Maris Cleth
Bard, College of Eloquence 14 / Cleric, Order Domain 4
Maris Cleth
Species
Gold Dragonborn
Appearance
Maris Cleth is a striking gold dragonborn whose metallic scales have the soft luster of sun-warmed brass rather than the harsh gleam of polished treasure. Fine desert dust has settled permanently into the shallow seams around her knuckles, jaw, and throat, despite her immaculate grooming. Her amber eyes are steady and observant, framed by delicate bronze brow-ridges that lift sharply whenever someone lies. Two swept-back horns emerge from her crown like sculpted handles, each wrapped near the base with a single thread of black mourning silk. She moves with measured, economical grace, never wasting a gesture, yet when angered she becomes unnervingly still, as if the whole courtroom has become a scale waiting to settle. The contradictory impression she leaves is that of both a ceremonial statue and a tired traveler who has slept beneath too many trade wagons.
“Her normal speech is low, resonant, and carefully paced, with each sentence shaped like a clause in a contract. She rarely uses contractions in formal settings, but speaks plainly and warmly with ordinary citizens.”
Ability Scores
Alignment
Distinguishing Features
Her scales produce a faint chime when she moves because several small gold plates are fitted beneath her breastplate.
Her breath smells faintly of hot cinnamon and scorched paper.
She carries a heavy bronze arbitration scale and uses it as both a symbol of office and a surprisingly effective weapon.
A black mourning thread is always tied around one horn, though she refuses to explain whose death it commemorates.
When she is emotionally shaken, her normally resonant voice develops a dry, papery rasp and wisps of smoke escape with her words.
Voice
“A warm contralto with a bronze resonance, like a temple bell heard through a closed door. Her cadence is soothing in conversation and mercilessly precise in court. Under emotional strain, every breath becomes audible and her consonants rasp as though dragged across parchment.”
Clothing
Flowing judicial robes of deep saffron silk layered beneath a lightweight polished gold-filigree breastplate. Her sleeves are lined with dark indigo cloth to conceal ink stains, and her belt carries a bronze seal, three writing knives, and a chain of tiny legal tablets.
Body Language
Maris keeps her shoulders relaxed and her hands visible, palms often resting lightly on her legal codex. She tilts her head toward frightened speakers and leans forward when common citizens explain themselves. In court, she rarely points. Instead, she places one claw on the exact line of text that defeats an opponent's argument. When rattled, her breathing becomes slow and audible through her nostrils, and tiny threads of smoke curl from between her teeth.
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