Zalitai Dalamiq

Zalitai Dalamiq
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Gender	Male
Race	Au Ra
Clan	Dalamiq
Citizenship	Gridania
Patron Diety	Rhalgr ( adopted )
Age	30s
Marital Status	Unknown
Height	Intimidating
Weight	Less Intimidating

Character

Appearance

Were it not for his scales and horns, Zalitai might be mistaken for an elezen or hyur at a distance. His flesh-toned skin and fair features leave him looking comparatively less alien than some others of his tribe, a trait which he used to his advantage in his early dealings with Eorzeans. His lithe frame is the result of years spent roaming the borders of his tribe's islet, a warrior-mage wielding both the martial and magical in battle against encroaching enemy tribes. Although he claims to have abandoned the former, his musculature implies a continued regimen.

Zalitai most often favors robes and light clothing. Although he occasionally experiments with modern Eorzean fashions, he most often favors tattered leathers and furs reminiscent of his heritage. More recently however he has begun to cultivate a particular image in homage to the mysterious mage to whom he owes much of his present-day talents: black robes with red or purple embroideries embellished with precious metals and jewels, razor-tipped claws at his forefingers, and an ever-present mask concealing much of his demeanor.

Personality

Despite coming from one of the more 'civilized' tribes, Zalitai's life in the steppes would still be considered hard by most Eorzeans. With limited resources, a violent and demanding faith, and the constant threat of invasion from enemy tribes, Zalitai developed a focused and callous demeanor that demands much up front, with little offered in return. The result of this, combined with ongoing struggles with Eorzean etiquette, leads Zalitai to often seem detached, offensive, or emotionally stunted. Friendship is an alien concept to him and there is a purpose to everything and everyone.

Although he has been improving his ability to appear warm and sociable for the sake of expanding his influence in the realm, the display is typically insincere. At best his tendencies create an air of superiority or mysteriousness which only creates further distance between him and his associates, although he does appear capable of more genuine affections when he isn't trying.

A firm believer in free thought, the ways in which Eorzea fears and limits its immense history of magical and technological marvels is the source of incredible strife for Zalitai. He struggles to understand how the realm's leaders would not only reject such things, but outright forbid or even attempt to destroy them. Seeking to not only preserve, but actively expand upon the wealth of Eorzea's 'forbidden' knowledge, Zalitai has thrust open the doors of his Black Vault to all who would taste of its forbidden fruit...but at what cost to them, only he could say.

General Information

• Early Life

Zalitai was born into a martial family among the Dalamiq tribe. His father served the clergy as a guardsman, whilst his mother led a small border patrol on the western shores of the river. Although neither parents displayed an affinity for magic, Zalitai demonstrated a powerful aether from an early age, quickly mastering the simple cantrips Dalamiq youth were often entrusted with during religious ceremonies.

His natural aptitude drew the attention of the tribe's priests, who sought to induct him into the clergy to study the rites and incantations often used in service to the Red Moon. In his adolescent years however, Zalitai grew restless with the dry and meticulously outlined material. Relinquishing the prestige of the priesthood, he instead joined his mother on the borders where he could be afforded the solitude to dissect and experiment the magics he had learned, free of the tribe's theocratic stranglehold.

It was in the border patrol that Zalitai exhibited the martial prowess he had inherited from his parents, taking up the sword in defense against invading tribes and wielding his own magics in tandem. He became known for his sadistic demeanor, having transformed what he'd learned as an acolyte into a repertoire of curses. Those who faced him in battle were often spared, only to be afflicted with some debilitating torment to render them useless - or even dangerous - to their own tribe.

He was initially drawn to Eorzea when a vessel carrying Doman scouts strayed up the river into Dalamiq territory. The boat was grounded, its supplies raided, and having by this time taken leadership of the patrol in his mother's stead, Zalitai claimed the captain for himself and spent the subsequent moon torturing the man for information.

The Domans had been routed up the river by a Garlean warship during their return voyage from Eorzea, where they had learned of the presence of additional Primals and the fear with which Garlemald regarded them. Enthralled by tales of gods at the beck and call of mortal beast tribes, Zalitai followed the rumors back to their source, hoping to wield such powers in a bid to subjugate and unify the warring Xaela.

Rumors

Common Rumors

• "That glare when I told him the archives were off-limits…you'd think he didn't know the meaning of the word 'forbidden'!" - Yayake
• "Always something purple about him. I swear he'd turn the whole world violet if he could." - Ul'dah Fashionista

Moderate Rumors

• "Bought it? Hah! Maybe if a good lay counts for currency. Where does he think he is, Ul'dah?" - Gridanian Gossip
• "Aye, he makes a good offer. Too good to be true, if you ask me. Mark my words, there's a catch." - Wandering Scholar

Rare Rumors

• "You'd better hope he kills you, because I hear he does far worse with the ones he doesn't." - Enemy Tribesman
• "It was not enough that he laid our god low - he wields Ifrit's flames against us in mockery!" - Amalj'aa Tracker

PC Rumors

• "I'm pretty sure that moogle was a person..." - Trillian Tumet

_{Editable by anyone; add your own!}