AGE: 19

RACE: human

LOOKS: Zoe has a normal size body frame, and her bones are very light, making her very agile. She’s normally very thin because she’s never still but because she is a new mother, she’s a little more lush around the waist and breasts. Her hair is a really bright earth brown color that hangs all the way down her back and is very curly. Her eyes are an earth brown as well, kind of like rich soil, except when she’s angry and then there is no really distinction between her irises and her pupils.

WEAPONS: The majority of the multitude of weapons in the world (think Medieval-ish) are wieldable to Zoe, though she prefers a straight staff made of sturdy oak wood.

ALIGNMENT: Because Zoe is a Region Ruler, she is predominantly good, dispensing justice and caring for the poor and leading her people, etc. But given the amount of blood she has shed in the past, and her cold demeanor, many would say she is border line or evil.

LIKES: Growing things, swordplay, wresting (especially with her brother, Hale)

DISLIKES: Those who abandon their responsibilities, sexual predators (another reason she might be considered evil is that someone accused of sexual crimes is very rarely tried fairly. She’s very prejudiced against those accused thusly), Alexander (another Region Ruler, and her mate’s father)

HISTORY: Zoe was born to Nathanial and Bambi in Dragon Region, along with her older twin brother Tristan. They have an older brother Lee. Zoe doesn’t remember much about the time when her family was whole because when she was 4, and Lee was 9, the two of them were separated from the others when a group of raiders attacked their village. Zoe and Lee fled from the burning rubble, not knowing where their family was, or even if they were alive. When one of the raiders crossed paths with them in the woods, and would have killed them both, Lee spilt blood for the first time.

Lee had hoped that once away from the village, they would be left alone, but they were not. The only conclusion he could come to was that the raiders and thieves and cut-throats were after the family heirloom they carried, the Ancient Staff, a staff made of iron and gold, with an indestructible glass ball on the top. So they lived always on the move, killing constantly. Lee once said that his hands were so red as to never be clean again. When Zoe was eight, though, and she and her brother stopped at Tiger Fang Hall (each region’s capital is called a Hall) for supplies, the Empress of the region, Rose, convinced them to stay there, where they would be safe and able to learn and grow in a comfort they had long since forgotten. Here, they made many friends, including Rose’s youngest son Shayn, and the orphan Hale, whom Lee and Zoe took in as their brother.

Rose was the mother they had never had. But when Zoe was 14, Rose died. Alexander, Rose’s mate and Tiger Fang Region’s emperor, changed as a result of her death. When he began touching Zoe, Lee took her and Hale away and they once again killed and moved to live. During one of the many raids they were subject to, Zoe was taken captive and held for 8 days. While she was captive, she was brutally gang raped numerous times, and other atrocities best left unspoken. The event scarred her for life.

When she was 16, she challenged, fought, and killed the High Count of Spring Wind Region (the region ruler), taking the man’s title. She became a Region Ruler. Soon after she obtained this prestigious title, Shayn went to Spring Wind Hall to be trained in swordplay by Lee. Zoe and Shayn fell deeply in love, though in the beginning they fought a lot. At the present day, though, after many years thinking she was barren, Zoe and Shayn have a little girl, Valerye, who was born a moon ago (a month ago).

The majority of what is given here is totally background information for the novel I plan on writing for Zoe. It will pick up either with Zoe barely pregnant, or Valerye a month old. Then word will come from spies she has in Tiger Fang Hall that there is trouble brewing over there—Alexander has a war planned. He wants to own all of the land (clichéd, I know, but some people are just driven by power and wealth, and Alexander is one of them). This world is so much more complex than I even touched on here with Zoe’s profile; I’ve created different religions, languages, customs, cultures, magics, there are seven working governments, exploration of the sea to the east going on, riots in some regions, drifters settling for winter in others. Any idea how hard it is to plan a war??

Also, please bear in mind that all of the materials here are copyrighted.

The comment about her bones being light. does that mean she has a bone condition that lowers the weight, or is it just a figure of speech. If she had a problem with her skelton structure it would put her in an awkward possition combativly.

If she took her role as a leader by force that would show to other domains that she is not to be trifled with, and would give her an edge in diplomatic relations. Having a strong combative leader would be good for morale, and would make a useful scare tactic against enemy forces.

As for the starting of a war, you need a sparking event. a skirmish or some kind of assasination that would outrage both sides is the best way to start a war. From there religious and moral objections would fuel it, followed by war mongerors who desire profit. The exploration of the sea could be seen as an attempt to expand territories, and thus a just reason to invade. Thats my take on it at least.

I would like more detail on the governments and nations, its seems like a well developed system that i would enjoy studying.

QUOTE: Having a strong combative leader would be good for morale, and would make a useful scare tactic against enemy forces. END QUOTE

Zoe is very respected among the powers, but she is generally considered to be raw; she’s the youngest current Ruler, and is really the youngest in known history. This will cause a problem later, when she’s trying to convince the other Rulers that Alexander is a threat.

For the starting of the war, I had planned that Alexander has been slowly going down the tubes and now that Zoe has a baby to care for—he considers that a weakness, and really it is. She’s out of shape and focused on her child and not her swordplay—he’s decided to pounce. There have been trading problems between Alexander’s region, Tiger Fang, and Zoe’s, Spring Wind. It’s been a constant source of irritation for both of them.

The governments are fairly simple right now. I wish I could show you the map, but it’s drawn on paper and not even in the computer. Spring Wind and Tiger Fang are the most detailed because they will play larger roles in the story.

Spring Wind’s government consists of a council of eight Counts or Countesses. These eight are either put in power by the people’s support, a vote from the Elder’s Council (a group of 4 elderly persons who voice traditions and propriety) or the Rite by Blood (how Zoe came into power; kill the official and take his/her place). Even though the eight are supposed to share power, the other seven pretty much do what Zoe says. That’s the reigning powers there.

A step down are the cities and villages, which each have a leader, kind of like a mayor. In Spring Wind, there is no set method to elect these people, but Zoe pretty much sees to it that whichever method chosen is abided by. Every so often, Zoe and the other seven Counts meet with these people.

Further broken down, in more of a social order, is this hierarchy: Master, Sub-master, Journeyman, Apprentice, Novice. This is general, and each village, city, and region are different in their interpretations of it.

There is a treaty, called the Zoë Treaty, that was signed by brave souls who stepped forward to stop the mass fighting that consumed the land nearly a hundred years prior to Zoe’s birth. The Treaty vaguely outlines protocol and procedures; it’s kind of like the Declaration of Independence. It allows for each region to establish things not touched on in the Treaty. All of the governments are spill-downs of this Treaty.

Does all of that make sense?

in theory if Alexander killed the other leaders, would Rite of Blood put him in charge. A simple and quick series of assasinations would put him in a perfect place to take the known world.

Does the rite of blood only apply to leaders, or to all ranks. if it applied to anyone then backstabing and betrayal would be rife, as a master could kill a general in a bid for power, glory and riches.

And i must point out a flaw in Alexanders plans, i play too many strategy games so i see how his plans would unfold in my head. If he wants to conquer having messed up trade routes would hinder his efforts, as supplies would be inconsistant. he would need to create strong ties with his enemies, so they lower their guard giving him an opportunity to strike. otherwise he only has what he can muster onhis own, against a possibly unified enemy. He would need to turn them against each other through subterfuge before making any attacks.

The problems with the trade routes is that it's become known to raiders that the caravans travel unprotected once they cross in Tiger Fang Region, becasue Alexander is too cheap to see them protected like Zoe does. the treaty that was signed was more Zoe trying to make him hold up his side of an already existing bargin.

I do feel that Alexander's plans are to base, though. He intends to "invite" Zoe and a few others to stay at Tiger Fang Hall, his letter to her saying he has a book of Rose's. He intended to hold her hostage there and force her to sign this "treaty" that would give him power over her and her region. But Zoe catches wind of his plans and leaves her Hall to gather as many of the region rulers as she can. She gets three, four including herself, out of seven. They meet and decide Alexander is a threat, and the situation would then deteriorate into fighting. But it's too bland for me. It needs to be much more twisted and complex...If I don't get a headache from trying to figure it all out, it's not enough.

As he is not activly planning a war, but rather scheming a way to take over quickly he would be at a mojor disadvantage once his plans were revealed. he would need to amass and arm his forces, and get them ready in a very short time.

Being outnumbered 4/1 would make his domain vulnerable, unless he made a pact with the remaining nations. I would suggest some kind of power sharing alliance, that way he could agree to split the conquered domains amonst his temporary allies and then take it back at a later date.

I cant really think of much else right now, but with more detail i might.

I was actually thinking, too, that Alexander needs a secondary and third plan, but I just don't know what!! His ulitimate goals are to hold the known world as his personal monoploy and to have Zoe at his mercy (recall that when his wife died, he started touching her; he's become obsessed with having her)I really think the whole plan just needed sufficent attetion and time on my part, and I don't seem to ever hae the time to devote, so I'm still just trying to fit pieces into the puzzle mentally.

Rudersovgy.

What Alexander needs is a single advantage over everyone else that he is confident will work. i use a similar thing in dark bloodline. Dealus unnatural speed is the product of two factors, a magical weapon he tried to use transfered some of its power to him, and the other a dangerous spell capable of bending time completely to his will. He's confident he will win because of this and ignores all failures.

Alexander needs somthing like that that would cement his chances of victory. a weapon of great magical power, or some kind of great spell that would stop his enemy dead in their tracks. he needs the tiger fang equivalent of a handfull of tactical nukes.

An ace in the hole...OH! I know. The Ancient Staff and Axe. Zoe's family heirloom, which she inheireted because she's the youngest member of the youngest genaration, is a magical staff, and the Ancient Axe is actually Shayn's (from his mother's side)...and both are supposedly hidden in Tiger Fang Hall from when she and Lee stayed at Tiger Fang Hall. Maybe Alexander has found them and thinks to wield them or use them against Zoe. Of course, the weapons are only wieldable to those of the right bloodline, and there are numerous Ancient weapons...no one really knows how many. (I guess I should, but I don't know either.) Aside from military might, I don't really know what else Alexander might have on Zoe.

Plus wielding a weapon dyed red in blood seems a very villianous thing to do.

(Or have you, and I'm just missing the story on your profile?)

Mobius, thanks for the interest. The manuscript is not anywhere online, however, as I fully intend to publish it professionally some day.

So am I sounds very good Dreamy

Umm...What?

I'm not posting there because I got tired of my inbox having so many messages and there never really seems a topic I can post about.

Good character. I like how her history and past traumas have affected her currant personality.

I would like to know what motivated her to kill the region ruler and take his power. Was that out a greed for power, or because she cared about the people and thought she'd be able to care for them better?

I'm also curious as to what sort of mother she is. Great leaders are notorious for being poor parents. I'd think a lot of the things that made her a good leader, her cold demeanor and her willingness to sacrifice for the greater good, would mean she's have trouble being a tender, loving and understanding parent.

~Star

Zoe killed the last region ruler not out of greed or a sense of being able to better care for people, but out of…selfish motivations, really. In many ways she saw the High Count, who was cruel and careless, as her rapist. She merely wanted to kill him.

Zoe is actually a wonderful mother. I think she absorbed more of Rose and Helen than anyone realized. Also, she has, to some extent, developed a dual personality. Not like in the random sense that we might think of today, but more in the way of masks that she wears for different occasions. The High Countess Zoe is not the real Zoe, by any means. She and Shayn later have two more children, twins Kara and Dune.

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