#saemon havarian

[incorrect-bhaalspawn-quotes]

Saemon Havarian, to Charname: I know this is a terrible time for you, and I'm afraid I'm going to make it a lot worse.

[ask-baldurs-gate]

So Saemon, what the people really wanna know is why are you like this?

Well, it's really quite simple, see, someone's got to face the consequences of my actions, and it sure as Hells isn't going to be me.

[shaydh]

Bg1 bg2(+tob)

I obviously love Baldur’s Gate 1/2! Story of all time!! Obviously EE has one of my fave romances Dorn, and I love my evil party members and their banter, but I even like how the good-aligned characters were written, best baby sister Imoen and Valygar and Aerie, they are all my friends! the fireball spell is soo satisfying. The underdark segment where you get to impersonate a drow! You can beat up Drizzt! Saemon Havarian is there! What a games.

[fingons-rad-harp]

Abdel raised his hands over his head until his shoulders popped. It was hard to really stretch in full plate armor, but they didn’t have time to rest before moving on.

He did take off his helmet for a moment to crack his neck, though.

Imoen elbowed him with a grin. “Is it bad that this feels almost nostalgic?”

“What, our half-siblings trying to kill us?” Abdel snorted a laugh. “Business as usual. Sendai must be running out of underlings to throw at us. You’d think that by now they’d have figured out that won’t work.”

“Perhaps she has better things to do than deal with you personally,” Sarevok said.

Abdel rolled his eyes and slipped his helmet back on. “Because that’s worked out so well for everyone else,” he said pointedly. “Let’s go. She has to be close.”

Before he reached the door, he heard Sarevok’s voice again. “Why were you… friends with that beholder?”

Abdel almost laughed. Everyone else had been there when they’d first encountered the creature, and everything that had led to that very, very strange meeting.

He thought about trying to explain it. Irenicus, Spellhold, Saemon fucking Havarian, the Sahuagin city…

Not for the first time, Abdel wondered how the hells his life became so strange.

“It was a spectator, not a beholder,” he said. “And it’s a long story.”

[blackjackkent]

Upon returning to Amkethran, our first interesting discovery is that literally everyone (or at least all the mercenaries and monks) are now hostile. This is making maneuvering through the city at all rather a slow process.

I think Balthazar may have heard that he is under suspicion now.

I still can't get over the fact that we're actively looking for Saemon Havarian to help us again and have zero illusion that this will actually be a good idea, despite Elminster's assurances; the bigger challenge, though, is figuring out where the hell he is, since we last saw him vanishing into thin air after throwing us under the bus by convincing a group of mercs that we stole their stuff.

This seems like a promising place to start, though.

And here he is, the man himself.

Caden and co. are fully expecting an ambush here even though they're theoretically hoping for help.

This is, really, why we came here in the first place, but under the circumstances, it wouldn't do to seem too eager to work with him right off the bat. Besides, it's a valid question.

[eyeroll]

I'll be honest, I like Saemon. :P Caden doesn't, obviously, but I get a kick out of him. He gives me the same vibes as Patches from Elden Ring/Dark Souls/etc.

Go on, what do you have to say, then?

The truth is, I think Saemon is probably like Patches in another way - I think he is actually somewhat sincere here, but I also think when push comes to shove (hah), he's going to betray us again anyway, because that is just in his nature.

Yeah, this is going to go terribly, but so is every other possible plan, so we'll go with it.

[theultimatepielord]

Alright time to figure out what the stories are (bg2 spoilers, also other Minsc/Bhallspawn spoilers). After a quick check of the wiki Minsc doesn't appear to have really messed with the Drow since Delina un-petrified him (even if he did, he's only been un-petrified for a decade at most, since his return occurred after Abdel/CHARNAME's death in 1482 DR, and bg3 happens in 1492 DR near as I can tell, ergo no legends), so we're talking adventures within BG's 1 and 2. There are only 3 drow in BG1, fellow ranger Drizzt Do'Urden (not spreading word to his people), Sharran exile Viconia De'Vir (also not), and absolute lunatic Baeloth Barrityl (does not appear to have ever shown his face again after being defeated by M'Khiin). So we're talking BG2.

In Shadows of Amn, there's an extensive Underdark portion centering around a drow city. However, Minsc rarely conflicts with drow as the party is disguised as drow (Minsc is told to refrain from speaking) in order to infiltrate the city and steal the eggs of the silver dragon Adalon, whose eggs had been stolen from the drow. Only Matron Ardulace Despana and her daughter Phaere ever learn the party's true identities, being helpfully informed by Imoen shortly before both of their souls are consumed by a demon lord who was quite displeased at being offered fake dragon eggs. TL;DR, no stories of Minsc.

That leaves Throne of Bhaal, where the party must cut their way through a drow enclave to face the Bhaalspawn Sendai, a member of the deadly Bhaalspawn Alliance known as The Five. What makes this hilarious is some of the details of Sendai's enclave: like one of her main allies being an Ulitharid (an illithid not directly tied to an elder brain, but still evil and usually either serving the local elder brain, working to become an elder brain, or both), or the fact that she was as much Bhaal's progeny as Orin or the Durge, being his biological daughter. But even funnier is this: Sendai is ultimately one of the less interesting or powerful of the 5. Illasera sucks, but Yaga-Shura is an invincible Fire Giant who slaughtered most of the Bhaalspawn in one fell swoop when he sacked the city of Saradush, Abazigal was a Blue Dragon, Balthazar was the strongest and posed the greatest challenge to Abdel and co., both as a combatant and from his rule of Amkethran, and The Five's non-Bhaalspawn leader, High Priestess (of Bhaal) Amelyssan the Blackhearted, nearly ascended to godhood before the party stopped her. TL;DR, the stories of Minsc and Boo that terrify drow children throughout the Underdark are a mere footnote in their most glorious story, and also reveal Drow complicity with two of the main villains of bg3.

Really makes me wonder how Minthara would react to the full version. (Also, do the Githyanki tell stories of Saemon Havarian, the only man to steal a silver sword and live to tell the tale?)

I think it's really funny that apparently the drow tell their children scary stories about both Minsc AND BOO. Like "beware of the large bellowing man, and that thang."

[ddtiel]

Saemon Havarian's usual antics have put Anqi and Dorn in an awkward situation, yet Pasha Jazim doesn't seem to mind. He invites the two to his mansion to discuss their deal, but is that all the wealthy merchant has planned?

[more-better-words]

Six Kisses (1/6)

From this prompt!

10

There were worse people to run into in the narrow, darkened corridors below the decks of Saemon Havarian’s small ship than Kelsey, Maera reflected. Even if she had run bodily into him, and now stood rubbing the wrist she’d injured trying to catch herself against the wall.

“I’m sorry!” he said, taking her wrist between his hands, apology written all over his face. “I didn’t see you! And this is your sword hand, too.”

She chuckled softly, trying not to catch her breath as he pushed back her sleeve and wrapped his long fingers around her forearm. “Kelsey, it’s okay. I doubt it’s even sprained, and if it is, Jaheira can just wrinkle her nose at it and it’ll be fine.”

It felt good to stand this close to him. They’d hardly had a moment alone together in the three days since leaving Athkatla – the party had been constantly in each other’s company in their cramped shipboard quarters, but being near the eyes of others meant that even the simple indulgence of touch had to be indulged in carefully. But now his hand was warm on her skin, and there was no one around at all. 

He was still holding her wrist, his eyes fixed on it as he idly rubbed his thumb across the heel of her hand. She gulped slightly, watching his face. 

“You have beautiful hands,” he said quietly.

 A blush heated her cheeks. “If you say so.” 

“They’ve been through a lot,” he replied, “but they’re strong.” He looked up, meeting her eyes. “Like you.” 

“Well, I guess if you like scars…” 

“Scars mean you’ve survived, right?” He turned her hand over, running a fingertip over the scars on her knuckles. “And you’ve fought back.” He swallowed, his eyes earnest. “I love that about you.” 

At this rate, she would never stop blushing. She ducked her head. “I’m glad you’re so easy to please.” 

“I think it’s more like the other way around,” he said. “How else do you explain a guy like me getting within ten paces of a woman like you?” 

“Oh please.” 

She rolled her eyes, and he grinned, but then he seemed to remember he was holding her hand and the smile slid away. Slowly, without taking his eyes off her face, he raised it to his lips, kissing the palm. He followed it with a kiss to the heel of her hand, then her wrist. She trembled, as he worked his way up her forearm, lips brushing her skin. When he reached her rolled up sleeve, he blinked, somewhat abashed. “I’d better stop,” he said, “or I might do something very stupid.” His eyes focused on her lips. “Like kiss you.” 

She could barely breathe, but that seemed beside the point. “How would that be stupid?” 

“If I kiss you right now,” he whispered, his voice going husky, “I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop.”  

She could see the fine beads of sweat on his forehead, and feel his breath on her skin - she had never been more aware of another human body in her life. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”  

He tilted his head. “I guess not…” 

Neither of them actually initiated the kiss; it just seemed to happen. As their lips met, they leaned into each other with relief, the tension in the air burst like a bubble. Three days had been far too long. She shivered at the sensation of his body against hers, even though her skin was hot, and she felt herself growl softly with pleasure. The sound seemed to send a shock through Kelsey; he tightened his arms about her and slipped a leg between hers, the kiss growing harder and more urgent with each passing heartbeat.  

“Maera?” Jaheira’s voice echoed down the corridor. 

Maera dropped her forehead against Kelsey’s shoulder, pained and frustrated beyond her ability to articulate. “Dammit, Jaheira,” she groaned. She stepped back, straightening her clothes. “You and I…we…we’ll finish that,” she said, then raised her voice. “Yes, Jaheira?”

 Kelsey leaned hard against the wall, letting out his breath in one long exhalation as he watched her walk away. Gods, her hips were perfect. “Oh yes,” he breathed. “Yes we will.”

[bearly-dressed]

A scene taken from Baldur’s Gate II. 

Upon the sinking of the traitorous Saemon Havarian’s ship, Lily and company sunk towards the depths of the sea, only to be awaited by a group of Sahuagin, ready to carry them off to the City of Caverns.

Today’s Inktober theme was “Underwater”.

[incorrect-bhaalspawn-quotes]

Saemon: Have I ever lied to you?

Charname: Yes. Several times.

Saemon: I meant today.

Charname: Yes. Several times.

[incorrect-bhaalspawn-quotes]

Charname: I’m not helping you.

Saemon: Why not?

Charname: …

Saemon: Is this because I betrayed you that one time?

Charname: YES! It was literally our last interaction!

[incorrect-bhaalspawn-quotes]

Charname, to Saemon: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on you again, what is wrong with you? Why are you like this!?

[incorrect-bhaalspawn-quotes]

Saemon: Why would I lie?

Charname: I imagine it’s like breathing for you.

[incorrect-bhaalspawn-quotes]

Charname: I trusted you.

Saemon: That’s your fault.

[incorrect-bhaalspawn-quotes]

Charname: Well, it’s just that, historically speaking, when I’m betrayed, it’s usually you, Saemon.

[incorrect-bhaalspawn-quotes]

"I trusted you the first time. I will not make that mistake again."

-Charname, to Saemon Havarian