P'pona Pohnna
Basic Information
Race and Clan: Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te
Gender/Sexuality: Bisexual Cis Woman
Age: 24 years old
Classes/Competencies: Warrior, Weaver, Goldsmith, Healing Arcanima (eg. Alphinaud's Academician or Broken Mountain from the WAR quests.)
Occupation: Pirate, Mercenary, Bodyguard, Scion of the Seventh Dawn, Trainer to Ishgard's Temple Knights and Kugane's Sekiseigumi, Bar tab accumulator, General inconvenience to law enforcement (including while working with law enforcement,) Enthusiast for all things mint green, Occasional "it doesn't matter I have a big axe" worker... She's kinda everywhere. Ooh, oh, Khagan of the Azim Steppe! That's a big one. Probably should include that one.
Backstory
Born to the Basilisk tribe of Northern Thanalan, P'pona Pohnna was a fun loving child. She was a favorite among her litter; playful, energetic, cheery, and never more rowdy than was pleasant.Then, one night in her fifth autumn, she was found standing over her father's dead body, blinding red glow barely faded from her eyes. Exiled from the tribe to do as she would with however much time she could stay alive for, the girl found herself on a journey through the wilderness.Every day, she grew more lost, never knowing why, nor how she survived so long. She found herself constantly beset by beasts, and every time, she would black out, certain that it would be her last.And then, she would awaken. Covered in blood, little of it hers, standing over the bountiful carcass of a peiste or gigantoad with no idea how she dispatched it.Eventually, she came to find herself in the Forgotten Springs of Southern Thanalan, where she caught the attention of the hunters there for her stunning capabilities as a combatant. Every day, she would be sent out into the desert to hunt alone, and every day she would come back dragging two or three sandworms behind her. The Springs cared little for her, an outsider girl from a tribe on the other side of the region, but they kept her clothed and sheltered and let her eat enough of whatever she brought in to stay full. She was content among them, but never truly settled down. Still, she had a life there, and spent a few years in normalcy, nearly as bright as she was back with the P tribe (if a little more reserved.)And then, one day, one of the huntresses of the tribe was fed up. She stormed off, taking a hefty sum of valuables with her, and in her seventh winter P'pona was sent to hunt a woman down.Having learned very well from the U tribe, P'pona found the woman within a few days. The huntress knew P'pona's circumstances better than P'pona did, for she'd gotten an inkling as to what was making the girl so strong, and thus understood the importance of not making her angry. Calmly, she explained to her where she was going. Having fallen out with the tribe leader, she wished to make a living in Ul'dah's bloodsands and leave this place behind. That was when she realized what a blessing it was that they'd sent P'pona after her. With honeyed words, she talked the girl into coming with her, and soon the two were awaiting their first match together, posing as sisters.Knowing that it would look bad to be upstaged by a child, the huntress-turned-Gladiatrix instructed the girl to stay back. They were willing participants in the arena, set to challenge beasts for the day, the match more a performance than anything. Three great sandworms entered the field, and with a little support from P'pona, all three fell with ease.And then, three more burst through the ground. With how much of a capable huntress she'd described herself as, the gladiatrix had the planners thinking she would easily notice the tremors of sandworms, basic prey for the Springs people. Not so. The woman who had guided P'pona into the city was immediately drawn into the belly of the worms, the clattering of her axe against the tile a final bell toll to mark her fall.Panic erupted in the crowd. This child had been brought on as a stage prop for a legendary huntress of the U, who now proved to be sorely less than she had advertised herself as, and even the fans of the bloodsands didn't want to watch a helpless little girl become wormfood. Backed into the corner by the three monstrous insects, P'pona scrambled for the discarded axe in a panic. By the time she had it in her hands, she could feel the warm breaths against her neck. As she'd done a thousand times before, she screwed her eyes shut and waited to die.And just as it happened the past thousand times, P'pona woke up drenched. Though, this time, she was drenched and deafened by the roar of the crowd in the stands. Looking around, she found herself caked in blood, sandworms split into gory messes around her as her shaky hands dropped the axe toher feet. Colosseum employees quickly came out to pull her off the field, congratulating her on her phenomenal performance as they took her to celebrate.That day, P'pona finally learned what had been guiding her life thus far. A few of the crowdgoers recognized it and excitedly informed the staff as they inquired about what the little girl sitting in the dressing room had just done. She had within her the Inner Beast, an innate trait that seemed to occur in a number of people around the world. A few tribes had even built a legacy of it, apparently. Collosseum leadership worried about her; it seemed more a liability than anything, to keep around a child with no family who didn't know how to fight except when under the influence of some primordial uncontrolled rage.Then they picked up all the gil that had been thrown on stage after her victory. Suddenly, she seemed like a smart investment.P'pona would live her next seven years as a Colosseum fighter, her free time filled with training with the other gladiators and being examined by the thaumaturges. The Inner Beast was a manipulation of one's aether, and the sheer power of her berserking had many sharing a hypothesis why the girl's aetheric wells were so deep. The study confirmed it: Despite never experiencing the signature visions associated with it, P'pona bore a latent Echo, her overwhelming aether reserves being provided by Hydaelyn herself.The news was funny to her, that the Mother Crystal would deem it appropriate to tailor-make a child who would kill her own father and ruin her own life over nothing. The knowledge that the blackouts she'd been going through were rooted in negative emotion only tormented her with speculation about what childish impulse drove her that day. Torment that muddled the joy she felt at finally being free to live on her own terms.Despite initially being forced into Colosseum work to pay off the combat training, which the Colosseum itself had forced her into, the majority of P'pona's career was voluntary. Her profits were immense, with people flocking from all over to watch the tiny girl with the comically large axe devastate monster after monster. Over time, she became more competent in her own right, and her showmanship increased to match. She was a gladiatrix through and though, with all the performance that entailed. She stopped needing the Beast for every round, and then stopped needing it for most rounds, and every time a monster big enough to force it out of her showed up, her coinpurse got a little fatter.She enjoyed her time at the sands, but eventually, the thrill was gone. They couldn't get regularly get beasts strong enough to compete with her, and she had no interest in fighting someone else and losing control. In her fourteenth spring, a band of Lominsan privateers lost a recent haul betting against her; seeing the opportunity, she dug deep into her savings and offered them everything they'd lost, two-fold, if they let her join their crew. They would have done it for free, of course, given her credentials, but they weren't going to turn down protection and a hefty sum of gil besides. That was the day P'pona began her brief stint as one of Captain Rhoswen's Sanguine Sirens.A year passed with P'pona as part of Rhoswen's entourage, one of the most formative years of her life. Going from the narrow alleys of Ul'dah to the open seas and fields of La Noscea was transformative, and soon even the loose affiliations of a privateer's crew felt too tight on her. Her time as a seawoman had only further bolstered her savings from the bloodsands. She used her earnings to buy a ship, and set aside a hefty sum for supplies and restocking, before walking over to what would soon become her second home (or first home on land,) The Drowning Wench."Tell everybody you know," She spoke confidently to the Adventurer's Guild attendant, the Levemete, The Smith, Baderon; really anyone who could hear her from up on the table she'd climbed onto."P'pona Pohnna, Slayer of the Bloodsand's Beasts and Strong-Arm of the Sanguine Sirens... is for hire. And she's got a boat! Any monster you need gone, any shipment you need safe, any corner of this bloody continent - Done."She felt rather cool after that. Then she went to her new, unfurnished little house boat and slept on the floor.In a matter of days, she had dozens upon dozens of letters requesting her participation in a mission here, an expedition there, a showmatch from time to time. She didn't solve the mystery of the Inner Beast, nor did she learn how to control it, nor did find a place to make a life for herself. But it felt more and more with every passing day that maybe this was where she belonged.Until, one day, on a fateful return to Ul'dah for a showing at the Bloodsands, she found herself in the company of the realm's most esteemed roguish bard: Thancred Waters.
Tidbits
These are some smaller events or trivia that are canon to P'pona's backstory and writing, but didn't make the cut for the big lore writeup, either due to relevance or timing. General character traits can also be found here.
P'pona likes singing, but she's not very good at it as far as technique goes. She takes the opportunity to join in whenever tavern songs or sea shanties are happening, where her boisterous and scratchy voice adds to the chaos of the cacophony while being acceptable as a mere part of the culture, given that pirates and drunks aren't auditioning for any operas.
The other type of singing she likes to do is reserved for those who see her in moments of vulnerability. Moments where it's not about the song, but about the singer. Gentle lullabies, soft, friendly campfire songs; her voice becomes quieter, still just as unsuited for hitting the right pitches, but calmly matching the melody and rhythm of the song to surprising effect. While it might not be on display at Mih Ketto's soon, it's a pleasant experience to listen to, partially because she's gentle enough with it to not be inoffensive and partially because there's something endearing about seeing such an outspoken and generally overwhelming person indulge in a moment of delicateness.
P'pona resents both Hydaelyn and the Echo, seeing them as a burden rather than a blessing. She's extremely spiteful of the fact that she has to use them for the good of the realm, but not irresponsible enough about it to shy away from primal-slaying when she has to. Still, if she's being written in a setting where there are other Echo-bearing Scions, she's likely to leave the primal-and-lightwarden slaying to them as much as possible.
In her early days as a mercenary, P'pona was met with a number of jobs that pushed her to places she wasn't prepared to go. At fifteen, she took bodyguard work from a merchant collecting supplies near Bloodshore. The job went mostly well, until the inquisitive man ran off on his own and drew the hostility of a large herd of buffalo. Overwhelmed, P'pona tapped into a depth of the Beast beyond what she was prepared for, turning the grassy plains into a rather bloodsoaked buffalo graveyard. Realizing that she'd dispatched them all, the merchant poked his head out to check on her; seeing him as a threat and not realizing that the danger had passed, P'pona took that head off.
Her emotions a blend between conscious and instinctual, she left the body unrecognizable and ran off into the La Noscean jungle to both lay low and try to return to human functioning again. It was here, days later, having been alerted by the mixture of crying and screaming and wailing, that a Roegadyn warrior named Curious Gorge found her. Gorge taught the girl what she was, and more importantly, how to control that anger. Though he wasn't always the most competent teacher, his guidance was indispensable.
While in Ishgard, Aymeric requests that P'pona assist in the training of the Temple Knights. She agrees mostly because it seems like it'll be fun to boss around some prim-and-proper knights, but by the end of it she becomes a far better leader, enjoying the camaraderie of working in a structured unit. Little did she know, this was his intention all along, seeing her potential as a leader and wanting to nurture it by giving her some responsibility.
This reponsibility comes in handy later on, when she arrives in Kugane; some badmouthing and general rowdiness catches the attention of the Sekiseigumi, and general recklessness in their face results in her spending her days handily dispatching them and her knights hiding in alleys. Realizing the whole thing is more trouble than it's worth, she strikes a deal; no more lawbreaking and she'll provide consultation, training, and a far-stronger-than-a-beat-cop sparring partner, in exchange for not getting booted off Kugane. Realizing they couldn't really bother losing more men fighting her, the Sekiseigumi begrudgingly accepts; again, over the course of the experience, a sense of respect and camaraderie blooms and she becomes quite close with them as an organization.
Quest Integration
These are canonical gameplay events I write P'pona as having done. Despite being an Echo-bearing Scion, she is not meant to be The Warrior of Light, and it is not assumed that she's done every single thing the WoL has done in game. She's best understood as a traveling companion or co-WoL in these contexts, someone who went on the same adventure as the canonical WoL but didn't behave the same way they do in the story. If these contradict something integral to your character's narrative, such as if they are the Khagan, but you want to write with me, please don't feel discouraged; I'm open to discussing these things and reworking them on a partner-to-partner basis.
P'pona has gone through the narrative of the Warrior class quests, though with a small change; she has no soul stone. The WoL gets the warrior stone to connect them to the Inner Beast; as a natural host to it, P'pona is never given the stone by Gorge.
P'pona has gone just about everywhere the Warrior of Light has, exploring alongside them like another member of the entourage. She can be written as the Warrior of Light as well, and I have no issue doing so. However, by default, she will not be, so as not to conflict with other people's character narratives.
In the Azim Steppe, P'pona participates in the Naadam. Being, put simply, a bad bitch with a big axe, she quite handily makes her way through it and claims the Khaganate for the Mol. She likes the Steppe, a lot, and returns after the events of Stormblood to actually govern it alongside the tribe. This is something I will write her as doing by default, and provides a major part of her narrative and development to me; however, if you would rather she not explicitly be the Khagan, that's no problem at all. I know what the developments are, and the source of them need never come up when writing, so we can act as if it was something else entirely if you'd prefer. Bring it up if you have an issue with it.
After the events of Shadowbringers, P'pona takes a great liking to the Night's Blessed and eventually the Viis of Fanow. As a result, she spends much time in the Rak'tika Greatwood, cavorting around with both groups.
P'pona spent time with the Brotherhood of Ash as she made her way to the Sagolii, being cared for by them for a short while. They did eventually send her on her way, not wanting an innocent girl to be branded a Beastman affiliate. During her years in the Colosseum, she remembers their kindness and pays them a visit, and then more, these visits being a recurring thing until she leaves Thanalan. By the time she joins the Sirens, she's a full blown Sister of Ash, with her own cavalry drake to match. His name is Caggarr.
P'pona spent time with the Brotherhood of Ash as she made her way to the Sagolii, being cared for by them for a short while. They did eventually send her on her way, not wanting an innocent girl to be branded a Beastman affiliate. During her years in the Colosseum, she remembers their kindness and pays them a visit, and then more, these visits being a recurring thing until she leaves Thanalan. By the time she joins the Sirens, she's a full blown Sister of Ash, with her own cavalry drake to match. His name is Caggarr.
Details
P'pona has a Scouse accent. I will not type it out. Sometimes I will type it out juuuuuust a little bit, but don't expect it. All her words are Scouse regardless of how I type.
If Square weren't cowards, P'pona would be jacked as shit. Muscle tone of a Roegadyn. When the Inner Beast is active, her muscles grow taught and almost uncomfortably pronounced, as though she's flexing way too hard no matter what she's doing. In truly desperate circumstances, it also causes her to adopt a more primal stance, including characteristics like being hunched over, tensed fingers, and heavy mouth-breathing that leaves her teeth exposed. Being unarmed can aggravate this state, as holding onto an axe helps tether her to more human combat styles.
The green highlights are natural, somehow. They are very much the reason why she dresses in such color coordinated outfits.
P'pona is 4'2", placing her deeply below average for an adult Miqo'te woman. The reasons for this are unknowable to all. To compensate, she's quite experienced with low-level growth magics, which she uses (infrequently) to amplify her already tremendous strength and (frequently) to be 6'5" at social functions. Really play up her broad physique and all that.