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C H A R A C T E R;
NAME: Zaknafein Do'Urden
CANON: Forgotten Realms: Legend of Drizzt
POINT IN CANON: After sacrificing himself into the acid pits to save his son
AGE: over 400
APPEARANCE: Zaknafein is a drow elf, and like most drow he's shorter than average elves, has deep black skin and long, thick white hair. His eyes are red and he has a lithe, fighter's build.
CANON HISTORY: Zaknafein @ The Forgotten Realms Wiki
CANON PERSONALITY: The main thing one needs to know about Zaknafein is that he has a powerfully kind and empathetic heart that does not belong in the society he was born into. For over four-hundred years, he was tortured under the pressures of what was expected him. Though even after all that time he'd never completely lost that innate goodness, never giving over completely no matter how much pain and despair he was in. Yet he was never strong enough to run from it, his pain often turning to anger both inward and out.
He absolutely despised his people. As a male, he was considered a second class citizen and constantly under the thumb of any female around him. Due to his prowess with weapons, he'd been chosen to become part of the noble family of House Do'Urden, and the on-again off-again consort of the head of the house, Matron Malice, fathering at least two out of her six children. Living up to her name, she was a highly malicious woman and he despised her most of all.
Often he'd seemed unbreakable, stern looks followed by fist or the cut of a sword. Despite being male, he never allowed others to push him around. He was strong, both in body and in mind, and it showed in his very appearance when in all honesty, he’d rather just be allowed to live and let live.
He wondered if drow are truly evil, or if it's a matter of their upbringing and the twisted and hateful propaganda they're fed throughout their lives. As Weapon Master, he's first line of defence should a war break out between houses, which is commonplace in Menzoberranzan. He once told his son that he feels that he's offering them salvation in a way, freeing them from the ugliness that has become of their lives. Yet there's part of him that's come to absolutely enjoy killing other drow almost as a defence mechanism to keep some semblance of sanity, even finding pleasure in watching demons tear through another house as punishment after a failed raid.
But not the children. Never the children. He'd been haunted by the sounds of children screaming after the last raid he'd lead into an opposing house. Zaknafein purposely passed the children by, only to hear them scream as other soldiers slaughtered them. He wanted to believe that children were innocent, and could never bring himself to hurt a child.
There was an honor in him that yearned to be followed, a desire for truth and justice that just didn't exist as far as his world was concerned. He did the best he could, but he was still very much a killer as a means to survive. He could see no other way.
Zak does not trust easily and for good reason, and for the vast majority of his life did not have anyone he could trust enough to get close to. He had one person he'd considered a friend, Jarlaxle, but after being betrayed he had kept to himself.
There's an impish side to him as well, one that showed itself by occasionally making jokes at their Goddess's expense, or pushing the boundaries of his station. Still, Zaknafein had an undeniable poetic side, tinted with centuries of accumulated sorrow and guilt. His unprecedented compassion had him wanting to be a guardian rather than bring harm to others who didn't deserve it.
It haunted him that he could never act on the urges of heart, and it left him in a constant state of feeling trapped and in despair. More often than not, Zak hated himself for not openly resisting their ways, and would often reflect on the mistakes he'd made and the hopelessness of his future. He also shows clear signs of PTSD; misplaced anger and hypervigilance, and reliving horrible and often violent memories.
Eventually, he'd taken on the role of mentor to the youngest son of House Do'Urden, Drizzt, whom he'd suspected to be his son.. He'd immediately seen the potential the boy had to be a brilliant fighter, and went out of his way to get the chance to train him. Not only that, but he could see the same sort of kindness in the boy he hid in himself, and hoped to protect that for a long as possible.
It became more and more apparent to him the longer they were together that Drizzt was indeed his son. Zak was able to show more of a mischievous, playful side around the boy, but never went easy on him in his training. Over the next few years he'd come to care for the boy in a way he'd never experienced before, love being a word that doesn't even exist in their language. They even had to promise each other that they would keep their friendship a secret, lest it somehow be used against them.
It quite literally broke his heart when Drizzt was eventually sent away to the fighter's academy, Melee-Magthere, believing that the innocence he'd been trying to protect all those years would be lost. He'd even fought to keep him from being sent away, but to no avail. He'd even planned to kill Drizzt, to spare him the torment he knew he was going to endure, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.
Zak eventually came to realize that Drizzt was far stronger of will than he could ever hope to be and managed to survive the years of torment in the Academy. Through him, Zak had finally found the strength to abandon his people. His affection for Drizzt bordered on fanaticism, and the two of them grew desperately co-dependant.
Unfortunately, he ended up using his newfound strength to sacrifice himself, not only once but twice, to save his son's life and give him a chance to survive.
POINT OF DEPARTURE: --
ABILITIES: His official Dungeons and Dragons stats have him at a level 24 Fighter, meaning he's an Epic level character. He's the kind of fighter that can likely stand up to a horde of enemies by himself and hold his own for a good while. He fights primarily with two long swords, but has proficiency in all martial weapons, shields, and armor. He also does not need to see to be able to fight effectively.
He is also a well reputed trainer of martial weaponry as well.
Drow Natural Abilites:
-can cast Darkness, Levitation, and Faerie Fire.
-naturally resistant to magic.
-can tell if something is magic by touch (but not what the magic does).
-immune to magical sleep.
-can see in the infrared spectrum in darkness.
-can sense the presence of extraplanar beings.
INVENTORY; Two masterwork adamentite longswords, a dagger in each boot, masterwork drow armor, the drow equivalent of boots of elvenkind, and a piwafwi cloak.
ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW? Bright lights (pretty much anything more than candlelight) are painful to his eyes and blur his vision, especially sunlight. Prolonged exposure to sunlight will break down his cloak, armor and boots, first their magic will go, then they'll start to fall apart all together after about a month. He will gradually lose his ability to levitate over the course of around six months.
NAME: Zaknafein Do'Urden
CANON: Forgotten Realms: Legend of Drizzt
POINT IN CANON: After sacrificing himself into the acid pits to save his son
AGE: over 400
APPEARANCE: Zaknafein is a drow elf, and like most drow he's shorter than average elves, has deep black skin and long, thick white hair. His eyes are red and he has a lithe, fighter's build.
CANON HISTORY: Zaknafein @ The Forgotten Realms Wiki
CANON PERSONALITY: The main thing one needs to know about Zaknafein is that he has a powerfully kind and empathetic heart that does not belong in the society he was born into. For over four-hundred years, he was tortured under the pressures of what was expected him. Though even after all that time he'd never completely lost that innate goodness, never giving over completely no matter how much pain and despair he was in. Yet he was never strong enough to run from it, his pain often turning to anger both inward and out.
He absolutely despised his people. As a male, he was considered a second class citizen and constantly under the thumb of any female around him. Due to his prowess with weapons, he'd been chosen to become part of the noble family of House Do'Urden, and the on-again off-again consort of the head of the house, Matron Malice, fathering at least two out of her six children. Living up to her name, she was a highly malicious woman and he despised her most of all.
Often he'd seemed unbreakable, stern looks followed by fist or the cut of a sword. Despite being male, he never allowed others to push him around. He was strong, both in body and in mind, and it showed in his very appearance when in all honesty, he’d rather just be allowed to live and let live.
He wondered if drow are truly evil, or if it's a matter of their upbringing and the twisted and hateful propaganda they're fed throughout their lives. As Weapon Master, he's first line of defence should a war break out between houses, which is commonplace in Menzoberranzan. He once told his son that he feels that he's offering them salvation in a way, freeing them from the ugliness that has become of their lives. Yet there's part of him that's come to absolutely enjoy killing other drow almost as a defence mechanism to keep some semblance of sanity, even finding pleasure in watching demons tear through another house as punishment after a failed raid.
But not the children. Never the children. He'd been haunted by the sounds of children screaming after the last raid he'd lead into an opposing house. Zaknafein purposely passed the children by, only to hear them scream as other soldiers slaughtered them. He wanted to believe that children were innocent, and could never bring himself to hurt a child.
There was an honor in him that yearned to be followed, a desire for truth and justice that just didn't exist as far as his world was concerned. He did the best he could, but he was still very much a killer as a means to survive. He could see no other way.
Zak does not trust easily and for good reason, and for the vast majority of his life did not have anyone he could trust enough to get close to. He had one person he'd considered a friend, Jarlaxle, but after being betrayed he had kept to himself.
There's an impish side to him as well, one that showed itself by occasionally making jokes at their Goddess's expense, or pushing the boundaries of his station. Still, Zaknafein had an undeniable poetic side, tinted with centuries of accumulated sorrow and guilt. His unprecedented compassion had him wanting to be a guardian rather than bring harm to others who didn't deserve it.
It haunted him that he could never act on the urges of heart, and it left him in a constant state of feeling trapped and in despair. More often than not, Zak hated himself for not openly resisting their ways, and would often reflect on the mistakes he'd made and the hopelessness of his future. He also shows clear signs of PTSD; misplaced anger and hypervigilance, and reliving horrible and often violent memories.
Eventually, he'd taken on the role of mentor to the youngest son of House Do'Urden, Drizzt, whom he'd suspected to be his son.. He'd immediately seen the potential the boy had to be a brilliant fighter, and went out of his way to get the chance to train him. Not only that, but he could see the same sort of kindness in the boy he hid in himself, and hoped to protect that for a long as possible.
It became more and more apparent to him the longer they were together that Drizzt was indeed his son. Zak was able to show more of a mischievous, playful side around the boy, but never went easy on him in his training. Over the next few years he'd come to care for the boy in a way he'd never experienced before, love being a word that doesn't even exist in their language. They even had to promise each other that they would keep their friendship a secret, lest it somehow be used against them.
It quite literally broke his heart when Drizzt was eventually sent away to the fighter's academy, Melee-Magthere, believing that the innocence he'd been trying to protect all those years would be lost. He'd even fought to keep him from being sent away, but to no avail. He'd even planned to kill Drizzt, to spare him the torment he knew he was going to endure, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.
Zak eventually came to realize that Drizzt was far stronger of will than he could ever hope to be and managed to survive the years of torment in the Academy. Through him, Zak had finally found the strength to abandon his people. His affection for Drizzt bordered on fanaticism, and the two of them grew desperately co-dependant.
Unfortunately, he ended up using his newfound strength to sacrifice himself, not only once but twice, to save his son's life and give him a chance to survive.
POINT OF DEPARTURE: --
ABILITIES: His official Dungeons and Dragons stats have him at a level 24 Fighter, meaning he's an Epic level character. He's the kind of fighter that can likely stand up to a horde of enemies by himself and hold his own for a good while. He fights primarily with two long swords, but has proficiency in all martial weapons, shields, and armor. He also does not need to see to be able to fight effectively.
He is also a well reputed trainer of martial weaponry as well.
Drow Natural Abilites:
-can cast Darkness, Levitation, and Faerie Fire.
-naturally resistant to magic.
-can tell if something is magic by touch (but not what the magic does).
-immune to magical sleep.
-can see in the infrared spectrum in darkness.
-can sense the presence of extraplanar beings.
INVENTORY; Two masterwork adamentite longswords, a dagger in each boot, masterwork drow armor, the drow equivalent of boots of elvenkind, and a piwafwi cloak.
ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW? Bright lights (pretty much anything more than candlelight) are painful to his eyes and blur his vision, especially sunlight. Prolonged exposure to sunlight will break down his cloak, armor and boots, first their magic will go, then they'll start to fall apart all together after about a month. He will gradually lose his ability to levitate over the course of around six months.
