Xzar's sanity seems to come and go in my canon. Sometimes he's rather prolific, articulate, almost...reasonable. Then... He'll laugh it off and go on a raving tangent about dragons with feet like rabbits. He'll say something totally within context that makes you think he knows more than he lets on, and the next... Nonsense. Xzar is a dangerous one, because you can't ever be sure what he's really thinking. And you're not so sure you really want to find out, either.
I also never saw Khalid as much of a coward either. A nervous man who's had some bad dealings with his past, a man with little fondness for violence. And yet... This same man is willing to charge into battle and risk his life in order to protect his friends, family, or just some innocent stranger caught in the crossfire. He gets a lot of flack in the community, but I always thought that you don't have to be fearless to be brave. Khalid the Coward is probably the most brave person in the party, because he lives each day facing his fears while being afraid.
And I know I'm asking for trouble on this one, but I have always dreamed that there would be more to Minsc than a bad head wound and a miniature giant space hamster. Comic relief or no, he's still one of your best bros throughout the series. And he may be...challenged...I always liked the idea of giving Minsc these little strikes of genius that just come out of nowhere and throw the entire party off.
Minsc: He doesn't know it, but like Drizzt he's a favored of Mielikki (implied in BG2, the goddess isn't named but it seems appropriate considering Mielikki is one of the main deities in Rashemen). I use this one to justify SKing Minsc into a Ranger/Cleric. Also his bond with Boo is close enough to be near-symbiotic - he uses Boo as a medium to express his own wisdom and knowledge.
Sarevok: His desire for godhood is out of fear of death due to his traumatic near-death experience in childhood. Sarevok doesn't have any particular enjoyment towards killing, he just thinks it's the only route available. He has the potential for goodness in him, which is why he's redeemable.
Quayle: His arrogance is a facade formed from a childhood of bullying because of his stature and lack of social skills. He's in fact insecure and knows he's not nearly as smart as he says he is. In BG2 he's closer to his true personality.
These are less 'headcanon' and more how I interpreted these three from what's shown in the game.
... I also never saw Khalid as much of a coward either. A nervous man who's had some bad dealings with his past, a man with little fondness for violence. And yet... This same man is willing to charge into battle and risk his life in order to protect his friends, family, or just some innocent stranger caught in the crossfire. He gets a lot of flack in the community, but I always thought that you don't have to be fearless to be brave. Khalid the Coward is probably the most brave person in the party, because he lives each day facing his fears while being afraid...
This is a wonderful analysis. He actually has the most strength of character of any NPC in the game in that sense.
I think the main reason folks have poked fun at him is that he is force-paired with the first healer the game makes available, so over the years to un-pair him he's sleepwalked into the path of many a bear.
I am in the midst of my 2nd immersion in the game. It will be the first time I get beyond Chap. 3 though. I have spent endless hours torn by the question of Jaheira-Khalid. Branwen? Kivan? Yeslick? Coran?
Like an artist intuiting just the right hues and values to balance his compostion. And also to be a kick-ass party.
Yesterday I realized that yes, it does make sense to switch Kivan for Coran. The Ranger would not be a happy camper in the city and needs time to heal now that Tazok has been iced. Coran seems like a character who would have a lot more "street-sense" and usefulness in Baldur's Gate city.
I have had Minsc in the party for some time after stashing Dynaheir in Bentha's tent for some R&R. His strength was very helpful in the harvesting Ankheg days and I miss his infectious enthusiasm but Kivan had everything Minsc offered from power-gaming POV and without needing Gauntlets of Dexterity.
Branwen [since after Nashkel Mines] has been just right. Her "I have nothing to say..." comment turns out to fit Charname rather well in my 'head-canon'. And I really love the skeletons. I feel like writing odes and sonnets for the skeletons, liturgies. Maybe even Haiku. And then, ahem, there is the great equalizer ~Silence-15ft radius.
But I really felt like Yeslick had some strong supporters and, having subbed out Kivan for Coran, there seemed a real possibility that more punch in Melee might be just the thing. And after all, if Kivan exited after the Bandit Camps, why not Branwen also as her Bio was tied to Bandit theme through Tranzig.
But finally it has hit me!!! It is not Branwen who is going to exit....but Jaheira!!!! The one NPC [after Imoen] that almost everyone includes in their party, or so it seems. And it is even possible to romance her.
But in my head-canon Charname has been gradually realizing that her repeated complaint re: "I don;t like how this party is turning out. Better leadership would help...." is so far out of line as to be a real hazard to morale and everyone's survival.
What has been happening over 2-3 months is that Charname's Inner Giant-Nature has been gradually awakening, observing, brooding, gathering and puzzling out the pieces.
Keeping someone on board who keeps muttering about better leadership, at a certain point has become ridiculous. The highlighting of her Druid identity during the Cloakwood encounters has clarified his thinking somewhat and when Yeslick becomes available everything clicks.
Jaheira is Druid. It will make perfect sense to excuse her here in the Cloakwoods without ruffling the feathers of her Harper allies whose favor he is anxious to retain.
But now his true indomitable will and strength of character is manifesting. Jaheira MUST go!!! Khalid needs her!! The Harpers need her!!
And besides, I feel much safer with the 4-2 gender balance. 3-3 always carries with it the unpleasant possibility of schisms. The fact that none of these NPCs is really contracturally bound to Charname must become a major part of head-canon.
Why are they doing this?? What is Zaerovok to them, or the Iron Throne. ~What the heck is an Adventurer~?!
So from a writing point of view, Imoen and Aerie are a really good match as best friends, with their similar (both good, loyal, and affectionate characters who have been imprisoned and tortured), but with good contrast as well (Im is silly, doesn't think much about consequences of her actions, while Aerie can tend to over think and worry). But Aerie would obviously like to be less reserved and nervous around people, and her love of Chiktikka Fastpaws shows she has an interest in pranks and mischief, so Im's just the right person to help set her inner child free. While Aerrers can hopefully teach Im to take some stuff a little more seriously and apply herself.
I've always felt that there was a certain bond between Aerie and Nalia, with Nalia in the role of an elder sibling. At one point, if Aerie is seriously wounded, Nalia will rush to her side and frantically call for a healer, and ask Aerie whether she's alright. Aerie will try to assure Nalia that she's OK, and Nalia will relent, but urge Aerie to look after herself. On the other hand, there's another interaction where Aerie will ask Nalia about what drives her to pursue an active role in trying to care for others. Both of them are essentially loners who have spent much of their lives sheltered in their respective ways, and both are experiencing much of the world for the first time. It seems that Aerie has a certain amount of admiration for the bolder and more self-assured Nalia, whereas Nalia feels a sense of responsibility for the physically and spiritually wounded Aerie.
The NPCs all take life in our imaginations uniquely, and we develop our own personal vision of them.
One example for me is Faldorn, who I'm using now for only the second time in nearly 15 years of playing the game. Because she is charged by her order with the task of investigating the Iron Throne, and because of the True Neutral alignment required for druids which is supposed to be all about balance, I'm currently imagining her as a poised, coolly serene spy. And for this game I made her a whole lot better looking:
(She has a Charisma of 15, let's not forget.)
This conception is loosely inspired by Scarlet Johansson's portrayal of Black Widow in the Avengers.
Now, from the standpoint of her lines in the game, about all we get is that she's 1) rather terse, 2) totally devoted to the Oak Father, and 3) once or twice perhaps (if at all) she's apt to voice her contempt towards civilization, given that she is as a member of the Shadow Druid sect. She will get into it with Jaheira, a Harper who embraces civilization. But in my game Jaheira and Khalid left the party much earlier, and I don't expect their return.
And then of course in BG2 Faldorn is developed into more of a hardcore fanatic. So if we take that into account I guess I could have played her more as sort of a grunting, feral, stick figure of a Shadow Druid. But that doesn't seem like as much fun to me.
In my own current game she does have her radical sensibilities about civilization being a blight. But she is tasked with being a spy, essentially. So she does not wear her heart on her sleeve. She keeps her inner convictions under wraps. She is reserved in general, and definitely about her most heartfelt beliefs. And that is in the interest of being effective in completing her mission. I would say that is in accord with high Wisdom.
I felt it would be enjoyable to take some slight liberties with the character concept to make her a little more complex and spice up the game a little bit. I'd like to think that my concept of Faldorn for this game remains roughly within the vague framework the game gives us.
Anyway, that's just one example.
What are some of the ways that the NPCs for either BG1 or BG2 get more development in your own head as you play them?
While we're on the subject of Faldorn, there always seemed to be something "off" or disturbed about her IMO - almost like a repressed psychopath. Her singleminded "nature is all" routine makes her seem like someone who has been brainwashed (which she may well be).
What I especially like is how she expresses her admiration for Coran. She reminds me of some creepy, socially-awkward girl in high school, trying to hit on the star jock. The funniest part is that she repeatedly praises, of all things, his wisdom, which is his only single-digit stat. Coran's reaction almost seems to be, "Um... sure, thanks."
@SharGuidesMyHand That's amusing! I hope I get to see that dialog fire for her with Coran.
Faldorn's voice set and scripted lines make her seem sort of feral (she literally grunts as one of her selection responses). And yeah, I see her as brainwashed too since she's a member of a militant druid sect (which imho is a contradiction in terms for True Neutral, but it is what it is). Apparently she has little to no social skills. There's nothing to suggest 15 Cha that I can see! My head canon is arguably just about the opposite of what little the game actually gives us for Faldorn.
I feel like I should share my views on Minsc here.
You see, when I picture Minsc I do not picture pure comic relief. I kind of picture something deeper. A man with a mental disability living his dream.
In my head Minsc did not become as he is due to blows to the head, but was always a bit slow and odd. Such a man was no use in most professions, but then he picked up a sword and never looked back. He found his calling, his dream and even though many would say a man of his limited mental facilities should not be in such a dangerous calling, you would be denying Minsc everything he ever wanted. Besides, can you picture him doing anything else with such enjoyment?
Still, he needs to be looked after, and thats where Dynaheir came in. She knew what Minsc was, who he was and she looked after him as an older sister might look after a younger brother. In turn he protected her, though in reality they were always protecting each other.
I also view Boo as well...Have you ever had an idea, then immediately thought against it, and debated with yourself in your head what to do? I picture this happening to Minsc, but he can't accept that there is a voice in his head disagreeing with him! Only crazy people hear voices, and Minsc is not crazy! Therefore it was obviously this hamster here. In a way I picture Boo as a normal hamster that Minsc thinks is the voice of reason in his head, hence the line "You are as smart as Boo sometimes!"
edit: Let me re-phrase. Batman isn't a wuss because he doesn't kill people. He's a wuss because of WHY he doesn't kill people. He's selfish. He embezells billions of funds to finance his own fantasy of punching bad people in the face. Rather than removing those threats to society, he continues to throw them into the swiss cheese jail that is Arkham where they inevitably break out. He does this just so he can to punch them in the face again and continue the cycle.
Batman doesn't kill his enemies because, for one, he ultimately hopes they are not irredeemable. For two, but certainly no less important, he is afraid that if he were able to justify killing any of his rogues' gallery, he would never be able to stop justifying killing more of them.
Imagine a ninja with an unbreakable will and at the height of human ability, murdering anybody he happened to think was a "threat to society." People would cheer, at first, but then the people who don't cheer start disappearing, never to be seen again.
And yeah, I see her as brainwashed too since she's a member of a militant druid sect (which imho is a contradiction in terms for True Neutral, but it is what it is).
I would argue that Faldorn is actually neutral in the truest (no pun intended) sense of the word - she doesn't care about good or evil, only with satisfying a particular goal (the protection of the wilderness), and as her bio states, she's willing to sacrifice anyone or anything to accomplish that goal, including herself.
By contrast, characters like Jaheira and Branwen are officially considered true neutral, but are basically neutral or chaotic good at heart IMO (although some people will disagree with me on Branwen).
But by BG2, she has convinced an entire grove full of druids to follow her. Perhaps her true colors came out once she wielded more power and stature among the druids?
Remember, charisma doesn't exclusively mean charming - it can also mean "ability to lead," according to the game's description. A Viking or pirate captain may seem like a total savage to normal people, but they typically carry a certain sort of presence that convinces other savages to get in line behind them. Likewise, Faldorn may seem like a social outcast, but she was able to convince a grove full of fellow outcasts to follow her. She could be Faerun's version of Jim Jones or David Koresh.
And besides, if Dorn and Xan have 16 charisma, what can't you justify? ;-)
Where did you get that portrait, you made it yourself? It's awesome.
It's from a collection of portraits that redoes the original BG1 portraits in BG2 style. Google search "BG1 portraits in BG2 style" and it should come up.
Incidentally, this is the alt pic that I use for Faldorn:
The Bhaalspawn that where mothered by Bhaal's priestesses never got names, at least not the ones that where born very closely to the the sacrifice ritual. I think that [Charname] was a baby, if not even a newborn, when Gorion rescued him/her. That would mean that Gorion, his friends or the other folks at Candlekeep named her. This is why [Charname] can have a name that no priestess of Bhaal would ever give him/her.
Or maybe Gorion let [Charname] choose his/her own name when he/she became old enough which is why he always refered to him/her just as "child" and rarely called him/her by name. This could also explain it when [Charname] has a completely ridiculous name or is named after a famous person (imagine [Charname] hearing the stories about Drizzt as a child and then saying "My name is Drizzt now because I want to be like him!" or something).
Like the above, I headcanon that the Bhaalspawn babies never got names. Some, like CHARNAME, get named by their adopted parents. Others name themselves, like Sarevok.
About CHARNAME's past and the little inconsistency in TOB: the priestesses were indeed preparing to take the Bhaalspawn babies somewhere, but not to kill them; instead, they intended to raise them in seclusion until the time to sacrifice them came. The Harpers had a spy on the inside, who misheard or misinterpreted this and told the Harpers that the children were to be killed immediately, causing them to attack ten years before the actual ritual.
After the events of the first game, CHARNAME (re)encountered Dynaheir and Minsc and learned that they had come to find out about the Bhaalspawn. S/He decided to join forces with them in hopes of finding out more about themselves. This is how they were always "in your party" even if they weren't, because they joined after you killed Sarevok but before you encountered Irenicus.
Similarly, if Jaheira and Khalid weren't in your party in the first game, I believe they heard of CHARNAME's disappearance and set out to find him/her. Unfortunately, they had no support, since the other Harpers thought "good riddance", so they were severely unprepared when they ran into and were captured by Irenicus.
Can't think of any other of my headcanons right now, may post more later.
An important element of any Head Canon imho is how widely known is the Story of the Dead Three. Is it just a part of Sword Coast lore [comparable to El Cid the Spanish Hero] or a fundamental myth of most Faerun settings [like Jesus or Genghis Khan].
If the latter, then it is much more likely that quite a few powerful people know of and are actively concerned about the fate of the Baalspawn. In which case he must vanquish all his foes, somewhat like William Wallace in Braveheart once he decide to retaliate for the murder of his wife. No chance of a relatively anonymous future.
If the former, then the possibility that Charname might be able to escape his inherited nature and become a contented Manorial Lord of some Country Estate or a moderately succesful Merchant Prince, in short, a normal talented member of society with established allies and politics, becomes an important theme. A simple Shire-holder who just wants it all to be over....
For some reason, I haven't seen this thread up until now. And you know, reading these pages has given me a pleasure resembling a sweet warm cappuccino.
I'n not sure if it fully falls under this topic but Jaheira’s tale for me is a love story that very much resembles a story that can happen in our world: it is about overcoming loss, moving forward, and building something of beauty in spite of the odds. It portrays a relationship that supports and sustains each person. Neither becomes dependent on the other, but both come to trust and rely upon the other in powerfully nourishing ways. They walk hand in hand into hell, and even the conspiring gods cannot separate them.
Looks very much like an ideal marriage.
On topic: Because Xan is an enchanter I think he should put on enchantment-looking-things on this clothes, such as glowing signs. My Head Canon is that Xan is good at embroidery.
Comments
I also never saw Khalid as much of a coward either. A nervous man who's had some bad dealings with his past, a man with little fondness for violence. And yet... This same man is willing to charge into battle and risk his life in order to protect his friends, family, or just some innocent stranger caught in the crossfire. He gets a lot of flack in the community, but I always thought that you don't have to be fearless to be brave. Khalid the Coward is probably the most brave person in the party, because he lives each day facing his fears while being afraid.
And I know I'm asking for trouble on this one, but I have always dreamed that there would be more to Minsc than a bad head wound and a miniature giant space hamster. Comic relief or no, he's still one of your best bros throughout the series. And he may be...challenged...I always liked the idea of giving Minsc these little strikes of genius that just come out of nowhere and throw the entire party off.
Sarevok: His desire for godhood is out of fear of death due to his traumatic near-death experience in childhood. Sarevok doesn't have any particular enjoyment towards killing, he just thinks it's the only route available. He has the potential for goodness in him, which is why he's redeemable.
Quayle: His arrogance is a facade formed from a childhood of bullying because of his stature and lack of social skills. He's in fact insecure and knows he's not nearly as smart as he says he is. In BG2 he's closer to his true personality.
These are less 'headcanon' and more how I interpreted these three from what's shown in the game.
I think the main reason folks have poked fun at him is that he is force-paired with the first healer the game makes available, so over the years to un-pair him he's sleepwalked into the path of many a bear.
Bran: Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid?
Eddard: That is the only time a man can be brave.
Like an artist intuiting just the right hues and values to balance his compostion. And also to be a kick-ass party.
Yesterday I realized that yes, it does make sense to switch Kivan for Coran. The Ranger would not be a happy camper in the city and needs time to heal now that Tazok has been iced. Coran seems like a character who would have a lot more "street-sense" and usefulness in Baldur's Gate city.
I have had Minsc in the party for some time after stashing Dynaheir in Bentha's tent for some R&R. His strength was very helpful in the harvesting Ankheg days and I miss his infectious enthusiasm but Kivan had everything Minsc offered from power-gaming POV and without needing Gauntlets of Dexterity.
Branwen [since after Nashkel Mines] has been just right. Her "I have nothing to say..." comment turns out to fit Charname rather well in my 'head-canon'. And I really love the skeletons. I feel like writing odes and sonnets for the skeletons, liturgies. Maybe even Haiku. And then, ahem, there is the great equalizer ~Silence-15ft radius.
But I really felt like Yeslick had some strong supporters and, having subbed out Kivan for Coran, there seemed a real possibility that more punch in Melee might be just the thing. And after all, if Kivan exited after the Bandit Camps, why not Branwen also as her Bio was tied to Bandit theme through Tranzig.
But finally it has hit me!!! It is not Branwen who is going to exit....but Jaheira!!!! The one NPC [after Imoen] that almost everyone includes in their party, or so it seems. And it is even possible to romance her.
But in my head-canon Charname has been gradually realizing that her repeated complaint re: "I don;t like how this party is turning out. Better leadership would help...." is so far out of line as to be a real hazard to morale and everyone's survival.
What has been happening over 2-3 months is that Charname's Inner Giant-Nature has been gradually awakening, observing, brooding, gathering and puzzling out the pieces.
Keeping someone on board who keeps muttering about better leadership, at a certain point has become ridiculous. The highlighting of her Druid identity during the Cloakwood encounters has clarified his thinking somewhat and when Yeslick becomes available everything clicks.
Jaheira is Druid. It will make perfect sense to excuse her here in the Cloakwoods without ruffling the feathers of her Harper allies whose favor he is anxious to retain.
But now his true indomitable will and strength of character is manifesting. Jaheira MUST go!!! Khalid needs her!! The Harpers need her!!
And besides, I feel much safer with the 4-2 gender balance. 3-3 always carries with it the unpleasant possibility of schisms. The fact that none of these NPCs is really contracturally bound to Charname must become a major part of head-canon.
Why are they doing this?? What is Zaerovok to them, or the Iron Throne. ~What the heck is an Adventurer~?!
What I especially like is how she expresses her admiration for Coran. She reminds me of some creepy, socially-awkward girl in high school, trying to hit on the star jock. The funniest part is that she repeatedly praises, of all things, his wisdom, which is his only single-digit stat. Coran's reaction almost seems to be, "Um... sure, thanks."
Faldorn's voice set and scripted lines make her seem sort of feral (she literally grunts as one of her selection responses). And yeah, I see her as brainwashed too since she's a member of a militant druid sect (which imho is a contradiction in terms for True Neutral, but it is what it is). Apparently she has little to no social skills. There's nothing to suggest 15 Cha that I can see! My head canon is arguably just about the opposite of what little the game actually gives us for Faldorn.
You see, when I picture Minsc I do not picture pure comic relief. I kind of picture something deeper. A man with a mental disability living his dream.
In my head Minsc did not become as he is due to blows to the head, but was always a bit slow and odd. Such a man was no use in most professions, but then he picked up a sword and never looked back. He found his calling, his dream and even though many would say a man of his limited mental facilities should not be in such a dangerous calling, you would be denying Minsc everything he ever wanted. Besides, can you picture him doing anything else with such enjoyment?
Still, he needs to be looked after, and thats where Dynaheir came in. She knew what Minsc was, who he was and she looked after him as an older sister might look after a younger brother. In turn he protected her, though in reality they were always protecting each other.
I also view Boo as well...Have you ever had an idea, then immediately thought against it, and debated with yourself in your head what to do? I picture this happening to Minsc, but he can't accept that there is a voice in his head disagreeing with him! Only crazy people hear voices, and Minsc is not crazy! Therefore it was obviously this hamster here. In a way I picture Boo as a normal hamster that Minsc thinks is the voice of reason in his head, hence the line "You are as smart as Boo sometimes!"
Imagine a ninja with an unbreakable will and at the height of human ability, murdering anybody he happened to think was a "threat to society." People would cheer, at first, but then the people who don't cheer start disappearing, never to be seen again.
By contrast, characters like Jaheira and Branwen are officially considered true neutral, but are basically neutral or chaotic good at heart IMO (although some people will disagree with me on Branwen).
Not in BG1, I agree.
But by BG2, she has convinced an entire grove full of druids to follow her. Perhaps her true colors came out once she wielded more power and stature among the druids?
Remember, charisma doesn't exclusively mean charming - it can also mean "ability to lead," according to the game's description. A Viking or pirate captain may seem like a total savage to normal people, but they typically carry a certain sort of presence that convinces other savages to get in line behind them. Likewise, Faldorn may seem like a social outcast, but she was able to convince a grove full of fellow outcasts to follow her. She could be Faerun's version of Jim Jones or David Koresh.
And besides, if Dorn and Xan have 16 charisma, what can't you justify? ;-)
Incidentally, this is the alt pic that I use for Faldorn:
The Bhaalspawn that where mothered by Bhaal's priestesses never got names, at least not the ones that where born very closely to the the sacrifice ritual. I think that [Charname] was a baby, if not even a newborn, when Gorion rescued him/her. That would mean that Gorion, his friends or the other folks at Candlekeep named her. This is why [Charname] can have a name that no priestess of Bhaal would ever give him/her.
Or maybe Gorion let [Charname] choose his/her own name when he/she became old enough which is why he always refered to him/her just as "child" and rarely called him/her by name. This could also explain it when [Charname] has a completely ridiculous name or is named after a famous person (imagine [Charname] hearing the stories about Drizzt as a child and then saying "My name is Drizzt now because I want to be like him!" or something).
About CHARNAME's past and the little inconsistency in TOB: the priestesses were indeed preparing to take the Bhaalspawn babies somewhere, but not to kill them; instead, they intended to raise them in seclusion until the time to sacrifice them came. The Harpers had a spy on the inside, who misheard or misinterpreted this and told the Harpers that the children were to be killed immediately, causing them to attack ten years before the actual ritual.
After the events of the first game, CHARNAME (re)encountered Dynaheir and Minsc and learned that they had come to find out about the Bhaalspawn. S/He decided to join forces with them in hopes of finding out more about themselves. This is how they were always "in your party" even if they weren't, because they joined after you killed Sarevok but before you encountered Irenicus.
Similarly, if Jaheira and Khalid weren't in your party in the first game, I believe they heard of CHARNAME's disappearance and set out to find him/her. Unfortunately, they had no support, since the other Harpers thought "good riddance", so they were severely unprepared when they ran into and were captured by Irenicus.
Can't think of any other of my headcanons right now, may post more later.
If the latter, then it is much more likely that quite a few powerful people know of and are actively concerned about the fate of the Baalspawn. In which case he must vanquish all his foes, somewhat like William Wallace in Braveheart once he decide to retaliate for the murder of his wife. No chance of a relatively anonymous future.
If the former, then the possibility that Charname might be able to escape his inherited nature and become a contented Manorial Lord of some Country Estate or a moderately succesful Merchant Prince, in short, a normal talented member of society with established allies and politics, becomes an important theme. A simple Shire-holder who just wants it all to be over....
I'n not sure if it fully falls under this topic but Jaheira’s tale for me is a love story that very much resembles a story that can happen in our world: it is about overcoming loss, moving forward, and building something of beauty in spite of the odds. It portrays a relationship that supports and sustains each person. Neither becomes dependent on the other, but both come to trust and rely upon the other in powerfully nourishing ways. They walk hand in hand into hell, and even the conspiring gods cannot separate them.
Looks very much like an ideal marriage.
On topic: Because Xan is an enchanter I think he should put on enchantment-looking-things on this clothes, such as glowing signs. My Head Canon is that Xan is good at embroidery.