Phenalyn Talavaine
| Phenalyn Talavaine | |
 “Why should I stay locked away reading tomes filled with recounts of great occurrences when I could hear the tales straight from the whispers of a mountain breeze through an ancient forest, or the crash of ocean waves against a rocky weathered shore?” | |
| Gender | Female |
| Race | Elezen |
| Clan | Duskwight |
| Citizenship | Formerly Ishgardian |
| Age | Early to Mid Twenties |
Physical Appearance and First Impressions
Phenalyn possesses dark, rust colored hair, inquisitive aqua eyes and pale porcelain skin from years of living within the dark caverns of her family’s home in Ishgard. Sporting gentle curves, it is clear that Phen has no training in the more physical forms of combat. Years of lessons in manners and etiquette are written in the way she walks, talks, and carries herself, hinting at either a noble birthright or intense schooling.
History
An only child, Phenalyn was born into a family of scholars and was raised with the expectation that she follow in the footsteps of her elders. For many years Phen remained studious and obedient to her family’s desires, forgoing many childhood activities in favor of focusing on her lessons. As the years went on and she grew older, the lack of interaction with anyone outside her family turned her into a shy reclusive girl, leading her to seek out the company of books and her imagination almost exclusively.
Phen developed a knack for magic as she reached her young adult years and expanded her learning, hungrily devouring any knowledge she could find. While she performed admirably in the arcane and black magic fields, Phen excelled at healing and elemental manipulation the most. She would spend long hours working with the flow of natural magic, getting lost in the comfort that came with practice.
Phen’s grasp on magic only grew stronger, which came as a blessing and a curse to her family. Having a well-practiced caster within their small house blessed them with quite a bit of prestige among the other families in their community. However, Phen continued to recede from them as her work led her closer to the whispers of the elementals. Such relations with said spirits led to a fracture in Phen’s unwavering faith in her family’s teachings when the whispers from the aether told her of the other realms, of the great wars, of the honor and bravery of the other races during the events of the Calamity. This confliction with her family's ill preaching of the other peoples of Eorzea sprouted a seed of doubt in her, one that could not simply be dispelled with a harsh word from her parents.
Her doubt soon turned to defiance. Her family, desperate to control their changing daughter, sought to make a deal. They would send her to live with a family friend in Gridania where she would study under the masters there for a season. In return, she would come home and take her place as the next in line for their household as she had been made to be. Phen accepted the deal in her own act of desperation, having limited options of her own.
Phen’s brief time in Gridania was a time of eye-opening wonder and rebirth. While she learned very little that she had not already known about magic, it was the mere experience of another society that shook her to her very core. As the season came to a close, Phen began her slow journey back home despite every part of her telling her to stay. She had seen only a glimpse of what the world had to offer. To go back home now seemed like a waste.
Nearly halfway into her journey back to Ishgard, Phenalyn could no longer handle the thought of leaving the rest of Eorzea behind. She wrote a letter to her family advising she would not return as agreed and sent it off in her place.
Currently Phen has taken it on herself to explore Eorzea, to experience everything that the world has to offer. She is notably polite but inexperienced in the ways of city life and the other races. While this can often lead to trouble for Phen, it also gives her an interesting point of view as an observer.
Phen can often be found roaming the streets of the larger cities with her journal in hand, making notes and sketches of her surroundings. When not within the city walls, she can also be found wandering the wilderness for ancient places where she might commune with the elementals to hear the tales of land.
Relations
Felix Cyprus- Phenalyn met Felix only a few months after arriving in Ul'dah after finding the nerve to leave Gridania to further her adventures in Eorzea. Despite his rough and worn mask, Felix was paramount in Phenalyn's growth as an independent individual, offering to teach her simple skills to help her better live on her own. Phen offered her own talents as a healer to the Duskwight mercenary, and their relationship grew stronger and more intimate.
Felix and Phen are currently betrothed.
Other Notes
None at this time.
