#House Vandree

[mintharabaenrelore]

Minthara & the High Priestess of House Vandree

A breathtaking- literally- portrayal of this relationship and its sad ending by @faun-draws.

I asked @lunastrophe about this at one point; her answer was a huge help for this!

We know about Minthara's first lover from Act 3 banter, if the player character is romancing her.

Karlach: It's funny seeing you so smitten, Minthara. Didn't think you were able.

Minthara: I took my first lover before you were a spark in your father's eye, child.

Karlach: Go on.

Minthara: She was a high priestess of House Vandree. Beautiful, elegant, ruthless.

Minthara: I adored her, and had been sharing her bed for some time when the order came that she must die.

Minthara: I stayed with her while the poison did its work, and whispered words of comfort as she slipped away.

Karlach: Oh no.

So, there's the information, but what can we infer?

As this was Minthara's first lover, it was before any of her many suitors ("I had a thousand suitors. Some were only attracted by my status, many wanted my body, and a rare few wanted all of me") and before she graduated Arach-Tinilith, part of Tier Breche.

Minthara likely joined Arach-Tinilith at age 40, being born around 1280 DR and likely adhering to that custom rather than the one of 1361 that had students enter by 25 years old. (Reminder that, either way, Minthara was very young for a drow at this time!)

Priestesses are expected to study there for 50 years.

I'm not sure when Minthara's romance with the high priestess occurred. I have two theories:

When Minthara was beginning her education there.

The Ceremony of Graduation.

We'll discuss the Ceremony of Graduation later.

Minthara states she was sharing her bed, so we can infer she was going to her bedroom, not the other way around. Only older priestesses and instructors have single rooms, while novices have to share with one or two others for the first several years. Considering the relationship lasted for "some time", I think this confirms that the high priestess was a fellow student, and quite a bit older- although the fact that she was a high priestess in the first place (which takes some time to do) makes that obvious.

I don't think it was one of Minthara's instructors at the school because I can't think of any who match the description- House Vandree, high priestess, etc.

There is a power imbalance in this relationship, as @lunastrophe pointed out to me. House Vandree is by no means unimportant, but House Baenre is the most powerful family in Menzoberranzan, by far- by 1480 DR, House Vandree was at their most powerful as a member of the Ruling Council, but still several spots below House Baenre. Then again, Minthara's lover was older and a high priestess.

If they were sleeping together for "some time", if Minthara "adored" her, and if House Baenre and House Vandree were allies, why was Minthara ordered to kill her?

Perhaps Minthara got too attached. Perhaps the high priestess was deemed a threat. Perhaps it was just the sadistic whim of someone in power. Maybe it was just a test- to see if Minthara had what it took to be a "soldier in Lolth's service", a paladin. A Baenre princess. Perhaps it was a test from Lolth herself.

Knowing how close Minthara was to her mother, I assume- if it was an order from the Ruling Council- it would have come directly from her.

How did Minthara kill her, is the question? I like to speculate that, since Minthara was clearly keen on granting her mercy- why bother with words of comfort if you wanted to make the death unpleasant?- the poison was in Ulaver wine, a delicacy in Menzoberranzan. Most likely, the poison was something obscure and expensive, as 1. a Baenre could afford such a thing and 2. Minthara is not the only drow to dose herself with toxins to build up immunity. I imagine it was Belbol d'Elghinn ("Gift of Death"), as it is a powerful poison drow nobles prize for assassinations, one that works remarkably swiftly.

Of course, it's possible that it was her famous poisoned kiss, but as darkly romantic as that would be, it's unlikely considering that if Minthara used such powerful poison, she could have died in the process.

The aftermath was probably... minimal. Approval from Lolth and her mother, fear and respect from her peers. The drow philosophy is basically "If we can't prove it, it never happened" and considering that Minthara says she "slipped away", not "loudly screamed and flailed and summoned all of Menzoberranzan to her aid", I think that's about it. I'm not sure how the high priestess would have been dealt with after death- most likely used as a food source for spiders, as she died in subtlety and disgrace.

A very unlikely theory that I have- wishful thinking, really- is that the High Priestess betrayed Lolth by turning to Eilistraee, and Lolth punished her by having her lover, Minthara, end her, and in those dying moments, Minthara learned the word "Alurlssrin" from her.

Remember, Minthara is praying to Lolth in the prisons of Moonrise Towers up until the PC rescues her, and then she turns her back on her goddess- abruptly, it seems, but is it really? Did this test, if it was a test, if it originated from Lolth, sow the seeds of rebellion in a young Minthara? Perhaps the abandonment in her hour of need was just the final push.

It's unusual that Minthara stayed with her lover as she died, offering comfort- risking Lolth's wrath, and defying drow culture in general. This proves she wasn't exaggerating things when she said she'd "adored" her- she did, and does, if her praise is anything to go by. In Minthara's world, it wasn't an act of cruelty to kill her; a betrayal, yes, but it was mercy for it to have been Minthara rather than someone who would have done it far more brutally and with far less remorse. If Minthara had tried to reject this order, things would have gone worse for them both.

About the Ceremony of Graduation: This high priestess having been Minthara's first lover aligns with the theory that their laison began at the infamous ceremony. Minthara's only dialogue about that is this: "Straj. This reminds me of my ceremony of graduation. *laugh* What a day that was" which I found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vYBaYJgz_c. @mogruith discovered that line triggers in Philgraves Mansion.

Anyways, the Ceremony of Graduation is a drow rite of passage for the graduates of Tier Breche as of early 14th century DR (which aligns with Minthara's timeline, if I'm not mistaken). I won't go into details about the Ceremony of Graduation, as I'm going to make a separate post about Minthara's role in said Ceremony, but it's worth noting.

Minthara appears to remember this fleeting romance vividly, which is telling. This relationship evidently, left a lasting mark on the young Minthara- from her anxieties about poison and her paranoia when it comes to lovers and people in general.

Remember, Minthara- if romanced- doses the PC with poison, to help them build an immunity. She says it's in case they visit Menzoberranzan, but I'm not so sure that's her only motive. I think she's trying to protect them from her first lover's tragic fate.

For a beautiful- and sad- portrayal of this story, I suggest "Her Priestess" by @faun-draws on AO3.

[defnotjarlaxle]

Shoor Vandree.. but make him cute

My Out of the Abyss party adopted another guy.

He didn't run away fast enough, so now he's stuck with them!

[ilikedetectives]

House Vandree name drop in the Underdark 👀👀👀

[faun-draws]

She was a high priestess of House Vandree. Beautiful, elegant, ruthless.

I adored her, and had been sharing her bed for some time when the order came that she must die.

I stayed with her while the poison did its work, and whispered words of comfort as she slipped away.

-Minthara Baenre, Baldurs Gate 3

She brought food and wine to her priestess. Leaving armor and weapons at home. Her love knew the wine was poisoned. Still she drank the whole glass, sadness and defeat in her eyes. She caught her before she hit the ground.

„I am so sorry.“, she whispered against her cheek, smeared with blood. Both of them shed a tear, glistening in the hundred candles that lit the temple.

Edit: I am now writing their story down. Its ‚Her Priestess‘ on ao3

[lolthswrath]

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑: @spiderwarden

HER SISTER, INARETH, WAS DEAD. The sister she had raised, trained, and trusted.

It had been mere hours since Vel'shara had washed her sister's blood from her skin. She had changed into a crimson dress, her hair styled with care as per usual — she wouldn't dare visit House Baenre looking disheveled! The only hint of the day's turmoil was a thin cut along the side of her neck, which she deliberately chose not to heal.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤAnd now, here she was — with the only person whose company she could tolerate. No, the only one whose company she now needed.

Vel'shara sat in silence, a goblet of wine in hand. "I killed my sister today," she then said, quite matter-of-factly, as though it were just casual news to share about how their recent days had gone. Yet, her gaze was oddly distant, averted from Minthara's eyes.

Those beautiful eyes. One of the many features she found so alluring about the daughter of House Baenre.

"Inareth came for me, her blade aimed at my heart. Foolish child. I granted her a swift death, far swifter than she deserved." She paused, finally turning her gaze to Minthara, searching for something to alleviate her inner confusion, an answer to an unspoken question ; was she weak for showing such mercy?

"I should have made an example of her. Not only did she betray me, but she did so in such a pitiful manner that it nearly feels like an insult to our Queen. I trained her to do better than that." Her voice was bitter, mocking, though perhaps a trace of guilt / hurt seeped into her icy tone.

"But... I still spared Inareth the agony and shame she rightfully earned for her failure. And perhaps that shame is mine to bear now," the priestess mused aloud.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤShe must repent for her WEAKNESS.

[stergeon]

this is ioril from my out of the abyss campaign! he's a Teen Elf drow wizard and he's atrocious.

ioril dreamed of being a proper wizard, but drow men weren't allowed to do that, unless they were from a particular family. between this, how his sister was treated as a priestess of lolth, and his family house's political downfall, he was radicalized and dedicated himself to changing drow society. he holed up in a tower to illegally study magic and write his manifesto, spending most of his 43 young years there.

when his manifesto was completed, he intended to post it on the gates of every city he passed on his way to menzobarrenzan. he made it as far as the next town over before he was captured and sentenced to death. he was 100% ready to "die for the cause," but some topsiders sharing his cell suggested that if he helped them escape, they could take him with him to the surface, where he could learn about this thing called "the sun"....

my boy had zero social skills on account of the tower thing and being a drow, and he had a hard time understanding while his "Men's Rights!!" beliefs were...... not well received by his surface-dwelling friends. being a Teen Drow, he was abrasive and implusive, but endlessly curious and excited about things like cool-looking spells or impressive physical feats. he was also terrifically lonely and was not really sure of what a "friend" is, exactly, though he quickly decided all his party members were his best friends ever.

anyway this is all past tense because he fucking blew himself up today and died oops

[voerman]

steam's giving me cloud errors as per usual so i'm inflicting the screenshots where i felt saera looked particularly fine on you lot. OH ALSO she has a last name now, she's Saera Vandree.

[paarthursass]

❇️ Blight

oc emoji asks

ty! i don't see a blight option so idk what that is referring to, but -

❇️ SPARKLE - what is their most prized possession? what do they value?

At a glance, Aurel seems extraordinarily materialistic; he likes to wear fine clothes, he enjoys bedazzling himself with sparkling jewels, and he always takes great pleasure in finding good wine and food for them to enjoy out on the road. But these objects are fleeting; Aurel knows they can be replaced with relative ease. What Aurel truly values are items that cannot be replaced.

A simple worry stone, carved from the mountain of Aurel's home.

A signet ring, bearing the mark of a drow house. Aurel claims he holds no allegiance to the blood relatives he never knew, but still he keeps this ring on a chain, hidden underneath his tunic. And sometimes he will look at the ring, and he will think about the male drow his father found; dying from a purple worm's toxin, crawling out of the Underdark, with an infant Aurel strapped to his back.

A pair of round spectacles, fitted for a gnome's face. The glass lenses are broken, and the metal frames are warped and bent from flame. He keeps these in his pocket, and will often reach in to touch the metal as he thinks about the first man he loved.

[faun-draws]

If anyone is interested in an Illiamer Roleplay Blog: here it is!

There is nothing there yet except for some reblogs of my own art lol

Yathtallar [Drow; a high priestess of Lolth]

Roleplay Blog for Illiamer Vandree, a Character based on a conversation between Minthara and Karlach.

Mostly canon compliant| will probably address darker themes, 21+| read comments for rules and information

Everything beyond the banter between Minthara and Karlach is made up by me. Feel free to write your own interpretation of the high priestess of house Vandree but Illiamer is my character, thank you!

[imperator-titus]

Favorite Party Banter [Minthara Edition]

[Astarion (Ascended)] [Halsin/Jaheira] [Gale] [Karlach] [Lae'zel] [Minsc] [Minthara] [Shadowheart] [Wyll]

I often miss party banter because of party comp (and sometimes just straight up can't hear??) so here's a collection of my favorite bants while going through dialogue files. I know the wiki has the banter (most? all?) but I added the file names and dev notes.

Either Minthara is the main speaker/subject or I think Minthara's reaction is good shit.

Not in any particular order.

[PB_Minthara_Shadowheart_ROM_Act3_002]

Minthara: I cannot tell if you are more a deviant or a debutante, Shadowheart.

Minthara: I would like to test both aspects of your character when next you find yourself alone at night.

Shadowheart: I’m not quite sure I like where this is going.

[PB_Karlach_Minthara_ROM_Act3_001]

Karlach: It’s funny seeing you so smitten, Minthara. Didn’t think you were able. {Devnote: With concern}

Minthara: I took my first lover before you were a spark in your father’s eye, child.

Karlach: Go on.

Minthara: She was a high priestess of House Vandree. Beautiful, elegant, ruthless. {Devnote: friendly rather than flirtatious}

Minthara: I adored her, and had been sharing her bed for some time when the order came that she must die.

Minthara: I stayed with her while the poison did its work, and whispered words of comfort as she slipped away.

Karlach: Oh no. {Devnote: quiet, shocked, just heard a very sad story}

[PB_Gale_Minthara_ROM_Act3]

Gale: I found an empty bottle of venom in camp, Minthara. Safe to assume it was yours?

Minthara: Indeed. I have been dosing my partner while they sleep by my side.

Minthara: They refuse to take it in their food, but I must build up their immunity in case we ever visit Menzoberranzan together.

Gale: Let’s never speak of this again.

[PB_Astarion_Minthara_ROM_Act2]

Astarion: So how does Lolth feel about romance? Are you expected to bite your mate's head off afterwards?

Minthara: Be grateful I no longer follow the Spider Queen's teachings. If I did, you would be the first to fall into my web. {Devnote: Teasing Astarion with a grotesquely exaggerated version of how she would seduce him}

Astarion: I can't tell if you're joking. She is joking, right? {Devnote: first phrase to Minthara, then appealing to the party at large for support}

[PB_Laezel_Minthara_Act2_ROM_001]

Lae'zel: Our leader is a fool for love, Minthara. I'd never be compelled to conduct such a poorly-planned jailbreak.

Minthara: They did not do it for love. They did it for my prowess in combat, as well as coitus. I excel in both.

Lae'zel: As do I. Sometimes the acts are not dissimilar.

[PB_Gale_Minthara_ROM_Act2]

Gale: I'm glad to know you have a softer side, Minthara. I was beginning to think you rather heartless.

Minthara: Loving another is not soft, wizard. It is one of the hardest things a person can do.

Gale: So you admit you've found love! How delightful - I'm happy for you both.

[lunastrophe]

Hello! I'm back! You know Minthara's dialogue about her ex-girlfriend, that House Vandree priestess? I have some questions, and I was hoping for your speculation. Thanks!

Why was Minthara ordered to kill her?

How did she poison her? I thought all drow are trained to NOT get poisoned.

Did a lot of people know about it?

What was their relationship like? It sounded... unusually healthy for drow. Until the murder part, of course.

And any other info you might have. Have a lovely day!

Hello and welcome back! 😊I have several theories about that Vandree priestess and about what their relationship might be like, so I will start from question number 4:

🕷️First Lover - Minthara mentions that high priestess of House Vandree, "beautiful, elegant, ruthless", was her first lover.

We know next to nothing about her, but she was obviously several (at least four, possibly even more) decades older than Minthara. She had apparently not only finished her training, but also obtained the title of high priestess - it usually takes some time for a female drow to reach this level.

As for Minthara, she was probably in her twenties back then, either preparing to enroll into the Academy or starting her education there.

🕷️Power Dynamics - House Vandree was only a minor noble house and could not compare to Baenre.

Still, Minthara's lover was older and more experienced than her, and she was also a high priestess - so it is a bit hard to say who had the upper hand in this relationship and to what degree.

Also, a wild thought - maybe Minthara's lover was one of her instructors at the Academy?

Minthara says: I had been sharing her bed, not "she had been sharing my bed" - it can imply that it was Minthara who was visiting her lover's bedroom, not the other way around. Sounds a bit strange for proud Baenre - but... in Arach-Tinilith, novices share rooms with one or two others for the first several years - so inviting a lover is not really an option. Older priestesses and instructors, though, have single rooms...

Minthara apparently admired her lover and even "adored her." There might be even some affection involved from her part: I stayed with her while the poison did its work, and whispered words of comfort as she slipped away.

Was that admiration / affection / fondness (sincerely) reciprocated? Perhaps - or perhaps not...

🕷️ How many people knew? - it really depends. If Minthara's lover was also her instructor from the Academy, I suppose that they might at least try to be discreet. In other case, I doubt that they would have that many reasons to keep their liaison a secret.

🕷️ Why Was Minthara Ordered To Killed Her?

1) Maybe the priestess attracted Minthara's attention for a reason - to achieve something, to obtain information, to get closer to House Baenre, perhaps? In sourcebook, it is mentioned that House Vandree was not very successful and was seeking protection of House Baenre, but Matron Mother of House Baenre was not eager to offer them any.

Maybe Minthara was ordered to kill the priestess to send the message - "Vandree, remember that we are not that close".

2) Maybe Minthara's family - likely her mother - decided that young Minthara starts to like her lover a bit too much, and it is time to remind her how things work among drow.

Youthful adoration is one thing, but blooming affection? Any Lolth-worshipping drow mother would start to worry about her daughter's reputation at this point. And about her lover's possible ulterior motives.

3) Maybe it was simply a test, of sorts, to see how young Minthara handles assassination orders, as well as separating her personal life from her duties. And House Vandree was in no position to retaliate, considering their situation, which was a nice bonus.

🕷️ Drow Poisoned? - drow may gain resistance to some poisonous substances, especially to the more popular ones, but not to every single one of them. Some poisons are very rare or simply very expensive, and / or they are not widely used.

Also, some poison recipes are probably being kept a secret. I imagine that inventing a new poison recipe now and then is one of the most important duties of drow alchemists working for noble drow houses. Poisons designed for specific individuals may be also a thing.

[mintharabaenrelore]

I intend to post about each of these topics sooner or later, but this will help me determine the order.

[bluebeetle]

its honestly working better than before somehow lol but the abs came back ): i think i accidentally overwrote something so ill see if i can fix that

anyways i made my oc tathlyn (in an au where him being a drider got cured. also his wife who helped do that passed away from old age bc she was human which is my handwave-y way to allow him to romance gale ghfhgf. i based the guardian on her, shes a friends dnd oc)

anyways i def wanna try to do more of the romances (ive got laezel, astarion, a character for an evil run/minthara, and now gale) so i wanna do one for wyll, karlach, and shadowheart sometime. i could do origin stories (which id like to do one day too) but also its fun making new ocs....

i def wanna make one who is one of the shorter races as i want to see how the animations differ (for example i know for hugging astarion as a dwarf, he'll kneel down to hug Tav, its sooooo cute) bu we shall see. unlikely ill get super far in all of these runs but it is fun making new characters (or making my own preexisting dnd ocs) esp with mods eheh :3

been playing bg3 with minimal mods but lets try and add some more without breaking the game lol

[novaeverse]

To a Life of Lights, Stage, and Silk

Song Lyrics: Enchanté by Dirt Poor Robins

Introducing Lesaodrym, the crystal drow! Ringmaster and aerial acrobat, known for their captivating stage presence and extraordinary performances.

——

So this is one of my bg3 tavs! First one actually, though they’ve gone thru a lotttt of changes. But I’m so happy with how they’ve turned out, and this drawing makes me so happy hehe

Here’s a bit of lore for those who care:

Lesaodrym (Sao) was born to house Vandree in Menzobaranzen. They lived there for years before leaving with the “love of their life”, Kurlei. She was a captive duegar their house enslaved.

They run away together to the surface, where Kurlei attempts to make more allies via crafting guilds. Sao ends up meeting a little pixie (called Rubellite) and they become best friends. Together, Sao and Rubellite start a circus because Sao has meet many odd people, and they’ve always liked attention. Rubellite is just down for some fun. Kurlei has little choice but to join them.

Rubellite uses her magic to enchance the circus. She brings more of her fae friends, and they become a huge part of the acts.

Eventually, Rubellite goes missing. Kurlei manipulates Sao into thinking the circus members will turn on them for the magic’s disappearance, so to avoid violence, Sao fakes their death again.

Lesaodrym becomes a dungeon delver. They find pretty gems because… money? Whatever. It’s fine because they’re totally over the circus and do not miss it whatsoever.

Eventually Rubellite returns, and she is eager to see the circus. See, through mysterious means, she became an Archfey! So she wants to make her circus even better and—

Lesaodrym refuses to return. Rubellite was gone for years, and in that time, they’ve become bitter—to scared to return.

It comes to the point that Rubellite has to choose the circus or Lesaodrym. She chooses her best friend, but hopes they change their mind someday… Cue the events of Baldur’s Gate 3!

[faun-draws]

I wrote this epilogue type of one shot for Illiamer and Minthara a while ago and now finally posted it! I hope everyone enjoys to meet them again

[lolthswrath]

Vel'shara is a drow-canon-typical ray of sunshine, but she cares (cared :c) deeply about her younger siblings. More than is advisable for a drow, and far more than she will ever confess, for acknowledging such feelings is a sign of weakness. And really dangerous. Like... REALLY dangerous. She was the weanmother to both her brother and her sister Inareth, and she could be cruel, but very rarely without reason (rarely, not never, ahaha... *sigh*). Fear is an important tool, but too much of it breeds resentment and rebellion. And so, praise from Vel'shara was given where it was due, and it drove her siblings to seek her favor. They didn't only fear punishment ; they genuinely wanted to impress her, though it was no easy task.