AUTUMN
2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS 12 Win a FREE Commission!
14 Lights, /Gpose, Action!
We teamed up with artist Goay to offer three lucky winners a special prize!
We sit down with Tia, a seasoned /gpose photographer to talk tips and tricks!
38
58
64
The Trader’s Favor
Interview with Yoshi-P!
Hydaelyn’s Hearth
30 It’s A Race
Get the inside scoop of a master crafter’s experience prepping for a world first race.
Skip Eureka? This ongoing series will get you caught up on all the juicy lore bits you missed out on!
We talk job creation with FFXIV director Naoki Yoshida!
76
100
Fashion Focus
Curiosities of Cosplay
Ruri Valeth gives us the low down on her signature pink and green color combo!
2
|
AETHERFLOW
We were delighted to have a chat with the talented Nikumonster.
Hosting a suave dinner party? Fear not, we’ve got you covered.
114
128
How to Train Your Chocobo
Fan Art Feature
We break down the basics on how to get your feathered friend fighting fit!
Find out what anime inspired Gusty to start drawing!
134 The Joy of the Culinarian
168
Glamourous
176
190
Making a comeback after a short hiatus, we welcome back this article by exploring the lesser known spaces of Hydaelyn.
Not into PvP? This article might make you think otherwise.
198
212
Screenshot Contest Winners
Through the Aether
The theme this round was My Minion and I. See who’s photos came out on top!
Prepare your best silverware, we’re bringing you the Autumn Feast!
Llymlaen’s Locales
Mindset Over Matter
Our very own Editor in Chief, Serena Sparkles, shares the story of how Aetherflow Media came to be.
144 Birds of a feather, glam together!
Guiding the Community
We interview the Skye, the mastermind behind the Balance.
224 Aether-what? Aether-who?
We’d love for you to get to know us all a little better.
3
Aetherflow Autumn 2019
Dea
We did more p
Letter from the editors
Throug reflect haven’ a wellthis co suppo of our the my and pr advent
We are pages cookin sit bac with us
Sere
arest, loveliest readers
d it! An entire year of producing content, and we couldn’t be proud, excited, or thankful for each and every step of the way.
ghout the production of this issue, we took some time to t on where we came from and where we are now. While we ’t quite yet reached our desired end goal, it has certainly been -traveled path as we grow ever closer each month. None of ould have been accomplished without you, lovely community, orting us every step of the way. Thank you, from the bottom hearts, for embracing us from back when we were still under ysterious guise of Project Chocobo to today, where we’re loud roud Aetherflow Media! We look forward to continuing this ture for many more issues and projects to come.
e excited to celebrate our birthday with you through the many filled with a special giveaway, glamour, art, interviews, cosplay, ng, a bit on our history and who we are, and so much more! So ck, grab a drink of your choosing and enjoy this celebration s!
ena, Arya, Vederah & Lolae 5
LET YOUR CREATIVITY FLOW
COMMU Are you looking to get creative with the Aetherflow Media team? Now is your chance! We are seeking out talented and interactive individuals to fill a few positions on our team. Check out the descriptions on the right for more information on these roles. Any or all of these sound intriguing? Click here to let us know. We look forward to hearing from you! Please allow 1-2 weeks response time as we like to allow all those interested a chance to apply before we begin the interview process. We look forward to your application and thank you for your interest!
6
|
AETHERFLOW
Must be personab interact with the Aetherflow Media with ideas for va and challenges, s glamour challenge
Y
UNITY TEAM
ble and be prepared to community within the server. Should come up arious Discord contests such as screenshot or es.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM
Access to InDesign and Photoshop are necessary and a portfolio must be provided. Applicant will be provided our guidelines (fonts, alignments, etc) and trial content to create an application layout that should be submitted before approval.
Must be able to pitch promotional ideas and be proficient with the various platforms. Applicant should expect to prepare at least 3 posts a week, whether scheduled or manual, published within the Social Media Team. Social Media Marketing experience is appreciated.
WEBSITE TEAM
WRITER
A blog, website or portfolio should be provided. Will be in charge of publishing content to the website, both blog installments and articles from the recent magazine. Must be knowledgeable in WordPress.
Examples of past written work should be provided. Must also be able to provide a list of ideas for content. For example, a list of various topics for one-off pieces or a list of ideas for a recurring column. For website applications, a list of at least 6 topics should be provided. These lists are just to show that the applicant has ideas for what they would like to contribute. They do not have to be all inclusive and can be flexible.
7
THANK YOU From the depths of our hearts, we would like to share our deepest appreciation
to each and every one of our Patrons. Without your generosity, the goals in which we have achieved thus far would still be mere dreams. Every dollar counts when it comes to making ideas into realities and with your help we were able to give our project a complete makeover! Your donations allowed for the purchase of a more appealing website template, more efficient and user friendly plug-ins, and a rebranding that made our site better than ever! Because of you we are able to not only embrace our passions, but share them with those who share the same sentiment. Your assistance has made our dreams and goals come to life on the very screen you’re looking at. We would be nothing without the help of our dear supporters, so that is why we have decided to give our Patreon a well deserved upgrade.
8
|
AETHERFLOW
K PAYPAL
PATREON
SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT TO OUR PATRONS Mikh'to Patricia Kelly Shyntyrr
Kevin H. Elisa Miu Asakura Moon Yoohyeon
9
Mini Aetheryte
Aetheryte Ticket
Grand Company Aetheryte T
$ 1-4
$ 5-9
$ 10-19
A personalized Thank You card signed by
Next to that fancy support page is going
We don’t produce everyt
the staff, plus the unedited version to use as
to be a Patron-only lucky draw you will be
first time. With this tier y
a high-quality wallpaper! You’re also going
automatically entered into for reaching this
the development of a full
in the magazine under our fancy supporters
tier. You can also have a say in the Patreon-
before the issue is released
page so you can show your Free Company
only area of our Discord. Give feedback on
access to the suggestions
how great you are!
content and vote in polls! You’ll also get the
the Patreon-only Discord!
preceding rewards!
preceding rewards are inclu
Priority Aetheryte Pass
Aetheryte
Crystal Tower
$ 20-49
$ 50-99
$ 100+
If you can’t wait for our release date, don’t
We’ve given you something to use, something
We’ll get you a physical copy
worry. Here we’ll give you the full magazine
to participate in, something before anyone
It’s that simple. If we meet
early. That’s pretty good. What’s better is you’ll
else and now…? We’re giving you something to
you’re holding it, we’ll offer t
get to be one of the first to see the screenshot
hug. You’re going to get a mystery gift mailed
meet you in person you’re a
of your character in the magazine! After that,
straight to your door. Right now, it’s the US-
firm handshake and a hug
if we need someone in our pictures for social
only sort of surprise, but things do change!
We’ll also ask you how your
media, there’s a chance you’ll be called upon!
Yes, you will also be the proud recipient of all
you’ll probably end up on o
Naturally, the previous rewards are yours too!
preceding rewards!
Along with the mystery gift
tier if you remembered to br
10
|
AETHERFLOW
Ticket
thing perfect the
you’ll get to see article, in stages,
d. You’ll also have
s and ideas within
! Once again, all
uded!
y of the magazine.
We get support from you, but what do you get in return from us? SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT TO OUR PATRONS
you in person and
to sign it, too! If we
also going to get a for your support!
r day is going, and
our social medias! from the previous
ring it with you!
11
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US! We're celebrating Aetherflow Media's first anniversary and that obviously calls for a giveaway! The amazingly talented Goay teamed up with us and we'll be giving away 3 mindblowing commissions of an FFXIV character. This giveaway will run from September 1, 2019 until September 14, 2019. How exactly can you win one of these custom works of art? It's actually really simple. I want to enter using Facebook
I want to enter using Twitter
I want to enter using Instagram
1. Check out the pinned post on our Facebook. 2. Like the pinned post. 3. Let us know in the comments what your favorite piece on our website or in the magazine is. 4. Let us know in the comments what FFXIV character you would invite to your own birthday party.
1. Check out the pinned post on our Twitter. 2. Retweet the post. 3. Let us know in your retweet what your favorite piece on our website or in the magazine is. 4. Let us know, in the same tweet, what FFXIV character you would invite to your own birthday party.
1. Check out the latest post on our Instagram. 2. Like this post. 3. Let us know in the comments what your favorite piece on our website or in the magazine is. 4. Let us know in the comments what FFXIV character you would invite to your own birthday party.
Winners will be selected by the Aetherflow Media staff through a vote. The editorial team will not partake in this voting around. Winners will be contacted through social media. Only one (1) entry per person per social media platform.
12
|
AETHERFLOW
13
LIGHTS, /GPOSE, ACTION! interview by Celesta Estheim | Photos By: Lia Tales | layout By: S’hayari Chrysolite
14
|
AETHERFLOW
15
Since the creation of /gpose, it has brought so many people together. It’s such a creative platform that I ended up loving it when I first started playing. Whether you’re a seasoned photographer in real life or have never held a camera, /gpose lets you capture so many great moments. /Gpose has also made its way to social media; Instagram, Twitter, and even Tumblr! I wanted to show off some of the creative talent that I find on social media and that’s what I did! I stumbled upon a cute screenshot of a Lalafell and became hooked with this person’s screenshots. I just had to show off her work with the rest of the community. I sat down with Lia Tales of Instagram to talk about her work. Hi there, Lia! Please introduce yourself, and tell us a bit about you! LT: I’m Lia Tales, a Spanish girl that usually plays a Lalafell (but I started as a Miqo, so sometimes I feel nostalgic and I have the need to change back). How long have you been playing FFXIV and what server are you on? LT: I started in 2014 so… 5 years? I play on Zodiark most of my time, that’s where my main is, but I also play on Unicorn too, to practice my Japanese with real Japanese people. Besides /gpose, what is your favorite thing about playing FFXIV? LT: Housing, glamour, and the people. I really love the community in this game, everyone (or almost everyone) I met in this game are such creative and nice people it still surprises me.
22
|
AETHERFLOW
23
What got you to try /gpose? LT: I always liked photography, and I studied it, so it’s just something I liked from before. What are your favorite things to take screenshots of? LT: Glamours and people. I like to take pics of the people around me, that’s why most of them are portraits and such. But I also take lots of pics of myself (laughs). How would you describe your style? LT: Do I even have a style? I just like to take colorful and cute pictures. Maybe you can call that a style (laughs). Do you have a deeper meaning in your screenshots? LT: Some of them, yes, like the moment or the purpose I took those pics are because something happened in real life and I wanted to express that through that picture, but most of the time is just like “there’s a cool light now, let’s take a picture”.
24
|
AETHERFLOW
25
26
|
AETHERFLOW
27
Do you have any favorite locations that you like to take screenshots at? LT: I really like The Vault for “royal” screenshots, but I won’t say I have a favorite spot, I don’t usually “try” to take pictures, I just take them whenever I feel like it. Who are some your biggest influencers, if you have any? LT: I don’t really know if they influence my pics, but I really like to check @zanekonpu and @torii_ff14 pics on twitter. Thank you so much for your time! Where can our readers find you on social media? LT: I mostly post my pictures on Instagram, but I also have a Youtube and Twitch channel. Sorry in advance, most of my videos are in Spanish!
28
|
AETHERFLOW
29
30
|
AETHERFLOW
IT’S A RACE! interview by Qih mewrilah Photos By Levy blossom layout By lolae demort and s’hayari chrysolite 31
Crafting is one of the most polarizing topics when it comes to FFXIV. Players either love it or hate it. I obviously fall into the former category; and if it weren’t for the robust crafting system that FFXIV allows, I probably wouldn’t be playing this MMO for as long as I have. My biggest complaint with the crafting system in the game is that there’s not much of an ‘endgame’ for DoH and DoL. However, in that regard, I was naive up until the introduction of patch 4.4 when they added the final tier of Omega Raids, and subsequently savage mode for them as well. Personally, crafting for me has always been about helping others. Some are in it for the gil, some for the glam, and some just like to have everything at max level. When I first started the game back in early Heavensward, I was instantly drawn to crafting. I’ve always been a fan of crafting systems in RPG games and I had heard that XIV’s system was pretty robust. I picked up Culinarian and went to town making food only to find out that the recipes got pretty hard once I started leveling up. Reading online about cross-classing and that it was highly recommended to level up all the crafters together, I realized I was falling deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole that is crafting in XIV. Not too long after starting the game I joined an FC that had a wealth of crafters and I was soon set up with a support network with people going out of their way to help me reach my goals, as I slowly leveled up with leves, beast tribes, grand company turn-ins, and just sheer brute force making stacks and stacks of whatever material I had enough crystals for. I’m forever grateful for the help that I received when I was so new to the game and it’s that same philosophy that I carry forward in the game to this day. I’m not out for personal gain at all, helping others through crafting is what I purely enjoy about Fantasy XIV.
32
|
AETHERFLOW
33
After I had finally got all my crafters maxed and geared, it felt like I was just scratching the surface on crafting; but I was finally able to start giving back to those around me and that was the best feeling in the world. I stayed at the forefront of crafting all through Heavensward and made it my goal to always lead the way for my friends and FC-mates through Stormblood as well. Through the time playing in Stormblood, a couple of my close friends and I formed what we call “The Syndicate,” a tight-knit group of crafters and gatherers that focus on providing gear, materials, and guidance for anyone needing it. The name is a tongue-in-cheek reference to The Syndicate in Ul’Dah. It wasn’t long before those in our FC and beyond were asking for our services and we were happy to provide. Gil was never the goal, we wanted to help and help we did. Eventually, through Stormblood, we caught the attention of some raiders and were asked to help outfit one of their players for the 4.4 world race for the final stretch of the Omega tier. This was kind of big for us as this was as far as crafting, in my opinion, could go. The chance to make raid gear
for a team that had a shot at getting the world first clear for a raid tier would be amazing to have our names attached to. It was an easy thing to agree on, but at the time we didn’t fully wrap our heads around what we were getting ourselves into. Preparation is everything, and prepare we did. Hiems Whiterock is our gathering expert and he quickly got to work strip-mining Eorzea for everything that wasn’t tied down. Before we knew it, we had stacks upon stacks of nearly every ore, sand, herb and plant that the Stormblood areas had to offer. My colleagues and I quickly got to work converting everything into useable materials, which meant spending time crafting everything into high quality crafted materials. Most people would find this overkill, but I wanted to make sure we covered all of our bases. Every single ingot, leather, nugget, cloth and alchemical reagent was covered, crafted, and made high quality to the tune of at least 50 of each.Gearing ourselves from patch 4.3 was a large hurdle for DoH and DoL both. Crafting the gear wasn’t overly difficult if you had Ala Mhigan gear, but melding is always going to be a world of pain. Since I knew that the Onishi and Yamashi gear
“Personally, crafting for me has always been about helping others.“ 34
|
AETHERFLOW
was going to be the final tier we would see this expansion, I pulled out all the stops for melding. Everything penta-melded, overmelding Grade VI materia on every single piece of gear, the works. I had spent most of patch 4.2 spiritbonding and converting gear into crafting materia to make sure I could meld everything quickly and efficiently. Logistics was our next hurdle to cover. We had to know ahead of time what gear we were making, who was making it, where to get the raw materials from, meld orders, and delivery. We called in some help from Serena Sparkles to lead the organization during the day of the patch drop so we could focus on crafting and not have to worry about who was doing what. Finally, the day of the patch dropped and tensions were high. None of us had ever really crafted under such tight restrictions before. It was a nervousness I had yet to feel but was an amazing rush of adrenaline when the servers opened and we were allowed to log in.
recipes added were in the books we already had received, as well as the nodes that housed the materials we needed. That was the real first hurdle. Getting everyone together and dispatched to each zone to camp out, and wait for the legendary nodes to pop so we could gather the new mats. It was a mad rush to each area when someone found a new material: to scoop up as much as we could, as quickly as we could. By the time we had enough materials to start crafting the first few pieces of gear, the raid group we were crafting for had already cleared through O11 and were beginning to head into O12. The pressure was on as we wanted to get at least a few pieces made before they stepped into savage, but we were losing the race within a race (so to speak). As I and a couple of others were beginning to craft the gear to hand off to those melding the materia, others were staying behind to gather more materials to hand off, should we mess up a craft or have a miscount on raw materials needed.
Thankfully, there were no more master books to obtain by this point in the expansion. The new
35
Melding was probably the biggest RNG factor in the entire process and one that I’m glad that I didn’t have to deal with. Thanks to Serena, all the crafters had to do was trade her the gear we had just finished and continue crafting the next piece. She was leading the melding team in assigning who got what, what was melded, and the distribution of materia. Without her help, it would have been a much bigger nightmare to organize. And then, as fast as it had come, the smoke cleared from our tools and we were finished. Everything crafted, melded, and traded off to the raiders and we then had to wait. It was a nerve-wracking experience knowing that once we finished our job, it was into the hands of those we crafted to pass the finish line. This was a relay race and we had handed off the baton and could only wait with bated breath for the outcome. In the end, the team we crafted for wasn’t in the top 5 for world first clears. That was a bit disheartening after all of our hard work, but we still held our heads high knowing that we provided what we were set out to do in a timely fashion and exceeded expectations overall. The bittersweet ending of it all put everyone in a bit of a sour mood, but we were asked if we could help for the first raid tier of Shadowbringers and immediately jumped on the opportunity to help out again. Crafting at this caliber is exactly what I, and many others, are want to do. Many people often ask me exactly why I love to craft so much, and I could talk about it until my throat gets sore (not to mention the lengths that I’ve gone in this article), but I believe Gyoshin of the Namazu Beast Tribe said it best: “...I think that what we do is what defines us. Crafting because we want to craft. Gathering because we want to gather. Even when no one sees its meaning, its worth, its value, we simply….do. That is what makes us a disciple of creation.” 36
|
AETHERFLOW
37
38
|
AETHERFLOW
the
TRADER'S FAVOR TEXT BY BOUNDING FOX | IMAGES BY LHO'A RELANAH | LAYOUT BY ARYA ROSE
To select your patron deity is to acknowledge and embrace one of the Twelve as a guardian, to set them one step above all others. Such an endeavor is of a deep and personal nature. Backgrounds of religious activity and even the history of one’s homeland will dictate fixed ways of looking at the divine, but to take the same as guide and protector despite this, one must treasure in equal measure the values assigned to the one they would seek protection from.
In this current Age of Adventure that has all manner of the brave and the bold to take their stride into lands unknown, it is common practice for these individuals to take upon them the mantle of divine patronage in their travels. Of the Twelve, the Order of Nald’thal is dedicated exclusively to the teachings of the faith of the god of commerce and overseer of the underworld. For those adventurers who seek protection by the Twins, to them this is written, a means to gain The Traders’ Favor.
39
THE SECOND EXPEDITION TO THE FORBIDDEN LAND EUREKA Of all the modern examples of those who gain mastery over the realm of Nald, we find wisdom in turning to those who took profit from the Age of Adventure. Of these souls replete with this eye towards wealth we notice Rowena and her concern: the House of Splendors. As adventurers step foot into the untamed and uncharted, this merchant follows their tracks and exchanges all manner of goods in trade for their discoveries. This deed of following in the wake of those that have gone before gained her much in the means of wealth, her organization ever growing in response to every new revelation as the star becomes further and further mapped. Aspirants to virtue deemed worthy in the eyes of Thal would find much benefit in observation of her ongoing efforts, via participation or in replication of said actions in personal enterprise. A rather recent example of the virtuous fruits of her labor can be observed in the historical expedition that took place on a mysterious region, an island
40
|
AETHERFLOW
marked on no map near the nation of Hingashi in the Far East. This same news was received from her customers who additionally reported a failure in the initial exploration of the island. We analyze the expedition logs and accounts of members of said company to ascertain the results of her affluent endeavors on this new land. Rowena's involvement began when the East Aldenard Trading Company’s liaison in Kugane approached the House’s master. Master Hancock took steps to propose a joint partnership to cover the costs for a second expedition to this dangerous and most fortuitous region, he having had organized the first venture to the island that had such negative results. His goal in question was to successfully navigate the entirety of this mysterious island, seeking the providence of a port of free trade, removing the massive costs that Kugane tariffs were causing each trade concern.
41
42
|
AETHERFLOW
Informed of the region's worth but also aware of its numerous risks, It is said that Rowena petitioned for the aid of the Warrior of Light, who she recognized as one of her most valuable customers. Furthermore, in addition to this requested vanguard, Krile of the formerly existing Students of Baldesion and current member of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn would be in company. A private concern of hers granted her permission to investigate and with the Warrior of Light she would sail as a researcher. Prompted by Rowena to name the island, Krile chose a place from Allagan legend. And thus the wisdom and knowledge of these merchants would grant them a second chance at seizing the hidden wealth of the Forbidden Land Eureka. TO OBSTRUCT THE WINDS OF ANEMOS It took only a brief glance for Krile and an accompanying member of her order, Ejika Tsunjika, to confirm in tandem that the island they called Eureka was, in fact, the Isle of Val,
the previous headquarters of their outfit. For this reason had the young Baldesion request permission to accompany the expedition, a hunch all too strong the isle's description by the first expedition survivors fit too close to home. To revisit the happenings of the past, we see a mystery unfold. The Isle ofVqal was last seen in the region of the Northern Empty. in the wake of the successful execution of Operation Archon and the movement of the headquarters of the Scions from Vesper Bay to that of Revenant’s Toll in Mor Dhona, contact between the Scions and the Students had all but halted. A survey into this result revealed the complete absence of the isle's physical presence in the area it once held. Therefore, how was such a place appearing warped as it is off the coasts of the Far East? The Scions would continue to research while handling the situation of the Doman refugees as well as the summoning of the primal deity Leviathan. Soon, information from Sharlayan revealed that the entirety of the island had vanished, observed after a massive aetheric wave had been recorded in the area that once comprised of the island’s territory. Suggesting the act be a result of a ruinous spell like Ultima, it would seem that
43
the fate of the island was given to the watch of Thal. This would be proven false, as they now stood on the very same isle’s shores after what seemed like an era. With the Isle of Val brought back to the realm of Nald, there was new knowledge to obtain and in doing so, a means to gain new wealth. We can observe then that one following in the auspices of the Traders would seek out this understanding for their growing benefit. But with this resurrected isle,'twas meet that effort would be expended in search of those who may have also survived. Therefore, in pursuit of this knowledge, Krile set the first expeditionary task to be that of determining the existence of survivors of the Students of Baldesion on the island. She surmised that someone would have had to activate the magical barrier that sealed the headquarters building, and that the building would be the best place to go in order to confirm this theory. With seeking wealth and virtue, one must employ innovation. And so it was on this island, as preliminary research and reports from the previous failed expedition mentioned that the island was host to a unique aetheric phenomenon, namely that of the ever-changing flux of aspects on
44
|
AETHERFLOW
everything from the weather to the very wildlife that dwelt upon its surface. Innovation inspired the expedition to create a tool based on Cid Garlond’s elemental converter to combat the aetherial warping, named the magia board. With this newly acquired power, this curious device would allow all adventurers a standing chance against the dangers of the strange creatures of the area, giving them access to greater wealth. Expedition logs would continue with stating that a preliminary survey delivered problematic results, revealing an issue with the regional Aethernet. Krile determined the existence of a disruption to the natural flow of the Lifestream in the island and requested the Warrior of Light to undertake field investigations once more data would be acquired. After conditioning to Eureka, the data revealed the existence of a confluence of aether, which represented a blockage of the flow. The subsequent requested investigation revealed that magicite, a crystal unique to the region and essential in the operation of the magia board, had the ability to halt
45
46
|
AETHERFLOW
the flow of the Lifestream itself. Furthermore, by removing the magicite, the currents of aether were allowed to flow much more freely. With these results, Krile notated that any and all pieces of magicite further discovered via analysis would require field investigations to find and remove, to allow for the Aethernet to function properly. AN ISLAND EVER FILLED WITH DANGER Wealth and virtue worthy of the Traders' Favor demands an aspirant's due diligence in pursuit of a goal. We see this trait in the expedition's effort to remove every detected confluence. After a large amount of time, logs record that four pieces of magicite were acquired in response to the data, which continued to reveal new locations as the Aethernet was strengthened. We read on to see that upon the investigation of the final crystal, the Warrior of Light reported encountering Ejika Tsunjika, the Student errant, in the wild. Explaining that the Aethernet was primarily used to circumvent the dangers of the Isle of Val back in the day, he lauded Krile’s efforts and promised further knowledge to the cause of discovery.
Restoring the flow allowed the Aethernet to be active in the locality of Anemos, giving the expedition a chance to reach nearby regions via teleportation. Despite this advancement in the state of the region, teleporting to an unattuned beacon was dangerous in its own right, and in order to strengthen their ability to use such magicks, Krile requested a final investigation of Anemos that would observe the state of the Aethernet relay. Pursuit of this data would further their cause, as they could use the technology to mitigate the potentiality of a teleportation disaster. The Warrior of Light found the relay was not in a terrible state of disrepair, but also not functioning. To wake up the relay and reintegrate it into the Aethernet, Krile instructed the hero to flood it with a collection of crystals using the magia board as a makeshift converter, a method mimicked from a previous endeavor made by Moenbryda in Coerthas during the pursuit of Lady Iceheart. Pursuit of wealth demands much in terms of inner fortitude and effort. We can observe this in the considerable effort that was made to acquire a precise number of crystals. Once this deed was done, the hero returned to the relay, following Krile’s instructions to the letter. The event seemed to invite
47
further mystery, as the Warrior of Light reported encountering a shrouded individual that asked if they desired more power. This interaction triggered the hero’s Echo response to the aether in that event and allowed them to walk into the past. In the reported vision, four men were viewed, one of them addressed as Galuf Baldesion, the man who lent his name to the organization of the Students as its primary founder. The four of them were discussing the fate of an entity, observing that destroying it took considerable effort beyond their means. Realizing this, they discussed sealing it away, deciding to do so on the Isle of Val that was deserted and uninhabited at the time. Krile observed via data the improvement of the Aethernet and teleported to the relay in one final test. Upon hearing about the Echo vision, She described the men as the founders of the Students. However, she had no foreknowledge of the entity mentioned, and the vision would be the first time hearing the existence of said being. Despite that, their primary mission of ascertaining the whereabouts of survivors was still at the forefront of their minds, and they would
48
|
AETHERFLOW
continue to pursue this quest of knowledge by further adjustments on the Aethernet relay, to expand the range of their teleportations. While they worked, the Warrior of Light was relieved to return to their tasks on the mainland. TO MELT THE FROST OF PAGOS To review in our historical example of the pursuit of virtue, we have learned that in interest to eliminate costs and provide for earnest customers Rowena funneled coin to sponsor a second expedition to the ominously named Eureka. Elemental flux and extremely aggressive wildlife barred the way but diligence proved the greater, revealing magicite as impediments to their expedition. Removal of such freed the region and prompted the mystery: who was this masked man and why did he have a memory of the founders of
49
the S the forwa
Logs of th able the t
a eve the r In ex Ejika of th Anem of a
50
|
AETHERFLOW
Students? With this curiosity expedition would move ard.
s record that iIn the absence he Warrior of Light, Krile was e to complete her work on e Aethernet relay, granting the expedition access to a new region of the island. Heading to the west of the region dubbed Anemos, the explorers found themselves in a region strongly aspected to ice aether at the foot of a massive mountain chain. Observing this occurrence, the new area took the name Pagos in reference. The expedition ferryman informed the vaunted hero of the developments and invited them to join the new exploration, encountering Krile at the new base camp. Prior to being able to explain intention, Ejika arrived and the pair recounted their ents in Anemos in regards to relay and the masked man. xchange for this knowledge, a explained it confirmed one he discoveries of his own in mos, that of a measurement force from within the barrier
of their headquarters. It seemed then that the wall between them and the building was not a shield but a prison, espousing the prevailing theory that it served to imprison the entity that the founders said to have sealed on Val.
exerting a dangerous effect on the Lifestream and stopping the goal of restoring the Aethernet in its tracks. As a result Krile requested a field investigation into the reason why the said confluence was as weak as it was.
Embarking to study the barrier further, Ejika informed the others he would update with any relevant information and set forth, not entirely approving of Krile’s attempt to continue work with the Aethernet. As the initial survey began, she observed that the Isle of Val had never known ice nor snow, and that said weather reminded her of Coerthas, each region respectively subject to massive aetherial disruptions that caused a shift in their climate.
Finding a magicite like the previous investigations, the Warrior of Light would go to report a notable difference in the crystal’s hue as well as the stream of aether revealing itself to be all but depleted. Furthermore, the earth around the crystal formation was observed to be scarred and barren. Returning to camp, the Warrior of Light reported their findings and Krile took the magicite to perform experiments to confirm suspicions in regards to this heretofore unique aetherial effect. After some time, the crystal refused to yield secrets and Krile mused that a second magicite similar to the one recovered from the Cones would allow her better means to identify the cause of its lack of aether.
The dauntless expedition continued with their goal to reach the Baldesion headquarters, setting an example to all to seek Thal's gilded halls. While the Warrior of Light explored the initial area, Krile observed a confluence of aether similar to the ones in Anemos, but different in intensity. According to the readings, the aether didn’t register as dense as it was before but the confluence still suggested the potential magicite was
A reading of a second confluence presented itself, and the Warrior of Light was requested to retrieve it, in the quest to better understand the phenomenon as well as improve the Aethernet and Lifestream currents in the
51
region. Pursuit of virtue would not be denied as a result of this new mystery, thus following this investigation, a second magicite wanting for aether was recovered in the midst of a depleted aetherial stream. Declaring its retrieval a boon to her ongoing research, Krile requested the crystal and mentioned that her research would be shared as soon as it bore fruit. A HAND WORTHY TO WIELD THE BLADE The expedition log records sufficient progress was made in the Student’s effort to ascertain the reasoning behind the drained magicite, and bidding the Warrior of Light to attend to her explanation of the results, Krile described how due to the observation of scarred earth around the magicite as well as the trickling stream of aether being held by the crystal, it wasn’t a natural phenomenon. The theory went on to explain that it was by the actions of an external force that these crystals were being robbed of their aether. Both the Warrior of Light and Krile predicted that the shrouded man encountered in Anemos had a hand in these results. Stating that without evidence, that particular suggestion was only conclusive to a baseless accusation, she went on to reveal
52
|
AETHERFLOW
data of the existence of another magicite in the Pagos wilds, this one exhibiting the same aetherial tension as its cousin crystals in Anemos. Curious as to what this would entail, the Warrior of Light was sent on an investigation. Once there, they would observe that the shrouded man was present as well, and they would end up subjected to another vision via the Echo, after observing the man request the whereabouts of a bearer just and true. These same words repeated in the vision, the Warrior of Light observed Galuf and the three other founders of the Students discuss the entity they imprisoned on the Isle of Val, deciding how they would find the means to remove the entity’s aetherial reserves. Ignoring the being’s own description that its bearer would be able to access it directly, they discussed it over and then Galuf received the inspiration that they should "reverse the flow", the vision closing with no further context. The Warrior of Light was then brought back into the waking world and in front of them lay another piece of magicite, depleted of its aether and the earth around it scored as it was twice before. Taking these results back
53
54
|
AETHERFLOW
to the base camp, Krile was overwhelmed with the event and requested time to gather her thoughts and try to make sense of the events that had taken place. Pursuit of wealth is always given means via acquisition of knowledge. We take Krile's diligence in research to represent this in example and help the aspiriant in their own actions. Observing this, history shows that once given the time to do so, Krile made the observation that the visions and the shrouded man were connected all to the same concept of the mysterious entity imprisoned on Val and that the man was seeking to drain magicite for some unknown reason. Due to the Echo vision detailing the memory of the discussion using the word eikon, the entity in question was most likely in reference to a primal that was sealed on the Isle. Despite learning all of this, the fact remained that it did not reveal the reason why the Isle of Val was currently in the Glass Ocean, and in this frustration, Krile bid the
Warrior of Light seek out Ejika and ask the erstwhile Student his thoughts on the matter. Upon discovering his location, the Warrior would reveal the results of the Echo, prompting resentment from the Student. These emotions eventually gave way to the observation of Galuf’s mention of reversing the flow, which Ejika deemed worthy of attention. The researcher bid the Warrior of Light and Krile investigate into the state of the myriad aetherial currents which crisscrossed the isle, using resources at a particular place that the Baldesion heir would recognize. Krile revealed he referred to a proto-aetheryte, an ancient device that dated millennia to the initial development of aetheryte technology. Used to monitor fluctuations in the aetherial currents during experiments, use of the device would provide insight into the phenomenon that was disturbing the flow of the Lifestream and preventing the expedition’s travel further inland. ONWARDS AND UPWARDS One final survey of the Pagos region for any remaining magicite was the remaining step, then the expedition would head into the area with the proto-aetheryte
55
to ascertain the issues ongoing with the aetherial streams. The conclusive survey provided data lacking the presence of any confluences, but the expedition could not proceed with the next step of the plan, seeing as how the proto-aetheryte in question was located in the northeastern highlands of the island. The terrain made it impossible to travel to on foot, and the Aethernet still remained in a state of inaccessibility. Krile realized based on the data that the magicite was not the culprit this time around for the lack of aetherial stability, but a very pronounced shift of aetherial currents on the island, as a result of the island’s physical displacement to the other side of the world. Further adjustments would be required in order to restore the Aethernet and attempt teleportation to the cave system but in order to determine the direction of these adjustments, Krile needed to identify one of the more pronounced changes in the currents, a massive concentration of aether detected in the center of the Pagos wilds. Warned of the result of the aetheric concentration on surrounding wildlife, the Warrior of Light took off and headed
56
|
AETHERFLOW
in the direction of the massive influx. Finding a font of aether rising endlessly to the sky, the Warrior of Light reported their discovery, giving Krile a direction forward on her adjustments to the Aethernet. Requesting time to work on such, she implored the vaunted hero to rest. A review of the results of Pagos for our historical example is due. Taking note of the progress gained in Anemos, the expedition moved to the nearest region within access. More confluences impeded their progress, albeit ones defined of a lesser nature than before. Time revealed their aetherial depletion to be an external cause, and after an encounter with the masked man in the wild, he was the number one culprit of the deed. The mysterious entity mentioned in the vision of Anemos explained it was an eikon, and said means to contain it would be further understood using the protoaetheryte found in the mountains above them. IN CONCLUSION The expeditions into Anemos and Pagos are replete with the means to help one accrue wisdom befitting that of Nald and Thal. It's history will tell us of the
value of the continued of the adventurers in e To engage our unders their actions worthy we ask ourselves the observations:
If Galuf Baldesion founders of the Stude struggling to deal w primal, how did the ma fit into it? Furtherm the vision repea mentioned the thre of an eikon, a specifi designation for th aetherial entities by the Allagans. With this threat, the shrouded man connected to it, what would the Warrior of Light and the Eureka expedition uncover in the highlands where th proto-aetheryte lay?
In reverence we s these observances f second publication, to Thal as well as Nald. -
*copies of the expedit the Forbidden Land Eu provided for in trade f Erralig's Burial Chamb
d diligence each region. standing of of divinity e following
and the ents were with a agicite more, ated eat fic he y s d o e d n e he
save for a o honor
bf
tion logs of ureka were for a plot in ber.
57
INTERVIEW job
creation
interview by Serena Sparkles Layout by Lolae Demort Photos by caeli piscis 58
|
AETHERFLOW
With Gunbreaker and Dancer added to the list in the latest expansion, we currently have a total of 20 classes, 17 jobs and 1 limited job to choose from. And with so much to keep in mind when coming up with new classes and jobs, like balance, skills and overall enjoyability, it most certainly can't be an easy feat. We recently talked to Naoki Yoshida, aka Yoshi-P, and the battle system team about job creation, what it entails and what exciting things we can expect in the future.
How do you make the decision on what the next new job will be? Naoki Yoshida: When implementing a new job, we’re mostly concerned with broadening players' gameplay experience. Before we tackle exactly what sort of job we want, we first consider what role it will be, and how that would affect gameplay overall. We also give equal consideration to what the worldwide player base has been asking for, so it’s with both development requirements and player needs in mind that we decide which job would be suitable. Does the inspiration for FFXIV jobs ever come from past iconic Final Fantasy characters? NY: We try to think more in terms of what current FFXIV players and
fans of FINAL FANTASY in general are hoping for than the popularity of specific characters from previous games. However, we certainly draw inspiration from such characters and their weapons when we design the mechanics of a job which is in line with what our fans expect, I think, and that’s precisely how gunbreaker came to be the job that it is today. How do you ensure that a job that already exists in other games remains unique in FFXIV? NY: Uniqueness isn’t really a priority, as “unique” doesn’t necessarily equal “fun to play,” in my opinion. We definitely focus more on how to create interesting mechanics without deviating too far from the image of each job that fans have in their minds. 59
What is the overall process for creating a new job, from the drawing board to launch? Battle system team: The general process is as follows: 1. Decide on the job and its weapon. 2. Determine its primary mechanics. 3. Consult the lore and art teams to determine its aesthetic. 4. Lay out a complete list of abilities. 5. Consult the programmers about implementation. 6. Issue formal development requests to the programmers and artists. 7. Set parameters for each action. 8. Allocate resources for motions and effects. 9. Make adjustments to potency, recast time, etc. 10. Fine-tune based on testing.
60
|
AETHERFLOW
The first few steps are usually handled all at once, whereas the adjustment process detailed in the latter half will often be repeated multiple times. How do you ensure that the new job will not overpower the other jobs within its role (healer, tank, DPS)? BST: When we’re looking into what actions to implement, we examine closely what tradeoffs are being made in using the action set of this job as opposed to those of other jobs fulfilling the same role. If we’re considering an action that increases DPS output, for instance, we’ll calculate how much that will be raising overall party DPS, test it in-game, and then adjust the balance from there. We also balance performance and utility so that no action causes any one job to become indispensable in any particular fight.
How do you decide the actions for the new job? First, we decide on the actions relating to the job’s core mechanics. Gunbreaker, for instance, is primarily designed to feel like a DPS job through fast-paced cartridge blasts and accompanying blade slashes, whereas the step actions that provide party support are key for dancer. Then, we make sure to give each job a distinct flavor by adding actions that other jobs in the same role don’t have. In gunbreaker’s case, that means Brutal Shell and Aurora, which apply a barrier and healing over time effect, respectively, neither of which tanks normally have access to. Similarly, dancer has Closed Position, which lets their partner share in the effects of Standard Finish, Devilment, and Curing Waltz. Of course, all jobs need the specialized actions required for fulfilling their roles, so we made sure to give gunbreakers the ability to reduce damage taken for themselves and their party, as other tanks can, and dancer the ability to reduce party damage taken, as the other ranged physical DPS jobs have something similar.
Who decides what the actions’ animations will look like? BST: The motion and effects designers decide in the vast majority of cases. However, if the job’s lead designer has a specific vision in mind for what the actions should look like, we can pass that request on to the artists. We quite often do this if we want the action to be reminiscent of something from a previous title, asking that they stick close to the legacy design. For gunbreaker’s area-of-effect attack Fated Circle, for example, we included a request that it appear similarly to how it does in DISSIDIA FINAL FANTASY. How do you test the new actions before finalizing them? BST: The most important testing we conduct is to determine whether actions related to the job’s unique mechanics are working as intended. Initial implementation of such actions is quite costly, which makes it very difficult to go back and revisit them later, so we want to be sure they function as they should in the early stages of development. Next, we run simulations of action and ability rotations. This helps us determine if any skills feel unnecessary at certain level ranges, or appear deficient in some way. After we’ve measured DPS output against dummies and performance while in a party, we adjust action and effect potency accordingly. Determining party performance requires measuring the effect of each job on the others, how it affects burst damage phases, and how DPS output varies over time since 61
there’s a lot that must be accounted for in detail. When everything is properly implemented, we then do repeated tests within actual in-game duties. These gameplay results are then compared to what was expected from our calculations, and further fine-tuning is done based on any differences between the two sets of numbers. It seems DPS jobs are always the most popular - how does this impact your decision-making when it comes to deciding on new jobs? Do you think it's better to create more varied DPS classes as a result, or are you looking to create Healer and Tank classes that are so awesome players can't help but be incentivised to play them? NY: Looking at the player demographics, it’s like you just said: DPS jobs are incredibly popular. As such, we’ve prioritized making DPS jobs, which we believe players are more likely to play. However, said jobs are designed to be appealing as DPS jobs, not more or less appealing than tank or healer jobs. We never design jobs with a mind to privilege one role over another. Looking to the future, there’s been a lot of demand for a new healer job, so I think it’d be in our best interest to start coming up with ideas. Do you collaborate at all with the team that designs the gear and weapons? NY: Collaborating on job mechanics and gear designs would ultimately hinder the process, so we generally make a point not to do this. However, we do a lot of design checks and gauging of opinions on job-specific gear, as it’s important for capturing the image of that particular job.
62
|
AETHERFLOW
A new expansion means that there will be tons of new MSQ. Are these created with newly added jobs in mind? In a word, no. The main scenario and new jobs are meant to enrich your gaming experience in different ways, so the design of one is not taken into consideration when working on the other. However, when a new job has been decided, we do make an effort to play them up by having them appear in the main scenario at some point. A good example of this is Thancred becoming a gunbreaker in Shadowbringers. A job obviously goes through many, many changes before it’s ready to be implemented. Does it often happen that a concept is completely changed because it works in theory but not in practice? BST: Very rarely have we ever had to completely change something after implementation. Upon discovering problems with some specific aspect of a job, however, we have made adjustments to how it’s implemented or even revised our original specifications to accommodate changes. Thank you for time! We appreciate all of the hard work and look forward to even more mindblowing content in the future!
"
very rarely have we ever had to completely change something after implementation.
63
ᄕydaelyၕ' Hተarၸh TEXT BY SERENA SPARKLES | PHOTOS & LAYOUT BY LELA RAII
Here at Aetherflow Media, it is a time for celebration! We have reached a big milestone in producing content for the community for a full year, and we couldn’t be more excited to continue doing so for years to come. But what good is celebrating if it’s not in style? That’s where this installment of Hydaelyn’s Hearth comes in. Here you will find an insider’s peek at two different styles for decorations that can be used to celebrate or host events while keeping your house looking hot! Lela and Serena worked together to take on both a Light and Dark style version of party decor while we celebrate both the anniversary of AFM and the excitement of becoming Warriors of Darkness! So let’s dive in!
64
|
AETHERFLOW
's 65
66
|
AETHERFLOW
LIGHT
Lela’s work features a beautiful and bright aesthetic through the use of many floral arrangements and brightly colored pastries. The various colors are sure to bring lots of cheer to your event!
67
ITEM LIST
Oak Low Barrel Planter Verdant Partition Hanging Planter Shelf Simple Curtain Starlight Donuts Cake Tray Mandragora Queen Flower Vase Imposing Dimension Castle Vase Eggcentric Chocolate Cake Sandwich Basket Sylphic Flower Vase Nameday Cake Glade Stall Wooden Loft Carpet of Flowers Stage Partition Wooden Handrail Lily Floor Lamp Lily Wall Lamp 68
|
AETHERFLOW
69
SHADOW
Taking a step into the shadows, you’ll find Serena’s decor to be a bit on the darker side. Through her use of gargoyles and deep reds, as well as wooden and rock interiors, this celebration decor is not for the light-hearted.
70
|
AETHERFLOW
71
72
|
AETHERFLOW
ITEM LIST Marble Partition Marble Arch Partition Demon Wall Sculpture Gargoyle Sculpture Amdapori Wall Lantern Oriental Breakfast Marimo Lamp Cake Tray Assorted Fruit Potted Spider Plant Starlight Dodo Crystal Boule Spirits Collection Simple Curtain Planter Partition Royal Plotting Table Oasis Round Table Oasis Stool Potted Orange Tree
73
DIT HIT
EORZEA'S #1 RID
74
|
AETHERFLOW
TCH THE BIRD, TCH A RIDE.
DE SHARING SERVICE, NOW AVAILABLE ON YOUR TOMESTONE.
CROOZER 75
FASHION
FOCUS Eorzea’s most stylish individuals brought into focus. Interview, photos and layout by Lolae Demort
Ruri Valeth - Balmung
How would you describe your personal style? I typically use light, colorful and comfortable clothing but rarely wear heavy armor. I like bright and shiny colors that you can see from a distance; my favorites being green, pink, and red. Most of the items I wear make it very clear that my character is very playful and fun to be around but very fashionable. What do want your current style to say on your behalf? 76
|
AETHERFLOW
I hope it says that I like to have fun and that I don't take the game too serously. Hopefully people think I'm kind and approachable. Roleplaying is a big part of my gaming experience, so being fashionable is a must. After all, she owns a fashion shop and designs clothing! Do you have a fashion petpeeve? People who only use glamour sets of the same name and their default colors. There's so much fun to be had when it comes
to glamours. Why not combine different items and colors to make it more yours and unique? If you could name or label your personal style in (max) 3 words, what would it be called? Soft, cute and fashionable.
77
78
|
AETHERFLOW
79
80
|
AETHERFLOW
81
82
|
AETHERFLOW
1
WEAPON: Empyrean Rod HEAD: Red Cherry Blossom Corsage BODY: Bloodhempen Chestwrap of Casting (Metallic Red) HANDS: Republican Signifier’s Fingerless Gloves (Metallic Red) LEGS: Uraeus Skirt (Metallic Red) FEET: Republican Signifier's Calligae (Metallic Red) EARRINGS: Peach Blossoms L RING: Eternity Ring R RING: Meteor Survivor Ring 83
84
|
AETHERFLOW
85
86
|
AETHERFLOW
87
88
|
AETHERFLOW
89
2
HEAD: Makai Markswoman's Ribbon (Metallic Red) BODY: Oasis Tunic (Deepwood Green) HANDS: False Nails (Metallic Red) LEGS: Far Eastern Beauty's Koshita (Deepwood Green) FEET: Summer Sandals EARRINGS: Peach Blossoms NECKLACE: Band of Eternal Passion BRACELETS: Allagan Bracelets of Maiming L RING: Eternity Ring R RING: Meteor Survivor Ring 90
|
AETHERFLOW
91
92
|
AETHERFLOW
93
94
|
AETHERFLOW
95
96
|
AETHERFLOW
97
3
WEAPON: Nagi Anemos (Metallic Green) HEAD: Thavnairian Headdress (Metallic Red) BODY: Pagos Shirt (Metallic Red) HANDS: Punching Gloves (Metallic Red) LEGS: Arachne Gaskins of Scouting (Metallic Red) FEET: True Griffin Caligae of Scouting (Metallic Red) EARRINGS: Peach Blossoms NECKLACE: Band of Eternal Passion BRACELETS: Allagan Bracelets of Maiming L RING: Eternity Ring R RING: Meteor Survivor Ring
98
|
AETHERFLOW
99
CURIOSITIES OF COSPLAY NIKUMONSTER
Text by A'onisya Dehf Photos by MKSola Photography, KC Studios, Charles and Lan Photography Layout by Lolae Demort
100
|
AETHERFLOW
If you’ve been keeping up with these Curiosities of Cosplays interviews, dear reader, you’ve likely noticed that no two cosplayers have the same perspective of their craft. Artists do not create in a void, and that is no less true of cosplayers than it is writers and painters. Our lives and worldviews influence what and how we create, but our own limited perspectives can also be broadened by encountering the views of other artists. I had the opportunity to interview Nikumonster, an artist who most recently debuted her
ethereal Yugiri cosplay on the NA 2018 Fan Festival stage, and I knew immediately that our conversation would be an enlightening one. Her costuming techniques as well as her views on the evolving availability of new technology for cosplayers and how it applies to her craft and the community as a whole make for an interview that is practical and thoughtful, yet incredibly passionate. So settle in and make yourself comfortable, and enjoy Aetherflow’s deep dive into the process of Niku’s incredible work!
101
Astrologian, Lyse, Yugiri. Three totally different characters with completely different costumes. How do you settle on which character/costume you want to tackle? Is it the costume itself, or something in the character that attracts you to cosplaying them? I find that I am attracted to designs and characters that evoke an overall sense of elegance. It can be the silhouette of the design, how it looks in motion or a character’s demeanor. Whether it’s a twirling gown, a cape in the breeze, or a lady’s thoughtful gaze, there must be a refined look. I also have a weakness for details such as trims, filigree and gradient dyeing. My mind begins running over what materials and techniques I’d use, mix and match, etc. Of course, it also helps to have a personal affinity to the design/character. Having passion for them is a great motivator. I especially felt that in the case of Yugiri. While her attire is very sharp and intimidating, she is my favorite FFXIV character. She carries herself gracefully, has a calm demeanor, a classic style of Asian beauty, a smooth lull to her voice and an unmoving if not stubborn sense of loyalty to Hien. There were plenty of times where I felt burnt out while working on her for FFXIV Fan Fest, but I thought, “do it for her!” I can’t say enough about how you drape and layer fabric in your costumes: the bell shape of the Astrologian dress and how its sleeves gather at the wrists, the length and lightness of the chiffon in your Lyse cosplay, and the subtle weathering details in Yugiri against a rich, dark purple base. Do you consider the silhouette and shape of the costume when planning its construction? 102
|
AETHERFLOW
One of the first things that I consider when planning a costume is how it will fit on me. I’m petite so I stay away from anything that has a loose fit in the torso. A fit like that will swallow me, as if my upper half got eaten by a sweater. Shapes that flare out and flow from the waist are more flattering. Such include skirts, gowns, dusters and the FFXIV design staple: “butt capes.” They draw attention and depending on their length and shape they can make one appear taller. That’s always nice for me to have due to my height. I also consider necklines, sleeves, asymmetry and types of headwear and footwear. All of these elements can look different on myself versus the original reference, so I have to do some resizing. For example, female character models in FFXIV tend to be lanky, so details on them may appear elongated compared to my own body type. After determining the fit of a costume, I break it down into different parts and details. Which ones jump out at a glance? What do they tell you about a character? The Astrologian striked mystery and nobility with its impressive train adorned with stars. Lyse’s light fabrics and brass jewelry created a lot of movement and sound with each step, which really captured her energy. Yugiri’s asymmetry and sharp shapes created an edgy, deadly aura, or should I say Au Ra? For Yugiri, you mentioned you were inspired to pull from kimono fabrics to detail the costume. Tell us about your process choosing those fabrics. Did you already have a strong idea which designs you wanted to incorporate, or was it more experimental to find exactly what you wanted? When I choose materials for my costumes I go for a “realistic interpretation.” It’s a way for me to translate a fictional outfit into real life, without making it seem cartoony or impractical.
103
104
|
AETHERFLOW
It’s basically like taking a comic book hero and adapting them into a Hollywood movie. The costumes in those movies use a variety of colors, textures and materials to make them believable and appealing. For Yugiri, I used the Stormblood trailer as my main reference, as it was the closest reference to a realistic Yugiri. I have visited museums and kimono shops in Japan before, as well as worn different Japanese garments myself, so I used my experience to source materials. I ended up using kimono fabrics of different designs and shades of purple. This would keep the costume from looking too uniform. I specifically went for fabrics that had a floral motif as a touch of symbolism and storytelling. I wanted the flowers to reflect the floral suikan worn by the residents of Yugiri’s home village, Sui-no-Sato. The flowers symbolize what Yugiri left behind, her reason for fighting, her yearning to return. This theme is most prominent in the floral embroidery found in the silk that I used for her hair ribbons. She keeps them on despite her outfit change from Heavensward to Stormblood, so I saw them as pieces fashioned from an old suikan, a piece of home that she wears always. Lead us through your costuming process a bit. Do you modify existing patterns, or create your own patterns from scratch? I have specific criteria for how I want my costumes to fit, so I make my own patterns from scratch. For tops and bodices, I pin and drape directly on my dress form. I will continuously try on and tweak the pattern until it’s just right. There’s also tracing clothes that I own if there’s a shape that I need. I usually do this for flat pieces such as gloves, sleeves and pants. I don’t make my patterns exact and tight-fitting, since I do consider movement. Wiggle room is important, especially in the armholes and crotch. You’ll never know if
stretching your arms or doing a squat emote will create a tear. I’ve never used commercial patterns, but I think they’re useful for when you don’t know where to start. You can always alter them according to your needs. But whatever the pattern, it’s important to save them so that you don’t have to do everything all over again. You use a wide variety of materials for your props and costume details, from EVA foam to PVC to Worbla to craft foam to apoxie. How do you settle on which material to use for each prop and detail? After many years of working with all of these materials, my tastes have shifted to long-lasting comfort and durability. I want to be able to wear my costumes for hours and feel comfortable. Then when it’s time to put everything away, I can do so quickly and without worrying about damage. The materials that I go to are foam, PVC and apoxie sculpt. Any armor that I make must be made from EVA foam. It’s light, affordable, comfortable and can resist being packed tight or thrown into luggage. A heat gun can always remove any wrinkles and misshapen areas. For details, I use craft foam or foam clay. The latter is relatively new and very versatile. I saved time by sculpting bevel trims for Yugiri’s armor instead of having to Dremel foam. I also made Au Ra scales that fit my face perfectly. I use PVC to make props because it doesn’t bend or flop around like foam does. It can get heavy, so I combine foam and apoxie For Yugiri’s Yoshimitsu, the handles and blades were made of PVC to keep them durable. The details were apoxie, but they covered a layer of filler material in the form of EVA foam and aluminum foil. 105
Using filler materials in your sculpts saves apoxie and keeps your work lightweight; you can use a variety of materials such as cardstock, news paper or tape. I used Worbla early on in my cosplay adventures, but I experienced many mishaps and accidents, so it is banned for me! Worbla takes more layers to prime than foam and it is heavier. It can melt on a hot day and if bent, dropped, knocked or thrown it can crack or shatter. It can also be dangerous. Not only can it dig into the skin, but I have been cut by a Worbla shard and poked near the eye by a Worbla spike. All the FFXIV costumes you’ve tackled incorporate a lot of armor or metal details along with the clothing itself. Is merging fabric and Worbla/foam armor together challenging? Do you have to make any adjustments to the outfit to better accommodate the shape or weight of the armor, such as Yugiri’s gauntlets and pauldron or the Astrologian belt? When combining fabric with rigid pieces such as armor or jewelry, I do have to consider whether the fabric (and even wigs) will get caught. The Astrologian’s knitted shawl would get caught in the closures used in my necklaces. Lyse’s capes kept getting twisted in the knee armor. Yugiri’s wig and scarf would get tangled in the horns and shoulder armor. These things couldn’t be helped for these costumes, but I concluded that if it’s pointy, it’s going to snag something. When adding armor to a cosplay, I think about the underside and attachments. I line my armor with fabric that won’t fray, such as felt or neoprene (the material used in wetsuits and laptop sleeves). This is to prevent friction and paint rub off, reinforce attachments such as magnets, straps and snaps, and to create an overall clean look. I wouldn’t use 106
|
AETHERFLOW
felt if the armor is going to touch bare skin, as that will cause itching. I prefer attachments that are neat and quick, such as the ones that I mentioned. I tend to stay away from Velcro since it tends to get caught on other parts of my costume. You’ve discussed on Twitter your strong preference for tangible, hands-on crafting skills when it comes to your cosplays. There’s been a shift in recent years within the cosplay community towards new technology and tools that can help streamline and perfect their costumes, such as 3D printing for small pieces and digital embroidery for fabric details. Aside from the large investment of time and money needed to learn new technology, why do you gravitate towards more traditional skills like sculpting and fabric applique? First, I want to say that no material or technique is perfect or “one size fits all.” There are pros and cons. Everyone has different preferences, budgets, schedules, material accessibility and comfort level. I believe in doing what works for you, rather than trying to keep up with trends or adopt whatever popular cosplayers are doing.
107
108
|
AETHERFLOW
I prefer tangible items because I can easily see how big they are compared to my proportions and dress form. If I’m sketching out a piece of armor or a brooch and I need to check sizing on the spot, I can just hold it against myself.
Do you think those methods will be less explored as high-end tools become more mainstream and how do you see that influencing new cosplayers getting into the hobby now?
For something like gauntlets, I actually go into /gpose, put my arm on the TV and zoom in/out on my character until I get an appropriate size. Then I use tracing paper. It’s “old school” but it always works for me. I’ve heard of cosplayers that have their own body scans that they 3D model directly onto, but I’m not knowledgeable in that kind of crafting and you can’t drop or throw a 3D printed gauntlet without it possibly breaking.
Cosplay has really come a long way. Back then you made do with what you had and could find. Before cosplay wig companies existed you had to get cheap ugly Halloween wigs, spray color your own hair or just cosplay characters that had the same hair color as you. Contact lenses for cosplay? Nope. Specialty fabrics made by and for cosplayers? No such thing!
Something that I have a problem with is perceiving depth, size and curvature when looking at 3D models or trying to digitize embroidery designs. I’m easily confused and my eyes get strained. Creating vector patterns of props is the bare minimum that I do on a screen. Despite this, I am still very curious about 3D printing and digital embroidery. Their possibilities are endless and they can probably spare me some hand strain. In terms of personal taste, I’m pretty old-fashioned. I appreciate handmade goods such as sculpting, weaving, needlework, and metalwork. I could see works in a museum, store or demonstration and my heart would explode. It would be a dream to incorporate these hand techniques into my costumes. When I started cosplaying years ago, I remember scouring deviantART and YouTube for countless DIY tutorials for any kind of wig styling, prop making, or costuming tips you could think of, with so many variations. I still see tutorials floating around, but I don’t cosplay enough to know if they’re as common as they were “back in the day,” so to speak.
Props were made of paper mache and Crayola Model Magic. So much has happened in cosplay that newer cosplayers may not know that this was how things started out! Today, cosplay is so much more accessible than ever. There are tons of tools and resources that can help you get started, no matter your skill level. You can read great books, take online courses and learn a lot from YouTube and other social media. There are even amazing cosplayers that work professionally, producing educational videos, hosting panels and doing live demonstrations at events. Of course there are also tools that can help you such as 3D printing, machine embroidery, vinyl and laser cutting. There are lots of different models and prices points. Companies and commissioners that offer cutting and printing services as well as model file sharing exist, making these new technologies accessible for those who don’t own them. Despite the wealth of information and ease of access, that isn’t to say that everything is foolproof and can be done “with the push of a button.” There is still trial and error, materials don’t behave all the time, and machines need to be calibrated and undergo maintenance. 109
Does the steep time and money investment needed to gain proficiency in new tech come into the equation at all? If you had unlimited time and wealth, do you think you’d use those resources, or would you still prefer to hone your other skills? Besides preferring to work tangibly, the time it takes to learn new tech is one reason why I don’t dip my toes into it. The time that it takes for me to learn 3D modeling, laser cutter formatting or machine maintenance, I could be using to work on my upcoming projects. A bit of a minor obstacle in the time being is storage. I don’t have an appropriate workspace, so I wouldn’t know where to house all of these machines. Given the time, wealth and space, I would definitely use new tech and incorporate them into my usual arsenal of techniques. They would be helpful in allowing me to multitask and save money. I could have a 3D printer running while I’m draping patterns on my mannequin. Using a laser cutter for PVC pieces means that I don’t have to strain my hand with a knife (and accidentally cut myself). I wouldn’t have to keep buying replacement blades for all of my knives. Apoxie sculpt can be messy and any excess material has to be thrown away. Also as I get older, I have to consider how much my hands can handle all of this handiwork. Getting really fine detail is very labor-intensive and tiring. You have a post on your Instagram comparing a 2013 Skyrim cosplay to your 2017 Astrologian, and it’s a stunning tribute to how your craft has grown over the years. What is one skill or lesson you’ve learned (physical or mental) that has proved 110
|
AETHERFLOW
immeasurable when constructing a costume, that perhaps isn’t immediately obvious to someone just admiring your cosplays online? I learned a lot of lessons over the years but the biggest one is that you will make mistakes. You will fail and the only way to get better is through practice and learning. Things happen and most of the time it’s not your fault. Don’t be hard on yourself. There are many things that could happen along the way. There could be a material that didn’t want to work with you. You tried a technique that was unfamiliar. You tried your usual techniques and it backfired. An online order is delayed or canceled, which has a profound effect on the rest of your costume. Sometimes you have an idea in your head or on paper. but when you make it, it may not turn out how you wanted. You end up having to cut corners and hope that nobody would notice. At the last minute, real life issues pop up. It took me many years to realize that nobody is perfect and that people are continuously learning and trying to better themselves, including the professionals. I used to get so down if I couldn’t replicate what they did, but after experience and self-reflection I began to focus on myself and what cosplay means to me, rather than pay attention to others. Cosplay is just a hobby to me. I do it because I like to craft. It’s a lot of fun, especially when you’re able to connect with people that have the same interests and fandoms. Considering your beautiful work on armor details, in particular most recently with Yugiri, would you ever consider doing a full armor costume, or are you still exploring more sewing-focused projects?
111
112
|
AETHERFLOW
I’ve made full armor costumes for myself in the past and to be honest, with how petite I am it made me feel like I got rolled up into a used yoga mat. I prefer a light amount of armor so that I can freely spin my dresses and capes. I want to be elegant, gentle and aetherial like whoever Magnai’s Nhaama is. However, I’m not against working on armor builds so long as they have fabric that can flow and fine details. My boyfriend and I have Fray and AF4 Dark Knight in the works and while they’re tanky at a glance, upon closer look they’re quite regal, knightly and have ornate embellishments. For sewing I am always learning new techniques and wanting to try new things. At some point I want to take a break in between projects in order to learn and practice. I’m really interested in goldwork, which uses threads made of metal.
helping out occasional sprouts that I recruit via my cosplays. I’ve had friends and people I met at events get into FFXIV because they liked my costumes. I’d talk about them about the creation before switching into the whole “you too can wear this in game!” Thank you so much for taking the time to share more about yourself and your cosplays with Aetherflow! Where can our readers find you online if they’d like to see more of your work? Thank you for reaching out and giving me this opportunity! This is actually my first ever cosplay interview. It was a great experience and the questions were very thoughtful. I hope my experiences and process were interesting and helpful to anyone interested in cosplay. I can be found on Twitter and Instagram as Nikumonster.
Tell us a bit about your character ingame! What is your main class, and what is your favorite way to spend your time in Eorzea? I main Dark Knight, but I’ll occasionally bounce between Dragoon and Bard. Sometimes a tank burns out from having to lead people to their doom. When I’m not doing dailies I’m doing housing. I’m very invested in decorating a cottage that I share with my boyfriend. We made it into an izakaya run by Namazu. Nowadays my boyfriend keeps bringing in more and more Namazu-themed items and I have no idea what to do with them. He even started chasing me around with a Namazu head. If there’s ever a Namazu-themed house, I know he’s going to get it! Fishy shenanigans aside, I am loving World Visit so much. I like visiting friends at their houses and helping out with their decorating. There’s also the usual running content together as well as 113
TEXT BY TYLP ZOLCOZE
114
|
AETHERFLOW
-
P H O T O S & L AY O U T B Y K I R B E E
E LIGHT
115
"My F Ques
This is Eorzea. It's twelve days southwest of Ilsabard and a few degrees west of freezing to death. Our destination located solidly on the Dravanian Forelands. The village. . . Well, this isn't that kind of story. It's more of a guide to help with training your chocobo for adventuring. From a fresh chick to full-fledged flying, battle ready chocobo.
After choosing your grand company (and surpassing Ifrit in the Bowel of Embers level 22 fight), you gain access to getting a chocobo mount. That and 200 Grand Company Seals earn you the ability to purchase a whistle. Now, this doesn't give you the ability to summon your chocobo as a companion, but it does at least let you ride around Eorzea freely and quickly. The true adventure starts with the “My Feisty Little Chocobo� quest (start level 30). Be sure to have extra Gysahl Greens to be able to keep your chocobo on standby. Leveling works just as it would if you were leveling yourself. Your chocobo has to hit the mob, be alive, and be within a set perimeter from the killed mob to get credit. Your chocobo does get credit for job quest mobs in the open world, as well as FATE mobs. Sadly, however, the FATE completion doesn't get credited to your chocobo. You will not be allowed to bring in your Chocobo to closed instances. Using FATES and treasure
116
|
AETHERFLOW
Feisty Chocobo" st giver, Docette
117
118
|
AETHERFLOW
maps will help with your weekly Challenge Log, the first tier granting a 5% level EXP bonus, with the second giving a 10% bonus. Another option is having your chocobo stabled at your FC or personal home. You will not be able to summon your chocobo to ride or fight while they are stabled. However, while stabled, you can train or change your chocobo’s feather color by feeding, and even change the name of your chocobo. Experience gained through stable training will be slower, but would be a nice way to get EXP when you have little time to stay online.
Hitting rank 10 and beyond brings in an extra step: once you hit the cap on experience, you will need to use a Thavnairian Onion for each rank after 10, until you hit level 20. Thavnairian Onions can be obtained through gardening, as a reward from certain quests, or from the market board, if you don't have much of a green thumb.
"I have my chocobo, but now I’m not sure how to optimize them to their full potential." Depending on your job and the conditions, choosing the correct stance can provide the best outcome. Healers would benefit from having the chocobo in tank stance, for example Enmity attacks would keep the enemies off of you while you bring their health down. Tanks could have theirs in a healer stance, and with Choco Regen and other heals, they can focus on bringing down the enemy. DPS, on the other hand, can use their chocobo in any of the three stances. Here is a breakdown of each stance:
119
120
|
AETHERFLOW
Auto-attacks, whilst using all available abilities as the chocobo sees fit. The chocobo will alternate between using weapon skills and regenerative/healing abilities, when in this stance, reasonably well. Provided you have purchased them with SP, Choco Regen will be applied whenever you or your chocobo take any damage and Choco Cure will be cast whenever you or your chocobo drop below roughly 50% HP.
Favors using abilities from the defender tree. A chocobo which has only the Choco Drop attack available will use it roughly every 6-8 seconds, and can hold hate fairly well. If you wish for your chocobo to have the ability to "Tank", it might be wise to only purchase the first three abilities from the defender tree, and swap it into this stance whenever you need it to generate heavy amounts of enmity.
This stance favors healing abilities. Provided you have purchased them with SP, Choco Regen will be applied whenever you or your chocobo take any damage, and Choco Cure will be cast whenever you or your chocobo drop below roughly 75% HP.The chocobo will not attack when in this stance. Unfortunately, you cannot currently tell your chocobo to "stay" at a certain location, so it will follow directly behind your character, like a lost pup.
Favors using abilities from the attacker tree. Primarily using weapon skills, Attack Stance is the DPS form for chocobo. Level 7 Unlocks Choco Rush, an ability that has the additional effect of stun. The chocobo will use Choco Rush when an enemy is using a weapon skill or longer casting magic, when off cool down.
121
SP is used to unlock skills and traits for your chocobo. SP is gained when your chocobo levels up. You gain SP equivalent to your companion’s level. Once you get to level 10, you receive only 10 SP per level until level 16. After that, you start to gain one extra SP, per level until level 20; which will reward you with having all three stances capped. While skills are set behind stances, traits are stacked between all stances.
"Can you give your chocobo stat boosting food?" Why yes! From experience to enmity, there is a wide variety to choose from:
FOOD
NORMAL EFFECT
FAVORITE FOOD
SOURCE
Curiel Root
EXP Up
EXP Up II
Gardening
Sylkis Bud
Attack Up
Attack Up II
Gardening or Vendor
Mimett Gourd
Heal Potency Up
Heal Potency Up II
Gardening or Vendor
Tantalplant
Maximum HP Up
Maximum HP Up II
Gardening or Vendor
Pahsana Fruit
Enmity Up
Enmity Up II
Gardening or Vendor
Curiel Root gives a 10% boost to EXP as a normal effect, while favorite effect adds 20%. Chocobo favorite is achieved by feeding it the same vegetable until it becomes it favorite of your bird. As a side note on some tests run personally, I was unable to tell the bonus for attack and healing, as the numbers were inconsistent. I was not able to take hate away from my chocobo, unless I used a tank class, when using enmity plus food. I hope this helps you with training your chocobo. Who knows, maybe next time we can talk about chocobo racing?
122
|
AETHERFLOW
123
As a little bonus, I thought I would go over a brief way to style your choco
unlocked for each stance, you are rewarded with barding for your chocob
tanks glisten in Paladin Barding. Other barding options are unlocked thro
WHITE MAGE BARDING
124
|
AETHERFLOW
DRAGOON BARDING
obo to make them battle ready, or ready for cosplay. After getting rank 10
bo. Attack gets Dragoon Barding, healer unlocks White Mage Barding, and
ough trials, crafts, Grand Companies, hunts, achievements, and FATES.
PALADIN BARDING
125
126
|
AETHERFLOW
Not happy with glamour, or just want to color your chocobo? There are a couple of sites that help with changing your chocobo’s color. I myself prefer to use https://ffxivchocobo.com Calculator. Another site to check out is FFXIV Wiki (https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki. com/wiki/Chocobo_Colors). Your chocobo's natural color is Desert Yellow. The following foods are what your chocobo will need to eat to change their feathers: ITEM
DESCRIPTION
R
G
B
Xelphatol Apple
Increases red hue, also reduces blue and green hues
+5
-5
-5
Mamook Pear
Increases green hue, also reduces blue and red hues
-5
+5
-5
O'Ghomoro Berries
Increases blue hue also reduces green and red hues
-5
-5
+5
Doman Plum
Reduces red hue, also increases blue and green hues
-5
+5
+5
Valfruit
Reduces green hue also increases blue and red hues
+5
-5
+5
Cieldalaes Pineapple
Reduces blue hue, also increases green and red hues
+5
+5
-5
Han Lemon
Restores to default Desert Yellow color
127
ᄒan ᆃၰt ᆈeဃture G u sty
INTERVIEW BY TETEMUI TEMUI | ARTWORK BY GUSTY | DESIGN BY LELA RAII 128
|
AETHERFLOW
129
130
|
AETHERFLOW
Hey there! Would you like to introduce yourself? Heya! My name is Gusty, you can pronounce my name like ‘Gustav’ but with a ‘y’ at the end. I’m 24 years old, and currently working for a sauna wellness company in Austria. My in-game character is Valedys Azeyma, and I play on Lich, which is on the Light datacenter. My main job is Monk. There are a few secondary jobs I can also play, such as Astrologian, Bard, or Red Mage. Overall I mostly play Monk, especially when raiding.
a little money to afford a PlayStation 2. This is how I ended up playing Final Fantasy X. But after that, I stopped gaming for a while. I even stopped drawing. Oh no! Why did you stop? Actually, it was just a teenager phase. I thought I needed to make more friends and make more memories with them before I finish High School, so I simply put my drawing tools and PlayStation 2 aside and spent more time with them. We even ended up making a band together! I mean, we were not good, but we had fun. I also took up different sports like soccer and badminton, so I didn’t have that much time for anything else. Besides, if you wanted to impress girls, you didn’t get very far just by drawing. *sigh* I don’t regret stopping though, because I feel I did live to the fullest during that time, especially because after school I left everything behind and moved to Austria.
How did you get into drawing? I draw during my free time as a hobby. I don’t quite remember when was the first time I started drawing was, but it must have been when I was still a child. It was when I was still living in Indonesia, and I was pretty hooked on an anime series called ‘Dragon Ball.’ I started drawing a lot of Goku everywhere – not only on paper, but on the wall of my room, on the floor, or even outside on the ground. My mother noticed my passion for drawing, so she ended up giving me many And what made you (thankfully!) return? When I went to Austria, everything was different. drawing books. And today I still enjoy drawing! The atmosphere, the people, the language. I also began working and yet, felt somehow empty. You know, I never really completely stopped Your mother seems to be very supportive! Yes, she has been supporting me a lot, not only drawing. I still did all the doodles and sketches. for drawing of course, but anything! Back then, I And when I moved to another country, it helped was raised by my grandparents since I grew up me a lot to cope with the challenges I faced on without a father and my mother had to work. I a daily basis. I had to think more seriously about only saw her once a month. Basically, I continued my future now. At the same time, I began to take to draw because she kept cheering me on and I drawing more seriously since it has become very had her attention! She is also the reason why I important for me. And then, one day, I decided decided to leave Indonesia and move to Austria to watch some Final Fantasy videos online. That was when I discovered a video about the – I wanted to stay close to her. beautiful world of Eorzea. I was immediately Coming from Dragon Ball, how did you end up attracted to it and bought the game. Now, every time I come home from work, I have something with Final Fantasy XIV? Haha, back then when I was still a kid, I really I really look forward to! By the way, Final Fantasy only watched anime and read manga until XIV is my very first MMORPG game! someday my friend asked me to play with him on PlayStation 1. I remember being so amazed So what does it feel like to play such a massively by it that I started playing ‘Harvest Moon: Back to multiplayer game? Nature’. Eventually, I came across Final Fantasy To be honest, I didn’t even know what an MMORPG VII, VIII, and IX. I loved the Final Fantasy worlds was at first. I actually thought everybody was so much, I wanted to know more, so I saved up just NPCs! So, when I started playing, I was all
131
alone. I didn’t quite understand how the job roles work, like, what’s a tank, what’s a healer? I remember doing Sastasha for the first time: I was the only one who didn’t follow the crowd. And I also didn’t read the chat log, because back then, I didn’t think it was important. In addition to that, I kept casting Esuna instead of Cure to heal the tank and they eventually died, haha! But thankfully I got to know a lot of people and learned quite a lot from them as well. Having fun with them is one of the many things I really like. It’s just awesome being able to do everything together with your friends!
prefer it if people give me complete freedom on how to draw their requests.
On to drawing! What are your tools of trade? I prefer drawing traditionally. When I sketch, I use HB pencils and then move on to various pens such as G-pen or Maru-pen for inking. I then scan my images and color them with a painting tool, since Copics are pretty expensive.
How do people interested in commissioning you contact you? People can just direct message me via Twitter or Instagram!
How do you handle commissions? I never intended on doing commissions for others. I opened up art accounts on Instagram and Twitter just to share my drawings with people. Back then, some people even asked me whether I could draw for them, and I always declined until one day, my friend told me to do it. He wanted me to draw his character and pay for it. So I eventually did it and voilà! I’m accepting commissions. When I draw for someone, I like to listen to their ideas and try out a few sketches to see whether I meet their expectations. But to be honest, I
132
|
AETHERFLOW
Is there a favorite race you like to draw? What do you consider challenging when drawing? I love drawing Miqo’te! They are a simple race – they just have tails and cat ears, but they still look great. Also, everybody loves them – I think? As for challenges: I am still learning a lot, and I still make a lot of mistakes. The armors in Final Fantasy XIV are very detailed and I sometimes I just can’t be bothered with looking at reference pictures from every angle.
Thank you for the interview!
@Gusty10RK
@Gusty10RK 133
the joy of the culinarian:
One year of Aetherflow means one year of Joy of the Culinarian! And what better way to celebrate this milestone than with a small, festive meal? I present to you subtly spiced cockatrice balls, basking in homemade gravy, served with mashed popotoes, and a delicious bowl of onion soup with gooey cheese on top. If that was not enough to fill you up, go grab a slice of snurbleberry tart for dessert. Or, do it like me, and head for the tart first. We showed you how to make the mashed popotoes in our Spring 2019 issue, like the crust for the tart was covered in our Autumn 2018 issue, so I won't go into much detail on how to prepare them. But enough talk, roll up your sleeves! Text and photos by Tetemui Temui - Layout and editing by Lolae Demort
134
|
AETHERFLOW
135
baked onion soup A hearty bouillon soup filled with sweet onions, covered with shredded cheese and baked in an oven until golden brown.
Prep. time: approx. 60 minutes Serves 4 people You will need: ●● 4 slices of white bread (French bread preferably, but toast works just as fine) ●● 2 tablespoons of olive oil ●● 500 grams of sweet onions (approx. 18 ounces) ●● 1 tablespoon of sugar ●● ¼ liter (approx. 1 cup) dry white wine for chicken broth/red wine for beef broth (optional) ●● 1 clove of garlic (optional) ●● 1 liter (approx. 4 ¼ cups) of chicken broth (traditionally: beef broth) ●● 1 bay leaf ●● Salt and pepper, to taste ●● 125 grams (approx. 1 cup) of grated sharp Swiss cheese, preferably Gruyère
136
|
AETHERFLOW
Cut your bread so it fits into your oven-proof soup bowl, if necessary. Toast the slices and set aside. Peel and crush your garlic clove. Peel and slice the onions. It’s okay to cry. They’ll just add flavor to the soup! Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and fry the onions until they are soft. Add the sugar and keep on stirring until the onions take on a deep caramel color – this may take a while! Stir in the garlic clove and continue to cook for about two minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the white wine. If, for some reason, you need to skip out on the alcohol you can omit the wine and replace the amount needed with water or additional broth. Wine just makes this soup ever so flavorful. Anyway, simmer for about 20 minutes, until the amount of wine is reduced in the pot and starts to become a little bit sticky. Stir in the broth and bay leaf and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 230°C (445 °F). Ladle your soup into oven-proof soup bowls and top each with a slice of toasted bread. Sprinkle liberally with grated cheese and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
137
cockatrice meat balls Ground lean cockatrice meat hand rolled into bite-sized balls and fried in oil.
I remember the first time I made chicken meatballs – I wanted to serve guests some Swedish Köttbollar but forgot to purchase minced meat. Panicking, I checked what I had in stock and discovered some chicken breast. I minced them with my kitchen machine and used that instead. And, to tell you the truth, they were a blessing in disguise! My guests loved it, and I was left feeling that my panic was, as is so often the case, completely unfounded. Anyway, you are here to learn how to make chicken meatballs and not hear some boring background story, so let’s dig right in! Put the panko in a mixing bowl and pour just enough milk in it to soak them – less is more. Peel and chop the onion into small pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a small pan over medium heat and fry the onion until fragrant. Add the onion, including what's left of the heated butter, into the bowl with panko. Stir in the sage and parsley, as well as some salt and pepper. Add in the eggs. Mix in the minced chicken meat until you get a nice firm dough.
138
|
AETHERFLOW
If it feels a little too sticky, you may want to add some more panko. Roll into bite-sized balls and set aside. Heat a large frying pan with the remaining butter over medium heat. Fry the meatballs in batches, taking the cooked ones out of the pan. If you want to keep them warm, you can lay them out on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and keep them in the oven at the lowest temperature possible. Once all your meatballs are fried, add the flour to the fat residue in your pan. If your pan seems too dry, you may add another tablespoon of butter. Cook the flour a little until it clumps up to a ball, scraping down any bits of fried meat and spices off the pan, then swiftly mix in the wine. Keep on stirring to avoid clumps. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for approx. 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir in as much broth as needed to reach gravy consistency. Taste the gravy, and add salt and pepper if needed. Keep warm, occasionally stirring to prevent skin forming on the top. Alternatively, you can return the meatballs into the pan to keep them warm in the sauce.
Prep. time: approx. 40 minutes Serves 4 people You will need: ●● 500 grams (approx. 17 ½ ounces) of minced chicken meat ●● 3 tablespoons of panko or breadcrumbs ●● approx. 60 milliliters (approx. ¼ cup) of milk ●● 1 small onion ●● 3 tablespoons of butter ●● 2 medium-sized eggs ●● 1 teaspoon chopped dried sage ●● 2 teaspoons chopped parsley ●● 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour ●● 1/8 liter (approx. ½ cup) dry white wine ●● 1/8 liter (approx. ½ cup) chicken broth ●● 1 tablespoon tomato paste ●● Salt and pepper, to taste
139
mashed popotoes Boiled popotoes, mashed into a smooth, creamy paste. This dish, originating in the New World, is best with a generous dollop of salty butter. Prep. time: approx. 50 minutes Serves 4 people You will need: ●● 1½ kilograms (approx. 3.4 pounds) of starchy potatoes, e.g. Idaho Russet ●● 130 milliliters (approx. ½ cup) of milk ●● 40 grams (approx. 3 tablespoons) of butter ●● 1 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder ●● Salt and pepper, to taste
140
|
AETHERFLOW
If you are the type who just rips open a pack of boxed mashed potatoes and prepares them according to instructions, be my guest. I won’t judge you. In fact, I, too, often use them during the week, when the allotted time for cooking dinner should not exceed 30 minutes – after all, Eorzea is waiting! But I digress. Mashed potatoes actually are not that tedious to make! Simply peel your potatoes (get a friend or two to help!) and chop/slice them. Put in a big pot and cover with water. Cook over high heat until boiling, then turn down the heat to medium. Check for doneness by poking with a fork or skewer. Once cooked, carefully pour out the hot water. It’s okay if some of the cooking water remains, but it shouldn’t be too much. Begin mashing them with a masher, slowly adding the milk as you mash. You can regulate the consistency of the mashed potatoes by adding as much milk as you like. When you are done, stir in the butter and nutmeg – season with salt and pepper.
141
snurbleberry tart A colorful tart made with blood red snurbleberries.
Prep. time: approx. 2 hours Serves several people You will need: For the dough: ●● 190 grams (approx. 1 ½ cups) of flour ●● 60 grams (approx. ½ cup) of almond flour ●● 60 grams (approx. ½ cup) of icing sugar ●● 1/2 teaspoon salt ●● 2 large egg yolks ●● 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ●● 120 grams (approx ½ cup) of soft butter For the topping: ●● approx. 500 grams (approx. 17 ½ ounces) of fresh raspberries ●● 1 tablespoon potato starch ●● 2-3 tablespoons of sugar ●● 250 milliliters (approx. 1 cup) of water, raspberry, or strawberry juice
142
|
AETHERFLOW
To end such a festive menu, a fruity dessert is just the right thing! Top with a dollop of whipped cream (or more) and indulge yourself. Mix all dough ingredients until smooth and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Prepare and grease a large 8 to 9-inch tart pan. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Roll out your dough and cover your pan with it. Using a fork, prick a few holes in the bottom of the tart. Place a sheet of baking paper over your tart and add some baking weights, such as dried chickpeas. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Take out of the oven, remove the weights, and let the tart shell cool down completely. Wash and carefully pat your raspberries dry. Arrange in whatever pattern you fancy in the tart crust. Prepare the glaze: mix the starch with sugar and a few tablespoons of the liquid of your choice to achieve a paste. Bring the remaining liquid to a boil in a pot over high heat. If you want to be extra fancy and the tart is intended only for adults, you may even add a splash of your favorite rum! Take off heat and stir in the paste. Heat again and keep on stirring until the entire liquid becomes thick and bubbly. Remove from heat, wait a few seconds while stirring then carefully pour/spoon over the raspberries. Let cool down completely before serving. Can be prepared a day ahead. Enjoy!
143
144
TEXT BY VEDERAH KILMISTER - IMAGES BY VEDERAH KILMISTER AND SKRULLY MATSUYAMA LAYOUT BY ARYA ROSE
T
M A it c w
F s re c T (A s w fe b a y ti y m y n w
|
AETHERFLOW
Twinning (with your chocobo)
My best friend has a first name, it’s C-H-O-C-O-B-O! And while that doesn’t quite have the same ring to t as the Oscar Mayer bologna song, I’ve already committed myself to using it for my intro- so here we are.
Final Fantasy 14 is a game with a knack for storytelling and showcasing special bonds and elationships that develop between its main characters. Papalymo and Yda. Wedge and Biggs. The Warrior of Light and Haurchefant. Too soon? Always too soon.) But none of these friendships seem as wholesome and pure as the bond we share with our very own feathery friend. From the time we ed it that first gysahl green, our companion chocobo became our closest ally. It provided you a swift ride across the expanse of Eorzea. It saved your life when you fought your first S rank. Sure there was that one ime where you felt heartbrokenly abandoned when you thought it was running away to be with those mobs that survived the fate that just ended. But then your bird came back and you had to casually act like nothing happened and you weren’t crying at all. It was just dust in my eye, Pecker. IT WAS JUST DUST.
Point is: your chocobo is the Ying to your Yang, and seeing as you are such a trendsetting (and newly anointed) Warrior of Darkness, it’s only right that you make sure your companion is as well! Sure you could just feed it berries ‘til it’s quite literally blue in the face, but if we’ve only learned one thing from my articles thus far- it’s that I’m high maintenance and we are always going to take things several steps further. What are those steps? Bardings, my friends! Chocobo bardings! It wouldn’t be fair that you have a stateof-the-art walk in closet while your faithful friend only has one, floppy-eared hat with stains on it, that he got several years ago when he finally learned to fly. No. Your chocobo should be an extension of yourself and should look just as glamourous as you do. What better way to showcase how to do that than by kicking it old-school, spirit week in grade school style! That’s right friends. We’re celebrating Twin Day up in this piece! Start up your favorite 90s movie montage music and let’s get ready to coordinate.
145
NOBLE BARD Have you ever seen such a noble, well-mannered chocobo in your life? Who knew aristocratic poultry was a thing! This dapper bird is showcasing a delightful combination of the Noble Barding, Red Mage Barding, and Lunar Barding in such a fashion that even the highborn elite of Ishgard would turn their heads and gawk in envy. What I enjoy about this combination is how the Red Mage chest brings in a touch of a militant feel that keeps this chocobo glam from looking overly frilly. It reminds me of medieval armaments on horses- covered in banners bearing the family crest of its master. To complement this unique barding, we put together a look that shared a similar combination of aesthetics: elegant, but with a slight armoured touch. Much like with our friend, I chose the chest piece to break
146
|
AETHERFLOW
up the more delicate pieces of the glamour. The Prototype Midan Coat of Aiming, similar to the Red Mage barding chest we see in our chocobo’s look, is the perfect marriage of all the elements. We have the softer, black fabric mixed in with the bold, armour elements, like the chainmail and gold plating, that allow this particular piece to be utilized in such a wide variety of ways. Pairing it with items such as the Plain Long Skirt and the High House Cloche pulls the chest piece in a direction that makes it seem more ornamental rather than a functional piece of battle gear.
147
148
|
AETHERFLOW
149
150
|
AETHERFLOW
FLAMBOYANT AMBASSADOR Listen, I know that you literally just read about how I liked that the last glamour wasn’t “overly frilly.” Hold onto your butts as we do a speedy 180 turn in the opposite direction and head full throttle straight into Frilly Town. This combination is what I’ve lovingly been referring to as the “Mardis Gras” of all my glamours. It’s bright. It’s bold. It’s gaudy in the absolute best sort of way. You can 100% guarantee I will be driving around in this look from the streets of Limsa Lominsa all the way to the Crystarium like a onewoman parade- waving happily and tossing beads out to everyone I see passing by. (No flashing required. Keep your glams on, pls.) It should be no surprise that this pair of glamours is all about the color story. I was so unbelievably inspired by the warm, bright jeweltoned color scheme of the Yojimbo
Barding set that I knew I had to create something fresh and vibrant with one of its pieces. By pairing the chest portion with the warm undertones of the headpiece from the Ala Mhigan Barding and the decorative leg guards of the Lunar Barding, we were able to keep our companion’s look bold without being terribly overwhelming. Where we really step on the ignition here is for our own matching glamour. The Yojimbo Barding chest piece is a total showstopperwhat in the world could we have in our own closets that could possibly stand up to it? Feast your eyes upon Amon’s Coat- yes, the coat that made almost everyone wonder for a brief second how much acid the gear designers were on when they created it. From the color combination to the poofiest frills you could’ve ever imagined- this
151
is by far the loudest item we have in game. And yet- for as bold as it is, and as bold as the Yojimbo chest is, they work surprisingly well with each other. Those bright colors flow seamlessly from coat to coat, and I adore the contrast of the vertical stripes created by the frills against the horizontal stripes against our chocobo’s feathers. Yes, it is loud. But it’s the kind of music our ears crave to listen to at such volumes! While we were at it- we even cranked the volume up to 11 by adding in those bell-sleeved Augmented T o r r e n t Armguards of Aiming.
152
|
AETHERFLOW
153
SPEAR OF THE HEAVENS Blessed thou art in the way of glamour! This ethereal combination of the Blissful Barding, Angelic Barding, and Expanse Barding is beautiful enough to make us feel like our soul is transcending to that big, golden walk-in closet in the sky. There’s something so pure and calming about the combination of gold, white, and turquoise; add the feathers on top of it and you begin to see the divine. Such a glamour would surely be worthy of the most hallowed of white mages. Which, I mean, it definitely is. But why do white mages always get to have first dibs on everything angelic? Just because the color is in their name doesn’t mean it belongs to them. Why can’t a dragoon mount such a holy steed? Can they not leap into the heavens? Each time they tank the floor they see the face of their maker and
154
|
AETHERFLOW
are called back to Eorzea through resurrection! So they’re kind of like holy men and women. Emphasis on ‘kind of’. Those beautiful, wispy feathers are the real focus of our chocobo’s look- and what better way to bring them into our own glamour than by utilizing the often overlooked Augmented Slipstream Mail of Maiming. This chest piece features a dominant display of feathers that broaden the shoulders in a fashion that gives the illusion that our own wingspan is about to extend. In addition to this, I also
155
chose to utilize a more plate-based chest to really emphasize the armour- like details seen on both the Angelic barding and the leg guards from the Expanse Barding. Aside from the feathers, I also wanted to find a way to incorporate the gem seen on the helm from the Blissful barding. How was this to be done when dragoons didn’t really have any fitting crowns within their arsenal? Easy! You lose the crown. While not as royal looking, the Ala Mhigan Headgear of Maiming indeed has a small, pearl of a gem in the very color of the stone seen on the barding. Remember that it’s all in the details no matter how big or how small.
156
|
AETHERFLOW
157
158
|
AETHERFLOW
WRATH OF THE BEAST Thus far we’ve seen some pretty glamour combinations, but now is the time to kick up the edge factor a little. Let us dabble a bit in some black eyeliner, queue up some heavy metal music, and shake our hair loose so it’s ready for some headbanging. If you choose to engage in moshing, please properly stretch and ensure you have enough free space around you to do so. Safety first, friends. Safety first. Bardings tend to fall a little short of choices when it comes to plate-mail. Sure, there are options available- but many of them come in colors that do not mesh well, or have helms that do not come down to connect with the chest piece. That last bit is a personal pet peeve, but a pet peeve nonetheless. For this look, I wanted to find a combination that felt menacing and almost beastial without having to resort to an already pre-built set. By using a combination of Horde Barding, Reveler’s Barding, and
Sephirotic Barding we were able to Build-a-Dragon. Way cooler sounding than Build-a-Bear, but way less mall appropriate. This combination uses deep indigo and a rust-toned red that act as a suitable alternative from most broody, black choices. To mimic the Horde barding’s horns, we used the Augmented Hellfire Mask of Fending dyed ink blue. These particular horns boast a similar sloping shape as the barding and mirror the fade from blue to red. Now while the deep blue plating was relatively simple to replicate by using the Asuran Hara-ate of Fending, what wasn’t simple was figuring out a way to pull the crimson tail from the Reveler’s barding into our own look. I wanted something long, and flowy, yet not necessarily a full wrap-around skirt. The Hemiskin Brais of Fending seemed to serve this purpose nicely.
159
160
|
AETHERFLOW
161
CRIMSON DRAGON While Shadowbringers will be out for a few months by the time you are reading this article, the sun is setting on Stormblood at the time of its writing. As a farewell to this beautiful expansion, I knew I wanted at least one of my chocobo glamours to be very Eastern inspired. After toying around with option after option, I settled upon this stunning combination of the Shinryu Barding, Nezha Barding, and Hingan Barding that came together in such a way that reminded me a bit of Chinese dragons! I just adored how the hair of the dragon head blended seamlessly into the crimson fabric of the body. It was vividly colorful, and the folds of the fabric show such movement that many other barding pieces do not have. For this particular pairing, I really wanted to showcase all the patterns and detail work that you see in the Nezha piece. To do this, I used one of my absolute favorite monk pieces in the game- the Hawkwing Cyclas. What makes this particular item so perfect is all
162
|
AETHERFLOW
the line work along the waist and bottom portions of the coat. Those delicate lines form everything from interesting geometric shapes with a similar flow to the lines of the Nezha body, to a bird upon the hip! This type of detail is carried on further in the outfit with the use of the Thavnairian Sarouel and Taoist’s Shoes. To quite literally “top off” this look, I followed a similar thought process to the one used with the Reveler’s barding. I was in need of a flowing, ribbon type item to mimic the fabric flowing on our chocobo’s back. There are a good many items that would work for this, such as the Far Eastern Schoolgirl’s Hair Ribbon- but I felt more drawn to the long, flowing aesthetic of the Tantra Tantour. It was at least 40% of that decision at least…. the other 60% of it was definitely that I wanted to wear a crown. Just being honest.
163
164
|
AETHERFLOW
165
166
|
AETHERFLOW
There we have it- now your sweet, feathered companion is just as stylish as you are! Or almost as stylish...because best friend or no, we’re still supposed to be the ones in the spotlight. Playing with chocobo bardings is just another way to further enhance your glamour! Especially now that we have more incentives to be out and about in the open world working with one another. And let's be real… people are far more likely to take a pause to scope out your glamour if your chocobo’s look seems to fit with your own. At least way more than if you were driving the same black car that everyone else has… (cough, cough, cough) Until next time, friends! Stay original, and stay glamourous.
XOX
167
168
|
AETHERFLOW
m in d s et
o ver m a tter how to start your pvp journey
text by Serena Sparkles & Eternal Arcadia | photos by Levy Blossom | layout by S’hayari Chrysolite
169
Spot reserved fo
It is no secret that Final Fantasy XIV is widely known for its plethora of PvE options throughout the game. What is lesser known, however, lies within the Wolves Den: PvP, a whole different realm that many players have avoided or been too overwhelmed to attempt. Unlike the raid atmosphere, player versus player matches remain unscripted, mysterious, and challenging no matter how many times you play.
friends from PvPaissa and Reviva such suggestions for those who w side of XIV.
There are no set boss guides, no rotations to memorize. Those who play for the rush of a challenge, the thrill of the battle, and the glory of a hard-earned win should not let this hold them back though; as PvP should certainly be experienced for oneself!
One of the most important pieces provide when diving into the PvP “Student mentality: PvP is unlike you queue into a match it’s best to from your mistakes as well as tho it’s best to take it, even if it’s not d Always think critically, always look
Though the entire battle can’t truly be anticipated, various tips and tricks to keep in mind when going up against your fellow FFXIV fans, as well as plenty of help and guidance, can easily be found within different PvP communities. For this article, we have turned to our
While learning from mistakes and certainly be applied to many aspec the PvP scene. Raids and boss fig not playing an NPC and thus the b
170
|
AETHERFLOW
or Lymlaen’s Locales
al Wings, who have clued us in on wish to dip their toes into a different
of an eye. Becoming a sponge and soaking up as much knowledge through advice and observation will help you achieve the goal of improving your chances on the PvP fields.
of advice that Eternal Arcadia can scene is that one maintains the, anything else in the game. When have a student mentality and learn ose of others. When given advice delivered in the best way possible. k to improve yourself.”
Always remember to, “focus on the ideas communicated through the messages you get, not the way it is said. Also, question everything and anything you don’t understand. That way you will get an explanation and a stronger understanding of the way the game works. Trying to find someone to mentor you on the role you are learning is very useful too.” Othyrus Xerxes understands that oftentimes text is not perceived as it was meant to. This is a world-wide MMO, and thus you will be playing with people from all across the globe! Not everyone shares the same triggers or offenses and this can easily be misinterpreted. Words on the screen are missing two extremely important and crucial keys for communication; body language and voice inflections. So focus on the content of the message rather
seeking guidance from others can cts of this game, it is critical within ghts are scripted, yet here you are battle can turn on you in the blink
171
than how you perceive it was said!In addition to this studentbased thought process, a player must also, “have thick skin and a positive mentality. Your first hundred games you are probably going to do poorly and there will definitely be people unhappy with that. Be sure to ask for constructive feedback, get involved with the community and people will respect the fact that you are a new player and trying. Losing rating and having trouble climbing can also be discouraging, but remember one thing - don't play for rating, play to learn. Analyze what you could have done better after every game and focus on improving that the next match, regardless if you win or lose. Your greatest win will be the knowledge that will slowly transfer into rating to help you achieve high spots on the ranking board.” Wise words from Nefu Eiolyn!
172
|
AETHERFLOW
Similar to other aspects of the g let yourself get discouraged too e mistakes. Remember that this is a some fun, friendly competitions. Ev a win if you have learned from it!
Emphasizing avoiding discourage believes that, “it’s important to s general, are unlike most content in long term goal. You’re not going to so matches tearing @ss, it’s some practice again and again and again
Short term losses and losing stre that sh*t doesn’t matter in the lon matches later those 5 or 6 losses
game, and life in general, do not easily as this only leads to more a game and we’re all here to have ven a lost game can be considered
ement as well, Praesul Presul fully stress that the Feast and PvP, in n the game and is designed to be a o show up in your first hundred or ething you have to really learn and n.
eaks shouldn’t discourage players, ng run. Hundreds or thousands of s in a row won’t matter, as long as
you keep consistently improving over time that’s what matters. Don’t expect to finish on the leaderboard your first season, if you do then that’s awesome but most people won’t. Use that time to get better for future seasons.” “Analyze, analyze, analyze.” Simon Yorke explains that, “PvP is going to require more snap judgment calls in the span of 6 minutes than most other content ever will, and I find it important to constantly be asking myself - ‘What can I do right now that will help my team win?’ ‘Who’s a good target for us to attack?’ ‘What can I do to stop the other team from winning?’ Building good snap decision-making skills is extremely beneficial, and playing many games is going to be one of the best ways to develop that. It's also best to remember that sometimes, you’re going to have bad streaks and start losing focus. Learn when to take breaks, too - I think one of the biggest pitfalls for new players is that they feel like they HAVE to keep grinding out 173
matches[,] when in reality one of the better things to do is to take some time to digest why that last match went the way it did. Even veterans will get hung up on a bad match and spend their next few matches making mistakes. When you start to feel that ‘tilt’ coming on, take a few steps back and do what you can to understand why, and what you could have done differently.”Breaks, breathing room, and tons of reflection help avoid burning out, keeps you focused, and allows you to learn from the match and thus apply it to the future. “Ultimately, the most important thing is to find a balance. Play a lot, learn a lot - not just about the game, but about a competitive mindset and how you handle the competition. Always strive to do better, not just in your match performance, but [with] how you approach the game.”
feedback! Realize that Ranked Fea contributes a special set of skills a
You’ll never learn if you don’t try! “Get involved with the PvP community. Reach out to veterans. Ask to join some scrims and gain
Finally, Rei Reizei assures new pl everything, it’s what you learned a
174
|
AETHERFLOW
Read up on each job and become team and, in turn, what the enemy t team. It can help to analyze gamep Migi Moo. “Try not to overwhelm there is to know at once. Many thin you get a few (or few hundred) gam learns differently and tailor your re you. Most importantly, have fun! A and the rewards are pretty sweet, if the point?”
ast is a team effort and every job and abilities.
familiar with what they offer your team’s composition can do to your play and jobs one by one” advises yourself with learning everything ngs will make sense and click once mes down. Recognize that everyone eflections on what will best benefit Although PvP is highly competitive, f you’re not having fun, then what’s
layers that winning a match isn’t and how you go about improving,
and having fun that truly matters. “Don't worry about failing or doing poorly in your first few games or even in your first ranked season. Even top-ranked players lose games; what's important is the source material and learning experience you take from those lost games. Always try to improve slightly over your last season[,] even if it's just a little improvement it's something to be proud of. Lastly, set goals for yourself and most importantly have fun!” PvP can certainly be daunting. Walking into a match that is full of the unknown easily intimidates a player. Don’t let this turn you away from one of the more challenging and fun aspects of the game! Take comfort in knowing that there are many community members out there like PvPaissa who are eagerly awaiting to help you learn what PvP is all about. Soak up this advice, put on your battle face, grab your friends, and PvP your heart out!
175
Llymlaen's Locales TEXT BY ADATAR KORGEAN - PHOTOS BY CAELI PISCIS - LAYOUT BY KIRBEE LIGHT
Eorzea is home to many denizens and amazingly beautiful locales. Some places are frequently explored and seen daily by some folks, but then there are other areas that hardly see Warriors of Light. Here is a look at three different areas, focused on the lesser visited Beast Tribes of Eorzea, that shouldn’t be missed!
176
|
AETHERFLOW
177
A Realm Reborn We start in the beautiful La Noscea. Within Western La Noscea, away from the hustle and bustle of the port you will stumble into Novv’s Nursery hidden amongst the ridges and coral, home to the Sahagin tribe. This area is incredibly bright and vibrant, dotted with coral reefs and flats. The Sahagin can be seen going about their daily business, including fishing and guarding the nursery, as you stroll through the seaside locale. This can be a great spot for photo opportunities revolving around fishing, tide exploring, or even just a great spot for those glamour photoshoots with a splash of color in the background!
178
|
AETHERFLOW
179
180
|
AETHERFLOW
181
182
|
AETHERFLOW
Heavensward Moving onto the Heavensward locations we find ourself in the Dravanian Forelands amongst the Gnath, specifically the hive mind freed Vath tribe. This mysterious insect-like tribe can be found in Loth ast Vath. Like most of the Dravanian Forelands their home is set within the mighty cliffs and mountains that fill the area. Built of stone and earth, this area is filled with the greys and browns of natural surroundings. Despite the mostly monotone color palette it does not look devoid of life. There are splashes of purples and lighter greens which provide stark contrast to the surroundings, and allows it to stand out that much more. This is a spot that is great for the explorer, hunter, or hiking-themed glamour photoshoots. The browns, greens, and earthy tones will give your photoshoot the backdrop needed to really allow that glamour to feel down to Eorzea!
183
184
|
AETHERFLOW
185
Stormblood We come to a close in the most cowabunga of tribes from Stormblood. The Kojin tribe can be found deep within the Ruby Sea in the sunken city of Tamamizu. The Kojin tribe’s home is located within an underwater dome in the Ruby Sea, and can be accessed through the ocean or a connection above land. Within the dome we are treated to a rich area of natural rock and coral formations and habitation. Outside the dome you can see a continuation of the rock and coral, along with the occasional sea-dwelling creature swimming by. This location is not as vibrant as that of the Sahagin we visited earlier, but the coolness in the tones and surroundings always give it that underwater feel. This spot is great for any style of photoshoot; but due to the greens and soft lighting, a warm color palette would feel much more natural in the surroundings and blend seamlessly with the background.
186
|
AETHERFLOW
187
188
|
AETHERFLOW
189
G U I D I N G T H E C O M M U T H E
P E O P L E
B E H I N D
T H E
R E S O U R C E S
A N D
G U I D E S
Interview BY Rymmrael Bhaldraelwyn | photos BY LEVY BLOSSOM | layout by Lolae Demort
SKYE (THE BALANCE)
190
|
AETHERFLOW
S
N I T Y O F
F F X I V
t
191
W
hether you are an aspiring hardcore savage raider, an otherwise experienced player trying to master an unfamiliar job, or somebody brand new and making your very first foray into the amazing world that is Final Fantasy XIV, there is one thing that will be absolutely indispensable to you: a guide. While there’s nothing wrong with forging your own path and trying to figure out how to do any of the above all on your lonesome; there’s also no shame in seeking out help, either. One of the greatest things about this game is the supportive, flourishing community that calls it home. Countless players are more than eager to lend a helping hand to newbies and veterans alike. You just have to crack open the web browser of your choice to find them. Or, even more convenient, check out a certain Discord server which has become a veritable and trustworthy nexus of knowledge on all of the jobs in Final Fantasy XIV. Boasting more than ninety thousand members (and growing) from all over the world, it’s not an exaggeration to say that “The Balance” is among the largest and most influential of any of the Final Fantasy XIV sub-communities. The daunting task of managing this behemoth falls on the shoulders of Skye and her dedicated team of admins. Not only do they need to handle the day to day minutiae of running the server and the website, but they have to carefully curate the wealth of information that flows through them both to ensure its accuracy and viability. No small feat, by any stretch of the imagination. Skye was kind enough to spare me the time for an interview to talk about how this amazing resource came to be as well as her responsibilities in keeping it going strong.
192
|
AETHERFLOW
So how did you get into gaming in ge and FFXIV specifically?
S: Well, my first foray into gaming was early into my life. I started playing M around 2002, even though I had no f* idea what I was doing around that tim father played Everquest 1 since releas he’d let me run around and do things fo and that’s how I kind of got my first star
From there I actually went on to play Dar of Camelot, FFXI, WoW, and many, many games that I’d probably spend way too listing here. But, FFXIV in specific... Well, I much became a MMO junkie. I really en online games due to the social inter aspect, but a lot of them just didn’t hoo
eneral
pretty MMOs *cking me. My se and or him, rt.
rk Age y other o long I pretty njoyed raction ok me.
I heard about FFXIV around 1.0 - When I still played FFXI. I figured I’d try it, why not. I didn’t stick through all of 1.0, but I have been playing since 2.x with minimal breaks. Basically, I just moved from FFXI to XIV. And how did you get involved with making guides or theorycrafting? Was that just FFXIV or something you were interested even before that? S: I’ve always gotten some mild involvement in these things in every game I’ve played, but never in the scale of what I’ve been doing in The Balance. It’s been a learning experience of what I can and can’t do, really. The main game I did any kind of guide making for previously was Wildstar, but it was still quite nothing like
this, since I’m more like the person holding the platform for all of it this time around. So how did ‘The Balance’ come about? S: Back in 2017, there were all the individual job discords for a few months. Kyral - The other founder of The Balance - was one of the people that owned one of them. He was the leader of the Bard Discord. I took the Warrior Discord for myself. We had a Discord with the leader of all the job discords, and something we came to realize is that it wasn’t sustainable to have them all as separate entities. We weren’t getting enough traffic, they went dead, so we started talking about a merge and turning all of them into a single server. 193
"All of a sudden, it just blew up, and the member count was completely unexpected."
194
|
AETHERFLOW
There was pushback from one person, but eventually he decided to accept it, and go with everyone else’s wishes. Kyral and I sat down and set the server up over a weekend, before we actually announced on reddit about the merge, and on the individual job servers as well. It blew up, and the member count was completely unexpected. You said you started out on the WAR Discord, was that the job you started off writing guides for? S: I didn’t really do much guide writing for FFXIV, actually - My focus has always been more in fostering a proper community for people to improve, which is why I picked up the administration for the server. Do you usually approach guide-writers and ask to share their work or do they usually come to you to publish their guides? S: The original Discord didn’t last long enough to have much of a community, but for The Balance - both. We try to approach people to write guides, since we want to get the proper information out there before someone writes a guide with incorrect information. (We do understand that they have the best intentions, but it’s still... Not great.)
Generally, they answer questions, take care of their class channels and ask the moderation team for assistance if needed. Did you expect or even hope for it to get as big as it now is? S: Not at all. I still don’t believe how fast it keeps growing. About how much time do you spend during the average week working on The Balance? S: It varies. Including moderation duties, I’d say I spend a good chunk of the time I’m awake at least reading over the server and making sure people aren’t being sh*tlords. However, I’ve been trying to expand our moderation team more and more, as we have... roughly 90 text channels, and also making us more robust mod tools, so we can answer to issues more quickly. With a project this big, you probably have to delegate quite a bit. About how many people does it take to keep things running?
Guides are written by mentors and members alike, and sometimes in collaboration by multiple people. It really varies.
S: Our head admin team is... three people at the moment, and our general mod team is... nine people? So, twelve total. Aside from those, we have some mentors that assist in some things, as well. We have a lot of people that help us in maintaining our Twitter account, including with translations to Japanese, since a lot of the Japanese players tend to use Twitter, and we make use of that to further push our information to them, etc.
You mentioned the Mentors and I’m pretty sure you don’t mean the in-game ones. Care to explain how they work in your Discord?
Speaking of translators, I heard that you were looking for more help to get your guides to an larger audience. How’s that undertaking going?
S: The mentors in our Discord are usually handpicked users that are knowledgeable at their job, have a good attitude, and a general want to help people. Though, this also means that it’s not always easy to find people to [fill] these spots.
S: One of our head admins, Dev_Nights, made it his personal project to grab content and get it translated into other languages. You’ll get far more details on this from him than myself, honestly.
195
However, I do know that we have a few Japanese translators, and I believe a few French translators, as well. I’m not entirely sure about German. But yes, steps are being made to further reach people that don’t have amazing English, or that don’t speak English at all. I do believe that we also plan on stepping out of the official supported languages if everything goes okay, but that’s currently out of the scope. Do you have any other current projects or plans for The Balance that you care to share a bit about? S: Nothing I can share at the moment, but there’s definitely some things being made for the future. I know you mentioned Kyral as the co-founder and Dev as one of your admins, is there anyone else besides you three who’ve put in a lot of work on the Discord or website? S: The Discord is a huge group effort between the moderation team and the mentors, and I’m incredibly thankful to the work everyone has put in. But, on the website specifically, Koda - one of our ex-mentors, put in a lot of work with me over a few weeks. So if someone wanted to submit a guide to you or help you with your translation project, how would they go about getting in touch with you? S: For that, they may want to get in touch with Dev_Nights on The Balance - he’s one of our Head Admins. He’s the one that takes care of all the translation project side of things. Guide related stuff is usually taken care of by mentors of each job, so I’d usually just DM one of them. Thank you for sitting down with us and for this lovely chat. We appreciate all of your hard work! S: It was my pleasure! 196
|
AETHERFLOW
197
SCREENSHOT CHALLENGE My minion and i LAYOUT BY LELA RAII
We, Warriors of Light and Darkness are always alone during our journey. It’s always nice to have some bit of company during our travels, so we challenged you to show us your favourite minions travelling alongside you. Take a look at our top submissions!
198
|
AETHERFLOW
199
Oyun KhaMateus “THIS IS WHY I DONT LET YOU EAT YOUR VEGETABLES”
200
|
AETHERFLOW
201
ruri valethBalmung “DONT BE AFRAID, I WONT EAT YOU. ARE YOU LOST? DO YOU WANT TO COME HOME WITH ME?”
Hanana HanaUltros “SOMETIMES, FOR A LALAFELL, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PET AND A PREDATOR IS A MISSED FEEDING”
RYMMRAEL BHALDR “ARE YOU SURE THOSE CALCULATIONS ARE CORRECT? IF WE’RE OFF BY A PERCENTAGE.....”
RAELYNLamia
Myst Eons, Emilia “MY MINION GUIDE HAS NO PATHETIC MINIONS, EMILIA. SHINRYU, AHK MORN!”
Natsuki Ultros
ruri valethBalmung “IM GOING TO PET YOU AND THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!!” 210
|
AETHERFLOW
211
I N S I D E T E X T
“
B Y
S E R E N A
T H S P A R K L E S
We had friends wanting to ex
layouts, glamour, housing, p
“Why not find a way to combin
212
|
AETHERFLOW
our passions with the comm
H E -
L A Y O U T
A E T H E R B Y
K I R B E E
L I G H T
press their creativity through
podcasting and so much more! e all of our interests and share
munity?� we asked ourselves.
"
213
214
|
AETHERFLOW
Once upon a time, a Warrior of Light (now
posing inspiration! But I knew I couldn’t
turned Warrior of Darkness) was hanging
tackle this project completely on my own.
out with her friends in /gpose. Though she
Thankfully, I had Arya to reach out to! After
thoroughly enjoyed taking screenshots,
much discussion of my goal, she expressed
there was always one thing that held her
a desire for creating and publishing
back: Posing others. “If only there was a
Photoshop tutorials. These tutorials would
single location in which I could visit to see
certainly pair great with my videos, so the
what the various emotes look like on any
idea of teaming up became a reality. A few
given race and gender…” she thought to
friends we had made throughout our XIV life
herself. And thus, the idea of Aetherflow
learned about our plans and volunteered to
Media was born.
help in any way that they could. The more that wanted to join, the larger our vision
I can see that look of confusion on your
became. Eventually, we realized that this
face! How does this question lead to the
project was no longer contained to just /
development of a massive digital magazine
gpose and Photoshop tutorials, but had
and media package? Well, my dears, that’s
begun to encompass just about every aspect
a long story, and one I am happy to share!
of the game and community. We had friends wanting to express their creativity through
Back in the summer of 2018, I had this
layouts, glamour, housing, podcasting
idea of creating a site that showed video
and so much more! “Why not find a way to
clips of all of the emotes in every position
combine all of our interests and share our
on each race and gender. My hope for this
passions with the community?” we asked
site was to help those who were interested
ourselves. There are already so many
in screenshots but struggled with the
different content creations out there and
posing of others, much like I did due to
we didn’t want to just be another little fish
my unfamiliarity of how emotes look on
in the big pond, so the concern became how
a race/gender other than my own. This
to set ourselves apart while still maintaining
site was to become the one-stop spot for
our own identity.
215
In the development of content creations,
idea of Carbuncle Chronicles out of the
there are a lot of different questions to be
water! Here she was, getting all deep and
answered and decisions that must be made.
philosophical on me and I just wanted to
What was our goal for this new project?
include the adorable carbuncle in our logo!
What would it be called? What would it
At least I managed to get that beautiful
even be? Who should our target audience
blue color for the theme...
be? When do we want to launch publicly? These and so many more questions raced
About this time, Lolae had joined the staff.
through our minds and consumed our
The two of them set to work on creating the
discussions over the following days. Slowly
Aetherflow brand while I began researching
but surely, the various pieces of our visions
and
came together. We didn’t want to be just an
backbone for the project. Over the next
emotes project, or just a podcast, or just a
couple of months, Lolae began to help
collection of tutorials. We wanted to be a
breathe life into the project by creating
full media package, one that covers all the
our first website and working with Arya to
aspects of the game and community. Now
design the logos. Our small staff began
that what our content would be had been
writing, taking screenshots, developing a
decided, it needed a name.
podcast and throwing out piece ideas
developing
the
organizational
left and right! There is something Arya, the genius that she is, began to
quite unique and incredible about
brainstorm and brought forth the idea that
watching a brief thought start
Aether is the life force of Eorzea and is all-
to blossom into more than you
encompassing. As we wanted to eventually
could have ever imagined!
help breathe life into the community and become
an
all-encompassing
project
With the project well underway, the
thus the name Aetherflow Media stuck
values of Aetherflow had to be set,
out. This, admittedly, totally blew my
prioritized and protected within the
216
|
AETHERFLOW
217
“
...Aether is the life
force of Eorzea and is all-encompassing. As we wanted to eventually help breathe life into the community and become an all-encompassing project thus the name
Aetherflow Media stuck out. 218
|
AETHERFLOW
team. These would be determined how we
during the decision of the frequency of
were to proceed throughout the development,
our publications, as well as the deadlines
growth, and future of Aetherflow. Above all,
set internally. So many things happen in
transparency became a strict focus. Not
real life and this is a volunteer project. In
just within the team, but with the public as
order to help maintain the lowest possible
well. Obviously, there would be confidential
levels of stress for our staff, we came to
information within the project, but anything
the conclusion that a quarterly production
that could be provided to the public would
would be the most beneficial. This would
be. Financial reports, what donations would
give our staff ample time to produce
be spent on, and other information would be
their work, and allow for any “outside
given, thus I set to work on our Patreon and
interferences”
the Guide to the Treatment of Funds. It was
obstruction. In addition to the scheduling of
incredibly important to us that the Patrons
the content, we would also ensure to make
know what they’re giving their money to
it a priority to recruit enough members that
and for.
should one have to step away temporarily,
to
occur
with
minimal
the others could easily cover. However, we Another top priority determined was the
also wanted to maintain a close-knit team
staff’s wellbeing. This value came into play
feeling, so a balance for the staff size must be maintained as well.
219
We officially went public on August 24,
community events, and putting out our
2018, and were in awe at the reactions
Community Newsletter to showcase the up
and support we received right off the bat!
and coming talents of Eorzea.
Support that we continue to have to this day and are ever appreciative of. Now that we’ve
A community is so incredibly important
launched and are officially a year in, the one
to the lives of those in it. The support
question I continuously get is “what is the
systems built within bring joy to people,
overall goal of Aetherflow Media?” Our goal
help them cope with situations, and even
is to help foster and support this amazing
saves lives. This is not something that
community that helped foster and support
should be shrugged away, undervalued,
us as we started this journey. Though we
or underutilized. All it takes is one little
are still young and small for a community
voice to bring a smile to someone’s
project, we hope that as we continue to
face on a rough day, and our goal is
build and grow we will be able to help other
to be that voice.
creators build and grow too. If you would like to join us in being Our desire it to be able to connect with the
that voice, please feel free to hop into our
other content creators and work together to
Discord! We thank you for all of your help
reach this goal. Our vision of helping to pour
during this past year, and we look forward
life and support into the XIV community is
to continuing to work hard nurturing these
not a small one, and cannot be achieved
relationships and this community.
alone. In an age where drama surfaces around every corner, we wish to help build a haven where members can express their creativity, nurture it, develop it, and grow with it. This is but one of the many reasons we put so much effort into collaboration opportunities, participating in charity and
220
|
AETHERFLOW
221
“
Our vision of helping to pour
community is not a small one, a an age where drama surfaces a
help build a haven where member
nurture it, develop i
222
|
AETHERFLOW
life and support into the XIV
and cannot be achieved alone. In round every corner, we wish to
rs can express their creativity,
it, and grow with it.
" 223
Aetherwhat? Aetherwho? Meet the contributors and get to know us a little better! We all have one common goal, which is providing you with the best content possible, we’re all very different and like very different things. Who is your perfect Aether-match? Photos and layout by Lolae Demort 224
|
AETHERFLOW
Adatar K
15 YALM
ON
Server: Coeurl Primary Role in AF Writer Favorite magazine Curiosities of Cosp Hearth Favorite in-game a roulettes, leveling u crafting I want to see adde More summons fo class Favorite Glamour I Rogues mask and Adventurers gear Favorite Job(s): Re Summoner Favorite Instance: Least Favorite Inst Maws of Toto-Rak Usual cause of dea fight: Typing... Or w watching health ba ground. Primal You Most R Favorite Zone: Coe Highlands Favorite NPC: Esti Aplhinaud If you could challe battle, who would Favorite Beast Trib Favorite FFXIV rela Stormblood’s Boss or “Dragonsong” Favorite Ship: Esti Alphinaud, followed Haurchefant and W Other hobbies: Re game dev (Mostly design)
Korgean
MS AWAY
NLINE
FM: Website
e piece: play, Hydaelyn’s
activity: Run up the alt jobs and
ed to the game: or summoner
Item: Scion Scion
ed Mage, Astro,
: Snowcloak tance: Thousand k ath in a boss when healing, ars and not the
Relate to: Titan erthas Western
inien and
enge one NPC to it be: Alphinaud be: Moogles ated song: s OST “Triumph”
inien and d closely by WoL eading, writing and writing and Level
Aessa Kilrian 23 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Balmung Primary Role in AFM: Aetherstream Podcaster Favorite magazine piece: The Joy of the Culinarian Favorite in-game activity: Roulettes and RP I want to see added to the game: Carbuncles for Scholar Favorite Glamour Item: Expeditioner's Thighboots Favorite Job(s): Monk, Dark Knight, Astrologian Favorite Instance: The Royal City of Rabanastre Least Favorite Instance: The Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Focusing on my rotation and not on outgoing damage / AoE, or being…. “Rescued” to death. Primal You Most Relate to: Ramuh Favorite Zone: The Azim Steppe Favorite NPC: Julyan Manderville If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Thordan VII Favorite Beast Tribe: The Vanu Vanu Favorite FFXIV related song: Sophia’s Theme - Equilibrium Favorite Ship: Sadu Dotharl and Magnai Oronir Other hobbies: Knitting, photography and doodling are my main hobbies!
Aida Enna
85 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Adamantoise Primary Role in AFM: Tech Support Favorite magazine piece: The one with the pretty stuff (The whole magazine!) Favorite in-game activity: Helping newbies or runs in progress that have someone leave. I want to see added to the game: More allagan stuff! They're the best race! Favorite Glamour Item: Field Commander's Coat Favorite Job(s): RDM Favorite Instance: Byakko (That voice!) Least Favorite Instance: Chrysallis (No one ever uses LB on the tear!) Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Reviving someone else Primal You Most Relate to: Suzaku Favorite Zone: Azys Lla (Allagans!) Favorite NPC: The terminals in Azys Lla If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: The leader of the Dotharl Favorite Beast Tribe: Until we get an Allagan/robot one, none. Favorite FFXIV related song: eScape remix from the job action trailer Favorite Ship: The one from Limsa Lominsa to Vesper Bay Other hobbies: Programming!
225
Alilolelotte May 63 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Gilgamesh Primary Role in AFM: Website Writer! Favorite magazine piece: Augmenting with Arya. Favorite in-game activity: Raiding. Without raiding, I probably wouldn’t be playing FFXIV. I want to see added to the game: I’ll be boring and answer seriously. Fights with random damage, differing mechanics, and that don’t explicitly repeat their self half way through. Favorite Glamour Item: The Housemaid Brim! Though lately, it’s been the Schoolgirl’s Ribbon. Favorite Job(s): Scholar, Black Mage, and Dark Knight. Favorite Instance: Rathalos Ex. It was the best fight in SB, don’t @ me. Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Trying to squeeze out that last Broil or Fire IV. Primal You Most Relate to: Susano. Favorite Zone: The Pillars. If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: I feel like Pipin would be a fun combatant. Favorite Beast Tribe: The Namazu! Favorite FFXIV related song: The Primals version of eScape we heard at Fanfest! I hope it’s on an album soon! Favorite Ship: The Agrius, from Keeper of the Lake. Wait... Other hobbies: Gpose, my Nintendo Switch, and throwing tennis balls for my dog, Diesel.
226
|
AETHERFLOW
Ameme Ame'klin 102 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Coeurl/Goblin Primary Role in AFM: Website Team Favorite magazine piece: the one about Haurchefant Favorite in-game activity: Roam aimlessly I want to see added to the game: A helpful member of the First Brood who will go on adventures with us Favorite Glamour Item: Woad Skyraider chest piece/leg piece Favorite Job(s): Warrior Favorite Instance: Ala Mhigo, I love giving tours Least Favorite Instance: Royal Menagerie due to past trauma Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Everyone else has died and Inner Release is down Primal You Most Relate to: Nidhogg. Does he count? Because I too am filled with the desire for a millenia-long vengeance served stone cold to those who have wronged me. Favorite Zone: Dravanian Forelands Favorite NPC: Haurchefant (this comes as a massive surprise to the rest of AFM staff, I’m sure) If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Favorite Beast Tribe: Ixal for their designs...not so much their beast tribe quests. Oof. Favorite FFXIV related song: Painted Foothills Favorite Ship: Midgardsormr and Hydaelyn Other hobbies: Drawing and writing stupid things
A'onisy
308 YALM
ON
Server: Jenova Primary Role in AF Favorite magazine of the Culinarian Favorite in-game a gpose, and running friends I want to see adde An emote where yo tongue! It would be Favorite Glamour I Expeditioner’s Pant look good with eve Favorite Job(s): Su Favorite Instance: of the Creator. Least Favorite Inst Maws of Toto-Rak. from this hell of slo Usual cause of dea fight: Standing with shouldn’t be standi Primal You Most R Shiva. Definitely rel righteous desire to rebounding sorrow Favorite Zone: Lim Ishgard. Favorite NPC: Crys If you could challe battle, who would Favorite Beast Trib Favorite FFXIV rela Tomorrow and Tom Thunder Rolls Favorite Ship: Curi Dorgono! Other hobbies: Fict drawing, cosplay, b TTRPGs
ya Dehf
MS AWAY
NLINE
FM: Staff Writer e piece: The Joy
activity: Glamour, g content with
ed to the game: ou stick out your e so cute and silly! Item: talettes. They just erything. ummoner Alexander: Soul
tance: Thousand . Please. Free me ow debuffs. ath in a boss h someone I ing with. Relate to: late to her o do good and the w afterward. msa Lominsa or
stal Exarch enge one NPC to it be: Hancock. be: The Kobolds. ated song: morrow and
ious Gorge and
tion writing, board games/
Arya Rose
2 YALMS AWAY ONLINE
Server: Sargatanas Primary Role in AFM: Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Aetherflow Media Favorite magazine piece: I adore working on Glamourous because I get to flex my design skills! Favorite in-game activity: Run content with friends. Especially brand new content. I want to see added to the game: A deer-like mount. Very specific, I know. But I want a deer so I can unleash my inner Ashitaka. Favorite Job(s): Warrior and Bard Favorite Instance: Definitely Orbonne Monastery. Everything from the beautiful zones to the bosses are just so COOL. Primal You Most Relate to: Probably Susano. Out of all the primals he seems to be the most chill. But is also ready to fight if needed. Favorite NPC: I adore Merlwyb and Y’shtola. If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Obvious answer is Asahi sas Brutus. Favorite Beast Tribe: The Vath! They just want to help and do their best. True adventurers! Favorite FFXIV related song: Dragonsong, so many feelings there. Just absolutely epic and gritty and sorrowful and hopeful at the same time. Other hobbies: Cosplay, photography and Photoshopping
Lela Raii
16 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Zodiark Primary Role in AFM: Designer Favorite magazine piece: Augmenting with Arya. Thanks for sharing all that knowledge! Favorite in-game activity: Anything with friends, but really the true end game of housing, glamour and gpose. I want to see added to the game: Challenge mode/mythic plus style dungeons similar to those in WoW. Favorite Glamour Item: Ultima Horns; edgy never goes out of style. Favorite Job(s): Scholar, Astro, Bard and Warrior. Favorite Instance: Saint Mocainne’s Arboretum (but really any that give screenshot opportunities) Least Favorite Instance: 1000 Maws of Toto Rak Usual cause of death in a boss fight: By not being able to tell the difference between stupid attack names like ‘Starboard’ and ‘Larboard’. Favorite Zone: Churning Mists, for its amazing music and the best screenshot spots! Favorite NPC: Lord Hien If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Alphinaud, just to slap some sense into him. Favorite Beast Tribe: Namazu, but only because they are slightly less annoying than the Moogles! Favorite Ship: The one in Limsa?! JK, I really dunno! Other hobbies: Music is a huge part of my life, so gigs and festivals, as well as any creative outlet.
227
This could be you! ONLINE
Do you want to become part of our amazing team? Click here to see if we're recruiting right now!
228
|
AETHERFLOW
Bounding Fox 28 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Lamia Primary Role in AFM: Issue Writer, writer of Rebirth by Fire, lore-addled alt-addict Favorite magazine piece: Everyone does such good work I can’t choose Favorite in-game activity: Read quest text and visit regions mentioned in those quests I want to see added to the game: An accessible library please Favorite Glamour Item: Sky Pirate’s Coat of Fending Favorite Job(s): Dark Knight. Warrior Favorite Instance: Sohr Khai Least Favorite Instance: Thornmarch Ex Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Forgot to hit cooldown, too much damage Primal You Most Relate to: Ravana Favorite Zone: Churning Mists Favorite NPC: Arbert If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Favorite Beast Tribe: Amalj’aa fascinate me Favorite FFXIV related song: Skylords (Churning Mists Night Theme) Favorite Ship: Cirina and Hien Other hobbies: Rock collecting, worldbuilding (working on a novel series)
Caeli
27 YALM
ON
Server: Mateus/Hy Adamantoise Primary Role in AF Favorite magazine Augmenting with A been great to learn Photoshop by som much. Favorite in-game a waterfloat in the pl Yanxia, and then ob screenshots. I want to see adde More gpose functio time control please ability to change ot emotes. Favorite Glamour I Noble's Petticoat, I everything Favorite Job(s): AS Favorite Instance: because it's beauti Least Favorite Inst the Vault…. I've got relationship with th Primal You Most R Favorite Zone: Yan Dravanian Hinterlan even tie. Favorite NPC: Alas If you could challe battle, who would Favorite Beast Trib Favorite FFXIV rela song that plays dur fight. Other hobbies: Pho Writing, and Singin
Piscis
MS AWAY
NLINE
yperion/
FM: Photographer e piece: Arya, it's n more about meone I respect so
activity: / lum springs in bviously taking
ed to the game: ons. Weather/ e. Or at least the ther players'
Item: Eastern I use this in
ST/RDM The Vault iful. tance: Also t a love/hate his place. Relate to: Ramuh. nxia and The nds. It's a pretty
sie enge one NPC to it be: Alasie be: Kojin ated song: The ring the Nidhogg
Celesta Estheim 193 YALMS AWAY ONLINE
Server: Lamia Primary Role in AFM: I’m the website content manager! I do also help out with photography and the social media at times! Favorite magazine piece: I really like reading “Rebirth by Fire” and Mio’s “Should we Disband”! Favorite in-game activity: Gpose! And doing maps with my friends! I want to see added to the game: More character customization! Favorite Glamour Item: So many to choose from! I really love the Quaintrelle's Ruffled Dress! Favorite Job(s): Red Mage and Astrologian, BECAUSE AESTHETIC! Favorite Instance: Antitower! Least Favorite Instance: It’s a tie between Aurum Vale and Cutter’s Cry Primal You Most Relate to: Tsukuyomi Favorite Zone: Yanxia! I love going to the Plum Springs and just relaxing there. Favorite NPC: Yes, I am your Ser Aymeric de Borel fangirl. I mean, what’s not to love about him? Favorite Beast Tribe: Sylph Favorite FFXIV related song: Skylords Favorite Ship: Ysayle x Estinien Other hobbies: I enjoy reading, baking, collecting figures, and sleeping!
Dylan Thorne 4 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Balmung Primary Role in AFM: Aetherstream Podcast Manager Favorite magazine piece: Aetherstyle/Joy of the Culinarian Favorite in-game activity: Role Play! I want to see added to the game: Guild Wars 2’s Glamour System Favorite Glamour Item: Ivalician Sky Pirate’s Jacket Favorite Job(s): Bard, Ninja, White Mage, Scholar Favorite Instance: Tamtara Deepcroft Hardmode Least Favorite Instance: Toto-yak. Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Talking too much on discord and not paying attention in game. Primal You Most Relate to: Julyan Manderville Favorite NPC: Edda or Julyan Manderville If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Julyan Manderville Favorite Beast Tribe: Namazu Favorite FFXIV related song: Rise Favorite Ship: The Ferry that used to go between Limsa and Horizon. Other hobbies: Drawing, Pottery, Bracelet Making, Reading, Kitchen Witchery
otography, ng
229
Doc Flyer
66 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Adamantoise Primary Role in AFM: I’m a reviewer, I like to make sure everything is 100% correct! Favorite magazine piece: I love to eat, so the food stuffs are the best! Favorite in-game activity: Definitely do endgame raids, I love the challenge I want to see added to the game: Classes to become more Hybrid, I want to heal while tanking or do white and black magic at the same time (Not like RDM lol) Favorite Glamour Item: Scylla Gear! My friends can’t stand it, Favorite Job(s): WHM/AST/RDM Favorite Instance: The Vault, inside dungeons are the best Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Forgetting a mechanic and getting one shot. For sure. Primal You Most Relate to: Would have to be Phoenix. Life is all about dying and birth in an endless cycle. And is exemplified by that. Favorite Zone: I really like being underwater, so anywhere I can do that! If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Definitely Matoya. I’d love to see the tricks she has up her sleeve. Favorite Ship: I’d love to see Alpha find a nice chocobo and settle down. Other hobbies: I like to play tons of games, read books, and fly planes.
230
|
AETHERFLOW
Hiems Whiterock 152 YALMS AWAY ONLINE
Server: Adamantoise Primary Role in AFM: I assist in the marketing of the magazine and social medias! Favorite magazine piece: Joy of the Culinarian. Favorite in-game activity: Gathering... I want to see added to the game: Challenging DoL/H content. Favorite Glamour Item: Glowing tools, easily. Favorite Job(s): BTN, MIN, FSH, DRG Favorite Instance: Snowcloak Least Favorite Instance: Aurum Vale Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Conveying my positive comments to fellow party members! Primal You Most Relate to: Shiva Favorite Zone: Coerthas Favorite NPC: Naoki Yoshida If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Hydaelyn. Favorite Beast Tribe: Ixali Favorite FFXIV related song: Anything with a choir. Ultima’s theme, A Light in the Storm, etc. Favorite Ship: Godbert and Julyan Other hobbies: I read books.
Issie V
61 YALM
ON
Server: Adamantoi Primary Role in AF Favorite magazine Aetherstyle Favorite in-game a I want to see adde Glamour dresser in Favorite Glamour I pieces Favorite Job(s): Sa Knight, Warrior Favorite Instance: Savage Least Favorite Inst Usual cause of dea fight: failing mecha Primal You Most R Tsukuyomi Favorite Zone: Ishg Favorite NPC: Baem If you could challe battle, who would Aldynn Favorite Beast Trib Favorite FFXIV rela eScape and A Man Favorite Ship: no s Other hobbies: I do besides playing gam
Verity
MS AWAY
NLINE
se FM: Photographer e piece:
activity: Raids ed to the game: n my house Item: Skalla chest
amurai, Dark Alphascape v1.0
tance: Snowcloak ath in a boss anics Relate to:
gard meric enge one NPC to it be: Raubahn
be: Kojin ated song: n Consumed ships on’t do much mes
Katsuki Bakugou
Kirbee Light
79 YALMS AWAY
267 YALMS AWAY
Server: Midgardsormr Primary Role in AFM: community team member and local splodey boy Favorite in-game activity: run around the lining of my mansion fencing, I don’t even fall off anymore. I’ve gotten really good at it. The trick is to know when to turn at the right spot. I want to see added to the game: MORE COEURL STUFF! Favorite Glamour Item: Hjalmr Favorite Job(s): BLM Favorite Instance: 4.5 instance as Hien ;) Least Favorite Instance: Okay, so honestly I have a tied spot. I both equally hate the one where you fight Zenos in Yanxia and the 60 BLM class quest: shades of shototto. It took me so long, way after I was beyond 60, to finally beat it. Super embarrassing, but I hated it. Usual cause of death in a boss fight: I’m a BLM... Primal You Most Relate to: I don’t really relate to any primal, but I really love me a big, buff tiger daddy. If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Box girl in RDM class quests Favorite Beast Tribe: Moogles Favorite FFXIV related song: Pa-paya and Good King Moggle Mog! Favorite Ship: little sun and cirina Other hobbies: cosplay, dying on a daily basis, and eating cheesy snacks.
Server: Siren Primary Role in AFM: Designer Favorite magazine piece: The “Should we Disband?” pieces are always so fun to read. Favorite in-game activity: Hangout with my FC mates, I love them so much! I want to see added to the game: For the Companion app to have more utility & to have more character customization options. Favorite Glamour Item: Ultima Horns Favorite Job(s): RDM/SCH/MCH Favorite Instance: Rathalos Ex Least Favorite Instance: Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Starboard/Larboard Primal You Most Relate to: Shiva Favorite Zone: Churning Mist Favorite NPC: Yugiri If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Lyse Favorite Beast Tribe: Namazu Favorite FFXIV related song: Blind to the Dark Favorite Ship: Yugiri and Hien Other hobbies: I enjoy playing music on my guitar, singing, drawing and playing with my dog.
ONLINE
ONLINE
231
Laele Nora
99 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Jenova Primary Role in AFM: Photographer and Social Media Staff Member! Favorite magazine piece: I would have to say it is Aetherstyle! Our staff puts together some really unique, and very cute outfits each and every issue! Favorite in-game activity: Gpose! And afk-ing. I want to see added to the game: Another healing class! Favorite Glamour Item: The Bridemaid’s Tights because they are so versatile, and knee-high socks are cute! Favorite Job(s): Astrologian Favorite Instance: If I would have to choose one dungeon, I would have to say The Vault, because the lighting is beautiful as well as the architecture. Primal You Most Relate to: I think I relate to Good King Moggle Mog XII! Because he is cute and fluffy! Like me! Favorite Zone: My favorite zone is The Churning Mists, around Zenith! Favorite NPC: It would probably have to be Y’shtola, because she is bad@ss and takes no one’s BS! If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Yugiri, since she’s very skilled. Favorite Beast Tribe: Moogles Favorite FFXIV related song: Answers! Favorite Ship: Skrullaele Other hobbies: Sleeping, eating and the occasional bit of artistry.
232
|
AETHERFLOW
Lho'a Relanah 431 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Lamia Primary Role in AFM: Photographer! Favorite magazine piece: Aetherstyle Favorite in-game activity: Roleplay! I want to see added to the game: More emotes- and places to sit! Favorite Glamour Item: Reading Glasses Favorite Job(s): WAR/SMN Favorite Instance: Castrum Fluminis Least Favorite Instance: CUTTER’S CRY Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Low health before a tank buster Primal You Most Relate to: Byakko Favorite Zone: Dravanian Hinterlands Favorite NPC: Arenvald If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Asahi sas Brutus Favorite Beast Tribe: Sahagin Favorite FFXIV related song: Answers Favorite Ship: Estinien / Ysayle Other hobbies: I like to draw often!
Lolae D
17 YALMS
ON
Server: Phoenix Primary Role in AF and Co-Founder of Media Favorite magazine Culinarian Favorite in-game a Dungeons/Raids I want to see adde Custom particle co Favorite Glamour I wool Autumn shirt Favorite Job(s): AS Favorite Instance: Least Favorite Inst Meridianum Usual cause of dea fight: Panicking. I lo around like crazy a Primal You Most R Favorite Zone: Any or The Lavender Be Favorite NPC: Moe If you could challe battle, who would Favorite Beast Trib Favorite FFXIV rela Answers (Reprise) Favorite Ship: Moe Urianger Other hobbies: Gra heavy drinking, long naps
Demort
S AWAY
NLINE
FM: Lead Designer f Aetherflow
e piece: Joy of the
activity:
ed to the game: olors on weapons Item: Hannish in Jet Black ST, PLD, WHM Haukke Manor tance: Castrum
ath in a boss ose my focus, run and die. Relate to: Shiva ything in Coerthas eds enbryda enge one NPC to it be: Urianger be: Nu Mou ated song:
enbryda and
aphic design, g conversations,
Makoto Magika
Minnie Cay
48 YALMS AWAY
101 YALMS AWAY
Server: Gilgamesh Primary Role in AFM: Photographer Favorite magazine piece: The Joy of the Culinarian! Favorite in-game activity: GPOSE! I want to see added to the game: An overall graphical/texture update would be really nice. Favorite Glamour Item: Little Lord’s Clogs :D Favorite Job(s): SCH and PLD Favorite Instance: Saint Mocianne's Arboretum Least Favorite Instance: Neverreap Primal You Most Relate to: Shiva Favorite Zone: Either the churning mists or south shroud. Favorite NPC: Pipin If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Matoya Favorite Beast Tribe: The Slyphs Favorite FFXIV related song: Answers Favorite Ship: Nero x Cid Other hobbies: Gardening! I love nature and being around plants. I also love collecting vinyl, my collection currently sits at around 3000 albums.
Server: Gilgamesh Primary Role in AFM: Reviewer Favorite magazine piece: Should We Disband? I enjoy the salt. Favorite in-game activity: Emote at people! I mean, I am a lala. I want to see added to the game: PLEASE streamline the process for making aetherwheels! Favorite Glamour Item: Peach blossom earrings, hands down. Favorite Job(s): Bard, white mage, fisher Favorite Instance: Battle on the Big Bridge Least Favorite Instance: Dzemael Darkhold Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Typing! What I have to say is important, okay? Primal You Most Relate to: Ramuh Favorite Zone: Yanxia, I love all the pretty trees. Favorite NPC: Wawalago (Fisher Guild Master) If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Pipin, but it would be a friendly battle. Favorite Beast Tribe: Kobold Favorite FFXIV related song: Papaya Favorite Ship: Tataru and Wedge Other hobbies: Reading, nail art
ONLINE
OFFLINE
233
Mio Ryota
55 YALMS AWAY ONLINE
Server: Ragnarok Primary Role in AFM: Salty Sh*tposter, Writer Favorite magazine piece: Yes Favorite in-game activity: Bashing my head into Ultimate difficulty fights I want to see added to the game: More Ultimate difficulty fights Favorite Glamour Item: Spriggan Cap Favorite Job(s): Bard Favorite Instance: T13 just never got old after clearing it back in ARR Least Favorite Instance: A2S Usual cause of death in a boss fight: We don’t talk about those around here Primal You Most Relate to: Alexander, because after everyone’s dead it’s back in time to the beginning of the fight Favorite Zone: The Burning Heart Favorite NPC: Alisae If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Bahamut in his prime Favorite Beast Tribe: Kobolds Favorite FFXIV related song: Rise Favorite Ship: Rhotano Buccaneer Other hobbies: What do you mean, I’m supposed to have enough time to do other things than raid on this game?
234
|
AETHERFLOW
Nana D'mion 10 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Tonberry/Leviathan Primary Role in AFM: Community Team Supervisor Favorite magazine piece: I’ve always enjoyed “Hydaelyns Hearth because it’s the piece that inspires me to do more housing content. I also love “The Joy of the Culinarian” for its mouthwatering recipes! Favorite in-game activity: I mostly design houses, some crafting and gathering whenever I have the time to spare. I want to see added to the game: filter slider in gpose feature? Like, to be able to tone down the effect and such. More wards and house plots please! Favorite Glamour Item: Bonewicca Masks or any type of half masks. I love the mysterious look! Favorite Job(s): AST, SCH, RDM Favorite Instance: Palace of the Dead Least Favorite Instance: Aurum Vale Primal You Most Relate to: Shiva, Tsukuyomi Favorite Zone: Costa del Sol, Mist Favorite NPC: Haurchefant If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Asahi sas Brutus. I’ll make a fan out of you! Favorite Beast Tribe: Namazu Favorite FFXIV related song: Twilight over Thanalan Favorite Ship: Ysayle and Estinien Other hobbies: Reacreating real life interior designs to in-game and drawing.
Oyuki
273 YALM
ON
Server: Mateus Primary Role in AF make sure everythi Favorite magazine anything to do with exploration Favorite in-game a housing design or G I want to see adde More. Personal. Sto Bag space, Armor C GLAMOUR!) Favorite Glamour I Ring of Slaying sinc with my Beast claw Favorite Job(s): Dr Favorite Instance: The Burn Least Favorite Inst Usual cause of dea fight: A mis-timed Primal You Most R want to burn every Favorite Zone: If it’ lighting, odds are I Favorite NPC: Y’sh Favorite Beast Trib Favorite FFXIV rela Long Dead Other hobbies: Ove Writing, ...
Shirai
MS AWAY
NLINE
FM: Reviewer (I ing makes sense) e piece: Almost h Glamour or
activity: Probably GPose. ed to the game: orage! (Housing, Chest, Retainers,
Item: Omicron ce it goes perfect ws! ragoon Hell's Kier and
tance: Sastasha ath in a boss jump! Relate to: Ifrit - I ything most days. ’s got good like it! htola be: Sylphs ated song: A Land
erwatch, Art,
Qih Mewrilah
Rina Kei
40 YALMS AWAY
621 YALMS AWAY
Server: Adamantoise Primary Role in AFM: Issue Writer, Specializing in crafting Favorite magazine piece: Lore articles. I really love to learn more about the game. Favorite in-game activity: Craft! Wait that was too obvious. Moreso helping others learn crafting, gearing up friends, passing out Flannel. I want to see added to the game: Ultimate-levels of difficulty for crafting. Favorite Glamour Item: FLANNEL SUSPENDERS Favorite Job(s): Weaver, Black Mage. Least Favorite Instance: Steps of Faith. Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Trying to cast that one last Fire IV before having to move for mechanics. Primal You Most Relate to: Good King Moggle-Mog XII If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Redolent Rose. I would dethrone him as the leader of the Weaver’s Guild! Favorite Beast Tribe: Ixali. Their storyline was amazing. Favorite FFXIV related song: eScape from O11 Favorite Ship: The Enterprise! Other hobbies: Graphic Design, Cooking, Tabletop Gaming (D&D/Magic: the Gathering), and Karaoke.
Server: Cactuar Primary Role in AFM: Reviewer Favorite magazine piece: Aetherstyle! I love seeing new ideas for glamours! Favorite in-game activity: Right now, maxing out all of my classes. I enjoy a little bit of almost everything except for PvP. I want to see added to the game: Job-specific mounts through achievements like they have for tanks would be cool! Favorite Glamour Item: Right now, the Eastern Socialite’s Attire, but I am also very partial to the High Summoner’s Attire because FFX was my “first” FF game. Favorite Job(s): Summoner! I also love AST for the aesthetic, and BLM to make things go boom. Favorite Instance: The Final Steps of Faith. Least Favorite Instance: It’s a tossup between The Chrysalis, Cutter’s Cry, and The Sunken Temple of Qarn. Favorite Zone: The Azim Steppe Favorite NPC: Dead? Haurchefant. Alive? I’ll get back to you on that. If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Estinien Favorite Beast Tribe: Namazu. Favorite FFXIV related song: Dragonsong” and “Tomorrow and Tomorrow” Other hobbies: I’m a musician! I’m going back to school for music starting this fall.
ONLINE
ONLINE
235
Levy Blossom 14 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Phoenix Primary Role in AFM: Photographer Favorite magazine piece: Oof, difficult to choose but I’m very hungry as I fill in this, I’ll have to say The Joy of the Culinarian! It’s so smart and creative, and again I am hongri. Favorite in-game activity: The simple quality of life things! I like people watching, crafting, exploring, decorating if inspired. I want to see added to the game: Actual inventory please I am begging. Favorite Glamour Item: Cashmere Hood, it’s just so cute on anyone. Favorite Job(s): Astro, Scholar & Black Mage Favorite Instance: Sophia Ex? I love everything about that trial. Least Favorite Instance: Qarn... Usual cause of death in a boss fight: “Can I even die from thi- OH” Primal You Most Relate to: Garuda, because screeching. Favorite Zone: Ruby Sea, I love underwater areas! Favorite Beast Tribe: Moogles! Favorite FFXIV related song: “He Rises Above” Favorite Ship: Me and my AFK spot. Other hobbies: Drawing, bit of gardening, trying to get back into reading, and listening to podcasts!
236
|
AETHERFLOW
Rymmrael Bhaldraelwyn 324 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Lamia Primary Role in AFM: Writer Favorite magazine piece: Mine! (Kidding- “Should We Disband” always makes me chuckle.) I want to see added to the game: The ability to craft with items while they are stored in retainer inventories/saddlebags. Favorite Glamour Item: Valor Set with the Curtana Atma sword/shield. I actually designed my character to look good in this glamour when I first started playing the game. Favorite Job(s): Paladin all the way! Favorite Instance: Oh, this is a tough one… usually whichever one I'm currently doing. Least Favorite Instance: Aurum Vale Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Overconfidence. Primal You Most Relate to: Ramuh; his followers are kinda kooky but he's a decent guy as far as primals go. Favorite Zone: Azim Steppe, it does an amazing job of feeling open and immense. Favorite FFXIV related song: Drowning in the Horizon (Azim Steppe daytime theme) Other hobbies: Reading, writing, baking cheesecake, eating cheesecake
Serena S
86 YALM
ON
Server: Adamantoi Primary Role in AF Chief Favorite magazine the Culinarian, it m every time! Favorite in-game a houses! I want to see adde More housing/glam Favorite Glamour I Guide’s Gown Favorite Job(s): W Favorite Instance: Violet Tides, the un makes this my kind Least Favorite Inst Vale Usual cause of dea fight: Pulling aggro Primal You Most R Lakshmi, I love her Favorite Zone: Yan Favorite NPC: Than If you could challe battle, who would that made me pick feet for her TWICE! Favorite Beast Trib because they are a helped me level my Favorite FFXIV rela Answers Other hobbies: Dra out with the puppe aquarium!
Sparkles
MS AWAY
NLINE
se FM: Editor-in-
e piece: Joy of makes me hungry
activity: Decorate
ed to the game: mour slots! Item: Makai Moon
WHM/AST Shisui of the nderwater setting d of place tance: Aurum
ath in a boss o off of a tank... Relate to: r outfit! nxia ncred enge one NPC to it be: That chick k flowers at her ! I'm still salty... be: Moogles adorable and y crafters quickly... ated song:
awing, hanging ers, visiting the
S'hayari Chrysolite 14 YALMS AWAY ONLINE
Server: Cactuar Primary Role in AFM: Designer Favorite in-game activity: Raiding / Party Finder, “bullying” friends. I want to see added to the game: I wish there were more housing and apartment slots. It would be really cool to upgrade apartments to two or three stories. Favorite Glamour Item: Eyepatches (any) Favorite Job(s): Astro, Red Mage, and Ninja is really fun, but I am terrible at it. Favorite Instance: The Vault Least Favorite Instance: The Burn Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Being greedy or getting aggro because I forgot to heal the tank, OOPS. Favorite Zone: The Azim Steppe. No further questions. Favorite NPC: I really like Krile and Y’shtola If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Y’shtola. She's amazing. Favorite Beast Tribe: The Namazu. Everyone is so mean to them, but I just love how weird they are. Favorite FFXIV related song: Dragonsong. I really like a lot of the HW music. Other hobbies: HMM Design? Coding? I love just about anything artsy crafty.
Skrully Matsuyama 226 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Jenova Primary Role in AFM: Social Media Staff! Favorite magazine piece: I would definitely have to say Rymm’s “In Case You Missed It” because, well- I really did miss a lot of that stuff. Favorite Glamour Item: Survival Shirt! Favorite Job(s): Warrior, Samurai and Dragoon Favorite Instance: The Antitower is at the top of my list for favorite instances. Least Favorite Instance: Aurum Vale for sure. Usual cause of death in a boss fight: I usually forget to pop one of my defensive cooldowns for tank busters. Primal You Most Relate to: Susano! Who doesn’t love a good revel? Favorite Zone: Kugane. I really love the eastern feel. Favorite NPC: Y’shtola. If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: I wouldn't hesitate to battle Hancock. Favorite Beast Tribe: Namazu! Favorite FFXIV related song: “The Ancient City” Favorite Ship: Hien and Yugiri Other hobbies: Outside of FFXIV? I play bass and I stream from time to time!
237
Tetemui Temui 144 YALMS AWAY ONLINE
Server: Zodiark Primary Role in AFM: I write culinary articles and recipes for both the issue and website. Favorite magazine piece: As a housing enthusiast, it’s gotta be Hydaeleyn’s Hearth! Favorite in-game activity: Housing and doing alliance raids. I want to see added to the game: Please implement a toilet for our houses! Favorite Glamour Item: Glass pumpkin earring Favorite Job(s): Astrologian and bard Favorite Instance: Orbonne Monastery Least Favorite Instance: Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak and Eureka. Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Being directionally confused or dwelling too long on my cards. Primal You Most Relate to: Suzaku Favorite Zone: Sea of Clouds. The view is just spectacular. Favorite NPC: Y’shtola If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Aymeric Favorite Beast Tribe: Namazu Favorite FFXIV related song: The Burn theme and Answers Reprise Other hobbies: Baking cakes, writing, gaming (both Pen&Paper and console)
238
|
AETHERFLOW
Tylp Zolcoze 18 YALMS AWAY OFFLINE
Server: Adamantoise Primary Role in AFM: Aetherstream Podcaster Favorite magazine piece: The joy of the Culinarian Favorite in-game activity: Being AFK in the most random places I want to see added to the game: Separate eyewear and headwear Favorite Glamour Item: Minstrel's Specticals Favorite Job(s): Drg, War, Rdm, Mch Least Favorite Instance: Dusk Vigil Usual cause of death in a boss fight: Lag Favorite Zone: Central Shroud. I'm a forest geek. Favorite NPC: Yshtola If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Urianger. I'd like to see him in battle sometime. Favorite Beast Tribe: The Moogles. It's a love/hate relationship. Favorite FFXIV related song: Rise. Just an energetic song! Favorite Ship: yshtola and Thancred (Definitely not Minfilia.) Other hobbies: Video editing, and random adventures
Vederah K
262 YALM
ON
Server: Gilgamesh Primary Role in AF Manager and Glam both the website an Favorite magazine haven't read a sing Culinarian recipe an with a rumbly in my Favorite in-game a Just kidding- glam my everything. Favorite Glamour I Favorite Job(s): AS Favorite Instance: Kugane Ohashi. Least Favorite Inst of the Ancients is th my existence curre farming the Ballad times a day for mo Primal You Most R Extreme- because like I look like when my coffee in the m Favorite NPC: This Tataru and Papalym If you could challe to battle, who wou glamour quest NPC Mostly because I w way more put toge Favorite Beast Trib Favorite FFXIV rela battle music for Ra Favorite Ship: Wed Other hobbies: I us amount of screenw I hardly have time f thanks to my job.
Kilmister
MS AWAY
NLINE
FM: Project mour Writer for nd magazine e piece: I’ve gle Joy of the nd not been left y popoto tumbly. activity: Fishing. mour. Glamour is
Item: /implode ST. Hands down. I really like
tance: Labyrinth he bane of ently. I’ve been Corselet multiple onths now! Relate to: Titan that’s what I feel n I’ve haven't had morning. s is a tie between mo enge one NPC uld it be: The C Swyrgeim. wish her outfit was ether! be: Namazu ated song: The avana dge and Tataru sed to do a fair writing, however for all of this
Zayuna Heimdell 358 YALMS AWAY ONLINE
Server: Adamantoise Primary Role in AFM: Community Team Favorite magazine piece: Anything Glamour related! Favorite in-game activity: Challenging content. I want to see added to the game: I'd like a different hairstyle for each glamour set and the option to change both simultaneously. Favorite Glamour Item: Hailstorm Coat of Casting (BLK) Favorite Job(s): BLM, WAR, RDM Favorite Instance: Soul of the Creator (Savage) [A12S] Least Favorite Instance: Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak Primal You Most Relate to: Tsukiyomi Favorite Zone: Azys Lla Favorite NPC: Curious Gorge If you could challenge one NPC to battle, who would it be: Shatotto Favorite Beast Tribe: Amalj'aa Favorite FFXIV related song: Rise Other hobbies: Fighting games and shooters
This could be you! ONLINE
Do you want to become part of our amazing team? Click here to see if we're recruiting right now!
239
240
|
AETHERFLOW
241