Gares stands six feet and one inch tall unshod (but usually has from 2 to 4 inches of additional height from heeled boots), and is of medium but toned build, with fair skin and dark hair. His facial features are somewhat broad and his chin covered in a well kept goatee. His right eye is always either hidden behind a patch or obscured by rose tinted glass depending on his outfit.
Scars & Markings: He has a prominent scar running from his right cheek up to and through the vacant eye, whose socket houses a rarely seen Savage Aim Materia of incredible purity. Otherwise his body is marked with assorted but generally unremarkable scars from a dozen years and counting of soldiery.
Voice: Just a tiny bit higher than you’d think for a man his size, and usually a bit louder than is acceptable, but otherwise unremarkable.
Clothing: In three words? “Over the top”. Gares’ has an obsessive and dandy-like adoration of excess in fashion, and favors silks embroidered in cloth of silver or gold and handsomely accented with studs and sigils in precious metal. Even his armour is chased with gold and jacketed in silk when and where possible. He has a heavy preference for the colors blue and purple for their obvious opulence, but is oft seen in others as desired.
The escapist persona of Julius Margrave, Gares is a man of clear and simple motives; Pragmatic and ruthless in his duties and carefree if not almost hedonistic in between them with a side of arrogant boastfulness in both. He is possessed of an almost cruel ambition and drive to get what he wants even at the expense of others, be it a cheap laugh or something of rather larger consequence. This is not to say he is heartless or without any sense of loyalty, merely that should he be tested sorely he is not likely to keep that loyalty at any great expense to himself; lest the cost of breaking it be even greater. He is at his best a well spoken and tactful negotiator and diplomat due to his upbringing, but rarely has any inclination to mince words and so is far more often bluntly honest if not downright crude. He values honest expression and the pursuit of one’s true desires above everything else, despite the inherent hypocrisy therein given the nature of his true identity as the stuffy lord beholden to a legacy he cares nothing for. The resulting conflict of identities causes him no shortage of grief, but between the two the persona of Gares could be more accurately called his ‘true’ self.
Likes
Dandy-esque Fashion, the poofier and gaudier the better
All Varieties of Booze, with a fondness for red wines
Games of Chance and Skill, but especially Triple Triad
Dislikes
Pretentious/Overly Formal Folks, doubly so if humorless.
Naivety in the field of battle, especially dumb thrill-seeking.
Lack of Planning or organization, whether militant or financial.
Fears
Magitech Warmachines, especially Reapers
Golems and anything else of their ilk
Anything that doesn't bleed or feel pain really
Trivia
Favorite Food: Behemoth Loin, cooked rare with Thavnairian Onions
Favorite Drink: Cheap Dry Red wines (Would never admit this)
Favorite Color: Woad Blue or Currant Purple, hard tossup.
Color Key
♥ In A Relationship: Gares is romantically involved with this character.
♥ Romantic Attraction: Gares is romantically interested in this character.
♥ Sexual Attraction Gares is physically interested in this character.
♥ Platonic Love/Family: Gares considers this person family.
♦ Friend: Gares considers this person his friend.
♦ Friendly Acquaintance: Gares considers this person mostly friendly, or as an ally.
● Good Standing: Gares has no specific feelings about this character, however they left a good impression.
● Neutral: Gares has no specific feelings about this character.
● Bad Standing: Gares has no specific feelings about this character, however they left a bad impression.
♠ Dislike: Gares doesn't consider this person a friend, and will talk if needed, but try to avoid them.
♠ Hate: Gares considers this person an annoyance, and will try to avoid them. Conflict can happen.
♠ Fear: Gares is terrified by this character, and will try to avoid them at all cost.
♠ Rivalry: Gares consider this person a rival, and will try to initiate conflict every time she gets to meet them.
♥ Family Member: This character is related by blood to Gares.
✔ Business: This character is either Gares's employer, employee, or coworker.
✖ Deceased: This character has passed away.
?Hidden Feelings/Unknown: This character has one of all the color keys above, but Gares isn't fully aware of it yet.
NPC
Lord Claudius Margrave VI(♠♥✖)”Dearest” Father
The rumor of Gares’ parentage is at the least half true. His relationship with the late Lord Margrave was never excellent, and while in his youth they were at the least on speaking terms this has not been the case since the Calamity at the very least. When he heard of the burning of the Margrave Estate and the death of Claudius VI and his sons Gares’ wept bitterly in loss, but not for his father nor his half brothers.
May O’Naze Esquire III, AKA Mayo(♥)That Damnable Bird
An aging destrier War-Chocobo with white plumage, though no one is sure if that is by birth or by age. He is a cantankerous and wretched creature who spits, bites, and kicks at nearly everyone but his owner. He is Gares’ trusted steed and most faithful companion, and the two have a trust and friendship that runs deeper than any he has ever experienced with another person. He denies this loudly and calls Mayo any number of terrible things, not that the bird cares.
Chie Kurokawa(♥✖) The Princess
A ward of house Margrave sent to them for safekeeping in her early life, during the Garlean occupation of Doma. Her father was the head of a Doman family of some considerable status and wealth and a long standing trade partner of the Margrave family for several generations. She was the sole member of the household which Gares regarded fondly, and their relationship was as that of an older brother and younger sister. She went missing after the fire that burned down the Margrave Estate and is presumed to have perished in the blaze.
Sgt. Perilous Plateau(♦✔) Reliable, if Stern, Sergeant
A longtime comrade at arms and Gares’ right hand Man… Woman? Regardless, She is someone upon which he can faithfully rely in the line of duty and then kick back with afterwards at the tavern. She plays the straight-man to his often asinine routine and if not for her there is no way his loud mouth would have ever been able to shout about how he is the captain. Every bit as cautious as Gares is Ruthless, Perilous has kept and continues to keep her captain both alive and in-line.
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After the battle of Carteneau, when Gares resigned from the Immortal Flames and wandered lost with nothing but his Chocobo and a mortal wound it was Rochana pulled him back from death’s door. A couple years traveling together working as free-lancers saw a friendship blossom into romance outright, and shortly after they were wed. After their honeymoon Gares returned to his post with the Immortal Flames and Rochana retired from field work to open a private practice. She was not pleased to learn the truth about Gares’ identity, but it did not have any long-term effects on their relationship. Since then they sadly spend much of their time far far apart due to Gares duties, but then again they say distance makes the heart grow fonder and they are still very much in love.
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Some of these rumors are untrue, speculation, or are greatly exaggerated. Contact me in-game or via Tumblr if you want to add one!
NPC
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◢ Common Rumors - Easily overheard. Use these freely!
■ "Hear he’s one of the late Lord Margrave’s bastards, yeah the one what was on the syndicate. He fights well enough, but how else would an irreverent little shite like him make officer in the flames?"
■ "Underneath that eyepatch he’s got a great big chunk of Materia fused right into the socket. Must have cost a fortune."
■ "He likes to go into small-time taverns where no one will recognize him, then hustle the other patron’s broke pretending to be bad at Triple Triad."
◢ Uncommon Rumors -A little more difficult to hear. Use sparingly or ask first!
■ "They say he lead a raid on an Amalaj’aa encampment a few years back. He was going head to head with the big brute in charge when another snuck up behind him. He got the bastard, butt end of the lance right right between the eyes, without ever turning to look.
■ "He only moved to that cushy patrol post out of the way after old Claudius and his eldest sons died and Julius took over the Margrave household… You don’t think that’s just a coincidence do you? "
■ "Saw him at the bazaar the other day, he spent three or four months worth of salary on silks and another two on jewelry. Where the hell does he get all the money?"
◢ Rare Rumors -Very rarely overheard. Please ask before using!
■ "He tells anyone who asks that he lost the eye at Carteneau, but I heard he got caught cheating at dice and some blokes carved it out of him to teach him a lesson."
■ "An officer went through the enlistment records and found that Gares Kahzaihl is actually deceased, died in the Calamity, but then who is he?"
■ "A lot of smugglers get caught in other patrol sectors, but rarely the one he is in charge of. I bet he is taking bribes to let them through."
PC
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◢ Player Character Rumors -Feel free to add rumors of your own!
The man who would become known as Gares Kahzaihl was born in Ul’Dah to Syndicate Lord Claudius Margrave VI’s third wife, as Julius Cyprian Margrave. He was the Lord’s fourth and last child and third son of his generation after his brothers Claudius Margrave VII, Maurius Margrave, and sister Claudia Margrave IV- of which he shares both parents only with Claudia. His early years and upbringing are unremarkable, insofar as they can be within the household of a syndicate lord, save the passing of his mother when he was nine years of age. Lord Margrave did not re-marry again.
An exceptionally bright child, Julius performed in his studies to such a degree that even his father was impressed, and in fact despite his incredibly high standards he quickly came to hold the boy in higher esteem than either of his two older brothers. Young Julius quickly mastered mathematics, logic, and rhetoric far above what could be expected of his age, building a strong foundation for mercantile which his father greatly looked forward to seeing grow into a mountain of gil. Despite this fact he had no interest in the things he was taught or really anything else his upbringing had to offer except for reading, and he became quite thoroughly enamored with tales of heroism as young boys often do. At his insistence, and a threat to cease cooperating with his tutor, his father was convinced to hire an instructor for swordplay and this he took to with a fervor, however without the natural talent he had for book learning.
At age fourteen a new arrival at the Margrave Estate profoundly impacted his life; a ward of his father and the only child of a Doman Merchant family with whom the Margraves had a long-standing correspondence, entrusted for safekeeping during a time of mounting turmoil. Chie Kurokawa, only age five at the time, was the first person that actually encouraged the young Julius to do what he cared to do, rather than what he was expected to do. Given his lack of other companionship aside his brothers, neither of which he cared for much, he quickly became incredibly fond of the Auri girl and they were generally inseparable.
The next two years passed pleasantly, with Julius’ true talents for trade emerging and seeing him placed in charge of several minor enterprises under the family’s ownership at the mere age of sixteen. Though he had no passion for mercantile he excelled in it to the point that despite tradition Lord Margrave had begun to consider him for the next head of family over either of his brothers- who while ambitious lacked any form of talent or dedication to their duties. The offer was made to Julius in private one night, with a single caveat; He was to wed Chie in a few years time and in so doing make the Kurokawa clan’s vast fortune their own. Julius refused flatly in disgust, knowing full well no one had ever asked Chie, a literal child, nor did they intend to.
The next morning started an entirely new chapter in Julius’ life; and though he would not yet discard his name one would not be wrong in attributing this day as the birth of the man he would be known as. The tales of heroism that had been engraved deeply in his childhood combined with his disgust of his father came together in one terribly rebellious idea; He joined the Immortal Flames. Had he not been so thoroughly enraged at his father this would not have lasted long, the conditions in which a soldier lives and the way in which he is treated were not kind on the spoiled rich child who thought he could skate by on a few years lessons in swordplay. Though the casual arrogance of the upper class was never beaten out of him completely by the time he was back from his first deployment there was very little of who he used to be left. In its place was a the very archetype of the professional soldier, loud, boisterous,and over fond of boozing, gambling, and whoring his pockets empty, and distinctly un-heroic even in his own eyes.
He did not return home for nearly four years, practically on the eve of the calamity. Now a sergeant and veteran of the elite flames Cavalry unit, distinguished in battle and missing an eye to show for it, as a man full grown and able to look his father in the eye... Or so he would have liked, but his father refused to see him. Julius Margrave spent what could be called the last night of his life by the fire with Chie, now eleven and still no more than a girl, telling her tall tales of his exploits and watching the glimmer in her eyes. He left at dawn, and would never step foot through the threshold of his family home again.
You doubtless do not need to be told of the carnage at the Battle of Carteneau, nor the Calamity brought about by project Meteor and the Dreadwyrm it released. Nevertheless, it plays a part here in this much smaller story. Before the hour of the Calamity Julius fled the field, wounded mortally when the his unit was wiped out after being flanked by a squadron of Magitech Reapers. Him and one chocobo, not his own, were the unit’s sole survivors of the enemy’s thrust counterthrust, and so he clung to dear life as the franticly warking warbird carried the two of them anywhere but the battlefield.
He was found at death's door, a few malms clear of the devastation, by a miqo’te doctor named Rochana Freacian. It was she who pulled him back to the land of the living and nursed him back to health, and without her intervention the story would most certainly have ended there in a bloody tear soaked puddle. When he woke she called him Gares, the name stitched onto the chocobo’s saddle bags, and he never corrected her. He never corrected anyone; he let Julius Margrave die a coward and carried the name of a man who had been brave enough to die for his country, or at least his coin. Rochana and Gares became incredibly close during his recovery, and in a less than professional move on her part became romantically involved. They were wed shortly thereafter.
So began the admittedly short career of Gares Kahzaihl as a freelance mercenary and veteran of Carteneau with Rochana at his side. Five and a half years they spent together like that, back on the battlefield when he could find proper wetwork, and months between with money stretched thin due to his rampant spending above his means trying to recreate luxuries he sorely missed. Plenty of noteworthy adventures ensued during this period, enough to dwarf this writing, and so to list them would be excessive. Suffice to say despite their troubles with money Gares had never been happier in his entire life than he was traveling with his wife and taunting death every chance he got.
This honeymoon period as it were ended abruptly with the news that the Margrave Estate had burned to the ground, and Claudius and his two eldest sons had both perished in the blaze. Thinking that his son’s rebellious streak would end and he would come to his senses, and then later that he had died at Carteneau the late Lord Margrave had never bothered to disown Julius and so succession fell to him- should he step forward to claim it. The realization that he could not continue to expect Rochana to tolerate their bohemian lifestyle forever pushed him to do just that, though not without a deep feeling of defeat and the realization that he was never meant to heroically overcome his destiny. Joining that disappointment in himself was a deep and bitter sorrow, for no matter how many stones he overturned there was no trace of Chie since the night of the fire.
From that day to the present he has lead a double life, wearing the mask of Julius Margrave whenever he must and allowing himself freedom as Gares Kahzaihl whenever allowed. After pulling some strings and lining some pockets he managed to re-instate a literal dead man whose name he stole into the Immortal Flames, to allow himself to play soldier while remaining close to home. An intense an unending paranoia that the sort of foul play that was typical of Ul’dahn politics and not mere fire lead to the ends keeps him in the barracks whenever possible despite the comfort of his silken sheets. It is that same paranoia that keeps his wife far far away, in her home city of Lisma Lominsa, for fear that she might be used against him as well. So it came to pass that he would live two incomplete lives, neither one quite entirely his own.
Personal RP Limits
■ I will playBoth casual and serious scenes, but with a preference for the latter. General proximity to the lore is required, but not a strict adherence to (bend but do not break). “Mature themes” are fine as long as they are handled with some level of tact and fit the narrative. Please send me a /tell first to tell me what you want from a scene, especially for long term plot-threads.
■ Ask about Anything that you aren’t sure is ‘approximate’ to the lore, and any long-term or major consequences intended for a scene or plot thread.
■ I won't play With anyone who use sOoC knowledge to derive Gares/Julius’s identity without actually taking the proper steps to connect it first ICly- it defeats the entire point of playing a character with multiple identities if you just automatically know and I will also drop you immediately. I also don’t traffic with blatantly high power-level characters or huge departures from established lore IE Voidsent characters and the like. If you
Disclaimer
■ Gares is quite often a callous jerk. He will look for and pick at your character’s insecurities for a quick laugh. Please do not take this as an OOC attack on you or your character, (It isn’t even really an IC one in most circumstances, but do roleplay your character’s reaction- I love getting slapped or sucker punched ngl). If anything I say or do however makes you uncomfortable OOC for some reason please let me know so I can apologize and either fix it for the scene or make a clean break and end the scene if you prefer.
Links Out
■ Character’s RP Tumblr/Owner’s OoC FFXIV Blog: [1]
Time Zone/Server
■ Pacific (UTC-8:00)
■ Server- Balmung
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.
