The Crimson Explorer

APPEARANCE
▸ Skin tone: Fair
▸ Hair color: Deep blue, close to black. With white streaks after ShB.
▸ Eye color: Scarlet red, right eye turns silver with innate aetheric fluctuations, it permanently becomes silver after ShB—usually covers it with an eyepatch.
▸ Height: 6'10" (208 cm)
▸ Build: Slim due to primarily being a practitioner of magic, yet lithe.
▸ Distinguishable features: aetheric tattoo on left cheek, white ear clasps.PERSONALITY
▸ Mild-mannered like most Wildwood men, Xavrien has a notorious knack for not being expressive (unless he's with a certain someone). Courteous and polite, he prefers to remain professional and abide by etiquette. Quite resilient and stubborn, he's naturally curious and inquisitive—eager to learn from others and more. He's naturally observant, something enhanced by a unique ability of the Echo exclusive to him. Some might say that he is uncannily intuitive.WEAPONS
▸ Mimesis Lux
▸ Pyros Grimoire
▸ Crownsblade Recollection
▸ Hyperion
▸ Paikea EurekaEDUCATION
▸ He has done field research on arcanima and aetherology for 9 years, mostly focused on the former. With extensive knowledge about tempering and corrupted either, he has spent much of his effort in finding a cure or finding a way to reduce the symptoms of tempering.
▸ After fleeing to Eorzea, he has contributed to the Arcanist's Guild in Limsa Lominsa.
▸ He spent most of his time in Eorzea sharing his knowledge in arcanima, aetherology, and alchemy, while searching for tomes and documents on aetherology from Eorzean history.RELATIONSHIPS
▸ Zumin Mirabeau: husband—married as of post-ShB.
▸ Floriane Mirabeau: Mother; like a best friend to him. Estranged for over a decade but reunited once again.
▸ Merlin: His beloved, eccentric familiar who returns the sentiment—though Merlin expresses the sentiment not as affectionately.
▸ Ruby: His summoned Ruby Carbuncle. A sweet, polite, gentlemanly carbuncle. Still quite prone to mischief.
▸ Alisaie/Alphinaud: Like his younger siblings—although he loves them like family, he and Alphinaud share more interests and opinions.
▸ Other Scions: Like family and best friends—loves them dearly.
▸ Estinien/Aymeric: Dear friends.
▸ Y'mhitra Rhul: Summoner colleague.
▸ Aamon Libris: ???
▸ Estradel Lanverlais: ???
▸TRIVIA
▸ His favorite color to wear is red (dalamud red and wine red), preferring to wear very long coats. He dresses quite modestly!
▸ While very precise with his hands, he has two left feet and is a serial klutz.
▸ Despite his serious and by-the-book nature, he prefers his nickname, Rien.
▸ He's rarely seen without his hat, or any kind of hat in that matter.
▸ While a disastrous chef for most of his adolescence, he learns how to cook—mostly to spoil his husband during their downtime from duty.

BEFORE THE 7TH UMBRAL CALAMITY
▸ Born and raised in Sharlayan, and as a bastard, Xavrien's life consisted of mostly studying and reading, with very little or no social interaction with many others. He grew up with a very small circle of friends, but it quickly dwindled when he was enrolled into the Studium. Following his mother's footsteps in the field of arcanima, his life was relatively normal; plain even. However, his mother's public support of sharing knowledge with the outside world, against the beliefs of Sharlayan, led to negative attention, to the point of scrutiny and aggression. Whether or not it was a coincidence, he was orphaned at the age of sixteen summers, his mother had disappeared—his father abandoning him long ago.
▸ Growing up, his closest friend was his familiar, a haughty raven named Merlin. Originally a project for his thesis, he had found the peculiar bird, still a hatchling, helplessly hopping around the plaza of Agora.
▸ Possessing a morbid curiosity regarding tempering, his thesis was exploring a thrall's corrupted aether. As it was difficult to study such a thing, he was rather involved with some unethical experiments with a few others—forcefully tempering criminals, the undesirable amongst the Sharlayan population, by the lingering essence of a Summoner's Egi. Although it wasn't by his design, he refrained from intervening, afraid of what would happen to himself. With the threat of being ousted, his name already revealed as an accomplice, he escapes Sharlayan, thesis to never be seen finished.A REALM REBORN
▸ Remorseful, he flees to Eorzea, hoping to spend the rest of his days using his knowledge to save and help those in need.
▸ A stranger to Eorzean customs, he was surprisingly able to get by just fine. By doing simple handiwork as an adventurer or even doing errands for the Alchemist's Guild in Ul'dah, he was surviving and away from prosecutors, and that was all that mattered. Having learned of the Arcanist's Guild in Limsa Lominsa, he stays there for some time to help new recruits and to share his research and knowledge, mostly curious about the Eorzean methodology and findings. It was decent pay and a comfortable life—but he was still alone.HEAVENSWARD
▸ He shortly becomes a Scion after the events of ARR, but rarely did accompany the "main" Scions. Mostly doing other field work, he occasionally would send letters and other messages, rarely visiting headquarters.
▸ He moves and purchases a small cottage in Gridania.
▸ Spending most of his days in the Dravanian Hinterlands, he fashions a hideout in an abandoned cartographer's office.
▸ He first encounters Zumin in Idyllshire.
▸ Joining the Scions formally on their adventures, he ventures with Zumin and the others to take down Nidhogg—ending the Dragonsong War for good.STORMBLOOD
▸ After learning the Summoner spell [Dreadwyrm Trance] nearly ended in disaster, and costed his life, he (ironically) turns to the art of thaumaturgy; and eventually, black magic.
▸ He takes up the mantle of Black Mage for the entirety Stormblood.
▸ Together with Zumin, the two of them explored and discovered the elusive, mysterious land of Eureka, uncovering secrets of the Isle of Val and the Ascians.
▸ After negotiations with Garlemald fell through, the Scions being picked off one by one to a mysterious sleep, he was alone once again. His heart broken, being separated from his beloved Zumin.SHADOWBRINGERS
▸ Absorbing the Lightwardens' aether caused permanent damage; his right eye now permanently silver although not blind, his hair speckled with white strands. Occasionally, his aether does become unstable, rendering him weak, yet almost in a trance-like state.
▸ In the advent of the story in 5.0, Xavrien takes up the gunblade, learning quickly from Thancred, swearing to be the loyal bodyguard, protector of his beloved Zumin.
▸ He marries Zumin after the events of the First, shortly after returning to the Source when they were allowed respite.ENDWALKER
▸ ???

PLAYLIST
▸ espiritusMISCELLANEOUS
▸ Zumrien anthology
▸ WoL + Tumblr text posts thread
▸ Shitposts: (1)
▸ Random headcanons: (1) (2) (3)
▸ Love language: (1)