-ing its way through the concert.
Maisenta: If I were you, I would avoid making similar japes in future─ It really doesn't suit you, dear. For lack of any better suggestions, how about...Amh Garanjy? Come to think of it, she may well be the perfect choice. A charming young lady like her is sure to have a singing voice to match.
MAISENTA: Next, we need to find a female vocalist with a voice as “velvety as water.” Who comes to your mind when you hear that description?
LOCALIZATION
Maisenta: With that settled, we should move on to our second female vocalist. Can you think of anyone with a voice as “ephemeral as a zephyr across a sun-dappled stream?”
MAISENTA: M-Me...? But — but I haven’t any experience in singing!
MAISENTA: Well... Oh, don’t look at me like that. If it’s for the Homunculi and Black Rabbit Traders, I can’t just excuse myself from the proceedings, can I? I mean, if this whole production flops, it’s my tailfeathers on the line...
LOCALIZATION
Maisenta: Me!? You must be joking!
Maisenta: You're serious, aren't you? Hmm...I am somewhat partial to humming the odd tune while enjoying a long soak in the bath. I should be able to get through it without making too big a fool of myself. And it's for a good cause.
MAISENTA: Kan-e-Senna?! You... You really do say the most outrageous things, don’t you? I should think this hardly needs to be said, but her time would be better spent on the betterment of the nation.
MAISENTA: Oh, very well. If you truly can’t think of anyone else, I’ll just have to do it myself. I’ll just tell myself it’s for the sake of the Homunculi and Black Rabbit Traders...
LOCALIZATION
Maisenta: The Elder Seedseer herself!? Have you taken leave of your senses? Generous and benevolent she may be, but I struggle to imagine her joining our little choir group!
Maisenta: There's only one thing for it: I will just have to do it myself. My devotion to the Homunculi and Black Rabbit Traders compels me! There is also the fact that I have already invested too much in this venture to allow it to fail now.
AUGUSTINIEL: What a magnificent suggestion! Maisenta, dearest, haven’t we always told you that you have a lovely voice?
MAISENTA: Don’t you sweet-talk me! You can praise me all you like, but you’re not going to get any year-end bonuses out of it!
OSCARLET: So, what about the male vocalists, then? I hope one of us can do it!
ORSELFAUX: “Reminiscent of the outstretched branches of a tree.” Of the three of us, I would say Augustiniel would be best-suited to that role.
MAISENTA: Well, yes, Aug can certainly take that part. But the second male vocalist must have a voice that can “rumble with the strength of the earth.” You and Oscarlet have more... silken vocals.
MAISENTA: ...Well, let’s just put that off for now. We'll simply have to find someone for it later.
LOCALIZATION
Augustiniel: Maisenta, my darling! It would be an honor to join my voice with yours in musical matrimony!
Maisenta: Let's not get carried away! For all you know, I could be a dreadful singer!
Oscarlet: Fear not, my lady, for we shall be on hand to provide all the tutelage you might require. Though the question remains─which two lucky fellows will be accompanying you?
Orselfaux: “Reminiscent of a mighty oak's outstretched boughs.” I would say that description fits Augustiniel's soaring vocals.
Maisenta: I couldn't agree more. Finding someone whose voice is “deep and cavernous as the bowels of the earth” may prove a little more challenging. The Homunculi's music rarely ventures into the lower notes.
Maisenta: At the risk of volunteering myself for that role too, mayhaps we should put that matter to one side for now.
MAISENTA: I hate to trouble you, [PLAYER], but as you can see, I’ll have my hands full with all of... this. Could you lend us a hand with a different task?
MAISENTA: It’s much appreciated. I’d like you to pick up the conductor’s baton and the choir surplices we’ll need for the performance.
MAISENTA: Beatin of the Carpenter’s Guild will have the first item, and Redolent Rose of the Weaver’s Guild will have the rest.
MAISENTA: Afterwards, please take everything to Amh Garanjy in Mih Khetto’s Amphitheatre. She’ll know what to do.
MAISENTA: In the meantime, we’ll have to rehearse for our performance. I can’t thank you enough!
LOCALIZATION
Maisenta: Francel, might I be able to ask a favor of you? Two favors, actually.
Maisenta: Keen as always! And I haven't even told you what the favors are yet!
Maisenta: I need you to collect a conductor's baton from Beatin of the Carpenter's Guild, as well as an order of choir surplices from Redolent Rose over at the Weavers' Guild in Ul'dah.
Maisenta: After paying a visit to these master artisans, head straight to Amh Garanjy in Mih Khetto's Amphitheatre. She will be expecting you.
Maisenta: In the meantime, it seems prudent for us to rehearse away from prying...ears. Now, make haste, Francel!
→ If you are not a member of the Carpenter’s Guild...
ベアティヌ : 私に……なにか用ですか……？
BEATIN: ...What business do you have with me...?
LOCALIZATION
Beatin: How might I help you?
→ If you are a member of the Carpenter’s Guild...
ベアティヌ : [PLAYER]さん……
どうしました……？
先生に質問でもあるのですか……？
BEATIN: [PLAYER]... What seems to be the matter? Have you some question for your Master Beatin...?
LOCALIZATION
Beatin: So, [PLAYER], are you any closer to becoming one with the wood?
BEATIN: Ah, yes, of course... The conductor’s baton that Miss Maisenta requested.
BEATIN: See here, the body of the baton is wrought from maple, whereas the handle is made of cork, allowing for a certain comfort of grip... A most beautiful piece, is it not...? Haha... hahaha....
BEATIN: Miss Maisenta asked for only the finest quality of craftsmanship, heedless of the expense involved. When it comes to her Homunculi, she becomes possessed of an ardent zeal unlike aught else...
BEATIN: Ah, but I understand her passions... Men and women alike know no barriers when it comes to the obsessions of the heart. Is that not true of all things...? Hahaha...
LOCALIZATION
Beatin: Ah, yes. I have the conductor's baton right here.
Beatin: Since the guild seldom receives orders for such items, I thought it best to deal with this one personally. The maple gives it a certain degree of flexibility while the cork grip allows it to be held between thumb and index finger without fear of dropping it.
Beatin: I am confident that Maisenta will appreciate the quality of the craftsmanship. While my services do not come cheap, she is sure to feel that her money was well spent.
Beatin: And spend she did. In all honesty, a simple twig would probably suffice, but nothing is too good for her Homunculi. I must admit, I do not see the appeal in those preening pretty boys. The sigh of a saw on wood and the tap of a hammer on chisel are all the music I need.
→ If you are not a member of the Weaver’s Guild...
レドレント・ローズ : あら、私になにかご用？
REDOLENT ROSE: Yes? What do you want with little old me?
LOCALIZATION
Redolent Rose: Oh, what's this? A customer? Or perhaps some lackey sent on an errand?
→ If you are a member of the Weaver’s Guild...
レドレント・ローズ : あら、[PLAYER]ちゃんじゃないの！
今日はどうしたのかしら？
REDOLENT ROSE: Oh, goodness, if it isn’t [PLAYER]! Darling! What brought you here today?
LOCALIZATION
Redolent Rose: Well, well. If it isn't [PLAYER]. I trust you have not been neglecting your needlework.
REDOLENT ROSE: Oh, yes, the choir surplices that sweet Maisenta requested? Are they not the most adorable things you’ve ever seen? Darling, these are going to sell like chilled juice down at Vesper’s Bay.
REDOLENT ROSE: There’s more of them here, too, if you don’t mind taking them off my hands. It’s a lot, I know, but the Weaver’s Guild is selling them to Black Rabbit Traders in bulk. I’m sure they’re planning to turn quite the profit at the Starlight Celebration.
REDOLENT ROSE: But my, my, that Maisenta is a smooth little hustler, isn’t she? I never thought she’d have an adventurer like you running her errands! That girl can talk anyone into anything.
REDOLENT ROSE: Oh, I don’t mean that in a bad way. She might know how to drive a hard bargain, but she’s soft when it comes to those boys she loves. Isn’t it absolutely darling to watch her doing her best? Tee hee!
LOCALIZATION
Redolent Rose: The choir surplices? Not the most challenging request the guild has received, but a welcome change from all the plebeians asking us to add arse flaps to their culottes.
Redolent Rose: Another pleasant surprise was the amount Maisenta was willing to pay for them. So generous was she that I thought it only fair to include a few more. Knowing her, she will find a way to pitch them to festival-goers, so any surplus surplices could be sold on for a profit.
Redolent Rose: This could even mark the beginning of a very lucrative venture for Black Rabbit Traders and the Weavers' Guild.
Redolent Rose: Our mutual acquaintance is undoubtedly counting the gil as we speak, so I suggest you deliver these garments to her posthaste. Best of luck with the Starlight Celebration!
TRANSLATOR’S NOTES
Cute details for those of you who understand Japanese on, like, a weeaboo level (no shade, I’m also a weeb):
Maisenta refers to her Homunculi, generally, as “kono kotachi,” or “those children.” It’s more or less commonly understood that you refer to things that you are fond of — like pets, and cute animals, and people you think are endearingly childish — as “ko” in this way. To approximate this, I had Maisenta refer the Homunculi as “boys” (or, of course, her “boy band”) — you know, like they’re hot, but they’re naive, and she needs to keep them safe and watch out for them.
At one point, Maisenta mentions that the Homunculi are popular with the 婦女子 (fujoshi), or women, of Gridania. Note that this is not the term 腐女子 (also fujoshi), or rotten women, commonly used to denote fans of the boy’s love genre — 婦女子 is a term for women that is very slightly outdated, sort of like womenfolk. However, the two words are homonyms, and intentionally so, since the BL term is a pun on the older word. I’m honestly not here to suggest that BL fans exist in Eorzea, but I definitely laughed.
Maisenta really does call Augustiniel “Ogu,” or “Aug,” which is a bit of a rarity as I don’t normally see character names abbreviated in this way.
Beatin refers to himself as “sensei,” with the effect that he’s one of those mildly creepy teachers who kind of gives you the heebie-jeebies, but he’s well-meaning at heart and really just wants to help you learn. Maybe.
Redolent Rose really is that maidenish and cutesy in Japanese, and refers to basically everyone as “-chan,” so in an effort to approximate this I gave him a speech quirk of saying that everything is darling. Honestly, he really is pretty cute.
i’m hilariously overworked, but i should have received my japanese copy of lorebook 2 today
unlike with lorebook 1, however, i do not have an english copy to refer to! which is fine, i have no issue with translating the text as-is, but naturally i ask for your understanding if my translation differs from the official english description on some minor point (zephirin’s ”slender frame” vs “diminuitive stature” comes to mind; the japanese text was 細身 which does mean slim, slender, lean); this will happen more often if i’m shooting in the dark
i am taking requests on what people would like to see translated from the japanese lorebook! if you have access to the book yourself, it would be great if you could provide the english text for me as reference when you do so, but of course it’s not required
A man who takes no greater pride than in being master of the Rogue's Guild and keeper of Limsa's code. As a child, Jacke was captured by pirates who violated the code and sold him as a slave; in this, even a part of his body was stolen from him. Eventually, he was saved by a member of the Upright Thieves who would go on to become the first guildmaster of the Rogues' Guild, and Jacke himself chose to follow the same path.
I have tried here to stay as close as I possibly can to the original Japanese grammar structures, so the phrasing of this translation may seem rather awkward.
The most problematic phrase in this entry is, obviously, 「体の一部までも奪われた」— which I have translated quite literally "even a part of his body was stolen from him." This does not seem to be a common idiom of any kind; for argument's sake, I asked several friends and even one canonblind native speaker to take a look at it, but this phrase was perplexing even to them, since "part of the body" is not a typical substitute for anything you might expect, like "innocence" or "personal autonomy." I do vaguely recall seeing at least one Japanese XIV player on Twitter comparing the phrase against the English lorebook's "stole his freedom and his innocence," and the general consensus seems to be that the Japanese version of the lorebook has been sanitized to a fault.
I would say that both "part of the body" and "freedom and innocence" are reasonably vague on their own but paint a specific picture when taken together.
Additionally, I am aware that the English lorebook identifies Jacke as the first guildmaster of the Rogues' Guild, but in the Japanese, the phrase "first guildmaster of the Rogues’ Guild" appears to be modifying "thief," not Jacke.
ENGLISH LOREBOOK
"We go where the shadows are darkest, an’ hand out justice to them as break the code.”
A Midlander of twenty-seven years, Jacke takes greater pride in being a rogue than in anything else. As a child, he was captured by pirates, who sold him as a slave in a blatant violation of the code of Limsa’s underbelly. In this, they stole his freedom and his innocence. Jacke chose to follow in the footsteps of the one who saved him from this tragic fate — a nameless member of the Upright Thieves. Jacke eventually became the first master of the Rogues’ Guild, and today serves in the position with pleasure.
Race: Far Eastern Hyur
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Epithet: Oboro Moonrise (lit. Oboro of the Moonlit Night)
A ninja from a hidden village on the outskirts of Doma. On account of his exceedingly serious personality, Oboro began his training as a child, and his habit of practicing from dawn to dusk earned him the rank of jonin at an unusually early age. Though Oboro is dextrous and skillful, and adept in the Far Eastern art of origami, matters of everyday life elude him, and he is best ushered away from the kitchen.
When the ill-fated lord of Doma led a rebellion against the Garlean Empire, Oboro joined the men and women of his village on the frontlines, inflicting grievous injuries on imperial forces before ultimately being forced to retreat. Upon learning that a jonin traitor named Karasu had escaped with the imperial army to Eorzea, Oboro left for western shores in pursuit of the defector on orders from his village elders.
ENGLISH LOREBOOK
Hailing from the ninja village in the Doman outlands, Oboro was a solemn youth whose natural aptitude and unyielding determination saw him earn the rank of jonin — or “high ninja” — at an unusually early age. But though dextrous and nimble, his quick fingers excelling in the art of paper folding, Oboro’s reliance on others in the matters of everyday chores often leaves him appearing awkward and ill-at-ease.
When the shadow of the Garlean Empire fell over Doma, he joined the ultimately futile effort to repel the invaders, inflicting grievous losses before eventually being forced to retreat. Upon learning that the betrayer, Karasu, had left with imperial forces for western shores, Oboro was the first to volunteer for a mission that would take him to the realm of Eorzea in search of the traitorous shinobi.
Here are translations of various Hingan signs, both within Kugane and The Swallow’s Compass.
...That’s the simple explanation, anyway. The full post below involved a lot more research than I expected, but I don’t really know how else I should describe what I’m doing here. I imagine that this will be fairly interesting to those loremongers with a special interest in Doma and Hingan culture, so if you really like Kugane, or you write a Doman character or something, come on in!
...That said, now I have no idea where I should begin.
I guess I’ll start from the top. I’m not sure if this is widely-known information within the “Western” FFXIV fandom, so forgive me if I’m parroting things that you already know, but basically, the the signage in Kugane and Doma utilizes a “Hingan alphabet” that is essentially a substitution cipher for Japanese hiragana. You know how Eorzean works, right? With the Eorzean signage in the game, the letters of the Eorzean alphabet are substitutes for English letters... so with Doman signage, the characters in the Hingan alphabet are substitutes for Japanese characters.
If you can read hiragana, you can check it out yourself at this fansite here.
I should note that the Japanese version of FFXIV doesn’t really utilize the concepts of “Doman” and “Hingan” the way that the English version does, so Japanese fans refer to the “Hingan alphabet” as クガネ文字、 or “Kugane characters.” I should also note that it seems straightforward enough until you realize that a lot of the in-game signage is highly stylized, so reading it is a lot harder than you’d think, sometimes...
Let’s take a look at the sign outside the Shiokaze Hostelry, shall we?
Broken down — and reading vertically from right to left, of course — the characters here read:
youkoso
Kugane e
Welcome to Kugane.
Here’s another example: the banners in the Sekiseigumi Barracks! What do they say? Well... they’re not very interesting, actually. This just says:
Kugane Sekiseigumi
At least they’re proud of themselves...
I considered photographing and documenting every instance of Hingan writing that I could find, but the fact of the matter is, a lot of it is very self-explanatory: the sign outside of the Bokairo Inn, for example, just says Boukaisen, advertising the Bokaisen Hot Springs. (By the way, I believe the localization team chose to go with short-vowel romanizations to encourage correct pronunciations among non-Japanese players, so that’s why there’s an extra vowel there.) So it wouldn’t have been very interesting for me to go around taking pictures of every single sign I could find...
One thing in Kugane I do find really interesting, however, is the sign just outside of the Mujikoza theater!
This sign is actually an advertisement for the actors at Mujikoza:
I am not sure if these are intended to be surnames or titles. My assumption is that they are titles, because Gakunin is probably 楽人、or musician, whereas Maibito probably means 舞人 、or dancer. Unfortunately, I can’t figure out what “Narita” means in this context, because it definitely isn’t the airport. My guess is that it might be a yagou — a stage name, or acting-house name, which you can read about here.
Note that the actors again receive top billing on the roof of the building, where the sign reads:
SHIRANAMI
RAKUYOU
FUURAN
Yabusame
Ransetsu
Yachiyo
Kikusui
Shiranami, Rakuyou, and Fuuran must be really popular?!
I’ve got one more surprise from Kugane to show you all, but before we get to that, let’s dive into the Hingan text in The Swallow’s Compass.
First, a little background information: The Swallow’s Compass is, in Japanese, called 風水霊殿 ガンエン廟 — very literally, “feng shui temple, gan-en mausoleum,” but since the localization has decided to translate feng shui as geomancy, I think the Japanese dungeon title is best rendered “The Palace of Geomancy: Ganen’s Tomb.”
The English description of the dungeon elaborates on this somewhat:
Enshrined within this tomb, his likeness carved on an imposing scale into the cliffside, is the person of Ganen, the great general who united the warring clans of Yanxia to arise as the first king of Doma. A skilled swordsman and mage both, he is credited as the founding father of Doman geomancy.
Anyway, with that background knowledge, let’s dive right into the signage in The Swallow’s Compass. Quite a lot of it is, um, pretty cool, but really very redundant in my opinion — you know, it’s a million different lines about earth and wind and water — so I have to admit I’m glazing over some of it...
Just imagine a lot of stuff like this...
hagukumutsuchi
soil nurtures
megurumizu
water circulates
hakobukaze
wind carries
Notably, this tablet just past the first boss is a quote attributed to Ganen himself:
kaze wo shirite
mizu wo seishi
chi wo osamuru
ganen-ou
Know the wind
Contain the water
Heal the earth
— King Ganen
The tablet to the right of King Ganen’s reads as follows:
mu ni naru kawa
ryu ni naru yama
yansa no chi
doma to nasu
As the river turns to nothing
And the mountain becomes a dragon
Does the land of Yanxia
Form the nation of Doma
Lastly — I have not included screenshots of every single stone, because it would just be too many pictures that all basically look the same — two famous Chinese poems are quoted throughout the dungeon! I won’t get into the whole history of kanshi poetry and the tradition of Chinese poetry in Japanese literature, but suffice it to say it’s a personal favorite subject of mine.
The Swallow’s Compass quotes two lines from “In the Mountains on a Summer Day” by Li Bai, for which I have enclosed two translations (not by me, of course):
夏日山中
李白
懒摇白羽扇
裸袒青林中
脱巾挂石壁
露顶洒松风
In the Mountains on a Summer Day, by Li Bai
trans. Arthur Waley, 1919
Gently I stir a white feather fan,
With open shirt sitting in a green wood.
I take off my cap and hang it on a jutting stone;
A wind from the pine-trees trickles on my bare head.
A Summer Day in the Mountains, by Li Bai
trans. Andrew W.F. Wong, 2014
Too lazy to wave my fan of white plumes;
Rather, go naked, ‘neath the greenwood trees,
My headcloth undone, on a stone wall hung,
Idling, bare-headed, in the pine-filled breeze.
Peresonally, I think Wong’s translation is better by far, and more ambitious with the rhyme scheme and structure, but Waley’s is more well-known, as you might imagine. Oh, and I’ve italicized the lines that are quoted in FFXIV! The rest of the poem isn’t in the dungeon, but it seems silly to only enclose a part of it here.
The Swallow’s Compass also quotes another poem by the master of masters, Du Fu. There are many translations of Du Fu’s “Spring Prospect,” but here’s one that I liked:
春望
杜甫
国破山河在
城春草木深
感时花溅泪
恨别鸟惊心
烽火连三月
家书抵万金
白头搔更短
浑欲不胜簪
Spring Prospect, by Du Fu
trans. John Tarrant, 2014
The nation is broken –
mountains and rivers remain.
Spring comes to the city
overgrown with grass and trees.
Feeling the time –
flowers weep,
hating captivity –
bird calls pierce the heart.
The war beacons have burned
for three months now
and I’d give ten thousand pieces of gold
for a letter from home.
I’ve torn my white hair
till it’s so thin
it almost won’t
hold a hatpin.
With these poems in mind, I’m coming back to the final sign from Kugane that I saved for last...
The wall scroll in Hancock’s office reads:
saihi akatsuki ni izureba
shimoyuki no gotoshi
This, too, is a quote from a kanshi poem, but this poet isn’t very well known at all. Instead of another big-name poet like Li Bai or Du Fu, someone on the dev team decided to quote “Keirinsou Zatsuei” by Hirose Tansou — a really very obscure poet better known for being an egalitarian educator.
...Since no English translation of this particular poem existed, I decided to translate it myself. This involved a lot of personal research and time, so I wound up translating a small selection of Hirose’s poetry as the final project for one of my translation classes. I considered submitting my collection of Hirose’s poetry for publication somewhere, but in the end, well... I don’t know, I mean, who would care except for FFXIV players?
The poem itself is a celebration of friendships forged during one’s schooling years. I have enclosed a direct translation and a more structured, syllabic, rhyming translation:
桂林荘雑詠
広瀬淡窓
幾人負笈自西東
両筑双肥前後豊
花影満簾春昼永
書声断続響房書
休道他郷多苦辛
同袍有友自相親
柴扉暁出霜如雪
君汲川流我拾薪
遙思白髪倚門情
宦学三年業未成
一夜秋風揺老樹
孤窓欹枕客心驚
長鋏帰来故国春
時時務払簡編塵
君看白首無名者
曾是談経奪席人
Song of the Cinnamon Grove, by Hirose Tansou
trans. haillenarte, 2018
(direct translation)
From east and west we travel, carrying our book-boxes,
through the plains of Ryōchiku — as fertile and lush as ever.
The shadows of the flowers shield us from the sun
as intermittent voices rebound and resonate in clusters of sound.
We shall not rest in foreign lands with bitter feelings in our hearts
when our brothers here, our comrades-in-arms, will soon become our dearest friends.
As we leave the house at dawn, beneath the hoarfrost so like snow,
you will draw our water, and I will collect our firewood.
Distantly, I think of gray hair, and my heart presses against the gates —
my third year at civil service school, and my work isn’t finished.
In the evening, an autumn breeze shakes the ancient trees,
and I rise from my solitary pillow, trembling with wanderlust.
And at last, the sweet return, the glorious springtime of our homelands!
The time has passed, our work is cleared, and our books are layered in dust.
With your hair grown white, you would be nameless to me
but for the hours we have passed debating the sutras, side by side.
Song of the Cinnamon Grove, by Hirose Tansou
trans. haillenarte, 2018
(structured translation, departs from original)
From east and west, we walk with burdens through the fields of Ryōchiku.
The shadows of the flowers shade us as I talk and walk with you.
We shall not rest in foreign lands with bitter feelings in our hearts
when we have friends to stand beside us in our study of the arts.
And as we leave the house at dawn ‘neath frozen dew that looks like snow
‘tis you for whom I tend the fire, you for whom I make it glow.
As I recall the greying hairs my mother and my father wear,
I long to travel to my home, where perhaps I will see them there.
Beyond these years of solemn schooling, I have work that must be done,
but I rise from my lonely pillow, thinking of the rising sun.
And after all of this is over, someday we will return home
with dusty books and whiter hair and fewer, fewer lands to roam;
And you would have no name to me but for the time we spent in class,
Arguing over the sutras, laughing as we lay in grass.
Why do I think the dev team decided to quote this particular poem? Well... read it to yourself. Doesn’t it remind you of a certain scene, from a certain patch, from another expansion, long, long ago...?
