A cub warrior of the Oilwater Tribe, like most of the young men Zakk was raised communally, away from his mother. He was brought up handling spears and bows, trained to fight unarmed and later even introduced to guns, relics of the Time Before. As an adolescent, he was lead out into the wastes and taught the arts of hunting and survival, how to find untainted water, which animals were safe to eat and how to judge radiation levels. He learned the lay of the land, and which Ancient buildings were likely to have food and other supplies to loot.

He was gregarious with his fellow warriors, always cheerful, never letting the constant skirmishes with the other tribes wear him down. When the elders heard that a great horde of the Changed, people mutated by the radiation, were invading the region Zakk was selected as a scout to investigate what had befallen their enemies. He hoped that success in the mission would earn him the privilege of mating with one of the tribe's women.

Zakk stands 6'1” tall, a good height in this age of sickness and malnourishment. Hard work and battle have given him a powerful build, but he remains light-footed and agile. Blond dreadlocks fall to his shoulders,and his arms and chest are crudely tattooed with swirling spirals and vicious animals. His eyes are a startling pale green in tanned and radiation scorched flesh, and a few scars mark his deep brows and sharp cheeks.