About
Sazanami (漣) Utsushimi (映海)
| _Age_ | 24 |
| _Gender_ | Female |
| _Race_ | Raen Au Ra |
| _Birthplace_ | Sui-no-Sato |
| _Languages_ | Hingan, Common |
| _Profession_ | Aetherology Student |
| _Alignment_ | Lawful Neutral |
Sazanami was born in Sui-no-Sato to a traditional Raen household with long ties to pearl diving. Her family expected her to follow the same path, to contribute to the trade and uphold traditional customs. She did learn to dive, and she did her part, but she was never fully content with it. Where others accepted everything just as it was, Sazanami began to question it all, for her mind was never satisfied with the simple, mundane answers. She paid attention to shifts in current, to changes in water pressure, to how certain nights felt different from others, she asked why pearl beds flourished one season and thinned the next. Her curiosity was tolerated by her loved ones and family, but it was not encouraged. It set her apart more than she realised at the time.Over several summers she saved coin from pearl trade and, when the opportunity arose, applied for and received a scholarship to study in Old Sharlayan. Leaving Sui-no-Sato wasn't a dramatic nor loud matter, but her family certainly did not approve and ties were cut since. They wanted her to stay and follow tradition, instead, she chose to study and leave the bubble of her own world.Now in her final year of Aetherology, Sazanami specialises in marine aetheric systems - the movement of ambient aether through bodies of water and its relationship to tidal and lunar patterns. To complete her thesis, she must gather field data across different regions. Alas, she does not command a formal expedition, let alone have the funds for it, and is thus forced to rely on adventurers and local contacts to secure passage and access to the sites she needs to study.
Her skin’s near porcelain, and her scales are white as well, though they catch the light in a way most don’t. At the right angle, they shimmer faintly like pearls or opal, more akin to a fish’s scales than plates. Her horns follow suit in colour, with small fin-like ridges fanning along them. Her eyes are a sharp contrast to it all, a vivid mix of azure and teal with slit pupils.
Her tail follows that same aquatic influence, its scales pearlescent sheen. Toward the end it fans out into delicate, fin-like strands much like the ones at her horns.
There are small runic markings at her fingertips, yet they only really show when she’s working with aether, catching light in a brief glow before fading again.
Gallery
OOC
ㅤCharacter InspirationsㅤㅤTali'Zorah, Susan Storm, Kaywinnet Lee Frye, Captain Nemo, Neri
ㅤThe Crystal RuleㅤㅤA lof of what you will read below can be easily summarised in The Crystal Rule
ㅤNot Seeking FCㅤㅤNot looking to join any FCs at all - especially those focused on numbers over actual roleplay. Any invites will be automatically declined
ㅤLore Adherenceㅤㅤ Light lore-bending is fine in the name of creative storytelling. That said, overly exaggerated lore concepts are a 'no' from me: Ascians, WoL, demi-deities, weird hybrids, improbable prodigies, characters with close ties to MSQ NPCs, characters from other media brought into FFXIV, etc.
ㅤRP StyleㅤㅤI write in paragraph-style and enjoy RP with detail and thought. I don’t expect perfect prose, but I value effort. However, if replies are consistently short, lacking substance or one takes ages to reply with a one-liner, I’ll likely drift away and not bother RPing with you again for to me it shows a lack of interest and respect
ㅤThemesㅤㅤI adore realism in RP and that means that I shall indulge in every aspect when it comes to themes or settings. I certainly prefer long-term connections with more depth and flavour over short interactions which do not matter and have zero impact. If I can help it, I will always choose other settings over tavern RP
ㅤImmersionㅤㅤI fully embrace the logic that IC actions have IC consequences, as it is the best way for true character growth
ㅤCharacter Over KinkㅤㅤAt its core, I don’t condemn ERP, for intimacy is a natural part of storytelling. But for me, any romantic or physical dynamic must be narrative-driven and built over time. If ERP is your primary focus, you have an F-List which reads like a grocery list, or your character has zero personality and is merely a walking libido - then our priorities don’t align. Kindly take it elsewhere. My blacklist has plenty of room
ㅤRP TagㅤㅤIf you do not have the RP tag on, I do not consider you as IC and thus won't approach you to RP. This rule works both ways
ㅤIC ≠ OOCㅤㅤMy character is not me, and I am not her; please do not mix the two
Hooks
Common
ㅤEx-Pearl DiverㅤㅤSazanami was raised in Sui-no-Sato in a traditional family which made its living via pearl-diving. She trained from a young age and still is something she does to this day when desperate for gil. Anyone familiar with the Ruby Sea, or curious about life beneath it, can easily draw her into conversation
ㅤSharlayan ScholarshipㅤㅤAfter obtaining a scholarship, she moved and now studies Aetherology in Old Sharlayan. She is currently in her final year. Her thesis requires extensive field data and she is often looking for access to coastal regions or bodies of water. Fellow scholars, adventurers, and travellers may find her requesting cooperation
ㅤAcademic on a BudgetㅤㅤResearch travel is expensive, and a scholarship won't cover it all. When funds run low, she looks for temporary work aboard ships or assisting in port logistics - or, honestly, anything she can get her hands on. Whether she excels in it is another matter
ㅤMarine Aether StudiesㅤㅤHer focus is the movement of ambient aether through all bodies of water. To gather data, Sazanami travels regularly. She can be found approaching captains and adventurers bound for coastal routes, offering payment or research findings in exchange for transport
ㅤFellow Students | ProfessorsㅤㅤStudying for so many summers, it wouldn't be uncommon to bond (or have arguments) with other students from her faculty, or others. The same can be said with professors she would have studied under. Feel free to recognise her if you are either
ㅤFried Food DevoteeㅤㅤFor all her discipline, Sazanami loses composure around fried food. Market stalls along the docks are her greatest weakness, and she has been known to detour entire routes for something freshly battered. Offer her anything hot and crispy and you will have her full attention - and possibly her better mood
ㅤBlended AttireㅤㅤHer clothing reflects both her upbringing and her years in Sharlayan, mixing Hingan with Eorzean tailoring. The result is practical in theory, and occasionally mismatched in practice. Some combinations look slightly odd or outright comical, though she maintains they are “structurally sound”
Uncommon
ㅤHeight MiseryㅤㅤSazanami is very at ease in water but deeply uncomfortable in the air. Airship travel makes her visibly ill and she avoids it whenever possible. High ledges and open drops unsettle her deeply even if she tries to act normal and just ends up panicking all the same
ㅤHeat AverseㅤㅤOppressive heat puts her in a foul mood almost immediately. Prolonged sun exposure leaves her irritable and makes her hover near any available source of water like it might personally rescue her. Coastal humidity she tolerates. Desert sun is her natural enemy - Ul'dah is horrible
ㅤOverthinks EverythingㅤㅤSimple choices become minor research projects. Ask her to pick a dish, a route, or even a seat, and she will weigh variables far longer than necessary
ㅤTerrible LiarㅤㅤShe cannot lie to save her life. Her tone goes flat and the attempt collapses almost immediately while she avoids all eye contact. Even worse if she starts over-explaining and rambling
Rare
ㅤThe Unfinished Diveㅤㅤ
When she was younger, someone close to her did not surface from a routine dive. The water was calm and the conditions unremarkable. The comunity ruled it as an accident, but she was never satisfied with that answer and began looking for better ones soon after