Cai Far'darrig

Cai Far'darrig
Gender	Male
Race	Hyur
Clan	Highlander
Citizenship	Ala Mhigan
Age	51
Height	6'7"
Guardian	Rhalg'r
Marital Status	Single
Occupation	Swordsman
Residence	Little Solace

Basic Info

Cai Far'darrig ("Kay the Red One") is a veteran soldier in his early 50s. Time has not been kind and his hard life is reflected in his bad right eye, scars, gray hair, and poor complexion. He's still as strong as an ox while his posture and bearing immediately gives the impression of an experienced soldier. He has kept his Ala Mhigan fighting kit in good condition despite it being a few decades old. Living in Little Solace and in the Sylphlands before that also left it's mark in his appreciation for nature and life's simple pleasures. He is conversant in Low Sylphan and High Sylphan.

History

Born in 1526 of the last Astral Era in Ala Mhigo. His father, a soldier in the Ala Mhigan Pike, regaled his son with tales of the Autumn War (c. 1495), the victorious Battle of Tinolqa, and his eventual defeat when King Manfred lost to the Eorzean allies at the East End. Largely due to these stories, Cai spent much of his youth practicing with sticks and rocks before finally enlisting with the Ala Mhigan pike in 1545. Assigned to the 5th Pike and subsequently picked from the beginning to be a swordsmen instead of a pikeman. The swordsmen were afforded special pay in the pike due to the talent and extra danger required. Anywhere from a tenth to a fourth of the men inside a pike formation were responsible for attacking with sword and buckler from inside to outside the unit. He was eventually to put this training to unfortunate practice.

King Theodoric ordered the army to attack monastery of the Fist of Rhalgr in 1552. The pikeman prevented the monks from fleeing while the swordsman assigned did what needed to be done inside the monastery. Cai and the others in the 5th Pike only later realized the deception and brainwashing under which they had fallen when the King began executing families inside Ala Mhigo itself. It seemed just to him then that they would not interfere in the revolt against the Ruin King in 1556-1557. However, the revolution didn't last long as the Garlean XIV legion surprise attacked during the chaos after. Taken unawares, many in the pike fled before the overwhelming Garlean assault. During the retreat, he was finally able to halt his units collapse and begin to push back against the Garleans. His careful withdrawal saved many of his soldiers and more civilians as they fled the capital. They fell back to the East Shroud where he was separated from the rest of his unit. He encountered a band of Sylphs under attack from a Garlean Magitek unit and defeated them single handed before he collapsed.

The Sylphs offered him sanctuary and he spent many years with them doing odd chores and tending their gardens while he recovered from his injuries. He lost complete contact with the Ala Mhigan refugees and he would occasionally enter Hawthorne for supplies and such. Eventually, the Ala Mhigan resistance in Quarrymill discovered who and where he was. He passed notes and served as a drop for the resistance. He began occasionally re-entering Gyr Abania using the high passes through the Sylphlands. He left solitude and retirement after the Calamity for unknown reasons but still regularly returns to the Shroud.

Personality

Cai speaks with no discernible accent as a result of his military background. His experiences during the reign of Theodoric has left him with a pessimistic world view. He doesn't expect much, so he's never surprised by bad news. This pessimism is not readily apparent because he is warm, polite and altruistic to strangers and his friends. Deliberate and steady regardless of the odds or his surroundings, his long service to the Ala Mhigan pike serves him well. He is emotionally stable. He is brave in combat but also recognizes bad luck or a lost cause.

Cai is an above average swordsman. He is not gifted but cautious and practiced in his movements after decades of training. His experience means he is an effective fighter in man-to-man combat or large unit formations but is not experienced in monster fighting or the like.

Affiliations

Cai's current partner and associate is Benetoix Havillant, a pilot and smuggler. Ben is flaky and immature but the old man feels responsible for him. They've spent time partnering together against the Garleans in Gyr Abania -- Cai for patriotic reasons and Ben for the fame, money, and women.

Cai occasionally visits Buscaroon for gossip, Ala Mhigan current events, and a good tankard of ale. Meffrid, the resistance leader in Quarrymill, uses Cai as a go-between for resistance messages and work in northern Gyr Abania. Faramund, the resistance leader in Little Ala Mhigo, is an acquaintance from before the exodus. Most of the other Highlanders in Ul'dah would be unfamiliar with this strange veteran who in the Twelveswood.

He has a good relationship with the Wood Wailers in the East End other than the occasional odd look since he is the only Highlander living in Little Solace or the East Shroud. However, he's lived there so long he's seen more as "that old man" than a Ala Mhigan Highlander.

Cai recently accepted a commission in a Free Company led by Perne Vortefaux, seconded by himself and Tristram Greythorne.

Rumors and Quotes

Known to many

• I don't know who you're talking about -Suspicious Highlander
• He's been tending to the Sylphs for years now, dunno how he understands them -Random Gridanian
• That old man? We're gonna catch him one day -Garlean Sentry

Known to some

• Nice enough, doesn't seem to have any money -Buscaroon Barmaid
• Where'd he get that ancient gear? -Green Adventurer

Known to few

• Veteran of the Garlean invasion. Actually fought'em from Ala Mhigo all the way to East End - Unassuming Hyur

Player Comments