#House Vandree

[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 👀👀👀

[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.

(And by the way... could this story be a nod to the tale of Sosdrielle Vandree and Gromph Baenre?)

[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

[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]

🕷️ Drow Lore

Hello! Here is the list of my posts about D&D drow lore, organized thematically - it will be regularly updated. Feel free to take a look if you are interested in a particular character or topic, or if you are looking for inspirations for your fanfiction or artwork 🙂 I also have Ask Box open.

☕ Ko-fi - link for those who feel like leaving a tip. It is totally not obligatory, though - all my posts are free to read and everybody is equally welcome to send a question!

🕸️ BG3 Drow Lore:

🕷️ Character: Minthara

• Minthara's Social Station in Drow Society

• About Minthara's Past

• Minthara's Past: Age and Name Meaning

• Minthara's Past: Minthara's Mother

• Minthara's Past: Childhood

• Minthara's Past: Minthara's Lover from House Vandree (theories) new

• Minthara And Orin: Before and After Indoctrination

• Minthara's Time in the Cult new

• Minthara About Slayer

• Minthara's alurlssrin

• Minthara's ust-nor

• Minthara's Tattoo

• Nightwarden Title

• House Baenre Family Tree(s) new

🕷️ Character: Nere

• Nere's Social Station in Drow Society

🕷️ Character: Araj

• Araj's Past and Ambitions

• Araj and Her Army

🕷️ Character: Dhourn

• Dhourn's Social Station and Past

🕷️ Character: Kar'niss

• Kar'niss' Past: Szarkai Theory

• Kar'niss' Past: Eilistraean Theory

• How to Feed Your Drider

🕷️ Cult of Lolth:

• Prayer to Lolth

• Sacrifices and Adjuration to Lolth

• Order of Soul Spiders

🕷️ Cult of Eilistraee:

• Prayer to Eilistraee

🕷️ Other:

• Eliette / Phase Spider Matriarch

🕸️ Drow Culture - Part 1:

(Part 2 - about Drow Social Relationships and Drow Nature - can be found here)

🕷️ Language:

• Glossary from Drow of the Underdark (2e)

• Official and Unofficial D&D Drow Scripts

• Drow Names (sources)

• Common Drow Phrases / Sayings (and their translations)

• More Drow Phrases and their translations

• Drow Phrases from Icewind Dale 2 drow sound sets (and their translations)

• Drow Pronunciation

• Prayer to Lolth (translation)

• Prayer to Eilistraee (translation)

🕷️ Sign language and gestures:

• Sign of Dead Spider (quote)

🕷️ Drow spirituality:

• Lolthite and Eilistraean Clergy and Dogmas

• How Eilistraee Feels About Lolth

• Eilistraee and Corellon (and Seldarine in general)

• Followers of Other Gods in Lolth-sworn Drow Cities

• Eilistraeans in the Underdark

🕷️ Drow cultural values and worldview:

• Eilistraean vs. Lolth-sworn Drow Worldview

• Drow Culture And Menstruation

🕷️ Drow and surfacers / other races:

• Drow And Sunlight

• Drow as "Beautiful" People

• You worship what? (quote)

• Dangerous Drow Merchants - History of Nym

• Drow And Slavery

• Half-drow in Drow Communities

• Valas the Black Raven, half-drow from Rilauven

🕷️ Drow free time:

• About Menzoberranzan Festivals and nedeirra

• Drow Games: Sava And Charhylniss

🕷️ Drow appearance and fashion:

• Drow Fashion and Hairstyles - various information

• Drow Textile Markets

• Drow And Spider Silk: Part 1 , Part 2

• Drow Haute Couture - Matron's Robe

🕷️ Food and drink:

• Poisoned or Not?

🕸️ Driders & Co:

🕷️ Driders in drow culture:

• Driders of the House Melarn

• Sorn and Nadal, Drider Brothers: Part 1 , Part 2

🕷️ Habitat:

• Cavern of Driders (quote)

🕷️ Feeding habits:

• How to Feed Your Drider

🕷️Other spider-like creatures / transformed drow:

• Aracholoth

🕸️ Drow Lore in D&D History:

• Drow First Mentioned (D&D 1e)

• Drow and Concept of Evil Matriarchal Society - about possible inspirations

• Drow Lore Sources

[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!

[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

[bramblepatch]

thinking about how at the beginning of The Legacy, Vierna going off the rails takes Dinin by surprise

because she was stable the last time he talked to her

but he's been in deep cover in House Vandree for like a year

and like to be clear I'm not blaming Jarlaxle because how would he know but it kinda seems like Vierna held it together until someone put her emotional support brother on an undercover op

[linka-from-captain-planet]

She was a high priestess of House Vandree. Beautiful, elegant, ruthless. I adored her, and I 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.

[mumms-the-word]

Maybe for an angst one shot could you please write Minthara x human fem!tav? How Minthara knows her girlfriend will get older quicker and won’t be able to live for hundreds of years like her

Hey anon!!! I am SO sorry it took me forever to get to this but here you go!! Some unexpected Minthara angst for your day :’)

~*~*~*~*~*~

Immortality

It began the day Minthara saw her lover staring at her reflection in the mirror. The beginning of a long, drawn out ending that was paradoxically, frighteningly, all too close.

She had paused in front of the mirror, Minthara’s lover had, lifting a hand to tuck some of her long hair behind her round ear when they both saw it. The first gray strands, standing out starkly against her lover’s dark hair.

Minthara said nothing that day. She simply watched as her lover pulled back more of her hair, silently counting the strands, before leaning in to examine other features. The tiny lines around her eyes, the lines around her mouth. She dragged her hand absently down the column of her throat and turned her head this way and that, simply looking.

Looking for signs of age.

The examination had taken mere seconds. After that, her lover had merely frowned briefly in the mirror before fixing her hair and turning away, moving on to her next task. But the memory burned into Minthara’s mind, bringing with it thoughts and fears that Minthara had never yet dared to entertain.

She wouldn’t live forever. Minthara had always known that. With lives as dangerous as theirs, always dodging a blade in the dark, always attempting to stay two steps ahead of the next poisonous scheme, they were not guaranteed tomorrow, let alone a lifetime with each other.

But that wasn’t what bothered Minthara. To live a few months with her lover and lose her to an assassin’s blade or the schemes of the drow matrons was simply the threat of reality. She had lost countless lovers in such ways before. Though this woman, her beloved, meant so much more, Minthara was prepared after a lifetime of loss to deal with the grief of losing her to war.

Minthara had not been prepared to face the possibility of losing her lover to mere time.

She was over two hundred years old, while her lover had barely a few decades to her name. Her lover would be fortunate to make it, bent and worn and gray, to the end of a century. At the end of a century, Minthara would merely be a century older, looking little different than she did now.

But she would be without her lover.

It was pathetic, how much the thought burrowed down into her brain and squirmed there, like that wretched tadpole had once done, whispering old half-truths and prejudices of her time in Menzoberranzan. Old memories that had lain dormant, until now. She recalled the priestess of House Vandree, how she had shared her bed for countless nights, and how she had held her close, whispering comforts in her ear as the poison took over her body.

Poison that had coated Minthara’s lips, transferred with a kiss.

She would not let Menzoberranzan take another lover from her. She would not let blind duty steal the joys of her love for her beloved. She was determined to stand between her lover and every killing blow, to go out first, if at all possible.

But her beloved was human. If Menzoberranzan didn’t take her, time would. 

Time was not something Minthara could stop or silence or stab. But perhaps it was something she could out-scheme.

She had brought up suggestions to her lover in the following days. Vampirism, perhaps—if Astarion could be convinced, after a hundred favors and deals, to make her a full vampire. Or perhaps a dark ritual, some spell that was just out of reach. Perhaps the new God of Ambition would have ideas, or another of their allies would find a solution. They could depart for the astral plane, to live un-aging among the stars.

But her beloved hadn’t shown interest in any of these ideas. “I don’t think I would stay myself if I traveled down that path,” she would say to almost every suggestion. “I promise, I am content.”

But Minthara was not. They had battled against gods and monsters, men and beasts. They had felled dragons together. They had raised armies together and pulled each other from the jaws of death. 

To lose her in war, Minthara could handle. The loss would be great, driving her nearly to madness, and the vengeance greater still, but in vengeance perhaps there would be relief. What vengeance could she take against time?

Once more, poison lingered in her mind. Vials of exquisite, rare poison, glittering gem-like in their crystal bottles. One drop on the lips would be enough. A kiss of death.

Perhaps they ought to go out together, lying side by side, counting their final breaths as their skin cooled and their heartbeats grew slow and faint. Perhaps someone would find them, still lying together. Perhaps in two hundred, three hundred, one thousand years someone would find their bones untouched, the skull of one laying against the ribcage of another.

Obscurity did not seem so terrifying when she thought of the future like that.

The treacherous thought lingered in her mind until at last her lover said something that changed her mind.

“Promise me something, Minthara,” she said, as they lay together in the darkness. “Promise that once I’m gone, you will carry our name for us.”

Minthara sat up. “My love—”

“Swear it,” she said, sitting up too. “An oath, Minthara. That no matter when I die, you will live on. That you will carry our house and burn our name into the annals of history.”

“I will not let you die,” Minthara said, her voice full of rasping pain. “I will find a way—”

“My love,” her beloved said, cradling her cheek. “We all die. I do not fear death. Nor do I fear the ravages of time. I know you do, because I can see it in your eyes every time you look at me. I think you fixate on these gray hairs more than I do.”

Minthara said nothing. There was no defense to make against such a statement.

“Swear an oath to me that no matter when I die—and make no mistake, I hope to live for many years with you at my side—but that when I die you will live on and that you will keep our house and our name alive. For me.”

“I cannot. To face the centuries ahead without you at my side—”

“You can.” Her lover held her face in both hands now, eyes full of tenderness and quiet strength. Confidence and sorrow. Full of love, for her. “You keep asking me how I might prefer immortality. This is how. By you going forward and carrying my name with you. Carve my name—our name—on the pages of history, over the doorframes of your homes, into the very foundations of Menzoberranzan itself. Carry our banners across the continent and establish the empire of your dreams with armies bearing our crest on their armor. Make it so that long after I’m gone, there is not a soul on this earth that doesn’t know our name. That is how I’d prefer immortality.”

Her beloved dropped her hands and faced her fully, sitting on her knees, and held out her hand. “Swear it, my love.”

Minthara stared at her hand. “But the future will be empty without you.”

“Swear it.”

“What use is an empire without its empress?”

Her lover just smiled. “Minthara. Swear.”

Minthara struggled again but finally broke, taking her lover's hand. “I swear it. On my oath, I will not rest until our name is known on every continent.” 

With the oath sinking into her bones, Minthara bent forward, pressing a kiss into her beloved's palm. She lingered there, soaking in the warmth of her skin, the feel of her battled-toughened fingers curling beneath her chin. Her lover raised her face and kissed her, deep and tender, tasting the oath on Minthara’s tongue. Minthara let herself be lost in that kiss, in the fantasy of this moment never ending. When they finally broke for air, it was too soon.

“And now, my love?” Minthara whispered.

“Now we make every day count.”

[faun-draws]

Local Vengeance Paladin getting babied by her tall girlfriend when nobody‘s looking

A little sketch for old times sake. Scratching the itch to start another Bg3 phase

[mintharabaenrelore]

A little thing just occured to me.

"The members of House Vandree were very interested in Surface affairs and frequently collected trophies from the Surface, from leaves to human skulls."- Forgotten Realms Wiki

I wonder if Minthara, by decorating her tent in camp with skulls, is remembering her Vandree lover?