This.
Right here.
This moment.
My brain broke.
The sound that escaped me in that moment is not one I have made before or since. Equal parts shock, joy, grief, even anger. (The anger part: “I haven’t the foggiest what you’re talking about.”)
Emet-Selch had his hooks in me.
To think back to his first appearance in the FFXIV MSQ? I said aloud, no joke, "Ew. Final Fantasy Loki."
How things changed.
What hasn't changed is the love I've had for the Final Fantasy franchise since I was young. So much so that major life events owe themselves to it. Connections with family, new relationships, even motherhood. I was the kid who did everything "right," and until middle age I was forever chasing any and every academic accolade I put before myself. But the most meaningful events of my life - the gifts, the surprises, the love, living itself - somehow, again and again, would involve people I connected with through a mutual love of Final Fantasy. Specifically, VII, IX, X, X-2 and XI.
So, when I say that my love of FFXIV is on an entire 'nother level. It *is* on an entire 'nother level. I love this game.
Of late, however, I've found myself wanting to feel more a part of the game's culture. I'm probably among the oldest cis women players in the game, I’m not a raider (yet!), there is no Twitch streaming in my future, drawing is out of the question, and I'm among those increasingly on the outs with (Twitter).
And don't say g-posing - I'm dreadful at it.
Thus, this Substack is my attempt to find my own point of belonging - of celebration - within the culture of FFXIV. I bring a love of reading, writing, and pontificating.
That's what this is. The lore. The culture. The fandom. The politics. The occasional missive. And, yes, discussions of fanfic!
Often with undo focus on Emet-Selch.
I play a Hyur WoL named "Glori Vale" on the Siren server. She is a resurrection of the XI Hume character “Glorificus” that I played for many years. As research for this project (and, yes, for fanfic purposes), I am also replaying the MSQ on a Viera named "Glori Witt."
Hence: Welcome to "Glori Squared."
Let's geek out about FFXIV!
Publishing plans: I started this in August 2023, rebooted it in February 2024, and plan to write much more frequently once Dawntrail drops!
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