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The Celestia Citizen (“Luck of the Irish” Edition)

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Hello, my fellow Celestians! And welcome to another edition of the Celestia Citizen! It is March 2024, and we are on the throes of leaving winter for yet another spring in the cycle of annual life!

As announced weeks ago, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail has a release window of Summer 2024. Pre-orders will go live in the coming weeks as we get closer to the release window, and once a confirmed release date is announced.

This coming Sunday (March 10th) is Daylight Savings Time – Which means clocks will go forward in observed areas by 1 hour, or “spring forward, fall back” as the old adage follows. However, there is hope on the horizon for Daylight Savings Time to become permanent via the Sunshine Protection Act. Until then, however, expect that Daylight Savings Time will end, or “fall back” on November 3rd of this year.

However, there is something to still celebrate in March, aside from the last of the winter and the start of the spring. St Patrick’s Day is on March 17th, and with it a noble celebration of all things Irish. Don’t forget to indulge in celebratory booze and


Final Fantasy XIV News

FFXIV x FFXV Crossover Event (Runs from 2/28/2024 to 3/13/2024): Link

DDoS Attack & Network Technical Difficulties – General Notice (Event Occurring on 3/2/2024 from 208AM to 225AM PST): Link

FFXIV Patch 6.58 (Scheduled for 3/19/2024): Link

Crystalline Conflict – Season 10 (Ends 3/19/2024, with announcement of final results same-day): Link

Little Ladies’ Day & Hatching-Tide (Double Event, Runs from 3/14/2024 to 4/1/2024): Link

FFXIV Release on Xbox Series X/S – Includes FFXIV Starter Edition Availability in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (Releases 3/21/2024): Link*

*Note that the Starter Edition perk for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will be available from 3/21/2024 to 4/19/2024

PAX East 2024 – Live Broadcast Panel featuring Yoshi-P (Scheduled 3/21/2024 to 3/24/2024): Link

10th Anniversary Celebration “Wrapup” with The 9th 14-Hour Broadcast Event (Scheduled for 4/12/2024 8PM PDT): Link

Free Company News and Social Events

Changes to the Discord FC Server

In February, the Discord FC server was adjusted with a new layout for numerous channels, as well as the incorporation of new bots & features to modernize things. For details on what has changed, please refer to the Discord Server direct link here.

Crafting Requests – Update

One significant change was also rolled out for the Crafting Requests channel. Refer to the Discord server for the announcement via link here.

Regarding Botting

An FC member was found suspected of botting, and found as guilty before being removed from the FC. This is a reminder that botting is against the FFXIV ToS (Terms of Service). It is also against the Free Company’s Charter as posted on the Celestia website. Refer here for the link to the charter, and refer to the Discord server via link here for additional details.


Beyond the Light Interview

What is your in-game character’s name?: Luna Kadashi

What race are you currently in-game?: Miqo’te

What drew you into your current choice of race?: I like catgirls in general and thought keepers of the moon looked better than seekers of the sun (mostly due to the eyes and the color of their “paint” on the face which goes better with my hair color), so here I am. Nya.

When did you first start playing FFXIV?: January 2021

What drew you to pick up and play FFXIV?:

I’m a completionist and XIV is a MMO that feels like it wants to be completed (to a reasonable extent). I like that I can set myself a goal, reasonably plan out what the end route to that goal is, know what the exact steps and the rough time to complete those goals are, and go do it and get my reward.

Very little content in XIV has a RNG loop associated with its reward. Fishing, MGP grinding (woo cactpot ^^), and dungeon/alliance raid glamour are the main things that come to mind. Everything else is deterministic and reasonable, or is able to be bought via gil if it’s a RNG grind item from side content like Eureka or V&C dungeons.

This is a huge breath of fresh air coming from most other MMOs that heavily gate things via RNG. I don’t get dopamine from getting a 1% drop rate mount that I’ve been grinding for months on 10 characters, I get a sense of relief that the RNG is over. I get personal satisfaction in crossing things off of my virtual checklist. This lets me engage in all aspects of the game which is probably part of why I’m more satisfied than some of the other regulars here.

There are other reasons too. I like that XIV keeps the player power curve pretty low throughout a patch and throughout an expansion. I like that ilevel sync and level sync exist and let most content be engaged with in a way that at least kind of resembles its intended form. I don’t play ARPGs (the closest I get is WoW and Monster Hunter) and don’t take particular joy in smashing things with the power of my grinded out math. I’d probably be happier if XIV didn’t have any gear curve at all but I understand its necessity as a difficulty curve lever, a way to let old content be soloed, and a sub retention mechanism.

I like the predictable patch formula and have fun in the Standard XIV Content. The game is an optimization puzzle about applying your job to a specific fight and I like that there is a reproducible, perfect way for a given job to play a given fight’s timeline for a given kill time. It speaks to the same part of my brain that likes Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I like that raids are progressed in discrete mechanic chunks where you pass a threshold and say “I have mastered this part of the raid” with clear visual and HP bar feedback that you did the Thing Correctly. It also helps that the raids are both 8 man (which lets me have a personal relationship with every other raider) and have a low grind commitment. No other raiding MMO matches both of those criteria.

I like the story and characters and world, and find the graphics and solo-character focus sufficient to get me invested into my character. My XIV character is my avatar in the world. My WoW characters or my GW2 characters are tools in my toolkit that I vary patch-to-patch depending on what’s good or not. I feel way more drawn to grind cosmetics and customize my XIV character due to this.

Also catgirls and lizard girls and bunny girls are pretty cute and the game has Namazu and Moogles, the objectively best non-player races.

How far have you gotten into the MSQ (Main Story Questline) of FFXIV?: I have completed all MSQ of FFXIV.

What was your first (job? class? role?) when you started?: Pugilist/Monk

What motivated you to pick that first (job? class? role?): I chose it because I really liked how it looked on YouTube videos, and the idea of positionals was very appealing to me (back then I did not know other melee jobs have them aswell).

To date, what favorite jobs/roles/classes do you have?: I have all classes to 90! I’m a completionist ^^

What kind of content do you enjoy?: Crafting and/or Gathering, Side Quests, Glamour Collecting, Other (RP Venues, I love home designing, and G posing (I make my Gil on those two things))

What would you say is your favorite content type from FFXIV? And why?: I love crafting and gathering i find it very relaxing, i love to RP venue hop around and do G pose commissions for players and design homes for them, i have been designing for 2 years and have friends in the FF14 HGTV community we hang in a large home that we share ideas and designs with each other. i love doing Eureka with my friend Ori Star she is super nice and sweet ^^

What is one thing you like about FFXIV that distinguishes them from other MMOs?:

In one word: Freedom

FFXIV gives you the freedom to play it however you like.

You can play on PC or PS, mouse and keyboard or controller.

Nearly every content is completely optional and you are not forced into certain parts of the game if you don’t want to.

You can play everything on one character and always just choose what you like the most.

It is totally fine to play the game for however many time you have. It is possible to spend only a few hours a week on the game or play it for 10 hours every day. You can sub and unsub whenever you want and everything will still be there. Nothing is gone forever.

The game is as social as you want it to be. You can enjoy the story in your own time with increasingly minimal interaction with other players or you can enjoy all the social aspects it offers.

FFXIV is like a giant all-you-can-eat buffet. Does not matter if you only like one type of food or try them all. Everyone can find joy in their own way. And I think that is the major advantage FFXIV has over many many other MMO.

If you could make at least 1 change to FFXIV based on personal preference, what would you pick and why?:

I love the game the way it is, but I would love the following things:

1.) Glamour Catalogue, just like WoW, if you get any appearance, it should be saved for your character without the need of holding the gear.

2.) Make extra retainers a one time purchase, not a subscription additive one.

3.) 8 man raids should be interconnected, instead of how each floor is queue-able now. Put some puzzles and such in it for first timers. But make sure they aren’t there after first solve if all players in party have done it.

4.) More trial fights, and by that, I don’t mean only primals. Where are the good old garlean/strong monsters/ascians trials? While not as impressive as the primals, they are still a fun thing to do. I’d definitely prefer the final MSQ dungeon’s boss to be a trial fight instead and hell, be made in an extreme version in 4.1, along with Shinryu EX (I know it’s the same person, but still, there is some potential lost and you know it).

As we are on primals, I’d also like to point out that even though Susano’o and Lakshmi were amazing primals, their last phase lacked punch. First phase was good, intermission was epic AF for both, I mean, who doesn’t love clashing swords with a massive samurai or feeling powerless against a massive sized goddess? And I don’t mean it in a pervy way! I wish their phase 3 would have been completely different instead of slightly altered patterns from their first phase, similarly to Sephirot. Goddamn that fight was flipping awesome. Shinryu is also another really good example of how a fight should start and finish, so epic.

5.) Give some special quirks to some jobs. Like Ninjas moving slightly faster, dragoons jumping slightly higher, maybe reduce stun duration on warriors, etc.

6.) Give us some less humanoid like races or more variety for the existing ones. Let us make a tall female au ra, or a younger, teen like elezen.

7.) Give us set bonuses, trinket abilities, heck, maybe a special relic weapon ability. Gear feels so boring at the moment, you get it only for the stats. In wow, it’s that and the proccs/bonuses synergies, bring some of that fun in FF XIV.

8.) As many others have said, emotes that require a confirmation from the other person to be performed, like a joint hug, etc.

These are the things that come off the top of my head.

What is your most memorable/favorite moment in FFXIV?:

So many highlights to choose from! You can have all of them ^^

The Ishgardian knights forming a wall against Vishaps flames to protect the final barrier.

The 1v1 with Raubahn.

The slow walk to Nidhogg before the Final Steps of Faith.

Saving your past self in A12.

In Dun Scathe, having a contest of strength with Diabolos.

Hien’s speech about tomorrow. (The night before the raid on Doma.)

Gosetsu’s last stand.

Before the battle with Myste in the Dark Knight story quest.

The final transition in Orbonne Monestary, where you feel Ultima’s rage and Ramza comes in clutch.

Honestly the entirety of O12, thematically awesome fight, but mainly cause Heartless is one of my favorite songs in the game.

Lyna’s speech after the Sineater raid on the Crystarium. (Same scene, but also Ardbert failing to save someone in his ethereal form.)

Thancred’s 1v1 with Ranjit.

Playing as Renda-Rae in the ShB roles quests, being down for the count as Ardbert and co. come flying in.

Urianger meeting Moonbryda’s parents.

“This is our future. Our story.”

“I take this is your pray? But why does it still live? Surely it is no match for you.”

“This is my moment! Our moment!”

When did you join Celestia?: January 2024 (Welcome!!!)

What drew you to join Celestia?: What drew me to Celestia was Ori Starshroud i meet her in Eureka BA runs a couple months now and she has been so sweet to me and have been friends ever since, we love to be in G poses together and talk home design ideas ♥

What do you like about Celestia as a Free Company?: So far i like the event sign ups, and how nice and professional the officers and high ups are, and how helpful the members are on anything you need ^^

What is your favorite weekly event to participate in with Celestia?: I have not participated in any weekly events atm

Thank you to our monthly newsletter participant for a wonderful interview! 🙂


Call 2 Interview (For Beyond the Light)!

We currently are in need of more FC members willing to participate in our Beyond the Light interview!

The link to the interview form is here, as well as hosted under our Discord server > #announcements channel!

Important: There is a new interview form open to ALL members, whether a Google Account is used or not. Pictures are optional, and those selected to be interviewed for newsletter will be followed up with for possible pictures.

Form Link: Link

Z’attania Tsu’s “House Tours” – Temporary Pause

Z’attania Tsu will be temporarily pausing her House Tours coverage! For those who have enjoyed reading those sections, I do apologize for the absence of it. However, please look forward to the return of it soon! And thank you kindly for your patience and understanding!

The Celestia Citizen (“Happy Gaming-tine’s Day” Edition)

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Hello, my fellow Celestians! And welcome to another edition of the Celestia Citizen! It is February 2024, which means we still have another month or two ahead of winter to endure before we begin the next spring season! Although there are many things to look forward to in the coming weeks, one of which is a new slew of video games on the horizon!

As announced weeks ago, Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail has a release window of Summer 2024. Pre-orders will go live in the coming weeks as we get closer to the release window, and once a confirmed release date is announced.

Until that time, many players will be working to catch up on their main story questlines to be ready. They will also aim for enjoying current events, such as the new Valentione’s Day event, a new Moogle Tomestones event, new relics, and all other manner of things to be prepared for the upcoming new expansion.

Some, however, may find themselves branching off and enjoying other wonderful games.

For fans of the Yakuza or Like a Dragon series, Infinite Wealth had just released recently.

For Persona 5 fans, now you will be able to enjoy a full blown remake of Persona 3 in the form of Persona 3 Reload.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink has also released for those seeking to enjoy a niche anime series turned game series.

At the end of February, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will release to continue the story begun in Final Fantasy VII Remake.

In March, Dragon’s Dogma 2 will be releasing at long last.

And then in April, a new PS5 action game known as Stellar Blade is on the way.

These are just a slew of many other game titles on the way, due to make the first few months of 2024 loaded down and quite preoccupied for many players!


Final Fantasy XIV News

FFXIV Patch 6.55 (Releases 1/16/2024): Link

Moogle Treasure Trove: The First Hunt for Genesis (Begins 1/30/2024 and runs to 3/11/2024): Link

FFXIV All Worlds Maintenance (Begins 2/12/2024 and runs to 2/13/2024): Link

FFXIV Patch 6.57 (Releases 2/13/2024): No link – It will patch in following the maintenance

FFXIV Free Login Campaign (Begins 2/1/2024 and runs to 2/21/2024 – Limited to 96 hours of free game time!): Link

Valentione’s Day 2024 Event (Begins 2/7/2024 and runs to 2/21/2024): Link

Enrollment for FFXIV Xbox Series X|S Open Beta Test (Beta begins 2/21/2024): Link

FFXIV New Optional Items & Limited-Time Sale on Valentione’s Day Items (Begins 2/7/2024): Link

Free Company News and Social Events

Officer Changes

Karah Thrace – King’s Hand (Shared role with Harliqyn Mave)

Squirrel Guile – PvP Officer

Taryn Stormcrown – 24-Man/Normal Raid Officer

Majestic Eagle – General Officer (New)

Important Notice About Discord Server Changes

The Discord server has undergone a revision at the end of January for various changes, including:

-New bot implementation for automation, command usage

-Channel redistribution and grouping

-Additional changes too numerous to count! Please refer to the Discord server > News Room group > Live Letters channel > Discord Updates thread for details (This is also directly linked within #fc-announcements)!!!

Important Notice About Modded Glamour Pictures

Please refer to the #fc-announcements channel in the Discord server for general notice on this, and refer to our revised FC Charter regarding Mods & Bots section.


Beyond the Light Interview

What is your in-game character’s name?: J’remy Tea

What race are you currently in-game?: Miqo’te

What drew you into your current choice of race?: Contrary to the typical “fantasy” theme for MMO’s, I have always tried to approximate my IRL self into any game I have ever played that offered character creation. My retainers are named after my family, my Chocobo is named Tacoma and blacked out like my truck, and my glams resemble stuff I actually wear. I guess it’s just a quirk of mine. Though I currently live in South Carolina; I grew up in Texas, spent my time on ranches, exploring the woods, hunting, working with animals, etc. and I felt like Miqo’te best represented that “rustic” lifestyle and their naming conventions fit nicely with my name as well, Jeremy T. I tried out AuRa and Hyur for a bit, but it just didn’t feel right.

When did you first start playing FFXIV?: January 2014

What drew you to pick up and play FFXIV?: I’ll start by qualifying my start date. I ORIGINALLY started FFXIV around January 2014, however I have been away from the game for awhile and recently returned in July of 2023. Now the long answer: I’m an old school gamer, my first video game EVER was Oregon Trail on a Commodore 64 with a floppy drive and then I got an Atari and played games like Pong with my dad! But the first game I ever fell in love with was an RPG. My parents gifted me an NES bundled with Super Mario Bros for Christmas. Later the next year, for my birthday, they said I could get any game I wanted. I walked into the game store, told the clerk I can have any one game I wanted and it needed to last me a long time because I’m not rich (lol kids). He said, there is this new game “The Legend of Zelda”, if you don’t love it, you aren’t a gamer. SO I bought it, and LOVED it! Anyways, RPG’s are the core of my gamer heart: Zelda, Dragon Warrior, Final Fantasy(s), Mass Effect, Dragon Age, etc. My first MMO was WoW towards the end of Burning Crusade, all the way through Wrath of the Lich King, and a little into Cataclysm. I quit WoW shortly into Cataclysm as it was very “meh” for me and felt like a real chore, also I had friends that were playing other games like Call of Duty and Battlefield so I became an FPS gamer for awhile but always felt the pull to come back to MMO’s. However, I had also become a console gamer at that point so my MMO hunger was seriously unfed. I had heard about FFXI and FFXIV (1.0) but I heard a lot of mixed reviews on FFXI and absolute hatred for FFXIV. Then I heard that FFXIV made major changes, re-launched, had a free trial, and was actually pretty good. Hooked! My original stint with FFXIV lasted from shortly after 2.0 launch until sometime into Stormblood (Tsukuyomi was the newest primal). I then took an extended break from gaming all-together for various reasons: kids were born, bills were paid, extra jobs were had, all the good IRL stuff we love so much! Gaming came back into my life a few years ago as my boys became pre-teens and we began to play Fortnite, Halo, and Horizon together on Xbox (their choice). To my dismay, FFXIV still had not made it to Xbox and I wasn’t willing to go back to computer gaming as I really enjoyed playing on consoles by this time and spent most of my “me” time on the Xbox anyways. So I filled the time I wasn’t playing with my boys with Elder Scrolls Online, Destiny, and a few other MMO and MMO-type games. In July 2023 something very interesting showed up on my Twitter feed: An article that said that FFXIV: Endwalker was headed towards finally wrapping up the FFXIV 2.0 storyline, that a new expansion named Dawntrail was going to begin a new storyline, come with graphics updates, new features, AND AN XBOX VERSION! OMG! Quite literally the only game I ever felt bad about being done with, was begging me to come home. I decided then that I was going to download the MAC version, pair my controller to it and be all caught up in time for Dawntrail. I started a new character (couldn’t retrieve my old PS account since I wasn’t on PS anymore), re-sub’ d, started my FFXIV journey anew, and here I am!

How far have you gotten into the MSQ (Main Story Questline) of FFXIV?: All caught up!

What was your first (job? class? role?) when you started?: Bard

What motivated you to pick that first (job? class? role?): Much along the lines of why I picked Miqo’te, an archer/bard just seemed to fit my life and personality the best.

To date, what favorite jobs/roles/classes do you have?: During my first run, I also played Dragoon, Monk, Warrior, and Machinist. Dragoon is probably my favorite out of those, but Bard is still my all time favorite and I haven’t rolled a different DoW on this character yet. I should also mention that I very much enjoy the crafting classes!

What kind of content do you enjoy?: Main Story Quest, Crafting and/or Gathering, Duty Content, Collectible Getting

What would you say is your favorite content type from FFXIV? And why?: MSQ by far. I’m here for the story and the lore, that has always been the hook for me in RPG games.

What is one thing you like about FFXIV that distinguishes them from other MMOs?: The game feels great on controller! Other MMO’s I have played felt really clunky and like you were at a disadvantage on controller, for me FFXIV on controller feels natural and smooth. I am also drawn to the fact that the MSQ is tied to pretty much everything in the game. I hated how in other MMO’s, I would save the world from certain doom, be a hero; then decide to go work on some side content and suddenly be some scrub that no one has ever heard of that’s only fit to scrub toilets…..

If you could make at least 1 change to FFXIV based on personal preference, what would you pick and why?: Housing, though the housing/decorating system in FFXIV is arguably the best there is and insanely detailed with what you can do; actually GETTING a house is ridiculousness epitomized! Fix this Square Enix!

What is your most memorable/favorite moment in FFXIV?: Way back in the day, when I first downed Bahamut while he was the new raid tier. It was a literal “jump out of your chair, pump your fists and scream” moment for me. If you know, you know!

When did you join Celestia?: December 2023

What drew you to join Celestia?: I read through the advertisement on the Lodestone Community Finder and was very interested.

What do you like about Celestia as a Free Company?: So far, it feels more like a community of friends hanging out together than anything else and I love the vibes.

What is your favorite weekly event to participate in with Celestia?: Haven’t done any yet, but I’m looking forward to maps and primals.

Thank you to our monthly newsletter participant for a wonderful interview! 🙂


Call 2 Interview (For Beyond the Light)!

We currently are in need of more FC members willing to participate in our Beyond the Light interview!

The link to the interview form is here, as well as hosted under our Discord server > #announcements channel!

Important: There is a new interview form open to ALL members, whether a Google Account is used or not. Pictures are optional, and those selected to be interviewed for newsletter will be followed up with for possible pictures.

Form Link: Link

Z’attania Tsu’s “House Tours” – Temporary Pause

Due to the holiday season, Z’attania Tsu will be temporarily pausing her House Tours coverage! For those who have enjoyed reading those sections, I do apologize for the absence of it. However, please look forward to the return of it next year. And thank you kindly for your patience and understanding!

The Celestia Citizen (“The Roaring 20s, Part 4” Edition)

Hello, my fellow Celestians! And welcome to another edition of the Celestia Citizen! We are now leaving 2023 behind and have entered 2024, the 4th year of the 2020s, or the new “Roaring 20s”.

As we go into 2024 with a new year and a new slate of resolutions to aspire to, we find ourselves in a year where Final Fantasy as a whole is going to experience some movement.

Firstly, Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth has a release date of February 29th, 2024! The next chapter in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series, which began in April 2020 on PS4, June 2021 on PS5, and PC on December 2021, will be launching for both the Playstation 5 and for PC. Unfortunately, those who got it on PS4 will not have the next chapter made available, so getting it for Playstation 5 or PC will be required.

Secondly, Final Fantasy XVI will have an expansion launching in Spring 2024 for the Playstation 5 to complete the Expansion Pass DLC launch from December 8, 2023. The PC version is TBA at this time, but for anyone who wants a little more of the game to enjoy, look toward the Expansion Pass.

And lastly, Final Fantasy XIV news. A launch window of Summer 2024 has been announced for the newest expansion of our favorite MMORPG. Additional details were also presented with the most recent Tokyo Fan Fest, as covered by our King’s Hand, Harliqyn Mave and our Officer, Karah Thrace!! Look to the Final Fantasy XIV news section for details.


Final Fantasy XIV News

Encyclopedia Eorzea – Volume III now available as of 12/19/2023! Link

10th Anniversary Mosaic Art – The Interwoven Memories of Light is now available for preview as of 12/21/2023! Link

FFXIV Endwalker Original Soundtrack is now available on streaming services as of 12/22/2023! Link

New Year’s Greetings from Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida! Link

FFXIV Sale – Complete Edition & Endwalker (Standard AND Collector’s) are 50% off until 01/17/2024 for Windows, Mac OS, Playstation 4 and Playstation 5! Link

New Optional Items & Limited-Time Fan Fest Sale on Mog Station from 1/5/2024 to 2/6/2024! Link

Update to Patch 6.5 “Growing Light” Special Site for Upcoming Content! Link

FFXIV Endwalker – The Art of Resurrection -Beyond the Veil- available for Pre-Order and release date of 06/25/2024! Link

Meister Quality Hydaelyn & Zodiark Figure available for Pre-Order and release date of 03/20/2024! Link

FFXIV Dawntrail “Patch 7.0” Details for Fan Fest is available via the Discord server and the #FFXIV-Updates channel (Posted 01/07/2024)! Thank you to Harliqyn Mave and Karah Thrace for capturing screenshots and details from the event for this channel!

Free Company News and Social Events

Holiday Party & Darts Event occurred on Saturday, 12/23/2023.

Winners of Darts Event are:

1st Place – Tall-drink O’water – Distance of 11.96

2nd Place – Z’attania Tsu – Distance of 19.83

3rd Place – Sky Rendwyrm – Distance of 22.83

(Measurements are in the in-game increment of Yalm)


For the Holiday Party, here is a small montage of our Free Company’s members, including a special holiday glamour submission from Taryn Stormcrown and Valsira Mamphis!


Beyond the Light Interview

What is your in-game character’s name?: Karyna Hokkiir

What race are you currently in-game?: Lalafell

What drew you into your current choice of race?: I want to be a small maniac potato running around. Plus, I can get people wo give me stuff during Halloween by dressing up as a small ghost. People tend to find me cute than being a Roegadyn

When did you first start playing FFXIV?: January 2021

What drew you to pick up and play FFXIV?: I was bored playing other games at the time.

How far have you gotten into the MSQ (Main Story Questline) of FFXIV?: Endwalker finished (Haven’t done post MSQ)

What was your first (job? class? role?) when you started?: WAR (Warrior)

What motivated you to pick that first (job? class? role?): I started ffxiv as femroe so I thought it was funny to play big buff mommy running around with big axe.

To date, what favorite jobs/roles/classes do you have?: AST (Astrologian)

What kind of content do you enjoy?: Savage Raids, Crafting and/or Gathering, Duty Content, Glamour Collecting, Collectible Getting

What would you say is your favorite content type from FFXIV? And why?: I love crafting and gathering. It is very relaxing to do. You can be at your own pace when it comes to crafting/gathering. You don’t have to compete with anyone but yourself. The crafting community is also really helpful. Unlike raiding, I don’t have to gather a group to do raids and deal with people.

What is one thing you like about FFXIV that distinguishes them from other MMOs?: The community is not as toxic as other MMO that I’ve played. I can run around doing nothing and still enjoy the game. The vibe is very chill and calm.

If you could make at least 1 change to FFXIV based on personal preference, what would you pick and why?: To be able to loop in-game macro, it will be so much easier for me to do be a Limsa enjoyer and can loop my emote while AFK.

What is your most memorable/favorite moment in FFXIV?: Every time we do the contents with sprout player. It is always funny to see them mess up the mechanics from time to time.

When did you join Celestia?: May 2023

What drew you to join Celestia?: My friends are in Celestia.

What do you like about Celestia as a Free Company?: I’m still learning about that.

What is your favorite weekly event to participate in with Celestia?: I’ve never participated any. I just joined the fc.

Thank you to our monthly newsletter participant for a wonderful interview! 🙂


Call 2 Interview (For Beyond the Light)!

We currently are in need of more FC members willing to participate in our Beyond the Light interview!

The link to the interview form is here, as well as hosted under our Discord server > #announcements channel!

Important: There is a new interview form open to ALL members, whether a Google Account is used or not. Pictures are optional, and those selected to be interviewed for newsletter will be followed up with for possible pictures.

Form Link: Link

Z’attania Tsu’s “House Tours” – Temporary Pause

Due to the holiday season, Z’attania Tsu will be temporarily pausing her House Tours coverage! For those who have enjoyed reading those sections, I do apologize for the absence of it. However, please look forward to the return of it next year. And thank you kindly for your patience and understanding!

The Celestia Citizen (“The Scroogening But Not Really” Edition)

Hello, my fellow Celestians! And welcome to another edition of the Celestia Citizen! To preface this special month, our next newsletter is aimed for occurring just after New Year’s, so a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year is being extended to all of our FC members!

To commemorate this December edition, I want to bring up a particularly renowned character that has been synonymous with Christmas: Ebenezer Scrooge.

For those who do not know of this miserly fellow, he is part of one of Christmas’s most established traditions, watching or reading or listening to A Christmas Carol.

This story was created by Charles Dickens in 1843, and despite selling thousands of copies during its initial release, Dickens had not seen tremendous profits made from the story. This was due to self-publication and high costs associated with pursuing this self-publication. Despite thousands of people purchasing the book during the holidays in 1843, he had a very thin profit margin which yielded very low return.

Yet despite this financial failure on his part, A Christmas Carol had seen growth in popularity with each passing generation, with books continuing to be in print every year for people to own, translated to numerous countries and languages, and peaking in the 20th century with several film/theater/television/audio adaptations produced at various periods.

Some notable film examples:

Scrooge, aka “Marley’s Ghost” (1901) – The first film adaptation of A Christmas Carol, starring Daniel Smith

A Christmas Carol (1938) – The first feature-length production of the story, starring Reginald Owen

Scrooge (1970) – A musical adaptation starring Albert Finney as Scrooge and Alec Guinness as Marley’s Ghost

Mickey’s A Christmas Carol (1983) – A Disney animated movie starring various Disney characters, including Scrooge McDuck as Scrooge

A Christmas Carol (1984) – Regarded as among the definitive tellings of the story, this stars George C Scott as Scrooge

Scrooged (1988) – An 80s style adaptation starring Bill Murray as Francis Xavier Cross, a stand-in for the Scrooge-like character

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) – A Muppets style re-telling of a Christmas Carol, starring Michael Caine as Scrooge

A Christmas Carol (1999) – A Hallmark production starring Sir Patrick Stewart as Scrooge

A Christmas Carol (2009) – A Disney CGI animated movie starring Jim Carrey as Scrooge

The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017) – While not a movie focused solely on Scrooge, it instead is focused on Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) as he is creating A Christmas Carol, and this movie gives us a dramatized focus on the creation of the story and influences that contributed to it; it also features Christopher Plummer as Scrooge

A Christmas Carol (2019) – A BBC/FX collaboration that took A Christmas Carol and created a miniseries production of it, this stars Guy Pearce as Scrooge and focuses on the characterization of Scrooge that led him from his youth to old age to become the famous miser.

That is everything on Scrooge, and I hope these various film recommendations give ideas to my fellow FC members for what to watch this year!

Please read on regarding upcoming and important details for the Free Company, as well as upcoming holiday events!


Final Fantasy XIV News

Monday, November 20th – Stress Test for Cloud Data Center*: Link

*Per the linked article, this is not for an established data center, but for a test instance of one

Sunday, November 26th – Test of Cap for Cloud Data Center Stress Test (Initiated on date above): Link

Monday, November 27th – Winners Announced for Hairstyle Design Contest 2023: Link

Thursday, December 7th – New Tales from the Dawn Story: Link

Friday, December 15th – Starlight Celebration 2023: Link

Sunday, December 31st – End of FFXIV x Fall Guys “Blunderville” Event* : Link

*The event is a recurring one, but it will be subject to return in the future

Free Company News and Social Events

Celestia has welcomed a bunch of new officers to its ranks throughout the previous month! Please welcome the following officers:

Ori Starshroud – General Officer

Taryn Stormcrown – General Officer

Ketsueki Honzo – General Officer

IMPORTANT: Christmas Party – Saturday, December 16th

Regarding the above, you may RSVP to the event via the #social-event channel in our Discord server!

Also, as advertised in the previous month’s newsletter, I will be asking for those who have festive glamours to show off to oblige them for featuring in the January newsletter! This is NOT limited to those who attend the Christmas party! You may message me on Discord directly with screenshots of your character’s glamour via “Scarlette Valanorr” in the Discord server!


Beyond the Light Interview

What is your in-game character’s name?: Yhana Stargaze

What race are you currently in-game?: Miqo’te

What drew you into your current choice of race?: It was kind of a hard decision, I was torn between Au Ra and when they came out the Viera as well and at one point I did fantasia into an Au Ra but I fell in love with the moon Miqo’te and their adorable little fanged smile they have that no other races seem to have. I started as this Miqo’te years ago, finding them adorable even before looking into the game fully.

When did you first start playing FFXIV?: December 2017

What drew you to pick up and play FFXIV?: So my friend Sekrain plays this game, asked me to try it out saying the story was really good. he wasn’t wrong and I have come to really enjoy the game even if I don’t really remember the early days anymore.

How far have you gotten into the MSQ (Main Story Questline) of FFXIV?: All caught up!

What was your first (job? class? role?) when you started?: My very first job was conjurer.

What motivated you to pick that first (job? class? role?): So…long answer, I switched from wow where I played a resto Druid main. I healed for raids and difficult end game content. Even before wow I played healers. I love playing a healer, its super fun to me. I knew little of the FF world, the last major title I played being Tactics for the gameboy. but i knew WHM is a solid choice for a healer so there I went, I still main it today.

To date, what favorite jobs/roles/classes do you have?: Definitely WHM is a favorite. after that would be a tie between dancer and red mage. with summoner after that.

What kind of content do you enjoy?: MSQ, PvP, Duty Content, Side Quests, Glamour Collecting, Casual Content, Collectible Getting

What would you say is your favorite content type from FFXIV? And why?: Glamour collecting is the real end game, i love finding new ways to make my character look cool. after that would be honestly pvp but only on 2 of the 4 main maps for frontline.

What is one thing you like about FFXIV that distinguishes them from other MMOs?: SO, I played wow for a long time, before that was Everquest and Runescape. what really sets ff14 apart to me is the combat, the concept of auto attacking is out the window and it takes practice and some skill to get good at to avoid taking deadly damage. it relies a little less on the class system (though those are still important roles to have) and more on your ability to actually play the game and pay attention to what the evil red puddles are trying to say. I really like that about it.

If you could make at least 1 change to FFXIV based on personal preference, what would you pick and why?: Honestly, I really like the game as is, the one thing I wanted from it, they put in. the ability to replay the MSQ. its such a long story that I truly cant remember it very well. but I have memory issues, its not that the MSQ isnt great, i just want to re-read it like a good book. I do wish they gave some other kind of reward for doing it at least once on repeat. a bit of glamour or achievement or something, who knows maybe its there and I dont know it lol

What is your most memorable/favorite moment in FFXIV?: I don’t have one favorite moment, I have many. FF14 is a social game for me. i play it with my friends Sekrain and Raltarion and we have fun together, its really nice to have something we can all enjoy.

When did you join Celestia?: December 2022 (Happy 1 Year Anniversary!!!)

What drew you to join Celestia?: So Sekrain and I were actively looking for a FC to join for a while, we eventually took to the forums and came across a page for this FC.

What do you like about Celestia as a Free Company?: The people. everyone is so chill and kind. im kind of really introverted so being around nice people is helpful towards working on my social anxieties

What is your favorite weekly event to participate in with Celestia?: I haven’t yet, yet being the keyword lol.


Call 2 Interview (For Beyond the Light)!

We currently are in need of more FC members willing to participate in our Beyond the Light interview!

The link to the interview form is here, as well as hosted under our Discord server > #announcements channel!

Important: There is a new interview form open to ALL members, whether a Google Account is used or not. Pictures are optional, and those selected to be interviewed for newsletter will be followed up with for possible pictures.

Form Link: Link

Z’attania Tsu’s “House Tours” – Temporary Pause

Due to the holiday season, Z’attania Tsu will be temporarily pausing her House Tours coverage! For those who have enjoyed reading those sections, I do apologize for the absence of it. However, please look forward to the return of it next year. And thank you kindly for your patience and understanding!

The Celestia Citizen (“The Thanksgiving Movie” Edition)

Hello, my fellow Celestians! And welcome to another edition of the Celestia Citizen! Our shorter format seemed to do well last month, so here we continue!

Please read regarding upcoming and important details for the Free Company, as well as upcoming holiday events!


Final Fantasy XIV News

Saturday, October 21st – FFXIV Dawntrail Details, As Brought By London Fan Festival Keynote! Link

Refer to Discord server > #ffxiv-updates channel for details as captured by Harliqyn Mave!

Tuesday, October 31st – Release of Final Fantasy XIV x Fall Guys Collaboration Event at Gold Saucer! Link

Tuesday, November 7th – Patch 6.51 Release w/ Details! Link

Wednesday, November 8th – Callback Campaign Returns! Link

Sunday, November 12th – Last day to complete the All Saints’ Wake event! Link

Monday, November 13th – All Worlds Maintenance! Link

Free Company News and Social Events

Celestia is looking for General Officers to fill its ranks. For details, including how to apply, please refer to our Discord server > #officer-directory channel!

IMPORTANT: FC Vote for Open Meeting Time Change – Refer to Discord server > #announcements channel for poll (closes on November 19th)

IMPORTANT: Endgame Learning channel is now retired; Please keep an eye out for Endgame-related content updates!

Christmas Party – Saturday, December 16th

Saturday, October 28th – CEL Game PvP Tournament Completion – Refer to Pictures from the Event Below!

Winners:

First Place – Samzara Leonhart

Second Place – Mikaguiketsu Hadoki

Third Place – Squirrel Guile


Beyond the Light Interview

What is your in-game character’s name?: Floky Skjaldmaer

What race are you currently in-game?: Lalafell

What drew you into your current choice of race?: I played a TaruTaru in FF11. It is also ironic that I play the shortest race but in real life I am 6’4″

When did you first start playing FFXIV?: January 2022

What drew you to pick up and play FFXIV?: I played in 1.0 and wasn’t impressed, then I read an article about endwalker and thought, people play that POS? After doing some research I learned that the game was completely redone and thought I would give it ago cause I love FF

How far have you gotten into the MSQ (Main Story Questline) of FFXIV?: Finished

What was your first (job? class? role?) when you started?: SCH/SMN

What motivated you to pick that first (job? class? role?): I liked being able to switch between them. I could heal dungeons and dps on other stuff. I played a SMN in FF11 and loved it, but this one is nothing like that one which makes me kind of sad, but I still enjoy it. I prefer to heal though.

To date, what favorite jobs/roles/classes do you have?: Healing is where I feel at home, I leveled a WAR and I do enjoy that much more than I thought I would, but I think that is the cause because of all the nice heals they have.

What kind of content do you enjoy?: MSQ, Crafting and/or gathering, Duty Content, Side Quests, Glamour Collecting, Collectible Getting

What would you say is your favorite content type from FFXIV? And why?: It is a tie between crafting/gathering and Collecting. I have 313 Minions and 104 mounts. The crafting system in this game is unlike anything I have seen in any other game, it isn’t boring, the stuff you make you can sell and make good profits on and that helps me get more mounts and minions. Although there are only 4 minions I can purchase at this point.

What is one thing you like about FFXIV that distinguishes them from other MMOs?: The community, and the story. (yea I know you said one, lol) I have never seen such a positive community in a mmo. For the story part I like that you can just play the main story and get to max level with at least 1 job if not 2. No other game I have played does that, you always have to do side quests and things like that to supplement leveling. I also love that old content remains, somewhat, relevant and people still do it which makes it easier for new players

If you could make at least 1 change to FFXIV based on personal preference, what would you pick and why?: There are some UI updates I would like to see, like showing shields on health bars above someone’s head, stuff like that

What is your most memorable/favorite moment in FFXIV?: I would have to say when I got my “…of Dragon’s Deep” Title. You get it for catching a bunch of rate fish from ARR, some spawn windows are like 5 minutes so it takes a lot of patience to get.

When did you join Celestia?: May 2022

What drew you to join Celestia?: After I left <Iron> (involuntarily) I was looking for a place to call home that was well organized and had an active membership. I saw an add on loadstone and applied. When I did I stayed on for a couple hrs thinking well i should get an invite any time. Then I logged off thinking well in the morning I should be in, but I wasn’t and I was like huh, that’s interesting. A short time later an officer contacted me and explained about the interview and the website and guild charter which really impressed me. Most FC do not go through that type of process to get to know their players that might be in their community and I really appreciated that.

What do you like about Celestia as a Free Company?: People are friendly, helpful, and the FC is well organized. I like that we have community events, The officers actively try to help people with various things and for the most part even at low levels people can get assistance when they need it.

What is your favorite weekly event to participate in with Celestia?: Maps, I wish we had one on a weeknight as my weekends are usually full.


Call 2 Interview (For Beyond the Light)!

We currently are in need of more FC members willing to participate in our Beyond the Light interview!

The link to the interview form is here, as well as hosted under our Discord server > #announcements channel!

Important: As of November 2023, a new interview form has been created for usage – A Google account is no longer required to participate. Pictures are optional, and those selected to be interviewed for newsletter will be followed up with for possible pictures.

Form Link: Link

Holiday Glamours!

With Christmas and the holidays coming up fast, there will be those who seek to don their holiday glamours to get into the festive Eorzean spirit!

For the December 2023 and January 2024 newsletters, I aim to have a special section reserved for those who want to show their jovial, festive, merry, and spirituous glamours off!

Those who have pictures to submit may either follow-up with me directly via Discord message OR via another method due to be announced early next month! Please look forward to it! 🙂

The Celestia Citizen (“Pumpkin Spice” Edition)

Hello, my fellow Celestians! And welcome to another edition of the Celestia Citizen! As you can see, we are playing around with a new format for the newsletter. With the new column-style layout, we hope this will save some space & present the newsletter in a more compressed format!


Final Fantasy XIV News

Sunday, October 1st – Last day to complete The Rising & Moogle Treasure Trove (10th Anniversary Hunt)!

Monday, October 2nd & Tuesday, October 3rd – Maintenance: Link

Tuesday, October 3rd – Patch 6.5 “Growing Light” Release: Link

Free Company News and Social Events

Open Officer applications for the following roles (you may apply on the FC Discord, and reference details for each role there):

Raid Officer

PvP

Social Events

Saturday, October 28th (800PM ET) – CEL Games PvP Tournament (Signup available in FC Discord)


Beyond the Light Interview

What is your in-game character’s name?: Yhana Stargaze

What race are you currently in-game?: Miqo’te

What drew you into your current choice of race?: It was kind of a hard decision, I was torn between Au Ra and when they came out the Viera as well and at one point I did fantasia into an Au Ra but I fell in love with the moon miqo’te and their adorable little fanged smile they have that no other races seem to have. I started as this Miqo’te years ago, finding them adorable even before looking into the game fully.

When did you first start playing FFXIV?: December 2017

What drew you to pick up and play FFXIV?: So my friend Sekrain plays this game, asked me to try it out saying the story was really good. he wasn’t wrong and I have come to really enjoy the game even if I don’t really remember the early days anymore.

How far have you gotten into the MSQ (Main Story Questline) of FFXIV?: All caught up!

What was your first (job? class? role?) when you started?: My very first job was conjurer.

What motivated you to pick that first (job? class? role?): So…long answer, I switched from wow where I played a resto Druid main. I healed for raids and difficult end game content. Even before wow I played healers. I love playing a healer, its super fun to me. I knew little of the FF world, the last major title I played being Tactics for the gameboy. but i knew WHM is a solid choice for a healer so there I went, I still main it today.

To date, what favorite jobs/roles/classes do you have?: Definitely WHM is a favorite. after that would be a tie between dancer and red mage. with summoner after that.

What kind of content do you enjoy?: MSQ, PvP, Duty Content, Side Quests, Glamour Collecting, Casual Content, Collectible Gathering

What would you say is your favorite content type from FFXIV? And why?: Glamour collecting is the real end game, i love finding new ways to make my character look cool. after that would be honestly pvp but only on 2 of the 4 main maps for frontline.

What is one thing you like about FFXIV that distinguishes them from other MMOs?: SO, I played wow for a long time, before that was everquest and runescape. what really sets ff14 apart to me is the combat, the concept of auto attacking is out the window and it takes practice and some skill to get good at to avoid taking deadly damage. it relies a little less on the class system (though those are still important roles to have) and more on your ability to actually play the game and pay attention to what the evil red puddles are trying to say. I really like that about it.

If you could make at least 1 change to FFXIV based on personal preference, what would you pick and why?: Honestly, I really like the game as is, the one thing I wanted from it, they put in. the ability to replay the MSQ. its such a long story that I truly cant remember it very well. but I have memory issues, its not that the MSQ isnt great, i just want to re-read it like a good book. I do wish they gave some other kind of reward for doing it at least once on repeat. a bit of glamour or achievement or something, who knows maybe its there and I dont know it lol.

What is your most memorable/favorite moment in FFXIV?: I dont have one favorite moment, I have many. FF14 is a social game for me. i play it with my friends Sekrain and Raltarion and we have fun together, its really nice to have something we can all enjoy.

When did you join Celestia?: December 2022

What drew you to join Celestia?: So Sekrain and I were actively looking for a FC to join for a while, we eventually took to the forums and came across a page for this FC.What do you like about Celestia as a Free Company?: The people. everyone is so chill and kind. I’m kind of really introverted so being around nice people is helpful towards working on my social anxieties

What do you like about Celestia as a Free Company?: the people. everyone is so chill and kind. im kind of really introverted so being around nice people is helpful towards working on my social anxieties.

What is your favorite weekly event to participate in with Celestia?: I haven’t yet, yet being the keyword lol.


Z’attania’s House Tours

NOOK AND CRANNY

A House Tour with Z

Emilia Soma’s House

Mist ward 29, plot 37

This month we’re taking a look at Emilia’s medium house in the Mist. Right away when you enter, you can get a feel for Emi’s love of the elegant and symmetrical, as well as the sparkly and cute.

Ivy pillars frame the entry way, and two separate lounge areas beckon warmly, but there is the distinct feeling that moogles are peering just out of sight.

Upstairs is a large trophy room, packed with all kinds of shiny Eorzean memorabilia. In the basement we find a plushie-filled bedroom, and exiting through a wall of rain brings us into an outdoor space featuring a hot tub and a romantic balcony, enclosed by greenery.

There is plenty of ambient lighting in every space, with windows, lanterns, and fireplaces all contributing to the warmth.

What Emilia is proudest of: This is Emi’s first house that she designed all by herself! She especially likes the basement balcony, and is proud that the trophy room is a tribute to her many achievements.

What Z especially liked: The outdoor deck! Emi floated a deck and combined it with the oriental bridge to make a brilliant raised platform, perfect for watching the sun set on the beach.

The Celestia Citizen (“Wake Me Up When September Ends” Edition)

Hello, my fellow Celestians! And welcome to another edition of the Celestia Citizen! We’ve got just a couple more weeks of summer to go before Autumn (Fall to some) sets in and starting bringing cooler temperatures and plant life begins to lull off. And let’s not forget it is also Pumpkin Spice season too! I hope everyone gets their annual fill of the niche flavor, if you do care for it!

October is still some weeks away, bringing even cooler temperatures, lots of leaves, and the joy of Halloween! Until then, we still have to weather a September. Or we can slumber through it.


Final Fantasy XIV News

First, the 10th Anniversary event is still ongoing in-game, particularly with the Moogle Treasure Trove (10th Anniversary Hunt)! There is currently no end date to this except “with the release of Patch 6.5”. While tomestones may be more plentiful in getting, there are also numerous prizes available to get, many of which are either limited to in-game events or command huge prices on the Market Board! Refer here for the current details: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/special/mogmog-collection/202308/1ny0ji96di

Speaking of Patch 6.5, it now has a tentative release date of “Early October 2023” (which will give focus to players who want to complete the 10th Anniversary Event and obtain all of their desired prizes). It also has a special site now posted to tease many of the upcoming details waiting to release with it. Refer here: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/4eae7bf1425dbcde6dce089dffeec16c688a8c3e

Next, the Rising is now live and due to run until the release of Patch 6.5. Be sure to get this one done, as it includes a special mount for free!: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/special/2023/The_Rising/eykg76bc2d

The next Live Letter is scheduled for Saturday, September 23rd. Details are linked here: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/0f699c77ac8fae0f73ca75ec326206313b1ea771

For the current 10th Anniversary event, a special survey is being conducted for players to write about their FFXIV experience (such as main job, what FFXIV means to a player, and so on). Based on responses, there will be a new side story and that side story may also feature a character from a previous one or from the new “Tales under the New Moon” series! Refer here for the article & survey: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/6b16d69fcbc27be1e4fc18bd884ba63654853c07

To tie into the referenced “Tales under the New Moon” series, there have been 3 stories released to date since August 25th. Here are the links to them:

First story: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/378a37193045835181833e2b297304a6ba0a10af

Second story: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/8b735439d154e2c5b2439e758144c6ea5b3a3483

Third story: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/352aef60539bbf97c631673914217d958499b3e7

Look forward to more stories in the coming weeks and months!

And lastly, the Fall Guys x Final Fantasy XIV collaborations have begun within the Fall Guys game, but the Final Fantasy XIV side is due to still occur. There will be special Gold Saucer events occurring with the Patch 6.5x series. Refer here: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/special/fallguys/


Free Company Updates and Social Events

We are continuing to take Officer applications at our respective Discord server for:

Raid Officer (Held on Tuesdays, based on current content – Normal 8-Man & Alliance 24-Man)

Administration (documentation, such as meeting agendas/notes, spreadsheets, and announcements)

PvP (hosting PvP content – At least one/week, such as Rival Wings, The Feast, Crystalline Conflict, etc)

Social Events – Holds & organizes social events for Free Company members (at least 1 event/month)

Applications may be accepted in the FC Discord server under the #officer-directory channel.

The first thing to touch base on is Celestia’s 10th Anniversary. On August 17th, 2013, Celestia was founded. On the 19th, the Free Company celebrated with an organized march across the 3 major cities (Ul’dah, Limsa Lominsa, and Old Gridania). Gifts were then given out to our members, and we had reconvened at the FC House for a group photo to commemorate our Free Company and its members.

From Aurora Lightsnow:

From Scura Darkangel:

From Squirrel Guile:

From Aminore Vespertine:

From Karah Thrace:

And one from yours truly (Scarlette Valanorr):

And lastly, a special gift from Aurora Lightsnow to our Free Company leaders, Blessed and Scura Darkangel – A photo of the lovely couple, and a declaration:

“A little over 10 years ago two new adventurers Blessed and Scura Darkangel set forth into Eorzea, bent on world domination… errr I mean to have fun and have adventures. They created Celestia Free Company to gather minions to further their evil empire… (opps wrong narrative) to gather other adventurers to explore this strange new world, to seek out new life and kill it and boldly go where no others have gone before (hmm how did Star Trek get in here). Over the last 10 years Celestia has grown into one of the largest and oldest FCs on Hyperion, we’ve had our ups and downs and sideways, growing pains, and our share of drama but through it all we’ve always worked to make it a fun FC. We’ve laughed and cried together, made fun of one another, murdered each other… (umm darn Among Us snuck in) and generally having a good time. Please join us tonight as we celebrate Celestia’s 10 year anniversary.”

(Pictured below are physical stand-ins for Blessed and Scura’s characters)

In closing this out, I want to extend a Thank You and a Congratulations to all of our members, new and old, for helping to make Celestia the best Free Company on Hyperion server in Final Fantasy XIV! Let us strive forward for another 10 years!

The next Free Company meeting is scheduled for Saturday, September 30th at 6PM PT. Be sure to join us on Discord via “The Great Theatre”, and in-game at the communal pool near the FC house in Ishgard!

On Wednesday, September 13th, Eorzea Octopus Week will begin! This Fisher-themed series of events will occur from the 13th to the 19th, and will contain events for Fishers of all levels! There will be prizes included such as Gil, Aethersand, Glamour Items (ranging in value from 50k to 150k usually) and raffle tickets for a 1 million Gil prize (the more you participate in these events, the more raffle tickets you can earn for your chance)! Refer to the #announcements channel for the general announcement, the #general-dol-doh channel for sign-ups for the events, and be sure to also have the @DOL/DOH role on your Discord profile in-server to receive notifications!

Recently, the Free Company had done a Sightseeing event for the Stormblood expansion on August 26th. However, one component of this log was regarding one of the greatest challenges in the game to date: Jumping Puzzles. Join us on September 23rd as the grandest of these jumping puzzles, the Kugane Tower, is tackled in our next social event on Saturday, September 23rd at 2pm! You will need either the jumping ability (for climbing up the tower solo) or Blue Mage role with Self-Destruct unlocked (for resurrecting to the Sightseeing vista). Be sure to join us via the #social-event channel in our Discord server!


Beyond the Light

For our next Beyond the Light interview, our winner of this month’s draw is Gunner Thehunter! Before we go any further, please participate in our Beyond the Light interview and tell us about yourselves so you have a chance at being featured here for the Free Company newsletter! Details are on the Discord server and in our #announcements channel! Linked here is the direct interview form for your submissions: https://forms.gle/oRb3pzQEp8y1MaRQ6



What is your in-game character’s name?: Gunner Thehunter

What race are you currently in-game?: Miqo’te

What drew you into your current choice of race?: I like the look honestly and me and my Fiancée Xotika L’xia wanted to match. (Corny I know LOL)

When did you first start playing FFXIV?: August 24, 2013 (A fellow 10th Anniversary player!)

What drew you to pick up and play FFXIV?: I played FFXI and then moved to 1.0 and from there moved to ARR in closed beta.

How far have you gotten into the MSQ (Main Story Questline) of FFXIV?: I am caught up!

What was your first (job? class? role?) when you started?: Gladiator to Paladin

What motivated you to pick that first (job? class? role?)?: I played RDM in FFXI and I wanted something different and I wanted it to be tanking and then it grew on me.

To date, what favorite jobs/roles/classes do you have?: PLD, NIN, Monk, One day Reaper, MIN, FSH, GLD

What kind of content do you enjoy?: MSQ, Savage Raids, Crafting/Gathering, Duty Content, Side Quests, Casual Content, Collectible Getting

What would you say is your favorite content type from above to do? And why?: To be honest it has to be the duty content, because its where the team work and party system is used the most is the Duty’s. We all log in each day and run daily’s, some have their static groups for content, so many different duty’s to be done in the game which I know I haven’t by far done nearly half of LOL. I love to do this with the FC, I like doing big raids, I love grinding for better gear in the duty’s. I like being social. MSQ is great don’t get me wrong but a lot of walking haha.

What is one thing you like about FFXIV that distinguishes them from other MMOs?: Well I with me already being a fan of FFXI It was hard not to follow the title, but I did play AION, Guild Wars, and WoW (Cartoony) and FFXIV was the beefed up FFXI on steroids with a twist. As well seeing the end of 1.0 and being apart of ARR from the start kind of Biased.

If you could make at least 1 change to FFXIV based on personal preference, what would you pick and why?: To be honest what pushed me away from FFXI was the fact they destroyed the HNMS scene. Yes I understand it was bot filled but it was fun to camp them track them and claim them. You just had to get in the right linkshell by being a dedicated player. But they did add their own variation of HNMS so the concern was answered.

What is your most memorable/favorite moment in FFXIV?: To be honest my most memorable moment for FFXIV was when it became the number 1 MMORPG, being apart of closed beta to now has really been a crazy ride and I have a lot to do in the game still, but what Yoshi P has built is legendary and is historical in my eyes and he is a pure genius I cannot wait to see what’s in store for the future with the rest of you.

Do you have any favorite visuals of your character you want to share with the FC for the newsletter?:

When did you join Celestia?: October 2013

What drew you to join Celestia? Was it a person, an advertisement, etc?: Well I was drawn to Celestia with a couple other friends who are no longer with the FC and I loved how active the FC was. As well the hang outs in voice chat to make everything easier then trying to read an understand what is being typed.

What do you like about Celestia as a Free Company?: I love the fact that no matter what happens in your life you are always welcome back to the free company, I joined the Originally the date marked above with breaks that life made me take, not at my choice so I have been in and out 3 times and this being my 4th I am back for good, and was welcomed just the same.

What is your favorite weekly event to participate in with Celestia?: Well I know for me its gonna be old content because that’s where i am at I haven’t really concentrated on anything else but leveling some jobs helping FC mate Shadowed Raven with his MSQ to get caught up to my fiancée Xotika L’xia and I so we can progress together through the old content that we are at.


Z’attania’s House Tours

Next, we have the newest presentation from our resident housing columnist, Z’attania Tsu, for her Nook and Cranny coverage in House Tours!

NOOK AND CRANNY

A House Tour with Z

Gunner’s House

Address: Goblet Ward 20, Plot 42

Three’s Company at Gunner’s House! This house is owned by Gunner, but shared with 2 other FC members: Shadowed Raven and Xotiika Thehunter. Since the house is a medium, each roommate designed a different floor and created a home that they all share together. Upstairs is a master bedroom, the main floor is a kitchen and living room, and the downstairs is another bedroom and study.

What Gunner is proudest of: how they split the floors and designed them! Shadowed Raven took the basement, Xotiika Thehunter was in charge of the master bedroom upstairs, and Gunner designed the common areas on the main floor. Gunner especially likes the basement and thinks it came out the best, and all three of them agree that fish tanks were a must!

What Z especially liked: The chocobo stable in the yard is very pretty. The oriental grass plot in front of the chocobos looks like the perfect tasty treat for hungry birds, and hiding the aetheryte shard among the grass gives a very nice blue glow.


Conclusion

We are now two-thirds of the way through 2023, and we will be nearly one-third of the way through the 2020s come end of year. It feels as if things are steadily getting worse, but they are also getting better. Remember that just because the world slowed to a crawl for a couple of years does not mean that your hopes and dreams have to, either. Be sure to reach out, seize opportunity and work to better yourself continuously (whether it is finding a better paying job, getting yourself a new house when you’ve had an apartment, getting yourself into physical or mental or vocational shape, meeting that special someone, or so on).

See you, Space Warriors of Light 🙂 .

The Celestia Citizen (“A Midsummer Anniversary’s Reborn” Edition

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Hello, fellow Celestians! Welcome to another edition of the Celestia Citizen newsletter! This month’s newsletter will focus on the usual round of content that will encompass the last month, as well as what is to come in the upcoming month.

With us being in August now, we are officially midsummer. The inspiration behind the title was a classic story: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a Shakesperean comedy that has seen much history behind it, especially with a notable 1999 adaptation featuring an all-star cast (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsummer_Night%27s_Dream). Also, this month marks the anniversary (specifically the 10th anniversary) of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn.

Be sure to read on for quite a bit of news regarding the game, the Free Company, and our newest Beyond the Light interview!


Final Fantasy XIV News

First, Final Fantasy XIV will be having its 10th anniversary for A Realm Reborn (August 24th). With this anniversary, there will be a pair of events to celebrate it: The Rising seasonal event, and a new Moogle Treasure Trove event (both scheduled for August 27th).

Next here is the news that so many are looking to read up on: The formal announcement of the next Final Fantasy XIV expansion, Dawntrail, which premiered at Final Fantasy FanFest in Las Vegas!

Some general tidbits for the game:

-The game is scheduled for Summer 2024 release

-The next main story questline (MSQ) will bring a level cap of 100

-Hildibrand will return for a new story continuing into this expansion

-The next round of system requirements (PC) have been announced (both Minimum and Recommended):

-Two new jobs will be coming: A melee DPS, and a caster DPS

-A graphical update of the game will take place, which will not affect PS4 functionality

-Dyeable items will be able to use two different dyes

-An additional item category, Eyeglasses, will be added and will NOT take up a head slot or require its own slot

-House furnishing limit increase (planned for 7.x, but subject to further announcement)

-Free Trial for Final Fantasy XIV will now expand to include the Stormblood storyline

-Xbox Version of Final Fantasy XIV is scheduled to launch in Spring 2024, with an open beta scheduled to begin around Patch 6.5’s launch. Progress from the open beta will carry over to the full game for all participants, so game/character progress will not be lost.

On July 18th, patch 6.45 released in-game. Read the linked article here for details: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/2a6c65f39b5b16b58bd4f0d9b1edaa8c0b7ec4f3

Next, Patch 6.48 is slated for Tuesday, August 8th. PvP Season 7 (Crystalline Conflict) will end and Season 8 will begin. Series 4 will continue until Patch 6.5. There will also be some changes to bosses, as well as jobs.

Next, we have general details on the upcoming Patch 6.5 release (This is only some of the information that was premiered as Part 1 of the Patch).

-Ability to Store Optional Items in the Armoire

-Crystalline Conflict Update: Minimap and UI Adjustments and The Red Sands arena

-Duty Support for Stormblood: The Burn, The Drowned City of Skalla, The Ghimlyt Dark

Endwalker Tribal Alliance Quests – Patch 6.55, requires you to finish “Dreams Come True,” “The Hippo Riders,” and “Life, the Universe, and Coffee Beans” from Arkasodara, Loporrit, and Omicron.

Fall Guys Collaboration at Gold Saucer – Patch 6.5x

-Free Trial Expanded to Include Stormblood

-Further Manderville Weapons – Patch 6.55

-Green Dot Indicators on Newly Logged Fish in Fish Guide

-IL Restrictions for Duty Roulette: Alliance Raid Based on Level

-Island Sanctuary Updates: New Animals, Craftable Items, Crops, Felicitous Favors handicraft requests from Felicitous Furball unlocked via 6.5 progress, Isleworks Handicrafts, Materials, Ranks, Structures, Visions, and Wilds Gathering Area

-Job Adjustments (PvE/PvP)

-Main Scenario Quests – Part 1 in early-October 2023 and part 2 in mid-January 2024

-New Alliance Raid: Myths of the Realm Part 3 – Thaleia

-New Consecutive Aetherial Reduction Function for Collectables

-New Custom Deliveries: Margrat

-New Dungeon: The Lunar Subterrane

-New Reward for Obtaining all trial Mounts in 6.x Patch Series

-New Trials: Zeromus The Abyssal Fracture and The Abyssal Fracture (Extreme)

-New Unreal Trial: The Singularity Reactor (Unreal)

-Option to Sort Teleport Destinations by Expansion

-PvP Updates: PvP Series 5 Begins and Season 8 Runs from 6.48 on August 8, 2023 until 6.51.-

-Somehow Further Hildibrand Adventures – Patch 6.55

-Splendorous Tools – Patch 6.55

-Tataru’s Grand Endeavor Continues – Patch 6.55

-Variant & Criterion Dungeon #3: Aloalo Island at Normal, Criterion, and Criterion (Savage) Difficulty with Matsya – Patch 6.51, unlock doesn’t require finishing Sil’dihn Subterrane and Mount Rokkon

Next, the Moonfire Faire will be occurring on August 10th until August 26th. Read the linked article here for details: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/special/2023/Moonfire_Faire/oct9miki0d

Next, for those interested in the Fall Guys tidbit mentioned above in the Dawntrail notes, there will be an in-game promotion occurring in the Fall Guys game for Final Fantasy XIV. A special pass, the “Warriors of Light Fame” pass, will be available from August 22nd to October 3rd. Read the linked article here for details: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/9b52f6a8835347e7eb6f7c2cecc270e296cc4666


Free Company Updates and Social Events

We are continuing to take Officer applications at our respective Discord server for:

Raid Officer (24-Man Raid events every Tuesday)

Administration (documentation, such as meeting agendas/notes, spreadsheets, and announcements)

Primal Farming (Farming current expansion content for items)

PvP (hosting PvP content, such as Rival Wings, The Feast, Crystalline Conflict, etc)

Applications may be accepted in the FC Discord server under the #officer-directory channel.

Next, we want to announce that this month is not only the 10th anniversary of the game, but the 10th anniversary of Celestia itself!!! The founding was on August 17th, 2013. Due to this date occurring much later in August, please look forward to any upcoming announcements later in the month for any developments on the celebratory front! You may reference further details on the Free Company Discord server as well!

On July 22nd, we held our returning LalaBall event! Amidst all of the lobbing of Lala’s, all the sweat and tears and shed (Lala) blood, our participants fought hard to come out on top of each other. Here are our winners:

1st Place = Orianne Starshroud & Faey Baali!

2nd Place = Ivy Leaf & Silvaire Rehw-marouc!

Be sure to give congratulations to our winners!

Look forward to the next upcoming social event on August 26th, the Sightseeing Log event which will cover all Sightseeing locations for Stormblood!


Beyond the Light

For our next Beyond the Light interview, our winner of this month’s draw is Sticky Buns! Before we go any further, please participate in our Beyond the Light interview and tell us about yourselves so you have a chance at being featured here for the Free Company newsletter! Details are on the Discord server and in our #announcements channel (or you may message me directly at Scarlette Valanorr in the FC Discord for a copy)!



What is your in-game character’s name?: Sticky Buns

What race are you currently in-game?: Lalafell

What drew you into your current choice of race?: There was some mishandling of some 1.0 data and she was stuck in limbo for a bit, where her data didn’t exist anywhere. As Open Beta occurred, I saw how cute the lalafells were in XIV 2.0 and had to play one. The Taru-Taru in XI were not that cute, so I’ve always played taller characters since that more matched my appearance, Sticky was actually a Roegyden! Dropping money on Fantasias was unheard of at the time, so when they finally patched the game and gave me Sticky’s data back – I just knew what I had to do!

When did you first start playing FFXIV?: July 10, 2010

What drew you to pick up and play FFXIV?: A friend of mine showed me XIV at work. He knew I was a big XI player and he was the one who helped me get into the Alpha. XIV was a ‘T’ (exact; perfect).

How far have you gotten into the MSQ (Main Story Questline) of FFXIV?: I’ve played through each patch, and I’m currently up-to-date

What was your first (job? class? role?) when you started?: My first job when I loaded back into XIV was Conjurer/White Mage.

What motivated you to pick that first (job? class? role?)?: Being in control of life and death! Actually, I was drawn to how pretty the WHM graphics were, as well as the classic outfit (AF1 was so cute!)

To date, what favorite jobs/roles/classes do you have?: Warrior and Culinarian – How can you not love a Lalafell doing Primal Rend!?

What kind of content do you enjoy?: MSQ, PvP, Savage Raids, Crafting and/or Gathering, Duty Content (dungeons, trials, raids, expert content), Side Quests, Glamour Collecting, Collectible Gathering

What would you say is your favorite content type from above to do? And why?: Savage and Ultimate Raids! If you ask anyone what Sticky loves, its crafting. What no one knows is I started crafting because I didn’t want my raid team to have to worry about it! I never really viewed myself as a leader before XIV, but its helped me to discover a lot of confidence in and out of game. Shotcalling raids is such a thrill, I love it. Sometimes I have to reel myself in on event nights when there are other people leading. (Sorry!)

What is one thing you like about FFXIV that distinguishes them from other MMOs?: I’ve stuck around because of the community – You hear about decades old Guilds in Wow, but I’ve played WoW for a total of 10 minutes, it really just didn’t hit the mark. FFXI was fun, but XIV was the obvious next step at the time, and you only really grinded to grind because that’s what was left to do! In XIV, I log in sometimes just to idle and chat! I love talking with people and getting to know the person behind the character as well 🙂

If you could make at least 1 change to FFXIV based on personal preference, what would you pick and why?: Hmmm. I really want a boss rush mode – where you go after all the primals in an expansion one after another. Ultimate is a sort of good compromise, but the level of game knowledge can be daunting to a new raider – being able to do something like a normal boss rush without the extra mechanics thrown in by Ultimates would be a great way for many players to get used to longer battles and how to properly plan rotations.

What is your most memorable/favorite moment in FFXIV?: During one particularly frustrating raid night, one of our static members (Cinnaroll represent!) said brb and threw down his controller in frustration. While the rest of us were all grumbling about how to handle the mechanic (I think it was Light Rampart) – their character was slowly walking forward. We’re all shouting at them to come back and pick up the controller, BOTH healers used rescue, and they managed to come back right as the boss took agro unfortunately. It broke the tension on a high stress situation though and is just so memorable for how chaotic it was.

Do you have any favorite visuals of your character you want to share with the FC for the newsletter?:

When did you join Celestia?: January 2014

What drew you to join Celestia? Was it a person, an advertisement, etc?: Truth be told, it was Abrianna Moontide! I’m not sure how we got to talking, but I remember her being super genuine and nice when I was talking to them in game. Plus, how do you not join an FC after being invited by a person with that kind of awesome name!

What do you like about Celestia as a Free Company?: CEL feels like a family reunion at the coziest home, with a bunch of crazy friends, siblings and cousins who enjoy the same chaos you do. People come and go, sometimes they come back, but forever bonds are made here. I’ve seen friendships, relationships, airships – you ship it, I’ve seen it here. Something about this place brings out the better in people, and you keep coming back for more of that. That’s why I love CEL ♥

What is your favorite weekly event to participate in with Celestia?: 24-Person Raid Night is typically my favorite – If you’re not dying to mechanics together, are you really getting the full XIV experience? The crazy chaos and laughter is a nice way to start the week.


Z’attania’s House Tours

Next, we have the newest presentation from our resident Z’attania Tsu for her Nook and Cranny coverage in House Tours!



NOOK AND CRANNY

A House Tour with Z

This month we’re exploring our first large house: Synovie Sky’s Ishgardian mansion


The style of this house is medieval, and the theme is… trophies!

A spacious, rustic castle with plenty of stone elements, this house boasts an enormous meeting room, a lush indoor/outdoor garden, a secret treasure room, a study, a master bedroom, and a gargantuan trophy room in the basement.

Portraits of our favorite Scions look down on us from every wall.

There’s a small reception area with helpful vendors as you walk in, a console that mimics a computer screen on the desk in the library, and even a tiny bathroom nestled in a corner of the master suite.

And everywhere you look, trophies and more trophies. There’s no question this Warrior of Light has been in many epic battles and lived to tell the tale.

The evidence is in every room, hallway, and on every shelf. This home is a tribute to achievement.

What Synovie is proudest of: His collection! Synoivie is a collector of all things Final Fantasy in real life, so he brought that aspect into his house. The balcony has spots to show off his “collection” like a big game hunter, and the basement has his smaller collectables.

What Z especially liked: It might seem like a small thing, but I like to celebrate unique ideas, and the self-watering vase in the foyer caught my eye! It’s little details like this that make a design fun for visitors to explore.


Conclusion

Another July past. As we are now in another full month of summer, we will have several weeks ahead before autumn begins in late September. We will still be experiencing hot weather, praying for cool reprieve and enough rain to keep us from succumbing to the heat. Yet rest assured that we will make it through another year, and we have the next expansion to look forward to. Be sure to also look toward upcoming celebrations for the game and the Free Company, as this year may be one to remember!

See you, Space Warriors of Light 🙂 .

The Celestia Citizen (“Party in E-or-ze-a Edition”)

Hello, fellow Celestians! Welcome to another edition of the Celestia Citizen newsletter! This month’s newsletter will focus on the usual round of content that will encompass the last month, as well as what is to come in the upcoming month.

Summer began officially on June 21st, and has already brought everything with it one expects: hot temperatures, a demand for cold things to enjoy, and a sheer need to balance it all out. The choice of title is meant to focus on be a parody title in line with Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA” and Weird Al Yankovic’s parody of that song “Party in the CIA”. Also, as it is July, it is also when Independence Day, the “Fourth of July”, is set, chronicling the anniversary of the United States of America’s ‘declaration of independence’.

In addition to the typical news, social events, and other fun stuff the newsletter has chronicled for months now, there is also a special section below referencing the upcoming “10 year anniversary” for both the game and for the Free Company. Read on for details.


Final Fantasy XIV News

Firstly, there is some big news on the Final Fantasy XIV front. August 24th, 2023 is the 10 Year Anniversary for A Realm Reborn. To commemorate this anniversary, a special site has been created: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/10th_anniversary/

The anniversary site points to various events listed, including in-game events such as:

-Moogle Treasure Trove (scheduled August 27, 2023)

-The Rising seasonal event (scheduled August 27, 2023)

-Special 10th Anniversary portrait frames and stickers (scheduled in Patch 6.45)

The “Make It Rain” Campaign, which gives a 50% boost to MGP earned through Gold Saucer events and minigames, as well as discounts on various MGP-earning items (Crystal Tower Striker, Monster Toss, Cuff-a-cur, and others), is live from June 30th to July 17th. Be sure to also complete the seasonal quest in Ul’dah for a Godbert minion! Link here: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/special/2023/the_make_it_rain_campaign/6x2dhiqdfv

On June 20th, Patch 6.41 released to address a series of issues including changes to Pandæmonium: Abyssos (Savage). Link here: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/6f516e5324d82e5781fcdf0c4d5c29497c2f477c

On June 29th, the third volume in the Encyclopedia Eorzea was announced. The volume is due for release on December 19th, and will cover content within Shadowbringers and Endwalker both. In addition, the volume will contain a code for Fourchenault minion to use in-game. Refer to this link here for details: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/3fb7995e07cc7db0c0ffef633669dea6cda49fbe


Free Company Updates and Social Events

In regards to the Free Company, it was a quiet June all around.

On June 17th, the Hide & Seek event unfolded within the Free Company. The objective was for participants to hunt down our Officers as they hid in various places across Eorzea, and the first 3 would be marked as the event’s winners!

1st Place = Tall-drink O’water

2nd Place = Lil Beepers

3rd Place = Faey Baali

Give congratulations to our winners for their astute observations and hasty detecting in finding our concealed culprits!

Be sure to join us via the #social-event channel for the next social event on July 22nd, our esteemed (or ill-esteemed, depending on your preferences for Lalafells) Lala-Ball III event! You can sign up with a team, or by yourself (Simera can place you in a team), but registrations close at 11:59PM July 21st for the official event in order to create the brackets. Don’t be late!

One addendum that also must be mentioned regarding the Lala-Ball III event is that it will require the usage of the Blue Mage job at Level 70. It also will require the spell Malediction of Water, obtainable from The Swallow’s Compass dungeon. On July 15th, there is a sign-up for prospective participants in the Lala-Ball III event to get the spell, and to level their character accordingly. Be sure to refer to the #social-event channel and sign up if you want to participate in the Lala-Ball III event and need the spell and/or level to participate; those who wish to assist participants on either or both may also join the event and help too!


Beyond the Light

For our next Beyond the Light interview, our winner of this month’s draw is Mikaguiketsu Hadoki! Before we go any further, please participate in our Beyond the Light interview and tell us about yourselves so you have a chance at being featured here for the Free Company newsletter! Details are on the Discord server and in our #announcements channel (or you may message me directly at Scarlette Valanorr in the FC Discord for a copy)!

What is your in-game character’s name?: Mikaguiketsu Hadoki

What race are you currently in-game?: Viera

What drew you into your current choice of race?: I was first a Miqo’te since the beginning of a Realm Reborn but I never liked being a cat boy, but when I saw the Viera race being added upon the release of EW, I knew I HAD to be a bunny boy. Plus, I can live my fantasy of being a tall person

When did you first start playing FFXIV?: June 2018

What drew you to pick up and play FFXIV?: Growing up, I was a HUGE fan of the Final Fantasy series. Played it so much to the point that I would show up for the midnight launch of most of the series like FFXIII and FFXV. Final Fantasy XIV was the only game within the franchise that I never got to play since it required a subscription and I had no money to pay for it at the time so it was a dream long reaching from me. Only when I got a PC and I learned about the launch of Shadowbringers breaking records that I knew that I HAD to pick it up and never looked back since.

How far have you gotten into the MSQ (Main Story Questline) of FFXIV?: I’m currently in Buried Memories which is the 6.2 patch update.

What was your first (job? class? role?) when you started?: I started as a White Mage up until EW where I switched to Sage and Astrologian.

What motivated you to pick that first (job? class? role?)?: In most games, I would always play fill but most of the time, I would be given the support role since most people like to play DPS or Tank based character/roles. So with that, I naturally chose the healer class. Not only that, but the fast queue times hehehe. But due to this, I became a healer main at heart since I truly believe that if I can maintain my team alive, no one can blame the healers so I can blame others for the wipes KAPPA!

To date, what favorite jobs/roles/classes do you have?: Sage. My god, who knew that the crew could make a DPS class disguised as a healer? Like, four FUCKING floating laser beams that can heal, shoot and shield!? My god, what a godly class

What kind of content do you enjoy?: PvP, Savage Raids, Crafting and/or Gathering, Other (FC and player owned events/activities)

What would you say is your favorite content type from above to do? And why?: I really love Savage Raids but I also like to do something competitive by myself without relying on a scheduled team. When I heard the new PvP mode Crystalline Conflict was released and people were addicted to it, I thought “Why not give it a try?”. Tbh I hate most pvp aspect in MMOs and games with PvP but CC… I fell inlove with it. So much so that I reached Crystal in two seasons and competed within the FC. I had SO MUCH that I seriously try to return to the game whenever a new season is out.

What is one thing you like about FFXIV that distinguishes them from other MMOs?: Not applicable

If you could make at least 1 change to FFXIV based on personal preference, what would you pick and why?: This one is tough since my opinions and perspective is very different from others. Many hate the grind of the game, but I love it. It truly keeps me entertained and I get to do passively on something amazing that I know many would shy away from the challenge. With that in mind, I wish there was a more clear guide on how way to know what’s new within the game and what gear to pursue without relying watching several videos and guides online. I don’t want a clean step-by-step explanation, but I wish the team would show a more concise gear progression to pursue or other content that’s newly available within the game like the relics, new tomestones, etc. I feel like I have to make plenty of research when I return to the game and that aspect of grinding for info is exhausting to me.

What is your most memorable/favorite moment in FFXIV?: One time, I was making a lot of cheese since I was working on my Culinarian job. Because of the insane output on cheese, I was clueless of what to do with it. I had at least a page of just cheese. So, I did what any reasonable person would do. I teleported to my brother who was streaming on Twitch, requested to trade with him and gave him all of my cheese. He was so confused as to how and why I had so much cheese and the only thing I said was “cheese” and I teleported away with no explanation.

Do you have any favorite visuals of your character you want to share with the FC for the newsletter?:

When did you join Celestia?: July 2021

What drew you to join Celestia? Was it a person, an advertisement, etc?: Kei Hara. He’s the main reason why I am here. If he reads this, can you help me find a house? This shit is haaaaard

What do you like about Celestia as a Free Company?: The people here. Everyone is so welcoming and honestly so damn NICE! People text me from time to time during my absence and upon my return (literally yesterday) I was greeted with a very warm welcome. I seriously love this FC.

What is your favorite weekly event to participate in with Celestia?: Probably Monday when they ran old mounts farming which, by the way Kei, I need the mounts!


Z’attania’s House Tours

Next, we have the newest presentation from our resident Z’attania Tsu for her Nook and Cranny coverage in House Tours!

NOOK AND CRANNY

A House Tour with Z

Laverna Endah’s house

Address: Mist Ward 26, Plot 4

Laverna has created an inviting home that combines some of his favorite elements of FF14 with some comforting and peaceful aspects of real life.

On the first floor, he can envision himself gathering with friends over a drink at the bar. Whereas on the 2nd floor, he is always able to retreat to the peace and quiet of his own company.


The rather small basement reminds Laverna of the sunny tropical island where his family comes from. And why all the fish? Laverna is a huge fan of aquarium fish; this theme can be found in both his apartment and FC room as well.

What the homeowner is proudest of: Laverna wanted a blend of Amaurot and Allagan design styles, as these two storylines of the game have been his favorite so far.

What Z especially liked: There is so much to love about this build! It is an excellent use of space — it’s rare to find a medium home with this much design detail that uses two floors! And especially one that manages to fit in a secret room.


Conclusion

Summertime is usually a busy time for many folks. Enjoying the sunshine, adventuring to the beaches, the pools, the lovely atmosphere of such beautiful and sunny expanses as lingering out in the world, all while embracing the warmth of the world and the Sun both.

For others, however, it is a misery inviting discomfort in the way of sweating, burning, false fevers, and sure illnesses. Yet never forget the fundamentals of getting through such hot weather:

-Stay hydrated

-Stay to the shaded and cool areas wherever possible

-Dress comfortably and lightly in cottons and breathable fabrics, and avoid the heavy or thick fabrics like polyester

-Don’t exert yourself in any hot areas

Overall, remember that this is just another summer in the life. And as we go into August, know that we will soon be in high spirits and fevers for the 10th Anniversary of the game and the Free Company both. Yet no matter what happens, look after yourselves and each other.

See you, Space Warriors of Light 🙂 .

The Celestia Citizen (“Summer Costume Edition”)

Hello, fellow Celestians! Welcome to another edition of the Celestia Citizen newsletter! This month’s newsletter will focus on the usual round of content that will encompass the last month, as well as what is to come in the upcoming month.

For this month’s theme, to commemorate the coming of the summer season, I wanted to look toward a theme that tied into it and could have some comedy tied to it. That is when I decided on the Summer Costume. Within gachas, as well as some MMOs, seasonal themes are sometimes pursued and promoted with special costumes or glamours. Imagine bikinis, swimsuits, swim trunks, or any other tasteful summer outfits such as sundresses, and then imagine certain favorite characters wearing those outfits. Sometimes, these turn into additional profits for those games, and some players do enjoy the aesthetic. This is not exclusive to summer, either, as all the other seasons also feature some variations and ideas on that front. Summer, in particular, happens to be very popular.

In Final Fantasy XIV’s case, the release of Moonfire Faire with each year, combined with its expansion into modern (real world attire), has allowed for numerous summer glamours to be done. Here are a few examples:


Final Fantasy XIV News

Patch 6.4 released on May 23rd. The linked article here details all changes: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/7533e7a9b6b72d8e5aad3c1e7c4247967b3ee196

Per the special site being offered for Patch 6.4, we are due to have the next Variant & Criterion Dungeons release, the next Blue Mage Update (which will raise the Level Cap to 80 and introduce more spells, gear, and quests), the next set of Hildibrand quests, the next tier of Manderville Weapons, Splendorous Tools, and other changes yet to be announced: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/endwalker/patch_6_4/

On the PvP front, Series 4 has begun and will run from the start of Patch 6.4 to the start of Patch 6.5. Details here: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/b96046d597ae0cddabc99ab351d3ffdf28ad0aed

Automatic demolition is due to begin on Chaos/Light Data Centers on June 21st. This was originally halted in February in 2023. Details here: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/7715b16b8d29729c0715dc7dc35c4adc58c5b73a

And lastly, this year commemorates the 10th Anniversary of A Realm Reborn! From May 14th to May 27th, and from the 14th to a TBD date in following months (June, July, and August), there is a Twitter campaign going on across the English, French, and German Twitter accounts for FFXIV (@FF_XIV_EN, @FF_XIV_FR, @FF_XIV_DE). For those who login to Twitter, follow the account, retweet the announcement when it is live, post a reply that contains your full in-game character & Home World & the hashtag #FFXIV10thSweepstakes, you may be one of 2,800 people each month that can win an Original Fat Chocobo whistle!!! Details to the campaign are here: https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/topics/detail/c22ca02b2befd1c04898ce967d95b9d1b702fef5


Free Company Updates and Social Events

We are continuing to take Officer applications at our respective Discord server for:

Raid Officer (24-Man Raid events every Tuesday)

Administration (documentation, such as meeting agendas/notes, spreadsheets, and announcements)

Primal Farming (Farming current expansion content for items)

PvP (hosting PvP content, such as Rival Wings, The Feast, Crystalline Conflict, etc)

Applications may be accepted in the FC Discord server under the #officer-directory channel.

On Saturday, May 27th, Blackhawk Slater hosted our special Costume Party event at the FC house! This event focused on highlighting the tasteful, creative, and bold costume choices that our participants had in mind under the specified themes. For this event, the themes are:

Spring theme

Cosplay – General, any medium

These two categories were entered into a contest where the winners were voted on by the FC’s members from the 27th to the 3rd. Here are the winners, as decided by the FC community:

1st Place, Spring Theme, Prize: One Glamour Item valued up to 1 Million Gil:

Elhana Greenwood

1st Place, Cosplay Theme, Prize: One Glamour Item valued up to 1 Million Gil:

Simera Yeep

2nd Place, Spring Theme, Prize: 250,000 Gil:

Tall-drink O’water

2nd Place, Cosplay Theme, Prize: 250,000 Gil:

Junno Highwind

Congratulations to our winners, and to our participants!

For upcoming events, the FC will be hosting its annual-ish Hide & Seek event on Saturday, June 17th! Be sure to sign up in the #social-events channel on the FC Discord server, and look forward to more details!

And lastly, here is a promotion from our Celestia Artisan group, helmed by our Officer, Simera Yeep!

With 6.4 came new i640 crafted battle gear. In case you were unaware, our Celestia Artisans can make any of this gear for you in guaranteed HQ, if you bring them the mats — let us help you get into all the content you want to do! Additionally, if you are interested in becoming an Artisan, please reach out to Simera Yeep or review the requirements in our ⁠⚒-crafting-requests channel in Discord.


Beyond the Light

For our next Beyond the Light interview, our winner of this month’s draw is Wingod Revancroft! Before we go any further, please participate in our Beyond the Light interview and tell us about yourselves so you have a chance at being featured here for the Free Company newsletter! Details are on the Discord server and in our #announcements channel (or you may message me directly at Scarlette Valanorr in the FC Discord for a copy)!

What is your in-game character’s name?: Wingod Revancroft

What race are you currently in-game?: Elezen

What drew you into your current choice of race?: I have always liked elves for their looks, for their regal and royal personalities, and for their various powers and abilities. They build wonderful cities and have a great and beautiful language across multiple depictions. Also, being a very tall person in real life, elves usually fit that criteria better than human races in games.

When did you first start playing FFXIV?: June 2011

What drew you to pick up and play FFXIV?: I was a Final Fantasy 11 player from the day it was released on Playstation 2 all the way up until the end of Treasures of Aht Urgan. After a few years of having to stop playing, there was a time that I had longed to play another Final Fantasy MMORPG. Then one day, I saw the first trailer for Final Fantasy 14, and I nearly cried with joy. I had made many friends and had many good experiences on Final Fantasy 11, and I missed those terribly. At Final Fantasy 14’s announcement, it made my heart soar, and gave me hope and excitement for all new great experiences and friends. However, the problem that came next was my potato of a PC, at the time. I thought it would not be able to handle it. Knowing this still, I wanted to support the game, so I bought the physical limited edition copy of it. Knowing that one day, I would get the power to play it eventually. It sat in my room for nearly a year. One day, I came across a YouTuber named Sambonz. He was a player of this game. I watched him play everyday for many months. Then one day, I said “fuck it,” and put the game in my PC. It could barely handle it, but I was able to play the game. I came into the game just after 1.18 when they added the Job system. The YouTuber I watched had a linkshell then, and so, I joined it. Distant World was what it was called. I was there for many years. When A Realm Reborn came out, I left the PC version and went to the console version, and have been here ever since.

How far have you gotten into the MSQ (Main Story Questline) of FFXIV?: I have beaten the entirety of it.

What was your first (job? class? role?) when you started?: Thaumaturge-Black Mage-DPS. I was there shortly after the job system was added.

What motivated you to pick that first (job? class? role?)?: When it comes to MMORPGs, in general, I almost always pick a magic class first. It is rare that a non magic class grabs my attention enough to chose it first, but I have generally always gravitated to caster classes. After that, it is usually caster classes that are damage dealers as opposed to healers. I do like healers, but the healer to grab my attention first, would need some fantastic abilities and I have only met one healer class in one MMO that managed to do that, and that is a game called Rohan. Given that Black Mage satisfied my original criteria, it was the obvious choice

To date, what favorite jobs/roles/classes do you have?: Unlike what most people would consider having a single “main,” I have three mains: Black Mage, Sage, and Dark Knight. One for each role. I am always open to these changing, however.

What kind of content do you enjoy?: MSQ, Duty Content, Side Quests, Collectible Gathering

What would you say is your favorite content type from above to do? And why?: Tough answer here, but I would say the main quests, followed by the side quests. The main quests have it all, of course, but the side quests can surprise you with amazing stories, and you can grab some decent exp to boot.

What is one thing you like about FFXIV that distinguishes them from other MMOs?: The production value is the main thing. The amount of story, music, and events they shell out boggles the mind. This game makes you “feel.” That is the best thing a game can do. Secondly, you can be any job you have unlocked at virtually any time. No having to switch between accounts or characters. No loss of progress. This game has spoiled me from most other MMORPGs for this alone.

If you could make at least 1 change to FFXIV based on personal preference, what would you pick and why?: I understand that this is in the works, already, but I would change it so you can visit any world, any data center, no matter what, for free. That is all.

What is your most memorable/favorite moment in FFXIV?: Playing the game for the first time would be my favorite and personal moment. Remember, I had sat with the game for a long time, wishing my potato of a PC could play it, until I simply put in the disc and tried. Playing it was a dream that I had finally got to realize.

Do you have any favorite visuals of your character you want to share with the FC for the newsletter?: N/A

When did you join Celestia?: April 2018

What drew you to join Celestia? Was it a person, an advertisement, etc?: Well, I had stumbled on Celestia running out a housing area. The FC I was with had become silent as the grave for many months, and I was needing a bit of interaction. When I stumbled upon Celestia, the first thing I noticed was that there were a ton of its members around talking. Magic on it own, let me tell you. So, I left my old FC and asked to join and had been here ever since.

What do you like about Celestia as a Free Company?: That it is active. Simple as that.

What is your favorite weekly event to participate in with Celestia?: While I may not participate weekly, I do like participating in weekly raid runs. Even though I was just a spectator, I also found Lala-ball entertaining.


Z’attania’s House Tours

And hot off of the presses, and back to give us more insight into our domicile decorating coverage is Z’attania Tsu with her next entry!

NOOK AND CRANNY

A House Tour with Z

Kitty Cat’s house

Address: Lavender Beds Ward 15, plot 50

Kitty Cat’s house proves that it doesn’t take 200 items to create a beautiful living space. The design is lovely and simple — a living area on the top floor, and a den with lofted sleeping area in the basement. The colors are primarily cool blue with splashes of pink and green, and the wood finishes tie everything in together.

What the homeowner is proudest of: The eastern accents. From the furniture to the choice of plants, there are hints of Hingashi in every room.

What Z especially liked: The cool, clean elegance of using just a few items that fit a theme and look good together. Kitty Cat didn’t use any tricks or glitches to acheive this design; just good taste!


Conclusion

We are closer to summer now than we are winter, and for many of our hot weather enthusiasts, they may be looking forward to more than just warm temperatures and cool drinks to balance out with. Final Fantasy’s FanFest is on the way and due to begin in a few weeks!

Did you also know that we are also offering a special Discord role for Fan Fest? It can be requested on the Discord server with request through an officer! We are also offering Celestia themed merchandise at #celestia-merch in the FC Discord server! One of our special items is a special team jersey!

As we bid another spring farewell, remember that things will always get better even when they look at their lowest. Sometimes, if things do not happen to get better for you, then pursue the betterment for your sake. Reach out, grasp for your dreams and desires, and make them real. Please look forward to the next newsletter around this time in July. And as always, see you Space Warriors of Light! 🙂