CHARACTER SKETCH
Zezhian Dragonfang
[Author's note: A select few people know of Zezhian's "peculiar behaviour," but no one has ever truly questioned it, as they deemed it as probably being "Too Much Information". In this sketch, I will attempt to explain why he is how he is and why he does what he does. This is my most in-depth character sketch to date, which only goes to show the complexity of my favourite half-orc's background. As time went on, I started "fleshing out" his character (unintentional pun... you'll see why) and found a very interesting story within that goes beyond the usual one or two sentence description of him. To thoroughly understand Zezhian's background, you have to know his parent's background as well. Now, read on...]
The events surrounding Zezhian's birth are, at best, odd. He was born out of a union between a human father and an orcish mother in the great city of Cambria (capitol of the kingdom of Cambria).
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Ian Dragonfang was a guard on a caravan that was travelling from Trandis to Cambria carrying precious fabrics, spices and a number of alchemical potions and components. The caravan had just completed the first leg of their journey; stopping at the city of Tor to gather more provisions. They had made it to Tor in good time; for it had taken them slightly less than a week to get there. The guards were tired and the caravan owner decided to stay in town for two days to sell some wares.
Ian and some other guards entered the Chanter's Tune tavern to wash the road dust from their throats. During the evening, they had heard tales of a large tribe of orcs that have been attacking people on the southern and eastern roads leading from Tor. Two days later, with advanced warning, the caravan left Tor on the sixteen day journey to Cambria.
On the eve of the fifth day out of Tor, the caravan was attacked by orcs. The battle was short. Although the orcs outnumbered the guards, they were defeated and the caravan itself suffered very little damage. However, in the battle, two guards were found to be missing; a dwarf by the name of Kjartan Axewielder and Ian.
After the remaining guards made an extensive search of the area, they turned up the dwarf's body; horribly mutilated. Later they found Ian's broken sword near his blood-stained cloak and shirt. Taking a brief moment to mourn their losses and bury the dead, the caravan continued on its way to Cambria.
When Ian finally regained consciousness, he found himself stripped bare and chained to a wall by the wrists and ankles in what looked like a torture chamber. The few days that he could recall were filled with pain and anguish.
Ian's salvation came in the form of another orc. Her name was Sesha. She was considered a misfit within the tribe. She never had the aggressive qualities that would make her attractive to her kind. She was continually scorned and nearly put to death more than once. Her only saving grace came was when she was found to be a natural alchemist. Her skills came in handy when one of the tribe needed some sort of healing poultice or other concoction, but she was still considered too passive for her own good.
She had seen Ian on the first night of his capture. She healed his wounds just so his captors could open them up again ... along with other new ones. It had been the same for the past week. Hearing Ian's torment made her take pity upon him. She felt it odd, but she was starting to have feelings for him. She thought he wasn't that ugly at all ... for a human. Late on the third night of his capture, she formulated a plan to get them away from the orc village. She quickly grabbed some rations and a few of her potions and went to where Ian was kept.
She put a sleeping draught in the guards' wine and got the key to the cell. Ian was shackled to the wall by his arms and only one leg; leaving him in a very uncomfortable position. She unchained him from the wall. The torturers had done their work well. He was bruised and burnt in the places where he wasn't bleeding. Sesha got out a couple of healing draughts and had Ian drink them. The magic took over quickly. Soon, Ian was ready to move on his own. She led him past the loudly snoring guards and through little used passages and tunnels. Finally, they emerged outside; starlight twinkling above. She managed to get a scraggly-looking horse. They both climbed upon it and rode off into the night.
The next day found the pair still riding on the road leading to Cambria. They stopped off the road near a thicket of trees. Ian was still badly hurt, but Sesha's healing mixtures gave him the strength he needed. Sesha pulled out another of the familiar jars with the greenish-white liquid inside and gave it to Ian to drink. Soon afterward, Ian started pawning over his "saviour". After checking the contents of the jar, Sesha had found out that she had given him a love elixir by accident. The thought struck her that she really should have labeled the jars better. In Ian's present state of undress, she could easily see that his emotions for her were becoming physical. Ian thought she wasn't that unattractive at all ... for an orc. Ignoring his advances, Sesha placed a healing poultice on the remainder of his wounds. They ate and went on their way. That night, Ian could no longer hold back the emotions he was feeling toward Sesha. She finally consented and the deed was done.
Side note: The orcs they escaped from never bothered to search for them. Although Sesha was considered a bad seed, other alchemists could easily take her place. As for Ian, they could always get another victim to torture.
Eventually, they came to the main gates of Cambria. The guards were wary of letting this odd pair enter the city; a human wrapped in a horse blanket and an orc, but they let them pass. On their way to an inn, Ian noticed the caravan he was guarding. The people of the caravan were completely surprised and very happy to see Ian. He was clothed and fed and he told his tale. They were at first wary of Sesha, but as Ian continued, they accepted her. Sesha told her side of the story as well, especially the part of giving Ian a love philter by accident.
They immediately got a wizard to dispel the magic of the philter; which was done successfully. However, Ian's feelings about Sesha were unchanged. The rite of marriage was performed four days later in the temple of Obram. His father was a worshipper of Obram, but Ian always thought himself above such spiritual matters.
Ian was initiated into the Cambrian city guard. Sesha joined the Cambrian Alchemist's Guild to enhance her innate talents. They made a small home within the city walls. Four months later, Sesha confirmed that she was pregnant with Ian's child. Six months after that, on the 2nd of Silvestri under the light of the waxing half-moon in the year 1203 AE, their child was born in the Temple of Obram. He was named Zezhian, being a combination of the parent's names. Right from day one, he looked like the classic half-breed; human enough not to be an orc, but orc enough not to appear fully human.
Another side note: Ian and Sesha tried to have more children. Two children were stillborn and one baby girl, Gira, survived only 5 months. Although the losses were painful, their love for each other never waned. (awwww...)
Ian became a devout worshipper of Obram, and decided that Zezhian should also follow his path. At six years of age, Zezhian was taken in as an initiate of Obram. He was an intelligent boy, and they were very pleased at how well he took to the rituals for building his strength. They were also pleased how quickly he took to riding horseback and within a few short months was riding without the aid of a saddle. They had said often that Zezhian was blessed by Obram himself. With his increasing strength, he began to show interests in the Warrior's lifestyle as well as the spiritual one he was leading. His mentors were overjoyed at the prospect. Holy Warriors of Obram were rare. So, at age nine, under the tutelage of Brak Silverwolf, he began training as a warrior in addition to his other studies. He learned the weapons quickly and was trained in archery and swordsmanship. He was a decent marksman, but he excelled at the sword.
When Zezhian entered his teens, his behaviour started to become more eccentric, but in the most subtle of manners. Most of the lessons that were taught to him, he picked up immediately. He latched on to other lessons and stories with unusual verve; even to put some of the theories they told to the test. Since the horse is Obram's sacred beast, they kept a few at the temple; and with them, Zezhian showed an odd knack for animal husbandry ... until they caught him at it one day. It was pointed out to him that although some of the tales that show Obram's strength and fertility were parables that explained the fruition of the world, it doesn't befit one to take them literally. Zezhian told them that he was trying to find a way to be closer to his god ("...and that's what religion is all about, right?"). Nevertheless, he was told that he should find other ways to be closer to Obram. (This made many of the scholars at the temple argue the subject and their theology for at least a fortnight afterwards.)
In the spring of 1218, Zezhian along with Brak and his two other battlemates, Erek (son of Albrecht) and Tolmain Smithson, went to their usual training spot outside of the city. It was a clearing in a thickly wooded area where they could practice in private. The training lesson was going well, when a huge bear-like creature burst through the woods. Brak immediately recognized it as an owlbear. A skirmish ensued. A back-handed blow from the owlbear sent Zezhian flying into a thicket of thorny brambles. He had the wind knocked out of him and his clothing was firmly entangled in the thorns making him nearly immobile. He tried desperately to get out of his clothing and free himself from the thicket.
The other three fought off the beast as long as they could, but lack of experience was the downfall of Erek as a sweep of a huge claw caught him across the belly and ripped out his entrails. Zezhian finally emerged from the brambles with his sword, naked and bleeding from numerous cuts and scratches. Tolmain was laying on the grass in a bloodied heap and the beast had Brak in a crushing bear-hug. Yelling out an oath to Obram, Zezhian charged the beast and struck it behind the head. The owlbear took no apparent notice of the attack and still would not relinquish its grip. He struck at the owlbear several times until, finally, the beast stiffened up and with a screeching shout fell dead.
Tolmain was in tough shape, but the attack was too late to save Brak. The owlbear had crushed the life out of him. He carefully picked up Tolmain and brought him back to the city as quickly as he could. He explained the situation to the gate guard and brought his injured companion to the temple of Obram. They took Tolmain into the infirmary. They wanted to treat Zezhian's wounds as well, but he refused to let them touch him. A few hours later, they broke the news that Tolmain was dead. Distraught, he ran to his quarters and refused to come out, or even eat, for three days.
One night, he finally emerged from his room in the middle of the night. He walked out to the gardens behind the temple. He knelt down before the small stone statue of Obram and wept for his fallen friends. Grinnell, one of the priests at the temple, heard the weeping and investigated. He found the grieving half-breed, still covered in the blood and dirt of the battle. The priest tried to comfort him. They talked quietly before the statue of Obram until the sun rose. Zezhian explained that the reason he left his room was that he received a vision from Obram but refused to discuss what it entailed. Grinnell understood the pain of his loss and taught him the Ritual of Ablution to soothe his head and heart. But from that day on, no matter what Zezhian did, he refused to wear any clothing in remembrance for that black day in his life.
Yet another side note: His conviction in this matter was so strong, it took nearly a year before he was persuaded just to wear a breechcloth -- but he did so under militant protest.
He never trained under another instructor for the remainder of that year, choosing to improve on the lessons Brak had taught him. Because of this experience, he has a hard time dealing with loss. This translates into him being somewhat reluctant to get to know strangers; oddly enough to the point of appearing aloof, even cold. But once he considers you a friend, he will help and defend you to the end.
The second of Silvestri in 1219, Zezhian celebrated his 16th birthday and his official coming of age. He asked the temple of Obram to release him from their confines in order to learn the lessons of the world. They did so with their blessings. As a gift, Brother Grinnell gave him a book of Obram's teachings (which he still carries today...and yes, he can read). Soon after, he gained employment as a guard on a caravan leaving Cambria.
Zezhian Dragonfang is still alive at 26 years of age, still wears as little clothing as he can get away with (even in winter) and has many adventures under his sword belt (the only belt he wears, incidentally).
Thus concludes the first part of Zezhian's story (it may stop, but it never ends).
Written 4 Venatri 1229 AE by Arval Hammersmith; scribe historian in tutelage under King Harald Cambria II
The character Zezhian Dragonfang is © 1985-2001 by Mark Correia.( I've played this character long enough for him to be a part of me and I will defend his concept to the ends of the earth and then some.) This HTML version is ©2001 Southpaw Artwerx. Play nice, now.
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