Nighean Dorcha

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⌈ General ⌋⌈ History ⌋⌈ Personality ⌋⌈ Relationships ⌋⌈ OOC ⌋ General ⊰ GENERAL INFORMATION ⊱ Nighean Dorcha (Nee-en Door-ah-kha) is an Elezen Duskwight of unknown origin. At some point during her life, she was convicted as a con artist, and thrown in an unknown Thanalan gaol. Coming into conflict with the other prisoners, she was attacked and suffers amnesia as a result. Kahti Wiht, needing an assistant and claiming want to rehabilitate the woman, made a deal with the guards and rescued her. Nighean served Kahti faithfully for about a year before being released from her service and moving on. For a while, due to events that occurred while in Kahti's service, she has studied Voidsent and passed herself off as an expert on such. She served Lady Dusk in such a capacity until suddenly vanishing without a trace. She is not known to have combat skill, but claims to be able to hold her own in a fight. ⊰ APPEARANCE ⊱ Nighean stands about six-and-a-half fulms tall, and possesses a moderately curvy figure. Her just-past-shoulders-length hair is jet black, and she possesses ash grey skin with discolored streaks on her face. A pair of amber eyes look out from behind armless spectacles which somehow stay on her nose regardless of movement. She is not particularly well-muscled. She she keeps herself clean and her hair brushed, and wears dark-red eye shadow and lipstick. She wears simple floral perfumes that aren't particularly strong. Despite her perfumes, Miqo'tes, with their sensitive noses, have occasionally commented that she smells like "sex and death", something she shrugs off, attributing it to her field of study and active sex life. She favors simple clothing, typically in shades of red and black. She'll wear a pair of dangling earrings, once seeming to change the pair based on where in Hydaelyn she was, but now favoring a pair adorned with flowers. Gracing the middle finger of her left hand is an etched gold ring set with a glowing lavender orb. ⊰ MAGIC ⊱ Aetheric inspection of Nighean won't reveal much of interest. She utilizes glamours, and will point out that this practice is not uncommon among well-off people. Wards can also be detected on her, which she explains as being necessary for her field of research. Other than this, she has the aether of a normal Eorzean. 🖉 History ⊰ TIMELINE ⊱ Sixth Astral Era ► ? - At some point in her late teens, Nighean was arrested for conning people in Ul'dah. She was thrown in a gaol and left to rot. Seventh Umbral/Astral Era ► ? - Nighean is injured in a riot and loses her memories. ► ? - Kahti Wiht negotiates for Nighean's release under the condition that Nighean becomes her servant and rehabilitates. ► ? - Once finished with her obligation to Kahti, Nighean signs up with Lady Dusk as an advisor. ⊰ SIXTH ASTRAL ERA ⊱ First Invasion of Eorzea by Garlemald Nighean admits she doesn't recall much of growing up during the end of the Sixth Astral Era. She vaguely recalls "earning a living" when word of the forces of Garlemald invading Mor Dhona reached the streets of Ul'dah. Shortly afterward, as she was planning to go somewhere Garlemald wasn't, she was arrested by the Brass Blades as a con artist, and tossed in a gaol. Though there were no surviving records, a chain of hearsay (supposedly starting with one of the gaol guards whose grandma was scammed) the con she was arrested for was collecting money to build a statue to honor someone she suspected the victims would honor, be it the Sultana, a Syndicate Member, or someone else. ⊰ SEVENTH UMBRAL / ASTRAL ERA ⊱ A Realm Reborn / Heavensward The gaol in question was miraculously spared by the Calamity, though during the chaos, Nighean found herself attacked. Though the attack didn't kill her, she lost most of her memories. Some time after this, Kahti Wiht would be seeking an assistant she could rehabilitate, and she chose Nighean, taking pity on her due to the missing memories. Though warned about the woman's nature as a Con Artist, Kahti paid for her release, and took her on as an indentured servant. Stormblood Kahti employed Nighean as an assistant and gofer for some time, during which she found the woman's behavior improved immensely. Eventually, she released Nighean from her contract, though the two continue to work together in a more equitable partnership when Nighean has time. Since then, Nighean has wandered the land, often taking tasks from the various Adventurer Guilds to earn a living. She has taken up the study of voidsent both as a matter of curiosity, and to improve her survivability where such creatures are involved. A few moons following the liberation of Ala Mhigo, Nighean was picking up an order from Frondale's Phrontistery when she was approached by Lady Dusk and Professor Aulsoix Claimane. After speaking with them for a bit, Nighean eventually left with them, entering Lady Dusk's employ. Her study of voidsent had earned her the role of "Advisor" to Lady Dusk on such matters. Recently, however, she has vanished without a trace. Special Note: The above is based on testimony from Nighean and her former mistress, Kahti Wiht. It's worth noting that whenever asked to provide further details, Nighean has trouble recalling them, and Kahti gives the response of, "mind your own business". 🖉 Personality ⊰ PERSONALITY ⊱ As a (supposedly) reformed con artist, knowing Nighean's true personality can be difficult. Someone interacting with her may find themselves trying to decide if the woman they're being presented with is the truth or another mask. Regardless, she is often patient, forgiving, and slow to anger. A semi-permanent smirk suggests that she is always either confident of her position or amused with the situation at hand. L I K E S ► Mint Tea - With a mild bit of sugar or honey. ► Socializing - Nighean fully admits that sometimes she just enjoys talking to people. ► The Twelveswood - No real reason why. she simply finds the woods pleasant. ► Animals - She can't even explain why. She just loves them. Even vilekin. ► Young Children - Often times the only true innocents, full of hope and wonder. ► Travelling - Nighean enjoys new experiences, and is happy to travel far and wide. D I S L I K E S ► Meat - Nighean loves animals too much to eat them. ► Black Mages - More so those who would abuse their power...which they oft do. ► Voidmancers - Like Black Mages, she's largely concerned with those want to abuse their power. ► Sports Hunters - Even poachers are trying to make a living, but sport hunters are truly wasteful. ► Greed And Gluttony - She sees those who wilfully hoard and consume more than they need to be the source of most of the world's ills. H O B B I E S ► Alchemy - A seemingly natural talent she possesses, and Nighean hasn't even trained with a known guild! ► Cooking - Nighean enjoys cooking so much that she even knows how to prepare meat for her more carnivorous friends. ► Piano Playing - Nighean admits she doesn't remember learning to play, but must have before she lost her memory. S T R E N G T H S ► Diligent - She takes care in everything she does, rarely leaving something unfinished. ► Multi-Lingual - Nighean has surprised many people by revealing she understands what they're saying or writing. ► Patient - Even when someone is being rude to her, she is slow to anger. So slow, that few have seen her upset. ► Tolerant - Nighean gives most a chance. Even when confronting a supposed enemy, Nighean is often soft-spoken and understanding. W E A K N E S S E S ► Loner - Nighean often tends to things herself, rarely asking for or accepting help, even when she needs it. ► Bleeding Heart - A good sob story can get her to overlook your misdeeds. ► Distant - Even her good friends find her absent more than present. ► Combat Avoidance - Acting more as a scholar than anything, Nighean generally avoids fighting. Q U I R K S ► Carnivore Tolerant - Despite abstaining from eating meat herself, Nighean doesn't mind that other people do, so long as they aren't rude or gluttonous about it. ► Recycler - Nighean prefers to reuse things rather than discard them, using magic to extend an item's life. What bits of her clothing come from animals have often been recycled in this manner. ► Uncanny Valley Resident - Sometimes Nighean's behaviour unsettles people, giving them the feeling she's not what she seems. 🖉 Relationships ⊰ RELATIONSHIPS ⊱ GROUPS "Tis no secret that working together yields optimal results." Raven's Watch, ally "Truly is Raven's Watch a loose amalgamation of people want to hunt voidsent and other monstrous beings. Given their wildly varying temperaments and tolerances for what they hunt, one is want to wonder how they get along to any degree. Mayhap a common enemy truly unites all." ● Nevermorn, special advisor "A...club? Gang? One cannot be certain how to refer to our organization in general terms. Tis an interesting group, and I do feel comfortable working with them. Mayhap that will change the moment they call me to actually fight something I study...." ✔ OTHER "Strangers with whom I have crossed paths and taken note of, those whose company I enjoyed, and those I may wish to know again." Rhuli'a Kanjun, freedom fighter "'Ser Kanjun', as I am want to call him, is an honorable Miqo'te hailing from Gyr Albania. My first memory of him was his policing of ruthless bandits on the border of Thanalan and the Black Shroud. We also once tried to free me from the 'oppressive yoke' of my Mistress. Admittedly, Miss Kahti was never so bad, and I misled him. Still, it would not hurt to get to know him better." ♦ ✔ Arlia Kreiston, pleasing piratess "Truly does she seem to be almost a kindred spirit: easy going, open minded, and a tad mischievous when she is want to be. Despite friction between myself and some of her associates, she has not turned away. Tis a shame our paths do not oft cross." ♦ ✔ ASSOCIATES "People who I work directly with, whether I care to or not." Kahti Wiht, former mistress "Truly was Miss Kahti always harsh, yet fair, and tis not my want to blame her. One must admit that a wretched woman such as myself, pulled from a gaol with my record, is not immediately worthy of trust. Yet I feel I have earned her's over time. Eternally grateful, I suspect I will continue to aid her until her last breath or mine." ♥ ★ ✔ Lady Dusk, employer "Truly with a history such as mine is it hard to find decent employment. Lady Dusk has been the first since Miss Kahti to recognize my talents and employ me despite my past. I am forever grateful for such." ★ $ ✔ Aelwyn Sutorei, associate "Miss Aelwyn is a clever magiteknician, and has various skills. Despite our common goals, oft do we butt heads. I fear she has trouble trusting me for my past, while I do not help things by teasing her to amuse myself. Despite this, we have proven to each other that we shall aid each other when the proverbial chips are down." ★ $ ✔ Siegfried Blutritter, associate "Twould seem I am one of the few to have seen his eyes. Tis a myth that he is truly blind, though neither is it accurate to suggest he can see fine but, ah...tis not my place to talk. I have heard he is possessed of a temper, yet I have not seen it. Mayhap he is simply taken with me. After all, he...Ah, disregard. Tis not for polite company!" ★ ✔ Aulsoix Claimane, associate "He was with Lady Dusk when she first approached me. Unlike Lady Dusk, he has been less trusting, and one imagines such is for the best. Though I should like to think myself trustworthy, I know only a fool would do so without cause. Though sometimes I feel he is just another jailor, and not just for me." ♦ � Holo Wolf, client "Miss Holo and I had met through a mutual acquaintance, and now she is want to come to me for potions, and I have found her terribly pleasant to have about. Truly does she seem want to attract the most unusual personages. Unusual and interesting...I suspect I shall enjoy her company for some time to come." ♦ $ ✔ More, pending "There are others I know. They'll be added in time." � 🖉 OOC ⊰ PLAYER POV ⊱ Goals See this section under the "Spoilers" tab. Lore Compliance I favor lore plausible roleplay. This is roleplay that adheres to concrete lore, but fills in the places where the lore has gaps with whatever seems reasonable and artistically appropriate. By "reasonable", I mean that it must adhere to concrete lore (That is, things that have been directly observed to be true during the MSQ and side quests), should avoid conflicting with "fuzzy" lore (lore given by NPCs which might be false but has not been proven to be), and should fit in with the narrative style of Final Fantasy XIV (which, admittedly, can vary wildly). My justification for this is that Final Fantasy XIV has Unreliable Narrator Syndrome. NPCs are often wrong about the history of things, assuming they don't outright lie to you, and even the Encyclopedia Eorzea is written from the point of view of the NPCs. I might also accept less plausible private head-canons which are accepted by the group I'm in, again, so long as they fit in an artistic way. In any case, if I'm violating lore as you know it, please bring it up to me OOC. Do expect me to debate the lore with you, but understand my intention is to reach an agreement...not "win", which I don't think is possible. RP Limits Ultimately, I'm all about an interesting and entertaining story. I enjoy "dynamic" roleplay just as much as (if not more than) private stories. In either case, I don't expect Nighean to take center stage in any plot aside from my own. I'm pretty okay with most themes and twists, as long as they're not overdone. Anything from Light-Hearted Fun to Dark and Violent themes are okay by me, so long as it seems realistic. There are two important caveats, however: First: While I'd normally prefer warnings about things that might make my character unplayable, I realize they can come up with no warning with a character like Nighean...but expect the character to respond appropriately. Second: I will try to abort a scene or plot if I find out it's making someone seriously uncomfortable Out of Character. It's hard to entertain people when they're upset, after all! I'm fine with story-driven character romance and/or "sexy fun times", but I'm typically not interested in ERP, preferring to "fade to black". I don't suggest coming after me for ERP for a variety of reasons, many of which are mood-dependant and completely unpredictable. ⊰ SCREENSHOTS ⊱ Nighean finds she is underdressed for her first visit to Coerthas post-Calamity. During relatively mild weather in Ishgard, Nighean poses while clothes shopping. Nighean meets Admiah and her Chocobo, Binky, and dotes upon the animal. Nighean gazes up at Syrcus Tower, an itch in her mind that she can't scratch. On the roof of the former GBC HQ, Nighean watches the happenings below. While traversing the Shroud, Nighean stops for a picture next to a hedge tree. ⊰ MUSICAL THEMES ⊱ Tentatively, these: ● Blue Öyster Cult Cover - Don't Fear The Reaper (Raquel Eugenio Cover) - Reflecting Nighean's comments on death, literally that one should not fear it, as death is an inevitable and natural part of life. ● WildStar OST - Genesis to Revelations - A theme that captures the unsettling presence Nighean sometimes exudes. 🖉

Sidebar ⪻ NIGHEAN DORCHA ⪼ IN BRIEF Race - Elezen Clan - Duskwight Age, Physical - 30's Name Day - 19th Sun of the 5th Astral Moon (Sep 19) Deity - Nymeia, the Spinner Disposition - True Neutral Color Alignment - Black-Blue ► Orientation: Pansexual ► Relationship Status: Single ► Citizenship: Gridania ► Occupation: Special Advisor ► Hair color: Jet Black ► Eye color: Amber ► Piercings: Ears ► Favorite Food: Cheddar Broccoli Soup ► Favorite Drink: Mint Tea ► Favorite Color: Any Vibrant 🖉

SERIOUSLY, UNMARKED RP AND/OR MSQ SPOILERS FOR MULTIPLE CHARACTERS AHEAD! TURN BACK WHILE YOU STILL CAN!

NOTE: Avoid using anything in this section in-character without consulting me out-of-character.

⦕ General ⦖⦕ History ⦖⦕ Personality ⦖⦕ OOC ⦖ General (Spoilers) ⊰ GENERAL INFORMATION ⊱ Nighean Dorcha (Now also known as "Nighean Dorcha Esoterica", "Nighean Esoterica", or just "Esoterica") is a Voidsent thought to be of the 3rd Rung. Though often thought of as a succubus, she was originally an Allagan Aetherochemist who transformed herself following the Calamity of Earth. Due to a deal she made with a Mhachi Voidmage, she currently haunts the Shakmi Clan, specifically members of the Halanuu bloodline. Though she rarely interacts with mortals these days, she was previously known to take the guise of a distressed damsel or friendly authority figure when doing so. The voidsent remains largely uncontrolled due to her true name being unknown to most. A few have tried to use brute force against her only to find she regenerates as fast as she is injured. More sophisticated methods have yet to be tried, and given her recent retreat from the public eye, might never be. This is partially due to her soul being split across three beings, the other two being Steia L'etoile and Aibnat Alzalam. ⊰ APPEARANCE ⊱ Nighean often appears as an Elezen, but has been known to take other forms. As typical for succubi, her form will be pleasant to behold for the average mortal. Regardless of the race of her chosen guise, she'll possess smooth skin, jet black hair, and striking amber eyes. A beauty mark often graces her cheek, along with abstract swirls of discolored skin. A set of horns common to succubus grace her head, though these are typically hidden from the senses of mortals. While still in mortal guise, Nighean will favor clothing befitting a noble or scholarly station. Her supposed "true form" is as expected for a succubus, straddling the line between beautiful and monstrous, though her claws are far shorter, and she lacks wings. It is unclear that this is her true form, however, as when struck with glamour dispelling magic or devices while in mortal guise, she changes little, aside from her horns appearing. Instead, it is suspected that her monstrous form is simply another glamour to scare victims. ⊰ MAGIC ⊱ While Nighean's glamour masks her appearance, wards are used to simultaneously contain and disguise her true nature. While these wards are active, her aether will appear as a normal Eorzean, and her voidal energies will not corrupt the world around her. Without them, her aether appears as a typical voidsent, fully corrupted by voidal energies, with some exception: Overall, Nighean's aether seems somewhat more stable than most voidsent, and for lack of a better description, less "hungry". Observing her aether during feeding will reveal a point where her pool stops filling, as though capped. While this supposed limit is still far beyond that of mortals, it is yet a limit, and may explain her capacity for self-control. Nighean often holds back from using her magic, both to avoid drawing attention to herself, and to not waste it. Even when she does use it, she tends to favor more "mundane" means of casting for the same reasons. Rare occasions call for her to dispose of this mummery, however, and she can be witnessed easily conjuring arcane geometries, runes, and foci out of thin air, seeming to manipulate aether at will. When casting in this manner, she will invariably allow her wards to fail so they don't interfere. 🖉 History (Spoilers) ⊰ TIMELINE ⊱ Third Astral / Fourth Umbral Eras ► ? - Nighean was originally an Allagan Aetherochemist ► ? - Post-Calamity, disagrees with other researchers on how to proceed. ► ? - Subjects herself to her own experiments, and transforms into a creature similar to a succubus. ► ? - Banished with other voidsent after turning on the Allagan Researchers. ► ? - Creates her "Mirrors" to deal with her power limitations. Fourth Astral / Fifth Umbral Eras ► ? - Spends countless years in the void, seeking alliances for her protection. ► ? - Learns that the abuse of her Mirrors has resulted in large chunks of her memory being lost. ► ? - At some point, she becomes a servant of Scathach. Fifth Astral / Sixth Umbral Eras ► ? - As mortals learn to summon voidsent once more, Nighean is summoned by a Mhachi Voidmage. ► ? - During the following years, Nighean serves the Voidmage and their descendants, being resummoned whenever banished. ► ? - During the Calamity of Water, Nighean is willingly sacrificed to ensure the safety of her mistress and their family. ► ? - The descendants of Nighean's mistress band together with other Keepers to form the Shakmi clan. ► ? - Nighean's true name is struck from the records to prevent her resummoning. ► ? - Finds that Scathach and her court have not returned to the void, their fates unknown. Sixth Astral Era ► ?-1555 - Languishes in the void, waiting to be summoned once more. ► 1555 - Near the end of the era, a young mage named "Kahti" accidentally "summons" Nighean. ► 1555-1562 - Shadows Kahti - a descendant of her Mistress - subtly influencing her to attempt void summoning. ► 1563 - Successful, Nighean interrupts Kahti's ritual and takes the place of the would-be summoned voidsent. ► 1563-1572 - Posing as "Cadal", Nighean serves Kahti and raises her youngest daughter, Sahli, until the Calamity. Seventh Umbral/Astral Era ► 0 - Protects Shakmi Clan and Kahti from the Calamity, Fakes "Cadal's" destruction. ► 0-4 - Works to build her power while watching over Kahti and Shakmi Clan. ► 5-? - After Kahti recovers, Nighean once more interrupts her attempts to summon, posing as the would-be summoned voidsent. ► ? - Due to Zohka Feniq's involvement, Nighean reveals the truth of herself to Kahti. ► ? - While raising Adrah Feniq, Nighean accepts Lady Dusk's invitation to join the Nevermorn. ► ? - The Mirror, "Prime", is destroyed while working a large spell. ► ? - The Mirror, "Drammatica", is severed to work on a side project, becoming Aibnat Alzalam. ► ? - The Mirror, "Sensoria", is destroyed after having been poisoned. ► ? - The Mirror, "Imperia", is destroyed while protecting a daughter of Halanuu in the Ghimlyt Dark. ⊰ THIRD ASTRAL / FOURTH UMBRAL ERAS ⊱ Nighean's memories of this time are scattered and blurred, and she has no memories of a time before it. However, after reviewing old records at Azys Lla, she discovered the truth of her origin: She was once an Aetherochemist stationed at the sky-bound research facility, and was still there when the Calamity of Earth struck. As the situation grew desperate, those researchers want to continue their experiments began capturing other Azys Lla staff for experimentation. Unwilling to do such, or allow it to be done with her, an Aetherochemist named "Adrasteia" experimented on herself instead, turning herself into a succubus-like creature. The process twisted her mind, and she was inevitably banished to the void with other voidsent, something she still feels was a betrayal. Once in the Void, she found herself limited, and eventually found a solution in the creation of her mirrors: copies of herself imbued with a portion of her essence and will. Though her mirrors were likewise limited, working together they were more powerful than one alone would be, seemingly without drawback. ⊰ FOURTH ASTRAL / FIFTH UMBRAL ERAS ⊱ While Eorzean civilization recovered from the Calamity and the destruction of the Allagan Empire, Nighean drifted in the void. In the chaotic realm, Nighean learned of the drawback of her mirrors after several had already been destroyed: Though the part of her soul within the mirror rejoined with her, a portion of her memories would not. By the time she realized what was happening, she had already forgotten most of her own history. Unwilling to give up the power, but needing better protection, she sought out more "reasonable" denizens of the void to ally herself with. She soon found herself serving the Shadow Queen, Scathach. Though far from a proper member of the court, the position afforded her the protection she needed. By observing the machinations of the court, she further learned ways to improve her survivability, recovering skills she no doubt lost through the destruction of her mirrors. ⊰ FIFTH ASTRAL / SIXTH UMBRAL ERAS ⊱ The rise of Mhach saw voidsent once more being summoned to Hydaelyn, Nighean among them. After a few different voidmages fell to her wiles, she found herself in the service of one named "Gauri Halanuu". An old Keeper of the Moon, Unlike many voidmages then and since, she didn't summon Nighean for personal power or the destruction of her enemies. Gauri foresaw the inevitable destruction of Mhach, and would have the nearly eternal voidsent serve and protect her and her descendants. In return, they would see that Nighean was always resummoned, and her hunger satiated. Nighean agreed, and served the Halanuu family well until the Calamity of Water. As the great flood swept the land, Nighean expended much of her power to teleport them to safety. "Safety", in this case, consisted of a large boat built by another, industrious group of Keepers: The Erda Family. The Erda family, however, had already rescued a third family: Shakmi. Citizens of Amdapor, Shakmi very nearly came to blows with Halanuu before Nighean once more stepped in to protect her charges, allowing them to banish her in return for sparing Halanuu. In truth, Nighean was too weak to defend against the white mages, and knew that Halanuu would summon her back eventually. What she had failed to predict is how Shakmi would find the grimoires of Halanuu and strike Nighean's name from them. Nighean found herself returned to the void, and soon found herself alone. Scathach and her court, unknown to her, were bound by Mhach to power their "Void Ark". Without the court for protection, Nighean resolved to avoid the other voidsent, awaiting the summoning she was sure would come. ⊰ SIXTH ASTRAL ERA ⊱ ?-1555 While Nighean languished in the void - at some point losing another mirror and her true name - the three Keeper families banded together to form the Shakmi clan. Though the Shakmi and Erda families - and a large part of Halanuu - forgot about the past, the matriarchs of Halanuu kept the embers of the truth alive. Around the time of the clan resettling in the southern Twelveswood, a strange quirk of fate saw a would-be Halanuu Matriarch raised by the Shakmi family, then eventually made clan Matriarch. Realizing she had no one to pass the knowledge to, Galda Halanuu - the last, proper Matriarch of Halanuu - resolved to extend her life until a worthy successor came along. At first, the twins Kahti and Halse Shakmi gave Galda hope. Only one could be matriarch, and the competitive nature of the two would drive the other into Galda's waiting arms. Unfortunately, Kahti's recklessness saw her banished from the Shroud...but not before her rash actions tore a hole in the veil between worlds, allowing Nighean to once again enter Hydaelyn. Sensing a descendant of Gauri in Kahti, Nighean took the body of a poacher slain by Kahti's reckless magic. She fed on the dying to replenish herself and stay the hand of death from the girl long enough for Nadi Shakmi - Kahti's mother - to find and mend her daughter. Curious as to why it took so long for her to be resummoned, and even then by accident, Nighean quickly found Galda and learned of what had transpired in her absence. Galda and Nighean came to the agreement that she could not remain around the clan for long, as the clan sentiments now allied with those of Gridania, and were particularly hostile towards voidsent. Instead, Nighean would shadow and protect Kahti. 1555-1562 Nighean swiftly picked up on something that Galda either didn't realize, or was smart enough not to admit to the voidsent: Without Nighean's name, Gauri's descendants couldn't directly control her. Though she was still bound to protect and serve them, she was free to decide how to do that. In her mind, what better way to protect and serve her charges than by ensuring her own power was secure? To that end, rather than simply shadow Kahti, she began "whispering" to the girl's heart, guiding her to once more seek black magic, and then the power of the void. After all, if she was to guide the girl and her descendants, she'd need them to be comfortable with her kind. Simply showing up when Kahti was already wounded by her attempt at black magic and leary of Voidsent would not earn her any trust. Kahti needed to choose - or think she chose - to summon Nighean. Knowing the girl wouldn't be tempted by a simple lust for power, instead, she planned to tempt the girl with the same desire that had tempted Gauri: The need to protect her family. For that, Kahti needed a family. Thus, Nighean guided Kahti and Mhrad'to together. She whispered to their hearts to help their romance blossom, then encouraged the desire to have children, despite not having the resources to properly raise one. With the birth of Sehti, Nighean began work on convincing Mhrad'to to return to the Shroud. Likewise, she worked to convince Kahti that Mhrad'to would reject her if she told him why she couldn't return. She further whispered ideas on keeping Mhrad'to with carnal temptations. While Kahti tried to tempt Mhrad'to, Nighean decided to try an experiment, and tainted Mhrad'to's seed with her own essence. Delivered into Kahti, it would not only ensure a child would come of the union, but that child would have a mildly voidal nature. With another child on the way, Kahti's stress and desperation peaked. At this point, Nighean began whispering into Kahti's heart that she look to her all-but abandoned magic for a solution, guiding her to the rituals to summon voidsent. 1563-1572 Shortly after the birth of Sahli, Kahti attempted her summoning. Nighean ensured that the ritual was flawed, and would not actually call a voidsent into Eorzea. Instead, Nighean played the part of the summoned voidsent, calling herself "Cadal". When Kahti offered Mhrad'to's body for her to possess in exchange for "Cadal" helping to raise her children, she accepted...knowing full well she was bound to look after them anyway. A combination of her bond to Halanuu, and her agreement with Kahti saw Nighean raising the two children faithfully. Sehti - the first of Kahti's daughters - was suspicious of change her father had apparently gone through from the start, but Sahli - the second daughter - knew only her father possessed. Thus, Nighean focused her attention on Sahli, guiding her. Though Kahti suspected the voidsent would manipulate her child, she didn't expect the result would be the delightful woman Sahli grew up to be. Sahli would eventually be the example people would point to in defense of Nighean, and she wouldn't be alone. Not long before the calamity, Sehti - through the course of her studies - realized the presence of the voidsent among them, resulting in a divide between her and her mother. When the girl left, she took her sister with her, leaving Nighean to spend "quality time" with Kahti. She didn't worry about the children, for while she had worked on Kahti, her side project had been summoning her Mirrors to Eorzea. One of those Mirrors was already watching over the clan. ⊰ SEVENTH UMBRAL / ASTRAL ERA ⊱ 0-4 The Seventh Umbral Calamity did not leave Nighean unscathed. Not only did the event disrupt communication between the mirrors - sundering one voice into several - a large amount of power from each mirror was required to keep to her pact with Halanuu, protecting the Clan home, Kahti, and various other members of the Halanuu bloodline scattered across Eorzea. Forced to step back, Nighean faked the destruction of "Cadal", and returned to protecting her charges from the shadows. Even with their coordination somewhat disrupted, the mirrors allowed Nighean to expand her efforts even as she was forced to step back. One of her mirrors set about laying the foundations for her long-term plans, manipulating disenfranchised mortals to form a small cult devoted to her, and do her bidding in places where a voidsent's own actions would be hampered. Meanwhile, the mirrors began assigning themselves to specific regions to avoid disrupting each other while their link was still unstable: "Esoterica" went to Sharlayan, "Melodia" went to the Far East, "Imperia" went to Garlemald, "Sensoria" went to La Noscea, and "Drammatica" remained in Eorzea. "Prime" was assigned to watch their interests through mirrors and maintain a sanctuary for them. 5-? Some time after the Eorzean Alliance began work in earnest to retake Gyr Albania from the Empire, Nighean found Kahti moving to Hingashi, where the Keeper had desired to start a new life away from their prejudices. It was also around this time that Kahti began trying to summon voidsent as servants, hoping they would be as pleasant as she had found "Cadal" to be. Once again, Nighean would disrupt her attempted summonings, and take the place of the voidsent which would have been summoned. This was repeated several times, with Nighean pretending to be different voidsent of different capabilities and dispositions before finally appearing as herself, though hiding her true capabilities. As she predicted, Kahti accepted her, and before long, was trusting her to handle the tasks she didn't trust regular people with. Killing and Resurrecting Sahli During this time, Nighean learned of Sahli joining the Thaumaturge Guild. With the Mirror, "Melodia", concerned for Sahli's well being, and the other Mirrors concerned that the thaumaturges would discover Sahli was part voidsent, Nighean directed her cult into action to spirit the young girl away. However, Sahli's defiance combined with the greed and lust for power of some cult members led to a fight that saw the girl's death. When the cult members realized what they had done, they set up wards to prevent Nighean from entering their sanctuary. While Nighean would have simply sought revenge on the cult, during the fight in which Sahli was killed, the cult stole an item necessary to recovering the girl's soul: her diary. Not wanting to risk Kahti knowing she was ultimately responsible for Sahli's death, Nighean reached out to others for aid while Kahti worked on a means by which she could resurrect her daughter. Ultimately, Nighean would find Zohka Feniq, Kahti's romantic partner, willing to aid. Despite Nighean's efforts to keep her involvement a secret, however, Zohka learned the truth of things. Although initially willing to keep quiet for Kahti's sake, the ritual to resurrect Sahli would change her mind. With everything in place, Kahti and Zohka worked to summon Sahli's soul back to her her restored body. Like most attempted resurrections in recent history, this first appeared to work, only for the soul to begin to slip away again. At this point, Nighean intervened despite protests, and supplied a yet unknown missing component to the ritual, completing it successfully. The freshly reawoken Sahli commented on sensing her father's presence. This combined with Zohka's own admissions, led to a series of questions which Nighean had trouble coming up with answers for, and she ultimately had to explain everything to Kahti. With Zohka vouching for Nighean, the voidsent's aid in undoing her mistake and bringing Sahli back, and the realization that Nighean had been Cadal all those years ago, Kahti ultimately forgave Nighean for the deceptions she knew of. Matters Of Progeny While Nighean tried to decide how to repurpose her cult following the culling of "unworthy members", Kahti, Zohka, and Sahli were enjoying being a small family together. Invited to join them for family brunches, Nighean found that Sahli still looked upon her fondly despite her true nature and mistakes. Again, Nighean's feelings were divided across the mirrors: Melodia and Prime were genuinely touched by this, and the remaining Mirrors saw it as a sort of loophole in their deal with Halanuu. She could ensure that the Halanuu bloodline survived and prospered, while also making them her own family. At this, Nighean began making efforts in earnest to trace the Halanuu bloodline. She worked with Galda - the eldest member of the bloodline - under the guise of tracing the bloodline (and pruning it) in effort to keep it strong and healthy. While she started work on this endeavor in secret, Zohka mentioned her desire for a child of her own. Given that Zohka and Kahti were both women, they would have problems conceiving. Spying an opportunity, Nighean offered to facilitate the exchange. At first, the couple were hesitant to accept the offer, recognizing the child would be void-touched, and thus, in danger. To aid with this, Nighean offered to share the sanctuary created by Prime with them: an island far west of Vylbrand. To ensure the safety of the child while she grew up, and reduce the chance of interference, Nighean worked a powerful spell to alter the flow of time around the island, ensuring the girl would know a full sixteen summers while a mere three moons passed for the rest of the world. Secretly, this was largely an experiment to determine the feasibility of the idea, though Prime would work to raise Adrah - the child Zohka gave birth to - as her own alongside the Keepers. Nighean soon began work with her reformed cult to repeat this process with others of the Halanuu bloodline. Joining Lady Dusk and the Loss of the Mirrors While Prime raised Adrah in the time bubble, the other Mirrors continued their work. Drammatica, still working in central Eorzea, was discovered as a voidsent by Lady Dusk and Professor Aulsoix while picking up potions from the Phrontistery in Ul'dah. Impressed by Nighean's cool demeanor and supposed desire to minimize both her own corruption of the world and that of others of her kind (and also wanting to keep a close eye on the voidsent) Lady Dusk offered Nighean a place in her organization, Nevermorn. By coincidence, Nighean would find Aelwyn Sutorei - Kahti's friend and former boss who didn't trust Nighean - also petitioning to join Nevermorn.  Though the two had an antagonistic relationship (with Aelwyn being a secret voidmancer), they were willing to set aside their differences to work together. However, near the end of Adrah's childhood, while Prime was working to restore the flow of time to its normal rate, Void Hunters found the island. Their assault on Prime happened while the Mirror was working the powerful magic. The results were catastrophic, resulting in the destruction of the mirror, the death of the void hunters, and the rendering of the island uninhabitable. For a while, Nighean considered this simple - if highly disruptive - misfortune and continued on as normal. As part of an effort to investigate a strange entity named "Tejshar" for the Nevermorn, Nighean severed Drammatica from herself, and sent her to join the entity as a sort of undercover effort. Drammatica would essentially become her own separate person, and adopt the name "Aibnat Alzalam". Melodia, meanwhile, took Drammatica's place in Eorzea. Not long afterwards A later incident with Lady Dusk would result in Sensoria consuming fast-growing vines borne of pure "life aspected" aether. Though this made her sick, they were far from fatal on their own. Unfortunately, during a moment of weakness, Sensoria was convinced by an unknown person to take a special medicine for it. This medicine turned out to be a potent substance designed to convert voidal energy into fuel for the vines, which began growing rapidly, eventually overtaking and destroying Sensoria completely. This, combined with sudden further destabilization of the link between the Mirrors, led her and others to conclude that she is being hunted. Down to three mirrors: Melodia, Esoterica, and Imperia, Nighean had largely taken the the shadows, avoiding contact with untrusted people where she could while working with the Nevermorn to find the villain responsible. Revelations and The Fall of Melodia When Imperia was struck down while protecting a daughter of Halanuu at the Ghimlyt Dark front, Esoterica and Melodia - the remaining Mirrors - noted each other's unexpected presence there. The emotional Melodia claimed suspicion of the coldly logical Esoterica of being the hunter they'd been looking for, and worked to direct Nevermorn's against the Mirror. As part of an effort to prove Esoterica's guilt, it was suggested the substance used to poison Sensoria - found to be too advanced to be made with modern alchemy - was taken to Azys Lla to be analyzed by the systems there. This was a trick, however. When the the link between the Mirrors was disrupted, they had began to develop individual personalities rather than merely expressing a facet of Nighean's. Melodia, "Possessed of a Mortal Heart", had concluded that the other mirrors' intentions for the Halanuu bloodline were too cold, and decided to get rid of them. Her gambit almost concluded, Melodia took part of her cult to Azys Lla ahead of Nevermorn to ensure the information Nevermorn found would incriminate Esoterica. Esoterica was one step ahead, however, having already spoken with the cult about her suspicions, and instructed them on what to do should such a thing come to pass. At Azys Lla, the cultists went after the data more eagerly than Melodia wanted, and found her true name as a result. The cultists used it to compel Melodia to tell the truth of her plans where Esoterica could hear it, and the latter Mirror took Melodia away to be "punished", killing the cult members unfortunate enough to learn the name as a "reward" for their efforts. Arguing about their motives, Esoterica - made more powerful by Melodia's own machinations, but unwilling to destroy her - used her knowledge and skill to sever Melodia from herself, and take away her special traits and abilities. That done, Esoterica transformed Melodia's body back into that of Adrasteia, and cast the newly severed Mirror back to Hydaelyn, where she'd eventually become known as Steia L'etoile. Present Nighean, now solely consisting of Esoterica, lost a lot of her warmth and kindness when Melodia was cast out. Cold and calculating, she waits out of reach of mortals, working out how to recover from Melodia's treachery. 🖉 Personality (Spoilers) ⊰ PERSONALITY ⊱ With only Esoterica, Nighean's personality has become predictable. Though calm and cool-minded, she is haughty and cruel, and thinks little of mortals. Fortunately, though thoroughly unpleasant to deal with, she largely keeps to herself and her interests, and generally only interacts with mortals when called. She remains as patient and manipulative as ever, with plans that can span multiple mortal lifetimes. L I K E S ► Aether - Naturally. More so when offered out of fondness or taken in the throes of passion. ► Knowledge - If one seeks Nighean's "Lair", they'll probably find it in some manner of ancient library. ► Forethought - Nighean appreciates those who can consider the consequences of their actions. ► Harmony - Entirely self-serving, Nighean encourages harmony as a means of sustainability. D I S L I K E S ► Void Hunters - Naturally. Their zealotry makes them difficult to manipulate as well. ► Gluttony - Having dwelled in the Void, Nighean knows first-hand the results of overconsumption. ► The Void - Dangerous and lacking and resources. ► Most Voidsent - Even when they're not hostile, they're often otherwise unpleasant. ► Sex With Mortals - It has it's uses, but generally speaking, she finds the act boring. H O B B I E S ► Studying - Not merely the result of "knowledge is power", Nighean actually 'enjoys' learning new things. ► Experimentation - Another extension of learning new things. ► Playing With Her Food - Nighean will play games with a mortal she intends to consume, giving them a chance to "win" continued life. S T R E N G T H S ► Magical Nature - Like many powerful voidsent, Nighean can sense and manipulate magic in ways mortals can scarcely imagine. ► Regeneration - So long as she has aether - drawn from the land or her own deep pool - she'll regenerate almost instantly. ► Strong Will - Nighean's powerful will can resist not just controlling effects, but aether addiction as well. ► Telepathy - Nighean can read the surface thoughts of sapient beings, and "whisper into their hearts". ► Immunities and Resistances - Non-magical poisons, diseases, and the like have no effect on Nighean. She is resistant to direct damage, magical or mundane. ► Magic Manipulation - Knowledgeable, skilled, and intimately familiar with movements of Aether, Nighean can almost alter reality to her whims. W E A K N E S S E S ► Anti-Void Measures - Nighean is still subject to measures that specifically target voidsent, such as wards and bindings. ► True Name - Anyone who learns Nighean's true name can bind, control, or banish her with little more than plainly spoken words. ► Halanuu - Nighean's pact with Halanuu forces her to expend every effort to protect them. ► Tainted Aether - The taint of her aether forces her to expend effort to contain and hide it. ► Capped Capacity - Though far beyond mortals, there is a limit on how much aether she can hold, preventing her from becoming more powerful. ► Lover, Not A Fighter - Though powerful and clever, Nighean has little experience in combat, and is a poor short-term tactician. Q U I R K S ► Relaxed Demeanor - She very rarely gets passionate about things, for better or worse. ► Forgiving - Though not adverse to issuing harsh penalties, Nighean will often forgive an underling's errors. ► Compromising - Even when she has the upper hand, Nighean is willing to reach a compromise. ► Strange Speech - Nighean has an odd manner of speaking, seeming like a foreigner that hasn't picked up the nuances of language. ► Long Term Thinker - Nighean tends to heavily consider the effects of things on her long term plans, and many of her traits are the result of this. 🖉 OOC (Spoilers) ⊰ PLAYER POV ⊱ Goals With Steia L'etoile split from Nighean, Nighean is now more of a background character, and her role has become that of an antagonist. She is mostly meant for a to be the villain in a semi-private plot, and isn't likely to make an appearance in public RP unless summoned. Lore Compliance I favor lore plausible roleplay. This is roleplay that adheres to concrete lore, but fills in the places where the lore has gaps with whatever seems reasonable and artistically appropriate. By "reasonable", I mean that it must adhere to concrete lore (That is, things that have been directly observed to be true during the MSQ and side quests), should avoid conflicting with "fuzzy" lore (lore given by NPCs which might be false but has not been proven to be), and should fit in with the narrative style of Final Fantasy XIV (which, admittedly, can vary wildly). My justification for this is that Final Fantasy XIV has Unreliable Narrator Syndrome. NPCs are often wrong about the history of things, assuming they don't outright lie to you, and even the Encyclopedia Eorzea is written from the point of view of the NPCs. I might also accept less plausible private head-canons which are accepted by the group I'm in, again, so long as they fit in an artistic way. In any case, if I'm violating lore as you know it, please bring it up to me OOC. Do expect me to debate the lore with you, but understand my intention is to reach an agreement...not "win", which I don't think is possible. RP Limits Ultimately, I'm all about an interesting and entertaining story. I enjoy "dynamic" roleplay just as much as (if not more than) private stories. In either case, I don't expect Nighean to take center stage in any plot aside from my own. I'm pretty okay with most themes and twists, as long as they're not overdone. Anything from Light-Hearted Fun to Dark and Violent themes are okay by me, so long as it seems realistic. There are two important caveats, however: First: While I'd normally prefer warnings about things that might make my character unplayable, I realize they can come up with no warning with a character like Nighean...but expect the character to respond appropriately. Second: I will try to abort a scene or plot if I find out it's making someone seriously uncomfortable Out of Character. It's hard to entertain people when they're upset, after all! I'm fine with story-driven character romance and/or "sexy fun times", but I'm typically not interested in ERP, preferring to "fade to black". I don't suggest coming after me for ERP for a variety of reasons, many of which are mood-dependant and completely unpredictable. ⊰ SCREENSHOTS ⊱ Nighean stopping to observe the fall of Dalamud in the chaos prior to the calamity. Nighean negotiates with her supposed mistress. Nighean gets a ride from her allied ahriman, Fiaclan'glic. Standing in the moonlight, Nighean watches over her charges. Nighean Melodia ruminating on recent events deep within Nevermorn's estate.   ⊰ MUSICAL THEMES ⊱ Tentatively, these: ● AG & Brad Gordon - Terrible Thing - It's hard to contest that Nighean is both a beautiful and terrible thing. ● Kerli - Savages - When Nighean is playing a submissive sexual role to lure "savage mortals" to their end. ● Milck - Devil Devil - Contemplating the machinations of other voidsent and maligned entities. ● Dark Souls III - Dancer of The Boreal Valley - Battle theme for Nighean as an antagonist. ● Blue Öyster Cult Cover - Don't Fear The Reaper (The Spiritual Machines Cover) - The anthem about the acceptance of death takes on a far more sinister tone when you learn Nighean is all but immortal. ⊰ TV TROPES ⊱ Personality/World View ► Faux Affably Evil - If she's acting pleasant, run. ► Long Game - She can wait. ► Above Good And Evil - Good and Evil are petty, mortal concepts and concerns. Lesser Abilities ► Sinister Scythe - Nighean favors a scythe when holding back, typically for symbolism. ► Casting A Shadow - A lot of Nighean's "weaker" magic is like this. ► Telepathy - Nighean can read surface thoughts and send little "whispers". ► Magic Mirror - She enjoys using mirrors for communication and as gates. ► Speak Of The Devil - Saying any of Nighean's names (true or not) in a mirror three times will get her attention. ► More Than Mind Control - Nighean creates her thralls this way (combined with a bit of magic), but as it takes a while... ► Psycho Serum - ...A potion derived from her blood transforms them, extending their life, and fully binds them to her will. Greater Abilities ► Self Duplication - Though she has no plans to do so, Nighean could create more mirrors if she wanted. ► Reality Warper - Nighean has such skill, but great changes require an appropriate price be paid... ► Deal With The Devil - ...and the mortals who ask for such changes will be made to pay for them. Weaknesses ► I Know Your True Name - How to control Nighean...if only someone could find it. ► Geas - Nighean is bound to protect Gauri Halanuu's descendants. The exact terms are terribly loose, however. ► Cast From Hit Points - If deprived of an external source to draw aether from, Nighean's magic becomes this. ► Soul Jar (Type 1b) - Steia and Aibnat History ► Demon of Human Origin - Nighean was once a Hyur who lived at the end of the Allagan Empire. ► Literal Split Personality - Nighean lost most of her "humanity" when she severed the mirrors that represented it. ► Laser Guided Amnesia - Until they found a work around, when mirrors were destroyed, this would occur. 🖉

Sidebar (Spoilers) ⪻ NIGHEAN DORCHA ⪼ IN BRIEF [tumblr] Race - Voidsent Rank/Type - 3rd Rung Pseudo-Succubus Age - 5000+ Name Day - Unknown Reverence - Scathach Disposition - Neutral Evil, Type 1 Color Alignment - Black-Blue ► Orientation: Asexual ► Binding: Bound to a Bloodline ► Bound Role: Protector ► Hair color: Jet Black ► Eye color: Amber ► Favorite Food: Aether borne of Lust or Love See Also: - Steia L'etoile - Aibnat Alzalam 🖉

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