A Soul Lost and Reforged Anew
Born on Rihdan Isle in the Indigo Deep, to a reclusive village of Miqo'te of primarily Seekers of the sun. Tessa was always something of an outcast. Her Keeper of the moon blood showing quite boldly in her fair skin and dark hair.
Never having met her father, and her birth mother having died when she was very young. She was raised in the care of her half sister's household, with traditions rather different to that of keepers of the moon, or seekers of the sun.
The village gave worship to Menphina, and wore white body paints upon themselves, eschewing clothing except when necessary for protection during hunting, or to shield from rare snowstorms. They fiercely hid away from sailors whom would occasionally make landfall to weather storms between Tural and Eozea, where they would gather fruits and other supplies from the jungles.
Tessa herself was not a sociable youth, preferring solitude over rambunctious play with others, finding companionship in only her half sister, to which she shared a name-day and a kinship. Together they would watch from the trees whenever visitors found themselves upon their island, and would make up stories about the adventures of these gruff pirates or well dressed merchants they observed.
At the age of 16, Tessa left her island aboard one of the visiting ships after her people had aided in repairing the damaged vessel following a particularly rough storm. After a troubling voyage, she found herself at vesper bay. A small carriage ride later, Tessa stepped into the city of Ul'dah, where she began her life as an adventurer.
She joined the Immortal Flames, fought in myriad battles grand and small, rose through the ranks, and eventually partook in essential operations to support the Warriors of Light and their struggle at Cartenau.
On that fateful day, she gave her life battling the voidal beast Atomos at camp Blue Fog, attempting to keep the Aetheryte from being drained, and keeping essential travel for adventurers and soldiers open.That would not be the end of her tale however. Spirited away by the beast into the realm of The Void itself, Tessa was reborn thanks to the intervention of the mother crystal Hydaelyn and the once lost soul of an Allagan resistance fighter of ages past. Merged in spirit, she was able to find the strength to escape The Void, arriving some five years later in the Twelveswood.
Bereft of memories that she would not recover fully until several years later, language, and holding barely a shred of sanity. She was found, and taken into the custody of the Yellow Serpents unit of the Order of the Twin Adder. Whom though keeping a watchful eye upon her, helped her back to health.
She reclaimed the name of Tessa Jhaloh, a name not truly hers any longer, and began a new life within Gridania. Many years and battles later, she took up the katana; Training at first on her own, then with the aid of Meta Xi of the free company Dragon Army to which she belonged, and further still as she travelled to Hingashi. To seek the tutelage of eastern Samurai.
Now Tessa serves as a commander of the Fang Battalion of Dragon Army Free company, a job she still is having some difficulty adapting to, leading adventurers is very different from military life. However, it perfectly suits her, fighting alongside trusted friends, rather than strictly disciplined soldiers.
