Nyza's Background

Note: Nyza's background is a work in progress. Kobold culture is a bit different than I have described here since I read Races of the Dragon after already writing this.

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"Nyza! What did you do to my bedroom?!" Within a dark and dusty cave, a small room's contents has been thrown across the floor. A male reptilian figure stands at the entrance examining the damage.

A human's cloak, brown with years of lying in the dirt, has had its ends tied together in a complicated knot. "My bedsheet!"

The sword, shield, and skull of an elf, all previously hung on the cave's wall with care, are strewn across the floor. The sword rests vertically with it's point straight to the ground, defying gravity. "My trophies!"

On a table, now upside-down, two hollowed out fruits has been placed on the legs. Their uneaten contents, are on the two opposite legs - strange, because there are no marks on the fruit to explain the extractions. "And my lunch too!" That does it for the kobold. He angrily picks up a dwarf-sized femur then runs out of the cave. "NYZA! YOU'RE GONNA GET IT THIS TIME!"

A kobold girl, only 3 years old, shakes with fear at the sound of her father's voice. From her hiding place, she can see the femur-wielding reptile emerge from his home angrily shouting her name. He moves closer in her direction, and her teeth begin to chatter nervously. She holds her breath for fear of making any noise.

He stops and looks around the settlement. 'Hmm, the guard tower? The weasel pen? Or maybe she's in that stupid box this time!' He walks toward a crate, lid still ajar. The bright sunlight illuminates its contents in between the cracks of wood. A figure is clearly sitting inside it.

Nyza gasps as her father comes in her direction, staring straight at her hiding spot. 'Don't let him find me, don't let him find me...' He immediately yells at the crate. "Get out of there RIGHT NOW!" She closes her eyes, still trying to wish him away. 'He doesn't see me... he's just guessing... what should I say??'

She thinks back to this morning. She had gone to sleep wrapped in her father's cloak/bedding. Her dreams were of mischief: watching herself tear down the skull her father was constantly bragging about; flipping over his moldy table; peeling the skin off his fruit starting with the inside instead of the outside. When Nyza awoke, she realized that she unknowingly thrashed the room with her 'power'. That is what the elders call, though her father oft used the euphemism 'demon-possession' instead. Her thoughts are interrupted when a dwarven femur smacks into her shoulder. Again. And again. She cries out in pain with a cowardly, pitiful voice - but of course, no kobold comes to help.

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She's 6 now, known among the adolescent reptiles as "Nyza the Flame!" Whenever they use her informal title, it is always shouted with glee. "Did you see Rignor's chicken running around on fire yesterday? - Oh yeah! I'll bet Nyza the FLAME! did it!" This is invariably followed by a cackle of mad laughter.

Nyza is not happy being the center of attention among her peers. They love watching her ignite objects using sheer willpower. And she does too (blowing things up is FUN!) - but they treat her like a toy, a freakish girl who exists only for amusement.

A small crowd surrounds the girl as she walks aimlessly around the encampment. A particularly tall kobold - 3 feet high - is the one demanding today's light show. "Come on, do it again! My pa' captured a stupid gnome today, so you won't get in trouble if you do it to him!"

"Stop it already! I don't want to hurt anyone!" She quickens her pace, wanting to just get away from everyone.

"Hah, what about the chicken? You lit him up good!" says the tall kobold. Muza ignores the heckler. This only makes him angry, and he pushes her from behind. She tumbles face down into dirt. "My pa' says any good member of the tribe hurts the gnomes when they have a chance, so you better do it! Now!"

'That's it!' She sits upright and glares angrily at her attacker, her finger pointing in his direction. All kobolds except the tall one scatter, immediately knowing what is about to happen. The air between the two turns hazy - brimming with incredible heat. Angry and barely in control of her emotions, she screams "You want to see a trick? I will SHOW you one!" At her command, the air erupts into fire. A projectile of pure flame travels from the tip of her finger right into the offending kobold's chest. He falls to the ground terribly burned and unconscious.

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Two years pass. Nyza is told by the eldest tribesman that her powers over magic are a blessing from the dragons, and that they make Nyza special. Important. Powerful. He tells her that one day when Nyza attains full mastery of her gift, she will have the responsibility of leading the tribe. After all, the touch of magic is a rare gift, and it means she has a special destiny.

Nyza shakes pitifully as her 'destiny' is told to her. Her mind races as she considers her future. 'Me? The chieftain? Nooo, everyone would look up to me, expect me to make decisions! I don't make decisions! I run away! And I'll run away from the elder too!'

After the lecture, she grabs her tiny satchel of spell components and walks calmly toward the settlement gate. An armored kobold man stands guard, his deadly spear shining in the sun. He stops her at the gate. "Ah, Nyza. Where do you think you're going? You know young-folk aren't allowed outside without permission - especially not a sorceress like yourself. We need you here!"

Nyza stares at the guard. She has already practiced this spell several times: the ability to change another's mind to be more pliable to her demands. The guard blinks several times, unsure of what just happened. He slowly looks straight at Nyza, smiling deeply. She says in a loving voice to him, "Please? I just want to take a walk. It's so boring here." The guard moves close to her and whispers, "Well, just this once hun. But don't tell the others - it'll be our secret. And be back before dark!"

'It worked!' she doesn't dare say. Her spell really put him under her control, just like she practiced. She walks out of the gate, then as soon as she's out of sight, dashes off at full sprint.

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