Zachariah (Castoff)

Zachariah is one of the three founding members of Clan Castoff and a necromancer by birth.
== History ==
Zachariah was a "joyful surprise" for two Earth mages on sabbatical in Everbloom. Their host clan, on learning the two feared returning with their egg, was eager to adopt it, and so Zach was hatched and raised as one of their own. While birth decides element, there was quite a bit of power in his blood, and he'd barely shaken off the eggshell before he was raising squirrels and sparrow-bones. His adoptive clan was thrilled. To them, necromancy is a logical extension of the Nature values of recycling and reuse, especially since Zach's zombies have a decidedly "Nature" slant--they're quickly overgrown with plants that act as extensions of their rotting bodies, serving as vine-whips and thorn-claws long after their fleshy equivalents have rotted away. So long as he kept the zombies downwind, he was welcomed to practice in peace.
Emerging into the greater world came as a shock. He followed his adoptive parents in going off to serve the Gladekeeper, but soon learned not to mention his abilities. Even where they found use, they were accepted only grudgingly, and always covered up in the field reports. He was classified as a "druid" and assigned to a squad, where he met Ezekiel and bonded over magic use. He was taken by the fae's stories of the wider world, especially of Dragonhome, and resolved to visit.
Once their time of service was finished, the two continued as mercenary partners. After a particularly rough job in the Southern Icefields, though, as well as noticing Ezekiel making eyes at their new acquaintance, all three decided to try their hand at starting a clan. Zachariah dreamed of one like his home--a place where dragons of all Flights and magical traditions could collaborate, and necromancy was accepted as a normal and valuable skill. This would not come to pass. While Zachariah and his abilities are respected, it's only with a protective layer of euphemism--he's still referred to as a "druid", which irritates him--and, because his undead need to draw power from him, he found himself unable to leave the clan without leaving them unprotected. Even his dream trip to Dragonhome was cut short. Years passed like this, and his opinion of the clan soured; soon, the only things keeping him around were his loyalty to a few core dragons, namely Ezekiel and Capensia, and his general unwillingness to sentence dragons (even ignorant and selfish ones) to death.
It comes as no surprise, then, that he was thrilled by Zeke's decision to "hire" Aria's forces. He's now planning a well-deserved vacation in his home clan, as well as a second trip to Dragonhome.
== Role ==
Once the clan was founded, Zachariah relinquished his leadership role in favor of focusing on defence and research. Castoff's location makes it prone to monster attacks that at best disrupt work and at worst get dragons killed; Zach is more than happy to repurpose slain invaders, and his "necromantic border defence" has long been a staple of Castoff living. Maintaining such a large number of undead is physically and magically draining, so he's excused from all other work.
== Personality and Relationships ==
Zach is proud, stubborn, irreverent, caring, and easygoing...for the most part. While Nature's opinion of necromancy frustrates him immensely, he expresses that through jokes, including making cracks about his "little black heart", going out in full caster regalia, and responding to anyone calling him "druid" with a bright and cheerful "necromancer!". He has a low opinion of those who play it safely and self-protectively and has quite a bit of contempt for the Wellsprung. On the flip side, he has immense respect for Aria, a powerful actual druid who appreciates his necromancy (so long as it's not used on Nature corpses) and has dedicated her life to making things better for others. He's very forthright in thinking she's crazy as hell, but given that the crazy's pointed away from the folks he cares about, it doesn't bother him. Also the whole bit where her presence enables him to travel.
He's besties with Ezekiel and Capensia, and both have used their status as clan heads to pressure anyone who's rude about the necromancy thing. Most of the core clan respects, accepts, and appreciates Zach, but the clan's growing faster than acceptance can keep up.
He's also close with Xorvuxi, his self-appointed chief minion; they have a relationship somewhere between long-suffering married couple and immature siblings.
Has feelings for Antirra he can't quite describe. Xorvuxi absolutely can, though. Her graphic accounts of past lovers are the bane of Zach's existence.
Category:Characters