Jajara Jara
 Jajara Jara
| |
 "Oh, fer Twelve's sake..." | |
| Gender | Female |
| Race | Lalafell |
| Clan | Dunesfolk (Great Berimu) |
| Citizenship | Ul'dah |
| Nameday | 10th Sun, Fifth Umbral Moon, 1549 |
| Age | 29 |
| Guardian | Byregot |
Contents
Character
General Info
A familiar face in the markets of Ul'dah and Limsa Lominsa, Jajara Jara is an enterprising lalafell known among her friends for her friendly demeanor. While she is not an adventurer, she has given much support to the local branch of the Adventurer's Guild and is recognized in the Goldsmith's Guild as a skilled craftsman.
(( This page is LONG overdue for some major editing due to RP developments. Not everything currently written is entirely accurate! So please pardon the mess while things are sorted out. Last updated: 05/13/14! ))
Appearance
Short even for a Lalafell, Jajara Jara makes up for it somewhat with a stout and surprisingly muscular frame, a detail often overlooked given her race's inherent rotundity. Her skin is dark and, while unmarked by scars, bears a stylized tattoo across her face in reddish ink which gives her an almost vaguely intense appearance when also taking vibrant nearly flame-orange eyes into account. Her hair takes on hues of reds and violets and is worn fairly short and tied into two loose braids at her neck. She is lightly freckled across her nose and her ears are unusually large for a lalafell. Her hands, if anyone were to take good notice of them, are rough and worn, calloused and lined with small scars.
The clothing she prefers is loose fitting and easy to move in. She has little taste for the fineries of silk and lace but makes exception for jewelry. Favored colors span between humble earthtones and gaudy reds, oranges, and yellows. It is rare to see her without a turban or bandana of some sort.
Personality & Philosophy
Generally good natured almost to the point of naivety, Jajara is quick to trust most anyone who isn't holding a weapon to her throat. An unapologetic optimist, she tends to see the good in people and strives to do good herself. Smiles and laughter come easily to her. She holds personal honor and promises to be paramount as while Ul'dah may be a city that runs on secrets and gil, a person is nothing if they cannot be trusted with either. She would not call herself an "adventurer" per se but she has been known to strike out onto the road at the behest of strangers in need of help, but rarely without compensation. She is a child of the Dunesfolk, after all, and remains loyal to her kin, her nation, and the prospect of coin in her pockets. Quick to attach herself to her friends, she is without a doubt loyal to a fault and her emotional state is often heavily influenced by the state of her friends.
Jajara is generally observant of laws and traditions and would be a most unlikely criminal. She is a terrible liar and a worse thief; fortunately, she relies on neither skill in her day to day life. Jajara is also something of a pacifist and tends to try avoiding violence as a means to end conflict. Murder is, naturally, completely and utterly abhorrent to her and she tends to look down on known murderers.
Since Reverend Hakuga's death, she has tried to be a little more active in worship. She is naturally a pious thing, often invoking the Gods for one thing or another in her day to day life. As per family tradition, she honors Oschon the Wanderer and Byregot the Builder above all else. Nald'thal has also become a fairly important deity to her as of late.
On matters of romance, Jajara is painfully ignorant. She knows the ways of her clan which gave little time for notions such as courtship and flirtation and so she is completely out of her depth approaching either. Because of that she rarely ever initiates such things and would be very hard pressed to reciprocate such behaviors out of either sheer shame or, simply, because she might not know what the appropriate response is. 'Repressed' is a word to describe her attitudes towards the whole span of romance, but 'extremely repressed' is far more appropriate.
Strangely, however, several of her friends have seen fit to come to her for advice on such matters. Jajara does not understand it but she does her best to be helpful all the same.
Combat
Jajara spent much of her youth training as a pugilist under her father and the other men of her clan, intent to put herself to use by helping protect them from wild beasts and the occasional bandit. There is a certain grace, she believes, in using the body as a weapon - particularly a body which most would dismiss as unimposing to say the least. Her style tends to focus on dehabilitation over outright offense, strikes aimed for joints and nerves in order to cripple or slow targets down. Slaying beasts does not come easy to her but when the situation calls, she can. It is against other people where she exercises the most caution for she feels very strongly against murder.
Blessed by her race's inherent agility as well as the strength that comes with a lifetime of heavy physical labor and exercise, Jajara could easily stand her own in a fight. Most weapons are clumsy in her hands but give her a good pair of cesti and she would likely be able to go toe-to-toe with most opponents regardless of height. She is by no means a violent person, however, and usually tries to reserve combat for extreme situations if she thinks she might be able to get out of it. If she has to protect someone dear to her, however, she will not hesitate to put herself in the fray. When she first came to Ul'dah, she put in a brief stint in the Colisseum and was met with some success but she has since refrained from putting her skills out for sale in such a manner.
In recent weeks, Jajara has seen fit to attempt to learn train as a marauder. The axe is still clumsy in her hands but she seems determined to better herself, and has even conscripted a teacher as well as an armorer to aid her in this. Bearing an unseemly amount of stamina as well as strength has lent her some success in this, though her technique still needs fine-tuning.
Note: ICly Jajara cannot claim to be a Monk as she does not understand how to intentionally open nor control her Chakra. She may be able to unconsciously do it to a degree, lending a bit of that edge to otherwise basic hand to hand combat, but she makes no claim to be anything more than a pugilist.
Tendencies
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Other Notes
- Jajara could easily be considered somewhat dim by many more worldly people. She has never stepped foot into a school house nor academy or even a library in her life. What she knows was shared to her by her family and the others who roamed the sands. She knows her letters, some basic maths, and the Gods... but of politics, borders, geography, and even world history she is largely ignorant.
- Her name can be found posted on the Adventurer's Guild Pen Pal's Club roster.
- Jajara rarely, if ever, keeps living pets for fear that she might have to eat them should she ever fall down on her luck. It is for this reason that her Chocobo is named "Dinner," though she usually keeps her stabled with the Immortal Flames where she is able to be fed adequately.
- Getting lost in her work comes very easily to her and so Jajara might inadvertently go for long lengths of time without rest or food.
- An unfortunate part of the way she was raised, Jajara does harbor a certain sense of racism in her, particularly towards miqo'te. Her clan only dealt with the desert tribes by necessity, and most children are taught that they are a degenerate, immoral race. Her distrust towards Seekers in particular has only flared back up given recent events.
Relationships
Family
(( Note: Because Dunesfolk lore is so vague, I've mostly been playing off of headcanons. If more solid lore ever does come out, information here might be ret-conned and adjusted as needed to stay lore-friendly. ))
Before coming to Ul'dah, Jajara Jara travelled with a dunebeast clan called Great Berimu after the largest of the beasts, over whom her mother holds dominion. Reclusive even for nomadic Dunesfolk, they have been content to wander the deepest reaches of the Sagolii, only venturing out as far as the Forgotten Springs once every few moons to trade and resupply. As such, they have remained largely disinterested in the happenings of the world and have shunned most outsiders, particularly those of other races. They have long abided by their own laws and traditions in spite of the changing world around them.
The coming of the Battle of Cartenaeu saw much of their number decimated. Among those lost were Jajara's father, several aunts and uncles, and a sister. Lacking the numbers and strength to survive for long, as the Calamity left Great Berimu with mostly the too-old or too-young, an arrangement was made to merge their clan with a relative's for the benefit of both.
While Jajara usually shies away from speaking explicitly of her family members, there are a few names that have come up from time to time.
- Jojore Jore (NPC) - Her mother and the de facto leader of her clan. Jajara still maintains somewhat of a bitter stance towards her but they've recently come to somewhat of an understanding. Their most recently encounter saw to her agreeing to release her daughter from her marriage oath in exchange for the secrets of Orpheus Arkouda's tribal weaponry and forging techniques, and expects to meet with her daughter again to complete the exchange.
- Sasayome Nanayome (NPC) - Her father, presumed to be deceased. To say that Jajara was closer to him would be an understatement. She and her father were nigh inseparable and he was her guiding light through her childhood, bending and even breaking rules when necessary to allow his youngest daughter to do what she felt happiest with in order to earn her keep with the clan. It was through him that she learned of pugilism and in his honor that she strives to do good to others. He took many of the clan's warriors and able-bodied healers with him to Carteneau, unwilling to sit aside and cower while there was still time to act. He did not return.
- Auntie Boro (NPC) - Her aunt (mother's side) to whom Jajara looked up to and still speaks fondly of. She is a kindly woman who tended to Jojore's children as much as she did her own, often playing the "good guy" to their mother's coldness. She was largely unsympathetic to Jajara's current romantic inclinations but she did not interfere.
- Sasasori Kokosori - Her baby brother and perhaps the one sibling to whom she is closest. The two bicker in the way best friends do and, once, used to be near inseparable. Since coming to Ul'dah, he has since realized his dream of learning under the Conjurer's Guild and has since left Thanalan in pursuit of that dream.
- Koporo Aporo - One of her elder brothers. He is very protective of his littlest sister and has repeatedly expressed concern over her life choices. He seems to be good friends with Edgar Gandervalt, possibly due to the latter's kindness in helping him get started in Ul'dah upon his arrival.
- Dedeji Deji (NPC) - Jajara's eldest sister. The two have always had a rocky relationship with Dedeji constantly teasing and belitting her youngest sister for her non-conformist ways. She is a strong woman, however, who has remained within the boundaries of her clan's gender roles while touting her own defiant independence. Because of Jajara's disappearance and subsequent oath-breaking, it has fallen to her to complete the terms of Jajara's betrothal.
- Jajaraji Nanaraji - One of her many cousins. He and Jajara were recently reunited in Ul'dah after several mishaps being sent about Eorzea in search of her. Though he had been instructed to bring Jajara back to Great Berimu, Jajaraji is far more interested in pursuing his studies now that he has the resources of the free cities at his fingertips. Jajara sees little of her eccentric cousin these days but has faith he is working hard to do himself and the clan proud.
Player Standing
- ♥ Romantic Interest ♥ Sexual Desire ♥ Platonic Love ● Good Standing ● Neutral Standing ● Poor Standing
- ♥● Chuchukepa Hohokepa - A lalafellin mage with a propensity for embarassment. A friendship born when they were both victims of the terrible Dhemgeim's Lalafell Burying Spree quickly grew into a sweet but awkward courtship. Jajara has recently committed to a engaging in a proper relationship with him, feeling that it was time for her to finally move on. More often than not they can be found in eachother's company, be it loitering about Limsa Lominsa or picking oranges out in Summerfield Farms. They have plans to return to Thanalan in the near future to visit their respective families out in the Sagolii, though they have not yet decided when.
- ● Orpheus Arkouda - A miqo'te mercenary with whom she was betrothed. There are not many to whom Jajara has confessed the exact nature of their separation, preferring instead to remain tight lipped on what had been a rather abrupt and and likely painful end to their relationship. It would seem neither one of them have so much as spoken to one another since their separation and after weeks of silence, Jajara has finally seen fit to move on. Their apartment in Ul'dah has long since been abandoned and the act of finally ridding herself of the place remains tucked away in her list of affairs left to wrap up.
- ♥● Edgar Von Gandervalt - Her closest friend, confidant, and adoptive 'little brother'. An awkward initial meeting sparked what would become a strong and lasting friendship, with the two of them going back and forth to provide support and advice to one another on matters of work, life, and love. There was a time where Jajara nearly destroyed their friendship, and another when Edgar confessed feelings she could not reciprocate... yet despite their troubles, he will always be her only miqo'te brother. The two were last seen nearly getting into a physical confrontation in the markets of Ul'dah and Jajara has not returned to the city since.
- ● Roen Deneith - A friend and client. She met the aspiring Sultansworn through another friend and two got along right away. There's a sadness to the woman that Jajara suspects goes beyond worries of the mentor she often spoke of, but it is easily eclipsed by the strength of her heart. Rumors of corruption in Ul'dah are not lost upon her, but Jajara knows that Roen is at least one person that she can trust. Jajara recently accompanied her on a 'ladies only' fishing trip on their way to Gharen's camp, and it was there that she finally confessed to her recent troubles. Since then, Jajara's warmed up even more to the kind-hearted hyur, especially after she and her brother ate the awful slimey fish she caught for them.
- ● Gharen Wolfsong - A friend and fellow smith. She met the man by way of his lovely boots, as he humored her and suffered her inquisitiveness with gentle words and the occasional smile. Jajara is fascinated by the scarred Highlander and his obvious skill with weaponry, as well as the quiet wisdom he had imparted to her during some of the roughest days of her life. She often teases the man for never writing but it is easily forgiven, for she knows he is a good man with challenges of his own. Jajara was relieved to see him alive and well and, fearing putting him under undue stress, has neglected to ask for anything save for him to possibly continue her lessons in the axe when he is feeling better.
- ● U'roh Tia - Jajara doesn't know very much about this rambunctious Seeker but the two share equal passions for their respective martial art: he for his lance, and she for her fists. She admires his friendly nature and respects his fighting spirit, believing that he uses his skills for the betterment of others. So far they've sparred but once and Jajara took the win.
- ● Kage Kiryuu - A lalafellin Sultansworn, and a fellow Dunesfolk. She met him much the way many others have, she assumes: with him sitting on 'his' ledge in the Quicksand. He seems like an honorable sort of fellow with a fairly clear idea of where - or at least who - he wants to be. Beyond that she doesn't know him too well but she enjoys their chats all the same. It would seem that he was somehow changed into the semblance of a miqo'te male by some means he himself is clueless about. She hopes he will find himself back into his true shape and has volunteered to help if she can.
- ● Wyra Panipahr - Wyra and her sister, Torora, have become fast friends with Jajara while she was spending some time unwinding in the Quicksand. The two of them are utterly charming and remind her very much of her own siblings, and she finds their protectiveness of one another to be admirable. Apparently, Wyra had been subtly flirting with Jajara, a fact which had gone all but unnoticed until Wyra admitted to doing so. Despite mixed feelings about that, Jajara intends to maintain their friendship. She hasn't had too many lady friends to talk to lately and she finds the company of other like-minded lalafell to be extremely welcome.
- ● Renaud Becquerel - The leader of the Coral Sea, and Jajara's current employer. Jajara is uncertain about the man. He seems kindly enough, though his way of speaking (so eloquent and flowery!) instills in her a sense of unease if only because she has difficulty understanding him at times. He is unusually handsome for an Elezen. Suspiciously so. Recently she's discovered that Chuchukepa has also seen odd visions of him in unsettling attire and masks; however it is unclear if the other Coralites have seen similar visions or dreams.
- ● Dhemgeim Shyrdoenwyn - An incredibly tough Roegadyn who is also apparently pretty important to the company. Jajara has nothing short of respect for the woman, even if she took it upon herself to bury Jajara and her fellow lalafell up to their chins on the beach that one time. Jajara admires Dhem's kindness, honesty, and her open-mindedness. While they are not particularly close by any means, Jajara would likely do whatever is asked of her if it is for Dhem's sake. The Roegadyn is currently missing, much to the dismay of the company.
- ● Sigurd Rainecourt - A Hyur mage of some sort. Driving Rain insists on calling him Demon Scholar or something to that effect, and Jajara finds this rather disconcerting. Still, the few conversations they've had were friendly enough, and she learned a little bit about his past and his home. He seems like a decent man; beyond that, Jajara cannot yet say.
- ● I'tsu Fhuz - An intelligent if not slightly strange Miqo'te. She is very curious and thoughtful and, most importantly of all, kind. They've had a few chats together and was one of the first people to whom Jajara warmed up when first brought in to the Coral Sea. Jajara has been commissioned to work on a pair of intricate golden rings for her and, presumably, her soon-to-be wife.
- ● L'aenoh Tia - A Seeker male who was apparently a former employee of the Coral Sea. Jajara finds his constant teasing and prodding at Chuchukepa to be somewhat irritating and was unimpressed with the typical Seeker bluster with which he seems to carry himself. Yet she warmed up to him slightly when he offered to fix up some armor for Chuchukepa. Given her current attitudes towards Seekers, she remains wary of him.
- ● Gus Pumpkinweed - A fast-talking and unbearably abraisive lalafell. What started as seemingly polite and friendly chit-chat quickly turned sour as he was quick to talk down on Jajara and Chuchukepa both. A comment with regards to their private life stung Jajara especially hard. She will likely take care to either avoid the man in the future, or give him a piece of her mind. Whichever strikes her first.
- ♥● Reverend Hakuga - Jajara has known two men to wear the title of Reverend and both have proven to be good friends. The first - a miqo'te man who had worked closely with her and XI:7 in general - was very near and dear to her heart, loved and trusted as she would one of her blood. His death has proven to be very difficult for her to accept and still she mourns him despite being uncertain how to do so. His "replacement" as he so coldly put it was initially met with distrust and almost outright hostility but she has come to trust him as well. She has not seen this Highlander in many moons and suspects the worst. (( Character MIA. ))
(( Working on rebuilding this section! So please don't be upset if I've forgotten you. ; ____ ; ))
Enemies
As of yet she has made no enemies and very much intends to stay that way. Naturally she holds an version to the Amal'jaa but would not go so far as to declare them a personal, mortal enemy.
Rumors
Common Rumors
- "That girl sure is nice enough but she can be a bit dense."
- "Yeah, I see her around the Goldsmith's guild a lot. Seems she's come a long ways since when she first stumbled in here, lost and confused. Proud as can be in that outfit of hers, you know the one."
- "Never seen her in a fight but I reckon she could pack a punch. You ever seen a Lalafell built like that? Not outside the Coliseum, you don't."
- "Walked to work one morning and saw her sitting off to the side, hammering away at one thing or another. Wouldn't you know it, she was still there hours later when I was walking right back."
Moderate Rumors
- "Someone told me she ran out on a family debt of some sort, but I don't know what that might mean exactly. I don't think she has any family here. Seems to be the point."
- "They'll sit up on the deck for hours, those two. Lalafell and a Miqo'te. Do you think they're really...?"
- "... so one day out of the blue she comes right back and practically begs for the masters to take her in again. Kept saying she had the answers right in her hands all along, whatever that means. It's all fine and good if it means the Pugilist's Guild gets another member. Honest to the Gods, though, she's no novice."
- "I've seen some of the people she talks to. Ruffians and criminals and worse - even a Garlean if you'll believe it! Poor thing is just asking for trouble if you ask me."
Rare Rumors
- "Well some poor Dunesfolk comes in to the shop drenched in sweat, covered in sand, and she drops this ring on the counter. Looked like some kind of wedding ring, real old fashioned thing that wasn't even worth the spit to shine it. Tell truth, I only gave her the gil cause she looked like hell."
- "I got a pot of gil thanks to her. Nobody wanted to bet against Lance Goodpunch - no one but me! But when she knocked him out not once, not twice, but three times - WHAP! POW! - ohhh, my heart was singing! Thank the lady for me, would you?"
- "That gold-eyed girl? Yeah, she comes through pretty often. A miner, isn't she? Now and again, though, she'll just ride up to the top of a dune and just... stand there. Stand and stare. Sometimes after a while she'll ride out, and sometimes she'll just come right back and leave. No idea why, though. If it's the sandworms she's watching, that little bird of hers is more than fast enough to outpace them."
PC Rumors
- (( If you know Jajara ICly, please feel free to toss some rumors up here! ))
- "Would you believe it if I said that she has been able to make a man wet himself?" - Keru Lowry
- "She took down a giant magical golem... with a tiny hammer. I hope to never get on her bad side." - Seth Honeybrew
- "In what must be my greatest folly, I have broken her trust. She will recover...I may well not." - Edgar Von Gandervalt
- "Given Byregot's gift I'd say, an' a mean throwin' arm as well if'n ye startle 'er. What's more important though? She's a good soul, count myself lucky te know th' lass an' call her friend." - Gharen Wolfsong
- "Thanks to her, I got to try a rare plainfolk delicacy!" - Roen Deneith
- "Lotta spirt packed into a tiny package. I'll give her that." U'roh Tia
- "She's one of Roen's friends, and a Lalafell! She even comes from a line of crafters like I do. She is apparently the youngest sister to my charge Koporo. Who is my elder in age. Yikes." - Kage Kiryuu
- "R-rumors about such a lady? A heart so pure that to hear her laugh is to feel the warm sun on your face? ... I-I mean, I really must be going! And stop gossiping!!" - Chuchukepa Hohokepa
- "It's been a while since I've seen her, but! She's cute, funny, and can kick a bad guy's teeth in if he gives her any lip!" - L'yhta Mahre
- "I was having a bath in Chuchukepa's hot tub one time and she walked in. Then she made me dinner. Nice gal, I like her." - Augustine Frost
History/Timeline
(( WIP! This needs to be fleshed out A LOT! ))
Jajara Jara was born in the deserts of Thanalan, yet another branch of an surprisingly expansive family tree who roamed the sands. Her clan travelled the sands upon the backs of a four dunebeasts, the largest of which was a wizened old thing named after an honored ancestor, Beberimu Jajarimu. They made their living trading hand-woven cloaks and blankets and prided themselves on their dyeing techniques, making use of most any plants or leftover animal parts to produce vibrant dyes with which to enhance their craft. Jajara never really picked up on either trade, taking more interest in more martial affairs. It was not long after her birth that many of her kin were called away to help in the coming war against the Imperial threat and so she took it upon herself to learn to defend her family in the absence of the more capable members of her clan. Vultures of all shapes are never far in the desert and with their number easily halved they were made dangerously vulnerable.
Life was rather uneventful, however, and her skills were rarely ever put to use aside from the occasional ambush from wild mongrels or angry hammerbeaks. The Calamity saw fit to return nearly none of her kin to them and those that did return were scarred and largely unfit for work. What had remained were mostly elders and younglings alike, hardly suited for maintaining the clan and their beasts alike for much longer. It was decided then that they would seek out a sister herd and arrange to be taken into the fold rather than wait to be picked off by the elements if they were lucky or the beastmen if they were not. Sever weeks later they were officially joined with a herd led by a relatively close relative (Jajara's grandmother's sister and husband) and prospects for survival rose dramatically.
It was not too long after that Jajara Jara took leave of the caravan and turned instead for the city. Common talk among the clanfolk was that an unwelcome courtship and subsequent proposal had a large part to play in her desire to leave, but gossip is just gossip and only Jajara knows for sure what turned her away from the open dunes.
Bluh bluh bluh! Limsa Lominsa bluh bluh bluh.
Potential Relationships
- Jajara's clan, while not as large as it was in past years, is still sizable and holds a fair amount of influence and notoriety amongst the deep desert nomads. Rumors of Jojore Jore's wayward daughter may float among the sands.
- Her work with the Goldsmith's and Blacksmith's Guild has earned her a fair amount of coin. Perhaps someone who commissioned a piece might have needs to speak or meet with her.
- Someone who might have known her father might be familiar with her name.
- Though her time on the Blood Sands was brief, she did manage to make a passable amount of gil there, enough to get her started doing more honest work in Ul'dah. Her fight versus Lance Goodpunch might have stuck in someone's memory.
Additional/OOC
- Jajara is actually named after that cool bone dragon thing from Legend of Mana. Just so happens that her name fits the naming convention! Woooh.
- It might be a little bit tacky but I love picking theme songs and you can't stop me.
- I have an inspiration/IC blog on tumblr. Please feel free to follow it and my main tumblr if you like!
Artwork
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