.:Appearance:.

True to his highlander roots, Martin is a tall, athletically built hyur best recognized in a crowd by his shock of blond hair and the crimson tattooed stripes on the face underneath it. At six fulms and five ilms, and a weight of two hundred and fifty ponzes, there was a time where he prided himself as taller and stronger than his peers. And then he befriended monks.The young hyur's hair is almost always swept back into a wild, blond mess, save for the rare occasion someone manages to force him into finer attire. The untamed hair accentuates a handsome face, complete with bright blue eyes, a strong jaw, a lot of scruffy blond chin fuzz, and a crooked grin. Bonus: he also has eyebrows.Beneath the layers of leather and cloth armor he wears is a body befitting a warrior. Strong muscles line Martin's frame, from his broad shoulders to his sturdy legs. Despite his age, the young man's skin bears the scars of war, both from battle and from captivity, but one scar stands out amongst the rest: a webwork of spindly lines that zigzag and interweave from his right hand to his right shoulder, a burn left by a lightning strike.

.:Noticeable Features:.

~ scars that wring his wrists and ankles, parting gifts from his time as a prisoner of war.
~ lightning burns that run the length of his right arm
~ a pockmark in the center of his forehead. That coupled with his pale hair and age lead many to (rightly) suspect his blood is sullied with garlean taint.

WIP!

.:Basic Info:.

Name: "Martin Adler"
Former Identities: Volker Brandt (Birth Name), Marinus oen Aquilius (Imperial name)
Gender: Male
Age: 20
Race: Highlander (half-garlean)
Nationality: Ala Mhigo

.:History:.

A young man born and raised under Garlean occupation, Martin's story -what he's willing to share of it- is one of adversity. The common threads of his story include:
~Born and raised in Ala Mhigo
~Was captured and imprisoned in a Castrum during the liberation.
~Has since become a member of the Reach's Resistance Cell and works tirelessly for the betterment of his people and the recognition of his peers.
~Has begun studying the ways of the Fists of Rhalgr under the tutelage of an Autgar Bloode.Several months past, however, the highlander was hauled in front of a Resistance Tribunal to face his past crimes: serving the Empire as a member of the Crania Lupi. The trial shed light on two decades of past, and all the dirty secrets and unpleasant truths Martin long sought to bury.

.:Childhood:.

~Martin was born as Volker Brandt, the son of a healer named Odelia Brandt who hailed from a rural mountain village near Xelphatol's border. His father was an imperial spy who had posed as a fellow rebel during the rebellion against Theodoric.~Volker's mixed heritage was a badge of shame that set him apart from his peers. From as early back as he can remember, Volker bore the burden for the sins of his father, ostracized by neighbors and kin throughout his childhood. Spurned by his home, it's no small wonder he sought kinship in other places.~At a fairly young again, he left the village to join the Crania Lupi. Most everyone assumes he perished in the war. He isn't particularly missed.

.:Crania Lupi:.

~At a young age, he was taken away from his hometown to become a member of the Crania Lupi. Through the Empire he received a basic, military education.~It's a well-known fact amongst his fellow soldiers that he is half-garlean. His father was a frumentarius serving under Gaius van Baelsar. Much of his drive as a young teen to become a Skull came from a desire to discover and connect to this parent figure he'd never met.~Marinus was known for his brutality and contempt for other Ala Mhigans, resentment built into him through his upbringing and radicalized by his imperial education.~During a high risk mission to destabilize the invading Alliance forces, Marinus was captured by the Maelstrom and imprisoned in Castrum Oriens. And with that, his role in the imperial war machine came to an end.

.:Autgar Bloode:.

A chance encounter in the Ala Mhigan corner led to Martin meeting Autgar through one of his Free Company mates. Upon learning that he was a member of the Fists of Rhalgr, Martin sought him out of curiosity to learn more about the fabled order. Though joining the Fists was far from his intentions, Autgar saw potential in the hot-headed soldier and encouraged him to consider the monkhood. Though Martin initially balked at the idea, overtime he grew to respect and admire Autgar, first as a friend, then a role model, then finally a teacher. He was the first person Martin ever confessed his past to.Though Autgar stood by Martin faithfully through his trial, they now face a new hurdle: picking up the pieces and moving forward. A chance encounter between Autgar and some faces in Martin's past sundered some of the trust between the student and his teacher. With both men equally stubborn and equally wounded by the exchange afterwards, it's hard to say when, where and how a reconciliation will come about.

.:Berrod Armstrong:.

Martin encountered Berrod in passing during a tournament at the Reach was immediately impressed by the Fist of Rhalgr's martial prowess. As Ala Mhigans are wont to do, he later sought Berrod out to test his strength against the monk. Over the course of several encounters, Martin grew to appreciate Berrod's wisdom and spiritual teachings, rekindling his interest in a religion he'd long been estranged from. Nowadays, he views Berrod as a brotherly sort of role model, someone he feels he can confide to in case of trouble (or when he's afraid to admit to Autgar that he doesn't understand something related to the monkhood). He is the second person Martin has entrusted his past to.

.:Florihilda Valerian:.

Florihilda did not leave the best of initial impressions with Martin. After hearing from Autgar that he saw potential in the soldier, Flora sought Martin out. Upon learning that he knew little and cared less about Rhalgr worship and the monkhood, Flora made it her mission to enlighten the nonbeliever and refused any attempts Martin made to try and dismiss her. Caving to her resolve, Martin resigned himself to her sermons. Although met with flippancy and snark at first, Flora's patient teaching encouraged Martin to look beyond his narrow world view and to find the possibility for redemption in Destroyer's eyes.Martin may have only known this fawn-like, stinky hermit monk for less than a turn, but if anything happens to her, he'll kill everyone in the room and then himself.

.:Jophoix Suinuet:.

Martin shot Jophoix on the battlefield. Five times. He really hopes Jophoix doesn't remember that.Edit: Jophoix DOES remember that and it's really put a damper on the budding friendship they had fostered after the war. Oops.Though angry at his betrayal and lies, Jophoix visited him during the Skull's prison stay to leave the ball in Martin's court: any reconciliation and forgiveness is on Martin's shoulders to initiate and earn.

.:Ojene Suinuet:.

Rhalgr have mercy on him if Ojene ever recognizes Martin for who he once was. It was the Legalman's companions that imprisoned Martin all those moons ago. It is the Legalman herself that has the power to put him right back behind bars.EDIT: And behind bars she put him. Sort of. Upon piecing together the holes in Martin's backstory, Ojene confronted the former Skull and gave him an ultimatum: turn yourself in to the Resistance or I will do it for you. In the end, Martin complied, and it was her legal counsel that helped guide him and his teachers through the trial.He still isn't sure where the Legalman stands with him outside the courtroom, and their personalities and beliefs clash more than they coincide, but Martin has a healthy -albeit wary- respect for the Legalman and her commitment to the law above all else.

.:Crooked Tarot:.

Martin met Tarot in passing at a fighting tournament, where he was impressed by Tarot's one-of-a-kind, Tri-Tah Ki'pup martial style. Only later did he find out it was a nonsense name for a nonexistent style. Easily wiled by Tarot's over-the-top stories, Martin's been drawn into his SHENANIGANS* a couple of times, but Tarot's good humor makes it hard to stay annoyed at him for long.*The management has informed me that the PROPER description for Tarot's schemes is not "hijinks" but rather "SHENANIGANS." We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

.:Tiergan Vashir:.

Tiergan and Martin OFFICIALLY met at a Winter's Knell festival where they built a petty rivalry and bickering over baklava and snowmen at a Winter's Knell festival. Their friendship, however, was forged after Martin came to the gladiator's defense when a battered, bloodied Tiergan needed backup to fend off a gang of bounty hunting slavers. Knowing what it's like to have to hide from a shameful history, Martin was quick to protect Tiergan's desire for discretion.Much to Martin's shock and disbelief, Tiergan returned the favor. The gladiator took to the stands as an unexpected witness during Martin's trial, giving a compelling testimony in support of the young man's redemption and sharing his achievements and good deeds with the court room. The half-hyur is still tongue-tied trying to think of a suitable thank you for his help.

.:Suhee Yun:.

A chance encounter in the Pearl Lane led to Suhee and Martin crossing paths and fists when the easterner first arrived in Eorzea. Amused by her pluck and determination, the two became fast and competitive friends. The closer the two grew together as friends, the more and more Martin realized how much he treasured the light and joy Suhee brought into his life.In many ways, she's given him a gift no one else could: she's given him back his youth, a chance to be young and carefree and in love. And in some ways, Martin has given her the same gift in return. Together, they are making up for the years of lost time and innocence the Empire stole from both of them.

.:What am I looking for?:.

Oh boy what aren’t I looking for? Martin's had some recent upheaval in his character arc after being outed as a former member of the Crania Lupi and put on trial. He's been sentenced to lifetime parole and discharge from the Resistance, but the shake-up in his status has left him needing some new connections:~ Friends: Who doesn’t need these? Martin just lost a whole lot of them after being put on trial, so he’s more than happy to network with people who can look past his ugly past, as well as other fugitives with similar sordid histories for communal commiseration.~ Foes: Martin has a target on his back since being outed as a traitorous Skull. Got some bones to pick with Imperials and their ilk? Hit me up and we’ll see what we can do about it.~ Monks: Martin is spiritually obligated to play nice with his brothers and sisters in arms, whether they like the fact that he used to be an imperial or not. Need a sermon audience? A morning prayer partner? A sparring partner? A theological debate opponent?~ Volunteer work: Part of Martin’s sentence requires that he spend 7 days of service every month helping with the reconstruction or defense of Ala Mhigo. So 7 days a month he can be at the beck and call of anyone in need of some unpaid manual labor in the name of Rhalgr. Got some rubble that needs clearing? A rampaging Muud Suud that needs slaying? A storeroom in your Ala Ghiri shop that needs reorganizing and cleaning? Just sign the dotted line on his parole sheet after and consider it done!~ Resistance soldiers: Sometimes you need someone to keep a stern eye on you to make sure you’re not causing trouble. If any Reistance soldiers or officers would like to have a hand in watching his parole.

.:Roleplay Hooks:.

~ (EDITED) Ala Mhigan Resistance: Since his arrival in the Reach after Ala Mhigo’s liberation, Martin has made himself a known quantity in the Resistance: first for his loud, brash, bullheaded attitude off the field, then for his marksmanship and grit on the field. Recently, however, he’s gained a new layer of infamy after being dishonorably discharged for having past imperial ties.
While he can still be found slinking around the Reach, it’s at the beck and call of his parole officers instead of in the proud uniform of a freedom fighter.~ (NEW) Blackblooded Kinslayer: Martin was recently arrested and put to trial after information surfaced that the Resistance soldier was an Imperial defector, a member of the infamous Crania Lupi. After a moon of imprisonment and a lengthsome, public trial, he was dishonorably discharged from the Resistance and sentenced to a lifetime of parole and monthly service to the Ala Mhigan people. Half of Eorzea knows Martin’s name and Martin’s shame after his trial, and many believe he got off much to lightly for the sins he committed.~ (EDITED) Fist of Rhalgr: Prior to being put on trial, Martin had undergone the process of training and fighting his way into the ranks of the brotherhood. In fact, were it not for the testimonies of three of his peers, the kinslayer-turned-convert would likely still be sitting behind bars… or worse. Though a recent addition to the ranks, Martin hopes to prove that their faith in him isn’t misplaced..

.:OOC:.

Hi there! I'm Marty, sometimes known as Talaiga or Alb (depending on what character or discord handle you've met me under). Thanks for checking out my carrd. Hope you liked what you see! If you'd like to learn more or talk about the possibility having our characters meet, feel free to hit me up on Discord at Talaiga#5097 or over on tumblr at friendly-fire-engaged.tumblr.com.If you're reading this, then you probably want to know more about me and what I'm here for! I'm flattered!

.:RP Limits:.

I'm a pretty laid back person when it comes to RP, but I do expect open communication OOCly when it comes to planning and participating in RP. I'll do my best to accomodate others' limits and boundaries, but I can't do that I don't know yours! I also expect the same treatment in return.~I consider myself Lore Friendly: the foundations of all my characters are based in Lore, but sometimes I prop up the empty gaps with headcanons and extrapolations based off existing lore. If that is something that doesn't mesh well with you, that's fine, but I'm not looking for constructive criticism on how to play my character.~I WILL play: Honestly, just about anything if we talk it through in advance. It's faster to list what I won't play than what I will.~I WON'T play: I'm not at all interested in any sort of god-modding, metagaming or character death. My other hard no is sexual violence, particularly assault and rape. The lasting consequences are something I don't want to roleplay out, and I do not want to diminish the gravity of such subjects through RP. I'm also not up for any ego-stroking RP. My biggest pet peeve is coming into an RP event where my partner just wants to flaunt their character's superiority over mine.~What I'm for: friends/rivals/contacts/workplace acquaintances/former workplace acquaintances/distant cousins/anything really! Hit me up and let's talk some possibilities and I'll let you know if I think it's something I'd be down for.~Regarding ERP and Romance: While ERP is something I'm not opposed to and won't shy away from, I'm not interested in being OOCly solicited for ERP or for romance RP out of the blue. It's not something I'm wholly opposed to but outside of the occasional exception I'm not interested in it unless ICly it feels like the characters that mesh in a way that would lead to that, and OOCly we communicate.

.:Disclaimer:.

~I am not my character. My character is not me. Any interactions that are IC are not an OOC indicator of my personal feelings about you, your character, etc. If you something I've said OOC or written IC offends you, by all means please bring it up and if it's something I'm able to accomodate, I will.~If I find that I don't think our characters will fit together, or if a proposed idea is something I'm not interested in roleplaying out, I will respectfully decline it. I expect and hope you will feel comfortable doing the same! This is not a personal affront to you and doesn't reflect any OOC opinions I have about you as a person.

WIP!