#hawu'to is the “smart one” who's actually working in sharlayan

[neriyon]

30 WoL Think Thonkers (part 1)

From this prompt list! I'm planning on answering all of these, and to start with here are the first 6 questions (from the "Warm up" category). It got pretty long right from the first question, so hiding it under read more~

I. Where is your Warrior of Light from? What was their home like growing up and what set them out on their journey?

Hawu'li is from The Black Shroud - more specifically from around South Shroud. Somewhere relatively close to the Buscarron's place (he used to hang out around his tavern as a kid), but outside the playable map area. His home was just some small clearing in the woods, with a few simple small houses, some sheds and tons of kids running around.

Hawu'li's immediate family consisted of his mother, Hawu (the matriarch of the family), her two younger sisters (Khona & Masha), and all their collective kids/grandkids: Hawu'li's siblings (2 brothers, 7 sisters), his cousins (Khona's and Masha's kids) and a couple of toddlers from the oldest kids. They are a very traditional keeper family - matriarch strictly keeps her family in line, the only males around are children or visiting, and the family is mostly self sufficent. What they can't make themselves is usually brought as a gift (from suitors or children visiting their mothers) or traded from travelling merchants in exchange for meat they hunted. All of the kids were taught basics of carpentry, letherwork, cooking and botany, but good hunters were treated with the highest respect.

Hawu'li was always very small and scrawny kid, lot more interested in reading books than sparring with his sisters outside. He learned crafting somewhat easily, but for some reason when it came to wielding a spear or a bow he would keep blundering even the easiest of basics. As a kid most adults just found it funny, thinking he'd outgrow it soon enough.

Years went on, but Hawu'li did not grow big like most assumed, nor did he figure out hunting. His sisters found him pretty useful for babysitting while they were out hunting, but Hawu'li himself grew more and more ashamed with each passing year. His mother's strong disaproval didn't help. What keeper couldn't hunt their own food?

Then one year, one of his older cousins, while visiting her home after few years of studying, thought of teaching him some very basic spells. Surprising even himself, Hawu'li learned these spells very quickly. She encouraged him to go to Gridania to learn more, winning the first hesitant boy over with tales of conjurers helping the townspeople and travelers alike.

2. What city-state did your Wol start in? How did they feel about it then, and how do they feel about it now?

And then he left to Ul'dah inste-- no, just joking. He did set out to Gridania, managed to get into conjurers' guild and started studying.

His experience was pretty mixed: Gridania is not really know for being nice to outsiders, let alone someone from a family proud of their hunting traditions. But for every rude person, there seemed to be a nice one too. Mother Miounne helped him greatly during the first few months, and after settling in the Stillglade Fane he did quickly befriend most of his fellow students.

Now, after all his travels, he still feels that Gridania is his "home" as much as his family's home is. Both have some bad memories, but also lots of good ones, and he'd rather see both prosper.

3. How do they feel about being Hydaelyn's chosen?

Tough one… uhhhh Hawu'li is generally of the mind that the title of Warrior of Light is a positive thing. Maybe because he doesn't need to carry it alone - the overwhelming expectations and responsibilities are split over the three of them carrying mantle together. Being Hydaelyn's chosen has led to him seeing the world a lot more, meeting various people he'd never have met otherwise, and having the power to actually change things. On some nights the weight of lost friends feels very heavy, but overall he is glad for the things he's gained from being chosen.

4. What do they do in their down time? Do they have any hobbies outside of Primal-slaying and world-saving? Are these lifelong hobbies or recent interests?

Hawu'li's absolute favorite way to pass time is to just spend it with those dear to him, but he does really enjoy cooking and reading! Or just going for walks or shopping trips with his loved ones. Lately he's been learning more weaver stuff, mostly how to make little knitted shirts for plushies (and Carby).

5. How do they feel now that “it’s all over” (the story of Hydaelyn and Zodiark)? What do they plan to do next? Or is their story finished - and if you’re retiring them, what does retirement look like for them? Do you have someone else taking the stage going forward?

Story is very much not over for Hawu'li! He can't really think about retiring (like, ever) since it would mean leaving his biggest calling (helping others), but I did plan that he has some tiny vacation between 6.55 stuff and the next expansion. Nothing that big, just spending extra time with his partners and friends, having fun and enjoying not being in a hurry for once. Maybe finally visiting his family?

I've spoken about this before, but his co-WoLs (my friends' ocs) are indeed retiring, and when I can figure out how to work them into the MSQ nicely he'll actually get 1-2 new companions (aside from Scions) for his trip to Tural. So now instead of a cat and two elves we'll have 1-2 cats and a bunny, haha. (Einn and maaaybe N'jinh when I finish his rework)

6. Who was their Azem? What were they like, and were they different from your WoL? Who were their family, friends? Or, if you don’t care for the Azem angle or went in your own direction for their past self, how so? How does your WoL feel about their Ancient identity?

Hawu'li's Azem was named Eleos. The two are rather similar in personality, but with Eleos being a bit more… intense? I often like to describe Eleos as "Hawu'li but turned up to 11". Biggest differences are probably that Eleos is very much not afraid to hit things (thanks Venat), and is in general a lot braver than Hawu'li is, but also more prone to mood swings (Hawu'li is a lot more patient). He's also somewhat of a gremlin, getting in the nerves of his poor coworkers constantly lol.

Eleos was the only kid of a researcher and a farmer in some more secluded corner of Etheirys. Venat also counts as his family - as a kid Eleos hugely idolized Venat for saving his hometown from monsters, but later on during his apparenticeship their relationship turns more familial.

Uhhhh as for other relationships: adult Eleos was dating Hyth and Hades, was generally friendly with other Convocation members (Lahabrea might've felt otherwise lol), treated Elidibus as a younger brother he never had aaaaand had a bestie called Skeiron (Einn's ancient). Lots of other friends too since I specifically wanted every single one of my ocs' ancients to know each other in some way haha, so I'm not listing all of them here.

Hawu'li isn't really sure what to think about the whole Azem thing. It's not like he has any memories of the past, and while he finds it fascinating to learn more about what his soul did in the past he is very much aware that he's his own person.

As a fun little bonus I'll mention that they have actually met! In my version of MSQ events Eleos' consciousness still kinda hangs around in his shards, just kinda looking after his "kids" (spectating everything while sitting on a couch with Ardbert lol). In that Ultima Thule cutscene he actually makes himself properly know for the first time, and kinda just manifests alongside Hyth and Hades to properly say goodbye (and sorry) to them. He also offers some words for Hawu'li, and then kinda retreats back into some corner of Hawu'li's soul.

#oof that ended up being so much longer than i thought akieuwhfiefuh #and i even tried to shorten both the first and last answers lol #also there be ancient talk so obiviously shb and ew spoilers #anyway uhhhh comments... #i've yet to choose names for any of hawu'li's sisters #his brothers are hawu'a and hawu'to bc male keeper names are funny like that #hawu'a is the “good son” who's really strong and good hunter #and visits home the most. usually bringing lots of food along him #hawu'to is the “smart one” who's actually working in sharlayan #hawu'li hasn't seen him in years before randomly running into him during ew haha #about gridania i'll mention that hawu'li's main beef with them is that #he feels every injured person seeking help should be treated #no matter their crimes or background #and my thoughts on it are that it's not the elementals saying no but conjurers either reading them wrong or just blaming them #so hawu'li can hear the elementals too and often uses it to call out bullshit when some stuck up conjurer refuses to help someone #hawu'li has indeed not visited his family after arr stuff #maybe he'll visit before leaving for tural #maybe even take g'raha along to meet them haha #what else uhhhh #i still want to make info page for all of the ancients too but i've been so lazy with that #oh and eleos hanging out in hawu'li's soul is actually the reason he's little less scared of being alone now #since he knows that eleos is there (silently) cheering him on he can spend juuuust a little longer alone than before ew #(not to mention that uh. like half of that separation anxiety of his is directly from eleos) #(final days trauma so bad it transfers to all his shards 😔) #purple catboy #should i tag eleos too? sure why not #wandering sun