THE HELLION'S HEART

affiliated 𝒌𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒆 ( baldur's gate 3 )

[hellsfreed]

Karlach Cliffgate

she/her, 29-30ish years old

early-mid level, zariel tiefling, berserker barbarian

high strength, high constitution, low intelligence, middling everything else. typical barbarian, y'know.

has a hellfire engine in her chest that's caused her many problems, including the fact that she hasn't read a book of held hands with anyone for the past ten years (because she'd have set them on fire)

oh yeah, she spent the last ten years as a soldier in Actual Hell

surprisingly now that she's out of hell she's pretty fun and upbeat and just Excited to Be Here. loves experiencing new things. having a good time

is no longer Doomed by the Narrative, thanks isola

[tuherrus]

careful repairs (on clive)

[baddestdangerboy]

He eyes her as she speaks, listening intently, the gears slowly turning around and around in his empty head.

"It ain't all bad, no. I wouldn't know half the people I do if it was all bad." Badou can concede to that at the very least. Though...

"Haven't seen it yet, but it could happen. I don't put it past this place. For all the good, there's a shitton of bad. Like we're clowns."

[hellsfreed]

Well, that's not exactly good news or anything. She frowns a bit, thinking about it. Still, still. It's so hard for anything to measure up to how awful Avernus was. Avernus, where even light storms could rip your skin off your body and every Sunday was 'Plague of Man-Eating Locusts' day.

❛ augh, fuck. i hope it doesn't. it's shit trying to get blood rain out of your hair and clothes. and your... uh, everything else, take that one from me and hope you never need to deal with it. ❜ She says, running her hand thoughtfully over the broken horn as she adds, ❛ but it's really that bad? like, you get some bad weather, marauding monsters and shit, or...? ❜

[baddestdangerboy]

Smoking nearby, looking rather sickly under the streetlights, Badou sighs.

"Yup. More weird shit about to happen. Makes ya wanna board up your windows."

[hellsfreed]

❛ weird's not always bad though, yeah? ❜ Karlach says. She gestures with her free hand as she talks, calm, but still animated. She's never really been the type to sit still, for any legnth of time. ❛ whole place has been weird since i got here— still don't know what to do with half the machine...y sort of stuff. but after ten years down in actual hell, everything else feels like a vacation. ❜

She takes a drag, and then breathes out through her nose, and adds, ❛ haven't seen it start raining blood 'round here yet, at least. it, uh—it doesn't do that, right...? ❜

[hellsfreed]

❛ sky's actin' funny again, is it? ❜

Karlach's standing on a street corner, cigar in one hand, eyes to the sky. She's still not sure if that's something to be worried about, but she's seen plenty of odd weather during her time in literal hell, so it's hard for her to feel too bothered about it.

[entnoot]

everybody shut up, she’s doing her little dance again

(fullview for better quality!)

[hellsfreed]

gonna write more here this week with my beloved babygirl. starter call? capped at 3 not counting castmates

[piratingsoup]

That one party banter where he asks to be carried

[vespervines]

[troubleisafriend]

"Not a whole lot? ...Eheheheee, hole lot. But seriously, it's just a really big hole that kills you if you fall in, and it's always been there since I got here at least. The really weird stuff is just gonna pop up in the city one day without warning, trust me."

[hellsfreed]

❛ there's weirder stuff? well, fuck— ❜ She runs one hand through her hair, and then pauses, ❛ hold on, are you a tiefling? not to change the subject or make this weird, but you wouldn't happen to know where we are like, on a map or something, would you? ❜

[puellaluminis-deactivated202409]

✦ "Ah, well... It's deep, and dark, and if you fall into it you die. I wouldn't recommend jumping in. Sometimes they put things over it, I could not tell you why."

[hellsfreed]

❛ right, yea, i'm not the sort of person who goes leaping into strange holes without knowing what's down there. but everyone just sort of... lets that... be...? ❜

[hellsfreed]

❛ know that this probably gets asked a lot, but, what's up with the... hole? ❜

[ilikedetectives]

Karlach

[sneakfangs-deactivated20240701]

“Karlach?”

The knot in his stomach settles as the tiefling stops a mere moment before crashing headfirst into him. He breathes an audible sigh of relief, the gesture not overdone as it usually is, but genuine.

Karlach might think him relieved she didn't collide with his frail frame, but that couldn't be farther from the truth—he's relieved that, for once in his life, he's not alone facing the unknown.

“I need to find the nearest authority figure to yell at them, very loudly. Or stab them. I haven't decided which yet.” He's clearly thinking it, a hand curled over his mouth, tapping his lower lip with a perfectly manicured nail. “Well, of course I look fantastic. In comparison to the nautiloid, this feels like a walk in the park. Didn't even chip a nail," he notes as he inspects them.

Well, enough of that. Banter's banter, but this is a serious predicament they're in. “Likewise, Karlach. I'll admit I wasn't too enthused to face these new horrors after the old horrors we just got done facing?” His gaze falls to his feet, a bit embarrassed, blushing. “Tell you what, you can get one hug in.” He looks up at her, smiling gently. “Just don't break me. Please.”

[hellsfreed]

Karlach does a fist pump in the air for a moment and then immediately picks him up off of his feet in a hug. Truly, she had not been looking forward to navigating another strange land with no allies, but it's always good to know she has someone she's familiar with. She does her utmost not to crush him, though it's still with the strength of a barbarian.

❛ this is great! and no burns! ❜ She says, as she sets Astarion back down on the ground, ❛ i can help you out with — whatever, you wanted to find a guard or something, right? do they have those here? i didn't see anyone like that, but you know, no harm looking around. don't know if that little box they gave me was supposed to help, i uh, broke it already. ❜

She jogs in place as she talks, little flickering embers visible just underneath her skin with her excitement.

[sneakfangs-deactivated20240701]

“Again?” There's an audible pout, a tsk tsk as the voice clears his throat, cadence gone from high-pitched panic to a practiced purr.

“Darling, I'm flattered. But a man likes to be dined and wined too, you know. Kidnapping's awfully boorish.”

[hellsfreed]

❛ ASTARION! ❜

She pulls up short before she can hug him. Not that she's afraid that she'll burn him, she's not been running too hot lately, but she's very conscious he probably doesn't wanna be picked up right now. Or maybe ever. Instead, she straightens and clears her throat.

❛ crazy, right? still sorta wrapping my head around everything, to be honest—you! you look great, though! i mean, like always, of course. wow, it's good to see a familiar face! ❜

[temperateskies]

A gentle breeze blows Karlach's way, and with it dozens of paper dragons dance and swirl around her horns. Ichimokuren recognizes the look of unease, this was his unspoken way of trying to lift her spirits.

[hellsfreed]

❛ woah there! haha, will you look at that...! — i'd watch the paper, doesn't usually survive long around me, though i don't seem to be running so hot right now. hi, stranger. ❜

[sitoric]

she's just a girl and she's on fiiireeee