The Basics
[Player Name] Maddie
[Player Contact] PM me via LJ or on AIM @ theparryiswrong
[Series] Forgotten Realms
[Character] Jarlaxle Baenre - but he will give his last name as D'aerthe
[Timeline] After escaping Gauntlgrym the first time.
[Age] Over 500
[Personality] If it were possible to describe Jarlaxle in one word, that word would be “opportunistic.” Above all else, Jarlaxle values himself, luxury, and profit. He will take any opportunity that is not too much of a risk to extend his, and therefore Bregan D'aerthe's, power and profit. As a drow, Jarlaxle is chaotic. He is unpredictable at best, and will often times do things for no other purpose than his own amusement. Intrigue and games of manipulation are those best suited to the likes of Jarlaxle, who has made his living doing just that for more than four centuries. He holds his power well, and has worked hard through his life to get to his current position of preeminence in Menzoberranzan and other cities throughout the Underdark where Bregan D'aerthe holds sway (War of the Spider Queen). The amount of power he holds is a testament to Jarlaxle's abilities, for in a society that worships Lloth, females hold all the power, and males with any sort of respect or power are a rarity indeed. Many say he is the most powerful male in the city, and is at least a rival to his elder brother, Gromph Baenre, the city's Archmage, for that position.
Jarlaxle is also very cunning and incredibly intelligent. He gets by in the harsh world of the Underdark by always showing others that he knows less than he really does. This also serves as a method of gaining information. Well aware of everything going on in the City of Spiders (and in many other cities as well), Jarlaxle prefers to play his hand close to his chest, and to do so as patiently as possible. He does not mind waiting for results. It is a personal policy of his own, as well as an operational policy of Bregan D'aerthe's that secrecy is preferred and indeed, more successful. Any business that can be done in the shadows should be done in the shadows, and that is how they, and Jarlaxle, survive and even thrive. He is also well aware of the fact that the best way to survive is to get outside the reach of the priestesses, and make himself too valuable to be killed. That is exactly what he has done since the beginning of his life. Jarlaxle also survives by talking, and it is perhaps his greatest skill. With his simple ability to converse with (and understand) any being, he can turn anybody into an ally if he really puts his mind to it. This method is preferred by Jarlaxle to fighting.
When it comes to strengths versus weaknesses in such a powerful drow, one might think at first that Jarlaxle has a multitude of strengths, and no weaknesses. However close to the truth that might be, it is not entirely accurate. Though full of strengths, Jarlaxle has already demonstrated that if the magic is powerful enough, and the goal tempting enough such as it was with Crenshinibon, that he can be weakened to the point where he will listen to a corrupting influence instead of his own usually flawless logic and reasoning. It is that very same incident which forces him to push away one of the cornerstones of his strength, Bregan D'aerthe, so that he can keep them safe from himself. Of course, the fact that Jarlaxle understands himself and the situation so well could prove this to be a strength. He distances himself from that which he most values so that he will not accidentally destroy it.
Friends are a curious and rare commodity amongst dark elves, and yet Jarlaxle manages to obtain them for himself... or at least by the drow definition of the word. Jarlaxle's allies are powerful, and most are loyal (for the right price). When it comes to true friends, the people that he can count on at least for the time being, he has been able to number few amongst them. Zaknafein certainly counted, until Jarlaxle betrayed him in some unknown way. Recently, Artemis Entreri and Kimmuriel could be called his friends. Jarlaxle seems to grow very fond of the human Artemis the longer they are together, and though they bicker and Artemis often professes a desire to kill him, the pair stay together, overcoming many seemingly insurmountable odds through Jarlaxle's intelligence and Entreri's determination not to let Jarlaxle get them both killed. With Kimmuriel, it is a relationship of trust and respect. Jarlaxle can trust the psionicist because he knows that Kimmuriel would prefer Jarlaxle return so that he can go about his intellectual studies. The two of them have known each other a long time, and know each other well.
Jarlaxle also possesses several of the typical drow personality characteristics and the usual philosophies. Drow live by the adage taught by Lloth (though really, most males aren’t exactly religious, Jarlaxle included) “trust no one” and Jarlaxle definitely did not rise to such a height without following such advice. Drow fully trust nobody else, even in friendships and alliances, and make sure that they have a way to outsmart and topple their allies once they are no longer needed, or they turn on each other. A distinct appreciation for beauty and pleasure lies within Jarlaxle, enabling him to see beauty on the surface in places where Entreri cannot. He has quite a love, especially, for pleasures of the body, and enjoys sex to the most he can, as often as he can. That is not to say that he is some kind of man whore, he simply enjoys the body as all drow typically do. Jarlaxle is arrogant, ambitious, and has a cruel streak that reveals itself only when necessary. Like all drow, he is racist, and views other races as beneath his, though he seems to be a little more light with the humans, and especially with Entreri who might as well have been more a drow.
"Gambler" is another word that could be used to describe Jarlaxle. However, the mercenary leader is extremely cautious with his gambles. Generally (with few exceptions) Jarlaxle will not gamble unless four of the six sides of the dice will bring in profit. Nothing is gained without taking chances, and Jarlaxle is frighteningly intelligent enough to turn nearly any situation to his advantage. His gambling (and his occasionally acting foolish) is simply part of a mask that protects the real Jarlaxle from others, and which give him a large advantage over his opponents. Jarlaxle's gambling may seem foolhardy, but only once has he ever been wrong about a situation not paying off. When circumstances change, Jarlaxle - and therefore Bregan D'aerthe - change with it (or more likely, ahead of it).
For all his drow nature, however, Jarlaxle has a strange set of morals about him. He does not kill unless he must, preferring to do business to the mutual benefit of all parties. While he does care for himself above all else, Jarlaxle can be generous at times, and only for certain people. For instance, he cares - deeply - for Kimmuriel, Artemis, Athrogate, and Drizzt and his friends. He cared for Zaknafein and for Dinin as well. If he cares for somebody, Jarlaxle will do what he can for them. When angered or cornered, he is one of the most dangerous opponents another could ever meet. These occasions are rare. Jarlaxle does not raise his voice (save for one time, when under Crenshinibon's corrupting influence), and he is open to the ideas of others, unlike most drow. He will listen to what those around him have to say about any situation, especially his most trusted lieutenants. He is also an optimist, whereas most drow are pessimists.
The world often does not see Jarlaxle in the same light. They seem him in whatever way Jarlaxle wishes for them to see him - be it naïve, uninformed, or all-powerful and all-knowing. Jarlaxle has made a habit of forcing the world to dance to his tune.
[Appearance] Jarlaxle is one of the most finely dressed drow in all the Realms (and he might argue that he is the best dressed being in all the Realms). He prefers luxurious but pragmatic clothing in bright colors. On his head he wears a large purple hat which has in a feather that can summon a large Underdark bird. The feather regrows every time he uses it. Inside the hat are numerous magical items. When in the Underdark, Jarlaxle prefers a sleeveless vest that is cut high to show off the muscles of his stomach. On the surface, however, it is not practical, and so he wears the finest clothing in the styles of the surface, and forces Artemis to do the same.
On his back, Jarlaxle wears a mysterious cloak that shines in all the colors of both the visible and infrared spectrums. All of the properties of the cloak are likely unknown, however, it is known that it displaces light and makes him very difficult to see when he so wills it. Jarlaxle wears a multitude of jewelry and magical items (such as his boots) all of which can make as much noise as he wants or fall immediately silent if he so wishes. Likely, some of them have other, magical properties, and some do not.
At his belt, Jarlaxle carries several wands. On his wrists are bracers that give him an endless supply of daggers that he throws with deadly accuracy.
Jarlaxle's head is bald, unusual for a drow, and his elf ears are pierced. He has red eyes that allow him to see in the infrared and is incredibly handsome. His chin in angular, and he has delicate hands, despite his mastery of the duelist class. I'm estimating his height to be 5'2"-5'3" at the most because drow males really aren't typically that tall, with notable exceptions.
[Images]: Will be posted later.
[Player Contact] PM me via LJ or on AIM @ theparryiswrong
[Series] Forgotten Realms
[Character] Jarlaxle Baenre - but he will give his last name as D'aerthe
[Timeline] After escaping Gauntlgrym the first time.
[Age] Over 500
[Personality] If it were possible to describe Jarlaxle in one word, that word would be “opportunistic.” Above all else, Jarlaxle values himself, luxury, and profit. He will take any opportunity that is not too much of a risk to extend his, and therefore Bregan D'aerthe's, power and profit. As a drow, Jarlaxle is chaotic. He is unpredictable at best, and will often times do things for no other purpose than his own amusement. Intrigue and games of manipulation are those best suited to the likes of Jarlaxle, who has made his living doing just that for more than four centuries. He holds his power well, and has worked hard through his life to get to his current position of preeminence in Menzoberranzan and other cities throughout the Underdark where Bregan D'aerthe holds sway (War of the Spider Queen). The amount of power he holds is a testament to Jarlaxle's abilities, for in a society that worships Lloth, females hold all the power, and males with any sort of respect or power are a rarity indeed. Many say he is the most powerful male in the city, and is at least a rival to his elder brother, Gromph Baenre, the city's Archmage, for that position.
Jarlaxle is also very cunning and incredibly intelligent. He gets by in the harsh world of the Underdark by always showing others that he knows less than he really does. This also serves as a method of gaining information. Well aware of everything going on in the City of Spiders (and in many other cities as well), Jarlaxle prefers to play his hand close to his chest, and to do so as patiently as possible. He does not mind waiting for results. It is a personal policy of his own, as well as an operational policy of Bregan D'aerthe's that secrecy is preferred and indeed, more successful. Any business that can be done in the shadows should be done in the shadows, and that is how they, and Jarlaxle, survive and even thrive. He is also well aware of the fact that the best way to survive is to get outside the reach of the priestesses, and make himself too valuable to be killed. That is exactly what he has done since the beginning of his life. Jarlaxle also survives by talking, and it is perhaps his greatest skill. With his simple ability to converse with (and understand) any being, he can turn anybody into an ally if he really puts his mind to it. This method is preferred by Jarlaxle to fighting.
When it comes to strengths versus weaknesses in such a powerful drow, one might think at first that Jarlaxle has a multitude of strengths, and no weaknesses. However close to the truth that might be, it is not entirely accurate. Though full of strengths, Jarlaxle has already demonstrated that if the magic is powerful enough, and the goal tempting enough such as it was with Crenshinibon, that he can be weakened to the point where he will listen to a corrupting influence instead of his own usually flawless logic and reasoning. It is that very same incident which forces him to push away one of the cornerstones of his strength, Bregan D'aerthe, so that he can keep them safe from himself. Of course, the fact that Jarlaxle understands himself and the situation so well could prove this to be a strength. He distances himself from that which he most values so that he will not accidentally destroy it.
Friends are a curious and rare commodity amongst dark elves, and yet Jarlaxle manages to obtain them for himself... or at least by the drow definition of the word. Jarlaxle's allies are powerful, and most are loyal (for the right price). When it comes to true friends, the people that he can count on at least for the time being, he has been able to number few amongst them. Zaknafein certainly counted, until Jarlaxle betrayed him in some unknown way. Recently, Artemis Entreri and Kimmuriel could be called his friends. Jarlaxle seems to grow very fond of the human Artemis the longer they are together, and though they bicker and Artemis often professes a desire to kill him, the pair stay together, overcoming many seemingly insurmountable odds through Jarlaxle's intelligence and Entreri's determination not to let Jarlaxle get them both killed. With Kimmuriel, it is a relationship of trust and respect. Jarlaxle can trust the psionicist because he knows that Kimmuriel would prefer Jarlaxle return so that he can go about his intellectual studies. The two of them have known each other a long time, and know each other well.
Jarlaxle also possesses several of the typical drow personality characteristics and the usual philosophies. Drow live by the adage taught by Lloth (though really, most males aren’t exactly religious, Jarlaxle included) “trust no one” and Jarlaxle definitely did not rise to such a height without following such advice. Drow fully trust nobody else, even in friendships and alliances, and make sure that they have a way to outsmart and topple their allies once they are no longer needed, or they turn on each other. A distinct appreciation for beauty and pleasure lies within Jarlaxle, enabling him to see beauty on the surface in places where Entreri cannot. He has quite a love, especially, for pleasures of the body, and enjoys sex to the most he can, as often as he can. That is not to say that he is some kind of man whore, he simply enjoys the body as all drow typically do. Jarlaxle is arrogant, ambitious, and has a cruel streak that reveals itself only when necessary. Like all drow, he is racist, and views other races as beneath his, though he seems to be a little more light with the humans, and especially with Entreri who might as well have been more a drow.
"Gambler" is another word that could be used to describe Jarlaxle. However, the mercenary leader is extremely cautious with his gambles. Generally (with few exceptions) Jarlaxle will not gamble unless four of the six sides of the dice will bring in profit. Nothing is gained without taking chances, and Jarlaxle is frighteningly intelligent enough to turn nearly any situation to his advantage. His gambling (and his occasionally acting foolish) is simply part of a mask that protects the real Jarlaxle from others, and which give him a large advantage over his opponents. Jarlaxle's gambling may seem foolhardy, but only once has he ever been wrong about a situation not paying off. When circumstances change, Jarlaxle - and therefore Bregan D'aerthe - change with it (or more likely, ahead of it).
For all his drow nature, however, Jarlaxle has a strange set of morals about him. He does not kill unless he must, preferring to do business to the mutual benefit of all parties. While he does care for himself above all else, Jarlaxle can be generous at times, and only for certain people. For instance, he cares - deeply - for Kimmuriel, Artemis, Athrogate, and Drizzt and his friends. He cared for Zaknafein and for Dinin as well. If he cares for somebody, Jarlaxle will do what he can for them. When angered or cornered, he is one of the most dangerous opponents another could ever meet. These occasions are rare. Jarlaxle does not raise his voice (save for one time, when under Crenshinibon's corrupting influence), and he is open to the ideas of others, unlike most drow. He will listen to what those around him have to say about any situation, especially his most trusted lieutenants. He is also an optimist, whereas most drow are pessimists.
The world often does not see Jarlaxle in the same light. They seem him in whatever way Jarlaxle wishes for them to see him - be it naïve, uninformed, or all-powerful and all-knowing. Jarlaxle has made a habit of forcing the world to dance to his tune.
[Appearance] Jarlaxle is one of the most finely dressed drow in all the Realms (and he might argue that he is the best dressed being in all the Realms). He prefers luxurious but pragmatic clothing in bright colors. On his head he wears a large purple hat which has in a feather that can summon a large Underdark bird. The feather regrows every time he uses it. Inside the hat are numerous magical items. When in the Underdark, Jarlaxle prefers a sleeveless vest that is cut high to show off the muscles of his stomach. On the surface, however, it is not practical, and so he wears the finest clothing in the styles of the surface, and forces Artemis to do the same.
On his back, Jarlaxle wears a mysterious cloak that shines in all the colors of both the visible and infrared spectrums. All of the properties of the cloak are likely unknown, however, it is known that it displaces light and makes him very difficult to see when he so wills it. Jarlaxle wears a multitude of jewelry and magical items (such as his boots) all of which can make as much noise as he wants or fall immediately silent if he so wishes. Likely, some of them have other, magical properties, and some do not.
At his belt, Jarlaxle carries several wands. On his wrists are bracers that give him an endless supply of daggers that he throws with deadly accuracy.
Jarlaxle's head is bald, unusual for a drow, and his elf ears are pierced. He has red eyes that allow him to see in the infrared and is incredibly handsome. His chin in angular, and he has delicate hands, despite his mastery of the duelist class. I'm estimating his height to be 5'2"-5'3" at the most because drow males really aren't typically that tall, with notable exceptions.
[Images]: Will be posted later.