Let's talk about FFXIV's characters.
You know, the NPCs that have a delightful tendency of sending you off to do everything, from the most menial of fetch quests to the most grueling of dungeons and trial fights. They may also be benign civilians who hang around town who also enjoy drinking the delicious tonic of players' tears by thrashing them ceaselessly on Triple Triad. They may also be characters important to the main scenario.
So the question is: who is your favourite character in FFXIV? Or at least, which character(s) has/have left quite the impression on you that others have not?
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I choose Sultana Nanamo Ul Namo:
I can already see Albert and Tofu gasping with shock at my choice. Did Livi just claim that a Lalafell is her favourite character in FFXIV?! They exclaim. Yes, I say. Yes, I did just choose a Lalafell as my favourite character. But Livi, they do proclaim, you hate Lalafells, you filthy racist! I still do, I reply, but I adore Nanamo too much to hate her, so she (and Tataru) will have to be my rare exception to the rule.
Why, out of all the other dull denizens of Eorzea, do I love Nanamo so much?
Spoilers ahead.
Because I pity her. She serves as the monarch of the nation of Ul'dah, yet she is ruler only as a figurehead. The real power lies with the Monetarists, i.e. the Syndicate, who as a collective plutocracy, serve as the real masters of Ul'dahn politics. The government is festered by monetary vested interests and inherent selfishness, with both the Sultana and the General utterly unable to actually serve their nation's people as they see fit. Refugees and discontent layer the streets, while individual wealthy figures plot, backstab and commit great treason against the crown. Yet, the Sultana can do naught, lest she risk assassination, as well as the violent purging of her loyal right hand, General Raubahn. She cries herself to sleep, knowing all too well of the whole farce; she is queen, yet lacks any meaningful power to change her country for the better.
Honourably, she makes the hard decision to insight peaceful revolution and bring democratic rule to Ul'dah. She offers to step down, dissolve the sultanate, remove the long-standing monarchical symbols, and hopefully dissipate the vast influence of the Monetarists enough that the city state can at last be replaced by a government of the people, by the people, for the people. She decides this with a heavy heart, for she knows that it would undo everything Raubahn did to preserve both his and her position. Poor thing. It melted my icy stone heart when she began crying on the balcony. I'd give her a long hug and constantly assure her that she's making the right choice.
Just close behind Nanamo is this fellow:
Okay, it was going to be Hildibrand Manderville (who deserves an honourable mention!), but I thoroughly enjoyed his father Godbert a lot more. He's not a particularly deep character; he's simply there to complement the Manderville's storyline's arsenal of wacky, largely slapstick Inspector Clousseau parody fun. It's the sheer fact that Godbert can murder Chimeras with a single hammer blow (and simply by tossing it), eschews clothes, likes having salamander oil rubbed on him, and is capable of running at 100mph makes this guy either a Primal, a member of the Twelve, or a rival of Lord GabeN Himself.
Also, look at this:
You know, the NPCs that have a delightful tendency of sending you off to do everything, from the most menial of fetch quests to the most grueling of dungeons and trial fights. They may also be benign civilians who hang around town who also enjoy drinking the delicious tonic of players' tears by thrashing them ceaselessly on Triple Triad. They may also be characters important to the main scenario.
So the question is: who is your favourite character in FFXIV? Or at least, which character(s) has/have left quite the impression on you that others have not?
---------------------
I choose Sultana Nanamo Ul Namo:
I can already see Albert and Tofu gasping with shock at my choice. Did Livi just claim that a Lalafell is her favourite character in FFXIV?! They exclaim. Yes, I say. Yes, I did just choose a Lalafell as my favourite character. But Livi, they do proclaim, you hate Lalafells, you filthy racist! I still do, I reply, but I adore Nanamo too much to hate her, so she (and Tataru) will have to be my rare exception to the rule.
Why, out of all the other dull denizens of Eorzea, do I love Nanamo so much?
Spoilers ahead.
Because I pity her. She serves as the monarch of the nation of Ul'dah, yet she is ruler only as a figurehead. The real power lies with the Monetarists, i.e. the Syndicate, who as a collective plutocracy, serve as the real masters of Ul'dahn politics. The government is festered by monetary vested interests and inherent selfishness, with both the Sultana and the General utterly unable to actually serve their nation's people as they see fit. Refugees and discontent layer the streets, while individual wealthy figures plot, backstab and commit great treason against the crown. Yet, the Sultana can do naught, lest she risk assassination, as well as the violent purging of her loyal right hand, General Raubahn. She cries herself to sleep, knowing all too well of the whole farce; she is queen, yet lacks any meaningful power to change her country for the better.
Honourably, she makes the hard decision to insight peaceful revolution and bring democratic rule to Ul'dah. She offers to step down, dissolve the sultanate, remove the long-standing monarchical symbols, and hopefully dissipate the vast influence of the Monetarists enough that the city state can at last be replaced by a government of the people, by the people, for the people. She decides this with a heavy heart, for she knows that it would undo everything Raubahn did to preserve both his and her position. Poor thing. It melted my icy stone heart when she began crying on the balcony. I'd give her a long hug and constantly assure her that she's making the right choice.
Just close behind Nanamo is this fellow:
Okay, it was going to be Hildibrand Manderville (who deserves an honourable mention!), but I thoroughly enjoyed his father Godbert a lot more. He's not a particularly deep character; he's simply there to complement the Manderville's storyline's arsenal of wacky, largely slapstick Inspector Clousseau parody fun. It's the sheer fact that Godbert can murder Chimeras with a single hammer blow (and simply by tossing it), eschews clothes, likes having salamander oil rubbed on him, and is capable of running at 100mph makes this guy either a Primal, a member of the Twelve, or a rival of Lord GabeN Himself.
Also, look at this: