Hey hey 👋
I wanted to ask your opinion on a vague idea that semi goes against cannon. I'm writing an OC that's a Male Rava viera wood warder who encounters another wood warder, but after some time they end up forming a brotherly familiar bond that they keep secret up until the Garleans burning the golmore jungle where one of them die. I'm told very often that'd it never happen since they're so feral it'd be impossible to form any kind of bond in that way, but I just wanted to throw it out there as one of those "one in a million" chance exceptions :)
People are so weird about Viera... I really want to quickly answer this one and maybe put a few concerns to rest.
First off, Viera men aren't violent, feral loners killing everyone who steps foot into Golmore. A lot of this stems from early lore we got from the Wandering Dramaturge, who ultimately, turned out to be an incredibly unreliable narrator because once we actually met Viera, they were nothing like he told us. He's a Garlean, we probably shouldn't take him at his word over actual Viera.
So, let's get into dismantling some things:
Viera Naming Conventions - Male-specific Rava Surnames: “Male Rava inhabit the forest surrounding the village in which female members of their clan reside, forming a sort of perimeter in defense of both the wood and its people. They believe that their purpose is to maintain the natural balance of the six elements in their dual polarities─to ensure harmony between the twelve aspects that comprise our star and the heavens above. In accordance with this philosophy, each Rava surname begins with a syllable to represent either the celestial realm (Djt) or the worldly realm (Rehw), followed by a word that represents one elemental aspect within it. It is believed that those sharing a realm or an element possess a bond that grants them insight into one another’s minds, and as such are wont to join forces when the need for collaboration arises. Further rumors suggest that the Rava consider it necessary that all twelve different surnames be present among the Wood-warders’ ranks at any given time to ensure the forest’s safety and, should any be unaccounted for, will rename a member with a close affinity to said surname to fill the open spot.”
Loifa: "…I was born with a disease of the lungs. As I grew, so too did it worsen, until I had but a few moons left to live. It was then that Guildivain appeared before us. Before me and my master. With the wisdom of Sharlayan he could cure me, he said. Having believed for so long that I never had a chance, I wasn't sure how to feel, but my master was…overjoyed. And seeing that joy… For the first time I wanted to live. For him. For me." Loifa: "You know, I used to dream about the future I knew I’d never see. About overcoming my illness and protecting the forest as a Wood-warder, as is the duty of Viera men. I wanted to repay my people for not giving up on me. My tribe and my master."
Naming conventions says directly that Viera men will form bonds and collaborate with others sharing their name. And Loifa from the Sage quests directly challenges a few popular notions about Viera: 1) that they lack community, 2) that outsiders are killed on sight by Wood-warders when we ourselves have been to the very heart of Golmore, and 3) that Viera are exiled and cannot return if they step a toe beyond the borders of their wood. Which is something also challenged by Fran multiple times during the Ivalice questline itself.
So you should absolutely play a Viera who has bonds and attachments to others, brotherly, platonically, romantically, or otherwise. Because it's not just lore compliant - it's more importantly just better storytelling and less dehumanizing than playing into harmful tropes that treat tribal peoples like they're "feral" animals. (Hell! Even animals form bonds with others.)
If you'd like to learn more about what Viera lore we do have, I have a post here about them! Bear in mind, this post has lore from the Wandering Dramaturge and Jenomis, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be taken with a grain of salt when confronted by actual Viera who offer us their own firsthand accounts. At the end of the day, no culture - even a fictional one - is a monolith.
Hope this helps!
