Altheria Zhandri
"Somewhere in the future, a better world exists. A world where a calamity is nothing but a fantasy, where tyranny is a myth, and where everyone within it gets to show their inner greatness."
"I lack the strength or the skill to create this world, but more so every day, I feel the presence of those who can. "
"They are more powerful than you might think, and they will tear this world from the grasp of evil. This is the dream for which I fight, and the goal for which I live."
"So what do you say? Care to join me and see if, when we all band together, there's any foe that dares to stand in our way?"
BIO
"You wish to know something about me? Not that I doubt you, but I'm just another soldier trying to do the right thing and survive another day."
Name: Altheria Zhandri
Height: 4'10"
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Race: Au Ra Raen
Occupation: Mercenary/Amateur Goldsmith
Sexuality: Straight
Birthplace: Unknown (Assumed - Yanxia)
Residence: Shirogane, 2nd Ward, Plot 27
In-Game Class: Dark Knight
Personality
"Eorzea is a place where tyrants are often given power and the innocent are often put to the sword by their command. It takes a certain kind of monster to cast everything aside and fight against such villains. Luckily for me, I received training from some of the most vile monsters to exist."
Altheria is an tempramental, vengeful individual with a hatred for those that use their inner talents to oppress others. While this side of her is usually kept under the surface, finding a dark knight soul gem has allowed the more vindictive side of her to have more sway over her heart and actions.
She believes that such oppression acts as a plague that can be passed from one individual to another, causing each infected individual to be taught that abusing others is the most effective way to become strong. As the victims become despots themselves, the cycle continues and amplifies, resulting in countless innocent people being caught in the crossfire, abused, and killed. In this frame of thought, the tyrannical leaders must be forcibly removed from the world if it is to recover long-term, even if the pawns of their corruption fight to defend them.
Despite her resentment for the corrupt, she remains reserved in most situations, knowing her own limitations and only striking when she is confident that it is necessary to do so. After all, the sources of evil in this world are numerous (and include herself), and not everyone touched by that corruption spreads it further.
She is aware that her appearance and outwardly shy tendencies often mislead others into thinking that she is not a capable soldier. She is willing to use that misconception to observe how much empathy those around her have toward those who appear to be weak while they believe they aren't being watched. In combat, these same tendencies often catch opponents off-guard, allowing Altheria to use precise strikes to make quick work of physically stronger opponents.
Appearance
"I feel like everyone I meet is surprised to hear I'm a soldier, not that I blame them for it."
Altheria, like most Au Ra women, is somewhat small and thin in stature. She often does not take the physical appearance of a battle-hardened soldier due to her thin frame, even when in armor, instead carrying the appearance of an amateur sell-sword or villager.
Her Irises match her hair's unusual white color, almost blending in with the sclera around it. Her flowing hair, braided in parts, further contrasts with her mercenary lifestyle.
Her outfits are usually unassuming and minimal, as she does not wish to use them to draw attention. Valuing function over form, however, means that her equipment is usually effective for it's given task.
Garlean Records: Altheria Zhandri
<Garlean Archives: Personnel: Enemies of the State: Non-Notable Personnel>
<Entry MMMCDXXXVII of Archive MCCCXVII: Altheria pyr Zhandri>
<Compiling Scribe: Ari Dus Williams, Archivist>
Altheria Aan Zhandri was born in the year 1552 in Othard in an unknown villiage to a member of the Doman resistance, Katou Naokazu, and a farmer, Akita Naokazu.
(Archivist's Note: Katou Naokazu was slain in combat with Garlean forces. Akita Naokazu attacked occupying Garlean forces on sight and was executed. The name of the child was not recovered before her death.)
The child was found, named, and cared for by Garlean soldiers. Said soldiers gave her as proper of an education as possible and trained her in the basics of combat. The child was eager to help Garlean soldiers, citizens, and be a proper servant of the empire.
(Archivist's note: Rumors were spread that the child was skilled at manipulating Aether, especially in regards to healing. These rumors were never officially verified by the Garlean Empire, but are worth noting.)
(Archivist's note: Officer <REDACTED> was reprimanded for unusual tactics in training Altheria aan Zhandri. Years after this instance, officer <REDACTED> has commited crimes against Garlemald and is now considered an <ENEMY OF GARLEMALD>.)
Altheria aan Zhandri was drafted into the VIIth legion of the Garlean Army upon reaching the necessary age, serving under Nael van Darnu in the ranks of the hoplomachi during their advance on Ala Mhigo and Project Meteor. She was most commonly tasked with duties on the front line of conflict, in direct combat with the Eorzean Alliance. She was effective in this role, frequently stymieing ambushes by Eorzean forces with an unusual knack for surviving through adversity.
During the unexpected events of Project Meteor which resulted in the release of Bahamut, Altheria aan Zhandri valiantly fought against Eorzean forces in Carteneau and survived Bahamut's attacks via unknown means.
(Archivist's note: Altheria aan Zhandri was interrogated on this matter, but evaded questioning, claiming luck. This alibi was not able to be disproven by other accounts, as witnesses were few after the battle.)
Altheria aan Zhandri needed a unusually small amount of healing and recovery time for her substantial injuries in the Battle of Carteneau.
For her role in the Battle of Carteneau and tenacity in returning to combat quickly, she was granted citizenship and a promotion within the military to Tesserarius.
As soon as possible, Altheria pyr Zhandri was transferred to the XIIth legion under the command of Zenos yae Galvus. She served in the crushing of the Doman resistance in the year 1 of the 7th Astral Era. She excelled in her duties, receiving no reprimands. She was transferred to control of newly deployed Viceroy of Doma, Yotsuyu goe Brutus, after the rebellion was crushed.
Altheria pyr Zhandri served under Yotsuyu goe Brutus during her campaign to eliminate resistance in the Doman savages and any allied forces. She began the campaign successfully as a Tesserarius, occasionally serving as a Decurio if forces were needed in a given Yanxian village. Officers noted that she seemed to dislike her Decurian duties and transferred her to Kugane to coordinate intelligence efforts, where she could continue to excel in her previously given role.
Altheria pyr Zhandri was listed as <MISSING IN ACTION> following these events likely due to defection (estimated due to the lack of personal effects in her quarters prior to her disappearance, other possible causes listed are: (Abduction)). Current whereabouts are unknown.
<END OF ENTRY>
<ADDENDUM I>
Based on newly discovered information, Altheria pyr Zhandri is now <WANTED ALIVE> by the Garlean Empire for the following crimes which are attributed to her during the tenure of her service under Yotsuyu goe Brutus:
Multiple counts of <AIDING A PRISONER OF GARLEMALD>
Multiple counts of <PROVIDING MEDICAL AID TO AN ENEMY OF GARLEMALD>
Multiple counts of <THEFT OF GARLEAN INTELLIGENCE>
Multiple counts of <UNAUTHORIZED RELEASE OF PRISONERS>
At this time, Altheria pyr Zhandri should be treated as an enemy of the state. She is not assumed to be dangerous. Due to her history of evading danger, immediate capture is recommended.
RP Hooks
"Oh, you heard that? I apologize. I do talk to myself from time to time - nothing to be too concerned about."
Her time in the Garlean Legion has left Altheria prone to hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia related to her wartime trauma, and finding the soul gem of a dark knight only made those hallucinations more vivid. Attempting to amplify Altheria's more violent and acrimonious tendencies, the gem uses Altheria's visions to speak directly to her - or even through her.
Of course, the two voices share a body. When the two are calm or in agreement, such arguments would never boil to the surface. When things start getting panicked and the two start to argue, however...
"BURN IN THE SEVEN HELLS, YOU DEPRAVED, BLACK-HEARTED LIAR-"
*Altheria slaps her hand over her mouth*
Altheria's calm and demure overall nature is usually prevalent in social situations, as both her and her darker half understand the importance of choosing the right time to strike. However, as the more unscrupulous and abusive tendencies of those around her start to surface, it can be harder and harder for her to keep her vindictive impulses under control.
And when those vindictive impulses have a voice of their own, all it takes is a moment for them to make their intentions known. In a case where the person who's drawn her ire is powerful or well respected, that moment can have dire consequences.
(If someone around is being a bit too evil for Altheria's tastes, she may not be able to help herself from speaking her mind!)
"The eyes of the law may look upon you with hatred, but those eyes are not as all-knowing as they claim to be. I can still see good within you, eager for a way to show itself."
Between the cruelty of the Garlean Legati and the unforgiving nature of the land as a whole, Altheria has lost faith in lawmakers and empires. As such, seeing that someone is marked as a villain by Eorzea or Garlemald does not necessarily make them a villain in her eyes. She fights on behalf of criminals with good hearts just as zealously as those who are innocent in the eyes of the law, no matter if their enemy is a bandit or a king.
(Just because your character is a criminal doesn't mean that Altheria will dislike them. Moral character is more important for her.)
"What, this gem? Oh, it's nothing. I'm a jewelcrafter as a hobby, you see, and this gem merely looked interesting - nothing more. What's this 'dark knight' of which you speak of?"
Altheria, a dark knight? She doesn't know what you're talking about. Such a thing is illegal in some cities, and certainly frowned upon in others. She's just a mercenary with a greatsword... that uses aether to shield herself... and uses her hatred to- LOOK! OVER THERE! A DISTRACTION!
(Altheria isn't going to acknowledge being a dark knight publicly, if at all. Those with knowledge of the nature of dark knights might be able to see through that veil, however...)
"The ability to prey upon the vulnerable isn't limited by combat ability, if this would-be incubus is any indication."
Altheria believes that physical attraction is often used as a vulnerability that is exploited in the form of emotional manipulation by the corrupt of the world. As a result, she is often hostile to aggressive romantic advances toward herself or others.
Those who are looking for a romantic interest should...likely look somewhere else.
((Long story short, NO ERP PLEASE))
Out of Character Information
New to RP in general, so apologies if I botch something or do something weird. It's likely just because I'm new.
I play on Mateus server and live in the Central time zone in North America.
Not looking for ERP at this point. If it would ever occur, it would be part of a bigger storyline for a given character.
FFXIV Character Name: Altheria Zhandri
Discord: Arigaaz #6191
Telegram: Arigaaz
¯\_(ツ)_/¯