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Ke'bhee was born to a small Miqo'te tribe in Nhalmasque, Ilsabard. Nhalmasque was the first to fall under Garlean rule when the empire began its expansion 60 years ago, so all of Ke'bhee's immediate family had only ever known Garlean rule, and any pockets of resistance were deep underground by the time he came into the world.
He remembers bits and pieces of his youth there, mostly happy times with his family - by that time being ruled by Garlemald had little impact on their day to day lives and though his mother had some contacts in the resistance (some of her sisters, who had taken after their mother), she preferred to try and make the best of their situation rather than risking trying to change it.
Until the Garlean army came through their village. Several of the older children were conscripted, and Ke'bhee's older brother, Ke'lohi, was very nearly one of them. He was judged too young, at the time, but the family were left with the strong impression that next time he would not be so lucky.
Ke'lohi was disappointed - he had been taken with the soldiers' talk of serving their country and protecting people, he wanted to join the army. Their mother understood the truth - there was no true glory to be had in the Garlean army, not for a Miqo'te, and no protection either. They would be used to subjugate other nations, and always treated as second class to the true born Garleans. She may not be an active member of the resistance, but she knew that much.
She reached out to her sisters and begged them to get the boys out of Ilsabard before the army came back.
They ended up settling in Thanalan, two young boys without a family just trying to make a life for themselves. They weren't completely alone, they had some contacts who were able to help get them set up and put Ke'lohi in touch with people who were happy to give a young refugee whatever odd jobs they had going, and in that way he kept himself and Ke'bhee clothed and fed. He never forgot how much he wanted to fight and protect people, a desire that was only inflamed by the adventurers they would see travelling through from time to time, so as soon as he was old enough he started learning how to use a sword - even going so far as to beg instruction from the Gladiators' Guild (and, when he was a little older still, to try and earn some coin through fighting).
Growing up, Ke'bhee had wanted to help out as well, but his brother tried as hard as he could to earn enough on his own that Ke'bhee could just be a kid. He was a quiet child, a little serious, he enjoyed books and art, stories and paintings of heroes - he always knew his brother would be one, though he had no desire to do so himself. He'd never been as physical as his brother, and while he was intrigued by the mages they saw sometimes, he never seriously thought about studying magic himself back then.
Eventually, Ke'lohi started properly adventuring - sometimes he'd be gone days or weeks at a time, while Ke'bhee stayed behind and waited for his return. He'd always come back, with stories of far off places and epic fights, of all the people he'd helped along the way. Ke'bhee had always admired his brother, but now he was a real hero.
Then came the Calamity - not that they knew it at the time. It seemed just a series of attempts by the Garlean empire to use the red moon as a weapon, an attempt to further their conquest of the world. Ke'lohi and his adventuring friends struck out, helping the Grand Companies of Eorzea to push back the very army he'd once wanted to join.
He tried to make it back to Thanalan as much as possible - to check on Ke'bhee more than anything else - but eventually his journey took him to Carteneau and Ke'bhee was left waiting for a brother who would never come home.
At first, he was determined to stay where he was - not everybody perished in Cartineau, perhaps one day his brother would find his way back, and he should be waiting when he did. As the years passed, however, it become increasingly clear that he wasn't returning, and those who'd known his brother seemed uncertain what had happened to him. As time went on, too, Ke'bhee heard more and more tales about the 'Warriors of Light', the band of adventurers whom nobody could quite remember...
Then the dreams started. Strange visions of crystals and a warm, motherly voice. A battle with a mysterious robed figure while wielding his brother's sword. The feeling he was being called for something...
Somehow, in his grieving, lonely mind, he decided this was a sign his brother was alive and needed his help. He knew the journey would be difficult, so he set off for Limsa Lominsa - both to see if he could find answers there, knowing it was a place his brother had visited often, and because he would need to learn some way to defend himself on the road. He was never as skilled a fighter as Ke'lohi, but perhaps the Arcanist Guild could help him learn.
He lied about being an adventurer when asked, hoping that by going to the Adventurer's Guild and being around others, he could find out more about his brother. It did end up meaning he was occasionally asked to help out with things, but that just gave him a chance to hone his new summoning abilities and, well, like his brother he was never one to turn down someone in need.
Those abilities grew, the problems he helped with got bigger, he made other contacts. He told himself it was all in service of finding his brother, that he wasn't really an adventurer himself, no matter what anybody said, but he would continue to play the role a little longer.
The part about being Hydaelyn's chosen champion threw him, sure, because obviously she'd gotten the wrong brother, right? He'd sort it all out when he found Ke'lohi.
As time went on, though, it became harder to deny. He still felt like an imposter, like he wasn't the real hero, but he could be Eorzea's champion as long as people needed him.
He remembers bits and pieces of his youth there, mostly happy times with his family - by that time being ruled by Garlemald had little impact on their day to day lives and though his mother had some contacts in the resistance (some of her sisters, who had taken after their mother), she preferred to try and make the best of their situation rather than risking trying to change it.
Until the Garlean army came through their village. Several of the older children were conscripted, and Ke'bhee's older brother, Ke'lohi, was very nearly one of them. He was judged too young, at the time, but the family were left with the strong impression that next time he would not be so lucky.
Ke'lohi was disappointed - he had been taken with the soldiers' talk of serving their country and protecting people, he wanted to join the army. Their mother understood the truth - there was no true glory to be had in the Garlean army, not for a Miqo'te, and no protection either. They would be used to subjugate other nations, and always treated as second class to the true born Garleans. She may not be an active member of the resistance, but she knew that much.
She reached out to her sisters and begged them to get the boys out of Ilsabard before the army came back.
They ended up settling in Thanalan, two young boys without a family just trying to make a life for themselves. They weren't completely alone, they had some contacts who were able to help get them set up and put Ke'lohi in touch with people who were happy to give a young refugee whatever odd jobs they had going, and in that way he kept himself and Ke'bhee clothed and fed. He never forgot how much he wanted to fight and protect people, a desire that was only inflamed by the adventurers they would see travelling through from time to time, so as soon as he was old enough he started learning how to use a sword - even going so far as to beg instruction from the Gladiators' Guild (and, when he was a little older still, to try and earn some coin through fighting).
Growing up, Ke'bhee had wanted to help out as well, but his brother tried as hard as he could to earn enough on his own that Ke'bhee could just be a kid. He was a quiet child, a little serious, he enjoyed books and art, stories and paintings of heroes - he always knew his brother would be one, though he had no desire to do so himself. He'd never been as physical as his brother, and while he was intrigued by the mages they saw sometimes, he never seriously thought about studying magic himself back then.
Eventually, Ke'lohi started properly adventuring - sometimes he'd be gone days or weeks at a time, while Ke'bhee stayed behind and waited for his return. He'd always come back, with stories of far off places and epic fights, of all the people he'd helped along the way. Ke'bhee had always admired his brother, but now he was a real hero.
Then came the Calamity - not that they knew it at the time. It seemed just a series of attempts by the Garlean empire to use the red moon as a weapon, an attempt to further their conquest of the world. Ke'lohi and his adventuring friends struck out, helping the Grand Companies of Eorzea to push back the very army he'd once wanted to join.
He tried to make it back to Thanalan as much as possible - to check on Ke'bhee more than anything else - but eventually his journey took him to Carteneau and Ke'bhee was left waiting for a brother who would never come home.
At first, he was determined to stay where he was - not everybody perished in Cartineau, perhaps one day his brother would find his way back, and he should be waiting when he did. As the years passed, however, it become increasingly clear that he wasn't returning, and those who'd known his brother seemed uncertain what had happened to him. As time went on, too, Ke'bhee heard more and more tales about the 'Warriors of Light', the band of adventurers whom nobody could quite remember...
Then the dreams started. Strange visions of crystals and a warm, motherly voice. A battle with a mysterious robed figure while wielding his brother's sword. The feeling he was being called for something...
Somehow, in his grieving, lonely mind, he decided this was a sign his brother was alive and needed his help. He knew the journey would be difficult, so he set off for Limsa Lominsa - both to see if he could find answers there, knowing it was a place his brother had visited often, and because he would need to learn some way to defend himself on the road. He was never as skilled a fighter as Ke'lohi, but perhaps the Arcanist Guild could help him learn.
He lied about being an adventurer when asked, hoping that by going to the Adventurer's Guild and being around others, he could find out more about his brother. It did end up meaning he was occasionally asked to help out with things, but that just gave him a chance to hone his new summoning abilities and, well, like his brother he was never one to turn down someone in need.
Those abilities grew, the problems he helped with got bigger, he made other contacts. He told himself it was all in service of finding his brother, that he wasn't really an adventurer himself, no matter what anybody said, but he would continue to play the role a little longer.
The part about being Hydaelyn's chosen champion threw him, sure, because obviously she'd gotten the wrong brother, right? He'd sort it all out when he found Ke'lohi.
As time went on, though, it became harder to deny. He still felt like an imposter, like he wasn't the real hero, but he could be Eorzea's champion as long as people needed him.
