Phaere Despana

Phaere Despana was the daughter of Matron Mother Ardulace, the head of the Ust Natha branch of the Despana house. She was unsurprisingly plotting to overthrow her mother. Earlier in her life, she'd had actual feelings for the male called Solaufein, but all such genuine feeling had been chased away from her by relentless torture administered for that purpose.

Phaere is encountered in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn in the likely event that the player character elects to infiltrate Ust Natha, disguised as drow, in order to help the dragon Adalon to retrieve her eggs. The eggs have been stolen by Irenicus and given by him to the matron mother, who intends to sacrifice them to a demon in exchange for its aid. One of the first assignments given to the player by the drow is to accompany Solaufein in ambushing a group of ethereally travelling illithid, who have captured Phaere. After that, Phaere constantly gives the player's party and Solaufein tasks. It is also evident that there is a tension between the two, and it will be revealed to be because of their former love affair that has since turned into empty bitterness. Eventually Phaere will ask the player character to kill Solaufein (which they may elect to only pretend to do). After this, if the player character is male, she will order him to sleep with her, although it is easy to find an excuse not to&mdash;she can't imagine he would want to refuse without actually having a reason. Any love interest he has may not like it if he complies with Phaere's order, though reactions can vary.

Next, for player characters of both genders, Phaere will present the player character with her plot to overthrow Matron Mother Ardulace; she intends to have them swap the dragon's eggs for fakes, and offer the demon the real ones once it has killed Ardulace. If Solaufein is alive, he will appear with further fake eggs to give to Phaere, which will mean that both women will be killed when the demon is summoned. It must be said, that players of evil alignment can make a deal with the demon for a powerful weapon (the +4 Halberd Blackmist), in exchange for the real eggs, causing Adalon to attack the player at first sight.