Uva

**Uva** was a twisted serpent living within the Floating Ruins of Zakkar above the Ezrai region in The Shadow. Uva, along with their partner Avu, claimed the ruins as their domain, with Uva remaining hidden within the temple itself. When a group of adventurers arrived seeking the power of The Memory, they came across Uva, who attempted to kill the intruders and turn them against one another.

## Description

### Appearance

Uva was a large serpent-like creature with a twisted face resembling a humanoid. They had faded purple scales that covered the length of their body a with a series of red stripes along their back. They also possessed a hood around their head similar to that of a cobra. At the end of their tail was a large rattle that they could use to hypnotize their enemies.

### Personality

Uva was a hostile being that jealously guarded their domain. They were reclusive, hiding away inside the temple and retreating to safety when the Curious Company entered. Unlike their counterpart Avu, Uva preferred not to engage in conversation despite being capable of it, going immediately on the offensive instead.

Though they appeared animalistic, Uva was inclined to use to cunning tactics to defeat their prey. They used defensive spells like Mirror Image and encased themselves in crystal when the fight turned against them. They also were able to cast the powerful spell Dominate Person, which they unscrupulously used on Remo to force him to protect them.

Uva also appeared to have strange habit of swallowing inanimate objects and occasionally regurgitating them. The pile of books in the study is indicative of this, as is the Ioun Stone found in their stomach. Whether this is a odd habit caused by hunger or a mental impulse is unknown.

## History

### Background

Uva's history is unknown. It is possibly that they were once an Astari, one of the original denizens of Io, that was banished to the Shadow as a result of the Jupiter Incident 2,500 years ago. Howsoever they came to be in this shadowy prison, Uva was nonetheless warped by its influences over the following centuries, transforming into an enormous spirit naga.

With their newfound form, Uva eventually came to settle in the Ezrai region, along with another serpent called Avu. The exact relationship between the two is unclear, but both serpents laid a joint claim to the Floating Ruins of Zakaar. For an undetermined period of time, Avu and Uva guarded the ruins with a jealous passion. While Avu patrolled the skies around the floating isles, Uva remained in the temple, devouring any trespassers the made it inside. They also appeared to have developed a habit of swallowing inanimate objects, such as piles of books, and regurgitating them, though why this did this is unknown.

## Etymology

In most Romance languages, the word *uva* means "grape". In the field of botany, "uva" specifically refers to a small pulpy or juicy fruit with a thin skin and several seeds.

## Trivia

* Uva's in-game art is an altered version of the official Spirit Naga art from Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition.
* Uva's name is the reverse of their counterpart's name Avu.
* Uva can use the spell Mirror image, which is not available to Spirit Nagas in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition.