Zoey Holendoey

Zoey Holendoey
320px “The only significance of me speaking with you, is to show your insignificance.”
Gender	Female
Race	Lalafell
Clan	Unknown
Citizenship	Ishgard
Pronunciation	Z-oh-ee Ha-all-lan-dow-ee
Age	30
Height/Weight	2' 11 / 59 ponz.
Job	Investigator and Speechwriter with part time work at the Gold Saucer
Class	Ice specialized Thaumaturge
Relationship Status	Single

Character

General

Zoey is an experienced and rather cold-hearted Plainsfolk Lalafell who can be seen traveling around Eorzea night and day, almost never with a smile. She's business first, and pleasure later, usually one who prefers to be on her own and sees friendships as little more than a humerus distraction. Though a specialist in ice magic, Zoey prefers her words as a weapon, and is known for a sharp, silver tongue, always one to win an argument, even if it puts others in a state of rage or leads to her getting lashed out at. She's blunt, witty, rarely kind with her words, but in the end she gets things done and deep down has a good heart. It's just a shame that she surrounds it with ice and keeps people at a distance with her perfectionist attitude.

Appearance

Zoey is slightly shorter than your normal lalafell, but not by much, and is rather slim even for the pear shaped body most lalafells have. Her hips are thinner than most of her kind, and one could barely find even a hint of muscle build on her anywhere but along her legs since she's quite used to traveling. The pale skinned lalafell has a rather delicate looking face, though one that is most often sporting an annoyed expression, as if the world around her and the existence of others close to her is enough to bother the lalafell. And her icy blue eyes don't seem to help for that matter, as she's seen with a cold stare that makes most uncomfortable, putting off an imposing and grumpy aura around her, like she's never had a pleasant day in her life. Her hair is a dark blue as well, more navy blue in hue, and is nearly combed down, while being done in two, small braids just past the front of her small, slightly pointed ears. The only thing Zoey is a little annoyed with is her short, thick brows, which normally are furrowed in an annoyed expression much like her her lips are curled in a scowl.

Overall, she keeps herself relatively clean, knowing she needs a proper and professional look without appearing too flashy, and the lalafell has a rather unique beauty to her, like a sculpture delicately made of ice, even if her attitude often disrupts the image one would get at a glance.

Fashion

Zoey's sense of fashion varies in taste, but most could say she carries a dark beauty wherever she goes. She prefers dark colors, often in dark, midnight blues or gray and void black colors, often matching her dark blue hair and icy blue eyes. She knows a thing or two about proper appearance, uses makeup on occasion, and keeps her nails neat with soft, smooth skin, the lalafell knowing that her appearance matters when meeting with officials.

When organizing a meeting with officials, making a presentation, or just dealing with meetings or a speech, Zoey makes sure to dress for the occasion. Often she prefers skirts of a mid length in shades of blue or black, with tall, polished boots that show a little bit of her thigh and taller socks. While she has a long sleeved vest, dress shirt, or bliaud. Sometimes the sleeved are separate/detached, and this too is often in darker colors. Though occasionally she contrasts it with a stark white color. And finally, since she's often needing to read out something while dressed like this, she has a pair of black framed pince-nez glasses, the lalafell needing it for reading anything up close.

However, in a deep contrast to this presentable and professional look, Zoey's attire she has on when she's working as an investigator is rather off putting and almost suspicious in a way at best. A long, dark robe with matching, dark gloves, her high black boots with dark woolen slacks, and a hollow eyed, black and blue mask that covers her face all make up for her attire. Zoey comes off as rather intimidating like this, but it doesn't change her personality. She wears it to keep others from knowing who she is, the girl claiming to have a lot of enemies since she's locked up a lot of people over the years from her solved cases. It's all just a bit of protection for herself, and she'll even remove the mask if it's someone she can trust.

Behavior

Zoey’s personality can be described as cold, calculating, to the point, and articulate. She always wants to know what’s going on, and has a ‘know it all’ sort of air around her at all times. The lalafell is well aware of her intellect, and she’s not afraid to show her prowess either. She tends to be domineering to those she feels are beneath her, is brazen, and very vainglorious, tending to care little about making friends, and more about making others realize she is on top. Of course, many don’t get along with her egotistical and narcissistic attitude, but she couldn’t care less about this. She knows she’s better than others, and isn’t afraid to rub it in their face.

Often, she does just keep quiet and to herself. But the moment something is said that she doesn’t approve of, someone has some form of information wrong, or someone just dares to speak with her, there is nothing but a rude, harsh attitude from her, as she often verbally assassinates someone, identifying people and their weak points and what to say to just morally crush them.

Even in a battle, her attitude doesn't change much, but she can be more vocal about it. She remains just as cold as the ice she flings about, but will complain, insult, and shout at her foe, demoralizing them in any way she can. The girl hates having to fight physically, preferring her words as a weapon, though that doesn't stop her from fighting for what she believes in.

Occupation

In simple terms, Zoey is an investigator, taking orders from local guards and officials to check out suspicious areas and survey the landscape. But her work goes deeper than that, as she is forced to pry for information from the locals even if they don't like it, seek out missing individuals, or simply return to the local guards whenever she spot some suspicious activity.

Due to this, Zoey has a few special privileges with guards like the Yellowjackets, Brass Blades, God Quiver, and the Wood Wailers. It isn't anything spectacular, but it does give Zoey a few connections and allows her to get through secure areas a little easier. In a way, she's like a detective, taking any odd jobs she can get where her intellect will shine, but also her natural talent in ice magic to aid her in combat can keep her sustained in any dangerous situation. Overall, Zoey is found traveling a lot, calling out to guards and bringing them to suspicious activities, dangerous foes, or even when someone has gone missing. Or, just poking and prying around the crowds to find more information and a solution to the problem she's been entrusted to investigate.

On the side, Zoey also does a bit of speech-writing for officials. While it's not her full time work, and really just something she does to pass the time, the brainy but brash lalafell has been known to write for a few officials. Due to this, she's been able to even personally meet and share a little time with head figures like Merlwyb or the Sultana, Nanamo. Though such work was strictly professional, aiding in writing their speeches when such officials simply don't have the time to put into doing one themselves.

Finally, while it's only when she's desperate for money and work is slow, Zoey works at the Gold Saucer. Ironically enough, for someone who is not a people-person in any way, Zoey works as one of the Senior Sabotender mascots. She won't admit it, but the anonymous state it puts her in makes her feel like she could let her guard down, and she does adore the children she manages to make smile.

Combat

Preferably, Zoey likes to stay out of combat. She feels as if she's too professional to have to deal with such a thing, an investigator and speechwriter needing to use their wit, now their brawn. Most could say that ninety percent of her battles are completely verbal, the woman known to almost always win a battle of words. However, that's not to say she doesn't know how to fight, or that she's had a few conflicts in the past.

When in a fight, Zoey puts her extremely talented ice magic to the test. Prefering to freeze her foes on the spot, usually attempting to just keep them frozen from the shoulders down until authorities arrive to detain the criminal themselves. She will summon a staff of ice in a snap, surprisingly adept at blocking blows and tripping people up with the staff while often going for a jab in the gut to make them double over, again going for non-lethal means.

If worst comes to worst, she will fire ice missiles, or even summon a storm of ice and snow to slow her foes down. And in a real pinch when an attack looks like it will hit her, she would even freeze up some of the water in her own body, hardening her skin to soften the blow. It's anything but healthy to do this, but it's better than losing a limb! Overall, Zoey does whatever it takes to avoid a battle, and avoid killing a foe, but when push comes to shove, she's not afraid to freeze her foe to the very core.

Tendencies

Likes

• Despite how other lalafell usually dislike the cold, Zoey actually really enjoys it, likely due to her resistance from the cold from how much she focuses on ice magic.
• Coffee! Black as Hell. Sweet as Love. And strong as Death. Zoey is an avid coffee drinker, to the point that she has three to five cups a day.
• Books and literature, simply put, she loves the power of words and also finds books to be the second best outlet for something aside from the radio.
• An intelligent conversation. It's probably one of the only ways to get her to lower your guard and like you.

Dislikes

• Foolishness. Zoey doesn't take jokes well. Not that she doesn't get them, she just thinks they are a waste of time.
• People who are quick to judge. As an investigator, Zoey always believes there is more to something than it first gives off, and this goes with people too. She can't stand those who are intolerant or racist.
• Fire or heat. Even in normal temperatures, Zoey starts to sweat. She prefers the cold, often chilling the air around her with her magic, to the point that she does it without realizing it.
• Silence. While Zoey likes things calm and not rambunctious, she doesn't lke the absolute silence. She studies often around live music, sleeps with the sound of her clock ticking loudly, or sometimes just snapping her finger now and again.
• She also fears large animals. Most dogs, or any animal over 3 feet just put her on edge. She can deal with insects and even serpents. But if their just too big, she fears the worst from them.

Hobbies/Talents

• Zoey possesses an incredible mana pool. Enough so that at times, she needs to expel some of it just so it doesn't start to cause problems to the aether inside her or damage her body. Because of this, while she is able to use magic rather freely, she does at times release an unnatural chill very often, as if to 'vent' off the magic. Of course, it goes without saying that this talent all is shared with her impressive abilities in using ice.
• What she lacks in size and physique, Zoey makes up for with her sharp mind and wit. A very intellectual individual, she's always in a state of pondering, usually wrapping her head around the current case she's working on. ...Or just mentally ranting off the things that annoy her.
• Another quality is just her knack for [i]manipulating a conversation[/i] and her silver tongue. Whether it’s diplomatically, intimidation, or manipulation, Zoey knows the right things to say and how to pry to get what she wants, almost always holding the control of a conversation.
• Thanks to her fathers trade as a transporter of goods, Zoey's picked up on the talent a bit too. At times as a child she rode on her fathers lap on a chocobo, and even growing up he'd teach her in the few days of the month he was home. By now, Zoey's got a real talent for riding chocobos in general, and despite her icy heart, chocobos seem to always be at ease around her.

Facts

• Zoey claims that there were only three days in her entire life she could say she was truly happy. The first was the day she became recognized as a full-fledged Thaumaturge and was given an award as a sort of 'graduation'. The second was the special banquet she attended at Limsa, where she was treated as a guest of honor by Merlwyb herself as a recognition for a critical case she solved in Limsa. And the third was the day her mother died.
• Zoey prefers not to give out her linkpearl unless it's truly a delicate and important case. Her reasoning is that she doesn't trust others, the lalafell having fewer people she trusts than she can count on one hand.

History/Timeline

(WORK IN PROGRESS IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE TIMELINE)

Early Life

(Zoey's younger life up to 13 years of age)

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Growing up, Zoey's life was anything but spectacular, and she wasn't very well off either. Ishgardian born, Zoey's family lived there for the first nine years of her life before traveling to Ul'dah for better work. Though most of her days in Ishgard are a blur, and since the calamity the area has gone through it's drastic climate change, Zoey still to this day visits it plenty, even enjoying her time despite the lalafell norm of hating such cold weather.

Her father's work usually involved transporting and trading goods, delivering large amounts of supplies by chocobo led carriages, which would often keep her father away for weeks at a time. Needless to say, despite how much she loved her father and he always returned home with a smile, the girl had very few chances to really see her father and spend time with him. This lead Zoey's upbringing to be mostly with her mother, which she would openly admit to this day was a Hell in itself.

Between her mother and father, it was night and day. When Zoey's father was around, everything went spectacularly. She loved her father dearly, he spent all the time he could with Zoey, teaching her of chocobos and his work, but also just indulging her in playing with the young lalafell in whatever child-games she wanted to play. And her mother would stay on the sidelines, tending to the house, meals, and spending what time she could with her husband.

When he left though, her mother showed her true face. As the woman cheated on her husband when he was not around, neglected in the proper care of Zoey, and was also a heavy user of Somnus and Milkroot. Needless to say there were many nights without meals, times Zoey locked herself away in her room crying, and every time she tried to tell her father, she didn't have the proof to back it up.

Breaking the Ice

(Zoey's life from 13 - 16, much of her time spent discovering herself as a thaumaturge and trying to cope with her terrible environment)

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Overall, growing up was difficult for the lalafell, as the only break she was ever able to get was when her father came come. And during her teenage years, the family now living in Ul'dah from another move, she started to get braver, not wanting her mothers treatment to continue to bring her down. It was like bullying but from her own mother. Every time she wanted do something, her mother denied her. Every day she was treated more like an object than a person. Day in and day out she'd awaken to her mother drunkenly asleep around the house, often left making meals for herself despite her age, and when her mother really was out of control, the abuse had come.

So Zoey got away. She took shelter in her room during the evenings, sleeping then and starting to become a night owl. And then would sneak out overnight when her mother slept. This was because of the special guild that Zoey had discovered in Ul'dah, the lalafell finding her escape at the Thaumaturge's guild.

It started to become routine, take her normal school in the morning which helped her stay away from her mother, lock herself away in her room and sleep during the evening, and then rise by midnight to sneak off to the Thaumaturge guild for lessons. She was fortunate that their were teachers who slept at such odd hours also, taking in lessons even privately that she paid for by providing help there. Cooking, cleaning, whatever the now teenage lalafell could give. And fortunately, with her natural talent, her dedication, and the promise she showed, Zoey was given this special pass, recognized quickly as common face and special student they all were very proud of.

It became the perfect refuge for Zoey, and while she still wasn't happy with her life -the lalafell doubting she ever would be- she still felt safer, and had a sense of family more at the Thaumaturge guild than in her own home. Though the more she trained, studied, and dedicated herself to the art, the more she started to realize something was a bit off.

Zoey specialized in the field of ice magic, so much so that she learned to resist the cold, embrace it, and start creating even usable weapons temporarily from ice. A snap freeze in an instant, an axe of ice in the palm of her hands, an icy hailstorm summoned from the aether; Zoey learned to manipulate the elements in a way she didn't think possible, and she was a natural. However, there were times her spells got too powerful, times her magic went out of control, or even times she would start to chill the air around her. There were times she'd sneeze and ice would form, or times the ground beneath her was left in an icy trail, or even just the air around her became so frigid that it harmed wildlife and people avoided her. The more Zoey trailed, the more started to realize something; she was losing control of her own power.

The Flux of Life

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It was at this point that Zoey's little glimmer of hope in life was already starting to grow dim again, the lalafell worried that she might lose control of her power completely, and freeze herself over. She seeked aid, traveling even to Gridania to speak with the Conjurers there. It took time, but it wasn't until she ____________________________

(Details on who she met / who helped her deal with her mana flux)

In this time, Zoey had been gone for over a week. And not really to her surprise, her mother hardly noticed or cared. It reminded Zoey that despite how much she tried, she never really could appeal to her mother, or even find love from her family other than the rare times her father came home. The worst that happened that night when Zoey returned was that her mother cursed her out, hit a few times, and destroyed most of the things in the teenage lalafell's room.

It was around that time that Zoey started to reach a conviction. She managed to survive a week on her own, why couldn't she survive more? Why not just leave? She was only fourteen, and she still felt close to her father despite how rarely he was around, but Zoey felt like she couldn't stay any longer, her drug-using, abusive, hate-filled mother meaning nothing to the girl. Zoey started to make plans, warning the Thaumaturge guild that she would come back, but needed to sort out a move and also get a proper job, but in the oddest of timing, Zoey would awaken one day to another event that changed her life.

It was the same morning as any other, Zoey thinking nothing of seeing her mother passed out on the sofa, the girl thinking it was just her sleeping late after another drunken night. However, when Zoey went to her schooling, only to come back and see her mother still passed out that afternoon, the lalafell felt like something was off. She normally would have gotten a meal and slept that evening to be ready for her overnight sessions at the Thaumaturge guild, but instead, she approached her mother. After trying to rouse her awake several times, Zoey would contact authorities, especially after she saw the Somnus beside her mother's sleeping form, and it didn't take long for the realization to come through. Her mother was dead.

And while Zoey cried, they were not tears of sadness - instead it was joy. A relief from the pain. An escape from the Hell her mother put her through. Zoey's mother had overdosed, and while she knew it would break her father's heart, she knew this was her chance to finally live a normal life away from the stresses and agony her mother put her through. It felt like a new chapter in Zoey's life was about to unfold.

To Seek the Truth!

(Becoming a detective)

A Cold Case

(Sypher stuff / USH / 'Face-stealing' murders)

The Fall

(Her detective work in Ul'dah since The Fall - patch 2.5)

Relations

■ Sypher Corinth : At first, Sypher was an enemy in Zoey's eyes. Sypher was the cause of a murder of four Elezen in the Coerthas area, and one of the four was a close friend and pupil of Zoey named Vainya Sativoss. Taking the case for personal reasons, Zoey put a bounty on him to have help tracking him down. However, once he was finally found, Zoey soon realized that his actions were completely self defense, and that her pupil, Vainya, was actually a heretic and a follower of Lady Iceheart. Despite her anger for Sypher slaying Vainya, Zoey knew his actions were just, and surprisingly, she defended him in the murder trails. The two still are at odds many times, but Zoey now feels like Sypher has to live his life for those who were killed, even if they made a poor choice by following Iceheart, and now supports Sypher whenever she can, even if in her heart, it still pains her to see his face since he always makes her think of Vainya.

■ Chao Lingshen When Zoey placed a bounty on Sypher, Chao was the bounty hunter who she hired. And while in the end the hunt lead to Sypher's innocence, Zoey still found a lot of respect in Chao, believing her to be a reliable individual. The two formed a bit of a partnership, and Zoey knows if she needs a bounty hunter again, she would hire Chao. Interestingly enough, although Zoey distrusts most Domans, she found that Chao was a bit of an exception, enough so that the Miqo'te may even be changing her opinion a little of the refuges.

■ Nai Ruahki To put it bluntly, Zoey believes Nai to be a bit of a racist and doesn't like her. In truth, Nai was just doing her job in making sure suspicious folks in the Vylbrand Academy, and Zoey did come off as a bit suspicious. But when Zoey tried to get inside to speak with Sypher and Satomi about a very important case, one that could lead to Sypher's imprisonment, only for Nai to pick her up and throw her out after Zoey just tried to be civil and explain herself, it left a very sour taste in her mouth, and she doesn't wish to associate with the Miqo'te.

■ Satomi Hakase A scientist who Zoey really couldn't quite explain how she felt about at first, Zoey somehow ended up becoming friends with her. At first, she was a part of the case involving Sypher due to Satomi being both his friend, and the one who sent him to Coerthas, but despite how awkward and socially inept Satomi was, the two shared intelligent minds, strong resolves, and got through the case. Nowadays, Zoey sometimes visits the scientist over a cup of coffee, and lately she's even given Satomi a few dresses, a makeover, and tried to show the hermit of a scientist that she needs to embrace her womanly side more.

■ X'ami Tyata The Miqo'te who could perhaps be the best breakthrough Zoey had in her one, infamous case involving Sypher, X'ami helped a lot when Zoey had reached a dead end with the case. It was by a lucky chance that she met a friend of X'ami's, who then guided the lalafell to the Miqo'te herself, where the two traded a long conversation about Sypher and what -really- happened back in Coerthas. At first, both were on guard, but once the case was solved, and Zoey actually defended Sypher, the two started to see eye to eye and gained respect for one another.

■ Evirine Bajihri Though their meeting was brief, Evirine amused Zoey. She came off cold to the woman at first, but when explained her predicament, and how someone on 'Jesters day' (April 1st) snuck a Fantasia in her meal and made her a lalafell, Zoey decided to help her. Whether it was just her intellect, her calm nature, or Zoey sympathizing for once, she enjoyed what time she had, and plans to see Evirine again, perhaps this time without business to attend to.

Rumors

Common Rumors

• "That Senior Sabotender mascot there? The one all the kids are hugging? Would you believe that's her!?" - A patron of Gold Saucer who she once solved a murder mystery for.
• "That unnatural chill you feel, she's just trying to intimidate you by showing off her magic!" - A Conjurer who helped her investigate Copperbell Mines.
• "The lass wears the mask because she can't keep a poker face." - A slightly drunken customer at the Quicksand.

Moderate Rumors

• "That time she mentioned the Heretics... she spoke more for them than against them." - Coerthas Central Highlands Guard
• "She takes pupils, but no way I'd listen to her! The bitch killed one of her students for questioning her!" - A student at the Thaumaturge guild.

Rare Rumors

• "She's planning something. The lass hardly spends any of the money she makes. She's earning the trust of all the officials. And she's always seen snooping around in places she shouldn't. I think she's planning some sort of sabotage." - A paranoid YellowJacket who Zoey threatened when he got in the way of her investigation.

OOC Facts

-This Template was created by Deirdre Ta'ea

-Satomi Hakase is my alt