Zemallali
Overview
Zemallali is a young black dragon exiled from her former dominion at the heart of the Mistmire Swamp. Though smaller than most of her kind, she possesses remarkable cunning, adaptability, and resilience. Her onyx-scaled body is marked by a jagged burn scar along the right side of her face—a lasting wound inflicted by the hag Nisrilla, who betrayed her kin.
Zemallali is a creature caught between instinct and transformation. Her pride remains intact, but it is tempered by hard-earned caution. She is capable of cruelty and command, yet she harbors a rare tenderness that she reveals only in moments of deep trust.
Origins
Born to the Mire Sovereign, Zyrralyth, Zemallali was raised amid power, fear, and territorial dominance. Zyrralyth ruled the swamp for centuries and accepted the aid of Nisrilla, a fey hag who claimed to offer strength in servitude. This alliance proved fatal. Nisrilla turned against her mistress, and in the chaos that followed, Zyrralyth was slain.
Zemallali survived the fall of her mother’s lair, fleeing to the edges of the swamp where she gathered what stragglers she could—ettins, lizardfolk, and creatures too afraid or loyal to turn away. She ruled this ragged coalition from the shadows, biding her time and shielding her vulnerability.
Relationship with Beech Sadak
Zemallali’s first intentions toward the village of Beech Sadak were predatory. But upon meeting a disguised black dragonborn girl named Umberoza Nesskan, her intentions began to shift. In her dragonborn guise—calling herself Zelia—Zemallali returned often to the borderlands near the village.
Their meetings grew into a hidden bond. Zemallali was drawn not only to Umberoza’s warmth and magic, but to the quiet defiance she saw in her. With Umberoza, she experienced companionship untainted by fear or legacy. Their shared secrecy became sanctuary.
The Scar and the Mask
Zemallali’s facial scar, given by Nisrilla’s magic, became both her shame and her strength. To many, it is a symbol of failure—but to Zemallali, it is a reminder of who she once was, and why she will never return to that path. She remains guarded, wary of exposing her truth to those she does not trust.
Though she maintained her shape as Zelia for many years, the act became a burden. Revealing her true self to Umberoza and to others marked a turning point in her life—an embrace of vulnerability and identity alike.
Recent Events
After Nisrilla’s defeat, Zemallali no longer felt bound to the swamp. With her secret laid bare and her heart openly tied to Umberoza, she left the Mistmire behind. The two departed Beech Sadak together, seeking freedom and a future not carved by fear or conquest.
Where they travel now is unknown, but rumors of a pair—black-scaled and silver-armored—wandering the borderlands have begun to circulate.
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