Mutya Bhaduri: Designing a Bardic Baddie for D&D and Baldur’s Gate

You are currently viewing Mutya Bhaduri: Designing a Bardic Baddie for D&D and Baldur’s Gate

Mutya Bhaduri: Designing a Bardic Baddie for D&D and Baldur’s Gate

South Asian female D&D Bard character design sheet featuring heroic fantasy archetype. She has dark tan skin and wears a red costume with gold accents, black high boots, gloves, and shoulder capes.
Mutya Bhaduri, a heroic South Asian Bard character design for D&D, showcasing her full body and rogue fantasy attire.
"South Asian female D&D Bard character design sheet featuring heroic fantasy archetype. She has dark tan skin and wears a red costume with gold accents, black high boots, gloves, and shoulder capes. Includes multiple bust illustrations showing emotional expressions: neutral, happy, curious, angry, and surprised
Some showcase examples of Mutya’s expressions

Character Concept and Design Inspiration

So here’s a really special, personal original creation that I’m proud of, in terms of character design. In 2023, a friend of mine (thanks Amu) introduced me to a (extremely popular) video game called: Baldur’s Gate 3. I loved Dungeons and Dragons, and I used to play TTRPG campaigns with my friends before then.

I had been desperate to get into it again, but my friends had very little time for it, and most people either already had on-going campaigns, or weren’t welcoming new additions. When I got Baldur’s Gate 3, I severely underestimated how much it would impact me and how it filled that empty space of not being able to play D&D for years. Though, as much as I liked it, I noticed there was a lack of Brown female characters amongst the cast. Therefore, I decided to make a character that would fill that empty space. Sometimes a lack of diversity, is a perfect opportunity for me: A Character Designer.

In-game cinematic screenshot

Behind the Bard: Why I needed to make a South Asian Baddie in Baldur’s Gate 3

Honestly, I started adoring this character called Gale the Arch Wizard and I found his backstory and romance/relationship route really compelling: He has a pet cat, has a library, writes poetry and aside from being a scholar, he boasts about his cooking. Apparently, his surname is Greek or something, which made me think ‘Oh my god, if he married a South Asian person, the food at the wedding would be crazy amazing.’

Mutya’s lore

Mutya Bhaduri was born and raised in Athkatla, City of Coin (based on the Forgotten Realms wiki) to a mother who was a seamstress and a father who was an innkeeper. She is a College of Swords Bard, whose main travelling instrument is a sarod (or lute). She started performing when she was 16 when she ran away to a circus but left when she gained success as an entertainer for the elite. Her talents, looks and charisma gave her opportunities to mingle and romance with people of all backgrounds, leading her to climb the social ladder. Now in her forties, she has recently divorced her husband, and was in Baldur’s Gate when she was abducted by the Mindflayer ship, leading her to meet her current companions.

My personal tips on: Character Design

  • Simple is best – to get your idea across fast.
  • Have a theme or an idea.
  • If you’re stuck, use story templates or idea generators.
  • Don’t stress or worry about not being original or ‘unique’.
  • Clothes and items, possessions all tell a story, a visual story.
  • Simple shapes helps with building their physique.
  • For colour palettes, have one major colour to represent them, then have other minor (secondary, tertiary) colours.
  • Not every concept will turn out great the first time – remember it’s a process and a journey!
  • Get feedback from others, but don’t let criticism discourage you.
  • Have fun with it!
Tags: , , , ,

Leave a Reply