#with drow concept of trust
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Drow Lore 🕷️ Drow And Hostages
In relation to the story of half-drow Valas the Black Raven mentioned in Icewind Dale 2 - I found there an interesting information that may imply that drow (at least drow from Rilauven) sometimes use hostages in diplomacy.
🕷️ From Envoy To Hostage - in the Black Raven monastery founded by Valas there is a tradition that when the archimandrite (the leader of the order) receives a diplomatic invitation bidding him or her to leave the territory of the monastery, he or she can command the envoy who delivered the invitation to stay in the monastery as a "residing guest" - a hostage of sorts.
The envoy is obliged to remain in the monastery until the leader of the order returns, serving as a guarantor of good faith of the other side. Such residing guest / hostage is treated well and enjoys all the privileges of the guest of honour... at least as long as no treachery is involved.
This tradition is supposed to be old and …began by the drow, as explains one of the characters in game.
It is quite possible that the founder of the monastery borrowed this concept from drow culture - he grew up and spent several decades of his life in drow city, after all, serving in at least two Loth-sworn drow houses in Rilauven.
🕷️ Hostages In Drow Culture - matron mothers and their closest associates seem to rarely leave their cities - probably because for a noble drow, every invitation "from the outside" may be a potentially deadly trap. And rescuing an important member of noble family from the clutches of whoever (or whatever) captured them in the Underdark can be hard and not always successful.
(One of the first quests in Ust Natha in Baldur's Gate 2 can be an example of that.)
On the other hand, refusing a diplomatic invitation can be taken as an insult and have unpleasant consequences that both sides may want to avoid. Drow most likely have some diplomatic protocol for such situations.
The practice of giving and receiving hostages could be one of means of political communication at least in some drow cities - although probably mainly between houses or organizations of more or less equal power. In case of diplomatic invitations, I suppose that the more valuable the envoy / hostage is, the more safe the invited noble can feel... probably.
For more of my drow lore ramblings, feel free to check my pinned post 🕷️
#drow#drow lore#dnd lore#lolth sworn drow#dark elves#drow culture#rilauven#icewind dale 2#with drow concept of trust#or rather lack of trust#engaging in drow diplomacy sounds like hell
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2 & 3 from section 1 for peri and 7 from whichever section has a more interesting #7 for diodore -moss
oooh these are fun ones!
2. Describe their tent set-up (outside and inside) (Peri)
I think Peri's tent is constructed similarly to Gale and Astarion's (boxy, fabric walls, little covered area outside). Deep blue fabric w/ golden astronomical embroidery, mostly the sort of thing you see on star maps. Little golden tassles around the edges of the tarp (?) and the doorframe. He'd have a small, circular, dark wood side table short enough that you can use it sitting on the ground, and a dark blue pillow next to it; there would be some parchment and a bronze miniature astrolabe on the table. The inside would be just. full to the brim with the gaudiest night-sky-themed pillows you've ever seen. No bedroll, no palette, just a nest that would put those cube pits in trampoline parks to shame. There would be two bird perches for his familiar Medani: one taller one next to his tent and one shorter one under the overhang. The shorter one would have a crow-sized bow-tie hanging from it. Rugs on rugs on the outside area ofc.
3. What would their character quest be titled? Why? (Peri)
This is a hard one! His tav ending involves taking over the Waterdeep arm of the Harpers, so I think his arc would have something to do with that. He'd be pretty bitter about being dropped into another near-apocalyptic mess when dealing with the last one a few years prior was supposed to be a one-time thing. Something-something ptsd in a world that doesn't have the words for that yet, something-something 'once a hero always a hero', something-something the weight of responsibility...he's a planeswalker so I think part of it would be whether he decides to stay on Toril long-term and directly help rebuild the Waterdeep Harpers or if he continues to run travel around afterwards, so maybe The Far Traveller/The Far Walker?
Harpson/Fae-son are also potential options. "Fae-son" nods to him being a changeling without it being super obvious (like Astarion's "The Pale Elf"). It would also mimic his backstory reveals from RoT ("oh he's not 'from here' so, like, the Feywild" -> "OH he's not from here").
7. Describe their arc. How would a player help resolve it? What choices can be made? Can your Tav be turned down a dark path, or pulled to a lighter one? (Diodore)
Buckle up because we're in for a long one here. I've thought about Dora's story arc a lot because she's the first of my tavs that I truly made for the game while having full control over her backstory, etc. (versus Corentin, who had their arc baked into the story as a durge). Dora's a paladin of Corellon (oath of ancients) and her story arc as a companion would have to do with whether or not she should accept capital-r-Redemption, the process by which a drow can be truly "freed" from Lolth and rejoin the ranks of the rest of elven society. It involves all of the Redeemed drow's memories being erased and them being reincarnated as a surface elf. The implication seems to be that without that, regardless of a drow's actions, they'd be thrown back to Lolth when they die? Or at least that their eternal fate is unknown (which is the way I prefer to think of it for. personal reasons). Under normal circumstances, Dora would be a long way from Redemption being presented to her at all (she's not even 200 yet and has only been on the surface for a couple decades), but like with the other gods' Chosen among the companions, near-apocalyptic circumstances tend to speed up those sorts of things.
Of course, you'd have the themes of faith & relationship with deity when they're all unequivocally real and are also mostly all assholes; maintaining or breaking generational cycles; facing the unknown; morality when none of your choices are "good" (and how that interacts with morality vs self preservation); power vs freedom; identity outside of the people who made you; etc. The choice would first be presented to her sometime in late Act I/early Act II, likely the first long rest after the group resurfaces from the Underdark and you've probably gotten some of her backstory already. I have no idea how Larian would have characterized Corellon, but he's considered one of the more benevolent/open-minded deities iirc, which could be interesting to see contrasted with Mystra, Vlaa'kith, and Shar. How much that open-mindedness would extend to a drow, even one who has been a faithful follower even before she escaped to the Surface (and who inherited that faith from her father), is unclear. At the beginning of the game she would be leaning towards accepting Redemption, despite her own misgivings about whether or not she would still be her in that case.
Her final decision (at the ending pier scene) would depend on the relationship she has with the PC and the other companions. Her best ending, imo, would be her not accepting Redemption but continuing to be a force for good. If she has a good relationship with the PC, she would have something to lose. I think seeing the House of Mourning would affect her too. After all, the thing Corellon is offering to her as a way to find peace is the same thing the Sharrans are using as a way to manipulate and control others.
She's viscerally aware of how she was socialized and very actively chooses "good", so pushing her towards a darker path would be incredibly difficult but not impossible. If you side with the goblins she'll leave immediately, and turn on you if she's in your party when you attack the grove. But if you decide to try and control the cult in Act II, depending on your over-all actions before then and how you've interacted with her, you could disillusion her to the point of convincing her to break her oath. That path would entail convincing her that controlling the cult is actually the best idea. I'm sure there would be other times that her oath could break that wouldn't necessarily lock her into an "evil" path, especially with how Oathbreakers are handled in the game. Knocking out Minthara instead of killing her outright and letting Auntie Ethel go in Act I instead of killing her are two things that come to mind.
If she doesn't choose Redemption she would be at the epilogue party, of course. I'm a bit undecided on what would happen if she does choose Redemption. She may not be there at all, w/ Jaheira, Halsin, Minthara, and/or Astarion mentioning running into her in her new, reincarnated state. Or she would be there, confused, and mention how the PC seems familiar in a way she can't quite place. In that case, she would ask them how they know each other and mention something about feeling a twinge of grief looking at everyone, but that she doesn't know why she feels that way. It would be up to the PC how much they tell her (if they tell her anything at all).
#ty for the ask mossy!!#and sorry for the wait lol a couple of these stumped me for a minute#thinking about peri & jaheira as narrative parallels...#b/c i want to be clear here. peri was and is *not* looking for more responsibility re: harpers#he was perfectly happy doing security systems. him not seeking power was an active character choice i made for him b/c he's a wizard#but in the Faerun In My Head (tm) the Waterdeep Harpers also get decimated by the Absolute b/c why would they not? theyd be a major threat#especially b/c their high harper was the catalyst for forming the lord's alliance and. like. you think they're *not* reconvening?#for Weird Cult Two: 2 Cult 2 Furious??#gortash would take remallia OUT if at all possible#and also I like torturing my characters#and i think the whole 'weight of duty'/hero's curse (once you get drawn into one situation you can't ignore the others/they come to you)#thing is interesting for peri in particular. the man just wants to live a quiet life and he will! for the most part.#just now with thousands of lives in his hands b/c he's helped stop 2 apocalypses and is irrevocably tied to the fate of the Coast now#his conscious wouldn't let him just leave the Harpers or Waterdeep to rot. and that seems to be similar to the situation jaheira's in#generational cycles the cruel march of time history repeats itself etc etc#that's also why i think he would get Weave'd and have an unusually long lifespan. he wanted to rest and the universe said “no <3”#i think about dora's story a lot also because the whole 'you can be redeemed (from something you were born with)#but only by removing integral parts of yourself' thing hits *right* in the religious trauma#you cant tell me there wouldn't be *some* part of a Redeemed Drow's soul that remembers the people from before they were changed#unless they just. get a new soul in which case it literally isn't them anymore.#doras first real & healthy relationships happen in-game#thats part of why she's drawn to astarion. his bullshit is predictable to her and therefore feels safer.#definitely safer than whatever is going on with the others#(also why she trusts karlach so quickly: she's straightforward and blunt & doesn't really hide things?#and was also the only one to warn her against astarion. dora'd literally never had someone like that in her life before so it stuck)#and she'd feel a bit uncomfortable w/ the concept of Redemption at first but who is she to argue with a god?#esp one who seems kinder than many of the others#but as the story progresses she realizes that she *can* trust these people and that they trust her#and she sees how Gale and Shadowheart and Lae'zel are struggling w/ their deities#and not only does she have something to lose now but she's seeing more of how the gods work generally
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I was just thinking how when you tell Minthara you love her, she responds with "I know". I used to think that she just has an unshakable confidence that you love her and she doesn't really need you to tell her cause, well, she knows. But, why does she never say it back?
She will show you she loves you by doing things for you like one shotting your enemies and soloing all the bosses for you. She also will very quickly give you affection when you ask (and she's hella aggressive about it). She will support you in every decision you make (even if she thinks you're making a stupid ass decision). But, why won't she just tell you she loves you?
Cause if she says it out loud, you become a target. That's how it is for Menzoberranzan drow, especially nobles. A drow who admits they love another will quickly find their lover killed as a means to hurt them. That's why they have to use roundabout ways to admitting love to each other without actually saying it. Plus, the word "love" just doesn't really exist in Menzoberranzan and most drow who live there don't know the concept. She refuses to say she loves you cause she's afraid that someone will kill you just to hurt her. And a lot of people (and gods) want to hurt her.
The only time in the game that I can think of where you tell her you love her is the reunion party. A party full of people she feels do not like or trust her. A party that she feels is an excellent opportunity for a poisoning. Minthara is definitely a product of her environment. Now, I don't think she actually thinks your friends would hurt you. But, she kinda just kicks into Noble Party Mode. And Noble Party Mode says: don't eat the foot, don't trust the guests, and don't tell your lover you love them because someone will hear you and do something about it. It's not a surprise that she's very anxious the entire time and wants to leave. (Another example is mentioned in a previous post of mine here where in a Karlach origin, a non romanced Minthara will use very roundabout language to admit she's in love with Karlach but never uses the word love. You can see that here)
And then there's 'alurlssrin', which basically means an unshaken, deep, passionate love. This is a word that belongs to Eilistraee and should be foreign to her, a word that she would be punished socially (or killed) for even knowing if she was still in Menzoberranzan. That is what she feels for you. She also says that she hopes the bond you share with her will last as long as you two live.
She says this before facing Orin, someone she deeply fears. She is going down into the temple terrified that she will never leave. She literally pulls you aside to tell you she loves you in the best way that she can, cause she's afraid that Orin will kill her and she'll never be able to tell you otherwise.
To sum it up, Minthara does love you. She loves you a lot. She loves you deeper and harder than any of the other companions will and with a burning passion. She wants to go where you go, do what you do, see what you see. It never crosses her mind that she'll be doing something in which you're not right fucking there with her. She won't say she loves you, she will never say she loves you, and it's because she does love you. When she follows up with "I know", she's not being arrogant or downplaying what you feel. She's trying to keep you safe.
#bg3#baldurs gate 3#minthara#minthara baenre#nightwarden minthara#team raid the grove#yeah shes evil but she loves me
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Did Astarion kill DU Drow or did DU Drow pass the checks? (Or did that interaction not happen?)
Cause you’ve basically described DU Drow’s type as THAT Bitch™️ which I respect. But if THAT Bitch™️ killed him too?
Of course this could be me projecting, cause my Durge failed the checks and he came before he went 🫡.
Pretty face, legs for days, a mean streak, AND held a knife to his throat within five minutes of meeting, Astarion had already grabbed his attention, top that off with the fact Astarion actually killed him? My murder man was munted, the Bhaal boy was barking, slaughter son was salivating…
You get the idea
God damn it you're right, his type is just the conceptual archetype of That Bitch isn't it LOL
THAT BEING SAID you are actually mistaken! He may not like suck-ups, but he likes strangers putting knives to his throat even less.
Not to mention: Astarion's immediate order of business after that is to try and desperately get on your good side. In other words, doing the very thing that puts DU drow off. He didn't care for Astarion or his attempts at seduction at all, held him at arms' length, and was just a dismissive asshole to him throughout the majority of Act 1 (he was an asshole to everyone at that stage though, to be fair.)
It was only at the tiefling party when Astarion, completely unprompted, implied that the very idea of having sex with him disgusted him that DU drow became interested and started pursuing him. In the narrative I made up for this course of events, I like to think Astarion realized that his usual strategy wouldn't work here and that he was dealing with a man who only wants what he can't have. DU drow is a contrarian at heart, and for as long as Astarion was throwing himself at him he was going to be turned down.
Astarion only bit him after they started having sex, and at that point he had already told DU drow about his vampirism through normal dialogue ("Well, Obviously."). This is sincerely the only way he got away without being staked when that scene triggers (and it was honestly really cool to experience it in that order because it felt a lot more strategic from my POV as the player).
The bite was definitely a turning point in the relationship (DU drow enjoys being hurt by people he values under a controlled environment, but isn't fully aware of it due to his missing memory -> now his object of carnal desire puts that very concept on the table on a habitual basis, making it pretty much a pillar of the relationship -> DU drow begins to see Astarion as someone who actually has something to offer him, instead of just being a pretty conquest that he can show off.) However he still attempted and passed the first check to break free from it. They weren't close enough for DU drow to completely let go of his sense of self-preservation, nor did he come to trust Astarion entirely for a long time even after that. At that stage, if Astarion had sucked him dry (and then revived him, I guess) DU would have most definitely killed him.
(And If you're wondering how this translates to my actual gameplay - I wasn't taking the game seriously because I don't usually like fantasy as a genre, so I made a guy, named him Drow, and proceeded to be a huge dick to everyone until they all ultimately wormed their way into my heart while I kicked and screamed.)
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Okay, so since I finished my good Dark Urge playthrough of Baldur's Gate 3, which was also a Minthara romance, I wanted to write a brief meta that literally nobody asked for, mostly just because I know most people have never had Minthara in their party.
I understand that considering everything that happens with the Druid Grove, it’s very easy to dismiss Minthara as a genocidal psychopath, but if you actually peel away the horrors she committed as the mind slave of the Absolute, you get a character that is definitely still very much evil, but becomes way more nuanced than at the first glance. It’s not often that we get ubiquitously evil characters who while remaining cruel and ruthless are still shown as capable of loyalty, devotion and love.
On loyalty: from the moment you save Minthara from fate worse than death at Moonrise, she is very quick to swear loyalty and commitment to your cause. And sure, you could say that she has selfish reasons for seeking the protection of the Astral Prism. But the same goes for all the tadpoled characters, so to me that’s not a compelling argument. In your chats with Minthara, she makes it very clear that the act of saving her life means a crazy amount to her, and it has earned you her complete trust and loyalty, something that she normally doesn’t extend to others. And, she never breaks your trust and loyalty, as you maybe might expect from an evil character.
On devotion: this crosses over into both loyalty and love, but at times Minthara’s devotion, especially when in romance, almost leans into codependency – although I shouldn’t do armchair psychology. Having played through most of the romances, I would also say that Minthara is definite the most committed partner. She even invokes some drow word that symbolizes soulmates or something. I don’t believe in the concept, but it shows how serious she is. She also is very against any kind of sleeping around once in a relationship, something that other characters are more permissive of. I was very happy to see that they didn’t lean into the trope of evil being associated with sexual promiscuity.
On love: throughout your journeys together, Minthara will often speak about how you should do what the Chosen tried and failed to do – control the Absolute yourselves, enslave the brain and use it to rule the world. She expresses this sentiment very strongly even when you’re about to make your final choice. And seeing how much power means to her, I started to hesitate and became worried that maybe she’d leave my character if I were to destroy the brain and relinquish the power. I was so happy that the writers didn’t take the obvious route there. I definitely got the feeling that Minthara wished I had chosen differently, but she didn’t even nag my character about it. She simply said that we don’t need the Absolute to carve our way to power.
Anyway, those are my thoughts on Minthara, writing a nuanced evil character, and way more than you ever wanted to know about that. 😊
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A confession
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Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3
Pairings: Astarion x Artemis
Warnings: None just fluff
Summary: Astarion visits Artemis at camp one evening and confesses something to her.
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After speaking with Araj, the party of companions set up camp near Moonrise towers. It felt like night, but nobody could really tell, since the entire land was shrouded in darkness.
They were exhausted, so they figured they'd sleep off their recent journey. Protected by the fairy's moon light, the party settled in.
Artemis retreated to her own tent and started to remove her armor. As she was finally able to relax, she felt how strained her muscles were. She winced as she removed every piece of armor.
She sat down on her chair at her desk, removing her boots. The folds of her tent parted open slowly, she glanced up to see her fellow elven companion.
"Do you have a moment to talk?" He asked,
"Of course, what is it?" Artemis replied.
"I just wanted to thank you." Astarion started as he walked into her tent. Artemis stood up and got her night clothes out, she was standing in her undergarments.
"For what?" She questioned inquisitively as she dressed herself.
"For what you did, whilst I was in front of that vile drow." Astarion sneered as he frowned. Artemis was finishing up getting dressed as he spoke.
"I spent two hundred years using my body to lure pretty things back to my master. What I wanted, how I felt about what I was doing, it never mattered." Astarion poured out his feelings.
"You could have asked me to the same-to throw myself at her, what I wanted be damned...!" He paused as he looked Artemis in the eyes,
".... But you didn't. And I'm grateful." He said softly, looking at her, really looking at her. Artemis approached him slowly. She could see the vulnerability; he didn't even attempt to hide it now.
"I don't want you to do anything, you're not comfortable with." Artemis told him with sincerity, he could see it in her eyes.
"It's a novel concept, I admit. And a little intimidating." Astarion started, Artemis just listened.
"It would have been so easy to bite her. To just go along with what I was being told to do. A moment of disgust to get myself through. and then I could have carried on, just like before." Astarion continued to explain.
"So why did you sleep with me? Did you think you'd get something from it?" Artemis questioned as she narrowed her eyes, her heart twinged with an all too familiar pain.
"Well of course, I needed protection. People don't trust vampires-perhaps understandably-so I needed to get someone on my side. And seducing you was easy, frankly." Astarion went on with his explanation. At this point, Artemis's heart broke. Tears well in her eyes.
"So, imagine how stupid I felt when I actually started to genuinely feel something for you." Astarion confessed and Artemis's tears quickly diminished and a look of surprise washed over her features.
"Trust me I was not happy about it. You were a complication I didn't see coming. And yet..." He stopped talking, searching Artemis's face.
"I care about you." She said,
"Really?" Was all Astarion said, but it sounded genuine.
Artemis smiled at him, she walked towards him and closed the gap between them. Astarion just stood there, completely dumbfounded. His arms stiff in the air as he looked down at Artemis. She hugged him tighter.
Slowly, Astarion relaxed and wrapped his arms around Artemis's waist, hugging her back. He was touched starved for two hundred years, surely sexual encounters happened, but never a genuine friendly hug for comfort.
This was the first time he had a hug since he was turned. He nuzzled into Artemis's shoulder, letting out a shaky breath. It felt so foreign but felt so good. He relished in the feeling of his friend's embrace.
Artemis stepped back; she caught a glimpse of Astarion's expression. Longing and the desire to hold her longer, not wanting to let go just yet.
"You're...You're full of surprises, aren't you?" He told her, still in shock.
"Honestly, I have no idea what we're doing or what comes next." Astarion said like a star struck boy. He stuck out his hand, Artemis looked at it before taking it.
Astarion pulled her closer, resting his hand on top of hers. They were silent for a moment as they looked at their hands.
"But I know this..." He started as he looked up, meeting Artemis's eyes.
"This is nice." He added with a smile and not that fake persuasive smile, it was his smile. Artemis returned her own smile. They stood there for a long moment just staring at each other.
Then boldly, Astarion broke their glance and stepped towards her, closing the space between them. He cupped Artemis jaw, she looked up at him through her lashes.
Then Astarion leaned into her, capturing her lips in a tender kiss. It wasn't anything like the first kiss they shared a few months prior. This kiss was real. It had true feelings behind it.
Their lips moved in smooth rhythm with one another. It's as if they were made to mold to each other, they fit perfectly together. Astarion kept his hand on Artemis's jaw, deepening their already passionate kiss.
When they pulled back from their kiss, they were still smiling. Astarion's hand lingered on Artemis's face a while longer before he retreated from her. He sighed in delight,
"You are perfect, every time." Was all he said. Artemis's face was flushed a bright pink.
"Well, we should get some rest." Astarion said after a brief silence, he retreated for the entrance of the tent; before leaving he peered over his shoulder and spoke in a low voice.
"Sweet dreams, darling."
#my oc character#baldurs gate 3 screenshots#baldur's gate oc#baldurs gate astarion#baldur's gate 3#baldurs gate tav#astarion romance#astarion x oc#bg3 astarion#astarion#fighter tav#astarion x tav#bg3 tav#tav#baldur's gate fanfiction
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Hug him.
Astarion: I want to thank you.
Sylene Dathiir: For what?
Astarion: For what you said while I was in front of that vile drow.
Astarion: I spent two hundred years using my body to lure pretty things back for my Master. What I wanted, how I felt about what I was doing, it never mattered.
Astarion: You could have asked me to do the same - to throw myself at her, what I wanted be damned. But you didn't. And I'm grateful.
Sylene Dathiir: I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do.
Astarion: It's a novel concept, I admit. And a little intimidating.
Astarion: It would have been so easy to bite her. To just go along with what I was being told to do.
Astarion: A moment of disgust to force myself through. And then I could have carried on, just like before.
Sylene Dathiir: So why sleep with me? Did you think you'd get something from it?
Astarion: Of course, I needed protection.
Astarion: People don't trust vampires - perhaps understandably - so I needed to get someone on my side. And seducing you was easy, frankly.
Astarion: So imagine how stupid I felt when I started to genuinely feel something for you.
Astarion: Trust me, I was not happy about it. You were a complication I didn't see coming. And yet...
Sylene Dathiir: I care about you.
Astarion: Really?
Sylene Dathiir: Hug him.
Astarion: You... you are full of surprises, aren't you?
Astarion: Honestly, I have no idea what we're doing. Or what comes next.
Astarion: But I know that this? This is nice.
#astarion#baldur's gate 3#bg3#OH MY GOD THE FEELS#he so sweet#ita getting harder to do an ascended Astarion#but im gonna try#gonna watch him crash and burn#will fix him in future playthroughs#second playthrough#in game dialogue
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𝙊𝘾: Thimble Thistle
Baldur’s Gate 3
𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒕 𑁍
𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎
𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 | Thimble Thistle
𝗮𝗴𝗲 | 35
𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗱𝗮𝘆 | 17th of Hammer, 1457
𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 | Female
𝘀𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 | bisexual
𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲/𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 | deep gnome
place 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻 | The Underdark
𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄
𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 | square featuring a strong jaw
𝗲𝘆𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗿 | blue with rings of opal and gold
𝗲𝘆𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 | hooded
𝗹𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 | average, upturned at the corners
𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 | round but broad
𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲 | especially sensitive to the sun
𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 | braids pulled up into twin buns
𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗿 | silvery with purple undertones
𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲 | curvy and soft
𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 | 4’7
𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 | typical bardic garb and fare, embroidered doublet, minuscule though intricate ruffs, bard rings, a golden belt designed to look like song birds, worn leather boots, muted pastel tunics, laced jerkins, matching pantaloons, anything to make a subtle spectacle and ingratiate a crowd
𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 | freckles, a prominent scar across the bridge of her nose, decorative painted polka dots down the center of her face and under her eyes
𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘
𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 | Thimble is incredibly secretive and reserved though you’d never be able to tell. She presents herself as a jovial entertainer who delights in the limelight. In reality, she only reveals what she wants and knows how to manipulate others to get what she wants. Despite this, Thimble is incredibly, loyal, kind and tender to those she trusts.
𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘀 |
𑁍 humble
𑁍 intuitive
𑁍 vivacious
𑁍 friendly
𑁍 loyal
𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘀 |
𑁍 manipulative
𑁍 insecure
𑁍 obnoxious
𑁍 sneaky
𑁍 careless
𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀 |
𑁍 big cities (primarily Waterdeep)
𑁍 music and dancing
𑁍 drinking
𑁍 parties
𑁍 her lute
𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀 |
𑁍 drow (something she is trying to overcome)
𑁍 combat
𑁍 flutes
𑁍 dresses
𝗵𝗼𝗯𝗯𝗶𝗲𝘀 |
𑁍 playing the lute
𑁍 singing
𑁍 dancing
𑁍 story telling
𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇
𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 | is scarred by the abuse and violence she, her family, and friends received
𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 | has weak ankles and her back constantly aches, resultant of lashing and hobbling when she was a child
𝗵𝘆𝗴𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗲 | bathes when she can, uses perfume to freshen up on the road
𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎
𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀 | married to Gale Dekarios
𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 | dancing, tavern, music, theater
𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻(𝘀) | a busking bard
𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 | other than being forced to live in slums of Menzoberranzan enslaved, her parents and siblings were loving folk. It’s a shame she never knew their fates other than the gruesome demise of her sister, Poplar
𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 | worships Garl Glittergold. She also believes all individuals should worship who like, even Lolth the Spider Queen. Also interested in the concept of reincarnation, if nothing more than to be reborn from her ashes like a phoenix
dividers by cafekitsune
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Hello, I have been troubled by how to set the true ending of my own story. In my story, Kar'niss is mind controlled by an illithid who loves him. They make him fully trust them and live together like a family, protect and take care of him. However, illithid's lifespan is very short for drows. When the illithid getting old and inevitably loses control of him, do you think he will kill them? (Sorry, the entire question was almost made by a translator, and I am a monster)
Greetings!
An interesting concept to be sure. I suppose the question you have to ask yourself is if you want your story to have a happy, bitter sweet or tragic ending? As I’ve not read the story you’ve written I don’t know the mind flayer’s mental state or true intentions so forgive me if my answer doesn’t fully align with what you’re going for.
Assuming Kar’niss’ backstory is the same in your tale then I’m not sure how Kar’niss would feel about his mind being messed with for a third time. His mind was broken by Lolth, then broken by the Absolute, and now he is being controlled by a mind flayer. It also begs the question on if Kar’niss can feel anything positive for the illithid considering he was being controlled rather than staying of his own free will and allowing genuine feelings to develop. Once the mind link drops I imagine Kar’niss would feel like he is waking up from the longest dream of his life. He’d be confused and frightened and that would evolve into anger. Even if he felt some level of affection for this mind flayer, he’d likely have a mental break and lash out simply because he isn’t equipped to withstand that kind of shock. Whether that attack would kill the illithid or not would fully depend on how good they are at defending themselves at the time. Also, I think anyone who is essentially held against their will would be pretty angry once they escaped their bonds even if their treatment was reasonable. At best, Kar’niss would likely have some level of Stockholm syndrome toward them and feel obligated to stay because he has no where else to go.
Of course this is just my opinion but there are a number of ways he could react that would all be reasonable. It’s more about what sort of story you’re trying to tell and what kind of ending you feel is most satisfying to the journey that preceded it. I hope this helps in some way.
Thanks for the ask!
#kar'niss#bg3#karniss#baldur's gate 3#drider#baldurs gate 3#answered#illithid#mind flayer#D&D#d&d 5e
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Quick camp chats before heading out on the road again. (I'm thinking about making straight for the creche actually, since Rakha definitely thinks it's the most important thing to do right now, and then circling back for final nautiloid map stuff on the way to the Underdark.)
Rakha questioned Gale much more thoroughly about Karsus and the fall of Netheril; even though it happened a long time ago, she's still hungry for any new knowledge, more pieces in her picture of the world. I think this is probably not the last time that he ends up just discoursing to her on some random subject or another; if there's one thing Gale can't resist, it's an attentive student, even if it's one fully capable of ripping his throat out in the wrong moment.
He also explained, much to her disappointment, that there's no way she would be strong enough on her own to channel the Weave as they did together - that it requires intense study even for someone with a natural magical gift like her. She's quietly bummed about this; she was taken with the idea of showing it to Wyll.
Having talked to Dammon, we have the option to ask Karlach directly about the engine in camp. She's not willing to give the full story until the Paladins are dead, but does explain that it prevents her from touching anyone and how upset that makes her, that she can't have a hug.
Rakha spends a lot of time thinking about this afterwards. She has had sex with Lae'zel and she has had Astarion's weight on her as he sucked the blood at her neck, but beyond this, her experience with physical contact of any sort is... limited. But Karlach's longing for it is obvious. It must be comforting, she decides. Like the blanket of the Weave around her. Like Wyll's hand on her arm was, last night.
Astarion is indignant about Gale's orb: "To think, Gale's had this devastating orb within himself the entire time, and only just mentioned it? Who'd keep a secret like that from his friends? You can't trust anyone these days." It takes Rakha a little while to work out that he is being ironic.
His response to the question "What do you think we'll find at Moonrise Towers?" amuses me, because his phrasing feels deliberately calibrated for Rakha specifically: "Who knows? Drow? Mind flayers? Death? Hopefully not ours. But maybe answers, if we can convince the right people to talk." Death and answers are Rakha's two favorite things in the whole world.
Wyll is super cute and kinda shy. "Since the party, I've had a spring in my step, and I've got you to thank."
Sadly none of the (positive) dialogue options quite fall in Rakha's blunt conversational wheelhouse, but we'll go with, "It was a lovely evening. I hope we can share even more." Because it's true - talking to him was the best part of the party for her by far. She doesn't fully understand her own feelings, but she is realizing she feels better near him than otherwise.
He smiles. "I'm sure we will. And when the time comes... I've got something in mind." He raises a hand to forestall her as she opens her mouth to ask questions. "Now, now - no prodding. You don't want to spoil the surprise. But I'll say this... it'll be worth the wait."
The odd sense of pleasant anticipation with which Rakha receives this information is a rather new concept for her. She isn't sure what he means... but she is curious to find out.
He also tells her a little bit about growing up as a Duke's son in Baldur's Gate. Most of his descriptions of court and nobility are somewhat lost on her-- more interesting is his description of the transition into becoming Blade of Frontiers. She asks if it was much of a change.
"Yes and no," he answers. "Father taught me the four pillars of power - courage, insight, strategy, justice. He reckoned I'd follow in his footsteps, first as a Fist Marshal, then as a Duke. Vanquish evil, maintain order, save the world. But a duke makes bedfellows with more monsters than he slays. Father called it 'diplomacy'. I called it 'hypocrisy.' In the frontiers, there is no posturing, no diplomacy. I slay monsters; I don't consort with them, even if I might look like one."
As usual, Rakha tucks away these foundational tenets of his philosophy to consider for herself. Courage, insight, strategy, justice. None of them mean as much to her as violence, hunger, survival, death. And yet they are, perhaps, something to aspire to, if she should ever learn to control the beast...
She wonders about that last statement, though. Wyll claims not to consort with monsters - but he travels with Astarion. He travels with her. He travels with Gale and that bomb in his chest. There are many in their group who could be called monsters. What does he see when he looks at them? Does he see his presence here as just another sort of hypocrisy, deep down?
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BG3 Drow Lore 🕷️ Minthara's alurlssrin
Alurlssrin is a drow term Minthara uses to describe the bond she shares with Tav - but what does it precisely mean?
🕷️ Alurlssrin In BG3 - alurlssrin appears in some specific Minthara’s lines, when the player character romances her. According to Narrator, it is …a word used rarely, describing the deepest bonds of trust and love.
When asked about it, Minthara says simply that alurlssrin means “love” and confesses that she never really expected to use it. In another line, she seems to be convinced that alurlssrin is the kind of bond that can be life-lasting.
When Tav tries to reciprocate, saying: I alurlssrin you too, Minthara – with a hint of amusement – explains that alurlssrin is a noun.
The alurl- part may suggest that this word means “the best” kind of an emotional bond, or something close to it (alurl – “best, foremost” in Drowic).
🕷️ Alurlssrin And Ssinssrigg - in R. A. Salvatore’s The Legacy, it is stated that …there is no word in the drow language for love. The closest word (...) is ssinssrigg, but that is a term better equated with physical lust or selfish greed.
Ssinssrigg is another term that appears in one of Minthara’s lines, when the player character romances her, but does not have her high approval. She says then: What we share is no more than ssinssrigg, a passion that burns fierce, but has no foundation.
But... since according to drow lore, there is no word for “true” love in Drowic – and the closest term is ssinssrigg - where did alurlssrin come from?
🕷️ Drow Words For Love - alurlssrin was first mentioned by Ed Greenwood in his post (TheEdVerse, Twitter, Jan. 2023) about Eilistraee and drow words for love:
Eilistraee knows all the drow words for love, and the elvish ones, too. The Drow words are: alurlssrin = unselfish, deep love, raggath = act of love (lovemaking), lurraggath = act of love (sacrificial or noble deed), ssinssrigg = passion, lust, greed, longing, love.
(Among elvish words for love, apparently also known to Eilistraee, there is nor = love, essence of passion. It also appears in one of Minthara's lines, when she calls her lover ust-nor - thank you to @vspin for messaging me about this!)
It seems, then, that alurlssrin is a drow word that is known to Eilistraee and most likely to her followers...
...but Lolth-sworn drow – or at least Menzoberranyr drow – do not know / use it. 🤔 So how is it possible that Minthara, a (former) paladin of Lolth from Menzoberranzan, is familiar with it?
🕷️ Alurlssrin In Minthara's Vocabulary
I have a feeling that alurlssrin appears in Minthara’s lines simply because a drow word for deep, true love was needed for the dialogue. Still, I tried to come up with some more lore-adequate explanations:
🕷️ Some Very Old Word – perhaps in Menzoberranzan, alurlssrin is a half-forgotten archaism that is no longer regularly used, but an educated (or bookwormish) drow can still stumble across it in centuries-old books and figure out its meaning.
🕷️ Language Of Heretics – as a paladin of Lolth, it is possible that Minthara came to contact with Eilistraeans – or with their culture – at some point. She might be even trained to recognize this particular kind of “heresy”, learning symbols and words popularly used among the followers of Eilistraee... alurlssrin included.
🕷️ Not So Unknown Anymore – language tends to change over time, and between the quote from The Legacy and the events of Baldur’s Gate 3, there is a gap of over 130 years. Maybe during this time, alurlssrin term became less unknown in Menzoberranzan? Although considering its connection to Eilistraee and her cult, this may be the least likely explanation.
Regardless of everything, the fact that Minthara calls the bond between her and Tav alurlssrin is certainly meaningful. Typically, many drow like her might not be exactly (or at all) familiar with a sheer concept of deep, unselfish, lasting love...
For more of my drow lore ramblings, feel free to check my pinned post 🕷️
#baldur's gate 3#bg3#minthara#minthara baenre#lolth sworn drow#drow lore#drow culture#dnd lore#dark elves#drow#bg3 drow lore#bg3 drow
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Hello, you may have already talked about it but I love drows and Altonaufein is such an interesting character. Fun fact, I got the game a little bit later than everybody and for, like, a day or two, I thought he was an actual NPC or maybe a companion lol. Anyway, I'd love to read your thoughts about him! (or maybe I just feel some kind of kindship since my OC is also a drow with a lot of issues and an ongoing crush on Gale.
thank you so much for your lovely message and your kind words about altonaufein! i was really blown away when i saw your message. (((': i'm also super happy to find another drow player. i'd be super interested to hear more about your oc as well, if you feel comfortable sharing!
i'm very it took so long to answer, i just always draw a blank when i'm asked about my ocs, even though i love them and lot and probably have an entire library of lore inside of head about them.
i did manage to write up a bit about altonaufein, though! i've had his character for a very long time. he was originally intended for icewind dale 2, but then baldur's gate 3 was announced and i decided to try and translate his character into the game and was pleasantly surprised by how well it worked!
born in ust-natha, altonaufein is the third child--but the first son--of a small but prestigious house of a long line of clerics and devoted worshippers of lolth.
at a young age, altonaufein had a very cautious and gentle nature to him, showing signs of great magical and spellcasting talent. these talents were decided to be nurtured in the service of lolth--even if altonaufein was only a male, it stood to reason that he might still become a passable asset and tool for his house, if little else.
his life took a turn for the worse when he began to see a bright silver moon in his trances, heard the sweet melody of a lyre, saw a dark dancer in a sky he'd never seen. foolishly, naively, altonaufein told another of his house--his sister iraeae, who he had once been close to--about his strange dreams, his visions. his trust was misplaced and he was severely punished in hopes of correcting him, driving those visions from his mind, to not bring shame to his house any further. after this, altonaufein began to ignore his dreams and, consequently, unknowingly, eilistraee’s call.
he was initiated to become part of the clergy to lolth by the trial of strength: if he failed, he would become a sacrifice. if he succeeded, it would bring lolth's favour to his family--either way, he would not be a waste to his house.
altonaufein survived the trial, barely. though, with what was to come, he sometimes wishes he hadn't.
iraeae, at the same time as him, undertook her own trial of lolth:
chwidevbrii, or the test of betrayal. it's a punishment that strikes particularly deep. trust is a distasteful concept to drow, though they understand that sometimes it does happen and is even necessary to survive. to rid themselves of this, to succeed this test, the drow must betray someone who has garnered her trust or in whom she has placed her trust. mentors, teachers, leaders, friends, family. as long as there has been a solid connection of dependence made in the past.
the drow must utterly destroy her victim in a way that allows her to advance in some manner. the method is not important: blackmail, slander, torture... magic. in the end, the victim must die or be thoroughly disgraced and dominated. usually, the victim is murdered by the drow herself, commits suicide, or is killed as a result of the drow's action. so what better way to show to her goddess that she is a true drow, that she is worthy, what better way than to serve the house, than humiliating and dominating someone who was once a little brother.
drow females are able to dominate the mind of any chosen male with but a spell and one such spell was cast on altonaufein, and iraeae triumphed in her trial. a victim of inter-house politics as so many others before him, he was left as little but a thrall, serving in a many different ways.
he was there, under that spell, until it broke: iraeae dead by her older sister nadriina's hand--betrayed just like altonaufein had been by her. altonaufein doesn't remember how long it lasted, remembers only parts of it. the many hands. the pain. he remembers fighting. other drow. other prisoners. the surface. running. the moon. fever.
altonaufein escaped to the surface in a haze, he wandering aimlessly before all the strength went out of him and he collapsed. yet eilistraee must have guided, must have protected him, once more, as she tried to, so long ago: he had collapsed near a small settlement around a small church of ilmater, the god of compassion and healing, of mercy and atonement. they took altonaufein in because they deny no one in need of their help, not even a drow.
he was taken in and nursed back to health over the course of many months by a follower, living at the temple: an ex-soldier, a deserter, by the name of karl. they formed a deep bond, despite their differences--or perhaps because of them-- and despite altonaufein's initial distrust.
once recovered, altonaufein hacked off his long hair, so many issues, so many bad memories, tied to it.
still, he came to see what happened as a chance he doesn't think he deserves: to start anew, to help, to learn how he could be more than simply a honed weapon made for killing. he offered his services to the small settlement and the temple, even if ilmater is not the god he prays to.
he helped everywhere he could in any way he could, ignoring the whispers that followed him, his own intrusive thoughts, his episodes, triggered by too sudden movements, unexpected brushes his body or mind.
altonaufein helped to tend to the crops, helped with the harvest, repaired walls and fences, treated wounds and healed. he would earn their trust, prove himself.
the one person who stood by his side through it was karl.
karl, who, after his abduction on the nautiloid remains his guardian as he been so many moons before, swearing to protect him once more:
🖤
it's bit by bit that he learns to accept himself for who he is, what he is. his heritage, his past, his future, his new faith.
he gets to heal on this journey and find peace.
i'm sorry this got so long and ramble-y, but he's my special boy. (((': thanks again so much for asking about him!!!
#picniclightnings#ch: altonaufein#ch: karl eifers#otp: battered and wrecked i come to you first#vg: baldur's gate 3#series: baldur's gate#text: asks#text: personal#meta: mybg3
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22, 23, 24 for Ballard! :-)
22. What first impression does your Dark Urge give off to strangers?
I think in several notes/drabbles I have Ballard described as giving off a cold or dangerous aura--there is something about him that reads as a threat or a predator to all but the most oblivious. Part of it is the flat affect, because oh boy does he have one, but a greater portion of it is the resting bitch face and how still he holds himself, how alert he remains constantly. There's a state of general arousal that makes others feel as if they should be on edge as well, and this gets worse in close proximity/without a number of others to buffer its effect.
From more of a distance Ballard reads as a very boring, very serious man--and his expected personality as a monk (bland) and a drow (alien and cruel) colors that a great deal. Stoic and humorless.
23. How does your Dark Urge feel about what others think of them?
Ballard is aware of how off-putting he is, and pre-tadpole I don't think it occurs to him to feel any sort of way about it at all. It's just a fact, and one that may need to be mitigated--he has something like a mental rolodex of personalities he can shrug into as needed, when his default isn't going to be helpful. A specific person that he's copied, when he needs to be warm and comforting, or flirtatious, or imperious, or whatever else he needs to accomplish a specific task. He'll take it off when he's done, they are tiring to maintain.
Post-tadpole it's the assumption of humorlessness that bothers him the most. He has a very dry, very sharp sense of humor--Ballard is increasingly frustrated that no one notices when he's making a fucking joke.
24. Does your Dark Urge have a treasured item with them? If yes, what is it and why is it special? If no, how do they feel about item sentimentality in general?
I think the collar is the closest thing to a treasured item Ballard has, and it's more of a concept he carries with him than one specific item. He's worn dozens of them, over the years, from very crude literal dog collars to elaborate posture constructions of leather and metal and fine detail-work. Some of them are gifts, but most of them he has picked himself.
It's about the physical constriction of it, partly. Ballard can always feel the collar, he is never not aware of it even in the back of his mind. It's a reminder to stay aware and alert and in control of himself. At the same time, it's a representation of the first thing he decided for himself, about the way he was going to fulfill his father's expectations. It's about captivity and servitude--collars are for animals, a handle so they can be controlled or restrained or directed. He can't be trusted to direct himself, as much control and restraint as he masters. It's a good dog that sits and stays; that's the expectation, that's not a skill. Even after the Nautiloid, when he doesn't remember whose dog he is, he remembers enough about it that finding that collar in the Underdark is like finally getting to wrap a bandage around something that's been bleeding sluggishly for weeks.
Ballard might choose to hand the leash to someone who isn't Bhaal, or his representative, but that's a very hard-won honor. For everyone else, fucking with the collar is a very quick way to lose use of that limb, and also their lungs and heart and blood flow.
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TELL ME ALLLL ABOUT YOUR BG3 OCS!
AHHHHH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING!! Okay, so as I said, I don’t have actual appearances for my babies since I don’t have the game, but I will happy give you some info about them.
I have five OCs currently planned:
Raven Waters (they/them), Wyll ship. Human bard, College of Lore subclass, with an urchin past. Grew up on the streets of Baldur’s Gate after being orphaned at a young age and became a decently well-known entertainer when they got older, performing at festivals and every tavern and inn in the area. Very cunning, sarcastic, and good at reading people, and is very unhappy about being snatched off the street only to have a worm stuck in their brain. Cares about people sort of in the way Astarion does - reluctantly and with no small amount of complaining but very deeply - and even though they don’t think much of Wyll at first because they don’t trust nobility or anyone wealthy, it doesn’t take long for them to become endeared by him. Also becomes absolute besties with Astarion because they literally laugh in his face when he tries to seduce them and once he gets over that they have fun judging people together. (There is also definitely an AU where Raven is dating both Wyll and Astarion, but they’re officially a Wyll ship.)
Amalal Quavein (he/they), Astarion ship. Seldarine drow and cleric of the Light Domain for the goddess Eilistrae with a sage past (he’s a huge bookworm when they can get his hands on some), and has been travelling around Faerun since they were just young, trying to find allies to assist in the Seldarine drows’ fight against Lolth and helping everyone he can along the way, before they get snatched up and taken to the nautiloid ship. He’s a total sweetheart who loves caring for people and fighting against tyrants and darker forces, but they’re also a bit socially stunted from being alone on the road for a lot of his life, which can lead people to think he’s naïve even when they aren’t. Astarion definitely thinks this at first, and thinks seducing Amalal will be easy, but really he’s just one of those people who always chooses kindness and doing the right thing because they want to make the world a better place and that’s the best way he knows how to do it. (They’re also asexual, which is very funny given Astarion’s whole seduction thing because not only is Amalal unfamiliar with seduction as a concept but he genuinely Does Not Feel Sexual Things, so they’re painfully oblivious to Astarion’s attempts the whole time.)
Nifara Reedwood (she/her), Gale ship. Strongheart halfling ranger, of the hunter subclass, with an outlander past who was raised in the wilderness and therefore has a very strong connection with nature. Travels all around Faerun hunting and tracking creatures from other realms, making it her personal mission to keep any kinds of invaders from attacking her realm and harming its nature. Also has a very strong bond with animals and is resistant to poison due to all the she’s spent in Faerun’s swamps. A complete and total badass, but is also kind of socially stunted due to all the time she’s spent alone on the road with only animals and the creatures she hunts. Brutally honest and has a quick temper, but also one that’s quick to calm back down if there’s no need for an actual fight, and although she’s slow to trust people would gladly kill and die for those she cares about and absolutely will not let them talk bad about themselves. (Very nearly smacks Gale for not believing he’s worth more than his magic and service to Mystra and calls him an idiot for it more than once, and then somehow that wanting him to think more of himself turns to catching feelings and she’s just like, “Ah, shit”. It’s fine, though, because Gale comes to love her too.)
Nisa Mournspire (they/she), Halsin ship. Mephistopheles tiefling paladin of the Oath of Devotion subclass, with a folk hero background. Adopted when they were a baby by a human couple, but never felt truly loved by them since she wasn’t their blood child, even if they’d given her their last name. Devoted themself to prayer from an early age as a way to feel some kind of belonging and purpose, and took her Oath and set out from their village to travel around and help people when she was only twenty years old. Gained a bit of a reputation around all of Faerun for their heroics, and eventually came to be known as The Horned Warrior. Taken from Baldur’s Gate by the Mindflayer’s goons when she stopped in for the night, and doesn’t hesitate to recruit Karlach and Lae’zel when they’re all on the beach, seeing defeating the Mindflayer and removing the parasites as yet another mission they’re committing to. Very warm and compassionate, able to make friends almost everywhere she goes, and fears almost nothing if it means helping others. A bit of a hopeless romantic who wants to find true love, but also isn’t against brief flings. Does sleep with Astarion once or twice (but they’re incredibly good about it and makes sure he feels good too, because she can tell he’s not used to that), but definitely takes a liking to Halsin very quickly after meeting him and spends a good amount of time staring at his biceps (which annoys Lae’zel incredibly because that should not be the focus right now).
Ellora Keyvaris (she/her), Karlach ship. High Elf half-elf wizard of the Conjuration School subclass with a noble background. Grew up in a wealthy family that was very devoted to maintaining appearances and always trotted her out to social events, but she was much more interested in magic and the study of it, more than happy to spend her time in her home’s library or at the local magical college learning conjuring spells from the professors she’d paid for private lessons. When she learned her family was planning to betroth her to an elf nobleman, she ran away to Baldur’s Gate, where she intended to live a quiet life and continue studying magic before she was kidnapped and infected with the parasite. Ellora is a very quiet and bookish person, but that doesn’t mean she’s timid; she has a sharp tongue and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself or others and say what she thinks. She struggles to connect to her companions at first, with the exception of Wyll since they were both raised among nobility, but she eventually makes genuine friends out of all of them, which means a lot to her because she’s never really had friends before. (She’s also a hopeless lesbian who falls in love at first sight with Karlach and thus is very sad when she can’t touch her, because she very much wants this large muscled lady to be able to pick her up.)
Anyways, yeah, those are my BG3 babies!! Thanks so much for asking about them, and if you have any more questions about any of them feel free to ask!!
Again tagging some of my other BG3 moots: @hiddenqveendom, @endless-oc-creations, @astarionbae.
#asks about my ocs#oc: raven waters#oc: amalal quavein#oc: nifara reedwood#oc: nisa mournspire#oc: ellora keyvaris#bg3 ocs#bg3 tav#baldur’s gate 3 oc#bg3 oc#baldur’s gate 3 tav
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personal thoughts i've been dwelling on ahead
i think its cool so many trans/nb folks are attracted to drow as a concept, and i personally do think that is tied with the drow's strict gender binary that's presented. when asked why i like them previously, say, compared to other species that are more "friendly" to those concepts, i think people who aren't pushing against the binary irl do not realize how oppressive it is for us. it's perceived often as a minor annoyance, like "well i might like wearing makeup but i don't really need to, so it's okay" while for me it exists as a thing where if i don't keep my hair short (i like it short) and bind (i do not mind my chest) even people in my community will often try and revoke my "card" in regards to being non-binary. you're only allowed a third box after departing those two binary ones, and that box is "genderless", and you will hear about that, even from people you once trusted.
so to me it makes sense we'd like to play with gender in that framework, since it isn't as far from reality as some folks think it is. and that more "amplified" bigotry just really unmasks the reality of how it actually is out there for us, being judged from every side.
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hi !! so, i was the one who sent you the ask asking about tav infodumping, and thus i come with the infodumping about my babies !! i really really appreciate you giving me a space to ramble about them, so thank you <3 ( and you can totally answer this publicly, i’m okay with it ! ).
so, the thing is that i haven’t actually played the game, i don’t have the money or the right computer / console for it 😭 but i’ve still put a lot of love and work into making these characters and i can’t wait until i finally have access to the game and can play them out. anyway, i still want to introduce you to my babies and i hope you like them <3
my first one is raven waters ( they/them ), who’s a wyll ship. they’re a human bard, college of lore subclass, with an urchin past. they grew up on the streets of baldur’s gate after being orphaned at a young age and became a decently well-known entertainer when they got older, performing at festivals and every tavern and inn in the area. they’re very cunning, sarcastic, and good at reading people, and very unhappy about being snatched off the street only to have a worm stuck in their brain. they also tend to care about people sort of in the way Astarion does — reluctantly and with no small amount of complaining but very deeply — and even though they don’t think much of wyll at first because they don’t trust nobility or anyone wealthy, it doesn’t take long for them to become endeared by him. they also become absolute besties with astarion because they literally laugh in his face when he tries to seduce them and once he gets over that they have fun judging people together. ( there is also definitely an au somewhere in my brain where raven is dating both wyll and astarion, but they’re officially a wyll ship. )
next is amalal quavein ( he/they ), who’s an astarion ship. seldarine drow and cleric of the light domain for the goddess eilistrae with both a joint folk hero and sage past ( he’s a huge bookworm when they can get his hands on some ), and has been travelling around faerun since they were just young, trying to find allies to assist in the seldarine drows’ fight against lolth and helping everyone he can along the way, before they get snatched up and taken to the nautiloid ship. he’s a total sweetheart who loves caring for people and fighting against tyrants and darker forces, but they’re also a bit socially stunted from being alone on the road for a lot of his life, which can lead people to think he’s naïve even when they aren’t. astarion definitely thinks this at first, and thinks seducing amalal will be easy, but really he’s just one of those people who always chooses kindness and doing the right thing because they want to make the world a better place and that’s the best way he knows how to do it. ( they’re also asexual, which is very funny given astarion’s whole seduction thing because not only is amalal unfamiliar with seduction as a concept but he genuinely does not feel sexual things, so they’re painfully oblivious to astarion’s attempts the whole time. )
third is nifara reedwood ( she/her ), my gale ship. she’s a strongheart halfling ranger, of the hunter subclass, with an outlander past who was raised in the wilderness and therefore has a very strong connection with nature. she travels all around faerun hunting and tracking creatures from other realms, making it her personal mission to keep any kinds of invaders from attacking her realm and harming its nature. she also has a very strong bond with animals and is resistant to poison due to all the she’s spent in faerun’s swamps. a complete and total badass, my girl, but she’s also kind of socially stunted due to all the time she’s spent alone on the road with only animals and the creatures she hunts. she’s brutally honest and has a quick temper, but also one that’s quick to calm back down if there’s no need for an actual fight, and although she’s slow to trust people would gladly kill and die for those she cares about and absolutely will not let them talk bad about themselves. ( she also very nearly smacks gale for not believing he’s worth more than his magic and service to mystra and calls him an idiot for it more than once, and then somehow that wanting him to think more of himself turns to catching feelings and she’s just like, “ah, shit”. it’s fine, though, because gale comes to love her too. )
after her is nisa mournspire ( they/she ), who’s a halsin ship and a mephistopheles tiefling paladin of the oath of devotion subclass, with a folk hero background. adopted when they were a baby by a human couple, but never felt truly loved by them since she wasn’t their blood child, even if they’d given her their last name. devoted themself to prayer to the god ilmater from an early age as a way to feel some kind of belonging and purpose, and took her oath and set out from their village to travel around and help people when she was only twenty years old. nisa gained a bit of a reputation around all of faerun for their heroics, and eventually came to be known as the horned warrior. taken from baldur’s gate by the mindflayer’s goons when she stopped in for the night, and doesn’t hesitate to recruit karlach and lae’zel when they’re all on the beach, seeing defeating the mindflayer and removing the parasites as yet another mission they’re committing to. nisa’s very warm and compassionate, able to make friends almost everywhere she goes, and fears almost nothing if it means helping others. a bit of a hopeless romantic who wants to find true love, but also isn’t against brief flings. does sleep with astarion once or twice ( but they’re incredibly good about it and makes sure he feels good too, because she can tell he’s not used to that ), but definitely takes a liking to halsin very quickly after meeting him and spends a good amount of time staring at his biceps ( which annoys lae’zel incredibly because that should not be the focus right now ).
aaaand finally we have ellora keyvaris ( she/her ), my karlach ship! she’s a high half-elf wizard of the conjuration school subclass with a noble background. she grew up in a wealthy family that was very devoted to maintaining appearances and always trotted her out to social events, but she was much more interested in magic and the study of it, more than happy to spend her time in her home’s library or at the local magical college learning conjuring spells from the professors she’d paid for private lessons. when she learned her family was planning to betroth her to an elf nobleman, she ran away to baldur’s gate, where she intended to live a quiet life and continue studying magic before she was kidnapped and infected with the parasite. ellora is a very quiet and bookish person, but that doesn’t mean she’s timid; she has a sharp tongue and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself or others and say what she thinks. she struggles to connect to her companions at first, with the exception of wyll since they were both raised among nobility, but she eventually makes genuine friends out of all of them, which means a lot to her because she’s never really had friends before. ( she’s also a hopeless lesbian who falls in love at first sight with Karlach and thus is very sad when she can’t touch her, because she very much wants this large muscled lady to be able to pick her up. )
i also have some picrews for all of them !! in order here’s raven, amalal, nifara, nisa, and ellora <3 amalal and nisa aren’t exactly how i imagine them, but they’re all mostly okay — and aren’t they beautiful <3
anyways, i am honestly sorry about coming into your inbox with all of this 😅 you can feel free to infodump right back to me about your babies if you want !! these actually aren’t all of my tav ideas, i’m working on ships for shadowheart and lae’zel but they aren’t quite fleshed out yet 😅 anyways, thank you so so much again for letting me infodump, i hope you’re having an awesome day !! <3
thank you so much for sharing your original characters with me! 🥹 It's pretty obvious you've put a lot of thought and love into each of them (AS YOU SHOULD), and with such detailed backstories and personalities without even playing BG3 yet! I hope you're able to bring them to life someday truly, they deserve that much 🥹
Thank you for trusting me and my blog (you said it was ok to make this public so I hope it's ok that I did!) with your babies, and I'm sure when you finally get to play it'll feel super satisfying to see them on screen. Keep nurturing your creativity and passion for storytelling—it's truly a joy to see from anyone tbh! You give more thought than I do to mine at times tbh 😭 (also they're really really pretty). I'm sorry for how long this was sitting in my inbox! I was taking my time to absorb them before making a comment but! THANK YOU!! They each got a hug from him
#re: ask#long post#THANK YOU FOR THE INFODUMP LOVELY#that's actually really sweet you trusted ME with them#that means A LOT:((((
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