Aymeric

Titles: Lord Commander of the Temple Knights
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Race: Elezen
Sexual Orientation: (presumably) Heterosexual
World: Hydaelyn - Eorzea continent
Disposition: Good

Ser Aymeric is born the illegitimate son of Thordan VII, having risen up to the ranks of Lord Commander of the Temple Knights despite the social stigma held against him.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn:

After the Holy See's long silence towards the other city-states, Ser Aymeric calls for a meeting with Alphinaud Leveilleur at Camp Dragonhead. Requesting the adventurer to accompany him, Lord Haurchefant shows them to the fort's intercessory where the meeting takes place. After exchanging pleasantries, Alphinaud urges that Ishgard rejoin the Eorzean Alliance, due to persistent threat posed by Garleans and primals to the realm. Aymeric disagrees, as the Ixal have so far directed all hostilities to Gridania and not the Holy See, and thus have deemed Natalan to not be a threat. While they are aware of the Garlean threat and the potential invasion, the current garrisons have remained quiet since the death of Gaius van Baelsar, and so Ishgard sees no urgency. On top of this, all knights are devoted to the Dragonsong War with the Dravanian Horde.

When Alphinaud asks why he called the meeting if Ishgard's policy hasn't changed, Aymeric clarifies he came not just as a representative. In exchange for ensuring the supplies to Revenant's Toll continues, he asks that the Keeper of the Lake in Mor Dhona be watched closely. The dragon star has brightened considerably, and Ishgard's astrologians believe it to be a portent of the resurrection of the wyrmking Midgardsormr.

As Alphanaud agrees with Aymeric's terms, a House Fortemps knight bursts in to inform another caravan was raided by Iceheart's Harriers. In investigating the incident, Alphinaud realizes that the heretics are trying to summon their Saint Shiva as a primal. With the threat of heretics escalating, Aymeric dispatches his Temple Knights to Whitebrim Front to assist Lord Drillemont's men in investigating Snowcloak.

After an exploratory search in the Snowcloak tunnel system ended with Iceheart escaping through an Aetheryte, a merchant is caught dealing with the heretics near the Observatorium. This merchant is wanted by the Crystal Braves for his connections to an Imperial spy known as "the Ivy." After being interrogated by Marshal Ilberd, the merchant is turned over to the Temple Knights for further questioning.

Once the threat of Shiva is eliminated, Aymeric calls another meeting in Dragonhead. This being the first time the Holy See had to deal with a primal, he thanks the Scions for their aid, as otherwise it was unlikely their knights could've handled such a being. Ishgard had previously stayed out of the primal affairs, since despite losing two Vigils to the Dravanian Horde, Garuda never took an opportunity to storm the Gates of Judgement. Aymeric notes the incident with Shiva may lead to a change of policy.

As the subject returns to the matter of the Keeper of the Lake, Alphinaud accuses the Holy See of using Revenant's Toll to protect its southern front. Aymeric confirms, as it has everything to gain from the settlement flourishing and denying the Horde an avenue of assault. The nobles of Ishgard are reluctant to open trust to outsiders, a stance Aymeric will attempt to improve through his station. He introduces Lucia, the taciturn knight standing beside him, as his second-in-command, and explains to speak with her if he cannot be reached in the future.

Aymeric oversees the defense of Ishgard due to Nidhogg's song rallying the Dravanian Horde. Matters are complicated due to Lady Iceheart sabotaging the outermost ward of Daniffens' Collar rendering the city-state more vulnerable, and Aymeric has no choice but to ask Alphinaud to gather aid from the Scions and the Eorzean Alliance. With the aid of adventurers, sellswords, the Crystal Braves, and the Warrior of Light, the main host is routed, with Nidhogg's champion Vishap slain at the Steps of Faith.

Ser Aymeric and Lucia later attend the Sultana's banquet in Ul'dah, where he intends to formally thank the Eorzean Alliance for their contribution and vouches to recommend that the Holy See joins forces with the other city-states. As Teledji Adeledji arrives at the banquet, several templars from Ishgard bring word of another assault by the Dravanians. As Aymeric and Lucia must leave despite the suspicious circumstances, they do not witness the fateful events that would transpire after.

Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward:

Aymeric uses his position as Lord Commander to assist the adventurer and Alphinaud. While preparing to bolster the defenses, Aymeric agrees to Alphinaud's request to not mount a counterattack against the Dravanian Horde as he, the adventurer and Estinien, while kept in the dark of their goal to find Ysayle, journey to Dravania to try to parlay with the Dravanian Horde. When the group returns and tells Aymeric what they learned about the true history of Ishgard, he insists on confronting Thordan VII to expose the truth hidden from Ishgard's people for the good of their nation.

After Thordan explains his reasons, a speechless Aymeric is placed in the Vault for interrogation while labeled a heretic and his command over the Temple Knights taken by the Heavens' Ward.

Aymeric insisted in remaining in Ishgard to help keep the peace. It was during this time, while the Warriors of Light dealt with the Bismarck and pursued Thordan to Azys Lla that there was an attack on Ishgard: a band of wyvrns, drakes and ice spirits driven to rabidity by some unknown force. As usual Aymeric rushed out to defend his people. It was during this attack that he found himself caught in a strange wave of magic. Whether it was the magic itself which eventually drove him from his home into Orpheus, or it was some strange interaction between himself, the attack and the resulting environment is unclear.

What is clear, however, is that, after having the foundations of his reality shattered, faith broken and a good friend dead, he found himself in a foreign land, torn from the one thing that he had been focusing on in order to hold himself together: his country.

Aymeric was well and truly lost, in every way imaginable.

"Will there be anything else?" The soft voice of the innkeep drew him from, what seemed to be, a near constant reverie.

"No, madam, that will be all, thank you."

She nodded at him. "Enjoy your stay," she murmured, pointing him down the hall to the stairs that would lead him upstairs and to his inn room. He maintained a calm, almost distant facade throughout that short journey, ignoring the chaotic din from the attached pub, the bark of the dog outside and the warm call of the hearth fire burning away.

He deserved no warmth.

Closing the door to his room he rested his forehead against it's cool surface, feeling the rough grain dig into his skin.

One month. It been a month since his arrival, a week tinged with fear, confusion and sorrow as he went through the various layers of shock that was only to be expected from falling from one world to another. He still didn't know how it happened, whether it was his own fault or some cruel twist of fate. He had heard the stories of this world, learned that he wasn't the first, nor the only to have come here from somewhere else. Memory loss seemed to be a common trait amongst the newcomers, and he wished that he had been so lucky.

No, he remembered everything, from the realization that his conception of the world, that the very history of his people was built on a lie. He remembered confronting his father, remembered the feeling of betrayal as he was thrown into prison, accused of heresy.

And he remembered his death.

Aymeric closed his eyes, taking what he hoped would be a calming breath.

Perhaps this was a good thing. Perhaps this was some gift from the Goddess, some new start. An icy tendril of fear pricked him as he wondered, for just a moment, if that too was a lie. If the Gods themselves were even rea--

He stopped himself before he delved too far down that path. He didn't want to think about it, even if the doubt was there. He busied himself with removing his armour. The garb of the Lord Temple Commander and his sword comprised the whole of his worldly possessions, and he wasn't entirely certain whether he would keep either. What good was he as a paladin if he couldn't even protect those who meant the most to him?

The armour found its way to the floor as it's bearer trudged past to throw his frame onto the bed. It seemed as though it was going to be be another sleepless night for him.

• Cecil Harvey
• Kaylen Rei