The inebriated gladiator was in the middle of pouring himself a fresh shot of whiskey when the question nearly saw him dropping the entire bottle straight to the floor. His shoulders drew tight, the line of his posture pulling rod-straight and his lips drew into a thin line before he answered. His voice rang low and rough, worn ragged from drink.
“I believe it exists in many forms …and that some of those forms were perhaps meant for others, but not for me.”
“Plants, I will admit, I am not a know-it-all when it comes to tending to. Most of what I use in my crrraft is borrrn wild. Typically, taking frrresh cuts into my carrre morrre means hanging them to drrry than taking them with me to grrrow and keep frrresh. That being said, I can keep a plant alive for a while-- prrrovided its carrre is simple enough. Otherrrwise, it sharrres a similar fate with my otherrr leaves and roots; bound with twine, hung to dry, and kept on me forrr safekeeping.”
“As forrr... a pet...” The miqo’te shakes his head. “Look at me. I can harrrdly feed myself. I would be a terrrible parrrent to a pet. I am so irrresponsible and inconsiderrrate... it would... die, prrrobably... I would give it one orrr two weeks, but knowing my incomprrrehensible stupidity, that is a generrrous estimation. Not until I have the money, not until I know how to take carrre of myself too... not until I have a home wherrre it can be safe, and the prrroperrr time to dedicate to its love and carrre. But Twelve, someday... someday, I would be honorrred to be gifted the chance to trrry.”
10. How did your character come to learn the tricks of their trade? (Combat or otherwise!)
FFXIV asks!
Etienne: Strongly believes that the key to understanding most conflicts is to understand what the other person/creature wants, and determining whether it’s better to give it to them/imply you can give it to them, help them find what they want, or cut off their path to what they want. These came with the hard lessons they learned while apprenticing to become a butler at a noble household, and during their time in the pillow industry. Mostly, this perspective came from understanding the anger that motivated shitty nobles who threw their weight around and abused them, and why that violence was easily turned against them, and how they could lessen the impact of it, or even try to stop it at its source. It was essentially a survival tactic. This outlook has served them extremely well in their previous employment as an adventurer, an information gatherer, and yes, their current job as a counselor.
After Etienne left Ishgard, they eventually went to La Nosca and trained briefly as a summoner, but couldn’t emotionally connect to their carbuncle enough to make it work. They became a thaumaturge after doing some delivery work for the Order of Nald’thal and overhearing one of their services, which led to them having a spiritual epiphany and becoming a thaumaturge. They trained and quickly became an adept at thaumaturgy and would aid them in missions to close voidgates, etc.
Etienne began some training in swordplay after a terrible incident where they were abducted by a stalker from their former life.
Etienne eventually came to @ashen-enclave via @ashoix , whom they had the good fortune to run into literally the day before their (doomed) wedding. As other aspects of their life fell apart (their free company falling to financial ruin, feeling isolated as their mental health and marriage consistently failed), they recalled the company Ashoix mentioned and interviewed to join @ashen-enclave . In short, they were running to the only friend who knew them outside their adventuring life ... and their marriage. While initially, Etienne offered to work as child care, their interest in helping people from the pillow industry and those that struggle with addiction, and penchant for figuring out how other people ticked led to them being trained by @rose-and-thorns as a counselor, which is their current position.
Etienne stopped studying swordplay as the development of their muscles increased their dysphoria, but have started training again now that they’re on HRT.
Adi: Was trained by his father, Telesphore, an extremely powerful conjurer, from the age of five or so. His talent and power are not a joke, but they came at the expense of his freedom and body autonomy - he was frequently tortured and forced to heal himself quickly or die. He is also completely incapable of doing anything more offensive than protect spells.
He traveled alongside his father who would help heal other duskwights in isolated communities, so he learned on the job that way too. He also was the primary healer for his family as his father’s health began to fail from their hereditary illness from the time he was a young teen, and this was essentially providing hospice care for his own family.
When he turned 18 or so (he’s not entirely certain of his age), he was permitted, with his mother’s insistence, to receive formal training at Stillglade Fane. He received very high marks for skill, but was noted to have a brusque bedside manner and not work well with others. Due to careful coaching from Abelaire and finding he strantely cares what other people at @ashen-enclave (and his boyfriend @moth-to-a-flame-ffxiv ) think of him, Adi has slowly learned to behave more politely.
Kadin: Was taught to fight and hunt alongside his sisters, and equally learned to survive on his own from a very young age as his penchant for getting lost was viewed as character-building and he had to find his way back to his family on his own. He became a pugilist (rather than a lancer or archer like the rest of his family) after he lived in Quarrymill recovering from a serious injury where his family left him behind to die. He befriended the Ala Mhigan resistance there and had a close friendship/crush on Meffrid (this part of his backstory was from when I played 2.0-3.0 and assumed we’d never see Meffrid again/he’d always be in Quarrymill), since he related to their being seen as outsiders to Gridanians. He also began to worship Rhalg’r, relating to the idea of rebirth through destruction - as he was literally reborn through abandoned and nearly dying, and came back “new” (living his truth as a man and learning a new way to fight). He eventually sought out further training at the pugilist’s guild, and currently fights in a mixed martial arts style. Though he can still wield a spear reasonably well, he prefers to only use that to hunt big game rather than fight.
Pelhi: Was taught in the same way Kadin was, and was quite the star child in their mother’s eyes. She ran away from their family - after Kadin was gone, she was identified as the next least-conforming person and was subjected to similar bullying. She ran as far away as possible, leading her to Ul’dah. Wanting to live the opposite of a poacher and a bandit, she enlisted in the Flames and served as an officer for several years, where she improved her skills. She also took up sewing as a hobby, and soon also took side jobs at the weaver’s guild. She looks up to Redolent Rose as a master weaver, and found she had a talent for fashion. After burning out as a Flames officer, she took early retirement and now works at Sunshine Tapestries, as well as her personal side business where she specifically looks after the needs of gender-nonconforming folk. She makes custom pieces with her leather-working and weaving skills, with materials she’s hunted and gathered herself, and leans into customers in the Gold Court who like to brag at having ‘all naturally sourced from a Keeper artisan born out of poverty.’ 8) Any time Etienne has specific looks commissioned for fashion, it’s as a result of collaborating with Pelhi. She’s also the reason Kadin owns more than one set of clothes.
Houmei: Still doesn’t know much about anything, yet, an the things he does know he’s not sure how he knows it. Has the Echo which makes him super quick on the uptake despite being a bit of a lazy airhead.
∞ for Salih! (from Khena, probably, unless you want to answer it from Aedwen?)
send me a ∞ and my character will tell you…
If I Think They Are: Ugly || Plain || Alright || Cute || Freaking Adorable || Pretty || Beautiful || Hot || Stunning
“Boy’s a bit soft f’my tastes, aye? But tha’ ain’t sayin’ ‘e ain’t attractive all th’same. I like ‘is hair th’most! An’ his eyes, ‘cause ‘ey match mine.”
If I Would Go On A Date With Them: Not even if we were the last two one earth || No || Maybe || Eh….Sure || Yes || WILL YOU MARRY ME
“Aye, I always enjoy spendin’ time with E’salih! Ain’t so sure if th’feelin’s mutual.. I make a ‘abit o’pickin’ on ‘im quite a bit.”
If I Trust Them: Not At All || Not Really || Kind of || Yes || With My Life
“E’salih’s a good man, aye. Always willin’ t’elp, an’ always real kind t’me, even when maybe I ain’t really deserve it. I’s glad Rhos brought us t’gether.”
If I Care About Them: Not At All || Not Really || Kind of || Yes || Deeply
“O’course! Ain’t nothin’ I wouldn’t do f’im, y’know?”
If I Would Sleep With Them: Not Enough Alcohol in the World || No || Maybe if I were wasted || Maybe || Eh…Sure || Yes || TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF NOW!
“S’rare it ‘appens when Rhos ain’t ‘rount, but aye, I’d not say no iffen ‘e asked me. Me an’ him jus’ ain’t like tha’, most times.”
My Comfort Level With Your Muse: Keep a Distance || Okay You Can Stand There, But Don’t Touch Me || Let’s Get Coffee and Talk || Let’s Cuddle || I Can Change In Front of You || Let’s Take a Bath Together
“Seein’ as th’man comes an’ goes from livin’ wi’us... I’d say ‘e ain’t got much o’a choice in most thin’s.” She laughs, and shakes her head. “He do give real good ‘ugs, though.”
If I See You As: A Stranger || An Acquaintance || A Friend || A Close Friend || My Best Friend || A Crush || The Love of My Life
“I love ‘im dearly, aye. Maybe not in th’same way I do Rhos o’Rihnn, but ‘e’s got a special place in m’eart.”
11. What is something that would make your character fly into a rage?
Get to know my character!
"Oh, hey kitten. Hey, pet. Hey pretty.” Kadin snarls, and immediately takes a few steps back so he can do some stretches, let out that tension. “Women, men, lookin’ at me like I’m just a piece of meat on the plate for ‘em. The real stupid ones that don’t back off after I warn ‘em, yeah, that’s when people get punched - get faces slammed into bars - like.” He throws a few easy punches to the air. “Don’t act like a child when someone turns ya down, don’t act like I just slighted ya ‘cos I said no, or make up some reason in your head why I did it.”
He punches the air, this time pointedly, the imaginary blows cutting through the air. “If you won’t take no for an answer - from me, or from the girl next to me at the bar, or whatever - then you need to be prepared for consequences.” Kadin stops, dropping his hands to his side, and takes a breath. His demeanor is suddenly more cheerful. A thought crosses his mind that makes him laugh, and his body language is more relaxed. “Y’know, I don’t take that much offense that someone might assume I’m some kinda gay submissive. Think it’d be worse if I got mad about it, like that’s a bad thing t’be. Kinda gross that someone might assume that just ‘cos I’m miqo’te, or ‘cos I’m small, but whatever. That’s a prejudice in someone else’s mind, not mine. I think the bad part is people sayin’ that like it’s a bad thing. So what if I was the most submissive, tail-liftin’ pillow-biter to ever leave the Shroud? Don’t give you the right to treat me different. Wouldn’t mean I wanted to be yours, either.” Snort.
“When women say that kinda thing ‘cos I turned ‘em down, I just gotta think - like - you never once thought a guy might just not wanna do it with you? That ain’t a possibility? You’ve got problems!”
trahearnes replied to your post: i would 10x much get a cat over birthing a child...
Cats don’t go to college and put you thousands of dollars in debt. Boom, cats 100% better
i mean yea i guess there’s stuff to worry about like vaccines and possible surgery and food and toys for cats, but that probs adds up to less than going to college
trahearnes replied to your post “Hello friend! Sorry for the abruptness, but I just wanted to say that...”
As someone who's really protective over the Trahearne tag, Ive is the cutest little cabbage and I love seeing him in the tag ;o; Keep doing you! Trahearne/Commander art is always gr8
You guys are the best <3
As an incredibly awkward turtle irl these sorts of messages are super encouraging. Also they make Ive into a blubbering mess because he has no idea how to take compliments. :>
Also omg I’m sorry I wanted to post this earlier but I apparently have no sense of time management when factoring in traveling and all the things and agh sorry guys I’m a derp rofl
