i installed siji from github and i'm using the openbsd lemonbar package (not compiled).
siji provides bitmap fonts - i dont think it's xft at all actually so that might be barking up the wrong tree.

here's the script so far. everything works perfectly except for the icons. i even tried bypassing the clockicon variable and putting it in the function to no avail.
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#!/bin/sh

clockicon="%{T2}\ue016"
titleicon="%{T2}\ue13a"
batteryicon="%{T2}\ue237"

clock() {
TIME=$(date +%H:%M)
echo -e "%{T2}\ue016 %{T1}$TIME"
}

title() {
WINDOW=$(xdotool getwindowfocus getwindowname)
echo -e "$titleicon %{T1}$WINDOW"
}

battery() {
BAT=$(apm -l)
echo -e "$batteryicon %{T1}$BAT"
}

while true; do
echo " $(title) %{r} $(battery) $(clock) "
sleep .5
done | lemonbar -d -g 1366x14 -B "#f3f3f3" -F "#707070" -U "#ffffff" -f "-*-fixed-medium-r-*-*-12-*-*-*-*-*-*-*" -f "-wuncon-siji-medium-r-normal--10-100-75-75-c-80-iso10646-1"