R U R A N • V A S

Some would consider Ruran Vas to be a man of mystery: the most obvious one being what lies behind his mask. He is polite and gullible to a fault, and he gives off a strong sense of duty and gentleness. His heart is large, and he wishes to do right…but the world is a cruel place.Still, he holds firm, trying his best to be a light in dark times.

R U R A N • V A S

B A S I C S

➤ NAME. Ruran Vas
➤ AGE. Early 30’s
➤ NICKNAMES. Ghost, Knight, Dullahan
➤ GENDER. Male
➤ RACE. Hyur, Midlander
➤ NAMEDAY. 9th Sun of the 5th Astral Moon (8 Sept.)
➤ GUARDIAN. Azeyma, the Warden
➤ ALIGNMENT. Neutral Good (Lawful Tendency)
➤ BIRTHPLACE. Accent suggests Black Shroud descent.
➤ COMMON LOCALES. The Black Shroud, The Thanalans
➤ OCCUPATION. Voidhunter / Traveling Knight-Priest➤ HOBBIES. Fishing, Woodcarving, Traveling, Gardening.
➤ LIKES. Meditation, Sweets, Productivity, Cold Weather.
➤ DISLIKES. The Void, Deceit, Spicy Foods, Loud Noises.
➤ VIRTUES. Loyalty, Generosity, Diligence.
➤ VICES. Isolation, Indecisiveness, Self-deprecation.

A P P E A R A N C E

➤ HAIR. Long, pale blonde. Often tied back. Slightly messy.
➤ EYES. Teal.
➤ SKIN. Pale / Fair.
➤ HEIGHT. Approx. 5’11” / 180cm. Fairly average for a Midlander.
➤ WEIGHT/BUILD. Ectomorph build. Quite slim, but has some muscle definition.
➤ DISTINGUISHABLE MARKS. Generally, none can be seen due to clothes/mask, but it can be expected that he has at least a few scars due to his profession.
➤ COMMON ACCESSORIES. A white wooden mask over his face (on rare occasions, a half-mask). Sometimes a glowing yellow stone can be spotted hanging around his neck, although it is often hidden beneath his clothes.

➤ VOICECLAIM. Freddie A'Brassard

P E R S O N A L I T Y

➤ PERSONALITY TYPE. INFJ - “The Advocate”

➤ QUIET SOUL. Ruran has a humble and gentle spirit, and he tries his best to be as helpful and empathetic as the situation allows. He enjoys peace and tranquility, spending much of his free time tending his garden, fishing, or woodcarving. The knight treasures small, intimate moments over boisterous festivities, and in a crowd, he can usually be found standing on the sidelines, content to observe and keep the spotlight off himself. He may also try to seek out and connect with those who appear to have a similarly quiet mindset or try to ease those who are more flustered than he is.➤ SUBDUED. Positive or negative, Ruran’s emotions tend to stay on the subtle side. The mask prevents his facial features from providing easy insight, although his eyes and jaw sometimes hint at something more. More than once, he has been scolded for not speaking his thoughts or for being so accommodating that he becomes a pushover. On rare occasions, his emotions have burst into a fit of laughter or frustration, but otherwise the man remains in a naturally mild state of mind.

➤ STALWART. Although Ruran is meek and quiet, he burns with an devout sense of determination and courage, willing to jump into the frontlines to protect those in need. The knight has experienced many trials, and each one has helped to shape and affirm his personal beliefs. He is a reliable ally, as long as the line between what he perceives as good and evil is not crossed.➤ CURIOUS. Raised to be inquisitive about the world, Ruran’s eagerness continues even well into his adult life. The masked knight likes to learn and soak in any new information, and he asks questions to expand that knowledge even more. There is a spark of interest in his eyes whenever something new or unusual crosses his path.➤ SECRETIVE. Although situations in Ruran’s life have changed and no longer prevent him from getting close to people, old habits are hard to break. He talks little about himself, and it is usually with reluctance when prompted. He is also prone to hide injuries, illness, or even emotional hurt, in order to avoid worry or confrontation.

M I S C

➤ ART & SCREENSHOTS. View Ruran's Gallery
➤ PLAYLIST. Listen to Ruran's Playlist on Spotify

R U R A N • V A S

H O O K S

➤ HAND OF AZEYMA. Ruran devotes much time serving the sun goddess Azeyma, and he is well-versed in the tunnels and traps within the Sunken Temple of Qarn. Sometimes while there—or in other places of similar interest—he performs rites or makes wards to protect against the powers of darkness. The quiet knight may wish to meet others who revere the Warden as well, or confront those who wish to profit off the temple’s sacred tombs and its treasures.

➤ THE GHOST. In the Black Shroud, there are rumors of a ‘ghost’–a man in a white cloak and mask–who appears to investigate places of voidal corruption. He works to thwart whatever malevolent entities threaten the area, only to slip away when safety has returned. While Ruran's name itself is not well-known in the woods, the notoriety of the helpful ‘ghost’ has grown among residents over recent moons.➤ ENEMY OF THE VOID. The masked man actively hunts voidsent and seeks ways to hinder their traverse into this realm by closing rifts. He shows very little mercy to those who accept and embrace the abyss, but would do all he can to help someone who wished to turn away from it.
⚠️ Void-centered characters may be considered a threat by Ruran. Likewise, the holy aether in the stone around his neck may be sensed as a threat in return. ⚠️

➤ BUDDING ARTISAN. Slowly overcoming terror triggered by machines and explosions, Ruran tinkers on simple clockwork devices. However, he currently refuses to touch firearms or other weapons of war, and he substitutes his inability to be around heavy machinery by diverting his creativity into other outlets, such as woodcarving, gardening, and drafting blueprints.➤ TROUBLED MIND. Certain loud banging and the presence of explosions may trigger Ruran’s PTSD, causing him to flinch or sometimes even seize up. In extreme cases, his mind may retreat and pull him into a coma-like state. Most nights are filled with night terrors and restless sleep, unless there is something to soothe his slumber. On particularly rough nights, he turns to excessive drinking. He hasn’t had a good history with therapists (but is open to treatment), so he just tries to avoid these situations whenever possible.➤ ???. A small glowing stone can sometimes be seen hanging around Ruran’s neck. It appears to be a source of power and grants him abilities with an affinity to light. The stone may be detected by an aetherometer or by those who are aether-sensitive.

R U R A N • V A S

COMBAT

art by sheen-g

SPECIALTIES

➤ SWORDSMAN. Ruran carries a simple, trusty longsword, and has trained in the arts of melee combat. This may sometimes be exchanged for a pair of daggers, but only when called upon for certain situations. He attacks with quick strikes and can afford to be at least a little reckless when encased in metal plates, though he tries not to be hit at all.➤ THE BLESSING OF AZEYMA. A strange aura empowers Ruran, imbuing him with holy energy and granting him unnatural abilities such as augmented magical attacks and minor short-distance teleportation. However, this power is mostly out of his control in his current state, and it will quickly exhaust him if used too often.➤ RUNIC SPELLS. Upon taking lessons, Ruran has slowly gained control over the abilities bestowed on him. With his sword as a focus, he can manipulate his aether to write runic circles in the air, much like an Arcanist. These can be used in a variety of ways, whether for defense or offense, but their complexity means they require time to conjure.➤ VOIDSBANE. Through years of training and research, Ruran has learned ways to combat the Void and its denizens. He is well aware of rituals to dispel Voidgates and send its creatures back to the dark realm, and he will do so without hesitation.

STRENGTHS & RESISTANCES

➤ UNBENDING. Ruran does not go down easily, determined to live until he is physically unable to stand, and sometimes beyond.➤ BASTION. Clad in armor and a shield emblazoned with the sun, it can be difficult to land a lethal hit on the knight. Also, despite his languid posture, he is quite quick on his feet and able to close the distance with surprising (and perhaps even terrifying) swiftness.➤ ARI'DORAM. A powerful force protects the knight of Azeyma. The soulstone at his chest often shoves the man past his typical capabilities, and wards against those who would seek to harm his soul or mind.
• Note: Highly resistant to most mind-manipulation, such as sleep and charm. He is also immune to void/dark-aspected effects.

STRENGTHS & RESISTANCES

➤ UNSTABLE AETHER. While Ruran has the potential for magic, he struggles to control it. Perhaps because his mind is constantly unsettled, or he is simply not strong enough, he cannot depend on the inconsistency of these abilities. On more than one occasion, it has acted without his knowing or not responded when he needed it, causing more harm than good.➤ RELUCTANCE. Behind every swing of his sword is a man who wishes he had another choice. Guilt and hesitance plague him, and his resolve can be shaken if approached the correct way.➤ BROKEN MIND. Certain loud noises and the presence of explosions may cause the man to flinch, sometimes even making him seize up...or his mind may retreat into a temporary coma. He avoids these situations whenever possible.➤ SCRAWNY. Although Ruran knows how to take a hit and can swing a sword, he is not very strong. The skinny knight struggles to retain his footing against foes who are physically stronger, and he is not the best choice when it comes to lifting heavy objects.

R U R A N • V A S

O O C • I N F O R M A T I O N

➤ DISCLAIMER.
I'm not looking to attach myself to one particular person; I want a wide spectrum of players and personalities! While I consider myself a heavy RPer, work and personal projects (as well as doing PvE) keep me busy sometimes, so if you're looking for an RP partner with whom you can spend most of your time, I'm afraid I'm not for you. I'd still love to meet your character and develop a story, but possessiveness and jealousy are huge aversions for me.➤ COMMUNICATION & RESPECT.
Want to RP? All you have to do is ask, and I will try my best to make plans. Simple as that!If you're uncomfortable, please tell me; I will do the same for you. There is little that can happen in an RP that will make me squeamish, so long as it is OOCly consensual among all parties involved. I prefer my RP to be a little gritty, and I ask that at least attempt is made to be lore-consistent, but otherwise I am open for all kinds of adventures.I don't ERP. Fading to black is fine if the situation ever reaches that point, but otherwise it's just not my thing. And aside from Ruran being a clueless mess, I only allow romance with people I’ve known for a long time, who I can trust not to blur IC with OOC.➤ ACCESSIBILITY
Ruran is located on Balmung, but I'm more than willing to World-Visit. My timezone is US Eastern/GMT-5, and I'm often available 4pm-10pm. I prefer ingame RP over Discord, since I am notorious for becoming distracted and letting scenes slip away from me.➤ SCHEDULING
Please don't be disheartened if we can't RP right away! As a general rule, I can’t commit to immediate scenes (unless I’m in a walk-up area with my RP tag up, or if I'm feeling especially spontaneous), so please don’t be offended if you ask me for a scene on-the-spot and I decline. I'm the type of person where if I don't have anything to do, I'll find something pretty quickly! Calendars keep me sane, and I like to schedule at least a day or two in advance so that I can mentally prepare myself to sit still for a few hours.➤ TUMBLR.
Mercykill (@locke-rinannis) is my main account for OOC reblogs, art, headcanons, and general FFXIV shenanigans.The Man With No Face (@weepingknight) contains IC-only canon: recaps, art, stories, screenshots, etc. related to Ruran and his encounters.
(This hasn't been updated in a long time, though!)➤ OTHER CHARACTERS.
Madoc Parnell / Withdrawn Drifter / Orrian Servais / Emerlain Moreau / Atreus / 'Red'