Earthshaper Nali Stoneshade
Earthshaper Nali Syl Stoneshade (a.k.a. Gray Thorn)
Nali Stoneshade, co-leader of Kaspax and master herbalist of the Deep Gnomes, is a quiet force behind the city's restoration and innovation. Deeply rooted in the traditions of her people yet determined to lead them toward a sunlit future, Nali works tirelessly to develop cures and adaptations for the Deep Gnomes’ sunlight sensitivity. She is a sage of plantcraft and shadow magic, her wisdom quietly shaping Kaspax’s healing, alchemy, and subterranean defenses. Known for her silence and insight, she is both a revered spiritual figure and a practical guardian of her people’s survival.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Healthy and durable; slight limp from an old fall.
Body Features
Slightly hunched posture; webbed toes for tunnel grip.
Facial Features
High cheekbones, heavy brow ridge, soft but sharp features.
Identifying Characteristics
Moss-shaped birthmark on neck; three green gem-studs embedded along collarbone (ritual implants).
Physical quirks
Always hums before harvesting a plant.
Special abilities
Deep Gnome spellcasting (Disguise Self, Nondetection), herbal transmutation, shadow-dowsing.
Apparel & Accessories
Layered robes of felted mushroom fiber, pouches filled with seeds and tinctures, bone-carved belt charms.
Specialized Equipment
"The Virdis Prism" – a glowing crystal used to test light exposure effects.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Survived the fall of Hollowdeep and led a caravan of displaced Deep Gnomes to safer caverns. Studied natural alchemy and shadow-magic symbiosis.
Education
Apprenticed under three herbal sages, trained in Underdark botany, fungal magics, and planar alchemical theory.
Employment
Herbalist, vault alchemist, Deep Gnome cultural archivist
Accomplishments & Achievements
Developed heatless light moss used in the Deep Tunnels; co-founded the Tinkerers’ Consortium; brokered peace rituals with Duergar leaders.
Failures & Embarrassments
A miscalculated batch of radiant dampener tonic nearly blinded several volunteers—an accident that haunts her.
Mental Trauma
Carries survivor's guilt from the collapse of Hollowdeep; avoids discussing the event.
Intellectual Characteristics
Analytical, reserved, memory-focused, fluent in plant-speech rituals and rune-binding.
Morality & Philosophy
Believes in survival through harmony; does not seek dominance but balance between dark and light.
Taboos
Refuses to harm natural ecosystems for gain; opposes hoarding of knowledge.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Cure sunlight vulnerability, preserve Deep Gnome culture in a changing world.
Savvies & Ineptitudes
Expert in flora and potioncraft; awkward with large crowds or surface social politics.
Likes & Dislikes
Likes lichens, silence, stories of the surface.
Dislikes bright light, recklessness, wastefulness.
Virtues & Personality perks
Patient, generous, wise, selfless.
Vices & Personality flaws
Overworks herself, secretive, emotionally withdrawn.
Personality Quirks
Taps her ring-finger three times when deep in thought.
Hygiene
Immaculately clean in her workspaces; indifferent elsewhere
Representation & Legacy
Seen as the spiritual heart of Kaspax’s renewal. Her efforts will likely define the survival of Deep Gnome culture on the surface.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Tied to the Svirfneblin Tinkerers’ Consortium;
allies in the Vaultkeepers’ Guild
Duergar historian Thamrik Ironmaw.
Family Ties
Married to stonecrafter Pellin Stoneshade (deceased no children.
Social Aptitude
Soft-spoken, extremely observant, slow to trust.
Mannerisms
Bows head in silence to greet; rarely speaks without purpose.
Hobbies & Pets
Cultivating rare fungi, tracing root-systems through stone, copying ancient texts.
Speech
Measured and rhythmic; her voice has a gravelly musicality, often compared to water over stone.
Wealth & Financial state
Modest; prefers resource exchange over wealth.
Current Status
Develop a long-term cure or magical adaptation to Deep Gnome sunlight sensitivity.
Current Location
Species
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Earthshaper; Council-Sister of Kaspax
Age
222
Date of Birth
9th Thundralis
Birthplace
Hollowdeep; ancient cavern village in the Underdark
Children
Current Residence
A quiet burrow-library beneath the Ordning Vaults District, filled with tomes, terrariums, and glowing fungi.
Sex
Female
Eyes
Pale silver with faint violet flecks, slightly luminous in darkness
Hair
Long and ash-white, typically braided and bound in earth-toned cords.
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Granite-hued with subtle moss-colored undertones, rough-textured like carved stone.
Height
3'4"
Weight
42 lbs
Quotes & Catchphrases
“Stone can root, and so can we.”
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