Abrielle Laisard
A Dark Day's Knight
it is the confession, not the priest, that gives us absolution
During the War, the infamous inquisitor known as the Rimefire served with pride at the Tribunal. Since it's end, that pride has soured into regret.
The path she walks is that of seeking redemption, for mistakes of the past that may yet haunt her future. Only in the effort may she find peace...though it remains to be seen if such is even possible.
The knight soldiers on.
One of Ishgard's stoic knights, Abrielle served faithfully at the Halonic Inquisition - earning a fearsome and infamous reputation as the Rimefire. Skilled in blade and ice, she cut a swathe through heretic and Dravanian alike, her steadfast devotion to the Fury guiding her like a lantern.
As the end of the Dragonsong War fast approached, the Rimefire's faith wavered. Her history a litany of violence and oppression, laid bare when the truth of the Holy See was exposed for all to see. All of Ishgard would know the reality behind the Song....and on whose feet the fault truly lay.
Haunted by her past, she abdicated her position at the Tribunal, unable to make peace with her actions. No longer would she serve as the blade of the tyrants, the murderers. She would claw her way back to the Fury's favor, whatever it took.With her skills as a knight and blacksmith, she begins the long, rocky road to redemption - one step at a time.
As her feet tread the long path of redemption, they would eventually lead her to the doors of an Ishgardian embassy in the Black Shroud - one erected by the vassal house Bayle, beneath the shield of High House Fortemps.
Her father's lessons in smithing bought her entry, and her talent at forgecraft kept her there. For a time, it would seem that her chance to make amends had come. Crafting armor and blade alike, it looked as if the Rimefire had laid her sword aside...
...But it was not to be. Driven to despondency by disgust and loathing, Abrielle's psyche began to fragment. She had sworn an oath to the Viscountess to never be led astray by her faith again, and that very oath found Abrielle abandoning the House Bayle. For her own sake, her path would lead her far from Ishgard's walls...
Bearing her burden with solemn, stubborn pride, the knight had wavered at the brink of self-destruction. Her psyche warred with itself, despondency and guilt seeking to consume her should she not escape it.
If Ishgard was the source of her woes, she would leave her homeland. Boarding a vessel to the far-off New World, Abrielle distanced herself from the city in which she'd become a villain. In this remote land, she would find a way to control her dark passenger, or she would be destroyed by it.
Her time across the sea taught her just that - control. With her darkside quelled, she hopes, she returns to Eorzea once more. The next steps on her road to redemption start here.
Additional Info & Gallery
Abrielle is a character on the Balmung server in FFXIV.
My timezone is US Pacific (PST). My active times trend towards late afternoon-evening on most days - feel free to ask ahead of time!
I would love to set up pre-existing character ties, especially to other Ishgardians that may have been impacted by her role as an Inquisitor!
RP Hooks
♦ KNIGHT INQUISITOR ♦
As a knight serving the Supreme Sacred Tribunal of Halonic Inquisitory Doctrine, Abrielle made a feared and infamous name for herself as the Rimefire. Over her twenty and six years of service, she encountered many a heretic and Dravanian alike. Now that the war is over, who can tell how her former prey might react to her?
♦ DARK KNIGHTHOOD ♦
The storm of emotions and dark tidings that came from the abrupt ending of the Song nearly drove Abrielle to the breaking point. As luck - or perhaps fate - would have it, she shouldered the mantle of the Dark Knight, taking up a soulstone in the cause of true justice. Wielding greatsword and sabre alike, she stalks Coerthas, Dravania, and beyond, bringing blade to bear against those who have yet escaped their punishment.
♦ MONSTER SLAYER ♦
An accomplished swordswoman of many years, Abrielle now makes ends meet by travelling the world and slaying the things that dwell in the darkness. For the right amount of coin, her services as a slayer are on offer.
♦ THE SCHOLASTICATE ♦
Perhaps to the chagrin and unease of many parents, Abrielle is a frequent visitor to Saint Endalim's Scholasticate, where her young daughter, Ophelia de Aubertin, is a student. The former inquisitor is quite interested in the reformation going on behind it's walls.
♦ MIQO'TEK ♦
In conjunction with her partner, Abrielle can often be found at the Ul'dah based Miqo'Tek Manufactory. While not a magitek engineer herself, she sometimes acts as a helping hand on placing orders and managing the finances. From the Manufactory, she also offers her slaying services.
The Laisard Family
♦ OPHELIA DE AUBERTIN ♦
Ophelia, a student at Saint Endalim's Scholasticate, is Abrielle's only child. Born five years before the Calamity, she was sheltered from most of the horrors of the war by living with the family of her late father, a Rose Knight serving under House Haillenarte. A studious girl, Ophelia can often be seen with her nose buried in a book, wandering the streets near the Scholasticate.
♦ V'ARA KADRI ♦
A former Garlean conscript and Magitek Academy graduate, V'ara and Abrielle share a regret for their pasts, and a desire to shape the future for the better. The two of them are often in each other's company, and Abrielle cares a great deal for her. The both of them can oft be seen across Eorzea, aiding those in need and working for a brighter tomorrow.
♦ ELEISA DE LAISARD ♦
To say that the relationship between Abrielle and her cousin Eleisa is "difficult" would be an understatement. Having been raised in the shadow of the inquisitor, Eleisa views Abrielle as a symbol of everything she is not. Their rocky interactions have not improved since the ending of the War.