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[shadowskin]

Player:
Name: Zorn, he/him
Contact Details: Aim: Zornsable | ZornSable
Other Characters?: N/A


Character
Character Name: Sidurgu (of the Obsidian Heart)
Canon: Final Fantasy XIV
Canon Point: Dark Knight quest 58 The Flame in The Abyss
Type: Canon character
Age: His age is never explicitly mentioned, but by what events transpired that he was a part of he has to at the very least be in his late twenties, if not early thirties.

History/Key Points:
Sidurgu comes from a world racked with war and strife, whether it be men or beastmen at odds, men killing each other, gods and men, and so on... there always tends to be some sort of conflict happening. Eorzea is a land of fantastical magic and creatures, but with them comes a hefty price of destruction and death. Whether it be from a resulting war, or, something more specific, a magic crazed lunatic making the moon fall from the sky; people tend to die. A lot. Perhaps even both at once, as has happened before. The point is, Eorzea is no paradise.

More accurately however, Sidurgu is from Othard, the eastern most continent on the world of Hydaelyn, but due to the Garlean Empire (a technological advanced country set out for world domination), his clan fled their homelands to seek succor elsewhere. Where they landed was on the north western part of Aldenard (the main continent that makes up the realm of Eorzea), which consequently brought them to Ishgardian attention. Ishgard, being a religious city-state that has been at war with Davanians (dragons) for a millennia, mistaked Sidurgu's people for being Dravanians due to their horns, scales, and other such qualifiers that make them appear dragon-like. Which lead the two factions to fight, first ending with the Xaela (Sidurgu's clan) being victorious.

However, in their victory they showed the Ishgardian's mercy that was ill rewarded. Making a rebound, the Ishgardians came far more prepared, and defeated the Xaela. They slaughtered each and every one of them, giving their own mercy in the form of allowing them to choose who dies first, and who dies last. As fate would have it, Sidurgu was chosen for last, and got gifted with watching his entire family be executed before it was his own turn. Fortunately, he'd be saved before the Temple Knights could purge the last member of the Xaela clan, being interrupted by what would be known as a Dark Knight.

With his life saved, his clan slaughtered, Sidurgu dedicated his life to the Dark Knight that saved him. Following his teachings and his way of life to the letter, binding himself to its code, and rising to be a murdering vigilante. Though, his focus of violence was reserved for the wrong doers of Ishgard, those of higher standing that pretty much get away with injustices against the low-born caste, which the justice system does nothing for.

It was through this duty he met Rielle: a young elezen noble who had temple knights attempting to kill her. Sidurgu and his friend (and fellow dark knight) Fray saved her. Together they offered her protection from the Temple Knights, and any who else would attempt to harm her. However, Fray was eventually caught and killed while trying to obtain supplies for them, which left Sidurgu alone (since his master died of old age years prior) in his commitment to Rielle. That is, until the Warrior of Light (the player character), gets Sidurgu's attention, which results in Sidurgu seeking him out, seeing as they are both Dark Knights. Which ended in him requesting his aid in his protection of Rielle.

From there Sidurgu learns more of Rielle's past (not before shenanigans with Vanuvanu, dragons, and moogles, of course), and just why Temple Knights are attempting to kill this young girl: her mother is at the helm of this witch hunt. Due to her father being a heretic to Ishgardian beliefs, her mother believed Rielle to be sin incarnate, thus she needed to destroy the abomination she bore into the world. Sidurgu wasn't going to stand for that, and as such, agreed to a trial by combat: upon the accused's victory, they'd be absolved of all charges against them.

Needless to say they won, which ended in Rielle's mother's beheading, however not before they offered a truce to her which she rejected, claiming that Halone (the Ishgardian goddess) willed her pursuit of Rielle. Naturally, they put an end to her wretched life, so that the affair could be put to rest. With that settled, they soon returned to Ishgard to resume life there, defending the victims of the Temple Knights, and carrying the burdens that such actions received, parting ways with the Warrior of Light.

Personality: To start things off, Sidurgu is a pretty complicated guy. Having come from the land of Othard, which is rampant with Xaela Au Ra who war between each other, he's never really been in an environment that's been at all peaceful. However, he wasn't there for long, before his clan fled to Eorzea, which only lead to more bloodshed and strife, permanently scarring the boy emotionally.

It's from there he developed into the standoffish (almost cruel) man he is. He doesn't hesitate to kill off those he perceives as a threat to him and his, and has no qualms with killing people who conflict with his sense of justice. However, that isn't to say he's just some rampant murderer, he kills with a cause! He protects the weak from those of higher social standing, who otherwise reap no consequences for their actions. He's the justice they so deserve, but at the cost of being an outcast, and hated by not only his enemies, but those he even serves and protects.

Thus is the way of being a dark knight.

That being said, he isn't exactly the most selfless person either. Having taken on a charge named Rielle, he saved her from certain death at the hands of the Temple Knights with the aid of his long time companion Fray; his deeds weren't exactly based entirely out of the goodness of his heart. Though he often claims his violence and killing is for Rielle's sake, the girl picks up there's something more too it. Which, there certainly is.

For all he's sworn an oath to protect Rielle, it really comes down to the fact he's using her as his own means of redemption and vengeance against the Temple Knights. That isn't to say he doesn't want to help her, or that he doesn't care to some degree: he does. It's just that his vengeance against those who have wronged him often tints every endeavor. While he abhors the injustices that the Temple Knights often dish out to the undeserving, it's that same injustice that he once faced that fuels him, drives him to protect the weak, to play the protector that he once had, that he would have died if he had been without.

Due to being raised as a young vigilante, and having a life filled with bloodshed (as well as being an outcast), Sidurgu really isn't the best with social situations. He's rather socially stunted, and as such he comes across as very cold and aloof towards most. Maybe even downright rude, which may or may not be intentional. He's a very crass man, says what he means, and not much more. He's short and to the point, because he has no interest in doing any sort of small talk. He can speak rather formally at times, and he knows general etiquette when it comes to addressing those of higher standing, but for the most part he doesn't fall back on this much. Especially not with random people.

Along with his social skills being rather subpar, he's also very likely to get pissed off if things don't go his way. He has very little emotional restraint, and is actually quite sensitive despite his intimidating outward presence. He yells quite a lot when something upsets him, and knows little in the ways of holding back. Even saying somewhat cruel things to those he regards fondly if he's upset enough, even guilt tripping them if he feels it necessary.

When he found out that Rielle's mother was at the cause of their misery, he berated her for not telling him, saying he had a right to know because he bled for her, and Fray died for her! Despite the fact she had never asked for any of this, he imposed his protection on her, and while she's grateful for his aid... his guilt tripping wasn't really appropriate, or called for in the least, but little did he honestly regret it. Nor show much remorse for it.

This sort of impulsiveness with his emotions also leads to his own recklessness. With how he rushes into battle and danger, with reckless abandon, it's almost like he's suicidal in some ways. Perhaps he is, or perhaps his emotions run so high that he can't think of self preservation, and instead is too focused on taking down his enemy. Lashing out, attacking, and killing. His emotions pretty much rule him, whether they be his anger, or his sorrow, but he seems to overly rely on anger as his fall back. It's likely easier that way, and does well to keep up his tough dark knight image.

Rielle had even once called him out on this behavior, about how he seemed to be seeking new and exciting ways to kill himself. That he'd throw himself into deadly situations, just so she could heal him up, put him back together, merely for him to do it all over again. That he held little regard for what that sort of thing did to her. To which he went silent, because she was absolutely right, and he probably knew throwing a fit wouldn't dissuade her from her stance on the topic, nor prove otherwise regardless.

Despite his emotional sensitivity and tendencies to throw tantrums, he can be surprisingly calm when confronted about his bullshit, if given the time to blow off some steam, that is. During their quest to figure out better means to control the Dark Arts, the Warrior of Light, Rielle, and himself had visited the moogles of Moghome for their supposed knowledge over such. Soon upon arrival, Rielle claimed that she was tired of this charade they have been doing, that there had to be something else that Sidurgu was putting his life on the line for other than for her own safety, which of course he implored that it was for her sake. Rielle was not convinced.

The visit did, however, end in a scheme where the moogles pretended they took Rielle away forever. After quite the trouncing from Sidurgu and the Warrior of Light (however not without Sidurgu yelling and even actually crying for them to give Rielle back to him), the moogles then questioned him on why he even cared for Rielle. Why he wanted her back, to which he answered he swore an oath to her, that he was duty bound. The moogles then broke into song about how duty and honor were inferior to the true power behind the dark arts: love. Sidurgu, of course, wasn't buying it.

Once Rielle showed up to the embarrassing scene, she called him out on how what he was doing was for his own vengeance. Accusing him that it was for himself, his master, and Fray, not for her. With no proper way to deny it or rebuff it, and with Rielle's on the mark accusation hitting home, he calmly admitted to it. Even apologized to her. Offering that he would stand in for her against her mother, but after that, if she so wished to be rid of him, he would respect that.

Though he might be hot-headed, standoffish and often times selfish or cruel, under it all he does absolutely care. Perhaps, he cares too much, with how sensitive he is. He wants to help those in need, protect those who need it, and carry that burden himself. However, he can easily fall inline with pursuing his own vengeance, his own means of coping with what wrongs had befell him in the past. Using other people's plights to fuel his own thirst for revenge. To put it plainly, he has a lot of baggage, a lot of baggage, not even an airport has shit on this guy's baggage claim.

Despite that, he is trying. Trying to help those he can, in the only way he knows how. The only way he's been giving the chance to. While it does little to actually help his own suffering, it's a sacrifice he's willing to take to deliver what justice he can to those who deserve it. To give what "mercy" to those who shed none for others deserve.

Gem: Rainbow obsidian and it will be situated in his right eye, looking like this. I picked it because it fits his title "of the Obsidian Heart", but also because it has protective characteristics, as well as an association with healing past emotional wounds and the like. Sidurgu's story revolves around healing past emotional wounds and scars alike, so it's pretty fitting for him.

Power Considerations: Good thing he's from a MMO that has plenty of abilities to pick from!

Shadow Skin: Using dark energies he can create a barrier around him that serves to nullify a good amount of damage taken. While not impenetrable, it blunts a good number of attacks.

Scourge: Imbuing his weapon with dark energies, the next enemy he strikes is afflicted with lasting damage that doesn't only inflict pain, but also causes sanity to slip during its duration. Duration is roughly 10 minutes. (if one considers the conversion of Eorzean to Real Time where 3 seconds = 1 minute)

Unleash: Sidurgu can burst dark aspected energy from himself in a 5 yard radius around him, the ground turns pitch black around him, and blade-like shapes of darkness stab upward—causing damage to everyone within its range.
Extra: Is there anything else we need to know, that we didn't mention above? Note it here!

Writing Sample: Sample 1
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