The Emberstorm
Mina Angura

7th Sun, 6th Umbral Moon, 1549 of the Sixth Astral Era (23 Before Calamity): Minatsuki is born to Takayuki and Satsuki of Tribe Angura during a harsh winter in the Blindfrost.

1567: Mina leave the Blindfrost on a trade route as part of a tribal rite, terminating in Stillwater, the home of Tribe Orben. She stays behind to hone her tradecraft, and falls in love with Saya, a river fisher. She grows attached to their river-based life and Saya's dream of fishing the world.

1568: With Garlean forces encroaching, Saya's family pressures the couple to marry. Though new to the concept, Mina agrees, wanting to stay by Saya’s side. Tribe Orben connects with the Doman Liberation Front.

1569: Saya joins the Liberation Front as a scout. Mina, uneasy but supportive, remains behind.

1570: Saya’s team vanishes during an ambush. Grieving, Mina leaves Tribe Orben with a passing trade caravan, drifting across Othard as a laborer and low-level fighter, numbing herself through combat.

1571: Still adrift, Mina finds her way to Kugane and joins the sailing crew of retired bodyguard Ogiwara "Kenzo" Jinzen. Though already trained as a child, she deepens her martial discipline under his watchful eye. Later that year, the crew docks in Limsa Lominsa, where a chance encounter over a shared lunch with a kindhearted engineer leaves a lasting impression. Their arrival on the 24th Sun of the 6th Astral Moon is the first official record of Mina in Eorzea. It becomes her legal nameday, with her age roughly estimated from it, making her two years younger on paper than she truly is.

1572/Year 0 (The Calamity): While traveling to Ul’dah with Kenzo to enter the Bloodsands, Mina witnesses the Calamity firsthand. In her debut match, she discards her weapons mid-fight and overwhelms her opponent bare-handed. Though officially ruled a TKO due to her unstable mental state, her ferocity earns early praise from analyst Garron “Stonejaw” Thorne.

Year 1: Mina defeats rising star Nessa Orendel in under 20 seconds, silencing critics and earning respect. She and Kenzo relocate to Limsa, where she reconnects with Cyrelle, the kind engineer who offers snacks and quiet companionship. Mina keeps her distant but doesn’t push her away. She continues to dominate the arena, rising swiftly through the ranks. However, veteran fighter Cagen Vorrick begins to stalk and harass her behind the scenes - the start of a pattern that would haunt her for years.

Year 2: As Kenzo departs to return to the sea, Mina throws herself deeper into the Bloodsands. Fighting becomes her only outlet, though loneliness sets in. Cyrelle tries to get closer, but Mina only lets her in just enough to stop the questions. By year’s end, she's a rising star, with analysts predicting a climb into the midcard.

Year 3: Mina turns down team offers, preferring solitude. Cyrelle begins attending matches, witnessing Mina’s fastest knockout yet against Cassia D’Vere. Learning Kenzo left long ago, Cyrelle steps in as Mina’s “coach.” Mina doesn’t protest, quietly accepting the company she once resisted.

Year 4: Challenged to her first deathmatch, Mina crushes Varrak Stonefist with brutal efficiency. Cyrelle watches in horror as Mina, blood-soaked, stands victorious. The moment leaves a mark on them both. Cyrelle starts staying over before and after fights, and Mina begins to expect - and quietly rely on - her presence.

Year 5: Mina climbs to the top of the Bloodsands, now whispered as a future champion. Though calmer, she remains emotionally closed off, finding clarity only between the bells. She wins six more deathmatches with brutal efficiency — the last against Cagen Vorrick, whose death she delivers without hesitation. In her quest for closure, she destroys his grave and plants a tree in its place. The crowd begins calling her "The Ashen Queen," a title that fits the chill she leaves behind.

Cyrelle, now a constant presence, slowly chips away at Mina’s walls. During the Starlight Celebration, they spend the night beneath blankets in Mina’s bed, “for warmth.” Words are few — unnecessary, for their actions say everything. When Mina calls her Akari, Doman for “light,” it carries a quiet weight. They fall asleep in each other’s arms, and by morning, the space between them feels a little less cold. Neither mentions sleeping alone again.

Year 6: Mina’s 50th match is a rematch against Lyana “The Thorn” Glacefall, her top-card rival and friend. But what begins as a showcase of two masters quickly spirals when drunkards in the crowd harass Cyrelle. Mina’s focus fractures; she evades Lyana effortlessly but never takes her eyes off the stands. When one man lays a hand on Cyrelle, Mina snaps. She bolts from the ring and unleashes a savage, unrelenting assault — not a fight, but a mauling. Brass Blades drag her off, and when she looks up, Cyrelle is staring at her in horror — the same expression Mina saw after her first kill.

The match is ruled a TKO. Cyrelle doesn’t come home that night, and Mina spirals, believing she’s ruined everything. When Cyrelle finally returns, it’s with a guard escort — she’d been detained for questioning. Over a tense dinner and a smoke on the stoop, Cyrelle finally speaks: she’s tired of being shut out, tired of guessing where she stands. She blurts out that she’s loved Mina for years and can’t keep doing this — the closeness, the silence, the fear.

Mina can’t find the words. So she kisses her — rough, desperate, honest. It’s not enough to fix everything, but it’s a start. The next time Cyrelle visits, she doesn’t knock. She brings her things and never leaves.

Year 7: Mina and Cyrelle work through their pasts, healing side by side. Mina is crowned champion — the Ashen Queen finally bearing her Ashen Crown. The fierce fire that once drove her gives way to steadier resolve, but her skill remains unmatched. In her final match, she defeats Veldris “The Hammer” Marar in under two minutes. For the first time, she smiles in the ring, briefly acknowledges the crowd, then rushes to Cyrelle, ready for whatever comes next.

She commissions a fishing sloop from the same drydock where Cyrelle first worked. On the anniversary of their first kiss, they quietly reaffirm their bond, beginning to call each other wives — the only step needed in either of their cultures. She also gets sleeve tattoos on her arms: the branches from the tree on Vorrick’s grave, changing to autumn orange — a quiet emblem of closure, and the turning of seasons within her.

Year 8: Mina’s sloop, Ember Wake, is completed. Shortly after its maiden voyage, she adopts an abandoned whittret kit found on the docks - Cyrelle names him Bandit. Mina sets out to fulfill Saya’s dream of fishing the world, recording catches and techniques to create fishing guides - Coastlines & Currents. Her first guide on Limsa Lominsa and the Mist draws the attention of Alveric Belviaux, a marine specimen Gleaner. Mina is contracted by Professor Elysande Rivetis of the Studium to assist in research and share her data.

Year 9: When Cyrelle can’t name Mina as next of kin at her new job, they discover the benefits of legal marriage in Limsa Lominsa. Encouraged by friends, they marry in a traditional western ceremony “to appease the pervert moogle.” Cyrelle takes Mina’s surname—the first non-Auri in Tribe Angura’s history. The Final Days bring chaos, but both emerge unharmed. Mina begins studying healing noulith techniques at the Studium, seeking new ways to protect those she loves despite limited natural affinity for aether.

Year 10: Year 10: Mina and Cyrelle join the Divine Prospects, dedicating themselves to preserving known reality. Mina’s contract with the Studium ends; she declines a second offer to continue research far from home, instead taking on logistics, cooking, and administration within the Prospects. Cyrelle focuses on restoration efforts in Dalmasca Inferior. Together, they frequent the Botanist’s Cottage teahouse and The Ashfall fight club; Mina later comes to help out at both. They open their own tavern, Ember & Ivy, warmly known as The Ivy.

Their circle grows to include Lotus Dawnflower, a playful, genderfluid fey; Kettle Avington, an Au Ra with a troubled past; and others who form their chosen family. Mina, Cyrelle, and Lotus enter a committed triad - the Alstroemeria Trio - built on mutual care and slow trust. Meanwhile, Mina’s connection with Kettle deepens into a loyal friendship, marked by similar history and quiet understanding.

Midyear, Mina attempts to return to the Bloodsands but is denied. Investigating with allies, they uncover startling truths: Saya, long presumed dead, is alive and searching for Mina, while a shadowy Garlean agency watches them. The revelation shakes Mina to her core, reopening old wounds and threatening the fragile peace she’s built. Though furious and hurt, she vows to face what comes next on her own terms — and not alone.

The Emberstorm Legacy: Mina is a retired Bloodsands fighter with a record few can rival. Though her appearance has softened with age, her legacy is still well-known in Ul'dah's underworld, where the legend of her ferocity remains alive. Mina may be far from the arena now, but her name still carries weight among those who remember the brutal reign she left behind.

Whispers of the Tides: Mina is a frequent visitor to the docks of Limsa Lominsa and the coastlines of Eorzea, blending her love of fishing with a passion for marine biology. She authored a well-regarded series of fishing guides (Coastlines & Currents) and has contributed research to the Studium, making her a respected voice in the field of Eorzean ecology and sustainable practices.

Emberstorm’s Hearth: Mina’s steady hands and quiet confidence transform any bar or gathering place into a sanctuary. Whether pouring drinks or lending an ear, her calm warmth invites all who seek refuge from the world’s chaos. At Ember & Ivy, The Ashfall, and the Botanist’s Cottage, it’s Mina’s presence - equal parts healer and champion - that turns a simple visit into a moment of comfort, connection, and belonging.

Bandit’s Whiskered Mischief: Mina’s mischievous companion is a playful whittret known for his love of shiny objects and occasional troublemaking. He’s often found in Mina’s company, whether lounging in her lap or swiping a trinket when no one’s looking. Despite his antics, Bandit’s loyalty is unwavering, and he’s earned a special place in the hearts of those he trusts. (Others are welcome to write Bandit’s interactions with their character whenever he’s around, as long as they keep true to his mischievous spirit and loyal nature.)