Asefeh Al-Sahira (/ɛʃfə/)
The Speaker, Asefeh bint Hazquiyal Al-Sahira
"We never had a choice. Now we do. This was my bargain, a lifetime of services for the freedom of my sons: the spirited, the naive and the one who knew too much."Enchantress from the city of Hiyal, Asefeh Al-Sahira was known to be a powerful Yuan-Ti who ruled the metropolis for approximately a decade as a Calipha. She was also known as The Speaker, a being who was believed to be of divine power in The Cult of the False Hydra. Asefeh used to be a human that eventually got turned into a Yuan-Ti who grew up in the region of Zakhara. According to her son, she did not grow in a specific city, she rather grew in the desert as part of a nomadic tribe. She was a desert dweller.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Scribe's note: Only Soporific is able to recall what Asefeh looked like. The other adventurers are aware they saw her but are unable to remember her appearance.
The party witnessed Asefeh being an elder woman, looking like she was between 60 and 70 years old when she was still alive.
She had a certain presence even though she was weakened by the False Hydra. She was underweight with tendrils plunged under her skin.
The party witnessed Asefeh being an elder woman, looking like she was between 60 and 70 years old when she was still alive.
She had a certain presence even though she was weakened by the False Hydra. She was underweight with tendrils plunged under her skin.
Body Features
Her skin was adorned with scales with a sandy color. She used to wear a veil on her head, but some strands showed that she had coily dark brown and silver hair. Asefeh was wearing all sorts of golden jewelry, as well as a crimson kaftan dress.
Facial Features
Asefeh had wrinkles due to the deal she made with the False Hydra. Additionally, she had tiny scales on top of her head in horn-like shape, similar to Soporific's own scales.
Identifying Characteristics
Much like her sons, Asefeh possessed magenta-colored irises, apparently due to a strong mage ancestor in their bloodline.
Special abilities
Due to her connection with a False Hydra, Asefeh was able to modify the perception of reality of a whole city. She was also capable of modifying memories and remove them whatsoever.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Scribe's note: Most of the information were bestowed upon the Guild by Soporific. This information might be biased.
Asefeh grew as an Al-Badia, in a nomadic tribe. As a child, she showed prouesses in magic, especially from the school of Enchantment. Her tribe managed to use her magic to their advantage however, Asefeh's importance was only defined by her abilities, leaving her often exploited at a young age. When she was of age, her parents decided to marry her to the sheikh of her tribe which prompted to flee, as she did not want to be married.
She succeeded, only to get abducted by a group of Yuan-Ti, led by Kabir Al-Badawi. She was now trapped in the city of Hiyal and much like her time in her tribe, the people in power in the city used her abilities. At the time, the Yuan-Ti population suffered a plague that prevented the birth of female offsprings, which is why Asefeh got turned into a Yuan-Ti through a ritual. She already had a child before she transformed (Amaal Al-Badawi), and was pregnant of Soporific when she turned. She then had a third son (Batiss Al-Badawi) with a different man, which remains unknown to this day. Soporific was eventually requested by the previous Sultana of Hiyal to open the door of a temple below the palace, along with other Yuan-Ti. Upon opening the door, the released a False Hydra who was trapped. It is unsure how the False Hydra got in contact with Asefeh. It has been theorised that she followed her son to the palace and saw the False Hydra before it began to sing. As the False Hydra needed a sermonizer, Asefeh took advantage of the situation and became The Speaker. She replaced the Sultana, became the Calipha of Hiyal, established The Cult of the False Hydra for a decade before meeting her doom.
It has been mentioned that once the party started to attack the False Hydra, she assisted the party by attacking it as well. Due to this betrayal, Hope, who was in a trance caused by the Hydra, pushed Asefeh into a pit. She survived the fall barely before ultimately dying.
After her death, Amaal succeeded on the throne and became the Sultan of Hiyal. So far, it does not seem that he is following the same ideals of his mother. He seems to be focusing on helping rebuilding the city
She succeeded, only to get abducted by a group of Yuan-Ti, led by Kabir Al-Badawi. She was now trapped in the city of Hiyal and much like her time in her tribe, the people in power in the city used her abilities. At the time, the Yuan-Ti population suffered a plague that prevented the birth of female offsprings, which is why Asefeh got turned into a Yuan-Ti through a ritual. She already had a child before she transformed (Amaal Al-Badawi), and was pregnant of Soporific when she turned. She then had a third son (Batiss Al-Badawi) with a different man, which remains unknown to this day. Soporific was eventually requested by the previous Sultana of Hiyal to open the door of a temple below the palace, along with other Yuan-Ti. Upon opening the door, the released a False Hydra who was trapped. It is unsure how the False Hydra got in contact with Asefeh. It has been theorised that she followed her son to the palace and saw the False Hydra before it began to sing. As the False Hydra needed a sermonizer, Asefeh took advantage of the situation and became The Speaker. She replaced the Sultana, became the Calipha of Hiyal, established The Cult of the False Hydra for a decade before meeting her doom.
Death
According to the reports received from the adventurers, Asefeh died due to the death of the False Hydra. They were evidently intertwinned into being a same entity, though not completely. Her corpse vanished entirely into "dust", a quality that False Hydra's corpses share.It has been mentioned that once the party started to attack the False Hydra, she assisted the party by attacking it as well. Due to this betrayal, Hope, who was in a trance caused by the Hydra, pushed Asefeh into a pit. She survived the fall barely before ultimately dying.
After her death, Amaal succeeded on the throne and became the Sultan of Hiyal. So far, it does not seem that he is following the same ideals of his mother. He seems to be focusing on helping rebuilding the city
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
The main motivation of Asefeh was to protect her three children. From Soporific's memories, his mother was never able to raise his older brother Amaal as she wanted, as he was taken by his father. She stayed with both Soporific and Batiss. However, Soporific mentioned not having the best treatment from the Yuan-Ti of his city and therefore, Asefeh was tending to him more often even if she was prompted to give up on him. This is probably why Soporific was never killed by the False Hydra in the first place and escaped.
The second motivation is probably payback from what she experienced throughout her life. Asefeh did not care for anyone other than her children and who they trusted. She destroyed nearby villages and killed people without feeling any remorses. The number of total victims of her doing is unidentified and it is highly presumed that no one will be able to know.
Relationships
History
According to Soporific, his father found his mother in the desert when she fled from a forced marriage in her hometown. Kabir abducted Asefeh, brought her to Hiyal and made her part of his harem, which led her to get transformed into a Yuan-Ti. Since then, they stayed together mostly for advantageous purposes: Asefeh was less likely to be bothered by other Yuan-Ti, and Kabir had a fertile woman for descedance.
Relationship Reasoning
Asefeh and Kabir had an united agreement on their relationship. Their liaison only had the purpose to bear descedants to the Yuan-Ti of Hiyal, which they managed to have 2 children via their relationship: Amaal and Soporific There was not any kind of feelings at all, as it is fairly uncommon in a Yuan-Ti union. Additionally, as soon as Asefeh turned into the Speaker, she captured her spouse and tortured him as much as she could before her death.
Legal Status
Harem
Current Status
Deceased
Date of Death
Nightal 12
Life
1458 DR
1512 DR
54 years old
Circumstances of Death
Killed by the party sent for rescuing Hope
Place of Death
Hiyal
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Pronouns
She/Her
Sex
Female
Gender
Woman
Presentation
Feminine
Eyes
Magenta
Hair
Long coily dark brown hair
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Tan with sand colored scales
Belief/Deity
The Cult of the False Hydra (formerly Fate)
Abyssal
Draconic
Undercommon
Midani
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