faebhaal - Tumblr blog

[faebhaal]

@maestrojax ★ Cont.

Like a wayward fish she eagerly takes the bait; his statement hooking her without a second thought. "I'm a good sport. Are you sure it isn't you that would be a sour as a lemon loser?" It's a playful jest punctuated with a grin and a giggle. It's a lie though; she is an absolute child when it comes to not winning but he (nor anyone) has to know that. And if a table gets flipped or something gets smashed then what's the big deal? There's a phantom fluttering of excitement that runs down her spine. Ithaca bites her lip in anticipation. "We can keep it low stakes for such a friendly game. Since we're both so confident in our skills, I guess it'll just come down to who's more lucky." Her ego easily says it will be her that will bend luck to her favor --- at least she'll attempt to.

[faebhaal]

not even 10 mins in and ya'll are killing me with these results

[faebhaal]

[faebhaal]

god you're so fucked up lets make out

[faebhaal]

baldur's gate 3 starters (part 1)

part 1 / ? .

❝ a less trusting person might think this all sounds very suspicious. ❞ ❝ you say all the right words, but i’m not sure you mean the right things. ❞ ❝ i know somewhere quiet. somewhere intimate. somewhere we can…indulge in each other. ❞ ❝ eugh, don’t be nice to me. it makes me want to be nice back. ❞ ❝ we needn’t be enemies. there’s plenty of those to go around already. ❞ ❝ there’s a steeliness to you, an unwavering tenacity in the face of, to be frank, quite dire odds. ❞ ❝ even the waves of fate can break upon the shores of will. ❞ ❝ i appreciate anyone that opens a conversation with threats of bodily harm. ❞ ❝ oh, you know me - ever the optimist. i’m trying to focus on the positives. ❞ ❝ i’m not easily impressed by people, but you’re stronger than i gave you credit for. ❞ ❝ there’s an air about you. something alien. ❞ ❝ loosen the grip on your pride for one blasted moment, won’t you? ❞ ❝ it’s been a long time since someone stuck their neck out for me like that. ❞ ❝ there’s something odd about this village. people skulk around like they’ve something to hide. ❞ ❝ you know, if you want to spend time with me, you only have to say so. ❞ ❝ i want to know what the world sees when it looks at me. what you see. ❞ ❝ what’s better than a devil you don’t know? a devil you do. ❞ ❝ you must know that you’re…that you’re very special to me. ❞ ❝ the gods are nothing if not vindictive in their vengeance. ❞ ❝ stay with me a while, will you? day will come all too soon. ❞ ❝ here’s my little treat with their cheeks all flushed. ❞ ❝ i am terrified. i will not claim otherwise. ❞ ❝ my apologies. i’m not quite myself yet. i had the strangest dream last night. ❞ ❝ we didn’t die today. tomorrow, perhaps. but not today. ❞ ❝ leader’s need to make tough decisions. we do what we must. ❞ ❝ i think that unknowable powers come with unknowable consequences. ❞ ❝ i’ve had a lifetime’s fill of watching little men puff themselves up with grand titles. ❞ ❝ in these times, all we can trust are the blades in our hands. ❞ ❝ it’s not easy to turn away from one you once loved. ❞ ❝ much has been promised to you, hasn’t it? but what has been taken from you? ❞ ❝ damn it all. i can do nothing right - not a damn thing. ❞ ❝ every instinct i have tells me that nothing’s changed. that i’m still just a means to an end. ❞ ❝ do not speak of a story you only know the half of. ❞ ❝ i dreamt every night that you’d come back to me. that somehow it was all a nightmare dawn would undo. ❞ ❝ when the time comes to strike, you must take it. for there may be only one chance. ❞ ❝ your eyes. there is pain, endless and deep. but also devotion - blazing like the sun. ❞ ❝ you’re adorable even when you’re teasing me. ❞ ❝ i don’t need your help, and i don’t need your pity. ❞ ❝ i’m more than what i was. and i’m not afraid of anything any more. ❞ ❝ i said exactly what i meant: i love you. you should never, never doubt that. ❞ ❝ this is all like some sort of terrible dream. but it’s real, isn’t it? ❞ ❝ there is no redemption. can’t you see? it is too late. ❞ ❝ i don’t know that it was brave. i just know that it was right. ❞ ❝ you took those bastards down like it was nothing. it…was amazing. ❞ ❝ they underestimated me. so they paid the price. ❞ ❝ we fight, we die, and we just hope that when our time comes, there is someone else to take our place. ❞ ❝ unfortunately for me, you’re my friend. rescuing you from mortal peril is my right. ❞ ❝ what did you think i was going to say? 'oh, come here, i'll kiss you better'? ❞ ❝ flowers are so overrated. they're bright, gaudy, and almost never make good poisons. ❞ ❝ i’ve been lied to, my whole life. and i was gullible enough to just believe it. ❞ ❝ you know, i never pictured myself as a hero. never thought i'd be the one they toast for saving so many lives. and now that i'm here…i hate it. ❞ ❝ you know, i feel a connection between us. like we're two souls walking the same path. ❞ ❝ the forgiving sort, are you? you should be careful. plenty would take advantage of that. ❞

❝ it’s as if god made you just to ruin me. ❞ ❝ perish the thought. every word i said was nothing less than true. ❞ ❝ you have a manner of irresistible desperation about you. i like it. ❞ ❝ i got my eye on you. you got the look of a troublemaker. ❞ ❝ i’m starting to think you’re my guardian angel. ❞ ❝ it seems you know me better than i know myself. ❞ ❝ you…you have no idea what you’ve done. ❞ ❝ they say madness and genius are separated by but a hair’s breadth. perhaps the same is true of madness and stupidity. ❞ ❝ oh, it’s you. don’t you get tired of telling people how to live their lives? ❞ ❝ good morning! thank you for not killing me the other night. ❞ ❝ when the time comes to strike, you must take it. for there may be only one chance. ❞ ❝ it is good to savour the moment of victory - but pace bg3 syourself. our fight is just beginning. ❞ ❝ i was too hasty to judge you. i thought you were witless, gutless, unimpressivably bland… ❞ ❝ yours is the first happy face i’ve seen in a good while. ❞ ❝ when hope has been whittled down to the very marrow of despair – that’s when you’ll come knocking on my door. ❞ ❝ thank you, my friend. maybe we’ll meet again, in another life. ❞ ❝ you’ll regret sticking your nose in my business. ❞

[faebhaal]

I still have yet to get a good sketch of Ith that I wanna fully render. I've had this idea rolling around my brain for a while; suppose to embody the vibes of devotional candle + whore of babylon. idk if I'll fully finish this one. if nothing else I already rendered the most important part: titties

[faebhaal]

"Tell me why?" (Ain't nothing but a heartache....)

@unfortunatedarling

One time was pressing her luck. Three times was just stupidly reckless. But who was she to back down from a challenge? Even if it came in the form toxic blue sludge.

In her defense, Ithaca had held up well enough. That is until she started climbing the steps to the so-called House of Healing. Her stomach churned, her blood boiled. And before she knew it, she had to push past everyone (nearly knocking Gale down the steps) and run towards the nearest, albeit withered, bush.

To say she was miserable was an understatement.

Ithaca groans while Yunae so graciously holds her hair out the way. "It didn't seem like a bad idea at the time." she moans, arms clenching her stomach. The world spins for a moment and behind her eyelids she can see the replay of the scene where Thisobald Thorm exploded into chunks.

Normally nothing makes her so ill behind the gills. Yet whatever that fucking waste was she swallowed down has her intestines in a headlock. "Plus I couldn't resist the bardic urge to tell a couple of tales." Attention seeking would be the diagnosis; the need to feed her ego if it was from a wretchedly pieced together abomination.

"I feel like absolute shit...but just give a minute, yeah? I'll...I'll be okay in a second."

[faebhaal]

[faebhaal]

💗💗💗

[faebhaal]

Whimsigothix bracelet made by Faeriesjewels

[faebhaal]

x

[faebhaal]

[faebhaal]

Ah, now there's an angle she hadn't considered. Yunae was correct though. The gith may have been on the hunt at the moment for the artifact the group held, but that would no doubt only be the beginning. Given the opportunity the gith might wage a war with all of Toril, seeking to claim any and all resources. Granted, Lae'zel was considerably upset about how everything went down; a crisis of faith and what not --- and perhaps that was the only inkling of remorse that Ithaca had. But it faded as quickly as it came.

"So it all worked out anyways." Her tone contains such an obvious note of satisfaction. As if she needed a justification for her actions beyond the one that already existed.

And she enjoyed every second of the slaughter. Through the haze of rage, euphoria had been beckoned forth.

"We did get that glowing mace too. Seems like it'll come in handy."

Ithaca turns her head to look at them and waves a hand dismissively. "I won't tell her if you won't," she says with a smile. "And if you want, we can seal it with a pinky promise." To which she extends the closest to them, offering out her pinky.

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒ They had to admit to themself that Ithaca scared the absolute shit out of them, regardless of how nice she was to them. That fear was what kept them in line from blurting out what they really thought, and when they did, to put it as tactfully as possible.

It was like some kind of switch. She seemed fine and cordial for the most part, but then *something* would happen, something would trigger it, and she'd turn to nothing but brutality and sadism. And then just like that, it would be over, and she'd be back to normal.

Yunae had theories as to what triggered her into these violent fits, but the patterns were too random so they remained just that-- theories, and nothing more.

"That machine almost killed Lae'zel. Sure, *maybe* we could have done things a bit differently... but you know, I mean..." The bard thought a moment to try and phrase it better, but decided to put it bluntly instead:

"That Githyanki creche needed to go, anyway. If you hadn't destroyed the place, those Gith would have moved further inland to conquer and pillage whatever helpless village they wanted. I like Lae'zel, but the empire she belongs to is evil and wipes anyone and everyone out that is in their way or not useful to their cause." That's what their mother would say, who had fought back against the Githyanki invaders in Neverwinter and the Mire so hard, that the outsiders had given her a name: Kalach-Cha.

"Just. You know. Don't tell Lae'zel I said that."

[faebhaal]

She's not daft nor inept at reading the writing on the wall when it came to people. Easily she picks up the clue but surprisingly relents to it rather than exacerbate the issue.

"Sweet dreams, Solas. Sleep tight and don't let the tadpoles bite."

It's an anticlimactic impasse. Sure, she had gotten a minuscule reaction, yet not quite what she had expected. However, Sceleritas sings her praises when she returns to the hole in the wall hovel she's claimed as her own; away from prying eyes and ears. 'Ah my most marvelously macabre marchesa! What a splendid victory! You really showed him,' the goblin gushes, brushing out her hair for her. As encouraging as it is, Ithaca can't help but find it unsatisfactory.

The thought of the encounter lingers but a second longer till her eyes drift shut. Sleep comes easy tonight, giving her only flashes of memories both jubilant and bittersweet. When her dream settles, Ithaca finds herself sitting sideways upon a throne lounging about. Her gaze is focused on a couple of white roses in her grasp. Gently she strokes the velvet petals, pausing and perking up at a subtle sound.

"Oh. It's you. I suppose I should have guessed you'd make an appearance."

~ His eyes narrow as Ithaca leans her face closer to his -- another twitch of lip as she reveals she knew he was the cause behind the rifts. The elf watches silently as she writes out two of his agents names in swirling script; a quick sketch of his orb beside them. There was no more denying -- she knew. He didn't know how, but she knew. ~

~ Solas calmly folds his hands upon his desk as he contemplates how to best handle the situation. The cawing of Leliana's crows from the rafters above reminds him that they are not alone. ~

~ " It is late, " he finally says. " Whatever you wish to discuss with me, I believe it would be best to wait until after we have slept. " The last word is said pointedly. The Fade would be the safest place to discuss such sensitive topics ( as well as give Solas a great advantage should anything go wrong ). He rises to leave -- it is obvious the discussion is over, and he hopes the fae has caught his meaning. ~

~ " Goodnight, Ithaca. " ~

[faebhaal]

actually the best ship dynamic is i would kill for you. i would kill anyone who layed a hand on you. please let me kill for you. please let me show my devotion by dirtying my hands, it's the only way i know how. let me destroy anything that hurts you. i've hurt you too. i'm destroying myself.

[faebhaal]

Some interesting things to note about the Church/cult of Bhaal:

Dogma: Bhaalists believed (in their sick and twisted way) that every murder committed strengthened holy Bhaal. As a result, they viewed murder asboth a pastime and a duty. Bhaalists were required to deal death once in every tenday during the darkest period at the heart of the night. If imprisonment or other constraining circumstances made this impossible, they had to murder twice for each death missed. In accordance with the Lord of Murder’s teachings, Bhaalists strove to ensure that before they died, murder victims knew who was killing them and that their death was in the name of Bhaal. Novices of Bhaal were charged as follows: “Make all folk fear Bhaal. Let your killings be especially elegant, or grisly, or seem easy so that those observing them are awed or terrified. Tell folk that gold proffered to the church can make the Lord of Murder overlook them for today.” Day-to-Day Activities: While Bhaal also encouraged the pursuit of personal wealth and hobbies, in the main, Bhaalists spent their nights performing murders and their days preparing for murder (procuring or caring for weapons, journeying to the appropriate site, praying to Bhaal for success, sleeping under guard so as to be fully awake for the hours of darkness, eating, training, praying for spells, and the like). Many served as assassins, bounty hunters, and mercenaries or in organized brotherhoods of men and women in such professions. Priests of Bhaal enjoyed killing for its own sake but tried not to murder indiscriminately. Much time and thought went into the planning of not just the dark deeds, but the implications of killing this or that individual. The church tried to eliminate all rivals and those who stood against it, to be sure, but also strove to enrich itself by frightening common folk into placing offerings of coinage and valuables before Bhaalists and by taking care to let economically and socially important individuals live unharmed. High Primates spent much of their time planning the proper strategies of manipulating nearby rulers, inhabitants, and organizations into the deeds and behavior that the Bhaalyns desired.

from Faiths & Avatars by Julia Martin circa 1996

Pretty much what it boils down to is, yes, being a member of the Church of Bhaal meant you were going to be murdering people quite often. Once a tenday in fact. However, majority of murders weren't indiscriminate or randos off the street. Targets are often picked and their murders planned out. The point of this was to not only feed Bhaal's bloodlust literally but also through fear, awe and material offerings. On the topic of offerings, while they may stay an assassin's hand at the moment, I would like to think it's not immunity from being a target in the future. Tell folk that gold proffered to the church can make the Lord of Murder overlook them for today --- suggests such; you can live for another day or ten. But eventually the mercy and grace run out.

When it comes to Ithaca's place in the church, it's not incorrect to say she's pretty much a nepo-baby (afterall she was made to pretty much be Bhaal's anti-christ). However, she still devoted her time and energy to the cause, securing her place.

Her duties beyond just murder were (though perhaps not limited to) torturing, preparing for and leading rituals, plotting hits, picking targets, and even helping High Primates in their manipulations that served the Bhaalists and Bhaal.

It was her cunning, charm and cruelty that served as her best weapons --- tools that brought about surges of inspiration through the Church of Bhaal and all it's factions. It wouldn't be uncommon for her to travel to different fortresses and temples to offer aid or for her own missions.

It would be a lie to say that Ithaca didn't enjoy being revered and respected the way she was when part of the Church of Bhaal. Oh no, she absolutely reveled in it! Granted she still lived under the ever watchful eye of Sceleritas, making sure she followed her path, which for the most part she did. Rebellion came in the form of details such as how a task was completed, when it was completed (still before a deadline), occasional going off script. Perhaps through her own genius or sheer dumb luck, things seemed to most of the time somehow work in her favor though she was not immune from scoldings and punishments when they did not.