Nashali
Nashali (a.k.a. Leto)
Nashali was born in the lands of the Essirae. Due to the baren lands and the frequent droughts, the area relied heavily on trade for survival, making the presence of pirates and sea creatures a serious issue. This is why he joined the mariner's conclave, to help address the problem.
However, when the clergy of Dentar obtained information about the bloodhunters, they gathered 5-10 random individuals who wouldn’t be missed to test whether they could create an enhanced yuan-ti, as yuan-ti were naturally more resilient. Promising them greatness and a path towards become greater snake-beings with the so-called blessing of their god, they did as they were told and time passed. Eventually, individuals from this group of 5-10 randoms began disappearing, and Nashali soon realized that the clergy was likely a scam and that they were probably going to be sacrificed to feed the higher-ranking snakes. So, he decided to flee as far away as he could.
But, as they say, "play stupid games, win stupid prizes"—the people he trusted to help him escape turned out to be unreliable, leaving him in the hands of people in a foreign place with unfamiliar customs. He ended up in the service of Lord Blackluster, without knowing how to escape in the most optimal way.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Leto has a tall, lithe, and toned physique —strong without bulk, and agile without fragility. His frame is built for both speed and endurance, combining athletic grace with subtle strength.
Body Features
Leto's naturally resilient against poisons of any form both due to his yua-ti heritage and his bloodhunter mutations.
Facial Features
His face is gaunt, slender and hollow-cheeked with a perpetual frown. His eyes are a piercing, reptilian yellow.
Identifying Characteristics
His forked tongue and serpentine eyes.
Physical quirks
Leto smells and tracks mostly using his tongue.
Special abilities
With a mesmerizing, gaze, he can bend the will of others. Additionally, he can spit poison and snakes respond to his voice as if bewitched.
Apparel & Accessories
His medium armor consists of a fitted breastplate with studded leather accents along the shoulders and arms, allowing freedom of movement. Practical and streamlined, it lets him move swiftly and easily, while an array of small pouches and potions hangs from his belt, ready for quick access. He also has a few piercings, the most notable being the snake bites.
Mental characteristics
Gender Identity
ssssnake, im a ssssnake, im a slithering sssnake
Education
Leto can read and write. He can read maps and is also accustomed and knowledgable of Military decrees as he has gone through extensive training in both a Blood Hunter and Ranger establishment.
Employment
His choice of occupation was a ranger; part of a mariner's conclave. Without much choice on the matter, he was abducted by the Night Serpent's clergy and forced to serve their nefarious purpose. Leto was later a slave and tracker under Lord Blackluster .
Accomplishments & Achievements
Leto almost killed lady Bellindra Keepowrath in a duel. However he was outwitted by her Channeling of Divinity and lost the fight, overwhelmed by the combined strength of her and her Wyvern: Skybreaker.
Failures & Embarrassments
Not only trusting Dentar's clergy, but also trusting the people who said they'd take him away from the desert.
Mental Trauma
Leto feels a lingering sense of violation, each mutation and cut a reminder of how his body was altered without consent. Though he's come to value their usefulness, they remain symbols of lost autonomy. He also feels stifled, as though his life has been controlled by others so far. The weight of this invisible chokehold drives his yearning to break free, to cast off every connection, rule, and expectation and reclaim his own path.
Morality & Philosophy
He believes one thing certain, that nature takes just as it gives and that in this world it's hunt or be hunted.
Taboos
Things going to waste.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Understand the current playing field and good old fashioned survival.
Savvies & Ineptitudes
Leto's primarily good at tracking, hunting and brewing various potions and poisons of any kind.
Yet, he's lacking the skills to maneuverer through social situations in the city.
Likes & Dislikes
Leto enjoys the warmth, whether that is of the sun, a campfire or sometimes even a tiefling. He also finds solace in the calm waters.
He dislikes quite a few things, some of which include cities, his people (Dentar's clergy to be more precise) and the cold.
Virtues & Personality perks
He is prudent and will hardly give in to his emotions easily.
Vices & Personality flaws
He can lack empathy more often than not and he will turn tail if it means his survival.
Social
Religious Views
His views aligned mostly with those of Selvyra and thus he stuck with her through most of his life.
He considers Dendar's clergy a scam.
Hobbies & Pets
All snakes are friends, unless they walk on two legs.
Wealth & Financial state
Melmoth's money.
Originally a ranger and part of a mariner's conclave with goals to combat the pirate and monster problem that the Essirae lands faced, he ended up a mutated bloodhunter and on the run after an unfortunate series of events.
View Character Profile
Alignment
True Neutral
Age
28 years old
Date of Birth
September 1st of 750 AoS
Birthplace
Essirae Port
Children
Gender
Male
Eyes
Honey
Hair
Pale
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tanned Olive
Height
6′ 1″ feet.
Weight
144 lb.
Common. Abyssal and Draconic
Someone's not playing fair
13th of October 778 AoS
Orders said we attack Umbrallys ships on sight. Their naval prowess is jack shit. Yet they way-overcompensated by sacrificing a cleric of theirs to bring down an angel. Skyblazer. Nice cheat.
Second angel I’ve seen in about a month. Someone claimed it has to do with the Legion of the Solar Storm, at least the one on the ship. Perhaps it's related to what Saekonungr mentioned.
Doesn’t matter much—fire still burns the same. I don’t think any flame’s burned more than his.
On a second thought. Orion's did.
We were to be trialed in the Twinned Isles. Alistair Combs—Simon’s contact—opened us a way out. Eliza and Althaea stayed behind. They figured they were better off there. They better be right.
We are ought to help Halbert. Retrieval. Paperwork. Seems like a headache but its not like we are spoiled for choice. Holt’s next. If we don’t get caught in something worse along the way, we’ll make it in time.
What the fuck will I do with Blackluster?
Bloodhunters originated from the West. From here. Obyriths, beings not materialized, if i understood it correctly, are linked with the abyss. One of it, or at least a part of, it is in my veins. We are supposed to be some short of Host. Explains a lot. Melmoth seemed to get it. Good thing the angel didn't strike him down.
Winter Fey Isle
29th of September 778 AoS
The island problem lead nowhere. Locals were sick—fey curse, by the looks of it. We’re keeping our distance now.
Ailwyn pushed for us to help. Said it might be the only way we’ could leave. Smiley handled it. Don’t know what he gave to the archfey, not sure if I want to know. Whatever it was, it worked.
Still. This place lingers in the bones. I'm cold and tired. Feels like we missed something, even if the trail’s gone cold. I have a bad itch about this. We should tell Flotnar. Let him make of it what he will.
We took a white dragon's heart and hide. Melmoth claims a dragon's consciousness resides in the remains of their hearts.
At least we made it back by morn.
Eliza’s a sorcerer. Something’s awakened in her, or something of the short. She’s having visions of upcoming doom. A figure calling her to Illinor. I can only assume what chasing omens does to people. Hope she keeps her eyes on the path, not the horizon.
I don’t speak arcane mumbo jumbo.
Note to self: Ask Simon. Don't touch snow bare handed.
Shiny Covenant
21th of September 778 AoS
We held something like a council in the morn. Things to remember:
Quintessence—divine power, or close enough. A lot of it found on "The Island" near the "Land beyond the Ocean." Flying ships. One torn in half. Infested with a cancerous form of life. An attack is coming. Taragor will probably be the first place of impact. The machines in the Island have a purpose of their own.
Oromis' wife demanded a covenant, signed with a divine seal, before she’d speak further.
I need to fix my shit. Thirty days remaining.
We lost our pilot. Hersir asked me to take the wheel. Been a while. Salt and waves—feels familiar. I am too far to ever go back.
Flotnar found a shipwreck. Cargo traced back to Samira-Sebak. No signs of a fight. Just the weird storm. Might be connected.
Lycastea was asked to check something on an island along the way. No harm in looking.
Steel Predators
20th of September 778 AoS
Seiki attended the festive battles, just like he said he would. Tough bastard held out for a while. Not long enough to reach the top.
Some warrior from Vornak's ship fought like a beast and made it through. Bjorn "the Immortal" they called him.
He died.
The festival ended on a blast.
Nalu arrived—Valantheriel Varlath’s ship. On it was Saekonungr and behind it a whole lot of trouble.
Steel beasts. About thirty.
Big. Loud. Tough. Non-magical attacks barely scratched them. They could teleport, closing gaps in an instant, and their roar wasn’t just noise—it rattled bones, shook you to your core.
Made it hard to think, hard to act. Worst part? They exploded when their last screw was loose. If you were too close, you went down with them. Took more than a few solid hits to put one down.
Safest place to be is somewhere safe from sound. Althaea took care of that. She seems reliable.
Aside from their tricks, they fought like any other beasts—fast, aggressive, relentless.
Simon has one of these beasts as a pet.
Seiki kept them off the rest of us. Bought time. It cost him.
Damn waste.
Althaea saw to his burial.
Melmoth creeps me the fuck out.
Saekonungr spoke of war coming. The more I pull at this thread the more tangled it seems to get.
Demons don't know Patience
20th of September 778 AoS
Another Yuan-ti is here—calls himself Essmer. Likely a runaway from Samira-Sebak grounds. Comepletely nuts. Only Simon and Lycastea seemed able to make sense of him.
Seiki’s new acquaintances from last night want passage on The Phoenix as the destination is convenient for them. I was to escort them to Vatënhad so they could make their arrangements.
At the port, the demon sent after Simon made its move. A Mortifex, nasty creature. Rank 5, standing only below Balors. Not something summoned lightly. Likely the sender's Planar Ally, which means its master, this Aylis, has significant pull. Known for its deceitful and gruesome nature, it changes its appearance based on the souls it has consumed. Its touch can twist and mold flesh. Disgusting.
If killed on its plane of origin, the souls are released form their torment. Depending on how much this Aylis wants Simon dead, we might see this big boy again.
It brought four Vroks as sidekicks.
Simon picked up on something in a warehouse—turns out Aylis is trading with the Empire, Blackluster most likely. Melmoth has his own plans for The Allience.
Then their Queen arrived. In the flesh. She’s hiding in Gregar’s home in Dorn Thurim. Lycastea spoke the name of the Goddess of the Crimson Swarm, and she answered the call.
This is more tangled than I expected. I need to step back, piece things together, collect my thoughts.
The cold is setting in deeper. Makes me sleepy.
Dwarves and more Dwarves
19th of Seprember 778 AoS
The voyage has been smooth. Winds have been nothing but favorable.
Melmoth has become white noise by this point. I worry one day he might say something important, and I’ll tune him out by habit.
Captain Smiley mentioned that a Nymph is said to carry the Blood Orchid, the flower he is looking for and also the cure for Seiki’s arm.
These news led to a detour north, so Jonas could pray, and the crew could search for the flower.
Upon reaching the shore, we were met by a group of overly enthusiastic dwarves. Surprisingly warm and far livelier than I’d expected. They held rites for their god, Saekonungr, urging him to return from his raid with loot as they would seek guidance for the future.
So much salt wasted for a god that never came.
People in this place hold too much faith still.
Saltreef's ships were there. Seeing their flags brought an itch I hadn’t felt in years. Those days are gone, but some feelings aren't.
Seiki found someone from his home, a half elf, Althea. She was part of a group: a Valoran, a Nymph, and an Alchemist that apparently a demon is hunting, send by an unknown woman.
The attendees’ revelry was chaotic: laughter, drinking, dancing, and voices all tangled together. It was enjoyable. The kind of energy I used to relish returning to, after weeks at sea. Back then, a few drinks with the crew could wash away everything. Now, I can’t even feel the alcohol. It's just water with flavor.
Never thought I would miss that of all things.
Night's weird and full of shit
4th of September 778 AoS
Things got stranger by nighttime.
Some young lord showed up and picked me and the tiefling apart from the rest. Eventually they handed us over to him, the man named Melmoth—cryptic, unsettling, but apparently got us released. Might be worth sticking around.
Seiki—the tiefling—wanted a go at one of the guards. We had to get out fast. Melmoth’s securing us a ship.
Not too long ago, an attack hit the city. We found some wounded black* elves. One’s a surgeon; she’ll be useful on board.
Blackluster's contract on me is through some secretive organization. Best to stay clear of them for now. A fellow countryman of mine works with them—knows too much. I’ll keep my distance until I know more about him and his intentions. One condition stands out: I’m only in trouble if I betray Blackluster intentionally.
Loophole: if Blackluster dies, contract’s null.
Oh and apparently, a celestial dropped down from above. Is this the norm around here? I should make a note of that.
.
.
.
*they come in different shades 'round these parts?
.
.
.
*they come in different shades 'round these parts?
Jailtime
4th of September 778 AoS
Cellmate’s named Friedrich. (Friedrich Verona, should make a note of that name) He was as surprised by Blackluster as Ser Belindra was. Offered me a place and work on his land. An offer that might be worth considering if we both get out of here.
They lined us up, took us to a dome. Protective suits—Poison. I could smell it in the air. A strong one... Black Lotus?
Friedrich and a few others talked about an escape. Could be worth a shot. I can only get to work on Verona's lands if Lord Verona and me are free.
One prisoner there reeked of Hells? Abyss? A tiefling. He is loud and short-tempered, kept mentioning he is ‘Demon King Muramasa’s blood.’
Bestiary Pt. 2. Ser Belindra Kippowrath, Dragonborn
3rd of September 778 AoS
Ser Belindra is striking, even for her kind. shimmering golden scales—Dragonborn. Her full plate armour is as ornate as it is functional, though not impenetrable. She wields a halberd with precision and force, using it to control her opponents and lock them down.
She holds the title of Ser and Archon. I don’t know exactly what Archon means, but it carries weight—and she lives up to it.
Combat with her isn’t a simple scrap. She’s a paladin. Her teleportation spells made her appearance unpredictable. She ended our fight by paralyzing me with divine magic.
Lesson learned: don’t give her an opening for spells.
She’s not the type to leave her allies behind, either—she healed her wyvern mid-battle without hesitation.
Fire resistance wasn’t much of an issue, but her armour made landing solid hits difficult. Her dragonborn physiology—a weakness I know well—helped even the odds. She’s durable, though, and wears you down through persistence.
She’s clever, too. While she failed to detect me multiple times, she baited me into revealing myself—a mistake I won’t repeat. She’s trained for longer fights where patience and strategy are her weapons as much as her halberd.
The best approach against her—and her wyvern—isn’t brute strength. Hit-and-run tactics worked for me, staying ahead in a game of cat and mouse. Letting her corner you is a death sentence. Her weapon is deadly enough, and her magic only tilts the fight further in her favour.
Formidable, but not invincible. She bleeds like any other dragonborn.
Note to self: Don’t underestimate her again
Bestiary Pt.1. Belindra's Wyvern
3rd September 778 AoS
Wyverns are natural predators. Built to hunt and kill they're dangerous even when you know what to expect.
This wyvern had the usual built, two legs to separate it from its four legged cousins, the dragons, and a poison stinger perched like a scorpion’s tail. The venom sacs in the stinger are valuable.
This one had an additional trick: it could breathe fire. Not as powerful or precise as a dragon’s, but enough to torch a clearing. Wyverns don’t typically breathe fire, which made this one puzzling. Maybe something to do with its golden dragonborn rider.
They usually rely heavily on their senses, making hiding from one a gamble. This one nearly tracked me down.
I had to chase it while it was airborne. That was a challenge—it’s fast and manoeuvrable. If you plan to shoot it down, you’ll need patience and precision. Its scales weren’t particularly tough, though. About eight good hits brought it down.
A wyvern on the ground isn’t harmless, but it’s less of a nightmare.
This one took a defensive stance, stinger high and ready. Stay out of range of the tail and the fire.
Mid-fight, the rider joined—a dragonborn in full plate. A wyvern with a rider is a different beast entirely. Together, they were coordinated and efficient, with the dragonborn directing the wyvern’s aggression like an extension of herself.
They aren’t as intelligent as dragons, yet they are capable of listening orders if raised right. The rider is proof of this.
Average Night in this Hellhole
3rd of September 778 AoS
A wyvern hit the camp on my watch near Blackluster’s tent. I gave chase.
Been a while since I had a hide and seek that intense.
The beast wasn’t alone—had a rider in full plate. Dragonborn. Maybe that explains the coordination.
I nearly had her, but one mistake gave her the opening. I didn’t get away.
The dragonborn is something called an "Archon" here. They call her Ser Bellindra Kippowrath. She’s not half bad. Might even find her company enjoyable under a different situation.
Seems slavery’s illegal in these parts. She wasn’t pleased with Blackluster’s methods.
Tomorrow, it’s Holt’s jail for me.
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