Io was born to Lelle and Marit Laithe in the Dalmascan village of Neimrahava. She would be the first of their three children (followed by Arvid and Viveka), though “Io” wasn’t the name they gave her.
In canon, the Neimrahava Woods are given a fleeting mention in some Bozjan fieldnotes, no details other than it was burned to the ground to drive out Dalmascan rebels, which is perfectly in line with the backstory I’d settled on for Io before learning about it, so. Mine now.
Right along the edge of the Golmore jungle, I’ve decided Neimrahava was originally founded by Viera who were no longer Forest Dwellers but hadn't moved to a city, and later welcomed Hyur who left majorly urbanized parts of Dalmasca for a more rural life. The settlement became a flourishing trading hub; many of the Viera still had extended family within Golmore, so they were allowed to hunt the forest and meet and do business without the sense of taboo. Hyurs and other races couldn't stray as deep inside.
Her father, Lelle, was an artisan, crafting fine jewelry and other metalworks (her pearly moon earring was a gift from him), and her mother, Marit was involved in the town’s government as well as helping plant and tend medicinal herbs usually found too deep in the forest to be convenient. Her brother wanted to be a trader, and Vivi was young and quiet, but they were always getting into something. They were Io’s little shadow.
Io has always been quiet and reserved, but even in her youth there was a gentle warmth in her personality. She preferred to make friends by listening or offering to help with a tough task when someone needed it. She spent a lot of time alone, reading in the branches of a tall tree or methodically fletching arrows for the hunters until she began apprenticing as one herself. By her late teens, Io was one of the best hunters of her generation. She grew into a soft-spoken, witty, and deeply kind woman, but not without flaws—she can be impatient, struggles to express her negative emotions, and isolates herself when she gets in her head.
They were happy, and although life was set against a backdrop of imperial occupation, there were enough bright moments that made enduring the hardships somewhat easier.
Whispers of resistance were always in her periphery. But Io was too young to understand and fairly sheltered from that for a long time. Her parents weren’t fighters, but they could aid the cause in other ways—crafting supplies, fencing goods, and hiding things (or people) for the resistance when they could. They had a “not around the children, please” rule.
As Io got older, her eyes opened to the little injustices woven into her life. Her peers started talking about or even making plans to join the movement. Io briefly considered it for herself. She could have joined a cell, but she wasn’t ready to leave home or her siblings, and honestly, she was more than a little frightened by the thought of combat.
And then her village was razed in a brutal Garlean assault. Garlean artillery launched into homes made of wood and stone, soldiers setting fire to anything that would burn, gunning down residents trying to flee… Io was shepherding Arvid and Vivi when she realized she forgot her bow; she left them for a moment, told them to stay put while she went back for it, and by the time she returned, they were gone.
There was no time to mourn. She saved Ganymede from a burning stable and got the fuck out of there. Slowly, they made their way west to Eorzea. They made use of the Garlean camps they passed on the way; Io was already a distance hunting prodigy, but now she is a peerless sniper. She no longer fears combat.
In the years before the calamity, she made a relatively comfortable, if quiet (read: lonely) life for herself. She hunted the Black Shroud and sold her game to meat vendors and restaurants there and across Vylbrand. After her Echo awakened, she met Y’shtola on one such venture, and her life changed again.
@scionshtola tagged me and i had a blast digging through my screenshots to find the oldest ones 💗
august 2019
lighter ear tips/highlights and a more saturated blue hair color. trying hard to make glasses a thing. no freckles yet. and i was probably so pleased to make her smile in gpose when that was totally new.
december 2024
love of my life!!! besides the darker hair and black highlights, i've had a blast customizing io into a truer version of herself. and i've learned more about gpose over the years so i'm able to take shots i'm proud of!! same little smile tho :> it suits her!
i'll tag forward: @lilas @oschonseleven @hylfystt @birues and anyone else who wants to join in!! i would love to see!
(estinio edition below 🤡)
december 2022
first attempts at gposing with them. the careful vanilla positioning just for a slight hand touch.............
Rules: pretty self explanatory. include physical descriptions or pics, and propaganda. the “other” label can be used for “sexuality misalignment” (ie: oc is femme and you’re gay, vice versa or you aren’t into smashing but a specific thing you wanna do with them like perhaps hug or study them under a microscope idc).
Thanks for tagging me @ghostwise :> 💗
I’ll tag @syrcus @scionshtola @lavampira @hythlodaes @lilas @galadae @bee-a-ts @abyssalmermaiden and anyone who’d like to join.
Io Laithe: The Propaganda
Quick Facts:
Height: 6'2 (plus ears)
Age: 36-37 in Dawntrail
Gender: cis woman
Pronouns: she/her
Sexuality: biromantic demisexual
Pros:
Flexible, literally and figuratively.
Comforting voice, whether speaking or singing.
Once she's comfortable, she doesn't take herself too seriously. Can be very funny.
Cares about her partner's needs and wants to make them happy.
L E G S
Gorgeous smile
Cons:
If you are a big boob enjoyer, sorry.
She's fine with silence, but that may be frustrating for others.
Struggles with anxiety.
Puts the needs of others before her own, maybe too often.
Large (nonsexual) bodycount (unless that's a pro for you, ofc)
Details:
Can play a few musical instruments.
Long and lean, toned muscle, strong arms and shoulders. Herbuild is influenced by archery and dance.
Not extremely confident, but that can be part of her charm factor.
Can be a bit oblivious to flirting. Not in a naive way, but she prefers to take people at face value.
Adventurous, not worried about being temporarily uncomfortable or dirty.
Prefers quiet displays of affection to large gestures
Sexually: versatile, playful. prefers soft, passionate encounters but doesn't mind being handled roughly. Likes an instruction, likes to tease and be teased.
Emotionally: needs a strong sense of connection to build attraction on. Prefers a stable commitment.
I want to know more about Io. I need backstory and anxieties and when she tasted ice cream for the first time. I need her thoughts on tie-style belts vs. buckled, what color she thinks she looks best in, and how she would solve the xenophobia in Gridania. I want to hear about her first time cooking a new recipe and how often she mops in her house.
Hi hello 🥹💗 I’m not sure if this is meant literally or just in the sentiment of “don’t be nervous about sharing! Go for it!” but it’s really sweet of you to send all the same. These days, most of my yapping happens in DMs and on Discord, and after about six years, sometimes I feel like I’m boring the same people with the same OC, even knowing I don’t feel the same about theirs.
SO. I'll answer some of these in their own posts (like backstory, anxieties, and style!) but to hit a few now:
She first had ice cream around age 12. It was a blazing summer when a traveling merchant from Aldenard wandered into her town with an ice making device they were peddling. They mixed in local fruits like mango, papaya, banana, and passion fruit. Io loves mango, and it was exciting to have it in this new, refreshing way!
Io believes the Seedseer Council must decide for themselves that human life matters more than the whims of the elementals and work to foster change is the hearts and minds of the Gridanian people. Io is influential, to be sure, but she is one person already pulled in a thousand directions. She allocates a portion of her income to causes that benefit refuges and low-income people in the city states. She is a refuge herself and has experienced plenty of microaggressions first hand.
Io is. a little messy (she would call it pleasantly cluttered or lived-in). Please... someone mop for her. I picture Estinien being more regimented about cleaning; his farm life and military years have made him very tidy and he likes the meditative nature of routine when he's not traveling. Which is very lucky for Io :>
you're really cool and Io is an amazing character!!!! <3 may I ask- what's a detail of her lore that makes you happy? ^^
omg thank you so much!! and right back at you; i'm in awe of your cosplays and aryaille is wonderful 🥰
as for an io lore tidbit that makes me happy: so. io's two most important mounts are her chocobo ganymede, and the alte roite—a shape shifting dragon who travels with her as the lil caduceus minion. if something is too dangerous for gany, that means it's caddy's time to shine. i like to think she met him at some point in stormblood and he decided she would adopt him. he's been a great friend and companion to her ever since!
ty for the tag @lavampira 💗💗 and i'll forward that along to: @scionshtola @hythlodaes @galadae @lilas @razrogue @bee-a-ts @fourteenthz @greyyourwarden (no pressure but i'd love to see what you guys are working on for art/writing!!)
here's some heavensward roadtrip for a single word prompt i've been spinning around:
This far into the journey, there is no need to discuss the watch schedule.
Every night, Io takes first watch and promises to wake Ysayle just past the new day’s first bell. Every night, Io breaks this promise, letting her sleep instead. Estinien wakes in the hours of early morning and, in the dark and the quiet, they exchange responsibility for their party's safety with the stiff courtesy of pursed-lipped smiles. They talk a bit during the day, circling the edge of something like camaraderie.
They don't talk at night.
The moon drifts across the sky, little more than a muted glow, shapeless behind the dense, wind-whipped clouds. It is difficult to track its position and discern the time when the stars are hidden, but Io breathes a sigh of relief when Ysayle does not wake at her appointed hour.
It would be needless to bother Ysayle when the simple kindness of restful sleep is more than she experiences from those allied with Ishgard, and still less than she deserves. Even more unnecessary to disturb Alphinaud when he still sees fresh blood on his young hands. Why make a fuss at all, when she can push through for another few bells, and he doesn't seem to mind doing the same?
The beast calls again, a song scratching across the quiet night, high and rough and lonesome.
It is like no music Io has heard before, but some part of her feels she could join in. Hearts in perfect harmony, defeated and defiant. She understands why they’ve named the war for such a lament… A shiver runs down her spine.
Only the wind, she thinks for a moment as the grass rustles again.
Only the wind, until the sound loses its rhythm. There's a dull thud against the ground, then another. Io looks away from the fire, toward the source of the noise: Estinien is shaking in his bedroll.
