Zhavi

That's awesommmeee. I don't suppose you'd be interested in doing security at the Wench in Limsa every now and again? >> I would so love to have Zhi interacting with security!! French horn! Band nerds unite! Welcome to the RPC, if you have any questions or whatnot don't hesitate to ask!

"First," Zhi said, not budging an inch, "yer me client. That means I keep yer hidey-holes safe. We'll need another place t'meet when I've Hara at me back. Meantime, fer now any information I'll need t'be knowin' needs t'be spoken now. After, I'll collect Hara an' we'll meet elsewhere." She gave him a long look and a confident smile before walking inside. She moved with a certain amount of swagger. She set herself up near the hammock, leaning against one of the crates. She didn't fold her arms or stand in any way that would make movement difficult. She wasn't tense, but it was clear there was little trust lost between herself and Nero. She was ready to move if she needed to.

I saw that you posted in the mentorship thread, so if you still are in need of someone to help show you the ropes, just let me know and I'll send you a pm. It's pretty easy once you get used to it; the community is pretty friendly so you should feel free to either jump in or set something up with any rpers you see and like. If you're leery of flat out rping with other people you see rping, just send them a tell to make sure you're free to jump in. As for going into detail, you sorta do a bit less then in a detailed forum post, but you don't need as much detail because there is a physical representation in front of you. Pretty much I'll describe actions and expressions I can't replicate in game, but will only mention something in text if it's especially significant but I can do it in game. . . .people don't tend to mind if you have long, multi-post posts (there is a character limit), so don't be afraid to go long as you adapt to mmo rp. If you want to practice with someone in game, I'd be more than happy to arrange a meetup with you. Welcome to the RPC! Happy writing.

Hey there! MMO rp might take a little bit of getting used to after coming from full-text games, but I bet you'll slide into it very easily. There are a few other servers with rpers here and there, but if you want a server where you're going to run into open world rp very frequently, you'd be best off sticking to balmung or gilgamesh. Don't be afraid to interact with rpers you see out and about! The community is pretty friendly, so never be leery of reaching out. And if you have problems finding rp partners, give me a holler! Welcome to the RPC.

I'm with Jancis -- hurray for MUDs! I would actually try a little later in the morning for Balmung. All of my weekday characters were created around 7-8 am Pacific, while the weekend characters I've made were made around 4-5am Pacific. Do keep trying, and a big good luck to you! Welcome to the RPC, and once you've got a more solid idea of your characters do make a wiki page for them! (canhasferretpictures? :3 )

Zhavi wasn't hungover so much as she was still drunk. She'd crashed in one of her holes around the city, not trusting the cheap boarding house she'd recently paid a room for. She hadn't slept for long. Long, restful nights had never come easily to her for as long as she could remember. Sleeping light kept you alive. There'd been other jobs to see to after the strange meeting the prior night. Things to deliver. Messages to give. People to spy on. The last had been the cause of her small amount of sleep, but she'd gotten a good tidbit out of it. She knew she should sleep more, just the same way she knew she should smoke less. About that. . . She inhaled for a long time, savoring the sophorific effect of the smoke held between her fingers. She was still dressed in the clothing from the day before -- not the stuff she'd met the two in, but her climbing gear. Zhi made decent enough money as a runner, but over half wound up getting spent as payments, for disguises, clothing for jobs, tools -- it wasn't a cheap occupation, not if you meant to be any good at it. A good portion of the rest was spent on alcohol, smokes, and. . .other habits. All in the name of collecting information, of course. She wasn't irresponsible in the least. The stub almost burned her fingers. She would've used her pipe, but it was at the boarding house. She grimaced and put it out. The ash was left where it had spilled on the ground, and she dressed for the day in sturdy, practical clothes tight enough to her body that she could climb in a pinch, while thick enough that it left her shape on the feminine side of androgynous. Then she left. She made her morning rounds, deciding on the spot where she was going. It was true that she couldn't fight for shit, but when it came to following people and keeping them off her own tail she was good. Really damn good. She was watching as she circled a couple places she'd skipped the day before, and a couple more that she had. In between her more normal work, she carefully spread rumors about Unrelenting, with the slightest implications that he should be taken care of by those with the chops to do so. Bad for business, was her suggestion. Good for reputation should someone put an end to him. Oh, aye, she'd brought on Inessa to take care of the problem, but it was always prudent to have backups. How well would he fare, she wondered -- how dangerous was he? That she didn't know was a big problem. That she'd been sloppy enough for him to figure her out was the bigger problem. Once she'd finished her rounds, she made her way to Fisherman's Bottom. She made a few careful inquiries into Sebastian Redgrave, and eventually found herself in front of a small warehouse -- one she'd never interacted with; there'd been no need to look into it before. It was in a bland stretch of territory that generally belonged to honest traders of the sort she generally didn't pursue in business. Perhaps things were changing. She'd have to start investigating. She banged on the door when she found it locked, and waited with one hand resting on her hip, looking up and down the street.

"If it affects me business, then it's business," Zhi said to Nero, sweet as candy. She tilted her head to the side, "asides, his need t'clean th'city o'scum would be bad fer yers, too, come t'think o' it." She'd wink, and reach for that last piece of fish. She glanced in the same direction he had. Big brawls meant the jacks would eventually be called in. So while watching (and sometimes participating) in such extra curricular activities was fun, she'd no desire of being caught underfoot when the navy came sailing in. The fish was slurped down, and the gil plucked up and tucked away. She'd need to secret that away in one of her hidey holes; wouldn't do to be caught out somewhere while carrying too much money. "I'll come collect ye on th'morrow once I've readied," Zhi said to Inessa. "Now then, 'less there's more wind blowin', I've a mind t'make wake." She backed up a step from the table, into a small pocket formed by the backs of a few women engaged in conversation. If neither of them had anything to say, she'd leave as fast as she was able.

"Yer right," Zhi said to Nero while she stared at Inessa. Her tone was casual, conversational even. "That slots been filled by someone what goes by Unrelentin'." She hopped off the table. Inessa might have her name, might have somehow known where she would be, might have done all sorts of searching -- but she evidently hadn't kept up on the latest rumors. "He's a mite dramatic, his actual name is Xydane." She took another chunk of fish; it was almost gone. "Problem is, I already took trade from Mister Unrelentable, an' I've cause enough not t'trade him fer a new leash. . .but I think we can work this out real good." She held out her hand to Nero. "Ye pay me, an' I work yer deal." She looked to Inessa. "Ye get rid o' Mister Unrelentable, an' I'll see somethin' worked out what can benefit th'both o'us. He's out o'town right now, so meantime ye can be me strongarm." She grinned, ever so cheerful. "Matter o'fact, mebbe she can work t'gether wi' whatever heavy ye set on me tail t'keep me all warm an' safe." The last was directed to Nero. She held up her hands to both of them, though she made a fist out of the one aimed towards Inessa and waggled her pointer finger at the other woman. "He's right 'bout one thing though -- can't have ye carvin' up Limsa from chest t'groin. But could be there's some what could use a good nettin'. Some what might harm yer bottom line an' need some removin'." Again, she spoke to Nero on the last line. "What d'ye fine folk say?"

Zhi edged away from Nero. She was watching him with a smile on her face, but she was tense; there'd been a lot of let's-beat-zhi-up lately, and she was getting tired of it. She didn't like pain, not in the sense of actual bodily damage. "All sorts think themselves right chummy wi'me," was Zhi's reply to Nero, her voice smooth. "Ye were one o'them not so long ago." She turned to Inessa. "Yer a right overbearing windbag, ye are, fer all yer tryin' t' soothe me when I ain't shown ye no signs o' needin' soothin'. Still, I've interest in what ye've t'say. Hurts nothin' t'have a listen, I always say." The woman's reply seemed to respond directly to Zhi's thoughts, which was uncanny, but it could have been a lucky shot. Sure, of course the woman would want to disassociate herself from her sources, even if the manner in which she did it was idiotic. "But o'course I'm friendly t'work what keeps me belly full." The man's anger was, in its own way, also idiotic. Zhi shared her smile between them before settling on Nero. There was some small amount of challenge in her eyes. "Ye not gonna let me work other jobs if I'm workin' fer yerself? Could be," she glanced at the woman again, "I could be o' service t'the both o' ye." She winked, and leered. "Servicin' two at once ain't outside o'me talents."

Reconsidering a plan wasn't something Zhi did often, but watching Jager shimmy away. . .she slunk after him, grim and silent, and saw the way the wind battered him. He could climb, but he wasn't as good at it as her. She could kill, but she wasn't as good at it as him. There was a problem in that, but it was too late to call him back. If she distracted him while he waited, bad things could happen. The miqo'te wasn't looking up or down, but rather further out towards the ocean. It occurred to her, as Jager prepared to make his move, that this wasn't a lookout for someone protecting their territory, but someone waiting for a signal for something else entirely. Galine had always been a stickler for punctuality. Part of it was the show of respect to her, but part of it was that her plans were time-sensitive. Galine knew the city's secrets as well as Zhi did. Maybe even better; she'd a network of runners at her beck and call. Chances were she knew -- or guessed -- the route Zhi would take in order to avoid being seen. She'd been extra pissy that Zhi was running a day or two behind trying to ensure the goods presently in hand made it through the Gate intact. Zhi knew when she was supposed to ask questions, and when she wasn't supposed to. Galine thought to test her, did she? Thought to see if she'd make a mistake, and get herself killed in the process? For a moment, even despite Jager's shaky position, Zhi was tempted to yell up at him, to deter him from making the strike. But she knew better. Even if this had been a partial set-up, there was exactly no guarantee the other miqo'te would participate in usurping Galine's plans. Hells, there was no guarantee Zhi would survive Galine's displeasure if she displeased the lalafell. She waited, grim, and hoped he didn't drop the blaggart in such a way that the body rolled off and down. She'd be needing to look at it.

Oh, but it was amusing. Very, very amusing. Zhi looked from the newcomer to the man who had pulled out the requested amount of gil. She simpered. "Oh aye, there's plenty o'cats in th'city what have hold o'that sort o'information. Ain't much o' a secret as t'the who." The information that went for a premium was the what (how they'd gotten and how they were staying in that position of power, all of the intricate means that they killed to keep from going public) and the where (since a good few number of them were pirates and scallywags, and needed to keep hidden from Limsa's protectors). Could be the newcomer was going to try to start with something easily told and try to sneak more information out of her without her realizing it. But what was interesting was the bit about supposed to be somewhere. Zhi kept her rounds random to prevent people from easily getting hold of her. They wanted to find her, they had to search. That meant someone was keeping very close tabs on her. "Now, now, sounds like ye two have some common interests. Mebbe ye can bond." His irritation was her balm. She always got that way when someone had something on her. Call it a quirk.

Professional obligation. Yeah. Most of the people Zhi dealt with weren't so far above her that they could offer blanket statements of protection. Or would, generally speaking, offer to take her in. It sounded like an exclusive contract; he'd be taking care of her for all of her secrets and probably most of her time. It was close enough to Galine to make her skin crawl. Problem was, she did need that protection. Especially considering that things with Jager were getting. . .dangerous. She couldn't trust him to watch her back so easily anymore. She'd have to deal with that -- but in the meantime, she needed alternate options. Even if those were probably more risky. "One week," she said, after finishing the hunk of bread. She pulled off a piece of the fish and sucked it down. "Five hunnerd an' fifty gil. Ye put a tail on me fer yer protection. In return, I'll find ye whatever need y'have in that time. After th'week, I don't like yer terms, I'm gone an' ye don't bother me." With that much gil, she could afford to disappear for awhile in order to lose him if he got. . .persistent. "If we're both solid, we'll re-deal th'hand."

She hesitated. Should she keep drinking with him? But then, if she got completely drunk, would that barrier between them continue to degrade? Styrm was far too likeable a man. His affability (at any other time a boon) was a danger to her. Even at the risk of raising his suspicions, the less time she kept with him when he wasn't teaching her, the fewer chances to screw something up. She was already tired and making mistakes. "Have t'keep me teacher on his toes, don't I?" She'd wink at him, lift her hand in farewell, and exited the restaurant. This time she tried to keep a better grasp of her surroundings, and who was placed in them.

Second season and a movie later on this year! /soexcite

Negotiations, or at least the sort Zhavi was used to, tended to have one goal: show as little of your hand as was possible while trying to get the other party to show more of theirs. This laying everything on the table was not a tactic she was used to from someone expecting to come on equal terms. This was something someone like Galine would do. Though, she was mildly surprised that someone with a small reputation like hers -- especially given her proclivity for independent work -- would attract such a predator. There were three potential alleys down which this interaction could go: he was bluffing out of desperation or ego, he had way more than the things he offered, or he planned on taking her in and then extorting her for work long after the contract should have ended. Thing was about negotiations, you could say whatever you wanted to say. Her need for good word of mouth kept her honest (enough), kept her glued to whatever deals she worked out with her employers. What kept him honest she hadn't the slightest clue. That was a problem. While she thought it through, she took up the hunk of bread and split it in two. She chewed, staring at him, and made a decision. "Who else have ye hired in town? I need names." If he had and she knew him, she'd know exactly what sort of honest he was.

Haha, Zhi could make a good antag for stuff in the city, but I'm guessing she's one of the ones you feel is too hyur-like (which was, admittedly, my intent with her -- she's totally lost the ethnicity of her people by growing up in a big port city). But more than that -- I definitely encourage you to check out the tribal groups. I can't remember the names right now, but there should be a FC or two focused on that sort of lifestyle. There's also a very long thread regarding the K tribe in Town Square. Good luck with your search!

A very faint stink could be detected from Zhi's proximity. It was mostly composed of fish. Fish with a hint of rot. She giggled. "Ye want a pet, dovey?" Her voice had gone soft. She matched him stare for stare. "I'd make a real bad pet." She lifted her free hand and would attempt to drive her pointer finger into his chest. The pressure she exerted would be light, but definitely present. "Now, I ain't real sure what ye think I'd be able t'do fer ye wi'all that confidence ye got puffin' up yer chest, but I'm sure it ain't worth all that." She lowered her voice even more. "Cuz that sounds like grounds fer indenturin', dove, an' that ain't what I do."

Mmph, ain't that just the truth. Welcome to the RPC! It is a pretty wonderful community. Generally, most things are accepted so long as they don't stretch lore too hard -- most arguments I've seen about character direction are tied in to class jobs and whether or not certain ones are speshul. Then you have the general standards -- super omgawesomeperfect overpowered characters aren't generally liked so much (note that I have yet to see any, though) when they don't make sense. You know, having a 14 year old who can take on 30 year olds who have been training for a decade or two longer, that sort of thing. However, don't be afraid to stretch your wings! At the end of the day, you gotta play what you find fun. Also, make a wiki page for your character once you've got a good idea of where you want to go with her. And, you can always test ideas here or in RP discussion if you have questions about what you're going with -- but do remember that opinions are opinions, and generally people don't mean to be anything but helpful. Best to you, and happy writing!

I dunno man, Berrod's character is pretty easy on the eyes. Ehehehehe. (I'm not creepy, I swear) Welcome to the RPC! Someone might reply before me, but your best bet at getting on the server is to wait until early morning Pacific time (5am on weekends and 7am weekdays have worked pretty regularly for me). Until you do, there's always forum rp! Take your time browsing this site, and definitely check out the wiki; getting a wiki page up for your character can help others to get a feel for your character. It's a pretty friendly community so don't be afraid to dive in and ask any questions you need answered. EDIT - YOU WERE MY ONE THOUSANDTH POST! You're special now.

There was a flicker of something in her gaze; a jitter of stillness that passed through her in an eyeblink and was gone. It was in response to his little jab; the request for food had received little more than the dimming of her grin. Faint amusement was all that remained. He had her full attention, now. "Hmmm," she scratched the edge of her jaw, pulled her fingers away and looked at what had gotten lodged under the nails. "An' who're ye t'dissuade anyone?" She flicked the gunk away, and looked back up up at him. She was smiling at him as if she was indulging him in some juvenile prank.

The exchange, and the gil, was scrutinized, though Zhi kept her expression amused and flippant. The sailors paid no mind to her; she was Nero's chattel and not even worth the time it took to properly insult. She didn't mind. Most of her attention was also taken up by that selfsame man. He was putting on a show for her, whether or not he meant to do so. She took her drink from him, but rather than sit on the chair she spun it around and hopped up onto the table. She propped her feet up on the chair's back, and showed him the widest grin she could manage without looking like a complete loony. It bared her fangs. "Th'one an' only." She took a sip, not taking her eyes from him. "Somethin' I can do fer yerself, dovey?" The second grin, once she'd pulled free from her drink, was a sight uglier than the last.

She didn't know what he wanted. Given the fact that he knew her and she didn't know him, she suspected it had to do with business. Did she want that business? Should she leave? She hesitated as she looked in the direction he'd pointed in, the destination currently blocked by bodies and body odor. She could always turn him down if she didn't like what he had to say. She was a streetrunner, by the gods. Only a craven coward would run away. Xydane's words echoed in her head. She grimaced, ears going flat, and started pushing through the crowd. When she squeezed out into a small pocket of space surrounding a table, she found all of the seats had been taken. Figured; when the room was this crowded, any vacancy in seating would be taken in the time it took to blink. Given a late enough hour and enough drinking, it was probable there'd be a few scuffles over table space. She sighed and lingered just off the shoulder of a woman presently occupying one of the seats, looking for the bearer of her free drink. The table conversation was about currents and seasonal wind direction -- sailors of some kind, this lot -- so she tuned it out. Nothing she needed to know.

Zhi turned back, inched closer to Styrm. "Th'shellfish's bad. Smells sour." She looked over to Styrm's bowl. "Might be havin' a stomachache later, hey?" She shrugged (it was like she couldn't stop) and pulled her lips to the side in a wry half-smile. "Ye ate 'em afore I could warn ye."

Good pal. He kept repeating variations on the same thing. It got under her skin, made her even more nervous. She slurped at her bowl again, avoiding the cracked mussels; they smelled half-sour under the heavy odor of the broth. She didn't fancy a stomachache, not under the current situation (though gods knew she'd eaten food gone bad before). She finished her drink, gave him a bright smile as she hopped off the stool. Get out get out get out get out. "Good luck wi' hittin' th'broadside," she said in a loud whisper, giving him a wink before turning away.