History

When asked, Cillenne is forthcoming about their background. From the way they speak and conduct themself alone, it can be gleaned that they have a measure of noble upbringing, and they will confirm if questioned that they originated from a highborn house of Gridania. What they will not do is name said house or anyone they were affiliated with prior to their flight from that life.It wouldn’t be impossible to narrow down a Gridanian house missing a child of their approximate age, though it might be a complicated process if anyone were to undertake the challenge.Another thing that Cillenne tends to be honest about is the reason why they fled. The broad strokes of the situation concerned them bearing expectations they knew they wouldn’t be able to fulfil or endure, and having their life be drawn out and dictated for them from a young age.By their estimate, they were around the age of fourteen when they left. Still a child, especially by elezen standards, but not entirely helpless, and being nonetheless possessed of resourceful determination, Cillenne adamantly refused to consider returning home. Even when night set in and they were drenched by a relentless downpour that spanned several suns and nights, they clung to their resolve and pressed on.If they were pursued, their pursuers never came close to finding them, little less catching them. Cillenne knew the forests, being no stranger to walking their paths. They ventured farther than they had ever been before, and soon were lost deep in the eastern reaches of the Shroud.It might have been a sennight or more before they were discovered, starving and exhausted, by the sylphs who dwelled in that region. Curious but wary, a latebloom took it upon themself to shield Cillenne from sight and sound of beasts that might have made of them a meal in the glade they had sought shelter in.While Cillenne slept, the sylphs took turns bringing them food, and eventually even constructed a shelter out of living plants over them to protect the young elezen from the rain. Tired, hungry, and weak, Cillenne accepted the gifts gladly. They talked to and thanked their unseen protectors, and explained the situation as if the forest itself were listening.It was. The sylphs recognised that Cillenne was an elezen podling, no danger to them—and that they were in need of help. Their elder was the first one to appear to them, and after a conversation confirming their reason for abandoning the safety of Gridania, agreed on the grove’s behalf to take them in.At the time, Cillenne had another name, though they admitted to the sylphs that they would prefer to discard it and take another for themself. ‘Cillenne’, or ‘Lenne’, was the one they decided on. The sylphs had no concept of the genders of man, so they never assigned Lenne one nor asked, and the young runaway found that to be surprisingly comfortable.Although they knew the elementary basics of arcanima, they couldn’t weave the intricate illusions the sylphs could, but under the guidance of the grove’s lateblooms, Cillenne showed great promise and they began to instruct them in the art of concealing themselves with kaleidoscopic mirages and labyrinthine distortions. They learnt how to imbue objects and even living things with these magicks.In time, Cillenne started to glamour their own appearance. Small changes at first, which eventually became the foundation of their current visage as their talents expanded.Facing all manner of threats around the time of the Calamity, the peaceful grove where Cillenne dwelt started to look to the Lord of Levin for salvation. They became ever more mistrustful of outsiders, and Cillenne found that those who they had considered mentors and confidants began to recede from them—more so when they expressed doubts over whether Ramuh should be summoned.When they tell the story, Cillenne implies that they voluntarily left, fleeing the increasingly xenophobic grove they had called home on the grounds of moral incompatibility. They did, though not until they were arguably driven to do so, when those who had been their teachers and guardians would no longer appear to them or answer their voice, and they realised they could no longer find their way to the sylphs’ secretive gardens.They were older now, and better armed to shield themself from the dangers of the woods, but Cillenne still struggled to survive, alone. They ventured into the deepest reaches of the shroud to escape the reach of Ramuh’s territorial servants and the threats they had sought to guard themselves against alike.It was a relief when they happened across a small, burgeoning community of people not unlike them. Though few in number, they had resources, and technology that Cillenne had never seen the likes of before. Okhi’to welcomed them and offered sanctuary, respite. In return, Cillenne volunteered their illusion magicks to conceal the ‘Farsent’, as the clan was known, from inquisitive outsiders.Charismatic, nurturing, and warm, they settled in quickly. New arrivals were often taken under Cillenne’s wing. Osric was a special case, though. He ended up needing more care than most, and a little protection.Their time with the Farsent was peaceful and enlightening, though it was not to last.After the disruption of the Garlean operation that they realised they had been complicit in concealing and the dispersal of the Farsent, Cillenne agreed to remain aboard the CETEA airship, where they currently remain.

Summary

Appearance

Cillenne’s appearance can vary from one day to the next. They’re an illusionist, and they are able to alter their image freely in accordance with their whims. They tend to dance an androgynous line, never entirely embracing binary femininity or masculinity, only faint suggestions of both, and sometimes neither.Their features remain an identifiable constant, though. The small touches they add or subtract never make it difficult to tell it’s them underneath it all. Cillenne’s eyes stay the same pale green, aetherically enhanced with a striking, faintly luminescent glow. The cascade of long, silken hair that artfully frames their face is always a warm shade of ivory.Flowing embroidered gowns and loose, airy dresses of white and silver or flowery hues are their preferred attire. As with their visage, they’re capable of glamouring their clothing freely, and they make indulgent use of this ability. Accoutrements are often designed specifically to accompany the outfit decided upon that morning—they’re impossibly, opulently intricate, ornamented with prismatic crystals and pearlescent gemstones.

Personality & Idiosyncrasies

Headstrong and wilful, Cillenne is decisive and confidently sure of themself. They take great joy in uplifting others, inviting those around them to stand taller, hold their heads higher. They are whimsically playful, vivacious, and outgoing.Their perspective is often reminiscent of that of a fey creature, which comes as little surprise to those who learn that they left their home behind at a relatively young age and were taken in by sylphs, with whom they lived for perhaps close to a decade. They adopted many sylph philosophies, including a nuanced and unique perception of gender.Cillenne has a strong sense of self and they don’t appreciate being prescribed any facet of their own identity. To hear them speak of it, they’ve always known what they weren’t, and they refused to accept being told otherwise. As for what they are, they embrace that as a journey of discovery, and they consider it a path that they will always walk.They’re good at self-soothing and dealing with their own emotions, which they often fully embrace and exhibit. They tend to let their feelings be known, though they’ll try to conceal jealousy. They can be possessive, and they struggle with feelings of being someone others find easy to discard even if that may not be true.(Please don't engage with the following if you are under 21.)Cillenne is openly promiscuous and casual with intimacy. They are very secretive about the content of their experiences, though it is often very clear when someone has their attention.They embrace their infatuations, and if they feel their attraction to another is reciprocated, they may pursue that person. They’re deeply romantic, doting, and adoring towards their partners.Although they are not monogamous, they’re careful to ensure that anyone they pursue relations with understands that, and what they’re getting themselves into. In any community they’re a part of for long enough, Cillenne often ends up being ‘known for’ their proclivities, and they understand that the territory they tread is delicate, that feelings are easily damaged, and above all, that no one deserves to be discarded.

Abilities

Cillenne is an illusionist who was trained by the sylphs of the eastern region of the Shroud. They are talented with all kinds of illusions, from glamours that affect a person, their clothing and belongings, or objects, to mirages that distort the environment in localised regions.Enchantment comes part and parcel with these abilities, though their enchantments are limited to cosmetic alterations that are applied when an item (such as a necklace) is worn.In terms of combat, they are capable of giving their illusions short bursts of corporeal substance by imbuing them with more of their own aether, which might enable a phantasm to strike with fists or a weapon, though these images tend to shatter upon impact and the damage they’re capable of inflicting is extremely limited.Cillenne’s main talent lies in avoiding a fight in the first place, or escaping from one—not to mention that they have a preference for (though do not necessarily strictly abide to) the philosophy of pacifism. They understand the necessity of fighting when one stands to lose those one cares for, but they believe that the greatest glory is to be found in the battles that were never fought.On a more mundane level (though they might not escape accusations of bewitchment), they employ charm, empathy, and grace to deescalate conflict where possible, as well as to persuade, delight, seduce, or simply enrich social situations and get to know those around them better.

ATTRIBUTES

proficiencies

Summary

Physical Characteristics

Osric’s fairly small. He’s usually the shortest guy in the room by at least a head. He’s slight and waifish in build. His clothes usually seem a little too big for him as nearly all of which were borrowed from someone else. Linen and leathers are favoured, or some combination of the two, and fabrics with natural, woodland colours like earthy greens, rich browns, orange and tan, or that are undyed.He’s never seen without gloves. He even sleeps with them on. Not always one specific pair, but usually some he’s worn often enough to wear the material down. He usually tries to match them with the rest of his outfit, or wears a pair that are appropriate for whatever task he’s working on at the time.As plain as his crooked nose, he’s covered in scars—where his skin’s visible, at least. His nose appears to have been broken once, or possibly a few times, and it was never set properly. The scars on his face are long and deep. They weren’t caused by glancing blows. It looks they were carved on purpose rather than delivered during combat.One of his disfiguring features is the mark of the Redbelly, branding him as one of their own. It’s the symbol of a wasp, carefully cut into his right cheek with a hot blade, about a square ilm in size. If he isn’t wearing a scarf or a mask, it’s visible from several paces away and anyone who’s lived in Gridania for a while ought to know what it means on sight. He prefers to avoid towns to minimise the risk of being identified.His hair’s a dishevelled mess at all times, and if it looks like he haphazardly cuts it with a hunting knife while leaning over a pool of water to observe his reflection, that’s because that is exactly what he does. Both his ears are pierced, and he wears copper rings in them.

Abilities

It goes without saying that Osric can be light-fingered at times. He knows how to cut a purse, pick a pocket, and loosen drawstrings without being felt or noticed by the unobservant. In his younger youth, he was part of a band of Redbelly brigands, under whose guidance he became a capable thief. A little too capable—more on that can be read in his history.Although he can fight hand-to-hand as well as with knives, Osric would much rather avoid shedding blood if he can. He has a knack for remembering the location he last saw an object along with its exact position and placement, as well as any notable details said object possessed. This translates into strong navigational skills as well, and he rarely gets lost, whether it’s in a forest or a town—he’s able to recall landmarks and the order he saw them in. He has a photographic memory, in other words.Osric is a kleptomaniac, which means that he is often fighting against the impulse to steal—usually things he doesn’t need or even want. This manifests when he’s nervous, anxious, stressed, or undergoing change or difficulty. He’ll often see an item, become briefly fixated on it, and before he knows it, it’s in his hands and several bells have passed since he picked it up. It’s something he’s more aware of and able to control when he’s in a stable headspace, but that isn’t often.All in all, he’s just a little guy. He’s not a fighter, and he’ll say as much himself. He’s good at finding things. That’s what made him a good quartermaster for the Farsent, and a passable assistant to one aboard the CETEA.

Attributes

Proficiencies

Personality & Quirks

From an outside perspective, Osric often appears withdrawn and closed off. He tends to stick to a corner, avoid the eyes of others, and hide in the shadows or behind a trusted guardian. He often behaves as though he expects people to mistreat or do him harm, particularly those he doesn’t know. He carries himself like a whipped dog, skulking about with a guilty air. It’s easy to warm him up and get him talking with a little kindness and reassurance, though.Those who do will find that he’s introspective, thoughtful, and a little playful. He isn’t very learned, but his heart tends to be in the right place. He knows his own flaws and limitations intimately, and he isn’t burdened with pride—he’ll admit when he’s wrong or has done wrong.Osric’s emotions can overwhelm him at times. He’s got a habit of saying the first thing to come to mind, then immediately regretting it after hearing the words come out of his mouth. Anyone attuned to such could get the sense that impulse control is a major struggle of his, and that it afflicts him on every level. He’s an anxious person who struggles to balance a yearning for acceptance and validation with his fear of rejection and the consequences of actions that feel beyond his control.He is fiercely loyal to those he cares for. Osric can easily walk away from most confrontations, but it’s a different matter if Cillenne or Buckle is involved or brought into it. Speaking ill of them draws out his ire, and he doesn’t hesitate to get physical if there’s danger. Anyone else he’s close to or becomes closer with can expect him to do the same for them.A permissive temperament and his small size almost invites some degree of teasing, bullying, and manhandling from others. He’s good at putting up with or leaning into it. If people are laughing, even at you, ridicule’s preferable to anger—and a thief who can’t keep his hands to himself faces no shortage of that. He still has his limits, though.

Background

It’s no secret that Osric used to be part of the ‘Redbelly Wasps’. Like many who join the hive of outlaws prowling the Black Shroud, he wasn’t there by choice.Osric was born in the provincial outskirts of the Twelveswood, another hungry mouth his mother couldn’t afford to feed and never bothered to name. He survived the sickness that claimed a number of his siblings, and staved off starvation by being quick and quiet, taking what he needed where he could get it.His theft didn’t go unnoticed, though. He didn’t only take what he needed, and at times lifted items that would be missed. Valuables caught his eye and he couldn’t keep his fingers still. If he was lucky, and they went to his mother, she paid him back for the trouble caused with a measured hand. If he was caught in the act, he wasn’t so fortunate.Eventually, his mother decided he was more trouble than he was worth. Osric wasn’t even ten years old when she sold him to the brigands that stalked the woods beyond the town, and that was the last he saw of her. It was the best thing she could’ve done for him, in a way. He wasn’t treated kindly, but he took well to the lifestyle.Before, his impulses were a liability. Here, they were a boon. He picked up other skills from his fellow Wasps—survival, hunting, trapping, pick-pocketing, burglary, how to fight. He formed bonds with others like him, who had found their way to the outlaw order in a similar manner.There was no doubting that he was one of their most prolific thieves. Small and slight, quick and nimble, he often brought in the best take, and he always managed to evade the grasp of the Wood Wailers. But he committed the one crime his associates could not abide—he stole from them as well.The first time it happened, they laughed it off. He was still a child. Their patience for it dried up fast, though. His punishments became more severe, but not even their harshest measures could deter him. The more he stole, the more he was punished for it, the more anxious he became… and the more he stole. Eventually, he made the fatal mistake of stealing from the hive’s ‘Queen’.How he found himself in her quarters, he couldn’t have said. Maybe he went there because it was dark and quiet. He didn’t leave empty-handed, though. The Queen of the hive was quick to realise what she’d lost, and there was no safe opportunity to return it. He fled, and was chased. He ran into the deep Shroud, hoping they wouldn’t follow. They did.It was the Farsent who saved him. Cillenne, specifically. Their illusions confounded Osric’s pursuers, and they carried him, exhausted, to safety. Okhi’to tended to his wounds, and asked the reason why he was being pursued. He was wary of bringing a potential murderer into their midst—but a thief? An honest one? He could use that.Even among the Farsent, Osric ruffled feathers with his careless acts of larceny, but Cillenne spent time watching him and talking to him, and they quickly came to understand that he wasn’t doing it on purpose. They advocated for him and pleaded for leniency, offering to scour his ‘magpie’s nest’ of pilfered goods anytime anything went missing and smoothing things over when tempers flared in ways only they could.Osric came to rely on them. Cillenne saved his life, and continued to serve as his protector. He never found much opportunity to do the same for them, but they never seemed to expect any recompense. The two of them realised they had a lot in common as they came to know one another better, despite their differences, and soon became close.Life with the Farsent was more peaceful than Osric had ever known. It couldn’t last, though. An unfortunate misunderstanding and overzealous eagerness to protect themselves led to the Farsent kidnapping a Hearer. Although she was a recluse, her absence was predictably noticed, and adventurers were dispatched in search of her.They found the Farsent. It was Osric himself who blew their cover when he realised—too late—that some of the kidnapped Hearer’s belongings were among the wares he tried to peddle to the interlopers. They hurried the intruders out, but it was clear they were connected to the Hearer’s disappearance, and the adventurers came back.The entire arrangement was quickly uprooted and exposed for what it was—a squadron of Garlean deserters who had captured and harnessed the power of an Elemental, who had designs to exploit the Farsent as a militia they could eventually use to expand their influence and threaten the authority of the Elementals and the Seedseers who ruled according to their will.The Farsent’s haven crumbled under their feet, and they were taken aboard the airship associated with the adventurers who exposed the operation while the squadron’s fate was decided. As for the Farsent, they were allowed to decide their own as an ignorant, if not entirely innocent party. Most of them scattered to the four winds to try their luck elsewhere, but Osric was among those who remained aboard the airship to become part of its crew.He knew he wouldn’t do well trying to fit back into society. It was the natural choice. Cillenne stayed with him. He remains aboard the CETEA, looking ahead to where life may take him next.