Za'Afiel "Zack" Deimos
Za'Afiel Deimos (a.k.a. Zack)
Raised in an environment steeped in hunting, Zack's childhood was marked by rigorous training and the constant shadow of his parents' expectations. His parents, both fervent hunters, instilled in him the skills necessary to combat the undead menace from a tender age, leaving little room for personal aspirations or autonomy.
Despite his formidable stature and prowess in battle, Zack is plagued by anxiety and self-doubt, traits exacerbated by his fear of the undead. Timid and self-deprecating, he often struggles to assert himself in the face of his parents' overbearing influence. However, beneath his outward apprehension lies a steely resolve and a deep sense of duty, driving him to excel in his chosen path despite his reservations.
Zack is a skilled ranger, specializing in ranged combat with his heirloom longbow and adept with his dual short-swords for close encounters. His extensive training in tracking and survival techniques serves him well in the perilous pursuit of undead quarry. Despite his aversion to the creatures he hunts, Zack's competence in battle is undeniable, his reflexes honed through years of disciplined practice.
Accompanying Zack on his perilous journeys is Spooky, an eastern screech owl whose keen eyes and silent flight make her an invaluable asset in scouting and reconnaissance. A loyal companion and source of solace amidst the darkness of their endeavors, Spooky serves as both protector and confidante to her anxious master.
As an only child, Zack bears the full weight of his family's expectations, his desires and ambitions eclipsed by the relentless pursuit of the Deimos legacy. His relationship with his parents is marked by tension and resentment, their single-minded focus on perpetuating the family tradition leaving little room for understanding or compromise. Despite his yearning for independence, Zack finds himself bound by duty and obligation, torn between his own aspirations and the demands of his lineage.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Za'Afiel is a large, imposing figure with a frame built for strength and agility. His physique, honed through years of training and hunting, is evident in his lean muscle. Despite his intimidating stature, there is a softness to his features.
Body Features
An honest and impressive assortment of scars across arms, legs, torso, and back - results of hard training and rough recoveries.
Facial Features
Strong jaw and features. He's got a small smattering of scars across his left cheek and jawline, and his nose shows signs of being broken before, but has healed nicely. Can't grow a beard to save his life, at least not yet.
Identifying Characteristics
Vibrant shock of white hair on a forelock, stands out against the black of the rest.
Social
Contacts & Relations
House of Deimos, and their Relationship with Zack
Lord Theron Deimos
Age: 58
View: Disappointed but hopeful. Theron acknowledges Zack's skills and potential but is often frustrated by his son's anxiety and timidity. He hopes that Zack will eventually overcome his fears and fully embrace the family's mission, but he struggles to show understanding or patience.
Background: Theron has led the House of Deimos for three decades, guiding the family through numerous battles against the undead. His leadership is characterized by meticulous planning and an unwavering resolve.
Lady Elara Deimos
Age: 54
View: Protective but conflicted. Elara loves her son deeply and is more empathetic towards his struggles than Theron. However, she is torn between her maternal instincts and the harsh demands of their legacy. She often tries to shield Zack from the worst of his father’s expectations while still pushing him to improve.
Background: Elara's contributions to the family’s efforts are invaluable, particularly her creation of potent potions and enchanted weapons. She manages the family’s estate and training routines.
Siblings of Theron and Their Families:
Gregor Phobos
Age: 52
View: Sympathetic and supportive. Gregor sees a lot of himself in Zack, understanding the pressure of living up to the Deimos name. He often offers Zack advice on unconventional methods and encourages him to find his own path within the family's mission.
Background: Gregor’s unconventional methods have caused friction within the family, but his effectiveness cannot be denied. He often operates alone or with his children, targeting specific undead threats through covert means.
Aylin Phobos
Age: 26
View: Respectful but concerned. Aylin respects Zack's combat abilities and dedication, but she worries about his anxiety affecting his performance in critical situations. She tries to support him by offering practical advice and training tips to help him build confidence.
Background: Aylin excels in gathering intelligence and performing reconnaissance missions. Her agility and precision make her an invaluable asset in the family’s campaigns.
Darius Phobos
Age: 26
View: Encouraging and playful. Darius views Zack as a younger brother who needs encouragement and a boost in morale. He often jokes and teases Zack to lighten his mood, believing that a less serious approach might help him relax and grow more confident.
Background: Darius complements his sister’s skills with his own expertise in infiltration and subterfuge. Together, they are a formidable team against the undead.
Morgana Avernus
Age: 49
View: Compassionate and nurturing. Morgana is very understanding of Zack's fears and tries to help him through spiritual guidance and emotional support. She believes that his fear can be turned into a source of strength and that he has a crucial role in the family's mission.
Background: Morgana channels divine magic to protect and heal her family, as well as to smite the undead. Her faith is a source of strength and guidance for the entire family.
Aric Voss
Age: 50
View: Encouraging and mentoring. Aric sees potential in Zack and tries to mentor him, offering wisdom from his own experiences as a paladin. He encourages Zack to find a balance between his fears and his duties, often sharing stories of overcoming personal challenges.
Background: Aric’s paladin training and devotion to a holy cause align perfectly with the family’s mission. His valor and combat prowess are matched by his ability to inspire others.
Elias Voss
Age: 24
View: Admiring and aspirational. Elias admires Zack’s dedication and skill, seeing him as an underdog who has the potential to surprise everyone. He often partners with Zack on missions, providing support and camaraderie to help boost his confidence.
Background: Elias embodies the strengths of both his parents, using his unique blend of skills to support the family’s cause. His versatility makes him a key player in any engagement.
Cousins and Their Roles:
Lyra Phobos
Age: 28
View: Respectful and understanding. Lyra respects Zack's dedication to the family’s cause despite his fears. She understands the pressures he faces and offers her support through her expertise in tracking and herbalism, ensuring he has the tools and knowledge he needs to succeed.
Background: Lyra’s expertise in tracking and herbalism makes her a vital support role, often providing essential supplies and information about enemy movements.
Victor Phobos
Age: 30
View: Critical but hopeful. Victor is more critical of Zack, believing that the Deimos legacy requires unwavering strength and resolve. However, he also sees potential in Zack's unique approach and hopes that he will eventually channel his fears into power against their enemies.
Background: Victor’s controversial use of necromancy to fight the undead has led to tension within the family, but his results speak for themselves. He is often called upon when facing particularly powerful undead foes.
Elders and Advisors:
Elder Caelus Deimos
Age: 82
View: Wise and patient. Caelus understands the weight of the family’s expectations and offers Zack patient guidance and wisdom. He believes that Zack has the potential to become a great leader, but he needs time to grow into his role and overcome his internal struggles.
Background: Caelus is the eldest member of the Deimos family, serving as a living repository of their history and traditions. His advice is sought in times of crisis and his guidance has shaped the family’s path for generations.
Isadora Deimos
Age: 76
View: Prophetic and encouraging. Isadora has seen glimpses of Zack's future potential in her visions. She encourages him to embrace his unique path, believing that his fear, once mastered, will be his greatest asset in their fight against the undead.
Background: Isadora’s prophetic abilities have provided the family with critical forewarnings and insights. Her deep understanding of arcane magic complements her gift of foresight, making her an indispensable advisor.
Notable Hunters:
Cassian Mortis
Age: 45
View: Pragmatic and mentoring. Cassian views Zack with a practical mindset, focusing on what Zack can do rather than what he can’t. He often mentors Zack in combat techniques and survival skills, believing that practical experience will help him overcome his fears.
Background: Cassian’s expertise in hunting non-undead monsters has expanded the family’s scope of operations. His relentless pursuit of dangerous creatures has earned him a legendary status.
Ravenna Mortis
Age: 42
View: Inspirational and challenging. Ravenna sees Zack as a young hunter with untapped potential. She challenges him to step out of his comfort zone and face his fears head-on, using her own experiences to inspire him to greater heights.
Background: Ravenna’s prowess with throwing weapons and her daring exploits have become the stuff of legend within the family. Her ability to take down enemies from a distance with precision is unmatched.
Young Blood:
Talia Phobos
Age: 22
View: Admiring and supportive.Talia admires Zack’s perseverance and looks up to him as a role model. She supports him by sharing her own experiences and encouraging him to believe in himself and his abilities.
Background: Talia is driven by a desire to live up to the Deimos name. Her agility and quick reflexes make her a rising star within the family, often leading dangerous missions with confidence.
Lucian Phobos
Age: 19
View: Curious and collaborative. Lucian is intrigued by Zack’s unique approach to hunting and often collaborates with him on magical wards and enchantments. He sees Zack’s fear as a puzzle to be solved and a potential source of innovative strategies.
Background: Lucian’s prodigious talent in magical wards and enchantments has already earned him a place of respect within the family. His innovative approaches to magic are expected to revolutionize the family’s techniques and strategies.
Zack hails from a long line of hunters dedicated to the study and eradication of the undead, bearing the weighty name of his family's clan, "Deimos," after the God of Fear.
View Character ProfileSleep has been difficult; it feels more like stasis than sleep, like dying instead of resting, and the dreams are like a void in his mind. He feels like something is there when he sleeps, and like it can see him best when he is closest to death, but he can’t remember anything about what it is.
Sees better in the dark, sees things in the dark he didn’t used to. Still not fully sure what is real, what isn’t, and none of it is “fun”. Lots of eyes on creatures looking out of the darkness at him and his companions.
Family prayers/rituals for expelling undead, things he routinely practices in his mind, are difficult to grasp. He’s not sure if it’s his avoidance of what’s happened to him making them hard, or if he’s disappointed in what’s happened to him. He knows he’s not…alive, not properly, and what that means for his relationship to his family concerns him deeply, even if he isn’t ready to acknowledge that.
He is sensitive to touch. Once again, not sure if that’s the result of his new body, or if it’s the trauma of the last two days before leaving Cor’Korrah.
There’s an almost burn when Alistair first touches him, like a static zap almost. Anika and Pom’s touch are cold. Chioni’s is deeply unpleasant, but he’s not sure if that’s in his head or not. It always fades, but when it catches him off guard he almost jerks away from the sensation. Penelope’s touch is cool and calming, familiar.
Species
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Fearbane
Herald of the Endless
Age
24
Date of Birth
12/4/3434 CE
Birthplace
Allambee
Children
Sex
Male
Gender
Male
Presentation
Masculine
Eyes
Stormy Blue
Hair
Black, with a white forelock
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
White, but tanned from long hours outdoors
Height
6' 3"
Weight
225lbs
The Journal Entry’s title
Begin writing your story here...
Ponderings - 5
16 Illun
After beating the headmistress of the Thieves guild the group was given a little down time before they had their chance to have a meeting with said leader. Pom spent some time setting up a second coffe shop location, and with some help enticed the local neerdowells to patron the shop. Alistair brought out his notebook and started sketching prelimnary wanted posters of everyone he could see. During the meeting it was found out that Darise most likely did come into town but he had already boarded a ferry that took of on the southern flowing tributary. We didn't get any extra information on the Chioni look-alike. We then haggled with Leader for payment of this information. At least part of our payment was being tasked with going to Mahabre and setting up a connection with the Dancers and a meeting with the witch of the willows. Another part of their work/payment was helping with the undead and the sahagan: Zack sent out a letter to his family of undead hunters to come out to take care of the undead problem, and the group I believe was planning on going to see about the sahagan problem personally before potentially heading out to mahabre. The group went on a shopping trip, and Anika rationalized using the coupon she got to buy a shit ton of healing potions. They then ended the day, but not before Anika decided she wanted to have a night on the town for "reasons." Zach decided to join her on this adventure while the others decided to play it safe and stay in for the night. Sometime between shopping and after leaving the group had a powwow and secrets were revealed and Anika decided that she needed to "acquire" some kind of non-detection amulet before they left for mahabre and will try to rope others in on this scheme.
Ponderings - 4
15 Illun
Last time on DnD EitS: the group went to the docks looking for additonal information and the man who offered work to Zack. Upon finding the man, he offered some "work" to the group that took place at night. However, as it seemed to not be above board and the party unable to convince Alistair to follow through, the group decided to continue tracking the large nose man using the scroll of finding. This led to a poorly run chain coffee shop where Pom ordered a very complicated drink that Zack promptly drank and succeeded in not puking in front of everyone after. Anika "convinced" the employee that the group needed to be let through to meet up with the nose man and the group proceeded into another secret tunnel in pursuit. The group snuck along ahead of Alistair and the familiars who hung back in case of danger and to not cause alert (codename: pineapple). The nose man was seen convincing a door man/bouncer to let him through a door even though this was not the "main entrance" and the group hatched a ....plan...
Pom was to create the illusion of the man who had just entered and convince the doorman that he was being pursued and that the man just let in was a fake. However, due to some miscommunication with Alistair and the whole "cats can't talk" thing, the paladin sensed danger and began barreling down the halls, alerting the doorman etc. etc. Quick thinking from Pom to turn the illusion into a pineapple for a split second and Anika disguising herself allowed Alistair to stop and fall flat in time to not completely ruin the plan. But even though Zack was able to sneak through invisible once the doorman opened the door, trouble still occurred after the rhino man saw through the illusion. The party dealt with the rhino man, showed him the error of his ways via smiting, tied him up, and Anika made copies of id cards before continuing onwards.
The thieves guild seemed to be celebrating something, id cards were checked, the party was being watched. Cousin IT served drinks etc, large nose man was blamed for things, and the party got taken to the leader of the guild (I don't remember names or what exactly caused that, sorry. I think Anika and Zack were recognized from earlier trade guild thing). We ended up fighting the guildmaster, who used a power (perhaps similar to the doctor man Alistair and Pom fought to save Chioni?) to turn into a whirling beast lady thing after being rendered immobile for most of the fight (ha). After a tough battle with much unconscious-falling, the party was victorious and was taken to rest.
The Journal Entry’s title
Begin writing your story here...
Ponderings - 3
16 Illun
Last time we ended our day in the Tourmarine bnb, however before going to bed Zac saw some kind of face/entity looking at him outside the window. Telling the group such, Alistair did a divine sense to find that dozens of undead lurked outside the bnb walls. Sensing danger Alistair turned himself into a holy undead bug zapper and went running into the dark, only to find that the undead eluded him staying just out of range of his blessed aura, concentrating themselves into the shadows. Unable to solve said mystery and not feeling any immediate danger the party went to bed for the night, albeit sleeping in shifts just in case. Not much happened, however Pomegranate noticed a strange man walking in front of the bnb multiple times. Waking Zac the pair and then trailed him to a house using their familiars, spooky and arrol?. In the morning the party met up for breakfast before splitting up. Zac embraced his inner male maid cafe persona and took charge of earning money for the day, learning that he had a knack for the craft. Anika and Chioni went back to the noble's hotel to find their staged room had been broken into, and after some serious sleuthing found that this was most likely done by a professional thief, only leaving behind a boot print and some partial hand prints in the the fake blood our party had left behind. Anika and Chioni went and got a money voucher for their "inconvenience" from the front desk after complaining.
Alistair and Pomegranate went on their own adventure, chasing down the man who Pomegranate had seen the night before. Adopting the personas of city officials (reminiscent of census takers mixed with tax men) they coerced entry into the mysterious man's safe house. At first they were doing well, their ruse working, but their hosts found themselves at their breaking point when Alistair started for force his way into the basement. With that the man they were tailing, an arguably ugly halfling/dwarf/gnome with a wine soaked nose ran from the house and evaded capture. The other man however wasn't as lucky, as he was beat, and tied to a chair. Anika, Chioni and Zac then arrive to find their other party members trying to play good cop and bad cop, breaking various war crimes and trying to force feed the restrained man food in exchange for information on his accomplice, to no avial. Zac turns out can not only make a fine cappuccino, but can be quite scary when he needs to be and intimidated the man for answers. The party learns from the tied up man that Tourmarine is run by the thieves guild, and the man who got away was a representative who was using this house and it's tunnels for free as part of a payment plan for a protection racket. Using some deductions based on who ran away, the now revealed hold the thieves have on the town, and the footprint found by Anika and Chioni, the group surmised that the man who escaped and the one who ransacked the room were one and the same, and used a magical scroll of finding to begin tracking our target.
Ponderings - 2
10 Illun
Last time on Eyes in Shadows, our team found ourselves back at Penelope's house/shop, where it was revealed that no one was dead. Zac had made a pact with some otherworldly power, and Alistair, Pomegranate, and Chioni, had found themselves as the subjects of some kind of experiment on the moon? and that after dying during the trial had been transported back in time, only to make it back to town just in time for when they would have arrived otherwise. This however, put a kink into the team's plans as they couldn't go forward as a team since 3/5 of them had been reported dead. So to rectify this the team went to the record hall, snuck in, charmed a few guards, and rewrote the records of winners/survivors. They then were about to chase after one Durise Occell, only to find that two gilded chariots were racing out of town, one heading south and one heading west, which contained Durise they did not know. The group now finds themselves heading west to Tourmarine, using the town as their center of operations and as the hub of a series of potential quests both personal and at the behest of the NPCs.
Ponderings
8 Illun
Last time on Eyes in Shadows, our team found ourselves back at Penelope's house/shop, where it was revealed that no one was dead. Zac had made a pact with some otherworldly power, and Alistair, Pomegranate, and Chioni, had found themselves as the subjects of some kind of experiment on the moon? and that after dying during the trial had been transported back in time, only to make it back to town just in time for when they would have arrived otherwise. This however, put a kink into the team's plans as they couldn't go forward as a team since 3/5 of them had been reported dead. So to rectify this the team went to the record hall, snuck in, charmed a few guards, and rewrote the records of winners/survivors. They then were about to chase after one Durise Occell, only to find that two gilded chariots were racing out of town, one heading south and one heading west, which contained Durise they did not know. The group now finds themselves heading west to Tourmarine, using the town as their center of operations and as the hub of a series of potential quests both personal and at the behest of the NPCs.
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