Kaidu Kha

| Balmung | Tribesman of the Dusk Spear | Lovable Idiot |

[old-dzo-chaser]

Moved to -> dzo-chaser

I realized that I wanted Kaidu’s blog to be completely separate from my personal art blog, so I made a new account with the same user. I’ll keep this one up under old-dzo-chaser. Feel free to follow me on the same tag!

[dusk-spear-rp]

Festival of Nhaama

What:  The Festival of Nhaama

Where: Reunion on Balmung

When: November 16th

Time: 8 PM EST

Seeking: Vendors, Performers, and Assistants with the events

For the first time ever The Dusk-Spear Alliance will be hosting a Xaela themed festival in the Azim Steppes. In an attempt to foster relations not just between competing tribes but non-Xaela as well, the Alliance is running a host of events during the Festival. Additionally there will be spaces for both Vendors to sell their wares and Performers to put on a show. This will not be a Xaela only event, people and Free Companies are more than welcome to both participate or volunteer.

We are currently looking for volunteers to help out. We have slots open to assist with Archery and Horseback Riding, as well as open stalls for Vendors and spots for performers. If you wish to assist with anything in the event please contact either @a-wanderers-sorrow or @foofmastaflex.

Bokh

The Bokh tournament will have sixteen open slots for fighters to participate. Bokh is a traditional form of wrestling for Mongolians/Xaelas. Prior to the match the participants will perform a dance of respect for their opponents. During the match no part of the body other than the foot may touch the ground, and the first to force their opponent to do so wins. These fights will be overseen by the Kete Sunir, the Khan of the Dusk-Spear Tribe. The rules will be simple. As this is a wrestling match there will be no weapons, magic, use of wildlife, or dirty fighting allowed. This is a test of strength and honor and should be fought as such. ((We will be using Grindstone rules so the first to three wins and knocks their opponent to the ground.))

Archery

Competition Archery for the event will be handled by traditional Mongolian/Xaela rules. Sixteen archers will be allowed to compete in this competition and will be given four arrows per set. Each set will consist of four rounds during which a wall of surs will be set up in front of the Archers. The surs will be wooden cylinders stacked three high with one pillar per archer, standing approximately eight ilms tall. Archers will receive points based on how many surs they knock out of the wall each round. After all four rounds the four highest scoring archers of each group from the first set will move on to a second set and repeat. From the second set the four winners will move on to a final set, at which point the highest scoring archer will be declared the winner.

Horseback Racing

The third and final competition that will be held during the Festival will be Horseback Racing. The race will start from the Northern gate of Reunion and run the entire length of the Azim Steppes with four checkpoints throughout, and finishing when passing through the Southern gate of Reunion. Each checkpoint will have an obstacle the the riders will have to bypass before moving on to the next. The first racer to make it through the finish gate wins.

Sign ups:

Sign ups for each of the events will begin on October 1st and End on October 31st at 11:59 PM EST. Any participants beyond the number allowed for each event will be listed as backups in case the initial sign ups do not show to the event.

The Festivities will start with an Opening Ceremony by the Dusk-Spear Tribe at 8 PM EST and the contests will start at 9 PM EST. After the open ceremony ends vendors will be free to sell their wares and performances will also start.

An official event document will be posted as we get closer to the date. Again if you wish to volunteer to be a vendor, performer, or to assist with one of the competitions please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

Tagging for visibility! @mooglemeet @balmungrp

[old-dzo-chaser]

Hey! I’m a part of <SPEAR> and I recommend coming out! It’s hosted by some awesome, creative, and friendly folks - they’ve certainly made my FFXIV RP experience a blast!

[oikws]

for #redrawinosuke

i love this feral, illiterate boy

[old-dzo-chaser]

prompt 18 // wilt

( I really am slacking, but I blame school. Sorry! )

On one of the Dazkar clan migrations, Kaidu painstakingly found a blooming safflower, one that he learned that could dye brilliant yellow hues from drying it out.

But the idea of letting such a beautiful flower wilt away? The young boy reviled an inkling of death for such a tiny plant. Instead, he’d try his best to keep the flower alive for the entire journey.

To his dismay, he failed right as they had made their home for the wintering months. Saddened, he’d abandon the dead flower in the corner of the family ger.

One day, his father knelt to him, exchanging a small cloth that was of the brightest of yellows, wiping tears away with gentle pressure. His voice was soft like the caressing, cool winds of the summer evenings,

“<Sometimes, you can create beautiful things out of ugly things.>”

Kaidu still keeps the shred of cloth tied to his belt to this day.

[old-dzo-chaser]

Kaidu Kha, Idiot of the Steppes, Tribesman of the Dusk Spear Alliance

Commission piece by halfricecooker on Artists&Clients

He has a carrd, too, if you’re interested to learn more about my boy!

[old-dzo-chaser]

prompt 11 // snuff

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

(( Been dealing with school and some personal issues but I’m back! I’ll make up the other two eventually :) Still contains some snippets of Kha headcanon, too! ))

One by one, the Kha Udgan’s candles, all that took precious time for the tight jawed and aging limbs of the shaman to do, was simply snuffed out at the snap of one’s fingers. Except, they just were snuffed out in thin air.

It would be the first time Kaidu had come in contact with the Kha Kami, Kaga-tsuchi, the patron god of flames.

A hand snapped across the back of Kaidu’s neck, and he heard a prompt and directed whisper through his horn,

“<Bow you idiot!>”

He turned his head to face the puzzled expression of his fellow herdsman and merchants, each with bright limbaled gazes that echoed the same sentiment.

He bowed.

The Udgan began with a low, singing tone to address the presence of the Kami. Kaidu had noticed that her voice almost had a sad quality to it, which also reflected in her meditative stance near the back of the ger. She also spoke in native Hingan, to which Kaidu didn’t really know other than a few words that his fellow herdsman had offered him in reward of a good day’s work.

“- Kaaaaga-tsuuuuuchi, your severed hand has spoken, and you do not bless these men with safe passage to your fallen domain?-”

Kaidu immediately felt the glare of his twelve compatriots, all of whom let out a low grumble of disappointment,

“<I didn’t know->”

The low voice of the Udgan rose to a heated pitch to interrupt Kaidu’s outburst as she channeled the last words of the Kami through her lips,

“-He seeks an offering,- <an offering!>”

Kaidu really didn’t understand the idea of what he’d be offering a god that was supposedly split into eight pieces for killing his mother, but he couldn’t help but share an odd and secretive kinship with the Kami, though he’d never voice and think of it often.

Though, he wasn’t keen with knowing what the Kami wanted in exchange for a blessing.

Hopefully it didn’t involve cutting him up, or ritual burning. He paled and nervously slapped his tail against the floor awaiting the Udgan’s direction.

Hopefully not.

[old-dzo-chaser]

prompt 8 // galloping horses

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

I’m a good student, so here’s an extra credit piece!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImlR4HNTLPc <- The song Kaidu is playing in this piece.

Kicked back and shaded from the harsh Thanalan sun and heat, the Xaelan cradled a horse-headed fiddle, the Morin Khuur, in his lap.

His attire lay minimal and his exposed chest was covered with a fine sheen of sweat. In one hand he fingered lightly at the dual strings of the fiddle, and the other held aloft a bow at the base.

Kaidu Kha began to pluck at the strings lightly, dragging a nail down one string whilst drawing the bow across to produce a high-pitched horse like whinny before breaking into a full song.

It was clear that he had experience with the instrument, deftly working his way through the folk song with ease.

As he played, his attention alone was drawn only to his playing with the idle tapping of his scaled tail to match the beat.

He didn’t hum, nor mutter anything - he was completely entranced and detached from the world, complete with a satisfied look upon his face.

[old-dzo-chaser]

prompt 7 // forgiven

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

Kaidu only heard the rapid thudding of his heartbeat as he took off at a sprint. He swiveled his head to look behind him and he saw his wild, red haired mother staring back at him with Azim’s sacred flames burning in her gaze.

It only spurred him forward at a faster pace, his lungs feeling as if they were about to burst as he strained to run as fast as he could...

And then Kaidu found himself running off into a void, causing him to skid across an invisible floor until he tumbled over. Light grew in intensity as he dared to look behind him again.

“<I can never forgive you.. never forgiven..>” His mother was above him, her eyes now consumed by flame,

“<Your Father loves you, my lamb. But he didn’t deserve to be put to flames while he slept..>” She begun to combust into a shower of sparks, and then to a roaring flame that attempted to wash over Kaidu.

“<NO!>” Kaidu screeched out, shielding himself from the inferno that was his mother, blasting him to nothingness..

Kaidu awoke screaming in his room in the Haven, throwing himself from his bed and onto the floor as he rolled around to dispel the vivid dream.

“I didn’t think he was still in there.. I didn’t know.. Father, no..” Kaidu was sobbing, slamming his balled fists into the hardwood floor.

“Nhaama, help me..”

Kaidu spent his entire week away from his newfound tribe, returning only to say that he had riled up some Ishgardians and was in hiding.

[old-dzo-chaser]

prompt 6 // first steps

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

Timeline : 14 years ago

TW / Rating :  None, SFW

The arrival of spring was counted by the many shoots of plant life that had poked their heads up out of the thawing snow to catch spring’s first warming rays. It was a time of renewal within the clan of Dazkar, who had staked their claim at the base of a mountain for the long winter.

So, as the shoots were counted by the females that were allowed to leave the safety of the yurt, the men were tasked to dismantle their homes, and see the outside world for longer than a short span of time to travel to their next settlement for the summering months.

Kaidu’s first steps into a world that was being reclaimed by plant life was simply indescribable. To the heavens rending mountains that were capped with fresh snow, to the wide open plain still spotted with melting snow, and oh, the dancing shoots of grass that were gently swayed back and forth as the cooler, dying breath of winter kissed his round face. He looked upon the thawing winter with his eyes wide and mouth agape in awe.

For Kaidu, it cemented his favorite, childhood question:

“<Father? Why don’t we stay out here longer like the others?>”

“<This is the way of the Dazkar, Kaidu,>” Kaidu spun his head around at the voice that was not his father’s, but was a lighter tone instead, belonging to a fierce looking Xaela with glowing golden eyes. His mother. Kaidu hadn’t seen her too often due to her placement in the clan as a mounted warrior, but every time he saw her, he couldn’t help but smile at her wild hair that stuck up like a poofed up sheep.

“<You will be allowed to walk alongside your Father this year, too. The Khan has seen your strength within the home and has blessed your first steps into spring, my lamb.>”

“<Really?!>” Kaidu found himself jumping with joy, skipping across the large boulders that surrounded their home.

“<Watch yourself...>” She chided, looking at him with increased worry. She almost leapt out and grabbed the boy, but a nearby voice caught her attention before she did so. She looked down upon him with gentle eyes before she jogged off to join a group of tribeswomen that were preparing to ride ahead of the main group.

For Kaidu, this was as good as an answer he would always get for this question.

[old-dzo-chaser]

prompt 5 // vault

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

Timeline: Past, roughly 2 years ago. More of a headcanon entry about the sub-tribe of Kha that Kaidu spent time with.

Rating: SFW

“Unlike most of the Xaela, the Kha live on the fringes of the Xaela lands, actively seeking contact with non Auri peoples, introducing many aspects of those cultures into their own.“

Hospitality seemed to reign supreme within this splintered sub-tribe of the Kha. They had accepted the once-emaciated Kaidu with open arms, allowing him to earn his place within the herdsman of the tribe. Of course, for the Kha, trade with the outside world was king, and that was how they absorbed culture.

The culture that was primarily absorbed and practiced within the tribe followed the fabled Ruby Sea Kojin, to which they were on their way to meet for their yearly practice of blessing ritual objects and exchanging goods.

On one day, Kaidu was honored to meet the Kha’s “kami”, kept away in one of the vault-like ger that the tribe kept guarded at all times.

The tribe believes that the spirits of dormant kami reside in all manner of physical objects. Items such as combs, swords, branches, and even the dung of dzo could have the spirit of a kami or a revered ancestor residing within.

When women were to about to give birth, she could pick from any of the items within the vault to determine the child’s patron kami. Some even choose an item that will determine the child’s profession in life.

Of course, the tribe still believes in the tale of the creator gods of the Xaela, Nhaama and Azim, however, they believe that they are the only kami that cannot lie dormant within objects, as they have left this world to watch over their children.

All in all, Kaidu found their friendliness and adaptability to other outsider cultures to be a large influence for leaving the Steppe altogether.

[old-dzo-chaser]

prompt 4 // shifting blame

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

Timeline: Present

Ratings: SFW

“It wasn’t my fault!”

It would become a catchphrase for Kaidu when it came to whatever went wrong at the Haven.

Broken glass? Not his fault.

Dirty dishes? Not his fault.

Muddy footprints? Not his fault.

Destroying the downstairs tatami mats with water? Weeeell, it might’ve been the bucket’s fault but.. yeah, it was his fault.

Most of the things that went wrong in the tribe’s home had been of his wrong, and he was quick to shift blame to things that wouldn’t make sense. But Kaidu had noticed as of late that he admitted to every one of them, even to some little issues that he knew he hadn’t have done.

“What if they blame me for something serious, and I truly didn’t do it?” Kaidu muttered to himself one night before bed. “And if I deny it, will they urge me to stop it until I do say it was my fault?”

Perhaps that is why he has begun to admit his wrongs more freely as of late, and stop shifting blame.

[old-dzo-chaser]

prompt 3 // lost

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

Kaidu Dazkar had always felt lost ever learning that his tribe was an oddity.

“<Lost? Lost? Are you kidding me?>” Algadai let out a derisive snort and rolled his eyes, slamming an open palm against the table.

“<Next, you will tell me that you have a secret horse bride within the Goro because we do not marry horses! All tribes are different, but that doesn’t mean you go and leave your own because you believe you will fit in!>”

Algadai, Kaidu’s father, sat across from the adolescent with an almost tired expression on his face. His voice echoed and boomed as loud as the rain that pelted the yurt with increasing intensity. With one inhale from the pipe, he let the smoke ribbon out of his mouth before puffing as he spoke,

“<You are well aware of what lies outside the comfort of our yurt, Kaidu. The way of the fighter is not the Dazkar way. If anything, you would be lost and a poor fighter, if allowed!>”

“<I..s-still feel lost walking the way of the Dazkar. It doesn’t feel like the Xaela way,>” Kaidu mumbled out, breath hitched in his throat.

“<Don’t you DARE disrespect the way I have raised you, boy! I raised you the Dazkar way, and that is what you are!>” Algadai snarled out before he reached across the table and flung his open palm across Kaidu’s cheek, now looking completely enraged by his son’s deviating thoughts.

Kaidu sat there silent and shocked at his father’s sudden act of violence, rubbing his reddening cheek. His lips quivered as tears formed in the corners of his eyes.

Moments passed and Algadai sat back down, sighing loudly.

“<I will not have this discussion again. Go, boy, dinner needs to be prepared before your mother arrives back from scouting.. If you are lucky, I will not tell her.>”

[old-dzo-chaser]

prompt 2 // bargain

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

“...So, all in all, these shards are a bargain.”

Coin pouch in one hand, verdant green wind shards in the other, Kaidu mulled silently for a few moments to consider his purchase.

“A bargain,” Kaidu began, turning the crystal over in his palm. The overhead sun rays shone through the many fractals and planes within the palm sized shard as he tilted his hand back and forth.

“You mentioned you had wanted something that was of a Dragoon’s possession, and here we are,” cooed the lalafell merchant, who was covered head to toe in gaudy silks and glittering gold necklaces.

“I can regale you with the tale of Ser...” the merchant paused briefly, seemingly catching his breath, but moreso to think of a Elezen appropriate name, “Jandel..laine. Jandellaine!”

“Uh huh. What’s that gotta do with the shard and a Dragoon?”

“Well lad, you are looking at a priceless, in-training Dragoon artifact of a long dead knight!” The merchant leaned in closer to Kaidu’s hand, plucking the crystal away to hold up into the air like a newfound treasure.

“This here is tied to the, er..” A glance to Kaidu’s sandals and then back to the crystal, “..ankle, to help teach young Dragoons to jump high!”

Hook, line,

“I can jump high with those on my ankles?” Kaidu freed the string that shut his coin purse without any thought.

Sinker.

Kaidu Kha walked away from the merchant, more broke than he ever was, but he was in complete bliss knowing that he found the best bargain in Ul’dah.

[old-dzo-chaser]

prompt 1 // voracious

@sea-wolf-coast-to-coast

Streams of steam hit Kaidu’s face as he broke the soft dough layer of his Bituu Shul, a hearty steamed soup comprised of the leftovers of mutton, a variety of herbs and simple spices, and thin layers of dough that covered the top of the bowl. It would be enough to sate the most voracious of eaters.

A hand reached down to the scruff of the younger boy’s neck, pushing him ever so closer to the rim of his soup bowl.

“What did I tell you, boy?” The same hand reached back and pulled a thin shawl over Kaidu, trapping him with the rising steam that nearly scalded his face.

“Sit there and make sure you inhale it. We had to trade good stock for those herbs in it.” The hand was back on his neck, remaining firm before it eventually released.

“It will make you feel better.”

Kaidu flipped his head up, flinging beads of condensation and the shawl that covered him across the ger.

“Let me eat!”

“Boy!”

—

Streams of hot air fanned over a waking Kaidu. To dream about youth, and especially the fatigue and life saving meal that his father had made for him? What a nightmare.

The Xaelan man lied as a heated shamble of skin and bone, an emaciated form that was longing for death’s veil.

He had found that he had awoken with his hand firmly gripping the back of his neck, and he was lying face up in the middle of ancestors-knows-where.

“No,” he mumbled from dry, cracked lips, “I am away from Dazkar lands and that is what matters.”

It would take long, excruciating minutes for Kaidu to be back on his fatigued feet, searching towards the endless horizon. He knew that if he were to starve out here, his self-imposed exile would be for nothing.

[sea-wolf-coast-to-coast]

Prompt #1: Voracious

#FFxivWrite2019 is underway – a daily writing challenge presented to the Final Fantasy xiv writing community for the month of September!

I, @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast​, will post one new writing prompt daily at 12:00pm (noon) PST thru September 30th. Check back daily for the latest prompt.

See this post for rules and complete participation details. Don’t forget to tag @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast in your entries, use the tag #FFxivWrite2019, and include the prompt number in the title of your response. More about single word prompts here.

About the Writing Challenge || Prompt List || Entries so far

[old-dzo-chaser]

Hooray! My first time doing this and a 30 day writing challenge!

[sea-wolf-coast-to-coast]

FFxivWrite2019

FFxiv 30 Day Writing Challenge SEPTEMBER 1st - 30th, 2019

Welcome to YEAR 3 of our annual FFxiv 30 Day Writing Challenge, folks!

In 2017 we saw 2,451 written pieces ranging from three-lined haikus to multi-paged stories. 2018 ramped up even more with 3,641 written pieces! 

We are a merry band of prolific writers, FFxiv RP community, and I couldn’t be prouder of our willingness to challenge ourselves creatively, using our RP craft as inspiration. Let’s see how we do in 2019!

Here’s the gist:

Runs from September 1st - 30th, 2019. During that timeframe:

Visit @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast​ once a day at 12:00pm (noon) PST for the prompt of the day. All prompts will be one word or brief phrase that you can interpret however you please.

You have 24 hours to write something for that prompt.

Tag @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast​ in your post, and use the hashtag #FFxivWrite2019.

There are no length or skill requirements (short & sweet is fine!).

There will be no 24-hour deadlines for the first week, September 1st - 7th.

Makeup/extra credit days every Sunday.

Every entry posted within its 24-hour deadline will count toward a participation prize raffle at the end.

You can join any time - late entries are welcome! They simply won’t count toward participation prizes - unless submitted on a makeup day.

If you’re an artist and you would like to volunteer to do a simple black & white illustration as a participation prize at the end of this challenge, please let me know!

RULES & MORE INFO below the cut~

Keep reading

[old-dzo-chaser]

I’m going to try my best to participate this year!

[sylvissa]

More unfinished art, the biggest story of my life.

This is one of my handsome Xaela boi, Kaidu Kha.

[old-dzo-chaser]

Kaidu before he left the Steppe.