Alana Black

Alana Black
Gender	Female
Race	Hyur
Clan	Midlander
Citizenship	Gridania
Nameday	31st Sun of the 6th Umbral Moon, 1560

Basic Info

• Age: 17
• Height: 5 fulms, 5 ilms
• Weight: Secret
• Clothing: Alana prefers functional clothing, often paying little attention to how fashionable or unfashionable whatever she's wearing is. She tends toward earthy colours when she has the choice.

History

1560-1570: Alana's childhood was spent on her family's farm in The Twelveswood. It was a simple life of tending to livestock and crops. Like most hyurs, she was taught her letters and would treasure the times she'd travel to the markets in Gridania with her father, as it would mean she'd get to read.

1571-1572: Pre-Calamity. Alana's older brother left the farm to take up arms against the Garleans.

1572: The Calamity. Flames scorch the earth and the sky itself seems to fall. Most of the Black's farm is destroyed, but Alana and her parents survive the disaster and slowly rebuild the farm.

1572-1576: Alana's mother becomes chronically ill and unable to work the farm. Alana's father teaches her some basic manoeuvres with crude spears now that her brother's not around.

1577: In order to improve, Alana joins the lancers' guild in Gridania.

Personality

Accustomed to a more solitary life on the farm, Alana generally shies away from social interaction. When she doesn't, her lack of etiquette shines through. She speaks what comes to her mind without the niceties most people would expect. While she's not cruel, she's been known to call miqo'te "kitty" and ask lalafell if it's hard to walk on such short legs. This lack of tact's accompanied by a complete lack of guile. She's much more at home talking to plants or chocobos than other people.

Despite her rustic manners, she's a kind girl whose affability comes from a deep-seated idealism. If everyone helped each other more, Eorzea would be a better place. She's yet to have this idealism crushed by the realities of the world, and she wants to be an example of her ideals. If only she could get over her shyness...

Affiliations

Family

• Bertrand Black: Father
  • Bertrand Black is a man well into his middle years with a face worn with care lines and exposure to the sun. Despite the Blacks' modest income, he's always enjoyed doting on his daughter when he can. An honest, amicable, down-to-earth man.

• Elida Black: Mother
  • A strict woman a few years younger than Bertrand, Elida is keeps her daughter and husband in line as best she can. Constantly exasperated by her daughter's lack of femininity, she considers the fact that she's actually got her to cook a miracle.

• Devin Black: Brother (missing)
  • A man of stormy moods, Devin is five years his sister's senior. Alana has fond memories of following him around annoying pestering helping him explore the Twelveswood. The two siblings grew apart as they grew older, as siblings tend to. Devin joined the Lancers' Guild and eventually left to fight the Garlean invaders and has not been seen since.

Acquaintances

• Koumoru Doumoru Alana met Kou while she was passing time waiting for her father to finish at the market. Despite a number of faux pas, Alana managed to strike up a certain sense of rapport with the lalafell.
• Manari Onai Alana ran into her while daydreaming. Rather embarrassed at her lack of attention, she gave the woman a carved chocobo (or what was supposed to be a chocobo) in way of apology.
• K'hazana The woman with the possessed breasts. They met at a ladies' night at the Carline Canopy. The miqo'te had a certain wardrobe malfunction that may have scarred the young girl.

Other Notes

Interests

• Poetry and music
• Chocobos
• Wood carving
• Cooking
• Climbing trees

Dreams of...

• ... joining the culinarians' guild in Limsa Lominsa.
• ... one day finding her brother.
• ... writing her own sonnets.
• ... sleeping next to a chocobo.
• ... her carved creations fetching hundreds of gil.
• ... living in an Eorzea free of suffering.

Quirks

• Slight pyrophobia
• Doesn't hold alcohol well
• Quite happy to stay in the same clothes for days on end.
• Doesn't like meat.

Rumours

Common Rumours

• "That's that Black girl. Comes to sell vegetables with her father, but disappears before the deal's done." - Gridanian shopkeeper
• "Eh? You think she's pretty? One time, that girl came in here smelling like a garbage dump. That's the problem with those farm folk. Always smell like chocobo dung." - Employee at a Gridanian bookstore
• "An utter disgrace to Gridania, that girl. She said my head was too small for my neck! Can you believe that? Of course you can't. The girl obviously has no eye for beauty!" - Fashionable elezen man

Uncommon Rumours

• "Her father tried to sell some carved figurine she made. At least that's what he said it was; looked more like a carved piece of vilekin dung to me." - Gridanian shopkeeper
• "That girl? I saw her out in The Shroud fighting some funguar once. Perhaps fighting's too strong a word. She looked like she was whacking them with a stick." - Wood Wailer
• "I saw her talking to a flower once. She's funny." - Child

Rare Rumours

• "Her brother went to fight the Garleans, I hear. Not seen him for almost 6 years now. He was a handsome lad with hair as dark as his father's." - Gridanian shopkeeper

Prompts

100 Questions

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Part 1: The Basics

1.What is your full name?
"Alana Emayn Black."

2.Where and when were you born?
"Er... On the thirty-first sun of the sixth umbral moon, 1560."

3.Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)
"M'dad's name's Bertrand 'n' m'mom's Elida. Dad's nice 'n' kind 'n' stuff. He always helps me t'learn new things out in the fields 'n' takes me with him t'market t'sell our produce. Mum's stricter, but I know she cares 'bout me. She taught me how to cook in th'first place, after all."

4.Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?
"M'brother's been missing since 'fore the Calamity... He's really strong. He's definitely safe somewhere, I'm sure of it."

5.Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.
"I live with m'parents on the farm stil. It's really nice, 'n' nowhere else would feel like home."

6.What is your occupation?
"I help out on the farm mostly, but, er... Sometimes I carve wooden statues t'sell."

7.Write a full physical description of yourself. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks.
"Huh? Um... I'm nothing special."

8.To which social class do you belong?
"Uh... M'family owns a farm. Whatever that means, I s'pose."

9.Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?
"I guess it's no allergy, but I don't like meat nor garlic. Eggs make m'tummy a bit sore, too."

10. Are you right- or left-handed?
"I use m'right hand for most things."

11. What does your voice sound like?
"Uh... I dunno. M'voice, I guess. Mum says I speak too quietly."
((Alana's voice is often quiet; her words often mumbled. She usually speaks from her throat, giving her voice a breathy quality.))

12. What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?
"Er... Dunno, really."
((Alana hedges a lot in speech and uses fillers such as 'um', 'er', or 'uh' far too frequently.))

13. What do you have in your pockets?
"Right now? Uh, let's see. Two pebbles, a... Kinda squished chocobo feather and... Oh. I was supposed to eat that biscuit for lunch. I don't think these crumbs'll do me much good. Oh, um... And two gil."

14. Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?
"Um... I collect things. I... Uh... I mumble. Oh, and I don't really care about how clean I am."

Part 2: Growing Up

15. How would you describe your childhood in general?
"Erm... Y'know. It was pretty good, I guess. I dunno much 'bout other people's childhoods, though."

16. What is your earliest memory?
"Findin' a butterfly outside m'window. Er... Not sure how old I was, though."

17. How much schooling have you had?
"M'mum taught me t'read 'n' write, 'n' m'dad taught me t'tend the farm."

18. Did you enjoy school?
"Uh... Yeah, it was alright, I s'pose."

19. Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?
"Um... Pretty sure I just said, didn't I? Mum and dad, mostly, but m'brother taught me some things, too."

20. While growing up, did you have any role models? If so, describe them.
"I guess m'brother? He's strong and never made mistakes. Mum's pretty amazin', too."

21. While growing up, how did you get along with the other members of your family?
"Hmm... Pretty well, I guess? I got along with m'dad the best. M'brother used t'say I was annoyin' 'n' mum always wanted me to have a bath."

22. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
"Uh... A farmer. That's okay, right?"

23. As a child, what were your favorite activities?
"Collectin' stones 'n' 'xplorin' The Twelveswood."

24. As a child, what kinds of personality traits did you display?
"Um... Same as I do now, I guess. M'mum always said I was too shy, but, er... I just don't like botherin' people, y'know."

25. As a child, were you popular? Who were your friends, and what were they like?
((WIP))

26. When and with whom was your first kiss? "Uh... *mumble mumble*..."
((Alana's not yet had her first real kiss.))

27. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?
"Wh-What'cha askin' me that for?"
((Alana's a virgin.))

28. If you are a supernatural being (i.e. mage, werewolf, vampire), tell the story of how you became what you are or first learned of your own abilities. If you are just a normal human, describe any influences in your past that led you to do the things you do today.
"Um... Just a hyur, here. Not super tall, or super short, don't have no tail. I work on the farm 'cause it's all I know, I guess... M'carving's just somethin' that happened, 'n' m'dad 'n' brother like pokin' things with lances."

Part 3: Past Influences

29. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?
"Er... Pretty sure most everyone would say the Calamity."

30. Who has had the most influence on you?
"Everyone in m'family, I think."

31. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
"This one time, I scared away a funguar by usin' a stick like m'dad taught me to."

32. What is your greatest regret?
"Er... Not sayin' a proper goodbye t'm'brother."

33. What is the most evil thing you have ever done?
"Uh... Do I have t'tell you? Well... Okay. One time, I... I ate a whole bunch'a cookies 'n' said it was m'brother. Then he got in trouble, y'see."

34. Do you have a criminal record of any kind?
"Uhm... I don't think so."

35. When was the time you were the most frightened?
"Other than the Calamity, right? Uh... I think it was when I got lost on the way back home from a wander in the woods once. M'brother found me, though, so I was okay."

36. What is the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?
"Mm... Y'probably don't want t'know."
((Alana has many embarrassing moments, though the most prominent one in her mind is the time she was cooking in preparation for a visit from her extended family. She mixed up the sugar and the salt.))

37. If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?
"Erm... I'd stop m'brother from leavin', or at least make him take me with him. I guess I sort of miss him..."

38. What is your best memory?
"Uh... If I had t'choose a single one, it'd prob'ly be the first time I seen a chocobo chick hatch from an egg."

39. What is your worst memory?
"Fire rainin' from the sky 'n' that horrible roar while know knowin' where m'brother was..."

Part 4: Beliefs & Opinions

40. Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?
"Uh... What d'these words mean?"
((She leans toward optimism.))

41. What is your greatest fear?
"... Bahamut."

42. What are your religious views?
"What d'you mean? I believe in Th'Twelve. Pretty sure we all do, right?"

43. What are your political views?
"Uh... Dunno."
((Alana really has no opinion on such intellectual matters.))

44. What are your views on sex?
"Uh... Wh-What? Why? 'S'not like it matters, right?"
((Currently, Alana's views on this are about as developed as her views on politics.))

45. Are you able to kill? Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable?
"I don't like th'thought of killin' anythin'... I guess if it was to protect someone or somethin' like that it'd maybe be alright, I s'pose."

46. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?
"Er... Um... Y'know, hurtin' people 'n' stuff. Y'don't need t'do that more of'n than not."

47. Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?
"Mm... Uh, maybe? I dunno."

48. What do you believe makes a successful life?
"Uh... Bein' happy 'n' helpin' people, I guess."

49. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)?
"I guess I'm pretty honest 'n' stuff when I'm not scared of hurtin' someone or makin' them upset."

50. Do you have any biases or prejudices?
"Hm... I don't think so."
((Like most Eorzeans, Alana doesn't like the Garlean Empire. She's also lived a relatively rural life away from most other people and races, so she'll ocassionally make a faux pas or two while conversing.))

51. Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?
"Uh... I really don't like hurtin' people, or... Well, anythin', really. 'Cept for vilekin. They're a nasty bunch. Why? Hm... I guess it's just mean t'hurt things, right?"

52. Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?
"M'family, for sure. Uh... Probably the Twelveswood, too, y'know."

Part 5: Relationships With Others

53. In general, how do you treat others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them, and if so, how?
"Um... I guess I'm a little shy, but I try t'be polite most of the time. I s'pose I can hold m'ground better with m'family than others, I guess."

54. Who is the most important person in your life, and why?
"Er... All m'family. I wouldn't be the girl I am today without them."

55. Who is the person you respect the most, and why?
"Uh... I like m'dad a bit more than m'mum, but I guess I respect them both the same."

56. Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe these people.
((WIP!))

57. Do you have a spouse or significant other? If so, describe this person.
"Um... No."

58. Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.
"Er... N-Not really..."

59. What do you look for in a potential lover?
"Uh... If it's not too much t'ask, do y'think y'could ask a normal question?"

60. How close are you to your family?
"Mm... I'd say very. Don't see many people 'side them most days."

61. Have you started your own family? If so, describe them. If not, do you want to? Why or why not?
"Uh... Maybe one day? I can't say I think 'bout that kinda stuff very much."

62. Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?
"Definitely m'dad. He almost always knows what t'do."

63. Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?
"M'dad's pretty good with a spear. So was Devin, but..."

64. If you died or went missing, who would miss you?
"M'mum 'n' dad, prob'ly. Uh... Can't think of anyone else."

65. Who is the person you despise the most, and why?
"Um... I guess I don't really despise anyone in particular."

66. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?
"I don't like fightin' with people. Usually not worth it, right?"

67. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?
"Uh... Dunno."
((She does not.))

68. Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not?
"Um... I'm kinda shy, I guess... Don't like so many people lookin' at me 'n' 'spectin' me to say stuff."

69. Do you care what others think of you?
"Mm... Kinda, I guess. Most important opinon's what y'think of y'self, though, right?"