Abriael Rosen

Abriael Rosen
'You can't live forever! If you aren't proud of your life, at least be proud of the way you'll die!'
Gender	Male
Race	Hyur
Clan	Midlander
Citizenship	Ul'Dah
Place of birth	Ishgard
Age	24
Sexuality	Straight
Marital Status	Single
Height	6 fulms 4 ilms
Build	Athletic

Work in progress. Please forgive the fact that this page is incomplete.

Basic Info

Abriael is the captain of the 17th Penal Company "Black Cross," part of the 13th Regiment of the Immortal Flames.

Appearance

Abriael has raven black, well groomed hair. Despite his position he's almost always perfectly shaven. His clear grey eyes have an intense, determined gaze that hides just a hint of sadness. One of his eyes is always covered by a leather eye patch with metallic decorations. Behind it two long crossed scars can be seen. The eye is still there behind the patch, but it's blinded by permanent damage.

His athletic, toned body is that of a highly trained fighter, but it hides a secret. Under his armor his skin is "decorated" by a multitude of scars. Some old, some fresh, some large, some small. They seem to be made by all kinds of weapons, and some appear to have been caused by some cruel tools rather than in battle, like someone actually took his sweet time to carve them.

His hands are strong and used to handle blade and shield, and several calluses show clearly that he's been training since he was little more than a child.

History

The story below contains spoiler. If you prefer to learn of Abriael's past by roleplaying with him (assuming that he'll share, which isn't a given), please don't read past this point and skip to the next chapter.

Abriael was born in Ishgard from Erian and Celyn Rosen. His parents were of high standing in the Ul'Dahn aristocracy, and his father was sent to Ishgard as a military attache on a diplomatic mission. Things started to go wrong just after Abriael's birth. Ishgard's cold climate never really fit Celyn's weak health, and she fell ill, dying of a lung disease when Abriael was only two years old.

Erian was devastated by the loss of his fair wife, but after a few months he understood that Abriael needed a mother. He also felt remarkably lonely himself, so he begun socializing again with the members of the fairer sex. During a ball organized by the Fortemps family. That's where he met Orianne Fortemps, one of the youngest ladies of the family.

The two fell in love quickly, even if Orianne's family was not at all happy about it. Ishgardian society is very strict, and bonding with a hyur, albeit noble, was not exactly seen as the best option, even for a progressive family like the Fortemps.

Yet this could not stop Erian and Orianne's love. Erian was a seasoned veteran with tens of bloody battles weighing on his shoulders before he was assigned to diplomatic duty, and Orianne was no pusheover herself, born from a family of knights, she had no qualms in going against their will. She also had already decided to take care of Abriael like he was her son, and allowed no one to interfere with that desire.

Ultimately, the protests of the Fortemps family ceased, on the condition that Orianne accepted not to marry Erian. The scandal from that would be too great, and the head of the family hoped that the crush would fade with time. Orianne didn't mind, never having been the kind for white lace dresses and ceremony, as long as he was allowed to stay with her lover and adopted son.

Abriael started growing healthy and strong in body and mind, tempered by Ishgard's icy climate and by the strict training imposed since his earliest years both by his father and adopted mother. In the meanwhile the scandal faded, and the couple was almost accepted in Ishgardian society.

When Abriael was twelve years old his father was recalled to Ul'Dah, and Orianne decided to follow him and the growing child. The family was transplanted to the desert city, where they enjoyed a period of happiness and peace. While Orianne did miss her snowy motherland, society was a lot less unforgiving and attentive to protocol, and the two lovers were finally allowed to marry. At last Abriael had a mother not only bound by love, but also by law.

His training continued as one of the most promising between the future recruits of the Immortal Flames, so promising he was that at eighteen years old he was allowed the honor to enter the Sultansworn, making his family extremely proud.

Unfortunately the period of happiness was to soon end. While the Ul'dahn curt was more tolerant of race and blood ties, it was still a dangerous place full of intrigue. Erian ws incorruptible and straight as an arrow, and while this won him the friendship and respect of the Royal family, it also made him many enemies, especially between the monetarists.

One evening someone managed to smuggle a potent poison in the Rosen mansion, and probably with the help of a treacherous cook both Erian and Orianne were tragically killed. Abriael wasn't involved, as he was dining with his fellow Sultansworn, but was taken by grief as he learned of the demise of his parents.

The young man knew that the monetarists were behind the murder, and was ready to take the delivery of justice in his own hands, but that would have probably costed his life. In order to avoid tragedy be added to tragedy, the Sultana ordered Abriael to be dispatched to a norther outpost on the border with Ishgard, where she expected him to cool off at least for a while.

Abriael begrudgingly obeyed, and resumed his life at the garrison of the outpost. There, as it often happens, history repeated. The outpost also housed a young and beautiful military attache from Ishgard, Elys Durendaire. Abriael and the proud elzen lady started on the wrong foot, with Elys challenging the best between the Ul'dahn to a "friendly" spar. Abriael beat her soundly, and that sparked a rivalry that led to many arguments and clashes.

But where there's fire there's also brimstone, and the two slowly but surely fell in love, a love so strong that Elys openly defied her parents, demanding to be allowed to marry her beloved. Unfortunately the Durendaire family wasn't as progressive as the Fortemps, and opposed her will fiercely.

Things started to get more and more tense, with the two lovers desperately standing against the increased pressure coming from the noble and powerful Isgardian family, but things were to soon take an even more terrible turn.

One fateful night Abriael went out on patrol on his stubborn but trustworthy chocobo Alagos. Seeing a suspicious shadow between the trees he approached to investigate. Suddenly he felt drowsy and a few second later he lost consciousness, without a chance to defend himself from the malicious spell.

When he regained his consciousness his nostrils were assaulted by the acrid smell of fire and blood. He was at the outpost, surrounded by screams of rage, pain and fear. All around him the place was on fire, with what seemed a regiment of Imperial soldiers taking the place by storm and slaughtering everyone in sight, supported by a platoon of Magitek Vanguards.

Abriael looked down. He was covered in blood, and it wasn't his. He realized with horror that his trusted blade, passed down his father family through generations, was deeply embedded in Elys' chest. The woman he loved was dead, her beautiful face completely white due to the loss of blood.

The young man almost went crazy on the spot, falling on his knees and screaming to the top of his lungs. The imperial soldiers ignored him, and after a few moments withdrew, leaving no apparent survivors besides Abriael himself. A centurion stepped by his side before leaving and threw a bag full of gil at his feet.

As morning came a relief force of Ul'dahn military reached the outpost finding the carnage. Almost at the same time three survivors that had fled the scene returned. All three told the officers that Abriael himself had led the Imperials into the outpost, opening the gate for them, and fought at the head of the invading force, slaughtering several of his own companion, including Elys, that stood up to confront him in a pitched duel.

Abriael listened to the testimony dumbfounded. He had no memories or recollections of what happened, and the pain for the loss of his beloved, joined by the thought that she very possibly had died by his own hand was overwhelming.

He was dragged back to Ul'dah in chains and thrown in the deepest dungeon of the palace in dishonor and dismay. He was not left alone for long though. For days he was interrogated as his captors hoped for a confession, but he could not confess what he did not know. Then the alchemists from the guild drugged him with mysterious potions to try and revive his memory, but that attempt failed.

Even the thaumaturges from the Arrzaneth Ossuary were called to help, using their dark magic to probe the void in Abriael's mind. They managed to find and cause only pain, but no memories returned.

Two weeks later an inquisitor from Ishgard reached the capital of the desert kingdom, demanding to take over the investigation. The elzen lady had a mean gaze and a sadistic smile as she entered Abriael's cell. She dismissed the guards and started to work on him, day and night, pausing only to eat and sleep, she used every known mean of torture on the young man, and many that weren't even known in Ul'dah. She carved his skin, cut his tendons, broke his bones, ripped his muscles, and did things even more unspeakable. Her orders were not only to pull the truth out of Abriael's devastated mind, but also to deliver vengeance on behalf of the Durendaire family.

A month passed, and the inquisitor finally walked out of the cell furious, having met failure for the first time in her life. Not only Abriael's mind did not unlock the secret she craved, but he did not beg for mercy. He did not beg for forgiveness. He begged her to continue and not to give up, because the young man wanted to know the truth more than anyone else.

At the end of the ordeal Abriael was dragged to the courtroom for his trial. He was barely conscious, unable to walk or even stand on his own, Chained to a pole on his knees he had to listen to the accusations without a chance to defend himself. He had nothing to say because he knew nothing.

The judges were dumbfounded by the case, but in the end the testimony of the three soldiers was solid. They were about to sentence Abriael to death as a message from the Sultana herself was carried to their attention, pleading for mercy. Abriael's state and lack of memory called for a degree of clemency, and the Sultana had not forgotten the friendship between her family and Abriael's.

Of course the judge could not let the young man go free. He was stripped of his rank, title and of all his possessions, and sentenced to serve for the rest of his life in the 17th Penal Company of the 13th Regiment of the Immortal Flames, that infamous "Black Cross Company" where the most vicious criminals were given a chance to live a bit longer by performing the dirtiest and most dangerous missions.

Abriael did not complain. He actually welcomed the chance to just die in battle. When he was dispatched to his new destination he found himself in a brutal environment where only the strongest ruled, with the collusion of lazy officers that were assigned there as punishment.

Suffering abuse and violence Abriael started to recover and retrain his body to battle. He begun on his knees, not even able to stand, and months passed until he finally managed to reach a condition that allowed him to fight back, and fight in battle as well.

Slowly he started to distingush himself again because of his unbreakable will and absolute dedication. He almost did not speak and used all his free time to train, reaching his cot every night at the very limit of physical and mental exhaustion.

More months passed, and Abriael became stronger and stronger, slowly winning the respect of the few of his peers that still knew a degree of honor. He accomplished many missions that were deemed almost impossible as the war against the Garlean Empire erupted.

The conflict culminated with the battle of Cartenau, where the company was used right in the middle of the allied host, bearing the full brunt of the Imperial assault. Half of the soldiers and all the officers were slaughtered by the combination of steel and magitek, and the ranks were about to fall apart when Abriael stood in the middle of the fry, rallying his companions and leading them to a victorious counterattack that allowed the alliance to stand its ground, right under the surprised gaze of General Raubhan.

Then Bahamut Struck, emerging from the wreckage of what was called Dalamud, as the ancient Primal prepared his Megaflare Abriael was enveoped by Louisoix's holy light and sent traveling through space and time with the other Warriors of Light. Why was he chosen for that fate is unknown to this date.

With the Warriors of Light he emerged from the darkness five years later, in a new Eorzea that was starting to finally rebuild.

Even if he was presumed dead, there was no doubt in Abriael's mind, as he himself still thought he had to make amend for the death of his comrades and of Elys. He walked by himself to the barracks of the Black Cross Company and demanded to be readmitted.

No one remembered him and his name, and the ledger had gone lost during the fires caused by Bahamuth's megaflare, but his insistence caused a ruckus, and that attracted the attention of general Raubhan, that was passing by. Recognizing Abriael determination, while not understanding his intentions, the General once gladiator decreed that he was to be assigned to the company again.

And again Abriael resumed his battles between the ranks of the Black Cross. Many missions were accomplished and much blood was drawn and spilled, culminating with a reckless infiltration that ended with the complete destruction of an Imperial stronghold and of a dangerous secret weapon.

It was then that Raubhan and the other leaders of the Grand Companies suddenly regained their memories of Abriael. Recognizing his service Raubhan insisted to pardon his crimes, yet Abriael opposed that decision. He had not forgiven himself, and he still felt he had much to atone for.

In the end Raubhan, surprised by the young man's determination, decided to reach a compromise: Abriael was not released from his ominous crimes, but he was promoted to Captain. For the first time one of the convicts of the Company became an officer to lead it. Raubhan himself found the solution quite profitable, as Abriael was not a lazy and fat officer seeing that assignment as punishment for having smuggled alchool or abused of an underling. He was there because he wanted to, and that would have improved the performance of the whole unit.

Abriael resumed his activity as the captain of the Black Cross Company, working hard to keep his unruly men and women in check, and leading them in battle against the Imperial invaders that still lingered in Eorzea, time and time again. Raubhan was proven right. While the company was still made of the worst scum of the realm, its performance did increase, and under Abriael's command it often managed to teach regular regiment a thing or two.

Abriael leads the Black Cross Company to this day, still seeking to atone for his sins, and his lost memories of that fateful night.