Aerenas Wyndham Diabolos

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RP Hooks . . .

Well-Traveled
As a mercenary, Aerenas did a fair bit of traveling, and could likely give directions to just about any place on Aldenard. He is not very familiar with Othard, but he has been to Thavnair and, most recently, Tural.

Stripping for Parts
Not his clothes, though he is often found shirtless if he's sparring with someone, as he prefers hand-to-hand combat in training. He can be found, many times, stripping old machines for usable pieces, often carrying the old mechanical carcasses away entirely to melt down for reforging. Ever seen a big dude with a reaper leg hefted over his shoulder?

Part-Time Defender
He has been sharing his duties lately with someone else, but when he's not out and about salvaging for parts or traveling, he's hanging out with M'rath Tia, acting as a part-time bodyguard and shenanigan deterrent. He can be very silly, but he tends to be quite sreious on the job.

History . . .

Coming soon!

Aiden jen Lander Balmung

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RP Hooks . . .

Trained Medicus
Aiden is trained in medicine, and has the ability to heal both with and without the use of aether.

A Familiar Tattoo
Those in the know about Garlean politics before the civil war might know of a few underground pockets of rebels. While Deorsum Laminae (the Downward Blades) are a well-guarded secret even among those groups, Aiden can be identified as a Blade by the tiny dagger tattoo that adorns the inside of his right wrist.

Fancy a Cup?
Aiden has a penchant for collecting various flavors of tea--the more exotic to him, the better! If you sell tea or are a tea aficionado, you might bump into him somewhere!

History . . .

Born in the great Garlemald Empire, Aiden Lander was the son of a public official. Though his family never struggled monetarily, those around them did, and Aiden’s penchant for kindness even as a child earned him the love and loyalty of many of the despots who stayed nearby. He found throughout his childhood and teenage years that he enjoyed helping people, and when it came time to choose how he wished to spend his life in service to his country, he chose the path of the Medicus and entered the Garlean military.Aiden met several people with whom he became friends after his enlistment, and through a series of military tours and other events, formed a secret bond with them that none would speak of save in seclusion. His goals shifted; instead of an unflinching loyalty to his homeland, Aiden jen Lander spent his days traveling to where he was assigned and quietly working with his friends to bring down the machine from the inside--a feat as impossible as it is crazy and dangerous.When one of his best friends, Alanora, was killed during a raid on Castrum Occidens, her fiance went missing, destroying as much as he could on his way out. Since then, Aiden has been closely watched for signs of contact with his friend, and sent only to places where observation can be constant. Now, Aiden is stationed at the Garlean Embassy in Kugane.

Cygnus Ljos Maralith

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RP Hooks . . .

Living to Teach
Cygnus is a tenured professor at the Sharlayan Studium, and is very devoted to his work and the instruction of his students. If your character is a student there, or has a vested interest in Astrology, they may know of him, either by sight or from his various academic publications.

Part of the Stars
Cygnus can often be found outside at night in particular places in and around Sharlayan, stargazing. These are the times when it is most noticeable that he has starry tattoos all over his exposed skin, as they do not show in direct light.

Book Nerd
He's a frequent visitor to book shops and libraries, often borrowing or buying various philosophy, academic, and his personal guilty pleasure, bad romance novels.

History . . .

Though Cygnus would tell anyone that his life has been far from remarkable and is fairly private about his past, there is one thing that is sure about him: He has always had a deep connection to the stars. Born, like most Viera, in the Golmore Jungle, he spent his childhood years in a small village near the jungle's edge. As with many border areas, there were occasionally interlopers that had to be dealt with, but not much of note happened in the village proper. As a result, his days were filled with learning how to hunt, how to fight, and how to do various tasks necessary for the village's survival.At night, he breached the thick jungle canopy to gaze at the sky with his close friends, and they made up stories about the lights that lived in the skies. They were the torches of the villages that their fallen went to rest, or the twinkling lights of a far-off land where other children looked down upon the trees and wondered at the green that they saw, and what lights of their own could be seen winking from beneath the ever-shifting leaves. They were great creatures in the sky that woke with the moon, hunting each other endlessly through the darkness and clouds.When he left to live and train with the Warders, Cygnus left those friends behind, but he never gave up his star-gazing nights, his only connection to the people he'd loved in that village. He wondered, always, whether his friends still clung to those highest branches and made up stories about the stars. He went about his duty as a Warder for decades always checking in with them when he was allowed into the village for breeding and collecting young Warders.When his home burned, he and many others died or were forced deeper into the Wood, and he found out that his old friends had been lost. That was when he decided to leave the Wood behind. For a while he travelled, and when he heard of a place where they studied the stars, he travelled there and met a Sharlayan scholar, who took him in and had him tutored in language, reading, writing, rudimentary knowledge. He was a quick study, and several years later he was accepted into the Studium.It was love at first lecture, and he devoured every piece of knowledge he could gain, eventually earning his Archon mark in Sharlayan Astrology and becoming a scholar and a professor. Now he lives his passion and honors the memory of those he's lost, teaching new generations about the night sky that they all share.

Darian Vaeltore Mateus

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RP Hooks . . .

Tech Nerd
Darian knows quite a lot about Garlean technology, from vehicles to Magitek, and even how to work with (and utterly destroy) some software. He has restored some Allagan technology as well, and is fascinated by it. He can often be found where scrap is offered, or tinkering with odd pieces of equipment of his bike.

Smooth Talker
Darian has a way of talking his way into confidence and out of trouble. Considering his wife's proclivity for violence and chaos, you might find him exonerating some crime or another that they've committed. Usually trespassing and theft, or destruction of property.

Rebel Heart
He has, in the past, had wanted posters distributed throughout Garlemald and various places where their embassies reside. He is wanted for desertion and destruction of a Magitek assembly facility, as well as being suspected of underground rebel activity. Fairly useless accusations now, with the present state of the nation, and he's done his best to take them out of circulation where he can. Like Aiden, he also has a downward-turned dagger tattoo, placed on his right shoulderblade, the mark of a well-kept secret organization.

History . . .

From a very young age, Darian cen Geras showed the inquisitive nature of a researcher and problem-solver. By the time he was eight summers, he was building little toys and machines for play. For his parents, his path was clear, and they encouraged his propensity for tinkering with the goal of securing his usefulness to the Empire as an engineer. Little did they know he would take to the field like a fish to water.Darian’s need for answers was not merely satiated by repairing equipment or building it; rather, his passion lay in design and quality of life improvements for existing and future machina. It was this desire and the talent that he had for it that propelled him from field engineer to Magitek Engineer in a matter of months working directly for the Empire. From there, he worked with a team to build innovative Magitek devices and develop new weapons. He was by far not the biggest fish in the pond, but Darian nan Geras did well for himself nevertheless.His patriotic tendencies disappeared once he became privy to some of the Empire’s more vigorous ambitions, and as it became more evident to him that he disliked the practices if the Empire’s military and leaders, he and a small inner circle of friends created the Deorsum Ferri Laminis, or the Downward Blades. The group’s sole purpose was to subvert the military’s tactics and attempt to guide efforts away from expansion and toward the cultivation of already-subjugated territories. When it became clear that this would not work, Darian began sabotaging other engineers’ designs, marking flaws into their final drafts after they’d been approved, making their magitek highly volatile weaponry.Perhaps he would have stayed with the Empire and slowly broken down their Magitek weapons had it not been for his fiance’s death. Alanora commanded a small unit of soldiers, and on one of their trips to Castrum Occidens, she met her end at the same time that a group of mercenaries destroyed half of the facility. Though the Empire called her death incidental, they would not share any of its details with Darian. He became so angry that he left Garlemald (after blowing up a Magitek manufacturing facility) and traveled to La Noscea with intent to investigate the circumstances of the woman’s death. There, he was captured by a mercenary company and eventually became their ally.Though rocky at first, he managed to befriend and later marry a Miqo'te woman by the name of C'arliani. Throughout the course of their relationship, they decided to shed their past identities and carry on with something new. Thus, the Vaeltore name was born. Today Darian and Arli continue to assist Nightingale Company, as well as pursue their own adventures together.

Eryllis Wingrove Zalera

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RP Hooks . . .

Helping Where Needed
As is the duty of a wandering knight, Eryllis helps those she sees who are in need of aid. Many times this is children or the poor, though sometimes she will do jobs for the well-to-do of Ul'dah. A girl's still gotta eat!

Feathered Friend
Her chocobo, named Destiny, is very well-trained, and if one asks after this chocobo's behavior, Rylli will tell you she raised and trained her herself.

Country Girl
She has an accent that suggests she might have lived in a rural locale for most of her formative years. When she's not in heavy armor or travel leathers, she tends to dress in plainer clothes than most.

A Wild Mane
Eryllis has a mass of curly red hair that has a mind of its own and is difficult to train. Thus, if it is unbound, she is easy to mark in a crowd.

History . . .

Coming soon!

Frigid Aire Zalera

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RP Hooks . . .

'Til Sea Swallows All
While Fridge is not native to Limsa Lominsa, she is considered a citizen, and is part of a "Merchant Ship's" crew under the captaincy of one Wilfstahl Swygynsyn. She serves as a medic aboard the ship, which primarily deals in wines, ales, and spirits.

Friends With Brewnefits
Her best friend, Functional Whirlpool, is a brewer whose creations are also sold at the various places they visit. If Funky Brewing Co. is ever brought up in conversation, she's usually excited to talk about it.

Wanderlust
Fridge has a heart for adventure, and wants to travel the world as thoroughly as she can throughout her life. She loves to hear about new places, and live vicariously through those who have been to them.

History . . .

Born in the northernmost mountains of Abalathia’s Spine, Frigid Aire grew up knowing that she would one day join her brethren in guarding the world from the threats of evil spirits who might attempt to cross over from the Underworld. She learned, trained, and practiced her culture’s traditions and duties for most of her life, but when she reached adulthood she began to have the urge to travel and discover the world that she had helped protect for so long.So, gathering her courage, she asked for leave to go exploring and learn about the world outside their borders. After many warnings, and through dogged persistence, she managed to leave her kin behind on good terms, and set out to see the world. It was during her arrival in Eorzea that she met another Hellsguard named Functional Whirlpool, and the two became fast friends. Functional—or Funky, as she was nicknamed—liked many things, but first and foremost was her love of brewing craft ales and other alcohol. The two eventually went in on a small cottage in the Mists together, and worked various jobs to stay afloat and fund their individual passions.Fridge traveled during this time, though they were smaller trips, and once when she returned, she and Funky hit a local tavern and met with the captain of a merchant ship—a Sea Wolf named Wilfstahl Swygynsyn. The pair were hired on as crew for the ship, and they travel from port to port transporting and selling an array of goods—primarily alcohol. It seems that Frigid Aire didn't escape her life of dealing with spirits, after all.

Hinan Akaruta Mateus

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RP Hooks . . .

Doman Raised
Hinan may have been born on the Steppe, but he was raised in the Doman mountains. Because of his schooling and his family life, Hinan has more Doman values and outlooks on certain things like morals, honor, and matters of the heart.

... And My Axe
This Xaela carries a huge greataxe, and knows how to use several other weapons, though the bigger one is his weapon of choice. If you're an axe enthusiast or a blacksmith, he might be interested in your services.

Always Room for More
He eats like he's got two hollow legs and a hollow tail to fill. Where does all that food go? Who knows, but he keeps himself fit... he just really likes food. If you have chocolate in particular, he may salivate in your general direction.

History . . .

Saikhan Dotharl might have been the embodiment of his previous life—a warrior true, meant to come to the defense of his tribe with a fearless heart and a heavy draw—but fate is not always kind, and cruelty is often more commonplace on the Azim Steppe. Barely a child of two summers, he was instead lost to the Nhaama desert sands along with his parents, and all three were declared dead by their tribe. And though they were correct on two counts—his parents had died—he was found wandering near the mountains by a Raen woman who lived just beyond. Starving and badly dehydrated, the woman took him into her home and nursed him back to health.To her credit, she tried to take him back to the Steppe and find one of the tribes. Her intent had been to gather enough information that she could take him back to his home, but the ever-present danger of the Xaela dwelling there meant that she could not travel alone with him for long. When several trips to the Steppe came and went without successfully finding his tribe, the woman finally resolved to take Saikhan in as one of her own. The language barrier might have been enough to curb understanding, but paired with the often hard-to-translate speech of a toddler, she could not glean any clue as to his name. So she named him Hinan and gave him her surname, and he grew up alongside a Raen boy two summers his elder named Aeluan.Hinan and Aeluan were very close throughout their childhood despite the two-summer age gap, but there were some notable differences in their childhood experiences. Where Aeluan found it easy to make friends, Hinan found that the types of people that liked Aeluan were prone to judging others, and unfortunately Hinan was the odd man out in just about everything due to his Xaelic features. This was an unfortunate trend that continued into adulthood, and as a result, Hinan grew up with a moderate amount of social anxiety.When he eventually struck out on his own, he resolved to do a bit of travelling, to see if there was some other place he could go that might feel more welcoming, and he ended up taking mercenary work that took him to Vylbrand. It was there that he carved out a living with his axe and made a name for himself. The Demon of Vylbrand, they called him, but they only knew his face.

Illian Runetide Balmung

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RP Hooks . . .

Highly Organized Indvidual
Illian runs a staff of at least 30 individuals, while also accomodating for family members of those living on the Highvale Estate grounds. He is constantly on-the-go, and adheres to a fairly strict schedule to make sure things run smoothly.

Magic Touch
Illian has the ability to transfer aether from one item to another, using himself as a conduit. Because of this, he combines spellwork and aetherconductive materials to enchant items that would be otherwise mundane. From rings that resize themselves to temperature regulating accessories to elementally aspected equipment, Illian can put all sorts of enchantments on items.

Turns Out You CAN Teach Old Magitek New Tricks
Illian uses parts from old Garlean warmachines and airships to make useful household items, combining his enchanting prowess with technical knowledge to do so. He often employs scrappers and treasure hunters to retrieve parts, and pays them handsomely.

History . . .

Coming Soon!

Jhin Lee Mateus

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RP Hooks . . .

A Heart of Gold Orange
Jhin doesn't have much in the way of smarts, but what he does have is dedicated to treating others the way he'd like to be treated. As a result, he's genuinely polite, considerate, and warm to those he meets.

In the Eye of the Beholder
While Jhin's drawings will never win awards, they are, at least, effective--even stick figures can pack a punch when you draw them with heart, and coloring outside the lines is charming, right?... Right?

Large and No Longer in Charge
If you're from or know people in the Raptor tribe, you might have heard stories about or witnessed the three days during which R'jhin was Nunh before he abruptly left the tribe and disappeared. Jhin looks an awful lot like him. Similar name, too. Surely just a coincidence.

Arts and Crafts
Jhin frequents art and craft shops to buy supplies, and is happy to gush about all manner of pass-time hobbies: He particularly enjoys painting and embroidery, though if he shows you any of his work, be prepared to smile and nod, because he's not a master of his craft yet.

Gentle Giant
Jhin is, at heart, a bit awkward--especially around people he likes but is not very close to! He has a bit of anxiety centered around making good impressions doing right by others, so it's likely you'll see him stumble over himself a lot in social situations.

History . . .

Coming Soon!

Kalissa Faust Brynhildr

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RP Hooks . . .

Eagle Eye
Kalissa has incredibly good eyesight, and can shoot a target at 200 yalms. Because of this, she often takes jobs that involve dangerous prey, as she can pick it off from a distance.

Lost Lady
Kalissa hasn't been in Eorzea for very long, so it's highly likely that she is wandering around lost somewhere, and she is not shy about asking for directions.

Loner
While Kalissa is not against making friends, she doesn't go out of her way for friendship, either. In fact, she seems content to be on her own, and tends be a little wary about other people.

Looking for Legacy
Kalissa's mother was a Hellsguard Roegadyn, and ever since she passed away, Kalissa has been on the hunt for more information about the Roegadyn portion of her lineage.

History . . .

Coming Soon!

Khalan'a Rinjhal Mateus

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RP Hooks . . .

Smooth Moves
Khal is just as good at blending in with a crowd as he is at setting himself apart. As a seasoned rogue and a trained dancer, he knows how to move his body in such a way that he can draw attention or shift out of the limelight with them.

... He's Got a Point or Three
His knives aren't only for combat! Skilled at sleight of hand and able to turn a blade quickly and precisely, Khalan'a is also a very good juggler, and will often juggle several knives for entertainment.

Singing For His Supper
He is often found with his partner, a tiger-striped Miqo'te named Zheyn'a, busking on the street for tips. Most of the time he's juggling or dancing to Zheyn'a's guitar, but he has been known to combine the two every once in a while.

Hard to Find in a Dark Room
Khalan'a is a dark-skinned Miqo'te, and has an affinity for the shadows. He is often difficult to place, once he has blended into those dark places.

Family in Low Places
If one is familiar with those who have lived around Gridania, they might know of the Rinjhal family--not because they were overly rich or popular, but because most of them were murdered nearly a decade ago. No one has determined a motive or apprehended a suspect, though there is speculation that either Khalan'a was involved or one of them ran afoul of someone particularly powerful. Khal is not very open about this part of his past.

History . . .

Coming Soon!

Khavryn Ura Maralith

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RP Hooks . . .

Child of the Steppe
Khavryn was born and raised on the Steppe. Because of this, she carries many of the same values as other Steppe dwellers when it comes to morality, battle, and relationships.

Services for Sale
The Ura are known traders. Most of the time they trade ore and metal goods for food. Khavryn has learned how to schmooze, and if she hears that there is business to be had in her chosen profession, she may butt in.

It's Shiny!
Are you wearing or wielding something made with rare gems or metal? Do you carry a bag full of crystals or special sand? If Khav sees these things, they'll at least get a curious inspection!

Always Exploring
Khavryn is one of those people that doesn't like to stay in one place if there are mysteries to uncover elsewhere--and there always, always are.

Boasts of Strength
If she hears you going on about how tough or strong you are and she has the chance to put you to the test, expect that she will try. Rough and tumble is not something she's shy about, and she often boasts herself--some might even mistake her as a member of another, more influential tribe based on her ego!

A Little Flirting Never Hurt Anyone
Not only is Khavryn adept at selling her services, but she's also good at selling herself as a person. Much of the time, her compliments come off as flirtations, and she's totally fine with that. Flirt with her, though, and she'll return the favor intentionally--often with gusto, if you're an Au Ra.

History . . .

Born to the Ura tribe, Khavryn spent most of her childhood as Ura children often do: playing and helping in the caves, cliffsides, and mountain slopes that her tribe calls home, and occasionally accompanying her parents when they traveled to trade with other tribes. This was how she got her first taste of just how big the world was beyond her home, for it was one thing to see the lay of the land from the top of a mountain, and another thing entirely to know how vast that land was from the ground. Even as a little girl, Khavryn's heart wandered to the possibility of what lay beyond the horizon.That desire to explore only grew as Khavryn aged, and by the time she was in her teen summers she had begun to beg her parents' permission to branch out and learn about the different parts of the Steppe--to study the depths of other mountains, to know the age of the earth elsewhere. And as she grew into adulthood, she knew it wasn't just the Steppe that she wanted to explore.However, fate did not look kindly upon her family, for as she was preparing to strike out on her own, her father died under the weight of a mine shaft's collapse, and her mother fell ill shortly after. She stayed, then, to take care of her, and it wasn't until years later when her mother passed that Khavryn finally left, with the promise that she would one day return with a wealth of knowledge and stories.For now, Khavryn wanders Eorzea, putting her knowledge to work smithing weapons and armor, making jewelry, and studying all manner of dirt, stone, and metal. She's also taken up massage and scale polishing as a way to show her care for others.

Kismet Kaze Mateus

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RP Hooks . . .

Services for Hire
Though he does not actively advertise, those in certain circles will recommend him for jobs that require a keen shot or a stealthy approach.

Drink Slinger
He occasionally bartends at a fight venue called the Dark Crimson Tavern. He can be found there much of the time.

Love of Fashion
Kismet loves clothes. He loves clothes that are fitted and tailored specifically for him. If you're a tailor, he might be interested in your services.

Certified Gremlin
In stark contrast to his hidden serious nature, he puts on an air of good humor and mischief. He enjoys making people blush or laugh, and generally getting up to shenanigans.

History . . .

Hjthen was born to a Veena tribe on the edge of the forest at the base of the Skatay Range. His childhood was unremarkable; he learned to hunt, craft, and generally survive as most Vieran children do, and when he was discovered as male in his teens, he was given to a visiting Warder to begin his training. That, too, was unremarkable, save for the realization that life in solitude did not suit him at all. He became depressed and irritable without the sort of social contact he craved, and while the latter was very good for defending his territory, the former was not very good for much of anything else.When he was of age, he began his returns to the village that his territory bordered for breeding, but even that did little to alleviate the loneliness. He and his mentor rarely saw each other once he was able to roam his territory, though when they met, they often spent a night together, swapping information and sharing a meal, and allowing each other a bit more rest than normal by guarding the other for parts of the night. Those were the better nights, until a chance encounter that turned his fortunes one day in the heat of the summer along his territory’s border.Between his territory and the Golmore Jungle, there was a bit of land that was not roamed by any Warder, Rava or Veena, where the trees began to thicken into the denser growth of the Jungle, the clime not the cooler notes of the Skatay Range’s foothills nor the wet heat of Golmore’s heartwood. It was there, where he usually saw nothing, that he spied a slight blonde Rava slipping through the trees. He had never seen a Rava traversing these Warder-less lands, so he followed along the edge of his own territory until it ended and he lost sight of the mysterious visitor. This happened several more times in the moons that followed, until one day he put himself in their path, and discovered several things: The Rava was a Warder named Sascha, whose territory was just on the other side of the Warder-less lands. He travelled these lands to visit his twin brother, Endellion. Shortly after that first meeting they started a love-affair, and he fell for both Sascha and Endellion.Endellion found him one day and informed him that Sascha was leaving the Wood, and Hjthen tried to go to his territory only to find that he was already gone. The remaining two Viera decided to give it half a moon to see if he would come back to his senses and return home, but when the time came and went, Endellion grew worried and left to find his twin. Kismet ended up alone once more, and the turns that followed the disappearance of the twins were the worst he’d faced. When he decided he, too, would leave to find them, it was six turns into their disappearance.He traveled first through Yanxia and across the Ruby sea to Kugane, where he learned that the twins had passed through separately. He stowed away on a merchant ship and ended up in Thavnair without anything but the clothes on his back, and tried to make a home of the jungle while he questioned the locals, but ended up injured and ill. In the moons that followed, he recovered under the care of a kind alchemist, and spent more than a turn repaying her kindness by doing odd jobs, eventually saving her business from collapse when she took ill and needed time to recover. She began to call him Kismet, and he liked it enough that he made it into the name he gave to everyone he met.From Thavnair, Kismet booked passage to Eorzea, and began his search for the twins anew. When he reconnected with Sascha, he went by the name Anzhi, and was happily married to a Miqo’te. Heartbroken, he tried to make other connections, but none of them panned out. Eventually Anzhi and Kismet, with Anzhi’s husband’s approval, got back together and started dating, and eventually were handfasted. Now he lives with Anzhi and his husband, working part-time as a bartender. He has only seen Endellion once since leaving the Wood, but is happy knowing he is alive and well.

Lydjana Silvaret Balmung

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RP Hooks . . .

Skatay? No Way!
Lydjana is half Rava and half Veena, and though she grew up in the Skatay range, she never quite liked the life she was born into. She was an oddball there, too.

More Explosions!
Lydjana loves pyrotechnics. Fireworks, bombs, grenades... it all qualifies. If it's on fire, she's hot for it!

Gunbunny
Not to be mistaken for the derogatory term for a Viera with a gun in their hand, Lydi can construct a gun from scratch, and has made a few of her own for special purposes. She especially likes her hand bazooka, named Torpedo, and her modular aether/bullet gun, named Deuce.

"So I'm Working On This Thing..."
If given the chance, Lydjana will absolutely talk one's ear off about all of her ideas for new inventions, including those she hasn't even started yet. Has she developed a net launcher? Yes, and she will tell you the intricacies of it down to the finest detail.

"Open Foot, Insert Mouth."
Lydi does not know how to flirt. Half the time she doesn't realize other people are flirting with her. It's not uncommon, either, to see her accidentally saying something embarrassing. She can't help it, it just comes out of her mouth.

The Dunk Tank
Your character may have heard of that one Viera out at the Ceruleum Processing Plant in Northern Thanalan that accidentally fell into a vat of liquid ceruleum while repairing a piece of its pump and then flew into a murderous rampage and took out ten men (it was more like two but whatever, who's counting?). She took almost a year to recover, spending most of that tenure in one of Ul'dah's facilities.

History . . .

Lydjana was born in the Skatay foothills, in a Veena village called Silvaret. As a child, she was incredibly inquisitive, always asking a multitude of questions and deconstructing things to find out how they worked. Her “improvements” were often detriments, however, and once the older Viera figured out that it was her doing, she was banned from making any more alterations to already existing, functioning contraptions.So, as young pioneers often do, Lydjana began to make her own.They were simple at first, but as she grew, they began to increase in complexity, and eventually those contraptions became useful to the village. But Lydjana began to feel out of place in her village, so when she reached her seventeenth turn, she set out to move to another village.It wasn’t long before that village was destroyed, however, and when she found the source of the destruction to be outside of the Wood, she decided to leave her home and try to destroy the metal men who had rained havoc on her people in retribution. As she knew how to take things apart better than how to put them together, her plan of dismantling the metal men—literally—worked for a little while. When they finally retreated from their post, she decided to move on and make a peaceful life for herself where she could spend her days building and inventing things.She began to travel, and about a turn into said travels, ended up in Eorzea. When she arrived in Limsa Lominsa, she asked for the best place to work with contraptions and was pointed to a processing plant in Northern Thanalan. She offered her services for a minimal wage, and was accepted as a worker there. As she proved her prowess at learning how to handle machines and even make improvements that had graduated from requiring quotation marks around the word, she became an invaluable asset—until one unfortunate incident involving a swim in a vat of raw ceruleum cut her work short.It took her nearly a turn to recover, and once she had, she decided to take more mundane, safe jobs (you know, like mercenary work), and keep inventing and building as a passion project. She has since discovered a love of guns, and wants to become a gunsmith that people will want to commission.

M'rath Tia Balmung

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RP Hooks . . .

In Your Thoughts
Though M'rath is a skilled psion and can absolutely read others' thoughts, his mind is unable to filter out the surface thoughts of those around him. This doesn't mean he goes digging, but it does mean that he unintentionally picks up on things. This is not an ability he can turn off.

A Mind for Music
M'rath composes music as a hobby. Though mostly for piano, his favored instrument, he can also play and has composed songs for guitar and harp.

Nose in a Book
He likes to read, and his favorite types of books are mysteries, crime, thrillers, and philosophical works.

Nose in His Book
He also writes (and publishes) psychological thrillers under the pen name Rath Laurent. His books are widely available in most cities.

A Fascination With Magic
M'rath has long thought that studying aetheromancy in its many forms might hold the key to truly understanding his own abilities. He has a particular attraction to Allagan studies.

History . . .

M’rath was not a special child. He did not excel in hunting, did not seem particularly cunning when it came to battle strategy or fighting. He tended toward intellectual pursuits, though his propensity to abandon projects before they were done was high enough that his parents began to wonder if he had some sort of attention problem. in early adolescence, while other Tia were having contests of strength, Rath was largely uninterested in one day becoming Nunh. Instead, he began poring over tomes and experimenting with magic, and that was where things began to change for him.He found out that he held some latent talent for aetheromancy, and as he began to learn on his own, something else awakened in him: He was developing the ability to hear surface thoughts and manipulate the outside world with his mind. Without the ability to curb it, though, he became plagued by the constant stream of consciousness all around him and eventually left his clan with the intent of finding some sort of long-term solution. That was when a middle-aged elezen scholar found him, starving and penniless.The man decided to take M'rath in when he learned that he had the same abilities, and took him on as a protégé. However, where M'rath thought that the man would teach him how to quiet the constant unwanted mental noise, the scholar was instead intent upon forcing M'rath to hone his ability to delve deeper into the mind, compel others to do his bidding, and practice telekinesis. The teachings devolved into outright abuse, until M'rath killed his mentor in a battle of wills gone wrong. With no one to inherit the man's vast wealth, Rath decided to become the man's beneficiary, forged his will, and inherited his fortune.Over the years and into his adulthood, Rath began to outwardly participate in more productive pursuits--investing in startup businesses, helping those in need of short-term assistance, and funding expeditions to long-lost ruins in search of artifacts and knowledge. He began to write stories and compose music. But none of these things brought a relief to the itch that he'd had since his mentor died, and it wasn't until he chanced to mentally overhear a killer stalking an innocent person that he found it. The relief that came with taking a monster off the board. The high of mentally torturing someone who deserved it. Little by little, Rath morphed into a monster of his own, driven by the need to kill his own tormentor, over and over again.

Qorin Iriq Mateus

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RP Hooks . . .

Need a Healer or a Horn?
Qorin is a healer, and can't help himself when he hears that someone is in need of such. Though physical ails will be the first thing to capture his attention, he's also got a fair bit of professional experience in bending a horn to listen and offering friendly advice where it's wanted.

Steppe Born
Anyone who hails from the Steppe is welcome to approach him. If they are of the Iriq, we might be able to plot something regarding whether they already know each other. If they are of the Borlaaq or the Dazkar, perhaps he reminds them of his parents.

Wielder of the Elements
Though not a spiritual shaman, Qorin has a talent for bending and weaving elements like many udgan in the Steppe tribes--specifically air, water, and earth. He uses this in his everyday life where needed, but would love to connect with others like him.

Misfits, Unite!
It is no secret that Qorin is often misgendered, and that he harbors no small amount of self-deprecating thought because of the way he is built. However, he tries to promote positivity in those who he knows feel trapped in their own skin, or who are frequently down on themselves due to their own body dysphoria. Likewise, those who have found themselves lost and alone can count on him to attempt to lend a helping hand.

Need a Babysitter?
Qorin's really good with kids. No, really. He gets it from his father's side, even if he doesn't know it. So if you have a child and need a break (and trust a smol Xaela man to watch said child), said kid is safe in his hands. Relatively. Who knows what kids are going to do?

Birds of a Feather
This small male Xaela is often found in the company of a small owl that is only a scant six ilms in height. The bird is fairly derpy and mostly docile, and he calls her his lady friend. If your character likes owls, or is perhaps holding a snack, Hoots the owl might find them.

History . . .

Like every male Xaela born to the Borlaaq, Qorin was destined from the moment he was born to be left behind by his mother and adopted by the Iriq tribe. Unlike many male Xaela, though, this boy did not grow up tall and strong. He barely cleared the tallest of his female counterparts, his face never sharpened like the other men of his tribe, and no matter how he tried, he never could get the muscle mass or masculine shape that his brothers sported so easily. With his softer, rounder face and his diminutive stature, he was often mistaken for a female, and it wasn’t until he was in his teens that he realized that he was actually somewhere between genders. Unfortunately for him, signs of weakness on the Steppe are often viciously exploited, and the knowledge that he was not the man he’d thought he was and would never be the man he aspired to be pained him deeply.But still, he tried. Training with a spear, fighting alongside the men and women of his tribe, he never quite measured up. In training with a bow, or an axe, or most other weapons, he struggled to keep up. Even the realm of aether and spirituality fled his oppressive mind, and eventually he found himself caring for the tribe’s young ones and doing the tribe’s more domestic tasks. In that, he was highly skilled, and highly unhappy. Tensions grew between Qorin and a few of the more overconfident males. When those tensions came to a head, they came in the form of an assault that left him embarrassed, violated, and broken, and he decided then to leave and strike out on his own, so he went someplace far away where he could lick his wounds in peace: Eorzea.It was once he’d traveled halfway across the world and emotionally isolated himself that he found the clarity he’d been seeking on the Steppe and discovered that he did have a talent for healing and shaping elements. Hearing rumors of a guild in Gridania devoted to healing, he ventured there and began learning conjury in earnest. A few years later, Qorin began traveling and made his way to Coerthas, where he observed and practiced with the dragoons in Ishgard’s outlying settlements while acting as a live-in healer for a time. Finally, he’d found what he needed, and began to rebuild his confidence in himself little by little. Now he travels, offering his healing services where he goes, and hopes to reconnect with his people in a way that will make him want to go back home.

Rhyle Moonreed Zalera

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RP Hooks . . .

Not From Around Here
Though many Viera now wander the world, this Viis does not know many Vieran customs on the Source. While in many things he is similar, there are some oddities in his behavior that might point him out as a stranger in a strange land.

Strange Aether
To any who are sensitive to aether or aether signatures, Rhyle has a distinctly out-of-place, almost out-of-balance aether signature. though he is heavily earth aspected, there is the sense that it is not this place he is tethered to, and he rarely displays an affinity for aether manipulation.

A Curious Burrow
In the Black Shroud, tucked beneath the roots of a massive tree and hidden by vegetation, Rhyle has made himself a temporary burrow. He may or may not become hostile if a person enters it without warning.

A Hard Worker
He can often be seen doing hard labor or odd jobs around Gridania and various villages in the Shroud. Recently, he's branched out to Thanalan, as well. It would seem someone is trying to save money, but he makes a stipulation that it must not require researching or traveling too far, because while he can read a map, he can't read Eorzean Common.

Bane of the Light-Touched
Are you pale? Have golden scales? Are you heavily Light-aspected? Well, he's seen a lot of Sin Eaters, and he's more than willing to throw down if he thinks you're one.

History . . .

Kesjaris was born in the Rak’tika Greatwood, at the height if the Light’s hold over the land, and he grew up hearing stories about the darkness that used to shroud the sky at night and the beauty of the stars. He heard, too, praise for the flora and fauna, unspoiled as it was before the eternal presence of the Light had corrupted and killed many things and upset the balance the Viis worked so hard to maintain. Like all of the boys in his village, he was soon taken on by an older male to train and prepare for the solitary life that every male Viis lived—protecting the Greatwood as a whole by roaming the territory his mentor had roamed for nearly a century before him. Often, they traveled together. Just as often, they traveled alone.It was during his training that Kesjaris discovered he had a connection to the land, and could manipulate the earth and green, growing things as well as aid in plant growth. So, when he visited the neighboring villages to do his due diligence, he also offered his talents to help their struggling gardens grown in the ever-present Light. He was welcomed more often than most, and even sometimes requested by other Warders to help repair some of the damage in their own territories. This went on for decades, and the area he roamed and those surrounding it flourished all the more with the aid of his talents. But there still remained many threats to secure, and Warders were not precisely plentiful.It was not unusual to find a Sin Eater in the Greatwood, and Kesjaris killed many, but even the Warders of the Greatwood had their limits. When Warders in other territories died or were turned, there were not enough of their protégé to step up and take their place. The Sin Eaters began encroaching further and further into the Greatwood, eventually growing enough in numbers and power to force several of the villages near Kesjaris’s territory to be left entirely, the Viis moving further into the Greatwood to make new homes in safer locales. Many and more of his people were eradicated altogether, and after years and the constant threat of the Sin Eaters thinning their numbers, Kesjaris ventured deep into the wood to request that some of the women join the Warders in eliminating the bulk of the threat. When even that failed, Kesjaris knew that something had to be done, and proposed to his mentor leaving the Greatwood to find aid from beyond the trees.That was met with disapproval and a warning: If he left, he would never be welcomed back by the Wood or its people. But Kesjaris was determined to wipe out the threat once and for all, and so, with a heavy heart, he ventured out of the Rak’tika Greatwood. His travel took him first through the lush fields of Il Mheg, where he encountered the pixies, whom he petitioned for aid. When his lack of social graces landed him in hot water with the diminutive Fae, however, their offer to direct him to someone who could help him ended with banishing him to another world entirely.He woke up on the Source in the Black Shroud, confused and utterly lost. When he ventured out to get his bearings, hunt, and look for signs of civilization, he encountered an Elezen who had never heard of his home, but agreed to attempt to help him find someone who knew of it. From then on, Kesjaris became known as Rhyle—a spur-the-moment name he came up with to give to the Elezen—and the pair made their way to Gridania, where Rhyle discovered three things: The Viera he encountered also did not know of his home, he could no longer command the earth or control plants, and he needed something called “gil” to use transportation to get to other places. The last part, his Elezen friend helped him with, and he has traveled ever since, offering his services for odd jobs to earn coin as he searches for someone who knows of his home and can help him return to save it.

Shev Mhalikh Mateus

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RP Hooks . . .

Veteran of the Sands
Shev was nineteen summers when he was tossed into the Bloodsands. He was there for seven turns as a slave to pay off debts, during which time he earned the moniker The Armsmaster. He's been free of the sands for almost six turns. If your character has done time on the Sands or visited the Sands during the time he fought there, they might know or know of him.

Hello, Sailor
During his time working on a merchant sea vessel named The Illusion some four or five turns ago, he visited many different ports, and was often one of the crew loading and offloading cargo. Though his most frequent stops were in Thanalan and La Noscea, he has made port other places as well, such as Thavnair.

Animal Friend
For some reason, animals love him. He has no idea why, and he doesn't go out of his way to interact with them, but he draws them to him like flowers draw bees.

Supporting the Local Taverns
Shev has a fatal flaw: he cannot cook. He screws up even the simplest of recipes, resulting in a lot of eating out or relying on friends for meals. So it is that you might see him dining at an inn, tavern, cafe, or restaurant, often alone if he's not getting his order to go.

Realmwalker
Shev is a mercenary, so it's possible one might find him out on a job, or know that he has services for hire. He specializes in escorts, hunting, and combat-centric jobs, and he travels all over.

History . . .

Shev was born A'shev, a halfbreed Seeker/Keeper Miqo'te in the Black Shroud. While A'shev’s mixed heritage never gave him much of a problem, life was not exactly kind to him either. His father disappeared when he was a young boy, and his mother died in his early teens. A'shev was forced out on his own before he was even a man grown, with his little sister in tow. He had no real notable skills aside from an interest in swordplay, so when the time came to finally leave his home in the Black Shroud he traveled with his sister to Ul'dah on word that their father might have traveled there. There was only one problem with this, though: He had no idea where to start.At first, A'shev begged on the streets alongside many impoverished youth for both food and information, but eventually he made his way to the Quicksand, where he began cheating the wealthy out of their money at dice and cards, making certain his sister was taken care of and spending any extra he made on spies and private investigators. Once he'd become familiar there, A'shev moved to another tavern and began his new profession there.As with many things that require deception and dishonesty, though, he eventually ran afoul of the wrong wealthy Lalafell, and the result was serving a bond of repayment (with significant interest) in the Bloodsands. Until this offense, A'shev had not really been much of a fighter, only having really picked up weapons to occasionally hunt at his mother's side before she'd fallen ill.It wasn’t long until he figured out he was good at it and began a lucrative career in the Bloodsands. Several turns into this, an opponent took off most of his tail, and the balance problems that followed delayed his repayment of the gil that he owed. When he finally won his way out of the Bloodsands, it was in defiance of a staged defeat and, once freed, took his earnings and began searching for his sister. She was nowhere to be found and, after a long and exhausting time combing the various settlements in Thanalan, he chartered an airship flight to Limsa Lominsa. There he fell in with the crew of a trading sea vessel named the Illusion. He was only with the crew for a few months before he hopped ship, and the following turns of his life had him in the company of the Rogues’ Guild where he learned how to fully compensate for his lack of tail, as well as expanding his network of eyes and ears.During his travels he ended up in Ul'dah again, and met a charming dancer in the Quicksand who took an immediate shine to him. Through their instant connection, the pair got together and quickly married--but married too quickly. Turns later, they fell out of the love they had spiraled into, and decided to break it off and continue as friends.Some time later, he met a Miqo'te named Anzhi, and they began dating. Partway through their courtship, he found out that Anzhi was using a glamour to cover the fact that he was a Viera, and that he had been on the run from someone that wanted him dead. A'shev devoted himself to making sure Anzhi was safe, and eventually the Viera was able to be out in the open as his true self. They were married a turn later.Moons into their marriage, they decided to try a complex ritual through which A'shev would become able to spend his aether as Viera do, thus prolonging his life. But first, he had to have an appropriate vessel, so he and Anzhi devised a plan to reshape him into a Viera, and then seek the blessing of Golmore. While they don't know if his life is longer now, he has been reshaped into a Viera, and now goes by Shev.

Shieke Hyskaris Mateus

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RP Hooks . . .

Golmore Born
Are you a Viera? Chances are, Shieke is much more interested in you if you are; she feels more comfortable around those from her homeland than others, regardless of her displacement. If you are from Hyskaris, or if you are a Wood Warder that she encountered on one of her hunts, you might already know or know of her.

Bozjan Resistance Fighter
Have you been fighting with the Bozjan Resistance? Are you from Dalmasca or Bozja? You might have met Shieke fighting with the others if so, as she has been on various fronts fighting the Garlean advance and occupation.

Tourist Traps
Shieke has resolved to see what there is to see of the world outside the Wood and the front lines. As a result, she gravitates to places of interest and heavily advertised attractions meant for tourists. There's a first time for everything, right?

"My ears are long for a reason."
Over the course of her long life, she has settled into a more motherly role, which means that she has the inclination to nurture. She picks up on much, but more importantly, is willing to lend an ear or offer help to those who need it... so long as they do not overstep. Then, they might be in a world of hurt.

"She nearly took off me member!"
Shieke has been slowly becoming known in Limsa Lominsa and some parts of Ul'dah as someone not to catcall. If you've ever been in places with sailors or back alley dealers, they might have told you stories about some crazy Viera lass who took particular offense to catcalling and got physical.

History . . .

In the village of Hyskaris in the Golmore Jungle, there was a woman who was held in high esteem among her people. Her name was Krjn, and she became over the course of her long life the one who trained several generations of Viera hunters and fighters. She had five children--two sons and three daughters. Of these children, Schala was born second.Having an elder sister to look up to and compete with was what drove Schala to excel in combat. The pair of them trained, sparred, and hunted together, and eventually shared the responsibility with the rest of the village of rearing children and training them with their mother. Even long after she came of age she failed to take an interest in any of the males that came around past friendly interactions, and so it came to be that by the time she was in her eighties and most of the women her age had children and grandchildren, Schala had none of her own. Instead, Schala had elected to hone her skills and defend their home from outside threats.Most agreed that Schala could have been right at home living the life of a Wood Warder, for all that she enjoyed her solitary hunts and wanderings, and there was a time when she considered joining the men on the fringes and leaving village life behind. Schala's tendency for ranging outside the bounds of her village took her further and further away over the turns, and it was on one such long-range wandering that she happened upon an old, injured Wood Warder embroiled in what appeared to be a protracted engagement with a small group of men in armor. Without thinking, she jumped in to help him, and together the two managed to dispatch the invaders.That was her first experience with outsiders.When she returned to her village, she tried to warn her elders of the dangers they could soon be facing if the men were growing brave enough to send in scouting parties, but was met with inaction and dismissal. Frustrated, she began to range further and more often, and began interacting with the Wood Warders she found along the way to keep tabs on the situation. It seemed it wasn't the first incursion, and was not expected to be the last.When next Shieke saw the old Wood Warder he was not alone, but paired with another Viera male who, upon meeting Schala, became aggressive toward her. It took time and repeated meetings for her to finally confront the man alone, and when she did it was not with words, but with blades. That was how Schala came to know Xjnn Djt-Bidit, who soundly and coldly defeated her in single combat. This was also how Schala met the man who would go on to sire all four of her children.Over the turns the pair met often, though most of the time only to exchange information or spar after they'd agreed to put their initial conflict behind them. There was never more than a mutual respect and close friendship between them, but it was enough that he was the only male she allowed to touch her, and she was the only one he felt he could trust with his lineage. Over the next half century, the pair had four children, two boys and two girls. The males trained under him when they came of age, and the girls stayed with Schala and the village. Over time, her children had children of their own, and her family flourished.When Garlemald pushed into Dalmasca, Xjnn was one of the unfortunate Wood Warders to be lost to smaller invading Garlean parties. When Schala found him, she recruited her brothers and tracked and ambushed his killers, but it was not enough. Others had met their ends at the hands of the metal men, and once Schala had helped clear out the braver parties she decided that it was time to take the fight to them.When Schala left her home, she took on the name "Shieke" and linked up with the Bozjan Resistance and the few Vieran brothers and sisters who had also come out of the jungle to fight. It was there that she remained until the IVth Legion withdrew. As she had voluntarily left the Wood, she would not be allowed back, so she traveled to Kugane and took a ship to Eorzea. If she could not go back to her ancestral home, then the least she could do was travel as far and wide as she was able. What better way to enjoy retirement?

Sylus Lux Pyrius Balmung

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RP Hooks . . .

Medically Trained
Sylus can't channel aether, but he is trained in the medical sciences. He knows potioncraft, physical procedures, and how to treat patients who cannot tolerate aetherical healing.

Stationed at the Garlean Consulate
Sylus is the presiding medical supervisor at the Garlean Consulate in Kugane. Because of this, he can typically be found in and around the port city, or in Shirogane, where he has an apartment.

You Like Bikes?
He has a motorbike that, like many Garleans, he works on and rides in his spare time. If you're a bike enthusiast, he might be excited to talk to you about them!

History . . .

Sylus was only a child when he lost his father, a soldier who died during one of Garlemald’s many expansion campaigns. As a result, he grew up primarily under the care of his mother and his uncle, and lived the life of a cobbler’s son. As a teenager, Sylus worked alongside his mother and uncle, learning the family trade and doing his part to keep the family afloat financially while attending schola. When his mother fell ill, however, he was forced to leave his education behind to help care for her. This persisted for two turns, until she eventually succumbed to the illness and passed.He took up his education again, but this time he had a new drive, and began studying to become a Medicus, eventually apprenticing to a woman who acted as one of the Emperor’s many family Medici. As his studies continued and he gained practical experience, he began to take advantage of the resources at his disposal and started to conduct research on the type of illness that had ravaged his mother. This persisted even after he graduated and became a Medicus in his own right. He was assigned to a village not far from the Capitol, and continued his work there.As most things go in Garlemald, things trickle into the military, and Sylus was no exception. He was reassigned from his village post to a castrum located across the sea in Eorzea. His attitude toward his homeland changed drastically during those turns, when he was forced to fake the cause of death on the death certificate of a young soldier who had died during a raid on another castrum. All evidence pointed to foul play when he’d performed the autopsy, and the more he dug into the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death, the more he discovered about some of the secret inner workings of the military and its leadership. He kept at his work, though, and when the time came requested a change in post. It was accepted, under the terms that he act as superior to and observe another Medicus who was suspected of having a connection to a rebel group—a group that Sylus later joined in secret, aiding them as he could in memory of the woman who had begun his path to enlightenment.Now, Sylus serves as Chief Medicus at the Garlean Embassy in Kugane, and has continued his research into many different long-term illnesses, developing medicines to combat them. Though he has not yet found a cure for the disease that took his mother from him, he has made significant progress and treats several patients who have the illness.