Vhas Amariyo - Ask Him Anything

Name: Vhas Amariyo
Apparent Age/Actual Age: Apparent 30, Actual ???
Occupation(s): Voidsent Hunter, Treasure Seeker, Fashion Designer, Socialite, Therapist, "Priest of Menphina" (as he's often the go-to guy for advice on love, sex, romance, and relationships in his friend circle)
Relationship Status: Open polyamorous marriage, dating
Strengths: Courageous, quick-witted, stoic, friendly, stubborn
Weaknesses: Terrible with numbers, self-sacrificing, reckless, exacting, stubborn
Favorite Food: Salmon meuniere
Vices: Sex, alcohol, the occasional mischief


While this post is Out Of Character, any questions asked will be answered In Character.

Hi Vhas! As a fashion designer, what would you say are the trademarks of your style? Or put more simply, what are your favorite kinds of things to design?

And secondly, what's the funniest piece of gossip you've heard as of late among your friends about their love lives? (if you're willing to share, that is!)

TheDeerLord wrote:

Hi Vhas! As a fashion designer, what would you say are the trademarks of your style? Or put more simply, what are your favorite kinds of things to design?

And secondly, what's the funniest piece of gossip you've heard as of late among your friends about their love lives? (if you're willing to share, that is!)

Vhas has a smile on his face and a blush on his cheeks that creeps up well into the insides of his ears as he shakes his head. "I picked up the needle back when I was trying to learn thaumaturgy, actually. I never felt like I had any real power, and it was only when I passed by the weaver's guild when I was younger that I saw a jacket that... I stopped and stared." He sighs wistfully at the memory. "I can clearly remember thinking, 'I bet I'd feel heroic in THAT' on more than one occasion, so I started sewing. My style became this... whole thing about presenting yourself the way you want to be seen. I think I might have gone through some three or four dozen slogans and never truly loving any of them, but the sentiment is there-- I want to empower people to be who they want to be, whether it's through formal clothing, casual clothing for every day life, things people wear to fancy venues, lingerie, whatever." He blushes a little deeper. "I had a long patch where lingerie was my big money-maker, given that some of the Ul'dahn nobility found out about my lacework. That was... that was an interesting period of my life. One that I'm somewhat glad is over-- I adore what I learned from the crafting, but there's some aspects of the business I'm better off without."

He shakes his head to clear it.

Then when asked if he's willing to share gossip, he gives a little huff. "I'm not willing to share, actually, thank you. Most of my friends come to me with genuine inquiries for advice, and I feel like it'd be in poor taste to lay out their proverbial dirty laundry. I'll throw myself to the wolves for your amusement all you want, but you can count on me to leave everyone else's business private."

It sounds like you've been pretty successful with fashion in the past; is that still the main way you make ends meet? Or is there another thing that's got your primary focus these days?

And I certainly respect your resolve to keep your friends' confidence, I certainly wouldn't want my friends airing any of my dirty secrets! That said, you did mention you being fair game, so... Any personal funny stories? Doesn't strictly have to be related to your love life, and it can be as vague as you want, just something humorous!

TheDeerLord wrote:

It sounds like you've been pretty successful with fashion in the past; is that still the main way you make ends meet? Or is there another thing that's got your primary focus these days?

And I certainly respect your resolve to keep your friends' confidence, I certainly wouldn't want my friends airing any of my dirty secrets! That said, you did mention you being fair game, so... Any personal funny stories? Doesn't strictly have to be related to your love life, and it can be as vague as you want, just something humorous!

Vhas shakes his head. "I got out of having a fashion studio when... ah, other things in my life sprang up. My biggest drive was working with my late father's studies, and they led to me having a... very..."

Vhas pauses, blinking, thinking heavily on how he wants to continue writing. "...intimate knowledge of the Void. My primary source of income is voidsent-slaying, actually. There's also the occasional treasure hunting, but mostly, the thing I keep most active with involves voidsent."

There's still that blush on his cheeks, but he clears his throat, and looks to the next question. His face goes a bit flat, but he can't help the tiny bit of a grin that plays at the left corner of his mouth, crooked and coy all the while. "As for funny stories of my own, well. My wife and I enjoy a rather... healthy sex life, and one time when I heard her singing in the kitchen, I thought to come down wearing naught a stitch to surprise her. It wasn't until I rounded the corner, in full plain view, that I realized she had guests who were just listening to her sing." He shook his head and laughed, hiding his mouth.

"Let's leave it at that."

Speaking of your wife, what city or region did the two of you pick for your home, and why did you choose it?

OrionAllthoughts wrote:

Speaking of your wife, what city or region did the two of you pick for your home, and why did you choose it?

"The Goblet." Vhas responds simply, grinning. "Because it was the first place we were fortunate enough to win the housing lottery in. We also tried to get a place in the Mist, as we're both fond of the beach, but we never really had much luck with it. It was either the Mists for the beach-- and the seafood-- or the Goblet because of its proximity to Ul'dah, and my fondness for the city. No fancy reason beyond that. Shuri was simply happy to see me become a homeowner. I let her have a lot of control over the decorating of the house, after all."

Hi there, Vhas! I see that you're a treasure seeker. Is there anything out there that you have your sights and hopes set on? Is there anything amazing that you've already found and would like to share the story of in finding it?

PaintedScales wrote:

Hi there, Vhas! I see that you're a treasure seeker. Is there anything out there that you have your sights and hopes set on? Is there anything amazing that you've already found and would like to share the story of in finding it?

Vhas clicks his tongue and finds that he struggles to make eye contact for just a moment. "Admittedly, the treasure seeking bit is seldom for keeping the items in question. I took it up as a secondary form of income when I wasn't able to make clothing as often as I used to, and voidsent hunting? Voidsent hunting does not pay well at all. I only do it because I've been trained in a specific set of skills that aren't common amongst the populace... and I wouldn't want them be to be forced into learning it."

He shrugs softly. "It's not that I'm completely heartless about the treasure seeking, really. The adventure is what I care about most. The trip. The research and the anticipation of wondering if I've found something no one else has. Someone else can pay me for the item, but they didn't live to get it. I'm not getting paid for artifacts, I'm getting paid to live."

Just how much difficulty does being bad with numbers cause you on a daily/regular basis?

angel_dlatu wrote:

Just how much difficulty does being bad with numbers cause you on a daily/regular basis?

The deep, strained sigh that leaves Vhas' throat likely speaks much, given how his hands come up to rub his temples.

"It's actually why I closed the doors on my fashion studio, back when I had it." He said, a bit of a grumble in his tone. "There was a lot of math involved in profit and loss, in paying employees and buying materials and knowing how much to charge. Back when it was just me, I had good moons and I had very bad moons where I suffered losses, and it made the early business volatile. I hired people to help me with the numbers, and Twelve bless and help them, they tried to teach me tricks with numbers, but it just never stuck. Anything involving larger numbers means I need an abacus." He takes a breath, but then it's interrupted by another thought. "And taking measurements! I had to repeat the numbers to myself after every measurement until I wrote it down, lest I forget it."

He grunts again, and it's an undignified, annoyed sound. "Even so, after that... it gets in the way of some of the things I would pick up as a hobby. I love cooking, but I hate baking. Baking is an exact science, but cooking on a stovetop or over a fire, I can just... prod and taste and season and play. Many of the games I feel like I'd enjoy in the Gold Saucer give me pause and I have to spend much more time with every step-- Triple Triad? One would think I'd be able to easily judge if one number is higher than another, but I'm commonly running out of time. Doman Mahjong? I enjoy the game, but I feel like I'd do so much better if I could more easily just... count the tiles and have an internal idea of what the chances of something coming up are."

"The difficulties are a source of constant stress for me, though I do my best to avoid showing it."

(( OOC note from the author: I've had a practice, since way back in the World of Warcraft roleplay days, during character creation where I pointedly make a character bad at something I am ordinarily very good at. Vhas was unfortunate enough to be bad at numbers when I'm typically incredibly comfortable with them. Numbers make Jason math brain go brr. I gave Vhas bad number skills because I wanted to test myself and make him more difficult to write for, in order to challenge myself and work my creativity. I spent a few days forcing myself to use a virtual abacus to try and emulate how he'd have to do business, and I found it... frustrating, and trying to force myself into the view of someone who lacks quick number abilities has been an enlightening challenge. ))

What's the farthest place from home you've gone to? Did you like it?

Skaar wrote:

What's the farthest place from home you've gone to? Did you like it?

Vhas gives a little hum. "I got on a boat and traveled the many days' travel to get to Doma. To Kugane. I spent a few moons there learning the culture and learning the crafting there, so I actually was very fond. While I was in the area, I also visited the Azim Steppe, intent on learning a bit more about the land that my dear wife hears calling to her blood."

He laughs, shaking his head. "While I was there, I had attracted the attention of one particularly boisterous Dotharli woman who challenged me to a duel. Repeatedly. And she lost every single one. She decided I was a valid, worthy bit of company, and I learned how the Dotharli treat and celebrate worthy fighters. Despite how many bruises and cuts I suffered during the night, I can say the whole trip was absolutely, entirely worth it."

(( OOC note from the author: Vhas is lying. He's actually spent significant time in the First, but doesn't talk about it because he doesn't like talking about traveling between the Shards, nor does he like the thought of being the one to introduce such travel to people. He loves the First. ))