As eggs-pected, the Egg Hunt will soon tumble into the three nations, signaling the sunny and sing-song onset of spring, kupo!

Won’t you welcome the wonders of this wickedly warm season with us by collecting copious amount of carefully-ordered initial eggs, kupo?

If you’re afraid of cracking your shell on the first try, start with an eggs-eedingly easy challenge—bring in bird babies brushed with the first three letters of your name! Once you’ve fried up your “First 3″ combination, feel free to find a moogle—much like me—and hand it over for eggs-eptional rewards, kupo!

We heartily hope you hunt down a panoply of these painted party favors and walk away with an abundance of amazing artifacts, for countless combinations exist, kupo!

What was that? Some skeptical speculators question how we could possibly amass this awe-inspiring amount of awards, kupo?

Then bury your beak in this hard-boiled tale of time travel and trickery and find out for yourself.

Pink petals have begun to drift upon the fresh late winter breeze, once again signaling that the Doll Festival is neigh.

The stifled squeals of girls unable to hide their anticipation add to the realm’s excitement as they spring out from homes and serenade passersby on the streets.

Further enhancing this season’s convivial air is the popularity of memorial dolls from the east being adopted for use in the festival. Yet for every glee-filled giggle emitted by children around this time of year, there should be an equal number of tears shed for the dolls forgotten and left gathering dust in back corner boxes. Should you feel even the slightest of watery swellings at the corners of your eyes while reading this, please, take your doll out of its box or basement and let it feel the refreshing early spring breeze and let her know you care.

Also, may the winds of fortune blow heartily upon Vana’diel’s little women, bestowing them with health and happiness in the coming year. Perhaps more would be blessed with good fortune if they were to spend more precious moments with their inanimate loved ones.

Dust off this account of one such doll that remained neglected for years and see what a little love and magic can do.

Anodede’s family had not a single festival doll in their possession. Every year the winter frost thawed and the Doll Festival came, and every year it passed by without a peep from anyone in her household…until she reminded them of it. She was turning six this year, and she was more determined than ever to convince them to buy one. Her mother, however, held steadfastly to her values, stating her rebuttal with an expressionless face only someone who has become thoroughly bored with constant repetition can affect.

“You’re still too young. Maybe next yeary-wear.”

“But you said that lastaru year!”

“Oh…did I? Well, then I’ve changed my mindy-wind.”

“Mooom! Fine, if you’re not gonna get me a festival doll, then I’ll find one myself!”

After her tantrum subsided, Anodede went right to work rummaging through her mother’s closet. There just had to be at least one doll hidden somewhere amongst all the old clothes and useless knickknacks, right?

Once myriad boxes had been upturned and almost every ilm of the closet had been scrounged, she came up with a single, small box. Anodede’s heart began to pound, and she could hardly contain herself as she jumped about the room in joy.

This is what is must be like to open-wopen a treasure chest!

Though she could not even join the Star Onion Brigade, let alone battle vicious monsters, the feeling of accomplishment was the same.

“What in the world could fitaru in this box?” she thought aloud over the beating of her heart as she reached out a trembling hand to lift the antique container’s alluring lid. Her eyes met with a doll’s as they peered into the box, but the look that crossed Anodede’s face was one of utter disappointment. Its clothes resembled dry leaves more than cloth and whatever was used to draw its hair had bled onto its face, leaving it an ominous shade of pitch black.

“Mom, what kind of dolly-woll is this?”

One look at the hideous creation was enough to force her mother to look away, rendering her momentarily speechless.

“Well…you know, I…uh…don’t know! Heh heh heh.”

“Okay! I’ll go asky-wask my friend then!”

“Huh? W-waitaru, Anodede!”

She dashed out of the house, doll clutched in hand. The girl’s curiosity had certainly outpaced her senses, for as she rounded a corner at the Optistery, she almost ran straight into her friend. Coincidentally, the boy was rather precocious for his age, which made him the perfect partner to field Anodede’s question as it shot from her mouth like fireworks.

“Heywhatkindofdollisthissuppostarube?”

“Oho, how lucky-wucky you are, for I just read of these momentarus ago,” her friend boasted as he opened a hefty text with the words A Compendium of Eastern Knowledge illuminated on its cover. He then flipped effortlessly to the chapter on the Doll Festival and began explaining about how their stitches are held together with wishes of health and happiness. The figure’s attire and general shape suggested that was the only possible category into which it could fit, but Anodede remained unconvinced.

“But, look! It’s not cutesy-wutesy at all…”

“Hmmm, then how aboutaru this?” he proffered, showing Anodede one of the final pages in the tome.

“Read this part about ancientaru mysticism.”

“My-my-myst…?”

“Mysticism. Like curses and such.”

“Curses…like baddy-wad words?”

“Kind of. In the east, people use dolls to putaru spells on people. They weave the hair of their victim onto the doll and stabby-wab it over and over again while they dance the nightaru away!”

I don’t ever want to visit the eastaru! It’s too scary! How could they do something like that to a poor dolly-woll? And what if mine is supposed to hurtaru people…?

Meanwhile, back at Anodede’s house, her mother sat with her head in her hands and let out a long, exasperated sigh. She still remembered how excited everyone was about those new dolls from the east around the time that her daughter was born. You had to be in the right place at the right time in order to find one on a vendor’s shelf. If she couldn’t buy her daughter one, then she figured she would just have to make one herself. Using the memory of the ones she’d seen before, she began knitting her own. She was no Weaver’s Guild member, or even half as skilled as some of her friends’ daughters, and all she could see when she laid eyes upon her creation was some sort of eerie apparition. Still, it was born from a love of her daughter, and she simply couldn’t bring herself to throw it away. Thus, she decided the only prudent thing to do was hide it in the back of her closet and have it get lost amidst the passing years.

Her daughter’s sudden call announcing her arrival home wrenched her back to reality. Anodede still clutched the doll tightly in her hands.

“Anodede…I was just thinking-winking about what kind of doll to get you for the festival,” she began, but was soon rendered speechless a second time when her daughter put the doll on top of a bureau, displaying it proudly.

“I don’t wantaru one anymore. I like this one.”

“…Really?”

“It isn’t an ancientaru mist doll after all. That’s what some nice old—I mean young—lady told me.”

Apparently, a kind mage she’d met outside the Optistery had assured her that there was nothing unlucky or scary about the doll whatsoever.

“A cursed doll!?” the mage scoffed haughtily. “Don’t be ridiculous! This piece of filth is nothing-wothing like the eastern dolls of which you speak! How do I know? Because I’m an expertaru in that field.”

“She sounded really confidentaru, so I’m sure she’s right!”

“Aha…I’m sure she is…”

“That’s why I’m really glad-wad to have this doll!”

Taking a second look at the doll, the woman stared dumbfounded. Its eyebrows were now thin and straight, its lips a subtle shade pink, and its expression a warm smile. The mage must have used a magic marker to redraw its face, but no matter how it came to be, the dolls features were exactly like the ones Anodede’s mother had imagined when she first drew them. The doll’s clothes remained as shabby as ever, but even so, this doll would no longer scare anyone.

“Before she left, she told me ‘Whoever made this did so with tender loving care, so you better treataru it carefully too,’” Anodede said with a gigantic smile on her face.

Her joy was contagious. “You finally have a Festival Doll of your very-wery own! Just be sure to put it away after the festival, though, or you’ll never know maritaru bliss!” beamed her mother.

“…Or I’ll never find a mataru?”

“Don’t worry, honey. It’s just an old superstition-wition.”

Just then, a certain howl of pain shot through Windurst that sounded like a mortally wounded chocobo. The next day, townsfolk could not find any chocobo remains, but reports that a certain powerful mage ran through the streets with tears streaming from her eyes came flooding in from all corners of the city.

Event Schedule

The Doll Festival event will commence at midnight (PST) on Tuesday, February 19 and conclude at the same hour on Monday, March 4.

Festive Decorations

For the duration of the event, moogles will appear at the locations below to distribute Doll Festival–themed paraphernalia. These same areas will also host dainty doll displays for your viewing pleasure.

- Southern San d’Oria (J-9)
- Northern San d’Oria (D-8)
- Bastok Mines (I-9)
- Bastok Markets (G-8)
- Windurst Waters (north side) (F-5)
- Windurst Woods (K-10)

A lovely Valentione’s Day to you, kupo!

Each year, we ask for the aid of crackerjack confectioners—
No, that’s not right.
Give great gifts of succulent sweets—
No, that’s not it either.

My brain is mashed to mush, kupo!

That’s right!
Coquettish couples give grand gifts to express their enduring emotion for each other.

Some lovelorn lads and ladies even deliver delectable desserts to potential partners.

Were you aware that the amazing Atelloune, animal expert extraordinaire, has dutifully deduced that chocobos feel fondness just like people?
She is planning to present her probing research at a “collegiate conference.”

What’s a “collegiate”? A new snack, kupo?
Well, either way, Atelloune’s dramatic discovery is going to make a magnificent splash for able adventurers! This Valentione’s, I’ll be busy as a bee!

Read on for more about Clavauert’s disciple’s disciples!

Trick or Treat!!

Citizens throughout the three nations are once again donning their most terrifying garb, swarming the streets, and hungrily awaiting the arrival of adventurers from across the realm. Even the exorcists from far to the west are doing their part to add some spook to the season by holding the Wake of the Lilies once more. Don’t forget those hard-working MHMU moogles, either! They’ve been busy for days painting the towns blood-red, transforming them into haunted havens for harrowing hordes of hellions!

Yessiree, this year’s Harvest Festival is shaping up to scare the socks right o—stop the presses! This just in!

A trio of abominable aberrations has just appeared in Windurst that threatens to shroud this year’s festivities in utter darkness!

Read on for the ghastly details of two children’s close encounter with three witches’ familiars.

Cloppin’ along and down, down on the range, the MHMU once again steadfastly supports the fan-favored festivals of late summer.

This year, we have strived to set up a kupo-tacular barbeque bonanza for weary wanderers to kick back and insatiably ingest grilled goodies.

What a relaxing respite from everyday expeditions! And even more magnificent, this carnivalesque cornucopia is an optimal opportunity for us to reap rewards of glittering gil, kupopopo!

…Oh dear. My candid contemplations have sordidly sullied the MHMU’s remarkable reputation.

Never mind. One meager moogle’s momentary mistake is of no certain concern to an able adventurer. After all, our fatal flaw is an inferior inability to heartily hold dutiful deliberations, kupo…

“Dutiful deliberations?” You ponder, perplexed. Right as rain! I moderated moogle meetings to decidedly determine how to publically promote this exquisite extravaganza! Depressingly difficult, I assure you… Yet this wonderful where-it’s-at will surely satisfy your yearly yearnings!

Excitedly examine the magnanimous musings of our coordination committee, kupo!

Many may recall the Foundation Day celebrations a year ago which commemorated the revival of the Grand Companies of Eorzea. Though the current state of our nations is far from stable, the long-anticipated anniversary has arrived, and The Mythril Eye has prepared its latest musings on the merrymaking.

Read on to learn more.

Never blinking and all-seeing, The Mythril Eye misses naught that transpires within the lustrous domain of coin. In today’s edition, senior editor Havak Alvak reports on this year’s Foundation Day and the troubling rumors surrounding the celebrations.

Officer Locations

 

Limsa Lominsa, Upper Decks

 

Gridania

 

Ul’dah, Merchant Strip

As the heat settles like a stifling blanket over the city-states of Eorzea, we once again witness the appearance of scowl-bearing, flame-kissed balloons. Could it be that the hotter months will bring the return of those fiery abominations? Dive into the pages of The Harbor Herald, and soothe your burning curiosity.

Continue to the full article.

Connecting all lands and peoples in her everlasting embrace, the sea bears to Limsa Lominsa the wisdom and voices of a thousand shores.

In today’s extra edition, The Harbor Herald investigates the rekindling of fiery nightmares once thought extinguished.

Risen from the Ashes?

Perhaps you remember, gentle reader, the façade that was the Moonfire Faire? This festival was fabricated for the purpose of drafting gullible adventurers into the ranks of an emergency Bombard-banishing squad. The explosive intruders appeared the very same night that meteors fell to earth across Eorzea, and it was only the intervention of said adventurers that protected our cities from indiscriminate incineration. Such a positive outcome is also the only reason the festival was not more widely condemned for its underhanded recruitment practices.

And now it appears that the Moonfire Faire will soon be upon us once more. I have heard an increasing number of tales that speak of Bombards rising in all their smoldering horror from nothing but ashes—ashes that escaped the bleary gaze of faire workers during the aftermath of the previous invasion. According to reputed scholars, an extraordinary surge in the strength of elemental fire is again responsible for the disruption to the aether’s natural balance. In the end, however, the cause matters little. What concerns us now are the massive incendiary invaders poised just beyond our walls.

Traditional Dress the Key?

But now that the innocent mask of the Moonfire Faire has been stripped away, who in full possession of their mental faculties would willingly volunteer for Bombard battle duty? I would fault none for such despairing thoughts, but the Adventurers’ Guild was ever an organization with a card or three hidden up its collective sleeve. It appears the resourceful members of the guild have obtained a shipment of rare garments from the mystic East, and intend to hand them out to any soul brave enough to stand on the front lines of our defenses. Thus do they appeal to an adventurer’s unquenchable lust for the exotic, as well as the inherent good nature of our would-be saviors.

This year, I urge you to embrace the faire. Everywhere I turn, I see fear and uncertainty etched on the faces of ordinary folk as the Garlean Empire marshals its forces to overwhelm Eorzea. A dose of Moonfire frivolity mixed with a dash of monster-mashing madness may be just the elixir we need to uplift our floundering spirits.

Yumah Molkot

Moonfire Faire Dates & Times

Monday, July 30, 2012, at 1:00 a.m. – Monday, August 13, 2012, at 7:59 a.m. (PDT)

How to Participate

Speak to any of the Moonfire Faire chaperones, who will appear in each of the three city-states.

Faire Chaperone Locations:

Limsa Lominsa, Upper Decks

Gridania

Ul’dah, Merchant Strip

My lovelies, how’s life been treating you since we last met? Mumor is back to take the stage again. You can imagine that SSS preparations have been keeping her on her feet of late.

After last year’s fiasco where Mumor ended up missing her curtain call, She figures that this year she has to give it one-hundred and twelve-teen percent!

But Mumor has also dealt with some wild stuff these past few moons. Uka, bless her fur, says that Mumor has been dancing in her sleep? Doesn’t that just beat all!

While she may be twirling her nights away, Mumor won’t go so far to tell you, her adoring fans, that her preparations are complete and whole. Why, her three managers have been slacking off! They mess up her schedule, forget to contact the seamstress her outfit designs for this year’s festivities… It’s more chaotic than an out-of-tune orchestra! It looks like Demon King Ullegore isn’t the only one in need of a good punishment.

…Oh my! Would you look at the time! Mumor would love nothing more than to spend the day chatting, but these steps aren’t going to learn themselves!

Ready, Uka? Shining Summer Samba!!!

Want to get a front row seat for this year’s show? Find out how!

FINAL FANTASY XIV fans the world round, the thirty-second Letter from the Producer has arrived for your viewing pleasure!

Pore over the complete letter.

Hello again, all you XIVers out there! Yoshi-P here, back with my 32nd missive.

First up, I just have to say, bloody hells it’s hot! The whole of Tokyo is like a blacksmith’s forge this time of year, and I couldn’t survive without AC. I’m about to fly over to Shanghai, which is even hotter than Tokyo. While there, though, I can sweat it out in style with some fiery Szechuan cuisine! In case you’re wondering, I’ll be going for official version 2.0 business.

As I mentioned via press releases a while back, Square Enix has entered into a strategic partnership with SNDA, a major Chinese video game developer. With their cooperation, we’ll be bringing FFXIV version 2.0 to China, which boasts the largest online gaming community in the world. This is one market that no global online operation can ignore, ours included.

Official service in China is scheduled to commence a while after version 2.0’s global launch, and so I thought it’d be good to check out ChinaJoy, the nation’s largest video game expo. We’re not necessarily timing it with the event, but the new promo site will be unveiled very soon. Between the site’s kickoff, gamescom 2012 in August, and the FINAL FANTASY 25th anniversary event, we’ll be releasing a flood of info.

In order to convey FFXIV’s allure from a fresh perspective, we plan to release the info in stages—from lore, scenario, and characters, to the game system itself. Some things are bound to stir criticism, and I’ll be watching fan reaction with great interest.

As for my keywords, I’d like to tentatively go with rebirth, challenge, reform, and—last but not least—FINAL FANTASY.

Many considerations went into deciding our publicity policy, and all materials were picked for a reason. In the letters to come, though, I hope to be able to reveal more things to you—things I normally keep my mouth sealed about.

Patch 1.23, which marks the final stage of the current version, is scheduled to go live on July 26. With the events of the Seventh Umbral Era coming to a head, the team spared no effort on delivering a battle that has “FINAL FANTASY” written all over it. The greatest trial of the age awaits all you adventurers out there!

But wait, there’s more! In addition to the above, we’ll also be bringing you Skirmish, which is designed to be fuss-free battle content you can jump right into. I hope you all look forward to that as well.

Oh, and there’s the much-awaited summer festival. As I’ve already mentioned in a forum post, yukata will be up for grabs this year!

Um…right. As you can see, in keeping with Japanese fashion, the yukata are kinda…short. I must apologize in advance to those who prefer traditional full-length types. You see, some people on the team have certain…inclinations. /lol

To recap, the 1.23 series of patches is about to land, bringing with it the grand finale for the Seventh Umbral Era. On top of this, we’ll be releasing a slew of information as promotional activities commence for version 2.0. You won’t be able to keep your eyes off of FFXIV this summer!

Aaand that’s a wrap for today’s letter. See you next time and/or on the forums!

The myriad stars stretching across the night sky twinkle softly, wrapping the ground below in a warm, delicate light.
Moogles scurry about to and fro, pom poms bouncing as they feverishly toil to set the stage.
The time of Celestial Nights is upon us once more!

The crowning jewel of the festival is a stirring reenactment of the tale of Prince Yahiko and Princess Amdina, a ballad of love for all the ages, and this year’s production spares no expense in bringing to you into the vivid scenes of amor.

Those fortunate souls chosen to portray our starry-eyed couple have been rehearsing for weeks – nay, months – to join all of Vana’diel in celebrating romance in all its forms.

Yet where fortune treads, so too does tragedy, as one of our leads from Bastok falls gravely ill just days before the performance is to take place. Keep your hearts and minds open as you read the musings of the Galka who was to have played the pivotal role of Prince Yahiko.

This must be some foul trick. Me? As Prince Yahiko? thought Red Bear, his jaw clenching as he crossed his bare arms in front of him, staring at the stage from the crowd of faceless festival goers. Bamboo lined even the dimmest alleyway, swaying in the gentle evening breeze, and the delicate tinkling of bells lent an airy sound to the eastern quarter.

Bastokan tradition dictated that a hume male and female would play their respective roles as the legendary yet ill-fated lovers, Prince Yahiko and Princess Amdina. As a recreation of the lovers’ tryst, the play ensures a happy ending comes to all. Prince Yahiko as always portrayed as a refined gentleman, tall in stature and slender of form – one who would split in twain if asked to wield a double-bladed axe.

“So why me?” Red Bear sighed.
“Why not?” said the dainty girl who clung to his side, staring where she and Red Bear should have been performing.
“C’mon, Marika. You know that…”
“Shyness doesn’t suit you,” she remarked matter-of-factly. “I would have given anything to see you portray the beloved prince. Especially after the trouble you went through to learn the lines and memorize the steps.”
“If only. Every third twirl I stepped on your foot, and every fifth verse got stuck in my throat.”
For reasons unbeknownst to him, Marika giggled in mirth.

Red Bear could scarcely believe his ears when he heard the task of playing Prince Yahiko had fallen to him. It must have been some misguided prank by those devious moogles. But to imagine that he would be opposite Marika!

The ravishing white mage, a member of his linkshell, had more than once rescued him from the clutches of death on the battlefield. He had no objection to her playing the role of Princess Amdina. She was perfect; in fact, she stood on par with last year’s Amdina, and all the Amdinas who came before her. Marika possessed a rare, timeless beauty, the kind that could be appreciated in any age, and the way her ruby lips curled ever so gently upward as she smiled made even the most faithful of husbands take a second look.

Then why me, of all people?

It all seemed like such a burden. Not only were his thespian skills the equivalent of “Galka #2″ in a third-rate street performance, but the attire for Prince Yahiko used every year was not made for his beefy frame, and had to be made to order from the city’s highest quality clothier.

It’s all in good fun, they said. Just relax, kick your heels back, and let the words take over.

Easy for them to say.

Red Bear had never set foot on a stage such as this, and in half-desperation threw himself in head first, working himself into such a tizzy that he came down with a debilitating fever just days before curtain call. How was he to rehearse now? Yet not even Marika’s soothing sorcery could stifle his sordid sickness – perhaps what harried him was not physical, but mental? Regardless, his ailment failed to subside, and his understudy was called upon to take the lead.

“At least no one can complain about breaking with tradition now.”
Coincidentally, his condition improved on the night of the performance, leading to hushed whispers that he simply wanted to stay out of the spotlight. The pressure to perform here is even greater than in times of war, he reckoned, nodding to himself.
“I would’ve had a better time if we were up there instead of down here.”
“It’s for the best. Sure, the poor guy only had three short days to get his feet wet, but when it comes to putting on a show, he just leaves me in the dust.”

I knew I wasn’t right for the part.

Red Bear was certain of that upon watching the two stars on stage, but some part of him still felt ill-at-ease.
“Marika, I was the one who fell ill. Surely there was no reason for you to give up your part, too?”
“Oh, it’s…okay. I didn’t mind.”
“But look at him up there. His delivery is flawless, and he’s so graceful…it’s something I couldn’t ever have given you.”
“You know that’s not what matters.”
“This may be a bit uncharacteristic to say, but Prince Yahiko – he’s rather handsome…for a hume. And I know how you jumped at the opportunity to play the princess.”
Marika closed her eyes and gave a soft sigh. You remembered. Red Bear, people may talk, but I know you’re not as dim-witted as you pretend to be. Even though I had to say the same thing every year, you still remembered.
“But…”
“But?”
“But I wanted to be up there with you.”
“Wh-what?”
Red Bear was taken aback by her straightforwardness.

“Just what’re you getting at?” Red Bear wondered aloud, head cocked to the side. Marika huffed in exasperation.
“I…forget about it. Look, the big scene’s about to start. The least we can do is cheer on our friends!”
“Yeah, let’s do this!”
“I just…”
Marika stopped herself short.

O that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek…

Event Schedule

Stars rise on the night sky at 1:00 AM (PDT) On Friday, June 29, lasting until dawn beckons on Friday, July 13 at the same hour.

Moogle Meetings

Stop by at the following locations and say hello to our cuddly little friends for your very own invitation!
Northern San d’Oria (D-8) / Bastok Markets (G-8) / Windurst Waters (north side) (F-5)