ZAYN EL-HASHEM

LIGHT SWORD

a one-handed blade of average length. it's light and slightly curved, wicked sharp and obviously well cared for. it's his weapon of choice, and though it isn't capable of a lot of force its speed and precision allow it to hit vulnerable points in armor that a longsword would not be able to touch.

THROWING KNIVES

he tends to keep an array of small, pointy objects on his person at all times, and is always in possession of at least four small throwing knives. they're all of roughly the same shape and size, and though not capable of large damage they're scarily accurate.

FAKE IDENTIFICATION

at any given time, he's likely in possession of two or three different falsified names and identities. his particular skillset tends to keep people from looking at the papers too closely, which also helps. you never know when you might need to disappear.

LOCKPICKING SET

he's a nosy little thing, and thus has a bad habit of snooping into everything he comes across. and nothing's more tempting than a place people are deliberately trying to keep him out of. hence the lockpicks.

strain ability: enshroud

even from childhood, zayn had a peculiar knack for going unnoticed. when he doesn't feel like being found he just won't be, not with sight or sound or any other sense. it isn't invisibility or anything so drastic, as nothing about him physically changes, but wandering gazes seem to slip right past him. it's a mental trick more than a physical one- he just tricks the brain into thinking that he isn't anything significant. he becomes nothing more than background noise in the minds of most people, to the point where some struggle to remember his face just five minutes after meeting him.



it isn't an ability that requires a lot of concentration- in fact, depending on his mood, it will sometimes happen subconsciously, which is both frustrating and confusing if he doesn't notice. also, though he's capable of sustaining it for quite some time, it does leave him sleepy and sluggish after an hour or two, a state that's less than ideal for combat.



unlike the abilities granted to him by the purple king, this can affect many people at once, and is ideal for slipping through crowds. the skill is weakened when he's the only one in the area, or people are particularly vigilant- he can blend into a group without arousing much suspicion, but he can't simply waltz solo into a heavily guarded area. the ability also doesn't work as well on people who know him and are aware of what to look for. as a result, he tries to keep it from being public knowledge, and those who are aware probably weren't told by him.

purple aura: dancing blade

an extension of his natural abilities, albeit a more immediately dangerous one. when in a fight, an opponent can find it difficult to keep their eyes on zayn's sword. it blurs around the edges, makes small feints at a speed faster than should be humanly possible, and occasionally seems to duplicate itself for a second or two. none of it is real, of course, just an illusion, and it isn't capable of doing any damage whatsoever, but while his opponent is preoccupied with his illusory strikes he can make the real ones count.



it does have its limits, of course. it takes intense concentration, only works on one opponent at a time, and drains him quite quickly. as a result, he tries to end his fights very quickly; he rarely sticks around for a drawn out fight, fleeing before he can get too worn down. it also doesn't seem to be terribly effective on his fellow purple clansmen, though as he isn't in the habit of fighting them it isn't a major problem. on the bright side, unlike his other ability, it can be quite effective even on those who are well aware he's doing it. it seems to work better the less intelligent its target is, and monsters are particularly vulnerable.