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Isharnai the Prism Sage is a hag who lives alone among the Cyrios Mountain woods north of the Bromkiln Hills. She wields strange magics, weaving boons and hexes for those who make the journey to find her, and demands high prices for her deeds, sometimes beyond mere coin.[2] As an NPC, Isharnai is played by Matthew Mercer.

Description[]

Isharnai - Galactic Jonah

Fan art of Isharnai, by GalacticJonah.[art 2]

Appearance[]

Nott's memory of Isharnai was of a humanoid woman with elongated features, very high and prominent cheekbones, jowls sunk very deep and hanging below, and dull green eyes.[3] Jester's later Scry revealed a woman with gnarled clumps of oily black hair drifting out from the sides of her robe, tangled and knotted into large rats' nests, and wrapped in heavy, tattered robes with long ratty gold twine wrapped around from shoulder to side, holding it on in a very unique, ready-to-travel pattern.[4] On the Mighty Nein's visit to Isharnai's lair, they specifically see that she has a long, pointed jaw, her cheekbones are so high as to be like exaggerated elvish features, and her eyes are almost glowing.[5] Above the dark robes, her cloak is gray-brown and stained.[6]

Isharnai's body is curved backward in an S-formation where the front of the torso pulls back like a serpent, and then the shoulders slouch forward with the head emerging from the shoulders in the center in a very heavy hunch. Even hunched, she stands about six-and-a-half feet tall. If she were to stand straight, she would be closer to seven-and-a-half feet tall.[7] Her arms are long, appearing to have two elbows each,[8][9] and she has extended fingers reminiscent of Keona the Keen[10]. She moves with unnaturally graceful, sweeping gestures and sudden rapid grasps and snatchings.[11] Her walk has "long, lumbering strides" and her arms sway unnaturally.[12]

When Yasha threatened her, Isharnai's shoulders pulled back and her body momentarily began to swell and cause shadows to grow across the walls.[13]

Personality[]

Isharnai and Jester - @mellifera38

Fan art of Jester offering the cupcake to Isharnai, by @mellifera38.[art 3]

Matt describes Isharnai as a "very intelligent and conniving individual that has made their living feeding off the misery of other people that she's tricked them into."[14] However, she did not approach Beau's father nor the Mighty Nein; they came to her. The willingness of the person to make the deal is important to her.[15]

Isharnai is extremely old, claiming to have seen many lifetimes.[16] She is unsurprisingly cautious. When the Mighty Nein appeared at her lair, she watched them invisibly from atop her house to observe them.[17] Though they told her they wished to converse peacefully, she tried not to leave her back exposed,[18] and only met with them one at a time[19] inside her windowless house,[20] where she can open and close the one door at will[21][22][23][24][25] and perhaps see through the walls.[26]

Isharnai has a habit of sniffing loudly when she gets close to people;[27][28] she tells Beau that can smell her misery, and Beau's scent is "familiar" because they are already somehow tethered, but Isharnai does not immediately recognize it's through her father.[29]

Biography[]

Background[]

At some point in the past Isharnai established herself in the Cyrios Mountains, earning a reputation as a fortuneteller and a witch, being able to grant boons or hexes in exchange for payments. People also knew her as the Prism Sage.

Isharnai and Veth - Origins Nott

Official art of Isharnai and Veth, by William Kirkby and Eren Angiolini from The Mighty Nein Origins: Nott the Brave.[art 4]

Isharnai had had dealings with a goblin clan in the Marrow Valley, exchanging favors that led to great misery. Around 833 PD,[30] when the leader of this clan, Drekkit, was killed by Veth Brenatto, the leader's widow, Khaaz, took the halfling to the old spellcaster, with instructions to "make her suffer". The witch brought Veth to the river and showed her her reflection, allowing her to appreciate her own beauty and value, just the way her beloved husband looked at her, despite her usual hatred for her own appearance;[31] then she drowned the halfling, and when she woke up she had been transformed into a goblin,[32] being taken by Khaaz's clan as a slave.

"Home is Where the Heart Is" (2x92)[]

The party realized that the mysterious woman who transformed Nott into a goblin and the soothsayer that foretold Beau's father Thoreau Lionett's business success were possibly the same, which Caduceus confirmed with Commune. Researching at The Cobalt Soul, they discovered she was likely Isharnai the Prism Sage. Nott used Disguise Self to show the others her memory of the woman, and Jester cast Scrying on her, successfully seeing her in her home casting runes. However, Isharnai looked up and saw the scry focus, saying, "Hello. Who's this I see? My curiosity is piqued. I hope this means I’m having visitors." She then crushed the focus between her hands.

"Misery Loves Company" (2x93)[]

Isharnai and Jester - Hierothraxs

Fan art of Jester with Isharnai, by @hierothraxs.[art 5]

The invisible Isharnai perched unseen on top of her hut when the party reached it after traversing mountains, a swamp, and a bramble forest. Fjord was able to see her when he cast See Invisiblity, and greeted her. Isharnai invited them inside one at a time to bargain with her, offering to lift the curse on Nott in return for a new source of the misery upon which to feed. Beau offered to walk away from her family, the Mighty Nein, and her position with the Cobalt Soul. Nott offered to sabotage the upcoming peace negotiations between the Empire and the Dynasty, and Yasha offered her book of collected flowers. Jester convinced Isharnai to believe she is about to agree to sacrifice her hands to have Nott's curse lifted, but actually sprinkled her Dust of Deliciousness on a leftover blueberry cupcake, which she shared with Isharnai. The Dust of Deliciousness lowered Isharnai's ability to save against charm effects, and Jester took advantage of this to then successfully cast Modify Memory on her. Jester made Isharnai believe that they had such a good visit that Isharnai promised to lift the curse just to please Jester. Jester then left the somewhat confused and distracted Isharnai and went outside to the others, urging them to hurry away.

"Family Shatters" (2x96)[]

Jester sent a dozen black moss cupcakes to Isharnai via a summoned quickling. Isharnai confirmed receiving them via Jester's Sending spell in "High Seas, High Stakes" (2x99), although from her response it was unclear whether she was still under the influence of Jester's Modify Memory or had dispelled/removed it in the meantime.

Relationships[]

Character Information[]

Battle map of Isharnai's house and surrounding area

Battle map of the surrounding area near Isharnai's house.[art 6]

Abilities[]

  • Can see invisible objects[33]
  • Invisibility[34]
  • Reincarnate or similar spell or magical ability used on Nott
  • Magic Resistance[35]

Home[]

The Hut of Isharnai - BlackSalander

Fan art of Isharnai's hut, by BlackSalander.[art 7]

Isharnai lives in a bramble forest among dark, dangerous woods and rocky mountainside cliffs. Her home is small, about 15 to 20-feet in size, and has a large porch in front. It has no windows and no back door. At its base, heavy roots emerge almost as if the house itself was rooted into the ground. The cabin appears to have been put together from numerous thin, tall trees. There are hooks hanging from its edge from chains and ropes, and a wooden rack off to the side of the porch that contains stretched-out leathers. The roof is heavy-thatched and green with moss, mold, and other natural growth that has taken root in it.[36][37]

Inside, her house is small, dense, and cluttered, but in an organized way. There are many collected books, papers, broken lanterns and pieces, elements of animal bone, and a large collection of jars and vials holding various alchemical and magical supplies. In the corner lies a collection of stones arranged in a pattern.[38] It is both warm and muggy, the smell intensely reminiscent of strong mildew and herbs. In the middle of the room is a table bearing a single glowing lantern. Along the ceiling on the inside, between where the wooden boards hold up the thatch, cages of varying sizes holding small animals hang from chains, rope, and twine.[39]

Notable Items[]

Appearances and mentions[]

Quotations[]

  • Isharnai: "I’ve seen many lifetimes. And I enjoy being tethered to misery. It feeds me. And your friend has been a delicious drip. [...] Existing misery is paltry. New misery... that is lasting."[40]

Trivia[]

  • The name "Isharnai" is an anagram of "I, Raishan".
  • While Isharnai told Nott that she had transformed her as payment for an old debt with Khaaz and Drekkit's clan,[41] in The Mighty Nein Origins: Nott the Brave she is shown declaring that for her "gift" Khaaz would be in her debt, and she would have to return the favor one day.[42] It is unknown if this contradiction is a mistake, if Isharnai lied about her dealings with the goblin torturer or if the magic she used was so important that it settled her previous debt with the goblins and made them contract a new one benefiting the witch.
  • Matthew Mercer imagines Isharnai, who is no longer under the effects of Modify Memory, has some respect for having been outmaneuvered, but will cross paths with Jester again.[43]

References[]

  1. See "Critical Role Campaign 2 Wrap Up" (Sx56) at 2:50:17.
  2. See "Home is Where the Heart Is" (2x92) at 1:05:06.
  3. See "Home is Where the Heart Is" (2x92) at 1:08:51.
  4. See "Home is Where the Heart Is" (2x92) at 1:11:58.
  5. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 02:51:01.
  6. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 02:53:15.
  7. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 02:53:40.
  8. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 02:50:26.
  9. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:13:37.
  10. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:52:17.
  11. See "Home is Where the Heart Is" (2x92) at 1:12:35.
  12. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 02:56:35.
  13. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:33:16.
  14. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:50:50.
  15. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:16:08.
  16. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:02:12.
  17. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 02:49:35.
  18. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 02:54:10.
  19. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 02:55:32.
  20. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 02:37:28.
  21. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:04:34.
  22. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:05:27.
  23. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:13:16.
  24. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:20:16.
  25. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:47:16.
  26. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:10:51.
  27. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 02:54:18.
  28. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:28:20.
  29. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 03:05:39.
  30. Luc Brenatto was three when the goblin attack happened, and he is about five during Campaign Two.
  31. The Mighty Nein Origins: Nott the Brave
  32. See "A Game of Names" (2x49) at 0:27:34.
  33. See "Home is Where the Heart Is" (2x92) at 1:13:31.
  34. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 2:54:43.
  35. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 3:49:16.
  36. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 02:08:30.
  37. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 02:36:49.
  38. See "Home is Where the Heart Is" (2x92) at 1:11:45.
  39. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 2:43:10.
  40. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 3:02:13.
  41. See "Misery Loves Company" (2x93) at 3:14:02.
  42. The Mighty Nein Origins: Nott the Brave
  43. See "Critical Role Campaign 2 Wrap Up" (Sx56) from 2:50:17 through 2:51:57.

Art:

  1. Official art of Isharnai, by Joric (source). Used with permission.
  2. Fan art of Isharnai, by GalacticJonah (source). Used with permission.
  3. Fan art of Jester offering the cupcake to Isharnai, by @mellifera38 (source). Used with permission.
  4. Official art of Isharnai and Veth, by William Kirkby and Eren Angiolini from The Mighty Nein Origins: Nott the Brave. This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
  5. Fan art of Jester with Isharnai, by @hierothraxs (source). Used with permission.
  6. See Matt Mercer's Tweet.
  7. Fan art of Isharnai's hut, by BlackSalander (source). Used with permission.
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