#silvershield

[ao3feed-capsilver]

(Wo)Man by Proxy

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/FJLdfPg

by Anonymous

  To the wider world, Steve Rogers is Captain America, not even Steve Rogers frankly. Cap’s meant to be a valiant fighter and paragon of justice, yadda yadda yadda, all that jazz.

To Steve’s friends, he’s Steve Rogers, just a regular guy from Brooklyn, likes regular things. Honestly, he’s very conventional, if you ignore all the superhero stuff, got married to his childhood sweetheart Bucky, is a damn good artist, a loyal friend, really handsome and rugged, a guy’s guy and girl’s guy too, just a regular bro to hang out with and a reliable friend anyone can trust.

But what even less people know is that on the Avengers team, Steve Rogers is the straight man’s whore. Hardly anyone would understand if they heard, but everyone loves them some Rogers, regardless of sexuality. Steve isn’t that interested in explaining it either, he just loves helping his teammates and making both of them feel good, even if that means pretending to be their favorite gals in their beds.

Words: 7291, Chapters: 1/12, Language: English

Series: Part 1 of Steve Rogers: Peak Performance Supersoldier Slut

Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Marvel

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes, Avengers Team, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Clint Barton, James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Thor (Marvel), Bruce Banner, T'Challa (Marvel)

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Everyone, Avengers Team/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Clint Barton/Steve Rogers, Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, and also ClinTasha via Steve, James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Steve Rogers, CarolRhodey via Steve, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Scott Lang/Steve Rogers, Pietro Maximoff/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers/Thor, Bruce Banner/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers/T'Challa, James "Bucky" Barnes/T'Challa, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/T'Challa

Additional Tags: Steve Rogers Loves Helping His Teammates, Steve knows who he is but doesn’t mind changing it up for a good time, Bottom Steve Rogers, Sexual Roleplay, Feminization, Size Difference, Steve Makes for a Big Woman but His Dick is Humble, Small Dick Steve Rogers, STEVE ROGERS' ASS, Steve Rogers' tits, Anal Sex, Tit Jobs, Oral Sex, Come Inflation, Double Penetration, Fancy Event where Steve gets shown off, Let Steve Rogers Fem It Up As a Treat

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/FJLdfPg

[maud-lin]

all three of them together!! slotted into Bhaal's favor track...

now that their designs are done I'll be sketching out some others soon

[marigoldbaker]

world’s most adventure bard and her most favorite people, circa bg1 🩷

[ratscrap]

second batch of portrait pack portraits! tiax, xzar, faldorn and skie!

[popsartattic]

Redraw of some very old fanart I did. Left is 2008, right is 2025.

[anderstrevelyan]

wip wednesday

I haven't done one of these in a minute because I've been focusing on polishing and reworking rather than drafting new words (hopefully by next week I'll have some!), but you know what, let's do one anyway!

Here's the opening of my as-yet-untitled multichapter project, aka my early days of durgetash project (set about a year after they first meet):

*Valas is the son of Gorion's Ward rather than a strictly canon Dark Urge: mentioning to avoid confusion since it's relevant here!

It’s dusk when they first discuss it, a desire so deep Valas has never said it aloud. Were anyone to look up at the quiet manor on a corner in Bloomridge, perhaps on their way home from selling trinkets in the Wide, or while they wander to a tavern bleeding laughter and light onto the street, they’d see them there, the pair of them. A half-drow dressed in deepest black and a human with gold on each finger, the plates laid before them picked clean, the wineglasses in their hands stained with two layers of red, lounging at either end of the settee long past when one of them should have risen to draw the curtains shut. He should do it now, Valas thinks as he turns his glass, watching the candlelight refract. He doesn’t know why he doesn’t, just as he doesn’t know how they arrived at the subject, his confessing the name of the person he most longs to kill.

He lets his voice trail off, and swallows against the dry in his throat. Tries to find his footing. He’s not one for quick words, the thoughtless flow that pours from so many like blood—he often prefers to listen. For a heartbeat, for an opportunity, for the guiding voice of his god. And Enver Gortash doesn’t seem one for silence. Not like this, chin in his hand, long gaps between the sound of his own voice—not unless he’s waiting, too, searching for a flaw. Perhaps he understands this weakness for what it is. Skie. Skie Silvershield. Skie Silvershield the second—not the same young woman said to have died at the hands of the Bhaalspawn who sired him, but Valas yearns for her blood all the same, Torlin’s daughter named for the ancestor plucked too soon. Sometimes, in Valas’s worst moments, his mind whispers that it would be right. To prove himself better than the one who raised him before he found his true Father’s embrace, who always claimed he hadn’t been the one to kill his Skie. That it would be good, further insult and honour to the man once Chosen by his god—Torlin proved unworthy the moment Valas set in motion his death, but he was a Bhaalist all the same, and there’s nothing more Bhaalist than the slaughter of one’s kin. But it’s weakness, coveting one death over all others, no matter how he twists his thoughts. He’s seen such a thing in his acolytes’ eyes, when they come to him soft and raw, his Father’s voice in their heads a mewling thing—they don’t understand, in the throes of those first few tastes of blood, what their work really means. They dwell in emotion, in grudges, in hate, longing to kill an old rival, a scorned lover, someone who did them wrong. The faith shows them: there’s no value in the personal, in passion, if it’s not needed to reach the right holy end. It’s weakness, then, too, how much he’s come to enjoy this new ally’s company. Valas turns his gaze to the window, to the motion on the street below��feet catching on cobble, glances cast over shoulders, plumes of breath climbing in the cool evening air—just as Gortash looks away, too. He must be admiring the curves of his own furniture; the works of art in their golden frames, some so new they sit still propped against the wall; the piles of papers and gadgets, their places not yet found, sketches and plans and small, delicate tools. The home he’s building, here in the Lower City’s most fashionable neighbourhood, so different from where he’d laid his head just months before. But when Valas turns back his way, he’s looking out into the dark. Toward the wall, just steps to the north, that separates them from the Upper City. Valas can almost hear him thinking. “There would be a beautiful kind of symmetry to it,” Gortash says finally, and Valas busies himself with a sip of wine. “One Bhaalspawn filled with remorse, peaceful against his nature, and then all these years later another to do it right. It’s not far from our other discussions of late.”

[imsopopfly]

[noblcgames]

random baldur's gate moments in bg3

baldur's gate 1: siege of dragonspear

[incorrect-bhaalspawn-quotes]

Skie: All right, let's get back to talking about my outfit.

Faldorn: Nobody was talking about that.

Skie: Which is why I'm trying to get that ball rolling. So, how does it look? It's good, right?

[fhaeriee]

Young Master Silvershield!!!!!

[nightingaletrash]

Jaheira told Tallis about how the bg1 and 2 parties got so used to Fianna waking them up with her nightmares that they were like 'fuck yeah, keep resisting Bhaal babe!'

And now I'm imagining that whoever was on watch was also on Fianna duty, and if she woke up from a nightmare, it was their job to take care of her.

--

Imoen distracts her with stories and reminding her of their childhood misadventures around Candlekeep. And when her own nightmares come knocking, Fianna is ready to do the same.

Khalid and Jaheira 10/10 go into parenting mode. Khalid is there with a solid shoulder and a soothing presence, while Jaheira is happy to keep watch while Fianna sleeps.

Minsc and Boo are there with hugs, rousing reassurances, and lots of hamster cuddles. Boo is very wise after all. He knows that cuddles are the best solution.

Dynaheir calmly and confidently reassures her that the worse her dreams, the more she is resisting Bhaal's lure. She talks about some of the things she's witnessed on her travels all the same, to chase away the lingering malaise.

Rasaad invites her to meditate with him so that she can clear her mind. When that fails, he recites prayers and psalms that he finds soothing, and offers whatever comfort he can.

Skie insists on teaching her something she didn't know because if she wears herself out, she'll sleep better. So she teaches Fianna to dance and talks about etiquette and social rules among patriars and Grand Dukes - it is very effective at getting them both to fall asleep. Jaheira ends up scolding Skie for falling asleep on watch when that happens.

Yoshimo would tell tall tales of his endeavours, many of which are too tall to be believed, but drove away the shadows all the same. Though those tales go sorely missed once Fianna escaped Spellhold, a still warm, spasming heart wrapped tightly and stowed in the bottom of her bag.

Viconia does not do comforting, but prayer is an effective balm for a troubled night. Incense helps as well, and it's definitely a coincidence that she happens to always have some handy when she's on watch.

Cernd talks about nature. Fianna grew up dreaming of the world beyond Candlekeeps walls, and listening to Cernd talk about it in such an idyllic fashion brings back those same feelings of nostalgia for something she's never known.

Sarevok rolls his eyes at first. How pathetic his sister must be to be so deeply troubled by dreams. He mocks her at first for her supposed weakness, until he begins to change his own views. He sits with her in silence now, a silent guardian against their father's spectre. She does the same for him when the nightmares begin to plague him.

[maud-lin]

Hey, I loved your post on Ulder Ravenguard as he's depicted in Murder in Baldur's Gate. I've been wanting to play MiBG for the lore but haven't had the opportunity yet. Can I bug you for some lore? Apologies in advance for my weird hyperfixation atm.

I'm basically trying to picture the implications of Bhaal's return on the city's government, and how that ties into where we are in BG3.

I don't know if you have any information on Torlin Silvershield, but he was at one point the Grand Duke according to his wiki page, and one of the characters who could become Bhaal's chosen. The problem is, Abdel Adrian and Ulder Ravenguard are also listed as Grand Duke on their wiki pages, and I have no clue how that timeline worked (or if the wiki canon follows an internal consistency vs applying that title to all potential grand dukes).

I'm guessing Torlin replaced Gorion's Ward after Returning Day, leaving Ulder Ravenguard to replace him after he was abducted in 'Dead in Thay'? Or does BG3 erase Silvershield entirely?

Yeah of course!! You're not bugging me at all, I LOVE talking about this stuff :-)

The campaign begins with Grand Duke Abdel Adrian (Gorion's Ward) being attacked publicly in The Wide by Viekang (the only other living "first gen" Bhaalspawn). One of them dies in the duel, causing the other to turn into The Slayer before being killed by the player character(s) (or poison, if you somehow manage to save Abdel). Whoever dies FIRST is wholly dependant on what the DM rolls during their fight and whether or not the player(s) intervene. But no matter what happens, Gorion's Ward and Viekang both WILL die.

This ushers in the resurrection of Bhaal. Throughout the rest of the campaign, Bhaal (now able to influence the material plane) steadily compels the three main antagonists (Ulder Ravenguard, Duke Torlin Silvershield, and Rilsa Rael) into doing increasingly corrupt and violent things until one of them his declared his Chosen during the Feast of the Moon at the end of the campaign. These things range from petty theft, blackmail, stealing hands off of statues, deporting immigrant workers from the city, forcing poorer citizens to dress in accordance to their social class under threat of arrest, arson, violent prison breaks, kidnapping and killing teenagers for ransom, planting explosives in government buildings, brutalizing peaceful protesters, and ordering the mass execution of hundreds of people.

The "canon" Chosen of Bhaal ends up being Torlin Silvershield (before he's quickly defeated and becomes a wight in the Dead in Thay campaign); but in MiBG itself, all three of them are equally possible candidates.

Whichever candidate becomes his Chosen is dependant on how many points they get on "Bhaal's Favor Track" - essentially, if the player(s) don't successfully intervene with their less-than-noble affairs throughout the course of the game, they'll get one point in Bhaal's favor. Whoever has the most points at the end becomes Bhaal's Chosen. Alternatively, a player character can also become Bhaal's Chosen if none of the other candidates are available or there's otherwise some special circumstance in the campaign that warrants that happening (which is what happens to my Dark Urge in my personal version of the story).

Prior to the death of Gorion's Ward, Torlin Silvershield was a Duke on the Council of Four, while Ulder Ravengard was the Marshal of the Flaming Fist. After Gorion's Ward dies, the seat for the Grand Duke is left vacant and much of the conflict in MiBG surrounds multiple characters scrambling to get elected for the position (including Torlin and Ulder) while The Guild stirs conflict in the Lower City in response to the increasingly oppressive laws being passed by the Parliament of Peers.

Descent into Avernus canonized Ulder getting elected as Grand Duke. Torlin might take it upon himself to ACT as Grand Duke in the absence of an official one, but he never actually gets elected at any point (the wiki is just wrong about that one). I don't think the game ever mentions Torlin by name anywhere, but it DOES mention Rilsa Rael in a letter from Keene:

This means that Rilsa IS still alive and a current Kingpin in The Guild, so she (probably) didn't move down too far on Bhaal's hypothetical Favor Track.

I think the implication is either that Torlin is taken to Thay immediately after he's defeated and Bhaal had always intended for him to be disposable or he was never truly Bhaal's Chosen to begin with (the Dark Urge becoming his Chosen in his place) and that was a rumor spread by people who witnessed the attack of "Bhaal's Chosen" during the fete or something.

But because Murder in Baldur's Gate wasn't written with BG3 in mind, some of the information just outright isn't accurate anymore (like Ulder being described as childless and never married, for example). So imo anything that isn't mentioned in the game is up to your interpretation.

[fallenbhaalspawn]

for context for anyone who hasn't read/played through murder in baldur's gate or dead in thay—torlin silvershield died at the end of murder in baldur's gate circa 1482 DR, and became chosen of bhaal right before his death. he was not actually in charge of the cult of bhaal for any extended amount of time. his appearance in dead in thay is explicitly described as the recovery of his body, and he appears as a wight. though obviously do as you want and ignore canon where you see fit, i thought it was still worth putting out there

[ask-baldurs-gate]

Skie, any makeup tips for the road?

The most important thing I've learned is to always keep a small handkerchief around, and maybe some soap, if you can get it. You have to wash your face a lot more on the road, makeup won't work as well on a face covered in road dust. Oh! And it's better to use wet make up than dry. You're going to be sweating A LOT on the road, and that makes unsightly streaks in powder-based makeup.

...Also, keep your nails short. It's less fashionable, but if you don't, they WILL break.

[thebleakcabal]

I wanted to do a spin on u/TheAgashi's kit challenge, but, you know. Get to use more kits. So this is an idea of what kits could suit each BGI NPC, drawing from all the pertinent 2e resources I could bring to bear. Any other suggestions welcomed.

BGII version here.

Three notes: first, for those who are or have not been 2e players that, to be honest, you were spoilt by BioWare. Even the worst BG kits are about on par with the best of tabletop in terms of cohesive narrative and interesting mechanics (which is all the more impressive in the confines of a videogame, honestly). This even goes for several cases where BioWare were directly adapting a tabletop kit. And it goes all the more so for early attempts to grapple with kits in e.g. The Complete Fighter's Handbook or The Complete Thief's Handbook. So ... occasionally, there might be struggles here to find something cool that works (and minor house rules may be needed), or you'll see that certain kits just look a bit sad mechanically.

Second, tabletop multi (or dual) classes are perfectly able to access kits. Sometimes I've used specific multi-class kits (e.g Jaheira now sports an F/D kit), and sometimes I've just given a kit for one of their classes (e.g. just because I've given Montaron a thief kit, that doesn't mean he's not still an F/T).

Third, technically specialist spellcasters - for wizards, specialists like evokers, necromancers &c; for priests, specialty priests like Dawnbringers of Lathander, Stormlords of Talos, &c.. - are not kits per se, but rather an entirely different class. (Indeed, 2e druids are more-or-less just "specialty priests of Nature"; if you've played BGI, you may also remember that Specialist Mage was in fact a separate class in character creation). They are free to use the kits of the appropriate class group above and beyond their speciality, unless the specialty specifically contravenes it, as some specialty priests may do. The priest kits in particular are mostly kind of bad and 2e concentrated on specialty priests as the "subclass" option fairly quickly, so I did consider just using them in some cases. However, a) a lot of the priests don't technically qualify for their god's specialty class; b) there are a number of god-specific kits that aren't full-on specialty priests which I could use, from Warriors and Priests of the Realms; c) this way I get to say I really did only pick kits.

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Imoen

Kit: Adventurer (thief) [The Complete Thief's Handbook]

The Adventurer is the jack-of-all-trades, the prototypical dungeon-delving thief. The Adventurer is not so much a thief as a character who takes adventage of the general thiefly skills on professional adventures into dungeon and wilderness.

Why: Imoen's skills in magic aren't particularly elaborated on, and her thief side mostly revolved around pranks, sneaking into places in Candlekeep she shouldn't be to read letters she shouldn't read, and amusing herself with pickpocketing allies. This is more or less the only one that I think fits her, and it's the totally bland no-mechanics version that's just a reflavour of the true class.

Mechanics: As true class.

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Montaron

Kit: Halfling Mercenary (Fighter) [The Complete Book of Gnomes and Haflings]

Mercenaries are almost always outcasts who for some reason or another have been disowned by their families and driven from their villages, forced into a life of violence and danger. Many of them are, not surprisingly, quite bitter about this involuntary exile. Whether or not the individual was actually guilty of the crime of which he or she is accused is irrelevant; the effect is the same in either case. Whatever misdeed or misfortune drove the halfling to become a Mercenary, it tends to be a private matter, jealously guarded.

Why: Montaron, by contrast, has a frank embarrassment of riches in possible kits. I strongly considered Thug (because the man loves violence, and it's funny that he fits so well with a kit that specifically seems to decide halflings shouldn't work because they're not intimidating enough), but it's more meant as a replacement for being an F/T rather than as an add-on. Zhentil Keep Rogue is also an obvious fit, but I thought Halfling Mercenary aligned a bit better with Montaron's mechanics and suggests interesting things about his backstory.

Mechanics: Must take proficiency in both a melee and missile weapon. Must specialise by level 2. Gets two extra weapon proficiencies at level 2. Social reaction penalty with other halflings.

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Xzar

Kit: Anatomist Necromancer (Necromancer) [The Complete Book of Necromancers]

These wizards are profoundly fascinated by the seemingly infinite mysteries of the human form. Antomists gain their knowledge after years of extensive research, typically performed on cadavers ... While some Anatomists use their knowledge to heal, most adopt this profession to further their own dark motives. Some, falling into the "insane scientist" category, use their expertise to create blasphemous experiments, the least repellent of which include the creation of cadaveric automatons, like flesh golems.

Why: He goes on about elfish eyeballs, livers, and has flesh golems in his house in BGII. He starts with Small Swords proficiency. Nice and simple, honestly.

Mechanics: Must start with knife proficiency; must put second weapon proficiency into it too, earning specialisation as a wizard! Must spend non-weapon proficiencies on healing (at a discount) and anatomy. Healing proficiency slightly buffed. Can autoposy corpses. Must keep in practice by performing at least one dissection per month.

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Jaheira

Kit: Wilderness Avenger (Fighter/Druid) [The Complete Half-Elf - Dragon #214]

Where rangers protect people and natural creatures, Wilderness Avengers are merely trying to preserve the natural balance, and are not picky about how they do so. They allow some hunting and harvesting of wild animals and plants (DMs: Please use common sense in determining this), but if it upsets the balance of nature, Wilderness Avengers are not averse to using militant methods to stop it.

Why: It's a half-elf Fighter/Druid kit. That's kinda specific. And the next kit in the article is a half-elven Fighter/Mage kit. I have strong suspicions about Khalid and Jaheira's tabletop incarnations, let's say. Granted, it fits a bit better with her BGI characterisation, but that's not a flaw in itself. Also, there's not really a Harper kit per se - only a rather bad class - which could have been appropriate.

Mechanics: +1 attack bonus vs. unnatural creatures. 5% stealth bonus per level of highest class. Social reaction penalty in urban settings, may not specialise in weapon use.

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Khalid

Kit: Spellarcher (Fighter/Mage) [The Complete Half-Elf - Dragon #214]

Spellarchers belong to a fraternity of half-elves fighting prejudice and oppression. They fight to change the rules of society with both arms and magic. They combine the two, using their arrows to increase the range of some spells.

Why: It's a half-elf Fighter/Mage kit, it follows a Fighter/Druid kit in the same article ... you get the drill. Plus Khalid turns up with a bow and proficiency, and is very arguably a better archer than a frontline fighter. If you're trying to tell me he's not a Fighter/Mage ... he was one in preview materials, so we're letting him stay that way.

Mechanics: Deliver touch spells via arrows, can't wear armour, can't cast divination spells.

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Kivan

Kit: Archer (Warrior classes) [The Complete Book of Elves]

The Archer is the epitome of elven skill with the bow. If there is a difficult shot to make, she will make it. Whether the target can only be reached by firing through high winds or is totally concealed, the Archer is confident of her ability to make the shot.

Why: Frankly, there's nothing really better for him? I really wanted to find a kit that worked with the whole "driven by vengeance" idea. There's one that would have worked, but it's the wrong class for Kivan, and is going to be saved for a BGII character ...

Mechanics: Can increase rate of fire or do some nonsense with trick shots. Can get +1 damage if he keeps and cares for a specific bow and set of arrows for a month. Limited starting selection of melee weapon proficiencies (swords or daggers), and has a -1 to hit penalty with them. Can't ever gain any bonuses to hit with melee weapons.

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Ajantis

Kit: Squire (Paladin) [The Complete Paladin's Handbook]

Historically, a Squire functioned as an apprentice, serving his master both at home and on the battlefield while honing his skills. When his training ended, the Squire became a paladin himself, sometimes continuing the cycle by taking on a Squire of his own.

Why: Because he's a squire. Wow, deep, much thought. (To be honest, this kit is intended for "career" Squires, but you can abandon the kit, so *shrug*).

Mechanics: Almost wholly social, to do with not holding full knightly rank. Fewer responsibilities, fewer priviliges.

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Safana

Kit: Consort (Spy) [The Complete Ninja's Handbook]

This spy's skills have been optimised for social interaction. A Consort achieves mission goals through romance or seduction.

Why: Safana. Also, hah, I get to use The Complete Ninja's Handbook.

Mechanics: Count charisma as two points higher (to a limit of 18) for the purpose of all non-weapon proficiencies. Occasionally, you might be recognised by someone from a precious mission.

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Viconia

Kit: Nightbringer of Shar (Cleric) [Warriors and Priests of the Realms]

Nightbringers are the children of Shar in every way. They are dark-humored, soft-spoken folk, who make no sudden moves to draw attention to themselves. They enjoy making others paranoid by wondering aloud "What could the darkness be concealing?"

Why: Viconia is surprisingly awkward. She doesn't fit the Nightcloak specialty priest class because she doesn't hit the Strength qualification. Her roleplay doesn't really work with the sympathetic shading of the Darkcloak kit (at a stretch you could try to fit it to her BGI and post-redemption ToB personalities), and she's not quite as much of a warrior as the Nightbringer kit suggests. Nevertheless, of the three options, I think the last is the best for overall coverage. (Yes, the specialty priest is just named after the two opposite halves of Shar's previous kit names).

Mechanics: Have the stealth abilities of Rangers. Combat bonuses versus Selûnites. Can cast certain darkness spells as innate abilities and call on Shar for a temporary potion of heroism effect. Take penalties to combat in bright light or under the full moon, and have thematically restricted spell selection (no Sun, Weather, or unreversed Light spells).

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Shar-Teel

Kit: Amazon (Warrior classes) [The Complete Fighter's Handbook]

Amazons are women warriors in a male-dominated world.

Why: Shar-Teel. (Again, let's admit that this is more intended for a member of an Amazon culture, like Hippolyte or Penthesileia, than one Extremely Angry Woman. But it's still pretty definitely her fictional archetype).

Mechanics: Have +3 bonus to hit and to damage against male-opponents who might underestimate her. Have social reaction penalty in patriarchal contexts.

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Kagain

Kit: Axe For Hire (Warrior classes) [The Complete Book of Dwarves]

An Axe For Hire is a mercenary who is willing to sell his services to the highest bidder. Usually an all-round fighter, capable of engaging in hand to hand combat, he is able to use a crossbow and other missile weapons.

Why: Kagain loves gold. Also, he fits the Missile Weapons proficiency, which is nice. Social reaction penalty with other dwarves certainly sounds like Kagain and Yeslick.

Mechanics: Endurance, Local Dwarf History, and Local History bonus non-weapon proficiencies. One free weapon specialisation in a dwarven weapon. Can always get his employer to pay for room and board on a mission. Social reaction penalty with dwarves in any non-military situation.

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Garrick

Kit: Thespian (Bard) [The Complete Bard's Handbook]

Of all the varous types of bards, Thespians put the most time an energy into performances. Thespians are actors. They display their talens in plays, skits, and dramatic productions ... Occasionally Thespians are secretly hired to serve as spies, or temporarily fill in for a missing person.

Why: Because he was with a travelling acting troupe, and then bound himself up with Silke. Also, I'm a fan of the Garrick Is A Harper conspiracy theory, probably because I came up with it, so the spy thing is cool too.

Mechanics: Forced weapon proficiencies - dagger, then knife, then short sword, and no more. Reduced non-proficiency weapon penalties. Bonus Acting, Disguise, one Modern Language, and Reading/Writing non-weapon proficiencies. Wear any type of armour, but at -1 penalty if bards couldn't normally wear it. Bonuses to AC, saves, and attacks each round he wins initiative. Can use acting as a pseudo-illusion; and can pretend to be casting terrifying spells to make enemies run away.

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Edwin

Kit: Red Wizard of Thay (Specialist mage) [Spellbound box set]

Red Wizards rule the ancient land of Thay and are one of the most evil and corrupt forces in Faerûn.

Why: Edwin is a Red Wizard. Shocking.

Mechanics: Double almost all specialist bonuses. Bonus starting cash and Thayan social reaction bonus. Increased save penalty and spell learning penalty from opposition schools. Can try to cast from magic items of the opposition school, but may provoke a wild surge (*cough* Nether Scroll *cough*). Liable to be attacked on sight anywhere outside Thay.

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Dynaheir

Kit: Rashemaar Witch (Wizard classes) [Spellbound box set]

The witches, or wychlaren (literally "wise old women"), are the true rulers of Rashemen ... Witches are respected almost to the point of worship in Rashemen, where their word is law, and the penalty for disobedience to a witch is swift death at the hands of any Rashemaar nearby.

The witches do not wield this power foolishly, and are tolerant and protective of their subjects.

Why: Dynaheir is a Rashemaar Witch. Shocking.

Mechanics: In Rasheman, the witches get pseudo-sorcerer spontaneous casting, before spontaneous casting or spell points were a thing, and may eschew material components. It's a very nice trick. There's also a somewhat awkward but reasonably powerful group casting mechanic. Innate fear spell (interesting that this became slow poison in-game). Whilst using their spellcasting in Rasheman, spellcasting time is doubled. Can't craft magic items or research new spells.

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Minsc

Kit: Rashemaar Berserker (Fighter) [Spellbound box set]

Rashemaar berserkers are legendary fighters who can enter a mystical battle frenzy through various acts of self-hypnosis and the use of jhuild.

Why: Stop me if you've heard this before: Minsc is a Rashemaar Berserker. Shocking. To be honest, there are actually other options for Minsc. I strongly considered Feralan, his original tabletop incarnation's kit (and which was only just cut from BGII) - but Minsc is not a semi-human wildman raised by a pack of wild hamsters (???), just someone who's taken too many knocks to the head. The much less detailed Rashemaar Warrior kit provides a milder berserk form, and would let him stay a Ranger ... but I sacrificed that on the altar of letting Minsc actually potentially become an Ice Troll berserker in-game. (Plus Animal Handling is a recommended non-weapon proficiency for the Berserkers anyway).

Mechanics: Bonus Endurance non-weapon proficiency. Can go berserk - but this takes ten minutes/ten rounds of combat (so it's a super move before a big, known fight, usually). Get attack, damage, hp bonuses, immunity to various mind-control and hold effects, can't be easily knocked out or immobilised by unarmed fighters. Penalties to Intelligence and Wisdom. While raging, must keep fighting until all enemies are down and is liable to see all kinds of things as "attacks" which may provoke him to turn on an ally. Can't be healed during rage, and collapses after it's done.

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Branwen

Kit: Gloryblood of Tempus (Cleric) [Warriors and Priests of the Realms]

The glorybloods are the soldier-priests of Tempus in every sense of the word. Not only are they fanatically devout followers of Tempus'’ teachings, but they specialize in military matters such as strategy, tactics, logistics, and morale.

Why: The other kit for Tempus is the Battleforge, which is all about making weapons. The specialty priest of Tempus is the Battleguard, which has berserker rage and chosen weapon mechanics. Both seem a worse fit than this.

Mechanics: Bonuses to all allies in sight for morale, attack, damage, and saves. Can improve initiative when an encounter beings. Straightforward, unflashy, but pretty strong. Can't cast healing spells, can't turn undead, can't retreat from anything but a majorly uneven fight. So you do pay the penalty for those bonuses.

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Xan

Kit: Wizard of Evereska (Wizard classes) [Wizards and Rogues of the Realms]

Within the walls of this mountaintop citadel, the great lore and magic of the elf folk is cherished and enhanced with each passing season. Guarded by the magical gifts of Corellon Larethian and flights of ever-vigilant giant eagles, Evereska has never fallen before an enemy or been infiltrated by a spy or assassin. Few wizards from the High Valley ever leave its protected glades except on important missions or in search of knowledge that cannot be found there.

Why: Xan ... should be better. We know that, even the designers knew they'd taken the original powergamed tabeletop character and nerfed him into the ground. If the poor man's going to have a Moonblade at least let him be a Fighter/Mage. At any rate, assuming we've respecced him that way ... the Fighter/Mage kits still end up too specific to really work for Xan (Bladesinger, War Wizard). Wizards of Evereska are nice and flavourful without really interfering with Xan's concept, and I think it's funny to make Xan capable of something as magnificent as riding giant eagles and never give him one.

If we're not accepting him as a respec, the Militant Wizard from The Complete Mage's Handbook makes a poor but not abysmal go of adding warrior notes to a straight mage. Otherwise, Scout would work very well with his concept - and is recommended for Evereskan elves from the Greycloaks - if it weren't a thief kit.

Mechanics: Free giant eagle-riding proficiency. +4 to saves against creatures or spells from the Ethereal or Astral plane; +4 to all saves if on the Ethereal or Astral. Barred from Necromancy, -2 to saves vs. necromancy and against undead creatures.

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Coran

Kit: Swashbuckler (Warrior classes) [The Complete Fighter's Handbook]

The Swashbuckler is the happy-go-lucky hero with the ready wit and the flashing rapier. He's happiest when he's in the big city but can be an imposing warrior anywhere.

Why: Quite difficult. Several decent idea in terms of other Fighter or Thief kits - the Scout kit fits everything really well, except for the fact that it gives penalties in urban settings, and Coran only runs off to the wilderness when he's picked up too much heat in the city. An argument for Archer, like Kivan, but that's reduplication and misses a lot of Coran's flavour. Opted into Swashbuckler for better flavour with slightly worse mechanical compatibility. The Warrior version of this kit is generally better (and particularly for Coran) than the Thief version.

Mechanics: Bonus Etiquette and Tumbling non-weapon proficiencies. Can choose Rogue non-weapon proficiencies at cost. Gets -2 AC bonus in light armour. Improved social reaction from members of the opposite sex. +2 bonus weapon proficiencies, which must be spent on specialising with stiletto, main-gauche, rapier, or sabre. Must continue to spend half of weapon proficiencies on these weapons until they're all acquired.

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Faldorn

Kit: Avenger (Druids) [The Complete Druid's Handbook]

The Avenger druid has seen Nature suffer great wrongs ... [She] had hoped to like a a Guardian or Village Druid. However, during her training, forces defiled the area under her protection and slew her mentor. Maybe she feels she was too gentle, too weak. It doesn't matter. She won't let it happen again.

Why: The archetypal Shadow Druid-styled kit.

Mechanics: Bonus tracking non-weapon proficiency. Bonus weapon proficiency. Must spend all starting gold on equipment or lose it, and can't own any more items or equipment than she can carry with her. Blanket social reaction penalty, and delays her acquisition of followers.

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Eldoth

Kit: Mountebank (Thief) [Demihumans of the Realms]

Mountebanks are likeable and friendly, and their confidence schemes are colorful and entertaining. Still, as each sting plays out and collapses, the mountebank must stay on the move or face the wrath of his victims.

Why: Is Eldoth a halfling, a half-elf, or a thief? No. Does this kit actually have to be restricted to them? No, not really, by flavour or mechanics. To be honest, it's basically just a more long-term version of the Complete Bard's Handbook's Charlatan, so we're adopting it for Eldoth here. (Honestly, I'd homebrew a mix of the two if I were really trying to take him back to tabletop).

Mechanics: Gain bonuses to disguise if he sets up a scheme beforehand. Can cheat at games of chance. Can evade detect lie spells. Can very easily talk his way out of trouble. Can't backstab. Negative reaction from anyone who's worked out he's a conman, even without being conned themselves, and has to keep outrunning his schemes.

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Skie

Kit: Noble (Any) [Red Steel]

A Noble character belongs to the highest social classes of the land. As children, Nobles receive tutoring and training that give them skills and opportunities beyond those of more common folk. They are also used to the finer things in life ... They become adventurers because of duty to land or family, or to find an exciting change from their daily obligations.

Why: Skie is a noble. Shocking. Also, she's not particularly strongly flavoured in terms of her thief skills - there's the dancing and sneaking out, but the Acrobat kit is much more about people directly involved in circuses and doesn't feel quite fitting. The Red Steel version of this kit has slightly more mechanics and flavour than other versions (e.g. Player's Option: Skills & Powers).

Mechanics: Bonus etiquette and heraldry proficiencies. Bonus starting wealth, but must pay for additional luxuries. Improved reaction in homeland.

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Yeslick

Kit: Craftspriest (Dwarven priests) [The Complete Book of Dwarves]

Craftspriests are those who are dedicated to the patron deities of one of the dwarven crafts. Although they frequently will have a temple in a stronghold, they usually preside over a shrine or chapel in the workshops where their craft is practiced. They are usually members of that craft's clan.

Why: The specialty priests of Clangeddin, the Alaghors, are expressly permitted both to take a kit and to be multi-classed Fighter/Alaghors, so we are quite able to give him that specialty class and a kit. This seemed the most fitting.

Mechanics: bonus Craft, Endurance, Religion, Artistic Ability non-weapon proficiencies. Better reaction from clan.

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Quayle

Kit: Scholar-Priest (Priest classes) [The Complete Priest's Handbook]

He's most at home when he's poring over books, scrolls, papyri, clay tablets and other old writings. He's not forbidden from fighting, but ism ore likely to try to straighten out a bad situation with reason, personal charisma, or even trickery than with a weapon. His life is dedicated to the assimilation of knowledge (and, usually, the transmission of knowledge to new generations).

Why: Quayle cannot qualify as his specialty priest type, the Fastpaws of Baervan. At least in his case, this is not really his fault: it's forbidden to multi-classes, probably because it's essentially a mini-cleric/thief multi-class anyway. Ruling that out (and with no standalone Baervan kit), Scholar felt like the next-best fit. He's extremely bad at expressing it, but he is evidently intelligent, and talks about teaching on more than one occasion (besides obviously tutoring Aerie).

Mechanics: Can spend his weapon proficiencies on non-weapon proficiencies. Has social reaction bonus with other scholars (and "writers, journalists, and people who imagine that they are scholars"). Unfortunately, somehow, "many scholars are egotistical", and he has a chance to replace that bonus with a penalty if it turns out he's got into a heated academic rivalry with a particular character.

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Tiax

Kit: Seer (Priest classes) [The Complete Barbarian's Handbook]

A foreteller of the future and reader of omens, the Seer considers himself a conduit of the gods, superior to lesser mortals.

Why: Tiax is shit. Like Quayle, he doesn't qualify for his own deity's specialty priest kit (Strifeleaders of Cyric require 13 strength). He doesn't fit either of Cyric's kits in flavour, both being signfiicantly militant. He can't be a Prophet (given all his visions of grand destiny, one of my next-best options) because he doesn't have the Wisdom; he can't be an Evangelist because he doesn't have the Charisma. Using a Barbarian priest kit might be stretching it (as with the mechanics), but I think this is the best I can give him.

Mechanics: Starts with 13 charms, one of which he can break at the beginning of the day to receive resistance to damage (or double damage on a critical failure). Can only be replenished by showing his superiors that he's served his god well. Can identify the last possessor of an item or the living creature from dead remains by concentrating. Can understand the fundamental motivations of a creature. Is immune to fear (notable that Tiax is one of the only inmates who isn't terrified to death of Irenicus). Must perform a ritual after each victory in battle.

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Alora

Kit: Halfling Burglar (Halfling thieves) [The Complete Book of Gnomes and Halflings]

The halfling Burglar is a benign specialist at retrieving objects of value from those who have come by them wrongly - at least that's the way the Burglar sees it (admittedly the one who has been burgled tends to disagree).

Why: Because she's ... a halfling ... burgling something. When you meet her. Wow, I'm so good at this.

Mechanics: A bonus non-weapon proficiency in Appraisal of item value. +10% bonus to initial Open Locks or Move Silently skills; +5% bonus at each level up in Open Locks, Find/Remove Traps, or Move Silently. -1 to melee THAC0, except for backstabs.

[anderstrevelyan]

wip wednesday/wyvern whiskey

The questions this week are: Will I eventually work every bottle of alcohol you can find in the game into a fic? Can I make a scene work where the point of view character only has one sense to rely on? How jealous can Valas DeVir get?

(some early-days durgetash)

But he hasn’t given thought to this part, this hearing them together. They clink their glasses, and it rings through Valas’s chest, the way they must be looking into each other’s eyes before the first sip. Gortash is silent, a mystery, but Skie exhales in delight. “Oh, they were not kidding. Absolutely deadly.” “Isn’t it just? A vicious creature, distilled to its very essence. Much of the value lies in the rarity of that domination, of course, the risk involved, though there’s a rather pleasant kick to it.” “Surely they just kill a wyvern?” “On the contrary. If you need but a scale for each bottle, it’s far more profitable to bring the thing to heel. Not possible here in the Gate, of course. Quite a bit larger than a peacock, such creatures.” Valas would have expected Gortash to sit facing the window, it’s where they’ve always lounged together here, reading and taking notes and debating over wine as the candles disappear, but from the sound of him settling it’s the sofa against the far wall. It’s a more comfortable place to sit, deep and soft, but Valas always preferred the other for its view—it must be deliberate, Gortash’s choice now. He knows where he is. Valas ghosts forward until he’s touching the wall, such a thin layer to separate them. Were he to take three steps to his left, look through the doorway’s arch, they’d be looking into each other’s eyes.

Skie takes a larger sip, and he can almost hear her swallow.  Valas waits for her to join him, for his moment to strike, a careful descent and demure cross of her legs. But she doesn’t move how he expects—she’s decisive, and quick, and Valas tries to find some other explanation, some other way to assemble the sounds, but no, it has to be, she’s pulled up her skirt and straddled him, her glass abandoned on the floor. A sound of surprise from his throat. The clatter of his whiskey, too, discarded on a table. Then silence as his hand moves somewhere else. Valas strains to hear more, but it’s just the rain, heavier now against the glass, and his own heart against his ribs. He presses his cheek to the wallpaper, a shadow in the stillness. Until, finally— “Well." Just a syllable, so meaningless on its own, and Valas wills Gortash to say more.  He doesn’t, but Skie must like what he does instead, by the long release of her breath.