Nomin tal Kheeriin :: Lapis of the Steppe

With such a wide experience of various tribes, what do you think is the thing that poses the most danger to the Xaela tribes in general?

angel_dlatu wrote:

With such a wide experience of various tribes, what do you think is the thing that poses the most danger to the Xaela tribes in general?

Nomin takes a moment. There is an answer already at her tongue, though she hesitates to speak freely. Instead, she remains silent, forming the words best to speak.

"Desire for power," Nomin finally says in response. "Though life on the Steppe necessitates a need for self-defense and keeping one's self safe, I've seen and heard of the insatiable lust and drive for power that seems to be a driving force for many. Of course, I have not been immune to such calls for power... A desire to best those who would rather have me under their thumb."

For a moment, Nomin's gaze grows distant.

"... It would be remiss of me to make it seem like all tribes are like this. There are, in fact, many tribes that are peaceful and merely wish to live their own lives. The one I would more proudly call 'mine' being one such tribe; the Sagahl," Nomin went on to elaborate. "But then there are tribes like the Jhungid and the Kharlu. Even the Adarkim. When you look at those three and know the reason they're so large, perhaps a shred of sympathy goes to those whose tribes were absorbed into them -- assimilated and made to comply."

What does Nomin do with herself when she's not saving the world from calamity every other day?

Ainyan wrote:

What does Nomin do with herself when she's not saving the world from calamity every other day?

Nomin chuckles softly.

"That's quite the generous amount of calamities," Nomin comments, an amused smile on her lips. "Ideally, I'd rather not be having to worry about that many."

Turning, Nomin motions to the collection of canvasses and paints that she has set up in a corner of her home. "This has been most of my focus lately. At least...when I'm not working on other aspects of the island when I'm here alone. Mamments not withstanding."

And it seemed the truth of it. Old smudges and stains of paint were evident on her hands and scales.

"I have a lot of time to myself these days..." Nomin seemed almost wistful of the fact. Shaking her head, she then continues. "Not that I mind too much. Estinien's never been one to stay in one spot for too long, and it's always exciting to see him -- or feel when he's here. Perks of my Echo, I suppose."

Walking to the sofa, Nomin takes a seat, humming in thought. She motions toward the tin of cookies on the table in offering before taking up one herself.

"Otherwise, when it's not painting, I've been in my greenhouse, taking care of seeds that Estinien's brought back from his travels. I just want to rest now that I feel like I can, and he's been enjoying seeing the different lands and places out there." She smiles, her tail curling happily. "He's always been considerate enough to find a vendor or trader to bring seeds back from. I dare not ask how much he spends on them, though."

Hi Nomin! Apologies if this is a little broad, but how did your relationship with Estinien develop? Was there a moment in particular where you knew that he was the person for you, or was it a more gradual thing? Any funny relationship stories?

TheDeerLord wrote:

Hi Nomin! Apologies if this is a little broad, but how did your relationship with Estinien develop? Was there a moment in particular where you knew that he was the person for you, or was it a more gradual thing? Any funny relationship stories?

A wry smile appears on Nomin's face as she recounts her history with Estinien.

"Had anyone told me that we would have found enough common ground and affection for one another years ago, I would have called them mad and perhaps chased them off away from me." Nomin lets out an amused scoff at the very least. "You see, when I had met him years ago, I was requested by Ywain to meet with Estinien's foster father and mentor, Ser Alberic Bale. After I was told of my assignment, and after I eventually found Estinien, our first meeting was not...ideal."

Nomin fought a frown.

"The people of Coerthas were not...a friendly sort. Not to me. Not to my kind. When I heard the stories of my kind -- my people -- and how they were slaughtered with prejudice, it made sense to me that he regarded me with disdain at the time before Hraesvelgr availed of us the history of man and Dravanian, and before Nidhogg's fall.

"That he saw me as the others of Coerthas and Ishgard saw me: a heretic..." Nomin taps her fingers against her thighs. "Not pleasant thoughts, mind, but...I think it's important to note. To know that there was significant enough development and change there that led to where we are now."

Sighing, Nomin brought a smile to her lips and sat back on the sofa.

"It was when I came back from the First and saw him again for me..." Nomin admitted. "I had so much time to stew on these fragmented memories of Estinien carrying me from the fires of Ghimlyt. When it was confirmed by Aymeric that Estinien was the one that saw me to safety...I knew not what to think. Especially since we...hm... You Eorzeans have a term for it... We 'buried the hatchet' and came to terms with one another as equals when we met one another again in the most unlikeliest of places: my homeland, the Azim Steppe.

"So...I was heavily plagued by those thoughts and feelings when I was on the First," Nomin went on to explain. "When I saw him again...I...I realized that we were two sides of the same coin. That if there was anyone out there who understood and I could feel a kinship with the most, it was him."

Nomin threw her hands up, rolling her eyes as she did. "Of course, neither of us were forward enough to admit anything until we were a night away from traversing to the edge of the universe. That's when everything came out."

She then lets out a soft laugh. "Though, I guess I wouldn't have it any other way. I feel if we were too distracted with one another in that fashion, perhaps we'd not have had the strength to do everything else before we were making these life or death decisions. Now that everything is so much less dire, I feel like we really have time to explore more of this...relationship between us."

Clearing her throat, Nomin then apologized: "I didn't mean to get so long-winded there. Just...there's definitely a lot there. So, as for funny stories..."

Nomin curls her knuckles under her chin, eyes flicking upward as her tail wiggled briefly in contemplation.

"Yes..." Nomin's expression turns to slight exasperation and amusement. "Estinien is...considerate, sure. Though still very much ignorant to my scale care needs. He found this scale oil in Thavnair one time. I thought it was something that was just to help, but it was more of a cosmetic thing. When I applied it, I didn't think much of it, but when it finally soaked in, it made my scales shine this fiery red. I think...understandably, I kind of panicked over this new development."

The corner of Nomin's mouth curled back into a sheepish smile. "I was touched by his consideration, lest anyone get me wrong. Though he quickly conceded that night that perhaps it would be best I get my own scale care ointments and oils."

(Her and Estinien are so cute ;A;  )

Parenthood being accidental, how did you handle the realization, and how did telling Estinien go over? Were you excited, scared? Mix-race children being relatively rare(?), have there been any unique challenges or joys to raising them?

what a troubled cutie-pie!!! i love au ra characters WAH

nomin! what do you think of other cultures' food compared to the steppe? is there anything you enjoy more than home's? something you won't even try because it's just too weird and different?

calico-heart wrote:

(Her and Estinien are so cute ;A;  )

Parenthood being accidental, how did you handle the realization, and how did telling Estinien go over? Were you excited, scared? Mix-race children being relatively rare(?), have there been any unique challenges or joys to raising them?

((Aaaaa skdjfsdf Thank you! 8 w 8 I do my best with them. I just want them to be happy a lot of the time. sdkfjsf))

For a moment, Nomin's smile turns wry as she thinks back to hers and Estinien's children. She then clears her throat and draws her hands together.

"I was actually quite...scared. Nervous, and not really sure what to think at the time..." Nomin admitted, her tail gently curling. "At first, I experienced symptoms similar, and I thought not much of it. The more it happened, however...I...I contacted Edmont since his house staff and chirurgeons had cared for me before. When I was told the news, I was in disbelief at first."

Nomin laughed slightly.

"I remember going, 'No...no, no, no. That can't be what's going on with me. Estinien and I can't,'" Nomin continued. "They assured me it was, and as time went on and I underwent my changes, I was extremely grateful to have had the Fortemps chirurgeons at my side while on the island."

With a sigh, Nomin sat back in her seat. "Telling Estinien went about as well as one could expect, I suppose. He was silent for a time. I remember the slight change in expression. Surprise. Of course he would be. Though he was very steeled, much as I knew he wanted to take a moment to leave, he didn't. He instead sat with me and said he'd do what he could. To summarize the interaction."

Nomin's expression softened.

"But, as soon as the girls were born, people that know him at a surface level and only slightly beyond would likely not believe me when I say that he would cradle and look at them as if they were the most precious things he had ever beheld." Nomin's tail curled again, that fond smile on her face as she recalled the days after the twins were born.

"As far as I know, my children -- and others like them -- are rather hard to come by. Four years went by before Estinien and I had our girls. The challenges that came with them were mostly internal between us. For both of us. We had concerns bringing them to Ishgard, knowing that even the era of peace between Ishgard and Dravanian did not scrub away the prejudices of those set in their ways. I had concerns bringing them to the Steppe, knowing my history with the Jhungid would mean their endangerment. Raising them on the island away from a lot of that was the choice we made. I still don't know if it was the correct one, but...they seem happy. That's all I can ask for."

Shaking her head, Nomin then apologized, "sorry, that's probably not the answer you were looking for. Um, hm... The challenges that Estinien and I had were wondering just how they would grow. I could teach them scale care and how to handle shedding, but they also had considerably less scales than I was used to. They have no tails, no horns... So I couldn't prepare them and tell them about how they would develop and grow. And...I think Estinien struggled a bit after we realized they each had bits of Nidhogg's essence, and so he did what he could to help them learn to control their emotions lest they get the better of them."

thefinalwitness wrote:

what a troubled cutie-pie!!! i love au ra characters WAH

nomin! what do you think of other cultures' food compared to the steppe? is there anything you enjoy more than home's? something you won't even try because it's just too weird and different?

((Au Ra are so very interesting to me. TT o TT Mostly the Steppe ones. I love them so much!))

Nomin's hand came up and cupped her chin in contemplation to the questions in their entirety.

"I mean...there are a LOT of dishes I've found outside the Steppe that have much more vegetables and fruit in it. I think the Sagahl would be elated to learn of this -- a lot of their diet was light because of how scarce some of the vegetables and fruits are pending where you migrate and travel," Nomin started. "So it's always amazing to me to see dishes rife with fruits and vegetables that aren't accompanied by meat of any kind."

Nomin then smiled.

"For food that I enjoy more than some stuff from home... Well, I like...cornbread. A lot," Nomin said in a sheepish fashion after a moment. She chuckled softly. "It's actually one of the first things I had when I came to Eorzea for the first time and was staying in Limsa Lominsa before traveling out in Gridania's direction to join the Carpenters' Guild."

Her tail flicked.

"It's good with butter, with cream, with jam... Or just on its own! I like the texture and underlying sweetness of it," Nomin went on. "But I've also discovered a lot of other sweets over time since being off the Steppe. My friend, Lorha, for example, introduced me to these little gelatin cubes called Ala Mhigan delights! I also really like peach cobbler, blueberry muffins, orange juice, lemon cookies... Oh! The pumpkin cookies from All Saints' Wake! Or Yuletide logs from Starlight Celebration!"

It was evident that Nomin was quite taken with more of the sweets she had been introduced to since traveling overseas.

"As for stuff I wouldn't try because it's too different from home?" Nomin's face twisted into deep thought as she considered the question. "That's...difficult, because a lot of people would sooner call the stuff I eat thanks to my time with the Sagahl too weird to eat. I'm not really all that picky because the Sagahl eat vilekin, and many people from Eorzea would sooner burn or discard vilekin meat than try to eat it. But...I tried Archon loaf once, and that was pretty awful. Lorha also introduced me to that. I don't think I ever want to eat it again. Same with liver. It's just too...grainy. Tastes okay, but the graininess of liver is kind of a hurdle I don't like dealing with."

What is the one most important lesson you've learned from each of your disciplines of war? I don't mean the best rule of that discipline, but rather, the lesson that applies best to life.

WanderersWay wrote:

What is the one most important lesson you've learned from each of your disciplines of war? I don't mean the best rule of that discipline, but rather, the lesson that applies best to life.

((Apologies for the delay. My spoons have been...very incredibly low the past couple of weeks. ; w ; ))

"Patience." The answer is immediate and clear as Nomin maintains attentive eye contact. She then draws her hands into her lap and then looks down at them as she touches the tips of her fingers together, gently steepling them. "My elder brother always spoke of how I needed to 'curb my impatience' when I was younger. He taught me how to use a bow, and how to keep my eye on my target. I...I mean, I had a number of teachers to guide me with archery at first, but my elder brother gave me some of the most valuable lessons."

A distant smile appears on Nomin's face as her tail curls with her thoughts.

"I think this lesson from my brother mingled quite well when I eventually met with X'rhun Tia and learned the art of the red mage," Nomin continued. "X'rhun saw a lot of my potential as someone who could wield aether, but was never properly taught. He sat me down and taught me about balance -- not only in the aetheric sense, but also to kind of keep myself...my sense of self balanced as well."

Nomin then lets out a low, drawn out sigh as she thinks about her other forms of combat that she had been taught. Her lips purse as her tail then flicks with some mild agitation. Whatever thoughts are tickling her mind are not too pleasant.

"I don't like admitting that there were too many lessons of note when it came to learning the art of the spear or unarmed combat..." Nomin starts. She then sneers slightly. "It seems disingenuous to claim the Jhungid had anything of merit to teach me, but...I must recognize that it is also incredibly petty to dismiss the lessons outright, no matter how much I may have hated my time among them."

Looking down at her knuckles, Nomin runs her opposite fingers over them, thinking on how best to word her thoughts.

"Patience...was the most important thing to keep in mind when I was there. I attribute the teaching most to my brother, as I've spoken of prior..." Nomin says, attempting to keep the agitation free from her tone. "But it was among the Jhungid that this practice was put into effect. I also managed to learn how to keep picking myself back up and know when a fight is beyond me. That's been an important lesson to keep in mind when it comes to myriad requests and tasks set upon me by others."