Kale Aideron

Error creating thumbnail: File missing  Kale Aideron
Error creating thumbnail: File missing "The enemy is the enemy, no matter the uniform."
Gender	Male
Race	Hyur
Clan	Unknown
Citizenship	Ul'dah
Age	Early 30s
Height/Weight	6 fulms 3 ilm / 195 ponze
Occupation	Sipahi
Alignment	Lawful Neutral

Kale Aideron is an Ul'dahn sipahi in service to Chairman Lolorito and the East Aldenard Trading Company. A native of Pearl Lane, Kale is a six year veteran of the Immortal Flames and a mercenary troop for a decade prior, and has done little else but deal with adversity throughout his entire life. Nonetheless, Kale is mostly an affable and outgoing individual who enjoys facing Eorzea's challenges in the company of others.

Character

General

"Who am I? I just do my job. Nothin' more, nothin' less"

WIP First and foremost, Kale is a soldier who is concerned more with duty and the greater good than the desires of himself or others. He is uncompromising in this, and is willing to sacrifice his relationships for the sake of the bigger picture. Most of the time, however, Kale seeks to surround himself with individuals who already hold this world view, or alternatively move to educate others in what he believes to be right and just. He understands that not everyone is cut out to be a soldier (in his mind), and is happy to interact with a plethora of individuals, assuming he doesn't find them intolerable for some reason or another.

Appearance

"Strength 'as nothin' to do with 'ow we look like -to- others, but 'ow we look -at- others."

Body: Broad shouldered and large chested, Kale might just be saved from being too much of a stereotypical Highlander by virtue of not being all that tall. In fact, compared to other Highlander men, Kale may even be considered short. Far from lean but equally distant from being gratuitously muscular, Kale's occupation as a soldier means that he is always burning excess fat and bulk, even despite his Highlander genetics combined with continuous physical conditioning and a large appetite. Many wounds and scars are visible when Kale wears clothing that reveals areas of his torso or other appendages. They are all faded, indicating that conjury or other forms of healing came too late to prevent permanent marking.

Face: A very defined bone structure characterizes Kale's facial features. A large nose sticks out between a low brow that gives Kale an almost intense resting expression. Kale's somewhat narrow eyes betrays their striking bronze hue, set above a pair of prominent cheekbones and slightly gaunt cheeks. In turn, these features sit above a distinct jaw and somewhat rounded, jutting chin. His calloused and rough skin is worn from a mixture of age, sun, and battle. The corners of his eyes are creased, and his forehead is a touch wrinkled. A single scar is set across his left cheek, a couple of ilms or so in length.

Hair: Kale never has his hair longer than an ilm, almost always shaven. He frequently carves traditional Highlander clan patterns into his buzzed hair by making cleaner shaves along his scalp, considering this one of his few hobbies. His thin stubble appears to be shaven daily, and meticulously.

Fashion: As an Ul'dahn, Kale can be seen wearing various kurtas and matching turbans, blending in with the citizenry of Ul'dah. His plain sense of dress means he may not be able to be identified from the crowd of commonfolk, which is more than ideal in his mind. Recently, however, Kale has been seen wearing the black and gold armour of an Immortal Flames hunter-scholar, a gift said to be provisioned to him by his liege, Chairman Lolorito. When off-duty, he tends wear a black open shirt and grey set of chausses, while wearing the armour set's thighboots.

Behavior

"Please, tell us more 'bout 'ow much more bloody special you are than the rest of us...I insist"

Voice: Slightly deep and only faintly hoarse, Kale may talk very quickly for some. This is quite noticeable with Kale's habit of arbitrarily amalgamating words and dropping entire letters in pronunciation of certain syllables. His accent puts his origins as someone from Pearl Lane, or alternatively as someone who has spent their time as a rank-and-file soldier for many summers.

Demeanor: Aggressively gregarious, Kale is extremely friendly presuming whoever he is engaging with meets his specific set of standards. A staunch traditionalist, Kale is intolerant of nonconformists and those who do not fit in with his world view, with a no-nonsense attitude towards those who believe themselves in possession of greater merit than others. This is generally true of adventurers, who, in Kale's mind, are the most prone to quirky or self-aggrandizing behaviours. He perceives these types of adventurers as self-indulgent, and a waste to a society of which he believes values more pragmatic pursuits. However, Kale does occasionally give certain persons the benefit of the doubt, constructively scrutinizing them in the open as he decides whether or not the individual in question is worth his time. If not, Kale is prone to being outspoken about those with "offensive" lifestyles.

Quirks: Kale is expressive with his body language, prone to placing his hands on his hips when feeling confident about a social situation, or crossing his arms when reserved or pensive. Gesticulation is a frequent habit, flailing or sweeping his arms should he feel excited about a particular topic. In contrast, Kale is relatively still should he be unimpressed by someone or something. He often rubs the back of his neck when nervous or embarrassed. He is racist towards Miqo'te, believing them to be an uncivilized and backwards race (especially when it comes to gender relations) akin to a beast tribe, with no place in the civilized walls of the city-states. However, Kale's pride in being professional and discretionary means he may keep this opinion to himself when he finds himself working alongside a Miqo'te individual.

Intelligence: Kale can not be considered formally educated, and instead relies on personal wisdom and a reserve of knowledge accumulated over the years. This knowledge mostly pertains to political and military affairs, with trivia about the various places he has visited during his lifetime. He believes himself astute about the motivations of others, which he has applied to tactical decision-making when serving in a leadership capacity. Situational awareness and strategic thinking he considers a forte of his, particularly the ability to think and remain cool under pressure. Kale has only pedestrian knowledge about the supernatural realm, accumulated primarily when dealing with enemies who rely on arcane arts. Somewhat uncharacteristic of Kale is his tendency to occasionally use advanced vocabulary, which betrays his plebian accent. It may be possible that this habit was learned during Kale's time as a senior sergeant in the Immortal Flames, as well as through frequent interactions with commissioned officers and other educated persons.

Combat

"Fuckin' kill the enemy, or don't. Lives depend on it"

Style: An extremely offensive combatant, Kale finds himself compelled to be at the epicenter of any altercation with the enemy. As he does not hold a specific code of honour or set of principles in warfare (beyond basic humanity and common sense), Kale does not shy away from using more brutal methods in seeking to defeat the enemy. This might include the breaking of limbs or the infliction of grievous facial injury, most assuredly so when there is a need to demoralize other enemies nearby. Not particularly fast or slow, Kale alters his speed of combat as and when required, focusing on the most efficient (but not necessarily the cleanest) ways of extinguishing the enemy. Kale puts emphasis on dismemberment or disembowelment when there is a need for expedience.

Specialization: Toe-to-toe engagement with all types of swords and shields, either against single or multiple foes. Frontline fighting alongside other melee combatants in a general military formation. Kale can combine his gladiator discipline with pugilist training. Alternatively, Kale can fight unarmed entirely with a relatively slow and powerful form, emphasizing impact and damage over speed and dexterity. Skilled in fighting on chocoboback. Competent in the use of axes, lances, crossbows, and firearms.

Strengths: Kale has been in the fighting business as his primary occupation for the entirety of his adult life and the majority of his adolescence. As an extensively trained disciple of war then, Kale has experience with a wide variety of opponents, although these are mostly military or paramilitary in nature. Overpowering the enemy via head-on combat with skilled swordsmanship, strength, and endurance comes naturally to him, especially weapon-on-weapon engagements. Kale has the most experience with human opponents, as well as the beast races (Amalj'aa and Qiqirn most notably).

Weaknesses: Kale's narcissistic obsession with victory and the submission of his opponent can be exploited by more calculating or restrained foes, particularely those who desensitize themselves to the fight or who are otherwise not so passionate. In addition, the compulsion to be showy and theatrical leaves him vulnerable to clinical opponents who care not for Kale's attempts at intimidation. He can also be overcome by speed and agility, or unorthodox fighters who could throw a battlefield fighter off-guard. Kale's lack of experience with magic makes him exceptionally vulnerable to this discipline, and this is a surefire method to drain his iron fortitude.

Armour: Kale is capable in all armour designs, from plate and chainmail to leather. Years of marching in the field while equipped in heavy armour is one of the primary factors in conditioning his physique and shaping his defined musculature. As a result, Kale can move in heavier material at only a slightly slower pace than if he were wearing lighter fabrics.

Tendencies

"'obbies? Favourite things? I don't really 'ave time to think 'bout such matters..."

Likes ■ Ul'dah ■ Hearty food and drink ■ Order and stability ■ Physical training ■ His chocobo

Dislikes ■ Miqo'te ■ Thaumaturgy ■ Lone wolves ■ Inconsistency ■ "Tall poppies"

Hobbies/Talents ■ Personal grooming ■ Swordsmanship ■ Pugilism ■ Chocobo riding ■ Tavern diving

Other ■ Favourite Food: Dodo omelette ■ Favourite Drink: Mint lassi ■ Favourite Colour: Dalamud red ■ Elemental Bias: Earth

Relationships

"I ain't callin' you ploughin' stupid 'cause you're ploughin' stupid. I'm callin' you ploughin' stupid 'cause you're doin' ploughin' stupid shite" ● Good Standing    ● Neutral Standing    ● Poor Standing

● Anzio Zansio - A young Lalafellin lad and Immortal Flame soldier. Anzio had served alongside Kale since the inception of the Flame Yataghans to the latter's untimely departure, leading the unit together through major engagements such as Operation Archon in northern Thanalan. As such, Kale regards Anzio in high esteem, and would gladly lay down his life for his former comrade-in-arms.

● Moengeim Wistyrmanwyn - A Lominsan Sea Wolf and former pirate who Kale met while on Alliance orders to Coerthas. Having fought many battles alongside one another, Kale also feels very strongly for this once-comrade. Though it seemed they were set to become estranged following Kale's departure from the Immortal Flames, subsequent encounters indicates that the two may just dovetail as old friends for good.

● Sarcire Sinclair - A Hyuran woman whom Kale has known for a while, encountering her at random times (which the Ul'dahn has rationalized as her being some powerhungry mage in search of...more power). Kale appreciates the assistance Sarcire has given him thus far, and takes particular enjoyment in trying to assert his large ego over her exceeding arrogance.

● Avila Ashton - Kale's half-sister. The mysterious departure of Kale's mother from Pearl Lane led Kale to discover that he had a sibling, even though the pair had known one another for many moons beforehand. While Kale is dutifully loyal to Avila, he finds her occasional indiscretion difficult to deal with.

● Edda Eglantine - A Lominsan noblewoman who aided Kale during his vagrancy in La Noscea. In return for her kindness, Kale has taken it upon himself to guide Edda as she experiences the wider world for the first time. Although there are no romantic or sexual overtures, Kale feels very strongly for Edda's wellbeing, and he has reason to believe that this notion is reciprocated. This comes despite the complete lack of outward affection towards one another.

● Ruruni Runi - A Lalafellin lass and weaver. Kale enjoys the simple interactions he shares with the fellow company member, seeing it as a pleasant escape from life's intensities.

● Avalt Laguz - A Hyuran mage with a Sylph-like manner of speaking. Kale finds this young man odd, and often treats him with hostility and impatience. Kale bears no illwill or malice to the man, however, seeing him as ultimately harmless.

● Ciel Wulfe - An Elezen bard who recruited Kale into the Sword & Rose Order. While Kale sees the woman as attractive and elegant, he nonetheless finds her ways too highly strung for his liking, secretly wishing he may be able to convince her to "loosen up a bit".

● Oni De'phor - A Midlander lancer that Kale met within the Order. Kale finds him a little odd with the mysterious duality, but is willing to give the man the benefit of the doubt for the timebeing.

● Varus Adelric Rosenthal - In Kale's mind, Varus is the quintessential example of everything wrong with mages. Kale would much rather see the world safer by having Varus dead than permit him to live.

● Caelia Isularie - A former charge of Kale's in the Immortal Flames. Hostility exists between the two due to recent events, with Kale regarding Caelia as needlessly stubborn and antagonistic.