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#BENDSLUCK　　⸻ 　　character sideblog for a canon divergent sorceress alara kaptonneme " TAV " from BALDUR'S GATE 3 , as conjured by goose ( 30+ , she / her or they / them ) . under 21 dni . main blog. alara.

#goose / 30+ / aesthetic sideblog to @chaostides.

violentoffender

#( ♛. ) ⸻ let's see what this does : SHITPOST.#5'7" but still :)

chaostides

you said you had a custom table for alara's wild magic surges?? i need to know what's on the table!! 👀👀

unprompted !@bladewarde

oooh!!!! okay so i do sometimes keep the in game effects because i do like the theme that her powers tend to help her in combat (haven't gotten a very bad one – minus the magma mephit summon immediately after resing gale – until act iii, mostly just 'resilient sphere' & switch locations with anyone & vines appearing around her to make difficult terrain, an extra action on her turn, or speak with animals – it's been SO generous to her).

but i also picked wild magic for the chaos, especially in early game, so in writing i augment it with two tables that others have made that also lean more into the feywild origin of wild magic. haven't had a thread or an ask where this is applicable in a minute, but they are luxking's & probs_a_nerd's. basically, i roll & evens are probs_a_nerd's, odds are use luxking's & then roll again for the effect.

some highlights include:

-a third eye appears on your forehead, giving you advantage on wisdom (perception) checks & allowing you to see invisible creatures for the duration. -pink bubbles float from your mouth when you speak. -your skin turns a vibrant shade of blue for 24 hours, or until a remove curse spell is cast on you. ( both tables have this one 😭) -a random creature within 60 feet of you is poisoned for 1d4 hours. -for the next minute, any flammable, nonmagical object you touch that isn’t being worn or carried by another creature bursts into flame, takes 1d4 fire damage, & is burning. -you transform into a potted plant until the start of your next turn. while a plant, you are incapacitated & vulnerable to all damage. if you drop to 0 hit points, your pot breaks, & you revert to your normal form. -your spell backfires and you are knocked prone, taking 1d10 force damage. -summon 1d10 earth mephits under the dm's control. ( bc one magma mephit is not enough ) -make a DC10 CHA save, on a failiure you are compelled to paint any flowers you encounter red for 1d10 days. if you lack painter's supplies, blood will suffice. -the last creature you targeted with a spell must succeed a wisdom save or be charmed by you for 8 hours. -a golden acorn appears in your hand which attracts 3d4 swarms of squirrels (use the stats for a swarm of rats). -for the next 1d10 days you are compelled to speak in riddles. -you create a 500 ft dead magic zone which lasts for 24 hours. all plant life in the zone withers instantly.

#bladewarde #killi you spoil me with these !!#my highlights reel is SO LONG but some of them are just so funny. didn't even get to the flower beard that you sneeze off x)#but the last one DID happen in an ask & i was hollering to have rolled that one. all plant life withering was a perfect dramatic touch.#the game was so generous about the effects it included which is narratively fun but i thrive on chaos. & humbling her.#( ♛. ) ⸻ just a flick of the wrist : SKILLS.

pink-usagi

#( ♛. ) ⸻ let's see what this does : SHITPOST.

chaostides

in combat, her magic almost always reacts to protect her, even if she doesn't see it <- waiting for someone to point this out to her btw

#she's very obtuse about her magic. takes a very long time for her to understand / see it as an extension of herself.#& do away with the self hatred. for it not being perfect still / up to scratch.#but realising this is a very good start to realise. hey okay maybe it's not trying to get me killed!#( ♛. ) ⸻ this will bring us closer : WISHLIST.

chaostides

today is not the day i go full on but acceptance of who she is/was, & just allowing & accepting emotion in general, & letting go of the trappings of manners & society that really stunt her ability to connect with people really, is a core part of her good-aligned journey & her magic is a big factor in that.

a lot of that is where she grew up, but magic meant she had to be perfect about it, & allow no obvious slip ups – & i've mentioned this before, but a good deal of the magic surges that happen in the game are 1. because the tadpole nukes the tenuous control she did learn to have & 2. because she's in a way more high stakes environment than home. back home, she learned everything to perfection, literally had it beaten into her, so she usually had enough of a handle on things to not give herself away. or, then, any surges never could be traced back to her.

all that to say, i know wild magic is, well, wild & there's no rhyme or reason to it, but i kind of co-opt hers into her narrative arc.

there is no happiness or being happy while shoving down a very big part of herself, & her magic is a bit of a stand in for the emotional journey. basically, she deals with a lot of surges in act i, a lot of conflict of having to rely on her magic to survive & in ways she never had to before, & hating it (& herself a bit) for it. the high stakes also expose just how shitty her education was, & she was never supposed to need it. she's spent years basically shoving it down or away or hating it, so now using it, it's a fuckin mess.

that said, in combat, it almost always reacts to protect her, even if she doesn't see it. it's instinct, it's part of her, & in combat they see eye to eye. she only gets one mildly devastating surge in act i, a magma mephit summon. the others are shields, or otto's reslilent sphere, or switching places with her target, or an extra action, or vines sprouting around her to hurt everyone in it. it's actually, surprisingly helpful or, at worst, neutral. she's finally hit by a slow effect only in act iii.

but out of combat? when she uses it for anything, that's when it starts to act up & lash out, & then she gets mad at it, doesn't use it, & the cycle continues for a bit. also, for hilarity, i do use some better tables to give fun effects bc i live to humble her.

i've also mentioned she is watching gale, wyll, & sh & their casting to try & incorporate what she can into her own use, & she definitely picks up some spells from mimicking them. but, over the course of the game as they reclaim more from the tadpoles & she gets more relaxed & open, & also uses her magic actually, it really starts to mellow out, to the point where, in act iii, she doesn't have as many surges anymore. (also helps that she's less stressed out by being in the city).

but yeah i just like the journey of it.

quick edit to say that in warlock verses, she takes the easy way out & has someone else stabilise it, & loses a lot of the perks of her magic for it. she loses her lucky feat (to be replaced by something else, but her magic is what gives her her luck) & it no longer surges to protect her. case of you don't realise what you've got til it's gone, & shortcuts are shortcuts for a reason.

#it's not the easiest to see bc i thread all over the place & also she doesn't like to use magic outside of combat as much bc 1. she #hasn't established the habit when it's illegal where she's from & 2. more chance for surges. which she does NOT want.#& i don't have so many combat threads. but this is a kind of little behind the scenes.#& by far the most surges happen in act i & in the shadow cursed lands. esp before they have the protection of the lantern / bell.#( ♛. ) ⸻ i won't give in : CHARACTER STUDY.#( ♛. ) ⸻ just a flick of the wrist : SKILLS.

chaostides

the concept of affluence is so intertwined in athkatlan way of life that rumours abound in foreign lands that its streets are paved with gold.

#( ♛. ) ⸻ these boots have seen everything : LANDS OF INTRIGUE.

chaostides

so bc alara reads the necromancy of thay in her canon, i've just started tapping into how hilarious that could be in other verses.

i have her modern bard verse as a pop star but her modern wizard verse? looks like hitting her head or something & seeing ghosts of dead people & doing her damndest to ignore it. this could also go with her bard verse a lil, pop star doesn't want to look crazy to the tabloids. i know it's been done but it's fun to me so it's 100% part of the backbone of her wizard modern verse.

also in dragon age, please consider she, from a noble family, somewhere had a corpse whisperer in her family tree & accidentally unlocks the skill by asking how hard could it be & alas, poor yorrick-ing a skull (leaving it on the ground, she will not touch it) & it comes to life & she screams. the most orlesian woman who has ever livedTM having a power coveted by a place she absolutely does not want to spend a minute in :) also, she would start conversations with skulls by knocking on them like, anyone home? so if they weren't already disoriented, her lack of tact does the trick.

#between the wardens & the watch she doesn't know which one she likes the least.#she does not develop much finesse with it. again like in modern verse she is hell bent on ignoring it. unless ABSOLUTELY necessary.#& plenty of spirits give her the cold shoulder in return. which she's fine with.#anyways this is funny & canon in every da verse. idc if it's origins or datv or she's protag or not. she can talk to dead people.#at the beginning though she reaaaaallly tries to play it down. bc she's afraid she's half possessed by something.#since it's a skill she's never heard of. & she doesn't want to be carted off to mage jail thanks.#if she ever decides to use it for anyone. she makes them all turn around & cover their ears first. & whispers to it.#( ♛. ) ⸻ VERSE : dragon age.#( ♛. ) ⸻ VERSE : modern marvel.#oh right! between her & val i could write such a funny story of the girl who knows hOW to handle the situation more or less. but can't.#& the girl with the skills to do it but absolutely does not want to. & the shenanigans that ensue. the worst most ineffective team up ever.

chaostides

discovered a useless superpower of mine this week: i can guess the twist of movies, but only a few seconds before the final reveal. & i think i’m weaving that into her divination wizard path, especially early on. part of why she has to adventure/be there for the thing she wants to predict is because she can’t see/anticipate the outcome too far forward. she only gets maybe a minute heads up.

as she hones the ability, she gets better about seeing things sooner, but then it’s always clearer/with more details closer to the event (in time or location).

chaostides

as well, it starts out as a gut reaction, like move or lie or wake up. she can't articulate why or what the sensation is, but following it is always the right move she discovers.

later, she can actually see the shapes/shades of what's going to happen, but that's post game & takes time to develop.

#'wake up' is actually the first one with kithrak voss showing up to camp.#i know everyone's tav wakes up by default but i treat that for her as the start of her divination wizard abilities kicking in.#not that she realises it.#but also the wake up one is SO GOOD for her bc she sleeps like the dead otherwise. she's up at dawn but between the hours of night &#light? she is OUT. an alarm system is good for her which she does not have in other verses.#anyways.#( ♛. ) ⸻ just a flick of the wrist : SKILLS.#( ♛. ) ⸻ what path lies before me? : MASTERING MAGIC.

chaostides

UH OH

chaostides

alara reading both of these like

#( ♛. ) ⸻ ARC : homecoming.#amn mentioned!!!! amn mentionnnnnned!!!!!#here's a fun post game quest for her / something for me to tack on to her list of reasons for going back.#( bc even with gorty out of the picture. the weapons are still in it. & who did they go to? why THAT many? bears looking into )#infernal weapons & a huge ass vampire clan in athkatla???#she is pinching the bridge of her nose & already wrestling with a migraine :)#DELICIOUS! good fuckin food i am well fed this day.

chaostides

oh no this is going horribly

wyll & gale are half health, alara's doing death saves. lae'zel's fine, & bc we triggered this fight the old fashioned way, there's no nightsong here. all i can say is ouch.

chaostides

oh she died died. first time all game. to lorroakan using lightning. which i have headcanons about.

#i am SO rusty i am reloading but goddamn.#ouch ouch ouchhh.#worst one for her. nightmares are coming true.#but in true keeping with the Vision. i did have it in my head that she doesn't do super great in this fight. & she hasn't.#she's done a lot of dmg at least to the others but. targeting lorroakan backfired spectacularly.#( ♛. ) ⸻ ARC : gone in a flash.#death ment /#( ♛. ) ⸻ VERSE : act iii.

chaostides

anyways, the fact that she died died in the lorroakan fight the first time & carried ( with lae'zel ) the second ( mostly with counterspell & throwing potions from above ).... does this mean i need a verse where she dies & needs to be revived? i think so! :)

& then i get to have the fun of another sub-branch / sub-arc about coming back. bc dying will absolutely have a big effect on her.

chaostides

went & had dinner & Ruminated abt this. in prev tags i mentioned that sh as a cleric & the scolls of revivify could bring her back, but also consider: they could take her to aylin & isobel & they could revive her & she could join the white hair gang.

bendsluck

prev tags:

#for the record she hates it.

#alara vc: i look like i aged 80 years. i look like a corpse.

#not only is it a very visible reminder of what happened. but she does NOT have the complexion for it like sh does.

#alara to aylin: does your mother do literally /any/ other hair colour ? can i swap ?

#anyways local girl kind of wants to be special enough to get help & attention from the gods but when she does.

#she says 'actually nvm take it back' alskjdf

#she WILL learn how to illusion it back to red. & waste the spell slots to do so :)

#( ♛. ) ⸻ ARC : gone in a flash.#death ment /#( ♛. ) ⸻ VERSE : act iii.#scrolls of revive are a thing. plus sh cleric so i can finagle it.#need to think a bit more on the change itself but 1 thing is bye bye cold magic!#fugue plane is cold & lifeless af. she comes back shivering. she usually runs warm & does not like the feeling.#granted she doesn't use a lot of ice after retiring the heart of ice staff. but after that she cuts it off completely.#which means she now has fire AND ice that she refuses to use :') although this might prompt her to actually engage with fire in her #wizard verses.#i feel like she's also going to gravitate to brighter colours for awhile. just to kind of shout 'LIFE' since the fugue plane is so devoid o #colour. but she might not consciously realise.#also definitely a panic attack in there somewhere. not that she'll realise that's what it is. but leading after failing like that is. OOF.#personality wise i have to think more but !!! it's good food !!

chaostides

in light of the prev posting, had to see how she'd look with white hair

#( ♛. ) ⸻ ARC : gone in a flash.#death ment /#( ♛. ) ⸻ VERSE : act iii.#( ♛. ) ⸻ still me despite everything : REFLECTION.#alara vc: well i suppose it's not /entirely/ tragic.#still takes a long time for her to get used to though. visible reminder n all.#plus redheads. she's heard. go white when they get old so she feels 80 :)#oky now going to write a bit. let's see what i get done.

chaostides

if alara's hair turns white, would she dye it red again? 👀 why/why not?

unprompted ! @bladewarde

oh, for sure. so, the usual route she chops her hair off after the fight ( well, goes to get it cut ) & i'm not sure if she does after dying. gotta think about it more. but, dying her hair when it's long is, well, a lot of hair & very annoying, & depending on how good the dye is, something quite repetitive, so i can see her defaulting to illusion magic instead.

with shorter hair, i see it being more accessible/easier to maintain, & that might prompt her to chop it off in this verse; instead of purely for a change, also for practical reasons.

but she definitely tries to make it red again for awhile, either magically or otherwise, because she's more used to it, doesn't like to see the white, & thinks she looks better with red. at some point, though, she probably gets sick of it & begrudgingly accepts it.

#( ♛. ) ⸻ ARC : gone in a flash.#death ment /#( ♛. ) ⸻ VERSE : act iii.#bladewarde #ahhh TYYY for indulging me killi <3 #i DO think it eventually grows on her. but it takes time.#she fights it for a long while bc of course she does :)