Welcome to Adventu, your final fantasy rp haven. adventu focuses on both canon and original characters from different worlds and timelines that have all been pulled to the world of zephon: a familiar final fantasy-styled land where all adventurers will fight, explore, and make new personal connections.
at adventu, we believe that colorful story and plots far outweigh the need for a battle system. rp should be about the writing, the fun, and the creativity. you will see that the only system on our site is the encouragement to create amazing adventures with other members. welcome to adventu... how will you arrive?
year 5, quarter 3
Welcome one and all to our beautiful new skin! This marks the visual era of Adventu 4.0, our 4th and by far best design we've had. 3.0 suited our needs for a very long time, but as things are evolving around the site (and all for the better thanks to all of you), it was time for a new, sleek change. The Resource Site celebrity Pharaoh Leep was the amazing mastermind behind this with minor collaborations from your resident moogle. It's one-of-a-kind and suited specifically for Adventu. Click the image for a super easy new skin guide for a visual tour!
Final Fantasy Adventu is a roleplaying forum inspired by the Final Fantasy series. Images on the site are edited by KUPO of FF:A with all source material belonging to their respective artists (i.e. Square Enix, Pixiv Fantasia, etc). The board lyrics are from the Final Fantasy song "Otherworld" composed by Nobuo Uematsu and arranged by The Black Mages II.
The current skin was made by Pharaoh Leap of Pixel Perfect. Outside of that, individual posts and characters belong to their creators, and we claim no ownership to what which is not ours. Thank you for stopping by.
There was a ruckus in the streets that rumbled louder than even the machines that pumped the city full of its vibrant life. Ignis tugged his coat closer as the icy wind kicked up once more, bringing with it the undeniably unpleasant scents of the city. Finding the city of Sonora was a piece of cake, even for a blind man. He could smell it miles and miles away. However, things seemed much more chaotic than even he expected. There was talk of dragons and other such destructive activities that were plaguing the area.
The thought of a giant, winged beast swooping down on him caused Ignis to grimace, yet still, he persevered onward. Despite all of its flaws, there was something about the city that felt familiar. More nostalgic than the quiet cottage outside of Mount Hotan, or the seaside air of Provo. The sounds were more familiar, the roar of crowds, the clink of machinery. Had he been from a city? Or, was Noct from a city? Despite all of his urging, the memories refused to reach back out to him.
Another smell wafted through the air -- something pleasant and bold, that instantly warmed his heart. The aroma of coffee. Oh, by the gods, it had been so very long since he’d tasted a cup of coffee, warm or cold. He still had a little gil to his name … Maybe enough for a warm cup of coffee, and a conversation with a stranger while he formed an idea or two of how to proceed in the city. He needed to come up with a plan for a place to stay, and a job if he intended to stay off of the streets for more than a couple of days.
Ignis followed the scent down a sidewalk, his sight cane tapping in front of him to avoid objects, cracks, and holes. The winter weather was unkind to the pavement, making it even less so to a man who couldn’t rightly see it. Other scents began to mix and meld with the coffee -- was he in a restaurant district? Eventually, he came to where the wafting aroma of coffee seemed to originate. He felt for the door, finding the handle and pushing past the very light resistance.
Warm air welcomed the blonde, soothing his windblown cheeks. He shut the door quickly behind him, to keep out the frigid air as his body temperature began to slowly adjust to his new surroundings. Ignis listened carefully, but only found the low hum of a few guests. Oh, my, hopefully he hadn’t wandered into a closed cafe? His cheeks, already flushed from the wind, tinged even slightly more pink.
“Ah, hello? Would you happen to be open?” Ignis spoke to the room, mentally cursing his blind condition that kept him from being immediately aware of his surroundings. Gods, hopefully he didn’t look the fool that he felt. With his black coat still pulled tightly against him, he awaited a response. Oh, curses, his glasses were likely fogged as well, weren’t they?
He didn’t bother reaching for them.
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
Cissnei did not gain much from Asael’s payment, as handsome as the payment was. Though, in truth, she did try to subdue Asael, which was something he was not very appreciative of in the process. The battle between he, Sephiroth, and the Turks had leveled a section of the city, including her own intelligence agency. It also took her and two of her comrades out of commission. So, while Freyra and Umbrella regained their health, Cissnei decided the best way to continue her intelligence gathering while not putting physical strain on herself was a maid café. She had learned in the past that starting a fan club around Zack Fair had gained her much intel. She hoped that making a fan servicey café could help her gain the same level of intel. Happy customers meant more loose tongues. Or so she hoped. [break][break] The café was small but reminiscent of a French tearoom. The walls a sieling were painted a soft sky blue with vanilla and gold trimmings to accent it. A mirror with gold accent was set above a fireplace’s soft vanilla mantel. It was decorated with sconces and winter flowers of purple and white. A fire kept the place cozy temperature and the lights were kept a pleasant dim. A darker shade of blue than the walls kept the windows lined. The same color decorated the elegant chairs that were neatly tucked under each table. The tables were covered with white linen with napkins properly folded and silverware gently proper laid out for treats. [break][break] Cissnei herself had been able to find someone to fashion her the proper attire. Cissnei chose a long sleeve maid dress with white gloves. It was to hide the ugly injuries caused by her previous endeavors with Asael. She did well to hide the pain her arm and wrist caused her. Her maid dress went down mid-calf where she wore black tights and heels. A white, frilly apron finished her look. She already had a few people order only a drink so far. Something to warm their insides as they sat in the corner of the café chatting. [break][break] Cissnei was quite proud of the work she was able to put into this layout. It was something she had learned to do well to please the executives at ShinRa. Coffee and tea were something she knew how to make and she knew how to make it quite well. She decided to serve pastries as a treat, but it was these she lacked skill in. Maybe they tasted better than they looked. The scones looked a little crisp, but perhaps with a bit of jelly it would cover the burnt taste? The cake seemed to have a face. The list could go on. [break][break] She was finishing laying out the menus when Ignis walked in. “Welcome to the café Master…” She turned to see Ignis in a slight surprise. He seemed to be doing quite well, if not a little cold. She started gain. “My apologies Master Ignis. I am humbled you have arrived. Please, have a seat by the fire. May I take your coat?” She gently guided him toward a seat by the fire while making the offer.
The crackle of a fire. The hushed tones of fellows quietly speaking to one another.
As he took a few seconds to adjust, Ignis was able to take in the scents and sounds. The full-bodied aroma of coffee still tantalizingly stroked his senses, yet he was also picking up on something fresh. Herbs. Ah, tea, definitely different types of tea. Lavender, and oh, was that earl grey? All of the delicate smells twisted and twirled together, warming his chest and causing his shoulders to relax. How long had it been, since he’d sat down with a simple cup of tea to do nothing more than admire the weather?
It felt like an eternity.
“Welcome to the café Master…”
A familiar voice caused Ignis to turn his head sharply, searching for the source. That tone, he knew it. The blonde opened his mouth, but closed it as the name threatened to leave his tongue before he could catch it. The warmth of crackling fire and the lulling scents of coffee and tea had warmed his senses and his body, but hearing a familiar voice warmed his very soul. It was the first time, since he’d awoken to darkness in this world, that Iggy had heard the same voice more than once.
“My apologies Master Ignis. I am humbled you have arrived. Please, have a seat by the fire. May I take your coat?”
Cissnei.
Hands softly guided themselves underneath his elbow and upon his arm, gently leading him into the room. The further he moved with each step, his cane slack in his grip, the warmer the air became. It was quickly becoming stifling in his coat, Ignis barely registered, as he struggled to come up with a coherent thought of what to say to Cissnei. He owed her his life, after all. It was she who found him, blind and bleeding in the forest, and patched him up. She had taken him to a doctor, to get the help he needed. Without her, would he have been slain by daemons? By common monsters? He was a defenseless, helpless man, howling in pain and sightless.
“Cissnei, I--,” Ignis began, embarrassed by the way the words fumbled about his mouth. What could he say? What should he … No, no she was working, clearly. He would have to find the time to snag her for thanks as other people began to shuffle out of the cafe. Ignis cleared his throat, “That would be … lovely. Thank you, miss.”
Ignis missed the top of the seat with the first swipe of his hand, but located it the second time, only taking a seat after Cissnei had gently removed his coat. He truly wished he could have removed it himself, but it would have been strange, given the environment he was in. Ignis was a customer in a cafe for the gods sakes -- if it had been anyone else in the world, perhaps he wouldn’t have felt so awkward about it. Instead, he wished he’d gotten the opportunity to show that he was fully capable of taking care of himself. No, no, there was likely a coat rack somewhere else in the room, and he would have looked strange, sitting with his coat on the back of the chair.
The blonde took a moment to make himself comfortable, carefully snapping his sight cane back into its travel size to slip into his pocket. No need to potentially have someone trip over it, after all. Ignis heard the door jingle open once more, the cool air only temporarily brushing past as the door was shut. A group of people said their brisk farewells as they vanished through the closing door, but he attempted to ignore it for just a moment to speak to Cissnei.
“I understand you’re working,” Ignis muttered, feeling she was close by, but not wanting to call too much attention to himself, “But, I would love the chance to chat, if you have the time. Perhaps, after a cup of coffee?”
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
Politely, Cissnei pretended to not notice his fumbling for word. It would not do to embarrass her customer. Though she wondered if she had done something to already make him flustered somehow. She quietly guided him by the elbow and helped him remove his coat. All these formalities were only for maid cafes, but it made the atmosphere much cozier. It put clients at ease to be treated with respect after all. [break][break] Once she made sure he was comfortable, she excused herself to put his coat up on the rack. She made sure to dust off some of the snow to be sure it didn’t soak his coat when it melted. However, as she did so, she heard some giggling followed by the door closing. Her eyes turned to the door and could only see a shadow through the fogged glass move. Cissnei hummed to herself thoughtfully. The customer would come in her own time, though it made Cissnei pleased that her café could have such an effect. Perhaps the café would make for a good cover for intel after all. [break][break] Once she was satisfied with the care took with his belongs, she moved to his seat to ensure he was tucked in appropriately. She was a little surprised at his request. No one seemed to want to speak to her at length these days unless they had some bad news or business. But she could sense neither of those in his words. “Of course. I have time for you, Master Ignis.” She stated warmly, her hands folded neatly in her lap as she spoke. When she closed shop for a break, she would explain to him after that this was a soft opening, so the hours were not set quite yet. She could close early if she needed to. “I will close up soon for a break.” [break][break] “What kind of coffee may I get you? We have doppio, latte macchiato, flat white, cappuccino, cafe latte. Or I could serve the coffee black, if you prefer.” Cissnei was confident in her skills for these. She had served Tseng and the others quite well when energies were low. [break][break] “I can bring you some food too. A whole sampler tray, even. How does that sound?” [break][break]
The warmth of the nearby hearth soaked slowly into Ignis’ chilled bones, chasing away his anxieties bit by bit as the calm and relaxed atmosphere tempted him. He still sat rigidly, unsure of how to present himself to the woman who had saved his life. How thoughtless he was, to ask her for her time while she was working. Cissnei, on the other hand, seemed all too happy to oblige him. Maybe she was just as relieved to see him, as he was to hear her voice.
How often was it, that two strangers found one another in this world more than one time, by chance? Surely rarely; Zephon was a very large place, or so Iggy had been led to believe. That he would have somehow found his savior deep into the cold and busy city of Sonora, after living in the warmer west city of Provo for some time, it was … Chance. Nothing but lucky chance.
Cissnei let him know that she would be closing up for a break soon, and the blonde worried his bottom lip with his teeth, hoping she simply wasn’t shutting down because of him. He would have hated to inconvenience her in such a way.
Thankfully, he was distracted from the deluge of more anxiety by Cissnei’s kindness. She offered him a variety of coffee and espresso options, the confidence in her skills evident in her suggestions. Ignis put on a small, thankful smile and simply asked for exactly what he’d been craving for weeks, “All of those sound quite lovely, but I’d really enjoy a black coffee right now.”
Before he could argue that she didn’t need to bother herself with bringing him a variety of foods -- which would be a lie, of course, he was starving -- Cissnei was off to procure what she’d offered him. Ignis waited patiently at the table, sighing quietly to himself as he sank back into the sturdy chair. The air was warm, perhaps even stuffy when the door wasn’t opened frequently, but it was charming. The quiet buzz of activity, the tantalizing aroma of coffee beans and teas. It was the definition of relaxation for Ignis Scientia, who spent his precious, little free time in his own world at coffee shops and cafes, catching up on the local buzz while enjoying his coffee and occasional treat.
It was a lovely way to begin the day, planning out his various ventures, stops, chores and meetings.
And it all seemed … So very, very far away, now.
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
[attr="class","crashBody"] She studied the man as he seemed to worry his lip. Had she done something to bother him? It could be thought about later. “Black coffee it is.” She felt a cold draft as a couple left after finishing their coffee and lounging. Cissnei called a polite thank and goodbye to them before they left. She stood up proper and gave a wave. A cheerful smile on her lips. [break][break] Could she really do this? This seemed slightly outside of her skillset. Running businesses should be left to those who were trained for it. She had only been trained to serve them. Coffee was easy. Baked goods? Cissnei was used to rations or the occasional restaurant. Baking and cooking required time and attention she didn’t usually have to dedicate. [break][break] Before Ignis could protest, she moved to the backroom to acquire what she promised. She got the coffee to begin its drip in the back. Then she set to work on the pastries. There were small cakes with faces. She didn’t remember drawing faces. Did that one just wink at her? Must be her imagination. Some were chocolate chip cookies...that seemed to have some to have a dark aura to it? Maybe the chocolate chips were just reflecting the light. And this flan here. The color seemed too dark and it seemed to be jiggling on its own. Nah. It was just her bumping it, she was positive. The scones were slightly too hard. She felt it smack onto the tray with a rocky thud. Surely the coffee could soften it up. Condiments were placed on the side - jam, marmalade, honey. [break][break] The coffee was done by time she was done loading the platter. [break][break] Before he could argue that she didn’t need to bother herself with bringing him a variety of foods -- which would be a lie, of course, he was starving -- Cissnei was off to procure what she’d offered him. Ignis waited patiently at the table, sighing quietly to himself as he sank back into the sturdy chair. The air was warm, perhaps even stuffy when the door wasn’t opened frequently, but it was charming. The quiet buzz of activity, the tantalizing aroma of coffee beans and teas. It was the definition of relaxation for her customers, whom spent precious, little free time in their own world at coffee shops and cafes, catching up on the local buzz while enjoying a coffee and occasional treat. [break][break] She pushed through the kitchen door, hip first. She gingerly walked to his table and carefully put down the tray on the table. She placed the coffee nearest him first. She knew her skills in coffee making were quite exceptional. She kept the tray near, and made sure to place it audibly for him to find it. “Enjoy.” She said softly. “The coffee should help warm you up too. It’s bitter outside, but the conveniences of Sonora make it tolerable.”
The soft bump of a body against a light door broke Ignis of his train of ever depressing thoughts. He could hear Cissnei’s footsteps across the floor, the sound of items on a metal tray. He kept his unseeing gaze on the table, however, as items were placed near him. His hands stayed politely folded in his lap, until each item had found its place. The first she’d set down for him had certainly been the coffee, if the aroma was anything to guess by.
Told to enjoy, Iggy was sure that he would. How long had it been since he’d had a simple, delicious cup of coffee? He smiled and uttered a polite, “thank you”, before reaching forward to find the warm cup of coffee. He bumped the ceramic gently with his fingers, before carefully grasping the handle of the mug. Iggy brought it close, inhaling the delicious aroma. Before tasting it, he could tell that it was a dark roast, full-bodied, with a hint of spice. Smiling to himself, he took a cautious sip.
Ah, delectable! Even just a subtle sip of the hot beverage brought a warmth to his fingertips that had been missing for quite some time. Ignis allowed himself another long sip, feeling his shoulders relax. It truly was simply that; tasty. While it wasn’t Ebony, the coffee was good in its own right.
Ignis wished that he could ignore the tray of food. It seemed so very rude to eat something given to him out of the goodness of Cissnei’s heart, while other customers had paid expressly for what they wanted. Yet, it was already here, unable to be given away to anyone else now that it had been presented to him. He would have to find a way to pay her back, in some form.
A mixture of scents came from the tray, mostly that of confectionary sugar. However, he also detected a hint of something acrid … Perhaps, something that had baked for just a smidge too long. Ignis wasn’t sure who was baking the goods here at the cafe, but maybe he could speak to them afterwards with either compliments or concerns. A curious hand found the tray, as he cautiously touched what lay within. A cookie, something soft and jiggling (jello, or flan maybe?), a small cake, and what felt like a scone.
Iggy took the scone and went to break off the corner, intending to just try a bit with his coffee. Yet the pastry was oddly … resistant. It took entirely too much power from his hand to break off just a small piece. Oh, no, that was quite concerning. Taking his coffee into his left hand, the former-daily-chef prepared to soak the scone if need be.
He popped the bit of pastry into his mouth.
Oh, by the gods, no. It didn’t crumble, it crunched. The longer it sat in his mouth, the more apparent that was far from the only thing that was wrong with it. The texture was atrocious, but so was the flavor. Iggy quickly took a sip from his coffee to help the wronged baked good soften, painfully swallowing it once it was sufficiently chewed. What … flavor was that supposed to even be? Pure, solid, rock?
If only the bad luck ended there. Each bite of each pastry made Ignis’s hair stand on end. The cookie was burnt and tough, the chocolate chips entirely too bitter for an already acrid batter. The small hand cake seemed to be filled with baking soda, yet dense as a puck. The frosting was oily and it seemed the texture would never leave his tongue. The flan was … of nightmares. How could something be so soft and gritty at the same time!?
Ignis leaned on his coffee in an attempt to get through the taste test from hell. However, once the cup was empty, he dared not take another bite of anything.
But good lord, what did he say!? What could he do!? He didn’t want to insult the chef, and yet …
Well, he was insulted on the food’s behalf.
As Ignis detected Cissnei’s footsteps nearby, he cleared his throat to get her attention. And, well, dislodge a bit of terrible cookie crumble.
“I’m sorry to force you over here once more,” Iggy stated, truly apologetic as he placed his empty cup to the side, “I was wondering if it would be alright to ask for another cup of coffee?”
There was an awkward silence for a split moment, as he debated how to proceed, “And … perhaps a word with your chef, if possible.”
But its too late, to go back. I can see the darkness, through the cracks. Daylight fading, I curse the breaking. The day is gone.
[attr="class","crashBody"] Cissnei stepped away to allow him to enjoy his drink and pastries. It would be impolite to stand and stare after all. Instead, she took her time to clear the tables of dishes the other patrons left. Though, she couldn’t help but peek over her shoulder to see that he seemed to be enjoying the coffee. Satisfied, she went into the backroom to place the dirtied dishes in the sink. She washed her hands in the sink and pushed back out into the main lobby. [break][break] She took note that Ignis appeared a little disturbed. Her eyes went to the table. His coffee was empty. That must have been to his taste. But the pastries all had a bite in it, and none were quite finished. Was that miasma of murderous intent? Did the pastries now have feelings to end those who disturbed them? [break][break]
Oh. That was absolutely preposterous. Cissnei made them with ‘love’ from her black heart. [break][break] Before she could ask if he required anything more, he was already speaking a polite apology. She shook her head and smiled, “Please. It’s my pleasure to serve.” He asked for another cup of coffee. “Of course, I will bring you another. Did you want the same king?” She leaned down to remove his cup and placed it on her tray. She was about to turn and leave when she noticed he seemed to hesitantly have something more to say. [break][break] She shifted her weight and hummed thoughtfully. “I am the baker…” She said, shaking her head. “I can tell from what’s left of the pastries that they are not up to par.” She shook her head, “It seems I have many talents. Baking is not one of them, which is why I have not fully opened the cafe.” She had hoped this would be a more relaxed job, but perhaps she bit off more than she could chew. Literally. [break][break] She gave a soft sigh at the thought. “Oh. Let me get your coffee.” She said softly and walked away to ponder what she was to do. She let the coffee brew, as she did her best to ponder if this business was worth keeping. But cafes were hubs of information and socializing. She was hard pressed to let it go immediately. [break][break] Once the coffee had finished, she brought him a new mug. And she placed it in front of him with a smile. “Here you are. I promise this won’t try to kill you.” She sheepishly teased.
