Jarlaxle, At Your Service

There are reasons for things that a casual observer might not understand.

[jarlaxlebaenre]

{ Source. }

[otp-jartemis]

Reposting this because I haven’t noticed all this time that the original post and all of its reblogs were nuked by Tumblr’s Dec 2017 purge. This was one of my earliest Jartemis works, it’s a pretty rough and sketchy piece but it was ok for what it was for.

The Scar

The searing light from a nearby bolt of lightning blasts into the unremarkable room. It is as if the room were being recreated in this overwhelming wave of illumination, though it lingers for only a single  heartbeat. During that most ephemeral moment, colorless tones and dull shapes surge into sharp relief, birthing themselves from the gray-toned indistinct outlines previously visible to darkvision, violently erupting into poignant hues exaggerated by the blindingly white light. Within a breath, all fades back into the gray, yet that tranfigurational moment was enough for the drow to ascertain what he’d previously wondered at with delicate ebony fingers.

“That scar,” he marvels with a soft gasp, “Is that from–”

The resigned man’s sigh halts his words as surely as if the human had shot up a hand to clasp the black throat. “Yes, inside Crenshinibon,” the weary voice replies. Although he fears what he may see, curiosity compells Jarlaxle to look up and consider his abbil’s visage, whereupon he discerns the barest hint of a self-deprecating smile on the otherwise plaintive features.

“A fine throw,” Entreri adds in a whisper so hushed that the despair-struck mercenary would have bet on all eight of Lolth’s legs that had the assassin spoken the words instead, his voice would almost certainly have broken.

[jarlaxlebaenre]

Hope you get to get sunlight on your face as spring approaches. Try to have a happy spring!

{ Hello kind stranger, thank you for the nice message. :-) I’ve been making sure that I don’t neglect exercising and receiving a regular dose of sunshine vitamins. ;-P Hope that you’re having a happy spring as well. }

[jarlaxlebaenre]

Glad to see you logged in at the very least and alive. Have a pretend hug if you accept. Sometimes taking care of other things can give you something to...I don't know the word for it. I hope the pain fades quickly and you are right. I don't know your mate, but he/she would not want you to spend your in despair. It is perfectly alright to grieve, that is perfectly okay! No one is mad at you for that, if they are it is worry. Please take care of yourself. You do not have to respond to this.

{ Greetings friend, thank you for the kind message, and many apologies for the very late reply. Each time that I think that I’m going to restore my presence, it hasn’t quite worked out. ;-/ 

I wish that I could say more, but I’m afraid that words are escaping me at the moment. Your message is very touching, and I thank you for that, but the wound still feels very fresh, and I think it will for a long time yet. I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness and hope that you’ll forgive me for such a late response. Even though you stated that a response wasn’t necessary, the least I can do is to acknowledge your kindness, and I wish that I could reciprocate it in some way. }

[jarlaxlebaenre]

Hey, it’s Kryssie. It’s just me, but I’m glad you’re back Jarly. Hope you’re holding up ok and that this week is kind to you, friend.

{ Hello my dear! It’s great to hear from you. I’ve been reading your messages, and am very sorry that, more often than not, I’ve not been up to responding. ;-/ I can’t promise that I’m “back”, but I’ll give it my best shot. I hope that you’re doing ok as well. <3 }

[cunninginstinct]

jarlaxlebaenre​:

The wizard’s “Gah!” nearly causes Jarlaxle to burst into laughter, but he suppresses the bout by reminding himself that the moon elf’s ears are as sharp as his – in both ways! The mercenary doesn’t stop himself from grinning however, at least not as long as Sand’s still squinting. A few blinks before the shopkeeper finishes flushing Jarlaxle’s first attack out of his eyes, the drow has already drawn in the corners of his mouth and turned them downwards. Ruby eyes wide, even moistened, in a facsimile of a forest doe’s gaze couples with a heartbroken pout stand ready with his second assault of Sand’s restored vision.

“A ‘critique or two’ is all that you have for me?” the drow laments, his voice trembling. “After I put on this fine attire and suffered through the many, many scathing gazes of those who’d rather not suffer a disgusting drow in their fair city, enduring all the while, sustained by the notion that my good friend Sand would make it all worthwhile?”

“Your good friend Sand suggests an occupation in a lighthouse,” replied the moon elf flippantly, still rubbing his eyes with one hand. “Why, you would be a welcome sight to all sailors.” He shook his head slightly, blinking the last of the temporary daze away. “Otherwise, the outfit… though that description is too kind… is an assassination of good taste and does not do your natural features justice.”

Raising his eyebrows, he tapped a finger to his chin. “Are you certain that the reactions of others were based solely on unfair stigmas, with nothing at all due to your… ‘dazzling’ garb, as it were?”

[jarlaxlebaenre]

The mercenary emits a sniffle and rubs both of his eyes. He holds out his hands, moving them ever so slightly so that the moisture on his palms from rubbing his eyes is visible. “What are you implying, my dear Sand? That I sully the name of my kind, rather than the other way around?”

[cunninginstinct]

open

[cunninginstinct]

jarlaxlebaenre​:

“-Beautiful?” Jarlaxle volunteers with a broad smile. Holding his arms out wide, the mercenary turns in place, treating the wizard to another eyeful of his latest raiment. Admittedly, it’s still a work in progress, and the entire thing might be scrapped depending on the reactions that he’d collect, but that doesn’t stop him from carrying on as though none of that were the case.

With just a partial thought, not even a full mental command, the fabric shimmers – or, rather, “shimmer” is perhaps too mild a term for what actually occurs. The array of colors that’s normally restricted to his cloak covers his entire form, and as he moves, each color flashes so brightly that it is as though a classroom of enthusiastic wizardly students were practicing Color Spray simultaneously. The effect is especially pronounced in the moon elf’s shop, as the drow had hoped it would be; Sand’s meticulous efforts at polishing the glass of all of his display cases makes the colors reflects and refracts so marvelously. Hells, even the wooden floorboards and countertops bounce the lights back so delightfully. Jarlaxle really has to give it to the shopkeeper, this is looking so much better than he’d expected!

Gods, where to begin with this gaudy abomination of fashion. Sand pressed his curled fingers against his frown. Nevermind the gathering storm of commentary in his mind, Sand hadn’t seen anything yet. Nor will he after, it would appear.

Sand flinched away from the glittery assault and took an involuntary step backwards, raising his arm to shield his squinting eyes. “Gah!” The brilliance invaded every angle around them, nowhere was safe. Even through his eyelids he saw the haunting glitter of the outfit waiting for him.

When at last it seemed safe to open his eyes again, Sand blinked about a dozen times. Still the vague sparkle across his vision persisted. Swaying slightly, he blinked some more and felt around for the counter so he could clutch it like an anchor. “If you were hoping for me to tell you how it looks on you,” the moon elf managed to utter, “your outfit effectively defeats the attempt. Perhaps I’ll have a… well, a critique or two… when my vision returns in full.”

[jarlaxlebaenre]

The wizard’s “Gah!” nearly causes Jarlaxle to burst into laughter, but he suppresses the bout by reminding himself that the moon elf’s ears are as sharp as his -- in both ways! The mercenary doesn’t stop himself from grinning however, at least not as long as Sand’s still squinting. A few blinks before the shopkeeper finishes flushing Jarlaxle’s first attack out of his eyes, the drow has already drawn in the corners of his mouth and turned them downwards. Ruby eyes wide, even moistened, in a facsimile of a forest doe’s gaze couples with a heartbroken pout stand ready with his second assault of Sand’s restored vision.

“A ‘critique or two’ is all that you have for me?” the drow laments, his voice trembling. “After I put on this fine attire and suffered through the many, many scathing gazes of those who’d rather not suffer a disgusting drow in their fair city, enduring all the while, sustained by the notion that my good friend Sand would make it all worthwhile?”

[jarlaxlebaenre]

Hi!!! I'm so happy to see you on!! I hope you are doing well!!! Gives hugs!!

{ Hello there! Thank you so much for the warm greeting and the hugs, they are both very much appreciated. :-) }

[jarlaxlebaenre]

Is it hard coming on here and seeing posts/asks about it and being reminded? Hope you are well.

{ Hello friend, thank you for the well wishes. :-) Your question is two separate ones; there isn’t ever a moment that I’m not aware of his loss, that I’m not acutely feeling the pain of him no longer being here. It’s not possible to remind me, as I’m never forgetting. I assume that’s what you were referring to, I apologize if I assumed incorrectly. ;-/

It has been and it is difficult to come on here, but it is difficult to go anywhere or to do anything. I will continue to try to though, because he wouldn’t have wanted me to just wallow in grief, and even in my sorry state I can’t abide having those that I care about worrying for me and leaving them hanging. It brought me a great amount of joy to meet and look after our little community, and I hope that I’ll be able to do it again one day. }

[jarlaxlebaenre]

I hope you have a better year this start of the New Year. Take care of yourself please. ~Buck

{ Happy New Year to you, my dear friend! ;-) A better year would be good, it’s much needed. I’ll do my best to look after myself, you be a good Buck and do the same, aye? ;-P }

[cunninginstinct]

open

“As much as I take pleasure in my ability to wax sardonic and make verbal jabs, this is where I finally become at a loss for words. I hope you feel accomplished, it’s not often at all that I encounter something… something so–”

[jarlaxlebaenre]

“-Beautiful?” Jarlaxle volunteers with a broad smile. Holding his arms out wide, the mercenary turns in place, treating the wizard to another eyeful of his latest raiment. Admittedly, it’s still a work in progress, and the entire thing might be scrapped depending on the reactions that he’d collect, but that doesn’t stop him from carrying on as though none of that were the case.

With just a partial thought, not even a full mental command, the fabric shimmers -- or, rather, “shimmer” is perhaps too mild a term for what actually occurs. The array of colors that’s normally restricted to his cloak covers his entire form, and as he moves, each color flashes so brightly that it is as though a classroom of enthusiastic wizardly students were practicing Color Spray simultaneously. The effect is especially pronounced in the moon elf’s shop, as the drow had hoped it would be; Sand’s meticulous efforts at polishing the glass of all of his display cases makes the colors reflects and refracts so marvelously. Hells, even the wooden floorboards and countertops bounce the lights back so delightfully. Jarlaxle really has to give it to the shopkeeper, this is looking so much better than he’d expected!

[jarlaxlebaenre]

Open Starter

Although the sun is long from setting, the One-Eyed Jax is already bustling. Even so, patrons continue to enter the establishment at such a steady rate that the front door spends more time open than closed. The nature of the tavern's clientele doesn't differ much from other such establishments along the Sword Coast, yet there's something particular about the atmosphere in this place. Perhaps it has something to do with the ostentatious figure sitting at the bar, clad in fine materials and bright colors. Yet, unlike others who can afford to dress similarly, this individual does not shy away from at times literally rubbing elbows with the significantly courser patrons surrounding him. Laughing, bantering, and even at times clanging his fancy glass against the others' wooden tankards, among other things, it's quite the wonder that this person's enormous purple hat doesn't so much as clip anyone. Even more curiously, he appears to detect your entrance over the loud merrymaking hoots and bawdy songs, even though the commotion all but drowns out the creaking of the door and the sound of your footsteps. Turning about in his stool, he greets you with the smile that one normally lavishes upon a good friend, and hails you with a hearty wave.

[boloa-el]

i had a sudden need to draw Jarlaxle

[jarlaxlebaenre]

Hi I don't know you that well. But I saw your post my mom had the virus and is still not completely better yet. I just wanted to offers hugs!!!💞💞💞💞💞💞 A lot of them. So hugs you!

{ Greetings! Thank you so much for the hugs! :-) I apologize for taking so long to respond, I’ve not been able to find the energy to sign on. ;-\ I hope that your mom is all right and has recovered in the interim. }

[jarlaxlebaenre]

Hey now, try not be to hard on yourself. You must take care of yourself before you help others. You've been here for us, to the ones you trust, let them be there for you. I am glad you're still around and I am very sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you both will be reunited when that time comes and you both will have lots of deep belly laughs of the best kind. Know it is not your fault. I know these are just words on a screen, changes nothing. I hope this will be the last bad thing. Buck

{ Greetings, Buck! It’s good to hear from you. :-) I apologize for taking literally months to respond to your message. I told myself that I’d get back in the habit of getting on more frequently, but alas, we see how well that’s worked out. ;-P

Thank you, truly. Your thought does mean something to me. This isn’t the first time that I’ve lost someone so precious to me, and I can’t help but feel that it’s even more difficult the second time around. And though it feels like now that my entire world is gone, I’ve gotten through it once before, so I suppose logic dictates that I will again. Take care of yourself my dear friend, and I hope nothing bad befalls you or your loved ones during these uncertain times. <3 }

[jarlaxlebaenre]

An update of a sort

{ Hello all, I apologize for my sudden disappearance. The past three months have been a painful conclusion to an awful roller coaster ride that began with the car collision I was involved in in 2018. With my immune system severely weakened from the toll that incident took on me, despite being very careful, I caught the virus. I managed to recover from it, but my partner did not. He contracted it from me whilst taking care of me, and he didn’t recover. 

I’m sorry for not having been able to be here for those of you that I promised I’d always be here for. I wanted to isolate myself forever. Those urges are still very much present and very strong, but with the current situation in the US, as a white man born into a privileged family, I can no longer simply isolate myself to continue doing nothing but licking my wounds.

In a way, it feels like I’m learning to walk with just one leg all over again. I’ll try not to lean too much on any of you. Please don’t let my troubles deter you from coming to me for support. I’d always been strengthened by being able to help you, this is no different. }

[jarlaxlebaenre]

{ Hope you are doing alright! I am doing well and making progress towards my degree. I am in a better place than I was, except for this corona virus lockdown. I hope you are staying safe and are doing well. ~Buck/Windsong. }

{ Hi Buck, good to hear from you. :-) That’s wonderful about your degree, I’m very glad for you. For better or worse, I’m still here, but the same can’t be said about my other half. Please take good care of yourself, I hope that you and your loved ones stay safe. }