A Warrior's Lore

Backstory

Valrune was born in the north of Golmore Jungle to two moms: Anne, a Wood Warder sharpshooter, and Bianca, a healing-focused Arcanist. She split her early years between the jungle and Muscadet, a former Rava and Veena trading post that developed into a lively hub for many races. Both mothers believed strongly in a balance between the Wood and the outer world, and they took care to give Valrune a rounded education: Anne taught her about respecting the Wood and following the Green Word as well as various important survival skills, while Bianca focused on instructing her in the art of healing, as well as how to trade and haggle like any merchant.

One day, a new visitor appeared in Muscadet - a gorgeous Rava Viera with dark hair and face tattoos. Valrune instantly fell in love with the newcomer, named Yaella Khoury, and the two were rarely seen apart after they met (save for when Yaella got hopelessly lost). The couple had three children together, naming them Arndis, Camille, and Erenville.

However, their idyllic life was not to last. When Garlemald invaded, Valrune became separated from Yaella and their children in the initial attacks. Worried yet full of anger at the destruction of Muscadet, Valrune planned to team up with her fellow Viera warriors and the mercenaries, but her mothers prevailed on her instead to flee and seek out her own family, and that they would instead stay and fight. Knowing it would mean their deaths, but accepting their final gift, Valrune fled to Dalmasca and began her search.

Throughout her years in hiding, first in Dalmasca, then, after it fell, in Doma, Valrune became jaded and bitter at society and people as a group, mostly due to their indifference to nature and the world and their unending selfish greed during war. She followed every lead she could after Yaella, but by the time she arrived at each, her wife had already moved on. This did little to improve her mood or her respect for other people.

Eventually, following yet another lead, Valrune joined a group of Doman shinobi who were smuggling people out of Othard to Eorzea. It was while she was on one of these vessels guarding the refugees that the Seventh Umbral Calamity struck. She woke up on an unfamiliar beach and fell back on her survival skills until she had gathered enough information on the disaster, as well as more personally crushing news: none of her contacts remained alive, and she had no easy way back to Othard, the only home she knew.

At a loss of what to do next, Valrune set out for the Black Shroud, taking comfort in the familiarity of living in a forest. Despite some clashes with the Wood Wailers, the Elementals had no problems with her, and so the people of Gridania and the Twelveswood were forced to let her camp and live as she pleased. She could sense their resentment, and returned the feeling fully, refusing to trade with most of the inhabitants.

Not quite enjoying life, but having a familiar routine, Valrune lived in the Twelveswood for a number of years...until word reached her of a dark-haired Viera with tattoos at the Botanist Guild in Gridania. Valrune set aside her anger and decided to follow this new lead and see where it goes... and soon finds herself signing up as an Adventurer, encouraged and excited by finding Yaella's name inscribed mere pages before her own.

Personality

Valrune is (kind of) mean. She tends to say what she thinks and doesn't soften her words or opinions, even if she should. Most of the time she makes snap judgements and becomes incredibly stubborn about them, refusing to change her mind without significant proof to the contrary. When she does make genuine mistakes, she will correct herself and learn from it, but in a very grumpy, grudging way. She is the kind of person who snort-laughs when you trip, and firmly in the "I decide who lives and dies" category of healer.

However, Valrune isn't ruled solely by anger - like a true Dark Knight, at the heart of her rage is always love. She cares deeply and passionately about those she trusts and wants to protect them (and herself) in a world that has proven itself cruel. It may take time for her to care about you, but if she decides to, you will never have a more loyal or caring friend - even if that friend continues to make fun of your mistakes. Her favourite way to show affection is with thoughtful gifts and by spending time with those she cares about.

Growing up following the rules of the Wood made Valrune a fierce advocate for the environment. There is nothing more important to her than respecting the land and natural world, and she hates any form of advancement that comes at the cost of it. This is part of the reason the Elementals liked her enough to let her stay - she is as cautious and caring as anyone born in the Twelveswood. This has also allowed her to have a very good sense of direction, which is an asset considering her wife was born without one.

Hobbies wise, Valrune is very musical and has a good singing voice, though she prefers to play instruments. She will take any oppourtunity she can to dance. She is fond of recreational fishing and sewing, and is obsessed with Triple Triad, especially collecting all the cards. However, she has a few major blind spots, most notably her inability to cook (and complete refusal to learn). If not for Yaella and her other friends, she would survive solely on Boiled Eggs and raw vegetables. Her luck also fluctuates wildly - she is either extremely lucky, or extremely unlucky, with no middle ground.

Important Relationships

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Affiliations

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Trivia

• Valrune is an Icelandic/Norse name (Valrún). Comes from "Val" ('the slain', same as Valkyrie or Valhalla) and "Rún" ('secret, magic'. Think runes)
• Her last name doesn't follow any lore, but is instead the combination of the two names of my main party Viera from Tactics Advance. Bianca was a Summoner/White Mage, Anne was an Assassin/Elementalist. I made them her moms to give an in game reason for the name
• She loves Moogles, finding them cute, stupid, and fluffy
• Her Azem is Orion, the Hunter, who was known to be best friends/lovers with Hythlodaeus, and completely hate Emet-Selch (despite his obvious and pathetic crush on her). Much like Val, Orion was a huge nature lover and notorious person hater. Unlike Val, Orion had a streak of humour that led her to troll nearly everyone she knew, frustrating the Convocation to no end

More to come when I fix the formatting on these bullets.