Shinorah Nightsbane

Archmagus, Captain of the Four Winds, and a riches-to-rags Mhigan lady doing her best

Quick Bio

About

Shinorah's life is broken down into four rough chapters, each markedly different from the others. She'll talk relatively openly about any of these, though not always in great detail. Consider them all common knowledge/easy to discern with minimal effort:

Childhood:
Shinorah (Norah) grew up a sheltered, privileged, and fairly spoiled rich girl to a prominent and politically well connected Mhigan family. She was the second child, and eldest daughter, of a Mhigan Senator and diplomat. Norah was raised with a classical Mhigan education - languages, diplomacy, etiquette, mathematics, and history. However, she was taught little of the fighting arts - her father, a veteran of the Shroud Wars, had hoped to avoid military service for his elder daughter and instead envisioned a bright career, following in his footsteps as a diplomat and advisor.
Norah was around 15 when the Empire invaded, and her family sent Norah and her younger sister away with a caravan of other nobles that had paid handsomely to be smuggled out through Gridania.

Interlude: https://norahnightsbane.tumblr.com/post/629349683388727296/prompt-14-part

Adolescence:
Norah's coming of age was a difficult and painful one, in every way imaginable. She lost nearly all of her family at the age of 15, sent away with a caravan that never made it out of Gridania. When asked, she'll admit haltingly that she believes the forest is haunted and bears no love for Abanians, and that her entire party became separated or died in bizarre and disturbing ways. In the end, only she and her sister made it out from the originall caravan, and her sister died a few weeks later in the Thanalan desert before they were able to find an encampment.

She doesn't much talk about the time before she got to Little Ala Mhigo, and pressing her just leads her to end the conversation entirely. She talks more freely about her time in Little Ala Mhigo, where she was taken in by a blacksmith and his wife and adopted as their own child. There, she learned many skills that a sheltered and privileged child never knew - smithing, cooking, skinning, sewing, and survival. Once Norah turned 18, she turned to look for more formal work in Ul'dah, using her new skills and her education to land a job in the Ossuary. Norah dislikes Ul'dah strongly, looking down on the city from both a Mhigan's elitist disdain but also the hardships she and her fellow refugees faced in the city. It's a complicated relationship, a place where she came into her own but one she loathes.

Interlude: https://norahnightsbane.tumblr.com/post/tbd

Adulthood:
At the Ossuary, Shinorah was exposed to aetheric manipulation and arcane theory, displaying a natural and innate talent for magic. She practiced this for years in semi-secrecy, ultimately taking work with various adventuring groups as a cartographer and aetheric consultant. After a time, a magical experiment led to an arcane explosion embedding a fragment of crystal in her shoulder, ultimately leading her to a group of adventurers calling themselves, "Aeon". There she met many friends, including her eventual life partner Kail Gerrad. The pirate seemed as far cry of a love interest for the once-proud Mhigan noble - scarred, tattooed, rough around the edges and as salty as they come. Yet she saw beyond that to the soul within, and has been by his side ever since. Together with their other Aeon friends, they adventured far and wide and her arcane skills and survival skills grew.

Interlude: https://norahnightsbane.tumblr.com/post/tbd

The War:
Shinorah has always been a proud daughter of Ala Mhigo, heavily involved in the resistance even while in Ul'Dah or Limsa Lominsa, her chosen home. She and Kail remained involved in the Mhigan Resistance, smuggling arms and information across enemy lines and doing what they could to support Abanian Independence. When war finally broke out with the Empire and the Eorzean Alliance joined the fight, Norah enlisted and went to the front. She fought for two years in some pretty intense combat (which she does not care to talk about in detail, like most veterans of major action). She does freely mention that she was sent back to Limsa after suffering an injury to her right shoulder and being considered medically unfit to remain with her unit. What she doesn't admit is that the surgery also seemed to have interfered with her aetheric energy, and that she hasn't been able to cast spells since....

Interlude: What's Left of the Flag,
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YtJdFXn6CM0tGxClllW1FqmqFTmSWsCxV0eywUXnc/

The Present:
She's been a debutante, a refugee, a scholar, and a soldier. It seems every decade, Norah reinvents herself somehow - the past set to flames, and a new version rising from the ashes. This time, Shinorah's taking on the role of an airship captain. With the money she'd saved up over all the years so she'd never be homeless again, she and Kail scraped together enough to buy a decrepit wreck of a Garlean scouting ship. They used all their skills of a lifetime to salvage her, cobbling together bits of this and parts of that until the Four Winds could finally fly. Together, they hired a crew and chartered the cargo and salvage company, Crosswinds and Curios, taking whatever jobs they can to stay in the skies together and with their new friends. Where the winds take her now is anyone's guess...

Art and Stories

Writing:
"What's Left of the Flag", https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YtJdFXn6CM0tGxClllW1FqmqFTmSWsCxV0eywUXnc/edit?usp=sharing

Relationships

Kail Gerrad

Norah's long time partner, both romantically and professionally, Kail Gerrad is a freed slave and sometimes pirate with a checkered past and a heart of gold. They've been together close to a decade, with many adventures ahead - immer und ewer, mein Schatzli.

• Kail's Carrd

• Kail's Tumblr

Alyona Amariyo

The ship's Navigator, Alyona (Aly to the crew) is a bright, bubbly miquote overflowing with enthusiasm. A vibrant compliment to Norah's calm stoicism, Aly helps shake Norah into the present with her effusive charm and never-ending quest for adventure.

• Aly's Tumblr

Victor (info to follow)

Victor is the pilot and tech-savvy scientific assistant on the Four Winds. He's extremely bright, though often drawn to dangerous void research. Norah's often harder on him than the rest of the crew - perhaps she sees a bit too much of herself and the never-ending temptation to dabble in magicks she shouldn't, and how precarious the edge is....

• Link

Piper Wrenj

Piper is the Four Winds' mechanic and resident "wrench wench", a sweet and sharp mechanic with little in the way of book learning but an uncanny skill when it comes to mechanics. Norah appreciates her down-to-earth sensibilities and practical approach to problems.

• Piper's Carrd

Svana (info to follow)

Svana is a fellow Mhigan and compatriot of Norah that she met during the Resistance. She recently joined the crew of the Four Winds, and Norah often seeks the younger Svana out to talk of home or reconnect with her past memories.

• Link

Martialis Heulouix

Mar, as he's known to friends, is a trusted ally and confidant of Norah's. They've known each other for years, first meeting when they both worked for an Ishgardian engineering firm where she picked up some mechanical skills. Both have put Ishgard behind them for different reasons, but share a desire to move forward and away from the icy mountains of Coerthas.

• Link

Scamp

Scamp is Norah's familiar, a red panda with an uncanny intelligence. He's rarely far from Norah's side, often perched on her shoulder and listening to the conversation....if animals could listen. Which of course they can't....right?

• Link

Rumors

COMMON RUMORS
"The mage? Seems nice enough, always tips well."- Server in Horizon"Ah right, the Queen of the Slums. All prim and proper, even when she's dressed in rags. Who the heck she thinks she is, puttin' on those airs like that?" - Washerwoman in Pearl Lane"She and a band of women ran a shelter of sorts out in Crescent Cove for a while - said it was to help the ones what couldn't help themselves. Some of the rougher dock sorts called them all kinds of names, but most of the townsfolk seemed to think right highly of them. Norah there, she was the one who set it all up." - Bartender in Crescent Cove"Heard she's taken up wit' some ne'er do well pirate sort. Shoulda figured, prolly just after his money, or him hers or what-not....things like that don't e'er happen if money ain't involved." - Merchant on the Sapphire Avenue Exchange"She's always here in the library, looking through old books and things. White magic, black magic, red, blue - doesn't seem to matter, it's like she wants to learn it all." - Librarian in Ul'dah"Bitch told me my wife ought to leave me, said I don't treat her no good. What the feck's she know about it? Shoulda slugged here one right there, show her her place....but I dunno, something in her eyes went all cold and I decided to walk it off instead. Next time, though..." - Dockhand at Crescent Cove
Uncommon Rumors
"They say her family turned colors when Ala Mhigo fell, and were among the first to swear loyalty to Garlemald." - Wood Wailer in Gridania"Heard her brother Jossen's on the lamb now. Word is he's been tied to too many suspicious deaths in the Garlean Army, and they were getting ready to hang him for treason." - Mhigan refugee, Little Ala Mhigo"Think she may have found herself in some sort of trouble - doesn't look like much of a fighter herself, but she's been in here snapping up every book on poisons and antidotes we had. Wonder who she ran afoul of, poor thing..." - Receptionist at Alchemist's Guild"There's something a little unsettling about that one....all polite manners and grace, but there's a fire burning in her eyes at times that makes my hair stand on end." - Member of Conjurer's Guild"That one? Huh. Woman's got to learn there's some magic folks shouldn't be meddlin' in....stare too long at the Void, and sooner or later the Void's gonna stare back." - Instructor at Thaumaturge's Guild
RARE RUMORS
"The Nachtsiegers? This is a hard rumor to come by, but a few people whisper that her family's all with the Resistance, running intelligence operations and smuggling in weapons. Pretty high up, from what I hear." - Trainer at the Sisters of the Edelweiss"Rhalgr, did you hear about what happened to that man out in the desert? Hells, she was barely sixteen then, was a long time ago. Didn't even know a girl that age could channel aether like that...I don't know what he did to her, there are rumors of course, but....I was there and I saw it. She looked like a Demon from the Void itself, fire swirling around her as she burned him alive with her magicks. It's not just that I don't want to be on her bad side, I want to be as far away from her as I can!" - Mhigan refugee, Little Ala Mhigo
PLAYER RUMORS
"Tea Lady Norah? She's a whole world of smart. She could teach a book a thing or two. Did I mention she makes good tea?" - Khuja'sae Fashonti"World needs more like Shin, but thats the rub ent it? There'll only ever be one Norah out there." - Kail Gerrad"Norah is a good friend, while it takes a lot of work to get through her careful attitude, when you get there you will find a kind soul, and a loyal ally. She is a part of my family, so if you see anyone hurt her, give their family my condolences for me." - Leon Greymoon

OOC

In real life, I work full time and am the proud mom to a precocious 4-year old. My gaming time is VERY limited, and I have a personal rule of not playing while he's awake so I can spend my time with him. I'm rarely available daytimes, and often don't RP more than once a week. Thanks for understanding my attempts to fit in RP and character development around a busy life schedule!