Aria Iris
The Red Swordswoman
Born from the region of Yanxia, Aria was a mute from the age of three due to a mental block and lost her family when the Garleans invaded her village, seeking out rebels, when she was seven years old. She witnessed her family being slaughtered for the hope of freedom from the Garlean Empire. The only thing left behind was her mother's scarf in the aftermath of the destruction. Permanently traumatized from the experience and having a deep rooted hatred for the officers that slew her parents and siblings and the Garlean Empire. She blames herself for being too weak and powerless. This caused her to push herself beyond her limits and make up for her “weakness”. At the age of 15, she started her training to become a Red Mage after traveling to Limsa. During her years of training, she traveled from Limsa to the Azim Steppe and back to her homeland while her hatred and anger grew towards the people that ripped away her life. Once her training was over, her teacher, Wilbeorht Gardner, gave her a fox mask, carved out of the wood from her homeland and she set out to try and find peace for her family’s death and for herself.
Over the next seven years, she traveled to other lands, learning new trades that would give her more knowledge and help her personally in her quest to make herself stronger to protect the innocent. The tips of her hair grew red from her using red mage magic. Aria always brought around a notebook and her Tomestone to help with communication with people or made gestures signalling the other what was on her mind. Despite her timidness and inability to speak, she still strived to help others no matter what. Recent developments revealed to Aria that her childhood was based on lies, most of it at least. It was revealed to her that her mother had relations with an Ishgardian Elezen, despite the man being married, and she was the product of their temporary relationship. She also found out she has two half brothers from the Elezen man, one of them ironically was a close friend of hers. She still struggles to accept this newly found revelation.
Aria Iris is known as a shy and timid person due to her past and anxiety of her being a mute at some points, trying to be more trusting and open. Past that, once she gets to know and trust a person, she becomes more open and relaxed around them. During battle, she puts others first before herself, pushing herself beyond her limits to protect her allies and making sure they all remain safe during and after the battle. She’s also known to be kindhearted and, when pushed into a corner or sees something unjust, becomes cross and her timidness being replaced with a lionhearted personality. She will immediately become bold and will fiercely show her annoyance to the other person.