Rulian Kalian
| Rulian Kalian | |
| |
| Race | Unknown |
| Clan | Unknown |
| Citizenship | Unaffiliated |
Contents
Character
Rulian Kalian is a male lalafell that is skilled at armed combat combined with magical arts. Rulian is often a quiet sort, but his intellectual and sophisticated demeanour hides a sarcastic and critical nature. He lives at the Ruby Carbuncle Hotel where he runs a smith shop that focuses on aetherial augmentation for weapons and armour. He spends his weekends participating in the Grindstone and Runestone Tournaments. Most of his time is spent as a freelance adventurer traveling around doing what he can to serve and protect the people of Eorzea. Rulian’s ultimate goal is to perfect his primary weapon called a “Spellblade.”
General
Full Name: Ser Rulian Sil Kalian
Race: Dunesfolk (Half-Plainsfolk)
Age: Around 30
Occupation(s): Materia Melder
Appearance
Hair: Blond with Dark Tips
Eyes: Black
Skin: Pale Caucasian
Height: 3'3"
Weight: 55lbs
Tattoos: Dunesfolk tribal markings under eyes
Attire: When dressed casually, Rulian sports a black Lalafell hempen undershirt, strife pants, and strife boots. When dressed for combat, he is dressed in his aetherially augmented armor which features a trademark aetherial glow and aetherial cantrips.
Personality
Rulian is the product of two different cultures. Having been raised most of his life by his mother, Rulian is highly intelligent, very intellectual, sophisticated, and well-mannered. He is humble, quiet, soft-spoken, and good natured. ...Until angered. Having also been sporadically raised by his father, Rulian hides a fiery temper yet a carefree and fun personality. Further due to paternal influences, Rulian can sometimes come off as sarcastic and critically analytically. Due to traumatic experiences, Rulian does harbor inner demons that occasionally crawl their way to the surface.
Combat
As a thaumaturge at his core, Rulian has the ability to convert his personal aether from one state to another. Where as most modern (2.0) thamaturges convert their aether into elemental attacks, Rulian converts his aether into physical attributes. In other words, he can convert his vitality into strength or strength into vitality; however, this has obvious pros and cons. If Rulian converts x amount of vitality into y amount of strength, then X<Y. Therefore, Rulian can hit harder, but he will be hit harder in return. Rulian can also channel aether through his weapon and armor to allow two notable abilities. By channeling aether into his sword, his sword essentially becomes engulfed in aetherial flames. This allows his sword to not only cause physical damage but magical damage as well, and he can cast flames off the blade itself as if it were a Thaumaturge’s wand or staff. By channeling aether through his armour (or shield), he’s able to enhance the durability of his armour and reduce the damage from powerful attacks--especially magical attacks. He can also generate minor magical barriers similar to Protect. All of these abilities, of course, requires concentration and is like flexing a muscle: it can’t be used for long periods of time. These abilities also require his own personal aether to use. Like any mage, he cannot indefinitely use these abilities. It requires a consistent use of his aether; thus drains his manapool while in use. The more effort an attack or defense requires, the more mana is used up. Without his aetherial enhancement, Rulian is basically a generic physical melee. Rulian is also highly skilled at close-range armed combat--especially with sword and shield; though, he prefers to wield his sword two-handed. Given that Rulian has spent most of his life focusing on combining his magic with close-quarters combat, Rulian lacks substantially at ranged combat. Rulian’s only real ranged ability is flinging Astral Fire spells off his sword. Rulian’s also focused on balancing his magical arts with his martial arts. This means that, though Rulian is highly skilled at magic and melee, he wasn’t able to solely perfect one over the other. This means that (even with magically augmented attacks) he won’t hit as hard as a Warrior will or cast spells as potently powerful as a Black Mage can cast. In the end, Rulian is just a THM that acts like a GLD.
Note: What Rulian is analogous to are Rune Fencer (FFXI), Red Mage (Classic Final Fantasy), Mystic Knight (Classic Final Fantasy) Spellblade (Dungeons & Dragons), Magus (Path Finder).
Tendencies
Likes
- Music
- Formal Events
- Playing Triple Triad
Dislikes
- Rudeness
- Being patted on the head
- Scorpians (Some tribal Dunesfolk view Scorpians as a bad omen)
Hobbies/Talents
- Playing the Piano and the Harp
- Performing aetherial cantrips such as drawing runes in the air
- Creating and melding Materia
Other
- Rulian is an active participant of the Grindstone and Runestone Tournaments
Relationships
Family
Mother: Ruruni Sil Roni, Dunesfolk Priestess of Ul'Dah's Ossuary (Deceased)
Father: Julian Kalian, Plainsfolk Blacksmith/Armorsmith of Limsa Lominsa's Smith Guild
Friends
(Coming Soon)
Enemies
The Brass Blades (Corrupted)
Rumors
- Rulian was a professional gladiator of Ul'Dal's Coliseum
- Rulian was a Champion of Halatali
- Rulian was a Champion of Runestone
History/Timeline
Rulian Kalian was born to Ruruni Sil Roni of Ul’Dah’s Ossuary and to Julian Kalian of Limsa Lominsa’s Smith Guild. Rulian’s mother was Dunesfolk and Rulian’s Father is Plainsfolk, Rulian, himself, is half Dunesfolk and half Plainsfolk. Therefore, Rulian has the light complexion and more natural hair colour from his Father, and the glossy pupil-less eyes of from his Mother.
Ruruni was a Priestess [1.0 Thaumaturge] of the Ossuary. As such, she practiced clerical tasks in the temple and performed funeral rights for the deceased. Ruruni was essentially a mortician. A devout follower of the Twins Nald’Thal, Ruruni was also a highly skilled sorceress of the Old Ways [1.0 Thaumaturgy]. While running an errand in the city, she was cornered and harassed by Ul’Dah’s darker citizenry. Before she could properly put the hooligans in their place, she was “rescued” by a certain large, muscular Plainsfolk lalafell: Julian Kalian. Julian had come to Ul’Dah to retrieve precious and rare metal ores from Ul’Dah’s Mining Guild for his Smith Guild in Limsa Lominsa. Despite Ruruni being a devout virgin Priestess, Julian was able to seduce her and, well, one thing lead to another. After their one-night stand, Julian returned to Limsa Lominsa. Nine months later, though, Julian was visited by a delivery moogle who gave Julian a letter informing him that he was to come to Ul’Dah at once… For Ruruni had a surprise for him. When Julian visited, he was, indeed, in for a surprise. Ruruni had a baby. His baby. Together, they named the child Rulian Sil Kalian.
Given that Julian’s work and secular life kept him in Limsa Lominsa most of the time, Ruruni raised Rulian virtually herself. At a very early age, Ruruni raised Rulian as an aspiring thaumaturge. She sent him to the best schools for his academic schooling and schooled him herself in the study of “The Balance of Astral and Umbral Magic.” [1.0 Thaumaturgy] Every once in a while, Julian would either visit the boy or take Rulian to La Noscea.
When Rulian was really little (around five or so), Julian visited and offered to take RUlian with him to the Shroud Forest to deliver some weapons and armour. Rulian agreed and went with. Julian and Rulian eventually made it to Quarrymill where Julian let Rulian explore “as long as he didn’t wander off too far” while Julian conducted business… and went to the bar. Rulian, being the curious little scamp he was, found himself wandering off into the forest. While Rulian was exploring, the forest became shrouded in The Gloom. Scared, Rulian became lost trying to find his way back to the town. While lost, though, Rulian saw the Dark Ryder Himself. Captivated and scared shitless, Rulian ran away blindly through the forest. Eventually, he found a moogle being chased an imp. Rulian threw stones at the imp and managed to chase it away from the hurt moogle. The moogle, happy to have been saved, devoted his service to the boy. The moogle named Kupo safely escorted the boy back to Quarrymill. Julian soon returned Rulian back to Ruruni. And, after Rulian had told his Mother about the adventure, scolded Julian quite thoroughly with a nice Flare. Kupo has stayed beside Rulian ever since.
When Rulian was a few years older, Julian once again visited Ul’Dah on business and to see his son, of course. While visiting, Julian took Rulian with him on errands. One place Julian took Rulian to see was the Grand Coliseum. Julian was delivering weapons and armor to the gladiators. While there, fellow lalafell offered Julian to take part in the betting on the gladiators. Julian, being the lala that he is, failed to protest. Thus, Rulian was treated to a spectacle he had never seen before: gladiators! Rulian quickly became a fan of the Hellsguards and Highlanders that participated in the games. None were more his favorite than Raubahn the Raging Bull. Little Rulian was completely enthralled by the ferocity and tenacity of the gladiators. His Father, of course, quickly became an addict of the coliseum and would take Rulian to every game when he was visiting. Noticing how much his father loved the gladiators, Rulian dreamed of being a gladiator himself. Alas, he was naught but a school boy studying to be a robe-wearing, wand-wielding thaumaturge like his mother. This depressed the boy. During one game where Rulian wasn’t cheering alongside his father, for which his father took note, Julian asked his son what was wrong.
“If I were a Gladiator, you would cheer for me, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course!”
“But I can’t be a Gladiator.”
“Why the fuck not?”
“Well, because I’m…”
“Yer wot?”
“…a lalafell. And a mage. They fight with weapons and at close range.”
“And?”
“….”
Julian put his hand on Rulian’s shoulder and looked his son in the eyes.
“Ye look at me, boy, and ye listen well… what yar doesn’ fuckin’ matter t’all! It’s who yar, boy, that is all that matters. Yer a Kalian. And thar be nae a damn thing in this world we cannae do s’long as we give it everythin’ we are.”
Unbeknownst to the boy, this would be the starting point in what and who Rulian has become today.
Rulian soon began to observe the gladiators more closely. He watched how they fought… and he practiced what he saw. He was mocked by other mages that saw him, and he was equally mocked by the gladiators and pugilists that saw him as well. He was, afterall, a mage trying to be something he wasn’t. He was told to stick to his sticks, and that close-range combat was no place for a mage. The biggest issue that Rulian observed was the fact that he was a lalafell. Not only a lalafell but a physically untampered lalafell! The few lalafell that actually did participate in the arena were quickly outmatched and overpowered by the sheer physical brutality of the Hellsguards and Highlanders. Even the mages that participated in the arena were dispatched quickly once the mountains of flesh were on top of them. The biggest obstacle to overcome was the most obvious: lalafell were physically weak in a close-range fight against Hellsguards and Highlanders. As Rulian got a little bit older, these thoughts plagued him… until one day, he got a bizarre and revolutionary idea from his mother of all people.
While lecturing to Rulian about how thaumaturgy works (which, of course, involves using one’s own personal aether to manipulate the physical world), his mind focused in as his mother was explaining aetherial conversion: converting aether from one state to another.
“Aether is energy, and energy like matter can neither be created nor can it be destroyed. It can only be converted. Astral to Umbral; Umbral to Astral. Astral Fire to Umbral Ice; Umbral Ice to Astral Fire. Our health to heal others; their health to heal ourselves. Our own aether to transform and cast from our selves.”
This gave Rulian an idea.
“Mother. Given that aether is energy and energy can be converted to any energy, can aether be converted to any energy?”
“Elaborate, Rulian.”
“Could I take my aether and convert it into the energy of pure physical force? For instance… could I use my aether and convert it into strength?”
“Theoretically? Yes, you could… but at bear in mind the Balance, my son. If you gain more in one attribute, you must and shall lose more in another attribute. Balance must be maintained.”
“If I raise my strength, then my vitality must lower?”
“Until balance is restored. Remember, Rulian, when one scale rises…”
“…one scale falls.”
Rulian now had a theory on how to compete against gladiators far more massive and powerful than himself, but at a cost. If he used his conversion magic to raise his strength, then he could hit a Hellsguard or Highlander incredibly hard. Yet, if he raised his strength, his vitality would fall. Therefore, he could punch harder, but he would get hit harder in return. He had to think of a way to compensate for the gain and loss from aetherial conversion. If only he had armour that could take the hit…. But he knew of no naturally crafted armour at lalafell size and weight that could withstand the blows of Coliseum gladiators.
It wasn’t until he became of age to apprentice to a guild, that he would find a solution to this dilemma. While visiting the guilds, Rulian met the strangest creature he had ever met in his life: Mutamix Bubblypots. The creature was a goblin from a culvasac near Black Brush Station. Rulian would quickly find out that this creature’s area of expertice was a goblin craft called Materia—the art of converting material into jewels of pure-concentrated marbles of aether! These marvelous jewels of pure aether could then be melded onto weapons and armour to enchant and reinforce the material! This was the answer to Rulian’s problem! He could meld material onto armour and weapons to counter-balance the unbalance of his converted attributes! The boy quickly met and spoke with the goblin—practically begging to become the goblin’s apprentice! After explaining his goals, the goblin finally consented and agreed to take on Rulian as an apprentice. At the tender age of ten and with permission from his mother (for she was glad the boy had chosen at least some sort of guild to apprentice within), Rulian went with Mutamix to Black Brush Station to become a Materia Melder.
Materia Melding, Rulian quickly found out, required a vast understanding of all the crafting guilds… Thus Rulian spent a few years learning the basics to a broad understanding of the crafts and how to incorporate materia into different weapons, tools, and armour. While staying in Black Brush Station, Rulian met an old lalafell paladin named Nonoruni Tataruni. Rulian told Nono his dreams and ideals over conversation once… and Nono offered to train Rulian in the art of the sword. While training with Nono during his free time when not studying materia melding, Nono once told Rulian the legend of Excalibur and Aegis. Rulian became intrigued by the myth and jokingly told Nono that he would someday claim such a weapon for himself. At the age of fourteen, Rulian decided it was time to step into the arena. But he would need a weapon and armor to meld his materia onto… and he knew just the smith to help him with that.
Rulian traveled to Limsa Lominsa Herself to meet with his father at the Blacksmith and Armoursmith Guilds where his father worked. While there, he told his father he had come to have his father forge him armour for his materia. For days, father and son worked together crafting a set of armour, but weapon alone wouldn’t be enough. He needed a suitable weapon for the arena as well. Using the curtana blade from the Excalibur legend as a template, Rulian and Julian forged a replica of the sword. He would continue to perfect his spellblade weapon throughout the rest of his life. Rulian carefully etched and grooved the sockets for the material to enchant the armour. Soon, Rulian was ready. He returned to Ul’Dah to take part in the Gladiator Games.
Rulian’s very first match was against a Pugilist Hellsguard called Bone Crusher. Armed with knuckle pummels bigger than Rulian’s entire body, the lalafell was quite nervous to say the least. Rulian remembered everything he had learned and trained for, though. The battle was brutal, though. Rulian could barely concentrate on his aetherial conversion spell. The Roegadyn had landed a good kick the first time that should have broken all of Rulian’s ribs. Luckily, the aetherial armour held fast and RUlian had only bruised ribs. A straight punch to the chest, though, had sent Rulian flying through the air and smashing against the ground. Rulian could barely move. Through the haze and agony, though, he could barely see his father’s face cheering him on. Rulian got to his feet and concentrated on his aether. The armour was certainly protecting him… but he couldn’t concentrate enough to convert it. It was then that he remembered that he was first and foremost a thaumaturge. Why did thaumaturges wield wands and staffs? To channel aether through their tool like a lightning rod. Lifting his sword, Rulian guided his aether from his center, through his arm, through his hand, through his glove, and into the hilt and blade of his sword. He waited until the Roegadyn got close and shot a blast of aether from his sword point blank at the Roegadyn’s chest! To the further amazement of the crowd, for the lalafell’s magic armour had certainly amazed them with its strength and resistant against the might of a Hellsguard, said Hellsguard was launched backwards from the force of the blast! RUlian’s victory was short lived, though. For during Rulian’s show boating from such a powerful hit, the Roegadyn recovered… and knocked Rulian out with a final blow.
Though Rulian lost his first match, he didn’t give up. Encouraged by his father and by fans, Rulian continued to participate in the coliseum. Through trial and error, Rulian discovered what spells were best suited for close-range combat and what to use when at far reach. For the most part, Rulian was an average Gladiator. He won many bouts, but lost many as well. Though father and fans adored Rulian in the ring, his mother did not approve of his gladiator lifestyle. When Rulian was sixteen, his mother’s fears almost came to pass.
Rulian was invited to take part in a free-for-all battle royal in the gladiator coveted dungeon: Halatali! The rules were simple: Kill or Be Killed. Halatali wasn’t the Coliseum. In Halatali, it wasn’t fight until your opponent was unable to fight. It was fight until your opponent was dead. Being one of the youngest gladiators ever and a lalafell to boot, the odds were stacked against the boy. However, many did place their bets on Rulian winning. Sixteen gladiators went into Halatali that day. While in Halatali, RUian quickly found out that it wasn’t just other gladiators to worry about, but monsters as well! While competing, Rulian met a fellow lalafell gladiator named Yuyushiro who was not much older than Rulian. At first the two fought, a basilisk ambushed the two boys. Rather than fight each other, the two boys teamed up against the basilisk and defeated it! Having worked together to defeat the basilisk and too tired to resume fighting each other, the two boys began talking. Yuyu explained that if he didn’t win, his parents wouldn’t be able to pay off loansharks that had kidnapped his kid brother. Rulian understood… and agreed to help Yuyu through the dungeon. Together they faced off against many foes until they came face to face with Bone Crusher who had also been entered into Halatali. Finding out that they were the only three left, both boys went against Bone Crusher. During the fight, Bone Crusher dealt Yuyu a mortal blow. As Yuyu lay dying, Rulian promised to find Yuyu’s family and save Yuyu’s kid brother. Enraged by Yuyu’s death, Rulian unleashed his full fury upon Bone Crusher. Not needing to hold back, the two went at each other. Rulian used his magic to greatly enhance his strength to the point if he got hit first, he’d die even with the enchanted armour…but if HE hit first…. Luckily, fate was on his side and Bone Crusher had fallen to one knee from a trip. Rulian reared back his fist and punched the large Roegadyn in the nose with all his might…and sent the Roegadyn’s nasal cartilage into the Roegadyn’s brain. Rulian had won the Halatali Tournament and became a Halatali Champion. The dungeon would soon be closed afterwards until its recent reopening.
Having become a Halatali Champion, Rulian had amassed a larger fanbase and more recognition for his abilities. His mother, furious he had participated but thankful that he survived, finally praised and acknowledged how powerful the boy had become. His father, of course, was estatic! Rulian continued to take part in the games until finally at long last he got to face off against Raubahn the Raging Bull himself. How glorious their bout was! Rulian ended up losing, but soon was able to see the Sultana herself for the very first time. For she had offered to grant Raubahn his freedom from the coliseum for his amazing bouts. Rulian was completely enthralled by the beauty of the Sultana and wanted nothing more than to serve her.
A couple of years later when Rulian became eighteen, he fought a valiant match against a Highlander called Agaron the Eruption. This was by far Rulian’s most intense bout since his bout against Raubahn. What made this bout so special was that not only was his father watching and not only was Raubahn (now Leader of the Immortal Flames and the Sultana’s personal body guard) and the Sultana were watching… but his mother was watching as well. After a glorious and intense battle, Rulian barely bested the powerful highlander. The Sultana, impressed by Rulian’s performance and abilities, offered to have Rulian finally ascend from the Coliseum and serve her as a Paladin of her Sultansworn. Rulian agreed. At eighteen years old, Rulian was knighted by the Sultana herself as Ser Rulian Kalian.
For the next several years, Rulian participated in a series of adventures. He soon heard of the battle of Carteneau that was to transpire, though. Volunteering to join Raubahn’s Immortal Flames, Rulian was soon sent to Carteneau to face off against the Garleans. While at the Battle of Carteneau, though… Rulian’s life would change forever. Rulian had watched in horror as the second moon of Dalamud was not only brought down upon their heads… but torn asunder by an ancient being no one knew was at its core: Bahamut. Rather than become annihilated by Bahamut, he found himself transpired away to the Void. Unbeknownst to Rulian, though he suspects it, he was transported to the World of Darkness of which he has virtually no memory of save for nightmares that still plague him. One moment he is in Carteneau…
The next he is outside of Ul’Dah. He makes his way back to the city only to find that five years have passed for him. During this time, the Ossuary had been “purged” of the Old Ways and replaced by the New Ways as taught by the Elementalist Brothers of the Coco Clan. During the purge, an accident took place which resulted in his mother being killed. After morning her loss, he soon resumed his duties. He soon found, though, that Ul’Dah was had become split between the Syndicate and those devoted to the Sultanate. Rulian found himself serving both Sultanate and Syndicate to try and appease both sides.
He was soon assigned by the Syndicate to assist a mercenary Free Company by the name of Astral Aegis in dealing with Syndicate candidate named Totoraji. Rulian soon discovered that it was Totoraji that had been the loan shark behind Yuyu’s kid brother’s kidnapping and that Yuyu’s kid brother along with other children forced to work in Totoraji’s ceruleum mines had died horribly. Totoraji turned out to be a very old Blood Mage. After Astral Aegis dealt with Totoraji, Rulian continued to assist the Free Company in various ordeals before the Free Company’s dismantle. Rulian then returned to Ul’Dah where he continued to serve the city.
Rulian, growing more and more restless with the state Ul’Dah was declining into, sought residence outside of the city. Thus he found himself renting a room from the prestigious Ruby Carbuncle Hotel. He soon opened a workshop to continue his aetherial enhancement practice, and continued to serve Ul’Dah in various endeavours. Eventually, though, Rulian’s world would come crashing down once more…
It began with a simple rumor. The Scions and their champion the warrior of light hyur warrior named Meteor had been accused of poisoning the Sultana and that Raubahn had gone berserk and gotten his arm chopped off! Raubahn had also been imprisoned for failing to protect the Sultana. Rulian, devastated by the Sultana’s death, disgusted with the corruption of Ul’Dah, and furious with the idiocy of the supposed Warrior of Light and the Scions, and most of all angry and ashamed with himself for failing to protect the Sultana, resigned from the Sultansworn.
Rulian now currently works as a material melder out of the Ruby Carbuncle, and as a freelance adventurer working on perfecting his spellblade. He’s also recently begun participating in the Grindstone and Runestone tournaments to train himself to be better and stronger. One night while lamenting, his friend Nathan told Rulian of “free knights” in Ishgard that took the law into their own hands. RUlian has sense given thought to venturing to Ishgard in search of these “dark knights” to train alongside them before returning to Ul’Dah to do what he can for justice…and for revenge.
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