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lettersfrombel15 Tarsakh 1492 DR
Moonhaven
My dear River:
We did finally get to deal with those people chasing Karlach all the way from Avernus. Karlach also was clearer on what lead her to be on the run from them, and I am having to keep three lists of enemies: those who I want to kill on the general principle of ‘are generally making the part of the world I live in less safe’, those who threaten me personally, and those who have threatened people I care about. Or perhaps one list with some kind of code, since there may be overlap. While she was forced to serve an Archduke of Hell — no contract like Wyll’s, just brute force — the man who sold her to this fate apparently is a prominent citizen in Baldur’s Gate that Karlach as a child trusted enough to do odd jobs for.
We also located an ettercap and phase spider nest in the area, and discovered the journal of a truly unhinged worshipper of Lolth, who did not understand that driders are a cautionary fucking tale, not something to emulate. Yes, the Spider Queen will take on a similar form, but she can also change herself back into an elf, or into a giant spider, or who knows what else because she is, in fact, a deity. Even if they were some sort of weird blessing — Lolth is capricious, and might decide that she considers it a gift, whatever you think — I have very distinct plans for my anatomy below my waist that would be severely hindered by having it replaced with a spider thorax. While I’m sure someone out there finds driders sexually enticing, they are not someone I would want to know.
And, well, I have just discovered a level of kink that makes me queasy. Gold star for me, and I shall have to see if Shadowheart or Master Gale has something on hand to remove that mental image.
Speaking of, in the ongoing saga of ‘Everyone wants Bel’s sexy ass in their bedroll’, I think Master Gale was trying to make a move on me. He offered to show me how to cast a little magic. Never mind that he has seen me use my innate abilities, but I suspect those don’t count to him. (I suspect anything that isn’t ‘is also a wizard’ does not count; he is, if nothing else, a bit of a snob, I write affectionately.)
I will say that as a teacher, he is someone to emulate. I was examined for signs of magical potential as a boy. My next-oldest brother, Kyorliindra, was quite skilled, and we were close enough in age that I did want to emulate him in particular. Whether it was the lack of talent or the lack of good teaching, I could not get the hang of it, and that was a disappointment, because ‘wizard’ is a role that garners respect, even when you are still not at an adult height and are more likely to set your sleeve on fire than the intended target. Gale made it seem, for a moment, that maybe I could have done so, or even still could.
I did consider flirting back — he’s attractive, and it was kind of him to show me this — but it strikes me that our Master Gale would favor someone who loves magic as much as he does. Perhaps I should introduce Kyor to him. (I don’t know to what extent my brother has an actual sex drive since he manages to skirt the limit of ‘I would rather be in my study’ to not give offense when interacting with other people, but if he does, I suspect any lover of his would need to be his magical collaborator, or they would never see him except to remind him to eat and rest.)
Despite people trying to kill us, things have obviously settled down now that the Cult of the Absolute is pushed back. I know we need to make haste, but I also think we need to catch our breath before venturing into the Underdark. Especially as I don’t think anyone other than myself and Master Halsin has seen it before. Withers, who remains with us for his own reasons, does not count.
We shall see how that goes. As always, I remain,
Your friend,
Bel
--
From the Player:
Moonhaven
My dear River:
We did finally get to deal with those people chasing Karlach all the way from Avernus. Karlach also was clearer on what lead her to be on the run from them, and I am having to keep three lists of enemies: those who I want to kill on the general principle of ‘are generally making the part of the world I live in less safe’, those who threaten me personally, and those who have threatened people I care about. Or perhaps one list with some kind of code, since there may be overlap. While she was forced to serve an Archduke of Hell — no contract like Wyll’s, just brute force — the man who sold her to this fate apparently is a prominent citizen in Baldur’s Gate that Karlach as a child trusted enough to do odd jobs for.
We also located an ettercap and phase spider nest in the area, and discovered the journal of a truly unhinged worshipper of Lolth, who did not understand that driders are a cautionary fucking tale, not something to emulate. Yes, the Spider Queen will take on a similar form, but she can also change herself back into an elf, or into a giant spider, or who knows what else because she is, in fact, a deity. Even if they were some sort of weird blessing — Lolth is capricious, and might decide that she considers it a gift, whatever you think — I have very distinct plans for my anatomy below my waist that would be severely hindered by having it replaced with a spider thorax. While I’m sure someone out there finds driders sexually enticing, they are not someone I would want to know.
And, well, I have just discovered a level of kink that makes me queasy. Gold star for me, and I shall have to see if Shadowheart or Master Gale has something on hand to remove that mental image.
Speaking of, in the ongoing saga of ‘Everyone wants Bel’s sexy ass in their bedroll’, I think Master Gale was trying to make a move on me. He offered to show me how to cast a little magic. Never mind that he has seen me use my innate abilities, but I suspect those don’t count to him. (I suspect anything that isn’t ‘is also a wizard’ does not count; he is, if nothing else, a bit of a snob, I write affectionately.)
I will say that as a teacher, he is someone to emulate. I was examined for signs of magical potential as a boy. My next-oldest brother, Kyorliindra, was quite skilled, and we were close enough in age that I did want to emulate him in particular. Whether it was the lack of talent or the lack of good teaching, I could not get the hang of it, and that was a disappointment, because ‘wizard’ is a role that garners respect, even when you are still not at an adult height and are more likely to set your sleeve on fire than the intended target. Gale made it seem, for a moment, that maybe I could have done so, or even still could.
I did consider flirting back — he’s attractive, and it was kind of him to show me this — but it strikes me that our Master Gale would favor someone who loves magic as much as he does. Perhaps I should introduce Kyor to him. (I don’t know to what extent my brother has an actual sex drive since he manages to skirt the limit of ‘I would rather be in my study’ to not give offense when interacting with other people, but if he does, I suspect any lover of his would need to be his magical collaborator, or they would never see him except to remind him to eat and rest.)
Despite people trying to kill us, things have obviously settled down now that the Cult of the Absolute is pushed back. I know we need to make haste, but I also think we need to catch our breath before venturing into the Underdark. Especially as I don’t think anyone other than myself and Master Halsin has seen it before. Withers, who remains with us for his own reasons, does not count.
We shall see how that goes. As always, I remain,
Your friend,
Bel
--
From the Player:
I wasn't going to mention the phase spider cave until we found those notes, and realized that Bel has to share his utter horror about driders. Bel is fine with spiders, even if he has a ‘why is it always giant spiders’ reaction, but driders are the mental equivalent of kids raised in evangelical Christian households who have the phobia of ‘everyone was Raptured but me’ when they come home to an empty house. Except people have actually met driders. Bel’s community was small enough that individual events were memorable on the level of ‘particularly gruesome murders and haunted houses’ level.
I joke about Bel being Team Dad, but he’s really more Team Older Brother. He tries not to care about people old enough to be adults, but he keeps adopting strays and deciding ‘nope, you are mine now and I will fight anyone who tries to take you away’.
Bel does find it both amusing and flattering that people want to bed him. He considered seeing where it goes, but decided against it. He will be slightly disappointed he didn’t follow through when he learns that Gale’s prior relationship was a literal god, because dang, that is one for the resume.
(Really if I were playing modded to allow everyone to be poly, Bel would be dating all three men, and banging Halsin on the side.)
