Meissa

Darling moonbeam
Do you ever want to scream
When the sun runs before you can see her?
Are you a people pleaser?
—Paris Paloma, "Pleaser"

Meissa is a warlock who after 500 years in the Astral Sea, remains keen as ever to learn new things. But being ageless for so long has left her wondering what her next purpose in life is, and now she’s ready to find it.

Appearance

Meissa has vibrant pink skin, very long silver hair almost always kept in a high ponytail, and glowing yellow irises with black sclera. Her face is very expressive. She is 162cm (5'3") tall with a lithe frame.

History

Meissa was born on a sanctuary near Y'landrothiel in Realmspace, known to the astral elves as one of their “star orchards”. Here she had a peaceful upbringing, until reaching the age of 21 and was taken to the citadel of Auraion in the Astral Sea; a stronghold carved out of the petrified body of a drifting Dead God. In Auraion, Meissa spent the equivalent of approximately 300 years as an apprentice to a scholar who specialized in celestial creatures, such as couatls, hollypants, unicorns, and the sort. But while Meissa held onto her awe and reverence for these beings, she grew more and more concerned with the apathy in the master. Fearing she would end up like him in time if she didn’t find something new to do, Meissa boarded a ship to a different citadel in search for a change. But unfortunately for Meissa and everyone else aboard, they never reached their destination.

The notorious giff pirate brothers Castor and Pollux on their infamous bombard ship, the Starscraper, easily intimidated the astral elf crew into surrender with threats of their ship’s massive canon. The pirates stole the valuable harvested starlight crystals, as well as taking a handful of prisoners – one of them being Meissa. Then they blew up the remains of the elven ship regardless.
Meissa spent the equivalent of approximately 200 years in servitude on the Starscraper. Over time, the other captives were either killed or sold away, but Castor took a special liking to Meissa, and wanted to keep her around. Her only friend was an autognome named Patch, who acted as the crew’s healer. Meissa lost hope of ever being free again, until celestial intervention changed everything.

When the Starscraper found a wounded ki-rin drifting in the Astral Sea, the giff brothers saw big bank in capturing it. When brought on board, despite being wounded, the creature overpowered the entire crew with powerful lightning magic. Seizing the opportunity to free herself, Meissa took up a shortsword and killed Castor and Pollux in a fury. The remaining crew either died from their wounds or abandoned ship. Being familiar with ki-rins from her past studies, Meissa knew how to approach it and care for it. Over time, she and Patch nursed the ki-rin back to health. As a parting gift, the ki-rin blessed Meissa with a touch of its holy light; Meissa was now bound in a pact with the ki-rin as her patron.

There was still one problem, though: Meissa was not a spelljammer, and with no spelljammer, the Starscraper was a sitting duck floating aimlessly in the Astral Sea. Meissa prayed it would be her own people to find and rescue her… Instead, it was a nautiloid.

Relationships

• Lae'zel: Meissa was raised to fear githyanki, and Lae’zel was raised to see others as inferior. But that doesn’t stop them from seeking each other’s company, and very quickly, Meissa is ready to admit she’s in love. In time, Lae’zel realizes it’s safe to admit the same.
• Shadowheart: Shadowheart is full of secrets, and her evasive talk bothers Meissa. It speaks as untrustworthy in Meissa's eyes, and that only weakens Shadowheart’s willingness to talk. It takes a long time until circumstances force the tension to finally clear.
• Astarion: Astarion and Meissa have a surprising lot in common when it comes to their histories. As such, Meissa can’t help but have sympathy for him, despite their natures being so opposing. She hopes that one day Astarion will heal as she is healing.
• Gale: Gale reminds Meissa of a lot of the academic colleagues she once knew; the ones who didn’t become apathetic. It’s inspiring to her to hear him talk with such passion about his interests, and she loves sharing things about the Astral Sea with him.
• Wyll: Meissa sees Wyll as wise beyond his years, and is shocked to learn how young he is in actuality. What Wyll credits to his upbrining, Meissa sees as a natural goodness in him that he chooses to nurture, and that brings her hope and admiration.
• Karlach: Meissa is less willing to believe Karlach is destined to die than Karlach herself, coming from a culture without natural death. It brings her no joy to eventually see Karlach become a mindflayer, but part of her wants to believe it’s a form of living on.
• Halsin: Halsin would lay with Meissa in a heartbeat, seeing her as a vibrant source of refreshing light. Meissa however, only sees Halsin as a colleague, and while flattered, isn’t interested in his advances. It’s a little awkward between them.
• Jaheira: When Jaheira talks about her age as if she’s seen it all, Meissa finds it adorable, and is quick to remind her that people in the Astral Sea are capable of living indefinitely. Jaheira changes Meissa’s view on how age works though, in experience versus time.
• The Emperor: Meissa accepts the dream guardian's help, but at the same time is never fooled by the façade; she is fully aware that the guardian's not who they really say they are. But she certainly didn't expect the truth to be a mind flayer. From that point, Meissa is quite hostile.

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