Zephyr Highwind
Air-Marshal Zephyr Highwind (a.k.a. Zef)
Zephyr was born into the accomplished military family the Highwinds of Gridal. Both the Highwind parents were accomplished generals and raised their children to be physically fit and fast, well educated and tactically minded. Zephyr was enrolled into a nationally-renowned military academy and found great success with both studies and competition.
Zephyr graduated at 21 and thanks to Highwind family connections quickly ended up with a cushy officer's job as an Air Marshall in the Gridalian Military. The newly promoted Air-Marshal Highwind quickly earned the respect of their command through a profound grasp of hit and run tactics aimed at minimising unnecessary losses on both sides.
Despite the unit's success, Zephyr quickly became disillusioned with the Gridal army's leadership. After years of service increasingly resenting the Gridal Empire's callous and expansionist tendencies, the Air-Marshal's patience with carrying out their orders finally snapped during the skirmish in Redwell in [year]. Choosing to save Redwell and desert rather than carrying out orders which would have resulted in senseless collateral damage, Zephyr fled the military and the disapproval of the Highwind family. It was at this time he gained his young ward, Kupo, as he felt unable to leave the orphan behind, before travelling onward with Vexacious Rein accompanying them.
From this point onward Zephyr has acted largely independently from any major organisations, travelling Eriad to intervene in battles with monsters and military alike. The rogue Dragoon strikes from the sky like armoured lightning at critical moments and flees before the battle is done to avoid any risk of capture or entanglement. The name Air-Marshal Highwind (which Zephyr continues to find distasteful) is cursed by the Gridal military and praised by footsoldiers and commoners who know it.
Zephyr is an avid reader and has a particular fondness for birds and books about them, having admired their appearance and effortless flight for years while jumping. The Highwind family have cut off contact with their estranged child except for the youngest daughter, Celsia, with whom Zephyr retains a cordial friendship and rivalry through written communication.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Uncommonly tall. Lithe and toned.
Body Features
Light hair. Tanned skin. Calm, pastel blue eyes. Beak-y nose.
Special abilities
BIG JUMPS
BIG BRAIN
Specialized Equipment
Excessively stylized metal armour, helmet with metal crests and low visor. Fancy polearm.
Mental characteristics
Gender Identity
NA
Sexuality
Asexual (grey)
Education
Gridal City Military Academy (graduated with honours)
Accomplishments & Achievements
- Amongst the youngest and most successful Gridal Air-Marshals in recent history.
- Long & High Jump athletics champion at Gridal Military Academy for many years straight, has competed at a national level.
- Once single-handedly stopped a Behemoth attack on a defenceless settlement via two weeks of hit and run + kiting it with dragoon powers.
Intellectual Characteristics
Quick, tactical assessor in combat.
Morality & Philosophy
"The first man who, having fenced in a piece of land, said 'This is mine', and found people naïve enough to believe him, that man was the true founder of civil society. From how many crimes, wars, and murders, from how many horrors and misfortunes might not any one have saved mankind, by pulling up the stakes, or filling up the ditch, and crying to his fellows: Beware of listening to this impostor; you are undone if you once forget that the fruits of the Eriad belong to us all, and Eriad itself to nobody." - Rousseau
Taboos
Do not be unkind to birds
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Better the world. Decry warmongers. Redeem self for time in the Gridal military.
Savvies & Ineptitudes
- BIG JUMPS
- Good with birds
- Bad with children
Likes & Dislikes
Likes
+ Birds
+ Books
+ Jumps
Dislikes
Staying still
Being on the ground
Gridal
Armies and military in general
+ Birds
+ Books
+ Jumps
Dislikes
Personality Quirks
- Tilts head like a bird when puzzled or curious (is not aware of doing so)
- Slams blunt end of polearm into walls and objects when frustrated (usually not in public)
Hygiene
Good for someone who never stays in one place
Social
Contacts & Relations
Highwind family - Relatives - Zephyr has no contact with the Highwind family, by whom the rogue Dragoon has been publicly disowned. Their father, a retired General, has actively called for Zephyr to be captured and brought back for trial as a deserter to erase the stain on the family honour.
Celsia Highwind - Sister - Celsia is the favourite child of the Highwind family and has gone on to achieve all the successes in the Gridal military the General Highwind hoped Zephyr would. They communicate via post unbeknownst to the rest of the family. Their relationship is cordial, but relatively trusting.
[Jason's Character] - Ward - Zephyr raised [Jason's Character] as a surrogate parental figure for some time after his biological family perished in the skirmish between the Gridal military and rampaging fiends near Redwall. Zephyr has genuine affection for [Jason's Character], but also considers him to be a chance at redemption; the Dragoon's hope is that he will put his talents for white magic to good use and better the world, as a result viewing his whimsical tendencies with a mixture of fondness and exasperation.
Family Ties
Old military family including extremely accomplished and renowned father, but distant and renounced from the family as a whole apart from younger sister Celsia
Religious Views
Humanist
Social Aptitude
Confident but restrained. Cynical. Perceptive, but passive. Mildly egotistical due to upbringing.
Hobbies & Pets
Speech
Generally keeps to the point. Often pauses to think. Never swears.
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