Jikan ～時間～

Character: Erichthonios
Canon: Final Fantasy XIV, Patch 7.1 "A Present from the Present"
Age: He appears to be a young adult, but in the pre-Ascian Amaurotine/"Ancient" species of humanity which is borderline (but not quite) immortal, so older than most might expect.

Background Information:
The son of Lahabrea of the Convocation of Fourteen and the now-deceased Athena, former chief keyward of Pandæmonium, Erichthonios spent his life as the dutiful son to his mother, while resenting his father for his cold demeanor following her demise. Despite his parentage, his skill in magicks appear to be somewhat limited. However, this does not stop him from doing his utmost to save his fellow warders of Pandæmonium when the creations imprisoned in its halls break loose under mysterious circumstances; after being broken free of an insidious spell's influence by the intervention of two new faces seeking to investigate the unsettling events happening at the facility, he accepts their help in a bid to rescue his coworkers and return the creations to their confinement.

As they progress through the facility, their work is interrupted by the keyward of Asphodelos, Hesperos, under whom Erichthonios worked. The man changed -- having shed his very humanity to become a hemitheos, he presents as an adversary to the group, showing nothing but scorn towards Erichthonios, whom he once mentored. However, once bested, instead of providing answers, Hesperos takes his own life. Erichthonios is deeply shaken.

As Themis works to unseal a ward barring their way, Erichthonios uses his time alone to practice the internment spell in the hopes that he might better aid his new companions in returning the dangerous creations to their confinement.

Upon nearly being abducted by the entity responsible for the trouble, Erichthonios shares with his rescuers his suspicions - that the one causing trouble in Pandæmonium is none other than his own father. Unable to convince Themis, the three resolve to investigate deeper, with Themis guarding Erichthonios while Azem's ‘familiar’ and Themis' phantom warriors fight against the unruly creations of Abyssos.

The villain reappears, proclaiming himself Lahabrea, seeking to gain Erichthonios' cooperation by offering a chance for him to reunite with his mother. Themis is skeptical, challenging the assertions until yet another intervenes—the true Lahabrea, who reveals Themis to be Elidibus of the Convocation of Fourteen.

The impostor declares Lahabrea the murderer of his own wife, before turning to Erichthonios and proclaiming himself Hephaistos, the one whom Erichthonios should truly call his father, before leaving.

Erichthonios confronts Lahabrea over Hephaistos' accusation, which Lahabrea denies. Lahabrea resolves, to prevent Hephaistos from escaping and inviting disaster unto the star, the research and facility are to be abandoned and destroyed. Erichthonios, wishing to save the remaining warders, vehemently disagrees.

Themis, as Elidibus, weighs the options, and with his judgment Lahabrea grants them the chance to prove the merits of their approach. Erichthonios, Themis, and the Azem's 'familiar' press forward, and capture Hegemone, the keyward of Abyssos.

Yet, Lahabrea continues to object to Erichthonios' involvement. He interrogates Erichthonios about his motivations, upon which Erichthonios admits to also being curious about how Hephaistos intends to resurrect his mother. Their conversation deteriorates into an argument. Angered by Lahabrea's continued scorn, his composure frayed by the accusations, Erichthonios succumbs to Hephaistos' mind-altering spell, which has been in place all this time, and teleports away, into the clutches of Hephaistos in the Stygian Insenescence Cells where he is kept in aetherial shackles, sedated by magicks until the 'familiar', Themis, and Lahabrea arrive, the former two at last having been enlightened as to the reasons behind Athena's death, and why Lahabrea has kept them from his son.

They confront Hephaistos. Still encumbered, Erichthonios half-hears the exchange between them, but he hears enough; his mother did not love him, but only sought to use him for her own purposes.

The haze over Erichthonios' mind lifts, resolve strengthening even as he grapples with the information revealed. He speaks to the ‘familiar’, saying that he owes them and Themis an apology, before breaking out of the shackles on his own.

Erichthonios casts internment on Hephaistos, Lahabrea supplying the last bit of aether needed to seal him into a crystal.

Pandæmonium safe, Lahabrea at last reveals the secrets of the past to, them a memory of that day; Lahabrea confronting Athena over her experimentation on their son, falling for her ploy to contaminate him with her obsession by offering him answers via joining their souls, and the act that would lead to the formation of Hephaistos as he sought to tear the tainted portions of his soul from him.

Father and son come to an understanding that, while uneasy, is much improved over before. Lahabrea makes note (if spoken to) that the crystal Erichthonios wears is in fact a gift from him meant to spark Erichthonios' aptitude for magic. He goes on to acknowledge that while is plain that he no longer requires it, he sees no reason Erichthonios cannot wear it for a while longer.

Azem's 'familiar' departing, the remaining trio set about freeing the remaining warders, Erichthonios and Lahabrea working to mend the wounds of both warders and creations alike.

Themis relinquishes control of the facility to Lahabrea. With the guidance of Lahabrea, they utilize records of Athena's research that were left behind, using them to reverse Hegemone's condition as a hemitheos, restoring her mind and body. As she and the freed warders set about restoring Pandæmonium, Erichthonios, Themis, and Lahabrea are once again visited by the 'familiar', who seeks answers.

Lahabrea confronts Hegemone, who, having been enthralled by Athena, had been the reason for Hephaistos’ escape. Though Erichthonios calls out in confusion and concern, when Lahabrea tells him not to approach, he listens. Lahabrea reintegrates Hephaistos into himself, and violently dispels the struggling Hegemone's enthrallment, freeing her mind.

Lahabrea then asks that Hegemone serve him anew, and she accepts the task of overseeing Pandæmonium.

Erichthonios concludes that Lahabrea is himself once more; a man who wields his authority without hesitation or doubt of his judgement. Themis remarks that Lahabrea is different from Athena in that he seeks only the betterment of the star, and that so long as he follows his sense of duty, he will not fall to her fate—and that, should his convictions ever waver the Emissary will set him back on course.

Assured, Erichthonios resolves that if such is the path his father chooses to walk, he shall walk it with him; he will allow their bond to fray no further, and as Lahabrea's son, he will support him in the days ahead. By aiding his father, he will forge his own future.

Erichthonios resumes his studies under Lahabrea, travelling between Pandæmonium and the Words of Lahabrea in Akadæmia Anyder. They continue to be at odds personality-wise, but Erichthonios appreciates learning about his father as a person. On one return trip to Pandæmonium, Hegemone reveals to Erichthonios an anonymous gift—an autonomous mammet doll of Themis—which Erichthonios is delighted by. Grateful for a gift that evokes one of his dearest friends, he returns to his duties accompanied by the mammet.

(In the future, after Erichthonios' death to Hydaelyn's sundering, it is revealed that Athena had meticulously cultivated his insecurity and dependency, developing his sense of affection for her for the sole purpose of making him amenable to accepting her essence in her attempt to attain godhood, as she had tampered with him to make him a suitable container for immense power.)

Personality:

1) Tell us about who your character is and what someone’s first impression would be upon meeting them.

Erichthonios is an introverted man, prone to quietly murmuring his thoughts and getting lost in them. He is intelligent, but slow in processing his thoughts to a point both he and others readily notice, leading him to have a skewed impression of his own intellectual capabilities. Self-effacing, he readily encourages others whilst being critical of his own achievements and abilities. Yet, he does not take well to others putting him down, at times hot-headed in his reactions, this likely a carry-over from his tempestuous relationship with his father. Mention of his parents—and especially his mother—are apt to drive him into bouts of melancholy. He is a man that wears his emotions on his sleeves, never hiding how he feels even if he is hesitant to voice the desires he holds behind them. He dips his head in sorrow, squares his shoulders in defiance, and stutters a little when nervous—an open book for any observer to read.

Beyond this, he is a seeker of truth, always yearning to know the reasons behind something—whether that is why something has gone wrong, or the motivations of one who has wronged him. Whatever the reason, he wants to know. Unsurprising given his life until this point, he deeply dislikes the truth being kept from him.

2) What is a driving force your character has? What goals do they have, what motivates them, etc?

Erichthonios seeks to protect others. Be it his fellow warders, the creations under their watch, or the people of their star, this is one value that Erichthonios has never forsaken, and will never forsake. He is currently training under the guidance of Lahabrea in the hopes of one day becoming strong enough in his use of magicks to become a keyward.

3) What are their flaws as a character? What is something they've messed up, or have done that they regret?

The intensity with which Erichthonios expresses his emotions is unusual for his people, and it is not uncommon that it leads him into trouble. His losing his temper against his father is the reason why he fell under Hephaistos’ spell, and he later expresses his regret over his having caused his friends trouble over it.

The slow pace at which his thoughts churn have also caused him to fall into trouble, as he does not always recognize imminent danger quickly enough when faced with an intelligent adversary.

4) Optional: What is something unique and interesting about them, or what is a fun little tidbit that sets them apart from the crowd?

What makes him stand out as a character from others is that he tends to defy expectations in small ways – pushing on despite trauma, resisting manipulation, his accepting a terrible truth when others thought it likely to break him, and his rejection of the path his mother laid out for him and groomed him for.

He’s also a grown man who enthusiastically accepted a small doll made in the shape of his friend and proceeded to bring it with him on official duties.

Abilities:

Teleportation:
Spatial teleportation involving the manifestation of a dark portal.

Aetherial shackles:
Binds a single target. He's very good at this, having practiced these magicks since early childhood.

Internment:
Binds the target as would aetherial shackles, but additionally freezes the space around them. Though he shows skill in being able to use the spell, he currently requires the infusion of another's aether to pull it off.

Creation Magicks:
Though we have yet to see Erichthonios use them, those of his kind are able to wield creation magicks, and are able to make any concept they can understand and picture, save for that of a human soul. None are thus far stated to be without this ability, though some need to pull aether from other sources to manipulate. As Erichthonios canonly struggles with many magicks on his own, it stands to reason that he will struggle in attempts to use these (if they are allowed in game in any form).

Healing:
While not directly shown, it is said that Erichthonios assisted his father in healing the warders and creations after regaining control over Pandæmonium. Any application of these magicks would be minor, as he is not known to be proficient in them.

Transformation:
Allows Erichthonios to form a second, larger body around himself that is a manifestation of his truth. He is shown to be able to use fire, ice, light/holy, and magicks tinged with dark-aspected aether.

Spells able to be used while transformed:
Heavy Hand:
A tank-buster; likely a gravity/darkness-aspected spell to increase the damage of a backhanded strike.

Gaoler's Flail:
Extracting a bladed flail from his chest, Erichthonios cleaves one side of the room; he can do this with both arms.

Warder's Wrath:
A room-wide AOE; he strikes the floor of the room, chains lashing out and striking those in the area.

Pitiless Flail:
A line AOE + knockback; he throws a large, spiked mace on a chain forward after extracting it from his own chest, knocking back any who are struck.

True holy:
A split-damage AOE; orbs of light fall in two circles around the target, causing them to be engulfed in a column of holy light (he habitually casts this following Pitiless Flail).

Intemperance:
Marks those in the area with a fire or ice debuff (making them excessively hot or cold), and spreads a spell over the room that is split into four quadrants of effects, with a cross AOE separating each quadrant, and each quadrant containing pillars of three crystals each, each of which may have a fire or ice aspect to them.

Intemperate Torment:
Building up energy, he activates the spell laid out with intemperance; the crystals in each quadrant begin to vibrate before exploding, starting with those on the bottoms of their pillar, unleashing fire (hot) or ice (cold) spells over their quadrant; this can either worsen or counteract the debuff from the Intemperance cast. Getting hit with the cross AOE (which appears to be comprised of dark-aspected aether) is an instant KO.

Shining Cells:
Creates a barrier reducing the navigable area in the fight to a circle, which is patterned with fire and light-aspected 'tiles', which have corresponding spells that trigger when he casts aether-charged spells.

Aetherchain:
Upon activation, he is surrounded by orbs of fire or light; when the cast finishes, the corresponding sections laid out with his Shining Cells spell trigger, unleashing either fire or light-aspected aether immediately above them.

Aetherflail:
Combines the traits of the aetherchain spell with gaoler's flail.

Slam Shut:
Room-wide AOE; dissolves the Shining Cells spell and returns the area to normal.

PROPOSED NERFS: I understand there are nerfs on Creation Magicks. Please inform me of any details on nerfing Creation Magicks and I shall gladly adjust to fit them.

Inventory:
Erichthonios will have the clothes originally upon his person, including his mask and the pale blue crystals he wears about his waist on a golden chain. One of the two bears the full sigil of Lahabrea. He will also have his mammet Themis, as it was accompanying him as of his canon point.

ARMADA SELECTION