(no subject)

[sassywelshcatgirl]

PLAYER

NAME: Dragon
AGE: MUCH OLDER THAN 18!
PREFERRED CONTACT: ultimaweapon
OTHER CHARACTERS: N/A

CHARACTER

NAME: Nia
AGE: Unknown. She looks like 16, maybe? Maybe older? Her mental maturity is around 18-20, and has been the same since she was awakened from her Core Crystal, which was at least 10 years prior. She's existed for centuries, albeit without continuity of consciousness.
CANON & CANON POINT: Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Postgame
RESERVATION LINK: HERE.
HISTORY: Nia's wiki entry. The game plot, also there.

PERSONALITY: In situations where she's trying to take control or feels like she needs to put up a front, Nia comes off as sharp, snarky, and serious about herself at the expense of others. Especially at the beginning of the game, that's a fair representation of who she is to others, and even as the story progresses Nia shows elements of this for quite a while. She's used to being on her own except for Dromarch, used to being someone and something no one would trust or feel safe around and that some actively hunt, and bereft of purpose. Her cynicism is at the fore, as she bluntly dismisses Elysium as 'a story for children'.

But even before she gets caught up in Rex's whirlwind adventure, Nia shows a better side of herself. Though she baited and toyed with him when they first met, she seeks him out for conversation shortly thereafter and finds common cause with him. When Jin turns on Rex and kills him, she immediately betrays him and Torna at large -- the only one of them who finds this act morally unconscionable.

The rest of the adventure is spent softening Nia's sharp edges and blunting her fear. Everyone who spends any time with her immediately recognizes Nia has a foul mouth but a good heart (and occasionally call her on it in so many word). But for much of the journey, Nia really never opens up to anyone -- not even Dromarch. She hides her nature from them even when she's using her true power to save a life, relying on a cheap distraction to get attention off of her. Most noticeably, her growing feelings for Rex never manifest openly, only in small hints of teasing and incredibly tangential efforts to ferret out his true feelings for Pyra to see if she has a chance.

As seriously as Nia tries to take herself, she can lapse into some ridiculous behavior -- notably, when fired up, she reacts like a cat, hissing and scratching, or does a silly little dance to cheer on her Blade in the middle of a Blade Art.

Nia's arc comes almost complete when she finally finds the resolve, in the middle of despair, to face who she truly is. In that moment she reveals herself utterly -- both her true nature and her heart, showing off her Blade form and declaring her love for Rex in one moment. Never mind that the latter was doomed to fail; she knew that from the very beginning. What she really sought was not to steal Rex's love, but to finally put aside her fear. The Nia that emerges from that is a far more confident and capable person, facing down the Aegis Malos with confidence that she can equal his power. Watching Rex's happiness with Pyra hurts her deeply, but she draws strength from seeing her loved one happy. At the end of the game, when Pyra and Mythra reappear from their apparent sacrifice, she's the one urging him to go to them without a moment's hesitation.

ABILITIES/SKILLS:

As a Driver:

Nia can resonate with a Blade and awaken it from its core crystal, binding it to her until death.

She can wield the manifested weapon of that Blade, and draw power the Blade supplies to her to increase her strength, speed, and ability, as well as tap the elemental energy the Blade generates.

Frequency of use: Almost never. Barring a regain or something, Nia has no Blade in the game and thus cannot use Driver abilities.

As a Blade:

Nia can create a weapon (the Catalyst Scimitar) for her Driver to wield. If this weapon is broken or destroyed she can recreate it at will.

Nia can channel power to her Driver, increasing their strength, speed, and ability. The amount of power, and the strength of any associated ability, increases as they fight together (short-term) and build trust between each other (long-term).

As her Driver fights, they build up power. When her Driver returns her weapon to her, she can unleash that power in an elemental blast. Nia's element is Water.

Nia near-constantly heals her Driver as well.

Blades heal instantly from any wound, except if their core crystal is destroyed.

Frequency of Use: Extremely frequently. Her Blade abilities are her only means of attack or defense until she regains a Blade of her own.

As a Flesh Eater:

Nia can exist without a Driver and doesn't return to her Core Crystal when her Driver dies. She is also basically immortal, unless her Core Crystal is broken.

Nia can switch between Driver and Blade forms at will. She is able to be a Driver despite being a Blade. She is also able to choose her Driver, as a Blade.

Nia has an incredible ability to heal and restore, to the point of bringing back the recently dead. She can also weaponize this ability, with her Driver's help, to alter the replication rate of an enemy's cells. It's exactly as gross as it sounds.

Frequency of use: Common. It's war, Nia will need to heal a lot, and switch between her forms fairly frequently.

INVENTORY/COMPANIONS: The clothes on her back and a few tasty meals and drinks.

FACTION CHOICE: The Court of Stars.

REASON: Nia ultimately makes her decisions on gut instinct in the heat of the moment. She turns against her first companions immediately once they start killing innocent people, breaks the disguise that she feels keeps her safe when she needs to save a life, and reveals herself entirely and confesses to Rex after being pushed to it by seeing her friends getting hurt. She's in no way a planner, and though she'd claim she's sensible and a clear thinker that isn't the truth at all. Moreover, despite her cynicism and bitterness towards the world, she's somehow still an optimist -- saying that she'd rather be one than just bemoaning the state of things, and signing on to Rex's Elysium hunt despite all the evidence against it.

TATTOO: A crescent moon around her Core Crystal.

SAMPLES

NETWORK:

So I've got a line on this quest.

[Looking for other people to help her out is just not how Nia does things, but here she is, lacking any other choice.]

Thing is, to get it done I need some help. It's not a one-person job, maybe not even two. Decent reward I'm willing to split -- just some money, but we all need a little of that to get by around here, right?

[Architect, is she babbling? Ugh, pull it together Nia.]

I'm good backup and I can heal. Right now I can't fight so well with just myself, but anyone who comes with me is coming back as a promise. What I'm looking for is people good at fighting, especially with swords. It's a little complicated and easier to explain in person.

Anyway, if you're in, let me know.

LOG: TDM log

NOTES, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS: I've got more samples available on request! I wasn't sure how much you were looking for.