Zoran

Male

• Keeper of Mindflayer and Carnelian Zmei
  


• 
  Nikolas's Guardian


• Lost Guardians


• Patron Guardian of Valya
  

• Zmei


• Orange-gold eyes


• Large, muscular, drake-like body with craggy crimson scales


• Pair of stout, curved horns on the head


• Reptilian eyes


• Tapered snout


• Pale, sharp teeth and prominent fangs


• Forked tongue


• Spiny ridge that runs down the neck and spine to the tail


• Buffy underside


• 4 powerful legs with 4 long claws on each foot


• Long, barbed tail

• Shares a close bond with his summoner Nikolas and is always seen at his side


• Is known and feared for his temper and viciousness in battle, though he is quiet and demure outside of it


• Is conscious of his temper and watches it carefully


• Is feared by nearly all creatures and Guardians alike save for Eirene due to his talents, including the rogues

Russian accent

Is rarely emotive and is often unreadable

Direct eye contact

Doesn't gesture

Hunches over

Slight scowl

Brusque, gruff, rough

Scoffs when displeased

• Can induce psychosis in others by roaring


• Telepathy

• Expert hunter and fighter with powerful claws, fangs, and horns


• Is the strongest, most fearsome, and most vicious of the Guardians, surpassed only by Eirene
  


• Immense speed and strength


• Roar that can drive enemies into psychosis

Zoran was created along with the other eighteen Guardians by Eirene, the first Guardian and the creator of Eridya. Under her guidance, Zoran created marshes and swamps as well as large reptiles such as alligators and saltwater crocodiles, before making his home in the Carnelian Marsh. From there, he watched over the world with the other Guardians, and was worshipped by humans and animals alike as they collaborated to help Eridya flourish – even as he and his people were regarded with suspicion due to their association with blood magic.

However, trouble arose when the people of Valya unveiled a creation meant to rival Eirene herself – an enormous black dragon named Dovrak. When they lost control of their creation, who began rampaging across Eridya and wounded the Tree of Life in the process, Zoran worked with the other Guardians and humans to drive back the threat in what became the Nightbringer War.

Among the angry Guardians clamoring for retribution for the Valyans’ actions, Mirjana took full responsibility for Dovrak's creation and rampage since it was she who taught the humans of her continent blood magic and asked that if anyone should be punished, it was her. However, Annora and Zoran also stepped up, saying as fellow Guardians of Valya, they were also to blame.

Thus, Eirene sunk the entirety of Valya deep under the sea as punishment, scattering its inhabitants across the rest of the world. An enormous vault was then built in Neyri, in which all knowledge of blood magic – along with Annora, Mirjana, and Zoran, as well as their talismans and Legatuses – were sealed. The vault was locked by a mural of Eridya's remaining patron Guardians with explicit instructions never to be opened by anyone – and thus became known as the Forbidden Vault. The keys to the vault lie in five crown jewels – one for each of Eridya's remaining continents. Furthermore, all traces of Valya, including their Guardians, were wiped entirely from Eridya's history as if they had never existed, bringing the total number of Guardians down to sixteen.

Zoran and his fellow Guardians would thus remain in slumber within the Forbidden Vault for the next thousand years, entirely unaware of anything outside of it – including the fact that his scattered people were working behind the shadows to bring him and his companions into the light of day once more.