Zia Novikov

> "I made a blood pact. And as long as I remain unfound, I'll keep his secrets safe. And, by extension, one of yours. Dirty trick, I know. I learned from the best."
>
>

Zia was a non-player character in the main Crossworlds campaign. She is the eldest child in the Novikov family.

## History

Shortly before she was born, Zia's father fell ill. He passed away before she was born, leaving her with Katrina Novikov as a sole parent. She was still a beloved child, with Katrina making time in her schedule specifically for her. When Zia was little, still uncomprehending about her father's death and how she never got to meet him, Katrina kept her away from the press and their prying eyes. Once she was old enough, Katrina explained it calmly, and spoke of her father freely, openly, and lovingly.

Zia became disillusioned with the concept of rulership from an early age. She knew that she would be coronated at the age of twenty, but didn't feel that she would be ready. In fact, she didn't feel that she would ever be ready.

When she was thirteen, her mother married Darcy Reynolds out of obligation to a throne alliance. She kept her distaste for him under wraps, and kept a close relationship with her mother.

When she was fifteen, she overheard a conversation between her pregnant mother and Killian Foy. She discovered that they were keeping a secret--that her younger sibling was not Darcy's child, but Killian's. Not only this, but Killian was desperate to keep this fact under wraps. She did not tell anyone that she'd discovered this, deciding to keep it a secret of her own. A few months later, Luka Novikov was born.

As she became disillusioned, and Luka grew, and her mother and Darcy divorced, Zia sought an escape. While she loved her family dearly, she hated the thought of being a ruler. Her coronation grew closer yet. In this time, she discovered the Divine Record and, by extension, Nise. She realized her true calling as a follower of Nise and decided to leave Refersi in favor of Capua Tor, a safe haven for Nisians.

With this in mind, she approached Killian Foy in secret. She made a pact with him: If he gave her safe passage to Capua Tor, and never let her mother find out where she was, then she would keep the secret she'd learned in return. If Luka found out about his father, or if Katrina found out about her whereabouts, then the pact would dissolve, and each would be free to spread the other's secrets as they wished.

Killian agreed, and Zia was escorted safely to Capua Tor. Over the course of their trip, she realized that she had made a pact with Shade, and their pact was amended so that this was her secret to keep as well. She quickly found a group, Unit 53, and became a ranger, even gaining her own seahawk as an animal companion.

The party found her in their quest for Kritya. She couldn't tell Luka about the exact pact she had formed, but assured him that everyone was safe and pleaded with him not to tell their mother.

Following the campaign, Zia left Capua Tor with her group. She was unsure of the circumstances surrounding her pact breaking, and didn't want to take any chances. It took Luka a while to find her again and inform her of everything that had happened. Once assured that she would no longer be the heir, she was willing to meet with her family once more.

## Trivia

* Zia's stats are based off of the Scout NPC, making her a 6th level ranger.
* Like Nise, she is chaotic neutral.