Ezekiel “Zogbel” Hiemstead
Born into servitude, he began his journey as a slave knight in the Drekayan military, where his strength, skill, and unyielding spirit saw him rise to prominence. However, his promising career came to an abrupt end when he developed fibromyalgia, a debilitating condition that left his body wracked with constant, excruciating pain. His dreams shattered, Zogbel faced a life of agony and obscurity—until an experimental operation gave him a second chance. In a desperate bid to reclaim his life, Zogbel underwent a secretive procedure that bound his body within a suit of magically imbued armor. This enchanted construct alleviated much of his pain, allowing him to move and function as though his condition had been erased. However, the suit came with its own costs: Zogbel's freedom was limited by the armor’s need for constant magical upkeep, and he could never fully escape the psychological weight of his condition. Despite these challenges, Zogbel embraced his new existence, using his second chance to reinvent himself as a mage specializing in rare and darker forms of magic. Through years of study and practice, he mastered arts that few dared to approach, turning his knowledge into a weapon as he returned to a life of conflict.
Initially, Zogbel took on mercenary work, and his skills and enchanted armor made him a formidable and sought-after fighter. His life was bloody and chaotic, yet he sought meaning in his actions, striving to serve causes he deemed worthy. This quest for purpose eventually led him to the court of King Shamos of Lindin, where he became a decorated soldier in the king's service.
Zogbel’s tenure under Shamos was marked by military successes and growing disillusionment. As the king's policies turned harsher and his ambitions of war with Astana loomed larger, Zogbel found himself at odds with the ruler he once admired. Disheartened by the suffering inflicted on the people and the kingdom's descent into tyranny, Zogbel left, relinquishing his position and seeking a new path. Returning to Eren, Zogbel eventually joined the Warden's Guild, an organization that resonated with his desire to protect and uncover truths. As a member of the Guild, he turned his knowledge of rare magics and his experience as a soldier toward investigating magical anomalies and safeguarding the world from arcane threats.
