Delta

The sprawl of the Sandswept Delta provides an excellent habitat for migratory birds and year-round wildlife. It is also a sacred place of the oldest Serthis cabal, and Serthis from all over Sornieth make annual trips to a special temple made of sandstone that serves as the highest point on the delta. There, they sacrifice treasure and other trinkets looted from dragons to the Great Desert Spirit, which protects the delta and its inhabitants from the pesky dragon invasions and attacks from passing pirate ships. Not that there are many pirate ships, of course. The Sandswept Delta isn't exactly a rich place to loot, and few dragons would stop by unless they happen to be looking for some specific item. Regardless, any dragon and ship that comes by risk the unfortunate event of encountering a desert mirage, which traps them in a hazy illusion until their ship runs aground, or they fall into a Serthis-made trap, or they run aground and then fall into a Serthis-made trap. Fortunately, Serthis aren't usually into destroying dragons, so the victims are normally released with a warning to never come by again. Unless the victims happen to be pirates. Then, they'll be put in chains, dragged off to the Temple, and then sacrificed amid a great celebration to the Great Desert Spirit.

Those who know of this bloody ceremony may be surprised to learn that the Great Desert Spirit herself is a dragon. Delta roams the sandy expanse of the Sandswept Delta, searching for pirate ships and sinking them without fail and mercy. As far as she's concerned, they are the lowliest of lowlives, and can rot at the bottom of the ocean for all she cares, even if they happen to be dragons just like herself. This menacing attitude isn't without its reason, for once upon a time, Delta lived with her mother on the sandy beaches of a land far away. Their peaceful life was shattered when a pirate crew led by the infamous HellBeard attacked the serene cove where they lived, and Delta was stolen from her mother. She spent the most part of the attack unconscious after someone threw her against a sharp bit of stone, so by the time she finally woke up, she was in chains and there was some stuck-up Guardian trying to browbeat her into doing some lousy pirate chore. Delta was just a hatchling, and understandably frightened by someone about eight times her weight (probably more.) As such, she was coerced into being a crew member and grew up as a pirate.

But Delta wasn't some submissive child who wouldn't take revenge, no. She knew, even as she was forced to raise the sails, that her mother was searching for her - that being said, she couldn't just sit around and do nothing! And so, in the lowest, most obscure decks of HellBeard's Pearly Shell, she taught herself magic from books that had been thrown aside by her crewmates as items unworthy of plunder. While Shadow magic like illusions wouldn't stand in an actual firefight against pirates, Delta knew how deadly the magic was depended on how she wielded it.

She survived, mostly out of pure luck, but retained a healthy fear of water as she washed onto shore riding on a giant tidal wave. As the wave crashed down, to the Serthis cabal that had been minding their own business, it seemed like a god of some sort had surfed the gigantic sheet of water and destroyed the legion of dragons that had teleported right into their campsite and been ready to slaughter the cabal. Overjoyed at being saved, the Serthis cabal carried an unconscious Delta to the spot where the temple had stood, but disappeared after she passed out. To honor the arrival of what they assumed was a great deity sent by the heavens to save them, they built a giant Serthis-style temple where the grand creature could live and hopefully stay with them forever.

When Delta woke up and found herself being celebrated by an entire Serthis cabal, she was remarkably calm. She understood what had happened, and while she was disappointed she didn't get to destroy HellBeard, she was sure he'd one day return to loot this land when he had gotten stronger. To be able to stand against him, Delta decided to side with the Serthis. Not that she really had a choice - the Serthis would've sided with her anyway. She might've looked like a dragon, but a dragon that would wipe out a bunch of other dragons was okay in their book.

Delta made a place for herself among the Serthis, using her illusion magic to send visions to the Serthis in order to have them do her bidding. One of those commands was for them to kidnap a passing merchant, who she then imprisoned and mimicked the speech of so she could scrub her voice of that disgusting pirate accent. (The very confused merchant was later released after Delta took all of his wares and distributed it to the Serthis.) As for the rest of commands, it was mostly what the Serthis had already been doing anyway - keep the dragons out, and sacrifice any unlucky pirate crew to Delta. In return, she used her illusions to protect the entire Serthis cabal.

While it's great being worshipped by the Serthis, Delta hasn't forgotten her mother. The Serthis have strict orders to welcome any dragon bearing likeness to her mother, and Delta constantly roams the venue, hoping to see her mother coming for her, though her fear of water keeps her from crossing the sea. As she wanders the isolated coast of the Sandswept Delta, she sings to the sea a quiet lullaby her mother used to sing, hoping that one day, her song will reach her mother, and they can finally be reunited.