Cassandra Lachance

Cassandra Lachance
Gender	Female
Race	Hyur
Clan	Midlander
Citizenship	Gridania
Nameday	7th day of the 4th Astral Moon

Character

General

Cassandra is 19 years old. She has recently begun her training as an Summoner. However, she's not disciplined, nor is she a particularly good student. Instead, her proficiency seems to stem more from her propensity for the art rather than her dedication to it. Much of her time is also spent exploring Limsa Lominsa and it's outskirts, all of which are new to her.

Appearance

Cassandra is quite dainty, standing at 5'4", with a slim figure. Her black hair, unblemished porcelain skin and violet eyes are have gotten her in and out of trouble many times. She's well aware of her beauty and the effect it has on others, something she has often used to her advantage. That said, she doesn't enjoy being the center of attention, and as such she rarely dresses in revealing or provocative clothes, preferring instead a more discrete style.

Personality

Cassandra is not the most approachable of people. She appreciates manners and acts accordingly, but she also sees politeness as a way to keep people at arm's length. The irreverence that is common at her age often shines through the veil of formality though. While rarely outright rude or insulting, she instead employs sarcasm or aloofness to deal with those she finds unpleasant, or simply to mess with them, if she's in the mood for it. Indeed, a part of Cassandra seems to take great pleasure in creating mischief. She has a penchant for making inflammatory remarks, and the fact that she's brutally honest doesn't help matters. It's from that very same part of her that her dark sense of humor is derived. Said humor takes shape not only as schadenfreude but also in the form of inappropriate jokes.

While it may simply seem as though she has a chip on her shoulder, she's well aware of the effect she has on people, and her attitude is more often than not a premeditated way to avoid letting people get close. Some have said that beneath that somewhat rough surface lies a soft center. While not immediately apparent, her warmth can be observed in the way she deals with all manner of small creatures.

Beliefs and Motivations

Cassandra is not fond of religion. A firm believer in free will, she scorns the notion of fate. She does however believe that there's a purpose and a reason for everything and everyone, even if her actions might at times seem nihilistic. Her sense of morality appears to be somewhat flexible, that which she considers acceptable doesn't always coincide with the law. That said, she has no tolerance for those who in some way harm those she considers innocent, who she is quite passionate about defending.

Her one true motivation is power. She seeks power, not for the sake of ruling over others but as a means of independence, she hates relying on anyone else and she's willing to go to great lengths to avoid doing so.

Biography

1558-1568

Emily

Cassandra Lachance was born Emily Miller, daughter of Edwin Miller and Bridget Haurtelle, aged 40 and 49, respectively. They both appeared to be about the same age since Bridget was part-Elezen. Emily’s father, Edwin, was an easy-going, good-natured man. His friendly disposition contrasted with his burly, rough appearance. A carpenter by trade, and a prominent member of his community, Edwin appeared to be far more well-connected than your average craftsman. His work took up more and more of his time as his daughter grew up; for that reason, the girl's childhood memories of her father are few and far between.

Emily's mother however, was an ever-present figure in her life - perhaps too present. Being an only child, Emily was treated like royalty, but that also meant that she was extremely sheltered. Edwin provided his loved ones with everything they needed and more - everything except his presence. Bridget grew more protective with each passing year, assuming the role of her daughter's tutor as well, and soon the girl was living like a prisoner. Emily was 'too good’, ‘too delicate’ to play with other children. She was 'too smart for them', she 'didn't need friends', according to the strict woman. After all, Emily had her mother, and what else could a young girl need? Edwin never quite agreed with his wife’s approach to parenting, but he ultimately believed that she had nothing but good intentions, and he was far too absent to realize how much the girl was being affected.

1568-1572

Beyond the Hill

Emily was 10 years old when she first escaped. It was just after lunch time and she was sitting on the window-sill, feeling the warm spring breeze, listening to the rustling of the leaves. Her mother had her on a tight schedule, part of a strict lesson plan that she would draw up every week. Even though it was barely past noon, Emily already knew how the rest of her day would be spent - the rest of her week, even. The girl hopped out into the yard and made her way to the fence. She stood on the tip of her toes, peering out towards the forest. There was a small hill off in the distance, and it occurred to her that she'd never seen what was beyond the hill. She knew of geography, she knew the names of the places that laid east and west, north and south. Though she didn't care for history, her mother had made sure to hammer into her head what had happened in all of those places, why it happened, and a myriad of other facts that the girl knew; simply because she had to know. She didn't "want" to know those facts, however - she just wanted to know what was beyond that hill. And so she hopped over the fence, and ran.

It was dark when Emily made her way back home. She'd been hiding, listening as people looked for her. Her mother had already called for help, fearing for her poor, fragile daughter who - after finding out what was on the other side of the hill and the hill after that one - spent the better part of the afternoon hiding from her would-be rescuers, finding the whole affair immensely entertaining. The punishment that followed wasn't quite as fun. Later, as she laid on her bed with a sore bottom and an empty stomach after being send to her room without a meal, Emily gazed out towards the sky through her bedroom window with a smile on her face, the memory of her little adventure making everything else fade into the background.

The adventure would be the first of many. The punishments increased in severity at first, but the girl was not dissuaded. Edwin, despite his wife's constant protests, did little to convince the girl that she should be more careful. Like Emily, he seemed to see it as a game, and a much needed respite for the girl. And so it became a habit. A habit that Bridget refused to accept, but she eventually got tired of punishing her daughter, and simply made up for it with longer lessons and harder tests.

The Lies

Despite her mother’s strict nature, Emily still loved her. Her relationship with her father, while friendly, was also more distant. Edwin hadn't been there to tell the girl why people died, why the sun rose and set, or how babies were made. Bridget had been the one to answer all the whys and hows, she'd been the emotional anchor throughout her childhood. Which was the reason why, when Bridget started poisoning her daughter's head with stories about her father, the girl listened. After all, Emily had heard their arguments late at night, when Edwin would arrive after her bed time, and Bridget would pester him about how late he was, or how she needed money to purchase more books, more clothes for their daughter. Emily didn't realize at the time how unreasonable, how mad Bridget's demands were. She only had her mother's side of the story, after all, and the woman slowly managed to convince the girl that her father spent most of his time away chasing other women, even going as far as telling Emily that he was in reality a criminal.

1572

That Night

The relationship between Emily and her father, which barely existed in the first place, gradually soured over the years, thanks to the web of lies that Bridget had woven. There was a clear line drawn between the family. On one side stood Bridget, the tireless, loving mother who did her best to raise her daughter; and Emily, who was quickly growing into a young woman. On the other side of the line was Edwin, the absent father. The gaps left by his absence were filled by Bridget's words, twisting the girl's perception of the man.

As the rift between the family members grew and lead to more conflict, so had the Shroud been engulfed in darkness, the Garlean invasion of the Sylphlands was in full swing. They didn't venture far into the Shroud at first, aside from a few scouting parties. The Sylphs took the brunt of the attack though, and as the Sylphs suffered, the Shroud itself seemed to react to the presence of the Garleans. At the height of the invasion, Garlean juggernauts rained fire on the shroud, tearing the forests apart.

One night, Emily awoke to her parents yelling at each other. That in itself wasn’t unusual, but the intensity of their argument was such that it prompted the girl to take a closer listen. She got up out of bed and crept her way to the doorway that led to the living room, peeking in. Her father was transfigured. He seemed blind with rage, his tall, muscular frame looming threateningly over her mother, who seemed to shrink before him, cowering in fear.

Emily stepped into the room, tentatively approaching her parents as the fight went on. She tried to speak up, but it was as though she wasn’t even there. The scene was so shocking that the girl barely even realized what they were arguing about at all. All she could understand was that her father wasn’t himself. Time seemed to gradually slow down as she watched. Edwin leaned in, his yelling reducing Bridget to a trembling, sobbing mess. The woman pleaded with him, but his only response was to raise his hand. A knife sat on the table. Her father’s closed fist descended upon Bridget. Emily took the knife.

The room immediately went quiet. The silence would last only a second, being replaced by a guttural, haunting gurgling sound, as Edwin tried to gasp for air and scream in pain all at once. He was unable to do either, however, with the blade stuck in his neck, blood flowing freely from the wound. The large man fell to his knees, his eyes wide, looking up at his daughter in desperation. Emily froze. She simply watched as her father’s life ended. Even though he couldn’t speak, his eyes pleaded with his daughter. With the last of his strength, Edwin raised his hand up and placed it on the girl’s cheek, gently stroking it for the briefest of moments before he collapsed in a pool of his own blood.

"You'll bury it."

“Look what you’ve done now, Emily...”, her mother said in a disdainful tone, breaking the silence, all weakness gone from her voice. “You need to fix it. Get rid of it.” Her daughter didn’t answer. She barely even /heard/ Bridget. The older woman began to clean the blood, soaking it up with towels, which she would later burn. Emily finally seemed to begin to slip out of her catatonic state, “It?” – the girl asked, her voice barely audible.

“It. It’s a body now. He is gone. This is just flesh and bone. If anyone finds it, they’ll kill you too.”

“I killed dad.” – Emily spoke. Her mouth was completely dry, the words sounding as though they’d clawed their way out of the girl’s throat.

“You did. And now you’ll bury it.”, Bridget responded bluntly. She then brought Edwin’s tool cart into the house. She emptied it out completely. It was easily big enough to fit a man. And so, after wrapping a towel tightly around his neck and tying it with a rope to avoid spilling any more blood, Bridget dragged her late husband, along with a shovel into the enclosure and covered the cart with a black cloth.

Emily knew most of the Shroud like the back of her hand. It had been nearly four years since she’d begun exploring it, and she’d become well acquainted with its paths and shortcuts. She knew the places to avoid, and even where all the guards were posted. She could easily have found a safe place to bury her father. Somewhere ‘where no one will find him’, as her mother had demanded. Emily could’ve, and yet she didn’t. Instead, she found herself making her way to the Lifemend Stump. It was rumoured among Gridanians that Moogles sometimes fixed objects left on the stump, and though Emily couldn’t simply leave her father’s body lying there in open air, she could bury him nearby. And so she buried the body and, after thoroughly cleaning the murder weapon, she left it on the trunk, hoping that the Moogles would get the message.

It was almost dawn when the girl returned home. She was covered in dirt, her hands were numb, the skin raw, her nimble body hurting all over. And despite that, she felt nothing. She felt nothing, she said nothing, she seemed to be nothing. Nothing but a shell of a girl, sitting in a corner of her room while her mother spent the day sending guards on a wild goose chase, searching for her husband who hadn’t come back home.

Revelations

Emily might not have kept herself alive if it wasn’t for the unlikely hope that the Moogles would somehow bring her father back. So she spent days, weeks journeying to the Lifemend Stump, begging for help. Begging the Moogles, the Sylphs, the forest, the Twelve. And every day, she grew more desperate. Meanwhile, the town had grown accustomed to the idea that Edwin was gone for good. Everyone would tell little Emily what a good man he was whenever they saw her. She’d known him only as an absent father, so it was all a revelation for her. Yet, despite her growing admiration, every time someone sang the praises of Edwin her heart sank in her chest.

Little by little, the young girl stopped going out to her father’s resting place, and spent more of her time listening to the townspeople. Everyone would talk to her and try to make her feel better. And all of them had nothing but wonderful things to say about Edwin Miller. Carpentry was his craft, but certainly not his main occupation, it seemed. Emily learned about how her father dedicated his time to helping the community, reaching out to those in need, offering his labor and often more than that.

All the while, Bridget played the role of the grieving widow. But Emily knew better. She saw how her mother’s expression and demeanor changed behind closed doors, when she wasn’t trying to get everyone’s sympathy. The girl soon came to a painful conclusion. Bridget hadn’t grown to despise her husband due to the amount of time he spent away. In reality, he stayed away because of how much he seemed to be despised at home. Not only by his wife, but his daughter as well.

Weeks passed as Emily grieved and rediscovered the father that, as she came to understand, she’d never gotten to meet. With that knowledge, came a renewed disdain for her mother, with whom she had fights that bordered on physical violence. Bridget invented lies to cover up the other lies, she kept victimizing herself, and trying to make it appear as though Edwin wasn’t worthy of all the recognition. But even though Emily could see past all of that, she couldn’t deal with her mother’s trump card. The fact that it was his daughter who killed him. That she was responsible. Guilty. And that guilt, the girl took all of it entirely upon her shoulders.

It was pointless to fight, Emily eventually realized. The girl felt completely tired. Tired of the myriad of lies and secrets that her mother threw at her whenever they’d fight. Tired of the guilt. Tired of life. And though her visits to the Lifemend Stump didn’t stop, she had no illusions about it anymore. Her father was gone. And she’d never even known him at all. The knife was still there, lying on the stump. The girl often thought of simply taking it and with it ending her mother’s life, and then her own.

0-5

The Plan

If not for Edwin, the girl’s thoughts might have come to fruition. After all, he was her only reason to live. To try to make things right. To do for others, as her father had, whatever she could, and hopefully one day atone for her crime. She could never be good, but perhaps she could /do/ some good. Emily knew, however, that she would never be able to go through with any of it with her mother keeping a tight leash on her. Nor could she do it without any money. It was then that it dawned on her. She would take what was rightfully hers.

It would be an understatement to say that Bridget Haurtelle was a distrustful person. So distrustful, that she dismissed the services of Edwin’s faithful retainer just as soon as the townspeople came to accept that the man was gone for good. The considerable sum of money was promptly stashed within a vault in the house, bags upon bags of gil piled on top of each other. Emily had found out the combination by chance, but money was the last thing on her mind until she had her epiphany. It would require being deceptive, but she was her mother’s daughter after all. Plus, Bridget deserved it, and worse, in the girl’s eyes.

Emily sought out her father’s old retainer and inquired about hiring his services. She knew there was no love lost between him and her mother, especially after she’d so brashly demanded him to hand over Edwin’s savings. Emily was fourteen at the time. She obviously had no source of income, so the man knew exactly where the money would be coming from. Still, he accepted to safeguard the money, and asked no questions.

The plan would require the girl to put on a façade of acceptance and sympathy towards her mother. She tried her best to make it believable. Little by little, she stopped arguing with Bridget and began trying to show concern for the woman, eventually returning to their usual routine. There was one simple change, however. With each of Emily’s usual ventures out into the woods, she snuck out a small pouch of money. On her way back, she would bring back a pouch of rocks that she would later use to replace coins in the vault. She would make sure to place the fake money pouches at the bottom of the pile. It was slow. It took time. Moons, in fact, spent lying to her mother.

It got to a point where even the retainer told Emily to stop, to leave before her mother found out. By then, she’d already had snuck out enough money to live comfortably for the rest of her days. But it wasn’t enough. Not that greed motivated her, she cared little for money. In fact, she had little notion of how big a fortune she was amassing. But she knew it was the result of her father’s work. And if it was up to her, her mother wouldn’t get her hands on any of it.

Unsurprisingly, the young girl ended up getting caught, right in the act. It was so blatant in fact, that Emily didn’t even try to make it look like she was doing anything other than stealing. She simply told Bridget, “I’m taking what is mine. I’m taking it, and I’m leaving, for good.” Her mother, while initially furious, quickly seemed to forgive her and tried to talk her into staying. For moments, Bridget’s words seemed to work, making her daughter feel guilty for even considering abandoning the poor old widow. But Emily remembered. Emily remembered her mother’s cold words on that night. She’d never forget them, and the desire to get away from all of it was stronger than anything else.

Emily remained determined to leave. Her decision was made. Seeing that her daughter wouldn't budge, Bridget’s stance changed completely. Seconds earlier, she seemed like a weak old woman, but suddenly she was cursing and threatening her daughter. The girl, taken aback by the sudden change and already having made her choice, simply turned her back on her mother. “I’ll tell them.”, the old woman threatened. “I’ll tell them you did it. You murderer. They’ll hunt you down like a dog.” Emily was stunned. She looked back at her mother, to once again see the monster she’d first met on that fateful night. The girl froze in place, anger and fear getting the best of her. Her mother’s words weighed heavily on her. And though she was then more certain than ever that she needed to leave, the choice took on a graver meaning. If she left, she’d be a fugitive. Everyone would see her as the girl who killed her father. She’d never be able to convince anyone. Who would they believe, after all? The frail, grieving widow, or the rebellious runaway girl? Regardless, Emily saw no alternative, and walked out the door, leaving her mother for good.

“Goodbye mother.”

Emily made one last stop, before leaving home for good. A year had passed since she'd stood at his resting place. She wished she could take the time to give him a proper burial, instead of leaving him buried by Lifemend Stump. She sat on it, by all the trinkets and knick-knacks people had left lying around, watching the trees that encircled the small clearing. She wondered if she’d ever see the Shroud again and whether her father was at peace. Whether he’d be proud of her. It didn’t seem likely to her. She wished she could just close her eyes and let it all end - the voice in her head, the guilt on her shoulders. Emily glanced at the knife she’d left among the other objects. She took it in her hand. It felt heavy.

The girl left her mother, her father, her home, her life and even her name behind. She took with her the reminder of the worst day of her life, and the means to do anything she wanted. If she could only work out what that was.

Between then and now

With no clear objective, and seeing as she had the means to do anything she wanted, Cassandra traveled the world. A broken world, as she would find out. And though she wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps and be charitable, there were far too many people in need. She couldn't possibly help all of them, her wealth wouldn’t be nearly enough. And even if it was, what would happen to her then?

Cassandra would have to become someone. While she was staying in Limsa Lominsa, she developed an interest in the arcane arts and soon after began her training, eventually becoming a Summoner.

5

Home

Ruffles as a young pup.

While training in Limsa Lominsa, Cassandra bumped into a Duskwight named Ludivine Goultard. Attracted by the woman's carefree demeanor, Cass quickly befriended and shared quite a few drunken nights with her.

Despite Cassandra's hesitation to rely on other people, she eventually realized that she wouldn't be able to go that far on her own. In order to improve her abilities, she would need to work with other people. With that in mind, Cass became a member of the Free Wing Society.

Cassandra's took up residence in the Lavender Beds, at the company's headquarters. Although her duties force her to frequently travel to Limsa Lominsa, and despite the need to stay out of sight of the Wood Wailers, the girl enjoyed sharing a house with other people.

Of all the residents of the company's headquarters, Cassandra got to know Ennara Calian the best. The Highlander was her first real friend in the company and welcomed Cass with open arms, going as far as protecting the girl on a few occasions. Their relationship became romantic for a while.

Cassandra and Ennara's relationship would change however, after Ludivine joined the company and moved in. As Cass spent more time with her friend, their relationship developed into something more. They fell in love and became inseparable. For the first time in years Cassandra felt like she had a home.

It was the feeling of stability that led to Cassandra's decision to get a puppy. The girl had always dreamed of it, but she'd always felt as though her life was too hectic to care for a pet the way she would like to. She enlisted Ludivine's help in searching for someone who would offer or sell them a pet. She ended up finding a flyer in Ul'dah, posted by Rhea Zaheela - the Miqo'te had apparently found a wolf pup that she wanted to get rid of. Cass immediately became enamored and took the puppy to his new home, and Cass and her lover settled on naming him 'Ruffles'. Though he was quite a handful at first, Ruffles never failed to cheer up his owners with his energetic disposition.

A Proper Burial

It was time, Cassandra decided, to do something that had been left undone for far too long. Her choice of burial place for her father’s body had been well-intentioned, but misguided. And though the girl wasn’t given to superstition, she felt completely responsible for Edwin’s fate. As such, burying him in a proper place would be the least she could do.

The very idea of exhuming her father made Cassandra uncomfortable, understandably. More so due to the thoughts and feelings she would be disinterring, rather than the unpleasant physical aspect of it. It was necessary, however. And it was also necessary to reveal the truth to those who had placed their trust in her. For that reason, the Hyur asked Ludivine and Ennara to accompany her.

Upon reaching Lifemend Stump and finding the right spot, Cassandra started to dig, asking her friends to simply watch and listen. The girl then told them exactly what she was doing, why she was doing it. She told them that she’d been the one to kill her father, and she told them how it all happened.

For moments, Cassandra felt a weight being lifted off of her shoulders. Her friends seemed to understand, to support her. It would’ve been cathartic, if it wasn’t for the fact that her father’s remains were gone. The girl began to panic, digging deeper, even going as far as using one of her Egis to enlarge the hole. There was nothing. By then, Cass was certainly not thinking clearly. After all, it would’ve been unwise to stay there any longer than necessary; anyone could spot them and report them to the Wood Wailers, who the Hyur definitely didn’t want to meet. But Cassandra didn’t seem concerned with any of that. She seemed to be in shock, almost unresponsive. She might not have found the presence of mind to leave if her friends hadn’t dragged her home.

Cassandra was safe and sound once again. She was home. And yet, the constant nagging feeling of her father’s burial at the Lifemend Stump gave way to an open wound, a frightening thought. Either her mother had taken Edwin’s remains, or someone else knew about the murder. Which of the two scared her the most, Cassandra didn’t know.

Combat

General

Cassandra isn't a skilled fighter, nor is she physically strong, and she knows it. While she's well aware of her weakness, she certainly doesn't enjoy showing it to others, and as such she does her best to avoid physical confrontation. Despite this, having spent a few years traveling on her own, Cassandra is no stranger to violence and is rarely without a concealed blade.

Although her magical abilities are still fairly limited, Cassandra shows promise as a Summoner.

Tendencies

Likes

• Animals, nature in general
• Good conversation, particularly if it involves discussing opposing viewpoints
• Chocolate

Dislikes

• Bigots and zealots (of the religious type in particular).
• Showing weakness of any kind
• Spiders

Hobbies/Talents

• Reading
• Travelling, exploring
• Pampering her pets

Other

• She's considerably wealthy. While she doesn't go around sharing that information with others, she makes no effort to hide it either.
• Being frequently on the outside, Cassandra has become quite observant about the behavior of others.
• When she's concentrating on something, she often can't help but to mumble to herself. Her mumblings can range from the non-sensical to the inappropriate, causing some embarrassment.

Relationships

Family

Edwin Miller - Father, deceased.

Bridget Haurtelle - Mother. There's very little that Cassandra seems to be willing to share about Bridget.

Friends

Ludivine Goultard - Cassandra met Ludivine not long after getting settled in Limsa Lominsa, and the Elezen has captured a piece of her heart.

Ennara Calian - Upon joining the Free Wing Society, Cassandra immediately struck up a friendship with the Highlander, which soon developed into something more. However, they're currently just close friends.

Katiti Kati - Most of Cassandra's time spent with the Lalafell has consisted of heated arguments bordering on insults. Either through a mutual enjoyment of bickering, or due to the respect they developed for each other along the way, they have slowly become good friends.

Vasque Desmarais - Ever since Vasque joined the Free Wing Society, her medical knowledge and abilities have saved several members, including Ludivine's. For that, Cassandra is eternally grateful to the woman. Cass also grew to admire Vasque's wit and good disposition, greatly enjoying her company.

Acquaintances

Liliro Liro - The Lalafell seems to be quite fond of Cassandra, but her actions don't always get her on the Hyur's good side.

Enemies

For obvious reasons, she's not fond of the Garlean Empire.

PC Comments

• "Miss Cassandra? I can't imagine being able to manipulate Primal aether the way she does. She makes it look easy! Ah, I'd be careful around the fiery one though, I think it has a temper." - Locke Rinannis

• "She's very silly when drunk! It was quite adorable! That aside, she's a wonderful employee thus far. I would recommend her if ever she went out and about for other work as well." - Lilithium Altair

• "Just a kid...but already so deep in my heart. I love her, an' if you know what that means, you'll know there's nothin' more for words to say." - Ludivine Goultard

• "I see potential, behind that veil of pervasive annoyance. Seriously, the woman has little idea where the line is drawn, and while that's admirable in some cases, overstepping the line is not advisable." - V'lanya Mei

• "We got off to a bit of a shaky start, but I think with time we could become close! She may not enjoy showing it at times, but I think she cares a lot about others, and she is hilarious when she's drunk!" - Liliro Liro

• "A lovely heart and a pretty face. I get the impression that she deeply cares about the world around her. Maybe a little young in spirit." - Chokho Viqqoh

History/Timeline

After leaving home, she eventually settled in Limsa Lominsa, to begin her training as an Summoner.

OOC Information

Please note that Cassandra's backstory goes beyond what you can see here. I tried to post only what I intend to her to eventually reveal to her friends. That said, for obvious reasons she will keep much of it a secret ICly.

Feel free to add to the 'PC Comments' section.

My thanks to: Deirdre Ta'ea for creating the template I've used; my good friend Ludivine Goultard for Cassandra's portrait; and Rhea Zaheela for Ruffles' drawing.