Zaiden Destev

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Zaiden Destev

Zaiden Destev is a non-binary human with black hair, dark eyes, and a charming smile. They usually keep their hair tied in a tight bun. They are the leader of a vast criminal network known as the Sandsnakes, which lurks throughout the nation and is thus far undiscovered by the Godking. This network smuggles information, spices, and fine goods to the powerful and corrupt bankers of Lesmishan.

The Sandsnakes have been around for a couple years now, and have thus far managed to fly under the Godking’s radar, thanks to Zaiden’s excellent “check partner” system. All that are involved with the Sandsnakes are assigned a partner, and these partners must report any information leaks and signs of broken loyalty back to Zaiden. Because of this, all of those who work for the charismatic leader are constantly aware that any slip up might be caught by their check partner, and thus refrain from breaking the rules. On top of that, Zaiden tends to employ less experienced criminals, training them first before sending them out into the field. Those criminals generally do not have ties to other organizations and often feel like they owe Zaiden their loyalty for being given a chance despite their inexperience. When dealing with clients and rivals and their willingness to keep quiet, Zaiden finds that a little blackmail goes a long way.

Started from nothing

Zaiden keeps most of their history private, but it is general knowledge that they didn’t exactly have an easy start in life. They’ve dabbled in different jobs, some earnest, some less honorable. Yet it was the latter that they enjoyed the most, finding that those jobs were the perfect seeds for a bed of power. After having spent years working for and learning from other, more established criminals, they decided that it was time to create their own syndicate. Despite being in their early twenties, Zaiden managed to rapidly establish the Sandsnakes from the ground up, creating a reputation in the underworld that has been carefully kept under wraps to prevent trouble from the outside world. While some underestimate the leader because of their age and lack of experience, others argue that it is their youth that has created a fresh and so far successful approach to how a criminal organization should operate.

Pulling the strings

Zaiden has always been of the conviction that those in power are easy to corrupt and that those who corrupt them are the ones with real influence. It is the reason they have chosen to work with bankers, tempting them with information and illegal goods in exchange for some political sway. Zaiden has no interest in ruling the nation, as their organization is their one true love, but they like to envision a future where they can operate freely without repercussions from those sitting on the highest seats. For that, they realize, they need to not only become a leader, but a puppeteer too.

Silent execution

While Zaiden likes to think they have everything under control, Zaiden has lost a lot of sleep over a recent execution. One of their clients, a powerful banker and enjoyer of forbidden luxury goods, threatened to go public with sensitive information despite being blackmailed. Zaiden ordered their underlings to execute her, which proved successful, but the murder has been placed under investigation by the local authorities. While Zaiden taught their underlings to get rid of evidence, they are worried that they might have missed something, and that perhaps they should’ve hired someone with more experience for once. They keep this concern to themselves, however, as they are worried that expressing doubt will weaken their reputation as a confident leader.

Zaiden Destev
Monster Level: 3
Medium. Humanoid (Human)
STR	DEX	END	AWR	INT	CHA
0	1	0	2	2	3
	Ref: 11	Fort: 10	Ant: 12	Log: 12	Will: 13
Armor Rating 10 (12 with Impulse)
Hit Points 28
Speed 30 ft			Traits Iron Will
Skills (AWR) Perceiving +4, Investigating +2; (INT) Appraising +2, Economics +2, Evading +4 , Forging +3 , Law +2, Lockpicking +4, Politics +3, Sleight of hand +4; (CHA) Deceiving +4, Gossiping +4, Intimidating +4, Leadership +7, Persuading +4
Features
Deescalate. When Zaiden rolls Initiative, they can also make a CHA/Leadership roll. If their Leadership roll exceeds the WILL of every creature that also rolled Initiative, then combat does not start for at least 1 more minute, giving Zaiden the possibility of diffusing the situation. Safe House. In any major city, Zaiden can find a place to sleep and eat. Their hosts will not turn them over to authorities, but will not risk their lives for Zaiden.
Actions
Zaiden can MOVE and take ONE of the following actions.
Move. Zaiden moves up to their speed. Knife. Thrown (20 ft) One-Handed Weapon. +2 vs AR. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) sharp. Command. One of Zaiden’s allies within 60 ft of them can make a weapon attack. Focus. All of Zaiden’s allies within 30 ft of them gain the Focused condition against a hostile creature within 30 ft of Zaiden.
Reactions
Exploit (1/Round). Zaiden can Exploit.