carbungle | IC Contact

IC Contact | Hugtopia

pretty much yeah. elemancy is kind of a weird science thats hard to explain, for me its as much instinct as technique. i kinda like it tho? its relaxing

huh thats weird about the death mechanic... it wasnt designed to be rly distressing or anything. maybe theres a way to tweak it so u could play? i can talk 2 pyra, i bet she could code something in if u know a way for it to be better. its supposed to be fun all the way

that doesnt sound like much of a choice 2 me, but the only one who can make it us u i guess. i still hope theres a way tho, 4 both of u. so you can do whatever you want with your life

thats a strange way to make gods lol. kind of cool but also kind of freaky. so do u have to choose it or can it just happen? bc that would be rough

idk if it would b the same or similar for ardyn, but accepting darkness is probably gonna b a long game if it happens at all. if i was gonna guess the big part would be hes scared of absorbing the wrong memory & going all evil mode like he's supposed to on eos. like if its just a thing that happens what if he does it by mistake? then not only is he stealing memories from some1 but they might die or become a daemon, and if he does it w/ the wrong person and THEY were secretly evil or people-hating like ifrit and ardyn becomes more like them, and less like him as a trade off

makes sense that he couldnt do both together before learning separately. same concept as warping in combat. if i was bad at either i'd probably warp right onto swords all the time lol

[And that only happens when he's confused!! Definitely!]

blue mages sound cool. i mean idk if ardyn would have a GOOD response to hearing about them but the context def makes sense for it. we kinda had a talk about uhhhh ~memories~ like that and hes still not in a good place 4 that shit based on that. put a pin in it maybe??

im gonna be honest... i don't actually know which one it is. ive fought lots of daemons, so i got used to seeing them all the time, and they didn't scare me like they used to bc we were strong enough to take care of it. but just b4 i came back here i had to make it thru a nif base on my own, without my power. asshole did something 2 block them so all i had was the ring, and there was no way to escape. so it was hours, probably more like days of running and hiding w/ no one to help, and he was watching the whole time, there were daemons and magitek troopers trying 2 kill me everywhere & the ring wasnt making my life any easier either. by the time izunia got to me just the sight of that spooky daemon smoke had me on a hair trigger

ive never seen him in daemon-mode except through a vision in the crystal so... maybe it is just the daemon thing

Arcanima is not dissimilar in that regard. It's just maths. Geometry, specifically. Even if we understand that creating a geometry with specific angles, ratios, and radii will cause a particular effect, we don't necessarily understand why.

It is wonderful and finicky. For many years my Carbuncle was unable to vocalize any sound, and it was only a few years ago that I discovered it was due to a line in my summoning geometry being off by three degrees.

Being unable to interact with the world around us brought back very visceral memories of trauma. An option where the 'dead' party member is instead placed under a Heavy spell so intense it renders them naught but dead weight may be a reasonable compromise for those with sensory trauma? It would allow for continued stimulus without otherwise providing any advantage.

Shiva and King Thordan were done with intent by each catalyst. Phoenix was unintentional, but a very unique situation.

Titania is purposeful, though it can be done unintentionally. I gathered all the relics to unlock the castle doors, and the ritual to become the Fae King was to do just that. I hadn't know about this. If not for Feo-Ul I would have been forced to ascend, and am eternally grateful to my lovely branch for their aid.

I believe so long as you retain your physical flesh and your will you cannot be forcefully turned into a Primal, though I don't know for certain.

Ardyn can absorb memories?

[ She needs a hot second to parse that one. Yikes. ]

If you want to know if it is darkness in general or Ardyn's darkness I could show you some of my abilities.

Those moments when everyone is against you and you can do naught but hide and flee... I cannot imagine being without allies or magic, and having naught but a cursed ring for reassurance. I'm so sorry, Noct.

i guess the universal truth is just that magic is sometimes WEIRD and there's no fixing that lol

heavy... idk that spell. is it kinda like petrification? bc something in between could work. like maybe some small movement could b possible but u cant affect any1 in the game in a pos or neg way, 0 dmg until ur healed. i think thatd be doable, its just programming numbers. lots of games have accessibility options, id like it if everyone could play kings knight in a way theyre comfy with u know?

geez im glad you didnt have to become a fae anything. i dont know much about that kind of thing outside of fairy tales but im pretty sure every1 knows not to mess with fae!

[And- wait. Shit. Double shit.]

i

idk why i thought u knew that already

sorry gods uh. u should ask him, he might tell u. or i can ask him. i gotta apologize, man ive been rly good about keeping all those secrets straight jkfhdskf heck

ill think about the offer... dont want 2 make things awkward if i cant handle it. nothing against u im just kind of a big mess lately lol

yeah.... thx. i guess it could have been worse, if i didnt have the ring id have been rly alone. even if its cursed its still my family kinda? like... dads soul was with me. it wasnt perfect but it kept me alive, and id rather have that than nothing

The good kind of weird. (ノ°∀°)ノ⌒･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*☆

Heavy makes the afflicted feel as though their body is much heavier, to such an extent that it's generally not worth the effort to move until the effect disappears. Depending on the strength of the spell the intensity of the effect can be adjusted. It's quite handy.

The fae as a whole are not so horrible. The Nu Mou are rather sweet, and adore serving mortals. The pixies are all about the size of my faerie, Lily, though look very different and have the mentality of children. All they want to do is have fun and play, and don't particularly care if their games are harmful to mortals. Many of the vaguely human-shaped bushes were once unsuspecting people. Some of these transformations were done to spare the victims from becoming Sin Eaters.

Then there are the Fuath. They live underwater and are prone to drowning those they wish to keep forever. Luckily I can breathe underwater lol. When Ardbert found me after my encounter with them he said "The first rule of dealing with the Fuath...is do not deal with the Fuath."

Feo Ul is a pixie, though they never fit in. Feo is much more mature, and very kind compared to the others. They make a wonderful Titania.

All the fae band together when there is an assault on their home, Il Mheg. The Kingdom of Rainbows. They are utterly, gleefully ruthless.

Your dad did the same once. I had asked after you and he mentioned the prophecy in his answer as though I already knew of it. He was so surprised I hadn't known.

In this circumstance it's understandable you would assume I knew. After all, I also have 'memory issues' due to my Echo, and you know Ardyn is aware of this. I'm accustomed to the Echo being common knowledge across my realm as it isn't an uncommon 'gift'. The first Echo vision I had here was with Ardyn. His easy acceptance of my visions was familiar — it was only his concern that hadn't been. In retrospect there are a few other things that leave me surprised I hadn't thought of this before...

With all things taken into consideration and all that weighs you down as of late, it can be difficult to keep track of everything. I know Ardyn won't be upset with you, Noct. Just try not to make up the difference by being upset with yourself in his stead, all right?

But on the subject of my Echo, and your cursed ring. My Echo stems from my soul reaching out to connect with other souls, fragments of them, or traces of them left imprinted upon objects.

As for my offer, this piece of information might be of use: I am able to use my abilities in a way where you wouldn't associate them with me. Esteem doesn't need to take my form — they have one other.

pretty sure that can be done yeah. ill look into it & let u know if/when its fixed then, u can tell me if its better maybe

i dont have any exp with fae, dont know if they exist on eos. but theres stories about everything. i guess some daemons might look like theyd fit old stories so of course those would be bad ones. its more like "be careful" than "theyre bad" i think? but idk ive never heard a specific story just vague stuff. i got rly into old fairytales after tenebrae bc we read the cosmogony so much while i was there & not like i could do much else but sit around and read in bed lol

i think the prophecy is one of those open secrets, like every1 here knows about it, and growing up a bunch of ppl in my social circle knew it was a thing & i was part of it. idk how far it went but they all just knew the vague "the chosen will save our star" version. idk who knew the rest of it, no one told me until bahamut. iggy didnt know, cor didn't know. hell even ardyn didnt know. idk about the oracles. i think dad might, when he gets there. it would explain a lot if he knew, to be honest.

yeah thats kind of why it didn't occur to me to not say it, i guess... when i think "who to talk to about borrowed memories" u and ardyn are the names that come to mind u know? ur old pros lol you'd get it. tho youre probably more uhhhh how to phrase it. more chill about it? like ur used to it & dont freak out. ardyn has good reason to
gdit there i go again just ask him

i do need to be more careful tho, im sure it's ok this time but i dont want to end up sharing some1 else's secret & hurt them. its hard to keep track of who knows what and what's safe... i guess this is why cor wanted to get everyone on the same level last year. idk how well that worked, i didn't want any part of it at the time.

u know, its weird actually w/ the ring. usually they like to make some white noise in the bg but they get rly quiet when ur there. like they're sulking in the corner lol. i think u have a natural debuff on pissed off ghost kings

anyway the ring only connects w/ our family or ppl they've chosen so ur probably pretty safe. ancient powers like these need a 2 way street & theyve been rly stubborn about sharing. i wouldnt b surprised if they had a wall of their own in there, its kind of their whole thing

another form?

That would be wonderful, thank you.

So far as I'm aware there are no fae in the Source, only the First. 12,000 years ago our worlds were all identical, but in the time since then much as changed. Maybe the fae folk found the First just as Midgardsormr found the Source? It's odd.

Do you have a favourite fairytale?

The vague version is all I know. I believe Dad knows the rest. He wishes to let you to make as many choices yourself as you can, before your ability to choose is taken away from you. That is what made me assume it was the kind of prophecy where things don't end with 'happily ever after'.

If I'm honest, 'Ardyn has good reason to freak out' applies to most things involving him. What I experienced in both his and Somnus' memories...

I don't think he believes me when I tell him he is no monster, and it is frustrating. I saw him as one. I lived it through those stolen memories. Him as a monster, and him as his future self that day... Before you were born? Insomnia, with the streets emptied. After a battle. Scorch marks marring the asphalt. Damaged buildings. Tattered banners. It was a fierce duel, but I did not experience it. Just the aftermath. So much... sadness. Regret. Guilt. Remorse so strong I could scarcely breathe. This was how things had to be.

"I dare not ask your forgiveness, but I do ask your understanding." I pleaded.

Brother stepped toward me. He was yelling. I don't remember ever hearing him yell like that before. Such fury.

"What!? You took everything from me—everything—and you ask my understanding!?"

It was well deserved, after what I'd done. What I had to do. The gods willed it to be so. He had to suffer, and keep suffering. My poor, tragic brother.

It's

hard. Sometimes. When the memories come back. To separate who I am and who they are. They are so real. So vivid... But then they fade again, and I'm just me.

I think... In this place it isn't something Ardyn needs to fear. If something were to happen we will be here to bring him back to himself. To remind him of who he is. He didn't have that at home. There, he was alone.

I will ask him about it once you've informed him I know.

Hemera's soul is stubborn and protective. She is also very ancient and very powerful. Perhaps she is intimidating to them?

Or perhaps for once my soul has decided to finally take my feelings into account and not reach out to soul-bits she shouldn't be touching, though I could only be so lucky lol

If your ring has created some manner of barrier it likely would take my soul too much effort to bother with, which seems the most plausible answer.

Whatever the reason I am glad for it. Though now I can't help but envision Hemera reaching out to say 'hello' to your ancestors, and all of them hissing at her before she can touch them. Except Dad, who might've liked less grouchy company.

It is a bit complicated.

Esteem possessed a fresh corpse for a while and pretended to be Fray in order to mentor me. A very strong imprint of his soul was left behind in my Soul of the Dark Knight. He wanted to continue living, I wanted a mentor, and my Darkside took advantage.

So Fray's form was somewhat 'imprinted' upon my Darkside, and thus in battle Esteem tends to prefer the form of Fray.

ah man idk, that was like ten years ago... actually i had starcarver on the brain a few months ago so that one is p fresh. he was the first anak from a legend about how the moon was created if u want to hear that

tbh the prophecy's just better off not being discussed. def NOT my favourite fairytale now

and yeah ardyn thinks hes a monster, he'll say as much to anyone. idk if it's possible to get him to think otherwise but its not for lack of trying thats for sure

that was the echo u got? that sounds like

hold on

[And Noctis straight-up vanishes from the conversation for a while. Probably a good hour longer than a response would normally come. Talking about it is one thing but that was... a lot. A lot, a lot.]

sorry um

ok

man ur not kidding about the vivid thing. thats. rly intense. no wonder ur that way with dad now if mine was like that.

i think what worries me most abt ardyn if that happens to him is like.... idk if i can even help at all. im not there yet, so id probably just make things worse. i just have to hope it doesnt happen at all, since i know thats what he wants too. still im glad the rest of u are better than me with it

for the ring, i guess maybe. there could be a lot of reasons. 2000 years seems like a lot to ppl like us who havent lived that long but for real ancients like the astrals or crystals or your a..........ascians??? its probably like a drop in a bucket. compared to the life of a whole world the ring isnt that old and most of the kings r much younger

lmao gods it doesn't look like an undead corpse or something does it??? bc those are def daemons and they're freaky lol... we did so much tomb-delving back home for the royal arms and they were always full of daemons like that. not the worst ever but still pretty unsettling

I would like to hear it if you will tell it. Though perhaps first explain what an anak is?

I've begun to see myself as a person, so there is hope yet for Ardyn.

It was one of the more pleasant memories I acquired, if that puts it in some perspective.

[ She waits patiently, having taken the time to feed the birds and enjoy a brief shower.

When he returns she takes a moment because. Huh. Did Noct mention having memory abilities of his own?

She supposes it must be a Crystal thing. ]

They were always so vivid, but only became so visceral since I met Ardbert. They never used to knock me unconscious, either. Just stagger me with a crippling headache.

Your dad also reminds me of Edmont, so it was more difficult to erase the association than it would have been otherwise. Fortunately you were right in that he didn't mind it. Surprisingly, he thinks of me as something of a daughter himself.

If you find yourself struck by memories it helps if you've a focus to anchor you to yourself — particularly if it's something the memory would not have. My necklace helps ground me. My tail does as well. Focusing on my own physicality helps me then sort through which emotions belong to me and which don't.

I think the most difficult part is if your emotions are similar, or if they strike a chord with your soul. It's much harder to detach from.

The Echo is a natural ability that comes from my soul; a remnant of the Old World. For all that I find it difficult, my soul is at least made for this. If you ever have questions you think I may be able to help answer, or if you wish to simply talk, you are always welcome to contact me.

As for Ardyn... I hope it goes well.

Ascians, yes. The Amaurotines as well, before they were lost. They were effectively immortal, and more powerful than all the deities I've ever faced. They were also incredibly kind-hearted.

I have difficulty comprehending a single decade, and yet Hades was older than my planet. Time is an odd thing, isn't it?

What? No! Fray is just a young Hyuran man in full armour. And it isn't as though they're possessing his corpse any longer. That would be very impractical! I think I have a photo of them as Fray... One moment.

[ She has exactly one picture of Esteem as Fray.

She follows it up with a picture of what appears to be her, though the way she holds herself is different. While Era is soft, this 'Era' seems more sharp. Like a coeurl ready to spring at a moment's notice while curled up and looking bored.

Esteem seems irritated, wearing a black tank top beneath the fabric draped and pinned into the loose form of a dress. ]

Fray is near your height. Esteem is identical to me, which has been useful for sewing new clothes. They act like they hate it, but I know they enjoy time out of the abyss even if it's not for bloodshed. Without a sword I can't feed them like I used to, so they take what they can get.

o yeah sure. anak are big animals with long legs & long necks. if u saw the bone monsters out in the new regions, those things reminded me of them actually, except live versions obviously. they all have horns but some bigger than others. the stags have huuuge antlers that branch out

starcarver is the story of an anak that was born from a tree, the first one ever. he stayed awake at night and slept most of the day, so he couldn't spend as much time with his mother as he wanted. so he grew and grew until his antlers reached the sky, and he started collecting stars on his horns. he thought if he collected enough of them he could give night a sun and his mother would be with him during the day. problem is that there are way too many stars, and his antlers got too heavy. finally he left the stars in the sky in a huge ball. it didn't light the sky the way he wanted, but his mom was proud of the effort, and thats how starcarver made the moon

i think the lesson was something like, no amount of effort is meaningless, even if the result isn't what you wanted. with a side of, maybe try thinking up other solutions instead? bc the actual answer is what happened for real: anak aren't nocturnal, so either the whole thing's a lie or they learned to stay awake in the day instead lol

dad said that? huh, wonder if he wanted a daughter. im sure if things worked out different hed have had a bunch of kids with mom.

and its

gods idk how to explain but like... its not memories? or feelings? or maybe it is & im not noticing the difference. its weird. things have been weird since the crystal. when i woke up i felt rly overwhelmed and like

full? is that it does that make sense? actually none of it makes sense nevermind

[Uuuuugh this is so confusing... what the hell does he even say? Not like he understands it yet.]

man im glad im not immortal, imaging trying to hold on to all THOSE memories hahaha

[hang on.

.......NOPE IT'S GONE AGAIN]

so hang on esteem is your darkside and fray was your.......teacher? who died and esteem took their form? or wait

idk if i get it

esteem looks cool tho? like a classic knight

Oh! We have similar things, but they have no antlers, and have humps in their backs. They are called dhalmels. Absolute arseholes.

That is a cute story. ♡ I don't know any tales about our remaining moon, though I'm certain there must be some. People make stories for all manner of things.

All I know is that our moon is Zodiark, just as my world is Hydaelyn. Hopefully when I battle Him the moon will still remain. It's quite pretty.

He's Da. He would have had a bunch of kids, and would have wanted at least one baby girl to spoil. Edmont only had sons, and seemed to take great joy in pampering me with lovely, warm gowns and coats in styles unsuited for men. Fortunately he had moderately better taste than the rest of your family seems to.

Like there is so much more of you and your body doesn't fit right anymore, like squeezing into a shirt that's too small.

I know there is a great deal that Hades forgot. He passed a great deal of time with sleep, and I believe that's what helped him retain much of who he was. One of his fellows, Lahabrea, was one of the Convocation of Fourteen — the elected leaders and protectors of Amaurot, all of whom were unmatched in excellence in their fields of study. In the time between the Sundering and when I first encountered him, he was a man on the cusp of sanity. Intelligent, but unhinged. Hades said it was due to how often he possessed and discarded bodies over the millennia.

I think strength of one's spirit and sense of self is what keeps an immortal 'sane', though I am glad I do not need to become one myself. I would not be able to watch my mortal loved ones come and go like flowers to the frost.

On the subject of the Convocation of Fourteen, I don't know a great deal about them, but I know one thing you might find particularly amusing:

The first Halmarut was an expert in the field of phytobiology (study of biology specific to plants) and enjoyed landscape gardening. He grew tired of pests eating his work, so with an innovative application of creation magicks he eventually triggered the evolution of carnivorous plants.

When I went through the halls of Akadaemia Anyder (the building where each Convocation member conducts their research) and reached the Words of Halmarut, I was met by the most complex and powerful morbol I have ever had the misfortune of encountering. You would be more familiar with them as marlboros, I believe.

While the visitor's guide did not state it explicitly, it's safe to infer that Halmarut created morbols as a personal project because he wanted things to stop eating his beloved plants. 😂 😂 😂 I can't say I blame him for it, as it is utterly infuriating when the plants you put so much effort in are suddenly eaten!

It's... weird. Fray Myste was slain in a trial of combat by the Inquisition when he rescued a little girl from being executed as a heretic. They tossed his corpse into the Brume like trash. I came upon his corpse but did not realize he was dead. There was a soul crystal by his feet, calling to me. I picked it up and felt immense pain, fell unconscious, and woke up to Fray standing over me. He guided me on my path to become a Dark Knight.

But it wasn't really Fray. The residual desire of his soul to continue living was incredibly powerful, and when combined with my own subconscious desire for a mentor and a teacher... My Darkside stole a large portion of my aether and used it to possess Fray's corpse. There were enough of Fray's memories stored within the soul crystal to give my Darkside the knowledge to teach me.

It was only when the aether they stole from me began to run out that they revealed themselves as Esteem, in their true face — my face.

When my aether is used to create a temporary, physical form like that it is called a 'simulacrum'. Like an illusion, but solid. Their knowledge is limited to the memories of those that gave them form. In theory I could create one of anyone I have memory of, though I have no idea how to do it of my own accord. When I summon Esteem it is just me asking them to come out and hoping they actually listen lol They are so bored in this place that they come out most times I call to them, while at home I occasionally have to quite literally rip them from my chest.

The real Fray Myste was a wonderful, honorable man and I am sorry I never had the chance to meet him.

The little girl he rescued is now well taken care of by his foster brother and fellow Dark Knight, Sidurgu. Rielle is old enough now that poor Sid is overwhelmed by her mood swings, though he does his best. I have a picture of them! One moment.

[ She shoots off a picture of herself, Sidurgu, and Rielle. She's posing in front of him alongside the young girl who is her height, while Sid stands with his arms crossed, looking as though he's asking the gods why his life has ended up this way. ]

ive always rly liked anak for some reason. i was rly small for so long every1 towered over me so maybe i just felt safer around tall things lol. a lot of them are v tame, its mostly the stags u gotta watch out for.

yeah youre right. man things would have been rly different if mom had lived & i had siblings. blood siblings anyway... that sure wouldve screwed up the whole prophecy thing, if the family continued past me. lil bump in bahamuts symmetry or w/e bet thatd piss him right off

i saw some of moms outfits, she had rly nice style. hope i inherited that from her lol

...yeah that fits. um. yeah.

[fuck.]

i think immortality seems sad overall. sad, or tired, or angry, or just... disconnected. thats how they all are on eos. im not hype about dying but im glad i dont have to live like that either.

omg omg what a dumb reason to make a MALBORO lmao thats great i love it (￢‿￢) one of the royal arms was in a swamp guarded by a malboro and it was the smelliest fight we ever had. im pretty sure it would make any garden it lived in worse... i swear i could smell swamp ooze on my soul for a week afterwards and that shouldnt even be possible. the warrior's a weirdo! ur sword isnt even that good y did you have a tomb built there

o wow that is rly out there, i dont think we have anything like that in my world. i guess theres at least 1 undead soul that can manifest a body and teaches sword stuff. i never met gilgamesh tho

sidurgu has a sword that looks like something gladio would love to swing lol. big unwieldy-lookin monster... is that normal for a dark knight?

It is certainly easier to hide behind something big and tall. There is safety in that, especially when you're small. Are there many creatures on Eos that are tame even when wild? In Eorzea everything will try to kill you, but stags and bulls are much more aggressive in general.

Considering what Bahamut has already done to ensure the prophecy fulfilled, do you think he would have allowed you to have blood siblings?

That is not the feeling from my Echo. It was how I felt after Ardbert's soul was Rejoined to mine. I still feel that way on occasion.

There are many folk tales and stories that treat immortality as a curse; a punishment. I think they are accurate.

Maybe the swamp came after his tomb was built? I can't imagine building in one on purpose. What if there was a leak, and suddenly your tomb is entombed by swamp goo? Or if his sword was not that good anyway, maybe it was meant as a joke lol

Marquis Morbol didn't even have the traditional Bad Breath! It had bile vomit, which was bad breath but grosser because it lingered. It was over twice as big, as it had seven or more heads of smaller sizes growing atop its base head. There were lovely flowers growing on each head though. I believe the upper heads had roses, as those tentacles were covered in thorns as well... It also had hands.

I think the Halmaruts' research may have led to the creation of other sapient plantlife, as the Words of Halmarut seemed to have the mandragora royal family there. That is a thing in Eorzea, though botanists have yet to 'confirm' it as there isn't enough concrete evidence.

There is Mandragora Queen, Tomato King, Onion Prince, Eggplant Knight, Pumpkin Jester, and the Leek Maid.

Their story is all very dramatic. Like a 'soap opera'. Perhaps I shall tell it someday. The Mandragora Queen and her loveless marriage to the Tomato King, finding forbidden love with the Eggplant Knight.

They roam around Eorzea seeking to rescue their non-sentient kin. I have heard tell that every now and then one may find a piece of their produce go missing when it was there a moment before, or the vegetable they're about to peel suddenly screams.

I can believe it — enough conscious, caterwauling Mandragora Kids have popped out from my gardens over the years. I'm almost surprised one hasn't sprung out of my gardens here yet.

Esteem (and Fray and Myste) are unique to me. Sidurgu doesn't know what to make of it, as manifesting one's Darkside in such a way has never been documented before. So it is just another of those 'weird Warrior of Light' things. I am so very special. 🙄

Gilgamesh... Eos has Greg??? Is Enkidu with him? It usually maintains the form of a bright green chicken in Eorzea.

And yes! What Sidurgu is wearing is the standard armour and weapon of a Dark Knight. Full plate armour and a sword with a blade nearly as tall as you are. We can use the flat of it as a shield in a pinch if need be, but Dark Knights carry no shields. After Haurchefant... I have always enjoyed the concept of my 'shield' only faltering if I falter.

Though we've a bad reputation, as you might guess. 'Dark Knight' doesn't conjure up images of a protector. It is primarily because the Holy See did not want them viewed as champions or heroes — they wanted their people to continue trusting and fearing the church.

[ CW: for strongly insinuated mistreatment of a child. The Holy See sucked pass it on ]

The first Dark Knight lived in the the latter half of the Sixth Astral Era, if I remember correctly, which would be near 700 years ago now.

He was a young commoner named Tyrphaniel the Unshod, who was granted knighthood by the Holy See of Ishgard for his acts of valour upon the battlefield. He had an unwavering sense of justice, and his desire to champion the cause of the lowborn was not changed by his entrance into the privileged world of the nobility.

It was this same moral fortitude that bid him trail after the robed figure of a priest dragging a squirming waif from the alleys of the Brume. Having already held suspicions, Tyrphaniel went to the clergyman's home.

The 'holy' man attempted to explain away his actions, but the incensed Tryphaniel drew his sword without hesitation, and answered the babbled excuses with a single, fatal blow.

Rather than praise his heroism, however, the knight’s peers condemned him for slaying a holy member of the church. He was forced to defend his life in a trial by combat. He survived, but was stripped of his knighthood. Unflinching in the face of accusations that he had fallen to darkness, Tryphaniel roared that he would gladly surrender a title that required him to turn a blind eye to a child’s suffering.

He cast aside his crested shield — the symbol of his station — and continued his crusade for the commonfolk with no thought or fear for what others held taboo.

His righteous deeds inspired some courageous few to embrace the path of the forbidden, and thus the legacy of the Dark Knight was born.

[ /CW ]

And so we Dark Knights swear fealty to none but justice herself. We do not turn a blind eye to the suffering of others no matter who is enacting it. Be they clergymen, royalty, beggars, thieves... Their status affords them no protection from our blades.

We tread the path that others fear with no regard to how society may view us. We do what need be done in the protection of others. We walk the path of darkness, empowering ourselves with our own fear and wrath and pain and rage and love.

We carry no shields, for we are the shield. Our blood and pain further fuel our arts. Every blow makes us stronger. We would throw ourselves upon our blades if need be to keep our charges safe.

We risk it all to stand up for others who are afraid. To stand up against those who others fear. There is no limit to what we will do in defense of the weak.

That is what the Dark Knight does, and that is why we are feared.

i guess tame is the wrong word, its not like theyd let me pet them. docile? thats better. ive walked right by some & they didnt care unless we attacked

i want 2 believe bahamut wouldnt go that far. the astrals never came across as evil to me, even bahamut. he just seemed idk... focused maybe? indifferent? to me it felt more like what mattered is the future and any1 not connected to that future didnt matter at all. so its like, maybe he could have stopped mom dying but he didnt, bc she did what she was supposed to by giving birth to the chosen so no other kids would have mattered 2 him. & when it comes to the gods they don't step in unless its my life thats in danger, they wouldnt save my friends. i wouldnt say its a good thing but its also not actively killing some1. idk if i could follow their lead if they did stuff like that, i dont think shiva would let it happen either

i think ardyn would agree with that too. he said something like, if his future self is so miserable, killing him would be merciful. even 2000 years is too long to be alone nevermind forever

the warrior is the only royal we know of whos tomb was built outside of lucis. the legend says he went on a bender after his queen died. i get the feeling he wasnt well loved by his ppl

i didnt know malboro could get worse, thank u for the poison puke nightmare in my imagination rn lol. u should ttly tell that story some time tho it sounds ridiculous

lol u ever notice that being the special or chosen one ends up basically worse in every way compared to other ppl, like... can there be another word for it than "special" bc special makes it sound like its supposed 2 b fun & its kind of not

dark knights sound cool. i have a feeling they would have a bad rep on eos too, dark and daemons and all. the more u talk about the holy see the more im glad they got taken out, yikes. glad that guy was there 2 save the kid as well, eff them. its a good policy to have. creed? motto? idk i like it

the "we are the shield" thing sounds kind of like gladio's family. i bet u and him would have a good convo, hed probably like the dark knight stuff too. esp the big swords

There are very few creatures like that in Eorzea. Even the flora is deadly.

The first time I went to the Black Shroud I tried to pick a mushroom and then it stood up and tried to kill me 😱 I joined the botanist's guild shortly thereafter. So many of the Seedkin look the same as their non-sentient cousins.

It's why I found 'vegetarianism' very confusing when I first learned of it. Ardyn dislikes eating things that were once alive, but in Eorzea even vegetables can be alive. If not for the food here is not 'real', I would have had difficulty cooking for his birthday!

Immortals do not hold the same values as mortals. 'Good' and 'evil' are very human concepts. I doubt Bahamut has done anything with malicious intent — all actions or interference (or lack thereof) would be done with the prophecy in mind. And if the Astrals are at all like the Primals of my world, their personalities and beliefs will all differ a great deal from one another.

Shiva is cool and collected, with great love and affection for her people. Garuda, on the other hand, is incredibly violent and legitimately insane. Ifrit is an arse with a temper, Titan is focused and protective. Ramuh is very judgemental, but calm and reasonable. Leviathan is territorial (he and Titan are my least favourites to fight).

Some of them care for mortals, others loathe them or see them only as energy, while others are indifferent. It's interesting. They all vary depending on the race that worships them, and the cause they were summoned for.

The fact that your Astrals apparently existed before humanity is difficult for me to comprehend. In my worlds, deities cannot exist without the faithful to shape them. The contrast is odd, when there are so many other similarities.

For me, I would say the benefits of being 'special' outweigh the negatives. If not for Mother's guidance I would have been long dead. I wouldn't have had the courage to tread a path that allowed me to realize my strength. I would have remained weak and, being the small woman I am, I would have been a easy prey for one of the many human traffickers. I would have had a short, miserable life.

But as things are, I am able to help people. I free the enslaved and oppressed. I protect and heal those in need. I inspire others to do better. I roam the world making new friends and alliances, experiencing things I could never have dreamed of. I have a family I love, and who loves me.

And in return I will never be 'normal'. I will always be bound to my duty. I will continue to suffer a great deal. I will likely never be able to be a mother. I will never belong to myself — always others.

To me, this is a balanced trade. I do not consider myself special as much as I consider myself blessed.

But for you... it would likely be different. You were born in a different world, in a different era. What are blessings to me may simply be the standard in your home. Reliable access to food, water, shelter, and medicine. People who love and protect you.

In your situation I would hate it. I would just want to be normal, like everyone else.

There is corruption everywhere, but it was more prevalent in the Holy See. Elsewhere such atrocious acts are openly outlawed and occasionally persecuted. Fortunately this means that when repulsive criminals tread in the shadows I am free to dispose of them. 🖤

Anyone who doesn't like a big sword is lying to themselves. 🤭 ⚔️ Should he ever arrive and I have a greatsword again, I will gladly show it off. Though for someone of Gladio's height it would be more akin to a broadsword.

see that just gives me another reason not to eat mushrooms. last time i picked any i almost got chomped by a catoblepas

man i could never be a vegetarian... even if i didnt hate veggies i love meat waaaay too much for that. i did get ardyn to try adamantoise meat 1 time tho and i think he liked it so theres some exceptions! or im good at bullying him idk

seems like the similarities between astrals and primals extend 2 personalities as well. besides garuda obv, she just borrowed the name from urs, and leviathan is female... weird. its neat too, but so hard 2 wrap my head around sometimes lol

they def came first tho, thats what i got out of shiva more or less. idk if they actively created humans or just watched the world develop them or what but they predate even solheim & thats the oldest human civilization on record so

ya i can see the appeal of that, i dont blame u for being grateful. on the other hand would ur life be in as much danger if u werent chosen to face all the stuff u end up fighting? lifes weird like that, one kinda circles the other. tho id like to think wed be helping ppl even without powers, it just makes it easier/safer... idk. its all ive ever known so theoretical stuff is hard to consider u know?

right right ur probably closer to iris in height... gladio towers over every1 lol. well w/ perspective it probably still looks impressive. gladios an image kind of guy.

.............OH SHIT GILGAMESH i forgot. u call him greg???? lmao. i only know about him from gladio, he fought the guy for some weird ancient power trial or w/e. he was somnus' shield so ardyn could tell u more, or cor, he fought gilgamesh too. hes like an undead ghostman now but not a daemon, none of us could figure out wtf he was or how he still existed after that long. enkidu wasnt a chicken tho he was uhhhh some kind of giant gryphon dragon monster

OH wyvern, giant wyvern thats what ardyn said. it was way bigger than the normal wyverns based on gladios story

It gives me more reason. You think you can eat me? No! I'll kill you and feast on your flesh instead, arsehole. If it's edible, I'll eat it. Sometimes even if it isn't edible. Except avocado.

He ate lamb stew with me on my name day! I found out afterward that he's vegetarian. He doesn't mind replicated meat since it isn't really killing anything.

You don't even like vegetables in stew? If you dump a bunch in a pot and simmer it with good, fatty meat for hours and hours the meat flavour soaks into everything. When you add some cream and herbs and spices it's so delicious. Everything tastes like succulent meat accented with rich, savory undertones. It tastes even better if the meat comes from something you kill yourself. The best lamb stew comes from karakuls who leave the biggest bruises behind.

Your Garuda named herself after my Garuda? I suppose I can only hope she doesn't end up taking after her namesake in the future.

Hydaelyn awoken my Echo, but my powers were not given to me. My strength is my own. She simply directed me upon the correct path. I still tried to help others before I found my strength, though there was little I could do.

A majority of the dangers I face as the Warrior of Light are ones I face willingly. I have the skills and experience to face them without fear, knowing I will make it through.

Without Mother's guidance I would never have joined the adventurer's guild. I never would have met Thancred, then joined the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.

I would have been alone, without family, starving in the streets of Ul'dah. I would have been captured and used by men. If I was lucky I would have been murdered. Most likely I would have been sold to the highest bidder, as Au Ra were rarely seen in those days. I would have fetched a pretty price on the market.

I would rather face endless deities in combat than to have ever lived that life. I'm fortunate to know just how fortunate I truly am. It makes the hardest days more bearable. In those moments I resent my life for what it could be, I quickly remind myself what it could have been. To have a life at all is a gift.

Hildebrand always calls him Greg, and they are friends... of a sort. Greg doesn't seem to like the nickname, but he also turned me into a toad once during a fight and then summoned a swarm of chickens to eat me. So he is Greg.

I'll have to inquire about your Gilgamesh. That is one similarity I would never have imagined.

Enkidu... Actually, I believe Greg summoned his companion as a Primal of sorts for the battle we had. Winged, humanoid demon with green armour, pointed horns like a stag, and a fiery red mane.

I recall hearing a story of the chicken Enkidu. Greg first found Enkidu while searching for a meal. Without the means to make a fire, he attempted to eat the fowl raw, only to find himself the victim of a furious counterattack. He was impressed by the bird's tenacity and he promptly made him his pet.

Eventually he named it Enkidu because he missed his companion so much.

In retrospect I think he may have been a traveller from between worlds.

i like that as a concept but the food's gotta be worth the effort to me. that stuff? SO not

i don't like vegetables period!! gross, no thank u. ill eat fries of any kind & if i cant taste veggies ill eat them if i have to. but if given the choice nope nope nope. iggys the only one who can make vegetables taste ok for me

our garuda says she forgot her name. we were fighting garuda at the time & she was like "i shall take the name of the goddess of storms" when she made a covenant w/ me. they looked rly similar and had the same kind of wind power so it made sense i guess. she never seemed crazy 2 me, maybe a little BATTLE crazy but thats different. she helps out a lot bc she likes to fight

geez... yeah, that makes sense. sorry, & im glad u didn't have to live a life like that. theres a lot i wouldnt have if i wasnt the chosen or the prince, and id rather be what i am than, idk, a prisoner of the nifs or something. i would be if i didnt have the power of the crystal so... ╮(˘､˘ )╭ guess it can always be worse no matter how hard life kicks u

man if i remember 1 thing from this world and only 1 thing, if it was that gilgamesh is called greg i would b kind of ok with that <(￣︶￣)> maybe b4 we go back to insomnia after i wake up we can stop @ taelpar crag and yell at greg

its too bad gladio went off & did that whole trial thing as a solo adventure, he didnt take any pictures at all!! i would have liked 2 see gilgamesh and enkidu. hell cor was with him, why didnt HE take a photo geez. ill bug him later. anyway enkidu had a fire red mane on eos too i assume but thats bc it was literally on fire lol

maybe it would have been better if hed been a giant chicken. like greg does this big dramatic hand gesture like ohhhh the shield of the king is so cocky, allow me to test ur mettle, u will regret challenging me!! then a cockatrice drops from the ceiling

....& the cockatrice is ALSO on fire

The texture can be odd sometimes, but if you cook it right it just soaks up all the flavour of the other foods.

What is it about vegetables you dislike?

Eorzea Garuda was the psychotic kind of insane. She had this shrill, shrieking laughter 'HEEHEE haha HEEE' and it felt awful in my horns.

I think that it's the same for everyone: life could be worse, or it could be better. But your life is what it is and what you make of it until it's over.

If Gladio did it and Cor did it, does that mean it is something the royal protectors did as a test of skill? Your Greg must be more formidable than mine. Mine was very...

Well, actually, what you described sounds exactly like something he would do. He is the kind of opponent who would dramatically feign defeat then say 'lol jk', and then turn you into a toad to assault you with chickens while laughing.

idk why does any1 dislike anything? for once i dont have a big dramatic story about it, i hated them as a kid and never grew out of it. ppl fed me too many bad vegetables so i got into the habit of not liking any of them (￢_￢;) ill eat most if i have to but dont give me tomatoes or carrots bc they r wasted on me

gods dont remind me her shrieking is unforgettable & she was kind of an asshole?? kept calling us insects, said she'd "rule the sky". we were having none of it

that was the gist, far as i understand it. the trial isnt rly limited to shields of the king but a lot of ppl have died trying to explore the cave he hangs out in. cor tried it as a kid & was the only one to survive, but he lost to gilgamesh. gladio asked him 2 take him there to get stronger. they called it the trial of the blademaster i think? he fought a bunch of monsters and daemons & each trial gave him a new power & made it so he could hurt gilgamesh in a fight. cant say i noticed a big difference when he came back, but it seemed to do something for him so its fine i guess.

he did make it sound like gilgamesh was a rly powerful warrior. to give ppl like cor and gladio a fight, he must have been strong.

ur greg sounds more and more amazing lol, i want 2 see a show like that. with maybe less toad transforming bc lets be real thats never fun

Tomatoes are fruit, Noct. 🍅

Have you ever tried candied sweet popotoes? They don't taste at all like any vegetables. They're so very sweet and delicious. Especially when candied.

Garuda is the deity of the Ixal, who are a race with avian features yet are incapable of flight. They yearn to fly above the clouds from whence they came, and so Garuda is the Lady of the Vortex, who is territorial about the sky.

She is so very annoying. I've defeated her at least three times now. I wish they would stop summoning her. Her wind pressure catches on my horns if my head is turned the wrong way. ☆⌒ʕ(>。<)ʔ

I find such rites of passage are less about testing one's raw strength, but their mettle. It would not surprise me if it helped him find his resolve, and better understand himself. It's unfortunate neither took photographs. It would have been interesting to see.

It's annoying! He is annoying! If you want to fight me, fight me proper! Don't turn me into an toad and then other things do the work for you! 😡 At least turn me in to a flame toad. Then I could still do something.

tomatoes are villains PRETENDING to be fruit but i know better (ノ°益°)ノ

ive never heard of those. we have sweet potatoes and theyre not bad, i like them as fries. they're so sweet they dont ruin the cake ppl put them in & thank god for that

lol three times?? thats too many. once was enough 4 me! i remember the ixal. they sure r tenacious, i killed the leader & the others just kept summoning like it didnt matter. idk where they ended up after she was summoned, judging by the state of the base after it was over they probably got wasted by her or the messenger

yah that might be it. thats why i had to take the trials for the astrals... wonder why his dad never took it tho, he was my dads shield & 1 of the strongest ppl i ever knew.

does ur toad wear off after a bit or do u need to get it fixed? it only ever lasted like a few mins with daemons so it was annoying but the puns after the fact were worse

｡･ﾟ･(ﾉД`)ヽ(￣ω￣ ) It's okay, Noct.

I have learned to like tomatoes, but the first time I tried one I was expecting it to be an apple. It was very disappointing, as apples are my favourite. With my memory loss I had no idea what anything was, so I just had to taste everything. It took a while for my friends to break me of the habit of licking everything I pick up for the first time. Now I only lick most things.

The easiest method of distinguishing fruits from vegetables is this:

Does it contain seeds?

Yes? Then it's a fruit.
No? Then it's a vegetable.

Instead of labeling all produce you find gross as being vegetables, perhaps give each fruit and vegetable a try (properly prepared, to minimize gross factor!) and then have a comprehensive list of preferences! It sounds like fun. I may try that myself. 🤔 With how odd the replicated food can be it would be useful.

Oh! Yes. Potatoes. Ardbert and I know them as popotoes. I forget, sometimes. But one day I will make you candied sweet potatoes. They get crispy and caramelized on the outside, while the inside maintains its decadent texture. A lovely snack. 🥔

Yes, three! I fought Ifrit ... twice? Titan three times on the Source, and once on the First. I fought Leviathan twice on the Source, and only learned how to swim years after. Now that I can't drown I think I would like to fight him properly again! When I fought him on the First it wasn't even over water, and Ryne summoned him with two heads instead of one. It was very cool, but also very different.

The Ixal you encountered would have been of the aggressive group, in that case. The Beast Tribes are all divided, with a large portion who sought or seek to summon their deity, and the rest seeking to live peacefully without resorting to such drastic measures.

The ones that ended up in your world were Tempered the moment Garuda was summoned. It is for the best that they perished. They would have been forever enslaved by her and sought to re-summon her over and over again.

Perhaps Gladio's father was already secure in himself and his position. Under ordinary circumstances there is no benefit to accepting such a trial unless what you could gain was worth more than what you could lose.

If your father's shield knew who he was and where he stood, and was confident that he could be unwavering in his duties... To take the risk would have made him weaker, not stronger.

From what you've told me... If Gladio's father is Da's shield, he would have been raised to be yours. He would have grown up with expectations placed upon him, seen his father and yours, and it's likely he would have envisioned a different future.

You are not your father, Noct. You are you. Gladio is his own person, too. I think perhaps Gilgamesh's trial could have helped him understand that.

That is, of course, merely speculation, though I've seen it oft enough.

Transformations always wear off on their own. I believe this is due to one's corporeal aether eventually restoring itself to it's natural shape. The length of the transformation depends on the strength of the spell, or the method by which you were transfigured.

Forced transformations such as toad, flame toad, mummy, kappa, pig, otter, spriggan, and zangbeto can be anywhere from ten to thirty minutes.

If you ever wish to temporarily turn someone into a toad or an otter, I do know the geometries used for those particular traps. I haven't tested how much aether is needed to 'arm' them though, and thus cannot guarantee the efficacy or longevity.

lol i know they are TECHNICALLY im just saying theyre Bad Fruit, should not be allowed. there should be a category between fruit and vegetables. i vote 2 call it "abominations". did u know theres a tomato in eos called KILLER tomato?? nothing good should b called that. u wouldnt b happy if u licked a killer tomato

u should probably not go around licking anything tho. childhood protip: if u dont know what it is dont put it in ur mouth

anyway i hate basically all vegetables so its faster just 2 say vegetables with maybe list exceptions. if i eat one its with extreme prejudice. that or ignis cooked it

i reserve the right to doubt u but if u make them ill try it. i usually try everything at least once (＃￣0￣)

i havent fought ifrit yet... im supposed to, shiva asked me, but idk where he is. probably w/ izunia, thats just my luck. im glad i only had to fight 2 of the astrals, and only one time each. once was enough! i was sore for days every time. thats not even getting into leviathan... i dont ever want to fight her again.

the ixal did seem rly hellbent on summoning her and p much nothing else. they kept yelling about their goddess and how the uhhhh "featherless ones" cant interfere. they def didnt seem all there. i wont say im sorry theyre dead bc they were kind of assholes but it sucks that they were brainwashed like that. im still glad she couldnt do that to us too

ur probably right about the shield stuff, its a good guess. clarus was pretty focused on his job & he had a lot of years to get used to it. i dont think gladio was ever rly satisfied with me the same way. if fighting gregamesh was worthwhile 4 him then im glad he went i guess. more glad he didnt die tho

[There's more he could say in theory, but things have been uncomfortable with Gladio for a while now, so probably the less said the better.]

usually if the change doesnt wear off within a few mins we have to kill the daemon first. as long as that doesnt take too long its not so bad. we r lucky no one died when petrified tho... idk how we would fix THAT if a statue turned into rubble or something

can u turn some1 into a cat??? this is suddenly the most important thing ever 2 me

Killer because it's poisonous? Sometimes the most unappetizing things are the most delicious, and vice versa. Do you have Flans and their subspecies on Eos?

That's what Esuna is for. ✨

If it sounds agreeable... If we've another dinner party at my house, if you willingly eat a small portion of vegetables I will bribe you with double the portion of dessert. If I am a guest and we are served vegetables, I will take half of yours.

If your Ifrit is similar to mine he will have broad, quick strikes. He will superheat the ground in patches that then erupt, and the ambient heat is stifling the more he attacks. If you've any wind magic you can use it to shield yourself from the flames.

Do you have any healing magicks? Perhaps set aside some healing elixirs to speed your body's recovery?

With Leviathan I was dragged out on a little barge being towed along behind a boat, drawing Leviathan's ire. I had never been out to sea before, nor did I know how to swim. No one had asked, though it wouldn't've mattered. I would like to fight him now that I haven't any fear of the ocean, to see how different it would be.

I'd never have thought I would view fighting Primals as a relaxing break compared to everything else lol Politics are godsawful.

When people of the Source die or fall unto the brink of death, all status effects wear off. The Petrification flakes off until the flesh is restored to the way it was.

I cannot, though in theory I suppose it would be possible for someone with more skill. I only know of Toad and Otter as I've dealt with those traps enough time to have memorized the runes.

its a tomato it may as well be poison!! idk what iggy does w/ it but it can be edible, kind of. for a tomato. and ya we have flans! theyre all daemons, every type. super gross & jiggly. most of them r immune to swords too so u gotta spam them with magic to kill them which suuuucks when we ran out of flasks

whats esuna

lol ur negotiating for my veggie consumption now? thats a more generous offer than i usually get. i agree on the caveat that 1) depends on the vegetable and 2) depends on the dessert!

idk anything about ifrit on eos except that hes been missing for basically ever & is a daemon now. we dont have wind magic but there r ways of protecting against fire so we can try 4 that i guess. or maybe if messenger-garuda is feeling nice & comes 2 help that day

usually the astral fights r so intense that we use up most of the curatives, & afterwards the covenant wipes me right out so i cant easily make more. it was probably safer to let me sleep it off and recharge u know? astral magic is intense! plus the ingredients 4 elixirs are expensive and we were broke a lot lol ╮(. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)╭

politics ARE awful agreed 100%. if i wasnt stuck w/ it i would leave it to the professionals

that sounds freaky... idk which effect is the worst but petrification is up there i think. at least the others im still able to do stuff, even if its just like, hop around

why otter?? that seems random

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I should get her mandragora royal fam seeds someday......

lol screaming children, go

they'd prob like noct bc he doesn't eat their people lmao

like that one piece gif of the zombie getting shoved back into the grave

I love those gifs you just describe and everyone knows what it is

lmao right

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