#about ( rosemund blackthorne )

[hellsbovnd-archive]

#13: WAX

focus: Rosemund Blackthorne? wc: 207

Claim your weapon.

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First—

The first thing I can tell you is that those who have been lost cannot be brought back and those you’ve managed to save can still be lost. There is something precious in life; it can burn as bright as a candle’s flame, dancing atop a mirror or melted wax, and be snuffed out just as quickly.

Don’t forget that unless you want to get hurt.

Second—

The second thing I can tell you is that there is beauty in rage. There are those who will right your anger off as ugly, inelegant—prove them wrong. Harness it, and you will know your friends by who does not turn away.

Third—

The third thing I can tell you is that nothing will be the same again. Well, you can always sheath your sword, stow your armor. Maybe you never touch a blade again, maybe you leave Ishgard never to return. You can have a shade of a normal life that way. But whatever sense of normalcy you find will be foreign to you. What you’ve done will always be at the back of your mind.

Of course, there’s no way I can convince you with words alone. You have to live it.

Now.

Are you ready?

[hellsbovnd]

dossier. —

last updated: 08/16/2020

leonnaux altoix, the hidden ace.

status: active (main); open for rp links: carrd | tag

For all practical purposes a ghost, this Elezen only appears on public records as far back as three summers ago. It’s likely, then, that he’s chosen to live under an assumed name. He tends to use his appearance to his advantage, passing himself off as a Wildwood whenever it suits his interests.

rosemund blackthorne, of shadow and steel.

status: semi-hiatus; ask for rp links: carrd | tag

Rosemund Blackthorne, born Rosemund de Valieroix, is an Ishgardian Elezen of 35 summers. The head of a house once regarded as low nobility, Rosemund quickly plunged his house into debt. Rumors circulated about the family after Rosemund’s father was tried for heresy by being thrown from Witchdrop.

janos jen renata, an imperial nuisance.

status: hiatus; ask for rp links: carrd | tag

The third of four sons, Janos has high expectations pushed onto him from a young age. His family name often preceding him, it might take a moment to realize that Janos himself is the family’s black sheep. Having failed to get into the prestigious Magitek Academy, Janos instead became an Architectus in the military in order to serve his country and make his family proud, but...

out of character. —

you can call me: crow/rhys, they/them or he/him pronouns timezone: US Central Time (CST/CDT) discord: emet-selch wears prada#5086 personal tumblr: @ravenforged​ misc plugs: @ebonguardls​ (carrd) / for the sky

Looking for long-term RP, both plot/story-oriented and in terms of casual relations such as friends and rivals for all my characters. Plot hooks and more information about each character can be found on their respective Carrds. 

Also looking for Linkshell/Discord communities and events to frequent with friends (new and old).

ooc information: https://hellsbovnd.carrd.co/#ooc

This Carrd has information on all of my RP preferences, which I figured I would link instead of typing it all out here.

[hellsbovnd-archive]

#19: RADIANT

focus: Rosemund Blackthorne wc: 192

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Rosemund always tried to make it back home before dawn, for multiple reasons—first, it was much easier to sneak in and out of the manor under the cover of darkness; second, it was much easier to find a place to hide while he carried out his work at night; third, it was always much easier to fall asleep when the sunlight wasn’t yet trying to wriggle its way through his drawn curtains and his bedroom remained pitch-dark. But for his best efforts, he was not always successful.

But failing wasn’t always a bad thing, and this morning he found himself standing with his sword planted in the snow as the sun started to peek over the far mountain crests, washing the world in its warmth and its radiance. New sun rays wove their way through the city’s protective outer walls and painted Ishgard is hues of pale rose and gold, the light glittering off of the freshly-fallen snow—

And despite himself, Rosemund couldn’t help but smile, bowing his head. He lingered just a moment longer before he pulled the visor of his helmet back down, and skulked off into the shadows.

[hellsbovnd-archive]

#30: DARKNESS

focus: Rosemund Blackthorne wc: 408

Who is the sinner here?

It’s been a long time coming, but it’s finally here... The end of FFXIVWrite! I managed to do a lot of character development and even toy with style in some ways that I’m actually pretty pleased with, even if the variances aren’t major.

I saw the last prompt and knew immediately that I wanted to bring it back around to some ideas I explored with Rosemund in my first piece of the month, so I did that--even though it’s shorter than I maybe would have liked. uwu

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» Curious about FFXIVWrite? Check out @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast! Many thanks to them for setting up this challenge; while I personally have trouble with single-word prompts, it was a lot of fun and a great way to de-grease my gears before I dive into NaNoWriMo in November!

‘What am I doing?’

The handle of his greatsword burned in his hands just as the bile burned at the back of his throat. It had taken some effort to stop himself mid-swing, but he had his would-be target pinned by the chest with one foot. A new priest, obviously fresh out of the Scholisticate and maybe barely even twenty summers old. The blade of his sword hovered just to the side of the man’s—no, like this he was more of a boy—neck, the steel glinting coldly in the moonlight. His breath came in short, panicked pants and the targets of his previous harassment had already scurried back off into the shadows of the Brume.

What are you waiting for?

The boy couldn’t speak, instead just staring up at Rosemund with eyes wide as saucers, his back pressed into the snow. He’s at your mercy you know. There’s a moment of hesitation before the Dark Knight lifts his sword away from the boy’s neck, bringing it up and around before sticking the point in a crack between two stones. Would you forgive the same men who condemned your father, who would have gladly propagated the same lies that killed him?

“Tell me, boy. What kind of man do you want to be?” His voice came as a low rumble from behind his helmet’s visor. He kept the boy pinned, but let up the pressure a little to allow him to breathe—to speak—more comfortably.

But the boy didn’t answer, at least not verbally. Maybe he was too terrified to speak, or maybe he didn’t have a good answer to the question. Isn’t that all the reason you need? Rosemund’s eyes narrowed, though hidden behind his visor. He’s just a boy, isn’t he—doesn’t someone like him deserve the luxury of a second chance, and with such a drastic change as the revelations at the end of the Dragonsong War all-too-fresh in Ishgard’s cultural memory?

After a moment of consideration, he removed his foot from the boy’s chest and took a half-step back, pulling his greatsword from the stones and returning it to its place on his back.

“… Never let me catch you harassing the less fortunate again, if you’re a true man of the cloth.”

You’re letting him off easy.

Rosemund spared but a passing glance over his shoulder as he took his leave, leaving the young priestling to lie there in the snow.

[hellsbovnd-archive]

#18: WILT

focus: Rosemund Blackthorne wc: 324

Make-up day!

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Ishgard knew no spring anymore, but every year when the snow would usually be melting, Rosemund couldn’t help but recall the sight of his mother’s small rose garden—always well-tended by House Valieroix’s modest pair of groundskeepers. He’d been taken by the garden himself when he was young, often sitting outside when the weather was amicable with a nice book. It was the only thing that his mother had left behind for the family before she passed away shortly after Rosemund was born.

When the Calamity struck and an everlasting winter set in over Coerthas and the city of Ishgard proper, it broke his heart to see the roses wither and wilt from the cold. It was almost like killing his mother twice—a grief that while he never experienced it personally, he’d had recounted to him by his father as soon as he was old enough to understand why he didn’t have a mother, and why the family had hired servants to tend to what, to a boy his age, had been only a tangle of stupid plants. Pretty, but ultimately just another part of the scenery that he kept away from only because he’d already felt the sting of thorns sinking into his soft fingers.

It was more than possible, of course, to create a new rose garden. Or it would be, if the groundkeepers that had once tended it had not long since been laid off, and if Rosemund had any talent for gardening whatsoever. He could barely keep a house plant alive, and so the most he could manage with regards to roses was buying the occasional bouquet from the market to keep in a vase. The merchants always asked if he was courting someone when he went down to the Crozier to buy some roses, which of course he wasn’t (much to their friendly dismay). But they took his gil nonetheless, and he walked away with his roses nonetheless.

[hellsbovnd-archive]

#5: VAULT

focus: Rosemund Blackthorne wc: 194

On passing by The Vault in Ishgard.

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Some truths of this world can only be seen in retrospect, as I’ve unfortunately found these past years, since the Dragonsong War ended. What a cruel stitch in the Spinner’s cloth that the men and women of Ishgard would be sacrificed in droves—both those who saw their lives end on the battlefield, and those who were taken by the Inquisitors on charges of heresy. I was brought up to believe that the Fury’s word—the one that we were taught, anyroad—was always righteous, but in retrospect perhaps our ignorance was more willful than most would care to admit. The Heretics, after all, spurned the yoke of the church. Shouldn’t it raise some suspicion that a religion that preaches righteousness would also divide its people based on their manner of birth, or that the heart of the church would be one of the most well-guarded buildings in the city?

It’s these thoughts that keep my feet moving on my way out to, and on my way back from, my nighttime patrols. They say we couldn’t have known what insidious secrets the Vault hid, but couldn’t we have?

——From the journal of Rosemund Blackthorne.

[hellsbovnd-archive]

LF RP — Rosemund Blackthorne

Rosemund Blackthorne, born Rosemund de Valieroix, is an Ishgardian Elezen of 34 summers. The head of a house regarded as low nobility, Rosemund quickly plunged his house into debt. Rumors circulated about the family after Rosemund's father was tried for heresy by being thrown from Witchdrop, and in an effort to maintain the House Valieroix's outward social status, he tried to appeal to his peers with lavish gifts, which of course they accepted without giving him what he sought in return. 

While the House's good name was cleared along with his father's post-mortem, Rosemund's faith in the church never recovered. Resolving that he could not stand by and watch a broken system prosper, Rosemund took up the sword of the Dark Knight in secret. Since then, he's wielded it to defend those who have no means to defend themselves—namely once-accused heretics and those of low social status, who despite Ishgard's various reforms, still face no shortage of discrimination from above.

IN CHARACTER

Profession(s): Lesser Noble—As Rosemund is a lesser noble, head of House Valieroix (an honestly, quite pathetically small house that pledges its allegiance to the Haillenarte), he doesn’t really need to work. But he might be able to find a job for you, even if money is tight right now. Dark Knight—Fashioning himself a defender of the persecuted, he pays special attention to those accused of heresy. Now that the truth behind the Dragonsong War has been revealed, he does not believe that heretics deserve to suffer any more than they already have within Ishgard’s walls.   

Alignment: Chaotic Good. Loyal to the Eorzean Alliance. Dubiously loyal to the Holy See.

Professional Talents: Nobility—Rosemund’s upbringing afforded him many luxuries that others may not have been able to afford, such as schooling via a tutor. He also was trained in swordplay (including fencing) and chocobo-riding. But now, he uses a Zweihander exclusively. 

Current Residence: Private manor in The Pillars.

Likely Haunts: Ishgard and Coerthas—The Pillars, especially the Jeweled Crozier. Avoids the cathedral. Tailfeather—A man of surprisingly simple pleasures, Rosemund occasionally retreats to Tailfeather for “time to think” and has considered packing up and moving out there more than once. Eorzea at large—He doesn’t have many obligations and the continuing failure of the Blackthorne house after his father’s untimely death is something he can only barely bare to face. Have Zweihander and some okayish wine, will travel.

Hobbies: Wine sommelier, or so he claims. He’ll drink anything, but has a deep appreciation for fine wines, especially Ishgardian vintages. Botany—He honestly kind of has a black thumb and can barely take care of house plants, but he likes to keep them around and occasionally presses leaves and flowers to affix in journals later. 

MORE INFORMATION: Full Bio WIP | Tag

OUT OF CHARACTER

Hi there! I’m Crow/Mid and I use they/them pronouns! I’m generally most active during NA Evenings and Late Nights. I play on Balmung, but I’m open to RP connections from across the Crystal datacenter.

You can find detailed information about my hopes and expectations for RP on my dossier, here. The quick and dirty version:

OOC Communication > All

I am a med/heavy lore-strict RPer. I prefer medium-to-low power levels in RP and character- and plot-driven scenes. I won’t RP with any player under the age of 18 but as long as you’re not making it weird/creepy, I don’t have a problem with underage characters.

I run an FC and an LS, so I can be pretty busy OOC because I have to run a lot of stuff related to that.

I do not RP on Discord, but I have always been smitten with Tumblr RP as a longform format, so if in-game RP is impossible for some reason, I’m happy to write starters.

In terms of things I’m looking for:

Casual acquaintances and friends!

Enemies, especially Temple Knights (since being a Dark Knight is probably not the most law-abiding profession...)

Ishgardians!! I love me a good political story, and the ins and outs of high society in Ishgard is <chef’s kiss>

Long-term plot-focused RP connections!

Recommendations for events to attend? (And company to drag me along since I hate flying solo.)

Discord and Linkshell communities!

DETAILED RP HOOKS UNDER THE CUT!

Thanks for reading! If you’re interested in playing with me then please feel free to send me a message or make a note of it in the tags or comments on this post. My Discord is available for OOC arrangements and chatter upon request! If I’m slow please bear with me; I have a habit of getting absolutely swamped with stuff at more or less complete random, and my energy levels vary wildly from day to day and week to week.

tagging for visibility: @balmungrp @mooglemeet @ffxiv-crystal-rp @crystalxivrp @ffxiv-balmung-rp

RP HOOKS

1. House Valieroix

Rosemund refuses to use his surname, instead keeping the epithet Blackthorne from while his house was under suspicions of heresy. Many regard this as a symbolic gesture, but others regard it as silly and perhaps even a little immature. It’s difficult for a conversation about Rosemund to happen in any social circle without bringing up this quirk of his, though thus far his peers prefer to watch the rumor mill turn than ask him about it to his face. To be fair, if he were to dispel the mystery, that would probably be a lot less fun.

House Valieroix was never a terribly important house, though it aligned itself with House Haillenarte for political purposes, and generally did not get along well with associates of House Dzemael. Rosemund has speculated for a while that the “zealots” or more conservative members or associates of House Dzemael may have been behind his father’s charges of heresy, but he has no evidence to back up this claim. 

House Valieroix is also in deep debt because of Rosemund’s poor financial skills, and it’s likely that they will be bankrupted soon without intervention.

2. Chocobos

While not the biggest fan of chocobos there ever was, House Valieroix owned a few prized birds that Rosemund loved dearly when he was younger. Unfortunately, in recent years he’s had to sell off a number of the house’s possessions in order to pay down debts and hold onto properties that have been in the family for generations. Including the birds. The decision broke his heart and he misses them dearly.

In general, Rosemund is also a fan of chocobos. He just thinks they’re neat. And before the eternal winter fell over Coerthas, he’d occasionally play polo with his cousins and family friends in the Coerthan lowlands.

3. The Road to Hell

As a Dark Knight, Rosemund takes it upon himself to protect those who lack the means to protect themselves—including accused heretics. While the end of the Dragonsong War and the revelation of the truth behind it effectively decriminalized heresy, that didn’t stop those accused from suffering social consequences, or from the powerful coming up with new reasons to persecute the accused...

In general, despite decidedly lacking the funds to do so, Rosemund is at his core a charitable soul, and occasionally takes in those who have no place to spend the night, especially during the winter moons. Those who have stayed the night generally leave with shining reviews of his hospitality and willingness to accommodate, though also note that many of the less-often rooms in the manor are caked with a visible layer of dust and remark that the food “needs work.”

[hellsbovnd-archive]

#7: FORGIVEN

focus: Rosemund Blackthorne wc: 1182

My sins are between me and the Fury.

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The stone cathedral always struck Rosemund as cold—although the Fury was said to be a righteous, benevolent goddess. The sun’s rays only leaked in through the scenes of stained glass set around the cathedral’s exterior walls, both on the building’s façade and at the back of the sanctuary, forming a semi-circle of scenes from Halonic scripture behind a statue of the Fury Herself.

Rosemund couldn’t say that he frequented the church anymore—he would attend for major services and holidays exclusively, but in the years since his father’s death, he found himself shrinking away from the gaze of the Fury. He needed to believe in something, he told himself, and before his house lost even the servants to keep their modest manor free of dust and make sure the young lordling didn’t have to dirty his hands with kitchen work, they had assured him that the companionship to be found at church would help him deal with his grief.

It helped, to an extent. He’d give them that. But once his father’s name was cleared post-mortem, the fact that he had to seek that solace at all put a bitter taste in his mouth.

So now he only attended to keep the appearance of faith. And to maintain a routine where otherwise he would be wasting away in an increasingly empty manor, with only bottles of wine to keep him company during the day and only a greatsword to keep him entertained at night—when the mood struck him.

“Well, if it isn’t Rosemund. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

The rasp of an elderly woman’s voice caught his attention as she came up from behind him, passing his seat to stand just ahead of the pews, before the statue of the Fury. She didn’t look back at him, instead clasping her hands in front of her in a brief display of reverence, though not long enough for a prayer. It was only then that she turned to him with a simper and a kind light in her eyes.

It had been some years since he’d seen her—they exchanged letters from time to time, but since his thirty-forth nameday they’d stopped doing even that. But even with the passage of time, he couldn’t mistake those kind eyes or that warm voice. One Adalene de Landeloit stood before him: his one-time tutor and often-times babysitter when he was but a boy. She was well into her sixties now, probably nearly seventy. Having taken up teaching rather than enlist with the military to serve as a chirurgeon as the rest of the women in the family did, Adalene had a relatively cushy life in the Pillars. As Rosemund did. Wanting for nothing, needing for nothing…

Questioning nothing.

“I knew there must have been a reason I was drawn to the cathedral today,” Rosemund replied, returning a smile in kind, although it didn’t meet his eyes. “How have you been, Adalene? It’s really been too long.”

“Oh, holding up well enough, dear. Things just haven’t been the same since Louisaunt passed. It’s been years since the last battle of the Dragonsong War, but sometimes I still wake up thinking he’ll be in the parlor with his coffee and a good book as usual, watching the sun rise. And then when he’s not there, I keep having to remind myself that he walks with the Fury now.” She let out a sigh. “But enough about me… What of you? You never seemed the type to drop in for church; was there a special occasion, or did you really just wake up and decide to come this morning?”

Rosemund glanced away briefly. “I decided that I hadn’t been in a while, and it would be… Best for my conscience if I faced the Fury today. These past few moons have been… Difficult.”

Adalene nodded, understanding. “You came to confess then? Well, good on you; we all need to lighten our hearts a little from time to time. What did the priest say?”

He stiffened a bit, turning his gaze to the statue of the Fury before them. He kept his silence for a long moment before he shook his head. “… I’ve been of the opinion in recent years that my sins are between me and the Fury—and us alone.”

“Ah… I see.” Her gaze softens, and she reaches to take one of his gloved hands in hers. Warm. The warmest thing in this room, probably—including the dancing, flickering flames of the candles lining the walls. “Well, if you ever want to talk about it—you know there are still men and women of the cloth willing to hear you out, who aren’t so stuck in their ways as the conservatives that might see the Inquisition brought back in force. Or, you can rest assured that you always were like a son to me. Really, Rose, you should write more often. My daughters left the nest years ago; I could use some company.”

He couldn’t keep the sigh from his lips as he bowed his head, squeezing her hand. “I’ll keep you in mind—so long as you don’t make me sign with my old name anymore.”

“It’s not your old name, dear—your father was cleared, remember? If you’d only take it up again, I’m sure that the morale boost alone would do wonders for your house’s image. Maybe you could even solicit some help from House Haillenarte, like your father so often did when he fell on hard times. Get back on your feet a bit. Nobody wants to associate with a man who won’t even bear the name of his family proudly, Rose.”

“Blackthorne suits me fine, Adalene. Really.” He let his hand slip from hers and he folded them back in his lap. “My old name is naught but a reminder of the past now—nothing I’d like to pass on. I’ve considered lately—donating the rest of our wealth to charity, to the people helping those living in the Brume.”

“Well, it’s a thought… But where would you live?”

“I’ve also thought of leaving Ishgard. Perhaps I could lead a simpler life in Tailfeather.”

She clicked her tongue, shaking her head. “Don’t be silly. Someone like you, so used to the lap of luxury—you wouldn’t last a minute with the hunters of Tailfeather, dear. That said, perhaps some time away from Ishgard would do you some good. Put things in perspective.”

It took some physical restraint to keep himself from wincing.

Of course even she wouldn’t understand. Nobody will understand. Why would you think otherwise?

“Aye… I ought not make rash decisions.” He forced a smile. “Thank you, Adalene. I’ll be in touch—but I think it’s about time I head home.”

She blinked once. He knew even with his restrain that it would be difficult to keep Adalene from cluing in that something was the matter; she knew him better than anyone else currently living. “Ah… Well then. Fury protect, Rosemund. I’ll keep you in my prayers until I see you again.”

“Fury protect, Adalene.”

[hellsbovnd-archive]

dossier.

individual lf rp posts will be made for each character. this is simply an alternate dossier created for ease of access. i guess you can reblog this if you want, but more useful info is on the individual lf rp posts. last updated: 09/14/2019

check out my plot wishlist too!

Leonnaux Altoix  — The Hidden Ace

status: active (main); open for rp, in-game preferred server: balmung (crystal dc) connections: alizarine  «INK» (@alizarinefc), ebonguard - no legacy (@ebonguardls)

For all practical purposes a ghost, this Elezen only appears on public records as far back as three summers ago. It’s likely, then, that he’s chosen to live under an assumed name. He tends to use his appearance to his advantage, passing himself off as a Wildwood whenever it suits his interests—which, given the discrimination that Duskwights face, is more often than not.

He first stepped into the public’s eye as a small-time journalist—and, unbeknownst to all but those closest to him, the proprietor of The Cloak & Dagger (under the alias “Crow”). He is passionate about magicks and has a demonstrated talent for alchemy beyond what one may expect of a man who’s only twenty and one summers old. Shortly after founding The Cloak & Dagger, he retired from journalism to pursue academia full-time.

looking for: business contacts (academic/criminal), a mentor (tradecraft, magic), fellow shroud-born Duskwights links: full bio | tag | lf rp

Percival Rigel  — The Chief Mourner

status: semi-active; open for rp, tumblr preferred server: balmung (crystal dc)

Born to Ala Mhigans fleeing to Thanalan during the Mad King’s reign, Percival’s parents did everything in their power to ensure that her lifetime was one of opportunity rather than one of endless strife. Although her parents died in her teenage years at the hands of Amalj’aa bandits, their work for a trading company taught Percival all she needed to know about running a business—and brought her closer to the woman she would eventually marry, Ilyia Rigel.

However, their happiness was not to last; Iliya died during the Calamity. She was left in full their trading company, and while it is certainly in capable hands, Percival no longer finds any joy in running it and outsources this responsibility wherever possible. Now, at thirty and two summers, Percival finds herself called to horizons beyond the walls of Ul'dah.

looking for: business contacts (mercantile), rogues, fellow ala mhigans? links: full bio | tag | lf rp

Wren Leyland  — The Roundtable Rival

status: semi-active; open for rp, no preference server: balmung (crystal dc)

Where many would benefit from being tight-lipped about their pasts, Wren allows herself to be an open book—that is, if you don’t mind the fact that the story will change just about every time you ask. As a travelling bard, music follows Wren wherever she goes. All that’s really certain about her is that she’s not from around here, and that she’s rarely seen without her violin.

Bursting full of energy, Wren might strike others as a little strange. Those that do, however, would be well-advised to keep their opinions to herself; she has been barred entry from several taverns for inciting one too many brawls, and she has a mean streak when drunk. That said, keeping quiet might not do much good, since it’s just as likely that she’ll pick a fight for the thrill of it.

looking for: rivals, travelling companions, music enthusiasts links: full bio | tag | lf rp

Rosemund Blackthorne — The Final Heir

status: active; open for rp, no preference server: balmung (crystal dc)

Rosemund Blackthorne, born Rosemund de Valieroix, is an Ishgardian Elezen of 34 summers. The head of a house regarded as low nobility, Rosemund quickly plunged his house into debt. Rumors circulated about the family after Rosemund's father was tried for heresy by being thrown from Witchdrop, and in an effort to maintain the House Valieroix's outward social status, he tried to appeal to his peers with lavish gifts, which of course they accepted without giving him what he sought in return.

While the House's good name was cleared along with his father's post-mortem, Rosemund's faith in the church never recovered. Resolving that he could not stand by and watch a broken system prosper, Rosemund took up the sword of the Dark Knight in secret. Since then, he's wielded it to defend those who have no means to defend themselves—namely once-accused heretics and those of low social status, who despite Ishgard's various reforms, still face no shortage of discrimination from above.

looking for: fellow ishgardians, temple knights, noblemen, dark knights, heretics, fine wine and good spirits links: full bio | tag | lf rp

Janos jen Renata — The Imperial Nuisance

status: active; open for rp, in-game preferred server: balmung (crystal dc) 

The third of four sons, Janos has high expectations pushed onto him from a young age. His family name often preceding him (his two older brothers being officers in the military and his father being a high-ranking engineer), it might take a moment to realize that Janos himself is the family's black sheep. Having failed to even get into the Magitek Academy despite having a passion for working with machines and magitek, Janos instead became an Architectus in the military in order to serve his country and make his family proud.

Unfortunately, bad luck and poor judgement led to trouble following in his wake. Where his siblings are marked as loyal and accomplished, Janos himself is marked as negligent at best, and in six years of service, he failed to earn a single promotion or any recognition for his work whatsoever. He was continually reassigned, never working for too long on any one project and occasionally being moved to different posts altogether, and eventually was relegated to simple maintenance work. Now, as a result of circumstances unknown even to him, he's found himself in Eorzea: lost, homeless, and scared—but thankfully not alone.

looking for: fellow Garleans (loyalty optional), fellow engineers, business contacts (magitek component salvagers/etc) links: full bio | tag | lf rp

OOC Information

tracking: #hellsbovnd discord: emet-selch wears prada#5086 main blog: @penvmbral free company: @alizarinefc linkshell: @ebonguardls discord servers: FOR THE SKY (Ishgardian RP Community); COR AUT MORS (Garlean RP Community) pronouns: they/them timezone: NA, active during EST evenings/late nights preferences: med/heavy mature rp, generally lore-strict. 18+ players only. character and plot-driven. looking for: general plot-focused connections/friends! linkshell + discord communities!! i’m not really interested in being recruited to fcs because i happily lead my own but i’ll come hang out if you want company owo

please note that as an extremely goal-oriented rper, i do not enjoy jumping into interactions blind. please make sure that you have a character profile (carrd or tumblr posts only please; do not link me rpc wikis) and some plot hooks ready, and please come with an idea of which of my characters you’d like to interact with as well as which hooks, if any, you are interested in.

please also be aware that as i don’t like to jump into interactions blind, this does mean that i will expect to be able to actually plot out an interaction between our characters, such as the circumstances of meeting and the end-goal for the interaction (which should be more than “intro rp/makes a friend”).

if you are unwilling or unable to do this then i am going to have to pass. sorry!

In-game RP [ ✔ ] Discord RP [ DEPENDS... USUALLY NO ] Tumblr RP [ ✔ ]

unabridged ooc info here.

[hellsbovnd-archive]

Some handwriting headcanons because there have been a few journal ‘snippets’ I’ve done for FFXIVWrite—

Leon’s handwriting is basically chicken scratch cursive. He’s pretty lazy when he’s writing notes for himself but he’s actually decent at making his handwriting legible and given an adequate reference can forge handwritten notes (but not signatures). His personal signature is pretty much illegible except for his initials, a very sharp kind of squiggly. Sharp angles. He uses a lot of doctor-esque shorthand in his note-taking and with people he knows can understand that shit.

Rosemund’s handwriting is much nore refuned and elegant compared to Leon’s but he still uses cursive almost exclusively. His handwriting is clear (if you know how to read cursive) and most of the angles are softened so there are just a lot of loops... his signature is similarly clear and elegant.

Janos writes in print exclusively, and he’s one of those people whose handwriting is comprised entirely of capital letters. Just for lowercase letters, they’re a little smaller! His handwriting uses a lot of straight lines and sharp angles. He doesn’t really use his signature for anything because he just goes by “Jan” in Eorzea (so he’ll just scribble that down surrounded by doodles or something) but back in Garlemald where he did have to use his signature for some things it was basically just lines and angles, even though he does sign his name in cursive.

[hellsbovnd-archive]

plot wishlist.

updated 6/24/2019

a short collection of plots/rp hooks for my characters that i’m particularly excited for or fond of, and would love the chance to play out. under read more due to the inevitable length of this list!

please read my dossier, also!

Leonnaux Altoix

mentorship

While he is going to officially change weapons/classes during his character arc, I think having him actually be someone’s apprentice would be cool and force him to answer a lot of questions about why he is pursuing magic in the first place. It’s obviously something he’s passionate about in theory, but he’s somewhat obsessed with the idea of following in his father’s footsteps.

The closest equivalent to the style of magic he’ll be moving towards is Red Mage, but in Leonnaux’s case it’ll be more appropriate to call it a spellblade or runeblade of some kind, since rather than drawing from the ideas of White and Black Mages who survived the flood and worked together to create proper Red Magic, it draws ideas from arcanima as well as Duskwight runecraft.

Leonnaux isn’t practiced in combat magic, though, and physically he’s very weak. So he doesn’t actually have any training or experience in the ‘blade’ part.

Properly learning a trade would also be cool. He is an alchemist, but I think it would be cool if he learned to make clothes or something, since he’s always been extremely fashionable. It would also maybe be cool if he got into charity work somehow related to tradecraft since he’s yet to do his good deed for the year.

miscellany

— An arc where he gets dragged back into journalism somehow would be cool, especially investigative journalism... — Leon needs to get shot at some point and idk man that’s just how it is — He also needs to cast gun at someone at some point. But first, he must Acquire Gun. (Hans and Mima have the means but they would be too baby-proof!!)

Percival Rigel

A plot dealing with her work as a rogue would be cool, as would one related to reconnecting with her roots (her parents being Ala Mhigan, but herself never visiting Gyr Abania for obvious reasons). 

There’s not a lot of fodder for Percival as a character yet since she’s on the older side; while my other characters are in their 20′s and are still kind of figuring their lives (and themselves) out, Percival is relatively self-assured. She really is built more in a way that lets her contribute to others’ plots rather than having any built in herself.

Wren Leyland

Traveling companions who really do have time to unpack All Of That would be cool for a long-term gig, especially if she met them via her various romps through dive bars and other performance venues. She doesn’t really try to hide that she’s lying about her background, but what she seems to value most is the freedom of never being known by anyone—which is a pretty lonely way to live. She also can’t run forever.

Rosemund Blackthorne

He’s a Dark Knight so any plot properly like digging into Ishgardian politics would be cool. But he like Percival is older and has more of his shit together so he doesn’t have a proper character arc tied to him yet.

He is, though, in a pretty sticky financial situation! The House he inherited from his father after his untimely death is pretty much on the verge of collapsing because of Rosemund’s poor spending habits over the years, and many of their assets are probably going to be auctioned off at some point. Unfortunately this includes precious family heirlooms...

Janos jen Renata

Hello Fellow Eorzeans

You know what would be some good shit? Janos meeting and hitting it off with some people, pref. Eorzeans who don’t figure out he’s a Garlean. It’s fun and hilarious to see people figure it out but for Dramatic Plot Purposes it would really be neat for Jan to make some friends (or business contacts) who don’t know.

While mostly this is good for other plot things that I wanna do with him, it would also over a long period of time force him to re-evaluate his priorities. In general, Jan is a pretty honest person, and he doesn’t like to lie about something as fundamental as who he is. But he can’t really be who he is, because who he is is extremely informed by his upbringing in Garlemald, and while he has enough brain cells to rub together to start unlearning some of the Empire’s propaganda on his own, he’s still very much proud to be a Pureblood. 

But that pride, and the fact that he’s Garlean in the first place, is a secret he absolutely can’t afford getting out to the wrong people, because it puts not only himself in (probably mortal) danger in the middle of hostile territory, but it also puts his friends in Nine Eyes at risk. 

Even beyond valuing honesty, though, one of Jan’s most fundemental longings is to be known—he’s always been a cog in the machine before, and he finds it absolutely soul-crushing. But it’s kind of hard to be known when being known means you’re probably going to be arrested, lynched, or some combination of the two.

Will Tinker 4 Food

Having him work on some sort of long-term engineering project on commission would probably be cool because while he’s not particularly skilled outside of maintenance work, he needs more money to support his tinkering hobby than being a starving artist can provide—not that he really minds the starving part. (A long-term project besides “helping” Mima with Alizarine’s airships that is. In that regard, Jan is kind of just moral support?? He can follow directions and blueprints well enough to not be a nuisance, but his usefulness on something so complicated is admittedly limited.)

Eorzeans Are People Too

Watching him get educated about the cultures of Eorzea leading up to his nearly inevitable defection would be cool, since while he understands just from rubbing two brain cells together that Eorzeans are people, he doesn’t really understand the culture beyond what’s necessary to ‘fit in.’ That said, he’s naturally a pretty curious guy, and he’d love to know more about the way Eorzeans live, their beliefs, and their customs, even if they aren’t things he would ever subscribe to himself.

This includes religion, oddly; he does believe that such practices result in Eikons, but he can also see that Eorzeans aren’t particularly keen on summoning their Gods to grant their wishes or fight their battles for them. He can also tell that most Eorzeans have a pretty good idea about Eikons and Primals being a bad thing.

Hand of the Empire

Pre-established connections with other Garleans or even some conscripts would be interesting since he doesn’t remember a good chunk of time from before he wound up in Eorzea. He knows kind of intuitively that Something must have happened, but as of yet he hasn’t really tried to figure out what that something is. And he isn’t sure he wants to know. But being confronted by people he worked with (or who at least knew of him) back when he was an Architectus would be a nasty surprise, albeit not an unwelcome one since he isn’t aware that he’s not exactly in the Empire’s good graces.

He wants to go home and continue serving his country, but feels obligated to stick around with Nine Eyes after they’ve done so much for him (having basically scooped him up out of the gutter).

[hellsbovnd-archive]

Cartell’s 16 Factor Test - ALL!

Top, Left to Right: Key, me!

Middle, Left to Right: Leonnaux Altoix, Percival Rigel, Wren Leyland

Bottom, Left to Right: Rosemund Blackthorne, Janos jen Renata

Surprising results: Leon’s low dutifulness, Percival’s high liveliness, Wren’s low warmth, Rose’s high warmth (hah), Jan’s low tension.

Completely unsurprising results: Leon’s extremely high intellect, Percival’s high anxiety, Wren’s high liveliness, Rose’s high introversion, Jan’s extremely low independence.

Thanks for the tag, @theaugustrebel!!

Tagging @arcianmartell, @evandering, @eorzeuh / @the-ewer / @tantalion, @ironeaters, @istolin, @juste-xiv, @ceol-aen, @carnifex-ffxiv, @weaveroftruth, @bookbornexiv, @yululu-and-co, @pom-friend, @ishgardsmaddog, @bhelni, and YOU! o/

[hellsbovnd-archive]

random morning character facts

Leonnaux has a major sweet-tooth and loves cakes of all kinds. He's also partial to apple tarts and the like.

Janos LOVES dogs. He's a major dog person. And he will a b s o l u t e l y babytalk at any pupper that is presented to him.

Janos also loves kids and would like to be a father one day (contingent on the possibility that he ever gets to go home, which he doesn't really realize isn't a possibility; while he likes Eorzeans and enjoys their company he has more than a few hang-ups about getting involved with them romantically most of which stem from the fact that he's a Pureblood). He is extremely child-friendly, though.

Leonnaux is child-neutral. He will tolerate them to a point... but he doesn't think they're cute and doesn't really want any of his own. (Of course the fact that he's dating a hyur and interracial children tend to be frowned upon doesn't really help in that regard.) (He also thinks that he would be a pretty shitty father, citing that it runs in the family.) (The older a kid is, the more willing he is to tolerate them. He actually enjoys kids who insist on being treated like adults because that means he doesn't have to babysit.)

Rosemund hates kids. He thinks they're brats.

Ditto for Percival, but her late wife was working on changing her mind before she passed away.

Janos drinks black coffee exclusively. He dislikes tea.

Janos despises alcohol. He can be coerced into drinking by people he's close with (such as Oz or Aury), but he hates the taste of it and doesn't like the feeling of being drunk or buzzed. (He also doesn't like what alcohol does to other people, but feels like what they do with their life is their business.)

Leonnaux drinks tea to relax in the evening, and coffee to wake up in the morning; generally he takes his coffee with cream and sugar. His taste in tea is varied, but he admits some fondness for blends from the Shroud, even though he otherwise tries to distance himself from his background in Gridania.

Leonnaux "can stop any time he wants." (Edda has gotten onto him about his drinking in the past. He is trying to do better.)

[hellsbovnd-archive]

In honor of Pride month: the sexual (and romantic where different/applicable) orientations of all my characters.

Leonnaux: bisexual (bonus round: he’s gender non-conforming!)

Percival: homosexual

Wren: pansexual

Rosemund: asexual homoromantic

Janos: bisexual

And OOC I’m nonbinary and bisexual! ✌️

[hellsbovnd-archive]

“ what made you this way ?”

drunken confession.→ accepting ( prompt ) @houserosaire

Rosemund sighed into his wine glass, the question giving him pause. Then the Ishgardian unceremoniously turned the glass up and finished the last of the wine in one go, sinking a bit into the leather loveseat which, rather than share it, he decided to stretch out across. One of his arms dangled over the edge of the loveseat’s armrest, and his ankles crossed over each other about a fulm beyond the edge of the other.

He was quiet for a moment, resting the now-empty glass in his lap instead of setting it aside on the table. “You did,” he began, and let the words hang in the air before continuing, or perhaps correcting: “The whole of Ishgard did. The war, the church, the inquisition, the lie. It’s the fault of the accusers and the inquisitors and my father as well; everyone and no one; men and Halone both.”

He shook his head and let it rest on the loveseat’s armrest for a moment. “… Forgive me, I don’t mean to take my anger out on the Fury Herself. It isn’t her fault that daemons can cite Her word for their ends, and I’m sure my father walks with Her even as we speak. But still–wouldn’t it be nice if She would punish those who… Let’s say participated in the inquisition? I doubt that I’m the only one who’s ever had a loved one stolen from them.”

[hellsbovnd-archive]

🤝- Does your muse forgive others easily?

unusual questions for your muse - accepting

Leonnaux can be persuaded to forgive if someone shows that they have legitimately changed. (This doesn’t apply to things he finds morally reprehensible, however.) Barring that though he usually isn’t particularly inclined to forgive others’ transgressions, particularly if said transgressions are committed against Edda, Alizarine, or his associates at The Cloak & Dagger. Cross enough lines and he might just start plotting revenge. Best served cold, of course. In previous years he would have been able to bring the full might of his connections to bear against whoever pissed him off, being in a position to write mostly-anonymous exposes that would get picked up by his colleagues and circulated around Ul’dah like a plague. But ever since he retired from journalism to pursue academia, his options have been more limited.

Percival will forgive most offenses after she has had time to cool off, but how long that takes is kind of a crapshoot. She could be over it in a day. She could be over it in a year.

Wren forgives and forgets.

Rosemund resents and remembers.

Janos will forgive most offenses committed against him, even if he really shouldn’t. But if you fuck with the rest of Nine Eyes he’s going to hate you for probably the rest of his life. And if you go and fuck with Nine Eyes, or anyone he considers his friend? If Ovidius doesn’t take care of it, Jan will. And you don’t want Jan to take care of it.