elder nutmeg

 As a follow-up to Elpis screenshots, I've also not found a good way to use the snap emote in gpose. At every camera angle I try it just doesn't do the emote justice :( But since I gotta gush about it, have a screenshot anyways. 

Mayhap its necessary to see it in motion, like as part of my super extra WHM job change macro:

Now if only SE will release Emet-Selch's other iconic hand wave gesture as an emote ;o;

sykon

Elpis is a frustrating location for all the reasons that landscape photography in a beautiful wooded area is frustrating. It's difficult to isolate a scene without other distracting elements, and there's only so many wide angle shots you can take before they become boring.

I really wanted to gpose at the little island with the giant pink tree where Hermes sent Meterion's sisters out in MSQ, and ooooof was it difficult to get a satisfactory result. I'm still not 100% happy with the 3 below ugh.

And similar to real life landscape photography, a little bit of fog vastly improves things. 

palm sugar

After clearing the two ex trials, I spent most of my time gearing up my crafters and gathers, which is even more painful considering how much I suck at the rotation mechanic of the first ex trial. Mostly because pentamelding is just an endeavor that brings bankrupcy and insanity. But also because I didn't read the guide very carefully and spent a day doing exactly something that it didn't recommend, which is gathering collectables for scripts to trade materia with. 

Alas with the timing of unspoiled nodes for collectables, I always had some downtime in Thavanir and Elpis. I could've been more productive and gathered stuff from normal nodes near by, but gposing is way more tempting. 

These colonnades is def a favourite location in Thavanir. 

This is just me playing with lighting in gpose, where I learned the lights are placed at wherever your camera is located when you press the button, but it seems that the lights always point down rather than at whatever your camera angle is :(

wind

I wonder at which point in time will I run out of screenshots to post every 2 days. 

This post is for the gardens that's the last phase of Doma restoration, which means I also finally got my gatherer's glam done! It shall make a cameo in the post for (even more) Elpis screenshots. 

It was unfortunate that I didn't have my parasol out when I was here during rain, it reminded me a lot of when I was strolling through Kyoto's imperial gardens when it started to drizzle. I had taken a free umbrella from my hostel with me, which I lost at some point in the day but luckily it was a convenience store umbrella so I was able to easily buy a replacement for. 

ashes

Some more screenshots because the new zones are just so pretty (color banding aside):

Answer

Soken definitely did a fantastic job with EW's soundtrack, but I do still think Uematsu is juuust a bit better. I first listened to Answers after Shadowbringers, and the beautiful sound aside I was convinced this 1.0 song is at least half applicable to ShB (like the first paragraph can be straight from ES' mouth). And now after EW with it being Hydaelyn's theme, Ishikawa did a fantastic job retconing the lyrics. For the longest time I was wondering why the sequence was live > die > know, and now it makes sense (and was foreshadowed all the way in the first zone!)

I close my eyes, tell us why must we suffer

Release your hands, for your will drags us under

My legs grow tired, tell us where must we wander

How can we carry on if redemption's beyond us?

To all of my children in whom Life flows abundant

To all of my children to whom Death hath passed his judgement

The soul yearns for honor, and the flesh the hereafter

Look to those who walked before to lead those who walk after

Shining is the Land's light of justice

Ever flows the Land's well of purpose

Walk free, walk free, walk free, believe...

The Land is alive, so believe...

Suffer (Feel) Promise (Think) Witness (Teach) Reason

(Hear) Follow (Feel) Wander (Think) Stumble (Teach) 

Listen(Speak) Honor (Speak) Value (Tell) Whisper 

(Tell) Mention(Hope) Ponder (Hope) Warrant (Wish) 

Cherish (Wish) Welcome(Roam) Witness (Roam) Listen 

(Roam) Suffer (Roam) Sanction(Sleep) Weather (Sleep) Wander (Sleep) 

Answer Sleep on

Now open your eyes while our plight is repeated

Still deaf to our cries, lost in hope we lie defeated

Our souls have been torn, and our bodies forsaken

Bearing sins of the past, for our future is taken

War born of strife, these trials persuade us not

(Feel what? Learn what?)

Words without sound, these lies betray our thoughts

Mired by a plague of doubt, the Land, she mourns

(See what? Hear what?)

Judgement binds all we hold to a memory of scorn

Tell us why, given Life, we are meant to die, helpless in our cries?

Witness (Feel) Suffer (Think) Borrow (Teach) Reason

(Hear) Follow (Feel) Stumble (Think) Wander (Teach) 

Listen(Blink) Whisper (Blink) Shoulder (Blink) Ponder (Blink) 

Weather(Hear) Answer (Look) Answer (Think) Answer together

Thy Life is a riddle, to bear rapture and sorrow

To listen, to suffer, to entrust unto tomorrow

In one fleeting moment, from the Land doth life flow

Yet in one fleeting moment, for anew it doth grow

In the same fleeting momentThou must live, die, and know

rises on a memory born from the ashes

I can't decide which song I like better between Flow and Close in the Distance. They're kinda a pair so I don't need to choose right? I also interpret Close in the Distance as our (WoL & scions) answer to Venet's question.

Close in the Distance is much much easier to sing along to tho.

My wallet is open if they release these two as a single before the full OST. 

Lyrics are unofficial too, I like the opening the most:

Whispers falling silently drift on the wind, but I hear you

Our journey now a memory fading from sight, but I see you

Unbroken promises we made so long ago, you're still here

they carry onward however changed with each brief reflection

For like 2 days after I beat msq I could not listen to this song without tearing up. Now I just craft in my inn room with this playing. Sigh Venet, sighh. I see a lot of parallels between her character and Emet-Selch ;o; 

Lyrics unofficial, I like the latter parts the most:

Sinking deeper and deeper in calm embrace 

Loving tides sweep in and bear you down 

Should you meet us arising, surface thus 

With your unbeating heart, wish them well 

Deep dark far away 

I have heard your voice, with your every choice 

Now, our hands joined round the meaning you sought 

I'll catch your tears 

Quench your fears with joy, to your devotion, 

Where in time all shall as hope be reborn all 

Hush love close your eyes 

Let them sleep all blind in such a strange light 

It calls to undo dreams, thee and all 

Though you will weep, the winds rise again, for this journey’s end 

Is but one step forward to tomorrow

Underworld

welp the tears started flowing from the lv 89 dungeon all the way until the end of the credits. The bgm throughout this time was a major factor.

Elpis

welp got dc'd today (8th) and queue is in the 4000s, what an opportunity to sort through screenshots from the 5th zone. It kinda feels like sorting through photos of Kyoto from my Japan trip, a lot of images and a lot of emotions. Frankly I feel like I didn't take enough screenshots, and pretty much half of them is Emet-Selch's face trying to capture like the 2 (or maybe its times that he smiles and then all the variations of his grumpiness. 

I hereby thank SE for indulging the fans with a chance to spend time with the unsundered ancients. I will riot if Hyth's promise to meet in another lifetime is not honored. 

oculus

Before and after going to the 5th zone, because I have 141 images of the actual 5th zone to short through because it is my only chance to walk around with my best friends (and we finally get to see their faces!!!!!!!)

But I'm sad that Elidibus gets so little screen time :( He deserves more backstory, I can hope for a chance during the Pandaenomium quests right...?

loporrits

Mare Lamentorum is probably my favourite zone visually, and this surprises even me because the next zone is just my favourite overall. I feel the lighting has really improved in Endwalker zones, the sunrise and sunset times are so beautiful and the lighting in cutscenes add so much to the emotions. 

I initially wanted to avoid screenshots from cutscenes, but threw that out the window because my best friend needs more representation.