Liah Liohto

Liah Liohto
Gender	Female
Race	Au Ra
Clan	Raen
Citizenship	Doman
Age	28
Height	5'2
Profession	Master Seamstress, Market Warrior
Relationship Status	Married to J'hama Tia
Theme	Song
Server	Balmung

I am Liah, master seamstress, market warrior. Come, sit, drink!

Appearance

Liah is a short Auri woman with gleaming purple eyes and blue ponytailed hair. She can usually be found wearing her prized blue yukata or her crafting apron, if she is bothered while on the clock. Lately, however, she's been wearing different kinds of Western clothes in order to fit in a little better, only pulling out her yukata for more formal events or for comfortable late-night drinking. When traveling outside of Ul'dah, she wears a tough jacket and long pants to protect against the elements and the many dangers she imagines are lurking outside the city walls.

She has many scales plastering her Au Ra body, more than what is usually expected from an Auri woman. Though she was shy about them as a teen, she's embraced her scaly appearance and tries to take good care of them. For now, they're soft to the touch, like fine leather.

Though she doesn't look like much of a figher, Liah has many scars along her body. Her first is a 5-ilm-long scar on the right side of her belly from a scuffle with a few petty thieves. She's extremely proud of the scar and will show it off to anyone who asks, or anyone who gets her to start telling the story.

Liah does her best to hide the other scars on her body. All are knife wounds caused by a friend's brief descent into madness. She wears long sleeves to cover the scar on her underarm, as well as tights or long pants to hide the many scars on her thighs.

Personality

Liah is passionate about her work and her ideals. She loves her craft and strives to make garments of the highest possible quality. Fair trade is at the heart of her dealings; she refuses to sell anything for cheaper or pricier than what she believes is fair. "Filthy undercutters" are her bane, and she used to frequently drown her anger at them in whiskey at the Quicksand.

Liah loves telling stories and sharing information with friends, new and old alike. She likes conversation, as it's an opportunity to learn more about the new land she's becoming a part of, as well as a great chance to practice the Western tongue. She fancies herself a strong woman, refusing to take bullshit from anyone, though the advances of a man she finds handsome, or her own inadvertently embarrassing actions, can start her blushing and stammering like an idiot.

While she had a bit of a rough past, Liah doesn't let it get her down. She considers herself lucky to have had so much success. She also knows that many of her kind were not so lucky, so she doesn't bring up her past troubles that often, often preferring to tell stories of her brothers' exploits as a way to keep the positive moments of her past alive. She looks down on other Au Ra who let their pasts get in the way of their creating a better future, though she feels a little guilty about feeling that way sometimes.

Liah is extremely protective of her friends, to the point of being overly motherly. If a friend is in trouble, she will go out of her way to try and help, whether that means taking them into her home, crafting them whatever they need, lending them an ear, or handing them a fat sack of gil (which she's done before). Seeing her close friends hurt or wounded fills her with immeasurable amounts of grief, spurred by memories of the war in her homeland that tore everyone she knew and loved away from her. Liah's worst fear is not being able to help a friend in need.

Violence and killing are her least favorite things. Once, the mere mention of a close friend doing such things would cause Liah to avoid them indefinitely, but nowadays she's not as bothered, though they do make her feel uncomfortable. If Liah sees a friend about to get into a fight, she will step between them and their attacker and attempt to stop them. Peace and friendship are very important to her, especially between the Xaela and Raen in Ul'Dah. Liah has no contempt for her Xaela Brothers, believing that all Doman refugees need to stick together in such tough times.

Liah's biggest flaw is her arrogance. This applies to her craft without a doubt (she considers herself one of the best seamstresses in the market, if not the best), but also to her opinions on the people and world around her. She tends to act and react very selfishly in those regards, shunning those whose views conflict with her own and pushing her values on everyone around her. Liah's not afraid to tell someone exactly what she thinks, even if that's the exact thing that will push them away. Recently, though, she's learned that it's sometimes better to offer someone a hand or a shoulder to cry on, rather than give them advice or a stern lecture.

When drunk, she tends to get a little too loudmouthed, either complaining loudly about "dirty Lalafell undercutters" or asking one too many questions about the Western races. Secretly (or not-so-secretly), she has a thing for Miqo'te, though she tries not to let the temptation of fluffy tails get in the way of her business.

All-in-all, if caught unawares, Liah can be found with a cheerful grin on her face and a sewing kit close by, always ready to work hard for her business, and even harder for the people she loves.

Biography

Backstory: In Doma

Liah grew up in Doshi, a medium-sized city in Doma, Othard, where she lived with her merchant family. Her mother and grandmother were skilled seamstresses who taught her the craft of weaving and embroidery starting at age 5. From there, Liah assisted in her family's business of making and repairing garments. Her father and older brothers handled the market affairs and taught her how to manage unruly customers and marketplace arguments.

She had two older brothers, Ryuto (7 years older) and Hayato (5 years older), who both doted upon her and were constantly annoyed by her. Liah was very close with the both of them and enjoyed following them around when she was younger, much to their dismay. When they reached adulthood, Ryuto and Hayato became quite the trading duo, attracting the attention of many disgruntled merchants and beautiful women.

When the Garleans came to reclaim the surrounding area, Liah's brothers and father went off to war. She never saw them again. At home, the family business worked to support the war effort and the slowly starving populace. Eventually, the enemy made its way to Doshi's walls. When a night raid sent hundreds of soldiers into the city, Liah's mother sent her away to safety, with nothing more than a few hempen shifts and a sewing kit.

Backstory: In Eorzea

Liah's trek to Ul'dah took a few months as she leapt from one ship to another on what little money she had. She spent some time in the company of another Auri refugee she knew only as Fuurin (Windchime), and the two had a sexual relationship. Windchime taught her a little Eorzean as he helped her travel from Doma to Eorzea. They parted ways near the end of her journey after he expressed the desire to return to Doma.

Upon arrival at Ul'dah, Liah had a few troubles, as she spoke very little Eorzean and could not find many weavers who wanted to work with her. Eventually, she won over a kindly Hyuran woman who let her embroider for her. After a few months of hard work, Liah earned enough to buy her own spot in the Eastern markets and start a little business.

Now, her little business has grown, and there are more than a few regular customers who order commissions from her. T'ellaria, a Sun Seeker leatherworker and close friend of hers, stops by often to gossip about market happenings. Lately, a wealthy Miqo'te woman has been commissioning her for everything from wedding dresses to little skirts for fat cats. While her shop and commissions keep her busy, between picking up materials, arguing with merchants, and slaving over embroidery in her one-room apartment, she likes to blow off steam by drinking at the Quicksand or spending time with her friends.

As she spends more time in Eorzea, her fashion tastes are slowly changing. Before, she could rarely be found without her signature purple yukata, boasting about her prowess as a seamstress. With her new skills making typical Eorzean wear, she's created a new wardrobe for herself that includes Western-style dresses, work jackets, and most recently, pants (which she's still not 100% used to wearing.) The boasting continues, of course.

Master Seamstress, Market Warrior

Liah was once afraid of traveling outside the walls of Ul'dah, but after a few friends showed her it's not so terrifying, she's started venturing out of her safety zone, most recently to regularly check in on a troubled friend. She's also finally achieved her dream of dating a Miqo'te man, after months of flirting with (and being rejected by) gay Miqo'te men. After a long courtship, the two moved in together.

One day, while Liah was working in the markets, a stranger appeared with a letter from her eldest brother, whom she had long presumed dead. It was a miracle it made it to her, addressed only to "a loud, blue-haired Raen who sews". The letter stated that he was alive, in Eorzea, and looking for her. Unable to leave Ul'dah to search for him, Liah prayed for her Brother's safety and the chance that they might be reunited.

While drinking at the Silver Bazaar, Liah encountered her friend Aleric, brooding. A simple conversation turned to admissions of murder and injustice, and the argument quickly descended into violence. The Midlander, driven by madness, dragged her to an abandoned shack and put her through some brief torture. Believing her friend was still inside, she struggled through, reassuring herself that he would not kill her. She was wrong. As Aleric buried his dagger in her ribs, her friends burst in to put an end to his violence. Where the man has gone, she does not know, but the strength and courage she felt during the ordeal are still with her.

After realizing she needs to be stronger in body, Liah began training with the amnesiac adventurer Emelc Vrand. Through diligent work and overcoming some of her fears, she was able to step up her game, little by little, to the point where she felt adequately prepared to defend herself.

Liah traveled with her fiance J'hama Tia to visit the tribe of the Jackal, seeking wisdom from his father, the Nunh. After she almost stepped in to stop a fight between the Miqo'te brothers, Liah was kept outside the tribe's camp until she was determined safe. The night was hardly lonely; the Auri woman easily befriended Hama's meddlesome sisters, and the next day, she was allowed into camp. The Nunh was not accepting of their relationship at first, but after an earnest plea from Liah, he gave the two their blessing to be married and procreate. While Hama spent his two weeks training with the tribe, Liah learned new techniques from the tribal Miqo'te and gained a new family.

A drunken night and a tangle of passionate and misled emotions led to Liah nearly sleeping with her friend and combat trainer Emelc, who had previously confessed his love for her. Realizing her mistake, she fled from his arms, leaving the man distraught. Her fiancé was more than understanding of the situation and offered her comfort and forgiveness, both of which she felt were undeserved. Liah eventually was able to forgive herself and swore off all alcohol.

The next day, she tracked down Emelc to apologize for her actions, and the two repaired their friendship for a brief time, before the man's lack of self-control during a sparring match brought his lips to hers again - and her knife to his chest. The fight that ensued quickly turned violent, leaving both of them exhausted and distraught. A long, frank discussion about their feelings and histories helped to fix what had been broken, but Liah swore off sparring with Emelc ever again, and warned him that one last strike would mean the end of their friendship for good.

During one busy day in the markets, Liah was surprised by an old face - her brother. After a long hug and more than a few tears, he explained his defecting from the military, his travel to Eorzea, and his search for Ahiru that eventually lead him to her in Ul'dah. That night, he met with Liah's fiance, J'hama, and after battering them with a slew of jokes and embarrassing questions, he eased up and gave them his blessing. Liah is unsure of when she'll see him next, but at least this time, he has her linkpearl.

After a business deal, Liah has taken a young Miqo'te armorer by the name of V'tehn as her business partner, sharing her market stall space with him and assisting him in getting more business in Ul'dah. In return, he provides her with armorer work, rent, and long arms for reaching the high beams on her market stall.

One cold, winter night, Liah and Hama were wed in a small ceremony attended by a government official and her older brother. The next day, they held a small party at a rented-out basement, where many people showed up and had a wonderful time embarrassing the seven hells out of her. It was everything she wanted and more.

Liah's friend Zethie burst into her company house, carrying a very injured Ophelia. Liah helped them up to the infirmary, where she was charged with assisting Reinard, a doctor, with Ophelia's surgery, given her experience with sewing and her steady hands. Though it terrified her at first, Liah quickly calmed and was able to get through the hours of surgery without a slip of the hand - but the sight of her Sister's insides, so badly torn up, will haunt her for a long time.

After believing she was pregnant for a good month, her blood came late. The anger and disappointment she felt bled into her performance at the Grindstone tournament, where she'd previously made the quarterfinals, and she lost in her first round. After revealing it to her husband, he suggested they maybe look into other options other than trying for their own child, such as adoption, or sleeping with another Auri man, but she vehemently refused. She tried herbal supplements and teas to try and increase their chances, though the fear that it was impossible still lingered in her mind.

When he needed a nice dress to surprise his to-be fiance with, Liah's friend Yvon commissioned a rather expensive dress, worth over 100,000 gil. Excitedly, Liah rushed to finish the job, adding intricate embroidery to make up for the high price. The piece was up to his high standards, and she received her pay - enough to move her and her husband to a larger apartment, one that can support the family she so desires.

As usual, Liah went to spar with her feisty apprentice, V'tehn, but after a few blows, she felt something was wrong. V'tehn's girlfriend, Kaede, came to assist her with her healing knowledge, and revealed to Liah that she was pregnant. Not one who can keep a secret, Liah told everyone she knew, including her husband, who was overjoyed.

Again, Liah's recurring client and friend Yvon commissioned his bride-to-be's wedding dress (as well as some lingerie) from the master seamstress. Over the course of ten mostly-sleepless days, Liah produced a masterpiece well worth the million gil she was commissioned for. She nearly passed out when Yvon revealed he was giving her a 500,000 gil tip. On her way back from delivering the garment, she slipped from her bird, nearly passing out. She called her 'little brother' V'tehn, who came to pick her up. Though he gave her a good scolding, it only increased their bonds of friendship and family.

Just before announcing to him she had purchased a larger apartment for the twins she'd be bearing, Liah's husband went missing. Frantically, she searched the streets of Ul'dah with V'tehn, but found no trace of him. After a week of looking and looking and causing herself more stress than she could bear, Liah resigned herself to continue working, hoping that some sign of her husband would appear in the coming weeks.

Miscellaneous Information

RUMORS Some of these rumors are untrue or are greatly exaggerated. Please feel free to add your own rumors under PC! ◢ Common Rumors (Easily overheard) ■ "The Auri seamstress has some of the finest work on the markets. A bit pricey, though." ■ "Liah? Yeah, she's pretty, but she's married to some Miqo'te. Sorry, mate." ◢ Moderate Rumors (Moderately difficult to overhear) ■ "Liah? Gods, ye wouldn't know how many times that Miqo'te's dragged her outta here, piss drunk. Haven't seen her in a while though." ■ "Heard her saying some really terrible things about Lalafell the other night. I don't know what she's got against them, but I wouldn't do business with her if I were you." ■ "Despite what you might think, she's pretty quick with a sword or a dagger. Saw her sparring outside the walls. Nothin' pretty, but still a sight to see." ◢ Rare Rumors (Very difficult or rarely overheard) ■ "Her real name's Ahiru. Guess 'Liah' is less intimidating to Ul'dahns who don't like refugees." ■ "Pulled a knife out in front of her and she nearly fell over. I saw a big scar on her leg once, too. Wonder what's got her so scared of Hyurs with knives." ■ ◢ PC Rumors (Rumors from the characters of other players) ■ "She seems awfully quick to trust a person she's only met once. Perhaps a mistake Domans make regularly. But I've no need to say more, lest she wonder my origins." -Franz ■ "I once entered the Quicksand seeking food to feed my aching belly, when not a moment later she began yelling at me from across the dining hall that I'd ruined the city she loved. I was flabbergasted to say the least, so I decided not to linger. Poor girl." -Soon Tofu ■ ■

RELATIONS ♥ Romantic Interest ♥ Platonic Love ● Good Standing ● Neutral Standing ● Poor Standing ♥ J'hama Tia : Liah's beloved husband. They met in the Quicksand while she was drunk and looking for tail, literally. While she was a little anxious at first, their relationship blossomed, and the two of them quickly became fond of one another. They traveled out to the Sagolii to meet his father and the rest of the tribe he had abandoned. After getting his father's blessing to marry, the two made the appropriate preparations, and were married in the last month of the year. Now, they're working on starting a family. ♥ Ryu Katsuragi : A Hyur from Doma who regularly hangs with Liah, speaking Doman and trading stories of home. She likes his sense of humor and enjoys bantering with him. Sometimes he calls on her for odd jobs, but she likes the interruption. She was a little uncomfortable at hearing he aided the Empire, but she knew he had no choice, and tries not to let that fact get between them. ♥ Zepheria Mythic : One of Risk's friends, a doctor of sorts who looked after Liah who shares the Auri woman's passion for peace. Zeph and Liah have a relationship both as businesswomen and as friends. Liah regrets that some of their closest moments have been when she's much too drunk to remember all of them afterwards. ♥ Ophelia Blanche : A beautiful Raen woman who dabbles in weaving and arcana. One of Liah's older friends, the two don't meet much, but always enjoy sharing stories and crafting tips while sipping Doman tea. ♥ V'tehn (Tia?) : A Miqo'te armorer and craftsmith who shares Liah's stall space. She successfully got the younger man to call her "Big Sister" in Doman, of which she's very happy. She tries her best to be a mentor to him while also keeping a bit of fear in him. ♥ Emelc Vrand : An amnesiac warrior who had the misfortune of encountering Drunk Liah in her natural habitat. They formed a fast friendship, and he taught her many ways of the sword, but after revealing his passionate love for her, and trying to kiss her a few times, the two had a terrible fight. Though they're still friends, Liah's lost a lot of trust in him. ● A'Dia Tia : A Miqo'te explorer who made the mistake of flicking a little too much tail around blackout drunk Liah. After many apologies and a lost ring, she's warmed up to the man and hopes they can become friends, despite her shortcomings. ● Earnest Rutherford : A learned merchant man whom Liah enjoys discussing market matters with. While she doesn't know much or understand him sometimes, she enjoys his company. ● T'yamsha Winre : A drinking companion Liah sees in the Quicksand every now and then. T'yamsha is also a great source of Miqo'te knowledge, which Liah mines like there's no tomorrow. Liah is currently working on a red-and-white yukata for the woman. ● Sarina Alyne : A friendly conjurer who knows Risk. She and Liah share a love of weaving and enjoy trading ideas and plans for how to get Risk into a yukata. ● Ranirus Crithalos : A "wool-headed fool" Liah befriended after a drunken night asking for tail-touch trades. Luckily, he overlooked her strange nature and the two struck up a friendship. Liah was constantly worried about his propensity for putting himself into dangerous situations, and was torn between smacking him into the next Umbral era and taking him into her arms (and bed). After he disappeared for a while, Liah was able to meet him and see he was alright. Finally understanding that she doesn't need to dive in and help him all the time, she's resigned herself to being his occasional drinking buddy. ● Tara Piper : A friendly woman Liah met in the Quicksand. Liah's not exactly sure what she was (voidsent? dead person?) but she's fun to hang out with, so whatever she may be doesn't really bother Liah. ● Isis Tokiha : A Raen woman who accompanied Liah to the beach. She shares Liah's love of teasing Aleric, and the two quickly bonded over it. ● Serese Gahya : An armored Miqo'te woman who also accopmanied Liah to the beach. The two traded stories and watched some friends fail at flirting. ● Esva Kagon : A Xaela who foolishly drank Clearwine that Liah offered her. The two have a strange kind of freindship. ● Yuki Kusakari : Dia's 'girlfriend'. She's much quieter than the ultra-loud Liah, but that doesn't keep Liah from trying to befriend her Raen Sister. ● Kipih Kiht : A young adventurer who's always making Liah feel old. She secretly wants Kip to call her Big Sister in Doman, but that's another story. ● Taka Raha : An energetic Miqo'te woman who loves ear-fondling and picking fights with Dia. ● Hawu'to Dhujesi : A Miqo'te bard to whom Liah had the joy of explaining sex. After finding out he was a singer and musician, the tone-deaf Liah is dead set on hearing him play. ● Koh'si Jakkya : A Miqo'te rascal Liah's been looking after for a few months. Every once in a while she feeds him or gives him some clothes to wear. Secretly, she wants to see how he reacts when you scratch behind his ears, but he hasn't let her get close enough yet. ● Sarnai Ortharia : A Xaela Sister who's part of Liah's trading guild. The two bonded quickly after conversing in Doman about shy Eorzeans and their love lives. ● Gideon Aryeh : An old acquaintance, cook, and merc. Liah's hoping he can teach her how to cook, and maybe cater for her wedding. He has a thing going with Pag. ● E'paghlo Sheqa : A Miqo'te woman who shared a drink and many stories with Liah at the airship bar one night. She also nauseated Liah with her display of passion for Gideon. ● Naja Elo'quie : A Miqo'te woman who Liah declared to be her "baby friend", someone pregnant to share stories with as they both brave motherhood for the first time. Naja gave her a book on pregnancy, as well as fertility tea. Liah's still figuring out how to pay her back. ● Akhutai Sagahl : A Xaela man who impressed Liah with his kindness and his learning of Doman. He's friends? with Ryu. ● Zohie Juari : A Miqo'te woman, mated to Haru, who first met liah during the Great Pineapple Disaster. Since then, she's been with Liah through many conflicts, including her last spar with Emelc. ● Shiruoka Devonat : A Miqo'te woman who used to be in Liah's guild. Liah helped the woman out with her relationship issues and the two became fast friends since. ● Batugan Angura : A Xaela leatherworker whom Liah's teamed up with to get some work done. He's an earnest worker. ● U'meyla Brekke : A lost Miqo'te fisherman Liah helped guide to food and lodging, though Liah fears she may have frightened the woman with her excitement over getting her into a dress. ● Dorian West : A flirtatious Miqo'te man who attempted to pick up Liah and her friends. ● Jojonji Kokonji : An 'innocent' Lalafell merchant whom Liah always made sure to glare at in her day-to-day routine. However, after he showed her kindness and worry, she feels the need to apologize to the man for her childish behavior. ● L'boam Swifttongue : A Miqo'te man Liah met in the Quicksand one drunken night. Apparently part of her "harem". Liah finds him funny, but is a little wary of him after he tried to use violence to resolve (what she believes was) a simple conflict. ● Hariri Hari : Another one of Risk's friends, a healer. Liah is grateful to her, but a bit suspicious, as she is a Lalafell, after all. ● Zealos Hyud : A Hyuran man she met in the airship bar one night while searching for her ring. The man was kind enough to help her look. ● Eligor Abigor : A Lalafellin man who spent some time conversing with Liah in the markets. He and his wife are interested in apprenticeship. While Liah is ready to entertain their request, she's still not 100% convinced of the Lalafell's good nature. ● Lieri Saionji : A Raen Sister Liah met at yet another bar. After revealing that she worked for the Garlean army, they didn't get off to a good start, but Liah hopes they can still get along...if she can get over her knee-jerk suspicion. Those who have departed ● Aleric Payne : A traveling artist and merc Liah met in the Quicksand. The two of them had many drunken misadventures. She admired him for his companionship, and was the only person thus far who knew her real name. When a bout of madness caused him to capture and torture her, she continued to believe in the goodness in his heart, even until the moment when he sunk his dagger into her ribs. Though she has not seen the man since, she hopes that the goodness in him lives on, somewhere. ♥ Xe'rynn Railyk : One of her closest friends, Liah enjoys sharing her market and romantic exploits with Xe'rynn, a well-traveled man who once made his way through her hometown and who speaks her language. ♥ Risk'o Ohbobo : A silver-tongued bodyguard. After Liah was attacked in the street and had a panic attack, he took her back to his guild house, where she was well taken care of. She feels indebted to him and his kindness. She also appreciates his drinking habits, and the two are destined to an epic drinking contest, one that Liah strongly believes she will win.

Footnotes

• My tumblr. Mostly just a writing outlet when nobody's on. Feel free to follow/ask/anything!
• Very enthusiastic. Feel free to walk up and start chatting!
• Open to both casual and serious RP. Be mean, involve her in a serious plot, anything! She's not likely to start a fight but she will try to intervene if her business or her friends are in trouble. Liah's a commoner through and through, but that doesn't mean she doesn't care deeply about her friends and their problems.
• Despite having leveled a crafter, I can barely craft much of anything. But Liah's happy to take RP commissions from friends!

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