I want to hear everyone's little headcanons about the Baldur's Gate NPC's. Since so many of us here have roleplayed our way through the games at one point or another, I'm sure we have plenty of them.
I'll start it off by saying that I've always viewed Xan as a fallen idealist. I think that at one point in his life he was optimistic, excited, and ready to make a difference, but after decades of doing his duty as a protector of elvenkind, he's just seen too many things go wrong, too many friends die pointless death, too many of his efforts come to naught, and he's become disillusioned. Honestly, just the extent of his pessimism sort of suggests this kind of change. Fallen idealists often make the most jaded cynics of them all, after all.
I believe this is reflected in his name. Moon elves usually have two first names, the one they're referred to during childhood, and one they choose themselves once they become adults and go out into the world. This would mean Xan chose his own name. This is significant because of the etymological meaning of the name "Xan". It comes from the Greek "xenios", meaning "to protect" or "to defend". The literal meaning of the name "Xan" is "one who protects/defends". I always liked to think this meant Xan pretty much defined himself by his duty to protect elvenkind, and if he chose that name, well he must have thought he'd be able to live up to it at the time.
I'll start it off by saying that I've always viewed Xan as a fallen idealist. I think that at one point in his life he was optimistic, excited, and ready to make a difference, but after decades of doing his duty as a protector of elvenkind, he's just seen too many things go wrong, too many friends die pointless death, too many of his efforts come to naught, and he's become disillusioned. Honestly, just the extent of his pessimism sort of suggests this kind of change. Fallen idealists often make the most jaded cynics of them all, after all.
I believe this is reflected in his name. Moon elves usually have two first names, the one they're referred to during childhood, and one they choose themselves once they become adults and go out into the world. This would mean Xan chose his own name. This is significant because of the etymological meaning of the name "Xan". It comes from the Greek "xenios", meaning "to protect" or "to defend". The literal meaning of the name "Xan" is "one who protects/defends". I always liked to think this meant Xan pretty much defined himself by his duty to protect elvenkind, and if he chose that name, well he must have thought he'd be able to live up to it at the time.