Lsael Elswer

Lsael Elswer (/Leh-Sail Else-wher/)

Lsael Elswer
Lonely Explorer
Gender	Female
Race	Au Ra
Clan	Xaela
Citizenship	Ul'dah
Server	Balmung
Age	[24-26?]
Nameday	22th Sun of the 3rd Umbral Moon, (1553)
Occupation	Pilot, Explorer, Freelancer
Height/Weight	5 Fm 7 Im / 121 Pz
Orientation	Straight/Bisexual?
Home	Limsa Lominsa The Mists - Topmast Apartment (Ward 7, Room 57)

How does one spend their "happy ending?"

While trudging through the darker moments of her life, Lsael often looked to the sky. Envying the birds and airship pilots; the sense of 'freedom', that at the time, felt like nothing more than a distant dream. So when Lsael found herself with a substantial amoung of gil, she took that opportunity to a buy a brand new Manacutter. Free to fly it wherever she desires. A self-taught tinkerer, wandering explorer, and skilled pilot. Lsael discreetly put aside her sword, shield, and other pointy business tools to seek a life in the skies.

Appearance & Personality

- Lsael is a young adult Xaela, appearing in her mid-twenties. She is slim, with seemingly fair-skin maintained under a well balanced, and athletic figure. Lsael stands at 5 fulms 7 ilms, which is noticeably taller than other female Au Ra. Her scales are have no special traits in comparison to those of her other kin, only slightly more coarse and hardened from years of rough-use. She has some notible scars on her body. A large, deep scarring on her lower-left side of her waist indicating a very near mortal wound. A fading, spear-like scar on her upper right-shoulder and right thigh, indicating a rather near-fatal wound from behind and front respectively. Several smaller cuts and scars litter her upper left arm and shoulder. Her palms have a feint tint to them, indicating an old burn scar having held something on fire. She has short black hair with feint red highlights. Occasionally her hair will grow out, but poor maintenance only sees it grow so long, most often covering the left side of her face with her bangs. A habit formed when she was still a training gladiator. Lsael has heterochromatic eyes. Her left eye is red and right eye a bright yellow, both enclosed with black limbal rings.

- Growing up. Many days of her life were spent in long periods devoid of any social interaction. Combined with her docile persona, this has made Lsael a very silent and soft-spoken character. While she could go for months on end between any sort of conversation, those who manage catch wind of her would find it difficult to describe her as asocial, brooding or gloomy. Most would describe a sociable Lsael as a quiet pragmatic, walking a fine line between apathy and genuine, but quiet concern. Lsael seems to show little care about the world and politics unless it directly relates to herself or her lifestyle. Though she seems at first a very reserved character, she is quite adept in socializing and holding a conversation given a meaningful topic. Her few acquaintances will note that Lsael remains oddly well mannered, though stubborn, as long as they reciprocate an equal amount of respect for her in turn.

- On the topic of respect, she absolutely despises those who think they are above others. Blind racists, pretentious high-born, politicians and stuck up rich merchants alike. Having grown up with her own set of struggles, Lsael could easily relate to those less fortunate. Even often giving away what little she could afford to mewling children and beggars if she can. Garleans are also included in her "disliked individuals" list but for the most part, only takes that issue up to the radical fanatics. If given the proper respect along with no sign of taking up conflict with her, Lsael could care less about an individual's background or origin.

- Though when faced with an unyielding aggressor in an argument, throughout the years she has found preemptive aggressiveness to work as a proper deterrent. If an Elezen continues to harass her after being asked to leave for example. Lsael is not the type hesitate to swing her helmet or put a bullet in their thigh. Whatever action it would take to desist the individual. (While on this note, she's on a low alert criminal list in Gridania for this very reason, which is why she never frequents the city proper). Though it was noted earlier that she is sociable to a fault, the xaela is rather untrusting and wary of everyone she encounters. While she does occasionally enjoy a romp during her breaks in the cities, she often comes across as difficult and easily irritated, especially those who approach her for sex in mind before anything else. Often opting to giving up only her last name. Should Lsael casually hold a conversation with someone, or even disclose details of herself at all, is seen as a small form of trust.

- What little friends Lsael has come to trust however, would describe her as much radically different than she leads others to believe. They strike her as more talkative, given that they are around to start a conversation. Describing the Xaela as a blunt and straight-forward individual, with an underlying dark and cynic preference in humor. Often coming across crass or politically incorrect, She is noted not to shy from the truth of the conversation, often stating her opinion regardless of other's reaction or consequence.

- Outside of other's influences however, Lsael is still pretty much a lonesome individual. Years of strife and lonely hard work has tempered her will. Something which is readily apparent when the xaela is about to fight. She becomes eerily silent, often expressed with a motionless calm and intense focus in her eyes. Lsael has lost her fair share of fights and brawls growing up, knowing fully well the consequences that await a woman who's lost. This silence is a testament to that, and her focus the reinforced resolve in which she carries herself through those faults. Lsael's only confidence in a fight lies on sheer force of will. Her tenacity in a fight going sour is unbridled and defiant, and the lessons she had been taught over the years drilled into her instinct. She is very much an amazing close-quarters fighter, her martial prowess the sum of her hard-work and blind resolution to better herself.

- Despite her martial prowess, Lsael is very much considered average or below median when accounted for her magical and arcane skills. While her endurance, tenacity, strength and quick reactions are well accounted for. Her mental fortitude is also not up to par. Those who have readily teamed up with her in the past have noticed she was much more susceptible to certain mental debuffs when caught in them (such as Charms, Confusions, Fears). Though given a familiarity to attach herself to, she seems quite capable when Lsael is able to apply herself. For example, her Red Mage skills are above par in comparison to any other magic/arcane-based class she has picked up.

■ Alignment - Chaotic Good

Basic Info, Quirks and Tidbits

- Lsael is a quick reader, ontop of being a very quick learner. Often picking up instructions on the spot. Yet she remains a horrible writer, with her own notes incomprehensible to none other than herself. To counter this, she'll often opt to doodling instead, though her drawing skill remains questionable the woman has her moments. In terms of the fine arts however, though unproven, she is actually quite adept in singing.

- Instead of keeping a diary, she tends to collect books as keepsakes for special events or jobs. When she was teenager, she would often take high-quality tomes and books as payment instead of gil. This may be due to her experience as a child hiding away in libraries, the one place she could avoid her previous captors. Rest and respite was abundant enough in the public libraries which dotted the Limsan upper decks. And so, being around books made her feel safe. Which is probably why there is an overabundance of them in her apartment. And by overabundance, the girl could practically start her own library. From children's picture books, scholastic grimoires to long lost allagan transcripts. Her travels have left her far and wide throughout Eorzea, and each book in her possession is a testament to her lifelong experiences. Note: She's practically read (or skimmed through) them all.

- After assisting some adventurers with a Necrologos levemete in hopes of attaining the infamous book for herself. Lsael found herself a treasure coffer with an Atrophied Atomos within. Consuming her satchel of crystals at the time, the creature has stayed by the xaela's side ever since. Gobbling up whatever she would offer it whether it be scrap metal, food, or just general trash. In exchange as a floating trashcan, Lsael found some much needed company for her long travels. She gives it many nicknames like "Cheeky Lil' Bastard" but "Tomo" is what she's taken to calling it. Lsael also tends to keep it under a strict leash, as the atomos tends to bite when spoiled with food or float off on it's own.

- Having been raised around pirates and Roegadyns, she's grown to have a very high tolerance of alcohol. Thus, Lsael is often caught with several hard drinks when visiting taverns or bars. Most notable, she's often found spiking her own drinks, as Lsael would often note that 'normal alcohol just doesn't give the right kick anymore.'

- Due to the circumstances of her arrival to Eorzea, Lsael doesn't actually know where her birth place, origin, or home country is. Though she had recently taken a hint when a large score of Doman refugees began moving into Mor Dhona. Many of which approached the clueless Xaela in their native tongue, asking for directions. It seemed like only those who hail from Othard can recognize enough of her far eastern descent. Meanwhile Lsael had taken the strangers' assumptions as pointless, finding their customs and traditions to be near alien to her.

- At the time, she's inducted as a First Lieutenant in the Immortal Flames. Yet lives in the Topmast Apartments in Limsa Lominsa and is formally a Lominsan citizen. What little official records are around show that she has worked as in private security, as mercenary/sellsword, caravan escort guard, part-time freight smuggler, and for a week or so as a scullery maid. Along with this, she is an experienced as a courtesan, pickpocket, self-taught cartographer, and treasure/bounty hunter.

- Lsael's soulstones are the following. Listed from currently most used to least: Machinist, Paladin, Ninja (preferring more so: Rogue), Warrior, Red Mage, Monk, Dragoon, and Dark Knight. Lsael is also a blacksmith and armorer specialist, though those two classes are primarily used to repair and maintain her airship.

-As a Pilot-

- Her own airship is actually a larger and heavily modified manacutter. Sitting roughly 70% larger that normal, this is due to two reasons. The first being it's modified design allowing it to cruise as substantially higher altitudes and with four engines in total (two corrupted crystal powered, two ceruleum powered). This requires an abundantly larger space to fit specialized parts and equipment within the hull of the ship. An automatic updator for the ship's aetheric current attuner allows it to fly higher than most Eorzean airships. With the ceruleum engines capable of overpowering the propellor based engines, kicking her top cruising altitude as high as 80 thousand fulms.

- The second is the modified magitek vanguard that was mounted just around the cockpit of the ship. Both recognizes the need for a larger hull to house and reinforce it's structural capacity. This has lead the ship with a varying mix when it comes to appearance. Modified garlean equipment over what looks like a custom sky-pirate inspired hull. With the finish and trim similar to it's original Garlond Ironworks base, with some few additions courtesy of the Ironworks.

- The outer shell, frame, wings, and bulwark of the ship has been melded with varying ice, lightning, and wind resistant materia. And with the vanguard core linked to most of the primary functions and parts of the ship, Lsael is able to link it's controls to her aetherotransformer. If she manages to fall mid-flight, this would allow her ship to dive under autopilot and track her fall. Rescuing her from any need from parachutes. This modification also allows her to put the manacutter in a hands-free auto-pilot. Allowing her a brief time to sit back and relax, or do some mid-flight repairs.

- Amazing as it sounds, due to it's open cockpit build the average cruising height is still dependent on Lsael's physical ability and flying experience. Her years growing up as a Disciple of War has increased her endurance and pain resistance substantially, helping the xaela cope against the open hazards of the high-altitude flying. And with the staggering amount of modifications and changes to the ship, the maintenance and repair cycles remain arduous and lengthy. It isn't rare for Lsael to be grounded for a week or so at times. And being privately owned and built, she must see to the repairs all by herself. Despite all this, Lsael has always felt like she had been preparing for this role all her life. And her adoration with her career is fitting given just how much enjoys flying.

Biography

Arrival to Eorzea

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The farthest back Lsael's memory could take her was in that cramped and dark container aboard a Garlean transport ship.

Lsael along with the four-score dozen other children, taken from several different corners of the occupied empire were being shipped off to a destination unknown to them. Their overseers supposedly recruiting them due to their aetheric prowess, off to be tested and bred to grow up and fight for the empire. Making the mistake by labeling them as "special cargo". While the contents remained a mystery, This information caught the attention of one notorious privateer crew. Expecting some expensive and worthwhile plunder, they moved to intercept and the hidden children were soon caught in the ensuing battle. Lsael's container caught a molten grapeshot round in the first volley. Shredding a large hole into their container. Many of the children were perforated into a red mist almost immediately as torn bits of molten metal and shrapnel shredded the unprotected cargo within. Luckily, having been forced against the opposite side of the container, the wall of bodies blocked most of the carnage for Lsael. The young Xaela soon found herself crawling out of the bleeding hole gasping for air and choking on warm fog of blood from the other children. And her first act upon freedom? A frenzied assault on the nearest garlean soldier. Caught off guard from the boarding pirates, the man struggled to get the little girl off. The pirates were bewildered, watching this little xaela, a race many of the crew have never encountered before, swiping the guard's darksteel knife and began scratching and stabbing her way around the grown man. Finishing off the soldier who managed finally managed to throw Lsael off, the pirates picked up the young girl along with three other surviving children only to find the remnants of the "special container". While the dead children were quite the lost cause, there was other loot to be plundered in the ship as the crew helped themselves to whatever they could find. The aging captain of the crew however, was shocked at the mangled innocent corpses inside the containers, and took it upon himself to care for the four survivors. One of which caught his eye especially. The foreign little black-scaled girl who was slipping in and out of consciousness, carrying her to his cabin as she was more wounded than the others and needed the rest. "-Let's sail elsewhere-. I've had enough of this place." Were the first words Lsael's ears heard after the ringing in her head had ceased. Repeating after her newfound protector, she could only whisper a slur of the first few words. This was how her future step-father assumed her first name, "Lsael"

Early Childhood

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Having given his own son such an undesirable and violent upbringing. The old captain of pirates and Lsael's rescuer, had decided to adopt the young Xaela as a second chance in a life which he had originally taken for granted. Leaving the care of his crew to his second-in-command and aforementioned son, he took his share of the plunder and left to retire. He bought a small cottage by the cliff-side in Red Rooster Stead. The young Xaela following after the aging Seawolf with much anxiety. It didn't take long for Lsael to warm up to the old man. His infectious charisma and wisdome rubbed off on her young mind fairly quickly. He taught her how to properly read and write. Clothed and fed her. At nights when the young girl couldn't sleep, he would often share his tales of daring-do and sailor's myths. Stories he was told as a child himself, the kinds that the young xaela was enamored with. Lominsan pirate admirals of the past, famous rogues and mythical scoundrels. And with each story Lsael was smitten by the prospect of adventure and open seas. Though it was far from his intentions, Lsael pestered him to teaching her how to fight like in the stories. She learned the basics of how to hold or a dagger, As the old man only had Roegadyn sized weapons with him at the time. He more than happily demonstrated for Lsael, despite his age showing off the skills and combat experience tempered from from years of pirating. While some of the old pirate's habits did not completely die out from retirement, such as drinking, swearing, and fighting. The young Xaela emulated and idolized her father, much to the amusement of her visiting stepbrother. She loved to copy the two men, swear as they do, and even sipping on their ale at the joking request of her step-brother.

For a time, Lsael's life was in complete bliss... ... That is an old bad blood re-emerged. A bitter and violent rival from a separate pirate group from long ago, seeking revenge on the aging Sea Wolf for past dues. Having thought the matter was settled years ago, the old man was oblivious to the impending attack. Barging into his home, beating and subjecting him into agonizing pain. Lsael could only cry in fear and plead, as these men maimed and humiliated her father. When he tried to fight back, they retaliated by taking advantage of the young Xaela, and threatened to rape and kill Lsael if the Roegadyn struggled...

By the time the Yellowjackets had arrived by a tip from the locals, they found blood smeared across the wooden floor and dragged out to the back of the home. The old man's body was recovered at the bottom of the cliff-side, tossed from above. His daughter was never officially recorded as a Limsan civilian, as the old Sea Wolf didn't see it as a relevant issue at the time. Though the locals that knew the father and daughter tried to state the missing girl's description. As far as the authorities were concerned, the 10 year old girl never even existed in the first place.

Childhood-Pre-teenage Years

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Lsael couldn't be asked to recall much of her life after that. Mourning the death of her father and reeling from her assault. Her captives fed her drugs and herbs to keep her 'compliant' which served to push the girl into a deep shock. Caring little of what would happen to her from then on. Since Au Ra were a rarity at the time, they quickly put the young girl to work. Her captors owned several unmarked pleasure barges under the shadows of the lower decks, and put her to work as a premium. Abused, mistreated, raped, and held against her will. She would try many times to fight back and escape, only for the despair to be beaten back into her head.

One attempt proved successful however! As the girl ran tearfully into Hawker's Alley in blind desperation. But the busy halls of Limsa's lower decks was no place for a long young girl like her self. Being an Au Ra did not help either as she stood out from the crowd, heightening her chance of recapture. But due to the neatly arranged clothing that were provided to her from the pleasure barges, Lsael managed to find solace among many of the arcanist libraries that dotted the city's upper decks. The doormen mistaking her for a schoolgirl or some rich-merchants daughter, she bided her time behind books. Reading to pass the time and only leaving to find food in the busy markets. Lurking away from sight and stealing what little food she could in order to feed herself. Come nightfall, she would sneak between the library's towering shelves. Arranging the books as if she was but a sleeping child, awaiting her scholar parent's return. Though one day, during her daily food runs and pick-pocketing the stalls. She was caught pickpocketing by a bus boy who happened to be a fledgling member of the rogue's guild. Reporting the incident to his master, news spread of a lone auri girl spread throughout the ear's of limsa's underground. Though it wasn't the boy's intention as he was simply trying to do right by the stall owner, Lsael soon found herself in the hands of her captors once more. Her punishment was severe.

The news of her appearance wasn't that fairly big of a deal. Though slow, it made it's way into local's ears. An exotic young girl that worked the pleasure houses, hailing from a race which wasn't very common around Limsa. Throughout the multiple descriptions, there were a few that often stood consistent. And despite the snail's pace of it's spread, after three long years it finally made it's way to the ears of the right man. Not even half a day upon hearing it another fight brakes out in the lower decks of the city, with yet another pirate group out for revenge. This time however, it had exploded into an all out brawl within the red light district. When the room to her door was broken down, and the man ontop of her shaken away, did Lsael looked hazily up to her would-be rescuers. The guilt and confusion hit the young xaela hard, but no tears fell from her eyes as her step-brother whisks her away. Now leading her father's previous crew, he had bolstered his men's numbers to take revenge for the murder of his father.

With victory at hand, they were now faced with a smaller problem. Drugged and beyond relief, and beaten into submissions. They were left with a yonug girl whom refused any attempts in communication. With little choices open to them, and under the insistence of a handful of the crew. They continued to care for Lsael out of respect of her step-father. Involuntary anointing her the crew's mascot while they assisted on her recovery. It was several months before the young xaela could speak up...

Early to Late Teens

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If there was something that the father and son shared, it was their charisma. Breaking the shell which Lsael's mind hand enclosed itself was no easy task. Brought about by chains of abuse and mistreatment. Though it took nearly two years, it was under her stepbrother's guidance along with the welcoming members of his new-found crew which slowly restored the beating heart within the Auri girl. She slowly began to feel... safe among their company. Her brother's infectious bravado helping spark her fiery spirit as Lsael rebounded quickly, adopting her newfound life sailing the seas. Something of a mascot to the crew and and little-sister figure to all, they taught her how to fight, how to drink, and how to leave off the bounty of the sea. They trained her with axes and lances. Shortswords, bucklers, bows and pistols. Lsael quickly became a trained rogue and marksman. Hoping that what little assistance she could provide would benefit her new home in some way. Come victory or loss, it had been so long since she felt that same sense of camaraderie and family she had been missing since her father's death. Cherishing the crew and her newfound life, she helped spread this cheerful optimism with her new family, hoping her life sailing high seas would never end.

Their successes would even earn them the attention of the Admiral. Until being formally inducted under Maelstrom command. What cause for celebration, with their newfound recognition and loot gathered from over the years. While raiding garlean supply lines had it's share of excitement, steady pay was a rarity in their line of work. To earn gold while doing piss all, and ocasionally loot any garlean patrols as they pleased? It was a chance they gladly took.

Even their first assignment seemed such a simple task as well.

Guard duty in an island just off of Aleport. Whilst news of war were beginning to spread across the realm, their crew wasn't even stationed at the frontlines. When most of the Maelstrom were diverted to a 'large scale front'. Their crew was stationed under the acting command of Captain Symond. Tasked to safeguard one of the area's most important structures. The newly built lighthouse which sat at the Isles of Umbra, Pharos Sirius.

...Lsael would never forget the sound of screaming that night. The smell of burning flesh.

When the shards of dalamund descended along with the barrage of terraflares, the insides of the building were practically engulfed in flames, corrupted aether, and molten rock. If it wasn't for her being with a handful of the crew patrolling the shoreline, they surely would have perished along with the others, who stood guard along the inner halls. The shockwave the of terraflare flung the Xaela and the other Maelstrom soldiers some fulms back. The agonizing screams of those burning alive echoed from within the burning halls. Her fellow crew mates had to pin the Xaela down to prevent her from running into the inferno, prying the red-hot stones which blocked the entrance with her bare hands. Crying desperately for her brother's response. With the heat radiating so intensely, and her head still ringing from the blast. Along with her own burns and bruises. She could only scream and squirm as they surviving maelstrom carried the young woman away. The pain of her loss numbed the other burning feeling that embedded itself in her right, blind eye. For some reason, the close contact near the newly formed corrupted aether restored sight into her right eye, changing the hue of her iris from red to a bright yellow. Lsael lost consciousness not long after that, and awakened to the soft beckon of what seemed to be... a woman in her dreams... Her whispers beckoned Lsael to feel, hear, and think. But before she could even question the vague concept she woke up, still lying in the sand with the smoldering blaze of the lighthouse. The rest of the surviving Maelstrom, the remainder of the crew, had all but abandoned each other to fate, scattering like the ashes that billowed from the lighthouse.

A lot of her memories became fuzzy after that. With no form of support from the Maelstrom, who ever busy repairing the damage from the calamity. Lsael was alone once more, this time with no clear goal or destination. It didn't take long for the disheartened xaela to lose hope. Selling herself for next to nothing for what little food was available that didn't burn in the dreadwyrm's wake. Offering her sword arm, or her body, even both at the right price. This shameless and reckless way forced her to blindly follow the trail of what little gil remained in the real, eventually bringing her to Ul'dah. As long as there was gil in her purse and food in her pocket, any corner and any foe would do.

Post-Calamity / Young Adult

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While the details of this incident remained unclear to her, even to this day. Lsael recalls one of her latest clients, who happened to be paying her for both as a guard and whore, had a lengthy and violent disagreement with the Xaela. Leaving his service along with some stolen gil, this merchant in question looked to hire a gang to take back his property and make an example of her. A bloody fight broke out, threatening to outnumber the then wounded girl. It was moments that followed which attracted attention of a group from the gladiator's guilds. And before long, they took in a bloodied Lsael into their ranks as 'payment' for their assistance among other things.

She didn't think much of her admission at first.

The sword and shield was a simple enough weapon to utilize, she though. But Lsael soon found out the hard way of the female consequences of underestimating a group of foes. Baptized in blood, it didn't take long for her to harden her resolve in changing her reckless way of thinking. Though the menial job available proved it a taxing promise to keep. This blind, and empty dream of attempting to better her sword arm was the only thing that drove the young woman out of her bed each morning. Sellsword work was hard, and sweaty work in Ul'dah. Boring beyond relief and as hot as the seven hells at times, at-least it payed well enough. But she always seemed to lack a definitive goal, as Lsael often had little to look forward to. While her feats in battle and dungeon crawling began to gain momentum in correlation to her skill level. The guild leader Mylla decided to take an interest into the matter, and led Lsael to her acquaintance among within the sultansworn.

The knights in shining armor.

She recognized the status of the men in the old stories she was told as a child. But growing up in a cruel reality, the Xaela knew better and simply continued to follow Mylla's instructions with little to no thought. It wasn't until she met Solkzagyl and Jenylns did she shine in her eyes slowly came back. The trials and lessons, the victory and betrayals over those they thought could be trusted. It all seemed like the words coming from a cheesy romantic fantasy. Talks of oath keeping and brotherhoods was often met with a xaela's head turned the other way. But slowly Lsael began to take these men's words by heart. And after some forgettable battle against the monetarist forces, she gazed down on her soulstone with a odd epiphany...

Until now, she had let others decide her worth... It had never occurred to her after all this time to to consider shite-all what others thought and lead the life she wanted for herself. For the first time in 5 years, the xaela finally lifts her gaze to face forward. Everything leading up to that faithful coerthan night seemed like a passing dream, as if Lsael had awoken from a long nap. While Lsael knew she could never return to simplicity of her past.

At least now, for the first time in a years, Lsael could clearly see the opportunities which her feet could take her.

7th Astral Era - Five Years Hence / Current

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With that fiery spirit restored in her hearts, she would go and master a multitude of combative crafts over the years. A quick learner, and even quicker on her feet. She found herself chasing leve after leves. The jobs serving as a source of income and practice for what ever combative art she prided herself at the time. She even found a part time job aiding as a escort-guard for the Scions. It was around this time Lsael had become more attuned to her 'Echo' ability. But seeing as the primal gods had nothing to do with her, and the echo's unwieldy aspect of activating involunatarily, she often found herself a patrolwoman or a door guard at best. Though it paid well, she quit those jobs rather quickly. And despite her constant lust for adventure she still remained very much alone. Spending vast amounts of time out in the world with no companion but the sun and the stars, and the clothes on her back.

After the repetitive nature of her sellsword and mercenary work started to get to her. She felt a lull in heart, chasing what seemed to be and endless cylce of ventures she could not escape. It was around this time she had rekindled her childhood fascination with airships. Envying those free to travel to faraway lands, off to wherever they may please. Airship journeys were always exciting for Lsael, having only been on two rides up until this point in her life. With the desire to seek adventure through her own means, and the recent opening of Ishgard. The Xaela seized the chance and bought her own Manacutter, and took on the skies as if she was coming back home.

Combat and Ability

As a child she grew up with her father's stories of graceful fighters doing flips and turns mid-combat. Though now, as a grown woman and competent fighter herself, she quickly realized this just wasn't feasible in plate armor engaged in rough uneven terrain. Rather, throughout her work in Ul'dah as well as her experience as a privateer at one point. Lsael has developed a 'lazy-yet-risky' style of fighting. Figuring this while watching the mages practice a form of "stutter stepping". Lsael's fighting style revolves around just 'grazing' her opponent's hits through parrying or avoiding blows at a hair's distance. With as minimum movement as possible, constantly pressing a forward momentum to response. Lsael would deliver her counter-attacks in a quick, brutish efficiency. Her high spatial awareness, combined with short skips and long dashes allowing her to maintain the proper distance with her foe. This style proved widely successful throughout her days in the gladiator's guild, and has proven it's worth to this day. While this technique placed her in some vary dangerous positions. Her scrupulous thinking and quick reactions made sure the risk was often worth the reward, and helped set her apart early on from the rest of the fighters.

Even now, she still continues this fighting style out of habit. Even while currently favouring the machinist, when she has the advantage of ranged attacks. Lsael would much rather prefer close-quarters, using the most potential from the variety of tools under her disposal.

Abilities Echo...? - Attaining this ability during the Calamity, she received it during her close brush with death in Pharos Sirius. While it restored her eyesight on her right eye and changed it's color to a yellow similar to corrupted crystals. This ability would remain dormant much throughout her young adult life, activating involuntarily during times of great stress or when her body fears it is close to death. What her echo allows her to do is to switch soul crystals in mid-combat, allowing whatever form or stance to temporarily carried over to her new job crystal for a short duration. While this seems incredibly useful, she could only count having experienced this phenomenon on one hand. Upon attaining her DRK soul crystal however, another thing she had noticed is while she could choose to change to any class, changing into her dark knight job and entering darkside will cancel the ability to change crystals completely. The only upside is that the effects of "Bloodbath" and "Living Dead" seem to be heightened drastically. While in this state/trance, her limbal rings change from jet black to a pure white. Limitations - Like the previous mention of Lsael's darkside. She also has a few other limitations in regards to her other jobs. With the exception of her dark-knight job crystal, many of these are due to her own impulsiveness and cutting corners while rushing to learn the proper techniques. Her Dark Knight is unable to access 'Darkside' unless she is in her echo form. As a Warrior she is unable to switch between 'Defiance' or 'Deliverance' stances on her free will. Whichever stance is based solely on her mood at the time, or may change when under a significant amount of stress. Her dragoon job crystal cannot access 'Blood of the Dragon' to due not having mastered yet. Lsael's impatience with her Monk class has also left her unable to master her 'Chakra' techniqes. So abilities such as Forbidden Chakra and Purification are out of the question. The last being mostly due to preference, Lsael often does not bother utilizing her Ninjitsu's as a Ninja. Outside of the occasional Suiton or even rarer Fuma Shuriken, she had picked up this job mainly to open her skills as a Rogue.

Weapons of Choice Revolver - Courtesy of her volunteer work in the Wolves' Den teaching and guiding curious adventurers around the vicinity. This heavy barrelled, 6 chambered, high caliber revolver remains to be her favorite main arm. Boasting a solid and heavy design. Though hard to raise and aim, the weight eliminates the kickback of her shots, offering virtually no recoil. It's longer shape and reinforced underside allows her to use it to parry and block almost ant kind of melee attack without damaging the barrel. And due to her habits as a paladin and gladiator, close quarters combat is often her favorite approach. Bullets or not, it also makes for a good swinging club. Sword and Shield - Though it has sat in the the back of her seat on her airship, she tends to carry it with her from time to time. Several years of drilled instructions and fighting has already proved her worth as a free paladin. When her revolver isn't not up to the task, Lsael would often kick up the old habit. Her sword and shield arms a guaranteed bet. Axe - Gathering dust at the backseat of her ship is her Axe, though not as often lately. It has seen a bit more frequent use since the opening of Ishgard. As the dravanian forelands and floating islands have opened up a variety of larger game and monsters. Daggers - Her misericordes are like a memory from a distant dream. Her initial idea of taking up the rogue's arms was when she aimed to be one of the thievish heroes in which her father's old bedtime stories spoke of. Though probably the second least used approach to a conflict. She remains rather adept with knives, utilizing them on more subtle engagements. Lsael also happens to keep them on her most of the time, due to folding mechanism and ease of concealment. Spear - A capable lancer and trained in martial dragoon skills. Nowadays however, one could often see as her lance being used as a clothes rack while flying. The only real time she would use her dragoon prowess is during extra-vehicular engagements while flying, which is often a rare circumstance to follow Pulgist - "Why bother spending gil on some crested hora when I can beat them with my spare fists... or shoot them." Granted she's learned a lot in her time training amongst monks and pulgists, this skill mostly during drunken brawls...

Miscellaneous/IC notes

- Lsael's full name a combination of two slurred instances.

Her first name was when she was found by her stepfather, repeating after him when he said the words "Let's sail" whilst dipping in and out of consciousness. Her last name was given to her by her stepfather. Knowing that giving her his own last name would never identify the Xaela as his own flesh and blood. Instead He gave her the name "Elilswerd", meaning (Exiled/Foreign-Sword) A testament on how he first encountered the feisty young lass jumping onto a garlean soldier and stabbing him with his own knife. Due to her tomboyish personality as a child, he figured a male's naming convention fit her perfectly. Though senility and constant drinking over the years took a toll on the old Sea Wolf's speech pattern. And to the young impressionable child, the words "Elilswerd" soon became "Elswer"

- You might notice that Lsael isn't very often in her Dark Knight job. OOC, this is mainly due to my 'slightly love/absolutely hate' relationship with the job. But IC, as she is normally Lsael is actually stronger than her darkside. During her (level 50) job quest, instead of a carbon copy, the darkside had decided to take up her younger and more brash self. Almost dying to the darkside's initial onslaught, Lsael's neglectful upbringing, hatred and frustrations were enough to snap herself out of her trance and fight back. Only to fight back in a hateful fury at what was basically a copy of her younger self. She accidentally 'kills' her darkside, and will not be able to enter the stance any longer (outside of her echo). This event and sudden existential crisis is the driving force which prompts her to finally take up flying as a serious profession. Now any time she is under her echo trance/ability and requires to enter darkside, the younger version of herself appears. Each wound self-inflicted remaining permanently onto it's figure, which is probably why the xaela avoids the job altogether.

- Lsael is almost certain that she's of an othard descent, as hinted by the surge of refugees. Yet she does not identify herself as one, and find the foreigner's habits and traditions to be weird and alien-like. Lsael also had not known of any other Au Ra such as herself until the recent migrations. So when often asked which tribe she hails from, she'll repeat her father's name to the confusion of her questioner.

OOC / Author's Notes

rough overview of grammatical errors... scratch that. I haven't even looked into her "history" tabs yet (plz don't make me. too much work...)

Pretty sure her name origin needs work. I only gave the Roegadyn naming conventions a passing glance >__>

Profile could easily be modified to fit the "Warrior of Light" role. Just include that she was Hydaelin's chosen much earlier than in-game, roughly around the same time as the Calamity and her eye sight was restored.

While in-game heights are all the same, she's actually 5"8. Standing almost as tall as a max height male miqo'te. It must have been all that booze <__<

Despite her cringe-worthy edgelord-esque background, Lsael grew up to be a rather docile and respectable individual given her circumstances...

A lot of her IC fighting style involves grazing and parries... though in reality, every time I see parry on my tank gear, I want to kill myself...

I'm fairly fond of that PotD title, "Lonely Explorer". It matches her lifestyle in-character, matches my actual playing style in-game, and it matches her initials "L.E." I don't think I'll ever wear another title at this point...

People keep asking me if the last name is a reference to Elder Scrolls. To be fair, I didn't know Elswyr was an actual province until, like a year into playing Skyrim. Originally, the OC 'Lsael' was meant to be an "illiterate orphan" type character. The last name is just the incorrect of spelling of "Else where"

Quick Origins Write-up: (note this is a mock-up origin, so things like dates and other specifics are intentionally left open ended. still working on the details on this, but...)

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Born to a Xaela mother and Midlander father. During the early occupation of the Doman regions, their village sparked the fledgling ideas of rebellion. This was quickly and savagely put down, and made as an example to the other villages. Her father died, and her mother taken captive and used to "breed" a new generation and brainwash them into Garlean service. After giving birth to Lsael, her mother stabbed the baby's right eye in an attempt to kill it, fearing it may be the child of the many men that tormented her. The baby Au Ra cried, opening it's remaining eye to a crimson red, like her father, her mother's lover. It was then Lsael's mother was full of regret, crying in desperation as she was taken away. That was the last time Lsael and her mother were together. Meanwhile this small and initial attempt served as a silent rallying cry, which help set the flames for a much larger conflict as the rest of the region boded their time for the right moment to strike.

Some years after, a fellow shinobi village decided to put together a covert a rescue effort to retrieve those under garlean captivity. Despite the Garleans knowing of the attempted rescue plan beforehand, a handful of warriors managed to break out what prisoners they could find at the cost of several lives. Lsael's mother among the the prisoners that were retrieved, and so imagine her surprise to reunite with her lover. Presumed dead from the war years ago. Although missing an arm, he was very much alive and well. Such a joyous reunion was enough cause for celebration, but the now childless-mother could never bring herself to tell her married husband about their missing firstborn. The one she had forsaken, and whom she tried to kill.

The woman swore to hold this secret to her grave, as several years later the couple decided to start a family. Blessed with another pretty little girl. Years after this babe turned young lady had grown, did the mother fall deathly-ill. A festering sickness she had contracted all those years captive. And so with her dying breath, and requesting her husband be absent from the room. She tells her young daughter about her ordeals, and reveals to her the possibility of an older sister. She asks her daughter to find her missing sibling, and rescue her from the garleans. Riddled with grief and regret while in her deathbed, the mother wished to make whatever amends she could. Assuming that her child may be fighting a war she had been forced to fight from birth; Entrusting the daughter with her ashes and what little proof her their family heritage. She hoped that her daughter's mission would cure her sibling from the garleans grasp and return her home to the family.

(tldr: Lsael's blood parents survived and she has a little sister. She originates as a Xaela from Othard. Her mother named her 'Kurenai', and her sister's name is 'Setsuna')

Gallery

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Footnotes

Layout is a slightly modified version taken from Bancroft Gairn

Song Inspirations: Grandma - Destruction // Song of the Ancients - Atonement // Antipyretic

Accent/Dialect: Semi-Casual and occasionally Formal. A mix of Ul'dahn and Ishgardian as of late? Most of her tone and tendencies is taken from her books and little interactions with others. When present among Lominsan's however, she will revert her 'normal accent' which shows her familiarity growing up in Limsa Lominsa.

Having trouble approaching her?: While Lsael isn't the type to walk up to random strangers to strike conversation. She will openly respond when treated fairly with respect. If she's in the Quicksands or in a tavern, most likely she's drinking or about to be drunk. Her pet atomos is known to cause trouble when she isn't looking, either gobbling up something that isn't her's or biting the people who spoil it with food.

Current Arc?: After an arduous repair and maintenance cycle (as I've been gone from the game some few months). Her airship is now back up and running! Despite this however business is slow due to the weakening and fall of Baelsar's Wall. With more readily available access to the region, it's brought more competition to the smuggling business which was a large part of Lsael's main income. Expect to see her holed up in a bar, reading a book, working a part-time job, or looking for any kind of freelance work she can get her hands across.