Doing some Endwalker stuff on C'oretta and during some Hippo Riders story I remembered that even years before we got Thavnair in game, I had "research frenzies" be a thing Aeryn does, where she goes all in on her work and forgoes decent meals or enough sleep and rambles, and...
...otherwise acts not too unlike the alchemists we run into at the Great Work.
So she wasn't too surprised, actually, by the scene that greeted the team on their first trip to the island and led to the meeting with Varshahn, but for the rest of the Scions, it sure explained a few things about their Warrior of Light.
For a few examples here on Tumblr:
FFXIV Write 2019 Voracious
2020 Omelets Ask Prompt
Febhyurary 2021 Food
Always nice for characterization to be reinforced by new plot elements!
A lot of folks headcanon, use art, or use mods, to show their WoLs and OCs with more curves and heft to their bodies than the in game models allow. The character avatars, especially female, are simply stickish, with unnatural thigh gaps, narrow hips, and otherwise are just small waifs. Which is exacerbated by it being most of them.
In Aeryn's case, I wrote the skinniness of the Midlander model (especially with muscle cut set to 100%) into her characterization. In part cuz I don't mod, and tend to try to keep my characters more or less similar to the in game model limits. So for her, it's partly genetics (her maternal grandma is one of those skeletally thin old women types), and partly Aeryn's terrible eating and sleeping habits. Her unlocking her magic potential finally post 7th Calamity also doesn't help, as she burns through aether--which as a primarily Red Mage, that's how they avoid the issues of black and white magic that led to the War of the Magi and the 6th Calamity, by using one's own aether (and fits into my own thoughts on how the various kinds of aether and akasa work to empower various abilities anyway).
But as she's continued her adventures, those bad eating and sleeping habits haven't really improved at all. She skips meals, to where at times she's maybe had a snack in a 30 hour period. She keeps odd hours, wakes early despite late nights...it's a mess. Even when she's not neck-deep in world saving!
And then, on arriving in Tuliyollal, she meets the Cornservant.
It's one of my favorite side quest chains, as it's about the importance of eating. Variety, snacks, finding what works for your health, the nostalgia of childhood favorites, comfort in the face of grief and depression...the Cornservant wants to see people fed and happy. It's their purpose for being. It's a lovely message, to remind people of why we need to eat.
And in this WoL's case, while the Echo perhaps helps Aeryn see the Cornservant to begin with to aid their quest to fill bellies across Tural, the Cornservant appears to her because she needed to hear these messages, too. And eventually internalize them. And begin to take better care of her eating habits...especially when she hears the rustle of corn husks, reminding her of her little friend and their important mission.
"Exhausted from battering yourself against the Ascian's adamant defenses, you are powerless to prevent the Light within from breaking its bonds, and you slump to the ground in agony. Emet-Selch has won."
"But then Ardbert is there at your side, and with his hand at your back, you find the strength to take another step."
-MSQ Journal, "Shadowbringers."
Rejoining with Ardbert not only contained the Light, but healed Aeryn entirely. She wasn't quite the same after, noting changes in taste and interests that came from him, to both sorrow and comfort.
A Febhyurary prompt about clothing shows Thancred isn't the only one who's been driven to frustration by Aeryn's fondness for fashion. It's always been there, since her earliest years, but her stepsister Rashae fanned the flames with her own habits. Kaishanondra and Zaine could only take so much and dealt with their sisters' time-wasting as only brothers can.
Previous prompts: 2021 Glamour (heavily called back to), 2022 Choice, and a special birthday video my friends made...
Hi! I’ve been trying to make an introductory post for my WoL, but when I tried doing so freeform it ended up overly long and full of rambling. I’ve searched for templates all over the internet, but the only ones I can find are in the general style of D&D character sheets that include irrelevant information about stats while not properly dedicating space to the actual character traits. I saw the format you used for your OCs, and it seems to be about what I’m looking for. Is there any chance you could provide a blank template along those lines for me and others who might have the same problem?
Funnily, while I keep them all similar, I didn't have a template before now. Also reminds me I need to do some updating and revision on my own OCs, it's been awhile and they can use a refresh for character and plot updates.
I recommend making static pages over posts; easier to track and edit. I am a stickler for organization, so keep my pinned post to the bare basics with links to the profiles and other pages, to keep from stretching the post to a mile long, in part, and to keep the info where it's easily read and relevant. Also because mobile app view won't show one's theme and links, and the pinned post is more likely to be seen and accessible than a sidebar or menu.
I have tutorials on how to set a custom theme (and access full blog features) as well as how to create those static blog pages. Tumblr may have made some updates since, but the gist is the same, and the Help pages have newer details if necessary.
I do urge keeping colors and format simple, accessible, and reader friendly, including screen reader friendly. A row of asterisks or tildes as a separator line are usually individually read out by screen readers, as is the code used to make those fancy hard-to-read gothic letters folks use for "aesthetics." In a lot of my profiles, I split sections with images of the character (which should also use alt text if we're trying to be kind and inclusive, and it's to the point of a profile page anyway).
I think I will put the intro and template here in the post under a cut, and then in a Reply Comment add a link to the Google Doc version, cuz of how Tumblr is about external links. An actual blank copy-pasta is on the GDoc, what's below has some thought processes for each section for guidance.
This a pretty modular template, that can be added to or subtracted from as needed. Move descriptive blocks around as they seem more or less relevant for your OC, substitute things that make sense over things that don’t; this is just a starting point!
I see these as broad strokes; a quick introduction and general overview of your character, meant to give an at-a-glance idea of who they are. It’s handy for other writers and artists, and even oneself for keeping track of some details. I recommend practicing succinct writing here; these blocks should each stay between 100-300 words or thereabouts. Use links to other pages and tags to point toward longer details and stories (and keep them handy for yourself!). It also makes it much easier when you want to revise things when characterization marches forward, or if you want to retcon something entirely.
But these are all just my opinions and ideas on how I approach OC profiles after making them in some form or another for about a quarter century. Make it as long or short as it needs to be, change it up, go nuts, I ain’t your mom, and so on 😉
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Statistics: The basics; barebones, at-a-glance stat blocks, handy for quick reference. Can be added to or shortened as needed. If a stat starts to word wrap on a standard screen, trim it and move that extra detail to the “Description” paragraph below the list.
Race: (for FF14 fantasy possibilities)
Nationality: (or Ethnicity, whatever works. Where are they from, as that helps shape them?)
Height: (both feet/inches and centimeters are handy here)
Eyes:
Build: (I prefer this to weight, as that’s ridiculously variable depending on one’s build, which is more important visually anyway; are they broad, stocky, skinny, muscular, stringy, etc)
Hair: (color, type, texture, preferred lengths and styling)
Skin: (sometimes I fold scars into here, if there’s nothing too outstanding)
Scars:
Voice: (how do they sound?)
Nameday:
Age: (depends on your personal timeline for your OCs, but I recommend an age range over specifics; mid-20s, 25-35, late teens, a little over a century, etc. Less updating and fits with the handwaved time bubble anyway)
Disciplines: (what are their main job[s]? The adventuring or professional skills they’ve learned?)
Hobbies:
Birthplace:
Current Home:
Occupation: (Their actual day job, different from or part of their disciplines?)
Signature Items: (A particular weapon? A piece of jewelry? Always wear a specific coat?)
Description:
A very short "immediate impressions" type description; what would someone "on the street" see when meeting/looking at your character on a typical day? Taking some of the info from the stats but then how you want those barebone facts to be seen; is the OC elegant, or rough? Expensive clothes or simple attire? Any particular smells, or sounds? I recommend around 100 words.
Biography:
Very brief, general overview of the backstory that led them to the point where they become a story protagonist (adventurer, the WoL, or other roleplay archetype). Don't have to go into great detail, keep it short and simple; it's a blurb that sets up how they got here in broad strokes. I think my longest bio is around 300 words, and it probably shouldn’t go over that here.
To get more details, one can always link to specific stories, or to a tag. I have multiple OCs, so I might make my tags something like "Aeryn Backstory" or "Iyna Lore" or "Punchy History" or some combo thereof (I usually try to keep them consistent though for ease).
Persona:
What face do they present to the world? How are they perceived by the public, acquaintances, coworkers, family, actual friends? Some of these answers will be the same, some may change depending on if and how they code switch in various social situations.
From there, what lies underneath the surface? What are some general internal attitudes, traits, feelings?
A hundred words for outward demeanor and another one hundred for innermost self ought to cover the general broad strokes.
Romance:
If so inclined, details about the OC's relationship details; sexual and romantic orientations, relationship history, current situations, how they view and approach intimacy (or not!).
Links to relationship tags or stories or art can work well here, too.
Echo:
Does the OC have an Echo at all? Is it a "typical" Echo, or do they have some special abilities, some things they're better at than others? How does it affect them, how do they feel about it?
This is another section that may be a free space section to remove or swap to something else relevant to the character.
Hobbies:
The stuff outside of work and heroics. Ways they relax, special interests, side jobs, things they enjoy, and so on. This can be an expansion of the listing in the stat block, or you can cut out one or the other to avoid redundancy.
Companions:
What’s their chocobo like, or do they have another favored mount? What pet(s) do they have? Are they practically a Disney Princess? Have a familiar? Do they prefer arcane entities? Technological constructs? Or do they eschew companions entirely?
How to find the OC in game:
This is where I list things like realm and data center, and addresses for the FC house and personal house or apartment. Not necessary if you don't want folks to go looking.
Links:
The links can be scattered through the post in relevant sections, or gathered together here. I tend to put my basic tag for the character, if I have an aesthetic tag for them, their story tags, any links to art references or other miscellaneous items I want easily found for myself and others. I often put this close to the top if a profile is longer and I want those links to be quick referenced.
OOC:
Any particular notes one wants to make about the character from a meta perspective. Can also be combined with the Links.
"What she has said - it's true, Hades. All of it."
Icarus, Prophet of Amaurot and younger brother of Pandora Azem of the Convocation of Fourteen.
When visiting the testing and research facility of Elpis with their old friend and mentor Venat - the previous Azem - Icarus met a strange young woman with ties to his exceptional sibling - and himself, from a future that seemed impossible and yet he knew to be all too real.
Icarus's choice to aid his sibling and her future reincarnation is described in The Prophet's Bond on Ao3 (originally FFXIV Write 2023's Fair prompt). Those choices ensured Icarus's soul will somehow always be reborn alongside his sibling's. In the Source's modern era, that was Zaine Striker.
Something I’ve been wondering: Aeryn is of course romantically involved with Thancred, but how does this affect her relationship with Ryne? In fact, what is that relationship like at all? (Between her and Ryne)
At first, it was a little awkward; Aeryn arrived in the First, learned Thancred had been there for 5 years and 3 of those were spent caring for an adolescent...reincarnation? of Minfilia. It felt a little strange at first, especially given the sudden rescue and run into Il Mheg and things there, with Thancred being changed while no real time had passed for Aeryn. And things were rocky between Thancred and Aeryn at first in the First, between that time gap (when their romantic relationship was still pretty new when he'd been Called) and his being a Suddenly Dad (and a not great one, especially for someone with Tanzel Eadir and Iron Summer as their measuring stick).
But Thancred spent some of those 3 years telling Ryne about Aeryn, and writing himself letters on Aeryn's nameday each year to tell her about Ryne, himself, and simply things he wanted to remember while they were apart.
As in most cases, Aeryn was immediately protective of the girl, and Aeryn pretty quickly ended up treating Ryne as she does other adolescent friends; by acting like an older sister and a bit of a Mom, easily falling into a mentor, and a bit of a caretaker, role. She supported Ryne as she struggled with her sense of self and identity, understanding such things all too well...and also maybe encouraged the kid to be a little more of a kid, and even bit of a gremlin at Thancred and Urianger, cuz they deserved it, obviously. Though even Ryne can get exasperated by Aeryn's more impulsive moments! And sounds an awful lot like Thancred when she scolds the Warrior of Darkness for her brashness...But Ryne also liked watching Thancred and Aeryn being domestic and loving at each other, at the sides of him Aeryn drew out that Ryne hadn't seen yet, and at how he can steady and support her, let her relax and just Be Aeryn, not the realm's hero. She liked that this woman Thancred spoke so highly of, told such stories about, was someone Ryne could call friend, and then family.
Aeryn and Ryne became close during the course of their adventures, and Aeryn checks back often, especially once the Scions returned to the Source, carrying letters and gifts back and forth. She wants to help Y'shtola's goals in order to see Thancred and Ryne have a chance to be together--to have all 3 of them together all at once again (well, 4, cuz we have to count Gaia in there!). She wants her family to be together again, and Ryne feels much the same way, glad for the visits and time with Aeryn, but the missing pieces are obvious to them all.
It's actually been awhile since I've done an Aeryn & Ryne edit...
So I haven’t gotten far in MSQ (just past Dungeon 1) but how did you feel about Thancred as part of the opposition from a shippy viewpoint? You’re free to throw in other perspectives.
From the earliest FanFest discussions, about this being a contest and the Scions being on opposing teams on this initially lighthearted journey to the west, it always felt like a friendly rivalry to me. People thinking early on this would be a bloodthirsty deathmatch made no sense. Especially given, y'know, the entire storyarcs of Shadowbringers and Endwalker, particularly the way Endsinger was defeated. "With Hearts Aligned" is a revamp of the WoL's theme ("The Maker's Ruin") with the addition of how important the support and love of WoL's friends are to their success.
Anyway. I was looking forward from the start to friendly competition between the team, and wish we did get a tad more of it (particularly there's a point where Thancred mentions being happy to put Alisaie on her ass if it comes to a scrap between them; I've long had headcanons that he and Alisaie tend to train together, given they have similar drives in terms of combat excellence and their reasons for it, and they'd trust each other to push as necessary). It made sense the moment they mentioned that Koana was studying in Sharlayan in 6.55 that he was the one contracting the fellas, and he was likely not the warmonger if he'd lasted so long in the Studium.
(How much Koana assimilated to Sharlayan culture was a bit of a surprise; we were calling him a sheeb in one of my servers--a Sharlayan weeb)
Thancred did not explicitly tell Aeryn he was going to be working for another Promise. The scenes of him spying on the WoL and other Scions that Erenville's recruiting are canon for me, even if Thancred was a little more present between scenes and before leaving town than that part of the MSQ showed (I mean, the guys still lived at the Annex too, when you think of it). What she got from him was that he and Urianger had a contract that would take them out of town for a bit, and he wasn't too concerned about her going off to Tural. "You can teleport more freely than most, and I'm sure we'll see each other soon enough," that damn rogue said when they parted.
And then he showed up on the dock with Koana. She was somewhere between surprised, mad, and amused at how to get back at him. There's maybe a conversation at Many Fires that also leads to other things, a lot of note passing (they're both letter writers, at least in my world), and a few meetings at other times when traveling Yok Tural, or when back in Tuliyollal, where the friendly rivalry adds sparks in Aeryn and Thancred's relationship, working on their playfully competitive natures.
They also initially have plans, after the contest concludes, to meet up somewhere in Xak Tural in their respective explorations of the continent, but the rest of the plot interrupts that.
So yeah. My shippy nonsense for Dawntrail is that the contest allows Aeryn and Thancred to play, letting them relax with no dangerous world-shattering stakes, just friendly rivalry, teasing, and stolen moments that are fun and freeing. And in the second half of the story, when things do get much darker, heavier, and more dangerous again, he plays his supporting role alongside the others and is there afterwards for comfort and care.
