Zita Cendis

Zita Cendis

Zita was born as a bastard child of the high elf Lumina and a human fisherman named Allister. A disgrace to her elven brothers and sisters, Lumina was exiled from their village in Lemor, forcing the pair to travel south towards the straight of Babel. Lumina had not known the squalid life and did not take to it well.
Zita, not having known any comfortable life within the village in Lemor, embraced all of nature as her home, climbing trees to seek out animals and trying to draw them. Homeless and villageless life had plenty of struggles, including some nights when traps didn't catch anything for dinner, or when hungry predators had them moving throughout the night so they weren't preyed on. But the more Lumina grew afraid, the more Zita grew curious.
During their few years on the road, they traveled along the coastline, as Lumina always wanted to see her human lover again. Although curious about what he looked like, Zita didn't know her father and favored life in the forests more so than near the sea. The sea freckled in sunlight appeared to go on forever, and Zita didn't like not knowing what was on the other side.
In Zita's 10th year, her mother and she watched as the veil that had covered the lands crumbled and died. It wasn't long after that when Lumina fell ill. They didn't travel for several months, and Zita took care of her mother by building a small shelter for them in the forest, setting traps for hunting and fishing in the streams, and keeping watch for large predators through the night. She did not know how to make her mother healthy and did not know of any medicine. Lumina's illness made her brittle and she died within a year. Zita remembered her mother trying to explain that Elves do not die but are reborn again as new souls, and so she hoped her mother would be reborn into comfort once again.
For several years after, Zita traveled where she could, hiding her half-elf ears behind her thick hair. She traveled back to Lemor and towards the capital, but never straying too far from the forests. Similarly, she traveled East towards Bante, learning about the ways people lived among other people, and assimilating into their lifestyles.
When she turned 18, she found herself back on the shorelines near the Straight of Babel. Along the harbor, she found a group of men and women preparing to set sail. Their goal - to go as far east as they could, and see what lands were outside of the veil. Since she didn't have any friends or ties to this land, she was curious as well and asked to join them. They accepted her request and she set sail towards the East.
Zita didn't like the water. She felt sick with every wave, and the water was sharp and cold. But the company was nice. Among the crew was a man named Edmund, a very slim but hardened man, with hair knotted into a bun. He showed her how to correctly secure the ropes and sails, navigate the waters from the crow's nest, and even how to play the mandolin and dance a little. He had a charming smile, and she felt herself feeling closer to him with each day.
Edmund was nearly 30 years old. Many of the women on board enjoyed his company, both on deck and in the cabin. He was the charismatic one on the ship, and knew of his charm. Zita had a burning curiosity about him, not just about his charm, but about his drive in life.
One beautiful night aboard the ship, Edmund played the mandolin while Zita twirled in a dress she borrowed from one of the crewmates. She could feel the eyes of every man and woman on her. She felt a warmth in her blood. Zita often looks back at that moment and believes that is when the draconic spirit first awakened in her.
That same night she followed Edmund into his cabin and slept with him. Zita remembers the night fondly, but will never tell anyone the details of that night.
Also on that same night, she could hear a soft cry coming from inland. She slipped out of the cabin and onto the deck where she could see a soft orange light from the mainland. The ship had anchored fairly close to shore that night, as they were preparing to stock up on supplies. Her eyes fixated on the glow and it beckoned her to approach. She thought about waking the crew, but she could feel the light was just for her. Alone. It was asking her to abandon the journey she was on, and seek this new one.
She hesitated, mainly because of Edmund and the friendly crew, but remembered the feeling she had when she danced. Everyone gazing. It wasn't about companionship. It was about awe and strength.
Most of all she was curious.
She left a note by Edmund's side in hurry, lowered one of the yawls from the side of the ship, and rowed towards the shore. Once she made it, she jumped into the water and walked her way towards the light, abandoning the yawl to float in the water. The orange light was flickering like a soft oil lamp, and she inched closer, not wanting to frighten it. Her blood boiled as it did before, and she could feel each vein as she moved, tensing and releasing with her muscles. She was back in the forest again, so many months had passed since she was last in them. The familiar noises of nocturnal creatures soothed her, and the aroma of freshly fallen leaves tickled her nose. The ground beneath her sandals was damp. But the orange light flickered brighter, and she continued towards it.
When she made it to the light, it was coming from a small cave etched into one of the foothills of the mountains. It was coming from the ground in the cave, a smoldering of charcoals and ash. A large white egg wriggled among the soot. The light wanted her to reach out and touch the egg. There were no words, but somehow she knew.
She touched the shell, and from where she touched, a large crack spread and crumbled. From the egg, a baby drake croaked and tried to open its eyes. Then, the feelings became words.
Call him by his chosen name
Zita looked around for the voice, but somehow knew she would not find its source. Looking at the drake's golden scales, she could feel their bonds already forming.
"Zeno" she whispered.
She swore she saw the baby drake smile. Their bond was sealed.
[Note: This is an introduction to the childhood Zita faced and her destiny of meeting Zeno. She is 35 in this campaign and spends the next 15-17 years of her life learning archery, sword-fighting, hunting, animal handling, and more as she becomes a Drakewarden ranger.]

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Zita is considered objectively beautiful, with a long slender body traditional to most elves, but dark smooth skin which she inherited from her father. She has thick curly hair that is primarily black but also highlighted with bronze (another trait from the sun elves)

Body Features

Zita is a slender half-elf, reaching 5ft 10in but only weighing 147lbs. She has dark skin, and curly hair that is shoulder length.
She has three birthmarks on her body, but she won't anyone know where they are because all three have hair growing out of them.

Facial Features

She has golden eyes, traditional of the Sun elves she descended from. Her eyebrows carry more of the bronze tint and almost look red in the sunlight. Her face it round but very young (as she is for an elf!).

Identifying Characteristics

Primary identifying features are her gold eyes and curly hair. She also typically wears bright warm colors (unless she is stealthing)

Special abilities

She can speak Draconic as well as some other secret languages. She otherwise does not contain and special abilities that are beyond human.

Apparel & Accessories

She wears long strapped sandals and traditionally wears long skirts or dresses with leg slits for fast reactions. When stealthing she will wear dark cloaks to cover up her otherwise colorful attire. She nearly always wears an elbow-length glove on her left arm for Zeno to land on. She carries a bow on her back colored in several types of wood to signify flames (NOT A FLAME BOW).

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Descended from a proud and arrogant race, Zita is someone who will embrace companions typically for convenience and less for companionship. She comes from a long life of being betrayed and being a betrayer so the convictions people have for their friends and family are foolish to her. Her truest bond is that with her drake, Zeno.
Since her first experience with "love" with Edmund, she has traveled and found company with many men and women, and she has found that race does not matter to her. If she had to pick a favorite, it would probably be dragonborn, as they are closest in resemblance to love of the draconic spirit.
Speaking of spirits, she prefers harder spirits to meads and ales, as they burn her throat, but in a good way.

Gender Identity

Female, though with more of a dominant twist.

Sexuality

She would consider herself to be pansexual.

Education

She did not receive education from any mentor growing up as her mother was very sheltered. She took to learning by trial and error within the forest, suffering stomach aches from poisonous plants, and healing from the bruises of animals that overpowered her.
Once she found Zeno and started traveling as an adventurer, she took up lessons in animal handling and archery, as well as some sword fighting from local masters in the villages outside the capital. She would also find books and read about nature and learn to thrive within it.

Employment

While she has never been "employed" by anyone, she has done odd jobs for townspeople as a way to make money. When in towns, she likes to find a roof for over her head, but is also accustomed to sleeping in the wilderness and hunting for her own food.

Mental Trauma

I guess maybe feelings of betrayal make her closed off to any bonds beyond convenience?

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Her motivation is to seek the reason for her draconic bond. She is aware that a voice beckoned her from the ship, but she doesn't know who it belongs to, or why they chose Zita.
Feature: Wanderer You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and you can always recall the general layout of terrain, settlements, and other features around you. In addition, you can find food and fresh water for yourself and up to five other people each day, provided that the land offers berries, small game, water, and so forth.

Savvies & Ineptitudes

ARMOR Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields WEAPONS Martial Weapons, Simple Weapons

Likes & Dislikes

Personality Traits Bossy, proud, wary, headstrong I’m oblivious to etiquette and social expectations. I connect everything that happens to me to a grand, cosmic plan. I feel far more comfortable around animals than people.

Ideals Power. Solitude and contemplation are paths toward mystical or magical power. (Evil) Free Thinking. Inquiry and curiosity are the pillars of progress. (Chaotic) Nature. The natural world is more important than all the constructs of civilization. (Neutral)

Bonds Zeno Edmund (past) Lumina (mother, dead) My isolation gave me great insight into a great evil that only I can destroy. I suffer awful visions of a coming disaster and will do anything to prevent it.

Vices & Personality flaws

Flaws I harbor dark, bloodthirsty thoughts that my isolation and meditation failed to quell. I’d risk too much to uncover a lost bit of knowledge. I like keeping secrets and won’t share them with anyone. I am slow to trust members of other races, tribes, and societies. Don’t expect me to save those who can’t save themselves. It is nature’s way that the strong thrive and the weak perish.

Hygiene

Doesn't mind getting a little dirty.

Social

Contacts & Relations

None

Family Ties

None

Religious Views

None

Social Aptitude

Meh, does that matter?

Mannerisms

Whatever she fucking feels like

Hobbies & Pets

Zeno, drake companion

Wealth & Financial state

Currently a proud owner of 34 GP

Zita Cendis is a half high elf (descendant of sun elves) and half human. She has lived most of her life in solitude or with only her drake companion, Zeno. She is a Drakewarden Ranger.

View Character Profile

Alignment

Chaotic Good

Age

35 years old

Date of Birth

10 years before the fall of the veil

Birthplace

Nesari, small village in Lemor

Current Residence

Who knows?

Gender

Female

Eyes

Gold

Hair

Bronze-Red-Black

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Black

Height

5ft 10in

Weight

147 lbs

Known Languages

Common, Draconic, Elvish, Infernal, Sylvan