Rex Lioncoeur

Rex Sahashin
"The Strength of the Cat is the Clan, and the Strength of the Clan is the Cat."
Gender	Female
Race	Miqo'te Seeker/Keeper
Clan	Unknown
Citizenship	Ishgard
Age	Young Adult
Nameday	21st, 1st Astral Moon
Clan	Sahashin - South Shroud
Occupation	Squire of Ishgard
Height	Tall (5 fulms 6 ilms)
Guardian	Halone, the Fury

Rexa "Rex" Sahashin (Previously known as Wu'rexa Norh, Born 21st Sun of the 1st Astral Moon, 17 Summers before the Calamity) is a squire of Ishgard, born in the Shroud but raised in the scrubs of Thanalan.

History

Early Cubhood

Rex is a crossclan hybrid of Seeker of the Sun and Keeper of the Moon. She was sired by the defacto leader of her tribe, Wu'norh Nunh, and her mother Zeyna Sahashin was unfortunately unknown to her until much later, the second daughter of the Matriarch of the Sahashin clan. The story was told to her that her mother came to visit the tribe during one of her excursions southwards from the Shroud, and she took a shine to Norh, albeit as a rival and subject of merciless teasing. The union that conceived Rex was supposedly the result of a sparring match's bet- though each of her relatives has a conflicting story on just who the victor was, or how the conditions were decided. Due to being of impure bloodline, her mother was forced to return her to her father's tribe to be raised there. She grew up amongst other kittens who settled their scores and differences through roughhousing and personal challenges. She was treated poorly by her sire, often ignored where other cubs got the occasional word of praise or pride, as Rex was considered an 'embarrassing' blemish upon his lineage.

Adolescence and Exile

As she grew older, Rex became increasingly aware of a sense of dysphoria with her identity and a deep longing for a place to fit in. While at a glance a typical Seeker, Rex has some of the traits of her dam's line, including a slightly paler base skintone, silver eyes and longer fangs than most of her cultural kin. She found herself fighting to keep her friends and became obsessed with proving her merit through dominance in combat and making special effort in physical labour and chores for the tribe. While brash and stubborn, Rex made an impression as a tough combatant, a capable worker and a generally confident young miqo'te, which turned heads after she reached adolescence and adulthood.

To Norh's dismay, however, the attention she gained was that of other female miqo'te- she was growing into a tall, broad and handsome young cat with a charmingly coltish appeal, and the few tia in the tribe were either put off or quickly rebuffed. As both chief and the most senior of the three breeding males, Norh found Rex's shirking of her 'born duty' to be as abhorrent as her hybrid blood. Rex not only defended herself, but actively sought to engage every male in the tribe of age in single combat- and bested each and every one, including her own brother, and uncle, the other two breeding males. Some tribe members considered her to have well earned nuhn status in her own right, and the very debate of this possibility drove Norh to challenge her to a duel of honour to prove once and for all his total dominion. Rex accepted - to decline would be to abandon her months of fighting and years of proving herself, and the chance to gain the control of the tribe itself- and the many attractive benefits of that to a hormonal teenager- were too tempting to deny.

Though the fight was vigorous and her effort valiant, Rex was bested. Norh shattered her left forearm after breaking her targe, and wounded her ribs with a blow of his clawed gauntlets. As she expected her deathblow, some of the tribe began to rally to her side and shouted words of support, which angered her sire- distracting him and those loyal to him long enough to allow her to escape through the squabbling crowd, and into the scrubland, never to return.

During her exile, Rex travelled aimlessly through Thanalan, expecting each day to be her last as she did her best to heal her wounds herself and taking the kindness of passing travellers when she could, but fearing any outpost lest her being spotted there lead one of her tribe right to her. She spent about a year in the deserts, living rough, camping through the day, hunting and fishing in the cool of dawn and dusk, though the time precisely is hard for her to judge. Eventually she felt it safe enough to drift between outposts again, providing physical labour and odd jobs for gil and food, living hand to mouth. She occassionally traded with the refugees around the outskirts of Ul'dah, bringing families gifts of cuts of aldgoat and plants that were safe to eat- but she never stayed within the city, fearing the tales of female miqo'te ending up in Pearl Lane and never leaving alive- and having spent much of her life as a nomad Rex preferred to chance the beasts of the wilderness, rather than the greedy monsters living within the city's walls.

Career

Adventuring and Coliseum

Over time she had managed to prove herself useful in Thanalan- guarding caravans, roughing up bandits and culling down populations of problematic beasts- so much so that she was chosen to take a shot at joining the Gladiator's guild, and she took to it well, training hard and taking on board all they could teach her. In the gladiators, she found a home again, and started to heal off the isolation she'd come to both loath and be at peace with. At the height of her career she became known in the journeyman ranks as 'The Lion of Ul'dah' - partly for her unmatched and almost foolish courage, her tufted tail and fluffy mane, and her vicious, bellowing victory roar. She took to the bloodsands often as a warm up act for the main attraction fighters, and found herself basking in the cheers of the crowd - the recognition she'd sought since her cubhood showered upon her for the cheap price of spilled blood.

Her story may have been very different, had she been just a little more successful financially in the arena. Without a sponsor to keep her housed and fed and trade off her curious appeal with the crowd, Rex was forced to look for other employment on the side, which lead to her picking up one particularly ornate flyer fluttering on Ruby Lane that caught her eye.

Dufresne Knights and Bellworks

In search of steady employment and the chance to settle down, Rex pursued an opening advertised in the Bellworks in the Security department- and wound up instead becoming a page to the Dufresne House Knights. On as fast a track as possible towards promotion, Rex spent several months studying hard to catch up with other students of her age, and finally was made Squire by her sponsor knight Ser Perrine Pepin. She took to her duties with vigour, particularly in mastering the lance and chocoback riding, and frequently took on jobs guarding the offices of the Bellworks both in Ul'dah and Ishgard, or accompanying officials during public outings as a matter of precaution.

It was on such an occassion that she had the chance to listen in, 'for extra credit', to debates going on between nobles in the colloquies of Ishgard- and subsequently made acquaintance with Iris Blanchimont to whom she almost at first sight fell ears over tail for.

A Northern Family

The frozen landscape of Coerthas and the rugged wilderness of Dravania beyond captivated Rex's imagination, and she struck out to explore them fully during both work related excursions as well as during her own time. The frosty climbs of Ishgard have become a second home to Rex, and as her relationship with the locals developed, she found at last the place she felt she fit in- more comfortably than she could have dreamed. Her life, while now fraught with political peril and stalked by the spectre of scandal at every turn, has been at its most peaceful, and though she maintains her physical ability- she's allowed herself to at last relax into a more docile and domestic life. Now more than ever, she feels the weight of many years of hardship and stress upon her- and savours the calm, cosy and loving home she's built around the friends that make up, in her eyes, her new clan.

Not all of her family are new, however- as not long after she'd asked Iris' hand in marriage did she happen to stumble into the Shroud, and bumped into an old, familiar name. The author Maxe Sahashin met her in the aftermath of a Savo Kesslivang concert, and revealed her suspicions that they were not only acquainted through Iris, but related by blood. Through Maxe, Rex reconnected with her young half sister, Madje Sahashin , an up and coming folk bard, and her own long lost mother, Zeyna. At last, Rex had the closure she needed to understand that she had never been willingly abandoned, and though the damage of her cubhood had marked her forever, the pain of assuming the worst about her birth was lifted from her heart.

Personality

Temperament

Rex is a follower of Halone, and supposedly through her wisdom, tends to meet challenges boldly. Whether through brute force or preemptive arrangements to prevent losses, Rex ultimately favours a direct action rather than reactionary tactics. While she has proven to be cognitively and tactically aware of the importance of pacing, planning and waiting for ideal opportunities, her hot blooded personality and impatience of her relative youth tend to land her in trouble, biting off more than she can chew- see Adolescence and Exile above.

Philosophies

In contrast to her Seeker background, Rex is a believer in social mobility and Meritocracy. She advises that everyone has a place in the world, be they strong or weak, brilliant dreamers or down to earth- and that every being has equal worth. Following her exile from her family tribe, Rex vows to one day return and best her sire, though whether her intention is to claim the seemingly erroneous title of Nuhn or to take control of the tribe at all remains to be seen. She has, however, publically expressed an intention to 'strike balance between Sun and Moon' on a grander scale in the future.

In terms of political views, Rex vocally opposes the Syndicate in favour of the Sultana, following the public address made during the fifth year anniversary of Cartenau. She is also a staunch supporter of the Reformist party of Ishgard, having been inspired by the passionate speeches of Iris Blanchimont during the colloquies of Ishgard in the days proceeding the reform of it's government.

Habits and Quirks

Rex has quite a few habits. Some good, some bad, some downright ugly.

• Rex will fall asleep anywhere. While she's not narcoleptic, there has yet to be a surface discovered that Rex won't be able to eventually fall asleep on. Her favourite napping spots include the sunbathed roof over the chocobo stables outside her flat, literally any tree branch she can clamber onto, and any well stuffed armchair positioned near a fireplace. She has, occasionally, fallen asleep stood bolt upright- sometimes even while still holding a full tankard in her hand in a deathgrip.
• This includes falling asleep in places that are noisy, crowded, or full of people. A custom of her tribe is that the act of falling asleep beside someone is a high compliment, signifying that they can be at their most vulnerable around someone and trust them completely with that vulnerability. As such, if well fed, warm, and comfortable, Rex will doze off quite comfortably in the company of friends.
• Rex has picked up a habit of pretending she's less intelligent than she actually is- partly as a running joke, and partly as a way to disarm people when she does at last come out with something profoundly wise.

Rumors

To be updated as necessary; public input is welcome!

• "Ser Blanchimont is a good knight, great pal, and magnificent wingcat. Ten out of ten. Would agonize over our relationships together again." -- Andromeda Dulaque
• "Can't say that I know Ser Blanchimont well, but I do like what I know. Anyone that respects Lady Iris Blanchimont as much as I do has good taste! And I'm not going to deny that I'd like to get to know her a bit better, relationship with Iris depending..." -- Rheya Tayuun
• "She's as brave and bold as any Paladin I've ever met, and I'd be honored to fight by her side any day! Not to mention, her and Iris make a cute couple. I think they have a great balance between each other!" -- Yumi Hikaru
• "She is interesting." -- Iris Blanchimont
• "Any resemblance Rex bears to the protagonist of Sundown's Daughter by Maxe Sahashin is purely coincidental." -- Maxe Sahashin

Trivia

• Rex's canon server is Balmung, however she does make an appearance as an alt on Lamia and Mateus.
• Mateus is a complete alternate future AU version, currently aged 47, with (at least) two daughters.
• Rex's theme song is Children of the Sun by Thomas Bergersen (feat. Merethe Soltvedt).
• This tumblr is a collection of screenshots, links, relatable posts and reblogs.

TV Tropes

A professional Crowd Pleaser on the bloodsands of the Gladiator's ring or in any melee fight. Historically, a The Chiefs Daughter, though this is later subverted, as her sire Norh is an Archnemesis Dad. Primarily a Ladette but on her good days can practically wax Bifauxnen in characteristics, right down to the Shonen Hair.