Zan Lia is a female human illusionist of oriental descent (need to look into Eberron more to tell you the specific race). She has a rather average build, with long elegant legs and a regal-looking profile. Her head is shaved bald, though her thin eyebrows tell you her hair must be jet black when allowed to grow. Her eyes are dark and almond shapes, seeming to hide behind them a mystery. Those first meeting her see her as rather exotic in appearance, though not so unusual a sight to turn heads (it is Eberron, after all).
Zan Lia is a human who originates from the fallen nation of Cyre. She began her life in an upper class home in Greenland, learning lessons in art and wizardry from her sorcerer father. She proved to have inherited a solid innate grasp on illusion magic, even if she didn't inherit her father's magical abilities themselves. She spent most of her childhood alone, and as a result developed an introverted and slightly antisocial personality, more comfortable in her tomes than in the company of peers. Nevertheless, she was also taught the Cyran tago, just as any other Cyran is, and developed a sense of patriotism and appreciation for her nations' love of the arts.
A surviving witness to the devastation of the Day of Mourning, Zan was only 16 during that fateful event. Her parents joined the thousands of others leaving the region, yet in the anarchy of that exodus she was separated from her parents by a self-styled warlord who looked to take her as a wife. Luckily for her, she escaped the encampment and managed travel to Lyrenton with others who were not foolish enough to stay in the wake of such devastation; she was taken care of by a fatherly merchant during those travels. In Lyrenton she became an apprentice to a practiced wizard of some local renown, and further developed her arcane skills while trying to develop her own personal identity.
After 2 years in Lyrenton, Zan decided she needed to move away. The Dead-Gray Mist was visible from the city limits, and the constant reminder of such turmoil was too much for her. She stole a wand from her master and pawned it to pay for a trip on the Orien Rail to Sterngate, and after a short stay there another trip via lightning rail to the mythic city of Sharn. She has somewhat naive hopes that anyone can make a life for themselves in the big city, and hopes to become an arcane mage as great as her father was. Secretly, she has a far-flung hope that somehow she can become reunited with her parents some time, though she doesn't make active moves toward that goal.
Zan is True Neutral. Though she finds comfort in order and values law, she is prone to hasty actions and wanderlust. Though she was very introverted as a child, her travels have exposed her to many different types of people and she has opened up more to "outsiders". She still needs her alone time, and finds silence and artistic contemplation to be refreshing, but she is also eager to understand others. She is usually quiet and submissive in conversation, allowing those with a more aggressive attitude to walk over her at times.
