Yna Iryen

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General Information

Appearance

Yna is of average build, and below-average height for an adult Miqo’te woman. She is pale, with clan marks adorning her cheekbones and forehead, and bears several scars from battles and skirmishes. Despite being a Seeker, she has prominent canines.Her hair, which was once dark brown, turned white throughout her time in the First; she prefers to keep it neatly arranged and out of the way, often incorporating a braid into her styling. She frequently wears a blue ribbon in her hair: a cherished gift from a close friend. Her eyes are grey, though, and like her hair, this was not always true. Before, her right eye was dark blue, and her left was a deep green.

She prefers wearing dark shades, jewel tones, and neutral colors, and her outfits often incorporate motifs such as ruffles, buttons, high collars, or ribbons. Her overall appearance is well-kept, and she favors practicality over superficiality, but she enjoys feeling well-presented. Others would generally describe her as conventionally attractive.

Personality

By nature, Yna is adventurous, brave, and wayfaring. These things are innate to her, but so is intensity; in the worst of times, that intensity can manifest as something darker: anger, hopelessness, and self-punishment disguised as discipline.For a while, the absence of her past made her lighter. Her unknowing allowed her to see the realm with a kinder perspective and through brighter eyes. [From A Realm Reborn through the end of Stormblood], she constructed herself around her identity as the Warrior of Light. She committed herself to competence, reliability, and meeting the expectations placed upon her, pursuing the ideal of who she believed she could be: a hero. This identity gave her direction and purpose.The restoration of her memories returned with them a great deal of unresolved grief, and the dissonance between what she carried privately and what she represented outwardly left her both confused and profoundly unhappy. She became rigid and prone to despair, and easily controlled by her emotions – which left her vulnerable to those who knew how to use them.In the present, she has gained a renewed sense of self: she is learning how to reconcile the reality of who she used to be with the symbol of hope she has become. More of her natural temperament shows these days: she is plucky, witty, occasionally mischievous, and prefers not to mince words. She can be impatient, favoring action over deliberation.Yna still tends to keep her innermost thoughts and feelings closely guarded, but is perceptive and quietly attentive to the needs of others. And those who earn her affection find it absolute; she is fiercely protective of those closest to her, and can be merciless toward any threat that seeks to harm them. She loves a good fight, and is wholly devoted to her craft: strengthening as a mage is a near-single-minded dedication. Pushing past her limits energizes her, though sometimes to a fault.Though she has recently hung up her mantle as the Warrior of Light, duty and responsibility remain central to her worldview – but, now, she is discovering who she truly is beneath her laurels, seeking to forge a new identity that is all her own.

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Lore

Warning! There are spoilers for the FFXIV main scenario questline in the information presented on this page. If you have not completed the MSQ, please proceed with caution! Additionally, the character history included on this page is mostly intended to be compatible with the in-game lore, but there are some headcanons incorporated for narrative purposes.

History

Early Life, 1550 - 1567 6th A.E.

Yna was born Rheya Rhel of the J Tribe in Gyr Abania. As a child, she was wild, brave, and beloved by her family. Her aptitude for magicks manifested early, and she was encouraged by her mother whenever circumstances allowed. In the years following King Theoderic’s purges, scholarly works on aetherweave had become rare in Ala Mhigan libraries, so her instruction therefore relied on what fragments remained to them: simple, colloquial spells passed hand to hand rather than preserved in formal texts. For the tribe’s safety, its Nunh – and J'rheya’s father – forbade the practice of spellcraft, and so her lessons were conducted in secret. But even then, her ambitions were boundless. She dreamed of magehood and of one day leaving Gyr Abania entirely.She was seven summers old when the Garlean Empire invaded Ala Mhigo in 1557, and when they sacked her village in turn. Rheya fled with her mother, bound for Ul’dah. They traveled for days before encountering a man: a mage from Gridania, who offered to guide them that far; the journey, he claimed, would be safer from the Twelveswood. They continued on as a party of three, moving south for several weeks. They had nearly reached the gates of the Shroud when they were intercepted by imperial soldiers. In the confrontation that followed, Rheya’s mother was killed.

The mage took Rheya into his tutelage, and under his guidance, her skills in magicks developed rapidly. He provided her with structure, access to proper materials, and the discipline to refine what had once only been instinct. He was a demanding teacher, but over time, he became the closest thing to family she had left.Following the Battle of Silvertear Skies in 1562, Eorzea experienced a relative calm, and the waning need for sellswords led to the formal establishment of Adventurers’ Guilds across the realm. Her mentor enrolled with the Gridanian guild. Rheya, eager to follow in his footsteps, asked to do the same, but he refused her. And though open war between the Empire and Eorzea had halted, tensions persisted. In 1567, reports of imperial activity near the borders of the Black Shroud prompted the guild to organize a routine patrol, and the mage was called to serve. He did not return.Word reached Gridania that the patrol had been ambushed. Several were killed, including Rheya’s mentor, and those who survived laid the blame on the imperials. The Wood Wailers and Adventurers’ Guild began preparations for a coordinated response, but Rheya refused to wait for official action. She tracked the soldiers in the woods beyond the Shroud’s gates, and razed their camp to the ground, killing them all.

Before the 7th Umbral Calamity, 1567 - 1572 6th A.E.

With nothing remaining for her in the Shroud, Rheya departed for Ul’dah soon after. She sought a new beginning and stable employment, but found the city overwhelmed with Ala Mhigan refugees and adventurers competing for limited work. Even for a skilled mage, opportunity was scarce. To get by, she accepted irregular contracts. Over time, the work grew less legitimate, and she became known in particular circles for handing matters others preferred not to associate with themselves. Following one such job, she retained a brooch taken from her target.As rumors of imperial invasion began to intensify, the Adventurer’s Guild expanded its recruitment efforts, and the Eorzean Alliance reestablished its Grand Companies: the realm was bracing itself for war.

In 1572, Rheya began experiencing unexplained visions depicting large-scale destruction, accompanied by the directive to leave the city and travel north. The frequency of these episodes increased over several months, but she ignored them until the lesser moon, Dalamud, turned red. She departed Ul’dah and followed the prompting toward Mor Dhona and the Carteneau Flats, where the VIIth Legion was set to engage the combined forces of Eorzea. She was still several malms from the battlefield when Dalamud ruptured, releasing fragments across Eorzea and heralding the emergence of the elder Primal Bahamut.Unable to escape the devastation, Rheya resigned herself to die; however, she was enveloped in a spell, and disappeared moments before calamity engulfed the realm.

Continuing Story

Note: Yna Iryen's story from this point forward follows the canon warrior of light narrative; however, I do not adhere to the in-game timeline, and headcanon that each expansion takes anywhere from 3 months to 1.5 years. The durations that I use for each expansion are outlined below.

A young woman awakens on a roadside in Mor Dhona, near Revenant's Toll, afflicted with amnesia. Among her belongings is an ornate brooch, engraved with the name Yna Iryen.

• A Realm Reborn, 1577 - 1578 7th U.E.

• Heavensward, 1578 - 1579 7th A.E.

• Stormblood, 1579 - 1581 7th A.E.

• Shadowbringers, 1581 - 1582 7th A.E.

• Endwalker, 1582 7th A.E.

• Dawntrail, 1582 - 1583 7th A.E.

Relationships

Click to enlarge.

A Realm Reborn, 1577 - 1578 7th U.E.

Amnesia Meta: Yna lacks all autobiographical memory, including her name, personal history, and past relationships. She retains general knowledge of the world, and remains familiar with locations, customs, and common concepts.

A Realm Reborn, 2.0

A young woman awoke on a roadside in Mor Dhona, near Revenant’s Toll, afflicted with amnesia. She was discovered soon after, wandering and disoriented, by passers-by, and was taken to an inn to recover. She later found an ornate brooch among her belongings, engraved with the name Yna Iryen, and adopted it, under the assumption it was hers.With no other leads, she left for Gridania to begin her investigation into her past. On the way, she began to experience visions, accompanied by bouts of aether sickness. During these episodes, an entity identifying herself as Hydaelyn, the Mother Crystal, addressed her directly – naming her the bearer of her Blessing of Light, and warning her to beware of dark forces on the journey ahead.She registered with the Gridanian Adventurers’ Guild upon her arrival to secure a stable income during her search for answers, and began undertaking a variety of commissions. She soon discovered she had a natural aptitude for magicks, and quickly built an esteem among the Guild and Wood Wailers.Weeks later, her growing reputation caught the attention of Yda and Papalymo, members of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, who recruited her to assist in their efforts against the Primal threat that continued to threaten Eorzea. Yna disclosed her condition to the organization, but the Scions offered their assistance in return for her support, and she accepted. The Scions’ Antecedent, Minfilia, identified her visions as manifestations of an ability known as the Echo, which was commonly shared among several members of the group. She also learned that, following the Calamity, no one in Eorzea could recall the identities of the famed Warriors of Light who fought the VIIth Legion at Carteneau.Yna formed close bonds with the members of the Scions, and found fulfillment and purpose in the work. Her role in their campaigns expanded rapidly: they defeated Primals such as Titan, Ifrit, and Garuda with Yna as their key combatant, and later identified a Garlean ploy against Eorzea led by Gaius Van Baelsar in collaboration with the Ascian Lahabrea, who was uncovered to have been controlling their fellow Scion, Thancred, for months. In coordination with Eorzea’s leaders, she played a key role in Operation Archon, where she ultimately defeated Gaius van Baelsar and his Ultima Weapon with the power of Hydaelyn’s blessing.With this, the leaders of the realm’s city-states marked the beginning of the Seventh Astral Era. At the center of this new age stood its emerging champion: Yna Iryen, hailed across Eorzea as the Warrior of Light.

A Realm Awoken through Before the Fall, 2.1 - 2.5

To maintain their political neutrality and minimize attention from the public eye following Operation Archon, the Scions elected to relocate to Revenant’s Toll. During this period, news arrived that the Students of Baldesion had vanished, along with the Isle of Val where they resided, with Ascian involvement suspected. Meanwhile, the Garlean Empire was thrown into a war of succession following the death of the Emperor, Solus zos Galvus, prompting unrest in the imperial province of Doma. Refugees fled to Eorzea, and the Scions attempted, unsuccessfully, to secure aid for them from the Alliance leaders. Frustrated by their decision, Alphinaud Leveilleur founded the Crystal Braves: a new, politically-neutral Grand Company devoted to the defense of the Eorzean continent as a whole. The Scions continued their campaign against the Primals, defeating King Moggle Mog, Leviathan, and Ramuh.The Crystal Braves had not been formed long before conspiracy was discovered within its ranks. Concurrently, instability in Ul’dah began to worsen among its refugee populations, with rumors of Monetarist involvement. Likewise, the Holy See of Ishgard requested assistance from the Scions in their continuous battle against heretical forces led by a mysterious Lady Iceheart. Investigations uncovered her intention to summon the Primal Saint Shiva in hopes of ending the thousand-year Dragonsong War. With aid from Moenbryda, Yna confronted Iceheart and defeated her; however, before returning to the Rising Stones, she urged Yna to seek the truth of the war.The cry of a dragon rang out across the realm, and Minfilia sent Yna to Silvertear Lake to investigate. There, she encountered Midgardsormr, who recognized her as Hydaelyn’s chosen yet judged her reliance on the Blessing of Light. To test her capabilities, he stripped it from her, and bound himself to her in the form of a small drake, and vowed to observe her along her journey to determine her worthiness.Upon her return, the Rising Stones were attacked by the Ascian Nabriales, and though Yna succeeded in defeating him, Moenbryda sacrificed herself in the process.Additional investigations uncovered deep, continuing corruption within the Crystal Braves, a situation which soon came to a head in Ul’dah, where the Scions were invited to a royal banquet. During a private audience, the Sultana, Nanamo, confided in Yna her intention to dissolve the monarchy and co-ruling Syndicate in favor of a democratic republic. Moments later, she collapsed, poisoned. Teledji Adeledji accused Yna and the Scions of regicide, while Ilberd and other Crystal Braves revealed their allegiance to the Monetarists.Violence ensued, and the Scions escaped, though separated in the chaos. Minfilia, called upon by Hydaelyn, remained behind, and urged Yna to continue her escape. Reunited with Alphinaud and Tataru outside of the city, they were smuggled to Coerthas by Cid Garlond, where House Fortemps offered them sanctuary. In their absence, the Rising Stones were seized by the corrupted Crystal Braves, and the Scions of the Seventh Dawn were declared wanted criminals.In the aftermath, Yna found herself cut off from several of her allies, bereft of the Blessing, and her hard-won reputation transformed into grounds for her arrest. She faced an uncertain future with her back to a still unknown past.

Crystal Tower, 2.1, 2.3, and 2.5

Following the declaration of the Seventh Astral Era, Cid launched an expedition into a massive crystalline tower that was unearthed during the Seventh Umbral Calamity in partnership with the Sons of Saint Coinach. The purpose of the mission was to study the Allagan technologies within the tower. Yna was enlisted to join the expedition, along with a Baldesion scholar named G’raha Tia, who dubbed the group NOAH: Nominated Observers of Artifacts Historical. Over the course of the expedition, Yna and G’raha grew particularly close. G’raha deeply admired her as the Warrior of Light, and Yna was drawn to his determination to discover his purpose: a hope that mirrored her own search for identity.The group ventured into the base of the Labyrinth of the Ancients at the base of the tower, where Yna defeated the fallen Allagan revolutionary hero Phlegethon: the tower’s gatekeeper. Around this time, Nero tol Scaeva also joined the expedition.In collaboration with Unei and Doga – clones of ancient Allagan sages of the same names – NOAH was able to breach the tower’s central spire, Syrcus Tower, and defeat the reawakened scientist Amon and Emperor Xande. Upon sealing the voidgate and breaking Xande’s covenant with the Cloud of Darkness, Unei, Doga, and Nero were taken into the void.The purpose of the expedition pivoted toward defeating the voidsent. It was discovered that the Crystal Tower was continuing to gather energy for the Cloud of Darkness, and could only be stopped by someone with Allagan royal blood – and so Yna and G’raha ventured into the void to rescue Unei and Doga. They weakened the voidsent and rescued Nero and the clones, but the latter decided to stay behind and ensure the Cloud of Darkness remained subdued. G’raha was then revealed to be of the Allagan royal bloodline, and Doga and Unei transferred their own blood to him, strengthening his abilities, and allowing him control over the tower.Upon their return, G’raha declared that he believed his purpose had been revealed to him: he would seal himself within the Crystal Tower, and return it to its stasis. He believed that once humanity was capable of unlocking the gate, the tower could once again serve as a symbol of hope for Eorzea. His decision weighed heavily on Yna; while she recognized its significance to him, she struggled with the prospect of losing him and retained a measure of resentment toward him as a result. G’raha nevertheless bid her and his colleagues farewell, and the members of the expedition went their separate ways.

Heavensward, 1578 - 1579 7th A.E.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam sit amet consequat ipsum, ac commodo elit. Suspendisse varius risus et convallis gravida. Duis ullamcorper libero non mauris tempor, id pretium urna dapibus. Curabitur vestibulum, enim id maximus gravida, enim nisi pulvinar magna, sit amet pulvinar dolor justo sed turpis. Ut bibendum ut lorem eu ultrices. Fusce nec massa justo. Suspendisse eleifend molestie felis, sed iaculis erat euismod id. Pellentesque quis convallis lorem. Nulla ac lacinia ligula. Suspendisse interdum dictum lacinia. Cras sollicitudin vestibulum augue vitae hendrerit. Nunc porta lacus ac odio vulputate mollis. Vestibulum vel dui porta, viverra odio quis, interdum sem. Cras ullamcorper dui at magna sodales, ac sodales dui sodales. Sed dictum nec ipsum nec ultricies.

Stormblood, 1579 - 1581 7th A.E.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam sit amet consequat ipsum, ac commodo elit. Suspendisse varius risus et convallis gravida. Duis ullamcorper libero non mauris tempor, id pretium urna dapibus. Curabitur vestibulum, enim id maximus gravida, enim nisi pulvinar magna, sit amet pulvinar dolor justo sed turpis. Ut bibendum ut lorem eu ultrices. Fusce nec massa justo. Suspendisse eleifend molestie felis, sed iaculis erat euismod id. Pellentesque quis convallis lorem. Nulla ac lacinia ligula. Suspendisse interdum dictum lacinia. Cras sollicitudin vestibulum augue vitae hendrerit. Nunc porta lacus ac odio vulputate mollis. Vestibulum vel dui porta, viverra odio quis, interdum sem. Cras ullamcorper dui at magna sodales, ac sodales dui sodales. Sed dictum nec ipsum nec ultricies.

Shadowbringers, 1581 - 1582 7th A.E.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam sit amet consequat ipsum, ac commodo elit. Suspendisse varius risus et convallis gravida. Duis ullamcorper libero non mauris tempor, id pretium urna dapibus. Curabitur vestibulum, enim id maximus gravida, enim nisi pulvinar magna, sit amet pulvinar dolor justo sed turpis. Ut bibendum ut lorem eu ultrices. Fusce nec massa justo. Suspendisse eleifend molestie felis, sed iaculis erat euismod id. Pellentesque quis convallis lorem. Nulla ac lacinia ligula. Suspendisse interdum dictum lacinia. Cras sollicitudin vestibulum augue vitae hendrerit. Nunc porta lacus ac odio vulputate mollis. Vestibulum vel dui porta, viverra odio quis, interdum sem. Cras ullamcorper dui at magna sodales, ac sodales dui sodales. Sed dictum nec ipsum nec ultricies.

Endwalker, 1582 7th A.E.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam sit amet consequat ipsum, ac commodo elit. Suspendisse varius risus et convallis gravida. Duis ullamcorper libero non mauris tempor, id pretium urna dapibus. Curabitur vestibulum, enim id maximus gravida, enim nisi pulvinar magna, sit amet pulvinar dolor justo sed turpis. Ut bibendum ut lorem eu ultrices. Fusce nec massa justo. Suspendisse eleifend molestie felis, sed iaculis erat euismod id. Pellentesque quis convallis lorem. Nulla ac lacinia ligula. Suspendisse interdum dictum lacinia. Cras sollicitudin vestibulum augue vitae hendrerit. Nunc porta lacus ac odio vulputate mollis. Vestibulum vel dui porta, viverra odio quis, interdum sem. Cras ullamcorper dui at magna sodales, ac sodales dui sodales. Sed dictum nec ipsum nec ultricies.

Dawntrail, 1582 - 1583 7th A.E.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam sit amet consequat ipsum, ac commodo elit. Suspendisse varius risus et convallis gravida. Duis ullamcorper libero non mauris tempor, id pretium urna dapibus. Curabitur vestibulum, enim id maximus gravida, enim nisi pulvinar magna, sit amet pulvinar dolor justo sed turpis. Ut bibendum ut lorem eu ultrices. Fusce nec massa justo. Suspendisse eleifend molestie felis, sed iaculis erat euismod id. Pellentesque quis convallis lorem. Nulla ac lacinia ligula. Suspendisse interdum dictum lacinia. Cras sollicitudin vestibulum augue vitae hendrerit. Nunc porta lacus ac odio vulputate mollis. Vestibulum vel dui porta, viverra odio quis, interdum sem. Cras ullamcorper dui at magna sodales, ac sodales dui sodales. Sed dictum nec ipsum nec ultricies.

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Greetings! Thank you so much for checking out my carrd.I'm better at writing about fictional characters than I am at writing about myself, but a few highlights are: I go by M or yiryen online, I'm 27 years old, I'm married and love my husband very much, I'm a runner, and I enjoy writing, painting, and playing video games in my spare time.Yna Iryen's story started as a bunch of messy bullet points scribbled down while I was replaying MSQ a few years ago; I hadn't ever been interested in coming up with "lore" for my character in game before, but I thought it would make my current playthrough a little more interesting. I was unaware of how true that would turn out to be.This character and this game are incredibly important to me. They are genuinely the reason I'm motivated to make anything at all: any creative outlet I pursue is done pretty much only as a means to tell this story that I've created, and it's something that I do entirely for myself. So when people take the time to read or look at something I've made, or are interested in this story in any capacity, it really means a lot. My goal is that Yna Iryen is complex, flawed, and real - and I hope that something, somewhere in here resonates with you like it resonates with me.You can find me in a few places online. Feel free to check out any of the links above - and, if you ever see me out in the wild in game, stop and say hello!