FLOWERBED ❁ APPLICATION

[threadspun]

Player information
Name: Melly.
Contact: onetouchdonnie (PLAYER JOURNAL) | CONTACT (JOURNAL)
Are you 18 or over? Yes.
Other characters played: N/A. Previously Clara Seville (warmheartedly)


to the waters and the wild.

Character information

Name: 'Mrs. Lillian Lotus' (Current alias.) / Xiuying Jiang. (True Name, in the English order.)

Age: 110s.

Date of Birth: Roughly at the beginning of the 1900s.

Canon: Original.

Species: Fae.

Role:

Her loyalties will always lie with the Seelie Court and she is typical for a fae that hails from there. She's bound to honour any debts and promises she has made and expects people to repay her when she calls for hers. She loves beauty and the arts, her appreciation coming in the form of fashion thanks to the ever changing scene when traveling the countries.

Usually, she does her best to stay neutral in any political affairs. Both out of her self-preservation and for the fact she was never really interested in politics. Why should she be when she could go the latest fashion shows and see what are the latest trends in wear? But after her experience at the hands of Daybreak Witches, she will be against them in general and now be active in trying to protect other fae from what she had been through. Both Seelie and Unseelie since no one deserves that.

Rank: Level 1-2 but honestly? Whichever will allow her to do her abilities listed below.

Background:

After midnight came to 1899 and 1900 was ushered in, the then young Jiang Xiuying was immediately taught that beauty and arts were to be her everything. Her 'parents', for the lack of a better word with the fae, were avid collectors when it came to human works - Paintings, sculptures, and jeweled pieces. They had it all and then some. Part genuine appreciation of the skills and efforts it took to create them, part greed with how beautiful they were and wishing to keep it for themselves. They tried to instill this same interest in Xiuying since they prided themselves in being collectors of gorgeous works but it never quite clicked for her. For Xiyuing, her interests in humans did not really stick until she came with her parents to Paris in the 1910s and she saw the gorgeous trains the women flaunted, the elegant suits the men sported. It's there that she fell in love with something at last - Fashion. She would spend the next century going in and out of fashion schools, tailor shops, and dress boutiques under different aliases and identities. All in order to know more about the ever-changing styles of the world to hone her skills with the thread, needle, sewing machine, and more. She later took up and stuck with the name 'Lillian Lotus' as a whim. She briefly married a human in 1950s having genuinely fallen head over heels with him - his gentle nature and his command with the scissors charming her. Sadly she had to leave the poor man when it became apparent she was not aging after ten years together, leaving him heartbroken. Out of affection she still feels for him to this day, she keeps the suffix 'Mrs.' to her name. Moving to the Mortal Realm, London to be exact, in 2005, she soon opened Pins and Needles. It soon became a hit with London's fashionistas thanks to her century of experience and education. (Though her affinity with cloth does come in handy from time to time.) It wasn't just a place to shop too. Seelies, even outcasts, can go there if they wish to find a quiet hide away from the humans. Be they outsiders or nobles, questionable and dignified, all were welcomed in her store. Allowed in for a cup of tea and a chance for decent conversation, she always did her best to be welcoming yet regal when taking people into her exclusive little shop. While the ever-shifting politics did worry her, Lillian brushed it off at first and minded her own business. She was a fae, an individual who was powerful enough to look after herself and she resided in a territory that was to be a safe haven. But, to be on the safe side, she decided maybe taking a vacation from London and heading back home was a good idea. But on the day she was going to leave, she found herself being summoned away from her shop and being taken into a nightmare.

Personality:

Lillian, known to most people as 'Mrs. Lotus' these days, is an interesting woman when you get to know her better. Under the veneer of a sophisticated and apparently aloof woman who cares for clothes more then others, there is a warmth and passion for those she cares for and adores to no end. She loves, she cries, and she believes that's the most important thing for anyone: Being able to feel and to express their feelings, especially for others they care for. It may make her look 'weak' or 'odd' to other fae who like to carry their cards to their chest but it is a philosophy she's stuck to after falling in love with a human who made her laugh more than she's had in decades. Perhaps that's why she's more inclined to live in the Mortal Realm than the Courts, enjoying the honesty and the expressiveness of the other folks show. Typical for what one expects of a fae from the Seelie Court, she adores art and beauty and will see to it that she fulfils her end of a bargain or a promise. She takes great pride in being known as an honourable individual and strives to be it for herself, nothing more. When speaking to Lillian for the first time, most people are often struck by how warm she is. She's a woman of little words yet she can be witty and cheerful in her own reserved way. She's clearly affable and charming, not at all the arrogant and haughty woman people sometime think she is because of her reservation and the fact she is a Seelie. She can be a friendly and caring individual, loyal and charitable to those she loves if they can impress her - Making her anger a fearsome thing to behold if someone betrays her trust or tries to break a deal with her, unwilling to be made a fool or let someone humiliate her thanks to the pride she carries. Just because she's kind doesn't mean she's one someone can push around or hurt without fear of consequences. Lillian will fight for herself and for others, the latter proving to be a great motivator when she's fighting tooth and nail for not just her own sake but those who are depending on her. She will see them through.

Powers & Possessions:

Like any fae, Lillian's strengths falls not into her physical capability but, rather, her magical capacity. She can sense the supernatural and the magical thanks to her senses, able to discern things simple as spirits to magic of any kind. She can also recognise other types of magical creatures which has proven useful in the past when vetting customers or passerby in earlier times. She has the ability to move between realms at will, creating or closing other doors from her home as she pleases. A useful skill to have when she's often traveling back and forth the Realms during the months of Summer and Winter. (She can even trap people in the Other Realm too. If she felt particularly vindictive to the individual or individuals in question.) Due to being a Seelie who prides herself on her looks and charms, she can cause normal humans have a tendency to fall into a dreamlike state around her if she wills it, causing them to feel a sleepy sense of peace whenever around her. Powerful witches and other strong magical creatures - in terms of mechanics, meaning those who are +1 magic above her own magic level - can resist or ignore this altogether. Perhaps her greatest strength is perhaps in the ability to cast her magic into items. In her case, cloth thanks to her focus and passion of fashion. She can imbue the clothes with her special magic, creating special articles of clothing like a tie that will never be crooked or a dress whose hems will never fray. She's channelled much of her attentions and energies on this particular ability of hers, making her an expert in this rather niche field. Due to her associations with the Seelie Court, they have ties with spring and summer and can be noted by even non-magical people by how the cloth smells faintly of the flower the charm is associated with. She usually only does minor things, like make someone happier or give them a bit more luck. She also has the ability to detect clothes and materials she charmed with her magic, as it happens to be her 'signature' of sorts. It is possible for her to do bigger things with charms and blessings like make it impervious to fires or something among those lines. She just isn't capable of it yet since that's out of her magic range. The charms she knows and uses on her outfits are the following below: ✿ LILAC BOOSTER Gives a small boost of confidence to the person if they wear a garment that's been imbued with this charm. ✿ BOUVARDIA DOUBLE BOOSTER Gives a minor boost of healing to the person if they wear a garment that's been imbued with this charm. This usually only heals minor cuts and scrapes. ✿ GERBERA BOOSTER Gives a lingering sense of peppiness to the person if they wear a garment that's been imbued with this charm. ✿ FREESIA BOOSTER Gives a small boost of concentration to the perosn if they wear a garment that's been imbued with this charm. ✿ CARNATION BOOSTER Gives a lingering sense of pride to the person if they wear a garment that's been imbued with this charm. ✿ ASTER BOOSTER Gives a small boost of patience to the person if they wear a garment that's been imbued with this charm. ✿ DELPHINIUM BOOSTER Gives a small boost of energy to the person if they wear a garment that's been imbued with this charm. ✿ HEATHER BOOSTER Gives a small boost of protection magic against minor scrying and divination magic to the person if they wear a garment that's been imbued with this charm. This is usually reserved for fae or friends. ✿ ALSTROEMERIA BOOSTER Gives a small boost of luck to the person if they wear a garment that's been imbued with this charm. ✿ DAISY BOOSTER Gives the garment a resistance to stains and tears. Also makes it easily repairable if back in the hands of Lillian during touchups and fittings. In terms of possessions, Lillian has a small supply of Camomile, Vampire Toxin, and Wolfsbane Potions in her stores to protect herself from trouble. Out of things that she can call her own, she owns a Rose Bertin Sewing Kit and the Pandores Sewing Mannequins that were gifts from her guardians. Both of which are described below.

Samples:

THREAD SAMPLES TDM TOPLEVEL (+11) + TDM THREAD (+02) PROSE SAMPLE Imbolc is a time of new beginnings, so let's wipe the slate clean and make a fresh start. Those words from what feels like so long ago continue to echo in Lillian's head as she pours tea for the fae who are huddled around the table, their stories of what happened in Bromley just days ago. She tries her best to be the gracious host, her smile courteous and her demeanour kind to the fae who looked like they had been through the roughest week of their lives. Which, judging from their accounts they told her, sounded like it. "Iron. They had iron cages ready for us, Lillian." The fairy looks up from her teacup to stare at her, her expression torn between horror and anger. "Smelled like hell on earth when they tried to drag me to them. I got away from them but the iron. My skin is still scrawling at the memory of the smell." "I'm sorry that happened," she said because that's all she can say. What else can be done besides retreat and ruminate, stew and summarise what occurred? "Feel free to stay here long as you want. You're always welcomed here. You and the others." The fairy no longer is in the mood for conversation so she nods and Lillian takes her leave, picking up the plates and cups to put them away. It gave her a reason to be alone for a minute, gather her thoughts because they were turbulent, aggressive. Spirits and stones. Iron cages. Lillian's shop was a safe haven. She had always advertised it as such ever since she had opened the shop, invited fae from the Seelie Court to come by if they wanted company and tea long as they welcomed others in return. While many of the normal 'regular' fae would not take up the offer she always had out, the power grab the witches made had them turning, looking for any place that would promise safety, security. And she would provide it to them with company and words, assurance and shelter. Hence her shop teeming with faeries, maidens, and knights if for only tonight. She's sure by tomorrow morning most of them will begin to ignore or deride her again, finding her strange for her personality, her values. She was fine with that. She had always When Imbolc came and she heard the speech, she wondered what that meant. Seeing the frightened faces and hearing the tense whispers from those around her - She knew now. There'll be new beginnings, that's for certain, but that did not include the fae. Not in the new Mother of Witches' eyes. At least, not in the way fae would be considered equals. They, the fae, were the slate they were trying to wipe clean.

World building

Items:

Rose Bertin Sewing Kit
mid ♦ arcane spellbooks
Named after the famous French milliner and dressmaker to Queen Marie Antoinette, these enchanted sewing kits simply contains needles whose sharpness will never fade and will always guarantee a steady hand for the person who wields one on of these.

Pandores Sewing Mannequins
mid ♦ arcane spellbooks
A pair of enchanted sewing mannequins that were a gift to Lillian from her parents after she opened her shop. One for a woman and one for a male. If she writes the True Name of a person and their real age and slips it inside the mannequin of the corresponding gender, the mannequin will shift to the exact measurements and build of the person in question. It'll revert to the regular shape of a typical mannequin if she removes the name and tears it in two.