Rosalinde Thorne

Please note: Information on this page is for OOC reference / informational purposes only. Last updated - June 24 2016

Rosalinde Martel ( née Thorne )
Life is too short to be an ass all the time. So stop.
Gender	Female
Race	Hyur
Clan	Highlander
Citizenship	Ala Mhigo
Religion	Rhalgr, The Destroyer; Devout
Nameday	18th Sun, Sixth Astral Moon
Age	30
Height and Weight	6 fulms, 0 ilms; 178 ponze
Occupation	Mercenary / Bodyguard / Adventurer
Server	Balmung

Rosalinde Martel is, by most accounts, an average Highlander female - complete with the short temper and fighting spirit that seems to be typical of Ala Mhigans. She is generally warm and nice enough to strangers, if a bit prone to sharp-tongued teasing.

Character

General

• Given name: Rosalinde Thorne - Her name was chosen by her mother, and if there were a family or deeper meaning for the name to be chosen, it rests in the grave with her. Her surname brings with it a legacy of stubbornness, fondness for drink, and a short temper - a legacy that Rosa seems to be proud to carry on.
• Nicknames and Aliases: Rosa - This is the name that she prefers to go by in all interactions with others, even if they don't know her well. With a few notable exceptions, calling her Rosalinde will likely be met with hostility, or at least a very flat stare.

Rose - The distinction of one single letter between Rosa and Rose holds a lot of meaning for her, even though it may seem insignificant to others. She will become distrustful of anyone outside of her family or someone she cares greatly for calling her by that name.

Thorne - Most of her professional contacts refer to her by her surname, not only for that fact, but for the running joke among her circle of fellow sell-swords that 'mishandle [her] and she'll make you bleed.'

• Current Residence - Gridania
• Grand Company Affiliation - The Maelstrom
• Marital Status - Married to Oskan Martel
• Sexual Orientation - Pansexual

Appearance

• Physique - Standing at an even six fulms tall, there are few that can boast they are taller than she - at least among her own kin. She is muscular but not overly so, most of the definition visible in her arms and legs. There are bits of softness to her - hands that are delicate and slender, though calloused from various parts of her life taking their toll, an ample bosom, wide hips, and legs for days. Most of her 178 ponze is muscle mass, but she's got enough body fat to keep her form more smooth than chiseled.
• Face - There is a sort of softness to her face, some gentleness that seems at odds with her reputation. There are no visible scars on her face, but there is a red tattoo under her left eye, drawn in a design traditional to Highlanders. Framed by thick lashes, her eyes are a deep emerald green and are rather expressive, even when she doesn't want them to be. Her lips and nose are fairly average, nothing really of note about them.
• Complexion - Her skin is actually pale for someone who grew up in the desert, and while she was prone to getting sunburned when she was younger, now she seems to just lightly tan more often than not. While having a fair amount of smaller marks from blades and puncture wounds from arrows and bullets, she has three larger scars of note - the first, horizontal over her right hip, a smooth cut. The second is another smooth cut, this one vertically between her breasts. The last is a much more jagged and long, stretching from her right shoulder down to her left hip, knotting and mangling the affected skin and distorting the tattoo on her back. A long violet tattoo of a levinbolt stretched from the base of her neck following her spine down to the small of her back, branches of lightning curling around her hips and chest so that the violet pigment was just barely visible from the front.
• Hair - Naturally bright red wavy locks spill down her shoulders if left untied, though that isn't a common sight. More often than not her hair was tied into a tight ponytail, though despite her best attempts some of the strands would pull free. Her hair is actually quite soft and smooth - likely a result of alchemical aid. Touching her hair is likely to be met with hostility, unless she's close to the person doing the touching.

Behavior

• General - More often than not Rosa can be spotted silently observing whatever is going on around her, though she generally looks approachable. She is someone who prefers to fully understand a situation before she throws herself into it. If she is with someone she's familiar with, she would be less quiet, though still remaining outside the situation until she has a grasp of it as much as possible. She is also prone to being an enabler - not that she wants to see someone destroy themselves, but that she is a very firm believer in the right and responsibility of the individual to make and learn from their own mistakes. She is still a protector, however, and will step in if anyone's mistake-making puts them in serious danger.
• Voice - Seeming to want to spit in the face of the stereotype for brawlers, in most situations Rosa speaks with a quiet, smooth voice that seems to be about mid-range. If anyone were to catch her singing, she sits very solidly in the mezzo soprano range. She does not have any accent to her voice, unless she's doing it intentionally or she is very, very upset.
• Demeanor - Rosa's attitude and behavior towards others depends heavily on where and how she's approached, though as she's getting to know someone it's clear she's very guarded. She doesn't speak much and gives very little away with her facial expressions except perhaps mild curiosity from time to time. As she warms up to someone, they will see more of the personality that she keeps hidden from most, eventually warming into a woman with a bright smile and a rather broad sense of humor. She also gets more talkative the more she's familiar with someone. She is very rarely hostile with someone on the outset, with the singular exception of Garleans.
• Intelligence - Despite having almost nothing in the form of what might be considered formal schooling, one of Rosa's addictions would be to learning. Lack of an actual education doesn't seem to hold her back, and she learned to read and write as a child - one thing her father insisted on, no matter what - and do basic things with numbers. Despite her many blows to the head, she's still sharp as a dagger and is good with things such as riddles. She's somewhat shy about her mind for some reason, preferring to allow others to make assumptions based on her upbringing and lifestyle. She does best with tactile learning.

Combat

Offense

• Melee - Rosa's most effective method of combat is good ol' fashioned socking people in the face. Though she would never call or consider herself a Fist of Rhalgr, some of her training as a child came from surviving members of the order and with their help she has opened five chakra points to date. She's quick - though no match for the speed of a Miqo'te - and her blows are quite harsh. She is, generally speaking, a clean fighter and will only resort to more 'dirty' tactics if she has absolutely no other out.
• Firearms - She's been trained on the use of firearms, though she does not like this particular style of combat. Her gun is usually used to intimidate someone about to make a poor life choice rather than firing, and more than once she's used the gun as a club as opposed to actually using it properly. That said, she's not afraid to shoot someone or something if the situation requires it.
• Magic - Generally speaking, any attempt of Rosa's to learn the arts of of a thaumaturge or an arcanist dies on her tongue. The only ability she has in offensive magics is the use of astromancy and very novice level offensive conjury.

Defense

• Physical - Though she possesses absolutely no skill in defense, Rosa is generally quick to throw herself into a fight to protect someone she perceives as needing her help. Her defensive strategy is to just bullrush in and let Rhalgr take the reins, using a relentless assault as her means to protect herself from retaliation.
• Magical - Having some small knowledge of conjury, Rosa has a small array of protective spells that she can cast on either herself or others. Very simple things, nothing too glorious or fancy. More often than not she takes the physical 'defensive' stance, completely forgetting about her defensive spells.

Support

• Magic - It might seem strange to some that someone with such a predilection for physical violence could be any sort of healer, but Rosa has taken to her aetherical healing lessons like a fish takes to the sea. Her stronger abilities lie in Sharlayan Astromancy, though her conjury is nothing exactly to sneeze at. More often than not, in recent weeks and months, she has been presenting herself as a healer as opposed to a brawler.
• Other - Coming hand in hand with her aetherical healing training came basic medical knowledge, making Rosa some sort of half-baked field medic. She lacks a bedside manner, though, unless she's fond of the person requiring her assistance.

Tendencies

Likes

• Spicy food
• Small animals
• Fireworks
• Cello music
• Strong alcohol
• Sparring
• Friendly competition
• Chocobo racing

Dislikes

• Snow
• Ishgard in general because REALLY
• Bullies
• People who mistreat animals
• Manipulators
• The desert
• Dishonesty in general
• Olives

Hobbies/Talents

• Can play the harp at a moderate and increasing skill level
• Pretty decent cook
• Sings fairly well, though she doesn't let anyone save her bird friends hear her intentionally
• Knows enough about leatherworking to temporarily patch her own gear if she absolutely has to.

Strengths

• Loyalty
• Physical Strength
• Compassion
• Strong moral code
• Sense of humor

Weaknesses

• Reckless
• Impulsive
• Stubborn
• Ribs that seem to get broken all the godsdamned time
• Optimistic to the point where it can distort her world view
• Addiction to dreamless sleep potions and minor addiction to adrenaline, driven by her recklessness

Other

• Alignment - Chaotic Good
• Greatest fear - Rejection
• Favorite Food - Shepard's Pie
• Favorite Drink - Cactus Piss [alcoholic]; Orange Juice [non-alchoholic]

Relationships

Indicators for other PCs - ♥ Romantic Interest     ♥ Sexual Interest    ♥ Platonic Love     ● Good Standing     ● Neutral Standing     ● Poor Standing

Please keep in mind these are IC opinions only and has no bearing on how the player perceives the characters or players of other characters.

Family

• Baynard Thorne - Father. Status - Alive | Baynard was once an engineer of some skill, until the fall of Ala Mhigo stripped him of his home, his business, and his wife. Deciding that the rough environs of the desert camp of Little Ala Mhigo would be a better place to raise his daughter than 'living off of scraps in Ul'dah', Baynard tried to push past the grief over the loss of his wife and do what he could to keep Rosa out of too much trouble. To this day the old man tries to pull Rosa back from the path she's chosen for herself, trying to persuade her to take up a life that is, if nothing else, slightly less fraught with danger.
• Evelyn Thorne - Mother. Status - Deceased | The death of Evelyn was one of the most defining moments in Rosa's life, despite occurring over 20 cycles ago. Evelyn was a Fist of Rhalgr, but after her daughter was born she elected to walk the road of mother instead of monk. Rosa adored her kind, gentle mother and her death during the fall of Ala Mhigo is the reason that Rosa is so violently hateful against Garleans.
• ●Aliannera Thornblade - Half-sister. Status - Alive | Finding out only recently about the fact that she has a sister at all was somewhat of a shock to Rosa's system, and initially a source of anger against her father, who sired Ali a number of years before he met Elysande. She has since accepted her unexpected familial relation with the other woman with an open mind and heart - seeing a good number of similarities between herself, Ali, and their shared father.

Friends

• ♥♥●Oskan Martel - Though Rosa never intended to get herself attached to anyone, and in fact it was something she sought to avoid, her attraction to the violet-haired Midlander was a force that she was unprepared and even perhaps unwilling to fight. Time has only served to solidify her attachment to him and while she is partially aware of just how deep her feelings go, she has yet to put words or voice to them. Oskan is the only person she would willingly follow into any and all of the seven Hells.
• ●Kudros Crendraven - Though hints of Rosa's platonic attachment to the boy remain - insofar as being the only thing that's kept her from actively trying to kill him - events have lead her to treat the young man with a far greater degree of detachment than she'd done previously. His constant brushing her off when she was hired to keep him safe has done more damage to their relationship than could see it repaired; the constant rejection finally severing whatever strong emotional attachment she still had for him.
• ♥●Mistalv Arroway - One of the few people that Rosa allows to call her Rosalinde, the Priestess of Rhalgr has nothing more than Rosa's deepest respect and admiration. She's also attracted to the other woman, but as Mistalv a Priestess for her god, it's very highly unlikely she'll ever act on it. Instead she focuses on learning what she can from the other woman, contenting herself in the Priestess' level-headed companionship when she can.
• ●Kael Stormedge - Though Rosa now knows his name, she's more apt to call him 'Pass' than Kael - when she first met him, he identified himself only as a passerby, hence the nickname. Though she's often confused by the chaos that seems to surround him, she's more than willing to provide emotional and medical support, as well as filling in the role of drinking buddy when need be. She cares about Kael but feels no particularly strong attachment to him, and there's also something about him that she doesn't exactly trust.

Enemies

• Garleans. Every Garlean ever. All of them. Even those that claim to have defected, unless they somehow satisfactorily prove that claim.

Feathered Companions

• Percival - The first of Rosa's fine feathered friends, Percival is an average-sized chocobo with morbol green feathers. As well as acting the part of mount for Rosa's travelling, Percival is trained in combat and he seems to have no qualms with stomping on people or things that threaten his mistress. He's got a very willful personality but has long since been won over by Rosa, who tends to conversate with him frequently while she rides him...as though she expects him to reply. Percy does, in his own way. Kweh!
• Alice - A somewhat more recent addition to Rosa's life, Alice is a proud griffin that serves as the Highlander's means of air transport. The griffin, who seems to possess a kind heart instead of a proud one, was easily tamed and trained to take a rider - or at least one that employs positive reinforcement. Though possessing the same strength as any other adult griffin, Alice only uses it when hunting for food. Unlike Percival, who - despite his feather color - is a more common sight around Eorzea, Alice lives free in the Sea of Clouds, waiting to hear her rider's whistle.
• Archimedes - Rosa found the tiny owlet while walking through the Black Shroud, fallen out of his nest with a broken wing. She took the tiny creature home and nursed him back to health, and the owlet now seems to think Rosa is his very odd, flightless mother. He can often be found perched on her shoulder.

Rumors

Some of these are completely false or greatly exaggerated, believe at your own risk!

Easily Overheard

• "Pretty face on that one. Don't let her catch you staring, though, 'lest you're looking to get socked in the mouth."
• "She talks to her chocobo like she expects him to talk back."
• "Thorne? Hah. Good for above board jobs, good enough, but don't try to get her to do anything shady."

Somewhat Rarely Overheard

• "She was a pretty sweet kid. But I've heard she's done some awful things as an adult!"
• "Pfah. That red-haired siren ain' worth trying to get drunk."
• "Too dangerous to deal with, that one."

Extremely Rarely Overheard

• "I've never seen her let anyone get close. Think she's afraid of it."
• "Girl used to scream in her sleep like her soul was being sucked out by voidsent."
• "She's always visiting shady alchemists. Wonder why."

PC Rumors

Feel free to add rumors, if you'd like!

History

Rosalinde came screaming into the realm in the early morning hours of the eighteenth day of the six astral moon, 1551 SAE. Her parents were Baynard Thorne - an engineer with a curious interest in Garlean Magitek - and his wife Evelyn, Fist of Rhalgr. She would be the only child borne to them.

Her early childhood was nothing remarkable - her mother gave up her place among the Fist of Rhalgr to raise her child and her father's engineering work left the family with more than enough money to get by. They weren't wealthy by any means, but Rosa did not want for much. She adored both her parents, showing early her deep capacity for loving others, and received their adoration in return.

When the Garleans came to lay claim to the self-shattered city-state, Evelyn refused to accept their control. Her refusal would end up being the death of her and worse, slain in her home by a group of soldiers while Rosa hid in a closet. If the Garleans had not been otherwise called away and had searched the home, likely her story would have a much different end.

Hours later Baynard returned to the home, finding Rosa curled up next to the still and cold figure of her mother. He initially feared the worst - Rosa was covered in her mother's blood - but upon finding his daughter alive, took her from the house and snuck out of the city. Rosa herself was catatonic for days, and even after her wits recovered, it was clear that the happy, carefree child was deeply hidden in layers of grief and would never quite see the light of day again.

Character Hooks

Other player characters may know of / have heard of Rosa in the following situations -

• Ala Mhigan / Lived or worked in Little Ala Mhigo
• Alchemists who don't ask questions
• Conjurers, especially those that deal with new members of the guild
• Those who deal with morally driven sell-swords
• Medical staff that can handle broken ribs

Other Fun Tidbits

• Rosa's personality type can be characterized by Myer's Briggs as ISFP

Annotations

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