#dene's logs

[shearwindmuses]

I’m not good at photoshop but you get the point.

[shearwindmuses]

BOLD ANY FEARS WHICH APPLY TO YOUR MUSE. ITALICIZE WHAT MAKES THEM UNCOMFORTABLE.

the dark. fire. open water. deep water. being alone. crowded spaces. confined spaces. change.failure. war. loss of control. powerlessness. prison. blood. drowning. suffocation. public speaking. natural animals. the supernatural. heights.death. dying. intimacy. rejection. abandonment. loss. the unknown. the future. not being good enough. scary stories. speaking to new people. poverty.loud noises. being touched. guns. dragons. the undead. machines.  falling. getting lost. betrayal. commitment. storms. boats. magic. execution.

Tagged by @cloakanddaggermage

[shearwindmuses]

You're bored eh? EVEN NUMBERS TIL 10 THEN >D

2. What trait does your OC like best about themself? (Eyes, guitar skills, random bird facts, etc)

Ardene’s relationship with herself has been a rather complicated one. Not particularly fond of any of her physical features besides her rather impressive muscular build, Ardene tends to take pride in other things such as her skill with a lance or her tracking abilities.

If asked to only pick one thing, she would most likely respond with something simple like a boast about her victories, and go on about her track record.

In reality, she doesn’t like much about herself at all, resenting her scales, horn, tail–all of it. She detests her status in society and works hard to overcome it.

If she were to answer honestly, she would say the thing that she likes the most about herself is her naturally defiant nature, even if her defiance is more the silent sort.

4. Is your OC good at keeping secrets?

Living in Ishgard, you have to be. By the nature of her home, and later on, her work, Ardene has always been taught to hold secrets dearly. An intense paranoia of traitors amongst her company is another large influence on that behaviour, having been taught from a young age to be wary of Heretics everywhere around you. 

6. Does your OC prefer tennis shoes/sneakers or flip flops?

What’s Tennis?

What are flip flops in Ishgard?

8. Your OC is given a full-ride scholarship to any college they could want to go to. Where do they go and what do they major in?

BEEP BEEP MODERN AU COMING THROUGH. 

Straight through Police Academy, baby.

10. Would your OC prefer to live in the city, the suburbs, or the country?

City, in any iteration. Ardene likes to be close to things, and feels less alone in urban settings.

[shearwindmuses]

Ardene Pyrali and the MSQ - A Timeline

Timeline of Ardene’s involvements with the Main Scenario in game, to help clarify things for other RPers here, and hopefully make a good tool for helping to establish relationships/when they may have met.

Starting under the cut! There are spoilers. You were warned.

Calamity to the search for the Enterprise - Ardene was stationed in Central Coerthas, monitoring the various factions in the area and their movements. During this time, she seldom left Coerthas. Her only forays into the world outside were visits to the Shroud to monitor the Ixal there when Natalan received notable backup or shipments.

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The search for the Enterprise - Ardene, having been stationed in the highlands for some time was able to assist in the search after proper clearance was issued by her superiors, the Scions having proved not to be a threat to security.

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The Stone Vigil - With the Enterprise located in the Dravanian occupied Stone Vigil, Ardene was enlisted as a part of the team sent to infiltrate the fortress, taking note of its condition, and the Dravanians within for her superiors to better gauge reclaimation efforts in the future... And keep an Ishgardian presence in the Scions’ dealings in their lands.

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Confronting Garuda - Ardene was not present for the fight against Garuda, despite Ishgard’s interests in putting the Primal down. As the conflict drew nearer, Ardene focused her surveying duties heavily on Natalan, and was wounded terribly in the process, a barbed arrow going through her left shoulder and rendering her incapable of combat for some time.

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Shiva’s Rise - Once again returned to her duties, although weakened by her injury, Ardene did what she could to monitor the escalating situation with the Harriers in the Highlands. When the Scions were once again back in their lands, Ardene was there to help their efforts to prevent the summoning of Saint Shiva, assisting in tracking efforts and skirmishes.

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Snowcloak - Locating the Harriers’ central hideout had been difficult, but after tremendous effort, they had succeeded in doing just that. Ardene insisted on being a part of the troop that explored and cleared out the labyrinth of the glacier.

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Shiva - After cutting a path through the Snowcloak, Ardene refused to leave only Outlanders to confront Iceheart, and insisted on keeping her presence for the remainder of their task, and assisted in the fight against Shiva despite her lingering injury.

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The Steps of Faith - Ardene was not seen again by the Scions until the assault on the Steps of Faith, having returned to her normal duty following Shiva’s seeming defeat. The Dragoon fought valiantly--and desperately, in the defense of her home.

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After the Banquet - Ardene was in her station at Dragonhead once more, operating as she usually did when the Scions--or what was left of them, moved into the camp. She was especially concerned about one among them--Gadjette, whom she had worked with multiple times before during the other woman’s forays into Coerthas. Rather than letting her friend sleep in the barracks, Ardene invited her to use her apartment as her own, as the Dragoon spent much of her time elsewhere and often slept in other places such as Whitebrim or the Observatorium. Except for when she didn’t, but they were fine with sharing a bed. It was during this time that they became a couple, though their relationship was kept largely a secret for a multitude of reasons.

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Heavensward - Ardene remained in contact working with the Scions as they moved into Ishgard, requesting her placement be shifted to remain with them as a sharp eye, and keep an Ishgardian interest and eye in their ongoing affairs. Though if it had naught to do with Ishgardian affairs, the Dragoon had no interest or involvement (Such as springing Raubahn).

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In pursuit of Iceheart... Again - Ardene followed Estinien and the Scions in their pursuit, despite her distaste for the Azure Dragoon. 

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Meeting Hraesvelgr, to the Mists - Despite how unsettling this journey had become, taking Ardene extremely far out of her comfort zone, she forced herself to press on despite how mad all of this seemed, remaining on course with the Scions.

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The Aery - Ardene helped to storm the Aery and confront Nidhogg, very enthusiastically wanting to put an end to his madness. Despite the increasingly severe pain in her shoulder hindering her more and more, she pressed on and helped fight their way to the summit and participated in fighting Nidhogg. Unfortunately, she was wounded very badly during this fight when her shoulder finally gave out on her, Nidhogg catching her with his claws, tearing her side open. She regained consciousness later in a medical bay with her partner at her side. If it was unknown to anyone before, their relationship was very much apparent now.

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The Vault and prior events - Due to her injuries in the Aery, Ardene was unable to assist in storming the Vault, or anything that came before it after the Aery (Bismarck and such). Were it not for her relationship with Gadjette, Ardene would have had a very hard time believing many of the things she was told.

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The Great Gubal Library - Was when Ardene was able to join active duty again, though even then was premature. It was at her own stubborn insistence, largely due to the fact that she wished to rejoin a certain someone amongst the party of truth seeking Scions and friends. Her reasons for remaining with the Scions were deeply personal, as well as nationalistic.

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To Azys Lla - Ardene was able to assist in this pursuit of Thordan, unlike the last attempt. Continuing to push herself through her injuries, Ardene fought through the Aetherochemical Research Facility and the Singularity Reactor at her partner’s side.

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After the Singularity Reactor - Deeply shaken by Nidhogg’s return, in the period of “quiet” before their next action Ardene and her partner Gadjette very quietly got married, both because of and despite their uncertain futures.

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Unrest in Ishgard - The news of Thordan’s deceit, and the dishonest foundation of the Halonic Church was not well received in Ishgard. In the unrest that came after, Ardene kept a low profile for fear of being targeted. Her family’s home was targeted anyhow, but the damage was not too severe--but it was enough to spook them. She did not leave Ishgard during this time, keeping close to her home and focused on her family’s safety. (So she wasn’t there to track down Thancred). 

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In pursuit of Minfilia - Ardene once again stayed close to home to keep an eye on things, and assist with preparations for the meeting with Vidofnir. She did not return to the Hinterlands and join the search for the Antecedent. 

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The Peace Conference - Ardene was present for the attempted peace conference in Falcon’s Nest with VIdofnir, mostly on security. Of course, everything went wrong anyway, and it was well out of her hands. She is at least grateful that Nidhogg did not attempt to finish her off properly, and that Vidofnir was not killed either. 

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The Rising Chorus - Ardene remained in Ishgard as Nidhogg began mounting for a final assault against her home. When the Warrior of Light traveled to the Churning Mists to meet with Hraesvelgr, Ardene remained at home in Ishgard prepared to stand at her defense.

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The Final Steps of Faith - When the Dravanian assault on Ishgard began, Ardene was ready and waiting to meet the Horde in battle. As scores of Dragons descended upon her home, she fought valiantly to defend it and buy time for the Warrior of Light to return with aid against the onslaught. 

When Nidhogg and Hraesvelgr faced off, Ardene could only watch. When the White Wyrm lay defeated, Ardene joined the final effort against the Dreadwyrm Nidhogg in defense of her home, and to settle a personal score with the beast. When at last he fell, Ardene stood among those who survived and watched the remains of the Horde retreat, witnessing the end of the Dragonsong War personally. 

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The War Concluded - With the Dragonsong War over, and the threat of destruction by fang and fire departed at last, Ardene put down her lance and retired from her service as a Dragoon. Too tired to continue, and with too many chronic injuries, she decided she would rather enjoy the peace she fought for than go off and fight what she felt were others’ battles.

With her service ended, Ardene became a cartographer instead, seeing as the Sea of Clouds and Dravania both lacked proper maps. With the grand task of mapping both of these regions set out before her, Ardene has devoted most of her time pursuing the completion of her new task... And is much happier for it.

[shearwindmuses]

Bismarck

Bismarck - does you character like to travel? Do they have a favourite place?

Ardene hasn’t seen many places in Eorzea outside of Coerthas and some parts of the Black Shroud, only really hearing about them from others or books.

She has little interest in Thanalan and La Noscea, the former too barren and hot, and the latter far too close to the Ocean for her to be comfortable.

The Shroud, however, is somewhere she really enjoys visiting as it reminds her of how Coerthas used to be prior to freezing over after the Calamity. 

Ardene seldom leaves Coerthas and has little desire to, preferring to stick close to home out of habit more than anything. Visits to the Shroud are short and rare, but she does enjoy going there.

[shearwindmuses]

numero 16: their dreams

Ardene has a lot of dreams and goals, though she talks about some more than others. 

Her first and foremost is one shared by just about all of her countrymen–To live to see an end to the Dragonsong War and learn what it’s like to live in a peaceful society.

A more personal dream of hers is to earn enough money to be able to purchase a home of her own. While her family’s home is very cozy, as is her apartment in Camp Dragonhead, Ardene would love to own her own house. It doesn’t need to be large, just a safe, warm place of her own for her to be comfortable with her wife is all she hopes for. 

Another, and probably impossible dream of hers, is to live to see Coerthas return to what she knew it to be in her childhood, and what she knows it to be beneath the pall of snow that hangs over it.

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Combat Headcanon

Building off of the injury headcanon earlier, an explanation on Dene’s fighting style is below.

Ardene’s fighting style has had to change since the injury she sustained to her shoulder. Unfortunately, it rendered her rather ill suited for lasting combat and she adjusted her tactics to bring a fight to a quick end.

Her main strategy is to try and land one hard, well placed strike to down an enemy quickly instead of drawing out a fight with a myriad of smaller wounds.

Most of a fight with Ardene will consist of her circling and dodging until she sees a weakness, or an opening that she thinks she can take to end it. This can go on for awhile before she actually does anything offensive. 

Her flighty fighting style is extremely irritating, which typically works to her advantage. An angry enemy is a sloppy enemy. A sloppy enemy gives her openings.

By keeping things relatively short, and requiring a minimal amount of attacks, she manages to keep a fair amount of strain off of her injury. However, during longer periods of combat, that strain shows through rather prominently, sometimes forcing Ardene to withdraw.

[shearwindmuses]

◉ Dream(s)

From this meme here!

Dene dreams of owning her own house someday, instead of living in and inheriting the family home in Ishgard. Despite her typically aggressive demeanor, all Ardene wants is to live a simple, peaceful life. Even if she has to kill and fight for it.

Her loftiest dream is to see the conclusion of the Dragonsong War in her lifetime, but she knows that will likely remain a dream.

Ardene actually really wants to just settle down with someone she loves.