Had been worried for Kovacs, no telling if they would be kind to him or treat him like a monster. That the silver lady didn’t bother to restrain him too much and wasn’t swayed by the idea of having a Bhaalspawn ally is very telling of her power.

Tirzah 2.0! “Stay” Lolz XD. I take it that Kovacs used his link with Tirzah 2.0 to assess how far he could stretch the limits of the barrier. :) Poor sweet little thing! Her nuzzling up to Kovacs to comfort him will give me fuzzies in the days to come! Brave little hamster in the face of fire, frost, and mad as hells silver dragons! :D :D :D

Tirzah to the rescue! And yes, you too Albescu hehe. Exhilarating escape! Right up there with your “Look! Szass Tam!” XD XD XD

Dazzled by the wedding celebration; I always love your descriptions – opulent and spectacular then zeroing in on the less than glamorous goings-on in the minds of the participants. :D

Aww dear precious pure-hearted Madeline. One might think her devotion to Livia was borne merely out of being starved for affection, but there’s genuine caring there even were she to finally learn of Livia’s cold manipulations. Madeline might be the only human and redeeming part of Livia right now.

Oh my gosh the wedding night! Intrigued by Livia’s inner conflict regarding keeping herself detached and yet wondering if Albescu is even attracted to her. Yes yes I know they're the most ebil couple on the face of Toril but oh are they so evil cute together.

The mental picture of Albescu in sleepwear is… whoa. XD

“… give the servants something to gossip about” Sure, as in THAT WOMAN HAS BLOOD IN HER VEINS ACTUAL BLOOD?! XD

Checkers~! Of course hahaha. Livia laughing? Well well well *shifty grin* as they say – find someone who makes you laugh, bonus points for being a bad boy murderous and evil and with delusions of godhood. ;P

But I truly love the contrast of Livia and Albescu playing checkers on their wedding night versus Pherenike and Kovacs with the cvass on their first night together. Awesome!

Imagine if Kovacs could've attended the reception. His toasting speech would have been epic. XD

Brilliant Pherenike! Absolutely love how her mind works, objective yet compassionate.
Tickled muchly that this nods to your “In Black Ink…” and am excited to see the effects of the alterations. :D

Elly! Whew she’s okay and still her plucky bloodthirsty self despite the conditions. Chuckling muchly at her description of Kovacs hehehe.

Happy Holidays unto thee as well! :D :D :D

(Part 2 of my review of Chapter 21)

“At least five of the social broadsheets had published the full details of her wedding gown, worked on by thirty seamstresses to accomplish in time”
I thought of Queen Marie-Antoinette, who died during the French Revolution and was one of the most hated women in all of France at the time.
“a Grand Duchess, powerful, risen to the heights merited by her accomplishment and resolve”
Maybe you were allowed to become a Grand Duke because the other ones see you as an easy person to control, Livia. You ever thought of that? Don’t let your success turn you stupid now. This is not the end; it is only the beginning.
“an encumbrance known as a husband, now”
Livia is a goddamn narcissist. She and Albescu deserve each other. Hm, imagine if they DO fall for each other. But I doubt it; I don’t think either of them are capable of loving anything. (looks at Bane and his son) That is a very complicated relationship, isn’t it? Apparently, as of 1368, Xvim is being kept in hiding in great secrecy and heavy security by loyal Bane-ists (Bane was not only one of the greatest evil gods in Toril but one of THE most powerful gods in Toril period. It took Torm everything he had and the aid and sacrifice of THOUSANDS of people to finally put Bane down…and even then it can be argued that there were a lot of mitigating factors such as Bane being mortal, possibly already weakened, exhausted, wounded, etc.
…does Cyric know about Xvim? He is the Prince of Lies and the God of Deception, after all.
“preserving her virtue intact and untouched for many years”
She wants to believe that she is better than Candle, when the reality is that she is worse. Candle was just a parasite. Livia is a monster.
“feel diminishing and humiliating if she were to give that piece of herself away”
Pherenike gave herself to a man whom she had known for but one evening; that man intrigued and enraptured her, and she did the same to him.
“Yet perversely she wondered why”
Someone’s got an ego.
“even though so many people loved her”
You don’t know what love is, Livia. You don’t love anybody, including your father. (looks at Rieltar and his wife, and at Sarevok, Cythandria and Tamoko) …worse. That is even worse. While it seems that Albescu never loved his first wife (Kovacs’ mother) at all, Rieltar…God damn it. Tragedy is putting it lightly. How much pain did Yeslick AND Rieltar AND Sarevok go through?
Considering that in this story women in Sembia are little more than property…if the Anchevs were a genuinely loving couple…
…I believe it firmly now; even one mention, one whisper from Sarevok of his deceased wife’s name may cause Rieltar to become enraged and barely hold himself back from killing his son.
Now I’m imagining Rieltar – his own emotions boiling and tumbling and him being in a semi-mad/insane state as he brutally tortures his own friend – torturing Yeslick, and when Yeslick refers to Rieltar’s wife, the wizard – in a cold, maddened fury – decides that furthering torturing Yeslick is not enough; instead, he has innocent people tortured to death in front of Yeslick.
I have also imagined Yeslick finally striking down his former friend in Candlekeep, Rieltar telling the dwarf to finish it, and Yeslick instead saying that he won’t; that instead he will have Rieltar return to Baldur’s Gate and confess everything to everyone, and if Yeslick has his way, Rieltar will spend the rest of his life being forced to help the survivors of all of the lives he had destroyed and ruined.
And if Sarevok were to approach a wounded and helpless Rieltar with a garotte in hand, the latter may look at the garotte, at Sarevok, then say, ‘What are you waiting for?’
Needless to say, I consider Rieltar and Yeslick to be the protagonists of their own stories. People like them have contributed to the creation and rise of Sarevok.
Rieltar has got to be one hell of a talented wizard, because there’s no way he is not the only ambitious guild/company divisional leader to hail from Sembia. Perhaps people like his wife, Yeslick and Sarevok were able to help him further his ambitions and goals…but somewhere along the way things started to go wrong.
“Was that a faint smirk on”
Ha! I like Margery!
“with a shade too much clatter”
She did that on purpose. I love that Margery has a sense of humor.
“averting her eyes from the mess”
I’m guessing she wouldn’t like the Copper Coronet. I love that in-game, Nalia always goes there if dismissed from the party, even if de’Arnise Keep has been liberated. She is restless in her campaign to aid the destitute and less fortunate. Come to think of it, Kovacs may or may not have encountered or seen her in Amn. Nalia may have done a lot to help a lot of people, but she is not a wise person and has likely made mistakes and errors that either did nothing to help people in the long-run or even made them worse.
Livia can wear the best dresses and jewelry, apply the best make-up and style her hair exhaustively, and yet the exhausted, bloody (not hers) and filth-covered Nalia (I love the idea of her showing up like that to de’Arnise Keep – with the servants and guards no longer being all that surprised by the sight - and happily collapsing into her bed after leaving a trail of blood and dirt throughout the corridors of the castle) in my opinion is more beautiful than she could ever be.
“it was he who’d ordered and furnished it”
Uh-oh.
“Livia had played her mother’s sailors by the docks, and mostly won”
Which means you weren’t truly challenged, Livia. You don’t get stronger by defeating people weaker than yourself.
“the old temple of Bhaal”
It has been around ten years since the Time of Troubles. Old temples have fallen or been abandoned, and new ones have risen. Hm…I thought of the Cold War taking place shortly after WW2, in which the old European empires finally exhaled their last breaths, and three prominent powers stepped up to challenge for the Number One spot; USA, USSR and PRC.
“Whisky and a strong brew”
Considering his regeneration, it takes a lot to make Kovacs drunk.
“It’s not for want of trying”
He cannot even use alcohol to escape the horror that is his life.
“Pherenike ordered”
They don’t have time to sit around or mope. Elly’s life hangs in the balance. It’s now or never; either they go all-out to try to free Kovacs from his father (hopefully Albescu would be distracted due to his recent marriage), or they fail and Kovacs dies rather than spend another day as Albescu’s slave.
“I tried burning them off. That didn’t work”
…
“He promised to remove them, but instead he took what I traded and kept me”
I hope that person survived Tirzah only to run into Xzar later.
“had given her the first idea”
Pherenike is now becoming an experienced adventurer, though she still has yet to venture beyond the comforts of her home. Baldur’s Gate at least offers sufficient opportunity for adventures.
“I tested it on myself”
That’s still no guarantee it would work, or that it would but have unintended side-effects. This is a very dangerous thing that they are doing, but the fact is they just don’t have time to do more thorough research or experiments.
“A transmutation…necromancy”
I love Forgotten Realms and this story. Seriously, no other fantasy universe I have seen even comes CLOSE to Forgotten Realms. Name another that details magic better.
I wonder what a Magic Missile spell from a powerful, centuries-old lich would be like. While Magic Missile is considered a ‘basic’ spell, no two spells are ever the same due to no two wizards ever being the same.
“Beyond the open door lay only the deep blackness of the temple and the underground lake”
The child of a dead god and his lover, both working to stop the child’s father from murdering another god-child.
“something like a crescent moon”
This is so fascinating. Pherenike must have spent weeks or even months researching how to free Kovacs from the bindings that enslave him to Albescu.
“all he had was the remnant of a failed experiment, unprotected”
For all that he saw himself as a high priest of Bhaal, Albescu really is no different from Amelysssan.
“Then he did it to me anyway”
Albescu broke Machiavelli’s Rule, and he will pay the price for it one day. Similarly, in my opinion House Lannister’s days are numbered; the Westerlands will eventually be ruled by another noble family, and gain a new High House and Paramount Lord.
“blood-bonded and battle-forged companion”
In the end in BG1, Sarevok chooses power and ambition over all else, forsaking Tamoko and Cythandria. Yet Tazok, Angelo and Semaj still stand with him to the bitter end, in Angelo’s case even against his daughter Shar-Teel.
“She’d no idea what her own mother would have been like”
(looks at Gorion’s Ward and at Imoen) Huh.
“Then all was dark”
I thought of Shar.
“Pavo snickered at him in the dark”
Pavo has lost all hope.
“or patiently carried him to the latrine”
Many others who are not Jacek would have killed or otherwise rendered Pavo incapable of speech. I’m guessing that at this point Pavo is past caring about that.
“full of terrified people”
Albescu is ultimately little more than a common thief.
“owner of a shop in Baker’s Lane”
I imagined Angelo Dosan sending a message via spell to Sarevok in which he says, ‘I believe we are not the only people in this city who are hunting Bhaalspawn.’ Then, upon asking what his next move would be, Sarevok states that he would arrange it so these Bhaalspawn-hunters would find him…
Also, in both Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War, some Uruk Captains are Vigilant Against Stealth, meaning that stealth attacks are useless against them. (looks at Sarevok) I don’t know if there is any easy way to bring him down…but he CAN be killed. All it takes is just one moment, one opening…but how to get it? So many must have tried, and all have failed. He believes that he will become the next Lord of Murder, and so many have chosen to follow and aid him in his ambition. And if not for Gorion’s Ward (in-game, at least), he could have taken over Baldur’s Gate and become the city-state’s dictator.
“I ought to scratch…I’ll rip your eyes from”
In my opinion, if somebody truly wants to attack you, they wouldn’t say things like that. They’d just attack you. The women are angry and frightened and are lashing out.
“so far had only hit rock and more rock”
I wonder what Yeslick’s cell in the Orothair Mine is like. It is not far from what seems to be a barracks and kitchen.
“illegal in Baldur’s Gate”
Just means there’s more money in it. Slavery is ‘technically’ forbidden by law in Amn too, yet there’s slavers everywhere within that nation. (looks at Thay and the Tevinter Imperium) Huh.
“that Jacek could not even conceive it”
I wonder if there are Bhaalspawn who could.
“who said he was sixty-odd”
Hmm.
“sometimes asking for directions or starting gossip”
A Harper assassin approaches and attempts to pretend to ask Montaron for help but doesn’t get more than five words out before the halfling attacks him.
“how many pebbles for a bite of bread’s stake”
…even now, in these dire circumstances, Elly is still Elly.
“a sharp servant-girl from one of the small-noble families in the Grand Dukes’ district”
Did it not occur to Albescu to check his potential victims properly before having them abducted? Then again, he did have a lot on his plate with Livia at the time.
“She’d immediately taken the Puppy under her wing”
Huh.
“a tiny gnome boy who seemed to be able to make no sounds but barking”
…he’s a Bhaalspawn?
“He gruesomely murdered…he stabbed the big one thirty times and it was bloody and fiendish”
I’m guessing she was smiling when she said this.
“he couldn’t believe that an outlaw would help”
At that moment, Alora and Coran’s eyebrows twitch.
Meanwhile, instead of asking questions first, Kivan slaughters an entire crime syndicate until only the boss – wounded and crippled – is left, then interrogates said boss on Tazok’s whereabouts and the boss cursing Tazok upon realizing that the half-ogre knew that this was going to happen and didn’t bother to tell them. Kivan’s actions in wiping out the crime syndicate bring positive change to the settlement, but few of the people dare to approach or thank him due to fearing him more than the gangsters.
“Better to hope for rescue from the Flaming Fist”
I don’t think the Fist are coming, Jacek. Not that they are all bad, but big things are happening throughout the Western Heartlands…
“so all could have a share”
…it may be a cruel thing to do…but perhaps a means to escape is to keep the most capable and skilled one well-fed at the expense of the others so that that person would have the strength to overpower the guards.
“giving it all to her…not even leaving a crumb”
I hope Jacek survives. Oh, and Elly too, I suppose. Spider would be sad after all.
“with a strange intense excitement”
Never change, Elly.

“far higher than any hall of church he’d ever seen”
First hint that his captor is a dragon.
“shelves at all heights…carved wooden chair…a desk”
In my opinion, no other fantasy series I have ever come across does dragons better than Forgotten Realms. Hungarian Horntails in Harry Potter? Smaug in Lord of the Rings? Feh. In my opinion, the so-called dragons in Harry Potter are wyverns; they are to dragons what monkeys are to humans. And unlike Smaug, the dragons in Forgotten Realms are FAR more advanced, capable and developed. I really like that unlike ‘classic’ dragons that can only issue fire or otherwise from their mouths, FR dragons cast spells instead. If anything, to me it seems that the different ‘types’ of dragons like Shadow, Silver, Gold, etc may simply be dragons specializing in specific fields of their own kind of magic.
The Fighting Fantasy series (Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson) also writes that while some dragons are hostile to humans, others are not; Silver dragons wouldn’t attack on sight though they tend to be unfriendly, and Gold dragons – the biggest and strongest dragons in FF – are neutral and willing to talk to humans (like Spectators in FR)
Also, in Legend of Zagor, there is a dragon that is feared even by other dragons; a fully-grown, adult War Dragon; a being who could destroy whole armies by him/herself with ease. This War Dragon’s treasure hoard is nowhere in sight, for it is simply too big to fit into any lair; instead, the War Dragon uses his/her power to keep the treasure in a separate dimension, kind of like a Bag of Holding. If at a point earlier in the gamebook, the player-character encounters and kills a Young Dragon, they then hear a FEROCIOUS roar from elsewhere in the castle very far away…
That the Blue Shale had gained the not-so-friendly attention of a goddamn dragon…that can’t be good for them.
“A barrier he couldn’t see stopped him from going further”
A common weakness among dragons – even the not-so-bad ones – is arrogance. They often look down and condescend to ‘lesser’ races. Worst of all…they kind of have a point. I mean, they are DRAGONS.
So what does it say about Gorion that he not only outwitted/defeated/etc but HUMILIATED Firkraag, and that Firkraag still bears the scars from that past encounter in the Stormhorn Mountains with Gorion and a group of Harpers?
…and yet, ignoring gameplay constraints, I believe that the Slayer could easily tear dragons apart, and that Sarevok is no match at all for it. And you know what I suspect/fear about Tiax and Cyric regarding the Bhaal-Slayer.
Also, Keldorn Firecam. Far from perfect (his family and drow), but that line of his if the PC decides to make the not-so-light decision to face the powerful and mighty Firkraag in battle:
‘We stand together against the greatest foe of all, my friend! Come, then, dragon! With my last breath, if need be, I shall defy you!’
Unfortunately, judging from the actions that Keldorn would take depending on the PC’s decisions…I don’t know if it would be a good idea for Kovacs to have someone like Keldorn working directly with him. On the one hand, Keldorn is a very wise person who CAN tolerate and condone some actions (he is willing to work with the Shadow Thieves in order to help rescue Imoen from Spellhold)
“He tested, prodded in a circle around the chair”
Not the first time he has been held in captivity.
“She was chilly but dazzling, intimidating and frightening”
Even in their shapeshifted forms, dragons cannot help but show hints of what they truly are. Their power is vast, but so are their egos.
“Her voice was sharp and melodic, like a song of icicles striking glass”
I love this writing of dragons, Blue-Inked Frost.
“I’m a peaceable sort”
Hmm.
“I can’t let a nest of ex-Bhaalite villains go free”
It has been around one year since the Time of Troubles ended, but a Harper’s work is never done. Their goal is to maintain the balance, and in their eyes (or some at least), there is still much that needs to be done before the damage caused by the Time of Troubles could be repaired…or at least repaired as much as it could be.
I can only imagine what it was like for the nations and peoples of Toril at the end of the Time of Troubles; much to celebrate, and to grieve. Many bad people dead, but many good people as well.
Ajantis Ilvarstarr would likely still only be a child (maybe already a squire in the Radiant Heart in Amn) when Helm slew Mystra (Kyn writes in Aegis of Candlekeep that Ajantis is only 18 years old)
Dynaheir and Minsc would also likely be relatively young, and it would be years before Dynaheir will receive her mission that involves searching for Bhaal’s children.
Edwin may still had been studying magic at the Red Wizard Academy. I wonder how Thay was affected by Mystra’s death and Midnight’s subsequent ascension.
Eldoth and Garrick…hmm. What was it like for Bards? Did any Bards get to personally witness any of the perished gods’ demises? Myrkul did die in very public fashion in the skies above Waterdeep.
Faldorn may or may not already be a Shadow Druid (most powerful BG1 companion-character) Come to think of it, I wonder how Druids in general were affected.
Khalid and Jaheira likely were very busy during and after the Time of Troubles.
Kagain either made or lost (or both) a lot of money. I wonder how the dwarven deities were affected.
Kivan may at that point still be hunting Tazok (imagine if he had been hunting and stalking that half-ogre even before Tazok met Sarevok…how old is Tazok anyway? And if so, that means that Kivan’s obsession with revenge would have been lasting DECADES)
Montaron and Xzar, being from Moonsea where Bane is/was a dominant deity, likely experienced radical changes in leadership within the Zhentarim.
Quayle may or may not had already met Aerie by that point. (looks at gnomish gods in the Time of Troubles) huh.
I suspect that Safana had one hell of an amazing adventure during and/or after the Time of Troubles.
(looks at Shar-Teel) Hmm…how old is she? Still with Angelo, or off on her own? Did she participate in any of the conflicts and struggles? Did the Time of Troubles affect her significantly in any way? (looks at her 7 Wisdom) You know what, I got nothing.
Skie…how was House Silvershield (and Baldur’s Gate) affected?
Tiax…how old is he? What was he like before Cyric rose to power? And this is assuming he isn’t Cyric himself…and one of my fears about the gnome is that he was ALWAYS evil and twisted before mortal-Cyric ascended to godhood. Honestly, in my opinion, I think the best course to take with writing Tiax is to NOT reveal his backstory or background.
Viconia probably would have already been living on the surface around the time that Bane and Myrkul stole the Tablets. I wonder what she feels about Lolth still being in power after it was over. Lolth has been the dominant deity of the drow for centuries and doesn’t seem to be relinquishing that position any time soon.
How was Xan and the rest of Evereska affected?
(looks at Yeslick Orothair) …nine years ago. How old would Sarevok have been then? Would Yeslick have (possibly) already forged and provided Sarevok with his primary weapon? If so, that means that nine years ago Sarevok could already wield greatswords.
…I just realized that a Baldur’s Gate prequel following the BG1 and/or BG2 companion-characters during and after the Time of Troubles would be amazing.
Forgotten Realms is way too much, isn’t it, Blue-Inked Frost? I am not kidding when I said it; this universe and franchise is PERFECT for aspiring writers who wish to one day publish their own novels.
“twisted in disgust”
Either she cannot empathize at all with a child hating their parent, or she had already convinced herself that any child of Bhaal cannot be anything other than evil. Thankfully, not all Harpers or Paladins are like her.
“The viper’s son is a viper himself”
Tyrion Lannister was easily the most compassionate and kind person of his immediate family…until Tywin, Cersei and even Jaime pushed him too far, and Tyrion chose to embrace becoming a monster. God help Westeros, because in my opinion Tyrion is more dangerous, cunning, clever and manipulative than Tywin ever was. I don’t think it would be a good idea for Daenerys to hire/recruit him in any capacity, least of all as Hand of the Queen. But where in Essos is she going to find someone capable of being her administrator and/or military commander?
“Be quiet and stay there”
(sigh) Oh, how different it would have been if it had been, say, Jaheira or the kind and wonderful Khalid who captured Kovacs instead of the dragon. Kovacs probably would have been taken in by the Harpers, and thus he would have never met Pherenike.
“They hadn’t taken her from him; hadn’t noticed her”
I can already hear Kagain calling them a buncha morons for not searching and securing Kovacs properly. You don’t just put the prisoner in a magical barrier, you physically restrain their hands and feet, ESPECIALLY if the prisoner can cast spells!
I suspect that Montaron has probably broken free from Harper captivity, which considering the Harpers cannot be easy to do and says something about the halfling (never, ever bring any weapons into the same room as a captive Zhent assassin) In my opinion, the responsibility for the prisoner known as Kovacs escaping has to fall squarely on the silver-dragon-lady.
“a bond, as if they were part of each other”
You’re going to enjoy writing Edwin and his familiar (if he has one), aren’t you?
“he’d hoped for something dangerous or useful”
Boo is actually very useful to Minsc!
“tidy her desk and leave”
…she left him unguarded. In her study. For someone so smart, she is incredibly dumb.
“feeling silly to say what you would to a dog, but she curled up and lay there”
Dammit, stop making me want to buy and keep a hamster! What is it with those little creatures?
“fossilized beehives”
Seems like this dragon studies a lot. Dragons are considered to be some of the most intelligent mortal beings. Yet they have not carved out vast empires in Toril, unlike the races that they tend to look down on. There is a reason for that.
“a little too large to be human, and had been flensed and preserved, muscles and tendons exposed, nails black”
There is a story behind this…body part.
“afraid the hand would come to life again”
One of the most memorable creatures/encounters in the Lone Wolf gamebook series for me; a Rahkos. Its only source of nourishment that can sustain its existence is living human brain…
“He knew what his father was looking for”
There is just way too much intrigue and mystery in the world of Forgotten Realms, Blue-Inked Frost…how many headaches have you had writing this story by this point?
“a dizzying nausea and confusion wash over him”
This isn’t even an enchanted artifact, it’s a severed body part…I shuddered typing this.
“the things she thought belonged to her”
In-game, the Claw and Horn are found in Thalantyr’s shop…and are for sale. Yeah, this is why I encourage any and all BG writers to forge their own stories and not be restrained by in-game canon/source material. I love Harry Potter & the Methods of Rationality, by the way, especially the writing of Tom Riddle aka Voldemort. MoR-Voldemort…THAT is how you write a villain, Rowling!
“He recognized just enough of the alchemy”
Have I mentioned that the dragon is a moron? She couldn’t have aided Kovacs any further without knowingly trying.
“she was after all just an animal, who didn’t really understand”
I felt a heart-pang at this.
“it felt like she wanted to comfort his despair”
Meanwhile, Edwin’s familiar is loudly/scathingly (and probably correctly) blaming him for their latest predicament and Edwin is yelling back at it to shut up and let him think. Edwin is simultaneously a genius (18 INT) and an idiot (9 WIS).
“tear and crumble under the force”
I imagined a wizard casting a powerful shield/barrier only for Sarevok to smash through it with a single blow. In my opinion, getting within melee range of Sarevok is suicide. There is nobody in BG1 or 2 who is a better melee fighter than he is.
I also imagined this: A company-sized force of the Iron Throne, having been contracted by a lord/baron/duke/etc to wage war against an enemy faction, prepares to launch an attack on an enemy camp containing a similarly-company-sized force. Due to not having an advantage in numbers, the Iron Throne mercenaries’ officers debate on strategy and tactics…only for the young Sarevok to enter and slaughter the entire enemy camp BY HIMSELF.
Seriously. I have while playing ToB sent Sarevok alone against groups of enemies while keeping the rest of my party well back. Having Sarevok in your party DRASTICALLY lowers the difficulty of the entire game. This guy can massacre DROW without breaking a sweat. Whole units of veteran Radiant Heart knights would become tense upon realizing that there is a group of drow close by!
“some powerful artefact on the shelves giving way to destruction”
This is where Jan Jansen criticizes the dragon’s material management and warehousing.
“Tirzah muttered”
Ha!
“The size of a small castle”
…run. Don’t fight, just run.
“It knocked her aside”
I’m guessing Tirzah didn’t want to fight the dragon, but she could hardly just try to flee with the dragon at her heels and having to drag Kovacs with her.
“He burned her scales with hails of fire and weighed her limbs down with reshaped stone”
Surprise and full, no-holding-back power, just enough to distract and disorient the dragon long enough for them to escape.
“The dazzling silver claws”
I imagined Gorion’s Ward TRYING to negotiate with an aloof and unco-operative silver dragon while Kagain is eyeing a few dragon scales on the floor of the lair.
“He’s already sold it”
Albescu assumes that his underlings would never dare to turn on him. What a fool.
“I’m weak, and yet…put yourself between me and an angry dragon”
I don’t think Albescu even ever noticed the bond that had developed between Kovacs and Tirzah.
“teach him well enough that someday he’d give commands in the heat of battle”
Being a party leader is about more than being the best combatant.
“colours and tents in the streets on the Grand Duke’s election day”
This made me smile. I wonder if word of this has spread to Baldur’s Gate’s neighbors. People may see Livia as a potential problem, asset or means of opportunity. Livia has been very vocal in her (public) anti-Amn stance.
“free-flowing beer and beef and bread to voters”
In Gladiator (2000), the newly-crowned Emperor Commodus gave free bread to the citizens of the city of Rome to win their favor and support. The Senators and Commodus’ sister calculate that his actions would cause the whole city to be starving as early as the next winter.
“opulent, faultlessly planned, and admired by almost all”
Livia is Candle, but better…and worse.
“spontaneous parties in the street”
The people may love Livia now, but how would she handle an impending Iron Crisis? Probably by finding somebody for the people to blame other than her.
“served the role of being duly inferior”
I wonder what Khalid and Jaheira’s wedding was like.
“Pherenike had committed a private, petty revenge”
Pherenike and Livia could have formed a genuine friendship with each other after Candle’s death…but as it turned out, Livia had become just as bad as Candle; just as hateful, narcissistic, cruel and callous, yet smarter, more patient and more deadly. Unfortunately, she is nowhere near as smart as she likes to think she is.
“alone and awkward in such a crowd of people”
I don’t know how the hell Madeline is going to survive the fires and blood of the coming times. This is a character who would almost surely die in a book series written by George Martin.
“Livia was truly beautiful”
Not to me. (looks at Shar-Teel) I am fascinated by what THAT wedding would be like. Her hatred for men in general…honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if instead of killing him (immediately at least), Shar-Teel ends up sleeping with Eldoth while still hating and being hostile toward him. Shar-Teel is messed up and Eldoth is, well, Eldoth.
“She prayed Albescu Demirci would be kind to his wife”
…Yeslick Orothair may had been present at the wedding of the Anchev couple. He may had even been the Best Man. Christ, the tragedy of the Anchevs…Sarevok’s life could have turned out so different.
Yeslick’s main goal is to put things right…but even he knows you can’t make everything right.
“they spoke to each other with respect and seemed to understand each other well”
They may genuinely like each other, but they both WILL kill the other to further their own ambitions.
“She grieved for her childhood friend Conradin”
Madeline is a great character. I thought of Sansa Stark. Hm…perhaps there is great potential in Madeline. After all, she did once aid Hopeless.
“no sight more ridiculous and unwieldy than a fat woman in distress”
Branwen likely isn’t thin, and however horrifying it probably would be to be Petrified for an extended period of time, I wouldn’t be surprised if she bounces back from it relatively quickly.
“Plenty of times Yarrow had mocked her with Candle Balduran”
Yarrow is a follower. Give her time and she’d latch onto someone else, probably even worse than with Candle. Livia has zero sympathy for Yarrow and takes joy in her suffering and…I really can’t blame her for it.
“Albescu Demirci’s bodyguard Tirzah”
I thought of Dynaheir and Minsc (and Boo).
“If you want a merciless killer, look no further than Livia’s darling fiancé”
The Blue Shale had been in Moonsea in the past, and I’m fairly certain that Albescu took care not to antagonize the Zhentarim, because otherwise he would probably be dead by now. The Zhentarim cannot be seen to be weak. Moonsea is not like the Western Heartlands; there is a reason that its people are so hardened.
“poured it in the nearest plant pot”
For some reason, my brain made me imagine a tree stealing Korgan’s drink, causing the dwarf to once again state that he hates forests.
“as if Pherenike felt everything with Albescu Demirci’s touch to be contaminated”
Whereas even a smart and wise woman would find herself warily accepting a drink from Eldoth even if she despises him and refuses to sit or speak with him. I hate Eldoth.
“an elected Grand Duchess”
…Livia is going to die. Whether early or later, she would not leave Baldur’s Gate alive. Sarevok does not share power.
“broken off a dance for the sake of comforting her”
This made me feel so disgusted toward Livia. The half-elf is utterly rotten now; she has allowed her hatred for Candle to poison her. (looks at Tyrion Lannister) …honestly, Blue-Inked Frost, can you blame him? He has done so much for his family AND for King’s Landing. He handled their finances and book-keeping, he improved the sewers and sanitation, he provided an additional force of hill tribesmen to the Lannister army, he is the MAIN REASON that King’s Landing did not fall to Stannis Baratheon…and what did he get in return? Hell, Bronn got rewarded while Tyrion got nothing!
Albescu strikes me as having similarities to Tywin Lannister, except he is even more stupid than Tywin. He doesn’t deserve to be voiced by the great Charles Dance. That goes to Edwin’s father Homen.
“dawn to dusk and indeed far beyond nightfall”
Jesus Christ! How much did this wedding cost?! Who paid for it?
I wonder what Homen Odesseiron’s ‘crowning’ as Tharchion of Surthay was like. It may had been long and ceremonious, or brief with Homen making it quick and stating that there won’t be much or any celebration as there is a lot of work to be done.
“thick, waist-length tress”
I’m betting Xan’s hair is better than Livia’s.
“The broadsheets often called”
Eurgh. I’m guessing these broadsheets are the equivalent of tabloids like Nancy Grace.
“At least five of the social broadsheets had published the full details of her wedding gown, worked on by thirty seamstresses to accomplish in time”
I thought of Queen Marie-Antoinette, who died during the French Revolutio

Ok so i love how you started this off. "The four maidens, adrift in a sea of fluttering voile and lace drapery..." That's such a beautiful description and it caught my attention right away.
A word of Constructive Criticism... there's a lot of information being dumped on your reader all at once within the first couple paragraphs. It's kind of a lot to take in, although of course I am fandom blind... I will give you credit because the information is worked into the paragraphs very smoothly, coupled with descriptions of the characters. Although of course, it is best to not pause the flow of the story to describe your characters in detail, everything flows smoother when it's worked into the story naturally, rather than a huge information dump at the beginning.
"Candle was the undoubted leader, but she gained strength by having followers." I really like this line. Well done.
I really like how you wove a litte bit of humor into your descriptions of Madeline Castellas. Instead of using your own words to describe her, you made your character describe the woman, and once again, everything flows better that. (also the line about the beluga whale made me laugh)
I'm curious as to the background between Conradin and Pherenike... obviously he tried to make advances but what of the letter? That's a nice touch, giving a little background, it makes the reader wonder what happened.
I like the suspense surrounding the man in black. The plot is very well thought out. Everything is happening for a reason and I'm intrigued.
"She was icily livid and there would be a terrible vengeance for this outrage." I love this line, I can almost see her forced smile, the way her eyes are flashing... I love this.
"People don't judge by effort. They judge by flash and entertainment and lies." I love this line as well.
She felt the heat that burned between their hands to be a living thing of fire..." I really like this, it's very suggestive of a romance of some sort, or maybe not even a romance, of a rebellion.
I love the ending. I love how you compared the tension between Pherenike and the man in black as fire, very nice.
This is very good. All of it. You have a beautiful writing style and I didnt' get any grammatical errors, although of course I was very caught up in the story itself. :D
This is so intriguing I love it. Good job!

I love how you write Tirzah and her faith – not blind nor deranged as the other faithful always are, but truly comprehending Bhaal’s nature and his will.

Kovacs reaching out to Tirzah really pricks at the heart. Theirs is a most beautiful, literally bloody, but pure comradeship.

Holy hells! Elly! No wonder with her tiny little bloodthirst. Brilliant twist. :D

So does this mean Spider is a Hell Pup? XD

Ho ho, Albescu slithers out of this like a practiced eel. Chuckling at the part where he must have realized he sounded too flippant heh.

Forgive me, but I squeed an evil little squee at their wee contest of wills, and Albescu praising Livia’s own murder scheme. *evil romantic flutters*

“Doomguards” I think Albescu should be more concerned that subscribing to that manifesto might make Kovacs start spouting random florid poetry, and referring to himself in the bird-person. XD

Oh no poor Tirzah 2.0! Boo would not suffer such suffering to continue! :(

I would never have guessed Elly was a Bhaalspawn and now I'm more worried about her. Hopefully Kovacs will be able to save her (and the dog).

The moment Livia showed Albescu the letter I knew Kovacs was going to pay. I just hope he will get revenge one day.

Ah so somebody has warned Livia. I wonder who cared enough to risk it? Poor Lorn... what a way to go. And Pherenike is still being kinda cruel to Madeleine. That was a bit uncalled for, she didn't know.

I liled tha backstory for the doppelgangers. Livia, I think, might be out of her depth. She's scheming and plotting but I reckon Albescu's sadism isn't something she can out-think. Feel bad for Yarrow if Albescu is administering her affairs. That cannot end well.

(Part 2 of my review of Chapter 20)

(if the PC refuses to recruit Imoen while in Spellhold)
Edwin: ‘I tire of this whining! If it makes this all the faster, I will leave myself and you can take the child! I will fare better than her, surely.’
Korgan: ‘Ahh, take the whinin' child. I'll bash this place through on me own rather than hear her simpering one more minute.’
(looks at Viconia saving a beggar in the Government District from being arrested while refusing to give him money) Those three Evil companion-characters are so weird.
“he’d have left Pherenike to her fate with Conradin and stayed a wealthy man’s adopted son”
Livia has no idea of what Albescu had done and is still doing to his son. In my opinion, that message was not enough; Kovacs should speak to Livia directly. But if he does, Albescu may learn of it.
“My wife’s deepest thoughts were about making quince preserves”
I imagined Xzar saying that Albescu’s wife was more sensible and wise than he is.
“We appreciate art”
The Meths in Altered Carbon in my opinion are no better than the mercenary and criminal scum. People will tell themselves anything to convince themselves that they are better people.
I love the idea of a Bhaalspawn Paladin; a champion of another god. What would that god think of this Paladin; someone who has decided that they are NOT their father, that they will defy the prophecy of Alaundo, and use their father’s power to do GOOD?
Keldorn believes that there is still hope for Sarevok; that he can use his skills to help others. Paladin Mazzy believes the same thing.
In my opinion, possible scenes of Sarevok speaking with Yeslick Orothair would be heart-breaking tearjerkers. Jesus Christ is Yeslick the true Protagonist of BG1. It doesn’t help that I heavily suspect that he is the one who forged Sarevok’s sword; an incredible 5 weapon (though ONLY in the hands of Sarevok) that is nothing short of a masterpiece of smithing and weapon-craft. In my opinion, the Sword of Chaos is nowhere near its in-game average monetary worth. I wonder what Kovacs and Pherenike would think if they were to see and/or examine it. Also, Tamoko’s armor is the best in-game armor of BG1.
“a corrupt, traitorous, empty-headed drab of a woman”
Albescu is a liar, Livia.
“she might write to Sembia at any time”
What if they lie as well? What if they are unaware of the whole truth?
“the idea of betraying one’s husband, with a tutor no less, nothing more than a servant”
You’d change your tune soon enough once you have been a wife to Albescu for some time, Livia.
“You are the man who brought back summer”
No. That was Kovacs.
“the gift to seize a person’s mind and lay it bare”
Xan vindictively Charming and forcing an abusive husband to give all his money to his wife and allow her to leave him, then for good measure throw himself into a pig’s feeding trough. Xan is not a Good person.
“higher than even she would have thought to aim”
I wonder what Livia would think of Sarevok’s plot. He is stronger than Albescu; far, far stronger. Man is Sarevok one hell of a villain. He has not appeared nor even been mentioned, yet his presence still hangs over this story. I’d bet that the thought hadn’t even crossed Livia’s mind to murder ALL the Grand Dukes of Baldur’s Gate.
“a power beyond your wildest dreams”
That power is beyond your reach, Albescu. You don’t have a prayer of a hope of taking anything from Cyric.
“if you fail?”
Albescu would probably be absolutely flabbergasted and in disbelief at the realization that Kovacs finally making his move against him is mainly to save the life of a commoner child, rather than to free himself from him at last.
“underestimate his capability or power”
Kovacs may choose to accept offered power from the Slayer…
“There were a number of possible causes, really”
Edwin may frightened and alarmed at seeing Homen ANGRY, for Homen Odesseiron, even in public, almost never displays anger. Other Thayvian lords could mock, ridicule and insult him, refer to him not being a Red Wizard, and Homen would not even bat an eye.
“Fire appeared in his hand”
That’s just petty.
“that rodent of yours”
Jan Jansen in-game keeps trying to steal Boo who is frightened and wary of the gnome.
Also, I love that in Aegis of Candlekeep, Xzar has a feud with Urso the Raccoon.
“Burning pain racked Kovacs’ body”
I wonder if, when he needed to control Sarevok, instead of laying one finger on him, Rieltar instead threatens to hurt Cythandria or Tamoko, and Sarevok – furious and murderous – reluctantly agrees to Rieltar’s demand. Rieltar may also threaten that no matter what happens to himself, if Sarevok were to betray him the people he loves WILL suffer and/or die.
“You are nothing…The dust of a dead god”
Hannibal Lecter: ‘The seals are being opened. The lamb is becoming a lion. For the great day of his wrath has come, and who shall be able to stand?’
“Real people”
Like Conradin or Sweet Goat, Albescu?
“I’m what you made of me”
The key to understanding Sarevok may lie with Winski.
“she already killed one old man who got in her way”
Maybe Kovacs and Pherenike would get lucky and Albescu and Livia would kill each other. Maybe.
“its body shaking with what looked like a great pain”
It is arguably Kovacs’ most precious possession, and he has entrusted it to Pherenike.
“gently put it back in the straw”
Kagain takes a weak, whimpering little puppy home. Years later, it is a ferocious and psychotic attack dog that enjoys bullying and tormenting (though not severely injuring or killing) little puppies and Kagain has to frequently order it to stop messing around with the other future attack dogs. (looks at Faldorn and her Neutral Evil Dread Wolves) Faldorn is so frightening.

“Kythorn, the Time of Flowers”
I thought of House Tyrell, one of the oldest noble families of Westeros that began as a vassal/steward house to House Greenhand aka perhaps the very first noble house of Westeros. (looks at the Sima clan’s very long history in China, that it took over China after the fall of the Han Dynasty, and that House Tyrell is now poised to take control of the capital city of King’s Landing and the Iron Throne as of Winds of Winter) Hmm.
In my opinion, House Lannister is finished. Whoever wins the war and hegemony over the Seven Kingdoms, it will not be them. Tyrion doesn’t even care about anything but revenge anymore; he wants to kill and destroy until he is the only Lannister left. Christ, what Tywin, Cersei and – yes, him too – Jaime did to him…
“Praka, Damara”
(looks it up on the FR wiki) Hm. Reminds me of the city of Oldtown in Westeros. In 1357, Praka was ruled by the despised and Zhengyi-puppet Baronness Sylvia.
(looks up Damara on the FR wiki) Northeast Faerun…Bhaal travelled a lot before he died. In 1357, Damara was ruled by King Virdin who died that same year at the hands of the lich Zhengyi, ending the line of kings dating back to Feldrin Bloodfeathers. (looks at the Galena Mountains being home to goblinoids, giants and dwarves who mine the deposits of bloodstone, iron and silver) Hmm. (looks at the various Duchys of Damara) Is Forgotten Realms one of the richest and most detailed fictional universes ever or what?
1357 was a very dark time for Damara…and the Time of Troubles – when gods were cast down to walk the world as mortals – occurred only a year later. Then in 1359 – the same year as this chapter – Gareth Dragonsbane and a group of adventurers defeated Zhengyi, and Dragonsbane was crowned King of Damara.
I wonder how Damara is doing now in early-1368.
“Tirzah chased the man into the back street”
Brienne of Tarth: ‘Don’t go where your enemy leads you.’
“he hissed at her, and she thought of bitterly correcting him”
The Harpers – for the most part – harbor no love for the followers of Bhaal, in my opinion for good reason.
“Bhaal was dead and no amount of Bhaalspawn blood split could bring back her god”
How many Bhaalites switched sides and declared loyalty and fealty to the new Lord of Murder? How many refused and remained faithful to their now-dead god? Albescu has done neither; he now seeks to increase his own power and influence. The doppelgangers follow Kovacs in the hope of establishing their own legacy and place in the world.
If they decide that Sarevok is more worthy of their loyalty and service…
Blackheart (Two Steps from Hell) is now playing on my phone. It makes me wonder how the drow were affected by the Time of Troubles. As of 1368, Lolth the Spider-Queen is still the dominant deity of the drow, as she has been for centuries.
“Tirzah tripped her opponent with a kick”
He was probably going to try something similar. And he probably was the more skilled swordsman. Perhaps he could have just as easily tripped and killed her. Sometimes it just is what it is. Also, good luck trying to trip a dwarf.
“well-resourced do-gooders that Tirzah had crossed swords with before”
They seem to be everywhere sometimes. Makes me wonder about the Harper High Council.
“Kovacs returned”
Unlike Albescu, Tirzah allows Kovacs to talk back to her like an equal. I suspect that she is just as alone and lost as he is. She supports his current relationship with Pherenike.
“two streets down”
Probably should have picked a pub further away from the dead Harper…
“Kovacs tried”
Considering what his life is like, it’s not surprising that he’d want to indulge in alcohol.
“I left you sorting through a barrel of second-hand spell scrolls…There was only one useful one”
Tirzah is responsible for Kovacs being able to create a familiar.
“an exotic animal stall in the marketplace”
In the Fighting Fantasy gamebook Master of Chaos, the protagonist could purchase a mongoose named Jesper who, it turns out, can speak, is blessed with long life, and has been a companion to many adventurers, hunters, sages and nomadic chieftains. While a useful and friendly companion, Jesper is not steadfastly loyal to, well, anyone, and would leave the protagonist’s side to travel/work with someone else with only slight hesitation.
“Not exactly intimidating in battle”
Kovacs was not looking for something to aid him in combat.
“There’s no one who cares what happens to me. Real people don’t want to be my friend”
…Livia probably feels the same way. It’s strange and fascinating to think that if Kovacs had been drawn to and visited her instead, this story could have gone down a much different path…and Pherenike may had become an antagonist instead of an ally.
“You’re trying to teach me things, and you don’t hurt me like my father does”
I thought of Surthay by Kyn, specifically Homen Odesseiron’s pain and trauma at being betrayed by his sister whom he was closer to than anyone else. Sadly, the cycle will repeat itself many years later. I can only hope that Edwin would be able to break it.
“tears, probably, had long since been seared out of him”
…Sarevok doesn’t cry anymore, does he? I suspect that when Mrs Anchev was strangled to death right in front of him by Rieltar, Sarevok did not shed a tear, and that it would have been better if he had. It’s fascinating to consider that Sarevok may genuinely love both Cythandria and Tamoko…but man…he may be too damaged to have a healthy and stable romance with anyone. What was it that drew Cythandria and 17-Wisdom Tamoko to him? One fiercely supports him but later gives up vital information on him to save herself, the other vehemently opposes him but later calmly walks out to face his enemies alone, knowing she would very likely die.
I wonder…has Cyric ever cried?
“I wanted to die, but that’s difficult for me”
He fears that his pain would not be over even after death. (looks at Sarevok not fearing death at all and later clawing his way back to the world of the living) Jesus Christ…
“You might be the only one who truly grieves for him”
This is an incredible story that pulls the reader in and makes them attached to the characters. Tirzah has murdered many innocent people who had never done anything to harm her or her loved ones. Yet I still care about her.
“Changes that showed his goals to be”
Walter White in Breaking Bad. For nearly the entire series, he claimed that his actions were for his family. In my opinion, the most important scene of the series is in the final episode.
“She’d honestly mourned the death of their god”
Kovacs despises and loathes Bhaal.
“He hurts me and he’ll keep hurting me”
Sheesh. Eldoth is better at controlling people than Albescu is, and it is not just because Skie has 8 Wisdom.
“Do you want me to kill your father?”
She already wants to kill Albescu. All she needs is an excuse.
Whether by the hands of his own Blue Shale subordinates or at the hands of others, Albescu is a dead man. Tywin Lannister’s actions made his family one of the most hated in all of Westeros, and SOMEHOW, he never once believed that Tyrion would ever turn on him, which is just colossally STUPID.
I highly doubt that Edwin would ever turn on his father, but if he does…I imagined Homen calmly commending Edwin for his effort while critiquing his mistakes, then stating that as punishment for his betrayal, he is sending Edwin on an assignment far away from Thay that would take him at least several months or even more than a year. Rather than be angry or distressed, Edwin is confused and bewildered, unable to even try to apologize or lash out verbally at Homen.
There have been several cases where ambitious Roman lords or generals attempted to make power-grabs, and upon learning of them, Julius Caesar smiled and sent them far away to deal with barbarian uprisings and/or rebellions instead of sentencing them to the lions. Often, this makes the condemned lord/general even MORE depressed and despondent.
“Not to try to restrain her; he knew that would never work”
I disagree. As of 1368, Kovacs CAN restrain Tirzah.
“You’re the strongest warrior I know”
…
“But he’s a mage”
In my opinion, Xzar and Montaron are not warriors. They are killers. And I suspect that when they want to, Khalid and Jaheira can be too.
“you served your god with honor. You are not an oathbreaker”
Arthur Dayne, Barristan Selmy, Eddard Stark and Robb Stark weren’t either. And other people paid the price for their integrity.
“Help is given to those strong enough not to need it”
Viconia would probably agree, while Keldorn and Mazzy would disagree.
“It was Bhaal’s way”
No. This is what Tirzah believes was Bhaal’s way. And in the end, Bhaal’s way failed to help him prevail over Cyric. Bhaal lost and Cyric won. And not just against him; Cyric took five other divine portfolios, including all the remaining ones related to death.
I can only imagine how terrified people are of dying now…and how others are now no longer afraid of dying at all.
If Tamoko were to perish at the end of BG1, I wonder if she met Cyric afterward. I am now listening to Ring Around The Rosie (Dead Space version).
“there were rival interests in the matter”
This takes place only a year after Bhaal’s death.
“you would all be well advised to leave”
I love that the Harpers are antagonists in this flashback. The Harpers are merciless to any of their own who go rogue, and for good reason.
“She seized the nearest intruder”
The Harpers probably could have taken her by surprise if not for them ensuring the evacuation of the civilians before engaging her.
“Hold on…This looks like a kid”
In my opinion, the Harpers could have easily killed or captured both Kovacs and Tirzah if not for their own moral restraints.
“hold him where he stands!”
A non-lethal spell. I love this writing.
“It’s Demirci’s bastard”
The Harpers have a file on Demirci. The man is a Person of Interest to them.
“She faced eight or nine at once and looked like she was winning”
Tirzah is an incredible warrior who has won many, many duels and battles.
“An old silver-haired elven woman…tall and thin, with long pointed ears and skin as smooth as glass”
A person like that would undoubtedly attract attention.
“She was powerful”
‘He seems harmless for now.’
…I wonder how this Harper team would fare if they had attempted to eliminate or capture a lone Tiax.
“Tirzah swore and cut down a halfling to her left”
The halfling was probably distracted momentarily by the spell. That half-second cost him his life.
“A silver door appeared”
Dimension Door. Edwin uses it in-game, and so does Davaeorn.
“Her eyes were the same silver as her hair, both pupils and irises silver”
Who IS this person?
“they were all long gone by the time she made it back”
I suspect that Harpers would be appearing in the present timeline of this story…if they haven’t already.
“she could count on the ancient Larsakkian glyphs section to be quite deserted”
Sarevok is not only a warrior but a scholar; he is well-read, educated and knowledgeable in many subjects. However, his Wisdom is 10; bad, not even average. On the contrary, Tamoko’s Intelligence is 13 and her Wisdom 17; the highest Wisdom in BG1. (looks at Kysus) …
“Most people would have called this a comely face”
Shar-Teel being transmuted into a dainty noblewoman and Korgan being transmuted into a male drow.
“Lost a friend”
This is a perilous and unforgiving world where people die all the time. With the Iron Crisis plaguing the region, and tensions with Amn increasing as well as bandits and marauding mercenaries occupying the attention of the Baldurian military and Flaming Fist AND hunting most of the wildlife and gathering most of the edible plants, the beasts and monsters of the Western Heartlands are growing bolder and more desperate.
“She knew allies, any allies, meant a great deal to him”
Gorion’s Ward is going to need every possible ally they can get against Sarevok’s faction…
“She had to say it”
She does care for Elly.
“The dog’s gone too”
That would alert any competent investigator that something is gravely wrong.
“I saw Elly and the dog, that night in the snow”
Why then did whoever-it-is chose to strike rather than any of the other times where Elly was on her own out in the streets?
“greensick most of that year”
Hence unable to go out. Thank God.
“he’s nothing more than a boogeyman now”
Jack the Ripper and the Black Dahlia Killer have never been caught.
“He was thought terrible even for the Time of Troubles”
…
“Oh, I’m sure he’s dead”
I love this.
“Her mother married not long after she was born”
Hmm.
“smiling a strange smile”
I like Kovacs.
“left death and devastation in his wake before he was slain by a mortal”
In the end, it took not a hero to destroy Bhaal but something else entirely.
“Elly is…like you”
Alright, that’s it, Elly is now the scariest character of this story.
“a small set of letters to Hopeless”
…Blue-Inked Frost. I imagined this:
Kovacs finding and opening yet another letter to Hopeless, which reads, ‘I am the one responsible for the (number over twenty) dead children. My request to you: Catch me. For every tenday that you do not, another will die.’
In my opinion, Blue-Inked Frost, killers like Neb do not get caught unless they want to be. He could have escaped from the Flaming Fist dungeons at any time…
“the product of a sad background, all disappeared without a trace”
Hopeless may be known as a vigilante who helps people, apparently without pay. The Radiant Heart and the Harpers may have taken note of him.
“There will be far more than that”
…
“He collects them in every town”
Albescu is a goddamn serial killer.
“The powerful ones we hunt down and kill. The ordinary ones are imprisoned first”
I wonder…could there be Bhaalspawn who are ALLIED with Sarevok?
“The bastard children of murder were all supposed to kill one another”
I wonder what Bhaal would think or feel about the bond between Gorion’s Ward and Imoen.
“In some sick game of power”
Aegon IV Targaryen, aka Aegon the Unworthy, in one last act of spite to all of Westeros, officially legitimized ALL his bastard children before he died. What followed is one of the bloodiest conflicts in Westerosi history.
“he intended to let her run from him or call for help if she chose”
He is a slave himself. He won’t allow himself to control or restrain Pherenike.
“some of them would be as innocent as Elly”
Korgan Bloodaxe is Chaotic Evil, bloodthirsty, hedonistic, xenophobic, and psychotic. He is disgusted at the enslavement of women and children (though not of men). Korgan is weird. I wonder what he would think of the plot to offer unhatched dragon eggs as a sacrificial offering to a greater demon.
“I want to break the cycle”
Quoting The International (2009): ‘Sometimes a man meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.’
“to make sure it won’t do even worse to you”
Hmm.
“But if we succeed”
It is now or never. It’s not just about Kovacs’ freedom anymore. Another person’s life hangs in the balance. They MUST not fail.
“refreshed and bathed and wearing clean clothes, rather than battle-stained and fresh from the fight”
Albescu can dress and freshen up all he wants and he’d still be a disgusting, loathsome and repulsive person. There are too many people in real life who don’t seem to realize that wearing fancy clothes, painting their fingernails and wearing make-up doesn’t do a goddamn thing if they frown, scowl, glare and snap at everyone.
“far more civilized”
Livia is now just like Candle, only without the sheer stupidity.
“Livia’s fortune was entirely secured to herself”
Mason Verger thought the same thing.
“all the condescension in the match”
I agree with Pherenike and Kovacs; Livia and Albescu deserve each other.
“it was because she felt she could do better”
Jaheira married her fellow Harper Khalid, and is crushed upon discovering him dead in Irenicus’ laboratories. She goes through more pain and loss than any of the other companion-characters in BG2, and I still say that romancing her is very dubious and questionable considering how clearly emotionally vulnerable she is. (looks at Korgan) That doesn’t count since he clearly doesn’t realize it himself. Seriously, those two bicker and argue like an old married couple every time they talk to each other.
“shows her en route to Maztica”
(sigh) Livia’s mother is like many other parents; they had to choose between their careers or their children, and they made that choice.
“Her mother handed her over to a wet nurse the moment she landed in her home port, and promptly left on another voyage”
Livia grew up without a mother and an often-absent father, and was tormented by the people who called themselves her friends. She mostly immersed herself in studying and training, as any attempt at socializing outside of Candle’s circle would have drawn the latter’s attention.
“Go to your study and enjoy yourself”
She does not wish for her father’s approval or love, nor does she wish him harm either.
“sharpened her collection of pens”
This made me laugh for some reason.
“tried again to think through how she planned to deal with him”
The message from Kovacs had shaken her.
“I dueled the man in the public square and won”
I thought of Oberyn Martell. House Martell is one of the most dangerous noble families of Westeros; as of Winds of Winter, they have thoroughly manipulated Cersei’s daughter and instilled in her ambition to become the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, even if it means removing her mother from power.
“In Sembia, such is the law”
I thought of Yeslick Orothair and the Anchev married couple.
“that behavior is filthy and disgusting…She’d seen Candle use and discard men as easily as she did breechclouts, seen Yarrow willingly endure Sweet Goat’s drunken pawing with dirty hands”
Her history with her fellow socialites has made her averse and even against sex.
“I upheld my side of the bargain and she did not. Disappointed by her own incapability”
Albescu talks about his dead wife like she was and is nothing to him. I suspect that for Rieltar Anchev, the subject of his wife is a very sensitive one for him, and that even mentioning her name in his presence is to risk one’s life, no matter how useful you are to him or what your status is. It’s even more tragic to consider the possibility that up to a certain point, Rieltar may have genuinely loved (and may even still love…) his wife. Rieltar Anchev is a fascinating character. His friendship with Yeslick Orothair was real…
“she insisted on adopting a child and over-indulged him”
Had Joanna Lannister not died giving birth to Tyrion, how would she have raised him? Tywin never smiled again after his wife’s death.
“as a dangerous man”
Tazok: (entering the building and looking down at the bisected corpse of Albescu whom Sarevok had cut down in less than ten seconds) (looks up at Sarevok who had already sheathed his greatsword and is scanning the walls for secret passages) ‘Who’s this?’
Sarevok: (glances indifferently at Albescu) ‘Don’t know. Don’t care. Find the god-child. Bring him in alive.’
Imagining Kovacs hiding from Sarevok after seeing him slay his father so effortlessly…Kovacs’ heart would likely be hammering in his chest.
“he moved like a duelist”
Sarevok is able to masquerade convincingly as a scholar.
“he chose me because I am powerful”
Pherenike and Kovacs did not choose each other for their power, nor did Kovacs choose to open up to Tirzah because she is powerful.
“Neither of us are the kind who take in stray cats”
Xzar feeding and petting hungry cats. Korgan irritably tossing food to a thin dog so it would leave him alone. Later, both men commit – with enjoyment and with no remorse - torture and murder on humans.
“more apt to side with the strong, and leave the weak to take care of itself”
Meanwhile, Pherenike and Kovacs have already carried out missions and quests to help and save people who could not help or save themselves.
Keldorn Firecam: ‘The measure of our hearts is taken by the kindness we show to the least of our brethren.’
(if the PC refuses to recru

I'm sad about Shalilah and it's worse that Kovacs killed him, however unintentionally. I'm glad the other doppelgangers survived being turned to frost giants; I kind of thought they might be done for. I want Krilpur to get the chance to finish writing his story!

Poor Lorn, his time was short but I liked him anyway. I did get the feeling he was done for when you brought up the naiad.

Krilpur's story sounds promising, though how dare he call bread disgusting! I like his note to 'investigate the kinds of weapons dairy-maids typically carry'.

I think I kind of hoped that Kovacs could make friends with the sleeper! But maybe that was silly :p

I would fully expect Albescu to murder Livia once he feels he has no further use for her. I wonder if it was Kovacs who sent that note?

I'm worried about Elly after the last chapter. I hope she and her dog are okay :(

Not sure whether this sleeper Kovacs stirred is a good thing or a bad thing but I'm leaning towards bad.

Albescu and Livia are entertaining, in an evil way. Of course I hope all of their plans fail.

This is one of my favourite chapters of yours! I love the imagery and the lurking, sleeping giant, and the battle. It was amazing the first time and it's only got better!

Dopplegangers had always been depicted as these unfathomably evil mind-reading-then-destroying creatures. But to have their strengths be their undoing, pulling them to the sway of others was a beautiful turnaround. Suddenly they’re fragile – and though appearing the same to humans and of a tribe mind, you’ve made them ironically more each an individual and worth rooting for. Gosh I cannot even describe coherently how I loved this so much.
Oh no Krilpur our poetic gray puppy! Thank you for making this ice battle so dangerous and real – and not everyone batting at flurries. XD
Oh wow Albescu, transmutation is scary. Now I feel like re-playing NWN2 just so I can yell at Sand WHY CANT YOU BREAK THE WORLD LIKE ALBESCU DOES XD And while I’d hiss at and poke Albescu with a stick myself, I just had to cheer at the Not-Father-Not-Son team up. Went hells yeah at the transmuted knives. ;D
That was scary clever giant-slaying and I loved the details. But oh the cost! ;_; “A god for a friend.” *sniffles and takes off coolie hat in respect*
Oh, that touching scene with Krilpur and dopplegangers after the battle, the cute heartbreaking puffy frills, awesomely tense tribe meeting, and Kovac’s words. Super elder god and eldritch abomination vibes, yeah!