Siobhain Surtsthalwyn

Siobhain Surtsthalwyn
"Often peace is found only on the far side of war."
The Arbiter
Gender	Female
Race	Roegadyn
Clan	Hellsguard
Citizenship	Limsa Lominsa
Patron Deity	Azeyma the Warden
Age	27
Namesday	13th Sun of the Fifth Astral Moon
Height/Weight	6'7" 245 ponz.
Occupation	Paladin, Bodyguard, Teacher

"Siobhain Surtsthalwyn" is best defined as 'laconic' and 'disciplined'. With her commonly stoic demeanor, battle-forged frame, and succinct manner of speech, upon first encounter she would likely appear to a stranger as nothing more than a grim veteran. In reality, the Roegadyn woman is exceptionally intelligent in matters of social etiquette as well as battle tactics. She is warm beneath a frosty exterior and never intends to be misinterpreted as cruel. Her devotion to the Twelve is paramount, dictating all there is about her from her desire to expound upon her limited knowledge of the world to her willingness to teach what she knows to any with a desire to learn. Once befriended, Shiv is loyal unto death and protective only when protection is required.

Character

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Name

Given Name: Siobhain Surtsthalwyn (SHē - vän | Sûrt -sthäl - wēn)

Name Meaning: 'Cold' + 'Flame', 'Black' + 'Steel' + 'Daughter'

Aliases/Nicknames:

Cold Flame: Her most commonly used name. To strangers, she will most often introduce herself as simply 'Cold Flame', the general translation of her birth name.

• She chooses, like the rest of her family, to go by her given name as often as her translated name, unlike many Hellsguard. The reason for this is her pride in her lineage, not oft shared by the more independent individuals of her species. She also sometimes chooses to apply Roegadyn nicknames to those she finds particularly noteworthy.

Shiv or Shivi: Acceptable nicknames used by those whom she becomes 'close' to, or at least comfortable enough with that she feels that the nickname is not being used in mockery. Usually, this nickname is used as a play on her sometimes formidable personality.

Shi-shi or ShivShiv: Rather UNacceptable nickname.

Svaghain: A somewhat derisive pet name that her brother Klarimel Surtsthalsyn labeled her as a child. It translates roughly to 'Little/Weak + Flame'. Anyone other than him who might choose to call her this will likely invoke her wrath.

Appearance

Height: 6 fulms, 7 ilms - considered to be of low to average height for a Hellsguard female.

Weight: 245 ponz - a virtual light-weight for her race.

Body: Although her overall mass is considered by some of her species to border on 'petite' she is a solid figure. From a distance, she can easily be confused for a bulky male Elezen. Beginning from the top, she has a uniquely sculpted face with a square jaw that tapers down into a long graceful neck. Broadening into powerful shoulders, her body stays wide unto the ribcage, only then tapering into a relatively slender waist then blooming outwards once again into voluptuous hips. The length of her powerful arms and legs do something to reduce the illusion of bulky muscle, though muscle she has no shortage of. While Siobhain bears undeniable feminine traits such as an ample bosom and broad hips, this is near-constantly obscured by her choice of masculine attire. Her only odd characteristic are proportionally small hands and feet which allow her to move with a quiet elegance almost unbecoming of her breed.

Complexion: Although many things can be said about the Hellsguard woman, not one upon the list is that she cares overly about her appearance. Despite this, and her sometimes brutal history as a disciplined fighter, her pale carmine skin is relatively unmarred for what can be seen of it given her conservative style of dress. Siobhain bears no pock-marks, tattoos, or heavy facial scarring. Upon her rarely exposed forearms, however, she bears numerous thin scars of varying length between wrist and elbow and likewise with the area between her ankles and shins. Her back, though it has never been seen without her consent, is a veritable web of scars that might occur to one beholding them as the result of some ritualistic flagellation.

Face: As aforementioned, the skin of Shiv's face is intact and uncharacteristically soft to the eye as well as the touch. She bears the common characteristics of her race; a pronounced nose-bridge, deeply set eyes, and shapely eyebrows. Her amber eyes are gem-like in their hardness, often aimed in some silent scrutiny of another that is usually interpreted as 'disapproving'. Her naturally arched brows, that taper upwards to point at an angle towards her hairline, only serve to complement her fierce expressions. The Roe's two softening facial qualities are her heavy eye lids which sometimes dampen her hawk-like gaze, and her full, dark lips that curl ever so slightly at the corners when relaxed, giving the impression that she is perpetually smiling when not enraged.

Her ear lobes bear a single piercing in either side. The earrings she favors vary from time to time and often do not match.

She bears a tiny marking in the center of her forehead reminiscent of the traditional jewels worn by some Seekers of the Sun, clasped in the center of a tiny shield tattoo.

Hair: As both a 'Paladin' and smith by trade and one who, for the most part, gives rather little care in the way of aesthetics beyond personal hygiene, Shiv favors keeping her white hair manageable. This means, by her definition, short and swept enough from her face to prevent obscuring her vision at any given time. This choice of styling tends to make her natural widow's peak, one shared with both her mother and brother, more prominent. The hair itself is rather thick and coarse, growing how it will and defying gravity despite all attempts to the contrary. Only in recent years has her mane regained enough length, reaching a few ilms above her muscled shoulders, to be smoothed back rather than spiking of its own volition.

Fashion: Unlike numerous other Roegadyn women who proudly show their shapely bodies to Eorzea in whatever garments they find comfortable, this particular Roe prefers to dress for work at all times. She might be commonly seen in traveling garb; a tunic with billowing sleeves and leather trousers fitted tightly enough to move without hindrance. As a general rule, the more patches and holes her clothing has, the more she favors the outfit, but even in peace times she is inclined to don her brilliant plate armor. The set is much like many others that are forged in Ul'dah; of platinum hue and sturdy make, customized in the sections for her joints for more maneuverability than many Paladins prefer.

Siobhain does have two articles of clothing that she favors: boots and gloves. Although she claims that it's not so easy to come by a good set of resilient leathers, the Roe can often be found distracted by a Leatherworker's stall, considering a commission of a fine new pair of knee-highs and comfortable mitts to fit into her gauntlets. To that end, she spares no expense on such luxuries and often changes these articles between any of her favorite sets.

Behavior

Voice: When calm, her voice is deep and rich, soothing to the ear rather than gruff as one might expect. She tends to speak slowly and enunciate her words with care, although hints of what can be assumed to be her native accent arise from time to time. When angered, her tone changes slowly, first to a deep rumble of warning, and in the worst of instances, a veritable roar of outrage.

Demeanor: Siobhain is generally as she first appears. Her body language speaks of some sort of higher bearing, with a straight spine and squared shoulders. One would never think to describe her as meek. She is, however, soft-spoken when no reason for anger or indignance is given, and rather open-minded about many topics, even ones as controversial as religion and politics. Always, she'll hear an opinion and credit it if it is based on substance and she conducts herself by her own moral code, devout in her faith and having faith in herself. Her generally fair positions in many matters makes her a viable short-notice referee of honor-bouts and a respectable arbiter in personal disputes. Although she is worldly on matters such as bloodshed, poverty, and war, she is unforgiving to thieves and bullies or anyone she interprets as such. She is not one to stand by while an innocent is abused in any manner, and will often intervene without being requested, but rarely to the extent of intended martyrdom. She believes that engaging an opponent with the will to survive is more courageous than engaging with the intent of dying.

Personality: For most, Shiv appears intimidating on first meeting and the perception hardly alters upon second, third, fourth, or fifth meeting. The expression she wears for contemplation is almost identical to her expression of disapproval, however, and this often explains why she comes across as frigid as she does. Her moral compass always points north and she spends some amount of time trying to decipher the orientation of others. Always, she is considering who may be a threat and who has potential as an ally, so she is slow to speak and has a tendency to be laconic if ever she finds the words for a situation not to her interest. If she feels something is wrong or injustice is being done, she can be counted as one of the first to stand up and take action. Equally, she can be gentle, even tender with those whom she deems require it. This often applies to women of smaller races, children, and Lalafell, as she seems to be under the impression that the race as a whole is incapable of malice. Her steadfastness in her beliefs borderlines naivety, however, and her personal code can often be so rigid that she will not back down to save herself if it means preserving her own honor.

Quirks: Besides her affection for footwear and handwear, Shiv has a number of small oddities about her. Despite her stature, she dislikes heights above an average of six feet, including the decks of ships and towers. In such settings she begins to crack her knuckles and fidgit, becoming short tempered as time wears on. She also has a personal dislike of Chocobos, and has been known to tersely state that 'they are for eating, not for riding', though she has never be seen eating Chocobo meat. Her severe glower tends to gravitate to the tails and ears of nearby Miqo'tes as well as Lalafell. Though she never admits it aloud, she finds these things irresistibly cute. Instances where such people or parts are present are usually filled with staring and teeth-grinding that can be perceived as threatening when in fact she is resisting the urge to lavish affection upon the unwitting bearers of such traits.

Flaws: Though Siobhain is very difficult to anger, she is likewise difficult to calm when she pressed beyond her limitations. Although those who are close to her can commonly settle her mounting anger, she has been known to go into a blind rage that ceases only when her target(s) are unconscious or she is. Due to this flaw, she practices her daily physical and mental routines and does everything in her power to retain her emotional discipline. She is also protective to a dangerous degree over the very few she considers to be close friends or loved ones and at times can be naive on matters of honor or moral code.

Intelligence: As mentioned prior, Siobhain's physical appearance often obscures her intelligence. Although not scholarly by anyone's definition she is a well-read individual. If asked, she will admit that often during her youth she was encouraged to read manuals on fighting styles and tactics in order to advance her learning. Having grown up in Ul'dah, despite her somewhat sheltered upbringing, she became accustomed to the sometimes selfish mindsets of individuals looking to survive or to swindle where they could. Likewise, she is all too familiar with the dark politics of those self-made nobles of her home city. The rumored dealings of the Syndicate as well as other, similar, acts of those she considered greedy and degenerate led her to pursue the life of a knight-errant rather lending herself to what remained of the once grand Paladin order, and in turn abandoning her Sultansworn mentor.

It is interesting to note that Siobhain is capable of small feats of healing. She does not often use or mention this ability, and cannot wield it while otherwise occupied with combat or anything else that requires concentration.

Religious Views:

"People choose their paths; They want to believe they control their destinies... but when fortune forsakes us, they are swift to blame those gods they would not credit with the goodness of their lives." - Siobhain

The paladin's dedication to the Twelve is as thoroughly incorporated in her personality as an individual as all of her mentality regarding combat and what it entails. She believes strongly in the Twelve, but focuses her beliefs far more into Azeyma where others might assume she would naturally prefer Halone the Fury or Rhalgr the Destroyer. Inquisition is the path to the heart of justice, and all untruths are laid bare before the light of a pure soul. Warding comes before warfare, by the same tenants of her belief, and she would easily surrender a fight in favor of diplomacy. Her perception of how the Twelve affect those mortal beings that follow them is slightly different than some.

It is her belief that the gods favor all mortals, and that they exist as safeguards of faith-- but that with their blessings come responsibilities for all mortals to do what they must to survive, not only as individuals, but as communities unified by their own mortality. Misfortune befalls all living things at some point to some degree, and it is what those individuals choose to do to overcome those obstacles or help others overcome their pains that determine their ultimate fate. In essence, she prays to the Twelve for guidance, thanking them for all they have done in order to protect the inhabitants of Eorzea-- but it is Siobhain's strong belief that it is time for the people to stand on their own and protect the names and power of their deities as those deities protected living things in the past.

Siobhain makes it clear that she would die peacefully, if her death meant some small hope for the innocents that exist in the world or will come to exist long after she is gone. Though she does not approve of selfishness in others, she knows that she can only aide those that will accept it, and gratitude is unimportant.

Romance: Siobhain does not consider herself terribly masculine, although her manner of speaking, choice of 'fashion', and confident conduct may often mislead one to assuming she is somewhat 'butch'. In reality, the Roegadyn believes in ever-lasting love, she simply chooses not to actively seek or pursue such relationships due, mostly, to her disillusion that the males of her species are like her brother Klarimel and males of other species are simply too small or fragile. Whether or not she would be open to a relationship with a female of any race is not a concept she has ever considered as she usually establishes a maternal, protective, or sororal bond with other women, seeing them definitely as too small or weak compared to herself. In essence, her choice of a life-long or even short-term mate would require the individual to be somewhat similarly aligned with her moral standpoints as well as someone who was strong, of heart if not of body. Race or gender is of little to no consequence so long as the love is mutual and whole as Siobhain believes that her individual contributions towards the propagation of her species is unnecessary and her line of work would not allow her to even consider a child until the calamity of recent years has been wholly overcome.

Likes

• Courage
• Honor
• Wisdom
• Religion
• Red Meat
• Lalafell
• Miqo'te
• Battle
• Teaching

Dislikes

• Malice
• Thieves
• Over-Confidence
• Liars
• Dresses
• Undergarments
• Overcooked Food
• Heights
• Long Sentences
• Cowards

Talents

• Swordplay
• Smithing
• Arbitrating
• Singing (Oddly enough)
• Diplomacy (When necessary)

Relationships

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Family

Surtsthal Steinbrogsyn (Father)- Not much is known about the true history of Surtshal, not even to his wife, and less, to his children. A Hellsguard of hulking proportions and known for his brusque manner of conducting himself, he was renown for one thing: getting a job done. His favorite jobs involved procuring goods without payment, in several methods, foremost of which was bandit-work. At the peak of his glory days as a scoundrel, however, he met Wyznalyr, a confident, no-nonsense black smith. In exchange for her hand, he vowed to forfeit his life of crime and settle down on the outskirts of Ul'dah as a true citizen. It is believed that he did genuinely fall in love with the Roegadyn woman he would later make his wife, and the children she birthed him, and he made his best effort to settle into a life of hard-work and honest-living. He worked for ten years at reconstructing himself as a family man, doing odd jobs from building and wall construction to butchery to help make ends meet. When his son, Klarimel was only ten years old, and his daughter Siobhain only five, Surtsthal simply disappeared with no more explanation than a note left to his wife. Siobhain has not seen him since and would doubtlessly not recognize him even if she did.

Wyznalyr Sthalsmhidwyn-Surthsthalwyb (Mother)- Wyznalyr was born in Ala Mhigo before her family abruptly relocated to Ul'dah, intending to peddle their wares where there was less competition. She descends from a long line of powerful swordsmen, lancers, and axe-wielders, as well as artisan smiths. Her parents retired to the outskirts of Ul'dah when she came of age and the young Roegadyn woman was left alone to inherit and run her own black smithing business. Anything that could be forged of metal and gems, from jewelry to plate armor, keen blades to cooking vessels she could create and did so magnificently. She met 'Surtsthal the Swarthy' during her down time in a local tavern and became just as smitten with him as he did with her. However, she was steadfast in her desire to live an honest life and uphold her family's honor and this condition Surtsthal met with surprising swiftness. Ten years after their son Klarimel was born, Wyznalyr was taken aback to realize her husband had simply up and left, and gathered from his short message that he could no longer stand the stifled life she had forced him into. This, she accepted stoutly, but when her oldest child left, similarly, without explanation a mere five years later, she was devastated. For some time, she took to her drink and neglected her work, leaving her confused young daughter to fend for herself for the better part of two years. Her life was a blur of drunken misery and bitterness until one day a Sultansworn tore her out of her home, cast her onto the dusty ground, and presented her with her own battered and blood-soaked daughter. The child she saw that day was one that she no longer recognized-- the childish joy in her eyes had been extinguished, replaced by a hardness forged from her mother's neglect. Though the girl refused to steal, she had no qualms about taking leftovers from garbage piles in the bazaar to subsist upon and that act had drawn the attention of bullies from her and her brother's youth. Unable to tolerate their mockery, she had beaten all three within inches of their lives, stopped only when a passing Paladin had intervened and wrenched her bloody weapon, a fist-sized rock, from her clutches. The very sight shook Wyznalyr to her core, and when the Paladin stated that he was taking Siobhain away to 'correct' her before she took to killing, the woman made no effort to stop him. From that day forth she has lived and returned to working in Ul'dah, sober and devout in her newly-reborn faith in the Twelve. She has been visited only once by her daughter, during which time she desperately bequeathed her knowledge and manual of the intricacies of smithing unto her and prays that she will one day return home to live in peace.

Klarimel Surtsthalsyn (Brother)- Her brother, Klarimel, is as opposite a being as one can be from his little sister while still bearing some family resemblance. Five years her senior, she had created a perception of Klar being a courageous and upstanding boy. Though he picked on her often while they were young, he would also champion her against any other child that chose to make mockery of her for being 'tall', 'gangly', or in some attacks, outright 'ugly'. With their father rarely in the picture before he disappeared altogether, Siobhain idolized him until, five years after her father's disappearance, Klarimel abandoned her and her mother as well. Years passed and Siobhain suffered the loss of an older male relative in her life greatly before fulfilling her vow to become her own protector and the defender of any innocent she would meet from that day forward. Some time after the havoc wreaked by Bahamut, the female Roegadyn was informed that her brother was being held prisoner in Ul'dah. Hoping to reconnect with the great brother of her childhood, she was sorely disappointed to discover him (by her definition) no more than a brutish bandit. Nevertheless, blood is blood.

Waken Avalbane (Mentor/Adoptive Father)- A veritable paragon of valor and courage, Waken had long been a standing member of the Sultansworn of Ul'dah. Though he suffered their inevitable decline and neglect as an order (by his perception), always he held hope that they would return to their prestigious place as men of honor. Born and raised in Ul'dah, his life and fate was inevitably tied to that of his people and his city. He joined the elite ranks of the Sultan's bodyguards as a teenage and maintained the job throughout his life. At the age of twenty-seven, while conducting a patrol through the alleyways near the Bazaar, he overheard a commotion-- the sound of children screaming in terror and rage. As he neared the scene, he overheard the repeated, sickening impact of something hard against what sounded like flesh and bone. What he found was three large boys of varying race and a young, blood-covered, frenzy-eyed Roegadyn adolescent pummeling the only subject out of the three that continued to move in the face with a large, blunt rock. Waken reached out to grab the girl and was caught off guard by her surprisingly strong fist striking his face. He managed to forcibly remove the enraged girl and summon aide for the other children who would survive the ordeal with some permanent physical and emotional damage. Though it took several hours, the Paladin finally coaxed her reason for the brutality from her, and found himself filled with a cold rage that he would teach her over the coming years. Immediately, he took her to her home and confronted her emotionally distraught mother, demanding that she relinquish her daughter into his care. This, she could not argue, and for the next ten years, Siobhain Surthsthalwyn was his adopted daughter.

This man played, perhaps, the most prominent role in her life, teaching her acceptance of other races, discipline, humility, honor, diplomacy, and most significantly combat. Soon, the scrawny child he had saved became a fully grown woman, standing half a head taller than himself and nearly as broad. It was around the age of twenty that Siobhain's affection for him as a father began to evolve into a more romantic endeavor, which he quickly put an end to two years later when she began to press the matter. It was his strong belief that this event was her reason for refusing to pursue her potential future as one of the Sultansworn, or even as a common but recognized protector of Ul'dah. During his final day with her, while trying desperately to make her reconsider, he grew frustrated with her passive-aggressive behavior and struck her without warning. Though he meant to apologize immediately, he had no time to share the words as she retaliated with a powerful blow that shattered his jaw and sent him in a crumpled heap to the ground. When he returned to consciousness and managed a small feat of healing hours later, he charged to the home they'd been sharing for the past several years, only to find all the personal possessions she had earned or bought missing and a mass of shorn hair on the floor.

Waken spent weeks searching for her, but to no avail and none of her friends or comrades would admit to him whether or not they maintained contact with her. Some months later at the Battle of Carteneau, he shared with a fellow soldier that his one regret in life had been to try and force her into his image, and thus, forcing her away. He lost his life during the onslaught. He died at age thirty-seven on the fields of Mor Dhona with a locket containing the hair of his only beloved daughter about his neck.

Friends

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Combat

• Style:

In battle, she prefers close-combat bouts. For her breed, she is not as physically powerful as some, relying on a unique blend of focused strength, maneuverability, and a good deal of stamina. She is, however, at the mercy of distance-fighters such as Archers or Thaumaturges and even especially proficient Lance-wielders. If she is forced to work heavily on the offensive, she tends to lose her energy more quickly than if she can remain, comfortably, on the defensive; dodging attacks and launching enough counter strikes to wear an opponent down. While enraged, nothing but her brute strength comes into play and she can become wildly unpredictable in combat.

Siobhain is capable of moving swiftly over short distances and has a wealth of stamina for steady, long-distance jogging. While in combat, she is light-footed for her bulk and quick to reposition herself in order to optimize the accuracy of her strikes, often aiming for the vulnerable sections of exposed flesh or armor segments. While she is familiar with the most devastating points of anatomy for attack, she often resorts to dealing as much superficial damage (such as to the extremities) as possible, both to slowly cripple her opponent with accumulated wounds and to inflict panic and frustration over time.

In short, the paladin is a slow-and-steady fighter. Her moral code does not necessarily encompass her strategy in battle, save for dictating her willingness to engage an opponent if necessary and to continue the fight until the end. In essence she will slash at ligaments, aim for the face and the groin, and resort to brawler tactics if the situation is dire in order to overcome an enemy.

Her form may be recognized by one knowledgeable about different fighting styles as being based dominantly on the Sultansworn form of fighting using swift sword strokes and a sometimes crouched posture.

• Specialization:

Siobhain is a paladin by trade and therefore has achieved some mastery of armed as well as unarmed melee combat. Her specialization deals with a one-handed sword and shield combo, and she works well in a group as the primary distraction/damage-absorber as she is sturdy on her feet and ruthless enough to keep an enemy's attention focused on her. Though she generally relies on her right hand to wield her blade, she has been known to switch sword and shield arms and is proficiently ambidextrous in regards to weapon play.

• Strengths:

Strength and stamina are the paladin's key strengths, but her intelligence also comes into play while in combat. She remains observant of her opponents throughout an encounter and can usually formulate small changes in tactics to turn a fight to her favor. Though she is adept with weapons, the brute force of her punches, and thus with her shield-blows, are concussive and she relies heavily on such moves against particularly large beasts. A deep well of stamina can keep her fighting to the exhaustion of nearly any aggressor and her swift footwork only serves to reduce the number of impacts or strikes she may be forced to take.

• Weaknesses:

Great speed and distance are the Roegadyn woman's primary flaws in combat. She has lost several sparring matches against fleet-footed Miqo'te or Elezen who keep distance between themselves and their target with ease, and in turn wearing her energy down quickly as she tries to close the space. Although Siobhain has tried to create some mend for this flaw by acquainting herself with throwing knives, her accuracy with a launched weapon does not compare to her skill with the sword and is often evaded by agile opponents.

When she is 'beserking' and in combat, she reveals fearsome strength and frighteningly sporadic attacks. This, however, can be turned to an opponent's advantage as she will often become so frustrated that she will grow devastatingly clumsy.

Weapons

• One-handed Swords
• Shield
• Throwing Knives

Armor

'Any armor will do' is usually Shiv's response to inquiries about what sort of armor she relies on, but she does have an obvious favorite. Plate armor is her forte, given the years of training where she was rarely given the chance to remove her 'second skin' and her large frame's ability to accommodate the suit in its entirety. Although her armor is customized with extra segments in the joints and tailored down to fit her unique body shape, it is plate nonetheless and slows her down considerably. Beneath the plate, she generally wears a layer of her traveling clothes, her boots (with greaves atop it), her gloves (likewise with her gauntlets), and some pieces of chain mail to add protection to the more vulnerable separations in her suit.

'Given her background as a proficient, if not skilled, Blacksmith, her areas of interest lie heavily in weaponsmithing and armorsmithing. This being said, she prefers to build her own armor and is heavily critical of any armor piece or article of the craft given to her. The best gift for Siobhain is usually a well-crafted piece of armor, a blade, a shield, or an article of jewelry that has been handcrafted rather than cast.

Other

Siobhain is a paladin, not a mercenary. As such, she prefers to avoid fighting when it can be avoided and would rather speak for hours on end than draw a sword on most (and she really does despise having to speak too much). The Roegadyn is very difficult to enrage, and the buttons most assume they should press to do so are often the wrong ones lending only to her mild irritation and nothing else.

Miscellaneous

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Rumour Mill

Common Rumors (Easily overheard):

• “Hey, you! You'd do well to keep your distance from her; the day looks are capable of killing, there'll be some number of corpses in Ul'dah.”
• “She's real quiet, that Roegadyn. Too quiet... You can just hear them gears grinding away."
• “Oh, tha's Cold Flame. Aye, if yer seekin' her counsel, look ta the nearest shrine 'r temple soon as the moon's on the rise.”

Moderate Rumors (Moderately difficult to overhear):

• “Only ever see her with one man of her kind-- usually looking rather perturbed. Whether they're siblings or mates, it's hard to be certain."
• “I saw that Roegadyn outside the Hall of Flames once. She was having it out with some paladin-- left him in a heap and took her busted lip with her."
• "That one can't hold her liquor. Do your best to keep it out of her path, friend, or be ready to get out of hers."

Rare Rumors (Very difficult or rarely overheard):

• “I went into 'er room once, yeh? She's left in th' mornin' without a word and a big sack o' gil on th' mattress-- There was blood all o'er th' walls an' floor, but not a peep from 'er. I tell ya, she killed someone; it's th' only explanation.”
• “I remember when she was a child. Always smiling and clinging to her mother's apron strings."

Wanted for Interesting Roleplay:

• I'm open to roleplaying almost anytime and practically anywhere, even out of game, so long as it's 'canon'.

Inspirational Theme

"See Who I Am" - Within Temptation

Is it true what they say?

Are we too blind to find a way?

Fear of the unknown

Clouds our hearts today.

Come into my world,

See through my eyes.

Try to understand,

Don't want to lose what we have.

We've been dreaming

But who can deny?

It's the best way of living

Between the truth and the lies.

See who I am,

Break through the surface.

Reach for my hand,

Let's show them that we can

Free our minds and find a way.

The world is in our hands,

This is not the end.

Fear is withering the soul

At the point of no return.

We must be the change we wish to see.

History

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Siobhain Surtsthalwyn was born and raised in the city-state of Ul'dah. Her mother, Wyznalyr, was a noteworthy Blacksmith peddling the wares mostly created outside their small home in the Sapphire Avenue Exchange. The blacksmith's husband was a "retired" bandit, working often as a contracted construction worker for new homes in and outside Ul'dah, as well as an able hunter and butcher. Although her family sustained only an average income, Siobhain was raised in a peaceful environment wanting for nothing.

As a youth, the young Roegadyn spent her time observing her mother's work and tinkering around with her own toy crafting tools. It took some time before the shy child began to follow her older brother, Klarimel, from their home to watch how he interacted with the other young children of Ul'dah. Between the ages of five and ten years old, especially after their father's abandonment, she would observe his treatment of others (as well as herself). While he constantly bullied them, he would only go so far as to tease Siobhain, holding her upside down by her ankles at times or pulling her ears or hair. As a gangly creature, at least a head taller than children of other races who shared equal years and constantly stammering and muttering in her speech, she drew the abrasive comments of bullies agitated by Klarimel's undisputed title as the major antagonist of the children. Though they would often try to get her alone, pushing her around and mocking her derisively, her brother inevitably appeared to save her, claiming something along the lines of 'no one picks on my sister but me'.

She grew to see her brother as a sort of savior who would appear in the most dire of her adolescent situations to protect her. When she was only ten, and Klar a mere fifteen, he disappeared as their father had with no explanation as to his destination. Her mother, once the strongest figure in her life besides him, was devastated at the loss-- blaming herself, from what her daughter gathered, for not giving the boy the attention he needed. The young girl watched her mother deteriorate from a prominent crafter and upstanding citizen into a lonely, weeping, drunkard. It did not take more than four or five months before the woman was in a near-constant stupor, subsisting for a time off their meager savings and refusing to work. For that time, Siobhain took up peddling what was left of her mother's creations despite her awkward speech and shy nature, accumulating and saving what she could of the profits to feed herself and the distraught Wyznalyr.

This small pool of money was eventually exhausted, and while her mother would pawn or beg money to continue her alcoholism, Siobhain was left to fend for herself. Eventually, she took to sneaking around the garbage piles late at night, taking only what she found edible and never more than she needed for one night. Each time she did this, for a full year, she would stop to pray to Azeyma for guidance, and in apology, promising that one day she would someday pay the citizens back for what she had taken. Periodically, a family friend or wandering mercenary might give her a coin or even a full meal, but such charity was rare and never dependable. It was just after her twelfth birthday had passed without ceremony that, while scrounging for something to soothe her hungry belly, she was discovered by a few of the young thugs from her brother's days of bullying. They mocked her at first with their usual criticisms, that she was stupid and ugly, and her own mother wouldn't feed her because of it. It was only when they brought up that Azeyma must have forsaken her that she reacted, and violently. Never before had the boys experienced more than whimpers or pleading from her, so it is well understood how they were caught off guard by her enraged attack. When a strike to the oldest's face earned her a shove to the ground, she took up the nearest weapon her hands could find- a fist sized rock. With this alone, despite their attempts to restrain her, she brought all three down in a frenzy of rage, and was planted atop the chest of the last conscious one, striking him over and over by the time someone finally intervened. This someone was Waken Avalbane, one of the Sultana's sworn paladins and a self-designated protector of Ul'dah.

Though she lashed out at him, the Hyur was far larger than she and managed to overcome his shock and restrain the crazed girl. After soothing her and summoning aide from his healing allies, he began his investigation into the reason behind the whole confrontation. Though he pitied her, he also appraised her, noting her build and how quickly she could react, not to mention how much of a beating she was willing to take. It wasn't until he coaxed from her the state of her mother that Waken reacted emotionally. His personal code of honor refused to abide a parent forsaking her child to such a degree, no matter the circumstances. Siobhain tentatively revealed the location of her home to the stranger, and found herself carried with all haste to her mother. She expected a demand for punishment for her behavior, and was well-prepared for it, which lent all the more to her surprise when the Hyuran man left her on the doorstep. Moments later Wyznalyr was thrown from the dark, dank interior that their home had become onto the dusty ground, the paladin following quickly after the dazed Roegadyn. Grabbing her by the arm, he heaved her up onto her knees and gestured at her daughter, forcing the bleary-eyed blacksmith to behold her.

Siobhain was covered in blood and bruises, disheveled, and virtually starved. Searching her mother's awed expression, she found herself strangely calmer under the inspection, her own gaze hard with the realization that it had taken a stranger to bring her own mother's attention to her predicament. "Do you see what you've done? Your husband left you, I am sorry for that, your son ran away, I am sorry for that too, but what has this girl done to deserve the suffering you've inflicted upon her? Did she drive your men away?!" Waken roared, jerking the speechless smith from her silence. Before her daughter's eyes, the woman fell in a heap to the ground, crying and begging not the paladin, but Siobhain for forgiveness. After several long moments of holding her mother's cheek against her stomach, Siobhain still had no words for her and would not for several long years to come.

When Waken calmed at the sight and implored the woman to give her daughter into his custody, while she hesitated, she did not refuse him. The rest of the night, she spent cleaning their home and drinking large amounts of water, trying half-heartedly to spur a conversation with the girl. She was met with silence until Siobhain left with the Hyur at dawn the next morning.

Weeks were spent rebuilding her fragile body with rest and decent food. Conversations between them went on, one-sided for some time, with Waken both jovial and cautious. It took nearly a month before she would say two words to him, and began to follow his instructions for exercise. It began with long walks while he read manuals for her, coaxing her into reciting several sayings of renown warriors. Then began her strength and stamina building, with lifting and running while carrying weights. Eventually, Siobhain became the picture of a healthy Roegadyn teen, built with long lean muscle and acquiring confidence from his praise the likes of which she'd never had before. For years, she trained, acquainting herself with battles of weapons as well as words, spending long nights reviewing each precious bit of literature Waken Avalbane revered so deeply. Eventually, he introduced her to others about her age being mentored by his acquaintances or simply training for the sake of training, and though she was aloof at first, eventually the girl began making a few friends. She took up a side job as a metal-worker, and found herself naturally proficient with the skill. This earned her a substantial amount of income which she used not only for food and armor, but to give back to the place she had taken from years before. The young, aspiring paladins even took their training into the arena at times, merely to test their skills against others that did not follow such codes as they, earning them even more money to save or distribute as they wished.

When she reached the age of maturity, Waken avoided allowing her much contact with those of the opposite sex. He believed strongly in his own path, one of duty and honor that could only be infringed upon by an intimate relationship, especially when she had no promised place amongst the warriors of Ul'dah. To his misplaced relief, she showed no interest in boys her age no matter their race or attraction to her. It wasn't until she was in her twentieth year that the reason for this began to surface.

Her love for him had matured, in her mind, to something of a more romantic nature. Though she was embarrassed of this, she revealed it when he spoke to other women of his race or was addressed affectionately by a stranger. Two years later, the issue came to full light when she made her interest clear and demanded he give her some sort of response to it. Taken aback, the paladin stated to her that love beyond familial love was of no interest to him, and should have been of no interest to her. He began to berate her for "wandering off the straight and narrow path" and "losing sight of what was important". This was met by a stony silence that she retained until the day he intended to bring her forth to apply as a member of the Sultansworn. Before a few of his colleagues, she flatly stated that she was not interested and would not pursue such a life unless forced. Waken implored her to reconsider, to think of her future, and to think of the future of the city. When she responded sourly throughout his pleading, the paladin struck her purely out of frustration. Her response left him unconscious for some time, and she returned to the small room they'd shared without a second thought, gathering all of her few belongings and substantial earnings. While she rushed to do this with angry motions, she caught a glimpse of herself in the small mirror Waken had purchased for her. Enraged further by the sight of herself and the long white hair she'd kept in some feeble attempt to remain feminine despite everything else about her, she took up a dagger and sliced it off at a jaw-length, leaving this on the floor of their home as she left.

For a few years, she used her accumulated wealth to travel Eorzea, though the foul temper arisen by her dispute with her mentor remained. Though the young paladin believed whole-heartedly in the Twelve, she would often go against her own beliefs that they did not want their followers fighting amongst each other or on their behalf against innocents and throw herself into physical brawls with strangers who belittled them, especially after the devastation that followed the descent and reveal of Dalamud. She spent the night of the attack at a small shrine of Azeyma near the outskirts of the desert of Aldernard, praying for the well-being of those involved and begging for forgiveness at her short-sightedness. After the chaos, things slowly began to settle back into an awkward rhythm once again, and with no idea what to do, filled with stubbornness and fear at which she might find (or not find) if she returned home, she pressed onwards to Limsa Lominsa.

Siobhain remained in the port-city until the age of twenty-four when word finally reached her that her brother was being held in the Ul'dahn dungeon and had been since the Battle of Carteneau. Immediately, she set out for Ul'dah to assist him, not entirely certain of the reasons for his current situation.

...(Waiting for some more work before I can finish this. Also under construction and subject to change.)

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[[ *Used Eva's profile lay out as the skeleton for this page, all credit for lay out are hers.*]]