Welcome! I'm a newcomer myself, but an old player of FFXI as well (and one who's spent a lot of time in Windurst listening to Shantoto laugh whilst trying to become a right proper summoner, at that. >_O) I hope to catch you in character one day!
"Bran thought about it. 'Can a man still be brave if he's afraid?'
                                -George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones