Saran Qestir

❝ I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul ❞

pablo neruda.

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• Details
• Combat
• History
• Relationships
• Rumors
• Gallery
• RP Info
• OOC Notes
• Credits

Details Vital Information ■ PRONUNCIATION... sar•ahn kestir. ■ NICKNAMES... none yet. ■ RACE & CLAN... au ra, xaela. ■ GENDER... cis female. ■ AGE... twenty five. ■ NAMEDAY... 32nd sun, 5th umbral moon (all saints' wake). ■ ORIENTATION... heterosexual. ■ MARITAL STATUS... single. ■ PERSONALITY... enneagram type 3, estp, choleric. Other Statistics ■ NATIONALITY... doman technically, though she was never a citizen of the nation as none of the xaela tribes are. ■ CITIZENSHIP... kugane refugee, ul'dahn citizen. ■ FAMILY... father, mother, and two younger sisters, all still with the tribe. ■ RESIDENCE... quicksand, long-term stay. ■ OCCUPATION... seamstress, saleswoman, spelunker. ■ PATRON DEITY... she follows the doctrine of azim and nhaama, though substitutes with menphina in eorzea. ■ HEIGHT & WEIGHT... 4 fulms, 9 ilms. 82 ponze. ■ ALIGNMENT... type 1 neutral evil . Appearance Hair & Eyes Saran wears her strawberry-blonde hair long, often pulled all to the front. When treasure hunting with her troupe or weaving, however, she likes to put her hair into two long braids. Her eyes are an eerie white, giving one the impression of a thick, foreboding fog. While her haunting eyes are definitely a stand-out feature, the phrase "the eyes are the window to the soul" does not fully apply to her. Or, perhaps the natural confusion and deception is a reflection of the truth? Physique & Markings Despite her short stature, there can be no doubt of Saran's womanly qualities. She maintains a lean, athletic figure that's slightly bottom-heavy. Best reference is this menat fanart by Vashperado. At present Saran has only one tattoo, though there are definite plans for a second should she return to Othard. Her first was done for her in Ul'dah: a figure of a woman with stretched out wings and a black coeurl's head placed snugly beneath her breasts (a la Rihanna (nsfw)). The second will be centered around a rather wide scar she bears on her left inner thigh from a training mishap, involving a Yol -- one of the great birds of the Xaela -- with its mighty wings spread and its talon poised as though it was the one tearing open her scar. Aside from this, her cheeks and nose are dotted with freckles. Hygiene & Attire Dark, mysterious, and clean would be the best way to describe Saran's style. She often dresses in feminine styles, though she's not averse to more tomboyish looks should they provide enough intrigue and sensuality. She takes prodigious care of herself even if she may be prone to self-indulgence: her inner discipline won't let her drop below a certain standard she's set for herself in terms of her appearance. A night with too many pastries or too much fine wine will be followed by a rigorous "correction" program. Personality Psychological Profile Most things, whether good or ill, in Saran's personality can be traced back to her ambition and frightfully tenacious willpower. She believes fervently in the power of hard work and in doing what "must be done." Moreover, her determination wills her towards lofty goals and perfectionist tendencies. A woman with aspirations to join the Syndicate is not one to be scoffed at, though she hardly makes her end-goals known. Yet while she will push herself forward with Halone's fury, she does not make a habit of trying to "fix" others. Saran will never preach about the value of hard work: she assumes it's a universal truth that everyone knows, and those who don't adhere to it deserve to be stepping stones for others (like herself). The term morally ambiguous was invented for people such as she. She is not, however, chaotic in her pattern: every decision she makes seeks to further a personal agenda, though these decisions fall within a wide spectrum of beliefs. She would just as soon report a man for stealing as she would hire him herself. Saran herself detests labels -- particularly when placed on her -- as her vanity demands that she be above the full understanding of any other. This is mostly accomplished due to the fact that one never knows when the true Saran will show herself, or when it's simply the mask talking. Not every pleasant thing she says is a lie, and not every horrendous insult is a truth. In spite of all this, Saran is a fundamentally social creature who genuinely delights in the company of others. To various degrees of self-protection, of course, though she's more than up for a good time and lots of laughter. When she wants to have fun and party, she can give the most swashbuckling pirate a run for their money. In Eorzea and especially around non-Xaela, Saran takes full advantage of her tribe's secretive and distant nature to speak openly and freely. Not many (if any) foreigners have traveled to the Steppe and lived to tell about it, let alone thoroughly researched the backstories and customs of each individual tribe to make her feel uneasy breaking the cardinal Qestir rule. The only time this is every untrue is around other Xaela, who must first prove themselves non-Qestir and sufficiently detached from life back on the Steppe before she will come out from behind her silent mask. Saran's chief weakness is her self-indulgence. While she can also be disciplined, her love of fine foods, rich wines, and sensuous fabrics can turn costly. This hedonism extends also to other people: present yourself as a delectable mystery waiting to be unwrapped and she will be hooked, perhaps even to the point of ignoring red flags as they crop up. Her prime ambition has always been a life of comfort and money, two things she has always found difficult to turn away. Voice Feminine and playful, though with a tendency to "squeak" when she's overly excited. Ayane Sakura would be her voice actress. Philosophy & Mannerisms Despite her rather cutthroat view of life, Saran is not of the opinion that it's "every man for himself." Likely due to her upbringing in a tribal setting, she values the benefits of teamwork and will not turn away help when it's offered nor actively seek to shoulder entire burdens by herself. Of course, there are layers to this. Saran is not quick to trust, but she is rather adept at leaving breadcrumb trails with small obstacles here and there for those who wish to earn her confidence. Loyalty is also not out of the question, even in arrangements where profit isn't made, but this will be even more difficult to earn than her good faith. Her good opinion, however, is not as arduous an ordeal. Saran often has good things to say about others, in fact choosing to reveal her positive opinions of others far sooner than her negative ones. Granted, she is not infallible -- there are some things so disturbing that they would crack even her mask -- but overall she is not a complainer. Saran's manners are often thought to be pleasant and obliging. She does not see herself as "lower" because she is in the service industry: on the contrary, she enjoys working out the mentalities of others and how to best anticipate their needs. She is genuinely friendly and very talkative (to all except other Xaela), which makes her quite fun to be around. But this bubbly exuberance does belie a more malicious core. Preferences Likes ● "Rich" food and drink ● Dark colors ● Satin, silk, and velvet ● Physical training ● Classic elegance ● Berries (particularly raspberries) Dislikes ● Laziness ● Tea (green tea especially) ● Cold/winter ● Honor codes ● Being too focused on the past or future ● Dogs Skills ● Needlework ● Networking ● Small talk ● Accounting ● Crafting ● Martial arts

Combat & Weaponry Basic Statistics High: Strength, Charisma, Tenacity, Pain-threshold Above Average: Dexterity, Intelligence Average: Wisdom, Endurance Low: Spellcraft, Aether Aetheric Abilities Mastery: None Expert: None Average: Aetheric understanding, The Echo (resistant to tempering only) Novice: Magical affinity, Magical defense Weapon Training Mastery: Hand-to-hand, Katana Expert: Dual daggers, Lance Average: Axe, Sword & Shield, Greatsword, Gun Novice: Staff, Tome, Astrometer, Bow Combat Relevant Skills High: Footwork, Targeting, Fisticuffs, Acrobatics Above Average: Speed, Parrying Average: Stealth, Field first-aid Low: Range, Attrition, Deflection (magical) Combat Information Bolded weapons are those she's likely to use. The rest are to show where they would fit in. Saran is definitely more of a fighter than a lover but the Xaela is hesitant to be either. While Saran is not noble enough to admit that fighting is a last resort, her words are her most preferred weapon. Should she sense those are failing, however, or if verbal resolution is assumed impossible at the beginning, Saran's tactics revolve around strategically incapacitating her enemy. Given her physical prowess, however, and the preternatural strength of the Xaela, her "strategy" tends to involve overwhelming brute force. She is a very talented martial artist with an innate talent for brutality, having grown up in the turbulent throes of the Steppe. Violence is simply a part of Xaela life. And though her tribe was never actively hostile or involved directly in conflict, being famous for their neutrality, Saran was at the very least desensitized to many horrors from a young age. But her parents took this one step further. From the time she was four, her father began training her in self-defense once the markets were closed up for the night. Batsaikhan was a gentle man by all accounts, yet the one thing he would not allow was for his children to be unprepared for the cruelty of life on the Steppe. From him, she learned her striking poses and how to read the silent clues that each opponent gives to his next movement and how to counter a grapple into an advantage. From her mother, she learned how to maneuver to weaken and topple a larger enemy. Later, Saran would find a sparring partner in a rambunctious Dotharl boy who would teach her to never hesitate when going for the kill. One would assume magic to be Saran's greatest weakness. On paper, this is entirely accurate -- however, Saran knows to be wary of magic-users and her own strengths mirror their weaknesses. She knows that the most effective way to take out a mage is to get in close and allow brute force to win the day. With a suspect mage, "hit first, ask questions later" has been an effective policy. Saran's true weakness is the surprise attack, the one that even her brilliant and calculating mind can't see coming. Just don't give her a chance to recover. OOC Note Truth be told combat is not my favorite genre to role play, though it can be enjoyable from time to time. If it does come up, I'm comfortable with some systems of determining the victor, be they /random rolls or previous discussion. While Saran does possess the Echo, she is entirely unaware of its potential, nor does it ring strongly enough within her to allow for visions.

History Disclaimer: This page is continuously evolving and is not up for public knowledge. If you believe it would make sense for your character to know any part of this, please ask before assuming. Also, a warning for implied violence and mentions of sex/pregnancy. Sixth Astral Era Childhood To be born on the wide, open plains where the grass whispers to you in the breeze is a romantic notion which doesn't ring true for many Xaela children. True, Saran was born to the natural wildness of the Steppe but artifice and regulations were quickly imposed on her. From a time before her memories could form, Saran was harshly discouraged from any type of verbal communication. "Liar," their eyes said, time and time again, until finally the message sunk in. For the first twenty one years of her life, Saran existed without so much as a single word. Still, this life did have its benefits. Despite their silence, the Qestir are encouraged to be as open and honest as possible in other manners: to speak your thoughts in actions and your emotions in gestures. To Saran, the turn of a shoulder or the positioning of hands is as a novel would be to a young, escapist mind. When Saran was only five, her sister, Caalun, was born. The two developed a sibling rivalry with the quintessential markings of sisters born too far apart to truly be companions in their youth but just close enough to grate on each other's nerves. Saran was the bigger sister who was "too cool" for Caalun's childish exploits, though Saran was only a child herself. Mischievous Saran would always have to be on top, to excel at anything that Caalun tried to do, and the younger girl did her best to claw her way out of the large shadow that Saran was already casting. It did not work quite as Caalun had hoped. At a young age Saran was a rambunctious tomboy, and her parents quickly reeled her energy in with private combat training. Just because the Qestir were neutral and non-violent did not mean that individual members could not be taught how to defend themselves, whether from the vicious animals of the Steppe or from even more sinister beings: other Xaela. Not that any one tribe would dare risk losing the right to enter Reunion and the scorn of all others, but caution is a healthy prophylactic to most ailments. It was in these lessons that Saran discovered she had a talent for violence and a body made to flow to the rhythm of battle. When she would spar with her father, her mind would be blank, free of all constraints and her inner wildness was unleashed. Still, a Qestir cannot make a living off of fighting. That was the domain of other tribes: for Saran, it was to be a life of mercantilism. She took quickly to sewing, an activity she could also simply shut off her brain and go through the comforting motions of a well-rehearsed routine. Saran was still only a child when she began accompanying her parents in the Reunion market, offering her skills as a mender to any who came by. But Saran had a mind for entrepreneurship, and purposely priced herself lower than others ("apprenticeship" she would claim by showing herself as "small" and a "child") to gain more business. Her innate diligence and tenacity meant that she often took orders well into the night, even after most of the market had closed, earning her quite a fair sum as a personal fund. Throughout the rest of her childhood and up through her adolescence, Saran gained a reputation for being friendly, expressive, and a hard-worker. She had accomplished her first goal: to leave behind a legacy that her sister could never catch up to. Seventh Umbral Era Adulthood Saran was twenty one when she first met a boy who would change her life. Chanar Dotharl, a frequent visitor to Reunion whose skill in hand-to-hand combat was proof enough to cement both his name and his place among the Dotharl. He was unbridled, raw aggression, and Saran was hopelessly intrigued. He flew his own Yol, a fact which never ceased to fill Saran with envy. See, the Qestir were not permitted to take place in the trial at Bardam's Mettle and earn the right to their own birds. Training in self-defense is one thing, but to undergo a ritual designed for warriors is a line that the neutral Qestir could not cross. Thus, Saran had no mount of her own. But that did not stop her from admiring those beautiful birds from afar, nor from counting all the ways she exceeded their riders in talent. Chanar was also a rebel and a trouble-maker, two things which the largely sheltered Saran was inexplicably drawn to. Even in the midst of this infatuation, Saran knew she felt no affection for him. Chanar's attachment to her was clear, but while Saran happily went through the motions of being smitten she knew that the barrier around her heart had not been breached. She and the Dotharl boy began meeting in secret and, in so doing, helped Saran to break the one rule she was most keen to grind into the dirt: Chanar began teaching Saran how to speak. It was only half a year before Saran had formulated a plan to get her out of the dull life of a Qestir. Once Saran knew enough of language, she used her newfound ability to put the final nail in Chanar's proverbial coffin. She began sleeping with him regularly, with a frequency that delighted him greatly and hid her true agenda. Couplings such as these were not unusual on the Steppe, which was hardly lifestyle looking to model purity and chastity, but Saran still kept quiet about her affair and only met with him in secret. It took four months of sneaking around but, at last, Saran was able to confirm that she was with child. Now, she had a ticket out of the Qestir -- if she played her cards right. The year's Nhaama came and went, and Chanar was among the casualties. Saran's devastation was mistaken as grief for the loss of a close friend but, in truth, it was despair at the ruination of her plan. Without Chanar alive to admit to being the father and to consult the Dotharl leader to accept Saran as the mother of his child and a member of the tribe, her chances of leaving the Qestir were quickly slipping away. In all her calculations, she had never conceived of this result. So, she did what she thought she would never do: she went to her parents, and explained the situation regarding her unborn child. The remedy was just as simple as the poison: Saran and her mother isolated themselves from view for the duration of her pregnancy. Then, when the child was born, her mother claimed Saran's baby as her own and would raise the child as a sister to her two existing daughters. Suspicions were present and questions were asked, but there is no better place to hide a secret than among those who do not speak. As Saran had technically broken no vows with the Qestir -- she would have to speak in the presence of another of her tribe to be considered branded, which she had never done -- she was allowed to leave on good standing. Of course some already saw her as tainted, but leadership had agreed to maintain her status with her people and thus no official action on behalf of the tribe was taken to exile her. Saran left the Steppe a mere two weeks after her daughter, Cota, was born. In Recent Times Moving Forward On her own for the first time, Saran had enough funds from her years of mending clothes to purchase passage across the Ruby Sea and into Kugane. Conveniently, this coincided with a Garlean offensive against the Doman people and Saran was easily lost in the sea of refugees. She filled out paperwork to be accepted into Hingashi on grounds of political asylum, but progress was slow and her funds had dwindled greatly simply to pay the tithe to get there. Fate and chance, however, were quick to conspire to get Saran what she wanted. It wasn't a month before Saran came to the rescue of a young Lalafellian woman whose expensive dress had torn. Saran asked for no payment for the deed, having taken note of the overall richness of the woman and deciding that money was small compared to what else could be offered. And the Xaela was right: a week later, she learned that the woman she had helped was none other than the daughter of a wealthy Ul'dahn merchant named Lolorito. While Saran never met the man, his people tracked the Xaela down and not only fast-forwarded her paperwork, but swiftly had it approved and then hired her for the East Aldenard Trading Company. She was officially allowed to stay, legally, in Kugane, when many other refugees were not so lucky. Following two years working in the Hingashi capital, Saran put a petition to transfer to another location. This is when she was approved and moved to a subsidiary company, Sunsilk Tapestries, in Ul'dah. Citizenship papers also went through remarkably fast: for the first time in twenty five years, Saran was a legal citizen of a nation. From here, Saran's plans for the future and the extent of the connection she'd made in those two years remained hushed. It would be difficult to find someone better at keeping quiet than a Qestir.

Relationships Relationship Status Legend ღ Relationship ♡ Attraction ❣ Complicated ♦ Friend ✝ Deceased ✔ Positive ✖ Negative ● Neutral � Unsure Tales Retold «tales» Open World

Rumors NPC Rumors Some of these rumors are untrue, speculation, or are greatly exaggerated. ◢ Common Rumors - Easily overheard. Use these freely! ■ "Friendliest girl I've ever met! Sunsilk won the lottery with that one, I tell ye." — Ul'dahn trader. ■ "Never go in there when she's on duty. Do you understand me? She talked me into buying my daughter three dresses instead of the one I already promised her!" — Wealthy Lalafell merchant. ■ "All Doman refugees are the same. At least that one got a job, or she'd have been straight back across the Ruby Sea." — Sekiseigumi. ■ "Shame she lived all her life out in that savage place. If she'd been brought up better, I'd almost consider her to be one of my girls." — Kugane meiko scouter. ■ "I heard she just signed up for some treasure hunting gang and says she's gonna sell the antiques they find. I'll tell you one thing: if she's keeping books for 'em, funding won't be an issue." — Elderly Ul'dahn. ◢ Uncommon Rumors - A little more difficult to hear. Use sparingly or ask first! ■ "I tried to follow her back to the Quicksand -- you know, ask for a date -- and suddenly a pair of Brass Blades come up to me. Does she pay them protection money or something?" — Desperate romantic. ■ "Doesn't she come from some tribe that's not supposed to talk?" — Well-read Kugane citizen. ◢ Rare Rumors - Very rarely overheard. Please ask before using! ■ "Couple years back, the Dotharl tried to claim parentage on her littlest sister. Said the kid was Saran's, that she'd dallied with one of their boys and now they claim he's been ressurected as his daughter! I swear, they'll do anything to flesh out their numbers. Who do they think they are, accusing a Qestir like that?" — One Oronir to another on the Steppe. PC Rumors Feel free to add your own rumors to this section. ◢ Player Character Rumors - Some of these are more rare than others! Be the first to talk!

Gallery Artwork In-Game Screenshots

RP Info Location & Probability ■ Ul'dah: Very high (residence) ■ Thanalan: High ■ Gridania: Moderate ■ The Shroud: Moderate ■ South Shroud: High (Issom-har) ■ Limsa Lominsa: Moderate ■ La Noscea: Low ■ Eastern La Noscea: Moderate (Costa del Sol) ■ Ishgard: Low ■ Coerthas: Very low ■ Dravania: Very low ■ Ala Mhigo: Moderate ■ Gyr Abania: Moderate ■ Kugane: Very high ■ Othard: Moderate ■ Azim Steppe: Very low Affiliations Public knowledge: ■ Ul'dah: Citizen. ■ Pugilists' Guild: Occasional sparring practice (she tends to hold back). ■ Tales Retold: Manager of the shop. Currently looking for more sales staff and more treasure hunters. ■ Sunsilk Tapestries & Weavers' Guild: Part-time employment after being hired by Tales Retold. Ask about: ■ Qestir Tribe: In her heart she's still loyal to her birth clan, even if her ambitions have taken her elsewhere and she's broken their cardinal rule. She still technically belongs to the tribe as she has never spoken in front of another Qestir and is very careful about speaking in front of other Xaela. ■ Nuclear Family: While her relationship with her parents is currently rocky, they both continue to remain supportive of their daughter and unconditionally love her. Saran's relationship with her sister is far more tumultuous (and I would not be opposed to another person making/playing Caalun Qestir). IC Inventory The following items are things that this individual carries on their person at all times. These are noted for pickpockets, and those watching her closely. This information is meant to be a prompt for insight and is not to be meta-gamed, though feel free to use this information if it comes up logically in RP (pickpocketing, a search, etc) with use of a simple /tell. ■ Coinpurse: A simple coin purse made of soft leather, containing a few hundred gil. While she's not wealthy by any means, she knows well enough not to travel with all her modest income. ■ Bota Bag: While generally used for wine, Saran cannot abide by such heinous methods of transporting her favorite beverage. Hers is filled with water. ■ Survival Knife: Used to clean meat and cut herbs when out in the field, though it would make a poor weapon in a fight. Still she likes it on her person even in cities, just in case. ■ Rope: Only when she's out in the field will she have a string of hemp rope in her satchel. ■ Seasoning Spices: Again, only when she's out in the field. Just because she's a treasure hunter doesn't mean she has to eat bland food! RP Limits I try to keep my role-plays as flexible as possible, therefore anything not under "ask" or "no" is fair game. No's ■ I will play I enjoy both dark and light themes, heavy and drawn-out as well as light and quick. One-day plots, lengthy plots, romantic and/or sexual tension, one-sided feelings, temporary physical or mental restriction, combat, injury, drug and alcohol use, rivalries, frenemies, deep friendships, coarse language. Anything not listed below is fair game so long as it makes sense for the two characters to engage in such a way. ■ Ask about Long-term or permanent injury, markings / tattoos, significant mental scarring -- essentially, anything that would take over three months to overcome. I am not averse to significant changes or consequences, even negative, but I still wish to have control over Saran's overall development. ■ I won't play Sex (it can happen but will be fade-to-black only), permanent injury (without heavy previous discussion), death, rape, NPC characters (too much conflict with lore/MSQ unless the character is sufficiently removed from the story), unsolicited ERP. Most importantly: anything OOC for either character or "forced" development. RP Hooks If I have my RP tag on, it means I'm more than willing to be approached and will be paying attention to chat for anything involving my character. If not, feel free to send a /tell and we can work something out. ■ (In Ul'dah) Saran works at Sunsilk, the Weavers' Guild, and the new Tales Retold antiquity shop (located on the Sapphire Avenue Exchange). As well, she lives in one of the Quicksand's long-term stay rooms. It's very likely for others to see her multiple times in these locations. ■ (In Ul'dah) Tales Retold is located on a side-street of the Sapphire Exchange which feeds into Pearl Lane, where much of the city's poor and criminal elements reside. ■ (In Kugane) She used to work in the Markets, though these days is mostly seen in and out of the Ruby Bazaar and the Tea House. ■ (In any major City-State) While Saran is not the official recruiter for Tales Retold, she may sometimes go around asking adventurers if they want to make some quick gil acting as muscle for treasure hunting trips. ■ (General) Saran has worked for Lolorito's company for long enough as to enjoy certain connections among the unsavory of the world. She's not above having friends in low places.

OOC Notes Player Information Player Note I will do my best to update this wiki as often as I am able and to provide you (the player) with as comprehensive a picture of Saran as possible. Unless otherwise stated or given express permission, however, none of this information will be known to your character. Common and uncommon rumors are fine to use without verification. I will start scratching out rumors or prompts that I grow bored of, result in a significant encounter and I purposely retire it to remain "special," or are no longer valid due to character development. Tumblr: hushedmoonlight Discord: Hana#6053 Character Lore Adherence I will try to adhere to in-game lore as much as possible. Should new information be revealed that contradicts something I have said, I will evaluate how much of a change that would require on my part and adjust accordingly. If it's too much of a change -- as in, it would compromise something fundamental to Saran's character -- I will list the contradiction below rather than work her character to fit the new information. Character Tidbits Character Concept Ideas pulled from various inspirations: Tamamo no Mae (Fate/EXTRA), Aria T'Loak (Mass Effect), Sesshomaru (InuYasha), Lady Macbeth (Macbeth), Morrigan (Dragon Age). Tropes & Explanations Whether partially or totally adherent, here is a list of tropes which would fit Saran's character. These will be subject to change with character development. ■ Beneath the Mask • her duplicitous nature is quite woven into her personality. ■ Noble Demon • while certainly not a "good" person, Saran would actively reject the notion that she resorts to ill measures as her default. ■ Pragmatic Villainy • whatever the most expedient path to reach her goal is that which Saran will take, even if it involves compromise. ■ Recruiting the Criminal & Token Evil Teammate • her antiquities crew might agree. ■ Only in It for the Money • need I say more.

Credits Wiki Information This wiki is constantly changing as the character’s story changes. It was last modified on Month ##th, 2016. A blank version of the wiki template can be found here Layout Information The following is not entirely comprehensive, but contains general credits. Please leave the link-backs if you use this template! ■ Original template by Bancroft Gairn. ■ Adapted by Xheja Rajhera. ■ Tabs by Unnamed Mercenary. ■ Expanded bits by Lucaell Tareth'eian. ■ Header image inspired by D'lyhhia Lhuil. ■ Music bits from J'karu Rhome. ■ Relationships & OOC notes by Glioca Sargonnai. ■ Various formatting inspired by Odette Saoirse & others.