eclipsed.
Ram Adyeshach.
Crystal. Mateus.
with golden ideals
written in shadow
“I don’t need a title to do what’s right.
I just need a reason.”
ABOUT ME.
Ram.
Crystal. Mateus.
Alaska Time Zone.
rules.
ooc.
I'm absolutely okay with bending the lore, but please don't break it! We only have so much to work with from an RP perspective so as long as something is justifiable within what the world of FFXIV offers, I'm cool with it.
To that end, Ram will politely remove himself from the scene if I feel that whatever you're bringing to the table is out of bounds for me. Warriors of light, allagan robots, isekai characters, etc.
Be respectful and don't trash on people for who they are. All generic rules reference "Don't be a dick" apply.
I'm not averse to permanent consequences to the character, but they need to make sense and be discussed first.
IC is not OOC. I know it. You know it. Let's just not.
Let's have a good time! Ram's story can bring to light some very heavy topics, so please let me know if you're looking for a lighthearted experience. I'm happy to adjust the direction that we're taking any given session if something is making you uncomfortable. That's not to say that every interaction with him is super edgy and grim—most probably aren't—just that the potential is there.
Hey! I'm Ram. It's both the character and my usual handle for everything online. Convenient, I know. Thanks for visiting the carrd!First off, my schedule varies wildly because of work but I'm online pretty frequently. A lot of the time I'm afk writing, youtubing, or doing whatever else with the game running in the background. If you'd like to RP or just chat or whatever you can hit me with a /tell to get my attention.As far as RP styles, I'm pretty easy and willing to match whatever style my RP partners use. By default, though, I stick to paragraph style without getting too wordy to the point that conversation feels unnatural.On walk-ups, Ram isn't really the type of character who approaches people without a reason. He isn't shy and I'm not either, so if you're interested in RP and see me standing around in character feel free to reach out! If your character isn't the type to walk up either, I'm sure we can work out a situation in which they'd start interacting.Finally, let's just have a good time! I really enjoy writing and long-term stories so I'm happy to get involved in that sort of thing. I'm also happy to just chat about characters, writing, or whatever else and always enjoy meeting people with similar interests, so don't hesitate to say hi!
“I don’t need a title to do what’s right.
I just need a reason.”
dossier.
a view from the surface.
name. Ram Adyeshach.
age. Mid 40s.
race. Viera / Rava.
birthday / nameday 32nd sun, 5th umbral moon.
guarding deity. Nymeia.
gender. Male.
pronouns. He/Him.
sexuality. Heterosexual.
height. 6 fulms. 3 ilms.
weight. ~200 ponze.
hair color. Sandy blonde.
eye color. Emerald
skin tone. Sunned.
notable features. A vertical scar bisects his right eye. Significant tattoos that terminate at his hands and stretch up to his neck. Most are decorative with stories behind them, some might appear functional to someone studied in the arcane. Those sensitive to aether and auras would likely feel uneasy about his. It's far from evil, it just isn't right.
occupation. Mage-killer. Mercenary. Paladin.
place of origin. Outer borders of Golmore. Born beyond Viera territory. Orphaned and raised in Ul'dah.
home. None.
affiliation. Free Paladins, no current oath.
family. Blood family deceased.
marital status. Single.
likes. Travel. Chocobo Racing. Triple Triad. Relaxation with a view. Fried food. Any bartender who can make a good Old Fashioned. People with stories to share.
dislikes. Those who refuse to help themselves. Overly fancy cuisine. Corruption. Trees. Not having access to a bartender who can make a good Old Fashioned. Abuse of power or strength.
virtues. Integrity. Loyalty. Resilience. Self-Sufficiency. Protective by nature. Natural leader.
flaws. Judgmental. Distaste for unearned authority. Reluctant to seek help. Occasionally perceived as reckless.
should anyone dig deeper?
Who he is. Ram is the kind of man who lives as honestly as he can, and he does so with relentless confidence. His sense of right and wrong isn’t something he wears on his sleeve; it’s in the way he moves, the way he talks, the way he steps into a bad situation like it’s already his problem. He carries a powerful moral compass—not some creed pulled from a dusty tome with a knight's seal on it, but something hard-earned and sharpened on the streets. If someone’s struggling and Ram’s in shape to help, they’re already getting pulled out of the fire before they know what hit them.That said, he’s no fool and no savior. Ram doesn’t hand out mercy like candy, and he sure as hell doesn’t throw himself into messes for people who haven’t even tried. If you’re not willing to fight for yourself, you won’t find a shield in him. But if you’re swinging with everything you’ve got and still losing ground, that’s when Ram steps in. That’s when you see the real weight he carries.And make no mistake. He carries it well. There’s a weight to him when he walks into a room. People feel it before he says a word. He doesn’t bluff, he doesn’t soften the truth, and he doesn’t pretend to be anything he’s not. Ram speaks in straight lines and acts in bold strokes. His words have edges, and his silence has teeth.Still, he’s easy to follow. Always has been. He never calls himself a leader, but people fall in behind him anyway. Not because he asks, but because he makes them believe in the fight. His confidence and soul are infectious, and simply seeing a man live the way he does has a way of inspiring others to do the same.
Personality. A bold mix of attitude, honesty, a kind heart, and a sharp sense of humor with a tinge of sarcastic flair leaves you with Ram. If ever you need to be told how you look in your chausses, seek no other. He'll readily supply you with what he believes you need to hear.Confidence. Ram exudes confidence and competence. He walks with the swagger of a man who owns the city and speaks like he knows exactly what he wants. He wears what he knows looks good on him and carries it like a prince.Mobility. "Tied down" is one thing that Ram is not. He places great value in his ability to move from place to place. Few things are more exciting than fresh scenery and a bulletin board of fresh jobs. To that end, most of Ram's possessions are stuffed into a few heavy trunks and stowed away at whichever inn he's calling home at the time.Combat. Ram is a force to be reckoned with when he's fighting for it all. Whether he's swinging a colossal greatsword or pushing into the heart of the conflict with his shield, he goes all in when it counts. He's exceptionally proficient in fighting defensively and delivering earthshattering counter-attacks.Disjunctive Aether.Ram's aether is unusual, to put it mildly. He was born with aether that had a funny way of bending and distorting magical influence, and has since honed it to exacerbate these effects. This is the key to his successful life as a mercenary that specializes in dealing with dangerous rogue mages. It is also the reason for his inability to use most traditional magic.
“I don’t need a title to do what’s right.
I just need a reason.”
history.
from dust to ivory to shadow.
Born with nothing and orphaned before he could walk, Ram was raised with grit in his lungs and dirt under his nails. Life would be nothing short of a brutal fistfight for a kid like him. He didn’t come from status. Didn’t inherit a name worth repeating. But ask him about it now? He’ll tell you he won that fight hand over fist.He grew up in the sunburned alleys of Ul’dah in an orphanage that fed more mouths than it had coin. He played in the kind of streets that didn’t offer second chances. Life was hard. Good, he thought. That just made it worth playing. In a world that rewarded the ruthless, Ram learned early that if you couldn’t find the fun in the fight, you wouldn’t last long. But he didn't just last long; he thrived.With the other kids, somehow, he always ended up out front. Leader by instinct, not title. The kind of kid who could talk you into something reckless with a grin and drag you out of it just as quick... most of the time. Until the day he couldn’t.A busted scheme. A gang too mean, too real. A dead-end alley with blood in the dust and fear in the air. Ram stood between his terrified friends and a man who wasn't bluffing. No weapon. No plan. Just determination and a steel spine. And it would’ve ended there and then for these kids nobody would miss if not for the man in armor who stepped through the sunlit haze and into the fray.A paladin. One of Ul’dah’s best. The kind of man who ended a fight just by entering it.The thug didn’t last long, and Ram couldn't look away. And when the dust cleared, the paladin turned to the boy with fire in his stance and a cut on his lip and asked one simple thing:“You ever thought about learning how to really fight?”That’s how it started.As for how it ends? He can't wait to find out. He knows that it'll be pure glory.
Ram’s life as a paladin wasn’t just a good fit. It was a weapon finding its edge. He took to the code with the same fire he once used to lead street rats through back-alley games of survival. Defending the weak. Standing taller than fear. Fighting with purpose and conviction. That was the dream of what used to be a hot-blooded kid, and he chased it with everything he had.He was the kind of knight people trusted before he even drew steel. And when he did, he made it look damn good.He traveled. He fought. He learned. Not just from the knights' texts or lectures, but from bloodied knuckles and close calls. Ram never let 'good enough' exist within his lexicon, and he never stopped moving.Call it foregone conclusion or a simple inevitability, Ram's fiery spirit wouldn't go unnoticed.One afternoon while sparring in an open courtyard outside the city, half show and half training, a stranger watched him. Tall and weathered with armor faded to near-black, cape cut short and burned at the hem. No crests, banners, or sigils. Just a stare that promised to change everything.Ram felt it before he turned. A pressure that demanded notice. The man didn’t introduce himself.“You’ve got aether that shouldn’t exist. It bends where others break. Disrupts where it should flow.”Ram raised an eyebrow. “And?”“You’re wasting it swinging like a paladin.”That was the first conversation.The second was a duel. No rules, no audience; just fire and steel.Ram lost, however close it may have been, and he'd learned more in one defeat than a year’s worth of victories.The third conversation was a choice. Stay and shine like every other knight or learn to unmake what others fear to touch.To Ram, the answer was obvious.
“I don’t need a title to do what’s right.
I just need a reason.”
hooks.
something catch your eye?
Stand out. Ram stands out in a crowd. His tall, confident posture and quality attire or armor topped with blonde hair and bright emerald eyes often sets him apart, giving him something of a commanding presence.Observer. It's not uncommon to find Ram hanging around places of social gathering, sitting off to the side with drink in hand and watching the locals interact. Is there something about your character that he'd notice and find especially interesting? That could be all it takes to convince him to saunter on over and have a chat.
Reputation. Ram's made something of a name for himself as a paladin and a mercenary, so it's not unlikely you've heard rumors or stories, were you so inclined to ask around. His name is also offered to those in need of a man of his talents, particularly that of a mage-killer. When seeking help with problems brought about by dangerous rogue mages, his is a name that's often mentioned as a possible solution.
Disjunctive Aether. Ram's aether isn't just weird, it's negative. It has a strange attribute to it that passively causes some magic to falter where it otherwise wouldn't, and certain magical artifacts to behave strangely. It's not unlikely that those versed in magic or who are otherwise aether-sensitive to feel inexplicably uncomfortable around him.Note: Further details about this can be found below.
If you’re interested in using this hook and have questions, please reach out! I’m happy to clarify things that don’t extend into spoiler territory, such as effects and how it might interact with various things.
Judgement. Ram will always be a paladin at heart. Does he see someone being mistreated, harmed, or is otherwise in need of his assistance? He'll be there and ready to raise his shield when it's needed most—and he'll do it without asking for anything in return.
“I don’t need a title to do what’s right.
I just need a reason.”
Disjunction.
consonance into dissonance.
Ram's aetherisn't loud or violent. It isn't corrupted, nor is it a feeling of evil or malevolence. It's just a notable disruption to the harmony of things. It's simply, rather aggressively not the way it ought to be.You don’t notice it until you’re too close—and close is a relative thing. To most, he’s just... strange to stand near. Like a turbulence in the air you can’t quite place. But for those attuned and sensitive to aether, the effect is sharp. Uncomfortable. Wrong. It's as if the flow of the world around him is being bent and distorted.Some say standing near him feels like trying to breathe through a straw with a boulder on your chest; you can do it, but it hurts in ways that are difficult to pinpoint.Suppression,to him, is both a weapon and a way of life. Ram has spent much of his life learning and mastering his ability to suppress the effects of his aether. With a measure of focus, he's able to slow the backward flow around him in a way that allows others in. While suppressed, it's unlikely that the average person would think twice about that slightly off-balance sensation they get around him, while the especially sensitive would still likely be aware of the source of their sudden, gentler unease.Expression,then, whence came his reputation as a mage-killer. Ram's aether impresses counter-effects on aetherial manipulation, both during the casting process as well as the intention of the result. While he is by no means immune to magic, it's quite difficult and demands far greater talent and concentration from the caster for them to achieve their desired effect—concentration that is remarkably difficult to maintain when met with a charging assailant.For Ram, this means that while his aether is particularly unwieldy and unsuited to allowing him proficiency with traditional magic, it's exceptional for providing defensive utility in the form of shields and shells. This aspect of his kit has been practiced and honed to great success, giving him access to powerful defensive measures he can use to protect both himself and his allies.He has also somewhat homecooked a technique that allows him to use his aether to heal injury, though it's generally only good for closing threatening wounds and is certain to leave the recipient with a gnarly scar.
“I don’t need a title to do what’s right.
I just need a reason.”