#OC: Deviali

[keldae]

Work-In-Progress Wednesday Sunday

Tagged by @starknstarwars -- thank you, lovely! Have an upcoming snippet from Deviali's misadventures as a little urchin in Baldur's Gate, about twenty years before the game starts... (tw for violence)

From her new vantage point atop an overhanging roof, Devi took aim with another egg, lifted from a rotten basket, and threw again. This one hit the enforcer in the eye; he yelled in disgusted pain, dropping the child to claw at his face.

Fortunately, the tiefling mother recognized a good opportunity when she saw one. Snatching her child's hand, she fled down the alley, both children following her as fast as their little legs would take them. Devi grinned, then threw another egg for good measure, this one landing on the enforcer’s face.

Unfortunately, the enforcer saw her a second before rotten goo splattered across his bearded face. Devi winced when she saw the malice in his eyes. Time to go while she could; she raced off over the rooftops, sandal-clad feet carrying her swiftly over the roof tiles.

Once, she dared to look back, and yelped when she realized the enforcer had climbed the wall to the rooftops and was now chasing her. Quite aware that her little dagger wouldn't do much good against a big, armoured human with clear intentions of murdering her, she fled, her earlier glee replaced with alarm. If she could make it to another area of the city, near the temples, she could try to seek refuge with the priests of some deity. The clerics were normally welcoming of little girls who were fleeing for their lives from hulking, murderous thugs.

She slid down a drain pipe and emerged from the alley into another crowded thoroughfare. A coin purse carelessly hanging on someone's belt made her eye it longingly – but she was still being chased. No time to steal from another oblivious shopper. If she cut through another alley, and made it to the drain connecting it to the city sewers, she could make it to the temples and claim refuge for at least a little bit –

She shrieked as a big hand grabbed her ponytail and dragged her into another alley. “Think that was funny, did you?” snarled the enforcer, reeking of rotten egg and radiating rage. “I'm gonna leave you in pieces all over Baldur's Gate. Worthless little brat that you are!”

Tagging... whoever would like to be tagged!

[keldae]

The markets of Baldur's Gate were never silent – even in the dead of night, there were guards moving through the lanes, or people up to no good, or late-night patrons of the taverns. During the day, it was frequently pandemonium, between hawkers and buskers and mercenaries filling the streets. In the chaos, it was easy for a little half-Elf girl with auburn hair and blue eyes to slip between a couple of human mercenaries without being caught by her long ponytail. One of the mercs didn't even flinch when his coin purse was neatly sliced into, and his money was caught by deft fingers.

But Deviali knew from past experience that it would not do her well to linger. Any second, the mercenary would reach for his coins to pay for the meat pies he was in line to get, and realize that he'd been robbed blind. Best to be far away by then. She made her way around a statue of some god or another, and once in the shadows, looked down at her prize. Seven gold pieces, and a couple of silvers, plus a handful of coppers – this would do well. Maybe this would even earn her an approving nod from her father, who hadn't so much as smiled since Mama had left. Jehn at least would be impressed with this little prize.

“Hey!” bellowed a male voice. The human had realized the crime he'd been a victim of. Time for Devi to sneak away in the crowds. Shoving her stolen coin in a pouch under her tunic, she made her way out into the crowds, keen eyes darting around, looking for another easily-grabbed purse or another valuable item. The little dagger up her sleeve felt reassuring, reminding her that she wasn't a helpless eight-year-old, should any of her targets retaliate.

A scuffle in an alley got her attention. Curiosity and caution warred for a moment in her mind before her insatiable curiosity won out. She trotted into the alley to see a ragged-looking tiefling woman, trying to shelter two tiny children behind her, as another human loomed over them. “You didn't make your protection payments, bitch,” he growled. “Pay up.”

“I can't! I have no money! My children and I haven't eaten today!” The tiefling sniffled. “Please, have mercy –”

“The boss’ mercy is at an end. He wants his money, now!” The enforcer sneered. “Course, I could take you to him myself…”

“He'll kill me! I-I-I'll get the money to you, I just need more time–”

“You've had plenty of time. Maybe selling one of those whelps will settle your debt.” The enforcer reached out and snatched one of the tiefling children by their shirt. “Consider the kid a partial payment on what you owe.”

“No!” wailed the mother, as her child screamed in terror. “Please, not my children! Take me, but leave them alone!”

“No, I think I'll take the kid,” the enforcer chuckled. “What are you gonna do about it?” A second later, he swore as a rotten egg pelted the back of his head. “Who the hells–?!”

From her new vantage point atop an overhanging roof, Devi took aim with another egg, lifted from a rotten basket, and threw again. This one hit the enforcer in the eye; he yelled in disgusted pain, dropping the child to claw at his face.

Fortunately, the tiefling mother recognized a good opportunity when she saw one. Snatching her child's hand, she fled down the alley, both children following her as fast as their little legs would take them. Devi grinned, then threw another egg for good measure, this one landing on the enforcer’s face.

Unfortunately, the enforcer saw her a second before rotten goo splattered across his bearded face. Devi winced when she saw the malice in his eyes. Time to go while she could; she raced off over the rooftops, sandal-clad feet carrying her swiftly over the roof tiles.

Once, she dared to look back, and yelped when she realized the enforcer had climbed the wall to the rooftops and was now chasing her. Quite aware that her little dagger wouldn't do much good against a big, armoured human with clear intentions of murdering her, she fled, her earlier glee replaced with alarm. If she could make it to another area of the city, near the temples, she could try to seek refuge with the priests of some deity. The clerics were normally welcoming of little girls who were fleeing for their lives from hulking, murderous thugs.

She slid down a drain pipe and emerged from the alley into another crowded thoroughfare. A coin purse carelessly hanging on someone's belt made her eye it longingly – but she was still being chased. No time to steal from another oblivious shopper. If she cut through another alley, and made it to the drain connecting it to the city sewers, she could make it to the temples and claim refuge for at least a little bit –

She shrieked as a big hand grabbed her ponytail and dragged her into another alley. “Think that was funny, did you?” snarled the enforcer, reeking of rotten egg and radiating rage. “I'm gonna leave you in pieces all over Baldur's Gate. Worthless little brat that you are!”

Devi slipped her dagger out of her sleeve and swiped at the wrist holding her, and a second later, saw stars as she was backhanded. Her nose already felt hot and swollen, and she could feel blood pouring from it.

“You got balls, girlie, trying that stunt!” The enforcer pulled out a club from where it had been stowed on his back. “When I'm done with you there won't–”

There was a grunt, and the hand gripping Devi's hair suddenly let go. She whipped around to see her attacker fall to his knees, eyes wide and hands pressed to an already-bloody section of his leather jerkin. Another hand grabbed Devi's arm and jerked her away from the thug, and her older brother's voice gave a sharp command. “Run.”

Devi took one look at Jehn, wielding his dagger like he was going to stab the enforcer again, and obediently took off in a run. He would make sure that the enforcer couldn't come after her… but Jehn had some strange ideas about what was appropriate for a little girl to see, and a man dying wasn't on that list. And she knew better than to argue with him.

—

Father had not been pleased with Devi’s spoils today, or with the blood staining her face and her shirt. She sniffed as she scrubbed at the ruined shirt, her nose still hurting from the earlier smack. Her father had gruffly declared it to be not broken before throwing her to the front steps to try and fail to clean her tunic. No point wasting money on new clothes that she would just outgrow, after all.

A body dropped to the step beside Devi; she flinched before seeing Jehn's blue eyes looking at her. “Thanks,” she mumbled, looking back at the stupid shirt.

“Any reason you decided to take on a thug like that?” Jehn asked. “I nearly caught shit from the city guard, and they barely believed I was saving you when I knifed him.”

Devi shrugged. “He was stealing a woman's kid an’ roughing her up. ‘Course I got involved. He just… ran faster ‘n I thought.”

“You and your sense of heroism. I'm shocked the old man ain't beat it out of you yet.” Jehn sighed. “You just gotta try an’ help everyone, don't you?”

“Mama would,” Devi quietly said, looking down at the shirt. “She said ‘s the right thing to do.”

“Your mother who left you behind?” Jehn asked.

Devi scowled up at her half-brother. “I bet she's doin’ good things that Father don't like! Savin’ people an’... an’... stuff.”

“She coulda saved us,” Jehn muttered. “Dev, next time you see a thug from one of the crime lords in Baldur's Gate roughin’ someone up, just… don't get involved, yeah? I ain't always gonna be there to save your ass. And we both know Father won't give a damn.”

Angrily, Devi swiped a hand over her eyes and blood-crusted nose. “I can take care of myself,” she mumbled. “Just got unlucky today.”

“Like you got unlucky last tenday and I had to come spring you from the city guard?”

Devi scowled. “I had that sorted out.”

“Didn't look like it.” Sixteen-year-olds were so annoying, and Jehn was among the worst. “Picking the lock on the Grand Duke's carriage like that and gettin’ in shit for it…” Jehn sighed. “One a’ these days, you're gonna get really unlucky and get killed by the guard, or kidnapped by clerics, or become some wizard's live experiment. If that one wizard you tried stealing from a while back finds you, I bet he'll turn you into a sheep for real.”

“... Wizards can't turn people into sheep,” Devi argued.

“I've seen one do it,” Jehn confirmed, nodding. “Some old geezer caught a pickpocket an’ turned him into a sheep, just like that.”

Devi shifted uncomfortably on the step. “... Bein’ a sheep can't be worse than here,” she finally said.

“Sure it can. Some tiefling can get hungry an’ eat you as a sheep,” Jehn pointed out. “An’ then I won't have my favourite baby sister anymore. What ‘m I gonna do then?”

“Father'll be happy anyway, if some wizard kidnaps me an’ turns me into a sheep,” Devi quietly said. “Or the priests take me, or the city guard, or…”

“Yeah, but Father don't like nobody. An' I'll be upset anyway.” Jehn leaned over and ruffled Devi's tangled hair. “Just… be careful, yeah? I don't want you to get hurt or killed or somethin’.”

Devi shrugged noncommittally. “I'll be careful, but I ain't about to stop shit. Ain't nobody helping anyone else, ‘cept you an’ me.”

“You can't change all of Baldur's Gate, or Faerûn, Devi. Even with how big a heart you got.” Jehn smiled affectionately. “But I love that you wanna try. But promise, no throwin’ eggs at bigger, meaner thugs again, yeah?”

“Fine,” Devi sighed. She looked back over at her brother. “Can ya teach me how t’ use the bigger knives like you? Case I gotta stab someone for real?”

Jehn made a face and muttered something about “gonna go to hell for this”, then nodded. “Sure. Better ‘n you tryin’ ta use that little letter opener you call a knife. I'll give you some pointers tomorrow.” The sound of a door slamming in the house made them both flinch. “Meantime, you stay out here an’ don't go finding trouble. I'll go see what Father's so angry about now.”

Devi already knew that answer – Father's latest heist had run into a complication with his lockpick expert ending up in the city stocks. But she let Jehn go inside, and went back to her futile scrubbing at the ruined shirt. No matter what her half-brother said, she felt the compulsive need to help people. She couldn't have let harm come to that poor woman and her children.

Maybe, if she was good enough, the gods would smile on her and give her a way out of this life in the slums, or at least make it a little easier to bear.

[keldae]

A chaotic good rogue and a lawful chaotic good bard walk into a tavern, somewhere in Baldur's Gate... ;)

(Devi is mine, Ari belongs to the incomparable @greyias !)

[keldae]

Desire, heartbreak, and hide for Devi?

Desire: What’s one thing your OC wants more than anything in the world? Are they open with that desire? Why or why not? What would they do to fulfill it?

Ooooooh, that's a good one that I'm still figuring out. I think, more than anything, Devi wants to know what happened to her mother (vanished when she was about five) and her older half-brother, Jehn (who fucked off when she was about eleven and he was nineteen). Logically, Devi suspects they're both dead, but she desperately wants answers about where they went, and why they both left her, and what happened to them in the end. (I'm still not actually sure what happened to her mother, but I suspect Jehn wound up running away from home to become a mercenary, with the endgame plan of making enough money that he could come back home to Baldur's Gate and spirit Devi away from their father's abuse. Obviously he didn't come home in a timely manner, but I'm still figuring out the details. I do think he's alive and looking for his baby sister though!)

Heartbreak: Have they ever had a relationship that ended badly? Experienced some other kind of heartbreak? What happened?

Devi's first heartbreak was clinging to her brother at age five and asking where her mama was and why she wasn't coming home, and being upset that Jehn couldn't give her an answer. If their father knew, he wouldn't say anything.

Then at age eleven, it was frantically asking around the Lower City, looking for Jehn, for over a tenday before finally giving up and realizing nobody knew where her brother had run away to.

As far as a romantic relationship? I think Gale might have been Devi's first serious relationship, and definitely her first time saying the L-word. She had flings and FWB situationships through her adolescence and early 20s, and a few one-night-stands, but I think she has enough trust issues with being abandoned by the people she loves that she wouldn't let herself love anybody until our favourite dork of a wizard got stuck in his portal and needed her to save his ass. She was a little surprised to find that she loved everyone in Team Tadfool, none more than Gale, instead of just liking/tolerating them.

Hide: What does your OC hide? Why do they hide it?

Without trying to sound too much like a little angstmonster, Devi learned pretty quick to hide her vulnerabilities -- she acts tough as nails, and her willingness to throw hands at virtually any provocation is a cover-up for how scared and lonely she is. I feel like her father made his disapproval of any charitable or compassionate acts that she made very clear, so she learned to hide that caring side of hers too, until she was out of his influence and could tentatively explore that side of her without repercussions from him. (Did she stop with the charitable acts entirely pre-game? Nah -- she just got careful with showing off those charitable acts to spite her father. Sometimes it just wasn't worth the shit she'd cop from him.)

[keldae]

I'm plotting and scheming for how to fill some of my Bad Things Happen bingo card (MULTI-CHAPTER ANGSTFEST LET'S GOOOOOOOO)... place your bets now: who's gonna crawl out of my computer first to kill me, Xaja or Devi?

Xaja has existed in some form or another for like 15 years, and she's been subject to The Angst for the better part of the last 11 years since I started playing SWTOR. Her angst started at age 7 with the Sacking of Coruscant! (To be entirely fair, a good chunk of her angst and trauma was dealt to her by BioWare's writers and NOT me. Looking at you, TR-8R arc and the entire Jedi Knight story from the end of Act 2 onward, not to mention KOTXX...) (but seriously, the latest story update is making her drink heavily.)

(artist is @chenria who is absolutely lovely and this is STILL the best art of Xaja I've ever seen!)

Angst counters: She gets the bisexual disaster spy (Theron), and she's got a loving dad and brothers (and a kick-ass Mando sister-in-law), and she's a galactic leader and respected Jedi Master, and she's got two adorable kids with Theron now, and the former Grand Master is her mother-in-law. Awks. But she's got LIGHTSABERS and natural telepathy/telekinesis, so I'm pretty sure that negates some of the bad, right?

Devi, in the BG3 context, has only existed since December 26, 2023. But ohhhhh she's got some angst in there beyond just what the game provides! Her angst started pretty much at birth -- thanks, abusive asshole father! And everything I'm planning for this multi-chapter angstfest for the bingo card centres around her. (It'll be an AU, so she'll probably be mostly fine in the end... right?)

(artist is @elspethdekarios who is a delight to work with!)

Angst counters: She gets the hot wizard (Gale), and she's besties with a vampire and a warlock and an ex-Sharran, and she gets informally adopted by the High Harper, and she does (eventually) get her big brother back and watches her abusive father die in front of her. And her canonical angstfest is only a few months of having a tadpole in her brain, as opposed to Xaja's "song that never ends". And when she and Gale settle in Waterdeep after the game, she'll very quickly have an adorable little girl, and probably a little boy down the line too!

[keldae]

The SWTOR Meme

Tagged way the hell ago by @andveryginger! I totally planned to respond to this earlier and then forgot...

Do you have more Imperial or Republic characters?

Republic, by a smidge. And that includes all the alts, the throwaways, and the lowbies I haven’t touched in FOREVER.

Which class do you play as the most?

Toss-up between Jedi Knight and Sith Inquisitor.

Which race do you play as the most?

Humans and Cyborgs

How many have completed Kotfe/Kotet?

Two! Xaja and Sorand have both completed it.

How many have completed up to Copero?

Xaja has! Sorand hasn’t started on Iokath yet.

Who stayed loyal to their class romance?

None... >.>

Who started a romance with Lana, Theron or Koth?

Xaja and (just for kicks and giggles) Korin both romanced Theron. Sorand flirted a bith with Lana, but didn’t lock it in.

Who is your oldest (having played the longest) oc?

Xaja!

Who is your newest?

Probably Deviali, the Twi’lek smuggler I rolled for the species unlock/DvL a couple of summers ago. All the other “newbies” I’ve rolled up have been alts of my already-existing characters.

Who is your favorite?

Depends on the day, really, and which one of my asshole muses is behaving. :P (It’s usually Xaja, but don’t tell the others I said that. <3)