Nenuphar

Full Name: Nenuphar "Nenu" Minikan
Age: None of your business (early twenties)
Occupation: Brigand
Sexuality: Lesbian
Pronouns: she/her
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: Alive, at large, likely looking for a scrapBackground/About: Nenu is an absolute spitfire of a woman; like the image of a Redbelly Wasp in all ways except, you know, the one. She prides herself on fighting as hard, swearing as violently, and drinking as heavily as the boys do, to the point the rest of her swarm honestly sometimes wishes she'd tone it down a little. She's young and brash and energetic, and she joined up in part because she was angry (common refrain for a Wasp) and in part because being a lesbian made her feel distinctly out of step with the subterranean Duskwight community she hails from.Being in the gang is her life; she's a member of an all-female detachment serving under Severaint Seven Splinters' sister, Fleur, but it allowed her to meet her partner and has given her life a purpose that she's taken to with zeal. Besides, while the men are often stuck collecting the toll and hunting for turtles, the women tend to get assigned the more challenging -- and exciting -- jobs. She can be a bit of a pug-nosed bully, but once she comes round to you, you'll never have a truer companion -- or one more willing to make your enemy swallow his teeth.In her personal relationships she is every bit as domineering as she is on the field of battle, sorry to say. She tends overall toward wanting control, but when she meets a woman who she thinks might be able to knock her on her arse she gets very excited about it, and she's not above being a bit of a brat to get her way. She's very quick-tempered and rather enjoys getting on a good tear about something, particularly if it winds up in a fight. However, being in a gang with men who have, for the most part, known her her whole life gets her treated at times like an annoying little sister rather than the aggro punk she'd like to affect.

Hooks

Taking the toll. Nenu's work brings her into contact with a great many people... although they often regret meeting her. Her unit is typically assigned special tasks, such as defiling Padjal grave sites or stealing sacred relics, but especially if she's been mouthy to the wrong swarmpoint, it's not unheard of for her to stoop to taking the toll or standing watch with the boys to make ends meet.

Shared struggle. While the goal of liberating her homeland is less of a motivator for Nenu than the prospect of more violence, more women, and more money, she nonetheless sympathizes with other downtrodden peoples of the world. If you're willing to grouse about the local authority figures, she'll drink to that, and might even cooperate with you -- provided there's something in it for her, of course.

Family first. Nenu is instinctively mistrustful of most Hyur and Wildwood Elezen, but around her fellow Duskwight and select others, like Moon Keepers, she eases off a bit. Indicate that your family is from Gelmorra, or show interest in her people's traditions, and she'll warm up to you faster than you'd think.

Girls, girls, girls. Nenu's partnered, but that doesn't mean she's blind. If you're a lady -- particularly one who can hold her own in a fight and isn't afraid of getting dirty -- you've got more of a chance of getting her attention, and her cooperation, than otherwise.

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Phio Noirterel

Full Name: Phiomont “Phio” Noirterel
Age: Mid/Late 20s
Occupation: Brigand
Sexuality: Gay
Pronouns: he/him
Race/Ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current canon status: Alive and well; lives with Cyr in IdyllshirePhio joined the Wasps in the aftermath of the Calamity to provide himself and his little brother stability and community in the wake of their father’s death and the destruction of the territories his family typically hunted.The Wasps are his family and he does his best to show his appreciation by working his ass off. His shifts are mostly spent on watch with a side of foraging and checking the traps or, if not on watch, he is taking the toll. When he is in the Hive he helps with the myriad chores required to keep a bandit camp running smoothly, from darning socks to doing laundry to mending roofs.Despite his work ethic he makes plenty of time for fun as well, often hanging with his mates about the Hive or making his way over to the Druthers for an evening of revelry on his days off. While he can be mistrustful of anyone he suspects of being aligned with Gridania or the Elementals, he is generally an open, playful and cheerful man. He likes talking with new people and exchanging stories, roughhousing, teasing and generally being a rowdy young man.Main Canon: In the typical canon storyline, Phio abducted Cyr Blyme, the ex-Inquisitor-turned-Consulting Inspector, when he undertook to learn conjury. Cyr grew close with him over the time of his captivity with the Redbelly Wasps, and when he was rescued by the Warriors of Light, he sought out Phio and rescued him in turn. The two now live together in Cyr's gazebo apartment in Idyllshire, and are visited periodically by M'zhet Tia, Phio's erstwhile adventuring buddy and their mutual friend.

Armel Chalfant

Full Name: Armellais "Armel" Chalfant
Age: Late sixties
Occupation: Cook, brigand, affable curmudgeon
Sexuality: Gay
Pronouns: he/him
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: Alive and well, whereabouts unknown (traveling)Background/About: It takes a certain kind of person to hold together a kitchen full of unwashed young men, degenerates and reprobates all. When Severaint Seven Splinter led the Redbelly Wasps out of the shadowy depths of the subterrane under the Black Shroud, Armel was beside him; after all, he'd known him since he was a lad, and he wasn't about to let him try and annex the forest without a plan to get three square meals.The Redbellies who inhabit his kitchen are often those who are too weak or infirm to fight outright, and none too skilled at mending or leatherwork. Resentment and drama are part of many kitchens, but Armel's wit, unflappability, dry sense of humor and intimidating mein ensure he keeps the boys' tempers relatively under control. The dishes he produces are of necessity somewhat simple fare, designed to feed a crowd of ravenous poachers and making the most of every scrap of meat or husk of mun-tuy bean he and his boys can get their hands on. Nonetheless, he has a soft spot for go-getters, and will occasionally slip in a special treat like raisins or jerky if suitably impressed by a hireling or young recruit.Well-seasoned in battle from his decades of experience raiding the Shroud at the height of the elementals' power, Armel is respected among the Wasps even today; few Duskwight live as long as he has. Today, he usually takes up arms only if the Hive is under immediate threat, but when he does he remains a force to be reckoned with, skilled with the sword, bow, and lance.When he isn't wrangling his staff's personalities to make passable cuisine or lopping off Wailers' vulnerable bits, Armel enjoys fishing, trapping, leatherwork, and spending time with his husband and their sons.

Hooks

I'll feed all you fuckers. The easiest way to bond with Armel is over food. If you have any degree of culinary expertise or experience, Armel would love to talk shop with you; where you're from makes next to no difference. If you like to eat, or seem like you might need cheering up, Armel would love to hand you a squirrel pie or a bowl of honeyed deathmouse, and might have a listening ear or an encouraging word or two into the bargain depending.

Open minded. In his many years of experience, Armel has learned that you can't always predict what your greatest allies will look like or where they'll come from. While he's staunchly protective of his own, and has a keen eye for trouble, he also is surprisingly willing to talk to people from all walks of life. Where the Redbellies have recruited non-Duskwight, it's often due to his and his husband's efforts.

Dad mode. If you're a younger lad who's just finding his way in the world, or even a lass who's despairing of getting taken seriously, Armel is prepared. Depending on your situation, he is happy to commisserate in a fatherly fashion, facetiously threaten death and ruin on your enemies, or give you some brief but insightful life advice from his many years of experience. On the other hand, if you are also a dad, Armel's kids are grown but he loves hearing about them in general.

Hobbyist. In true dad fashion, Armel's list of hobbies is a mile long. On occasions where he ventures out from the Hive, it's often to talk shop, broker deals for equipment, fish, or otherwise hobnob with other interested parties who have a passion (for crafting, cooking, etc) and aren't liable to turn their nose up at a redheaded Duskwight sharing it. If you pursue the arts, botany, or other interesting topics, he's willing to grant you a listening ear -- although he knows next to nothing about aetherology, so save the book-talk for someone else.

Gallery

Roasted Deathmouse Recipe

This warming, rustic dish - a rare treat, owing to the honey used - will help you to regenerate HP and MP if you've been overextending yourself.Ingredients
As many deathmouse haunches (chicken thighs) as you have people to feed, well trimmed of fur - leave bone and skin on if desired
A few handfuls of potatoes
Roasting vegetables (whatever is handy, suggest any combination of the following):
Mushrooms
Peppers
Onions
Squash or zucchini (or both)
Parsnips
Turnips
A few handfuls of Spice Mix (see below)
Salt
Pepper
Oil
Quarter to ½ cup of honey to tasteSpice Mix ingredients
2 TBSP dried rosemary
2 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
Grind the lot up in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder until there are no large pieces. This will make more than you need for one serving (about double). Make ahead and keep on hand to shorten prep time.Instructions
Preheat oven to 425. Salt water generously and set it to boil at high heat. Dice potatoes and place in the water. Allow to boil for 10 minutes.
Dice all roasting vegetables and place in a large bowl. Coat with oil, pepper, and a handful of the spice mix to taste. Spread on a roasting tray and put in the oven when preheated.
Dry your deathmouse haunches well. Season with salt, pepper and the rest of the spice mix as you warm oil over medium high heat in a cast iron pan.
Once the oil is hot, place the deathmouse inside it, skin side down if applicable, and let brown 5 to 7 minutes.
Flip and finish browning, 3-5 minutes or until cooked through. Consider adding water and a lid to speed cooking if you did not debone your deathmouse beforehand.
Drain potatoes. Remove vegetables from oven. Remove deathmouse from pan. Place everything in a bowl.
Pour honey to taste over the lot. Serve.

Redbelly Lore

The Warrens

  • The subterranean Duskwight colony that spawned the Redbellies has its roots in the ancient civilization of Gelmorra, and many of the lads trace their ancestry back to Gelmorran crafters, farmers, and nobility. In the collapse of Gelmorra, the people exhausted what resources remained, and while portions of the ruin are still lived in, the bulk of the city is now deserted.

  • Below the Hive is an entrance to the subterrane, where many of the Redbellies' surviving relatives and loved ones reside. The caverns, nominally termed "the nest," are often referred to by the lads as "the warrens" for their meandering quality. Redbellies who are rendered unfit to fight, poach, harvest, or contribute to the camp through other means such as crafting are sent belowground to be tended and live out the rest of their days. The Warrens in part encompass sections of Gelmorra, although the Calamity collapsed some caverns that had seen use in modern times.

  • Within the Warrens, community is deeply central to survival. Family units, typically led by a woman or group of women, do the difficult and prestigious work of tending what few crops grow below, cooking, crafting medicines and remedies, and rearing and educating the youth. They also are the primary keepers of the oral histories and legends that are passed through generations. Rearing children belowground is very difficult work, and because few live to become young adults, the Duskwight prize those that live very highly.

  • Men are generally considered more expendable, and traditionally have been more apt to explore out of the home in search of food and resources that might be scarce. Where trade and communication with those outside society are necessary, men have typically carried forward that work - not always to the advantage of the community at large.

  • However, while this division between the sexes can be quite stark, there are numerous Duskwight who cross or blur those lines, and many cultural practices are held in common among the sexes. For example crafting and skilled trades may be done by either men or women. Women who show a desire to roam outside of the home rather than contribute to the community more directly are permitted to do so, although they may be seen as eccentric or odd for the practice. Conversely, men who take up or show a calling for "women's work," such as cooking, storytelling, or parenting, are highly esteemed and looked at with greater respect than everyday hunters might be.

Redbelly History and Hive Anatomy

  • In the days before the Calamity, the Redbellies (such as they were) primarily were opportunistic thieves. They often recruited foreign sellswords, adventurers, and criminals looking to make a bit of easy coin to their ranks, offering to help them navigate the Twelveswood in exchange for a share of their take. The money earned from these endeavors would fund trade for essential supplies to help augment their stores of food and medicine -- although it was a risky proposition, as occasionally they themselves were double-crossed.

  • The masks the Redbellies wear date back to pre-Calamity traditions of wearing masks while in the wood. The practice is variously said to either hide the identity of the wearer from the Elementals, or encourage the mask itself to take on woodsin in the wearer's place. Even now, with the Elementals thus weakened, many Redbellies do not remove their masks unless they are within the Hive, inside of buildings, or in some cases even below ground.

  • The Hive is set up in tiers, with gates controlling access to each tier. Severaint's house and Shredder's pen can be found on the highest tier. Severaint's house is considered common ground for the men, and is often used as shelter during storms or a gathering place during festivals, celebrations, or events.

  • A few cottages dot the tiers below that, but these are typically shared by multiple men at a time, with bunked beds. Those who bunk together tend to share the same schedule rotation and often become close.

  • Swarmpoints and other men who sufficiently distinguish themselves in Severaint's eyes may be granted a hut in one of the lower tiers. The huts are small and cramped, with room for only a single bed and a few possessions, but the privacy granted by such an arrangement is highly sought after.

  • Common professional duties for a Redbelly Wasp include keeping the watch patrol rotation, which includes checking the traps for game; taking the toll from travelers seeking to cross from Silent Arbor to Buscarron's Druthers; hunting for game; and gathering edible plants, fungi, and berries from the surrounding forest.

  • Less common professional duties include logging (done seasonally and at times when the Wailers are distracted); cooking (typically reserved for those who have been disabled due to injury, age, or illness, or may otherwise be unfit to fight except in dire emergencies); laundry (done a few times a week on set days); cleaning and tending the camp (done somewhat infrequently); and tending the aboveground crops which furnish the kitchen and Shredder's pen.

  • The watch patrol rotation embarks on eight-hour shifts, and includes multiple miles of foot travel, interspersed with stoppages at designated campsites for breaks, meals, and lavatory trips. Typical watch groups are comprised of three to five Redbellies each, with the expectation that some may need to leg it back to the Hive earlier than anticipated if the traps prove fruitful, the Wailers are spotted, or a mark gets heated about losing their gil.

  • Typically all watch groups rotate through the three available shifts on a weekly basis. The kitchen serves hot meals on a designated schedule so that the men can help themselves to what's available regardless of when they're on the move.

Culture and Pastimes

  • In addition to hunting, trapping, logging, and taking the toll, enterprising Redbellies may ply their trade at fishing, tanning, mending and washing clothes, basic alchemy, whittling, and other activities while in their free time. More elaborate threadcrafting and weaving is often done in the Warrens below.

  • Due to the vast numbers of men in the Redbelly camp, homosexuality, whether situational or otherwise, is common to the point of expectation. However, many of the lads have wives or girlfriends back home in the Warrens, and during periods of permitted leave (which happen roughly monthly to quarterly depending on the season) they often disappear below to visit their spouses, girlfriends, and/or children.

  • Spirits and alcohol are commonly spotted throughout the camp, and distilling hooch is practically a community pastime with its own rituals. Drug use is common, as well, although it often requires bartering with the Coeurlclaws for access to the best product.

  • Literacy is fairly uncommon amongst the Redbellies, and often hard-won. Underground Duskwight culture often revolves around oral history and story-telling, and many details on the written languages of Gelmorra were lost when the civilization fell. A few still maintain expertise, but more practical these days is an understanding of the Eorzean letters and numbers that allows for reading scraps of paper, signs, and other details that might allow the Redbellies success in trading or understanding their marks. There are a handful of teachers of letters, but the demand far exceeds the amount of time that can be spared for education; at times, the Redbellies have entreated their captives to either decipher written texts for them, or teach them what they know.

  • Despite the lack of literacy, many Redbellies can recite or declaim stories or ballads in their entirety; swapping stories is a valuable social currency, and adding to, altering, or changing them in the telling is equally common. Many tales are cautionary in nature, and tales of the brutality and inhuman terror of the Elementals, the horror of Wildlings, the transformations visited on those unlucky or slow enough to bow to woodsin, and the sinister Padjal who stalk the wood in pursuit of innocents loom large as central narrative preoccupations.

  • Redbelly alchemy is often focused on the practical; the Black Shroud and its subterranean counterpart below is studded with creatures and funguses looking to poison, paralyze, or sicken those unfortunate enough to pose a threat. Redbelly alchemy often is practiced by culinarians, and combines traditional folk medicine practices with half-remembered recipes from alchemically-inclined captives from seasons ago.

  • Redbelly cuisine in many ways resembles Gridanian fare, and for good reason; both cultures are working with much the same raw materials, and Gridanians in fact appropriated a great deal of Duskwight culinary tradition which they now pass off as their own. Mun-tuy beans, as one of the few crops that grow belowground, are a central staple of the diet, particularly fermented and pressed into a paste or cake similar to tofu. However, since expanding aboveground, the Redbellies have been able to lay hands on a far greater diversity of produce and game with much less risk to life than ever before. Much of the culinary cornucopia is transferred belowground, but dishes such as roasted deathmouse, mushroom stew and eel pie are perrenial favorites among the men and often mark special occasions of bounty.

  • Magic, particularly conjury, is of surpassing rarity in Redbelly society. Aspiring conjurers or those who show an affinity for the wood are often assumed to be touched by the Elementals, or perhaps in the midst of transforming into a Wildling; all but the most strident of protestors are cast out as traitors to their kin.

  • Those blessed spontaneously with thaumaturgical talents are less shunned, although often unfortunate; since magical traditions largely were lost with the departure of the Padjal, there are few teachers or mentors who might instruct a young black mage in the fundamentals. Taking magically inclined captives, while not impossible, has often proven a touchy business, so typically those thus blessed are left to self-educate as best they can.

  • Healers who are able to operate outside of the Elementals' reach, such as scholars and sages, are highly desireable captives to the Redbellies due to their extraordinary utility. Sadly, relatively few embark on the perilous journey through the South Shroud that would put them within reach of the Redbellies' grips.

  • Death is commonplace in Redbelly culture, and remembrance practices are common. One of the most widespread traditions upon a loved one's death is to create bracelets or other wearable items from scraps of fabric taken from the departed's clothing, so that they can always be present.

  • Handmade items are often bestowed on loved ones, but some items are especially crafted to serve as commitment tokens. Pomanders are still given as highly traditional commitment tokens to this day, but tokens of commitment may include other items that are worn close to someone's heart or other vital centers; for example, necklaces, bracelets, belts, or collars.

Imports and Exports

  • While the Redbellies are used to subsisting off the land for the most part, there are a number of items that they are forced to trade for. Salt is all-important for food preservation, and along with pickling and canning is one of the only ways to ensure that an illegally thefted antelope is used in full before it spoils. Typically Ul'dahn traders are the best source of salt, and the Redbellies have exhausted no small amount of labor in ensuring a ready supply.

  • Other common products sought after by the Redbellies are metals (melted down or used as-is for buckles, weapons, etc); warming spices (particularly cinnamon and nutmeg); and drugs, medicines, and soporifics (used recreationally, for surgeries, or for treating pain).

  • In exchange for such necessities, the Redbellies will seek to trade whatever they have handy; hides, leathers, fur, or rarer materials such as adamantoise claws and shells. Fencing the takings of their captives and marks is another popular pastime. Somewhat rarely, they may attempt to barter handicrafts such as clothing or embroidery; however, the quality is often poor, since typically the best handicrafts are reserved for gifts to those within the culture, and highly cherished by their recipients.

The Lads

Many other lads make up the Redbelly Wasps, and their tales are interwoven. Below are a sampling of some of the faces you might hear tell of around the Hive.

Full Name: Biobont "Bio"
Age: Early twenties
Occupation: Scout, brigand
Sexuality: Asexual
Pronouns: he/him
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: DeadA cheerful, energetic, and somewhat smartmouthed lad who was once part of Phio's and Tufant's patrol group.Killed by the Warrior of Light when he returned to the First near the end of the events of Shadowbringers.

Full Name: Tufant
Age: Early twenties
Occupation: Brigand
Sexuality: Mostly gay
Pronouns: he/him
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: Alive, if rather forlornA taciturn, blunt, and fairly ruthless member of Phio's and Biobont's patrol group. He affects a stern demeanor, but when around his friends he loosens up significantly.Following Bio's death and Phio's expulsion from the Redbellies, Tufant finds himself quite alone and can often be found at the Druthers attempting to drown his sorrows.

Full Name: Renert
Age: 60s
Occupation: Cook and gardener
Sexuality: Gay
Pronouns: he/him
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: AliveArmel's husband and fellow cook for the Redbelly Wasps. While Armel is exacting and firm, Renert takes a more laid-back, permissive approach to his kitchen; provided the food makes it out, he doesn't care much how it gets there. Because of their differing kitchen management styles, they always work opposite shifts, although at times one of them will hang around to critique the other's work or offer unsolicited suggestions.Outside of work, Renert is an avid gardener; his work ensures Shredder, Severaint's pet adamantoise, always has fine vegetables on offer, and also makes its way into the lads' meals on occasion.

Full Name: Ignace
Age: Early twenties
Occupation: Kitchen boy
Sexuality: Not overly discerning
Pronouns: he/him
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: AliveIgnace is among the youngest of the kitchen staff. Quick-witted and sharp-tongued, he affects a breezy nonchalance but can at times come off as smug and entitled. His assignment to the kitchens followed a devastating injury in a Wailer raid that left him permanently lame; his leg still causes him issues to this day, and when in a great deal of pain he can be snappish and temperamental.He loves practical jokes, and contrary to all appearances is also a skilled artist.

Full Name: Everert "Evvy"
Age: 20
Occupation: Trader
Sexuality: Gay
Pronouns: he/him
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Wildwood
Current status: Alive, traveling the realmThe adopted son of Armel and Renert, Evvy came to join the Redbelly Wasps when his parents succumbed to woodsin. Judged to be inauspicious and cursed by the Elementals, he was left for dead by the Wailers who found him.While being a Wildwood in an underground community full of Duskwight had its challenges, Everert persisted and eventually enlisted in the Redbelly Wasps as a member himself once he came of age. However, he had little taste for the cruelty needed to succeed in the ranks. At his fathers' urging, he took up trading instead, and found that his Wildwood heritage allowed him to blend in with the Gridanians undetected. His travels typically take him to Ul'dah, where he bargains for the many items inaccessible to the rest of the camps, most notably the salt used to preserve meats.

Full Name: Veuxloin "Veux"
Age: 30s
Occupation: Assistant
Sexuality: Bi
Pronouns: he/him
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: Alive and wellVeux fulfills a role more akin to a valet or squire than a bandit. He manages household tasks for Severaint: cleans the manor, helps him put on and remove his armor, maintains his weapons, acts as secretary when he is away, and provides advice. Generally well-liked and charismatic, his network of informants throughout the Hive mean that Severaint has eyes and ears throughout the camp -- invaluable in making certain that he can maintain loyalty and morale.While he is a poor fighter, he is meticulous, thorough, and organized -- qualities often in short supply amongst a bandit camp. His friends often rib him for his subservient role, but he takes a justified pride in it; without his efficiency and expertise, the Hive would be even more chaotic than it already is.

Full Name: Dariustel
Age: 20s
Occupation: Former brigand, Scion of the Seventh Dawn
Sexuality: ?
Pronouns: he/him
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: UnknownDariustel was a sensitive young man who served as a Redbelly Wasp during the early days after the Calamity. Despite having terrible accuracy in his attacks due to poor vision, he had an uncanny sense for ambushes, which made him invaluable on patrols.After a chance encounter with Minfillia and learning of the Echo, he left the Wasps to join the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. His decision to leave was divisive among the Wasps: some saw it as a betrayal, while others understood his desire to escape the Shroud and possibly help the world. A handful, Armel included, even joined in and assisted the Scions in their efforts to repulse the Garleans at the end of A Realm Reborn. Dariustel has been missing ever since, and even the unit who worked directly with him denies having seen any part of what befell him.

Full Name: Leoncoeur "Leo" Noirterel
Age: he's baby
Occupation: Brigand
Sexuality:
Pronouns: he/him
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: DeadPhiomont's little brother, who proudly followed him into the Redbelly Wasps at the earliest possible opportunity after their father's disappearance during the Calamity. He cared for the chickens that the Redbellies took in following the annexation of Boughbury, and specialized in archery.Tragically, a Wood Wailer's spear to the gut brought an end to the aspiring bandit's career, and he now lies buried beneath Silent Arbor. Phio bears the scar he received trying to protect him on his eye to this day.

Full Name: Severaint "Sev" Seven Splinter
Age: Late forties/early fifties
Occupation: Redbelly leader
Sexuality: Haven't inquired
Pronouns: he/him
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: Alive, at large, plotting to annex Quarrymill while you're off in TuralBorn in the Shroud subterrane to a family of displaced Gelmorran nobility, Severaint grew up with a keen sense of the injustice faced by his people at the hands of the Elementals and their stooges, the Gridanians. As a child, he began poaching early, and was skilled at melting into the shadows unseen -- which is how he met Buscarron Stacks, the young Wailers' son who would eventually lead the Druthers.The two formed an unlikely friendship-cum-rivalry, and while Severaint taught Buscarron how to prowl the woods unseen, Buscarron taught Sev to fight -- a decision he would come to regret in later years. When Buscarron left to follow in his father's footsteps and join the Wailers, Severaint was deeply bitter at the loss, and redoubled his drive to grow stronger so that he might oppose the forces keeping his people in the grip of starvation.In the wake of the armed conflict that saw Ala Mhigo fall to the Empire, Severaint and his poachers grew bolder as the elementals and their vassals turned their attention elsewhere, seeking to fortify the border. All the same, a significant number each year were lost, killed by Gridanian bowmen and lancers, or turned by the insidious Greenwrath into living zombies obedient only to the forest's will.Then came the Calamity, and everything changed. The burning of the West Shroud and the impact of Bahamut's attack caused great fear amongst the community, but Severaint saw in it opportunity and led a band to the surface. Striking quickly, they annexed the village of Boughbury, and sought to expand still further -- until the garrisons at Quarrymill were bolstered with additional Speakers and Wood Wailers. Tensions in the region have remained at a simmer ever since, and Severaint and his Redbelly Wasps maintain a state of vigilance, spreading over the fallow land and waiting for the moment when all is ready to strike.Possessed of a somewhat wicked and morbid sense of humor, Severaint is not an easy man to become intimate with for an outsider. Among his men, he is known as an exacting and meticulous leader who will stop at nothing to see Gridania fall. He seldom lets the mantle of leadership slip from his shoulders; his home, the only full-sized dwelling in the Hive, is a communal space shared amongst the men in times of ill weather, celebration, or if they need to provide a report or complaint. When Severaint isn't actively leading his men, he enjoys board games, practical jokes, training, sparring, caring for his pet adamantoise (who's called Shredder), and strong spirits. His continued association with Druthers proprietor Buscarron, which preceded Busc's open-door policy, is a matter of much speculation among the men -- although when pressed about it, he merely smiles.

The Lasses

When Severaint's little sister, Fleur-de-Lune, came of age, she followed her brother up to the surface and demanded he put her to work. Intrigued and not a little amused, he made some inquiries, and the Fleurs du Mal (or just "Fleur's girls" as the lads refer to them) were formed.The mission that has brought them the most infamy was certainly their theft of A-Towa-Cant's ashes from their resting place in the North Shroud. The gesture was highly symbolic -- an expungement of the stain of Padjal influence from what was historically the grounds of Gelmorra's royal family. But as Fleur's lot have worked to prove themselves, they're tasked with ever more dangerous missions to ensure the Shroud is liberated from the grip of Gridanian influence. The lads may be content to chase after turtles, but Fleur's girls are after a greater prize, and they won't stop until it's in their grasp.

Full Name: Fleur-de-Lune
Age: Early thirties
Occupation: Redbelly Swarmpoint
Sexuality: Irrelevant
Pronouns: she/her
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: Alive and at largeSeveraint Seven Splinter's little sister decided early on after the Calamity that she'd had it with the domestic life in their subterranean home. Unique among swarmpoints, she recruited most of her unit herself, comprised of likeminded restless women who didn't quite fit back home or whose rage at the Gridanians made them a good match for the Redbellies' goals. Calculating, shrewd, and outspoken, she often leans on an upbeat and cheerful persona that masks a drive to succeed every bit as intense as Sev's himself.Fleur's intensity is well-placed for a commander, but at times it can cause problems in social situations; her drive to be taken seriously can lead her to overreact if she feels slighted, and she has a hard time toning her energy down in more casual settings. The girls have learned to bring her to Buscarron's if they're angling for a fight with their whiskey, but training to exhaustion is the only way she feels she can truly unwind.

Full Name: Ismene
Age: 34
Occupation: Redbelly Chanter
Sexuality: Asexual
Pronouns: she/her
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: Alive and at largeNenu's older sister, Ismene, is possessed of the relatively rare gift of curative magic. This made her invaluable at home, but she's even more highly prized in the Hive, since access to healing is so limited. More's the pity, then, that she typically is only called in when the need is particularly great or the mission particularly perilous. She doesn't attend every mission, but when she does her calm demeanor and the knowledge that her spells are there enable the rest of the girls to hold nothing back.Ismene was a member of the Redbelly Wasps long before Nenu was permitted to join, and transitioned after she went topside -- to Nenu's great consternation, since they now look nearly identical except in demeanor.

Full Name: Jonquille "Quille"
Age: Mid-twenties
Occupation: Redbelly Stinger
Sexuality: Bisexual (femme-leaning)
Pronouns: she/they
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: Alive and at largeCompared to her more boisterous coworkers, Quille breaks the mold. A quiet, thoughtful woman who tends to hang back on the edges of social engagements, she tends to spot tells of situations going south well before the other lasses might. Mistrustful of authority by disposition, Fleur had to work to earn her trust and cooperation; but once it was secured, Quille's insights proved invaluable, and while Fleur often proposes strategies, she counts on Quille to point out the hidden flaws in her logic that she might otherwise not detect.Along with Fleur, Quille is one of the few Redbellies who knows her letters, and wormed a good deal of instruction out of various captives and traveling instructors as she was coming of age. She reads slowly but avidly, and the other lasses often bring her tomes or documents they've scavenged to decipher. Despite her affection for a good book, she doesn't stint at the more physical part of her job, felling Wailers effectively and with a minimum of fuss. Still, she has a great deal of affection for her more energetic colleagues, particularly Nenu; the two are very close.

Full Name: Paquerette "Daisy"
Age: Early thirties
Occupation: Redbelly Sharpeye
Sexuality: Mainly hetero
Pronouns: she/her
Race/ethnicity: Elezen/Duskwight
Current status: Alive and at largeThe girls from back home in the subterrane beneath Gridania grew up knowing Daisy as a sweet and cheerful, but deeply spacey girl, constantly daydreaming, sleeping in, and neglecting her chores. Many would conclude that she was hopelessly slow and inattentive; not so Fleur, who recognized the clear signs of boredom and understimulation.When offered a chance to explore the wider world of the Shroud, Daisy jumped for it, and has seldom looked back since. Under the boughs, stalking Wailers with her bow in her hand and signaling to her team to strike has given Daisy the most fun she's had in years. When not gathering intelligence or scouting out the route to their latest prize, she often drags her unit to Buscarron's to get drinks and gossip about which boys are the cutest -- to her (mostly-lesbian) coworkers' affectionate consternation.

The Players

Lir

Age: 30s
Pronouns: they/them or he/him
RP preferences: My partner and I have co-written quite a bit over the years, and I really enjoy spontaneous roleplay in-game! However, I can burn out quickly on longer RPs due to my history with RPing, extremely demanding work life, and very limited free time. Sometimes I am able to do long-form scenes, but it tends to work best if there is an obvious in and out point, a goal, and some editorial liberties allotted to ensure things don't get too bogged down in the details or we don't lose the thread amongst slow replies. I will communicate if it's an issue or concern with any proposed scenes.I have done many types of RP in the past (brief script-style, first-person, multi-paragraph third person narration, etc). I enjoy and encourage just chatting at length about our guys one on one prior to getting into anything so that I have a good idea of what you would like to explore and if it's of mutual interest. My favorite way to write in particular is using third person limited, with a single viewpoint character for the scene to be determined in advance (normally the one who is anticipated to have the most active/interesting inner dialogue in a scene). However, I can adapt to preference.I don't have expectations of immediate responses to any messages, but in the event we are involved in a longer-form scene, particularly if our time zones or schedules are out of sync, I often find it helpful if we can both identify times when we're more likely to be able to pay attention to the interaction. This helps me stay invested, balance my responsibilities, and avoid burnout. I am usually most available and active between the hours of 8-9 PM and 12 AM EST.

You can also check out my fics on AO3 here!

Other OCs and NPCs I play include the following:

Bunny

Age: 30 something
Pronouns: she/her
RP preferences: Mostly planning to lurk/chat a bit atm. Love learning about people's little guys and talking about them.Most of my writing is done with Lir. When I do RP it tends towards more quick short paragraphs or script style. Used to playing via messenger and I used to do LJ RP back in the day.