Ghislain "Grim" Grimwald

Fight the Greater Evil. Exerting your wisdom, identify the higher morality in any given instance, and fight for it.
_{—a tenet of the Oath of Vengeance.}

 

On one hand, Grim recognizes the value of law and law agreed upon by the common man. He also recognizes how easily this can be twisted by cruel intent and greed, and thus has no qualms with stepping in to inform someone in power that a line has been crossed.

Now, forcefully ejected from retirement, backed by a stern refusal to release his ward to the dark whims of Bhaal (as well as whatever the hells is going on with all those tadpoles), he's going to make his oath everyone else's problem.

 

Biography

Church Life

The only proof Grim has that he was born in Baldur's Gate is the word of the cleric he was surrendered to as an infant. With little resources in the city at that time to dedicate to rearing a new babe, he was sent to the Temple of Tyr in Waterhaven. Raised among the various orders in the Halls of Justice, he gained a very pious and serious streak, even as a young child. But rather than take up scribe work or even turn to focus on the healing arts like the cleric who'd brought him into their fold, he found himself utterly enamored by the paladins. Piety and power combined, he yearned to join them in service of their Lord, above all else.

Given the opportunity to devote himself to any of the Oaths, he chose the Oath of Vengeance—not for any darker reasoning, but because of the freedom it allowed. Where one might be oathbound to uphold the aspects of law of goodness, he knew that while justice could exist in concert with them, it should also be allowed to function outside as well. For example: to kill was cruel, but if someone was found unrepentant with desires to harm again, something swift ought to be done to ensure the safety of others. A law unjust might favor those with the means to repay a simple fine, but more harsly punish the poor. If a problem presented itself and he found himself able to act, he believed he should. Thus, in the eyes of the clergy and Tyr Himself, he made his oath in Vengenace.

As his training concluded and there was naught to do but learn from the world itself, rather than swear himself in service of the North, at eighteen, he packed his things, and giving thanks to those that raised and taught him, he struck out south along the coast, looking to help those in need of justice in Baldur's Gate. Unfortunately in such a big city and with so little experience to his name, there was little to do but lend himself to the city's adventurers' guild and hope for work.

An Adventurer

Though not exactly just work, work came nonetheless. From retrieving shipments lost, escorting merchants, to exploring locales deemed too dangerous for the commonfolk, with a strong work ethic and a sturdy sense of patience, Grim found himself well-suited for adventuring—so much so that he took to it for twenty years. Free of the red tape of local bureaucracy once past the outskirts of the Outer City, he could act as he saw fit and genuinely help others. Over those two decades, a stuffy young man who rarely smiled grew into a good-humored and stalwart defender of the people.

Retirement in the Gate

Grim's career as an adventurer lasted him two decades—far longer than most survive in the profession. But with each excursion, he was able to scrape together a little more gold, so when time came to hang up his morningstar and shield, he had more than enough to sink into a business he'd meant to last him 'til the day he died. He invested in two rowhouses—one behind the other, giving himself access to two streetfronts; one became his front door for business, where the other became his service entrance. The ground floor consists of of shop itself, as well as his personal kitchen and dining room. Upstairs access is restricted to employees only (read: himself) and where his bedroom and bathroom are. The basement level is for overstock merchandise and items deemed too dangerous for display.

The sign hanging outside the shop entrance reads "Grim & Tonic" and underneath in neatly penned subscript: "Not a Tavern". It is, essentially, a pawn shop for adventurers looking to hawk looted goods they have no use for, but that most common shops have no specialized customer base to sell to. With enough stockpiled from his adventuring days, there was no need to start out in debt seeking stock from outside sources. That is how he retired at the ripe age of forty.

But as is its norm, not all was well and good in Baldur's Gate. After nearly a decade of life behind a point-of-sale counter, one of his old adventuring buddies paid him a visit, asking for assistance in a series of murders and arson cases that had occurred in the city. While initially resistant, upon learning how ineffective the city's guards had been in apprehending the killer, he agreed, and suited up for a fight. In the end, the aged explorers found their killer down deep in the sewers beneath the city—a Tiefling bearing the jagged teeth that matched bite marks gouged into the victims, drooling the acidic slime that had eaten away portions of the victims' flesh. The only problem was that the killer appeared to be a child—or a young teenager, were the group to be generous. They seemed disoriented, unaware of much of their surroundings, and frankly, a little feral. After deliberation, the group concluding that this display was no act on the killer's part and that none of them felt comfortable murdering a damn youngling.

Grim, leading under the banner of justice, rather than goodness or lawfulness, led the argument that with the young one's altered mindstate, if the group killed the Tiefling, they'd be worse for it as their actions would be made under clear and decisive thought, rather than some twisted reflex. Knowing what would await the Tiefling were they surrendered to law enforcement, they altered the scene of the most recent crime to implicate the undiscovered victim and swore themselves to secrecy. Concerned for the person locked within their own madness, Grim took the Tiefling. When unable to coax a name from them, Grim named them "Avery" and began a slow uphill journey to bring them back to their senses.

Back in the Saddle

For fourteen years he does his best as a father-figure and teacher, trying to instill a proper sense of right and wrong in Avery. Their life isn't perfect, but it's genuinely enjoyable. The Tiefling—that he's now well aware is a full-blooded child of Bhaal—has shown an incredible improvement, to the point that, within the rules, are allowed to run minor tasks and chores outside their home. One day, out of the blue, Avery does not return home.

Grim doesn't immediately panic—they've never tried to run away or shown any kind of deep-seated distress about their living situation. So he checks with his friends, with the Temple of Tyr—with anyone or any place Avery is familiar with or might be distracted by while in the city... But no one has seen them. Grim covers the length of the city, within and beyond the walls with nothing to show for it. But when a Nautiloid ship is seen streaking through the sky, ablaze, Grim rushes back to his shop, and grabbing a bug-out bag and a the first maul he can get his hands on, he rushes out, chasing the feeling of dread following in the wake of the crashing ship.

So much for retirement.

 

Friends and Family

Temple of Tyr

Though his work at his shop might keep Grim from visiting Temple regularly, he's still devout to a fault and on good terms with both his Brothers and Sisters of Waterdeep, as well as Baldur's Gate. From time to time, he takes Avery along with him if he needs to meet with a member of the church, and allows them to wander the grounds while he runs his errand. Conversion isn't his aim—rather, he simply wants his ward to have another place they can feel comfortable in the bustling city, and more friendly faces for them to know. Because Avery, in part, is a literal piece of Bhaal granted life, experienced clergy know something is amiss with the Tiefling, but on Grim's word stand down, trusting that all’s well enough.

The Adventurers

He served with many groups a through the years—the survivors of which would later form a network across the city, relaying fresh rumors and sensitive intel freely between one another.

One notable adventurer he still keeps in contact is a no-nonsense Gnomish assassin named Krihani Lightflight—the sole-proprietor of the short-friendly tavern, the Half Pint. In recalling the past, he describes her as fiercely terrifying and not unlike "-them little wildcats what look like house pets". With knowledge firsthand, he knows of none with a higher solo-fought kill count than her. She is also one of the few people to call him by his birthname: Ghislain. In harmless retailiation, he calls her "Kree".

More recently, he's made acquaintance with her daughter Myhana—a thief specializing in ruin-delving.

Also often spoken of, Grim references a bard in many of his tales, though in the same breath amends that they're dead and the world is likely a better place for it, based on their former antics.

Avery

Avery and Grim have a wildly complex relationship.

Romance - Avery, Wyll

There was no part of Grim seeking a relationship, even before Avery's kidnapping. He flirts occasionally with others, expressing interest in casual sex, but this is almost exclusively with tall and muscular persons (Halsin is his ideal one-night stand). And then Wyll happens—an idealistic do-gooder who if left unchecked, is the right kind of well-meaning disaster who is likely going to get himself killed if left unchecked. Getting to know Wyll, Grim is both endeared to him, inspired to do better himself, and left fretfully concerned for the other's well-being. Unlike the hyper-aggressive Lae'zel, Wyll is also someone he can comfortably spar with, helping to get himself back into shape after twenty years in retirement from adventuring. Most importantly though, and what sends him falling fastest, is how Wyll treats Avery.

To Wyll, Avery is not a monster by virtue of the blood running in their veins, nor are they are not broken and raving. To Wyll, Avery simply needs a little more help than the average person—a reminder here and there to keep their urges in check, a shadow to lean into when the world around proves overwhelming, and above that, genuine patient friendship. When Avery in turn begins to open up to Wyll, Grim's heart has never felt fuller. Still, he's not looking, but gods, it's tempting. Eventually, it's just a bit too much. As often quoted by Grim, "-it’s weird, but it ain’t a sin."

 

Behavior and Other Notes

Nickname and Outlook

The nickname of “Grim” came from his starting days as an adventurer. A newly anointed paladin, he was very very straight-laced and by-the book—a real joyless “We can’t loot this. This is a temple,” fucker. Thankfully, he grew out of his stuffy baby phase and into a well-rounded man. Now it’s “Anyone alive here to use it? No? Well then it ought to go to the people trying to clean this damn place up. Take what you need!”

"I thank Tyr every day for giving my mates compassion enough not to drown my stuffy arse in the river in those early days."

These days, he's very laid back and relaxed—letting the wisdom gained by his years on the road guide him. Though initially frigid to the group of Tadpoles, once warmed up, he acts as a pseudo-father figure to the group, often interjecting advice where he can, and though protective of them, has no qualms letting them make their own mistakes. It's fine though—he'll be there to help pick them up afterward.

A Peacock's Pride

A byproduct of being raised around buff paladins of all genders and various races, Grim grew up hopelessly attracted to persons of physical power and of large physique. This hasn't abated any through his life. However, due to the nature of putting one's vows before everything else, raised in a place where if one did seek a relationship, you did not speak its name, he also gained a undercurrent kink of appreciating unspoken tension.

So if given the time and patience to "hunt" (even if merely for a one-night fling), Grim will go out of his way to turn on his self-proclaimed "peacock strut". He lets gazes linger far longer than it should. His verbal drawl lengthens considerably. He puts a slight swagger in his walk and puffs his chest a bit more. He wanted to spar, wants to help his quarry work on their form— Really, from the outside it's extremely obvious to the point it's embarassing.

Relationship with Tyr

Working alongside the Paladins and other trainees was definitely an "awakening" of sorts, and changed the chemistry of his little peabrain real fast. Puberty was a real ass-smasher of an experience, because the first time he was truly able to commune with Tyr and get more than a vague sensation back, he got a full vision of the fucker and just—oh no he's hot. AND THEN COMPLETELY FORGETS WHAT HE’D MEANT TO ASK IN THE FIRST PLACE. (He’s laughed at for this, immediately and to his face by the big man.) The worst however, was still to come:

"We had our fair share of all sexes, so it wasn’t as if anyone was starved for choices in eyecandy, or even partner—but it was my commander who bore the brunt of my addled affections, may he rest in peace. Some fellow lower on the totem took notice of the way I followed the man like a lost puppy and propositioned me out of pity. He was a strapping man too—my fool arse couldn’t say no, so I agreed.

"Mind you, I'm sixteen, maybe seventeen at this point, and he's double that or more. But don't get me wrong—there's no warning moral here. He laid me down and I moaned like a whore for him. Hands down, one of the best nights of my life...

"But afterwards this sweeping guilt overtakes me and I says, 'Sir, sir I need to go pray. I've done ill, sir.' And he's looking at me like I'm crazy, rightfully so. Says not to worry because I consented and that he was kind--all true. But I insist and he asks me why. I says, 'Because, sir, in your place, I imagined our Lord Tyr.'...

"...And he laughs in my face. Laughs for damn near half a bell, out his room and through the barracks, wheezing like he was losin' air.

"I wouldn’t be deterred. I went to our chapel and kneeled, invoking His name in prayer, begging for forgiveness for the crime of misrepresenting the man above me...

"...He fucking laughed too. Old rat bastard laughed himself hoarse. Said he found no ills in it. Maybe a bit weird, but no worse. Just asked me not to do it again. That was it. He’s been a right ass to me since."

 

BG3 Gameplay

Free Gear

To match game mechanics, while the tadpole has effectively nerfed most of the cast, after twenty years in retirement, Grim has to pick his skills back up because he hasn’t fought fought in AGES. So for a good span early on he’s a camp-only follower.

For all of Act I, you can see him milling around camp, occasionally practicing on dummies. But when he start going out with people, he comes fully kitted out, courtesy of an afternoon penning letters to have particular items from his shop sent to him.

"Is it a holy relic-? No shit, it is. I pried it from the hands of some bloodthirsty son of a bitch who was trying to kill us. Mine now—been that way for over twenty and it’s staying that way."

This Man Will Kill You

Grim will not appear unless the player has already encountered Avery near the Dank Crypt in Act I. If Avery's violent discretions have been ignored and they have been recruited, congratulations! On your next long rest, Grim will show up in camp and is coming along whether you like it or not!

However, if you have dismissed Avery with blade or spell and killed the Tiefling, when Grim appears, he'll be trying to find them. You have the option of lying to cover up your murder. If you fail, combat will initiate and he will do his damnest to kill you on the spot, including dropping an otherwise cleric-only max damage Divine Intervention on you the moment the fight starts, which can easily nuke an early-game character in one go. If you take him out with non-lethal means, he will attack you the moment you leave camp/arrive at a location via fast travel. It's all or nothing at that point. You have to kill him or keep getting chased.

That said, if you succeed in your deception check, you have the choice of telling him to fuck off and leave, or you can convince him to join your party and continue his search that way. In each act as his search progresses, conversations can trigger with him in which you have to make another, more difficult check. If you fail, he opens with the same nuke he would have opened with in the beginning, reminding you that you shouldn't have killed the godsdamned Tiefling.

 

Notable Quotes

“If you need to be judged that badly, well…it’s weird, but it ain’t a sin.”
_{—a multi-purpose response.}

“Not to make poor on a bad situation, but Gale—so much as throw one longing look my way while I’m wearing this plate and I’m gonna backhand you with my shield. It ain’t for snacking.”
_{—to Gale, early Act I.}

"Your boy fucks with the appeal of a damp bar rag. M'sorry you've had to deal with that."
_{—to Karlach and Carwen, about Lin, late Act I.}

 

Trivia

• Grim is covered in tattoos and smattered with piercings (including ones that “you can’t see without stripping off [his] smalls”), looking much like a modern-day metalhead. Some are relics from his early days as an adventurer, while others are quite new. When Avery expressed interest in being inked early in their time together, Grim bade them “think on it for a few years”, and once assured the Tiefling was firmly settled on the idea, introduced them to his favorite tattoo artist.
• One of Grim's lesser known talents is singing, which he picked up from his time living in the church.
• In an attempt to bring a shade of normalacy to Avery's strange life, Grim took up baking, because he saw it as something "a good mum would do for their kid". Now they're both hopelessly drawn to sweets.
  "Bought and learned how to use a chocolate mold for ladsy there. If that ain't love, m'not sure what is."
• Grim understands the concept of transgender and non-binary people and does his best to pay others the respect they're due, however, he's still a bit of an idiot on the subject. Upon realizing Avery answered to a multitude of pronouns when addressed by others, unsure whether to call the other "lad" or "lass" in casual conversation, he defaulted to "ladsy" for the Tiefling and hasn't looked back since.
• While stalwart in his vows to uphold justice, he’s never taken any that mentioned celibacy—something he likes to impress upon others when they balk at the notion of his open flirtation with others. while good-natured and very respectful of others’ boundaries, he’s actually quite slutty, given the chance to sleep around.
  “Look, I had me back blown out at sixteen and I ain’t looked back since.”
• While attempting to discern the best route to Moonrise Towers, when surprised during meditation by goddess Lliira, she playfully prompts him to compose a song as a means to win an audience with her. In response, he pulls an entire drinking song out of his ass about the nature of Wyll being turned from man into devil. She later coins the title “Ravengard’s Rack” and merrily spreads it across the Sword Coast.

 

Gallery

Related Reading

• To feel his words and their sharp sting - Astarion, Durge/OC
• Something to Hold On To - Durge/OC, Wyll

Related Pages

• Avery