On Tuesday Creative Studio III released the 2024 version of The Rising, a celebration of the anniversary of the launch of Final Fantasy XIV's A Realm Reborn expansion running this year from 27 August to 11 September. I always look forward to the event as the game's producer and director Naoki Yoshida always makes an appearance not only as the Wandering Minstrel, but as himself through the use of the Echo. His yearly message, while perhaps limited compared to years past, is a highlight to my gaming year.
I wanted to come up with a different way to compose this year's post, so I turned to my AI assistant Copilot. With a little prompting and some rearranging of text order here's what the Microsoft product produced.
The Rising: Celebrating Another Year in Eorzea
Every year, Final Fantasy XIV players eagerly anticipate The Rising, an annual event that commemorates the game’s rebirth and celebrates its vibrant community. This year, The Rising returns with new quests, exciting rewards, and a heartfelt tribute to the journey of Eorzea and its Warriors of Light.
The 2024 edition of The Rising brings a host of new rewards for players to enjoy. Upon completing the event quests, players will receive the Brushed-up Krile minion, a delightful companion that showcases Krile in her new Pictomancer job from the upcoming expansion, Dawntrail. Additionally, players can earn the Rising Table Lamp, a charming furnishing item for their in-game homes. Other rewards include various firecracker consumables like the Realm Reborn Red, Magicked Prism (Meteor Survivor), Heavenscracker, Meteor Shower, Magicked Prism (Flowers), and Nymeia Potpourri.
For those who missed out on previous years’ rewards, items such as the Reborn Phoenix mount from the 2023 event are available for purchase on the Mog Station. The event also features special cutscenes and interactions with notable NPCs, making it a memorable experience for all participants.
Why honor Krile with a minion for this year's event? Krile Mayer Baldesion is a beloved character in Final Fantasy XIV, known for her wisdom, compassion, and unwavering dedication to the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Introduced during the Heavensward expansion, Krile quickly became a key figure in the game’s narrative.
Krile is a talented Archon and a member of the Students of Baldesion, an organization dedicated to the study of arcane knowledge. Her unique ability to sense aetheric disturbances makes her an invaluable asset to the Scions. Throughout the game’s story, Krile provides crucial support to the Warrior of Light and their allies, often offering guidance and insight during times of crisis.
In the Dawntrail expansion, Krile takes on a more prominent role as she embraces her new Pictomancer job. This job allows her to harness the power of art and creativity to influence the battlefield, making her a unique and versatile ally. As a Pictomancer, Krile can paint mystical symbols that provide buffs to her allies and debuffs to her enemies, adding a new layer of strategy to combat.
Krile’s journey in Dawntrail is one of self-discovery and growth. She delves deeper into the mysteries of aether and the ancient arts, uncovering secrets that could change the course of Eorzea’s future. Her story arc in the expansion explores themes of resilience, the power of creativity, and the importance of preserving knowledge.
As players participate in The Rising and reflect on their adventures, Krile stands as a reminder of the enduring bonds formed within the game and the shared journey of growth and discovery. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to Final Fantasy XIV, The Rising offers a chance to celebrate the past, embrace the present, and look forward to the future with hope and excitement.
Now for some personal touches from running through the event. For me, The Rising really began when I heard the music change from the normal Limsa Lominsa zone music to the haunting beginning of Answers, the song that played during climatic battle of the original Final Fantasy XIV, sometimes referred to as Final Fantasy XIV 1.0. Below is the cutscene.
The scene depicted above is known as the Battle of Carteneau. This epic confrontation took place as the Garlean Empire’s Legatus, Nael van Darnus, attempted to bring down the artificial moon Dalamud to devastate Eorzea. Despite the players’ efforts to defeat Nael van Darnus, Dalamud continued its descent.
The battle culminated in the release of the primal dragon Bahamut, who unleashed a cataclysmic event known as the Seventh Umbral Calamity, reshaping the world of Eorzea and leading to the shutdown of the original game servers.
The presence of the player in each year's preparations makes sense since at level 15, the player works to get the three major cities of Gridania, Limsa Lominsa, and Ul'dah to begin uniting by arranging for a joint remembrance of the Battle.
But at level 15, new players don't know about the events depicted in the above video. Instead, they just know about the battle from a level 14 quest. The Battle of Carteneau introduces the player to the concept of the Warriors of Light. And while no one can remember the details of the Warriors of Light, the citizens do their best to remember not only the heroes, but the ordinary people who died during the Seventh Umbral Calamity.
While writing this post, I discovered that the OST for the ending music of the event, Fragments of Forever, first appeared in the original game. Perhaps most known for a certain scene in Shadowbringers patch 5.3, I think the below scene with Alisaie talking about her grandfather, the wizard in the first clip, from Heavensward patch 3.4 fits The Rising better.
And through the research I did for this post, I believe I satisfied Yoshi-P's desire for players to look back and reflect on their journey through the world of FFXIV. I know I had some memories return from five years of playing the game. Now, go get that Krile minion.
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