History
In 1550 of the 6th Astral Era, T'ahlia was born in the capitol city of Ul'dah. Her mother was a young Keeper of the Moon who was part of a band of Coeurlclaw bandits. It happened that these bandits had waylaid a caravan traveling through the South Shroud from the Sagolii Desert. The bandits took hostages, among them a young Seeker male who had been working for the caravan master. T'ahlia's mother was put in charge of tending to the hostages while waiting for ransom to come through, but the bandits did not foresee that she would develop feelings for the young Seeker. They had a brief fling, but when the caravan master refused to pay the ransom, she helped the hostages escape. The Coeurlclaw almost killed her for this act of kindness, but instead cast her out. She made her way out of the forest and into Thanalan, but never saw the young Seeker again. Her feet took her to the city, and there she found herself penniless and with child. When she gave birth to a baby girl, she named her T'ahlia as a sort of tribute to the father the child would never know.
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From the time of her birth until she was about 5, T’ahlia was cared for during the day by a kindly neighborhood woman while T’ahlia’s mother worked a variety of jobs to make ends meet. Usually, her mother had more than one job at a time, yet they still barely managed to get by as it was menial labor. Upon reaching the age of 5, however, the neighborhood woman would check on T’ahlia, but otherwise left her to her own devices. Thus, from that point forward, T'ahlia grew up in the streets of Ul'dah, fighting for her place amongst the neighborhood urchins. But as is so often the way with children, she never looked at what she didn't have, instead finding adventure around every corner. Her quick speed and wiry frame gave pause to the street bullies who might otherwise have tried to pick on her. This was especially true once she turned 6 and started sneaking in to pugilist bouts and gladiatorial contests, of which she became an avid watcher, learning much from her observation. Her mother, concerned she would end up just another street tough, started putting every book she could lay her hands on in front of her. T'ahlia's favorites were the exotic stories of distant lands, places she hoped one day to visit.
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When T’ahlia turned 7, around the time the Garleans captured Ala Mhigo, she found a damaged guitar which someone had discarded, and took it home. She found a local street musician to help her repair it and began teaching herself to play. Within a year, T’ahlia had begun organizing little plays with other children, often adapting legends and histories she had read into grand, epic battles with wooden swords. When she turned 9, however, she began to take on odd jobs around town whenever she could find them to help her mother with finances. Still, she never lost her interest either in the arts, whether fine or martial. For some years, life continued for T’ahlia in this manner. However, when she turned 13, her mother’s health began to fail, mostly as a result of overwork. T’ahlia tried to take on even more work to afford her mother time to rest. A year later, when returning home from one such job, something happened. When T’ahlia arrived at home, she was bruised, her clothing was torn, and her eyes were dull. She refused to answer any of her mother’s questions regarding the incident, and was unnaturally withdrawn for some time. It may have been the worry and guilt her mother felt that caused her health to diminish further, and at the end of 1564 her mother passed away. T’ahlia sold virtually everything they owned, with the exception of her guitar, in order to make sure she was given a decent burial.
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As the new year began and desperate to leave the city behind, T’ahlia lied about her age and was able to secure a job scouting for a caravan headed out of Ul’dah. They offered her no gil, only her keep since she was untested, though her ability to best the scoutmaster in a pugilist bout impressed upon him that she was not to be underestimated. She proved apt to the work, her Miqo'te nature making her naturally stealthy, and her nighttime eyesight remarkable. It was not long before she was being paid an actual salary as caravans were anxious to have her among their scouts. During this time, she learned to fish, and it became a passion between caravan runs or when off-duty. A year later, a caravan T’ahlia was guiding arrived in Gridania. Enraptured by the archers she saw there, she convinced one of them to train her in the art, leaving the caravan to take up residence there. To pay her way, she offered to work as a scout for the local authorities whenever they needed extra help, and her help was more in demand as she became increasingly adept with the bow. When she was satisfied that she had learned what she could from her tutor, she once again began to scout for merchant caravans and travel far and wide throughout Eorzea, though she came to think of the inn in Gridania as her “home.” It was around this time that T'ahlia exacted a terrible revenge upon a number of people who she felt had wronged her or her mother . . . acts which have haunted and shamed her ever since.
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By the time the Empire began once again their assault on Eorzea, T’ahlia had become formidable indeed. She found there was always work for one with her skills. Her mother's insistence on her learning paid off as well, for being both clever and well-read led her to positions of greater responsibility and command. Still, while she had accumulated much knowledge and many skills for someone of her age, it was not clear that she had mastered any of them besides the bow. She began to describe herself as a “cat of all trades, master of none” (choosing to embrace the biologically incorrect term often applied to Miqo'te). When the Eorzean Alliance was reformed in 1572, T’ahlia eagerly went to work scouting out Imperial forces. When the Battle of Carteneau occurred, she was not allowed to participate, however, as she was merely a freelancer. Though she was bitter at the time (and remains so to this day, as many she was fond of perished), this no doubt saved her life when the Calamity occurred. Following this event, she did what she could to help in the rebuilding effort, though she had no great aptitude for construction. She traveled for work and out of personal desire for adventure when she could.
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At this time, T'ahlia has been on her own for years now, and one of the unintended side effects of all the traveling to and fro, and dabbling in this or that, is that at the moment she had no close friends. This, however, is beginning to change now that she has begun to put down some roots. In the hopes of changing her circumstances, she started to work with the Hydaelyn Protectors, and joined up with the Wayfarers of Eorzea, hoping to find the connections her life has lacked for so long. This brought her to new friendships and connections, relationships which have continued despite the fact that in time both groups disbanded.
Still, sometimes, you can see a hint of sadness (loneliness?) behind the laughter in her eyes. And sometimes, if you follow her when she is near Ul'dah, you may see her visit the lichyard at the Church of St. Adama and say a short prayer at the grave of her mother.