Kar'niss
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Kar'niss |
| Occupation: | Light of the Absolute |
| Relationships: | The Absolute (True Soul) |
| Fandom: | Baldur's Gate |
| Other: |  saves him in the chocolate box where I keep all my bugs by MAF (2023) |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Kar'niss is a character in Baldur's Gate 3. He is a drider, a half spider, half drow hybrid, created as punishment for failing a test of Lolth, the most influential goddess of the drow.
Canon
Kar'niss was cast out by Lolth, and subsequentially came into servitude of the Absolute. He can be encountered firstly either as an ally who will guide the player through the Shadow-Cursed lands, or as an enemy.
He can also be convinced to give up the lantern that protects him from the curse, which leads to his death later in the game.
Fandom
Although only showing up for a short amount of time during Act 2, Kar'niss quickly became a fandom darling. He is mostly shipped with Tav or The Dark Urge. Fans have expressed their desire to be able to save him from the Absolute and either free him, have him in camp or as a companion.
A particular fan, Theoldcrane, popularised the concept of eating Kar'niss like a crab. It began as a joke that spread amongst fans, even leading to Theoldcrane posting a picture of their crab meal with its legs cut off and displayed like in their comic/The Dark Urge's blood circle on the floor[1][2].
During late December 2023, fans pointed out that a Brazilian Sol de Janeiro cream supposedly contained ingredients that attract male spiders[3][4][5]. This spawned jokes, memes and art, as many fans discussed using the cream to attract Kar'niss to their Tavs, TDU or their OCs. One such joke was a photo of the cream on top of the spider-lyre, an in-game item that is used to attract/call Kar'niss to the player[6].
Common Tropes
- Dismemberment: It's common to see Kar'niss is various states of dismemberment, particularly of his spider half.
- Cannibalism: Either represented in art or as an expression of desire to eat Kar'niss like a crab from fans.
- Re-imagined as a drow: Some fans create art or fanfic inspired by Kar'niss's pre-drider drow appearance while others focus on returning him to his old body.
- Fantasy genitalia: Some fans choose to depict Kar'niss with spider genitalia, while others place a more humanoid penis either at the end of his drow torso or under his spider body (like a centaur would have theirs).
- Rescuing Kar'niss: Due to being beloved by fans, many wish to be able to add Kar'niss as a permanent companion. This has spawned efforts to mod him as such[7] and also a common storyline in fanfic.
Pairings
Kar'niss is most popularly shipped with Tav or The Dark Urge.
Fanworks
Fanfic
- Finding Warmth in the Webs, Kar'niss/Tav (non-binary), Kar'niss is a drider- a pitiful creature made by Lloth to punish a drow who failed her. Now, from one 'goddess' to another, you can't help but want to help him be free, just like you do with your companions. by 1V1 on AO3
- Butterfly Caught, Kar'niss/Tav (female), Right. Get the moonlantern, kill some cultists. Cultists that are completely evil and not people driven by circumstance to try to find some sense of belonging. Don’t think too hard about it. by myristica on AO3
- A Tale About Spiders And Precious Things, Kar'niss/Tav (male), As they watch a convoy of Absolutists, Tav is injured and left behind. He has no choice but to pose as a devout True Soul in order to survive. by coffee_and_tattoos on AO3
- Let's Try That Again, other pairings, Rescuing Kar'niss, Tav knows too much. Tav knows things before they happen and knows information that only you know. Tav is kind to everyone accept this one goddamn motherfucking old woman by the swamp. What's up with Tav? by Roysth on AO3
Fanart
- NSFW Time to share one of my wild fantasies about Kar'niss by Theoldcrane on Twitter (X)
- NSFW 抱歉但你腿太难画了 (Sorry, but your legs are too difficult to draw), Dismemberment by Theoldcrane on Twitter (X)
- i need more Kar'niss plz by Theoldcrane on Twitter (X)
- Hold drider gentle like hamburger, meme re-imagining by obisooth on Twitter (X)
- Happy Holidays everyone, stay safe by meggdrasil on Twitter (X)
- You've no idea how good and dark this smells. Kar'niss inspired, Drider Delirium, scented candle and jar inspired by Kar'niss by wannabekingpin on Twitter (X)
- Kar'niss just happens to be one of my recent most popular designs, it seems. by wannabekingpin on Twitter (X)
- Kar'niss in a suit by shnjkkr on Twitter (X)
- NSFW (TW: Drider sex, Arachnophobia, Trypophobia) Kar’niss has perfect little hip grippers., Fantasy genitalia by PurpleDngNoodle on Twitter (X)
- Drow Kar'niss fanfiction haunts my brain..., Re-imagined as a drow by PurpleDngNoodle on Twitter (X)
Resources & Links
References
- ^ Photo of said crab on twitter https://twitter.com/theOldCrane/status/1722203984268865581/photo/1
- ^ Comparison art of Kar'niss dismembered and on the ritual circle https://twitter.com/theOldCrane/status/1722204188443328756/photo/1
- ^ A Twitter (X) post with a product review that states the cream attracted wolf-spiders and a picture of the cream https://twitter.com/SimmonsDies/status/1740770066071978012
- ^ Twitter (X) user stating that the cream uses spider pheromones https://twitter.com/seb_mikella/status/1740132719768768905
- ^ Twitter (X) fan stating "Slathering this on before I walk into the Shadowlands to seduce Kar’niss" while reposting a photo of the cream https://twitter.com/runDEVINrun/status/1740845118528307448
- ^ Twitter (X) fan photoshoped the cream onto the spider lyre https://twitter.com/jjongloml/status/1740342644017139864
- ^ Youtube video of fan who managed to mod Kar'niss as a companion. The mod isn't publicly available https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiPUDY6bnpU&ab_channel=Nefepants