Why is Esther (the gith egg lady) a drow now? She doesn't talk like a drow at all, and nothing in her demeanor even hints at being an elf at all, is it because she's from society of brilliance and they are all supposed to be underdark races or something?
If so, that would be a mistake. The wiki is (unusually) inaccurate when it lists her as a member of the Society - she isn't, she is an independent adventurer who answered their public request.
She introduces herself to Master Havkelaag in the same letter where she asks for funds for the mission; a member of the Society wouldn't need to, or would declare herself to be one.
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Refers to the Society of Brilliance as "they"
- Doesn't wear the Society of Brilliance robe/symbol, every other member does
Last edited by loregamer on January 12th, 2026, 20:42, edited 3 times in total.
Probably not necessary. If I was going to send someone to convince a parent to give me their child, I would send a woman.
I'm too lazy to log out from this acc to another, so I'll just re-quote what I said.
Though I was mislead by the idea of thinking she is part of Society of Brilliance, I did find that same letter entry, so she became a half-elf. Because a more mature half-elf Jaheira'esque style lady who possibly got nothing else to do but to start adventuring life makes more sense than a human lady.
Esther was also part of the NPCs who will undergo voice work (at some point) and her looks might change again, but for now she's just a helf.
There's no point in keeping her an old *human* lady instead of helf, it changes nothing in the narrative for the character.
And I will remind that we did want to make her into either a male or someone who's voice is not that of elderly woman, but a younger adventurer.
Probably not necessary. If I was going to send someone to convince a parent to give me their child, I would send a woman.
I'm too lazy to log out from this acc to another, so I'll just re-quote what I said.
Though I was mislead by the idea of thinking she is part of Society of Brilliance, I did find that same letter entry, so she became a half-elf. Because a more mature half-elf Jaheira'esque style lady who possibly got nothing else to do but to start adventuring life makes more sense than a human lady.
Esther was also part of the NPCs who will undergo voice work (at some point) and her looks might change again, but for now she's just a helf.
There's no point in keeping her an old *human* lady instead of helf, it changes nothing in the narrative for the character.
And I will remind that we did want to make her into either a male or someone who's voice is not that of elderly woman, but a younger adventurer.
How about a young non drow Helf? something about drow walking around in day light bothers me.
Last edited by orinEsque on May 17th, 2025, 22:06, edited 1 time in total.
Victors clap when others succeed; Losers feel every spotlight as a personal bleed.
How about a young non drow Helf? something about drow walking around in day light bothers me.
She can be any other helf, I'm not married to the idea of her being a drow helf specifically. I just wanted more drow helf representation since there are literally so little of them in the game you might as well never even think they exist through NPCs.
Though we really need a more youthful voice for her.
How about a young non drow Helf? something about drow walking around in day light bothers me.
She can be any other helf, I'm not married to the idea of her being a drow helf specifically. I just wanted more drow helf representation since there are literally so little of them in the game you might as well never even think they exist through NPCs.
Though we really need a more youthful voice for her.
Hmm, drow-helfs tend to be persecuted. If we wanna add some its better to put em in shady areas, or literally underground
Victors clap when others succeed; Losers feel every spotlight as a personal bleed.
Would being a half-(seldarine)drow not make sense for an adventurer who works with the Society of Brilliance? Half-drow would explain why she's on the surface, but also explains why she's willing to work with the SoB. The society is stuffed to the gills with people from usually evil races, and while their goals are benevolent their methods often aren't (which is why their alignment overall is neutral). An adventurer taking up quests for such an organization is at least shady, and being from an underground race herself would give a half-drow additional reason to take it up.
Personally though I don't think there is much reason to change this NPC at all. I do however agree that sending a woman makes more sense if you want to convince people to give you their children, as opposed to kidnapping.
Half-drow would explain why she's on the surface, but also explains why she's willing to work with the SoB. The society is stuffed to the gills with people from usually evil races, and while their goals are benevolent their methods often aren't (which is why their alignment overall is neutral). An adventurer taking up quests for such an organization is at least shady, and being from an underground race herself would give a half-drow additional reason to take it up.
That's a really good point
Victors clap when others succeed; Losers feel every spotlight as a personal bleed.
Would being a half-(seldarine)drow not make sense for an adventurer who works with the Society of Brilliance? Half-drow would explain why she's on the surface, but also explains why she's willing to work with the SoB. The society is stuffed to the gills with people from usually evil races, and while their goals are benevolent their methods often aren't (which is why their alignment overall is neutral). An adventurer taking up quests for such an organization is at least shady, and being from an underground race herself would give a half-drow additional reason to take it up.
Personally though I don't think there is much reason to change this NPC at all. I do however agree that sending a woman makes more sense if you want to convince people to give you their children, as opposed to kidnapping.
I actually like that character vanilla as well. Reminds me of my grandmother when she was 90 and refused any help for anything. She would do everything herself even if she would have to crawl to get it done. I don't remember if this character does any fighting on her trek, but if so that would change things unless she wields some kind of powerful magic that does the fighting for her. I only remember her using her brawn to survive out there. Regardless, I wouldn't object if she was altered as long as the resulting character is interesting as well. Realms Restored is really good work.
I think what bugs me so much about an old lady going into creche is that we're supposed to assume she walked in there to talk to Gith (however deep into the temple), and not only she wasn't killed immediately, she also inquired about buying off their unborn kid, and they allowed her... to escape and didn't kill her on spot after that kind of insult? Especially when you get to see how ruthless Gith guards are at the entrance to the Lathander's temple, and that they killed all the monks inside of it, and that they killed people in front of the temple. She would be purely outnumbered so easily. So we have to assume she has some combat skills — not just that she walked in, but that she was also able to run away, somehow? From the Gith? She mentions that she was "accosted, chased and insulted" and that they attacked her. How the hell is she alive lol.
At the very least, making her slightly younger would make it more believable that she has some combat skills — more than just being a “fascinated-by-nature granny” type of character. That kind of character would’ve been totally fine if we weren’t talking about getting an egg from literal astral warriors who despise anything and anyone outside their own race and are known to be rather... unfriendly.
I think what bugs me so much about an old lady going into creche is that we're supposed to assume she walked in there to talk to Gith (however deep into the temple), and not only she wasn't killed immediately, she also inquired about buying off their unborn kid, and they allowed her... to escape and didn't kill her on spot after that kind of insult? Especially when you get to see how ruthless Gith guards are at the entrance to the Lathander's temple, and that they killed all the monks inside of it, and that they killed people in front of the temple. She would be purely outnumbered so easily. So we have to assume she has some combat skills — not just that she walked in, but that she was also able to run away, somehow? From the Gith? She mentions that she was "accosted, chased and insulted" and that they attacked her. How the hell is she alive lol.
At the very least, making her slightly younger would make it more believable that she has some combat skills — more than just being a “fascinated-by-nature granny” type of character. That kind of character would’ve been totally fine if we weren’t talking about getting an egg from literal astral warriors who despise anything and anyone outside their own race and are known to be rather... unfriendly.
True, but then again, if Volo can do it. Maybe pack her trader inventory with potions of invisibility :'D
While looking around for a good granny-ninja meme a thought occured to me.. Do Githyanki have any kind of honor-code that might preclude them from killing the disabled and unworthy? Could granny be so unimpressive to them that it in practice would be like a negative on the killer's kill-count? Not that they would mind her getting killed by another as such, rather that whomever did would risk someone commenting that his kill-count is so weak he has to kill the old and sick to pad it?
I don't know enough of this breed to know if it's the case, but it would kind of fit if it was. Lae'zel seems kind of a stickler for her honor.
I think what bugs me so much about an old lady going into creche is that we're supposed to assume she walked in there to talk to Gith (however deep into the temple), and not only she wasn't killed immediately, she also inquired about buying off their unborn kid, and they allowed her... to escape and didn't kill her on spot after that kind of insult? Especially when you get to see how ruthless Gith guards are at the entrance to the Lathander's temple, and that they killed all the monks inside of it, and that they killed people in front of the temple. She would be purely outnumbered so easily. So we have to assume she has some combat skills — not just that she walked in, but that she was also able to run away, somehow? From the Gith? She mentions that she was "accosted, chased and insulted" and that they attacked her. How the hell is she alive lol.
At the very least, making her slightly younger would make it more believable that she has some combat skills — more than just being a “fascinated-by-nature granny” type of character. That kind of character would’ve been totally fine if we weren’t talking about getting an egg from literal astral warriors who despise anything and anyone outside their own race and are known to be rather... unfriendly.
True, but then again, if Volo can do it. Maybe pack her trader inventory with potions of invisibility :'D
Volo has plot armor, though. No, really. Elminster gave him a ring that heals him and keeps him from aging. This lady is too aggressive in the way she talks to have survived the creche. The Gith would kill her for sport just because an istik dared to speak them that way.
I think what bugs me so much about an old lady going into creche is that we're supposed to assume she walked in there to talk to Gith (however deep into the temple), and not only she wasn't killed immediately, she also inquired about buying off their unborn kid, and they allowed her... to escape and didn't kill her on spot after that kind of insult? Especially when you get to see how ruthless Gith guards are at the entrance to the Lathander's temple, and that they killed all the monks inside of it, and that they killed people in front of the temple. She would be purely outnumbered so easily. So we have to assume she has some combat skills — not just that she walked in, but that she was also able to run away, somehow? From the Gith? She mentions that she was "accosted, chased and insulted" and that they attacked her. How the hell is she alive lol.
At the very least, making her slightly younger would make it more believable that she has some combat skills — more than just being a “fascinated-by-nature granny” type of character. That kind of character would’ve been totally fine if we weren’t talking about getting an egg from literal astral warriors who despise anything and anyone outside their own race and are known to be rather... unfriendly.
True, but then again, if Volo can do it. Maybe pack her trader inventory with potions of invisibility :'D
Volo has plot armor, though. No, really. Elminster gave him a ring that heals him and keeps him from aging. This lady is too aggressive in the way she talks to have survived the creche. The Gith would kill her for sport just because an istik dared to speak them that way.
Yeah volo, elminster and drizzt... not really comparable to normal npcs
Victors clap when others succeed; Losers feel every spotlight as a personal bleed.
Hell, even Lae'zel wants to cut her throat when she suggests the idea.
Alternative solution: change her from a fighter/wizard to a pure wizard? While dressing her in some more "adventuring wizard" gear so she stands apart from the scholarly SoB types.
1) Removes the need to make her younger in the first place
2) Makes her escape from the gith more realistic, as she probably just Dimension Door'd the **** out
