Zenith Cavendish character profile

Role in Story: Phin’s brother

Occupation: Bartender


Physical Description: Zenith is fairly tall with angular features. He has dark eyes that often appear black. He wears his hair longer than is customary.

Personality: Zenith hates authority. He has spent time in the prison of The State, several times. He is a member of The Alliance and completely understands the dangers of the others around him. His plan is to be the baddest of the bad, to become a person that other need in order to survive.

Habits/Mannerisms: He drums his fingers when he is bored or annoyed. He has a certain stare that makes the blood run cold.


Background: Zenith, and his brother Phin, were brought up in boys’ schools. His mother died giving birth to him and his father cared only about work and drink. When the boys were very young, he pawned them off to an aging aunt. Zenith was never sure the woman was actually related. She put them to work doing menial tasks, whatever they were able to do for their age. Otherwise, they were often locked in an attic room with little but their imaginations and a few toys. Zenith always dreamed of breaking out - not only of the woman’s home, but of Capercairn in general. He wanted to be anywhere but there, from the earliest of ages.

Internal Conflicts: His only internal conflict that anyone knows about is his love for his nephew, Moseley. He straightened up some when Moseley was born. He wished, if not to be a role model for the boy, to be his friend and to show him around the world they had access to. His other internal conflict is a wish to have a family of his own. He has never felt that anyone other than Phin cared for him. He secretly wished his life was different and that he fit into society. He wished he could settle down, but alas his life did not afford that luxury.

External Conflicts: Zenith has a constant external conflict with the law. He fights enough with members of The Alliance, who are nefarious to say the best. But his conflict with the law has always hung over his head. There came a time, when he was still a youth, that he decided “going straight” was no longer an option. He was targeted for crimes he never committed and was often imprisoned for them. He was also fined heavily - it seemed every time he had a nest egg started, some bogus fine would come along and rob him of it.

Motivations: Zenith is motivated by self-preservation. He always wanted more. He told himself he got into The Alliance looking for a new way of life. He was promised an uprising against The State. He was told there would be a new way of life. That, he admitted, was true for most. But, for him, fighting for everything had been a way of life forever. Always looking over his shoulder to ensure his safety was already a way of life. As far as he could see, that was all The Alliance offered. But he could not go back. His appointed job was long gone. He was no longer welcome on the streets of Capercairn in the daylight.