Zolton Brievor

**Zolton Brievor, The Pygmy Giant**, also known as **Zolton of Hog**, is a Hogian giant afflicted with dwarfism, earning him his famous epithet; despite his condition, he still stands taller than a regular human. Having left the city of Hog to learn more about the world, he became the close friend, confidant and travelling companion of Hermoor MacDuff, with whom he shared many adventures as the Black Blade Company. At the start of the ninth age, more than fifteen years after their first meeting, Zolton, MacDuff and their allies took in the orphaned Minerva an Kett and unknowingly bound themselves to the fate of the continent.

## Biography

### Early Life & Background

Born in the late eighth age in the giant city of Hog, the last refuge of the civilised giants in all of Pydwell, Zolton Brievor was born a dwarf among his people: by the time he was fully grown, he would only reach just over eight feet in height, far shorter than the rest of his kind; despite his dwarfism, Zolton was treated well by his fellow giants, aside from the occasional tease. Among his closest friends was Svarta Mammothback, heir to the throne of Hog.

When he reached adulthood, Zolton began yearning to leave the safety of Hog's walls and explore the world beyond. With Mammothback's help, Zolton breached the city's walls and became the first giant of Hog to leave the hidden city in centuries.

A capable hunter and warrior, Zolton made a living as a mercenary for the few towns and villages that would tolerate his presence. His fair features and eloquent manner of speech allowed him to avoid serious trouble, although he was never popular anywhere he went.

### The Blade & The Pygmy

#### Meeting the Black Blade

In 8:472, while travelling through eastern Bohaem, Hermoor MacDuff stumbled across a town troubled by a monster living nearby that was stealing livestock. Hired by a local trader, MacDuff headed out to face the monster, discovering it to be a giant of unusually short height. Despite its dwarfism, the giant still stood almost a foot taller than MacDuff, and proved a worthy opponent. Their fight ended in a stalemate, exhausting them both, at which point the giant revealed he could speek Common: he was, to MacDuff's surprise, a giant of Hog, and thus far more civilised than the giants that roamed the countryside. Upon realizing this, MacDuff conceded the fight and turned to leave; the giant called him back, offering him a seat by his fire.

Exhausted from the cold and from the fight, MacDuff agreed and shared a bottle of vodka with the giant. He revealed his name to be Zolton Brievor, one of the few giants to venture beyond the hidden city of Hog in centuries. Born with dwarfism, causing him to stand just 7 feet in height, he had left Hog to travel and learn more about Pydwell, believing his height and fair face would prevent any commotion in the towns and villages he passed through. Zolton proclaimed his innocence when MacDuff inquired about the complaints of the townspeople; he revealed that he had purchased the livestock in question, not stolen it. Knowing well the culture of charity and honestly that the giants of Hog possessed, MacDuff decided to leave Zolton in peace, returning to town to interrogate the lying trader.

MacDuff found the trader in the local tavern and demanded the other half of his payment; the trader asked to see the giant's head, to which MacDuff retorted that the trader had deceived him: the giant was no thief, but a harmless traveller. Refusing to give payment without bloodshed, the trader rallied the drunkards against MacDuff, shouting typical insults usually directed at wardens. MacDuff easily fended off the drunk and angry townspeople until one smashed stone across his head; the blow would have killed a lesser man, and stunned the superhuman MacDuff. The townspeople began to kick and beat him, only to stop when Zolton, towering over all of them, appeared in the doorway. A riot ensued as the townspeople grabbed pitchforks, shovels and knives to slay the giant, allowing MacDuff time to recover and return to the fray. Unbeknownst to them both, this was just the first of many fights that they would come to each others aid.

In the end, the rioters were subdued and MacDuff paid in full. Bidding farewell to Zolton, MacDuff continued on his goalless journey across the continent. Just a few miles later, though, he realized that Zolton was following him; despite numerous demands that the giant cease his trailing, MacDuff finally unsheathed his sword, demanding to be left alone. Zolton requested that he be allowed to join MacDuff on his travels, offering free meals and drink for his company. Realizing that Zolton would not just disappear, MacDuff reluctantly agreed, his only demand being that the talkative pygmy giant quieten down and earn his own coin.

#### Brave Knights

Within a few days, the new travelling companions reached the city of Loket, the largest settlement in eastern Bohaem. While resupplying in the city market, Zolton spotted a knight clad in silver armour nail a notice onto the market board.

## Overview

### Physical Appearance

For a giant, Zolton is a dwarf, standing at just over 8 feet tall, meaning he still stands far taller than the tallest of humans; even MacDuff, who is taller than average, only reaches Zolton's chest. Because of his condition, Zolton spends most of his life around humans and human settlements, unlike other members of his kind. Like the other giants of Hog, Zolton posesses elven features, including sharp facial features, pointed ears and a large nose.

### Personality

Zolton is intelligent, eloquent, jovial and friendly, with a powerful voice and an open, welcoming personality; he is described by Isolde as a "teddy bear, if it could slice a man in half". He is unique among the company - each of them weathered and hardened from a lifetime of hardship and battle - for maintaining a positive, hopeful outlook, believing that good will always prevail, although he is by no means a pushover: once his wrath is earned, he becomes an unrelenting, uncompromising and ferocious opponent fuelled by the rage of the ancient giants.

## Powers, Equipment & Abilities

### Equipment

#### Weapons

* **Battleaxe:** Forged specially for him by the king of Hog, Zolton's axe is of the finest Hogian make; its quality matches or even surpasses the best dwarven examples. Both lightweight and durable, the axe head is capable of cutting through heavy battle armour and stone with equal ease. Like MacDuff's enchanted saturnite sword, Zolton's axe can accept special tonics and oils to deal greater injury to magical creatures, and is even able to deal damage to elemental creatures such as golems and atronachs.

### Abilities

* **Strength:** Although a formidable warrior with his axe, Zolton is equally formidable with his fists. His strength is famous across Pydwell, and is as often a point of discussion as MacDuff's black sword. Despite his dwarfism, Zolton was always able to wrestle and brawl with his fellow giants, and he is capable of lifting and throwing men of any size. He can brawl trolls with ease, lift and pull cargo-laden carts, carry immense weights and break out of restraints with ease.

## Relationships

### Hermoor MacDuff

Hermoor and Zolton's friendship, as well as its bizarreness, is a driving factor behind their relative fame throughout Pydwell. The two are described as being as close as brothers, and are two of the most famous mercenaries in all of Pydwell.

Their friendship was born from battle; MacDuff was hired to kill a monster stealing livestock, only to discover the giant in question was one of Hog, an eloquent and civilized people that rarely left the safety of their city's walls. When MacDuff confronted the dishonest locals, the giant joined him in the resulting brawl. Revealing his name to the Zolton, the talkative giant asked to accompany MacDuff; the warden reluctantly accepted, not knowing that it was the start of a brotherhood.

The pair earned a name for themselves - the Blade and the Pygmy - by ridding the duchy of Vladland from a pack of wendigos, created by a nightmare called the King in Antlers.