Heavensward [3.0]: Post may contain potential spoilers.
Mobile Supply Cache
You know what? Its nice for a change. The past what 11 posts have been dealing with a green murky sky and this time we delve into the allagan environment. Its pretty cool in a way. The lights on the floor pulsate into the center object. Not much else to add at the moment. The main thing that I want to discuss today is that I have finished the video for Sea of Clouds and it should be availble to be watched down below. I think it took about 9 hours to make this video. Literally all of that time was sitting there and waiting for certain processes to finish. One thing to note is that this video was probably the smoothest for me to make so far. Practically no bumps in the process of making this video (It did take about 10 hours for Youtube to process the HD version of the video, but thats about it.)
Onwards for today’s story. I keep saying that I’m going to make it short, but it never turns out that way. Regardless, I do want some sleep for today since I gotten hardly any yesterday.
Identity Crisis
A person with many faces is something that atleast some desire to achieve. None however truly understand the price of owning so many faces. Lets tell of a story of a young man whom acquired this cursed gift. It was your typical night in a small city of sorts. A young man by the name of Charles was down on their luck and couldn’t find a worth while purpose to their life. Always jealous of others and how they seem to always know what fate is in store for them. On his lonely travels along the streets. He comes forth to an old beggar whom raised a beaten up iron mug. Charless understood what the old beggar wanted and decided that maybe his luck will turn around with a small good deed. He pulls a coin out of his pockets and flips it into the icy cold mug. The old beggar looks up to him and says, “Why thank you kind young man. I suppose you are looking for something based on your expression.” Slightly shocked by the sudden response by the beggar. Charless made a quirk reply, “Why yes indeed. It seems where ever I go. People always have their life in order.” The beggar chuckles a tad and looks into the eyes of Charless. “Then I suppose there’s something that I can offer to satisfy your desire.” While Charless was confused with the response the beggar immediately stood up and pulled a small box out of his sleeves placing it onto Charless’s hand. “Inside this box is a gift for your kind gesture” ~ “It is a face that if you were to don like a mask. Will allow you to become like any person you desire.” A small little glint dashes in Charless’s eye. Calmly, Charless grips the box and pulls it to himself. Before giving any form of gratitude to the beggar. The beggar made one more statement before disappearing into the dark alley way behind them. “However, this gift will come at a price. Not of money mind you, but of something far more personal for yourself.” Charless now standing alone along the streets. Stares down at the box bewildered by the beggar’s last comment to him.
Regardless of the cost Charless knew he had no more desire to tread on his unfortunate path. Without further thought he don on the mask and see what this gift is for himself. With shocking realization the moment of putting on the mask he has now become someone completely different that himself. Even the clothing he had worn changed. Its clear that he’s no longer the Charless that he was moment ago. A snarky grin appeared on his face. “Well then its about time to see what fate has in store for me.” Days go by in an instant for himself. Taking on appearances of others. One thing he came to learn that he didn’t just appear like them, but he even obtain their skills as well. As such he was able to take advantage of the craftsmen skills in towns far away and made quite the fortune. He even decided to create multiple families and ruin the lives of those who he despised for their success. However in time he began to ponder on something. “Its been ages since I’ve been myself maybe I should go back and see how far I come.” He attempts to reappear as himself, but quickly realized that something wasn’t right. To be more accurate he could no longer remember how he looked like and he even couldn’t say his name even though it feels like its he knows it by heart. Fear brews inside weathered mind and scrambles to find the old beggar from yore. Fortunately, it appears fate deemed him worthy.
A knock came upon the door in the room he was in. He opens the door and was greeted by the same old beggar but this time standing straight up and smiling. “Well well, why it isn’t the young man who took the burden of my gift. I hope everything is going jolly for you!” An rather wide smirk grew on the beggar’s face. Charless confronts the beggar and demands an explanation for his conundrum. The beggar gives a hearty laughs and promptly responds “Well you remember the cost of the gift dont ya? It costed your entire identity as you were before young man.” Charless was dumbfounded by the beggar’s response “Is there a way to break this curse?”. Once again the beggar erupts in laughter, “There’s no way to break the curse you can only pass it on. Even then the price of your identity stays with the mask. However if you were to remove the mask you will stay the way you are, but since you no longer have your own identity you can never put it back on. I learned that the hard way.” Charless, fumbles with his thumbs uncertain what to do. The beggar made one last remark to Charless before once again venturing off on his own. “While I enjoy watching your charade. I must let you know that there could be a way to forge a new identity for yourself that can’t be taken by the gift, but no one has ever achieved it.” With that last comment to Charless. A fury of fire broils in his heart and stood back with vigor once more. “Then in that case, I shall continute to use this mask till I find my new identity!”
End
So for those that are wondering as to why I added the little ~ in the story. The reason is simple. I spent 34 minutes on this story and the tilda is meant to be a mark as to when I reached the 10 minute mark. To be quite honest, I find myself a bit of an failure since I went against my own rule to never go past the 10 minute mark even if I sacrifice on telling a complete story. These stories aren’t meant to be completed, but its instead more important to go through the nuance of making one instead. While I may be a broken record with that explanation. I clearly liked this story enough to go beyond the time limit. This might be the most complete story I have made yet. Which I would hope so since I spend triple the time working on it unlike the others. I suppose it helps too that this is the first story that I told using an actual character instead of some concept or object. I think that alone helped wonders on driving the story with some meaning behind it. One thing that I will state is that I don’t intend to do this all of the time. I will always try to keep it under 10 minutes no matter what. Although, I suppose sometimes I can’t help myself and rules will be broken. Hopefully not all of the time.
A few things I want to mention about this story. I think the initial start of the story was great, but it did start to fall apart a tad towards the middle and end. I probably shouldn’t have made it where the beggar suddenly just reappeared when Charless needed them most. That ladies and gentlemen is what you call a deus ex machina. At the same time I probably should be forgiven somewhat given the fact that I went way over my limit and I simply tried to bring the story to a quick conclusion. Nevertheless, this story is a decent one and is probably far better than the rest I’ve made so far. Its definitely more catered to that of a child, but oh well.