Ilyas Novak

Ilyas Novak (formerly Illianaro Corvus Liabella)
Gender	Male
Race	Hyur
Clan	Midlander
Citizenship	Limsa Lominsa
Place of Birth	Red Rooster Stead
Guardian	Oschon, the Wanderer
Nameday	14th Sun of the 3rd Umbral Moon (Age: 25)
Marital Status	Single
Occupation	Freelance Monster Hunter
Pronunciation	Ill-yiss Noh-vahk (Ill-ee-a-na-ro Lee-a-bell-ah)

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Basic Info

"We may enter this tavern as strangers, but after sharing song and drink we will part as friends." —Ilyas Novak

A male midlander hyur, Ilyas is a rather youthful looking man in his mid-twenties and, while sociable and kind, has little interest in prolonged interaction with people. He spends most of his time observing happenings at the edge of whatever scene is unfolding at a given time. Although silent, Ilyas is a curious sort of fellow, often analyzing everything that's going on around him with a kind of odd smile on his face.

Ilyas has a tall and slim build, and he wears relatively loose fitting clothing, making it hard to see how experienced he may or may not be in combat.

His voice is quiet, warm and very deep, often surprising people when they first hear him speak. He is extremely polite, often calling even those with whom he is very familiar "Mr., Ms., Miss, or Mrs." A sure sign that he has an unusually close and intimate friendship with someone is when he refers to them by first name or nickname; most of these people are people from his past, or people with whom he has confided a time in his life that he calls "The Lost Years" (the five years between Dalamud's Fall and present day). When pressed about his history, Ilyas will often respond with a joke, typically of a self-deprecating fashion. One of his favorite counters to the question is "my life is of little consequence or interest to even be worth sharing." It is often speculated that his scar is from whatever encounters he had during "The Lost Years." While he is happy to offer an answer to the question "where did you get that scar?" the answer is different every time he shares it, and he always speaks of it with a lopsided grin. Nobody seems to know the truth of the scar's origin at this time.

Whether he traveled abroad or lived in Eorzea for the past five years is unknown: nobody seems to have seen him before his arrival in Ul'Dah, some five years after the Calamity. He also does not share much interest in sexual promiscuity, although he has had plenty of interested parties. If inquired about it, he will be honest and say he views sex and romance as dangerous things for the heart, and doesn't care to pursue it recklessly; he has yet to meet someone with whom he is willing to take that kind of risk.

His story begins in Ul'Dah, with an ugly encounter in the Quicksand.

Appearance

Height: 5 fulms, 11 ilms

Weight: 157 lbs

Complexion: Slightly tan

Hair: Sandy brown, unkempt, hanging a short way past his shoulders. Later on, his hair is shorter, close cropped, but still untidy.

Eyes: Ruby red, almond shaped eyes.

Particular Traits: Scar that crosses over the left eye, as well as many scars covering his body and a disfigured right arm. Long, pointed nose and well defined cheek bones.

Voice: Deep, smooth voice. Warm and quiet. (Voice number 11)

Clothing Style: Ilyas has a lot of passion for classy, old school fashion. He wears a trilby (Holy Rainbow Hat), a jackcoat (Archaeoskin Jackcoat of Gathering), a black pair of Sailor Sea Brais, along with armored jackboots and gloves (Fistfighters' Gloves/Jackboots). As he likes to put it: "just because I fight doesn't mean I can't fight in style."

Laterality: Ambidextrous

Tastes

Hobbies

• Woodworking - it's something to do with his hands if he's feeling a particularly strong negative emotion
• Music - Ilyas has trained since he was very young to play the lyre, dulcimer, flute, and lute
• Reading - Ilyas is extremely well-read, and has used reading to educate himself on all manner of academic subjects
• Writing - Although he would flatly refuse to show it to anyone, Ilyas has written a massive amount of poetry and music. It is strongly hinted that he has documented his solo journeys over the past five years since Carteneau and hidden the documents away somewhere

Likes

• Lounging
• Adventuring
• Money - something he never cared about when he was Illianaro, but developed a strong passion for during his years as a smuggler
• A good, old fashioned beautiful view - He'll sit for hours and stare at a landscape
• Good Company, and Good Drink - Hells, he'll even take bad drink if the company is good enough
• Song and Dance
• Gambling
• Gladiator fights - Such as the ones so prevalent in Ul'Dah. He does not ever actively participate, however, since he would "be at an unfair advantage"
• Deep or Exciting Conversation
• Jokes and Quips
• Ayla Byakurai
• Tyrun Baalgam

Dislikes

• Garlemald
• Disloyalty - betrayal, even the perceived kind, will incur his wrath
• Overbearing or Nosy People
• Himself
• The Armored Warrior
• The Order of the Broken Bough
• Dull Conversation or Small Talk
• Silence

Favorites

• Color: Aquamarine.
• Food: Eft Steak, when it's made right.
• Drinks: Jasmine Mead.
• Scent: Petrichor (the smell after a summer rain).
• Place: Costa del Sol.
• Festival: Moonfire Faire.

Goals

• Find the Armored Warrior
• Destroy the Order of the Broken Bough
• Find out what really happened to Lachlan Liabella
• Become a master fighter and hunter

Religion

Ilyas believes in the deities, but cannot understand what they want from him or from the world.

Alignment

Ilyas wouldn't believe so, but he's a pretty okay guy.

Personality

Overview

On the surface, Ilyas is laid back, good-natured, and a little flamboyant. He jokes freely and easily, with his niche being self-deprecating humor brought upon more than a little bit by how poorly he views himself. Initial interactions with him will usually be light-hearted, and he’s not about to sit down and tell you his life story. It’s not, as he would say, exciting enough to justify telling anyway. He is soft-spoken and gentle, generally determined to keep a low profile and not rock too many boats. He treads very cautiously in his friendships and his interactions, but when pushed hard enough he will stand up for what he thinks is right - and he will do so vehemently. He doesn’t view himself as particularly smart or skilled in combat, despite the fact that he is a master martial artist, so he focuses instead on being goofy and sociable. When it comes to interpersonal conflict, he has a short fuse and little patience, and it will become immediately clear. He is usually patient, but if you push his buttons you will regret it.

Ilyas prefers travel to settling. He has a small house in the Lavender Beds, to which he will retreat between jobs to read, sleep, and find some quiet solitude. To the chagrin of his FC-mates, he does not want to purchase housing within the company’s spacious estate. Some have speculated that “it’s almost like he’s afraid to call a place home.” One of the easiest ways to push Ilyas away is to press him on this particular subject.

Quirks

• Dry, self-deprecating sense of humor
• A laid back and goofy personality that belies his darker side, and his hidden martial and strategical prowess
• Cracks his knuckles often, much to Tyrun's distress
• Hums and whistles, even in the peak of battle

Flaws

• He has a deep running self-loathing that has crippled his ability to make lasting connections to others. If he fears he is getting to close, he will behave or speak in a certain way that puts distance
• Uses humor as a defense mechanism to keep things from getting too real
• Expects absolute perfection out of himself, while expecting nothing from other people. His refusal to rely on others has given him a bit of a reputation as a "friendly loner."
• All smiles on the outside, but intense rage suppressed deep within himself
• His time as a smuggler and hunter for hire has made him a bit greedy

Fears

• Failure. He feels he has had enough failure to last him a lifetime, but is afraid the gods won't see it that way.
• The Armored Warrior
• Strangers
• The Order of the Broken Bough
• Himself, and what he has become over the years
• What has Lachlan become? Is he even still alive?

Intelligence

Ilyas' goofy, clumsy, and light hearted actions hide a sharp intellect. He actually has a very strong tactical sixth sense, as well as an uncanny ability to understand and adapt to difficult situations. Frequently underestimated by those who do not know him or understand him, he once said, "I prefer it that way," indicating that he intentionally plays the fool as a tactic so potential enemies will let down their guard.

One of the easiest ways people - friend and foe alike - gain his respect is to see through his facade to the shrewd mind that hides underneath.

Abilities and Skills

*Music and Art: Ilyas feels that this is the area of his life in which he has complete mastery. It is the only thing that he is truly confident in, and he takes great pride in his musicianship.

*Hand-to-Hand Combat: Despite what he would have you believe, Ilyas is a master martial artist. First trained by Hamon Holyfist and later by Widargelt, both teachers observed his unusual talent with unarmed combat, and the ease with which he unlocked his chakras. He has, since beginning to learn under their tutelage, rapidly surpassed them in both strength and skill. However, he is not the kind of person to brag about this or even bring it up. Both of his teachers believe he is holding back his true potential because of the fact that he thinks so little of himself.

*Weapons and Poisons Expert: On top of his mastery of hand-to-hand combat, Ilyas is a highly skilled user of daggers and shortswords, employing them in situations that require greater finesse than his brute strength. Over the years he has learned to utilize smaller weaponry with brutal efficiency, also gaining proficiency with throwing weapons such as kunai and shurikens. Ilyas also learned through this training methods of applying various poisons to weapons to create different effects. This skill has helped him greatly during his travels, helping him reach new levels of hand-to-hand mastery as he has worked on his reflexes and speed.

*Dance Combat: Ilyas' combined skill with agile daggerplay, powerful martial arts and music have given him an oddly rhythmic style of fighting that has been noted to be strikingly similar to various styles of dancing. It is very difficult to interrupt Ilyas' flow once he has gotten into a fight, and he has become adept at reading the rhythm of a battle as it unfolds.

*Immense Physical Strength: Brought on by years of training and conditioning, Ilyas has become extremely powerful. With his bare hands he has successfully killed bears and dragons alike with little effort. During the battle on the Steps of Faith at Ishgard, he was witnessed killing a diresaur with one punch that shattered through scale and bone alike. Ilyas' body is raw, ropey muscle, but he keeps it well hidden under his clothes, even looking quite scrawny to many who meet him the first time.

*Chakra Control: After five years of training, Ilyas has learned how to unlock and carefully control his chakra. Also during this time, Ilyas met a resident of the far off continent of Othard, who taught him how to release his chakra in the form of mudras. Through this, he is able to unleash even greater physical strength, as well as unleash powerful bursts from within his body. This is a skill that he just gained control over, but trained martial artists who have met him believe he will one day be far stronger.

Magic

• Through his readings, Ilyas has taught himself some aetheric manipulation, but his magic levels are low.

Crafting

• Woodworking - Ilyas learned woodworking in order to keep himself busy when he was feeling low. As the years went by, he became an excellent wood worker.

Family and Relationships

DISCLAIMER


All what is written here bears absolutely no OOC feelings, and may be subject to change as the story develops. If your name doesn't appear in this list, I have probably forgotten, or my character just doesn't remember you. Please do not use these information to affect you ICly or mess with my character's feelings. Use of OOC information will be flagged as god-moding and I will not react to it ICly if I feel this is what you're doing.

Relatives

Lionel Liabella: Ilyas' father, a hyur from Ala Mhigo who was notably burly, even by highlander terms. Despite his great bulk and fierce skill at swordplay, his true power lay in his mastery of magic. He was a master black mage, as well as an adept healer, who was working on developing magic for more defensive uses at the time of the Battle of Carteneau. He was disappointed to discover that Ilyas lacked the kind of talent for magic with which he had been blessed, and this colored their relationship. Although Ilyas could grasp the concepts of magic, he could not keep up when Lionel wanted his help with magic oriented work around the house and the farm. He was pleased to have a strong hand in his son's education, but there was always an air of disappointment in Ilyas during the boy's childhood. Ilyas always wanted to be a man worthy of his father's praise, and grew frustrated - especially during his teen years - when it seemed nothing he did was enough. He died in the Battle of Carteneau, having never resolved this unspoken conflict with his son.

Jeanine Liabella (née Danford): Ilyas' mother, and a midlander hyur who spent most of her young life on the island of Vylbrand. Her knowledge of the lands around Limsa Lominsa was unmatched, and her travels in the region contributed greatly to her great physical fortitude and skill as a warrior and fighter. When Ilyas was growing up, and showed himself to have a lot of talent for combat, she feared for him because it was "never the kind of life she had wanted for her little boy." She had always preferred a quiet, bookish, calm life for him, counter to his love of martial arts that began at a young age. She refused to officially teach him any kind of hand-to-hand combat, leaving him to be self taught until he would finally learn from Hamon Holyfist. Although there was not the same kind of conflict between Ilyas and Jeanine that there had been between Ilyas and Lionel, Jeanine successfully instilled in Ilyas a desire for peace and quiet, and made him rather less interested in "fighting for fighting's sake" as he grew older. She also died at Carteneau.

Both of Ilyas' parents would ultimately have a huge part in helping him form both his mellow and mild temperament, as well as giving him a strong sense of morality. His period as a smuggler, so deeply counter to everything his parents had taught him, has contributed to his sense of self worthlessness, as he struggles with a feeling that he has betrayed his parents' memories.

Lachlan Liabella: Ilyas' older brother and best friend. Lachlan had all of the talent where Ilyas did not. He was a quick study with magic and the lance, choosing to practice both rather than focus on one or the other. He was well liked by many who met him, and was popular with the ladies to boot. In every conceivable way, Lachlan was Ilyas' personal hero growing up, and Ilyas worshipped him with a steadfast refusal to see some of his elder brother's weaknesses and flaws. While Lachlan kept Ilyas from being targeted by local bullies, Ilyas did not fully understand that Lachlan himself was a bit of a bully around Red Rooster Stead. Due to all of his natural talents, Lachlan became rather spoiled since he was spared the chores on the farm so he could focus on his studies. Lachlan was more sinister than his younger brother, with a willingness to do what was necessary, including kill a person or ruin their life, to see that things, places, and people he cared about were protected.

Ilyas was devastated by Lachlan's departure, after a huge row with his parents, to study first in Ul'Dah and then in Gridania. His closest friend and confidant left without any fuss, leaving Ilyas exposed to the local bullies, and to his parents, for the first real time in his life. However, it was only when Lachlan left the Stead that Ilyas could learn to shine on his own. The younger brother refused to see that he had been held back by his own blind worship of his older brother, by his belief that he could never keep up with him. It was quickly discovered that Ilyas had the strength, stamina, and reflexes to be able to fight off most threats in his life, from bullies to La Noscean beasts that threatened the safety of the livestock and residents of Red Rooster Stead. He was every bit the quick study his brother had been, albeit in different aspects of his life. For the first time, he began to take pride in his work once he was no longer held in Lachlan's shadow.

Lachlan would continue to be a powerful force in Ilyas' life, providing words of encouragement when he was in Gridania and heartsick over Ayla Byakurai. He helped train his brother, and was shocked to find that Ilyas had far greater combat potential and tactical awareness than he had. He also served as a mentor and caretaker to Ilyas, despite his own grief, when the two of them discovered their parents' deaths. And at the end of it all, he was willing to sacrifice his life in order to protect Ilyas from the Armored Warrior.

It is unknown currently where Lachlan is, or whether or not he is alive. Ilyas' primary drive is finding out what happened to his last remaining tie to childhood.

Positive

Tyrun Baalgam: Ilyas' best friend, and the first person he met on the Eorzean mainland. An elezen duskwight from the South Shroud, he was traveling to Ul'Dah to apply to join the Immortal Flames when he was jumped by bandits. Ilyas intercepted the attack, saving Tyrun in the process. After that, Ilyas decided to accompany the duskwight to Ul'Dah to train and prepare for the test himself. Unlike Ilyas, Tyrun passed his examination and has since become a prominent member of the Flames. He brags often about having met a "Warrior of Light." Once Ilyas fell ill and revealed that he was suffering from an unusually potent poison from a morbol, Tyrun insisted on joining him to Gridania, further solidifying their friendship.

Along with their friend Ayla, Tyrun and Ilyas traveled north into the Black Shroud. They encountered numerous situations in which they saved each others' lives, including an encounter with spirits, traveling in monster-packed ruins, fighting off Redbellies and Coeurclaw bandits alike, stopping a necromancer from raising undead creatures, and saving an important tavern from a violent raiding party. Over the course of this adventure, the two became nearly inseparable.

Ilyas' worsening health as they approached Gridania worried Tyrun, causing him to lose sleep and try to take over duties so the other could rest. Although his heart was in the right place, Ilyas' illness and Tyrun's exhaustion began to cause some friction between the two, leading to numerous arguments and ultimately a flat out fight. In that moment, forgetting that his friend was seriously ill, Tyrun started winning, maintaining the upper hand until Ilyas lost control of his motor functions and collapsed. They were unable to speak again until after Ilyas recovered, but it was Tyrun who carried him the rest of the way to Gridania and fought to get him the help he needed.

During the weeks in which Ilyas was in his coma, Tyrun was wracked with guilt over his last interaction with him. He learned about the Liabella Brothers' parents dying at Carteneau, further deepening his grief. During this time, Tyrun confided in Ayla his pain and shame about how he and Ilyas fought. The two of them grew much closer and began a romantic relationship with one another.

Tyrun was thrilled to learn of Ilyas' return to consciousness from his coma, but fear prevented him from going to visit him sooner. Using the Battle of Carteneau as a buffer, he focused on aiding in the Eorzean recovery from the disaster. It was Ayla who finally pushed him to go visit his friend and make up with him. When he returned to Gridania to see Ilyas, he apologized profusely to the hyur, only to be interrupted. Ilyas told him there was "nothing to forgive," and the two made up instantly.

As Tyrun's relationship developed with Ayla, he began to feel that Ilyas was growing increasingly distant, like he was slowly turning into a stranger. Rather than help with the recovery from the Calamity, Ilyas kept his focus on training, and on doing jobs around Gridania. Sometimes, Ilyas disappeared for days on end, and said very little when asked where he had been. A silent argument began to pass between the two of them, though neither was aware that there was anything really wrong between the two. After Tyrun and Ayla were engaged, Tyrun looked to Ilyas for his blessing, and although Ilyas gave it, he drew further away.

After Lachlan Liabella vanished at the Skirmish at Gridania, Ilyas and Tyrun drew further away from each other than ever. Ilyas became consumed with grief and anger, and he isolated himself from most of his friends in Gridania, particularly Tyrun and his new fiancée. At Ayla's insistence, Ilyas attended the engagement party that the couple was hosting before vanishing from his inn room without a trace. It was Tyrun who found the empty room.

In the five years since vanishing and changing his name, Ilyas has assumed that Tyrun and Ayla were married and have a happy life together. He misses his friend, and still writes letters to him, although he never sends them.

Ayla Byakurai: A xaela au ra, a student under Hamon Holyfist, and Ilyas' primary love interest from the beginning of his travels. They met during the Immortal Flames test, and became fast friends. She is outspoken, fierce, and confident, something that runs counter to who Ilyas is. Unafraid to speak her mind, she is known for being blunt and a little controlling. Ayla was able to quickly identify that Ilyas was seriously ill, even when he did not seem to show it, but kept it quiet at his request. During the exam, the group of young trainees was attacked by Maahes, and it was Ayla who was able to work out how to defeat him by instructing a knife wielder to use wespe's venom and "jugulate the bastard" if he attempted to use his cold gaze spell. The attempt to slit Maahes' throat did not kill him, but the venom made it so he could not use his voice to petrify the opponents.

Hamon warned Ayla that there was something dangerous about Ilyas.

"I don't think he's bad, mind ya. But he's gonna be frighteningly powerful, and he'll need positive guidance." - Hamon

Like Tyrun, she insisted on joining Ilyas when his poison progressed too far to ignore anymore. She even chastised Ilyas for ignoring the poison for as long as he had, when she had explicitly warned him that this would happen. When she decided to come along for the journey she said something that turned out to be remarkably prescient on her part: "Somebody has to keep you boys from killing yourselves. Or each other."

Ayla's incredible strategic mind made her a shoo-in to pass the Immortal Flames' examination, and she was the go-to planner for the duration of her travels with Tyrun and Ilyas. She, along with Tyrun, was present for Ilyas' travels, getting the two boys out of many sticky situations, while managing to get into plenty herself. Although she initially shared a lot of romantic tension with Ilyas, when they were trapped defending the Tavern from the raiding party, she found him with another woman; she discovered that she wasn't bothered by it, and set aside any potential for a romantic attachment. Despite this, she became rather judgmental of Ilyas' playboy ways when he began distracting himself from his fear of death by sleeping around.

Just as was the case with Tyrun, Ayla worried about Ilyas as his hour of death seemed imminent. She carried his things and purposely acted as though she needed to stop frequently to rest so that Ilyas, who was too proud to admit he needed it, could do so. She and Tyrun also frequently discussed, while Ilyas was sleeping, how best to share the load, working out a method of helping Ilyas that would not be overly obvious so as to avoid wounding his pride.

When Tyrun and Ilyas got into a fight while at the Bannock, near Gridania, Ayla tried to come between them and stop the fight, reminding them that Ilyas was sick and getting sicker. She was furious with the both of them as they became more tense with one another, and swung often between trying to mend their fences and being utterly fed up. However, when Ilyas collapsed and Tyrun tore himself apart with grief, she set aside that anger to comfort him.

She did not visit Ilyas as often while he was in his coma as Tyrun did, focusing her energies instead on busywork. She later told Tyrun that, in her heart, she was sure Ilyas was not going to make it, and she could not slow down for a minute for fear that doing so would break her. Following the Battle of Carteneau, she threw herself into reconstruction efforts before anybody else did, leading efforts to construct temporary residences and medical halls.

When news arrived that Ilyas had returned from his coma, Ayla dropped everything she was doing and went to see him. She told Tyrun off for refusing to do the same. She arrived after he had heard about his parents' death, and remained as a consolation while he grieved. She also aided him through his rehabilitation, when she was not working on Calamity recovery. They sparred together a few times when he regained his strength, and she was shocked to see that he was, if anything, stronger than he had been when they met. She also noticed that he had vast quantities of chakra within him, although it was untapped.

Ilyas also began distancing himself from Ayla, but not as much as with Tyrun. When Ayla and Tyrun were officially engaged, however, he began actively avoiding her.

After Lachlan's apparent death, she began to see another side to Ilyas, something that was not observed by Tyrun. She could see that he was hiding a dark side that was growing stronger within him. It was she who knew he was not getting sleep and that, when he was feeling a powerful negative emotion, he would have bursts of chakra. It reminded her of Hamon's warning.

The day Ilyas vanished, Ayla was devastated and furious. She promised she would wring his neck if she ever saw him again.

Affiliations

• Himself
• The Pathfinders (Loosely)
• The Talho Pirates
• The Tavern
• The Maelstrom

Music Themes

• Ilyas' main theme: Death by Glamour by Toby Fox from Undertale
• Do You Feel It? by Chaos Chaos
• Loch Lomond - Old Scottish tune.
• Will and Elizabeth by Klaus Badelt from Pirates of the Caribbean
• Anything from Hans Zimmers Soundtrack for Sherlock Holmes (2010)

Rumors

Note: This section is editable by anyone. Just keep in mind that the rumors here may be both true or false.

History

Name and Lifestyle

Nicknames

• Ily
• Illia
• Bella
• 'Naro

Current Residence

• Ilyas is a wanderer, but he does have a small house in the Lavender Beds for occasional rest.

Before Dalamud's Fall

Birth and childhood (0-10)

Ilyas Novak (born Illianaro Corvus Liabella) is the second son of Lionel and Jeanine Liabella (née Danford), and the younger brother of Lachlan Liabella. Since he was the son of two prominent adventurers, and his older brother had been born a font of talent, it was assumed that he would be similarly talented in magic or natural strength. It quickly became clear, to the disappointment of his parents, that he had not been so bountifully blessed as his older brother had been, and he spent most of his youth being raised as the ordinary boy he was.

Lionel and Jeanine tried their hardest not to show favoritism, but Lachlan's natural talents begged their attention, meaning they focused most of their time on preparing him to be "the greatest adventure the world had ever seen." Illianaro, meanwhile, grew up with constant reminders that he was ordinary. His parents seemed unaware of his natural strength, of his ability to handle chores on the farms that exhausted even the most fit adult residents at Red Rooster Stead.

After a sickly infancy and toddlerhood, Illianaro began helping around the farm at the age of six, being both unusually tall, and unusually strong for his scrawniness. A passing adventurer, a high ranking member of the Maelstrom, came to rest at the Stead one day that year, stopping by the Liabellas' farm for a brief visit. He saw in Illianaro what his parents did not: a strong will to thrive and succeed, and an intensely strong body. He offered Illianaro words of encouragement before leaving, which helped the young boy to keep going on when he was feeling down about himself.

Teen Years

One evening, when Illianaro was thirteen-years-old, Lachlan and his parents got into a tremendous row over the increasing pressure they were putting on him to excel at everything. They had wanted him to essentially master all forms of combat, all kinds of craft and gathering work, forcing him onto the track of becoming a leader in the Maelstrom, a dream that Illianaro had, but was told off by his parents for aiming too high. Lachlan felt like Illianaro was being treated unfairly - being almost completely ignored despite his great intelligence and potential - and was exhausted from being overworked. This row ultimately ended in Lachlan running away in the middle of the night.

The disappearance greatly affected Illianaro, leaving him alone with his his parents, who were devastated at their son's betrayal, and with the bullies in the area who had been held off by Lachlan's influence. While his parents had already written him off preemptively as a failure, Illianaro soon threw himself completely into his work. He was often forced to fight off the local bullies, which was how he learned he was actually far stronger and faster than he had been given credit for. He was no Lachlan, but nor was he the weakling everybody thought he was. So, he set about proving everybody who had doubted him wrong. By fifteen, Illianaro was something of a local bully himself, having become so fierce and violent in his frustration over being underestimated by everybody around him, his only positive in his life being the letters he shared with his brother. Most of the riff-raff stayed away from him, and many of the Liabella's former patrons steered clear of the farm when Illianaro was home. Illianaro himself spent little time around his parents, choosing instead to visit with the family chocobo.

At sixteen, Illianaro was visited once more by the adventurer as he was passing through on his way to Mist. The adventurer was dismayed to see how rough of a person Ily had become, reminding him that this was not the right path. Illianaro did not listen, instead furious at being underestimated again. He fought with the adventurer, only to be completely humiliated, defeated on his front lawn in front of most of the town. The embarrassment shook Illianaro up, and helped show him that he had lost his way.

When Illianaro was eighteen, a powerful morbol appeared in nearby Lower La Noscea. The morbol charged toward Limsa Lominsa until Illianaro attacked the beast and distracted it. This first, unsuccessful attempt on the city was, unbeknownst to many, the beginning of a war that would come to the forefront years later. The consequence of Illianaro' efforts to stop the morbol was that he fell prey to its poison, the skin on his right arm becoming black and charred. When it became clear that the healers at the Red Rooster Stead could only halt the advance of the poison, but not remove it altogether, Illianaro decided to embark on a journey to Gridania, where Lachlan was learning the art of the lance, in the hopes that he might get help from the Conjurers' Guild or, if need be, the Elder Seedseer herself. The morning after the morbol's assault, he set sail for Vesper Bay from Limsa Lominsa.

Early on his nineteenth birthday, Illianaro landed at Vesper Bay, setting foot on the Eorzean mainland for the first time in his life. He met Hamon Holyfist while he was traveling through the parched landscape of Thanalan, and from him learned the basics of fist fighting. While in training, Illianaro quickly became best friends with an elezen duskwight named Tyrun Baalgam, and later tested to become a hunter for the Immortal Flames, barely failing the examination. He eventually left Ul'Dah when a relapse of the morbol's poison in his body pushed him to the brink of death. He then learned, from an adventurer and healer who was passing through the area, that the poison had begun advancing again at a rapid rate, and it would take multiple healers at once to remove it from his body. The next day, Illianaro reluctantly left the city-state, accompanied by Tyrun and a new friend and love interest, Ayla Byakurai, making way to Gridania at last.

While traveling through Thanalan and the Southern reaches of the Black Shroud, Illianaro and his friends saved a tavern - aptly named "The Tavern" - from a raiding party, later learning that this tavern served as a hub for various smuggling activities throughout the entirety of Eorzea. At the time Illianaro was disgusted by the Tavern's involvement in illegal activities, saying that "he should have left it to the mercy of the raiding party." However, the Tavern would later prove to be an important part of Illianaro' life, with him encountering it's many patrons during his travels. Soon after saving the Tavern, Illianaro, Ayla, and Tyrun arrived in Gridania, with Illianaro collapsing as they approached the Carline Canopy.

After Dalamud's Fall

Adulthood

While in his coma, Illianaro had a vision of burning fields and of a giant dragon laying waste to the countryside. He awoke, having missed his twentieth birthday, to find that the poison had been removed from his body, leaving just his scarred and pockmarked right arm, and a case of narcolepsy, as evidence that he had ever been ill.

After a tearful reunion with his brother, Lachlan Liabella informed Illianaro that their parents had both perished at the Battle of Carteneau. Ayla and Tyrun later returned from traveling the Black Shroud to help with recovery following the events at Carteneau. They explained to Illianaro everything that had happened, also revealing that they had begun a romantic relationship with one another.

After his recovery, Illianaro continued his training in martial arts, learning to work around his fainting episodes as well as practicing the art of the lance to help supplement his growing skill. He became unhappy with life in Gridania, still struggling to come to terms with the death of his parents and pained by watching his friends' romance become increasingly serious. He was present the night of their engagement, an announcement that broke his heart and began to form a rift between Illianaro and the other two.

As time went by and Illianaro spent more time doing odd jobs outside of Gridania, he began to learn more about the Tavern, his harsh stance on them softening some when he realized that the efforts of some of the smugglers there had saved the lives of countless "Orphans of Carteneau." On some occasions, he even performed music for those who were visiting the Tavern. Despite his initial hatred of the Tavern and its ilk, Illianaro found that his time there was an increasingly welcome distraction from his dissatisfaction with his life. Despite his building relationship with the group, he was able to resist the temptation to begin a life of piracy and smuggling, always drawing a line there.

Illianaro's life changed irrevocably the night he returned to Gridania to see the lancers' barracks burning. An impossibly powerful man in hulking, shining armor singlehandedly razed the city with a combination of potent magic and wild swings of a greatsword. Illianaro, along with many others, attempted in vain to fight off the beast, learning later that he was someone who had been able to "harness the power of a primal." When Illianaro was about to die at the armored warrior's hand, Lachlan stepped in and engaged the enemy in a fiery duel. The warrior toyed with the young lancer, pretending to be fighting on equal footing before suddenly overpowering him and gravely wounding Lachlan. Illianaro was forced to retreat from the scene, watching as the armored warrior took Lachlan's body and disappeared into the flames.

A week after the skirmish in Gridania, Tyrun and Ayla hosted their engagement celebration. Illianaro stayed long enough so as not to be anti-social, but soon left the party to return to his inn room. Ayla tried to convince him to come back out, but he told her that he was tired and would see her in the morning. After she left, Illianaro stood on the railing of his balcony and contemplated life and death. Deciding that his life was no longer worth the pain he felt all the time, he attempted to step off of the balcony; he was stopped by a fainting episode.

The following morning, Illianaro was greeted at his window by one of the smugglers, Denny Jirho, who had struck up a good friendship with him during the Tavern visits. Denny informed him that the Tavern had been burned down, and that he did not know how many survivors there were, if any. After telling him that he was going to reunite with his crew, he also reminded Illianaro that Lachlan was most likely not dead, as he had been taken away from the scene, and that smugglers don't just use their intricate networks to transport goods, but information as well. To prove this, Denny then told Illianaro - a free piece of information - that the armored warrior was part of a group called the Order of the Broken Bough. After this conversation, Illianaro accepted Denny's offer to help with a job and began using the smugglers' network to gain information on the armored warrior and Lachlan.

That day, Illianaro decided that he had truly died the night he attempted his suicide, and would now be reborn as Ilyas Novak, Hunter for Hire. Five years has passed since then.

A Realm Reborn (Present, Age 25)

Ilyas Novak appears in Ul'Dah, accompanied by a tiny ahriman the size of his head, having just worked a job. His hair is long and he is sporting a jagged scar on the left side of his face. This is his first appearance since he vanished during "The Lost Years." His demeanor has changed; he is calmer, less outspoken then he was previously, with a more mild and outwardly pleasant attitude. A bit more go-with-the-flow, an altercation with an angry client quickly reveals that he has a hidden dark side, and much less of a struggle with resorting to violence to end situations quickly. Ilyas' story begins as the events with the morbol on Red Rooster Stead come back to the forefront, and he begins to discover those responsible for what happened.