Never let it be said that Jasmine is without ambition She has more than enough to upend all of Faerie Relationships: Interactions with Jasmine vary wildly, depending upon the loyalties of the creature entreating her and in which of her forms she is in when approached In her damsel guise, Jasmine is charismatic, manipulative, cunning, easily offended, and vainglorious in the extreme Meetings with Jasmine are considered successful if those beings seeking her succor actually leave her presence alive—no small feat and usually accomplished through fawning endlessly over Jasmine and presenting her with valuable gifts Jasmine is renowned for her ability to ferret out lies and ruses, and she loves to toy with those who feel they have tricked her, much like a cat plays with a wounded mouse before swallowing it whole If the creature who seeks her audience honestly wishes to bargain with her or has real information of interest to Jasmine to trade, they find that she is a most welcoming host Enemies of Mab are always welcomed with open arms as potential allies, and to a lesser extent, enemies of Titania and Oberon are also taken in (if not already tainted, in her eyes, by being aligned with Mab) Fey nobles from either the dark reaches or the pure lands are also embraced, as Jasmine is always desirous of expanding her power base and placing additional spies in the camps of the various sovereigns to report to her the goings on outside of Aralu All other creatures well to bother the Painted Lady only with good reason as she can turn at a moment’s notice Few have witnessed that transformation and lived to tell about it In her primeval form, Jasmine is a cruel beast given to frenzied rages, devouring her enemies whole, and guttural purring while rolling in the blood of those fool enough to seek her out In this state, all pretenses of ladylike behavior are utterly cast aside, and gifts, information, and bribes mean little to the Marchioness of Aralu Even Jasmine’s favored black hats are careful to avoid her in this state, for they are not spared from her slobbering maw when the beast rages—raw, visceral, and deadly Beings who cause Jasmine to transform into her primeval state or those unfortunate enough to be near when she snaps, see a creature fall into a feral frenzy that defies description In this form, — 54 — the drive to hunt is all-consuming, and Jasmine is all but impossible to reason with A visit from a person of status or the promise of information central to her goals might cause her to resume her damsel form and enter negotiations, but most agree that Jasmine is best avoided altogether in this state until she has sated her bloodlust and regained her composure Characteristics: Jasmine has two forms—one a demure maiden with ebony curls that flow past her shoulders like a midnight waterfall and the other a sightless, gargantuan worm with thousands of jagged teeth housed in a pale, bloated body In her damsel form, Jasmine wears a gown of unsurpassed finery knitted from the blossoms of nightblooming jasmine Tiny stars seem to live in her hair and flit over the surface of her skin, trailing her every step Her voice is melodious to the point of stirring jealousy in angels, and her scent alone is intoxicating enough to break the will of most mortal men In this form, her skin is unblemished and seems crafted from fresh cream, her eyes are dark and mysterious Jasmine carries nothing about with her, save for handfuls of her dress when necessary to cross puddles and climb stairs In this form, many mistake her for a typical fey noble In her primeval form, Jasmine appears as a white worm of immense proportions Wheezing, fat, and covered in mucus, her visage brings most creatures to retching Jasmine’s mouth spirals inward along concentric circles of thousands of jagged fangs into the dark void at the pit of her stomach Few who have seen her like this are spared to later recount the horror Strategy & Tactics: In her damsel form, Jasmine does not fight To so would be unladylike and unbecoming of a fey of her station Instead, she seduces and she beguiles Her voice and her scent inspire such lust and longing in the hearts of those who hear it, she rarely has to lift a finger Her prey comes to her and dies, shivering, with but a touch of her poisoned lips All pretense at civility and style fade away when Jasmine assumes her bestial form She becomes less a being and more a primal force of nature, grasping enemies and shoving them into her enormous maw, relying on her terrifying teeth to rip prey apart before she swallows down the bloodied pieces