#maparhi

[renofmanyalts]

Assorted Adventurer Plates

I've been gradually working on creating portraits and adventurer plates for my characters as it occurs to me to do so.

It's really fun to figure out what to put in the background for the screenshots. I've been gradually refining my methods, and I think I'm starting to get the hang of it, but a lot of times I end up missing one or more details, lol

Further musings and an update of what's up with me lately under the cut:

As you might be able to tell, some of these (Danyell, Zedyr) were created during the beta phase, so I should probably revisit them at some point (and I just realized that Maayan's has the wrong class/job listed, whoops!)

Unfortunately, Danyell, Firn, and Maparhi are not available right now because I am currently on the basic subscription, so I only have access to my Balmung alts (including Silver Sage, who is probably-temporarily over on Sagittarius on the Chaos EU DC) and Strammund on Mateus.

I've been playing FFXIV more actively in the past couple months, mainly sticking to (very) relaxed MSQ progression on my alts who were still in ARR, and now doing some crafting/gathering (procrastinating on MSQ, lol). However, I'm not sure if I'm "back" for real yet. I'm still in the same health situation that led me to take a two-year break from the game (god, I can't believe it was that long, what is time?), and so far I'm not feeling up to committing to RP storylines or anything where others would need to be able to count on me being present and focused. Maybe this will be another flash in the pan like when I created Firn last year and I'll have to stop playing again, or maybe I will be able to stick around in some capacity; as it stands now, I can't fully tell.

#ffxiv #ffxiv screenshots #adventurer plate #ffxiv rp #about the player #danyell #zedyr #firn #maparhi #amande #maayan #zhahra #rhenbraen

[renofmanyalts]

⏳/backstory hourglass: for Maati (or any character of your choice)

(Here's the first prompt fill for my modified version of the FFXIVWrite 2023 challenge! As in previous years, I'm clearing out my [oh god 2 year old] backlog of asks. This year, I am aiming to write to two prompts per week, plus an extra credit/bonus day, if I feel up to it.)

For every “⏳” I receive, my muse will openly talk about a bit of their backstory.

Prompt 2: Bark

Who: Maparhi Savaptha, Aynur Savaptha, Hearer Elmott

What: A stranger arrives at Aynur's camp.

Where: The East Shroud, in the area now occupied by Baelsar's Wall.

When: About 30 years ago, early fall

Content notes: Gridania being Gridania

Music: "The Oak" by Spiral Dance (YouTube, Bandcamp, lyrics)

Maparhi woke slowly, scrunching her nose. Outside, the wind danced and tumbled loudly through the slowly-yellowing leaves, playful and purposeful as only autumn wind could be. It was still chilly; only morning. Far too early to get up.

Her mother was not in her usual spot between Maparhi and the entrance, but a comforting warmth still lingered in the furs. She was probably coming right back to bed.

Maparhi was turning to snuggle deeper into the pile of blankets when her skin prickled with the feeling of being watched.

She opened her eyes.

At the open door flap of their home, a strange hyuran man knelt. The sun hung behind him, and she couldn't see his face in the shadow of his wide-brimmed, pointed hat.

Blue. It was deep blue, and so were his robes, and she knew what that meant.

Her heart thumped in her chest, and she tried to shrink beneath the edge of the blanket. Her mother — where was her mother? Maparhi's tail thrashed behind her, trapped under the covers as her ears pricked fruitlessly, scouring the heedless wind for any sign. 

"Don't be afraid, Maparhi," the stranger said, though the rough H went missing when he said it. Although his voice was soft, her name in his mouth made Maparhi startle. When her mother's moccasin-clad feet appeared at his side, Maparhi could see that her fingers were twisted together at her waist, knuckles white.

"But isn't it too soon?" she heard her mother say, quiet, as though fearing to speak the words too loudly.

"Mama?" Maparhi called, hearing her own voice tremble.

"It's al—" Her mother's hands shook as she bit off the word. She muttered something to the man — the Hearer, he must be a Hearer — as she dove past him, pulling Maparhi into her arms.

"I'm sorry, Maparhi," she murmured, the words thick with tears. "I'm so sorry. It's not your fault."

Maparhi clung to her mother's neck, confusion and fear swirling in her chest until she grew dizzy. Outside, the wind gusted around the clearing, tearing leaves from the trees and bowing the grass flat to the earth. The Hearer nearly lost his hat, clapping it to his head with one hand. His eyes grew wide, but he stayed silent.

Her mother was making gentle shushing noises under the wind's howling, fingers combing through Maparhi's hair. "Take a deep breath, beloved. I know, I know, you must be so frightened. But I promise you will be safe, and I promise..." Her mother's arms tightened around her, squeezing her so tightly as if to press her affection into Maparhi's very bones. "...I promise, I love you, always."

It sounded so final, but Maparhi slowly calmed herself in her mother's arms the way she had been guided to do so many times before. She thanked the wind, and she thanked the earth, and bit by bit, she let the tight grip around her heart relax. The gusts calmed. Soon, the wind returned to playing through the leaves as though nothing had happened.

When she emerged from their home, hand-in-hand with her mother, the Hearer — Elmott — introduced himself. Now that she could see beneath his hat, she saw that his face was young, and he had a warm and kindly air. In careful words, he explained what was happening, and Maparhi listened with ears straining toward him, struggling to understand his city accent. She was to come with him to Gridania, to be trained in conjury by Stillglade Fane, because the Elementals had decreed it. 

(At this, Maparhi looked to her mother, flicking her tail to show her puzzlement. Had the wood said anything to her? But her mother simply squeezed her hand reassuringly, though her smile wobbled.)

Hearer Elmott continued his explanation uninterrupted, as though the brief exchange had not happened. Her natural abilities were impressively strong, he said, and this was for her safety — and for the safety of her mother, and of everyone living in the Twelveswood. He was sorry that she had to be taken from her home, but it was necessary so that she could be trained properly, without distraction. He had grown up in the Fane himself, he said, and she would be well-cared-for. 

And that was that.

Nerves still made her limbs shake as Maparhi stood and dressed properly for travel. She was to take nothing with her, the Hearer said, for her every need would be met by the Fane — but as her mother gave her one last hug, she felt a cool weight slip into the neck of her tunic, sliding down until her belt caught it at her waist.

As they traveled west, Maparhi snuck it from her shirt. It was a flat piece of reddish wood, half the width of her small palm, sanded and polished smooth. Into it was carved a tree whose branches and roots spread wide to encompass the whole surface, spilling around the edges. On the other side, nestled between root-tip and leaf, was a hollow that just fit the pad of her thumb.

Carefully, she hid it again, and tried to pretend she did not feel it tapping against her side as she walked in Hearer Elmott's footsteps.

Later, Maparhi would learn that the day she left was her sixth nameday.

#ffxivwrite #ffxivwrite2023 #ffxiv screenshots #ffxiv rp #zalera #zalera rp #meme #answers #backstory hourglass #maparhi #aynur #elmott #hooboy I'm so out of practice #feels good to get back in the saddle though! #ren writing #thank you for the ask! #menord

[renofmanyalts]

Retainer Relationships

Apparently a lot of my characters have Zhah'ra as a retainer. Go figure.

My first response when I saw this tweet was "oh god! too many to list!"

...but then I listed them anyway. 😅

One of Zhah'ra's retainers is Iris, his coworker/friend from when he was working at a bathhouse in Ul'dah (also an alt)

Renan's retainers are their component selves (back before they got chimera'd together) and also their old colleagues and comrades from the Nymian armed forces.

Silver Sage's retainers are all (very vaguely) members of his village back home, including his protege.

One of Maati's is her black sheep cousin (also an alt)

Ryoku's retainers are the lord he serves, his little sister Aiko, and a few of his fellow retainer-soldiers.

Danyell has his older sister Danicka and a few other members of the heretic band he was part of for a while in Coerthas.

Raranen's retainers include his mother Fafala and several people who work for his chocobo breeding stable, including his jockey, Marshall.

Iris has Zhah'ra (former coworker and friend) and Dee (reluctant acquaintance) in retainer form.

Mama Dee's retainers include Zhah'ra, who used to be in her dance troupe; Daisy, the dancer who took over the troupe when Dee retired; her husband, T'arik; and Amande and Lumien, her husband's two IC retainers.

Maparhi has her Hearer mentor, her mother Aynur, Zhah'ra (her cousin), and a few acquaintances from the Shroud as her retainers.

Surprisingly, only 10 out of 18 alts with retainers have story-significant ones - fewer than I expected!

I actually have a habit of generating retainers kind of in a hurry and then accidentally making them into NPCs - or sometimes full alts! - a long time after the fact, lol, but sometimes it goes the other way around, where a "failed" alt will be repurposed as a retainer.

#ffxiv #ffxiv screenshots #ffxiv rp #crystal rp #balmung rp #mateus rp #zalera rp #zhahra #renan #silver sage #maati #ryoku #danyell #raranen #iris #mama dee #maparhi #figured since I went to all the trouble of going through all my alts and typing this up I'd toss it here too

[renofmanyalts]

Many Alts! Handle It!

Here's my current roster! All links go to the character’s tag.

For posts about all/most of my characters that may not be tagged individually, see #all the characters.

Note: At the time of this writing (July 2023), I only have in-game access to my Balmung alts plus Strammund due to my current FFXIV subscription type. I'll still take asks for any of them, though!

Balmung Characters

Zhah’ra Savaptha (“Flower”) - Keeper of the Moon dancer and bodyworker – formerly in Ul'dah, Rhalgr’s Reach, and Limsa Lominsa, now staying at the Stray Inn in the Upper Paths of South Shroud.

Rhetzedyr Guldarensyn (Zedyr) - Sea Wolf farmboy-turned-artisan; co-owns Harvest Fountain Toys and Jewelry in Limsa Lominsa and is a founding member of the Elytra Concord artisan cooperative.

Renan Avnei’shoham (Renan) - chronologically-displaced magical chimera – a Nymian scholar and his Marine companion who were squashed together in a mishap aboard the Void Ark and subsequently entombed in a stasis coffin. They split their time between living with Negevs Ha'dov at Firefly Grove in Lower La Noscea and with Maayan in Limsa Lominsa.

Amande Desrochers (Amande) - Duskwight who grew up serving a (very) minor noble house in Ishgard, now in exile. Working as a retainer to Mama Dee’s husband, T'arik Tia.

Seselahi Rerelahi (Selah) - Dunesfolk scribe and calligrapher, currently working at Firefly Grove in Lower La Noscea as Secretary of the Elytra Concord artisan co-op.

Rhenbraen Helbsyn (Rhenbraen) - extremely prickly Hellsguard miner. “Not a swivin’ LASS, rocks-for-brains!” Currently apprenticed at Naldiq & Vymelli’s in Limsa Lominsa. 

Silver Sage - Hellsguard elder from Svatn Byr, a small village in Abalathia's Spine. Formerly in Ul’dah to study at the alchemists’ guild, now returned home. (Temporarily on Sagittarius, Chaos datacenter)

Maayan Delafontaine (Maayan) - Wildwood researcher and alchemist; co-owns Harvest Fountain Toys and Jewelry with Zedyr. She handles the logistics/supply chain side of things, so she travels frequently to all three city-states.

Mateus Characters

Strammund Grehmerlsyn (Strammund) - former Lominsan sailor, abruptly “retired” due to illness. Currently consigned to Thanalan for his health; works occasionally as a caravan guard.

Mamaati Maati (Maati) - opinionated Dunesfolk bookworm. Philosopher-economist at the Milvaneth Sacrarium in Ul'dah.

Emerik Liubasch (Emerik) - Hrothgar city-boy from Ilsabard looking to recover lost family traditions. Currently seeking training with the botanists’ guild in Gridania.

Ryoku Kazemoto (Ryoku) - elegant Raen samurai from a mountain holding north of Doma. Currently traveling in Eorzea on a mission to find a sacred object that went missing from a shrine in his home village.

Danyell Dwynwen (Danyell) - Midlander minstrel from Coerthas, currently working the tavern circuit in the Shroud.

Raranen Sasanen (Raranen) - black sheep of a Dunesfolk merchant family (Maati’s cousin); breeds racing/hunting chocobos in the Shroud. 

Iris Menuisier (Iris) - sardonic Wildwood bathhouse attendant at The Pools in the Goblet (and former coworker of Zhah'ra’s). 

Mama Dee (Dee) - former leader of a miqo'te dance troupe in Ul'dah (and mentor to a young Zhah'ra), now retired and married to T'arik Tia, a wealthy ex-adventurer. Maintains that she is from Thavnair. (In-game name: N'dezhda Lev)

Zalera Characters

Maparhi Savaptha (Maparhi) - newly-invested Hearer at Stillglade Fane. Cousin to Zhah'ra.

Pash'a Khoroushi (Pasha) - former Imperial conscript from the East End. Previously stationed in northwestern Ilsabard; current fate unknown.

Firn Sjararstrok (Firn) - Veena spear-hunter, currently at loose ends in Revenant's Toll.

#ffxiv #ffxiv rp #all the characters #balmung rp #zhahra #zedyr #renan #amande #selah #rhenbraen #silver sage #maayan #mateus rp #strammund #maati #emerik #ryoku #danyell #raranen #iris #mama dee #zalera rp #maparhi #pasha #firn #long post #pinned post #blog maintenance

[renofmanyalts]

FFXIV Write 2023 - help me pick who to write for! [Poll]

🧾The plan:

I've decided to participate in FFXIV Write this September as a way of maybe? possibly? easing myself back into the FFXIV RP realm. I'll be doing a modified schedule, though, because I was barely able to manage the daily prompts in previous years (when I was well).

So far, I'm thinking that I will set deadlines for myself on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The plan is to write a short piece to one of the daily prompts from Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of that week, and one from Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. I'll also set Sundays as my optional bonus day, where I can write to another prompt from the week, write to some other prompt, or rest.

That totals up to between 9 and 13 entries. That sounds doable, I think?

🥴 The problem:

A maximum of 13 entries... and I've got 19 characters, maybe 20 if I count the Sage concept* I came up with recently.

Uh oh. (My eternal nemesis: choosing.)

So, uh, halp?

*One of Rowena's Idyllshire employees dealing with an accidental [animate] textbook acquisition.

🗳 The poll:

⭐ Please vote for the option that contains the character you would MOST like to see at least one entry for.

⭐ If you would like to specify one of the two, please comment! I'll read all the replies, reblog-comments, and tags and tally them up after the poll ends. The top 9 (up to 13) characters will have an entry written for them, assuming this goes the way I want it to.

✨Character list with pictures and brief descriptions ✨

Reblogs appreciated! Thanks for your help! 🥰

#ffxiv #ffxivwrite #ffxivwrite2023 #ffxiv rp #balmung rp #mateus rp #zalera rp #poll #tbh this probably could have a different - better - survey design #but it's just for fun #and if this doesn't work out for whatever reason then Random Alt Generator is here for me XD