Nyssha Swiftblade
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 Chief Assassin of the Order of the Midnight Runners | |
| Race: | Human |
| Class: | Rogue |
| Affiliations: | The Alliance, Saavedro of Stratholme, Order of the Midnight Runners |
| Year of Birth: | 591 |
| Place of Birth: | Moonbrook, Westfall, Azeroth |
| Current Place of Residence: | Darkshire, Duskwood, Azeroth |
A former member of the Defias Brotherhood, Nyssha Swiftblade, also known as the Midnight Assassin or the Red Poisoner (born in 591 in Moonbrook, Westfall, Azeroth) is an Alliance character in World of Warcraft created by Joshua Underwood. In Underwood's backstory, Nyssha is the Chief Assassin of the Order of the Midnight Runners, reporting directly to Ripclaw, the master of the Midnight Runners. Before that, she was the personal assassin, courier, and emissary to the paladin lord Saavedro of Stratholme, one of Ripclaw's former lieutenants. Though the Knights of the Silver Hand frowned on the use of assassins, their fall during the Third War gave Lord Saavedro a little leeway.
[edit] Origins
Born in the town of Moonbrook, Nyssha's parents joined the Defias Brotherhood, under the disgruntled Stonemason Edwin VanCleef, when she was eight years old. When her parents were killed by the Stormwind army, Nyssha was trained by VanCleef as an assassin. Nyssha fought against the invaders sent by the Westfall People's Militia into the ruins of Moonbrook for many years before VanCleef sent her on a mission - find the Defias Traitor in Sentinel Hill, and kill him. But she was not as stealthy as she had wished, and was quickly captured by the People's Militia. She was sent to the Stockade in Stormwind, along with the other Defias prisoners, awaiting her execution - when fate offered her a second chance.
Saavedro, then a file soldier in the Midnight Runners (when the dwarf Talluwin was master of the Order) and his friend, the night elf rogue Ripclaw (then one of Talluwin's lieutenants), were combatting the Defias Brotherhood when word reached them of this misguided soul rotting in the Stockade. Saavedro offered Nyssha two choices: Die by the hangman's rope, or serve him in battle. Nyssha, ever opportunistic, chose the latter. She revealed her mission to kill the Defias Traitor, and offered protection to them in order to ensure that Saavedro and Ripclaw were able to find VanCleef's hideout. With permission from Talluwin, Saavedro and Ripclaw brought Nyssha into the Order of the Midnight Runners - and she has served valiantly ever since.
[edit] Betraying the Brotherhood
Note: The events mentioned are from the perspective of Underwood portraying Nyssha; they are in no way unique to the character.
Saavedro and Ripclaw, aided by Nyssha, escorted the Defias Traitor to the entrance to the Deadmines. Battling through the waves of Defias miners, sorcerers and pirates, who were confused by this beautiful young Defias assassin aiding the Alliance, Saavedro and Ripclaw were able to attack VanCleef's ship, moored in a hidden lagoon in the Deadmines, and confront the Defias Kingpin. Ripclaw struck the killing blow, allowing Saavedro to take up the Kingpin's sword, and Nyssha his blackened leather armor. She still wears the blackened Defias armor and the red mask that was the primary trademark of the Brotherhood. In return for her loyalty, Saavedro handcrafted a pair of bronze knives for his new assassin.
As Saavedro rose through the ranks, Nyssha became sidelined after a while. But she gained her chance at rising to power again when she was called on by SI:7, the intelligence service (and rogues guild) of Stormwind, to steal vital information from Klaven Mortwake - a mage living in a tower in southwestern Westfall, who supported the Defias Brotherhood. After scouting out the location with SI:7 Agent Kearnen, Nyssha stole the key from one of the undead guards that patrolled the area, snuck into the tower, and sapped Klaven long enough to pick the lock to his chest and steal the information. Upon returning to Stormwind, she was trained in the use of poisons - specifically, applying them to her daggers to make them far more formidable weapons. Her favored weapons were a prison shank - stolen from a prisoner in the Stormwind Stockade - and the tail spike of a pridewing wyvern matriarch from the Stonetalon Mountains of Kalimdor, given to her as a gift from the druid Arrhae Leafrunner, a druid in the Midnight Runners.
