Kissa Kotele

Kissa Kotele
[[Image: |250px]]
"I prefer treasures with value I can measure."
Race	Miqo'te
Clan	Seeker of the Sun
Citizenship	Ul'dah
Profession	Trader Extraordinaire
Patron Deity	Oschon, the Wanderer
Server	Balmung

"A fool and his gil are soon parted, and lemme tell ya, I make sure of it."

History

Born and raised as part of a traveling merchant caravan, Kissa's early life was filled with pragmatic and cynical lessons from her mother (a Keeper) who was a masterful artisan and con artist. Her father was out of her life long before she could form memories of him though she assumed he had to have been a fellow member of the caravan at some point. Learning quickly the skills necessary to sell even the most useless of junk, she amassed a small fortune to herself well before most other children finished school. Eventually her mother got weary of their wandering lifestyle and settled down in Gridania. Kissa grew bored of the relative peace and quiet that drew her mom to live there, so after very little deliberation she left to strike out on her own and add to her collection of rare trinkets and treasures.

But life on her own out in the wilds proved much more difficult than the young saleswoman bargained for. To survive she had to pick up the tools of the thief, preying on merchants similar to those she grew up with. While she was fairly ruthless in her choice of targets, she stuck to her own rule of never killing. If a mark proved too dangerous, she would rather pass it up than risk bloodshed on either side. Her reputation as a bandit slowly grew until she found herself at odds with the local militia outside of Ul'dah. Deciding that becoming a somewhat legitimate businesswoman would suit her better than being the usual type of criminal, she moved into Ul'dah and opened up a small curio stand.

After a year, despite her skills and the quality of her wares, she found herself steadily losing the money she had earned and stolen. This combined with the shouts and whispers of doomsayers in regards to Dalamud influenced her into seeking employment with the Immortal Flames. At first the Company was reluctant to add a slightly infamous thief to their ranks but the recruiter recognized that ambition and drive are what their soldiers needed. And as a citizen of Ul'dah, what better motivation than the hunger for riches and fame? So Kissa found herself enlisted in the reformed Grand Company with the proviso that she abandon her life of crime and instead put her abilities to work for the good of the nation. Still preferring a solitary life of freedom, she often chafes at the orders she's given but still completes her tasks in her own fashion.

After the Battle of Cartaneau, in the aftermath of Bahamut's rampage, Kissa was part of the weary retreating band of Immortal Flames soldiers making their way back home. In the ensuing years, she did her best to rebuild her life. Joining the goldsmith's guild, she honed her gem hunting abilities (even dabbling in mining), and slowly began forming enough gil to live relatively comfortably. More recently she has begun branching out her business contacts to Gridania and even Kugane in a bid to amass more gil for taking care of certain people in her life, though to most it simply appears she's out to get herself enough wealth to fill the Goblet's pools.

Appearance

Not too tall and not too short, she strikes a good balance between fragility and a wiry kind of strength. Years of outdoor living and the occasional mining stint has given her a lean, toned body but she still does her best to maintain the curves where she wants them (though she often feels outmatched around many of her peers in terms of bust size).

Her hair often obscures her vision, leading to repeated cases of her needing to blow the hair away from her eyes. She tends to wear a nearly perpetual smirk, always looking like she's appraising people like she would an item from a shop.

Personality

A loner who prefers the company of books and shiny jewelry and rare weaponry. Often quiet for the most part, letting out cynical snarky comments when she deems the time appropriate. She exudes an air of slight hostility, often putting others on edge as they feel she's sizing them up. Which of course she is. A natural saleswoman, she can change her outward personality in seconds, being whatever it is she needs to be to make a profitable trade -- be it worried, naive, angry, defeated, even flirtatious.

Has a difficulty making friends but those that she has made swear that she is one of the most loyal and sacrificing souls out there. Probably due to her upbringing in a traveling bazaar, she really does desire friendship and physical closeness despite her standoffish demeanor.

Known Affiliations and Associations

• Immortal Flames, Second Flame Lieutenant (officially on temporary leave)
• Kotele's Curio Shop (owner)
• Goldsmith's Guild
• Rogue's Guild
• Particular merchants in Kugane

• Talvi Noita

Personal

• Age: 31
  • Nameday: 7th Sun of the 1st Astral Moon
• Gender: Female
  • Sexuality: Bisexual
  • Marital Status: Single
• Alignment: Neutral Good
• Height: 5'2"
• Weight: 130 ponze
• Body: Athletic build
• Hair: Earthy brown with cream highlights
• Eyes: Right eye: Dark dull gold, Left eye: Dark red
• Skin: Fair
• Clothing: Prefers function over form in most of her outfits, favoring loose-fitting clothes with lots of pockets. Doesn't mind showing off but never goes overboard.

Likes

• Gil
• Warm days
• Haggling with sharp customers
• Books

Dislikes

• Losing gil
• Losing an argument
• Losing a customer
• Losing in general

Areas of Expertise

• Martial: Pugilism and knife-fighting
• Crafting: Proficient in all crafting forms but prefers goldsmithing
• Other: Bartering. A longtime member of the Miner's Guild. Surprisingly adept at home decor.

Strengths

• Sharp wit
• Quick reaction to changing circumstances in battle and in casual life
• No-nonsense demeanor
• Is able to read people fairly well

Weaknesses

• Headstrong
• Short temper
• Can over focus on things, causing her to forget possibly more important matters
• Despite her martial aptitude, doesn't hit as hard as you'd think

Other Notes

Religion

• Has her own moral compass that she follows strictly. Believes in the Twelve but mainly follows the rule about treating others how you'd like to be treated.

Quirks

• Has an odd predilection for guns and has been known to hang around the Musketeer's Guild.
• Often pickpockets from passerby out of habit but always returns what she's taken. Almost always.

Equipment

• In battle she prefers clothing that doesn't restrict her natural range of motion.

Rumours

The following rumours can be heard about Kissa, predominantly in Ul'dah. (If your character has an opinion about her, feel free to add it here.)

Common rumours

• "She must have some kinda deal with black markets to sell what she does!" -Anonymous Merchant

Uncommon rumours

• "W-what happened to my wallet?!" -Nobody important (he had it coming)

Known Haunts

You might have run into or otherwise know Kissa from:

• The Quicksand
• Hall of Flames
• Lavender Beds
• Old Gridania

OOC Inspirations

Locke Cole, Sly Cooper, Balthier