Neeshka

Neeshka is a non-player character and companion in Neverwinter Nights 2.

""Tiny horns and spotted skin mark this woman as a tiefling, a half human with the blood of devils or demons. Lithe and liquid in her actions, Neeshka moves with a cat’s grace even when walking a brisk pace, her footsteps are nearly silent. Given to outburst of words and actions, her impulsive nature is as visible as her otherworldly heritage.""

History
Neeshka was abandoned as a baby and was raised by Priests of Helm who were trying to convert her. Even so, Neeshka always managed to get herself in to trouble and decided to leave the priests after a particularly moving sermon, but not before stealing a full collection plate.

She travelled to Neverwinter and set herself up as a professional theif, taking on Leldon as a partner. During a particularly lucrative heist, Neeshka single-handedly got past patrolling guards and defeated the trap on the vault they were robbing. Afterwards, when they were dividing up the loot, Leldon demanded a larger share. Since Leldon had failed to properly plan the heist, Neeshka naturally refused so Leldon called in his hired thugs to threaten her. With no other choice, Neeshka gave up everything she had, only to steal all of the loot back from him a little later. Neeshka escaped Neverwinter before more thugs were sent after her. Just as well, since Leldon placed a bounty on her head.

What happened to the money from the heist is unknown. Neeshka herself explains it as "expenses...and stuff." but it is hard to believe that all of that wealth disappeared in such a relatively short time.

The player first encounters Neeshka on his/her way to Fort Locke where she is being harassed by soldiers because of her obvious devilish heritage and the bounty out on bandits, which they assume she is. The player decides to help her out and decides that it'll be safer for her to travel with the player given the prejudices many locals have towards tieflings, despite Khelgar's charging about letting a "no good backstabbing tiefling" travel with them. Despite Khelgar's initial distrust of Neeshka, they become rather close, often bickering like brother and sister.

Neeshka has a relatively timid and defensive demeanor, often wary due to the stigma associated with tieflings. She particularly responds favorably to any kindness or support given to her, and often will only show courage if backed by the PC. If the PC is male, she is particularly territorial at times, showing great animosity and jealousy towards Elanee and Shandra, particularly when they first join the party. True to her tiefling nature, she is often impulsively stealing, almost to the point of kleptomania. She frequently swipes goods from others, checking companions' pockets, and often will admit to it casually to the player in conversation. She distrusts the Neverwinter city watch, though is still supportive if the PC joins them, often encouraging him/her to bend the rules (such as with the smuggled weapons).

Upon arriving in Neverwinter, she is greeted by Bennon & then later Tremmel, the thugs who threatened her before she left the city. Leldon still held a grudge towards Neeshka for robbing him blind and had not cancelled the bounty. Neeshka convinces the player to take the fight to Leldon. She suggested that they could get even by stealing his lucky coin, which later turns out to be Neeshka's lucky coin which was stolen from her when Leldon betrayed her. After beating Leldon, who escapes via smoke potions, he later issues a challenge to Neeshka for the title of Greatest Thief in Neverwinter. The challenge was to see who could rob a famous art collector, called simply "The Collector", first. Upon breaking into the vault, she is confronted by Leldon who is killed by Neeshka and the player, and thus settling the issue on who is the Greatest Thief in Neverwinter.

At the end of the quest, Neeshka is forcibly taken by Black Garius and tortured, trying to turn her against the player by using some sort of binding ritual that was effective because of her devil blood. Depending on the player's influence with Neeshka, she either breaks free from the spell and rejoins the player because she can't bring herself to betray the only person that ever showed her kindness, or her will is broken and she sides with Garius. If she breaks the spell and rejoins the player, she joins in the battle against Garius and the King of Shadows. She escpes the ensuing collapse with impeccable skill and after the PC returns from Rashemen, she and Khelgar rejoin him/her.

Lineage
There is much debate and speculation when it comes to Neeshka's heritage. It is known that Neeshka is only one quarter fiend, and that it was her grandfather that was the pure-blooded fiend that started her family. A lot of subtle hints have been dropped within the plot which indicates she may be descended from a very powerful lineage. One of the reasons why Garius' binding was effective on her, even if her blood was diluted, was because of the strong lineage she descended from. Upon entering Ammon Jerro's haven, many of the demons and devils bound there remarks of her unique heritage. One of them points out that she has Baatezu scent about her. One of them also points out that a relative of hers may also be trapped within the haven, "perhaps a long lost father". Of all the fiends the PC encounters throughout the quest, only Mephasm, a pitfiend/devil in disguise, seems to show any special interest in her and refers to her as "little Neeshka". For some reason Neeshka seems to get an allergic reaction whenever Mephasm is near, much like the reaction she gets when she stands too close to Casavir (because of his holy aura). It has been confirmed that Mephasm did have a role in Neeshka's creation, but what that role was has not yet been revealed.

Deleted Content

 * Aside from Bennon and Tremmel, Neeshka was supposed to have a third encounter with another of Leldon's thugs named Raines, who is rather psychotic. He mentions wanting to cut Neeshka's tail off and strangling her with it. This was removed from the final release of the game however.
 * Neeshka was originally supposed to be a romance option for male players but was removed due to time constraints.

Trivia

 * Although her character sheet shows her as neutral, Neeshka behaves like the very archetype of a chaotic neutral character.
 * During the Rite of Tyr, if the player is male and has higher influence with her than Elanee, Neeshka will offer to sabotage Lorne's equipment with potions she swiped from Sand's shop.