X'ahni Tia

An ex-Sultansworn, Ul’dahni miqo’te who was discharged over politics. Seeking a new life, and a more worthwhile cause, he moved north to Ishgard, seeking to join the Knights Chasseur in order to secure a future for his family in a ‘less corrupt’ land.

## History

X'ahni had a simple upbringing. Raised as a tribal Tia with the Wellwick Lynx tribe in Eastern Thanalan, Ahni took quickly to learning from one the tribe's medicine man. Primarily, he tended to the tribe's livestock and riding chocobos - though he also administered basic care to other members of the tribe. At a young age, he witnessed a member of the tribe - his aunt - take ill from poisoned water. Despite intervention, she succumbed to the poison. Ahni never forgave himself.

Not long after, the Seeker would find himself leaving the tribal life behind. He rode to Gridania on Dart, the chocobo he'd raised from a chick, and studied animal husbandry with the Conjurers Guild. By age 25 he traveled back to his native Thanalan and sought out the Jewel of the Desert, and enlisted at the Ul'dahn Military Academy in a doctoral veterinary program. Shortly before he could graduate, Ahni was drafted into the Immortal Flames; war in Gyr Abania was only moons away. Impressed by his riding prowess, a member of the Sultansworn - Captain Anderley Blacke - offered him the opportunity to win a chance amongst the Sultana's best. Ahni accepted, took to training, and excelled. Within two moons, the Seeker would be given a soulstone and join the ranks of Ul'dah's paladin warriors.

With Baelsar's Wall fallen, Ahni was attached to a Cavalry company - the Sultana's Own 2nd Armored Cavalry, The Gilded Pinion. An elite combat unit staffed partly by Sultansworn, one of the few front line positions held by the Sultana's sworn protectors. He fought on the front lines of the Ala Mhigan Liberation, taking part in the Assault on Bittermill, Skirmish at Pike's Field, Raid on Castellum Velodyna, Siege of Specula Imperatoris, Siege of Castrum Abania, Raid on the Ala Mhigan Quarter, and eventually the Siege of Ala Mhigo. During the Liberation Campaign, Ahni racked up five Combat Injury Medals, both Bronze and Silver Scales of Gallantry, and a Distinguished Service Coin.

He volunteered shortly after and helped lead a combined-arms company in the Battle of Ghimlyt Dark, charged with holding Hill 14. Under his leadership as company Sergeant Major, after the unit's officer was killed in action, Ahni single-handedly held off a Garlean Colossus in a last ditch effort to let his eight remaining soldiers pull back to a safer position. He was able to best the Colossus, jamming his shield into a ceruleum vent to overheat the engine. The ensuing explosion and gout of boiling fuel ignited the entire left side of his body, severely burning and disfiguring his left arm, left flank, most of his chest, and his left neck and shoulder. Set to receive the Grand Order of House Ul, Ahni was sent back home... he was told the hill wasn't the strategic position they'd thought it was, and that his men were expendable.

Upon receiving his medals in Ul'dah, before the ceremony could conclude, Ahni pulled each medal off his service armor and threw them into the Gold Court fountain. He kept his soulstone, fled the city, and quickly found himself an exile and a pauper: his pension terminated, his small apartment seized, his way of life gone. There was nothing for him in the south anymore.

So he went north.

After meeting Knight Captain Vilette Laurent of the Temple Knights Chasseur, Ahni was impressed. He felt he finally met a commander he knew he could follow into combat. One who had a sense of justice, and so he joined the rag-tag group of Ishgardian soldiers. He continues to fight for his citizenship, and for Knighthood as a proper Ishgardian - having bled in multiple peacekeeping conflicts alongside the Knights Chasseur.

He has made his home in the Coerthan Lowlands, living outside the town of Riveaux, and occasionally travels out to his small homestead in Gyr Abania where he spends time with his husband and their two children. His own biological son, X'rahna, is training with him in the Paladin arts.

After being seriously injured in a Chasseur combat action, X'ahni's abilities going forward are in question. The Seeker took burn wounds that scarred his chest and face badly, leaving his lungs in less than full operating condition. Worse off, the severity of the burns led to amputation of his right arm - his sword arm - above the elbow. With how badly his nerves were damaged it was unlikely he'd be a good candidate for prosthetics.

Perhaps his son would take over the family business before he thought...

## Hooks

* Ala Mhigan Veterans may have heard of the Ul'dahn 2nd Armored, and of the Sultansworn that rode with the unit. They may also have met Ahni on the field in combat.
* Immortal Flames veterans may have heard the story of a disgraced Paladin who chose to bite the hand that feeds, fleeing the city with his soulstone after a disagreement with senior staff. Free Paladins are looked at with great respect, or great disdain depending upon what side of justice you sit.
* Ishgardians and Temple Knights may have heard of a newer knight and citizen, who reportedly won his hard-fought battle for full citizenship with acts of valor that would pride any Knight of the Congregation. Still looked down on for his race, his service record shows a knight of good repute. Most recently he's been around Drachenhome, badly injured in a recent combat and left with the loss of his right arm.
* Ranchers and Chocobo Riders may have encountered a blonde Lynx tribe man, large in stature for a Miqo'te. He's a fairly well known healer around Highbridge, going from ranch to ranch to help heal ailing livestock and draught animals. He'll even help get predators off properties, known never to kill them, but find a way to coax them back into the wilderness.