Zinnia
Offered up to the Academy by St. Kolbe Orphanage when her magic manifested at age 6, Zinnia was initially excited by the prospect of a new home. Like so many other initiates, she quickly learned the harsh reality of life within the Academy. After a few years she was informed that her magic was unremarkable, and that she'd be doomed to a distinctly ordinary career as a Dreadlord, should she even find the strength to graduate. In her teenage years she's begun to experience some strange changes that she can only attribute to her magic, and she finds herself thankful that the Academy's assessment of her has left her mostly ignored by Proctors and peers alike.
Appearance
With fair skin, dark brown hair, and an extremely athletic build, where once Zinnia blended in as average, she has set herself apart as a keen fighter. Her most distinguishable feature is her eyes, being an odd golden color that manifested at around age 12 from their previous brown, as well as her freckles.
Zinnia prefers to wear a hood as part of her attire at all times, and keeps her hair about shoulder length.
Zinnia prefers to wear a hood as part of her attire at all times, and keeps her hair about shoulder length.
Skills and Abilities
- Martial prowess: without particularly flashy magic, Zinnia has spent more time than most trying to compensate through weapons training. The longsword, bow and arrow, and warhammer are her preferred implements.
- Above average strength: Despite her relatively small size and demure nature, Zinnia is known to exhibit physical prowess just beyond what many would consider normal. The source of this is unclear; it may be due to her long hours spent training or the manner in which she stores energy with her magic.
- Elemental Infusions: Zinnia's innate magic is versatile, if not potent. Her body functions like a battery for elemental energy; by focusing, she can absorb elemental energy that makes contact with her into her body and store it, then later channel that energy into any inanimate object she touches. She is resistant to physical harm caused by anything she is absorbing.
- Quiet and dexterous: Being ignored has its advantages. Zinnia is good at getting into places she's not supposed to be, quietly.
- Natural investigator: An odd talent that Zinnia fell into, she's grown quite skilled at sorting out mysteries.
Personality
Mostly very reserved. Zinnia secretly longs for acceptance among her peers, but mostly keeps to herself and is slow to trust.
She is polite, but often comes off as cold. Some think of her as arrogant despite her own acknowledgment that she is nothing special.
Since graduation, Zinnia has very much come out of her shell. Though her social anxiety remains, gone are the days of her seeming cold and withdrawn. Zinnia is a bright and friendly young woman, standing stark in the face of what Dreadlords have always been known to be.
She is polite, but often comes off as cold. Some think of her as arrogant despite her own acknowledgment that she is nothing special.
Since graduation, Zinnia has very much come out of her shell. Though her social anxiety remains, gone are the days of her seeming cold and withdrawn. Zinnia is a bright and friendly young woman, standing stark in the face of what Dreadlords have always been known to be.
Biography & Lore
Deposited at St. Kolbe's Orphanage in Vel Anir in her infancy, Zinnia (dubbed with a surname to match the orphanage she came from) manifested her magic at age 6 when she accidentally fell hands first into a fireplace and came out unscathed. It took only three days for the orphanage to alert the Academy, and for the Academy to whisk her away into training.
Since then she has spent the entirety of her life within the Academy, and has had a terribly average school career. This was not for lack of effort; Zinnia wanted to excel for the first several years, longing for the approval of the closest thing she'd had to parental figures in her life.
At age 12, however, alongside an odd change in eye color, she started to become more withdrawn. She took to wearing a hood and falling in to her position as run-of-the-mill.
At 16, one year past the Anirian revolution, she hoped that life and society around her could progress to the point that she could ease up a little. Time will tell if that is the case.
Zinnia has since graduated from the Dreadlord Academy, graduating directly into the rank of Second Level and receiving additional training as a Stalker. She has gained much confidence and her stutter has lessened considerably.
Since then she has spent the entirety of her life within the Academy, and has had a terribly average school career. This was not for lack of effort; Zinnia wanted to excel for the first several years, longing for the approval of the closest thing she'd had to parental figures in her life.
At age 12, however, alongside an odd change in eye color, she started to become more withdrawn. She took to wearing a hood and falling in to her position as run-of-the-mill.
At 16, one year past the Anirian revolution, she hoped that life and society around her could progress to the point that she could ease up a little. Time will tell if that is the case.
Zinnia has since graduated from the Dreadlord Academy, graduating directly into the rank of Second Level and receiving additional training as a Stalker. She has gained much confidence and her stutter has lessened considerably.
References
Academy Days
- Friendsgiving 3.0: Zinnia gathers the courage to join other initiates for a festive feast, leaving her room for social purposes for the first time in years.
- Searching for a Vigilante: Alongside Aelita, Zinnia goes looking for a so-called "Black Knight."
- Applied Martial Spellcraft 301: Zinnia learns that effort doesn't always equal victory.
- A Bid for Power: A group of initiates go hunting for the source of a string of murders, only to discover an Old Anirian loyalist.
- And Then There Was Some More: Zinnia's patience is pushed to the limit.
- Graves Too Horrid to Dig: Caeso, Lumen, and Zinnia go investigating disappearances in the town of Pernach.
- Sly Sabotage: Zinnia gets out of her comfort zone, courtesy of Soleil Verdane.
- Drunken Mess, Part II: A group of initiates wake up after an all-night bender. Zinnia acquires her pet haterpillar, Seri.
- Death Lotto: The initiates face a bewildering series of tests in the middle of the night.
- Breaking the Silence: Zinnia joins Caeso Diemut on a mission in hopes of bonding with him. Instead, things go wrong and tensions wind tight.
- Nenikēkamen: Zinnia trains with Kristen Pirian, and shows just how strong she is.
- Dance for All That We've Been Through: The Academy has its equivalent of prom night.
- Apex: Zinnia learns of Caeso's fate.
- The Cost of Closure: Zinnia takes vengeance for Caeso, and brings her rivalry with Soleil to a head.
- A Promising Future in a Bed of Lies: Proctor Salak sets Zinnia's future down a path of great potential.
- Been to the End of that Road: Zael, Kristen, and Zinnia have a tense discussion about ideals.
- The Toll: Shit hits the fan. A mote of truth about Zinnia comes to the surface.
- Even Wallflowers Bloom: Zinnia goes on a date with Sylas
- Midnight Munchies Part Two: What begins as an impromptu hangout in the Academy kitchen ends in disaster.
- Graduation
- Dealings in Duality: Zinnia and Kilien go on patrol. An awkward conversation with a changeling leads to deep vulnerability.
- Now in this New Light: Zinnia reunites with her best friend, Kristen Pirian.
- The Disastrous Diary of Liadain's Least Lucky Lady: A recounting of Zinnia's most miserable experiences as a Dreadlord.
