Zayn Noname

Zayn's Background

A human woman who named herself Zylia was captured and enslaved by an Urzog Orc band. She suffered under terrible treatment and abuse. She was even raped by a particularly frustrated orc. Out of that terrible union a half-orc was born. The orc rapist could not care less for the welp, so the half-orc was raised by his mother. She called her child Zayn, after her father. Zayn was treated just as poorly as his mother, maybe even worse because he was seen by both human slaves and the orcs as an abomination. He quickly took the job as gatherer and tried to be apart from the others as much as was allowed. He only loved his mother, all others he mistrusted deeply.

Often Zayn asked his mother about his human family. Her parents and siblings. But for some unknown reason she refused to tell him. She did not even dare tell him her surname. Thus the orcs and other slaves started jokingly calling him Zayn Noname. And the name kind of stuck, even with Zayn himself. As Zayn got older, he decided to protect his mother as best as he could from the abuse. Even when subjected to punishment as a result. Each scar on his body serves as both a reminder and trophy that it was not inflicted on his mother. This is probably the only reason why she survived as long as she did, and was not raped again.

One day, when Zayn was out gathering, the orc settlement was raided. Upon his return he found the small camp smoldering and in ruins. He searched for a while but could not find his mother. He does not know whether she is dead, captured or managed to escape. He only finds the small wood-carved doll she made for him long ago. It is dirty and a little soot-blackened, but intact. It has the shape of a sparrow. He decided to flee and from that moment onward, Zayn Noname was alone.

Traits

• Height: Medium 6'10" (2,10 m)
• Hair: Crimson Red. (from his mother)
• Age: 16 (per PHB half-orcs are adult around 14).
• Weight: 200 lb (about 90 kg.)
• Eyes: Green (from his Orc father.)
• Personality Trait: Analytical thinking used to be challenging, but has greatly improved after his time at the Sanatorium AlRe Transplanae. Zayn has a good 'gut' feeling (high Wis) and can read his environment well. Zayn feels uncomfortable in crowded places, and prefers to be in nature. Wealth/money doesn't mean much to Zayn, he treats everyone the same.
• Ideal: Zayn tries to steer clear from difficult moral decisions as much as he can. He doesn't like to meddle in other's affairs unless requested. However, when he sees clear abuse of the weak, he tries to stand up for them. It reminds him of how his mother was treated in the clan and he will not allow it.
• Bond: Zayn cares most about my mother as she's the only one who ever loved and respected him. Thus, he will never stop looking for her. He has the wooden sparrow to remind him of her. Often, when he's alone, he likes to hold, clean or improve the carving on it.
• Flaw: Indecisive. Quick to frustrate when confronted with tough (moral) decisions.

The Caravan

Zayn wakes up and feels worse than death. Something heavy is laying on top of him and he doesn't have the strength or energy to shift it. He very vaguely hears voices a distance away but with all the weight on top of him he can't even produce a rattle, let alone a cry for help. The voices leave and strength slowly returns to the half-orc. With some trouble he manages to extract himself from what turns out to be two dead horses laying on top of him. As he looks around, he sees the remnants of a caravan, but much more imminent is the Felak storm that is seconds from reaching him.

As he contemplates the fact that he has no idea where he is or what happened the last week or so, a voice speaks inside his head and the entity promises him that he can protect him from the storm and save his life, but it will only do so if Zayn pledges his life to the voice. With little choice, the half-orc agrees and immediately is encased in a force-field the protects him from the shredding storm. Once the storm has passed and the field disappears, it becomes obvious that what was left of the caravan wasn't so lucky and the bodies have turned into bloody, tattered mess, the two wagons ripped apart, much of their contents ruined completely.

Zayn slowly makes his way through the wreckage looking for any clues or salvage as the entity talks inside his head and shows him unheard-of powers, teaching him the ways of a warlock. There aren't too many things left to recover but the dead human who was the only one with his own horse, had an interesting letter on him. After recovering his pack he also gathers the following: the interesting letter, a grappling hook, a climber's kit, a holy symbol, a horn (bound to his belt) He left behind a shovel and dulcimer. He had no place for them and they served no purpose for surviving his current situation. Luckily he still had the wooden sparrow on him.

Zayn sets out, following back the trail left by the caravan, hoping this will lead to a settlement of some kind. Unfortunately, the very first night, right after making an improvised camp he is found by a pack of death dogs. Even if he had regained all his hit points and total mastery over his new warlock powers, it would still not have been anywhere near enough to defeat these vicious creatures. It is more luck than anything that he manages to escape with his life, though at the cost of having to leave behind many of the things he found at the caravan.

After hours of frantic scrambling through the night he eventually comes across a small cavern at the end of a gully and he waits out the rest of the night in there. The next morning, he is totally lost, again, and has to start over. Fortunately, he is skilled in survival and knows what to do and, more importantly, what not to do. Not that things go easily for the half-orc; after almost running into a pack of trolls, he then has to hoof it again in the dead of night when a group of zombies shuffles into his camp. The only bit of luck is coming across a ruined farm that yields a few discarded items and a source of fresh water, a godsend at this point.

Eventually he makes it back to civilization when he comes upon the town of Kurog. After a few days of recuperating, he joins up with two adventurers to eradicate a knot of giant toads that have been encroaching on the town. It's not as easy as it sounds but it pays well. There's not much else to do in the village and so he signs up as a caravan guard, hoping this one won't suffer the same fate, and leaves with it on its journey to Banak.

However, at a certain point during their travels, the voice in his head says he has a job for him and so he leaves the caravan, not making him very popular with the caravan master. The entity explains that they are near the Haklur Desert and that there is a cave not too far into the desert where a large black sapphire can be found. He wants our friend to recover said sapphire and then bring it to the Temple of Kismet in Banak.

The voice is able to lead the half-orc to the cavern but the desert proves more dangerous than either of them apparently expected and while our friend manages to stumble into the cave, not a minute later he collapses and loses consciousness. When Zayn comes to, he meets two dwarfs and an elven woman.

Meeting Commander, Troubles and Beardy

"Zayn... one day, when you get the chance... just go. Don't come back for me. Don't keep looking for me." The words seemingly came out of nowhere, completely unexpected for the young Zayn, who was prodding the little campfire he finally managed to get going. "Mum? Why do you say that?" "Listen to me carefully. You must be your own man. You must survive and thrive, for both our sakes. Do you hear me?" She looked at him, unblinking, waiting. "Yes mum... but..." "No buts. I have taught you everything I know. Which is regrettably little, I will be the first to admit that. But what did I always tell you? Well?" "Be kind. Be polite. Listen well, don't stand out. Follow your gut." "Yes. And?" Zayn sighed. "I want to hear you say it." "Do the right thing." "That's my boy." "But how will I know? How will I know what is the right thing to do?" At that Zayn's mother shrugged and kindly caressed her son's green cheek. "Only you will know."

The dream of a distant memory fades into the back of Zayn's mind as he wakes up. He is far away from that day, that place, that person. But her words still ring true to this day, even though he doesn't understand half of them. Careful not to wake his new companions he unfolds the small wood carving from a piece of cloth and eyes it in the small bundle of moonlight that falls through the curtains. He has been aimless for a while now. Even with the events of the caravan, his lost memory, the mutilation... it feels hollow to him. Unremarkable almost. He tries to force his mind to give it importance, to make it seem worthwhile. But if he is completely honest, he ponders almost everyday if he should just leave. The only reason he hasn't is he does not know where to go to.

To the temple where his clumsy but honest attempts at prayer or meditation go unheard or unanswered? To the mercenaries? It did not work out that well last time. And besides... It doesn't feel right. Sure, it pays for a bed and meal, but other than that it is not fulfilling. Back to the Arena then? With enough training he would be a force to reckon with. Money would come easily enough. But that option feels almost as hollow as wandering aimlessly. Should he maybe just retreat into nature? The animals are mostly good to him and he has always thrived in solitude. But is that really the answer? How is he supposed to do the 'right thing' if he is alone all his life? His mother wanted more for him, that much was clear to him. And he was not going to find his destiny by himself living in a cave like a hermit.

Zayn sighs and eyes his sleeping companions. He finds them strange, yet comfortingly familiar. When they rescued him, he felt instantly comfortable telling them his mission for the gem, even though they could have easily killed him right there and then and taken the gem. His mother taught him many things, but being trusting so easily was not one of them. So what is it that is so appealing to them?

Odrik's leadership, though funny, seems genuine, authentic even. Zayn doubts whether Odrik has ever lead any regiment or even a small squad. But Zayn would be curious enough to follow him anyway. Boldrek seems the silent type, but has a wicked sense of humor. His goals or reasons are a complete mystery to Zayn, but the dwarf's honesty, kindness and twinkling eyes are endearing. And Izzy... by the gods... Izzy. Or 'Troubles', as Odrik likes to call her. A nickname well earned. Zayn would be in the right to be angry at her. Or at the very least indignant for endangering his life so many times already. But she only makes him smile and have faith in the future. Even though she can't have a long one... with the way she has been behaving lately.

It suddenly dawns on him. What makes this trio different from anyone else is how they treat him. Some would say rudely, poorly, teasingly and maybe even hurtful. But it FEELS like he is being treated as an equal. They don't see the poor excuse for a human, nor the nauseating green of his orcish skin. They just see Zayn. They never even asked his last name. Not because they don't care (they probably don't anyway), but because they don't feel they need to. They value him for being there. Even though it has been for a short time. How long is it? A few days? Weeks? It feels like months, and THAT is exactly the point.

Zayn lies his head back down on his pillow, the wooden carving in his hands. He suddenly feels more content now. He still has no idea of his place in this world, or the destiny that awaits him. But somehow he feels that these three unique individuals are a good place to start finding out. It is decided then. For now, he will stick with them. See what they are up to. Maybe that is what his mother meant with 'do the right thing'. She meant: "do the right thing that feels right to you."

Signed

Taken from the Penal Camp Mid-Level Security 3 page.

Zayn has been showing the sign painted in blood that he found at his destroyed village to just about anyone and eventually he also showed it to Twitch. She is the first person to recognize it. She tells the warlock that it's a personal sign that a former colleague from her Kill Company days used to leave behind wherever they went. When asked what it means, all the she can say is that it was sort of a 'fuck you' to the Ott, just the weird sense of humor that the guy had.

The man's name is Guck Molden, though in their company he was usually referred to by his nickname; Geist. According to Twitch he was a real piece of work and deadly with a dagger. He was quite young when she knew him so he might still be in the Ott.

Family in Midtal

While in Midtal, Zayn catches a glimpse of someone who is a striking resemblance of his mother. It turns out she is his aunt. Her name is Muriël Kiefernholz, maiden name: Wellington. She works as an entry-level clerk at Tallsite Citadel. Her husband is Johann Kiefernholz, a local merchant who's currently away on a business trip.

Zayn and Muriël go and have a drink to get better acquainted. Zayn asks her many questions regarding his mother and this is what he finds out:

Her full name is Meghan Zylia Wellington. This means his name is Zayn Wellington. It is a rather human name for a half-orc. Zayn is doubtful about whether he will actually assume that surname. He does not know anything about the family and wouldn't know if he can live up to it. Also, he got used to being Zayne Noname. Time will tell if he'll assume the Wellington name.

Zayn asks why Meghan would choose to keep her surname a secret, even from Zayn. Muriël can't really think of any specific reason. Perhaps Meghan wanted to avoid creating a hostage situation, as the Wellingtons have some money. However, the orc settlement was many miles away and orcs are not known to do take hostages and demand things. So who knows what the real reason was.

"If Meghan is still alive, where would she go?" asks Zayn. "Probably to Zâram-Tûm", Muriël answers, "Meghan had a job and house there. Or perhaps she would come to me, here in Midtal. Least likely she might visit Avale in Dolac, where the Wellingtons are originally from. But we don't know anybody there, our parents... your grandparents I suppose, died years ago. The thing is... the attack on that horrid settlement has now been months ago, right?" Zayn nods. "Well... she hasn't send me any letters. And wherever she would go, that she would most certainly do. I... I hope that doesn't mean..." she trails off.

Zayn quickly fills the silence with a new question, mainly because he doesn't want to ponder the lack of letters either. "What did my mum's life in Zâram-Tûm look like? What was her job? Was she in a relationship with someone?" "Meghan worked for the Companions of Elric. She was really passionate about that. She was a fantastic seamstress, so helped the Companions in making or repairing clothes for the poor and needy." For Zayn this makes complete sense. It fits with his upbringing, and even his urge to protect the weak. It instantly makes him proud of his mother. "I don't think she was in a relationship with anyone, or at least she didn't write about that in her letters."

"Do you have anything from Meghan? Personal belongings, a room she lived in, something like that? I only have this..." and Zayn shows the wooden carving. "Not much," Muriël admits, "I might have a necklace she once owned. And I have an old portrait of me and her as children. And I kept some of the letters she sent, but those are ancient now." "I would like to see those very much," Zayn says gratefully. "Of course," Muriël replies.

"When the letters stopped... Did you ever try to look for her?" Zayn asks. "Well, I tried. I sent letters to the local authorities in Zâram-Tûm with the request to see if she's still there and ok. But I never received a reply. I guess those bureaucrats were too busy. Or my requests never arrived. I considered going myself, but Johann pointed out that a trip like that is not only dangerous and lengthy, but also expensive. I am no adventurer, I have no particular skills to help me on the way. So I would have to hire guards. And I would be away for weeks. As much as I love my sister... I was too scared to risk it.

"I understand. I can confirm the road is not exactly safe. Did you have a good relationship with my mum?"

"Oh yes, absolutely," Muriël replies, "In our youth we lived in Avale. Some years ago I met Johann and moved here to Midtal. Meghan wasn't interested in settling down. She wanted to do something meaningful in the world and traveled a lot. As you know she's a lot tougher and more adventurous than I am. At some point she found the Companions of Elric and joined them. I am not sure why she chose Zâram-Tûm though. I mean, there is a branch of the Companions right here in Midtal. Maybe she did meet someone there, or she felt she was needed there the most. I don't know."

"Are there any other family members?" Muriël smiles sadly. "No dear, I'm afraid I and Meghan are all you got."

After the loss of Odrik, Zayn gained the spell Hunger of Hadar

The loss of Odrik took it's toll on young Zayn. Not only because Odrik had become a good friend, a father-figure even, but also because of his heroic sacrifice. Although life goes on, and Odrik would not have wanted his friends to linger in grief, Zayn can't help but be absentminded, struggling with his emotions. But, in the clan where Zayn was enslaved, emotions were considered a weakness. It annoyed the orcs to no end if they saw the slaves crying, cowering, laughing or showing any kind of emotion. That the beatings or other cruel punishments had the opposite effect of stopping the unwanted emotion, did not occur to them.

So, instinctively, Zayn put all his grief far away, in a deep dark place. A place he first thought was just his subconscious. But that night after Odriks death, Zayn had a nightmare. He dreamed of that dark place, a place between the stars. It was infested with unimaginable horrors. And a cold... such a deep and deathly cold. When a cacophony of whispers started, Zayn woke up with a start. He was in bed, drenched in sweat, but other than that, he was fine. But in his mind he felt something different. Like a little opening... maybe a door? No... a gateway. One he could open when - or if - he desired. He shuddered at the thought of unleashing that kind of horror upon his enemies. Yet... it was nice to know he now had a very dangerous spell that would not require any dice rolls he could fumble.