Darya

Hatched in the treacherously dark Leviathan Trench, Darya had always been under great pressure to thrive underwater. Her parents, enigmatic and fearsome warriors of the deep, had always cut out their hatchlings who they deemed too weak to survive in the merciless ocean. Delior -- her older brothers turned into a singular powerful monstrosity-- was a daily reminder of this. Horrified by their fate and desperately determined to keep her parents favor, Darya trained relentlessly in isolation fishing the monsters of the deep, as well as divining glimpses of the future from the magical objects she scavenges from the ocean floor.

She quickly became strong, yet uptight and focused on perfection. As her parents affection never wavered past tolerance of her existence, Darya's insecurity led her to pursue more and more dangerous conquests, always alone. She nearly lost her life several times pursuing large prey, yet still she received no praise. The frustrated young dragon then, upon having a prophetic vision of an impossibly huge Deeprealm Hunter which would change her life, began her search at the dark bottom of the world to finally make the kill that would earn her parents pride.

After days turned into weeks, the frayed and isolated dragon finally came across the leviathan monster. It was nearly three times her size, it's presence seemed to swallow her up in darkness while was only interrupted with it's glowing eyes. But Darya, almost delirious at that point, charged it anyways. She fought relentlessly, tooth and claw against the mighty beast, but one sweep of it's mighty fin swept her away in an impossibly strong tide, knocking her unconscious.

When she awoke again, she lay upon an outcrop of coral in the Fishspine Reef, a playful baby caiman looking at her curiously. Dazed, injured and blinded by the bright sunlight of the reef, Darya wandered for days. Eventually, she stumbled upon a cove surrounded by bony outcroppings and built into the thriving coral, and met the Clan of the Calcareous Cove. Daikon-- their leader, it seemed-- personally saw to her care, never asking questions or of anything in return.

And so Darya healed, not only by their medicine but by their kindness, and for the first time she truly relaxed. She bonded with the caiman, she explored, she had friendly spars with those in the cove. The clan's kindness persisted, and a camaraderie grew. She found love with her favorite fishing partner, Tidus, when she thought herself incapable of such a thing. Eventually, she took up the trident again and began fishing again, except this time she didn't do it for affection or praise or kindness-- she already had it.

Darya, after a quick ascent into leadership and official promotion to Captain, spends her days commanding the fishers--a skilled team called the Yú Lóng-- and training them to their fullest potential as an adept and tight-knit team. She is known for her firm, yet caring hand by those who are under her leadership. She has no tolerance for laziness or bad teamwork because she's fiercely determined to repay every kindness given to her by producing the finest fishers of the Fishspine Reef, and growing the clan not only stronger but together. Despite being tough on others during training and work, she is endlessly loyal to her clan and incredibly affectionate in her "off hours." Her favorite activities include training, overfeeding her familiar and doting on hatchlings.