Fort Zakumo: Notable People

Lieutenant Barbary Jonessan

Lieutenant Barbary Jonessan has always had a sense of humor in addition to being a patriot. He was a very physical comic, doing pratfalls with friends and playing out pretend fights where blows were exaggerated but never actually struck. However, it was Gunther Telish himself who helped build the hut that housed Barbary's family after reconstruction began, and he never forgot it. While he passed the navy recruitment by, when the chance came to volunteer as a soldier, the seasick-prone jokester jumped at the chance.

He rose quickly on charm and competence, but his love of a prank and ribald stories brought many frowns from the more stolid men around him. Until one day, after playing an elaborate prank on fifth lieutenant Weishu involving three goats, a company of sixteen men with good dexterity and timing, and a female accomplice with a large bust line. The meja-Domira had quietly observed the stunt and refrained form interfering. After Weishu had cleaned up and standing in his office, beet-faced and demanding the expulsion of Jonessan, Iian called for Barbary and closed the door behind them.

Weishu left an hour later looking as if he had mites in his shorts. Jonessan left ten minutes after that, elated. Since that meeting he has been the coordinator and choreographer of the "war", training soldiers on non-lethal methods of subduing a foe and the finer details of pratfalls and stunt fighting. The golden-haired, green-eyed young man clearly loves his job and aside from attempting to woo every soldier that is not specifically male at the Fort, he spends his time practicing and planning for the next "performance".

Thames Platback

Thames Platback is the clan head of Platback clan, formed in 1407 when thirty of his relatives from Taur'en on Alindor came to put their backs into the Spine Mountains and help the Tilmarians. Whether he would have done this if his wife did not have family on Tilmar is anyone's guess but pressure from her and the chance to run his own clan lured him to the island where he has headed up the mining for iron and other metals with great success.

He is a dour dwarf albeit one with a big heart; his grandchildren call him "Grampygrumpy:? although anyone else trying that would likely feel a pick in their backside for the effort. He's broad, pot-bellied, with a grey beard past his waist and a fringe of grey hair around his ears and skin so calloused shaking hands with him is akin to getting one's hand sanded. He respects the meja-Domira, thinks the mido is nuts, and keeps a wary eye on the kagi whenever he is near. He is especially gruff with Gimura, thinking her a human infant who should be in school rather than in a mining operation.

Gimura Boro-amu

Gimura Boro-amu is a young woman just into her adulthood. She is the daughter of the mining foreman, and has spent her life traveling the tunnels of the mountains. When Blood's forces came through almost everyone in their path was destroyed. Some hid in the mountains, or were swept up into desperate flight toward Huangjin. Sadly, her family was just returning from a trading trip and didn't know they were in the way of danger; her mother put her on the nearest horse and sent the animal running in a direction away from the incoming army. She never saw her family again, and was taken in by a couple in Valianto only to flee to Huangjin later and end up stuffed on a boat fleeing the city. When she returned, it was with the determination that her people would not feel the pain she felt every day; loss, with no one to turn to.

Since volunteering at the fort she has sniffed out three new veins of iron, made headway with Thames (he almost gave her a compliment once), and attracted the attention of Barbary with her glossy black hair, deep dark eyes, and lithe figure.