Ancel Grandelion

Ancel Grandelion
Gender	Male
Race	Hyur
Clan	Midlander
Citizenship	Lominsan
Place of Birth	Brooksend, Lower La Noscea, Southern Vylbrand
Guardian	Oschon, the Wanderer
Nameday	25th Sun of the 4th Astral Moon
Occupation	Adventurer
Marital Status	Unattached
Orientation	Calibrated

Basic Info

"The winds carry Oschon's word, a half-remembered vision of my time before the Calamity, when I wandered under different stars bearing another name. The winds guide me, through memories of long travels now finished, of companions whose faces slowly fade over the horizon. From that vision comes a glimmer, which I impart now to all who seek solace from encroaching darkness. Together we will stride Hydaelyn and write our own tale, before finding the paths which call to us alone, by names we do not yet bear. Let us cling together."

---

A seasoned traveler who is often found in remote locales, Ancel gathered many experiences as he trekked numerous unseen paths across Eorzea, and with these memories has spun many tales. He is a spiritual man, singularly possessed with the causes and effects of his existence, and is given to spells of deep consideration of weighty or esoteric matters. In his craft as a Bard he has sought to express many of these thoughts through oratory and verse. On occasion, he has been said to mentally compose poems on such topics in the midst of the most treacherous circumstances.

Though he is particularly fond of the lands of Vylbrand, he spent much of the last two years in service to a Free Company aligned with the Order of the Twin Adder, earning the highest rank permitted to outsiders as he aided the nation of Gridania. He has battled on the Carteneau Flats, borne the Oath of the Sultansworn, served as a consulting detective, and acted as an express courier across the face of the continent. However, as a native of La Noscea and one endowed of much volition and little attachment, he has returned to his homeland to search for new paths to tread, new secrets to reveal, new tales to tell.

Appearance

Height: 5_f 11_i

Weight: 168_p

Complection:  Pallid

Hair:  Weathered Periwinkle

Eyes:  Emerald

Personality

Flaws

• His personal philosophy often leads him to commit to actions and conclusions based only on intuition rather than empyricism.
• Combined with the impulsiveness above, his preference for observation and inductive reasoning make him a bit hypocritical at times.
• As a self-reliant and resourceful sort, he can be inconsiderate in personal matters, and in his personal decision making can be quite stubborn.

Fears

• Obligation. The idea of being indebted to another is abhorrent to his self-determination, and he will take pains to avoid situations where he must accept a debt.
• Suffocation. He requires at least the semblance of flow through of air. Indoors, this can be solved by opening a door or window, but as long as the meerest breeze is present, he can be comfortable.

Talents

• Oration: impromptu spoken verse, formal and folk recitation, Midlander mythohistory
• Musicianship: longflute, reed flute, fife, harp, lyre
• Wayfaring: orienteering, gathering, dowsing, Sylph geomancy

Affiliations

• Maelstrom: Chief Storm Sergeant
• Order of the Twin Adder [Inactive]: Emissary, Shieldarm of the Green Bough, Second Serpent Lieutenant, Serpentlord
• Sylph Tribe: Walking One, Trusted One, Goobbue Keeper
• Amalj'aa: Recognized

History

Name and Lifestyle

Name Etymology

In Midlander folklore, Grandelion is said to be the name of a bladed artifact that may have been a ceremonial tool for communing with the Twelve, but may have also doubled as a weapon. Those who have borne the name through the ages are said to be descended from the maker of the blade, a scholar of incomparable insight and wisdom whose own name did not outlive that of his creation.

The proper name Ancel was derived from the name Mance (after his father), and means 'gift'.

Current Residence

No permanent residence. Can currently be found basing out of Camp Overlook.

Birth and childhood (0-10)

Ancel was born near midday at the height of summer. He was fitful as a windspar for the first few months of life before his disposition calmed somewhat. His father Mance was a logger and carpenter who spent long days felling and milling lumber used by the shipwrights in Moraby. His mother Diamanda was a midwife and Alchemist who served the local community and saw to Ancel's day-to-day upbringing. As he grew, he developed a distinct independent streak which manifested in a desire to explore and play further and further from his home in Brooksend. He would often leave shortly after breakfast and not return until just before sundown, having spent the entire day imagining himself an adventurer making some fabled journey. He was inclined through most of his early years to concocting yarns about his brief quests into the wilds, much to the consternation of his mother who would have liked him to help more around the house. He was not the most dutiful child, but his parents showed him great care. Since no amount of his mother's worry could bind him to home, Mance built Ancel a bow and taught him the basics of its use, so that he would have some measure of protection in the La Noscean boscage. The bow became the first of his dear companions.

Teen Years

While Mance made every effort to impart his trade to his son, Ancel was a poor student and was too possessed with his own interests to apply the requisite diligence. He was much more interested in running odd jobs for the local miller and fishermen in order to scrape together spending money, gil which he was quick to spend romancing young ladies in the vicinity. He developed a bit of a reputation as a cad, known for his deft turn of phrase and talent with a flute, which he turned into a vocation at taverns in the region. Indeed, his notoriety in those early years was unusually far-reaching for a young man, thanks in part to his proclivity for travel. It was during these performing engagements that Ancel first heard of the Grand Companies preparing for the renewed threat of the Garlean invasion.

Adulthood

Though

Family and Relationships

Relatives

• Mance, father
• Diamanda, mother

Positive

• None

Neutral

• None

Negative

• None

Tastes

Likes

• Contemplation
• Exploration
• Feeling the wind
• Sound of the rain

Dislikes

• Pettiness
• Complacence
• Inflexibility
• Vainglory

Favorites

• Color:  Rhotano Blue
• Food:  Grilled Raincaller
• Drinks:  Water
• Scent: Petrichor
• Place: The Hermit's Hovel

Hobbies

• Horticulture
• Chocobo Grooming
• Mark Bill Collecting

Rumors

Note: This section is editable by anyone. Just keep in mind that the rumors here may be both true or false.