| Isolde Duskwood | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Isolde Rosaline Duskwood | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Isolde Duskwood is a master of adaptation, having undergone a profound transformation that has left her neither human nor fully alien. Where once she was an Illithid, bound by her psionic nature and a body that distanced her from humanity, she now stands in a form that straddles the boundary between worlds. Though she retains her immense psionic and magical abilities, her physical nature has changed—her body now subtly radiates heat, her presence accompanied by the eerie whisper of unseen forces. Once resigned to silence, her voice now carries an ethereal resonance, her words lingering unnaturally in the minds of those who hear them.
Despite these changes, Isolde remains an enigmatic and composed figure. She moves with deliberate grace, maintaining the illusion of calm control, though beneath the surface, she grapples with the reality of what she has become. The transformation has granted her new opportunities, allowing her to blend more easily into society, but it has also made her a curiosity—an entity neither wholly mortal nor purely eldritch. The Bookbinders remain her refuge, but as her power continues to evolve, so too does the question of where she truly belongs.
Special Abilities
- Psionic Mastery
- Isolde’s mental power is immense, allowing her to read, manipulate, and shield minds with unparalleled precision.
- Magical Expertise
- She possesses deep knowledge and control over a vast range of magical arts, with an increased attunement to fire and planar energies after her transformation.
- Resonant Speech
- No longer bound to telepathic communication, Isolde can now speak aloud, her voice carrying an unnatural weight that subtly influences those who hear it.
- Elemental Digestion
- She can consume normal food, burning away impurities with her altered metabolism, though she still finds other sustenance preferable.
- Shifting Presence
- Her aura fluctuates subtly, sometimes flickering with light and heat, revealing emotions or hinting at unseen forces around her.
- Innate Fire Affinity
- Exposure to the Elemental Plane of Fire has permanently altered her. She is highly resistant to heat and flames, and magic involving fire bends more easily to her will.
Special Skills
- Expert Mage
- Decades of study and innate talent make her a formidable spellcaster.
- Master Librarian
- An encyclopedic knowledge of magical texts, lost languages, and arcane theory.
- Psionic Adept
- Mind-reading, telekinesis, illusions, and mental fortitude make her an overwhelming psychic force.
Special Equipment
Background
Isolde Duskwood, formerly known as Eset Kall, was once a human scholar—a woman whose thirst for knowledge was both her gift and her curse. Raised in an immigrant family, she pursued academia with a relentless passion, finding joy in teaching and studying the hidden knowledge of the world. However, a forced marriage shattered the life she had built. Her husband was cruel, forbidding her from indulging in her love of books, controlling every aspect of her life. Desperate for escape, she turned to the occult, performing an ancient ritual of cosmic rebirth. The spell reshaped her into an Illithid—a psionic entity of immense intellect and power.
Newly transformed, Isolde embraced her alien nature, using her abilities to erase her husband’s memory, leaving him to live as a drifter without knowledge of who he once was. She disappeared into the shadows, dedicating herself to understanding what she had become. In time, she found refuge with the Bookbinders, an organization dedicated to preserving magical knowledge. They provided her with a new identity, a purpose, and a place where she could thrive without fear of persecution.
For years, Isolde served the Bookbinders as an invaluable researcher and guardian of forbidden knowledge. But fate had other plans. While investigating an unstable artifact, a catastrophic surge of magic forced her and her companions through a planar rift into the Elemental Plane of Fire. There, under immense magical strain, her body underwent another transformation. She emerged changed yet again—humanoid, but no longer entirely human. Her once-alien flesh took on a more familiar form, though marked with opalescent scales and ember-lit eyes. Her voice returned, and her connection to fire and magic deepened. Yet, even as she regained aspects of her lost humanity, she became something even stranger—a being forged in fire, bound by magic, and haunted by the echoes of what she once was.
Two weeks after her return, Isolde remains a mystery, even to herself. No longer the monster she was, nor the woman she had been, she walks a path between worlds, seeking answers to what she has become.
Recent History and Relationships
Since returning from the Plane of Fire, Isolde has become a central figure in the Out of Aces investigation team. Her relationship with fellow investigator Elijah Kowalski has deepened into a strong emotional and romantic partnership, marked by their mutual trust and ability to navigate both arcane and physical threats together. Her emotional bond with Velvet Vexler adds a layer of complexity and tenderness to her character, with their flirtation and affection gradually evolving into committed intimacy. She has also grown close with Amelia Hastings, sharing moments of teasing, support, and affection that round out their dynamic as a connected and supportive polycule.
Isolde’s presence has become a stabilizing force within the group. Despite her complex identity and burdened past, she shows deep affection, vulnerability, and loyalty toward her partners. Her role often sees her acting as a shield—sometimes literally—willing to throw herself into danger to protect those she loves. This trait came to the forefront during the confrontation with Maligoth, a corrupted rift entity. When Elijah was targeted, Isolde acted without hesitation, diving into the creature’s body to retrieve a critical shard before it could consume them both. Though exhausted and injured, her bravery ensured their escape.
Anecdotes and Personal Reflections
Isolde occasionally shares glimpses of her stranger experiences. One humorous and widely loved story within her circle involves a young boy she once protected at the library, who later returned and proposed to her using the line, "Since this is a library, do you mind if I check you out and make you mine?" The encounter left her so flustered that she claims to have blacked out the rest of the conversation.