One of the strangest aspects of FFXIV is the mandatory Main Scenario. Long ago, I was more or less a fan of the idea, even if I understood it had its downsides. These days, after getting into Stormblood for the second go’round with Lynahra (and after going through A Realm Reborn and Heavensward a second time as well), I think every aspect of it that’s mandatory should more or less be abandoned moving forward. While I’ve been excited to get back to working on Alahra’s half-sister, I haven’t actually been having any fun with it because the Main Scenario only feels interesting once (and that’s only for the segments that are well written and properly paced). For newer folks or existing players who have little interest in the story, I can imagine being forced to deal with it is pretty taxing as well.

Of course, at this point, I can’t see that ever changing, as there are so many dungeons and trials tied into the MSQ, but it definitely feels like it would be an improvement to the game as a whole if dungeons and trial unlocks didn’t have story quests as prerequisites. (Even if they’re tied to the MSQ, having separate unlock quests—similar to how the unlocks for Aurum Vale and Dzemael Darkhold are set up—would make things so much better.) But in any case, that’s a huge aside! After finishing Sirensong Sea and taking the first steps into Kugane, Lynahra hit level 62, and that meant I could work out a new glamour for her that I’d been looking forward to for a month or so.

Glamour Components (Required Level: MNK/SAM 62)
Weapon: Halonic Friar’s Katana
Head: (none)
Body: Ruby Cotton Gilet of Striking
Hands: Replica Allagan Gauntlets of Striking (Jet Black)
Legs: Ramie Trousers of Striking (Jet Black)
Feet: Augmented Shire Pankratiast’s Boots (Jet Black)

The Ruby Cotton Gilet is a piece I’ve been trying to use for Alahra more or less since the launch of Stormblood with very little success. Her style is far too refined for the torn off sleeves look of the otherwise lovely body piece, and on top of that, it doesn’t really play all that well with dyes (with Pure White being the main sticking point with respect to Alahra). It hit me a little while back when I started working on Lynahra again that the Gilet would probably work pretty well for her, however, since she’s generally supposed to come across as a lot rougher. Given that the look she started the Stormblood Main Scenario with was probably too prim and proper, I was definitely looking forward to getting her geared in something more appropriate to her character.

The look ended up coming together rather easily (which is sort of funny to me, since I’d tried something almost identical to this for Alahra that just plain didn’t work). Although I started out wanting to dye the Gilet Currant Purple (or maybe Ink Blue), I eventually decided that it looked best in its default color, mainly because the leather vest doesn’t change color (and Jet Black itself muted the fabric in a way that I didn’t like). Of course, since Lynahra favors dark colors, black really works just as well as blue or purple, so there was no major loss here.

Though I considered using something like the Guardian Corps Skirt, the Gilet really looked best with actual pants, and in something of a nod to FFXI, I went with the Ramie Trousers, since they’re probably the closest thing we have to that game’s common Sitabaki for MNK/NIN/SAM which were often part of sets featuring body pieces not so different from the Gilet. I very briefly thought about going with either the Expeditioner’s Thighboots or the Gyuki Leather Highboots of Striking, but in the end I thought simple shoes looked much better.

With the whole look in black, the dyeable Allagan Gauntlets were really the best available choice for longer gloves (though I probably could have gone with something like the Sky Rat Fingerless Gloves, too). Their gold accents added a bit of much needed color to the look and opened up using a slightly fancier katana as well. I think this look will end up serving her for quite awhile, though of course the Kudzu Tunic is on the horizon, as is the Yanxian set from Doma Castle and the Gazelleskin Corselet of Striking, all of which could potentially work very well for Lynahra.