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neyvin nods, "he's always been an annoying prick, that's for sure." he mutters.

on principal, neyvin disliked and distrusted devils — it was paladin 101, really. and he really hadn't liked the way raphael talked about mol. the firbolg's hands clench slightly at his sides as he recalls the emotion that he felt at seeing raphael with thr tiefling kid in the inn. he had liked the kid at first glance, criminal inclination and all. they would be doing a favor for everyone really. he idly does wonder why raphael was they way he was.

but they also knew that there were some questions that didn't need a rabbit hole. besides, it would be smash and grab — it should be, anyway. and, if they were lucky, they wouldn't even need to talk to the man.

"nice thing about devils is they like their paper trails, at least." neyvin remarked. they take a breath, and take the lead into the portal. they'd rather be first in, to make sure that things wouldn't be waiting to eat the others. or at least they could try to stop those things. but, the room they arrive in is empty, large stone columns rise to the ceiling and stairs leading to doors that probably lead fully into the house of hope.

"So is taking down an Elder Brain, but we'll do that, too." It was said with conviction. She didn't add the part that she didn't care if her own life was lost in the process--- she should be dead. Withers hadn't let her die. "Honestly, I've sort of wanted to stab him since I met him, so this works for me." He'd called her a 'cavalier sinner' and acted like it was some impressive, wonderful thing...

This was going to be fun, in her opinion. They'd peel back the curtain on the devil that had been stalking them. "I say we look for whatever's useful. Not just the hammer." Nimue didn't really want the hammer. If she could set this place ablaze and leave the hammer to melt alongside it, she would. "Look for contracts, too--- and information on Gortash."

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“[The Dark Prince] himself is unimaginable without his followers but does not resemble them. [...] Even in grim situations he retains a smiling tranquility which comes suddenly to seem sinister. His followers surrender their individuality in the collective excitement. But they do not achieve union with the source of that excitement, however close they may seem to approach. Graz’zt eludes them, and retains his enigmatic smile.” — the Demon Lord Graz’zt of Dungeons & Dragons lore, as penned by Ophelia.

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"you don't owe me nothing. dragging y'all outta trouble is what i'm best at." neyvin assures her. ophelia weighs practically nothing to him, even with both of their packs slung over his shoulders. "i used some of my magic to get the worst of the effects outta your system, but you're still gonna be kind of tired from it for a bit."

they give ophelia a sympathetic smile. "you were doing good up until that point, though." neyvin compliments as they come into the campsite.

“that explains it then.” ophelia said softly, blinking as she looked up at him. “drow poison, right…” she should have something in her pack to help with the side effects of it. this was one of the many reasons why she didn’t venture out very often, opting to stay behind and help with the others when they returned.

“good, that’s good.” gods, how much did she take on? she was sure once she’d be sat down, she’d feel more of the effects than she did right now. “i owe you, of course. for literally dragging my sorry self out of trouble.”

@harpersoath continued from here

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parents managed to surprise us with getting my brother to come back home for the holiday. 😭

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THE GOOD PLACE (2016-2020)

4.06 — A Chip Driver Mystery

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Me: *walking in at 9am to work*

My Coworkers: Bee!! You have to get your picture with Christmas Elvis!!!

Me: What.

Christmas Elvis: 🎅🕺🎸

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shout out to neyvin's dark power trying to tempt her during the strahd game and having to do do it twice. due to immediately whiffing it right out of the gate calling them "my lord" and suggesting they should be the leader of the lands.

to zan.tras' credit, he did recover enough to try again the next night to coax neyvin into taking his deal, and it worked the second time, but buddy struck out in the first sentence in round 1.

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hi. so. how are you holding up?

"well," neyvin looks torn, and sighs, running a hand through their hair, "i... have been better." they admit. "i just need a moment, that's all." an apologetic smile.

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happy late munday, please appreciate my children, who are the pinnacle of feline elegance.

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"it's a last resort for me, usually." she said with a frown. "i don't like it...it makes me feel out of control." neyvin admits. her eyes follow the other's gaze down into the depths of the temple. "but I am glad it has helped you see me."

"he pushed the wrong button." neyvin admits, "i've spent decades making sure my husband doesn't fall victim to the darkness and shadows here. that he is allowed his chance to rest." their hands clench and unclench. a steadying breath leaves them as they sit cross-legged beside. "his plan of using the corpses of harpers to lay seige to us..." they sigh, "it hit closer than most things we encounter."

he looks over towards the scarred face of rakatak. there is a small, half-smile that he gives the hobgoblin. "i've always been peaceful. my goddess asks that of us. peace and mercy. those are domains. but she does not suffer cruelty and tyrants." a consideration, tilting their head, "i don't doubt we would've needed to fight him anyway at a later point. that is my comfort." neyvin nodded.

the firbolg takes a moment to consider what she says next. "and you still want this?" she asks the question, even if she already knows the answer. her eyes flicker over to their sharran companion. shadowheart had seemed to be wavering in her thoughts towards shar, even as they progressed through her trial, even as they walked through this curse. but she doubted rakatak was experiencing similar doubts in bane or in war.

starter for @warwaited

"i'm sorry you had to see that." neyvin murmurs, sounding slightly ashamed and embarrassed. he had lost his temper with balthazar, a sight which was rare. normally neyvin was far better at keeping himself and his anger in check, but after everything in that lab, and everything the man had said...it was hard not to see red when dealing with him.

she knows she probably doesn't need to apologize, much less to rakatak, for her anger. but neyvin felt slightly ashamed of it, and how she acted during it.

they sit beside rakatak, silent for a moment, "is it getting better? since getting down here?"

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"personally? my family is mostly from vassa." they give a small smile, and neyvin chuckles, "we used to joke that only giantkin and the like could live where we were, because there was so much mud in the summers when the icemelt came down it would bury any shorter folk."

"Not sure if I've ever met a Firbolg before. Where do you hail from?"

@harpersoath liked this for a one-liner!

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"...two centuries?" neyvin's voice is steady, and he does his best not to show the immediate way in which he feels a surge of pure anger. not at astarion, though it did put the man's choices into perspective a bit more. no, this fury he feels is at whoever had forced him to do what he didn't want for so long. the idea made neyvin feel a bit ill.

"i'm—"

'sorry' doesn't feel like the right word; though it was an accurate one. she was sorry he went through that, but something tells her that astarion isn't the sort who would appreciate such a sentiment. instead, she settles on, "...glad that you're able to voice your opinion, then." she lays a friendly hand on his shoulder, and gives a smile. "and you don't gotta apologize to me. you aren't the one making rude assumptions of the people who were willing to let you tag along." she chuckles softly.

"i'll admit, i hadn't really thought of it that way." neyvin admits, sheepish and awkward. he had put his foot in it, hadn't he? at least a smidge. his mom realy had been right about asumptions, huh.

"your worm-thing — er, tadpole — it makes you not have to follow those compulsions, then?" they furrow their brows. the true souls — and those who were but weren't like tav and astarion — confused neyvin. though, admittedly, most of this was far above anything they could ever hope to try and understand. but, neyvin can agree that the looming theat of ceremorphosis would put a damper on even the kindest of folks. "so...what happens when it's gone?" they ask, concern on their face.

oh, gods help him. faerûn was absolutely over-run with these self-sacrificing hero types and there seemed to be no end in sight. wasn't dealing with wyll ravengard and gale dekarios enough of a sign of his unwavering patience? he'd known that his reveal as a vampire spawn would paint him in an untrustworthy light for a good while, but did that mean nary a hair on his well-coifed head could stray in the meantime? but regardless of his feelings, neyvin at least respects him enough to do as he'd ask and clarify what was troubling them, so he'll hear her out. he looks up at them, worrying the swell of his bottom lip between his teeth before letting a scoff.

"why, yes, darling. idealistic and foolish does about sum it up. it's not that i don't like it, but if we stop to help every ill-fortuned halfwit or freshly orphaned child we come across, we could be addressing more urgent matters. you know, the old 'i have to help myself before i can help anyone else' shtick? besides, i'm a rogue vampire spawn, not a flaming fist or harper." it's not that astarion can't be a force for good or is even vehemently opposed to it, he's capable of plenty of goodness when the mood strikes him. but it was harder to be selfless and generous when you have the threat of turning into an illithid or a true vampire breathing down your neck. astarion isn't sure neyvin understands that.

"for two centuries i have been obeying unfair rules, for no reason other than the fact that i was compelled to do so and didn't have a say in anything at all. so even if you disagree with it and find it ah, morally reprehensible, forgive me for wanting to exercise my right to voice my opinion on things." astarion's face falls briefly because he's said far more than he meant to, but schools it quickly into a more neutral expression. he doesn't know why he cares what neyvin thinks of him. an awkward clearing of his throat. "i apologise. you were right when you said i'm not the bad sort, however. at least not anymore." he was, after all, once a lawful man.

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would you do me a favor and pick me up? ( <- he's abt to commit violence. attempting to stop himself )

"gladly." neyvin considers puck for a moment, before picking him up like a sack of potatoes, easily putting him over his shoulder as if the bhaalspawn weighed nothing.

"why am i doing this favor?" no judgement, just curiosity.

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i don't remember being picked up.

"well," neyvin looks down at the merchant, "that's because you were unconscious, darlin'." he said, with a small, sheepish smile, "i hope you don't mind. i can set you down, but i'd rather keep a hold of you. drow poison is nasty stuff."

they pause, long enough to allow ophelia to get her bearings a bit. "it's not much further to camp."

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there are not a lot of people who scare neyvin.

affectionately, they are too stupid to be scared of most people, and at their size, most scary people can just be picked up by the scruff. however, there are three immediate exceptions I can think of:

Jaheria. Any Harper worth half a brain is terrified of her, and that will never change.

Rakatak / War ( @warwaited ). Neyvin will not admit this. Neyvin will especially not admit this to her face.

Aylin. Neyvin saw her in the Moonrise fight and vowed they would never ever get on her bad side because she is terrifying.