Oriel Durand

Oriel Durand
Gender	Male
Race	Miqo'te
Clan	Keepers of the Moon
Citizenship	Ul'dan
Age	29
Marital Status	Single
Occupation	Mineral Provisioner of the 81st Foreign Levy
Height/Weight	5'8" / 159 lbs
Orientation	Pansexual
Relatives	Sami'to (Father) Orhi Khamazom (Mother) Two sisters

Oriel "Orhi'a" Durand (born on the 31st Sun of the 3rd Astral Moon, 1550) is a Keeper of the Moon miqo'te who hails from a small settlement on the fringes of Gridania. After he came of age, he left the Black Shroud behind him, calling Ul'dah his new home and taking an alias. His penchant for collecting rocks and other knickknacks earned him a place at the local Miners Guild. After the Calamity struck, he'd returned to his clan's home, only to find the place in ruins. With his family gone, he has dedicated himself to his work, even picking up a few crafts between mining contracts to keep him busy. Lately he has taken a liking to Limsa Lominsa, more so after discovering his passion for cooking.

Most recently, he has left employment of Amajina and Son's Mineral Concern, in favor of adventuring. He is currently employed by a Free Company of some repute, but no name.

Basic Info

LIKES ■ Dark, quiet places (Hellooooo mineshafts!) ■ Cooking, followed closely by eating. ■ Rocks. He has a collection. A big collection. ■ Books, to keep his mind from wandering. ■ Rainy weather ■ Exploring the wilds of Eorzea.

DISLIKES ■ Heat waves ■ Halitosis ■ Extremely loud, sudden noises ■ Large crowds ■ Spriggans and Coblyns. Most especially the Coblyns.

OTHER ■ Alignment: Neutral Good ■ Vice(s): Does collecting too many rocks count? ■ Favorite Food: Any and all kinds of muffins ■ Favorite Drink: Chamomile Tea ■ Favorite Color: Black

Appearance & Personality

Oriel is tall for a miqo'te, and his work as a miner has left him with a lean, toned body. His freckled dark brown skin and light green hair provide an interesting contrast, as do his hetero-chromatic eyes (right is blue, left is green). His hair is thick and fluffy, both on his head and tail, with the hair on his tail being particularly long. When mining, he wears protective gear over his slops and a loose shirt. What he wears the rest of the time varies with what he's doing, though he does have a preference for loose-fitting tunics and boots. Most of his clothing tends to be dyed a dark color, typically black or inky blue.

*While not unsociable, he has a tendency to keep to himself. If someone is affable enough, he is quick to warm up, especially if they share a common interest.

*While he is not very fond of physical contact in most situations (most noticeably so from strangers), he's learned to tolerate it more. There are a few folk whom he particularly enjoys it from.

*Oriel is very fond of reading and, contrary to popular belief, this is not strictly limited to field manuals and picture books. While his collection on mineralogy is quite expansive, he's been known to pick up books on subjects covering botany, cooking, and when he's feeling particularly tired, tomes on formulas for aetheric manipulation.

*He also has a tattoo, located below where his neck and shoulders meet. Acquired during a drunken stint with colleagues in the Miner's Guild, he'd taken to keeping it covered. Folk tend to ask questions, and the reminder that he'd lost control of himself long enough to do that, and being asked about the meaning of the design (there is none, his buddy picked it out) was a source of ire for him.

Biography

1550-1577

Pre-Calamity

Born to a family of Keepers in the Shroud, he spent the entirety of his youth in the Twelveswood. His family had broken tradition somewhat, seeking to forge bonds with the Gridanians through trade and assisting with the tracking of poachers. While this endeavor of theirs met with limited success (old prejudices reared their ugly head), it did provide Oriel with the opportunity to see Gridania from time to time, expanding his horizons. When not helping out at home, he liked to wander the woods, collecting all manner of things, most notably stones. As he aged, he would begin to wander further away, his wanderlust being a source of consternation at home.

For a time, Oriel also accompanied his mother on trips with his sisters to visit a cousin that was born from a union betwixt miqo'te and hyur. Pahja Attwood was a lively little girl, and made for very long, exhausting days in Oriel's youth. Despite any hardships he had to endure as her impromptu babysitter, he did care for her, enjoying the time spent together when she chose not to chew on his tail or climb on the highest piece of furniture in the house.

With a growing dread for the lifestyle that awaited him when he would come of age, Oriel decided he would leave the Twelveswood at the soonest convenience. When he'd finally left home with his family's blessing, he headed to Ul'dah, forging a life as a miner. The work was hard, the conditions dreadful, but he persevered, glad to have a life of his own choosing, to do with as he pleased.

Post-Calamity

With the Calamity came chaos and terror of untold magnitude. Amidst it all, Oriel kept to himself, thinking that if he didn't acknowledge the horror around him, it would eventually go away. To his utter disappointment, it did not, and soon tales of the destruction that had been wrought to the Shroud reached his ears, filling the young man with dread. He'd soon set out to the Twelveswood, intent on finding his family and, if not that, what was left of them.

Carnage and misery greeted him at every turn, the dead outnumbered only by the wounded as he went between what was left of various settlements. Mighty trees that had choked the sky with their thick canopies now lay in shreds, burnt to a brittle husk. By the time he'd finally reached the remains of his home, he knew that any chance that his family could have survived would have been miraculous. What buildings that were left were uninhabitable, threatening to crumble at a moment's notice. His extensive family was nowhere to be seen, with no trace of any sort of body or burial present. Unwilling to search any longer should he only find them dead elsewhere, he gave up his search. His childhood home was in shambles, and with no other reason to stay, he left. He returned to Ul'dah, the only place he had left, throwing himself blindly into his work.

~Present~

After spending nearly a decade as a miner for the Concern, Oriel picks up a seemingly simple contract to acquire jade from Coerthas with a group out on research. After the disastrous turn of events that would follow, Oriel spent much time nursing the thought of leaving his home to start anew. With another contract taking him to Limsa Lominsa, he again found himself with the same group from before, again in unfavorable circumstances. The more time wore on, the more it became apparent that he just couldn't lose this group of people. They were just... everywhere.

In time, Oriel cut ties with the Concern, deciding that the life of an adventuring miner was no worse than that of a fully employed one, and that at the least, he could travel as he pleased. A fateful encounter on Bloodshore with the Yet-Unnamed Free Company landed him a steady job with greater freedom than he could ever want. The only downside would be that... It's the same group of people he just can't seem to get away from.

For better or for worse, he's a full fledged member of the 81st Foreign Levy, and despite his trepidation with the company's uncanny ability to wind up in hot water, he'd rather not be anywhere else. Recent hardships have made the lack of menders more pronounced, their last foray into battle being particularly difficult. Burning with a desire to better serve those within the company and to protect someone he cares for, he joined in the call to arms, and is now under the tutelage of Dawson Colwell. When not studying his conjury or fulfilling his duties as a provisioner, he's taken a stronger interest in gardening and goldsmithing.

Miscellaneous

RUMORS Some of these rumors are untrue or are greatly exaggerated. Please feel free to add your own rumors under PC! ◢ Common Rumors (Easily overheard) ■ "That guy? He's always tracking dirt everywhere. Everywhere! Gods, as if I didn't have enough work as it were..." ~ Frustrated Housekeeper at the Quicksands ■ "One time a fellah went t' talk ta him, and the momen' he open'd his mouth, the guy just... His tail went up, stiff 'n bristley like a marmmots, an' he left. No words, nothin'. Just a lo' of fast walkin'." ~ Inebriated Middle-aged Hyur ■ "His tail's pretty. It'd make a good duster, with all the shite that it picks up. The butt it's attached to is also nice." ~ Entrepreneurial Housewife ◢ Moderate Rumors (Moderately difficult to overhear) ■ "He's got something on his neck, I know it! The way he covers it all the time, rubs at it... Maybe he was branded by someone, like an escaped slave, or... Perhaps he's a convict on the lam? The quiet ones are always hiding something..." ~ Paranoid Lalafellin Merchant ■ "That one, he's not been the same since he came back from the Shroud. He used to be more social, but now all he does is just work, work, work... You think he lost someone? Maybe a lover?" ~ Nosy Waitress ◢ Rare Rumors (Very difficult or rarely overheard) ■ WIP ◢ PC Rumors (Rumors from the character's of other players) ■ WIP ■ ■ ■

RELATIONS ♥ Romantic Interest    ♥ Platonic Love     ● Good Standing     ● Poor Standing ♥E'liah Tia - While he at first kept a quiet distance from his rather adorable neighbor, what started out as a tryst soon developed into something more. Oriel is very fond of the girl, her charm and impish smile among the many things he adores about her. Despite her mischievousness, she is kind, compassionate, and a source for joy that he otherwise lacks. ♥Rahn'a Lihzeh - A young miqo'te that Oriel looks upon fondly, almost like the younger brother he never had. He's not seen the boy much in a while, but wishes him the best. ●Y'Lyfriel Sikah - Clever and well-thought, Oriel finds her pleasant to talk to, though she often does more talking than him. She's a skilled mender and a hard worker, and in his limited capacity to the company has never disappointed him. ●Rhesh'ir Zhwan - Oriel's strongest impression of the leader of the 81st is of a chance encounter at the beach, where they exchanged a few pleasantries before separating ways. He wouldn't speak with him again until another beach party, some time later. Oriel fears that he will have to throw one himself to get to talk to the man some day. ●Lynn'wo Vahnal - His first impression of the man was not a good one, having caught him just as he was threatening to harm another within the 81st. Further encounters revealed a young man that, although troubled with his own past, had never failed to look out for his friends, and was always eager to help. The young man is clever, and Oriel hopes to see more of him in the near future. ●Dawson Colwell - A quiet man, he tutors Oriel in the arts of conjury. Oriel respects the man immensely, looking up to him More to come! It's a WIP.

Gallery

• WIP

Footnotes

WIP

Thank you to Bancroft Gairn for letting me use the template!