Jaliqai Qulaan

[edit] Basic Information Qulaan Tribe Combat History Relationships Rumors Visuals RP Hooks OOC Notes  Jaliqai Qulaan "There's nothing more exciting than the hunt." Gender Female. Race Au Ra. Clan Xaela. Citizenship Ul'dahn (naturalized). Age Thirty-four cycles. Occupation Guildmaster of Gold & Glory Hunter's Guild. Proprietress of the Bountiful Chest Tavern. Former Bounty Hunter. Orientation Bisexual, grey-romantic. Alignment Lawful Neutral. GENERAL INFORMATION JALIQAI QULAAN (Pronunciation: jah-lee-kai khoo-lahn), more commonly known amongst those familiar with her reputation in the bounty hunting circle by the epithet Red, is a Xaelan huntress hailing from the continent of Othard. A former member of a small, thought-to-be-destroyed tribe known for its exceptional prowess in hunting, called the Qulaan Tribe, she has since turned her skill in tracking down and pursuing her quarry into a marketable skill. The destruction of her tribe set her to wandering across Othard as a hunter-for-hire, taking on jobs tracking down whatever man or beast she was set upon, taking coin in exchange for delivery of the bounty to employers either whole or in part. Upon settling in Doma for a time to find work, she was brought into the service of noble Raen house to protect their financial interests on the road and to track down whoever or whatever they needed found. Yet a few years later, the razing of Doma -- an incident that Jaliqai was fortunately not present for -- saw her without home once more, and so she decided to join the Doman survivors in the exodus to Eorzea. Adjusting to the hunter's life in Eorzea has been a challenge and something Jaliqai continues to work on and acclimate to each day. Most days, she feels that it's a challenge that she's risen to, adapting more quickly and securely to the new land's ways than a good number of other Xaelan refuges. Yet some days test this conclusion more than others, especially with the establishment of her own company, the Gold & Glory Hunter's Guild and the management of the Guild's home, the Bountiful Chest Tavern. Becoming increasingly more mired in the business and social-political side of Eorzean life reminds her every so often of just how different of a world it is -- and how it is often times irreconcilable -- from that which she was raised in and continues to hold dear. APPEARANCE Jaliqai is tall for a female Au Ra with a sturdy physique (Reference NSFW) that belies much training and conditioning of her body, as is common of Qulaan stock bred, raised, and trained for a life of endless hunting and sport. Her skin is dark and dusky in color, though her lustrous black scales and the numerous, varied scars accrued over her hunting career still stand out in stark contrast. She has the look of someone who takes great pride in their looks, with her neat and well-kept appearance when out and about. Her face is almost always made up, with her lips painted and the bright red at the corners of her eyes permanently inked into her skin. Likewise, she seems to spare little expense when it comes to her clothing, and even less where her armor and weaponry are concerned. To mention some specific and/or notable aspects of her appearance.. 1.) Scars. Jaliqai has quite a few of them. In fact, the only part of her body that seems to have made it out relatively unscathed is her face. The rest that litter her limbs and torso mostly seem to be the sorts of scars that you would expect to see on someone who's spent over twenty years of their life hunting man and beast alike. I mostly just handwave the scars' placements, but a few of them that have specific placements / stories are: (1) three round bullet wounds on her left, one at the shoulder just below her collarbone, another at her side, and another just above the curve of her hip. (2) A small, rounded scar on the right side of her ass that appears to be a bite mark from some fairly large beast. 2.) Tattoos. Jaliqai actually has two tattoos, both of which have meaning. The first would be the one found between her shoulder blades. The Doman saying ‘kishi kaisei’ ( 起死回生 ) is inked permanently into the skin there in a thick, dark calligraphic style (loose reference). Translating to ‘Wake from death and return to life’, she took on this tattoo when she finally stopped running from her past and straight into the whiskey bottle. The second tattoo is the red coloration around the outer corners of her eyes. Long story short, she adopted it as a symbol of mourning for the tribe mates she lost to the Garlean massacre. 3.) Jewelry. In general, Jali doesn't tend to wear a ton of jewelry. But she does wear a fang necklace suspended on worn leather cord at all times. It's extremely important to her, and she's very protective of it. PERSONALITY Determined. Capricious. Predatory. Jaliqai's personality is one that some may very well find to be off-putting, with her often sharp tongue and her penchant for saying exactly what is on her mind with little for the feelings of others. In more recent times, with her new position as a leader and public figure, she's slowly learning how to better control her tongue. However, she's still possessed of a terribly mercurial temperament inherited from her mother, her mood changing at the drop of a hat. One moment she could be all grins and laughter, and the next could see her turn surly and aggressive. However, her predatory nature tends to stick out most of all. She tends to watch people and judge them as a beast would its prey, calculating motives, sizing them up, gathering information. Still, despite her other short-comings, her upbringing has left her with a deep sense of loyalty and a natural orientation towards functioning in a group setting. Once one does manage the task of earning her respect, she's a fierce ally to have at one's back and would hunt any that do them harm to the ends of the world and back. The same extends to those who the Xaelan woman comes to consider to be 'one of her own', whether that's a close ally, a member of the Guild, or a tribe mate. LIKES Hunting. Nothing is quite as thrilling to Jaliqai as the chase. The bigger, nastier, or the more elusive the mark, the better. Learning about people. Jaliqai likes to know as much as possible about the people around her. Between jobs, she's often found observing or chatting with others, trying to get a read on them. Whiskey. The Xaela enjoys the taste of hard liquor, whiskey above all. She usually has at least one glass of an evening, to help her slip into a more relaxed, dreamless sleep. DISLIKES Garleans. After the events that led to the destruction of her tribe so many cycles past, Jaliqai has a deep hatred for Garleans and their magitek. Weakness. Strength was highly valued in her upbringing, and as such, Jaliqai has a distaste for weakness shown in herself or others. Betrayal. Loyalty was one of the utmost virtues of the Qulaan tribe. She absolutely cannot abide her own trust being betrayed, and doesn't much care for such to happen to others, either. Wine. Nothing about wine pleases Jaliqai, whether sweet, dry, fruity, or floral. Not to mention that the alcohol content is far below her liking. STRENGTHS Loyal. Once someone does manage to earn her trust, Jaliqai is a deeply and unwaveringly loyal, protective ally. Observant. There's not much that succeeds in escaping this woman's sharp notice when she's paying attention. Multilingual. Jaliqai speaks her native Xaelan dialect and the Common tongue fluently, and can hold her own in Doman. WEAKNESSES Stubborn. Once she has her mind set on something, it is extremely difficult for her to change it, even if she's proven wrong. Low Aetheric Capacity. Jaliqai doesn't have much in the way of personal aetheric capacity. She cannot cast, and aetheric travel is difficult for her. She has to be touching an aetheryte to use teleportation magics, and even then it severely exhausts her. Emotionally Distant. Due to events of her distant and not-so-distant past, not to mention her line of work, Jaliqai has a hard time opening up to others and forming close relationships past the surface level. CURRENT INVENTORY This is a list of the items that Jaliqai currently is keeping on her person. Feel free to use this information if it comes up logically in the course of RP, such as pickpocketing, a search, etc. Last Updated: January 31st, 2016. Coinpurse: Jaliqai is carries a moderate amount of gil on her at all times. Not enough to be extravagant, but enough to be able to take care of her needs and wants. Blade: Rest assured, any time that Jaliqai is out and about, she's most likely got some kind of blade on her, even if it is concealed. Linkpearls: Jaliqai always has a few personal linkpearls she keeps handy to pass out to those she wants to keep in touch with. Just the same, she always has her Gold & Glory guild pearl and the linkshell for the Qulaani on her person. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION Face Claim: Zuleyka Silver. Body Claim: Natalia Karandashova (NSFWish). Voice Claim: Alix Wilton Regan. TRIBE OVERVIEW THE QULAAN were one of the lesser Xaela tribes that roamed far and wide across the continent of Othard, often referred to as the Wolves of the Steppe by other Xaela tribes and Othardian peoples alike. Known for their exceptional prowess in tracking and bringing down prey, much like the wolves that they claim as brethren, the Qulaan revered the Hunt above all else. Never lingering in one place for too long, this tightly knit group of Auri trackers and warriors followed wherever the promise of worthy quarry led them. Yet the constant danger of their pursuits as well as the occasional brushes with larger, hostile Xaela tribes tended to keep their numbers small with little growth. Despite this, the cunning tribe compensated for their lacking numbers with traditions meant to breed and raise even stronger stock, keeping their bloodlines going for generation upon generation. Paired with their willingness to interact with, learn from, and trade with outsiders, the pack remained strong. As the Garleans began to appear with frequency in Othard with the continent's subjugation in the year 1521, the Qulaan found their hunts and way of life stifled by these foreign invaders, as many other Xaela tribes did. Their movements and resources restricted, it took a good deal of time to adjust. Yet eventually, the ever-adapting tribe managed to learn how to carry on, finding ways to continue living and hunting without drawing the Garleans' ire. Still discontent remained, only the barest of begrudging tolerance for the inconvenient presence given. Roughly eight years ago, the other tribes, villages, and cities that the Qulaan regularly interacted and traded with began to notice the tribe's marked absence. After a few moons, rumors began to spread that the tribe was no longer. No one quite knew for certain what had happened to the Wolves of the Steppe, yet myriad theories were put forth. Some believed that the tribe had turned in on itself, erupting in battle that left them fragmented and easy pickings. Others suspected that another larger tribe, most likely Kharlu or Jhungid, subjugated and assimilated them into their ranks. Or maybe an attack by a hostile Dotharl tribe, who destroyed them as they did the Hotgo? A hunt went terribly wrong? Whatever the case, even if the circumstances were unknown, one thing was: the proud hunters were no more. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The Qulaan tribe now has its own wiki with all the information on them you could ever want.. and probably a lot more that you didn't. If you're interested in the head cannon ravings of a giant ol' nerd, click below: Qulaan Tribe Wiki COMBAT & WEAPONRY Jaliqai, as was the way of her tribe, has been taught how to fight and how to hunt from a very young age. Though ultimately her skills skewed more towards the hunt and pursuit of prey itself rather than battle, she is still a very much capable fighter. Her small frame and lightness on her feet make her naturally more agile, quick, and balanced. However, muscle wrought from years of training, fighting, and careful maintenance ensure that when she needs to don heavier armor and weaponry, she has the necessary strength to wield them by sacrificing some of that natural speed. The Xaela does best when she is in a fight with at least one partner at her back. While she can hold her own when by herself, it's far from comfortable or natural for her, and can sometimes lead to thoughtless mistakes on her behalf. GREATSWORD The greatsword is Jaliqai's preferred weapon in the hunt of beasts, and the weapon type that she most often used while still living on the steppes. It is sharp and powerful when wielded correctly, and its long reach keeps her firmly out of the reach of grasping claws and snapping jaws. In recent times, she has begun to use the weapon less, finding its bulk too inconvenient within the city's walls. DAGGERS Daggerplay is something Jaliqai picked up only after the loss of her tribe and the beginning of her foray into the hunting of men and skulking about cities, as short weapons are not traditional Qulaani weaponry. She's come to like their convenience in tight quarters, not to mention their discreteness. One can assume that Jaliqai almost always has at least one dagger hidden on her person at all times. BOW While the bow is a respected weapon in Qulaani culture, not to mention her mother's choice of arms, Jaliqai never much favored the weapon. While she does have basic knowledge in its use, she personally sees it more as the type of weapon that she would only use when hunting small game for food, rather than hunting dangerous beasts for sport. ARMOR Nowadays, Jaliqai tends to keep her armor wearing minimal when she is within city walls, for the sake of ease of movement and convenience. Yet often, she'll at least be found in gauntlets and greaves. If need be, she also has a heavier set of plate and mail armor that she proudly maintains, mostly when she is on the trail of some beast or larger foe. EXPERIENCE LOG Here is a list of recent and/or notable fights, roleplay scenes, etc. that Jaliqai has been a part of. This list is by no means all inclusive, and serves more as a general reference as to what she has been up to. Togy Brandmakt (??) : Daggers. Defeated by the man's superior use of magicks and lack of preparation. The Grindstone (9/12) : Daggers. First round defeat to Saraj Malqir. The Grindstone (10/17) : Daggers. First round victory over Brimcon Sako. Second round defeat to Gwendolyn Belmont. The Grindstone (10/24) : Daggers. First round victory over Sehn Garanjy. Second round defeat to Flameson Hammersmith. Hunt (10/25) : Greatsword & Scale Mail. Took on a hunting bill sanctioned by the Immortal Flames for a Voidsent with an appetite for soldiers with Aedan Steelweaver. Successfully downed the beast and claimed the reward with minimal injuries. The Grindstone (10/31) : Greatsword & Skimpy 'Bandit' Armor. First round defeat to Percival Turner. The Grindstone (11/7) : Daggers. First round victory over Meis Taruteis. Second round victory over Camilla Morierea. Third round victory over Anja Rosenwald. Bridge Champion. Semi-finals victory over Togy Brandmakt. Finals victory over Luca Yumitori. Grindstone Champion. Hunt (1/23) : Greatsword. Accompanied by Altai Iriq. Took on a job to humanely put down an old goobbue outside of Wineport by the name of 'Snaggletooth'. Sustained cracked ribs and a broken ankle, but was successful. Festival of the Hunt II (1/29) : Greatsword. Team RedSteel, along with Aedan Steelweaver, Sounsyy Mirke, and Elliot Gardiner. Fought a goobbue by the name of the 'Green Maw'. Managed to go entirely unscathed. Team RedSteel enjoyed a victory without losing a single member. BACKSTORY CHILDHOOD Jaliqai was borne of the union of the Qulaani hunting partners, Sechen and Yesugei. While the two were never romantic lovers, they were extremely close to one another as hunting companions and parents. Jaliqai was never quite as close with her mother as she was with her father, yet both still had a hand in raising her -- alongside the rest of the tribe, as was their custom -- and shaping her into the young woman that she became. Jaliqai's youngest years were mostly affected by two things: First, the emotional distance that Sechen seemed to maintain between not only herself and Yesugei, but also between herself and her young daughter. As such, they never developed a particularly close emotional bond to one another, which really confused and worried the young Jaliqai quite a lot in those formative years and turned into easy kindling for bitterness and spite in her adult life. Not only that, but it led to her being raised in an environment that fairly well stunted her emotional development. Only much later in her life did Jaliqai really come to understand why her mother was so distant towards everyone, but by then, the damage had already been done. When she grew a bit older, enough to join the rest of the children in their own little microcosm of a hierarchy within the tribe itself, Jaliqai found herself picked on fairly regularly because of her small size. A very late bloomer, she didn't come into her own until she was almost of an age to take on her Coming of Age trial. As such, the other children wielded that smallness and weakness against her, not least of which was her younger cousin Saraghul. YOUNG ADULTHOOD At the age of fifteen, Jaliqai was deemed ready to take on her Coming of Age trial to become a full-fledged Qulaani adult. During this time, there had been an upset within the tribe's harmony, with a man attempting to strongarm the tribe away from the current leader. Not only well outside of the time frame and custom surrounding the challenging of the current leader, he had made an earnest but unsuccessful attempt on the man's life itself. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity for the young Qulaani girl to prove her tracking skills, the tribe's leader decided to give his attacker a Trial by Hunting instead of having him put to death immediately for his transgressions. At nightfall, the man was given a hunting knife, a day's worth of food and water, and a head start while the rest of the hunting party, Jaliqai included, rested up. At the first light of dawn, they set out, with the young woman seeking to prove herself at the lead. Using not only her skills in following tracks and other physical signs, Jaliqai showed much aptitude for getting into the head of her prey, using what she knew about the man they were hunting to figure out the most likely places that he would've ran to. On the second day of the three day hunt, she was successful, having tracked the cowardly man back to a Doman village where he had been waiting for a wagon to take him far from the tribe as fast as possible. Catching him before he could leave, the man was finally put to death, and Jaliqai's Coming of Age trial was a success. With that, it was time for the young Qulaani woman to be paired with a hunting partner and mate. Yet none of those eligible seemed to complement her in just the right way. As such, the tribe's leader waited until someone came along who he thought could balance out her temper. Only a few years later, that person was found: Nasyamar, the half-brother to Jaliqai's cousin, Saraghul. Their pairing together was one that was initially marked with much friction and tension, until they became more accustomed to one another. Even then, their relationship never quite progressed past the affectionate and into the romantic, even once they began to try for children together. Yet it was at this point in their relationship that things began to change, with Jaliqai becoming ever more bitter and withdrawn with their inability to conceive and the eventual birth of her much younger sister. Slowly but surely, Jaliqai had almost single-handedly allowed her doubts and frustrations to set the both of them down a self-destructive path. THE END OF THE QULAAN When Jaliqai was almost in her twenty-fifth cycle, her previously normal life was ended with the apparently decimation of her tribe. What started as a freak accident when the beloved daughter of the current tribe chieftain was slain by a trigger-happy Garlean patrol drove the grief-stricken Qulaani into a reckless push for revenge. They tracked the Garleans back to their encampment and fell upon them with all their fury. However, despite the tribe's fighting prowess, their relatively low numbers and their inability to properly defend against the mightier magitek and firepower of the Garleans ultimately spelled their defeat in the chaotic, bloody skirmish that followed. Many died that day. Those who did not, Jaliqai included, were rounded up to be transported back to only the gods know where. Heavily injured and barely clinging to life, Jaliqai finally escaped capture when she pretended to be dead, and was subsequently tossed out unceremoniously onto the roadside with the other Auri that had passed from the extent of their wounds. There, weak and buried in the pile of bodies, she very well might have succumb. However, following a respectable distance behind the Garlean transport was a group of Doman villagers whose lands the soldiers were passing through. Having noticed the trail of Xaela bodies left in their wake and bearing no love for the invaders, these farmers and villagers gathered the fallen hunters and huntresses to properly bury them. It was then that they found Jaliqai, barely alive, and brought her back to their home to nurse her back to health. Days passed before the woman had recovered enough to be coherent and discover what had happened. She begged the Doman villagers to help her in properly burying her tribemates in their custom, to which they agreed. With the villagers' help, Jaliqai brought the shrouded bodies to the funeral pyre and sung for them, alone, until dusk broke to dawn. It was then that she begged them never to speak of what had happened to the Qulaan, to not bring shame and tarnish to their reputation. Once Jaliqai had fully recovered, she knew that she could not continue to live among the kind Domans that had taken her in. They were just far too different from her, and the village would never be her home. She was given enough supplies to travel and decided to set out to wander, to pursue a new life by herself. It was lonely and difficult for someone who had spent their entire life surrounded by their family. Yet with little other alternative, she persisted. THE WANDERING BOUNTY HUNTER Setting out on her own, Jaliqai did the only thing that she knew how to do: hunt. Whether it was hunting for food to survive, or taking on jobs for the people she encountered in her traveling, it was the hunt that kept her alive. It was the hunt that also afforded her the money to make what would end up being a terrible discovery: liquor, whiskey in particular, and the mind-numbing effect that drinking enough of it had on her. She quickly fell into alcoholism at that point, haunted by the demons of her tribe's massacre between the lingering sense of partial-responsibility and a healthy dose of survivor's guilt. The whiskey made it easier to clear her mind of everything, and to fall into a black, dreamless sleep when she lost consciousness. It grew to a point where she cared little for saving the drinking until after the hunt's completion, taking on jobs half-sober and caring little if she met her end during the course of it. Perhaps wanting to meet her end, even. Yet despite the number of foolish injuries and failed jobs that it brought, somehow she managed to survive the self-destructive downward spiral she had set herself upon. That spiral came to a stop -- mostly -- when she eventually came to Doma in search of work, deciding to settle there for a time. She found it in the petitioning of a Raen lord in need of men and women capable with weaponry, who were especially good at finding people who didn't want to be found. Managing to pull herself together long enough to impress the man, she was hired and found herself not only a source of steady, well-paying employment, but also a place to stay for some time. It was during this time in his employment that Jaliqai met her employer's daughter, Chise. At first only a casual acquaintanceship, the two eventually began to spend more and more time with one another between the jobs that Jaliqai was taking. As time ticked on, the two became increasingly close, until what started as a mere acquaintanceship turned somewhat emotional and romantic, despite Chise's own impending arranged marriage. They saw kindred spirits in one another, two women bound to honor the duties and expectations pushed upon them by tradition, who held affection for one another that they knew could only ever be temporary. Still, for a time, this did not stop them. The Raen noblewoman's caring managed to pull Jaliqai back from the edge of the self-destructive cliff she was poised to hurl herself off of, convincing her to turn away from the bottle and bravely face her problems head-on. She taught her many things during their time together -- language, writing, poetry, culture, and so on. Perhaps most importantly, for the time they were together and for the first time since her tribe's downfall, Jaliqai didn't feel so utterly and completely alone. Just as anticipated, however, things eventually had to come to an end. While part of Jaliqai, deep down, had hoped that Chise would defy her family's expectations and refuse her arranged marriage, the Raen did not. Leaving her with only a poem in parting when Jaliqai woke from their last night spent together, the two never spoke again. For a long time, the sudden absence wounded the Xaela deeply, but she never quite held it against Chise. After all, she understood all too well. A NEW HOME Doma remained Jaliqai's home for some years after, coming and going as work directed her. As such, when the Garleans fell upon the city and razed it to the ground, Jaliqai was fortunate enough to be long gone in the middle of an assignment. She returned to find yet another home destroyed by the Garleans, once again stoking the hatred in her heart for them. Far too late returned to change anything, the one thing she could do was to join the other refugees that were scrambling to get to a new land -- Eorzea. Jaliqai had known truly little about Eorzea when she had first arrived in the land. What bit she had heard came from the mouths of sailors and traders that she had met, or occasional rumors. When she finally set foot in the land, these bits of information had scarcely prepared her for the culture shock. She had it better than most tribal Xaela, she figured, having gained a somewhat more cultured sense in her previous eight cycles spent experiencing other cultures and her life in Doma. Yet still, this was a new land, new people, and a new way of life. Not to mention, most of the men and women had never even heard of her kind before, much less laid eyes upon them. Like many Au Ra that arrived in the initial influx of refugees, Jaliqai took great pains to conceal her more Auri features and to keep her new peers at arm's length. Still, she knew that she had to adjust and adapt to this new land, and hesitated little in trying to work her way back into the bounty hunter's world. It was then that she accepted an open contract and joined onto a job alongside Bayard Bronzeblade, an established and charismatic Highlander man who was already fairly established in the Eorzean bounty hunting world. He took leadership of the group and, in particular, took a great interest in the mysterious foreign woman who had come to them alone and looking to prove herself. Over the following six moons' time, Jaliqai and Bayard became increasingly close, despite herself. He managed to get her to open up more than she did with others, and in exchange, he taught her all that she needed to know about Eorzea, its history, its places, and its people. He introduced her to the contacts that she would need in their line of work, from her fellow hunters to the secret sellers and everything in between. Yet in the end, realizing how much she had come to care for the man and how such a feeling stirred up a deep sense of guilt inside of her, not to mention a reluctance to let herself be hurt again, Jaliqai ultimately decided to leave Bayard's company and strike out into Eorzea on her own. RECENT HISTORY ARRIVAL IN UL'DAH As far as coin goes, all roads seem to lead directly to Ul'dah. With that in mind, Jaliqai made the decision to come to the Jewel of the Desert to try her hand at finding work there. It did not take long for the Xaela to learn that the thing people seemed to want tracked down most in the desert was information, not beasts. Realizing that, Jaliqai took up the challenge of a new kind of hunt, and found herself extended acceptance into the Blind Viper soon after. Jaliqai sought to continue to expand her list of contacts and her reserve of knowledge, and actively claimed Ul'dah as her hunting grounds. THE ISHGARD JOB During her time in Ul'dah, Jaliqai received a message from an old ally -- Bayard -- asking for assistance tracking down someone for a job. Despite some reluctance, Jaliqai was never one to turn down an ally in need, and so she set off for Ishgard. Though the job ended successfully, it wasn't before a deep and unexpected betrayal of her trust by Bayard. As a means of bargaining his way back into her good graces, he offered up rumors he had heard of other Qulaani Xaela in Eorzea. Yet the news that he had been selfishly holding and attempting to now use as leverage only angered her further. She cut all ties with the man then, and resolved to look into the rumors of her missing tribemates herself. GOLD & GLORY Still unable to track down hide nor hair of her brethren, Jaliqai began to consider other methods for reunited the Qulaani rumored to have made it to Eorzea: chiefly, by setting a 'trap' that would lure them in. A haven for hunters. A home. Fresh off a win of the Grindstone when she heard news that the Blind Viper was being placed up for sale, she took it as a sign to put her plan into motion. Despite the doubts and the fact that she had little idea of what she was getting herself into, Jaliqai threw herself full-force into the realization of her plan: the establishment of Gold & Glory Hunter's Guild and the Bountiful Chest tavern. And thus far, the gamble has paid off. The Guild and Tavern are both seeing great amounts of success and growth. Even besides, the plan she'd put into place to draw in the Qulaani seems to be working. Thus far, she has managed to pull a small handful of her tribe mates together again. THE CONFLICT OF TRADITION AND FREEDOM After almost nine years of thinking each other dead, Jaliqai and Nasyamar have been reunited. Jaliqai was overwhelmed and overjoyed by the realization that her mate was alive, and the second chance to fix things that it seemed to afford her. Yet while she has a deep desire to do things right this time, she's already finding familiar demons from her past returning to haunt her. Chiefly, her concern with being unable to bear him children, and the struggle to figure out how she really feels about him -- whether it's just the same deep affection and caring as her parents had for one another, or perhaps something more. Compounding this inner conflict is an attachment quickly developing towards one Altai Iriq, a man who joined the Guild whose advice and support she has come to rely heavily upon, despite a rather rough start to their interactions. Not only has the stern warrior become her close confidant, but she cannot deny that there's something else there between them -- feelings that part of her wishes to compartmentalize as mere physical attraction, though she fears that's not quite the extent of it. Especially after the extreme distress she felt when he was forced to leave to confront his own past, and was not able to promise her that he would return. Now, Jaliqai finds herself torn between the two of them: a man whom she is bound to for the rest of her life and someone who she would gladly kill and even die for, and a man who inadvertently found a way to stir emotions within her that have been lying most dormant within her for the entirety of her adult life. A man who represents her duty and her people's tradition, and a man who represents the breaking of that mold to freely pursue her own wants and desires. It's a blurry, messy line she's walking, and one she has absolutely no idea how to navigate. RELATIONSHIPS Color Key ♥ In A Relationship: Jaliqai is involved in some form of committed relationship with this character. ❣ Romantic Attraction: Jaliqai is romantically attracted to this character. ❢ Sexual Attraction Jaliqai is physically attracted to this character. ♥ Platonic Love/Family: Jaliqai considers this person family. ♦ Friend: Jaliqai considers this person to be a friend. ♦ Friendly Acquaintance: Jaliqai considers this person to be mostly friendly, or as a casual ally. ● Good Standing: Jaliqai has no specific feelings about this character; however, they left a good impression. ● Neutral: Jaliqai has no specific feelings about this character. ● Bad Standing: Jaliqai has no specific feelings about this character; however, they left a bad impression. ♠ Dislike: Jaliqai doesn't consider this person a friend and will be civil if she must; however, she actively tries to avoid them. ♠ Hate: Jaliqai considers this person an annoyance and will try to avoid them, otherwise conflict is almost certain. ♠ Fear: Jaliqai is terrified of this character and will try to avoid them at all cost. ♠ Rivalry: Jaliqai considers this person to be a rival and will initiate conflict when their paths cross. ♥ Family Member: This character is related by blood to Jaliqai. ♥ Tribe Member: This character is a part of Jaliqai's native tribe. ✔ Business: This character is either Jaliqai's employer, employee, or coworker. ✖ Deceased: This character has passed away. ? Questioning: Jaliqai is questioning how she feels about this character, in some form or fashion. FAMILY & TRIBE These are mostly backstory-related relationships. However, should anyone express interest in creating a Qulaan member or family member, I will add them here as necessary. LIST OF FAMILY & TRIBE MEMBERS Sechen Qulaan, mother. ( ♥ ♥ ● ✖ ) Jaliqai's Thoughts: "My mother was a fierce woman, that's for certain, and far from the most affectionate. Guess I took that after her." Jaliqai's mother was not your typical doting, softhearted mothering type that most Eorzeans are used to. Much like her daughter is today, Sechen was a fierce, fiery woman whose words often struck as devastatingly true as her arrows. Yet while such parenting was not particularly uncommon among the Qulaani, the lack of any true emotional closeness formed between Sechen and herself was an oddity. This lead to much strain in their relationship as Jaliqai was growing up. Only much later in life, after what she assumes is her mother's death in the fighting with the Garleans, did she really come to understand why Sechen was as distant as she way. Yet by then, the damage had already been done. Yesugei Qulaan, father. ( ♥ ♥ ● ✖ ) Jaliqai's Thoughts: "He was the quiet to my mother's storm, and he was the one whose arms I always ran into when I was young. But the worst thing one could have done was to mistake his fondness for his partner and daughter for weakness. It'd be the last mistake they made." Even though Yesugei and Sechen shared no romantic love, they were one another's trusted hunting partners -- a bond even more highly cherished by the Qulaani, decided upon by the tribe elders during their adolescence. As tradition dictates, the two were also breeding partners, of which Jaliqai was a result. When she was young, her father was her constant hero and doted on her much more heavily than her mother did. As she grew older and it became obvious that she'd inherited more of her mother's fiery disposition than his own calmer manner, Yesugei was the one who went to great efforts to try and temper her capricious nature with self-control and the need to sit back, watch, and listen. As such, he's largely responsible for how good of a tracker and judge of character she's become. She has also not seen him since the fall of the Qulaani, and assumes he is also deceased, which is a realization that sometimes weighs quite heavily on her. Maqali "Kaltia" Qulaan, younger sister. ( ♥ ♥ ● ) Jaliqai's Thoughts: "I have a second chance at making things right with my little sister. Even if she's beyond trying sometimes, I would hurl myself into harm's way willingly before I allowed her to be harmed." Maqali was the result of an unexpected pregnancy of Sechen and Yesugei, some twenty years after the birth of Jaliqai. Given their oldest daughter's own troubles conceiving at the time, Jaliqai was quite bitter over this for much of Maqali's young life. She had little affection for her, and barely tolerated her presence on the best of days, hardly able to look at her without feeling slightest somehow. Things changed with the Garlean massacre, and going some almost nine years thinking that she was one of the children killed in the subsequent attack on the Qulaani camp. Having changed and matured much since that point in her life, Jaliqai is determined to mend their relationship -- aided by the fact that Maqali doesn't remember much about her life in the tribe or her family, period. In fact, the only thing she really seems to remember is her upbringing as a ward of the Empire, whom more recently sent her to Eorzea to learn, which bothers Jaliqai greatly. But it is a secret that she keeps, afraid that if the wrong person finds out -- whether that person is an Eorzean or even another Qulaani -- that harm would come the young girl's way. Nasyamar Qulaan, hunting partner and mate. ( ♥ ❣ (?) ❢ ● ? ) Jaliqai's Thoughts: "I care very deeply for Nasyamar. I would fight for him, and I would die for him. Yet.. I don't know if I feel the same for him as he does for me." A few years after passing her own Coming of Age trial, Jaliqai was paired by the tribe's leader with Nasyamar, the half-brother to her cousin Saraghul. It was the darughur's beliefs that the man's much more calm and easy-going temperament would balance out her own more fiery, capricious temper -- something that had already been attempted in the past to breed out of Sechen's blood with, obviously, little success. Their relationship started out awkward and tense at times, before the two eventually developed a more firm understanding of one another. It even became an oddly, uniquely affectionate sort of relationship, even if it never quite blossomed into the outright romantic. However, tensions and frustrations began to return to them when they begun to attempt to have children, with disappointingly little success. Over years of failed attempts, the strain put on them by Jaliqai's own self-destructive anger and doubts led up to a nasty fight between them, which was the last time the two saw one another until they were very recently reunited with one another in Eorzea. Now, they're working on mending their relationship again, which has become oddly complicated. Nasyamar has confessed his love for her, leaving her in the awkward position of knowing that while she cares very deeply for him as her mate and partner, she is unsure if what she feels for him is actual, romantic love. Complicating this further is the matter of their continued infertility problems, on top of the newly re-formed tribes need to continue its bloodlines for another generation. Not to mention, the feelings that she is starting to develop for a certain Iriq. And even though Nasyamar has reassured her that he just wants her to be happy, even if that happiness is found with another just so long as she continues to return to him, the idea of pursuing that still fills her with guilt. After all, she saw firsthand the relationship between her parents -- her father unconditionally loving her mother, whom herself did not return those feelings -- and doesn't wish to wound and damage Nasyamar in the same way that her mother did her father. NON-FAMILY Listed here are the non-tribe and non-family characters, both PC and NPC, that Jaliqai has interacted with enough or in such a way for her to form a real opinion about them. Please don't take personal offense if your character isn't listed here, or how the interaction or relationship is described. It isn't that I dislike your character or our RP. I just tend to only add these as necessary for those who make a real impact on Jaliqai, and descriptions are purely based upon in character experiences and opinions! Last Update... January 31st, 2016. * An asterisks denotes that Jaliqai doesn't know the individual's true name. LIST OF PLAYER CHARACTER RELATIONS Aedan Steelweaver, the partner. ( ♦ ● ✔ ) Jaliqai's Thoughts: "Sure, sometimes I want to hit the snarky bastard and wipe the grin off his face. But all things considered, he's a good friend, and a good partner to hunt with." These two met when Aedan heard about Jaliqai's reputation as a hunter, and asked if she was interested in accompanying him on a hunt of a mysterious beast out in Northern Thanalan. Naturally, she couldn't exactly turn the offer down. The pair triumphed rather easily over the sneaky, tentacled Voidbeast, and thus was born a partnership that continues to this day -- filled with plenty of back-and-forth taunting and monster hunting. Akay'a Zhwan, the healer. ( ♦ ● ✔ ) Jaliqai's Thoughts: "Not many people I trust out there with that aether healing shite, but Akay'a's one of 'em." Jaliqai met Akay'a initially when both were under the employ of the Blind Viper. However, with the Viper's sale and the establishment of the Gold & Glory Hunter's Guild, Jaliqai has asked the man to stick around as the lead healer in their Medical Branch. She trusts the man fairly well and believes he's excellent at what he does. Altai Iriq, the confidant. ( ❣ (?) ❢ ● ✔ ? ) Jaliqai's Thoughts: "I'm not sure how I came to be so close to this man, so quickly. Maybe because he tells me exactly what I need to hear, and not what I want to hear. But he is.. very valuable to me." What started out as a rocky first impression, complete with a near bar fight that was ended with Jaliqai delivering a swift kick to the man's groin, has since taken a rather unexpected turn. After begrudgingly coming to terms with their initial argument, the two Xaela began to spend a considerable amount of time together, discussing not only the future of the Guild but of the Qulaan tribe. Discussions turned into Jaliqai actively seeking the man out for his advice, knowing that she could find in him an ally that wouldn't be afraid to tell her exactly what she needed to hear, even when what she needed to hear wasn't pleasant. Yet somehow, along the way, these interactions have begun to breed a sense of familiarity and closeness between them. While it's too early to call such feelings 'love', especially for someone who struggles to even conceptualize such a feeling, Jaliqai is undoubtedly very fond of the man and attracted to him in both and physical and emotional sense. She just can't piece together how deeply that attraction runs -- a conundrum made all the more difficult by the guilt she feels with Nasyamar only recently confessing his love for her, as well as the fact that she and Altai both know that whatever these feelings of theirs are, they should not be acted upon. Khivva Nhys, the contract. ( ♦ ● ✔ ) Jaliqai's Thoughts: "She seems to have a good enough head on her shoulders. Time will tell." Khivva approached Jaliqai one night to offer up coin for information that she believed she had overheard, with promise of more should the Xaela be able to find out anything further. After a successful bout of skulking around, and another hefty coinpurse later, the red-haired miqo'te seemed pleased with the results and afforded Jaliqai an 'in' to join the Blind Viper. Since Jaliqai's acquisition of the Viper and establishment of the Guild, she's offered employment to the woman in kind, settling her into the Guild's Treasure Hunting branch. * Lathu'a Jhiyati, four. ( ♦ (?) ● ✔ ) Jaliqai's Thoughts: "Four seems like someone whose bad side I wouldn't care to be on." Jaliqai initially met Four when he offered her a position with the Blind Viper, and quickly realized that the man was not one to be trifled with. Still, she swiftly developed respect for him, which she maintained even when the Viper changed hands and she became boss. Ryssmyna Syvinmhaswyn, the receptionist. ( ♦ ● ✔ ) Jaliqai's Thoughts: "For all her horrible jokes and odd humor, she's damned good at what she does. And she's a good friend, besides." Jaliqai hired Ryssmyna early on in her acquisition of the Blind Viper and its conversion to the Gold & Glory Hunter's Guild, impressed by her talent for managing the organizational side of business -- something Jaliqai herself had no experience in. The Roegadyn woman's never failed to impress since then, and Jaliqai considers her to easily be part of the Guild's backbone, as well as a valued friend besides. RUMORS These are rumors, both from NPCs and PCs, that one might overhear in regards to Jaliqai. Feel free to utilize these in your RP hooks, or add your own! ◢ Common Rumors - Easily overheard. Use these freely! "Red? Aye, she's the head of that new start-up.. Gold and Glory Hunter's Guild, wasn't it? Seems like they're off to a fair start. She must be happy not to be scrounging for jobs in the taverns and fighting for scraps like the rest of the hunters." -- Adventurer's Guild patron. ◢ Uncommon Rumors - A little more difficult to hear. Use sparingly or ask first! "Aye, she tagged along on a mark me an' me crew were trackin' down once. Li'le thin' like tha', you'd never expec' ta' see 'er heftin' 'round a sword bigger'n she is. Much less be any good at it. Bu' tha' she did, an' I were righ' impressed." -- Lominsan Mercenary. "She doesn't come around here very often, save when she's searching for a new bow or leathers. Last time I saw her, I overheard her arguing with a Wailer over hunting in the Shroud. It seemed like she didn't care too much for their warnings. Stormed off in a huff, she did." -- Gridanian Merchant. "Red? Yeah, I've met 'er, back when she was in good with Bayard Bronzeblade and his lot. Heard they had a bit of a fallin' out, though. Wonder what that was about? They seemed right close." -- Eorzean Bounty Hunter. ◢ Rare Rumors - Very rarely overheard. Please ask before using! "Some years ago, there was a small Xaela clan that wandered far and wide across the Othardian steppes, hunting down the biggest and strongest beasts they could find. Some called them the Wolves of the Steppe, but I believe they were actually named the Qulaan. Unfortunately, there's no solid record of what became of them, just myriad rumors." -- Othardian Scholar. "You ever wonder how some Xaela refugee could possibly afford to start up as extravagant of a business as she did? I hear she tells anyone that asks that it was savings, tournament winnings, and a few loans. But I have it on good authority that she actually put herself deeply into debt with Ul'dahn investors to get the money. I don't know if it was ignorance of Ul'dahn business, or if she was just that desperate, but indebting yourself like that here.. Never a good idea." -- Ul'dahn Businessman. ◢ Player Character Rumors - Feel free to add rumors of your own! (Insert rumor here.) -- Rumor Author / Location (If you add a player rumor, please first copy and paste the above line of code to leave behind for the next person! Thanks!) SCREENSHOTS A collection of screenshots of Jaliqai that serves as a visual reference, or snapshots from certain roleplaying scenes. ARTWORK A collection of artwork of Jaliqai, either commissioned or gifted by the respective artist(s). Artist names & info are linked when you hover over images. You are not permitted to re-use this artwork for your own characters or purposes, whether on Final Fantasy XIV or on other games, forums, etc. LadyA Xhobits Arik ROLEPLAY HOOKS Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum viverra augue ut ex eleifend aliquet. Suspendisse eget lectus felis. Nullam varius fringilla metus, in suscipit justo consectetur a. Suspendisse placerat nunc eu vestibulum ornare. In at felis mattis, dapibus tortor ac, tempus justo. Nulla sit amet sem sed sem pretium imperdiet ut ac magna. Vestibulum non tempor ex, eget dictum enim. Role Name or Type: Description about the role or hook. Role Name or Type: Description about the role or hook. Role Name or Type: Description about the role or hook. ABOUT THE PLAYER Jaliqai is played by a twenty-something year old woman straight out of the heart of the good ol' American countryside, where most people own more tractors than they have teeth. Despite this, she actually kind of likes it there most of the time, even if it's left her with an insufferable drawl and more than a handful of colorful Southernisms that cause people to scratch their heads when she speaks. She works a nine-to-five job (actually more like eight-to-four-thirty) and so she's not always around or energetic enough for RP, but she still very much enjoys hanging out with other RPers, chatting, and running content in the game even when she isn't feeling the flow of creative juices -- which she also thinks is a very gross-sounding phrase, for the record. If you like adorable cats, Game of Thrones, and groan-worthy puns, then chances are, you will get along with her just fine. She also curses like a fucking sailor, so there's that. If you ever want to chat, plot, or just straight up want to get some RP going, send her a tell or a message! She doesn't bite, except when she's hungry. Finally, he's a grab bag of little side notes that may be of interest to you if you RP with me! THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND... Jaliqai can be a very abrasive, hostile, sometimes even violent jerkass. That isn't to say she's wholly unlikeable or incapable of social interaction. Just that she is a very blunt, opinionated individual with a strong personality and a mercurial temper, and she isn't the least bit afraid to tear into people verbally -- or even physically, if the circumstances are extreme enough -- when she's not fond of them for whatever reason. If you're not up for a healthy dose of conflict in your RP, Jaliqai is likely not the character for you! But if you can handle that, and can keep in mind that her jerkassness is entirely IC and not OOC, we'll be just peachy! I use the 'Looking to Meld Materia' symbol to denote that I'm in character. This is especially useful, considering Jaliqai is the type that is content to sit quietly and listen in on conversations, but may not take any action worth repeatedly posting about for a long time. Note that I do sometimes forget to switch to /LFM, though. So if you ever see me about without it and/or want to RP with me and I've not got it active, feel free to shoot me a /tell to ask if I'm in character or willing to hop over! I'm very walk-up friendly! If I don't answer a post directed at me, chances are I'm AFK / distracted. I'm the world's worst for alt-tabbing or getting distracted by Skype conversations or watching streams on Twitch. So if you see that I'm IC and your post goes unacknowledged, your best bet is to give me a nudge in /tells. Usually the sound is enough to clue me back in, or if I don't answer there, you'll know I'm AFK and will get back to you ASAP! Don't take it personally if I have to ask for an RP rain check from you. I work full time, have other commitments both online and in real life, and sometimes I just need to take a break. So I'm not always up for RPing. When things get hectic and I have a lot on my plate, I may have to work to try to schedule an RP with you when I know I can make myself available. Other times, I need variation in my RP interactions to keep my muse going, so I might have to politely pass on an offer from you if we've been RPing a lot lately. Sometimes I may just have to take a short break from RPing to recharge, period. So don't take offense if I ask for a rain check! It's never personal. It's just to keep our RP going strong in the long term, and to keep myself from burning out! I love making friends and chatting OOCly, but please mind your boundaries! I adore talking to other RPers and my RP partners OOCly, even when we're not actively in a scene together. Even if we've never RPed at all. However, please do not mistake my friendliness for forwardness or flirtatiousness. I am in a relationship and have absolutely no interest in pursuing OOC relationships of a romantic and/or sexual variety with anyone. If you get too forward with me and won't back off when asked politely, then I won't hesitate to remove myself from your presence. GUIDELINES Overall, I'm pretty chill as far as guidelines go. I don't have an extensive list of 'Do's or 'Don't's or things that I personally find triggering. So chances are, you won't offend me or make me uncomfortable unless you're trying to or just being really skeevy in general. Still, for the sake of making sure everyone's on the same page here, let me make a few mentions in particular: I WILL NOT... ERP for ERP's sake. I don't have anything against people who do, or ERP in general. However, it's just not my preferred type of RP interaction. Sexual themes are fine, and scenes of a sexual nature don't bother me as long as there's plot-based and/or character development reasons to play them out. Just know that 90% of the time, I much prefer fade-to-black. Pre-determine how characters will feel about one another, including planning romances. In my experience, it just doesn't work and leads to many hurt feelings. Jaliqai is her own person, and even though I may absolutely adore your characters OOCly, she may despise them ICly. And sometimes, for whatever reason, characters just don't have chemistry. So I'll promise nothing as far as "We should make them be best friends!" or "They should fall in love with each other!". The only exception to this would be setting up pre-existing background story relationships. Consent to death, permanent disfigurement, long-term captivity, or other drastic character changes without prior OOC discussion. That isn't to say that I'm not at all open to these things. It just means that I ask you to politely give me an OOC heads up before these scenarios arise. Chances are, if it serves in a plot or character development or is a believable consequence of Jali's IC actions, I'll consent. But I'm not here to entertain your snuff, torture, and power fetishes. I WILL... Plot with others. Got an idea for how you think our characters can interact? A plot that you think Jaliqai might fit into? Or just want to RP and want to try to come up with some kind of meeting that isn't just bumping into one another at the Quicksand? I love plotting! Just don't get plotting scenarios for them to interact confused with pre-planning relationships, as mentioned in my 'Will Nots'. Engage in mature-themed roleplay (MRP). I have a very high tolerance for all things mature-themed and a love for the gritty, dark, and dramatic. This includes elements of sexuality, violence, drug use, psychological games, and any combination of the aforementioned. Feel free to engage in these sorts of themes with me, as there's nothing I find particularly 'triggering' or uncomfortable. Do not confuse this with random, non-plot ERP, however, which I've already stated is not my scene. Respect others' triggers, limits, and boundaries. Not everyone is as comfortable with all subject matter as I am, and so I'm 110% willing to respect your boundaries. That said, since Jaliqai is definitely more of a mature themed character, please be proactively communicative with me about what makes you uncomfortable and where you draw the lines. While I generally try to ask or warn people OOCly beforehand if Jali is about to do something drastic, I can't account for everything and sometimes I do make mistakes. I can't properly avoid a pitfall if you never tell me it's there! OTHER LINKS Jaliqai's Character Development & Inspiration Blog... HERE. (Occasional NSFW warning.) My Personal Blog... HERE. (Occasional NSFW warning.)

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