"Sly" Tessa
"I am unique and irreplaceable and I say that with the greatest humility."
From her former life as an Ul'dah alley cat, to a budding adventurer, and now a doting parent, Tessa's life has thrust her into many roles over just the past few years. Slender and youthful in appearance, she looks to be in her mid-20's, though even she is not for certain of her own age.Her dirty blonde hair is kept in styles both simple and complex, bowing to her whimsy and the effort she feels like expending. At times, she even has the patience to add pink highlights. Her eyes, mismatched shades of pink, are particularly striking, with the left being a darker hue than the right, which is almost a rosy-tinted white.Most find her lovely, despite the shallow scars on her face and body that she earned while struggling to survive in Ul'dah's impoverished neighborhoods. Her petite frame and lean build belie the strength and agility she has developed through her years of hard-scrabble living amongst the impoverished. She carries herself with the typical litheness of a miqo'te, moving with natural grace and poise. She is very expressive with her ears and tail, and they often say the things that her words do not.She could be held as an example of how one's past doesn't have to define their future but, she would probably say platitudes like that are foolish. After all, she's just a normal miqo'te, trying to make her way in a strange world.
Since (mostly, 'officially') turning her back on a life of petty thievery and deception, Tessa has embraced motherhood, her usual independent and adventurous streak somewhat tempered these days. That doesn't mean she's all sugar and no spice; on the contrary, her love for gil and taste for adventure remains untempered...just as long as she's in bed by 9 o' clock, please.
Tessa is usually calm and friendly, but she can become quite lively after a few drinks. She can also be somewhat flippant and distrustful of others, making it clear that she's not one to be taken advantage of. Her cleverness and quick wit have served her well in the past, although she's not exactly a scholar.
If you're looking for seriousness or gravity, Tessa is probably not the person to turn to. However, if you're up for a bit of adventure and fun, she's the perfect companion to have by your side.
The scrappy young Tessa scraped her living on the streets of Ul'dah as an orphaned child. Small in stature, she learned to rely on her cleverness to get by, as relying on her fists usually didn't work out in her favor. On reaching womanhood, she had evolved into a successful thief and scam artist, always on the lookout for the next fool willing (or not) to part with their gil.A chance encounter with a visitor to Ul'dah led to a job proposal, which Tessa accepted with some trepidation. Her benefactor taught her many things, including how to read and finer points of living in society as more than a criminal and outcast. Always inquisitive and intelligent, the young Tessa soaked up everything she could before her benefactor vanished suddenly, leaving her adrift with no desire to return to her old life.As she hadn't returned to Ul'dah in some time, she was dismayed to discover the saferoom she'd kept since childhood had been discovered and looted. Drifting from place to place for a time, she finally settled in a room above a noisy bar in Ishgard, and it was here she met Khuja. Tessa found herself enamored of the exotic woman, and the two of them spent more and more time together, their bond deepening until they resolved to begin a family of their own.United with her beloved, Tessa used her life savings to buy a slightly-run-down-but-charming cottage in the Shroud. These days, she spends much of her time at home, enjoying the idyllic atmosphere their little corner of Eorzea, surrounded by the sounds of their kits laughing and playing.
