#I also was in the middle of a Durge Astarion romance

[ethereal-occultist]

So excited to get BG3 again I can’t decide what campaign to run first

[rolanpilled]

BG3 Patch 5 Spoilers

WARNING: BG3 SPOILERS AHEAD!

New content from the ending scene of BG3. This is all from the perspective of a redeemed Dark Urge who romanced Shadowheart and Halsin, and recruited every "good" ally possible.

people at the party: all your companions, scratch, owlbear, volo, and a bard in the middle playing a song (his name is milil)

lae'zel is the only one who isn't here physically, she sent an astral projection instead because she's been busy fighting vlaakith

astarion explains why he ran away (ashamed) when the sunlight hit him, he's become a "hero" who adventures and has accepted himself

(romanced halsin) you can hug halsin, he's missed his friends and you. you can do both the hug and the kiss, it's really sweet. he's turned the shadowlands into a community, repursing reithwin and moonrise towers into homes for people

jaheira's daughter rejoined the flaming fist, she's been working on rebuilding the harper network. the upper city was entirely destroyed by the battle but has been mostly rebuilt. she jokes that you might be a parent soon

wyll gives you a choice between three stories, a stegosaur/dinosaur battle, an impossible lich, or a young dragon. he lost his warlock powers but has been managing the best he can, and has become a RANGER ("a true hunter of monsters"). duke ravengard is commanding the flaming fist and help rebuilding the city, and he's very proud of his son

minsc and boo guard the streets while jaheira is "occupied with harperish manners". they "went to give a tickle" to the zhentarim, then got locked up in a zhentish cell, awaiting execution? idk if i'm reading incorrectly but he seems to be implying that he actually GOT executed but withers brought him back just in time lmfao

gale has become "professor gale dekarios of blackstaff academy, educator of the esteemed school of illusion". tara is with him. he surrended the crown of karsus to mystra, who cured him of the orb in exchange (his tattoo is gone), though his students still think he's explosive (he implies that he uses it as a threat to keep his class under control). he tells his students about your adventures together. he also implies you're welcome to visit his tower

shadowheart (main romance) - the game told me that we settled down together to live a happy, peaceful life on a farm in the countryside. shar still hurts her (if parents are saved), especially when she can sense that SH is enjoying herself, but it's been getting less frequent because she's been "losing interest". there's a new hug and kiss scene for her too, so i'm assuming this is for ALL companions and not just halsin/SH/whoever

withers will speak to you about karlach, explaining that she won't be able to come back. he jokes about her, which is rare for him, and you're given to opportunity to grieve her loss. in "a dozen tendays" (assumedly how long bg3 is), "an entire life was lived, she lived several centuries" (not exact quote).

milil, the bard playing in the center, does NOT want to be there. he's pissed that no one recognizes him (he's pissed specifically that i'm a bard and don't recognize him), i had to pass a deception check to recognize him and he cheered up and offered to change the song he's playing

there's a chest called "Chest of Grateful Words" filled with letters from your allies!

"Official Guild Letter"

"Letter from Barcus"

"Letter from Art"

"Letter from Valeria"

"Letter from Ravengard"

"Letter from Sebastian"

"Letter from Florrick"

"Letter from the Gur" (unascended Astarion)

"Letter from Alfira" (durge, killed quil grootslang)

"Letter from Dammon"

"Letter from Elminster"

"Letter from Nocturne"

"Letter from Voss"

"Letter from Hope"

"Letter from Mayrina"

"Letter from Nine-Fingers"

"Letter from Zevlor"

"Harp-stamped Letter"

Baldur's Mouth Gazette

If you find anything interesting I missed, please let me know.

[y-rhywbeth2]

Been thinking about Durge romances and how much I love the companions. Many people love Astarion's response when Durge gets their "kill your lover in their sleep" scene and, fair, that was the point that I unfortunately began to genuinely love the pointy bastard. I do enjoy watching him sass Bhaal. Plus you being the only one he's not afraid of in the world and also "we can compare notes" because he recognises what's happening, yes, yes.

And additional honourable mentions to Lae'zel and Karlach:

Lae'zel threatening to bite you back and informing you that if you don't beat Bhaal you will be fighting her and that will be much worse, topped with the gem of "Not to be maudlin, but I'm glad I didn't gut you."

Karlach asking you not to bite her because trying to eat her flesh will hurt you. also she growls back at you. and asking what the fuck you're talking about when Durge goes into one of their, uh, poetic moods. And parallels: "It's bad. I won't say it isn't. But... I've done worse. Powers beyond our control picked us to do their dirty work - that isn't our fault." I mean Durge has absolutely done worse, but I concede the gist of your argument.

But my favourite variants are these three (in no particular order):

Shadowheart's "Hells, what I wouldn't give for a boring lover sometimes" shortly before scolding you - "no biting!" Bad hellspawn! Bad! Use your words! - It's the middle of the night, she's tired, and she expected something way more fun that this damnit. (also; "She was starting to trust you. The only one she ever has. Pity it's coming to an end." *screaming*)

Wyll reminds us he's the one with the high charisma stat in this party with his pep talks: "The coast would sooner be swallowed whole by the Sea of Swords [before I'd hate you]." - "Rise up, meet its gaze. Show it no fear, and grant it no mercy." - "You are a champion. If this foe demands blood, then tear off its limbs and let it drink its own!" Never been more revved up to punch Bhaal in the face, thank you. And Sceleritas directly compares himself to Mizora and aAhHHHhhhhh-!

And then there's Gale, who clearly has no idea what's happening or what do about it. Get it out of your system, he says, trying his best to be supportive. "This is not good, if I may state the obvious." - "No, no clotting. I like my blood flowing in my veins, thank you most kindly." He would prefer not to die, thank you. 10/10. Durge is way too distracted by this to listen to Bhaal right now.

[upwards-descent]

The humor of setting Gale up with a guy whose endgame is becoming a god but all Autumn does is serve as an example for why Gale absolutely should not ever fucking ascend to godhood

God, why am I already thinking about Durge Autumn and Gale

[alpaca-clouds]

Heteronormativity and (Fan)Fiction

Let me talk about something, that I am thinking a lot about right now. And that is heteronormativity and how fiction interacts with it - especially romantic fiction. Mostly, because I think there are a few parts that do not get spoken about quite as much as other things.

While reading some fanfictions - and some indie published smut - I did realize one thing: A lot of femdom straight romance actually feels a lot more queer than some fiction featuring gay romances. Doubly so when it comes to m/m fiction. Triply so m/m fiction written by women.

There has been a lot of talk within the queer community about heteronormativity and how it impacts us. Because, yes, a lot of us are drawn into comphet at some point, being pressured to get into a straight relationship to be "normal".

But it is of course something else, too.

See, while I was in the hospital earlier this year, I shared a room with an older gay man. An old, gay, white man, who was married to his partner. And obviously in his eyes, the queer rights movement had already reached everything that was to reach, because he could marry his partner - and was allowed to fuck around. And he did not quite see that the experience of him a cis, white man working in a business field that is fairly high regarded and somewhat well paid, was maybe not representative for everyone else.

And that is obviously the big thing here: White homosexual couples, who are at least middle class, and at least pass as having a monogamous relationship will be a lot easier accepted. This goes doubly so, when in their relationship they at least appear to pass for the "heterosexual roles". That is: A more male partner, and a more femine one. Be it the butch and femme lesbian couple, or the bear and twink gay couple.

This does reflect in fiction, too. And it leads to a lot of gay fiction kinda mirroring this.

Look, folks. I don't think there is a big issue in general with women writing m/m slash stuff. But I do think there is some issue when those m/m slash stories get written basically as a straight story with very clear straight roles. With one man being the clear "woman", who will more likely end up as the damsel in distress, who will more likely be the caring one, the one who might in a fantasy setting take up the healer role, and if there is sex will be the bottom. And mind you, will always be the bottom, because switches often do not exist in those stories.

Ironically this is a bit less common with femslash, which does feature a lot less butch/femme ships than one would assume. While yes, those do exist, there is way more femme/femme stuff around, though butch4butch exists as well.

Though this might also be based on the fact that femslash more often than not gets written by women as well - who might just project the kind of female character they identify with into their fiction.

Ironically - and here is where we loop back to the femdom - it even loops back into straight romantic fiction. Because yes, normally femdom romance fiction is very, very rare and often only get published indie.

It shows even stronger in fanfictions, though. Because in fanfiction we will see those rare examples were a male character might be a lot softer, feminine and submissive, will actually be once more pushed into the strong male role of the kinda toxic protector.

I noticed this a lot in terms of how Hector/Lenore is written in the fandom. Sure, there are some other femdom stories with them. But most of the time, Lenore just loops back to being the damsel, while Hector steps up to be the protector. Even though that is kinda the opposite of what we see in canon.

It also is the reason why I dislike seeing Astarion with female Tavs/Durges so much. Because Astarion is very much a twink and a bottom. He wants to be the one who gets protected by someone else and such things. But in a lot of m/f stuff I see with him, he just takes up once more just the classical male love interest role. Which I find boring.

And sure. Like, everyone can write what they can. I am not saying you can't. I will not read it, but it is totally fine for people to write it.

I just want to note that it is definitely rooted in patriarchal gender roles - and heteronormativity. And I find that really, really, really icky.

There is also the fact, again, that I am really not a big fan of the whome "Top and Bottom in male gay stories are permanently assigned roles, that do not only assign a sex position, but also a sort of pseudo-genderole". And yes, there are more than enough gays (especially those who self-identify as tops), who still want to cling to that idea. Because it is more in line with the rest of society. And because in their heads, too, there is this idea that the penetrated partner in sex should be more submissive.

It still gets to me that so much fiction and fanfiction keeps this kinda stuff up. I mean, queer stuff is the place to let go of patriarchal norms and genderroles and still, people... somehow don't?

The two ships where this irks me the most right now is Trevorcard (Trevor/Alucard) and Mizrox (Mizrak/Olrox) in Castlevania. Where most people just go: Trevor and Mizrak are the tops - and Alucards and Olrox are respectively the bottom.

And, let's face it. This originates that to a western eye Alucard and Olrox read more feminine due to their long hair.

Now, wihen it comes to Alucard I find it mostly annoying. But when it comes to Olrox? Well, I cannot help but think: "It's a bit racist, right?"

Because the fact is, that reading Olrox as "more feminine" because of his long hair is just pushing western ideas onto an indigenous character. But to him, of course, that long hair is a very masculine trait. So, yeah... I just cannot help but feel that folks really project a lot of shitty stuff onto a shipping.

In the end... I really just wished that fiction - original and fanfiction alike - would go more an explore genderoles and relationship dynamics outside of heteronormativity. Because this kinda stuff it shitty, and does a lot more harm than good.

[ryttu3k]

Posting a list of Astarion-related plotbunnies I'll probably never get to so I'm setting them loose upon the internet.

If you decide to write any of these please let me know, I'd love to read them <3

1) Cazador gets sick of waiting for Astarion, and also what fun is being the Vampire Ascendant if you don't have anyone to subjugate? As Dufay feared, he gets scarred and used in Astarion's place for the ritual, and Ascended Cazador shows up in the middle of a bright sunny day at the Elfsong to try and reclaim his errant spawn, easily overpowering basically everyone. Gale, who's in the midst of a sweet slowburn romance with Astarion, basically goes, okay, look, we're currently the only ones who have a hope to defeat the Netherbrain, and you won't be Vampire Ascendant for much longer if mind flayers take over Toril. Side with us against it, and we'll give you Astarion after.

He's lying through his teeth and is very quick to tell Astarion that as soon as Cazador leaves, because once he has the Crown of Karsus :) he'll be able to take Cazador out :) no problem :)

The real struggle isn't just fighting a desire for power, it's fighting against something that will permanently change him but also give him the best possible chance to save his lover, versus giving up that power and staying Gale Dekarios, not losing his identity, but also now having to fight the Vampire Ascendant without all that power...

2) Astarion stays in the Underdark to assist with the spawn, and ends up striking up a friendship with Gandrel, who wants Astarion's advice on how to raise his spawn daughters. Fluffy slow-burn romance with his former enemy ensues. Could tie in with this delightful epilogue detail.

3) Short version: Astarion tries to do A Scheme only it backfires due to the fact that he's starting to experience Emotions like 'self-worth'.

Longer version: Astarion sets out to deal with (read: seduce) Gortash - gives him Ketheric's stone, says the others have gone off to fight Orin and get [x] back, and it'll be easy enough to get Orin's stone from them once they've done the hard work, telling Gortash that the others lack ambition or have other plans. Lae'zel wants to give the Crown to Raphael to free Orpheus, Gale wants it for himself, etc. Only Astarion can see Gortash's point - that they can run the Absolute cult, they can use the stones. Gortash, Astarion, and a certain Bhaalspawn who Astarion is fairly certain would be amenable…

His actual plan is to seduce Gortash, kill him when he's not expecting it, and take the stone and return to the others, because he's good at seducing people for a purpose, so why not just do what he's best at? Except he's suddenly realising that, huh, he actually doesn't want to just… be used any more, he likes the person he's becoming with resist!Durge, and it all feels a bit… icky, now…

4) Astarion + trust issues + being touch-starved for non-intimate touch. Astarion gets some kind of back injury (thorns or little shards of glass or splinters or something, not something terribly lethal but just painful to deal with) and has to confide in someone (Halsin would be good here) and let them see and touch his scars to help get himself fixed up. Bit of whump, bit of hurt/comfort.

5) "Oh, I tried them all. None of them answered." Astarion has Issues with the gods. Gale catches him vandalising the Open Hand Temple / Stormshore Tabernacle, and they talk about gods and their fickle attentions.

6) Astarion can't swim. Karlach offers him and Shadowheart swimming lessons (and promptly goes heart-eyes a bit over her white-haired elven boyfriend and girlfriend).

7) AU where Ulder isn't a Complete Garbage Person who disowns his teenage son, and instead accepts and helps Wyll as much as he can. The Blade of Baldur's Gate instead focuses on helping his city, and it's time to do something about that creepy gothic monstrosity known as the Szarr Palace…

[bl3ss3dbyt1amat]

astarion shoots his shot way more than he ever needed to

somehow my game bugged out and astarion propositioned malas like five different times. an illustrated saga

first time: to my understanding this is the typical high approval proposition. malas confusedly accepted

second time: tiefling party, but for some reason i got the version that you get if you didnt already sleep with astarion?? malas was sort of baffled but also said yes.

third time: pretty sure you always get this one if youre romancing astarion in the underdark. malas felt bad so tried to like. delay the inevitable. my hc is he thought his bf was just. super horny for no reason

fourth time: this is the natural follow up to delaying things like malas did, as far as i did. have to appreciate how desperate this elf fucker was coming off tho

fifth time: I HAVE NO CLUE. for some reason NOW it decided to do the romanced version of the tiefling party scene. in the middle of the underdark. unprompted. like the night after he got rejected for a second time

thank you for coming on this journey with me and my sex indifferent durge and astarion. jesus fuck this guy is trying too hard

[all-pacas]

BG3 EPILOGUE STUFF

since i had a save from just before the final battle and, for one, had been dying for details all afternoon: this is from a game where i was durge and romanced astarion.

It's in the slightly random order of "who I happened to talk to in whatever order."

MINSC: Taking his job of "working with" the Guild seriously, and shows up to the party with a random thief he had been in the middle of dangling from a high tower. Says he visits Astarion a lot, but that Astarion keeps accidentally forgetting to tell him when he moves. You can ask him if there are others from the first Bhaal crisis left alive, because you're studying it.

OWLBEAR CUB: Been having fun fighting! You can suggest he settle down with Halsin or Shadowheart (I picked Halsin) and he's very excited.

SHADOWHEART: Says she's almost surprised you came; you can joke "what, just because I don't have a butler anymore?" and she says she was worried, but is glad to see that old memories haven't kept you away. She's found a little cottage in the country and is having a nice time living peacefully. Her parents are doing well, and her mother is teaching her to cook. She also has EVERY SINGLE pet she can find. Just gone from full goth princess to cottagecore.

You can tell her that you went Candlekeep to research Bhaalspawn history, and you agree you'll keep in more proactive touch.

JAHEIRA: The Bhaal temple is still standing, but she assures you it's empty, thanks to you. Jord has joined the Harpers, and Rion has rejoined the Flaming Fist, and is spending her time bullying them. Jaheira is mildly/proudly worried they'll kick her out. Again. She's wrangling Harpers and working to rebuilt Baldur's Gate. She asks if you plan on starting a family of your own, and you can tell her that you plan on letting Bhaal's line die with you.

VOLO: He's writing a tell-all, and says he's gotten very good at faking your signature for the disclosures. He wants to call it "The Hero and Me," and you can suggest "The Bhaalspawn 2." He doesn't think you should think of yourself as a mere sequel.

KARLACH: "I've missed you, you old Bhaalspawn. Oh - do you not want to me to call you the B-word any more?" You can joke that your "army" is bath salts and scented candles, tell her that everyone slips up from time to time, or brag about not thinking about it AND not killing anyone in six months. The answer I picked: "I see my blood not as a curse, but a duty. I have been studying Bhaal, so I can fight him, if his cult ever strikes again."

Karlach and Wyll have been having a lot of fun fighting and surviving hell. She feels a lot better, and tells you about their plan to heist a new heart for herself. You promise to meet up again.

WYLL: Mizora hasn't been bothering him much, sending him after legitimate demons and evils. She's set him on a new mission he doesn't know the details of, but apparently his target is a devil. He's happy to be traveling with Karlach. He's been able to visit Baldur's Gate and his father a few times, and dad's doing well, leading the city and rebuilding. No Bhaalspawn talk.

HALSIN: He's still hanging out in the former Shadowlands, and Moonrise has been torn down to make new houses. He gives you a wooden duck. No Bhaalspawn talk.

LAE'ZEL: Is just on her full YA Youth Hero phase. Has been fighting and leading and just being super cool, allying with the githzerai. She's currently a dipomat, and you can be like "lol, seriously?" She's amused and says you taught her that diplomacy and words are as sometimes as important as a blade. She's clearly joking around a bit (she calls herself bossy and that it's her charm), but as deadpan as ever.

GALE: HE'S A PROFESSOR, school of illusion. As a sorceror, you can say you're surprised he's only teaching one school, and he agrees and admits he offered to teach them all, before being told he had to pick one. He talks about how much he likes illusion and imagination, and so now I feel like I have to make him illusionist in my runs. He gave the Crown to Mystra, and feels great relief to have the Orb gone. He clearly really, really loves teaching and spends his time trying to make his students love magic as much as he does. He complains they sleep a lot, and Tara butts in to call them cheeky and offers to swipe them.

He asks what you're up to, and you can joke you're napping and thinking of becoming a massage therapist — he jokes that he's glad you found a new career, but maybe leave off your "neck snapping" past when meeting clients. Gale offers you a "guest lecturer" spot, and you can remark that "the healing of my cranial trauma would be a prime case study for the school of Evocation." Gale invites you to stay in his — SORRY, TARA, OUR — tower.

TARA: YOU CAN PSPSPSPSPSP TARA. She does not deign to respond. She asks if you're the one who helped Gale with the Absolute, and if you politely say that Gale helped you, she doubts it very much — obviously he's the hero. She then invites you to visit them, and if you accuse her of having no respect for the "co-savior of Faerun," she retorts that she's here, isn't she? Before dismissing you.

ASTARION: He's happy all your friends are well, but hesitates on joining the socializing himself, because he's just so good at "skulking." He says he doesn't want to hog you because he gets you all the time.

LETTERS: (This was not a 100% completion game.)

Art is rapidly declining, his age catching up to him. He doesn't have long to live, but is happy and content seeing the Shadowlands cured.

Duke Ravengard does not even mention Wyll in his letter.

Arabella is being trained by Elminster! Love that for her.

The Gur write their letter to Astarion specifically, saying they've been keeping an eye on him and admire his restraint and control over his bloodlust.

THERE'S A LETTER FROM ALFIRA ahaha. I did the Durge Savescum to save her, and her letter basically goes: Yeah, I heard you're a Bhaalspawn? I saw murder in your eyes whenever you looked at me, and I'm glad you're doing well, but I'm not going to tell you where I am now. Thank you for sparing me! Bye!

Barcus Wroot has the single most Barcus Wroot letter of all time. "Withers gave me this address and said I could consider writer. Well, I considered it. Return address included. Best, Barcus Wroot." I love him so much.

Dammon 100000% has a crush on Karlach. His letter is basically: "Are you still alive? I think of you all the time. Will you write to me? Yours faithfully." Omg.

Nocturne is in a new Sharran cloister, but she hopes Shadowheart is well and wonders if maybe one day she'll also be brave enough to leave.

ROLAN DID NOT WRITE ME, woowwwww

CONCLUSIONS:

Durge gets two threads: I am living in a spa, and I am spending my time researching Bhaal. Or maybe both!

Wyll and Karlach definitely seem to be hinting towards some kind of DLC, with Wyll's new devil target and the whole heist situation. Withers also has an unreadable note on his desk with Hints Of Important Things.

[crossdressingdeath]

Astarion: I should probably start getting used to the shadows again. Who knows how long I have left in the sun? Kyvir: You did the right thing, stopping the Black Mass. Astarion: I know. That doesn't mean it stings any less. Astarion: Maybe never seeing the sun again is just the price of freedom. Kyvir: I'll be with you either way. I hope you know that. Astarion: I think I do. Astarion: Assuming we survive, of course. Because a horrible death is always just around the corner with you. Astarion: There's... something I'd like to show you, if that's all right? Something out in the city. Kyvir: If you want to sneak off for a cuddle, you can just ask. Astarion: I'll try to restrain myself if you do. Shall we? Astarion: This way. It's not far.

It's okay! There are ways for vampires to walk in the sun! We're gonna find one of those for you and everything is going to be fine! Honestly given we see vampires hanging out in the tavern in the middle of the day even an umbrella would probably do a pretty good job at least as a stopgap.

Aside from the angst of Astarion having to begin coming to terms with the fact that by giving up on the ritual he's also cut himself off from that means of being able to walk in the sun this conversation is very cute, though. The way you can just immediately assure him that you're with him no matter what, even if it means you also have to give up on daylight for the foreseeable future, is so good. As is him believing that you do mean it and you will be there for him! Also "a horrible death is always just around the corner with you" is a little bit funny in a Durge run because. well. you're not wrong. It's a fair concern, given what daddy dearest thinks of Durge having a lover or just in general having positive, non-murderous feelings for anyone other than Bhaal himself or for anything other than mass slaughter. The lover of Bhaal's favourite kid is in an incredibly precarious position, we are well past "death is just around the corner".

Also obsessed with the repeated references to cuddling in Astarion's romance. I think at this point we can just declare it canon that they cuddle all the time. I think in the long rest scenes of you lying in bed Astarion should also be there if you're romancing him. ...Just in general I think it'd be cute if the love interest shared your bed in the long rest scenes, but Astarion and you all but explicitly cuddle all the time, so.

[ottertooferswriting]

BG3 NPC-Oc's

Something I haven't seen much of (if any) yet in the BG3 fandom is Oc's that aren't Tav's. There's so much love for some of the NPC's that we all wish we could romance, (I'm looking at you, Zevlor, Rolan, Dammon ect) and such a wide variety of side quests and little interactions you can do with the existing NPC's that it feels like almost every playthrough you discover one you didn't realize you Could do something with.

The sheer breadth of the game leaves plenty of wiggle room to just...add your own. Romanceable, potential new companion, a flesh out to an area you wished you could have done more with in one particular area of the map?

So....my question is what kind of NPC Oc would you all make?

Disclaimer: There's a healthy dose of indulgent creative liberty with my NPC's quest triggers\backstory think of it as a What If for the game not something meant to fully mesh 100%.

Here's mine:

Name: Micarbryn (Mica to friends\lovers) She\Her pronouns.

Seldarine Lolth Drow: Notable Features: Unusual eye color for Drow, Scarring across left side of face, partial left ear, artificer mobility aid covering left elbow down to fingertips disguised as a gauntlet. Age:300

Class: Artificer: Alchemist\Fighter: Psi Warrior Cross Class.

Romanceable\Companion addition: Yes: Poly Options with Halsin, Astarion, Shadowheart

(more details under cut now with added character pictures!)

Location in game: Underdark

Quest triggers: Freeing suspiciously intelligent runt phase spider from trap who offers to take you to "The Crafter" for a reward.

Stumbling on cache of coded paperwork in locked chest (pass an INT or WIS check to decode) that gives location of a safehouse "The Den".

Siding with the group of masked\disguised raiders that attack a Drow settlement to free a group of slaves.

Stage 2 (addition to camp) quest trigger: Coming back to the Den to trade only to find it raided, speaking with a survivor (or dead body) informs you that Mica was taken to Moonrise.

Freeing\Finding her along with the tiefling's and other captives at Moonrise offers a quest line depending on what kind of run your doing:

"Good" Run: Waking to find that she's snuck off in the middle of the night while still near to critically injured and Halsin has followed her.

Durge Run: Waking to find her hovering over you with her chains wrapped around your neck, (succeed on a STR or CHA check to convince her not to kill you)

Approval actions: Persuasion: using your charms to better your situation, Intimidation: dealing with upstarts or enemies, Deception: protecting your companions\allies, and Kindness choices, Ie: Helping the Mycanoids, Tieflings, Barcus Wroot, the deep Gnomes ect (you can ask for compensation but following through is key)

Disapproval actions: Unnecessary cruelty in dialog or actions, making promises you wont keep, choices that allow others to be exploited or their secrets outed.

Discoverable backstory:

Her family was secretly not affiliated with Lolth, their right of passage for its daughters on their coming of age birthday (100th) they have to find a good act to do to better the life of someone other Drow would deem lesser. Mica was on a trip with her mother to another city and saw a captive Halsin, turned to her mother and answered 'I know what I want for my birthday'. It then became her sole responsibility to make sure he was freed without it tracing back to her family as a test of her skills. 

Family’s fall from grace and her subsequent journey to becoming a sort of Robin Hood meets Powerloader (my hero) meets Captain Amelia (treasure planet) happens roughly fifty years after she freed him (In "Good Run" Durge style run is a different timeline with other...options >:3) next time she sees Halsin is in Moonrise.

Did a quick creation of an approximation of her current age of 300 and what she looked like when she would have first met Halsin at 100. And also have a spotify playlist

That's it for now, I may do some fic snippets of her, maybe look for some art....

[babygurltash]

OC Name Meaning

Hi, I'm about two weeks late to this - thanks so much for the tag, @sillyliterature! :D

Rules: google and post the meaning of your OC'S name (if you made their name up or they go by a nickname, post an explanation of how it came to you)! bonus if you can find something for their last name too.

I'll do my BG3 Tavs (+ my Durge) and also some of my Shepards! <33

Laurel: My first, and main, Tav!! They're a Seldarine drow warlock with the Folk Hero background (I went in blind and didn't realize Wyll has the same class & background, oops). They've always tried really hard to forge relationships with all kinds of people to 'prove' that not all drow are evil and/or Lolth worshippers. Since their mom raised them to be a selfless hero who would improve public perception of drow like she does, they were named after the crown of leaves that would be given to heroes and victors in our world... which has been a heavy burden to bear. In meeting Lae'zel, they learned that it's completely possible to not care what others think of you or how you 'represent your race' - and it's taught them to be themself, instead of some ideal of a 'perfect' drow.

Estelle: My tiefling sorcerer that I made specifically to romance Astarion with! Estelle was born to a tiefling general and a marid (evil water devil). Their mother, the general, wanted a child who would have strong powers and an even stronger mind - that's how she chose Estelle's father. However, Estelle had a soft heart and no mind for strategy. Their parents abandoned them on the streets as a result. This made Estelle grow angry and cold, and they vowed to tap into their own strength, join the army, and get revenge on the parents who saw them as worthless. The Nautiloid got them before they ever made it off the streets though. I borrowed their name from a character I love in Arslan Senki - she disguises herself as a boy to join the army and fight for what she believes in, so I thought it was fitting.

Tharien: My sister told me she had a dream where I made a D&D character and called him Tharien, so I made a BG3 character with that name, hahaha. He's my little murder freak who's going to destroy the grove and romance Minthara!

Valiska: My first, and so far only, Durge. I really wanted to play with the contrast between the monstrous and the beautiful, so I chose a race that's seen as monstrous (half-orc) and gave her soft, beautiful hair. She's also a bard because she wants to add loveliness to the world, and hates the violence within her very much. 'Valiska' as a name kind of just came to me, I think it rolls off the tongue nicely and thought it suited her appearance somehow.

Seren: The githyanki cleric I made for my co-op pt with my bf! They're a cleric of Tyr with a strong moral code that leaves little room for subtlety or nuance. I named them after a character I like (again), this time from Magi: Princess Serendine. Magi's Serendine is brave and stubborn, and she learns that the country she believed in so strongly is actually rotten on the inside. I wanted my Seren to go through a similar arc, and they share a lot of Magi's Seren's traits, so I found the name very fitting.

Aria: My first Shepard!! I once again went in blind - imagine my surprise when I got to ME2 and met Aria T'Loak...

Aria Shepard is Earthborn, and was found on the steps of an orphanage in the middle of an opera performance at the nearby theater. Her caretakers heard the music and named her accordingly. She's always shut away the more poetic, soft side of herself in order to survive her harsh realities. That changes when she meets Thane, who draws out her most vulnerable self almost without trying. I'm still in the middle of writing a long (very long) fic about her and Thane that I'm hoping to maybe start publishing soon.

Ares: A renegade Shepard is something that can actually be so personal, as I learned when I made Ares. She's a tough career soldier who's wholly dedicated to the Alliance and its ideals, so ME2 has been a fun ride so far. I wanted her name to be equally tough and not too feminine, because she's nonbinary. When the idea hit me to name her after the god of war, I couldn't stop thinking about it until I sat down and completed her character creation.

Tobi: The Shepard I made so I could finally romance Tali! Tobi is a Colonist who has spent years hiding behind false identities. When the Batarians came and took his family, he ran until his legs gave out and his cousin Tobias had to carry him to safety. Tobias was then caught and killed. The incident shook Tobi up so badly that he kind of lost his sense of self, and instead took on Tobias' name and identity. He joined the Alliance under that false name, two years too young to be legally allowed to do so. Hackett figures out what happened eventually, but by that point, Tobi Shepard is an indispensible part of the military and is already of age. No one's called Tobi by his given name since his family died, and he prefers to keep it that way... though he's told Tali his story in private.

No-pressure tagging: @megatraven @aevallare @choccy-zefirka @jotarowan and anyone else who feels like it, feel free to say I tagged you!!

[jellymellydraws]

WIP from Chapter 08 of I've Got You

Pairing: Astarion x Durge Rating: M (could go to Explicit later) Tags: graphic depictions of violence/gore, slow burn romance, there will also be angst.

Snippet Text

Like a fish swimming in the Chionthar, her movements were fluid. Natural. A druid was grabbed, her blade slit his throat, not a sound could be made. Her work had only begun. With each slice, each neck, another druid fell until the glow stopped. Her and Astarion met in the middle. She couldn’t see him, but she hoped he was returning the grin that was plastered on her face. “Having fun?” he purred, draping an arm around her shoulders and guiding her through the darkness. “Can’t a lady mix business and pleasure?” She joked. “I suppose she can.”

[dragonagechaos]

Also while I'm in the middle of mass updating this blog, here are my current Baldur's Gate 3 Tavs! Brief descriptions for them (with some minor romance related spoilers):

Zarya Dekarios (completed playthrough)- Asmodeus Tiefling, Tempest Domain Cleric of Selune. Romanced Gale...duh

Damien (Currently in the beginning of Act 2)-Half Drow Durge, Fiend patron Warlock Pact of the Chain/Oath of Vengeance Paladin. Romancing Astarion.

Thalia (currently in the middle of act 1)- Wood elf (I headcanon her as being half high elf, half wood elf though), Beastmaster Ranger/Assassin Rogue. Romancing Shadowheart (and eventually Halsin as well)

Truth (just started act 1)- Mephistopheles Tiefling, Storm Sorcerer/Arcana Domain Cleric of Mystra (for now...). Romancing Gale

[lunarreverb]

Funny thing happened with Astarion today while playing my Durge

She’s a sugar sweet Resist Durge, and trying to romance Gale, so I haven’t had Astarion in my party as regularly. SO, I had him swapped in for a minute today, when I remembered I had been meaning to make him read The Necromancy of Thay before I forgot about it again.

He whips out the book and passes all his saving throws (the last one with a crit!). I decided to talk to him right after to see if he had anything to say about the book, and THAT’S when he decided to start flirting with my Durge. What incredible timing, apparently the evil necromancy book puts him in a certain frame of mind…

ALSO ALSO, I hadn’t paid it much mind before, because when HAVEN’T I wanted to flirt with Astarion? But, apparently if you pick “Leave” in the middle of that dialogue he says “What? Was it something I said?” Lol, lmao

[monsterlimbs]

Really funny how easy characters fall in love with your Tav/durge, even if they're absolutely batshit crazy

Mordriel's first redeemed route went really well, he romanced Gale this time to give Astarion a break from his 8 int shenanigans and somehow he had Gale and Wyll at exceptional approval in act 1?? He got his redemption arc in late act 2, in act 1 he was acting like regular. And I don't know if anyone knows this but Mordriel is NOT a good person lol. Not sure how he got both of the good guys into him but okay. Lae'zel is also into him like usual, Astarion propositioned him twice, etc etc. I don't know how Mordriel is so popular. He threatens random people by saying he'll eat them if they don't give him access to an area, constantly whispers "all is ash and meat" under his breath, laughs when he's in the middle of killing someone in combat, and would happily torture a guy if need be. Or fuck it, if it was just generally offered as a possibility.

His redeeming quality is that he respects boundaries (I quickly haste to point out he respects his illithid ally's boundaries, because in his mind, he has to be around them anyways why not let them keep their secrets? But if someone outside of his group tries to hide secrets from him, he will resort to violence to get those secrets). That's. That's it. Every in camp is so starved for love (I don't even mean romantic, just love in general) and any kind of connection that when they tell Mordriel they don't want to talk about something and he goes "okay" they're immediately in love. Like please PLEASE go to the therapy. Especially for Wyll to be so in love w him in act 1??? VERY surprising.

[vorestarr]

I mostly agree with this but I have some other thoughts to add and hope that's okay.

I've played tav friend, tav romance, and durge romance with Astarion now and I think I have to disagree that it's a power imbalance with Tav. (I mean, maybe it is because the player character is inherently more powerful than anyone else in the game, but that's not what I or you mean by power imbalance, I think.)

I think with Tav, Astarion is imbalanced because he doesn't know what to expect or how to ground himself. For all the reasons you listed, I agree. I just don't see it as a power thing. I see it as an Astarion trying to figure out how to orient himself and adapt to this new life, and it's so different from what he's known for 200 years that he has trouble doing it or even conceptualizing what he should do. How does he relate to someone like Tav? What does Tav want from him or the relationship? How does Astarion even go about figuring that out when the only ways he's had to relate to others in 200 years have been, what they were?

Compared to Durge, who is a cruel murderer with a voice in their head urging them to do more terrible things, and wow Astarion can relate to that a lot. He isn't phased at all when you wake him in the middle of the night to tell him you have an uncontrollable urge to murder him. He jokes about it the next day and reiterates that HE is not going ANYWHERE and you are going to get through this TOGETHER.

Which sounds remarkably like a lot of what Tav can say to Astarion during that romance.

Meanwhile, I think Tav has the potential to have that experience from the other direction. For example, if you go the typical tell the truth route at the carnival that all the other romanced companions like, Astarion HATES that. A lot of romantic-sounding choices (in the context of playing a video game romance, I mean), Astarion also hates. And part of his romance in act 1 I think is figuring out where he's coming from and what's important to him so you can relate to him better. I think that's what Astarion is doing as well, he just has a lot more to overcome there compared to Tav.

So I don't think this is a power imbalance per se, I think this is a clashing of experience and expectations. You're right Astarion doesn't know how to be in a romantic relationship and if it weren't for the player, he wouldn't pursue that on his own. But I also think that he does know exactly what would've helped him, what does help him, what he would've wanted when he was/is struggling, and he shows you that in the Durge route.

And so I think to me this feels more like, with Tav, not only does he have to learn how to be in a romantic relationship, but he also has to learn all of these other rules for engagement with people and society to feel accepted. With Durge, he just has to learn the romance thing, because Durge knows exactly what it's like to struggle with being a terrible person. He doesn't have to wonder why someone like Durge likes him -- they're similar in too many ways.

I present to you: at no point in the game is Astarion actually ready for a romantic relationship

Tav is the first person he drank from

The first person he has consensual sex with after 200 years

And he says to them: no one is like you. You're YOU

He genuinely believes that Tav is the *only* person who would be this way, even if it isn't true. He does fall in love with you, he does want you, but I present to you the idea that if things hadn't gone down EXACTLY as they had, Astarion NEVER would have initiated a partnership/romantic relationship for YEARS after escaping Cazador for good.

The man is coded for survival, for self-preservation, and is inherently selfish by nature. It is only because Tav gives selflessly and determinedly reinforces wanting to be with him that he caves in and allows it, but if you try to leave he's thrilled. This is for the best he says, you don't deserve this facade from me he says.

"I don't know how to be with someone even if I want to. I want this to be real but I don't know what real is. I need to not have sex right now"

In act 2, if you break up with him, he agrees with you. He thinks it's the right thing for you because hes not ready. He won't say this unless you initiate a break up but how could he possibly let go of the best thing that's happened to him in his entire undead life? He wouldn't toss out the treasure of you even if he didn't feel ready.

It really does take a patient, calm, supportive Tav to get him in the end, and he DOES want you, I'm not arguing that

I'm arguing that that man is not ready for a committed relationship, doesn't know what a healthy relationship looks like, and in an ideal situation if he thought he had time and options in his life and if he felt safe he would have focused 100% on himself first for a VERY long time.

The tadpoles, the adventure, the pressures of the battles, the fighting the revenge the ascension and the ritual he has to fight or succumb to the fact that the sunlight is gonna nerf him again- all of this contributes to the perfect scene where Tav gets him right "out the gate", first by being a mark and a target and then by simply *not breaking it off with him*

And yes he's in love to the best of his ability to know what love is at this point

And yes he wants you very much

But the man is going through the biggest whiplash of his life and I can say with confidence that he's not... *Ready*. And after all is said and done, Tav will have to continue to be patient with many things with him. There are still a lot of hurdles. He may be with them for a long time before he wakes up one day and realizes, really really realizes, that he's ready.

The power dynamics are off, they're imbalanced. How could he say no to a perfect mark that gives him everything ? Blood, sex, waits when sex is off the table, never breaks up with him never leaves no matter how he rails against them? He can't. He won't, and he doesn't want to, but that doesnt make him emotionally ready for what a genuine relationship is.

He has to learn it, with you, over time, but I don't think he'd jump into learning that and going for it and seeing it as worth it if the situation were in any way different

Without the perfect storm of events, I don't see Astarion jumping into "commited relationship" to be clear, I'm not saying that he isn't capable of feelings or doesn't want tav it's just

It doesn't *seem* to match his character or his struggles to me. For a man that is completely self serving, he accidentally catches feels and then doesn't have the strength to cut you loose even though his act 2 confession is practically him asking you to leave him. If you take the Araj route in particular, he VERY plainly lays his shitty behaviour on the table as if daring you to punish him for it... Or maybe just expecting.

In his spontaneous scene it's softer, it's I love you but I don't know how to do this. And still if you say "I don't think you're ready to be in a relationship" he immediately agrees. In act 3, if you've stuck to him the whole time like glue, he never wants to let you go. Again, I think this level of connection is impossibly rare and everything had to happen as it did to get you there, but the power balance is off still. He says partner, equal, and he wants that. And he WILL get there

But he not only has to struggle with his past, his issues, his trauma, he has to struggle with the power imabalance that you're his Savior. YOU defeated Cazador. YOU protected him in camp and didn't stake him on sight. YOU fed him from thinking creatures for the first time. YOU are one of "a very few select people" who have had sex with him and not been slaughtered immediately afterwards.

You're everything to him

And by the end of the game you already see him trying to shift that power imabalance because HE SEES IT. If you say you'll protect him he WINCES and disagrees, he doesn't want that. He doesn't want to be below you, but he sees himself that way anyway. And to me, that's the sign that he wasn't ready, he still isn't ready,

But he will be, one day. And I think that makes it a better written romance than thousands I've read, because it's not perfect. There's grey areas. There's things that can make you uncomfortable. There's parts of it that aren't healthy and won't be for a while. Who knows how long until he feels like he's your equal? Until he feels like this relationship is something he ever would have chosen if things were different?

But he does choose you. He does. He wants you. He'd just never have gotten the chance to if it hadn't been "right place right time" imho