Realms Personality: Ashemmi
A Web Enhancement for Lords of Darkness
By Sean K Reynolds
The elf called Ashemmi is best known for her high rank in Darkhold, the Zhentarim fortress looming over the Western Heartlands, and for her long-term association with Sememmon. However, little is known about her background, and her habit of changing her appearance slightly every few months serves only to add to the confusion. She has been described as a sun elf, a moon elf, and even a half-elf on occasion (although in recent years she has insisted she is a moon elf), but nobody knows which is the truth. One of the more interesting rumors is that she fled Evermeet when she turned to evil and is a sun elf noble of that land. Only Ashemmi can dispel these rumors, and, since her current whereabouts are unknown, it will remain a mystery.
For many years Ashemmi was one of the top Zhentarim agents at Darkhold, using her charisma, power, and Sememmon's backing to work her way to the upper levels of the castle's hierarchy. When Fzoul became the Chosen of Xvim (and then the Chosen of Bane), she and Sememmon realized that they would not be powerful enough to block him should he wish to rule all of the Zhentarim, so they fled for their lives. Since their disappearance, people matching their general descriptions have appeared in Waterdeep, Westgate, and Starmantle, although they are traveling in disguise and those sighted may be impostors.
Ashemmi and Sememmon are totally loyal to each other, and Ashemmi would never consider betraying him. Their current plans revolve around survival, acquiring magic, and possibly thwarting some of Fzoul's plans. She and her lover are very intelligent and would not confront any of their old enemies directly if they thought that it would put them at serious risk. They are likely to work through intermediaries, including adventuring parties, using their magic to find weak points in Fzoul's plans and send hirelings to exploit those weaknesses.
Ashemmi is normally described as a beautiful elf with flaxen hair and gold eyes (very rare for a moon elf but common for a sun elf, causing much of the confusion about her heritage). She prefers to dress attractively, even when on the road, and she favors jewelry (magical and mundane) and fiery red gowns. Although she is as evil and ruthless as any agent of the Zhentarim, she regrets that evil often comes in an ugly shell and dislikes associating with people whose inner evil is reflected in their outer appearance.
Ashemmi: Female moon elf Wiz11; CR 11; Medium-size humanoid; HD 11d4+11; hp 38; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 21 (touch 16, flat-footed 18); Atk +6 melee (1d4/19-20, masterwork dagger) or +9 ranged (1d4/19-20, masterwork dagger); SQ Elf traits; AL LE; SV Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +12; Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 15.
Skills and Feats: Concentration +15, Knowledge (arcana) +15, Knowledge (geography) +7, Knowledge (Western Heartlands history) +6, Knowledge (Western Heartlands local) +6, Knowledge (Western Heartlands nobility and royalty) +8, Listen +3, Ride (horse) +4, Search +5, Spellcraft +14, Spot +3; Combat Casting, Craft Wand, Craft Wondrous Item, Extend Spell, Great Fortitude, Iron Will , Scribe Scroll.
Wizard Spells Prepared: (4/5/5/5/3/2/1; base DC = 13 + spell level): 0 -- arcane mark, dancing lights, detect magic, read magic; 1st -- charm person, feather fall, magic missile (2), sleep; 2nd -- invisibility (2), protection from arrows, web (2); 3rd -- dispel magic (2), fly (2), lightning bolt; 4th -- charm monster, dimension door, fire shield, polymorph other, scrying; 5th -- major creation, teleport; 6th -- chain lightning.
Spellbook: 0 -- arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, open/close, 1st -- charm person, feather fall, identify, magic missile, message, sleep; 2nd -- arcane lock, hypnotic pattern, invisibility, protection from arrows, web; 3rd -- clairaudience/clairvoyance, dispel magic, fly, hold person, lightning bolt, suggestion; 4th -- charm monster, dimension door, fire shield, Otiluke's resilient sphere, polymorph other, scrying; 5th -- dominate person, hold monster, major creation, prying eyes, teleport; 6th -- chain lightning, disintegrate.
Possessions: Amulet of natural armor +1, bracers of armor +4, brooch of shielding, cloak of resistance +2, masterwork dagger, ring of protection +3, scroll of arcane lock (3), scroll of dispel magic (10th level), scroll of hypnotic pattern, scroll of lightning bolt (10th level), wand of hold person (15 charges), wand of invisibility (10 charges), wand of lightning bolt (17 charges), wand of magic missiles (5th-level) (20 charges), 1,100 gp.
Because she has studied Sememmon's spellbook and is completely familiar with it, she may prepare spells from his spellbook as easily as she does from her own. The spells listed above are ones that she is known to cast, but because of her time at Darkhold and association with Sememmon, it is likely that the above list is less than half of her true repertoire.
Also see Volo's Guide: Renegades of Darkhold