Sholo Maa

### Connections

Asmodeus, The Shadow, Herald of the Deep One, Lost City of Krakesque, Captain Cornelius Armstrong

## Campaign Appearances

### Main Campaign(s)

*Miss Demeanor*

> *I respect your desire for freedom. Truly, I respect it. But that does not mean I shall grant it!*
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> -Sholo to Captain Armstrong
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**Sholo Maa** was an agent of Asmodeus, stationed on Io. A Shadow inhabiting a Kobold's body, he was tasked with guarding the brood of the Herald of the Deep One and the sunken city of Krakesque. Sholo became a nemesis for Captain Cornelius Armstrong when he broke their deal and claimed the old sailor's soul for himself.

## Description

### Appearance

Sholo's original appearance is unknown. However, on Io, he takes the form of a kobold. The kobold wears a heavy black hooded robe. An old dragon whelping skull covers his head like a mask.

### Personality

Sholo presented to others as a polite and business-like individual. He was usually careful with his words and always did his best to appear friendly even when his action spoke the opposite. However, his demeanor was normally downright patronizing, poking fun at the pirates, making wry comments and calling Armstrong tame and docile. He rarely raised his voice, interrupted or lost his cool. In fact, for the most part, Sholo was always unnervingly calm, not easily intimidated by the blustering of pirates. Only on rare occasion did Sholo betray any form of passion, such as when Layton threatened to crush the Krakesque Egg or during his abduction of Armstrong. He was also normally careful and cautious, consistently checking in on Armstrong to ensure he did not plan on thwarting him and observing Layton while in the Shadow for similar reasons.

However, Sholo was also duplicitous and unscrupulous. In addition to constantly withholding crucial information from the pirates, he backstabbed Cornelius Armstrong by claiming his soul while Armstrong yet lived, which was not part of the arrangement. He also hid this information from his own master Asmodeus in a selfish desire to take Armstrong's body as his vessel, despite serving the Lord of All Shadows faithfully for generations. Sholo ultimately desired to be free from the Shadow, and he would do anything to achieve it. It must be said that, in his own way, Sholo came to respect the pirates. He complemented their skill upon defeating the Warmaster and for their victory over Kaasma Khara. In addition, while fighting the crew for the last time, he admitted to respecting their desire for freedom. However, that respect did not prevent him for trying to manipulate and kill Armstrong and his crew for his own purposes.

## History

### Background

Sholo was once an Astari who lived on Io. During the Jupiter Incident, he was sundered like the rest of his kin, and his soul was plunged into the Shadow. For centuries, he endured the torture of living in the Shadow Veil and desperately wanted to escape. To this end, he became one of the foremost agents of a powerful Shadow called the Deep One, a former elder in his old society. Under the Deep One's command, they began to conceive of a ritual by which they could return to Io via weakening the barrier between the two planes. In the event they could not find their original bodies, which had been lost to the Astral, the plan was to utilize the bodies of the new inhabitants of Io as their vessels. Once free of the Shadow, they could claim their home once more.

### Guardian of Krakesque

Sholo was handpicked for the guardianship of Krakesque after the Deep One's deal with Warmaster Jiang went south and caused Krakesque to be claimed by the waves. Sholo took the form of a kobold to act as caretaker of the island and ensure the Sunken City was kept safe. Sholo watched over Krakesque and the surrounding area for hundreds of years. This involved looking after the brood of the monstrous kraken that served as the Herald of the Deep One.

## Phase 2 Story

### Strangers on the Shore

One day, in the year 735, Sholo was awakened on the island outside Krakesque by his master. He noticed the creation of a vast maelstrom around where the city of Krakesque once was. Soon after, a wrecked ship, torn in half, flew into the vortex, piloted by none other than the Warmaster, returning to claim the city. Sholo did not intervene, and instead waited for the inevitable arrival of adventurers looking to stop him. Sure enough, not long afterwards, a group of pirates washed up on the shores of Sholo's island, shipwrecked. They wandered for a bit before barging into Sholo's hut. Rather than turn them away, he welcomed them in. The young boy Alice explained they had shipwrecked and Sholo offered his hospitality. Sholo admitted to have been expecting people to arrive, given the unnatural storm and the ruins of the sunken city rising from the water. Sholo, well aware of the Warmaster and his deeds, asked if they were here to face of against him, which the crew confirmed. He introduced himself as Sholo Maa, a witchdoctor and that he and his family kept the history of Krakesque passed down for generations, which was a lie to dissuade them from learning more of him.

### Tales of Krakesque

Sholo explained that Krakesque was once a glorious kingdom, one of the first of Io. However, the self-proclaimed Warmaster Jiang stepped forwards, claiming such prosperity could not last. Sholo explained the Warmaster's supposed paranoia of other nations caused him to manipulate the people into desiring an army to defend themselves. Once he was put into power, the Warmaster's desire for power as Lord of Krakesque and his fiction of invaders became known and he was exiled. The Warmaster, stripped of all power, sought out the Deep One in desperation and made a pact with it. The Warmaster led the Deep One to Krakesque and the entire city was taken by the Deep One. The Warmaster, Sholo stated, also fell prey to the Deep One, and was in turn consumed. Despite this, the Warmaster had somehow returned to Krakesque.

Sholo explained that once the Warmaster claimed the throne of Krakesque and brought it back to Io, he could raise an army of undead to take over the entire world. The gold hoard of Krakesque was the key to controlling the city, and the Warmaster now had the capacity to do that. Sholo said he saw the Warmaster sail a dilapidated ship into a vortex. The anguished owner of the ship, Layton Beardthrone, produced a sword and asked Sholo about it. Sholo, impressed, explained the sword was forged in Krakesque, and meant to be the Warmaster's blade, though he never wielded it due to his banishment. Layton proclaimed the sword chose him, and displayed a tattoo on Primordial numbers on his back. Sholo expressed surprise at the idea of a living weapon, and deemed it foolish. He warned Layton the sword was a being, not a tool, and it was likely letting him wield it to destroy the Warmaster, the enemy of its city. Sholo also identified the coin that they inserted into the hilt of the sword as just a coin. The beacon they followed came from the sword alone, an impressive feat of magic as far as Sholo was concerned.

### The Deal

The pirates discussed among themselves, deciding they needed to go after the Warmaster and get the gold away from him. They asked the kobold if he knew a way in. Sholo was unable to conceal a smile upon this request. He stated he did know of a way, but the pirates would not like it. Krakesque was now a city of the dead, he said, and the living would not survive long down there. Sholo informed them he could provide a spiritual barrier to disguise their life force from the city, though it were temporary. Without the barrier, the city would certainly claim their souls for its own. When asked for a way out, Sholo stated such a thing was beyond his power. He also reminded them that the Warmaster had not claimed the city yet, as the sword was the one part of the treasure he needed to make his rule absolute.

Layton also stated that a mage of some kind informed him he could control a sea creature of some kind with the sword. Sholo interpreted this as the sword having the capacity to commune with his master's herald. He wryly stated it would deal with the Warmaster, but likely consume the city and potentially them as well. Though Sholo may have been suggesting this for his own ends, it was quickly shot down by the boy Alice and Captain Layton. Sholo simply stated it was worth considering and reverted to the original plan. He asked to speak to the captain alone, only for both Cornelius Armstrong and Layton Beardthrone to announce themselves as captains. Sholo, taking it in stride, ushered the rest of the crew out to speak with them.

Taking the two captain aside, Sholo informed them he was able to shield the crew from the necrotic energies that permeated the lost city and provide a back-up barrier for the crew, but not the two captains. He also said he could provide their safe passage to and from Krakesque via means of a leyline to Kreshart. However, he needed something in exchange from the captains; a soul from one of them. Layton offered himself as tribute immediately, though Armstrong disagreed. The two captains asked Sholo to leave so they may discuss, which he complied with. However, he asked that they do not tell the rest of the crew, least they try to offer themselves instead. He claimed this happened often with these kinds of deals.

Sholo waited patiently in the rain, staying apart from the rest of the crew. When he was called back, he was accused of getting the better part of the deal. Sholo dryly stated they would be doing a good thing for Io. The pirates cajoled him, stating he didn't look trustworthy and even labelling him as the Deep One. Truly offended, Sholo stated he could never accept such a title, considering it already belong to his master. Armstrong suggested that the shaman needn't take their souls right away, rather he should take it once they had passed on from this world. Sholo considered, and asked if Armstrong wanted to live a full life. Armstrong claimed he only had a few years left, so it wouldn't be much of a wait. Sholo agreed to Armstrong's terms, and declared he would take all of them back. Armstrong noted such a thing was in his power all along, to which Sholo shrugged and claimed it to be part of the negotiation process. As proof he had the power to do so, he extracted Layton's soul from his body temporarily with the captain's permission. This was enough to convince Armstrong. Despite the protestations of Captain Layton, demanding a written contract and attempting to take Armstrong's place, the two conducted a pirate's handshake, which involved both slitting their palms and shaking hands.

### Descent to Krakesque

Upon the binding of the contract, Sholo asked for the crew to come back in. He asked their services in getting one more thing in exchange for his help. He asked that they bring him an egg from the nesting grounds of the Deep One's Herald, located on this island. The egg would allow him to complete the ritual that would get them to Krakesque safely. When the captains complained that wasn't in the deal, Sholo stated he was physically incapable of getting it, and it had no bearing on their initial deal. Furious of the kobold's evasive dealings, the pirates left for the nesting grounds, leaving Sholo in the company of their gnome. After some time, the gnome irritated Sholo enough that he extracted his soul and stuffed it in a jar in order to shut him up.

A while later, the pirates returned with an egg, to find Wood Gnome unconscious outside. Sholo returned the soul of the gnome and tried to justify himself as the pirates admonished him for his maltreatment of their crewmate. During the conversation, Layton introduced Scrum, a hatchling of the Deep One. Genuinely shocked, Sholo was fascinated the hatchling actually imprinted on him, but stated it was its choice to follow Layton. The pirates handed over the egg and Sholo marveling that it was still intact. It became apparent to Layton that Sholo was dishonest. Layton initially didn't want to give up the egg, but Sholo reminded them that he was still honoring the deal. Layton threatened to crush the egg, which cause Sholo a lot of distress. Heated and worried, the shaman declared he needed to care for the egg until it hatches, as his responsibility as the caretaker. He was equally incised that Layton managed to make a pet of one of its children. Sholo was happy to give up the child Scrum, but not the egg. During the argument, Alice stepped in to defuse the situation. However, Layton let slip his concern about the soul of Armstrong. Sholo stomped back inside his hut to let the crew converse amongst themselves, letting them know if anything happened to the egg, he would not help him.

After some time, Sholo came back out. The pirates agreed to hand over the egg, though Layton still was reluctant, in case Sholo planned to take back the Deep One. Sholo ensured them the Deep One had never left. Layton also asked about a tower, though Sholo had no knowledge of it. Sholo admitted to never venturing into the nearby ziggurat, have only been awakened for less than a week. He claimed to have been slumbering, dreaming of the Deep One, potentially a roundabout way of admitting his ties to the Shadow Veil. Layton handed over the egg, but not before warning the kobold that if he double-crossed them, he would personally kill him. Relieved that the deal was done, Sholo allowed them to rest at his hut until they were ready. Sholo began the ritual and would then let them rest. The dwarf Laurence Sidsworth asked Sholo if there was any way he could send him back know. Sholo said that was acceptable, and after the pirates said goodbye, he teleported sent the engineer to Kreshart. Sholo's ritual also righted the Miss Demeanor to bear them to Krakesque while also preparing a spell to send the ship and all its contents back to Kreshart. The four pirates, Armstrong, Layton, Lunafiera and Alice, were then granted a spiritual ward that would protect them from the undead realm for a limited time. With this ritual complete, Sholo reminded them not to linger in Krakesque and left them to rest. With this sly farewell, a horde of shadowy tendrils then erupted from the ground, snapping the kobold's neck and dragging the body and the egg beneath the earth.

### Altering the Deal

After defeating the Warmaster in Krakesque, Armstrong's crew fell into a month-long slumber. During this sleep, Sholo contacted Armstrong in his dream. He complimented Armstrong on his success. He conveyed the Deep One's thanks to the captain, stating their contract with Jiang was binding and removing him from the equation removed that contract. He then informed Armstrong that their deal was to be concluded. Armstrong, confused, exclaimed he had not died. Sholo then played his hand; Armstrong did not need to die in order for Sholo to take his soul. Armstrong would live on, but as a soulless immortal, the pleasures of life lost to him forever. Sholo then used his power to rip Armstrong's soul from him and took it for his own. Before departing, he informed Armstrong that they were being returned to Kreshart, where their ship awaited them, and they would awaken about a month from now. With a grim chuckle, he mentioned Kreshart may be in danger and then left the indignant Armstrong to back to sleep.

### Plans in Motion

Sholo brought the soul of Armstrong to his master, the Deep One, and offered it to him to use as part of their ritual. Though the Deep One disapproved of his methods, he still took possession of the soul for this purpose. Sholo, in all likelihood, continued his duties as caretaker while also aiding the Deep One with the ritual, which they were preparing in Asmodia. Though they had hit a minor setback, the plan continued apace. Sholo continued to keep an eye on Armstrong all the while. He contacted Armstrong again to briefly check in on his and to warn him to stay away from the Kingdom of Asmodia. Sholo watched as Armstrong freed his home from a rival pirate and then set sail across the Serpent's Smile to the continent of Ishtar. There, the crew of pirates fought with a cult planning on bringing one of the Astari's greatest enemies to Io; Kaasma Khara. The ensuing battle caused a tear in the sky barrier above. This event greatly worried the Deep One and his followers, as an invasion from Kaasma was a threat they could not ignore. To this end, their plans shifted and the ritual postponed until they could decide how to combat this threat.

### The Sailor and The Shadow

Not long after the defeat of Kaasma Khara, Sholo used his scrying abilities to reach out to Armstrong again, who was on an airship in northern Ishtar. Armstrong initially did not wished to talk but Sholo merely informed him they certainly did. Sholo first asked if Armstrong was doing well without his soul, which the captain replied he was. Taking the lie at face value, Sholo thanked Armstrong for being so well behaved despite missing part of himself. Unaware or uncaring of how he irked the captain, he informed Armstrong that, contrary to his previous advice, he wanted him and his crew to go to Asmodia. The recent events with the Clan of Kaasma had been of great concern for the Deep One and his subordinates, and they hoped to use Armstrong and his friends to aid them in fending off their old enemy. Armstrong was initially skeptical, stating he needed for information before just going to the aid of those he did not trust. Sholo stated the truth was irrelevant and would break Armstrong's mind, but the old sailor remained adamant. Sholo reluctantly acquiesced.

The kobold informed Armstrong that his entire species were not native to Io. They had been manufactured by a group of humanoid invaders called the Aurorans. Io actually once belong to Sholo's people, the Astari, who had been banished to the Shadow after the neighboring planet Jupiter went Nova, turning into a sun and unleashing the Clan of Kaasma upon Io once more. Sholo stated that, even though they thought they had beaten Kaasma Khara, they were in fact more vulnerable than they had ever been with the hole in the sky left by the battle. Armstrong asked why that involved him, to which Sholo replied that he, and his people, were trapped in the Shadow, with limited capacity to influence Io. By inviting Armstrong to the Shadow they could save Io from Kaasma in return for his soul.

Armstrong, unconvinced, decided another deal was in order. Sholo, amused, agreed and asked for the terms. Armstrong stated that if he did not uphold his end of the bargain once this business with Kaasma was completed, then he would get Sholo's soul. Sholo, somewhat taken aback, told Armstrong his soul was incomplete, that part of himself existed in the Astral, though he was not sure what became of it. He admitted that not even the Deep One had to power to scry into the Astral. He then asked if Armstrong had ever been to the Astral Veil and if he had even seen an Astari. To help illustrate his point, he conjured up an image of his boss as he had been in life, an Astari that Armstrong recognized as Headmaster Levin. Armstrong stated he had been there, and met with that same Astari. Elated to know Astari still existed, and that his master's vessel had been seen, Sholo asked what had become of Levin. Armstrong then informed Sholo of Levin's demise. Dismissing the image, the kobold went silent and muttered aloud that his master would not be happy about that. He told Armstrong the truth; that the Astari he had met was in fact the Astral fragment of the Deep One himself. To enlighten the confused captain, Sholo explained that the Astari were shattered upon the events of the Nova, with part of them being sent to the Astral. Sholo inquired as to the state of the Astari when they had met him. Armstrong told him that Levin was an individual like any other, a person in his own right. The loss of Levin would no doubt upset the Deep One greatly, as it ruined the initial plan of restoring the Deep One to his original self.

Dejected, Sholo went to leave to speak with his master. He stated he agreed to Armstrong's deal provided that Armstrong agreed to come to Asmodia. Armstrong stated he needed to run an errand first, but he would in due course. The captain insisted on a pirate handshake to seal the contract. Decrying it as barbaric, Sholo nonetheless went through with it as before, slitting his palm and shaking Armstrong's hand. He then left Armstrong alone on the airship.

### The Abduction of Armstrong

Sholo's report to the Deep One evidently did not go well. Not long after speaking with the captain, he reached out to Armstrong once again, now in the Exodus Academy's library. Appearing very on-edge, Sholo demanded to know why Armstrong wasn't going to Asmodia right now. Armstrong informed him he would when he had the time. Angrily stating that there was no time, Sholo, imperceptible to any onlookers, took Armstrong aside. Armstrong attempted to reason with Sholo, explaining he and his crew would not be long and would set sail when their business was concluded. This was not good enough for Sholo, who decided that drastic action was needed. Using his the power of the Shadow, he opened a portal and went to drag Armstrong in, using a horde of grasping hands. Armstrong attempted to resist, and the commotion drew his crew over to aid him. Though he crew tried hard to prevent him from going, Armstrong fought free of them so only he would be taken. Sholo then dragged Armstrong through the portal and into the Shadow. Sholo was also aware that he was followed by Layton Beardthrone, but was able to redirect Layton elsewhere in the veil so he would not interfere.

With his prize now in hand, Sholo brought Armstrong to a lake of tar within the Shadow and began to prepare Armstrong as his vessel by submerging him. The kobold's intention was to use his spiritual connection with Armstrong as a conduit by which he could inhabit the captain's body. This would effectively kill Armstrong and allow Sholo to leave the Shadow as a whole new being, free from its dark clutches forever. With the rest of his brethren also preparing to leave upon completion of the ritual in Asmodia, Sholo hurriedly attempted to get his new body ready, to be free from the Shadow at long last.

### Clash with The Miss Demeanor

Not more than two days later, Sholo was confronted by Armstrong's crewmates, who had managed to get aid from a rogue Shadow and enter the dark plane to save their captain. Sholo, unsurprised that they had made it before him. Sholo informed them that Armstrong's transformation was almost complete. Armstrong's body surfaced from the tar, to which the crew made for him, prompting Sholo to warn them to stay back. He warned them he would take any action against him as an act of hostility. He then explained that he would be leaving the Shadow with Armstrong as his new vessel, as reward for aiding the Deep One in his endeavors. He stated Armstrong's spirit was a useful catalyst for the ritual in Asmodia and was now lost to them. He also claimed their friend Layton had left the Shadow with some souls. When the boy Alice observed Sholo's impatience, Sholo explained his freedom was close at hand, having been planned for so long. As Sholo was talking, the young sorcerer attempted to banish him. Sholo, prepared for this, resisted the banishment and retaliated with a bolt of shadow. However, Lunafiera countered his spell. Sholo, acknowledging such a denouement was inevitable, requested a final dance with the crew to send him off. He then began to fight them with all his strength.

During the fight, Cornelius Armstrong was rescued from the tar and revived. However, his connection to Sholo still remained. The crew of the Miss Demeanor focused their attention on severing it while Sholo tried to subdue Armstrong again, almost successfully knocking him out of the fight twice. However, the crew persevered. During the fight, Armstrong confronted Sholo on his treachery. Sholo stated that to be chosen as a vessel was a great honor to his people, something Armstrong certainly did not agree with. Sholo then admitted his begrudging respect for Armstrong and his desire for freedom, though he would not let him have it. Eventaully, Sholo was overpowered, and the polymorphed Zehani used his strength to finally destroy the Deep One's herald once and of all. Killed instantly, Sholo's spirit dissipated into the Shadow, leaving behind a leyline leading to Asmodia, and to his master.

### Legacy

Sholo's death robbed the newly freed Deep One, now going by the name Asmodeus, of a loyal servant in his conquest of Io, a conquest that ended in failure despite all his efforts. Though Armstrong's soul was of use to him, Asmodeus did not deem his servant's actions as honorable and stated as much to Armstrong upon his defeat. Sholo's treachery meant Armstrong's soul was twisted and warped by the Shadow, meaning Armstrong could not reclaim it without become like the Devils he had fought. This lead to Armstrong rejecting the offer of his soul in search of another option, causing him to sail the seas as an immortal for centuries later.

## Powers and Abilities

* **Soul Manipulation**: Sholo's connection to the Deep One grants him power over souls. Using deals with willing participants, he was able to lay claim to them and manipulate them as he sees fit. He was also able to reinforce a soul's constitution, such as when he protected the Miss Demeanor when they visited Krakesque.
* **Teleportation**: Sholo was able to open portals that can ferry people to other locations, such as Krakesque and the Shadow.
* **Flight**: Sholo was able to hover freely without the need to concentrate.
* **Shifting Requiem**: Sholo could shift into a shadow and dash across an area, damaging anything he passes through.
* **Claws of Madness**: Sholo could manifest claws made of shadow and use them to grab and rend targets.
* **Spirit Link**: When a soul was in Sholo's possession, he could connect his soul to theirs via an arcane thread. It allowed him to communicate with the soul, enervate it and also was a requirement in preparing a vessel for possession.
* **Shadow Bolt**: Sholo could manipulate shadows and turn them into deadly projectiles.
* **Psychic immunity**: Sholo was immune to Psychic damage.
* **Debilitating Nightmare**: Sholo could accumulate unstable shadowy energies and unleash it as a mental attack against a target. This nightmare could spread out from the target and injure them as well. Such energies could be dispelled by sources of healing magics.

## Etymology

"Sholo Maa" appears to be an original name invented for the purpose of this campaign.

His title, "Kobold of the Deep", refers to the form he took and of his allegiance to the Deep One. A kobold is a fairy or sprite originating from Germanic folktales. The word's origin is uncertain but may come from the Latin word *cobalus*, derived from the Greek *koba'los*, both of which mean "rogue" .

In Dungeons and Dragons, kobolds are a race of humanoid creatures, typically portrayed as small reptilian creatures. They, like goblins, are usually portrayed as weak nuisances for early game parties. Most kobold in classic settings have a relation with dragons and hold them in suitable reverence.

## Trivia

* Sholo's deal with Captain Armstrong plays into the long-established trope of dealing with devils. As a Shadow, Sholo and his people represent Io's version of Devils, who are famous in fiction for making deals with mortals, typically in exchange for the mortal's soul.