Zel Shivertail

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Zel Shivertail
Zel, By Artsy Nada (Cutout + Edit).jpg
Aliases
  • Tidebreaker
  • Lineholder General
  • The legendary General of the Line
Species

Drake

Gender

Male

Status
Affiliation

Trisstral Alliance

Family
Occupation

General

Residence
First Appearance

Chapter 2.29

Zel Shivertail, also known as the Tidebreaker, is one of the best defensive generals on Izril, and the hero of two Antinium Wars.

Appearance[edit | edit source]

Zel has a huge, muscular body (though he isn't as thickly built as Relc) with green scales that are tinted a bit grey.[1]

He has an aura that projects something solid that makes him hard to ignore, or forget.

Personality[edit | edit source]

Zel Shivertail is a seasoned military leader and largely considered to be the greatest Drake [General] of his time. On the battlefield, he is a great fighter, leader and tactician. Despite his reputation, Zel is warm and friendly in person. He doesn't display typical Drake prejudices against other species, though he possesses a dislike of Goblins and Antinium. Despite that, he was willing to give advice to Pawn and Belgrade. While he is estranged from most of his family, he is close with Tekshia and Selys, despite not seeing them often. Despite his fame, or rather because of it, Zel does not enjoy being the center of attention, preferring to be around non-Drakes as they usually don't know who he is.[2] However, he still feels the need to be the symbol for the Drakes.[3]

Background[edit | edit source]

Zel Shivertail is a hero of the commonfolk living in the Walled Cities. Originally a level 15 [Lieutenant], he surprised the continent by surviving when the city of Geir was overrun by the Antinium during the First Antinium War. He and three hundred warriors and civilians fled into the city dungeon where they held out and grew stronger by constantly leveling up. Eventually they were strong enough to push the Antinium out of the dungeon and escape. As their leader, Zel cemented his rank as a hero — a commoner born from nothing, yet achieving what no-one else had done.

In the process, he became one of the most renowned [Generals] on the continent. Even Niers Astoragon thought of him in praise. He became a Level 39 [General] after his battles; one of the most incredible growths ever recorded in known history. Shivertail became hailed as ‘Tidebreaker’, in reference to the Black Tide’s failure to overwhelm his army time and time again.[4] Zel killed two Centenium that Klbkch considered to be friends[5] (Rehab and Mellika[6]). He entered a romantic relationship with General Sserys before his death in the last battle of the First Antinium War.

During the Second Antinium War, he abandoned his battles against the Antinium to bring aid to Liscor with three other generals during the Necromancer's Siege of Liscor. Az'kerash quickly killed the other generals, leaving him as the only military leader left to fight back against the Necromancer.[6] But he lacked the offensive strategies to launch a desicive strike against the Necromancer, though his defensive prowess also prevented the Necromancer from killing him, leaving the siege at a stalemate fot three months.[7]

The Antinium's reinforcements gave Zel the oppening to attack Az'kerash. Zel tore the Necromancer in half, causing the undead army to crumble without their master and leading the world to believe Az'kerash was dead. After the battle, he and Klbkch attacked each other, and had to be seperated.[8]

Zel was being groomed to someday replace Sserys in leading the Drake forces against the Antinium, and had the support of Grand Strategist Chaldion and Dragonspeaker Luciva behind him. However when he revealed his homosexuality and refused to disavow it, he was abandoned by the Walled Cities. He would lead armies for smaller Drake cities from that point on.[9]

Chronology[edit | edit source]

In the year of Erin's arrival, Zel was the [General] for the Trisstral Alliance in their dispute with Salazsar. He won the war decisively and captured Wall Lord Ilvriss Gemscale after overrunning his forces.[10]

He was then surprised by the emerging Goblin Lord and retreated to Liscor where he stayed for a while, before being hired by Magnolia Reinhart to fight the Goblin Lord near Invrisil. He thus was the first Drake [General] to go north past Liscor to Esthelm,[11] and then further north, since the last Antinium War.[12] In Northern Izril, he lead Magnolia's coalition of human forces. There, Zel succumbed to a surprise attack by Az'kerash and his Chosen.

His death caused a shock in the Drake communities all over Izril. One of his last possessions was the Heartflame Breastplate, that was inherited by his niece Selys.

Powers and Abilities[edit | edit source]

Zel's personal abilities gave him the strength equivalent to a Named Adventurer. He possessed razor-sharp claws, capable of cutting through even the carapaces of Antinium Soldiers.[13]

As a defensive [General], he was not suited for offense, but for defending to hold the line. Occasionally he could charge into the enemy and redefine the line, but he was best suited defending.[14]

Classes/Levels:[edit | edit source]

  • [General of the Line] Lv. ? (Likely higher than 45, below 50)

Skills:[edit | edit source]

  • [Antimagic Slash]
  • [Bonebreaker Headbutt]
  • [Chargebreaker Guard]
  • [Dangersense]
  • [Glorious Charge]
  • [Hold the Line]
  • [Lightning Slash]
  • [Rapid Maneuvering]
  • [Rending—] (full name yet to be revealed)
  • [Scything Arms]
  • [Shield Wall]
  • [Stonewall Formation]
  • [Surge of Strength]
  • [Titan’s Cut]
  • [Vanguard of Steel]

Abilities:[edit | edit source]

While he never rode horses when fighting, he was still a competent rider.[15]

Equipment[edit | edit source]

  • Heartflame Breastplate
  • A pair of rings and a pendant, enchanted to protect from teleportation, curses, mental attack spells and the other standard fare for a someone at a rank of a General.

Trivia[edit | edit source]

  • He hated mysteries.[16]
  • Zel was the highest-level Drake [General] in the entire world.[17]
  • Zel was in a romantic relationship with General Sserys, which was kept secret or simply not talked about due to homophobic attitudes among Drakes.[18]

References[edit | edit source]