dryaddruidsden

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Astarion acts like it’s such a hassle to lock-pick a door for you.

He acts like it’s a waste of time as he waits by the entrance for you to rummage through whatever treasures you find inside whilst your other companions begrudgingly wait outside. And Astarion will never admit the happy little squeal you release upon finding something useful makes something pinch in his chest. And he’ll never reveal that when your eyes shine, and your smile splits your face in twain, his lips twitch with a threat of a smile. And when you ease past him, giving him an appreciative pat or squeeze on the shoulder, smiling at him in a way that’s reserved purely for him—not to mention, you give him second dibs on whatever you find inside—he’ll never admit that maybe, just maybe it isn’t such a massive waste of his time. Because your mirth is the greatest treasure of all.

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Astarion quick tests for a commission

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The Pale Elf

Soft Astarion… drawing him with pretty white lashes is life…

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You can thank Twitch chat for this one

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2023.10.21

Ditching the Upper City soiree

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What if vampires have terrible cold tolerance? (Elves sleep because I said so.)

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Just an Astarion sketch page

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Saviour

Pages 3 & 4 of 6

(Previous update)

Thanks to my patrons for helping making this comic possible; Next update coming soon!

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A once-fine shirt

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Still very early in my Astarion romance; his passive comments just started getting sweeter. Just starting to get the feeling for his feelings for my Tav. More to come as I get farther in the game, I’m sure.

Astarion (mostly romantic) headcanons

*When you snuggle together at night, he doesn’t just put his arm around you. Astarion wraps his entire body around you.

*When you get into an actual relationship, it may not be sexual, but it does not lack intimacy. Astarion enjoys the little things like when you absentmindedly run your fingers through his curls as you snuggle.

*Once Astarion starts caring for you, he wants to protect you and will stay up watching you sleep even if it’s not his turn to keep watch.

*You and Astarion have a million running inside jokes even from the beginning. All you have to do is say one word and the other will burst out laughing.

*Astarion isn’t big on grand romantic gestures, but he is sentimental as hell.

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Some notes: sorry it’s long! Features Tav x Astarion. Only identifiable feature for Tav is that they are a good-aligned elf.

I had this story in mind before the challenge, so it fits a couple prompts. I’ll go with:

“Holiday Spirit”

Gale emerges from his tent with a red leather-bound book in hand. “Story time! Everyone gather around the fire!” Gale had taken to reading a bedtime story to any who wanted to listen. The story usually involved some heroic tale of adventurers or magicians of acclaim. But the air had started turning chillier over the last few weeks, indicating that Yule was near. “Tonight, I’m going to tell you the story of Santa Claus,” Gale says, sitting on a makeshift bench near the fire and cracking open the binding of his book.

Most of your companions grab a seat near the dying flames. Karlach brings her teddy Clive to listen from her lap. Wyll brings over the wine and goblets and starts to pour. Even Shadowheart, who wasn’t big on stories, finds herself taking a proffered goblet and a seat.

“Come snuggle, hon. I wanna hear this one,” you take Astarion by the hand and drag him over to the fire. Normally you’d use this time to sneak away from prying eyes for a more intimate encounter.

“If I must,” he replies with a sigh. He finds a seat and pulls you onto his lap. You did promise him a snuggle if he’d listen.

Gale tells his story of the jolly elf in red. “Hold up, Santa is an elf?! Like Astarion?!” Arabella exclaimed, incredulously after Gale finishes the tale.

“Well, he’s an elf, yes. But he’s not a vampire,” Gale explained. “He’s a happy, giving elf… like Tav.” You smile at being compared to Santa. You do try to be a compassionate person.

“And he brings presents?!?” Karlach exclaims, about to burst with excitement.

“If you’re good, Santa may bring you gifts on Christmas Eve,” Gale replies.

“Ha! That’s a load of hooey. Don’t bother, Karlach. There’s no such thing as Santa,” Astarion cackles.

Arabella’s lips turn down into a pout and Karlach covers Clive’s ears. “That’s not true, is it Tav? Santa is real, right?” Karlach asks, pleadingly.

You scowl at your vampire boyfriend as you stand up from his lap. “Why do you always have to do that, Astarion? Why can’t you just let them have some joy? What harm does it do to you?”

You move to comfort the tieflings and try to smooth things over. “He didn’t mean it. Of course there’s a Santa Claus… but not like in the story. Santa lives inside of you.”

“Like the tadpoles?” Karlach asks, concerned.

“No… it’s… it’s hard to explain,” you look to Gale for advice, but he shrugs. “I think it’s a discussion for another day. It’s time for everyone to turn in.”

Karlach walks off dejectedly with Arabella. The others busy themselves with clean up before turning in themselves.

“Tav, I’m sorry,” Astarion says quietly from behind you. You sigh in response and turn to face him.

“Sometimes you say things without thinking how they could hurt someone,” you reply. You’ve been together long enough that Astarion knows he’s disappointed you. His ears and shoulders droop in shame.

“I’ll make it up to them,” Astarion says, hoping this proclamation will make you less mad at him.

“Ok, Astarion,” you say walking off toward your own tent. Astarion knows this means that you’re really upset with him. He had better find a way to make things right with the tieflings if he wants your forgiveness.

“Shit.” Astarion throws his hands up in defeat. He is about to make his way to his own tent when he notices that Gale is still up, reading by the firelight. Then he got an idea.

“Gale, can you read that story to me again?” Astarion asks the wizard. “I need your help with something, but I need it to be perfect.”

***

The next few days come and go without incident. You and Astarion make up after much pleading on his part. The tieflings are still disappointed, but after all they’d been through, they were used to it. But, just to be safe, they were especially nice these days, putting in extra time at dinner prep and clean up time and asking the others if they need any help. Camp life was pleasant these days.

Before you know it, it is Christmas Eve. After a sumptuous feast and exchanging pleasantries with each other, a lull falls over camp. You see Arabella’s face scrunch up like she’s concentrating very hard on something.

“Does anyone else hear sleigh bells?” the small tiefling child asks. You listen hard and can, in fact, hear very faint sleigh bells in the distance. What a coincidence to hear that on Christmas Eve. You look around for the source when you notice the large white flakes falling from the sky. Snow? Here? Astarion should see this! Where did he get off to? You look around for your beau, but he’s nowhere to be found.

“Ho! Ho! Ho!” You hear someone call out from the edge of the forest. Karlach’s eyes grow wide at the sound.

“SANTA!! Arabella! It’s Santa!!” the fiery tiefling takes off running to the forest to find the source of the merriment, but quickly retreats back to the campfire after a quick look around. “I just caught a glimpse. Definitely a chubby elf!” she says upon her return. As she sits, big smile on her face, her eyes fall to two gifts that were not there when she ran off. “What’s that?” she asks, pointing at the wrapped packages.

“Hmm. This one is addressed to you. And this one is for Arabella,” Gale says, checking the tags on the packages.

The tieflings rip into their packages and pull out their prizes. Arabella places the new ribbon in her hair proudly. Karlach brandishes her new gloves for all to admire.

“You must have been very good to get gifts from Santa!” you say to the tieflings, shooting a wink at Gale.

“It wasn’t me,” Gale mouths, nodding at something behind you. You turn to see Astarion sauntering over. He puts his arm around you and pulls you toward him.

“You did this?” you ask the pale elf now in your embrace.

“Well, I had some help: a little minor illusion from our wizard friend for the bells and snow and expertise with a disguise kit from yours truly,” Astarion says, squeezing you tight. “And I apologize in advance. I had to stuff the belly with something, and you had such fluffy pillows. I suppose you can just share mine from now on,” Astarion says with a sly look.

You chuckle at Astarion, cocking an eyebrow. “Merry Christmas, Astarion.”

“Merry Christmas, Tav,” he says, pulling you in for a kiss.

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i nvr stood a chance

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He’s waiting

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BG3 Comic: An Unwelcome Surprise

(Be forewarned: Dark Urge Act 3 Spoilers. Post is tagged. Click “read more” for the full comic.)

I always find myself wondering about the side conversations that must happen between the other characters while your PC is busy talking to the plot point givers.

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Day 31

and I am done! OMG! Happy Halloween =D

Going on vacation starting tomorrow, yay! DA4 can wait till I come back...or maybe christmas sale?

One drawing a day for 31 days plus a commission and a couple of traditional sketches. if nothing else, my line quality improved visibly, go muscle memory =D

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Look Wyll, I want to like you, I really do. But that rat diet comment is a one-way ticket to being permanently benched.