Romarique Xavalien

Romarique Xavalien
Gender	Male
Race	Elezen
Clan	Wildwood
Citizenship	Limsa Lominsa
Sexuality	Gay
Age	18
Height	6'4.4"
Weight	Thin (144lb)
Profession	"Prodigy Sorcerer"
Patron Deity	Althyk, The Keeper

Appearance

Romarique is very petite for typical Elezen (6'4.'4) with short styled ebony hair, light brown eyes plagued by shadows from lack of sleep, and black ear clasps. He's often seen blushing for no apparent reason aside from the fact he's perpetually embarrassed. His build is spindly from lack of proper nutrition and heredity, as no one in his family had ever been muscularly built. The sound of his voice is typically soft and can be difficult to hear in area's with many people. His speech is usually filled with the occasional stuttering but keeps his mannerisms polite.

History

Romarique was born and raised in Gridania to parents who had an incredible affinity with magic’s. As an only child he was taught to read and write at a very early age and was to be their prodigy son. The moment he was able to walk and for the most part, hold a wand, his parents wasted no time in teaching him the ways of magic. Unlike most children who grew up with friends, Romarique was completely isolated from those his own age. The only people in his life were his parents and the many tutors who came from far reaches of Eorzea to teach him their expansive knowledge.

The concept of having fun was completely torn from his vocabulary. He only had the time to study or to be relentlessly practicing spells. Rarely did he smile, and never laughed in fear of being scolded for not taking his lessons seriously. The strict lifestyle he was forced to have often left him emotionally drained, vulnerable to bouts of tears, and episodes of anxiety attacks in the late night when he was finally alone.

He was scared of disappointing his parents, of letting them down when it was obvious they bragged about him to other families with children not as adept. Romarique couldn’t even imagine the thought of speaking out against what his parents wanted for him. He was the child who always did as he was told and only spoke when spoken to. Even though he was never physically punished, verbally scolded felt just as awful. With how many times he was screamed at and a finger pointed in his face, it left him with a lasting flinch whenever someone raised their voice.

Every time he cried when they yelled only made them more furious, so he did his best to break down when no one was around. From this kind of treatment for many years, he developed severe anxiety.

By the age of 11 he was skilled, if not more so than his parents in the arts of magic. The teachings didn’t become any less however, in fact he was given more in etiquette and exotic languages.

He hated the idea of using his spells in order to cause harm to other’s, and so in the rare times where he wasn’t in lessons or trying to sleep he would go out on his own into the Shroud. He used his abilities in order to help the wildlife. Even if an aggressive creature tried to attack he would run until it no longer pursued. Only in absolute desperation would he cast destructive spells, and they were never used to kill but to cause only minor injury. Violence terrified him, meaning to run away was always his preferred option.

At 16 he was forced to frequent gatherings and parties for the higher classes of nobility around Eorzea. He visited Ul’Dah and Limsa what felt like every other week. His parents and many other Elezen he didn’t know but clearly knew him, put his achievements in high regard when their race came into question. He usually remained silent and forced a smile on his face whenever making eye contact with someone. Never did he question the way they treated him like some kind of trophy. He only did as he was told and for some reason people respected him.

He began to notice the way older people looked at him. They watched him with some kind of wanting expression on their faces. He was told often how youthful and cute his face was, but he had always considered his appearance to be average. Women he didn’t know treated him like a son, and most men seemed to sneer in jealousy or want him in a completely different way. He didn’t like being flirted, it made him anxious and he typically dismissed all of their comments while still being polite.

All of the attention he received on a daily basis made him uneasy and uncomfortable. Being stared at only provoked his anxiety, and he was too shy and considerate to ask them to stop. It was around this time a small group of Elezen nobility around their 20′s approached and “adopted” him to their circle of friends. He didn’t like any of them, and usually kept his head down without saying a word when they forced him to hang out with them. Apparently it had something to do with his rise in popularity that made him be noticed by them, and they were willing to do anything for the attention they got.

They were inconsiderate, racist against anyone who wasn’t Wildwood, and Xenophobic. Often did he have to listen to them insult other races and laugh at crude jokes they made about them. Romarique was too threatened by their dominating presence over him to speak out against it. His parents were completely approving of this group, saying it was good exposure for him to be seen with them and to do whatever they asked. He obeyed without question.

It got to a point where one of the male Elezen in the group guilt him into a relationship where their age gap was seven years and Romarique wasn’t an adult yet. No one judged it or spoke of it, or at least not in public. All he seemed to want was the privilege to say they were together and often kissed him even though it felt like the most awful thing in the world. This was what everyone wanted for him, he just wanted to please the people in his life so that he could feel like he was worth something.

After two years of going through this, when he was finally 18 he left. Without a word and in the dead of night. He couldn’t take the life that was forced upon him anymore. He was tired of crying and being objectified every single day. He didn’t want to live like this anymore, for once he wanted to do something on his own without anyone to control him. He knew that if he stayed, nothing would get better. Romarique didn't have the courage to confront anyone about how he felt. If he tried, he knew his parents would talk him out of it or they would make him feel guilty for even considering it.

He spent many weeks on the road and through the wilds of the Black Shroud, mooching from the kindness of strangers and sleeping anywhere there was a decent roof. This kind of lifestyle was so drastically different than what he had been used to, it was difficult to mentally adjust. He made sure no one could recognize him by changing his style of clothing and cutting his hair, something his parents would be furious to know. Yet, it made him feel alive for once. That he could make his own decisions. They finally could no longer tell him how to live. He was free to be his own person, to live how he chose to and decide on what he felt was right.

When reaching Ul’Dah, it became known to him that his parents considered him kidnapped and dead. From the rumors, apparently they hadn’t even tried to find him or were saddened by his absence. They used it only to gain more foothold and sympathy from the rich. This news made him burst into tears in the middle of a busy street within Ul’Dah. He didn’t care who saw, but he ran to the most deserted ally he could find and sobbed. Days begin to feel like weeks, the poor definitely weren't welcome in the desert city-state. He no longer had anything to his name, and thus had to start small.

Most of his work was with the ill, as he provided much free healing to those in need and with no Gil to their name. He always refused payment even though he desperately needed it. Most of the time he'd end up walking away with family heirlooms or food from those who wouldn't let him leave without taking something. This was how he got by for some time even though it wasn't his ideal living situation, it was better than the alternative. He traveled all of Eorzea by foot or boat, helping those in need of his magical abilities.

On a trip to Vesper bay he met a pirate Elezen with the nickname "Auri". He was tall with bronze skin and cold yellow eyes that had seen more violence and horrors than he could even imagine. He wore various clothing items that all hung loose on his lanky frame, most of the colors were made up of red and black with a frequent of golden jewelry all over his person. Auri had a crew made up of brutish Roegadyn woman, though none of them gave him any trouble or strange looks. What he would never forget was what the pirate Elezen had told him, that he should "spend more time fixing his ill heart instead of tending to other's."

This information had scared him, that it was so easy to see the weights of the past that tied him down. It frightened him so much that he took Auri's offer to leave land for what felt like years but was only a month or so. He hadn't even thought to consider what he was walking into or how awful the situation could have turned out if the pirate wasn't as compassionate as he led on to be. Though for once he trusted his gut, and it became an experience that he had sorely lacked while growing up. He made friends, learned how to not feel so horribly anxious, and for the first time in his life he felt wanted.

Personality

Romarique is incredibly timid. He won't approach other's unless he absolutely has no other choice. Even when someone does, it doesn't necessarily mean he will reciprocate but will act politely without making it obvious how nervous he is. He's gotten better in terms of shyness, but it's mostly something that he's accepted as apart of who he is. He will never yell or speak above an average tone of voice, as anything louder than that will frighten him. Typically those who want to speak to him need to approach in a calm and inviting manner or he may become extremely overwhelmed. If this happens he will panic and either start crying or excuse himself in order to escape the situation. He's sensitive to how people treat him, and doesn't do well with aggressive or those with angry personalities but will always give everyone a chance. Physical violence scares him, so he does his best to avoid it at all costs.

Romarique usually feels some form of awkwardness/embarrassment from a day to day basis as he feels out of place with the world and he isn't sure where he belongs. He always does his best to help those in need, but he easily will overlook himself and let his feeling build inside his head before letting them out when no one is around. He's bad at basically every kind of relationship and needs those who will have the patience to help him develop better social skills. He doesn't like when people make decisions for him or try to tell him how to think/feel over a certain situation. He doesn't get angry but goes into this sort of this sulky frustrated pout that may last for a few minutes to hours depending on what transpired. Listening to other's talk is one of his favorite things to do, as he likes to learn about the experiences and stories the people he meets have had.

Characteristics

Likes

• Waking up early to watch the sunrise. He considers watching the day begin as good luck so he attempts to do it as much as possible.
• Listening, because he feels like everyone should be heard no matter what they want to say.
• Astrologian healing, and just healing in general.
• Anything with a soft exterior like stuffed toys, kittens, dogs, moogle's, dust bunnies.
• Clothes, all different varieties. He especially likes anything with long sleeves.
• Incredibly sour/spicy food.
• Being on his own for long periods of time. He isn't very social and would prefer not to be around large groups of people he doesn't know.
• Books/studying, mostly reading up on Aether or continuing to expand his knowledge of magical properties.
• Gold/blue eyes.
• Hugs are always good.
• Smiling, and people who smile at him.

Dislikes

• Violence. He only fights when necessary or if running isn't an option.
• Loud voices/yelling scares him and he is easily startled.
• Being stared at by people he doesn't know, it makes him paranoid.
• Talking about his childhood. He doesn't like to bring it up around those he doesn't know very well. It's a touchy subject.
• Weapons that include some kind of blade.
• People who are too serious/don't enjoy laughing or having fun.

Strengths

• Magically versed: Since his childhood had been spent learning about the Disciplines of Magic, there is little that doesn't come to him naturally. He is especially in tune with Thaumaturgy and Astrologian. He took a liking to healing magic and become incredibly proficient. Becoming a Thaumaturge had been a lot harder of a task, it's still something that he fears to use and is only so adept from how much it was ingrained into his mind.

• Compassionate: He cares much for the people around him; it's definitely not easy to get him to hate anyone. He doesn't like to judge based on words, but actions. If someone needs it, he will always offer his shoulder to cry on or a ear to listen.

• Polite: Even if someone isn't necessarily respectful back, he will hold his tongue. He always makes sure to properly greet anyone new he meets and treat them with consideration. Much of his civilized behavior comes from lessons on etiquette and manners as a child.

• Gentle: He will always exercise caution in regards to his actions and will often be extremely careful. As well as speaking in a typically gentle fashion, the way he carries himself is accommodating to the situation he is in.

• Loyal: The word "betrayal" doesn't even exist in his vocabulary. He couldn't imagine ever purposely hurting someone he cares about, it's even something he's afraid of doing on accident. Trust is something he holds highly and would never do anything to break it.

• Disciplined: He is eager to learn and will stay focused on whatever kind of task he is given. Distractions usually don't happen unless his mind is in another place, but he always gives his best to whatever it is he tries. From his childhood he has a slight fear of failure, he will keep trying even if it's something impossible for him to accomplish.

• Educated: There are definitely things he doesn't know and doesn't understand, but it wont stop him from trying to learn. He likes to experience learning on the spot rather then listening to someone lecturing about it. Despite what he doesn't know, there is still a lot of knowledge he does have when it comes to Aether and the Disciplines of Magic.

Weaknesses

• Withdrawn: It's not uncommon to be unable to find him if looking. He will occasionally disappear almost as if no one had actually seen him in the first place. If something is worrying him or he's stressed out, typically he will isolate or escape from whatever is going on. He needs the time alone, and hearing people talk can sometimes make it worse.

• Cowardly: If there's fighting to be done or something even mildly frightening to see, he will be going quickly in the other direction. He much rather hide or runaway rather then face his fears. The idea of fighting makes him feel ill.

• Physically unskilled: The one time he tried to pick up a sword he nearly cut his fingers and injured anyone who was unfortunate to be too close. He physically wasn't meant to handle weapons and is much to clumsy to ever learn how. It's probably best for everyone if he just sticks with magic.

• Gullible: Romarique puts a bit too much faith in most people he meets, always wanting to believe they are good and typically believes anything they tell him. His natural good nature keeps him from thinking that no one is inherently bad.

• Insecure: There are times when he will think his skills in magic could be better, that he isn't good enough. He will fret over his appearance on occasion, especially if anyone comments on it or stares at him. He has a lot of internalized thoughts of himself from his childhood and sometimes compares himself to others. Usually this side of him isn't seen often since he doesn't ever voice his feelings.

• Anxious: It may be obvious when he feels anxious, but if someone asks him about it he will always say he's fine and typically excuse himself. If he's feeling overly anxious he wont associate with other's and will isolate until the feelings go away or he has to force them away.

• Touchy: He can be peculiarly picky about certain things, especially any kind of collectibles that he owns or personal items. Sometimes he needs things to be done a certain way for him to be happy with the outcome.