LTB Parallel Timelines Project, Day 1
A journal of two separate playthroughs by Cannor the whispers bard, for one in-game day at a time. The goal is to iron out original plot points that fit in his BG3 story which I can use for a possible future story in Nua, my homebrew world (a substantially different setting). Some of those points might derive from my fic "Our Days Are Numbered" (which I hope this will help me continue writing) and some might derive from various "Singer x Sailor" playthroughs Cannor shares with my beloved swashbuckler rogue Zafraia.
This project will repeat and/or link to older posts, as well as last a long time—most of my playthroughs last at least 35 in-game days—so for those of you who've seen this stuff before and would rather not, mute the tag #ltb parallel timelines and be free of my OCs. At least in this instance. However ideally I won't do more than 1-2 per day, and each post will be fairly short. One other thing before I start: handy backstory reference for both Tavs is at Lore Galore: Cannor & Zafraia Pre-BG3. All right, let's go!
Day 1 (20, Eleasis)
Our Days Are Numbered: Events of Chapter 1, The Clown Suit (AO3 link): Cannor Coth is an over-the-hill, out-of-work envoy and erstwhile spy enduring his seventh year of exile from Baldur's Gate, his adopted home city. The most interesting thing that's happened to Cannor in years just took place: he was snapped up by the mind flayer nautiloid outside Luskan while doing his penance for losing a bet the night before. Coincidentally, the ship had also captured an old friend of his whom he hasn't seen in years, an elf soldier and scout named Farago. They both exited their pods at the same time and reunited. With help from Shadowheart and Lae’zel, they escaped the Nautiloid and woke up in the wilderness. They promptly re-recruit Shadowheart (hitting L2) and camp early.
Singer Versus Sailor: Washed-up bard Cannor Coth and debt-ridden smuggler Zafraia Zital, old rivals who haven’t seen each other in almost a decade since their joint exile from Baldur’s Gate, find themselves captured by mind flayers aboard the same Nautiloid. Upon escaping, they initially rage at each other, barely getting it together enough to flee the doomed vessel with fellow abductees Shadowheart and Lae’zel. On the beach, they continue arguing, and so vehemently that they ignore the other unconscious bodies strewn about (including Shadowheart). They survive encounters with intellect devourers (hit L2), frightened fisherfolk, and crypt bandits before, incredibly, running into their old friend Ruy (here with the bandits, but he ditches them for C/Z). They camp together and assess a path forward.
