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IC

Character Name: Noctis Lucis Caelum
Canon: Final Fantasy XV
Canon Point: Mid-chapter 8 at Cape Caem (just prior to leaving for Altissia, after acquiring Ramuh)
Character Age: 20
History: Link to the wiki for the game's story specifically!

Division: Support. Noctis is a combatant first and foremost, that's absolutely true, however even in his fighting style he's shown to be a jack-of-all-trades. He balances his skillset, and that's as true in his daily life as it is in his battles; why not then choose the division with the most diversity? A diplomat? Absolutely. A pilot? He's a questionable driver at the best of times but no one could ever say he doesn't get where he's going fast. A chef? Okay, now it begins to break down into comedy. Noctis has all the tutelage he needs to become a great king, and none of that involved some very crucial home economics classes. The Support role will allow him to flaunt what he is good at as well as force him to put in some major remedial effort towards where he absolutely sucks.

Edict: Tarnished Az-Mehet. As a child, Noctis was open, even described as lively and cheerful. However with age came a level of abandonment, as his mother lost her life during his birth and his father had to pull away to attend to the duties of a nation over his young son. Then, following an attack which ended in the death of his attendant and his own severe injury, Noctis was forced to face his own reality. Who he is as a person and who he needs to be as first in line for the throne are two different entities, and the former is often critiqued (by himself or others) or undermined as detrimental to the latter. So he's learned to hide.

He self-isolates in a literal sense, often electing to spend time by himself whenever he can, but also figuratively. In conversation he presents an awkward detached front that he thinks will protect himself, remaining visibly apathetic enough to be able to denounce interests that other people view negatively or to dampen emotions that are seen as un-kingly. This to him is a necessity. It's how he thinks he can be the king he needs to be, but also how he can keep himself at arm's length from a life he wants far more than he wants any throne.

Powers:

Warping: can warp short distances (as far as he can throw, really) to his weapons; he utilizes this by throwing his weapons and teleporting after them to travel more easily

Team support: also can support both summoning of weapons and short range teleportation for others — he gives his party members the skill to call their weapons in the main game and also bestows the ability on the player character (with warping as well, this time) in the Comrades expansion

Healing item creation: can make potions out of ordinary soft drinks

Dodging: in the same vein as his teleporting, Noctis can dodge almost any physical attack while leaving behind an after-image

Elemancy: Noctis can draw one of three elements from any applicable source where they exist (fire, ice, and electricity) and store them within himself to combine them into magical spells later; these can also be utilized by his party members. They do not require mp to use, then, but he can only store one spell per magic flask that he owns. These range in power depending on how much elemental energy he puts into them, from a very weak attack to a strong one with a wider range (a few meters in diameter) and multiple hits.

Advanced healing: Noctis heals rapidly from injuries he personally sustains. Serious singular hits (eg punctures to vital organs, decapitation, etc) are still fully capable of killing him, however, and healing only begins when he's able to rest.

Armiger: can call his Royal Arms (assorted weapons used by those in his bloodline) and use them in tandem for a brief period of time for a vicious physical assault (less than a minute unless imbued with an extra significant source of power)

Hammerspace: can summon his weapons and otherwise stores them (along with other items he deems useful (they rarely are)) in his own personal hammerspace

As the Ascendants deemed your character worthy of being on this exploration voyage, what qualities did they observe in your character that they found appropriate for the mission?

Noctis's most obvious capabilities at first blush are physical. His stamina, which has always been considerable, has been honed by his recent cross-country journey that's required constant movement, few breaks, and a sharp awareness of surroundings lest he face an unexpected combat threat. In that vein he's also a skilled fighter, trained in a wide variety of weaponry from old-fashioned daggers, spears, and swords, to more modern projectile weapons like pistols or rifles. Add into that his abilities, which include elemancy, healing capabilities for himself and allies, and warping capabilities that increase his mobility and shorten travel times, and it's clear that he has a lot to offer in the field.

But that's the surface level.

Psychologically, Noctis has been born and bred from the very start to accommodate an intense sense of duty. Sure, he also has a marked penchant for complaints, but he isn't difficult to overbear if the cause seems well-justified, there's a clear way he can help, and if anyone will be safer thanks to his involvement. He will devote himself to the mission without too many questions, whether wisely or unwisely, and will support his compatriots in what they need to achieve their shared goals.

What is your character's best quality, what is their worst, and how do these two qualities affect each other?

Noctis's best quality is his desire to help others. This is inherent to who he is as a person, even outside of his royal duty to his people, as seen when he takes on punishments as a child to shield others or regularly sets aside his own feelings so as to not burden his father. Even when he feels overwhelmed or scared he still pushes forward to accomplish what is required of him for the sake of his city, his country, or – eventually – his entire world.

However, Noctis's worst quality is his self-doubt. He is overly concerned with whether or not he can meet the expectations of others, which causes him to put up a front or withdraw. Unfortunately that desire to help others feeds into this, as he has the burden of needing to be a strong leader in order to protect his kingdom which causes him to then overthink his social presentation, which in turn has him come across as awkward or inauthentic. Furthermore, the incredible external pressure that Noctis has to manage becomes magnified by his own internalized pressure. This causes him to suffer from depression, which manifests in apathy, self-isolation, and an inability to maintain cleanliness in his personal spaces. Because he is placed in a position in canon where he has to ascend to the throne far sooner than expected, also, he is frequently and necessarily reminded of where he is lacking as a ruler. This compounds his issues, forcing him to face them head on but also driving him deeper into painful self-reflection before he can work on improving.

Your character's Edict appears in front of them, and agrees to grant them one wish: what does your character wish for?

Not so long ago Noctis's wish would have been obvious. He'd wish for revenge against the nation that attacked his own and killed his father. Or he'd wish that someone else could take the throne, allowing him to live the normal life he so desperately wants without the crushing responsibility of his birthright. Or perhaps, even, he'd wish that his parents were still alive, two people he'd believe were far more capable than himself of enacting real change and shielding Eos from its fate.

However, throughout his journey Noctis has seen himself grow more powerful. He's been able to take up the mantle of king, if not truly in name then in action. He knows what his responsibilities are, and understands – if only nebulously – that he is the Chosen King, someone destined to do great things for the entirety of his world. He knows that what he actually needs to wish for is an opportunity to return home, and that when that opportunity comes he'll need to return not just to the place but to the time from when he was taken. He needs to reclaim his footing on his journey so that he can see it through, no matter how violent and painful it almost certainly is going to be.


The Theorem has broken down, and is drifting toward a black hole. There is very little hope of outside rescue. What does your character do?

If outside rescue isn't going to be able to provide them a way out, then inside rescue is going to have to suffice. Noctis might not be any kind of engineer or scientist, but he is a burgeoning leader and an extremely stubborn individual with an almost otherworldly ability to stare danger in the face and either shrug or complain. In this situation he'd do neither.

He would first and foremost go to his closest companions on the ship, ensuring their safety and seeking their council on what action to take next. He'd want to formulate an action plan with them, even if it was unrefined, to at least determine where they would each be and how to put their skills to best use. With his lack of scientific knowledge, his would almost solely benefit as a power source of some kind. Because Noctis is skilled in elemancy and possesses significant magical prowess, he'd offer what he could of that strength as a form of fuel. Likely to succeed? Probably not, but he's seen practical applications of those skills in the field and would want to exhaust that option first.

After that? Knowing his own impotence in the situation alongside having a close personal relationship with his planet's gods (the Astrals) he would see fit to try to contact his Edict. It would likely be an informal process, since when he requires the aid of the Astrals they tend to sense his need and appear, but a good bit of prayer and personal invocation would serve as a critical last resort.

Writing Samples: TDM top-level!