Suri Swiftclaw

≺⋄ Lominsan street rat turned reluctant Warrior of Light ⋄≻

༻Intro༺

⟣ Name: U'suri Tchalho
⟣ Alias: Suri Swiftclaw
⟣ Age: ~26 (ARR), 29 (Dawntrail)
⟣ Height: 5'3
⟣ Gender: Transmasc Nonbinary
⟣ Pronouns: They/He
⟣ Orientation: Bisexual
⟣ Main Jobs: Reaper & Rogue

Suri was born into the fierce and proud U tribe, located in the Forgotten Springs of the Sagolii desert. Around the age of 4, they experienced a vision of a star-shower falling from a burning sky, and subsequently gained the power of the echo. Suri's father, U'tchalho Nunh, growing ever more worried about Suri's strange ramblings, had them evaluated by one of the tribe's healers. The verdict was grim: since there was no real insight into their mysterious condition, and without any outside sources to give a second opinion, Suri's echo was deemed to be more akin to a curse. While not outcast from the tribe, at U'tchalho's behest, Suri was to refrain from speaking of their power to anyone. But, alas, rumors had already spread, and the damage was done. Their childhood was characterized by simply trying to fall in line in the hopes that they wouldn't bring shame to their father's name, all while trying to conceal the fear and discomfort caused by their "curse".

After continually trying and failing to prove their place and worth in the tribe, they started to pull away more and more, growing distant and unsatisfied with the lack of answers surrounding their strange power. Eventually, they left the tribe altogether. At age 16, using gil saved up from the past few years, they boarded an airship to take them to Limsa Lominsa--a place they frequently heard passing merchants speak about--in the hopes to find a place in the world outside of the tribe, and to hopefully find answers regarding the echo.

༻Limsa Arc༺

In Limsa, they struggled to care for themselves, frequently going hungry or resorting to stealing in order to stay afloat. One day, after stealing from the wrong crowd, Suri is nearly caught, but is spirited away and hidden by a young miqo'te named V'kebbe, who ends up taking the fall for them. Unbeknownst to Suri, the gang they had pilfered from on that day was infamous for being involved in human trafficking operations around Limsa. Unable to turn their back on V'kebbe, they set out to try and help her escape. Alas, they were wholly unprepared for such a massive undertaking, and were promptly found out and nearly killed for their efforts. Before that could happen, the Rogue's Guild of Limsa closed in on the warehouse, creating enough of a diversion for Suri to use the last of their strength to free themselves. Though they were grievously injured, they used the cover provided by the ensuing chaos to slip away.

V'kebbe, now reunited with Jacke, informed him of what had happened, and expressed her concern for Suri, who she was unable to find after the dust settled. They set out together, following Suri's trail, and discovered them not far from the warehouse, collapsed, bleeding, and unresponsive in an alleyway. After being cared for by Jacke, he offered them a place among the ranks of the Rogue's Guild, to which Suri eventually accepted. Under Jacke's wing, Suri became adept in the ways of the rogue, eventually earning the nickname of "Swiftclaw" from Jacke, which ended up sticking, as that is the only name they were known by in the streets of Limsa going forward. Eventually, they branched off from the Rogue's Guild, settling into the lifestyle of a sellsword and a bounty hunter, doing various odd jobs for gil around Limsa.

༻A Realm Reborn༺

Following several recurring dreams about a white haired elezen boy, Suri has a fateful encounter with Alphinaud during his excursion to Limsa, and promptly intervenes just as he's about to fall prey to the lies of a Limsa peddler. They're only persuaded into sticking around with the Scions after meeting Minfilia, and discovering that she too possesses the echo.
Suri doesn't enjoy the title of "Warrior of Light", struggling with the fact that they merely wanted answers regarding their echo, only for them to instantly be thrust into mess after mess, with little pay. They'd never admit it out loud, but they also knew they weren't exactly worthy to hold such a title. To make things worse, being suddenly held to such high expectations was bringing back bitter memories. In the beginning, they were extremely noncommittal, only barely helping the Scions with trivial matters. Selfishly, they were really only out to get information regarding the echo, but eventually began to realize the gravity of the situation. Feeling as though they were in too deep to turn back, in the end, much as they wanted to, they couldn't abandon the Scions when things began to get serious.

Suri can be disarming and a good liar, frequently using charm and wit to network with social circles in Limsa in order to stay on top of the rumor mill and to stay in the good graces of those that might pay for their services. Although they can be disingenuous and cynical, they're also quite protective, kind-hearted, and caring, often going out of their way for the people they previously feigned indifference for. They're very perceptive, and enjoy making quips and teasing others, but they are also extremely reticent about their personal life. Don't be surprised if Suri gets you talking about your own personal affairs only for you to realize that you haven't learned much about them in turn.

Suri has always had a particular interest in cooking and cuisine since they were small, and to them, when words don't suffice (often), cooking and sharing a meal with someone is a universal expression of love and care. When traveling, you better believe they'll be sniffing out food stalls as soon as they're able. While they're skilled at cooking savory foods, they fail miserably whenever they attempt to bake any breads or sweets.

They also have an interest in stones and crystals, believing that they hold symbolic meaning. Additionally, as of late, Suri has taken up whittling as a hobby, plaguing those around them with crudely shaped animals and... moai statues.

References