REDA'NÜE

SERVANT OF THE EVER-CENTERED SELF

[modelsof-color]

Ajayi Temitope by Bartek Szmigulski for Wonderland Magazine Summer 2023

[irredeemer]

I dreamt I walked a dark tapestry.

In the distance,

Perfect pinpricks of glowing light.

All but one, too far to ever touch.

Though, for all its warmth...

I woke with fear in my heart.

[irredeemer]

COMET STILLANDER - HYDAELYN'S CHOSEN - MAJORITY SHARD OF AZEM

[hearse-song]

whump aesthetic: @brutal-nemesis‘s Train Day 2021

it’s time for some train robbery

[sunderedwrath]

"There's NO SAVING your world now, but you don't have to PERISH with it." Reda'nüe Of the Second & Ceres, Sundered Ascian Original Final Fantasy XIV Antagonists by Grey & Lanna

Read Their Story Here - Beware Shadowbringers/Endwalker Spoilers!

[sunderedwrath]

STORY.

Ceres hails from the Second reflection of the Source, a Sapiana (hyur) citizen of the oligarchy Empyrca (Ul'Dah) from a well-off family. One day, she returned home to discover her parents had engaged her to an older man while she wasn't present to defend herself, as their riches had been drained due to her father's gambling problems and her suitor promised to refill their coffers in exchange for a young bride.

Ceres refused and fled her home, only to realize the futility of it all as she wandered the streets of her city without anything to her name. She considered ending her life in protest of it all, not wanting to wallow in poverty or others' pity, but was suddenly approached a masked man introducing himself as Nabriales. He enticed her with the promise of never feeling helpless again, and upon her agreement, awoke the memories of her past life as the Ancient called Hera.

Hera had been an Ancient who lived in one of the many cities scattered across the Unsundered World, far from yet still obeying the laws of the Convocation of the Fourteen. She contributed to the world in her public service position, ensuring that communications to and from others went undisturbed. Ultimately, though, she lived a rather easygoing life in a beautiful utopia -- and, therefore, strongly supported the Convocation's desires to restore it to what it once was. And, upon seeing what she could have as opposed to the nothing she was now left with, how could Ceres do anything but join the Ascian's ranks?

Unfortunately, it turned out that she was made to be the lowest rank of Ascians: she had her past memories, the knowledge of the Ascians' grander scheme, and their nigh limitless powers -- but she could not obtain immortality by switching physical bodies and was nowhere near as strong as anyone above her. She couldn't even get stronger if she tried; as someone who had not been part of the Convocation, there was no way for her to ever be more than what she was.

Also, Nabriales was a obnoxious prick whom she quickly came to despise, but had no choice but to obey him lest she be unmade. She did is bidding, manipulated others to help push the Second's chosen hero into dangerous situations and tilt the balance of the elements -- all the while being far more careful not to actually face the infamous 'Warrior of the Wake.'

And when Nabriales achieved his mission, tipping the scales so that endless fires ravaged the world, she watched him depart without a single concern for any of the minor Ascians he had made. She could have easily teleported away, as many of her fellows did, but instead she remained and observed the defeated hero.

Reda'nüe was not the heroic type. She was self-centered and not above hurting others to further her own gains. She was also incredibly powerful -- far more than Ceres herself. As the Ascian turned it over in her mind, she decided to take a risk. She teleported both herself and Reda'nüe to a (temporarily) safer location, where she offered up the knowledge that she had. All of it.

"There's no saving your world now. It will be consumed by flame and lost within hours. But you don't need to go with it."

"And you can always grow stronger. You'd just need a little help from your fellow shards. I can take you to the other reflections. We can find them together."

Nabriales did not care enough to keep track of the minor Ascian lackeys who did his bidding, and the Unsundered only made note of the collapse of the Second as a whole on the path to Zodiark's restoration. Ceres, weak as she was in comparison, had now found an ally in a shard of Azem -- a powerful one, now content to survive by absorbing the souls of her fellows.

For a time, they have been able to operate quietly and avoid crossing paths with the other Ascians. It takes a very long time to locate your soultwin on an entire world, but they have succeeded twice now. Reda'nüe has absorbed the heroes of the Third and Sixth worlds, consequently paving the way for those worlds to fall to the Ascians.

[irredeemer]

When Reda was still a teenager, she nearly lost her life in a fire. Deprived of oxygen and severely injured, she fell into a coma. Healers attempted to save her for many long months.

Eventually, they gave up.

They prepared her body as they did the elderly or the severely maimed; first, they would tattoo her ancestral name on her face and, when it had fully, naturally healed, they would stop her breath as gently as possible.

With a still scabbed tattoo, Reda woke abruptly on day 12, gasping and clinging as though dragged from a river. When the healers tried to find answers, she accused them of having planned to murder her -- and retaliated.

[irredeemer]

A notable element of gnomish death rites is the inscription of one's bloodline on the face upon passing. Before the fires, it had been customary to do so with a staining paste similar to henna. After the fires, those gnomes who held more tightly to their faith began tattooing the ancient signifiers, permanently setting ink to flesh.

It is said that when a gnome dies, returning their body to the soil is necessary so that their soul might rejoin the cycles of life anew. Bearing the mark of their origin further ensures the soul will not wander or be lost in the aetherial sea on the way.

Those gnomes who perish in flame are removed from the cycle, unable to contribute the much-needed nutrients in their bodies to the forests that sustain and protect their people. Similarly, those lost at sea or otherwise distantly from the rooted network of the Thirteen Boughs are also considered less likely to re-enter the cycle, if at all.

[cityandking]

oc asks: character design edition

FACE & FEATURES

glance: At first glance, what stands out most about your OC's appearance? What's their distinguishing feature?

face: Describe your OC's face. What's their smile like? Are their orbs cerulean? What would someone notice first when looking at them?

stature: What's your OC's body type? How tall are they? Do they wear clothing to accentuate their look or do they try to mask it?

motion: How does your OC move? How does their clothing help or hinder their range of motion? Are they flexible, coordinated, clumsy?

stillness: How does your OC act while still? Are they fidgety? Do they have any common gestures or tics? Does their clothing affect how they hold themselves while at rest?

canvas: Does your OC have any scars, piercings, tattoos, or other markings? Do they display or cover them up at all?

CUT & CLOTHES

night: What does your OC wear to sleep? Do they have a favorite pair of PJs, or are they more the birthday suit type?

day: What does your OC wear on a normal day? Why do they default to those clothes? Do they wear similar things, or do they change it up?

formal: What's your OC's formal look? Do they like dressing up? Do they have different looks for different occasions?

informal: What's your OC's lazy-day look? How do they like to dress when they're winding down?

outerwear: What's your OC's outerwear situation? Jacket, sweater, cloak? What sort of weather do they deal with most and how do they protect themselves?

footwear: What does your OC wear on their feet?

road: What does your OC wear while traveling? Do they have high-quality equipment, or are they making do? What does their gear look like?

armor: What kind of armor does your OC wear? Is it well kept? Bonus: where does it come from? Is there a story behind it?

arms: Does your OC have any weapons? What weapons do they carry, and how do they wear them when they're not fighting?

roots: Is your OC's look inspired by any specific style of clothing or fashion trend? What are the roots and/or inspiration for their look?

texture: Does your OC favor any specific kinds of cloth or textures? Is there anything they can't wear or don't like? What sort of fabrics do they prefer?

wardrobe: How big is your character's wardrobe? Do they wear things threadbare, or can they afford new clothes often? Are they any good at mending and repairing their own clothing?

ACCESSORIES & ACCENTS

bling: What jewelry does your OC wear? Does it have any meaning?

hair: How does your OC wear their hair? Does it have some kind of meaning?

makeup: Does your OC wear makeup? How often? What kind? Why do they wear makeup, and do they like it?

favorite: Does your OC have a favorite article of clothing or accessory? What is it? What's the meaning behind it? Do they wear it all the time or do they wear it sparingly to keep it safe?

change: Has your OC ever drastically changed their appearance? Significant haircuts, big tattoos, complete wardrobe swap, etc? Why? How do they feel about the change?

alternate: What would your OC's alternate universe look be? If they're a fantasy character, what's their modern look? If they're sci-fi, what's their fantasy look? What AU would you want to see your OC in, and how would they dress themself? Bonus: Prompt an AU!

[irredeemer]

Name update!

If it's her verse where she's from the Source, it's still Durere Dure (dew-ray-ray dew-ray), in proper Lalafell tradition. But the people of the Second didn't develop as a society exactly the same way those on the Source did. So, her canon name is "Reda'nüe" (ree-duh-noo-way), most often shortened to just "Reda" (ree-duh)!

I'll go through and adjust previous notes in a bit. 🤩

[irredeemer]

THE GNOMES OF THE SECOND

" From seed and branch we are come, the origin of all life; By their merciful shade, may we tend those yet to break soil... "

Gnomes are the Second's equivalent race to Lalafell on the Source. They were once made up of separately branching tribes until a great cataclysm and the natural meeting of their borders brought them together as one. Gnomes are a forest-dwelling race, having made their homes in the trunks of massive trees that are said to have first taken root when the world came to be. From them, all life sprung. Rivers formed of their crystalline sap, the star's surface chiseled by roots which burrowed between continents, a question and an answer, a relationship based in careful symbiosis.

By the time Reda'nüe was born, the world had already begun to tilt wildly out of balance, rapidly turning with the actions of the many. Eventually came a tragedy of force so great that it caused thousands of acres of farmland to go dead and yellow. And it was only logical that the gnomish tribes nurture those souls affected. These foreigners were enlisted in the caring of the trees that inspired their kindnesses, and, for a time, there was harmony. The people of the Second thrived.

When Redu'nüe was seven, heretics claiming to be guided by godly specters urged all who might listen to leave the wood, to re-find purchase amidst the uncovered lands -- no matter the cost. Fires, clearly unnatural, buckled the protective tapestry of the wood, leaving some without a choice and killing many more. The majority of gnomes which held fast to their faith withdrew into the untamed, desperate to heal the wounds of the star, whilst the rest of mankind scattered.

Gnomish naming conventions follow a simple pattern. Generally, a bloodline-specific suffix marks the end of what are typically duo-syllabic given names. These suffixes were taken from the names of the thirteen, first-known woods and the tribes hidden within. Of course, over the ages, these meanings have shifted to adapt to modern gnomish life, as one tribe absorbed another or broke into a new group entirely, et cetera and so on.

After the fires, those gnomish peoples who forsook the rest of mankind took to using these titles as prefixes instead, a symbolic gesture intended to express their fidelity to the Origins of All Life. Inversely, some gnomes have dropped the titles completely, taking on second names in the tradition of the surnames of the Sapiana, a corresponding people to the Source's Hyur.

[irredeemer]

In game, Durere Dure is a Lalafell, but that doesn't quite suit her canon. Reda'nue is a gnomish Shard of Azem from the Second. She is known as the Warrior of the Wake after having restored a major water source and destroying the forces that had been hiding it. It's a great title and it allows a lot of freedom in a world with many restrictions purely set for survival.

Except, unfortunately for the Second's other inhabitants, she is not a "hero" type.

Following the story of FFXIV: A Realm Reborn, the Second was flipped out of balance and overwhelmed with fire-aspected aether. She tried to stop it. She failed. Depending on the verse, you may interact with Reda before this happens, or after.

Called to the Second: Complete alternate timeline. Instead of going to the First, the WoL is summoned to the Second which has not yet been destroyed. It is arid and dry and quickly, literally, crumbling apart underfoot. Only a few small settlements exist, with many having succumbed to the increasing heat and wildfires or the ensuing lack of resources. Your character must discover why those who do remain are afraid of their gods-chosen "Savior".

Of the Same: Post-Endwalker, Y'shtola has found a way to travel to the various reflections. Whilst exploring one of them, your WoL is made aware of a disturbing character who is apparently "hunting down the Shards of Azem". Alternately, your WoL is on vacation in Tural when this threat comes to the Source, seeking them specifically. This could be a shorter thread wherein your WoL defeats her, or... Maybe your WoL tries to get her to join their side? 👀

An Ill-Fitting Shoe: Durere is not a shard of Azem and she is still not a hero, but, at the very least, she is not as powerful as she would be otherwise. Your WoL finds her in their travels on the Source and she will very likely prove a memorable face. This verse would require the most plotting with potential writing partners, as it is intentionally open for adaptation to your character's canon.

In essence, Reda is incredibly self-centered. Feeling satisfied, having what she wants, feeling powerful? This is what motivates her. So long as it suits these interests, she may well do something out-of-character heroic! But it has to benefit her in some way, and her temperament can be more than a little mercurial...

Most rely on the surety of payment. It mostly works!

Scratching under the surface, there have been notable circumstances that inspired the extremes in her personality. If you would like to know more -- well -- I hope you're ready to put in the work. Her closest confidant is an Ascian for good reason.

[aethericsea]

Assa Baradji

[irredeemer]

Strangle the fear of deciding Which one's deserving to drown;

Nothing wrong with a little havoc, It's fun when shit hits the fan