曹小虎

Xiaohu Cao

"In the arena of the civilian. No one important is one." - Alice Notley

About

Xiaohu possesses an intensely feminine presentation. Her maquillage is a constant. A boisterous, and needlessly extravagant, collection of jewels and stone often decorate both body and attire. Her uncalloused skin and thick, loose, curls of hair show a painstaking regime. And rarely is she seen without a flower corsage tucked into the latter. Her appearance falls towards conventional standards of what is regarded as 'attractive', though she possesses a less stark palette and more rounded features than more familiar appearances of the Far East.Her age is visible, not as though the world has been harsh to her, but that every feature seems to indicate a girlishness that was just prized and lushly cultivated. Sharpness of full maturity has just begun to brush her nose, jaw and cheekbones, and the reserved weight at her eyes and lips sits gloomier than it might have just a turn ago. She carries herself just the same as someone who's carried a lifetime of theatrical smiles since childhood.Depending on her choice of clothing, her tattoo bodysuit may (often boldly) be displayed. The black ink swirling from her elbows and knees inward falls over her like a coat. It even completes with a black, rounded, 'zipper' that brackets the base of her neck and borders the bare center strip that cleanly goes down her sternum and belly: the visible imagery of such appears to be Hingan courtesans, ocean waves, and cherry blossoms. Sometimes, her wear allows the viewer to see a prowling tiger taking up her back.In more imperceptible senses, her aether is a buoyant thing; hot-tempered as it is in its slight astral-lean. It certainly exists, flows, with its surrounding environment, but never is the woman seen nor sensed extending her will into the world.

Hooks

Deeds of an Unassuming Woman

Xiaohu has feats to her name that could draw another's curiosity. Some hunts in which she was instrumental in putting down the most alarming of aevis; successful triage of the late Austrant de Durendaire when stray magicks erupted within the Observatorium three turns ago; and an all-but-confirmed association with the Holy See's stripping of all lands and titles from the ex-House Burlemont. There are some altruistic items in the Ul'dahni grapevine over the turns that could possibly be associated with some squinting and liberal connection of the dots, as well. Interesting rumors for someone who plays such a delicate act.

A Mind to War

The Lady Voutellievre herself attributes the recent changes to the House's military to her wife. Unabashedly Garlean in its inspiration, many of the House's knights have put down their longswords and full-faced visors in favor of lighter armor, rifles in the field, and handgonnes otherwise as their primary weapon, while men-at-arms have been adapted similarly and have almost replaced their traditional longbowmen entirely. An Ul'dahni associate of Xiaohu's trains them in alternative means of warfare which has seen success to eliminate voidkin and man alike within the House's territories and beyond. Xiaohu herself is known to supervise operations directly, and currently drives the more forceful hand to her wife's foreign affairs in Turaal.

La Femme De Voutellievre

Ishgard has been subject to an influx of outsider influence in recent time. And Xiaohu, titled through marriage, is no less a part of it - and perhaps a galling, or curious, aspect of its entry into the Eorzean Alliance, at that. After two turns of marriage, she walks both alone and by the Vicomtesse's side with almost all of her Lady's authority and her fair share of duties. The more outwardly critical of the two women, it would be reasonable to court her favor before any grand propositions.

Misty Past

No one exists without leaving a mark upon the world where they tread. Even this woman in all of her subtlety is not beyond such things. Uncouth implications reek from her: the 'shame' of unhidden irezumi on her body; a history in Eorzea's underground; half-truths, dead-ends, and deflections, to information shared; a gregariousness too charming, too perfect for the occasion. Now, all these eccentricities are made more blaring than ever in the upright society she functions within. Xiaohu is an entertaining woman, but not a woman that one speaks to without triggering a weight in your gut feeling.

Gallery

OOC

On PST and most accessible OOC via Discord than in-game. I highly prefer in-game or tabletop sites (Roll20, VTT) to advantage the scene's energy in the moment.I am a Queer WOC who enjoys writing how real-life subjects (womanhood, dysphoria, life narratives, etc..) come out in a fantasy setting, not fantasy escapism. Xiaohu's presentation and manner are reflective of these social commentaries. For the sake of these mature themes, I ask that my RP partners are no younger than 22.I enjoy adventure modules and consider myself a very robust and independent player, but it's important to keep in mind that Xiaohu is a low-powered character. I function best with other authors who don't mind that I'll be thinking outside the box to solve problems.I believe in IC consequences and won't rewrite around interactions that make Xiaohu withdraw from a scene or develop a negative opinion of someone else. But I'm happy to retcon and smooth over general details to maintain a fun narrative where people can get out the writing they wanted to.Please don't mix IC/OOC, I love my girlfriend even if Xiaohu doesn't.Handle: Cao Xiaohu, Balmung
Discord: xerevies