Zera Leigh

Zera of Leigh

Biographical information

Birthplace Leigh Born Died Age 42 Home Bevane Sexuality Pronouns

Physical description

Race Human Sub-Race Gender Male Height 2m Mass 210kg Hair color Blonde Eye color Ice Blue Skin color Light Tan

Political information

Affiliation(s) The Weak Occupation Beekeeper / Vitomancer Clan(s) Caste Domain Masters Apprentices Alias(es)

Out-of-character information

Writer Hobro Created on 29th March 2006 Avatar Ira Gamagoori

A human of enormous proportions. Zera is a mountain of muscle and raw physique standing at just about two meters tall. His incredible stature is matched only by his muscle mass and density leaving him a titan of a human being. His hands have been described as spades and his chest like that of a wine barrel. Zera possesses a lightly tanned complexion from days working in the sun and maintains a healthy appearance with regular bathing and purposeful hygiene.

Zera has a handsome face with a rigid jawline, wide nose, and thick eyebrows. He keeps his hair trimmed short as to not get in his face and shaves regularly. However, it is his eyes that are the most startling part of his appearance, they are glacier blue and possess the smallest amount of photoluminescence which adds to their eerie quality.

Zera commonly wears simple clothing when he is not wearing his beekeepers garb, sticking to dark-colored slacks, white shirts, gambesons, and simple boots.

Giantblight - Zera suffers from an incredibly rare medical condition that has caused his muscles, bones, and organs to overdevelop leading to his tremendous size. While this trait grants incredible (almost superhuman) strength, it does not come without a cost. Zera's body depends on regular medical treatments, exercise, and a diet fit for four people. Tragically, without intervention of a higher power, Zera's life expectancy is sixty years old. His own body is consuming itself.

Vitomancy - Zera is what is known as a lantern-bearer. He carries a magic lantern wherever he goes which provides general illumination when not in use. This lantern does not act as the source of his power but rather as the conduit. This is because Lantern-bearers or Vitomancers are actually a branch of the study of Necromancy, studying the forces of life and death in balance. Zera possesses an incredible natural talent for magic. He has studied necromancy from a very young age to harness his talent and use it for the good of others. Below are a few of the practices that Vitomancers engage in;

Healing - Vitomancers are capable of casting healing spells and using healing arts. Their spells can knit wounds, mend bones, cure sickness and restore life force.

Spiritual Magic - Vitomancers are capable of perceiving souls and communicating with them, they can ease the pain of the dead, sense living souls and even comprehend the quality of a soul.

Necromancy - Vitomancers do not force the dead to rise, this goes against their doctrine. They ask permission from the soul before returning it to the body. This results in a stronger bond to the reanimated corpse and allowing the corpse a small amount of free will.

Vitomancy, like any other magic, comes at a cost. Usually, latent, spiritual energy in the air or even life force from unintelligent life is necessary to power some spells. This energy passes through the caster and into the lantern to give it focus. This process is strenuous for any caster and can leave the caster feeling sick or even feverish after the casting of a powerful spell. A strong constitution is necessary for utilizing vitomancy effectively and the physical repercussions for overutilization can be harsh. Zera has had to treat himself for burns on his hands and body regularly.

A Keen Mind - Zera possesses a sharp intellect that has kept him alive on many an occasion.

Seasoned Warrior - Zera's martial skill, while certainly not incredible, is certainly not something to dismiss. He is capable of using several types of weapons in combat to reasonable effect. His true power comes from combining his simple martial style to his physical strength and speed.

Alchemy Training - While no master, Zera can be considered a Journeyman of the Alchemical arts and is able to prepare his own medicine to treat his illness.

Personality

Zera is a gentle soul. He loves life, nature, and the world around him. Despite his rather terrifying appearance and the culturally frowned upon nature of his magic, he deeply and fiercely cares about others. He enjoys a good laugh, a warm meal, and a good book. Not to mention his profound delight in a tall glass of mead that has lead him to take on a career of keeping bees in his quiet years. Zera's prefered book is either a sappy romance or a history text.

Zera is not without his flaws, he has abandoned the life of a warrior in exchange for a firm existence of pacifism. He protects his new life desperately and refuses to embrace a life of danger to the point of cowardice. While he has never let an evil deed performed before him go unpunished he has turned a blind eye to the greater world and the challenges the common people experience. This contradiction in his character has actually lead to him losing some of his innate magical talent.

Slow to anger, Zera takes most slights in stride and rarely rises to insult. That said, when he has finally reached the limit of his patience his rage is unending and merciless, ending only in the defeat of either himself or his foe. Even then, Zera cannot bring himself to kill without reason.

Biography & Lore

Zera was born in the hamlet of Leigh outside of Alliria. There he lived a simple life as the apprentice to his grandfather, the local butcher. The old man cared little for Zera but appreciated his help when it came. Wanting for little as a young man, he spent his hard earned money on books while saving the rest for tuition. When Zera finally came of age he, like many other young men, enlisted in the army out of a love for his homeland.

For a time, Zera trained with a small reserve force before finally being fielded. Using his tremendous strength he aided his comrades in several battles and by the end of the brief campaign was forced to take command of his brethren in order to keep them alive. In the end, though, his actions on the battlefield were rewarded with a dishonorable discharge when his commanding officer took issue with his lifesaving actions.

With nothing but his sword on his belt and a sack on his shoulder, Zera began to travel. He studied with Elven alchemists and learned the nature of the condition that had been to show frightening signs as the years went by. From them, he also discovered he had an innate connection to magic, though they refused to teach him the art they saw he was most open to. Confused but understanding he went on his own way.

Around the age of twenty-nine, Zera stumbled upon a Witch named Diana who immediately saw his potential and urged him to study with her. Uncomfortable but wanting to understand the strangeness lurking within him he took her up on her offer. There he drowned in the study of the dead, drinking in the knowledge of undeath, calamity, and plague. Despite her best efforts, though, Diana could not tempt him to cross the line and raise the dead.

In his fourth year of study under Diana, a small group of Vitomancers arrived to confront the witch for her crimes. The battle was fierce and Zera could not decide what side to take before it was too late. Diana was defeated by the Vitomancers and secured for return to Alliria for trial. When they approached Zera he surrendered himself for punishment but was offered a chance to study with them if he forsakes traditional Necromancy. Zera accepted.

Years later, Zera is on his own again, a seasoned and powerful Vitomancer that has taken to living a quiet life away from the troubles of the world. He wants to live quietly, but fate has a way of finding those who have the power to change it.

References