Benedict Whiteraven
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"I am a man of keen eye and slurred speech! A marvel of the world I live in and truly a man well past his expiration date! I am a whisper on the lips barflys and broken down limosan hookers! I am BENEDICT!" -Quote from a VERY drunk Benedict.
"You know, the only thing I remember from Sunday school is the martyrs... the saints, the saviors... they all end up the same way. Bloody and alone." -Claire, Daredevil Benedict is a male midlander in his mid-thirties and a medium athletic build. He is about average height, maybe slightly on the shorter end of average. Despite his height he strikes a commanding visage with his striking blue eyes and mess of shoulder length white hair that has turned black at the edges since he picked up the dark knight crystal but has since began to fade as he starts his path to redemption. Casting aside his traditional arms and armor and always being a fan of longcoats, Benedict often wears a long white coat of exceptional quality, a gift from his teacher upon agreeing to study as a healer. This is worn with most of his daily activities but he also carries a long hooded white robe when either weather or the situation dictates he dress more in a conservative manner. Aside from the two scars on his face, one over his left eye and the other across his right jawbone, anyone who ever got a look under his shirt or at his legs would notice that his skin looks more like a topographical map of scars spaced out across his body more than anything else. Benedict has seen many battles and because of his past chaotic impulse to throw himself at a cause or a person in need and combined with his near suicidal and overly aggressive tactics as a dark knight, this means he has taken quite a few injuries in his time. Before he began his studies as a healer, which has made up much of his life, Benedict often traveled alone and thus his body has not had the benefit of much magical healing. Instead he tried to take care of injuries as best he could and this usually ended in jagged scars and misaligned stitches. Most of these are hidden under his clothes but with his flair for wearing fairly open clothing, they would not be hard to see for one who was looking.  Benedict is still finding himself after being offered his chance at redemption. Where once stood a man of great confidence instead is found a man unsure of his own skills as a healer and reader of fates and stars. He often feels vulnerable out in the world without the familiar hilt of a sword in his hand and the weight of a suit of armor on his back. He tries his best to put such thoughts out of his mind and focus on mastering his new studies but that is often easier said then done. He fails in his attempts to heal a fair amount of the time and the temptation is always in the back of his mind, "If I just had a sword, then I could . . .," but deep down he knows the horrors he brought about at the end of a blade and so he reluctantly holds to the vow he made to his teacher to not make use of the tools of his former life again. As a result of his budding study of Astromancy, Ben has begun to pay close attention to the small details of life that may (or may not) be connected to the subtle hands of fate. He has not quite gained a mastery to tell the difference from a minor event that has greater meaning and a minor event that is simply that, a minor event. This has led to Ben becoming quite innocently obsessed with small pattern events, like mentally referring to a person sinister who always seems to stand to his left, or questioning if there is deeper meaning to seeing the same person at seemingly random locations in a given week. This is something he will get better at as his skills as an Astrologian improve, but for now it is an odd quirk that most find a bit annoying. 5 traits that describe Benedict Whiteraven:
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Hobbies/Talents
Quirks
Other
Combat use to be Ben's bread and butter, as he became a skilled swordsman at an early age and continued to perfect his skills into adulthood. Since he shifted towards the role of a healer combat makes him quite apprehensive and he doesn't have the confidence to trust in his magic to help resolve an issue. This has caused him to fall back more heavily on diplomacy and trickery, something his current teacher says is good skills for him to hone. Despite this, Ben still struggles with tackling his problems head on as he has always valued the direct approach for finding a resolution. For now, he avoids combat whenever he can and if he feels his magic is not up to the task then he will often place his body in harms way so that others may flee. As one thing his life has taught him, few can take a beating like he can. If he were forced into combat then he will struggle with keeping his anger in check and if things got desperate he would be hard pressed not to look for a blade, which he should never wield again. 
Birth and Early Life:Benedict, “Ben” to his friends, has always been a simple man with simple desires and pleasures. He grew up on the dirty streets of Pearl Lane in Ul’dah being raised by his grandmother. His parents had both decided early on that they were not ready to be parents and left him in her care never to return. Every day his grandmother would load up a wagon of shawls, blankets, and other assorted articles of clothing she had made and they would trek down to the Vesper Bay docks and sell her wares to the people getting off and on the boats. He still holds very fond memories of playing there as a child. He was barely a decade old when his grandmother passed away and with no means to make a decent wage he was forced onto the streets. It was here that Benedict first truly encountered the blend of apathy and cruelty that faces the poor and neglected. Benedict scrounged for several years as he did all he could to survive in a world where everyone is out for themselves and if you have something there is a line of others who wish to take it from you. He learned to fight in those days with whatever he could get his hands on. It was after one such battle with several other street boys that Master Swordsong from the Galdiator's guild took notice of the boy's talent. It's not that he was always faster or stronger than the other boys, it was that he could take a beating and never failed to get up. It was shortly after that Benedict was brought to the arena. There he would take care of the armory and clean up after the gladiators in exchange for a cot, warm food, and training in the ways of the blade. The War:When Benedict heard about the Garlean invasion force he wasted no time and signed up with the Immortal Flames. For Benedict this was just another example of someone trying to take from others by force and entitlement and he was quite eager to put the skills he had honed in the arena to the test against the Garleans. It was in the military that Benedict met Adaris, his first true friend. Adaris was a highlander whose family was wiped out in the fall of Ala Mhigo and had joined the Immortal Flames as soon as he got to Ul'dah. Benedict and Adaris were thick as thieves and on several occasions had saved one another from certain death promised by the imperial war machine. Their unit was at the Battle of Carteneau, a reserve unit near the edge of the fighting. Both men gave it their all as the were outflanked and the imperials swarmed in around them. Bloodied and near exhaustion they fought until a misstep gave a Garlean the opening he needed to end Benedict. The enemy blade never fell upon him, Adaris leapt at him before he could strike Benedict. As Adaris took the blade to the gut the moon fell from the sky and hell erupted around them. The shockwaves tossed Benedict and all those around him to the four corners. It wasn't until the following day when Benedict woke amongst the wounded. For days he searched frantically for any word or sign of Adaris. Finally Adaris was located and Benedict put him to rest in a solemn grave in Carteneau flats and officially left the Immortal Flames. The Aftermath:Benedict wandered Eorzea alone for years afterwards. Sleeping in barns and under bushes, wherever he could. Often times he would trade manual labor for food and a cot or he would make use of his sword skills and deal with some beast that chose to prey on the common man in his dark hour and at the very lowest he would setup near some tavern or inn and simply panhandle his way across Eorzea. It was during this time that Benedict was perhaps his most content, but this is also where he found that when good men become desperate men they will lie and cheat for whatever they can. Many deals for services rendered were reworked because funds were not available or food was too scarce. Never did he complain or take issue with those who had so little and needed his aid, but deep within him there was an outrage at the deceit which had become commonplace. He existed as such for several years until he made his way to Gridania one autumn night. The air was filled with the scent of harvest and Benedict had traveled there after he had helped a local farmer bring in his produce to sell in the capital. He was enjoying the simple pleasure of a warm meal when he spotted a young miqo'te woman whose striking look and warm smile almost made him forget about his stomach. Never one for being shy Benedict made his way to her and introduced himself. They ended up talking the night away and from there things blossomed into a relationship over the next few months. Much like himself the miqo'te was skilled in natural lore and survival leading them to spend much of their time outdoors enjoying the bounty of the Twelvewoods. Sadly for Benedict, such happiness was not to last and by the next summer the two began to drift apart. One day Benedict came back from hunting and she had taken her things and was gone. He was never sure what it was that had caused such a chasm to form between them, but he had seen it growing by the day. Although it was not unexpected, he was still devastated by her disappearance. For a time he tried to console himself with friends he had made since putting down roots within the Twelvewoods, but in the end he simply felt lost and again he buried his anger. When he had be come so disillusioned with the world around him he was reminded of the contentment he had found on the open road and made plans to leave Eorzea. Finally he gained passage on a ship as part of her crew and took sail over the open waters of the world. That was a little over a year ago and although word had circulated that Benedict had perished at sea in a storm he has once again returned to Eorzea's shores, but he is not quite the man he use to be as an ill-fated trip to the recently opened gates of Ishgard led him to the discovery of a Dark Knight soul stone. Rather than control the power of a dark Knight, Ben surrendered to it and allowed himself to become swallowed by the well of darkness and heartache he had kept buried for so many years. What began as the brutal maiming of cutthroats, thieves, and low-life's of all caliber, ended in everyone around him whether they be friend or foe, suffering at his hand. After a bloody encounter in the frozen plains of Ishgard with several people who had once called him friend, Ben was left alone to his dark fate. He found shelter in a frozen cave and lashed out violently at any who intruded on what he considered his domain. Finally after quite some time an aged astrologian followed the signs and portents he had read in the cards and stars and found Benedict. As Ben made his way to dispatch another who had dared to intrude upon his solitude and self-imposed exile, the astrologian held up a soul stone that began to glow with such intensity that Ben had to shield his eyes and abort his murderous plans. The old man spoke and offered Benedict a chance to live in the world as a man again, not some cave dwelling monster that he had become. He offered him a chance to not only reclaim his humanity but to make amends for his past horrible deeds by serving as a healer and guide to those who needed it most. All he need do was relinquish his sword and armor, leave them there in the frozen cave, and return with the old astrologian to the city. Ben accepted this new path and now walks an uneasy path that his teacher tells him was always meant to be his . . . Some of these rumors may be untrue or greatly exaggerated. Common Rumors (Easily Overheard)
Moderate Rumors (Moderately Difficult to Overhear)
Rare Rumors (Very Difficult and Rarely Overheard)
PC Rumors (Add Your Own)
**All RELATIONSHIP INFO IS BASED ON RP SINCE HIS RETURN, NOT BEFORE** ● Katara Shadowalker:"Tara" has known Benedict almost longer than anyone and as such she has seen him go through many ups and downs. Having dealt with her own darkness, with his help, she seemed a good choice to help him learn control over his new powers as a Dark Knight. He initially sought her out upon his return to Eorzea and although he was unsuccessful in tracking her down at her old haunts, they managed to meet up randomly within the Brume in Ishgard. She has since agreed to help him learn control and he had chosen to stay in the house she and her Free Company. This training did not end well as Ben gave into the darker parts of his soul, lashed out at her and even threatened her life before parting. Since he started down his road of redemption he has not spoken to her or sought her out. At this point he is unsure what he would say or how he would attempt to make amends. ● Elyon Eba: Elyon and Benedict met as she proceeded to ruin his attempts at a calm, peaceful drink by himself. That meeting did not end well and normally Benedict would have moved on without giving the girl a second thought, but fate is not so kind. On their second meeting he discovered her in the Free Company house where he was staying, apparently she had been invited to stay as well. She tried to lie and say she was someone else besides the girl who he met days before in Ul’dah, but that falsehood quickly broke down under with a few choice comments and observations. In any normal world Elyon would be someone he would have annoyingly tolerated at best and dismissed completely otherwise, but she had been living on the streets of Ul’dah and had little that she could claim as her own. That always strikes a chord with Benedict and so he currently considers her neutrally, mixing insult with advice, as well as, cold demeanor and warm empathy to her situation. She has recently impressed him with her courage and he is beginning to see her in a new light, not that he would tell her as much. (Update) Since coming back to civilization and seeking a chance to redeem himself for past deeds he has sought her out but she is no where to be found and he hopes she is doing well wherever she is. ● Rihxo Matoi: Rihxo, "Strawberry" to him, met Benedict in the early morning as she walked past him sleeping in an alley off Pearl Lane. He was completely amused at such a well dressed woman strolling through the worst slums in Ul'dah and decided to offer his assistance in helping her find her way back out. Through a series of snap decisions, some guided merely by his thought for good food, the two had a very chaotic and amusing day together. He has since run into her tending bar and relaxing at the Quicksand. He truly tries to remember to use her real name, but he finds "Strawberry" far too fitting to give up. ●Tamm'lin Maertena: “Tamm” and Benedict met on the streets of Ul’dah, which is fitting since at the time both of them were homeless. Ben always had soft spots for those who called the streets home and set to help her with tracking down a thief who had stolen something personal to her. They have since shared a series of drinks at a bar and become quite chummy. He was very happy to hear she had become employed and now has a roof over her head. Despite not knowing one another for very long he would come running if she ever needed him. Once a street kid, always a street kid. ● U'Zamza Steelclaw: U'Zamza, Zamza, or "Courtesan," to Ben, met through Strawberry who was nice enough to take Ben drinking with a couple of her friends. Ben liked Courtesan's good nature and sense of humor and has since met him a couple more times for drinks. Although not what Ben would call his friend, he seems him as a good man whom he'd easily welcome and is happy to see doing well. So as far as Ben is concerned he is off to a good start. ● Aya Foxheart: Ben met Aya back when he was nothing more than a struggling sellsword about Ul'dah. After the war there were more sellswords than work and Ben turned to panhandling outside the Quicksand to make sure he had the means to eat regularly even if such "work" didn't afford him with the spare funds to find adequate shelter. In those days he would find his rest back on the streets of Pearl Lane. He got to know Aya as he came in when he could afford a meal and she was always very kind to him, showing no difference to the man than she would the more affluent patrons. After time they would chat as she made her rounds and the two became friends of sorts. Luckily they had drifted apart a bit by the time Ben fell to the darkness and he would much rather Aya never finds out about that side of him and what he had done. Recently he ran into her again as he had once again taken up his position panhandling outside the Quicksand. The two spoke of the old days and her new success and profession, and she reminded him of the man he use to be. He hopes to see her more often as her bright nature can only help him on his current road to redemption. ● Deahfel Pharasma: Ben has run into her on several occasions and always at places tied to his morning divination readings. She seems quite the positive person and her general presence makes him feel more welcomed in places where he might otherwise seek to quietly curl up to a bottle. He has resisted seeking answers from the cards and stars regarding her and what part she might play in his own fate, instead trusting to the grand plan to take him where he needs to go concerning this new acquaintance. Although, due to recent events they do have a date set for some undetermined time in the near future, at a place he's not sure where to find, to watch a performance he knows nothing about where another recent acquaintance may or may not be acting in . . . which somehow seems about right. ● Akemi Yuzuka: Ben met Akemi at a tavern and has come to appreciate her subtle strength and her gentle nature. As he seeks to redeem his past actions he finds himself more drawn to those whom he sees as being good natured and Akemi surely fits that description. He has found her to be an excellent conversationalist and has never once felt judged for his low social position or for his less than "proper" manner to which he often carries himself. She is both patient and kind, two things he is desperately hoping to work on within himself. ● Kazukata Go: Ben met Go Kazukata at the headquarters of the Hydaelyn Protectors and was immediately impressed with the manner to which the old warrior held himself and considers him a interesting conversationalist. Kazukata seems to carry a weight not that differently from his own pains, and respects that the man has yet to let his inner darkness swallow him. Admittedly the concept of another soldier to sit and drink with appeals greatly to Ben, as it is something else to help remind him of his time before he had his own fall to darkness. What I am looking for/interested in:
What I will NOT RP:
AnnotationsThis template was provided by Nanagi Nagi and has additions from Unnamed Mercenary, Roen Deneith, and Coatleque Crofte. (Thank you!)
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