Crescens Kasim
The true final boss... of the Gold Saucer card square. A rumor hunting, perpetually wandering, passable conjurer with a card shark smile.Owns a small bookshop\tavern in Limsa Lominsa themed after Eorzea's cutest creature - TONBERRIES!So, do you want to play a game of cards?
There's a little more to life than cards...
> Crescens Kasim is a card shark:Employed by the Manderville Gold Saucer, Crescens is a member of the card square royalty group as the Ace of Emeralds. She’s their wandering challenge who travels the star. Those who dare to seek her out have to at least have beaten King Elmer to learn about her and her possible current whereabouts.Her purpose in the wild is two-fold: expand the reach of the Gold Saucer and her collection. Her travels are based on card sighting rumors or events where cards could be created.-------> A wayward, wandering wunderkind:Her personality is mostly snark, teasing, and cleverness. She's a little too perceptive for her own good thanks to gambling for a living. Certain topics will turn her into an animated, passionate explosion of excitability.All of her points are in card playing though, so she is pretty dense in almost every other area!-------> No Family. No debts. No problems:She takes care of those around her because she wants to. Both as a representative of the Gold Saucer and an overly doting person.But also because she doesn't want to owe anyone anything. Independent to a fault and over eager to a detriment, her quirks are dictated by a less-than-ideal upbringing lost in the sea of refugee orphans caused by fall of Ala Mhigo. And she won't talk about why.It did not stop her from somehow luckily finding family with two big brothers or her bodyguard-turned-lover.-------> A reluctant tool of the Elementals:Before becoming card royalty, Crescens was brought to Gridania after being identified with 'hearer' conjury abilities. It was a subject she had little interest in until she found out how she could use it to seek out more cards.While "attending" lessons, she expanded her deck by weaseling her way into adventurer groups who needed a healer. The more dangerous the place, the more likely a card could be involved. And she was just good enough to keep up with them.Feeling indebted to Gridania, Crescens joined the Twin Adders during their time of need. She saw Dalamud at Carteneau, gained a lichtenberg scar on her back, and considered the debt repaid just for surviving.-------> A captor of cards. A card captor?:She currently divides her time between seeking out card rumors, helping those close to her, finding dangerous adventuring groups, and playing challengers. While she doesn't own a home per say, she shares one above the Hole in the Wall bar in Limsa Lominsa.Rather than using a stave or staff to wield her conjury, Crescens uses a star globe and is able to perform Astrologian-like actions using Triple Triad cards. But sure, they're JUST playing cards!-------> Accidentally Imprinted Amethyst:Experimenting with her mostly untrained abilities resulted in a temporary soul entanglement with a particularly Ancient card. Due to the time they were stuck, she now has permanent lavender streaks in her hair, a more carefree outlook, and a wicked accuracy with a bow.
Extra Rules
Will not go into Ul'dah's surrounding refugee camps. Does not like sand in general but will tolerate it
Very peculiar about food and drink flavors. She cannot handle almost any spice level
Will not let others pay for her or accept 'free' things for anything unless distracted or as an exchange
Has a photographic recall which she basically only uses for cards
Has a frighteningly high tolerance for alcohol despite her size
She's loaded gil-wise. The Gold Saucer pays for all travel expenses AND gives her a generous salary
They are memories imprinted upon our Star, scions and sinners alike."
(Or how I've tried to justify FFXIV's Triple Triad in my head...)Most people on Ethierys assume the Gold Saucer manufactures the playing cards. There are cards that fall into this category, but not all. In truth, they only developed a way to monetize and expand the game via rules, gambling, and tournaments.Triple Triad cards randomly appear all over the Star; in dangerous places, after difficult encounters, and in the aftermath of history. They can contain images before, during, or beyond our current time. Some even host information not known to the Sharlayan Forum.Crescens found the Tonberry King card, after having to defeat him, within the Wandering Palace. She believes the Star itself creates the cards when something of great importance takes place or a story ends.How do so many people have duplicate cards then?Card owners can duplicate their own card anytime they wish. In this way, the tale of the card is spread throughout the star like a copied book. The Gold Saucer charges MGP for theirs while many players will require you beat them in a game first.Except for the EX series. The Gold Saucer created those to give a heightened sense of rarity. It is unknown whether the subjects of those cards existed.Other helpful elements are features for travelers. The cards can create a 'temporary magic board' when playing on the go. Also, most collectors have a 'deck box' which allows them to us any card they've found without having to carry around hundredsIt's still just a card game though... right?It is! However, some people might be able to perceive a possible aetheric signature beneath the surface, locked behind an impenetrable seal...
This is where it gets weird...
Crescens's connection to Triple Triad runs deeper.The cards' creation matrix is connected to an 'algorithm' within the aetherial sea, put there not by Hydaelyn but a long since-sundered Ancient named Hecate......whom Crescens is the current Source shard of.This version of an echo enables access to the memories in the cards, allowing her to materialize a portion of the power within herself. It is similar to a job stone - of a very specific entity - with transformative aspects and unique abilities.Not every card can do this. Others can be utilized to bestow relevant boons upon her allies instead.There are sparse records of an Allagan summoner who was also able to utilize this in a different manner.Crescens doesn't have the aetheric density or knowledge in general to make proper use of this other than in a very limited fashion... for now.
"No really, do you want a play a game?"
Will accept ANY Triple Triad challengeNon-IC: Any rules, any place (housing play requires a board), any time. DM first please!IC Gold Saucer Challenge: Your character has earned earned the right to challenge her from the Gold Saucer. Regional rules. Any time. Special prizes upon wins :)IC Free Play: Will always play for fun or will teach your character for the love of the game.(Note: I cannot accept dice rolls as a substitute IC, but I love to help others build their decks and will help card hunt! If you do not have a robust deck and still want to try, I will accept Reverse rule play)