#lolth's warrior spoilers

[rukafais]

one day i will do a grand breakdown essay on Why Jarlaxle and Kimmuriel’s Relationship Makes Me Incredibly Unhinged With Citations but for now you get this abridged version. Spoilers for Lolth’s Warrior/last book in particular but also Generations and other Way of the Drow books a little bit. also this is STILL a long post i’m sorry I am VERY not normal about this

so last trilogy (generations) kimmuriel's all, man i wish i was an illithid. i like illithids. hive mind's great. love those guys.

   But here, in this place, nothing was measured in that manner. In this place, Kimmuriel Oblodra didn’t exist, other than to be a single colligation in the one being that was the whole of illithid society. Here in the hive mind, his fingers caressing the great pulsing brain, the edifice of connection and oneness, thoughts and memories became interchangeable and mingled.  Study in the hive mind was merely a matter of searching what had become your own expansive knowledge and memories rather than hearing or reading the words of a separate being. Kimmuriel often lamented that he should have been born an illithid. The hive mind knew this truth within the drow’s heart, of course, which explained why he was so welcomed here. One could not easily hide insincerity in this place. One could not easily hide anything from the illithids.

A large part of the individual that was Kimmuriel wanted to just stay here. Let Luskan and Bregan D’aerthe be the concerns of another. He could remain at the hive mind and caress knowledge itself, bask in pure thought, revel in memories as visceral as if he had walked those pathways in the lonely and singular drow form he had been forced to wear.

and then in THIS trilogy (way of the drow) kimmuriel has mentioned it's also going to be his afterlife as a way of rejecting the concept of a god-given one/escaping the clutches of Lolth, or any god, entirely

“The multiverse is a matter of divine numbers,” Kimmuriel said. “The particulars of the tyrant gods are merely noise—temporary noise in the ultimate eternity of it all. We are manifestations of pure and singular thought, grains of sand on an endless beach or drops of water in the endless ocean that splashes onto that beach. The hive mind is a conduit into that pure and singular thought. It is my destiny to directly merge, to become less speck and less droplet, and more a viewer of it all. You felt the power when we channeled it from the hive mind to obliterate Demogorgon those years ago. You felt it, the ecstasy.” this kind of description is also imo, implicitly has thematic connections to transcendence; kimmuriel is interested in it, he asks drizzt for his opinions as drizzt has gone through a similar process, he examines the memories of Kane’s own transcendence, etc. It’s not the same but it is similar. Transcendence is a process that is easy to initiate and hard to come back from because you essentially become one with the universe and it's so ecstatic and amazing that you have trouble remembering who you are as an individual, and if you lose that thread enough, you kinda cease to exist as like, yourself. You just get lost in the sauce, forever. but, some kind of strong emotion and focus can bring you back from it, if you go in with a purpose and you manage to maintain that purpose: 'ecstasy' is a key word here because kimmuriel uses it to describe what channeling the power of the hive mind/being tapped into that pure conduit is like, and vitally, to strengthen the connection, transcendence is also described this way:

“The body will not turn back and the mental and emotional discipline needed to deny that call of ecstasy is enormous. When you transcend, you will know such joy, unrelenting, even building as time, which becomes meaningless, passes, yet the time to find the needed discipline, the denial of pure desire, is short, and failure means that you will be forever removed from this existence. Afafrenfere just stared at him, jaw hanging open. “I know not how to put it more clearly or bluntly,” the ancient monk answered that blank stare. “You will not want to come back, and so you, as you are known and as you know yourself, will be no more.” So, i posted all that text, now i'm gonna get into the next bit Several books have established that Kimmuriel is lonely without psionic connection and the hivemind fills an unmet need in him.

 However, as a direct counterpoint to the hive mind and what it is capable of giving him (despite its love for him, and I do believe it’s reasonable to interpret this passage: Arguments came back at him from so many other corners of the hive mind, though. He was unique here, or nearly so. Only this synapse of the hive mind, this being named Kimmuriel, that existed in that drow reality in that world of Faerun, could bring in such expansive experiences and knowledge of that place. He would be limiting the hive mind and thus limiting himself if he lost the balance between recipient and source. as a kind of love, even if it is an ‘alien’ expression of it; Kimmuriel is worth more to them as an individual and not an illithid, even as an outsider, than he is joined and subsumed to them) we have...stuff like this:

Kimmuriel’s work here was done. He offered that thought to Pescatawav, and the Most Endeared excused him to go and tend to the more pressing problems he faced on his home plane, among his own inferior people. There was no sense of gratitude, no thoughts of hope that Kimmuriel would succeed. It just was. There were a few moments like this for Kimmuriel Oblodra, when he almost reconsidered his life’s journey, when he saw so plainly the difference between the sensibilities of the hive mind and those of Jarlaxle. His only friend. we also have jarlaxle getting kinda disassembled and put back together by the hive mind so his memories can be deconstructed and it's kind of funny but also Kimmuriel had been desperately worried about subjecting his dearest friend to the intrusions of the mind flayers. Perhaps he should have been more worried about subjecting the illithids to the sensibilities of Jarlaxle.

Jarlaxle is So Much that he’s kind of affected the hive mind. Good job buddy. But it means they now have that connective tissue: Kimmuriel cannot hide anything from the illithids including whatever strong feelings he has for Jarlaxle, and Jarlaxle is also very attached to Kimmuriel: “Kimmuriel is your second.” “He’s the other half of my first. In my part of Bregan D’aerthe, in my, shall we say, personal journeys, you are my partner.”

Like really attached: “Where will you go?” Jarlaxle pleaded when Kimmuriel didn’t answer. “ “You know,” the hulking possessed man replied audibly. “No,” Jarlaxle breathed. “I won’t let you!” Drizzt saw that Jarlaxle was fighting back tears. [...] “There is an emptiness . . . I will miss you, Kimmuriel,” Jarlaxle said, as quiet as Drizzt had ever heard the rogue.

Like, really really attached:

“I am lesser without you, my friend,” Jarlaxle told the image. “Both practically and in my heart.”

I could go on but I’m trying to make this short etc there’s like a fucking billion examples.

So. Kimmuriel is not content with just his mortal body on his own plane, which is a lonely existence, or just feeding his mind which is essentially what the hive mind does for him. He needs friends and people to like...make physical existence worthwhile to actually reach a pleasant equilibrium. His more passive suicidal tendencies actually sort of ebb after Generations, where he is considering mortality carefully but also is like "i'm not sure i actually want to die":

“So, he let you in there and he gave to you his memories of transcending the physical form.” “And now I understand better. But of course, there remain limitations on that understanding, because such an act may or may not be a permanent state of being.” “There’s only one way to find out the truth,” Drizzt admitted. “I am in no hurry to leave this life.”

So he's clearly found some sense of purpose to make being physical work for him , and again! A large part of that is Jarlaxle! He names other friends (especially Gromph) but a LARGE part of that is Jarlaxle.

And then he fucking dies of course I've shrieked enough about that lmao

and when he says goodbye he confirms that yes, he is going to his ideal afterlife, where Drizzt hopes he finds peace similar to transcendence:

“My time is ending,” the voice of Malagdorl repeated. “There is nothing to be done.” “Except to say farewell,” Drizzt said. “I will remember our talks on the road to the monastery, my friend. May you find oneness with the hive mind and peace in eternity.” “And you, warrior. Survive, I beg.”

joining the hive mind, a cluster of individuals swirling into a greater ‘being’ and is also referred to as ecstatic, is compared and contrasted to a process of becoming one with the universe that is hard to come back from as yourself because it feels That Good.

Got all that? Good. Because now we get to the epilogue of Lolth’s Warrior:

Jarlaxle left them, then, and went to his private room. He sat down before a table and pulled a cloth off the circular object resting in a tri-pronged stand atop it. He closed his eyes and reached out, hoping. A familiar image appeared in the ball a long while later, and Jarlaxle breathed a sigh of relief. “I am glad you are floating about this day,” Jarlaxle said. “You miss me.” This day, he heard in his mind, a most familiar voice. And perhaps again, now and then. Jarlaxle understood the unsaid part: Kimmuriel would not come to him at his beckon. Less so, came the thought in his mind. There is so much. So much. “And so much I still need from you.” You will be disappointed.

 [...] “I am lesser without you, my friend,” Jarlaxle told the image. “Both practically and in my heart.” It is the way of things. And that was it, and the spirit of Kimmuriel departed once more. Perhaps for the last time, Jarlaxle knew, though he desperately hoped that wouldn’t be the case. Here he is!  It’s not a summoning circle or a calling spell, it simply just seems to be that Jarlaxle reaches out and hopes that Kimmuriel will be around to answer him, and he does. Taking Jarlaxle's gay little sad thought calls, plural, because they have done this several times already, is worth it to Kimmuriel, enough to tear himself away from his ideal, implied to be VERY GOOD FEELING AFTERLIFE for.

Enough to maintain a sense of self and individuality because he speaks to Jarlaxle like he's the same person, just very distracted and its like WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH ANY OF THIS. like fucking. Im not even getting into the implications that it's rooted in love, like, the hive mind’s love for kimmuriel as an individual and kimmuriel’s love for jarlaxle and jarlaxle’s love for kimmuriel?? subtextually? becuase jarlaxle is the only one who has consistently treated kimmuriel like a person

To trust Kimmuriel is to trust a creature we cannot begin to decipher. Why Jarlaxle elevated him to lead Bregan D’aerthe, I will never understand.” “Perhaps Jarlaxle believes that he understands Kimmuriel.” “Then Jarlaxle fools himself.”

they are noted by other characters to be extremely close to the point that they have a trust bond that is rare among menzo drow:

Now, though, I witness a much different structure within Bregan D’aerthe, and one very much more powerful. For Jarlaxle has given to his followers something truly special among the Lolth-serving drow: an element of trust. And he does so by example. Jarlaxle has entrusted Kimmuriel Oblodra with the very leadership of the band on those many occasions when he, Jarlaxle, is out on some adventure or other. He has even tasked Kimmuriel with reining in his own worst excesses—with keeping Jarlaxle himself in line!

(also see the other half of my first thing; when Jarlaxle says Zak is his partner Zaknafein immediately rebuts it with “Kimmuriel is your partner”) they go from standoffish and awkward to like calling each other friends and kimmuriel being Totally Fine with jarlaxle just touching him unprompted, a guy whose personal space bubble is Don’t Fucking Touch Me Asshole:

“I hesitate to take Azzudonna, this woman I barely know and know not at all as a friend, and you expect me to subject you to the intrusion of the hive mind?” “Why, Kimmuriel, did you just admit that you love me?” Jarlaxle teased, but the psionicist was having none of it. “Good,” said Jarlaxle, nodding to his drow companions. “Then I want you to cast it now on my dear friend here,” he explained, wrapping his arm about Kimmuriel. and then kimmuriel dies and this literally does not slow him down. and then he dies and, as the epilogue shows, comes back to jarlaxle anyway.

like it's not even thematically inappropriate is what fucking gets me, because kimmuriel has already established he is someone who essentially lives in two worlds and needs both to be happy and the conclusion is that he doesn't have to choose, he can have both, and that mirrors jarlaxle's defiance of having to give things up to be 'good' Jarlalxle doesn't have to abandon everything he was just so he can become Good and Palatable to a surface world that doesn't give a shit about him (drizzt did this only out of desperation, even; his flight and rejection and all of it, for him menzo is a home that he wanted so badly to belong to, it hurts to leave, but he knows he has to because he can’t bear it. that’s a different essay though). he can have all of it, as much as he can carry. he wants all of it. he hates to let go of it. that refusal to let go saves almost three thousand people from menzoberranzan. kimmuriel's refusal to be forced into a choice means he comes back to jarlaxle in some way and form, even with the deck stacked against him to make it incredibly fucking difficult to do so and again, kimmuriel has literally everything he has ever wanted in dying, everything he's ever aspired to, the One Truth he’s been reaching toward, and it is, apparently, still not enough.

In conclusion:

“Look at yourself!” Gromph scolded. “You care. Kimmuriel Oblodra— and how remarkable that any Oblodra or Odran cares! Have you gone soft, then? Have you abandoned your sole goal in life, to find the One Eternal Truth along with those tentacle waggling illithids?” Kimmuriel wanted to deny his words, to deny him, but his responses sounded without conviction. “Have you become enamored of the flesh, Kimmuriel?” Gromph asked more seriously. “Have you found within your emotionless mind a bit of love for that which we mere mortals covet?” idk man look at it its on the ceiling. i dont fucking know. i truly do not know. i am not going to be normal about this for the next five years.

Bonus:

When Kane is talking to Afa about transcendence and Afa’s reasons for transcendence (he wants to find his dead boyfriend again):

“Nothing in the multiverse is more powerful than love, my friend,” Kane said, and he smiled, and moved his hand. 

Like sure okay whatever. Sure. It sure is huh.

#long post #legend of drizzt #lolth's warrior #lolth's warrior spoilers #jarlaxle baenre #kimmuriel oblodra

[solvicrafts]

Jarlaxle & Social Grace

BUCKLE UP, KIDDOS! I'm about to drop some new Jarlaxle meta :O

This post is going to be following a new format because I want to make it easier to read for people who maybe aren't very well-versed in the books, and I want to provide a good resource for roleplayers and DMs. Therefore I am going to break it up into different sections, and if you are reading this with the intent to get an understanding of Jarlaxle for the sake of portraying him faithfully in your campaign, you can skip ahead to whichever part you need (although of course I DO recommend reading the whole thing if you're /not/ very familiar with Jarlaxle and would like to get a really in-depth look at him & his motivations)

This post is going to be super-long, so if you do not want to read the entire thing, Section 4 is where I try to more or less summarize things and give some tips on how to play Jarlaxle as a DM. All sections have been bolded in orange font to make them easier to find at a glance.

EDIT: There are some spoilers for one particular thing that happens towards the end of Lolth's Warrior. These will be mentioned in the second half of Part 2, and all of Part 3. If you wish to avoid them, Parts 1, 4, and 5 do not have them.

Section 1: Jarlaxle and the concept of social grace

If there's one thing Jarlaxle is known for, it's his ability to charm the pants off of damn near everyone he encounters. And while this is very much true for him, people pretty commonly miss out on the purpose of his charming behavior and the intent behind it.

As I re-read the Sellswords trilogy (and some of the side content from that time period), there are a few things that really stand out to me:

Jarlaxle goes out of his way to de-escalate situations… like, a lot.

These books really do a good job of pointing out how delightfully charming Jarlaxle is -- more on that later.

While he does try to coast on Drizzt's reputation a few times, he really doesn't NEED to for a pretty major reason.

Jarlaxle is extraordinarily good at extending social grace to people in situations where it arguably isn't deserved, and while it doesn't always succeed for him, what I find interesting is that he doesn't tend to take it very personally.

For our first example, let's take a look at this bit from Servant of the Shard:

Entreri and Jarlaxle merely tipped their hats and moved to the bar, making no threatening movements and keeping their expressions perfectly friendly. "What're ye about?" the barkeep barked at them. "Who're ye, and what's yer business?" "Travelers," Entreri answered, "weary of the road and seeking a bit of respite." "Well, yell not be finding it here, ye won't!" the barkeep growled. "Get yer hats back on yer ugly heads and get yer arses out me door!" Entreri looked to Jarlaxle, who seemed perfectly unperturbed. "I do believe we will stay a bit," the drow stated. "I do understand your hesitance, good sir . . . good Eman Briar," he added, remembering the sign. "Eman?" the barkeep echoed in obvious confusion.

This bit goes on for a while, with the barkeep becoming increasingly irate, Jarlaxle hilariously over-performing in his Drizzt Do'Urden cosplay, and Entreri just plain having enough of this shit.

What's also interesting is this exchange:

"It will always be like this," Entreri said to his companion a short while later. "It had not been so for Drizzt Do'Urden of late, so my spies indicated," the drow answered. "His reputation, in those lands where he was known, outshone the color of his skin in the eyes of even the small-minded men. So, soon, will my own." "A reputation for heroic deeds?" Entreri asked with a doubting laugh. "Are you to become a hero for the land, then?" "That, or a reputation for leaving burned-out villages behind me," Jarlaxle replied. "Either way, I care little."

(bolded for emphasis)

What's interesting to note here is that Jarlaxle claims not to care, but then later on a fight breaks out when Kimmuriel and Rai'gy send a group of wererats in to ambush Jarlaxle and Entreri, and this happens:

He took a moment to glance Jarlaxle's way then and saw the drow up in the air, levitating and turning circles, daggers flying from his pumping arm. Following their paths, Entreri saw one wererat, and another, stumble backward under the assault. A farmer grabbed at his calf, a blade deeply embedded there. Jarlaxle purposely hadn't killed the human, Entreri noted, though he surely could have.

This, by the way, continues on throughout the Sellswords trilogy. Jarlaxle and Artemis repeatedly find themselves in situations where people are hostile towards them largely due to Jarlaxle's race, and Jarlaxle always makes a point of diffusing the situation whether or not it is justified. He's not above embarrassing the occasional drunkard, of course, but he does go above and beyond to give people the benefit of the doubt, and we also see an example of this in a short story that takes place I believe between the first and second book, in which Jarlaxle and Entreri enter a tavern and the waitress appears nervous over Jarlaxle's presence and has trouble serving them, and when Entreri lashes out at her, Jarlaxle is the one to admonish him for his behavior.

So, why does he do this? Why does Jarlaxle go to so much effort to give the benefit of the doubt to people who, arguably, may not always be deserving of it?

Section 2: Why Jarlaxle is surprisingly successful at breaking down social barriers

Even if his attempts at keeping the peace don't always work out in his favor, one thing that his traveling companions (especially Entreri) tend to pick up on his that he is really, really good at breaking down social barriers.

For example, Entreri notices in the beginning of Promise of the Witch-King that Jarlaxle makes quick work of befriending a group of adventurers that includes a surface elf, also known as the sworn enemy of Lolthite drow. The group is initially standoffish toward him as he approaches, and they very quickly come around as he makes them laugh.

What makes Jarlaxle so charming, and earns him a bit more leeway and good will than most drow trying to make it on the surface, is the fact that he is really, really good at extending social grace to people and giving them the benefit of the doubt even in situations where they have not done so themselves. He even tells Entreri in this same book, point blank, "charm is a learned skill" and he's not wrong.

Jarlaxle has an easier time winning people over because he prioritizes making them feel good vs making them feel bad. When you put people on the defensive, they will almost always double-down on whatever behavior it is you want them to change. But if you show compassion or understanding or try to make them feel better in some way, they're going to be way more likely to come around to your point of view.

Remember that bit I bolded from Entreri saying "it will always be like this"?

If Jarlaxle had given up and gone back to Menzoberranzan, he'd probably be right. But as it stands, Jarlaxle did not do that; he instead fought to build a society in which drow can safely live on the surface and mingle with its inhabitants. Lolth's Warrior even ends with him leading thousands of refugees from Menzoberranzan to the surface and securing a better future for them, and that is an absolutely monumental achievement on his part.

And what makes Jarlaxle so inspiring and also very compelling to me, personally, is the fact that he really doesn't get terribly caught up on the concept of "deserving." This has been a constant for him throughout the series, and it becomes very apparent at the end of Lolth's Warrior when he makes a point to stand behind Quenthel and refuses to give her up during his negotiations with Sos'Umptu.

Section 3: It's not about 'deserve...'

...it's about what you believe.

"We will destroy everything you desire in House Baenre, I promise, should it come to that. But it should not! You will have Matron Shakti Hunzrin at your side. And with Malagdorl freed by you, House Barrison Del'Armgo will not oppose you. Make of him your patron and your weapon master in House Baenre! The play is so obvious, and with House Baenre and Barrison Del'Armgo joined, who will argue? You will have the peace you need to rebuild." "And what do you get in return?" Sos'Umptu asked. "We leave." "Leave?" He hid the smile he felt at her bemusement. "We leave. All who will go. We leave Menzoberranzan, the City of Spiders, the City of Lolth. We leave never to return, and with your word that you will not pursue us." "I cannot give you that word. I serve Lolth." "Then just let us leave, and we will do what we must if it comes to that." "The Blaspheme remains." "You would not want that and I cannot offer that." Sos'Umptu sat back for a bit and considered her reply, seeming to agree with the former part, at least. "Quenthel is doomed. She stays and pays for her great heresy." "No." "No?" "No. As I said: all who want to must be allowed to go. Besides, I cannot make decisions for her. Do you not understand that? Do you not understand what this is all about, what it has been about since the beginning? It is about individual choice and freedom. Personal agency to determine life and faith—yes, faith! Mostly faith! How can you demand fealty to a goddess from those who do not worship her? Why would she even want them? Why would you want them causing only unrest in your city? That's what we fought for, Sos'Umptu. Lolth was a symbol of the oppression, nothing more." Sos'Umptu laughed at him. "You always were an idiot, Jarlaxle, believing that others carried such pride as you have within your heart. You never saw Lolth as your great mother and so you are arrogant enough to believe that all others feel as you do." "Not all. Not you, clearly." "Not hardly all," Sos'Umptu said.

For those of you who haven't read the books (or have only read a few), Quenthel is one of Jarlaxle's sisters, and was, up until this point, the Matron Mother of House Baenre. And as Matron Mother, she personally victimized Jarlaxle and several of his men many, many, many times. She arguably is wholly undeserving of Jarlaxle's compassion here.

Which only makes Jarlaxle's refusal to give her up that much more important and moving. Because here's the thing: he *could* have done it, and it likely would have made negotiations a bit easier for him. He had no way of knowing that Sos'Umptu was going to be willing to concede that much, and he took a huge risk at losing everything to stand up for Quenthel.

And really, I don't think anyone would have even held it against him if he'd given her up; they'd have accepted it as a loss for the greater good or, likely in many cases, would've felt she deserved it.

But to Jarlaxle, it wasn't a question of deserve or doesn't deserve. After all, his closest friends tend to be people who murder to cope with their traumas, and he has taken it upon himself to give all of them a chance to better themselves whether or not they've 'earned' it in any way.

Section 4: The Takeaway, from an RP Standpoint

And now, let's think about what we've learned of Jarlaxle — or what we've learned from Jarlaxle:

Extending social grace to people who are not acting friendly towards you is not a sign of personal weakness, but in fact very much the opposite

Giving people the benefit of the doubt may not always feel justified or deserved, but it absolutely can benefit you to do so

People learn and grow when they are given opportunity and support

With that in mind, here is some advice on how to play Jarlaxle as a DM:

For the love of Lolth (or not), don't have him murder or otherwise betray Soluun or any of his other men. This take comes up with alarming regularity in discussions about Waterdeep: Dragon Heist and it absolutely grinds my gears. Jarlaxle would not approve of Soluun's activities, but his solution would not be to just throw him under the bridge and be done with it. Realistically, if your players were to reveal his activities to him, Jarlaxle would likely pull him away and not give him any further opportunities to murder innocent people.

Also, keep in mind that Jarlaxle immediately forgave his lieutenants for starting a coup and attempting to murder him. He immediately took responsibility for his own lapses in judgment during Servant of the Shard and even appointed Kimmuriel as his co-leader to keep his worst impulses in check. Had Rai'gy and Berg'inyon survived, he'd have pardoned them, too (though he probably not have promoted them like he did Kimmuriel lol)

Jarlaxle's charm is meant to deceive would-be adversaries, yes, but it's not the only reason he uses it. Jarlaxle genuinely does not want bloodshed if it can be avoided, and he tries to find solutions to conflicts that are mutually beneficial. If your players end up befriending him or wanting to side with him? Run with it. Jarlaxle is almost always willing to make a deal, and he is not going to go out of his way to attack or attempt to kill the players unless they absolutely force his hand, and it'd take something really, really extreme for that to even be on the table in the first place.

While he probably wouldn't admit it even under torture, there is an undercurrent of self-loathing that guides a lot of Jarlaxle's actions, and is part of the reason he goes out of his way to be compassionate (even if he'd never use that word to describe himself). Jarlaxle's charm and vanity is meant to knock his enemies off balance and keep the peace in situations where a fight might break out, but it's not all of who he is as a person. Much of what he does in the more recent books comes down to lasting guilt and trauma due to his perceived failures to protect and save people he cared about.

While he may use some really under-handed methods for achieving his goals at times, he does usually have pretty decent if not outright good intentions behind them. With this in mind, if players are willing to negotiate with him, do not play him as an unreasonable hard-ass. This man loves diplomacy and will almost always prioritize finding a peaceful solution over violence. He will absolutely convince your players that his and their goals are aligned, and honestly? There's a pretty good chance they will be, if they aren't already. I realize this is basically point #3 re-phrased but I just can't emphasize it enough because 80% of the fandom completely fell for his act and never looked any further. Yes, yes, he's the funny hat man who fucks, but there's just SO MUCH MORE to him than that.

And lastly (for now lol) Jarlaxle loves flirting and enthusiastic consent, but — and this is very, very important! — he absolutely draws a hard line at violating someone else's (or his own) bodily autonomy. If you choose to let him/the PCs flirt, please for the love of god keep that in mind. Jarlaxle will happily flirt and play around (and more) but if another character isn't into it he will absolutely stop and respect their boundaries. He wants to have fun and if the other person/people involved are not having fun, then neither is he.

Section 5: And lastly: how can we apply what we have learned from Jarlaxle to our personal lives?

I also think that Jarlaxle's example is not just important from an RP perspective, but from a human perspective, because at the end of the day, odds are we've all encountered people in our lives who were rude to us, or treated us poorly, or offended us in some other way. That is a fact of life and it is something that all of us have to deal with at some point.

And the truth is, giving in to cruelty is easy. Holding grudges is easy. Writing people off is easy.

But giving people opportunity to learn and grow, and showing compassion to people who have wronged you absolutely is not, and very often we get caught up on the question of "does this person deserve it?" but we neglect to ask ourselves "how am I helping [this cause/this person/myself]?"

And of course, that is not to say that there aren't situations IRL in which it IS better to burn bridges, because of course there are. But if you take some time out of your day to ask yourself that last question, you might be surprised to learn that extending a bit of social grace yourself, even (or especially!) in situations where it might not feel deserved, can actually be beneficial not just to the other person but to YOU.

Could the cashier have bagged your groceries wrong because they're a jerk and wanted to hurt you, personally? Yeah, sure, but does it benefit anyone to assume that is the case and get worked up about it? Probably not.

Did the person who cut you off in traffic do it because they're a jerk? Possibly. But is holding a grudge going to give you peace of mind, or is it going to ruin your day?

Sometimes people are assholes because they feel like it, but most of the time people are assholes because they feel justified and/or slighted in some way, and while it might not always feel justified on YOUR part, extending social grace and forgiveness will benefit you more often than not even if it isn't the easiest thing in the world to do.

#legend of drizzt #jarlaxle baenre #jarlaxle meta #lolth's warrior spoilers #I keep going back and editing this lol #but another point I'd like to add is that while being diplomatic was an absolute MUST for Jarlaxle during his life in Menzoberranzan #he does not HAVE to be so understanding and forgiving of people on the surface #but he actively CHOOSES to #and what makes this great is that it's not framed as a weakness by the narrative even in those instances where it doesn't work out for him #honestly I wrote this while I had a raging headache and was burnt out from work so there's a lot more I probably missed #that'll have to come in another post I think

[bramblepatch]

I finished Lolth's Warrior and I just have to say that this is no longer my most galaxy-brained take and is in fact fully supported by the text actually

#legend of drizzt #legend of drizzt spoilers #lolth's warrior #lolth's warrior spoilers

[everybodyloveshippos]

Quenthel and Valas spotting eachother in Lusakn, post Lolth's Warrior

#lolths warrior spoilers #sort of?? #valas hune #quenthel baenre #war of the spider queen #clare's art

[whistleswings]

just finished Lolth’s Warrior holy shitballs ARE WE OKAY FAM?

#legend of drizzt #lolth’s warrior spoilers #lolths’s warrior

[baldursyourgate]

Navigation

#audio: mostly voice lines & party banters.

#screenshots: in-game screenshots & virtual photography.

#datamine: lines from the files. May contain spoilers.

#fanart: art from various Tumblr artists <3

#gifs: moving pictures without sound. spooky.

#videos: that but with sound.

#lore: pieces of drow lore, from various books or the wiki.

#modern au: minthara in a suit? minthara in a suit.

Bug tracker page: Tracking Minthara related gameplay bugs

Books semi-liveblogging:

#Daughter of the Drow #Rite of Blood #Homeland #Boundless #Relentless #Glacier's Edge #Lolth's Warrior #Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue

#navigation #to be updated methinks

[mnemo-li]

Okay, now that my Baldur’s Gate 3 obsession has somewhat calmed down, my attention has come back to Lolth’s Warrior again. Here are some thoughts, specifically regarding my darling Gromph Baenre:

(As an aside though… does anyone have an active or semi-active Legend of Drizzt Discord server they recommend? I saw the one on Reddit but I haven’t joined that yet either 🥺)

[MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW]

I really don’t like the alignment system in DnD ngl, but it does feel good to have Salvatore pretty much confirm that our dearest Archmage is no longer evil. Like, look at this

He explained—again, surprising Catti-brie, as she hadn’t often gotten such discourse from Gromph: “My robes of the Hosttower are gray, reflecting my state of mind and my way of looking at the world. Such items as these are not simple implements. They are extensions of the being wearing them, an amplification of the wizard’s heart and soul. You are more . . . generous than I. Your robes would be of white cloth, not gray. My garment would be of little use to you.” Catti-brie had heard of such things, so she accepted the explanation without question—until she realized the color of the robes now worn by Gromph. “Were I a being intent on evil, what color would be appropriate, then? Gray?” “Black,” said Gromph. “Like the robe you’re now wearing. The robe you assure me reflects no ill intent.” Gromph shrugged as if it did not matter. “This robe will no longer attune to me. It is, to me, just a robe.”

He can no longer attune to his old robes because he is no longer of an evil alignment. That really is an in-your-face proof of how far he has come as a character. And the symbolism of him choosing to wear the old robe whilst exploding himself to kill the avatar of Lolth— that’s like, him symbolically killing his past self too, moving on from who he once was. It’s beautiful.

My other friend whom I was discussing this with said he was surprised Gromph actually would sacrifice himself, that perhaps this was just some mind trick or illusion. I, on the other hand, was surprised Gromph didn’t become a lich but instead chose to clone himself. In hindsight, it makes sense though. Being a lich is a special kind of evil, and Gromph has fought enough liches in his lifetime to know that he’s better off not becoming one.

Moreover, it was so funny witnessing Catti’s reaction towards her realization that Gromph really has gone soft. Her being shocked at how Gromph would offer her his old robe, their conversation and banter etc

Like, this for example:

“What could go wrong with a fireball, after all?” Gromph said dryly, and when Catti-brie looked at him, she saw that he was staring her way. He was trying to show her that he was still that hard-hearted and merciless grand wizard from Menzoberranzan, she recognized, and she thought it rather… Cute? Or pathetic? No matter, she realized. Gromph’s ego bristled at any thoughts of emotional softness.

Lmao, that cute or pathetic line just had me laughing.

On a more serious note, rereading this scene had my heart breaking, especially knowing what is to come:

A few heartbeats later, he shook the notion away, reminding himself that this place he had created from no more than magical strands, and more especially for the golems and treasures he kept within the pocket dimension, needed to be maintained and protected. His caretakers had to be powerful of their own accord, and influential within the hierarchy of the Hosttower of the Arcane. The possibilities for him to fill the needed posts formed a very short list, and given the dark nature of the plan to be concealed and protected, even shorter. Kimmuriel would have been his first choice, but Kimmuriel was gone to Menzoberranzan, along with his second choice, Jarlaxle. Catti-brie would have been his third, except that her heart was still tied to Mielikki, though the bonds were strained. And that goddess, called the Forest Queen, for all her own recent meddling with the realm of death, would probably not approve of Gromph’s little game here.

Gromph trusts Kimmuriel, Jarlaxle and Catti-brie to protect his cloned body. That is massive. That is really poignant. And for Kimmuriel to be the first on his list? I genuinely wished we’d get to see Gromph’s reaction to what happened to Kimmuriel.

Speaking of Kimmuriel, something in Gromph and Kimmuriel’s conversation at the beginning of novel struck me.

“The heart and the mind are often in conflict,” Gromph said. “I have perhaps another two centuries of life—more if my studies prove fruitful. I wish to live those centuries and more. And when I am finally done with this existence, I know that Lolth will remain very much entrenched in the afterlife.”

I know the Generations series is set in about 1488 DR. I’m not sure the exact date of the Way of the Drow series but since Gromph is born in 670 DR… the dude is over eight centuries old. That’s really old, even for an elf or drow. Amulet of Eternal Youth or not, as one grows older, mortality is sure to become more of a nagging thought. Gromph clearly has been thinking about his life and afterlife. There’s just something heartbreaking about realizing too that he spent the first seven to eight centuries of his life under the oppression of Lolth’s matriarchy, only to finally get to live freely as the Archmage of the Hosttower in the extremely recent years of his life. It’s too soon for him to die— he’s only begun to truly live.

I think Gromph’s motivations for cheating death is less about wanting to “win” against death, to become better than your average mortals or whatever… he genuinely wants to live. Especially now that he has something worth living and fighting for, something worth protecting. I’m talking about his daughter, his brother, his friends.

Maybe I’m woobifying Gromph too much but damn, I love this old Archmage so much. I have a month left before my PhD officially starts… with the remaining free time, I really want to write some self-indulgent OC romance fanfic with Gromph with my Baldur’s Gate 3 protagonist.... and also Liriel Baenre!!

Yvonnel II is alright. But Liriel? I adore Liriel. I fucking love her. I really want Gromph to meet Liriel again, to reconnect with her, to see how much she has changed and how much he has changed.

#gromph baenre #legend of drizzt #lolth's warrior

[vspin]

Came up with some interesting characterization for Tav'Lyn

I have been painstakingly working on my first ever multi-chapter fic (wow, what a fun challenge it has been 😅).

The premise is that Lolth is not okay with the Cult of the Absolute stealing her drow.

Since Tav'Lyn was once a Cleric of Lolth, Lolth speaks through a yochlol to her in the Underdark (I have seen vague spoilers of Lolth's Warrior, idk if that is even BG3 canon but I'm taking it with a grain of salt) and gives Tav her blessing and orders her to kill the Absolute. Then she kills Tav with a bunch of spiders for the lolz and because she is a petty bitch and knows Withers is in the camp.

It's interesting that in my mind, I was picturing Tav'Lyn (I think she was too) as having this badass moment where she is confident and strong when facing Lolth. I was imagining Lae'Zel with Vlaakith or Astarion with Cazador.

Then I read in Drizzt #9, Yvonnel -Motherfucking-Baenre prostrating in submission to Lolth.

And now that I'm writing it...Tav'Lyn is just scared. Her words lack conviction and strength. Lolth barely even lets her speak. It's taking every inch of her willpower not to grovel. She pushes back as best as she can, but it falls flat.

It's motherfucking Lolth.

Tav's entire existence and upbringing focused on fearing and venerating Lolth. That's not going to go away after a few years away from the Church.

It's also interesting to explore how Astarion is viewing this as well, since it's a side of her he just hasn't seen before and it kinda pisses him off too?

Anyway, just some rambling because I found this kinda interesting.

#sorry incessant rambling about my oc #drow tav #my OC: Tav'Lyn #fuck lolth all my homies hate lolth #bg3 mine

[defnotjarlaxle]

Aight, done with Lolth's Warrior, what a wild ride.

(i won't post any spoilers)

it's a good book, you should read it.

#legend of drizzt #the legend of drizzt #dnd #dungeons and dragons #forgotten realms

[azrithart]

love your art sm! may i ask for mooore sarith lore

Thank you so much!

And certainly 🍄🍄🍄 There are so many things to say about this boi! 

Sarith has been a guest character across multiple friends’ campaigns, and is a much loved NPC! Our OOTA campaign has been on hiatus, but there will be more one day!

(Light content warning for mentions of military/religious indoctrination, character trauma, and some character spoilers)  

Sarith lore (from our OOTA):

Since there isn’t much on Sarith in the module, our GM yoinked some of Drizzt’s family lore as a starting base. Then inverted the arc 🗡

Sarith is the second son of a lesser noble house from Menzoberranzan. 

He has three sisters and one older brother. 

His older brother studied as a wizard in Sorcere.

House Kzekarit did not have any particular power or prestige. It dwelled in the shadow of larger Houses in Menzoberranzan.

It is allies with House Faen T’labbar, from the Ruling Council. 

Matron Kzekarit is still alive and looking for her “traitorous” son! House Faen T’labbar recently got involved.

Sarith trained as a warrior in Melee-Magthere. 

He went through the standard Drow warrior academy experience: 

Train rigorously for ten years

Compete in a Battle Royale contest at the end of every year

Fight monsters in far caverns to learn team tactics

Test his blade in surface raids against the Elves (yikes), For Lolth™

Sarith seems to prefer ranged weapons in our campaign 🏹

His fighting style favors stealth and subterfuge over direct combat.

Though an average warrior, Sarith is quite perceptive and good with scouting/tracking! He navigated for the party through much of the Underdark.

Sarith never cared about glory or standing out; his main goal has been to lay low and survive for as long as possible. He’s never been in a position of power.

Soldier background: Sarith served under Ilvara Mizzrym as a raider and scout. 

While not confirmed, I suspect that Sarith, Ilvara, Jorlan, Shoor, and Asha went through schooling around the same time in Menzoberranzan. 

House Mizzrym is part of Menzo’s Ruling Council. In our campaign, Ilvara returned to Menzo in a fit of rage, conquered her house, and ascended to Matron. (One fear). She’s…pretty mad about the prison break.

Sarith has traveled to the surface multiple times on raids—he doesn’t understand why the party wants to return there. He expressed fear of going blind or burning alive under the sun. 

When Sarith’s unit captured our favorite Myconid, Stool, Sarith was infected (with a certain spoiler) in Neverlight Grove. In tandem with memory loss, the infection altered some things in his brain.

Sarith feared he was cursed by a Lolth cleric or losing his mind. He killed a fellow soldier in a bout of madness, but wasn’t sure what happened. 

Both Stool and Sarith are alive and with us! Sarith has been cured.

Complex alignment: Trauma vs. Illness. (Content warning applies here) 

Like most people from Menzoberranzan, Sarith constantly watches his back. It wasn’t the infection from Neverlight that made him paranoid :( Even after his cure, Sarith remains hyper-vigilant, sullen, and defensive. He has lived through nearly 2 centuries of military and fanatical religious indoctrination.

Sarith is a soldier through and through. Yet he doesn’t seem to know what he believes. 

Sarith admitted discomfort with Lolth’s doctrine. He’s always been helpful to the party out of obligation and survival. He knows he isn’t the most powerful person in the room.

Sarith claimed to never hold attachment anywhere in his life—no companions, no allies, no achievements. 

He hasn’t even had space to figure out hobbies or interests. 

(When the campaign resumes, a goal is to find out what his interests could be besides “I like having my head attached to my body”.)

Art and magic aren’t one of them.

Acts of kindness have surprised him every time. In Menzo!Drow language, the word for “friend” (abbil) is used as an ironic joke. This has made communication difficult at points. He expects he must give something back.

However, those moments Sarith has opened up, he has a very sweet smile ;U;

The infection actually made Sarith act more selfless and help defend the party out of more than obligation. Sarith had hoped to find a haven in Neverlight Grove.

Once cured of his infection, Sarith became more self-focused and superior in attitude D: He was cynical before. But now the snark has doubled!  

Beneath the attitude, he seems terrified. Sarith claimed he didn’t believe there is a place for him anywhere—surface or Underdark. Perhaps that is one desire he’s scared to let himself consider.

Is he really Lawful Evil, or raised that way? There’s a lot going on there. 

“Friendship? Love? Disgusting. (Give me more)”

By some chance, my spore druid Amarth bonded with Sarith.

They’re both grouchy, cynical, and jaded—somehow, they warmed up to each other after becoming allies. They probably would have slain each other under other circumstances.

Sarith is a noble and soldier who fears questioning his place. Amarth is a vengeance-driven mage that seeks to destroy Menzoberranzan and help nature reclaim the Underdark.

They accidentally introduced each other to the power of friendship. Now they’re both stumped.

They bicker often. They spent an early portion of the campaign gossiping in Drow silent code and debating plans. Later, Amarth just kept bugging Sarith, taking watches with him, and getting to know him. 

Cue Gratuitous wound tending, hand holding, and promises of protection. The attention still seems to surprise Sarith. Perhaps some part of him dares to hope for a better future. 

Feelings developed, but Amarth assumed his own were one-sided.

Until he bargained his soul for a Greater Restoration spell (and more power) to cure Sarith. Sarith was pissed. They had a pretty bad fight. (Great way to find out someone likes your dumb ass back, eh Amarth?)

Now Cured!Sarith seems flattered someone sacrificed their soul for him.

The GM mentioned once no one had cared for Sarith before, and Sarith cared for no one. This is the first time that’s changed. 

After the cure, Sarith has only limited memories of recent experiences with the party. However, he’s still sticking with us. He doesn’t wish to go anywhere near Neverlight Grove. That’s…going to be a problem. Stool still wants to go home!

More fun facts:

Sarith doesn’t speak Common! 

He seems to prefer the use of Sign over speech sometimes. Even in instances he didn’t need to stealth or be secretive :)

He likes tea! 

He and Amarth each have a fucked up ring. Sarith’s is a fire resistance ring given in trust. Aaaaand Amarth’s is a spell storing ring from his soul deal pact….that’s grafted on. 

Notable Sarith quotes:

“You don’t fuck with wizards.” 

The frequent use of Drow sign language is something I loved so much from our campaign. I want to learn ASL one day :)

Sarith AU - from a Curse of Strahd campaign:

One of our friends and OOTA players GM’ed a Curse of Strahd campaign! He guest-featured the Abyss crew in the Amber Temple.

In the AU, things went wrong in OOTA. His PC, an Eladrin necromancer, became a lich to save everyone ;-; PC’s and NPC’s alike.

This resulted in everyone’s ah…reanimation. Half the party kept their memories, and the other half kept their physical fighting abilities. 

Sarith chose to keep his mind. His body suffered as a result.

I guest-played toward the end of the campaign as undead!Amarth. He had only some of his memories intact, but knew he needed to find his way back to the others.

They were all reunited! All except the two paladin PC’s, whose souls moved on and resisted reanimation.

Sarith got married! We had a zombie wedding and everything officiated by another friend’s Strand PC! (Who is the besets of bois)

This started as a joke. I was going to have Amarth cast the Ceremony spell to buff himself and Sarith with a +1 AC for a week.

Amarth and Sarith had a small, sweet Elven-style wedding.

At the end of the campaign, their lives were restored and sent back to the material plane to hunt the demon possessing Amarth’s soul.

Sarith has also appeared in another one of our friend’s Ravnica campaign, my homebrew campaign Elysion, and more!

[1] if you like the art of him, there’s plenty more Sarith in my webcomic, Sporeblood!

Sarith and Amarth’s dynamic in our OOTA campaign hit exactly the kind of enemies-to-friends-to-lovers I love in fiction. Sporeblood is a separate world, universe, and story. Though has nothing to do with Faerun or OOTA, the dynamic is there! And plenty of Elves, magic, and spookiness galore. I made the joke back in 2019 that while I shipped it, “at least I’m not planning some epic Drow romance comic.” 4 years later, I am eating those words.

Thanks again! If you have any more q's or are curious about details, I'm happy to answer 🍄 -Az

#sarith kzekarit #dnd character #dnd #drow #dark elf #drow elf #drow culture #azrithart #azrith rambles #azrith answers #asks

[rukafais]

SPOILERS for lolth's warrior

Thinking about how in Waterdeep Dragon Heist Jarlaxle has nimblewrights. What if Kimmuriel got a robot body he could hang out in.......

(the 'hair' is fake obvs)

#spoilers #lolth's warrior spoilers #kimmuriel oblodra #legend of drizzt #rukart

[solvicrafts]

I have a lot of Jarlaxle feelings

spoilers under the cut for Lolth's Warrior

So this post isn't going to ONLY be about LW, it's also about just the whole series entirely, but man oh man these are some fresh wounds that need healing.

Something that really, really gets me about Jarlaxle is that there is a deep undercurrent of self-loathing that he makes a point of hiding in favor of playing up his hedonistic qualities and/or hyper-fixating on trying to make everyone else's lives better.

He puts on this act of the carefree dashing rogue and even to this day, among some of his closest friends, he still manages to mostly fool everyone. It really pains me that Drizzt was really the only person offering Jarlaxle the support he needed when he was losing Kimmuriel. Obviously Dab'nay herself was traumatized (and who tf can even blame her?!), so she gets a pass, but the only real acknowledgement of Jarlaxle's loss after the fact is from Quenthel, and she's merely stating a fact and not offering anything on an emotional level (which I also can't blame her for, given their very immediate circumstances)

Other than Drizzt and Quenthel, nobody acknowledged the weight of Jarlaxle's loss or even that Kimmuriel is gone!

Jarlaxle spent the end of the book negotiating to save nearly 3,000 people, leading them to a better place, and making arrangements personally to help out people around him -- Dinin has rejoined Bregan D'aerthe and has even reconnected with Drizzt and Zaknafein, Zak is going back to Callidae with Jarlaxle's blessing to go settle down and have the life he always wanted (and Jarlaxle himself wants, but will never tell anyone), Drizzt and Catti are reunited, Ravel is working with Gromph, and hell Jarlaxle's even thinking about finding a place for Quenthel to settle down.

This man has lost so much and is watching everyone around him move on with their lives and a majority of them are ABLE to do that *because of him* and the sacrifices he (and Kimmuriel) made.

This SHOULD be a moment of triumph for Jarlaxle because

HE DID IT!

He saved thousands of his people from the Lolthites.

He got Dinin back! And he got to reintroduce him to his family and take him back into BD!

He got Braelin back, and he gets to see Braelin and Azleah be happy and in love!

He managed to accomplish things he NEVER would have thought possible a few centuries or even one century ago. And yet it all rings hollow because he lost his other half.

And no one cares enough about HIS feelings to check in with him. Everybody's just moving on. And sure, I know part of this is because there are some time jumps and Bob had to wrap the book up, but I also know that if there were significant exchanges between these characters, something would have been included.

It just makes me incredibly SAD because the thing is, Jarlaxle spends nearly all of his time and energy on trying to make other people happy, and this isn't some sudden new characterization for him.

WHICH MAKES IT FUCKING WORSE

Because on some level Jarlaxle has always been intensely preoccupied with trying to create a better world for people around him, he just wasn't always in an environment where he could be so open about that, and it's especially evident that he closed himself off emotionally all the more after losing Zaknafein.

And if you thought *that* wasn't heartbreaking enough, just consider how frequently he puts the people around him up on a pedestal.

He increasingly references Drizzt, for example, as being his major inspiration and outright blames him damn near every time he does something good or nice for someone, like he doesn't really believe that HE, HIMSELF has those noble traits. No no no, they all come from Drizzt.

Except that they DON'T, because Jarlaxle has always had a very generous heart, he just was not always in a position where he could live by it.

Jarlaxle knows that he's sexy, he knows that he's smart, he knows that he's resourceful and all that.

But does he know how amazing he is as a person? Does he truly know what he brings to the table on his own merits? Does anyone ever bother to TELL him these things, other than Kimmuriel and (rarely) Drizzt?

It's genuinely soul-crushing. This man gives and gives and gives, and I know he has people who like him and even love him, but they don't communicate that and they don't prioritize communicating it. And they certainly don't prioritize his needs.

I hope that changes in future books (if there are any; Bob isn't currently under contract to write more, per his AMA, but that could change) because the man seriously needs and deserves it.

If Kimmuriel can still show him support from beyond the grave, what's everybody else's excuse?

#jarlaxle meta #legend of drizzt #jarlaxle baenre #kimmuriel oblodra #lolth's warrior #lolth's warrior spoilers #tbh though if we do get future books I'm really really hoping for more developments with Gromph and Jarlaxle #because I have a feeling that if anybody IS going to start genuinely supporting him it'll be his big brother #they've come a really long way and I think Gromph is one of very few people besides Kimmuriel #who actually DOES recognize Jarlaxle's sacrifices and hardships and DOES see him for who he is as a person #I know people like and are charmed by Jarlaxle #but whether they mean to or not I think most of his friends see him as a walking favor dispenser #Jarlaxle is everybody's emotional support vending machine

[avelera]

I will say, even when romances in BG3 didn’t work out QUITE as intended in my two playthroughs (so far…) they both made… interesting stories??

(Cut for spoilers)

- First playthrough, total goodie two-shoes sage tiefling warlock/paladin. Just trying to figure out the game. Definitely don’t long rest enough (a bit of a must for some of the romances to kick on, because it’s where emotional story tends to progress). Accidentally lock myself out of the romances I did want, like Astarion and Karlach, so I settled for Gale as a distant third option.

- Tav 1 pines for Karlach from afar, but genuinely enjoys just being Astarion’s friend because this Tav is a bit too nice for him and I think it’s refreshing for him to have a true friend who doesn’t want him like that??

- Gale feelings, which were sort of just “might as well” at first as I learned the game, suddenly start blossoming as both my Tav and him are sage background and enjoy nerding out over books and knowledge?? Start to get genuinely excited to see him in camp? Kind of still pine after him when I’m in my other playthrough because he really is charming and funny and sweet as you get to know him?

- Like Gale is so much actual guys I know from the DnD world, personality-wise, he’s a nerd with a cat who got knocked down in life by some bad decisions he now sincerely regrets (but he’s not totally without ambition to make bad decisions again…). Of all the party members he feels like the dude I’d actually date IRL??

- So basically, dated Gale with Tav 1 as a joke, accidentally caught feelings, now actually these two good-guy sage nerds feel sort of perfect for each other?

Then my second play through, Lolth-sworn Drow Matriarch. Bard/Paladin. Noble background. A bit inscrutable. Not a monster or a mercenary. Will do good things most of the time and isn’t cartoonishly evil but it feels like she’s nice and more… like she’s keeping her options open outside the Underdark, where behaving like a typical Drow is a good way to get an an angry mob set on you. She prefers to talk her way out of things and keep potential allies in play. She doesn’t quite fit with the absurd levels of some Drow cruelty but she’s not doing it to be nice the way my Tav 1 playthrough is.

- Flirted a bit with Karlach but really go full Asterion. He’s just so… cute and pathetic to a drow’s eyes I think?

- Like he tries to tell her, a Lolth-sworn female Drow, a matriarch in training if she wasn’t one already, that she’s too nice. As if that itself wasn’t part of the calculus she performs every day to advance her goals. Like it’s all out of conscience and he’s the badass who has it all figured out. He says they should try to be evil together. When she asks how exactly he plans to do this, he draws a blank.

- in my mind, that was the moment she was like, “Oh no, he’s so stupid, I have to fuck make him my consort.” Poor baby wants so badly to be evil but doesn’t have any subtlety at all. He’d get pulverized in Menzoberranzan. I have to protect him from himself.

- Like my Drow Tav doesn’t want to fuck Astarion and make him her consort because he’s a cool sexy vampire. Quite the opposite. He’s like a small enthusiastic yappy lap dog, barking at the wolf who thinks he’s just the cutest and wants to take him home to the rest of the pack to show him off.

- Meanwhile, her flirtation with Karlach felt more like a “matriarch recognize matriarch” moment where she was impressed by this badass warrior woman who she’d happily make her general or bodyguard if they were in the Underdark. But that she basically needed to pull up a bit when she realized she couldn’t be what Karlach needed and likewise, Karlach wouldn’t fit into Drow Tav’s life if she ever got back to Menzoberranzan.

- (Meanwhile, Shadowheart just feels too young to both Tavs. Like I got genuinely choked up reuniting her with her family because she feels like barely more than a teenager who really needs her family still more than she needs a lover. At least Gale, Karlach, and Astarion, feel more like full adults. Sadly, Wyll just feels the most like a standard RPG character with his dialogue (and it was weird to hear him lamenting his horns to a tiefling??) which put me off. Even if the dance scene was sweet. Halsin… just isn’t working for me. Alas.)

#bg3

[everybodyloveshippos]

why cant dinin ever catch a break man

#lolths warrior spoilers #lolth's warrior #ooooh you have to kill your baby niece waahhh . leave him alone

[artemis-entreri]

Hello! Just curious, what's the word on Dahlia? Was she really removed off-screen in that short story? (Not that I'd be sad to see her go, but that seems pretty offhand for a previously major character) Thanks.

[[ Hey there, sorry for taking a while to respond, your question is a really good one and I needed to find a chunk of time to address it properly. Cut for spoilers.

Dahlia was indeed removed off-screen in One-Eyed Jax. I wrote a quick overview of it since it was only available in audiobook format, although I'd imagine someone might've transcribed it by now.

In any case, what we know as of the current published story canon is that she's indeed dead, and I agree, it was pretty unceremonious. I liked Dahlia as a character concept, I felt that she was a lot more interesting than Catti-brie, but the flailing that Bob did with her in the Homecoming and Generations trilogies turned me neutral about her. My guess is that Bob did Dahlia off this way because the vast bulk of his biggest fans hate Dahlia with a burning passion, to the extent of feeling that she deserved everything that's ever happened to her, including that particular incident when she was a child that defined so much of her personality.

We never see a body, so of course the contention that whenever we don't see the body the character isn't truly dead has ever been the case with Dahlia's scenario. However, One-Eyed Jax handled her fate with such a note of finality. Artemis just accepts that Dahlia is dead because they found her weapon in someone else's possession and apparently knowing Dahlia would never willingly part with it must mean that the only possibility that it ended up separated from her is that she's dead. Artemis, who is extremely thorough, meticulous, intelligent and circumspect, for some reason doesn't bother to look into what happened to Dahlia, if for no other reason than for his own knowledge.

Things did seem pretty cool between Artemis and Dahlia in Relentless, so perhaps his willingness to accept her supposed fate is due to that. However, that theory also doesn't track. We've seen in the past that Artemis loves intensely and with supreme dedication. In One-Eyed Jax, he goes out of his way to kill the person most likely responsible for Dahlia's fate, including cutting off their head and bringing it back with him. As a man who doesn't waste actions, it's evident that he wouldn't have gone to such lengths if his feelings for Dahlia had indeed cooled.

One-Eyed Jax takes place after Relentless, which ends in 1488 DR. I would estimate that it transpires about a few months after the conclusion of Relentless. The current trilogy picks up in 1490 DR. It's been about two years, which is more than enough time for the past to remain in the past.

I was curious though, and figured since I have the ARC I might as well take a peek, so I searched for "Dahlia". I was surprised to see that there were hits, her name literally didn't come up at all in Starlight Enclave or Glacier's Edge. I figured that, being the end of the trilogy, she's probably mentioned in Lolth's Warrior as part of reflections of the past. This is what I found instead:

Only 14 mentions, but what a whopping 14! From this, I infer that Dahlia is (most likely) alive. Furthermore, with the current story concluding in Lolth's Warrior and Bob not likely giving up his cash cow, the search for Dahlia could be anywhere from a side plot to the main plot of the next trilogy. It would also fit the formula of "uniting all the characters" that's been going on for a while now. Just as Doum'wielle Armgo played a role in kicking off the search for Calidae, perhaps Dahlia is doing the same for the new plot.

This is incredibly artificial though, and inherently self-contradicting with how final Artemis was about Dahlia. Why would he decide TWO YEARS LATER to try to pick up her trail again? He gave up way too easily and uncharacteristically before, so now he suddenly decides that he needs to go the whole nine yards, uphill both ways in the snow? I suspect Bob will give some justification along the lines of, oh his time in Callidae made him see through the power of friendship that he didn't try hard enough for her and that even if they're no longer a couple he still needs to bring her back because she needs to feel and be reformed by the pOWeR oF friENdShiP that turned him totally out of character.

Or who knows, maybe Bob will do the more sensible thing of having one of Dahlia's keepsakes turn up. I'm honestly not sure if this is better though, as it would make the situation that Dahlia's been suffering in captivity for these couple of years while the rest of the cast lackadaisically assumed that she was dead based on minimal evidence. That would mean that none of the shining heroes of the Companions of the Hall thought to be more thorough and were just ok with taking the path of least resistance even while one of their "precious allies" went through proverbial hell.

No matter what happens, Bob will likely say that he intended Dahlia to not be dead all along, if she is indeed alive. 🫠 ]]

#Artemis Entreri #dahlia sin'felle #legend of drizzt #the legend of drizzt #Lolth's Warrior #The Way of the Drow trilogy #ama #ooc

[gertlushgaming]

Neverwinter MMORPG Expansion Menzoberranzan Available Now



New Neverwinter Expansion Brings the Epic Conclusion of a Two-Part Adventure Created in Collaboration with R.A. Salvatore and Geno Salvatore

Today, during Wizards of the Coast’s Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Direct, Gearbox Publishing and Cryptic Studios shared a new trailer revealing that Neverwinter MMORPG Expansion Menzoberranzan, is available now on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles. The new expansion for the free-to-play Dungeons & Dragons MMORPG brings the epic conclusion of the two-part storyline and campaign written in collaboration with New York Times best-selling author R.A. Salvatore and Geno Salvatore --- that was first introduced in the previous module, Northdark Reaches. For the first time ever in Neverwinter, players will be able to explore the drow city of Menzoberranzan, the fabled home of the legendary Dungeons & Dragons character Drizzt Do’Urden. Inspired by R.A. Salvatore’s hit trilogy book series, The Way of the Drow, players will encounter beloved D&D characters, including Drizzt, and experience the events that occur between the final two books, Glacier’s Edge and Lolth's Warrior. *Spoilers ahead for those who have not completed the story content in the latest game update, Northdark Reaches* Following the events of Northdark Reaches, Jarlaxle Baenre, leader of the Bregan D'aerthe mercenary company, has returned to the legendary City of Spiders, Menzoberranzan, after being reunited with the illustrious scout Braelin Janquay. The stench of civil war looms on the horizon, and rumors of a long-forgotten artifact threaten to turn the tides in Lolth's favor. The Underdark will succumb to chaos if such power falls into the wrong hands. To stop the civil war from becoming a reality, you’ll need to join the ex-drider forces of the Blaspheme and delve into the darkness once more to save the great city of Menzoberranzan. Related Post: Dungeons And Dragons Dark Alliance Review (Xbox Series S) Neverwinter MMORPG Expansion Menzoberranzan introduces plenty of playable content and exciting updates for all Neverwinter adventurers, including: New Adventure by R.A. Salvatore and Geno Salvatore – Join the revolution and experience the epic conclusion of a two-part storyline and campaign written in collaboration with New York Times bestselling author R.A. Salvatore and Geno Salvatore The new campaign lets you experience the events that occur between the final two books of The Way of the Drow series, Glacier’s Edge and Lolth's Warrior. Menzoberranzan Adventure Zone & Campaign – For the first time ever, explore the drow city of Menzoberranzan, the fabled home of the legendary Dungeons & Dragons character Drizzt Do’Urden. In this new zone, you’ll need to avoid drow patrols and evade assassins as you assist the drow rebellion. The adventure zone includes the following new features: New Quests – Embark on epic quests, encounter beloved Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms characters, including Drizzt Do’Urden and experience the great city of Menzoberranzan. New Bosses – While exploring this new zone, expect to encounter both friend and foe in challenging battles, including the deadliest bosses within Menzoberranzan, and take on heroic encounters. New Rewards – By successfully completing quests, you can unearth new epic rewards including new Underdark weapons, artifacts, mount insignias, and combat enchantments. New Trial - Drawn to the power of the Eye of Odran, the Beholder deity Gzemnid has taken physical form within his reliquary. Challenge him in a New Trial, a celebration of 10 years of Neverwinter! Quality of Life Improvements - This new module introduces new quality of life improvements, including balancing updates to companions, new Insignia-specific updates to the mounting system, and new rewards for all appointment store events Neverwinter is a free-to-play action MMORPG featuring fast-paced combat and epic dungeons. Players explore the vast city of Neverwinter and its surrounding lands, learning the vivid history of the iconic city in the Forgotten Realms and battling its many enemies. Neverwinter is available on PC and is free to play digitally on Xbox (Xbox Live Gold membership not required) and PlayStation (PlayStation®Plus not required) consoles. Read the full article

#FreeToPlay #MMO #PC #PlayStation4 #steam #XboxOne