Kyatai

lovely shots of Chi! :love::love::love: Thank you

Chiane smiled down at the anxious Lalafell. "Yes, that is the tour Jaques mentioned earlier. The Lady Faye and her bodyguard Val- they have only been here a bell or maybe more, I think." She paused, setting another cesti aside before bending down to study his face. "And... Hmm.. well..." she murmured, using the edge of her dark robe to wipe a smudge of ink from his nose and cheek, then grinned a bit. "You look fine, Ojune. A bit like you have been working- but I think that is no secret anyroad." She glanced over at the tomes curiously, those behind her momentarily forgotten. "What are you working on? And..." she arched her eyebrow. "Why are you down here where you are least likely to have peace to concentrate?!"

Oohhhh that's cool!!!! And *whisper* kinda schexxah too.... Excellent work, Tiergan!

♥:love:♥:love:♥ Am a fan. Will be keeping an eye on this as well!

It's fairly arbitrary, but in theory it has to do with the location and views the individual plots have. In practice, sometimes what the devs ranked as "more expensive" has worse views than the lower priced plots. It depends. Ah ok thanks

Chi, your ignorance is showing. Oh, sorry... but.... What is the difference in a First class house and a fifth class? Is it location or some change in size/model? And how do you know what class your house is? Meanwhile, am also very, very disappointed in the lack of "personal housing". My FC doesnt' have a house yet, so no room... no garden... no pretty rainbow Chocobo. But was hoping I could get one of my own, then give the rest of the gil to the guild to help with FC house... But day-am. Dem prices, yo? I'm not rich... I'm not poor, but I'm not rolling in gil. I am, however, sad. Guess I'll be hoping the Auction doesn't crash since everyone will be trying to make money and jacking up prices... while saving money and not buying. LOL

Chiane smiled briefly at the narrowed look Remioux gave Jaques, obviously in disagreement. For one without a voice, the Duskwright had a definite skill for making his feelings well known. She let the smile linger, nodding once to him, then followed the group down to the training area. Jaques and Vaughn had done a wonderful job transforming this former dungeon filled with a variety of torture devices into a functional training area. The dark oppression greatly relieved by complete gutting of the room of everything that could be removed, leaving only the rough, stone walls and battered supports remaining. The subsequent blessings of one of the Conjurer's Guild had helped alleviate much of the remainder of the dark aura and twisted aetheric sensations she'd felt the first time she'd come down here... She grimaced, pressing her lips together tightly. But not the memory. She could still recall Callistus, the dark candles, the bones, the effigies and icons.... The books that whispered enticingly... ... and then the subsequent battle for Vaughn's soul... Her hand rested briefly on the wooden support, then winced as she sense a slight, oily shift in the aether- a whiff of the corruption. She frowned, realizing she was now standing in the alcove where Callistus's occult library had been. Chi abruptly moved away from the support and the group, drifting along the line of tables, heading toward the Lalafell archanist. She wondered if Ojune also felt the almost imperceptible ghost of the corruption at times- or if it was simply her. Being so close to so many corrupted, being stroked by the corruption itself, working around and against it... Hmm.... Yssen had taught her many things, the least of which was there was always a give and take when dealing with aetheric energies. To destroy corruption, one must give of oneself... and accept the scar that results. A scar, a mark... An aetheric memory, she supposed. One that could not be removed, no matter if the Elder Seedseer had personally blessed Chiane or the room herself. She became aware that she had paused in her reverie by the hand-held weapons, each one neatly arranged on the table. The basic throwing knives; wooden daggers in various sizes to fit Lalafell to Roedgyn hands; the hora- the leather was cracking on the grip of the second largest, she noted with a frown.... She picked it up, picking at the crack and loose flap of leather, then flipped it over, studying the seam. It would be an easy fix... She set it aside, looking over the others for signs of wear.

yay!!!!! :love::love::love::love: I will be sending you details when I figure out what i want How do you like to be paid? Before working on it or upon delivery?

:surprise: :bouncy: Doh! Then I had better get serious about what kinda pose/pic I want! :cactuar:

Most welcome, Aure. Oh and your FC house is amazing too. *shameless bump for more awesome Garlean RP*

(Absolutely incredible trailer! Very well done & inspiring!) :thumbsup:

lol! Love the feral, unfocused look in his eyes!

Very... wish I had seen this earlier. Mtoto: lovely, lovely art and concepts.:love:

She followed the sound of Jaques' voice to the kitchen, smiling minutely at the rumble of his orientation as she drew closer. She paused at the doorway, leaning against the frame with arms loosely crossed, her eyes flickering from individual to individual. Lily... was self-conscious. She had stopped the humming she did when alone or at ease. Jaques was still working through the nerves he got when he had to present anything to individuals he did not know well... causing his trademark, protective scowl to tighten his features like a ghost before he forced it back. Remy had yet to relax- not that he ever would, or did, around most anyone. His level of wariness, however, tended to wax and wane like the tides- depending on perceived threat. The tide was very high at present. She gave him a faint, half-smirk and nod, her eyes drifting to the main source of his agitation: The Miqo'te... who looked much less threatening now, leaning against the table, blinking slowly- his mind and eyes clearly on other things besides the availability of food and the eating schedules of the Companions. Eyes hooded, ears slightly drooped... sleepy, yet slightly angled toward the Hyur, his gaze drifting along her form, lingering at her backside, legs, then away again. Clearly bored, wishing to be elsewhere doing other things, but resigned to the moment and situation. Casual, but with ears pricking every so often, body still with the unconscious subterranean tenseness of any well-trained and blooded soldier on guard. The Hyur female, however, seemed at ease and receptive to both Jaques' explanations, and Vaughn's continued attention and open friendliness. A lovely woman, Chiane noted now that she was closer. Elegant, fine boned, a generous smile... and perhaps the palest, finest skin she had ever seen on a Hyur. Quite the feat when living under the Thanalan sun, to be certain. The Duskwright raised her eyebrow, absently tucking her scarred hands and fingers beneath the fabric of her robe. Yes, it seemed of those already assembled, the only ones that seemed totally at ease... were Vaughn and the Midlander. She smirked faintly to herself, then quickly blinked, straightening up slightly as Jaques caught sight of her. "Chiane, meet Lady Faye and Val of the Harbinger's of Dawn." She smiled, giving them a faint nod, her voice soft with the faintest lilt of an Ala Mhigan accent. "Welcome to the Rose. Apologies for not joining you earlier, but I trust Jaques related to you the reasoning?" Her eyes flickered over to the odd sound in the direction of the Miqo'te, fighting a grin as it seemed Jaques' recognition of her had caught Val mid-yawn. And a rather impressive yawn at that, despite his attempts to cover his gaping mouth. The corner of her mouth nevertheless curled up into a half-smirk, interpreting the yowling-growl of a greeting, giving him a nod. "Likewise, Val... though I fear I may prove to be much less interesting than the forementioned offerings of fruit and nuts." She shifted, lifting her chin toward the door leading from the kitchen, giving the two Elezen males a slightly raised eyebrow. "Perhaps our guests would like to see the training area and let Lilly return to finishing preparations for our repast?" She shifted, looking to Faye, giving her a small smile, her tone shifting from faint amusement to a calm even-ness. "Part of our work here is to not only orient the Companions to life outside the Rose with some manner of education and trade, but to prepare them, should they need to defend themselves from those that would..." she paused briefly, her mouth twisting a bit. "Abuse them." "Most of those here have been conditioned to take whatever cruelty dealt them without complaint, turning instead to efforts to placate and please the aggressor. Or simply take it, believing they deserve it in some way. It is... very difficult to break them of this belief- yet if they do not, they will face a life of being used, cheated and abused... and possibly returned to service." She paused, her hand raising a bit from her crossed arm to gesture slightly with a shrug. "But it is difficult to rewire thinking and behavior that has been ingrained since birth." She smiled minutely. "Myself... I teach those with the aptitude- and willingness- for aether manipulation to use it."

So very cute & full of character! :love:

Lovely! I look forward to seeing more!:love:

(Apologies for the delay- I have been OOG/Offline helping my dad pre/post op.... And apologies for length, trying to catch up! ) Chiane glanced up briefly from her instruction of the fifteen before her, her eyes narrowing slightly as she quickly assessed the two entering the Rose with Jaques leading... and Remioux trailing silently behind. A well-dressed, pale Midlander female and a dour-faced Miqo'te male- likewise well dressed, but clearly as out of his element as the elegant Hyur was in it. And just as clearly a career fighter- which explained the focused attention Remy kept on him. She noted the unabashedly armoured Duskwright's seemingly casual positioning as the group came to a halt, his hand resting on the pommel, his stance loose and back toward the wall, but in full reach and view of any potential threat. She smirked faintly to herself as the Miqo'te shot Remy a narrowed glare from time to time- as if threatening him to make a move against his charge as well. Males... A subtle shifting and soft giggle caught her attention, coming from the furthest end of the table. She snapped her head back, her palm coming down on the wood with a dull 'thwack'. "Hands on the table, you two. Miriam- what is the answer?" Immediately four pairs of hands darted from their subterranean activities beneath the table, the Hyur female's eyes wide in surprise. "Ah- hmm? S-sorry, Miss Chiane..." She arched her eyebrow at the young woman and her compatriot, a guiltily smirking Wildwood male. "No need to be sorry. Simply give me the result. How much gil would you expect to spend on five bolts of linen, three bottles of rolanberry dye and a skein of linen thread?" The girl flushed, her dark eyes darting over to the Wildwood. Chi followed her gaze, her tone mild. "Or... perhaps Marquet knows?" He shrugged, looking away, his eyes quickly darting over to Jaques- doubtless to see if the 'Master' was aware- then back to find Chiane's eyes locked on his face. He flushed, giving her a faint tremulous smile. "Mmm. I see." She glanced at the others who were either studiously working on their own problems, or watching the interplay like one would a close chocobo race. "Well... why do you not see if you can work it out now... between you both. The price list is there before you for one unit of each. All you must do is add the amounts requested together." She leaned forward, tapping a fingernail onto the parchment where the words were accompanied by a small detailed and colored drawing of the item for the less literate. "Ah... em..." Miriam's brow furrowed, her fingers moving quickly as she tried to count. Chiane could see a fine sheen of sweat on her brow, her own eyes darting to the gathering nearby. "A h-hundred six gil?" "No." Chi pointed to the picture of the bolts. "Each one of these is forty gil. I want five. And rolanberry dye- which is rather expensive as you can see. Ninety gil per bottle... and I want three. And the thread, lest the dress you are making fall into a mess on the floor." "Don' need no missin' thread to make my dress fall off!" One of the Lala twins giggled. "'Specially not when entertainin' a bundle o' yummy fur like that 'un!" The other twin added, her eyes on the Miqo'te Jaques was speaking to. "I could jus' bury my fac-" "Loli, Moli... shhh," Chiane gave both a look. "That is inappropriate." "Why's it inappropriate, Miss Chiane?" A voice to her left asked. "Because they are not here to request your attention. They are here to help Jaques and Vaughn keep the Sanctuary open, hm? It costs gil. Lots of it... A lot more than the cost of linen, dye and thread. And those two over there are interested in helping." Daeswyr flashed her a confident grin. "All the more reason ta make 'em happy! I bet I could make dat kitty howl an' dat pretty Hyur scre-" Again, Chi struck the table, her own cheeks flushing slightly, her voice a low hiss, not daring to look over at the possible benefactors. She feared that even though neither of the two were Blood, the Roe's deep voice carried. "No. No. That is not how things are done here any more. You are all worth more than the price of your bodies. And you can make others happy and do things for you without needing to do that." S'kyla gave Chi a sultry smile, running her tongue over her teeth. "But what if we want to? What if we like to..." Chiane let out a heavy sigh, rubbing her face. "Just.. Tell me.... how much gil... is needed to buy the linen, thread and dye, hm?" There was a pause, then a low, hesitant voice spoke up. "Fi-five... hunnert gil...?" She looked over at the large Roe in surprise. He had been marked a Green by Sasha, her evaluation labeling him of no more worth than a base manservant. "Very good, Dusk." A flash of pride and triumph lit his brown eyes, quickly followed by a wide grin. "I's right?!" She grinned back at him. "You are. Excellent job. Why do you not show Miriam and Marquet how you came up with that amount?" The two shot the Roe a dark look, clearly humiliated they had been outdone by him. Chi cleared her throat, gazing at them. "There is no caste system any longer. Black, Red, Purple and Green are just colors... they mean nothing. Everyone..." she arched her eyebrow at the two. "With the desire and effort to do so... has the opportunity to succeed." She gestured to the Roe. "Blazing Dusk, please... continue." He nodded quickly, though kept his eyes down on the paper, his voice a low rumble as he explained in halting, clearly self-conscious, sentences. The others gathered around, brows furrowed and heads cocked as they listened. She smiled faintly, watching them a moment, then glanced back to the gathering. Vaughn had joined Jaques now, and was chatting them up with a large smile, flitting about with appetizers and tea, firmly in his element- whilst her poor brother was finally given reprieve from the attention and necessity of engaging them. She cut Jaques a small smile and nod, her eyes flickering over to the visitors briefly. The Miqo'te seemed to be dozing off, the Hyur hanging on Vaughn's words with appropriate nods and murmurs of interest. Thankfully neither seemed the least bit interested or distracted by her and her class at the moment. Perhaps.... all was still well. Chiane looked back at the group the moment they went silent. Everyone was staring at their papers or scratching out their own efforts. "Mmm.. alright then. So, now... I want someone to tell me how much gil I would have remaining after buying this linen, thread and dye... if I came to the market with a pouch of seven hundred fifty gil." A low groan, a few hands caught chins as they leaned onto the table. She smirked. "Last problem of the day, hm? Come now... simply take the amount you have in your pouch... Seven fifty... and remove the five hundred..." She was tired. Trying to get the former Companions to understand the purpose and value of gil... in addition to helping them determine proper pricing and prevent them from being cheated... was difficult. Such basic math as she had learned as a child on her father's knee... should not be so frustrating. The answers seemed so obvious- but even when they came up with the right answer... five hundred gil in practice was still about the same thing in their minds as five gil. A coin is a coin... and many make a lovely clinking sound when shook in a pouch. Naught but metal with a nice engraving on it, nothing close to the value of flesh to them and what potential it possessed. She was trying... they were all trying. But was like teaching a fish to breathe air... the entire endevour. Everything for the Companions was turned upside down, and trying to right it all again in was a different world was nothing short of impossible. But the staff stubbornly pressed on... Everyone deserved a chance at a different, more autonomous and free life, if they wished it. She rubbed her face wearily. Twelve, she hoped the Hyur noblewoman would have a pleasant tour and decide to assist in the maintenance of the Rose. Especially if there was enough gil left over to hire a full-time Mathematics instructor... One class was enough to be responsible for. "Miss Chiane?" She gave the teenage boy standing at her elbow a smile. "Yes?" "I think Mir and Marq have figured out how to make two become one." He snickered, darting away as she let out a heavy sigh and rose. "Twelve...." she glanced quickly to the group behind her- but thankfully it seemed the walking tour had begun and they were unnoticed. She pulled the couple apart, leaning over to whisper. "You two... take it upstairs. In your room. And stay there unless fully dressed." She looked at the others, each of them clearly having difficulty focusing now. "Alright. Fine... I want the answer at next class. You are all free to go," she stopped as chairs were immediately pushed back and low chattering began. She cleared her throat, waiting til she had their attention once more. "If the Lady asks you a question, be honest but polite. Be friendly, but not in the way. Do not try to seduce her or offer her pleasures of the House. And..." she cracked a small smirk. "I would refrain from the same in regards to her guard. "Remember- we want to impress them and help keep the Rose open to help you all and others." Heads bobbed, murmuring their assent, then quickly dispersed, scribbled work papers in hand. She sighed, heading up to her own room to ensure her own presentability, then smoothed her robe down and went to join the tour in progress. ****NOTE to participants**** If you wish to comment on anything your character might have overheard or saw- but did not react to/mention before, feel free. After all, wasn't *written* here to react TO at the time. I mainly just wanted to give 'life' to what Chi was doing and why she was kinda... absent... Also... any NPC's mentioned here are free to use for all, should you wish it.

Hey Tiergan... Sooo glad to see you doing commissions again! Absolutely beautiful work... and I'd LOVE to have one done of Chi. Not sure the details yet... but figure I have plenty of time to work that out. I'll PM you when I'm on a better (less annoying) computer.... Looking forward to seeing more of your work!

Very Nice!!!!! I like muchly!

These are amazing. I am very much looking forward to seeing Jaques and Vaughn's portraits!!! (wish I had known about this to get my dibs in! )

I'm typically on from around 7p CST til... erm... yeah now. *coughs* Basically all night long when I'm off work. Am off work tonight. Will be on. Send me a /tell if you need an invite. Chiane N'ardente

you know I'm interested. Been trying to RP with you for a bit now. (heck... been trying to RP with several of you for a bit now, but RL and FC duties (and RP) been makin' life difficult... haha)

AHhhh, Thank You! Funny That Is Mistly Her Look These Days. Dang Garleans.......

OMG.... lovely, lovely work. I love the lines, the coloring and the 'feelings' evoked. Please post more! :love::love:

Awesome, awesome work. Love the lines and emotion. :love::love::love: Oh... and the corgi pix are adorable! much love for the fluffy puppies!