Noe Raudin
Ronin of The West
“A blade must be sharp; a tool must be sound. The instrument performs the task intended, until it is broken beyond repair.”
Profile
Age: 48Species: Elezen, WildwoodHeight: 5’ 11”Birthplace: South Shroud, near QuarrymillCurrent Residence: Shirogane apartment complexes, Empyreum private neighborhoodCombat training: Samurai, lancer, gladiator, pugilistOccupation: Hunter, bodyguard, assassinSkills and Abilities: experienced, adaptable bladework, blood aether based combat enhancements, quick decision-making skills, ability to move in near absolute silence, extreme speed and accuracy, high staminaStrengths: high intelligence, experienced warrior and assassin, extensive knowledge of kami and yokai, calm in crisis, excellent vision and hearingWeaknesses: poor sleeper/overworker, cowardly, socially ignorant, poor aether control, somnus addictPersonality:
Noe is a quiet and humble man, rarely speaking up for himself or for others. He keeps a strict boundary between his work and social life (such as it is), and remains polite and formal even in private. He enjoys stimulating conversation, however, and will often wax philosophical when at ease. His chosen path has led to the development of something like a split personality: off the clock he is friendly, gentle, and slightly awkward. On the clock he is taciturn, decisive, and pragmatic to the point of cruelty. When alone and unoccupied he often seeks the distraction of the theater and pleasure houses, the more to keep the nightmares of the past and troubles of the present at bay.
Attributes
History
Noe grew up in a small settlement near Quarrymill in the South Shroud. His father was a potter, and his mother worked at an herbalist’s shop at the mill town. His twin sisters were born when Noe was ten, and a brother was born on Noe’s 14th birthday. At age 15 Noe was sent to Gridania to learn martial skill, which he clearly had a gift for. He became a Wood Wailer at age 17, and served Gridania in this capacity for the next seven years. Not long after his enlistment, however, a vengeful Voidsent killed both Noe’s parents and all three of his siblings. Two years later, shortly after his marriage to the daughter of another Wailer, the Voidsent came for Noe as well, killing his pregnant wife and gravely injuring Noe himself. Though Noe continued to serve as a Wailer, his mental health had begun to degrade, and at age 24 he was released from his position for dereliction of duty and threat to citizens’ safety. For two years he traveled as a sellsword, honing his skills but aimless in his pursuits, until at last, weary of wandering Eorzea, he stowed away on a merchant vessel bound for Kugane. When they reached port he was soon discovered and imprisoned, and would likely have rotted in a Hingan cell had not one of his fellow prisoners been a member of the Yakuza. The man took an interest in Noe’s skills, and pulled some strings in exchange for Noe’s services. Noe was soon spirited away by Akasukamaru, however, a former member of the Ichinose-gumi and legendary blademaster. He taught Noe both the arts of the samurai and the ways of the Yakuza, so that by age 30 Noe was well known for his skill with a blade and usefulness as both courier and assassin. After Akasukamaru’s death, Noe took to wandering Hingashi and the other lands of the Ruby Sea, hunting Yokai, rogue auspices, criminals, and other fugitives for all manner of clients.
Present Day:
Noe has spent much of his time in Kugane for the last several years, completing contracts for both the Sekiseigumi and numerous Yakuza families without partiality. He is both feared and coveted as a dangerous and pliable weapon by many of Kugane’s powerful figures. He will occasionally “vanish,” however, and rumor has it that he is seeking his lost love in the far reaches of Othard. Either that, or the madness that some say yet lurks beneath the surface has drawn him back to the cultish caverns of his forgotten homeland…
Trivia
~ Noe’s family has been potters for generations, but his grandfather speculated that hundreds of years ago they were Thaumaturges. Oddly enough, they did not seem to be affiliated with any system of burial or any particular magical sect.~ The “blood spells” that Noe uses to enhance his bladework are a signature technique of Akasukamaru’s, specifically formulated to make the most of weak aether control and turn mediocrity into frightening strength.~ The man that got Noe out of prison died mysteriously not long after. Noe suspects that Akasukamaru killed him, to keep him from drawing Noe too close to any one family.~ Noe’s closest friend, Oyogi, is a half-Raen half-auspice fusion that Noe was contracted to kill. The elezen made a rare exception to his rule of compliance, and rescued the auspice from his murderous frenzy. The two now often hunt together when Noe is outside of Kugane.~ Noe’s Somnus addiction began when a desperate doctor prescribed it as a cure for his paranoid mania during his days as a Wailer. It did seem to improve things dramatically, but by the time he sought to leave it behind he found he had already been enslaved. He hoped his journey to the East would cure him of it, only to discover the euphoric, overpowering offerings of the Kazami…
RP Hooks
Yakuza Affairs
If you are involved with the Kugane Yakuza or have any wish to be, you have likely at least heard rumors of Noe and his work. He might not be willing to discuss particulars, but if you wish for an introduction or advice for navigating the underworld, the samurai’s experience may well come to your aid.
Eorzean Education
Noe has been away from his homeland since long before The Calamity, and finds himself a bit lost in the bustle of what is now for him a foreign land. Perhaps you can get him back on his feet and provide some useful advice!
Monsters and Mononoke
Are you a fellow hunter of the strange and supernatural? Then you may have run into this stoic seeker of monsters and corrupted divinity on one of your missions. Perhaps you’ve even cooperated! He’ll remember you, even if he pretends not to at first.
The Marketplace of Technique
If there’s one thing Noe is always willing and eager to discuss, it’s martial disciplines. Anything from weapons to schools of training to secret arts fascinates him in the extreme, and he’ll likely be quite eager to strike up a lively conversation with anyone willing to share or receive knowledge.