Final Fantasy 14: Diaries of A Realm Reborn Part 1/2

Following on from Trials of an Adventurer Part 2 (link), read as I document my struggles to keep people alive as a White Mage and the ensuing troubles of being in a Free Company... And so, the adventure continues.

How glorious these deserts are, a few Primals down. I blistered on ahead with my adventure, Raise-ing those in need. I fully adopted the creed of White Mages. Finally granted the job stone, I went about my Mage-y deeds. Stoning people, suffocating them with the air they breath, and blinding them with my Holy light. Okay, puns aside, The growing threat in Eorzea needed my full attention.

Grabbing my staff and mismatch of clothes, I rushed to the aid of others. Requests flooded in as I went about gathering information as fast as possible. The looming threat of those who seek to bring destruction were hastily stepping their game up. Alone, my trials were punishing. The swarm of enemies proved too much at times. So upon sorting out a feud between the Amalj'aa tribe in Thanalaan, I took the time to further my studies as an arcanist. Summoning a weird companion that looked like a Carbuncle, I learned the inner magicks of this unconventional art. Because if the saying is fight fire with fire, I’ll fight Primal with Primal. That is, once I find the actual teacher.

Something tells me I need a bigger Carbuncle...

Thubyrgeim isn’t someone I’d call teacher material, acting much like that New Gridanian bossy lady from earlier. K'lyhia showed me the ropes of Arcanists, showcasing the power to bend the wills of Primals. I eventually learnt the will of a Summoner. An ancient art of bending the wills of Primals to mine, beings such as Ifrit and Titan were mine to control. At hand, I resumed my role as the Echo of Light to protect Eorzea. By protecting cheese...The things we do for cheese…

Minus the poison, it wasn’t too bad. I just wouldn’t recommend eating said cheese. Venturing further forward, new Primals would rear their faces to me. Some more dangerous than others, but a threat nonetheless. Things would get tougher, more allies and powerful ones would be needed. Bolstering my skills and arsenal would be needed. Dabbling deeper into the arts and crafts I finally forged myself some actual armour beyond the broken tatters, except said items were used to show I can craft to my teachers and were merely decorations/accessories. So I may have wasted my time on that, but I did progress my White Mage proficiency so I guess I should be glad I’m not just wearing drabs still.

At least I dress the part right?

On the plus side, I finally figured out I could get a retainer so not all was lost. So I’ve got my own servant (definitely not slave) to gather stuff for me. Bringing me a bunch of junk, every now and again he brought back something useful (rarely). Becoming a tomb raider, I ventured through the The Sunken Temple of Qarn before entering the Cutter’s Cry to fight an annoying floating eyeball with wings, who may or not be a vampire considering they were weakened by purple light. But honestly, none of this prepared my White heart for the hell that is Aurum Vale. The poison, the poison is so bad! Suffocating, my first group venturing into it was painfully silent. Our Black Mage unmoving as ever didn’t even participate in the final fight, shouting at us to do certain things. We just just managed to beat the overgrown poison spewing Morbol, our poor Paladin Tank nearly dead, our Ninja resurrected twice, and my depleted MP left us in an unsightly state. Unfortunately, or as expected, this Black Mage continued to underhandedly mock us. Whether or not it was the fact we were dungeon running at 4AM was part of it. But this run, and dungeon, leave a terrible taste in my mouth. Obviously I’ve gotten better, I just hate how much poison there is in this cursed place.

With that ordeal over, it was off to the races dealing with Rihtahtyn sas Arvina - the biggest cakewalk out of all the Trials boss to date. I had heard rumours of his party wiping powers, alas he dropped like a sack of bricks. Onto Castrum Meridianum! Mayhem ensued as everyone rushed off ahead, as a fresh face to this encounter I quickly realised how much chaos ensued with the ability to crash right through this dungeon. Pull everything, let the Tanks tank, Healers heal, and DPS damage. So simple, yet so chaotic. My ability to keep up with the group was more challenging than healing with the Tanks. I wish people warned me that there was fixed aggro from the boss, as I filled with lead…

Finally, The Praetorium. The build up, everything that led to this. No Keeper of the Lake held me back, I was ready. White Mage gown in place and semi-optimal staff at hand, I readied for the final fight. And it ended like that… I expected a challenge, instead I felt like I got carried… At least I made it like a badass running out on my metal Chocobo-like ride in explosive entrance back to the group. And thus, Seventh Astral Era began! A brand new hell I didn’t think to expect, 100 quests of practically nothingness… This was anticlimactic to say the least.