Author's Note:

While written mostly from a female Bhaalspawn's perspective, this story should appeal to both male and female audiences. At its core it is meant to be a adventure/comedy with a largely non-fluffy, non-sappy, slow burn romance between Charname and Edwin Odesseiron. Is it a "I can fix him" story? Yes and no, Charmane sits somewhere in the morally bankrupt spectrum and is not going to preach the value of goodness.

I began this project because I wanted to build a romance that does not ignore/bury any of Edwin's nasty flaws, no matter how problematic they are. This is an escapist fantasy but you will inevitably encounter some questionable ideas, philosophies and conversations without which the characters would not be who they are. The challenge will be keeping everyone in character, hopefully I will not disappoint you.

I love writing action scenes so expect plenty of them. The story follows Charname's adventure in Hard mode through BG1 and BG2 Enhanced Edition. I have decided to ignore Siege of Dragonspear completely. Other than this part, you can think of this story as a novelisation of the EE games, with minor liberties to keep the story going. You will encounter some of the EE companions, but only on a temporary basis.

Where appropriate, I will be using some conversations from "BG1 NPC Project" and "Unfinished Business" (Highly recommended for your playthrough). I find OC names oddly jarring so I have named the Bhaalspawn, "Charmane", pronounced the same as Charmaine. Originally, I called her Charname, so don't worry too much if you keep mixing up the two. Finally, do feel free to leave a review/comment :)

Chapter 1: Devils and Nobles

"Go no further! I require the services of your group!" an Eastern sounding man cut into Charmane's thought as she was crossing a bridge in Naskel.

A few paces from her stood a young man swathed in bright red robes accentuated by intricate gold embroidery. The attire reminded her of the Red Wizards of Thay, a villainous organisation of magocratic nobles. The man had his hood up so it was hard for her to tell whether he was in his twenties or thirties and the bags under his eyes, likely from late night reading, did not help either. She noted the lack of wear on his robes and quarterstaff, concluding that the man was likely as new to his profession as she was. He was strutting towards her with a haughty look.

"Yes, yes, they will do nicely.", he seemed to mutter absently. "I am the wizard Edwin, I would have you kill a witch, the witch Dynaheir. She is treacherous, but with your participation I foresee no difficulty. Will you assist?"

Charmane was not surprised to hear such a candid request for assassination coming from one she assumed was a Thayvian. "Why would you have this woman dead? Am I to kill her without knowing?" she asked warily.

"Frankly, yes." Edwin replied, impatience oozing from his voice. "It is no concern of yours. You need but perform the act with no questions. What is your answer?"

"I would know the price you offer before I take the job." She responded curtly, not sure if the attitude was worth her time.

"The prize I offer would surely be beyond measure in your meagre understanding." Edwin retorted, "Either take the job or not!"

"Meagre?" Charmane scoffed. "We'll see, Thayvian." She replied pointedly. "As for your offer, I accept, but I decide whether to do the deed once we find this Dynaheir of yours. I expect you to come with us, of course. Insurance. In case this prize beyond measure never turns up."

"So be it." he replied. "Recognising an obvious Thayvian must have used up all her brain power, what else would I expect from these chimps." he muttered, loud enough for Charmane to hear. "South and then west would be the fastest route to her last known location. If you do not reach her within five days this deal is null and void. It would be wise of you to take heed; you must not underestimate the witch's treachery."

Or yours. Charmane thought sardonically. If Thayvian notoriety were anything to go by, this Dynaheir likely deserved death as much as a new-born babe. No matter the outcome, however, she would find some way to make the journey worthwhile.

The party headed south from Nashkel, traversing dense forests. Other than the occasional pack of gibberlings, the day went by fairly uneventfully. Charmane could not help but notice that Edwin was not exactly thrilled about the conditions they were traveling in. By now, his habit of audibly muttering to himself, in this case about mud, insects and filth, was clear to the entire party.

"Have you always been this pleasant, Edwin?" Charmane asked, unable to contain her amusement any longer.

Edwin turned to her, his expression a mix of surprise and annoyance. "What are you talking about?" he huffed.

Charmane grinned. "You know, your charming personality. It's positively infectious."

Edwin shot her a withering glare, but she only grinned in response.

"Are the insects bothering you?" Charmane probed, trying to look neutral.

Edwin looked at her with disdain. "What? You expect a noble Thayvian to be accustomed to this muck and filth? (If only these western barbarians saw the wisdom in using proper means of transport)."

"Well, I'm afraid carriages and adventuring don't go so well together." Charmane replied. "And… oh!" she stopped mid-sentence. She had just walked into a clearing and spotted a curiously shaped mound under a memorable looking cherry tree. After a quick dig through the recently disturbed earth she stood up. "As I was saying," she said, waving two scrolls at Edwin. "If you rode around in carriages, you would miss all sorts of hidden treasures."

"What!? Just like that!?", Edwin exclaimed in disbelief.

A sly smile spreading across Charmane's face. "Oh, yes. It's amazing what you can find when you're on foot, exploring the wilderness."

Edwin's eyes darted to the scrolls in Charmane's hand. "May I?" he asked

Charmane handed them over and watched as Edwin examined them with a critical eye. "This is Cloudkill," he muttered, "A powerful spell."

"I can't let you have these." Charmane interrupted, before the mage got too excited.

"That is preposterous! You would never have found this if not for my mission!" Edwin replied indignantly.

"Nonsense. We were going to the mines down south, anyway. Besides, I decide who gets what. And considering you had no part in acquiring these, I'll save them for someone who sticks with us for the long haul."

"Fine. Have it your way." Edwin replied, oddly compliant. "And I suppose I could tolerate a bit of discomfort if it leads to something valuable."

Charmane chuckled. "Glad to hear it. We have a ways to go yet, who knows what else we'll find."

Not long after the party encountered a little boy searching for his dog and agreed to help him. The lad eagerly handed her an odd looking chew toy. It seemed like a bone but what it belonged to was unclear. Charmane went from worrying about the lost child to feeling a creeping sense of unease.

"Jaheira, can we speak a moment?". After a brief discussion. Jaheira chanted a spell, her eyes glowing with power. "You were right. The child, two others somewhere nearby and then…" Jaheira raised her eyebrows, unsure whether to continue. "Edwin and you."

"Relax Jaheira. Whichever foul god created that spell clearly wanted to make a mockery of me. I'm just a tad little selfish, honest." Charmane said with a chuckle. "An evil Thayvian, though? Colour me a surprised." she continued, sarcastically. "That aside… why would a child, who looks barely six, be evil?"

"Evil or not, I cannot condone hurting children, if it is a child at all, that is. Let's return his dog toy and be on our way." Jaheira said cautiously.

"Whoever said anything about hurting him?" Charmane replied. "No. Let's do as he says. I want to see where this leads."

Jaheira sighed, knowing Charmane could not resist a good mystery, even if it was likely to get them killed. "Whatever you say, o glorious leader."

The group headed east searching for the boy's dog but was rudely interrupted by three Amnians. "Travelers from the north, halt!" A heavily armed woman shouted. "You trespass quite deep into Amnian territory. Perhaps you have come to spy upon our supposed troop build-up. It's quite funny, the stupid notions you northern barbarians can get stuck in your heads."

Ever since leaving Candlekeep, Charmane had been hearing rumours about brittle iron coming from the mines of Nashkel. Tensions were rising between Baldur's Gate and Amn. People spoke of curses and supply issues, blaming it all on a plot conceived by their southern neighbour. "Are you saying that Amn does not threaten Baldur's Gate?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Of course not." the woman replied, derisively. "Our mighty nation has better things to do than attack some self-important barbarian city. Anyhow, take our advice, and go back from whence you came."

"Before you go, who are you that you would roam about the Cloud Peaks? It is a very dangerous place at this time of year." Charmane asked politely.

"I am Sendai, of the noble merchant house of Argrims, foremost family in Amn. Delgod, Alexander and I have come out here to hunt game. Though perhaps you would make for better sport. I assume you would have no problem with this?"

Charmane sneered at Sendai's suggestion. "I'm afraid we're not quite the game you're looking for," she said, drawing her dagger from its sheath and reached into her well of magic. "But if you insist on a hunt, I'd be more than happy to oblige."

"What!? What manner of trickery is this!?" Sendai exclaimed in surprise. Charmane had vanished into thin air. "Delgod! Alexander! To arms!"

They had no time to dwell on Charmane's whereabout as Khalid and Jaheira sprang into the melee. "Filthy peasants!" Sendai spat, " She parried Khalid's swing and lunged forward, her sword glancing off Khalid's armour. "Ugh!" She exclaimed in pain as Imoen's arrow pierced her arm.

Jaheira had engaged Alexander before he could shoot his arrows and was using her staff to block his spear. Suddenly, Delgod's arrow found its mark on her calf, knocking her off balance. Just then a brilliant spray of colour shot forth from Edwin's palm. Delgod fell unconscious while Alexander staggered backward from the blinding light. Seizing the opportunity Charmane struck from the shadows. Two daggers dug firmly into Alexander's neck, leaving the man dead on the spot. Not losing a moment, Charmane shadow stepped behind Delgod, and slit his throat before anybody could react.

"NO!" screamed Sendai. She was now alone and outnumbered.

"Must be so demeaning to die to a barbarian." Charmane said mockingly. She was leisurely walking to where Sendai and Khalid were locked in battled.

Sendai's face twisted in rage as Charmane taunted her. "You think you can defeat me, you filthy savage?" she spat. "I am of noble blood, and I will not fall to the likes of you!" Pushing back Khalid, the woman charged at the rogue.

But Charmane was undeterred. She deftly dodged, moving with the grace and speed of a cat. Sendai was skilled, but also overconfident. Charmane could see the anger clouding her judgment, and she knew it was only a matter of time before she made a fatal mistake.

Charmane chuckled as she easily dodged Sendai's sword swing. "Is this all you've got, noble lady?" she taunted, ducking another attack. "I expected more from the mighty House Argrims."

Sendai gritted her teeth, clearly frustrated by Charmane's mocking. She swung her sword wildly, but Charmane deftly parried each blow. "You may have defeated my companions, fool, but you will not defeat me!" Sendai snarled.

Charmane smirked. "We'll see about that."

The two women circled each other warily, eyes locked. Suddenly, Sendai dove forward with a fierce cry. Charmane dodged to the side, lashing out with her dagger. The blade sliced through a gap in Sendai's leather armour, drawing a thin line of blood across her waist.

Enraged, Sendai swung her sword again, but Charmane was already behind her. She kicked out, catching Sendai in the back and sending her stumbling forward and before she could recover Charmane dashed in and delivered the killing blow.

As Sendai fell to the ground, Charmane stood over her, triumphant. "Who's the prey now, my lady?" she asked, echoing her earlier taunt.

The rest of the party gathered around, breathing heavily from the fight. Khalid had a nasty gash on his arm, and Jaheira's leg was bleeding badly. But they had emerged victorious, and they knew that they had done what needed to be done.

"Now, let's see what kind of loot our noble friends were carrying." Charmane said.

They rifled through the corpses, gathering up enchanted weapons, arrows, and gold. Charmane grinned as she pulled Sendai's leather armour off her body. "This will be a nice upgrade," she said, admiring the high-quality craftsmanship. "Looks enchanted. And these swords will fetch a pretty penny at the market."

Jaheira and Khalid were also pleased with their new armour. "This should provide better protection on our next adventure," Jaheira said, examining the fine chainmail.

With their spoils secured, the party continued eastward keeping an eye out for the dog. As they searched, they heard a low growl in the distance. Suddenly, a giant wolf, easily the size of a bear, charged towards them, snarling and baring its teeth. The party drew their weapons, ready to defend themselves.

But then something strange happened. The wolf stopped in its tracks and began sniffing the air. It caught a whiff of something in Charmane's direction and its demeanour changing completely. The dog wagged its tail and bounded towards the party, letting Charmane pat it. Charmane realized that this must be Rufie, the missing dog. She chuckled to herself, relieved that they had found him.

The little boy was grinning from ear to ear when they reunited him with his dog. "RUFIE! Who's a fuzzy Rufie? Whoooooo's a fuzzy little guy? Thank you just ever so much! I better take this lost little puppy home right away." reaching into his bag the little boy pulled out a gem. "Here, take this. It's another of his chew things, but we can get more where we're going. Thanks again." as he spoke, his voice began to deepen and warp, revealing the sinister truth behind the child's façade.

In mere moments, the boy's form twisted and writhed, growing taller and larger. His skin split and hardened into a deep crimson hue. Giant bat-like wings erupted from his back, tearing through the child's tattered clothing as they unfurled to their full span. His once-smooth features twisted and elongated into a fanged maw that dripped with saliva, and his arms transformed into powerful, clawed appendages that seemed capable of tearing through steel.

It stood before the party, a towering nine-foot-tall monstrosity. Its eyes glowed a deep, malevolent gold, and it radiated an aura of pure malevolence that made Charmane's skin crawl.

"Time to go home, Rufie," the thing snarled, his voice echoing with an otherworldly timbre. "You'll like the Nine Hells much better than these cold climes."

With a flick of its claws, it conjured a portal and stepped through, vanishing into the dark abyss beyond. The party stood staring in disbelief at the space where it once stood.

"Whew!" Khalid said nervously ."A cynical old t-tutor of mine once said, 'No g-good d-deed goes unpunished.' I'm starting to b-believe him."

"That is the reason your goodness should be grounded in the Balance of Nature." Jaheira replied fondly. "You are not then concerned with punishment or reward.

"Q-quite." the mild manner warrior replied. "I do wonder, though, if it was t-to exactly this sort of situation to which your own t-teaching referred."

"Well, I for one," Charmane began, once she found her voice again. "don't know where that demon went and I don't ever want to find out"

"Actually, my dear Charmane," Edwin began condescendingly, "That was a devil, not a demon. Specifically, a Baatezu. Devils and demons are eternal rivals. While demons revel in chaos and destruction, Baatezu use established structures to gain power. They're incredibly intelligent, but also incredibly dangerous. And treacherous, might I add."

Charmane rolled her eyes. "Well, excuse me, oh great and powerful demonologist, for my ignorance of the intricacies of the outer planes."

Edwin huffed, muttering under his breath. "Typical monkey, spouting nonsense they know nothing about."

Charmane shot him a withering glare. "Watch your tongue. Or I might have to teach you a lesson in manners."

Edwin smirked, his ego getting the better of him. "Please. You couldn't teach a gnoll how to fetch a bone."

Charmane laughed, starting to get used to Edwin's acerbic personality. "You're insufferable, you know that?"

Edwin shrugged, still smirking. "I do my best."

After the harrowing encounter, the party decided to call it a day. They built a small fire and shared a meal, recounting their fight with the Amnians and the terrifying Baatezu. Charmane was pleased with their success, but she knew that more challenges lay ahead. As she sharpened her dagger Edwin approached.

"I sensed magic in you, Charmane." Edwin began, sounding unusually approving. "But, of course, it pales in comparison to the might of Edwin Odesseiron."

Charmane looked up at him curiously. "Odesseiron? Any relation to the Odesseirons of Surthay?"

Edwin's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you... Who are you? Your skin does seem somewhat darker than the average barbarian... No, it could not be... "

"Relax, Edwin." Charmane interrupted. "I spent my entire life in Candlekeep. I've read plenty of books on the machinations of the Thayvians and Zhents growing up."

"Hmph." Edwin crossed his arms, still skeptical. "And what do you know of the Odesseirons?"

Charmane thought for a moment. "Well, I can't recall the first name, but I know there's a Duke Odesseiron currently in power. In Thay, they call them tharchions, correct?"

Edwin's expression softened slightly. "Ah, yes. Homen Odesseiron, ruler of Surthay. Impressive. (For a monkey, that is)"

"Why thank you Edwin. It's always nice to know I'm not as dull-witted as you think." Charmane said with a grin. "So, what's your connection to the Odesseirons, Edwin?" Charmane asked, determined to get to the bottom of this.

Edwin glared at her. "Why do you care? It's none of your business."

Charmane shrugged. "I'm just curious. It's not every day I meet a Thayvian"

Edwin snorted. "You're right, it's not every day that you meet someone as glorious as Edwin Odesseiron. But don't get too excited. I'm not going to spill my secrets just because you asked nicely."

Charmane laughed. "Who said I was asking nicely?"

Edwin smirked. "Oh, you're practically begging for information. But I'm not in the mood for your monkey business today." With that, Edwin turned on his heel and walked away, muttering something about "chimps with a penchant for nosiness."

Charmane couldn't help but shake her head in amusement.