Veridoun

Veridoun is Nehir's elder cousin, and would have been eligible for the throne upon the Chrysanthemum Emperor's death had his father not been an unofficial consort of low birth, as opposed to a sanctioned consort or even a royal Imperial. Owing to this he has been treated as a lesser member of the court for his entire life, even as a hatchling. When he first came of age he attempted to demonstrate his worth in battle, but came away from the experience badly wounded and with nothing to show for his efforts but his injuries; in fact, rumor suggests that he fled rather than meeting his opponent in combat. He now walks with a slight limp and is permanently embittered by the derision he has endured. There are few worse fates in the Emerald Court than being considered a dragon without honor.

As one of Nehir's advisors, Veridoun satisfies his grudges by conceiving court intrigues to amuse himself. He is extraordinarily clever — few secrets escape him, and he is rarely caught in the act. The results of his political maneuverings are usually petty and often vicious, resulting in broken hearts, scandals, and occasionally even imprisonments for fabricated misdeeds. According to the blackest of court gossip breathed only in private, Veridoun keeps onyx cobras in his chambers which he releases into the rooms of those against whom he plots his deadliest revenge. Onyx cobras are native to the region, and the court's several rare cases of fatal or debilitating malignant gembond have always been publicly regarded as accidental.

The only thing keeping Veridoun from being implicated in the Chrysanthemum Emperor's death is his clear lack of motive. Unfortunately his late mother's status, his value as an advisor, and his own slippery cunning have prevented him from being held accountable for his many other crimes. He has always had a soft spot for Nehir, viewing her as a fellow outcast and victim of ridicule, but his relationship with her has grown less favorable since her ascension as Empress.