#Daff Tav

[imperial-daffodil]

The Inks are finally done! Still have to get used to the new scanner and manage the levels and contrasts, but I tested it today! I cannot wait to paint this piece. 'a quick one' I said. In my sketchbook. Except, it is never a quick one when I am in love, and am I in Love TTnTT

The Emperor, Shield and Protector, and my first and canon Tav, Daff. A Gith Wizard who always has had a strange fascination for Illithids, and used to wonder whether or not they'd be so dangerous, or plain evil, if they were not enslaved to an Elder Brain themselves.

And they got a beginning of an answer here. The Emperor is more 'human' than many they've come across during their life. A mirror, and a completely different person, to recognise oneself and learn from - an individual to feel safe around, and to care for.

. . .

"I do not know what the future holds, Ras'til. But I do know that whatever happens, whether we fail or not, I will be by your side. I never want to let you out of my mind."

-- Daff, the The Emperor, one night in the Astral Plane.

Some time, just as they're quietly in the Plane, resting after that fateful night, Daff just watches the Emperor and whispers to it "zhak vo'n'fynh duj" - the Illithid does not know how to answer, so it only asks the Gith to sleep, for they have work to do.

[dream-daffodil]

Found an Undertale reference in Baldur's Gate 3 :3 *squeeeeees in happy Daff* It is also huge in the context of this very game - just in itself. The fact that Tav goes on an adventure because there is literally no choice, and has to make moral choices and tough decisions would already be enough for someone to 'not completely recognising themself.' Yet here, there's more. Literally Tav and their companions are on the constant threat of 'not being themselves anymore' - even more so in the case of this very Tav, who chose to try the Illithid powers. I am starting to think that not only does the game have a theme about overcoming abuse and toxic cycles, it's also about identity and keeping who one is deep down and at their core. That journey, is only beginning, and I both cannot wait to see it unfold, and don't want it to be over.

[shady-elfroot-dealer]

Fingers dance across harpstrings and the melody is sweet as honeyed mead. A passerby tosses a single gold coin at your feet and it clinks against the cobblestones. The stars are cold and distant, but they glitter like a thousand diamonds. Across the street, a beggar watches. Your feet move in time with the rhythm that beats in your heart. A pair of small children have stopped their play and stare with wide, curious eyes. A mangy cat, mouse caught in its maw, passively tilts an ear in your direction. When the music swells up from your throat and passed your lips, it hits the chilly night air with crystal clarity. You play for them the way you'll one day play for the kings and queens all across Faeurun. After all, an audience is an audience.

Miss Daffodil Cadash, travelling acrobat and musician. She makes most of her living juggling knives and playing bawdy songs on street corners, dodgy inns, and rowdy taverns. All her life she's dreamt of stardom, performing for crowds of adoring fans, but hasn't had much luck in making a name for herself.

[mirrorhouse]

i was looking around in the files and found the epilogue camp outfit uuids, and they all have unique names and descriptions so i thought i'd post them all here in case anyone's interested :-)

GALE (human / god)

ASTARION (spawn / ascended)

LAE'ZEL (faerun / githyanki)

WYLL (blade / duke)

SHADOWHEART (selunite / sharran)

KARLACH / DARK URGE

JAHEIRA / MINSC / HALSIN

MINTHARA (drow / city)

edit: UUIDs under the cut if you wanna spawn them yourself

GALE: Human (Embroidered Ensemble) - 1cb24313-5ed1-43b7-ab4a-cdf2118422ea God (Weave-Touched Robe) - 1068659c-f12b-4930-ac4f-c4892af58cd7

ASTARION: Spawn (Dandy's Dream Ensemble) - 13084436-5d19-4cef-ae53-02857497fc28 Ascended (Decadent Ensemble) - 76f26388-daff-440a-a4f3-dba4f78e548c

LAE'ZEL Faerun (Nomad's Garb) - 9747dbb0-0f92-483e-80fc-391390d416f9 Gith (Senja'si Finery) - 8c953ad4-1103-4215-9a09-ff95e51cc8e4

WYLL Blade (The Blade's Padded Armour) - 46c97e62-7d3e-449f-a130-586e8e871947 Duke (Duke's Magnificent Raiments) - 7f89e3b8-61ef-498b-bd1b-77f996c5ec42

SHADOWHEART Selunite (Dusky Ensemble) - 79bb5a64-2019-4818-a898-de179b6bc44c Sharran (Robes of the New Moon) - 8fc09773-7083-466a-8988-e030b6d647e3

KARLACH Avernus/Avernus Wyll/Avernus Tav (Hot Pants) - 24149d5d-c509-48dc-b026-491c11e60a5c

OTHER Dark Urge (Grubby Ochre Clothes) - bdc2247f-32a3-4ded-bffc-8aeb770f23d4 Jaheira (Harper Finery) - bdef460b-374e-45d6-86f7-d272a927b380 Minsc (Very Handsome Shirt) - 54c4b72d-0f2d-40be-bab7-c70c5f3adb97 Halsin (Finely Crafted Ensemble) - d873fb44-94c7-4b74-a272-1d2e5e43a7ef

MINTHARA Drow (Cut-Throat Leather Ensemble) - 9c035563-05ee-47e1-a3e0-e0420a07f534 City (Moonlit Ensemble) - 7d65044d-0d01-44c8-b665-165f0ecc768c

[imperial-daffodil]

Wip - The Emperor and Daff, my first Gith Tav! Partial Illithid Daff looking with hope at the future, after that night when they discovered the Emperor's Old Hideout.

It was a tough time, just before they found the Elfsong Tavern. Everyone seemed to be against them. The meeting with Raphael and Voss did not go well at all.

Between Lae'Zel who wanted to strike a deal with the Devil on the spot, and Voss who yelled at Daff "I would do anything, sacrifice anything to free Oprheus!" (paraphrased) calling them Vin'isk.

Not to mention how Raphael had cut their connection to the Emperor - "You feel... Empty" the Narrator says, and empty they did feel. It felt like choking on the absence of air.

Going out of Sharess' Caress, they looked at Astarion and Gale (why did they not take Shadowheart instead of Lae'Zel on that one? WHY?) 'I want to go to Camp. I need to think. I need to SLEEP.'

All they wanted, was to hear his voice and meet him in a dream.

And how graced they felt when he called to them "There you are. I thought I'd lost you."

The ache in their chest and heart had, until then, been unmatched. His pain. Their pain.

From that moment onwards, they knew they'd do anything if it meant not being apart from the Free Illithid. Their Ally. Their Shield. And right now, he felt like a shield for their sanity.

It was shortly after, that they entered the city and fell on the Elfsong Tavern, again, guided by his voice and advice.

What that one night brought, was hope. Lots of it.

[imperial-daffodil]

A quick WIP from the sketch book 🜁 ♪

The Emperor and my Gith Tav, Daff!

[imperial-daffodil]

WIPs because it miiiiight take a little while longer for me to completely finish them so here are the beginnings :3

My Gith Tav and their Protector, their Ally, their Friend, the One, the Emperor.

[imperial-daffodil]

Now, that was a shock meeting in a GOOD way.

Tav, their best friend - been eating a couple tadpoles together because why NOT - and the Emperor - there is nothing Tav desires more than help it be free again.

And well, what happened after the Elfsong Tavern. That was a desire they hadn't managed to even recognise fully in themself.

The Emperor bears so much pain and melancholy - Tav had chosen their side long ago, without even knowing they had. 🜁 ♪

[imperial-daffodil]

Meet my Tav, Daff.

(Artworks will certainly come yes) A Gith with a wierd fascination for Illithids. In fear, there is fascination. They picked the path of a Wizard, to learn Arcane Knowledge and Magic, and read all the books they could - in secret, back at their Crèche - about Illithids.

More on them when I am finally on holidays.

I've been living through their story religiously. Just like (no spoiler here i'm certain) they have been following, and wondering just as religiously at the Dream Visitor and the Emperor.

[imperial-daffodil]

My Tav is so cute I cannot get over their face.

They still have only one black eye even in a second totally different playthrough, which is amazing. I love their cute smile TTnTT

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IRL has BLASTED me as I was editing all my texts - I have too many thoughts, too little time - I will be back Please, in the meantime, accept this humble picture of Daff wrinkling their nose. (the reasons are: someone said something negative about the Emperor and Daff does not approve.)

Bonus hyper wrinkly nose and unhappy face:

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Daff's face when Astarion tells them he only has one complaint: that they did not want to share the first Tadpole they communed with.

Tavs are so cute.

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The name of this body art :3

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Those big sad eyes.

I had not any videos on my first playthrough so I only saw this one a while ago as I discovered the game.

Now arriving there again, the music is ending me. First hand holding. And big mirror themes all around TT

The Guardian's armour TT The way he looks proud when he finds the broken pod on the Mindflayer ship. His smile: there they are. Hope.

The way he holds himself, all in reserve and quietly holding back. Don't frighten them.

I never want to lose that feeling, ever.

Daff's eyes upon seeing that the one they imagined in their dreams for years, is real.

I'll come share Daff's backstory one day. This scene hits so much harder when I know all that was, all that is, all that will be TTnTT

[imperial-daffodil]

Work in progress - it is taking time to ink, But I am having so much fun and I find peace working on this piece -

My first Gith Tav, Daff, Partial Illithid, and the Emperor. Looking at the bright future, with hope -

[imperial-daffodil]

One last for the night - how the Emperor's gaze always follows Tav has my chest hurt.

There is pride here. And fondness. And in that moment, I imagine, after all that has come to pass, anxiety.

Will they stay?

And then, the question. Of course, hidden as an offer to continue their partnership. Because, how else?

And look, his eyes, while asking, and after Tav answers positively. The Emperor is smiling.

Bonus, the cutest Illithid shoes award goes to Tav: