Altan Irynsi // He/Him
52 Winters // 30th Sun of the 1st Umbral Moon
Au Ra Xaela // Jeweler, Void Knight
Time and betrayal have made Altan wary of strangers and reluctant to open up to them, his trust being hard-won. However, for those few who can claim to have earned it, they soon find that his loyalty runs far deeper than death itself.
Altan is curious about Eorzean people-- born in the Azim Steppe and having spent large stretches of his life in isolation, he is unfamiliar with many customs and often misses more nuanced social cues or struggles to find the right Common word to express his thoughts.
With a shadowed history dealing in death and deceit, Altan has learned multiple ways to defend himself. However, those skills have recently been turned towards protecting his loved ones, at any personal cost to himself.
Ground rules to keep things fun
To be clear: I am not Altan
No ERP/NSFW. Don't ask.
Don't attempt to maim or kill Altan without explicit permission and prior arrangements.
Please zip me a /tell if you want to RP and I don't know you that well. Sometimes Altan's hooks start a fight and I just want to relax.
Do not repost any of my GPose work without my explicit permission
On discord, ask to DM first.
Altan is canonically disabled. Don't try to rp "fixing" him. Seriously. Stop it.
Do not touch Altan without his consent.
Romantic gestures will be met with rejection. He has a boyfriend and a family.
Altan has visible scars everywhere, but if he is trying to hide his skin, either with clothing or face paint, please do not ask about them.
Altan's past means he can be suspicious of strangers that want to talk to him. It's not you, it's him. Give him time to warm up!
Have you heard the whispers in the dark?
>> Content Warning <<
Altan's past and present means subjects such as violence, murder, exploitation, abuse, and trauma may come up in discussion. Altan does not share details and public conversations remain PG-13, but if there is a subject matter that is making you uncomfortable, send me a /tell and I will happily change the conversation!
To the aetherically sensitive, Altan's aether appears unnaturally thin. He appears to flicker at times, as his aether seems to drop of its own accord, only to be replaced with a stream originating from a small, white square embedded in his chest. He also can be seen carrying vials of hyperconcentrated aether.
Looking for someone to fence a definitely-not-stolen artifact? Need an artisan to craft an intricate and detailed part for a project? Trying to find the specific individual who stole your kneecaps? Altan probably knows a guy.
Altan's travels, numerous scars, and work as a bartender means he always has a new story to tell. Whether or not the tales told are true remain a mystery none have been able to solve.
See note in Boundaries for more information
Altan has scars crossing most of his body, some minor, some major, and some that make one wonder how in the Seven Hells he's still alive.
Altan's accent can best be described as "vaguely Ala Mhigan", though he sometimes forgets a word in Common and replaces it with a word from his native language. Sometimes he quietly sings to himself or murmurs under his breath in this language too.
Those familiar with Xaelan languages could recognize it as an outdated Dotharl dialect.
Altan's honed his skills as a botanist and craftsman over the years. Along with considering himself an expert in the plants of Coerthas, Dravania, and the Twelveswood, he can perform simple repairs on armor and weapons, and occasionally sells handmade jewelry in Ishgard.
50 years condensed into a few paragraphs.
Born Ganbaatar of the Dotharl, Altan was originally named for a warrior who had mastered all blades. Trained as the reincarnation of this "Steel Hero", Altan wavered under the expectations set upon him as he was expected to win his first Nadaam. However, when he was defeated, he left the Steppe for fear of bringing shame to his tribe.
Altan found his way to Ala Mhigo, where he was recruited to join the resistance and played a minor role in overthrowing the Mad King around 1557, though Garlemald's subsequent invasion forced him to flee soon after, and he remained isolated for over a decade after, traveling and surviving on what he could find.
After a particularly harsh winter forced him back into society, Altan originally found his way to Ul'dah. He was quickly recruited into an illicit arena with simple rules: No ranged weapons, for audience safety.
His unexpected victory caused a major upset, but earned him a sponsor, though ultimately he lost a match nearly a year later, as a result of the Calamity and gaining a power he never wanted nor asked for: the Echo.
Altan's martial prowess in the arena drew the eye of an Ishgardian benefactor, who paid for his resurrection and urged him to move to Ishgard, where the benefactor would supply him with a steady income if he agreed to work for them.
They arranged for Altan to join the Manufactory and take up the firearm, though Altan describes their relationship as him "selling his morals in exchange for food."
A chance encounter with a cute bartender outside of his normal haunts spun into him finally departing his previous employment and retiring. He's since settled down with his loving partner, and their adorable vivimanced son, building a quiet life together in Ishgard.
"I know of every speck of dirt and every soul that finds themselves [in Ishgard]. If you need to find someone, I can probably help."
"May your pockets run deep enough to destroy the weapon you created."
"You made me believe I could be better. You made me want to be better. You made me want to be worthy of your love. Worthy of having someone so perfect in my shattered life."
"My existence may be many things-- improbable, complicated, strange-- but it is not miserable."
"I'm here now not because they were kind enough to buy my resurrection, but because they saw a weapon they thought they could use. And they were right."
"I will write our names upon the stars."
"We carry on, still. For them. For everyone else. If not for ourselves."