Seren Blackbourne

Seren Blackbourne
Gender	Female
Race	Hyur
Clan	Midlander
Citizenship	Eorzean
Age	24
Marital Status	in a relationship
Occupation	Adventurer / Weaver
Height/Weight	5'4" / 110 lbs
Orientation	Heterosexual
Relatives	Idris Blackbourne (Father) Rhiannon Blackbourne (Mother) Griffith Blackbourne (Brother) Meirion Blackbourne (Sister) Maxen Blackbourne

Seren Blackbourne (pronounced /ˈSEH-ren black-bourne/) is a Midlander Hyur, born in Limsa Lominsa to a former pirate captain and merchant hailing from the Black Shroud, both working as agents for the Garleans. Using their trading company as cover for their operations, her parents relocated their family to Ul'dah. There she and her siblings would receive their education, and each would branch into their own trade. Seren, the youngest, found her family's true business out, and already the black sheep, she attempted to foil them at every turn. When Seren found her efforts in vain and put the few lives she cared for at risk, she chose to run with her best friend, using the Calamity's chaos to escape. From Ul'dah she ran to Gridania, where she discovered her talents in Conjury, and began using it as a means to help people wherever she could.

Basic Info

LIKES ■ Nature ■ Sewing / Clothing ■ Romance Novels ■ Festivals

DISLIKES ■ Garlean Empire ■ Littering ■ Senseless Violence ■ Unbreathable Fabrics

OTHER ■ Alignment: Neutral Good ■ Vice(s): Sweets ■ Favorite Food: Bubble Chocolate ■ Favorite Drink: Chamomile Tea ■ Favorite Color: Blue

Appearance & Personality

Seren is an on the shorter end of average for midlander females. Bright blonde hair, highlighted with white strands that match her eyes, her hair is usually kept long enough to pull back in a loose braid. Due to her love for fashion, she sports various hairstyles and outfits, though prefers anything that compliments her feminine figure. While she often wears outfits that shows quite a bit skin, she seems rather modest about her body, most likely due to her smaller chest region.

Raised in Limsa Lominsa and Ul'dah among the merchants, Seren was trained to be a polite, respectful, and proper young woman. In turn, she was also taught not to trust people's words or their kind smiles, and struggles not to suspect every kind stranger she encounters. Her upbringing has left her a bit of a walking contradiction, as she is known to be the kind stranger willing to help others, but often denies any thanks for her actions. She loves romance novels and fairy tales, yet in person, seems to actively embarrassed by any open and public displays of affection, and sometimes responds violently. Seren has it in her to be a very warm and comforting individual, with a fun side, but when her guard is up, she struggles to be the girl she wants to be. Still when it comes out, Seren is a joy to be around, when it's hidden, most people find it hysterical to make her as red as the Maelstrom Flag.

Biography

Childhood

Seren was born in Limsa Lominsa, the fourth child, to Rhiannon and Idris Blackbourne, a former pirate captain and merchant from the Black Shroud. For much of her early life, she lived a quiet and simple life, as her parents worked to make connections and establish the Silver Coin trading company with the remnants of Rhiannon's former crew. Once established and connected, they family began to amass wealth that would take them to the sultanate of Ul'dah.

Once in Ul'dah, her parents focused on seeing their children well educated. Griffith and Meirion, the older two, both had left the family to study in Ul'dah some time earlier. Her brother taking to Thaumaturgy while her sister discovered a love for Alchemy at an early age. Maxen and Seren, were assessed by both guilds, as their parents saw them the only two profitable options in Ul'dah, and their high aether levels left them bound for the Thaumaturgy guild. While neither could enroll until they were old, their parents started their studies early, and ensured both would become top of their classes.

When the Garleans invaded Eorzea, she was nine, and recalled very clearly her mother telling her they had nothing to fear from them. At the time, she didn't understand what she had meant, believing it to be her mother's assurance that Eorzea would win. This brought a pride in her for Eorzea that she hadn't previously felt. Unfortunately, following the battle, she noticed her parents did not share the same enthusiasm as she did. Instead they seemed focus on building a secondary business, one that acquired alchemical ingredients, and sold them for prices that strained the struggling survivors. Using the Silver Coin company, they could charge for delivering the supplies as well, and her father in traveling would make even more business connections. One such connection came from a Seeker of the Sun tribe located in the sands outside Ul'dah. A former Nuhn of the S clan, struck a deal to have the Blackbournes take his youngest child, to prevent her from being mated with the current Nuhn. So Idris returned with S'Kalkaya Raha, whom would become Seren's first real friend.

Teenage

As a teenager, Seren began discovering, she was the black sheep of the Blackbourne family. Accepted into the Thaumaturgy guild, following her brother Maxen, she proved to a wonderful student when it came to understanding her text and studying. Unfortunately when it came to execution of the arts, she struggled immensely. Her aether levels were fine, but she struggled with the switching between astral ice and astral fire. When she would shift to ice, she'd over generate, accidentally freeze things when her emotions ran too high. When she started with astral fire, she never quite mastered turning it off, not only did she accidentally burn several other students, Seren was notorious for passing out from overcasting. Eventually, tired of constant failure, she sent S'Kalkaya to classes in her stead, where the Miqo'te blossomed into a brilliant mage. Ditching her classes, Seren took to ducking into the Weaver's guild, learning to sew in her spare time before returning home when she was supposed to.

It was during these years that she discovered the truth about her parents business. The Silver Coin, their trading and shipping company, was used not just to deliver their alchemical supplies, it was also how they delivered information to Garlean agents within Eorzea's borders. The household, was run with increasing Garlean practices, and it was most apparent in how S'Kalkaya was treated more as a family pet then a person in their home. Expectations grew for the Blackbourne children, and each was taken individually, and instructed their eventual purpose in the family, all but Seren. Eventually it became clear, once her sister never returned from a supposed business trip, and her mother explained that she would understand one day. She was to serve the purpose as all daughters of wealthy merchants did, marry to solidify a dealing between families, most likely a Garlean family.

Growing rebellious, Seren began to challenge her parents, openly dropping questions in social conversations that would cause eyebrows to raise. At a dinner party, she mentioned her forgotten sister, and forced her father to lie on the spot in regards to her fate. Following the event, her father, dragged her to her room, where he gave her an option. Either accept punishment for her action or allow Kalkaya to take it for her. When Seren chose to take the punishment, her father made it clear, she had failed in his eyes. The lack of ability to regard others as tools and objects to success, would inevitably leave her a liability, and thus she would have no place in the family business. Dragged to a storehouse, Seren was punished, and while she has never spoke of what happened, the scars on her back make it clear she was whipped.

Post Calamity

The Calamity occurred, and Eorzea while in tact, was left to rebuild itself once again. Once again the Blackbourne family took to making an opportunity out of disasters. Seren found opportunity of her own though in it. With her family focused on business, Seren used the distraction, to flee Ul'dah with S'Kalkaya. Two young women, with no experience outside Ul'dah, fled to create their own adventure. After several close calls and episodes of getting lost, the two girls found themselves in Twelveswood. With the help of the wood wailers made it into Gridania.

It was here that Seren found herself drawn to the Conjury guild. Enrolling, she found her calling, and became a devoted student of nature and the elements. The very nature of Conjury appealed to her, as a Conjurer's mind set, was the exact opposite of how she had been raised. While a late start in training, stunting a few of her possibilities of growth, she did excel in the aspect of healing those around her. It was the first time Seren felt like she could actually be of use to S'Kalkaya, who had been their primary protector in their adventures, and could at last help aid the people o Eorzea. Finally she could do something to counteract all the terrible things her family did.

Present

Seren has since departed from Gridania along with Kalkaya, but gained a companion named Arik Nergui, the first Au Ra either girl had ever seen. A mercenary hired by her parents, Arik's original mission was to return her home, but had a change of heart when he discovered the true intention of returning the girl. Sharing an equal loathing for the Garleans, Arik instead, offered to serve as Seren and Kalkaya's muscle, since two mages while successful would eventually struggle in adventuring without someone able to take hits. From there they returned to the La Noscea region, where they encountered another Au Ra, a Raen named Kagerou Kasabi. The young girl, struggling to speak Eorzean, became a constant run in and eventual companion for the trio.

The small part made their home base at the Bronze Springs, where work was constant with Kobolds near, and remote enough any more hired hunters would struggle to find them. Their little company has also gained the aid o Kagerou's friend Una Delhaal, a Keeper of the Moon, and student of the Arcanist Guild, and Novik Tumet, the long lost older brother of Arik. They're a motley little crew, and it's the closest thing to a home Seren has ever known.

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) ■ "Seren? Seen her around, she is always helping people, but never seems to stay around long enough to let anyone thank her." -- a wood wailer ■ "I was jus' chat'n up her friend, my hand mighta slipped, an' that girl came out of no where with a fury like a primal" -- a drunkard ■ "Ripped my favorite gloves, and she happened to overhear my complaining. Next thing I know she pulls out a needle and stitches it up as good as new." -- a villager ◢ Moderate Rumors (Moderately difficult to overhear) ■ "She always carries herself like a young lady, but I've seen the books she picks up, know that they say about those repressed types." -- librarian ■ "I swear I saw that girl out in the wildness, just staring... I think she was talking to the trees." -- a botanist ■ "Blackbourne, now that's name you know you can't trust." -- a pirate ◢ Rare Rumors (Very difficult or rarely overheard) ■ "If she had started earlier, maybe she could have been a hearer but it's a little too late now. " -- a conjurer ◢ PC Rumors (Rumors from the character's of other players) ■ ■ ■ ■

RELATIONS ♥ Romantic Interest    ♥ Platonic Love     ● Good Standing     ● Poor Standing ♥Arik Nergui : Originally hired to return her to her parents, Seren and Arik worked a deal, he protect Kalkaya and her, and their adventures would lead to profit. The Xaela mercenary has proven that he far more than he lets the world see. While she finds him infuriating sometimes, she has became incredibly infatuated with him as well. Luckily, the feelings appear to be mutual. ♥ S'Kalkaya Raha : She might as well be her blood sister, as she has been more of one to Seren than her actual sister. Kalkaya brings out a playfulness that Seren usually isn't open to showing. Due to her optimistic and naive view of the world, Seren is excessively protective of her best friend and sister. ♥ Kagerou Kasabi : At first, Seren suspected Kagerou and was plagued with jealousy due to her close relationship to Arik. Due to their history and growing understanding, Seren has come to view the girl as a bit of a little sister, and feels the need to protect her from the world she ran away from. ● Una Daalhei : Until recently the two were merely acquaintances who shared a common contact, Kagerou. Following recent events that put Kagerou's state at risk, she approached Una and found her to be a wonderful scholar and aid in her desire to help. Seren appreciates another sophisticated girl around who knows when to let out a little bit of sass and intimidation. ● Novik Tumet : Arik's missing older brother that they recently found, but their happy reunion involved misunderstandings, rope, and arson. While she has approved of him remaining around so the brothers could be reunited, she hasn't quite dropped her grudge against him.

Gallery

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  City of Nym

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  Bronze Lake and Yukata

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  Arik and Seren Cut Scene

Footnotes

Theme Song: Ambiguous - GARNiDELiA

TV Tropes: Tsundere Luminescent Blush White Mage Nature Lover

Thank you Bancroft Gairn for the freebie template.