pspsps ok I basically just got Minthara to join me and am now wondering how Darron and her get along? what are their opinions of each other? and how does stuff develope?
also, after seeing that there are specific (and so mean 😭) Drow dialogue options for Kar'niss, what does Darron (and Baeron maybe) think of driders?
oh and this interaction between Minthara and Astarion killed me
(spoiler warning?)
Minthara: Half the men of Menzoberranzan are pleasure-servants. Weaklings, whose beauty is their only redeeming quality.
Minthara: You would fit right in with them, Astarion.
Astarion: You think I'm beautiful? Oh, Minthara.
Minthara: Hrmmph.
Now, this is the kind of ask that I eat up. Thank you, Cy!!
The best alliances begin with insults.
Minthara calls Darron “jaluk” (“male” or “boy (derogatory)” in common) when they first meet at the goblin camp, earning raised eyebrows from Darron. Disappointing but not surprising, given that he had to put up with such treatment for the better part of his early life.
When they meet again in Moonrise and Ketheric tells Darron to judge Minthara as “one mad dog to another”, Darron spares her life and rescues her.
“Everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt, if at least once,” is a solid part of Darron's personal code. So, he gives Minthara the chance to redeem herself.
He recognizes her strength and her wisdom. She makes a valuable ally as much as a formidable foe. He keeps an assorted company, but they've learned to work together. He knows Minthara would fit right in. After all, a common enemy is a more effective unifier than common beliefs.
As far as dynamics go, they behave as they would in Menzoberranzan. Minthara is haughty and stands firm in her ruthless views. Darron seeks her opinions on matters and she counsels him. The only difference is Minthara acknowledges Darron's ability to lead and honestly thinks his diplomatic approach is useful. Though she mistakes it for deceit. Minthara sees his kindness as weakness and is quite bent on tamping it out, whenever she gets the chance.
Darron also enjoys Minthara's dark humor. He truly believes that if he had remained in Menzo, Minthara would be the type he would have been married to. Granted she wouldn't love him (though she would be grateful he's pretty - like Astarion lol), but they would make quite the consorts.
On the topic of driders, Kar'niss deserved more screen time and should have been recruitable for like … a drow run idk. His design is so fucking cool. Darron would look so cool fucking people uo with Kar'niss and Minthara. Also did you notice that Kar'niss is an albino drow?
Since they're raised Lolth-sworn, Darron and Baeron fear driders. In fact, while they were trying to get to the surface after their House was wiped out, they encountered a drider - Baeron's old “dance” teacher. After alerting Darron and Nalaghar about the enemy forces en route to their home, thus disrupting the will of Lolth, he was punished and turned into a drider.
It was incredibly traumatic for Baeron to see someone he cared deeply about turned into something so horrible. Eventually, the twins had to kill the drider.
