Madame Pholnaset
(#) The Kitsch Queen (#)
Profile
Name: ???Aliases: Phane, Magpie, Madame Pholnaset, The Pied Harper, Lady Phaset, Harbour Town Huckster, Maritime Mage, The Beguiling BargainerBirthplace: Though born and raised in The Shroud Of The Samgha region of Thavnair, this duplicitous mage has often told Eorzeans that she was raised by Anantas among the golden Thavnairi dunes. As a skilled actor she's able to completely mask her thick Thavnairian accent making it harder still for others to guess her place of origin.Occupations: busker performer (mainly as an animal charmer of rats and snakes), independent Leve broker, sly seller of pricey perfumes, dubious tonics, questionable souvenirs, kitschy knick-knacks, lurid fineries, chintzy replicas, varied potpourris and part-time "resplendent retainer."Hobbies: reading, stargazing, aetherology, practicing the flute and harp, archery, card games, interpretive dance, arts & craftsMarital Status: She fosters a playful infatuation for a certain Elezen Yellowjacket officer. She thoroughly enjoys their cat-and-mouse relationship (probably because she's the cat).Favorite Foods: Her taste pallet is very broad but she has a special place in her heart for a dish called Palaka's Curry Pottage. She also enjoys indulging in finely crafted confections and exotic fruits.Favorite Drinks: Nothing seems to be off limits when it comes to alcohol. From lowbrow Lominsan hooch to an alleged family recipe for fermented poison, she thoroughly enjoys both the common and the extraordinary. She's also partial to coffee and all manner of teas.Common Expressions: "Magnifique!" "Aye, yai, yai!" "Yes, yes?" "The passion!" "Mais oui, effendi." "Oh, no, no, nooo." "Come see, come see!" Favourite Possessions: She often wears an usekh which she purports originated from an ancient Mithra civilization. Her love of wind and string instruments is expressed through the fife and psaltery she possesses.
Glamours
Images
Appearance
Gender: femaleHair: raven blackEyes: mud greenComplexion: golden brown and smooth with no visible blemishes or identifiable markingsBackground: Thavnairi HannishAppearance: Although she is a woman of no small stature Phalloria has soft Midlandic features causing some to believe she's a statuesque Midlander. Her luxuriant head of shiny black hair is usually combed straight with very low cut bangs threatening to cover her eyes altogether. Sometimes she decorates her hair with feathers or beads and fashions the back portion with a ponytail wrap. Her most consistent makeup preference is dark eyeshadow and lipstick complimentary to her skin tone, but she's been known to wear more lively colours especially when her garments are more conventional. Her tall and slender nose adds a somewhat regal quality to her face.It baffles some people to no end that all of this is immediately compromised by her penchant for donning clashing items of the loudest clothing possible, to the point of becoming gaudy in their appearance. The garish garments are intended to draw attention away from her face when the need arises. Similarly this enigmatic entrepreneur uses her excessive attire to create a predictable focus for surrounding attention, directing eyes away from whatever slight of hand she has planned for a lesser decorated area of her person.This is quite the departure from her youth where she was required to wear simple clothing and would use lively makeup to express her personality. This would draw attention to her eyes however and she had very little practice in the art of deceit during her early days in Eorzea. At present, despite her flair for the dramatic, she'll gladly don the tawdry attire of a lowly, humble merchant if that's what the situation requires. Some have stated that she's almost unrecognizable when dressed up like a potato sack as if she doesn't have a gil to her name. This serves to evoke sympathy from those who don't know any better and helps her blend in with merchants struggling to get by.
RP Hooks
(#) As a practitioner of the self-invented "Purple Mage" style of spell casting, she's an exceptional illusionist able to masterfully execute everything from basic slight-of-hand trickery to high-end glamours and even elaborate manifestations. Her vast array of mesmerizing spells are said to both mirror and shatter one's perception of reality making it hard to tell when the environment is being effected or the mind.(#) This charmingly slick perfumer is a gifted alchemist and accomplished weaver.(#) She's remarkably well educated despite the simple nature in which she often presents herself. A woman of robust intellectual caliber she's said to possess the bearing of Sharlayan academic standards, or close to it.(#) The artfully devious mage is possessed of a silver tongue and is said to be oozing with charisma. This goes a long way to explaining how she's been able to flog bric-à-brac for years while remaining relatively unscathed in the court of public opinion.(#) She's well versed in a wide variety of languages.(#) It's suspected by some that she has a photographic memory, though she's never been formally tested.(#) It's heavily rumored that she can manifest a chakram illusion powerful enough to cause mental anguish, but not physical harm.
Contacts
Chce is a wise, gifted and gracious Au'Ra who introduced Pholnaset to the philosophies and early lessons of the Astrologian. Although the wily Pholnaset had originally intended to learn the mannerisms and vernacular of an Astrologian to add to her chameleon repertoire, Chce's gentle nature and painted words stuck with her for years to come.
Fiercely loyal, and no stranger to mischief herself, this rambunctious miqo'te struck a chord with Phane the moment they first met. I'delia's musical aptitude helps further strengthen the growing bond between the two as certain character traits often inherent in art performers can be found in both their personalities.I'delia was there for Phane during a very tumultuous time in her life, and despite the reprehensible actions of the cowardly Purple Mage I'delia stood by her side and defended her in the face of all scrutiny.I'delia is among the small handful of individuals capable of curtailing Phane's predominantly self-centered behavior and anarchic antics. However, their connection to one another is potentially problematic as I'delia tends to reward Phane's ego and Phane was literally born to be a bad influence.
D'hezrel is a spirited and adventurous miqo'te whose considerable talents as a bard are equaled by his warm and easygoing charm. Accompanied by his stalwart but free thinking chocobo, Layla, he travels across the lands of Eorzea seeking excitement and fortune!In a chance encounter he came across Madame Pholnaset under her guise of Lady Phaset. The two struck up an acquaintance which laid the foundation for a mischievous partnership. D'hezrel helped her reclaim an important piece of her past and as a result she considers him a trustworthy and reliable ally in her pursuit of fortune and glory.
True to Phane's duality she tends to gravitate towards honorable, good-natured people such as Brandic. His tough love approach and willingness to speak his mind concerning her poor decision making helps steer her clear from the more destructive side of her personality. Cynically speaking it's possible that Phane is drawn to such honest folk because, as a con artist and roguish mage, she knows the value of people she can trust. It's also possible she behaves herself around Brandic and his ilk to foster their favour and reap their praise, which in turn satiates her ego.For his part Brandic has proven himself a capable warrior and loyal friend whose shoulders are able to bear Phane even during her lowest points. He's also one of the very few who know the truth about her arrival in Eorzea as well as her troubled nature.
Minfeek is the semi faithful companion of Madame Pholnaset. She's very opinionated when told to participate in overtly fraudulent activities and will even go so far as to leave Madame Pholnaset to her crafty machinations. Minfeek won't stray too far though in case her shifty companion needs to be bailed out of trouble.Madame Pholnaset sometimes tasks Minfeek with watching over Officer Courageux, a Yellowjacket she's become quite fond of. He's unaware of this however so he usually rides the chocobo to safety and attempts to find her owner.