Profile
. . . .P5. . . .
Zal's greatest fear would have to be the thought of losing the only family he has left in Calypso. Losing the family he used to know was incredibly traumatizing for him, and he would do nearly anything to prevent it from happening again. At night, sometimes, he'll wake up in a cold sweat, after having had nightmares of Cal leaving him, or dying in the Ruins, and will stay up the rest of the night. Until the sun comes up and the birds start chirping, he has to remind himself that she's okay. They're okay, and the new day is proof that they're still alive.
. . . .P6. . . .
When asked such a question like his greatest ambition, Zal wouldn't know what to say for quite a while. For quite a while Zal's only goals have been staying alive and keeping his daughter safe. Perhaps sometimes, though, he'll ponder what great things he could make of his life. Maybe he would like to find peace in the storm within him, find a place for himself in the Regiment where he doesn't feel at odds with so many things, and be able to just have fun and watch the world go by with Cal, and the rest of his new family of sorts.
. . . .P7. . . .
Zal means albino in Persian, and in a 10th century Persian tale it was the name of a mighty white haired warrior. Zal is a very white lion, apart from the black in his mane, and he is a fighter, of course, but he doesn't quite feel like a mighty warrior. He's working on being brave, for his daughter and for the Regiment. In all reality, though, he hasn't thought very much about his name, or what it means. Zal is simply Zal, and all that he cares about is that he knows right away when someone calls his name.
. . . .P8. . . .
People - er, lions - are always asking him to do something, telling him about how he's not doing enough and giving him orders. Well, not always, but it feels like more often than it actually is. Zal is his own lion, and he feels quite frustrated whenever someone tells him to do something that he already knows about. He's aware that others think of him as the tired goof of the group who is appreciated but just lazes around more than anything else, and Zal... Zal's working on it, he's trying to hard to do better. Sometimes it feels like no one realizes that.
. . . .P9. . . .
There's one thing in all of this world that will spur Zal to action, no matter what, and that's his daughter, Calypso. He loves her more than anything, and she's the one bright spark in his life that has kept him going, and made him keep on moving when he wasn't sure he could stay determined. If someone were to threaten Cal, or if she were to ask something of him, nothing could stand in the way of him getting that done. It's as if all the tiredness in his limbs vanishes and he's filled with the courage he needs.
If anyone else in the Regiment were to ask something of him, the results would vary. Perhaps he'd be having a bad day, and would outright say no. But no bad day can stand between Zal and making Calypso happy. In many ways, she'd do much the same for him.
. . . .P10. . . .
He would sigh at the question, if he was asked, and perhaps stare wistfully off into the distance. He had been in love once indeed - his wife had been a wonderful woman, so full of love and cheer and a kindness that he adored so much. Zal didn't think anyone could match her beauty then, and he thinks much the same now. It went well for many, many years - years that Zal is still so happy to have had. If only she hadn't died when their daughter was born. Remembering his love is bittersweet for the poor lion. He sees so many good memories, so many times of joy and peace in his life, and then he looks to the present and wonders if he will ever be able to feel that joy again. It has to be possible, of course, and hopefully one day, he'll figure out how to properly see life again and honor his partner's memory.
. . . .P12. . . .
Zal doesn't really think about people in terms of enemies. He is a passive fellow, not worried too much about any one being liking him or not. There may be monsters in the Ruins or lions he doesn't get along with quite as well, but they don't feel like his enemies. They just are going about their days, and if the Ruins monsters find part of their day to be attacking his friends, then they're going down. Such is life.
His biggest enemy is probably something he doesn't even consider - his own mind. Zal has so many days where nothing has meaning, the world is grey, and he doesn't know how to keep going or what to do with himself. He's always trying to improve, to do better for Calypso and for his friends in the Regiment, but it's a long, long road to try and get there. One day he hopes he will.
. . . .P13. . . .
Magic, monsters, and all sorts of creatures live in Silvarum, and that's just a fact. Zal is well aware of all the fantastical, and sometimes terrible, things out there. There's bad ghosts, and good ghosts, and a place beyond death. That last one is what gives him the most hope. He doesn't know what it's like - as he's never been there, obviously - but with visitors from the afterlife returning every so often to give hope and assist those still alive, he's sure it's true.
He likes to think his late wife is up there in the sky, smiling down at him. At times, when he's had doubts, he's been worried - no, terrified - that she's just... gone. But then Cal will smile at him and convince him otherwise with just a few kind words, and he carries on, as best as he possibly can. Life is grand, and life is terrible.
. . . .P15. . . .
Zal is a father, of course, but he's just not sure how good of one he actually is. Raising Calypso on his own has been challenging, but he's done his best and raised her in the way he knows. He's pushed her to follow her dreams, and tried to get her to appreciate the value of hard work and smart decision making. Nowadays, it feels like she's almost better at it than Zal is. Whenever he fails at being a father and just wants to hide away, Cal is the one who reminds him of all the lessons he taught her in the past.
Having Cal in his life is the biggest blessing he could think of, and he is ever thankful that he's had the chance to raise her into a brave, independent lion. Now she's the one heading off on all sorts of adventures, and Zal is happy to follow along.
. . . .P16. . . .
Competitive and Zal are basically opposites. He hasn't thought of life as a competition basically ever - he just wants to get along with things and enjoy the peaceful things as they come by. There's no competition in admiring a pretty flower, or watching the sunset. Let the other lions compete to be the best fighter, to gain a higher rank - he'll gladly cheer them all on. Cal, especially - she has so many ambitions and so many things she wants to do in her life, and Zal will support her every step of the way there. Competing just isn't for him.
. . . .P17. . . .
Zal doesn't have a clue what to think of himself. He is the type of person to be very hesitant and not sure what to say whenever someone asks him who he is. He's a father, a friend, a fighter at times. Beyond that, what is he? Zal is very quick to be hard on himself, to see all the issues with himself and nothing else. But he knows there's good things about himself, too. He's a part of the Regiment, a good friend to several others in the group, and a decent warrior. Those things are good enough for him.
. . . .P18. . . .
Zal doesn't tend to say very much, but when he does, he tends to say 'I think' an awful lot. The black and white lion isn't fully confident in the facts of situations, and he often wants to make sure that people are aware that he is only stating his thoughts. Perhaps he even says it too much - there have been times when others have told him that he doesn't need to be scared to express his thoughts - his opinions are very welcome, and if he's ever wrong about something folks will let him know. It's just a bit tricky for him to break the habit.
. . . .P19. . . .
Zal isn't a secret keeper. He's led a simple life and has been fine with all of that. Coming into the Regiment with Calypso, he hasn't really felt a need to keep anything private from the group. He hasn't committed any crimes, or done something embarrassing that would bother him to be passed around as a story. Maybe the only thing he keeps close to his heart is how sad he really feels on some days. He'll let Cal know when he's feeling down and needs help, but he really doesn't want others to worry, especially not the person he cares about most in all the world.
Although, that's not really a secret he actively tries to keep. It's more like when someone asks him how he's doing, he'll change his answer slightly. Instead of saying he feels terrible, he'll say he's just alright. It's certainly not a healthy thing to be doing.
. . . .P21. . . .
Zal is an introvert, for sure. While he does enjoy knowing people and interacting with them on occasion, he finds his peace by doing things on his own, by watching the stars or appreciating the blooming flowers and warm sun. He's a quiet fellow, and he keeps his thoughts to himself.
. . . .P22. . . .
Zal's favorite trait in a friend wouldn't be something big, or flashy. He values honesty and someone kind and a good person, like most would - but most of all, he values the lion who's willing to just sit in silence with him and enjoy the world around them. A conversation can be nice, but it's also delightful to be next to someone some time and know that there's no pressure to keep thinking up things to talk about. There's a few lions in the group like this, and they'll often meet up in the afternoon sun, just to do nothing in particular.
. . . .P23. . . .
Zal isn't sure what he would change in himself. When it comes to large choices like that, he's often full of indecision and can spend ages wondering if he made the wrong choice, even with a simple hypothetical question. He supposes he would love to be able to take better naps. So often, his sleep gets interrupted by a loud sound, or by another lion wanting to get him to help with something, or perhaps a bad dream. He gets some manner of peace in his sleep, apart from the occasional nightmare.
Zal has heard of some lions that can control their dreams, make whatever they want happen. He thinks that would be a nice thing to be able to do. Certainly it could be fun to imagine all the wildest things he could and make them happen inside his head. And in his dreams, he doesn't get tired. It's a fascinating idea.
. . . .P24. . . .
When blood relatives come to mind, of course, Zal's thoughts turn to his daughter Calypso. This bold lioness is out there doing so many delightful things, visiting other worlds and making new friends, and he always loves hearing of her adventures, and is more proud of her than words could express.
As for his other family, the lions he traveled with when he was young - he is fairly sure some of them are still out there, wandering the land of Starheart. They've grown distant, over time, to the point where he's not fully aware of where they might be or who might still be around. He likes to think that everyone is still alive and well, even the lions who were well along in age at the time he went off on his own. Maybe one day his family will stop by to pay a visit - though they don't know where he is, either.
. . . .P25. . . .
Zal's cubhood was good, and as he has grown up, he has become a lot more saddened by the world, and also a lot more in awe of it, as well. The naivety of childhood has left as he has become more quiet, and as he has understood tragedy and loss. Throughout Zal's time on Silvarum, he's been sad and very joyful, as well. Perhaps the greatest thing that he has learned over the years is wisdom. The lion still has a long way to go, of course, but he has a lot of good ideas to offer, and when he isn't napping or wandering under the sun, his thoughts are very valued by others in the Regiment. He's not sure why, but it's nice to know that he's doing... something right. As more time passes, he finds himself wondering what he will learn next, how he will change next.
. . . .P26. . . .
As a cub, Zal remembers having one of the best dreams of his life. When he was extra tired, after a long day of walking, he fell asleep among the other lions of his family and dreamed of wonderful things. Flowers, as far as the eyes could see, birds that turned into stars, and swirls in the sky appeared before his vision, and when he dove into a puddle, it opened up into a vast ocean, filled with coral and fish. When he woke up, he saw the world in a new light. That's really what led to him enjoying sitting down, staying quiet, and watching the world.
. . . .P27. . . .
. . . .P28. . . .
. . . .P29. . . .
. . . .P30. . . .
. . . .P31. . . .
. . . .P32. . . .
. . . .P33. . . .
. . . .P34. . . .