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Born over a quarter century ago in the city of Atrum, local officials quickly discovered that Zebidiah had the Gift for magic, but lacked the talent. His frequent miscastings and failures in this regard earned him both a reputation as an incompetent boob and the ire of his instructors, who were always cleaning up his messes. The headmaster of the school even declared him "unsalvagable" and "an utter waste of metaphysical gifts".
The constant abuse raining down on him caused him to study - and excell in - other subjects - anatomy, history, mathematics and a plethora of others. What his instructors failed to recognize was that while his tolerance for chanelling the energies of spells was low, his mind was a steel trap, grabbing and retaining information. Without this information, he was constantly mistreated until eventually, he hit the breaking point and began planning escape. Hounded through the streets as his disappearance was discovered, he stowed away on a ship, leaving forever Atrum.
Once discovered, he was put into a position of servitude. It took him a year to demonstrate his utility, and with the ship lacking a doctor due to cholera, Zebidiah became the ships doctor. He proved surprisingly apt at the job, probably due to a combination of his prior knowledge and an inborn talent for medicine. He served on the boat for five years, until it was run aground in an attempt to escape pirates off the east coast of the continent. Zebidiah left what little of the crew had survived the battle, going his own way. He had heard that in the Magar lands, one with the gift could be free, and he desperately wanted this.
He arived in Duneain at an opportune time - there was an epidemic within the villiage, and Zebidiah was of assistance to the apothecary in solving the problem. Using the reputation he gained from this, he catapulted himself into the political position of Deputy Mayor in the next election at the side of Thom O'Brady, and has since that time solved many problems and helped to negotiate trade with nearby Caius and other villiages. In a very real sense, Zebidiah is the power behind the mayor, keeping their duo popular with actual results while the mayor keeps them popular by doling out political favors. Despite their extremely effective working relationship, the two harbor a mutual dislike, with the mayor seeing Zebidiah as a pompous ass, and Zebidiah seeing the mayor as nothing but an ornament in the office of Mayor. However, across town it is well known that neither would do as well apart as they do together.
About two years after having arrived in town, Zebidiah adopted the son of Gaius Danford, a merchant who was well connected with the political elite in Caius. Zebidiah had known the man from his days shipboard, and had persuaded him to attempt to convince the ruling body of Caius to open more favorable trade status with Caius. However, during negotiations, Gaius's home was firebombed. Zebidiah's strong suspicion is that it was a move by a Magar criminal syndicate to keep the local cost of charcoal high through tarrifs. Since charcoal is an ingredient in Firecandy, their smuggling operations would net them far greater benefit as they would be able to undercut rivals in their prices on the drug. Feeling responsible as he was the one who pushed Gaius and his family into danger, he adopted Gaius's now orphaned son Cornelius and took it upon himself to see to the lad's education. Cornelius is to Zebidiah both a burden and a joy, and Zebidiah wants nothing more than for the boy to have a happy and full life, in spite of the harm Zebidiah's meddling has caused.
His success in Duneain has not been attributable to his magical abilities, but rather his quickly earned reputation as a quick and efficient solver of problems. In fact, Zebidiah can count on one hand the number of spells he has cast since entering Duneain five years ago. He sees that part of his life as at an end, and is loathe to cast any longer.
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