Benathi Nightsong

Benathi Nightsong
400px Portrait by Paintedwave
"Bena"
Gender	Female
Race	Hyur Midlander
Clan	Ishgard
Citizenship	Unknown

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Basic Info

Benathi Nightsong (Ben-AH-thee) is a friendly Miqo'te warrior who will fight to keep her friends and those who are unable to defend themselves safe, and would rather forget a secret than speak of one.

Height: 62.4 in. (158.5 cm.) 62.4 ilms 5 fulms 2.4 ilms

Weight: 176 lb. (80.1 kg) 176 ponzes

Complexion: Fair

Hair: Red-Violet

Eyes: Silver

She tends to wear heavy armor.

OOC Jobs: DRK (200) , CNJ/WHM (185)

Roleplay classes: GLD/PLD (188) / ACH/BRD (193) / LNC/DRG (Level 52)

-If you see me as these, I might be IC!-

IMPORTANT NOTE

Benathi is currently a female Midlander. I am currently in the works of thinking up a backstory to fit an Ishgardian Midlander! Any historical tips/info will be appreciated. Catch me while I'm online on Balmung, under the name "Benathi Nightsong." That means disregard the vast majority of the information this page until I write up a new one.

Personality

Benathi tends to be very friendly, and ready for action.

Affiliations

Aspirant of the Divine Vengeance Free Company

Grand Company: Maelstrom.

Rank: Second Lieutenant (OOC)

Other Notes

Combat: Benathi wields a sword and shield. Those who witness the blade will realize that its elegance comes from its simplicity. A longsword forged of well crafted, rolled steel reflects the light in uncarved, crescent patterns of color. The crossguard was made of light, sturdy iron, and the handle was wrapped in well-oiled, dark gray leather.

--Rumors--

Common:

"Don' put nothin' sharp near 'er eyes, she'll go from th' friendliest cat to a hissin' monstrosity in a heartbeat." - Ul'dahn Thug, discovered heavily beaten and sent to a chirurgeon after attempting to rob a Miqo'te woman of a particular description.

Less Common:

"She only recently took up the sword. Before now, I'd see her with a longbow on her back. She had the energy, but not the skill to be a good archer." -Generic member of the Archer's Guild

"I've seen her talk to herself before. Like there's another person at the table, even when she's clearly alone." - Patron of the Drowning Wench

Not Common:

"She has at least some ability to hear the elements. I'm unsure if she realizes, but she has the potential to be a very good Conjurer." -Adept Conjurer

Narratives

--Meeting her Mentor--

The young cat groaned softly as her backside hit the dirt, the wooden practice spear thudding into the ground next to her, wincing at the stinging in her arm. She rubbed at her forearm briefly. Benathi looked up at Athi’a as he paced with a grin, all of his friends jeering at Bena from behind her brother. “You’ll never be a good hunter if you try to use a spear like –that-, Sister.” Athi’a said with a condescending smirk. The female youth remained silent, eying the developing bruise on her arm and feeling salt and water stinging at her eyes. This seemed to amuse the group of youths, as they began laughing and jeering more earnestly than before. A chorus began to ring from those assembled. ”Cry! Cry! Cry!”

Benathi shuddered briefly, feeling the warm tears trailing down her cheeks, and she gritted her teeth. Athi’a grinned at the sight and turned to his fellows. “And this is who’s gonna lead th’ tribe when Mum’s gone? What a joke!” He called, walking away from her, his friends following. This left her alone in the overly small clearing. She sat and wept softly, curling her legs up and burying her face between her knees. When Benathi looked up again, the wind was gently blowing at the trees, sending the leaves into a constant flutter of noise. It was dark. Benathi looked around, blinking a few times before standing, reaching down to pick up the stick that they called a practice spear. She held it nervously in both hands as she stumbled from the clearing. She sniffled once, and ran her arm under her nose, clearing her face and shaking her head as she began to regain her senses. She stepped into the Shroud, looking around nervously as she began to pick her way back to her village. A cold wind blew then, shivering the young cat to the bone.

Benathi’s feline ears perked up at a rustling to her left, which made her blindly bolt to the right. She panted softly as she ran, bursting past trees and bushes, her footfalls ringing clearly as she crunched sticks and leaves under her. Benathi could hear that she was not alone, several sets of heavy steps followed her. She shook her head, running faster and faster. Somewhere along the way, she dropped the spear to boost her motions and speed, trying her hardest to get away from the shadows behind her.

She burst from the tree line, stumbling to a stop as she found a very large pile of boulders barricading her way. She turned, her back against those rocks as she saw a trio of large men step from the line, following her. They were very tall, nearly three times her size, but almost as slender as she was. They wore masks over their eyes, and long, pointed, but fleshy ears stuck out from their respective hairlines. The only thing bigger than those were their grins. They panted softly from the exertion of the run, but did so through clenched teeth. “Y’gave us quite a run there, girly, but now y’cornered.” The one in front said, a long halberd on his back. He stepped forward, grabbing Benathi’s arm before she could react and pushing her to the ground. She whimpered and curled up, beginning to cry again. Why was everyone so mean to her? What did she do? These were the questions in her head at the three surrounded her.

She looked up after a moment, and saw that their attention was diverted, looking just past the rocks. She slowly followed their gaze, and found a male. He was strapped in metal and armor, and he was shorter than the three bandits who surrounded her. Shorter, but much stouter and grizzlier. He drew a longsword and slipped a shield from his back, and down to his left forearm. “Now, now, lads. Step away from the Miss.” He said in a cool voice, a confident and calm smile showing from his mass of dark gray stubble.

The three Elezen stepped away from Benathi, instead taking positions around the Hyuran man. The man smiled, “Good job, lads. Now just walk away slowly, and we can all be done with this business. No harm, no foul, aye?”

“Shut your trap ere we shut-it for you!” The lead Elezen barked, charging in with his halberd in hand.

The Hyur moved rapidly for his heavy armor, disarming the Elezen and leaving him on his back, groaning with a wound in his side and a broken nose. The Hyur stood then, smiling at the other two. “No harm, no foul, aye?” He asked again, a bit more serious this time. The other two nodded rapidly, picking up their leader and dragging him away, leaving the Hyur and an amazed cat at the rocks.

The Hyur watched them leave with narrowed eyes, then sheathed his sword and returned his shield to her back, stepping over to Benathi and leaning down, smiling again and reaching his hand out. “How are you, little one? Faldren Swiftblade’s me name, swordfighting me trade. Though… You may just call me Faldren.” He said with a soft smile.

The cat looked up with big eyes, “B-Benathi. I’m… Okay… I’m not a good hunter, and my brother and his friends bully me for it. But I’m no good with a spear!” The young cat complained, taking Faldren’s hand and standing up.

Faldren smiled, looking into Benathi’s eyes. “Keeper… Where’s your tribe? I’ll lead you back, make sure those Elezen don’t pop back up to trouble us. Then we can see if we can't find some other way to hunt, okay?” Benathi nodded quickly, taking the male’s left hand into her right, pointing in the direction of her village with her left hand, following the gray-haired, grizzled man into the Shroud to go home.

--Training With Him--

“Keep that shield up, Benathi! You’re dead if you can’t keep that shield between you and your enemy!” Faldren barked, moving in for a quick jab of the practice blade, aiming toward where Benathi’s guard faltered. Benathi quickly corrected her guard and moved her head to the right, letting the padded wood clink off the edge of her round shield and push harmlessly past her head. She jerked her shield up, sending Faldren back into his defensive posture. He nodded and stood at rest, “Very good. It seems this was the correct option for you, after all. You’re already developing your own methods of countering attacks. Seems the spear and bow were never for you, anyway.” Faldren said with another nod.

Benathi bounced slightly with happiness. “I’m glad too, Faldren! Wait until ‘thi’a can see what I can do with this!” She said with a big smile. Over her normal garments was fashioned leather which gave her extra protection needed during their practice bouts. Faldren was dressed similarly. The shields they both used was made of stout wood, with two leather straps for holding, and padded cloth along the rim and flat of the shield.

Faldren nodded and smiled. “I’m sure you’re looking to prove yourself to your brother, but you need listen to the rest of what I say. You need not outdo him to prove you are better. That is what would be your downfall, little one.” He said, kneeling down in front of the young girl. He placed his hand on Benathi’s shoulder. “In fact, saying that you are better will only be a detriment to your performance. I’m sure he gets in over his head enough as it is. The best way to put him in his place is, essentially, save him from his own pride. Stand up to him if you need to, but do not try to beat him down, okay?” He said, that smile coming from his gray hair.

Benathi nodded, “Okay, Faldren. I’ll make sure he doesn’t get hurt too much, then.” She said, her brows set with determination.

Faldren laughed softly at the look, “Good girl.” He said, patting Benathi’s head softly, and standing. “That’s all for today, though. I’m sure your parents will want you back.”

Benathi nodded and walked away from the rocks. After Faldren had come in to save Benathi from an unpleasant night, they had gone back to the village, and Faldren had spoken with the girl’s mother, and they agreed it would be best, not only for Bena’s esteem, but for her welfare that she went under his tutorship and learned a style separate from the rest.

--Standing Up For Herself--

The young cat stepped out of the brush and into her village, her practice shield strapped to her back and the padded stick that served as the sword looped into her belt. She began to move toward the building that served as the quarters for her family. What she did not see, however, was her older brother stepping out from behind a tent with two of his friends, blocking her way. Benathi stopped, furrowing her brow briefly. She stood straight and crossed her arms. “Look, it’s the girl who had to be trained by an outsider. “ Athi’a said. Ever since Benathi started training under Faldren, Athi’a seemed to be refusing to regard Benathi as his sister. It also seemed that the only people who didn’t like Bena’s outside help was Athi’a and his circle of friends.

Benathi huffed softly, “Look, it’s the town bully.” The female said, trying to move past them.

Athi’a pushed Benathi back, stepping forward. “Excuse me? Don’t you mean the next clan leader?” Athi’a was dressed in a leather not unlike to what Benathi wore, but built more for him to keep mobility and a margin of protection. Benathi studied his clothing briefly, looking for points for her to take advantage of. His circle moved up, dressed identically to Athi’a. They all had long sticks on their backs, serving as practice spears. Benathi groaned and sighed, looking to the evening sky for a moment.

“You heard me, Brother. Why don’t you go chase some more rats or whatever you do…?” Benathi said, shoving her way past Athi’a. Unprepared for the resistance, the older male stumbled to the side, actually falling down. The two cronies of Benathi’s brother scrambled to help him up, but he shoved them aside, standing in a sudden fury.

“HEY! Don’t you dare insult me like that!” He said, moving forward angrily. “Look at me. Look at me!” He said, catching to Benathi as she calmly paced towards the hut. He gripped her left shoulder and moved to spin her around…

…Only to be met with a fist in his jaw, knocking him back and down. Benathi stepped forward then. “I’m more than up to your challenges, now, big brother. Now quit messing with me.” Benathi said, turning around again and walking into the family hut before Athi’a could respond, moving to her designated area and sitting down, sighing with her head in her hands, trying to keep her composure.

--Carteneau--

Benathi cleared her tears from her eyes as Faldren smiled, pressing the scabbard into her nigh adult hands. “Care for this blade, Benathi. I’ll be back to get it after we beat the Empire. You’ve grown into a strong woman. When the time comes, I feel you will be a good leader.” Faldren said, then kissed the adolescent’s forehead, and stood, walking away and waving as he went.

Benathi’s mother stepped out onto the grass, wearing her combat gear. It was of a sound make and material, but held that sort of tribal touch. Her longbow rested, unstrung, in her hand, her quiver of black hafted, red fletched arrows on her back. She smiled at Benathi as well. “Be good, child. It seems like you’ve somehow chastened ‘thi’a when you saved him from that boar with your shield. I suppose we shall see what fruit comes of that in the future.” She said, kissing Benathi’s forehead in a similar fashion then smiling. “If you need any help, remember that Father is here to help you.” She said, bowing her head and smiling, leaving the village afterward, shortly behind Faldren, trailed by a number of battle-capable tribesmen and women.

That was ten suns ago.

Benathi stepped out of the hut, stretching. She was wearing a light breastplate of thick leather, lined with furs and scales of her prey, and a centurion style skirt of similar design, though this was just of scales. Her wrist-gloves were of similar style to the skirt. She stepped into the center of the village, stretching in the early morning, watching the moon set and the sun rise. She’d been doing this ever since Faldren, her mother, and about half the tribe left to go fight the Empire. She imagined they were at Carteneau by now. She looked back to see her father stepping out of the hut, smiling at his daughter and waving. He was beginning to step forward to begin conversation when a great roar pierced the sky and their ears.

Benathi doubled over, holding her sensitive ears as the roar entered a crescendo, and it was getting closer. Benathi looked up to see a great shape suddenly crash over the horizon, knocking down a large tree. She looked down to see the tree’s projected path, and realized it too late. She reached out toward her father, trying to drag him out of the way, but the tree fell, splintering the hut behind her father, sending wooden and ceramic shrapnel every way. Her father straightened at her voice, only to jerk forward, his eyes going wide. Benathi looked in horror as he looked down, finding a large bit of wood protruding from his stomach. She dashed forward to catch her father as he stumbled down. She shook him briefly, crying and begging him to stay with her, but he couldn’t hear her, furrowing his brow in a concerned motion, gently brushing his daughter’s cheek, before his hand went limp, resting on his stomach.

Benathi’s eyes went wide and she screamed in sorrow, bending her head down over the corpse and weeping openly as the rest of the tribe stumbled out of their tents, holding their ears before witnessing the scene before them.

Athi’a stepped from his tent, looking at his sister, his lips slowly twisting into a wicked grin at the sight.

--Betrayal and Loss--

Benathi burst from the brush, sprinting down the road that appeared before her. The trees thinned into brush and shrub, and soon the dirt gave way to sand, and Benathi found herself in Thanalan. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been running, but her breath came in ragged gasps and her legs stung and burned from exertion. She stumbled briefly, but regained her footing, shaking her head violently to clear her head. Think. Think!

Barely had her father’s body begin to grow cold than Athi’a stepped out, bow in hand, stating his intent to become the new leader of the clan. Benathi wasn’t sure what disgusted her more, the fact that he would say it so brazenly, or that no one said anything about it. Had he really poisoned them all against her? She couldn’t believe it, shaking her head again, lifting it to watch where she was going. She found a small embankment of rocks to her left, and small, rolling hills and sandy plains to her right. She was going to move to the right when a glint caught her eye to the left.

Her eyes widened at the realization. The glint was getting larger! She turned her head to the left and down to try and duck the arrow, but was too late. The force of the impact stopped her in her tracks, and she stumbled to her knees. She gasped softly, breathing raggedly, clutching at her face with her right hand, gently feeling up her cheek before feeling cold steel against her fingers, just under her eye…

…She let off a bloodcurdling scream as she realized the blood dripping from beneath where she should be seeing from her right eye. She clutched at the arrow’s shaft, covering that space of her face with the one hand. She tried to pull it out, but blinked in the process, slitting her eyelid along the arrowhead, sending more stabs of unbearable pain into her system, another scream torn from her throat. She tried to crawl into the plains, but felt a boot kick into her side, knocking her over and ending her attempt to flee as it promptly planted itself on her stomach. She looked up, blood streaming from her right, and tears from her left. She watched Athi’a slowly sling his bow onto his back, placing his feet on either side of Benathi’s flanks, crouching above her.

“You could have just let it end in the village, you know… But, no, my darling sister has to make it hard for me by blocking my first arrow and running. At least the second one found its mark…” He said, tilting his head with a wicked grin. “It’s not fair, you know. I came first, but you were always treated nicely because you were the first female. You were to become leader while I got cast aside as another hunter.” He said, drawing a knife from a small scabbard behind him, idly turning it in his hands. “But now all of that is behind us…” He said, grinning down at Benathi again.

Benathi was to overcome by pain to speak, and watched several more forms surround her again. Thi’a’s friends. They grinned down at her, watching her suffering. Her brother traced the knife around the throat and up her cheek. “Where should I do it…” He contemplated.

A roar pierced the eerie silence, and Athi’a looked up, as well as his friends. They all jumped up, moving to draw daggers, spears and hora. Before Athi’a could draw his second dagger, a giant, armored form impacted him hard, driving his breath and sending him sprawling back quite a ways.

A spear soon followed the giant, parrying one of Athia’s comrades back with the usurping brother. The three would-be assassins fled at the scene, their lives suddenly in jeapordy. The woman holding the spear came into Benathi’s view, planting the butt of her polearm into the ground as she stood watch. A small form and another close to Faldren’s form came into view, looking at her critically. The small form piped up. “Oh dear, oh dear! This is quite bad. We’re going to have to stabilize her before we can move her, or we won’t even be able to get her to Highbridge, much less Drybone!” The small one said. She drew a staff from her back and began an incantation, and Benathi moaned as the pain lessened. The Hyuran man nodded, and peered into a grimoire. Benathi could feel a gentle shape placing itself between her flesh and the arrow, slowly pushing it out, causing her to moan from the pain again. Her vision blurred as she saw the black hafted, crimson fletched arrow drawn from her face, the steel head slick and shiny with blood. It was then that she knew no more, as a blissful unconsciousness finally claimed her.