
Eorzean Sellsword
Ganzorig "Ganz" Avagnar
Born to a union of a mother from the quintessentially doomed Avagnar tribe of the Azim Steppe and her Angura lover, Xor/Zor/Ganz’s life was decided by a series of events that occurred before he was even old enough to remember, a series of events that left him stranded, an orphan in a merchant’s wagon, being transported south from a Coerthan massacre to the sands of Thanalan.

At the time of this tragedy, still 10 years before the Battle of Carteneau, there was little and less knowledge of the Far East available in Thanalan, and the young boy was far too traumatized to remember so much as his name, and so when the mute child was handed over to the brothers and sisters of the Church of Saint Adama Landama, they needed something to call him. Without any cultural basis to go off of, one of the church’s younger members had the terrible idea of “Let’s just go with something foreign!” And so Xor’Kaeras Scourscale was reborn.Throughout his youth the Xaela proved an exceedingly physically adept, if at times mentally lacking youth. A natural aptitude for any form of physical exertion was only matched by a hefty lacking of good sense and inability to carry a conversation around something of a stammer and a nervous anxiety when meeting gazes.Upon coming of age, Xor traveled to Ul’Dah, intent upon proving everyone wrong, and joining the Thaumaturge’s Guild, becoming a potent mage and showing the power of his mind.He was denied when it was found he had absolutely no aptitude for their arts, and was also illiterate.Disheartened, Xor found his calling instead at the heart of the city, the Gladiator’s Guild. A natural with the blade, he trained until the age of 19, when the Adventuring Renaissance heralded by the Warrior of Light began. Inspired by their deeds, Xor started off on his own quest shortly thereafter, one which he has continued on ‘till this day.Having spent some time in Ishgard and Dravania confronting his painful past during the Dragonsong War, and then several years on the Gyr Abanian front fighting the Garlean invasion as a freelancer for the Immortal Flames, fighting along-aide the Bozjan Resistance (he even caught a glimpse of the Warrior of Light once, he insists!), before finally taking up arms to aid in the defense of his beloved Eorzea alongside countless fellow adventurers during the 'Final Days', The man was left at something of a loss as to what to do with himself, leaving the man with oodles of free time.Using this free time, and a rather sizable payout from bevies of slain blasphemies, he purchased an apartment in the newly opened Empyreum district of Ishgard, hoping to look further into his past there during the time between his adventures.In the following months a failed engagement and a general discontent with life in Ishgard led him to all but abandon the Apartment- Though he has recently returned, under the auspice of working for one "Lady d'Yalvol"Once not the best with money, with a tendency to waste his pay on rather juvenile clothes like heavy black leather coats and other ‘goth’ aesthetic items which he’s admired since he was a teen, longing for freedom from the church. Despite that, the man’s aptitude with whatever form of weapon he found himself lifting managed to keep him with a roof over his head, and food in his belly. In more recent years, however, an influx of romantic entanglements and the accompanying children that have come with, have forced him to learn better economic management.Not much for talking, Ganz’s best communication has always been made with his body, be it in a friendly spar, bumping shoulders in place of a hello, or simply the act of silent companionship in sitting and sharing a view.Not having the best sense of boundaries, the big man was once tentative when confronted with others, but has learned over the years to trust that he can ask someone to tell him if he oversteps, and to then promptly have his own boundaries stomped over. Despite this, after a period of discontent he has settled upon simply blundering ahead regardless. He can still be somewhat awkward in social situations, but more often than not he cleaves to the simple motto of "If I'm going to be sad later, I might as well be happy now."In the interest of said happiness, he recently procured a vial of the rare Fantasia potion- And promptly used it to change his horns to instead resemble ears. While merely (probably) an illusion, he's seemed far more chipper in the days since.Most recently, he has taken up work as a bartender, sushi chef, and general security at several locations across Thanalan, Othard and Coerthas, using the skills learned from his loved ones and- From a stay in Sharlayan? When did THAT happen? He can't quite say, but he has the culinary credentials to back it up. Regardless, he has begun making use of these talents to provide for the wellbeing of his family.
Physicality
Ancestry: Xaela Au Ra
Height: 7 Fulms and 6 Ilms
Build: Toned, erring slightly to the leaner side, but incredibly, almost disproportionately strong.
Skintone: Brick/Rusty Red
Facial Structure: Err more towards 'pretty' than 'handsome', with a sleek jawline and cheekbones.
Distinctive Features: A natural Hingan or Doman 'faceguard' formed by his facial scales, glinting onyx black eyes with a ruby-red limbal ring, a variety of scars marking his exposed flesh, from a wedge marking from the corner of his lower lip down to the scales of his jaw, to claws across his chest and several Garlean rifle-marks on his arms. Most notably of these, are the freshest set, consisting of:
-A puncture on either shoulder, over the collarbone.
-A quartet of claws along his abdominals.
-A bite-mark just above the junction of his right hand and thumb.
-A bite-mark along the meat of his right hand, just under the one at his thumb.Aetheric Make-Up
Ganz/Xor's Aether is not tainted by the void, or the like. However, what he does have is a veritable landslide of similarly aspected 'stuff'. Not the most sophisticated fighter, and distinctly talentless as a mage, this Aether is most often harnessed in a manner similar to a Warrior's Inner Beast or a Dark Knight's Darkside, channeling raw emotion, be it the thrill of battle and pumping adrenaline, or grief and confusion, into raw bursts of strength, or the ability to endure what should be killing wounds. Inefficient, unsophisticated, and enough to keep him alive until now.Family
Ganz's family life is something of a mess, having stumbled his way through more relationships than is likely healthy in his time. Despite this, he has several blood relations of great importance to him. A list of his partners however would be an exercise in futility and self-lambasting.
-Altan Angura: Ganz's Twin Half-Brother (please, don't ask, it confuses him too), raised separately, the twins only met during their adulthood, and swiftly learned that they do not exactly get along. Despite this, Ganz is the only remaining remnant of his mother in the world, and that means he and Altan are family.
-Sarnai: Ganz's younger half-sister, Ganz and Sarnai have never actually met, but he's heard a fair deal about her from Altan, and is of a mind to change that.
-Saikhantamir: Ganz's nephew and the son of his brother, Altan, Sai is a darling toddler who Ganz loves to bits. A caring uncle, he does all that he can to help provide for the boy- Which is probably a good thing, with how distant Altan can be.
-Gan and Chuulun: Ganz's firstborn sons with his now ex-fiance Belgamine. Like all of his children, Ganz loves them more than life itself, and does everything in his power to be part of their lives and provide for them.
-Odtsetseg: Odi, Ganz's only daughter, Odi is the child of the starseer Unegui of the Bayaqud, a woman who Ganz hasn't seen in- ... a long time. Despite this, he is as doting a father to Odi as he is to Gan and Chuu, if maybe just a little overwhelmed.Story Hooks
-You may have picked up the same quest as him, or he may have approached to sheepishly ask for help reading a posting on the quest board. That being said, you very well have likely seen him at some leveboard or another before, with over a decade of adventuring under his belt.
-He can often be found by the Market Board in his native Ul'Dah, or his current home of Ishgard, trying to practice reading on the listings there.
-He doesn't seem to eat much beyond basic field rations, you could probably befriend him by introducing new kinds of food, maybe get a bite to eat, he'll probably offer to pay anyways.
-You could probably catch him around Ul'dah or Ishgard with one of his children or his nephew, doing his best to be a doting father to them.
-You may have encountered him on the battlefield during the Dragonsong War, the Second Garlean Invasion of Ala Mhigo, or during the Final Days, putting his sword arm to good use.
-You might have crossed paths with him while he was traveling overseas through Doma to visit his ancestral homeland of the Steppe, or while he stayed in Dotharl Kha, he was likely very, very lost and in need of help finding his way down the metaphorical (and literal) street.
-Fellow adventurers have almost certainly chanced to glance him in his favored haunt of Idyllshire, taking work from the Treasure Hunters and Goblins, passed out on a rock, eating at The Hard Place, or regaling his fellow orphans with tales of his adventures at Zhloe Aliapoh's, he does seem good with children, doesn't he?
-Have you been staying at his apartment uninvited? He was away so long it's basically yours now, and now that he's staying there regularly again you could easily surprise him coming home.

OOC Info.
Server: Mateus
Preferred RP Medium: Discord, though In-Game is sometimes available.
Timezone: EST (East Coast NA)
Preferred RP Themes: Combat, Slice of Life, Group-Based Adventuring and DMed Events, Adult (Yes, that kind of 18/21+)
Preferred Combat Style: I'm an experienced TTRPG DM/GM with over a decade of running games, but RP doesn't need to be that complicated, does it? /random 20 and first to 3 or 5 hits generally works. If doing a longer-term story, things like modifiers for gear / story beats can be introduced to mix it up.
LGBTQ+?: I'm going to be completely honest, this probably isn't something you need to know. Homophobes and Bigots need not apply.
Discord: Feel free to reach out and ask, I probably won't share this unless we've actually talked for a while.
A Man Who Collects SwordsThe Bastard
Name: Loup-Garrot (The Bandaged Wolf)
Model: The Fanged Wolf
Lore: Forged for a Knight of House Meurtriloux in Ishgard during the height of the Dragonsong War, this blade was first wrought as part of a marriage pact with the Knight’s truest love. Upon its black and silver blade, he swore an oath to ensure that her blood would never be spilled in violence, not by man or dragon. When tragedy struck, and the Knight’s lady-wife was grievously injured, he tended to her bedside for fourteen nights, until finally the shadow of death came for her. In his grief, the Knight did away with his sword. How it came to be found offered as a prize in the colosseum of Ul’Dah is a question best left to the sands of time.The Fengchidao (Phoenix-Wing Saber)
Name: Хагарсан ирмэг (Khagarsan irmeg)
•Translated: “Cracked Edge”
Model: Unbroken Matte Amakura
Lore: Originally forged in the land of Ganz’s ancestors as Үндсэн ирмэг (Ündsen irmeg), or the ‘Prime Edge’, this Fengchidao, a Phoenix-Wing Saber, is forged in a style originally conceived of as a tribute to the auspice Suzaku, and favored by his father’s tribe, the Angura. Having been sundered, the blade was reforged by a Garlean-born engineer tied to Garlond Ironworks, using their more modern restorative methods. Renamed the Cracked Edge, this blade and its many-layered sheathe have been rendered almost deceptively balanced and strong for a blade of its size, style and history. Reinforced using Garlean and Allagan techniques, the blade is heavily resistant to damage (though even it pales in comparison to Akizuki), and dangerously sharp. While a foreigner may mistake it for one of Hingashi or Doma’s Katanas, the blade’s make and balance lend themselves less to stabs, and more to wide, whirling slashes and quick adjustments, which pair naturally with battling on horseback. While the blade is not unsuited to combat on foot, it truly shines when allowed great, sweeping room to carve through flesh and bone like butter.The Odachi and his little buddy
Name: Akizuki and Haruzuki, Fall and Spring Crescent (秋の三日月と春の三日月, Aki no mikadzuki to haru no mikadzuki)
Model: Matte Majestic Manderville Samurai Blade
Lore: A paired Daisho, atypical of its kind for being formed of a full-sized Odachi with a pronounced Sori, or ‘Naka-zori’, and a similarly curved full-sized katana- Which in his hands, moreso resembles a wakizashi in size. The large of the two blades is Akizuki, the Fall Crescent, so named for Autumn’s longer nights, and its smaller brother is Haruzuki, the Spring Crescent. Both blades are forged in the Hingan style, but with notably thicker, sturdier blades than is typical of blades of their style, with an incredibly dark, almost blackened back-end, and a jagged hamon to them reminiscent of the Kataochi Gunome, or ‘saw teeth’ style. The swords, particularly Akizuki, the Odachi, are incredibly tough blades, notably able to be stepped upon by even a monster as hefty as the great mammoths of the Steppe without bending. However, their blades are monstrously heavy, requiring incredible strength to lift them, and lending themselves to a far different style than the tight, controlled, finesse-driven swordsmanship of Hingashi’s Sekiseigumi.The Daisho
Name: Nameless, so far
Model: Shortened Higan Shigan
Lore: Seemingly just a pair of Katanas which Ganz has come across and started to favor recently. Devoid of noteworthy names or histories, he's been looking for a Hingan to help him research the blades' history, and if they do not have a name, to suggest a fitting one.The Razor
Name: Royal Flush
Model: Ktiseos Blade
Lore: A long, seemingly industrially machined sword bearing what looks to be a Fleur de Lis etched into the blade, Ganz seems particularly proud of this purchase, though he has proven less than helpful at identifying where he got it or what, exactly, it is.The Claymore
Name: Garrus / Old Friend
Model: Shadowbringer, slimmed blade
Lore: Ganz's favored weapon, this towering claymore of black steel is the one he most often carries with him on mercenary work. Designed to be swung two-handed, he nevertheless can often be found one-handed the monstrous things. Originally obtained as a gift from his mentors in the Gladiator's Guild, the hulking thing is covered in scratches and has been refurbished and restored countless times, but still it serves him admirably.The Diamond
Name: Razorwind
Model: Diamond Greatsword
Lore: More a show piece than anything on first glance, this bewilderingly shaped blade is, to hear it from Ganz's own lips, a relic reclaimed from the Isle of Eureka during his time fighting alongside the expedition there. Whatever it is that formed this weapon, the black material that makes up much of its guard seems almost organic- ... Unsettling.The Morning Star
Name: Sol
Model: Cryptlurker's Spear
Lore: A giant ball of spiked metal on the end of a staff. Such a simple idea, and yet such an elegant one, a perfect one to put into use cracking heads, ribs, and anything else. Regardless of /where/ he get it, Ganz seems very enamored with this.The collection is vast, but these are those most commonly seen carried into battle.
