Sarah Stormwind
Echo-blessed. Scalekin enthusiast.
Aetherologist and alchemist.
A woman stripped of home by fate.
Please click the buttons below for more information. Be warned, there are story spoilers on two of these pages: the third (marked), and the sixth (entire page involves spoilers). Please navigate with caution.
Fianna de Valhourdin
Name: Sarah Stormwind
Age: Two clusters and two years (26 years)
Gender: Female
Home: The Holy See of Ishgard
Registered City-State: Ul’dah
Currently Lives In: The Empyreum
Guild(s): Gladiators’ Guild, Skysteel Manufactury
Free Company: The Twilight Brigade
Grand Company: The Maelstrom
Canon Job(s): PLD (ARR), MCH (HW), RDM (STB/SHB), RPR (EW)
Height: 5 fulms, 8 ilms
Weight: 130 ponzes
The Boreal Witch
Sarah's story is based on the concept of multiple Warriors of Light. While certain events remain the same, some events have changed due to this creative direction.
Dear Fianna
The Sixth Astral EraYear 1553
• Lady Celica de Valhourdin, aunt to Ser Zephirin de Valhourdin, and matron of the house, engages herself in a moonlit tryst with a Hyuran man by the name of Artus Stormwind. They find each other’s company intoxicating, and Celica allows Artus to stay in her family’s house, though they are not married. Several months later, she “gives birth” to a half-elezen, half-hyur daughter, and named her Fianna de Valhourdin.Year 1554
• Despite the difficulties of keeping the circumstances of Fianna’s birth secret, Celica gives birth to a second hybrid daughter. She is named Nessa de Valhourdin.• The Lesser House of Valhourdin’s association with hybrids comes to light, and for a time, they suffer scrutiny and criticism for the matron’s actions.Year 1556
• Artus, finding his presence unwanted in the halls of House Valhourdin, decides to leave Ishgard. He leaves behind his daughters, Fianna and Nessa.Year 1557
• At 4 years of age, Fianna begins her academic and practical studies. She is taught alongside her cousin, Zephirin. Though clearly outmatched against him in swordplay, she is determined to catch up as quickly as possible.Year 1560
• Thordan VII is appointed Archbishop of the Holy See.Year 1562
• Nidhogg reawakens, and Ishgard enters a state of high alert.Year 1563
• Ishgard withdraws from the Eorzean Alliance.• Fianna discovers the nature of her birth after horrid treatment she receives from children of other highborn families. Her mother finds no other choice but to explain to her two daughters.Year 1564
• Fianna’s cousin, Zephirin, enters the Temple Knights’ grand tournament. He achieves victory, earning his house some much needed respect. Fianna is more determined than ever to catch up with her familial rival.Year 1565
• Fianna and Nessa begin exhibiting a natural affinity for magic. Fianna’s studies take her to learning advanced swordplay, and aetheric theory.Year 1569
• Fianna enlists herself in the Temple Knights, following in Zephirim’s footsteps. She shows aptitude for combat, displaying impressive technique with the blade and the spear.Year 1571
• Having proven herself worthy after several years of service, Fianna is considered as a candidate for the Knights Dragoon. While Zephirin has carved his own path into the Heavens’ Ward, she believes this to be her way of making a name for herself.• Later that year, she is accepted into the Knights Dragoon, and begins training in their unique fighting style.• Nessa joins the ranks of the Scholasticate, under the recommendation of her uncle, Zephirin’s father.Year 1572
• In the years leading up to the Calamity, tensions between Fianna and her mother cause discourse within the household. On the verge of leaving, she is halted by the onset of Dalamud’s fall and the implications of the realm’s destruction.The Seventh Umbral EraYear 1
• Dalamud falls, and the Elder Primal Bahamut lays waste to the realm of Eorzea.Year 3
• Taken on an expedition into the Coerthas Western Highlands, Fianna and her squadron of Dragoons are set upon by an incursion of dragonkin. In the ensuing battle, all but three of the seven knights survived, including Fianna. The events of this battle remain with her for the rest of her life.Year 4
• With the difficulties at home not improving, Fianna decides to leave The Lesser House of Valhourdin. On the night of her departure, her sister, Nessa, expresses a feeling of betrayal, not for their mother, but for Ishgard and herself. In truth, Nessa admits that she had renounced her mother for their poor treatment as children as a result of her careless actions, and taken the Hyur name, Claire Stormwind, as a symbol of her defiance. Hurt, and alone, Fianna leaves Ishgard, heading south toward Ul’dah. She takes the name Sarah Stormwind.Year 5 (A Realm Reborn)
• Sarah boards a caravan to Ul’dah, and finds little difficulty in starting a new life in the city. She enlists herself in the Adventurers’ Guild, and the Gladiators’ Guild and begins making a name for herself among the seasoned warriors.• Upon a chance encounter with the mysterious rogue, Thancred, she finds herself in contact with the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Her exploits had extended her an invitation to the organization, and, with the Antecedent Minfillia’s guidance, she learned about a gift she had been blessed with, called the Echo.The Seventh Astral EraYear 1 (A Realm Reborn)
• An encounter with the Keeper of the Lake, Midgardsormr, left her connection to Hydaelyn cut off, and her power greatly diminished.
Dragonsong
The Seventh Astral EraHeavensward Main Scenario SpoilersYear 1 (Heavensward)
• Returning to Ishgard carried with it a lot of anxiety and dread. She kept her distance from the Lesser House of Valhourdin, and found an interest in the unique mechanisms of the Skysteel Manufactory. With her power weakened, firearms offered a momentary boost to her strength that was desperately needed.• Along the way to speak with Hraesvelgr, Sarah bonds with Ysayle in particular. Their connection fosters Sarah's interest in scalekin.• As one might expect, her death was hard to overcome. Sarah grieves the loss of her friends Ysayle and Haurchefant.• Over the next few months, she notices her roots start growing in colored white. She wonders if she is stressed enough for it to happen, and begins artificially coloring her hair auburn.
For the Fallen
The Seventh Astral EraStormblood Main Scenario SpoilersYear 2 (Stormblood)
• The summoning of Shinryu and the loss of Papalymo set the stage for a grueling and exhausting campaign. Sarah and other Echo-blessed are asked to lend their aid to the Ala Mhigan Resistance on the front lines in Gyr Abania.• At Alphinaud's suggestion, Sarah, her fellow adventurers, Alisaie, Lyse, and Tataru make for Doma in an attempt to separate Zenos' forces to two fronts.• Reuniting with Yugiri in Yanxia, the adventurers learn that Zenos is returning to Doma to stifle any attempt at an uprising. Yugiri wishes to assassinate Zenos from the shadows, but some of the others hesitate. Even after acknowledging the group's decision, Yugiri still decides to sneak out with some of the Echo-blessed and attempt an assassination. Despite the element of surprise, Yugiri falls against Zeno's attack, and the Echo-blessed manage to hold their own for a time, until Zenos switches weapons and dispatches them. Sarah, pushed to her limits, awakens a new power. The immediate area flash freezes as her hair turns a frigid white. The viceroy, momentarily pushed back, shatters the ice and dispatches Sarah. Zenos, noticing the difference in strength since their previous encounter, spares them all, asking that they continue to live and grow stronger so that they may fight once more.Year 3 (Stormblood)
• The battle for Doma Castle results in a horrible scene on the way to the throne room. New to her acquired abilities, Sarah slaughters the advanced forces by encasing them in a solid sheet of ice. Similar occurrences across the Gyr Abanian front later in the war earn her the moniker "The Boreal Witch".
The Seventh
The Seventh Astral EraShadowbringers Main Scenario SpoilersYear 3 (Shadowbringers)
• Plenty of things had been kept secret from Sarah for her whole life. As Emet-Selch made himself more readily available for conversation during the events that took place on the First, he revealed to her more aspects about the truth behind her existence. To start, she learned that she was not a native to the Source. Emet, who had operated rather autonomously in attempts to experiment with new ideas to bring about the Rejoining, kidnapped a youth from the Seventh Shard before it's destruction during the Seventh Umbral Calamity. He delivered her into the hands of an Ishgardian highborn, who adopted the child and named her Fianna.• Subsequently, after learning that sentient beings are sundered Amaurotian souls, she discovered who on the Source shared her soul: the Elezen woman with whom she had shared a bond with during the final year of the Dragonsong War, Ysayle. The extent of what this meant, however, was never revealed to her before Emet-Selch's death, and still, she struggles to figure out if she will ever come to terms with the realization that she and her sister are not related, and that she will likely never meet her birth parents.• One day, she wakes up to find that her eyes had brightened in hue and started to glow. She picks up her ruby-lensed glasses and makes her way to ask the scion, Y'shtola, what it could mean.
Loss, Fire, and Faith
The Seventh Astral EraEndwalker Main Scenario SpoilersYear 3 (Shadowbringers)
• After seeing the discourse and resolution played out with House Leveilleur, Sarah resolved to finally make peace with her mother. Through a long moonlit discussion, she told her sister about her plans, and through her determination convinced Claire to join her.
Trusts
For those we have lost. For those we can yet save.Sarah is quite the charismatic individual, and has made many lasting friendships, established a few romantic relationships, and maintains multiple professional connections.
Rin StormwindSarah met him in Ul'dah, lost without memory. She gave him his name, presuming falsely that he was from Doma. He kept the name, and when later asked for his surname, he proudly exclaimed "Stormwind!" reasoning that she was why he had a name at all.
Saya TokikazeSarah's best friend is her go-to healer. Someone that she can share a drink, a good laugh, and a tear with.
Thorgrim MordraA good friend met through adventuring. He's secretive about his past, but his moniker suggests a bloody one.
Duna AlmarHer relationship with the Garlean deserter could best be described as complicated. Enemies and friends at the same time, they find mutual benefits in their interactions.
More to be added as the journey unfolds...
Facts
• Her favorite food is sea salt ice cream.
• She prefers red wine.
• She really, really, really likes the explosions firearms and gunblades make, despite what she may say.
• In an attempt to remain anonymous in certain circumstances, she's adopted alter egos with the aid of her own brand of Fantasia. These alter egos are as follows:
Fianna Tswarra, a cheerful, motherly Veena Viera.
Y'mraiha, a flirtatious Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te.
Nanashi Nashi, a business-oriented, enterprising Dunesfolk Lalafell.
The World Unsundered
Sarah and her company of friends also had bonds before the Sundering. While Sarah is not Azem, she was Azem's friend. Below is a list of some of Sarah's trusts (found here) as they were before their souls were scattered.
Aphrodite, Lady of Love, Princess of Passion
Azem - Apollo, the Traveler, Child of Light
Thanatos, He Who Resides Over Death
???Duna being a recipient of the Resonant makes her original soul difficult to pinpoint.