A'sili Abarskyf
 A'sili Abarskyf
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| Gender | Male |
| Race | Miqo'te |
| Clan | Seekers of the Sun |
| Citizenship | Limsa Lominsa |
Basic Info
A'sili Abarskyf is a Miqo'te of Limsa Lominsa. He is a noted captain and in some circles carries the title, "The Sea Lion" for his quick-thinking and combat prowess in a nautical skirmish five years ago.
History
Early Life
A'sili Tia was born in Limsa Lominsa to a relatively urbanized Miqo'te family, which consisted of his father, mother, and six older siblings. At the time of the Garlean Invasion, A'sili was only thirteen years old. A'sili's family left him in the care of a family friend while they went off to war. None returned. A'sili, crushed by loss, ran away and took refuge on a merchant ship known as the Glorious Harvest.
Time Aboard the Glorious Harvest
A'sili took a job as a fisherman and cook for the vessel and soon found a father figure in Captain Elildorpf. Despite being a Sea Wolf, Elildorpf spent much of his early life as a gladiator in Ul'Dah. The knowledge he gained of the art of sword-and-shield, he passed on to A'sili. Elildorpf taught A'sili to read, write, sail, and fight. More than this, though, Elildorpf gave A'sili a name. The young Miqo'te, orphaned, angry, and lost, had reminded him of a story he once heard in his youth:
The Abarskyf (or, "The Lone Ship")
"There was once a proud fleet of vessels sailing for a reason long forgotten in waters none remember. This fleet encountered heavy storm day after day, and after one particularly terrible bout of thunder and rain, it's smallest ship was blown terribly off course. For an age, this Lone Ship's crew lamented at its situation. They were angry with fate and with the Gods. It seemed nothing could quell their rage and it was not a far thought to think the poison hate in their hearts would kill them before starvation or thirst. After weeks of travelling through their own Hell, they came upon a grouping of planks and masts scattered for miles across the surface of the sea. It didn't take long for the Lone Ship to discover that it was the lucky one. It was the only survivor of the horrible storm. When the Lone Ship learned of its fortune, its crew forgot their sorrows and lived to tell this tale. No matter what you've lost, no matter where you wander, always remember the fortune of present circumstances and be thankful."
Adventuring Years
After six years with the crew of the merchant ship, A'sili Tia went ashore once more, adopting the name A'sili Abarskyf. Now nineteen years old and experienced in battle (from pirate attacks during his years on the sea), A'sili put together a band of adventurers to gain fame and fortune by travelling the world. He took with him an Elezen named Jean Tacionne and a Hyur named Belmund Zeruhn. The three travelled to Gridania where they added Hyur Hanna Bentbranch, as well as Lalafell Lodo Lodobo to their ranks. The five adventured and fought for nearly three years together; sometimes helping locals, sometimes seeking riches. After the death of Belmund, the group buried their friend and separated. A'sili was once again crushed by the loss of family, as he saw this man as a brother. To ease his pain, he returned to the familiar and took up a position as a sailor aboard a treasure-hunting ship out of Limsa Lominsa.
The Doenhaerz and Captain Abarskyf's Disappearance
As a treasure hunter, A'sili's crew often ran into pirates or angered threatening sea monsters. Impressing the crew with his combat skills and leadership abilities in battle, he was the obvious choice for captain after their previous captain was killed in a skirmish with pirate marauders. A'sili and his crew were soon drafted into the service of Limsa Lominsa as privateers. The change wasn't much of a problem, as they had already been fighting pirates and the government funded the process of weaponizing the vessel. The crew then changed the ship's name to Doenhaerz -- "Thunder Heart" in Roegadyn. For years, the Doenhaerz battled pirates, sea monsters, and any Garlean scout ships that made their way to the Western coast of Eorzea. During one of the latter incidents, in a battle that few even know happened, the Doenhaerz, along with many other privateering ships, was sent to battle a small fleet of Garlean airships. They would have been surely outmaneuvered by the flying machines had it not been for the quick thinking of A'sili Abarskyf. While he saved the day, it cost him the lives of most of his crew and the whole of his ship. The Doenhaerz sank to the bottom of the sea. For the past five years, no one has heard from Captain A'sili Abarskyf. Wild rumors circulate the details of his disappearance. The two most common are that he lives in self-imposed exile in the Black Shroud, and that he actually went down with the Doenhaerz. Other rumors include him travelling to the desert to live among foreign Seekers of the Sun, becoming a Paladin of the Sultansworn in Ul'Dah, or stowing away on another ship under an alias.
Personality
A'sili Abarskyf is a no-nonsense type of man. He lacks the youthful charm and finesse of many Miqo'te. While the vast majority of Miqo'te males have soft faces and spotless complexions, A'sili is haggard and bearded. His skin is cracked and burned from his years at sea, and he has two facial scars from his many battles. Despite his gruff loner attitude, A'sili is quite educated and well-read. He is extremely well-cultured from his years travelling aboard a merchant vessel. While stubborn and unsociable at times, A'sili is not heartless. By contrast, he is actually quite the bleeding heart for almost anyone being oppressed (though he tends to keep his emotions to himself). He is a sailor and a sea-dog through and through. Even when living in forest or desert, he applies his navigational skills and rope-handling abilities that he learned during his nautical ventures. A'sili's personality tends to align more with the Roegadyn Sea Wolves than with his own race. This is not a rejection of his own racial tendencies however, as he has proven himself a capable hunter and cunning predator many times. He has also retained his Miqo'te agility and feline ferocity. He does not lack a sense of humor, and has a lot of respect for a good joke, though he will always protest that there is a time and place for humor and it should be used scarcely. He follows the patron God of Limsa Lominsa, rather than Azeyma the Warden whom most Sun Seekers worship, though he is not a religious man and contests to be a man of logic rather than a man of faith. In addition to this, he has shown strong doubt when presented with a magical solution to most problems. More than his nautical prowess or abilities with a sword, A'sili's greatest strength is his resourcefulness. He is amazingly cunning and quick on his feet. His biggest personality flaws are his cynicism, stubbornness, and belligerence. Despite his general skepticism toward magic and religion, as well as his disappointment in most people, he is actually quite an idealist. He believes strongly in true heroics, or heroic actions that have no hidden agenda. He has no interest in romance, but can be a staunch ally and helpful friend. Overall, A'sili Abarskyf is, as his chosen surname implies, a Lone Ship.
Affiliations
A'kifo Nunh: A'sili's biological father. A proud and noble Miqo'te Sun Seeker who gave his life defending his homeland in faraway lands. His wife and all of his children died in battle with him, with the exception of his son, A'sili Tia, who was thirteen at the time.
Captain Elildorpf: A'sili's unofficial foster father. Elildorpf is the captain of a merchant vessel and a former gladiator. Through his career, he has seen the world and has become a man of many tastes. In addition to basic skills such as sword-fighting and sailing, Elildorpf also taught A'sili how to read and write, as well as instilling in him the same sense of multi-cultural interest and understanding. Elildorpf also gave A'sili inspiration for his self-given surname "Abarskyf."
Jean Tacionne: Jean is an Elezen born in Limsa Lominsa. Jean cared nothing for the sea and instead used the high import-export traffic of the port city to become extremely wealthy at a young age. When A'sili and Jean first met he was snobby and unapproachable, but by the time the two reached Gridania they had become great friends. After only a year and a half of adventuring, the two took an oath of brotherhood. Jean is also an expert archer and chocobo rider.
Belmund Zeruhn: Belmund is a Hyur of Limsa Lominsa origin, and companion to A'sili and Jean in their adventuring. Belmund had a dream of travelling to Ul'Dah with his younger brother Aldred and becoming a Paladin one day. He also took an oath of brotherhood with Jean and A'sili. Belmund was killed defending Lodo Lodobo from an Ixali raid in the Black Shroud. His death split up the adventuring group. In the group, he was proficient with lances and spears.
Hanna Bentbranch: Hanna Bentbranch was part of A'sili's company along with Jean, Belmund, and Lodo. She joined the group in Gridania along with her friend Lodo Lodobo. While possessing the small frame of a female Midlander, Hanna was quite a fighter. A pugilist by trade, Hanna was a bit brutish in her general attitude, and many jokes were told by the company about her not being a woman at all, but a 'very small and beautiful man'.
Lodo Lodobo: Lodo Lodobo is a Plainsfolk Lalafell who joined A'sili's company with his friend Hanna Bentbranch once the company reached Gridania. He was a proficient lock-pick, thief, and spy, and a less-than-proficient conjurer. While trying to steal Ixali treasure, Lodo Lodobo was captured and held in a cave. When the group went to rescue him, they were ambushed by even more Ixali than they prepared to fight. Belmund Zeruhn gave his life to defend Lodo. Lodo was the first to leave the group, wracked with guilt.
Aldred Zeruhn: A'sili has never met Aldred Zeruhn, but has spoken with him many times via letters. Aldred was only fifteen when his brother died, and is now twenty-six. He lives in Ul'Dah and is training to be a Paladin. He has asked A'sili if, with his background in sword-and-shield combat and overall trustworthiness, he would like to take Belmund's spot as his fellow Paladin. A'sili is still considering this offer.
Clyde: Clyde is a Roegadyn marauder who was A'sili's friend in his treasure-hunting days. When the captain of the vessel died, Clyde went off to buy his own ship to captain. A'sili became captain of the Doenhaerz and the two remained in close contact. Clyde's ship was one of the ships present at the battle that saw the end of the Doenhaerz. Two years ago, Clyde mailed A'sili a letter asking him to return to Limsa Lominsa and join the Barracuda Knights with him. A'sili has yet to respond. Clyde is not the Roegadyn's real name, but a nickname given to him by A'sili, who could not seem to pronounce his real name.
Other Notes
Name Pronunciation: Ah-see-lee A[as in "apple"]-bar-skiff
Nicknames: 'Skyf, Captain, Sea-Lion
Age: 33
Eye Color: Gray
Hair Color: Brown
Body Type: Tall for a Miqo'te though still shorter than an average sized Midlander. Has a much more chiseled build than most Miqo'te, with slightly more musculature. He has an unkempt beard without a mustache like many Roegadyn are known to wear. He has one vertical scar over his eye and a small horizontal scar over the opposite cheek. It is also worth noting that his face looks almost ten years older due to the weathering of the sea, while his agility and strength are that of a much younger man due to his excellent amount of physical activity.
Likes: The sea, literature, daylight, nature, fishing, animals, manual labor, exploration.
Dislikes: Pirates, girly men, cowardice, feelings, drunkards, fashion, vanity, magic.
Clothing: A'sili Abarskyf has no love for fashion and shopping around. His clothing is strictly utilitarian in nature. His armor is generally of dull colors (exceptions being armor presented to him as a gift), his shield usually resembles a simple piece of crafted metal with little to no decoration, and his swords are of standard issue appearance. Colors he's seen wearing are dark blues, dark reds, olive greens, grays, browns, and blacks. When out of armor he tends to prefer rolled up sleeves and simple pants of the same color scheme mentioned earlier. Unless the situation absolutely calls for such, he tends to avoid heavy metal armor. Though he realizes the importance of pairing armor with his sword and shield, he likes to keep as much agility as possible. This usually results in thick leather or light metal with maneuverable or entirely free joints. The only peculiar piece of Abarskyf's wardrobe are his golden earrings. Though many privateers and pirates sport them, one would think A'sili's hate for fashion would deter him from wearing them. That is not the case, however, and A'sili rarely takes them off, seeing them as a sign of his maritime heritage.
Common Rumors
"I heard he was a pirate." - Tavern patron
"The only reason that kitten-man carries a sword is because he couldn't lift an axe." - Maelstrom Marauder
"Abarskyf? That ain't no Miqo'te name. Naw, friend, it means 'Lone Ship'. He got it because he was left alone in a lifeboat for two months after his first ship sank. I heard it was undead pirates that did that crew in." - Superstitious Sailor
"Dumb sailor got lost in these forests, got his friend killed. All I know is, outsiders come in to 'help', and come out in a coffin. Abarskyf's a damned fool if you ask me." - Black Shroud villager
"Captain Abarskyf went down with the Doenhaerz five years ago. He's dead. Gods rest his soul." - Tavern patron
"A'sili lives in the Shroud now. He's become quite mysterious in recent times. We don't even know if he's still alive." - Bannock soldier
Moderate Rumors
"I heard he once fought a Leviathan by himself." - Tavern owner
"He's called the Sea Lion because he took on a Garlean fleet with nothin' but a bunch o' shoddy privateer boats." - Old Sea Wolf
"'Skyf? Yeah, I heard he's sailed around the oceans. Mapped out every corner of the world. Ain't nowhere you can go that the Sea Lion ain't been." - Dock worker
Rare Rumors
"Ol' 'Skyf? Legend says he got them scars from battling undead pirates off the coast of some ol' forgotten cove. They say them scars glow in the presence of the damned." - Superstitious Sailor
"He and his company took down over one hundred Ixali in the labyrinth under those caves. That's how he got those scars." - Gridanian gate guard
"A'sili Tia has been running since he was thirteen years old. He ran away from home to be a dirty sailor. He ran away from that to be a vagabond. He ran away from that to be some kind of 'pirate war hero'. And, after his stupid ship sank, he ran away to Azeyma-knows-where. Good riddance if you ask me. That man is nothing but a wanna-be Sea Wolf with an identity crisis. He's not one of us." - Bitter Limsa Lominsan Miqo'te
