All are equal when measured under the blade.
Zagreus Mistgrave
Nicknames: Zag, Zaggy (used to tease, facetiously or maliciously)
Race: Charr
Gender: Male (Stealth FTM; considering Charr views on gender, he's not ashamed about it and willing to talk about it if asked, simply views it as not relevant 99% of the time)
Orientation: Hasn't had time to think about it (possibly ace/aro)
Age: 21
Birthday: 58 of Zephyr 1315
Birthplace: Black Citadel
Current Home: Nomadic; Wherever assigned, most often in the Plains of Ascalon or the Black Citadel. His Warband sleeps in camps when outdoors. Ascalon, as a general location, and is technically registered as a citizen of the Black Citadel.
Status/Legion: Iron Legion
Profession (Elite Spec): Revenant (Core)
Education: Fahrar, Military, Revenant Training
Order/Warband: Grave Warband Legionnaire
"Strengths"
Ability to talk to his Legends for counsel, open-minded, resistant to meaningless violence/bloodlust, considers multiple options, strong virtues, excellent mutual relationships with his Warband
"Weaknesses"
Sensitive to the environment (sensory processing disorder), spends too much time in his own head, lacks confidence in his own decisions, desire for approval from others, struggles balancing dependence on his warband and avoidance of people entirely, withdraws when stressed
Religious Beliefs/Philosophy
Due to his culture and connection to the Mists, he views the gods as fallible and not deserving of any position higher than anyone else. Legends are (or at least were) people, not idols, and fostering good relationships with them is mutually beneficial. Zagreus keeps patience, kindness, equality and mercy as virtues. He is against the societal discrimination of disabled people or people otherwise unable to fight in charr culture. But he is not very vocal and is mostly kept busy by keeping his Warband alive and in good standing in spite of the system working against them. He views violence as a tool that should not be abused. Like some other charr raised centuries after the Searing and having been born not long before peace was drawn between humans and charr, he knows little about the Searing other than it being a historical event and why the ghosts are known as Ascalonians. He doesn't have many thoughts about it.
Sensory Processing Disorder
Unnamed and undiagnosed in-character, described as "sensitivity". Often he can become overwhelmed with environmental information during intense parts of charr life, such as combat. He copes by reducing sensory input (e.g. Revenant blindfold, self-isolating), and in combat he uses his Legends' senses (who process differently than him) to navigate the intense parts of the world around him instead. This sensitivity has caused him issues in charr society and he would often find himself fighting for a place not among the scrappers with the rest of his Warband.
Legends
Talks with predominantly Kalla Scorchrazor and Pyre Fierceshot, and uses their abilities. However he has faint connections to all the charr in the Memorial Quadrant, with Ferro the Butcher being the strongest of those, aside from Kalla and Pyre. He talks to them often and for more than just mentoring. He enjoys them as companions as well as counselors.
Grave Warband (current)
Mostly composed of other disabled charr. As Iron Legion, many of them use disability aids of their own creation or idea, as well as having positions and assignments available which allow them freedom.
As Legionnaire, Zagreus Mistgrave attempts to find ways for his bandmates to cope and function well, and positions where they best play to their strengths. Zagreus's flexibility and respect for each member makes him a popular legionnaire, but it can also slow decision-making down.
Zagreus is highly democratic and long debates can be held before he hears everyone out and comes to a conclusion. Only ideas contrasting his virtues excessively are not considered thoroughly. Due to their small band size, it is currently manageable but could easily get out of hand.
Nalla Quickgrave is a charr with chronic joint pain and chronic fatigue.
She has a short temper, but this often helps her to keep Zagreus's long debates in check and quickly throw out options not worth exploring. She works as the second-in-command and manages everything about the Warband from paperwork to tactics. She is the one a bandmate would report to first, as she knows exactly "what you SHOULD be doing instead of wandering around looking for something to do!".
She is good friends with Zagreus, although at times she can steamroll over his gentle tendencies and let her temper get the better of her. Often after a long-winded rant, Zagreus will quietly point out something that she hadn't thought of, and she'll explode into laughter. She may be quick to act and anger, but she does have a sense of humor and is not afraid to take mistakes in stride. This understanding of mistakes extends to others, too, and helps Sazana feel relaxed around her.
Rike Gravemaker is a charr with a heavily injured left leg and partial amputation of his right hand. He uses a mobility aid, a crutch, for support and a body powered prosthesis (such as those from https://www.npdevices.com/) or activity specific prostheseses for his hand.
He is the oldest in the Warband, being around 70, has been a part of many battles, and has a lot of experience in engineering. He is the one who a bandmate would go to for a disability aid, and he is very proud to see his work being used by his fellow bandmates. Rike was previously a gladium and the only survivor of his previous warband and he struggled for many years, before Zagreus invited him to the Grave warband. His experience and eye for detail causes even Nalla to listen to what he says with patience. He has no shame in asking for help, or in giving it.
He and Zagreus hold much mutual respect for each other, and Zagreus takes his view of things very seriously.
Klank Graverush is a charr who is often absent minded, not entirely connected with the world, and quickly switches fixations. They use an audio recording device, suggested by themself and designed by Rike, to help them remember things and to verify the things around them are real. Rike walked them through each piece and let them put it together themself. They often deconstruct and reconstruct the device to confirm only exactly what is supposed to be there, is there. Without it, they become easily disoriented and panicked.
They are very independent and are a jack-of-all-trades, but work best in physical activities like manufacturing or combat. They can adapt well to situations they're experienced in, and this makes them a tremendous fighter. Sometimes, though, manufacturing doesn't come out right. They don't get it done, it has noticeable flaws, or Klank says it's the right thing, but in reality they made something entirely different than what it was supposed to be. They can become confused and disoriented after combat, as well, and not understand the fight is over, or believe there are still people attacking them. They are still incredibly creative in their ideas and often throw many things at the wall to see what sticks. But clear and explicit instructions, recorded on their device, are best for tasks that are unfamiliar or have only a few solutions. They are often very clear when talking about their work manufacturing, but can become jumbled and disorganized when expressing ideas outside of those areas. Oftentimes, they need a minute to figure out what they want to say and to respond appropriately. Their independence can also be fueled by distrust, at times, and can become isolation.
Klank's bandmates, on their request, keep an eye out for them being distressed, without their device, or absent for long periods of time. Klank finds a lot of comfort in Zagreus, as he always takes their concerns, founded in reality or not, seriously and considers those concerns with as much weight as the rest of the Warband's concerns. Zagreus himself will often come to them when he is stumped on a solution to a problem, as even if their ideas don't work, they can help him see things in a new perspective.
Sazana Powdergrave is a charr who struggles with managing her anxiety. She has a drakehound, Spanner, who is her constant companion and performs many tasks to help her.
Sazana is very dedicated to weapon-making and is constantly improving and cleaning her guns. She services her bandmates' equipment and is an excellent sniper. She often comes to Rike for advice, perspective and friendship. Walking with him and Spanner is one of her favorite relaxing activities to do. She is also friends with Nalla, as Nalla immediately claimed her as a friend in their fahrar, and although Nalla can drive her nerves up the wall, Nalla also helps her get out of her comfort zone (and ends up saving Nalla's butt at times). Sazana can have a bit of a bite when she comes out of her shell, and it's not uncommon for her to take Nalla's bait and start an insult battle with her friends that ends with everyone on the floor laughing and covered in bruises. If Zagreus tries to break it up, everyone shouts at him and shoos him away!
Spanner is Sazana's pet drakehound. She provides comfort when Sazana is in distress by performing multiple commands Sazana tells her and habits Sazana taught her. Putting her weight on Sazana or asking to be held when Spanner notices anxiety creeping up on her are some of the habits she’s been taught. She also knows commands for keeping other people (including foes) away when Sazana is panicking to give her space, or to alert her bandmates she is in trouble. Spanner loves to play and requires plenty of walking and training every day. She helps Sazana get out more often and be proactive. She works very hard and loves Sazana more than anything.
Grave Warband (past)
Cassius Gravefist was legionnaire before Zagreus, and was popular among the older bandmates, along with those who were particularly ambitious. His leadership often left the disabled charr to fend for themselves or be put in positions unsuited to them, generally leading to the whole Warband being punished and them catching the flack. They were seen as dragging the warband down.
Cassius eventually led himself and those affiliated with him into a reckless charge into battle instead of providing back-up to the Blood Legion. In an attempt to prove themselves better than the punishments given, and also going against orders. Leading them to never be seen again. Zagreus stepped up as legionnaire after Cassius, and rebuilt the Grave Warband with those left behind, those not picked for the charge.
Narrative Lore
Born to Blood legion parents and expected to fit in with them, Zagreus fell extremely short of those goals when he turned out quite meek and sensitive (and physically small, for a charr). He was put into an Iron Legion fahrar (school) when it became an unavoidable fact he would not function in Blood Legion, despite this going against tradition (his paternal uncle was Iron Legion, giving some leeway for lying, as well..).
In his warband, the Grave warband, Zagreus was a contributing but mostly non-fighting bandmate. He was only really friends with a few other charr in his band who were outcasts for similar reasons. They were not very close, but the closest he had. Zag spent most of his time alone, when possible, and regularly hung around the statues of Charr legends, maybe hoping they'd finally rub off on him. (e.g. the Victory Cenotaph, the Statue of Kalla Scorchrazor) He would often talk out loud and imagine being friends with them, and them teaching him how to be a better fighter. He also became familiar with their history and attempted to learn from their past battles.
The Grave warband came close to becoming scrappers at several points, due to an unruly legionnaire, Cassius, and having several members toeing the line of being unable to be active soldiers, such as Zag.
As an adult, Zag's warband was almost completely wiped out, leaving only him and a few others. The majority of those others being Zag's friends, as they were rarely assigned to considerably dangerous positions. The warband had been assigned to back-up Blood Legion assaults, but Cassius had directly disobeyed orders and led his own charge, leading those who followed him to never be seen again.
Zagreus found himself suddenly faced with a choice: he could step up and become the next legionnaire himself, or let another step up and most likely never see a chance to prove himself in time.
So, he did what he always would. He talked to statues. But, this time, they talked back.
Zagreus quickly realized they were almost certainly Echoes from The Mists, like those Tribune Rytlock Brimstone had communed with to bolster his power. This was exactly what he needed! Exactly what he had wanted from them, ever since he had visited the statues the first time as a cub.
He answered the call. He took his chance and chose to put himself out there.
He's now the legionnaire of his Warband and has been trained in the magic of the Mists. He is still learning how to be a good leader, and to trust himself to do well. But with the counsel of the Echoes and his Warband, he can grow into the hero he wanted to be.
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