†he twixtbound

he wore shadows like armor yet they were never thick enough
to hide what burned beneath.

daellaryn zaram • crystal | balmung
established june, 2018

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carrd designed by cassiaslair.

guidelines

rule one. 21+ only, please.rule two. I will not do noncon or one-shots. I'm chill with relationships and hook-ups but fade to black should be expected from me. People get weird, man. Don't be weird.rule three. IC is not OOC, should go without saying.rule four. Dae explores a few 'darker' themes that may be considered triggering. He is also a very mildly lore-bending character. If this is an issue, there's nothing forcing us to interact. ♥rule five. If any other issues ever come up, please come to me. I'm pretty tame and I would rather have the awkward conversation than allow negative feelings to fester. This is supposed to be fun for everyone and that can't happen without proper communication.

This carrd is still a big WIP.

writer info. Hi, hello! I'm 30+, married and have been RPing for over 20 years. Large crowds and new people make me anxious but I absolutely love walkups!
contact. bsky - when I remember it exists.
discord. zalaena.

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dossier

  name.    Dae.
  age.    25, he claims.
  race.    Elezen.
  birthday.     October 26th.
  astrological sign.     Scorpio.
  gender.     Male.
  pronouns.     He/him.
  sexuality.     Omnisexual, masculine leaning.
  height.     6'1.
  weight.     176 ponzes.
  hair color.     Blonde.
  eye color.     Chartreuse.
  skin tone.     Sandy.
piercings.   Labret, septum, right eyebrow, nippies and bellybutton.
  notable features.     His complexion is dusted with a smattering of freckles. Many claim his eyes are his most striking feature much to his dismay.  job occupation.    Manager | Bartender | Agent
  place of origin.     Unknown.
  family.     None living.
  marital status.     Grateful.
  likes.     Playing guitar, storms, moko, pole dancing, strong basslines, subtlety.
  dislikes.     Deserts, vegetables, gin, creme brulee, unsolicited advice, emotional vulnerability.
  virtues.     Loyal, resilient, observant, adaptable, decisive, calm when it counts.
  flaws.     Paranoid, unconventionally greedy, acedia, self-destructive, guarded, cynical, haunted by duality.

  miscellaneous details.     Dae leans into androgyny and being a 'pretty boy' like armor, softening the edges of who he is to seem less threatening. It’s a careful performance, blurring lines so others won’t know how to place him. In a world that expects sharp angles and clear labels, his ambiguity becomes a weapon, masking the danger beneath. To most, he appears harmless, until he decides otherwise.Haunted by his past and tethered to a soul-link with another self, Dae walks a fragile line between survival and surrender; desperate to stay one step ahead of the fate he fears still chases him.Loud mouthed at the worst times and quiet when he should, by all rights, be screaming, Dae is a performer at heart. Few know what he's truly like beneath the surface and even fewer have managed to leave a mark on him. Outwardly passive, he attempts to skirt around a deeply internalized aggression.He meets each day with a weary determination, balancing the weight of his past with a stubborn desire to carve out a life where he can finally feel safe and at ease.  d&d alignment.     Chaotic neutral.
  mbti.     INTP-T.
related links.   Spotify | Pinterest | Face & Voice references, time stamped for relevance because I don't expect anyone to actually watch 30 minutes of clips but all work situationally. Or take the opening of this. (:

fighting style. He prefers to keep his enemies close - close enough to read their breath, their tells, the moment they lie. But don’t mistake his proximity for mercy. Dae has a fondness for blades, and an even better eye for the space between ribs. One wrong move, and you’ll find a throwing knife buried in your throat before you ever see his hands move.If actually provoked into combat, he is an annoying, opportunistic little shit and will use anything he can get his hands on. Even pineapple wedges. He typically prefers the role of punching bag, however. Nothing makes him happier than a well-timed left hook.ability one. He can purge toxins from his body at will - no poisons, no lingering drugs, not even tequila hangovers stands a chance. It makes him effectively immune, and more than a little reckless. He’s his own favorite guinea pig for this reason alone.ability two. Dae doesn’t heal like other people. His blood doesn’t just clot wounds; it undoes them, as if time itself stutters to correct the damage. Knicks close in seconds. Bones realign with a hiss. But it’s not clean. Every act of healing costs him something - heat, aether, memory. Sometimes it feels less like recovery and more like erasure, as if parts of him are being rewritten in silence.ability three. His blood is... different. In it's 'natural' state, it appears golden - like liquid starlight beneath his skin. It hums with something ancient and watching, something that doesn’t quite belong to him. It can be manipulated in various ways on a whim, more like another tool on his belt rather than something actively keeping him alive. Even if stripped bare, he should never be considered 'unarmed'.There are times, however, when pushed to his limits that something changes. Light fades, swallowed by something darker, hungrier. It blackens and shifts like smoke caught in oil as self preservation tied to another self kicks in.

headcanon one. Dae suffers from absence seizures which lead to some really wild, vivid hallucinations that play into his paranoia.headcanon two. He is not from this star. This makes language difficult at times and has set him back years in his profession. He's getting there, one wrong innuendo at a time. Even now, his accent or foreign words slip through when he's tired or flustered, and certain idioms still make no sense to him. Because of the multitudes of languages he does know, he has a mild obsession with words and enjoys repeating the 'fun' ones.headcanon three. He doesn’t make himself a victim, but he’s willing to bleed if it means someone else doesn’t have to. He’s the type to step into a fight meant for someone else, or swallow pain so others can breathe easier without ever asking for recognition for his sacrifices.headcanon four. He has silent coping mechanisms for when he’s overwhelmed - he’ll knead his fingers against whatever is near, or fidget with the edges of his sleeves. When stuck in his own head, Dae can often be seen twisting one of his rings. It's the same one every time; smaller, thinner and unmatching in color to the others adorning his fingers.headcanon five. Dae doesn’t know how to react when people fuss over him. He gets awkward and deflects with sarcasm or a joke, but deep down, it means everything to him - especially because he grew up without it.headcanon six. He's slow to trust. A hand skimming his back might as well be a brand. A pinky brushing his can make him flinch and if it lingers? His face may remain calm but his brain is scrambling for an exit. If you’re kind to him for no reason, he’ll assume you want something and he never really learned how to ask for help when he needs it.headcanon seven. When alone, he sleeps best in tight spaces. Corners, alcoves, closets and even bathtubs and fighting cages. Anywhere with walls close enough to feel protected as he's generally on edge.headcanon eight. Using aether at length wears on him. The more he uses, the weaker he becomes without meaningful rest. Hyperthermia sets in, transforming his body into a crucible, like he's being boiled from within. Don't be surprised if he starts shedding layers during a brawl. When the heat hits, what little modesty he has is the first to go.headcanon nine. Even without aether usage, his body temperature leans towards the feverish side of the scale more often than not. Because of this, he now hates the idea of traveling north and will periodically get the shivers, even around the Thanalan area.

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history

—origin story.

use this section to write about your character's origin story / history, basically anything that contributed to making them who they are in the present day, and the things that affected their journey. briefly talk about their childhood, any developmental arcs, etc.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Nunc lobortis mattis aliquam faucibus purus in. Proin sed libero enim sed. Sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit duis tristique sollicitudin. Sed id semper risus in hendrerit. Nullam ac tortor vitae purus faucibus ornare. Id volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu ac. Nunc sed id semper risus in hendrerit gravida rutrum quisque. Cursus mattis molestie a iaculis at erat pellentesque. Volutpat ac tincidunt vitae semper quis lectus nulla at. Praesent elementum facilisis leo vel.Amet cursus sit amet dictum sit amet justo donec. Mauris sit amet massa vitae tortor condimentum lacinia quis. Viverra orci sagittis eu volutpat odio facilisis mauris sit. Urna et pharetra pharetra massa massa ultricies mi quis. Ut placerat orci nulla pellentesque dignissim enim sit. Vitae nunc sed velit dignissim sodales ut eu. Et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas integer eget aliquet nibh. Sed libero enim sed faucibus turpis in eu. Elementum pulvinar etiam non quam lacus suspendisse faucibus. Nibh praesent tristique magna sit amet purus.Volutpat commodo sed egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus. Laoreet id donec ultrices tincidunt arcu non.

Rhoncus mattis rhoncus urna neque viverra justo nec. Netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas integer eget. Risus ultricies tristique nulla aliquet enim tortor at. Tempor orci dapibus ultrices in iaculis nunc sed augue. Erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Congue nisi vitae suscipit tellus mauris a. Id interdum velit laoreet id donec ultrices tincidunt arcu non. Id ornare arcu odio ut sem nulla. Lobortis mattis aliquam faucibus purus in. Ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non odio euismod lacinia. Aliquam ut porttitor leo a. Rhoncus aenean vel elit scelerisque mauris pellentesque pulvinar pellentesque. Quisque egestas diam in arcu cursus euismod quis. Quisque sagittis purus sit amet. Mi in nulla posuere sollicitudin aliquam ultrices sagittis orci. Cras ornare arcu dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Commodo quis imperdiet massa tincidunt nunc. Eu augue ut lectus arcu bibendum.Elementum tempus egestas sed sed risus pretium. Eget sit amet tellus cras adipiscing enim eu turpis. Sed velit dignissim sodales ut eu sem integer. Arcu vitae elementum curabitur vitae nunc sed velit. Mauris nunc congue nisi vitae suscipit tellus. Gravida dictum fusce ut placerat orci nulla pellentesque dignissim enim. Nulla facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a. Metus vulputate eu scelerisque felis imperdiet proin.Scelerisque mauris pellentesque pulvinar pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Adipiscing elit ut aliquam purus. Est lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit.

—distant pasts.

use this section to write about the things in your character's past after their origin. basically anything leading up to the current, present day. were there any major events that shaped who they are? traumas or things that shaped their motivations and goals?Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Nunc lobortis mattis aliquam faucibus purus in. Proin sed libero enim sed. Sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit duis tristique sollicitudin. Sed id semper risus in hendrerit. Nullam ac tortor vitae purus faucibus ornare. Id volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu ac. Nunc sed id semper risus in hendrerit gravida rutrum quisque. Cursus mattis molestie a iaculis at erat pellentesque. Volutpat ac tincidunt vitae semper quis lectus nulla at. Praesent elementum facilisis leo vel.Amet cursus sit amet dictum sit amet justo donec. Mauris sit amet massa vitae tortor condimentum lacinia quis. Viverra orci sagittis eu volutpat odio facilisis mauris sit. Urna et pharetra pharetra massa massa ultricies mi quis. Ut placerat orci nulla pellentesque dignissim enim sit. Vitae nunc sed velit dignissim sodales ut eu. Et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas integer eget aliquet nibh. Sed libero enim sed faucibus turpis in eu. Elementum pulvinar etiam non quam lacus suspendisse faucibus. Nibh praesent tristique magna sit amet purus.Volutpat commodo sed egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus. Laoreet id donec ultrices tincidunt arcu non.

—present day.

use this section to write about what your character is doing during the present day. what's lead up to it, what they plan to do in the future, anything that's currently important to them or their arc.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Nunc lobortis mattis aliquam faucibus purus in. Proin sed libero enim sed. Sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit duis tristique sollicitudin. Sed id semper risus in hendrerit. Nullam ac tortor vitae purus faucibus ornare. Id volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida arcu ac. Nunc sed id semper risus in hendrerit gravida rutrum quisque. Cursus mattis molestie a iaculis at erat pellentesque. Volutpat ac tincidunt vitae semper quis lectus nulla at. Praesent elementum facilisis leo vel.Amet cursus sit amet dictum sit amet justo donec. Mauris sit amet massa vitae tortor condimentum lacinia quis. Viverra orci sagittis eu volutpat odio facilisis mauris sit. Urna et pharetra pharetra massa massa ultricies mi quis. Ut placerat orci nulla pellentesque dignissim enim sit. Vitae nunc sed velit dignissim sodales ut eu. Et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas integer eget aliquet nibh. Sed libero enim sed faucibus turpis in eu. Elementum pulvinar etiam non quam lacus suspendisse faucibus. Nibh praesent tristique magna sit amet purus.Volutpat commodo sed egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus. Laoreet id donec ultrices tincidunt arcu non.

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main verse. franchise name. Lorem ipsum   dolor sit amet,   consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Imperdiet sed euismod nisi porta lorem mollis aliquam ut porttitor. Commodo quis imperdiet massa tincidunt nunc pulvinar.
#verse tag.verse name. franchise name. Lorem ipsum   dolor sit amet,   consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Imperdiet sed euismod nisi porta lorem mollis aliquam ut porttitor. Commodo quis imperdiet massa tincidunt nunc pulvinar.
#verse tag.verse name. franchise name. Lorem ipsum   dolor sit amet,   consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Imperdiet sed euismod nisi porta lorem mollis aliquam ut porttitor. Commodo quis imperdiet massa tincidunt nunc pulvinar.
#verse tag.verse name. franchise name. Lorem ipsum   dolor sit amet,   consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Imperdiet sed euismod nisi porta lorem mollis aliquam ut porttitor. Commodo quis imperdiet massa tincidunt nunc pulvinar.
#verse tag.

bonds

Zalaena
Cloudsworn

little sister - deceased. carrd.

summary. Her death left a hollow ache he doesn't know how to fill, a silence more brutal than any wound. He doesn’t speak of her often, not because he’s forgotten, but because the grief is too sacred, too raw. Everything he does now—every risk taken, every secret kept—is a small vow to her memory: a promise that he will endure, survive, and protect the ones she can no longer reach.
ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ "Endala."

Xyphris
Zeddicus

~~boy~~friend. carrd.

summary. There’s a stillness Dae only finds when Xyphris is around. Not silence, not peace - just… stillness. Like his mind stops clawing at itself for a moment. Like his body stops remembering what it’s been through. Xy doesn’t fix him. He doesn’t try to. He just sees him and the weight eases. He stops bracing for impact. He breathes. He is the only thing that’s ever made him want to stay; the calm in the storm he never outran.ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ"Don't go anywhere. Stay with me."

Sophie
Saint-Saens

chosen sister. carrd.

summary. Time and time again, she has unknowingly lifted his head just enough above water that he could catch his breath again. He believes her to be the only truly good person in his life and cherishes her beyond words. Dae has killed in her name and would do so again, without question. Without pause.
.
ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ "Tu m'as sauvé."

Tristel
Litnes

friend. carrd.

summary. The man responsible for the majority of ink on Dae's body. A good friend with a keen ear, one that never hesitates to pull him out of whatever mental turmoil he has brewing at the time, often helping him turn that lunacy into something productive. The pair can frequently be spotted free-running along the peaks of Ul'dahs skyline.
.
.ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ"No matter the hour."

Harper
Delacroix

best friend. carrd.

summary. The strength of their relationship has ebbed and flowed over the past two years but the bond has always remained. Her faith in him has been the sole driving factor against his own listlessness and defeatist attitude. There likely isn't a thing on this star she could ask of him that he would refuse. The time surfing with her has been a light in his dark.
ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ"You, I'd have you just be yourself."

Arken
Rennatta

baby girl. carrd.

summary. Dae was certain the man had a permenant stick up his ass upon meeting him. Over time, he's learned first impressions aren't always meant to be written in stone. Few know more about his past than Arken, even as little as it may be and Dae values his opinion and advice above all others.
Now if he would just...
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ apply...
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤthat wisdom...

Kol
Aska

friend.

summary. Usually thinking himself on the same wavelength as Kol in all things security and subterfuge, he trusts the man fully in keeping those around them safe and secure. Dae becomes a lot less closed off around the Veena, spilling whatever is on his mind and is ecstatic to have him back in his life.
.
.

Riley
Zeddicus

friend. carrd.

summary. History simmers between them though neither seem readily willing to speak openly on it around their comrades. Some days it's like gazing into some weird, fucked up mirror. Other times he finds himself wanting to wring her neck, bickering like an old married couple. Don't say that to either of them though, unless you've brought a sickbag.
.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ"For you, I would."

Raffe
Mercer

trauma buddy. carrd.

summary. Altered by forces beyond their control, they get each other in a way few others can, even if they don't talk about it often. They aren't particularly close but there's a quiet trust between them—just two people walking parallel paths, occasionally crossing and each carrying their own burdens with a similar kind of silence.

Lilah
Rivers

friend. carrd.

summary. Dae was immediately drawn to Lilah with an inexplicable urge to protect her, be it from creepy men or simply making sure she had clean pants. As time crawls on, she's helping him overcome a learned bias that a soft face and voice doesn't always mean someone is incapable. That said, his hand will always be there for her when she needs it.
.

The
Almasi's

friends. carrd. carrd.

summary. Dae shares a warm, easy camaraderie with the siblings. Lavender intrigues him with her sharp mind and unapologetic ambition—he enjoys her company, even with the subtle scheming. Caeden, for his part, never fails to make Dae laugh with the casual flirtation and he wears the title of 'Second Favorite Twink' with pride. Though his interactions with The Almasi's are often playful or business-adjacent, Dae treasures both of them—not just as patrons but as trusted fixtures in his life.

Fox
Kurai

friend. carrd.

summary. A gremlin. A demon. An absolute maniac; and yet there's a comfort in her chaos. Fox has quickly become his favorite person to turn to for any and all half-brain ideas that come to him, whether that be a cheese ball grenade launcher or life-saving treatments that keep him from withering and everything in between. Tristel subdues his mania. Fox helps him thrive in it, for better or worse and he's laid his life in her hands.

Tristan
Solianteaux

friend. carrd.

summary. There's an unspoken respect there. One that bloomed long ago when Dae witnessed the man voice his opinion, full-chested, time and time again. Never afraid to speak his mind, Dae admires him. After opening the doors of his home to Dae during a time of need, he has made it a personal goal to get closer to the captain. There's still so much he's yet to see.
.
.

Fimmer
Nihm

fr-..friend? carrd.

summary. Dae's relationship with Fiver is friendly but complicated. He knows the viera means well and doesn't mind his company but the man seems intent on pushing Dae's boundaries at times. He keeps a cautious distance emotionally, laughing things off while quietly hoping Fiver won’t push too far. The ravine can only fit so many bodies, after all. That said, Dae would likely be the first to break the arm of anyone who messes with the viera.

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