Ariuna Goro

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Background

A member of the the Goro, a nomadic Xaela tribe. The Goro are notoriously fond of foreign niceties. Having developed fewer scales or obviously-Xaela features than most of her tribe, other Auri often projected onto Ariuna a dream of fitting into society beyond the Steppe, being almost able to pass for Hyur. This filled her head with dreams about the world beyond.In her fourteenth summer, she set off alone with her newlywed husband Batu (a horse, as is tradition for the Goro clan, who view horses as perfect beings), wanting to see the world beyond the Steppe. She spent four years working as a stablehand and a hired sword in Hingashi, before traveling to Eorzea.

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Of Goro & Marriage

Those of Othard do not worship Eorzea's Twelve. Thus, their marriage rituals are varied, and different from the Ceremony of Eternal Bonding. For example, rings are not universally used as the symbol of a couple's union.Those of the Goro tribe marry horses, viewing them as perfect beings. In Ari's horde, a horse (traditionally in its second summer) is selected for each Auri by the horde's elder a year prior to their coming of age, where the two will be wed. Thus, Ari and Batu have been by each other's side for half a decade.There is no standard symbol of marriage in the Goro tribe. (A horse can hardly wear a ring, after all.) Ari crafted her husband horseshoes engraving each with her name. A heart-shaped choker engraved with Batu's name—a small diamond at its center—was chosen as her symbol; she wears it always.Ariuna and Batu are very close, and comfort one another just by being near. Ariuna insists that because they've been with each other long enough and intimately enough, she can understand "the whispers of his heart," even without sharing a common tongue. Batu loyally accompanies her on her journey, and even fights alongside her. (Few Eorzeans have seen a horse fight, so some mistakenly believe they've seen Ariuna fighting alongside a large, dark Chocobo.)Ari's as small as Auri come, but Batu is easily big enough to be a Auri man's steed. How a massive horse ended up husband to a tiny woman is a story you'd have to ask Ari. (Or click here)

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Basic Info

Species: Au Ra, of the Xaela clan
Relationship Status: Married
Spouse: Batu of the Goro, her faithful steed
Age: 18
Height: 4'9"
Gender: Cis Girl (she/her)
Sexual Orientation: "Straight" (Bi, but doesn't yet realize it)
Occupations: Adventurer, Mercenary
Former Occupations: Stablehand, Gladiator
Disciplines: Free Paladin, "Dragoon" (just a nimble Lancer with a rep)
Hobbies: Chocobo Racing and... um, Breeding
Nameday: 12th Sun of the Third Astral Moon
World: Balmung (Crystal)Personality Traits: Cheerful, Optimistic, Dense, Naive. Surprisingly serious at work. Prone to anxiety and self-esteem issues.

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A Xaela in Eorzea

On first arriving in Eorzea, Ariuna came to Ul'dah. She fought as a Gladiator for coin and reputation, hoping to find work as an adventurer, a profession that better suits her wanderlust. She had taken up the sword and shield as a mercenary in Hingashi, often acting as bodyguard to merchants, so she fit right into the Gladiator's Guild.Eorzea has not been as good to her as the stories had led her to believe, with many seeing her as a savage tribeswoman, reacting especially poorly to finding out she is wed to her steed. But she's continued working closely with the Adventurer's Guild, where her commitment to protecting her beloved and clients alike was noticed, earning her a recommendation to the Free Paladin initiative.Ariuna's small body is ill-suited for a life of nonstop shielding, however. Seeking to ease the toll on herself, she began to use the lance again, a discipline she'd abandoned with the Steppe. One might wonder her reasons for ever quitting it; she moves so nimbly with the spear, many mistake her for a Dragoon of the Holy See.

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Potential Hooks

•Ariuna is an adventurer, so it's not unusual to bump into her on a duty, or while getting your gear mended, etc. Or perhaps you're looking to hire one?•Ariuna, of course, smells of horse. Deeply. Someone smelling of horse in a land where folk favor horsebirds over horses may attract curiosity, especially from riding enthusiasts. (If you're also from the Steppes, you may recognize her as a Goro from the smell alone.)•Need help with a steed? Ariuna has a bit of a reputation at the stables of Eorzea... for a few reasons actually, but one of them is that she's lent her skilled stable-hand more than once when help was needed with an unruly steed.•Ari has a habit of ducking out of town periodically to tend to her husband, who can't follow her through the crowded city-states's streets. In a social setting, you might grow curious what she's constantly running off to do.•Ariuna's horse is unusually large for a woman her size. Even with horses being somewhat uncommon in Eorzea, it shouldn't be hard to tell he'd make a more appropriate steed for a Roegadyn woman, or maybe a Hrotgar man.•Au Ra have become a much more common sight in Eorzea in recent years, so it's possible you may have heard certain... rumors about the Goro tribe. On hearing her name, your curiosity may be uncontainable. It's kind of rude to go up to a stranger and ask about their love life, but it's there as an option!•Eorzea is not her home, and Ariuna can often seem a little lost, confused, or even just lonely. If you're the friendly type, maybe you'll want to approach her over that. Or, if you're a fellow Xaela, perhaps you'll understand how lonely it can be out here, and put aside the tribal rivalries of the Steppe to share some company.•Tales of a Dragoon working as a sell-sword and adventurer are sure to catch the eye of some. Of course, Ariuna isn't really a Dragoon, but you'd have to talk to her to clear up that rumor.

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A Story From Her Youth

Goro women are often married to the tribe's smaller horses who may be a more suitable size for them, but Batu is easily big enough to be the steed of an Auri man. Even among Goro women with bigger husbands, none had one quite the size of Batu. The biggest horse in the tribe got married to the smallest woman in the tribe.How did such a size-mismatched pair get put together? The inscrutable hands of fate. A 12-year old Ariuna was guiding some of the horses back to the village after uphill exercises on the night before her 13th nameday—and thus, her engagement. She was caught unawares by a warrior of the Steppe, intent on kidnapping her to serve the Kharlu. T'was a 2-year old Batu who rescued her, driving off the would-be abductor with a fierce bite, a heavy stomp, and a brutal kick. It isn't uncommon for a horse to loyally protect its caretaker, but the ferocity with which he defended her was stunning.Batu was also at the age for betrothal, but being such a massive horse for an Auri woman, the elder of the horde saw no suitable brides for him. And so a girl was rescued the night before her betrothed is picked, by a stallion of age to be picked. The elder knew not if this was Batu claiming Ariuna for his bride, or a sign from Nhaama herself, or perhaps both! But he knew he could not ignore it. The next day, he officially designated the two for marriage in a year's time. And Ariuna, owing her freedom to Batu, couldn't have been happier.When Ariuna arrived in Hingashi with her newlywed husband over a year later, she ended up trading in her lance for a sword and shield. While it's true that a shield finds more clients than a weapon, there was more to it than that. Ariuna wished to be able to protect her beloved Batu the way he protected her.