Hajimari
Sakyo has humble beginnings deep in the hidden valleys of Othard. Born into a family of artisan bowyers and bowmakers, his upbringing was rife with strict traditions, expectations and responsibilities. He often struggled to set himself apart from his siblings, with two older brothers to win most of his father’s praise and two younger sisters to occupy all of his mother’s attention. He managed to carve a niche for himself when an archery accident left him with poor vision in one eye and, determined to overcome his shame, he became the first in generations to forgo ranged combat. In its stead, he took up an heirloom once wielded by his great-great-grandfather: a katana.Now thirty-four summers old, he only has vague memories of life before the Garlean occupation of Yanxia. Escalating conflicts lead to his father and brothers being conscripted into the Imperial military, and their deaths left a young Sakyo to manage the fraying business and family. Daily life became dominated with threats of war, subjugation and punishment and there was little time to devote to the family craft. The ancient art of bowmaking was neglected in order to supply enlisted Domans with weapons and ammunition, the objective no longer to forge masterpieces but to meet neverending quotas. Fearful of what his failures might mean for his loved ones, he worked tirelessly and without question, slaving to ensure his family’s survival until the return of Lord Hien and the liberation of Doma.
Musha Shugyō
Though Doma had been freed from Imperial rule, Sakyo soon discovered that liberation did not undo the damage of years spent under Garlean subjugation. His family’s bowmaking craft, once a respected tradition, had become all but forgotten—overtaken by the relentless demands of war. The techniques passed down for generations had fallen into disuse, the tools rusted, the workshop in disrepair. With his father and brothers gone, there was no guiding hand to show him the way, only fragmented memories of childhood lessons and brittle scrolls detailing methods he barely understood. Still, he refused to let their legacy die. He toiled over warped wood and frayed strings, his hands calloused from both swordplay and craft, yet the masterpieces of his ancestors seemed forever out of reach. Each failure gnawed at him, a reminder that he had spent years forging weapons for war instead of bows for artistry. It was a battle of patience, of humility, and of unlearning the compromises he had made in the name of survival. His struggles, however, did not end there.The idyllic days of his youth continued to elude him in favor of more modern troubles, and Sakyo found himself bound not only to the burdens of his family’s legacy but also to the slow decline of his mother’s health. The years of hardship had taken their toll on her—grief, deprivation, and relentless worry leaving her frail and prone to long bouts of illness. As the only one left to care for her, he took on the role without question, though the weight of it grew heavier with each passing day. His sisters offered little in the way of support. The elder of the two had long since abandoned their home, carving out a life for herself in Kugane’s pleasure district. Letters from her were rare, and when they did come, they were filled with pleasantries but devoid of any true concern. The younger was still in Doma, but her presence often brought more stress than solace—wild, defiant, and quick to lash out, she seemed determined to reject both responsibility and reason. Rather than assist with their ailing mother or the struggling workshop, she spent her time chasing fleeting pleasures and stirring conflict, leaving Sakyo to pick up the pieces.He told himself he could endure it. That it was his duty. But with each day, the walls of his family home felt smaller, the weight of expectation more suffocating. As time passed, Sakyo began to question whether he was restoring his family’s art out of devotion or mere obligation. He had given everything to keep them afloat—caring for a mother who barely acknowledged him and sisters who rejected everything he worked for—yet no matter how much he sacrificed, it was never enough. Nevertheless, the thought of leaving gnawed at him. If he walked away, would his mother wither completely? Would his younger sister spiral further, proving every fear he had about leaving her alone? Guilt gripped him like iron chains, but so too did the quiet dread that if he stayed, he would spend his life suffocating under duty. Restless, he found himself looking outward—to distant lands, to the ever-turning (and frightening) wheel of change. Perhaps, after years of living for others, it was time to leave and seek something more—if only he could convince himself it wasn’t selfish to do so.
Information
THE BASICS ––– –
Full Name: Yumishi no Sakyo (literally Sakyo of the Bowmakers/Bowyers)
Race: Raen Au Ra
Age: 34
Birthplace: Yanxia
Nameday: 29th Sun of the 6th Umbral Moon
Profession: Carpentry, primarily building furniture, bowmaking and arrow crafting. He has some experience with metalworking
Hobbies: Whittling knickknacks, running errands, origami, feeding the birds and fish
Languages: Hyur Common, knows as much ancient Hingan as any other native
Likes: Kabuki theater, Eorzean coffee, onsenPHYSICAL APPEARANCE ––– –
Hair: Blond, generally worn loose and messy
Eyes: Blue with darker limbal rings
Height / Weight: 7 fulms, 3 ilms / 290-ish ponz
Build: Taller than average, muscular and stocky. Built for strength instead of speed. His physique has been honed by harsh physical labor, not rigorous training
Distinguishing Marks: Rough, calloused hands with unkempt nails. A faint scar divides his right eyebrow
Common Appearance: He favors practical clothing that allows full range of movement, as well as preferring simple slippers or wooden sandals over Eorzean boots. When work demands it, he carries various chisels and hammers in a plain satchel. He also wears an old katana on his belt. He often looks tired or pensive, with some early onset wrinkles about his eyes. He’s fairly tanned from working outdoors.TRIVIA ––– –
Sakyō is an old name meaning “On the King/Emperor’s left.” His elders realized this to be an omen of sorts when, in later years, the vision in his right eye deteriorated and his left eye became his good one. Over time he has come to favor his left side and, being deeply superstitious, perceives any choice on his right to be unlucky. The sight in his right eye is not fully gone but poor enough that he has terrible depth perception and no peripheral vision on that side.
Sakyo's Ties
MASAKO ––– –
Sakyo’s mother is a ghost of the woman she once was. Frail and silent, she appears a relic of a life long since lost to time. She is always draped in a yukata or kimono, the fabric loose over her thin frame, the once-vibrant patterns faded with age. Her long black hair, though still well-kept, seems almost too heavy for her fragile shoulders, cascading down her back like an ink-stroke against her pale, sickly skin. Her face is unreadable, lips rarely parting except for the occasional sigh or whispered name of the daughter who abandoned them. She regards Sakyo with cold indifference, offering no praise for his sacrifices, no warmth for his presence. The only flicker of life she shows is when a letter arrives from Kugane, when her dull eyes light up with something dangerously close to affection, even as her body remains too weak to act on it. To Sakyo, she is less a mother and more a lingering shadow, tethered to the past, waiting for something—or someone—who will never return.AYANOKO ––– –
The eldest of Sakyo's sisters is the very image of their mother’s pale, delicate beauty. The contrast between porcelain skin, flowing black hair and golden scales makes her a sought-after gem within Kugane’s pleasure district. Her expression is a mask, cold and unreadable, perfected over years of survival in a world where detachment is both armor and currency. Once, she and Sakyo were inseparable, confiding in one another beneath the weight of their family’s expectations. Tragically, the occupation changed her. The warmth she once held for him disappeared, replaced by a distant indifference that stung more than any words ever could.Now, she exists in a world of her own making, one where home is nothing more than a ghost of the past. She rarely writes, and when she does, her letters are carefully crafted illusions—brief, polite, and devoid of true sentiment. She ignores their mother’s failing health, her younger sister’s recklessness, and the brother who toiled to keep their family together. Whether out of shame or sheer unwillingness to face the reality she left behind, Ayanoko does not look back. She moves through life as if untouchable, as if nothing beyond her carefully curated existence in Kugane matters. And perhaps, to her, it doesn’t.CHIDORI ––– –
Sakyo’s youngest sister, Chidori, is a whirlwind of defiance and reckless abandon, and she is a stark contrast to the quiet, controlled women of their family. She rejects tradition at every turn, refusing to so much as touch a carving knife or bowstring, calling their craft "a relic of a dead past." Instead, she pours her energy into fleeting passions, burning brightly before inevitably crumbling into self-made chaos. She falls in and out of love with reckless speed, throwing herself wholeheartedly into each new romance, only for it to end in dramatic, tear-streaked fights that leave her wailing at home, seeking comfort she refuses to earn.She spends coin they do not have on trinkets, fine fabrics, and gifts for lovers who never stay, leaving Sakyo to scrape together enough to mend the damage she leaves in her wake. Yet, despite all her rebellion, she is still a child desperately grasping for something just out of reach. She will do anything to win a scrap of attention, dressing in her finest kimono, imitating the grace of her elder sister, speaking softly in rare moments—all in hopes that it will please their indifferent mother, though to no avail. Their mother’s gaze never lingers, her words never soften, and no matter how many hearts Chidori gives away or how loudly she screams for the world to see her, the one person she wants to hear her never will.HARUHISA (Deceased) ––– –
Sakyo’s father was a man of unwavering discipline, his life defined by precision, structure, and the weight of legacy. A master bowmaker by both birthright and relentless practice, he regarded the craft not merely as a trade but as an art honed through generations. Failure was unacceptable, foolishness even more so. Every fiber of his being was dedicated to restoring the family’s honor, still tainted by his own father’s decision to cast aside their tradition and live as a wandering ronin. Perfection, in both craft and discipline, was the only path to redemption.His expectations fell heaviest upon his sons, particularly Sakyo’s older brothers, whose talents earned them his favor. They were his pride, his apprentices, and always at his side during trips to procure fine wood or meet with esteemed patrons. Sakyo, by contrast, was often left behind, his father’s gaze passing over him in quiet disappointment; his fumbling hands and lack of precision marked him as lesser, and his eventual foray into the sword—a weapon of warriors, not artisans—was a choice Haruhisa met with silent disapproval.Yet, beneath his harsh exterior, there were rare glimpses of something softer. In private moments, away from the scrutiny of tradition, he would speak of balance, of how a steady hand required a steady mind. He encouraged meditation, not as an escape, but as a means of mastery, a way to overcome weakness and refine the self. These lessons, spoken without reprimand, were among the few times Sakyo felt truly seen. Alas such moments were fleeting, drowned beneath the rigid expectations that ruled Haruhisa’s life—until war and conscription tore him from it entirely, leaving behind only unfinished bows and a son struggling beneath the weight of a legacy he never felt was his to carry.NAOMASA (Deceased) ––– –
The eldest of Haruhisa’s children, Naomasa was everything his father could have hoped for in an heir—handsome, intelligent, and unwavering in his dedication to the family craft. Tall and strong, he bore Haruhisa’s sharp features and commanding presence, carrying himself with the quiet dignity of a man who knew his worth. His skill in bowmaking and archery was unmatched among his siblings, and with his natural eloquence and charm, he could just as easily impress a noble patron as he could strike down a target from afar. In public, he was serious and composed, the perfect son and apprentice.Nevertheless, in spite of so much expectation, his polished exterior concealed a mischievous streak, a side of him known only to his brothers. Though duty always came first, Naomasa had a way of bending the rules when no one was looking—sneaking out to share sake with friends, goading his younger brothers into harmless trouble, and turning even the dullest lessons into an adventure. Still, there was one rule he never broke—his unwavering devotion to their family’s safety. He guarded their mother and sisters fiercely, standing between them and any threat, whether it came in the form of harsh words, wandering eyes, or the creeping dangers of war. He carried his responsibilities well, but there were moments, in the secrecy of late-night laughter and whispered plans, when he was simply an older brother, warm and full of life. Had fate been kinder, Sakyo often wonders, perhaps Naomasa would have lived long enough to pass down those lessons himself.TAKAKANE (Deceased) ––– –
The second eldest of Haruhisa’s sons, Takakane, was a man of practicality and precision, earning his father’s respect through diligence rather than brilliance. Though he lacked Naomasa’s effortless charm and natural mastery, he fared well enough at the craft to secure a place above Sakyo in their father’s eyes. What truly set him apart, however, was his sharp mind for business. By seventeen summers, he had taken on the responsibility of managing the family’s finances, ensuring their earnings were properly allocated and their household remained stable. With Takakane handling expenses and negotiations, their father was free to focus solely on perfecting the family’s art.Unlike Naomasa, who carried himself with quiet dignity, Takakane was unapologetically vain. He and Sakyo both bore the rare blond hair rumored to be an inheritance from their grandfather. He took great care in his appearance, often preening before a mirror and ensuring his clothing and posture were immaculate. Though not unkind, his pride and self-assured nature sometimes set him apart from his brothers, as if he had always envisioned himself above the struggles of their household. Yet for all his vanity, he was reliable, pragmatic, and capableHIS GRANDSIRE (Unknown) ––– –
Sakyo’s grandfather is little more than a ghost, a name unspoken and erased from the family’s history. Once the heir to their bowmaking legacy, he cast it aside to become a wandering ronin, a betrayal his son, Haruhisa, never forgave. It isn’t until his fifteenth summer that Sakyo stumbles upon the only trace of the man: a katana, tucked away and long forgotten in the family’s storage. Worn yet well-crafted, it speaks of a life Sakyo will never fully understand—a life his father tried desperately to bury.
Aruktai
Aruktai is a man of the Steppe, fierce as the wind that sweeps across the plains and warm as the sun that kisses the earth. A young but proud khan, he leads his tribe with a steady hand—unyielding in battle yet generous in spirit, his strength tempered by deep compassion. His skin is pale, a stark contrast to the black scales that trace his form, and his long hair is woven into intricate tribal braids, adorned with beads and tokens of his victories. He dresses in the garb of his people, furs and leathers crafted from the land, practical yet regal in their simplicity.Aruktai meets life head-on, laughing freely, embracing every challenge with reckless enthusiasm. It is this untamed boldness that first draws Sakyo’s eye when they meet in passing—two strangers bound by trade, yet inexplicably pulled toward one another. Where Sakyo is quiet and restrained, Aruktai is wild and unshaken, a force of nature unburdened by the weight of tradition. And yet, rather than clash, they find balance. Sakyo, steady and grounded, becomes the foundation upon which Aruktai can roam free, while Aruktai’s fire stirs something deep within Sakyo—a longing for something beyond duty, beyond sacrifice. Together, they are two halves of a whole, bound not by obligation but by a love as boundless as the Steppe itself.