Shadowheart: Difference between revisions

| image = Shadowheart.png

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{{CompanionTab|Shadowheart}}

| name = Shadowheart

| image = Shadowheart.png

| role = [[Origins|Origin character]], [[companion]]

| race = [[High half-elf]]

| subclass = [[Trickery Domain]]  

| background = [[Acolyte]]

| hometown = [[Blighted Village|Moonhaven]]

| age = 40+ years

'''Shadowheart''' is an [[origin]] character and a recruitable [[companion]] with the [[Acolyte]] background. She is a [[high half-elf]] and a [[Trickery Domain]] [[Cleric]] first appearing during the [[Prologue]].

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{{hatnote|For a full overview of Shadowheart's starting features, see the articles [[Cleric]], [[Trickery Domain]] and [[high half-elf]].}}

A devout follower of Shar, Shadowheart is the sole survivor of a holy mission undertaken on the Mistress of the Night's behest. She alone must deliver a relic of immense power to her coven in [[Baldur's Gate]], while threatened by a strange new magic that is burgeoning from within. Her faith plays an important part in her story throughout the game, and she can be steered to or away from it.

Shadowheart starts as a Trickery Domain cleric, giving her access to [[spells|Spellcasting]] – with a particular focus on [[illusion]] magic – and {{SAI|Blessing of the Trickster}}, a class action that grants another creature [[advantage]] on [[Stealth]] checks. This makes her an ideal support character, albeit with few offensive options.

Shadowheart's personal quest is [[Daughter of Darkness]], spanning all acts of the game. Throughout it, Shadowheart will uncover fragments of her nebulous past, re-examine her relationship with her goddess Shar and decide her own future: remaining in the dark embrace of the Lady of Loss or freeing from the past.

Three further subquests are available that tie into her personal quest: [[The Chosen of Shar]], in which Shadowheart's faith will be tested, [[A Familiar Face]], where parts of her past will come to light, and [[Surrender Shadowheart to Viconia|Surrender Shadowheart]], in which the party must consider a treacherous proposition.

Shadowheart can be recruited as a temporary companion during the [[Prologue]] on the [[Nautiloid]] by freeing her from the [[mind flayer]] pod. She can then become a permanent companion during [[Act One]].

Shadowheart dislikes those that disapprove of her worship or people pressing her for answers or details. She does not like needless cruelty or violence and can respond unfavourably to being too open with untrustworthy or unknown individuals. Straying from Shar's mandates results in Shadowheart being punished through the wound in her right hand, a reminder to follow Shar's wishes.

{{main|Shadowheart/romance}}

Shadowheart can be romanced by characters of any gender, and is one of the few characters willing to have a casual relationship. Throughout it, she will have to deal with the topic of her identity and how the idea of love fits the Sharran concept of self-sacrifice for their goddess.

Shadowheart has straight, coal-black hair kept in a long ponytail segmented by ornate silver rings. Her fringe hair is kept short and straight, revealing her brows beneath and a scar running from her nose to her right cheek. Hair adorns her face on the sides, reaching past her chin, her pointed ears barely peeking through them, and her eyes, light-green with speckles of yellow, are contoured by dark make-up. Though rarely seen, she has a black circular mark on her right hand, a wound given by Shar used to express her disapproval, causing Shadowheart pain whenever she misbehaves. Though appearing youthful due to her elven heritage, she is over 40 years old.{{ref|name=age|[[Cloister of Sombre Embrace]], ambient line spoken by Shadowheart upon reading [[No Price Too High]] in the dormitory.<br>''"These are all about ''me''... forty years of my life, documented like I was some sort of specimen."''}}{{cite text|name=viconia|No Price Too High|[[Viconia DeVir]]}}

After the events of [[The Chosen of Shar]], if Shadowheart turned away from Shar, she will dye her hair silver and part her fringe off-center, showing more of her forehead. If she remained faithful, however, she will maintain her black hair but part her hair nonetheless.

Zealously devoted, independent and headstrong, she prefers pragmatic solutions to issues, decisive action and staying uninvolved in the problems of others. While she initially seems guarded and reserved – hesitant to reveal information about herself – she is in fact amnesiac, with little memory of her own past. Fiercely devoted to Shar, she doesn't tolerate any slights against her goddess, often reacting defensively. Trained in the Sharran ways, she's also not above forceful actions, duplicity or even killing, to achieve her goals.

Still, Shadowheart displays traits that are often at odds with her Sharran training. She has a fondness for flowers and animals, disapproves of indiscriminate violence, prefers relatively peaceful resolutions to conflicts when possible and often sympathizes with the plights of party members. She can be as sarcastic as [[Astarion]], and doesn't shy away from dark humour. She is introspective, and often harbours doubts as can be seen by romancing her, and, when guided away from Shar, she's much more open and honest with her feelings.

Born to parents [[Arnell Hallowleaf|Arnell]] and [[Emmeline Hallowleaf]], Jenevelle, as she was named, was raised in a [[Selûne|Selûnite]] household in the forests outside [[Baldur's Gate]].{{note|Multiple things point to Shadowheart having grown in Moonhaven, the former name for the now ruined [[Blighted Village]], such as her reaction when picking up the [[Old Schoolbook]] or her scene at the Selûnite statue behind the mill. However, it's difficult to confirm as different sources in-game indicate that the village was destroyed over a hundred years ago by Ketheric Thorm's dark justiciar army, and Shadowheart is estimated to be roughly fifty years old. Conflicting timelines regarding the village and its destruction don't line up, thus, it's possible that the intent during development was that she and her family had indeed lived in Moonhaven, but that the inconsistencies were never properly fixed for release.}} Devout followers of the Moonmaiden, they worshipped her in quiet seclusion away from the city, raising young Jenevelle in the ways of Selûne. In time, she would take part of an ancient Selûnite initiation rite: abandoned in the wilds, she would have to rely on her skills and faith to fend for herself, proving herself as a devout believer once she returned.{{ref|name=father|[[Campsite]], line spoken by [[Arnell Hallowleaf]] if saved from Shar and asked about what happened the night of the abduction.<br>''"You were to come of age that night - left alone in the woods, and only using Selûne's guidance to find your way back to us."''}}{{cite text|Selûnite Rite|Unknown}}

Yet [[Shar]], Selûne's dark sister, had other plans for the child, and commanded [[Viconia DeVir]] and a cadre of Sharrans to kidnap the child.{{cite text|name=kidnap|In Service of the Night| Viconia DeVir}} Arnell had learned of this ploy after capturing a Sharran spy, and taking his wolf form, he raced towards Jenevelle. But young Jenevelle never learned of her father's curse of lycanthropy, and instead of being rescued by her father, all she saw was a great wolf hunting her.{{ref|name=father2|Campsite, lines spoken by Arnell Hallowleaf if saved from Shar and asked about what happened the night of the abduction.<br>''"We caught a Sharran spy near our village, and learned that his accomplices sought to abduct you. (...) I took on my wolf-form to cover the ground more quickly. (...) But when I found you, you did not see your father rushing to save you - you only saw a wolf, hunting you in the darkness."''}} The Sharrans caught up to the pair and kidnapped both, taking them to a secret cloister of the Dark Lady in Baldur's Gate.

Jenevelle would be brought to the [[Cloister of Sombre Embrace]], a Sharran temple in Baldur's Gate set up and ran by Mother Superior Viconia DeVir after her previous endeavours in [[Waterdeep]] had failed.{{cite text|name=viconia}}{{cite text|name=kidnap}} Viconia's mission, given to her directly by Shar, was to mould young Jenevelle into a champion of the Dark Lady, an effort that would ultimately take almost half a century.{{ref|name=age}} Jenevelle resisted the indoctrination at first, but the brutal training she would be put through, being lied to that her parents perished defending her from wolves, as well as repeated forced use of the temple's [[Mirror of Loss]], would slowly erase her past and in time forge a new identity: Shadowheart.

Though the Mother Superior was especially cruel with Shadowheart, forcing her to use the Mirror of Loss more than with any other acolyte. Under Viconia's watchful eye, Shadowheart, no longer recognizing her parents, was forced to torture them and practice her newfound skills on them.{{ref|name=father3|Campsite, line spoken by Arnell Hallowleaf if saved from Shar and asked about what happened the night of the abduction.<br>''"They had you use us for... practice. All the techniques that the Sharrans hold pride in. Trickery, interrogation... torture. They even had you, our own daughter, try to ''convert'' us."''}} Still, Shadowheart was able to retain a few memories from her past thanks to Rennald, a young [[tiefling]] acolyte undergoing similar training. Any time she would be subjected to mirror training, Rennald would do his best to remind Shadowheart who she was afterwards.{{cite text|name=nocturne|Nocturne's Journal|[[Nocturne]]}} Thanks to him, and whatever scattered notes she was able to jot down between mirror trainings,{{cite text|Hastily Written Note (Night Orchid Cave)|Shadowheart}} Shadowheart was able to retain some parts of her identity, such as her fondness for flowers and animals. The two became good friends, and one of the few blessings during her time in the cloister.

At some point during Shadowheart's last stages of training, whispers of the rise of a mysterious cult would reach the Mother Superior's ears. This [[Cult of the Absolute]] as it was being called, was quickly gaining traction among the populace and threatened the Sharran influence over the city.{{ref|name=cult|Cloister of Sombre Embrace, lines spoken by Viconia DeVir when parlaying with her.<br>''"Whispers reached my ears from all corners - potential rivals of Lady Shar, all vying for the same prize. A new god, amassing the disaffected, the outcasts - those who should turn to us. (...) I had to act. I had to strangle that foul conspiracy while it was still in the cradle."''}} As luck would have it, the Sharrans would capture a [[githyanki]] scout who,{{cite text|Captives of Shar|Unknown}} after being subjected to merciless torture, revealed the existence of a githyanki artefact of immense power that the cult were desperate to find lest it be used against them.{{cite text|Subject Mapping Results: Githyanki No. 7|Unknown}} Such an artefact could prove an asset for the Sharrans in thwarting the absolutist presence in the city, and so the Mother Superior quickly formed a party of elite devouts, tasking them with its retrieval.{{cite text|Artefact Mission: Agent Roster|Unknown, likely Viconia DeVir}} Though deemed a suicide mission, Shadowheart and four other companions set out to fulfil what they believed were Shar's commands.

|accessdate = 01-02-2024}} Disaster wouldn't stop there, however, as she soon found herself captive at the hands of [[Mind Flayer|mind flayers]]. How and where she was captured is never explored, however, at some point during her capture she became [[Mind Flayer Tadpole|tadpoled]] and was kept imprisoned in a pod awaiting [https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Ceremorphosis ceremorphosis].

Shadowheart can be encountered during the battle aboard the [[Nautiloid]]. Trapped in a mind flayer pod, the party can decide whether to free her or not. If released, she will join the party as a temporary companion until they escape the ship.

As an origin character, Shadowheart will wake up in the pod where all player characters start. The artifact will be on the floor nearby, and the player will be prompted to pick it up and bring it to Baldur's Gate. There will be no one in the pod where Shadowheart is usually found.

On the Ravaged Beach, Shadowheart will be the only one present. As a result, there will only be two intellect devourers to fight, rather than the usual three, but it is still a significantly more difficult fight. Shadowheart getting downed results in a game over screen. (The fight can be bypassed by climbing rocks on the right of the location where the intellect devourers are found. If the party returns later with at least two party members, there will be three intellect devourers.)

[[File:Shadowheart Icon.png|right|125px]]

{{Hatnote|See main article: [[Daughter of Darkness]]}}

''Daughter of Darkness'' is Shadowheart's personal quest. It is added to the journal upon recruiting her and spans all three acts of the game.

During the first act of the game, players will slowly uncover the mystery of the artefact Shadowheart carries, as well as the mission that led her to find it. Shadowheart will reveal that she's a devout of Shar and that her mission is to deliver the artefact to her cloister in Baldur's Gate. As part of the operation, she had her memories suppressed so she wouldn't betray Shar, who exerts her influence over her through the wound in Shadowheart's hand.

Should the party learn about [[Dark Justiciar]]s, they may ask Shadowheart more about them. She will state that they are elite warriors of Shar and that she dreams of becoming one some day. This will add the quest [[The Chosen of Shar]] to the journal.

Having high approval with Shadowheart will at some point reveal that one of her favourite flowers is the [[Night Orchid]]. One such flower can be found in the [[Ruined Battlefield]] in the [[Shadow-Cursed Lands]] and given to her. Shadowheart will express her gratitude and lament not having anything to give in return.

If she's allowed to slay the Nightsong, Shar will be greatly pleased with Shadowheart, and will finally name her Dark Justiciar, granting her powerful rewards. Shadowheart herself will be happy she finally achieved her dream, and will vow to serve Shar faithfully until death. Alternatively, Shadowheart can be convinced to spare the Nightsong, turning on Shar to forge her own future. In doing so, the Nightsong will be freed and Shadowheart will be abandoned by her goddess for good. Finally, choosing to refuse Shadowheart the entry to Shadowfell or surrendering Nightsong to [[Balthazar]] will greatly anger her and could lead to a confrontation. Any of these outcomes complete [[The Chosen of Shar]].

Whether commanded by Shar as a Dark Justiciar, or guided by [[Aylin]], Shadowheart's next destination is the [[Cloister of Sombre Embrace]] in the [[Lower City]] of Baldur's Gate. A Dark Justiciar Shadowheart will be commanded by Shar to cleanse the cloister from corruption, while a Shadowheart who freed Aylin and turned against Shar will be spurred by the hope that she may find her parents alive there.

If Viconia is refused and defeated, the party may enter the Threshold of Loss, Shar's hidden sanctum. There, Shadowheart will come face to face with her parents, long thought dead. Shar's ultimate test for a Dark Justiciar requires her to slay them. In doing so, Shar will bless Shadowheart by wiping her memory and tasking her with rebuilding the cloister. Shar's faithful will be available as an ally for the final battle. If Shadowheart turned from Shar, she will have a difficult choice to make: save her parents but be forever bound to Shar's curse, or sacrifice her parents and sever the curse at last. Whichever the choice made completes [[Daughter of Darkness]].

{{UnderConstruction|section}}

If Shadowheart turned from Shar, and lost her parents in the process, she will embark on adventures throughout the [https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Sword_Coast Sword Coast], visiting the [https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/House_of_the_Moon House of the Moon] in [[Waterdeep]], battling Sharran assassins and even befriending an [[Imp]] named [[Bing Bong]].{{note|Bing Bong is the name of an imp appearing during one of the Larian Studios' sponsored Dungeons and Dragons sessions with the main cast of voice actors for the game. Run and hosted by the High Rollers DnD channel, during this adventure, Shadowheart and Lae'zel encounter an imp named Bing Bong working at a store, and Shadowheart briefly adopts him before Lae'zel kills him.}}{{cite web

|work = Official Livestream & VOD

|accessdate = 17-01-2024}} If romanced, the player character can join her in these adventures.

Shadowheart moves to a country farmstead to live surrounded by flowers, pets{{note|Four dogs, eight cats, nine chickens, six pigeons, four sheep, one cow named Daphne, a squirrel and Buttons, a wolf cub. She can also adopt the [[Owlbear Cub]].}} and family, if she turned from Shar and rescued her parents. There, she is finally able to live the life she wanted surrounded by love. If romanced, the player will be living with her and her family, a quiet life after adventures. From time to time Shar will inflict pain on Shadowheart through the wound on her hand, but she no longer minds and notices those events becoming more infrequent lately.

Should Shadowheart have chosen to remain in Shar's embrace, she will have become the new Mother Superior of the Sharran cloister in Baldur's Gate, operating from the House of Grief. In the months since, word of Lady of Loss has spread far and wide, thanks to the efforts of Shadowheart. If romanced, Shadowheart will end the relationship prior to this, explaining that she needs to be fully devoted to her goddess. She will agree to be kissed for old times' sake, but remains faithful to Shar. Shadowheart also expresses sympathy for Viconia's fate, now able to understand what she went through as Mother Superior.

{{UnderConstruction|section}}

Shadowheart has unique dialogue interactions as a companion available after certain events. Whenever one is available, she will have a floating [ ! ] icon above her.

=== Unique interactions ===

Either as an [[Origins|origin]], or in the party as a [[Companions|companion]], Shadowheart has unique interactions and special dialogue with the following characters, listed by the act they are first encountered in.

Shadowheart can be killed and looted, and drops the same loot as her starting equipment.

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*{{MdRarityItem|Camp Supply Sack}}

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{{Achievement|To Bloom in Darkest Night}}

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{{UnderConstruction|section}}

*{{MdRarityItem|In Service of the Night}}

*{{MdRarityItem|No Price Too High}}

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