[Characters] Character Bios

[Icarus434]

This thread will contain the bios of all characters, and most NPCs.

[Mors]

(Skip down to the 18 years later... for a quick look at 'How I got here')

Zong, Beginnings


Waves thrash in every direction. They throw the ship starboard then, before the crew can find a leg to stand on, port side. Thunder cracks whips of stinging rain against their flesh, and menacing winds howl with laughter. The ship's mast whines in pain while the hull groans in agony. "Three men...four men swept to sea by this devil, Captain," the first mate yells at deaf ears; it's impossible to hear over the horrific screams and shouts of the storm.
Gigantic waves take on sinister faces. Mouths of water try to swallow the ship and her crew whole. The sea crashes in from all sides as if a kraken made of salt water was readying to devour its next fateful victim. Panic now drawn upon the captain's face, she desperately steers... anywhere, in any direction that might carry them out of this dark, wet Hell.
Dark, liquid monsters rise again and again threatening to turn the ship over when, suddenly, violent winds rush the canvas of the sails. Finally, they get some sort of movement, and brave men turn pale like corpses as the ship barrels towards a frightening show of lightening that dances across the water to a thunderous symphony.
A crewman falls to his knees; with arms gripping tight around the beaten mast he screams towards the heavens, "Hei Feng has sent his wrath unto us. All that is left is an eternity serving the Black Lady. Besmara! Admit me aboard the Seawraith!".
"On your feet," says the first mate as he lifts the wailing man up to stand. "Can you see it? Salvation's ahead! Just there through the fog." An island is barely visible in the distance. "Go now. Tell the captain to stay her course." The shaken man slips across the sodden deck, "Aye, Mr. Basil." He falls more than once as he frantically rushes to deliver the message.
"Captain!" She responds before he can say anything else. "I see it. Now go back out there and make sure we get there in one piece." Her panic has been superseded by determination. She prays her own request silently. 'Just let us make it. Please, let us make it.'
An hour passes before they are close enough to drop the anchor. The storm still rages furiously, and the hardest part is yet to come. "Captain, how are we supposed to row the boats ashore on water like that?" asks the first mate grimly. She looks over the faces of her crew. They look tense, weary, and most of all fearful. Many hopelessly plea to their deities for safe passage to the next life.
Her tone becomes bold and aggressive. "Pull yourselves together! I for one do not wish to die here this night! If you value your breath at all you will get those boats ashore at any cost! Die forsaken or fight for survival!"
Chaos ensues as boats are bombarded. Some jump many feet down from the deck's ledge to lowering boats lest they be left behind. One boat is so burdened by the weight of its passengers that it topples over before it can reach the water. Daunting cries from fellow crewmen are muffled then silenced by bellowing swells.
The ship was merely rocked like a babe in a cradle compared to the violence of the sea they now endure in their insignificant vessels. "Row! Row for your lives! We're almost ashore!" Hastily the oars are pushed and pulled. A couple groups of men are so overwhelmed by the urgency of safety that they blindly row directly into the deadly clutches of jagged rocks.
They hit sand. Few bother to pull the boats in as they scramble for the rock face in front of them. By the grace of the gods a lone cavern welcomes the fatigued survivors, but the captain is no fool and heeds caution to the others. The chance of something else, something dangerous, awaiting inside is great.
The cave is dark, and there isn't a stick of dry wood to light within 20 leagues in all directions. They delve deeper and deeper into the black with swords drawn. It's eerily quiet except for the occasional clank of steel against stone that is heard when someone discovers the boundaries of the confine.
The same man who attached himself so firmly to the mast of the ship trips and falls prone. Another pummels to the ground after having tripped over him. They shove and curse one another. "Knock it off you two dumb jellyfish!" the first mate chides in a hushed voice. "Did you hear that?" whispers the captain. "Hear what?" asks one of the men idiotically. "Listen." she whispers.
All stand still and silent. Water drops slap the cave's floor. After some moments the silence is broken. A cry of what seems to be an infant echoes from deep within the hollow. The captain starts towards the resonating sound. "Don't," warns a crewman, "it's a ghost, or a w-witch, leading us to our doom!" Without even a pause in her stride she says, "Then stay, but I am going to find out."
Louder the babe's cries sound. The first mate states, "We're close. Spread out and yell if you find anything." Reluctantly they follow his command. The captain, now alone, climbs up and into a narrow tunnel. She closes her eyes so that she may better hear. The wails are definitely coming from in here.
As she creeps through the dark she walks right into a wall smacking her nose on the rock barrier in front of her. "Damn!" she exclaims in pain. She lets out a sigh of confusion and thinks to herself, 'I can hear the child so clearly. However, there must be some other route.' As she turns to head out a cool breeze calls her back. Reaching for it she realizes that the tunnel continues to the right. Not only does the way keep going, but there is light. She hesitates and thinks of calling the others. Deciding against it she starts down the passage.
The cries grow fewer and then cease, but she continues vexed by a deep blue light. The light shines brighter and brighter as she closes the distance. She takes the left to enter the lighted opening and spies a lone crib with the babe inside. Wondrous blue light emanates from various rocks strewn about the walls of this... crude nursery.
All of the sudden, she is brought to her knees by a deafening tone! "ZZZZZOOOOOOONNNNNGGG." She clutches her ears in a futile attempt to silence the clamor. "ZZZZZOOOOOOONNNNNGGG." She rolls over in torture and still the cacophony presses on. "ZZZZZOOOOOOONNNNNGGG." Her vision goes black and she falls unconscious at the foot of the crib.
The captain awakens with sweat on her brow, the noise still ringing in her ears, and looks at the small child apprehensively. Markings like tattoos cover body and head. She notices the silk that wraps the infant is of very fine quality. The crib is also crafted so well that its more like art than furniture. Both have unrecognizable symbols and patterns that resemble the odd marks on the babe.
The crew has assembled back where they separated, and wait in the dark. "Where is she? It's been hours." a girl says worriedly. "I told you didn't I? It was a...a ghost witch. We should leave while we still c-can." stutters a coward. "Then leave!" shouts the first mate. The worried girl jumps to her feet, "Look! A light approaches!" They all rise and draw their weapons in unison. Anxiously, they wait to apprehend what may have killed their captain.
"So, I've returned to a mutinous crew have I?"
"Captain!" "She lives!" "Where did you get that light?!"
She steps down carefully to stand among the others. The first mate peers at the bundle she braces against her chest. "What is it, Captain?" She rests against a large rock and lets out an exhausted sigh. "No need to fret. [ It ] is a boy, and these stones of light were with him." They all gather around her in awe. "Since you're keeping him, what will you call him," asks the worrisome girl. "I'll call him by his name. I'll call him Zong."

18 years later...

"This way!" Local men yell to each other as they give chase behind the young lad. "We're gonna gut ya like the river rat ya are, boy!"

Zong, had just been on a 'job' with a few of the more experienced crew members. A simple, honest, dishonest trade for large gains. These things don't always sail smoothly, but for some reason this time was...different.
Running as quickly as possible through foliage and forest, Zong can see light from torches 10 paces back. He keeps at it. 'Every second's a second closer to gettin' caught and I've been runnin' too long' Zong thinks. Just then he comes upon a road. Frantically he rummages through his pockets. He holds up a bit of wool which burns between his fingers to nothing. At one end of the road it sounds as if Zong is screaming, "Help! Somebody!" and again a bit further and into the trees, "Anybody! Over here!"
Zong tucks away behind a large shrub in the ditch alongside the road going the opposite direction and makes himself still. His suspicion that these bloodthirsty criminals would jump at the opportunity is confirmed when maniacal laughter, hoots, and hollers are heard in the distance. He knows that they know there isn't anyone out here to help. "Sounded like he went this way," says the man in front.
Zong counts to 20 after the last man enters the forest on the other side of the road and then treads quietly in the other direction.

[Calan]

Ansem was found drifting in the ocean on an abandoned boat at a very young age. There was nothing on the boat with him except for a mysterious metal ring shaped like a rams head.
A group of monks took him in to their monastery and a strong middle aged monk raised him as his own.
Ansem is an adult now and his adopted monk appears to have just been killed.
Shortly after, the monastery was burned to the ground. Ansem sets out on a journey to find answers.