guidelines

▍ ❝   to start.
— zero tolerance for misogyny, lesbiphobia, homophobia, transphobia, racism, ableism, fatphobia, anti-indigenous attitudes, or zionism▍ ❝   to close.
— preferably be 21+— i tend to idle often, particularly in the Quicksand, feel free to send a tell to talk regardless of being tagged or not— i love all manner of rp, including darker/mature subjects/occult/etc. i do my best to match the length/style of my partner but given my own choice i love para/multi-paragraph interactions. i enjoy short and long-term stories, but i vastly prefer the latter.— i do have mare, i tend to share if we're vibing well. (i'll just update this later) same with discord for further brainstorming, etc.— i will not interact with people who use gen ai/chatgpt for any of their carrd assets or writing. do better.

space

GENERAL .
•   name   :   Benizuru Yumai
•   age   :   twenty-one
•   gender   :   transgender woman
•   pronouns   :   she/her
•   orientation   :   older women(?)
•   race   :   Kasakara
•   occupation   :   (former?) qeshigPHYSICAL .
•   eyes   :   obsidian, orange limbals
•   hair   :    black, extremely fluffy
•   height   :   short
•   build   :   modest, softMENTAL .
•   alignment   :   uncertain, now
•   likes   :
coffee (dangerous), having her hair brushed, spear practice, fashion, being protective.
•   dislikes   :   garleans, doman nobles, hot weather, humidity, empty rooms, herself.

BACKGROUND.
•   birthplace   :  fanged crescent
•   current residence   :   thanalan
•   known languages   :   [crescent raen], <doman>, eorzean❝ + PERSONALITY : diligent, but gladly slacks off when given leave to. annoying little sister, despite being an only child. childish, was forced to grow up very quickly. susceptible to doting. has something to prove. easily flies off the handle. difficult to convince a youthful girl with such little experience that she can't simply take on the world. doesn't really know how to make friends, grew up around older contemporaries who tended to coddle. wears her emotions on her face, and her voice, her hands, her body entirely, really...

Yumai was born to the Benizuru, a clan of Kasakara (settled Xaela) in the central foothills of the Fanged Crescent. A commonality for the former nobility that was their clan, Yumai was meant to be raised and given away to a noble house as a guardsman when she came of age. In her early teens, her mother fell ill and eventually succumbed to her illness after her father perished by falling into a river.With none left to care for her, it was arranged for Yumai to be put in the care of the noble she was groomed to eventually serve: Lady Tatara no Koumei, an influential Hyuran matriarch that resided in the settlement Gishikiba, south of Noamoku. Yumai would grow extremely close to Lady Koumei, being quietly dubbed the woman's favorite— her "little crow", and eventually becoming chosen to be at the Lady's side at all times. The two would spend their days together quite often, the Lady would regale Yumai with her own fascinations: western cultures, histories and oddities, with a particular focus on Garlemald (information that came easily, being in, at the time, an occupation zone the Empire managed to hold).The world of nobility is not one that rewards laxness, a single misstep could mean a usurper overtaking you in an instant. It was a quiet, rainy night when Lady Koumei was murdered. Yumai, her very favorite, pulled away and distracted just long enough for a conspiracy months in the making to reach its completion. By the time Yumai reunites with her Lady, the body is cold, the perpetrators gone.Two of the demons captured. A local man, used as a scout. The other, one of Yumai's fellow qeshig, spurred by jealousy. Both executed. All that remains for her is a trail to follow— one that takes her first to Doma, then to Eorzea. Her marks having gone to ground in the shadows of Ul'dah, where she now walks the streets and alleyways scrounging for any sign of the dogs that stole her Lady away.

hooks

▍ ❝   I.
It doesn't seem to matter where in the city that you go— every single guild, alehouse and brothel has one plastered on a board or wall— a poorly made wanted poster:WICKED VILLAINS!! FOR THE CRIME OF STEALING THE BLESSED LADY'S LIFE, THE SPEAR WILL TASTE YOUR BLOOD!!!The posters are never written exactly the same, but the messaging is consistent, as are the rogue ink stains on each— and the list of seven names that adorn each one, some Doman-sounding, some Garlean. This day, however, you spot her posting one, her hands covered in splotches of that black ink. Could be that one of those names strike familiar to you, or you're simply the concerned & curious sort... or, one of those names greased your palm to quiet her for good.

▍ ❝   II.
Perhaps you never bother with any posters, such things escape your attention. No, you need someone with skill and a hungry look in their eye, someone willing to defend you or shed blood on your behalf for a cost. It's difficult to pry your attention away from her as she passes by— she's obscenely small to be carrying a spear so large, by all means an oddity from all angles. A lone thing like her likely needs the money, too. Certainly nothing could go awry with a simple tap on her shoulder.