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Araj Oblodra
| Araj Oblodra | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 6 | |||||||||||||
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| Role | Trader | ||||||||||||
| Voiced by | Hanako Footman | ||||||||||||
| Information | |||||||||||||
| Race | Lolth-sworn drow | ||||||||||||
| Class | Rogue | ||||||||||||
| Hometown | Baldur's Gate | ||||||||||||
| Stats | |||||||||||||
| Size | Medium | ||||||||||||
| Type | Humanoid | ||||||||||||
| Armour Class | 14 | ||||||||||||
| Hit points | 52 | ||||||||||||
| Movement speed | 9 m (30 ft) | ||||||||||||
| Weight | 75 kg (150 lb) | ||||||||||||
| Initiative | +3 | ||||||||||||
| Ability scores | |||||||||||||
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| Proficiency bonus | +3 | ||||||||||||
| Saving throws |
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| Features | |||||||||||||
 | Can see in the dark up to 12m. | ||||||||||||
 | Immunity to sleep and advantage on saves against Charmed. | ||||||||||||
 | Automatically attack an enemy moving out of your reach. | ||||||||||||
 | While in sunlight, disadvantage on attack rolls and Perception checks that rely on sight. | ||||||||||||
 | Once per round, when an attack hits you, you only take half damage. | ||||||||||||
Araj Oblodra is a drow trader and blood-focused alchemist who can be found in Moonrise Towers and the Lower City of Baldur's Gate. Other than the items she sells, she also offers unique potions in exchange for samples of blood, and will ask to speak with Astarion.
If no characters donate blood to Araj at Moonrise Towers, she will not appear at Lower City.
History
| “ | 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. |
„ |
| — Araj in Glory to the House of Oblodra |
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.
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
 | Spoiler warning: The following content contains unhidden spoilers. Read at your own risk. |
Act Two
In Act Two, Araj Oblodra can be found hard at work found inside Moonrise Towers, poring over alchemical equipment.
Blood-draw elixirs
Araj will brew unique elixirs as payment for drawing blood from the True Souls in the party for her research. Each character may give blood only once, incurring 1d3 damage in the process. The effects of these potions are generally themed on the race, and, in the case of dragonborns, subrace of the character giving blood.
Unlike normal elixirs, Araj's blood-draw elixir effects are not replaced when a character consumes a second elixir.
However, after consuming a blood-draw elixir and taking a long rest, the character will receive the condition Blood-draw Sickness, which causes a -1 to all dice rolls until another long rest.
With a 
DC 14 History check, knowledge of House Oblodra will allow the player to realise that Araj doesn't want True Soul blood, but Illithid blood specifically – an especially illicit subject for a drow to research. If this insight is shared with Araj, she will pay 200 gold for each subsequent blood donation, alongside the normal elixir.
Interaction with Astarion
Araj deeply wishes to speak with Astarion. If Astarion is left at camp during her first interaction, Araj will politely ask that the vampire spawn be brought next.
When Araj speaks with Astarion, she excitedly asks that he bite her, so that 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.
If Astarion is not the player's Origin character, he will be loath to do so, privately noting to the player that there is something deeply wrong with Araj's blood.
If told to do so anyway, despite his objections, Astarion will go through with Araj's desires. Astarion will feel used, and the disapproval from this will likely end a romance between him and the player if one exists.
There are no other consequences of Astarion obliging the request, despite how foul Araj's blood seems to be.
Act Three
If blood was donated in Act 2, Araj can be found again in the Lower City of Baldur's Gate in Act 3. As the player approaches her shop, Crimson Draughts, just east of The Blushing Mermaid, a series of explosions will trigger and Araj will come running out on fire, yet thrilled. She praises the character for their donated blood, as it has given her a breakthrough in her research of such magnitude, she believes the drow Grand Matriach will have no choice but to restore her house, House Oblodra.
If Astarion did not bite Araj in Act 2, she'll flirtatiously offer it once more. Astarion has now steeled his resolve and will forcefully refuse.
Araj is a trader in Act 3 as well, primarily retaining her inventory from Act 2.
If Araj was killed in Act 2, or no character donated their blood, Araj will be missing from her store and the explosions will not trigger on approach.
Mysterious Potion
After following Araj into her bombed-out shop, she'll breathlessly encourage the character to finish the research, and drink her new formula: Formula Gruna. The entire party urges them not to drink it.
Drinking the offered
Mysterious Potion will deal 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 will be first thrilled to see they've survived, and then just as excited at the results. She giddily deems the character the "world's first detonative exsanguinator." In parting, and with no qualms at having so risked the character's life, she'll offer 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 will turn her permanently hostile.
Thereafter, Araj will accept blood donations once per long rest, gaining two Sanguine Explosives in her trader inventory each time.
Crimson Draughts
Downstairs, untouched by the explosions, her journal 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.
Epilogue
If the player donated blood in Act 2, and in Act 3 drank the Mysterious Potion and donated blood again, Araj will have left a note in the Chest of Grateful Words during the Epilogue. She tells the player that she has begun the process of, literally, "resurrecting the glorious House Oblodra."
Notable items sold
Corresponds to MOO_InfernalTrader_Trade.
Circlet of Hunting
Purple Worm Toxin
Boots of Arcane Bolstering
Risky Ring
Ring of Free Action
Robe of Exquisite Focus
Thunderskin Cloak
Hat of Storm Scion's Power
Companion approval
Act II, Moonrise Towers
- Araj Oblodra: And he's yours to command... My envy is palpable.
- Player: Excuse me? He's his own person.
+5 - Player: He does what I tell him, if that's what you mean. -2
- Player: Yes. All mine.
- Araj Obolndra: Can't you talk some sense into your obstinate charge?
- Player: He said no. There's nothing more to discuss. +5
- Player: 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: What do you mean? What's wrong with her blood?
- Araj Obolndra: I don't have all day, True Soul.
- Player: Don't do anything you don't want to. +5
- Player: It's up to you, but we could really use that potion. -3
- Player: Just suck it up and bite her already. -3
- Player: A potion that powerful could change our fates. Isn't that worth a bad taste in your mouth? -3
- Player: This is your choice - do what you want. +5
- Player: Don't be dramatic, it's just one bite. One nip and you're done. -3
- (End of dialogue)
Gallery
Araj in Act Three.
Related literature
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
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 the player pickpocketing.
- Donating blood in Act 2 awards the "Blood, Sweat, and the Other Thing" Inspiration to all characters with the Guild Artisan background.
- Donating blood in both Act 2 and 3 awards the "Innovations in Volatility" Inspiration to all characters with the Soldier background.