Maz the Shadow is a slightly above average human with earthy toned skin. He keeps his hair medium length and coiled into locks, and a well kept beard and mustache on his face. His eyes are a light brown with golden speckles within them. His chest and arms are scarred from the many fights he has been in since leaving Iwi Lua, including many self inflicted scars that count the number of times he has completed a contract in his new life. He is normally dressed in light armor that consists of studded leather armor, and a linen hooded mantle. He is typically armed with a variety of weapons, including an exotic looking short sword.

Stealth
Martial Prowess

Maz keeps to himself for the most part, and tends to be hard to get to know. The one way this does not hold true is when he meets another Nazrani, especially if that Nazrani is not hunting him. He has the tendency to focus entirely on a single goal at a time, working towards it with utter intensity.

Mazogu Do'Zei Naka Iwi Lua, who now goes by the moniker Maz the Shadow, is an exiled Nazrani. His past is not something he talks about much, but those familiar with the An'Ka Naka clan may have heard about a son of the Chief who slew his brother in a heated argument using a forbidden blade they had been guarding as part of the ceremony of coming of age for that clan. The blade supposedly stole the spirit of the slain brother. By morning, the surviving brother and the blade were gone, as was one of the tribes boats. Since then, the An'Ka Naka clan has been very insular, being not very welcome to outsiders from even other Nazrani clans.

Mazogu Do'Zei Naka Iwi Lua was born into the family of the Chief of the An'Ka Naka clan of Nazrani on Iwi Lua, as the second child and youngest male. He was raised with his Elder Brother and Younger Sister in the ways of the Nazrani, excelling at the stalking of prey, but in love with the sea. Always, young Mazogu was trying to find reasons to take to the sea with both exploration missions and merchants expeditions.

When he was finally coming of age, and would be able to choose his own way, he was assigned duty to guard a secret temple to the spirits of fire and life. His brother was supervising him, as he had passed his trials years before. Once the night of guarding the temple was done, Mazogu was slated to undergo trials that showed he had learned the skills of the Nazrani, and taken them to heart.

However, in the midst of his night of guarding, he and his brother got into a fight. Ternogu, his brother, was feeling great stress, as he was expected to be the next Chief once their father passed. When Mazogu told Ternogu of his plans to become a sailor and ply the oceans for their clan, Ternogu became angry. He had been counting on Mazogu to help him lead their people, to be his right hand. He demanded that Mazogu change his mind, but Mazogu was as stubborn as Ternogu, and the argument became more heated.

It quickly became physical, with Ternogu attempting to use his greater bulk to overpower Mazogu. Mazogu, however, was quicker, and a better fighter. Nonetheless, the fight took them into the temple, as if the brothers were being drawn there. They knocked into the pedestal that held a sacred blade that was said to be blessed and cursed. The blessing would make it so the wielder struck true with the blade, but the curse was the blade stole the spirit of whoever it killed. Mazogu fell atop the blade, his hand closed around the hilt of it's own volition. When Ternogu came at him again, the blade was interposed, striking into Ternogu's heart and killing him instantly.

Mazogu, aghast at what he had done, fled the temple with the blade. He stole a boat, and sailed by star and sun to the mainland. He would no longer go by the name Mazogu Do'Zei Naka Iwi Lua. He was Maz, and in this land that was new to him, he would build himself a life. Believing that his fratricide proved he was nothing but a killer, he soon made a name for himself in the underworld. In many port cities, his skills were both desired and feared, for with the simplicity of payment, Maz the Shadow would ensure the target died. No questions, no qualms.

In a later encounter with another Nazrani the dagger holding the soul of his brother was stolen. From that point he has felt the conflicting emotions of joy at being free from the penance he gave himself for his crimes and rage at having his brother ripped away once again. He has faltered between going after this other Nazrani and letting her crime go unpunished.