"The Storm Walker"

“The Small Giant”

Zal-Var was born in a muddy hut of a war camp. However, He was found abandoned in a basket woven of coarse rothé wool, drifting on a stray air current near the Stratos Citadel, a floating fortress of the Cloud Giants.

The giants did not eat him; they were amused by him. A Cloud Giant noble family, the House of Thundering Mirth, was raised as a beloved novelty. Growing up, among beings who stood 24 feet tall, Zal-Varr learned quickly that he could not match them in strength. To survive and be noticed, he had to be louder, smarter, and more charming than anyone else in the room. Zal-Varr is very charming, terrifyingly magnetic, and perhaps a bit too confident for his own good. He does not look like a typical grunt from a warband. His physique is lean, toned, and athletic rather than bulky, and he moves with a fluid grace that unnerves those expecting clumsy strength.

He is strikingly handsome. His jawline is sharp, his tusks are well-groomed rather than jagged, and his amber eyes hold an intense, intelligent gleam. A thin, faded scar runs down his cheek, a souvenir from his upbringing among giants. It does not mar his features; it only adds to his rugged appeal. He carries himself tall, chest out, mimicking the imperious posture of the Cloud Giants who raised him. He often looks down his nose at others, not out of malice, but out of habit.

He wears simple but well-fitted, although simple, clothes and well-cared leather armour that allows for a full range of motion. His upbringing in a noble household and his small stature meant he was treated delicately; playing rough with his peers at the moment could mean harm to him. So he took to education. He read almost every book that he could, making him very educated and intelligent. He is the type of person who knows exactly how a spell works but cannot perceive when it is a terrible idea to cast it. He is impulsive and prone to taking risks, believing his natural luck and charm will save him. He does not grunt; he pontificates. He uses big words sometimes incorrectly, but confidently, and can talk his way out of or into trouble with ease.

He had plenty of time to perfect any skill he did. However, that also makes him his impulsive self as well as impatient. His hands are never idle. He learned to dress like a noble, speak with the booming articulation of a giant, and look down on "groundlings," even though he was technically one of them. His strength is impressive for an Orc, but to his family, he was delicate. He is a Giant Foundling.

“The Prince and his Patron”