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indigo_league) wrote2016-05-03 09:48 pm
indigo_league) wrote2016-05-03 09:48 pm
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I'ziva Ganajai | Final Fantasy XIV | Reserved (PT1)
Name: Koree
E-mail: reeplaysjournal@gmail.com
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Character
Name: I'ziva Ganajai
Series: Final Fantasy XIV
Timeline: Shadowbringers; Just after hearing the gunshot on Mt. Gulg
Canon Resource Links: FF Wikia: Final Fantasy XIV, FF Wikia: Hydaelyn, and FF Wikia: Warrior of Light (XIV)
Original Character Background: Birth Clan/Coalition information, and Significant Relationships
I'ziva hails from an island in the Cieldalaes archipelago (pictured south of La Noscea). 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 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 be it literal or 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 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 when she joined the Adventurers Guild and the "Dutiful Sisters", a front organization for the Rogues' Guild. She spent her days upholding the pirate code, loving every minute of it. Eventually Ziva was encouraged by her guild leader to take what she'd learned and continue her adventures out in the world. Finally, it seemed, she would be able to make her way to Thanalan and visit Ul'dah, proper. 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.
Ziva's story as the Warrior of Light picks up there. The story in question is absolutely massive, but there are thankfully a handful of websites that have taken the liberty of summarizing the story. I hope that's acceptable! I linked both in case one format is preferable over the other, though both sites were missing pieces ("The Lore Train" is missing Stormblood and only has part 1 for Shadowbringers, but "Land of Odd" is missing Shadowbringers entirely).
The Lore Train: A Realm Reborn: part 1 and part 2, Heavensward: Part 1, 2, 3, and 4 (Conclusion).
Land of Odd: A Realm Reborn, Heavensward, Stormblood
Twinfinite: Shadowbringers
Ziva is half-Sun Seeker on her father's side, which explains the mixed naming conventions and her mixed physical traits. Ziva also happened to get her daring, laid back, and adventurous spirit from him, while her sisters both took after their mother's shrewder way of thinking.
The pugilist class simply fit with her personality and what would be her preferred fighting style at that time in her life. Her thrill seeking nature meant that she preferred being in the thick of the action, something it took her a while to grow out of. When she joined the rogues it was because she enjoyed the atmosphere and saw an opportunity to really challenge herself, put her agility to better use. It was in the same family as pugilists, still in the thick of it all, but with BLADES. Her decision to take up very different disciplines/jobs later on in her journey is the result of her character development over the course of the story and will be elaborated in the personality section.
I came up with Ziva's personality based on a handful of traits/keywords, these were "extroverted", "very confident", "comfortable", and "fundamentally good". I'll expand on those in personality, but XIV was my first MMO, and while I've created plenty of OC's in my time RP'ing this game was my first experience crafting a custom video game protagonist. I knew I'd have some limitations, so her backstory didn't come until after I'd learned more about the world and lore. I went in with some basics in mind and built out as I became familiar with the game setting. When I decided to bring her into DWRP I started by profiling her personality traits using the Brigg's system. Please note, I did not pick a personality type and base her on that, the personality came first, and I simply used the Brigg's system as a cross-reference. It's something I do with all of my OC's to be sure that my logic for their line of thinking/processing/acting makes sense! So yeah, by then I had a solid personality pieced together.
The main story and my dialogue choices established her as someone who helped others because she was asked and fairly compensated, at least at first. She was starting over in a new city (first in Limsa, then again in Ul'dah) and wanted to establish herself, and didn't mind starting small to do it. She also wasn't the sort of person who could ignore something wrong that was happening right in front of her, so she continually found herself pulled into bigger and bigger problems either because curiosity got the better of her, someone needed help, or she was set up by someone else. This is what eventually led Thancred to approach her and invite her to join the Scions. She saw it as a good opportunity to continue doing what she had been doing, and learning more about the land and the Echo in one fell swoop.
She retired her ninja blades following the events at Baelsar's Wall and took the opportunity to study the way of the Red Mage. It provided her a way to support her allies on the battlefield while still taking a more offensive approach, and even allowed her to get in up close on the action once in a while. Once mastered she then took up study under the Astrologian's guild so that she could learn healing magicks, intrigued by the concept of being able to alter fate by predicting its course. Her curiosity got the better of her in the downtime waiting for the means to traverse the Rift, and she chose to learn the way of the Dancer, working exceptionally hard to learn the skill in time to make use of it in her future trials. With this skill she was, again, able to support her comrades while still taking an active role in combat.
I'ziva Ganajai | Final Fantasy XIV | Reserved (PT2)
Ziva is nothing if not empathetic towards others. While she can't relate to every individual she meets she does feel that so long as she has the ability to ease others suffering, and so long as the help is welcome, she should. It doesn't matter if the task is as menial as cleaning the muck out of chocobo stables, retrieving the valued possession of a recently fallen family member, clearing out a mine crawling with monsters, or as grand as helping to stop a thousand year war, Ziva doesn't turn away people in need, not within reason.
Say what you will about Ziva being constantly on the go, but she's loyal to a fault and would never leave a comrade behind willingly. If someone calls for help she'll drop whatever she's doing to go do whatever she can, if possible (she's got a lot of frequent flyer miles). This is demonstrated time and again, like when Thancred is revealed to be controlled by an Ascian, again when she spares valuable time to get him out of harms way after defeating the Ultima Weapon, again when going to extremes to search for the missing Scions, or going back to rescue Raubahn, Aymeric, or any of the other countless allies who've needed to be pulled from the fire over the year(s).
Living life openly and striving to be true to herself is a large, large part of what makes Ziva who she is. She tries to live a life that she won't regret, making judgement calls and choices to the best of her ability in the moment, and giving every battle her all. She's comfortable with her sexuality and doesn't feel the need to conform to anyone elses' image of her, no matter how heavy the weight of her growing reputation gets. Instead of trying to live up to the image of her many titles Ziva strives to do what feels right in her heart, and what will better the lives of the people around her. So long as she gets to have a little fun and live adventurously while doing it, she's happy. Never is this more apparent than when she's smirking in the face of her enemies on the battlefield, or enjoying the flirtatious attention of an admirer in a tavern.
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. Her fellow Scions (Alphinaud in particular) have noted on a few occasions that there was little point in asking the WoL to do anything BUT dive head long into the danger of facing a primal, as they already knew she'd be volunteering.
Her impulsive nature means she has less patience for rigorous procedures and bureaucracy, though she can be patient when she has to or she respects and trusts the individuals involved. There's also another downside to being impulsive. Ziva, forming attachments as easily as she does, feels more losses more frequently and more keenly than most, and that's part of the reason she enjoys having such a busy lifestyle. If not for the near endless enemies looming on the horizon she might be inclined to give in to more self destructive behaviors like picking fights or binge drinking. When faced with the devastating loss following the disaster at the Waking Sands she was shocked to her core. She was fortunate enough to be advised to seek out the guiding hand of someone with a calmer, clearer head to help piece her world back together and find the right path.
She may be very slow to actually, truly anger but once she does that anger burns bright hot. There have been several instances when she's nearly given rise to her temper, or had to be held back by a comrade. She very nearly decked poor Emmanellain de Fortemps at Falcon's nest. The reason? In his panic he'd given a vague order to one of his men, resulting in a woman (who was protesting the union of dragon and men) being shot down. The lowborn woman used this order to further fuel the growing fear and outrage and making a right mess of their efforts to organize a peaceful affair. Rather than take responsibility for his poor choice he first sought to blame those around him, and when that failed he fled and went on to feel sorry for himself when his actions bore further consequences. Had Thancred not beaten her to the literal punch she might have knocked some sense into him herself.
Though she has a good sense for others she can be misled if her emotions are played well enough, being a creature of emotion and intuition over solid logic. Someone skilled in deception could feasibly fool her into thinking they have the best intentions. This trusting nature is in part what allowed the events of "Before the Fall" to play out as they did, with Ziva and the Scions falling right into the trap of being framed for the Sultana's assassination. This trust in others also led indirectly to the death of her spouse, who's healing skills she overestimated. She also put too much trust in their tank for that expedition simply because her spouse vouched for them.
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. She journeys through the remaining lands of the First alongside her fellow Scions, defeating the Lightwarden's (powerful beings of pure light) of each area of Norvrandt. 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, though her canon point will see her brought in in the MIDST of being overcome with light. 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. I'm just not quite nice enough to let her have all of that in game just yet.
Following the events of 2.0-5.0 Ziva has become a little more mellow and laid back, taking more time to appreciate the people around her. She's grown to appreciate being able to sit back and observe, to watch and to participate when invited. Her experiences have really deepened and refined her own wants and needs. Following the death of her wife ("Relationships"), however, she began to take a less cavalier approach to romance. There is still the rare tryst, she's still flirtatious by nature, but she's far more guarded and careful with her heart now and has resolved that if, gods willing, there is a "next time" she won't waste it. Their struggles on the First served as a sobering reality check that no matter how determined she is a Warrior of Light is NOT invincible or infallible when she stands alone. Sometimes it isn't enough to simply have the will to take another step, sometimes she needs others to walk the path with her. FINALLY Ziva herself also understands that it's 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. It was more personal, if that makes sense. They'd go through hell and back for her. It doesn't always have to all fall on her shoulders alone, a notion that she'd struggled with for quite some time.
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 that shook her the worst, and left her tangled up in ways that even she herself still can't see. What happened to her party had been horrific and avoidable, but ultimately not her fault. What happened to Haurchefant was the direct result of her own failing. Had she only noticed in time, had she been paying better attention, had she known any healing magic...! But she didn't, he took a blow intended for her and she couldn't do anything but watch as he died before their very eyes. Later on Ysayle was also felled by the Garleans while helping Ziva's party reach Azys La.
These deaths were almost back to back and they each hit her hard, but her nature and the importance of their quest and goals compelled her to keep moving forward. Following the defeat of Nidhogg (having seen the spirits of Ysayle and Haurchefant aide them in saving Estinien) she felt that she should try to move on. Whether she was ready to or not was another question all together, but they had both avenged Haurchefant's death and helped see Ysayle's dream one step closer to fruition, ending the Dragonsong War. She felt she had mourned for long enough, and she cut her hair to signify a fresh start and her renewed resolve, yet she IS changed for it, still shaken by her inability to protect the people she loves even as she knows that their actions and sacrifices had saved countless others. She's less carefree than she had been before the Bloody Banquet and takes her role as the Warrior of Light far more seriously going forward. Papalymo even notes as such, stating that she seems more world weary when they meet again.
She became more protective over those around her, less willing to allow them to take risks 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.
She can never fully go back to being the woman that she was, that cocky, thrill seeking, challenge happy adventurer, but she DOES finally stop feeling as if the weight of the world is hers alone to bear. With that she's finally able to relax some of her protective attitude, just a bit.
Pokémon Information
Affiliation: Trainer
Starter: Magikarp
Password: Atomic Fireball
Samples
RP Sample: Sample 1: Prismatica
Victory Road Sample: Sample 2: Victory Road
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