Zara Starkart

### Affiliation

 Winter's Light House Starkart (formerly) House Isdraug (formerly) House Hatii (formerly)

## Physical description

### Eye color

White

**Zara** is a paladin from the Lands of Winter who's only goal is to fight the Undead Plague that came from the North.

## Background

**Zara** hails from the unforgiving and desolate domain only known as the Lands of Winter, a region perpetually trapped in the icy grip of a relentless and eternal winter. This harsh environment has molded him into a resilient and unyielding warrior. **He**  is marked by a rare, debilitating ailment known as Stoneskin, a condition that bears eerie similarities to leprosy, it is unknown how or from who he got this disease. This disease has not only ravaged his body but has also granted him unique abilities and an unshakable determination.

**Zara** early life in the Lands of Winter was one of struggle and hardship, born into a exiled house who escaped the main land in the midst of a frozen wasteland, he was exposed to the brutal realities of this harsh land from a young age. His house, House Starkart, were among the few civilized human settlements in the region, and they had to contend not only with the merciless cold but also the constant threat of unknown and monstrous creatures that roamed the snow-covered tundra.

As a young man, **Zara** began to exhibit the first signs of the Stoneskin disease. **His** skin started to harden and develop a stone-like texture, much like the leprous symptoms seen in other parts of the world. At first, he was ostracized by his House, feared and reviled by his own people. However, as the disease progressed, he discovered that it not only made his exterior as hard as the icy terrain he called home but also granted him the wisdom and allowed him to concentrate on his beliefs like religion to harden his soul. Pledging his life to the God of Light who called to him back to the big kingdoms to protect the mankind lands from the Undead hordes.

After **Zara** was of age to rule his House, the northern tribes of wildlings came and killed his relatives, leaving him wounded and dying in the unforgiving snowy wasteland, little did he knew that the God of Light was on his side, healing him from his near lethal wounds, but as he was healed back to life, his Stoneskin condition took over more of his body, forcing him to wear a mask of pure silver to cover his disfigured face. He wandered the Lands of Winter, surviving against all odds, facing not only the treacherous natural elements but also the terrifying creatures that roamed the barren landscape. Over time, he honed his skills and developed a unique fighting style that incorporated his Stoneskin condition and his affinity for Light magic.

### Lost Love

**Zara** , the man paladin of House Starkart, bore a heavy burden not only in his quest to reclaim his family's honor but also in the weight of an unfulfilled love that haunted his heart. Sebim Hatii of House Hatii, a name etched into his memory, was the lost love he yearned for but could never find again. They had been the radiant light amidst the endless winter of his life, a memory he clung to even as the disease known as Stoneskin took its toll on him.

In his quiet moments, when the winds of the Lands of Winter howled outside his makeshift shelter,  *'Zara'* would reflect on their time together. Sebim's presence resonated with his soul, a connection that transcended the frozen expanse of their homeland. He could recall their shared dreams, where they both saw a future free from the unrelenting cold and isolation. In those dreams, they laughed, loved, and imagined a life beyond the snow and ice.
But fate was cruel, and Sebim  was lost to him, disappearing into the bitter embrace of the Lands of Winter, never to be found again. The bitter memory of their disappearance was a constant ache in his heart, a reminder of the harsh realities of their world. Despite his unwavering determination, he knew that in his current state, he would never find her in this lifetime. The Stoneskin disease had reached its final stage, and the hardening of his body was now irreversible.

As **Zara** looked out into the relentless snowstorm, he uttered those words, a vow and a lament intertwined: "**I could sense their presence in the quietest moments, by the way their soul resonated with mine; I would know them in the chaos of life, by the symphony of our shared dreams. I would know them in all the lifetimes, for our connection transcends time itself.**"

With a heavy heart, he continued to fight, not only for his family and his people but also in the hope that one day, in another lifetime, he might find Sebim again, their love rekindled in a world free from the frigid grasp of the Lands of Winter. Until then, he carried the memory of their love as a source of strength and a testament to the enduring power of love in a world marked by cold and darkness.