Damelia Lhea

Damelia Lhea
Gender	Female
Race	Miqo'te - Seeker of the Sun
Clan	Jaguars (former)
Citizenship	Gridanian
Age	25
Guardian	Azeyma, the Warden
Namesday	10th Sun of the 4th Astral Moon

Appearance

Damelia stands tall for a female Miqo'te, reaching 65 ilms. A rather unkempt mop of light-brown hair falls down to her chin, though at times kept back in a tidy tail when she finds it distracting. Two sapphire-colored eyes glisten in the center of her face, masked by her spectacles and framed by the markings on her cheeks. Despite her recently bookish tendencies, her figure retains a fair amount of muscle from her days as a soldier, maintained for her adventures and exploratory ventures. She has a natural distaste for make-up, given the nature of her work. Even so, she pays special attention to her appearance when in public. She tends toward neutral colors, exemplified by a few of her favorite outfits and accessories.

History

The illegitimate daughter of Y'lhea Tia and Y'aiso Tyaka, Damelia never properly saw her homeland in the wilderness north of Eorzea. Her parents fled out of fear while her mother was still with child. In light of their departure and their reasons for doing so, a curse was laid on the new family by a shaman of the Jaguars: the end of their line.

She was born on a caravan during their journey to the city-states of Eorzea, but her mother did not survive childbirth. Left solely in the care of her father, they continued deep into the woods and settled in Gridania. He raised her without reverence for the old ways - having shunned them himself - but instilled respect for the Sun and Azeyma. He dropped his tribal prefix, took on a station with the local defense forces for money, and taught her the ways of both lance and sword. Her admiration for his bravery and compassion both led her to follow in his footsteps, joining what would then become the Order of the Twin Adder once she had come of age. In her service, she showcased valor and patriotism in fighting for her homeland, driving back scouts and small units that signaled the start of the Garlean invasion. These expeditions culminated in her unit's dispatching to the Carteneau Flats, where she and her father were captured as prisoners of war.

They suffered inside the cold walls of an Ala Mhigan prison. She learned about endurance, willpower, and heartbreak. Against the Garleans' efforts to break his will, Y'lhea chose to waste away of his own accord. Barely a month into their captivity, he surrendered his spirit to the Lifestream. With nothing left to keep her sane inside the fortress, she dared to try the unthinkable: escape. With cunning and wits, she succeeded, wandering into the mountains and sneaking into a traders' caravan to take her back to the city states.

On her return to Gridania, she tried her hardest to live a normal life. She took on an advertisement for mercenary work exploring some ancient ruins near the lost city of Nym, and it was here that she met a young scholar named Serys Rudine. The two took a liking to one another, going on a series of expeditions for strange artifacts around the ruins of an Eorzea long past. Over the course of their adventures, Damelia found affection for her, a feeling that she quickly learned Serys returned. They were wed and took up a spot in a local Free Company.

During the course of an expedition into an Amdapori ruin, Damelia found herself subjected to possession by a lesser voidsent. A visit with the Thaumaturges' Guild in Ul'dah ensured her that nothing would come of consequence. But it was this possession that granted her a stronger link to the Aether. She took on the tutelage of the Guild, learning both their civilized form of thaumaturgy as well as lost Mhachan arts from her parasite's nightly whispers. These teachings increased her curiosity in Serys's work, as well as her interest in the Void and lost Mhachi civilizations. It was one of their ensuing adventures into the old city of Amdapor where she would find her Soul Stone -- taken from a fallen Black Mage -- and unlock the last teachings that the voidsent could grant her.

Personality

Damelia is often hesitant to attach herself to strangers, judging a select few as worthy of her long-term affections. This results in what many see as a brash front to her personality, but it is - in reality - a defense mechanism. Nevertheless, she has a knack for putting on a facade for new people, partially for her own benefit and partially for theirs. Those that don't see beyond the mask would, however, describe her as friendly and spirited, if a little stubborn and hot-headed.

Rumors

Common Rumors

• "Dun let 'er size fool ya! She got a real spear arm on 'er." - Pirate ashore in Moraby Drydocks
• "Brought an undiscovered text to us once. No charge for it. Insisted that she didn't need the Gil." - Severian

Rare Rumors

• "The Aether she carries is... strange. Dare I say, unnatural." - Erasmus of the Thaumaturges' Guild
• "She's been through six of the seven hells and back again. Can't say I'd question her spirit." - Vorsaile Heuloix