Gale Lark
"Then leaf subsides to leaf, so Eden sank to grief.
So dawn goes down to day, nothing gold can stay."
Template by Red Aether Studios.
dossier.
basics
NAME Gale Lark
ALIASES "Doc"
AGE 28
NAMEDAY 23rd sun of 2nd umbral moon
RACE veena viera
GENDER male
ORIENTATION gay
STATUS situationship
FAMILY n/a
OCCUPATION physician
RESIDENCE: dalmasca
physical
EYE COLOR gold
HAIR COLOR blonde with white streaks
MARKINGS traditional face tattoo with 4 triangles on the cheek and one on the nose; freckles over cheeks and nose
HEIGHT 172cm
BUILD lanky
OTHER left arm amputee
stats
| STATISTICS | LEVEL (out of 5) |
|---|---|
STRENGTH | ⯁⯁ |
DEXTERITY | ⯁⯁⯁ |
CONSTITUTION | ⯁⯁⬖ |
INTELLIGENCE | ⯁⯁⯁⯁ |
WISDOM | ⯁⯁⯁⬖ |
CHARISMA | ⯁⯁⬖ |
quirks
magical ability is limited; heals using traditional methods such as sutures and alchemy.
does not use a prosthetic.
has an aversion towards the Elementals.
unusually trusting of reapers.
works pro-bono as much as possible.
characteristics
Positive
Altruistic - believes all life is worth saving, and will do whatever he can to aid those in need.
Resourceful - he's had to learn to make do with little on hand before, and he can do so again.
Level-headed - in an emergency, he is not prone to panic.
Neutral
Neutral ground - he is not one to begin fights, and The Second Chance functions as a neutral territory of sorts, but he has no tolerance for those who would incite violence both within and without it.
Negative
Stubborn - believes in doing things his own way, and doesn't like relying on external power.
Standoffish - though he's quick to help others and form light social bonds, true friendship is something that doesn't come easily to him.
Defensive - He's created a very specific life for himself, and doesn't take kindly to those who would criticize it, even well-meaningly.
Template by Red Aether Studios.
lore.
Hooks
Gale runs a private practice named The Second Chance in Dalmasca. If you're in need of healing, you may find yourself at his door.
He's also known to make house calls to those averse to magical healing. He's an expert at more traditional forms of medicine.
Gale spent both the Civil War and the Final Days in Garlemald aiding civilians. If your character was present, he would have offered his aid.
Gale studied in Gridania before the Final Days. Your character may have met him there.
art by akitridy.
Rumor has it...
...that Gale has ties to a group of Garlean reapers.
...that he was the one who cut off his own arm. But to what end?
...that he was once a conjurer, until the Elementals turned their backs on him. What could have made them do so?
...that he'll treat just about anyone, regardless of their past. What are the consequences of this? Can you change his mind?
The Story So Far
Gale left his home at the footholds of the Scatay Range once he came of age, unsuited to the arduous physical requirements of a Wood-warder. Still, he was unable to rid himself of his attachment to nature, and journeyed to Gridania to pursue conjury. It would not be inaccurate to say that he did not fully understand the consequences of this choice; Viera are rarely welcomed back to their tribes once they've chosen to leave, especially if they did so out of failure to thrive in their role. But for better or worse, it was the choice that he made, and he spent several years in the Twelveswood communing with the Elementals and learning the art of conjury. He thrived as a healer and found he much more enjoyed it than any sort of martial exercise, and began work as an in-house healer for the Shaded Bower. It fulfilled him, but he couldn't shake an odd feeling from his chest. He then recognized the feeling as homesickness.Unsure of what to do, he went to his mentor for guidance. E-Sumi-Yan reminded him a healer with an absent mind helps no one, and so Gale packed his bags for a short trip back to the range, if only to see what had become of his tribe without him.He never made it to his destination. While passing through the outskirts of Dalmasca, he stumbled upon the remnants of a battle between rebels and Garlean conscripts. Thinking of nothing else but preserving as much life as he could, he began patching the wounds of any he could see, regardless of allegiance. One of the conscripts, after witnessing first hand his skill at healing, begged for his help with her ailing sister back in Garlemald. She had no rank of her own, and no doctor would see them. Though torn, both Gale's oath as a healer and his own heart made the decision for him. He promised only to look at the girl and do his best, and took a uniform from one of the fallen in order to better blend in.In his rush to be of assistance, he forgot one crucial detail: Garleans are the sworn enemies of the Elementals, and They would not suffer to see Their power used to aid the enemy. Somewhere en route, without his realizing it, Gale was stripped of practically all aetheric ability.Upon arriving at the conscript's home and finding his magic unresponsive, Gale panicked, telling the girl to fetch some salves for her sister while he "made preparations". He knew that if he failed to perform, the conscript was unlikely to take kindly to it. He also knew that his healing skills were not fully dependant on the Elementals. He still had his knowledge of anatomy, of botany; of alchemy and poultices. He was not helpless. And his own life aside, there was a living being in need of his help. So he rolled up his sleeves and got to work.By the time the conscript returned, he had broken her sister's fever. Within two days, the color had returned to her skin. By the end of the week, she was responsive and talkative.But by the end of the week, new problems arose.Garlemald had been plunged into civil war. The death of the emperor was fresh, and warmachina roamed the streets. Everyone with the resources to do so had already fled. Gale kept his head down for a time, huddled around the radio with the conscript and her sister. Then, one day, out of nowhere, there was a deafening roar. And then things took a turn for the worse.The next morning he awoke to find the conscripted soldier that had been harboring him gone. Seeing how distraught the sister was, he promised to search for her. Taking only a radio in hopes of finding her with the sound, he stepped out into the cold city air. It was then that he realized just how bad things were.A monstrous tower rose above the entire city where the imperial palace had once stood. Citizens and soldiers alike shambled through the street as if undead, paying Gale no mind. Horrified, and seeing no sign of his host, Gale bolted back to the home he'd been sheltered in, only to find the sister absent now as well. Alone in a city that was more hostile to him than ever, he was forced to consider his next move very carefully.Yet, in the end, all he could bring himself to do was the same thing he had always done: whatever he could. If he had escaped... whatever was happening here, then surely others had as well. And with warmachina and entranced soldiers alike roaming the streets, they could very well be in need of medical help.He packed what supplies he could and ventured out once more.Over the next couple moons, he spent his days moving shelter to shelter. He met with a few other survivors, but few would allow a "savage" to mend them - and those that did made Gale grateful he had been forced to learn non-magical healing. His skills improved, and as time passed he found himself missing the aid of the elementals less and less. He also learned, through discussion with other survivors, that the radios were somehow what was preventing them from joining the masses at the tower.Had he not left the young girl, then, she might have lived. There was little chance she had survived the trance. The thought makes his heart ache. But he must endure the guilt for the sake of the living.It is in the midst of these wanderings that he was happened upon by a group of exiled Reapers. By then, he'd learned some Garlean history (there is little else to do but read when sheltering in the remnants of abandoned homes) and he knew what their cause represented. Seeing them as a chance to do some good in the grander picture, along with the prospect of healing someone who actually wants his help, he pledged himself to their cause. While traveling together, they uncover a great many things, including an experimental plot to bring forth human warmachina. It's terrifying, and promises to bring devastation even worse than the tower if not stopped.Unfortunately, during the confrontation with the final experimental weapon, the leader of their group, Sabia, suffers a mortal blow. Gale knows that there is nothing in his usual repertoire that can fix this. He also knows that he owes this woman his life and more. Reaper he may not be, but there were no shortage of hungry voidsent in the vicinity. So he made a deal, and offered up his pound of flesh.He thinks of little but the life he's saving as he saws off his left arm, wound burnt by the cold. He's vaguely aware of another of their companions cauterizing the site, but the blood loss leaves him dizzy. He barely maintains the consciousness required to follow the group to shelter.The Eorzean Contingent arrives not long after, yet Gale cannot help but feel they are a touch too late. Still, and time again, he does what he's always done: whatever he can.It is an indescribably strange thing to lose something you have spent your entire life with. Losing the elementals' favor had been bearable, because he had managed before them and could manage again. This was much harder to adapt to. The bleeding had finally stopped a few days ago, but the ache remains. Every day he forgets, attempts to do something that would have once required not a second thought, and every day he loses it all over again. But the dead do not come back for one man's grief, and neither do the living stop ailing for his self-pity.And so he adapts. Despite the abundance of machina in Garlemald, he never fits a prosthesis. It's an ill replacement for the real thing, and he feels more dextrous with what remains of his arm when it doesn't have a heavy chunk of metal attached to it. It takes longer to grow used to the pitying glances thrown his way by well-meaning strangers, but even those he grows accustomed to in time.After doing his part to mitigate the damage of the Final Days in Garlemald, Gale retires to Dalmasca with Ilja, one of the Reapers with whom he formed a close bond, and opens his own medical practice - The Second Chance. His doors are open to anyone who needs help, regardless of who they are or what they've done. This earns him as many enemies as it does friends, but he stands firm by the belief all life is equal. At least, he does for now...
Template by Red Aether Studios.
connections.
Ju'uk Imi
business partner
Ju'uk runs The Second Chance alongside Gale. The two operate very differently, but have an unlikely friendship regardless.
Wesley Strike
student
An intern at The Second Chance. Gale can't help but see himself in the younger man.
character name
RELATIONSHIP STATUS
Your character could go here! With a link to character Carrd down below!
character name
RELATIONSHIP STATUS
Your character could go here! With a link to character Carrd down below!
character name
RELATIONSHIP STATUS
Your character could go here! With a link to character Carrd down below!
character name
RELATIONSHIP STATUS
Your character could go here! With a link to character Carrd down below!
Template by Red Aether Studios.
gallery.
gallery
on distant shores
or near to home
or where the heart once stood
Template by Red Aether Studios.
ooc.
NAME minnow | AGE 24 | PRONOUNS she/they | TIME ZONE GMT-6
LOCATION crystal / mateus
Rules
i tend to prefer play-by-post over live RP, but i'm comfortable with either style
i prefer not to write with minors, sorry!
OOC
i go by many names, but you can call me minnow! i'm 24, use she/they pronouns and live outside the US.
my timezone is GMT-6, which is sometimes central but sometimes mountain depending on whether it's daylight savings
i like writing stories with a darker/mature focus and body horror, but it's by no means the only genre i enjoy! i also love good old-fashioned adventuring and friendship persevering above all, so feel free to pitch me any kind of idea you may have!
Art by temporoyales.
Template by Red Aether Studios.