Gezamal Kushkam

Gezamal Kushkam is a member of the Azimir Imperial Guard who was guarding Yanagawn during the Battle of Azimir. He is the son of Commandant Zarb Kushkam who was in charge of the defense of the Oathgate.
== Appearance & Personality ==
Gezamal is a young Azish man with short black hair and a wide bushy mustache. Whilst guarding Yanagawn he is wearing the standard, patterned, Azimir Imperial Guard Uniform and carries a ceremonial polearm.
He has an easy going, friendly demeanor as seen when he was very comfortable to talk and even joke with Adolin Kholin on their first meeting. But he also takes his position very seriously and got embarrassed when the Prime directly addressed him against protocol. Gezamal is very patriotic and loyal but not blind to some of his nations flaws. 
== Attributes & Abilities ==
As a member of the Azimir Imperial Guard, Gezamal is a well trained soldier. Like most of the guards he has practiced with one of the Imperial sets of Shardblade and Plate.
He is considered an expert in the card game Towers where he prefers the "Deliver" and "Vanquish" variants. He admits to struggling with actual battlefield command due to the lack of direct control over his units. He currently is bonded to a set of Shards that he can summon at will.
== History ==
During the Battle of Azimir, Gezamal Kushkam was assigned to lead Yanagawns honor guard whilst Adolin Kholin let the young Emperor practice with his Shardplate and taught him military Strategy through the card game Towers. During these session Gezamal befriended Adolin and often offered his own advice although he dutifully avoided addressing the Emperor directly, adhering to protocol.
When the Oathgate dome got overrun by Odium's forces during the thunderclast attack on the fifth day of the siege and Commandant Kushkam called all forces to the defence Yanagawn insisted on joining the battle himself. Gezamal accompanied him along with the rest of the honor guard. They arrived shortly after the Heralds Taln and Shalash had forced Odium's forces to retreat and helped to search for injured in the aftermath of the carnage.
As he should have refused Yanagawns order to join the frontline and thus put the Prime in harms way, Gezamal was later reassigned to the basic infantry as a punishment. Adolin, who was outraged at this, found Gezamal with the help of Colot and visited him as he was assigned to clean latrines. Adolin voiced his misgivings about the, in his view, unjust demotion and offered Gezamal a position in his own retinue. Gezamal refused and explained that he would accept the punishment with pride as any respectable soldier would.
When the defense finally completely broke during the seventh day of the siege, Gezamal managed to bring his injured father to the saferoom, where the surviving leadership of the coalition forces had gathered. Gezamal and his father then both joined the last ditch effort to recapture the throne room of the bronze palace. During the fight he received one of the deadeye sets of Shards that Mayalaran had brought as reinforcements and thus become one of the ten Unoathed. After the contest of champions Yanagawn considered him along with the other Unoathed to be of rank were they could more directly interact with the emperor. Gezamal and the Prime started to regularly play games of Towers in the following weeks.
== Relationships ==
=== Zarb Kushkam ===
Zarb Kushkam is Gezamals father and superior officer in the Imperial Guard. He trust his son to watch over Adolin's training sessions with the Prime and they both share a passion for the Towers card game. When Zarb got injured Gezamal carried him to safety. They are both members of the Unoathed.
=== Adolin Kholin ===
Adolin Kholin first met Gezamal during his first practice session with Yanagawn. Gezamal offered explanations to the Alethi highprince regarding Azish customs and joined in on the discussion of the Towers card game. Adolin took an immediate liking to the guard and often roped him in to his conversations with the young Prime. When Adolin learned of Gezamal's punishment for putting the emperor in danger he was outraged and wanted him immediately reinstated. Upon talking with him and offering a position in his own guards Adolin accepted Gezamal's choice to accept his punishment with pride. They are both members of the Unoathed.
== Notes ==