xistentia | open

Characters: Era Ra & OPEN
Summary: stuff and things
Date(s): December
Warnings/Notes: n/a

☘ CRAFTING

Actually preparing gifts herself to give to her friends and acquaintances is something rather new to Era. While she's certainly delivered her fair share of gifts to children over the last few Starlight Celebrations it was always because an extra hand was needed to help, not because she provided any of the gifts herself.

She hates being cooped up indoors for extended periods of time despite how unbearably cold it is, which leaves Era to suffer through the chill in various quiet places around the city as she pieces together delicate works of art. With her limited supplies she takes her time with each piece, deciding against using any more of her elemental crystals for non-vital crafts. What usually could take her under an hour now takes multiple, but it's a welcome distraction.

For all that Era is skilled in crafting and how much she loathes the cold on her tail and scales, it still hasn't hit her yet that perhaps she should craft herself a tail warmer. While her Carbuncle curling itself around it helps, a proper warmer would likely be more efficient.

☘ HUNTING & GATHERING

Partly due to the aftermath of the war and partly due to the upcoming months, Era has taken to hunting a few times a week to gather various necessities.

Hunting game at least once a week for meat to be cured, skins for leather, and bones for alchemy. It's a good way to keep her archery skills sharp, for she is a good shot with a keen eye and doesn't want to risk getting rusty from disuse. She makes sure to never kill more than she needs, and ensures that whatever she's hunting dies as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Gathering various plants keeps her busy between game hunts. There are so many that Era is unfamiliar with, and many others that she recognizes. The season means what's available is fairly limited, but she never leaves the wilderness without adding a few more things of use to her inventory.

When neither hunting or gathering, the Auri woman takes to fishing. No matter the climate or time of year, if the water is deep enough then there will be fish to be caught. This proves as true in Xistentia as it does in Eorzea, yet it is still incredibly boring no matter where she is. Luckily she catches enough fish a week to keep herself and Aymeric well fed.

☘ TRAINING

There sure is a ridiculously tiny woman doing some ridiculously powerful skill rotations against a striking dummy she has set up a safe distance away from anything that might become collateral damage.

Maybe she's flinging fireballs, explosions (Fire IV), or glaciers (Blizzard IV or Hyoton) at the surprisingly sturdy dummy, or maybe she's zapping it with lighting (Verthunder or Raiton). Or powerful swirls of air (Aero III), miniature earthquakes (Stone IV), spouts of water (Suiton), giant beams of white light (Death Flare), white balls of energy (Ruin), red balls of energy (Broil II), etc.

Or maybe she's just bashing at it with her sword and shield. Or a sword or axe both larger than herself. Or from a distance with a very large bow. Or with her rapier, or twin daggers, or a spear.

Or maybe she's just punching the shit out of it.

☘ FREEZING

Au Ra are not made for cold climates.

Era has met Au Ra who live on beaches, great plains, desert regions, and even under the sea, but she has never found any number of Au Ra who made their home someplace cold. While hearty and powerful, their scales leave them a little bit more sensitive to temperature than the other races. At least in her own experience.

When faced with the prospect of enduring an entire winter without the ability to Teleport to Costa del Sol or the Forgotten Springs or literally anywhere else not freezing cold to stay for a few days Era can only feel a sinking sort of dread that not even a Primal can cause.

Even during the Dragonsong War Era made time to Teleport away to someplace warm - it was the only way she could tolerate trudging through the Western Highlands or lingering in Ishgard for an extended period, despite how much she came to love the city. If her scales just wouldn't warm up again she would just pop over to Southern Thanalan or The Mist and soak in the sun for an hour or two, then return to the Holy See.

But she's trapped in Xistentia, forced to cloak herself in layer upon layer before leaving the apartment. And if she's not keeping busy outdoors she keeps herself sequestered inside, wrapped up in thick, warm blankets and dozing with the cats. The cold has made her chronically drowsy and Era swears she has slept more in the past week than she has in the entirety of her life.

Enjoy the Starlight Celebration without her, friends. She is just going to wrap herself in a cocoon of blankets and sleep until the weather no longer sucks.

☘ WILDCARD

Hit me with whatever you want - no need to stick to these lame starters! Also feel free to [action] if you'd like, since I have no real preference. :)

froakie / Era Ra#4916

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I stayed mostly in the surrounding areas, which were more savanna than stereotypical desert," she clarifies, not bothering to voice that she's unfamiliar with Arizona as it's easy enough to infer that it's likely a desert of Rose's world. "But the desert proper is the Sagolii."

Era misses it - the arid, dry heat of the Sagolii. Exploring the dunes around the Forgotten Spring, visiting her friends of the Amalj'aa, hunting elite marks, or investigating old ruins buried in sand. Then again she misses the rest of Eorzea just as much, though for differing reasons. The same can be said of Hingashi and Othard.

"It is populated mostly by Miqo'te and Amalj'aa, though there were many Hyur refugees who lived in the northern part of the Sagolii as well."

That it is! Arizona's kind of a dry place in more ways than just the climate. Still, Rose had enjoyed the infusion of Hispanic culture and their dancing styles in particular down in that part of the states. They also had some kiss and fast-paced jams.

"Miqo'te are... the cat people, yeah?" She does't remember what the Amalj'aa are. She should probably look over the informative post that Era put together.

"Sounds like a nice little melting pot of people though."

"Miqo'te have feline traits, yes." As someone who takes great offense to being referred to as a lizard or reptile (and less offense to being called dragon spawn, since she is rather fond of the more sensible dragons) Era understands the Miqo'te's distaste for being considered something they aren't - like being related to pet cats. "It is the U tribe in particular that live in the south of Thanalan."

Era considers Rose's comment. A 'melting pot' is a good description for Eorzea in general, even if there is still underlying tension between each of the many races. "Excluding Ishgard, the entirety of Eorzea is very diverse. What of your home, Rose?"

Most yokai are prideful of their animalistic heritage. The wolves and crows were especially proud creatures. Rose was clearly the exception, not seeming to act anything close to regal as a wolf is described to be. Rose is the antithesis of her kind in so many ways though that it might be hard to tell what's supposed to be the norm for her kind.

"Huh, there's different types... The wolf yokai have different ones too. Well. They have different purposes." The guardian wolves were protectors of people; her people, the okuri inu, were meanwhile their demise.

"Yeah, people are pretty diverse. I guess yokai too. There's all different animals and spirits that serve a lot of different purposes."

"There are different clans for every race in Eorzea, though they do not necessarily have different purposes," Era muses. She has something else to ask - ever the inquisitive scholar - but her attention is suddenly attracted by a very cute dress in a shop window.

Come stare at cute dresses with her, Rose. Because even if she very rarely wears them, Era is incredibly fond of dresses and all sorts of impractical, fashionable clothes.

"Guess our kind are just complicated," which is a joke at her own expense as much as the difficult nature of yokai in and of themselves. Even Rose thought it was a little much at times. She's about to ask what the distinction between the clans are, maybe, if she's willing to tell but-

Era's attention is neatly taken away by a dress. "You'd look good in that," she says, giving an approving nod as she imagines the Auri woman in it. Rose can't actually picture herself in something so nice.

"Perhaps... Though I doubt it would fit me," she admits. It's something she could see herself wearing, for it wouldn't hinder her mobility much at all; skirts to the knees, short sleeves, and form fitting but not confining. The fact that it has floral pattern just makes it that much better, as Era has always been rather fond of them.

"I think the cut of the neckline would be quite flattering on you, Rose."

And she truly does think so, for Era never lies - not unless she's being sarcastic, or unless it's necessary to complete a mission.

In a different universe where she's a nurse, rose-printed everything is her brand. In this reality, the woman just finds it a bit tacky. While she likes roses, she's not about to wear them too. She'd much rather have them in a bouquet

held together at the stems by a cock ring. That'd be something. Maybe she'll try to subtly hint at it to Vanyel since their anniversary is coming up in a couple months.

"Yeah? A little too modest for me, I think, but I could rock it. Are the clothes in your world a lot more... practical, I guess?"

Era doesn't think it's modest, but compared to what Rose wears perhaps it is. To her, the dress is flattering all around - shows just enough leg, and accentuates the waistline. Or it would, were she a handful of ilms taller.

"Most of the people I know wear clothes suited for combat, since they tend to be fellow adventurers," she admits. "Though there are many impractical clothes in the cities."

Funny to think that Rose was the woman who showed up to an orgy in long sleeves and jeans. How far she's come. "Impractical, huh? What do you mean?" Tell her about Eorzea's more hilarious fashion, please.

"Subligar are what come to mind first," Era admits. And it can be rather distracting when you're trying to investigate ancient ruins filled with deadly creatures and one of your male Roegadyn companions subligar-covered groin is level with your face.

"People wear... subligar... Like, on the outside?" Rose is familiar with the concept of subligar but always assumed it was meant to go beneath armor. Or, at least, that was her understanding. The thought of it being above is a little. Huh. Comical, maybe, but she can also imagine it'd be rather headturning in a large crowd.

"And here I thought your world was a bunch of prudes. I'd probably like to party with those people," she laughs, half-joking. Rose would actually probably revel in debauchery with some of Eorzea's finest if given the chance.

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