Ameline Valtin

Ameline Valtin
"It is not enough to just survive; A life without love is no life at all."
Gender	Female
Race	Elezen
Clan	Wildwood
Citizenship	Ishgard
Age	28
Religious Affiliation	Menphina, the Lover
Nameday	3rd Sun of the 2nd Astral Moon
Height/Weight	6 fulms, 7 ilms; 168 ponz

Character

Ameline Valtin - a name that few people know. Still young by Elezen standards at age 28, this fresh- faced nomad has made a career out of staying away from nation-state politics and offering her services as a long-journey pathfinder and guide. Light-hearted and morally well-adjusted (according to her), she tends to barter her services for goods or other services rather than dealing in gil. Despite her proclivity for the wild lands, she is the epitome of statuesque Elezen stoicism.

While she is no stranger to war, combat, and the short-sighted political machinations of city- state politicians, Ameline has recently taken a neutral stance and decided not to meddle in such affairs. She offers her services to anyone without a clearly nefarious intent. Neutrality aside, she considers herself a virtuous woman and will not look the other way in the face of cruelty or injustice - at least not in "her country" (the wild lands between city-states). Between her well-spoken manner and her adamant refusal to get involved with City-State squabbles, it is clear that Ameline has seen some form of experience in public administration or a military. Despite this, she remains cagey about her young-adult life; often times, she finds it easier to deflect such questions and describe her positive childhood experiences.

Ameline is a pious devotee to The Twelve, specifically Menphina. Her views on love and happiness naturally gravitate her toward the Goddess of Love. Ironically, she is a solitary creature without a match. Inbetween her posturing on the virtues of being self-reliant, it can be observed that she longs for companionship in some form. Despite her rugged lifestyle, she has a delicate heart that is easily broken - a trait that causes her to unintentionally keep friends and associates from getting too close.

♦ Personality

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• For a time of strife, Ameline is a relatively pleasant person. She has a warm personality and believes strongly in sharing what little she has with people who need it. Her work as a professional pathfinder is not really a means to make gil; she does it because she genuinely enjoys the brief company of new people. Because of this, it is not uncommon for her to offer her services to people gratis or in exchange for some small favor or service. (Example: She agrees to escort a physician through the shroud in exchange for a quick look into a pain she's been having in her elbow.)

• Ameline is very seldom abrasive or crass. She internalizes disrespectful comments and maintains a level of respectful decorum when speaking to others. If she is treated with respect, she will usually sincerely enjoy the company of others. If she is not, she will do what she can to excuse herself from the situation. If that is not an option, she will simply clam up and have very little to say. In this state, it is common for her to avoid making eye contact with her conversational partner.

• She has a way of seeming very genuine when she talks. Her big green eyes zero in on the eyes of the person she's talking to making a conversation with her a generally pleasant experience. She has a bashful streak in city-based environments, but regardless - Ameline is much more of a listener than a talker.

• Old rivalries, bigotry, and xenophobia may be in her blood as an Elezen - but she has been on both sides of this and does not like the way it feels. Because of this, abrasive comments based on citizenship, race, religion, etc. can get her a bit worked up. With that said, Ameline can be accused of hypocrisy. The dwindling population of Elezen tends to gravitate toward other Elezen she randomly comes across. If she saw a Hyur and an Elezen traveling on separate paths of a road, she would dash to the Elezen first.

• The wilds can be a lonely place and Ameline is not immune to this fact. She is willing to converse with just about anyone and absolutely adores being approached in public to make small-talk. She enjoys hearing tall tales; travelers with implausibly grandiose stories from far away lands light up her eyes. In discussing the lonely road, it should also be noted that Ameline can be easily taken in by whimsical plans. (Example: If someone tells Ameline, "You really ought to see the palace sometime." She takes that quite literally as an invitation to join her conversation partner and may ask for him/her to take her there.)

• Her devotion to the goddess of love lends an appreciation for romance and love. While she may get caught up in fancies of romance, she is quite fastidious about who she chooses for courtship. Still, above all other wishes and desires, she actively seeks a fellow virtuous Elezen to share her time with. Because of her traditional upbringing, she is quite adamantly heterosexual and while the attention of the same sex may be flattering, she probably will not pursue advances made by fellow women.

♦ Appearance

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Physical Appearance

• While generally comely for a Wildwood Elezen, she is exceptionally tall. It is not uncommon for her above-average height to be one of the first topics of conversation with new folks. Standing at over 6 and 2/3 fulms, she towers over Hyur and has a good head taller than many other Elezen females.
• Although she has gentle features, it is clear that there is a base-line power to the way she moves. While her height is properly proportional to her weight and she has a lithe look about her, close inspection would show you that there is strength in her long legs and sturdy core. To see her negotiating difficult terrain, hunting wild game, and various other physically-oriented activities that she participates in would easily demonstrate this strength to an observer.
• Ameline is not the most glamorous, busty, or well-dressed Elezen woman - but there is a rustic intrigue to the way she presents herself. Her countenance has a perpetual expression of interest and compassion that seems to convey a sense of approachability to the passerby. Despite her free-roaming lifestyle, she seems to have a sense of manners and decorum. It would be reasonable to assume that she has been classically educated after meeting her (despite the fact that this may or may not be the case.)
• Despite her attractive proportions and rustic charm, there's no getting around it: Ameline is clumsy and uncoordinated. It is quite common for her long slender arms to collide with a bowl or tankard on a table as she passes it by. Because of this, she seems to be a bit self-conscious in scenarios involving city-dwelling socialites or formal functions.
• She has a very small yet distinguishing birthmark below her right eye.

Commonly-Worn Attire/Accessories/Equipment

• Wears a pair of ornate rings - one on the index finger of each hand. While they are identical and simplistic in design, one is smelted from an inky black metal and the other from vibrant bronze. She does not discuss the origins of these rings, but it can be assumed that they are sentimental rather than for fashion as they are weathered and word from years of use that clearly pre-date her own existence.
• Wears a distinct necklace of asymmetrical fragments of bronze aligned vertically around her neck and throat. The necklace does not have the same weathered look as her rings and does not appear to serve a functional purpose as a gorget. It is a safe assumption that she simply enjoys the aesthetic look of the necklace.
• Carries a small notebook and a very old ornate rose-gold charcoal case for chronicling her travels, making rubbings, and drawing vistas that inspire her as she moves from place to place. It can always be found on her person if searched for.
• Conceals a small (3 ilm) dagger of Elezen make that fits in her boot for personal protection. It is typically not visible without a pat-down or the removal of her boots. Unlike her jewelry, the dagger seems keen and newly forged. Perhaps something happened recently to give her cause to conceal a weapon?

♦ History

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Origins

Ameline was born to a well-to-do, yet far from noble Ishgardian military family in the interior of the kingdom. Her father, Alexois Valtin - a military officer, and mother, Remy Valtin - a priestess of Menphina, the Lover, doted on their only child and loved her dearly from the moment she was born. She was raised from a young age to respect her Elezen heritage, show patriotism and loyalty to her kingdom, and to offer reverence and devotion to the Goddess of Love. After only nine cycles, Ameline volunteered the majority of her time to the temple of Menphina, tending to the wounded soldiers and speaking on the importance of love in times of strife, grief, loss, and war.

Convictions Re-evaluted

At the sullen and impressionable age of twelve, the troubled young Elezen had a crisis of faith after her father was brought to the temple with a mortal wound. He did not speak much on the horrors of war to his girls at home, but Ameline saw her father - shattered and broken, and began to question the will of the Twelve. Her father, Captain Alexois Valtin, would never fully recover from his wounds and was found unfit for continued military service. After being discharged from service, he became a fisherman by trade and struggled with his self-worth from that point forward. Ameline steadily fostered a great disdain for the enemies of the kingdom, pledging to volunteer for military service as her father did once she came of age.

A Soldier-Citizen Forged and Broken

After the passage of seventeen cycles, Ameline made good on the pledge she swore to herself. She applied and was accepted into the Ishgardian Military Officer's Academy. For four long cycles, she absorbed a classical education infused with military principles on leadership and small unit tactics. Shortly before her twenty first nameday, Ameline was commissioned and billeted as Lieutenant Valtin, herald to the 117th Regiment of Lance. It all seemed so poetic to her to fight for her kingdom, but the realities of war changed her.

Friends and lovers were lost as the endless war raged on. After four cycles of endless struggle, Ameline began to question her career decision. It was not a hesitation based on fear; rather one born out of the depletion of morale. She wondered if this war would ever simmer. On her 25th nameday, Ameline had thrust her lance into the last foe of Ishgard as a military officer. After rallying her men and women in a costly battle, she planted her lance into the belly of a great beast of a man as he brought his hammer down on her chest.

After so many had fallen, she was presumed to have perished on the field of battle. When she awoke, she stood among a legion of the dead and wounded and cried. She stripped herself of her uniform and ran, bloodied and broken. After hiding out in [[Ishgard|Ishgard Propper] a few days, she donned a peasant's clothes and smuggled her parents out of the city toward the The Black Shroud. The slow and dangerous journey took the better part of a cycle; moving quickly on thoroughfares would rouse suspicion on the deserter and her family.

New Beginnings, Pt. I

By Ameline's 26th cycle, she had delivered her parents to the village of Quarrymill. The Valtin family had a peaceful few years in Twelveswood relative to the chaos they experienced in Ishgard. The whole family offered their services to the village to help rebuild in the aftermath of the calamity; their dedication, compassion, and effort won the respect of the locals and helped Ameline to rekindle her devotion to the Goddess of Love.

After the peaceful and fulfilling two cycles that the Valtin family enjoyed in Quarrymill, Ameline began to get a serious case of wanderlust. The new world called to her, and she wanted to answer it. Still, her duties to her parents and village kept her from running off. Just around the time that Ameline came to terms with her lot in life, Ishgardian officials entered the village looking for a fair-complected, dark-haired Elezen deserter. Knowing that the penalty for desertion was an indignant public execution, Ameline knew that it was time to move on. Aside from her own safety from the actions of what seemed to be a lifetime before, she feared that the Ishgardians would harm her family or village if suspected of harboring her. On the eve of her twenty eighth cycle, Ameline considered the prospect of a new chapter of adventure and excitement to her life before impulsively packing her things to wander Eorzea like the Wildwood of old. To date, she has not returned to Quarrymill, although her heart aches for it.

Combat

Ameline has a very utilitarian concept of combat. While she shows some signs of being professionally trained, she relies heavily on traps and improvised weaponry. Her solid build gives her a tendency to face wild adversaries or game for hunt using the spear or lance. When engaging another person in combat, she tends to aim for disabling attacks as opposed to mortal wounding attacks. Her general style is one of patient precision than wild aggression. She will drop into a defensive stance, attempting to parry, dodge, and deflect incoming blows until she gets a feel for the combat style of her opponent. Once she sizes up her foe, she will quickly strike with non-lethal precision until her opponent yields or makes it clear that a non-lethal conclusion will not be an option.

Weapons/Equipment Carried:

• Small Elezen-forged dagger in her right boot.
• Forest vine/cordage for multipurpose binding.
• Some sort of ~10 fulm wooden spear/lance.
• A satchel for carrying provisions (food, water, hunted game).

Note: Not all weapons and equipment are carried into a town when Ameline passes through. Typically, she will make camp on the outskirts of the town and only carry what she needs inside in order to keep her load light and have plenty of room to bring provisions back to her encampment.

★ Recent RP events ★

Tendencies

• Quiet and attentive. It isn't bashfulness, she simply enjoys listening to the musings of others.
• Very forward with her intentions - She will respectfully defend her convictions or declare her affections for others without anyone having to goad her or coax it out of her.
• Fiercely defensive of those who are treated unfairly or unjustly. She will not resort to violence easily, but she will interject without hesitation.
• Kind and warm to even the most prickly of personalities. If Ameline is unkind to someone, they are likely excessively rude or crass. This is rare.
• Tends to dress conservatively. She has no moral objection to showing some skin, but she feels a bit self-conscious when doing so due to her traditional upbringing.
• Tends to clam up when discussing topics that are sexual in nature. Much like above, it isn't out of protest, but more due to her upbringing. Lewd sexual discussion will make her uncomfortable, though.
• Her quaint attire and tendency to listen instead of talk leads others to believe she is a rube or peasant. . . At least until she opens her mouth.

Likes ■ Teas and other assorted hot beverages ■ Positivity and compassion ■ Watching others show affection to each other ■ Conversing with strangers

Dislikes ■ Crass/Negative people and attitudes ■ Discussing sex as an industry/Lewd sexual conversation ■ Discussing politics, war, or battlefield tactics ■ Xenophobia, racism, jingoism, or religious slander/persecution ■ Criminal/Nefarious activity ■ General cruelty to others ■ Drinking alcohol

Hobbies/Talents ■ Hunting and fishing ■ Pathfinding/Difficult terrain negotiation ■ Reading/Writing (An uncommon talent in some parts of Eorzea)

RP Hooks for Random Approach ■ Recognized as a former brother/sister in arms ■ Seen her flyers posted in various inns for pathfinding services ■ Military combat discipline recognized by other soldiers

♦ Related Images

WIP

Relationships

ღ Love ◎ Crush ◎ Friendship ◎ Neutral ◎ Dislike ◎ Hate

Friends Person Here-

Acquaintances Person Here- Enemies & Rivals Person Here-

Rumours

Player Character Rumours

[I will leave these open for other players to fill in on their own. Please remain respectful and understand that anything I find distasteful or slanderous, I will remove.]

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♦ Footnotes

Alignment: Chaotic Good. She has a kind heart, but cares little for the politics or current events that do not affect her directly. She may show a lackadaisical attitude toward authority, but would not openly defy it unless it came into direct conflict with her moral compass or convictions.