"You drow relish turning on your own, if there's something to be gained. Don't pretend otherwise.”
VAELRIN | THEY/SHE | Sorcerer & Assassin | age undetermined (120-150?? as of 1492 DR)
My first Tav for Baldur’s Gate 3, rewritten. While BG3 is based on D&D 5th edition, Vaelrin also includes 3rd edition lore. Shoutout to Astralities Elven Anthology for inspiring me to rewrite Vaelrin.
ALIGNMENT: True Neutral
APPEARANCE:
- Dark eyebags. Will sometimes wear smoky eye makeup with winged liner.
- Lips are a dark muted blackberry color.
- Red eyes, white hair with pale violet highlights.
- Neck tattoo resembling fire that goes past their jaw (may or may not change this)
- Scar across their nose bridge
Pre-Infection
Vaelrin is a zar'ithra (shadow draconic drow), born and raised to become an assassin for the Jaezred Chaulssin, a guild formed under the Church of Vhaeraun. Although Vaelrin already had sorcerous shadow magic like other zar’ithra’rin, they also became a hexblade warlock to rank up in the guild. She became a skillful assassin, motivated by her disdain for Lolth’s tyranny over the drow.
As Vaelrin grew older, they realized that Jaezred Chaulssin's objective of destroying Lolth was so that they could reshape drow society in their image. She became disgusted with the guild and thus escaped to the surface. They wound up in Moonwood, where she encountered followers of Eilistraee. Their priestesses took her in and provided safety, although initially hesitant to take in a Vhaerunite. During her stay, she befriended a few Eilistraeans and almost converted— until Lolthites raided their settlement.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6bw7YPFdDTT4MYsRT7UN0k?si=2f8628ff1a474151
Vaelrin was once again without shelter or provision. They eventually found their way to the city of Silverymoon, and then to Yartar to take up jobs from its criminal organizations. Vaelrin secretly remains a Vhaeraunite to maintain her thieving abilities, her devotion now driven by a need to make ends meet. She occasionally pays respects to the Eilistraeans who protected her.
NOTES
- At the end of the raid in Moonwood, Vaelrin went to wash themself off in a river. Once they were alone, one of the raiders attempted to kill them. Vaelrin subdued her, but now has a fear of deep bodies of water, and gets reminded of the fight when in contact with cold water. She actively tries to get over this fear.
- Her favorite pastime snack is honey or cheese on bread because it was all she could really afford most days. She saves money for food to fill up on before her jobs.
- Her favorite drinks are sparkling Ulaver and Silverymoon Blue wine. She drinks often, especially after a nasty job that made them question their morals.
- Very curious about surface animals when she first left the Underdark. They’re definitely a horse girl (gender neutral).
- Feels immense disgust with the Underdark's reputation for violence and war, and wants it to be free from all tyranny—meaning get rid of Lolth and her worshippers, first and foremost. When Astarion suggested using the Absolute’s power for good, she was very intrigued. She is not immune to his flowery words.
- Despite befriending Eilistraens, she is unlikely to convert to their goddess; she believes acts of kindness will not change an entire species that constantly turns against each other, and this method is too gradual. Not only that but being a stealthy assassin has its benefits.
- Her inner conflict is asking herself, “How many people can I kill before I become just like the ones I’m fighting against?”
- Empathizes with tieflings since people assume the worst out of their species as well.
REFERENCES
- Dragons of Faerûn, Part 3: City of Wyrmshadows by Eric L. Boyd (download PDF here)