ZEPHYR STORM-BORN
AerielsSkycraft Captain and Explorer
"The sky is infinite, and I intend to see all of it before I die.""
Identity
- Residence
- The Aerial Docks, Caelum
- Civilization
- Aeriels
Appearance
• Physical: Tall and commanding with feathers that shift color based on their mood - currently a stormy grey-blue that matches their reputation. Their wings are scarred from numerous crashes and close calls, and they walk with the rolling gait of someone used to moving decks beneath their feet. • Clothing: A captain's coat of treated leather that has seen better days, adorned with medals and trophies from a hundred expeditions. Their eye is covered by a patch made from the scale of a cloud-serpent they supposedly killed single-handedly. • Distinguishing Marks: A lightning-bolt scar that runs from their shoulder down their wing. Their remaining eye is the pale grey of storm clouds.
Relationships
- Family - Claims to have no family, though old records suggest they were born to a wealthy merchant clan. They never discuss their past.
- Allies - A loyal crew who would follow them into any storm. A network of informants who tip them off about interesting phenomena.
- Rivals - Other captains who consider them reckless. The Aeriel authorities who've tried to ground them multiple times.
Personality
- Traits: Fearless to the point of recklessness, deeply loyal to their crew, haunted by past losses, surprisingly superstitious
- Mannerisms: Taps their eyepatch when thinking, paces the deck during storms, makes offerings to the wind-spirits before every voyage
- Voice: Rough and commanding, with the accent of someone who's spent years shouting over wind and engine noise. They rarely speak quietly.
Backstory
Zephyr was born during a thunderstorm and claims the lightning blessed them with courage and cursed them with restlessness. They've captained skycraft for over a century, exploring regions of the sky that other Aeriels consider too dangerous. They've lost three ships and countless crew members, but they always go back out. Something drives them that they won't discuss.
Daily Life
When not at sea - or rather, at sky - Zephyr maintains their ship with obsessive attention to detail. They review maps and weather reports, looking for new routes to explore. They drink heavily in dockside taverns, swapping stories with other captains and recruiting new crew members to replace the ones they've lost.
Secret
During their one ground-level expedition, Zephyr discovered something that shook them to their core - evidence that the Aeriels may have originated from the surface and fled to the sky for reasons that have been deliberately forgotten. They've been searching for proof ever since.
Story Hooks
- 1 Zephyr needs a crew for an expedition to a newly discovered region of the sky where strange phenomena have been reported.
- 2 They've found a map that supposedly leads to an ancient Aeriel site on the ground, and they need help retrieving whatever is there.
Narrative Value
Zephyr provides transportation and access to remote locations. Their knowledge of aerial routes is unmatched. Their discovery about Aeriel origins could be a major campaign revelation. ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════