Located near the Ruby Sea
A pre-colonial Philippine mythologies inspired FFXIV land and original characters.
The Dalakit tree is to Bisaya Island as the Guardian tree is to Gridania. It is home to magical beings, benevolent and malevolent. Rumor has it, it can connect to other mystical trees.
Noted here are common folk and folklore.
It's easy to confuse a civet with a Miqo'te.
Civets are very lean and nimble with round ears and striped tails.
A certain scent radiates from them, but it's up to the person if it's a fragrance or stench.
Coffee cherries and sweets can be their favorite food.
These are similar beings to Moogles or fae.
They can shapeshift and turn invisible.
Depending on the tamawo's mood, you may find flowers or rocks being thrown at you.
If somebody makes a tamawo upset, the person can get very sick.
As physical manifestations of ginhawa, diwata are quite powerful as they are petty.
Akin to Elementals in Gridania, diwata are representations of the land, sky, and sea.
While usually benevolent, disrespect to the environment can incur their wrath.
Diwata are appeased by offerings (mostly yummy snacks).
Learn about Bisaya Island culture.
Bisaya Island has a defense mechanism. Ginhawa becomes a veil for aether when outsiders attempt to seek or stumble near the island.
Compasses shift.
Wind patterns move ships away.
Charts don't align.
This has allowed Bisaya Island to be mainly unknown to the rest of the Ruby Sea.
Love and war are initiation rites toward adulthood for many Bisayans.
To showcase success, Bisayans have tattoos that signify each conquest through battles of the heart and body.
Tang and Sunny have tattoos on their hands and arms.
Long hair represents beauty, status, and social dignity.
Criminals get their hair cut by authorities.
When leaving Bisaya Island, Tang cut her hair as a symbol of leaving her old identity behind.
A babaylan is chosen by the spirits to mediate with the spirit world and is given gifts of healing, foretelling, and insight.
Not only do they mediate with spirits, but they also offer conflict resolution.
Tang is a babaylan.
A short glossary for those who would understand what the locals mean by âbreath made well.â
Ginhawa is spoken of as easy breath: relief in the chest, the return of steadiness, the feeling that oneâs spirit is no longer clenched. It is not merely comfort, it is the condition of being unburdened enough to live properly.
In the islandâs account, aether is the worldâs living substance: tide, wind, and will made tangible. Ginhawa is how that substance is felt when it moves through a person cleanly: breath aligned, emotions unknotted, and the self no longer ânoisy.â
Thus, where aether is the current, ginhawa is the ease of sailing. A place heavy with grief, fear, or conflict is said to have âthick airâ (aether that drags). A place tended with care, ritual, rest, laughter, and honest meals has âlight airâ (aether that carries).
Here are some friendly faces you may encounter on your travels.
Keeper of a Sari-Sari Store ⢠Babaylan ⢠Civet
Tang keeps a small corner of commerce where the shelves are orderly, the gossip is not, and the customer is always correct (until proven otherwise) currently in Ul'dah. She sells staples and sweets, and (if one asks politely) charms so practical they become suspicious.
Tang is Sunny's sister!
Marginal note: If you leave with extra snacks you did not purchase, it is customary to say thank you anyway.
Footnote: As a babaylan, Tang offers blessings. When Tang says, âIt is only a little blessing,â do not attempt to haggle. The blessing will listen.
Tamawo ⢠Patron of mischief ⢠Unbothered witness of everything
Sunny appears as though she had always been there, and one is merely late in noticing. She favors the old lanes, the sweet smoke of incense, and the exact moment a person realizes they have been flirting with danger (or a bargain).
Sunny is Tang's sister!
Marginal note: Sunny may offer âhelp.â Accepting it is safe, but understanding it is optional.
Footnote: As a tamawo, she is a master of glamours. Remember when she had short blue hair?
Let's RP!
Hi! You can call me Tang, Sunny, or Lexa!
I operate in the EST timezone. Looking for comedy, whimsical, and/or slice-of-life RP!
While I'm 21+, I prefer that my RP is PG-13.
All art is done by me!
Discord: Lexa.us
Fighting game fan art saltamiya.com
Bsky: lexausart.bsky.social
My characters are inspired by Philippine mythologies, specifically Hiligaynon!
