Yukia Yulewind
She drifts as the snow drifts - brilliant, fleeting...
She flows as the wind flows - free, unbound...
About
An at-a-glance overview of Yukia. For more detailed information, see the "Personality" and "Background" pages.
Age - Early to mid 20s
Pronouns - She/her
Race - Miqo'te, Keeper of the Moon
Class - Ninja
Occupation - Wandering adventurer
Hair - Snow white
Eyes - Frosty blue
Build - Average height for a female Miqo'te, slender and lithe
Origin - Southwest Vylbrand, the child of immigrants from west of Eorzea
Orientation - Lesbian
Likes - Adventure, combat, helping those in need, snow and cold, knives and other exotic weapons, striking poses, impromptu dancing, Doman culture, ice cream, beef stew, ale, tales of heroism and chivalry, small animals, children, pretty women, long walks on the mountain, her found family
Dislikes - Injustice, oppression, intolerance, arrogance, hierarchy, money, the heat, rain, swimming, mushrooms, sorrowful memories
Strengths - Skilled with a blade, swift and agile, keen hunting instinct, intuitive in combat scenarios, strong tolerance for cold, kind and helpful, empathetic, always willing to make people smile
Weaknesses - Little magical skill, lacking in strength and durability, low tolerance for heat, reckless and impulsive, self-sacrificing, prone to isolation, trouble forming lasting connections with others
Key traits - Self-styled "hero of justice", enthusiastic adventurer, always willing to help those in need, cheerful and exuberant, flamboyant in her actions, comes off as foolish and absent-minded, acts on gut instinct and intuition rather than common sense or strategy, detests hierarchy and has no concept of money, overall goofy but well-meaning
Personality
Who is Yukia?
Yukia Yulewind is, above all else, an adventurer - and she is an adventurer with a capital "adventure". Free spirited, optimistic, and exuberant to the point of eccentricity, Yukia is an irrepressible bundle of cheer who yearns to make the world a better place for everyone - even if she has no place in it. A tireless wanderer and errant righter of wrongs, Yukia sees herself as a budding hero on a righteous quest of love and justice, determined to help those in need and vanquish evil and oppression wherever she encounters it.
Yukia doesn't just talk the talk, of course: in addition to being a skilled adventurer with a great love of exploration and an unyielding sense of justice, she strives to be kind and compassionate to all people, doing her best to spread cheer and love wherever she goes. She is the kind of person who will drop everything and leap into a chasm to save a little child's doll, ignore important diplomatic meetings to make funny faces at a crying baby, or provide what food, shelter and company she can to the downtrodden and dispossessed. The world is a big, frightening place, full of oppression and iniquity, and Yukia knows that - which is why she will do anything in her power to make it even a little brighter. Even if the cost to herself is great, Yukia believes it is worth it to see the smiles on the faces of those in need.
What does she do?
Yukia is a Ninja by discipline, having trained first with the Rogues' Guild of Limsa Lominsa, and thereafter the exiled shinobi clan of La Noscea. Swift as the wind and skilled in the use of daggers, Yukia is every bit the consummate shinobi, and she honours her newfound Doman heritage with a love for the craft that, at times, borders on obsessive - indeed, she is just as likely to be found performing shinobi-style flips or loudly striking "heroic" poses as she is to actually be doing her job. Her honed speed and precision are further emphasised by her heritage as a Keeper of the Moon: possessing a keen hunting instinct, the ability to see and move quickly in the dark, and an unerring intuition for danger, Yukia's expertise in stealth and subterfuge is a surprising contrast to her extroverted and outgoing nature. Perhaps it is this contrast that makes her such a skilled example of a Ninja: after all, what better disguise for a shinobi than convincing your foe you couldn't possibly be a Ninja?
What about her name?
Yukia Yulewind is, in truth, not her given name - though she is reluctant to tell people what it originally was. Rather, it is a name she chose for herself, in the style of a shinobi codename per the Doman tradition. Far from being just a pseudonym, however, Yukia considers this her true name; for it's her name, the name she chose for herself, as much a rejection of the burden of her past as it is a tribute to the beauty of her present, and the bright future she believes she has found as a full-fledged shinobi. It consists of the following aspects:
"Yuki", the Doman word for "snow", bringing to mind the snowy nights of her childhood - intrinsically linked to her most cherished memories - as well as the beauty and transience of snow; the suffix "-a" as a reminder of her time spent as an orphan, when her own name was taken from her and replaced with another, which she is now reclaiming on her own terms; "Yule", from an old Eorzean word referring to the winter season, symbolic of the endless cycle of decay and rebirth that this season brings, and a constant reminder that all things in life are transitory; and "wind", to reflect the swiftness of her blades and her destiny as a wanderer.
Is she really that foolish?
Yukia is - to put it diplomatically - not the sharpest dagger in the sheathe, and you'd be forgiven for writing her off as an absent-minded, overly reckless fool with delusions of grandeur. Far from being witless, though, Yukia might instead be described as "all heart and little head": she is the kind of person who acts first, and acts fast, damn the consequences, and who trusts her instincts enough to guide her safely to victory, no matter the danger. She does possess a keen intuition for combat, is a fast learner when she puts her mind to something, and her physical prowess and native athleticism are nothing to be scoffed at; and in matters of the heart, Yukia shows great acumen, quick to perceive others' feelings and possessing a strong sense of empathy.
Yukia is also keenly aware of her limits, and she is aware that intelligence comes in many forms: lacking the education many of her peers have been granted, and showing no particular enthusiasm for matters of politics or diplomacy, she is content to leave such things to those more learned than her. Yukia may well be the most foolish clever person in Eorzea, or its cleverest fool, and possibly both at the same time - and even she isn't sure which is true. But if her strong intuition for combat, consummate skill in her chosen discipline, and unyielding sense of empathy won't see her through - well, maybe it's better for someone else to take over.
What lies under her smile?
Beneath her cheerful exterior, however, there is an abiding sadness to Yukia that few are truly aware of. Still grieving the loss of her parents as a child, and raised without a home or heritage to call her own - even stripped of her name when she was a girl - Yukia considers herself a perennial wanderer, drifting from one place to another as the mood takes her, and departing good company as quickly as she arrives. Yukia is something of a loner, and is given to moments of introspection when allowed the presence of her own thoughts - particularly on cold, snowy nights, which bring to mind her most vivid memories of her childhood, when her parents were still with her and the world seemed so much smaller and safer.
Yet it would be remiss to say her cheerful personality is just an affectation: Yukia is sincere in her enthusiasm, genuine in her optimism, and also honest in her sadness. Both parts of Yukia are real, and both are valid: neither is a contradiction, and neither diminishes the other, but rather exist as part of a greater whole. And while Yukia knows this sadness may always be a part of her - this sense of transience and isolation, of not truly belonging anywhere - she is content to endure it as best she can, accepting it as a part of herself and doing her best to make herself a bit better every day.
Anything else?
Yukia is transient by nature, and seldom stays in one place for too long - yet there are some places where she is more likely to return than others. In particular, she has a peculiar fondness for Limsa Lominsa, and despite its swarthy reputation and abundant dangers, she will frequently return to greet her old friends in the Rogues' Guild, do some odd jobs, or simply get drunk at the nearest tavern.
Yukia finds it difficult to form lasting relationships with others, due to her ephemeral nature and lack of meaningful connections as a child, but she is very loyal to those who earn her trust. Far from being wary of others, Yukia instead places the burden of doubt on herself, assuming she isn't good enough for others or that it's better for her to simply leave when the time is right; thus, it can take time to get to know her intimately, and she need space and patience before she's willing to open up about who she really is. Form a bond with her, though, and you will find no truer companion, no ally more stalwart, and no friend more willing to stand by your side.
Yukia is a lesbian and is quite sexually active. She enjoys spending a night in the company of a pretty lady as much as crossing blades with a ne'er-do-well, and frequently takes time to mingle with eligible mates when she arrives someplace new. Due to her difficulty forming relationships, though, she is also aromantic, and is not interested in anything serious or long-term. Yukia is afraid of letting others get close romantically for fear of hurting them, or being hurt, and so this is never her intent when she seeks a partner for the night. She is always respectful and always dignified in her pursuit of love, but has clear boundaries, and expects they will likewise be honoured.
Yukia has no concept or hierarchy, money or authority, and is an anarchist by nature. Although she is not well-versed in matters of politics, she is intuitive enough to understand when something is wrong or unjust, and will actively campaign against it through whatever means necessary. Her stubborn refusal to acknowledge such social constructs, combined with her seemingly naive inability to grasp the complexity of such matters, may seem like a recipe for political folly - yet this ignorance is more a strength than a weakness, as it allows Yukia to argue in favour of something she knows is just or necessary without recognising the apparent difficulties of achieving such a goal. Many a diplomat has groaned at the sight of her entering the room, knowing they are in for a long, frustrating debate that will inevitably end with them either throwing Yukia out the door, or yielding to her obstinate sense of justice.
Yukia is not religious by nature, and holds no particular fealty to any gods, but acknowledges the Twelve as the patron deities of Eorzea and is respectful of other people's beliefs and practices. She does, however, offer some general honour to Menphina the Lover, as this aspect of her Keeper of the Moon heritage is something she still recalls from her parents' teachings.
Backstory
Where is Yukia from?
A very good question - and one Yukia herself would struggle to answer. Certainly, she knows where she was born, and she could likewise tell you where she was raised - more or less. The only child of Miqo'te immigrants to Eorzea, she was born in a small corner of Vylbrand, and her earliest memories are of the snow and the cold. After her parents' death, she was raised in an orphanage, not far from her hometown - though if you asked Yukia to point to it on a map, she might struggle. Yukia prefers not to dwell on her past, with all its tiny sorrows and shadowed memories, and is reluctant to speak of it even among her closest friends.
What is known is that she was not always Yukia Yulewind - though who she was prior to adopting this name remain a mystery to all but Yukia herself. She was, in fact, born Sofhi Sylvara, and was raised by Keeper of the Moon parents who had fled from their home in the west due to persecution - and it was that same persecution that forced her to change her name as a child. Believing a more conventionally Eorzean name would make her more appealing to prospective families, the young Sofhi's caretakers forced her to change her Keeper moniker, and bestowed upon her the name Sofia Sylvarin. It was not until years later, when she was accepted as a full-fledged Ninja of the Doman tradition, that she was at last able to choose her own name - and it is a name she has held with pride ever since.
In truth, Yukia is transient by nature, and feels she is bereft of a home or history of her own. With her parents' death and the loss of her given name, Yukia lost any connection she may have have had to her heritage, and consequently she has little knowledge or interest in the customs associated with the Keepers of the Moon. As the child of immigrants, Yukia likewise knows little about her parents' homeland or customs, save that they were driven out due to prejudice and forced to seek a better life elsewhere. Though Yukia cannot say for certain where her parents came from, a cursory glance at a map tells her everything she needs to know - and though she cannot precisely state why, much less confirm her suspicions to that end, the name "Sharlayan" is a profoundly bitter one for Yukia, and ignites within her both deep resentment and abiding curiosity.
A word of caution: Yukia is very sensitive about her past, and it is one of the few topic that can provoke genuine discomfort in her if broached. In particular, she is loathe to tell anyone about her given name, and even dwelling on it brings to mind painful memories - recalling, as it does, all that she has lost and everything she knows she can never reclaim.
Where did she go?
As a child, Yukia always dreamed of seeing the wider world, and exploring the wonders of Hydaelyn to her heart's content - and when she was old enough to leave the orphanage, she began her journey, setting out to make a name for herself as adventurer. She had already spent years honing her skills, employing her small frame, natural agility, and innate hunting instinct as a Miqo'te to her advantage; and, being too small and waifish to wield a heavier weapon, she found great favour with the dagger, and quickly made these her weapons of choice. Many a time did the young Yukia - then Sofia - scurry up a tree after taking her revenge on a larger child who'd bullied her, or find herself breaking curfew in pursuit of a small animal that had happened to catch her eye. There was never any doubt that Sofia would be a great adventurer one day - if her impulsive tomfoolery didn't get her first.
Sofia was, mercifully, spared the worst of the devastation following the fall of Dalamud - though in the aftermath of that calamity, Eorzea found itself in dire need of defenders, and the girl then known as Sofia was quick to avail of this opportunity. Knowing she would find what she sought in one of the realm's great city-states, she travelled across La Noscea to the city of Limsa Lominsa, and there plied her trade as best she could. Pirate raids, drunken brawls, attempted assassinations - Limsa Lominsa is a dangerous place at the best of times, and an adventurer could make quite a name for themselves if they were willing to face those dangers. Few could deny the skill with which the Miqo'te handled a blade, and fewer skill could deny the speed and precision with which she subdued her foes - and so it was that she was invited, discreetly, to pay a visit to the Dutiful Sisters of the Edelweiss in the city's lower decks. It was there she made the dubious company of the Rogues' Guild and the charming cutthroats who pervaded it - and, following a brief initiation mission, the Miqo'te was offered a position as a full-fledged member of the guild. It was not quite the opportunity Sofia had in mind; but she took it just the same, and soon began to turn her blades to a more righteous cause.
Her time with the Rogues' Guild was among the happiest of her life, and Sofia made fast friends with the Edelweiss's swarthy crew. It was during this time that Sofia - still barely a woman grown - truly learned the nature of justice and iniquity, and the responsibility which she, as a sworn blade in the dark, would have in upholding one and vanquishing the other. It was a moment of epiphany for the young adventurer, who until now had seen her vocation as one of great freedom and boundless excitement - and it was with a heavy heart, and a profound sense of duty, that she learned to accept a simple truth: that the power to take a life is also the power to preserve life, and one could not rightly wield one without also learning to respect the other. It was a beautiful and terrifying experience, and for the first time in her life, Sofia truly felt she belonged.
Yet nothing truly lasts, and in time, even her bonds with the Edelweiss would be challenged. Trouble was brewing on the horizon, and the word on every dock and winesink in the city was the same: danger would soon be upon Limsa Lominsa, and its streets would run red with the blood of the innocent. Sofia knew she had to do something about this, and begged leave of her guild to challenge the forces conspiring in the shadows of the realm - for if she did not wield her blades in pursuit of justice, who else would? Her guildmates were moved by her words, and by the conviction in her heart - but they likewise knew it was folly to challenge these forces as she was. They could not teach her any more than she already knew - but perhaps someone else could. So it was that Sofia was bade leave the city in pursuit of her destiny, with only one unfamiliar word to guide her on her quest: Ninja.
It was in Wineport that she found them, tucked away near the outskirts of the town and hidden from the wider world: the exiled clan of shinobi that her crewmates had spoken of. At first, they were hesitant to take Sofia in: for she was an outsider, a foreigner to their customs and their traditions, and knew nothing of their ancient discipline. The young adventurer may well have been turned away at the door, never to see the shinobi again, had she not told them why she had come: danger was growing on the periphery of the realm, and she had been sent by the Dutiful Sisters of the Edelweiss in pursuit of the strength she would need to confront it. Perhaps it was the name of the Rogues' Guild that swayed the hearts of the shinobi, or perhaps it was the conviction with which the Miqo'te spoke; perhaps it was the skill she displayed with a blade, or perhaps it was the fact she kept returning, day after day, for a month until they agreed to speak to her - either way, Sofia had managed to sway the shinobi, and they conceded to teaching her all they could about the esoteric art of the Ninja. They were not quick to do so, and Sofia could sense the hesitation with which they bade her enter their hallowed halls - but likewise, their desperation, an abiding need to pass their secrets onto someone before those secrets were lost forever. So it was that Sofia stepped into the shadowed realm of the shinobi, and took her first steps towards becoming a true Ninja.
Where is she now?
Following her induction into the ancient ways of the Ninja, the girl then known as Sofia proved herself a capable ally of the shinobi clan: brave, righteous, and utterly devoted to the discipline, she possessed both a willingness to learn, and a profound enthusiasm to be taught - as soon as she got over her fascination with performing backflips in the training yard, striking poses with the hand seals, and loudly shouting the names of her techniques. Through many trials and misadventures, she ended up winning the heart of the exiled shinobi, and found in them the same kindred spirits that she'd witnessed in her time at the Edelweiss. To honour her admission into their clan, and to better serve her in the battles to come, her newfound allies proposed she adopt a shinobi codename in the tradition of their art. The adventurer thought long and hard about this, and eventually returned with a name in mind - and from that day forth, her destiny sealed amid the scent of incense and the sound of traditional Doman prayers, the Ninja known as Yukia Yulewind has raised her blades in defense of the realm and its people.
Yukia Yulewind, as she is now known, is still an adventurer at heart - and though her journey has taken her to many strange places, allowed her to cross paths with all manner of wonderful people, and forced her contend with some of the most harrowing struggles the realm has ever faced, Yukia continues to hold her head high, eager to follow the path of the adventurer wherever it may take her. No job is too small for this aspiring young hero to take up, no task too insignificant, no cry too meagre to be answered: for wherever there is injustice in the world, Yukia's blades will be there to challenge it; wherever there is a lost soul in need of service, Yukia will be there to defend it; and wherever there is a life that yearns to be loved, Yukia will be there to show it all the comfort it deserves.
And if, along the way, she's able to share a bed with a comely maid or two, or eat her own weight in ice cream, or drink herself silly while she watches the snow fall on a crisp winter's night -
Well, who says a hero can't have some fun?
Contact
Thank you for reading my FFXIV character Carrd! If you'd like to get in touch with me, send me a message on one of the following:
FFXIV - Yukia Yulewind (Light)
Discord - Wintropy#2580
Twitter - @Wintropy