Zekial Kain – Trapeze Artist & Tattooist (Monk backup character)
Zekial Kain – Trapeze Artist & Tattooist (Monk backup character)
A Side Gig
“Stop moving ya fucking twat!” he yelled at the sailor who couldn’t seem to stay still for one fucking minute as Kain dipped the needle back into the squid ink, and the second one into the fire, then back to the skin.
“We’re almost done.” He lied.
An hour later the wounded sailor left with his arm bandaged and a little sore. It would be a great tattoo and it was about damn time the fucking pussy had got one. Zekial Kain had opinions…lots of them….and he knew to keep them to himself. Wiping the table down and putting fresh sheet out, he paused to take a quick swig off the brandy bottle…there was something about distilled wine that he just loved.
They only had a couple more nights until they’d be in port and performing on the trapeze again and he had three more sailors and a performer who all wanted tattoos. It was a good side hustle as long as the seas weren't too rough.
The Beginning
Everyone was here. The entire village and some from the surrounding farms. More than he had ever expected when the kings men had arrived in their small village on the eastern edge of the Feron Jacob Empire. A great battle was coming and all men who could hold a sword or spear were to report and be ready to travel at dawn.
Tens of thousands of troops carpeted the landscape. Roadways going this way and that, soldiers, kings, mages, giant engines of war, huge walls and ramparts. It was so easy to get distracted, Zekial didn’t notice which way his father and the other villagers had gone, dressed in makeshift armor and armed with spears and clubs and flimsy shields they were headed to war, but in what direction.
Wandering for hours with no success he was stopped by an officer of some kind.
“Young man what are you doing out here? Where are you going?” The officer with yellow eyes asked him.
I…I…I can’t find my father and the others.” Zekial started to answer.
“Well, you don’t have time for that now. I have need of your service. I am Steve, assistant to King Vax of Eldermont and I need you to help mark the roadways.
Steve proceeded to instruct Zekial on a main road to follow, and a handful of symbols to write on signs and he did so. When you are done, come back here and ask for me and I will help you find your father. Three days later Zekial returned exhausted, thirsty and underfed and Steve kept his promise.
The Aftermath
The stench of the rotting corpse snuck past his nostrils and into his throat forcing him to gag. Pinned under the corpse of a huge targ, Zekial had been stuck all night. The sounds of battle had faded a long time ago, the previous day and he hadn’t been able to wiggle free. It was too damn big.
The blade coming through the targ corpse nicked him as it broke through and caused him to scream. A few minutes later, someone, something dragged the corpse off of him, armor scraping as he was finally freed.
Turning to acknowledge his rescuer, he came face to face with a 4-foot-tall goblin with a wicked grin, sharp teeth and familiar yellow eyes.
“Here ya go kid” The goblin said in common as he tossed him a small pouch. “Something for the lucky”.
Zekial opened the pouch and pulled out an exquisite set of hand carved bone dragon dice. As he looked up, the goblin was already gone.
A Lost Friend and Mentor
He wandered for days, looking for his father or any of the others but never found them. At the end of a week a shirtless man, covered in tattoos and carrying a single blade nodded to him and asked where he was going.
They travelled together for several months. Checking on small villages and fighting the undead, his new friend and mentor taught him many things, including the martial arts.
He missed his friend and thought about him often. There was not a port or town they entered, where he did not look or inquire. Until they day they reunited, he would continue his lessons. Continue to practice.
