#the night warden minthara

[shadydruid]

✨️See how they kneel to us? We are their protectors, their salvation, and we will rule them, together.✨️

Minthara/Halsin Oracle Card is ready, 8/? ! Which path did you choose? Did you romance any of them?

[n1ghtwarden]

i imagine minth after defecting from lolth for the absolute (regardless if it wasn't her choice) had to deal with baenre assassins/scouts targeting her. it's unlikely house baenre, of all fucking people, would let one of its daughters just vanish with an entire retinue of men she's been leading with no repercussions.

[baldursgaysart]

Long lost!!!!

So, I finally got around to painting my Tav and Durge romancing Minthara. This took longer than expected but it’s been a long time in the making. I had my wife help write out my vision and backstory for them since I’m not very good with words. I hope you enjoy this! I was told it’s like an A24 poster 🤣

Tav and Durge Backstory:

Names:

Vierna: Light colored Tav character

Brimaia: Dark colored Evil Durge

Vierna and Brimaia are both reincarnations of one of the only truly loving and romantic relationships Minthara ever experienced after Ketheric Thorm’s trickery forced her into consuming an Illithid tadpole and altering the course of the rest of her life.

The events of Baldur’s Gate 3 are actually Minthara’s eternal Purgatory.

Vierna grew up as a noblewoman in Menzobarranzan, who was aware of the Baenre family, but had no real ties to it. She met Minthara in the goblin camp and was completely transfixed by the skill, prowess, and cruelty of the night warden. She fought alongside her as they both eradicated the once peaceful druid grove; proud of their accomplishments in the name of the Absolute.

When Vierna again found Minthara at Moonrise Towers, and beheld the terror and desperation in her eyes as she turned to meet Vierna’s gaze, she knew their bond was already so strong that they did not require an Illithid tadpole to read one another’s thoughts. It was written plainly on their faces. They needed one another.

For months the pair fought and slept together, ending the tyranny of Thorm, and allowing Minthara vindication after all she had been through. They gleefully stole away the lives of countless vile creatures, cultists, and would-be dictators, until they at last reached the Netherbrain.

Their companions were losing their life force and strength as they did their best to hold the Netherbrain back, and Vierna and Minthara realized it would be up to them to finish the job.

Just as hope seemed to be within their grasp, Minthara was hit with a near lethal blow from a Mindflayer. Vierna knew she could not allow her lover to die this way. Not to the very creatures who cursed her life in the first place. Boldly, she watched as the Mindflayer reached its tentacle out to finish Minthara off, but at the last moment she dove in front of her and took a fatal hit. Minthara had to carry on with the fight as the portal opened to her, with the knowledge that although the Absolute could never harm another again, she would be alone in the world once more.

What Minthara and the other companions were not aware of was the fact that all of this, everything they had suffered, had been a form of Purgatory. Every year they would lose consciousness as the Netherbrain careened into the Chionthar, but when they woke they would be right back on the Nautoloid, or in Minthara’s case, back in the goblin camp. Only something different occurred after the loss of Vierna. When a beautiful; dark skinned drow entered her sanctum, Minthara realized there was something different about her, but she could not quite place what it was.

Bhaal had played a cruel joke on Minthara by resurrecting her fallen lover as a monster known as the Dark Urge. It was not enough for Minthara to watch the love of her life die before her very eyes. No. Now she would have to brave Thorm and the Absolute all over again, while wondering every night whether her own beloved would take her life in a murderous blackout. Vierna, now going by the name Brimaia, however, would never lay a harmful finger upon her darling drow. She would much rather take control of the Netherbrain with Minthara at her side, and force all in Faerun to be subservient to their new queens!

[gaysindistress]

The Nightwarden and her Velve

disclaimer: credits to original creator/poster of image/gif. found on google/Pinterest

pairings: Minthara x f reader (tav)

Summary: i love her your honor 🥹

Warnings: slightly suggestive

A/n: Velve = Blade

Bg3 masterlist

“My love?” The deep drawl of her voice calls from behind me. It was one of those rare nights where we both felt safe enough to rest together and didn’t need to have the other keeping watch. She’d been reading some book I’d found in the House of Healing’s library while I curled up beside her in our bedrolls, claiming any and all warmth for myself.

“Hm?” I barely managed to mumble. Sleep clung to my eyelids as it called out to me but her voice sung to me like a siren’s.

I heard a small shuffle as her hand found its way to my hair and she began to stroke at stray strands around my ear.

“Tell the story of this scar on your finger.”

“This one?” I lifted my left hand, index finger weakly pointed up while the others remained asleep.

She hummed her acknowledgment.

“I was attempting to cut piece of fabric but as you well know, I’m not the most attentive at times and the blade just slipped.”

“Slipped?” Her voice tilted in a thinly veiled mocking way but the restrain told me she was trying to be understanding.

“It was a garment blade,” I finally turned over to face her and saw that she was staring at me with one brow raised, “you know, the round ones that roll over fabric. They’re far better than standard shears; they’re much easier to manipulate….”

She continued to stare down at me as I rambled, the sea of nervous energy washing over me. I moved to hide my hand but she was quicker than me like usual. She was grasping my hand and pulling it towards herself before I could stop her.

“And why were you using a garment blade? Did you not have a tailor to make any garments you needed?”

Feather light touches grazed over the scarred and tough skin on the side of my index finger.

“Well yes there was a tailor I could’ve gone to but I like… I liked to make things when I was younger. All skills require some level of sacrifice and I guess garment making demanded a slice of my finger that day.”

Her deep chuckle filled the tent and sent a ripple of nerves through me. I eyed her warily, awaiting her answer and prepared myself something about how a noble born should never do such simple tasks.

“A steep demand it was. Perhaps it won’t require much more now that it took half your finger.”

And once again my expectations of her were incorrect. I must’ve been staring dumbly at her because she quirked her brow once more and gave me a questioning look.

“Something the matter?”

I blinked several times, trying to regain my mind, “no nothing’s the matter. You just surprised me.”

She remained silent with the same look.

I couldn’t hold her gaze anymore so I dropped mine to our hands.

“I half expected you to tell me how stupid it was to make my own clothes when I had a tailor.”

“I may think you are many things and have been vocal about those I disapprove of but stupid is not one of them. You…” she trailed off as she tucked my hand into her chest and leaned over me, “You, my sweet Velve, are a force to be reckoned with anywhere you go.”

Her words ghosted over my lips, the whisper of it all kissing at the sensitive skin. I forced myself to keep my eyes open as she drew closer and spoke in a down right sinful way. I’m glad that I did despite the difficult task because a hint of smirk was found in her lips while a dash of that fervent adoration swam in her ruby eyes.

I whimpered her name, “Minthara.”

The Night Warden let a deep groan escape her chest and moved to press herself fully against me, pining me to the bedroll. She dropped one forearm to rest beside my head and cupped the back of neck while she used her free hand to hike my leg over her hip.

She pressed her hips against mine and chuckled when I choked on her name once more.

“Shall I end your misery now?” She purred, dipping her head so that her lips could trail over my cheekbone.

“Don’t…don’t be cruel,” I gasped between heavy breaths. She had begun to plant feather light kisses down my cheekbone and nipped at my earlobe.

“Cruel? You think me cruel for simply enjoying the sounds you make when I show you affection?” Her mocking question was followed by a particularly sharp nip at the soft skin below my ear and a roll of her hips against mine.

My hands seemed to have found their use once more and I attempted to push at her but to no avail. Instead they curled around her waist and ball into the fabric of pants. The heat of her breath against my neck as she laughed at my reaction fed a hunger within me.

I silenced whatever haughty thing was about to come out of her mouth with a desperate kiss. Her hand tightened in my hair as she kissed me back with the same intensity and slipped her tongue past my lips. It was a disgustingly long kiss, one meant to release weeks of frustration and devotion to a cause seemingly unknown. Yet as our breathing grew heavier and our bodies became alight with desire, something else grew in that moment.

Minthara was the first to break away, my bottom lip trapped between her teeth. The skin threatened to break and with it, bleed pooled just under the surface. She pulled back only enough to give us the air our lungs were screaming for and marveled at the sight of my swollen lips.

“You are exquisite, my sweet velve.”

[heyiamroe]

Night warden Minthara

[autumn-sweet-fae]

Because I love the pain and horror of a lover becoming irreversibly changed in a disparate grasp for power:

Astarion ascending without Tav/Durge’s help

Mechanically impossible to do in the game, but story wise?

All you need is our bad bitch Minthara in your party, and Cazador KOing or killing Tav/Durge in front of Astarion during the fight.

Astarion is already overwhelmed and not thinking clearly in the moment with his beloved standing beside him in support. For his love to be taken down in front of him, at Cazador’s hands no less?? He’d be demanding the ritual be done, desperate for the power to protect himself and his lover from ever feeling such pain again.

So, while Shadowheart is distracted trying to resurrect/revive their fallen leader, the Night Warden Minthara would step up and help Astarion finish the ritual. She already encourages him to “take the power that he’s owed, whatever the cost”, so she’d be down to use the tabpoles to help him. Especially with all the past experience she has using them on others.

So, the ritual is completed and Astarion as he once was is no more.

And for my Tav, Nyx, a tragedy is set into motion.

Nyx would awaken in that dark dungeon to find the love of his life eternally changed into his own personal nightmare.

As someone who escaped the control of a fey court, who’s both seen and suffered the cost of multiple warlock contracts, this new Astarion would send Nyx right over the edge. Astarion’s sudden disregard for those 7,000 souls, his over inflated ego and controlling behavior, it would all be major tiggers for Nyx.

I’d give Nyx 48 hours before straight up murdering A.Astarion in a fit of fey grief/rage, before turning on Minthara to murder her in vengeance. Nyx would be shattered after it all, but he’d still lead on.

In the end I could see him traveling to Avernus with Karlach and Wyll, with the personal goal to find and rescue as many of the rituals sacrificed souls as he could.

And if he by chance ever finds what’s left of Astarions soul? His soulcoin would become another treasured keep sake for Nyx.

[dimmadoome]

What if I wrote a Baldurs Gate Game Of Thrones AU? One where Astarion Targaryen is forced to marry Gale Hightower for political reasons.(Astarion is FTM trans and his family wants to send him off to the "proper and religious" house to either sweep him under the rug or get at least SOME heirs they can marry back into the main line.)

Gale and Astarion kind of hate eachother but after a while, grow to be friends. After a year of marriage, they get word of wights at the wall. So they ride (on dragonback because of course I'm giving Astarion a dragon. Maybe caraxes because I think he would be a good rider for him.) up to the wall with their cousins Wyll Tyrell and Karlach Baratheon. While they are on their journey they find Jenevelle Blackwood (Shadowheart) and her lover Lae'zel Sand (Martell bastard) running away from Shadowheart's home because lesbians.

Gale and Astarion recruit them to their cause. When they get to Winterfell to speak to the warden of the north, Jaheria Stark, they meet and subsequently recruit some of her fiercest bannermen, Halsin Mormont and Minsc Umber.

As the days get colder and the nights grow longer, Gale and Astarion fall in love with eachother and the fierce heir to bear island. Since Astarion is a Targaryen, he says fuck it, I can have two husbands and they seal their marrige with Halsin in the godswood. After a good amount of time and hella politics with Lorroakin Tully, Ketheric Lannister, Orin Bolton (and Gortash Baelish being hella problematic in the background.) All seven of the companion crew band together, fight against the night king (Minthara) and win the battle for the dawn. (Astarion is the prince who was promised and is completely pissed about it.)

[menzoberranzanprincess]

By the campfire

Solo piece - Non starter - Just for your enjoyment - Pinned post here

Tags/Warnings: SFW. Slight angst. No sensitive topic warnings apply

Despite the campfire burning out long ago Minthara was still awake and alert. Night brought dangers. Dangers the others seemed to disregard. Withers could watch over the area, but how well could a skeleton defend them? Though she had not yet grown to care for or love her new traveling companions the warden kept awake and watchful. It didn't help that her kind were near nocturnal, more accustomed to the dark than light. She'd been on the surface long enough both her eyes and sleep routine had adjusted, but being alive at night still felt more comfortable.

Lae'zel proved she wasn't alone in her caution, the Githyanki doing her own rounds from time to time. But she still felt odd. Everyone was so peaceful in their cots and tents. Some nursed bottles or wounds from the day, but no one was on edge. No one had a single shred of that self preservation that living in the Underdark had left ingrained in her very genetics.

Minthara couldn't not stalk around out night, her mind wouldn't let her. She couldn't not look at her party peacefully in their beds. She couldn't stop herself peaking in on those who wanted more privacy. Drow eyes were trained for the dark after all, its not like she would disturb them. Even if they found her creeping around what would they say? Chastise her for being cautious? For protecting them in the night from threats unseen? All she would have to do is return to her tent and wait for them to go back to their bed rolls before she could return to her patrolling. What laid under the surface like a slow moving poison was the fear of loss. Of losing yet another thing she had attached herself to. Despite her wanting it, she wasn't resistant nor immune to this poison. It tainted ever aspect of her life as the days progressed. She found herself feeling for these people. Wanting to see them take their next breath. Wanting to protect them and keep them alive. It was horrible, but it was her nature and she couldn't deny or fight it.

They were all trying to survive, just like her. Fighting. They'd given her a chance to fight after she'd already lost, a chance to begin again along side them, be something greater. She couldn't repay them traditionally, so she would do so this way. Stalking through the night from tent to tent. Ensuring their careless nature could remain for just a bit longer.

[serendipizzy79]

We found Minthara being broken in the torture chamber.

Ooo she pretty. Those cheekbones 😍

Elma starts planning how to rescue the Night warden.

[vanmarkham]

OC DIRECTORY

characters with multiple ships are across multiple AU timelines, not polyamorous relationships

Dragon Age

Muirinn Tabris - she/her warden from dragon age: origins, 20 as of origin, 5'2 city elf, dual wield warrior, reaver/berserker, aries, chaotic good - zevran ❤ pinterest board - muren/zevran

Grant Hawke - he/him hawke from dragon age 2, 24 as of prologue, 6'2 red personality, force mage/spirit healer, taurus, true neutral - fenris ❤ pinterest board - grant/fenris - grant/anders

Gideon Trevelyan - he/him, nonbinary, any gendered language inquisitor from dragon age inquisition, 28 as of conclave, 5'10 human rift mage, cancer, lawful good - dorian ❤ & (rp) rodaine ❤ pinterest board - gideon/rodaine* - gideon/dorian

Hessarian Trevelyan - he/him gideons brother, 34 as of conclave, 6'3 human, sword and board warrior, templar, neutral good - tierce ❤ pinterest board - sarian/tierce*

Faron Lavellan - he/him inquisitor from dragon age inquisition, 38 as of conclave, 5'9 dalish elf, dual-wield rogue artificer, chaotic neutral - cassandra ❤ pinterest board - faron/cassandra

Mass Effect Trilogy

Grace Shepard - she/her shepard from the mass effect trilogy, 29 as of me1, 5'8 vanguard, earthborn, ruthless, renegade, chaotic neutral - tbd ❤ pinterest board

Baldur's Gate 3

Valztefein Rilynval - he/him tav from baldur's gate 3, 376 as of nautiloid, 6'1 lolth-sworn drow from menzoberranzan, college of swords bard, neutral evil - minthara ❤ pinterest board - val/minthara

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous

Cyril Lodovka - he/him knight-commander, 43 as of prologue, 6'4 svetocher dhampir from brevoy, studied in ustalav, vivisectionist alchemist, demon path, chaotic evil - camellia ❤ & (au) daeran ❤ pinterest board

World of Darkness

Quentin "Quen" - he/him courier from night road if, appears 25/actually 42, 6'1 clan toreador, chaotic neutral - julian ❤ pinterest board - quen/julian

*tierce hawke and rodaine amell belong to @sinquisition

[rhysnolastname]

night warden minthara has been… eldritch blasted into the chasm, meaning no spiders lyre for me….. so…..

[shadydruid]

Art vs Arist 2024! Previous ones:

[n1ghtwarden]

my little savior.

FROM THE DESK OF THE NIGHT WARDEN: SAINT MAUD. no longer accepting.

saviour. the word gives minthara pause; head tilted in interest when she watches alicent with hungry eyes, a low exhale leaving her breaking the silence that falls between them. the night warden had never felt the need to imagine herself as a knight; had never been one for the foolish stories from the above world singing of silver-clad warriors and their maidens fair, gone off to slay some dragon in exchange for a kiss. pathetic; weak - no; minthara does not consider herself a saviour of any sort so much as she knows herself to be a blade in the night - swift. sure. unrelenting. but the night warden does not need to be a knight to appreciate a beautiful woman such as @doloridis; and a thin smile cuts across her expression.

" such sweet words. " how quiet minthara's voice is; dangerously soft in the space between them as she watches alicent - takes in her pretty eyes; deep and warm as the glow of a torch in the underdark; the soft curls of hair that frame her face just so - the night warden is powerless to resist; and with a fluid, confident step, she comes close to alicent; a finger hooking under her chin to bring her lovely face into closer view; red, red eyes sweeping over her features, that wolfish smile still in place. " ...from such a pretty mouth. "

her fingertips are cool when they glide against alicent's jaw, ghosting against the warmth of her soft, soft skin - ghosting against the full swell of her lips, tracing her cupid's bow. " and if i am your... saviour, what does that make you? " the night warden's voice is a low, low rasp - caught within her throat as she leans in, slow in her approach; teasing. her other hand moves; tracing the curve of alicent's waist through the rich fabric of her dress - touch featherlight, but not hesitant. the night warden steps closer yet, chest to chest, brow to brow; her own lips ghosting against alicent's now as the hand that had so carefully traced them moves, fingertips gripping alicent's jaw; not firmly, but just enough to angle her in the way minthara demands - and ever one to tease, she denies a kiss.

instead, a dark chuckle catches in the back of her throat; looking down at alicent through half-lidded eyes; anticipating a reaction as the fingers at alicent's waist move upwards; tracing the curve of her ribcage. the night warden is a woman of many and great appetites - and in the name of every god minthara has a abandoned, she is starved. famished. it would be a shame not to drink her fill when a feast is waiting for her; and when she speaks, minthara savours the feeling of alicent's lips against hers - soft. kissable. but she is patient; ever so when need be. " i could think of a few names that would suit you, my lady. "

[spiderwarden]

❛   i felt your absence.  ❜   ( from nathbryn )

Absence. The concept inspires the softness of her brow and with it Minthara searches for the ever dominating presence in her mind. The one that had silenced all previous convictions and drove her ambitions forward in the name of the Absolute. She searches Nathbryn's expression when she realizes that there had been nothing - nothing. Minthara tilts her head - as if straining to hear that overpowering presence screaming for the world to OBEY, for Minthara to obey.

The Night Warden had sought for an answer from the Absolute and found.. nothing. It was an alarming silence that spread from the other Drow and it made her hesitate - suddenly there had been a clarity to her thoughts with a silence she had never known before. Or -.. became unfamiliar with. Somewhere there was an absence of .. herself, who she was, what she was. She was of House Baenre - the Matron Heiress - A Paladin of Lolth.. She had a daughter..

"Silence." Word comes harshly with the sudden lower of her brow and the sudden vault shut of her own mind, "You speak blasphemy ... " And yet her brow softens again, "There is something about you that I cannot wrap my mind around-" And her hand lifts by her own head before dropping again, "You are an abnormality but it is not my place to question the judgment of the Absolute. Celebrate .. Sister, you have brought a victory today."

Quotes that Broke Me / accepting / @oflolth

[n1ghtwarden]

how often the night warden had imagined this - restless nights spent seeing the changeling twisting under her maces; the joy and satisfaction it would bring her to see orin squirm and scream, and only see the night warden's smile in the dark and taste the same fear that had paralyzed the night warden. minthara baenre now knows that she is not the huntress here, instead a cornered animal baring its teeth, ready to lunge. perhaps she has always been prey.

feet dig into the soft earth below her, a stale breath leaving her lungs as she watches the macabre display before her. orin, sticky and wet with its' blood, jaw hanging haphazardly; a gaping maw, a wound instead of a mouth. minthara baenre, daughter of menzoberranzan, will strike the image of a long dead sister from the changeling until the memory is ash. it is a weakness, is a hesitation ( the same hesitation that had spared minthara, and doomed her sister ) that she will not make. her body is an instrument, a tool that she wields that has never failed her in the way so many before have. there is no oath on her lips when she strikes this time; no battle cry - but silence, her focus sharp and narrowed down to every movement, the way the changeling grips at the ring upon her fingers as the night warden's arm curves, body following surer and swifter than an artist paints, and the blades of her mace meet the exposed flesh of orin's shoulder, shredding it. no, not flesh. meat. minthara baenre does not know if this thought is her own or if it is orin's - doesn't want to know. her jaw clenches, hard enough her teeth could crack, so focused on the blood that had never been a stranger to her until now that she does not see orin's arm move - and the knife buries itself into her side. minthara tries not to scream.

pain burns, white hot and worse than any flame; sharp in her side as the changeling twists its' knife deeper, the grin upon their face terrible and slick and gaping. for a moment, she is in the colony again. she never left it; and a cry of pain leaves her when the knife does, hand at her side to staunch the wound, coming away slick with her blood. an animal does not know when it is cornered. it will attack until it is dead, until there is nothing left but ash and bone; and a snarl contorts her expression into something monstrous. how like her.

" lu'dos xun? dos, rosin d'ilta tsak carva lu'quanthiss xuil ilta nautkhurzon vlos. " she hisses; throwing herself again - fury and terror rotting in the pit of her stomach, the only things that drive her these days - and minthara baenre, daughter of menzoberranzan, knows it will kill her. unfocused in her rage, she misses another hit - mace bouncing off the preserved skin the changeling has shielded herself with. fury burns hotter than any flame minthara has ever known; up her neck, to her brow - behind her eyes that are filled with mutiny; her arm raises, seemingly aiming at the crown of orin's skull, then drops - the head of her mace landing a blow squarely into orin's chest, hard enough to knock the wind from their lungs, send them staggering back - and minthara drops with it, two bodies hitting the dust and dirt - only one will ever return to it.

chest heaving, minthara moves blindingly fast; years of training taking over; muscle memory that could never be forgotten or replaced, mechanical as the fist of bane's automaton toys as her thighs brace against orin's sides, ignoring the pain in her own. minthara baenre has been sharpened into a terrible thing for centuries - made and shaped to kill, to conquer - she cannot do this alone. not here. not now. her pride had gotten her here, after all; but this - oh, she could make it easier. send bhaal's chosen cowering back to the dark where it belonged - leave them afraid, leave her knowing that the night warden was coming, and would bring nothing but blood.

" your Lord of Murder does not, and has never heard you. " the night warden's laughter is pitched; deep and low in her throat - her smile all teeth, slick and sharp as her elegant fingers reach to her belt, closing around the hilt of a delicate, wicked blade - gleaming cruelly in the silvery light of midday. " allow me to aid you in your prayer. perhaps he will hear you once there is meaning to your otherwise senseless cries. " minthara knows she could make this quick - could. but there would be no satisfaction in that - and the knife comes down, dagger piercing the pale flesh of the finger that bore orin's ring - the secret to its quick appearances and disappearances. the night warden is not merciful enough to make this clean and quick, no - and gritting her teeth, she begins to saw at the flesh; ripping and grinding it against the dull edge of her blade in her search for bone, for tendons and nerves she will sever - orin will scream; has to. must.

A hiss of pain as the mace peeled away a patch of its skin before a bark of a laugh pushed through obsidian mouth. The tickle of Minthara's hatred turned to a blazing fire, searing its spiteful design into their flesh. Orin could FEEL how Minthara despised her so ( sister, oh sister, what have we become ??? ) and it burned and burned as patches of crimson appeared on its skin. Does seeing the blood make the pain lessen, Minthara ??? Does it undo what has been done time and time again ??? Visions of Vespera tsking in dissaproval blurred with the visage of Minthara's UNENDING HATRED and Orin could do nothing but laugh. A harsh bark, a cornered dog with NOTHING BUT THEIR BITE left to conceal just how afraid and broken it was. Minthara was the same, a mutt who was not wanted at home, a pup whose loneliness had morphed and contorted into something like a weapon. Can the teeth penetrate the thick layer of dirmus they've had to adapt to hide how broken they both were ???

A swing towards Minthara once again bounced off the armor with a pathetic clink, the teeth of the bitch of Bhaal failed to get beneath the UNFALLIBLE PROTECTION the gem of Menzoberranzan had adapted. Orin just LAUGHED AGAIN, aware of just how pathetic they both were. Dagger clutched tight in hand laid against the ground which Orin had been brutally beaten into. How far she had fallen, groveling in the dirt as Minthara had once been. Images played out of her FRIGHTENED FACE as Orin had skinned and chopped at the meat of the men who had accompanied her to Moonrise. How easy it had been to mold her into what Orin required then, so vulnerable so AFRAID. Minthara was NOT afraid anymore ( she was, she was afraid but was hiding it SO WELL beneath that mask of fury and hatred ), she was the one with the power here. The once thrall had dug its nails into the changeling's CLUTCHED FISTS and pried what it had taken from Minthara in that colony. But Orin's blood was still beneath its nails, her mark was so apparent on you, Minthara and you cannot escape it.

Teeth clenched to the point the ivory bone whined at the strain, jaw ached and burned. With a bit more effort Orin could fracture her own jaw, mouth would hang open and the maw would hang precariously open. Minthara did not require such an OBVIOUS VULNERABILITY to know just where to strike. Memories of a hand cut clean off in Orin's much smaller grip as she played with her OWN MOTHER'S LIMB as Helena Anchev bled out before the young changeling. She had cried out for Bhaal as the sticky crimson pooled on the floor, she had PLEAD FOR ANOTHER CHANCE. But Orin paid her no mind, it had a newfound sense of FREEDOM WITHIN THEIR CHEST. A levity from a weight which the young child had never noticed. But there was still MUCH weighing on Orin, crushing and grinding on their shoulders. And Minthara was right, Bhaal never did a THING to relieve Orin's burden.

Orin shifted a foot to press against the soil before it leapt back to their feet, dagger stabbing into Minthara's side. Finding the skin at last, the changeling used the wound's opening to steady itself once more. The changeling twisted the dagger for good measure before yanking the blade out and SHOVING THE DROW BACK. Orin shifted its weight before reaching for the ring again ( Helena's ring, one it had plucked from her hand once the rot began to set in ), prepared to take their leave.

" My mother DID NOT DESERVE the Dreadlord's blessing, " it spat out, words coated in venom. " She was NOT WORTHY, broken, foolishly misguided. Bhaal CHOSE ME, has blessed me. Her prayers were rejected because they were filled with her rot, a carrion unable to move a muscle, sinews all chewed up by the FLIES AND MAGGOTS. I am the living one, I am the one with blood RUSHING THROUGH MY VEINS, sticky and sweet and the very crimson Bhaal chose !!! " He would heed Orin's cry, he would. He would grant her prayer in place of Helena's, in place of Orin's sister's.

[n1ghtwarden]

SIDE-QUEST: THE NIGHT WARDEN.

or, the one where claire attempts to expand upon a lacklustre arc and side quest while incorporating the current state of the underdark and drow politics into the game and minthara's storyline.

i will note that in my canon minthara can be recruited in 'good' or 'evil' runs without sacrificing the grove. after realising that minthara is being controlled by orin, the player may make two persuasion checks with the artifact to disrupt orin's influence upon her and get the opportunity to knock her out with the intent of coming back for her after slaughtering the camp. however, by the time the party returns to her base in the goblin camp, minthara has gone back to moonrise to get more support - recruitment then proceeds as normal. this is written as it might appear within the player's journal. it has no set conclusion - as that will be another post regarding her fate at the end of the campaign.

CONTINUE TO TRAVEL WITH MINTHARA.

we recruited the night warden, minthara baenre, after rescuing her from the prisons of moonrise tower where we prevented her mind from being wiped. she seemed grateful for our help, and pledged her sword to our cause in order to destroy the absolute.

while exploring rethwin town, we encountered drow scouts - assassins? they became hostile immediately after glimpsing minthara. after killing them, she offered little explanation - stating her defection from lolth would be enough to kill her on sight in addition to the loss of her entire retinue. minthara seems uncomfortable with lingering here - we should press on.

as we continued exploring the shadow cursed lands, we discovered evidence of drow parties moving through, setting minthara on edge. we eventually found correspondence indicating these lolthite cultists are attempting to infiltrate the towers, where many drow have gone missing. minthara's name and retinue was listed here as well. minthara has asked us to help her find this small corps of scouts and their location - claiming if word gets back to them or they find her, she will be hunted for the rest of her days.

>IF SCOUTS ARE FOUND (WITH MINTHARA)

we found the scouts! minthara was insistent we kill them - we tried to talk to them, but minthara's presence made them hostile at once - we had no choice but to clear the hide-out. we found more correspondence indicating that it seemed a large portion of drow 'recruits' to the absolute came from small splinter groups from a larger group of menzoberranzan refugees. we also found letters containing orders from matron mother sos'umptu baenre. when asking minthara about this, she had no knowledge of any refugees from her city - and she refuses to answer anything regarding sos'umptu baenre.

>IF SCOUTS ARE FOUND (WITHOUT MINTHARA)

we found the scouts! they quickly proved to be a less than friendly bunch - and tensions rose - they keep their information guarded. we managed to steal correspondence indicating that it seemed a large portion of drow 'recruits' to the absolute came from small splinter groups from a larger group of menzoberranzan refugees. when asking minthara about this, she had no knowledge of any refugees from her city. minthara disapproves of our meeting them without her.

> IF SCOUTS ARE NOT FOUND

the scouts came upon our camp in the night and attacked us - claiming we are travelling with a heretic and deserter. we killed them; but minthara did not allow the last man standing the mercy of a swift death. we persuaded him to tell us why the drow were in the shadow cursed lands - he revealed they were baenre scouts and assassins working on behalf of matron mother sos'umptu; hunting refugees who left menzoberranzan. without warning, minthara killed him! she said it would be better for all of us if he were dead. it seems that minthara has no knowledge of any refugee groups from menzoberranzan, and while she did not speak on sos'umptu, it seemed as though she was shocked by this.

CONTINUE TO TRAVEL WITH MINTHARA.

we killed ketheric thorm and took his netherstone. minthara was grateful for this gift of vengeance, but stated we had more to do before it was fully done. minthara also spoke in depth about what happened to her at moonrise, and what orin did to her and her men.

we continued onwards to baldur's gate with minthara. once there, it was revealed that orin has been watching us since we came to rivington! minthara is trying not to show that she is afraid, but we can see it. she asked me to promise her that she would never fall into orin's clutches again. i promised her.

after finding our way into the lower city, we began to explore to find more information on the recent string of murders and the cult of bhaal. after finding a ritual circle filled with drow in the basement of a house, we left - only to be attacked by drow assassins in the street! they were wearing the same crest minthara has on her neck, so they must be baenre assassins. as we were fighting, another drow jumped into the fray to assist us - he is an excellent fighter, but is dressed in a rather eccentric manner.

SWORD OF MENZOBERRANZAN.

minthara addressed him as uncle! they both seemed surprised to see each other in baldur's gate; and while minthara did not sheathe her weapons, she did not attack either. his name is jarlaxe baenre - given that minthara has not killed him, that seems like a good sign. jarlaxe said they've much to discuss; and that he did not expect to see her again with all the rumours of the absolute and its cult. he has asked minthara to meet him in the evening at an abandoned house at the docks, as he suspects she has questions.

we left camp at night to meet with minthara's uncle. she warned us not to trust him. upon entering the abandoned house, jarlaxe is not alone - two others are with him, a man and a woman. minthara went for her weapons, but jarlaxe stopped her! with him are minthara's aunt and other uncle - quenthel and gromph. it was a tense meeting for us all; but it seems there is much going on. jarlaxe, gromph, and quenthel explain that in the two years since minthara's disappearance, a schism erupted in menzoberranzan, stemming from a 'lie of lolth' and quenthel's disobedience. civil war broke out; 3,000 dead, another 3,000 exiled - never to return, only to be hunted down like dogs. what's more, a cousin named yvonnel has been banished to the abyss - and minthara's mother, sos'umptu, after hosting lolth's avatar and becoming one of her chosen, had become matron mother to house baenre and now sat the throne of menzoberranzan. though the drow say they know she must destroy the absolute, they would have her aid afterwards - asking if she will help them free menzoberranzan from the shackles of lolth and sos'umptu.

minthara has asked for some time to reflect on all that has happened and all that she has learnt and missed.

minthara has told us more of her childhood and mother - and wonders just how long her mother has been planning this. she wishes to pledge herself to ridding menzoberranzan of lolth with her family members and their allies - but also wishes to take the city for herself once she kills her mother and unseats her from the jewelled throne.

>IF THE PLAYER CONVINCES HER NOT TO AID HER FAMILY ( persuasion check, 30. wisdom check, 25. intimidation check, 40 ).

minthara agrees with us that there might be nothing left for her within menzoberranzan; and that her family cannot be trusted. this action will have consequences.

>IF THE PLAYER AGREES MINTHARA SHOULD AID HER FAMILY

minthara has asked us to come with her when the fight is over, and provide our own skills in freeing menzoberranzan - though she suspects it will be a long, long road before they even set foot into the caves of the underdark.

THE QUEST CONCLUDES HERE, for now.