#he also doesn't have a disgusting double standard when it comes to SOME species' children like in the game

[void-botanist]

A quick uncleaned Sharran AU Halsin. I didn't feel like drawing all the clothes details lol so just pretend they're there (I also forgot his scars lmao, that was not on purpose). He's a bugbear, not related to the group of bugbears in the Sanctum, but on good terms with them. He has a different facial marking because in this AU, he follows a renamed form of Silvanus, Juncyppo, who marks followers with the shape of the first offering they presented to him - for Halsin, some species of grass.

In most respects, this version of Halsin is the same as in the game. He is still 350, because here bugbears, like elves, are creatures of the Feywild and are long-lived. He's also well-traveled and spends his time leading the Emerald Grove, doing research, and woodcarving. I'm still tinkering with classes, but tentatively he is something similar to a D&D druid that I'm currently calling a wilder.

More details and minor spoilers for some Act 1 and 2 stuff below the cut.

Part of the reason he joins the party in Act 1 is because his itch to undertake "Juncyppo's pilgrimage" (wandering wherever he feels like) has returned after a hundred years of leading the Emerald Grove, and while the Kagha business is unfortunate, it gives him an extra excuse to appoint a successor and start traveling again. However, when he puts his mind to a mission, he'll see it all the way through, and has no habit of wandering out of camp like Volo (who is much more a party member in this AU). But when he does leave camp, he wears shoes.

I'm still working on his relationship to Thaniel but I like that quest a lot and I think the story will be mostly the same with some tweaks. He also has some number of friends and/or enemies in Baldur's Gate. He's old enough to remember the Old Sharrans, who did things like take over Reithwin, but were much more measured and less violent and devil-may-care than the New Sharrans that arose after Ketheric Thorm's defeat a century ago. He's also old enough to remember when Astarion was an acting magistrate, and though it takes him a while to place Astarion's face, he is extremely interested to find out what happened to Astarion. Also, he knows Elminster personally, if not very deeply. In general, he likes having an ear in every matter, and is sort of the de facto leader of the party alongside Wyll and Lae'zel. He has a hard time putting away his Grovetender instincts after a century of leadership.

Sharran AU taglist (dm to be added/removed): @theskeletonprior @multi-lefaiye