Editing Melissa D'Deneith

Melissa D’Deneith

CE Female Human

Fighter 3/Hexblade 10

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==New Information==

Melissa's joining of the Deadly Gods and integration of a Quori's essence was but a precursor. She's gone from bad to worse, and genuinely seems to enjoy killing for no good reason, not to mention any battle that tests her prowess.

She picked up Deathlord, one of the Swords of Khyber, in Sarlona, and has been recognized by it as its (current) true master. Upon [[The Watchmen]]'s return to Caer Shadowfast, she disappeared. Her connection to [[Kazandra]], [[Twelve Deadly Gods|Genai]], and a weapon of Khyber are likely to spell nothing but trouble, whether for her, for the Watchmen, or both.

'''Hints at Roleplaying''': Psychotic, bloodthirsty, and never happier than when she's brutally killed an opponent that pushed her to her limits. Her very presence is frightening, and only the stout of heart can ignore the feeling of dread that accompanies her. She's also quite arrogant now, though less in an "I'm invincible" way and more a "I will crush any who get in my way" fashion.

==Older Information==

The niece of Baron Breven D'Deneith, this young red-head is skilled beyond her years. As a child, she loathed the extra expectations that were placed on her due to being so close to the Patriarch, expectations that became all the greater when she manifested a Least Mark of Sentinal on her wrist.

By the time she was beginning puberty, she was a horrible brat and refused to do anything asked of her she didn't want to without severe coersion. In an attempt to change her attitude, her uncle took her with him to review House functions. During the trip, she encountered a mysterious young woman with a frightening presense. With a few well placed words of both taunting and suggestion, she sent Melissa on a new course. After that, Melissa's sole goal was to grow powerful enough in both physical prowess and personal influence that she would be able to carve her own fate.

In the intervening years, she made her way quickly up the ranks in her House, earning passage into the Blademarks. There she encountered the Deadly Gods, an unofficial group of the best warriors House Deneith had ever produced. After meeting them and realizing just how outclassed she was, she redoubled her efforts. During the last years of the war, just as she began catching up to them, the Deadly Gods left the House, frustrated by Baron Breven's lack of political ambition.

She truly began to shine once she began participating in campaigns in the Last War. She eventually found herself in the employ of the Brelish Army, and in the last days of the war was granted command of an entire brigade. It was with these soldiers, many of whom she considered friends, that she encountered Genai, a legendary Swordsage and mercenary beholden only to his whims. Along with the Deadly Gods, whom he had employed, he impeded Melissa's mission. Knowing that, company to company, they were outmatched but unsure of who Genai was, she challenged him to a duel for their fate. Needless to say, she lost horribly. Near-mortally wounded and missing her left arm, she could only watch as the rest of her company was massacred. In the end, only three others were allowed to live, and they took her back, saving her life.

After being given a new arm, she fell into a pit of self loathing and depression, drinking heavily to escape the pain. During one of her many bar room brawls, she was summarily trounced by Jaina, a Hexblade. Jaina took Melissa under her wing, teaching her and directing her anger into her sword. Melissa has only begun to unlock the secrets of the arcane, but her ambition has flared to life once again.

Melissa believed Genai and the Deadly Gods lost in the Mourning, but that proved wrong when she was contacted for a job involving hunting Genai down and killing him. Though the poster for the job was unknown, she took it immediately. In her search, she was contacted by [[Kazandra|Kazandra]]. In exchange for information that Genai had been seen consistently moving into and out of the Mournland (as well as a hefty payment), Melissa was to contact and grow "close" to [[Cassius Du'Crion|Cassius]], keeping tabs on him for Kazandra. This part of the deal has proceeded quite well, and they are widely known to be lovers. Melissa may have gotten into the relationship for other reasons, but she really is in love with Cassius now.

At Rose Quarry and Lycanaton, she encountered several of the Deadly Gods, killing Kaela in the process. During the battle, she was given reason to believe she was not her parent's blood child, but Kaela's half-sister and thus Genai's daughter. She so far refuses to believe this, but many signs point to it being at least mostly true.

She received Devil's Bane, one of the Swords of Eberron, from Jaina. A sentient blade, it has aided her against Khyber Spawn for some time now, but recent events have separated the two. Emperor Zhengyi of [[The Dreaming Dark]] sent one of his Quori to kill her through invading her dreams, but the would be assassin, [[Kr'yrull]], instead decided to enjoy having a body for a while. Before he could kill her, the [[Grand Confessor]] helped to break the monster's hold on her. 

The consequences of this possession are stark. She seems to have absorbed the monster's essence, though not his conciousness. While she was once an obsessed but fairly honorable woman with issues, she is now bloodthirstly and willing to do pretty much whatever she deems necessary to achieve her goals. Even joining the very [[Twelve Deadly Gods]] she has sworn to destroy.

As a side note, after the change in personality, and the association with the Twelve Deadly Gods, she seems to have become absurdly strong. Any weapon of "mortal" make seems to merely shatter under the weight of her own aura, and even Torment, a sword of Demon Age origin she stole from an Inspired, may not be enough to truly contain her. Where this power comes from is unknown, but it is undeniable.

'''Hints for role playing''':
Melissa is a bit of a chamelion in personality. She normally adapts to the best one to use at the time. She is vicious on the battlefield, can drink and party with the best of them afterwards,  makes you feel perfectly comfortable sharing your concerns in private, knows how to..."manage intimate encounters", and, perhaps strangest of all, can be a perfect lady at official gatherings.

Her recent change has put a new spin on this ability. She's gained a [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DissonantSerenity  Dissonant Serenity] that can be quite creepy at times. No longer burdened by such silly notions as "honor", she's fairly terrifying in her demeanor.


'''Mark of Celerity'''

In the same battle she gained Torment from, Melissa's Mark of Sentinel made the jump from Lesser to Greater. In the process, it seemed to corrupt, transforming into an Aberrant Mark. It covers her entire right arm, part of her chest and back, and reaches up her neck and onto her cheek. The Mark glows red when she draws on it, and so far it has shown only one ability, though a deadly one: the Flash Step.

The Flash Step is much like a combination ''Dimension Door'' and ''Teleport'', letting Melissa move a maximum of three times the distance of her Base Land Speed almost instantly. How often she can do this is unknown, but she uses it to deadly effect, catching her enemies off guard with surprising ease.


[[Shadows over Cyre]]