#and by extension so does ketheric thorm

[rosieofcorona]

Get to Know Your Tav

I have been begging other people to share their Tavs with me so I figure I’d better do the same!! Thanks to @lewdisescariot for tagging me, this was so fun. 😌

Name: Saraneth of House Atlàn (High Elf, Wizard, School of Necromancy)

Background: Sage

Favorite weapon: Saraneth favors spells over weapons, but she does love a rapier or dagger. Something elegant and light that she can wield with precision, and without relying much on physical strength. 

Style of combat: Ranged, certainly. She is fascinated by death but less so by gore, and she doesn’t like to get her hands dirty if she can help it. Ugh, all that blood. 

Most prized possession: A letter from her father, expressing his pride in her academic achievements at the Red School of Thay. Saraneth’s parents– both politicians in the city– had a difficult time accepting her decision to pursue necromancy instead of one of the more “tasteful” schools of magic. It meant a lot to her when they finally came around. 

Deepest desire: Saraneth's primary goal as a wizard is to prove that necromancy is not an inherently dark magic, and that it can be as much about bringing balance, closure, and comfort as it can be about control. To her, death is an equalizer, and she has no love for those who exploit it for personal gain. She and Gale are in perpetual debate on the subject, but no matter– she’ll convince him, sooner or later. She’s already brought Halsin around. 

Guilty pleasure: Purchasing little luxuries wherever she can find them. If she’s doing the party's shopping, she’ll prioritize what’s on the list— poison-tipped arrows for Astarion, potion bottles for Shadowheart, infernal iron for Karlach— but she’ll also buy that gorgeous little vial of perfume, that expensive bar of soap that makes her skin feel soft and glowy. She’ll even sneak unnecessary treats into the others’ packs, especially those she knows won’t treat themselves. 

Best-kept secret: Likely the latter half of her education, which can lead to misgivings about her character. Initially schooled in Candlekeep, Saraneth was later transferred to Thay for practical studies in necromancy. She was mentored by the Red Wizards and has studied lichdom extensively, though she holds this information close to the vest. 

Greatest strength: Her intelligence and natural magical aptitude. She might be a Chosen herself, if not for her general (and growing) distaste for Mystra’s doctrine.

Fatal flaw: Saraneth has a real “How hard can it be?” mentality that gets her into trouble from time to time. Outwitting a devil? Killing a god? Not a problem, until it is. She’s working on it. Sort of. 

Favorite smell: She misses the smell of her mother’s gardens in the Gate, iris and bergamot and nerium all together, but she’s recently grown fond of campfire smoke and rainwater, soaked into the earth. 

Favorite spell or cantrip: Animate Dead, but not for the reasons one might assume. She finds it a useful tool in helping the dead finish unfinished business. Bodies desecrated by Balthazar will bring his ruin. Druids felled by Ketheric Thorm will break his curse. Saraneth will never wake a restful spirit. She sees no need to raise the peaceful dead. 

Pet peeve: Gale’s terrible, eye-rolling puns, which she swears he doubles down on just to exasperate her. What’s worse is when she actually finds them funny. 

Bad habit: Like many elves, Saraneth can be overly concerned with appearances. She’s a bit vain, but she tries her best not to fixate on her hair or her nails or her skin when there are far more important matters to attend to. Still, she’ll sneak a peek at herself in Astarion’s mirror every now and again. Just to make sure she's still got it.

Hidden talent: She’s excellent with children, whether she’s soothing them or playing with them or getting them out of– or into– mischief. She’s also surprisingly good at knife tricks. She doesn’t let these talents mingle.

Leisure activity: She’s an avid poetry reader, and has taken to translating some of the Elvish epics into the common tongue to make them more accessible. Maybe she’ll publish a book of translations one day, when their adventures have come to an end. Now and then she thinks this hobby is a little on the pretentious side, but then again, what was all that expensive schooling for?

Favorite drink: Any sweet liquor– she detests beer or whiskey, but a Suzailian or Amnian dessert wine will go down nicely. 

Comfort food: There’s a traditional elven dish– long-grain rice with wild mushroom, seared in fat and soaked in broth and topped with cheese and spiced persimmon. She mentions it often, but especially when she’s homesick. She can’t remember the exact recipe, but Gale is hard at work perfecting it already.

Favorite person: She’s closest to Gale and Shadowheart, though she loves everyone in their little band of adventurers. She’s a bit surprised when she falls in love with Gale, but they’ve got a lot in common despite the different paths they’ve taken to get where they are. And she is fast friends with Shadowheart, who understands what it’s like to live beneath the judgment of others. 

Favorite display of affection: She’s very tactile and finds that any soft touch will do, but she often finds herself playing with Gale’s hair– combing it, braiding it, brushing it out of his face. She loves it when he does the same, though he’s still learning some of her more intricate hairstyles. If he braids her hair for her, she never fixes it. 

Fondest childhood memory: Saraneth still remembers the time that her mother stayed home to care for her during a particularly violent illness, a job usually reserved for a member of their household staff. She remembers the steam rising from the bath as her mother washed her hair, the fresh feel of newly-washed bed linens, the smell of broth wafting into her room from the kitchens. Her mother has always been reserved in her affections, but Saraneth had never felt more loved. 

Tagging folks but feel free to do this if you like and if you’d prefer not to, that’s cool too: @diawh0re, @eelqueen, @an-drawer, @orehuna, @rowanisawriter, @durgeteriormotives

#bg3 tav #my tav #bg3 #this was so cute and I loved it