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Hello everyone and welcome back. Let's step back in time just a tiny bit and cover some job quests.
Ginger, if you weren't paying attention, is doing the Coerthas arc as a dragoon for thematic reasons. If you need a recap from half the LP ago, the Eye of Nidhogg that Estinien carries reacted in her presence, signifying that she's meant to be an Azure Dragoon.
What's an Azure Dragoon? The head dragoon in Ishgard. They lead the papal state's foreverwar against dragons. So yeah, Ginger's playing the dragoon here for a very good reason!
It is pleasing to see how readily the dragon stirs within you. You show great potential, Ginger--a potential that may well prove the difference between victory and defeat.Estinien is no ordinary dragoon. Even when set against the legendary Azures of ages past, the man is considered second to none. Such is his prowess, in fact, that the day he was chosen by the Eye, it was proclaimed that Haldrath the Dragonseye had been reborn.
I mean not to disparage your skills, Ginger, but to pursue Estinien in your current state would be tantamount to suicide. As promised, I shall train you in the way of the dragoon, that you might face Estinien as an equal. Before we commence, however, it is only fitting that you are edified regarding our origins. It all began a millennium past, when our forebears resided in the southern plains in humble circumstances.
Buckle up because Alberic has some words to say here. These are all extremely important too and will 100% be relevant by the time Heavensward comes around. In fact I will absolutely be referring people back to these updates then.
The Fury, impressed by the spirit of our ancestors, decided it was meet that She make them Her own. So did She appear before Haldrath's sire, a man of courage and integrity named Thordan, and bade him lead Her people to the Promised Land--to what would become the great nation of Ishgard. Their journey brought them to a wide chasm, whereupon Thordan and his people set to building a bridge. It was then that a dark shadow descended upon them--the great wyrm Nidhogg. Heedless of his own safety, Thordan fearlessly charged at the colossal beast. Alas, he was pushed into the chasm by one of his own, a man seduced by the wyrm, and fell to his death.
Taking up his slain sire's lance, Haldrath hurled himself at Nidhogg, even as tears streamed down his face. The confrontation ended when the young man, his hand guided by Halone, landed a mighty thrust that prised out Nidhogg's eye. With a terrible roar of pain, the great wyrm took wing and fled, while jubilation reigned below. Ishgard's priceless relic is none other than the eye taken from Nidhogg that day. It is a veritable wellspring of dragon power--even so removed from its owner, it can exert control over the hearts of men.
Nidhogg's Eye is an actual real literal eye. It's an artifact of incalculable power with a near-bottomless well of aether contained within. It lets the Azure Dragoons perform their bullshit. Naturally it's insanely corruptive.
Haldrath himself felt its malign influence, but his love of justice brooked no corruption, and he prevailed over the power, claiming it for his own. And so it was that the first Azure Dragoon was born. Being derived from our foe, the power of the dragon is a thing to be loathed. But as Haldrath proved to us all, so long as our hearts burn with justice, we need not fear being taken in its thrall.
Ah, but what is justice, precisely? Justice assumes many shapes and forms, Ginger, and none can say that one is greater than another. So long as you hold fast to your beliefs and stay true to yourself, you leave no room for the power of the dragon to master you. But enough of history--let us return our attention to the present. A knight by the name of Ser Brucemont will see to the next stage of your training. Seek him out at Witchdrop.
Just north out of Camp Dragonhead is one of two locations named Witchdrop. We'll, uh, learn exactly why it's labelled that in the next update. But if you apply a little critical thinking to the way Ishgard has been presented in the LP so far, you can make a pretty educated guess as to why.
We're gonna be taking a slope down into it.
Brucemont here is the guy sent to train us.
So the adventurer seeks to become a dragoon. Hah! Ser Alberic speaks of legends and chosen ones, but I would see you prove yourself in a more practical fashion--with your lance. Defend yourself!
The deathgaze doesn't last very long against Ginger's onslaught.
You have some skill-I will give you that. And the glow of your soul crystal...perhaps Ser Alberic was not wrong about you, after all. Now return to him--your training here is complete.
The soul of the dragon grows ever stronger within you, Ginger. Clearly, your trial was a rousing success--I need only observe your crystal to know as much. Yes. Though you have only just begun to walk the path of the dragoon, it is clear you possess the talent to become Estinien's equal. Go forth and make the powers you have obtained your own. When the time is right, we shall proceed with your training.
Elusive Jump is a skill that makes you jump backward away from where you currently are. It's really hard to use skillfully and if you rely on it, it's going to fuck you over at the worst possible moment. However if you're skillful you can autorun forward, jump into the air, spin 180 degrees, and then elusive jump immediately after you finish spinning but before you hit the ground. It gives you a bunch of distance!
It's also likely to end with you jumping off to the side somewhere because Elusive Jump is a fickle mistress.
And another quest!
You grow ever stronger, and I speak of more than just the flesh. Aye, you are slowly but surely realizing your potential as an Azure Dragoon. It is heartening to look upon...though I must confess that my presiding feeling is one of relief. You must understand, the mere thought that the Eye would choose an outsider--one who ill comprehends the threat posed by the dragons--filled me with the gravest of misgivings. Yet you have... Ah, but I shall say no more, lest flattery impede your improvement!
Now, during our last lesson, I enlightened you regarding the origins of dragoons. You will recall how Haldrath heroically triumphed over the great wyrm Nidhogg, and Ishgard came into possession of the Eye. Tell me, Ginger--do you believe that these events truly transpired? Or are you inclined to think them faerie tales? I ask you this because few folk have seen dragons in the flesh besides we Ishgardians, and most would as soon dismiss them as products of the imagination.
Alas, dragons are no less real than you and I, with Nidhogg perhaps the most real of all. In the course of its history, Ishgard has suffered the creature's wrath on eight separate occasions. Each time the great wyrm rouses, the blood of countless Ishgardians is spilled.
Nidhogg hates the Ishgardians with a burning passion that's hard to describe. He doesn't just want to wipe them out, he wants to cause as much pain and suffering as is possible. And then in the depths of his victims despair he wants them to die as violently as possible.
Let us revisit the past once more, Ginger. The time is twenty summers past, and the place Dravania. After a century in slumber, Nidhogg awakened once more to resume his reign of terror. Entire villages were razed to the ground, their inhabitants reduced to smoldering ash. Sensing the great wyrm's unbridled rage, others of his kind began to rouse, and in such numbers as to blot out the sun with their wings. A deep, foreboding darkness swept over Ishgard. Raging infernos painting the belly of the sky an angry red... The agonized screams of innocents fading into deathly silence...
In my station as the Azure Dragoon, I was there through it all--bore witness to all the horrors. But there was no time to offer even a silent prayer. Nidhogg lingered in one place only long enough to lay it to waste, and when he took wing, so too did I pursue him, a man possessed. This game of cat and mouse continued for what seemed an eternity before I found myself face-to-face with the great wyrm. The battle unfolded in a tiny settlement on the edge of Coerthas, raging on for three days and three nights with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage. Remaining on my feet by sheer force of will, I realized that it must end now else it shouldn't end well.
Marshaling my last onze of strength, I wagered all on a single thrust. My lance struck home, burying deep in the ruin of my opponent's empty eye socket. Yet before I could withdraw my weapon, the wyrm lashed out wildly in its agony, dealing a blow that left me sprawled upon the scorched earth, nigh insensate. In that instant, I thought myself surely doomed...but Halone was not finished with me. Having lost the taste for battle, Nidhogg let loose a bloodcurdling roar before fleeing to the sky. The battle was over.
While I did not perish from my injuries, they rendered my body unfit to bear the power of the dragon, and I was Azure Dragoon no more. Lying bedridden, my thoughts wandered to all the innocent lives that had been lost-the people I had failed to protect. That last conflict with the dragons of Dravania left countless orphans in its wake. Estinien is one of them, the sole survivor of Ferndale, the final village to suffer Nidhogg's wrath.
With none left to care for him, I did the only thing I could: I took Estinien as mine own son, instructing him in the way of the dragoon when he was of an age to learn. Yet I would not have you think me noble. My actions were born not of compassion but of guilt. My guilt at having failed him. But alas, I have also failed him as a father. For what manner of man did I bring him up to be? A thief who would endanger the life of every one of his countrymen.
Aye, you heard me right-all of Ishgard may suffer for his crime. Though we know little and less of the minds of dragons, it is conceivable that the disturbance surrounding his stolen eye will rouse Nidhogg to awaken once more. That his kin have already stirred from their slumber serves as fair warning of that. Time is not on our side. Fortunately, it would seem you are more than ready to embark on your next trial. Make your way to Witchdrop, where the knight Heustienne awaits your arrival. My nation is depending on you, Ginger.
And now we learn that Nidhogg is awakening once more and is making ready to begin a new generation of assaults in the foreverwar. Ishgard is in a terribly precarious position right now. So it's even more critical that Ginger complete her training as fast as possible!
We're over in the other Witchdrop now. Once more we go down to the floor.
You are the one who would aspire to be Azure Dragoon? Why, you are not even of Ishgard! If you truly possess the power that Ser Alberic sees in you, then prove it to me with your lance. En garde!
Heustienne's quest surrounds Ginger with mitelings and a banemite. This kinda sucks because DRG doesn't get AOE until after this quest.
That strength... I have not seen its like since Estinien himself stood before me. Mayhap Ser Alberic has the right of it, after all. Return and show your crystal to him--I have no doubt he will be pleased.
These job quests are over pretty quickly!
You have passed yet another trial with flying colors, Ginger. The day when you may stand before Estinien as an equal is not far off. And when that day comes, the Eye will choose you over the traitor--I have no doubt of this. But we must be patient still. For now, you must continue your training. When you can do no more on your own, seek me out once more.
Remember the AOE I lamented DRG not having? Yeah, this is it. No other melee gets its AOE skill so late. Even NIN gets its at 32! Dragoon has to wait until the level 40 quest. It fucking sucks so bad. The AOE isn't the usual point blank one either. No, it's a line facing out from Ginger.
Now that Ginger's done her service as a DRG, let's take a look at the other waiting job quest...
Ginger, I am glad you have come. I have a task of a most urgent and confidential nature, and I can think of none other to whom I can entrust it. You are doubtless familiar with the Seedseers, yes? Kan-E-Senna-Elder Seedseer, leader of the Order of the Twin Adder, and guardian of our fair nation-clearly needs no introduction, but know you also of her siblings?
The two young Padjals, Sister Raya-O-Senna and Brother A-Ruhn-Senna, make for Everschade as we speak, where they will perform a ritual of great import. Verily, such import that it would be no overstatement to say that the very fate of Gridania hangs in the balance. As you well know, we dwell in this forest by the good graces of the elementals, eternal guardians of the Twelveswood, and most of all the great one who dwells within the Guardian Tree. Yet our ceaseless warring and ill treatment of the trees that shelter us have aroused the great one's ire, and it is only by the Quieting--the ritual of which I spoke--that he may be placated.
Thus did the two Seedseers set out for Everschade, with nary a guard to accompany them. Therein lies the rub, and the nature of the favor I ask of you. By no means would I question the powers of the Seedseers, but with the great one's anger mounting, the Twelveswood becomes a threatening domain for even the most puissant of conjurers. Pray hasten to Everschade and see that no harm befalls the two.
Ginger's being sent to babysit Kan-E-Senna's brother and sister.
Everschade is in an obscure corner of the Central Shroud. It's also where the big finale of the Gridania opening takes place.
Curses! How can we hope to make it to the Guardian Tree with these ghastly creatures bursting forth like rampant weeds? If I'd known what we were in for, I'd have brought along a Wood Wailer or two. In fact, I daresay we should return and do exactly that!
Oh, do not be such a coward, Sister. We are Seedseers--these overgrown vermin are no match for us.
Bold words, Brother. But were they true words, we would have dispatched our enemies and arrived safely at our destination bells ago.
Hm? A conjurer, are you...? Brother E-Sumi, ever the worrier. For once, however, his solicitude is most welcome. Might you help us dispose of these fell creatures?
Have you no pride, Sister!? A Seedseer does not beg the aid of some common adventurer!
Enough, Brother! We have a duty to perform--a duty that takes precedence over your silly notions of pride. Now, enough talk! Let us see to these pests.
We need to beat the shit out of a bunch of forest critters. This takes marginally longer because Ginger has to babysit two white mages who can't heal themselves while also plinking away at these things with rocks.
200 potency isn't a lot.
Also these two white mages are too dumb to get out from in front of the banemite. So they keep getting knocked half the way back across the arena. It's very, very tedious.
The giant banemite is the boss though and once he's down the duty ends.
A crystal appears from the tree and...
Goes to Ginger!
That crystal! Do my eyes deceive me, or does this adventurer inherit the legacy of A-Towa-Cant?
It was none other than A-Towa himself who last performed the Quieting. No, I do not believe this adventurer's arrival is mere coincidence. Bearer of the soul crystal, inheritor of arcane knowledge long since forbidden to those not of our kind... I know not why it is you he chose, but I believe our great forefather has led you to us today.
Ancient tradition dictates that the Quieting be performed by three Padjals-ah, but I misspeak. The ritual is to be performed by three white mages. If Master A-Towa truly has chosen this adventurer as his successor...
Y-You speak madness, Sister! Surely, you have not forgotten that Padjali tradition strictly forbids sharing the teachings with those not of our kind. The power of white magic is far too great to risk it falling into the wrong hands!
Raya-O-Senna is a sassy redheaded teenager. Don't mess with sassy gingers!
And so you would uphold tradition merely for tradition's sake? Even at the risk of incurring the great one's wrath and bringing disaster upon our forest home?
Have you so little faith in your own abilities, Sister? We are Seedseers-more than capable of slaying any beasts in our way and carrying out the ritual on our own.
A-Ruhn-Senna is a dipshit. Also he has a dorky bowl cut so his opinion is automatically invalid.
<sigh> This petty bickering is getting us nowhere...
Adventurer! I am sorry to trouble you with our silly sibling squabbles... If you've the time, I would speak with you further. But not here. Come to Camp Tranquil, and come quickly; time is of the essence.
I am very upset that Square is able to, with their fucked up hair dye system, somehow make a believable redhead. It's my white whale! Every time I try, the result just winds up looking like a light brunette.
Raya-O-Senna holds court near Camp Tranquil in the South Shroud. If you don't know where that is, Ginger had to come here during the Titan arc. I made fun of a man for being bad at his job here.
Raya-O is popular tonight! Also warning: a wall of text incoming!
Thank you for coming, adventurer. Forgive my brother's rudeness--he cannot help that he was born with a head of solid stone. Anywise, I do not believe we have been properly introduced. I am Raya-O-Senna, a Padjal--as you can see--and sister of the Elder Seedseer. You are Ginger, yes? Brother E-Sumi has spoken of you-and most highly, at that. As you no doubt have heard, my brother, A-Ruhn, and I were en route to the Guardian Tree. There, the great one, by whose graces we dwell here, resides.
The gentlest of guardians when at peace, a destructive force that knows no bounds when angered-as the great one goes, so goes our fate. The creatures you helped us dispatch-doubtless they, too, were roused to hostility by the great one in his anger. You need only look around you to see. The forest grows more and more threatening with each passing hour. So it is that we traveled here to quell the great one's fury-to perform the Quieting.
In days of old, the ritual was, without fail, performed by three white mages. With our elder sister occupied with her many duties, my brother and I thought to attempt it on our own. A-Ruhn was quite confident, but I had my doubts... It was then that you arrived, and shortly thereafter became one of the chosen few to be gifted with a white mage's soul crystal. 'Tis no small honor; that gem marks you as an inheritor of the magic of our ancestors.
Ginger's gonna learn white magic! 
My brother's pride may blind him, but the signs are clear as day to me. You are not Padjali, but A-Towa-Cant meant for you to be here today, to perform the ritual with us. A-Towa-Cant is known to all as one of the greatest mages in our history, but even more so, he was known for being something of an eccentric. In defiance of tradition, he bid farewell to his forest home, wandering the realm and healing the wounds of the land and its people wheresoever he went.
A most admirable cause, yes? But alas, A-Towa was never to return. He perished in a far-off land, and having taken no apprentices, his legendary powers were lost to us for eternity. Or so I believed...until I met you. And yet, for all his stubbornness, there is some truth to my brother's words. Ancient laws forbid us from sharing the teachings of white magic outside of our own kind. There are reasons for this, which I would share with you when the time is right.
There are many who would not approve of this arrangement. Still, I am convinced that it is A-Towa's will that we bring you into the fold. And so I welcome you, Ginger of the white. I can feel the great one's fury welling up even now. Time is short, and yet, while you may have been chosen by A-Towa, I fear your journey as a white mage has just begun. Return to me when you have further honed your skills, and we shall proceed with your training.
Presence of Mind is a critically important buff. With it active, spells take less time to cast and I'm pretty sure your GCD is shorter too. While you could use it to cast healing spells, at high enough levels WHMs can get by with off GCD abilities altogether. No, Presence of Mind turns a WHM into a green DPS. Its CD is only 2 and a half minutes, so it should be available pretty frequently. Just use it. If you actually need to chain cast healing spells on the tank to keep them alive, then they're doing something incredibly wrong.
And finally, we have this. This is a sidequest that only opens up after you get the WHM job stone.
But you can only take the quest as a CNJ. It's so weird and dumb like that. I dunno why...
Your deeds of late have earned you the respect of all at Stillglade Fane. People say you are a breath of fresh air within these still caverns. Truly, you are an inspiration to us all.
...Having plied you with praise, I would make a request of you. An unusual creature has appeared near Fallgourd Float in the North Shroud. Witnesses report that it is badly wounded. While it hasn't proven itself a danger to the locals, a wounded beast is unpredictable at the best of times. Please find it and provide it with such succor as you are able.
This beast is in a really far corner of the North Shroud. Running out to it is the longest part of this quest.
Also playing MMOs at 7AM. Still a catch, ladies.
It's a unicorn!
*casts Cure I*
The creature seems grateful to you.
Welcome back, Ginger. Were you able to find the creature? And what did it look like, if I might ask?
UNICORN! IT WAS A UNICORN! HOLY SHIT!
...Four-legged and tall, with a pristine white coat...and a single horn protruding from its brow! There is no mistake--that was a unicorn you healed. Unicorns are rare and majestic beasts native to the inner region of Coerthas. They are extremely shy, and are wont to avoid all contact with man. The notion that you were able to gain its trust is most thrilling.
I've seen enough wild creatures to know that its behavior toward you means more than simple gratitude. Nay, the unicorn must have sensed kinship in you. Should you doubt my words, Ginger, pray take this whistle and prepare yourself. A truly uplifting experience awaits!
Ginger's now a fairy princess!
Anyway that's enough of that for now.
NEXT TIME: The search for the Enterprise