![[DALL·E 2025-02-22 15.50.13 - A mysterious and intense half-elf woman with long raven-black hair kept in a messy ponytail, streaked with stains from alchemical experiments. Her pal.webp]] ### **Basic Information** - **Name:** Mirielle Nightshade - **Race/Species:** Half-Elf - **Class/Profession:** Alchemist & Occultist - **Alignment/Morality:** Chaotic Neutral - **Age:** 82 (appears in her late 30s due to elven heritage) - **Gender & Pronouns:** Female (She/Her) - **Appearance:** Mirielle has an intense and calculating presence, with long raven-black hair that she often keeps in a messy ponytail, streaked with stains from various alchemical experiments. Her pale skin contrasts with the dark rings under her violet eyes, a side effect of many sleepless nights in her lab. She wears a long, high-collared coat reinforced with protective runes, its many pockets filled with vials of unknown substances. A faint, lingering scent of strange herbs and alchemical reagents follows her. --- ### **Personality & Traits** - **Personality Summary:** Brilliant yet volatile, Mirielle is the family’s black sheep, having delved into dangerous alchemical and occult practices that got her cast out from polite society. She is fiercely independent, valuing knowledge above morality, and believes that progress often requires crossing lines others won’t. Though cynical and blunt, she is not without a sense of humor—albeit a dark and unsettling one. - **Strengths & Skills:** - **Master Alchemist** – Specializes in rare elixirs, volatile concoctions, and experimental mutagens. - **Occult Scholar** – Well-versed in eldritch rituals, forbidden knowledge, and the darker sides of magic. - **Survivalist** – Can craft potions and poisons from nearly any environment, making her difficult to track or corner. - **Unpredictable Tactician** – Prefers to think outside the box, often using strange methods to solve problems. - **Weaknesses & Flaws:** - **Unethical Experimentation** – Has little regard for tradition, ethics, or consequences when pursuing knowledge. - **Paranoid & Distrustful** – Years of being hunted for her research have made her wary of alliances. - **Eldritch Contamination** – Exposure to strange substances has left her with occasional cryptic visions and moments of madness. - **Mannerisms & Speech Patterns:** - Often tilts her head when analyzing people, as if studying a specimen. - Speaks in a smooth, detached tone but grows animated when discussing alchemy or forbidden lore. - Tends to trail off mid-sentence, lost in thought before suddenly returning to the conversation. - Taps her fingers in rapid succession when excited or impatient. --- ### **Background & Story Role** - **Backstory Summary:** Mirielle was born into the Nightshade lineage but rejected their structured scholarly traditions in favor of more unconventional studies. Her obsession with unlocking the secrets of transmutation and the occult led her to experiment with unstable formulas and controversial methods. After one particularly disastrous experiment—details of which are shrouded in mystery—she was effectively disowned by her family and forced into exile. Despite being ostracized, Mirielle continued her work in secret, operating from hidden laboratories and avoiding those who would brand her a heretic or a danger to society. She is rumored to have had dealings with entities from beyond the veil, but whether she serves them or merely studies them remains uncertain. - **Current Motivations:** - Perfecting an experimental formula that could permanently alter mortal flesh and spirit. - Unraveling the mystery of an ancient alchemical text that hints at immortality—but at a terrible cost. - Rebuilding her reputation by proving her work is revolutionary, not monstrous. - Determining whether Borion is an ally, an obstacle, or simply another test subject. - **Connections & Relationships:** - **[[Borion Nightshade]] (Cousin)** – Finds Borion intriguing, though she believes he plays things too safely. She occasionally reaches out with cryptic messages or strange gifts. - **[[Selvyn Nightshade]] (Cousin)** – Has no patience for Selvyn’s business-minded approach to magic, seeing him as a merchant rather than a true scholar. - **[[Lysander Nightshade]] (Cousin)** – Used to collaborate on black-market deals, but their relationship soured after an experiment went wrong. They now maintain a wary truce. - **[[Veyna Duskbane]] (Aunt)** – Once looked up to Veyna but grew disillusioned when she realized the bard valued stories over results. Still, she respects her intellect. - **The Black Veil Society** – A secretive group of radical alchemists and occultists who share knowledge too dangerous for mainstream academia. - **Factions or Allegiances:** - **The Nightshade Family (Estranged)** – Though cast out, she still sees herself as their most innovative mind. - **The Black Veil Society** – A clandestine cabal dedicated to pushing the boundaries of alchemy and magic. - **Numerian Relic Hunters** – Has connections in Numeria, where she acquires strange substances and technology. - **Notable Items or Equipment:** - **The Crimson Vial** – A self-refilling potion of unknown origin that enhances perception but causes vivid hallucinations. - **The Fleshforger’s Codex** – A collection of notes detailing experimental body modifications and transmutations. - **Plagueborn Gauntlet** – A corrupted alchemical glove that can deliver debilitating toxins with a mere touch. --- ### **Additional Notes** - **Recurring Themes:** - **Science vs. Morality** – Believes that progress requires sacrifice, regardless of ethics. - **The Outcast Genius** – Struggles with her exile but refuses to conform. - **A Step Too Far?** – Constantly testing the limits of what should and should not be done with magic and alchemy. - **Player/GM Notes:** - Could be a dangerous ally or a brilliant adversary, depending on Borion’s stance on her work. - May hold knowledge crucial to Rivermarch’s growth—or its downfall. - If confronted, she will always have an escape plan (or a backup clone).