it takes her but a brief spell to decide whether he’s gently flirting or not – she’s made the mistake both directions, before, and it’s ended awkwardly each time – but she eventually reasons against it, resolving that he’s just being nice. ( that not everyone – that not every man – wants something from her. )
sometimes she wonders, though, if it’s written into her skin somewhere intangibly, if this is why and how she draws att- -ention from a world that has tied her up and weighted her down with words like assault and victim and – less kindly – damaged goods, if the way her self was stolen ( numb for days, weeks, dissociated, frigid in a way she’d never been before until, slowly, she healed ) somehow shows on her face, if this makes her somehow an easy target. ( she catches herself blaming herself for things she promised she’d never feel guilty for again, and bites down on her own brittle places to quiet them, teeth sunk into her tongue until the muscle tissue itches. )
it’s an ugly collection of thoughts, and she makes herself smile more warmly at his compliment before her vague, formless skittishness can find her face ; she’s overthinking, and she can surely just have a conversation without leaping to those questions again.
can’t she?
‘ thank you. ’ a nod, a blink ; she tests out his own name silently in her mouth, now behind closed lips, and finds she likes the sound of it, though she can’t place the lan- -guage of origin. the glottal stop suggests something with an arabic root, though, and her head cants, already curious. ‘ where are you from? i’m – sort of an informal linguist, i guess. trying to place the name. ’
◤ Ꮴalar Ꮇorghulis. ◢
The art of being able to crawl under one’s skin and toil to see what one is thinking is a skill not oft liked
when engaging in quotidian discourse. The man can sense Zoë’s lapse of
discomfort and he wonders if she is unfamiliar with men who act as they should, wonders if she would cringe just as a wolf-girl used to when cognisant of the House’s servants examining scars for the purpose of identification.
“It is a man’s pleasure.”
Simple words are not lined with untruths. ( Alas, a rarity when
one is a product of lies — a child brought into an institution that
shakes bodies bare and that chisels off memories and that replaces them
with falsities and that trains its people to look into a mirror and see nothing.
) This man is not blind; he will not say that objective facts such as
bone structure are unpleasant to look at, be acquainted with.
(‘Where are you from?’ That’s a good question, he has a mind to say. )
“A manhails from Germany,” he answers smoothly, “but grew up in Italy for schooling.”
Hands once at sides are now clasped behind back, House of Leaves serving as an anchor for fingers to twine around. The question of what makes the woman intent to read the genre-defying book is formed in mind, this man curious to know if she has read it before as well. Does a woman come here often, then? he nearly adds in mother tongue but halts.
Hello! Thank you for taking the time to read this page; I really appreciate it.
On this page you will find no password, so do not fret. However, please read this if you’d like to write with me. Please read links 04. and 06. as well. Said links will give you insight into my portrayal of Jaqen and his many guises, especially if you are unfamiliar with ASOIAF/GOT.
I.
There is an incredibly small amount of information regarding Jaqen H'ghar’s life; therefore, I will take a great amount of liberty in expanding upon the characterization given to him by George R. R. Martin in the series A Song of Ice and Fire.
**Thus, if you also write as Jaqen H'ghar, I ask that you please do not steal my headcanons or anything pertaining to my characterization. I have spent but a few years on Tumblr as Jaqen H'ghar; however, I have worked diligently to form my interpretation of him. Of course, everyone has a different interpretation when it gets to the details. I'm just putting this out here. If I feel as though you've done such a thing, I will privately take it up with you.
II.
I do not follow blogs for the sake of following back unless I see a plausible interaction between said blog and Jaqen. ( Or, I may admire your writing/characterization!! Lbr. ) In this regard, I am very selective with whom I write with and I do this in an effort to keep drafts and pressure off of my shoulders.
I cannot stress this enough: The guise of Jaqen H'ghar is not seen many places in the books; it is challenging to get him to meet other characters, even in the ASOIAF world.
Please refer to the PSA. tag for further information.
Mutuals only, please.
However, if we're not in a mutual follow and you think our characters could have a plot line together, please do not hesitate to send me a message! I truly mean it. You know more about your character than I do, so if you think our characters could have a cool storyline, just let me know. I am really kind ooc! I do have the right to refuse, though.
III.
Building off of that, this blog is multi-verse and multi-ship.
IV.
This account is based off of book canon. The only show influence on this blog is the faceclaim, Tom Wlaschiha, which is seen in my main verse. I do not acknowledge Season 5 and further of Game of Thrones, the show. That is, the Kindly Man oversees Arya Stark when she is in the House of Black and White—- not Jaqen H'ghar. There are many more differences, but that would force me to digress.
That all said, my verses/AU things are noted in link 03. because writing outside of canon is also fun!!!!! ( E.g., my interpretation of how Jaqen would treat Arya in the House of Black and White is quite different than the show's interpretation. )
V.
I always accept multiple threads and ask prompts. If you want to have 7 threads going, let's do it. Do you want to send in 3 ask prompts at a time? Do it. Do you want to ask random questions about or to Jaqen? Do it. Live your life. We are here to write.
VI.
This blog’s purpose is not for shipping, but, if applicable, please do not force them.
I strongly prefer to be an exclusive roleplayer when it comes to romantic interactions. ( E.g., if an X blog would ship with my Jaqen, I would prefer that I would be the only Jaqen that X blog would SHIP with. ) However, I completely understand if my shipping partner is not into shipping exclusivity.
The only 'real' ship I see on this blog is Jaqen x Arya, but I will never force that upon you. Even then, I am extremely selective with that ship.
Nothing regarding underage relations will be present on this blog.
( Thus, when he's smirking a lot and being cryptic with her at Harrenhal and kissing her head, that is not 'shippy.' That's just Jaqen. Arya is a fucking child. THANK YOU. )
I am most comfortable when us writers are on good terms and have both in-character and out-of-character writing chemistry in order to ship our characters. If we do not click at all out-of-character, I will not be shipping with you.
VII.
My Skype ( fireoflethe ) and Discord ( inferuxs #4751 ) are available to mutuals. Please let me know your URL when adding me. I primarily use those platforms for in-character interactions, but out-of-character interactions are great as well! I'm almost always on them.
VIII.
If you have a problem with how I portray Jaqen, kindly let me know what you think I am doing 'incorrectly' or unfollow me. I don’t mind. I love con-crit. Anonymous hate, if applicable, will not be acknowledged.
IX.
God modding is not welcome here. Killing or causing serious harm to Jaqen is considered God modding to me, but do not sacrifice your character’s personality for 'nice' interactions! Pushing, shoving, yelling—- all fine. Just nothing serious . . . unless you consult with me first hand.
That said, Jaqen will know who your character is when he speaks with them, unless your character is a god / supernatural creature with all-knowing powers / etc. It's his life's work to know what's going on re: ppl around him.
And please note that, as stated in links 04. and 06., Jaqen is a lethal character. He can kill your muse ( unless said muse is a god ) in seconds and make it look like an accident. Killing people is a part of his religion—- seriously. Please, never underestimate him.
X.
AU threads are highly welcomed and I will jump on the opportunity to write them. Hit that link 01. and we’ll go from there. Or, send me a IM. Seriously.
XI.
I will gladly tag triggers for you if you ask!! This is what a trigger tag looks like: abuse //. Period not included.
If we are in a mutual follow, I ask you to PLEASE tag any images pertaining to NON-HUMAN/ANIMAL-like creatures—- shadow-like things that are lurking and shit. Like demonic shit that creeps into your room. These images cause me extreme fear and anxiety.
nonhuman //, tw: nonhuman, or nonhuman cw . . . all work for me! Whatever tagging style suits you!
By default, I tag abuse and sexual assault for my followers, but nothing else unless asked.
XII. ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!! ! ! ! ! !
This blog is VERY low activity. I am a university student doing a combined honors degree, who has two jobs, and who likes to read in her free time. I also have another blog.
Thus, I am NEVER able to reply in a timely manner. Also, I take a long time to write in general. You may drop me a reminder about a reply, but wait a week before doing so. I RARELY lose threads; it's likely in my drafts and just. sitting there. lmao.
I truly do have a lot on my plate and I will never pressure you for a reply. This is a hobby, y'all. A HOBBY.
XIII.
If I didn't make it clear, you are always welcome to message me. I don't bite. Really! Gosh.
** This blog is in no way affiliated with George R. R. Martin, HBO, Tom Wlaschiha, Nicola Wincenc, Adrien Brody, or Aidan Turner. Damn, how I do wish it was.
Please do not take ANY of the icons or graphics or content on this blog; I will know if you do and confront you about it.
And, of course, the writing is mine.
VERSES
NOTE THAT ALL VERSES ARE OPEN FOR INTERACTION UNLESS MARKED OTHERWISE. These will be periodically updated, as all verses are extremely flexible, and I am always willing to add many more.
( This is set in an ALTERNATE universe for easy access to interaction. )
Jaqen has left Arya Stark with an iron coin that holds a great amount of value. Afterward, he travels back to the House of Black and White and continues serving the Many-Faced God. This is considered to be in an AU because readers are not exactly sure where Jaqen is at this time.
According to book canon, the man does not have the same face that Jaqen H'ghar wore when with Arya Stark. I bent the rules a bit by keeping Tom Wlaschiha as his FC, though, because most characters to be interacted with have no business in Harrenhal (where Jaqen H'ghar is located in canon verse ). In this verse Jaqen can be anywhere in the world.
This universe is set when a man’s identity known as Jaqen H'ghar ‘dies’ once he leaves Arya Stark at Harrenhal. The man makes a new identity for himself, with curly, dark hair, a crooked nose, and sallow features. Essentially, post-Harrenhal. Coincides slightly with a later verse, v ;; far away and across the narrow sea.
An umbrella tag for all Modern AU threads and interactions. In this verse, Jaqen is anything, really. Since he can change his appearance with a swish of the hand, there are so many opportunities for modern threads!
We can discuss professions/aliases over ooc chat ( i.e., message me ) or I can write whatever comes to mind at the time. Essentially, I will go with whichever alias I think will help our muses interact.
In some forms of this verse, it's the same as canon in that there's a House of Black and White and he's a modern-day assassin, for lack of a better word. In other forms, Jaqen is no longer affiliated with the House of Black and White. Or, he grew up as a devout Catholic ( not by choice ) and is no longer religious; that is, he either defected or was banished. It all depends on what a writing partner would prefer. There are a god damn lot of headcanons pertaining to this verse and I am always willing to explain nuances not mentioned on this page.
Really can't stress the flexibility of this verse. Lmao.
An AU in which Arya Stark is the King in the North and Jaqen, by the Faceless Men, is selected to gather information concerning the North’s political system. He is not aware of the fact that Arya is the one who rules when he is given the assignment, and once he arrives in Winterfell he is shocked to see that the girl he once deemed “lovely,” Lyanna Stark, is the Hand of the King and that her twin, Arya Stark, is the King in the North.
Merek Clarke, the man’s guise, asks Arya and Lyanna for a plot of land and stays in Winterfell to, as directed, gain information pertaining to the ruling system. He does not let them know that he was the man named Jaqen H'ghar Lyanna once met in Harrenhal until later in the thread, but it is implicitly revealed towards the beginning.
To retain the image of being a ‘normal’ citizen, Merek becomes betrothed to Allison Argent, the daughter of a middle-class family from the North. ( The marriage is arranged by the woman’s father. ) Allison is completely unaware of a man’s falsehood, but she will be in for a devastating turn of events once her betrothed is killed in a ’terrible accident.’
From thence, Merek Clarke will become but another lifeless mason the third floor of the House of Black and White, and a man will live on, continuing to serve the Many-Faced God.
( set in Harrenhal. )
This verse can be set anywhere from when Jaqen was imprisoned as a criminal in Harrenhal to when he was set free by Arya Stark. A mash-up between show and book canon, in truth.
If Arya had taken Jaqen’s offer to escape to Braavos and become his apprentice. ( Pretty much season 5 of A Game of Thrones, the show. EXCEPT I don’t follow that. Lol. Just my own version because the show ruins everything good. )
A verse in which Arya Stark defects ( or is attempting to defect ) from the House of Black and White in favor of returning home to Winterfell. She tells Jaqen H'ghar the cruelties of the House, but, due to his indoctrination, there are many variations of what could come...
An AU in which Arya Stark agrees to travel across the Narrow Sea with a man and arrive in Braavos thereafter, eventually training under him. In this verse Jaqen H'ghar is a dead man and a new name and face are claimed — dark curly hair, sallow features, a gold tooth, a scar on his rounded cheek, and a crooked nose.( A prequel to v ;; a wolf in the faceless den.) This new visage is worn only during their travels. He re-becomes Jaqen H'ghar when he enters the House of Black and White. Verse is heavily under construction.
An umbrella tag used for all AU threads and interactions, or AU threads in which a specific verse has yet to be determined.
BIGRAPHY AND BASIC INFORMATION
Please read through this page before interacting with Jaqen, for almost all of this information is crucial to how I portray him. Note that a lot of creative license is used in this blog due to the lack of information regarding him.
BIOGRAPHY
A man, also known as ‘Jaqen H'ghar,’ is a member of the House of Black and White, or The Faceless Men. The Faceless Men is an organized group filled with men ( and the occasional woman or child, in rare cases ) who have the ability to change their appearance on command.
They are highly trained and skilled assassins who serve the Many-Faced God ( or, gods that represent Death in all religions mentioned in A Song of Ice and Fire ) and carry out their ‘deeds’ in complete secrecy. Most deaths carried out by the Faceless Men appear to be completely accidental to onlookers.
Jaqen H’ghar is a Lorathi from the Free City of Lorath, a man and place that few people know about. But Jaqen, in particular, is a façade of a man the man who claims to be Jaqen H’ghar is truly no one, and his inherent identity is unknown even to himself.
He has extremely angular features that mesh well with his long hair, which is split in the middle: red on one side and white on the other. His eyes resemble that of bronze and his body is extremely lean and toned. He is known for smirking when outside of the House of Black and White a lot. His voice holds an accent that sounds German, and he has NO concept of personal space. ( I promise that's canon lmao. )
Jaqen is first seen in A Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire posing as a criminal, alongside two other men who are not faceless. Arya Stark sets him free and, in return, he finds her in a heavily damaged castle known as Harrenhal and helps her cross three men off of her ‘hit list.’ He tells Arya to give him three names ( three people to kill ) so that three deaths may be payed to the Red God, because she saved three men, including himself, from fire. He grows to be fond of Arya and refers to her as ‘lovely girl.’ When he says this, he means it platonically.
Hopefully you now know enough about Jaqen to adequately write with him and me. Thank you very much for taking the time to read through this little biography I compiled. Now, here are some basic facts containing information I have gleaned together that make up my portrayal of Jaqen.
INFORMATION
Name: Jaqen H’ghar.
Referred to as: Jaqen H’gar; a man; no one.
Age: Unknown, but assumed to be anywhere from his mid twenties to early thirties. It varies.
Gender: Male.
Hair Color: Half red and half white.
Eye Color: Bronze.
Ethnicity: Lorathi.
Sexuality: Heterosexual? ( CELIBATE unless noted otherwise in specific verses. )
Occupation: Faceless man and servant to the Many-Faced God.
This is a note to let you know that no one should underestimate a man/Jaqen H’ghar/any of his aliases at any time.
Jaqen H'ghar's characterization is built upon smirks and cryptic sayings. He is extremely polite and is obsequious to Arya Stark.
However, this does not mean that he is weak or immediately willing to be your character’s friend.
Jaqen H'ghar is a faceless man, of the The House of Black and White, which is a highly secretive and anomalous guild because of the incredible, coveted, mind-boggling abilities of which its servants possess.
He can mix and create poisons at a fairly advanced level; he can detect lies as easily as he inhales ( based on intonation [ or lack thereof ] in voice, micro-expressions, body language, &c. ); he possesses incredible hearing ( to aid him when on missions ); he has stealth beyond that of any hunter; he can change his ENTIRE identity with the swipe of a hand; and, he can compartmentalize his emotions and his memory.
Please do not underestimate Jaqen H'ghar and expect to be the exception.
R U L E
INDEPENDENT JAQEN H'GHAR
OF GRRM'S A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE.
Y O U R
LOW ACTIVITY.
MULTI-EVERYTHING. #INFERUXS
F A C E.
PLEASE READ
LINKS 02., 04., AND 06.
BEFORE INTERATCION.
