Izora de'Xvim

> *"Well, it depends on your definition of a cult."* (Izora de'Xvim, Session 7)
>
>

**Izora de'Xvim** (pronounced /i-zoʊ-rɑː deɪ-zvɪm/ *ee-ZOH-rah dey-ZVIM*) is a drow cleric. She is a priestess from the Underdark who came to Waterdeep after climbing to the surface, and was a resident of the Awning Portal until she was arrested for the murder of a guard and sentenced to life in prison.

## **Description**

Izora de'Xvim is a drow that stands at 5 foot 11 inches (180cm) tall and weighs 130 pounds (58.9 kilograms). She has a round, soft face, and like most drow, has dark blue-black skin and pointed ears. She has reddish-purple hued eyes and sleek, white hair, which she has been known to wear in many styles, preferably a short, tied-up bob. Izora is tall and intimidating, towering over many of her former adventuring party members.

Izora typically wears large, ornate gowns that reach the floor and even hide her shoes, typically with many layers of skirt and fine lace. Her preferred color of gown is black, but she also is willing to wear reds, such as when she changed her attire after making a contract with Asmodeus, Lord of the Ninth. She constantly wears plate armor, which, despite weighing her down, is her armor of choice. She also always wears chains, symbolizing her devotion to Bane, Lord of Tyranny.

## **Personality**

Izora's main personality trait is that of her cunning and trickery. Her evil deeds were described as silly and almost Disney Villain-esque; however, her villainy started in crime and intended to ramp up to full-scale human sacrifice, which she promised to Asmodeus upon trading her soul. She continually expressed the desire to build temples to multiple evil gods, and purchased and procured many books on the subject of such things. Despite this, she frequently denied any tie to this evil worship and would claim that it's all in the eye of the beholder.

Izora was quite silly and dramatic, and would often times loudly exclaim in shock when surprised and feign offense at things that she truly didn't care that much about. She provided a lot of comic relief, especially with her over-the-top reactions, but truly was in a lot more control than she let on. It made her easy to get along with despite her evil nature, and Noonan Lockheed, Reverence and Tribula Cochlea truly enjoyed and appreciated her presence.

She reciprocated this affection, despite not letting it on. Izora, despite being evil and malevolent as she was, understood the value of found family and was fiercely loyal. Despite not openly doing anything to prevent the consequences of her actions brushing against her friends, she displayed open regret towards those consequences, worked with her friends and expressed her affection towards them, constantly claiming her companions as "friends" and meaning it with her whole heart.

## **Abilities**

### Drow Lineage

Izora, like all Underdark Drow, had superior darkvision, and could see much farther in the dark than the rest of her companions with darkvision, such as Mariss D'Marothek. Additionally, she had access to innate Drow magic, such as the spells *faerie fire* and *darkness.* However, her time spent mostly underground made her sensitive to bright sunlight, and would give her a severe disadvantage in combat situations in open daylight.

### Cleric Magic

As a cleric of Bane, Izora had access to the god's Domain magic, specifically those of the Order Domain. She could cast many control spells, such as *Command* and *Hold Person*, to control and restrict a possible foe in battle. Her unique support abilities could turn the tide of a battle and aid an ally in a non-combat situation as well.

### Immunity to Fire

Izora, upon breaking into the Godcatcher Inn and selling her soul to Asmodeus, gained an immunity to fire. She took no harm from contact with flames and no fire spells could damage her.

## **Possessions**

Izora constantly carried a holy symbol to Bane on her person, which took the form of a lamp supported by iron chains. She refused to part with it no matter the circumstance, and she only lost it once when she attempted to silence the opera, in which Mariss stole it to end the spell.

Izora, upon breaking into the Godcatcher Inn, collected an orb that allowed her to speak with the archdevil Asmodeus at her leisure. She used this orb to sell her soul to Asmodeus and promised him 100 live sacrifices in return for an immunity to fire magic and her safe return to the Awning Portal.

## **History**

### Before the Surface

Izora was raised in the Drow city of Menzoberranzan. Upon reaching adulthood, she and a troupe of would-be escapees travelled through Undermountain to escape the Underdark. However, as they travelled, all of her adventuring party perished, and she was the sole survivor. Upon reaching the surface, she exited through Durnan's Yawning Portal and arrived in the city of Waterdeep, living in the Inn for the time being.

### Waterdeep Adventuring

Izora met Mariss D’Marothek, Noonan Lockheed, Reverence and Tribula Cochlea in Durnan’s Yawning Portal in the summer of 1492. Izora and this new group were asked by Volothamp Geddarm to find Floon Blagmaar, who went missing alongside Renear Neverember. Izora and company rescued both Floon and Renear, destroying an entire sect of the Hand of Nessus on the way, and were rewarded with several hundred dragons and a piece of property, Trollskull Manor, which would then become the Awning Portal.

During this time, Izora and the party were introduced to Felrekt Lafeen and Krebbyg Masq'il'yr- both of which worked under "J.B. Nevercott" and were instructed to look after Renear Neverember- after the party investigated Renear's home and the latter shot and nearly killed Izora. Additionally, after trapping them in an iron pot, the party was introduced to an imp, who Tri named "Cupcake". Cupcake went on to be Tri's familiar.

After Renear was saved, the party was both rewarded by Nevercott, who provided the party with weaponry and gold, and Mirt, who took interest in the party's abilities and offered to take the party to an opera. Shortly before this opera, the party intended to intercept a discussion of Nevercott's at the dock ward, only to watch in horror as Felrekt was shot and killed, leaving behind a bloody message of warning against intervening in Nevercott's affairs. After the opera was crashed by Loreloth (who Mariss tied up and interrogated), Mirt offered to finance the Awning Portal in exchange for a return on profits. The group agreed to this deal, and Mirt's representative Jethro discussed building plans with the group during this time. Additionally, Loreloth revealed that Nevercott was Jarlaxle Baenre, leader of Bregan D'aerthe, the organization that Felrekt and Krebbyg were members of. The party agreed to keep Loreloth safe in the Awning Portal and allowed him to work there as a barhand for income.

The party then gets into legal trouble as Noonan and Izora talk casually about looting graves, and while Mariss runs off to do damage control, the group has a beach party. Izora also then reveals that she has plans to build a temple to Bane inside the Awning Portal. After following more leads and discussing poltergeist rights, the party returns to the Awning Portal, where Krebbyg appears and asks to talk to Tri in private. Krebbyg shoots Tri in a misguided attempt to avenge the death of Felrekt, causing the rest of the party (excluding Noonan, who is discussing construction at the carpenter's guild at this time) to burst in and intervene. Rev and Tri are chased out of the room by a volatile Mariss, and leave Krebbyg to Mariss’s whims.

Tri flees and hides under their bed, and Rev discovers a very distraught Tri crying there. Rev comforts Tri while Izora guards the door, then goes down to inform Loreloth, Krentz and Pog of Krebbyg’s actions and presence. During this time, Izora sneaks up to Mariss’s room, and does not return until later, chased out. Arguments continue as the following morning has Noonan climbing up the wall of the building and eavesdropping through the window, which Krebbyg catches immediately. When Noonan leaves, Mariss pulls his Rope of Climbing through the window, holding it hostage, forcing Noonan to try to disguise himself as Tri and persuade Mariss to give it back. Mariss refuses, and the real Tri, Izora, Reverence and Noonan come upstairs, and Izora casts Zone of Truth on everyone in the room. Mariss resists the Zone of Truth, and Izora tells everyone.

Tri reveals to Krebbyg that they are innocent and did not kill Felrekt. Krebbyg, aware that it is a Zone of Truth, is forced to accept the truth that Jarlaxle deceived him and tried to blame the murder of his best friend on a completely innocent and uninvolved person. Mariss appeals to Krebbyg and claims that Jarlaxle's breach of trust, not only to the party but also to Krebbyg himself, warrants his assistance. Krebbyg concedes and gives three names; Soluun Xibrindas, Llorath Pharn and Tylan Ilueph, top recruits of Jarlaxle that need to be taken out before Jarlaxle is challenged. Krebbyg also hypothesizes that Soluun likely is Felrekt's real killer, as Soluun has had a history of killing non-drow elves for fun.

Shortly after these events, Izora took it upon herself to return to the Godcatcher Inn to collect the orb that made contact with Asmodeus, Lord of the Ninth. However, Izora cannot sneak in successfully, and has to force her way into the back of the Inn. As she collects the orb, guards arrive; she then makes a deal with Asmodeus, selling her soul and promising 100 live sacrifices in exchange for her safe passage back to the Awning Portal and immunity to fire damage. She is teleported out, but not without the guard seeing her face. She appeared back in the tavern as if she had never left.

Mariss begins to make preparations for the opening of the Awning Portal, setting up for a grand opening party. During this time, Noonan and Rev go to the Godcatcher Inn to reconcile with Pidge, the library ghost, and provide her with more books. They meet a strange cultist that informs them that Izora has made a deal with Asmodeus. Izora, Tri, Reverence and Noonan then have a slumber party, leaving Mariss alone at the Awning Portal.

During this slumber party, guardsmen arrive at the house, seeking Izora. Noonan lies to the guardsmen and claim Izora is not present, while Izora makes a mad dash for the window. However, Izora is spotted and the guard quickly realizes Noonan has lied about Izora’s whereabouts. Noonan is quickly arrested for obstructing justice, and Izora leaps out the window, killing a guard upon landing. She takes off, and the rest of the guard goes after her, leaving a confused Rev and Tri behind. The pair follow the incarcerated Noonan to the station, and Tri manages to get Noonan acquitted. Izora remains on the run. They later discover Izora has been arrested for the murder of a guard, as she resisted arrest and killed a guard by jumping down on him from the roof wearing full plate armor. Thanks to Tri’s intervention, she is not executed, but will spend the rest of her life in jail.

## **Relationships**

### Noonan Lockheed, Reverence, Tribula Cochlea and Cupcake

Izora considered the party to be her found family, and cherished them. Despite her evil ways, she truly was loyal to them and loved her friends dearly. They reciprocated this affection, and when she was arrested, they tried their best to save her life. Thanks to their actions, she survives.

### Mariss D'Marothek

Mariss continually aggressed and attacked her verbally due to his mistrust of her beliefs and intentions, and she reciprocated in kind. Their relationship was categorized by mainly hostile interactions fueled by Izora's dislike of Mariss's hostility and Mariss's distrust towards her intentions. After her actions caused the guard to pursue Mariss for information, Mariss sent the guard straight towards her, leading to her arrest and life sentence.