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{ Plane of Origin }
tab tab Dimensions are vast and diverse, infinite in possibilities, and Za'saad is from one such world. Still stuck in what seems like the dark ages, his home is divided into magically gifted and non-magical humans. Each continent is ruled by a republic or a kingdom, constantly at a stalemate war with forming and dissolving alliances each passing decade. The distance between rich and poor is immeasurable, getting worse by the century, but Za'saad's generation is the last before the Kingdom of Draemoor’s fall. Draemoor's (the equivalent of Europe) ruler fell ill and died, making way for his idealistic son who wanted a more free society. A free society where anyone could be anything and humans weren't forced into slave-like labor or turned into cannon fodder for the war. It took a year for the borders to be overrun, supply chains and troops never reaching needed destinations, and only ten years later a siege on the capital was successful. Draemoor had stood its ground for centuries and was now nothing more than a province of a split continent. Mages fled in all directions or joined enemy sides; some were captured and charged with crimes of war.

{ Birthright }
tab tab Born into the noble House of Zabirith, Za'saad was the product of generations of arranged marriages; strong Magi mixed and matched to produce the purest of magical spawn. Everyone was performing their duties as taught, men as much as the women. The stronger the magical blood flowed, the higher a family climbed the ladders of society. The men gained high ranks in the military, positions of power such as seats on the king’s personal council, and titles as Dukes and Marquis. The women, on the other hand, lived more sheltered lives. The stronger the magic was in her, the more important she became to keep safe, so she could deliver powerful children. While men and women had an equal importance, they were treated differently. Having a woman working meant she had no greater use in society and these women were often called to as Maiden’s of War - referring to the fact they rarely got married.

{ Family Life }
tab tab Raised by his mother as many other children were, Za’saad wasn’t smothered by any means. While she expressed care and love it wasn’t in hugs and reassurance, but with truth and preparation for his coming life. From the very beginning so let him know his duties as a boy in the family, took the time to explain everything the best she could, and offered wisdom to any of his doubts. Had it not been for her, Za’saad might not have accepted his place. She never promised him a long life of riches and fame, never said he’d find true love and happiness, and taught him that value comes only from his own efforts. The tale of hers that stuck the most to him, was that she didn’t start off wanting her husband - his father - but that through trials and tribulations she came to love him more than her own life. When his father passed away in the war, was the moment Za’saad truly knew how strong his mother was and what love meant in the shape of her grief. She never shed a tear and kept standing tall as they revered his father as a hero, kept up her smiles and usual behaviour in public, and stuck to her duties without falter. A couple of days after the burial, Za’saad caught her weeping quietly to herself in her chambers over his father’s belongings. While she calmed down when he interrupted her, he knew it was a facade. She gave him one of the few embraces he ever had received that night, singing him an old lullaby he finally understood the meaning behind.

tab tab While his mother was a force of nature on her own, Za’saad’s father was a boisterous whirlwind. The man always appeared happy and proclaimed his feelings and thoughts quite loudly. While these never conflicted with their social views, his boasting and confidence often rubbed other people the wrong way - not that he ever minded. His cheerful and happy nature was infectious, proven by the little Za’saad that followed him around whenever he was home. To him, his father was as great a teacher as his mother, though in a different aspect. His father taught him valuable survival skills and combat moves, made sure he knew how to protect himself and channel his magic in the safest, least tiring way. When Za’saad was of age, he joined his father on his conquests, seeing just how powerful and ruthless he could truly be. His battles against other mages were both frightening and sights to behold - but even he wasn’t invincible. In Za’saad’s early twenties, after their borders were being pushed back, his father finally became a casualty of war. They weren’t even able to retrieve his body from the battlefield and had to make an empty grave.

tab tab Outside of his parents, Za’saad had little relation to his family - most of it was just professional respect and while he lived with and grew up with his cousins and such, they never truly bonded. Ulmir, a cousine a few years older than him, was the one that stabbed his eye out, and ultimately they got along the best out of everyone. He never had any siblings.

{ Marriage }
tab tab As per customs with their family, Za’saad had his wife picked for him. The king’s council along with the other strong family houses, found the best suitable candidates for marriage after abilities had been determined. He met her only once before their marriage as a courtesy, but then their union was made and she was moved to the Zabirith’s home. Za’saad had never met as cold a woman as her, maybe he just didn’t notice before, or perhaps his parents’ relations had him believe in fairytales. While he didn’t love her either, he felt a loss at the fact she didn’t sincerely wish him well at the gates when he marched off to war or welcome when he returned home. While they shared chambers, she had no interest in him what-so-ever, and when he tried to initiate any physical between them, she didn’t push him away, but neither did she accept him. While she never abandoned her duties to him, he didn’t want to force himself on her either, so he gave her space, but being on the road months at a time didn’t give him much chance for evolving his relationship with her - and in the end they remained strangers.

{ Equinox }
tab tab Every magus made a contract with a stronger being at some point in their life. Even the women who never participated in the wars had their soul bound to these creatures from a different realm. It was part of coming of age and a way to feed back into the circle. Each contract would provide a magus with more power, boosting their overall magic, while in return the being would consume their soul upon death, thus making it stronger for the next magus’ contract. It was a symbiotic relationship. Equinox is one such being, a giant humanoid figure glad in dark armour and equipped with a heavy weapon and shield. His last contract had just seen it’s end when he came about this young magus aspirant of the Zabirith house. Having had dealings with the bloodline in the past, Equinox gave the boy one chance. While some used techniques of submissions by weakening and trapping the creature to force a contract, others bribed with gifts that spoke to the creature's elements and desires - Za’saad did neither of these things, but instead sought to impress through persistence and display of willpower.

tab tab Their encounter started in a plain, square room - clearly used for summonings in the past. There were no windows, no wall hangings or pretty carpets, just a boy and his board game. Equinox gave the skinny, one-eyes kid a long silent stare, an innocent little smile received in return, and with the benefit of doubt, the creature dropped down to join the game presented. There was no telling what time of day it was, how long they sat, or the intervals between their moves, but by judging by their candles it was hours. While they didn’t get to finish their first game, it established an intellectual bond between them, and through a year of peaceful battles they forged a contract. Equinox became Za’saad’s only true friend in his time at Draemoor and they fought together for years.

{ The Siege }
tab tab As the war came to its peak and Draemoor rallied for a final stance, Za’saad had long since lost his arm to the enemy’s advancements, and was now desperately defending the capital. Once the main gates had been breached, soldiers and mages swamped the city streets. There was little time for pleasantries as everyone fled or got mowed down. In the middle of the chaos, Za’saad ran into his wife - she was calm and collected, seemingly unaffected by the fire, screams, and murder happening around her. He told her to rally at the castle, but what she did next, he would never have thought. She looked him square in the eye, a chilling focus on him before she spoke a strong chant of banishment before she punched him in the chest. He didn’t quite understand her words in the moment, about to object to her shenanigans and tell her they had no time for this, but in the blink of an eye she was gone. In fact, everything was gone. When his brain caught up to the sudden shift, the drums of war had been replaced by song and laughter, chirping birds, and the waves of the ocean. He didn’t know this sunny place and felt a tinge of panic take root in his body. Za’saad had to do something, anything, but as he took his first step, he felt drained and damaged, beaten within an inch of his life, and thus he passed out.

{ A New Beginning }
tab tab Za’saad awoke at a hospital - and while he understood the basics of it upon explanation, he found it foreign and discomforting. There was an empty feeling in him, like something had gone missing, and upon further exploration he found out it was his tether to his world. His magic, his bonds, Equinox - everything was hanging in a thin thread that felt like it would break any moment. He was weaker than ever and while the society helped establish him somehow, it took him months to regain the ability to use magic, almost a year to summon Equinox. Unfortunately, the creature had no valuable information for him, and he instead just accepted his fate and began to wander. He was around for just over 2 years before he came to settle down in Soleil City. While he wasn’t of this world, he could still feel this as a place of power, and it comforted him, so he decided to give staying a try.