Thank you so very much for the tag, @mogruith!!! It’s times like these I am grateful to have a severe Spotify addiction and already had a wealth of songs from my specialized playlists on hand to dig through!! I DID cheat a little bit while making this and for some categories I have two songs instead of one- I couldn’t help it!! But without further ado, here they are, along with sometimes lengthy explanations!!
Tagging anyone who sees this because it was SO MUCH FUN :))
but I will also directly tag my untagged moots: @lazybulette @kekeandherrpgs
Rules: If you're tagged, make a new post with links to music and/or lyrics describing the following...
LONG POST INCOMING
Event that defines your character's past
Golden Antlers - Glass Animals
“Look at this poor boy
All dressed up in white
Now how can he smile
With a face of all eyes?
He wanders the night
Through smears and words snide
Spinning 'round and 'round
His precious mind
Like dizzy neon lights”
Namulith is young, about six years old, when he is brought to the Temple of Bhaal and presented to the congregation for their equivalent of a First Communion. This event is the very first real memory he has of the Temple- dark, warm, and sinister. He arrives wearing symbolic white robes, everyone is staring at him, he is given a psychedelic, and begins to dream/hallucinate. (Also I really like the song title because if Namulith was an animal he'd totally be a deer)
How your character sees themselves
Nervous Young Inhumans - Car Seat Headrest
“I am a good person. I am a powerful person.
I don't believe in evil.
I think that evil is an idea created by others to avoid dealing with their own nature.
I understand my own nature.
Good and evil have nothing to do with it.
I understand myself.
I control myself.
I control everything within myself.
My domain is my domain.
I can lie on my back and affect the lives of those I love without moving a finger.
But I would only affect them in good ways. I don't waste time on evil.
I'm a good person.”
I classify Namulith as true neutral alignment-wise, but he considers himself a “good” person. Perhaps not an actual good person (in that he is not usually trying to look out for others and display compassion to all), but he genuinely believes that he is “good” at living the life he leads- that he is moreso “good at” being a human being and playing the game of life than the average person.
How others view them
Act Your Age - Snake River Conspiracy
“Nobody loves you
more than they ought to
nobody cares what you think (what you think)
I still hold those pictures
of you and your sisters
I'll always play the fool
I'll always play with you”
This song is totally Orin’s POV, and is exactly how she sees him. Especially once she is able to recognize the discrepancies between their upbringings (i.e. that he was allowed to enjoy a normal, happy life while she was restricted and suppressed by her father) and develops feelings of jealousy and hatred towards him and his family. She belittles him and casts insults his way, but still takes the opportunity to spend time with him even though he doesn’t want her company.
AND
Just - Radiohead
“You do it to yourself, you do
And that's what really hurts
Is that you do it to yourself, just you
You and no one else
You do it to yourself
You do it to yourself”
Ultimately, Namulith himself is the orchestrator of all of the major problems of his life. He’s not so self-aware that he necessarily recognizes this, however. He’s responsible for all of the destruction, pain, and chaos he’s caused- he can hide behind the Urge as much as he likes, but the only one who can truly answer for any of this is himself.
Their closest relationship (platonic or romantic)
Riches and Wonders - The Mountain Goats
“We write letters to each other
Invent secrets to confess to
I learn foreign and exotic terms of endearment
By which to address you”
“You felt shelter somewhere in me
I find great comfort in you
And I keep you safe from harm
You hold me in your arms”
Namulith and Minthara become rather codependent on each other post-game, relying on each other for comfort, protection, and pleasure. There’s cultural exchange going on as well, from her Namulith learns about Drow language and culture, and from him Minthara learns surface customs.
AND
Guardian Angel - Blood Girl
“I hope you know that you are special
Hope you know how good you are
Hope you know you’ve changed my life
And let me have another start
You are my friend and you’re my family
And if I cannot be your kid
I will still be there till forever
The way I hope you’ll be for me”
Jhil (orphaned niece, deceased sister’s daughter) is quick to forgive Namulith for his absence in her life, and is glad she can once again have a stable home life with him in the Dorok Apothecary. She’s an optimist- she sees the best in him and everyone else, and as a result kind of puts him on a pedestal as some kind of savior or great role model (of which he is neither). He's almost certain he's going to let her down.
A major fight scene
Flip - Glass Animals
“I'm gonna go back
I'm gonna go back
I'm gonna go back to a face, no more mask
I was in full bloom until I met you
I'm gonna shake my fetters I'm breaking lose”
This song encapsulates the fallout of Orin’s betrayal, once Namulith recalls enough that he can fully grasp the consequences which followed (how he was subjected to torture under Moonrise Towers, tadpoled, left for dead, mind-controlled), he develops a sizeable grudge. The “face, no more mask” refers to him finally distinguishing between himself and the Urge- that he will face her and kill her as Namulith- not the Dark Urge. Before her betrayal he was at his peak; a powerful, young, charismatic cult leader (who had at last fallen off of the deep end and embraced his status) who had set his sights on complete domination. But now, all he desires is her death, as well as complete severance from Bhaal and the cult.
End credits song
Time It’s Time - Talk Talk
“Time it's time to live
Time it's time to live through the pain
Now that it's over, now that it's over, now that it's over
As bad as bad becomes
It's not a part of you”
Namulith is faced with two reactions to the clarity he achieves through the restoration of most of his memory by the end of BG3/the morning of the death of the Absolute; he can either spend the rest of his life repenting for the past or agonizing over how his actions will affect the future. He chooses neither. He’s going to move on, he’s going to keep living, and though he might be haunted by the “bad” things he’s done- there’s nothing he can do about it, and it doesn’t define him either. He’s starting fresh, and he’s going to do it his way.(*coughs* Minthara’s way)
how did Namulith end up at the Temple of Bhaal? was he brought there as a child, go willingly as an adult, or was he forced into it? and how does he feel about it now?
Thanks for the ask, hoot!! So I took this and ran with it and went like 10 miles further than I thought I would :3
Buckle upppp, dear reader, my version of events regarding Namulith’s background and upbringing are very much not faithful to the in-game/universe lore, and that’s because ya girl was started making up his lore wayy before I stepped foot in Act 3 and stuff about the Dark Urge is explained, so I just made up a Guy instead of doing my research. Totally thought the Dark Urge was just a regular Bhaalspawn (that much I had indeed bothered to look up lol), so that’s the material I ran with. Also, I was raised Catholic (am atheist now) so I lowkey infused some elements of the Bhaalist religion in Catholicism for spice.
Namulith’s involvement with the Temple of Bhaal started before his birth. At his mom’s Bhaalist confirmation ceremony (she was raised in the faith by her grandmother, the ceremony happened when she was 16), she received a prophecy in the form of a vision where Bhaal declared that she was the “Promised Womb”, and when the time is right, she would bear him a son who would “devour the sun”.
Ten years later, his mom (Miralupa) was a fanatical, ambitious midwife moonlighting as a Bhaalist priestess, married to a smarmy, uxorious apothecary (Selm) with whom they share three daughters with which she both struggled to care for and connect with. On the day of an eclipse, Bhaal possesses Selm (like how it happens with Sceleritas Fel in-game), and Miralupa and he copulate, resulting in Namulith. Namulith was brought to the Temple as a baby to be Bhaalist-equivalent of baptized, but did not return until he was around 7-9 for his equivalent of a first communion (he also experienced a significant vision/hallucination there but I fear delving into that will derail the response lol) (after this ceremony, he began experiencing the impulses of the Dark Urge, which he would wind up grappling with for much of his life).
Growing up, his mom definitely treated him as the favorite child and would often tell him how he had a great destiny. She emphasized that he should never tell anyone about his occasional visits to the Temple, and he complied. His “first communion” ceremony was shared with Orin’s (which is where and how they met), and I headcanon that they’re either the same age, or she’s like a year younger than him at most. After this ceremony, he served/worked in the Temple more regularly in the capacity of an altar boy (maintaining records, cleaning artifacts, supporting rituals, etc), and also worked in his father’s apothecary at the same time (bro had very little free time growing up) (Selm was also really enthused about having a son, as he intended to leave the apothecary to him as an inheritance, so he was really hard on him about learning the business/trade). Sidebar, Selm was 100% aware of his wife’s religious affiliation, he just never brought it up or acknowledged it (he was just kinda like ‘so long as namulith has enough time to work at the apothecary I could care less what he does in the temple’)
I’ve gotta do some more ruminating about how Namulith’s confirmation ceremony specifically went down (the final initiation), but I do know that he performed it jointly with Orin (they weren’t quite friends growing up, but they were kind to one another, and he pitied her for being alone while he had siblings and friends to spend time with, and she did not). At that ceremony, it was decided by both Sarevok and Miralupa that to strengthen the sect, both he and Orin would be “betrothed” to one another, and would become the future leaders of the cult. He wasn’t a fan of this idea, but he also didn’t voice this uncertainty/discomfort, because he did not want to disappoint his mother or disrupt the plans of the order (he was always wary of the zeal of the believers, while he himself did believe, he did so with more skepticism, and never placed complete and utter faith in Bhaal until he himself was leading the cult). Years and years later, after the Dark Urge had festered and intensified, overriding his own will and resulting in him massacring his family, he seized control of the cult, casting Orin aside, and embracing the persona as the favored child and son of Bhaal….and then we all know what happens next lol.
Today, in the aftermath of the campaign of the Absolute, it’s safe to say that Namulith does not look back on his memories of his participation and leadership of the Bhaalists- he’s disgusted by his past actions not because they were heinous and immoral, but because he didn’t feel in control of himself even half the time. The Dark Urge was the most terrifying phenomenon he had ever and will ever experience in his life, and to be free of it once and for all (unless I decide to inflict it upon him again later mwahahaha) was cathartic. Even now, the period where he was the ultimate authority is wrapped in a haze, and the total account of the destruction and pain he caused is unknown to him. Now he isn’t beholden to any god or goddess, and believes religion in general is dangerous and ultimately ineffective, but perhaps he might leave a small offering to Lathander when he experiences good fortune just out of superstition once in a while.
^^^all of this stuff I hope to one day iron out and make more solid, and I currently have Namulith's background (like childhood, adolescence, and adulthood) as a WIP of its own under the title of "Red Sun" (it's just a cool private spotify playlist for now, though ;P)
2. Can they take care of a plant? What about a pet? What about a child?
I answered this prompt in an earlier ask, but here I’ll share some extra details!
The Dorok Apothecary had a small front garden of herbs, including yarrow, chamomile, coneflowers, sage, spearmint, and basil- which were mostly used by the family for themselves, since Selm placed orders for the store’s inventory which were either transported to Baldur’s Gate by cart or ship.
Before Scratch, Namulith had only ever had one other dog, Pepper, who passed away at age 13, when Namulith was 12. Pepper and Namulith were very close, and she was rather protective of him, and would often follow him around the shop or even down the street, a big, friendly, wet-nosed shadow.
Outside of the very, very occasional instances of babysitting for nieces and nephews, Namulith has never had to care for a kid for longer than maybe a couple of days maximum. Therefore, when he agrees to Asbel’s proposition to care for Jhil in the event of disaster, (eldest sister Nausicaa’s daughter born out of wedlock, not considered “part of the family”) he has no clue what he was getting himself into. Once disaster does come to pass, and the dust clears, he struggles with a lot of self-doubt concerning his childcare abilities- providing food and shelter is comparatively easier and more straightforward than providing adequate emotional support (and being a decent “role model” of sorts) for a girl on the cusp of her teens.
8. Do complex puzzles intrigue or frustrate them?
Definitely frustrates him- he finds himself wondering why people go to such lengths to make what should really be straightforward into a maze. That’s not to say he isn’t persistent, he’ll sit there and dedicate himself to trying to solve a puzzle, but won’t put in 100% effort and will probably offer an occasional gripe about why he should even bother.
30. What would they do if they knew it would be forgiven?
A bit of background: One of the most crucial events in my personal timeline is the Feast of the Moon, 1490DR (almost 2 years before the start of BG3), which is the night when Namulith kills his entire family during a holiday dinner. Before this happened, Asbel (eldest sister Nausicaa’s drow lover with whom they had daughter Jhil) had gifted him his ornate dagger, the one remaining artifact from his past life in Menzoberranzan, as he was considering moving north to Waterdeep after Jhil set sail for Neverwinter (she was about to leave Baldur’s Gate to begin training as a cleric of Tyr in the Halls of Justice, planning to follow in her mother’s footsteps). Namulith used the blade in the murders, (his memories are rather clouded regarding this night, due to a combination of both the Urge and the revulsion he has towards his own actions) and left it at the scene before he effectively vanished (disappeared to go live at the Temple 24/7, surrendered to the religious mania and became the cult leader), leading to the authorities tracing it back to Asbel, who was then abducted and lynched by a mob of the bereaved, enraged neighbors/family friends of the Dorok family before he could even be properly arrested on suspicion. Asbel was murdered the day before Jhil’s ship would depart, and once the ship set sail again, she was not on it. Devastated and broken by her father’s death and the injustice by which it was carried out, she forsook Tyr and belief in any other god, choosing to remain in Baldur’s Gate, where she was sent to an orphanage when Namulith failed to turn up in her aid. She has been staunch in her belief that her father was innocent, but the murder case was closed after his death since so many people were sure it was him.
This is all to say that if Namulith could tell Jhil the truth- that Asbel was killed as a direct result of his actions, and was indeed completely innocent of the crime which he was implicated- and be forgiven, he would. However, he feels like he cannot possibly imagine at this point in time telling her this both because A. she is a child and B. he has no idea how she would take this knowledge. Jhil has already mostly forgiven him for his near 2 year absence and dropping the ball in regards to taking care of her after Asbel, and he fears this knowledge has the potential to destroy any positive relationship they have with each other.
omggg this has been rotting in my ask box for a looong time but at last I have tackled it!!! thank you btw!!!
13. Tell me about a time your Durge and Orin genuinely enjoyed each other’s company
As children, Namulith would sometimes help Orin sneak out from the Temple of Bhaal during rituals and spend the day playing like normal kids on the surface, running around in the park or playground, even introducing her to his friends, until Orin was inevitably apprehended by either Helena or Sarevok, who didn’t want her outside of the Temple. Until Orin fully understood the disparity in lifestyles that both of them led, they were close confidants and real, true friends- though they were not raised as brother/sister- it was acknowledged they were related to some degree, and were encouraged to spend time with each other, but only in the Temple.
15. What did Orin and your Durge dislike the most about each other?
Orin hates that Namulith has had such a pleasant, easy life- he’s had everything handed to him on a platter: status, family, friendships, love- while she has been deprived of everything, leaving only murder and death her outlets to express her rage. Namulith hates that Orin always finds a way to ruin something of his- for the longest time he really has nothing against her (but she has that grudge against him), until she makes threats/almost kills his childhood best friend, Theremin (at which point he realizes just how off-the-rails Orin really is, and how serious she is about wanting to make him hurt). He hates how she desperately wants to insert herself into his life, and ultimately ruin it for him. Orin is jealous of every aspect of Namulith’s life, and to feel better about herself (in her logic) she has to spoil what he cares for most in order to level the playing field and force him to feel the way she does, bitter, cynical, and resentful.
namulith's is his paladin sister, nausicaa, who died ten years ago (he doesn't remember her at this point though, thanks orin), hubert's is his mother, ginger, and makie's is her twin brother, takuro.
(Note: lowkey I interpreted this as biological relations? Like these are the people he’s the most closely related to, otherwise I’d have thrown Minthara in as well lmao)
Birthplace: Baldur’s Gate
Job: Apothecary, (past: Cult Leader)
Phobias: horses, drowning, losing the people he cares about
Guilty Pleasures: watching blood sports (holdover dopamine boost), taking painkillers (once he runs the apothecary himself)
NoTP: Hubert/Minthara (though in theory it would be lowkey kinda cute hehe)
BroTP: Gale
-> BASICS
Name: Makie Mayart
Class: College of Swords Bard
Background: Urchin
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Asexual
Pronouns: she/her
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
-> OTHER
Family: Arisa Mayart (mother, unknown status), Takuro Mayart (twin brother), Enki Mayart (son) (she's a deadbeat mom, very important part of her character lmao)
Birthplace: Baldur’s Gate
Job: College Student
Phobias: dark alleyways, being alone at night (tbh being alone in general)
Guilty Pleasures: gambling, cheating in board games, playing her instrument LOUDLY, changing partners often (she's rather noncomittal, and struggles to maintain an established relationship)
NoTP: Makie/Gale, Makie/Minthara (I just don't think either would end well for anyone involved)
BroTP: Makie/Lae'zel (they don't really get along THAT well, but since they're also peers, I'd say they would maybe make a good team if they could get past their differences!)
On that Dark Urge ask meme like a gremisha swarming to a spellbook. Namulith for... 3, 4, 13, and 25.
SORRY I TOOK 1 BAJILLION YEARS TO WRITE THESE OUT AS USUAL!! TYSM FOR THE ASK!!!
3. What would your Dark Urge consider to be their greatest skill? Is this accurate?
Namulith would consider his greatest skill to be management/leadership. Whether it's people or business, with his impartial, distanced view of situations, he believes he is best suited to being in charge. In my canon (technically also mildly AU) playthrough, he adventures with two other companions (my other oc tavs), one of which is VERY sentimental and emotional (wanting to save everyone), and another which really could care less about anything and would rather fool around instead. He basically elects himself leader in the beginning since everybody else is too busy fighting with each other or their own inner demons (I mean, to be perfectly fair, he is too, but he thinks he’s managing better than the others).
In actuality, he’s nowhere as good at it as he thinks he is. He gets frustrated pretty easily and tends to reflect that frustration back at those around him.
4. What would your Dark Urge consider to be their greatest flaw? Is this accurate?
He would consider his greatest flaw to be underachievement. He tends to crave and enjoy mediocrity, easily falling prey to cyclically living the same day over and over. It’s comforting to be able to predict that the tomorrow will bring no surprises. A clarification, too, it’s not that he lacks ambition, it’s that his ambitions tend to be rather shortsighted- they’re almost too easily achievable.
While this is true, I actually think his greatest flaw is unclear communication- many times he kind of assumes that if there are no clear objections everyone is on board with what he plans to do or say. This also ties back to him not being a great leader either, he isn’t much of a team player and often disregards taking others’ opinions into account. Prime example: None of the companions believed that Namulith was ACTUALLY going to aid Minthara in raiding the grove- they thought that surely he wasn’t going to align himself with these clearly mind-controlled, murderous people, no- he’ll betray them and help the tieflings, but alas he did not (causing a companion to leave in the process). His reasoning for raiding the grove was that he believed that if he could infiltrate this “Cult of the Absolute” he’d be able to find the source of the tadpoles/mindflayers and figure out how to get rid of the parasites.
13. How does your Dark Urge feel about killing?
Thrilled, exhilarated (not positively though). He experiences a rush. It’s down to how he was raised- the Temple of Bhaal praised murder and prized it as a sacred form of worship- an art, something beautiful. Meanwhile he was also raised in normal city society, where murder is heinous and a crime/morally wrong. Therefore, for him, killing is something almost delectably taboo- he doesn’t actively desire to go around murdering people for no reason (even as cult leader he wasn’t going around killing people at random- every kill was chosen specifically, and he ensured that those he killed were transients, or people who would not be missed.) During battle, he does let himself go beast mode lowkey because it's “allowed/acceptable” in that context (he is somewhat repressed and does have internalized morals and knows right from wrong but alas he is not always going to do what he knows is the right thing). Since his memories are scrambled during the events of the game, killing is kind of a window into the past and he’s able to remember things that have happened and the sort of person he was before the abduction.
25. How does your Dark Urge feel about Sceleritas Fel?
He’s always been at least a little creeped out by him, because he appeared so frequently and so suddenly in his childhood. As a kid he was even a bit scared of him lol. (Fel usually visited him when he was alone, making him think he was an imaginary friend in the beginning.) Later on, he was more amenable to the Fel situation (what mildly vain teenage boy/young guy wouldn’t want some devilish minion to repeat how great you are on the daily), and would use him to run errands and to orchestrate pranks/practical jokes on his friends. Right before being tadpoled, he treated Fel just like an obedient pet and considered him a tool. Afterwards, during the events of the game, he was confused and troubled by Fel’s reappearance in his life.
(heh can only ask on anon bc appearently sending asks from sideblogs is not allowed) For the ask game if you're still doing it: 5, 7, 9, 22 for your incredible Namulith, because I love him.
thank you very much for the asks!!! <333
5. Speech! Speech! Speech! Speech! Will they give one, and what about?
While Namulith is on the quieter side, he’s not a shy person by any means. I definitely can picture him giving an impromptu speech during the epilogue reunion after a few glasses of wine and going on a long-winded gratitude spiel about how lucky he was to have known and befriended the amazing group of adventurers he did, and how every one of them had left a permanent mark on his life, and that he would always be willing to call in a favor on any of their behalfs (at which point Minthara would silence him like LMAO, that’s enough out of you sir- no making promises you won’t be able to keep!).
7. Describe them in three words. Now let them describe themself in three words.
I would describe Namulith as pragmatic, responsible, and reserved.
He would describe himself as level-headed, temperate, and loyal.
9. Do they empathize with non-sentient things (dolls, plants, books…)?
He’ll feel bad on the rare occasion he’s forgotten some step in tending to his precious herb garden, or the plants are suffering beyond his control (like a mental “oh you poor thing” if the basil is wilting in the summer heat).
22. Do they like being called pet names? Do they call other people pet names? What’s their go-to?
Ok this question really got me thinking. So originally I had thought Namulith wouldn’t be into using pet names at all, buuut after I did some digging on the web and soul searching I decided sure, why not, maybe he uses a few. At first he was indifferent to using terms of endearment, but later on he kinda gets into it and has fun with it.
Most commonly, he’s referred to by his regular ol first name (HE CAN’T GO BY “NAM” LMAOO I CANNOT LET THAT HAPPEN *intro to Fortunate Son starts playing*). Minthara will sometimes call him ta'ecelle (tah-cell)* - sunlight (affectionate), or zil (zeel)* -consort (when she’s upset/annoyed with him). As a little kid he was called “Nammy”, but pretty quickly switched up to just Namulith. An aside- he does a double take if he’s ever referred to as “Mr. Dorok” because he associates that name so much with his father.
He calls Minthara dear (affectionate), my lady/milady (playfully), and isilme (eee-seelm)* - moonlight (affectionate). Not to gush toooo much but the song from which I pulled the title of my WIP (Riches and Wonders by the Mountain Goats) has a line that goes “I learn foreign and exotic terms of endearment by which to address you” and I decided to take that very seriously hahaha (I know the intended context is supposed to be a bit toxic I think but eh, it’s my interpretation).
Platonically, he doesn’t call other people pet names but he will call them by their nickname if they mostly go by that (ex: Makie’s full name is Makina, but she regularly goes by her nickname so that’s what he calls her). He’s not one to call people by their last name either (ex: like referring to Gale as “Mr. Dekarios” or “Dekarios”), just the first will do just fine.
Source I used to find drow words: https://eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=drow
*disclaimer, I have no clue if those words are pronounced correctly but that's how they sound in my head hehe
