Zhavi

I agree with Blue -- alts can be a great way to give yourself a fresh new perspective and rejuvenate your feelings towards your older characters. Should you not want to make an alt, I would recommend trying to identify what exactly it is about your character that is giving you this feeling. Is it the character, or is it the class? Is it because she's stagnated and has no way to move forward? Try throwing her a curveball, see if shaking her up can help motivate you to play her. Challenge her views through rp, put her somewhere that makes her uncomfortable. Give her something to overcome. Too, sometimes it does happen where you outgrow your character and the sort of thing you initially built them to play. I know this guy who made this really sweet, naive character, but after a taste of cruelgrimdark rp, he's now ready to move forward by killing the poor character off -- which I am not advocating, but it's the same with books. I think people do sometimes start off in one specific genre or subset and love it to pieces, but after they've glutted themselves on it they'll gravitate towards something new. In any case, if just thinking about the character is frustrating or demoralizing, it's okay to take a break. Try something else out for awhile; doesn't mean you have to put the character down for good.

Definitely do up a wiki. More information means more opportunities to strike someone's fancy. Though, I will say that it's always difficult to be at one end of the spectrum or the other; people tend to congregate at the middle of things. The one thing I can say is that even if you define yourself as being one step beyond hardcore, don't close yourself off to forming rp connections with those who do not class themselves the same way as you do. Rp has been a hobby of mine for years and years (though mostly through forums). I think in that aspect I can sympathize with you; on my main forum I experienced something similar (rp partners lost to family, kids, university, new job, etc), and I would sorta be stuck figuring out where to go from there. But, you know, the longer you stick with it, the more people you're willing to give a chance, the likelier you are to find someone who does match up with what you're looking for -- even if they don't classify themselves the same way. That and sometimes it's those people who can only log in a few times a week who turn out to be the most dedicated. (also, maybe update the OP if anything has changed) So, even though I'm not so much in game right now (too much restricting playtime irl), I still wish you the best and hope that you don't give up. Good luck!

What sort of character is he? Where does he frequent? Do you have a wiki entry on him? (quick search didn't turn one up for me, though I wouldn't put it past me to be typing it in wrong)

Hut is an adorable nickname. I thought you should know that. That said, hi! Don't be afraid to stalk people on the wiki and the forums to see if there's any characters you'd be interested rping with -- imo that's one of the fastest ways to get rp going (even if it's just a 'hi, your character is awesome, would you be willing to rp with me [details optional]?). Gogo Balmung! Happy rping!

Zhi slid out from her position in the niche and half climbed down before dropping to the alley below. Mujuuk was gone, and the overpowering stench of spilt wine covered most of the lingering scents of the men who'd just been in there. Was it too much to ask that quality wine came in quality bottles, able to survive a teeny little fall? Zhi scowled down at the cracked bottle in disgust, unwilling to attempt to salvage anything for herself with her job on the line. Time was taken to get another proper sniff of the alley, and this time she got hits on all three of the men. Faint, already mixing into the other overpowering smells of the city, but good enough to know the moods of them. Sighard had been nervous, aye, but he wasn't afraid. And what'd that say about Ferigen, that Mujuuk's own considerable pull on the weight of his inherited company rattled the man in the middle so little? It certainly didn't put Zhi at ease. Sure, she knew the value of Ferigen on the street. Everyone knew that when it came to Lover's Embrace, Ferigen was the supplier. While there were certainly others who could, on a theoretical level, wrest it from him, there was a cost to that none of them were willing to pay. Sometimes profits were better left as they were than to risk stirring up the mud and having something unexpected bite your hand off. Asides, the Yellowjackets weren't like to sit on their duffs and let some misplaced turf war spill out of the careful balance that had been achieved over the years. Tampered with profits, such things did. Couldn't have that. Zhi kicked the bottle, tail lashing in a concerted agony of itchiness. The bottle spun, wine splashing the street, and hit the wall with a satisfactory crack. Zhi left off thinking about the possibilities and drifted after Mujuuk, more conscious than ever of the stipulations of her job. She needed to know about Sighard, about all the men and women who'd pulled support from Mujuuk, and what exact bait Ferigen held that made them so confident of their choice. What's more, she wondered why she had been approached for such a job; was she being used as a prod? Was it because she was unknown, or just expendable? Tonight's gig was the first time she'd seen Mujuuk meet with one of his ex-business partners in the few days she'd followed him. It changed her perception of the job. It changed how she regarded the amount she'd been offered, the silky promise of bonuses and extra gil. Whoever had ordered the job done had expected it to turn sour, and had left the promise of gil as a means to keep the churl interested. And she'd just walked right into it, stupid as could be, and now that she was in it. . .she choked down the giggle as she tailed Mujuuk, keeping her humor and her jeers at herself inside her own head. As Mujuuk approached the makeshift market at the docks, Zhi split off from him to approach the lookout -- a scrag she'd plenty of interaction with -- to keep herself off Mujuuk's peripheral. Once he'd stopped moving down the walkway she broke off the conversation to go browse what was leftover, stopping a woman from packing up her goods to give them a good looksee. She wasn't able to catch all of what Mujuuk said to Yayabuko, but she got the gist of it. She knew the sound of gil when she heard it, and could all but smell the opportunity knocking. Her employer could get wrecked; if they were reeling her sideways then that gave her leeway to go the other way; she'd rather zig and be kicked around for disobedience on someone else's coin then zag and be killed. As Mujuuk walked off, Zhi leaned in close to the woman and slipped the gil and a little extra over, taking one of the pieces and slipping it down her shirt to fall into the pocket formed by the rope belt tied at her hips. The woman nodded, bit her lower lip, and watched someone moving behind Zhi as she whispered instructions. The woman's fingers drummed twice next to the offered gil, and Zhi reluctantly piled a few more. It swiftly disappeared, and the woman's head turned, still watching something, then she nodded and sat back. "Yer th'best, Chirp." "Sod off," Chirp said, "an' lay off the booze. You smell a right drunkard, you do." Zhi reached out and ruffled Chirp's hair before dancing back and away before retaliation could be meted out. "Scrag!" Chirp yelled half-heartedly as Zhi turned and walked to Yayabuko. "I needs a favor," she said as she sidled up to the man, settling into a crouch in front of him. "Gods above," he muttered. Zhi adopted a hurt expression. He glared back. She made a face. "Yer right cruel, Yayi." "Don't call me that." "Then lemme at least give ye a name." "For what?" "Th'coin that jes' passed over." Yayabuko went silent, his stare appraising as he looked at her properly. She returned his scrutiny with earnestness, which he dismissed with a shake of his head. They'd a turn or two in the past, they had. Enough that he took her seriously, and enough to consider if dealing with her would be beneficial to him. She let him think, knowing better herself than to ply him with patter while he considered. That was one of the best ways to put him off. "I'm listening," he said. Finally. "Yer t'look fer someone, aye?" "Yeah. Look, Kink, make it quick. I don't have patience for your buzzing today. You were eavesdropping for some reason, I'm sure, so don't play like I'm stupid." Zhi held up her hands in placation, a cheeky grin baring her teeth. "Fair. I've a name in mind. Y'keep yer money, and time spent searchin', an' I take a swift stab at some enterprisin' new ideas fer th'man in th'spotlight." "Big word for you." Yayabuko's snort was derisive. "Learned it last week, I did. So, that's me favor, an' I'll be pickled if ye grease me ears with some stories 'bout th'tom's dancin' partner." Gil was hinted at, but not produced. "Isn't like you," he said. "There's shine t'be had, spuggie." "Piss on you," Yayabuko snapped, but considered her words all the same. He sighed. "I've need of introduction to Skarp. She keeps slipping me. I need to talk to her boss." Yayabuko leaned forward, his eyes intent on hers. "Double rates for you, besides, after your last venture." Zhi considered bartering the price down, but knew by Yayabuko's stare that this was his final offer. So she'd left him in a tight pinch a moon ago, it was water under the bridge -- or should have been. Apparently it wasn't. Not, mind you, that she was surprised. She groaned and rocked back onto her heels. "Stubborn git," she muttered. Gil was passed over to the lalafel, and then Zhi leaned in and whispered a name and a place. Yayabuko's disgusted expression had her giggling to herself for hours after. _________________________ Clove owed Zhavi, which was precisely why it'd been him she'd picked. He was . . . known well enough, by the darker set, for his pretty face and mannerisms. He was too pretty for a hyur man, the exact sort that could get a doxy into trouble. It had, and that was how Zhi had first met him. They'd a cautious sort of understanding ever since, though she'd never asked him for anything until now. He was clever, the sort who heard many things and kept his mouth shut when he needed to. The sort that, for the right price, could arrive at beneficial arrangement that could be trusted in the short term. She'd considered asking him to keep watch for her, anyhow; it was sheer chance that Mujuuk's movements had set things up so nicely for her. Now all that remained was to earn Mujuuk's approval. The usual meeting place was a dive on the south end of the lower deck, a semi-permanent fixture that floated slightly to the east of Fisherman's Bottom. It was wedged further back in, out of sight of the tourists and legitimate businessmen, and allowed to persist for some arcane reason that probably had to deal with the exchange of gil and a need to keep the worst of the rifraff out of more popular and acceptable establishments. It was built of wood and steel, chained to the stone it resided next to, and half kept itself afloat while the other half relied upon the chains to keep it from capsizing when business was booming. It was beloved of gamblers, cutthroats, and all manner of shady individuals. It was understood that you didn't bring marks or grudges there, and as a result had become something of neutral ground for a bevy of the legally disinclined. Hailed as The Highness, Her Highness, or Your Highness depending on who you were talking to, it was a study of faded grandeur. Stained purple drapery shielded customers from the windows, and tacky once-plush rugs kept the floors from being noticeably sticky. The wood used for tables and bar was high quality, but so scarred that it was hard to tell. While Her Highness was kept cleaner than most of its ilk could claim to, the sheer amount of traffic and limited space ensured that by the end of each night it was close to disaster. Zhi was squished in at the end of the bar, tail wrapped tightly around her hips to avoid any number of unfortunate accidents, and ears flat to discourage any of those she was familiar with from approaching. Clove sat at her back, a yellow armband tied about his upper arm, at the table Yayabuko had reserved. Her Highness was so noisy it was all but impossible to eavesdrop unless you were up the arse of those with business in mind who weren't overly loud. Now all they needed was Mujuuk to make his appearance.

Zhi doesn't really differentiate between the genders, to the point that I don't even think she has a sexual preference (or even really cares for it, but that's not the point). While she's wary of those who are bigger and built more for muscle than she is, she's small enough that that category includes as many women as men. Due to her mother having been a whore, she has a bit of a soft spot for them, but since there's boy whores and girl whores (how thoughtful!) that isn't really a difference either. I do have a character in another setting who is totally misogynistic and acts the part of a chauvinistic pig, though, and he is very interesting to play, but Zhi is very . . . it's almost like she doesn't see people at all, including their genders. All she sees is the potential gil, and the potential danger to her hide. She'll flirt/joke/act sympathetic with anyone to get their measure (or to get a certain response), but I think that's more of a learned trait than actual intent. Beauty in either gender doesn't really affect her much; she considers it a tool to be used against others and is constantly on guard as a result. She's just sorta unaware of gender to a large degree, I think. Maybe she's just a late bloomer or something.

The bag of gil was plump, and open at the top so Zhavi could see inside. It rested on the table, seductive and tempting. "My master 'as a problem," the man across from her said. She looked up, and leaned back. It wasn't typical for her to be invited to such a (relatively nice) place as the Drowning Wench, nor was it typical for business to be conducted somewhere so public. She didn't think she'd been contacted by this employer before. It made her cautious. More cautious than usual, at least. "Dockrats, scabies, whatsit then?" Affected boredom was easy enough, and Zhi let her eyes slide left and then right, wondering if there were other eyes on them and whether or not they were with the big roegadyn. "A tabby what got into t'wrong pantry an' et all t'wrong things." Zhi didn't bother to hide her annoyance. The roegadyn smiled at her in response. It wasn't a very nice smile. Zhi hated it on sight. She bet he knew that, too, the cheeky git. She rolled her eyes and stared at him in expectation. He didn't disappoint. "Boss wants ya ta lead t'right sorta trail to't, now. Fer the dogs t'ave a sniff at. Reckon there's a right mess t'clean, an' Boss wants t'see it put t'rights afore upper bossmen sees it." Zhi scratched at her shoulder, getting a nail under the bug that'd lodged itself in her skin. "This now?" She nodded at the gil. The man smiled at her. "What about after, then? If this tabby o'yourn is a biggun, I'll be wantin' proper coin." "This again, plus half." Zhi considered. "Double, an' half asides if I get my arse clawed." "If yer slow enough t'get raked, ain't me problem." It was worth a try. "Tch. Double." "This an' three-quarters." "Done." The roegadyn tightened the purse's drawstrings, put a piece of paper under it, and slid it over to Zhi's side of the table. "Map's where t'tabby gets fed. An' some other places where its made a mess. Take a gander 'round t'big blot an' y'might see summat int'restin' at sundown." Zhi took the paper and glanced at it, glad to see there wasn't much writing. She could read a little, but too much could be confusing. She recognized the places the map alluded to -- chocobo-scratch sort of map, but plain enough -- and tucked it into the bag. She'd memorize it later and get rid of the paper. "'Oo's me contact?" Zhi asked. "Ol' Lubbins comes fer a drink at noon each day. 'E'll know t'find me." The roegadyn's head lolled sideways and back, and a man at the table behind him lifted his mug of swill. Zhi stared at him long enough to memorize his features, and then nodded back to the roegadyn. She grinned. "So who let t'tabby run loose?" The roegadyn put a hand over his heart. "Why, I'm too ashamed t'say. Cut it, Nim. Full sails, an' don't go screwin' me pantry no further, else y'find yerself without no rudder." Zhi shrugged. "Y'think I'm some limp gutterborn, t'lecture me?" She snorted, and winked at the man. "Leave it t'me, erendrake, an' I'll see this tabby o'yorn clipped proper." He grunted, watching her as she split up the gil in the bag, carefully storing them so they wouldn't make noise as she moved. The bag itself was then tucked down her shirt, where it would fall to the robe belt at her hips. "Full sails," she said to him, and left the Drowning Wench with a swagger to her steps. After memorizing the map, Zhi soaked it at the docks and watched it float away in pieces. She then contacted her main informer, Brindle, and ordered him to keep watch on certain gully-holes at the mouths of the docks on his route before heading to the backstreets -- the location of the "big blot," as the roegadyn had put it -- and the collection of mismatched hovels that marked the poor's residential district, notable only for their ability to cling onto the sides of cliffs without falling. It was why some people, Zhi included, referred to them as Barnacle's Reach, though it was also affectionately known as the shite side of town. Zhi found herself a hidey hole, after ensuring she'd gotten the right crooked alley between homes and poormens' businesses, and settled in to wait for sundown.

Hi there! I'm rather new myself, so I don't know of any off the top of my head, but I highly recommend checking out the Linkshell Hall if you haven't already. It'll take a bit of slogging, but it should be relatively up to date on rp linkshells and companies, and hopefully you'll be able to find one in the event that no one is able to provide you with an answer to your question!

Ooooh you and Lolotaru should totally rp (he's Goodfellow on here) -- your characters would match so well, I bet.

I'm a bit biased, but I'd suggest checking these out: http://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/showthread.php?tid=6720 http://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/showthread.php?tid=6749 http://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/showthread.php?tid=6741 They're all having to do with Gyr's effort to re-establish Limsa Lominsa as a rp hub. While my contact with all involved is limited (I'm returning after a long time gone too), those I have interacted with who have signed up have been exceedingly awesome. So give it a go!

To lend my two bits to this segment, I've already contacted two people in that directory for rp, and am now working out plot stuff with them in pms before moving ahead into forum rp. It is suuuuper useful, and I for one check it every time someone else posts in it! (plus it's a lot more convenient than trawling the wiki for potential rp)

Hehehe, well, when he makes his way to Limsa shoot me a pm and we can do some schemin' iffn you're interested.

Pssst, you should send him to Limsa. I bet he could get into trouble there. >: D

Your art is gorgeous! I can't wait to see what sort of things people commission.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by 'finding some short songs to make into emotes.' Do you mean like choreographing lyrics to emotes? Not that I know enough emotes to really help with that (still learning everything, myself) but I figure if I'm confused others might be too. (not that it takes a whole lot to confuse me, some days)

Ohhhh myyyyy.

A quick disclaimer -- I have spent way more time doing forum rps and text-based mud (multi-user dungeon) rps than mmo rps. So take that as you will. One thing I've found to be common no matter what rp community I've joined is this: people are shy. I use the term loosely, in a general sense of not willing to go up to strangers. When you've been in a game for a long time and are comfortable and happy, you're not willing to take risks. The sad fact is, new players are a risk. You know you, but no one else does when you arrive in a new community. They don't know your writing style, if you get angry easily, if you're apt to godmode, if you're going to disappear after a week, or if what makes rp fun for you will make rp fun for them. Rping with a new person is a leap of faith. Sometimes people don't want that, they want an experience that they've built upon and know will end well. They want some semblance of a safety net. They want the familiar. The other side of the coin is that they don't know that you're weeks out with almost no rp and feeling disheartened about everything. Why would they? (Neat thing! Check out the Ellsberg Paradox) The goal here is to get around that. How do you do that? Talking to people oocly. I know that there are plenty of rpers who just want to let things happen organically, but if you want to do that then you're going to have to do it the hard way -- by being extremely patient and keeping at it. However, by sending people tells or pms and detailing out why you messaged them (the character, rp you saw them do, something else) then they start to have an idea of who you are and what you're looking for. Don't just be like "I'm new and need rp, figure something out for me" -- offer up ideas. Even if you don't want to plot, just give a scenario -- "My character is like this, your character is like that, would you be willing to meet up here and let things play out?" Even if they turn you down, there are more people out there. In the meantime you wind up establishing: 1) Your general demeanor. 2) What rp you're looking for. 3) That you want to rp with this person in particular. 4) That you're looking to collaborate. Most of the time I think you'll find that people are friendly, approachable, and willing to try new things if you give them a basis to start off of. But first you gotta break the ice. This is advice I've given to tons of people over the years at my main squeeze -- a rp forum I've been on since 2009. Time and time again I see things play out the same way. Those who dump their character in the 'available characters' thread and do nothing else generally wind up never getting into a thread. Meanwhile, those who are friendly, excited, and talk to other players typically see themselves in a thread within a few days. It's just how it tends to go. I hope everyone who has expressed frustration in this thread is able to go out and find the rp they're looking for. Meanwhile, send out some pms. Let people know what you find interesting about their characters/rp. I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised by the results. edit - forgot one thing. Generally, open statements of 'open to rp, please send me a pm if you're interested in ___ ' don't work. I tend to use them just for a sense of familiarity/friendliness (repetition can help so long as you're not spamming), but generally people fall prey to the bystander effect. Unless they've got an idea already and your general statement somehow clicks with it, they're likely to pass it over. Still, they're good to just get yourself out there. Be friendly, be polite, be creative, be proactive.

I'm still much happier thinking it was a sardonic poke at 'quick to love' rp relationships that jump the gun. I have no idea how much it happens in ffxiv, but I've seen enough of them through other rp communities to appreciate a humorous parody of it. And, I mean, it was first posted in rp discussion. /optimist

Man, as far as I'm concerned we're just getting started. Then again, I'm shameless when it comes to random offtopic threads.

I. Basic Info Characters: Zhavi Streetrunner Primary character: Zhavi Linkshells: Lominsan Society Primary RP linkshell: None yet, really. II. RP Style Amount of RP (light, medium, heavy): Medium to heavy, just depends on what's going on irl. While I do send pms to those whose characters I think would do well with my own, I am always happy when someone sends me pms with rp ideas! Also, one more thing -- I write exactly as much as I feel the rp dictates, and that goes for both forums and in game (though in game never as much as the forums). If I feel that all that is needed is a one liner, I will write a one liner. I know some people feel like it's disrespectful to write very little, but to me sometimes less is more, especially with dialogue. I don't like padding or unnecessary exposition/description/inner thoughts, and though I don't always succeed I try to cut it out of my writing as much as possible. It in no way reflects my disinterest or intended disrespect if I reply to lots of words with few words! Views on RP combat and injuries: I've killed characters in rp before. I've crippled characters in rp before. I generally go with what the rp dictates, so long as it makes sense (ie, within the context of the scene and the characters). Too, the longer I've known you and rped with you, the more I'm willing to go along with. That said, magic makes things funky, so I always play it out depending on what makes the most sense. People generally don't like walking around with a debilitating injury if they can help it, and Zhi is the same way. Rping out combat is another story. I have performance anxiety when it comes to rping out combat, probably due to the fact that I know my skills at portraying fighting aren't that great. I had a guy who writes fantastic fight scenes try to teach me by doing sort of rp combat sessions with various characters, and what I took away from it is that I cannot get rid of the nerves (brain, y u no logic?!). I like challenging myself, and won't say no if a situation arises that could benefit from combat rp, but rping out one on one combat isn't something I'd like to do regularly. Views on IC romance: Again, as long as it makes sense. I tend to build first-time characters in any rp community with aversion to romance though, and Zhi is no exception. Still, if any character can get past her general ickiness, power to 'em! Views on non-romantic RP (family ties, etc): Sense, again. Specifically family related, Zhi's mom is dead, she doesn't know her dad, but she could have any number of half siblings. It'd be relatively easy to work them in, should it come up in rp. Asides from family, platonic partnerships are some of my MOST FAVORITE THINGS, EVER. EVERRRR. The trust, the banter, the subtle hints of tension that never quite go anywhere, the layers of hidden depth and complexity -- they go together to make me very happy. I don't know what it is. I've seen some phenomenal romances played out in rp, but for some reason I've always found the non-romantic partnership to be much more elusive and compelling. (not to say romantic relationships don't have that, but . . . I don't know, I'm weird?) Suffice to say that if someone offered for their character to have a long and complicated relationship with mine, or wanted to build towards that, chances are my reaction would be HELL YEAH. . . . Unless it didn't make sense. Of course. But I can be pretty inventive. Views on lore: Lore comes first. That said, I am not afraid of making stuff up to fill in any blanks left by the lore, and I tend to bring in npcs like they're going out of style when I do city rp. The world is a living, breathing space, and mmos simply are not suited to showcasing that. In game representations of cities like Limsa Lominsa or Uldah are likely much smaller then they would be in actuality. There's no real reason to show the full breadth of a city in MMOs, so they usually aren't shown. When I rp, however, I like to play as if it is present, and full of interesting and varied people my character has and will likely interact with at some point. Views on chat functions (/say, /linkshell, etc): In game I keep it to /say and /em, usually. Tells and the like are ooc for me unless some exception is made for something specific. III. Other Info Country: US Timezone: GMT -9 (1 hour behind pacific) Contact info: PMs here or in game are the best way.

This thread sure turned out nice, though!

Mostly depends on Zhi's mood. She's an instigator at heart, though, so she won't be afraid of using personal space to her advantage. Thing is, I don't think most people would want to touch her, or be touched by her. The fleas/lice alone are plenty reason to keep your distance, much less the way she looks or smells (and even if she's bathed regularly, she still would likely look dirty and disheveled, and smell like fish). Not that she's ever let that stop her when she's after something!

((This is really super awesome. Thanks for your dedication! ))

I think this sort of character is super awesome. The potential for interesting employer/employee interactions is pretty up there, and it could really do well with a lot of different sort of plots. However, my character is definitely not the sort who could hire someone for that sort of thing; the monetary wealth she has would be laughable to your character. The best I could do would be a one off rp on the forum where Zhi has a job or something where she needs some muscle and subcontracts out with an upped deal with the employer, or he becomes a temp employee of one of her employers and they're forced to work together on something. From what you have here, I don't think that's quite what you're looking for. Still, I hope someone takes you up on your offer!

Jr high school flashbacks.