Difference between revisions of "Defiant Bride"
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<div align=center><div style="font-size:12px;letter-spacing:0.15em;color:#C05DC7;font-family:Georgia;text-shadow: 1px 1px 5px silver;"> I-it's a p-pleasure to make y-your acquaintance, t-truly! </div></div> | <div align=center><div style="font-size:12px;letter-spacing:0.15em;color:#C05DC7;font-family:Georgia;text-shadow: 1px 1px 5px silver;"> I-it's a p-pleasure to make y-your acquaintance, t-truly! </div></div> | ||
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Revision as of 20:09, 7 December 2016
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GENERAL INFORMATION
APPEARANCE
The vintner’s face and body are marred by a maze of small, uniform two-ilm scars. His eyes are a piercing shade of cobalt blue. The smug, satisfied grin that frequents his lips does much to mitigate the wrinkles and age-lines that prematurely settled about his unusually pale countenance. Wispy strands of thick platinum-blonde hair, flush with aging white locks are usually slicked back neatly behind his ears, as few things vex the vintner more than unruly bangs.
- ■ Dozens of small, uniform scars distributed randomly over unusually pale skin.
- ■ A magitek prosthetic left hand, lavishly gilded with platinum and powered by ceruleum.
- ■ A tall, stocky (but proportional) build.
- ■ Haunting and sunken cobalt-blue eyes.
- ■ A “winning smile” – a practiced, shit-eating grin befitting of a used chocobo salesman.
PERSONALITY
Sigurd enjoys mocking social customs and courtesies, especially if nationalistic or religious topics are at play. He bears a special sympathy for the Ala Mhigan and Garlean people, but laments their loyalties to “genocidal nation states.” His moral compass spins erratically but usually settles in the general direction of values that allow others to live autonomously.
In private settings, Sigurd is far more warm and reserved, especially around those he considers close friends and family. Once deplete of empathy, Sigurd has gradually become warm and supportive of those he loves. Fiercely loyal to these few individuals, they observe a side of the vintner rarely shown to others.
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- ■ Gilded Magitek prosthetic left hand. After losing his left hand in battle, Sigurd spared no expense on a gilded magitek replacement. Four names are scribed in a tiny font at the base of the prosthetic: Khana Sundsteigen, Anujin Sundsteigen, Odette Saiorse, and Khyran Oisin, along with the makers’ stamps: “Suetonius Donatus and Defiant Bride.”
- ■ Prototype gunblade. A cutting-edge, technological marvel crafted by Sigurd’s former Garlean business partner and friend, Septimus Rem Nerva and originally made for the Garlean’s wife, Skylar Brooks. Sigurd now wields the gunblade with surprising proficiency.
- ■ Doman tanto. Gifted by a man the vintner considers a distant brother, Endricane Feltaro, a magnificent hand-crafted doman tanto usually rests at the ready atop the vintner’s chest in a custom sheathe.
- ■ Platinum materia-and-shell charm necklace. Sigurd often wears a discrete platinum necklace bearing a small materia orb and seashell under his exterior garments.
- ■ Griffin sigil flask. A prized wedding gift, Sigurd ensures his trusty flask, which bears the sigil of Ala Mhigo, is filled with top-shelf Limsan whiskey and on his person at all times.
- ■ Stack of promissory notes Instead of carrying a pouch of gil, Sigurd carries a fat stack of blank promissory notes. Each promissory note bears the official insignia of Ul’dah’s finest financial institutions.
- ■ Magitek pen The vintner carries an exotic magitek pen on his person at all times. Infused with cureleum and containing a large ink-well, the pen has executed several important documents.
- ■ Multi-frequency link pearl Within Sigurd’s left ear resides a multi-frequency link pearl bearing the stamp of the liquidated free company, Ebonbrand Teknoworks. Sigurd uses this link pearl to maintain contact with various contacts and social networks.
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Background Narrative
Rain followed Sigurd from youth, falling from the depths of the void.
The sky broke when Ala Mhigo tore itself apart when its walls fell and the King of Ruin abdicated his bloody throne. At the age of ten, Sigurd was taken under the wing of his "uncle," Hunter Sundsteigen. A second-tier voidsent entity, Hunter posed as a priest of Rhalgr and gifted his "nephew" a sharp knife and taught the importance of worshiping through sacrifice. The priest expected the boy to spread the faith, and promised the breaker of worlds smiled every time a throat was indiscriminately opened in his name. Sigurd had few choices other than to appease his uncle's murderous appetite for aether, as even a brief lapse in faith invoked horrific consequences.
The legions of Garlemald weakened Hunter's control momentarily, as Sigurd and Hunter were forced to flee Ala Mhigo. The priest, however, formed a reclusive commune on the skirts of Little Ala Mhigo and lured drifters, wanderers, and other exiles to rally under the common cause of "restoring the Ala Mhigo." The commune grew into a fringe, extreme wing of the Ala Mhigan resistance. Sigurd remained Hunter's most loyal thrall and endured years of brutal "tutelage," which amounted to little more than instruction in classic Ala Mhigan close quarters combat and murder. Sigurd proved skilled at harvesting aether by quietly eliminating "undesirables" who joined the swelling ranks, including the weak, poor, and infirm.
Yet, three qualities grew to distinguish Sigurd from his kin: self-interest, wanderlust, and a gnawing sense of guilt. Sigurd grew to despise the blind vengeance and blood lust motivating his countrymen, who oft devolved into zealots chasing a lost cause. Sigurd grew to loath himself for the unspeakable evils he committed under the direction of Hunter and bundled those emotions away while dreaming of escaping the bleak desert landscape surrounding Little Ala Mhigo. Hunter eventually allowed Sigurd to leave and experience the outside world after the commune had swelled to sufficient proportions.
During his twenties, Sigurd traveled far and wide under carefree skies. He directed his natural faculties and training into the adventuring profession, accepting almost any contract that paid above fair market rate. Over a ten year period, Sigurd gained considerable experience planning expeditions, leading small groups, and motivating individuals to risk their lives for gil. The work was interesting, as it encompassed stealing trade secrets, plundering forgotten ruins, and poking holes into squishy things. But most importantly, adventuring paid extremely well, and countless nights were packed with lush wines, loose women, and easily forgotten memories.
Over time, it became apparent that the adventuring lifestyle would not last forever. Sigurd encountered a poor string of luck after botching several important contracts, which prompted crippling debt. He discharged all but one debt. The remaining creditor, an influential Limsan gambler, refused Sigurd's attempt to tender late payment. Instead, the gambler chose to waive the debt after a crude torture session. The gambler carved the outstanding sum into pale flesh-- one cut, a total of 30 in all, for each ten-thousand gil owed. These injuries were grievous and necessitated Sigurd's premature sabbatical.
After losing much of his pride to the gambler, Sigurd tapped his remaining savings and purchased a plot on the fringe of Wineport, where he began cultivating wines and recovering from his injuries. The idea of owning a quaint vineyard had entered his mind several times while adventuring through La Noscea; it was the type of peaceful, leisurely existence he dreamed of as a child. At first, wine cultivation did not live up to his romanticized expectations. Hours were spent in the vineyards learning the basics of grape cultivation. More were spent in the cellars, performing an endless number of tastings and learning pretentious trade etiquette. As a result, Sigurd developed a shrewd business sense and understanding of "high society." The vintner trade provided stability and material comforts capable of sating the Highlander's thirst for severe indulgence and frivolity. Yet, these desires only increased as his wines became the object of greater demand, especially in Ul'dah, where the Quicksand became his highest grossing customer.
IC Narrative
Sigurd gradually declined into a shiftless alcoholic and struggled with severe anxiety and depression, knowing Hunter would eventually beckon him back to the commune. Skylar Brooks dragged Sigurd away from these destructive habits and set him on a new path. Joining arms with former Garlean centurion Septimus Nerva, Sigurd acquired a fifty-percent interest in the now defunct Magitek free company, Ebonbrand Teknoworks. Through Ebonbrand, the vintner met his future wife, Khana Borlaaq. Khana suffered the brunt of Sigurd's volatile past and eventually fathered a child to another man. Sigurd, however, grew to love her child as his own and agreed to marry Khana. All the while, Sigurd worked tirelessly to strike an accord between Skylar's lovers, Endricane Feltaro and Septimus Nerva. His efforts failed and eventually soured his relationships with all parties.
By some strange twist of fate, Sigurd met Khyran Oisin, a frail cripple who would eventually purge the void from the vintner's life. After Hunter's physical shell died, the voidsent eventually transferred his essence into Khana's infant daughter to torment Sigurd. Around this time, the vintner stumbled across Odette Saoirse, who offered him unconditional friendship at a time when most had turn their backs on the vintner. Sigurd's feelings for Odette grew over time as a result of her "great personality." With the help of his new comrades, Sigurd narrowly defeated Hunter and banished the void's influence from his life for good.
Sigurd took a much-needed break from public life after Hunter's fall but returned after hearing that Septimus was imprisoned on charges of treason. The vintner briefly joined Khyran's new free company, Aethertide Ventures, to keep the reckless man safe. During this time, Khyran learned of the treacherous plot of Amandus Cassius, a Garlean tribunus who sought to overthrow the Legatus of Castrum Occidens and invade La Noscea. Sigurd felt compelled to eliminate Amandus because few believed Khyran's wild accusations. With the help of over forty adventurers, Sigurd directed an offensive against Amandus, who severed the vintner's left hand and critically wounded several combatants before falling in battle.
Notes
- Sigurd’s connection with the void was severed by Khyran Oisin, but he still feels its influence on occasion.
- Sigurd appears to be in his mid-forties due to excessive aether use and channeling during his youth. He suffers from a disproportional number of aches and pains typically felt by much older individuals.
- Sigurd is sensitive to aetheric signatures and can detect them across distances after mingling his blood with others.
- Like the Fists of Rhalgr and Dark Knights of Ishgard, Sigurd can siphon aether from the dead and uses his body as an aether channeling focus. Aether seeps from the scars on Sigurd's body when he becomes highly emotional and can be channeled to hasten movement and form barriers. Sigurd can staunch the flow of aether only by opening a small cut on his body.
- Sigurd /rarely/ utilizes aetheric abilities and keeps his former association with the void closely guarded. Extremely few know about his past.
- Sigurd is especially attuned to sensing and combating voidsent energies. A tamed wolf knows the tricks of a wild wolf.
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♥ Family – ♥ Involved – ♥ Romantic – ♥ Platonic – ♥ Physical – ♦ Friend – ★ Acquaintance – $ Business – ✝ Deceased – ✔ Positive – ✖ Negative – ● Neutral – � Unsure
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RUMORS
Some of these rumors are untrue, speculation, or are greatly exaggerated.
◢ Common Rumors - Easily overheard. Use these freely!
◢ Uncommon Rumors - A little more difficult to hear. Use sparingly or ask first!
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Feel free to add your own rumors to this section. ◢ Player Character Rumors - Some of these are more rare than others!
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Artwork
Sigurd and Odette Saoirse by http://cobyart.tumblr.com/. Gift from Odette (thank you)!
Screenshots
OOC NOTES
Player Note 'Pending. Personal RP Limits Pending.
Disclaimer Little Tidbits.
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Potential Plot Hooks While the below is by no means comprehensive, it's a kind of spring board for walk-up RP.
Character Lore Adherence Information in this Wiki is Lore Compliant to the best of my knowledge. Information that has been changed to better fit with the lore of XIV will be listed below as necessary.
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- Template borrowed wholesale from Sigurd Sundsteigen. Original design by Abagail Graves and Bancroft Gairn, with edits by Xheja Rajhera, inspiration from D'lyhhia Lhuil, and more edits by Glioca Sargonnai. With the inventory page used with Odette Saoirse's permission. Please leave the link-backs if you use or modify the template.