Nastaashia, Guardian of Cerraca

Nastaashia is a member of an ancient, proud draconic race, the Psivetom. The Psivetom have the innate ability to change between a humanoid and a more powerful dragon form. Nastaashia has kept watch over the denizens of the vast Cerraca Desert for hundreds of years, on his perch at the peak of Cerraca Mesa. Two major settlements exist - Zeui to the north, and Mebi to the east. Visitors to the forbidding lands were tried and tested by him, to make sure they bore no ill will towards his people. A sect of priests in the southern settlement, Mebi, hailed and worshipped him as a hero. Many years later, however, a war broke out in Eastern Thelsod, resulting in the death of most of Nastaashia's Psivetom brethren in the western Sudne Desert at the hands of a combination of the local Sundigger population and Thelsodian crusaders from the west. Frustrated at his inability to do anything, being consigned by the race's elder to the smaller Cerraca Desert, he became irate and condescending towards the humanoid population. Albeit the people of the lands never conversed with Nastaashia personally, his fury and hatred were palpable across the spacious sea of sand. He ruled with an iron fist after the Psivetom war, barring entry to the desert to almost everyone who came through - and if they insisted, they would meet their end by the blade of his battleaxe. Over a few decades, the presence of the Psivetom waned, and people began to treat their "guardian" Nastaashia with not only irreverence, but animosity at the drying up of visitors from the outside. Their economies suffered, and the dragon priests were forced to hide out for fear of persecution from the increasingly volatile situation. Nastaashia was not amused by these developments - he felt indignant at the ingrates slandering his name in Zeui and Mebi alike. Zeui began to rally for alliance with Archus to the north, whereas Mebi resisted, holding fast to their traditional values. The newly-appointed Zeuite Csomva, Zonasi, took offense to Mebi's decision, and declared them Zeui's enemy. Recruiting warriors for a march across the desert to "convert" Mebi to his new Unified Cerraca, Nastaashia looked on, and wondered why he ever bothered to protect such clearly doomed people in the first place. A figure came to him atop his perch on the mountain - the very same Eledime Destro, Deity of Archus to the north. His words rang out true, speaking to Nastaashia's very being - "You're better than them. They seem to have forgotten who you are, haven't they? Why don't you make them realize who their real king is? Won't you accept my power?" Nastaashia, crossing his arms and glaring at the settlements in disgust, nodded. And with but a touch, Nastaashia felt the power of the Earth Crystal inside him, and he suddenly felt like his axe was light as a feather. Now, he watches as the battle preparations continue between the two Cerracan settlements, waiting until the day they clash - the perfect time to strike and make his presence known to all.