Medea Lepus

At a Glance

Physical Features

Mannerisms and Style

Having recovered from her various maladies, Medea has become more lively and flirty as of late. She still carries herself tall and proud. Her resting expression suggests she's irritated, but she's usually in a good mood. She walks with clear purpose, and her eyes dart about as though making a note of everything around her.

Whether casual or formal, her clothing can often be described as "functional". She has a clear preference for pants and boots, but has recently started experimenting with skirts and dresses. When not wearing glasses, she often wears prescription goggles or a headset.

Observed Equipment

Medea can often be found with magitek equipment in the form of a bow or glaives. She often carries other equipment she is familiar with from her days as a scout.

She typically wears armor and clothing fitting to the area, and in particular, will aim for styles a local adventurer might don. Similarly, her magitek bit is often (poorly) glamoured to resemble one sort of flying creature or another.

On the mundane side of things, Medea can occasionally be found wearing a pair of bifocals. The upper portion of each lens is non-prescriptive, and serves as little more than light eye protection. The lower portion of each lens aids in viewing close objects, such as text in a book. Her headset and mask likewise have mechanisms to compensate for her hyperopia.

A Deeper Look

Aetheric Features

Magic Ability and Related Traits

For a time, Medea's aether was augmented by an ancient spirit.
Now that the spirit has left her, she is back to her poor magic potential....something she is quite fine with, feeling like the power was corrupting her.

Medea's manifestation of the Echo - which she keeps secret from all but a select few - shows her visions of the past and allows her to understand other languages. Curiously, it does not allow her to speak them, though it helps her learn quickly. Shy (for good reason) about informing others of this ability, she typically attributes information gained through it to "local rumors". She suspects the Echo aids her in other ways, but she's yet to test it.

Her Story

Timeline | Childhood | XIVth Legion | Vth Legion | Post Militum

Official Record

Pre Calamity

(Note: Years are approximate in most cases.)

Realm Reborn

Heavensward / Stormblood

Shadowbringers

Present

Her Story

Timeline | Childhood | XIVth Legion | Vth Legion | Post Militum

Childhood

Medea was born in a small village of the Golmore Jungle sometime around the year 1540 of the Sixth Astral Era. Little is known of her life during this time, and even her original name remains a mystery. If the woman remembers it or any of her childhood, she hasn't seen fit to tell anyone. Indeed, all that's known is what few details Charis has mentioned.

During the Empire's initial contact with Viera, a number of curious ones left with Imperial agents. Young children such as Medea weren't allowed to go, as they wouldn't understand the full consequences of such an act. Despite this, she snuck into a caravan cart. Already showing an aptitude for evasiveness, she was not discovered in the convoy until she grew hungry and left her hiding place, asking for food.

Medea's civil name - "Medea Lepus" - was suggested by one of the accompanying soldiers. Somewhat of a backhanded compliment, the name loosely means "Cunning Rabbit", something Medea wouldn't find out until later. A viera familiar with her - who adopted the name "Charis Lepus" - took responsibility for the girl, arguing that Garleans wouldn't understand the unique problems the girl would have as she aged.

Charis distinguished herself with her skill as an artisan, skillfully cutting and carving wood into art and furniture. Her works caught the eye of a Garlean Pureblood, Calliste eir Luria, who became the patron of the pair of Viera. Though Medea was completely unaware, Charis suspected the arrangement was more due to the Viera being exotic, rather than a genuine love of her crafts.

Eir Luria's patronage probably saw Medea subjected to more propaganda than usual for other kids her age. Charis made an effort to keep the girl's loyalty from becoming too blind. Among other lessons, she compared the Empire to a forest, and noted how no one component of a forest is more important than any other. She also made sure the girl learned about her people and their culture, and worked to sharpen the girl's skills.

Despite the patronage - or perhaps due to it - Medea found herself subjected to a large amount of bullying as she grew up. Charis would explain to her that there was nothing wrong with her, and that people simply feared things that were different. Ultimately, this had two chief effects on the girl; it both made her into a loner and drove her to prove herself. At sixteen years of age, Medea volunteered for military service.

Her Story

Timeline | Childhood | XIVth Legion | Vth Legion | Post Militum

XIVth Legion

Pre-Invasion

After training, Medea was assigned to the XIVth Legion and sent to Gyr Abania. Possessed of superior hearing, vision, and a "natural" inclination towards moving unseen through forests, Medea was trained as an explorator, something she took to naturally. Her contubernium was assigned to scout the Black Shroud. Unknown to Medea, however, the training they'd received was below standards, as the centurion responsible for them found the lot of them distasteful, and hoped the Black Shroud would kill them.

Fortunately, due to her childhood and Charis's teachings, Medea had a fair amount of respect for the forest, and this respect kept her from angering the Elements. Her comrades were not so lucky, and the forests picked them off one by one. Despite the situation growing more and more desperate, they were ordered to remain in the Shroud to the last. Eventually, Medea found herself alone, sending reports, but receiving nothing back outside of an acknowledgement of receipt.

During this time, she learned of the establishment of adventuring guilds in order to give "purposeless masses" something to do so they don't fall to criminal urges. Though distressed by the idea that such would be necessary anywhere, the adventuring guilds provided her with both a decent cover story, but also a means to support herself during her long operation. She adopted the alias "Miss Morn", finding the Eorzean word to have a pleasant sound and meaning.

As the third year of her mission dragged on, she found that she'd made detailed maps and notes on the whole of the Shroud. Though not ordered to do so, she began looking into bordering areas, including Mor Dhona.

Fallout of Silvertear Skies

Over the next two years, Medea kept to her duty despite her suspicions. So long as she could still contact her century, she knew it was her duty to keep to her mission until she received new orders. She kept to this thought right up until the day the Echo awakened within her.

Without warning, she was assaulted with visions of a battle above Silvertear Lake in nearby Mor Dhona. Concerned about what the vision showed, Medea immediately set out for the area. Upon confirming that the XIVth had attempted an invasion through the area and been repulsed by the lake's guardian, she became so frustrated that she forgot about the vision.

Her frustration was reasonable enough: she'd sent reports regarding the lake and local lore that said a guardian slept within. Considering lore and primals went hand-in-hand, she thought the caution prudent. She reasoned that maybe her superiors had disagreed, but then she turned her attention to the activities of the XIVth over the previous years. She learned of a number of contubernia being taken by the forest for trespasses. Trespasses she'd explicitly warned about in previous reports. She could reach only one conclusion.

Getting in touch with a higher echelon, she was initially reprimanded for going over her centurion's head, then recalled. Bringing with her copies of the reports she'd submitted over the years, it was discovered that the tesserarius her reports went through had been - under orders from the centurion - ignoring them. Both men were executed for gross negligence and Medea found herself commended.

Unwanted Lessons

As the XIVth regrouped and then, ultimately, took a back seat to the VIIth, Medea was reassigned, reassessed, and then promoted to Optio with the special tasking of training other exploratores. Taking to this task with the same diligence as any other, she quickly found herself frustrated. Her instructions improved survivability in places like the Black Shroud, yes, but she found her students had trouble dealing with the savages in their assigned areas.

To that end, she considered how she approached the savages, versus how others did. Once she was certain, she added a new class to her curriculum on understanding savages. She thought she might be able to teach her fellow soldiers her view, and, in turn, how to deal with the savages.

Unfortunately, her point of view was not well received, particularly by purebloods and second-generation citizens who hated the notion that "everyone's a little savage". After numerous complaints, she found herself demoted and ordered to keep such views to herself. Eventually returned to Eorzea as a solo operative, she was never certain if it was due to her skill or just to get her out of the way.

The Unplucked Apple

Regardless of why Medea found herself in the Black Shroud once more, she took to her duty with her usual zeal. She petitioned Stillglade Fane for a blessing to build a cabin within the Shroud where she might offer weary travelers a place to rest and instruct them on the ways of the Twelveswood. Blessings earned, the house would be built using earnings from her adventuring alter ego. Coincidentally, the area it was built in would eventually become one of the wards of the "Lavender Beds".

She hadn't lied. A tea shop she called "The Unplucked Apple", the intention for the location was, indeed, a place for weary travelers to rest and be instructed: Specifically Medea's Garlean comrades. Strict rules were given to those who might visit, in effort to keep the wrath of the Elements at bay. Open to members of any legion, the safehouse would eventually gain an additional purpose: allowing Medea to learn more of what the VIIth was up to.

What she saw of the VIIth legion disturbed her. Where in the XIVth she saw conquest to the ends of subjugation, in the VIIth she saw conquest to the ends of eradication. A vision granted by the Echo confirmed this, and she started subtly aiding adventurers against the VIIth, secretly placing requests through the Adventurers Guild whenever she saw the VIIth out in the field. Though the acts didn't sit well with her, she nevertheless thought them necessary if they were ever to rule and educate the savages.

Shortly before the Calamity, Medea was given emergency orders to return to Gyr Abania. She thought her efforts may have been discovered. Instead, she learned the XIVth was pulling its agents out as the VIIth's plans came to fruition.

Post Calamity

Following the horrific events of the Calamity, Medea found herself once again sent into the Black Shroud, this time to assess the damage. Dismayed by the destruction caused by the Calamity, Medea found herself thinking back to Charis' lessons, and began worrying that the Empire - her "forest" - was sick.

This worry, however, did not stop her from doing her duty under the XIVth Legion. She felt that if the empire was, indeed, sick, the XIVth remained uninfected. She continued to believe this, even as rumors reached her that the XIVth's new campaign in Eorzea was unauthorized by Garlemald.

She learned of the Scions through her echo, and through her contacts at the safe house, learned of their origins. Her original report concluded that the Empire should be wary of the organization due to anti-Empire sentiments and the high-concentration of "Echo" bearers. After observing them, however, she revised her conclusion suggesting that the Scions might be useful allies if they could be convinced of the Empire's noble intent despite the example set by the VIIth Legion.

She assumed her revised conclusion never made it to anyone important once she learned of the attack on the Waking Sands. It wasn't long afterward that the Eorzeans launched a counter assault on multiple installations. Though she made way for northern Thanalan as swiftly as she could manage, she arrived just in time to see Castrum Meridianum vanish under a brilliant dome of light.

Next Steps

In one instant, Medea's chain of command was - as far as she knew - wiped out up to and through her legatus. She looked over the ruins the best she could, unable to make a thorough search with the Eorzean forces picking through it. All but confirming her suspicions, she considered what to do next. She knew many of the remaining forces would hold their castrums until they received orders from higher. Given what she'd heard about how the campaign was seen in Garlemald, she didn't think that likely.

Thus she resolved to return to Ilsabard, a journey that - while no trifle - would be no worse than any challenge she'd faced before. She spent a moon getting her affairs in the Shroud in order. Namely, she saw to it that someone would look after her safehouse in her absence, as she felt she might need it again some day. It took her a while, as it couldn't be just any Gridanian...it had to be someone she could trust to care for any XIVth stragglers. A strange Keeper named "Zehka Halanuu" was the one eventually chosen for this task, and at that, Medea made her way north.

Her Story

Timeline | Childhood | XIVth Legion | Vth Legion | Post Militum

Vth Legion

Return to Ilsabard

On her way to Ilsabard, Medea passed through Gyr Abania, and stayed just long enough to get an idea for what would become of the region. She quickly learned that the XIIth legion was moving in to take over for the XIVth. Knowing of the XIIth's reputation, she elected not to report, and instead continued to Ilsabard.

Medea returned to find Calliste - now "goe Luria" - welcoming her back. Now far more aware of how the Empire was structured, Medea inquired as to her benefactor's role. Calliste admitted she was with the Frumentarii, but assured Medea that her interest in two Viera had been genuine. Then Calliste gave Medea the bad news.

During the recent War of Succession, Charis had been killed in the crossfire. Calliste had seen to it that Charis had a proper funeral and cremation, and would maintain the urn until Medea was finished with military service. As Medea had served twenty years, settling down was something Calliste encouraged...and Medea rejected. With that, Calliste used her connections to see Medea to the Vth Legion.

Guard Duty and Nightmares

Though Medea was appreciative of Calliste's aid, she was disappointed in where she ultimately ended up: Castellum Nusquam was a small outpost in the middle of nowhere that was meant to be early warning of an invasion. However, on the other side of Garlemald from the Eorzean front, the soldiers there were unlikely to ever see combat. Many stationed there had well-connected family members, patrons, or were well-connected themselves. Medea ultimately thought of them as "lazily loyal".

Not long after the liberation of Ala Mhigo, Medea began experiencing horrific nightmares which would cause her to scream in her sleep or wake her. As she slept in an individual barracks room, she took measures to ensure her nightmares didn't wake up the other soldiers, but largely refused to deal with it. It wasn't until she began experiencing intrusive visions during the day - accompanied by disabling pain - that she was forced to see a medicus.

The medicus assumed that she was experiencing lingering trauma from the campaign in Eorzea. Such effects weren't uncommon among the soldiery, after all. Medea refused to believe this diagnosis, as the visions she was experiencing didn't appear to involve her own memories. Secretly, she believed something had gone wrong with the Echo, suggesting that the "savages had cursed her".

Though she didn't believe the medicus's diagnosis, she did accept the possibility that she needed rest. She noted that her duty assignment wasn't particularly stressful, and so leave wasn't necessary. As the symptoms got worse, she began taking notes on names and faces showing up in her vision. Once she had a good idea of recurring people and places, she returned to the Medicus to honestly admit the symptoms had not improved.

To her irritation, her swiftly granted leave did not include permission to leave Castellum. Convincing herself it was necessary for her to continue serving the Empire, she left anyway and headed for Eorzea.

Dark Cloud

Difficult to cross at the best of times, Medea found a tense situation had arisen at the Ghimlyt Dark. Stopping in the small village at the Ilsabard end, she soon came to the attention of local Frumentarii. Alerted to her having left without permission, when they found her heading to Eorzea, they assumed she was trying to defect.

Though she pleaded her case, and initially cooperated with the Frumentarii, the encounter quickly went bad, though through no fault of those present. A "dark cloud" came out of the night sky and struck Medea. Instantly, her eyes and hair changed color. Ignorant of the change, Medea thought it was an artillery strike, and sought cover with the agents. When she touched one, the man's flesh withered painfully in an instant.

Reacting with shared horror, Medea ran, more in fear for the agents' safety than her own.

Return to Eorzea

Desperately trying to avoid being classed as a defector or deserter, after Medea crossed the Ghimlyt, she sought out other Imperial elements still within Eorzea. She reported to Castrum Centri in Mor Dhona, and had them contact her superiors in the Vth. While awaiting a response, she worked for the Castrum where she could, handing in scouting reports and repairing some of the Castrum's magitek.

Unfortunately, her condition would not improve on its own. Though she originally meant to find an Eorzean healer, she took a gamble with an Imperial Medicus known to Castrum Centri, "Hakra Dalexandal". Despite initial paranoia, Medea soon found the medicus to be more than equipped to deal with her problem. Hakra also possessed a unique perspective that Medea felt would keep her from so easily dismissing the Viera as other imperial medicii had.

An Introduction to Subterfuge

Restless, Medea found herself going to the nearby Eorzean city of Ul'dah. Unpracticed in deceptive techniques, she was soon discovered as an Imperial by a Garlean defector. The defector threatened to expose her unless she officially deserted from the Empire. Naturally, Medea was unwilling to do that, and contacted Callisti about the matter.

Callisti advised her to tell the defector she was deserting. To protect Medea, the frumentarii leader used her resources to make sure Imperial spies still in Eorzea knew about the deception. While Callisti worked out what to do about Medea's increasingly more dire situation, she suggested that the Viera avoid Ul'dah for the time being.

This suggestion resulted in Medea continuing to scout the rest of Eorzea when she felt well enough to do so. While ascertaining the status of a supposedly abandoned Castrum, she discovered STELLA, a covert Imperial unit attached to the IIIrd. Explaining her situation to the acting leadership of STELLA, she soon found herself working with them on a regular basis.

Sudden Honorable Discharge

The leadership of STELLA extended an offer to help resolve Medea's organizational woes: If Medea transferred to the IIIrd, she would no longer be in danger of being declared a deserter by the Vth. However, this would require Medea's medical care to be conducted in the castrum STELLA was based out of. This was something Hakra refused to allow.

The conflict arose from two sources: First, Hakra refused to use the Castrum's equipment, calling it antiquated and dangerous. From a medical perspective, she wasn't wrong. Second, Hakra and Medea had grown rather close thanks to quirks of Hakra's nature and Medea's condition. Whatever the reasons, though, if Medea couldn't be stationed at the Castrum, the IIIrd refused to allow her transfer.

Once the decision was made, the Vth began demanding for Medea's return. Before Medea could react, however, she received notice that she'd been honorably discharged from the militum. She would soon learn that Calliste had pulled strings to see her discharged, and officially given the job of "Cartographer", assigned to work on surveying and charting whatever area needed updated maps.

In truth, Medea's new role was that of Frumentarii under Calliste herself. The senior woman assigned Medea to keep an ear out for military secrets being leaked. All she needed to do was report when and where she discovered this, and Calliste's other agents would handle the rest.

With that role assigned, Medea finally began to relax and focus on her treatment.

Her Story

Timeline | Childhood | XIVth Legion | Vth Legion | Post Militum

Post Militum

Lady Eve

<More pending>

Her Mind

Loves & Hates

Header

Miscellaneous

Out of Character | Lore Links | Gallery | Music | Tropes

Out of Character

Roleplay Goals

Medea is meant to be a "lighter shade of grey" character. Though she tries to do the right thing, she has been subject to a lot of propaganda that puts her at odds with the people of Eorzea. While she would continue defending the Empire until her dying breath, supernatural events have forced her to take a different path.

Though I have a story to tell with Medea, I also like to experience and participate in a variety of stories with a vast array of characters. I will just as happily interact IC with a paladin as a psychopath. I enjoy IC drama, and I especially adore ethical dilemmas. At the end of the day, though, I want myself and my fellow roleplayers to walk away from a scene satisfied and/or wanting more.

Content Warning

Although Medea tries to do what is "good and just", she was raised in the Garlean Empire, and her views of "good and just" will often vary wildly from the average hero (and quite likely, the average player). The following topics may come up while interacting with Medea, with her defending them:

As Final Fantasy XIV itself touches on topics like these, I assume the average roleplayer is okay with them. That said, please let me know if you want to avoid these topics, and I will try to make a note of it.

Limits

Ultimately, I'm all about an interesting and entertaining story. I enjoy "dynamic" roleplay just as much as (if not more than) private stories. In either case, I don't expect Medea to take center stage in any plot aside from my own. I'm pretty okay with most themes and twists, as long as they're not overdone. Anything from Light-Hearted Fun to Dark and Violent themes are okay by me, so long as it seems realistic. There are two important caveats, however:

First: While I'd normally prefer warnings about things that might make my character unplayable, I realize they can come up with no warning with a character like Medea. I will probably be okay with this from an OOC standpoint, but expect the character to respond appropriately.

Second: I will try to abort a scene or plot if I find out it's making someone seriously uncomfortable Out of Character. It's hard to entertain people when they're upset, after all!

I'm fine with story-driven character romance and/or "sexy fun times", but I'm typically not interested in ERP, preferring to "fade to black". I don't suggest coming after me for ERP for a variety of reasons, many of which are mood-dependant and completely unpredictable.

Lore Compliance

I favor "lore plausible" roleplay. This is roleplay that adheres to concrete lore, but fills in the places where the lore has gaps with whatever seems reasonable and artistically appropriate. My justification for this is that Final Fantasy XIV has Unreliable Narrator Syndrome. NPCs are often wrong about the history of things, assuming they don't outright lie to you. Even the Encyclopedia Eorzea is written from the point of view of the NPCs.

I might also accept less plausible private head-canons which are accepted by the group I'm in, again, so long as they fit in an artistic way. In any case, if I'm violating lore as you know it, please bring it up to me OOC. Do expect me to debate the lore with you, but understand my intention is to reach an agreement...not "win", which I don't think is possible.

Miscellaneous

Out of Character | Lore Links | Gallery | Music | Tropes

Lore Links

Final Fantasy XIV

The Black Shroud

Viera

Garlean Empire

Miscellaneous

Out of Character | Lore Links | Gallery | Music | Tropes

Gallery

Miscellaneous

Out of Character | Lore Links | Gallery | Music | Tropes

Music

Inspirational Themes

Character Themes

Miscellaneous

Out of Character | Lore Links | Gallery | Music | Tropes

Tropes

History

Personality

Capabilities

Weaknesses