PRE-CALAMITY
Origins
Alothia grew up in the forest of the Eastern Shroud, near Hyrstmill. She came from a small family consisting of her father, mother and younger sister. Her childhood was a happy one, with the only problem being that her parents were always working and didn't have a ton of time to spend with her. Alothia saw what this did to her parents, this constant working, and decided that she didn't want to be a slave to work. It was about the same time that Alothia realized that she had a gift for getting people to like her and befriend her...she had become a manipulator. With these skills, she left home against the will of her parents at the age of 15. It was not a peaceful leaving, and things were said and done at the time that Alothia doesn't like to discuss.
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"My mother's name was Aughinae and my father's Emet. We lived in a small community not far away from Hyrstmill. My parents didn't leave the tribes, their parents had left...so I never knew what it was like growing up in that world. But, because my family wasn't a part of that group, they had to work extra hard to make it." She sighed at this point. "I remember being little and trying to get my parents' attention...but they were always working on something...I know it wasn't always like that, but that's what I remember most."
She shifted a little. "When I was 8, my sister Lini was born. She was cute...but she took what little time my parents had for me away. Over the next 7 turns, I grew more and more distant from my home, and started hanging out with kids from other families, and a lot of the kids I met when we took trips to the city to sell our goods." She played with the hem of her top. "I liked the freedom of the cities. I liked the people I met there. They liked me...I found I was...good...at getting people to do what I wanted."
She took the next part slow. "I ran away at 15. I remember screaming at my parents. I remember my mother crying...and then I left. And I never went back."
Her eyes glazed over, old feelings being dredged up, tears pooling at their corners. "I never got to apologize...when we came back from the skip, I went there to find them...but the house was gone. It was completely burned to the ground. There was nothing left..."
She wiped at the tears still left in her eyes and went on. "Life in the city was...very strange. I had made it a point to myself that I wouldn't become lost in work. So instead, I found no work at all. Instead, I let other people work for me. They did the dirty work. They got hurt. And I didn't care. I didn't really know any of them. They were merely faces that I could utilize to my end. It was a very hedonistic way of thinking, I know." She shrugged, the familiar feelings flooding her again. "I would take on jobs and send people out of them. Usually they were legitimate. Things like delivering a package...at least that's how it started. But I grew greedy. And my heart hardened. Why shouldn't I make more money? What was to stop me?" She shuddered. "I felt...powerful. People as my little pawns to use to my own end. I wasn't the one doing the work, so why should I care? Why would I care?"
She clenched her fists, "And so I began to take on more dangerous lines of work. Theiving. Roughing. Murder." She laughed callously, "But my hands are clean...for the most part. There were a few...tasks...I rather enjoyed." She opened her palm to show the familiar burning flame. "I was quite the firestarter~" She blew into her palm until the flame went out again, then closed her hand and her eyes.
“By the time I was 20, I had built quite a name for myself in the shadier circles. People came to me with jobs, and I took them all. My network of people was changing...I wasn't so sure what the people I was hiring were doing. Didn't care. I did befriend one girl...she was a young hyur thing. I suppose she reminded me of Lini. She wanted to please me so badly...so I sent her out on a job. I didn't think it would be a big deal. Go and steal a small thing..."
"When...when we found her...she was mutilated...she had been raped...they cut words into her flesh and left her there...they knew she was working for me and left her barely alive....they would have given her mercy had they killed her." She closed her eyes again. "It hit me then, the gravity of my actions. I left the city and wandered after that. I needed time to think..." She sobbed then, small squeaking noises escaping from her lips. "I was a horrible person..."
The next few years of her life were not so good. She managed to do well for herself, but at the cost of others. Many people were used in order to keep Alothia afloat, including a young Miqo'te girl. She was one of Alothia's lackeys, and she was sent out to do a job...which ended up being much more than was bargained for. When the girl returned to Alothia; bruised, battered, and broken; Alothia finally saw firsthand the damage that she was doing to others. She stopped her illegal dealings, and managed to run into a childhood friend, Frosty Mouse, who managed to help her set up a small mercenary company.
The company thrived, growing from a small group of 2 or 3 workers, to a more extensive company. With the help of Zenge Eien, she named the company Corvus Cinis, after Zenge's old unit within the Garlean Army. While her company was thriving, she met one Mister Oskar Helvig, and they began a relationship. This relationship caused much dissension within the company as many of her employees did not like Oskar or the way that he seemingly manipulated Alothia.
About 4 moons into their relationship, Oskar felt that he needed a break, and he and Alothia parted ways. Lost in her loneliness, Alothia focused on her company, strengthening it's bonds and helping to bring new employees into the fold. She kindled a new relationship with colleague and friend, Zenge Eien with whom she feelt much more at ease. Their relationship was passionate and just what Alothia needed to bring her focus back to the company and what was important.
However, as the moons went on, Zenge grew more and more distant, spending much more time out on patrols for the Twin Adders. By the time the Calamity hit, Alothia and Zenge were completely separated. Zenge left, worried that his ties to the Garlean Empire would mean trouble for Alothia, and indeed they did. Constantly worried about being hunted down, Alothia fled deep into the Twelveswood to hide. She was not seen by the company nor any others for quite sometime. Yet the day that Dalmud fell, Alothia, determined to do her part, came out of hiding to help tend the wounds of those in the battle. While she did not see any of her companions there, she felt that she had at least done her part when it mattered most.
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POST-CALAMITY
Right Afterward
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Alothia appeared again in the middle of the Twelveswood completely bewildered and unsure of what had just happened. The next few weeks went by in a blur, Alothia searching the Twelveswood for people she knew. On her travels, she found Endricane, equally as bewildered. They made their way to Quarrymill, or what was left of it, to try to find Kass. Instead, they found a house burnt to the ground, and no one who could tell them what had happened. Afterward, they made their way to where Alothia had grown up, only to find a similar situation. In their mutual grief they comforted each other, and then parted ways. Alothia then traveled to the three city states.
First, Alothia traveled to Gridania, searching for word of her parents and sister. There, she signed back up with the Twin Adders, and checked in with the Stillglade Fane. While there, she helped for a few weeks with healing the sick. She also learned about the skip, and that five years had passed since the battle of Cartineau Flats. She was dumbstruck and did not leave her in room for several days. Finally, she decided to head to Ul'Dah to check on her properties.
When she traveled there, the first thing she did was go to the Corvus Cinis headquarters, but found the building silent. She asked local merchants if they knew who currently owned the place, but none of them could tell her anything about the man who seemed to be living there. She frequented the Mineral Concern and the merchant stalls trying to catch wind of anyone she knew, until finally she heard that other people like her had been heading to Limsa Lominsa to the Soliloquy tavern.
In the next few weeks, she made her way across Thanalan to La Noseca and eventually Limsa Lominsa. She managed to secure a room at the Mizzenmast and began traveling the city looking for familiar faces. She was pleased to see that Soliloquy was what everyone had said, a gathering ground for people like her. There she was reunited with Xenedra and Kass, and met quite a few other people.
The suns went on, and she met a young Hyur named Paradyme Capellago. They began seeing each other on an exclusive basis, and quickly progressed that relationship from dating to being engaged. Everything was fine until Para's brother, Joshua, came looking for him. Alothia, along with her friends Lainseworth and Vash, made a daring rescue attempt. They managed to get Para back, but at the loss of the evil man who had captured him. Eventually, this resentment took a toll on their relationship, and Para quickly broke off the engagement, and slept with another woman, causing a rift between the two of them that could not be repaired as far as a relationship was concerned.
Love...quadrangles?
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Following the breakup that Para thrust upon her, Alothia became a sad individual, spending much of her time alone and contemplating. Her friends, however, did not want her to be alone. Eric and Lily began spending more time with her in an attempt to cheer her. Feelings, however, soon developed between Eric and Alothia, but that wasn't the end of it. After a trip to Soliloquy and an excursion in Limsa Lominsa, Alothia soon started having similar feelings for Kanko Saou, a seemingly surly Miqo'te. To further complicate matters, after a surprise training session from her friend Mikael, she also found herself having feelings for him as well.
This was all a bit too much for the miqo'te woman, and after a week or two of being mired in the misery of indecision, Alothia decided that she needed to take a step back from all of them, and headed out to Coerthas. Kanko, however, followed her, and after a while, Alothia found that her heart had made her decision for her. This too, didn't come without complications. Deirdre Ta'ea, sometimes friend and sometimes foe, also had feelings for Kanko, which she kept hidden.
Once the pair returned from Coerthas, they attended the Seventh Annual Full Cold Moon Gala, with the rest of Corvus Cinis. The crowd was too much, however, and the majority of Corvus made their way to Camp Bronze Lake for some rest and relaxation. While there, Deirdre showed up, and threatened to kill Para for breaking his vow to Alothia, and ended up in a skirmish with Kanko as well. Alothia, seemingly defeated, stepped back and let them fight it out, with Deirdre fleeing at the end, and Alothia tending to Kanko's wounds.
A few suns later, Kanko approached Deirdre to confront her about the situation, and to retrieve the pendant she had stolen. When he returned, Alothia spoke with him of the conversation that he had had with Deirdre, which included Deirdre confessing her love for him. Alothia expected him to change his mind with his decision, but was instead surprised with his own confession of love. Having harbored the same feelings herself, she returned the sentiments, even if she was still a bit wary of the situation with Deirdre.
I Just Can't Stomach It
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The Tale of Souyo Xander
((This summary is copied from the AST/CC forums, and was written by Eric Verus))
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- A Corvus upon itself - (9/15/13 - 9/21/13)
Corvus Cinis has been betrayed from within. The veteran Souyo Xander has betrayed his allies by succumbing to the influence of a darkened crystal that draws out the negative impulses in a person, in an attempt to gain power. The darkness within has pulled Souyo into a conquest to kill all Garleans, potentially purging, even those among Eorzean Citizenry, in retaliation to the travesties of the Garlean Military occupying parts of Eorzea. Lily Dawnsworn, Lainsworth Ravencraft, and Eric Verus met Souyo on the field of battle, and were soundly defeated by the powers both a crystal of darkness, and a crystal of light that Souyo once bore as a Paladin.
To make matters worse,Vash Ashford, the cheerful Miqo’te member of the Company, as well as the strange Seeress known as ‘K’oriah’ were also corrupted under the influence of the Dark Crystal and pulled to Souyo’s side. Displaying that any member could be potentially vulnerable the company Leaders Alothia Starkwood and Lily Dawnsworn called for a lockdown on communications on the Company’s Linkshell communications, in an effort to protect members from further attacks. Meanwhile, Eric Verus launched a silent inquiry, using his skills in the Arcane and his experience in his encounter with the Dark Crystal to help verify allies and put the leadership at better ease.
Unfortunately, not all were alerted to the goings on in process, and the Sorcerer Starwind Meladon was captured and held hostage, and Paradyme Capellago was shot by a Darksteel Arrow from Vash Ashford. Demands were made for Lily Dawnsworn, Eric Verus, and Alothia Starkwood to meet Souyo near the mountain ridge of Behemoth’s Dominion, in exchange for Starwind’s safe return. While left no other choice to comply, the trio were not content to simply walk into what they knew was a trap and each, individually and as a group formulated their own plans for confronting the corrupted Dragoon and his cohorts…
- The Battle of the Dominion - (9/22/13)
The two Trio’s met in Behemoth’s Dominion, where Souyo surrendered the unconscious Starwind as agreed, however, when Eric called reinforcements to gather the man, the Seeress K’oriah summoned a large Voidsent to attack the group, and thus a large battle began in earnest.
Lily moved to engage Souyo, while Eric and Alothia engaged the Voidsent and the remaining two opponents with surprises of their own. Eric decided that his loyalty to Corvus superseded the bounds of law, and brought with him a Garlean Gunblade, which he used to keep Vash’s arrows at bay, while displaying a tremendous amount of magical resistance to spells and curses alike. While Alothia performed like an elemental fiend unleashed, displaying a level of offensive power not yet seen from her previously.
Yet even as the Voidkin was bested with the might of Magic, and the Souyo and company began to feel pressure on all ends, the roaring cry of the Behemoth could be heard as it approached… it seemed that both companies would soon face the rampage of the great Beast of the Dominion.
Fortunately, reinforcements from Corvus Cinus by distress calls, arrived just in time to engage the hearty beast. Among the many brave heroes of note:
Tayn Zolin, whose quick wit and scouting lead the impromptu reinforcements to reach the Dominion just in time.
Lainsworth Ravenclaw, recently re-emerging with renewing Paladin powers , whom was able to rearm Lily at a critical moment with Giantsgall Sword dubbed ‘Justice’.
Mixie Trixie, able to show unique skills and powers to the Prismatic Crystal reacquired from Alothia on the field.
Rio van Rash, who appeared herself on the field to aid the wounded at Eric’s behest, even after smuggling him her hand-crafted gunblade.
Paradyme and Rhashi - who made sure in all the chaos Starwin Maleon and other wounded made it to safety from the battle, putting even their own lives at risk to save others.
- among many others, even allies not yet members of Corvus Cinius.
Meanwhile, as Lily began to drive Souyo back with skilled swordsmanship, some of which learned from Souyo’s own personal diaries. Alothia unleashed a powerful fireball inadvertently that would have scorched Eric along with Vash and K’oriah, though the Seeress mysteriously placed herself in more direct danger to push Eric to safety, much to his surprise.
However, the forces of the Darkened Crystal had one last card to play. Battered and burned, Vash Ashford detonated the cliffside, which had been secretly packed with explosives. This triggered a landslide that injured many member of Corvus Cinis, as well as pinning the Behemoth beneath the rubble. Alothia and Eric both were flung from the cliffs in the explosion, landing hard upon the snow below. Alothia collided with a rock and lost consciousness, with Eric’s previous wounds and surgery scars being strained to the point of re-opening on landing.
Souyo capitalized on the moment of weakness in the beast, and slammed his spear into the skull of the Behemoth,revealing his intention in the creatures dying wails. A Lightened Crystal, which he aimed to claim for his own, were it not for the pursuit of Lily who tossed Souyo’s old Paladin blade to knock it from his hands had sprung from the Behemoth’s life force. The Crystal Emitted a field of energy that prevented all others from interfering, and the two reengaged into their duel, fighting over who would claim this new source of power.
Vash and K’oriah began to make their escape from the Dominion, climbing up the cliffs of the craggy mountains, when they were met by the arrival of K’anko Tia, who had scaled the mountain by hand to single handedly ambush a flee-attempt from Corvus’s foes, in spite of discharging himself from the Company earlier. Tossing the Mage to the side, K’anko engaged Vash directly in combat, forcing the Seer to look onto the violence from afar.
Souyo fought with new Ferocity, meaning to claim the crystal for his own. However just as he was about to strike downwards from a powerful blow that would have dealt a grievous wound, Eric, having closed his wounds through sheer force of magical power and assistance from his Eos, unleashed a ruin spell that struck the man in mid-air, making the would be powerful strike into a battle-deciding blunder, giving Lily the opportunity to claim the Lightened Crystal for her own, and force the man to flee from the scene.
- Aftermath of the Battle -
Due to interference from the Fleeing Souyo, Kanko suffered severe wounds in his battle with Vash. However, he did not leave empty handed. The Miqo’te fighter managed to capture Vash, who fell unconscious to his wounds, and drag the youth from the Dominion to Corvus Cinus headquarters in Fallgourd Float, where the Remainder of the Company had gathered post battle.
In spite of wounds of their own, Mixie, Eric, and Sesseriku, a friend of the the Company, all went to tend the others over themselves. However, they were met by Deirdre Ta’ea, who, after questioning Eric’s intentions for the captured Vash Ashford, decided to take him herself for her own intentions. Too weak and weary from the fighting, Eric decided against engaging the Elezen woman, and commanded the Company to stand down and allow her to leave with the Miqo’te traitor - shortly before collapsing to exhaustion himself.
Sesseriku was finally given a pearl to the Company by Lily, in thanks for all his deeds - marking the first new recruitment to the Company since the betrayal, and a shift in the tides of the conflict.
- A moment’s Respite - (9/23/13 - ??/??/??)
The Pearl Souyo had in order to capitalize on communication was destroyed, his plan to acquire another crystal of power foiled, yet he was still at large, with many members of Corvus wounded or exhausted to collapse. The Company, however, won a small victory in earning the security of their communications once more and some semblance of normalcy could return. With Souyo having to face defeat at the loss of his own objective, there would be a moment’s pause in which he would have to reassess his tactics, and for the moment, a measure of peace would be enjoyed.
However, for those closest to the conflict, this time would be a matter of preparation, for they aimed to make the next confrontation with Souyo the last.
- A moment’s Respite - (9/23/13 - 9/25/13)
The Pearl Souyo had in order to capitalize on communication was destroyed, his plan to acquire another crystal of power foiled, yet he was still at large, with many members of Corvus wounded or exhausted to collapse. The Company, however, won a small victory in earning the security of their communications once more and some semblance of normalcy could return. With Souyo having to face defeat at the loss of his own objective, there would be a moment’s pause in which he would have to reassess his tactics, and for the moment, a measure of peace would be enjoyed.
However, for those closest to the conflict, this time would be a matter of preparation, for they aimed to make the next confrontation with Souyo the last.
Eric, who had suffered under his exhaustion, mysteriously recovered after a heavily fevered day of unconsciousness. Concerned for events, he retreated for some time of meditation, and was promptly chastised by Lily, who asked him not to make a habit of such sudden disappearances.
Meanwhile, the more stationary Alothia and K'anko resorted to a series of prank-letters, plaguing Lily and Eric with jokes regarding the pair. After a frustration-inspired bout of drinking, however the bonds of trust between Lily and Eric were strengthened as Lily confided her past to the Arcanist privately.
Vash Ashford was put to question by Deirdre, and it was found that separation from the corrupting power of the Darkened Crystal actually resulted in a form of madness, and during a Prisoner Transfer, he made an escape under circumstances Eric calls into question, but does not get an straight answer from K'anko. Conversation's spark once again about the safety of the Company as a whole, and it is agreed upon that Corvus Headquarters be temporarily moved to the Observatory in Corthas Highlands for the protection of the company.
((The transcript ends here as at this point, K'anko and Alothia are captured by Garleans, and her knowledge of the situation after this point ceases))
Captured
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Time Together
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Welcome Home
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