Alysdair Stormbreaker
This Carrd is currently undergoing a slow revamp. Expect some general ugliness, spilt paint and leftover tradesman’s tools to be lying around until everything comes together.Completion date? Between now and the heat death of the universe.
OVERVIEW
An experienced, world-weary Gyr Abanian soldier; Alysdair Stormbreaker plys his swordwork across the city-states of Eorzea and beyond.
Art/References
You probably shouldn't put hundreds of pounds into fancy pictures of make-believe characters, but here we are.Don't ask why so many are topless.
PROFILE (W.I.P)*
Gender: Male
Age: Late-Thirties
Race: Hyur (Highlander)
Nationality: Ala Mhigan
Occupation: Free Paladin / Alliance IrregularAlysdair Stormbreaker is a man shepherded by his past as much as he is committed to abandoning it. Something of a tangled mess of contrasting motivations and attitudes weaved throughout a stubborn, powerful edifice; Alysdair typically finds purpose in the heat of the moment. Straight talking and prideful, he has spent most of his life fighting for one cause or another, whether for himself or, occasionally, on behalf others – leaving him a hardened, pragmatic man bound to his path by a world where his bloodied experience will always be in demand.While far from the typically romantic notion of an errant Free Paladin, he has yet to stagger over an invisible line that might brand him a pariah, though the bitter realities of the turbulent world have yet to grant him enlightenment by way of some grand ideal that might encapsulate his convictions. Nonetheless, his more altruistic actions have been known to define him more than his own words might suggest.Left to presume that the Sultansworn saw something in him beyond fanciful swordwork, Alysdair remains a man adrift, submerged a perpetually violent life that he cannot entertain the idea of abandoning – if he even knew how. Despite his often gruff mannerisms and nomadic lifestyle, he's occasionally given to the company of others and, try though he might, Alysdair is well aware that you can't take on the world alone.* Basically forever.
Roleplay Information
- I'm an experienced roleplayer with over a decade of writing make-believe.- I am relatively flexible with regards to format, be it several lines, a paragraph or multi-para. I don't really have a set word count nor limit and will typically 'partner match' – though even this is context dependant. That said, in-game RP will naturally skew towards the shorter side.- I'm primarily interested in writing on Discord/Google Docs, but I'm not entirely averse to roleplaying in-game. As a heads up, scheduling can be a bit touch and go due to working shifts, but we can make the attempt.- You will get quality writing, you may not get it quickly. I don't rush my out-of-game replies, but by the same token I don't care if your own response takes a while. Obviously this is dependent on much we're averaging per post and if we're struggling to get one paragraph out something's gone wrong.- I prefer more grounded, gritty and serious characters. That isn't to say I dislike levity – expect there to be moments of it – but I'm not big on characters who amount to being nothing more than walking punchlines. 'Fairy esque' characters and themes aren't my thing, either.- In particular I enjoy themes around journeying, investigation, personality clashes, imperfect partnerships, warfare and horror. These are however favourites and neither exhaustive nor required. If you approach me with an idea then chances are I'll give it a crack.- Character-types I've no interest in are: Alexandrians, Androids, Canons, Kitsune, 'Yakuza' or Voidsent (Reapers are fine).- I've close to zero interest in standard-issue Criminal RP. I'm only calling this out specifically because I know it's very popular.- I tend to avoid 'slice-of-life' scenarios if it's a new roleplay. I can enjoy them, but only after characters have been somewhat acquainted. I much prefer throwing characters in at the deep end of something and seeing how they come out the other side of it.- I have plenty of writing samples available on request. Just ask.- I'm situated on Balmung but am happy to skip to other worlds.- My timezone is currently GMT+0.
Gallery
Plot Hooks
NOTE: This section is largely outdated but will be retained
for people interested in roleplays set prior to the events of Endwalker.I'll clean it up... eventually. Probably.
Post-Endwalker Timeline (Minor Spoilers): Alysdair is currently serving among the Ilsabard Contingent, his volunteering owed to those experiences as an Imperial conscript. Any roleplay may also be set during the events of Endwalker if you so wish.Obvious connections here are with fellow Alliance soldiers, sellswords, etc, as well as Garlean characters in the region.Shadowbringers Timeline: For plotters who haven't progressed into a post-Endwalker timeline, Alysdair served as part of the Ala Mhigan Resistance, alongside the Eorzean Alliance, in combating the Garlean advance from Ilsabard. Your character may have found themselves encountering him on the frontlines or when he'd been rotated out to a less perilous location.
Ala Mhigan Resistance: Like all true Gyr Abanians, Alysdair took an active part in combating the Garlean occupation, serving on both sides of Baelsar's Wall. There's a damn good chance that your character was a comrade-in-arms or another Ala Mhigan he knew. I'm interested in contacts to further make his backstory 'lived out' and I'm open to writing writing flashback scenes.
Gladiators: Owing to time spent on the Bloodsands, Alysdair's earned his share of scars as a gladiator. Far from a legend of the arena, he nonetheless fought hard and well enough to garner the attention of the Sultansworn. Rivalries, friendships and everything inbetween may well have been forged there... and it wouldn't be like him to turn down a rematch.
Adventurers: Regardless of what title he's going by (or slapped with), this is his stock and trade. Occasionally it's the gil, sometimes it's sheer altruism, more often than not it's both. It stands to reason then that he would encounter, work along side, or even be undermined by others in the field. There's a lot jumping off points for these kind of plots, so let's talk about some interesting scenarios.
Garleans: Alysdair spent roughly a decade in the service of the Empire, having been conscripted to fight shortly after the fall of Ala Mhigo. It's a small world though and other former conscripts and Pureblooded Garleans he served under may well remember him. Flashback scenes are also available.
Clients: He's far from adverse to accepting payment for adventuring work and might even champion the right causes without the incentive of gil... sometimes. There's plenty of scope for this and I'm always a fan of plots that involve getting out into the world and away from inns; bodyguard work, rescues, retrievals, investigations... there's a whole lot to go off.
Others: Don't see something here and want to hammer something else? By all means ask about it. I'm always endeared to people who're able to approach and form their own ideas, rather than sit back wait for everybody to come to them.
Plots
The gale carried the screams as unerringly as it did the snow, Garlemald's deathly chill lapping against their seemingly ineffectual garments. Something worse than a roar soon drowned out the distant shrieking, primal yet esoteric, until the only sound remaining was the agonised moaning of the wind.During and following the events of 6.0, Alysdair has served as part of the Ilsabard Contingent, his volunteering owed to his own experiences as an Imperial conscript. Whilst he possesses little sympathy for the Empire and it’s sudden if disturbing downfall, he fought alongside enough decent men and women to recognise that not everybody - particularly civilians - ought to be abandoned to their fate, nevermind that many of the Capitol’s inhabitants wouldn’t have been there willingly in the first place.Scenes and stories set in Garlemald then are naturally best suited to Grand Company personnel (soldiers, engineers, sellswords, etc), Garlean military and civilians. That’s not to say I’m excluding Alysdair from interacting with other character types by any means, but these seem by far the most likely to be encountered. If you can convolute a reason for your shrine-maiden-come-potion-maker to be there then, uhh... sure.As noted on the Info section, I'm primarily interested in topics and themes around horror, investigation, mystery and warfare. At the risk of sounding like a broken record: slice-of-life doesn’t especially interest me as a starting point, but I’m more inclined towards it than I would be otherwise just because it’s unlikely to involve a tavern or an inn.
Plots
I am interested in roleplay scenarios set in the present or the past. I have no preference towards either and consider both just as important when it comes to further shaping Alysdair's story.Plots ideas and information are divided by continent, but know that these are just that - ideas - and I'm happy to hear yours, whether they're expanding on one of mine or something completely out of the left field.It's worth mentioning that Alysdair is unlikely to find his way to the New World anytime soon.Pushing buttons is fun, so get to it.
PLOTS - EORZEA
The assault ship groaned in its death throes, before a dozen explosions erupted out of its underside, spilling its metallic guts across the trench lines below. Even as it careened helplessly towards the ground, hundreds of souls fought beneath its shadow - Garlean and Alliance soldier alike too enveloped in the brutality of their melee to react to its descent.THE PRESENTAlthough the reprieve has proven rare, Alysdair has occasionally been rotated out of Ilsabard and returned to a relatively peaceful Eorzea. The man is nevertheless restless - even when away from the front - and as such is rarely far from trouble. Even with Ala Mhigo liberated, there's never a lack of dangerous threats - be they organised or otherwise - and the need for a practiced sword-arm remains high.
Sellsword - Bodyguard, caravan escorts, adventuring, bounty hunting.
Training - Bloodsands matches, sparring.
Others - Happenchance encounters, investigations, brawls, accidents.
THE PASTAlysdair served on both sides of Baelsar's Wall as part of the Ala Mhigan Resistance. Whether a fellow Gyr Abanian, a Garlean or Alliance soldier, there's a reasonable chance somebody fought alongside - or against - him during the Empire's occupation of the City-State, as well as the Gymlit Dark campaign.
Resistance - Undermining the Empire, liberation of Ala Mhigo.
Ghimlyt Dark - Fighting on the frontlines, healers, prisoners.
PLOTS - ILSABARD
The gale carried the screams as unerringly as it did the snow, Garlemald's deathly chill lapping against their seemingly ineffectual garments. Something worse than a roar soon drowned out the distant shrieking, primal yet esoteric, until the only sound remaining was the agonised moaning of the wind.THE PRESENTDuring and following the events of 6.0, Alysdair has served as part of the Ilsabard Contingent, his volunteering owed to his own experiences as an Imperial conscript. Whilst he possesses little sympathy for the Empire and it’s sudden if disturbing downfall, he fought alongside enough decent men and women to recognise that not everybody ought to be abandoned to their fate, nevermind that many of the Capital’s inhabitants wouldn’t have been there willingly in the first place.Scenes and stories set in Garlemald then are naturally best suited to Grand Company personnel (soldiers, engineers, sellswords, etc) as well as both Garlean military and citizens. That’s not to say I’m excluding Alysdair from interacting with other character types, but these seem by far the most likely to be encountered. If you can convolute a reason for your shrine-maiden-cum-potion-maker to be there then, uhh... sure.As noted on the Info section, I'm primarily interested in topics and themes around horror, investigation, mystery and warfare. At the risk of sounding like a broken record: slice-of-life doesn’t especially interest me as a starting point, but I’m more inclined towards it here than I would be otherwise just because it’s unlikely to involve a tavern or an inn.I'm perfectly happy to have any roleplay take place during or after the events of Endwalker. Alysdair won't be shipping off to the New World anytime soon.
Grand Company - Combating Tempered and Blasphemies, supply caravans, aiding the local population, injuries sustained, prisoners taken.
Garleans - Support, rescues, escorts, interrogations, 'misunderstandings', infrastructure.
THE PASTImmediately following the fall of Ala Mhigo, Alysdair was conscripted by the Garlean Empire and spent a not insignificant amount of time serving as part of its military. The bulk of this period was spent far from his homeland in Ilsabard and Othard, as the Empire fought to consolidate its hold over these continents. While Alysdair had no desire to fight for those who had taken more than just his home, he like so many others, were left with little choice beyond an inglorious, wasteful death at Garlean hands or else fight in their name and, just maybe, find a way to claw out of their grasp.I'm always eager to explore this period in Alysdair's life, even if most people don't have much interest in roleplays set in the past - so be a snowflake.
The Empire - Fellow conscripts, Garlean officers, citizens, civilians.
The Rest - Enemy soldiers, sellswords, civilians.
PLOTS - OTHARD
Coming Soon (Probably)