#Ezekiel 'Zeke' (NPC)

[landfilloftrash]

(has no digital art ideas) (tosses random OC bullshit at you and disappears for the next five weeks)

[waynedunlaptheorgandonor]

watched s11ep1

i will provide you with a quick review before i disappear back into the ether of twd avoidance

lots of spoilers under the cut. also i wrote way too much and i worked all night and haven’t slept so i didn’t bother to reread literally any of it, so it might be completely nonsensical, tho if you don’t expect that from me by this point idk whose blog you’ve been reading

enjoy:

hokay, first off, i’ll start by saying that i enjoyed it more than i expected to. i’ve been avoiding any sort of discussion about stuff, but my google algorithm is so fucked at this point that i still get recommended articles and stuff every now and then, so i was already pretty aware of what i was walking into, and was expecting it to be eh, but actually i prob enjoyed it more than i enjoyed the finale

(don’t get too excited tho, the finale was rly boring lmfao)

anyway

episode starts off with a tense scouting mission

it takes .005 seconds into the episode for caryl to exchange a look of longing, establishing that they are still having weird conflict and are both too fucking stubborn to do anything about it even tho they hate it desperately

i imagine that will continue for a while

rosita, kelly, carol, maggie, what’s her face with the bad hair, and lydia (i think that’s everyone?) lower down to some army bunker or something, where a bunch of walkers are taking a snooze, and the girls are very respectful of walker naptime, and do their best not to wake them up

obviously they eventually wake up, but i’ll get to that in a sec

as they’re tiptoeing through the walker tulips, there’s this split second where carol spots a machine gun, and looks at maggie with a face like, “can i plzzzz, i am mad horny for that machine gun,” but maggie tells her no. (i 110% expected her to defy orders and accidentally wake up all the walkers, but she actually behaved herself for once. well. mostly)

never fear, tho, after the girl gang collects a bunch of MREs they go back to wait for the dudes waiting up top to pull them up, and bc men ruin everything, one of the ropes break, and daryl catches it before it falls, but then a slow motion drop of blood falls on a walker’s face, and just like that, walker naptime is over, and carol uses her bow and arrow for two seconds before she is like “fuck this” and whips out the machine gun

yes, she is super hot using it

yes, daryl watches her do it

anyway, all the other girls get rescued, and carol is about to be pulled up, but bc she is a #girlboss, she first makes a beeline for one more crate full of MREs. daryl covers her while she gets the loot, and when she gets back up top they have another charged moment as carol hands him back his knife

just fuck already, jfc

titles!

cut to alexandria where everything is still not smilestimes

BUT, we do get to see uncle daryl run and hug rj and judith (and dog), and FUCKING HERSHEL JR, LIGHT OF MY LIFE is also there

istg, they could not have casted a better child, i a d o r e him

oh, and some friends of maggie’s show up too, idk

cut to a staff meeting where everyone is like, whomp whomp, we’re all gonna starve to death unless we figure out something quick

cue maggie going, “oh, i know where food is, but it requires me to tell you my tragic backstory, in case anyone didn’t watch my bottle episode”

she tells her dramatic backstory about all her friends getting slaughtered by the reapers for no apparent reason, and then she’s like “anyway, let’s go back there!”

no one thinks it’s a great idea, but a group of people decide to go anyway, including daryl and gabriel. rosita is super pissed that gabriel is going, and carol doesn’t go, probably partly bc it’s a shitty fucking idea, and also bc they have to keep caryl apart bc otherwise they’ll fix their problems ahead of schedule and they won’t be able to drag out the needless angst

daryl looks kind of annoyed that carol doesn’t volunteer to go 

bitch, i thought you wanted her to stop putting herself in the line of fire! make up your damn mind!

moving on

cut to a thunderstorm, where, if you look closely, you’ll notice daryl is wearing the STUPIDEST hat i’ve ever seen. just get an umbrella, jfc

for some reason negan is with them, bc ig he knows his way around washington dc, and no one in six years has bothered to figure out how to get around the city and/or get a map, and he is like “hey guys, maybe we shouldn’t try to walk in this fucking hurricane,” and everyone is like “FUCK YOU NEGAN, YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF US!!!” 

this will be a common occurrence 

but eventually daryl is even like “actually, it’s rly unpleasant out here, and my hat is mad stupid, can we go inside plz?”

so they go inside an old metro station, which is actually a rly cool cinematic choice. i rly like the idea, and they executed it rly well

speaking of executions

there are some fucking RULL CREEPY walkers. idk why they bothered me so badly, but they were what they at first assumed were corpses wrapped up in tarps, but turns out none of them had been properly put down, so they go through killing these rotted bodies that had supposedly been there since The Fall, and it’s very gross and cool

this entire time, btw, negan is like “hey, i know i’m a shitty person, but i have some rational arguments about why we shouldn’t be doing this right now,” and everyone is like, “FUCK YOU NEGAN, YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF US!!!” and he’s just like “god fucking damnit”

(i forgot to mention that at one point, when they’re headed into the metro station, negan is trying to warn ppl of the potential danger, and everyone is ignoring him, and he tries to talk to daryl, and daryl is like “fuck you, you think we’re BUDDIES?” and negan is like “oh, ok, so you’re gonna be like that too? fanfreakingtastic” and it’s very funny)

anyway. a fat monster zombie escapes its tarp at one point, and tries to eat some npc, and negan saves him, again is like “hey, anyone else realize that this is a FUCKING BAD PLAN?”, and everyone is like “we don’t care, you’re still shitty and we’re not listening to you, and you don’t actually care about random npc i would literally not be able to pick out in a lineup bc his face is so generic, you’re not the boss of us!!!”

it’s at this point that negan finally is like, “why am i even here? bc i know how to get around washington dc? do none of you have a map?” and i was like, “right?! that’s what i said!” 

it’s then revealed that maggie only brought negan along to murder him under the guise of “oops, he got hurt in the line of duty, it wasn’t my fault,” and daryl has this look on his face that says, “i seriously need to stop hanging out with lethal women bent on revenge bc it’s gonna give me high blood pressure,” and maggie has a badass moment where she points a gun she has for some reason at negan and is like “i have like, one shred of human compassion left inside of me, and if you keep pushing me i will fucking kill you without a second thought, so shut the hell up”

(in her defense, negan had just dropped glenn’s name to purposely antagonize her, which was rude as hell)

(for the record, i’m completely on maggie’s side here, but negan still is right that trapping themselves in a metro station is a bad call)

anyway, moving away from that briefly

i think this jump cut happens sooner, i don’t actually remember, but whatever who cares, point is, we get to the part of the show that actually matters, and that’s anything involving my love, juanita “princess” sanchez

and also eugene, yumiko, and ezekiel

they are being asked increasingly invasive questions by commonwealth ppl, some of which i wish they actually would of answered (what do they use to wipe their asses with?? surely toilet paper has long since become extinct)

zeke, who is so much more tolerable as a character now that he’s not larping as a king, has this incredibly weird and sort of sexually charged moment with a dude in an orange stormtrooper costume, where he’s like, “i bet you were an asshole cop back before The Fall, you stupid fascist, #fuckthepolice, mb literally? idk, this moment has a lot of pent up aggression that could easily translate to hate sex, it might just be the intense eye contact, but w/e, let’s just move along,” and then he has a coughing fit to remind the audience that he’s currently dying of cancer, and orange stormtrooper is like “lolz, loser, drink some water you dumb piece of shit”

cut to the wholesome foursome sitting at a picnic table in a guarded courtyard eating gruel, and yumkio, who finally has a personality, and princess are like “hey, this place fucking sucks, can we leave?” and zeke is like, “yeah, i met this orange stormtrooper who i think might be dtf and/or murder, so we should probably bounce”

but eugene is like, “but i want some hot stephanie ass, and also some bullshit excuse about how mb commonewealth will save alexandria” which, they left before things went super downhill, right? idr. it was after hilltop fell, but they don’t know alexandria got fucked either, if i recall? w/e, not important

two seconds after he says this, they talk to some people who are like “we’ve been here for four months, or maybe it’s been nine, i don’t actually remember, i’ve stopped processing the passage of time,” and the wholesome foursome takes this as a bad sign, tho that’s just the life i’ve lived as a night worker during a pandemic, so i was like #mood

but then they watch some guy get dragged away screaming to get “reprocessed” and eugene is like “ok, nvm, let’s bounce”

(my theory on what “reprocessing” is, is that they’re stuck in a room and have to watch hours and hours of customer service training videos on vhs from the 90s)

i definitely got my jump cut scenes mixed up bc i think the negan accusing maggie of a murder plot thing happened in between this scene and then the next commonwealth scene, but w/e, i’ll just finish what happens in the commonwealth arch

the wholesome foursome are trying to hatch a plan to escape, except princess, my love, is distracted watching some stormtroopers flirt, and the other three are like “wtf, dude, how can you even tell any of them apart?” and princess then tells them every stormtroopers backstory bc she is brilliant and pays rly close attention to shit, and the other three are like, “this is useful information, thank you for being an insane person”

their plan involves yumiko and eugene dressing up as stormtroopers and leading princess and zeke out of the place, which works fine actually, except on their way out they come across the Depressing Wall of Probably Mostly Dead Missing Loved Ones

they’re about to leave, when princess is like, “wait, yumiko, you’re on here, that’s weird huh?”

sure enough, yumiko  is on the wall, with a note from ig her sister 

the scene ends with yumiko going, “guys...i can’t leave...i have tragic backstory to unveil”

tragic backstory to be continued ig

back in murder metro town, npc and some other npc have stolen all the supplies, there’s a train blocking the track, and a horde of walkers are coming towards them, so things are not going fantastic

they horde is too big to take down, so they start to climb on top of the train car to get away

but dog runs away!

and daryl, being every pet owner ever, is like “gotta go get my dog, guys, try not to get killed while i’m gone, c u soon!” and he ducks under the train and disappears

#priorities

the episode ends with maggie climbing up the train car but getting grabbed by a walker and dangling off the edge, and negan is there and they have a lion king moment where maggie is like, “scar! help me!” and negan is like “long live the king, bitch” and walks away into the shadows, leaving maggie to a potential death

which, while i know isn’t actually going to happen, would be a really fucking funny move on the writers’ part

like, “look, lauren’s back! and now she’s dead, bet you didn’t expect that!”

anyway

my assumption is negan will actually end up helping her up or something, continuing his ambiguous morality bullshit that actually isn’t ambiguous bc he BEAT GLENN TO DEATH WITH A FUCKING BAT WRAPPED IN BARBED WIRE IN FRONT OF HIS PREGNANT WIFE

the maggie/negan arch is kind of dumb, but whatevs, i’ll tolerate it, as long as my boy glenn gets justice in the end

anyway, cue credits!

final assessment: good episode. i’m much more interested in commonwealth than the reapers, tho i am hoping that daryl’s personality-less ex turns out to be a monster killing machine with no conscience, that’ll be fun. princess is a gift from god. hershel jr needs his own tv show. needs more carol (and caryl)

the end! going back into my walking dead free chamber! see you next episode!

-diz

[omnicenos-art]

Ezekiel Holcomb the Porcupine and Arin Bower the Bat, both kind of ‘accidental’ characters born out of minor role or NPC respectively. Now they’re both mains and work together to kick ass…for a price. Zeke is the brawler, a tank who throws himself headfirst into danger, getting up close and personal with sheer brute force and his ability to take a hit. Arin, much faster and agile but with far less strength and defense, tends to stay back, using his flying ability to keep out of reach while harassing his target with small arms, throwing knives, micro bombs, etc. 

[oldhecd]

Sully’s Squad

These are the people in Sully’s innermost circle  and are immutable across all his various verses unless explicitly stated. All but Sophia are NPCs, though open to being played by others if anyone is interested in doing so.

Full Name: Theodore “Teddy” Sullivan            

Relationship: Older Brother            

Thick as the thieves they’d grow up to be ever since childhood, the two have an unshakeable bond. He and Teddy were both introduced to the world of crime from a young age, and while Sully remained a direct part of it, Teddy shifted the focus of his hustle to working from within the opposition; he got a job in the GCPD in the pocket of the Falcones. He’s also not above giving his baby brother a tip here and there.  

@shesgotliesfordays

Full Name:Sophia “Sophie” Sullivan nee Solano        

Relationship: Wife (Seperated)            

Sully has stolen more than a few women’s hearts in his day, but the first one that’s ever managed to get her mitts on his is Sophia Solano. He caught her trying to pull a fast one on Teddy, and while Sully was impressed by her level of game, he couldn’t sit back and do nothing. Despite interfering with her mark, it turned out the fascination was mutual. They tumbled headfirst into a reckless romance and married far too quickly than either was really prepared for. It didn’t take long for things to fall apart (Sully’s career wasn’t conducive to married life and settling down never fit Sophie right), but the love between the two never faded. Even though Sophie travels all over, the two still meet up every now and again. No other woman has ever touched him in quite the same way, even all these years later. They’re exactly right and exactly wrong for each other in all the best and worst ways. Even though they just can’t seem to make it work, she always finds her way back to Gotham right around Sully’s birthday and for just those 24 hours they act like it’s old times all over again.

Full Name: Nathaniel Banks

Relationship: Biological Son

A few months after one of Sophie’s birthday visits, Sully got the call that she was having a kid. They both knew neither of them was quite fit to be a parent, and it was decided that they’d give their little boy up. Being placed with the Banks family in Metropolis, Nathaniel has grown up ignorant of his birth parents’ identities, and Sully has made sure it stays that way. Despite checking in on the boy now and again, Sully feels that keeping his son as far away from his life as possible is the best thing that can be done for him.

Full Name: Ezekiel “Geeky Zeke” Blackburn

Relationship: Childhood Best Friend/Personal Tech Guy/CEO of Sullivan Incorporated.            

Sully’s best friend and confidant. Sully and Zeke grew up together, and while Zeke never involved himself in the crime-focused life Sully indulged in, he never knocked his friend’s hustle. From a young age, Zeke showed an aptitude for tinkering, and as they got older and Sully gained more and more resources he supported his friend’s desire to hone his craft. When Sully decided to take up the mantle of The Triggerman, he enlisted Zeke’s help in making sure he was prepared. Zeke has never had any interest in putting his skills to use for any of the other various rogues of the city, so Sully’s gear has always been top notch and unique to him. In exchange, Sully has always made sure his day one is well compensated.

Full Name: Xavier “Mr. X” Dalton      

Relationship: Friend/Attorney/Fixer      

As he made designs on taking both his criminal and legitimate pursuits to greater heights, Sully recognized that he was going to need someone to watch his back and help him navigate the legality or lack thereof of his actions. He discovered Xavier Dalton as a young but stellar lawyer, known for having a spotless record no matter the client or severity of the crime(s). Sully was quick to snatch him up and Mr. X, as he came to be called, has been watching Sully’s back ever since.

Full Name: Marcus “1 Cent” Booth      

Relationship: Friend/Colleague      

Sully and Marcus met when both were doing work for Two-Face. The two simply hit it off an got to chilling even after Sully’s job for Dent was up. He’s one of the few in Sully’s inner circle that knows just how wild it is to work for the crazies Gotham has to offer. Sully took to calling him “1 Cent” as a nod to their mutual former employer and the fact that Marcus was just a small part of the whole.

Full Name: Tremaine “Payday/Trey” Patterson      

Relationship: Friend/Mentee      

While hanging around some of his seedier contacts, Sully caught wind of a couple of up and comers that pulled off some pretty big scores practically out of nowhere. He followed their budding career for a bit before, to his surprise, they tracked him down. They’d heard about his reputation and wanted to check him out for themselves. He ultimately took the two of them under his wing and helped find a balance between the money they were making and managing the attention they were getting before it got out of hand. Payday earned his name for his focus on consistently making more money, though his greed was tempered through his time with Sully.

Full Name: Michael “Ponyboy” Curtis      

Relationship: Friend/Mentee      

Ponyboy and Payday have been attached at the hip practically from birth. Their parents were all friends, so the two naturally grew up together. Whether it was getting in trouble or getting paid, the two have always done it together. He’s the more friendly and calm of the two of them, but is no less capable or dedicated when it comes to pulling jobs. He has always heeded Sully’s guidance most closely.

Full Name: Luther Pearce “Terminator” Sammuels

Relationship: Bodyguard/Head of Security at Sullivan Incorporated

Luther is a consummate professional, and one of the few in the inner circle who isn’t in any way involved in Sully’s less than legal activities. He’s aware of them, but focuses solely on his job of keeping Sully alive when he’s showing his face in public and that things are running smooth at the company. Nicknamed “Terminator” for his icy disposition and unwavering dedication to his objectives, Luther has more than shown himself to be money well spent.

Full Name: Lauryn “Clemency” Jacobs

Relationship: Driver/Informant

Lauryn started as one of Sully’s youngbloods; learning from him and honing her skills as she navigated the Gotham underworld. The two grew quite close during her tutelage, and though she has long since ‘graduated’, she chose to remain by Sully’ side. Publicly, she is his driver when he needs to go to whatever big public events, but her primary job is as his top informant. Even while out of the game, Sully prefers to keep close tabs on what’s going on, and Lauryn is the person he trusts most to keep him up to date. She also keeps eyes and ears out for any potential jobs that need doing, in case Sully decides to stretch his legs again.

[crimsoncityhq]

CONCLUSION

They say history is bound to repeat itself, and the sentiment rings just as true tonight. Ash and embers disperse from the burning from of the Art Institute while its patrons scramble to escape through broken windows and a front door packed with too many bodies. Those who manage to breach the crowded threshold sprawl across the lawn, some dragging their wounded dates to the line of first responders clogging the street and others snapping at the opportunity to collapse into the grass and catch their breath. Paramedics and firemen rush the crowd, loading the critically injured onto gurneys and fitting others with oxygen masks. 

While the crowd recollects itself on the lawn, the Fausts concern themselves with a discreet exit. A slip of paper and a nod to the police officers who swarm the scene promises a way out, and the street, while already packed shoulder to shoulder with the injured and uninjured alike, is closed off by the placement of their flashing cruisers. It’s as clean of an escape as they can manage given the circumstances, but the victories don’t end there—a rumor is leaked that the Walshes, who gave the heftiest donation of the night, were responsible for the carnage that engulfed the Art Institute. All eyes turn toward the Irish family, and the tension rises impossibly higher not just among their industry rivals, but among the citizens who suffer at “their” hands. 

A deal has been made, and the night has been won for the Fausts.

The Grand Reopening of the Art Institute of Chicago Event has concluded ! You may continue or finish your threads as you see fit, but please prioritize regular threads for now. 

The Fausts and the Chicago Police Department have joined forces after, uh, overcoming their differences. Not only does this mean the CPD is now considered an ally to the Fausts, but it also means we are introducing ROLES to the CPD ! You can take a look at the roles here—we could always use a few more uniforms working under the table, eh ? 

Faust affiliated characters that actively participated in the event can add 40 points to their character. All other family & family affiliate characters can add 30 points if they actively participated in this event!

Summary & plot slots are under the cut!

SUMMARY

CYRUS ROUSSEAU has gone missing.  ANATALYA VASILE is being hospitalized with a concussion and a broken ankle. SERAFINA EATON is in the hospital a minor head wound and a possible concussion. 

PLOT SLOTS

BIRDIE MENDOZA has caught their gown  in the rotating door whilst trying to make their escape, and TORI MASSARO has to decide whether they want to risk their own skin and help or chalk it up the BIRDIE MENDOZA’s bad luck.

JIN-AE ‘JJ’ RAU-BYRNE is engaged in a conversation with the bartender & JESSE VALENCIA, but that conversation is cut short when the bartender catches an unfortunate stray bullet in the face. It’s up to save themselves or help each other get shelter.

ZAKIYA AL KHATIB & OLIVER FAUST detonate the bomb underneath the elevator that traps WYATT LEON, ISABELLA FAUST, AND RAFFERTY DOYLE inside and they have to work together to get out.

NPC strikes a deal with NPC to use this opportunity to steal the most prized piece of artwork in the Art Institute. It almost goes perfectly, until they launch it out a window that’s not illuminated by flames. However, when they finally make it out to collect their prize ▬ EVELINA VASILE is holding it and also brandishing a weapon.

DIAMOND WASHINGTON who not-so-cautiously accepted a colorful pill from a stranger earlier in the night, is convinced the eyes of the painting are moving, suggesting someone may be trapped inside. NPC and NPC notice DIAMOND WASHINGTON dashing further into the flames and take it upon themselves to help, but that means they’ll have to handle the chaos of whatever DIAMOND WASHINGTON is hallucinating.

AMADEUS JUDE CASTELLANOS completely giving no fucks whatsoever picks up a glass of what they assumed was water from the bar to douse a lick of flames that got too close. The problem was it was vodka that fuels the fire, and starts to cover ZOE WASHINGTON. They can either run or stay behind, but ZOE WASHINGTON is 100% able to ID them.

AUDREY ROUSSEAU was in the restroom when the explosion occurred, and a large chunk of the balcony has blocked the door. Smoke is filtering through the cracks in the threshold, and AUDREY ROUSSEAUcalls frantically for help. EZEKIEL “ZEKE” HALLIDAY hears their cries and opts to help, but the flames are moving closer by the second, and the smoke is getting heavier. EZEKIEL “ZEKE” HALLIDAYhas to move fast or they will suffer the same fate as AUDREY ROUSSEAU .

ABRAHAM SWEETWINE helps others to safety using a nearby window, but another explosion leaves them burned and trapped under a large piece of the ceiling. JULIA FAUST bolts to their aid and carries ABRAHAM SWEETWINE to safety. Once outside in the lawn, JULIA FAUST must keep ABRAHAM SWEETWINE awake long enough for medical personnel to arrive.

SERAFINA EATON  is able to convince WIKIMAK CLARKE to assist in rescuing the artwork from the chaotic flames. However, after they’re injured in the process SERAFINA EATON realizes the artwork they’re trying to save is falsified. Almost as if the original artwork had been swapped.

ANYA VOLKOVA uses the opportunity to pickpocket abandoned purses scattered around the main hall. They find a loaded pistol in MARKIE “PAIGE” KRAVTSOV ’s purse right as MARKIE “PAIGE” KRAVTSOV comes to collect it and whatever else ANYA VOLKOVA has taken. It’s up to ANYA VOLKOVA to figure out whether or not a purse is worth killing over, but be warned—the flames are moving fast.

TARON LYNCH is outside enjoying a cigarette when the explosion rocks the foundation of the Art Institute, and the law enforcement immediately think they’re a suspect along with IAN LOCKE  that had ducked out for a breath of fresh air. They’re taken into custody for questioning.

JAMESON ROBERTS ( WALSH ) narrowly escapes to the lawn, but CONRAD ODAIR( FAUST ) is only a pace behind with a weapon in hand. CONRAD ODAIR fires and barely misses JAMESON ROBERTS, who realizes if they don’t retaliate, there’s no getting out of the art museum alive.

[rougarxu]

NPC - Ezekiel ‘Zeke’ Dufort ( Werejaguar )

An investigative journalist with a flair for the supernatural, Ezekiel hails from a cult of werejaguars known as the Black Sun. As the only child of his generation, as so prophesised, he is believed to be the reincarnation of an ancient god and their harbinger of the apocalypse.

Born in the jungles of Mexico, he was collectively raised by the Black Sun tribe into believing that he would, some day, bring ruin to the world. Convinced they were descended from Tezcatlipoca, the jaguar-formed Aztec god of sorcery, night, chaos and war, the cult had resorted to incestuous practices in a bid to preserve their bloodline and, some day, produce a mortal vessel for Tez’.

Bizarrely, in spite of the tribe’s numbers, Ezekiel was the only child born after mating season, and soon hailed as the Destroyer of Worlds. From birth, he was granted an extensive education and regular combat training, intended to fuel his inner warmonger, however, Ezekiel harboured an inquisitive streak and found himself drawn more to strategy and reason, an interest that would only grow with age.

The tribe, throughout his youth, continued to pay tribute to Tez’ before a stone-carved jaguar shrine. Though all were capable of shifting beneath the moon, they sought to share his image in readiness for the apocalypse, and would bring human sacrifices in offering. Upon spilling mortal blood, the orange flame of the statue’s eyes would turn blue, and, on drinking, grant the cultist full control over their shift. 

Ezekiel was forced into the same ritual at the age of sixteen, though it came with the added pressure of being expected to lead the tribe. Drinking from the blood, having reached sexual maturity, he assumed the form of an enigmatic black jaguar, and, as foretold, remained this way for six extensive days. There, he received considerable worship, which strengthened both his form and resolve, though, whether this was simply him adjusting to the shift or proof of his divine nature is fairly ambiguous. 

On the seventh day, where he was expected to lead a hunt upon mankind, Ezekiel used the form of the jaguar to flee from his duties, opting, instead, to explore the world he’d learned so much about and gain distance from the tribe. Many years later, having traded an endless sea of green for a labyrinth of grey, he finds himself an investigative journalist in the heart of New York, focused on the supernatural and outing the harsh truths to the people.

[kojiscorner-a]

Sully’s Squad

These are the people in Sully’s innermost circle  and are immutable across all his various verses unless explicitly stated. All but Sophia are NPCs, though open to being played by others if anyone is interested in doing so.

Full Name: Theodore "Teddy" Sullivan            

Relationship: Older Brother            

Thick as the thieves they'd grow up to be ever since childhood, the two have an unshakeable bond. He and Teddy were both introduced to the world of crime from a young age, and while Sully remained a direct part of it, Teddy shifted the focus of his hustle to working from within the opposition; he got a job in the GCPD in the pocket of the Falcones. He's also not above giving his baby brother a tip here and there.  

@shesgotliesfordays

Full Name:Sophia "Sophie" Sullivan nee Solano        

Relationship: Wife (Seperated)            

Sully has stolen more than a few women's hearts in his day, but the first one that's ever managed to get her mitts on his is Sophia Solano. He caught her trying to pull a fast one on Teddy, and while Sully was impressed by her level of game, he couldn't sit back and do nothing. Despite interfering with her mark, it turned out the fascination was mutual. They tumbled headfirst into a reckless romance and married far too quickly than either was really prepared for. It didn't take long for things to fall apart (Sully's career wasn't conducive to married life and settling down never fit Sophie right), but the love between the two never faded. Even though Sophie travels all over, the two still meet up every now and again. No other woman has ever touched him in quite the same way, even all these years later. They're exactly right and exactly wrong for each other in all the best and worst ways. Even though they just can’t seem to make it work, she always finds her way back to Gotham right around Sully’s birthday and for just those 24 hours they act like it’s old times all over again.

Full Name: Nathaniel Banks

Relationship: Biological Son

A few months after one of Sophie’s birthday visits, Sully got the call that she was having a kid. They both knew neither of them was quite fit to be a parent, and it was decided that they’d give their little boy up. Being placed with the Banks family in Metropolis, Nathaniel has grown up ignorant of his birth parents’ identities, and Sully has made sure it stays that way. Despite checking in on the boy now and again, Sully feels that keeping his son as far away from his life as possible is the best thing that can be done for him.

Full Name: Ezekiel "Geeky Zeke" Blackburn

Relationship: Childhood Best Friend/Personal Tech Guy            

Sully's best friend and confidant. Sully and Zeke grew up together, and while Zeke never involved himself in the crime-focused life Sully indulged in, he never knocked his friend's hustle. From a young age, Zeke showed an aptitude for tinkering, and as they got older and Sully gained more and more resources he supported his friend's desire to hone his craft. When Sully decided to take up the mantle of The Triggerman, he enlisted Zeke's help in making sure he was prepared. Zeke has never had any interest in putting his skills to use for any of the other various rogues of the city, so Sully's gear has always been top notch and unique to him. In exchange, Sully has always made sure his day one is well compensated.

Full Name: Xavier "Mr. X" Dalton      

Relationship: Friend/Attorney/Fixer      

As he made designs on taking both his criminal and legitimate pursuits to greater heights, Sully recognized that he was going to need someone to watch his back and help him navigate the legality or lack thereof of his actions. He discovered Xavier Dalton as a young but stellar lawyer, known for having a spotless record no matter the client or severity of the crime(s). Sully was quick to snatch him up and Mr. X, as he came to be called, has been watching Sully's back ever since.

Full Name: Marcus "1 Cent" Booth      

Relationship: Friend/Colleague      

Sully and Marcus met when both were doing work for Two-Face. The two simply hit it off an got to chilling even after Sully's job for Dent was up. He's one of the few in Sully's inner circle that knows just how wild it is to work for the crazies Gotham has to offer. Sully took to calling him "1 Cent" as a nod to their mutual former employer and the fact that Marcus was just a small part of the whole.

Full Name: Tremaine "Payday/Trey" Patterson      

Relationship: Friend/Mentee      

While hanging around some of his seedier contacts, Sully caught wind of a couple of up and comers that pulled off some pretty big scores practically out of nowhere. He followed their budding career for a bit before, to his surprise, they tracked him down. They'd heard about his reputation and wanted to check him out for themselves. He ultimately took the two of them under his wing and helped find a balance between the money they were making and managing the attention they were getting before it got out of hand. Payday earned his name for his focus on consistently making more money, though his greed was tempered through his time with Sully.

Full Name: Michael "Ponyboy" Curtis      

Relationship: Friend/Mentee      

Ponyboy and Payday have been attached at the hip practically from birth. Their parents were all friends, so the two naturally grew up together. Whether it was getting in trouble or getting paid, the two have always done it together. He's the more friendly and calm of the two of them, but is no less capable or dedicated when it comes to pulling jobs. He has always heeded Sully's guidance most closely.

[luteia-fr]

Lair Review: Kaial

Listen, I’m pretty sure I have your lair memorized at this point. When you boot dragons for sale I play the game of ‘which perma was this’ and oftentimes I’m right, and when I’m not I get myself all confused. Now, we got 12 dragons to do, let’s go take a dive! @pumpkin-bread

Let’s start with Hazel! Listen, I love pearl, I love pearl striation, I did not expect it to work with friggen stone, and eldritch is a damn hard tert color unless the dragon is green or blue. The fact that she works is a gotdang miracle, and she’s solidly a favourite in the nuzlocke, too!

This is Zuehal. We know nothing about him other than he is the resident NPC. But I’m gonna give him a shoutout anyway because this man clearly has a story he’s not telling, and my queer detection unit is ringing with “that is a GAY DRAGON” and keeps me wondering where he’s hiding his stellar backstory and probable boyfriend. I see you, NPC guy. I see you and I know there’s more to you than Kai is currently telling me. 

Ahhh, Ezekiel. I didn’t actually catch when Flores left other than he did (and it’s understandable why out-of-lore), but this? This is a good dragon. I have no idea when Kai bought him but the idea of a neato necromancer teacher is brilliant. And that’s how I ended up with Byaku and Albafica in my lair, because now I was thinking about necromancers in FR and not the ‘wooo I wear dark robes with skulls on them and green fire’ kind, so Thanks To This Guy I have two more dragons in my lair. You’ll still be a favourite, Zeke. Great name, by the way, I named a cat that once.

Mistfall, or in reality, That Stubborn Girl Who Just Wouldn’t Leave. Radioactive’s a damn difficult colour, even I don’t like it even though I can appreciate its rainbow potential, but Kai did a good job making it work anyway! Now if she had glowing green clawtips, maybe it’d balance it out a bit and make her look Even More Stunning. She’s beautiful, she really is. I love her.

Rosalyn’s been in Amberspire for a long, long time, and she’s still absolutely gorgeous, and even more her story’s so saaaad. She needs a happy ending. I really hope she gets one, she’s beautiful and so is her artwork. Still love the apparel, fpose coatls are notoriously annoying to me to dress  because of their funny shoulder area that I can never get right - yet, she looks amazing! I envy that, definitely.

We’re apparently halfway through, so let’s go with Ylva who got a new accent, I see! At least, I don’t remember her having that one. I love her, she’s very good, but I also know for a fact that this is an Evil Woman. I don’t know how she’s evil, but she is, there is quotation marks around her job and that means she is definitely not a hostess but something evil posing as one. I do not trust her. She is beautiful. I love her.

Ahhh, Lux. I’m still kinda mad at myself since I didn’t go get one of her kids when I had the chance, but she’s absolutely beautiful. I really love her accent and the way her pri and tert match like that, she’s gorgeous. The kelpie manes really were necessary for her and I especially love the double wing silks. I don’t remember who taught me how to layer them (it was someone layering gossamer+crimson to make the unreleased pink silks) but goddamn, when they work they work. I really love the PC fpose because they look a little like they’re praying, and Lux fits that really well, since she’s in mourning. I love her. She needs a hug.

NEAR MY BABY. The last time I checked in with Telyn, Near, and Wil; Telyn got himself kidnapped again - did he make it back home? Their bios don’t say. But Near is a very good boy and I love him, and he makes a great father. Plus he’s blind and still a warrior, which is awesome. His bio doesn’t actually tell his side of Telyn’s story, and I’m interested in seeing that for sure. Especially with how collected he is, how he reacted to the whole ‘you’re taking my husband away yet again to your shade cult’ thing. I wanna see what this boy is made of!

I am gotdang predictable, and I will never, ever, ever review this lair without mentioning My Baby Girl Althea. I know the nuzlocke is the main plot right now, but I wanna know what she’s been up to soooo much. Because we did establish that Annabella did learn at Tialla’s dance school so even though Althea wasn’t much in the picture, there’s no way Tialla wouldn’t look at her and immediately know she was Up To Something. I wanna know. I wanna see the showdown between her and Nihil (who I still don’t get because he doesn’t appear to have a soft spot, except he does, somehow?) and I want to know who Jacquara throws a pumpkin and a yell to calm down at first. Althea is My Girl. I am very honoured to have her daughter as mine.

Tialla is another favourite girl of mine! Her story is heartbreaking and absolutely perfect, and I want to know definitely if she ever finds her family again! She’s brilliantly complex and I really love her. I don’t have much to say on her other than ‘arhgahga she’s perfect’, but like, she is though. 

Ahhh, Cassis, a new boy to help support an impulse buy. I know that feeling very well. I can tell he’s gonna have a plot, and I only wonder what he let escape by accident and why it killed his power. I’m so ready for that plot, I really am. He’s absolutely beautiful, and while I’m not the biggest fan of stained, it probably is the only way rose will work on a double thicket. He’s really beautiful, and I just can’t wait to see what happens.

Lastly, well, there was never a way that I’d do this review without mentioning Gidget. I barely knew Kizzy, but... I’m glad I did get to know you, a little bit. Your birthday is in a few days, so... Thank you for the time you spent with us. I’m glad that the dragon you wanted so much ended up with someone who loved you as much as Kai does, so in a way, Gidget is yours too. Gidget is beautiful, and what has been done with her even more so. I can’t say for sure, but I think you’d be happy with that. I hope you rest well. Thank you, for your time with us. We’ll always be thinking of you. <3

And that’s that! 12 dragons (hopefully, I went back and counted but might be off) - which is a very difficult feat with the 200 someodd dragons Kai has that I know of. But I did manage to narrow it down in the end, so here we are! :D

[lunacanis99]

Mantle Character Study

So this is something I've had the idea to do for a while. Whole posts focused on 1 character. What I think of them, how they've grown over the years, how they interact with the party, and some fun facts or good moments. A character study as I'm calling it.

And for this post we're looking at everyone's favorite NPC: Kyofushin.

Let's start with his backstory! He originally served as the right hand to Lady Fierna of the fourth circle of the hells, working as an information gatherer and spy for her. Until she got her hands on the young soul of a child and Kyo found.... compassion burning in him. He couldn't stand for it and ended up attacking the lady to free the souls but did end up getting captured by the other demons while they waited for her to regenerate. He eventually managed to persuade one of the lesser demons to free him and fled to the mortal plain. He ended up in a small town being taken care of by a wizard named Jupiter and learning from him. In that same time Kyo slowly collected other rejects. 4 kids he rescued from different desperate situations and took to protecting and raising them to be the best they could. These kids were named Sam Raven Holly and Zeke. (Or Samandriel Raven's flight Hollywing and Ezekiel. Or Gadget Flighty Jumper and Jester... yeah they have a lot of names.) And then, he met Inari. And she wanted him to work with her, so when she went to work with the council of Alamoa she brought him with her to establish his shop: The Witch's Well.

Into the game: Now as I've previously established Kyofushin was meant to be a one off joke character and or a simple shopkeeper, he was supposed to advise them with the traitor situation and sell them potions and that was really it. But they all took to him and so did I so he stayed. But originally that was his personality and was what I wanted it to be, I saw him as a manipulative demon who would use the party for his own purposes. For instance in one of the next sessions after the traitor dance, when a staff of the Raven Queen was stolen by a thieves guild and the emperor was furiously trying to track it down, Kyo was the one to not only convince the group to go get it back but also point them in the right direction. And it just so turned out that it wasn't just the staff the thieves guild had stolen, but also the emperors daughter, and returning her immediately got them in good with the emperor. And of course since Kyo sent them and he has a good standing with the party that means he has a link to the emperor. And that was his whole plan, to use the party to ascend in the eyes of the council till he could use that to his own advantage. The group continued to go back to Kyo's shop and shop there and he was more than willing to toy with them and talk with them, help them and advise them, but he always had that aura of manipulation about him. Though the party didn't seem to mind and seemed to enjoy going to him for his help or advise. He did slowly get closer to the party but at this point is still doing it with the mind to use them for his own devices.

The first real change I see is when Canary asked him for a favor. She refused to explain what this favor was and just wanted to know what she could do to earn it. He had already been about to ask them for some assistance so he agreed on the terms they went with Buck and Sam to solve a problem for him, to get rid of people hunting him. However during the investigation Buck finds out how Kyo is a demon (something he'd been hiding from the emperor and the party had happened upon) and though Sam tried to convince him against it, Buck had to tell the emperor who had Kyofushin arrested. And though Inari managed to talk him into just putting Kyo under her watch until his trial, the way the party reacted to this was intensely interesting. They'd all grown so close to Kyo without me even realizing it that they all had their own reactions. Canary was furious at Buck and completely shut him out refusing to even acknowledge him, Mairon was intensely sympathetic with Kyo and checked in with him often to try and help, Althaea didn't really understand what was going on, and Alistair really showed his evil side: both offering any assistance to Kyo and going to Buck as a friend when the rest of Church and State refused to talk to him. (Alistair said he "wasn't interested in burning bridges.") Canary did eventually use that favor, she used it (and always intended to use it) to go have a picnic with Kyo, she thought he had been working too much and wanted him to relax and spend som time together. Gunna be honest, this absolutely threw me for a loop. But from that moment there was a definite relationship between Kyo and Canary and the two grew incredibly close incredibly fast. And he grew closer to the rest of the group, meaning when it was time for his trial he decided the best idea was to get them out of the city and enlisted Sam to do so, wanting to keep them from doing anything stupid when the decision is made.

Over time Kyo did earn favor and trust with the Emperor and the council in no small part from the group but we jump forwards in time, to when Carric and Kyo and others figure out about Canary's corruption: caused by holding the heart of a nymph the infection would slowly spread, take over her mind, and kill her, seeing how many she killed first. There were multiple instances of her attacking friends, including Carric Inari and Raven, there were even point where it took multiple spells to even restrain her. They looked for a cure but there is only one solution, provided by Carric's past. The corruption couldn't be destroyed only moved to another being, and that being had to be absolutely willing. And despite them looking for another option and insisting to the party they'd find another way eventually Kyofushin and the others acknowledged there really was only one option. And he was more than willing to take the corruption for the sake of Canary. He spent months setting up for this, getting a better place for the party to be in and insuring they'd be fine without him before the ritual. So, (in a heartbreaking scene) the corruption was transferred to Kyo and he was killed in the process.

Over a year later the party then proceeded to break into hell to get their favorite fox demon out and did anything they needed or could to succeed and get their "mom" free. Yep... Kyo, a demon, had become basically the mom of the group.

And that's where we are now. Kyo has gone from a hell spy, to a manipulator, to a friend and a mom. And at the moment he's helping defend the group from the fallen angel problem. He's really evolved and damn do I love him, and so do the group.

[thebridgehqs]

+5 new wanted connections !!

[emilio altieri] from [marvel/x-men (oc)] is looking for their [younger sibling], who looks like [diego tinoco, UTP]! [emilio has never met his sibling (they could be a half sibling if you wish) as his parents abandoned him when he was very young, due to being overwhelmed by his powers. the sibling would likely be a mutant as well]. you [do] have to contact lcnelylcves before applying!

[ezekiel abelman] from [harry potter (next gen oc)] is looking for their [pack], who looks like [literally anyone could work so UTP]! [zeke’s parents didn’t know how to handle it when he got bitten at a young age during an accident, but luckily, they knew of a werewolf pack that was always adopting kids, so they gave zeke to that pack. the pack is the real family to all the werewolves here, and are incredibly close, but zeke was the first one to go to hogwarts once the rules were changed to allow known werewolves to attend]. you [do] have to contact lcnelylcves before applying!

[frey] from [marvel (asgardian oc)] is looking for their [two siblings], who looks like [max irons, douglas booth, jodie comer, sarah gadon]! [they’re a family of nobility in the asgardian court, but frey always bucked traditions – rather than being a part of court, they trained to become a healer, and then fell in love with an asgardian warrior without any family ranking. how their family felt about that is UTP, but they are under the belief their whole family was killed by hela]. you [do not] have to contact the mun before applying!

[graham humbert and ophelia langston] from [once upon a time] is looking for their [pack], who looks like [literally anyone could work so UTP]! [this pack are all werewolves or actual wolves who looked after graham when his birth parents abandoned him in the woods. as the human of the pack, graham was really the only one who associated with others, working as a huntsman to provide security for his pack in the woods, but then the whole evil queen thing happened, and everyone in the pack was slaughtered except for graham and rowan, the alpha wolf of the pack (NPC, white wolf, red eyes)]. you [do not] have to contact the mun before applying!

[helga hufflepuff and rhys hufflepuff] from [harry potter] is looking for their [two brothers], who looks like [josh whitehouse, max irons, ben hardy, austin butler, UTP]! [the two middle brothers of the hufflepuff family are still missing. a welsh family, they went through a lot at a young age, with their father busy fighting raiders from the north, and their mother healing any diseases in the village. unfortunately, both parents died, and helga took over responsibility for the family as the eldest, but then there was a disease she did not know how to cure using magic, so the village turned on them. they left, travelling for some time as a family, and along the way, helga met the others who would become the founders with her. hogwarts became the hufflepuff’s sanctuary after all that, until the day rhys was killed by muggles near the village that would eventually become hogsmeade]. you [do] have to contact lcnelylcves before applying!

[gradiivus]

// The past couple of days had me thinking about family HCs, which turned out to be mostly about Zeke and Rudolf’s relationship. This led me to look over the timeline again and I realized that Rudolf took Mila away when the War of Shadows was beginning in Archanea, and that three years passed between the War of Shadows and the War of Heroes, according to SoV.

Which means that Zeke had been living in Rigel for over a year by the time he joins with Alm, as opposed to the handful of months I had previously been basing my headcanons/threads on. Anyway, below the cut are some HCs about Zeke and Rudolf - all subject to change, should we ever get another Rudolf.

Rudolf chose the name Ezekiel, but became one of the rare few to call him Zeke when addressing him as a companion instead of as a general (6 months later and I still don’t understand 8-4′s decision to keep ‘Zeke’ as his official name while having literally every NPC call him Ezekiel)

Zeke never found out what it was that Rudolf liked about him so much, but he enjoyed a great deal of privilege that most foreign knights (and most Rigelian-born generals, even) could only dream of. Within weeks of his arrival in Rigel, he had been given a fine apartment in the castle, a rank within the nobility, and invitations to dine and spar with the Emperor himself.

Rudolf took it upon himself to train Zeke as soon as his injuries had healed. These sessions were always one-on-one and far more involved than Rudolf was with any of his other soldiers, including his nephew, and he was much more patient and forgiving, though still rather stern, as Zeke blundered through his first couple of months. Zeke began to liken him to a father instead of a commander.

There’s no explained reason why Rudolf took to Zeke like this. It could have been to ensure that he really wasn’t a spy, or maybe just some lingering paternal instincts that had been denied to him when he was forced to give up Alm all those years ago, and which couldn’t be satisfied by his nephew whose idolizing had created his own barriers.

Needless to say, Rudolf’s careful training of Zeke proved to be useful in the long-term, as Rudolf had sustained his own number of injuries over the years and could pass along tips to Zeke on how to manage the pain while fighting, or how not to exacerbate old injuries. Just one more thing Zeke will be forever grateful to Rudolf for.

They definitely had awkward family dinners. Neither Zeke nor Rudolf talk much, and there were probably a few occasions where it was just the two of them at the table. Berkut - sometimes with Rinea - would show for meals, but Zeke picked up quickly that Rudolf’s prickly nephew was not fond of him. At all. Berkut probably was the sort to offhandedly insult him to Rinea or somebody, within Zeke’s earshot. At any rate, this kept Zeke from accepting quite as many dinner invitations and so he began spending more time with Tatiana out in the countryside.

When Rigel invaded Zofia, Zeke wasn’t quite strong enough to join the front lines, but Rudolf also wouldn’t have sent him. I’m still maintaining the idea that Rudolf instead preferred to send Zeke on personal missions, and within FERPverse, this is the period of time when Zeke explores the Outrealms.

By the time Act 4 happened, Zeke had achieved a degree of autonomy and had picked up his old hobby of protecting villages from brigands and unscrupulous nobles. Rudolf was far too distracted with the war, and Zeke noticed him withdrawing into himself, growing colder to those around him as the months progressed, so he actually left the capital without order from Rudolf himself - only the odd advice about following a man with a cross-shaped mark on his hand. In truth, Zeke began to worry that the pressure of the war was causing the Emperor’s sanity to slip.

Zeke and Rudolf are close to the same height, but in Zeke’s memories, Rudolf is still a towering giant.

[landfilloftrash]

here we are again bc I literally could not be paid to stop doing these little boards

here’s an alternate (truer[?]) version bc it made me giggle

she radiates that energy, y‘know ?

[back-alley-magic]

Midnight Sun NPCs

Phoebe Porter

Human, Dreameater

Age: 22

Description:Short and almost achingly slim, it’s clear she hasn’t eaten in days. Her clothes hang loosely, falling down her shoulders though she hardly seems to notice. Her brittle, over-bleached hair is wild and hangs down into glassy eyes that appear to stare through whatever lies in front of her. She has an almost manic grin, which at times opens in a wild gasp of childish surprise. Her hands (covered in scribbled messages that overlap beyond recognition) reach and shake as she desperately tries to grab something in front of her.

Personality: Once bubbly, extroverted, and a thrill-chaser, Phe has devolved into a glassy-eyed, twitchy shell of her former self. Her creativity has turned against her and she is now almost incoherent. Her thoughts are fragmented, metaphorical, and childishly imaginative, as if she is stuck in her own horrific wonderland.

Powers: Phe’s childlike dreams begin seeping into the outside world, and everything she touches begins to morph into something a bit more whimsical. But if she feels threatened, this transformation will become much more defensive. Reality physically fractures around her into sharp shards behind which she huddles in childish terror.

Ezekiel Barnes

Human, Dreameater

Age: 25

Description: Unlike his pale, emaciated companion, Zeke is feverish and glistening with sweat. His eyes burn, his teeth grind, his hands clench until he digs deep scratches into his palms. His head clicks and twitches like a stalled clock, eyes glaring at something no one else can see.

Personality: Zeke is almost unrecognizable from the prim, dutiful, and respectful man most knew him as. While he was once patient, understanding, and a gentle giant, he has become paranoid and extremely touchy. His eyes are wide and feverish, and full of horror only he can see. It will take very little for him to feel threatened, and a great deal to get through to him.

Powers: When Zeke feels threatened, he is extremely hot to the touch. As he devolves further, this begins to spark actual fires. He seems unaware of the flames he leaves in his wake, and is wholly absorbed in protecting himself from a threat only he can see. His laser focus on this imagined terror means he will not be easily deterred, and his imposing stature is enhanced by inhuman strength, that is, until he burns himself out.

[landfilloftrash]

they are a very functional crew and I love them so very dearly

[gradiivus]

// I need to reconcile some of my HCs with new SoV canon for Sir Ezekiel “Zeke” Tatianaslastname, aka Sirius, aka the knight formerly known as Camus.

Below the cut:

First of all, Ezekiel. What. The actual hell, IntSys. Ingame, it seems that all the Rigelians, other soldiers, etc. call him General Ezekiel. Alm also addresses him as Ezekiel, but later Gray refers to him as Zeke. So... as of right now, I’ll probably continue having my muse introduce himself as Zeke (because saying something like “my name is Ezekiel, but call me Zeke” seems a bit too OOC). Just... to avoid having to predetermine yet another name to put into titles... (we all know how well I do with that). But NPCs and the like will probably call him Ezekiel, and other FERP characters who have heard about him from NPCs prior to a thread’s events would probably know him as Ezekiel instead of Zeke as well, but I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. why didn’t IntSys just make his official name Ezekiel

Previously, I had written into Zeke’s background that he was almost solely taken care of by Tatiana for a few months, met Rudolf, and was given a new title, no questions asked. But SoV!Zeke mentions that he was imprisoned (man, you need to stop getting yourself arrested), so I’m going to go with the idea that Tatiana found him, had to report his presence to the Empire, after which a still-heavily-injured Zeke was transported to the capital’s dungeons. Tatiana took care of him there, instead of out in some remote village. Rudolf eventually took an interest in him and absolved him of any crimes he was suspected of committing.

I don’t care what this game implies, I’m not buying into the idea that Zeke somehow survived a trip across the ocean after Marth nearly killed him. So I’m still maintaining that he had just been trying to live a new life some months later, was out at sea, and got shipwrecked.

I’ve also been mostly writing Rigel threads as if Zeke has quite a bit of privilege as a general prior to the War of Heroes, but this will no longer be the case. Although he’s earned Rudolf’s trust, and this grants him immunity from imprisonment, this doesn’t stop other Rigelian generals from treating him poorly. For one, he’s a stranger and everyone assumes he’s not of noble blood (which would be correct, of course), and secondly, he earned favor with Rudolf so quickly that jealous men who had been seeking the Emperor’s favor for years haven’t taken to that too well. Zeke is far too passive to do anything about this, and sort of just... takes it. In FERP-verse, Rudolf actually sends Zeke on his reconnaissance missions through the Outrealms to get him away from the abuse (this has already been discussed with our future Rudolf-mun). He has earned much respect among the common people though, and the men under his command.

Local heartthrob. Now canon.