Gerel Oronir
Gloria Darksday
Gloom
The Girl with the Porcelain Smile
Raised among a wealthy atelier family, making elaborate designs for weddings and funerals, Gloom's early life was all lace and frills. Now a young woman, she's decided to explore a world beyond her family's protection -- though they are always nearby when needed.
"You remember the Darksday Doll, don’t you? Always posed at her mother’s side --
like a mannequin with a pulse."
About
The Darksday Doll -- a nickname given to her in Ul'dahn high society. She was dressed, displayed, and paraded like part of her family’s fashion line, a living ornament. Many still remember her more for the gowns she wore than the girl she was. Even now she struggles to be seen as more than just a doll.
=Details=
Aliases: Gloria Darksday, the "Darksday Doll," Gerel Oronir
Age: Twenty at the start of A Realm Reborn
Patron Deity: Nymeia, the Spinner.
Occupation: Adventurer (failed), Retainer (current)
Birthplace: Azim Steppe (raised in Ul'dah)
Notable Skills: Arcanima.
Affiliations: House Darksday (adopted), Monetarists (by family), The Adventurers' Guild (new)
Weapon of Choice: A dark, leatherbound Arcanist's grimoire
Companion: Salem -- a curious young coeurl kitten all but glued to her heels.
Distinguishing Traits: An aetheric imbalance causes her left eye to glow like the moon at night.
=RP Hooks=
+ The Darksday name is a tangle of threads. Their fortune was stitched from luxury -- exclusive gowns for weddings and funerals. Many know the Darksdays eccentricities -- a passion for the macabre, a tendency toward the dark and gloomy -- but few know the love they have for one another despite their dour appearances.
+ Purchased or rescued? The scandal no on quite lets die.
Some Ul’dahn tongues whisper that her adoption in Reunion was less kindness and more transaction.
+ A courier occasionally finds her with pristine envelopes bearing the Darksday crest. Hoping to be more independent, she has been putting distance between herself and her family. The Darksdays are nothing if not protective of their only daughter, however.
+ Salem, a black coeurl kitten, is Gloom’s fiercely protective shadow. Despite his size, he will bristle, growl, or swipe at anyone he thinks is threatening Gloom. This often causes misunderstandings… and sometimes rescues.
+ Her left eye glows like an astral body -- subtle at rest, blazing in battle. Her birthfather had called it a blessing of Azim and Nhaama. Her adoptive father calls it a star in a gloomy sky. On most days, she hides it beneath an eyepatch to avoid gawkers.
+ High society knows her face… Even if she wishes they didn’t. Older nobles and tailors sometimes recognize her as the once-beloved "little mannequin," dressed up for gala display, a tasteful eyepatch decorating one eye. This can lead to awkward greetings, unsolicited invitations, or attempts to pull her back into old expectations.
+ Old debts, old favors, old enemies. The Darksday family’s wealth smoothed many paths and, unfortunately, crushed a few competitors. Some grudge-bearers might not differentiate between parent and daughter.
+ A maid by trade, a retainer by necessity. Gloom works as a maid to earn her own way through life and works as a retainer to gain adventuring and tradecraft experiences. Some may recognize her from the homes of the wealthy or the employ of the adventurous.
"They say she never chose her own clothes until she left home.
Not a ribbon, not a hem."
History
Gloria "Gloom" Darksday was born on the Azim Steppe, where she was named Gerel Oronir for her mother, who had passed soon after birth. Her father, unable or unwilling to care for her, handed the infant to a traveling Ul'dahn merchant in Reunion. That chance exchange delivered her into the wealthy Darksday family, proprietors of a celebrated couture house supplying wedding gowns and funeral finery to Ul'dahn elite.Raised amid luxury, Gloom spent her childhood as both daughter and display piece -- dressed, tutored, and carefully presented to high society. She rarely left the city walls, learning early that the family's prosperity depended as much on connections and quiet bargaining as on fabric and stitching. Rumors about her adoption lingered for years, some whispering that coin had changed hands rather than compassion.As she grew older, a desire to be her own woman and find her own fortunes took root. After a spat with her mother Grace led to her declaring that she was leaving home, the Darksdays reluctantly allowed her to forge her own path... though they secretly keep the way ahead clear for her.Cast into independence, she turned to the Adventurers' Guild. There she uncovered a natural aptitude for arcanima, complicated at times by an internal aetheric tilt toward astral fire. Due to some difficulty in starting out, she has taken to working as a retainer until she gets more adventuring experience. She also works as a housemaid for some wealthy clientele, opting to earn her way through life rather than rely upon her family's riches.With her young coeurl companion Salem at her side, she now travels Eorzea in search of purpose, stability, and a life not defined by the legacy she left behind.
Gallery
About the Player
My name is Jo/Host, I am a genderfluid person in my thirties, and I have been playing Final Fantasy XIV for many years, but I am currently rebuilding what I once had. I am always learning more about the lore and how to properly roleplay with it, so your patience is very much appreciated. Of note, I am a very slow writer, and without time to construct my posts I tend to struggle. Please be aware of this if you are a particularly fast poster! I assure you, I read what you posted!Discord available at request!