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—— #BENMZED. by rowan ( 30+, he/they) [ CARRD ] independent and selective canon portrayal of IFAN BEN-MZED of larian's divinity: original sin 2. iconless. verse flexible ( baldur's gate 3, general fantasy, game of thrones, wheel of time, etc ).

ex-paladin turned mercenary assassin. silver claw of the lone wolves. wayfarer. ranger. sourcerer. godwoken but never divine. a study in: being used as a weapon, guilt, self-destruction, redemption.

general warnings: addiction ( fantasy substance: drudanae ). canon-typical violence.

#pinned post.

f4rgd

It's a far cry from freedom but it's better than being shackled, and Aksel doesn't miss that collar always making it's presence known at every turn. He wouldn't call their journey so far by any means lucky, but it's better than being kept a prisoner. Something, someone had to be looking out for him, otherwise he doubted he'd come across companions, Ifan being one of those. Hells, he's not the best at making conversation and he's in the habit of sticking his foot in it - a little too much of a jokester, sometimes playing the part of the fool, but Ifan has taken the light - hearted comment well. Thankfully.

" Then I guess I must call you expensive too. You are an expensive pineapple. " A sly smile rests on his lips as he pulls apart the bread to take a bite. " It is not meant as an insult, I am just bad at compliments. " He holds out the bread to the other man and adjusts his position a little - he won't admit to feeling a little sea sick but the way the boat crashes against the waves and sways with the wind on occasion does his stomach no favours. " I am happy to be resting my feet but I will be glad to get off this boat. "

benmzed

He appreciates wit, levity. The dour nature of some in the paths he walks are exhausting, especially since he trends too easily towards it himself if given enough cause. And, for the first time in a long time, he’s started to feel like he’s got some kind of hope again. It’s a dim light, but it’s a warm one — it’s a flicker of a thing that reminds him just enough of who he used to be before bitter anger and guilt became all he knew.

He gives a flash of a grin, and takes the piece of bread as offered. He rides the up-and-down swell of the ship easily, and with the retreating shoreline of the coast comes an ever-growing sense of freedom. " This expensive pineapple is just glad to be free of that place, ship and rough seas or no. " He watches him for a moment or two, eyes contemplative, and then shoves off the railing. " Stay there, " he says, without explanation, and then is gone.

He’s gone for five, ten minutes — not long, not in the great scheme of things. From the hold below, he’s brought up a ginger root: not large, but enough, and is in the midst of slicing a thin piece off. " For the green belly, " he says with a wink, passing it down. " Chew on pieces for awhile. It’ll help. "

#;; & mead and gold and blood. ( main v. )#oathfcrged

he's good with a sword but an excellent marksman; his preferred weapon is a crossbow, and while he can fight close quarters when he needs to, he's much more comfortable with some space and a bow. he's got a keen eye and can hit small targets from a distance.

he's also older now and in his lower 40s and close scraps are hard work when sleeping wrong has started to throw your back out sometimes

#;; & headcanons.

riense

#;; & a wolf isn't anything but what he is. ( images. )#( AFRIT )

the way so much of the text describes ifan's movement — he lopes, sidles, lounges, reclines. He's described as feral, wild, animalistic — yet keen, eyes glinting, pleased by wit and humor and quick to grin and wink and play with words.

he's tall, and per larian's description in the art book — daring. he's a little showy. wears a bit of gold and finery and has a finely crafted weapon. he wears his coat open with his chest bared as though daring those who would fight him to just try to strike him where he's vulnerable.

he's tall, but lean and rangy, strong. raw. described as constantly exuding a wild, intense energy. and yet to those he cares about he's painfully sweet and gentle. he is the wild wolf, the old wily wolf, the one that's been around the block a few times and is maybe got a few too many scars.

#;; & headcanons.

deathswcrn-a

She didn't see him. Not that he's hiding, but he's keeping to himself, and given everything else going on, it's as close to becoming invisible as it gets whilst still being in plain sight. A kickball had hit her square in the back of the head and knocked her teeth together hard enough that her tongue, in the way, tasted of salt and iron, and she'd stormed here in a fury. Until she'd seen him - lounging, prowling, tense, a predator pretending to be in repose whilst fully aware if it pleased, it could and would rend her open belly to neck. Dangerous.

"Maybe I've got a stash of mead I'm tryin' to find a partner to share with," she says, deciding to make a game of his question, because she's a little too irritated to make small talk like a civilised person. "Maybe I'm askin' about how you grow a beard that impressive. Maybe no-one else in this shithole appeals to me to talk to." The thinnest sliver of a smile on her lips, a flirt she really doesn't intend to go anywhere at all, made just out of reflex to tease more than any real heat. "Maybe I'm lookin' to get a different kind of handsy. Hundreds of reasons, really."

Truth is, she just wants out of the noise and din, and this stranger is sitting in the quietest part of the hold near the storeroom. There's a bard playing with shrieking children, a dwarf with a belly-full of voice playing cards, the magisters make sport out of poking them, the crew shouts, the birds shriek, the whole ship creaks and groans, and she's at her wits end. Breina has had enough.

"Unclench. I just wanna sit here away from the kids, alright?"

benmzed

The kids on board are probably the worst part. Not because they’re kids — he’s fine with kids, he’s not bothered by the noise — but because he sees them here, bound with these collars, shoved down in the belly of this ship and under the eye of those same Magisters … he’s not responsible for any of these people being here, not these, but it’s like facing the reality of his choices. His life. His ——

No. Don’t go there.

He’s also all too aware that one of the Magisters in particular, that boy he knew from his days in the Order, is keeping him in their periphery — it’s none too subtle, either. " Don’t tease a man that way, " he chides with a tch of his tongue, though it’s with a little sharp exhale of a laugh, and he doesn’t clarify as to which one of those things he means. Maybe all of them. Probably, mostly, the mead, because by the Void it’s been a minute; he does reach a hand up to run fingers over the tangle of beard, dark streaked with grey. " Not nice at all. "

There’s an acquiescence without really saying as much — though the Magister sourly clears his throat, and Ifan gives a roll of his eyes and leans towards her to confide, a bit too loud: " I think our wardens, " and boy, that word has a wry note of derision, " would put their hands in most of those before they got interesting, because they don’t have enough interesting in their lives to keep 'em occupied. Isn’t that so, Vik? " He gives the young guard a little grin — wild around the edges — and the Magister glowers in their direction and then turns and shuffles off on a routine round. " There. You have your quiet. As much as you get on a place like this. "

#;; & mead and gold and blood. ( main v. )#deathswcrn #( i mean understandably LOL )

this man is intense, and yet so soft and i CRY

#;; & let sleeping wolves lie. ( ooc. )

carrd up and linked !! still needs a lot of stuff filled in but bio and info and stuff has been done for reference.

#;; & let sleeping wolves lie. ( ooc. )#( i have almost a whole blog now )

as a reminder, ifan is not exactly the noble assassin or mercenary with a heart of gold trope. at this point in his life — he has boundaries, but he's done some awful things. he's been a killer for hire. he's done mercenary gigs that involved rounding up sourcerers (magic users) for the lone wolves.

he's never been proud of it. he's full of guilt. he blames himself for everything, and he hates himself a little more every job he takes, but he's also so stuck in the lone wolves mindset. he's stuck with this bitter need for revenge and vengeance and, in a way, punishing himself for lucian's betrayal.

it isn't until he starts along this journey and starts seeing behind the scenes that he truly starts on a real path of redemption, and the first step of that is letting go of this need for revenge and taking a step towards letting go of his past.

for bg3 verses, I see this point as possibly being driven by the tadpoled crew — a view into the situation being a great deal more complex than he initially thought. he's a man who has been looking for purpose for a long, long time.

#;; & headcanons.#( he's still a cinnamon roll tho #a kind of murdery cinnamon roll #but a soft spicy cinnamon roll all the same )

" i'm not going to hurt you. how close do i have to get without splitting you open to make you believe that? " @deathswcrn / the serpent & the wing of night

Keep your head down. That’s been what he’s told himself again and again since he was shackled, collared, shoved into these stinking quarters. He’s lost track of how long precisely they’ve even been aboard the ship — he was tracking it with marks scratched with a nail into the floor under his bedroll, but then it became increasingly pointless. Keep your head down, don’t get involved.

Keep an eye forward. Survive. Survive until Fort Joy, and then he can get things set into motion.

Even in these rags, he still manages to exude contained, animalistic energy, tireless and prowling — even when he’s just lounged against the wall, casual as one pleases, avoiding every scrap of conflict even when he plainly looks like he’s dangerous in a scrap. Most have given up trying to pry into him, which suits him fine. Most, that is, except ——

Green eyes slip over, and there’s the scarcest flash of a little smile. " Ah, but for all I know, you’re planning on getting close just to split me open. " By the way his eyes dance, just a little — an immutable spark that even these damnable collars can’t stifle — it’s not an actual concern. " So if not that, then what is it? "

#;; & mead and gold and blood. ( main v. )#deathswcrn

emilypest

let's all get into divinity 2 so i can brag about my honour mode run

#;; & a wolf isn't anything but what he is. ( images. )#( this art is so gorgeous help )

the reality that ifan's surname, ben-mzed, just literally means son of the desert because he was found as a baby in a raided caravan in the mzed desert and none of the elves knew his name so they literally just named him desert-son.

#meta commentary tbt.

this is a long chunk of text, but I have to leave this here because you ONLY get this when playing as origin and it gives such a look into his history and thoughts and just where he is at this moment in time

he blames himself for so much

#meta commentary tbt.#( I just #UGH )

" you're sweet. prickly, but sweet. in an acidic sort of way. like a pineapple. " ( divinity verse! ) @oathfcrged / the serpent & the wing of night

It’s been a long time since someone has called him sweet, and there’s a flash of green eyes up and over; there’s a wrinkle at the corners, a dancing in their depths. " Oh, I don’t know about that, " rumbles he, passing along the ale they retrieved from the hold. The Lady Vengeance rolls underfoot, waves lapping against the hull — when last they were on a boat, they had been in shackles and chains and collared and dampened, but now the swell of the ocean underfoot feels like —— feels not like freedom, not really, for they still have the grip of a god 'round their necks, but freedom enough.

" Where I was from, a pineapple cost more coin than a decent sword. " He was of the Mezd desert, orphaned and raised by those elves who found him: even when taken to the elven refuge, they were still far, far away from such unusual and imported goods. " Expensive, prickly, acidic, sometimes sweet. " He laughs, then, a deep and even pleased sound, in his own way; he admits with some rue: " I’ve been called worse in my day. "

#;; & mead and gold and blood. ( main v. )#oathfcrged #( me not having made ...anything yet KJFDSF #temp tags it is )

vaynehouse-deactivated20240716

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑬𝑹𝑷𝑬𝑵𝑻 & 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑾𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺 𝑶𝑭 𝑵𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻. 🐍

quotes from the first book of carissa broadbent's crown of nyaxia series . might be spoilery but i didn't include names . tw for cursing , death , suggestive content . for all your vampire , enemy ( to lovers ) & reluctant allies dynamics . * feel free to change roles , pronouns .

𝙸. 𝙳𝚄𝚂𝙺.

" don't look away. " " this place is a fucking disaster. " " never guessed you were pretty under all of that. " " i take no criticism from a drowned rat like you. " " which reminds me, i have something for you. " " made me think of you. " " it's a good color for you. " " youth is wasted on the young. beauty, too. " " you're sweet. prickly, but sweet. in an acidic sort of way. like a pineapple. " " i'm tired. tired of being afraid. " " crazy old bitch. " " don't drink yourself to death. " " you're dead here. try again. "

𝙸𝙸. 𝙵𝚄𝙻𝙻 𝙼𝙾𝙾𝙽.

" you are prey in a world of predators. " " may the Mother guide you. " " i was trying to save your life. " " i'm not a fool. " " are you deaf, or just stupid? " " you're unfriendly. " " ally with me. " " top of the eastern tower. if you change your mind. " " you'll be easy to kill later. "

𝙸𝙸𝙸. 𝚆𝙰𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙼𝙾𝙾𝙽.

" a gift from a goddess. " " i have a gift for you. " " you're a demanding little thing, aren't you? " " becasue i'm nice and pretty. " " OPEN. THIS. FUCKING. DOOR. " " remember right now exactly how lucky you are. " " i feel sorry for her. " " that was a foolish decision. " " i taught you better. " " i would have been there, if i could. " " keep those teeth ready, little serpent. " " watch their back, but don't let them see yours. " " use him. but never allow him to use you. " " what in the seven fucking hells is wrong with you? " " we can't cooporate if you won't let me get close to you. " " i won't even dignify that with a response. " " you're working against me, not with me. " " you are afraid of me. " " i'm not going to hurt you. how close do i have to get without splitting you open to make you believe that? " " i don't know how i ever thought this was gonna work. " " don't let them take her. "

𝙸𝚅. 𝙷𝙰𝙻𝙵 𝙼𝙾𝙾𝙽.

" you're many things. but a good actress is not one of them. " " we're losing moonlight. " " don't you worry about me. " " get the fuck away from her. " " i'll be back. don't burn to death. " " i called and called but he wouldn't answer. " " we're surrounded by those who would like to see us dead. " " don't forget those teeth of yours. you will need them. " " daughter of the moon. welcome. " " i'm sorry for what i'm about to do to you. " " i'm glad your bedside manner is about as delicate as i would have expected. " " too late for that. you're stuck with me. " " did you miss me? " " i'm coming for you. " " you worried me. i should have known better. "

𝚅. 𝙲𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙲𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝙼𝙾𝙾𝙽.

" return to the church at sundown. " " you were fucking magnificent. " " something bothers you. " " a dance? " " one more dance. " " give me one honest thing. " " are you going to kill me? " " you might destroy me anyway. " " that wasn't how i'd imagined making you come for the first time. " " you seem to be good at winning the hearts of ill-tempered creatures. " " we have enough if we ration. " " it finally happened. you've lost your mind. " " after everything, you're still afraid of me? " " i'm not a fucking animal. " " didn't think i'd see you again. " " you said it yourself. you don't have a choice. " " you can still say no. " " don't do anything stupid. " " we need to run right now. "

𝚅𝙸. 𝙽𝙴𝚆 𝙼𝙾𝙾𝙽.

" you look them in the eye. " " i gave you everything. i made you all that you are. " " don't look at me that way. " " kiss me. " " we'll probably die tomorrow. " " show me something worth living for. " " i've done a lot of thinking about you. " " i would beg, for you, i would. " " you have fucking destroyed me. " " there she is. " " give me a fair fight and i'll give you a fair death. " " i'm glad it was you. " " end it. " " i know what it is to lose half of one's soul. " " so many mistakes in the end. never you. " " you're safe. "

𝚅𝙸𝙸. 𝙽𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃.

" i was ready to let it all go for you. " " that is the stupidest plan i have ever heard. " " we will find the answers. " " everything looks so much more peaceful now, doesn't it? " " power is a bloody business. " " and there is no one i would rather have beside me. " " i give you my body. i give you my blood. i give you my soul. " " i'd like to be alone. " " you look like shit. " " better this than dead. " " what's the plan? " " you can find me when you need me. "

#;; & memes.#( things ! )

honestly, for baldur's gate 3 / dnd, it's fairly easy to tweak — his background is still the same: he was an orphaned human raised by elves. felt a calling to right injustices and swore to the paladins. raised in rank, was a good soldier, loyal and faithful, on the front lines to a war against a mercenary devil-sworn faction.

he was betrayed, tricked by his leader with a task that was framed as saving people, but ended up killing a number of innocents. his name was sullied.

the paladin known as ifan ben-mzed he vanished, likely presumed dead. a number of years later, a mercenary assassin only known as the Silver Claw gained notoriety — someone with a vague sense of honor despite the truth that the right amount of coin could buy almost anything.

he's a ranger, now, accompanied only by a massive grey wolf and carrying a heavy and shadow-infused crossbow. he's lean, scarred, a little feral — but there's something that dances in those green eyes that suggests something far beyond the cold brutality his name has become known for.

for baldur's gate verse: perhaps he's been tasked with killing gortash ( or any other high-ranking nobility of baldur's gate, really ) and he runs across the party.

#ooc tag tba.

riense

Successfully accomplished “In search of perfect gouache paper” quest. So here is a little Ifan portrait as result

#;; & a wolf isn't anything but what he is. ( images. )

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