Zoks

Short, scrawny, but handy with his tools, Zoks is a displaced, subterranean Kobold and apprentice Artificer.

### **History**

A former member of a large, reclusive Kobold tribe, who withdrew from the ailing surface-world following the culmination of the Fae Ordeal and emergence of creatures who heralded the end of all things. They would retreat beneath the now desolate wastes of the Eastern Irushku desert as the world descended into anarchy.

His tribe inhabited the cavernous tunnels left by an ancient burrowing Great-Wyrm, following in its wake. They would adopt a pseudo-nomadic lifestyle by necessity, as the caves behind the Wyrm inexorably closed "like the healing of a wound" over the course of time.

Zoks would learn the rudiments of enchantment and arcane manipulation at the feet of the his tribes' Shamans, who would shape and fashion articles from the magically imbued scales shed by their revered Wyrm, forming vessels, tools of ceremony, and sledges to facilitate their unending pilgrimage.

An unspoken tragedy would befall his tribe, leading Zoks to the harsh desert surface above and, after several harsh days, into the company of one Beldrum Jondred - Dwarf and Master Artificer. When asked, Zoks would speak highly of the Dwarf who would eventually become his teacher, talking of how over several days Beldrum tended to the confused and exhausted Kobold he found lying along an arid desert trail. Despite initial difficulties communicating in their variations of Common, Beldrum would allow Zoks to accompany him to his nearby destination in the off-chance other Kobolds might stumble upon them whilst Zoks recovered.

Over several days, as Beldrum sifted through ancient ruins of a pre-cataclysm outpost, Zoks would learn of Beldrum's trade as an Artificer and even go on to show the Dwarf some of the arcane talent of his tribes' teachings, using Wyrm-scale from his broken water vessel. They would slowly speak more of themselves as the awkwardness of the language barrier slowly grew smaller, each telling the other an unfamiliar world. However, with Beldrum's task coming to a close, and no other Kobolds yet encountered, Zoks' options grew limited.

Beldrum's next suggestion for Zoks to accompany him back to a more well-travelled crossroads in the hope of better luck was equally unsuccessful, with no sign of any travelers present since Beldrum's own tracks from more than a week proir. Zoks, now utterly lost and unsure of how to proceed, was made one further offer my Beldrum. Zoks would later say how, despite his Master's insistence that he was interested in Zoks' talent with the Wyrm scale, Beldrum's invitation to continue traveling together was in no doubt due to the Dwarf's all too soft manner (one that would continue to serve Zoks when he would burn food or bend the contacts of a favoured arcane tool).

In time, as the barrier of language was overcome and Beldrum would confirm Zoks possessed some modicum of talent, he would formally offer to take Zoks on as an apprentice of Artificery.

### **Arrival in Darétik**

Zoks would be brought into the events of Darétik whilst in the middle of his own quest. Several years since beginning formal training, his Master would deem him ready to partake in a tradition that called upon burgeoning artificers to journey out alone. The goal of these travels was to find and undertake tuition for a time with another Master, in hopes of gaining recognition as a journeyman. Given a letter of introduction, Zoks was to locate an acquaintance of Beldrum's known to frequent another corner of Irushku, whose ruins and caravan trails often worked with different examples of arcane-infused artefacts.

In the midst of this journey, whilst walking down a forested trail, Zoks would come-to with a sudden taste of dry air and feeling as though he could not tell how long he had been traveling. Hours or minutes - the position of the sun had barely shifted - yet the time had been spent without all thoughts and proved difficult to recall. Unfamiliar trees around him stood, eerily different to those which his trail had passed through at the start of his day, but at no point could he remember when the shape of their boughs had shifted, nor the colour of their leaves turned. Before him on the trail now stood a strikingly large human collecting a larger pile of wood, turning away from Zoks and proceeding further down the trail. Unsettled and uncomfortable of the path he was still stood on, Zoks would try to follow the man ahead of him, and into the village of Darétik.

## Opinions:

Tomb: I was surprised by this one. He's real brave for such a small guy. A real warrior spirit. Stayed on my shoulder for a whole fight. That ain't easy. And it ain't a safe place to be. Then he went an' healed Geoffrey, or whatever his name is. Shame the other Kobold don't learn from his example.

Oswlen: For a Kobold he's not *that* bad, I'd almost say (pray Baravar forgive me) I like his company. He seems a most practical one and whilst I'm not sure I can call him a *person* he never the less is a realiable one.