Xheja Rajhera

______ Xheja Rajhera  ______ PRONUNCIATION... Szhay-uh Rah-jzehr-ah. GENDER... Female. AGE... Thirty, appears twenty-five. NAMEDAY... 18th Sun of 5th Astral Moon. GUARDIAN... Nald'thal the Traders. OCCUPATION... Alchemist, scholar of aetheric studies, researcher. ORIENTATION... Two on the Kinsey Scale. STATUS... Unattached, uninterested. RACE... Miqo'te, Keeper of the Moon. BIRTHPLACE... The Black Shroud. CITIZENSHIP... Ul'dahn. HEIGHT... 5 fulm 2 ilm. WEIGHT... 100 - 110 ponze. EYES... Silver. HAIR... Naturally black, highlight color changes often. ALIGNMENT... Chaotic Neutral, Four. Xheja.png "You would ask of the nature of my being? Why I yet linger even after death? Even I do not know, I am loathe to admit.  All that I know is that I am now aetherbound here, to this plane of existence, and until I have found the answer to that question - Why do I still live? - I fear I shall not ever be allowed even a modicum of peace." XHEJA RAJHERA IN HER PENDING BOOK, 'AETHERBOUND'. _______________________ SOUTHERN THANALAN, IN THE DEPTHS OF THE SAGOLII DESERT . . . A great civilization had once stood here many and more years ago - here where now all that remained was rubble and churning sand, baking underneath Azeyma's blistering hot gaze. It had once been an offshoot of the Belah'dian civilization, if her research was accurate, though who knew what exactly had caused them to branch off on their own. Xheja had never been able to find a concrete name for the people that had settled this old land, much less any true motives. It was frustrating to the side of her that thirsted for knowledge, naturally. Yet all the same, there was something alluring about the mystery of a people long since passed whom time had all but seemed to have forgotten. Carefully stepping her way through the old ruins of the fallen city, ever mindful of how crafty Belah'dians seemed to be with their numerous traps and tricks, Xheja's gaze meticulously soaked in every minute detail she could. While the thought of studying an old civilization itself was a fascinating venture, that had not been why she had dared venture out into the desert this day. Her research had named the founders and once residents of this city to be the masters of the most advanced golems ever created. Their knowledge was what she had come to seek. Perhaps it was a stretch, but was there really so much difference between herself and those Belah'dian constructs? All a golem was, in the most basic of terms, was an empty shell through which an infusion of aether had given some semblance of life - some semblance of a soul. For she who was aetherbound to her own body, was this not essentially the same kind of entrapment? It was a question the Keeper woman had mulled over on multiple occasions, and if her musings were even partially correct, she wondered if searching for answers in the abandoned city might turn up any interesting leads. She wove her way through the fallen stones, feeling something pulling at her the deeper she traveled. At length, she found a structure that despite its various holes and impacted walls, had partially withstood the test of time. Whatever was calling to her was within, that she could sense. Cautious steps brought her down a hallway, her footsteps sounding far too loud echoing off the old stone despite how carefully she was treading. After what seemed like an eternity of holding her breath in anticipation, the hall ended in an open room. Instantly, her eyes fell on what she knew at once to be the source of the aether calling to her. No longer fearing any traps, the miqo'te woman closed the distance between her and the remnants of the large, broken down golem in the center of the room. As she drew closer, she could see the way the golem had angled itself, protectively huddled over all that remained of what she assumed had been its master - a small skeleton, picked dry and bleached stark white. Her lips pulled downwards into a frown as she studied the scene, examining the golem first before finally reaching out to the skeleton. Yet as her fingers brushed the bones, the creature very softly shuddered and emitted a low, quiet groan of protest. Startled to realize that the creature yet lived, she quickly pulled back, ready to defend herself. However, it took only seconds to realize that the golem had grown far too weak over time to even move, much less attack. Nor did she sense the creature's wrath. Rather, all that she felt was.. pain? Sadness? From a golem, a manmade construct who should've been devoid of any and all emotion? Within herself, she debated. The old guardian was a marvel, that much was certain. A valuable artifact of a time long passed. A creature such as this, having survived for the gods only knew how long to protect its long deceased master.. The implications for her research were phenomenal. Yet there was a greater part of her that couldn't stomach the thought of leaving the creature to continue suffering in solitude. Finally, after a long moment, Xheja reached out to lay her hands flat against its rocky surface. Closing her eyes, she hesitated before sucking in a deep breath, pulling the last remnants of aether from the golem's core and finally putting the beast to rest.  Once finished, Xheja lingered at the site for a while longer, silently contemplating. At last, she pulled her hands away with a sigh. "Be at peace," She whispered. "Move forward." However, she was uncertain whether it was the golem that she was addressing or herself. What she did know, however, was that instead of the answers she had hoped to find here, all the ruins had revealed unto her was a sad reminder of what it meant to linger past one's time. ___[ Character Information ]___ Appearance Xheja is a Keeper woman of small stature, standing at only five fulm, two ilm in height and with a soft, light build of one who has spent much more time reading and studying than with sword in hand. Her complexion is dark and dusky, her hair being quite the dark shade of black as well. However, her hair is highlighted with a very unique dye of her own design, which reacts and shifts color according to aspected aetheric influence. In her case specifically, this means that whatever crystal she's drawn from most recently tends to be reflected in her hair color. Likewise, the style of her hair changes from time to time. Given that her current state of being renders the rest of her body unchanging, this one aspect of her appearance that she can change via alchemical and stylistic means grants her some comforting modicum of control and a sense of normalcy. One very prominent feature of her appearance is a large and very gruesome looking scar on her midriff where, during the Battle of Carteneau, an Imperial swordsman broke their lines and thrust his sword into her chest. It is something that she is extremely self conscious about, and she allows no one to see it. In the rare case her stomach is exposed, she covers it with a finely ground concealing prism powder of her own design that would hide the scar tissue from sight, though not from touch. Just the same, any attempts to touch her stomach are always met with vehement denial. Likewise, her naturally silver eyes have a tendency to reflect a vague hue corresponding to the last type of crystal she had drawn aether from. For example, if the last crystal she drew from was Lightning-aspected, her eyes would have a very vague purple tint to them. It would be hard to notice unless one was looking for it specifically, or if they just happened to catch a glimpse from a certain angle. However, in places rife with excess aether, the color does become stronger and much more noticeable. For OOC purposes, you can assume that she last drew aether from the type of crystal that matches her highlight colors due to reasons mentioned above. (i.e. If her hair has reddish-orange highlights, she would've last drawn from Fire crystals.) When she is in the midst of working or researching, her wardrobe isn't overly imaginative nor lavish, consisting mostly of your standard robes and coats. However, when she is out and about, her wardrobe tends to be a bit more fashionable and of a higher quality. Simply put, she believes that as a business woman of a high-end product chain in a heavily merchantile city where wealth and image equal power and influence, it behooves her to promote an air of affluence. Even if she truly doesn't care all too much about clothing, she does indeed have a soft spot for jewelry and gemstones. In the fields of battle, she tends not to spare expense on her equipment. --- Personality In general terms, Xheja possesses a kind and giving nature and the happy and carefree demeanor of the woman she was before the Calamity. Yet what transpired at the Battle of Carteneau and the subsequent banishment from her homelands has tainted her somewhat, a trait that has a tendency to shine through on occasion. Now, above all else, Xheja's personality reflects her dedication to her work, her studies, and her research. Not only is she searching for answers as to her own existence, but there is also something else within her that, at times, becomes evident. What is it, exactly? She's not even sure herself. Merely a curiosity about the aetheric and arcane? A thirst for knowledge of her own limits? Perhaps even a craving for more and more power? It remains to be seen, though it is fairly obvious for anyone who would happen to get close enough to her to see that she walks along a capricious precipice, driven at times by a force that is entirely unlike herself. Further complicating the matter, Xheja's condition renders her quite susceptible to influence from outside sources, particularly in the form of strong aetheric sources. If that source of aether is a place, her personality can shift to reflect the kind of events that happened there to create such a disturbance. If it is an artifact, her personality changes to reflect either that of the nature of the artifact or its creator. If it is another person or creature whose aetheric capacity is great enough to affect her, her personality shifts to match or complement their own. Also notable is in the extended presence of corrupted aether, she tends to become very irritable and even unstable. LIKES DISLIKES Being absorbed in her studies and her quest to discover more about her nature and aether as a whole, Xheja is a true bookworm type that loves little more than a library full of books and a quiet place to mull them over. Yet she is not entirely without social needs, also enjoying the company of others, especially when asked about her work. In terms of more material pleasures, she greatly enjoys semi-sweet red wines and fruit of all kinds. She loves ruins and old monuments, as well as any place with significant aetheric history. Additionally, she is quite fond of other scholarly types, especially if their studies revolve around aether. Excessive obnoxiousness and crudeness are usually right quick ways to get the Miqo'te woman to turn tail and run in the other direction. Likewise, she becomes extremely uncomfortable when people try to pry into her life too much - especially if someone mentions anything about her own aetheric aura or presence. Overly sweet food and drink are not her favorite, nor is she particularly fond of crowded spaces or excessively sunny days. She generally dislikes travel by Aetheryte or Aethernet, given that it makes her feel unstable for a short while after she utilizes it. Much the same, she dislikes magic being casted upon her, tolerating it only when she has to. STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES Her mind is easily Xheja's most prominent strength. She is very intelligent, thorough, and articulate, yet not entirely bound to logic without creativity. She is also very determined and resourceful when it comes to goals she sets for herself. In terms of combat, she is a highly skilled thaumaturge. Xheja, while she is a social creature, tends to keep people at arms' length, and doesn't handle any kind of intimacy well at all, romantic or platonic. Physically, she possesses very little strength or resiliency, and she possesses little to no skill in weaponry. ASPIRATIONS FEARS REGRETS Xheja's driving force is her desire to discover the answer to the question of why and how she is bound to this plane. Secondary to that is a desire to undo the spell that caused it. To these ends, she desires to reunite with the man who casted said spell upon her. Lesser aspirations include her thirst for knowledge of all kinds and a desire to expand her thaumaturgical and alchemical skills. Though she would be loathe to admit it, Xheja's chief fear is that whatever spell has bound her cannot be undone and that she will continue to exist in such a form until the unforeseeable end of all existence. At times, she is also afraid of losing herself and the path that she walks, being that it is so easily influenced by external sources at times. Finally, she fears instability and losing control. Though the circumstances were completely out of her control, Xheja's biggest regret is not being allowed to pass on at the Battle of Carteneau. That is not to say she currently wishes to die. She simply recognizes that what became of her led to the loss of her livelihood, her home, her family, and her friends. She believes that if she had been allowed to pass uninterrupted, she would have found more peace in the afterlife. --- Occupation Xheja's chief occupation is that of an Alchemist. She began her training shortly after coming to Ul'dah, when she discovered that she could absorb aether from crystals that she had been transporting for the guild. Setting her mind to studying the art of alchemy, she was able to achieve a rather impressive level of skill in a relatively short amount of time. Most notably, she is the designer and creator of a number of exotic and high-quality dyes and cosmetics that she calls Rajhera's Radiants. Becoming more and more known amongst Ul'dah's wealthy and fashionable elite, she sees enough demand for them to pull in a healthy bit of coin. In addition to her paying occupation of alchemist, she also fancies herself both a thaumaturge and a researcher of aetheric studies in her spare time. While she funds most of her own research through her alchemical sales, she does occasionally receive funding from the Arrzaneth Ossuary or independent commissioners for more specific research purposes. Sometimes, when funds are particularly scarce and research contracts are nowhere to be found, she will sign on to adventuring parties headed out to places of interest or the like. Given her talent with thaumaturgy, she is more than capable of holding her own out in the field as long as she has a sword-and-shield type to stand between her and the sharp and pointy bits of the beasts. She has also more recently decided that she would pick up the quill and begin to document her musing and her experiences into a collection of journal-like entries, which she has entitled 'Aetherbound'. However, she is still unsure as to whether or not she'll even finish it, much less publish it and make her condition publically known. Though deep down, she hopes that when - or if - she ever manages to untether herself and pass on, she would be able to leave the book behind as a means to leave her mark on the world and perhaps caution against others seeking to conduct the same kind of magic that bound her in the first place. --- Aetheric Condition Xheja's condition is rather unique. At the least, she has never encountered nor even heard of someone whose condition mirrors that of her own. To put it simply, when she was killed upon the fields of Carteneau, her aether - her soul - was recalled and bound to her physical body. Yet it was a very different spell that brought her back, not just simple necromancy. For one, she is not undead. For all intents and purposes, she is a living being with the same need for food and water and the like as any other person. However, unlike most living people, Xheja's soul and her corporeal body are not as one. While it is her own form she is bound to, it is more like she is an apparition that has simply possessed her own body. There is an unbreakable link between aether and matter, but it is not a solid one. As such, there are a few peculiar side effects. --- Aetheric Constancy : For one, Xheja's body is essentially unchanging. She does not age, her appearance does not change in any way, she does not scar, and - most curiously of all - she does not die in the same sense as a regular mortal person dies. In the case that she is 'killed', the link between her aetheric and corporeal forms weakens drastically. However, due to the nature of the spell that was cast upon her, that link is unable to be severed. After some time, when the aether has had enough time to mend her wounds, the link strengths and she 'returns' to life. --- Aether Absorption :  Additionally, she requires the absorption of additional aether to maintain a firm hold on her corporeal form. An incidental discovery led her to use crystals to this end, much the same way as a primal draws upon their latent aether albeit to a much, much less powerful degree. She can also absorb the aether of other creatures on occasion, though it is quite rare and the party relinquishing the aether must either part with it willingly or be extremely weakened and unable to stop it. By absorbing this additional aether, she is able to keep a more solid hold on her being. Without it, her personality fluxes and changes dramatically and her magical abilities weaken and/or become much more uncontrollable and unpredictable. Over time, if her aetheric stores become too low, she might cease to function entirely and enter a comatose state until she is able to passively gather enough aether to function again. --- Aetheric Capacity :  An interesting side effect, however, concerns her magical capacity. Before Carteneau, Xheja was a potent Conjurer able to call upon the aether of nature to heal wounds and protect her allies. After Carteneau, while the aether was still in major chaotic flux, she was able to tap into that excess aether and use it to continue conjuring. However, as it settled and that excess aether disappeared from the atmosphere, she lost her ability to conjure. However, in time, she learned that she was able to do the complete opposite - using thaumaturgy to call not upon the aether of nature, but of herself. Using a staff or scepter as a focus, she can easily channel aether into spells of destruction. Given that a thaumaturge's prowess is limited only by the capacity for handling aether, Xheja's limits are theoretically boundless because her soul and the physical vessel it is anchored to are essentially separate entities. However, in reality, Xheja has found that her ability for magic is limited by the amount of aether she can draw upon. So in short, the stronger she wishes to become, the more aether she has to absorb, and the more often she has to absorb it. --- Aetheric Anomaly :  In regards to those who are adept at reading or sensing aether, they would very likely sense something amiss about her. At the very least, even those not particularly skilled at sensing aether may feel something unsettling or unnatural about her. However, it would be highly unlikely that they would sense exactly why they feel that way, just that there is some kind of aetheric anomaly about her. And if the subject is broached, one can expect her to shut down and/or excuse herself very quickly. --- Aetheric Sense :  Xheja's condition predisposes her to be especially sensitive to aether, resulting in a quasi-sixth sense. Most of the time, that's just vague impressions or feelings. Yet in cases where the aetheric current is particularly strong, she can 'see' how it flows and gathers. --- Combat Skills In her younger years, Xheja's aptitude for conjuration magic was sight to behold. Yet over the course of time, those circumstances have changed. The once potent healer has become an equally prodigious mage of destruction, her capacity for thaumaturgy enhanced by the fact that her aether - and thereby her aetheric capacity - isn't necessarily tied to or limited by her physical being. Yet when it comes to matters of physical combat, one would be unsurprised to learn that she is rather pathetically underskilled. Last Updated:  August 15th, 2014. High ( A )  ▬  Above Average ( B )  ▬  Average ( C )  ▬  Below Average ( D )  ▬  Low ( F )  ▬  Slightly Higher ( + )  ▬  Slightly Lower ( - )  SWORD SHIELD DAGGER AXE HAND-TO-HAND POLEARM BOW STAFF F D  D - F F F F C- CONJURY THAUMATURGY ARCANIMA HEAVY ARMOR MEDIUM ARMOR LIGHT ARMOR D+ B+ C F C- B- STRENGTH RESILIENCE ENDURANCE DEXTERITY QUICKNESS EVASION INTELLIGENCE MIND F D- C- C C B A+ B ___[ History & Background ]___ --- Origins Xheja was born and raised below the lofty boughs of the Twelveswood, amongst a small Keeper of the Moon tribe. The first child of her family, a number of high expectations were placed on her since her birth. The Rajhera family had long been known for producing members who were especially in tune with nature and the Elementals, those who became fine Conjurers and eventual leaders of their tribe. Surely enough, even in her early formative years, Xheja showed a great promise for conjury and devoted herself fully and fervently to its study. By the time that she reached her early twenties, Xheja had become a strong pillar in her tribe. Not only did they come to her for healing, but she assisted the Masters in teaching their art to others who showed promise and was thought to be set to become the tribe's leader in due time. It was a simple life in which she rarely ventured into the world outside their territory's borders, but one that she loved dearly. --- Before the Calamity As the red moon Dalamud grew swollen in the sky and whispers of war infiltrated even the deep recesses of the Twelveswood, Xheja was finally driven into action. She and a few others of their village chose to leave home and travel to Gridania, where they enlisted with the Order of the Twin Adder in order to protect their home. There, after some orientation and training, Xheja was placed into a unit as a healer and began to receive assignments. Their unit was sent to engage the growing Garlean forces, guarding small settlements against invasion and gathering intelligence. During this time, Xheja grew increasingly close to a thaumaturge in their group, the two of them becoming good friends and confidants. They shared their concerns and their fears with one another and leaned upon one another for strength when times were hard. And in time, when they were speaking of their lives before the war, the man admitted to her what kinds of taboo research he was involved in. Disturbed to hear of the kinds of studies and experiments he conducted, she begged him to renounce them after the war and walk a more moral and less dangerous path. Moved by his friend's plea, he agreed. In the final days, their unit was amongst those amassed to fight in the Battle of Carteneau. They fought valiantly, but their unit was struggling to hold its ground. Finally, their shield wall faltered and an Imperial swordsman broke their their line, headed straight for Xheja. Without hesitatation, he plunged his sword deep into her stomach. Witnessing her fall, her friend was quick to come to her aid - albeit too late - slaying the swordsman before dragging Xheja away from the fighting. Even though he had promised her to give up his forbidden spellwork, the thaumaturge drew upon the surging aetheric current and weaved it into a spell, recalling Xheja's soul - her aether - and binding it back to her body. The spell was a success, though not without consequence. While the aether slowly worked to mend her wounds, the Elder Primal Bahamut broke free from his prison. When Louisoix Leveilleur cast those remaining past the reach of time, the thaumaturge was one of those sent forward in time while the just-barely-living Xheja lingered behind. By the time she opened her eyes, dazed and confused, he was gone from in front of her and from her memories and the only thing she could see was the mass destruction taking place around her, powerless to move. --- After the Calamity When it all came to an end, a weak and afraid Xheja was found amongst the few remaining survivors and the plentiful dead. She and the others were taken back home to Gridania and nursed back to health. In time, she had regained enough of her strength to return to her homeland, though she felt quite different. Unsure what exactly had happened to her, only that she knew that she should've been dead by all rights, she simply chose to ignore it as best she could and attempt to return to a normal life. She resigned from the Order and packed up, retreating back into the Twelveswood. When she arrived in her devastated home, she was welcomed back with open arms. For a time, all seemed to be fine. She slowly started to return to her old self, albeit a little more subdued and wordly. With the atmospheric aether levels still being in such a state of flux, Xheja was able to unknowingly absorb enough aether to keep a strong hold on her corporeal form and continue her conjuration. Yet as time went on and the aether settled, her hold grew weaker and her ability to conjure waned until she was finally able to summon forth the power of the elementals no longer. Terrified of what was happening to her, she sought out the tribal elders to listen to the voice of the Elementals, fearing it was they who stripped her of her ability to conjure. Yet when it came to light that her ability was no longer, the elders of the village assumed that she had been cursed by the Elementals and, fearing their wrath should they allow her to remain, banished her. Heartbroken and weak, she was forced to leave home, wandering until she was picked up by a caravan passing through on its way to Ul'dah. After finally arriving in the desert city-state, Xheja was forced to live on the streets. Far too weak to take up the mantle of adventurer and too poor to buy an apprenticeship into any of the guilds, she scraped by on various low-paying odd jobs to survive. A break finally came to her, however, when she was hired by the Alchemists' Guild to transport some crystals to them from Camp Horizon. While handling the crystals, contemplating in desperation whether or not to pilfer a few to sell for her supper, she noticed that she could feel herself pulling the aether out of it and just how rejuvenating it felt. For the first time in a very long time, she felt some small sense of normalcy return to her. And with that, a plan was formed and a curiosity was established. Xheja returned the crystals to the Alchemists' Guild and asked, instead of payment, for them to take her on as an apprentice. Though initially quite reluctant, she was finally able to convince one woman there to take pity on her and accept responsbility as her teacher. With her foot in the door, Xheja threw herself headlong into learning the craft. As an added bonus, becoming an apprentice made a large stock of crystals readily available to her. No one even noticed when a few would go missing, aether drained to replenish the hold she had on her own physical form. With her fervent studying and her sharp mind, Xheja was able to become a somewhat proficient alchemist and develop a product line of her own and a small clientele. Using this success as a springboard, she decided that she would delve deeper into the meaning of her existence. That desire led her to the Arrzaneth Ossuary, where she suspected that she might find some answers in the multitudinous tomes and volumes of research within their walls. That was not all that she found, but also an aptitude for the art of thaumaturgy. Overjoyed to find that she still possessed some magical talent, her desire to commit to her research and magical studies was solidified. --- Recent History It has been almost five years since Xheja first arrived in Ul'dah, and she has managed to make a bit of a name for herself amongst various circles. Nowadays, she is living out her life comfortably, desperately trying to balance both her business dealings, her desire to learn thaumaturgy, and her academic goals. Her days are spent in the lab and the library, and what time she doesn't spend with her nose in a book, she can be found wandering the streets of Ul'dah or exploring beyond its walls. Ultimately, what she continues to search for is answers. ___[ Relationships ]___ --- In order to appear on this list of relationships, one must have interacted with Xheja on a decent number of occasions, made a significant impact on her in some way, or have OOCly talked with me about drafting a pre-developed relationship to her in some form or fashion. I'll try to keep the list updated as much as possible! Last Updated:  August 15th, 2014.    Family ( ☾ )  ▬  Business ( ✔ )  ▬  Romantic Interest ( ♥ )  ▬  Deceased ( ✖ )  ▬  Liked ( ★ )  ▬  Trusted ( ✦)  ▬  Disliked ( ★ )  ▬  Distrusted ( ✦ )  ▬  Neutral / Acquaintance ( ● ) Name Status Details ? ? ?  (NPC)  ★  ✦  ✖ (?) This man served with her in the Twin Adders, up until the day that their unit was sent to fight in the Battle of Carteneau. They were close friends and confidants, and when Xheja fell on the battlefield, the man was the one who called her soul back to her body and bound it there. Yet the man was one of those sent forward in time by Louisoix Leveilleur, leaving her behind on the battlefield. Now, as a Warrior of Light, Xheja can recall little and less about him. His name, his face.. She can recall nothing, only the vaguest of memories or feelings. Yet more than anything, she wishes to see him once again, not only to reunite with her good friend but to find out the exact nature of her existence. Audrielle Rochefort  (NPC) ✔  ★  ✦ As demand for Rajhera's Radiants picked up, it quickly became clear to Xheja that her place was within the lab and not in the markets, hawking her wares. One day whilst she was trying to make a sale and failing pretty miserably, a young Elezen woman that had on occasion stopped by to purchase her products stepped in and smoothly redirected the sale back to success. With that, Xhej decided to hire her on as retainer to sell for her. Sales have never been better. Audri's personality and Xheja's own tend to conflict at times, but for their bickering, the miqo'te seems to hold the elezen in high regard and values both her partnership and friendship. Emory Grey  (NPC) ✔  ★  ✦ Emory joined the Alchemists' Guild shortly before Xheja, resulting in the two of them often attending the same lessons and lectures, and working closely on a number of projects. As time wore on and Xheja began to develop her line of cosmetics and dyes, she asked her peer and friend to work with her, and he agreed. While he doesn't have quite the same aesthetic sense to thrive in the creation of cosmetics, he does handle matters of procuring materials and some of the more mundane requests - potions, ethers, and such - that come their way. Dr. Vahn Casimir (Reinhardt Korvidus) ★ Xheja happened to cross paths with the fellow alchemist and aetheric researcher in the Quicksand one night, and thus soon after a fruitful academic alliance was borne. She greatly values the man's intelligence and appreciates his bringing her on field expeditions. The two exchange findings on occasion, and more recently have devised to collaborate on a project to bring medicinal salves to the Ul'dahn refugees - on the coin of the city's wealthy elite, no less, buying the same, albeit purfumed salves for luxury prices under the label of Rajhera's Radiants. ​ ___[ Rumors ]___ --- This is just a list of rumors that one's character might overhear concerning Xheja. Feel free to utilize them as much as or as little as you'd like! Also, if your character has been passing around any rumors of their own about her, please contact me so that they can be added! --- Rumors Commonly Overheard "She's an alchemist, that one. She brews your standard potions an' elixirs, but what she's really known for are those fancy dyes and cosmetics o' hers. Rajhera's Radiants, she calls 'em. They'll cost ya' a shiny gil or three.. Or if you've a wife like mine, a week's earnin's."  --Ul'dahn Merchant "She came to the Arrzaneth Ossuary a few years back, looking to thumb through our collection of tomes and research. But before you knew it, she was conjuring up fire and ice like the best of them. It's rare, seeing someone with such an innate aptitude for the thaumaturgical arts."  --  Thaumaturge "She's a scholar. No, no.. Not one of those book-toting, fairy-summoning sorts. She studies aether. I made the mistake of asking her about it once, just trying to make conversation. She prattled on and on for ages.."  --  Quicksand Patron Uncommonly Overheard "Xheja Rajhera? She came to Ul'dah about a year after the Calamity, if I recall. She wanted to enroll in the Adventurer's Guild, but I could tell she was far too weak to be able to handle the adventurer's life. But she's come a long way from the pitiful starveling that crawled into the Quicksand all those years ago."  --  Momodi "I see her come into the Quicksand from time to time to check out the notices posted up, calling for eager adventurers looking for coin. I asked her once what kind of interest a researcher like herself had in crawling through derelict dungeons and battling beasties. All she said was that she went where the aether called, and that she could handle herself. If she says so.."  --  Adventurer Rarely Overheard "Do you not sense it? That.. perturbing aura about her..? Try as I might, I cannot pinpoint what it is. When I finally gave into curiosity and asked her, she turned cold as a Coerthas morning and promptly excused herself. There's just something not quite right about her.."  --  Aether-sensitive Scholar Player-Added Rumors Feel free to go ahead and add rumors, or tell me in-game / message me  on the RPC website what should be added! ___[ Miscellaneous Information ]___ --- RP Style & Preferences I tossed up this table of information here for those curious. This is just a list of my stances on things such as chat modes, handling certain themes in RP, and consent levels for things such as death, detainment, etc. So if you're interested in establishing a long-term RP rapport with Xheja, then this may be useful! --- RP Style & Preferences Chat Modes I'm equally comfortable with private modes of RP (party chat, tells, etc.) and open /say roleplay.  Therefore, if you have any specific preference, let me know beforehand!  However, note that if you want to /tell RP, please let me know first.  Otherwise, all /tells I receive out of the blue are considered to be OOC! Post Styles I try to mirror the types of posts that my partner(s) make. If the posts have been long and detailed, I'll do the same. If the RP is primarily dialogue, I'll try to adjust to that style. (Though it is a bit awkward for me at times, given my experience with RP comes from forum-based avenues.) In addition, if you're interested in setting up forum-based RP, I'm totally open to that as well! Walk-Ups Generally speaking, I'm 100% okay and even welcome walk-up RPs!  However, there are some exceptions, which you can usually denote by checking my in-game status icon next to my name.  For more details on what the icons mean, see the section below. Family & Backstory Relationships Currently, I'm not actively seeking anyone to play family members for Xheja. They're estranged, and don't currently have much connection to her current life. But if you're interested in playing one of her family members and have a good idea for how to work it in, I'm open to discussion. Likewise, if you're interested in playing any other figure from Xhej's past / backstory, then let me know what you're thinking. Romantic Relationships I'm not opposed to romantic relationships coming up in RP. However, I am also not excited about the thought of romantically-themed RP constituting the majority of the RP I do.  Pre-planning romantic developments between two characters outright also doesn't settle well with me. Basically, my philosophy is this:  We let the characters interact and see where it goes naturally.  Mature Themes Much like with romantic relationships, I follow the rule of 'if mature themes happen naturally in an RP, they are fair game'. That said, I am often not up for RP of a sexual nature and generally prefer Fade-to-Black once a scene gets past a little touchy-feely. In terms of violence and darker themes of questionable morality, bring it on! Combat RP Admittedly, combat isn't my favorite type of RP. But again.. If it comes up naturally in the flow of a scene, I'll play it out. Combat RP for the sake of combat, though, is not my particular cup of tea. If a fight does break out, I expect us to operate on the expectations of realism and courtesy. Don't aut0-hit, godmode, meta-game, control my character, etc. Basically, just don't be a jerk about it! OOC Consent Level (death, detainment, etc.) I would appreciate a heads-up if your character intends to arrest or otherwise detain or punish Xheja. I'm not saying that I don't want it to happen. But I would just like the OOC courtesy of a forewarning, just as a matter of courtesy. Likewise, I'll always ask for your OOC permission if I ever have Xhej do something that will significantly impact your character and would ask that you do the same for me. Finally, in terms of death, I am open to this occurring occasionally in the course of RP. However, note that currently Xheja's aether is bound to this plane of existence. Thus, even if she is "killed", she would eventually return to normal in a matter of days. In-Game Icons & RP Status I use the in-game status icons to denote my current roleplaying status when I am online and about. Here's a guide for what the icons mean, in my case: --- In-Game Status Icons No Icon  /  Duty Finder Open to RP. If this is my status, I'm open for RP (including walk-ups), though I'm not actively IC. Essentially, what this means is that I am open for RP, but I may be doing other OOC things -- watch livestreams, doing dungeons, etc. -- in the meantime. So if you throw a post at me in this state and it goes unanswered, send me a /tell to make sure I saw it. I might've missed it! Don't let the Duty Finder icon scare you away, either. Looking for Party Looking  for RP! If my status is set to 'Looking for Party', then that means I am actively looking to engage in RP. I'll generally be making unaimed posts of what my character is doing, etc. So feel free to post at me all you want! Looking to Meld Materia Currently Closed to RP. If I'm currently doing other things OOCly and don't feel up to RPing, I'll set my status to 'Looking to Meld Materia' (since you apparently can't receive tells while set to Busy / AFK). However, if you want to send me a /tell and chat or set up some future RP, I'd be more than happy to do so! I may also be AFK in this status, so please give me time to respond! Encounter Ideas If you're interested in RPing but not quite sure where to start, here's some quick ideas - some more involved, some less - for things that could start off an interaction. That's not to say that I'm only interested in RP that starts off in these fashions - far from it! These are just some simple ideas if you're not quite sure of some other way to start off. --- Encounter Ideas Other Scholars & Researchers Xheja absolutely relishes any opportunity to pick the brain of another scholarly type. This is especially true if their own research happens to line up with her own. Additionally, her services as a researcher can be bought on a contractual basis. Merchantile Relations Xheja's funds come from her alchemy business, so it would stand to reason that she has a decent enough clientele to back it up. Whether someone needs exquisite dyes or any number of different kinds of cosmetics, or even if they need something as simple as an order of potions or elixirs, Xheja can provide. Adventuring When funds run dry and there are no research contracts to be found, Xheja has been known to sign up for adventuring excursions whose destinations or goals bring her to places or artifacts of interest. Even besides, she occasionally makes solo forays into the world beyond Ul'dah's walls for one reason or another. Other Magic-Wielding Types Xheja's roots have always been in aetherial arts, having grown up as a conjurer and transformed into a thaumaturge. She enjoys the company of like-minded individuals. Also, she is currently rather interested in arcanima and summoning as a part of her research, so she takes extra interest in conversing with them and perhaps even learning from them. Usual Haunts If you're simply curious as to the types of places that one can expect to find Xheja, here's a short list:  The Quicksand, Arrzaneth Occuary / Thaumaturge's Guild, Alchemists' Guild, the markets, old ruins / temples, sites of significant aetheric presence or history, any place containing a number of books. ? ? ? The man in her past who bound her soul back to her body. This is a role that I am reluctant to fill. Xheja still has much room to grow before this kind of big reveal is made to her. But of course, if you do have any ideas, I'm more than interested to hear them! Player's Note on Xheja Hey everyone! I just wanted to add this small section to explain and clarify a few things about Xheja to assuage any fears someone might have about roleplaying with me. I know that Xheja's character may come off a bit strong and that some people may fear that that capacity for power may translate into OOC godmoding / powerplaying / spotlight stealing etc. However, I want to assure you all that that is most certainly not the case! I have been roleplaying for nigh on 13 years now, so I have a depth of experience with roleplaying that allows me to be able to balance out a character with strengths of this type with an appropriate number and type of weaknesses. Not to mention, in my personal style, I tend to underplay my characters' strengths anyway and put them into a disadvantageous position. (It just makes for much more interesting conflict and character growth in most cases, in my opinion!) Suffice to say, godmoding and powerplaying are just not my style, and these are things you will not see from Xheja. However, if you do think something she does is beyond reasonable limits, feel free to /tell me! I'll be more than willing to work with you and figure something out! Likewise, when I was conceptualizing Xheja's character, I had her in mind as more of a "major character" in her own personal plotline while being a "secondary character" with the capability of evolving into more in external plotlines. What this means is that while she has enough depth to hold her own interesting personal plot, it is just not within her character to be the central actor in an external plot by default. She's a rather Neutral character who values her own interests over a black-and-white concept of "right and wrong", leading her to be neither altruistic enough to be a hero nor antagonistic enough to be a true villain. However, I did want to allow enough possibility in there to allow Xheja to be utilized in either a positive or negative force in a plot given the easily influenced nature of her personality and being.  With that being said, if there is a plotline that you think she would function well in - either as a protagonistic or antagonistic agent - feel free to contact me and let me know! We can definitely try to work something out. Above all, please just don't be afraid or reluctant to give Xheja a chance! ​ ___[ Annotations ]___ --- Character Information Template Credit & Usage This template was created by Ephemerality. Please do not use or edit without first contacting me and then giving me credit!