Zovan the Shadow's page

Zovan has been on the material plane since he was a boy. His father a servitor to an Umbral Dragon, stayed on the shadow plane, while his mother was a successful merchant who stayed on the Material Plane. Raised by his mother on the Material Plane, but visiting his father in the Shadow, Zovan grew to love different things about each of his homes. At ten he and his mother moved to the island of Mediogalti and settled in the pirate port of Ilizmagorti.

Zovan began to fall in love with the sea, to wish for a life as a pirate. A man named Uzul Undi had other plans. Uzul befriended young when the kayal was 17 and for five years, he listened to the young man’s dreams of piracy. All the while, honing the boy’s natural talent for wet work and stealth. Finally he told Zovan that his true calling was to join the Red Mantis Assassins of whom Uzul was a member, and help rule the town and the island. Unwilling to give up his dream, Zovan fled to port peril and celebrated his safe escape with a drink at a tavern, the formidably maid.

Zovan is fatalistic and a secret worshipper of Dagon, lord of the deep. The ocean water at night reminds him of the cold dark of the Shadow Plane. He tends to keep quiet, preferring actions to words. His merchant family background instilled a love for wealth and plunder is the sweetest kind of wealth. Zovan is quick witted and sharp tongued when he does speak and has some of the trademark Kayal haughtiness.

”Low, high, parry, low, high thrust.” Uzul’s nasally voice droned on around the stem of his whale bone pipe. Zovan flew through the forms again and again, spinning with a sword in each hand, exotic blades that his mentor had given him when the lad had showed promise.

”When will I actually get to fight someone.” the pale skinned youth asked the middle aged man who sat watching him from a barrel, his back leaned against a tree.

”Whenever I think you could without dying.” the fair haired man replied tamping out his pipe on the side of the barrel. Uzul’s hair was near white from the sun bleach. Zovan dyed his with pitch. Waves crashed from the beach that was only about fifty feet from the pair and every now and then, Zovan would slow and watch as a ship sailed into view. ”Pirates have the life, I’m telling you Uzul.” the boy scowled, returning to his practice. His mentor didn’t like pirates and Uzul returned the scowl. ”Oh yes they’re free and fearsome and dirty and stinky and all to full of themselves.” the older man retorted.

Zovan ignored him, Uzul wasn’t a wealthy man, what would he know about the benefits of being a pirate. Zovan looked out at the water again. Send enough men to the deep and people would stop fighting back, just handing over their goods to a legendary pirate captain and his crew, that was the best way.