#sylvan rain

[sylvan-rain]

[shroudkeeper]

@miaaoi​ @sylvan-rain​ //

[the-burdened-blade]

The heaviest necklace.

Enea walked the hallways of the Sandsea. It was almost time to return to the front-lines. There was much to be done, but she wanted to bring along one last thing. Memories of the ‘ghosts’ she’s seen rushed her head. The people of her village, the lost souls asking for help in the Palace of the Dead, the mihgans she helped train and that perished in the attack to Rhalgr’s Reach.

“We are coming home soon.” Her heart felt heavy as she stood in front of a room she had never enter before. “We are just taking one more burden with us.”

She stood in front of Sylvan Rain’s room.

Enea though of knocking but decided against it, quietly intruding inside. Her mind wondered. The few times they got to fight side by side. The immense respect she felt for the roegadyn. The time she almost gathered the courage to ask her for training. The time she watched silently from the sidelines as Sylvan left for the Far East. How that was the last time those who stay behind saw her, the sun as her beacon and her mother’s relic at her side.

“Maybe we could had been good friends.” Enea whispered to herself as she looked for something. After some search she found a peculiar necklace she remembered Sylvan wore a few occasions, especially during Ashelia’s wedding. The miqo’te examined the piece before securing it to the pummel of her great-sword. The necklace itself was a few onzes, but it felt immensely heavy. “You were great and you were noble-” Her voice quivers. “Maybe I am not the one who should do this... But we are going home now... and you are coming with us.”

[theriskbreakers-rp]

Rivienne Marcellus: Thou hast said that Nidhogg was faced afore, I arriveth only in the past year, but these men, though strong, art not an army prepared to face the wyrm. Rivienne Marcellus looks to the door behind her and then to the hearth, she softens her features. Ashelia Riot: Lady Marcellus. Sylvan Rain: Nidhogg has surely grown in strength but we've not slacked on our training. I, for one, want to see the wyrm put down for good. Rivienne Marcellus: Aye, it is but a dream. Ashelia Riot judges her words for only a moment before speaking. Ashelia Riot: I greatly respect your dedication to your men, but you are correct. They are in no present condition to stand against Nidhogg and live. To send them into battle knowing this would be to lay down their lives for the sake of vanity. Rivienne Marcellus: They knoweth well their limitations, I am no savior, nor is Lanceloux. I fear my beloved realm wouldst suffer as well, the north shalt melt, but what of lands yonder. I think of such, even if I see no change in the status of this war. Ashelia Riot: We have been committed to this war for... for well over a year. Though we are no Ishgardians, it is not only Ishgard that will suffer the consequences should Nidhogg have his way. Ivaan Arkwright warms himself by the fire, actively listening to the conversation. Rivienne Marcellus: Then we art of like mind, mine blade is eager to put this all to an end. Ashelia Riot glances around at the rest of the Order of the Northern Sky then, with her gaze resting last on Sylvan Rain. Rivienne Marcellus: Thy company seems formidable. Rivienne Marcellus looks to those gathered and then turns her attention to Sylvan Rain. Sylvan Rain: ...That plaque outside... The construction... It seems they mean to set up a celebration. Rivienne Marcellus: Such I knoweth little of, my.. time within this society is kept limited. Ashelia Riot: The Riskbreakers are devoted to defending Eorzea, no matter what form the threat may take. Primarily we focus our efforts on Garleans, with... with the eventual hope of the liberation of Ala Mhigo. Ashelia Riot: Rivienne de Marcellus, I would have you join our number. Ivaan Arkwright nods to Rivienne Marcellus. Rivienne Marcellus falls silent for a moment, whispering softly. Rivienne Marcellus: I am no hero. I am but a shieldmaiden here. But... Rivienne Marcellus looks to her sheathed blade and brushes her finger against the pommel. Sylvan Rain: We all come from different backgrounds and have our own reasons to fight, but... Sylvan Rain looks from member to member and back to Rivienne Marcellus. Sylvan Rain: We all love this world and want to protect it. That, we have in common. Ivaan Arkwright: Rivienne, these are good people. After... well, after Gridania, I joined up with them. They have never shown me any reason to have doubts. Rivienne Marcellus takes a deep breath while listening; finally, her words spill from her lips. Rivienne Marcellus: Very well. I will make an oath this day, for thou hast helped those who art friends and comrades of mine. Let us see this war over, I wilt lay down mine blade, for mine time shalt be spent at last in this realm, and I will be at thy service.

[thecrucibleffxiv]

THE DEATH OF A LEGEND: A TRIBUTE TO ZENA “THE RED” VALERIA

Professional hunters are a boon to our society - they prevent the notorious beasts that wander the realm of Eorzea from simply plowing through towns on a whim and decimating all in their path. Being from Othard, this reporter was unfamiliar with the danger lurking around every corner in Eorzea until I found myself neck deep in it. From enormous sea serpents that can swallow ships whole to giants so tall that they block out the sun, Eorzea is a truly terrifying place to live, and it's all thanks to hunters that life here goes on. Well, for most of us anyway, as we regret to inform you, dear readers, that the legendary monster hunter Zena Valeria has died.

“Who is Zena?”, you might ask. Well, for the uninformed, she was more commonly known as “Zena the Red”, a supreme hunter who was said to have felled Ifrit in a single blow. Rumors say that she began her career as “Zena the White”, but the blood of her enemies stained her armor so deeply that it could not be washed out, thus she embraced her fate and became The Red and a legend was born. She has taken out monsters that could only exist in the nightmares of regular people such as you and I, but in the end what did her in was a common cactuar.

On that fateful day, Ul'Dah was in a state of emergency as the dread cyclops Brontes had emerged from hiding, eager to feast on the flesh of man and fine cuisine. The beast was so enormous that a single swing of his club would cause gusts so powerful that they could topple trees from malms away. Countless brass blades gave their lives in order to stall for time while the hunters and the immortal flames were called to the scene.

Reports say that after holding the beast at a stalemate for hours, the flame general Rabuahn Aldynn stepped in to settle the score himself. Brontes proceeded to pick up the flame general and a few flames unfortunate to be close by and juggled them, showing off using a trick it picked up from its time in the circus. It ate the pudgiest of the men, dropped another to the ground, and swung the flame general by his remaining arm and flung him over the horizon. Just as all hope seemed to be lost, Zena the Red appeared on the scene, and after finishing a sandwich she had brought to taunt the beast, she charged the fiend and ran it through with nothing but her fists. A torrent of rain and blood poured from the sky, but all those present to witness the scene were too baffled to even react. Zena had saved the city and slain the beast that had taken so many lives and made it look effortless.

High off of her own success, Zena began to make her way home when she spotted a sleeping cactuar in her path. She kicked the thing to move it and continue on her way, but startled and hurt, the cactuar shot all of it's needles at Zena, striking a nerve in her upper neck, rendering her unable to move or even breathe. And so she died on the side of the road, drowning on dry land unable to call for help, a surprising and tragic end for such a mighty soul.

The Crucible reached out to those who knew Zena best in an effort to understand the woman better, to know what made her a hero and why she would risk her life so selflessly day after day for us all. One Aoife Mahsa, owner and proprietor of the Spookeasy tavern in the Lavender Beds and known treebeast was so stricken with grief that she didn't know how to cope. Upon hearing the news she looked over her shoulder and said “Ah! Zena! Did you know you're dead?”, as if the woman were standing behind her - she refused to accept it! We were able to calm her down with time and began to chat about Zena, to honor her memory, when Mahsa made a startling confession, “...she stole a book from a giant owl. About gay dragons.” Perhaps it was another notorious monster that loved books, or perhaps Zena had a habit of thieving literature of questionable taste. While I acknowledge the possibility I dare not speak ill of the dead. Particularly dead which, if risen, would be able to kill me with little more than a glance.

One of Zena's housemates, Yun Khatayin, took in the news with bittersweet stride. While grateful that ownership of their home would now be transferred to her, she knew exactly why things turned out the way they did. “Zena always had an obsession with cactuars. Her people eat them like cucumbers. This is a revenge killing.” This information shed new light on the tragedy; Zena was likely fed up with her people's tradition of vegetarianism and took it out on the first cactuar she saw. Khatayin also informed me that Zena was not universally beloved, as she told me of Zena Valeria's greatest foe, one Sylvan Rain.

We found Sylvan Rain meditating under a waterfall in upper La Noscea and waited for her to notice us, which took approximately an hour and a half. When she finally did notice us an aura of hostility permeated the very air. We were very gracious in asking for an interview and as such she gave us the answers we were looking for. We told her of the disappointing circumstances surrounding Zena's demise, and to our surprise her response was as follows: “The only thing that is disappointing is that we did not to get to have our own grand battle.” Rain regretted that she was not the one to take the life of the hero Zena, and what a terrifying fight it would have been. This reporter's colleague stepped out of line after the response we got and was swiftly knocked unconscious with no effort on Rain's part. I ran after that.

All in all, Eorzea lost a daughter, Thanalan lost a protector, and the realm is rightly in mourning. But as we saw from the fact that a common cactuar took down a woman who was a god among men, even the most timid, unnasuming creature can take down anyone if provoked.

Written by timid, unassuming staffer Yomiko Kusanagi.

Feat: @zenathered @foewreckem @korpokkur-kid & @sylvan-rain

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[safestsephiroth]

@sylvan-rain @thefateofivalice @dragoons-spear-fish-the-sky

[thecat-inthehat]

The Riskhouse got new outside decos. Needless to say, the cats swarmed. And then Moms. 

[rasenkaikyo]

Risks

previously

with @cogflox and @sylvan-rain

The rakshasa locks its glassy, dead eyes with Hinako's and charges forth with reckless abandon.

Hinako slips a little against the ground and is caught offguard by the beast's ferocity, as it knocks her to the side.

“Oof!” Hinako staggers back up to her feet and readies her counterattack, Masakaki firmly in hand. "Fuu!" she sends forth a fierce gust of wind at the rakshasa, a beast in the appearance of a ghastly, oversized vanara, but it leaps to the side and rebounds off the nearest rock-face. “?!” The corrupted vanara flies with all its force at Hinako! She parries and quickly leaps back to a safe distance from her assailant. Hinako then senses another soul somewhere near her flank. This one is not so corrupt but she's not quite able to read it as a civilian. "Who goes there?!"

Yue had been walking to Namai when she heard sounds of battle. She drew her lance and made her way to the sounds, spotting a priestess locked in combat with a ferocious beast. She leaps into action without a word, falling atop the monster from above with her lance.

After impacting, she falls back to the woman's side. "Are you hurt?!"

"Ah?!" Hinako looks with a measure of surprise. "--I’m fine. Just a little scoffed up. This one's proving to be quite tricky."  The rakshasa utters another inhuman scream, taken back by the new arrival to the fray. "Ahh... Well, then, let me help you dispatch it!" She stands in front of the stranger as the beast charges again, dancing around its teeth and claws. She strikes with all the precision of an Ishgardian-trained Dragoon, piercing its hide. The beast steps back a bit at Yue's strike before lunging again at her with its maw open in an attempt to clamp down. Yue twirls out of the way, now displaying some of her Far Eastern spearfighting, though she lacked her naginata. She lunges forward at the beast again, intent on striking it in the throat.The strike lands in its neck, causing it to reel and flail aggressively, and in attempt to get Yue to back off. Hinako, meanwhile, regains her focus and twirls her staff.

This felt like the place. The Madou energy radiated a bit to the east, growing stronger with every beat of Ginga's wings. "Hurry, Ginga! We've got duties to carry out."

"Chi!" Hinako calls out, and a path of stone after stone rises up from the ground to meet with the rakshasa. It is knocked briefly upward by the sharp force as the very earth shot up below it. It tries to regain its footing to ready its next attack.

"Hm..?" Below Sylvan was a girl doing battle with whatever this creature was that gave off a Madou signature. Instead of instructing Ginga to descend she shakes her head, waits and observes. "Pretty impressive for a random adventurer. "That other one.." she mumbles to herself, seeing Yue. "Is that..?"

"Huh...?" Something nearly gave Hinako pause before the rakshasa opened its maw once more, and a sphere of aether gathered therein. It let it loose as a rapid, erratic beam of energy that ripped through the ground toward Hinako and Yue. "Ah! Look out!" Yue stood in front of the stranger to take the hit, but it misses. "Oh..." Instead, she takes to the air, coming down hard once again on the rakshasa. The rakshasa pushes back to knock Yue away while Hinako, having stepped to its side, casts another rush of sharp wind at the beast. The rakshasa howls out as it is taken with the violent gust, while Sylvan lands at the side of its opponents. Yue Dustdreamer's eyes grow wide with awe upon seeing Sylvan Rain. Hinako looks to the second newcomer. "Hey, wait.. do I..." Sylvan Rain disagrees with Hinako Daigo.

"Ah!! I know you! You are... Woodland Showers!" She smiles. It has been so long, hasn't it? "Ah.. Close.. Sylvan Rain.." she says, chuckling. Her attention quickly returns to the creature before them. This feeling it gave off, it was familiar. Something she'd felt with the Makai. Why was it here? "Seems you have a bit of a problem on your hands." Yue turns her attention back to the rakshasa. "Oh, yes... just a little." The rakshasa growled at the presence of Sylvan, taking a defensive stance. "It is a bit of a rough job,” Hinako says. Sure wasn't sure what to make of the energies Sylvan emanated, although they were somewhat familiar in a way.

Unsure of what this thing could do, Sylvan decides to test it from a distance. She takes a sharp breath inward and suddenly, there is a sudden surge in power that courses through her body. She brings her right fist down, the glowing metal gauntlet that covers it cracking through the ground beneath them and bringing forward a streak of energy that would shoot along the ground toward the beast.  It jumps to the side and trembles violently, before bounding at the group, claw poised to swipe at Sylvan! The rakshasa reaches to attack her and instead of stepping off to the side she dashes forward. Sylvan calls out, her voice echoing unnaturally as the aether filled her body again. With a grunt and what could be described as a growl, she stops the attack with her gauntlets crossed one over the other.

"Now, someone kill this damned thing!"

The rakshasa is dumbstruck, shaking and struggling to push down on Sylvan but being met with fierce resistance.

Yue glances back at the stranger. "Go on! It was yours, was it not?" Hinako nods, before gathering energies from within as the air kicked up around her. Sylvan burns with aether visibly, like it's seeping from her very body. Another gutteral sound wells up from within her as she keeps the rakshasa from moving, the ground around her feet cracking.

Instead, the Rakshasa suddenly breaks its attack from Sylvan and recedes a bit, before leaping ahead in an upward arch. The rakshasa lands behind them and whips its tail at Hinako! "Tch.. nimble thing..", Sylvan utters. Hinako swoops around and jumps away in all possible swiftness. "Confound it..."

Seeing the spell miss, Yue leaps to the air for one final jump attack. The rakshasa takes the aerial strike in the shoulder as Yue lands on it, and an inky blackness sprays forth from ensuing wound. It screams and writhes and in its haste emits twin beams of lightning aether in a conal at Sylvan and Hinako. Sylvan runs in front of Hinako and throws a punch wrapped in aether at the beam, splitting it in two around them. Yue attempts to keep it pinned down so one of the others could finish it off.

"!!" Hinako tries hard to concentrate.

As the rakshasa struggles to Yue's actions, Hinako readies her spell once more… "Mabatake!!" Hinako calls out as she twirls her shakujo and emits a purifying blast of pure white aether. The rakshasa is brought onto its hind legs, prompting Yue to jump off, but then is... frozen in place, like a statue. It is an open target for Sylvan's final strike. Yue leaps back so they can finish it!

There's some time so Sylvan smirks to herself, and takes in a deep breath. Energy from the ground, trees and the very air around them fills Sylvan and she begins to glow once again. "Now then.. You've been here long enough. Back to where you come from, and take that Madou with you!" She keeps it simple and channels all of that aether into her right fist, sending it forward and plunging into the rakshasa's face.

The beast is sent flying back as if with great force, scraping hard against the ground, howling once more in pain before it tumbles to a stop... Broken, it struggles in vain before truly collapsing, dissipating into aether and returning to whence it came.

"Well then.." Sylvan Rain looks around. Yue Dustdreamer celebrates victory. Hinako sighs and returns Masakaki to her back.

"That monster was quite difficult! I am glad we all came together to stop it." Yue looks to Sylvan. "I'd heard you were lost here in Doma... Well, I am glad I found you! I can guide you back home." Yue Dustdreamer motions joyfully to Sylvan Rain.

The aether of the creature disappears leaving Sylvan momentarily puzzled. Did she imagine that feeling of Madou? She looks over her shoulder to the others and she smiles, knowing there was no point in worrying. "To put it simply, yes I was lost after the fall of Doma Castle. For a time, anyway. "I've already seen Ashelia and some of the others. Not to worry."

"Oh! Well, at least they know. But if you really need help getting home I can point you in the right direction." Yue nods to herself, satisfied with Sylvan's safety even though she apparently lacks any sense of direction, and then turns to the stranger.

Hinako shrugs gently and approaches the two. Hinako Daigo performs an Eastern bow. "Both of you, I thank you for your help. It seems... you two are acquainted?"

Sylvan Rain performs an Eastern bow before Hinako Daigo. Yue Dustdreamer performs an Eastern bow before Hinako Daigo.

"You did well to hold up against such a creature!” Sylvan replies. “And yes we belong to the same Free Company, though I've had my attention.. Elsewhere."

Yue follows up. "We are members of the same company, actually! It is quite the coincidence that we crossed paths here. "I am here to help with the reconstruction effort, you see." Sylvan Rain nods to Yue Dustdreamer. "Ah! I've helped with the restoration as well! Heavy lifting." Sylvan smiles at Hinako.

Hinako smiles back. "I see! A blessing, indeed, to see you two meet under such circumstances. As you can see, as is, there is no such shortage of work to do." She looks to Sylvan. "I thought I might have seen you around. I too have been regularly visiting the Enclave. "Pray forgive-- Hinako Daigo. It is a pleasure." She bows courteously.

"Sylvan Rain." Sylvan Rain bows courteously to Hinako Daigo. "Oh! Nice to meet you, Hinako. I am called Yue!" Yue Dustdreamer bows courteously to Hinako Daigo.

Hinako nods to Yue. "Well met."

"Do you live here in Doma?" Yue asks.

"Here, and there. I hailed from Iwa-no-Sato, to the north. At least until the Empire encroached. I have no permanent settlement here now, but I no less call Doma home."

"Ohh... so you have been hurt by the Empire too. I am sorry. I... have come to know how that feels."

"You displayed impressive power back there,” Sylvan says. “It seems you're experienced with such creatures."

Hinako nods. "Iwa had a beautiful shrine, and we priests not only took to honor its upkeep, but worked abroad to assess other spiritual dangers. You could say that fiend we encountered was all in due course."

Yue stiffens at her words. "Shrine? Priests...?" "Yes? Are you alright, Miss Yue?" She wouldn't convey it, but now that the dust had settled Hinako could certainly sense that something was slightly amiss.

Yue Dustdreamer disagrees vehemently with Hinako Daigo.

"Oh, yes, I am quite well! It's just, um, I had a run-in with a shrine maiden some time ago who made some frightful claims about me… "But she most certainly had me mistaken for someone else."

Sylvan smiles with a certain understanding of Hinako she was saying. It sounded similar to the order of the Makai Priests and Priestesses. "As strong as you may be it may be wise not to take on such dangers alone."

"I see..." Hinako simpers at Yue and looks back to Sylvan, conceding. "Yes, I suppose I got in a little too deep. At the least I might have wound up with a little more to show than dirt on my robes." “It is quite fortunate we all crossed paths, then," Yue said. "You show much promise." The smile Sylvan gave was warm, friendly. Like they'd been friends for a long time. And her words, she spoke as if they were fact. "One day you will be greater than you realize." Hinako smiles weakly at Sylvan Rain.

"Ooh, you've never said such things about me, Sylvan!" Yue exclaims.

"You have a whole company to train with and nurture your ability!" Sylvan Rain questions Yue Dustdreamer.

Yue smiles. "Ah! Yes, I do! Hinako, do you?" Yue smiles at Hinako with wide eyes which blink far less often than a normal person's, which is just enough to make some people uncomfortable.

Hinako, undeterred by Yue's peculiarities, mulled her question over for a second. "...Not anymore. I recently parted ways with my last employer on good terms."

"Then why don't you come with us?" Yue asked. "Oh, only if you promise not to call me Nodoka like that last shrine maiden did! It was quite strange. "That is, if you'd like some new friends. Or a place to go. Or someone to help you reconstruct Doma. But I must warn you, it's quite far. So it is very understandable that Sylvan got so lost."

"I was not lost." Sylvan rebuffed so promptly. "It's.. complicated. I will explain another time." Sylvan Rain shrugs at Yue Dustdreamer. Yue Dustdreamer shrugs at Sylvan Rain.

"Nodoka..." Why did that ring a bell to Hinako? "...If you insist. I would pray ask something, then.

"You mentioned an Ashelia. Would that be an Ashelia... Riot?"

Yue Dustdreamer looks at Hinako Daigo in surprise. "Ah! Do you know Lady Ashelia?" Sylvan quirks an eyebrow, wondering how it is she knows Ashelia.

"I might be familiar with the name. That would mean, then, that you two are Riskbreakers!" Yue Dustdreamer motions joyfully to Hinako Daigo. Sylvan Rain nods to Hinako Daigo.

"Yes, we are!" Yue says. "Wow... I never thought I would be famous..." Yue Dustdreamer seems lost in thought.

Hinako Daigo looks surprised!

"What an auspicious encounter, indeed! It is as the kami conspired to arrange it. If you invite me to yours then I would gladly accompany you." Hinako Daigo is positively beaming. Yue Dustdreamer shows Hinako Daigo her uncontainable jubilation!

"It should be possible for me to transfer you with me through the aether should you not have the ability to travel over long distances in such a way," Sylvan proceeds to explain.

Yue Dustdreamer's eyes grow wide with awe upon seeing Sylvan Rain. "Wow, so you really were not lost… Amazing!”

Sylvan realizes she hasn't discussed the new extent of her abilities with anyone, but continues on. "It would be fastest. Should you wish to travel in such a way, I mean."

"I should make it clear that that is not something all Riskbreakers can do, just so you know..." Yue says. "I can teleport quite far, but with help."

"Travel by tenkonto, yes?” Hinako inquires. “It might be for the best, considering the traditional alternatives." Sylvan Rain nods to Hinako Daigo.

"Have you ever been to Eorzea?" Yue asks Hinako.

"Quite. I have spent moons and then some there, following Doma's fall, and I have seen much of its ... unique splendor."

“"Well, that is perfect!”

"If you'll both hold onto me I will get us there,” Sylvan says.

"Very well," Hinako replies as she reaches out to Sylvan. Yue does the same.

Again, Sylvan centers herself and this time ensures that the build of aether is slow. She combines her own aether with the aether of the planet, and to the two others with her. Soon the aether of the planet would 'grab' onto theirs and whisk them away to Eorzea, through the very energy of the planet itself.