Ekhram Almasi

Ekhram Almasi “If you're going to maintain any kind of self-respect, you're going to have to keep some secrets from yourself.” -David Eddings ■ Name: Ekhram Almasi ■ Alias/Sobriquet: N/A ■ Age: 26 ■ Gender: Male ■ Race: Hyur ■ Clan: Highlander ■ Orientation: Heterosexual ■ Marital: Dating Myara Portwine ■ Deity: Byregot ■ Nationality: Ala Mhigan ■ Occupation: Dark Knight (secretly) / Carpenter (openly) ■ Alignment: Neutral Good BACKSTORYAPPEARANCEPERSONALITYRELATIONSHIPSRUMORS / RP HOOKSOOCCREDITS History If you ask the woman herself, the real story of Myara's life begins with that of a man she will never meet: Wilmund Lightstrike — a self-appointed name, to be certain. An Ala Mhigan Highlander, votary of the Destroyer, Fist of Rhalgr practitioner among the sect of light faction, Wilmund had a great many things to be proud of. It is said, as was the way of the Fist, he lived for the thrill of battle with one exception, the struggle no man can ever truly win: the war at home. His son, Nikolas, was a sickly thing from birth, left mostly to the care of his mother Hannah. As Theodorac rose to power within Ala Mhigo, Hannah feared what awaited on the horizon. She implored Wilmund to abscond with them somewhere else, anywhere else; a place that was safer, and quieter, with better access to the medicines and healing Nikolas required. But Wilmund would not be made to retreat, and so of her own volition, Hannah took their son and fled. Eventually, she would settle in Gridania. Eventually, one last time, she would see Wilmund if only through his words, a shakily penned letter sent mere weeks before the Fist of Rhalgr's defeat. My dear Hannah, Wilmund had written, you were right. One way or another, I will fall here beside my brothers and sisters, but the Fist of Rhalgr must rise again. Please, give this to Nikolas. And Hannah wept as she held the soul crystal in one hand and the hand of her new love in the other. The father had not yet died, but the son had long since perished. Hannah had her doubts about the Fist, but the sun, she thought, that will surely rise again. And it did: Myara became the light of her mother's life. Sired by Hannah's second husband, a midlander native to Gridania, Myara Bannis was born a robust and hearty baby, ordinary but for the port-wine stains bespeckling her face. Although made to endure some mockery for her facial deformity and gangling limbs, Myara had a relatively happy childhood, for better and worse known for her insatiable curiosity, pulling the other girls' hair, and her bad influence over her allegedly better behaved sister. As Myara came of age, she opted to honor her Highlander heritage and her own mordant sense of humor, changing her surname from Bannis to Portwine. She took this name with her to Ul'dah, where she trained with the pugilist guild day in, day out. It took two years to prove to her mother her dedication was lifelong as any Fist of Rhalgrs could be; finally, Myara was handed Wilmund's soul crystal — and it reacted immediately. "Well," said Hannah, "he did always want a daughter." Appearance Brown-eyed Myara has the complexion of someone liable to sunburn rather than tan, which she does. Often. Her red hair is kept cropped front to back more as a matter of function than style, and is allegedly prone to split ends and frizz if allowed to grow longer, anyroad. Her most distinctive physical features are the port-wine stains, a.k.a. birthmarks, splashed across her face, coloring both cheeks, part of her forehead, the bridge of her nose, and purpling her lips. Although they can be covered with makeup, it requires lavish amounts, and will inevitably be perspired away, making the effort more than it's worth but for extravagant occasions. She favors earthy colors in wardrobe, primarily browns, greens, and sunset oranges, and has a strong affinity for shorts and pants above skirts and dresses, seldom worn even in formal settings. Jewelry and trinkets are rare, though she will sometimes wear beads in her hair on leisurely days. Personality Friendly but intensely private, first impressions of Myara run the gamut from dull and aloof to an enigmatic creator, the verdict often a matter of circumstance more than anything. Though well-attuned to the world around her, Myara will at times simply drift through it, lost in one of her own making until, suddenly, something new and intriguing appears — and lo and behold, her dormant curiosity is spurred back to life. She may go so far as to guilelessly encroach on the 'space' of others in the interest of what it is they're doing, but all things being fair (with fairness being a cornerstone to life, as she sees it), she gladly returns the favor in kind. These matters of intriguing 'somethings' will almost always be within the realm of a hobby or a skill. Idle gossip is of little interest, and small talk no strong suit of hers. Stress, too, is all but a stranger. Most days Myara is something of a passive optimist, waving off problems, both hers and those of others, particularly if they seem liable to resolve themselves. This has left quite a few people with a sour taste in their mouth and a sour opinion of Myara in turn, branding her — perhaps accurately — as dismissive, if not conceited. But in a true crisis, Myara's default is that of a calm and focused problem-solver, and it's in these moments if no other she seems wise beyond her years. LIKES - Traveling - Gardening - Working with her hands - Learning, particularly in hands-on environments - Onion soup - Insects / bugs DISLIKES - Excessive complaining - Profuse, idle chatter - Having bad breath - Private business being made public; public praise - Pointless rules - Paperwork, of any kind Relationships Generally, any character Myara has interacted with on three+ separation occasions or she has known ICly for an extended amount of time is added here when I remember. If you would like your character removed for any reason (or no reason at all!), please just let me know! As always, IC is IC, and opinions this character has of others do not reflect my OOC opinions of these characters (spoilers: they're amazing). Color Key ♥ In A Relationship ♥ Romantic Attraction ♥ Sexual Attraction ♥ Platonic Love ♦ Friend ♦ Friendly Acquaintance: Name considers this person mostly friendly, or as an ally. ● Good Standing: Name has no specific feelings about this character, however they left a good impression. ● Neutral ● Bad Standing ♠ Dislike ♠ Hate ♠ Fear ♠ Rivalry ♥ Family Member / Related by Blood ✔ Business ✖ Deceased ? Hidden Feelings/Unknown NPC Hannah Bannis ♥ ♥ Myara's mother. A hard worker, though in the opinion of certain family members, selfless to the point of ridiculousness, known to give so much of herself to helping the world at her large that her family was left to contend with scraps of motherly selflessness. As the old adage goes, the shoemaker's son goes barefoot. However, for Mya, independent-minded at a young age, it only furthered her fondness for her mother, viewed as tentative without being overbearing. Rodrik Bannis ♥ ♥ Myara's father and keeper of her midlander genes, which she favored. Rodrik is everything you'd expect a bard to be, lyrical, laid back, and full of sagacity when the mood strikes. His amendable demeanor often made him seem more a friend than a parent to his children, occasionally the source of tension between he and his wife, but it has served him well in adulthood as he maintains tight-knit relationships with both his daughters. Arina Bannis : ♥ ♥ Myara's younger sister by two years. Aside from occasional bouts of sibling rivalry and typical quarrels, they maintained a close sisterhood growing up that has tapered off some in adulthood by way of them both being so busy in such different parts of the world, doing such different things. PC Ekhram Almasi ♥ A Highlander Myara met in Lavender Beds, subsequently sparred, then eventually started dating. The relationship is still new, with past traumas that need wading through, and only time will tell if Mya is equipped to handle the journey. For the time being, she is tentatively smitten, if not at times a little overwhelmed with how candidly affection the man can be. Also, he's hot. Severina Edenwood ♦ ♥ A woman whose presence is as charismatic as her name. Severina is Myara's best friend of several years, dearly beloved not in spite of her odd quirks but because of them, yet at the same time subject of many internal struggles on Mya's end: Severina is not only significantly prettier than Mya in particular, but gorgeous by her own standing, which can lead to Myara feeling herself thrust into the role of the sympathetic 'ugly friend,' regardless of it not being the other woman's intent. Huho Sopoho ♦ A friend from Gridanian, possibly Myara's oldest one, whose family shared a farm near her own's (prior to her mother selling it). They lost touch after Myara left to pursue her Monk training and reunited again in Ul'dah, picking up right where they left off. Rumors / RP Hooks Some rumors are simply speculation, greatly exaggerated, or not true in the slightest. Anything listed here is free use IC within reason. RUMORS - "They say those marks on her face are just birthmarks, but if you ask me, it's some sort of disease." - "Who?" RP HOOKS - While not one to engage in idle chatter with strangers often, those with key things in common will find a conversation partner verbose as any other. Primarily, other Monks can always count on her engaging them in conversation, as she is ever on the lookout to vet new potential sparring partners. - Did your character grow up in Gridania? Perhaps they know each other! - Need your shield repaired? A new suit of armor? Myara comes recommended and highly trained in her field. Alternatively, she is always willing to apprentice to someone more experienced in certain niches than she is. RP Limits & Info ■ Mature content and themes, up to and including coarse language, violence, sexuality, drugs / alcohol are all fine as long as they fit within the narrative. I do not do random ERP or godmoded fight scenes. Above all, the line between OOC and IC must be adhered to. I will discontinue any RP and cut ties with those who OOC bleed and/or godmode. Ain't nobody got time for that. ■ Any romances, with very few exceptions, must meet one of two requirements: the characters have known each other for at least a month, minimum, or the players have known each other for at least six months. Going on a casual date is one thing, but I will not tie characters down to anyone / anyone's character who doesn't meet this prerequisite. Credit ■ Template based off the work ofBancroft Gairn. ■ Tabs based off the work of Suen Shyu.