#and he's also my backup character in case Kara dies 😂

[verothexeno]

Etnar the Barbarian

Race: Green Dragonborn Sex: Male Age: Mid 30's Class: Barbarian - Wildheart (Bear) Special buff: Loviatar's Love Other: Can do minor cleric spells (healing, sacred flame), knows the "speak to animals" ritual. Romance in BG3: Shadowheart

Backstory:

Etnar was born in a little farmer village North of Baldur's Gate Outer City. He was barely a teenager when it got invaded by raiders and slavers, the village razed off the map and most of its inhabitants killed - Etnar's parents killed before him. Fueled by rage, the young Dragonborn managed to defend himself with any tools he could find, his actions soon attracting the attention of the slaver's boss; a man going by the nickname "Onyx". Captured alive, Etnar became a prized possession - only to be thrown into a made-up ring as a mere fighting dog. Onyx had assembled quite the collection of fighters over the years and was making good money over thugs of any background making bets. Some could even bring their own "champions", only to see who would come out alive.

The green Dragonborn quickly rose in fame, only by necessity and survival instinct. Over the years he grew into a mountain to be feared by most, if not all, slaves. But the first one to talk to him was an old human man, a cleric, brought in by trade and kept imprisoned close to Etnar. The years had not been kind to him and he had been a slave for so long; he knew that if he were to fight against that green menace, that would be his final battle. Instead he took the chance to discuss and knew there was still some good beneath those brutal scales... He taught Etnar some minor healing spells as a departing gift and a flicker of hope. Weeks later, forced to kill the old cleric, Etnar silently swore that one day he'd get out of this hell - even if that meant killing everyone in his path.

Then came along Maelon, a half-drow.

He had been captured in the dead of the night, after coming out of a tavern in the Lower city. At first there wasn't anything special about him; he was scared, loud, demanding to be released. Thrown in a cell next to Etnar, the hald-drow was already trying to get the Dragonborn's attention, only to be laughed at by the guards and told that there was no use trying to talk to his executioner... The first few days, both were silent. Etnar could tell the other was studying him - maybe out of fear, or out of scheming. When Maelon presented himself, the green one listened - maybe out of curiosity, or out of faint hope... There was this hunger for life the half-drow kept clinging to. There was no way he was going to die in this pit. There was no way he was going to be a slave. Maelon first thought that his pleas would fall into deaf ears, that he was only doomed to rant to muscles without a brain until the very hour of his death. So imagine his surprise when the barbarian solely nodded with a "I'm in".

The plan was simple: they would both get into the ring, let the battle start as intended, find the best cleared path, wreck havoc and run for their lives. By Etnar's brute force and Maelon's studies and gifted talent in fire magic, the duo brought chaos over the hideout. Yet in their escape, some slavers remained alive - Onyx included.

There was no time to dwell on that error. The duo ran and made their way to Baldur's Gate, finally free. Etnar and Maelon remained together when they reached the city, developping a friendship that was akin to a brotherly bond. Over the years they were able to fend for themselves and Etnar was finally learning to live again. But he never stopped searching for Onyx. Every scraps of information he could get his hands on soon led him to depart from the city, alone and against Maelon's pleas. Etnar had to kill Onyx. He had to get his revenge and put his past misery to rest...

Searching far and wide, he never found the man - only to be hinted that the slaver was making his way towards Baldur's Gate once more. As Etnar was heading back to the city and back to his friend after 3 years of search, nothing could've prepared him to be captured by mind flayers... *tun tuunnn*

There's a lot I'm skipping here, but I could always write down encounters and scenes in seperate posts. Overall, Etnar was a slave/"gladiator" for around ~15+ years, then escaped and finally became the good person he was supposed to be! Heavily against slavers and thugs in general, will always be kind and helpful to kids in needs, profound respect for animals and nature - the freedom aspect of it. He's a bit oblivious/stupid for some stuff at times due to his lack of life experience, and if someone he dislikes is getting annoying, he will be equally, if not more, annoying and harsh.

My best boy 💜✨