Lestera was the fortune teller of The Fletching and Moondrop Traveling Carnival of Curiosities, and one of the first and dearest friends of Mollymauk Tealeaf.
Description[]
Appearance[]
Lestera was a beautiful middle-aged woman with a slim build, tanned skin, a mane of rosy maroon curls, and green eyes with matching makeup. All of her (moon-themed) jewelry was gold, and she used to wear striking, light clothing in shades of blue and purple, also with moon patterns.[1]
Personality[]
Lestera was hedonistic, flirtatious and a lover of parties and alcohol. She supported her friends and was well-loved in her wandering community.[2]
Biography[]
The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf[]
At some point of her life Lestera inherited a deck of oracle cards from someone who in turn inherited them from someone else, using them to give readings to people, and adding more cards created by her, the same way her predecessors had done.[3]
She worked as a fortune teller in The Fletching and Moondrop Traveling Carnival of Curiosities, and in 833 PD, near the Savalirwood, Toya (a young girl and the most recent addition to the carnival until then) found a tiefling man walking alone and disoriented, unable to speak properly. The older woman took him under her wing, encouraging him to participate in the carnival celebrations and inspiring him to commemorate the special events with tattoos. Little by little, the tiefling, who would eventually be called Mollymauk Tealeaf, began to regain his speech, and Lestera decided to teach him how to read cards.[4]
They both spent a great deal of time together, mostly drinking, although she occasionally took an interest in Molly's past; thus, when he discovered that he had abilities connected to hemocraft, it was Lestera who encouraged him to tell Gustav Fletching, who quickly incorporated said abilities into the carnival shows.[5]
Official art of Lestera's funeral, by Hunter Severn Bonyun and Cathy Le from The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf.[art 2]
It was at some point after Mollymauk's first performance with his swords, between 833 and 834 PD, that Lestera died, being found by the tiefling in their usual drinking spot. Her death was greatly mourned by her friends at the carnival, who arranged a funeral and left offerings for her in her coffin. Following the fortune teller's wishes, Gustav gave Molly part of Lestera's wardrobe and her deck of oracle cards. Thus, the blood hunter succeeded his dear friend as the carnival's fortune teller, and in keeping with her legacy, he created new cards for the deck and helped a new member of the carnival, Yasha Nydoorin, feel welcome, just as Lestera had done with him.[6]
Relationships[]
Official art of Lestera and Molly drinking together, by Hunter Severn Bonyun and Cathy Le from The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf.[art 3]
Mollymauk Tealeaf[]
Lestera was extremely fond of Molly, caring for him, teaching him how to have fun, and sharing her knowledge of card reading with him. Their relationship was hedonistic and carefree, and when she died, he kissed her goodbye and kept her legacy alive.[7]
Appearances and mentions[]
- The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf (first appearance)
Quotations[]
- (about Mollymauk's new coat) "This will do. Can't have you outshining me, laddie."[8]
- Lestera: A toast! To becoming just the sort of person worth drinking with...
Molly: And to people, and all of the fascinating forms they take...[9]
Trivia[]
- Her name seems to be the feminine form of Lester, which derives from Leicester, a name formed by the combination of Ligore (an Old English term that could derive from the Gaulish liga, meaning "silt/mud") and ċeaster (an Old English term that derives from the Latin castra, meaning "camp/fort").
- Given the lunar theme of her clothing and jewelry, it is safe to assume that Lestera had some sort of bond (although not necessarily religious) to Sehanine the Moonweaver, the goddess connected to her cards, and whom Molly would come to worship.[10]
- Lestera's initial character sketches showed her hair with a combination of reddish and gray curls.[11]
- In her coffin there was a bottle of wine, peacock feathers, roses, and the portrait of an orange cat,[12] so it is assumed that she liked all those things.
- Molly didn't get peacock feathers tattooed until after Lestera's death, and since there was one in the fortune teller's room, that tattoo is meant to remember her.[13]
- When Kingsley Tealeaf was targeted by the Greater Restoration spell he mentioned a beautiful woman wearing a red coat and teaching him about secrets.[14] Lestera owned a coat that was partially red, and she taught Molly about the secret behind card readings.[15]
- The next memory Kingsley mentioned was connected to Yasha, whom Molly met after Lestera died.
References[]
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
- ↑ See "Fleeting Memories" (2x14) at 2:12:36.
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
- ↑ See "Fond Farewells" (2x141) at 0:53:48.
- ↑ The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf
Art:
- ↑ Official art of Lestera, by Hunter Severn Bonyun and Cathy Le from The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf. 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.
- ↑ Official art of Lestera's funeral, by Hunter Severn Bonyun and Cathy Le from The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf. 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.
- ↑ Official art of Lestera and Molly drinking together, by Hunter Severn Bonyun and Cathy Le from The Mighty Nein Origins: Mollymauk Tealeaf. 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.