Hien Kurogane

Nawashiro Kurogane
Gender	Male
Race	Au Ra
Clan	Raen
Citizenship	Limsa Lominsa
Age	3o
Occupation	Trader, pirate, smuggler, part-time bartender
Class	Lancer, Astrologian (trainee)
Place of Residence	Dragonhead, Coerthas; sometimes Limsa Lominsa

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Appearance

Dress Style: Smart but comfortable. He prefers dark, muted colors and simple clothes.

Accessories: Nawashiro wears a pendant on a heavy silver chain, which he never takes off and certainly refuses to relinquish to anyone. He often carries a book on his person, which contains information he deems important to keep on hand and in which he is often writing notes.

Scars/Distinguishing Features: He has a scar above his left eye, left by a poorly aimed blade that he failed to dodge. Several other scars on his arms, shoulders and back come from a variety of causes. Aside from the one above his eye, the majority are not visible while dressed.

Character and Personality

Personality: Nawashiro is a careful and calculating man, one who prefers to tie the strings which make people dance rather than force them through violence. He has an interest in knowledge, with no preference for its method of acquisition, and is usually willing to pay a price for information.

On the outside he is genial and friendly, but he tends to listen more than he talks. He doesn't like conflict or confrontation and prefers to leave the fighting to those better suited to it. The exception to this is his bar, in which he will not stand for violent outbursts and damage to the property he manages in the interests of his company. As far as he is concerned the tavern is his territory and his rules apply to all who set foot inside.

Motivations and goals: Nawashiro is motivated mostly by the desire to find a place for himself and will fight to protect it. He is also driven by the interests of those closest to him but with a tint of self interest. For example, while he doesn't truly believe in his employer's ambition to return piracy to Limsa Lominsa, he does understand the value such things have for others, and is willing to throw his support behind it for that reason.

Positive traits: Analytical, intelligent, opportunistic, ambitious, loyal.

Flaws: Manipulative, cynical, suspicious of other people's motives, can be a dirty fighter

Skills and Preferences

Skills, interests and hobbies: Nawashiro has a deep interest in magic, aether and arcanima and a strong drive for knowledge of all kinds. While not formally trained in any form of magic as a child, he has since developed an interest in the arts of the Astrologian, and has been attempting to learn from a close friend. He values information, and is an avid collector of books and scrolls as much as he is secrets and whispers.

Likes: Books, music, crowded places, chococbo racing

Dislikes: Giant toads/Nix, carbuncles, people breaking things in his bar

Fears: His biggest fear is of events in Doma eventually catching up to him - a much more distant concern now, following the razing of the city state, yet at the same time more threatening due to the possibility that surviving family members may now be in Eorzea. The chance of crossing paths concerns him, as does the ultimate outcome should they catch up with him still bearing grudges.

Combat

Weapon(s) of choice: Lance, sword

Fighting Style: Nawashiro likes to be able to set up the field of battle to his own advantage, preferring only to enter into a conflict if he is sure of his chance of winning. In general, he would prefer to have someone else do the fighting, and tends to draw his own weapon only if pressed, ambushed or a close friend would be in danger if he fled.

He fights close range with sword or lance. He isn't above using a knife to threaten someone, and often carries a long blade on his person (for defense of course). In a toe-to-toe confrontation where he feels he is outmatched or unprepared, he is more likely to try to escape a conflict than engage in something he's sure to lose.

Strengths (in combat): Nawashiro fights best when he can set up the field in advance and has allies he can rely on. He is good in a team, but not so much alone. He tends to fight dirty, and isn't afraid to use trickery, deception and generally unfair methods to win.

Weaknesses (in combat): Though he is currently studying the arts of the Astrologian, it is not a formal education nor a very thorough one, relying mostly on the assistance and advice of a close friend. His strengths lie in physical combat, less so when faced with those who wield magic against him. Both magical offense and defense are poor, and when faced with a competent mage, he'd rather run than risk being blown to pieces.

Nawashiro was never trained in any kind of magic growing up, most of his skill being with physical weaponry and he is unlikely to attempt to use magic in combat, unless in desperate situation with no other alternative. In such a case, would fare quite poorly against pretty much any opponent.

Background

Place of Birth: Doma

History: Nawashiro was raised in a family that formed part of a large network of co-operating clans who managed their own trade operation in and around the city, some of which no doubt involved less than legal activities. Disagreements between the different families were never far from the surface, however, and Nawashiro always seemed to be on the verge of crossing someone.

In order to escape trouble of his own creation, Nawashiro fled the city state when he was twenty. As he left, and for personal reasons he rarely discloses, he stole an item of considerable value from his own family, carrying it with him across the seas, and which he still has on his person now. Fearing pursuit for this theft, he boarded and ship and paid the captain handsomely to ferry him as far away as they were traveling.

Unfortunately for all his plans, the merchant vessel came under attack by pirates only a few weeks into their journey.

Nawashiro aided in the crew's defense of the ship, drawing the ire of the attacking pirate captain. As the crew faltered one by one, it became apparent that he would not be able to keep up the struggle indefinitely and the pirates were going to win out. Thus, when the first mate offered to allow him to join them if he dropped his futile defense, he agreed.

For several years he sailed as a pirate under the Captain of the Bloody Cross, eventually rising in both crew and captain's esteem. As Limsa Lominsa became increasingly hostile to pirates who still raided on the seas, he suggested to Captain Cross that they look to expanding their influence inland. With his experience dealing with trade interests in Doma, he volunteered to aid them in their endeavor, and when the crew eventually voted to create a legitimate facade for them to operate behind, he was made quartermaster and manager of their land based enterprise.

He now lives on the mainland, for the most part, managing the organization's legal front and making sure that their less than legal activities are protected against those who might interfere. He is still in close contact with the pirate captain for whom he worked for several years, but operates almost independently to manage the group's land based ventures and interests.

Family: Before fleeing his homeland, Nawashiro had two brothers with whom he was close. However, he hasn't had contact with anyone in over ten years and he has no idea whether or not they survived the Garlean attack on Doma since none ever came ashore with the refugees.

Rumors

Anyone from Doma may have heard rumors of the network he belonged to, which was rumored to be involved in the black market. However, only people from within the family will know why he fled (and you'll have to poke me oocly for that information as I'm not putting it here in its entirety).

Some on the outside might have heard rumors of a son of that group stealing something valuable and running off with it, potentially leading to violent repercussions within the clan he left behind.

Contact Information

IC

Nawashiro often rents rooms above a small tavern in Dragonhead, Coerthas (not Camp Dragonhead, but the small town south of it where the where the Observatorium is). He can often be found drinking in that bar, and messages left for him there are usually delivered. Alternatively, he can be contacted via his pirate contacts in Limsa Lominsa, or by anyone seeking out the Silverleaf trading company who operate in and out of La Noscea's ports.

OOC

In game: Nawashiro Kurogane

Hydaelyn Roleplayers RPC: [1]

Time Zone: EST

Feel free to contact at any time via the RPC, or add me as a friend in game. I'm always open to RP, and happy to discuss the possibility of former IC connections or new acquaintances. I am most often online in the evenings, from 10pm EST onwards, and always available through the RPC.