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“It is said all House Oblodra perished when our estate was cast into the Clawrift. I am its last living daughter. Now the abyssal gulch in the heart of Menzoberranzan where our House was thrown is but an amusement.„
Overview
Description
While Araj does at first feigning the part of a studious researcher and alchemist, the gray-skinned, red-eyed drow has no qualms with deception, torture, murder, and even genocide.
History
Araj Oblodra was a daughter of the now-defunct 
House Oblodra. Over a century ago, an alliance of rival drow in the city of Menzoberranzan destroyed her House, due to their association with psionics and illithids before and during the Time of Troubles, among many other crimes.[1]
Few survived the House's destruction, and Araj believes herself to be the last remaining daughter of Oblodra. Araj yearns to reinstate the House to its former glory.
Involvement
Act Two
In Act Two, Araj Oblodra can be found inside Moonrise Towers, poring over alchemical equipment.
If the player character is also a drow, they can remark upon her name:
- Player character: Oblodra? That House was destroyed a century ago.
- Araj: Thankfully, I wasn't in it at the time.
- Araj: My cousins did like to boast about their view over the Clawrift. Now their bones decorate the bottom.
- (End of dialogue)
Blood-draw elixirs
Araj brews unique Elixirs as payment for drawing blood from the True Souls in the party for her research.
Each character can give blood only once, incurring 1d3 damage in the process. As the elixirs contain some of the donated blood, the effects are generally themed on the race, and, in the case of Dragonborns, subrace of the character giving blood. If the character is disguised while donating their blood, the potion they receive will still be that of their original race.
Unlike normal elixirs, Araj's blood-draw elixir effects are not replaced when a character consumes a second elixir. The half-elven version is not a true elixir at all, as it does not impart a long-lasting condition, but is instead a single-use healing consumable.
However, after consuming a blood-draw elixir and taking a long rest, the character will receive the condition 
, which causes a -1 to all dice rolls until another long rest.
Upon first speaking with Araj (and if Astarion is not in the party) she can be asked about her intentions with keeping the rest of the blood donation. She then attributes it to mere curiosity. However, if the character passes a 
DC 14 History check, knowledge of House Oblodra allows them to realise Araj does not merely want True Soul blood, but Illithid blood specifically – an illicit subject for drow to research. If this insight is shared with Araj, she pays 200 gold for each blood donation (including the current one) alongside the normal elixir. If Astarion is in the party upon first meeting, the History check may not be made and, by extension, Araj may not additionally offer gold in exchange for blood.
If responding to her offer with Keep it, your gold. I prefer to know what the sect does to non-believers., she refuses, saying that she has a project, which she cannot risk losing a unique specimen like the player character and that she has no choice but to observe the evolution of the player character from afar. Then she turns invisible and runs to disappear from Moonrise Towers and Act Two.
Donating blood in Act Two awards the "Blood, Sweat, and the Other Thing" Inspiration to all characters with the Guild Artisan background.
Interaction with Astarion
Araj deeply wishes to speak with Astarion. If he is left at camp, or is far enough away from the party during her first interaction, she politely asks, that the vampire spawn be brought next time.
When Araj can speak with Astarion, she excitedly asks, that he bite her, so she may study the effects of vampire bites up close. She offers the priceless 
Potion of Everlasting Vigour in exchange, which permanently increases the Strength of the one drinking it by 2.
Astarion is loath to do so and if asked, privately notes to the player character, that there is something deeply wrong with Araj's blood.
If the player character's approval with Astarion is high enough (in some conversation options where he is presented with a choice in the matter) or if he is told to do so anyway - despite his objections, Astarion gives in to Araj's desires. However, he literally retches after doing so and feels used, resulting in -3 disapproval and a camp scene which impacts a romance between him and the player character, if one exists.
There are no other consequences of Astarion obliging the request, despite how foul Araj's blood seems to be.
If Astarion was chosen as Origin, a simpler dialogue is instead shown, where the player character may choose to bite her.
Act Three
If blood was donated in Act Three, Araj can be found again in the Lower City of Baldur's Gate in Act 3. On approaching her shop, Crimson Draughts, just east of The Blushing Mermaid, a series of explosions will trigger and Araj runs out on fire, yet thrilled. She praises the character, as their blood has given her a breakthrough of such magnitude she expects the drow Grand Matriach will restore her disgraced house, House Oblodra. The blood proved able to attach to even "the trickiest of substances," unlike anything she has encountered before.[2]
If Astarion did not bite Araj in Act 2, she flirtatiously attempts to offer it once more. Astarion has now steeled his resolve and will forcefully refuse.
Araj is a trader in Act Three as well, primarily retaining her inventory from Act 2.
If Araj was killed in Act Two, or no character donated their blood, Araj is not at her store and the explosions do not trigger on approach.
Mysterious Potion
After following Araj into her bombed-out shop, she breathlessly encourages the player character to finish the research, and drink her new formula: Formula Gruna. The entire party urges them not to drink it. If accepting the potion and then leaving her shop without gulping it, she interjects and insists, if refused she turns hostile.
Drinking the offered 
Mysterious Potion deals 1d4 Slashing damage to the character and triggers a small explosion around them. The character then gains the permanent 
feature, causing them to bleed out 
Unstable Blood surfaces when hurt. When these surfaces are exposed to flame, they explode, and turn into 
Fire surfaces.
When spoken to next, Araj is pleased to see, that the character did not die, and is excited at the results. She giddily deems the character the world's first detonative exsanguinator. In parting, and with no qualms at having risked the character's life, she offers to provide another explosive in exchange for a nominal fee: another blood donation.
Agreeing to donate blood again will cause the character to take 2 damage, but gain a 
Sanguine Explosive. Refusing to hand over any more blood turns her hostile.
Thereafter, Araj accepts blood donations once per long rest, gaining two Sanguine Explosives in her trader inventory each time.
Crimson Draughts
Araj's shop Crimson Draughts is her apothecary in Lower City – seemingly for some time before the events of the game. Araj has been operating what appears to be a legitimate business selling potions to infirm citizens. However, a note found inside Crimson Draughts' mailbox reveals, that the drow alchemist has been swapping some orders with her own tinctures, causing horrific injuries.
Downstairs, untouched by the explosions, 
Glory to the House of Oblodra reveals the true purpose of her research. She intends to resurrect an army of the dead and reinstate the defunct House Oblodra; and if rebuffed, to use explosives to kill all in the Drow city of Menzoberranzan, and rule as queen over an undead populace.
Whether through lockpicking or using the key nearby, venturing into the shop's basement reveals Araj's small laboratory. Makeshift cells contain the less-voluntary participants, with humans and beasts chained to the wall or mutilated. The butchered corpse of a Spectator can be found near her research table.
Donating blood in both Act Three awards the "Innovations in Volatility" Inspiration to all characters with the Soldier background.
Epilogue
If the player character donated blood in Moonrise Towers and the Lower City, drank the Mysterious Potion and donated blood again, Araj has left 
a note in the 
Chest of Grateful Words during the Epilogue. She reveals that she has begun the process of, literally, "resurrecting the glorious House Oblodra."
Notable items sold
Corresponds to MOO_InfernalTrader_Trade.
Companion approval
Act II, Moonrise Towers
- Araj Oblodra: And he's yours to command... My envy is palpable.
- Player character: Excuse me? He's his own person.
+5 - Player character: He does what I tell him, if that's what you mean. -2
- Player character: Yes. All mine.
- Araj Oblodra: Can't you talk some sense into your obstinate charge?
- Player character: He said no. There's nothing more to discuss. +5
- Player character: I am surprised, Astarion. I thought you'd jump at a chance like this. or Just bite her - the potion sounds useful.
- Astarion: I'm sorry, but could you excuse us for a moment?
- Player character: What do you mean? What's wrong with her blood?
- Araj Oblodra: I don't have all day, True Soul.
- Player character: Don't do anything you don't want to. +5
- Player character: It's up to you, but we could really use that potion. -3
- Player character: Just suck it up and bite her already. -3
- Player character: A potion that powerful could change our fates. Isn't that worth a bad taste in your mouth? -3
- Player character: This is your choice - do what you want. +5
- Player character: Don't be dramatic, it's just one bite. One nip and you're done. -3
- (End of dialogue)
Combat
Attacks and abilities
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Range: Self 
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Recharge: Per turn 
Notable loot
Related literature
A Breakthrough at Last, detailing experiments on the blood obtained from the party
HELP, an urgent plea from a hapless customer of Crimson Draughts suffering from Araj's care
Open Investigation, a notice from the Flaming Fist warning Araj that her business is under investigation after complaints
Notes by Araj Oblodra
Books by Araj Oblodra
Gallery
Araj in Act Three.
Notes
- Araj is referred to as an "Infernal Merchant" and demon in the games files.
- Hirelings may exchange blood for elixirs, suggesting that they have illithid blood.
- As of Hotfix 21, in Moonrise Towers, Araj does not seem to become hostile if she catches a party member pickpocketing.[Needs Verification]
References
- ↑ Act Two, Moonrise Towers Narrator: Intelligence (History): *You realise why the name rings familiar: House Oblodra was purged a century ago by an alliance of rival drow houses.* Narrator: *Among the many crimes tallied against them - their reckless experimentation with illithid breeding-stock.*
- ↑ Act Three, Crimson Draughts basement. "A Breakthrough at Last" The sample of blood that adventurer gave me was a rare find! It is hot, ready, unyielding. After spinning it for an hour, it didn't separate. After boiling and recondensing it, it reformed, exactly the same as it was. I think its droplets will be willing to attach themselves to even the trickiest of substances... Liquid gold, sal, sulphur and mercury, hair, chalk, and clay. It will make a special brew, able to adapt to any elemental quality. But which to choose?
External links
- House Oblodra on the Forgotten Realms Wiki
- Clawrift on the Forgotten Realms Wiki