Actually, my name is Vielle Lhyna. I'm a Miqo'te from the Moondancer Troupe; a traveling tribe, honoring the Twelve through song and dance — keeping the spirit of joy alive, even in dark times. They.. they aren't around, anymore.. but I am, and I carry on their legacy through my own actions. It just so happens that those actions tend to evolve into.. world-saving. Sometimes.
Oh, these are my companions! This little guy is Marbles, and I raised him from when he was a baby. He likes to snuggle into my hood, though he used to fit a little better.
The majestic creature beside me is Lightfeather — a pegasus who will answer my call, no matter how far I may seem. Except through inter-dimensional travel, but I suppose even myths have their limits, hehe..
🗣️ Voice
1. Are they talkative?
2. Is their voice quiet or loud?
3. Do they have unusual speech patterns?
4. Do they have an accent or dialect?
5. Do they like to sing? Are they good at it?
🖐️ Hands
6. Left handed, right handed, ambidextrous?
7. Neat or messy hand writing?
8. Do they draw/paint a lot?
9. Are they good or bad at making handicrafts?
10. Do they need their hands occupied a lot? If so, what do they do?
🍛 Food
11. What's their favorite food/least favorite food?
12. Are they a picky eater?
13. Any food they avoid for reasons other than taste?
14. How are their table manners?
15. Do they rather eat too much or too little?
16. Do they prefer to eat alone or with company?
17. Are they good at cooking?
🛏️Sleep
18. Morning person or night owl?
19. Easy to fall asleep or insomniac?
20. Light or heavy sleeper?
21. Do they move around a lot while sleeping?
22. Are they used to sleeping around others or alone?
23. Do they snore?
24. Other sleeping habits?
Not to start something during Disability Pride Month but I just saw someone vehemently reject Y'shtola's blindness as a disability because it's not really disabling her in any way (i.e. she can still see), but... she can't? Like, she asked Urianger to describe the night sky to her in that cutscene after you clear the Qitana Ravel because she can no longer see it for herself. I felt like that very clearly cemented how she might be able to see but it was more like seeing the aetheric outline or volume of things or whatever and not actual full normal vision.
I was really surprised to see the level of vehemence that person had about the topic, so now I'm wondering if it's a hotly contested topic in the FFXIV fandom ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Y'Shtola has this thing my mom* calls Blind Without Correction
which is basically saying
she can get glasses (magic that allows her to read aether ink) but she's still blind
b/c if aether ink wasn't involved, she wouldn't be able to see
i guess the person of the post you're complaining about doesn't know anybody with Coke Bottle Lenses - which are Blind Without Correction a lot of the time.
they were thinking being Blind is only Blind WITH Correction which is somebody who can't see even with tools and such to help them.
Y'Shtola is blind by the way, she's just Blind Without Correction, meaning she can have tools which make it so she can See (which tbh isn't much, let's be real here)
*my mom got a master's degree in teaching vision impaired/blind children. these are the children that will go blind as they get older, or they don't have periphriel vision, or they have those thick coke bottle lenses. she taught them Braile, got them large mega watt lamps so they could read, they got the large print school books. But every single one of those children were Blind Without Correction
So.. I'm writing a blind character in FFXIV, who learns to navigate with aether perception with help from Y'shtola. And I have opinions…
Aether perception isn't normal vision. If something is devoid of aether, they can't see it, such as shadows. Shadows have no aether, so can't be used for depth, distance, or volume, but Y'shtola and my boy don't need those cues because they're getting accurate 3D info from the aether.
Can you imagine how difficult that would be to translate when you're used to normal vision?! NOTHING looks the same, it would be sensory hell, completely messed up.. but… Y'shtola can see just fine, I guess, with her 'magical cure'.
She manages, and is independent. Her difficulties are generally only mentioned when something plot-wise changes to make her sight less effective, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't face daily challenges. She has had to relearn how to navigate her world! I have a close friend who is blind and helping me write an 'authentic' blind character (authentic in quotes as we're playing in a fantasy sandpit, rules bend, but still with respect for the challenges visually impaired people face).
In fairness I haven't seen the post rejecting Y'shtola's disability to comment on directly, but I have witnessed how blind people CAN be (varying degrees of) independent by paying extra attention to how they organise themselves (putting different bank notes in different parts of their wallets, committing routes to memory, counting steps between landmarks if they are able to, and so on) - massive, massive efforts just to give themselves a certain level of normality and independence. And appearing to be unaffected does not make it less of a disability.
XIV HEATWAVE FESTIVAL - WEEK 1 : Heatwave/ Melting
The biggest threat in the summer isn't the sun or the temperature; it's Arsay, who will continue to cling and cuddle paying zero mind to how hot it might be.
"Gods, I'm starved..."
A hand rested at her stomach as she spoke, the gleaner braced herself against the white stone wall as the two made their way down on of the many poorly kept paths in Aleport. Arsay turned to face her current company, a bright-eyed Miqo'te of the Y and someone she knew since her childhood in the Drivianian Hinterlands, Y'shtola Rhul.
"Hey. Shtola. Don't suppose it's your turn treat me for a meal is it? I’ve only enough coin for the ferry back home..."
Were it any other by her side she'd not dare plead so openly, however, with this archon there was little reason not to be completely honest from the start. Even still, the instant feeling of regret rushed through Arsay as her walking partner's lips twisted into a mischievous grin and a particular twinkle in those aqua-green eyes flashed. There was no doubt the impending doom of being teased by a good friend loomed over her now...
"Curious. I seem recall our earlier conversation in which you boasted about being one of the most sought after gleaners in all of Sharlayan. One could only assume you would have the finances to back up such claims." said Y'shotla, her voice rich in a playfully mocking tone Arsay had grown all too familiar with. As fast as Y'shtola was on the attack, Arsay matched her speed on the defence.
"What I said is true! Factually, I've more unique clientele then the average gleaner! ...It just so happens said clientele aren't always very reliable at paying their due." Arsay added with a pout. A part of her knew full well this was only going to drag her deeper into trouble with her friend. But between that and withholding her circumstances it still felt like the better option. The overstuffed backpack acted as a cushion as she leaned further onto the wall, "One in particular has racked up quite the bill." She spoke with a heavy sigh hoping some visible distress could at least earn a few sympathy points. Go easy on me, was the plead that sigh carried out.
No, you asked for this, was the smug reply drawn from Y'shtola's raised eyebrow. Alas, Arsay had made the critical mistake of presenting her incredibly clever, thoughtful, and kind-hearted friend with a problem who's solution was so simple she would have had to been an outright fool not to see it herself. And because Y'shtola was so thoughtful, and so kind, and so clever, it was up to her to present the obvious to her fool of a friend.
"Right. And have you considered, perhaps, not accepting new requests until past debts are paid in full? Alternatively, prioritizing those who are consistent in their compensation?"
Arsay rolled her eyes in response to Y'shtola's expectant gaze. The gleaner could handle her fair share of patronizing sarcasm; who couldn't when most everyone you work for is some kind of scholar determined to sound like they know more then you regardless of subject. "I'm looking for that horn-key-thing on my side if things the best that I can. Not once has it left the docket. But let me just say looking for an Elezen with no shadow isn't as easy as it sounds." The seeker clicked her tongue to this as she always does when the subject it brought up. "And do trust that I've tried saying no! But then he looks at me with this hopeless expression- like a cute, little, lost kitten- and I feel compelled to help! It's all for his Archon thesis. You recall how strict the citation process was for that, do you not? Needing only, uh..."
Y'shtola's tail flicked, "Primary sources." She finished.
"Exactly!" Arsay snapped her fingers, "Anyroads, seems like every other day he's asking for some relic or tome that gets me travelling all ends of Hydaelyn. The travel expenses alone... whew."
Arsay forced a laugh hoping to bring some levity to the conversation. The chuckles quickly trailed off when all she was met with was a very serious frown. She wasn't sure what part it was exactly, but something in what she just said certainly did not sit well with her friend. The seeker's ears were ever so slightly tucked back against her head and something decidedly more vicious had replaced the playfulness in her expression. Not a moment longer passed before the archon released that ever sharp tongue of hers.
"The path to archonship is not one to be tackled by the ill prepared. If his sources are so difficult to obtain that it has run you into the red, then the issue lies in his faulty arguments. Were I in your shoes I would suggest he quit this frivolity and turn his focus to matters more within his academic means." snarked Y'shtola, barely disguising her sudden indigence for a man she'd never met for authority over this situation.
"Oh come now, Shtola, don't be like that. He's really quite smart! It's a difficult topic is all." Arsay was quick to object as she crossed her arm unimpressed. "Lest you forget I helped shuttle tomes and materials to you during your own thesis writing days; more then you could reasonably keep track of by the end of it. Not once did I ask you to open your coffers."
"Because," Y'shtola hissed back, "you are a dear friend, Arsay. This, however, is a different case entirely. This would-be archon of yours, he's but a-"
"A stranger? I seem to recall a dear friend telling me I aught to help as many of those as I can, just as she sailed away from home to do the same."
With a tilt of her head the gleaner's interjection fell upon Y'shtola like a bucket of water taken from the docks of Old Sharlayan. Frigid enough to shock the Seeker in her place. She drew a sharp breath, eyes glued to the uncommon sight of Arsay's frown as she denied her lungs their function. Slowly as her better senses had seemingly returned to her Y'shtola exhaled, "Yes. I suppose I did." Oh how she hated to lose an argument.
The gleaner put a consoling hand on Y'shtola's shoulder and smiled, "G'raha may be a stranger to you, Shtola, but to me he's a likely new friend. I trust him to make good on his word eventually. Even if he doesn't I'm satisfied enough I played some part in aiding someone achieving their dream."
"And what of your aspirations? To save enough coin as to become a free agent who can roam regardless of procurement contracts. That you would so quickly stray from that goal upon my absence would be," she averted her gaze as the words shamefully fumbled from her mouth, "...disappointing. For me."
That was it, wasn't it? The fear that she might lose out on a future they once spoke about as children- the two of them taking on the world together- that's what drove her to lash out just now. It had to be. In an instance Arsay felt her heart fill to the brim with warmth. So much so it threatened to overflow.
She took the archon's hand in her own. "Pray Shtola, don't doubt me so. I'd never dare break such an important promise." Arsay beamed. "We've our whole lives still ahead of us! More then enough time to even out my balances." The seeker looked up at her and smiled in return. "I don't mean to you keep you waiting too long," the gleaner continued, "but I know you'll find little trouble keeping yourself busy in the meanwhile. Though I ask you leave some of this realm's greater mysteries until such time that we can tackle them together." The gleaner's enthusiasm was as sincerer as it was infectious; and it was enough to reassure her friend.
"Hm," Y'shtola hummed as she mulled over Arsay's words. Her eyes drifted down towards her hand still cupped in the blue leather glove of her friend's. The archon's smile softened before she gently pulled it back and released it from Arsay's grasp. "I suppose I could make an attempt. Though I will not guarantee for how long I'll keep it up." She smirked and turned forward ready to put this whole conversation behind them.
"Are you still hungry?" Y'shtola asked.
Arsay perked up, "Famished!"
"Good. I could stand for some lunch as well. Come, there's an tavern some ways north of here." Y'shtola chuckled back as she began to make her way to their new trajectory; her closest friend right behind her.
G'raha: "Are you certain you do not wish to join us, my friend?"
V'eera: "I'm good."
Let's just say, there's not enough nature in Solution Nine for V'eera's tastes. She has zero idea how to use any kind of "modern" technology (which results in her unintentionally breaking them.. woops!)
I'm not gonna lie to you. I initially had no idea for this one, thought maybe of V'eera stealing one of Sylvere's jackets (she would wear leather jackets, like.. all the time) but I'm once again feeling icky today, so... Have an old MCH glam picture.
