Verd's Pile O' Lizzers
Usir Ausar
Healer/PLD/SMN/RPR
A hobby goldsmith with a specialization in mameteering and a degree in Environmental Aetherology, Usir never intended to become an adventurer. Originally born in Gridania but swept up in the Sharlayan Exodus alongside his Sharlayan Mother, Usir spent most of his earliest years in the black shroud learning conjury, as his echo (Which allows him to speak to all manor of spirits, elementals included) was confused for padjal-adjacent abilities. Nearly two decades later when the calamity hit this history prompted him to return to his birthplace, sending the newly graduated aetherology master on a grand adventure after encountering a particular lancer who seemed intent on accidentally dying in a hole somewhere.
ARR: Armed with his mother's survey equipment and his old conjurer's cane, Usir arrived in Gridania to find it remarkably similar to how he had left decades ago - up to and including the mistrusting locals. Though welcomed with open arms by the guild that already knew him, he had trouble with the city at large, and ended up bonding with another Au'ra who had also recently arrived - a lancer with dreams of becoming a Dragoon, named Seth. Though his new friend was confident and outgoing, he had a tendency to get himself injured, and Usir found himself following the man on his adventures as they became slowly embroiled in the Scion's antics and Eorzea's politics.HW: Fleeing on the heels of the Crystal Braves' betrayal, Usir found himself once again in the center of a conflict - this time in Ishgard, a city not known for its acceptance of foreigners (and especially Au'ra). Accompanied by Seth and their gaggle of allies, the two auri journeyed to the west in search of the legendary Greatwyrm Hraesvelgar, the truth of Ishgard's history, and a potential end to the war. Though still often considered second fiddle to Seth (The more outspoken, bombastic of the pair), Usir's calm nature and predisposition for healing and empathy allowed him to bond with Hraesvalgar, forging a fledgling alliance with the Wyrm; this would later prove vital when it allowed him to bond with his eye and rescue the azure dragoons from Nidhogg's influence.POST-HW: After agreeing to part ways to attend to their own business, Usir found himself drafted into two simultaneous jobs: Clearing the Great Gubal Library of creatures at Master Matoya's request, and aiding Ardashir in his attempt at creating an artificial soul. These experiments led to the birth of Vivi, whom he adopted as his daughter upon realizing how much of a person she is, and who would be his stalwart companion through the rest of his adventures.STB: With the Scions mostly reunited and Baelsar's Wall breached, Usir and Seth ventured into Gyr Abania with the aim of defeating Seiryu and liberating the nation from Garlean control. Though the journey was long and winding, this culminated in the battle against Zenos in the palatial gardens, and Seth's confession that he intended to leave the Scions after Zenos's defeat. Now faced with the prospect of acting as the sole Warrior of Light, Usir took the interlude in the war to try to grapple with this by travelling the far east at the behest of a young dragonnet in search of his father's consort. Though he had intended to use the break to calm himself, he instead found himself faced with a new dilemma: realizing his feelings for Estinien.POST STB: Having returned from his outing in the far east and now saddled with the full burden of his position, Usir reconvened with the Scions only for them to begin dropping into mysterious comas. This came to a breaking point when he was also forced into one briefly in the Gimmlyt Dark, only to awaken to a confession from Aymeric (and, indirectly, Estinien). Without time to address any of this, he was once again tossed into a new conflict, this time on a completely new shard as he and Vivi were dragged to the 13th by the Exarch's machinations.SHB: Flung through time and space at the behest of the Exarch, Usir, Vivi, and the scions end up in the middle of a conflict they are completely unprepared for - an encounter with Usir's Azem's terrible ex (Emet-Selch).
I cannot emphasise enough that SHB is unchanged other than that Usir & Emet are ready to throw hands behind a wendys at any given moment, the vibes are atrocious and Usir doesn't even know why.POST-SHB: Reeling from his alternate-universe-adventure induced depression and still recovering from his light poisoning, Usir decides to take a break by reconvening with old friends in Ishgard, as well as engaging in a light spot of ruin diving alongside a merry band of sky pirates. Unbeknownst to all, something lies in wait for him within the void ark - his much weakened, but very much still alive 13th Shard. Once a courtier of Scáthach that had been enslaved alongside the rest of her court, one "Pater Dagda" (Soon to be known by his much preferred name of Dis) latched himself onto the font of familiar aether and followed him out of the place that had been his prison for millennia, much to Usir's chagrin. Now with a voidsent in tow, Usir was forced to seek out a particular expert in the matter, soon leading him into the somewhat questionable art of reaping.
Vivi "Anima" Ausar
WHM/AST/SCH/PLD
Originally known as "Anima" (and having briefly gone by "Alice"), Vivi is the result of an experiment in creating artificial souls gone wildly correct. Adopted by Usir when he realized she was a thinking, feeling being, she has been at his side since the end of heavensward as his stalwart companion and beloved daughter.Being a goldsmith with an expertise in mammeteering, Usir has upgraded and remodeled her body multiple times over the years in an attempt to give her the best quality of life possible. Though her body is still artificial, she has near perfect movement, and was gifted her adult wings by Feo Ul after Usir was unable to craft a pair light enough for her full sized body. (Due to get body being completely custom she requested she look like her trio of adoptive fathers, and thus is an elezen with Auri scales & tail).Having experienced the majority of the storyline alongside her father, she is often considered a Warrior of Light in her own right, and takes over the mantle as an adult. Due to being made out of Usir's personal aether she has access to a limited version of his Echo, as well as a small amount of creation magic as left to her by Venat after the Mothercrystal Trial. This is mostly reduced due to her own limited aether pool, which she can only replenish via drawing from the environment on a similar way to White/Black magic, or from consuming directly out of aether-rich crystals. Though her abilities will grow naturally over time, she is a child as far as immortal aether beings are concerned, and should be considered as such!
Mochizuki Mumeko
"Nuit Nightrunner"
Born in Old Sharlayan to a branch of the oldest Sharlayan Auri family, Mumeko spent her childhood entrenched in studies as most Sharlayans are wont to do. Developing a deep fascination with her family's history, she was eventually led to Gridania on a research grant intending to ask for permission to conduct archeological studies in Amdapoor. Though this proved to be a dead end, it resulted in a new fascination for her that would become the focus of her life-long career: The Elementals.Now living in Gridania and taking frequent trips into the shroud to collect data, Mumeko found herself in need of assistance with carrying her equipment and turned to one of the few friends she had made during her time there, a hyur conjurer. Through her she was introduced to another newcomer, another au'ra by the name of Yutaka, with whom she quickly bonded - though his eorzean was rough, she herself spoke enough hingashi that they were able to talk openly amongst the gridanians. In him she found an intelligent, resourceful, and similarly pacifistic equal, with the two of them settling in the shroud and having a child.Over the next decade her research continued, eventually aided by the preternatural abilities of her son; his abilities to speak with elementals concerned her at first, but she soon came to encourage it along with his studies in conjury. Unfortunately, this period of peace was interrupted by the world at large when she was informed of the plans for a Sharlayan Exodus, the first thing to drive a wedge between her and her husband. Though she wanted to join the exodus for her family's safety (as well as a belief that her son would be better served by Sharlayan's educational facilities), Yutaka disagreed; Though they may have some support from her family, she wouldn't be able to continue her research, and thus the grant money they had been living off of would be no more. His solution was to instead journey to Radz-at-Han, having kept in regular contact with the man who made him the offer back in Ul'dah over the years. Unable to reconcile the two ended up split, with Mumeko taking their son with her to Old Sharlayan.PRE-ARR: Now three decades into her research and teaching, Mumeko traveled back to Eorzea post-calamity to document the environmental aetherical changes. During this she became distraught at the devastation and broke her life-long passivity to aid those she encountered, developing a method of summoning elementals by altering the local aetheric balance and gaining the moniker of "Nightwalker" in the process.POST-EW: Reunited with her (still technical) husband and aware of her son's actions, Mumeko embarks on a new research journey to which she is unequivecolly qualified: Uncovering the nature of the isle now known as "Eureka"
Yoshino Yutaka
"Kau Ausar"
A simple man from Sui-no-Sato, Yutaka has spent most of his life trying to avoid conflict, despite the universe's repeated attempts to throw him into the middle of it. A master alchemist and goldsmith, he learned his trades not in his hometown but in Ul'dah after rescuing a merchant from a sinking ship and becoming obsessed with the jewelry he was given in thanks. After making the difficult decision to leave his life and family behind, the naïve and sheltered young au'ra made his way to Eorzea via an accidental joining of a pirate crew, jumping into the water after the ship got in an altercation, and swimming three days until he came ashore (Mostly due to an overabundance of caution). From there his trouble only continued - Though he was rescued from near-death by a passing caravan that brought him to Ul'dah, he soon realized this was no act of charity as he was carted into the gladiator's arena. Having mistaken his natural size and build for any sort of combat prowess, the life-long pacifist was spared his fate by the self-same merchant he had saved as the man bought him from his captors.
Finally able to learn goldsmithing (and later alchemy) as he had intended, Yutaka threw himself into his work enough to later impress a visiting Goldsmith and Alchemist from Radz-at-Han. Though offered training and a place amongst the Hannish Alchemists, it was then that Yutaka learned the truth of his situation - He had been spared the arena, but had unwittingly contracted himself to working off the debt incurred by his saviour. With this newfound betrayal hanging above his head, Yutaka gathered his belongings and fled once again, this time through the wilderness and into the shroud. Though he had intended to continue, upon learning of the unrest in Gyr Albania he instead elected to stay in Gridania, taking odd jobs until introduced to another young au'ra who was looking for an assistant: a Sharlayan that would later become his wife, Mumeko.Settling in the shroud with his wife and, eventully, son, Yutaka busied himself supporting his young family by crafting pieces for local guilds and preparing alchemical concoctions for his neighbours. Though the desire for fine jewelry was minimal, his work in making findings and detailing for the guilds of Gridania was much appreciated by the locals, and he was able to make up for whatever else his family needed that they weren't able to afford on Mumeko's modest grants. This slowly shifted as tensions rose in nearby Gyr Abania, however; with the Garleans on their doorstep and much of Gridania in tension, much of this work dried up. Alongside the looming Sharlayan Exodus and his wife's clear intent to leave whether he joined her or not, Yutaka once again found himself having to leave his home - this time not only to learn, but in search of a way to support those he loved. Having kept in contact with the man that offered him a place in Radz-at-Han over a decade prior, he elected to journey to the neutral territory despite the danger. Though he only had a notion of where he was going, it was the love of his family that carried him through it, past Garlean battlefields and over frought oceans into Hannish territory. It was there he finally found himself welcomed, fully and completely, by the cohort of royal alchemists.PRE-ARR: A man of his word, Yutaka sends the mammet him and his son have been working on over the course of two decades back to Sharlayan with a smile. Though he was never able to convince his wife to allow his boy to join him in Radz-at-Han (mostly due to her concerns over safety), the two had kept in-touch by sending a mammet they had built together back and forth between their respective new homes. Nicknamed "Marnie", she dutifully delivers herself to his son as she has for years, bearing with her presents and money in celebration of his graduation.POST-EW: Now reuinted with his son in-person, Yutaka is taking a break from his constant work on the anti-tempering charms to care for his son (and new granddaughter) after their experience in Ultima Thule. Though somewhat miffed that his son hadn't told him of the extent of his adventures before (and thus robbed him of the chance to send all manner of gear and gadgets), they spend time re-connecting and later travelling together to make up for lost time.
COLD MORNING
Nuit's niece and Usir's cousin, Miss Morning is a child of many worlds. Born in Sharlayan to a Hellsguard/Sea Wolf mother and Raen/Xaela father, she wears many names but has few places to truly belong. Equal parts peppy and morbid, she and Usir became thick as thieves once he moved into the family home as a child, and they have considered each other more as siblings since.
Though she has spent most of her life drowning in academia, Usir's return (and the subsequent revelations about where he's been) has prompted her to forcibly add herself to his party. Outwardly she's excused this as watching over him for their grandmother's sake, but in truth she sees his merry band of misfits as a potential place to call home - whether she has to pull the big sister card or not.
Osiris "Serapis"
The elder of twin brothers, Serapis was more myth than man. A being connected deeply to the fervent desires of the peoples who brought him into existence, he is ruled by the concept of life and rebirth - a life lived in cycle, though one he eventually came to control. After expressing his desire to spread his knowledge to other lands, his twin planted him deep in the ground in the hopes that it would keep him from leaving and taking his abundance with him - this fear was thankfully unfounded, but it was the source of his first death all the same. Having rebirthed himself from the ground where he was buried, he took to travelling after meeting a kindred spirit, and eventually found himself in the role of Azem as he wandered the star. Through all of this he also harbored a deep desire to create a race of beings to steward his old homeland in his absence, and through this he came into a heated academic rivalry with a woman he had once met as a girl: Isis. Though the quarreled and debated hotly for centuries, when their project was existentially threatened they managed to set this aside, returning to their shared homeland to concoct a way to ensure that their beloved creations persisted and thus he became the basis for future tales of "Azim".
Isis
The elder of a set of twin sisters, and the eventual inspiration for the mythological tale of "Nhaama", Isis was of the strongest mages her culture had ever produced. Ever hungering for knowledge and on a personal quest to perfect her pet project - a race of lizard-esque humanoids, she held high positions within the Words of Lahabrea and Akademia Aynder. An ever passionate and deeply caring individual, when her project was threatened by the end of the world she banded together with her long-standing rival Serapis to ensure its survival. In doing this she became the primordial mother of the Auri, and has watched over them as her children ever since - Originally as one of them, though this changed due to the interference of Hades. Requiring a subject with which to test his theories of soul repair, he selected someone he knew well who would be able to withstand such tampering; unfortunately for him, Isis was not so compliant. Though the process was by all means a success, she scorned his interference and fled to the sea with her sister's assistance to watch over her beloved creations as the Dusk Mother, occasionally taking the body of a dying Auri child to lead her people personally during times of crisis.
In the current era she done just that - borrowed a body to steer her people through what she believed was a coming calamity - before her old rival made it a moot point. Steadfast and determined as ever, however, she has elected to remain for the rest of the child's lifespan, and is currently being cared for by the Dotharl.
Set
The younger of twin brothers, and as equally obscure as his brother. Brought into existence as a pillar of protection for the community that dreamed of him, he became known as a powerful force to be reckoned with and one willing to do anything to protect his people. Becoming the patriarch of his land after the killing of his brother, he was looked to for wisdom and aid from all and rarely left his lands beyond what was necessary for political purpose. He kept his secret from all but his eventual wife, Nephthys, who eventually used this to persuade him into aiding his brother and her sister when they returned to their homeland during the final days - his guilt at failing to protect his brother from himself and his people from the end weighing in his breast, he was reborn as the wandering warrior he is today.
Nephthys
The twin sister of Isis, and the only of the ancient quartet to retain her original self (apart from the small detail of being dead). The Guardian of the Dead and Dusk Mother in absentia for her twin, she ferries souls through the aethereal sea and provides them protection in their resting places. In life she was of the most powerful mages her culture ever produced, equaled only by her sister, and by marriage to Set became the matriarch of her people. Being aware of what her husband had done to his brother, she was also instrumental in convincing him to help Isis and Serapis during the final days, and has ever since regarded the Auri as she would her own descendants.In the current time, she continues her duties meticulously as one of the final (though extremely dead) unsundered. While typically able to handle threats on her own, she called on her former husband and brother-in-law for what can only be described as a thorough ass-kicking when Athena started knocking at her door.
Seth
Usir's Co-WOL and best friend, the two almost regard each other as brothers - perhaps unknowingly due to them having been twins in ancient times. The more combat proficient of the two, Seth is the one who was originally regarded as the Warrior of Light - that title only being shifted to Usir after Seth left at the end of STB on a journey of self understanding. Not realizing what he left his friend to deal with until far too late, Seth had instead embarked on a self-led quest to find his true combat calling and eventually found himself alongside a dance troupe in Thavnair. It was during this that his life once again intersected with Usir's, and, horrified to learn what he had been through, once again joined his side and resumed his duties as one of the Warriors of Light. Though he had stayed behind in Thavnair instead of following them to Ultima Thule (Due to realizing that his skills as a dancer were more useful in soothing the panic there), he has since joined the efforts in exploring the 13th and combating the voidsent sent forth by Golbez.