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purrrrfection) wrote2023-01-22 05:34 pm
•||• Character Information (Endwalker)
An example of I'ziva's approach to solving problems is thus: There's some poor soul sobbing over the body of a loved one waiting for their last rites. Stopping to ask if they're alright she's told they can't bury this person without X-item which was lost at X-location. This leads to a quest to retrieve the possession at the behest of that individual. I'ziva's natural curiosity and outgoing nature as an Extrovert leads her to approach them, her information gathering as a Sensor tells her what needs to be done to remedy their problem, and her compassionate nature as she Feels and Perceives drives her decision to act on this information because she sympathizes or empathizes with them, wants to see them comforted even if it's just a little.
For that reason I'ziva can be counted as reliable despite her impulsiveness. There's a method to the madness once you understand how she ticks. She relishes the challenge of a dangerous situation to the point of thrill seeking. You usually won't have to ask her twice to show off any given skill, either. She's got no problem delving into beast lairs to retrieve some missing person, object, or ingredient. She loves her life because, despite all the trials and numerous losses she's suffered there's always a new day on the horizon and more people to fight for. In spite of how much responsibility she bears there's also the freedom being an adventurer grants her. She wouldn't change it for anything. All that she really wants in life is good people, good times, good adventures, and good grog.
Her impulsive nature has landed her in more than a few tough spots. She's gotten better about this over the years but she also has less patience for rigorous procedures. This can be frustrating for other individuals around her who are more orderly.
Her loyalty to those she brings into her circle is fierce, and her way of handling grief at the loss of one of those individuals can sometimes give her a single minded focus, whether that focus is on revenge or moving forward depends entirely on circumstance. This can be a particularly dangerous double edged sword, as forming attachments comes easily for her. Though she has a good sense for others she can be misled if her emotions are played well enough, being a creature of impulse and intuition over solid logic. She follows her gut, and someone skilled in deception could feasibly fool her into thinking they have only her best interests at heart. She enjoys having many varied relationships and keeps in touch. She strives to keep her companions in good spirits (sometimes for better or for worse). She's of a forgiving sort of nature, believing in second chances and not inclined to hold grudges, though she's understandably wary if betrayed.
It's true Ziva is flexible and easy going when it comes to most things in life but she does have a stubborn side. When she sets her mind to something (taking the dangerous job to spare her comrades, having another round of drinks, etc.) there may sometimes be no arguing with her. She's perfectly reasonable until she wants something badly enough. Then she'll refuse to budge without extensive persuasion. The best way to do this is appealing to her emotions rather than logic.
Spending five or six years living in (and out of) Limsa I'ziva has picked up a few habits. Over all she's learned how to speak rather well, her time in Ishgard among the nobles and dealings with the high houses being her instructor. When in the right company, however, her manner of speech can go back to being on the loose side, informal at best, only sparing effort to be "polite, prim, 'n proper" if she's trying to be charming, playful, or sarcastic. Couple that with her straight forward nature and she can sometimes rub others wrong by being too blunt without intending it. It's especially true when addressing a serious situation, though she means well more often than not. It can sometimes come over as impulsive and disrespectful, brutish even with her willingness to resort to physical force, because hey! That's often worked before. Sometimes she's only joking though, really.
There are times that she need to be reminded how to address certain individuals, or not to resort to violence when someone taunts her (9 times out of 10 this is when the well being or reputation of another is at stake). Her temper has grown a bit over the course of recent events, to the point that she's had to reel herself back in from doing something rash, or sometimes just been outright beaten to the punch- literally. During the events of Heavensward and Stormblood her capacity for taking everyone's bull shit seems to have reached an all time low. While Ziva never resorts to lashing out at or snapping at her comrades and friends, she does begin to express some negative emotions towards them for the first time, namely wounded pride, frustration, sorrow, and anger towards or over whatever their current crisis is. I wouldn't go so far as to say that she becomes short tempered, but there are instances where she's seen, again, being tempted to take rash actions.
When it comes to sex or love consent and respect she values above all else in this matter, so if you want to piss her off you can do so easily by disregarding either of those in her company as she practices the belief that there is no real wrong way to love someone other than abuse. She's openly flirtatious and at one time she'd pursue romantic interactions as they tickled her fancy. She met an au'ri woman named Saiyuri following the defeat of the Ultima Weapon, and eventually the two began an open relationship, culminating in performing the ceremony of Eternal Bonding sometime before the events of "Through the Maelstrom". Still the two continued to pursue an open approach to their relationship due to the long stretches of time they spent apart. Their hearts were tethered together, and that was always enough, until suddenly it wasn't.
Saiyuri expressed interest in returning to the adventuring lifestyle and this eventually led to her demise sometime amidst the early events of Heavensward. A well intended venture with an ill prepared party found them overwhelmed, and despite Ziva's best efforts she wasn't able to save Saiyuri. Following this, for the year after her death Ziva cut back drastically on pursuing casual relationships and became romantically unavailable for quite some time. While she did engage in the occasional tryst here or there these encounters became few and far between. Even as she slowed down on side quests to spend more time with loved ones her guilt held her back. It was the first time in her life that she felt genuine, bone deep regret, and she grew and matured greatly for it. When finally she felt that she'd mourned long enough to begin to move on properly she cut her hair to signify a fresh slate, but remained somewhat sobered by this and other recent losses. While she was struck and pained by Ysayle's and Papalymo's sacrifices, Meffrid's murder, Gosetsu's supposed demise, and Conrad's death it is still Haurchefaunt's death one that broke her heart the worst, and left her tangled up in ways that even she herself still can't see.
She became more protective over those around her, and while she has become more aware of how they have all matured and changed she still struggles as times to let anyone else make such heavy sacrifices in her presence. At her lowest point Ziva had to be forcibly made to leave Papalymo behind to seal the newborn primal at the Wall, and before the events of Heavensward she would have simply trusted him, perhaps naively, to come back to them somehow or do what had to be done. The Ziva coming out of the events of the Dragonsong War and her dealings with the Warrior's of Darkness has changed, has become a bit more afraid to lose the people that she loves. But after faltering with Papalymo she redoubled her resolve to make sure that no sacrifices were in vain, because in the end that's all that they, the Scions, can do to honor their fallen comrades.
Naturally Ziva wasn't the only one hit hard by all of their recent losses, and because of the weight of her mantle and the compassion and love she has for her comrades her own pain would always come second place. She chose to push forward, because that's what she does. Ultimately the decision was a passive one, but drawn from her own desire to continue to be a rock in the storm for those around her, and the subconscious feeling that it was what she was supposed to do, and not JUST what she wanted. This was actually demonstrated a bit earlier when, when asked by Ser Aymeric, Ziva was at a loss for words how to answer the simple question of what she wanted for herself: not as a Scion or the Warrior of Light, but Ziva, the young woman.
Since then Ziva has become a little more mellow and laid back. She's still outspoken but she is no longer actively seeking to put herself at the center of attention. The difference would seem drastic for those who hadn't watched her grow in Eorzea.
She's grown to appreciate being able to sit back and observe, to watch and to participate when invited. Of course, her upbringing means that even now she still has a very liberal approach to the subject of love, but her experiences have shaped her own wants and needs. Anyone pursuing Ziva will now will find that pinning her down is more difficult, especially given the nature of the world she may soon find herself in, but anyone who tried and succeeded would find her more emotionally devoted in all the ways that matter.
Some other changes and growth that she experiences throughout the course of Heavensward and Stormblood would be the growth of some other of her negative traits and insecurities. Her temper, for one: She used to be very slow to actually, truly anger, but that's becoming just a bit less true as time wears on. She very nearly decked poor Emmanellain de Fortemps when he threw a fit. Watching him pass the blame onto everyone around him and having a giant pity party over what happened at Falcon's Nest, she struggled to keep her emotions in check. More on that further down.
Her self-doubt and feelings of failure are two more, as the memory of the many number of lives lost begin to weigh more heavily on her. She thinks of them often, but again, she presses on while always recalling Minfilia's words: "For those we have lost, for those we can yet save.". She lives by those words, and they've definitely been a part of her driving force. She takes her defeat at the hands of Zenos very hard, initially, the blow only worsened ten-fold by the loss of Meffrid, the deaths of so many resistance fighters, and the life-threatening condition the battle left Y'shtola and Conrad in. Her anger began to burn HOT, much like it had when Haurchefant was struck down in the Vault. She managed to put her anger on the back burner but there's no mistaking it. Her actions and some of her choices throughout Stormblood certainly had a bit more edge to them than usual. She takes no joy in her final confrontation with Zenos at the end of the initial expansion storyline, maybe in part because he himself took so much sadistic joy in all the suffering he had wrought. Whatever the reason, it did allow Ziva to finally let go of some of the anger that had been boiling up for so long. She still shows visible emotion when angered, that much has always been true, but she shows that she can still resist being baited into taking rash actions against those who would wrong her or the people she loves when Asahi tries to push her into attacking him when revealing his true colors to her.
Following the events of Endwalker Ziva has finally found a sense of contentment that she didn't know she was missing. Reuniting with the ancients and being able to confidently send Venat off to rest gave Ziva a personal level of closure. At that moment she only wanted to grant Venat the peace of mind to let go, but in retrospect, it felt akin to looking into her own future. One day she too would need to retire her blades and leave it to the next generation, and Ziva is confident that when that day comes she'll be able to pass on the torch with confidence. Venat left a monumental legacy behind, and Ziva is proud to know that she played some small part in that.
Some might think it strange or crazy, egotistical or depressing, but for her, it was a comfort and reassurance beyond words. She's more determined than ever to leave the world a better place than they found it, as inspired by the very people whose lives she's touched as they are of her.
Ziva is a member of the Miqo'te race, half-Moon Keeper, half-Sun Seeker. As such her most noteworthy features are her long, slender, cat ears, lion's tail, elongated canines, permanent tiger mask face paint, and the long scar running diagonally between her eyes/across her nose. Fashion: You can find an IC closet here. Please note it's a WIP, and some outfits will not be available in-game yet, this is more a fashion reference. You can also find official screenshots of some of her other outfits from home here.
Demeanor: Laid back, playful, and confident in a very relaxed way, like she doesn't intimidate easily. She can sometimes come across as cheeky or cocky. However her attitude shifts drastically if you present yourself as a direct threat to her or those around her, and she can have a very heavy/intimidating air when this is the case- no more taunting smirks or grins then.
Aural: Raspy in a tomboyish way, in the alto voice range, and she has a bit of a hiss when speaking certain words. Rather than exaggerating and drawing out her "S" sounds they sound sharp and tend to run together a little when directly preceding/following one another. You can hear it here (Spoiler Warning: Early main story quest for Limsa Lominsa).
Olfactory: Natural. Typically like fresh leather and the components for treating it, with a definite outdoorsy scent as well. Having a sensitive sense of smell herself she tries not to walk around reeking of chocobo (as her companion does) or blood, characters might pick up on this, however, as she hunts for her own supplies and does a loooot of fighting and killing. Those weapons aren't just for show.
A martial discipline and artform all in one, the art of the Dancer hails from the far-off lands of Thavnair. In this style of combat, Ziva wields a pair of throwing weapons most commonly known as chakrams, slicing at opponents from a distance and utilizing specialized dance steps to embolden both herself and nearby allies. By choosing another as her dance partner Ziva is able to offer some additional minor support. Ziva took up this discipline in the weeks and months that the search for a means to traverse the rift was underway, intrigued and mesmerized by the fighting style. Since she still couldn't bring herself to pick up her blades again, she traded them in for chakrams.
RED MAGE
The art of the Red Mage is the marriage of both Black and White mana and magic. Through it, Ziva has access to a wide range of spells both destructive and supportive in nature. One instant she can be casting an area-wide air elemental spell against a group of enemies and the next she could be curing an ally. Once enough of both mana types has been accumulated Ziva is able to expend that mana on boosting her melee style attacks and can use what's left to cast either a Flare or Holy spell. Ziva took up this discipline after retiring her ninja blades. Part of her reasoning was that she didn't wish to be in the position of having to watch helplessly as someone she cared about died because she didn't have the ability to heal. This discipline allowed her to continue to offer support to her allies while fighting on the front lines.
ASTROLOGIAN
This art was derived by those who were not content to simply study the stars to learn their fate, but wished to take fate into their own hands and gain some semblance of being able to shape it. By calling on the power of the constellations Ziva is able to bolster her allies' attacks, heal their wounds, or deal damage to opponents within a certain range. She chose to pursue this discipline (upon being given the chance) following the events of the Dragonsong War. While not being very academically inclined, Ziva nonetheless committed herself earnestly to the study and understanding of the cards, if just for a while.
NINJA
The shinobi of Doma is the next step after the dual-wielding Rogues of Limsa Lominsa. They brought this art to the lands of Eorzea some years ago, and for a time Ziva was on the path. She'd started her journey in Eorzea under the Rogue's Guild, after all, so it seemed only natural to continue on that trail. Ninjas utilize swift and precise strikes with short blades, a highly acrobatic fighting style that flows from one form to the next. Sadly, however, Ziva declined to continue training in this area sometime following the death of Saiyuri and Haurchefant.
CRAFTING
The Source and the First alike are both home to a large number of artisan disciplines! Going hand in hand with her upbringing in a clan of hunters Ziva chose to pursue leatherworking as a means to make and save coin, by crafting most of her own gear. This made studying the way of the Weaver and Blacksmith a necessity as well. It may surprise some to learn that Ziva is actually a skilled sketch artist, at least with regards to creating designs for her crafts. Her mastery in these areas grants her knowledge and skill in creating dyes, leather, and cloth goods, as well as metalwork and base materials for other artisans (such as yarns and fabrics, or preparing skins), provided she has the appropriate materials. During her time in Prismatica, she began to learn cooking as well, and during her free time before setting sail for Old Sharlayan she began to learn the way of the Goldsmith.
SURVIVAL
Before anything else Ziva was and is a huntress. She knows how to survive off of the land and has a basic understanding of simple gathering principles for this reason, oftentimes needing to gather her own materials for crafting. Her skill lies in mining in particular, but she also knows how to look for supplies and recognize the signs of some dangerous plants.
I'ziva hails from an island in the Cieldalaes archipelago. She was born a middle child with a precocious personality, something of a scamp getting in and out of trouble in creative ways (going places she shouldn't go to set hunting traps before she was allowed to hunt, tracking down beasts, looking for adventure, playing games with wild animals, etc.), always well-intended if a bit short-sighted. She greatly admired the older females in the clan for their confidence and skill. She chose to train with throwing and hunting knives and after a few mishaps, one resulting in the scar on her face, eventually joined her tribe-sisters in the hunt, eager to prove her skill.
A fair number of traders traveled through that would barter with them on occasion. As a result, I'ziva, like others before her, grew up hearing many stories about the mainland to the Northeast. The first story that stood out was of the Rose of the Desert, Ul'dah, whose people were known for the richness of their lives both literal and figurative. The first time she heard about it she couldn't get the tale out of her head. Each day she imagined grander ideas of what such a place must look like: towering stone walls set in an arid land of sand, sprinkled with the rare oasis. Wide, populated streets, scents of exotic foods and fragrances traveling from the marketplace. To a young cub whose entire life had been lush forest, it sounded fascinating. She began asking after other places merchants had traveled to (sometimes having to be boxed on the ears for being a pest but remained undeterred) and heard tales of even further lands like La Noscea and Coerthas. It was then that Ziva's desire to travel the world began to burn in earnest, a thirst for adventure that she still carries with her to this day.
At the age of seventeen Ziva was deemed ready to begin a coming-of-age trial. She almost couldn't wait for the word "go" and set out for the nearest port city that very week. It took a couple of years to raise the coin to make the trip overseas. During that time she worked odd jobs and acted as a sort of mercenary, protecting travelers and gatherers, sometimes hunting down supplies on request. By her twentieth year, she'd finally raised the coin needed. During this journey, the Calamity struck dealing Eorzea a devastating blow. She stood on the deck of the ship with the rest of the passengers watching in awe and horror as the debris struck the land in the distance.
None were surprised to find the land in a bad way once docked. Instead of continuing on to Thanalan Ziva spent the next five years there, helping the people pick themselves back up wherever she could lend a hand. Eventually, she refined her battle skills, joined the Adventurers Guild, and the Rogues' Guild. She spent her days upholding the pirate code, loving every second of it. Eventually, Ziva was encouraged by their leader to take what she'd learned and take it on the road, finally kicking off her journey. Little did she know that from the moment she stepped foot onto the ferry bound for the rose of the desert her life would become one non-stop adventure.
After registering with the local Adventurer's Guild she became embroiled in the local mysteries and the situation unfolding there. It's there that her reputation was truly established and began to grow. She went on to join several crafting and gathering guilds to supplement her income and fund her ventures. She also found herself returning to Limsa several times, most notable being shortly after defeating the primal Leviathan to study under a shinobi from Doma. Around the time of the Crystal Braves formation she met and began an open relationship with a healer that she'd done a bit of adventuring with in the past. They wed sometime before Leviathan's defeat and maintained an open marriage until her death. Her return to the adventuring lifestyle eventually led to her demise sometime amidst the early events of Heavensward, and Haurchefant and Ysayle both passed on not long after.
When at last Ziva finally felt that she'd mourned long enough she cut her hair to signify a fresh slate but was by no means actually healed. Papalymo notes that she seems more world-weary when they meet again.
As the Scions assist in helping the nations rebuild, the familiar process of thwarting primal threats and dealing with attempted betrayals, being reminded of why they fight, as well as reuniting with some familiar faces, Ziva's temper begins to find an even keel again. She stops feeling quite so emotionally overwhelmed. She takes some time to catch up with old friends, do some sidequests, and gradually finds herself wrapped up in a new mystery as the members of the Circle of Knowing to begin falling one by one into a mysterious slumber.
In events leading to her travails on the First Ziva was left to carry on the Scion's work alone. Having to watch them "go" one by one left her once again feeling frustrated and directionless, so once armed with a starting point and ominous warning she resolved to journey to the First to find and recover her friends, and aide the First in their fight to save both worlds from calamities of untold proportions.
Those adventures grant Ziva a new perspective over the war between light and dark, as well as insight into the Ascians and their true motives. Trading in the mantle of "Warrior of Light" she instead takes up the title of "Warrior of Darkness" in secret, fighting to restore the night to the First, and later, in hopes of restoring life to the remainder of the world sets out with three of her companions to restore the elements to the wastelands beyond the wall where the flood of light was halted. She comes close to losing herself but is saved at the last moment by Ardbert. Shadowbringers brings with it- for Ziva -a long overdue string of wins: Being reunited with the Scions, dodging a fate worse than death, saving the worlds, and reuniting with a friend she was sure she'd not live to see again.
If Shadowbringers taught her the importance of understanding her own limitations and deepening the bonds of her friendships then Endwalker saw those bonds tested and reforged to overcome even more impossible odds, and at the end of that road, a happy ending... in the form of a new beginning.
Her thirst for adventure remains, but it feels as if all of her lingering shadows have been cleansed if just for a time, and she knows that makes her lucky. She was granted a chance to say goodbye to those that she'd lost, and she's also experienced a personal growth of her own. Facing down the darkest parts of humanity and humanity's despair and anguish has only hardened her resolve and in a strange way, vindicated her outlook on life. She's always been one to make the most of the road and world before her and never relinquished hope even in the pits of her own personal loss.
Throughout the 5.0 story Ziva is given a new perspective over the war between light and dark, as well as a previously undiscovered insight into the Ascians and their true motives. Trading in the mantle of "Warrior of Light" she instead takes up the title of "Warrior of Darkness" in secret, fighting to restore the night to the First, and later, in hopes of restoring life to the remainder of the world sets out with three of her companions to restore the elements to the wastelands beyond the wall where the flood of light was halted. She journeys through the remaining lands of the First alongside her fellow Scions, defeating Lightwarden's (powerful beings of pure light). Towards the end of Shadowbringers she has a close brush with losing herself, but is saved at the last moment by an old foe-turned-ally. This encounter and ordeal leave her stronger and more whole than before. Shadowbringers brings with it- for Ziva at least -a long overdue string of highs: Being reunited with the Scions, dodging a fate worse than death, saving the worlds, and reuniting with a friend she was sure she'd not live to see again.
Their struggles on the First have taught her, FINALLY, that it really is alright to rely on the strength of her companions more than just once in a blue moon, that while they might not all be able to stand up against the likes of primals without fear she CAN count on them to stand by her. She knew that they cared before, but she was deeply moved by the depth of concern they showed for her as a friend and not just the Warrior of Light. As they saw her finally reaching her limits it allowed a glimpse into the Warrior of Light's vulnerable side, at least for Ziva, and because of this she saw first hand just how far through hell and back they would go alongside her. It doesn't always have to all fall on her shoulders alone.