Gabriella's History

Gabriella’s story begins long before she was born into three tribes that rested in the ravines close to the Knowing Sea. There they lived amongst the towering mountains and plateaus and fields of untouched lands that would later be known as the burn. These three tribes were known as the Versi, Thban, Yio and in their separate groups could only grow so far. So, under the guidance of the stars above they became one; the Xia (Sh-ay). Somethings to know about the Xia: 

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 They are led by a matriarchal tribunal known as the Stargazers/Seers. These three elected families had the magic to read and divine the stars above and that is what the tribes used as guidance in their time of need. 

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 Some 300-400 years back in the earlier ages of the Empire and the prospering of Dalmasca, the tribe was coming under the realization they would be found out so on reading the stars a decision had to be made, unfortunately two of the original tribes had conflicted readings. 

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 The Thban chose to remain and met the Dalmascan’s and Empire eventually falling into their clutches to never be seen again. 

 §   One of the last remaining Tribewomen and Nestmothers of the Thban still lives within the prairies that remain (those that didn’t burn up near the Knowing Sea) She traded in herbs and animals to neighboring posts and eventually used the secret paths to get goods to those still living against the hands of the Empire.   During this she found Arnor a hermaphrodite Viera baby that she took in and raised) 

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 The Yio chose to leave the mainland to find new homes convincing the Versi to follow, eventually landing along the northern isles of Meracydia. 

 The Xia who remained in Meracydia managed to find survival on the northern isle and made home. For a couple decades they remained there until one faithless day a group of beastlike Au’Ra came upon them slaughtering all they found, pillaging and raping as they rolled across the Xia. Only one woman remained as one of the beasts took notice of her and he choose her for being strong; that is how Miltifan became in the clutches of the Goul and their lord Apoldyon. 

 Miltifan wasn’t received well but the Goul, Vranki the one who claimed her, managed to convince the tribe of her strength to bare children and she found a place there even if it was small. Over the next few years, she grew in respect but just enough to stay her way without problems and in those years she became pregnant. 

 Gabriella was born on the 6 th month’s start stillborn, her lungs unable to inflate, she was blue and cold. The Goul wished to toss her into the pits, but instead Miltifan showed her magic for the first time in the tribe, reached for the sky, plucking a star from it, and brought Gabriella to life while leaving a sing limbal ring in her eye. The baby then grew up struggling as she worked to learn to survive with her weakness; her lung was faulty and caused her to go into coughing fits and at times completely collapse. 

 Gabriella was named after her Nestmother at the behest of Miltifan to follow their tribes tradition; Vranki was against it but eventually caved surprising the Goul woman who would later become one of Gabriella’s biggest allies, later losing her life when she was called to the Seat of Ash on Gabriella’s 4 th cycle. Her weakness and light skinned and horned appearance made her an outcast and so with anxiety and struggle she learned all of the Goul and Xia traditions among everyday survival, later training herself in what she could to get ahead of both her illness and the world she was born to. Here a few events that have happened to her of note: 

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 In her 4 th cycle, her Mama got pregnant and gave birth to her sister, Aolani, and after a year was taken by her adoptive father to keep her safe. 

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 In her 7 th cycle, in order to try and prove herself to the Goul she entered the Forests of the Eastern Seat to hunt the Vircep, a creature that drew on one’s own nightmares to consume them. While almost dying and once again being saved by her mother she succeeded in gaining some respect, but also a realization that no matter what she did she would never make a place for herself with the Goul. 

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 In her 9 th cycle, one of her Papa’s war brothers choose her as his and attempted to claim her by rite, when she refused to, he instead attempted to do so by force. She fought back as he raped her, eventually gutting him and killing him. She grew to resent men in general, a belief that she would later rectify, and hated the brute like warriors for their lack of control. She would later go so far as to poison and set traps for others in the tribe, learning that her lithe form allowed her to move under their noses; she did so to protect her family and her mother specifically. 

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 In her 10 th cycle, on her namesday Vrakni was called to the Seat of Ash where he was disposed of. When he didn’t return Gabriella grew fierce in her attacks. The only thing stopping the Goul was the lack of permission and Miltifan grew even fiercer. 

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 In her 13 th cycle, her unpleasant reality shifted as the Goul seemed to grow quiet and with it came visitors to a civilization from the west. The Hyur and Elezan people interacted with the Goul and with Miltifan being a face of leadership she was tasked with the mediation between the tribe and the new civilization. It was through this that Gabriella met Amalia, who quickly became her first love. While not totally one sided, Amalia could never be with a girl and when it came out what Gabriella was doing, she was quickly ridiculed by the Goul children. Gabriella soon learned the girl herself told all to save herself from her father finding out, and that grew the smoldering hate and anger. 

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 At the 16 th cycle, Gabriella’s life took a turn for the worst as with already tipping over the edge with anger, the Goul took their chance to attempt to capture her but when her Mama forced her to run and hide, Gabriella soon found herself watching while the Goul dragged her mother to the river… and from there they drowned her. Gabriella felt paralyzed and until the Goul moved on, she was stuck. She soon ran to her mother’s lifeless form. It was there that she knew she had to leave. She buried her mother in stone brick and cloth and sealed the cave before leaving the Seat of Ash behind, vowing to get stronger to one day return and end them all. 

 Gabriella soon found herself across the seas and onto the mainland of Eorzea, at the port of Limsa Lominsa. From here she blended in, starting her career as a ship-rigger and eventual bosun of a pirate ship. She spent these years learning and growing, doing odd jobs and some not so ethically okay such killing and seducing both genders to get access to riches. It’s here that the crews gave her the name Winter Wolf for her cold strength having proved over and over that she could keep up with all others, a task she took on ruthlessly without boundary. 

 She eventually met an Elezan named Bruyant Charlemald who hired her as a guard as he studied some old underwater ruins off the coast of Uldarian shores. While they ground against each other’s gears they built a strong comradery and the healthiest business relationship that she has had for decades. When she turned nineteen, Bruyant managed to convince her to go to school in Sharlayan class while staying with him for a year. While she chose to not pursue it further, she remained in contact with Bruyant which mellowed her out. 

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 After returning she was approached by a young boy named Arnor Vearsa during one of their outings with their Nan who they soon learned was the last tribeswomen from the Versi tribe. Soon Gabbie found herself spending time on the woman’s ranch where she would help out and take care of the 5-year-old hermaphrodite while also finding time to rest in her mother’s homeland exploring the ruins left behind. 

 Gabriella soon returned back to being a Bosun/Quartermaster for a boat called the Medallion, where for two years she simply lived and learned, a surprisingly peaceful few years. 

 At the age of 21 summers, she met a man named Thalian in the Drowning Wench. They hit it off if not in a friendly game of wit. They formed a surprisingly balanced relationship of learning and pleasure where she found herself forgetting about her past and her worries. It was during this relationship that she became pregnant and eventually Thalian left to pursue his writing in Old Sharlyan unaware of the child. 

 When she turned 22 summers was when her life changed, she gave birth to Melody Miltifan Versi. A stillborn child whose lungs wouldn’t inflate and a reminder of her own past. For hours she tried and failed at bringing air to the babies’ lungs, but much of it was in desperation. As the 8 th hour passed, Bruyant found her alone and tired. He took her in and took care of her. It was at that moment she decided to change to protect others and to learn to be strong so she would not lose anyone else in her life. She left the shipping career even as the captain of the Medallion offered her the ship as he retired, and became an adventurer. 

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 She spent a few years as a gladiator before she was offered the chance to become a paladin, a task she took to without abandon. 

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 It was during the first two years that she joined a group into the Crystal tower that she found herself lost and soon took a tumble off the edge of a platform. She snapped her calf bone and shattered her knee. In pain she attempted to heal herself, eventually being able to use Allagan metal to seal the bones back together by melting, purifying, and sealing it from rust. (Unknown to her someone may have helped her, but she doesn’t know that, Maybe the spirit of Lani’s father?) 

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 Throughout the years she has been a part of a lot of events helping others, dealing with Primals, the Garleans, and more. 

 In the past years as her adventures wound down, she found herself lost and unsure at her next step. 

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 She learned of her sister Aolani who for all purposes she almost forgot with her unwillingness to think about her past. And made several friends along the way. Star Chariot soon became one of her closest friends. 

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 One night as she argued with Star, she found herself antsy and that led to her falling over the edge of the parapet. This initially wasn’t bad but caused her leg to crack and the metal that held it together to become tarnished. This exposed metal began to rust and soon it reached her brain. Brain damage, blackouts, and soon her illness flared up after all these years. While Bruyant was able to reseal the bone with Gabriella’s help… it had already done its damage leaving her with 6 months to live. 

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 Her then girlfriend convinced her she needed to live, and Gabriella latched onto Melody’s memories, finally deciding to do something to get strong, to heal. She devised a plan to fall into the lifestream, where she met her mother and was given a choice. The pass on or to go back, but at a cost. She returned and her body was healed, but she lost her sight leaving her with the ability to see the other. She lied to her friends, telling them she had become a fae, when in reality… she bound her life’s ebb and flow to her own belief… and her friend’s belief in her. She had become the same as an Ascian, maybe in some regards a Primal. 

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 On her 29 th birthday she made the decision to end her past as it began to crop back up, bringing a lot of misery between her and her future. With Star’s help, after being convinced to go, she set out to Meracydia. She rekindled her rage and did what she needed to do by turning into the monster she feared, giving the White Wolf new meaning and bringing Apoldyon down. She returned her mother to her homelands, spreading her ashes at each place before returning home. 

 Gabbie currently suffers from nightmares and worry as her light fades and her place in the world now seems unsure.