#alakil

I have accumulated a bit of a collection of Aldiirn sketches (also feat. Cally and Zahne), so here they are for archival purposes.

turbósikoly

Pusztaföldvár, Békés

Alakil

“Maybe I’ll feel differently one day. Maybe you will too. A lot can happen in a life.”

Race: Drow Class: Monk (Way of the Four Elements) Place of Origin: Imberlur Companion Quest Name: Monk of the Masked Lady

A half-drow monk on a pilgrimage to represent his much maligned people to the people of Faerun, in hopes that it will open minds and hearts. He recently entered a new period of his life, and isn’t wholly sure what to do with himself.

Barb Ikkan

“If you believe you’re the one in control then you have gravely misread the situation.”

Race: Red Dragonborn Class: Paladin (Oath of Vengeance) Place of Origin: Baldur’s Gate Companion Quest Name: The Commandant

A battle-scarred sellsword who was once the charismatic leader that a now defunct mercenary company once rallied around. He is an old soldier whose extensive experience keeps the large and often chaotic crew running smoothly. 

Belaufein

“I didn’t join because I wanted to kill elves, alright? I was just trying to live. I’m just trying to live.”

Race: Drow Class: Assassin Place of Origin: Menzoberranzan Companion Quest Name: A Drow of No House

A houseless rogue from the lowest caste of drow society. After being recruited into a house army during Menzoberranzan’s civil war, he is now unable to return home after deserting his unit during a raid gone bad.

Pretty regularly referred to as Rat Boy in the comments.

Grenna

"The rest of the world is big, and loud, and scary. And some of the people you meet... well, most of them are fine, I think. Most of them are really just fine."

Race: Forest Gnome Class: Wild Magic Sorcerer Place of Origin: Yartar Companion Quest Name: The Flower of Yartar

An alchemist who came to possess powerful but unstable magical abilities after a traumatic encounter in the underdark. She left a seemingly idyllic community for the hardship of a coastal city to separate from a family that became overprotective after this incident, but still struggles to see herself as truly capable, and still fears to explore the full extent of the power she was granted.

Jack-Be-Quick

"Now THERE'S a story..."

Race: Lightfoot Halfling Class: Bard (College of Lore) Place of Origin: Baldur’s Gate Companion Quest Name: All For A Song

A bard who seems to be living the dream, apart from a years-long creative slump that has been steadily sucking the fun out of the whole enterprise. More cynical than is initially apparent.

Keep-The-Laws

“COME ON THEN!”

Ten years ago, Laws was involved in a robbery gone wrong that destroyed the life he was trying to build. He was abducted just as the key to finally setting things right seemed within reach, and he’s determined to reach it, even if he has to fight every for step from here to Baldur’s Gate.

Race: Tiefling Class: Storm Sorcerer [later Paladin] Place of Origin: Unnamed Hamlet Companion Quest Name: Blood and Thunder

Yggridel

“I’m glad they exist. Even the horrors. Even the mindflayers. The world would be poorer if they didn’t.”

Race: Gold Dwarf Class: 10 Cleric (Oghma, knowledge domain), 2 Wizard (Dvination) Background: Sage Place of Origin: Candlekeep Companion Quest Name: The Pilgrim From Candlekeep

A dwarven cleric of knowledge with some worrying mad scientist tendencies. Cursed to put their hands on everything, Dell is here to pull levers, solve puzzles, lick spiders, and perform other ill-advised experiments in the name of advancing arcana.

Pronounced Ee-Grid-Dell. Or just Dell, if you don't have much time.

gentlemen, there are

SEVENTEEN PEOPLE

in this hotel room at the end of act three

I'll probably never write a book but if I did Lael'breen would be a strong contender for main character.

I'm going to give a lot of backstory here, because even though she doesn't show up in HatG, her legacy is strongly felt in Alakil.

She was born first daughter of a lolthite house. (I haven't pinned down what city, but not Menzo for once, this needs to be further south).

She was heir to the house, second only to the matron, she has never quite lost all the mannerisms that were born out of that power, and is a bit intimidating because of it. Lael'breen tends to speak in declarations lol.

Her upbringing was in most ways typical of her station.

In her youth she was placed in charge of educating the next youngest sibling, her brother. They were as close as it was permissible to be- so, not extremely, but there was a bond there.

He left her care and was turned over to the weapon master at the usual age, but never made it as far as training outside of the house. Maybe he would have been better off training as a wizard, maybe the training was too harsh, maybe he really just couldn't cut it, but he died a few years later.

This was generally treated with disdain- it was his fault for being weak. Lael'breen never let that go.

It seemed pointless. The only reason she didn't kill the weapon master herself was that he was favored by her mother, so she couldn't get away with it.

She had a daughter while still living here, and as was customary that child was raised by someone else. She didn't really get a say in it.

This stuff is usually cited to paint drow mothers as uncaring, but wouldn't all that fuck you up???

The child she wanted was taken from her, only to be killed by a rival while training as a priestess. The brother she raised was abused to death and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

She was pretty disillusioned with Lolth by the time she started to get involved with both Eilistraean and Vhaeraunan sects. How that went down could be 30 more posts-- her affinity for both of them in different ways, her synthesis of their values, her relationships on both sides.

It culminated in her leading a large group of refugees, including lower ranking drow and slaves hoping to escape, a long way across the underdark, toward Imberlur.

This is where the name of the house they later formed comes from (Do'arn- walkers in fire).

And, she never totally integrated into Imberlur. She just can't totally get behind the openness that's expected. Hers will forever be the only house in town where all the doors lock. It's one more way Alakil is forever in between two worlds.

Like I said, she never really lost the attitude.

She's a great example of someone who often says the wrong things but almost always does the right ones.

For example: one of her kids is trans? She doesn't totally get it, but gives him a new name that means "beloved son." That should tell you everything about Lael'breen.

If she offers you assistance there is no requirement that you first change in ways you aren't ready for. She's willing to meet people where they are. She will help the imperfect victim.

Instead of "free mom hugs" its "free mom Kill Anyone Who Hurts You." Its not warm, but it's substantial.

Alakil's mom best ally.

Proud, fierce and regal, she is very much the ruler of her house. But she's a good one. Probably the best you'll ever find.

Alakil- shrine + self care

I wanted his tent to have a slightly "not from around here" vibe, so making it a notably different shape than most of the others seemed like a good first move.

He doesn't really sleep, and for sure does the unsettling bolt-upright early access trance pose, so there didn't so much need to be lay down on the floor space in there. It's more of a meditation room than anything, so it wasn't that much of a jump to add the Eili statue and make it basically a mobile shrine.

The training dummies are arranged in a triangle for multi-directional striking.

The little desk vanity outside is kind of at odds with the sort of neat, disciplined nature of the rest of it. Bro is a little vain!

Idles include:

crazy yoga moves

fight the training dummies

preening