Shoshopu Shopu

Shoshopu Shopu

Gender

Race

Clan

Citizenship

Nameday

Guardian

Occupation

Server

Female

Lalafell

Dunesfolk

Limsa Lominsa

3rd Sun, 3rd Astral Moon 1555

Oschon, the Wanderer

Adventurer, scholar

Balmung

Basic Info

Shoshopu Shopu is a Dunesfolk Lalafell born to a large, nomadic, tortoise-bound family in Thanalan. She is optimistic and passionate about many things, especially her studies in arcanima. She is a proficient arcanist and aspires to become even more, especially if it means meeting new people and seeing new places.

Likes

■ Nighttime: Shoshopu loves the cool air, the sounds of night creatures, the twinkling stars... It's her favorite time of day to relax and think.

■ Talking: Talking to others is learning, whether it's about the person or the topic of conversation.

■ Exploring Eorzea: Eorzea's a big place, and she wants to see it all.

■ Practicing Arcana: Her magical skill is a point of pride, and she's always seeking to improve upon it.

Dislikes

■ Being stranded: Shoshopu enjoys freedom and doesn't like being stuck somewhere she doesn't choose to be.

■ Loneliness: Being left alone for too long will as sure as anything drive her stir-crazy.

■ Helplessness: She hates feeling like a burden to others, and being unable to contribute.

■ Sex: She's never had it, never wants to, doesn't want to think about it and really doesn't want to hear you talk about it. She won't say anything if you do; the look on her face will say enough.

Motivations

■ Companionship: Almost everything she does is ultimately a means to this end. She craves companionship.

■ Knowledge: To learn new things is to move forward.

■ Approval: This comes back to her need for companionship.

■ Skill: Shoshopu strives to always be of some help, and to be what her friends need at any given time.

Other

■ Alignment: Neutral Good

■ Favorite Food: Buttons in a Blanket Rolanberry Cheesecake

■ Favorite Drink: Mint Lassi

■ Favorite Color: Green

■ Hobbies: Reading, Botany, Fishing

Looks & Mannerisms

Shoshopu is a shortish Lalafell, a little under three fulms in height, with medium-dark skin. Her hair is a deep, dark brown that fades to a lighter chestnut color at the ends. She keeps it plaited on either side of her face, and tied into a chocobotail on top of her head. She almost always has a cheery countenance on her heavily freckled face. Bright green eyes, ever with the sparkle of curiosity, shine from beneath thick, dark eyebrows that are surprisingly and comically emotive. Basically, she's adorable. Her notably thick eyebrows, as well as her dark-skinned nose, are features that run in her family.

She's an extrovert, loving to meet new people and especially tagging along with people on adventures. She's intrepid! Curious! And ever the optimist. Determined to improve her craft, Shoshopu will absorb all the information she can about arcanima and magic in general. She will take any opportunity to help someone in need, as it's an opportunity both to be helpful and possibly learn something.

Shoshopu is a worshiper of the Twelve, looking to Oschon for protection and guidance on her journeys. However, she also has an interest in Primals... and wouldn't mind having a chat with a beastfolk about it, provided they weren't threatening to sacrifice her to their god.

Abilities

Shoshopu is an arcanist, with competencies in its contagion magicks and in summoning carbuncles. In fact, summoning an emerald carbuncle was her first act as an arcanist. Through training and practice she has become a competent healer as well, with spells such as Physick and even some Nymian spells such as Leeches. She can patch you up, though more intense healing is still beyond her comfort zone.

Shoshopu is also a practitioner of the ancient Allagan art of summoning. She has the ability to summon a Leviathan-egi, and after many moons of practice, she can command the Leviathan-egi as easily as a carbuncle. She can sustain the egi for quite some time and with relatively little effort. Because she has little literature and no formal training, she has adapted the art to her needs and developed various 'improvements'. She's always experimenting to find new ways to make her egi more effective in combat.

She is also gifted with the Echo. Among other things, it grants Shoshopu an uncanny ability to remember just about everything she's read which was written by hand. Although she does not yet have at-will control of it, she also has a special way to take control of her egi that is associated with the Echo, which is detailed here.

Biography

1555-1571

Childhood

Shoshopu was born in the hamlet of The Golden Bazaar in Eastern Thanalan, on the 3rd Sun of the Third Astral Moon in 1555, to Hahabaru Uubaru and Ruruza Ruza, preceded by four older brothers. Her nomadic family traveled atop a group of giant tortoises, in traditional Dunesfolk fashion. Her parents had the largest tortoise, and each of her brothers had their own tortoise, scaling in size in descending order of age. Being the youngest child, she would ride on her parents' tortoise. She was quite small and frail as an infant, and remained so in childhood. Because of this, she was sheltered by her parents, rarely getting to leave the established premises of the caravan. Sometime in 1563, at the age of eight, she experienced a mysterious vision- during which she had fallen unconscious- of a rain of stars falling from the sky. Her parents, who in her small world were as founts of all knowledge, had no explanation of the experience, and in fact became fearful for her health due to her sudden falling into unconsciousness. Thus she launched herself at every new bit of knowledge she could find, hoping to learn something about this vision; she didn't, though she quickly found enjoyment in maths and geometry. She had the privilege to read more and pursue intellectual disciplines while her brothers had more physical competencies.

As the family could only carry so many non-essential items at any given time, Shoshopu's collection of books and magical trinkets cycled often, exchanging old for new at every stop her family made at the camps and markets throughout Thanalan. The pursuit of knowledge never ceased for Shoshopu, nor did her vivid dreams. She never saw the starfall again, but would often dream of what she'd been reading- famous battles, glorious songs and dancing geometries. In a routine visit to Drybone, Shoshopu saw for the first time what would grab her interest and never let go for the rest of her days: a Dunesfolk mage accompanied by a floating, fiery, horned creature. She slipped away from her parents for a few precious minutes to inquire about the familiar. The mage briefly explained the most basic principles of arcanima before the young Lalafell was dragged back to her family's caravan. Shoshopu never forgot the encounter.

In the months that followed, she began exchanging her old books for gil instead of different books. She saved money in this manner up until the next time the family stopped in Ul'dah to barter and resupply on her 16th namesday. It was that day in the market stalls Shoshopu found exactly what she had been looking for: a Carbuncle's ruby and a grimoire. The family returned to the desert that night, and Shoshopu didn't sleep until she successfully conjured her first Carbuncle.

1571-1576

After her first successful demonstration of arcanima, Shoshopu's parents finally began to see that she was no longer in need of their constant supervision, at least whenever she had Carbuncle by her side. She would join her brothers on their foraging excursions, where she gained firsthand knowledge of Thanalan's flora. It was also during this time Shoshopu was designated her own tortoise, from the menagerie's most recent clutch, though it would be years before it was large enough to ride.

During the chaos of the Calamity, Shoshopu's family, like many others, sought refuge in Ul'dah. The devastated, barren landscape could no longer support their nomadic lifestyle, at least for a time. However, the influx of travelers to the city proved a great opportunity for Shoshopu to learn more about arcanima, from bartered books and the words of fellow arcanists. Her family took up a more permanent residence near the outside walls of the city, and for the next few years, Shoshopu would venture into the city daily in her search for knowledge and experience. She and her brothers- but mostly her brothers- would occasionally steal food to get by. The youngest brother, Babariyo, would also participate in underground fighting rings, on which his siblings would place bets. It was in this way the family got by during their time in Ul'dah. Once the dust had settled, and the ports opened up once again, Shoshopu bid farewell to her family and set sail for Limsa Lominsa in 1576 to join the Arcanist's Guild.

1577 - Present

And so after an uneventful and quiet voyage, Shoshopu arrived in the grand city of Limsa Lominsa, and collapsed unceremoniously right at the docks. In her unconsciousness she had nightmares, again of falling stars, this time accompanied by a fleet of burning ships, then the sensation of drowning... She awoke with a start, finding herself in the arms of a large Roegadyn with salt-and-pepper hair, a face smeared with oil and grease, and an odor of alcohol. Fyrilsunn Fiandoensyn. Apparently worried for her safety, the shipwright had taken it upon himself to watch her until she awoke. The diminutive Lalafell was intimidated by him at first; he must have been at least seven and a half fulms tall, and three fulms wide, and was a man of few words. However, Fyrilsunn proved to be an amiable fellow, and Shoshopu was happy to count him as her first new friend on her latest adventure.

Shoshopu easily made her way into the ranks of the Arcanist's Guild, and with Fyrilsunn's guidance, she began to learn the ins and outs of the city alongside her craft. Once she felt she'd learned all she could within the bounds of Limsa Lominsa, she obliged her urge to wander, this time with Fyrilsunn for companionship. The two became fast friends, and once the felt they had exhausted all of La Noscea of its adventure, the two looked to join a a greater cause, finding themselves in the Maelstrom 81st Foreign Levy, where their adventures would continue...

Shoshopu and Fyrilsunn (art by Owligator)

Miscellaneous

Rumors

◢ Common Rumors (Easily overheard)

■ "Shoshopu... oh, yes! She's from those turtle riders, right? I haven't seen her in a while." -Ul'dahn refugee

■ "She likes to talk so much, she makes me feel exhausted." -Tavern patron

■ "She's 'n odd sort. Clings to this one ol' Roegadyn like a damned barnacle." -Lominsan pirate

◢ Moderate Rumors (Moderately difficult to overhear)

■ "I've heard... she's a summoner now. I've never seen the like, but I'd love to." -Arcanist Guild Member

■ "Last I 'eard she and some friends won it big in a Triple Triad tournament. Dunno if 'at's related to the missin' tortoise, though I 'eard the Gold Saucer 'ad some." -Thanalan trader

■ "You should've seen her at Runestone XXXVII! She went undefeated, with a spectacular finish too! What a show it was!" -Runestone Enthusiast

◢ Rare Rumors (Very difficult or rarely overheard)

■ "That one. She's always lookin' for weird trinkets. Gems, bits of metal, chunks of driftwood. Wonder what she does with it all..." -Lominsan merchant

◢ PC Rumors (Rumors from the characters of other players)

Feel free to add your own!

■ "I once saw Shoshopu summon a Leviathan-egi.. I've never seen another summoner conjure one. She's worth keeping an eye on." -War Bear

■ "Shoshopu's got brains, I'll give her that~! I've never been bested so easily in Triple Triad before. Her abilities as a summoner are unparalleled, and with recent happenings, she might just have a place as a mentor to quite a few! Maybe myself, should I ever pick up a deck again." -Lynn'wo Vahnal

■ "Shoshopu! Sublime, supreme, and oh so lovely an individual! Her ability in arcane affairs iz admirable; I've never met an arcanist that iz her peer. She iz also possessed of a brilliant mind, a pure heart, a melodious laugh, beautiful eyes..." -Zigovali Rigovali

■ "Eyebrow Lady's snake of water has the scent of home. She knows the feeling of being among many of her blood. She understands the gift of Aether, how to be generous with words... Many things I can learn from, and to the last I am an inept student." -Virara Wakuwa

Relations

Color Key
💕 _{Unconditional Love: Shopu would never willingly let these people go. For better or for worse, they're stuck together.} ♥ _{Romantic Interest: People for which Shopu has a deep emotional attachment with the desire for commitment and, occasionally, cuddling.} ♥ _{Platonic Love: Reserved for the best of Shoshopu's friends, people she would give the world for.} ♥ _{Familial Love: Shopu's family, or people she considers family.} ● _{Good Standing: Friendly people with which Shopu is friendly! It's not hard to get on her good side.} ● _{Neutral Standing: Ambivalence, generally neutral stance, perhaps a mix of good and bad feelings.} ● _{Poor Standing: Shoshopu is not a fan of this person at all. May still feign politeness, depending.} ○ _{Hollow symbol: This person is deceased or long-lost beyond hope of being seen again.}

💕 Fyrilsunn Fiandoensyn
The very first person Shoshopu met coming off the boat from Thanalan to La Noscea. Waking up in his arms and seeing his face is her earliest memory of Limsa Lominsa. They're something of opposites, but they complement eachother. In fact, she finds great comfort in what is their most visible difference-- their size-- and can often be found clinging to him, sitting on his shoulders or resting in his arms. It's not so simple a combination of "brains and brawn", though. Fyrilsunn isn't learned in magic, but he is clever, being trained in naval engineering in his time in the Maelstrom, and he's a skilled craftsman besides. When he's actually in a talkative mood, Shoshopu relishes the chance to pick his brain. Shoshopu has come to develop something like romantic feelings for Fyrilsunn. Though she's painfully aware that he doesn't feel the same way about her, she's come to accept this, and knows he still cares very deeply for her. From time to time Fyrilsunn becomes... interested in other people, but Shoshopu trusts him to never leave her behind. Working together, the two haven't met an obstacle they couldn't overcome. But one thing has yet threatened to come between them, but Shoshopu is very forgiving and sympathetic towards him, and would stay by his side to help him conquer his inner demons.

♥ Zigovali Rigovali
Shoshopu met this loquacious Lalafell at the Runestone, as a spectator. It took her an embarrassingly long amount of time to figure out he wasn't just flirting with her for the fun of it! This has brought on a lot of confusion and mixed feelings on Shoshopu's part. He is a kind person who she enjoys spending time with, makes her feel special, and is genuinely interested in her in a way no one has ever been before; thus, after some introspection (and the advice of a friend) she's decided to give this mutually romantic venture a try. She's very grateful for his respect for her personal boundaries... and for his defense of her honor, even if he goes a little overboard sometimes.

♥ Jujuwai Totowai
Shoshopu's second-oldest brother. Jujuwai's a bit of a scoundrel, but he's got a good head on his shoulders. Unlike their oldest brother, Sosoida, he's not stuck on their old lifestyle, and intends to seek his own fortune, as Shopu had. She was surprised at first to see him taking up arcanima, but his natural talent for maths and tinkering lent itself well to it. She also thinks he still tries way too hard to look cool.

♥ Ralamano Nulumano
A Lieutenant of the Maelstrom 81st Foreign Levy, Shoshopu has singled him out to be the smartest member, whether or not he actually is, probably because they are both Dunesfolk Lalafell of intellectual inclination. He is also something of an older brother figure to Shoshopu (in addition to the four brothers she already has), always looking out for her well-being. She looks up to him highly and hopes to someday match his strength in arcanima and willpower. Shopu also thinks Ralamano admirable in his concern for others, but should for once take care of himself. Perhaps someday she'll have to when he can't.

● Auriana Wynter
A fellow 81st member. Shoshopu and Auriana haven't spoken much lately, because they've been assigned away from eachother often, though they are somewhat close. Auriana and Fyrilsunn still speak rather frequently, though. Shopu can't decide if she sounds like she's doing better or doing worse, from what she's seen and heard, but she's always willing to help Auriana.

○ Cayenne Caracal
A Roegadyn that Fyrilsunn met at the Quicksand in Ul'dah. Cayenne and Fyrilsunn became friends, then lovers- something Shoshopu had trouble coping with at first, but she grew to enjoy Cayenne's company as well, in part because she seemed a good fit for Fyrilsunn. Then one day, she was simply gone. Shoshopu still worries for her, and worries for how her disappearance has left Fyrilsunn...

● Fen'rin Taveck
Shoshopu's fond of this Roegadyn. He's one of the few that are magically inclined that she knows of, and he's very friendly and funny besides. She finds him a lot of fun to be around. The two have a shared interest in the culture of the Vanu Vanu and she's secretly jealous of his red sanuwa, Snount.

● Ferai Caolann
An old member of the 81st. The two have butted heads from time to time, though they always made up things in the end. His dedication and skill are admirable. He has since left the company to move on to bigger and better things, and she wishes the best for him wherever he goes.

● Kikira Kira
Shoshopu's rival in cuteness! It's a completely friendly rivalry, of course. Shoshopu respects her courage and her work ethic, and loves to spend time with her. In spite of their different upbringings, they both have similar interests and attitudes. They're both adept arcanists, though Kikira specializes more in healing, which Shopu believes rounds them out well. They also share a mutual fondness for carbuncles and unconventionally cute animals.

● Lynn'wo Vahnal
A good friend in the 81st who goes by "Sparrow". He can be dramatic and overly emotional, but he's proven time and again to be a friend to her, providing her comfort and assistance when able. He's also the source of several of the good cards in her Triple Triad deck. Though he's had his own share of problems lately, Shopu has no knowledge or ability to offer input on them, which is both to her annoyance and regret. If she could, though, she certainly would!

● Rinha'li Dhavha
A fellow arcanist, Shopushopu finds his shy behavior endearing, thinking it belies his magical potential. She loves chatting with him about arcanima, as he is knowledgeable in areas she currently is not yet. He calls her "Master Shoshopu", which honestly makes her feel pretty awesome. The two most commonly discuss the finer aspects of arcanima and he is constantly surprising her with his innovations, things he finds small that she sees greater potential in.

● Senelle Silverlight
A very kind and motherly figure. Senelle has great inner strength and emotional fortitude, which Shoshopu greatly respects, and she often finds herself confiding things in Senelle she would speak of to no one else. This Elezen has a way of working Shoshopu's secret worries out of her, and she's always happy to help with them afterwards. For many reasons she feels eternally indebted to Senelle, though life often takes them down different paths, and Shoshopu doesn't find many opportunities to return the favor.

○ Y'lyfriel Sikah
A person Shoshopu greatly respected as a friend, leader, and scholar. From her very first day in the 81st Foreign Levy, Lyfriel was a very important and supportive figure for Shoshopu, and always seemed to have an answer to every question. Shoshopu had so much she wanted to learn from Lyfriel, and now she'll never have the chance to. The autographed, first-edition tomes on Allag and summoning that Lyfriel gave to her are the Lalafell's most prized possessions.

● Z'koa Rhiki
This girl can cook! The easiest way into good standing with Shoshopu is through her stomach, it would seem. Z'koa is also polite, compassionate, and an all-around agreeable and likable person. Shoshopu respects her aptitude with animal handling, and is most interested in an apparent psychic connection she made with Shopu's adamantoise, Popoto. She's curious what the particulars of this ability are and how she could help Z'koa utilize them.

● Zarek Earthshaker
Though Zarek was a part of their company since before she joined, Shoshopu still doesn't know much about him, but she's getting to spend more time with him as of late. He's an intriguing and powerful figure, and his quiet, strong, and compassionate nature reminds her of someone else she regards highly. His apparently deep trust and respect for her is as flattering as it is flustering.

● Ruruni Runi
Shoshopu is vexed by Ruruni, wife of Eligor Abigor. Ruruni herself seems very sweet and likes to offer her assistance, so why is she with such a terrifyingly dangerous individual like Eligor? In another world she and Shopu would be friends, but her association with Eligor has Shopu keeping Ruruni at arm's length.

● Eligor Abigor
A mysterious stranger who apparently considers her a friend, though the feeling isn't mutual. Shopu is frankly terrified by his abilities, and whenever she's around him she's constantly on edge, worried that he'll snap. It doesn't help that he doesn't seem to know how to ask for information without sounding extremely creepy or threatening, and what's worse, he can't seem to grasp the concept. She doesn't speak to anyone else about this, however, only warning them that Eligor is more dangerous than he appears.

Updated 03/02/2016