ABOUT

“What does my name mean?”
“It means something that burns bright.”Koh was born in Gridania after their parents moved out of Ul’dah. A simple and carefree life thanks to her parents’ artisan professions. All they knew for a time was the forest, yet that idyllic mindset was shattered after taking a stroll outside with family and witnessing someone poaching, and its aftermath. Everyone was a guest of the elementals living in the forest that all Gridanians called ‘home’, so why risk upsetting the spirits? The next day there had been talk of an execution by the Wood Wailers, an organization of spearmen that patrol and protect the forest and the citizens of Gridania. Koh wasn’t a fool and knew that the poacher had been put down, that was the law here. The laws were always harsh when it came to not upsetting the elementals that lived out there in the forests.And yet it didn’t stop them from trying to be a Wood Wailer, to maybe find a way to bend the law and make executions a last resort. In secret they trained to be a Lancer, while their mother taught them about carpentry and forestry. Their father had been an alchemist back in the desert city-state of Ul’dah, as such Koh learned to read and make poultices, things they could use in their mission to be a Wood Wailer. The cuts and scraps that Koh would bring back home made their parents act; 17 summers was a good time to make an arranged marriage to keep the young Miqo’te from getting into more problems. The two had heard stories and rumors about their daughter’s plan, but that stubbornness and determination to walk her own path would undoubtedly (in their parents’ eyes) be her own downfall.Koh, late into the autumn season, packed their bags in the dead of night and snuck away after meeting what felt like their 10th suitor. They escaped with their freedom intact and took what little experience and combat training and managed to make it all the way to Ul’dah. As much as it would have been preferable to use a sword and shield for caravan guarding, Koh fought with all their heart as a Lancer. It was hard work, but even harder still getting into the city of Ul’dah after a year. Running around as a courier some days had its ups and downs inside the city, and once being of age Koh offered what little botany and alchemist services they had to pleasure houses. In exchange the Miqo’te had a permanent place to sleep in and heard stories that the courtesans would tell during breaks. The stories fueled their desire to travel.Their wanderings during their days off led them to the Thaumaturges’ Guild and that was that. Koh found a calling for magicks that let them travel past Ul’dah and they were determined to reach new heights and adventures with it. During those younger years, Koh was as brilliant as a comet with fire magic and unfortunately very stubborn. Wanting to prove themselves, they went out with a small party to investigate the disappearance of some folks in the Deepwoods. It felt strange coming back home to the forests of Gridania after so long.
Sadly it was a homecoming met with fear and danger, as the group encountered the Lambs of Dalamud, human sacrifice and terrifying voidsents tested the party inside Tam-Tara Deepcroft. The young mage came back with one other survivor shaken and terrified, refusing to speak about what happened. Whispers of fallen voidsent soon followed in the wake of their re-appearance back in Ul'dah. The Miqo’te changed in demeanor; their voice was as soft as a whisper and took great care in making sure to conceal themselves, and became obsessed with the idea of being a Black Mage. To the point of driving them to commit a taboo. They hid their sin and moment of weakness behind an eye-patch. Their body showed their folly plain, scars and burn marks along with dark ashen skin, they cover themselves up to hide it. The black sclera of their eyes concealed with glamour... acting as if nothing bad happened.Not wanting to have anything like that happen to others, Koh became obsessed with tracking and disposing of voidsent. Till one day their connection to magic just stopped altogether. Frustrated by it pushed the Miqo’te to the wintery and harsh city of Ishgard to try and recover, but just mentioning anything relating to dark magics was heresy in there. Not wanting to sit around and do nothing they offered their lancer service to fight off whatever dragons and wyrms plagued the area and became a Dragoon through service. That had an unintended effect, Koh in time grew to love and care for the dragons but even that friendship couldn’t repair the state of their cutoff from magic. They made Ishgard a permanent home, offering their services of alchemy and botany to the people in the slums and whatever noble houses that wanted to bypass sanctioned Chirurgeons.There were whispers and rumors in the slums of Ishgard about another way to channel things, using the pain and darkness within to fight. The weight of a greatsword in hand felt like too much, but soon it felt light enough as Koh fought whatever injustices were out there, with whatever means and to bitter and drastic ends. Their friendship with another Dark Knight by the name of Sidurgu mended something in them at least, to have a connection with another person after being on their own for so long.
Then, one day during what should’ve been a routined hunt turned perilous. That little thought in the back of their head of not seeing friends caused a spark that turned into a fiery bang.
As cliche as it was, it was the will to live that brought back their magic.Still, despite all that there are moments when Koh can feel themselves slipping. Headaches out of nowhere, voices of those long dead, everyone says its stress. Maybe a vacation is in order...Nowadays Koh can be found traveling, picking up new hobbies like fishing and alchemy, and still practicing with their lance and as of recently a greatsword in order to "spice things up a little".