#lore have mersi

[mersi-kokhavasheva]

This is Mersi Kokhavasheva.

She was born in a Nymeian temple in at the edge of Ilsabard to a Raen Au Ra refugee-turned-healer. Her mother tried their best to assimilate into the local Hyur culture, and dedicated her life – and the life of her daughter – to the worship of Nymeia. While Mersi still reveres the Twelve, it became harder with every new year to stomach all the structure of class and rote, all the talk of duty and destiny—and, in time, destiny called with a roar. With half her face veiled or painted to ease her insecurities, she fled west through Ghimlyt to the wildest, most chaotic, most distant place she could think of… which wasn’t that far, honestly, because she settled in the Black Shroud, in the city of Gridania. It took some time, but she’s finally gotten her confidence as a seamstress and as a warrior; after decades of teachings in the temple, she has finally learned her freedom as a bard, her strength and resourcefulness as a dragoon, her resilience and agency as a paladin, and her connection to the world as a white mage, and she is reclaiming her faith in the Spinner under the guidance of the Mothercrystal, Hydaelyn.

Speaking meta, her name and other details built naturally over the process of character creation. Her color palette and physical build had already inspired a reverence for the seas and stars, and her birthday – the 18th Sun of the 4th Umbral Moon – had brought with it heavy symbolism of order and command, life and beginnings, gifts and luck, in the numbers 4, 8, and 18 by way of gematria. These ideas in turn brought about her name.

Mersi Kokhavasheva

(mare-see koh-hha-vuh-shay-vuh)

[meɻ-si koʊ-χɑ-vɐ-ʃeɪ-vɐ]

First, her given name: Mersi, from the French merci, a term of gratitude that comes from the Latin mercedum, meaning one’s fee or wages; the concept perfectly fits the idea of her service to Nymeia being considered by the temple to be a gift freely given, while she herself believes it to come at great personal cost. It also relies upon French mer, “ocean”, reinforced by changing the C in merci to an S for si, reminiscent of English “sea” while also itself being the name of the seventh of eight notes of the fixed-Do solfège of musical structure, a note also known as “ti” in some regions. In addition to the joy of musical influence on the name of a woman who began her adventure with the aspiration of becoming a bard, the idea of that seventh of eight notes being a part of her very concept of self brings to mind a perpetual feeling of being on the cusp of one’s completion, ever shy of the summit of one’s potential. I feel that will always be a part of her self-image.

Kokhavasheva, blessedly, is simpler. Kokhav is a Hebrew word for “star”, and the -a suffix makes the star, Nymeia, feminine. While sheva is also the feminine pronunciation of the number 7 in Hebrew — a number of completion and sanctification and perhaps another nod to the si in her given name — that is just a coincidence. I actually borrowed -sheva from another name: Elisheva, or Elisheba, which in turn brought about derivatives like Elizabeth and Isabella. This was a name meaning “oath to God”, from sheba, “oath”, and Eli, “my God”, El itself being a name for the God of Abraham taken in turn from the creator god of the Canaanites. Taken as a whole, Kokhava-sheva: “devotion to the stars” – or perhaps “sworn to Nymeia”.

To summarize, Mersi Kokhavasheva was named for the Astral Sea, for the stars that ebb and flow across the sky like the tide, for the web of poetry and the weft of battle that make up the weave of her life’s journey, and for the service she was to offer the world in the name of the Spinner.

As for lore accuracy… I honestly couldn’t find anything about Raen Auri lore when I was first looking around. Seems most of their lore is “they aren’t like the Xaela because they integrate so so so well into Hyur society”. While that is what I, as a new player, had in mind for Mersi as an excuse for not knowing the lore, I find it unsettling when used on a grand scale as a racial concept. Have we learned nothing over the last few centuries? Cultural Identity Is Important!

Anyway, I’ve since learned that Raen Au Ra do indeed have naming conventions, based in 16th- to 18th-century Edo Japan; however, instead of picking a new name from scratch, Mersi and I have started looking into possible names that might be decent translations of the intention behind her name. From what I’ve read, women’s names before the 16th century could be incredibly complex, but from the 16th to the 20th women tended have be single-kanji two-syllable names written out in hiragana. Even powerful women who wrote in the upper-class kanji script tended to have names rather plain, though some added a suffix as a third syllable. Those guidelines are both restrictive and flexible in their own ways, which is just what I love to see.

Originally, though it predated the time period, I loved the idea of bestowing upon her the name みそぎ, Misogi; while I am no longer a dedicated practitioner of eastern spirituality, I still find comfort in my lingering practice of purification rituals, and I know that Mersi feels the same. That said, I’m not sure I feel comfortable taking that as a name for her since the name no longer feels like it’s mine to use. To my surprise, though, there are good few options that share both phonemes and vibes with the name her mother gave her. マク, Maku, meaning “curtain”, was an early attempt but the sound of the name feels unfamiliar to her, and she felt that it might not be best to make the primary thing others know her be the way she hides half her face. She’s also tried out 召し, Meshi, due to how close the name is to her own and in part because it is a word denoting a summons, a calling, being brought forth for a purpose – until she was told that it can also be taken as someone calling her a snack. Her current attempt is めい, Mei, which could mean either “fate” or “command” depending on context, giving her a sense of power over her own destiny, as well as meaning “sight” or “insight” or even “brightness”. It may change in time but, for now, she still goes by Mersi and is trying out Mei for short.

In addition, while she wants to feel Auri, she no longer resents her family or the name her mother chose for them, and is looking for a way to tie her people’s culture to the life she has led without it. I don’t know if it fits the Edo period, but I hear that Raen outside of the warrior class have occasionally given their families surnames according to their profession. To that end, I think we’ve settled on the surname ほしへのけんしん, Hoshienokenshin (technically ho-ɕi-e̞-no̞-kẽ̞-ɰ̃-ɕĩ-ɴ], which she pronounces [χo-ʃi-e-no-ke-n-ʃi-n] due to her accent replacing certain glottal fricatives with uvular fricatives). Hoshienokenshin, like Kokhavasheva, means “devotion to the Star”, chosen once more for the renewed purpose she had resented before becoming one of the blessed of the Mothercrystal. The fact that the two surnames share so much in common, from meaning to phonemes to overall mouthfeel, feels like a gift in itself.

Mersi Kokhavasheva, known to some other Au Ra as Mei Hoshienokenshin. I don’t think anyone would have had ten paragraphs in mind when they asked after her name, but I just love discovering patterns and putting pieces together. Thank you for the question, and for the creative outlet!

WoL QotD: What made you choose your WoL's name? Does it have any important meaning or did it just sound nice?

Follow up: Is it lore accurate? If it isn't, why not?

[mersi-kokhavasheva]

Hello!

This is Mersi Kokhavasheva, she/her. She is an Ilsabardian Raen Au Ra diviner-turned-knight based out of Gridania. I hope this will be a repository for the fan content I write about her story, from thoughtful snippets to five-part fanfiction.

FAQ&A

It's pronounced "mare-see" — not "mercy", though she understands the confusion — "koh-hha-vuh-shay-vuh".

Her preferred jobs were originally Bard, Dragoon, and Paladin, but she has of late swapped her arms for those of the Samurai, Dancer, and Gunbreaker. Blue magic is something of a special interest. She was raised on astrology, but has sworn off the cards since leaving home. Above all else, Mersi is a talented Weaver and seamstress, and is learning goldsmithing from her love.

She is engaged! Her love, A'rhya Velore, is a Gyr Abanian Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te with gorgeous ruby hair, and eyes like sapphire and amethyst, and a lovely soft voice that's not always able to be heard, and she's more than Mersi could ever have dreamed. However, recent events leave Mersi feeling less worthy than ever, and it shows in her haunted eyes whenever she's asked about a date for their wedding.

There is a timeline under construction for Mersi, A'rhya, and some friends along the way, to see how their spin on the Warrior of Light saga might look in a world in which, logistically, not every one of forty-eight million heroes could be veterans of the same battles.

I'm on Behemoth, in the midst of post-Heavensward. Feel free to say hi if you spot me, but I'm just as happy to chat here on Tumblr, or to share what I've written of her on AO3!

I'll likely be bouncing in and out of character here on Tumblr because, while this is not an RP blog, it's just fun to write in her headspace. If anyone wants to ask her a question, I think we'd be happy to answer. Perhaps we'll crack open the ask box and find out!

Frequent Tags

the Road to Sharlayan: This is for the stories written about Mersi and friends, or for progress made toward the next. I am new to AO3, so I would appreciate honesty when it comes to tagging etiquette! I hear it's "the more tags, the better" but, stars above, there are so many tags.

the Ruby and Larimar: Any Q's-and-A's Mersi gets through the ask box will be tagged as such, as will any fanart I mock up along the way. Casual coffee shop vibes! We love it.

Lore Have Mersi: For when Mersi have lore! These will be posts that explore who Mersi is as a person, or how she came to be as such. I will likely also use it for theorycrafting, such as my thoughts on the Deck of Sixty.

an Average Day in Eorzea: Memes. Nonsense. Shenanigans. Nothing you wouldn't see in Limsa, I'm sure!

Stories So Far

the Spineless Serenade (Romance) War in the north has found peace; those who fought alone to the east have found allies. From the patrol squadrons of Ishgard comes Mersi Kokhavasheva of the Knights Dragoon; from the war rooms of Rhalgr's Reach comes A'rhya Valore. This is not a story of their struggles, but of a rare moment in between. This is the story of a chance to grasp, and of their refusal to let go.

Coerthan Call (Drama/Tragedy) A sudden decision on the battlefield brings dangers unforeseen, and well foreseen. High above the Coerthas Western Highlands, two Knights Dragoon weigh the risks and put it all on the line to slay the dragon Graoully, but Mersi Kokhavasheva's past flies close behind.

The Lovers' Plainsong (Drama) In the fallout of her abduction by the heretics of Coerthas, Mersi Kokhavasheva rests with her fiancée in the shadow of war. Trauma shapes her future, worsened by the knowledge of how and why, of agency and fate. With the help of the one she loves, a woman broken must once again be made whole. All the while, the Dragon roars.

In Progress:

the Forgotten Berceuse (Romance) Two outsiders, strangers to the land of Eorzea, have found themselves sudden heroes of the realm. One misses the sands; the other, the waters. Together they find harmony, self-confidence, and room to breathe.

Ballet de Cour: A'rhya's Card (Romance) Despite two decades of training in the ways of astrology, Mersi has long been afraid to ask the cards for further guidance. With help from a dear friend, that bond may be renewed—or, by overcoming insecurity and learning unshakable trust, two diviners may strengthen their own bond instead.

A Tençon for Ishgard (Drama) The Dragonsong War has raged long enough. Both sides seek harmony, yet forces of darkness and light yet seek destruction. Caught between both worlds and asking for neither, Mersi Kokhavasheva has put down her lance; she rejoins the fray on her own terms.

[mersi-kokhavasheva]

Mersi hasn't quite found one.

Ilsabardian by her mother, Ishgardian by a soldier in passing, Mersi Kokhavasheva was born in a temple to Nymeia in the mountains at the edge of Ghimlyt. From an early age she was educated in the ways of astrology, reading cards for pilgrims and warriors that found a moment of peace in their sanctuary, but in time those readings—promises of glory, of healing, of journeys ahead, always for other people, never for herself—began to chafe. In time she found reason to leave the temple behind, with a vow to never return; a story for another time.

But Mersi made her way across the border, chased from a merchant's half-empty wagon, picked up by a group of musicians, attacked by Ixal raiders on the back of a cart, into Eorzea. Beneath the canopy of the Black Shroud she learned the ways of war and compassion. She spent her nights in the Roost, trying her best to maintain composure in the presence of Mother Miounne, or in the barracks of the Order of the Twin Adder. No matter how much she learned from the land and its people, she couldn't feel safe enough to put down roots.

From there she found her way to the Waking Sands with the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, and on the Rising Stones, and on to the Pillars beneath the shield of Halone, but each dream of sanctuary was dashed to pieces by the political machines of Garlemald, of Ul'dah, of Coerthas and Ishgard. On she stumbles, from one grave need to the next, more exhausted by the day.

In spite of it all, there is one thought that strikes when she thinks of home.

In the depths of Sastasha she met a fellow adventurer. It was a routine assist on favor from a private of the Maelstrom, a chance meeting assumed to be their first and last, but it seemed the Spinner still tugs at her thread, braiding it with that of a Miqo'te with hair like fire and the softest voice. The two met again among the Scions of Vesper Bay, became Eikon-Slayers of renown, mourned together, mended together. Fancy turned to friendship, friendship to fondness, fondness to vows upon the grassy cliffs overlooking the waters of Thanalan, only for time itself to stand still as trouble came home to roost.

While life grows more complicated every day for two wanted women with more enemies than allies, and while she sometimes dreams of disappearing for the sake of those she would rather leave than hurt, Mersi knows where she belongs. Her home is in the heart of A'rhya Velore.

Where does your WoL consider home?