Hassk

Hassk is an Yuan-Ti Rogue and Sorcerer hired by Nelenet to explore the continent of Ahlus. He hails from the Ender Temple in the Tourmalini'i jungle.

He is the current owner and leader of Curious Couatls Caravans.

## Personality

Hassk is a man who likes to present himself as a businessman, he has a talent for negotiation and it is often his preffered method to resolve conflicts when possible or within his interests. Whether he's being honest or not with those he's negotiating or interacting with is a whole different matter. Seemingly capable of both benevolence and indifference as well as generosity and trickery. His state of mind is notoriusly hard to read, thanks to in part his nature as a Yuan-ti.

He seemingly acts with a great degree of honesty and generosity towards those he respects and trusts. He's also been known to be the benefactor of new adventurers and has lended his wealth to his allies on several occassions. After meeting Xelsintarth, he has resolved himself to be a positive force for those in need, starting up Curious Couatl Caravans in order to travel the continent, bring goods to those in need and creating a new network of trade across Ahlus.

Hassk has a strong hatred and disgust for hags after his numerous encounters with them. At first because dealing with hags is never a mutually beneficial transaction, trying to trick Hassk into deals on multiple occasions. After Hassk helped rescue a group of children in Dirgevale crypt Dolores Tallowstumble wanted Hassk to trade himself for one of the children. His suspicion and dislike for hags led him to try tricking the, which led to the death and subsequent devouring of one of the children Venly. Hassk himself was almost killed by the hag until through a last desperate plea he was rescued by his god Ilemer. This left Hassk with a deep regret of his actions that led to Venly's demise and a deep hatred for hags. Hassk chose to take in one of the other children, Tobis, out of guilt for causing the death of Venly.

His acquirance and later removal of the moorcrown would lead him into an encounter with the Weald Witch, his left eye being taken in the process as payment for using her crown. Later when Hassk partook in a meeting with Xelsintarth and the Archefey, Lyomri transformed herself into looking like the Weald witch, Hassk showed clear sign of disgust and fear.

During his time in Whittengrove Hassk experienced an expanding relationship with his patron god Ilemer. At first chosing the god because it suited his interests in business. He became very in tune with his faith later in life, dedicating his Caravan company to the teachings of ilemer.

He has a polarising relationship with Fonteyne Howell, considering the lord a friend and respecting his business acumen but also being wary of his alignment with The Undying Queen.

### Trivia

* Hassk greatly enjoys tea and helped sponsor the construction of Ume's tea shop, he is a regular customer
* Hassk is the owner of The Golden Serpent, a shop selling all sorts of knick knacks, some of dubious worth despite what he might tell you.
* Hassk has a pet flying snake called Lemmy whom he often chastices for her clumsy nature.
* Has a as of yet unexplained fondness for "spices"

## Backstory

Hassk is a Dark soul, a yuan-ti that has undergone the ritual of defilement. Merged with the soul of a tortured Couatl in an attempt to create a being of great power, an attempt that ultimately failed. The purer side of Hassk won out, despite the torture and submission of the Couatl spirit, an event that was by the nature of the ritual very unusual. It has left deep scars in Hassk of which he has had great difficulty in overcoming.

Hassk was brought up with the purpose of infiltrating the Crystal city and destroying it from the inside. He refused that purpose and escaped from the Ender temple, living as a merchant and a con artist before he found himself in Whittengrove. He has told several versions of his story to those who ask. Most of the time he has lied about it, fabricating stories about his background but on one occasion he did tell the truth, though leaving the story with some ambiguity:

*My earliest memory… iss hearing my mothers whisper. Her soft voice piercing my mind like a poisoned dagger, filling it with ideas of purpose and destiny. Telling me i was something i’m not, telling me i was her son when i wasn’t. From my very inception she was lying to me, trying to use me for her own purposes. To infiltrate the Crystal city as one of their own and to help win her war. That was the sole purpose of my creation, as a weapon and a prize. She was not the only one to try and fill my head with lies, there was another voice, telling me more of the same yet different. It would tell me to seek out the Crystal city, but i feel like it’s motivation was different that that of my mother as if it wanted me to find something there. Lies, it was all lies, more liaisons of mother trying to gaslight and break me. But i did not fall for it, no, if there was one thing my mother taught me it was how to create a convincing lie. During one of the temple’s ritual sacrifices to the Weaver of Serpents i managed to fake my own death. The fools fell for it long enough for me make my escape and well here i am, quite a story don’t you think? Of course it’s just that, a story, i could just as well be lying as telling the truth. I’ll leave that for you to figure out yourself.*

Since having confronted his mother, Hassk has been more open about his past.

Upon travelling to the crystal city it was found that the Couatl Hassk had been bonded to was Mixcapetlas a contemporary of Chaklinas and considered to be the greatest warrior among the Couatl's of Culhauca. Hassk had for a long time been influenced by his presence, being pushed away from the brainwashing of his mother, his soul was unaligned and fractured, leading to occasional mental breaks and pauses. Hassk decided that the only way for them both to find peace was to have their souls realigned and that bond reinforced, a process that was helped by the Couatl Tlahtoa. The result of this reforging made Hassk more in tune with his Couatl side than ever before, perhaps surpassing his potential power as a dark soul, now being able to shapeshift, capable of telepathy, truesight, to speak all languages and much more.

## Recent History

Hassk's role in guiding the Curious Couatls Caravans demands the vast majority of his time, something he delights in, while simultaneously acknowledging the opportunities that he desires for himself have largely been superseded by his efforts to deliver them unto others. Under his direction, Curious Couatls Caravans remains an independent organisation to this day, not seeking direct allegiance with any particular nation or company in the hope to reduce the likelihood of the compromising of ideals.

The organisation deals in most typical trade goods, ranging from unprocessed ores, cereal crops and livestock to exquisite spices, exotic fabrics and other luxury goods, but has also established itself as specialising in delivering oddities and novelties sourced from across the continent, and stranger worlds beyond still. This business practice has helped stimulate continued interest, the sight of their caravans adorned in cream and amber-yellow cowlings drawing crowds clamouring to witness the possibility of magical wonders contained within.

Hassk seemed to have since mastered the powers granted unto him by the realignment of his soul with that of Mixcapetlas, which has also seemly ceased his ageing - for when encountered by an adventuring party in 133WD, it was noted by Arnica, who took the time to thank him for his rescue of her from the Hallowed Circle, that it did not seem he had aged a day since.

## Notable Items

* Fool's Avarice: A planar Rapier Hassk acquired in the first battle against the Exarch of Bane. It is an expertly crafted magical rapoer whose edge hums with a power that can extend, striking through multiple enemies and causing an explosion of force.
* Moorcrown: An ancient evil Fey crown, forged by hags in a temper of blood. It is an item granting an incredible amount of power to it's wielder, giving them access to high level magic. Though as Hassk initially suspected, the crown is cursed, bringing upon it's wielder misfortune. So far only affecting Hassk's business - After encountering his family, Hassk resolved himself to remove the crown, no longer wanting to use it's power, suffering a horrifying vision as he ripped the crown violently from his head. The weald witch took Hassk's left eye as payment for using her crown
* Ilemer's Iluminating Iris: An eye prostethic made from a marble ball, with a silver coin fixed and formed as the pupil and a golden ring carved to resemble a serpent. Enchanted to work as a replacement to the eye he lost to the weald witch and capable of both scrying and truesight. This work of art was created by Hassk's good friend Fafnir and later the Yuan-ti had it enchanted in Rydoon