Erol Khürelbaatar

"At times, the vision of my life has been so clouded that I cannot see the path I've chosen. Yet, every step I take is not alone, but surrounded by love and enmity. We turn away from the truth of ourselves that others may not hurt us, but in loneliness we are more vulnerable than any other time."I left the Steppe as a young man, more than a decade and a half ago. My landing was far from soft, the people of Ul'dah are harsh and full of tricks, so my first years were full of hard lessons learned through bad luck and worse decisions. I took a false name, learned to assimilate myself into the society around me, put away my memories of my home. I lied, cheated, harmed and sometimes killed in order to build a reputation worth seeking out in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere. Yes, it came at a great cost but it afforded me new connections; favors I could call upon when in dire need.Then I met a Doctor who saw my ambition and desire for power, wealth and status, and I made the worst choice of my life.Now, I try and put the pieces back together but the vessel is shattered and the fragments numerous. Life is a long, dangerous dance filled with joy and tragedy, but my dance partners are brave and skillful. My choices have been made, my path lies before me. My faith guides me, my family is vast. I should fear nothing... but have I traded away the last chance to have all I wanted in the name of greed?What do I seek? Truth and power. I seek it in every smile, every conversation and every confrontation I share with those I cross paths with. Friend or enemy, let's dance.

"You're having second thoughts," the L'avaix stated simply, stirring a red powder into their tea cup, "slowing down. We're falling behind schedule, 214." It was ominous how they spoke to him, papery whispering voice blending terseness and calm solicitation together. He understood right away. If he refused, the next words would be threats, this was the warning before the ultimatum.How could he explain what he had lost? The L'avaix hated Xaela, looked down on them. They seemed to look down on everything, to be sure, but there was a special hatred harbored for those of the Steppe. So, how was he to explain the Will? He couldn't talk about his first journey to the Mountain or his time spent learning and shaping himself with his collective. Were they even spiritual? They didn't seem to be and he had never glimpsed the fervent look of zeal that burned behind their glasses when they spoke of breakthroughs and discoveries."I'm feeling as though I'm losing myself," he said slowly, deciding that this course would be the easiest to make understood. "I'm worried that if I go further now, I'll be unable to return."The L'avaix considered this and took a long sip of tea, holding saucer under cup with spidery fingers. "You cannot let the fear of change stop you from growing, 214," they answered, their voice quavering between a gravel-throated rasp and the cracked timber of the host body's voice. "A caterpillar weaves for itself a chrysalis - that's a structure similar to a cocoon - and while inside, it undergoes a metamorphosis into a new creature. If I were to slice open the chrysalis or the caterpillar were to break free too early, it would die a sticky puddle of half-formed glop." Their smiling teeth looked like dried blood trapped in crystal. "You cannot stop now, we're too far into the process, 214. Don't let your doubts slow you down, just when your wings are beginning to form."Now would be the absolute worst time to telegraph the shiver of fear crawling up his spine. Erol breathed in and out, relaxed his hands and made his face calm. "What if I can't go any further?" He asked."You will." The answer was flat."What if I don't want to?" His mouth was so dry it was hard not to choke the words out, but he managed a semblance of assurance."Subject 214," the L'avaix place their cup down and reached for his hand across the desk. He didn't want to touch them but couldn't afford to hesitate longer than a few seconds. When their fingers touched his palm, he felt a wave of nausea rise in his throat. They were cold as a corpse and their "reassuring" grasp felt like rigor mortis. "The road you've picked is not an easy one," they told him, "but don't worry. I won't let you give up on our work. I'll be there to make sure you get everything you wanted when you signed your contract."

You may have heard of, or already know Erol because...Criminal Connections (Thanalan)
- You need someone with knowledge of the body and how it breaks, someone who won't ask questions.
- You have need of illicit substances or materials not sold in any lawful markets.
- You happened to find a butcher's shop on the side of a highway, only open from Moon Zenith to Dawnbreak.
- This fool tried to cross you or your boss once and nearly lost his tail. His silver tongue talked his way out of danger. For now.
- You're familiar with the Foxglove Sanctum, where he is employed as an alchemist.Dravanian Connections
- Xaela aren't a common site around Anyx Minor, but Erol is often seen helping tend sheep or watching children.
- Running into him at [Regal Reserves] (https://regal.ju.mp), located in Idyllshire.Unusual Kinship
- Monstrous traits: pointed teeth, split tongue and tattoos that move.
- Strange Sensation: For those with the ability to sense or see aether, Erol's feels strangely oily and grainy.
- Xaela Abroad: Despite his flaws and vices, Erol is very kind, thoughtful and welcoming to Xaela new to Eorzea. Connecting with Xaela that still live on the Steppe is bittersweet but nonetheless very wanted.Not interested in:
- "Slice of Life" RP
- Venue RP
- ERP or romance without build upThemes: Transformation, ego/identity, spirituality, morality, power, connections, Xaela and Steppe culture

21+ | PST Timezone | Queer

Boundaries
- It's fine to be creepy, violent or offensive towards my character ICly but I will check-in OOCly as we go.
- Neither myself or my character have any interest in sexual themes without an established connection.
- My character is not a fantasy-fulfillment or a narrative device for your story. If you want to pull him in for an idea, brainstorm with me so we're both on the same page.What Works
- Slow-burn and/or thoughtful pacing
- Continuity and detail
- Curiosity and questions. Instead of making assumptions, please ask for and also tell me things that would be fun to play with in-character
- Dark themes when they're thoughtfully executed and backed up with planning and backstoryWhat Doesn't Work
- Flakiness and over committing. Life comes first, but please let me know if you're just too busy or not feeling it when it comes to making plans
- Apathy. If you use prose to tell me how little you care about our interaction, that's my signal to leave
- Actions without consequences. If your character is never punished and never grows from events that happen on-screen, I'm not interestedOther Organizations and CharactersButcher's ShopErol's old butcher's shop in Central Thanalan.Regal Reserves
Come with coin, not shame. An insidious boutique run and staffed by monstrous people.Doctor Velaante L'avaix
For a traumatic and haunting experience, my other character Velaante L'avaix.