Setting The Record Straight As A Nekaiyo's Tail!!!
Q: When and where are are the Nekaiyo first encountered in Exenia's main questline??A: A brave Exenian can encounter them at any time should they feel proud enough to attempt to dive into the oceans of Exenia before the ocean biome really opens up! :-] The intended first time that the Nekaiyo are intended to be encountered in the main questline are at the beginning of the Call of the Tides expansion, which can be accessed anytime immediately after completing Lighttakers. Simply follow the main quest marker in Arcsa and speak to the furry-eared friend in the Main Hall to begin Call of the Tides!
Q: When can I make a Nekaiyo character of my own?A: After completing the Call of the Tides questline you can create a very Nekaiyo of your own!! It's entirely possible to replay through CotT as a Nekaiyo and garner more insight and hidden information as to the lore of the Nekaiyo firsthand without having to worry about getting poor secondhand information or relying entirely on hearsay. It'll help you stand out from the homogenized presence of humans and half-demons that dominate Exenia's landscape nowadays... though I suppose I'm a bit biased. :]
Q: What classes can Nekaiyo play?A: All of them! From the simple Swordsman to the uber-complex Healreaver, a Nekaiyo can do them all, complete with dualclassing. ^_^ Not only that, but they get a unique Subnat sub-class that allows underwater combat and special moves that change from class to class. For example: my character Ulna is a Zweihand swordswoman and when fighting underwater she can cast unique hitscan attacks such as Torrential Slash or cast Typhoon as an AOE disorientation move. Most notable of all, Nekaiyo are able to move underwater without ever expending Tension and have their cooldowns last less than twice as much, though the Catharsis magic system is still employed like normal. Curious how Aetheral Conjurers can cast fire and electric magic underwater, but that's the magic of Exenia. :]
Q: Can Nekaiyo have hair colors beyond white?A: Popular misconception since Istola, the main character of the Call of the Tides questline, has been cursed with bright red hair as a result of her long-running feud with the Wavebeast Prime - but this doesn't mean normal players can have non-white hair, and wouldn't want it either as Ishtola is outcast because of how visible her curse is!! At the conclusion of the main quest Ishtola has the curse lifted by the death of Wavebeast Prime and her hair returns to a normal, pure white color, just like every other Exenia character. ^-^
