The Makings of a Blue Mage

Staff Writer: Ayana Rhelka

For my first official article for The Torii Times, I’ve decided to interview someone who I’ve known for awhile–a beloved colleague and the head of Reverie’s lounge, Alexander Brown. He’s a friendly face behind the bar, and a delightful wood-carver, besides. One thing I didn’t know much about when it came to him, however, was his work as a Blue Mage–one of Eorzea’s more enigmatic paths.This time, Alexander’s answers will follow my pre-written questions, as I was on a lot of pain medication at the time and didn’t dare trust my improvisation skills.—What is a Blue Mage? It’s a relatively new way to use magic, isn’t it?"Well I'm not sure how long it's been around if that helps at all.But I did discover it more recently. Between what they do in Ul'dah, and what I was able to pick up from a past member of the company, I sort of took the stone and found my own way. Some of it was awful, others not so bad, really…Depends how I was able to learn to mimic the spell myself, really."How did you decide to become a Blue Mage? More importantly–where did you get the soul crystal from?"I picked up the stone from the gentleman that was in Ul'dah. He was giving them away to anyone that was interested.Now, previously I had enjoyed my guns, but as you can see by the magitek arm Crym helped remake, guns liked me less, so…Not that it's their fault, of course. I have always enjoyed nature and its fauna, so leaning towards spending more time with them so I could learn what they do, wasn't far off really.I mean it's that or try to be some kind of master of beasts. I'd like that.So for now though, being able to recreate what they do, I find that exhilarating."Has this affected your career at all, or is it more of a side gig?"I wouldn't say it affected anything. I mean, I don’t tend to adventure much except when I go after a new creature. Other than that, it's mostly the same thing. I know Nivie doesn't allow the use of my abilities during Lounge Service, so I keep to myself. I haven't really used it much, come to think of it."I want you to describe for our readers, in as much detail as you’re comfortable with, your first experience trying to learn the spell “Bad Breath”, so I can hand this article to anyone who asks me to repeat the story."Alright, so…I knew…what’s-her-name had a morbol baby, so odds were pretty good I could go that route. We met up outside the estate and I asked. We prepared the area to make sure nobody else would get hurt in any way, and she had the baby…spray? Spit? …Expel the gas, I guess, all over me. This, in turn, I found a lack of control of the spell, and I returned the favor, all over myself, and what's-her-name…Corla? No…I can't recall.
Then I passed out from the gas, had to be hauled off to the baths, where I believe we picked up you also, Ziri was already present…and after that, it was a lovely censorship of people without clothing in the baths, getting cleaned up."And how did that incident make you feel? Do you feel you’ve better grasped the concept since then?"I felt…well...embarrassed, probably. Didn't need to have that many other people without clothes helping me out…but yes. Since then, I have gathered up a significantly better control of the powers."How do you measure ‘success’ as a Blue Mage? How do you know when you’re doing it right?"I'm not sure you can measure it. I mean, to do it right, you end up breathing flames, throwing lightning, causing ice storms…or there's a variety of defensive abilities I've picked up, hardening shell barriers and the like. It's all quite amazing, really."What is your favorite part of being a Blue Mage?"Mhmm, favorite part…I like finding ways to learn to do what they do and attempt to recreate it. There's something ever so pleasing about when it's executed."What is the worst part of being a Blue Mage?"Possibly the same thing. I mean, sometimes one's life could be on the line to learn something amazing. But I feel it's worth it, walking that fine line to be able to do what they do."If someone else wanted to take this path, would you recommend it to them?"I would recommend it if it truly interested them.They should want to feel what it's like to be able to let the abilities of the beasts and the like that roam the wild flow through them. It's a different sort of feeling I find, almost, to me. Like I've always been able to breathe flame, lash my tongue like a frog, spit fish randomly across the room.To do this, you should want to have a different perspective on what you could be capable of doing with it, defensively, offensively, support.Or maybe you just want to be different.”—It was nice to get to know more about Alex! He’s an incredibly competent man with generally bad luck (if the stairs incident is anything to go by), and has the charisma worthy of a restaurant’s head.I still don’t trust him around morbols, though.

The View From Below - Dylan

Staff Writer: Susuni Suni

One of the underappreciated elements in the lives of the people who live in isolated rural communities is that beyond being far from larger cities and towns, they are much closer to the wildlands. These settlers may pry a bit of civilization from dark woods and deep valleys, but the wilds and all their dangers remain close.This known risk does make them more vigilant, but it also gives them an acceptance of tragedy that those in more protected areas can find almost fatalistic.When six-year-old Dylan Ehlers failed to return home from a brief errand to a neighboring farm, a search was launched with real concern, but when no trace of him had been located after several days of looking, life went back to the demands of living in places where survival came at the price of hard, constant work. His parents had other children, and they too needed to be fed. He was loved, yes, but also lost, and that was just the way of their world.With a boy so young it is difficult to say much about his personality. The whole world is a wonder to those of that age, and they mostly soak it in with wide eyes. Children may make pronouncements about what they want to do or be when they grow up, but most such declarations will be forgotten before bedtime. If you asked his parents about him, they would say he was not troublesome, and possibly that he had a curiosity about the outside world that made them think he would not be one to stay on the farm forever. He had not been old enough to say much more.They would then change the subject. Acceptance of events is not the same as peace with those events.So it came as something of a shock to them when they received a letter from Dylan about six months later apologizing for leaving so suddenly and announcing that he had joined the Marines in Limsa Lominsa so he could see the world. He said he regretted not telling them this ahead of time, but he said he was afraid they would try to talk him out of it.This letter was seen as the cruelest of jokes by all who heard about it. Indeed, it was certain that had its writer been identified he would have been soundly thrashed for reopening a wound that time had mostly closed. They knew the military might sometimes induct those underage, but six was just too young to contemplate.A few months later when the mail courier next came through the small village however, he dutifully dropped off a small packet of a few dozen Limsan gil, with a printed note detailing it to be a deduction from Marine Private 3rd Class Ehlers’ monthly pay, slated to be sent home. While initially seen as just another aspect in a continuing cruel joke, everything looked official, and the payments continued month after month without pause.More letters from “Dylan” arrived afterwards, not on any schedule, but regular enough. Sometimes they included trinkets like a carved bit of scrimshaw, or a small hammered-silver necklace of some exotic design. In one he included a sketch of a tattoo he had gotten while regretfully drunk in a far-away port.He once tried to mail a bottle of some exotic liquor to his father directly, shipping it to a neighbor with a note to walk it over (thus bypassing his mother). Unfortunately the cork came out in shipping, and all that was left was a curved green glass bottle. Those who smelled the straw in the box had to admit that there was certainly a curious smell about it though.Or at least, that is the way Dylan’s father told the story. He had slept in uncharacteristically late the day after it arrived though.As the years passed, his parents scanned Dylan’s letters for traces of familiarity. They hoped to find some solid bit of information that made the case that, however unlikely, this could only be their Dylan. There were hints of local knowledge, questions about his siblings, and references to neighbors. None of these were asked in any great detail however and could be chalked up to the most general common knowledge about the area.Early on they hoped he would ask for money or other assistance, because then they could assume it was all a particularly malevolent scam of some sort and forget about it all. He never did.He mostly shared the details of his life in the service, both the fantastic and the mundane drudgery that is part of any soldier’s life. He talked of unique people he had met and talked to, strange meals he had eaten (and often later regretted), and the trials of his fellow crew. He talked of his brave desire to fight for his comrades, and the gnawing fear that almost had him undone the first time actual battle came to him.He also wrote about comrades gained and lost and spoils won and shares of taken ships that bulged his pockets to the point that he could hardly walk. He described the thrill of battle and the crushing feeling of surviving when others did not. He once met a girl, who he was certain was the love of his life, and who took him for all his money and vanished. He admitted he’d probably forgive her if she came back, fully knowing how bad of an idea that was.He also talked about coming to visit, but with so much travel around the world that was very difficult to set up. The village was a long way from anywhere, but particularly from the ocean. One day, he promised. One day.Unfortunately one day would never arrive. What would arrive instead is a young marine officer, somehow still looking immaculate in a dress uniform after days of hard travel, who presented them a letter that began “We regret to inform you…”.The officer handed over some awards earned too late to actually be presented in person, and a certificate promoting Dylan to Sergeant 2nd Class. He also gave them a survivor benefit payment sufficient to cover their modest needs for a very long time.The officer may or may not have understood the reaction of Dylan’s parents, faced with a doubled unreality of both gaining and losing the same child for the second time. It was enough to leave him, a veteran of many such announcements, stumbling over his words and happy that his pressing duties had him not staying long.Dylan’s body was buried at sea, as requirements dictate under these circumstances, so no remains made it home. His parents used some of the money to buy a grave marker all the same, putting it in the family graveyard at the end of the property. It was unremarkable save that it had one birth date and two death dates: one last compromise with reality.Dylan’s sea chest arrived a year later, shipped to them as the next of kin. Dylan’s parents went through it hoping to find proof of a reality they’d already agreed to believe in, but there was no certain evidence in it of who he was or who he used to be. If he was their son or not, the fact remains he had worked hard as Dylan to be a good son and a good person, and they were willing to let him be that.The whole series of events is a not-quite-spooky campfire tale; a ghost story with no “boo!” attached. Except you can go and see the grave marker yourself and talk to Dylan’s parents. There’s no real explanation for it, and I certainly don’t have one. Nor do I have any problem the truth of the story.You don’t have to explain reality; you just have to make peace with it. These sound similar, but they are not the same. Things are as they are no matter what questions are left when you’ve run out of answers. From there you can just decide what it means to you.The view from below sometimes comes with hard lessons to learn. Not having much means that losing a little can be the same as losing it all. Not all hard lessons are bad though, and one of these is that when you’re that near the bottom and looking up, sometimes the impossible happens above you and if you don’t question it too much, you can take it for what it is.

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Getting the Dirt on Dirt

Staff Writer: Syrenead Tormelodos

Did you know that leaf litter in the forest is important and plays a vital role in keeping the plants alive. It’s also really good for other plants, such as garden plants. We all know that dirt is everywhere. From sand to loam, dirt forms the grounds we walk on, or even what we build our cities on. But the one we are going to discuss today is Humus.Humus, that’s hyoo-mus, not hummus, is made from the leaf litter when trees lose their branches or leaves or even topple over, it’s made from the decaying bodies of surface insects and other animals. All of this decomposes and breaks down back into basic elements that contain important nutrients for the soil. When you have healthy, nutrient rich soil, you have happy and healthy plants. Think of humus as nature’s fertilizer.Now what about using it in a garden? Gardeners can make their own form of humus by using compost. That is taking organic matter, putting it into a bin or a pile and mixing that pile up every week or so to stir it all up and assist in the breaking down of the materials. Then covering the whole garden bed with some of that delicious dark dirt.What can be used to make humus or compost? Leaves, branches, garden scraps, leftover food. Even bone, though bone takes a very long time to break down which is why a grinder might help in making bone meal, that can then be added to the composting pile. Adding worms to the mix will help to break things down too. As things break down, it darkens and becomes more dirt-like and when it’s nothing more than dirt-looking, then it can be added to freshly tilled grounds to be made ready for planting.

Humus will help get air down to the roots but it will also help retain the water given to plants. Making it good to use in the arid and dry climates. You can always tell when humus is present in one form or another by the smell when it rains after a dry spell. It’s earthy, musky and fresh. The more humus there is, the stronger the smell. Don’t expect to smell it in the dunes of the Sagolii, but you can smell it all over the Black Shroud.So we discussed humus, but what of the other dirts? Well you have sand, clay, loam, silt, chalk and peat. These dirts are often found under the humus levels, and it also depends on the environment of the locale. For example, you won’t find much humus in the desert except in the oases that dot the areas. But the soil beneath that, will be a sandy gritty dirt. This is expected for the location given there is sand all over.Each of these dirts provide a unique growing experience and are used for a variety of different plants. Dirt, especially the clay dirt, is useful in areas such as Gyr Abania. It retains it’s moisture and makes it so that plants and crops can grow in the hot sun. Though it can only be done in locations away from the salted lands of the Lochs. Clay that can be found here is also useful because it can be baked in the sun and used to make shelter, ovens, and various forms of pottery. You know, to hold plants in.Joking aside, you can usually tell by touch alone what sort of dirt is around and how to best utilize it and the ground will never say no to a bit of decayed organic matter.

Three Buns in the Tub - A Night at Elysian Springs

Staff Writer: Xanatos Tiva

The Elysian Springs Spa and Resort is a place you might just miss if you didn’t know someone or hadn’t been invited. Not to say they wouldn’t let you in, but that you just might not even think to look for it. However, I drew the lucky assignment of interviewing this Spa for all of yall, so allow me first to just give my two gil right now.Go there. It's amazing.Now to help me tell you why, I was given the pleasure of interviewing two of the employees closest to the founders:Miss Lynnaes Krasikaz and Miss Braely Fiala. These two Viera were incredibly welcoming and wonderful hosts to interview. But enough of my rambling, let's get right to that interview.“So just to get this started, why don’t yall tell me about who founded this place?”BF:I'm Braely Fiala, one of the managers of the spa, and across from me is Lynnaes Krasikaz, general manager of the spa. The owners are Lledwyn and Demytrya Eno'traeh. I also act as Demytrya's personal assistant at times, and we do work for them in handling the different holdings they have, which are rather decidedly plentiful. This place was the culmination of two dreams colliding, in a manner of speaking.Demy and Lled had visited a spa when they first moved from the Hinterlands to the west, and found it to be lovely, but unfulfilling. No greetings, and no real direction or warmth to the space for the guests. They also noticed that most spas took the onsen variety of decor, and given they owned their own design house, decided to use this space that they had acquired as a modern Ishgardian public bath."“They came up with all of this…..because of a bad experience?”LK: "Well, they don't believe in doing things half-assed. I mean, unless you're going to do it right, why bother, right?"“Ha! I can’t argue with that. So about how many folks does it take to keep a place of this size and scale open and running?”LK: "Like, full time or whenever or?"“Just in general.”BF: "It's a bit of a family and friend affair."LK: "On nights like tonight, no one works."“So it’s a fairly informal affair?”LK:"It's the weekly casual night and it's just .. the doors are open and anyone can come relax."BF: "We did have a good handful of employees for a time, but we were finding that when they weren't as invested in the place as we are, they were a bit less reliable, so we started leaning on those we're close with to help. Usually it's a few people from the manor, Henruu, Faye, sometimes Harland and Parker for fill ins, now Valle, too..." She motioned to the man barding, "And Carina bards for us at times, too. Otherwise it's just family and found family of the Eno'traeh's, including us."LK: "But, in two nights, that's our regular service night. On that night, most of the time, we have maybe half a dozen on average working? It's not like, a lot of people, you know? We feel like people come here to relax, not be badgered and we don't sell some of the other services that some of the other spas and onsens sell, so we don't need a huge staff."“As busy as this place is, tonight, I am amazed. Well in your own thoughts, what do you think makes this place so special and draws all these folks?”BF: "Truth told, we do minimal advertising, too. Our theory is that it makes it all the more special for people who visit. We joke that it's the best little secret in the Shroud."A few of the nearby regulars called out a variety of things from attractiveness to atmosphere.LK: "Well, yes, we're certainly gorgeous….. I think the word everyone's looking for maybe is the ambience?"Another guest was brought forward: “And the relaxing part is just part of it, most other places have this pressure to sell, to make gil, but here you're free to do as you please and just enjoy the atmosphear. It attracts like minded people and you end up with a whole group, guest to spa worker, who come for the same reason. To just unwind.``BF: "The Eno'traeh's, by nature tend to be the type to spare no expense, and are philanthropers at heart. At least the Lady Eno'traeh is. Her husband adores her and I think at times grudgingly goes along with her big hearted and often crazy schemes of making places of beauty that really are for the people."“High praise indeed! So what can you tell me about the various services and features of the spa?”BF: "They depend on the time of year and how many staff we have one. The big ones are just the open bar, the lovely music, use of a sauna, a lovely sitting area with snacks and tarot readings. All of this is complimentary, though we do encourage tipping the tarot readers when readings happen. We also used to offer consistent massage service, though that has slowed some because those of us that provided them would find ourselves with a client most of the evening, rather than helping on the floor. The massage services, however, have never been of a... well courtesan nature. Just a normal relaxing massage, rather than anything sexual."LK: "We tried raising the prices on the massages to try to, um, encourage people not to get them? But then they just kept on wanting to pay more and more so we realized that if we wanted to stay focused on the spa and the whole of our clientelle, we just had to make it a special-night-only type service. So, now, we only offer massage on nights when we have a VIP buyout of the entire spa."BF: "But when we call it community nights here, we mean it. It's meant for those who think they can't afford the place, truth told. I think it's just the overall... package. Oh, it would be fair to add, we do charge for private parties, though we go all out for those. Absolutely divine uniforms, perhaps a tad bit on the risque side, though usually in line with the name of the place, which is to say sort of like angels? And we do have VIP rooms that many people choose to rent out that are in the adjacent Lily Hills apartment. So they will come on a romantic date and get a B&B room to retire to."LK: "Well, we don't have any courtesean services. That seems terribly popular in other spas, but we wanted to be a little different in that regard. We wanted to stand out for not having them, that the people who come here really are coming for relaxation and enjoyment of the spa itself."BF: "It's one of the most commonly expected spa services and I think outside of us and maybe one other place, it's not at all what we offer here. No public sex, either.""What if I got just one short story from you two, about the funniest or just your favorite stories from this place?"BF:"Well, there's a few hidden internal transports around the spa that sometimes people get caught in."A guest called out: “The spa must feed."BF: "The running joke when they disappear into them and try to figure out what the hells they just triggered, is that the spa ate them.”“Alright, well then to wrap it up, is there anything you would like me to bring to our readers?”BF: "One of the other things of note, is that Ward 22, where we are located is home to another big pet project that Demytrya and a few of her close friends established some time ago. Lledwyn and Demytrya are also patrons of the Crystal Music Academy, and together with Clayde Lockheart and Vi Vatsionne, they began a summer festival known as MogStock. It happens for three days each summer, and has some of the most talented music across Eorzea come and play throughout the ward."Well, that concluded my interview though my two hosts were gracious enough to personally deliver a musical performance that I will not soon forget for its beauty. I myself eagerly await a bit of time to take my partner here and will be eagerly awaiting any news of this next project! Again I cannot recommend these wonderful people or such an amazing place. Ward Twenty-two, Plot thirty-three of the Lavender Beds in Gridania.Finally, one last thanks to my wonderful hosts: Miss Lynnaes Krasikaz and Miss Braely Fiala. I will not soon forget any part of my journey and hope to return soon, but off the clock next time!For now, be careful adventurers. There are many stories out there, but all stories must end.Don't let them be yours….though this end….certainly beats most!

A Time of Joy, Excitement, and Some Surprises

Staff Writer: L'ihr Iahe

Pregnancy is an incredible journey that a person experiences, but let's be real, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. The hormones, the morning sickness, the cravings, the endless peeing - it can be quite a haywire chocobo cart ride. But fear not, because amidst all the ups and downs, there are plenty of hilarious moments that make it all worth it.First off, let's talk about cravings. Pregnant people have been known to crave some pretty weird things. From pickles and ice cream to dirt and chalk, nothing is off-limits. And it's not just the food, some even crave non-food items like soap and even paper. It's a strange phenomenon, but hey, if it makes you happy, go for it (just don't eat anything that could harm you or your baby, of course).Then there's the joy of peeing all the time. You may have heard that pregnant people have to pee a lot, but you don't really understand it until you experience it yourself. It's like every five minutes, you have to run to the bathroom. Not to mention a well aimed kick from the little one onto their new favorite cushion. And let's not forget about the fun of sneezing or laughing too hard and accidentally peeing a little. It's a glamorous life, really.But it's not all bodily functions and cravings. There are also plenty of heartwarming moments during pregnancy. Feeling your baby kick for the first time is an unforgettable experience. And as your belly grows bigger, you'll start to get some attention from strangers. People will hold doors open for you and ask how you're feeling, maybe even let you ahead of them in line at the market. It's like you're suddenly part of a secret club that only other pregnant people understand.And then there are the clothes. Some dread having to wear looser and baggier clothes, but others embrace it as an opportunity to show off their bump in style. From flowy dresses to stretchy pants, there are plenty of stylish and comfy options to choose from. And let's not forget about the belly bands and support belts that can make your life so much easier.Of course, pregnancy also comes with some unexpected surprises. Like the time you sneezed and a little bit of milk came out and stained your favorite top. And let's not forget about the dreaded pregnancy brain, where you forget the simplest things and walk into a room only to forget why you went in there in the first place, which only gets worse once the baby finally arrives.But even with all the craziness, pregnancy is truly a magical time. It's a time when you're growing a little version of yourself inside of you, and that's pretty amazing. It's a time to celebrate the miracle of life with those you hold near and dear.So, to all the pregnant people out there, enjoy the ride! Embrace the weird cravings, laugh at the unexpected surprises, and cherish the heartwarming moments. And when you finally hold your little one in your arms, all the ups and downs of pregnancy will be worth it.

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Corvidian Wings Over Azai

Editor-in-Chief: Sima Qian 司馬遷

The fifth moon of the turn, the moon of the dragon, had become a fittingly auspicious month for the Clan Kikuchi, whose patron kami takes the form of a resplendent, golden-scaled wyrm. Indeed, in the moons prior, the campaign led by Lord Hisao Kikuchi and Lady Aiya Kikuchi to retake their ancestral homeland of Azai from their uncle Lord Yasuda was going splendidly; their force of so-called ‘crab bandits’ having seized many key outposts along the coast and making deep inroads inland towards the island’s main population center of Nara.However, no sooner did this thunderous offensive begin than did a disturbing revelation bring it to a screeching halt. During a covert assault on Azai’s main automata manufactory, Kikuchi forces discovered that, shockingly, the institution had already been ransacked, and the Yasuda loyalist forces within massacred. Ostensibly, this was reason to rejoice; some mysterious benefactor had taken the liberty to destroy Kikuchi’s enemies for them, and the Crab Bandits had taken a crucial weapon’s manufacturing plant without firing a single shot.Yet, upon entering the manufactory, no soldier could feel anything but horror.Whoever had overrun the manufactory had turned the place into a repugnant tapestry of desecration. The Yasuda warriors stationed there still stood at their posts, their bodies contorted, mangled and brutalized into unspeakably foul presentations, which were strung, nailed and hung up in a sickening form of exhibition. It was as if someone had sought to cultivate a zen garden with corpseflesh instead of rocks and intestines instead of sand.Before long, the artists behind this sickening spectacle made themselves known. Disconcertingly, they made no attempt to hide themselves, and even welcomed the Kikuchi expedition as any well-mannered host would, eagerly offering to show off their magnum opus. Their spokesperson introduced themselves as Muragurasu, a society which, like the crow, are bound together in a murder, like the carrion, drawn to the scent of death.
Wary of what dark magics they may be possessed of and desperate to learn more of their inner workings and motivations, the Kikuchi soldiers steel their resolve and let the cult take them on a revolting tour about the ruined manufactory as the spokesperson guides them from corpse to corpse, gleefully explaining the symbolism behind each gorey display.Yet, unable to stomach this utter blasphemy to the kami, and indeed to all civilized virtues, the Kikuchi soldiers soon turn their blades upon the cultists. Surprisingly, the fight is swift. The death-revelers are quickly cut down, and infact, many of them deliriously welcome the bitter bite of steel that ends their lives. Muragurasu, it seems, worships death, and whether it is the death of others, or of themselves, the distinction apparently matters not.Although the cultists in the manufactory had been cut down and the bodies used in their sickening mockery of artistic expression were respectfully buried, it was evident that the tendrils of Muragurasu on Azai extended deeper than anyone knew, leaving Clan Kikuchi with many unsettling concerns over the nature of the insidious death cult’s role in the ongoing war, and what their ultimate designs upon the island may be.