■ The liberation of Ala Mhigo has meant the return of Osric and Caithe back to their homeland after their brief foray to the other side of the Wall. The relative peace there still sits uneasily on the shaman, as though she expects it to change at a moment’s notice. Still, this has meant a return to old habits, and the woman can be found wandering throughout Gyr Abania.
Vital Information
■ Current Alias... Caithe.
■ Birth Name... Caithe Faulkner.
■ Race... Highlander.
■ Gender... Female.
■ Age... 37.
■ Orientation... Bisexual.
■ Marital Status... Single, noncommittal.
■ Nationality... Ala Mhigan.
Other Statistics
■ Current Residence... Rhalgr’s Reach; Wandering Gyr Abania
■ Occupation... Ala Mhigan Shaman and Wood Carver.
■ Family. Her surviving family, whether related by blood or not, are her utmost priority. Their survival and the ability for them to thrive in the uncertain Gyr Abanian landscape gives Caithe her drive.
■ Rhalgr. Her patron deity and the one she looks to for guidance. The God of Destruction tends to rule over most facets of her life.
■ Ala Mhigo. Her beloved city-state. Though she was young when the King of Ruin worked to wipe out the monks and the following unrest that ultimately led to the nation’s downfall, Caithe grew up hearing stories of Ala Mhigo’s grand feats in war and beyond. She would see the nation return to its glory.
Dislikes
■ Garleans. They are little more than occupiers of her homeland and they deserve no mercy for the crimes committed against her people.
■ Arrogance in the Face of the Twelve. The belief that one is somehow better than the teachings of Rhalgr (and to a lesser extent, the other deities of the Twelve), is something Caithe does not stand idle for. Denying the belief in any religious figure is almost as abhorrent, and she views atheism almost as a weakness.
■ Pacifism. Caithe holds a strong conviction that anything worth having is worth fighting for. Those who would sit idly by while their home, property or loved ones are being claimed by others are seen as weak.
Traits
■ Superstitious. Caithe places a lot of faith in charms and wards, to the point where she ensures her family travels with them at all times.
■ Charm Carver. Tied equally to her superstitions and training as a shaman, Caithe carves her own charms. Almost exclusively using wood as her medium, she finds the practice almost meditative – and believes that the charms created by her hand protect her loved ones far better than the wards created by others.
■ Resistance Fighter. Working with those who have made a base out of Rhalgr’s Reach, Caithe uses the more destructive focus of her magic to help fight against the Empire and keep their stronghold safe.
Appearance
Caithe is a tall woman, standing at an even 6’. Her skin is tanned and her hair is a dark red that swoops to one side of her head, while the other side is a series of tight braids. Her arms and thighs sport lean muscles that speaks of a life of constant movement. Her larger, softer chest hints that despite the muscles, she has rarely – if ever – taken part in proper physical training.
While her body is free from any major scarring - beyond the childhood scrapes that come from a culture that appreciates martial feats and shows of strength and skill - her fingers and arms contain hard-to-spot cuts that come from the slip of a whittling knife. In addition, her left forearm contains the veiny pattern of a lightning strike.
She lacks a certain modesty in her clothes, favouring garb that accents her hips and exposes her stomach and chest. She wears homemade trinkets of wood, feather and glass, wearing them almost to the point of excess. Caithe favours gold, coveting the bracelets and necklace she has in the precious material. Additionally, the woman often adorns herself with body paint. Battle, festival, celebration, a good meal – all seem to be reason to paint her face and body with a small bit of decoration.
Combat
Caithe’s primary weapon of choice are the totems she uses to channel her magic, worn around her hips. A shaman of the Rhalgr and the Resistance, the woman deals in fire and lightning with trained proficiency. She is at her best when she is a distance away from her enemy, though is able to grapple and defend herself at a close range. She is willing to cause injury to herself to see her foe dead, the scar on her arm a testament to her somewhat more reckless behaviour on the battlefield.
The staff itself is a show of hardened and twisted wood, decorated with smoothed and polished glass and various feathers. It seems to be a marvel that they have yet to burn to a crisp, given the style of magic she uses.
Skills
■ Wood Carving. A talented carver, Caithe takes pride in her work. The charms range from Spartan and simple, to intricate and time consuming. She is meticulous and believes that such things cannot be rushed. She is often on the hunt for materials, with the arid region around the Reach making rich wood a difficult thing to find.
■ Falconry. What started as a bonding experience between her and her mother has turned into rather beloved pastime. She finds a certain amount of peace in training Kou, despite the bird's attitude and penchant for not listening. By choice, the hawk is rarely successful in his hunts, but Caithe remains hopeful.
■ Dance. Caithe has a love for roaring fires and a deep drum beat, and is able to keep a rhythm that compliments both of them. She moves easily through the steps, but believes there is not an incorrect way to appreciate music through movement.
Though having lived the entirety of her life within Gyr Abania, the recent changes in the air have led to more mobility for Caithe and her siblings. This location tab is for pre-Stormblood.
■ Gyr Abania: Frequently, especially the swamps of the Fringes and the mountain hovels of the Peaks.
■ Ala Mhigo: Frequently, despite the rebuilding that needs to be done, the city still resonates in her heart.
■ Rhalgr’s Reach: Frequently, as a steadfast member of the Resistance, she can still be found within the place she’s called home for nearly twenty years.
■ The Shroud: Sometimes, mostly in areas where Baelsar's Wall is in sight.
■ La Noscea: Sometimes, though she holds no great love of the sea, Caithe finds the weather relatively agreeable.
■ Gridania: Sometimes, mainly as a place to stay during trips to the Shroud.
■ Ul'dah: Rarely, much like Thanalan, she has no desire to return to the place she had to call home for a time.
■ Thanalan: Rarely, after her short stint in the desert there, she has no desire to return.
■ Limsa Lominsa: Rarely, she doesn't find many that she considers to be brethren within the city-state.
■ Dravania: Rarely, simply as a matter of location.
■ Coerthas: Rarely, it's far too cold with far too many Ishgardians. She'd rather not.
■ Mor Dhona: Rarely, for much the same reason as Coerthas itself.
■ Ishgard: Never. Ishgardians and constant snow leave little to be desired from Caithe.
Hooks
Most of these hooks are public knowledge, and Caithe can be asked about them at any time.
■ Shaman: The woman is devout to Rhalgr, taking a more spiritual route in her worship of him. She is knowledgeable about charms, wards, religious festivities, songs and dance. In addition, the woman has a strong control over the element of fire, and to a slightly lesser extent, lightning.
■ Carver: A strong aspect of her shaman teachings was the carving of said charms and wards. While she prefers making them for Ala Mhigans, or those who worship Rhalgr, she is willing to make protective, wish-fulfilling, or otherwise specialised charms for those that would pay her.
■ Ala Mhigan Resistance: Having served the Resistance for a good portion of her adult life, Caithe has a certain kinship to those who also pledge allegiance to the cause.
■ Garleans: Caithe will try to hunt and kill the Garleans she comes across. Though she is more willing to listen to them than her brother, she aims to see them wholly eradicated.
Disclaimer
Due to a general lack of lore for Ala Mhigan shamans, this character does dip into headcanons sometimes regarding her beliefs, superstitions and role in society. I try to keep this as believable as possible, but please understand that I’m not treating this as the be all, end all of fact!
Credit
Thank you all for letting me use/alter your codes. If it weren't for you my wiki would not look how it does.
