Vilette Laurent

[edit] Details Personality Relationships Rumors Gallery OOC Notes GENERAL INFORMATION Vilette Laurent is the current, and 111th Knight-Commander of the Ironclaw Order, and is the first Coerthan in four decades to hold that title. She succeeded the 110th Commander, Caiden Istarios in the year 1881, and has been continuing Istarios' reconstruction of the ancient Order. She was born and raised in the Western Highlands of Coerthas, and has recently become a staunch critic of theocratic government. She served with the Temple Knights towards the end of the Dragonsong War, and saw combat in the first and second Battles for the Steps of Faith. As a skilled practicioner of the Coerthan Martial Art 'Le Coeur', she is known for her martial prowess and ferocious, tactical swordplay. During 1881's Grand Tournament of the Fury, Knight-Commander Laurent achieved 1st and 3rd place in two events, the Tournament of the Mark, and the Tournament of the Blade, respectively. Despite her accomplishments, outside of Coerthas, she is the subject of much criticism and skepticism due to her youth and apparent inexperience. APPEARANCE Vilette is a youthful, blonde-haired, blue-eyed midlander who carries herself professionally, and clearly takes personal maintenance and grooming fairly seriously. With long legs and a lean frame -- Vilette's dextrous nature is visible immediately. While her bone structure is on the narrower side, she makes up for it with an athletic physique; with what muscle she does have being clearly defined. Her arms are pocked with various scars; cuts and nicks accrued over the years; though very few of them look fresh, save for the ones on her hands and fingers. She has a fair, pale complexion. Her facial structure shows subtle signs of Elezen heritage. This is most prevalent in her chin and jaw, which, combined, taper off into a subtle, Elezen-like point. Her eyes too, share some Elezen-characteristics, sharp and narrow beneath slightly pronounced brows. Surprisingly, she seems to lack scarring on her face, despite her military background -- something which she typically attributes to her fondness of helmets. Vilette's hair is usually worn in a ponytail, accompanied with intricately maintained braids. She has incredibly expressive brows. Her clothes, like her hair, stands upon the fine line between practicality and stylishness, and she clearly maintains them to as great a degree as herself. She (barring obvious exceptional circumstances) smells faintly of rosemary. Aspects That Stand Out: ■ Slightly pointed ears -- a potential giveaway of her heritage ■ Resting bitch face -- Vilette has one, and it's usually the first thing people notice PERSONALITY Tough, blunt, and guarded, Vilette is the obvious result of her military upbringing. Rarely does she speak of herself unless completely necessary; and even then, she tends to (though not always) respond with her usual laconic wit. She values duty and honour above many things, and such ideals colour much of her interactions; resulting in what could be considered as good (albeit forced) etiquette. While she may seem detached, analytical, and overly professional; Vilette seemingly prefers emotional responses and connections over purely logical ones. She seems to have trouble coping in crowded social situations, and tends to be the archetypical 'wallflower' in such scenarios. Has a habit of resting her hand on her sword's pommel. L I K E S ■ Flowers. Most of Vilette's fondest childhood memories took place in her family's Arbor. She has a particular fondness for Lilies and Oldroses in particular. ■ Animals. Vilette is an animal person. She grew up around them, and has had one in her life since she was an infant. ■ Literature. Be it poetry or adventure novels; Vilette treasures most written works. Most. ■ History. Some may say that she's stuck in the past. They may be correct. Vilette doesn't care. D I S L I K E S ■ Snow. The Unending Blizzard tore the past from her. Snow brings naught but taunting memories of a world and life that she will never see again. ■ Rain. There isn't as dramatic a reason for Vilette to dislike the rain -- it just ruins her hair. ■ Corruption. As a Temple Knight, Vilette was exposed to the darker side of Ishgard -- of both its Brumeling citizens, and its 'Knights'. ■ Zealotry. Vilette has seen much committed in the name of Halone -- some good, some bad. Regardless, she's come to the conclusion that zealots tend to make wonderful cannon fodder. H O B B I E S ■ Music. While Vilette is by no means an accomplished musician, she is capable of playing the Coerthan guitar, and has quite a singing voice. She enjoys doing both, regularly. ■ Shooting. A hobby she picked up from her gun-loving brother, Vilette regularly relieves stress through target-practice. ■ Wargames. Tactical board games are among Vilette's most prized possessions. She is usually playing several simultaneously via courier; with correspondents across Eorzea. ■ Calligraphy. As a child, Vilette has enjoyed embellishing her words with extravagant patterns and penmanship. It persists to this day. S T R E N G T H S ■ Analysis. Vilette is not only a gifted critical thinker, but also a quick one. She has a reputation for being able to dismantle a problem with speed, providing workable solutions in the process. ■ Melee Combat. Vilette is a highly experienced practitioner of Coerthan-style combat; specialising in two-handed swordplay. The style emphasises speed and finesse; combining efficient, decisive strikes with quick throws and determined wrestling. ■ Steady Hands. In another life, Vilette could have been a surgeon. In this one, however, she applies this quirk of hers to her gunnery and calligraphy. W E A K N E S S E S ■ Magic. Suffering from a genetic disorder that stunted her anima's development; Vilette has trouble casting or weaving spells. While she has no issue learning them, she finds herself exhausted from performing even the simplest of spells. ■ Strength. While she is by no means weak for her size and build, Vilette is still limited by those things. What makes matters worse is that she inherited the frail construction of her Elezen ancestors, but not their height! A Roegadyn would easily out-strength and out-reach her. M O T I V A T I O N S ■ Heroism - Vilette was raised on tales of chivalry and knighthood. Despite her present cynicism, that base desire to become the right and honourable knight of those tales still lingers in her heart. ■ Family - With her father disappearing in Carteneau, and her mother succumbing to the Everlasting Winter, Vilette has come to develop a true concern for the well-being of her siblings. Much of her earnings go to the family coffers, to support her eldest brother's children. ■ Coerthas - When the moon fell, and Winter swept over Coerthas, Vilette was a first-hand witness to what she considered the collapse of her civilisation. With a new home in the South, she'll go through whatever means to prevent the sky from falling once more. RELATIONSHIP STATUS LEGEND ♥ Family – ♥ Involved – ♥ Romantic – ♥ Platonic – ♥ Physical – ♦ Friend – ★ Acquaintance – $ Business – ✝ Deceased – ✔ Positive – ✖ Negative – ● Neutral – � Unsure FAMILY Pierre Laurent, brother. ( ♥) - The Responsible One. Vilette's Thoughts: "When Luke and I left home gallavanting, Pierre stayed to care for mother." Vilette's eldest brother, and current owner of the family pasture. He nags at his younger siblings often, either in person or in letter, Vilette included. However, his relationship with his siblings is far from frigid, and he never fails to arrange for festive family dinners at every opportunity. Pierre is the brother whom Vilette approaches for leadership advice; and as such, the pair have bonded over their discussions. He is an avid, amateur astronomer, and has a penchant for excitedly writing to Vilette about his new telescopes -- of which he seems to acquire on a bi-monthly basis. Lucas Laurent, brother. ( ♥) - The Inquisitor. Vilette's Thoughts: "Luke was a bigger dreamer than I. That changed after he was crippled." The other older brother. Lucas and Vilette were always close as children; both sharing their grandfather's daredevil streak. Together, they made quite a mess in their quest to become their fictional heroes. Lucas was the first to leave the family pasture to pursue a military career; having been recruited into the Knights Dragoon. Unfortunately, that career was cut short by a tragic accident that left Lucas crippled. It was Vilette who helped Lucas find his new calling as an Inquisitor for Aymeric's new regime; and Lucas who helped Vilette honourably leave herself from Ishgard and her Temple Knights. The two remain in regular contact, and co-operate frequently on military matters. Annette Laurent, sister. ( ♥) - The Seamstress. Vilette's Thoughts: "Annette's the most well-off of all of us. She was too young to remember the Calamity; too young to remember father or grandpa." The younger sister. The entire family, Vilette included, is protective of her. Currently is a dressmaker of some renown in the Pillars, earning her living through her aristocrat clientele. Vilette makes an effort to visit Annette whenever she travels to Ishgard; where the pair catch up and exchange stories of their incredibly different lives. Nicolas Laurent, father. (✝) - The Halfbreed Dragoon. Vilette's Thoughts: "Pierre once told me that I was lucky that papa retired just before I was born. Apparently, we lived in the most cramped of apartments in the capital before we moved in with grandpa." Vilette and Lucas both idolised their father, in their youth. He was a loving, honourable man who had the reputation of being the only dragoon the village had produced -- and a skilled one at that. Vilette remembers her time with her father quite fondly; specifically the lessons he gave her on botany, and the treks hillside 'adventures' he'd take her and her brothers on. Nicolas left Vilette's life when he rode for Carteneau; never to return. It's no secret that Vilette still searches for him; having learned that some survived Bahamut's release. Eliane de Riveaux, mother. (✝) - The Mongrel Bastard. Vilette's Thoughts: "Mother was the strongest woman I ever knew. She spent so much of her life hated; yet kept going. She'd never forgive me if I gave up now." Bastard daughter of Baron Eugene de Riveaux and an unknown hyur actress; Eliane was legitimised through her father's mercy. This was not a popular decision. When the Baron of Riveaux passed away, Eliane's relatives were ecstatic to learn that she planned to marry a lowborn Dragoon; and did all they could to ensure the marriage was patrilineal. With no political aspirations, and only love for Nicolas, Eliane was happy to marry out of the aristocracy. It was, however, her noble blood that saved the Laurents during the Calamity. With refugees swarming the Gates of Judgement; fleeing the unending cold, Eliane's heritage is what allowed her and her children to enter the city, and its refugee camps unopposed. Needless to say, Vilette loved her mother; who had taught her much about finance, history, and literature. Much of Vilette's etiquette stems from her mother's teachings; something which she holds onto in respect of her memory. Eliane perished from pneumonia in the year 1579. Casimir Fletcher, grandfather. (✝) - The Legend. Vilette's Thoughts: "It was always hard to imagine bony old grandpa in his stories of adventure and intrigue -- but he had the coin and the spoils to prove it all happened." Casimir was undoubtedly the inspiration for Vilette and Lucas' aspirations. A renown sellsword and adventurer from Ala Mhigo in his prime; he had since retired in the Western Highlands; settling down with a Coerthan farmgirl by the name of Adele Laurent. For the rest of his life, he lived on the spoils of his adventures, and royalties from his many adventure novels; detailing his escapades with his magic sword, Skyfang. It was in Casimir's woodland manor where Vilette grew up; regaled by his tall tales, and inspired by his rooms of trophies. Sadly, the venerable Casimir was the first to pass in the winter that followed Dalamud's fall; and it was by his last request that the Laurents fled their old home for Ishgard. To this day, Vilette carries and wields Casimir's prized Skyfang. NON-FAMILY Owen Winters. (♥) - The Right-hand Man Vilette's Thoughts: "Winters is our unofficial, third brother. Without him, I don't think us country-bumpkins would have survived in the Brume." Winters first met the Laurent children in the Brume's refugee camps, after the Calamity's blizzards. With the Laurents being half-breed outsiders, and Winters, an adopted Miqo'te; the four quickly found much in common with their circumstances, and stuck together during such trying times. He shared Lucas and Vilette's aspirations in becoming a Dragoon; though he never came close. Winters and the Laurents parted ways when Eliane managed to purchase a pasture and flock of Karakul in the Coerthan Lowlands. Fate would bring Vilette and Winters together again, however, when Winters joined the Ironclaw Order -- which Vilette happened to be leading. The two share a mutual respect for one another, and work tirelessly to cover each other's backs. Alyse Farraday. (♥) - The 'Bad Influence' Vilette's Thoughts: "When no one else wanted to give me a chance, Alyse did. When no one else answered my cries for help, Alyse did." Alyse first encountered Vilette during Evariste Leclerc's trial by combat; where Vilette was Baron Evariste's Champion. Seeing Vilette's success at overcoming overwhelming odds, Alyse suggested to her superiors in the Dragoons to consider allowing Vilette into their ranks. This suggestion was declined; however, it was the start of the pair's friendship. The two next encountered one another in Ishgard, during Vilette's tenure as a Temple Knight. Due to a series of unfortunate events, Vilette had decided to move from her Barracks, and turned to Alyse. The two lived together until Vilette left Ishgard to join the Ironclaw Order. A year later, Alyse followed, joining the Ironclaws to fight for her 'bargain-bin Minfilia' best friend. Oliver Delvants. (♥) - The Optimist Vilette's Thoughts: "Big dreams, big heart. He's clueless, but he cares. I love him. Sometimes, I wonder if he's real." These two young lovers met at the Grindstone. While it wasn't your typical 'love-at-first-sight' story, the two eventually hit it off, finding much in common regarding their aspirations, hobbies, and inspirations. With each of their friends' encouragement, the two eventually formalised their relationship at a Starlight dinner, and have since been virtually inseparable. Both of them, however, in their mutual awkwardness, are unsure where to take their relationship; resulting in an overly cautious affair that some have called 'hopelessly innocent'. Evariste Leclerc. (♦) - The Upjumped Baron Vilette's Thoughts: "Commoner turned Noble. Fitting that it would be under him that I'd earn my knighthood." Vilette and her Free Company were hired out by Baron Leclerc to provide reconnaisance and guidance through the harsh, snowy terrain of the Western Highlands. Initially, Vilette had little respect for Leclerc's military incompetence, after she had (unintentionally) saved him in a dragon attack. This changed, however, after Vilette learned of Evariste's humble beginnings, and his turmoil in the new political arena he found himself in. Under accusations for heresy, Lord Leclerc found himself in an unwinnable Inquisition trial, formed upon forged evidence. Vilette suggested he call for a trial by combat -- and volunteered to be his champion. The pair overcame their lopsided odds, and defeated the Church's champions; and with his name cleared, Evariste knighted Vilette, immediately. Presently, Vilette maintains light contact with Leclerc for both social and diplomatic reasons. Geraud Lafleur. (✝) - The Blind Knight Vilette's Thoughts: "Ser Geraud was a wise knight; and a wiser teacher." After moving to her new home in the Coerthan Lowlands; Vilette and her family's flock were waylaid by a band of wandering outlaws. The Laurents would have lost their new livelihood were it not for the timely arrival of a blind swordsman who effortlessly dispatched the bandits. It was after this exceptional display of skill, that Vilette followed the blind hermit to his haunt, begging to learn from him the way of the sword. Though he initially refused, Ser Geraud eventually caved, taking on Vilette as his squire. Under Lafleur, Vilette went through a gruelling physical and spiritual training regime consisting of blade drills, conditioning, and aetheric meditation. With his guidance, Vilette took her first steps towards Knighthood. This road, however, was ruined -- in Ishgard, the Inquisition's trial for the feared Liegeslayer, and Geraud's former sister-in-arms, Estelle Guichard had taken an unexpected turn. Guichard had demanded a trial by combat, and Ser Geraud declared himself the Church's Champion. After a protracted duel, Ser Estelle slew Ser Geraud, crushing Vilette's dreams, and leaving her alone in Ishgard. Estelle Guichard. (✝) - The Witchblade Vilette's Thoughts: "Back then, I was as blind as my teacher. I didn't understand why Estelle did what she did -- but now I do. And I can say with absolute clarity that she was a true and honourable knight." During Vilette's time with the Pathfinder Freelancers, she blamed Estelle for her Knightly aspirations' abrupt end. The blame festered for years until it became hatred; and Vilette vowed to be the one who'd bring her to justice. This chance eventually came, soon after Vilette joined the Ironclaw Order. There, in the South, she learned that Estelle was hiding in Thanalan; and it was there Vilette went to confront the source of her frustrations... Or so she thought. Despite how far she had come since her mentor's death, Vilette was outmatched by Estelle and her Black Magic, and made peace with her probable death. However, Estelle spared Vilette, telling her the truth of her crime. It was then that Vilette realised that her hatred for Estelle nothing but remnants of her former self -- hatred she had not thought, nor reconciled during her time with the Temple Knights. Where she once believed that Estelle's crime of Liegeslaying was abhorrent, now, she was unsure. Upon gaining command over the Ironclaws, Vilette sent a team to successfully capture Estelle... And unofficially recruited her into the Ironclaws. With their grudges set aside, the pair began to work together, and eventually, Estelle decided to take Vilette as her pupil; teaching her the nature of aether and magic. Much too soon, Estelle died in an Ironclaw operation in 1881, where she sacrificed her life to allow the Ironclaws to escape a Garlean counter-offensive. RUMORS N P C Some of these rumors are untrue, speculation, or are greatly exaggerated. ◢ Common Rumors - Easily overheard. Use these freely! ■ "Ser Vilette? She was knighted for slaying a dragon in single combat!" ■ "Isn't she the one who fought three knights at once?" ■ "Aetherbane, they call her. Her sword cuts through magic barriers like air." ■ "They say she was drunk when she won the Tourney of the Mark!" ◢ Uncommon Rumors - A little more difficult to hear. Use sparingly or ask first! ■ "Swordmaster? Don't make me laugh -- she got her ass kicked by some kid in the Grindstone." ■ "Yeah, but she once fought blindfolded, and won a few!" ◢ Rare Rumors - Very rarely overheard. Please ask before using! ■ "She's applied several times for Dragoon Selection. Rejected every single time." ■ "Of course, man. She can't use her own aether! Ever heard of a Dragoon that can't jump?" P C Feel free to add your own rumors to this section. ◢ Player Character Rumors - Some of these are more rare than others! ■ "Rumor." — Rumormonger. Artwork Screenshots ಌ OOC NOTES ಌ OOC INFORMATION Player Note Hi there! Thanks for reading my character's wiki. If you see me around, adn would like to RP with me, don't be afraid to ask. I'm fairly open to walk-ups, and have very few limitations to my RP. I'm also always looking to further develop my character's story, and her relationships! Personal RP Limits In general, I'm open to a lot of things; even the 'I won't play' stuff, as long as it's both done well, and relevant/allowing for my character's development. ■ I won't play: ERP, death, permanent maiming. Disclaimer Little Tidbits. ■ Vilette was created with the intention of her being 'the underdog', as well as being my personal take on the archetypical 'hero' character. The biggest challenge when designing her was distinguishing her from the thousands of 'hero characters' on Balmung -- a challenge I overcame by giving this character a frankly ridiculous amount of challenges/obstacles to overcome to truly be considered a 'hero'. These obstacles are all derived from a semi-realistic approach to the lore, and the character's life. As someone incapable of casting spells, she is at a vast disadvantage when compared to other characters in this high-magic setting; and as such, must rely on her wits to achieve the same things. This bleeds heavily into her combat RP; in which I draw from Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes to convey 'a tactical kung fu' fighting style, where I walk readers along Vilette's combat rationale, step by step. ■ I make frequent references to Coerthas/Ishgard being a post-apocalyptic region. This is only lightly implied by the lore, but is mostly my interpretation. My reasoning behind this interpretation is that if Ishgard were to suddenly be plunged into an eternal Winter, there'd be chaos, and there'd be a sudden food shortage; especially if they maintained their isolationist foreign policy. As such, you'd run into the usual problems of a national crisis: hundreds upon thousands of refugees, general chaos, looting, cannibalism, and political unrest. With that interpretation in mind, I built my character's backstory around such turbulent times in Coerthan history, and ensured that it had a significant impact on who Vilette is today. CHARACTER TIDBITS Potential Plot Hooks None just yet. Stay tuned. ■ STAY TUNED ■ STAY TUNED ■ STAY TUNED Character Lore Adherence I try to write Vilette as close to the game's lore as possible. However, as I know that everyone's interpretation of the lore differs widely, I tend to not be particularly judgemental regarding lore-bendy characters. Still, I prefer to keep things grounded within the lore, as if I didn't, I'd probably just play some other game, y'know?

ಌ INFORMATION ಌ Name - Vilette Laurent Race - Hyur Age - 20 Name Day - 11-5a-1560 Deity - Halone ■ Alias: Dragonslayer, Aetherbane ■ Citizenship: Ishgardian ■ Occupation: Knight-Commander (Ironclaw Order) ■ Hair color: Pale Blonde ■ Eye color: Ice Blue ■ Complexion: Fair ■ Piercings: Ears ■ Marks or tattoos: N/A ■ Alignment: Neutral Good ■ Key Items: Skyfang (Sword) ■ Favorite Food: Coconut Pudding ■ Favorite Drink: Doman Green Tea ■ Favorite Color: Scarlet Template made by User:Abelia Kir Armiger and free for use!