Starling

Profile

He lies about basically everything here. Don't be surprised if he says something that this page says is wrong.
As this is basically identical to the WoL profile, for those reading both, differences are noted in blue

Main

Name: Hoshi Shimazaki
Alias: "Starling", Other fake/temporary identities. Non-specific; usually steals them.
Gender: Genderfluid (heavily male leaning)
Age: Early-Mid 30s
Race: Shapeshifter. Born Hyur-Midlander, now normally Viqo'te, but sometimes changes for fun.
Height: 165cm (5'5")
Class: BLU*, BLMBirthplace: Ul'dah, Thanalan
Family:
> Father: [Remiel Singer] Status: Alive
> Mother: [Sayuri Shimazaki] Status: In the voidResidence: Ishgard currently, but is never really home. Changes residence frequently.
Occupation: Criminal. Legally registered as a Gleaner in Sharlayan.Relationship Status: Single
Orientation: Ambiamorous HomosexualMBTI: ENTP
Major Tarot: Devil
Moral Alignment: Chaotic Evil

*Not rly BLU magic but its the closest in-game equivalent? He is a shapeshifter so this is more like being a Druid. Just transforming.

Traits

Positive

Resourceful: Capable of getting out of almost any situation, if he wants to get out of it. He is more than smart enough and has quite a lot to use at his disposal. Unfortunately, he has a tendency to let things play out and get worse for amusement.Inquisitive: Really enjoys learning; which is part of the reason he visits Sharlayan so often. He is intrigued by anything strange or unknown, and when he finds interest in something, he tries to learn all he can about it.
Unsurprisingly, this has led him to smuggling several books and writings from the Sharlayan libraries.Other Positive Traits: Playful, Energetic, Intelligent, Observant, Attentive, Adventurous

Negative

Compulsive Liar: Spouts lies out the wazoo. Frequently enough that when he says the truth people are still likely to think that it’s a lie.
Luckily with him, money buys truth. If you pop your purse, you’re sure to be getting good info.
He also tends towards truths if he thinks the recipient will take it hard or it will cause drama.Shit Starter: Purposely causes conflict; usually in an off-handed way that doesn’t pin the blame on himself… but sometimes literally just causes problems outright.Antagonistic: Similar to above, he likes to oppose people (in opinions or otherwise) just for the sake of starting shit. If he is in the room, he will never let a decision go unanimously, even if the majority is on the side he personally agrees with. (Though in those cases, he'll give in once he's had his fun)Other Negative Traits: Attention-seeking, Impulsive, Selfish, Unsympathetic, Reckless

Innate Abilities

Shifting:
Even Hoshi himself is unsure how he got the ability, but believes it's likely a product of his father's experiments on him with various types of dark arts, magics and consumption of many things forbidden.Whatever the case, as a result, he is able to change forms to that of most living or life-like beings. He is also able to heal the large majority of injuries quite quickly.Eidetic Memory:
Hoshi is able to recall, with decent detail and clarity, almost anything he hears and sees. It is because of this that he's able to retain all the information that is shared with him within his company.

Learned Skills

Alchemy:
His only real trade skill. He's not able to make too many things but what he does know, he's very good at. His specific specialty is explosives and poisons.Taxonomy:
Despite their bad history, Hoshi learned many things in this respect from his father and also from his side work as a Gleaner. Similarly to his father, his expertise is in more unusual creatures such as chimeras and voidsent.Black Magic: Also due to influence from his father, Hoshi does have a decent amount of

Shapeshifting Notes

Hoshi can shapeshift into any living or life-like entity, including individual parts or mixes of parts; mimicking them near perfectly, at least in appearance.
This includes beings like some voidsent or sineaters which are not technically 'alive' but can closely resemble living beings or parts of them.He cannot imitate any non-corporeal or pure aetheric being, (such as elementals), forgekin, soulkin or any other being made of non-living material (or he can, but he would still be made of organic/living tissue and probably look and feel weird).He is able to understand and speak to the majority of bloodborn creatures when shifted into something of a similar family.Though he can imitate many things in appearance near perfectly, Hoshi rarely takes the effort to act the part. If he's caught, it's usually for that reason.Though equal in physical power, he is constitutionally quite fragile compared to the real beings he shifts into. As his usual, no matter the form, he is abnormally susceptible to damage and illness (status effects).He is also still rather weak at any aether-based (magical) abilities as this also does not change no matter what his form.Because of this, he is also able to heal the large majority of wounds and can regrow lost body parts and rarely scars. He can usually only sustain permanent damage by magical means.A lot of the time, the way Hoshi shapeshifts is like a bodyhorror nightmare; though admittedly he does play it up for the intimidation factor too. He can shift in a less terrifying way, but he just likes to terrorize people.A decent comparison is the werewolf fight scene from Love Death and Robots. (Warning for gore, body horror, nudity).

Notable Behaviours and Habits

Nicknames people or calls them by whatever would be considered informal/intimate/rude by their race/culture if applicable (i.e: called G'raha "Raha" or "cat boy" when they first met).
He does stop sometimes if he starts to like the person but usually it just changes from "Nickname"(derogatory) to "Nickname"(affectionate) unless asked otherwise.Extremely forward/flirty and touchy-feely. He likes to hold hands and link arms and hug n kiss n stuff, even with those he's just friends with.Sleeps around a lot. Very often just for the attention and sometimes as a coping mechanism for having feelings. Also just enjoys it? Very, very, extremely casual with sex.Danger and thrill-seeking to an extreme. Wll go out of his way to put himself in dangerous situations with dangerous people.Views himself as inhuman and often talks as such. Due to his abilities, his actions, and especially the influence from his family, he doesn't see himself as a 'proper person' and views himself basically as a monster.Hoshi will push other people's boundaries physically and mentally if he feels like it and, though he will back off for a while when scolded, he will continue to do repeatedly.
There are ways to make him behave that are mentioned in his bio; guaranteed to work, albeit temporarily.He does restrain himself from flirting with business partners who are obviously not interested. For those who are interested, though, he's probably known to have a couple "Business Associates with Benefits" (regardless how bad a decision that is lol)

Other Info

Constitutionally fragile. He can heal almost any injury, but his defense is very little, health is very small and it depletes very quickly. He wills himself through basically any injuries as he can just repair himself afterwards, but if hit hard enough, it's very easy to knock him down and out in hit or two.
He's a glass canon in battle basically.Can and will eat people as a threat when shapeshifting in fight.Willing to commit crime for cake. Like literally. He's addicted to sweets but Especially Cake. Easiest way to make him shut up and listen or behave for a while is to give him something sweet.Monster lover and fucker sorry. Not for a super horny reason, though (surprisingly).
Basically, he views himself as more monstrous than anything out there, so his view is that if he doesn't see said other monsters as loveable or love-capable, then he shouldn't be either. So tl:dr: monsters can love too.

Known History

Warnings for mentions of:
trafficking, child neglect/abuse, live experimentation, murder

Family

This will be updated occasionally as more info comes to light. Information here is fact that could be gleaned from the public if someone were to ask around about them. As it is public-gathered info, events may not be completely accurate, but from an outsider's perspective, are true.
More about him can be learned through interaction or you can ask me directly about it too!

in casual note form to be made into real words at some pointHoshi's family is unfortunately very important to understanding him so heres the long disaster of them.Hoshi's father was a Sharlayan taxonomist and researcher. He was tasked with studying existing creatures, of course, but he had a strong interest in stranger entities such as chimeras and especially voidsent.
In his younger years he had met a succubus that killed his family and instead of being terrified or something normal he was like oh shit that was so Sexy. And anyway he lived and now he's obsessed with the void and the prospect of turning people into voidsent.In his time as a researcher he did some really fucked up stuff like summon voidsent, use black magic and live experiment on people trying to turn them into voidsent.Well, he was caught and got exiled from Sharlayan forever bc what the fuck?Not learning at all, to facilitate continuing his shit, he became a criminal, doing largely trafficking to try to continue being awful (he did).At some point, he was sold a Hingan escort who had become pregnant and was no longer wanted by her bosses. He fell in love with her bc they are both freaks and they were married on a whim.
She had her child who is Hoshi.They were obviously bad parents; father obsessed only with his wife, and the mother obsessed only with herself. Hoshi was kept in the house and largely neglected and, even worse, was subject to his fathers various experimentations, which eventually led to accidentally awakening/creating his shifting abilities; though he never used them at this point.After some odd years his parents (mother mostly) were like "actually I don't want a kid" and literally sold him to some Lord. He stayed there for some time, but after being subjected to some Awful Shit, he went quite literally fucking feral and killed his Lord and owner and escaped that place.Unfortunately, against whatever judgement, he went back to his family who were like omg you can shapeshift now? and you committed a murder? What a good crime son! :)And being still of fairly young age and also aggressively attention-hungry, Hoshi was like 'Ok if u like that I can do More'And they did let him do more. He basically did whatever they asked which included everything from theft, murder, adultery, blackmail, etc.Skip forward a lot of years, well eventually he realized his family is shit and somewhat estranged himself from them. He still stayed in the business largely because he's in the 'like what the hell else would I do lmao?' mindset but shifted the own focus of his end of the business to information bartering.Well, at this time his mother, being the narcissistic megalomaniac she is, decided 'Hmm I want to live forever wouldn't that be really neat' and his father being the weirdo he is was like Oh shit I know exactly what to do babe. Which was obviously turn her into a voidsent.And she was like Hmmm Actually that's fine lets do that.
And so Hoshi's mom became a voidsent and he was like What? Excuse me that's actually really fucked up?? And went back to commit attempted matricide but it didn't really work. So anyway his mom is in the void now.Of course, his father didn't like that so now they're extra estranged but also he's like its fine I can just summon her back again and Hoshi's like Well Don't. And so far he hasn't.But wait there's more.
Some time later Hoshi met someone (details unknown and to never be decided probably) who he got along with very well. They became quite close and were good friends and and Hoshi was very fond of them.
Well, his father got wind of this and being the awful person he is basically put a hit out on them ¯(ツ)/¯Hoshi did find out but it was too late so they were killed before he could do anything about it. Their appearance is similar to the one he uses now.Life decision time!This is the time where Hoshi makes the choice between wanting to have some good ol' revenge or not. This entirely decides whether or not he becomes the WoLIf not, he just continues being a criminal and is even more terrible than before (this verse)If he decides to have some excellent revenge, so starts the FFXIV questline. (WoL verse)

Goods & Trade Faction:
Singer's House

The larger and main faction of the Singer company, founded and based just outside Ul'dah (around the Coffer&Coffin area) in a motel known as the Singer's House. It is owned and operated by Hoshi's father who goes only by the pseudonym "Mr. Singer".This leg of the company focuses on the trade of various goods; some small amount in legal goods, but largely in illegal trade: namely spices, herbs and plants, poaching, and especially in the trafficking of persons of spoken races. It actually does run as a motel as well.Hoshi himself tries deal with this end of the business as little as possible (largely due to bad blood in the family), but may be willing to take the occasional request depending on what it is (and for an extra fee).

Service Faction:
Starling's Services

Another large leg of the Singer group, owned by Hoshi under the pseudonym "Starling" and co-operated by him and several associates.Starling's specializes in the selling and trade of information, and does not discriminate against who they may buy from or sell to; being just as willing to deal with citizens, criminals or law enforcement of any place (though they most commonly deal with criminals for obvious reasons).
Due to this, they have clients and informants in all reaches of Eorzea; if you know where to look, one is likely close at hand.Pricing of information is dependent on how many people currently know of it and how much damage it would cause to the persons involved (physically, mentally, reputationally) if the information were leaked.To be noted: though one can pay to receive information, they cannot pay for information to not be shared; once they have your information, it's there forever. He will willingly sell anyone's information if paid enough; including friends, family, and even his own. The prices for those important to him are usually very high, though.Starling's also deals in the sale of expert services for illegal means: such as the hiring for assassins, courtesans, alchemists, doctors, etc. who are willing to be or are already involved in more seedy activities. They are always looking for and welcoming those wanting to be part of their network.Hoshi also owns a building by the name Starling's which runs as a cafe in the day time with an underground bar/nightclub at night.

Hooks

Tier 1
strangers and citizens

Stranger Danger:
Hoshi loves causing chaos and pulling pranks on the unsuspecting public. However, he is not always the most discreet at it (sometimes on purpose).
Will you be a victim to his pranks? Stop him before he can pull it off? Or will you join in the fun?An Unwelcome Visitor:
Do you enjoy strangers coming up to you and starting a conversation out of the blue? Do you like people who just never, ever stop talking?
Well, do I have some news for you: Hoshi loves doing exactly that. More so for the fun of being a nuisance than to make actual friends, he tends to bother people that look like they don't want to be bothered. Whether or not this is true is up to you!Thrill Seeker:
As per his chaotic nature, Hoshi gets bored of tedium incredibly quickly. And what better way to stave off boredom than with a little danger adventure!
Though it's usually not hard to just find adventurers in need of company, he's certainly not past hiring people to go on dangerous missions with him just for the fun of it.Sweetie Pie:
Do you know how to make sweets or bake? Do you love money? Hoshi is always looking for people to provide him with something sweet and tasty on the regular.
He is very, very friendly with those who make his favorite treats and is known to give shops and independent cooks alike outrageously large tips.A Familiar Face:
Hoshi often uses his abilities to change faces while doing his dirty work and he doesn't discriminate on whose he uses; could be another criminal, or just a hapless, unfortunate citizen.
See someone you know acting strange or out of character? Being suspicious? Doing literal crime? Might be time to confront them.

Tier 2
Starling's Services

Penny for Your Thoughts?:
Whatever side of the law you are on, everyone needs information, and information he has.
Want to know if your neighbour's wife is cheating? The state of the local gang leader? If someone is digging dirt up on you?
Whether you need only the cafe-side rumors or the whispers from the gangs or the black market; Starling and associates can turn up whatever information you need for the right price or for a trade.Behind Closed Doors:
If you're looking to hire someone for some not-so-legal services, Hoshi may be the right person for you. And, even if he isn't, with a wide range of associates; everything from escorts to thieves to assassins, he certainly knows someone who is.Starling's Specialty:
Hoshi is more than willing to use his abilities for his dirty work. Want someone framed for a crime? Need something stolen under the nose of several guards? If you're willing to pay, look no further.

Tier 3
Within the Web

Expert Hire:
Hoshi outsources to others for jobs requiring a higher level of expertise. So if you are able to prove your worth and swear your secrecy, he'll certainly include you in his network if you ask.Protection Detail:
Though it's debatable whether or not he really needs it, Hoshi sometimes hires bodyguards when going into areas where he's particularly unwelcome. Sure, he can probably protect himself, but he'd honestly rather spend the money than the effort.

• Looking for
• Character Hub

ACTIVE HOURS (PST):
Available for OOC chat pretty much any time via discord (kayamishi#8325)
Please let me know why you're DMing me, or I'll Probably assume you're a bot and ignore it.IGN: Hoshi Shimazaki
Tues-Sat: Sporadically, late night to early-mid morning. AFK and/or crafting during work hours (12am-7am)
Sun, Mon: Most of the day, Mostly early morning and evening-nights

Preferences

At least 21+: For both RP partners and muses as Hoshi is very flirty. 25+ is preferred.Established Characters: Please have a carrd or some info handy on your character! I do like to know a bit about them, even if it's for straight ERP. If you can't/don't provide anything, I may be hesitant to agree.Para or Multi-para RP: but I usually match and not too picky with length so long as there's something to work with.Discord > In Game: Still new to IG rp but I might take walk-ups once in a while. Will have tag up if accepting but still vastly prefer Discord.Individual or Small Groups: I usually do 1-on-1 RPs, but not against rping in groups of 3 to 4 so long as it's organized.Communicate: If you are busy and can't reply for several days, let me know. I do give a reminder or two after around 3-7 days as I know things can be hectic and people forget, but if I don't get any response (OOC or RP reply) I will assume you're no longer interested.That said, if you ever do decide to pick up the RP again, no matter how long it's been waiting, feel free to just reply or let me know. I have no qualms with picking old RPs back up.Dice-roll?: Preferred but not required for combat. I like the fun of chance wins but feel free to discuss winner beforehand too.

Important Notes

As always, IC =/= OOC. His beliefs are not necessarily my own nor does his relationship with any character reflect my relationship with the writer.I enjoy all genres of RP but especially mature themes (including ERP and other forms of NSFW)I don't mind lore bending/breaking so long as it has some believability within the realm of the game and I'm made aware of it beforehand.OOC communication is important. Especially as I'm playing a character who tries to make others uncomfortable on purpose. If anything he does makes you, as an rper, uncomfortable please let me know.Hoshi is a very chaotic and unpredictable muse. Don't be surprised if I thought something was going to happen and he does something completely out of whack. Please be prepared for some level of unpredictability.

Looking For

- Criminals and Law-breakers
- Business Associates, Partners, Informants and Clients
- Friendships, enemies, rivals, etc
- Pre-established relationships (discussed OOC first)
- Mix of themes
- Other characters with the Echo
if you want romantic themes, please see the cursed wall of text at the bottom.

May be open to
(discuss OOC first)

- Dark plots involving anything temporary are usually fine (imprisonment, incapacitation)
- Any severity of injury is fine, even extreme (amputation, decapitation, etc) since he can regrow basically anything, but I would like to be warned/told before it happens.
- ERP if it's discussed
- Other AUs

Not looking for

- minor/child characters
- ERP without at least some reasaon/plot

??Romance??

(This is it's own section because Hoshi is a mixed-signals disaster on purpose. Basically this is his stance on relationships, etc.)

- Flirting/sex =/= romance. 99% of the time he is doing this to get something out of it and it's probably not love or romance (though it may just be attention).- Being 'in a relationship' and 'having feelings' are separate things. Hoshi believes that relationships can stand on any kind of mutual benefit and that 'feelings' do not have to be involved.- Dating Hoshi does not make one immune to having their information sold; though it does raise the price.- He will tell the truth if asked directly by the person if he has feelings for/is in love with them. This answer will pretty much always be "No" unless we've discussed beforehand.
If someone asks about his feelings for someone else, he will generally lie or give a vague answer.- If your character asks directly asks if they are 'dating', Hoshi will likely say yes, even if he doesn't have feelings for them.- If you have any other questions, are unsure of your muse's relationship with him, or have any other confusion, please feel free to ask! Communication is key!