#also he is staring at astarion entertaining raphael like .

[archivestarlyht]

initially had sol'rys's sexuality blanked while i figure it out, but i think he is bisexual. with a preference for strong personalities.....

[changeling-fae]

alone, desire, & guilt!

Thanks, definitely doing this for Nym. Going to put under the cut ‘cuz it’s dark. TW for past child abuse, implied past CSA, suicidal mentions, and drug abuse.

alone: How does your OC deal with loneliness? Have they ever been completely alone before? How do they act when there's no one around to see them?

Oh boy, before the start of the game she was dealing with such loneliness and major depression that she had many suicidal ideations. That’s essentially what had her returning to the Devil’s Den to see Raphael so often.

After the woman she had feelings for got her own life together and met someone, Nym kept coming back to Raphael for lanceboard, wine, and philosophical discussions. She was seriously contemplating just letting him have her soul on the condition that he devour it so she doesn’t ever have to exist again.

Before she met him, she dealt with her loneliness through sex and ONS. She also did a lot of drugs to get high. Basically anything that would distract that gaping void inside her where she felt numb and in pain (both mental and physical).

She kept herself busy through her job as an entertainer or through the cult stuff with Bhaal. She just did what the cult wanted but at least it kept her distracted (and I headcanon the white dragonborn Durge also existed and was the leader at the time before she and Orin shanked him).

She’s felt and has been alone since her father’s death as a child. The man who bought her from the debt collector kept her hidden beneath his estate and she lived in a cell for 4 years in utter darkness before she escaped and was found by the cult.

If no one is around, she just gets high and stares into the middle distant for hours. Sometimes she’ll even cry before she pulls herself together and continues forward with whatever people want from her.

desire: What's one thing your OC wants more than anything in the world? Are they open with that desire?Why or why not? What would they do to fulfill it?

To not feel so dead inside, to stop feeling both numb and in constant agony of her existence. Before the events of the game, she really thought about just surrendering to Raphael (she was aware he wanted her soul, this is before he’s canonically obsessed with Tav/Durge though so was just viewing her like another client). Some part of her clung to life though, which is why she never went through it but also she hadn’t been back to see him after she and Gortash stole the crown through his home.

She never hid that desire around Raphael though and he was well aware that he just had to patient (initially). Fate had other plans though.

Now however, her desire is to live and to heal. She has kids to look after, she finds love with Astarion, and she has a new type of relationship with Raphael. She’s ready to move forward and start anew.

guilt: What is your OC guilty about? How do they handle their guilt? Do they try to avoid guilt, or do they accept it?

She has major survivors guilt for one thing. Her father (her favorite person) had died protecting her. She also feels some guilt (though she buries it) over killing the kids of the man who held her captive. When she escaped, she was in a blood rage and murdered every soul in the estate, including his kids. She was still a kid herself (14) but it haunts her a bit.

She’s got a soft spot for kids and giving her Durge lifestyle, doesn’t feel good whenever kids get caught in the crossfire, or making kids into orphans. But that’s what drugs and compartmentalizing is for.

When she murders Quil in the game, she’s not entirely sure what happened and feels a measure of guilt there and tried to hide evidence of her involvement. She didn’t hide the body but she washed the blood off of herself and told the group (technically truthfully) that she didn’t see anything that night when they ask her if she was involved.

She’s very good at mental compartmentalization overall though.

[anabsolutefreak]

Chapter 11: A Web of Deceit and Literal Webs for Good Measure

This is a canon adjacent full campaign based story involving my original TAV character, the full BG3 crew and, of course, our favorite undead high elf. I created this story to help me get through an exceptionally difficult time in my life and so, you might notice Tav's story is a little more atypical than some. Be advised that the story I have created has some mature themes including violence, kink, mental health and self harm. I will be placing warnings on each individual chapter when any of these themes are included so please be aware. I hope you enjoy. Summary: Embrae and the others meet Raphael. Then, upon visiting the blighted visit, she is pushed into a well. MATURE CONTENT: Violence

“So now there’s a bloody Devil after us?” Said Astarion indignantly as he, Embrae, Lae’zel, and Karlach continued West along the Risen road. “Gods, what’s next?"

“Scum like him pop up wherever they think they can sniff out a soul or two,” said Karlach. We can’t trust the liked of him.”

“Agreed,” spat Lae’zel. “We should not entertain the idea of making any sort of agreement with that shka’keth.”

Embrae remained silent, lost in thought as her companions discussed the alarming turn of events that had just taken place. One moment, they had been following the dirt path, and the next, a tall well-dressed man with a fair face, a pleasant baritone voice, and an ear for discomfiting poetry had been standing in front of them. 

“Well met, I am Raphael.” He said cordially. But this place is a little too middle-of-nowhere for my taste. He snapped his fingers and she and her friends no longer stood on the Risen road but in the middle of a grand dining room. The ceilings were high and imposing- portraits of what looked to be a demon or a devil in various elegant and or provocative poses stared down at them. A table laden with all manner of foods, including a full pig's head stood behind them while in front of them stood the man, Raphael in front of a roaring fire. “Welcome, to my House of Hope.”

“Bring us back,” demanded Embrae. The music there was— wrong. It was too loud, more like a scream than a tune in her head. 

“And deny you of my hospitality? All in good time. I have a matter I would like to discuss with you. But first, eat,” he said gesturing to the table. 

“I’d rather not.”

“Oi,” Karlach interjected. Enough with the pleasantries mate. I know where we are— so cut the crap and show us.”

Raphael smiled and his body began to stretch, elongating so he stood nearly five feet taller. His skin changed from a suntanned brown to a deep red while large, curved horns sprouted from his head and a giant pair of leathery wings from his back. “Am I a friend?” He intoned grandly, “Perhaps. An adversary— conceivably— but a savior? Most assuredly.”

“I don’t care what you are,” said Embrae. She kept her face stoic, and calm, although she didn’t feel that way at all. “I care what you want.”

“A mere trifle, really,” replied Raphael. “After all, what good’s a soul when you’ve got a tadpole wriggling around in your head?”

She was pulled out of the memory by Astarion’s voice.”

“Creatures like that don’t play games unless they know they can win!” he said sharply. “Believe me.”

“We can’t trust him,” said Embrae. 

“No…" he agreed. "But he seemed so sure we wouldn’t find a cure— that he was our only option.”

“Well, he would want us to believe that, wouldn’t he.” She sighed. “Even if he’s right, I think I’d rather let you or Lae’zel slit my throat before I offered up my soul to that— thing.”

“Darling, I thought I was the only one allowed to hold a knife to your neck… I’m hurt,” Astarion said behind her. 

“No, Lae’zel has also had the pleasure, I’m afraid. You two can draw straws for the honor if you want.”

“Oi, no one is killing anyone.” Growled Karlach. “There’s another way; I know there is!”

“Is that a village up ahead?” Embrae could see a stone wall on the path to her right.

Astarion sniffed. “A dead one, by the smell of it.”

He was right. The signpost outside the stone archway proclaimed the place, “Moonhaven,” but the smell of death and decay was almost overpowering as they approached. Directly across from this, a bridge crossed the river beyond. Corpses littered the span of it.”

“Ugh.” Said Embrae. “Been dead a while, it looks like.”

“Indeed,” said Astarion looking at the old blood littering the ground wistfully. “What a waste.”

“Goblins is my guess,” said Karlach kneeling to look at one of the corpses. “Bet they’ve set up shop in there.” She inclined her head towards the village and cracked her knuckles.”

“We’re not going to fight them all are we?” Groaned Astarion. “That will take ages.” He whined. 

“They killed a whole village!” Insisted Karlach. “Women, children— everyone.” She was burning dangerously bright, glaring at the vampire.”

“We could kill them easily,” said Lae’zel cooly. “But it will take time— and we still need to journey to their main camp so that we might save this— Halsin— they spoke of.”

“Easy Karlach,” said Embrae, eying the blazing tiefling. “They’re right. I’d rather not pick any unnecessary fights right now.” 

An arrow landed with a whiz and a sharp thud beside her as soon as she said it, narrowly missing her shoe. 

“Looks like you found one anyways didn’t you?” Spat a nasal voice behind them. “Turn around real slow like. Yeah, that’s the way.”

A troop of five goblins stood at the top of the battered stone wall, leering down at them. The leader amongst them was a muscular, greenish woman, her hair decorated with bones and what looked to be shrunken heads. “What business do you have ‘ere? Or are you just lunch?” She laughed nastily, her comrades, chuckling around her. “Can’t say I’m much fond of elves,” she mused, her eyes glancing over Embrae and Astarion. “Always were a bit high and mighty for my tastes— but hey. Food is food.” 

Embrae shuddered in disgust. “We’re just passing by,” she called up at the goblin. “We aren’t looking for trouble.”

“Well, lovey. It looks like trouble found you anyways,” she said raising her bow. 

That was when a mark appeared glowing on the goblin woman’s face, a red hand— a feeling surged through Embrae, a sensation of authority. She heard the dream visitor in her mind. Use it. Embrae reached for the feeling without thinking, almost as though it was an old friend, and stared straight at the goblin woman. “We are meant to be here,” she said, power ringing through her voice. “Would you threaten to eat your superiors?”

The goblin woman’s eyes widened in shock and she dropped her bow and bowed. “I’m so sorry— I— I didn’t know you was a true soul madam. Of course— be welcome. I’ll see to it no one in here bothers you. Got supplies and food in ere’ if you need it— just um— you might want to avoid the meat. Got all flavors of it in ere’ if you know what I’m getting at.”

Ugh. She was pretty sure she did. 

The goblin woman gestured sharply to her comrades who lowered their weapons and disappeared from view. 

Embrae turned to her companions. Karlach and Lae’zel were staring at her. Astarion looked— excited. 

“What in the bloody hells was that?” Asked Karlach.

“Well, it appears that the parasites give us the power to control others,” said Astarion. “How delightful!”

“K’chakhi!” Spat Lae’zel. “We shouldn’t touch these so-called powers. Use them and the parasites might become stronger. A trap for the hapless and the weak.”

“Nonsense,” insisted Astarion. “Power freely given is power well received.” 

Embrae shook her head. She felt odd as if the presence in her head— the tadpole— was sated somehow. She shivered. “We’ll talk about it later. For now, we’ve got free access to this outpost. Let’s go see if we can’t gather some more information about this so-called Absolute there. And take whatever supplies you can. We’re getting low supplies.”

They strode through the camp and, as the goblin woman had promised, the others paid them no mind, except to look at them curiously or, in some cases, boy at them. 

“GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!” They heard up ahead. 

“FLY LITTLE BIRDY. HEHEHEHE.”

They rounded a corner, following the commotion and, up a small hill, saw a group of goblins at the base of a windmill cackling and hooting up at a little blue man, strapped to it, going round and round, crying out in terror as he did. 

Embrae shot forward without a thought.

“Is she really going to? Of course she is,” sighed Astarion behind her as he, Karlach, and Lae’zel, ran behind her. 

“Let him down right now,” Embrae commanded, glowering down at a one a goblin man.

“And why would we do that? You’re just another birdie waiting to fly, ain’t ya?” Leered the man. As it had with the woman, a symbol glowed on his face but Embrae felt nothing in response this time— almost as though the tadpole were too tired. Shit, she thought. 

Astarion elbowed his way past her, smiling pleasantly at the goblin. His voice rang with command as he told him, “Why don’t you stop wasting time and go do something useful?”

“Erm,” yes, of course, true soul. Right away. He gestured at the other four goblins and they and the worgs, ambled off.

Embrae turned to Astarion, eyebrow raised. “I’m surprised. I didn’t think you’d care,” she inclined her head at the screaming man. 

“I don’t— especially for a deep gnome,” he said airily examining his fingernails. “But you clearly did— and I wanted to try out our newfound powers.” 

Embrae rolled her eyes and then ran to the back of the windmill. 

The deep gnome was rude and cantankerous once released but a certain amount of gratitude still shone in his eyes as he turned to leave, stumbling a bit as he fought against dizziness. 

Embrae smiled ruefully. At least she had a few opportunities to do the right thing, she thought. 

They decided to split up and explore the camp to see if there was anything worth taking. They would meet back at the windmill in an hour they decided. And that decision was how Embrae found herself standing alone near the well. 

“Robbed us of our fun, you did true soul,” spat a voice behind her. She turned, startled. She had been looking down into the well, drawn to it for some inexplicable reason. 

The goblin, man, one of those responsible for torturing the gnome was staring at her with a nasty gleam in his eye. Beside him, a gigantic worg, one of the biggest she’d seen stood menacingly. 

“That’s none of your business goblin.” She said, trying to keep her voice firm. She knew she couldn’t use her compulsion from the tadpole and she didn’t have time to use her more subtle methods on the goblin who was getting closer to her. She looked around her. Her friends were nowhere in sight, probably engaged in looting. She couldn’t even see another goblin. 

“Oh, I think it is, half-elf.” He spat. “You know what I hate more than elves?” He asked. “Bloody humans… and you— you’ve got the unfortunate luck to be both, don’t ya?” 

“Stay back,” she warned, the firebolt cantrip Gale had taught her, forming in her hand. But it was too late. The Worg lunged for her and she shot the cantrip at it, missing it completely in her panic. The goblin, meanwhile lunged forward and shoved her. She fell back tumbling into the well behind her and into the darkness. She fell to the ground below painfully, winded. Above, the goblin laughed as he cut the rope and the bucket fell beside her. 

“I hope you enjoy spiders, you stinking half-elf,” he called down cheerfully. “I hear they kill you real slow.”

Embrae groaned, laying still for several stunned moments before finally rolling over. Everything hurt. The fall hadn’t been enough to kill her, thank goodness but hell, it was painful. She reached into her back and pulled out a health potion which remained blessedly intact. She drank down the syrupy contents and felt the pain lessen. Then she stood, taking in her surroundings. 

There was no water in this well she realized. The space below appeared vast. She could see to her right a tunnel leading somewhere… She thought about calling up to her companions but no doubt they were nowhere near the well yet… and she could hear something scittering around in the dark. She shivered. Spiders, the goblin had said. The last thing she wanted to do was alert them to her presence. 

She’d have to find another way out, she decided— carefully. Gale had given her a scroll of invisibility days ago, she remembered. She pulled it out, ready to use if she needed it, and made her way slowly into the darkness.

***

Astarion returned to the windmill with a satisfied smirk on his face. He found plenty of valuables and supplies in the abandoned apothecary he had looted, including gold, and several enchanted pieces of jewelry, along with several useful potions and a half-decent-looking bottle of wine. Then, just for fun, he had pickpocketed several goblins on the way back to the windmill. They didn’t have much but it was still satisfying. 

Krlach and Lae’zel were already there, waiting but he saw no sign of Embrae. 

“Not back yet?” He asked. 

“Yeah,” said Karlach, “But it’s just barely been an hour. “We can give her a minute, I suppose.”

Astarion frowned. It wasn’t like her to be late, he thought. 

After about a quarter of an hour, they decided it was best to look her the half-elf. Anxiety began to fill Astarion’s chest as they searched, finding no sign. He asked the goblins around camp but to no avail. No one had seen her since they had ordered them away from tormenting the gnome. “Where in the hells is she?” He seethed. 

“Calm down, Astarion,” said Karlach, her brow wrinkled in concern. “Surely she can’t have gone far.”

“I am completely calm,” snapped Astarion. 

“Obviously,” muttered the tiefling. 

“Perhaps we should not have split up in the middle of these— goblins.” Lae’zel hissed. 

“Can’t you, I dunno, sniff her out, Astarion?”

“Sniff her out?” Scoffed Astarion. He thought about it though— attuned as he was to the scent of her after feeding on her blood, he thought he probably could. “I could try, I suppose but this place reeks of stinking goblins and questionable meat.” Still, as they walked, he tried to focus on his sense of smell. 

They found not a trace of her for another half hour until Astarion stopped suddenly. There he thought. A stone well stood in the middle of what was once likely a village square. He could smell her— just a hint. His stomach lurched when he realized that what he smelled was fresh blood coming from the well itself. 

Beside it, a grey-skinned goblin sat picking at his teeth with a branch, his giant worg lounging beside him. The beast's fur, he noted, had been singed, as though by a firebolt. 

“Have you seen her,” he demanded, striding towards the goblin. 

“Seen who?” The goblin spat belligerently. 

“You bloody well know who. The half-elf!”

Astarion tried to summon the tadpole’s command but found only silence. Well then, the old-fashioned way then. He nodded towards Karlach and the Tiefling snatched up the disgusting goblin, pinning him against a stone wall. The Worg stood with a warning growl.

“Call off your beast or I’ll spill your gods damned guts across the ground,” Astarion told him. 

“You wouldn’t—” 

Astarion fixed his eyes on the goblins as Lae’zel drew her blade behind him. “Try me.”

The goblin sputtered. “Down girl— heel.” The worg sat back on her haunches, eyes still fixed on her master. 

“Now,” said Astarion brightly, “Isn’t that better? We’re going to have a lovely little chat and you’re going to tell me what happened to my friend.” 

The goblin trembled and yelped as Karlach’s heat scorched him. Any longer and she was going to turn him to ash before he could tell them anything. “Let him go Karlach but keep close.” She dropped him and pulled the axe from her back, fixing him with an irate stare as the infernal flame played across her skin. 

“Well,” Astarion barked at him. “Where is she?”

“She— clumsy thing fell into the well, didn’t she?”

Astarion looked down the well into the darkness. “Oh she did, did she? And she just happened to cut the rope while she was at it?”

“What’s going on ere’” The goblin woman from the wall approached with a group of four others, her eyes darting between Astarion and the goblin man quivering before Karlach. 

“This wretch attacked a true soul,” Astarion said smoothly. “He shall have to be punished… severely.” 

“Attacked a— Bloodfang, is that true?” 

Bloodfang? Really? 

“I— he’s lying, ma’am. I would never.” 

“Would a vessel of the absolute lie to you?” Asked Astarion, fixing his gaze on the woman. He would kill every blasted goblin here if necessary but it would be a terrible waste of time.

The woman shook her head. “Of course not, true soul. Bloodfang, come quiet like and maybe we don’t boil you alive.” 

Two burly goblins stepped forward and hauled the stuttering Bloodfang away. 

“Tell me,” said Astarion to the female goblin. “What’s down there.”

“Phase spiders true soul— I’m sorry but if she’s down there, she’s dead already most like.”

Phase spiders. Gods dammit. He looked down the well into the darkness. He could see the bottom, could smell the blood she had left behind there. Perhaps he should just leave her, a snide voice in his mind said. He dismissed this thought impatiently. He needed her around, he thought to himself. She trusted him in a way the others did not. If she was gone, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t turn on him. He sighed and turned again to the goblin woman. “Have you any rope madam?”

***

The webs were everywhere, she groaned to herself. Embrae wasn’t too fond of spiders at the best of times. She never did kill them, feeling sick at the thought of killing something that much smaller than her, but it didn’t mean she didn’t cringe anytime one scurried near her. Astarion had nearly laughed her out of camp when one crawled into her bedroll the other night. 

Based on the webs, these spiders would do worse to her than make her scream and amuse her friends. She advanced, slow and carefully up a thick web pathway across a chasm, the only way forward, trying as she did, to avoid getting stuck in the thick, sticky fibers, or moving too quickly. A misstep would end in disaster, she realized, as she saw the huge bulbous body of a spider up ahead. Oh fuck, it was bigger than a goddamned dog. Her stomach clenched in revulsion and fear. 

She waited for the thing to pass into further darkness and continued up the web, breathing a sigh of relief when her feet reached solid stone. It would be better, she thought, if I could find a more solid path. She looked around, struggling to make out her surroundings, even with dark vision. She could make her way to the ground, she realized, by climbing down the tall rock face from where she stood. She adjusted her pack and did just that, groping carefully for foot and handholds as she did. She reached the bottom with a sigh of relief which quickly became a groan. In the darkness, at least half a dozen huge spiders were skittering about. Directly above, another spider came into view, at least 5 times the size of the others. I guess that’s momma.

There were too many, she realized. She couldn’t fight them if they found her. She unrolled the scroll, squinting, and whispered the incantation to unlock its magic. The scroll disintegrated in her palms as they disappeared. She’d have to move quietly, but quickly. She wasn’t sure how long the invisibility would last. She made her way through the cave, keeping near its walls and trying to stay as far back from the arachnids as possible as they went about their business. After about five minutes, she felt her foot hit something. She looked down. Gleaming in the darkness beside her was a large amethyst. It was— enchanting. She bent down and scooped it up. When she stood again, she was looking directly at the pinchers of a giant spider. It hissed at her and she realized with a start that, distracted by the gem, she had forgotten to hold onto her concentration. It could see her. 

FUCK! 

She moved out of its way just as it spat a stream of something very unpleasant and likely poison at her. She began to run, hearing it screech behind her, summoning the others. 

FUCK FUCK FUCK! She shouted inside her mind. She threw the gem into her pocket and flung a firebolt blindly behind her. She heard another angry screech as it hit one of them. But still, she could hear them gaining. Stinking, toxic liquid landed beside her, splashing her bare hand. She yelped. Aiming behind her, she desperately cast thorns, hoping to slow them. To her horror, she watched as they simply teleported out of the spiky mess. Double fuck. 

She wasn’t going to be fast enough, she realized. She was going to have to fight. She swung around to face the spider hoard and allowed her body to morph. A desperate roar escaped her throat as she readied herself for a fight. 

***

Astarion had intended to be as discreet as possible but the heavy-footed Tiefling and the clanking metal armor of the Gythyanki warrior complicated things. Once they reached the chasm, however, he saw that it wouldn’t have mattered. The phase spiders were in an absolute uproar, the matriarch howling as her eggs hatched dozens of spiderlings who phased towards the far corner of the cave, along with several larger spiders. Their target was immediately apparent. A large panther stood cornered near the far wall, her back arched. She roared in defiance as they approached. 

Karlach lept over the sticky webbing towards the Matriarch as he and the gith climbed down the wall towards the hoard approaching Embrae. He loosed an arrow nearest to the druid at Lae’zel and swung her silver sword down on another’s head. Astarion finished off his spider with a deft movement of his knife and jumped, coming to stand beside the panther. 

“Well hello beautiful,” he purred. Relief and adrenaline shot through his body in equal measure as he shot her a fierce grin. “Imagine seeing you here.” 

***

Embrae gagged as she wiped a glob of spider guts from her cropped hair. “Ugh—” she said. “I shouldn’t have bitten one. I feel woozy.” She spat on the floor trying to rid her mouth of the foul taste.

“Yes love, indiscriminate biting can often get you into trouble. Take it from someone who knows.” Astarion grimaced at the thick spider gore coating his boots as he wiped them off.”

“How did you all find me anyway?” Asked Embrae. “Not that I’m not grateful.”

“Perhaps we just fancied a nice stroll through the cave,” quipped Astarion airily. “Not everything is about you, darling.

“Psh.. Fangs here picked up your scent,” grinned Karlach, wiping the gore off her Axe with a cloth. “Apparently he’s pretty tuned to your blood. Tracked you right to the well. Thought he might tear apart the goblin who pushed you down here.”

Embrae raised an eyebrow, looking at the vampire. He was focused on a particularly difficult spot of ooze on his armor. “Is that so? Worried about me were you?” 

He tutted. “Nothing of the sort. These two insisted we find you.” he waved vaguely towards Karlach and Lae’zel.

Lae’zel tilted her head. “I don’t recall the elf stopping to ask our opinions.”

“Can we get on already?” Cried Astarion. “I’d like to get out of this disgusting place before more phase spiders find us. Or do any of you fancy being enwebbed and eaten slowly?”

“There’s a way out, just over there,” said Embrae pointing at a half-broken wall up the path to their right. “I saw the light shining through the cracks. I just couldn’t make it in time.” 

Karlach made quick work of the unstable wall with the back of her axe and light flooded into the passageway. They stepped out into the light— they were in an abandoned shop, she realized. An apothecary. 

“I was just here, actually,” breathed Astarion. Found some potions and a most interesting journal whilst I was here. It suggested there might be an object of power in the basement but I hadn’t the time to investigate. 

Embrae looked at the trap door. She didn’t relish the idea of going back underground again but maybe just a quick look wouldn’t hurt. “Well, we’re here now,” she said. “Wanna go take a look?”

***

“That looks terribly heavy,” Astarion said behind her. “Why don’t you let me carry it for you?” 

Embrae stared at the grotesque tomb in her hands. It was large, fashioned into a screaming face with amethyst eyes, and made of what she had a terrible suspicion might be human skin. She felt her stomach lurch. She was feeling— odd, not just because of the book. Perhaps she had gotten more spider venom in her system than she realized. 

“The amethyst,” she said suddenly, pulling out the large stone from her bag. “I found it when I was in the cave.” 

“Only a fool would try to open an obviously cursed book.” Spat Lae’zel. 

“I’m not opening it- I just want to see if— oh!” The purple gem snapped into the oval recess of the cover. She felt a wave of power as the aura around it shifted somehow. The book would open now, she was sure of it. But it felt— wrong somehow. She looked back at Astarion who stared at the blasted thing covetously. She sighed. This is probably a terrible idea. She handed him the book.

“Excellent,” he breathed, placing it in his pack. 

“Gale’s going to kill me for giving that to you,” she realized. “Just be careful. Please.” She wiped a hand across her forehead. She was sweating. 

“Oh, just ignore the wizard… I do. Are you alright, darling? You’re looking a bit pale.”

“He is correct,” said Lae’zel. “You’re skin is much more hideous than usual.”

“None of you happen to have an antivenom, do you?” She asked her companions. Her vision had started to swim alarmingly. “I’m feeling just a little—” She shuddered and felt her legs give way as her vision faded to black.