_{(Shakespeare, Sonnet 23)}

If nothing else, Tuva Wavewalker is a very pretty young man. And he knows it.Those soft curls, gentle voice, and pretty eyes bely a mind so analytical that it would not be out of place at the Sharlayan Studium, examining some esoteric historical document for details on the day-to-day lives of ancient civilizations.But that style of academics doesn’t particularly interest Tuva, especially not when there are so many interesting people to talk to and study in the here and now.And what better way to learn about people than to help them explore their fantasies?Raised in a traveling theatre troupe, his love of character and narrative began young. He gorged himself on the regular repertoire, a shadow in the wings from when he was first old enough to stage props behind the curtain.Whenever the company arrived at their next stop, he would spend the time he was meant to be hawking the show on the lookout for bookshops, or interesting looking people to talk to. The more he learned about the world, the more he wanted to know.But the life of a traveling actor is not an easy one. After the failed Doman rebellion, his company dissolved and his parents sent their son to relative safety. To Eorzea.Finding traditional performance work so far from home was even more difficult.So Tuva instead turned his talents to one of the oldest professions on the star…

2.28.25 - On CatharsisOne of the things all stage brats learn young is that tragedy is important. Oh, we'd try to change the endings in our games -- what if this time, the city didn't fall? What if the heroine didn't look backwards and lose her bet with a god? Why would people want tragedy when the world itself is so hard? When our lovers leave us, when someone dies, when our homes are destroyed?We couldn't comprehend why stories like "The Fall of Allag", or "Blindness of the Firstborn" we so popular with our audience. Why would the grownups knowingly engage in something that grieved them?Catharsis.The word means purgation, to help remove and process negative emotions. Tragedy and catharsis are societal safety valves. When the world becomes too heavy, too unknown, we must allow ourselves to follow a narrative to its end. These narratives give us safety. Safety to feel.I would argue that catharsis need not be limited to tragedy and grief. In fact, I believe it should expand further, the boundaries of it be pushed and explored.You may well expect it from a courtesan to say that of course sex should be cathartic -- after all, it is how I make my living. And you would not be wrong.But catharsis through sex is more than just the search for orgasm. Like in tragedy, it's the search for safety. The process of finding what terrifies and thrills you in equal measure...Ah...it goes off the rails again.This piece needs work. But I do think there is a connection to be made between the concepts of engaging with theatre and sex as a participant. Roleplay in the bedroom is to acting on stage is... something to something.BAH!It makes sense in my head. One day, I'll find the words to express it better.A thick slash demarcates this section of the notebook from the next section, which appears to be a grocery list of some description.