Description
Though often cowled, the lattice of dead-white scars marring the left side
of this dark elf's face draw the eye past the smirk that plays beneath
violet eyes, too warm for comfort. His shoulders droop in a habitual slouch
that lends him an almost approachable air - until one notices the tension
coiled in the sinewed cords at his wrists, or the gentle sway of a
bone-flanged flail - ornamental and inscribed with viper iconography -
resting like an old friend at his hip. There's ease in his posture, charm in
his tone, and something coiling just beneath - something that watches while
he smiles.
Role
Viper from Below
Added Wed Apr 30 14:23:28 2025 at level 1:
Born to the serpent-worshipping cult of Nel'Zikahn, Draynil was reared in the
service of the opposition to Lolth that the Rogue House espouses. A male
priest, honed from birth to be an example of the folly of the Spider Queen in
Her sexism, Draynil was selected for his evident skill at beseeching the
Divine powers for intervention - unlike many of his peers, he seemed to have a
natural aptitude for it that got him sent to the Adventurer's academy to join
the guild of the Shamans.
Sent as an envoy by the House Nel'Zikahn to acquire allies in the surface
world, none seem as prominent or as helpful as the Empire, a war machine that
runs on gold and bones. While his true loyalties are to the serpent god,
Draynil believes it will be far more sane of him to worship one of the
Imperial powers to prove to the Council that Nel'Zikahn is a far more worthy -
and powerful! - ally than Teth Azeleth would be. It would be calamitious to
the dark elves' desire to overthrow the Spider Goddesss if the Empire ended up
allying with their enemies, after all.
To this effect, he seeks to initiate himself in the worship of Destuvius to
bring stability and protection to his people, the House Nel'Zikahn, and to
join the Empire as a Blood-Oath so that he may make the first step towards
true greatness - joining the bottom rung of the pyramid in the hopes that one
day very soon he would reach the top and exhibit the strength of what a
dark-elven male could bring to the Empire in a clerical role.
I would very much appreciate, if Destuvius reads this and permit such a
request, to seek the paths of War primarily and of Pain/Vengeance secondarily,
so that good roleplaying time is not wasted begging for certain powers,
considering dormancy/a tight schedule.
First Steps
Added Thu May 1 05:34:35 2025 at level 12:
Having arrived to the surface world, Draynil found themselves rapidly
approaching a dark-elven healer of the Empire - a Priest, even, which Draynil
was given to understand was the highest rank below High Priest.
Taking the Oath easily enough, Draynil investigated of him where he was from -
and was shocked to discover that the man was from Teth Azeleth! And a Healer!
How could a priest come from the place he was always told was anathema to his
entire gender, viewed as rubbish to be trodden underfoot, their potential and
superiority ignored?
Draynil quietly noted that they would be a threat later, but for now, he was
to obey the healer as a superior. Those who were stronger would always end up
on top - such was the nature of things.
Making pilgrimage to the Divine Asylum, Draynil reads the tomes there and is
in awe of the structure thereof, offering prayers at the great adamantite
altar and noting Lord Destuvius' seeming love of titanium in particular. As a
warpriest focused on light armor, he regrets that titanium would not be
something he could truly wear a suit of.
Draynil discovered the barracks of the High Guard, and felt that was a great
aspiration - Draynil wished to guard the House Nel'Zikahn, and what better
place to learn how to destroy one's enemies than in the Divine Asylum, focused
on protecting civilization as a whole?
The Offering of the Bloodoath
Added Mon May 5 09:54:14 2025 at level 26:
To defend and to teach.
Nigthara is the first adventurer that Draynil has slain - albeit with the aid
of a bard, Leophanis - and the way it went down gives him consternation.
Was this really how overworlders acted?
Offering the blood of Nigthara to Destuvius upon the adamantite altar, he
walks by the large adamantine grate and admires that there is a dark-elf
visible through the bars, apparantly delivering judgment on wrongdoers -
knowing that he walks in this way and taking heart in his killing.
The chaotic shapeshifter had refused the oath and then went on a wild, chaotic
rant about how Draynil was a 'liar', which made him chuckle. A dark elf, a
liar? Incredible that he hadn't even lied. The things the chaotics will come
up with to justify their own existances.
Draynil considers the ethos of acquiring the black sash from assisting a
Scion, Cantydine, to kill the Goodly in Azuremain. While this is technically
against Imperial law, Draynil knows the Emperor Himself, Skauzyn, bears one.
If the Emperor is doing it, then no one could possibly fault him for also
doing so, he reasons, as he practices cleaving the mage's shields. But perhaps
when Draynil is Emperor he will ban this so that he can selectively...curate,
the Empire, of those he does not give special permission to have aided the
traitors - even for such a fantastic reward. Those who endanger Nel'Zikahn.
Empowerment and Tutelage
Added Sat May 10 14:04:39 2025 at level 33:
As Draynil was venturing forth in the Battlefield of Ostalagiah Past with
Rharak, a necromancer who aspired to the Inn -foolishly in Draynil's eyes-
they spoke about religion and the Grand Design at length. Draynil gave Rharak
the example of Imperial strength being that they all strove to out-do each
other and thus become all powerful links in the chain of their own right. When
Draynil saw that his donations were equivalent to Ktarkon's, he strove to
double his own! Mevnush, a Priest, even took notice of this, and the sect rose
from third in donations to first.
Granted power from Lord Destuvius in return for his efforts, Draynil smirked
to himself. He was finally on the path to Dominion - and then, to aid
Nel'Zikahn from his favored position in Imperial society. He had spoken with
Mevnush, finally asking the question - 'how does a male end up in a holy
order', since Mevnush was a priest, and discovered they shared a loathing of
the Spider Queen. Perhaps not an enemy after all.
As he made his way back to the Battlefield, Rharak complained of being struck
at by Nees.
This annoyed Draynil not because Rharak was being hit by an Imperial, but
because Rharak mentioned that Nees failed to kill her, was incompetent, and
showed Imperial weakness - that it seemed like 'the Empire wasn't that strong
after all'.
Draynil decided he would inquire of the High Priest after blood reckoning, and
received a lecture from Destuvius about how the Blood Reckoning should not be
used for any petty disputes but only in situations where the Law must be
disregarded to punish someone severely - that the loser would almost certainly
become Anathema.
Draynil meditates upon this, knowing that it is knowledge that will serve him
well when he himself becomes High Priest.
He seeks to fulfill Destuvius' task of slaying 5 enemies and acquiring 2
recommendations from other Imperials or Destuvians.
Task Complete
Added Tue May 27 21:56:22 2025 at level 51:
Veyrdoth.
Utek.
Sylren.
Mithranyr.
Dalanthilios.
Each of these five have been granted death at Draynil's hands, and been
offered the Blood Oath.
None have yet learned, so the fighting continues, but Draynil has completed
the task set him by Lord Destuvius, to slay five enemies and acquire two
recommendations, sent to the Asylum - one from the War Master, Leophanis, and
one from the Shadow, Zulthrae.
The Empress likewise stated Her recommendation would be coming forth in return
for the heads of these five enemies.
He returns to the adamantite and titanium throne, to display his ability to
the Lord and seek further instruction.
The battle has not gone well.
Outnumbered and outskilled at every turn, Veyrdoth even stated during a recent
raid 'You most improved enemy. Once easy. Now hard. Be proud.'
While praise from a barbarian was aggravating, Veyrdoth's skill was such that
his words were not meaningless. Draynil cloaks himself in equipment that hides
his loss of vitality so that he may continue to toil for the glory of house
Nel'Zikahn.
PK Wins
May 4, 2025 |Lv 25|The Lower Voralia's Tears|Nigthara vs 2: [32] Leophanis (45%), [25] Draynil (54%, poison)
May 7, 2025 |Lv 31|The Imperial Lands|Raulf vs 3: [34] Ktarkon (44%, KB), [31] Draynil (11%), [34] Leophanis (44%)
May 16, 2025|Lv 44|BattleRager Village|Xellius vs 4: [44] Draynil (28%), [51] Ihmeria (55%, claw), [51] Frennya (1%), [51] Felyndiira (15%)
May 20, 2025|Lv 51|The Imperial Palace|Tuva vs 3: [51] Vorrgar (9%, torments), [44] Zilga (83%), [51] Draynil (6%)
May 22, 2025|Lv 51|The Imperial Lands|Utek vs 1: [51] Draynil (100%, frigid chop)
May 22, 2025|Lv 51|The Imperial Palace|Veyrdoth vs 1: [51] Draynil (100%, torments)
May 26, 2025|Lv 51|Ruins of Maethien|Mithranyr vs 1: [51] Draynil (100%, torments)
May 26, 2025|Lv 51|Arkham|Sylren vs 1: [51] Draynil (0%, claw)
May 27, 2025|Lv 51|The Redhorn Mountains|Felyndiira vs 6: [51] Kraittosus (16%), [51] Evlydia (12%), [51] Caelestis (0%), [51] Mlartlar (55%, pugil strike), [51] Aulindria (12%), [51] Draynil (3%)
May 27, 2025|Lv 51|The Eastern Road|Dalanthilios vs 1: [51] Draynil (100%, frigid chop)
May 30, 2025|Lv 51|The Imperial Lands|Evlydia vs 2: [51] Czecseth (67%), [51] Draynil (32%, torments)
May 30, 2025|Lv 51|The Imperial Lands|Mlartlar vs 2: [51] Czecseth (37%, claw), [51] Draynil (62%)
Jun 3, 2025 |Lv 51|The Imperial Lands|Quelin vs 1: [51] Draynil (100%, torments)
Jun 6, 2025 |Lv 51|Fortress of Light|Mlartlar vs 1: [51] Draynil (100%, frigid chop)
Jun 9, 2025 |Lv 51|Ruins of Maethien|Laeyanna vs 3: [51] Draynil (0%), [48] Gebba (77%, divine power), [50] Ruumozai (22%)
Jun 9, 2025 |Lv 51|Ruins of Maethien|Romshwar vs 3: [50] Ruumozai (13%), [48] Gebba (26%), [51] Draynil (60%, black light)
Jun 9, 2025 |Lv 51|Forest of Prosimy|Kraittosus vs 2: [51] Ruumozai (18%), [51] Draynil (81%, crush)
Jun 11, 2025|Lv 51|Fortress of Light|Xalaei vs 4: [51] Kraittosus (5%), [51] Ninch (51%, claw), [51] Draynil (12%), [51] Ruumozai (31%)
Jun 11, 2025|Lv 51|Fortress of Light|Xalaei vs 2: [51] Ruumozai (10%), [51] Draynil (89%, pierce)
Jun 12, 2025|Lv 51|Underdark|Vexeria vs 1: [51] Draynil (100%, imperial vengeance)
Jun 14, 2025|Lv 51|Fortress of Light|Xalaei vs 1: [51] Draynil (100%, torments)
Jun 14, 2025|Lv 51|The Imperial Lands|Xalaei vs 1: [51] Draynil (100%, torments)
Jun 14, 2025|Lv 51|The Imperial Lands|Xalaei vs 3: [51] Frennya (4%), [47] Rharak (29%), [51] Draynil (66%, pierce)