Aldiirn

Aldiirn is a half-drow Underdark courier brought to Baldur's Gate in search of his missing clansmen, only to go missing himself when abducted by an illithid nautiloid. Aldiirn is capable in magic, using his flute as a focus, but his true talents lie in persuasion and deception to get the best deal in any matter of trade. Raised in the cruel confines of Lolth-sworn society, Aldiirn is devoted to seeing the Underdark become a place of empathy and equality. He does his small part as a courier for the merchant clan Iaurrhen, using his better sunlight tolerance to run deliveries between the Upperdark and Night Above.

Aldiirn was born to a minor noble house in Menzoberranzan and raised as a girl. As a half-drow, he was viewed as detrimental to the house's reputation and kept out of view and apart from full blooded members. Early talent for the flute and other musical instruments earned him a modicum of tolerance. In his mid teens, Aldiirn was allowed to train for a place in Lolth's clergy. Despite his best efforts he was eventually deemed unfit and the priestesses had him fed alive to giant spiders.

Aldiirn was rescued from the spider pits by skulkers of Vhaeraun, on a tip from a Masked Traitor amongst Lolth's Clergy. Venom from the spider's bite scarred his skin and blinded the darkvision his left eye, but Aldiirn otherwise made a full recovery in an Eilistraeean enclave. He spent about a year at an Eilistraeean temple, but ultimately left due to the clergy's sexism and clashing ideologies and sought to join the skulkers of Vhaeraun.

Aldiirn and Zahne joined a skulker cell in Selryndlyn, a multi-theistic mercantile city of the Underdark. Never being light of step enough to sneak around, Aldiirn would aid the skulkers' fight against Lolth by providing cover and distraction for their operations, running shop fronts, and running rackets of the city's services to garner more power for the Vhaeraunite block.

Efficiency was always in Aldiirn's mind, and whatever shops or services that were meant as fronts, he operated to the benefit of the people beyond the cell. He had moderate success at gathering more public support for Vhaeraun and improving quality of living in the city, but things tended to fall apart as soon as his eyes were off his more chaotic fellows.

Aldiirn left the skulkers to join Iaurrhen as a courier after the threat of Lolth's Demon Weave ended, while maintaining connections with cells across the Northdark. Though his lineage caused Aldiirn some difficulties in the Underdark outfit, it allowed him to easily slip into a niche delivering to and from the World Above. Aldiirn came to some renown in 1487 by being the first to open trade negotiations with Araumycos. He assembled his own courier team of other skilled half-drow, Caelryn and Zahne.

In 1492, Aldiirn's team was tasked with investigating missing clansmen and the silence of an Iaurrhen Distribution Outpost underneath Baldur's Gate, starting from the surface. On arrival at the Gate's harbour, Aldiirn was captured by an illithid nautiloid ship. The fate of his team remains unknown.

Aldiirn worships Vhaeraun, the Masked Lord, drow god of rebellion, gender equality, and thievery. Though Aldiirn's practices and cooperation with non-drow peoples reflect Eilistraeean rites and tenets, Aldiirn does not revere her beyond her time and influence as the Masked Lady. Between deliveries, Aldiirn occasionally aids Vhaeraunite cells in raids on the surface or Lolth-sworn operations by providing cover or distraction.

Extend a hand but keep a fist ready; Aldiirn favours cooperation and avoiding violence through persuasion or deception, but knows that blind trust leads to death amongst Underdark residents. He only gives as much information as necessary, and will present himself differently according to whatever will achieve the results he wants.

Aldiirn is approval-seeking which leads him to accepting orders from most anyone, and the desire to win approval from all parties is what drives his renown negotiations - and neuroticism. No approval is often interpreted as disapproval and Aldiirn will go frantic trying to win clients over at his own expense. He is susceptible to intimidation from women and will usually submit to demands to get out of the situation quickly.

Aldiirn dislikes racial discrimination, given that his half-drow heritage makes him out of place below and above, but he's not above playing up stereotypes to get his way. He detests acts of cruelty and unnecessary violence but is alright with thievery and some other non-violent crime.

To surface dwellers he meets in passing, Aldiirn will present himself off as a victim of discrimination, a half-drow who is a simply trying to do good and overcome his evil lineage.

Aldiirn is vegetarian.

See references.

Despite the large scar marring his face, Aldiirn has cultivated a soft look to put prospective clients at ease - or maybe he just really likes mushroom stew. He's short, stocky, baby faced even for a young adult half-elf, and in good shape thanks to the courier gig keeping him travelling. He keeps his hair long and uses it to cover the worst of the scarring.

Aldiirn dresses well thanks to many gifts from clients, though he overestimates how loudly topsiders dress. He prefers to wear purples.

Aldiirn has the special feature Notes of Spores which causes fungi to grow plentiful around him, and his presence will not trigger hazardous fungi. Additionally, he can automatically identify Underdark fungi species and has boons to negotiating with Myconids.

Aldiirn can cast Noxious Step, a variant of Misty Step known to followers of Vhaeraun that leaves behind a cloud of poisonous gas at the caster's starting point.