Raising Heaven- A FFXIV/Exalted Crossover
- Thread starter GreggHL
- Start date
Viera things
GreggHL
Engaging hilarity engine/air intake
- Location
- Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Days pass.
Ragna paces the floor of the back room in the Waking Sands, hands folded behind her. Her eyebrow twitches. Behind her desk, the blonde woman in pink watches over the top of her folded hands.
"My friend," Minfilia says, her voice light but with obvious concern, "You were less cautious about V'Neef Ebeli when she was teaching you Sorcery. Why are you concerned about her ambitions now?"
The viera growls under her breath. "She's making friends with the Black Wolf. She's having tea with the Gaius and his head engineer- who apparently has some sort of relationship with Cid from what I heard- and actually convincing them to listen to her."
She pinches the bridge of her nose and slumps down into a seat, before dragging the seat over to sit opposite from Minfilia.
"Speaking of…"
"We've found Cid," Minfilia responds with a relieved smile, "Florivet- the being that Ebeli summoned- used some sort of magical compass of his to track him down, and helped to jog his memory. I understand that Alphinaud and Alisae helped considerably."
"Good to know." Ragna slumps back in the chair, slouching. She blows out her mouth, pushing an errant bang of white hair out of her eyes.
"This is happening awfully fast for you, isn't it?" Minfilia asks.
"I'm viera, Minfilia. Everything is happening awfully fast for me."
Minfilia allows herself a small laugh. "It's not much more relaxing for us, truth be told. Things keep escalating and crisis after crisis happens, and we wonder if we're ever going to get a moment to breathe."
Ragna cocks a white eyebrow. "I figured you'd all be used to this by now. Life on this continent seems to have always been this fast paced. I mean, since I got off my ship-" She counts out her adventures. Her ship being attacked by a sea serpent. Being dragged around by Y'shtola. Diving into ancient ruins. Joining every Guild she could find.
"I…imagine it was slower back in the Golmore Jungle?" Minfilia says, carefully. One did not normally argue with the Chosen of Hydaelyn about the pacing of life. Perhaps she had learned how to tank arguments.
"Yes, but it was so boring." She draws out the last word with a groan that seems to come from the depths of her soul. "The most exciting thing that would ever happen was the Males returning every five years. I'm banished because I wanted to see the world, but I'd go insane if I had to sit in a tree for my entire life."
She slumps back in the chair and, after a minute, pinches the bridge of her nose. "So, the Legatus?"
"We need to monitor the situation. Right now, the threat of Gaius van Baelsar and his forces is what's keeping the Eorzean Alliance together. At the same time, there's consequences to somehow removing him, because we know he is the carrot."
"Yeah, I've heard rumors about Ala Mhigo," Ragna says with a grimace, "And what happens when the Empire decides to use the stick."
Ragna paces the floor of the back room in the Waking Sands, hands folded behind her. Her eyebrow twitches. Behind her desk, the blonde woman in pink watches over the top of her folded hands.
"My friend," Minfilia says, her voice light but with obvious concern, "You were less cautious about V'Neef Ebeli when she was teaching you Sorcery. Why are you concerned about her ambitions now?"
The viera growls under her breath. "She's making friends with the Black Wolf. She's having tea with the Gaius and his head engineer- who apparently has some sort of relationship with Cid from what I heard- and actually convincing them to listen to her."
She pinches the bridge of her nose and slumps down into a seat, before dragging the seat over to sit opposite from Minfilia.
"Speaking of…"
"We've found Cid," Minfilia responds with a relieved smile, "Florivet- the being that Ebeli summoned- used some sort of magical compass of his to track him down, and helped to jog his memory. I understand that Alphinaud and Alisae helped considerably."
"Good to know." Ragna slumps back in the chair, slouching. She blows out her mouth, pushing an errant bang of white hair out of her eyes.
"This is happening awfully fast for you, isn't it?" Minfilia asks.
"I'm viera, Minfilia. Everything is happening awfully fast for me."
Minfilia allows herself a small laugh. "It's not much more relaxing for us, truth be told. Things keep escalating and crisis after crisis happens, and we wonder if we're ever going to get a moment to breathe."
Ragna cocks a white eyebrow. "I figured you'd all be used to this by now. Life on this continent seems to have always been this fast paced. I mean, since I got off my ship-" She counts out her adventures. Her ship being attacked by a sea serpent. Being dragged around by Y'shtola. Diving into ancient ruins. Joining every Guild she could find.
"I…imagine it was slower back in the Golmore Jungle?" Minfilia says, carefully. One did not normally argue with the Chosen of Hydaelyn about the pacing of life. Perhaps she had learned how to tank arguments.
"Yes, but it was so boring." She draws out the last word with a groan that seems to come from the depths of her soul. "The most exciting thing that would ever happen was the Males returning every five years. I'm banished because I wanted to see the world, but I'd go insane if I had to sit in a tree for my entire life."
She slumps back in the chair and, after a minute, pinches the bridge of her nose. "So, the Legatus?"
"We need to monitor the situation. Right now, the threat of Gaius van Baelsar and his forces is what's keeping the Eorzean Alliance together. At the same time, there's consequences to somehow removing him, because we know he is the carrot."
"Yeah, I've heard rumors about Ala Mhigo," Ragna says with a grimace, "And what happens when the Empire decides to use the stick."
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- Location
- Arcadia
Hm, early days yet, though one wonders how these Exalted would fare in regards to the Meteia and their nest at the edge of the cosmos, a place of pure Dynamis where emotions reign supreme. Hm, it would seem to be a matter of Wyld shaping more than anything else, hardly a phenomenon unfamiliar to the Exalted.
One would be interested in seeing these Exalted interact with the Ancients of Amaurot in their prime. It is a most intriguing thought exercise to contemplate how formidable an Ancient would be if they Exalted, not necessarily Solar, perhaps Sidereal. With their inherent abilities, including the full scope of the Echo and their creation magic, combined with the gifts of the Exaltation, the possibilities are quite fascinating.
One would be interested in seeing these Exalted interact with the Ancients of Amaurot in their prime. It is a most intriguing thought exercise to contemplate how formidable an Ancient would be if they Exalted, not necessarily Solar, perhaps Sidereal. With their inherent abilities, including the full scope of the Echo and their creation magic, combined with the gifts of the Exaltation, the possibilities are quite fascinating.
- Location
- Rochester
Dude, slap a spoiler tag on that, wow.
Sorcery Practice
GreggHL
Engaging hilarity engine/air intake
- Location
- Daejeon, Republic of Korea
The staff glows and Ebeli spins it, lines of gold following both ends. Around her, water rises, forming into a sphere. It shifts, shudders, and solidifies. And with a single pulse of sunlight, it vanishes, splashing over the brick circle and the equidistant stools.
"Since we're not actually going underwater, I just wanted to demonstrate how it works," she explains, "Now it's your turn, Ragna."
Days have passed- a couple of weeks, in fact, since Ragna's tutelage began. She has been initiated, she has been taught, and now, outside of the workshop in Revenant's Toll, she has gotten to the practical part. The casting. Which has been a source of frustration for her.
"Okay." Ragna cracks her knuckles and concentrates. She follows the paths that Ebeli laid before her- the shaping of Aether, the forcing of the will, the flowing of water. Closing her eyes, she extends her hands before her and spreads her arms out wide.
Nothing forms.
"And that's a bust. Again."
Ebeli nods. She circles Ragna, looking her over, tapping her lip and humming. "The initiation is there. The understanding is there, but you're not casting the spells."
Ragna shrugs. "Any ideas?"
Ebeli paces, quirking her lips. After a pause, she raises a finger and gestures to one of the stools. Ragna sits, and Ebeli places her hands on the viera's shoulders. "I think I understand. You have an amazing pool of Aether, but it seems to be mostly empty. Most of your current Aether seems to be tied up in your equipment, but there's some sort of pool that's mostly empty. I'm going to lend you some of my own Essence to fill it up."
"Shouldn't I just drop my axe and strip down to my skivvies?"
"You have an empty space in your soul and I'm filling it up." Ebeli glows- her caste mark glows the symbol of the setting sun, and for a moment, Ragna feels…light within her. A fullness, a power she has dreamt of and knows.
But then it is gone.
"Huh," she says, "So…"
"It's not taking," Ebeli says with a harrumph, "You have a peripheral essence pool but it's not filling. Why isn't it filling?"
Ragna shrugs. "When I got my vision of Hydaelyn, I got the idea I was supposed to power it up myself. Probably fighting Primals."
Ebeli sucks her teeth. Ragna stands up, cracking her knuckles. "Try it again. Maybe if I use it immediately it'll work."
Ebeli nods, placing her hands on Ragna's shoulders, and once more the caste mark appears. Once more there is a push, a flow of power. And once more does the viera close her eyes, concentrating. Opening her hands and spreading her arms.
Only this time, the sphere of water rushes around them, flowing with wild abandon, and the two find themselves floating above the ground in a sphere of magical, solid water.
Ragna releases the spell, and it splashes upon the ground.
"Holy shit that was neat," she breathes, "What else can you teach me?"
"A lot. First thing's first, though, I need to figure out why you're not respiring Aether. And, how I can solve it." She smiles. A glint of light shines off her teeth. "With demons."
"Since we're not actually going underwater, I just wanted to demonstrate how it works," she explains, "Now it's your turn, Ragna."
Days have passed- a couple of weeks, in fact, since Ragna's tutelage began. She has been initiated, she has been taught, and now, outside of the workshop in Revenant's Toll, she has gotten to the practical part. The casting. Which has been a source of frustration for her.
"Okay." Ragna cracks her knuckles and concentrates. She follows the paths that Ebeli laid before her- the shaping of Aether, the forcing of the will, the flowing of water. Closing her eyes, she extends her hands before her and spreads her arms out wide.
Nothing forms.
"And that's a bust. Again."
Ebeli nods. She circles Ragna, looking her over, tapping her lip and humming. "The initiation is there. The understanding is there, but you're not casting the spells."
Ragna shrugs. "Any ideas?"
Ebeli paces, quirking her lips. After a pause, she raises a finger and gestures to one of the stools. Ragna sits, and Ebeli places her hands on the viera's shoulders. "I think I understand. You have an amazing pool of Aether, but it seems to be mostly empty. Most of your current Aether seems to be tied up in your equipment, but there's some sort of pool that's mostly empty. I'm going to lend you some of my own Essence to fill it up."
"Shouldn't I just drop my axe and strip down to my skivvies?"
"You have an empty space in your soul and I'm filling it up." Ebeli glows- her caste mark glows the symbol of the setting sun, and for a moment, Ragna feels…light within her. A fullness, a power she has dreamt of and knows.
But then it is gone.
"Huh," she says, "So…"
"It's not taking," Ebeli says with a harrumph, "You have a peripheral essence pool but it's not filling. Why isn't it filling?"
Ragna shrugs. "When I got my vision of Hydaelyn, I got the idea I was supposed to power it up myself. Probably fighting Primals."
Ebeli sucks her teeth. Ragna stands up, cracking her knuckles. "Try it again. Maybe if I use it immediately it'll work."
Ebeli nods, placing her hands on Ragna's shoulders, and once more the caste mark appears. Once more there is a push, a flow of power. And once more does the viera close her eyes, concentrating. Opening her hands and spreading her arms.
Only this time, the sphere of water rushes around them, flowing with wild abandon, and the two find themselves floating above the ground in a sphere of magical, solid water.
Ragna releases the spell, and it splashes upon the ground.
"Holy shit that was neat," she breathes, "What else can you teach me?"
"A lot. First thing's first, though, I need to figure out why you're not respiring Aether. And, how I can solve it." She smiles. A glint of light shines off her teeth. "With demons."
Winged One
Not the Simurgh
- Location
- definitely the ground
- Pronouns
- They/Them/It
So... anyone have an idea who she'll call for this before she actually does it?
Erembour and the Ultima Weapon
GreggHL
Engaging hilarity engine/air intake
- Location
- Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Erembour stands before the beast and she is reminded of the great Hellstriders of the Green Sun Princes. This work of artifice stands tall, bestial and yet distinguished. She looks over it, breathing in the magic that works within it, half listening to the explanations of the red armored engineer who takes credit for its repair.
She holds up a hand, turning to Nero. Behind him, Gaius watches, arms folded, a large man in armor and with folded shields attached to his back standing beside him.
"I must ask," she says, "Do you intend to destroy Eorzea with this device?"
Nero pauses. Gaius glances at Nero, then at Erembour. "This weapon," Gaius says, "Is to be used to eliminate the threat of the Eikons, and through it bring order to Eorzea."
Erembour stares at him. "It will bring the order of destruction, Legatus. I've looked at it, and I can sense within it a weapon far greater than what you suspect. A quickening heart which calls upon the greatest of magics."
With shadows, she shapes it. What she saw, what she smelled. A heart deep within the device, empowered by the captured essences of Primals. With the shadows, she shows them what it could do. Plays out a scene before them, of scorched earth and oblivion.
"Such devastation," Gaius breathes, "Is not my intention."
Nero scoffs. "Legatus, please. We are all aware of the devastating power of this weapon of Ancient Allag. Though I do appreciate the insight of our guest. There are too many unknown devices within the Ultima Weapon."
He turns to Erembour, gesturing to her. "And I would appreciate any clarity you can provide on what those devices do."
"The heart of this weapon does more than process the essence of the Primals it consumes. That energy is stored, and made into a weapon. My sorcerer has seen weapons similar to this in potency, bygones of lost civilizations. Many with no signs of their creators."
Beneath his mask, Gaius scowls. "Nero. Analyze the heart of the Ultima Weapon. Find what it does, and how it can be controlled." He turns to Erembour. "Please tell your sorcerer that I wish to see her at her earliest convenience."
Erembour curtsies. The shadows surround her and she is gone. The bay hangs in silence for a long moment. Until Gaius turns his head to the side.
"I trust you heard everything?"
Shadow erupts and forms into a figure, clad in a black cloak and a crimson mask over his face.
"I did indeed, Legatus," the masked man says, "And I assure you, there are safeguards in the Ultima Weapon."
He smiles. "All it requires is a Primal of sufficient power to bring it to full power."
She holds up a hand, turning to Nero. Behind him, Gaius watches, arms folded, a large man in armor and with folded shields attached to his back standing beside him.
"I must ask," she says, "Do you intend to destroy Eorzea with this device?"
Nero pauses. Gaius glances at Nero, then at Erembour. "This weapon," Gaius says, "Is to be used to eliminate the threat of the Eikons, and through it bring order to Eorzea."
Erembour stares at him. "It will bring the order of destruction, Legatus. I've looked at it, and I can sense within it a weapon far greater than what you suspect. A quickening heart which calls upon the greatest of magics."
With shadows, she shapes it. What she saw, what she smelled. A heart deep within the device, empowered by the captured essences of Primals. With the shadows, she shows them what it could do. Plays out a scene before them, of scorched earth and oblivion.
"Such devastation," Gaius breathes, "Is not my intention."
Nero scoffs. "Legatus, please. We are all aware of the devastating power of this weapon of Ancient Allag. Though I do appreciate the insight of our guest. There are too many unknown devices within the Ultima Weapon."
He turns to Erembour, gesturing to her. "And I would appreciate any clarity you can provide on what those devices do."
"The heart of this weapon does more than process the essence of the Primals it consumes. That energy is stored, and made into a weapon. My sorcerer has seen weapons similar to this in potency, bygones of lost civilizations. Many with no signs of their creators."
Beneath his mask, Gaius scowls. "Nero. Analyze the heart of the Ultima Weapon. Find what it does, and how it can be controlled." He turns to Erembour. "Please tell your sorcerer that I wish to see her at her earliest convenience."
Erembour curtsies. The shadows surround her and she is gone. The bay hangs in silence for a long moment. Until Gaius turns his head to the side.
"I trust you heard everything?"
Shadow erupts and forms into a figure, clad in a black cloak and a crimson mask over his face.
"I did indeed, Legatus," the masked man says, "And I assure you, there are safeguards in the Ultima Weapon."
He smiles. "All it requires is a Primal of sufficient power to bring it to full power."
- Location
- United States
I'd bet bullets to biscuits Erembour knew he was there the whole time. As back-stabby as Laha tends to be, he's got to be trackable for a demon of the Ebon Dragon. Also, wondering if Gaius is reckless enough to try and juggle Scions, Ascians, and Exalted against each other or if he's just trying a 'keep your friends close and enemies closer' approach. I suppose we'll see.
Winged One
Not the Simurgh
- Location
- definitely the ground
- Pronouns
- They/Them/It
(X) Doubt
- Location
- Australia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Well, from Lahabitches perspective, there are safeguards. It'll fire off Ultima when he wants it to, and not before.
- Location
- United States
At this point in time it's definitely Lahabrea. The real question is if he's got his brand new Thancred suit yet and "does Sky or Ebeli know Ghost-Eating Technique?"
- Location
- Pale Blue Dot
That sounds like a hard counter to the Ascian "get out of jail free" cards, yes.
- Location
- Australia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hard to say. Ethyris souls are different from creation souls, after all. I volunteer Fandaniel as a test subject for SCIENCE!
- Location
- United States
Maybe, maybe not. Ebeli has been using the terms of essence and Aether interchangeably, and the primordials and their souls that the charm was developed to fight were primarily composed of essence...
- Location
- Australia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Which is why we need to test it. Worst case we'll scare the shit out of Fandaniel, best case we'll solve some problems!
I mean not really. Its because the WOL was so aetherically 'weak' they could use Dynamis at all. Without it there would be no chance. Full stop. Beating up Fandaniel is nice but he's not the problem. A large one that could stop a lot of grief but not the 'problem'. It would certainly mean to countries aren't ravaged but over all it means big nerd town won't be convinced to part with the macguffin.
- Location
- Australia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I said solve SOME problems, not all. The one that's actively trying to make things worse, in particular.
End chapter 3
GreggHL
Engaging hilarity engine/air intake
- Location
- Daejeon, Republic of Korea
The tree is, in Ebeli's eyes, absolutely terrifying. Absolutely powerful. It is a being that deserves a proper 'the' in front of its name when describing it, when naming it. Meanwhile, Ragna has her hand extended towards it, light flowing from her into the tree, and the woods around her calm. She has traded her normal axe for her staff, storing it somewhere, possibly this star's equivalent to Elsewhere.
The terror bird, Heiyu, is idly trotting around and occasionally killing wildlife that gets too close, as terror birds are wont to do. Ebeli simply watches with her own magical vision as the Aether flows into the tree, healing it. Nourishing it. Repairing it.
And all of this is, to her, new.
She waits a moment after Ragna finishes before she speaks.
"So, this calms down the Elementals?"
"Healing them helps, yeah," Ragna says, releasing her staff and letting it float back to behind her, "The Elementals aren't as much testy as they are recovering, and helping them goes a long way to building goodwill with them."
She walks from the tree and Ebeli follows. It is the unstated assumption that the Twilight needs to keep close to Ragna at all times while in the Twelveswoods, simply because the last time that she was alone here, she almost burnt the place down. She follows Ragna to the riverbed next to the tree, and sits down next to the viera.
"So how did you become a White Mage?" Ebeli asks.
"Magic rock came out of a big tree," Ragna says with a shrug, "I'm basically the only non-Padjal White Mage, so I get to go out of the forest. It's a bit of a story."
Ebeli nods. "And that's why you can heal?"
Because, Ebeli thinks, there is the medicine charms she knows, and then there is the rank bullshit that Ragna pulled when she healed and arrow wound in seconds. She wants to know how to do that. She wants to know bad.
"Oh, that? Nah, that's conjuring. I can teach you that. If…"
"If…?"
"If you answer a question for me."
Ebeli nods. She likes answering questions.
"Who's the Green Sun and how can he make everything better?"
End Chapter 3
The terror bird, Heiyu, is idly trotting around and occasionally killing wildlife that gets too close, as terror birds are wont to do. Ebeli simply watches with her own magical vision as the Aether flows into the tree, healing it. Nourishing it. Repairing it.
And all of this is, to her, new.
She waits a moment after Ragna finishes before she speaks.
"So, this calms down the Elementals?"
"Healing them helps, yeah," Ragna says, releasing her staff and letting it float back to behind her, "The Elementals aren't as much testy as they are recovering, and helping them goes a long way to building goodwill with them."
She walks from the tree and Ebeli follows. It is the unstated assumption that the Twilight needs to keep close to Ragna at all times while in the Twelveswoods, simply because the last time that she was alone here, she almost burnt the place down. She follows Ragna to the riverbed next to the tree, and sits down next to the viera.
"So how did you become a White Mage?" Ebeli asks.
"Magic rock came out of a big tree," Ragna says with a shrug, "I'm basically the only non-Padjal White Mage, so I get to go out of the forest. It's a bit of a story."
Ebeli nods. "And that's why you can heal?"
Because, Ebeli thinks, there is the medicine charms she knows, and then there is the rank bullshit that Ragna pulled when she healed and arrow wound in seconds. She wants to know how to do that. She wants to know bad.
"Oh, that? Nah, that's conjuring. I can teach you that. If…"
"If…?"
"If you answer a question for me."
Ebeli nods. She likes answering questions.
"Who's the Green Sun and how can he make everything better?"
End Chapter 3
- Location
- United States
Ragna...Ragna, no...
Looks like Creation and FF14's world are headed for a full on SNAFU encounter. Possibly even an outright merge, if the Yozi manage to bail from their prison thanks to good intentions. Oi vey...
Somewhere in Crystal-Mom's heart, Venat is facepalming.
Looks like Creation and FF14's world are headed for a full on SNAFU encounter. Possibly even an outright merge, if the Yozi manage to bail from their prison thanks to good intentions. Oi vey...
frozenchicken
Does not have a custom title.
Isn't he an elemental of darkness or something? I imagine she'd think of TED.