Tataru Taru

Tataru Taru is a Lalafell in Final Fantasy XIV. She is the receptionist of the headquarters of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Said to be a keen judge of character, she is in charge of who can enter the Scions' base.
==History==
===Early life===
Tataru was born into a formerly affluent family in Ul'dah who lost their fortune and became destitute when she was a small child. Plagued by debt, she apprenticed herself to a lapidary at the age of twelve, and henceforth supported the household with her meager earnings. It was during this period that she met Minfilia Warde, a miner come to sell gems and ore. Something about Tataru impressed Minfilia who would later recruit Tataru to oversee the Path of the Twelve's finances. Tataru, in turn, resolved to use her newfound position not only to accrue personal wealth, but also to serve others.
===Final Fantasy XIV (version 1.0)===
Once the adventurer joined Path of the Twelve, Tataru registered them as a walker and helped them choose another of the walkers of the Path to become their new path companion. Afterward Tataru gave information to guide the adventurer in their missions.
===Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn===
When the Path of the Twelve relocated to the Waking Sands, and her role was expanded to include secretarial duties, she used her considerable social acumen to build relationships and increase its influence. As the organization slowly but surely grew into an association of like-minded and gifted souls, she was instrumental in seeking out potential members blessed with the Echo. After the Seventh Umbral Calamity, when the Path of the Twelve merged with the Circle of Knowing to form the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, Tataru continued her tenure as secretary and coinkeeper combined.
When the Garlean Empire attacked the base, she was among those Livia sas Junius captured and was taken to Castrum Centri. The Warrior of Light and Biggs and Wedge rescued Tataru, along with the other captured leaders of the Scions, and she resumed her duties at the Waking Sands.
When the Scions moved their headquarters to the Rising Stones, located in the outpost of Revenant's Toll, Tataru accompanied them, continuing her duties at the new location. She took on the profession of a miner to do her share in helping to pay for the rising costs of funding the Scions.
Becoming frustrated at her self-perceived uselessness, she took a leave of absence to train to be an Arcanist. She proved to be poorly adept for combat, and after a brief moment of despondence, resolved to create good-luck-charms for the rest of the Scions to help protect them. This project caused her to miss the banquet in Ul'dah, during which the majority of the other Scions were seemingly killed. Rescued from the traitorous Crystal Braves by Yugiri Mistwalker, Tataru was the only Scion able to meet up with the Warrior of Light and Alphinaud Leveilleur when they sought shelter at Camp Dragonhead.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward===
With the help of Lord Haurchefant Greystone, Tataru was allowed into Ishgard alongside the Warrior of Light and Alphinaud as wards of House Fortemps. Overzealous knights accused Tataru and Alphinaud of heresy, but she was exonerated after the Warrior of Light championed her in a trial by combat. Tataru got a job at the Forgotten Knight, a tavern in the city, as it was a prime place to gather information. She kept in contact with the Scions' various allies and passed information on between them and the Warrior of Light. Her efforts to gather information on the whereabouts of the missing Scions bore fruit, as her coordination with Pipin Tarupin led to them discovering Y'shtola Rhul's location. After Y'shtola was recovered, Tataru presented her with a new outfit and staff that she had crafted for the occasion.
After the defeat of Archbishop Thordan VII, Tataru joined the Warrior of Light and Alphinaud in visiting the grave of Lord Haurchefant, where they renewed their promise to reunite with the rest of the Scions.
Tataru continued to aid the Scions, moving between the Rising Stones and Ishgard as needed. She was one of the few Scions of the Seventh Dawn members told the truth about Minfilia Warde's fate. She gave Thancred Waters and Alisaie Leveilleur new outfits, and had measurements taken of the Warrior of Light.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood===
When the Scions travelled to Doma to help with its liberation, Tataru secured passage to Othard with Captain Carvallain by blackmailing him with information she had gathered in Ishgard. Upon arrival at Kugane, Tataru remained at the Ruby Bazaar, the Scions' base of operation in the city, to gather information and keep in contact with their allies still in Eorzea. Once Doma was liberated, Tataru elected to stay behind in Kugane to be the Scions' eyes and ears in Othard.
Tataru contacted the Scions in Eorzea, telling them that Hancock had information for them at the Ruby Bazaar. While in Kugane, Alphinaud foolishly spent a large amount of the Scions' funds, which Tataru chastised him for. Hoping to recoup the loss, she joined the Warrior of Light and Soroban in investigating the dungeon known as Hells' Lid. Once the monsters inside were defeated, the three encountered Genbu and his fellow Auspices, animals that had gained extraordinary powers due to their long lifespans. The three were recruited to assist the Four Lords, the most powerful of the Auspices.
When Soroban temporarily transformed into an Auspice as part of his training, Tataru attempted to use her skills as an Arcanist to help the Warrior of Light and Genbu in battling him. Although her Carbuncle disobeyed her and fled the battle (again), and she spent most of her time panicking and soaking up damage, Tataru could cast healing magic during the fight.
Once the Four Lords had been assembled, Tataru witnessed the battle during which they, along with the Warrior of Light and Soroban, re-sealed the rogue Auspice Koryu. Genbu rewarded her with a large amount of treasure to refill the Scions' funds. Tataru was then sent as the Scions' representative to deliver the Eorzean Alliance's response to the Dalmascan resistance's request for aid.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers===
After returning to Eorzea, Tataru accompanied the Warrior of Light to the base of the Crystal Tower, where the beacon needed to travel to the First had been found. She saw them off before returning to her duties at the Rising Stones. Tataru and Krile tracked down Estinien to Kugane, and blackmailed him to investigate the Empire's production of Black Rose biological weapon.
After Emet-Selch's defeat, the Warrior of Light returned to the Rising Stones to report the Scions' success in the First to Tataru. She, in turn, updated the Warrior with the events that had occurred during their absence. She later met with the Warrior of Light, Krile, and Estinien, when the latter returned to report on the current situation in Garlemald. She attempted to convince Estinien to continue providing support to the Scions, but he turned her down, stating he had other business to attend to.
After the Scions returned to the Source, much to her joy and relief, Tataru recreated the equipment and outfits they had used while on the First, with instructions from Feo Ul. She also fashioned new gear for G'raha Tia, including a new staff made from a piece of the Crystal Tower.
When the Warrior of Light, Alisaie, and G'raha Tia needed to travel to Azys Lla, Tataru presented them with the Bonanza, an airship she had created for the Scions. Though the Scions praised her work on its construction, she admitted that her attempt to learn to pilot it were not as successful, and saw them off. Later, after a confrontation with Fandaniel and Lunar Bahamut, the Scions decided they needed Estinien's help in dealing with the dragon-like creature, and Tataru and Krile left to locate and recruit the dragoon.
===Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker===
When the Scions departed for Sharlayan, Tataru saw them off in Limsa Lominsa before returning to the Rising Stones. Later, when the Scions were recruited to the Ilsabard Contingent, she provided them with warm clothing before they left for Garlemald. She then travelled to Sharlayan herself to join Krile in providing support.
When the Scions' allies converged in Sharlayan to assist with the completion of the Ragnarok, Tataru helped organize the supplies and workers, as well as the payments needed for everything, revealing Ameliance Leveilleur as the Scions' financial backer and making a friendship with the twin's mother. The day before the Ragnarok's launch, she took the Warrior of Light to her newly opened boutique to outfit them with armor and equipment for the final battle. She saw the Scions off when they departed in the Ragnarok for Ultima Thule, and was the first to greet them when they returned after defeating Meteion and preventing the Final Days.
With the Final Days averted, and the Ascians and primals no longer a threat, the Scions publicly disbanded but promised to reunite if they were ever needed again before going their separate ways. Tataru alone remained to maintain the Rising Stones as well as to use it as a base for her burgeoning career as an artisan. Tataru and the Warrior of Light reunited after some time. The Lalafell noticed the Warrior's indecision on what to explore next and offered them suggestions as well as new clothes.
As Tataru's business grew, she continued to enlist the Warrior of Light's help in both marketing and logistical support. She sent her line of clothing to various representatives across Eorzea and brought her business to Ishgard and the Sky Pirates. At Kugane, she negotiated a partnership with Hancock and the Far Eastern branch of East Aldernad Trading Company in return for the Warrior of Light helping stop a con artist impersonating Tenzin and the Four Lords.
After the Final Days, Tataru was determined to prove that selling individual islands in the Ciedelas Archipelago for development would be a worthwhile venture. She gave the Warrior of Light one such island to tend to and invested in a team of automated mammets as assistants to demonstrate her business idea.
==Characteristics==
===Appearance===
Tataru is a Dunesfolk Lalafell with lilac hair. Though she wears a variety of outfits her top is always predominantly pink.
===Personality===
Tataru Taru could be considered the most innocent and kind member of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, always willing to help its members with boundless enthusiasm and a smile. Minfilia has noted Tataru is usually a good judge of character. Despite being skilled as a receptionist and bookkeeper, she often feels inferior to the other members and attempts to learn various other professions, such as becoming a miner and arcanist, though these ventures are rarely successful. Nonetheless, she remains loyal to her fellow Scions who treat her with the utmost respect. She worries about the Scions' safety and whether she will ever see them again. She is a skilled seamstress and has an affinity for performance, often practicing her juggling (in a misguided goal to become a street performer) as well as occasionally working as a singer in Ishgard's tavern, the Forgotten Knight. A sidequest in Labyrinthos reveals that she has untapped potential to become a valuable force on the battlefield due to her Carbuncle lasting on near-indefinite aether reserves when it should have disappated long ago.
Despite her perceived innocence, she is not above resorting to blackmail, as she used knowledge of Carvallain de Gorgagne's true identity to force him to grant the Scions passage to Kugane. Likewise, she and Krile conscripted the grim and gruff Estinien Wyrmblood to investigate the Black Rose weapon in the Scions' stead. The dragoon even remarked that Tataru must have been trained as a spy. Much like the other Scions, she is understandably distrustful and dismissive of the Monetarists and anyone associated with them, such as Hancock, and Tataru always tries to maintain some level of authority over Hancock when she is forced to deal with him. Tataru is also very budget-conscious, understanding that frugality and efficient use of money is a must to ensure they have the funds for a huge project. Likewise, she harshly reprimands Alphinaud when he foolishly agrees to purchase Gosetsu's samurai sword at the list price and billing it to the Scions without even looking at the price tag before buying it.
Tataru is initially rather shy and unsure of herself, but as the story progresses, and she finds her true calling with the Scions, she grows more confident and skilled. At times she even begins to show up without anyone expecting, and she also begins to show her mischievous side. While she grows in other areas, such as finance control and tailoring, she still prefers to stay away from combat. Aside from being a talented artisan, she is a shrewd businesswoman, and has the ambition of building her budding business into one that might rival Lolorito's East Aldernald Company. Tataru cares about her employees' happiness and professional development. She is empathetic to the Thavnairian refugee staff's desire to help their home. She also lets her staff take on their own initiatives, while giving them some guidance to help their ideas evolve into a marketable product.
Wedge has a crush on her, and desires to someday win her heart, but she remains oblivious due to his shy nature.
==Gameplay==
Tataru appears as an NPC ally during a solo instanced battle in the side quest "A Tortoise in Time", serving as an Arcanist. Due to her Carbuncle running off at the start of the battle, she spends most of the encounter running about at random, but she will cast Physick when she or the Warrior of Light runs low on HP.
===Triple Triad===
==Other appearances==
===Final Fantasy Portal App===
Tataru appears as a Triple Triad card.
459a Tataru Taru.png|Tataru.
459b Tataru Taru.png|Tataru.
459c Tataru Taru.png|Tataru.
==Other media==
===Final Fantasy Lost Stranger===
Tataru Taru is referenced along with Nanamo Ul Namo when the protagonist assumes that the Mahlwon race are Lalafell.
==Voice==
Tataru is voiced by Carina Reeves since the English release of Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward. She shares the same Japanese voice actress, Mariya Ise, with Nanamo Ul Namo.
==Gallery==
FFXIV ARR Tataru.png|Tataru.
Tataru Miner.png|Tataru as a miner.
FFXIV Tataru SB.png|Tataru in a yukata in Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood.
FFXIV Tataru Minion.png|Wind-up Tataru minion.
FFXIV SB Tataru minion.png|Dress-up Tataru minion.
Tataru_Endwalker_Render.jpg|Tataru's Render in Endwalker.
==Etymology==
Tataru's name alludes to the Tarutaru, a race from Final Fantasy XI that were the basis for the Lalafell race.
==Citations==
Category:Characters in Final Fantasy XIV
Category:Lalafell
de:Tataru Taru