Ezeld "The Parrot"

### Birthplace

Kaikoura, Hawaiki, as part of the first wave of nordling settlers on the Silk Islands and the Western Continent.

## Physical Description

### Eyes

Bicolored ( one red and the other purple )

## Political Information

### Profession

 Witcher
Bodyguard
Privateer

### Rank

Master Witcher
Grandmaster ( after 1556 )

### Affiliation

School of the Crane
Toussaint Ducal Court
Vicegovernment of the Fabiolan Colonies and the Silk Islands ( letter of marque )

### Alias(es)

"Red Cardinal"
"The Parrot"
"Little Parrot"
Ezeld "Vengeful Eye"
"Redbeard"
"Big Cassowary" ( by School of the Crane adepts )

## Relationships

### Sibling(s)

Stefan "The Crane" (adoptive brother)
 Orser "The Robin"  (adoptive brother)
Ucalt "The Vulture" (adoptive brother)
Acol "The I´iwi" (adoptive brother)
Deeran "The Hoa"  (adoptive brother)
Enu "The Flamingo" (adoptive brother)
Uzoma "The Alicanto" (adoptive brother)
Idowu "The Benu" (adoptive brother)
Math "The Boobrie" (adoptive brother)
Halsey "The Basan" (adoptive sister)

### Lover(s)

Cassandra ( girlfriend ) [1399 ]
Millie ( lover ) [ 1407 - 1411 ]
Erika Eiríksdóttir ( lover ) [ 1413 - 1414 ]
Svetlana Graselt Clellist ( lover ) [ 1439 - 1443 ]
Brynn ( lover ) [1441 - 1442]
Ros Gunnardóttir ( lover ) [ 1441 ]
Diana ( lover ) [ 1441 - 1442 ]
Zanna Droirillit ( lover ) [ 1442 ]
Nirelle ( lover / girlfriend ) [ 1442 - 1480 ]
Awilda ( lover, briefly ) [ 1443]
Annie Boon ( lover ) [ 1443 - 1444 / 1460 - 1462 / 1470 / 1500 - 1510 ]
Jossabee ( lover ) [ 1445 - 1450 ]
Tan Chin Chiao ( lover ) [ 1511 / 1520 /1530 - 1540 ]

**Ezeld Pitch Dinmarb**, better known as **Ezeld "The Parrot"** due to his talkative and funny nature during his youth, **Ezeld "Vengeful Eye"** and **Redbeard** by Great Sea pirates and privateers or **"The Big Cassowary"** by Crane adepts due to his height, strict, and sometimes aggressive nature while serving initially as a potion and swordplay teacher, and later in his life as the leader of the Cranes, was a witcher from the School of the Crane and also privateer and bodyguard, belonging to the first generation and the third grandmaster of this school, after his brother Stefan "The Crane" stepped down from the position in 1556.

## Biography

### Early Life

Ezeld was born on the 15th of July, 1381, in Kaikoura, Hawaiki, as part of the first wave of Nordling settlers on the Silk Islands and the Western Continent. His family had originated from Kovir, driven by the aspiration for a new life and fresh beginnings. This decision was spurred by the collective concern of the Northern Kingdoms' kings, leading to the establishment of the confederation of colonies that would later be known as Fabiola. The apprehension stemmed from rumors hinting at Nilfgaardian incursions and colonization of the Western Continent.

Xander and Ingrid, both being his parents, navigated life with distinct roles—Xander as a skilled baker and Ingrid as a diligent syce. Their transition to Hawaiki within the Silk Islands was relatively seamless, marked by minimal challenges during the relocation process. Positioned comfortably within the middle echelon of the local economy, they soon garnered recognition and prominence in Kaikoura, a pioneering Nordling settlement nestled beside the flowing waters of the Wailuku River.

Upon their arrival on the island in 1381, Xander and Ingrid embarked on establishing themselves within the burgeoning community. Their reputation flourished not only due to the exceptional quality of Xander's artisanal bread, which quickly gained acclaim as one of the city's finest, but also due to the seamless way it complemented the delectable crab sourced from the nearby river. This swiftly enabled them to significantly improve their economy, affording them a place among the nascent local bourgeoisie. Their business, focused on bread and wheat production, led to ownership of numerous farms, establishing them as major producers across the islands. Consequently, they were able to consider having their first child, who would be conceived sometime in that same year. This child would be none other than Ezeld.

However, tragedy struck on a spring day in 1382 as they navigated one of the rivers to visit one of their owned farms, accompanied by their one-year-old son. They were ambushed by an orange dragon that claimed the lives of Ezeld's parents and intended to consume the child. Putnam Pitch and Jolanta Dinmarb, the sole active witchers of the School of the Crane at that time and also the founders of the school, happened upon the scene. They were en route to investigate rumored ghostly apparitions near the mysterious moai statues, as requested by the vice governor in exchange for potential future recruits from local orphans. However, upon hearing the child's cries, they deviated from their route as Putnam rushed to the rescue, followed by Jolanta to prevent any recklessness by the bicolored witcher.

In this dire moment, Ezeld was saved, marking the commencement of his journey as a witcher. As they ventured on to investigate the moais, Putnam playfully remarked to Jolanta about the child's resemblance to both of them. This jest would, sooner than expected, align Ezeld not only to be a part of the first generation of Cranes but also as one of their adopted children.

### Training ( 1382 - 1400 )

Upon arriving at Kaer Darh, Ezeld grew up like the future Crane Adepts of the next generations would. He was one of what would later become the first generation of Crane Witchers, composed of eleven survivors. Approximately forty children grew up alongside Ezeld, being his companions and siblings - terms that still felt too distant for the young boy at that time.

If there was a source of headaches that Putnam and Jolanta also loved at the same time, it was Ezeld. It's not that he was a bad student; quite the opposite. However, his curiosity often led him to "confront" and engage in long conversations with his adoptive parents, leaving all three of them with numb and aching heads from talking so much. Within the first generation, he stood out among the top three, and in fact, it could be said that, if it weren't for Ucalt, and Stefan's previous experience (since he was the oldest of the adoptive siblings), he could have easily surpassed both of them in most areas. In that sense, he was a "golden child" like his father. However, he excelled primarily in the crafting of potions, oils, bombs, and their derivatives. On the other hand, Ezeld was proficient in the use of Signs, although not as much as his sister Bo and his brother Idowu, who were able to create combinations of Signs quite easily. In fact, on many occasions, he preferred to shout them out when he used them rather than making the hand gesture. His biggest weakness was always the use of the crossbow, something that would give him his first facial scar when he had his first contract, which was against a Harpy Queen.

Ezeld grew up as a quiet child, even shy when it came to interacting with other people or those who came to visit the fortress. He was too focused on his work despite being a child and didn't usually take much time to play when the Crane Adepts had free time, preferring to spend hours and hours reading books about potions or the theory of different monsters, often accompanied by his father, since to Putnam it reminded him of his times as a Griffin Adept in the reconstructed library of Kaer Seren with Jalast.

#### Mutations and Main Trials

Like any witcher, Ezeld would undergo the respective mutations and trials during his training. In his case, Ezeld would be mutated at the age of eight as part of the third group of children (as they were subjected in groups of ten and there were forty) to undergo the dangerous Trial of the Grasses, along with the additional mutations that Crane Witchers would need to perform their duties at sea that were applied during the Crane version of the Trial of the Dreams (with exceptions being Stefan and Bo, one having previously undergone these trials, and the other because mutations in women required a different process at an older age, almost in adolescence). He became one of the few in that group to survive the process, along with his ten-year-old brother, Ucalt. In fact, he survived under very good conditions, which caught the attention of the then sole mage of the school, Jabolet, who wanted to subject him to new mutations due to the high tolerance he had shown. Jabolet was obsessed with trying to recreate the trial that had earned Ivar "Evil-Eye" his nickname during the time of the Order of Witchers but in a successful, not partial, way. Putnam and Jolanta, at first, were not in agreement with the idea, but even at such a young age, Ezeld managed to convince them. And so, he was subjected to these extra mutations, which did yield results, but not the ones Jabolet had hoped for. A transcription error in the information retrieved about the trial of the extinct Order of Witchers caused him to gain not what the trial was supposed to grant, but rather a slightly higher tolerance to poisons than the average witcher and his characteristic bicolored feline eyes, one being a dark red, not as "vivid" as Ivar's, and the other being purple.

   Regarding the other trials, Ezeld passed them all without any problem, proving that he indeed had the talent to be a witcher. The only trial that proved more challenging for him, and this was due to his impulsiveness, was the Trial of the Turbulence, the Crane's equivalent of the Trial of the Mountains in schools like the Griffin, and the extinct Wolf and Bear. Here, due to his impulsiveness, he struggled to work as a team and had to be saved from monsters like a Tropical Cirenea, a Water Hag, and a River Fungoid on more than one occasion by Bo, Ucalt, Stefan, Orsen, and Idowu. Putnam and Jolanta had designed the trial to be a group and cooperative effort, considering the dangers they would face on the high seas, and how they would have to work together with the crews of the ships they would often find themselves on, not only for killing the monster or monsters, but to survive in general. Nevertheless, he passed this trial as well, and after completing it, he earned his medallion that awaited him in Kaer Darh. Since another big difference with the Trial of the Mountains was that the adepts didn't have to enchant their medallions in the Circle of Elements ( like the Wolf Adepts ); they were a reward for surviving and demonstrating that they had learned from their training.

#### After The Main Trials

After successfully completing the main trials, Ezeld continued his training as a young witcher. However, in 1395, at the age of 16, a significant interruption occurred due to a heated argument with Putnam.He blamed Putnam for the death of one of the children who was part of the group Ezeld was mutated with, and who had become his best friend. This young friend had tragically lost his life during the Trial of the Grasses, and Ezeld had been nursing a grudge over this loss for a considerable time.

Compounding his resentment, Ezeld, began to display signs of arrogance during his adolescence. He questioned the need for what he saw as "extra training," feeling constrained within the fortress. This growing sense of restlessness eventually culminated in a heated argument with Putnam, resulting in his impulsive escape from the fortress.

However, life outside the protective walls of Kaer Darh quickly taught Ezeld a humbling lesson. He realized that, like many teenagers, his arrogance had blinded him to the wisdom of his elders and the importance of the training he had received. His very first contract, undertaken in the outskirts of Elmia against a Queen Harpy, almost cost him his life. Were it not for Putnam, who had tracked and followed him after his escape, swooping in at the critical moment to save him from the monster, Ezeld might not have survived the encounter.

This near-death experience served as a stark reminder of his own fallibility and the necessity of perfecting to the extreme the skills he had been taught. It was a turning point for Ezeld, leading him to acknowledge his mistake and ultimately driving him back to the fortress alongside his father, completing the remaining four years of training that he had to become a fully-fledged witcher.

This naturally led to Putnam's concern that Ezeld might not be adequately prepared. So, just before undergoing the final trial, Putnam decided to subject him to the Trial of the Sword, which Ezeld also successfully completed. This gave Putnam the confidence that Ezeld was capable of facing the last trial remaining and finally, graduating as a full-fledged witcher.

#### Last Trial and Graduation ( 1400 )

And so, after four years of hard training, in which Putnam demanded a lot from him (not only as a punishment for his arrogance but also out of the affection he had for him as his adoptive father), and after, as already mentioned, undergoing the Trial of the Sword, in which Putnam insisted (despite Jolanta's complaints, who thought that maybe it was too much for the boy yet) on him defeating a Mangrove Aeschna and bringing back its head (which, by the way, Putnam dissected and decided to display as a decoration in the main hall), which Ezeld accomplished, surpassing it by far, Ezeld finally was able to face the last trial and also pass it, finally graduating as a full-fledged Crane witcher. Like all others of his generation (and those who would come after), Ezeld was given two options: either recite the School of the Crane Bestiary from memory without errors, or, very much like they did in the school Putnam came from, steal an egg, although in this case, not from a griffin, but from an Orange Dragon. And Ezeld chose the latter. The trial was difficult, but he succeeded, though his body would bear slight scars from the breath of the dragoness he stole from as she fled with one of her future offspring. Shortly after recovering, he left the fortress, finally beginning his career as a witcher, and embarking on his first year on The Path.

## Death ( Summer of 1700 )

Eventually he died during the Cherdian Pogrom against the city´s Halfling population while defending them. *TBA*

## Personality

Ezeld's personality was a nuanced blend of both positive and negative traits. On the positive side, he was cheerful, fun-loving, childish, and had a great sense of humor, which made him genuinely charming and pleasant to be around. Occasionally, though, his impulsive and flirtatious nature could be perceived as overly indulgent and even distracting, which occasionally led to complications in his relationships. This aspect of his character was especially pronounced in the first 100 years of his existence. Nevertheless, beneath this lively exterior, he always maintained a strong sense of professionalism.

As time passed, he underwent a slow and gradual evolution that, to some extent, resembled that of his adoptive father and the struggles he faced with his inner demons. During this time, Ezeld was an amoral and neutral person who avoided getting involved in conflicts or provoking them, somewhat akin to witchers like the always cold and serious Ivo of Belhaven from the defunct School of the Bear. He viewed the code that his adoptive parents jointly created, the famous "Codex of the White-Haired," not as a rigid set of guidelines for various situations like his other siblings, such as Stefan, Ucalt, or Idowu, but rather as recommendations for what to do when doubt plagued him in a particular moment.

However, this would gradually change, as he began to take the codex more seriously with each passing challenge that life and his witcher career presented him (like when he had to protect a ship in which Lebioda missionaries were going to the Western Continent, and ended up trapped for a while on the island of Saint Borondón in the Mad Sea). In a way, both in terms of personality and physicality, he resembled a mixture of Putnam and Jolanta, drawing from both the good and the bad aspects of his adoptive parents in an exaggerated manner.

## Art Credits

* Ezeld Main Portrait Art by **Midjourney V5**, edition by **Witcher190**.
* Young Ezeld Portrait Art by **Midjourney V5**, edition by **Witcher017**.

## Trivia

* Saint Borondón is a direct reference to a Spanish legend about a mirage island of similar name.
* Awilda is a direct reference to the mythical female Danish pirate of the same name.
* Annie Boon is a reference to the famous female pirate Anne Bonny. Additionally, Annie Boon was a character present in early versions of Putnam Pitch's story, but after the rework, she was added to Ezeld's story instead. In this version, she is a sorceress turned pirate.
* Josabee and Tan Chin Chiao are another two references to real female pirates.