Reveran Lyndoriel

Reveran Lyndoriel (born 10 Mirtal, 1355 DR), was a Tiefling ranger who dwelt in Baldur's Gate during the late 15th century DR.
== Character History ==
In Baldur's Gate 3 this character has amnesia and doesn't remember their past. For a better reading experience it's advised you start reading at Act 1 and circle back here when the story calls for it.
==== Before Current Events ====
Bhaal, the Lord of Murder, forsaw his inevitable death. He began populating Faerûn with his progeny, the Bhaalspawn, in a bid to resurrect himself when the time came. He picked potential mothers from all races, wanting his spawn to come from a wide variety. It was during this process that Bhaal's (along with most others) attention was drawn to the Hellriders of Elturel and their seige of Avernus.
Riza Lyndoriel was an esteemed member of the Hellriders of Elturel. When the Solar, Zariel, approached them with her plan to storm into Avernus and end the Blood War, Riza was all too eager to join her cause. She truly believed Zariel and the Hellriders would bring peace to Avernus and bask in all the glory that accompanied that. The Ride began and Riza burned with righteous fury, the confidence of the collective overtaking them all. What they found in the Hells was worse than any of them expected. Their numbers was quickly overwhelmed by the devils and the victory they'd been so assured of slipped from their grasp. It was a bitter realization that they never had it to begin with.
Riza escaped the fray and retreated. She was one of the few that actually managed to get out of there, and she was sure all of them were feeling the same shame, humiliation, and regret she was. For the next three days she trekked across Avernus in search of a way out, avoiding any trouble but barely so. Her wounds were still healing and it'd only take one able bodied devil to end her.
At one point she felt her skin ignite in flame. Riza fell to her knees and screamed. Her entire being felt like it was being ripped apart and stitched back together. It was only near the end of it all that she realized her skin, which had been a dark blue-tinted grey, was now a vibrant sulfur yellow. What was happening to her? It would only be long after that she'd learn of Zariel's transformation from angel to Archdevil, and that the tieflings that fought alongside her in the Ride had been transformed as well. No longer were they descended from Mephistopheles. For their actions that day they were now of Zariel's devil bloodline, and so would their children and children's children. The echoes of their failure would haunt them forevermore.
It was in her weakened state that Bhaal took her. She was perfect for his aims, a new race of tiefling that would take the worlds by storm, and so their child would be too. He didn't force himself upon her, as he had all the others, this time he tried something different. He inserted a piece of his own dead flesh, already twisted and changed by the darkest magics, and would let that grow in her instead. It was quite possible all his other spawn weren't close enough to him and that's why each had failed him, and this may fix that. Only time would tell, but he hoped for his greatest successor. A true extension of himself that he would use to be reborn.
When Riza woke up she wasn't laying on the smoldering, ashy ground of the Hells. She was laying on a dirt road, somewhere in Faerun. She had no idea what happened and never would. She managed to stumble her way to the nearest town, stinking of sulfur and her complexion almost glowing, and got her barrings. In time she made it all the way back to Elturel, becoming reclusive after being dismissed from the Hellriders for their unauthorized descent. It was a shameful exiling.
==== TBA (1355 DR) ====
It was a timid Spring morning when Riza had her baby. A boy, with pale yellow skin and her same eyes staring back at her. The new tiefling bloodline was a 
TBA. he hated being called rev. reveran until memory wipe.
==== The Green Cloak (TBA-1481 DR) ====
TBA
==== O Father, Where Art Thou? (1482 DR) ====
TBA
== Baldur's Gate 3 (1492 DR) ==
=== Act 1 ===
==== Escaping the Fires in the Sky ====
When Reveran woke, the first thing they saw was a Mindflayer. They'd never seen one in person before, but their ugly tentacle faces were unmistakable. The second thing they saw was a Githyanki, trapped in some kind of pod across the room. They watched as the illithid inserted something into the Gith's eye, and all he knew was he didn't want that happening to him. He watched on horror as the Mindflayer grabbed another one of those parasites, and no amount of struggling to be free of the pod stopped the little bugger from wriggling deep into his eye... the shock and pain forced them back into unconsciousness.
The next time they awakened the room was on fire. Everything hurt, but they remembered... nothing. All they could recall was their name: Reveran. A dark feeling stirred deep in their mind but they ignored it for the moment, stumbling their way around the ship and quickly finding a man strapped down with his brain exposed... and their minds connected. Or rather, the parasites within their brains connected, and that's when Reveran realized the exposed brain was alive, sentient, and a foreboding glimpse at his own future. Still, it seemed friendly enough, so he pried it from the skull and watched as it sprouted limbs and offered to guide them around.
Reveran recognized the Githyanki woman the second he saw her. She was ready to kill both him and Us, but then their parasites connected and it was glaringly obvious they'd need to team up to get out of this mess. The Githyanki - named Lae'zel - said she didn't know where the ship was but all that mattered was getting to the helm and steering the ship somewhere safe. Reveran, however, could tell this was Avernus. Maybe it was some deep tiefling instinct that remained despite his apparent amnesia.The trio fought their way through the vessel, choosing to save another captive named Shadowheart along the way. When he found her trying to escape a pod he wasn't sure they should trust her, and Lae'zel definitely didn't, but conscience won out and he let her out. The foursome were shocked when they reached the helm and saw a battle already happening, the controls on the other side of the chaos. Reveran didn't hesitate, he ran forward into the throng and weaved through the crowd with a percision he didn't remember having. The others did their best to hold the fighting back as he made their way to the controls.
He grabbed two tentacles and forced them together, which opened a portal ahead of them. Just then a Githyanki dragon burst through the window and blew fire, forcing everyone back as the ship teetered and span its way through dimensions. Reveran was thrown around a few times before getting sucked out the broken window. Their eyes locked with an injured Mindflayer's as they began plummeting through the sky, the ground rising up at them so very fast. Reveran didn't want to die, especially while not knowing who they were. There wasn't time to process their memory loss before but the freefall provides a moment to do so. It's not fair that they're going to go splat before figuring themselves out. But before they crashed a burst of energy surrounded him, vibrating and purple and almost warm, and it stopped him from becoming a pancake on the beach. All Reveran saw was the purple light, and then darkness.
==== A Quest Unlikely to Succeed ====
Lae'zel was missing from the beach when Reveran woke up, the sunlight almost blinding him. Shadowheart was down the way, also unscathed. She said that at least they seemed to be on the Sword Coast, but anywhere was better than the Hells. There was nothing to do but explore and try to get their bearings. As they navigated around and through pieces of burning Nautiloid, they stumbled across an unstable portal with a hand sticking out of it. The man inside begged to be saved, and something tugged at Reveran's thoughts. The dark feeling from on the ship came back in full force, and he imagined hacking the hand off instead of grabbing it. It was such a powerful image, he could almost smell the blood, but... he managed to snap out of whatever the fuck that was, and pulled the man through. It turned out to be the best choice because he was a wizard also infected by a parasite, and Reveran was quickly realizing the scope of their situation. He was happy for more assistance, so Gale joined the team.
Later, a pale man jumped out of the bushes and tried to trick Reveran into following him, and when that failed tackled him to the ground, pressing a knife to his throat. Reveran was ready to kill the attacker and even managed to push him off, but the situation deescalated when their parasites connected. They learned the man's name, Astarion, and that he was also a victim of the Mindflayers. He offered to join their party because clearly they all had similar goals in mind, and "you seem like useful people to know." They found Lae'zel being held hostage by some nasty tieflings. They had her perched in a cage and planned to kill her, and it took some liberties with the truth from Reveran to get her out of that mess. Shadowheart was fine leaving her to her fate, but the Gith helped them escape the ship and he wasn't going to forget that, even if she was standoffish and fucking rude. The tieflings may have been misguided, but they did tell Reveran about a druid grove nearby known for its strong healers.
The overgrown ruins were being searched by a raiding party when the group happened across it. They were meant to be looking for survivors of the nautiloid but got distracted looting, and Reveran threatened them if they didn't fuck off. They did and he was thankful it hadn't turned into a battle. Best to keep anyone looking for that ship far, far away from them. Plus, now they could loot this place themselves! After going through it room-by-room and swiping anything of value, Reveran found a room full of bones and crypts, and an ancient book recording long-dead Gods. After tripping a hidden button along a wall panel and triggering a horde of undead guards to attack, the group found a being trapped inside one of the crypts. Withers, while cryptic (lol), offered to aid them on their adventures and meet them at their camp when the time was right.
After establishing a campsite on a nearby shore, the six of them sat down that night and went over their entire situation for the first time. The Mindflayers had taken most of them from Baldur's Gate and infected each one with a parasite. They only had a week at most before they were transformed into illithids themselves, everyone in the world knew that, so their situation seemed hopeless. Still, with nothing to lose they all decided to stay together and try finding a way to remove their parasites. They needed to find a healer and quick. A quest unlikely to succeed, but they had to try. 
early in act 1 make sure everyone knows thievery is their main source of income so deal with it or bail and no one leaves so :3 
==== Whoever He Is or Was ====
A battle isn't something Reveran thought they'd walk into, but that's exactly what happened. A human man named Wyll was fighting a goblin horde gathered outside an ivy-covered gate, and before anyone could react flaming arrows were being pelted at them by the raging goblins. It might've been the smarter play to backtrack and escape, but Reveran wasn't the type to abandon an unfair fight without making it right. He may not have known who he used to be, but whoever he was now wasn't a piece of shit. After the bloodshed they were let through the gate into a beautiful druid Grove. Apparently Wyll was a monster hunter on a mission chasing devils, and the fact he had a parasite too would make him a perfect addition to the team. Reveran made a mental note to find him later, after the post-fight commotion settled down.
The Emerald Grove was so close to the crash site that there's no way they didn't feel it when it landed, and Reveran wondered what the people here thought happened. The grove truly was beautiful, with expansive greenery growing alongside an ancient temple. They wondered if their past self enjoyed beauty like this, or if it was something new. There was something exciting underneath the anxiety, something freeing about rediscovering yourself, but ultimately Reveran wished he could just remember. He was clearly middle-aged and lived a whole life he can't remember. Would the old him approve of what he's been doing? Would present him hate who he was? So many possibilities. Unfortunately the situation escalated too quickly for him to dwell because in the center of the Grove the druids were chanting, gathering magic for some kind of ritual. A sealing spell, they learned from a tiefling refugee named Zevlor, that would encase the entire Grove in vines to seal it from the outside world. It would protect everyone inside from the goblin forces, no one in and no one out, but the refugees were being threatened by the druids to leave in the next couple days before then. They'd been displaced ever since the descent of Elturel, and if they left the Grove they'd be killed by goblins before even reaching the forest. The druids de facto leader would hear none of their pleas. An archdruid named Halsin used to lead the Grove, but he'd been captured by goblins days prior and hadn't been seen since. It also happened that he was a master healer with a special interest in illithid parasites, and could very well be the solution to their ceremorphosis problem... but not if the Grove sealed itself off before they could find him.They agreed to meet with the Grove's temporary leader to buy time, and on the way met a lot of interesting characters. There was an elderly human trader named Ethel, who was sweet as pie and as cute to boot, and Reveran decided to ask if she could help with the parasite (which Shadowheart hated) because of her potion knowledge. She said there may be a way and to find her at her home at a nearby swamp. After they convinced a sibling trio (Rolan, Cal and Lia) to stay in the grove and help fight. Wyll was helping Asharak teach the tiefling children to fight and he used that moment to approach him about joining the party. He wholeheartedly agreed and said he'd meet them at their camp after he was done the lesson.
When they found the druid leader, Kagha, she was about to execute a tiefling child. Reveran managed to talk her down, but that was all the ground she was willing to give. She flat out refused to stop the ritual when they asked and reaffirmed her hatred for the tiefling race (right to Reveran's face, how rude). Sensing the shifting tension in the room, Reveran instead applauded Kagha for her actions and that of course they'd convince Zevlor to leave. This deception gained them full unrestricted access to the Grove and they used it wisely. Or rather, they would have, had Gale not immediately used that moment to reveal he needs to consume magical items or die, or had Shadowheart not also taken that moment to explain she's cursed and sometimes it jolts her with pain. Timing, people.
They eventually found Nettie, a healer who worked under Halsin, and told her everything. She was ready to kill them when she learned of their parasites, but her scientific curiosity won out and she examined them instead, ultimately deciding to give them a poison strong enough to kill them should they feel the symptoms come on in any way. Reveran was disappointed she couldn't help them and for her initial deceptions, but he took the poison regardless. Whoever he is or was, neither wanted to become illithid.
On their way out they found a chest in Kagha's room that contained a secret letter confirming further correspondence at a nearby swamp. The same swamp Ethel lived in, how perfect, they could kill two birds with one stone.
==== An Absolute Crock of Shit ====
The druids had a goblin named Sazza locked away in a cave cell near the back of the Grove, where some tieflings were threatening to kill it. Reveran couldn't feel bad for her, she made her bed and was lying in it, but she kept going on and on about "the Absolute" and how it was rising goblin kind to new heights. She seemed to have a lot of knowledge of things their group had yet to discover, and he knew if Memnos and Arka would killed her she'd take all that good information to the grave. He stepped in front of her cage to protect her, and after talking their way through it, turned attention to the captive. She wanted free, and promised she could take them to a powerful priestess and healer back at her camp. Hoping not to regret it he picked her lock and escorted her out of the grove through a secret back tunnel. Sazza fled into the forest, promising to help them at the camp.
As the group was about to head back, they overheard three people hidden in the trees. Edowin was bleeding out, Andrick and Brynna desperately tending to his wounds. The second Edowin spotted the group, all of their parasites connected in a flurry of chatter and memories. He'd also been infected, and he proclaimed that other "True Souls" have arrived to replace him, and that Andrick and Brynna should follow them after he dies. Reveran pretended to know what the guy was talking about to avoid yet another pointless fight. They revealed they'd been tasked by their god, the Absolute, to find a band of fugitives that escaped on a Nautiloid, but were attacked by an owlbear while searching the forest. Reveran wanted to ask them what a True Soul was and how the illithid were connected to this cult, but couldn't risk ruining his own lie. Once Edowin died, Reveran commanded the two to continue their search far, far away from here, and the two happily took to their new orders and scuttled off, not once suspecting they had just spoken to the very people they were meant to capture.
It seemed they had two places they needed to check out: first, the swamp, where evidence and Ethel were waiting for them. Then, the goblin camp, to maybe find out where all of this cult stuff was coming from. Maybe this priestess could actually help them, but more likely not, and if Halsin was alive they could save him too. It would be dangerous but they had no choice.
==== Snap, Crackle and Pop ====
After sneaking back into the grove through the same tunnel, they accidentally took a wrong turn and ended up in the building next to the prison instead of the prison. A girl named Pandirna was sitting on the floor and called them out, threatening to call for backup as they were in a restricted place, but Reveran managed to calm her down first. She explained that a potion she drank made her legs stop working and she was no use to anyone until it wore off so they stuck her in there to guard the boxes. Reveran offered to try healing her, but as he reached out... something welled up inside him... something so vile, so evil, and so good that it consumed him. He couldn't not give into it, there was no choice but to follow it to its rewarding end. Before he knew it he was snapping her legs, fracturing the bones over and over and over as she screamed in agony. The snap. The sinew tearing. The pleas for mercy. The last sound Pandirna made in this world was a violent sob.
When Reveran came back to himself, the others were staring at him in horror. Gasping, he looked at all their faces and shakily said, "she was going to stab me. I saw the blade and reacted." Luckily for him there was a blade tucked behind her, and he had seen it briefly during his episode, but that wasn't what made him do it. As the others accepted this lie and slowly convinced themselves that had to be truth, Reveran felt like throwing up, because he knew that whatever that was came from inside him. He wasn't there in those moments, something else made him do it... at least, that's what he has to believe, right? Surely these urges weren't his own... the weight of everything he didn't know about himself truly hit him for the first time, and he might break under it like Pandirna's legs had.
====Beyond the Glamour====
The plan was to head west toward the goblin camp, which they learned was inside a ruined Selûnite outpost called the Shattered Sanctum. However the second they left the grove they were approached by a sulfur-smelling prick named Raphael, who offered to help them with their parasite if they agreed to deal with him. When Reveran hesitated he dragged the entire party to his home in Avernus, revealing himself to be a devil. Reveran may not remember his past but he knows no version of himself would make a deal with a devil, and tells Raphael as much, which he clearly didn't appreciate. He sent them back to Faerûn after some cutting words. Reveran thought him to be a pompous ass.
On the walk west, Gale suddenly keeled over, gasping for breath. Reveran ran up to him and Gale said he needed to consume another magical item, and he had to choice but to give him the locket they got from Arabella's mother, Komira, as a reward for saving their daughter. He absorbed the magic, breathing it in, and the marks on his chest glowed purple as the magic was consumed. Unlike last time though Gale didn't immediately recover, instead he took a few shaky breaths and admitted the magic isn't sating him the way it was before. His condition is getting worse, and when Reveran asked if there was anything he could do to help Gale assured him he was already doing enough, and the two smiled at each other.
They were approaching the town Moonhaven that laid just before the Sanctum, but something off the path caught their eye instead. It was a woman, swearing loudly as flames sparked off her skin. Wyll started freaking out, claiming that this was the devil he was hunting and now that we'd found her he was going to kill her where she stood. The "devil" - Karlach - stated she was an unwilling soldier in Zariel's army and that finally she's free and never plans on going back and her parasite shared memories backed it up. She'd rather die. Wyll was still set to kill her but Reveran managed to drive some sense into him, and Wyll had no choice but to relent, having seen the truth for himself. He said he'd be punished for that choice later but didn't elaborate. Karlach officially joined Team Parasite, but not before helping her defeat Anders, an agent of Zariel sent to recapture her.
Moonhaven was overrun by goblins, which everyone considered a problem except Reveran, who was sure they could play a "True Soul" to con their way through. Edowin was convinced, after all. Maybe he could use that to get more information on the cult too. However, while camped outside the town wall, they heard some voices discussing a swamp to the south. This was exactly what they needed to hear and Reveran couldn't believe their luck, so the squad made their south. Found Johl and Demir arguing with poor Auntie Ethel. They claimed she was a hag and had taken their sister Mayrina, but Reveran knew Ethel. Met her in the grove and everything and she hadn't done anything evil. Maybe, just maybe, if his hands weren't stained with Quil's blood, he would've looked closer into what the men were saying. Maybe even believed them. Instead he doubled down on helping a poor old lady in trouble, anything to cleanse his soul of the horrors he's committed thus far. Reveran knocked the brothers out and Ethel once again extended an invitation to her home.
==== In the Light of the Dark ====
What they found wasn't a swamp, but a beautiful valley with long grass, happy animals, and sunlight spilling everywhere. It only took a few steps for them to pass through the glamour. The floral valley slowly faded away, revealing a grotesque and grey swamp. Someone had wanted to hide this place, and Reveran wondered if Kagha was powerful enough to shield the entire swamp. But why would she? As extra security for whatever she was planning? The idea that Ethel could be behind it was too beyond their denial at that point, even if Shadowheart didn't trust her.
The note from the grove mentioned a large tree at the center of the swamp and it wasn't hard to find. What was hard was the ensuing battle against a clan of Redcaps that were protecting the area. How far did Kagha's defenses go? At the base of the tree sat a chest containing letters between Kagha and a sect of Shadow Druids, who wanted to use the Rite of Thorns to seal the Grove and take it over. The note was (hopefully) all the evidence they'd need to convince the other druids to abandon Kagha's schemes.
The confrontation with Kagha was full of brainwashed nonsense. The party sauntered into the room she was holed up and told her she needed to stop what she was doing, that they knew who she was working for, and she obviously denied it. The room was ready to fight against them but that's when Reveran revealed the letter to Halsin's second-in-command Rath, and the mood changed quickly. The Shadow Druids, who had been hiding in the grove disguised as rats, finally revealed themselves and all hell broke loose.
Reveran made one last attempt to reach Kagha, acknowledging that she only wanted to protect the grove but going about it like this wasn't going to save it. Being the villain isn't really what she wants, and she knows that's what she's become. At her core she's a druid, a servant of nature and Silvanus, and neither would want everyone here to die. She was better than this. Tears forming in her eyes, the illusion shattered and she was overwhelmed by what she had done. She was willing to kill a child over this at one point, and she really thought she was okay with that. Kagha said she couldn't be forgiven for what she'd set in motion, for letting the Shadow Druids poison her mind with their whispers of power and security, but fighting against them was the least she could do. Reveran agreed that it was a solid start, and Kagha rejoined the side of good to destroy the Shadow Druids. With them gone she called off the Rite and decreed the grove would remain open to all until Halsin was hopefully saved.
Zevlor and the other tieflings thanked them for their help and now that they didn't have to worry about leaving unprepared, together everyone in the grove could finally focus on the true enemy: the goblins, and whoever or whatever was leading them. After they stopped by Dammon's shop and he and Karlach started chatting about living in the Hells, and she explained what Zariel had done to her: removing her heart and replacing it with a mishmash of hellish machinery, that was growing more and more unstable the longer she was away from Avernus. He did some tinkering with some infernal iron and patched her up enough to last a good while, but they'd need to meet again in Baldur's Gate to make any actual progress with it.
==== A Little Torture ====
Reveran awoke in the night, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. He forced himself up to get some air, stumbling through the camp trying to regain some composure. It was then that a figure materialized in the darkness, small and creepy and full of secrets. He introduced himself as Sceleritas Fel, claiming to be Reveran's butler. When Reveran demanded the little fucker tell him about his forgotten past, the little imp just smiled and said "Our betters don't want that." He spouted a few more cryptic one-liners before departing, leaving nothing behind but a cape he claimed was a reward for all of Reveran's murders. A reward for losing control to the darkness inside him, how fucked up was that? He was disgusted, but from the context here it seems he wasn't always disgusted by it. Who the fuck was he really?
The next day they found an old "friend" in Moonhaven, the goblin Sazza. She was being harassed by a few other goblins and quickly ran up to the squad for help, using them for leverage but also vouching for them in the process. All Reveran cared about was finding the priestess, Gut. With all the fucked up mysteries surrounding him he'd be extremely happy to be rid of the tadpole. One less complication, although he'd miss having the authority that comes with it. It's become very clear that anyone with an illithid parasite gets the True Soul moniker fromt he cult and getting through their defenses will be much harder without it. Just because the True Souls weren't transforming into Mindflayers and were existing long passed their expected expiration date didn't make the situation any less dire. What's a few grains of sand when the hourglass has already been tipped over for so long?
They escorted Sazza into the courtyard of the Shattered Sanctum, using their True Soul status to weave through the barricades. However, before they could get inside, a vision overtook the group. Reveran was forced to his knees as the voice of the Absolute whispered into his ears, into all of their ears, weighing down their consciousnesses with it's own. He saw visions, mainly of a trio shrouded in shadow, as the Absolute announced them as her Chosen. They were meant to follow their orders to glory, and he wanted to. In that moment he wanted everything the Absolute wanted, and he didn't question that for a second. But just as soon as it all began the connection was severed, and the mysterious object Shadowheart was carrying around since meeting her flew from her bag and floated in the air before them. It pulsated with magic and let out a burst, and Reveran felt the last traces of the Absolute dissolve from their mind. Whatever that orb was, it was the thing protecting them, and Reveran made a note to push Shadowheart for answers later. Now that the visions had stopped they had a mission to continue.
The goblins were celebrating their horrific exploits by having a party in the courtyard, dancing and singing and laughing and drinking. If it weren't a celebration of murdering innocents Reveran would've considered having a quick dance or playing a short song on the lute Alfira had given him. Instead they let Sazza bring them inside the Sanctum, but Shadowheart paused once inside. She revealed the castle was once a temple to Selûne, and that as a Shar worshipper she was distraught being there. Reveran said he didn't care who she worshipped, they had work to do and it was a free world, which she seemed to appreciate. Sazza went on to introduce them to the priestess, a vile little thing who'd clearly drank the Kool-Aid, but she offered to brand the group with the Absolute's symbol, declaring them a True Soul to all in the cult. No one wanted to do it but Reveran accepted, willing to endure a magical brand if it meant getting closer to solutions. Gut said she'd looked inside their mind and caught a glimpse of the parasite, and she had a solution in her chapel. Reveran considered saying she had one too, but decided best not to. These people were too far gone for the truth.
He followed her to the chapel where she tried to give him a potion, but something deep in his subconscious recognized the smell of sleeping agents. When he told her to fuck off she used a spell to manually knock him out and teleport him to the downstairs jail. There, she tortured him, and he vowed to kill her before the day was done. Using brute force he ripped the chains from the wall and lunged at Gut, using the chains to strangle the life from her tiny body. She laid limp on the floor as the rest of the party found the prison and let him out. Hidden deep in her chambers was an entrance to a Selûnite Outpost under the Sanctum, nestled deep in the Underdark. They'd have to circle back for all this later.
Back upstairs, the next step on Sazza's tour was introducing the group to a drow named Minthara. She was a leader within the cult and, because of the brand, assumed they were on her side. Minthara revealed her plan to take an army to destroy the Emerald Grove, and Reveran encouraged her to do this "for the Absolute!" They knew Minthara was going to do it anyway, so why not buy some good will first? Fighting her forces at the grove, on familiar ground with trusted allies, seemed the smarter play than attacking her here where reinforcements were just a call away. Minthara said she'd set out ahead with her forces and meet them at the grove the next day. She relished in the thought of slaughtering everyone there and bathing in their blood. If she wasn't evil Reveran would've thought she was so kinda hot. They also learned about the existence of a man named Ketheric Thorm, who was waiting at Moonrise Towers for her status report. She really, desperately wanted to please him, and Reveran wondered what kind of person would be capable of hanging out there. Those towers were in the middle of the Shadow-Cursed Lands.
After she'd gone the party stumbled upon a prisoner named Liam who was tied to a torture device. He pleaded for freedom, but Reveran knew the guards wouldn't let this go smoothly unless he played the part. Steeling himself he used a staff to smash his balls and a hammer to shatter his knee, which sated the dark part inside him. The guards left, thinking Reveran would finish him off. Instead he profusely apologized and set the man free, asking him questions the entire time. Liam had been in the group escorting Halsin when they were taken prisoner by the cult. Halsin was looking for information on illithids and Liam's group was looking for something called the Nightsong, so their interested seemed to align. They'd been hired by a sorcerer named Lorroakan to find it and it led to their capture here. Now that Gut was outed as a fraud, Halsin seemed like their best and only hope for a cure.
Saving Halsin wasn't that hard, just a little confusing because he was transformed into a bear for most of the prison break and they didn't realize it was him for so long. He was thankful to be free and terribly upset about the forces en route to the grove, but he was happy that Reveran and the party intended to help. He revealed that the cult was sending prisoners to Moonrise Towers because that's where True Souls were being made. When the party asked if he could heal them, he confessed that he had no way to remove the parasite from their heads, but he'd be willing to help them find answers at Moonrise just as soon as the grove was safe. He departed, promising to meet them there. As the party was leaving the Sanctum, Reveran stopped and looked around at all the debauchery and hatred seething in the goblins, and he knew the grove wouldn't be safe as long as they lived. Minthara could summon them and send endless waves at the grove, so he made the decision to slaughter them all. He started by slipping a vile of poison into their alcohol pot, and everyone at the party choked on their blood and died. They then spent the rest of the day cutting down every last person in that accursed camp, including the other leader Dror Ragzlin. It was gruesome and maybe even cruel, but these goblins would've raped and pillaged the countryside had they been left alone.
====A Song of Our People====
As the sun vanished on the horizon, Gale took Reveran aside and explained his condition. He told him all about how he'd been a consort of the goddess Mystra, and overstepped in his pursuit of bolstering her power, so much so she implanted a magical orb inside his chest. An orb was consumed magic, specifically strands of the weave, to remain stable... but the second it became unstable it'd explode, killing him and anyone near him when it happens. "An explosion the size of a city" was how he put it. Now that the magical items weren't sating the orb's hunger as much, he was worried his time was running out and offered to leave camp for everyone's safety. Reveran took his hand and assured him he was staying put, they all started this together and they'd finish it too. Gale did his best to hide the tears welling up his eyes, but Reveran knew.
In the morning Astarion just casually mentioned to Reveran that he was a vampire. "Since it hasn't come up naturally," he said. Reveran said it was okay, which was true, and that he knew all along, which wasn't true. He was properly shocked, but he could tell Astarion was taking a risk revealing this secret, so he played it down to keep him relaxed. It's not that he has anything against him being a vampire, especially since he hasn't used that to hurt anyone so far, but it was still a shocking revelation nonetheless.
Minthara and her army were travelling to the grove by land, but the party made it first because they had the foresight to just teleport there. It gave them that entire night to prepare for battle with the druids and the tieflings, and by morning everyone was ready for the fight. Everyone spread themselves out along the top wall above the ivy gate, and steeled themselves for what was to come. The goblin army soon arrived, weapons draw and ready to taste blood, and Zevlor made an impassioned speech to the group. After, Minthara connected with Reveran through their parasites, mocking them all. She commanded he open the gate, still thinking they were on the same side, but Reveran just smiled and shook his head. She vowed to make regret going against the Absolute and the battle began.It was a long battle, rough battle, but against all the odds no tieflings died along the way. Good was winning out. With the goblin forces decimated once and for all, Minthara drew her blade and hopped into the fray, ready to take the grove down by herself if she had to. She was a very skilled fighter but she made the mistake of underestimating Reveran's skill. She even paused at one point when their blades connected, questioning how he as a ranger was so skilled with blades, and he had no fucking idea. He could only assume past him was a jack of all trades. She also overestimated her own abilities, soon falling to the might of the grove. But she put up a good fight, and in the end lost because she got knocked out from a blow to the head. It was actually quite embarrassing for her, only furthered when Reveran stole her clothes (they were really nice clothes) and left her naked and unconscious on the ground outside the ivy gate, sleeping in her shame.
That night everyone from the grove (except Kagha who was repenting in solitude, apparently) celebrated their victory back at camp. Volo was serenading the crowd with his flute, and everyone swirled and danced and drank. Reveran had a few drinks but were happy coasting right along the line between tipsy and trashed. Their mind had already been altered enough with Mindflayer parasite powers. Alfira approached and said she'd write a song about him and his bravery, but he told her to write one about the tiefling race instead. She agreed, hoping it'll show Faerûn how tieflings really are.
Gale pulled him aside and asked if they could meet after the party settled down because he wanted to show him something. There was something in his gaze, somber and sweet, that made Reveran want to agree more than anything. So he did. Shadowheart seemed lonely, but content enough with being at her own tent. She didn't strike him as the partying type anyway, but they had a drink together. She also poked fun at him by saying he and Gale looked mighty cozy earlier on. Lae'zel was eyeing Wyll up with lust in her eyes, which was funny to Reveran because she was constantly stabbing him at long rests. Maybe that's how Githyanki showed interest. Wyll told Reveran he became the Blade of Frontiers through a deal with a devil named Mizora, and that she'd likely be showing up sometime in the future to punish him for not killing Karlach. He couldn't say what his deal was, apparently secrecy was apart of the contract, but he did say it was curious she hadn't shown up yet. Mizora wasn't the type to let obstinance go unchecked.
He chatted with Halsin a bit, who seemed happy to be there but anxious to press on. Whatever he had to do in the Shadow-Cursed Lands had a tight grip on him. Karlach was also dancing to the music, but away from everyone else, probably because she was scared to accidentally burn someone. He went over and danced near her for a bit, and turns out she was just happy to be somewhere good things could happen. Even if it meant she couldn't fuck, and he felt for her. A life without fucking would be tough. She also made fun of him for getting closer to Gale and all he could do was roll his eyes. Everyone at this party was a fucking gossip!
After the crowd had dispersed or passed out from drinking, Reveran made his way over to Gale's tent. Gale said he was hoping to show Reveran how to channel the weave, which he quickly agreed to. Gale showed him the hand movements and said the magic words, all Reveran was able to mimic exactly (with a little added flair). The weave reacted to them, surrounded them, engulfed them. Became them. It felt warm and inviting and like a soft hug after a tough day. He could see why Gale was so enthralled with magic. Here, together in the weave, he felt closer to Gale than he could remember being closer to anyone (which isn't a big surprise with an amnesiac, but still). Their gazes linked, their bodies close and their minds connected, this time because of something other than a parasite. Somehow, he knew all he had to do was imagine, and Gale would see it. So he imagined them kissing, soft and slow but descending into a fury of passion. Gale blushed, clearly surprised, and said he didn't think Reveran felt the same way back. The weave began to dissipate, leaving them cold and alone back in reality. He wanted more, he wanted to do exactly what he had envisioned, but the moment was changed now. It no longer felt like the right time, and they both knew the other felt the same. Reveran was disappointed, sure, but he knew that when they did kiss for the first time it would be even more perfect, because it would be the right time.
==== Kill the Hag ====
Reveran's daily ritual was to drink a ton of potions that he felt could aid him during their adventure. One of them was a special strength elixir that Auntie Ethel sold, and so the party made their way through the valley toward her teahouse. That's how they came across a man named Gandriel, who claimed to be a monster hunter seeking a target. Reveran briefly thought him and Wyll may get along because of their professions, but that thought was quickly interrupted by Astarion being racist toward the Gur. But that also took a backseat because it turns out Mr. Gur Monster Hunter's big target is Astarion himself and that he was hoping the hag could help him. It was a lot of information to receive all at once, especially the confirmation that Ethel was indeed a hag and not a kindly old lady. There's no way two separate groups of people would think that of her if it weren't true, and now Reveran looked a right fucking fool. He knew he'd have to face Ethel for real now and save Mayrina, who definitely was in danger before. He was so mad at himself for being so willfully ignorant. But first, the vampire hunter, who may have gotten mercy from Reveran under normal circumstance but since he was pissed about Ethel and feeling defensive over Astarion, decided to let the vampire kill him. Astatrion ripped Gandriel's throat out before he could even fully process what was happening, let alone by who.
This time Ethel's schtick didn't land, and realizing the jig was up shed her human disguise. The glamour around the valley wavered and broke, revealing the true swamp underneath. She grabbed Mayrina and disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving several redcaps behind to fight her battle. Fortunately, Shadowheart's keen perception clocked that the fireplace wasn't really there, so the whole party ran back there and down the stairs, avoiding the redcaps entirely. Once in Ethel's underground lair they were confronted with the true scope of her horrors. Some people were petrified; a woman lay dead with her eye on a spike; and a man so convinced they were Mindflayers that no amount of reality could save him. They pushed further into her domain, fighting minions controlled by her twisted masks until finally they were before the swamp bitch herself. She had Mayrina suspended in a cave above a chasm.
Fighting Ethel, in a lot of ways, was harder than defending the grove. Minthara and the goblins were straightforward and brutish, but Ethel used magic to create duplicates, disguise herself as Mayrina, and become invisible. In the end not even her trickery could win the fight and when that became apparently she called for a ceasefire and gave the party a choice: Let her take Mayrina and leave and she'd hand over a boon, or they keep fighting and people die. Sick of everyone's shit Reveran said she'd hand over Mayrina and the boon, or die by his hand personally. Spooked, she complied, but vowed vengeance later down the line. Whatever, he thought, just glad to have done something about her bullshit, and now that she was gone there was only one thing left to do: Loot the place!
Much later, as the party was traveling from the Zhentarim hideout, they came across a dragon descending from the sky. A group if Githyanki were amassed on the mountains, and Lae'zel wanted to speak with them. The leader, Kith'rak Voss, was a real piece of work and Reveran didn't trust him. He also seemed to be on his own mission and assumed Lae'zel was on it too, so Reveran urged her with a look to go along with it. She did, and ultimately it only reaffirmed her own objective: Go to the crèche to be cured.
==== Lady Esther Wants an Egg ====
On the mountain pass a woman named Esther asked the party to steal a Githyanki egg from the nearby crèche, which she confirmed is hidden inside Rosymorn Monastery. Apparently she had tried and failed already on her own, and wanted to raise one outside of Githyanki influence, nature vs. nurture and all that. She didn't know how lucky she was that Lae'zel was lagging behind going through stuff in her pack or Reveran suspected she'd have slit her throat right then and there. Reveran agreed with her terms mainly to bargain for upfront payment, so at least he could benefit from her stupidity. He had no intention of stealing that egg.
Further down the way they ran into an old man in wizard garb and Gale recognized him as the legendary Elminster, and a personal friend. Reveran and Gale wanted answers for his sudden appearance, but the old fuck was determined to be cagey and weird. He insisted he couldn't tell them anything on an empty stomach, and Reveran agreed that he could go back to camp and recoup because he saw no other way of moving things along. They could always force an answer out of him at the next rest, and the others would make sure he behaved himself until then.
Rosymorn Monastery was a foreboding ruin of a building. It stood...(describe) as they approached the front door and saw Githyanki dragging prisoners inside, the dream visitor whispered that they didn't want the party going to the creche, and not to trust the Githyanki. Reveran decided to keep going forward despite these warnings, although maybe a brush more carefully than they were planning.
Immediately upon entering the monastery they were attacked by horde of gremishka, and then cornered by an ancient guardian of faith, and then attacked by a giant eagle family. A room full of drunk and angry kobold looters really topped the whole experience off, but at least it all led to discovering information on the Blood of Lathander, which used to be housed in the monastery. No wonder the place was under constant looting, there's a lot of people out there that would kill for such a powerful item. They decided to give the place a search too and putting their detective hats on, realized the shattered stain glass mural in the further tower was actually a cipher for a puzzle: By placing the weapons of all previous dawnmasters on their respective shrines, a secret panel in the wall opened and gave them a special crest that would apparently help them when the time came. Further poking around led them to the entrance of the crèche itself, deep below the main entrance. They decided it best to wait another day and recover from today's battles before starting new ones.
The dream visitor showed up again in the night and insisted Reveran start using the parasite more often, that despite being illithid it could help them in their struggles. He tried asking her questions, basically begging for answers, but once again she denied to give them. He specifically asked if she knew what was causing his dark thoughts and urges, but she played it off. He was so sick of people not being straight with him when that's all he ever is in return. It's not fair. She did reveal that the magic she was using to protect them she'd stolen, and that someone wanted it back. Interesting. At least it was something.
==== The Gang Goes to Crèche Y'llek ====
Lae'zel talked their way into Crèche Y'llek by admitting they needed parasites purged from their minds. They were allowed entry, but it was a strained encounter at best. Once inside Reveran managed to save a youth named Varrl from his vicious teacher, and the kid told Reveran the story of Orpheus and how he dreamed for that kind of world, one where he was still alive and the Githyanki weren't ruthless killers. He took the slate from Varrl that contained the story and made a note to ask Lae'zel about it later.
It turns out the tense atmosphere in the crèche wasn't because of their presence, it was because Queen Vlaakith's inquisition squad was sent to the crèche to find a weapon in the area, and all their resources were being redirected into finding it. That, however, wasn't their concern so they pushed forward toward the cure Lae'zel so fervently promised them. The path led them through the hatchery, where a sole egg remained. Reveran was reminded of Esther in that moment, and while part of him was curious if her plan would work, it wasn't enough to actually go through with it. However the overseer of the hatchery, Varsh Ko'kuu, said that if someone didn't take the egg it'd be killed for taking too long to hatch. Lae'zel would never admit it but Reveran caught a distraught grimace pass her face, for only a second. He offered to take the egg and raise it safely if it wasn't going to survive there in the crèche, and surprisingly he agreed to it. He had Lae'zel go and grab the egg from it's perch, and he could've sworn her eyes lit up as she slipped it carefully into her bag.
The Zaith'isk was the Githyanki's solution to cermophosis. Apparently anyone who could withstand it's probing would be cleansed. Lae'zel was desperate to get inside, but Ghustil Stornugoss was giving a weird vibe that Reveran didn't fully trust. With that in my mind he volunteered t endure the machine first, an act Lae'zel took as a small betrayal but was really an act of protection. She may be prickly and have homoerotic tension with Shadowheart, but he'd grown very fond of lizard bitch. So he climbed into the machine that seemed more alive than machine, and let it delve intro his mind. He withstood great pain, and it turned out the dream visitor didn't like it. She begged, then screamed for him to stop, and he enjoyed having the upper hand for once in this very one-sided relationship, even if it meant enduring great pain. He also felt his parasite changing, evolving, getting stronger... the Zaith'isk was having the opposite effect than they wanted but it was too late to stop. Finally the dream visitor screamed enough and the entire machine exploded. Lae'zel assumed the machine was tampered with and that there was a traitor in the creche, so the party sought out the creche leader Kith'rak Therezzyn to report it. Pretty much everyone except Lae'zel knew the machine was just bullshit but humored her anyway. She'd arrive at the right conclusion iun her own time and forcing it on her now would just piss her off. At least meeting Therezzyn gave some mild context on the artifact, but nothing Shadowheart hadn't told them to that point. Therezzyn said that for whatever reason the artifact had chosen them to wield it so they needed to take it to the inquisitor.
Going to the Inquisitor was also a way to force the dream visitor to tell them more, at least that's how he justified it. Probably stupid to willingly wander deeper and deeper into a Githyanki creche, but choices were already made. He just wanted answers one way or another. During the conversation with Inquisitor W'wargaz, Vlaakith herself appeared before the party. The actual goddess queen herself, and Reveran bowed. He didn't come all this way to die from a faux pas. Vlaakith claimed the artifact was corrupted by someone hiding inside, which was obviously the dream visitor, and asked the party to go inside it and fix things by killing the intruder. The artifact is the only weapon that can stop the Mindflayers, which Reveran believed. That's the only thing she said he recognized as truth. He still agreed to go inside, not to fulfil her commands but to finally demand answers from the visitor. Face-to-face.
The prism turned out to be a portal into Astral Plane. It kind of made sense if you thought about it. Almost immediately upon entering they were confronted by the dream visitor, who expressed disappointment. Reveran didn't fall for their little guilt trip though, instead shooting back at her with questions. Who was she? Why did she save them? Who was she stealing her power from? Why wouldn't she tell him about his forgotten past? Instead of answering, because of course she wouldn't, was by getting on her knees and offering him her blade. "You came in here to kill me, so do it," she said, stoically. Reveran rolled his eyes and told her to stop being so dramatic, she obviously wasn't going to die today. He affirmed that just because he didn't want her dead didn't mean he trusted her either. She finally told him something useful: Vlaakith was lying to the Githyanki about being able to stop the illithids. If they rose again she wouldn't be able to stop them, her entire reign was built on lies. She also told him that the full might of the creche was waiting to kill them in a double cross, and to be careful when leaving. Back at the portal Lae'zel was furious that Reveran didn't kill the guardian, and refused to believe the truth when he brought it up, fully convinced her queen was rightful. When he said that the creche was going to attack them upon leaving she said she'd wait and see who the true liars were. He felt bad for her because he knew she was about to have her whole sense of self shattered, but better that than be faithful to a fraud.
And to no one's surprise except Lae'zel's, the Inquisitor double crossed the party. The entire creche became hostile. Despite her crumbling faith, Lae'zel fought alongside the party the entire way out, leaving no survivors aside from the youths in the training hall. At one point Reveran swore he saw tears streaking her face, but he knew better than to ever bring it up.
==== Sacrificial Lambs ====
With the creche clear, the party stumbled across a statue puzzle in a treasure room, which opened up a tunnel leading deep under the monastery, even deeper than the creche. What they found was a series of ancient booby traps and seals, and it was kind of glaringly obvious this was related to the Blood of Lathander, which wouldn't you know it was a mace nestled inside a contraption deep in the heart of the tunnels. Reveran approached the device and could feel the holy energy radiating off it, clean and bright and cleansing. He reached out and tugged the mace free, and everyone held their breath. A few heartbeats passed as nothing happened, so maybe this was fine and wouldn't trigger any trips. Of course this jinxed it and the universe reacted accordingly by having a bunch of unseen mechanisms start clanking to life. A barrier came down and sealed Reveran around the device, and large crystals on nearby pillars sprang to life and shot lasers out of a portal to a weapon outside (describe this better later). The entire monastery shook as everything roared for the first time in a century. Removing the mace activated a weapon bent on blowing up the monastery itself, and any thief inside it. Reveran was trapped but the rest of the party began attacking the crystals, hoping to cripple the device. As one crystal fell and then another it became clear they'd have to take them all out. It was only as they were almost done shattering the final one that Reveran noticed a slot on the device, and he suddenly remembered the dawnmaster crest they found upstairs. Inserting it into the slot shut the whole machine down, and all he could do was say sorry to the others who'd fought so valiantly against it.
Lady Esther confronted the party as they exhaustedly stumbled toward camp from the monastery. She asked if they'd successfully gotten her egg, and Reveran told her to piss off. She wasn't getting that damn egg. He'd been hoping to just never see her again, but in the thick of things he'd forgotten all about her nonsense. She tried to whack him with her sword but Lae'zel swooped in and stabbed the old woman in the side. She screamed and tried to cut Lae'zel's head off, but that just led to further fighting which ended in Esther dead on the ground. Reveran thought he should feel bad but the woman was clearly deranged and prone to violence. She'd made her bed, and he was too tired to give a damn.
That night at camp Elminster revealed that Mystra wants Gale to use the orb in his chest to blow himself up. The resulting blast would be devastating, killing anyone in a large radius of it, including the Absolute itself if he got close enough. Reveran told the old wizard to fuck off and Gale was also rightfully pissed, but Reveran managed to hold back from punching the old cunt right in the face. How dare he and Mystra ask something so vile of Gale? He didn't care about whatever twisted logic they were all using to justify Mystra being a cunt, but she was being a cunt. Reveran made his stance to Gale very clear even though he didn't seem to agree, and went to bed angry about the whole thing. The last thing he'd said to Gale was that they'd find another way and he meant it. They would find another way.
Kith'rak Voss snuck into their camp that night and nearly got killed for it, but he begged Lae'zel to hear him out. He was a secret denouncer of Vlaakith, loyal to the true prince Orpheus, and was hoping Lae'zel would join his cause now that she'd been shunned. Still processing her trauma, Lae'zel hadn't fully broken free of her conditioning yet and told him to fuck off. Reveran encouraged her to hear him out, and she did. He had a way of getting Orpheus back, he just had to get to Baldur's Gate to procure it first. He extended an invitation for the party to seek him out there when they could, so they could free the Githyanki together, and Lae'zel hesitantly agreed. What an eventful night it was.
==== Tinctures of Hope for Freedom ====
The Underdark was full of unforeseen dangers. Immediately outside the Selûnite Outpost they ran into a spectator and several mind-controlled drow. One of them was named Dhourn and, once free, spoke about a place called the adamantine forge, the location of which was imprinted on a memory crystal on his person. The party was fine with letting him go on his merry way but apparently he'd betrayed his old partner in the pursuit of the forge and he now had to kill them too, to eliminate competition. He didn't listen to reason so he died for his sins. Reveran took that crystal too, may as well see what the hill he died on was like.
At the Arcane Tower they used poetry to get passed an automaton named Bernard. After that they fought several minotaur that were creeping around the roads. After a while they heard voices whispering, as if the lands themselves were trying to communicate. That's when they stumbled across a Myconid Colony, and the guards revealed they were behind the whispers. The Sovereign spoke to them through a psychic song, a threatening song. Reveran realized it was a test and focused on the tune, piecing together that it was one of sadness. Sadness, and... loss? He assured the voices that he was only there to help, and the guards stepped aside.
Most of what was in the colony made sense: Mushrooms on every surface, spores floating in the air, even a few whacky traders. But a chill Mindflayer? Was not on their guess cards. Although scary looking, Omeluum was actually pretty kind and agreed to help when told about their parasitic affliction. He rifled through their minds in an attempt to connect with it, but discovered that the tadpoles were infused with strange magic, which Reveran already knew, and that the magic was also keeping it in stasis. He also referred to Reveran as "brain damaged," which he took mild offense to. He elaborated further by saying something other than tadpoles had been inside his brain, probably to take away his memories. Omeluum still tried to help by brewing a tincture he thought would help weaken the parasite, but instead made it stronger. He apologized and said he'd try looking into other solutions and while he may have flopped so far, at least he was trying. At least he was communicating and not keeping secrets like some people.
There was a gnome named Thulla laying in the center of the colony, poisoned and dying. Reveran thought she was dead at first and stole her boots, ripped them right off her feet, but she woke up and chewed them out. He still kept the boots, but as an apology cured the poison. She was so thankful she let the boot thievery go and she begged the party to save her clan - the Ironhand Gnomes - from being enslaved by drow cultists at the Grymforge. All roads were pointing them toward that damn forge.
After, the Sovereign showed the party a vision of the duergar raiding their colony and killing their young. He asked them to kill the remaining ones on the beach as vengeance, and the party was down for a little genocide (especially Astarion). There was another Sovereign, Glut, taking refuge in the colony after his was decimated by the duergar and he wanted to join them on their murder spree. Reveran didn't like the guy, he wasn't as pretty and luminescent as Spaw, but ultimately agreed because backup is backup.
==== Remember ====
That night at camp Gale talked to Reveran about his ex. How they'd curled up by a fire together, reading a tome. How warm and safe he felt spending that time with her. Reveran was about to make some crack about being jealous when he realized Gale meant his fucking cat. He talked about hitting rock bottom after losing Mystra and how his cat, Tara, brought him back to sanity. She wasn't even really a cat, she was a Tressym, but whatever. He said she'd love Reveran if they ever met and he tried really hard not to blush at that. He said that he'd like to see more of Gale in future and for some reason that was surprising. As if they didn't almost make out in the weave at the tiefling party. What a clueless dork. Anyway he said he's looking forward to seeing Rev in the morning and would love to keep talking about this, but he's paranoid about his condition exploding if he gets horny.
While walking back to his tent, thinking about Gale and everything they just discussed, he found Astarion gazing into a mirror. He was upset because he couldn't see his reflection and hadn't since he died two centuries before. Couldn't even remember his original eye color. Rev offered to be his mirror and described his features to him, which Astarion really appreciated. His mood lightened, Reveran felt a sense of accomplishment for making his good friend feel better. The owlbear cub also showed up at camp that night but Shadowheart scared it off by accident.
Fighting the duergar was embarrassingly easy, it's no wonder they went after the young and not the experienced fighters in the colony. The real challenge came after when Glut betrayed the party, claiming he wanted dominion over the Underdark's Myconoid's for himself. Honestly Rev was just happy to have a reason to off the guy, he was disgusting and made everyone at camp uncomfortable with his disgustingness. Spaw was super happy when they returned and reported the carnage, but said that so long as the drow leader Nere was still alive then true justice hadn't been served. As incentive Spaw gave them a book on how to operate the adamantine forge within the Grymforge.
The party saved a man named Baelen that was lost in the Underdark, surrounded by explosive mushrooms. He was hunting for noblestalk to sell at his shop back in Baldur's Gate and it was only after he left Reveran found the noblestalk tucked behind some rocks. It called to him so intensely, the magic within it tugging at his brain... at his memories. It was trying to give something back to him and he wanted it so desperately. It took him longer than it should've to notice Shadowheart staring at the mushroom too, also feeling the same pull. The promise of knowing themselves again. They know the other desperately wants it, but there's only one mushroom. Only one memory that can be reclaimed. Reveran has wanted answers this entire time, it's the driving force behind so much of what he's done... but looking into her eyes, seeing the desperation and the loss there, mirroring his own... maybe he had to finally accept that his answers will come in time, or maybe they won't. He'd just have to be okay with whichever happened. What he ultimately needed to remember was beyond what this mushroom could do for him anyway... so he let Shadowheart have it. She choked it down like a man deprived of air and just... remembered. She remembered being a child at a Shar cloister. The other kids were teasing her, but a tiefling boy was her friend. His name was Rennald. That's all the mushroom gave her.
(scroll up. have shadowheart mention the artifact choosing to be with rev at the creche. also have her reveal her memory loss/shar curse earlier on, maybe at the goblin camp)
After many more adventures in the Underdark (notably a harsh encounter the Sussur Tree), the party came across a false god going by BOOOAL (clearly a bastardization of Bhaal). He was just a common Redcap tricking a clan of Kuo-Toa to worship him. The party freed them from his fake reign and then they made Reveran their god instead. He humored them but was happy to get out of there.
==== Touched by the Hells ====
The party boarded the boat that would carry them to the Grymforge. Along the way they were ambushed by a duergar vessel and Reveran kicked their leader into the river. That was statement enough and the ensuing battle thankfully went quickly, and then they had two boats. Reveran steered the original while Gale led the other, and together the two boats drifted into the forge. Which, it turned out, was an ancient Sharran temple, a fact Shadowheart surprisingly didn't mention. Maybe she was still shaken from her returned memory, but he didn't ask. It wasn't the time.
The forge was completely overrun with duergar. Most were assholes hellbent on torturing and killing whatever was closest, but Reveran went down history lane with Stonemason Kith, the only nice one of the lot who had an interest in history. Together they theorized about the past of this most ancient place and it was a fun little bonding experience. After Reveran convinced a herd of deep rothe to kill their abusive duergar masters, mostly out of concern for them but also because it'd mean less work for them later if they ended up hostile.
One of those asshole duergars was named Brithvar, and he had one objective: Kill Nere, which just-so-happened to align with the party's interests. They all agreed to work together, but first Nere would have to be freed from a cave-in further in the forge. Apparently Nere had enslaved the Ironhand Gnomes to dig out an ancient part of the Sharran temple to please the Absolute, but had gotten trapped in a poison-filled room. They'd have to free Nere from the wreckage just to kill him. Of course they could've let the poison do that for them but Spaw specifically wanted Nere's actual head, and the gnomes trapped with him didn't deserve to die there. Reveran gave Sergeant Thrinn her boots back to gain favor, and then approached Barcus once the charade worked. He'd been captured while trying to save Wulbren again, because of course he did. Rev promised he'd free all of them but to keep working until he could find an opening.
In the end he blew up the rockslide with a smokepowder bomb and Nere strutted out. He immediately berated the gnomes for not freeing him sooner and used magic to shove one woman backward into lava. Reveran told him to stop, and when he refused the party had no choice but to blow their cover and engage in battle. Brithvar may have been a brute but he was a brute of his word, and he and his forces joined the fray to help out. The gnomes hid in a nearby corridor the entire time, which no one could fault them after their ordeal. Nere died bloody and bruised, and Reveran took sick pleasure in cutting his head off. The way his blade sunk into the skin, piercing... tearing... slicing sinew and bone. The blood felt so good on his skin. He could feel this all the time if he'd just give in... but he shut that thought down quick, but it still took longer than usual to do so. According to the saved gnomes, Wulbren was taken to Moonrise Towers some time ago and Barcus was big sad about it. Apparently the cult wanted Wulbren's knowledge on runepowder.
The party delivered Nere's severed head to Spaw, who bestowed upon them the titles of Kin Spirit and Light Chanter, respectively.
Lae'zel decided she wanted answers and the artifact from Shadowheart, and she thought doing so in the middle of camp was the right time for that. Her argument was that it was clearly of Githyanki origin and thus rightfully hers. The two of them were bickering like mad hens and Rev tried to calm them down, but they still left pissed. Everyone went to bed on a bitter note that night, and of course it was Shadowheart that took it too far by trying to slit Lae'zel's throat in her sleep. She's a lot of things but subtle isn't one of them so it the struggle woke Rev up. He talks Shadowheart down and convinces her to be chill, and she and Lae'zel make a homoerotic truce.
In the morning the gang went back to the Grymforge and attempted to use it based on the book Spaw gave them and the pieces of mithral ore they'd found around the temple. Activating the forge revived an ancient automaton resting deep under the lava so they had to deal with that (mostly by pelting it with arrows from above), but it was worth it in the end because Reveran got to make a fancy scimitar for himself and Shadowheart got a fancy shield. The first in a long time and probably the last things to ever be made in that forge.
The party got on the cable car and it traveled through the Underdark, along the burning lava and the singed ruins, to the furthest side of the Sharran temple. There was a door there that led to the surface and straight into the Shadow-Cursed Lands.
=== Act 2 ===
==== Under Better Circumstances ====
They stepped into a land of glowing darkness, which shouldn't make sense but that's still what they found. The darkness had a weight to it, almost making it too hard to breathe, and it swirled around them like a predator circling it's next meal. Twisted, knotted trees lined the road and the cold winds sounded like ghostly moans. It was like all life had been leached from the earth and the its corpse mutated beyond recognition. It was only minutes before the shadow curse began to corrupt their minds and weaken them, but it clearly didn't affect Shadowheart like everyone else. This pushed her further into her faith in Shar, because obviously a disciple of the goddess wouldn't be affected by a curse bearing her origin. If Reveran wasn't actively choking on evil air he'd probably have rolled his eyes.
They stumbled across a brazier covered in vines, and Gale used some magic to start it up. The light offered a reprieve from the curse and their lungs untightened. Lighting it also attracted a group of wandering Harpers, and after a tense moment of distrust one of their own got yanked into the darkness. "The Shadows took him," they said. One of the many creatures corrupted by the curse. Yonas's zombie-like form stumbled out of the mist and tried to persuade his former comrades to join him in the dark. When they held their torches out to try and keep him at bay he summon the Shadows to fight alongside him. The Shadows almost killed them all, Reveran wasn't afraid to admit that. They nearly all ate shit and if the party and the Harpers hadn't found each other when they did both groups probably would've died. Their squad's leader, Lassandra, told the party about somewhere called the Last Light Inn and how it was the only place in the whole region not consumed by the curse.
As the Harpers went on ahead, Gale grabbed Reveran's hand and held him back so they could have a moment. He admitted that the fighting had turned him on and he wished they were somewhere more private. He just wanted to let him know and Reveran gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, a silent promise of later. Of course Shadowheart and Astarion had lingered nearby and probably heard all of that, and it's no wonder everyone at the tiefling party knew he and Gale were into each other.
Despite Lassandra vouching for the party, they were still stopped after crossing the bridge into the inn's courtyard. Jaheira introduced herself by ensnaring the party in vines and interrogating them. Reveran was as honest as possible but she still didn't believe them, and that only got worse when she held up a bottled parasite and watched it react to the psychic field from the party's. A battle was definitely going to happen and despite the party's successes so far, this felt final. They were still affected by the traces of curse and were severely outnumbered. Maybe he should've complimented her scimitars or something, just to gain favor. Too late now but they do look cool, and being a wielder himself appreciates how badass they make her. That's when Mol of all people ran up and told Jaheira to stop being a wad. "These are the people that saved us at the Emerald Grove!" and went on to list all the individual kids they'd saved during that time. This was what finally made Jaheira lower her defenses and listen. Despite her wanting to kill them a second ago he still shows her the Artifact (which caused her little alarm parasite to explode in the jar) and explained how it protected them and returned their free will. She was clearly still hesitant but admitted she had no reason not to trust them anymore, at least enough to come inside the inn and share their resources.
However once inside she went back to her trickery, offering Reveran a chalice of wine that barely hid the truth agents she'd snuck inside it. For some reason he respected her nerve, trying to spike him, and drank it without fuss. He also knew it'd be easier to keep her on side if she knew everything he said was the truth. She asked if the parasite was changing him and he said yes. She gave a brief rundown on Ketheric Thorm: how he was a Selûnite that turned to Shar after his family died and rose an army of Dark Justiciars in her name and conquered the region. Jaheira, along with the Harpers and druids from the Emerald Grove (including Halsin) banded together to kill Ketheric. It was only after his death that Ketheric's ultimate plan was activated, and the shadow curse fell upon the land. It stole life, it twisted souls, and it was unstoppable. Despite the lasting fallout they all thought the fight was over, until recently when the Absolutists began appearing with Ketheric leading them. He had somehow returned after a century. She also revealed him to be immortal now too. She had tried to kill him herself but he just pulled the arrow right out of his eye and kept going. She praised Reveran and the party for being smart enough to use their parasites to spy on the cult. Finally someone that appreciated the art of playing both sides! And she admitted to liking him, which he took as a huge personal victory.
Jaheira's interview ended with her them about Isobel, a cleric of Selûne living upstairs. She was the one protecting the inn with her magic.
There were a lot of familiar faces at the inn, including Dammon and that accursed strange ox. He was mumbling under his breath so Rev asked the beast what was up, to which he shows Reveran a vision of his mind: a landscape littered with bodies and soaked in blood. Reveran had no choice but to chuckle and say "You too?" They were kindred spirits and the ox gave Rev a topaz as thanks for being so chill.
Alfira told them that cultists attacked the tieflings on the road and killed a lot of their numbers. Memnos and Asharak were among the fallen. Cal and Lia saved Alfira but were captured right after. Rolan managed to get her and the kids away to safety, but everyone else was taken or killed. She said she'd lost track of Zevlor in the chaos and that was probably taken to Moonrise with the other captives. He promised her that he'd try to find them. Speaking of Rolan he was drowning his sorrows at the back of the inn, blaming himself and everyone there for letting his siblings get captured. He was especially mean to Reveran, who offered to help anyway but was shot down, mumbling that he'd save them himself. He may be a prick, but Reveran felt for him.
And of course no party would be complete without raging douchebag Raphael making an appearance. He was playing a game of lanceboard with Mol when happened upon. She was clearly trying to scam him and since Reveran hated Raphael, helped her do it by approving when Gale gave her tips. The devil took it in good stride but made mention of a deal he'd offered Mol, and Reveran told him to stay the fuck away from her. Raphael made some idle threats and scurried off. As much as he knew the devil wanted to kill them, they all knew how valuable the party being alive was to Raphael's cause. It'd only get them so far but he was willing to enjoy it while it lasted. Killing Raphael would surely come, and it wouldn't be easy.
Counsellor Florrick was having a war meeting in one of the bedrooms. She told Reveran that Baldur's Gate was having regular Absolutist attacks, but also mentioned how Lord Gortash and the Steel Watch were keeping a hold on things. The Steel Watch were apparently Gondian automatons that the city was using as a police force. A campaign she hadn't liked the idea of at the time but was thankful for now. In the same room there was a man named Art Cullagh passed out in one of the beds. A Flaming Fist sat at his bedside and said he was one of the original Fists, making him a hundred years old. He'd been taken by the curse, wandering in the darkness for all that time, his body unharmed but mind taken. They'd found him while making their way to the inn with Jaheira and Florrick. He kept mumbling the name Thaniel in his sleep.
True to Jaheira's word, Isobel was upstairs. She introduced herself to the party and gave them a temporary Selûnite magic charm to protect them from the curse. Shadowheart was disgusted by this gesture because of her loyalty to Shar and Isobel called her a terrier. Honestly she ate Shadowheart up with that one and they all knew it. The entire time the two were bickering, though, that ugly urge within him was calling out. It wanted his attention but he swallowed it back and pushed it down.
A man with wings slammed down on the balcony of Isobel's room. He strutted through the door and Isobel recognized him as Marcus. He was a Flaming Fist that had arrived with the others. showed up. He revealed that since then he'd been converted to the cult and was now a True Soul. He was there to kidnap Isobel on Ketheric's orders. She could would go willingly or they'd kill everyone to get to her. In response the party drew their weapons and steeled themselves for another fight because there was no way in the hells he was taking her. Beyond the obvious truth that being evil and kidnapping were fucked up, there was also that without Isobel the inn would become unprotected and everyone would die anyway. Marcus summoned a horde of winged horrors that immediately began attacking people. One literally carried Mol away into the sky. To make a long story short, Marcus was ultimately defeated and his monsters mauled. Specifically by Isobel who burned him alive with Selûnite magic. Jaheira tasked the party with finding the source of Ketheric's invulnerability so it could be destroyed, because another attack on the inn was definitely coming sooner or later, and knowing how easy it was for the cult to surprise them unnerved everybody left.
==== Dolly Thrice Pays a Horrible Price ====
The Harpers knew that cultists were traversing the Shadow-Cursed Lands freely without worrying about the curse and Jaheira wanted to know how, so she was sending a convoy out to stage an ambush. They'd kill a group of Absolutists and take whatever it was protecting them. Simple! So simple that Reveran and the party agreed to go along because any device capable of staving off the curse was worth having. Torches would only get them so far, especially with the cult's plans gaining momentum.
Kar'niss and his merry band of fuckers came wandering by the building the Harpers were hiding in. Reveran was pretty low, tucked behind some boxes on a platform just off the road, being the lookout. He's not sure why they entrusted such an important job to him but he was happy to go along with it. Even though their lives were always hanging in the balance he found adventuring fun. Exciting. He's not sure who he was before but the him now enjoys the theatrics of battle. Anyway, Kar'niss was holding a bright white lantern in his spidery claws. Whatever was powering it was strong. Everyone could feel the curse weakening the closer it got, it's light almost purifying their very souls. That's when Reveran's foot scuffs against one of the crates, causing Kar'niss and his guards to call out. Knowing the jig was up but still needing to buy time until they were closer, he stepped out into the light and began a dialogue with them. Their parasites connected and thorugh that he convinced him the spider man to trust him. True Souls stick together, right? He drew closer to Reveran and revealed that the lantern was given to him by the Absolute herself. Rev signaled and the Harpers launched their attack, pelting Kar'niss through the chest with arrows. It didn't kill him but it was enough for all hell to break loose.
Inside the lantern was a pixie. She had been imprisoned for far too long and every moment inside the lantern hurt her. She begged for her freedom, so Reveran gave it to her. He pried the lid free and pulled her out in his palm. The urge to crush her with his bare hand was so strong, but he resisted. It seemed those thoughts were getting harder to ignore, louder and more present each time they appeared. He chose not to worry about that now and convinced Dolly Thrice to help them now that he'd helper her. She was crass and mischievous now that she'd been freed, but still handed over an enchanted bell bestowed a Pixie Blessing upon them. The blessing shielded them from the curse.
They found Rolan when reaching the end of the ruined battlefield. He was under a bridge fighting several Shadows and it was not going in his favor. The party intervened and saved him, which only got them more flack from Rolan. He broke down and berated himself for even attempting this, and stormed off back to the inn. Reveran still felt for him but he was really starting to wish the guy would lighten the fuck up.
A projection of Mizora appeared before the party on the bridge to Moonrise Towers, informing them that the Cult of the Absolute had captured an important asset of Zariel, a powerful devil, and that Wyll specifically must rescue them for her. At first everyone was confused because they'd never seen Mizora before and didn't know who she was, but that truth was made apparent from Wyll's reaction. She officially introduced herself and apologized for not stopping by sooner to punish Wyll for his disobedience but she'd just been so busy lately. She saw her not being able to hurt Wyll as a favor to them and said they could repay her by doing this one little favor for her. It was that or she just kill him for defying her twice in a row, so they didn't really have a choice. Stressing out the importance of the mission, Mizora disappeared as quickly as she arrived
==== Walk Like an Absolutist ====
The party finally made it into Moonrise Towers (describe them later). There was a lot of commotion in the foyer as cultists chatted and traded, but the real noise came from the throne room just beyond. Reveran peaked through the door and saw Minthara being interrogated by Ketheric Thorm himself. She begged and pleaded for her life, swearing her failure to capture the Artifact wasn't her fault but rather faulty goblin servants. Reveran felt bad for her in that moment, but he wasn't really really sure why. She was by all accounts a monster, but her actions at the grove were forced by the parasites. It was the same feeling he had when facing Kagha for the last time, that special brand of pity that made him foolish enough to want to help them. Following this feeling he reached into Z'rell's mind and forced her to be reasonable when judging Minthara, and it actually worked. Instead of killing her outright Z'rell blamed the goblins, and Ketheric had Minthara taken to the jail to kill later. Still not great, but at least she was alive.
He nearly went pale when Ketheric turned his attention to him and the party still lingering in the door. The man asked what he thought should happen to the goblins since they were taking the blame. Reveran had no choice but to act like a True Soul would and said just to kill them. He would've tried to spare them too but there wasn't any more grace to give in this throne room. The goblin Drenn was so infuriated that she picked up an axe and lodged it straight into Ketheric's chest. He slumped in his seat, dead, but only for a moment. He ripped the blade from his own chest, dropped it at her feet, and commanded her to try again. She did, slicing halfway through his neck, but he survived this attack too... and then he smashed Drenn to death with his bare fists. Some of her blood splatter got on Reveran's face and he discretely wiped it off with his sleeve. Ketheric said Reveran could do as he saw fit with the rest of them and departed, leaving his servant Z'rell to watch the punishment to follow. He wasn't sure what to do, but that didn't matter because he felt the urge well up inside him. It was riled up at the chance to kill, like a starved animal in front of food. He couldn't resist it even if he tried. He used the parasite's powers to strangle the life from their goblin bodies, and as they died he felt the urge whisper to him about Ketheric. It said that whatever was done to him, Ketheric was behind it. Still high from the kill, he found himself listening.
Z'rell connected to his mind did some weird psychic flirting. To buy keep her trust he showed her memories of slaughtering goblins and other violent things he'd done, and she showed him how she could murder someone with only a thought. It was a power bestowed upon her by the Absolute herself. She then assigned a mission: go to the Thorm family mausoleum and find Balthazar. He'd been sent to retrieve the source of Ketheric's immortality before it fell into enemy hands, but so far he'd failed. Their arrival would serve as either the kick in the ass he needed or they'd get the Nightsong themselves, it didn't matter so long as it was returned to the towers.
Once free to roam, they wandered around and got to know the layout of the towers and the cult's operation within it. They snuck into Balthazar's workshop and read through his notes. The Nightsong was what was making Ketheric immune to death, whatever that meant. In Ketheric's bedroom they found information on his family and a book describing Gortash's involvement with the Absolute. It had details about the Crown of Karsus too, but Reveran didn't know what that was. Maybe he would've once upon a time, but not now.
Their wandering is how they happened across the prison in the basement, and everyone trapped in it. Two questioners were using their powers to rip Minthara's mind apart, erasing her in order to rebuild a better soldier. One that would never fail the cult. Reveran lied and said he'd been ordered to handle her himself, and they hesitantly stepped aside and watched as he entered her mind. Inside he found chaos as the pieces of her being disintegrated. He pushed deeper into her mind, through the fog and the parasite's influence, until he found the real Minthara at the center of it all. He convinced her to break through the madness and fight for her freedom, and she did, snapping out of the fog and coming back to herself. Together they killed the questioners and the guards outside her cell, leaving the bodies buried under hay to buy them more time. The party didn't understand why he was putting so much effort into saving a villain, but he didn't have an answer for them. Not really. He'd been much more ruthless to people less horrid than Minthara so saving her felt off brand for him.
On the way out Reveran caught sight of the tieflings and gnomes, imprisoned further down the way from Minthara's cell. He wished they could take them too but there just wasn't an opportunity now, they'd have to wait until the dust settled from one escape before attempting another. At least they were alive, and he prayed to any god that would listen they'd remain so until tomorrow when they could return with a full game plan. Once safely outside Moonrise the Artifact fully broke her from the bonds of the parasite and she breathed as herself for the first time in ages. Their minds connected and his caught her up to speed on everything the party had learned. Thanking him and vowing revenge on her oppressors, she ran off to camp to regroup.
At camp Minthara thanked Reveran again for saving her, and expressed disgust over everything she did in service of the Absolute. Now that she had her mind back she promised she was no longer the devout monster she was when they first met. Despite being comforted by this, he could still tell she was bad for him. She was hellbent on revenge and violence, and it appealed to the darker parts of him he wanted to ignore.
story of orpheus part 3: he's alive!
Later Reveran caught Astarion trying to read the scars carved into his back with a mirror. It wasn't going very well, he couldn't even tell what language it was written in. But reveran did: it was Infernal, language of the Hells. Memory problems or not that he knew for certain. It wasn't a poem either like Astarion theorized, but rather part of what Reveran suspected was a devil's pact, which comforted no one. that's it that's the scene. As everyone settled in for the night Karlach told folk tales around the campfire about Jaheira saving Baldur's Gate from from a Bhaalist named Saverok. She'd been star struck when meeting her at the inn but had kept it bottled until now.
The dream visitor appeared in his dreams wearing a slutty, skimpy purple dress. Despite serving looks she admitted she was getting tired. The attacks on her were unrelenting, and apparently the order for his transformation into a mind flayer was given many times already. She'd worked hard to avoid their deaths, over and over. The source of the order was coming from Moonrise but she couldn't pinpoint where within it, or whether it came from Ketheric or something else. Reveran vaguely remembered talking to an orge while poking around Moonrise, one that mentioned hearing meat writhing in the walls... he'd heard something too. Something weird, but there wasn't time to look into it. All that was certain was that whatever was happening at Moonrise was truly fucked. She finished the conversation by hoping her powers last long enough to get them through this mess. 
==== Breaker of Chains ====
In the morning the party headed back to Moonrise, but the path they took yesterday was overrun with Shadows, so they cut directly through Reithwin Town. They had to go into the old tollhouse and were confronted by a gold-plated monstrosity named Gerringothe Thorm. Thorm? Just how many of Ketheric's fucked up relatives were stuck in this curse? She demanded gold. All their gold. Her twisted mind hadn't ever stopped collecting the toll, not since the curse fell upon her. Reveran pitied her and tried to convince her the gold was hers now and that she could flee, but she rejected the idea and exploded herself instead. Okay.
Once in the prison they tried talking to Cal and Lia through the bars, but they were both so rude. They were lucky he was trying hard to be good or he'd have left them there. They did mention that the gnomes were planning something and asked him to pass a message saying they wanted in. So he did, and Wulbren was happy for the help, even though he was also rude. In the name of teamwork he stayed to help and didn't let them all rot, no matter how much they lowkey deserved it. He understood being imprisoned wasn't a fun time but still, show some decorum to people wanting to help you. The party, the tieflings and the gnomes staged a perfect escape: Gale and Wyll distracted the guards by casting darkness spells, while Shadowheart and Reveran used the temporary blindness to break the cell walls unseen. They got everyone back to Last Light on a stolen boat. Rolan berrated his siblings for being caught, clearly trying to save face and hide his emotions, but Reveran channeled that unused pettiness from the prison to rat out that he was a drunken depressed mess while they were gone. The siblings reconciled and Rolan ultimately thanked Reveran and apologized for being a prick. It seemed genuine. Alfira reunited with her lover Lakrissa and threatened to hug all of them. Wulbren was using his freedom to act like a piece of shit to Barcus, and Reveran hated him for that. He called him a prick because all Barcus has ever done is fight his corner. Unrequited gay love is so hard and hopefully this would help Barcus move on.
Since they'd already made some headway in Reithwin Town the party decided to go back. They walked into a old bar called the Waning Moon, full of blighted zombie patrons lost in their own twisted memories. Thisobald Thorm, a bloated blight of a monstrosity, served the party glowing blue fluid he excreted from the tank trapped to his back. He was definitely just as fucked up as everyone else, but he didn't seem cruel. Reveran agreed to have drinks and share stories with him because he may be the only family member that'd actually tell them anything. The blue liquid burned as it went down but it didn't have any other ill effects, so Reveran recounted tales of seeing the Hells from the crashing Nautiloid. Thisobald accidentally referred to Ketheric's secret as "her cage," which meant he was going to die. Ketheric promised him that. As he died he said the cage was inside the family mausoleum.
The House of Healing was once a glorious hospital in the heart of the town. It's nurses were dedicated to helping all who entered, and they continued to do so after the curse consumed them. The party was confronted by one of these cursed nurses, her skin cracking like paper and darkened bile staining her chin. She said only the sick could enter and that the surgeon was busy operating. Not wanting to fight their way through this place he said he was sick and let her inspect his brain. She was horrified and said someone had undone and rebuilt that thing so many times, and had no choice but to send them to the operating theatre.
explain the whole malus thorm thing. sorry future future me (mention the nurses operating, hurting ppl, thinking its saving them)
In the infirmary upstairs they found Arabella's parents dead on cots. Locke's corpse claimed Zevlor betrayed the tieflings and ran away, leaving them to be captured and killed. He and his wife wandered the shadows and found the hospital, where the sisters killed them.
==== Darkest Urges ====
The device from Voss gave them started buzzing once they left the House of Healing, which meant an ambush was nearby. Because of the warning the party had the upper hand easily decimated their forces. It was barely a blip on an otherwise terrible afternoon. Afterwards they stumbled across Arabella hiding away in a graveyard, but Reveran held back the knowledge that her parents were dead, instead sending her to camp to wait for them. They'd break it to her there when things were less hectic. Before she scampered she revealed that handling the idol of Silvanus back in the grove had given her magic powers, and she showed them off by ensnaring a Shadow in vines.
At Last Light, Dammon helped Karlach repair her engine further but warned her that time was still limited for her. He'd do what he could once they were all in the city but even then it might be too late. She told Rev that she was never going back to Avernus, even if it meant saving her life. She'd rather explode.
Arabella made it to camp safely and weirdly enough Withers was watching over her. He wasn't going to question it because he was too tired to deal with her himself, and maybe that was selfish but he's trying to save the world okay? Halsin talked to Rev about Thaniel, a boy he knew when he was young that was the nature spirit for what became the Shadow-Cursed Lands. He told them to keep an eye out, and to tell him immediately if they heard anything relating to him because he was certain bringing Thaniel back would help undo the Shadow Curse. Astarion was having a crisis because he felt like he should've just let Araj use him for her potions. Rev reaffirmed Astarion's choice and shut down any doubts he was having. Astarion then talked about how he didn't even own his body for centuries, being used by Cazador to prostitute unsuspecting victims back to his castle. He didn't know what else he had to offer other than his body, but maybe being around the party had made him strong enough to say no to things at least. (maybe add dialogue from the astarion scene)
Sceleritas Fel reappeared in the night, thinking Rev had called for him. He said that he had a new mission for rRv: kill Isobel, and let the Last Light Inn die with her. He wanted to kill her so strongly when they first met but resisted, and he'd resist this new test too. Before he can say as much though the little imp vanishes, leaving Rev alone with his thoughts. (maybe explain the thoughts)
==== Our Future, Their Past ====
In the morning Rev remembered the guy at Last Light, the unconscious one that mumbled something about Thaniel. He'd forgotten all about it because of everything that happened after, so he rushed to tell Halsin, who ran off to the Inn with the party following after him. When Art didn't wake up, mentions the lute that was on art's person when he was found, and halsin thinks playing something may pull him out of his cursed mind. rev does, and for the first time since playing with alfira feels the music. FEELS it. it calls to him on a deeper level, something entirely different than the Urge. he relishes in that, that not all his impulses are tainted with evil. anyway art wakes up and says thaniel is trapped in a dimension called the Shadowfell. halsin tells the party he's going to have to go there to save thaniel, but he'd need their help. he'd tell them more once he had the portal prepared.
after, on the way out of the inn, he caught sight of isobel coming out of her room. every fiber of his being wanted to rip her apart, but he choked it back. barely.
we found a sharran sanctuary under a statue in reithwin town. astarion stole the sharran blade and activated the traps, rip. greedy boy.
ran into korilla outside the masonry. she said to tread carefully bc we're still necessary and then vanished. smelled like sulfur. smells like raphael bs.
speaking of, as we approached the thorm mausoleum he appeared reciting random poetry. he gave them a dramatic and condescending warning, and rev can't wait for the day he'll punch this dick in the face. not yet, they may still need him, but gods the urge is there. and not the dark urge. anyway raph said there was an infernal person down there lurking in the dark, and that going in would let him out. so they needed to kill him first. it was someone he really didn't wanna see again LOL. said some more cryptic stuff and vanished ig. or he went to go but astarion piped up and said he wanted to make a deal. he wanted to know just what and why was carved on his back. he promised to tell him if they kill the being down below. he hesitantly agreed but only because astarion looked at him with such sadness and pleading.
we did the morgue (maybe dont mention it idk, or use as fodder along with the vine monsters), a clan of cursed kuo-toa tried to ambush us but we were too observant for that lol, and probably thaniel (but say we did him after the gauntlet of shar).
==== Romancing Mister Dekarios ====
that night a hologram of gale appeared at gale's tent. it said gale had something extremely urgent to discuss and was hoping we could meet. why he didn't just ask in person rev didn't know, but he was happy all the same to agree to holo-gale's ask. anything to see the Real gale. i followed the hologram's instructions all the way to a small clearing a short distance from camp. the sky was bright purples and blues, the stars twinkling brighter than he'd ever seen them before. gale was waiting for him, sitting on a blanket in the grass, staring up at the sky. the tension was palpable when rev sat down. (refer to screenshots for dialogue)
he said he's in love with me!!!!!! brb saying it back. describe it in great detail :) swarming mass of ethereal limbs. fusing like garnet. ahhh. the real rawdog fuckfest that happened after.
in the morning he told rev that sex with him literally gave him the will to live LOL. he confirmed gale rly does love him and then asked about mystra bc its only fair. but its all good. they made out.
==== The Sins of Her Father ====
(pretty sure raph confronted us outside here? idk why i didnt write that) the party walked into thorm mausoleum and were confronted by a charmed skull using balthazar's voice to demand they leave. clearly they're in the right place then. the place has been butchered and used for dark magic experiments. bone effigies. symbols of myrkul. journals written by ketheric detailing demands he made of balthazar to bring his daughter back to life. his daughter, isobel. oh shittttt. shadowheart senses shar's presence being near, and after reading some notes left around the room concluded the ancient sharran temple was underneath them. found a way in using mural puzzles. took an elevator down to the gauntlet where shadowheart fangirled. the gauntlet served as the training ground for all dark justiciars.
also the whole gauntlet is shaking, idk why. balthazar used parasite-controlled skeleton puppets to yell at us for being there but got interrupted by umbral tremors and cursed dark justiciars. no choice but to fight alongside his boney playthings. encountered some strange rats. shadowheart and rev both noticed they seemed to be super smart.
followed the destruction and shaking to the room where yurgir is. he tried to ambush us but minthara caught him out. through dialogue he revealed raphael tricked him and he's been trapped in the gauntlet since the curse fell. rev appeals to yurgir and they bond over hating raphael, and yurgir sings his contract song for the party. it describes how he was to kill every dark justiciar in the gauntlet as part of his deal under threat of being raphael's eternal slave, but the remaining one has been unfound for a century. so long as they live he cannot leave this place, and so long as his job is unfinished the song plays relentlessly in his mind. all who hear it have to die so he's convinced he's gotta kill the party now, but after hearing the song rev thought he could maybe spin this in their favor. astarion however was getting increasingly angrier the longer he stalled. he wanted answers about his scars and raphael would only do that if they held up their end of the deal. rev knew that in this instant it would seem like a betrayal, but there was literally no way of telling astatrion to just trust hm rn. he convinces yurgir that despite his severants being mindless constructs, they still heard the song and had to die. he killed them. then he made the same argument about yurgur's pet displacer beast nessa, and the giant hesitantly slaughtered her too. and then the final nail: yurgir HIMSELF had heard the song, and the only way to be free was to kill himself too. rev honestly didn't think it'd land, because under his same logic the party should have to die to, but he was banking on yurgir's insanity from the last century trapped to help him on that front, and it actually did. yurgir vowed that if this didn't work he'd get revenge, but still eviscerated himself and fell a story to his death. astarion was rather pleased, and awkwardly mumbled his thanks as rev walked by lol.
the lyrthindor stuff happened now. followed the rats down to the base of the shar statue and found his ritual with instructions on how to split his being into many parts (rats), signed by raphael. wow what a prick. really just wanted yurgir trapped and enslaved. pos demon bitch boy. anyway we forced him back together and then killed him when he was a jerk about it.
==== Trust and Forgiveness ====
figured with one problem solved we may as well deal with balthazar next, maybe clear the gauntlet out so we can wander more freely. instead we got ambushed by more fucking shadows. after dealing with that fiasco balthazar was pleased to see us, thinking we're a strong ally. he boasted proudly about creating the nightsong but lamented how they needed it back Soon for daddy ketheric. he refused to elaborate about what (or who, rev was suspecting) it was. he asked the party to remove the undead dark justiciars so the nightsong could be recovered and rev agreed #opportunity
to get to the nightsong we need umbral gems to make the elevator move and shadowheart realizes they'll need to do perform shar's sacred trials to get them, for only those worthy may go further into the gauntlet. she insists on being the one to sacrifice blood at the start of each trial to see if she's worthy to shar. the stealth trial gave them the first gem, and once it was inside the pedistal shar spoke to shadowheart. it was so strong that rev could feel her presence in the air despite not being able to hear her. shadowheart relayed that if she can claim the spear of night from somewhere hidden in the gauntlet, she'd be able to use it to become a dark justiciar. rev isn't convinced that's best but humors her anyway.
the self-same trial really fucked reveran up. seeing himself moving in for the kill, from the outside. it makes him contemplate everything about himself and he once again feels the loss of those removed memories. who tf is he :sob: and how could gale love someone that looks so at home slicing ppl through?
the leap trial sucked but shart did it all<3 what a trooper
we went into the library in search of the spear of night only to discover the entire room was coated in a silencing spell, negating most forms of magic. great. beat them and the puzzle and got the spear for shart.
deciding to deal with the balthazar and the nightsong tomorrow, the party stopped by last light. i was like hey jaheira you know isobel is ketheric's daughter ya? and she's like yeah lol. and rev is like k queen of secrets werk. we went upstairs to ask isobel about it but she denied the truth, and we were like k sure ig. we'll let it go. trust, jaheira insisted. also going to see her was a bad idea bc the urge rose up in his throat like bile upon seeing her. when she looks at him curiously he admits the truth, that something in his very blood wants to kill her. she's very confident he won't do it bc she can tell a ruthless killer and he isn't one. the urge surges, fighting for control, desperate to prove her wrong and snap her neck like a twig. it'd be so easy. but he breathes, and he swallows it back like burning hot ichor. it works, but it leaves him feeling so exhausted. isobel is happy and forgives him when he asks for it. what a fucking day. also for someone that denies being ketheric's daughter maybe she shouldn't stand in front of an old bust of him and ask questions it can never answer.
raphael showed up at camp that night going on about how yurgir appeared right in his house upon his suicide, and astarion is like cut the long-winded bs and tell me what these scars say. raphael makes a whole production of it but at least he's true to his word: the scars are part of a contract cazador made with mephastophilies (sp?) for knowledge on the Rite of Profane Ascension, which will let cazador keep all his vampiric power but lose the shackles that come with it. he won't thirst for blood, he... and he'll be able to walk in the sun. rev promises to help astarion hunt and kill cazador before he can perform the rite.
owlbear!!!!!!!!!!!! can't believe he followed us all the way to the shadow-cursed lands
==== We Will Always Be Back Then ====
in the morning after a furious makeout sesh with gale, rev told arabella her parents were dead. he still didn't want to, but everything was already shitty so why not tack this on too? also she couldn't not know, not forever. leaving it this long already was both a kindness and a cruelty. he knew it'd hurt her more than anything else ever would, but she had to know. she screamed at him, which like yeah, and that was that.
the party stopped at last light to stock up on supplies when halsin approached, claiming he'd finally gotten the portal ready. he needed them to protect it while he was inside getting thaniel bc the second it opened, it'd be like a beacon to the cursed beings in the land. like moths to flame they'd descend upon it, trying to destroy it. if they succeeded he'd die in there. not exactly how they planned to spend their morning but sure! halsin led them to the beach just outside the inn's barrier (passing marcus's discarded body thrown on the ground), and opened the portal. all hell broke loose, and it looked like it too from all the fire the party kept slinging at their foes. the Shadows and the cursed ones burned, including a surprise githyanki clan that had also been corrupted. burn bitches burn. halsin returned with thaniel but he wouldn't wake up. he was hallow, some part of him missing. he took thaniel back to camp to examine him. there, he said the curse ripped thaniel's essence in half when it fell, and his other self is still out there somewhere in the shadows. if they're not reconnected soon both will die. he said to look an eye out for any kind of nature in the shadows. thaniel was a strong nature spirit and not even the curse could keep his powers contained fully. if there's any sort of life anywhere, that means his other half is near.
well wouldn't ya know it back on the road they saw just that: some blooms dotting a sidewalk. they had to trek all the way back for halsin and then back again. the life led to a ruined house with a body inside, and thaniel appeared. or, rather, his twisted cursed half-self oliver. oliver asked the party to play a game with him and while halsin didn't like it, rev was up for a little mindless fun. with the chaos demon. whatever. they played both rounds, the first a regular game and the second while being hunted by Shadows :') halsin was really pissed but w/e. after rev confronted oliver with the truth and he got mad and ran away into a portal. we followed him and had to fight his many shadow monsters. after rev told halsin it had to be him that convinced oliver, and he did. oliver thanked the group and transformed back into his thaniel form before dissipating. back at camp thaniel told them ketheric needs to die for the land to heal, like ya. we brought u back for that totally unknown nugget of wisdom? anyway after i had a heart-to-heart with halsin where he told me about himself a bit, how he can be consumed by the task at hand. how he became archdruid. meeting thaniel when he was a child. etc. he likes to whittle. he likes ducks
==== Empathy Fight ====
after a well-earned rest the party was FINALLY going back to the gauntlet, but the party stopped by moonrise to do some trading first, knowing the next time they came here it may be on the other side of a battle. came across a cat. it claimed that i kicked her before, and when i tried to remember it actually let me. i remembered kicking the cat, feeling powerful doing it too. i was in moonrise towers before, my past IS tied to ketheric somehow. when rev comes back to himself the cat is dead, and it's blood all over his hands. he curses himself for letting this happen. if this is what happens when he gets to answers, does he even want them? is it even worth it anymore? maybe, once this whole adventure is said and done, he can just let his past go and live in the present. with gale. sure he may have to kill sceltareus fel (sp?) and anyone else who comes along and threatens that peace, but that's just the price that has to be paid for-he catches himself. realizing how fucked up that thought was getting. how much longer can he keep resisting this darkness?
linsella in the kitchen showed off her parasite-controlled gnoll, and rev was so disgusted by her actions he snapped the mental connection, watching as the gnoll killed her. he then expected the ravenous gnoll to turn on them, but instead he just... grovels. calls rev his lord and fills him in on how many have recently died by his hand. when confronted with questions, the gnoll grunted in confusion and wandered away. what the fuck is going on.
after taking karlach to see lann, we investigated the claims made that ogre lady about the noises. we followed the sounds and the meat sloshs to a pit in the prisons, tucked away behind the guard tower. a quick fall revealed a mindflayer colony growing under moonrise towers. the section they entered, the oubliette, was sectioned off so they couldn't get any deeper than that room. but now they had a better idea what they were up against, and the secrets kept inside these towers. the zhentarim are shipping parasites to baldur's gate. we blew up their shipment.
we went down to the bottom of gauntlet, to the verge of the night. there was a pool portal that would take them to the nightsong. a quick prayer from shadowheart, which rev listened in on. he heard shar to tell her to strike down the Selûnite, much like secrelarius told him the other night. mirrors. parallels. he apologized to shart when she got mad and the party stepped into the water. rev struggled as the water gained a current, desperate to drag him under. he was strong, but this magic was stronger, and it pulled him under almost before he was able to take a breath and hold it. they awoke on a broken staircase floating in nothingness, and shart recognized this place as the shadowfell. is this not the same place halsin went to save thaniel? pin in that. balthazar appeared and exclaimed now they could see his triumph up close. shart, feeling shar's presence and getting off on it, detested him being there at all. he'd followed them. shar still held a grudge against ketheric for defecting to the absolute and was blocking balthazar's way in but no more! we followed him down to the nightsong's prison while the ghosts of dark justiciars whispered encouragement. the nightsong was revealed to be a woman named aylin, bound by magic chains (aasimar bound to a soulcage) and her soul powering ketheric's immorality. balthazar prepares to take her back to moonrise, but shart is like noooo i gotta kill him and minty supports her dark justiciar-ing. girl i s2g.  we told balthzar to go to hell and had to fight him and his thousand skeletons.
we talked to aylin and shadowheart wanted to kill her outright but she spoke of how shar just uses ppl and discards them and she doesnt Really care about her followers. rev knew he could persuade her to make the right choice, or at least his version of right. but he loves shart and knows that she needs to make her own choice. he says he trusts her and watches as she and aylin argue back and forth. she reveals she knows things about shart's past and it causes her to pause. rev wondered if he was making the right choice letting shart choose her own destiny. killing the child of a god for a shit bitch like shar isn't a great life choice in his opinion. but he trusts her to find her way, and whatever that way is they'll still save themselves and the world. somehow.
in the end shadowheart tosses shar's night spear into the void, and after grappling with her choice for all of 0.2 seconds has to free the nightsong from her bonds. released, she takes on her true form as dame aylin and promises that once ketheric is dead she and shadowheart will have much to discuss. with that she soars out of the shadowfell into the shadow-cursed lands, her light brightening the sky for the first time in a century as she made her way to moonrise for the impending battle.
as soon as we left the thorm mausoleum shart experienced a surge of pain from her curse as shar completely banished her from her dominion. the goddess swore vengeance on shart and that all her followers would be hunting her now. shart has a panic attack over this lol
the party returned to last light to report what happened and were confronted by isobel, asking who that was in the sky. her interest was piqued but she denied anything so obviously that means her and the nightsong are lesbian lovers torn apart by fate. obviously. she said jaheira and everyone capable of fighting has gone to stake out moonrise for the fight tomorrow.
me and minty bonded over losing control and being manipulated by powerful evils. move it to somewhere better, like camp next night
rev kissed gale goodnight. cheek kiss turned passionate kiss. mm. sceleritas fel appeared in the night and scolded me for not killing isobel and said i'd kill gale in my sleep to make up for it. rev is straight up like no, i love him, fuck that. the little perv admitted he watched them have sex and that it was his duty to make sure he's making the right choices, and there's already been so much unrest over his refusal to kill isobel. good. fuck these mysterious powers-at-be and their bullshit. they can choke for all he cares. the butler vanishes and rev, forcing back a panic attack, woke gale up. he admitted the truth, that something was going to force him to kill him once he went to sleep, and although concerned rev wasn't sure gale understood at first. not his fault, he was asleep 30 seconds ago, but ahhhh. gale was understanding and promised to help, but before they could talk any further rev collapsed and fell unconscious. it must've only been for a few moments but when he next opened his eyes he was writhing on the ground, unable to control his limbs, but thankfully they'd been restrained. gale had done it! but he was still losing control FAST. gale tried to talk to him through it, and rev fought back against the urge with everything he could. it felt like every fiber in his body was on fire. he was managing to stave it off, but for how much longer? he tried to focus only on gale's voice. it was the only comfort he wanted and he prayed to every god that ever lived that it would be enough. they stayed like that all night, until hours later when Finally the urge began to fade. it felt like he'd lived hundreds of lives in those few hours alone, and when gale cut the ropes off his wrists were bruised and aching. "welcome back to the land of the lucid - where explanations are owed, if you don't mind." rev told him everything about the urge and didn't spare a single detail, not even the ones he wished he didn't have to tell. like quil. gale promised to protect him, but rev said he should hate him for all this. gale smiled and said hate wasn't his style, and rev cried. he cried for a very long time, and despite it all he couldn't help but feel so safe wrapped in gale's arms. it was the first time (that he remembered, anyway) being held. he laid his soul bare and was only shown love. no matter how intense the urge got he'd never let himself forget this feeling.
in the morning they kissed but btw it felt kinda fucked up having gale be so encouraging and forgiving when inside rev still feels so broken up about it and part of him wants to just kill himself lol anyway
==== The Dead Three's Chosen Three ====
the party went to moonrise and met jaheira on the bridge connecting to the towers. it was littered with the bodies of both absolutists and harpers. she told the party that the nightsong had flown to the top of the tower to face ketheric, and now it was rev's command that would push this war forward. he decided to leave it in her hands, as she's the high harper and he doesn't want anymore responsibility lol. he did covnince her to join the party instead of staying with the harpers, largely because she's a formidable ally but also because, and he'd never admit this, he was scared. terrified, even. and logically he knew they all were but after being so vulnerable the last while he can't let another embarrassing thing slip out. together the party ran forward into the towers, ready to face what lie within. which turned out to be z'rell and her soldiers. twas a bloodbath<3 but once the first floor was clear the harpers and fists split up to guard every exit from the tower while the party moved on up to daddy ketheric. had to face some necromites guarding the door to his tower but beat 'em.
once up top we found aylin and ketheric at the end of their own battle. she soared around obliterating the last of his minions, and when he saw the party he tried to flee. but rev sprang forward until they were face-to-face. he asked what they did, probably in reference to all the betrayal and nightsong freeing. but as he looked upon the villain of their story, haggard and tired and mortal and...sad. he felt bad for the guy, on some level. not enough to let him get away with everything he'd done, but enough to attempt a non-violent route first. he recalled rummaging through ketheric's room and reading his personal letters, including one from his wife melodia. he brought her up now to try and catch ketheric off guard, and it worked. it removed the immediate hostility. remembering all gale had told him the other night, rev meant it when he said to ketheric that it wasn't too late for him. redemption, although impossible, was worth trying for. god just how many bad people is he going to relate to and feel for in this adventure? ketheric wanted to believe melodia could be waiting for him in the afterlife, but doesn't have faith in any god anymore let alone Selûne. mortals are just copper pieces in their belts to be traded for scraps. he fell to his knees, begging for death. rev tried to get through to him again and he really seemed to be listening, but aylin descended in that moment, ending any conversation that could've been constructive. she was ready to kill him but rev told her to stand down, ketheric was surrendering, but the moment had passed. ketheric descended back into his own madness and mumbled something about him having to pay a price... he stood up and was ready to resume the fight. he commanded them to bow or break and unleashed a strong spell upon the battlefield, shrouding their minds, but the artifact burst out of rev's pack and saved them from the attack. realizing the party had the prism all along sent ketheric into a rage and the final battle truly began.
when ketheric was close to death he halted the fighting and said his lord needed him. convenient timing. he told aylin she was going back into her prison no matter what that he'd reclaim isobel. hearing this caused aylin to falter, echoing isobel's name. definitely tragic lesbian lover vibes. the pause from this realization gave ketheric time to blow up the second tower, revealing a large tentacle inside. that must've been what they were hearing in the walls all those times, likely coming from the mindflayer colony below. should they have told anyone about that? lol. the tentacle struck aylin from the sky and grabbed ketheric and teleported him far far away. jaheira said we have to go into the colony below to kill ketheric and officially joined the party.
we jumped into the tower (figure out direction) and slid all the way down down down down down to the mind flayer colony. alive. writhing. the guardian suspected this was where the cult was making the tadpoles, and wyll thought mizora's rescue mission was down there too. gale noted that for a mind flayer colony it was severely lacking in mind flayers. don't jinx it, babe!
colony full of sentient brains, but they recognized us as true souls like on the nautiloid. the party found a room full of pods with living people still inside them. this must be where they infect people with parasites. there, inside a pod, was mizora herself. Captured as she was navigating the Shadowlands, she was imprisoned in a mind flayer pod, blocking her from any spellcasting and any means of escaping by herself. wyll uses it as an opportunity to break his pact with her and she agrees, but in that smarmy devil-y way that means she's going to pull some bullshit later on. but whatever. they free her, and yep she pulls some bullshit. citing some clause that leaves the contract broken but only in six months time. we did convince her to give wyll the infernal rapier and she also gave him permission to share the details of their pact.
book, suspected ceromorphosis.
we found zevlor inside another one of the pods and used our parasite powers to connect to the system to free him and the others not yet transformed. unfortunately it opened ALL the pods, including the ones with newly-turned mind flayers. had to fight them. after he revealed that the absolute had reached into his mind back in the shadow-cursed lands and forced him to give up, and even though what happened wasn't his fault he knew the others would never accept him back. rev made a mental note to put in a good word for him bc fuck that.
from there we went to the barracks. there, Kressa bonedaughter (balthazar's necromancer apprentice) recognized rev and tried to reminisce about how he used to be a captive at the colony before they were shipped away. she had wanted to "keep him." She'd found him black and blue and close to death at that very sanctum shortly after they had been infected with their tadpole, and opened them up endlessly for her research on the mindflayer parasites. could she be implying that he was the very first tadpole victim? the twisted bitch said they bonded and that he was her very favorite. she claimed not to be behind what happened to him but was glad it happened because it left him for her. She admitted she felt close to him because of his resilience that no other victims in the colony had, and inevitably attacked. after the right rev stared at her body and put pieces together. he'd been here at moonrise and infected, after which someone or something beat him to high hell and left him for dead. kressa may have been a sick fuck but she wasn't the reason any of this happened... he'd need to find whoever attacked him for more answers. he couldn't remember, he really tried, but even though no memory came he felt like whoever hurt him had done so in act of betrayal.
saved Us, again!
(the absolute never stops fucking whispering) (also kressa's husband ratted her out and that's why i was taken from her, also she was studying why my mind retained parts of itself also tried to strangle her with my own intestines)
fought undead in the necrotic lab. notes written by balthazar describing his admiration for gortash but in time he'd shed the "absolute lie" and slaughter the chosen three. the note ends by mentioning orin's sibling...? found mol's eyepatch, but where is she? she wasn't with the other captives... could she have transformed? rev didn't remember seeing a tiny mindflayer with a sassy attitude anywhere around here.
the party descended to the lowest level of the colony. as they reached it their tadpoles squirmed and made themselves known, more than ever before. reacting to their proximity to the absolute. the dream guardian was excited bc finally they would confront the beast. the battlefield was a platform suspended over a sea of brine. dame aylin was trapped on a ledge behind the three tyrants.
the chosen three were arguing about ketheric not retrieving the artifact, saying rev and the party's use of it was a mockery. karlach recognized gortash, the one from all the afamed notes. rev was sure ketheric would punch lord dickwad but the woman, orin, was faster. she'd previously been using duke ravenguard as a chair lol. very bellatrix energy. at bladepoint they told ketheric they couldn't wait for him any longer and would go ahead to baldur's gate, where he'd better follow WITH the artifact. together the three summoned the Absolute, a netherbrain enslaved by the crown sitting on it's head, by using magic stones. the guardian recoiled in rev's mind, warning him of the dangerous creature before them.
gale was enamored by the crown. all that power. he wished he could just reach out and snatch it... he shook those thoughts away and declared that this was the moment Mystra asked of him and that he was going to activate the orb. which would kill everyone yikes. rev, appalled and barely processing the unfolding of events, told gale that he couldn't do that. "what choice do i have? more than just a goddess counts on my courage. whole worlds hang in the balance!" rev "you could choose ME. the one who loves you. we can find another way together. gale... please." don't leave me. it wasn't even that he'd die too. it was't that all of faerun would be saved and the whole absolute fiasco would end before it started it's endgame. it was that being with gale outweighed all of that, that dying here before he even got a chance to love him wasn't something rev was willing to part with. right then the whole world could burn around him (and it very well might) and he'd still make the same choice. life, with gale, whatever that means. whatever darkness in his past and his mind that means facing. maybe it's just a trauma response but w/e lol. gale: i love you too. much more than myself. more even than mystra... okay. very well. whether i condemn this world or not, i choose you. i'll always choose you." :sob:
the Absolute reached a tentacle down and inserted a tadpole into duke ravenguard. gortash and orin began their departure, giving a little light to the plan: ketheric plays the villain conqueror, and gortash the hero of the city. the absolute teleported outside moonrise and rallied the troops with a mental cry, pushing them forward toward baldur's gate.
the party approached ketheric who was still standing on the platform. rev reached out and grabbed gale's hand. ketheric gave some grand speech about moths to light and fulfilling destinies or whatever. he rambled about how myrkul was the only god that could give him what he wanted: resurrect isobel. in doing so he devoted his being to myrkul and followed his orders to build the cult with gortash and orin, only to ultimately betray them at it's apex. so ALL of them were planning betrays, he took it. even balthazar had similar motives. rev once again appealed to his humanity, or whatever was left of it anyway. not much, but enough that he hesitated back upstairs. that's the ketheric rev was hoping to reach. it worked, or so Rev thought, before Ketheric threw himself backward into the brine. this apparently killed him because that's when myrkul himself began speaking from the depths. he bolstered. he belittled. he rose from the brine possessing ketheric's revived corpse, twisting it into a massive visage of bone and gold and began his attack, summoning mind flayers and brains to his aid. rev knew they needed to free aylin and her demigod powers if they had any chance of taking this apostle down. karlach shot forward and began blowing skeletons away with fire and blade. gale and wyll blasted spells at mindflayers and rev teleported to aylin's platform, freeing the magical bonds containing her. she shot into action and began blasting myrkul with her strong lesbian powers. the fight ended when gale launched a magic missle spell at myrkul, blowing apart his last defences and causing the visage to explode. this left only ketheric, who fell to his knees and screamed that death wasn't allowed to take him again. he cried out isobel's name and it was truly the most tragic sound rev had ever heard in his life. the life forced dissipated from him and left ketheric a withered husk. aylin stomped on his skull LOL and the guardian told us to get keth's netherstone so we pried it from his armor. that's when the guardian appeared, for the very first time outside the prism. she told them the elder brain was dominated by the crown, which was controlled by the netherstones. she did reveal that the crown was most likely netherese and that's likely how the tadpoles have been altered so drastically. ketheric was an acolyte of myrkul, while gortash follows bane and orin likely bhaal from her psycho crazy murder happiness. which means the cult of the absolute is a front for the gods of the death, the dead three.
with the cult's army headed to the city and the elder brain capable of transforming everyone there, it seemed their only hope to save faerun was to steal the other two netherstones and take control of the absolute and end it once and for all. a tall order that would likely end with them and the entire universe dead. fuck.
==== Broken ====
karlach revealed she used to be gortash's bodyguard before he sold her to zariel, ending her life before it truly began. she vowed that she'd be the one to kill him and rev agreed. wyll was worried what kind of chaos he did would cause now that he was under the absolute's control. he suspected they'll take him to wyrm's rock fortress. and gale was obsessing on the crown and it's nethrese origins. he said he must learn more about it for he'd never seen netherese magic so intact and pure. rev thought maybe he should take a moment to process one drama of the day before inviting another in, but gale insisted understanding the crown would help them defeat it. while technically true, rev worried. it was netherese magic that caused mystra to shun him and he worried gale was getting wrapped up in his own narrative a little bit. but he said he needed to get to sorcerous sundries to read up on the crown.
jaheira and rev had a bonding moment. she said she was close to hanging up her blades before meeting him, they'd traveled through darkness and come out the other side refreshed. he asked if she was enjoying herself, and admitted he was having the time of his life too. minthara was sitting on ketheric's throne, relishing in the post-kill glory. she was pissed because she knew orin, right hand of bhaal, all too well and hated her lol bc she was the one that indoctrinated her into the cult. she laughed at minthara's fear as a tadpole sunk into her eye. another vow of vengeance.
barcus told us that wulbren was going to become the unibomber. wulbren then confirmed he plans to become the unibomber and gives us a free bomb as a treat. isobel confirmed she and aylin are lesbiansssss and explained their backstory. also admitted ketheric is her daddy but we been knew. she said a lot of shit that made rev think about gale bc they too had a quick love form. "do you believe in love at first sight?" "certainly. There's magic in a look." "i took one look at her and i just knew it. she was it."
withers posed the question: why would the dead three build an army of soulless creatures, when souls are what bolster a god's power?
the dream guardian said rev is actually highkey inspiring and to use that to gain more allies as they travel. they'll need help when the final battles come.
the shadow curse was technically broken so any immediate danger was gone, but it'd take a bit for the gloom to dissipate. it was weird walking into last light and not having to pass through isobel's barrier. not that it mattered because with the road no longer blocked by the curse most everyone had moved on to moonrise or baldur's gate.
minthara and i had a bonding moment where she apologized for intruding on my mind when she was under the absolute's control. she's all about consent now, and asks if she can peer inside. rev says sure but backsies applies. she spoke of growing up in the underdark being told she was special, and loving her family but knowing bonds could so easily be broken by envy and ambition. she wanted to understand what he saw when he looked at her because she didn't know anymore, her sense of self so shattered from being controlled. he imagined a survivor. an ally. maybe even a good friend, if she'd allow it. she had hoped for more and they both knew it, but she just wasn't a nerdy wizard dude. he did tell her more about the dark urge though, and his struggles because he knew she'd understand fighting to be yourself through a broken mind, whoever that may actually be. 
wyll told us about his pact, finally. he was seventeen and his father was just elected duke and called away. cult of the dragon staged an attack against bg in his absence. mizora whispered to him in his sleep and told him where to find the cult's location. he set out and saw them summoning the first head of tiamet, and that's when mizora appeared and made her bargain: become her blade and get all the power that comes with that, enough to save a city mayhaps. sure he'd have to use that power to do her bidding, but he believed it was the only way to save the city. he accepted, took down the cult, and became mizora's bitch. because of the secrecy clause he couldn't tell his father why he had teamed up with devils and was shunned, believed to be an evil traitor instead of the city's savior. he bit that bullet and while rev thinks it was majorly stupid, he was a kid taken advantage of by a cunning manipulator. for all intense and purposes this pact could never break. she even replaced his eye with a stone tracking device.
shadowheart demanded answers from aylin about her past. aylin told her that in the shadowfell she too was cursed with pain by ketheric, and when she saw shart she sensed her curse too. and that the pain it inflicts on her is tied to two others somewhere in the world. and that the sharrans did their best to chisel away any parts of shart didn't fit their twisted plans. she offers to help shart remember and shart reaches out through the tadpoles, desperate for rev to see the truth too. she didn't want to be alone. together they watched the only memory shart had, where the sharrans saved her from a wolf. but this time there was new context. the wolf wasn't a wolf but a man, and he wasn't trying to hurt shart but save her. save her from the sharrans. a common rite in selunite followers is to send their children into the woods to find their way home. this time, one didn't make it back. they were stolen from their father by the sharrans and made to forget. shadowheart isn't an orphan, and her parents are alive. broken by this relevation but still holding it together she said she'd need to save them. aylins said they're still with the sharrans and means going back to where she was brainwashed. anyone she knew will be an enemy now. aylin revealed that she'd taken the spear of night from the shadowfell and repurposed it with selunite magic, as a treat. to make her feel better, rev gave shadowheart a night orchid. her favorite.
scratch and owlbear had bad dreams in the night so rev comforted them
in the morning shart is still having existential dread which is expected, but the more interesting development was withers comforting arabella as she cried. rev went to check in with her even though she was probably still pissed. and she was, and her magic surged as she broke down, but withers gave a rousing speech on balance that calmed her back down. then he announced she had to leave LOL. apparently the weave had a plan for her and would guide her, but she shant stay with the party. rev hated that idea but the look in withers's crusty old eyes... maybe he should have some faith. he told arabella to trust withers and the boney old fuck thrust some magical veil over them. it felt cool and lit everything up all pretty, but clearly arabella got more out of it than rev did. she asked if that was her future and withers said yes. she accepted her new fate and decided to leave. ok bye.
when they were finally headed down the risen road toward the city, that's when the last traces of darkness lifted from the land. the sun shone on reithwin town for the first time in a century. it would take a very long time, maybe even longer than the curse existed, for the land to heal from it.
the shadow curse was officially broken.
==== Into the Prism ====
The party spent their last night before reaching Baldur's Gate camped out in an abandoned castle. Rev and Gale sat on top of the only remaining tower and gazed at the star-laden sky and the city lights twinkling in the distance. The journey from the Shadow-Cursed Lands to here had been many long, boring days long, and everyone was happy to not be moving for once.
As he lay in his sleeping bag that night he thought of everything that had happened thus far (refer to screenshot)
The Absolute's voice roared in their heads. The Astral Prism shot into air a few feet from Reveran, and he tried to grab it but the Absolute was just so loud... too loud... it overwhelmed him and brought him to his knees, but he wasn't the only one. Everyone at camp was feeling the same thing, weighed down by the impossible strength of the Elder Brain. Suddenly, the Prism burst open and transformed into a portal. Several Githyanki jumped out and began attacking the camp. Everyone sprung into action to fend them off now that the the Absolute had been silenced again. The entire time they called the party "tadpole scum," and the Dream Guardian's voice screamed in their ear to hurry up and get inside the portal. The Absolute was going to wrestle control away from them soon and transform them all into Mind Flayers unless they got inside. She sounded desperate.
Rev sliced his way through Githyanki soldiers, making sure to keep a tight formation until everyone made it into the Astral Plane. The Dream Guardian continued calling for help, explaining they were under attack and needed backup now. The party fought through more Githyanki soldiers as they made their way down to the skull. When they got there they found a whole Mind Flayer fighting against several Gith. The Mind Flayer revealed that he was the one who appeared in their dreams and recollected events that happened during the party's adventures (saving Arabella from Kagha, freeing Dame Aylin at the Gauntlet, and sparing him the last time they visited even though it pissed off Vlaakith) to prove it to them. The power he was stealing to protect them came from the Prism's Githyanki prisoner. He'd been fighting to subdue him and borrow that power this entire time and they had to stop the Githyanki from freeing him. If they succeeded, all of them would die right then and there. Rev didn't want to believe any of it, he really didn't, but somehow the being hiding secrets from him the last couple weeks being a Mind Flayer made perfect sense. In a fucked up ironic kind of way. He agreed to help for now, but this alliance would be reviewed after the battle. 
After the battle, the party learned that the power used to protect them from the Absolute was stolen from the Prince Orpheus, who was definitely still alive and trapped by infernal chains within the Astral Prism. The Mind Flayer, who's real name was the Emperor, was tasked to acquire the Prism as an agent of the Elder Brain, but broke free from its control once within the prism's range. Orpheus inherited the power to disrupt the Illithid hive mind from his mother and after her death was imprisoned by Vlaakith so she could reign (apparently there's a screenshot I'm meant to refer to). Lae'zel was pissed because obviously Orpheus should be freed, right? But releasing him would mean he'd kill all of them for being infected and even if they survived that, they'd be taken over the Absolute once Orpheus revoked his influence. Rev focused on Orpheus and could literally feel his rage and hatred for them bubbling beneath the surface. In order for any of them to survive, Orpheus couldn't be freed. At least not yet, Lae'zel pointed out, and Rev agreed to that. Once everything was said and done surely the prince could be let go, but the Emperor clearly didn't like that idea.
The Emperor then explained his tragic backstory: he was once an adventurer just like the party, living in Baldur's Gate. Eager to do more, the Emperor went to Moonrise Towers in search of treasure and was captured by the Mind Flayer colony below, where he was transformed into one of them. For years he served the Elder Brain, which later went on to become the Absolute, as a thrall like any other. He managed to break free once on his own many years prior and returned to Baldur's Gate. He lived in the shadows, feeding on criminal brains and worked alongside Duke Belynne Stelmane as the governing force behind the Knights of the Shield. It was a nice set up that benefited everyone. However, the Emperor's identity was found out by Lord Enver Gortash who forced him back into servitude for the Elder Brain. After being sent on a mission to retrieve the Astral Prism, just being in the vicinity of Orpheus's power broke him free once more. He hid inside the Prism and set out on a mission to take down the Elder Brain. His plan involved harnessing Orpheus's power to gather allies to his cause, like the party. It was a lot to take in and Rev wasn't sure if he was really processing any of it.
The Emperor told the party they'd be stronger as an Illithid, and the already-consumed tadpoles made them stronger. He gave them an Astral-Touched Tadpole that could transform every party member who communes with it into a "Partial-Illithid," whatever that meant. Rev took it to be nice but knew he wasn't going to consume it. The darkness and the tadpole in his head were disappointed, but he stood his ground.
Lae'zel was having an existential crisis back at camp and told she told Rev the full story of Orpheus, at least as she knew it: (refer screenshot). 
=== Act 3 ===
==== When Hearts Harbor Hate ====
In the morning Shadowheart revealed her drastic hair change! No one was sure how she found the time after a Githyanki fight in the Astral plane to get jet black hair to pure white, but maybe she was too riled up to sleep after and made miracles happen, unlike Rev who passed out pretty much immediately after talking to Lae'zel.
A child named Yenna ran up to the party as they entered Rivington and said she couldn't find her mum. Reveran offered to help track her down, but apparently she'd gone looking for herbs and hadn't been back in a tenday. He realized the girl's mum was probably dead, and after the Arabella mess he really didn't want another orphan to break that news to. He gave her some gold to hopefully tide her over until someone else could help her. Minthara said she didn't understand why the city didn't open their gates for the refugees. Of course she meant to be used as laborers, but close enough.
Immediately after they were forced to settle a land dispute between a rich patriar named Arfur and a refugee family squatting in what was until recently an unused home of his. He had a few thugs with him and Rev didn't like his attitude (calling the refugees "mongrels"), so he intimidated everybody into fucking off so the family could stay. The thugs were apart of the Guild, a loose coalition uniting every criminal outfit in the city under one collective rule, and they weren't happy he ended their employ with Arfur. It sounded like a nasty business and he wasn't in the mood so he intimidated them into leaving too. They went inside to talk to the family and reassure them they could stay, and feeling emboldened decided to loot the place. Fuck the rich! That's how they found the basement and the secrets hidden within. From the boxes of toys and fireworks lining the walls it seemed Artur made his fortune as a toymaker. In a chest at the back of his workshop was a blackmail note, something about a shipment of teddy bears at Felogyr's? Further notes on his desk revealed the shipment was donated to the refugee camp in town. What the fuck was Artur apart of?
The entire earth shook as they walked toward the refugee camp. Rev grabbed onto Gale for support while Minthara and Shadowheart used nearby objects to stay upright. Despite how shocking this was to the party, no one else in town seemed to react all that much. Were these a regular occurrence? They asked a family for directions and none of them even mentioned the world shaking.
Along the way they also found that same strange fucking ox again. He and Rev regarded each other like old friends and the Ox said he couldn't get into the city being, well, a big ox. Animals weren't allowed inside the city anymore, and Rev thought of Scratch, Stolas and Leela. They'd have to figure a way to get them inside later. The ox hinted that he wanted Rev to sneak him into the city, perhaps if he were small enough to be hidden in a pack. Rev agreed because why not? And the ox transformed into a strange apple. Red, shiny, and utterly unremarkable. Just an apple, that used to be an ox, that's secretly a creature that can change shape and has vivid memories of corpses.
Outside the refugee camp they were flagged down by a trader, Ferg Drogher. The street was full of people shouting anti-refugee sentiments and Rev resisted punching one especially annoying guy as they headed over to Ferg's tent. He revealed he was actually a Sharran and told Shadowheart she needed to go to the House of Grief for punishment. He said he had to report her reappearance to his superiors, and Rev reacted before anyone could think. He slipped his blade straight into Ferg's neck and pushed him behind the crates at his shop. He choked on his own blood and bled out quickly, and no one from the outside could see his body. It wasn't the perfect cover but it'd buy them time to get out of the area and not be suspected of anything. Everyone was really shocked by his actions, understanding they needed to stop him but the quickness and brutality of it was just... a lot. Shadowheart shook it off quickly and thought the House of Grief was where her parents would be.
Mattis and Mirkon made it! So did Bex, Danis and Zorru. Rev was happy that so many of the tieflings survived the journey. Donations were kept in the barn, so the party lied their way in by pretending to be new Fist recruitments. At the back was a box overflowing with brand new teddy bears, and cutting one open revealed the bomb ticking inside it. Inside all of them. The party quickly began ripping the bears apart and trashing the bombs, which drew the attention of the guards. They were equally shocked that anyone would harm children, and together they all destroyed every single bear.
==== Strange Attractors ====
The Circus of the Last Days was an extraplanar show that moved from plane to plane, "thrilling all" who stopped by. It just-so-happened to be set up in Rivington so the party took off their armor and prepared for a fun day at the fair. After everything they'd been through just in Rivington alone meant they deserved a well-earned break. Dressed in fancy casual everyone strolled in and broke apart to explore. Shadowheart, who'd started learning the lute to pass time on the road to the city, joined the bards Viola and Calliope in song. Reveran dusted off his lyre and joined as well. Gale and Minthara watched from the crowd as the four of them performed, and everyone clapped for them after. Reveran enjoyed the praise, but Shadowheart was eating it up! She did a stage bow and everything, and after admitted how fun that was. Maybe she'd been too hard on bards in the past.
Gale convinced Reveran into posing for one of Boney and Stoney's statues. He didn't want to at first but finally relented after Gale whispered "so I have something to look at when you're gone," and he wanted to say that never happens because they're always together, but sat anyway because he knew it'd make him happy. After that he swore he saw the same woman from outside the stonemasons in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, and she confirmed it by vaguely saying it wasn't the right time to meet and disappearing. Whatever her deal was, he just didn't care. It could be dealt with another day for this one was for merriment!
Minthara was attempting to trade with a mummy when Reveran walked up to Akabi at the next stall over. He was hosting a Spin the Wheel game and knowing genies loved to scam people, distracted the big guy long enough for Astarion to pickpocket him. He has a ring on his possession that seemed innocuous, but when Akabi accused them of cheating when the wheel span in their favor Reveran knew he'd made the right call. As punishment the genie transported him to a pocket dimension full of ravenous dinosaurs. At least he thought it was a pocket dimension, surely the genie didn't send him to some distant past? Either way he found a portal back and was gone less than ten minutes, so no skin off his back.
Zethino (self-proclaimed Master of Love) flagged Reveran and Gale down as they walked by. She said for a fee she could read their hearts and determine if their love "will stand the test of time." Reveran shrugged why not and asked Gale if he was down, and he was! She had them close their eyes and they woke up... in a forest? A river ran beside him, and Gale stood on the other side with Zethino behind. A single log joined the two sides of the river, and she asked him, "Listen. Think. If the wizard were given the choice, what food would he be?" He thought for a moment, trying to remember anything Gale might've said about food... he ate whatever was put in front of him, but on the road out of the Shadow-Cursed Lands they found an apple tree growing outside the curse's range and it made for a refreshing snack. Gale really went in on those apples and took a few with him for the rest of the trip. He smiled at the memory of apples literally falling out of his pack and Gale chasing them as they rolled away. Still smiling he answered, "a shiny red apple - wholesome as can be." "Ah, the fruit of scholars," Gale replied. "How I long to have a troop of loyal students grace me with apples by the orchard-full in exchange for wisdoms imparted." What a dork. At her prompting, Reveran stepped forward onto the log. One step closer to Gale.
He already knew the next answer when she asked the question. "The heart is fraught, so let us turn to the joyous. When is Gale happiest?" Without hesitation he responded with "while on his balcony in Waterdeep." After their night together and seeing his tower up close through visions, that was enough to know how much he loved it there. It was his home, and he longed for it. "Bravo. That is indeed where my mind wanders to, when times are hard..." Gale let the sentence trail off and Reveran had to hold back making a joke about being hard lol. He stepped forward again, closing the distance fast.
"We often gaze through a veil of roses, but love accepts both the petal and the thorn. Gale - what is his greatest flaw?" Zethino asked, and of course she did. The questions weren't all going to be lighthearted. He knew what Gale would think his great flaw was, but he didn't want to say that. He wanted to say what was really on his mind in that moment, the bitter truth even if they both kept pretending it wasn't. "He thinks that he, and the world, might be better off if he were dead," he replied, staring right into Gale's eyes. He hoped his eyes said everything he wanted to in that moment, that no one and nothing would be better off without him. That he made everything good because he was good, and no one should take that away - not their enemies, not Mystra, not even himself. The message was received, and Gale said, "hearing it said out loud... yes, I fear it is true. Fate seems determined to make a sacrifice of me. But perhaps that can still be defied..."
This time they both stepped forward and met each other at the end of the log.
"A perfect score. It seems you know me better than I know myself," Gale smiled.
Reveran took his hand. "To be loved is to be known."
Zethino stepped forward and opened her arms. ""How close you are. Two hearts beating a perfect rhythm. But I know the truth: only one face haunts your dreams each night. Close your eyes, sweetness, and she will come to you..."
They didn't know what the fuck she was talking about, but suddenly the forest slipped away and they were back standing in the circus. The Zethino disguise was also gone, and Orin herself stepped forward. She mocked Reveran for "crawling home" and chastised him for "wasting time soft-soothing these flesh bags for the knife" which in psycho speak meant making friends. She said she could end him now, but was choosing to be patient. Father will see them together soon enough and then he will bleed. Father? Her father? Or his? Or... both? She was just vague enough that he wasn't sure, and after spending so long wanting to remember his past and what happened to him, that the chance of real answers terrified him. Especially if they involved Orin. But at least now they knew she was a shapeshifter. That was handy information to have, even if it means not trusting anyone from this point forward.
Gale could see Reveran stressing out so he took them to watch Dribbles's show. When the clown told his first corny joke Minthara offered to kill him, saying they'd be celebrated. He loved how dramatic she was. Dribbles scanned the crowd and called on Reveran to be his next guest assistant. He felt hatred rise up in his chest, the urge to slaughter him and everyone in the crowd for even asking. His skin bristled with the thought of their bones cracking and their goo spilling out... he was so shaken by this (and coming directly after the Orin thing wasn't helping) that he didn't even resist going onto the stage. The clown asked him some questions and finished by saying he had a message to pass along... "praise the Absolute." Of course. Dribbles shed his disguise revealing the true doppelganger underneath and a bunch of other ones came out of the woodwork too. Honestly, the fight was therapeutic in a way trying to relax couldn't be. It was actively doing something, something good to boot, so chopping off that dumb clown's head was just what he needed.
Lucretious, the fabulous drag queen and owner of the circus, asked the party to find the real Dribbles for her. They agreed, but found the clown's severed hand sitting at Froggo's stand. Gulp.
==== This Is a Love Story ====
Danzo Arkwright said someone or something had been taking down his carrier pigeons, so no mail was getting out of the city. On the way out they took a side door and ended up in a kennel, where Scratch's former owner was waiting for him. She tried to convince the party to give him back, but her assistant spoke up and said she was abusive and hurt the animals. She went to strike him but Rev grabbed her hand and said if she didn't fuck off right then, no one would ever find the pieces of her. She slinked off with her cowardly tail between her legs, and _ took over care of the animals. Scratch wasn't going anywhere, he was family now.
Leela flew down a nearby well for some reason and refused to come back up. Not sure what else to do Reveran jumped in after her. At the bottom she was pecking at the corpse of a murdered refugee. There were a lot of bodies in that cavern, with no discernable reason why.
Another cave was next to where that one let out (climbing back out the well wasn't an option, the rope was too weathered to hold) and inside they found the Ironhand gnomes working away, crafting weapons of the finest caliber. Philomeen and Thulla were there, both of whom said were happy to see the party alive. Barcus and the ever-charming Wulbren were in the back room looking over battle plans. Wulbren blamed the Gondians for helping Gortash build the Steel Watch automatons. He clearly had a deep hatred for them and it reminded Rev a lot of the anti-refugee protestors at the camp, especially when he blamed them for the horrors to come instead of Gortash. That was a big tip that Wulbren was off his rocker, consumed by his own vendettas and prejudices, and Rev wondered if he actually cared about saving the city at all or just about killing the Gondians. His plan was to blow up the Steel Watch Foundry with a special runepowder bomb they'd been developing, Killing all the Gondians inside would cripple Gortash's grip on the city. Barcus objected to the idea and Wulbren was a dick about it, as per usual, and while Rev did side with Barcus's point and agree to try the talking route first, he took the bomb anyway because you never know. Wulbren told them the Foundry was in the Lower City, by the docks.
On their way out Reveran spotted a book on Bhaalspawn resting on the bookshelf behind Barcus. Remembering what Orin said before made him reach out and "borrow" it. He may not be ready to fully accept what was being thrown at him but he knew he would be eventually.
A cat leaped across the sky from one rooftop to the next, in chase of a bird. Suddenly the missing post made sense, and Rev and Gale secretly climbed onto the roof of the Open Hand Temple to retrieve the mail. Shadowheart and Minthara both refused to risk their necks in such a dumb plan, but Gale was happy to go along for the ride. He was a ride or die kind of boyfriend. That's how they found Tara, Gale's former tressym. She was the "cat" eating the pigeons! Gale recognized her immediately and they spent some time catching up, and she promised to stop eating the carrier pigeons. She handed Gale a ring that she'd been keeping in her nest and he gave it to Rev as a gift.
"Given the length of my time away, I feared she might have given up on me. I should have known better, she'd never do such a thing," Gale said as they watched Tara fly away.
"That's something Tara and I have in common," Rev replied, and the puppy dog eyes Gale gave in return made his heart flutter.
"I'd actually been thinking about introducing the two of you anyway. Over a sumptuous home-cooked meal, if that sounds at all to your taste?" Gale went on to boast about the excellent kitchen back in his tower in Waterdeep, and the wine cellar that rivalled Ondal's himself! He loved to make homemade hundur sauce too, apparently. He described it all with such detail and passion that Rev could almost see it in front of him. Could almost smell the food cooking and the music playing.
"Inviting me to your house for the first time? You must really like me," he smirked.
"More than you could possible believe. Now that we've got something to look forward to, I think it's time we went and saved the world. Don't you?" Gale held out his hand and Rev took it, but for a moment he caught something else on Gale's face. It was the look of someone lying and trying to hide it, and Rev remembered the orb in his chest. They still needed to find a way to save him from it, and while Rev maintained hope Gale clearly believed he'd need to blow himself up sooner rather than later. To him, he was describing a date he thought they'd never get to have, and Rev held back the tears threatening to spill down his cheek. He was determined to follow Tara's lead and never, ever give up on him. Never.
Once they'd climbed down from the roof the party decided to exit through the temple instead of back through the circus. It turned out to be devoted to god Ilmater, and recently their high priest Lorgan had been murdered. Valeria was an investigator from inside the city looking into the case. She was settled on the culprit being a tiefling refugee named Brilgor, who was also found dead at the scene, but Sister Yannis didn't agree with the murder-suicide theory. They didn't even have the murder weapon yet! She begged the party to search for clues that'd clear the refugees of the crime otherwise Gortash would use this to further ostracize the refugees.
Sister Rose, however, was convinced of the refugees' guilt. Apparently Lorgan had been paralyzed with poison and his hands hacked off, something she'd totally expect from tieflings (and saying that to a tiefling? The gall). Rev decided to just talk to Lorgan himself and cast a Speak with Dead spell. The corpse revealed he was killed by a dwarf dressed in red when hiding Brilgor from the Flaming Fists. It was his duty to help the innocent and he died doing it, killed in tunnels leading out from the cellar. Why Valeria didn't use this spell was a mystery, but it seemed unlikely she was involved.. more incompetent than malicious.
The party went down into the cellar and found the crime scene, blood covering much of the floor. A trail of it led underneath a wall which obviously meant there was a hidden passage, which led the tunnels Lorgan's body described. Inside three people were discussing someone called Dolor, who was the real killer apparently, and upon seeing the party immediately attacked. Killing them forced them to shed their human disguises, revealing more doppelgangers. Lot of them walking around these days, it seemed. Talking to their corpses revealed they were sent to clean up after Dolor, a blood-red dwarf. He was sloppy and left the dagger behind, and they had been searching for it when discovered. Something prevented the corpse from revealing who it was working for, something Rev had never encountered before. Interesting. The dagger Dolor used to kill Lorgan was buried hastily under some rocks nearby, hard to miss unless you were a stupid doppelganger.
There were a lot of bodies in the cavern, including those of refugees Lorgan was trying to help. The doppelgangers had been arranging them in a strange pattern that no one recognized, but one corpse contained a ritual note that was signed by Orin. So she was behind this whole debacle somehow, not surprising. Whatever was going on with Dolor would lead, eventually, to Orin. 
==== Sister Dearest / Brother Mine ====
The cave let out along the river and the earth shook again. This time the Emperor reached out and said it was because of the Elder Brain fighting against it's bonds since Ketheric died. They continued down the way and found a man dying on the path, a blade sticking out of his gut. He was suspicious of the party but when they swore him no further harm, he allowed them close. He asked Reveran to finish him off so he wouldn't have to endure bleeding to death. Hesitant, rev noticed that his face didn't twist from supposed pain. Other than the scene being shocking, he seemed to almost be... enjoying it? Suspicion welled up inside him. "If you had your guts falling out you'd be eager too," the man said when he noticed the look on Rev's face. Still cautious, he sat down on the ground next to him, saying "I'll stay with you until the end, but I won't speed your passage."
The man smirked and ripped the blade from his chest, stating that even with death offered on a plate he still resists. The façade slipped away and Orin stepped forth, twirling the still-bloody blade in her hands. She said that their father was laughing at him, and Rev's heart clenched. Father? Sibling? Orin was his sister? Their father was... who was their father? The book of Bhaalspawn felt especially heavy in his pack but he wasn't ready to knock that door down just yet. He was still reeling from his psychotic sister stalking him all over Rivington. Sister. He looked at Gale who reached out and patted his shoulder. He clearly didn't know what to say, but Rev wouldn't have known how to answer anyway. She threw a few more jabs at him before vanishing, leaving him swallowing back bile and wanting to die.
Minthara recognized a ship from Moonrise sitting along the river's edge, still radiating with traces of the Shadow Curse. Members of the Guild were on the beach arguing with agents of the Stone Lord, another criminal enterprise. They demanded the party pick a side and seeing no alternative (there were people standing behind them now too, blocking the exit) picked the devil they kind of knew: the Guild. Once the other side was defeated, Farlin thanked the party and revealed the Stone Lord was a newcomer to the underworld and that all evidence suggested he was in league with the Absolutists. They were smuggling something into the city via the boat, and Rev suspected it was more of the parasites they found at Moonrise.
Stumbling upon a camp of Gurs performing a funeral rite wasn't unexpected, but somehow not a surprise either. Ulma, their leader, recognized Astarion and called him out. Apparently when he was still under Cazador's control he stole their children away, and they were the ones that sent Gandrel after him, to get revenge. However, now that he was free to walk in the day and had his control of his own mind, the Gurs wanted his help getting their children back. It could be his penance for causing so much harm and breaking so many families. When he insisted they were probably dead already, they stated that so long as Cazador died for his crimes, it'd be still start. Rev encouraged him to take their offer.
That night at camp Wyll was sickened by Gortash's plan to seal the city and use the Steel Watch to keep it defenseless for the cult's invasion. He spotted Lae'zel telling stories to the egg and chose not to bother her. She'd hate being outed as a secret softy and he didn't want to get socked for it. However, that was the moment Vlaakith chose to astral project into camp, taking everyone off guard. Lae'zel disowned her but she still extended an offer: Go back into the Prism and kill Orpheus, and she'd let Lae'zel ascend. It was an offer Lae'zel would've more than considered not that long ago, but now? She reacheed out to Rev with her mind and showed him her confliction, even now after everything. He sent back good vibes LOL and together they stood their ground, which drove the lich queen to anger. Lae'zel stated her intention to free Orpheus instead and take her down. "I will consume you! I will unmake you!" Vlaakith screamed, but still fucked off off after. Where was the follow through? She was all talk, at least for now. Having the Prism made them a threat and that was ever clearer after this interaction. Afterward he told Lae'zel she should think about what she wanted instead of jumping from one ruler to another. 
Karlach's engine was running hot again and she feared time was even more limited. She just wanted to protect the city and save who she could before the block ran out. The little girl they'd met earlier, Yenna, came to camp and asked to stay because her mom was obviously not coming back. Seeing as they're basically a traveling adoption agency at this point, why not? Minthara mentioned that they were pissing off Gods like it was a competition, and it made her anxious. They finally talked about Orin about being his sister and Bhaal most likely being his father. He could've opened up to anyone, in fact it probably should've been Gale, but Minthara understood more than anyone else. She was tortured and brainwashed by Orin, and her hated and fear of Bhaal was something he could relate to. She said she didn't hold it against him who his father was, and he laughed sardonically. She then admitted to being terrified of Orin, and he confessed he was scared of her, too. 
The Emperor visited him in his dreams again. He was drained, exhausted even, and it allowed Rev's consciousness to just wander in. The Elder Brain was rebelling against Orin and Gortash's control now and the earthquakes were only going to get worse. Apparently the psionic power from those quakes also affected the Astral Plane. The emperor was terrified it'd break free, but found comfort in talking about his love for Duke Stelmane, or whatever feeling Mind Flayers can feel that's closest to love. He once again asserted the party would be stronger if they consumed the special parasite and became more Illithid, but Rev still wasn't into the idea. He sent Rev back to his dreams because the Brain was rebelling again and he needed to focus.
==== Everyone's at the Whore House ====
Having successfully snuck passed the Wyrm's Crossing checkpoint, the party went to Sharess' Caress, the best brothel in all of Rivington! Amira, the high whore herself, tried to guess Reveran's interests (unfortunately for her a dwarf holding a whip wasn't his forte). She insisted she was right and said their best girl Ffion would be his perfect match, she just wasn't in that day. Apparently she'd gone missing and Amira's pockets were hurting for it. She asked if they could find her, and when agreed directed them to Ffion's pleasure room: Elminster's Library. Everyone was disgusted by the thought of that old man slutting it up around town. Rev turned away from Amira and came face-to-face with Korilla, who was finally ready to not be cryptic. Apparently she worked for Raphael and he was waiting upstairs for them, hoping they'd stop by. Before they could deal with that though Rev swore he heard the familiar wail of Arfur the bomb planter. He peaked through the fancy curtains and there he was, throwing coin at a dancer. He walked right up to their old friend and casually mentioned his bomb making habits, which shocked him to the core. Poor little rich man. He tried to deny it but when he realized the jig was up, he tried to bribe them instead. "If I wanted your gold I'd have gutted you and taken it, just give me answers. Who 'made' you do this?" Rev demanded. Arfur said he picked up the smokepowder bombs from Felogyr's Fireworks in the Lower City and snuck them into the toys, but didn't know who was in charge. He was threatened by faceless lackeys! He then tried to bribe them further with a pass into the city and Rev accepted, but still told him to turn himself into the Fists. Threatened, was more accurate. He went but not before saying if he was found hanging in a cell it was on him, because these people could get to him anywhere.
As soon as Arfur slinked off the Drow twins made themselves known by coming up on both sides and sandwiching Rev between them. They wanted a four way, but Gale wasn't into it because he's strictly monogamous, and Rev shared that sentiment. As they went upstairs en route to Elminster's creepy sex room, they spotted Valeria drinking to her "success." She better enjoy that wine while she can because they were going to bust the case wide open for real. 
They accidentally used Amira's key to walk into the wrong room. Two women were making out on the bed when the party bumbled in. Everyone locked eyes and Rev's parasite connected to another inside one of the women. She recognized him, all of them, and screamed that the Absolute showed her their faces. And then it spoke through her, commanding the change to begin. "Gather... prepare... BECOME!" The Absolute bellowed, and the woman's body ripped apart. Tentacles sprouted from her skull as it split open, and within seconds the person she was no longer existed. Where she stood was a newborn Mind Flayer poised to attack. Before she could, though, Rev slashed his blades forward and the Mind Flayer's head fell to the floor. It was over before it began, and the earth shook in reaction. The Elder Brain was pissed. After going through the deceased's stuff they found a letter talking about Gortash being named the city's first-ever Archduke.
(describe the room?) While looting Elminster's library they found Ffion's journal, describing someone living at the Flophouse across the street. Apparently this person was scaring the other residents. It was a good thing they had to go there at some point anyway.
Raphael's room being called the "Devil's Den" was a little on the nose, but he guessed that was on brand. Raphael was speaking to Voss, who wished to make a deal with him in exchange for the Orphic Hammer. Raphael is uninterested in anything Voss has to offer, and on his way out voss begs lae'zel to give him whatever he wants because he has the means to free orpheus. with a snap of his fingers all the background noise in his mind disappeared, and he felt... empty. alone. all those threads connecting to the others were gone. he was the only one inside his head for once. but most important, Raphael stressed, was that the Emperor couldn't hear them. how Raphael even know about the Emperor was a mystery. the devil revealed he knew all about the elder brain and the fight to come, but that he could make it go a lot easier for them. He wasn't asking much. Just a token really, a trifle. They'd never even miss it... the Crown of Karsus. Raphael wanted to unite the Hells using the crown to rule over them. The party already had the means to destroy the brain (Orpheus) they just needed the means to free him, which Raphael happened to have: The Orphic Hammer, capable of shattering the chains holding the price captive. it was in his House of Hope.
"It's very convenient that you have exactly what I need," Rev said. raphael went on to give a rundown on the crown's history (:s) [he was there that day and mephistophiles (sp?) swiped it for his vault before anyone else could nab it] and in the end Rev told him to fuck off. They knew where it was, and Rev had a feeling he could get them there...stealing it wouldn't be easy, in fact it may get them killed, but better that Raphael get his grubby claws on the crown. once out of the room he felt the noise slowly return, and he longed for that quiet. he knew that was why raphael did it, to make his offer more tempting. that was when the emperor reappeared, asking where he'd gone. he'd felt their connection vanish and couldn't figure out why. rev told him the truth about it all because he figured he couldn't like even if he wanted to. he may not trust raphael OR the emperor but only one of them could root around his head for lies. he couldn't risk losing this alliance, not yet. after he assured lae'zel they were going to get that hammer from the house of hope no matter what and despite being annoyed at him for choosing the difficult path when there was an easy out right there, she admired him for it. gale was intrigued by the talk of the crown and agreed that turning raphael down was the best idea, but then said They needed to claim the crown before anyone else. uhhhh... anyway Voss didn't like that they didn't take the deal but Rev promised he was gonna get that hammer no matter what, which the Emperor didn't like. no pleasing everyone. he said he'd meet them in the sewers once they had it.
at the flophouse they ran into two of cazador's other spawn, Petras and Dalyria. Astarion regarded his siblings with contempt, and the two questioned why he had returned. Petras thought Astarion wanted to ascend along with them but he grabbed his brother by the collar and dragged him into the sunlight to torture information from him. Dalyria begged him to stop and revealed Cazador was preparing for the rite in a defiled temple beneath his castle, one he hid from all of them. astarion let them go and when talking to Rev once again expressed his desire to take over the rite and ascend. What is it with the men in this party wanting to become gods? Jeez.
in the attic the flowery key they could opened a secret wardrobe door. behind it was a room lined with jars, and inside the jars were innards and organs. there was a map the Open Hand Temple laid out on a table, next to a blood-stained parchment describing the Dread Lord's Tribunal at the Temple of Bhaal. Bhaal. Shudder. Below was a list of names and four were already crossed off: Duke Belynne Stelmane, Father Lorgan,  Franc Peartree, and Dribbles the Clown. Only those who brought a hand from each victim would be allowed inside the temple. So the whole murder plot was a test given to this Dolor person for entry into Bhaal's world...damn. It only got more fucked up when they noticed blood pooled under the bed in the corner, and pulling it out revealed the body of Ffion Goldgrind. Based on her journal they found before, Dolor was her son. And he was out there hunting his next targets to sell his soul to Bhaal. Yikes.
valeria was still celebrating her victory when rev sat down at her table. he said he was just there to drink, and toasted "to lazy conclusions, and even lazier detectives!" Sure she called him a busybody for it but at least now she was listening. He laid it all out, starting with it being a Bhaal plot. apparently her partner Devella had been investigating Stelmane's murder and was harping on about Bhaal too. Rev rubbed all the evidence in her face and the damn elephant had no choice but to admit she was a flop. Said to seek out Devella tho at the Elfsong Tavern.
Danthelon's Dancing Axe: He was happy to have a customer, but upon seeing Jaheira dropped the charm. She asked if the others were already there and he said yes and nodded to the back room. they took the ladder down down downnn where they met the other harpers. Harper Geraldus welcomed them, but his greeting was so uncanny valley. Jaheira asked if he was okay, and he said something about Selune's tears. He was terrifed, Rev realized, and using that term as a code for help. When Harper Chelvin stepped forward to speak Jaheira said "Doesn't she remind you of our old friend Marcus?" He knew what that meant and steeled himself for battle. great, more doppelgangers. jaheira revealed that her harpers died in search of a Rashemen named Minsc. His muddled mind couldn't remember, but the name did spark something in him, he just didn't know what. he was her oldest friend and she left him to die last time they were together. before the Absolute they were investigating a cultists ugathering beneath the city that had a mind flayer among their numbers. Minsc charged in alone and everything went to shit so quickly. Too quickly. She had to make a choice to flee with the information they'd gathered, to warn people and to fight another die, or die with him. She chose what she had to choose, and Rev understood. He wasn't sure he could do the same if it ever came to it, but he felt for her. He promised her he'd help her find Minsc. "As simply as that? For no other reason than that I asked? Perhaps you two will get along."
==== Apology Tour ====
Using the many lower city passes they collected to gain access into Wrym's Rock Fortress, everyone was feeling pretty good. Not having to fight tooth and nail to go somewhere was a nice change. However the second he stepped through the threshold, Reveran collapsed, his mind being pulled away. Somewhere far, far away. He awoke on a cold floor to Sceleritas Fel's vicious laughs. Rev couldn't see him, but still had to listen to him say he'd disappointed his father too many times. But he could still be redeemed... by slaughtering his sister, Orin, and becoming Bhaal's chosen. He saw her laying on an alter of flesh and bone, and Bhaal's blood-red presence inhabited the very walls. Memories... his memories, flooded his mind. His past was right there. He remembered the years spent in worship of Bhaal, leading his savage congregation in prayer, sacrifice, and slaughter. He was their master, and Bhaal was his. A cruel master, but a devoted father.
Rev shook the memories away, wanting to forget again, but he knew that wasn't possible. What he'd been given back was his, and he had to live with that. That's not who I am now, he chanted to himself over and over until the visions faded away, leaving him hyperventilating and tearing up on the floor of Wyrm's Rock. Jaheira was checking his vitals while Wyll calmly told him to focus on his voice. It was quite an embarrassing scene. He managed to steady his breathing and slide to his feet, but he couldn't say anything before Gortash was talking to them through one of the Steel Watchers. He invited them upstairs to his inauguration, but not before welcoming Rev home and mentioning Orin in the same breath. Really dig that knife in fucker.
The earth shook again and for a moment it really seemed like the walls of the castle might buckle from the strain, but they didn't. The brain was still rebelling, and it was only a matter of time until it broke free and started enacting it's own will, especially if they kept collecting Netherstones. It was the final straw and Rev told everyone they had to go back to camp now. There was still an hour left until the inauguration according to a poster on the wall, so he hoped that was enough time.
Once there he had another panic attack in the barn before finally telling everyone what he saw. He couldn't keep it to himself even though he wanted to. He knew enough from that book on Bhaalspawn to know he couldn't keep it from everyone, especially Gale. He told him first. Gale took it okay but was clearly concerned, and it took Rev longer than he'd like to admit to realize Gale was worried for him, not because of him. Minthara asked him to show her instead of telling, so he did. He let every horrific memory and vision that was shown to him pass through her mind. She wasn't afraid, but impressed. Maybe even a little turned on. She reaffirmed they needed to kill Orin, but this time with the added bonus of claiming Bhaal's inheritance after. He knew her well enough to know she was power-hungry, but he had no plans on claiming anything Bhaal wanted for him, and she'd just have to be okay with that. Shadowheart told him she recalled hearing of Bhaalspawn that never succumbed to his evil influence, and perhaps he could still resist that nature as he had been the entire time they'd known each other. They hugged, and he began to really ponder the memories that had returned to him. He could recall only the last decade, approximately. Why was the cut off so drastic? Ten years of horrors and then nothing again. What else about his past did Bhaal not want him to know about? He still didn't have the whole picture, but he would. He'd contront his sister and father and learn everything, because he had no choice. There was no going back to the peace amnesia afforded him.
Astarion kind of loved the revelation. Karlach was so supportive, and told him he was more than his parents and the dark urges, he was her friend and he'd choose right. She knew it. Jaheira was angry because apparently she fought the Bhaalspawn when they rose before, and it took everything to stop it that first time. She said she was trying to work through what he was telling her, but needed time, because trust was essential to beating the Absolute and she honestly wasn't sure she could trust him now. That stung, but he understood. He could tell the news had really really shaken her. Halsin said not to share it too much because Bhaalspawn tended to die young. Lae'zel said she wasn't surprised and one day he'd either succumb to Bhaal or defy him, and she winked when she said she knew what she'd choose. Wyll told him about Gorion's Ward, another Bhaalspawn he knew that defied Bhaal and was a great hero the city. Isobel and Aylin were out having a midday date, which sucked because Aylin could've related to being a child of a God. Withers didn't comment when told, but there was something in his crusty eyes that made Rev suspect he'd always known anyway.
With the apology tour wrapped up and them back at Wyrm's Rock with minutes to spare, all Rev could wonder was why the fuck was Mizora there? Standing at the entrance to the staircase, she taunted Wyll by saying his poor brainwashed father was upstairs ordaining Gortash, and to come back to her on their way out. Whatever, bitch.
Gortash's inauguration was full of rich society people. When he spotted the party he announced that an old acquaintance had come to pay their respects, and Karlach thought he meant her, but he meant Rev which surprised all of them. Gortash revealed their backstory (screenshots+wikia) and Karlach demanded answers. Rev stated all that mattered was the now, and right now he was there to end the evil plot. Gortash said that the Netherbrain (which it became under the crown's influence) was going to free itself soon and without new orders, it'd kill them all... unless they renewed their old partnership and worked together. Rev said no flat out, he's a changed person. Also the downside to remembering his past was that now he had to remember the time him and Gortash hooked up. It was in Moonrise, of all places, on Ketheric's throne. He remembered every thrust and moan, and he wished he could kill himself right there. Evil or not, fucking Gortash was inexcusable.
As a sign of good faith Gortash revealed that Orin replaced someone at their camp with a doppelganger, which sent everyone in paranoia mode. They'd have to deal with that later, away from Gortash to deny him the satisfaction of getting to them. They weren't going to stay for the coronation but Gortash forced them with parasite pain, and reluctantly watched as Duke Ravenguard annointed him the first-ever Archduke of Baldur's Gate! The crowd clapped furiously. So this was how liberty died, with thunderous applause. Gortash winked at Rev and said to find him after they had Orin's stone, clearly ignoring the "No" from before.
how the fuck does he even begin to process that he was behind the entire cult of the absolute? fuck (need to add something about everyone mad at this plot twist bc i'd be mad too ngl)
Everyone had forgotten about Mizora until she was in front of them again, revealing that Gortash was already sending Duke Ravenguard somewhere to be "taken care of," and she could help... for a price. She summoned her weird devil sisters and did some chanting, and said she wanted to make a new bargain: quote from screenie. Rev encouraged Wyll to break the pact, and he did (fluff this up). It was the right thing to do, and they could always save his father anyway just to spite Mizora.
==== Welcome to Baldur's Gate ====
once in the lower city the strange ox dipped after saying thanks, he owed us one. we'd cash that in for sure later. ally! bulletan board mentioned hag survivors group and florrick's upcoming execution. yes we know we gotta save her. the elfsong is looking for tenants, and since it's right down the street they head there first. since duke stelmane was murdered upstairs the owner offers the entire top floor to us to show the public not to be scared. they spoke to devella who was still poking around the murder random when they went up. said valeria sent them and confirmed her suspicions about bhaal by showing her the murder list. she told them the story of sarevok anchev (screenshots). she's bound by her superiors but the party isn't and asked them to follow the trail to places she can't. because of politics she has to go secure the patriars on the list but wants them to warn the people in the lower city.
dammon! alive and well! dear future me sorry babe u gotta go back and add stuff about aradin at the grove and giving the quest about the nightsong/mentioning larokakin bc now hes gonna appear at camp lol. sorcerous sundries! rolan was there working at laroakin's appentice and is clearly being beaten, but doesn't wanna talk about it. araj's house went boom and she was weird with astarion again. we tried to warn figaro about the killer but he brushed us off...k.  since it was across the street jaheira took us to her house and we met her family. her children was annoying and Rion was especially pissed about jaheira's lack of communication while away. she showed us her cool basement/rite of the timeless body.
Sorcerous Sundries again!! maybe move the first part with rolan/aradin to this section. Anyway!! SS was super hectic and crazy so we asked tolna the worker bitch if she had anything on the crown of karsus bc rev remembered that's why gale wanted to come there. she said there were a few hidden books (name them maybe?) deep in their vault, locked away for everyone's protection, but that the karsus book was said to be written by Karsus himself. she let slip that the entrance to the vault was through her office, so no one was getting in. oh honey. fit in larroakin's portal puzzle for the nightsong somewhere. we broke into her office using darkness and found larroakan's original wanted ad to find the nightsong. yikes. a book trigger on the bookshelf opened a portal to the vault. ok everyone get to work this is why yenna knitted us extra pack pockets so we could loot more. the first book they found was the red knight one and it contained two powerful spells that gale could learn. his eyes lit up at the chance to have more power, and that worried rev. the whole djinn lamp thing, maybe delete this idk. seelie book was in larry's hidden office, along with tons of research and correspondence on the nightsong. the restricted area full of doors. elminster silverhand karsus. evocation illusion abjuration. shadow wild demon. in the elminster vault we found the tharcarite codex, which cursed rev. notes it felt a lot like the shadow curse.
in the karsus vault the book they wanted was right there, and gale said that if crown atop the elder brain was truly the crown of karsus then the book would confirm it, and held out his hand for rev to hand it over. there was more to this than just confirming the crown, gale's ambition had led him to be shunned by mystra and now it was resurfacing with the crown. he handed the book over, but knew they'd have to have a real conversation about all this soon. he just wasn't sure if he'd like what he heard. his fears were validated when gale flipped through the book and confirmed the crowns origins, but also realizing the book contained Karsus's original plans for constructing it. His designs to achieve godhood. Gale's eyes sparkled at the thought, and it was bitter for Rev because the last time he saw that look was the night they fucked. Sparkles in his eyes. "The design for self-destruction, more like. Didn't the crown KILL Karsus?" Rev pointed out. "Not exactly. It's what he did with it that sealed his fate. The book states that the Crown and Netherstones were originally one construct. If we can collect them and with the correct invocation and spells and gestures detailed in these notes... I THINK I could reforge it." "To what end?" "To every end you can imagine, and a thousand more beyond. Just think of it... the power of the gods in mortal hands at last. We'd be free of doctrine and dogma, confined only by our imaginations!" He said they needed to discuss this further, Privately, and to find him later at camp. "I will show you something truly divine. I will show you what a crown like this could mean for Both of us." rev is worried and uncomfy and scared but he said "Until tonight, then," and let's the matter lie. arguing about it in the vault they were currently stealing from wasn't the best time. maybe what gale had in mind wasn't as drastic as it was seeming to be...  (btw i redid this scene, refer to screenie for slightly altered dialogue)
fish ppl attacked, move or del
finished out the day by warning the other murder victims: nesha at the blushing mermaid, drunk as ever and waiting for friends. she took only a little convincing but saw the earnesty in his eyes when he begged her to run. chef roveer at the elfsong thought we were exterminators and when warned about the killer said they should be worrying about killing the rats in the basement. god people suck. they went to kill the rats because maybe THEN he'd listen. as they descended the stairs the emperor said his old lodgings were down there. oh there were like a hundred rats fuck. dead. burnt. a secret lever behind the wine racks revealed the entrance. inside the former hideout for the knights of the shield, the party found several Githyanki arguing around a table. how the hell did they find the place? anyway they died. the emperor guided them to what was once his bedroom. he lamented about stelmane, his love, and let the party take his old things. most likely because he knew they'd just take it all anyway. on the way out told the chef the rats were dead and to finally just fucking listen to them. he was still mocking in his tone but at least he knew, they'd have to hope that was enough. the last victim was Cora Highberry at her home. when the party arrived she was hosting a wine party and she invited the party to join. another guest, metzli, said he'd rather they enjoy the wine in private, but she insisted on the more the merrier! rev went to take a swig of the glass handed to him just to appease the hostess enough to hear them out, when he smelled it. it wasn't even subtle, it stood out from the wine aroma like stale piss. poison. His eyes shifted to "Metzli," a dwarf dressed in all red. "I think it's only polite that we let Master Metzli drink first, or should I say... Dolor?" the dwarf lost his composure immediately and screamed that the ritual was now unclean because they'd said his name. he threatened, he bolstered, and he told them he'd slice their faces off if he interacted with the next one, his "crowning jewel." then the other guests revealed themselves to be doppelgangers. they ALL transformed into dolor to hide the real one's escape, fuck. they'd lost him before the fight even ever really began. cora was shaken but thanked the party for saving her, and that she'd look into further protection.
they knew dolor's timeline had been accelerated and he was going to kill one of the others now, but which one? roveer was in the busy tavern, nesha had run off, cora was fine... figaro hadn't believed them, and he was probably the closest to a jewel than any of them. it was worth checking back. and it was good they did because dolor had figaro paralyzed and tied to a chair, sharpening his blades and giving a fanatic speech about ascending with his Lord Bhaal. all a load of bullshit. we killed him and his doppelganger cronies and saved devella and figaro! heroes, yay. (oh maybe mention somewhere in the past that dolor is ffions son bc i dont think i did) devella was on her way to the upper city when she heard the commotion. she's surmised the killings were part of an initiation test for the cult of bhaal, taking their victims hands as an offering for bhaal. it'd grant them entry to a "tribunal." all she knew about that was that it was taking place below "Candulhallow's Tombstones," but it wasn't a place she was familiar with. it may be connected to hidden cellars around the elfsong, but those were only rumors. she wasn't sure. // a bloody note on dolor's body (dirge of the unholy assassin) + bag of hands.
==== Eternity With You ====
Elminster was waiting at camp for them, because of course he fucking was. He said he knew they'd been in the Sorcerous Sundries Vault and was wondering what they'd found down there. Rev gave the old man a hard time about literally wanting Gale to kill himself on his last visit, but he ignored Rev and said he knew they found the book on Karsus' crown, and that Mystra knew too. She wanted Gale to meet with her sometime soon at the Stormshore Tabernacle shrines, so they could talk face-to-face. Elminster dipped after delivering that message, and Gale wasn't happy about it but said meeting Mystra was "overdue." Rev wasn't thrilled at the idea of his boyfriend having a one-on-one conversation with his literal Goddess of an ex, but he had to believe that Gale would be able to handle himself. He'd have to, since Rev may not survive the Bhaal fiasco to come.
Gale said he felt that he didn't deserve Rev at times, and Rev said that was bullshit. He did deserve him, because he deserved the world! Which may have been the wrong answer for once because Gale took it as encouragement to reveal his plan: He called it ascension, and when instructed to Rev closed his eyes and let himself get swept away by Gale's fantasy. (screenshots!!!)
There was another Emperor dream that night and the first thing Rev thought was, why is he shirtless? It was a strange conversation, but at least the Emperor admitted he's a liar and has been the entire time. It was comforting, to be right about someone. He basically copped to watching him and the party and coming up with the Dream Guardian persona so that he could buy their trust, but also made the point that they probably would've tried to kill him if he'd approached them as himself. Honestly? Yeah, he might have, Rev can acknowledge that... and even understand why the emperor lied, but that didn't mean he liked it. It didn't help that it was exactly the thing Rev would've done in that situation, and had been doing the entire saga thus far. He lied about his identity to get further into places he shouldn't have been all the damn time, and maybe it was hypocritical to still be upset with the Emperor. Still, though.
They moved onto more pressing matters: the Netherbrain's hive mind was growing ever stronger, quickly becoming indestructible, and their clock was seriously ticking down. "You know now of your father's plans to use the Elder Brain to slaughter the world over," the Emperor stated. "One need not read minds to foresee the horrors he will pen with your hand if you do not stand against him." Rev assured him that the time for that was almost upon them and he had every intention of ending that sad story once and for all. He didn't say the quiet part out loud, that he may not survive the encounter with his father, but it was on his mind. Looping around and around in his thoughts, a ghoulish reminder he couldn't escape.
In the morning Jaheira said they should look into finding Nine-Fingers Keene, leader of the Guild and criminal underbelly, as she may be able to aid in their search for Minsc. Rev said it was a great idea, but that same inner voice was nagging at him. He only had one more day until the Murder Tribunal and he intended to spend this day wrapping up loose ends. Going up against his family, one being a literal God, probably wasn't going to end well for him. Either he'd die fighting to be himself, or the urge would consume him. The biggest thing he wanted to tackle before that was Jaheira and Minsc, if they could find him and convince him to join the party he'd be a major asset going forward. Especially if Rev wasn't alive to see everything through. He could at least stack the cards in everyone's favor.
Gale scene: "My love. I hope you enjoyed our voyage through the cosmos? I was hoping you might have a moment to talk about it..." "You showed me eternity. I haven't stopped thinking about it." "Neither have I - the closest thing to a deserving canvas on which to place your beauty. But I've also not forgotten why I took you there. I hope you don't think less of me. Great ambition should not come at the expense of what you already hold dear. I see that now." "You listened to me. You understood my concerns. How could I think less of you for that?" They made out a lot.
Rev ran into Lakrissa working as a barmaid downstairs, and he settled up their bet from the grove. She mentioned Alfira was up on the roof so he went with her to say hey because her break was just starting. Alfira was taken by the beauty of the city, and Lakrissa the beauty of her, and apparently they planned to start a bard school together. He encouraged her dreams. After he also participated in the Laff Riot Comedy Contest against Harvard Willoughby, and won! At least if adventuring didn't work out he'd have a solid backup career as a comedian.
Cordula Eltan confronted the party saying Mizora told them Duke Ravenguard was dead and that it was Wyll's fault, how he was hungry for power and planned to destroy the city now that his father was dead. Rev was like, after the initial "who the fuck even are you?" moment, "you're going to trust a literal Devil? Duke Ravenguard isn't even dead yet, settle down." She believed them, but all Rev could do was roll his eyes. Sure she was dumb for believing at all, but it also meant that Mizora was going be petty about breaking the pact. Anyway Eltan told them about a dragon sleeping under the city that was meant to protect everyone in times of great danger. She said that if Florrick were here she'd be telling them the same info: Find Ansur the dragon and save the city. At least she gave them a book on the subject. Rev promised that freeing Florrick was on their to-do list for the day and not to worry. He was sure that was at least one other thing he could do before he died.
When they found Florrick locked away in a dank cell at the back of Wyrm's Rock Prison, she had given up. She couldn't see a version of the story where they actually won, because the city was already infiltrated so deeply but the cult. Now that Duke Ravenguard was among the infected... seeing his puppeteered husk was the last straw. It broke her spirit completely. Jaheira tried to reach her, but Florrick wasn't hearing any of it. It was only after Rev called her a coward and followed it up with a tough love speech that she finally saw sense and let them break her out. No more sulking, she knew what she had to do. As rev looked for a way to sneak her out he found Arfur's beaten corpse in the cell next door, and didn't feel bad. Fucker tried to blow up children. After forcing Florrick, the high ranking government official, through a crack in the wall, she thanked them and said she was off to the Upper City to gather what allies she could, but she'd assist them in the trials to come best she could. She also stated the party should try finding Ansur and they told her Eltan already beat her to it. After she left Rev decided to flip through the book. It mentioned rumors that the entrance to Ansur's chambers was somewhere in Wyrm's Rock Prison, which they'd just broken out of. Rev considered going back in and skulking around for clues, but with the tribunal tomorrow he had to stick to things that he could get done, because there may be nothing after tomorrow.
==== Cohesive Threads ====
Jaheira thought Nine-Fingers was operating from the sewers, so they pried open a grate near the Elfsong and dropped down. Right before the alley disappeared Rev could've sworn he saw a zombie. Shambling, what skin was showing was yellowed like old newspaper, and the smell. It hit long before he fell down enough for it to be the sewer. Whatever that whole deal was, he was glad it wasn't his problem. After blowing through a clearly fake wall and picking an extremely hard locked door, the party found themselves inside the Guildhall. The Guild's base was laid out inside an old portion of sewer that was never connected to the main waterways. The support beams towered three stories high, with traders and collections spread out along several elevated platforms. The Zhentarim were negotiating a trade deal on the centermost platform, and Mol was to the left! She had both her eyes, which Rev clocked immediately, and she was cagey about just how she escaped Moonrise. His mind went back to her lanceboard game with Raphael at Last Light and wondered if his grubby sulfur-covered claws were behind this somehow. But for now she was safe, and he was glad for that.
Nine-Fingers Keene was happy to see Jaheira alive because she owed her money, apparently. They had a weird dynamic going on that made Rev wonder if they used to be lovers, because it definitely had an exes vibe. She wanted to know why they were there and Jaheira told her they needed help finding Minsc of Rashemen. Keene laughed and said he was already on his way there. She'd given orders to her men to kill him and bring back the corpse. When accused of working for the Absolute she revealed that it was in fact Minsc that was working for the Absolute, under the moniker the Stone Lord. Jaheira couldn't believe it, wouldn't believe it, but it made sense in a twisted way. They all knew how persuasive the parasites could be once burrowed into a mind, and if one was inside Minsc that explained everything. Jaheira begged Keene to call off her ambush so they could deal with him instead, but she refused. The Guildhall was open to them but that was as far as Keene's generosity went. Rev asked if she knew anything about a Candulhallow's Tombstones, a name she hadn't heard in ages apparently. Used to be a shop near the Elfsong, but she hadn't heard anything about it in years. That aligned with the secret basement theory Devella had.
Dejected, Jaheira discreetly began searching for clues around the area, and the party helped out. That's how he found observation notes from a Guild spy saying that Helsik at the Devil's Fee had a way to get into the Hells, specifically Raphael's House of Hope. Apparently it came from the devil's lips themselves. Rev made a mental note to give that info to Lae'zel so the party could still Free Orpheus should he not be alive for it. Further notes revealed Keene planned to ambush the Stone Lord at the Counting House, and one of her men - drunk off his ass - confirmed it by accident.
The world shook as they approached the Counting House, the city's largest bank. They went up to the first available teller, Head Clerk Meadhoney, and his shaky tone and profuse sweating told them something was up. Jaheira asked if he'd had any tough customers, perhaps one by the name Stone Lord? Rev side-eyed her for showing all their cards right off the bat, but Meadhoney broke immediately and said the Head Banker had just taken the Stone Lord into the vaults. He gave them a temporary vault pass and said to keep his name out of it. yes they ignored the guards warning and looted everything they saw on the way down lol. They found a gate sealed by number puzzle seal but luckily the Head Banker left it open, probably because he didn't expect visitors to come trailing after them. Inside the vault Rakath Glitterbeard was talking to members of the Guild, clearly in on their ambush plan. But where was Minsc? Suddenly the chest beside them exploded open, and Minsc clawed his way out. It also wasn't a chest, but a Mimic they tried feeing him to. Jaheira, thinking her friend seemed normal, revealed herself despite Rev's protests. A doppelganger wearing Jaheira's face then appeared from further inside the vault and called Minsc by his Stone Lord title. He went to her like a brainwashed puppy and they vanished together into the darkness. Jaheira was pissed, and rightfully so, and together they used that anger to kill the cultists left in the room. One of their corpses revealed the Stone Lord was holed up deep in the sewers, at a place called the Cistern. They had their next destination.
There was a hole in the wall close to where the Guildhall was that led further into the sewers. They ignored it before, because why go further into a smelly place if they didn't have to? Of course karma heard them. The second they made it across a noxious fume cloud, Minthara ran out from behind a door. She was covered in blood and barely coherent, rambling that they shouldn't have come, that she attacked and slashed her over and over but nothing stopped her. Her? The terror in her eyes was so real, so palpable, that he almost believed it. Almost. She said she'd come to attack Orin by herself, to finally take revenge into her own hands... and to take her place at Bhaal's side. That was the trip up, because while Minthara was a power hungry monstress at the best of times, she wasn't a fool, and she was terrified of facing Orin while with the entire party let alone by herself. And without telling anyone? Nah. He told Orin to cut it out, and if she was disappointed at her ploy failing she didn't show it. She taunted him that she'd taken Minthara right from under his nose. "Rather melodramatic, aren't you?" He taunted back, and it actually seemed to bother her! She said that Gortash was a piece of shit and that Reveran had to kill him. Gortash bound her blade when the Chosen Three initially came together, making her unable to harm him, so it had to be him to do it. Once he had Gortash's Netherstone he and Orin would duel for full control of the Netherbrain while Bhaal watched, she was practically drooling at the thought. Either he was to accept her weird bargain, or Minthara would die. She vanished, leaving a bitter taste in Rev's mouth. At least it meant Minthara would be kept alive until the Tribunal tomorrow, so he had to use his time even more wisely, which would be hard because he was seething. How dare she take Minthara? How dare she harm anyone he cares about? Fuck her. Fuck Bhaal. This was quite literally Minthara's worst nightmare and he couldn't even protect her from it. He may not survive but he was going to make sure, at the very least, that cunt Orin would die with him.
As they tred carefully through the sewer making sure to avoid stepping in puddles of piss, they came across Arabella doing magic-y things. She said that the stone she was watching was magical, and had absorbed lifetimes upon lifetimes of stories from the city above. She was absorbing them, learning everything she could about the city from it's rocky surface. She mentioned that Withers was right, that the Weave would guide her, and hinted that the party might see her again.
They had to take out a gang of Orin's assassins outside the Abandoned Cistern. Clearly she was taking the Mizora method of dealing with rejection. There was a jammed sluice gate blocking the door, pumping water and hot air, but no one understood how pressure worked so Rev legit just randomly messed with the valves until the door opened. Inside Minsc's hideout, he and "Jaheira" were dealing with Roah, there on behalf of the Zhentarim. (maybe add roah in earlier acts?) The second the party was spotted it became a battlefield. As the doppelgangers fell, including the fake Jaheira, Minsc raged and lashed out thinking his friend was dead. The real Jaheira screamed, begged Rev not to kill him because he could be saved. Anything but killing him. So when the moment came he seized it and jammed the pommel of his blade over Minsc's bald head, rendering him unconscious. It also kept him out of the way while the rest of the fighting wrapped up.
Afterward, when he awoke, Minsc was confused but still thought Jaheira was dead. She asked rev to have the Emperor free Minsc of the Absolute's hold but the Emperor said no. Rev felt the urge want to end Minsc as well, could feel his father's hatred for he and Jaheira both boiling under the surface, written into his very genetics... but he resisted all that. Jaheira screamed at the Emperor even though they couldn't speak to each other directly, and he told Rev to fuck off when he took her side. She then threatened to throw the Prism into an active volcano and let him burn for eternity, and Rev was like yeah and I'll let her too, just watch when the Emperor wanted to call her bluff. Knowing he'd lost he angrily extended Orpheus' protection to the big lug. Minsc's mind was freed, and he regained his sanity, or whatever was left of it to begin with (which wasn't much). Rev's parasite linked with Minsc's and caught him up to date. He was heartbroken and apologetic for his role in everything, and introduced them all to Boo, his hamster. A note on one of the doppelgangers revealed the Zhentarim were in league with the Absolute, and used Minsc to steal that money so they overthrow the Guild and clear another possible obstacle for the cult in the process. 
The Guildhall was pandemonium when the party returned. They were too late, the Zhentarim had already started their coup. Severn was hiding behind the bar and nodded them in the direction of the platforms. Keene called the party over when she spotted them. The Zhentarim were spread out across all the platforms fighting against those loyal to the Guild, and Keene said if they were with the Zhents they better kill her now. Rev caught Roah's eyes from across the room, expectant and waiting. He realized that the Zhentarim must think they're on side because of their dealings along the road to the city. But he never trusted, or liked, any of them. "We're with you," he said to Keene and she patted him on the shoulder. Roah screamed angrily from across the hall, and the fighting really kicked into gear. Roah threw a fireball that exploded the platform he and Gale were standing on. They fell through the air together (Amy and Rory lol) and landed hard on the rough ground below. Gale was unconscious, but Rev managed to get himself standing at least. Roah made a move toward them but Rev drew his arrow and shot it through her heart before she could get across the water. She fell into the muck and slowly sunk beneath it. Bye bitch. Gale woke up right as she disappeared forever. Keene was sooo thankful she offered up free information about anything he wanted, and Rev used it to ask how she and Jaheira met lol. Keene finished by offering her services and forces when the time came to face the Absolute. 
==== Reveran, Revered and Reviled ====
Wyll explained more about Ansur. How he was Balduran's ally. Etc. (move to next long rest post-bhaal) 
Rev was haunted by dark dreams, which he was used to. What he wasn't used to was waking up to Jaheira hovering above him holding her scimitars. She spoke of Bhaal, and how his children were given many gifts but a peaceful night's rest wasn't among them. Oh and Minsc was there too, for whatever reason. She said the dreams aren't what worried her, but what he may be driven to do when awake. "Are you truly your own master? What is it when you feel when father's dreams come calling?" Honestly the whole thing is a little insulting considering he just spent the entire damn day saving her friend for her, but whatever. Now wasn't the time to be petty. She was clearly letting her paranoia get the best of her and he'd try not to hold that against her. Assuming she didn't try to kill him, that is.
He was honest, because the truth was all he had to hold onto. "It's sickening. I never asked for this power, and hope to be rid of it." The answer seemed to calm her down a tad, long enough for Minsc to speak in his favor. Which is nice considering he /spent all day saving him from the cult/. Jaheira put her blades away and said in another time they worked with a Bhaalspawn to find a better way, and she'd like to find it again with him. She offered to continue watching over him while he slept, whether out of concern or worry he wasn't sure, but he said he couldn't after all that. The three of them spent the rest of the night sharing stories. Jaheira had a really funny one about throwing a talking blade into an orge's back. It was nice, albeit the weird start.
He didn't expect his possible final day to start with finding Dolly Thrice/change. It started when the party was walking down the street outside the Elfsong and tried to buy a gazette. The kid running the stand was out so he ran inside the office to grab more, and the party slowly followed after him because he'd already taken their coin. Inside they were confronted by the editor-in-chief, Ettvard Needle. He claimed they were the cities next celebrities and that Gortash had filled him in on all their refugee smuggling dealings. It was already set to print in tomorrow's issue and their reputation would be tarnished forever. Now you'd think someone who thought they may not see the next dawn simply wouldn't care about a stupid newspaper article saying he's a bad person, but Rev absolutely cared about the stupid newspaper article saying he's a bad person. They broke into the elevator shaft through a hole in the roof (construction?) and used it to get to the basement. Snuck passed Steel Watch guards and found the printing press in the back room. It spoke to Rev and after a moment of confusion figured out there was a pixie inside, named Jelliwig. He said he was friends with Dolly Thrice who couldn't stop raving about him, her hero. He offered to rewrite tomorrow's paper because Dolly's hero didn't deserve such filth written about them. "Curse-breakers or Curse-makers?" became "Celebrate the Brave Heroes Who Slew General Ketheric" thanks to Gale sneaking upstairs while invisible to steal the slate from Ed's desk. 
Candulhallow's Tombstones was on a sidestreet next to the Elfsong, tucked away behind old boxes and carts. Totally inconspicuous. They had the key from Dolor so getting in wasn't a problem. The place smelled musty and the walls were lined with (hopefully) empty coffins. Behind a bookcase, because hidden doors are always behind bookcases, was the entrance to a Bhaalist Crypt beneath the city. Just how many secret underground structures were under this damn city? After presenting their borrowed bag of severed hands to the door knights, the party was let inside the Tribunal Antechambr. What they found in there had Minsc and Jaheira shocked and appalled: Sarevok Anchev sat on a throne overlooking a grand auditorium. Three women, loyalists of Bhaal, sat at his sides rambling religious nonsense. Sarevok dragged Jaheira and Minsc, but Jaheira came back with a steel chair!!! He shamed Rev for bringing "these heretics" to the court and demanded answers. Memories tugged at his mind, and it was weird that he found having memories weird. He remembered old interactions with Sarevok, Bhaal's least favorite son (according to Jaheira) that failed to become a Chosen, and though they were few he remembered them being unpleasant. The old relic was a true fucker, and he had to die. (idk if i wrote in his history with jaheira/minsc so make sure that's somewhere to explain the reading sesh they had here). He glanced at Minsc and Jaheira. "Would you two like to kill the old man, or shall I?" Jaheira: You get to my age, you have already done everything. Be my guest. / Minsc: We have already smashed Sarevok's soul from his body once. Boo says it is your turn." Sarevok went on a rant about Rev being a disappointment, how he'll die an unloved and forgotten heretic. "Big words for someone about to die." And then he died :) It was a rough and bloody battle that Jaheira nearly died in like ten times because Sarevok definitely took her reads to heart, but in the end Rev sliced his throat and he fell, dead. On his body was a map to the Bhaal Temple through the city sewers, in the Undercity, and a Bhaal amulet. Valeria was chained in in the next room, presumably to use a sacrifice should he have embraced Sarevok's offer. In the cells there was the corpse of a Fist, and on him was a letter he was writing to Quil. The same Quil that Rev murdered. Angst and regret. The letter on Sarevok's desk explaining his family tree, Orins grandpa AND father. Incest.
==== I Know Who I Am ====
Somehow the door to the Undercity was sentient and a devout follower of Bhaal. It asked for proof of their faith, and Rev held up the pilfered amulet from the tribunal. That was step one, it still demanded a show of faith, so he admitted to killing the Murder Tribunal. The door deemed it unorthodox, but a show of faith nonetheless. It opened, and the party descended ever deeper. A note attached to a corpse said admittance to the Bhaal Temple meant crossing the Manslaughter Chasm and killing the Farslayer. Rev felt embarrassed being related to such dramatic losers. Manslaughter Chasm? Come on. The Farslayer turned out to be a literal ghost, aided by several mind-controlled minions and other minor ghosts. Luckily destroying the big guy caused all his summoned helpers to vanish too, and after all that killing some archers wasn't a big deal. The Undercity was exactly what you'd imagine it to be: Tall, crumbling buildings scattered along disintegrating roads. All of it nestled neatly below the current city, in a cavern so large Rev couldn't see the edges of it. And there, glowing red at the lowest bridge of it all, was the Bhaal Temple. It beckoned to him like an familiar nusiance. There was no going back, his past and his future waited beyond those eerie doors, and he had to confront them. After jumping over many booby traps on the bridge, Sceleritas Fel was waiting for them at the doors to the temple. He was so happy that Rev was finally back because he hated Orin and wanted Rev to reclaim his throne from her. He'd spent all day tiding up the Temple, polishing statues of Blaah and placing new skulls everywhere, and sick of hearing about it he ordered the imp to open the door. The inside was exactly what was described, although with more blood pools. (Shart/Gale dialogue screenies/rev like cmon guysssss only i can drag my family). At the center of a lowered platform above creepy red mist, being watched over by a large Bhaal skull carved into the stone walls, was Minthara unconscious and chained to an altar. Orin stood on top of her, her heel digging into Minthara's arm, as she ranted to her disciples. He wanted to play this smart, and not confront her right away. Since no one else seemed to want him dead (in fact the way some cowered as he passed made the darkness inside him hum) he was going to look around and snoop for anything that could be useful. They found themselves into Orin's bed chambers, or rather the one meant for the Chosen. He remembered all the nights he spent toiling away in this room coming up with new ways to kill, new ways to torture and mangle and make daddy proud. His old journal still laid on the floor, and the contents were fucking disgusting. Orin's journal wasn't much better, although it did shed some light into Orin's thoughts on betraying him. She hated how he killed without reason and intent, thought him brutish and leading the cult down a wrong road. She planned to infect him with a parasite and leave him a mindless thrall like the others, and it worked too. For a time. But now she was going todie. A new addition to the room that Orin added was the dessicated and strung up corpse of her mother, Helena Anchev. 
mention finding another book he wrote: https://bg3.wiki/wiki/Concerning_Orin_the_Red
Using Speak with Dead, the party can learn why she tried to kill Orin and who ordered her to do it. With this information you can prevent Orin from killing whoever she kidnapped without needing to pass any ability checks. Helena will reveal that Sarevok Anchev ordered her to kill Orin as a offering to Lord Bhaal. Wanting to become Bhaal's chosen, Helena attacked Orin, who retaliated and killed her instead. Helena will also divulge that Sarevok is Orin's father.
When they finally descended the staircase to face Orin she was especially angry, word having just reached her of Sarevok's death. How dare he kill her grandfather, she snapped, her blade pressed to Minthara's throat the whole time. She raved about Saverok and how he raised her, showed her the light of Bhaal and how to properly slash and kill. Sounded like a pretty shit relative, Rev thought. Well he didn't come all this way not to play the toxic family game. "Like the salvation your mother offered? She attackd you on Sarevok's orders. Your FATHER'S orders..." She reacted badly to this and nearly had a full breakdown, but settled on him just being a liar. She shapeshifted into him, a version of him dressed in Bhaal red and glowing eyes, and spoke of how he screamed when she cut a hole into his skull just big enough for the parasite to slip inside. "The favorite of Bhaal turned meat puppet, strung up by the sinews and plucked by my hands." More of his memories came forth and recontextualized, being here with her in this room. He had been the favorite of Bhaal, the leader of the entire cult and his Chosen. Orin was his subordinate, and followed his orders as the cult of the Absolute plan was built. She betrayed him at the apex of his plans to take his power. "Husk. Maggot. A Bhaalspawn, slip-sliding in the filth with these pigs. You don't Deserve the Murder Lord's blessing!" Rev: "That's rich, coming from you. Your grandfather Saverok is your father, and he ordered your mother to kill you. You come from a cesspit of liars." "Grandfather loved me. Worshipped me. These petty smearings will not save you." "Bhaal rejoices in such cruel betrayals," Rev smirked. "You really believe you were the exception?" She began to unravel but the stone skull lit up, and Bhaal's voice came out. He calmed her down and reaffirmed her faith, and then he ripped her apart. Her bones snapped, her flesh split, and Orin ceased to be. She'd become the Slayer, an avatar of Bhaal himself, and now she was going to kill him. Several priests started chanting, and through them Bhaal bestowed invulnerability to Orin. The party went to work avoiding the creature, Jaheira baiting it with vine spells and other immediate threats while Shadowheart and Gale obliterated the priests with lightning magic. Rev managed to get to the center alter and free Minthara from her bonds, which allowed her to finally wake up. To her credit she recovered quick and drew her blade, ready for battle. She took one look at Orin's monstrous form and smiled, saying she was going to make her pay for laying another hand on her. That's our girl. Once the last priest fell by Shadowheart's hand the connection to Bhaal was severed, leaving her vulnerable at last. Rev and Minthara charged forward, slashing and burning, until Orin's flesh was almost dripping from her bones. She screamed, her grotesque face twisted by agony and joy. Despite everything she was truly a Bhaal lover until the end, reveling in the murder and the pain even if it was her own. Rev walked up to her pathetic, rotting body and sliced her head off. Her body and head returned to their former shape, and then melted into a pile of gore. Orin the Red couldn't hurt anybody else, ever again.
Sceleritas appeared on the altar and declared Rev was the true master, and then tens of blades pierced through his tiny body, coming from thin out. His corpse rose into the air and as the blood pooled at his feet, Rev saw not Sceleritas reflected but Bhaal himself. He spoke, saying he expected Orin to be the victor but Rev was his true Chosen, and his former would be gifts restored to him. "You must destroy this world. It is what you were made for." "I refuse. I will be free of you."
Bhaal angrily stated that his unholy blood flowed in Rev's veins and he'd reclaim it if he didn't accept the gift. "Your life is mine. Accept your inheritance or I will reclaim it." "I don't need any of this. The only family I know are those who fight by my side. I'd rather die than join you." And he meant it, too. Taking down Orin was a struggle and he wasn't sure he'd make it through it, but he knew if he did it'd be Bhaal he'd answer to next and this was the one he wasn't sure he'd get out of. If being free of the dark urges within him meant dying... he'd rather die. He'd rather die and let everyone he cares about have the best chances without him than stay and lose control, or worse.
So Bhaal killed him. Rev rose into the air and felt, and Saw, the blood flowing out of his body. It collected in the air like a sticky mist before getting absorbed into Bhaal's hand. The God departed, and Rev fell to the floor at the same moment Selarious's did. As he laid there, the life ebbing and flowing away from him, (j) End in the silence in the temple
But then he heard another, a voice so distant but so familiar at the same time. Rev was already too far gone to make out the words, but Gale would tell him later that Withers said: "Thou hast defied Bhaal, thy liege and father, and in doing so hast earned a place among champions and heroes. But, alas, thy courage was in opposition to the divine cosmology that bound thee to the Lord of Murder. Thou art now faithless - Godless - and doomed to wander the Fugue Plane for eternity. I will not permit that, though all the powers of life and death dictate that it shouldbe so. (Rev woke up at this point) I, too, still hold some power, and I invest a portion of it in thee, who hath challenged the gods and now liveth to tell of it. Thy fight is not over, and it IS thy fight, for one who can look upon Bhaal and oppose him can survive any crisis. So rise, Challenger of Gods, and prepare for battle once more. Death will not claim thee whilst I endure." Rev wondered how Gale rememebered that verbatim and he said he could never forget a speech of such passion.
Ah, the little drama king. Rev looked at Withers, his savior and his greatest mystery, and asks a question he hadn't since meeting the bone man. "Who ARE you?" "A scribe, a seneschal - a keeper of records. And now, thine advocate, both here and in the City of the Dead." Everything seemed to crush down on Rev all at once. His part in the aiding Bhaal, in orchestrating the Cult of the Absolute, for every senseless and violent thing he'd done before And after the Nautiloid. Quil. The tears burn on their way out and his shook when he said, "I deserve to die - for all the evil things I have done." "And thoust not worry about thy memories. Death, thoust fleeting, may have given you something in return." (screenshots)
The world shook as they stumbled out of the Bhaal Temple with Orin's Netherstone, and the Emperor reached out to confirm that no one had control of the brain now. They'd need to get Gortash's stone next, before the brain finished it's current orders and broke free.
after climbing out of the sewers, a newspaper boy called out. he recognized them, saying they were in today's broadsheet. he bought a copy and the party looked it over. the caption they put in the press was right there along the top, and the article itself got a two page spread. there were drawings of them at Moonrise, raising their blades to Ketheric. they got rev pretty much down, but Shadowheart's nose was too big and Gale was visibly older than he actually was. People on the streets pointed at them, some smiled and other waved, as they went back to the Elfsong. paper next morning too/photo. rev lets minthara drag everyone at camp to feel better after her kidnapping ordeal also talk about how the dark urge is gone
Minthara pulled Rev aside back at camp and revealed she felt... lost, since Orin died. Her revenge was only partly complete and it didn't hit as hard as she thought it would. She talked about how Orin was a perfect shapeshifter down to the last physical detail, but her madness was her undoing. No one could see themselves reflected in her crazed stare, in her twisted mind, but Minthara could. When Orin took her she looked in her eyes and only saw herself: both were by parents who protected with one hand and tormented with the other, and both were corrupted by it. She was now a broken shell of the person she once was, and that person killed in the name of people that rewarded loyalty with death. If Rev hadn't saved her she would've died another worthless casualty in his crusade against the Absolute, and no one would remember her like no one would remember Orin. She started to sob, uncontrollably, clearly so from the disgust on her face. Rev pulled her in for a hug to hide her face from the others nearby, and together they both mourned for something lost. And then he passed out for the entire day :v:
==== Pretty Much Dead Already ====
A woman named Lora was yelling at a Fist on the roadside. Apparently her daughter Vanra had been missing for the last few days and no one was trying to help her. The First seemed like she wanted to listen, but something was preventing her. Her memory was shot and she couldn't seem to process what they were all saying, though it seemed like she wanted to. Wtf? Vanra had gone missing at the Blushing Mermaid, and Rev said he'd keep an eye out for her.
people all around town were gossiping about them (some woman loudly proclaimed she wanted to fuck same and honestly same)
walking around town and strolled through a graveyard. Shadowheart recognized the name Allister Marnley on one of the graves, someone from her past she couldn't recollect beyond vague recognition. She thought he may have been a mentor to her at one time, but felt like she mourned him long ago. Rev pulled out a Night Orchid from his pack and placed it on the grave, and she thanked him "for adding a kind touch." Wulbren's dad's grave. Karlach had an emotional catch up sesh at her parents graves.  Looted mausoleums. Kobold fight. Jergal. Another zombie, woo. Not Rev's problem. Helped Nina Dortmell resurrect her dead brother (just wanted to see what'd happen lol) but she brought back the entire lower section of the graveyard so they had to fight their way out of it. Dug up Gothric Rillyn. Minsc as SL made him dig his own grave lol. Shart graffiti, also the smells of the city tug at her memories.
The party happened passed Felogyr's Fireworks and Rev smacked himself for forgetting all about Arfur and the toy bombs. It got lost in the hectic shuffle of his own nonsense. They went inside and spoke to Avery Sonshal after he was done helping a child checkout and suddenly Rev's parasite was connecting to the one inside Avery. He spoke to them telepathically as another friend of Gortash and gave them a brand new type of explosive. They used the password Artur gave them and that gained them free access to the secret second floor, but not the super secret Third floor. That was off limits no matter what, loooooooool not for long. The second floor reeked of crackle and fire and powder, and from the cagey expression on the clerk's face the main operation was clearly up those stairs behind her. They divided to conquer: Shadowheart and Gale walked back downstairs "to find a washroom," Minthara remained on the second floor pretending to look at the selections, while Rev went invisible and climbed the stairs. He found a full-scale chemical laboratory operated by Lolth-Sworn drow, guarded by Banite warriors. The room was stocked to the brim with barrels of smokepowder and other concoctions, and Rev knew this whole place had to go. Maybe before the other day he would've been more subtle but he's running on post-dying main character energy. He aimed a fire arrow at the furthest barrel from her and released it, diving back down the stairs just in time for the entire third floor to go up in flames. The windows exploded with flames that could be seen from several streets away. Whatever happened next they'd have to do it Fast before the Steel Watch showed up. Rev managed to eviscerate the only two Bane followers that didn't burn, while the rest of the party handled their respective floors. Although Shadowheart got a little too in the spirit and set off every firework on the first floor too, which did kill Avery but also singed both her and Gale something fierce. And then for fun they all blew up the basement too<3
Headed back through the streets they passed a large estate. Someone was throwing objects from an upper floor windows. Tarhun, the butler, stood outside watching. He said Lady Jannath and her new husband Oskar Fevras were inside and he was Technically on holiday and shouldn't be checking on them. The newly-married couple wanted some alone time, apparently. But this was... odd. The party recognized Oskar's name. He said if the party were to go in and make sure she was okay, Technically he couldn't stop them. Seeing as he was on holiday -wink- so they went inside and found out it was haunted :) loud banging, eeries wails, floating furniture and other anomolies. Great. They followed the screaming upstairs to Lady Jannath's room, where Oskar was possessed or something. He floated in the air glowing a sickly greenish blue, and spat horrid insults at his new bride. She knew it wasn't him, that he was possessed, and begged the party to help subdue him without harm. So they did. Jannath said she recognized them as her husband's saviors in act 1, from his sketches. Apparently Oskar's condition grew worse after the wedding until it was clear something had taken over him, and that thing wanted her dead. They went upstairs, dodging several floating cursed skulls, to his atelier and found two portraits, one of Jannath and one of Oskar. A woman's voice whispered vile hatred about Jannath as they neared, but defended Oskar's portrait. A secret panel wall revealed a third portrait, of another woman. Kerri, an old flame, according to some letters. It was centered inside a demonic circle and radiated cold magic. Found scripts written about "Mystic Carrion"? Lady Jannath was aware that Kerri existed in the past but nothing more, and that Mystic Carrion was a spirit medium (necromancer). Nobility liked to hire his services. He operated out of a mansion down by the water.
Mystic Carrion was a mummified person decked out in dramatic necromancy gear. He was impressed, sensing that Rev had read the Necromancy of Thay, and told them when asked that Oskar wanted to contact a deceased former lover (Kerri) and that the resulted hauntings are his own fault for not following the instructions properly. He offered to give them an exorcism if they hunted down some runaway zombies that escaped his employ recently. Zombies? Rev's seen a few of those around, and agrees. After all the complicated dramas of late hunting down some mindless zombies seems fun. They approached the first zombie at Basilisk Gate and he said Thrumbo was by the water. Graveyard zombie sang "Down the stairs, across the sand." Thrumbo was hiding in an abandoned house on the beach, specifically inside the closet. He claimed Carrion murdered him and his friends and resurrected them to be his slaves. He made them do all kinds of terrible things, and Rev was reminded of himself. And Bhaal. Fuck, now he's empathizing with the undead? Nothing is ever simple. He asked Thrumbo what he could do to help him and he said the key to killing a mummy lord for good was to smash it's canopic jars. They were hidden inside an ancient lair in the Undercity. A tablet on a table revealed Carrion hid the jar inside Thrumbo's chest. Right where his heart should be. Poetic. They told him and he threw it up. They then placed every jar in the sand and blew them up! Carrion wasn't happy so we killed him. Thrumbo took over as city medium, woo. Circled back to Jannath's and lifted the haunting. Used the torch thing to break the painting which released Kerri and she dragged Oskar for filth and left to the afterlife. rev worked with mystic carrion add that in
Because things are Never easy, that night while they slept Cazador's spawn showed up at camp to take Astarion for their master. Astarion told them he wasn't a thrall anymore and planned to take over and Ascend instead of Cazador, and that they could all join him and be free. Rev clocked the lie, all the spawn would die in the ritual, but he understood that dealing with Astarion's plans needed to come later. Right now they needed the vampires to fuck off, so Rev convinced them that Astarion was right and either way he wasn't leaving with them. Leon and Aurelia(?) were compelled to attack anyway, but at least he knew they didn't Want to. HE COULD RELATE OMG. Everyone rallied around Astation and fended the vampires off. Instead of dying they burst into smoke and vanished, because despite needing them to fight for him they still needed to be alive for the Rite. Despite being ambushed Astarion was in happy spirits, because he knew Cazador was scared of him.
==== Finish Her ====
The Blushing Mermaid was... the people inside were not friendly and all stank of week old ale, and those not passed out on the floor knew nothing about Vanra. Just that Lora had been through screaming about her and Captain Grisly had to throw her out for being rowdy. The ol' Captain was pacing around a room upstairs trying to shake a hangover, and was pretty nasty when the party approached. She also didn't like them mentioning Vanra to her, claiming she pulled a knife on her front man. Lora used to be a pirate just like her, a nasty one from the sound of it, and that whatever Lora's game was there wasn't really a child and someone had to take care of her. The someone in question being Rev and the party, but he said no. Maybe whatever affected that Fist before was affecting them too, because if he hadn't seen that display in the street he might've been swayed by the Captain. She laughed and she said she'd hoped to see him stain his soul with the death of an innocent mother, and then her voice became familiar. They all already knew it was Ethel before she shed her disguise and revealed her nasty, pregnant self. Because Mayrina kept her baby and escaped, Ethel had to find a new one and devoured Vanra. Now she was incubating inside her, slowly being transformed into a hag child for her to raise as her own. She wants them to just leave her alone to be a mother, but Rev obviously said no lol. She fled and left them to fight her Redcaps, which were previously disguised as patrons. Inside a desk they found a letter written to Ethel, saying "the swamp girl has The Book." He wondered if they meant Mayrina, and vaguely he recalled seeing a poster about hags once upon a time... maybe when they first got into the city? The letter said they were holed up in Old Garlow's place, and they'd need whatever info they had that made Ethel worried. The house was condemned, but they could hear voices inside so Rev picked the lock. Of course the people inside nearly attacked them thinking they were with Ethel, but Rev talked them down. Adrielle revealed their paranoia was because Ethel was hunting them for fighting back and already cursed their leader Mayrina. Ha, so she Was there. Ethel had hexed her into a sheep, and killing the laughing voodoo doll in the corner turned her back to normal. Jatlo was actually working for Ethel and cursed Mayrina, so they all killed him and his weird crab minions. Mayrina started the Anti-Hag Group and thanked them by giving them a recipe for making Hag's Bane, which forced them to throw up kids lol. He said Ethel was already hiding out inside the Blushing Mermaid and they'd go deal with her once and for all. It felt important that Rev finally kill her after making such a fool of him in act 1.
Ethel had a whole ass new lair hidden in the BM basement. Traps and minions galore, just like at the swamp. The fight against Ethel was tough because they had to destroy her magic revival mushrooms because apparently she had those on tap. Once they and her thralls were dispatched it wasn't too hard to take her down. Unfortunately the Hag's Bane got shattered in the scuffle so as Ethel lay on the ground knocked out, Rev had no choice but to cut Vanra out of Ethel's stomach. The young girl was obviously traumatized and ran out screaming. when he hacks up ethel he'll feel the loss of the urge and kinda...miss it???? Lora was overjoyed despite Vanra being barely able to form sentences, and the Anti-Hag Group cheered rowdily when delivered the news. Mayrina was convinced she needed to let Connor go and snapped bdv. Baby name yikes.
A nice evening in Bloomridge Park turned into an ambush by Bhaal cultists. The Absolute spoke through Manip Edenosa emploring us to kill Gortash and join it's Grand Design. Manip died from this.
Aradin and his band of thugs showed up in the night to take Aylin, still wanting the reward from Ladouchebag. "You're going to regret this," Rev tried to warn him but the dude was determined to be an ass. Aradin was the first of his group to die, felled by Astarion's quick blades. He locked eyes with Rev as he choked on his own blood, and Rev looked away, denying the dying man his last dramatic look. He died as he lived, of little impact to the world around him. After the fight Aylin was upset Rev didn't tell her about the sorcerer's plot to capture her, but he honestly didn't think it mattered. She was a demigod! And there was a LOT going on. Plus he underestimated Aradin, and that was only a problem because Aradin Overestimated himself. Still, he should've told her, and he was worry. She forgave him and said he could make it up to her by helping her destroy larry. Meet us there in the morning.
AFTER ARADIN say halsin was helping Heal his wounds and bam memory
Lorroakan's Nightsong test came in the form of four portals on the second floor of SS. Each were labelled differently: The Night is either a priceless Ruby, a druidic staff, a child of a diety, or an ancient potion. One of these things is not like the other. Knowing the correct answer means going into the right portal, so you actually meet Lorroakan. They stepped through the blue portal and the fucker was lounging in his throne made of books, while Rolan tended to him like a lapdog. The portal had brought them to the top of his domain, the final floor in Ramzith's Tower. Even from parts of the Lower City the top of his tower could be seem looming imposingly in the far distance of the Upper City. Aylin approached him and called him out for hunting her, dragging him for being a "whelp without honor, without pride, with nothing but a tower full of trinkets." Rev made the mistake of not taking this guy and his plots seriously in the past, their scuffle with Aradin proved that, so for this he was going to trust Aylin's lead because he wanted to restore her faith in him. He felt bad for not sharing the information sooner and he'd make it right.
Lorroakan said he found a device that would allow Aylin to share her immortality, namely with him. It wouldn't Hurt, apparently. Yeah right. "A man named Ketheric Thorm already tried stealing the Nightsong's immorality. He's dead now," Rev said with a slight smile. Realizing his smarmy charms weren't going to work Lorroakan ordered Rolan to get the "caging runes" ready, confirming he was a piece of shit all along, but Rolan finally stood up for himself and told the coot to fuck off. Lorroakan summoned four elemental myrmadons(sp?) to fight on his side, and chaos erupted. Aylin almost died a couple times but the party saved her. Rolan did his darned hardest but was still kind of in the way. Shadowheart castrated Lorroakan by constantly casting Silence on him so his spells were worthless. In the end Lorroakan fell to his knees, choking from the last blow that Rev pierced through his gut, and Aylin walked up to him. She stood before his wriggling, pathetic form and said that with his death every wicked magus, vile murtherer, each slaver and merchant see that she is watching," as she spoke she lifted Lorroakan into the air above her head. He wheezed and gasped the entire time. "And that she lights the shadows of their wrongdoing and Breaks them with her beauty." And then she smashed him down onto her knee, shattering his spine in one last final fuck you. He died bloody and broken on the floor of his tower, forgotten to time like all else. Aylin said she'd meet them back at camp because killing that bitch didn't make her happy and she was uncharacteristically sad about it.
Rolan revealed more about the abuse he suffered and said he's going to take over Lorroakan's tower and be much better than that fucker ever was. He agreed to help the party in the fights to come against the Absolute. And then the party did what they do best: they robbed the place.
==== Over a Great Precipice ====
After selling all of Lorroakan's sweet loot the party stumbled across the Lodge, home base for the Society of Brilliance. Rev figured they should stop in, just to make sure no one else is after them for their Githyanki Egg debacle with Esther missing. Havkelaag did mention it, but Rev pretended he knew nothing, so that answered that. But Blurg was upstairs! Rev thought they were still in the Underdark so they didn't even cross his mind. Speaking of, he noted Ommeluum wasn't there. Blurg said he'd gone missing :0 they were looking more into the party's weird tadpoles and they suspected it was connected to the Cult of the Absolute. Ommeluum went looking for answers and hadn't been seen since. Yikes. He probably walked into a trap. They agree to look for him.
Volo was tied up to several smokepowder barrels because an angry mob was ready to execute him. One man in particular, Churg, riled the crowd on by calling Volo a liar and an agent of chaos. Apparently he'd been writing some bad (but truthful) things about the Absolute and it was causing too much attention. Churg, who was a secret True Soul, was trying to discredit him so citizens would stay placated until the attack. Rev tried to call him out but the guy stuck to his nonsense and threw his torch down, lighting the trail of smokepowder. He and Shadowheart rushed forward to deal with that while Gale and Minthara dealt with Churg's helpers. Leela clawed Churg's eyes out and left him bleeding on the ground, pecking the rest of the life out of him once he was downed. Woo saved the day.
Found Arves stumbling around not knowing much of anything. Not his name, or where he lived, or who Moyra was (which Rev knew because he read his mind). His mind was scattered memories, one after another in quick procession before he could even process them. He said he remembered being sad, but not about what, and that the people in that building over there were so nice to him. A quick look revealed the House of Grief, the place Ferg told Shadowheart to go. Rev looked at her and she nodded. "If you can face your past to become who you are, then I need to also."
Mirie was manning the front desk inside and immediately called out Shadowheart for having the balls to show up there, but Rev redirected the conversation to Arves' memories. At least she didn't deny it, that saved time. The House of Grief purged bad memories from people, whether it be grief of rage or regret, like a doctor would remove a tumor. She said they could go deeper into the building but only if they sat for the Mapping of the Heart, whatever that was. Shadowheart nodded and they followed Mirie into a side room with a single stone bench. Originally it was Rev that sat down, causing a robed woman to materializ from the shadows. They sat next to each other, but when Shadowheart heard the figure's voice she recognized it and asked to take the Mapping instead. He let her sit down in his stead and things got weird real fast, especially when Shadowheart realized the figure was none other than the Mother Superior, who sent her on her original quest and erased her memories. She revealed herself to be Viconia DeVir, which made Jaheira and Minsc gag. They clearly haaaated her and the feeling was mutual. Viconia told Shart to descend the hidden stairs to answer for what she'd done, then disappeared. Only a projection, what a coward. "Old friend?" Rev asked Jaheira. Some response idk. Rev: Just How Many people from your past are we gonna have to kill lol
Cloister of Sombre Embrace, yet another gigantic hidden structure underneath the city. They looted on their way down and Shart kept remembering bits and pieces of her past. More and more was coming back to her though, and Rev felt jealous. He wished he didn't, but he couldn't help it. He kept his expression neutral but he deeply wished he could remember his childhood too. Like his mother, more than just a glimpse of her face. What did she sound like? What personality did she have? Where is she now? Was she even still alive? He forces those thoughts down because it's Really not the time for them, but the ache never fully goes away.
In the center room at the bottom they found Viconia and about twenty other Sharrans poised for battle. She went on a long speech calling Shart a basic bitch and Shadowheart just smiled and said she didn't answer to her anymore. Viconia offered Rev the chance to turn Shadowheart over and gain Shar's favor and forces in their battle against the Absolute. He told her to fuck off and the fighting began. Pew pew. Viconia awoke on the floor surrounded by her felled comrades and told them just to kill her, but Shart still had questions and they Would be answered. She demanded to know where her parents were and Viconia said right behind that door over there, but it may not be a happy reunion. They watched all the years as she moulded Shart and turned her to Shar, having her torture her own parents over and over again. Shart may not remember it anymore, but they certainly did. She also revealed that the entire Cloister was put together to groom Shart into being her perfect successor, because Shar wanted to show that all things returned to darkness by turning a child of Selune. Rev asked what Shart wanted to do, and she said she wanted to see her parents and didn't care about Viconia. She turned to walk away and the drow got angry. "What are you doing? Come back and finish this yourself! You owe me that!" "Let go, Mother. Embrace loss." "She stands at the same crossroads you yourself once did, Viconia - but it seems you are not quite the teacher you thought." "Boo thinks you have had every chance to change your ways. Count yourself blessed it is not he who judges you today." Rev looked at Viconia and crouched down before her. "Shadowheart may not care what happens to you, but I know myself enough now to know no one fucks with my family and get away with it." She chanted a prayer to Shar under her breath as he stabbed her in the gut and left her to bleed out, alone only with her lady, if Shar even bothered to care.
In the other room they found Nocturne, the child Shadowheart saw in her noblestalk memory. She reveals she's a trans icon and they bonded as kids because the other initiates made fun of Shart's chosen name, and being a trans queen she related!!! Shart says they're technically enemies now but Nocturne says nah, she can't begrudge her friend for finding herself bc that's what she did. she makes plans to go to another enclave, not yet brave enough to leave Shar entirely.
Shadowheart's parents were strapped to floating mirrors? Rev didn't know what else to call them, but that's what they most resembled. They didn't believe it was really Shadowheart at first, but her curse activated and they sensed it was true. It also seemed like whatever curse Shar had hurting Shadowheart also hurt her parents at the same time. Before they could have their moment, the shadows swirled around her and Rev, and soon they weren't at the Cloister at all but standing before Shar herself. She told Shadowheart that destroying Viconia and the Cloister didn't mean shit and no matter how hard she reached for Selune her curse would bite ever deeper. "You're a monter, not a goddess," Rev spat. She said she was neither, and they learned that his suspicions were correct. Her curse was bound to her parents: Either they die and the curse breaks, or they live and she's connected to Shar forever. Shar left them to make their choice. Her parents clearly wanted to die and asked their daughter. Please, Jenevelle. Jenevelle Hallowleaf. Rev told her the choice was ultimately hers, but he knew what he'd choose. She'd been searching for her family this entire time and to give up now... She nodded, and declared she was saving them. Her father tried to protest at first but her mother shushed him. "Hush, Arnell. Jen wants her family. Jen shall have her family." Shart held up her cursed hand to the mirrors and they glowed, releasing her parents to the floor. Shadowheart's mum ran to her and they embraced, and Shart broke down sobbing. Her dad joined them in the hug and the party watched on happily. Jaheira was even tearing up a little bit. Shart sent them to camp where they'd be safe.
That night Rev found Shadowheart standing next to an Idol of Selune. She said she wanted to come here and see if she felt anything, knowing what she does now about who she is. She only ever felt what Shar wanted and now that she's alone it feels like she's drowning. She started crying and Rev hugged her tightly, knowing exactly how she was feeling. She thinks it would've been easier to just give in and become a monster, because "I have my family back, but I can't even look them in the eye. I don't deserve to be anyone's daughter." Her parents made themselves known, stepping forward and claiming that wasn't anywhere close to true. They were just happy to see her alive, free and feeling. The hope they'd get to see her reclaim herself one day is what kept them going all those years. They'd been calling her Jenevelle, but she stopped them then. "I can't be your Jenevelle. Not as you remember her. I'd be turning my back on too much. Shadowheart is as much a part of who I am as Jenevelle and I can't just forget her. That's not what I do anymore."
She said she was still their daughter though, if they wanted her. They did, agreeing to call her whatever she wanted. Shadowheart, their daughter. The family broke down sobbing and embraced.
==== Arose to Conquer All ====
In the morning Wyll walked up to Rev and was like heeyyyy I'm really happy for you and Shart but can we Please look into this Ansur thing to save the city and thus my father? :) and Rev is like omg ya king I'm sorry there's just been So Much going on non-stop but let's go!
Whoever or whatever (person or book) said the entrance was inside Wyrm's Rock Prison. It really wasn't hard to figure out once Astarion pointed out the dragon-shaped wall lanterns on only one wall panel in the entire prison. The Wyrmway beneath was full of murals depicting Balduran with a bronze dragon, Ansur. They built the city together and Balduran left him behind to watch over when he left on more adventures. A statue of Balduran watched over the door and whispered magical prose at them, asking if they were worthy to enter and awaken the dragon. The Emperor reached into Rev's mind and called it nonsense and to stop wasting their time, there wasn't any dragon. Despite this Rev declared himself worthy and the statue opened the doors, saying that "the test begins. Let Ansur's judgement follow." 
The painting test: decide a criminal's fate for stealing. Rev wants to pardon the dude because they've all been stealing their entire journey and it feels hypocritcal to damn a man for the same reasons. Wyll, despite being a hypocrite, gave some advice about extremes and we choose the Cell. Balduran's statue seemed to approve and Rev started to think that despite being a legend in the city, the dude was kind of a square. 
The flying book trial: reading them to decide who was the wrong one in the scenario. Serious schoolteacher vibes.
Lanceboard: destroy the dark king in two moves. Wyll and Astarion are useless but Gale pulls out that gaming knowledge to clinch them the win.
The torch trial: protect a torch and keep it lit during four minutes of battle against an army of elementals. they hid under a globe of invulnerabilty and have no regrets lol
With the trials complete the final statue lit up and the dragon door slide open, revealing a grand staircase down further still. Yet another statue of Balduran awaited them in the Dragon's Sanctum, a large stone structure with crystals encrusting every surface. The statue waxed some more poetry and let them pass into a giant cavern with platforms and crystals. Laying in the dead center was a large dragon skeleton. Ansur, the last hope for the city, was long dead. Rev stepped forward and tried examing the corpse, but it's eyes lit up blue and suddenly his mind wasn't his own. Ansur's spirit was possessing him, holding him mid-air and using him as a puppet to speak from beyond the grave. The Astral Prism stirs in Rev's bag and despite being commandeered, he could still feel it. And Ansur felt it too. He demanded to know why the Emperor had come, and to everyone's shock the prism rose into the air and opened. The illithid himself stepped out, greeting Ansur, who called him Balduran in return. As in the hero that founded the entire city? The one of myth and legend? Balduran was the Emperor the entire goddamn time? Way to bury the lead, tentacle-face. Ansur revealed that when Balduran was first infected he refused to be put down, preferring to go through the change, and in doing so old friends became enemies. They fought to the death, one for his own survival and the other as an act of mercy, and it ended with Ansur dead. The entire time these relevations are being made Rev is still dramatically floating in the air btw and wished to be put down already. Ansur, consumed with bitterness and hatred over Balduran's betrayal, declared his bones would rise and kill them all as pennance. So boom we fight a dragon ig.
Afterwards, the Emperor reappeared and explained that after founding the city he went on to more adventures, which took him to Moonrise Towers, where an illithid colony were waiting. They turned him, and after breaking free of the Elder Brain he returned home, to his friend Ansur. Ansur sought for a cure and refused to listen to the Emperor when he said he was okay with what happened, and that Rev knew the rest already. Wyll started having a crisis of faith now that Ansur was dead but the Emperor assured him that the party was the true heart of Baldur's Gate. Sweet, almost makes one forget about the undead dragon murder they all just participated in. Wyll wonders aloud if he should try and become Duke one day, taking after his father, but ultimately decides he loves being the Blade of Frontiers.
==== Devils and Captives and Fools ====
The Devil's Fee was a large grand... describe sorry future me. Helsik, the owner, was delighted to see Rev and referred to their past together like he should know. He should, but whatever. "Shit, not this again. Remind me of our past association?" She seemed shocked he couldn't remember but offered to tell him... for a fee. Rolling his eyes he handed over the gold and listened as she explained that her real job was getting people into places they shouldn't, especially the Hells. Together with Gortash the three of them broke into M's vault and stole the Crown of Karsus, pissing the archdevil off. She thinks we'll pay for that one day. Our antics also drew the attention of Raphael, a known Karsus simp, and Rev asked her if she could get them into the House of Hope, promising her a piece of the loot if she helped. She handed over the items needed for a blood ritual, the pentagram of which was already drawn in the room upstairs. The party walked up and Rev slowly placed every item on the circle in the exact place the instructions said, and the portal burst open in a fiery blast. The Emperor's voice rang in Rev's head saying not to go through the portal. Rev understood, he did, because he knew how dangerous and stupid this was. And to the Emperor it probably felt like a betrayal, them going after the Orphic Hammer. But helping Lae'zel is important, and he's not sure how yet but he wants to make sure everyone gets through this. Including the Emperor, even though their relationship hasn't always been the best. Since he knows the Emperor can peer into his mind he hopes he senses Rev's genuine desire for all of them go get through this. And then he jumped into the portal.
Karlach said she hated being back in the Hells and despite it calming her engine down, they needed to find the hammer and get the hell out of dodge. As they were about to do just that, a woman appeared - or rather the illusion of one. The real woman was somewhere else in the building, being tortured apparently, and begged the party for help. Her name was Hope and Raphael had her imprisoned for so long it drove her insane. During the course of the conversation Hope fades in-and-out of lucidity. She conjured them special rags that would help them blend in among the debtors who inhabits the halls.
Rev recognized the HoH from the food on the table. Now rotted, he remembered Raphael using it to try and bribe them in act1. Ghosts kept appearing, whispering insane ramblings about their eternal misery. It really set the tone. The debtors stumbled around, lost in their own torments. One cleaning, one whipping themselves, one laughing uncontrollably, all of them plagued by some specific madness. Notes left around revealed Hope's story to them: 
Hope appeared again as they approached the Archives, apparently the room Raphael kept the Orphic Hammer, and warned them about the Archivist. But she did tell them he was scared of a shapeshifter sent by Zariel to audit Raphael's collection. If they played their cards right they could pretend to be her to get what they need. A cunning plan from the insane spirit lady. Korilla was inside the room and chatting to the Archivist, and when she spotted the party just slunk back to watch with a smirk on her evil ass face. Bitch loves drama and he'll give her that. The Archivist bought the lie without even a hint of suspicion (clearly scared of the true _) and Korilla laughed at them for even attempting whatever scheme they had in mind. While Karlach distracted the Archivist, Rev managed to snag some goodies. The pair of gloves for Helsik, an amulet of health for himself, and... not the Orphic Hammer. It was trapped inside a magical sphere that needed a password to come undone. Mol's contract. They made their way through the rest of the house until coming across Raphael's boudoir. Locked, but still a solid lead. They skittered along a ledge on the outside of the house to get onto the balcony. They found Raphael strapped up and mostly naked on the bed, and Rev readied himself for a battle... but despite wearing the same face, Haarlep was Not Raphael. Just a slut commanded to wear his face. Rev says they're there for the hammer and won't be stopped, which piques Haarlep's interest. He wants to play a game, and if Rev wins he'll help them get the hammer, but the first step is to undress. He feels Gale and Astarion's eyes burrowing into his back, both of them triggered by this for different reasons, but Rev says no that won't be happening. Sure it led to a battle against Haarlep that left Raphael's room in tatters, but it was the right choice. Haarlep charms Astarion and uses him as a puppet.
On Haarlep's body was a key to a nearby safe, which contained a letter with the passphrase for the hammer: Give me my heart's desire! Classic, boring Raphael. They made their way back to the Archives and Rev whispered the phrase, shattering the sphere. The second he grabbed the hammer the entire House of Hope shook from all the alarms going off at once. Raphael was on his way back and the Archivist taunted them with that fact before dissappearing. At least Lae'zel was pleased. Hope appeared and was Freaking Out and needed assurance we were still coming for her, and yeah obvs, and the party plus Hope's spirit travel through the corridors as they begin to tremble and burn. She leads them to a hatch in the floor near the entrance and Gale slams it closed behind them just in time. They hear the desperate claws of the debtors on the metal hatch as they descend the ladder. Hope's physical body was tethered to a metal platform floating above the Hells themselves, guarded by imps and spectators. They fought and Rev smashed the stones binding Hope, freeing her after decades of torture. "You truly are the bravest fool I've ever met," she said.
Raphael confronted them at the portal, summong Korilla and Yurgir to his aid. He rants about hating chaos and kittens and shames them for trying to steal from him. "I will not abide it," he sneered.
"You need better staff - Korilla didn't even try to stop me." He just wanted a way to get under Raphael's skin and it seemed to work because he turned his attention to Hope next, trying to tear her down, but she stood up for herself and Rev was proud of her. When told to fight, Yurgir showed hesitation and called them worthy opponents for how they took him down at the Gauntlet. Rev used that pause to convince Yurgir to join them, to take down Raphael and be free of the devil for good. It was what he always wanted, so he agreed. Raphael shook his head and declared them all tiresome. "If you have any last words, make it quick. It will only take a moment to finish you."
Rev licks his lips, and he knows this is very Bhaalspawn of him to say, but whatever he deserves a little fun and Raphael is the Worst. "I've been hoping to kill you ever since I met you." Raphael shed his human disguise and the battle began. Rev knocked Korilla out because even now he knew Hope would hate to lose her sister. Once Raphael's minions were dead and it was just the party vs. him he mutated his body into an even more demonic form. Twisted grey flesh and battered wings, flinging hellfire around like it was nothing. Gale used magic missles to destroy the four pillars powering Raphael with souls. With Raphael finally vulnerable to damage Hope uses her Divine Intervention to rain radiant light upon his devillish form. Lae'zel and Karlach attacked him with their blades while Rev pelted the devil with arrows from under the invulnerability dome with Gale. "Your suffering will be eternal!" Raphael screamed. "Yeah, sure buddy," Karlach said as she stabbed him through the gut. He raged and the battle continued. Finally Raphael stumbled to his knees, and he looked up at Rev and the party looming above him. He went to say something but before he could, Rev criss-crossed his blades against the devil's neck and sliced. Raphael choked on his own blood for a moment before the shock of it, coupled with the many hundreds of wounds he sustained in the battle, did him in right there. He was finally dead.
Hope couldn't believe it and made Rev pinch himself just to be sure they weren't dreaming. She went onto say (screenie) Yurgir complimented them and said he'd help them in the final fight.
The Emperor gave us grief about getting the hammer once we left Avernus. He said we were falling into the same trap as the Chosen, mistrusting one another to the point of ruin. "Be that as it may, Orpheus deserves to be free." The Emp makes the point that if freed Orpheus will just kill all of them and be done with it, and even if he didn't what that? The Elder Brain would still need to be defeated Without Orpheus' power. Rev said they'd find a way that didn't involve enslaving Orpheus but the Emperor scoffed at the idea. Clearly the trust there had been broken, but Rev still wished the Emperor could see it from his point of view. For someone that can literally look into his mind he's really doing the work at being dense. Rev handed the gloves over to Halsik as they agreed (and may have had Astarion swipe them back afterwards). On the way out Rev could've sworn he saw Raphael's face in the crystal ball sitting on a table. He walked over and glanced closer, and indeed there was the devil himself: suspended above the maw of the archdevil Mephistopheles, broken an bloody, about to be devoured. Yikes. Couldn't think of a fate befitting him more. Found the last of Orin's creepy body displays and the last Dribbles body part. Decided to hold off on handing the hammer over to Voss because we don't wanna rock the boat with the Emperor too much in one day.
==== The Seven Wonders ====
They had to climb up through a Flaming Fist watchtower just to get anywhere close to Cazador's castle, which seemed to be built into the walls of the city themselves. They were confronted by charmed guards in the south tower but Rev managed to talk their way out of it. Despite being given a key it turned out they didn't need it, because the door magically clicked open as soon as they approached. They all glanced at Astarion and he shrugged, but it was still a bad omen. Sunlight spilled into the large blood-red halls of Szarr Palace, but somehow the entire place had a green hue to it. Several servants rushed around scrubbing and wiping and mopping as quietly as they possibly could. None of them bothered the party, however, so Rev said they all knew what to do and began stuffing his pack with as many expensive-looking items as he could. A servant named Vilhelm was surprised to see Astarion and said the ritual had already begun and the door sealed, the key handed off to someone called Godey. There were a lot of strange things spread out in the rooms of the castle, including a tragic Romeo and Juliet-type situation involving a werewolf, and the cursed body of a dead child that drained their life force as they approached. Godey turned out to be a sentient skeleton charged with torturing the vampire spawn, especially Astarion. Their reunion isn't a pleasant one, and Rev had to threaten to crush him into dust for him to play nice and give them the key, which turned out to be a Szarr family ring.
The ballroom was sealed with an arcane lock that made the door glow ominously red, and right in the center was a slot that perfectly fit the ring. The magic disspelled and the party threw the doors open, expecting a battle to start on the other side, but instead they found an empty room. Well, empty of living people anyway. Many, many bodies littered the floor and a handful of werewolves were feasting about. They immediately clocked Astarion and tried to take him to gain Cazador's favor, but the party put a stop to that idea real quick. They found a dais in Cazador's office and Astarion didn't recognize it, apparently only he and the people the spawn brought back as food were ever brought into the room. They climbed aboard and descended, not having any idea what was waiting for them at the bottom.
==== More Than Anything ====
mystra and the foundry
==== The Deep and Timeless Sea ====
the iron throne