Syngiwyda Askskalwyn

Syngiwyda's Backstory

Born Lougithota Askskalwyn, she was the illegitimate child of a Sea Wolf manor servant and the scion of a wealthy Hellsguard family in Ul'Dah, Magnanimous Bow. As her mother died in childbirth, Bow's family demanded that he send the child to an orphanage. Bow complied, eager to be rid of the evidence of his "shameful dalliance." Burdening her with a name that contained all their disdain for her and her origin, she was sent away and forgotten.

At the Happy Hearts orphanage, Lougithota was a hellion. She was often rude, got into fights, and violated restrictions about curfew, food in the sleeping rooms, and other "dumb rules." Her early growth spurt didn't help matters either, when she started to tower over even some of the Hyur staff at 14. After a fight where she broke another teenager's arm, Happy Hearts decided enough was enough, and kicked her out. With only the clothes on her back and a threadbare knapsack of what personal belongings she had, Lougithota was abandoned yet again.

Five days later as she was curled up under a broken crate, the universe granted Lougithota her first mercy. A passing adventurer, a Sea Wolf herself, heard her sobs and peeked into the crate. She introduced herself as Sterrwyda Aergurswyn, and asked if she could hire Lougithota as an assistant. Lougithota didn't have to think before accepting; anything at all was better than trying to survive on her own. And so Sterrwyda took in Lougithota as an apprentice.

Sterrwyda was a swordswoman, armed with a sword and shield alike the gladiators of Ul'Dah. She had come to the city to test her mettle and learn from the best. Of course though, she had to undertake various jobs to pay for room and board, and these jobs often went smoother with two sets of hands. Lougithota began to learn the trade, acting in non-combat roles like porter or lookout to assist Sterrwyda on jobs during the day, and undertaking grueling training in the evenings. On the days Sterrwyda was busy with her own training, Lougithota practiced her combat drills at Scorpion Crossing.

Six months in, Sterrwyda sat Lougithota down and asked for a choice: stay in Ul'Dah and fend for herself again, or travel with Sterrwyda as an adventurer. The first option, Sterrwyda said, was understandable. The second option, she warned, was dangerous, and would put Lougithota in harm's way more often than not. But Sterrwyda needed an answer, because this was the longest she had stayed in any single place, and she needed to move on. So Lougithota picked the only option: to go with Sterrwyda.

And so it went. Every three months, Sterrwyda and Lougithota would pick up their belongings and travel to a new home. Never staying in any one place for long, Lougithota saw much of Eorzea in all the seasons. Both Sterrwyda and Lougithota would try out new combat styles and professions, become mildly adequate at them, and move on to the next locale to learn something new. They would revisit these skills on occasion, but their abilities were characterized by breadth, not depth.

But the universe was not eternally merciful. And so it all ended one fateful night.

Sterrwyda and Lougithota were fulfilling a bog-standard "clear out monsters" mission near Camp Drybone. Go to the location, kill the imps, get paid. It was going as expected, until a gigantic coeurl came crashing in. Lougithota hardly had time to react before getting swatted aside by a paw into the cliff side. Dazed, she could only watch as Sterrwyda struggled to survive, blocking hit after hit with a deteriorating shield. And she could only watch as the shield split apart on a final hit. By that time, a few adventurers better skilled and equipped came by and slew the beast quickly, but it was too late for Sterrwyda. Lougithota stumbled over to her mentor, and cradled her broken body. With her dying breath Sterrwyda gave her last instruction: "Make a name for yourself."

Lougithota and Sterrwyda had had this conversation before. How "Lougithota" was a badge of honor, evidence of her triumph over the obstacles in her life's journey. And how from Sterrwyda's perspective, it was an insult to oneself to allow others to define your worth, even in just a name.

Perhaps it was the knowledge that she would have to go it alone, no longer being in someone else's shadow. Or perhaps it was the desire to fulfill the dying wish of the one person she had ever made commitments for. Whatever the reason(s), she made a name for herself: Syngiwyda Askskalwyn.

These days, Syngiwyda continues to travel from place to place. While she now has a home in Shirogane, she rarely stays there, mostly using it as a storage nook and vacation home. Her wanderlust translates into her interests too; she's never practicing any singular combat style or profession for long. And while she may have ties to various groups and factions, she remains beholden only to herself. Don't get her wrong, she's more than willing to be sociable. Yet it's one thing to be friendly, and another to be known.

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