Me, handsome?
…I will never understand you humans and your standards of attractiveness.

That really depends on how you define the terms “noteworthy” and “respectable”. The two don’t always go hand in hand, you know.

-Xan

To be completely honest, I was expected to. Call it somewhat of a…family tradition.
 I was accepted into the Greycloaks straight out of the Academy. While I am certain I would have been able to attain this position on my own merits, I am fairly sure they had very little to do with my admittance.  You see, at the time, my family had…considerable influence. I speak, of course, in the past tense, because now most of them have either died or left for Evermeet without so much as a goodbye.  There are fewer and fewer of them left each time I return home. Someday soon I’m going to be all alone in that big house…that is, if I live that long.  But I digress.
 I was recruited into the Greycloaks, and I joined because that is what my family expected of me. As to how I got in, I can only imagine the selection process went somewhat along the lines of, “Oh, look, another Blacksheaf, let’s induct him into our ranks posthaste.” I hold no illusions of their choice being influenced at all by any of my own personal merits.

-Xan

Talin, I am a moonwarrior, I should think that my fate would be obvious.
As I have no doubt mentioned at some point during our travels, when I die, my soul is taken into my Moonblade, only to be released either when I am raised, or whenever the blade’s magic burns out for good. Have you ever been trapped inside a sword, Talin? It is not pleasant at all. Especially not when it also happens to be full of the souls of your ancestors, some of whom do not approve of your life choices. Every time I end up in there, I’m treated to yet another session of “let’s discuss why Xan is a complete and total failure and then proceed to pick apart every single mistake he’s ever made.” Needless to say, I do not look forward to it.

-Xan

I will have you know that magic is an art. There is more to being a wizard than being able to run around shouting “Ooh, look at me, I can shoot fire from my fingertips, aren’t I special?” Enchantment is one of the most complex, nuanced schools of magic and requires infinitely more skill to succeed in than Evocation. As far as I am concerned, Evocation is primarily about brute force. In addition, Evocation is the absolute worst school to specialize in, because, unlike all other specializations, invokers have to give up two schools of magic instead of one—Enchantment and Conjuration. As you already know, Enchantment is my preferred school of magic, and you would have to be mad to give up Conjuration, as it is one of the most useful schools. As to your argument regarding Confusion, it is hardly the most powerful spell in the Enchantment school. Domination, for example is a very effective spell, and a very frightening one to go up against. The group I travel with has been put in dire straits more than once by enemy mages who knew how to cast it.
 When it comes to me personally, Enchantment was the most logical school to specialize in, precisely because its barred school is Evocation. Evocation spells, you see, draw more on a mage’s physical attributes more than most schools. Generally, safely casting evocation spells tends to demand the caster have some level of physical endurance. I have always been a somewhat sickly individual, and, as such, I have always had trouble with the Evocation school. It was my worst subject when I trained at the Academy, back before I specialized. Far too draining. A specialization that not only focused on the school I always showed the most aptitude at, but also cut out the school that put the most strain upon my endurance, was ideal.

So, next time your mind strays in this direction, please keep in mind that all mages are different, and some are more suited to certain pursuits than others.

-Xan

Do not be ridiculous. Kisses do not bring luck. That’s just a peasant superstition along the Sword Coast. You should know that.

-Xan

You must have a very odd definition of that term indeed if you believe me to fit it.

-Xan

A steaming load of rubbish, that’s what. Do not tell me you actually fell for them, Anon.

 As you should know by now, happy endings do not exist. There is no such thing. If you want a happy ending so badly you should go read a storybook.

-Xan

((OOC: If you’re talking about Kulyok’s Xan romance mod for BGII, then the rumors are true. She’s adding a bonded path that actually has a happy ending to the mod. I think it’s still in beta or something though?))

First of all, I must congratulate you on providing the single most accurate description of Durlag’s Tower I have ever heard.


Now, to answer your question, yes, our group did explore Durlag’s Tower. Regrettably, I cannot provide more details as I was killed before we even set foot in the tower proper. The next thing I can remember after that is waking up in the Song of the Morning temple outside of Beregost, and everyone else was carrying new gear around and talking about what an adventure they’d had.
 Honestly, I cannot say I am too upset that I missed the entire episode, but I do find it rather disturbing that they would leave me…well, dead, for so long.

-Xan