A Knight's Duty

Few people find comfort in shadows. To have your senses hindered by the shroud of night represents a danger that people have known for as long as the world has spun. But what if those eyes in the dark were on your side?The woman known as Rizzo lives a life of service. A soldier only to her own principles, she marches forward with the intent to right wrongs that are within her power to confront. She's always been this way; from her time as a poor youth in Ul'dah, raised by her Thavnairian mother. Despite having few opportunities before them, she'd always find a way to express her opinions. Rizzo chafes at injustice, at unfairness. Not an ideal way to be, when under the heel of such a profit-driven city. It undoubtedly shaped much of her views, on how people should be treated, as she came of age scraping by in the Jewel of the Desert.Ever since the Calamity, she has sought to take that fixation on right and wrong and apply it to the world. From the streets of Ishgard, to the deserts of Gyr Abania, ultimately finding herself in the employ of a nautical mercenary company known as the Steelgrin Sirens. Rizzo has traveled far and wide, with an unerring desire to protect, to preserve, and to punish those that threaten others. Her hope is to be a guardian to the vulnerable. To some, however, she is a nightmare; a damnable specter that has harried their heels with no mind toward region or court.Whether you find safety or fear in her presence, you can rest assured, you will never be confused on where you stand with her.

Her Regalia

Rizzo is a woman shaped by work, and combat. Though she stands at a height of nearly six fulms, her presence makes her seem even bigger. Her torso is large, thickly stacked with muscle, and a healthy layer of fat. Heavy hands lead up to bulky arms, and broad shoulders. If you saw her sword, her physique would make all the sense in the world. This is a person who routinely swings around something huge and heavy.Her waist is boxy, with not much of a taper inward, given her war wrought strength. Powerful legs indicate that she's more inclined to hold up a heavy weight than she is to move especially quickly. Quite true to this point, she doesn't do anything with haste; from her leisurely stride, to the deliberate movements of her hands, she's not a visually loud person. Rizzo's body language ever remains minute and muted.The knight's face is framed by a strong jaw, with high cheekbones, and an overall handsome appearance, barring a rather cute, button nose. The only scars visible on her skin are two slashes across her face; one over her eye, the other on the bridge of her nose. She's always wearing makeup in the form of black lipstick and heavy black coloring on her eyes. This is, to her, an adornment of her station, and not necessarily designed to make her look dressed up. Interrupting all of this, however, is a tattooed rune on her face. She will never draw attention to it on her own, and will likely never tell its story.Finally, her sense of dress can be described as practical. She dresses for comfort and use, while only occasionally sprucing up for things that require it. She is a fan of long coats, (armored and unarmored,) and routinely dresses down for warm weather. Her only constant is a pair of red spectacles she keeps on hand. Both for the style, and out of habit from having been raised in the desert.

The Paths Ahead

- Rizzo is a bodyguard for hire. She has a rather sterling reputation as someone who is professional and efficient. If you are a stage performer or sex worker, she will usually do the job for free.
- Perhaps you came up in Ul'dah around the same time as her. If so, you might remember her as an up and coming singer for various troupes in the area. Curiously, she hasn't sung publicly since the Calamity. If you use this hook, you would know her mainly by her first name, Rafaela.
- Need information about cults? She has an unusually detailed knowledge about shady, hooded figures who practice taboo magic. And more importantly: how to fight them.
- If you're working as a soldier for the Eorzean Alliance, you might have heard rumor of her during the various conflicts between them and the Garlean Empire. Rizzo's worked as a mercenary for the Maelstrom in several of these wars.
- If you find yourself in the deep end and in need of a dark knight, well. It's not common knowledge that she knows the dark arts, but it is something we can work out, if you are interested. (Send me a tell for this one!)
- Were you in Northern Thanalan during the Battle of Carteneau? (Specifically the first one.) If so, you might have seen Rizzo escorting a score of refugees away from the incoming Dalamud.
- If you were in Ishgard during the Dragonsong War, you might have heard of a boarding house on the edge of the Brume being run by a Thavnairian woman named Farah. It was a safe place for war veterans to be healed, and rehabilitated. Rizzo was a frequent presence there, and still is, to this day.
- The second Battle for Carteneau was something she was more personally present for, so it's possible you fought alongside her.

OOC Notes

Hello, and thank you for reading my carrd! Expect the occasional art update as time goes by. While I have you, here are some rules and clarifications on what you can expect when RPing with me.- I, and my characters both, are LGBTQIA+ and will never engage in content or language that disparages those groups. Anyone who uses terms meant to fetishize or demean anyone under that umbrella will not be someone I interact with.
- I am 21+ and I would prefer to only interact with roleplayers and characters who are, as well. I am an adult and am only interested in writing with other adults.
- This should go without saying but I'm putting it in here anyway: don't be racist! I have no patience for people who say bigoted or gross things on this front.
- On an OOC level, I actually like talking a lot! Either planning RP, or just goofing around, I do this hobby to make friends, so I like to get to know the people I am writing with. Don't hesitate to say hello!
- Rizzo can be a confrontational character, but I'm actually a huge baby, so if she ever makes you feel uncomfortable, or if you wish to figure out a resolution with minimal conflict, then I am all for it. Please, just hit me up in tells, and we'll figure something out.
- My time zone is PST but I've got a sleep disorder so who knows when you'll catch me. I ask that you be patient, as my activity can be hard to predict.And that's the long and short of it! Thank you very much for reading all of this, and I hope you have a lovely day.