DavesGaming

It’s been so many years now since that great adventure. In many ways it made the life you’ve had. Your father and I won the home and prosperity you’ve always known. But I’ve heard so many different versions of our story from different people, different bards. I wanted to be sure an accurate record existed for you, your kids and beyond. A family should know its legacy.

It took us nearly a week to find our way home after being in the Throne of Bhaal. Perhaps I should have looked into travel arrangements before rejecting godhood. But we had a fun trip. Pressure was off, and we enjoyed the company of our friends.
I found I was still a little weepy and drained from the adventure. But had concluded it was something more by the time we were at the Castle. Indeed, you were born less than seven months later. It was a great blessing, and healing to know your life had formed even as the burden of death and killing came close to overwhelming me.
It surprised me a little that the whole gang stuck together that whole way home. I wondered what we all would be, how we’d know each other in the future as our time together was ending. Or at least changing. It had been a little over a year since Gorion died. As we approached the gate to the Castle, Jaheira made her farewell.

She still needed time to mourn. Lost dreams are as bad as missing the person. She was a sort of loner anyway, and I think knowing Diomedes and I would be welcoming a growing family was more than she could bear. You know we’ve seen her a few times over the years. Your tough Auntie Jaheira was a part of my strength for that formative year, but its not her way to demonstrate. And I always feared my need to hug made things harder for her.
We’ve even had a few adventures together over the years, an advantage of our more stable home was she knew where to find us when she had needs related to her life as a Druid or Harper.

Keldorn of course needed to get home. I was surprised he hadn’t rushed off long ago. But he remained a stalwart part of our band until we were safely home.

And Keldorn would be no stranger. He lived less than a day’s travel from here.

Even more, Diomedes remained in touch with the Order of the Radiant Heart and worked with all of the Athkatla paladins on occasion.

Of all my friends I most wondered what Aerie would choose to do. She had no obligation to us anymore, and she had not talked much about plans.

I think Minsc decided for both of them they would not be strangers. I always made it clear to them they had a home with us. And although they adventured together, they often came for us when they were on the trail of some new group of slavers. That always remained Aerie’s driving passion. I don’t know why the story started of her being a lone, avenging angel of sorts. She’s a total team player. Also, well you know this, they were NOT ever a couple! I’m not sure Minsc would know what to do with that. He treated Aerie as a combination boss, mother and glass statue. He may have been the reason Aerie didn’t raise her own flock until later in life though. Many men were intimidated by her devoted, looming bodyguard. Your brother… and your father and I were always glad she needed a couple decades to settle down.

It was good to see Skie so engaged in helping out with our new army. She was never quite a drill sergeant personality! Not an officer either. But she was a decent teacher. And a surprisingly steady influence with a group of archers. You wouldn’t remember, but she stayed with us for almost three years before heading home to Baldur’s Gate. She is actually a combat veteran of far more experience than you’d ever guess. I know she often trained and fought alongside the Flaming Fist. In time, she became a very engaged ambassador too. Rarely in any official capacity.

We worked together often over the years. She worked for your father and I as often she did for Baldur’s Gate. She has a gift for charm, and is far tougher than anyone expects. Its funny to remember as a young woman she was a bit of whiner. Oh seriously! Don’t tell her I said that.

Its been an honor to have Nalia live here at the castle this whole time. She seems honestly happier in an administrative job than in charge of anything. But never forget, this is the De’Arnise Barony. We may have the title now, but she is the last De’Arnise.

I hardly need to tell you that Aunt Imoen did not run off forming thieve’s guilds all over Faerun. She hardly even stays at the Sphere back in Athkatla, she’s in her quarters or her lab here in the castle most days. I don’t think we’ve been on any sort of adventure or mission without her right there with us. When she does head into town it almost always means she has some new prank in mind to pull on the Cowled Wizards. And I do love watching the fall out from that! You know they’ve come here looking for her a few times. But you can always see them shaking in their boots. None of them want to face her, or me. They know when someone has no use for their self-important bureaucracy, and it takes every bit of self control I have not to squish them like the bugs they are.

Our lives have been so wonderfully blessed. And your father is my constant, my irreplaceable better half. I’ve never doubted how fortunate I’ve been from that first day he “reported for duty” at Candlekeep and I saw him across the courtyard.

I’ve worried a few times there was more to do than there was time in a day, or a lifetime. Diomedes always saw to the safety of the land and its people. He kept our guard and army strong, and personally faced every threat. I built and invented. The Castle has been expanded three different times, with all the friends and family living here we always need more room. I’ve learned both magic and engineering for the expansion, and for civil works projects throughout the Barony. And of course I started the business, first to sell my portrait machine and then other gadgets. Things that even non-mages can use.
Always remember, the tax revenue is only for the people and land. It is not for our personal use. The business should meet all of our personal needs. Never confuse those two.

Make no mistake dear one, your father and I will not be retiring any time soon. But I want you to know the truth of your legacy and heritage now. Treasure all those in your life, just as we treasure you.

Love Always,

Mom

*****

I hate to bring this playthrough, and this journal, to an end. As I said at the start, these characters were always special to me. And these last couple months they’ve come more alive than ever before. This has been a ton of fun, and actually a little emotional for me at times. I may revisit Diomedes and Psyche whenever we see a next generation of AI art, that I can figure out.
I don’t think I’ll do future playthroughs in anything like this level of detail. Although honestly, I never thought I’d keep this up all the way through. I expected several of the usual “and a bunch of stuff happened here” sort of updates. Of course, I did still skip over things. A lot of things. The Baldur’s Gate Saga is huge. In the future I’ll try a few more mods. I have at least three more runs for each BG and IWD currently in mind. Doesn’t mean I’ll do them all straight through though!
Next up, in a few days, I’ll start a big IWD run. I’ll cautiously say I hope to do a full illustrated run like I just did for BG. But no promises. Coming soon…

“Aias and the Aliens!”