#I'm with Korilla on this one

[infernalwraths]

Made House of Hope themed Valentine’s cards for your loved ones—where nothing can possibly go wrong!

[headgear-smelvin-fart]

bullying him

[chimkennuggies]

Ok but HEAR ME OUT (delusional)

Again with the rarepair bs (it also started as a joke)

But like-

They actually match each other's freak‼️‼️

This one doesn't have any context though, they just look good together ig

ANYWAY

ORIN WITH A TOOTH GAP💥💥💥

[meanbossart]

Seeing as how you can trip and end up in someone's gooch early in the game, would DUDrow be down for any one night stands with anyone? If so, who? Or if not, why not? (Prelocking in with Astarion)

Also I'm finally getting along in the game and it's kind of a shame DUDrow ended up killing Lae'zel, I feel like they'd end up having a lot in common in the Reject Bhaal/Reject Vlaakith timeline

Hmmmm nobody in the party is really his type EXCEPT for Astarion and Shadowheart, and he's a pretty superficial man when it comes to this kind of thing. I think if Astarion was unavailable, he might try his luck with Shar's favorite princess, but based on her in-game interactions I'm guessing she would turn him down, or stop things before they went too far. Jaheira would be a strong contender if he was single all the way into act 3, though something tells me she might not be so keen to humor him either - flattered, maybe, and I bet she would humor his flirting, but that's about it.

Everyone else flies completely over his radar. Karlach is too butch and rowdy. Lae'zel is too stiff and gruff. Wyll drives him up the wall in all of the wrong ways. Halsin, too big and hairy. Gale is as attractive as a slice of stale white bread in his eyes. I know Mizora is down (and he does find Mizora VERY attractive) but boy would he be disappointed by the whole hells tour sexcapade.

And Indeed, I very much doubt Lae'zel and DU drow would have ever become friends, but they would have been very amused by each other in the least given enough time.

Korilla could also get it but he will never admit it.

[cambion-companion]

Tail Talk

Based on this anon ask:

I would love to see more smut with raphael and a Tiefling tav- Some tail to tail action !! And stuff involving horns..

AND inspired by the art piece where the Tiefling OC has a "heart tail" position around Rolan because I love the idea of Tieflings having tail language.

Especially if our Tiefling Tav is unaware they're doing it.

Raphael x gn!reader

Your tail flicked like an agitated cat. "I'm working on it, Korilla. I was close to success when you whisked me back here." You gestured to the familiar lavish dining hall, the grand fireplace crackling behind where you stood upon the marble floor.

"Our master wishes to speak with you." Korilla raised a preemptive hand to ward off your questions. "Don't ask me why, you know how he is."

"Hmm." You did indeed. You had been his warlock for a shorter time than Korilla, yet his theatrical and often contradictory nature still kept you on your toes.

"And do try to keep that tail of yours in check this time, yes?" Korilla gave you her trademark smirk. "I think he's beginning to notice."

"Notice what?" You were quite puzzled but the Dwarven woman just waved you off and sauntered back to the archive, leaving you alone to wait. "Notice what?" You asked a little louder at the empty doorway she'd disappeared through.

"Hells it's hot." You tugged at the collar of your shirt uncomfortably, familiar with the stifling heat, yet never as comfortable as you were in biting cold climates.

"Indeed." Raphael's voice made you turn, his leathery wings and red skin glowing in the flame light. "This is hell, my dear."

Your tail immediately stilled from its nervous swishing, the blood rushing to your cheeks as it always did when he caught you by surprise.

"I asked you to have an update on your progress." Raphael cocked an eyebrow as he slowly circled around you. He clasped his hands behind his back, observing your comparatively diminutive form. "Two months ago. Perhaps I've been too lenient with you."

"No." You quickly protested.

"I am not one to coddle my servants." Raphael looked you up and down and smiled, looking for all the world like the cat who got the cream.

"No, I know." You said, wanting to turn to face him but hearing the edge in his pleasant tone. "I was almost there when Korilla-"

Your words broke off in a short gasp as you felt a large hand press hot against the small of your back. Raphael leaned over your shoulder, his breath tickling your ear. "Your words paint an idyllic picture, yet the rest of you is quite beyond your control. Is that not so?"

Genuinely confused, you furrowed your brows, your heart hammering in your chest. "I don't know what you mean."

Raphael chuckled and the sound alone sent a shock of feeling to your core. "You truly aren't aware." He slowly withdrew and circled back around until you were chest to chest. "For such a precocious flower, I expected more."

His glowing eyes roved your puzzled expression, self-satisfaction practically oozing from him. His long devil's tail whipped around and tangled with yours. You let out a small squeak of surprise.

"Your tail, my dear." Raphael explained, his tail continuing to twist and pull with your own. "It betrays you."

With a wave of his hand, a large standing mirror was conjured beside you, the reflection of the hearth fire nearly blinding you for a moment. His tail trailed down your leg to wrap around your ankle and Raphael gestured broadly for you to look at yourself. He watched you closely as you turned your face to the shining mirror.

"Oh." You said, your cheeks burning.

"Eloquent as ever." Raphael sounded amused, though something simmered below the surface.

Your tail had been curving in the shape of half a heart, slightly raised at the base in a universal signal of wishing to mate. You quickly let it fall to a normal position, unwilling to look back at your master.

Long fingers tucked beneath your chin and coaxed your face back to his. Raphael's tail slithered slowly up to your thigh, you thought for a moment you were going to succumb to the heat and faint, but his fingers beneath your jaw grounded you.

"I do not mind." Once sure you would not turn away, Raphael released you. "For the present, we have other matters to attend to. Do not think I will forget this revelation, however."

[bitethedevil]

So what is up with Korilla? Is she a voluntary servant of Raphael's or involuntary [due to him having her sister]? If you catch Korilla spying on you & manage to speak to her, she sounds brainwashed. What is it R wants from the two sisters?

Hope and Korrilla

I'm so glad you asked! Because I now have a little theory on it. I've started reading Brimstone Angels by Erin M. Evans (who is also a former editor for Wizards of the Coast) because it was recommended to me by @hellish-kiss (thank you <3). I'm only on the first book. I like it so far and there is a bunch of devil and cambion stuff in there.

In her books, cambions and devils have a tendency to collect 'sets' of warlocks. It's focused a lot on bloodlines, so a devil would collect warlocks of interesting bloodlines or siblings, and it's this huge thing in the books.

It made me wonder if that could be the thing with Hope and Korrilla. They could be the descendants of someone interesting, or it could just be that Raphael wants to have both of them because they are siblings.

Raphael is obviously more obsessed with Hope, but I think he might have hoped (ha-ha) from the start to get both of them. In a way it makes perfect sense. It's easier to control people when one of their family members might be in trouble too if you rebel against them.

Also...

Hope is a life domain cleric. The obvious deity would be Moradin, who is a lawful good god of dwaves, but we aren't really told. Keep that in mind for now.

Korrilla says that she had an "old dwarven master" who "beat her and fed her scraps" and then follows that up with "better to feast in the Hells than go begging to the Heavens".

Interestingly, it's said that Moradin's clerics are drawn from family lines, which mean that both Korrilla and Hope might have been Moradin clerics before. He is also described as such:

"He was gruff, stern and virtually incapable of compromise, tirelessly and unflinchingly defending his people, their values, and his principles of good and law. While a good heart was necessary for his acceptance, only quality results earned his approval."

What if Moradin is who Korrilla refers to as her old master? He does sound like someone who really demands a lot from his clerics, and Korrilla might've never been enough for him, which would make one bitter and start looking elsewhere. It would also further make her unable to understand why her sister won't give in, because she sees it as hopeless because Moradin doesn't do shit for them (and can't do shit when they are both in the Hells), but Raphael does.

I think Korrilla really does like working for Raphael, and from Raphael's point of view, they are both the perfect targets. Because clerics of Moradin is a bloodline thing, Korrilla and Hope might have been groomed from the start of their lives to follow a someone who is hard to please and gives little in return, and people like that make excellent employees. Not to mention the irony of Hope's name and the fact that he gets to corrupt two clerics. Win-win-win.

Korrilla might sound brainwashed, but if you have gone your entire life and "begged for scraps in the Heavens", the alternative that Raphael has given them is a hundred times better, because he does actually give her something. Even Raphael says somewhere in one of his books that he has barely ever been forced to punish Korrilla because she is just a model warlock and good at listening.

(Thank you for the ask <3 And good timing. I actually wanted to make a post about this eventually.)

[littlewingedlady]

Raphael x Tav x Haarlep brain dump!

So.. I've seen others write about Dad!Raphael on here, which encouraged me to write this. This idea is slightly based on other fanfics i've read, which led me into this whole fantasy in my head for a while. I just HAD to get this off my mind because it's been eating at me. This is totally self-indulgent, delusional, and a little all over the place. so pls bear with me here.

Okay sooo I know Raphael being a father isn't a new concept on here, and neither is Haarlep. However...

What IF Tav is "married" (like bound) to Raphael, buut is actually very deeply in love with Haarlep and Haarlep having mutual feelings (withoutever admitting it other than through their actions towards Tav)? But she can't tell Raphael obviously because he'd be extremely jealous and take his rage out on both Haarlep and Tav... Raphael would allow Haarlep to sleep with Tav only for his own benefits. I think Raphael would know deep down that something was going on between them, but wouldn't bother addressing it unless he felt they were getting a little "too close" and forgetting their "place."

SO that part being said! There comes a time when Raphael The ArchDevil Supreme! wants to have an heir! And when the time comes for his child to be born, it is a feral tiefling (i just imagine his tiefling child to have wings!). Raphael is proud to have an heir but isn't very involved with the babe and continues to stay focused in his ArchDevil work.. Until the child is near the age of 6, that's when he starts indoctrinating them in the laws of hell. I can see him being hard on his child only because he wants the best for them and wants them to follow in his footsteps so they can one day stand by his side with pride.

While the child is young, Raphael would be absent a lot due to his work, so that would mean Haarlep gets more alone time with Tav... I don't think Haarlep would care much for the kid when their first born. Mostly due to jealousy and their own nature. While a certain Devil is gone, Tav and Haarlep become more deeply involved with each other, thus sort of making them a little family when Raph isn't around.... Tav would eventually fall pregnant by none other than your favorite incubus! (oops). Tav and Haarlep would be shocked and terrified to find out the news, afraid of Raph's reaction to this.

(This is also the part where i'm not sure how this would even work out with the way that Raphael is.. But Hey! these things dont always have to make sense, right?)

Let's just say Raphael finds out, and he's obviously not happy, but Tav pleads with him not to get rid of their baby. Since he does care for Tav (in his own way ofc) he lets it be. He would be extremely bitter at first, but i also think that he would mostly get over it through time. I think he would be frustrated and annoyed when seeing Haarlep's child prance around HIS house. This child would eventually get on his nerves by causing chaos in his own home and distracting his own child from their work.

I would think that the half siblings would only be 5 or 6 years apart. Raph's child is obviously the more serious and uptight older sibling while Haar's child is the more chaotic and immature younger sibling. (I like to imagine that they are both girls. Seeing them as sisters just makes sense to me.)

i can totally see Haar's kid getting her sister into trouble by somehow convincing her to "relax and do something fun." They'd get caught by Raph or Korilla for doing something stupid or for running a muck in the HOH. Raph would definitely have a breaking point and snap one day. Yelling at both of them, but mostly his own child for being influenced into misbehaving and being distracted from her studies. He would also get onto Haarlep and Tav for not properly disciplining their child.

The sisters would often argue the older they got. Haar's kid would definitely pick on her older sister because she's bored. Raph's kid would have absolutely none of it. Thus causing fights between them.

This is all I've got for now. Please feel free to add any commentary to this! I would love for someone to add to this LOL.

[thoselittleboats]

Raphael + MTG Cards

(With exception of Raphael, Master of the House and Korilla, the cards are based on preexisting ones. If you're curious I included them below)

Raphael, Fiendish Savior is his official card

Raphael's Final Act = Kardur's Vicious Return

Infernal Contract = Demonic Pact

Doomed, Detected, and Caught = Blazing Hope

I'm a longtime MTG fan and felt like playing again after finishing BG3! I made these for fun. If you play MTG Arena too, feel free to reach out!

[angellayercake]

Distilled Liquor

Raphael x female tav

Warnings: body shots, nudity, teasing

You forget whose idea it was to celebrate your birthday here at Sharess's Caress of all places but once the drinks had started flowing, paying a visit to your favourite devil had seemed a grand idea. 

'He rented a room upstairs in the hopes that you would drop by,' Korilla had said when you had run into her and hadn't that little seed of information taken root in your mind. You had already been to see him, just about business of course, but finding yourself back here again you couldn't stop your mind wondering. Before you knew it you were outside his rented door. You stared into your own eyes as you hesitated, the plaque was polished to a mirror shine. There was enough alcohol flowing through you that you are struggling to focus your vision but without it you would not have been there. The warm mead and rich wine lending you the liquid courage needed to confront the disarmingly attractive devil you knew was waiting inside.

Your hand was poised to knock on the door but it swung open before you had the chance and he was there leaning against the door frame, perfectly posed to affect his indifferent amusement at your presence and yet you know it is an act. You would tease him but as you slowly blink at him in surprise you find yourself speechless. His thick doublet is gone leaving him in only his mostly undone undershirt and you can't stop your eyes from raking over his exposed chest. 

'I thought I heard a little mouse dithering at my door,' he said but you could hear the smug smirk in his voice even as your eyes were occupied elsewhere. 'And what has brought you here I wonder? I hope you are not here to attempt to renegotiate. I've already been much too generous with you I fear.' Your mind slowly catches up with the currently one-sided conversation and you manage to drag your eyes from where his golden brown body hair disappears underneath those few inches of buttoned shirt.

'It's my birthday,' you blurt out, regretting it immediately as he arches one of his perfect brows in surprise or mirth you can't quite tell. He regards you for a moment too long with his sultry half lidded gaze, his amber eyes burning like a hastily downed shot of whiskey. You shouldn't have come up here it was a terrible idea and you need to come up with something quickly. 

'We are drinking downstairs. Wine. If you wanted to join. For my birthday,' You want to bang your head against the door frame, but manage to refrain to save whatever face you might have left. He looks genuinely surprised for a moment, not quite quick enough to school his expression. But as quickly as you notice it passes returning to his usual smug indifference. 

'I would, of course, but I prefer liquor to wine I'm afraid,' he steps back from the doorway and as the alcohol had brought you high enough to even risk extending this offer it brings you falling rapidly down at his rejection. You take a deep breath as you try to school yourself, accept it gracefully and make your escape when he continues. 'And I prefer it served in a quivering belly button, distilled in fear,' he pauses, ensuring he has your full attention. 'and arousal.' You swallow thickly trying to wrestle your wayward feelings under control after the whiplash they had just received. Because this, well it sounds very much like a proposition. 

'Not really appropriate for a public tavern, even in an establishment such as this.' He continues, sauntering deeper into the room leaving you poised at the threshold, unsure of your welcome. The room feels vast as you wait impatiently for him to make his point.  

'However I happen to have a bottle of whiskey here just waiting to be drunk and if a willing vessel was to present themselves to me? I might find myself of a mind to indulge.' He gestures to the bottle on his desk, leaning back against it. He crosses his arms and watches you as his carefully chosen words sink in. With an aborted step you cross the threshold and you can almost see the fire ignite in his eyes, though his expression stays neutral. He steps aside as you approach, gesturing to the almost empty desk where you perch awkwardly waiting for him to make his move. With a click of his fingers your clothes are gone and you shiver slightly at your sudden nudity even as the firelight paints your skin with its glow. His gaze feels like a caress as he takes all of you in and despite your self consciousness you begin to almost preen under his attentions. He doesn't touch you though, not yet. Picking up the bottle he uncorks it slowly, his large hands easing the cork from the neck before coming closer and holding the bottle to your chest.

'Sit up for me slightly, yes that's it,' he directs as you settle back on to your elbows creating a perfect reservoir for the liquor to collect at the end of the journey down your torso leaving a sticky trail in its wake. His eyes lock with yours as he leans over you to enjoy his drink. Your muscles start to shake as you try to hold perfectly still and you can't hide the gasp when his mouth finally touches you. His lips seal over your navel sucking the amber liquid before chasing the errant drops that slide down your waist. His eyes slide closed as a moan of pleasure rumbles through his chest and you hope it was inspired more by the taste of your skin than the whiskey. 

He pours another shot this time holding your gaze as he chases the rivulets between the valley of your breasts and over your twitching stomach until he can lap at his prize. Your laboured breathing had spilled more drops than the first pour which he carefully collects, dispensing with the pretence of licking up the liquid and instead trailing wet open mouthed kisses across your skin. You feel almost feverish as you watch him move closer and closer to where you truly crave his touch but he stops short leaving you gasping in frustration from your anticipated pleasure. Though you shouldn't be surprised he wants to drag this out as long as possible. 

He had spoken of wanting to hear you beg and while you had managed to secure his help without stooping to such measures you have no doubt that he would have you begging for something before the night was over. Another moan slips out of him as he sucks the last drops from your belly button before standing. His long fingers trail the edge of the desk until he is directly behind you, smoothing up your arms until they rest gently on your shoulders. 

'When you have seen a thousand, birthdays really mean very little.' His voice makes you squirm as you feel his breath ghosting against your ear. 'But you mortals do love your trifles.' Turning your head you find yourself nose to nose with him, close enough to taste his whiskey warmed breath. The tension feels crushing as you wait for him to close the distance between you. You let your eyes drop closed, unable to look at him as you wait.

'Many happy returns little mouse,' he whispers against your lips but without coming any closer he snaps his fingers and you are clothed once more. You blink in confusion as your body begins to adjust to the sudden shift in tension and then he is seated by the fire once more reviewing scrolls like you had never knocked on his door.

'Your friends will be missing you. Best not keep them waiting.' It's a clear dismissal and leaves your head spinning. Arousal swirls in your stomach alongside the drink as you dizzily stumble to the door. Pausing as you reach the handle you turn back to look at him and catch him watching you. 

'You know where to find me, little mouse.' He speaks low, his deep voice barely carrying across the room. 'Whether you wanted to share another drink,' he pauses, not allowing you to escape the suspense even now. 'Or something a little more, titillating.' As you catch his meaning you can't control the shiver of anticopation that runs through you. He was playing a game with you but he was helping you decide your next move and you weren't going to waste it. With a brief nod of acknowledgement you slip out of the door, closing it softly behind you. Next time.

[sky-kiss]

At this point I'm gonna need to make a binder/scrapbook with your fics and little stickers of Raphael, Joi and heart shapes.

May I please request a bathing drabble? Maybe with Tav and Raph in his Devil's Den room and he takes a bath not caring if she joins. And she does join and omg wait that feels nice Tav, what else those hands do?

Okay sorry I'm done. Enjoy writing the Geralt bath scene with RaphxTav!

In truth, he ought to have returned to the House of Hope hours prior. The debtors have had free reign of the place for the past fortnight, overseen only by Korilla on her occasional return and Haarlep more frequently.

If he's being honest, the prospect is horrifying. And yet, despite the existential dread that stems from his incubus dictating the new status quo in his Home, Raphael lingers on the prime material plane. His centuries of living fade, leaving him grappling with a near-boyish excitement. All his years of planning and expectation are coming to a close. Tav and her friends will deliver the crown. He will assume his place as the rightful ruler of the hells, an archdevil in truth. Everything will be as it should, and the anticipation chases a thrill down his spine. 

So, he lingers in the Devil’s Den, surrounded by his mortal trinkets and silence. The contract is not signed, not yet, but that will change shortly. And he has a moment to simply exist. He cannot remember the last time he indulged. More than a century, at least. 

The devil lounges in his pool, head tipped back against the side. Rose petals float on the surface of the overheated water, already in the process of wilting. They are lovely little things, scenting the air so sweetly, fading like the mortal lives that cross his threshold. He finds it a pretty analogy, poetically suited for his situation. Raphael closes his eyes. The images that greet him are pleasing for the first time in so long. He imagines Tav, a flush in her cheeks, dipping her head in deference as she offers the crown. He imagines his Lord Father, falling to one knee before him. Mephistopheles will admit he was wrong in his estimations, so wrong; his son has become so much more than his blood might have entailed. 

He’s so lost in the fantasy that he doesn’t hear her enter. Unlike the other suites, the door to the Den is always unlocked. His wards threaded through the door, the flooring, and every inch of the building, and so he’s never felt the need. It's the true duality of a devil: ever cautious and never willing to turn away potential business.

Tav clears her throat. If she expects some sort of embarrassment at his nudity, she’s picked the wrong devil. He cracks one open to spare her a look and then shuts it. Raphael feels her gaze sweep over him, lingering on the expanse of his chest and his thighs. 

“Yes?” he drags the word out. 

To his surprise, his mouse does not recoil or flee in the face of his nudity. Tav crouches near the pool's edge, reaches out, and smooths a wet string of hair away from his forehead. Her nails tickled across his skin, bordering on gentle. “It appears I’m intruding.” 

“Oh, my dear. You could never.” The devil grins. Raphael plucks a scarlet-colored washcloth from a bowl of scented water and holds it out to her. “Come. Make yourself useful.” 

Her lips curl in that delicious way, a touch of defiance but never enough. She crouches by the edge, fingers curling around his wrist instead of taking the cloth. “I wanted to discuss business.” 

“And I am more than amiable. But…” he indicates his state of undress. “Needs/must. Let this be a compromise. Business and pleasure.” It’s the second word chasing a poorly hidden shiver through her. Tav purses her lips. She takes the rag and tips his head back. Raphael clucks his tongue. “No, no, none of that prudery. It shall go far more pleasantly for both of us if only,” he snaps his fingers. It’s an admittedly dirty trick, toeing the line of outright manipulation, but the cambion has always been a bold player in the great game. He doesn’t strip her nude; that would be cheating. Instead, he trades her pragmatic leathers for a gauzy little number. Entirely sheer when it hits the water, but semantics are everything in his line of work. She’s still clothed. 

And she fits so sweetly between his spread legs. Tav blinks at him, disoriented at the shift in positioning and temperature. Ever selfish, he traces the elegant line of her neck. “There,” he purrs. “Isn’t this preferable, mouse?” 

“Ass.” The hint of color is too high in her cheeks to blame the water. 

He chuckles, drumming a lazy beat against her shoulder. “Language. If you don’t watch that tongue, I’ll find another use for it.” Her eyes flare. She is a delightful little creature, his Tav. Raphael dips her hand in the water before moving it to his chest. “Now. The matter at hand. Speak as you work.” 

She watches the rag's path across his skin, water sluicing down the exposed muscle. He’s softer in this body than his true form, a man securely in his middle-age, but he’s taken great pains to balance age and beauty. Muscle remains, though less defined, and the smattering of hair across his chest is more pronounced. Tav’s free hand comes up, pressing her palm flat against his sternum. She curls her fingers in the hair and presses them flat again. 

Raphael arches a brow. “Your business, dear. Unless you’d prefer to table it?” 

“Apologies. I…” Tav shakes her head. The fabric of her new gown drifts on the water; quite an angelic image, if he does so say, quite lovely. She steps closer. Bold or stupid, she considers their positioning a moment longer before seating herself on his right thigh. “The contract. I said I’d consider it and I have.” 

She says this while sliding her hand back into his hair, nails scraping over his scalp, tugging lightly. It feels better than he wants to admit. “And have you reached a decision?” 

“I have.” He can hear the damnable little creature's pleasure. Nails skate down his neck, over his shoulders, back down to his heart, and then the circuit repeats. She scrubs at a nonexistent smear of dirt on his bicep. “I do believe we’ll find our own way through. No deal.” 

“What!?” 

Tav laughs. She hooks an arm around his neck to keep him from dislodging her from her seat when he stands. She holds up a placating hand. “Teasing! I’m teasing! You said we were friends now? And friends…” She chews her lower lip. He has half a mind to drag her back to the house and toss her to the jailor. She pushes his chest, leads him into a seated position, and resumes her task. “It’s becoming increasingly obvious I can’t trust the Emperor.”

“Yes. Any idiot might have seen as much.” 

“Don’t be prickly, devil. I’m on your side.” Tav sighs. “I’ll sign the contract. Better the devil you know and all that.” 

“How rarely forward thinking of you, pet.” She makes a face. One that says she intends to argue. Raphael cuts her off in the simplest way. He traces her lower lip with his thumb, heated from the water. Her tongue flicks out instinctually, just a little thing, to taste his skin. “We’ll celebrate this illustrious partnership, mouse. But first…finish your task.” 

[not-poignant]

Raphael has a very poetic and grandiose way of speaking that is absolutely not the norm for day-to-day life. How do you get in the mindset to come up with his dialogues? They're perfection and I just can't even imagine how long it would take to do one paragraph of the way he talks, but you're writing an entire story with him...

Oh I love this question because I can answer it, lol sadlkjfsda

Okay so, Raphael's character is tough for me.

Normally I do a lot of dialogue research before starting to write a character in fanfiction and original fiction, but Raphael actually gets proportionately very few lines that really show his full emotional range (compared to say, Astarion), and he's got an incredibly specific way of talking that sounds similar to Astarion but at the same time is very different.

They share enough similarities (calling people darling and dear for example) that it's easy to fall into the trap of giving them the same 'voice.'

I find Astarion's voice a lot easier to 'get' and I feel like I can hear him better when I'm writing him. But Raphael I'm taking into emotional spaces we simply never see in the game, and then I have to really guess how he'd sound (like coming up with the idea that the theatricality vanishes when Raphael is genuinely panicking).

I ended up listening to a lot of interviews with Andrew Wincott, the Voice Actor for Raphael who is an incredible actor and extremely articulate. He was very clear in one of his interviews that one of the reasons he was selected to play Raphael was because, in part, he already sounded like him. Obviously there's differences / skill in changing cadence and more, but for the most part, Andrew Wincott uses similar vocabulary and talks in a similar manner to Raphael naturally, so I had an abundance of interviews that I could then listen to in order to get a feel for Raphael's voice. I picked the things that felt more 'Raphael' and added them to my dialogue notes.

I often have to go back and edit Raphael's dialogue. Sometimes it's very simple things, I had him say 'much more' in the chapter I'm editing right now, and I edited it to 'far more' because I think he'd just phrase it like that. Sometimes I expand a sentence into an entire paragraph.

I've also leaned a lot from Korilla's transcripts in the game, which have been super useful. They really cement, more than anything, how much he loves lullabies, nursery rhymes, children's tales and more.

HOW TO DO DIALOGUE RESEARCH:-

If you're new to dialogue research, it mostly involves listening to - and watching a character and then literally taking notes of how they talk. The things you observe are:

The tone of their voice - Fast or slow. Loud or soft. Musical or flat. Theatrical or matter-of-fact. High or low. Questioning or complete statements. Considered or hedging (i.e. very well constructed sentences, or a lot of pauses, ellipses, broken sentences). Rambling or concise.

How often they talk - Some characters actually say a lot with very little. Raphael is actually a lot of observation and facial expressions and eyebrow movements in between his dialogue. Little smirks, hand gestures and more. Do they interrupt or let people finish their sentences? Are they comfortable with silence? I find Raphael oscillates between long theatrical paragraphs, single sentences or words, and then a lot of silence. He's actually not very conversational, in that you can have a conversation with him, but I doubt he'd see the point of two hours of small-talk. (At this point you might be realising that dialogue research is also character research, how a character talks tells you so much about a character.)

The words (and metaphors/subjects) they use - This is a big one and I'm going to break this down a little bit more:

How they pause if they don't know what to say. Is it 'um' 'uh' 'ah' 'hm' 'mm' 'mn' or nothing at all (or something else) because they've mastered self-control over their dialogue? If Raphael says 'ah' he does so on purpose.

Filler words. Things like characters saying 'like' in a sentence. 'He was like, 'I can't believe it'' etc. This is very similar to how they pause, but it's the things people say to get from point A to point B. People who don't do this have often had training or think very hard about what they're going to say before they say it. But people say 'like' or 'and then' or 'well' or 'i realised that' or 'i thought that' etc. to carry them on. Some are more acceptable than others (people do just have realisations for example).

Profanity. How often do they swear, and how intentional is it? Some characters only swear when they get hurt or stub their toe or get angry. Some characters swear all the time for fun. Some characters only use some swear words and not others. Be specific. Be aware that some swear words are cultural! This includes blasphemy. In Faerun they use 'gods' and 'gods damn it' more often than we use 'god' or 'oh my god.'

Vulgarity. This is useful for Raphael (and Astarion) because he's very happy to be vulgar. This is like... how comfortable are they talking about sex, about sexual subjects, being crude, being seductive, flirtatious? And if they use it, do they use vulgarity to shock, seduce, scare, threaten, or for humour?

Salutations and farewells. How do they greet people? Silence? A calm hello? (A lot of greetings are omitted in dialogue but this is still good to know). How do they say hello, goodbye. How does that change between friends and enemies and strangers?

Single word sentences. This might sound weird, but sometimes when a character hears something that shocks them, or needs to acknowledge something, they may say anything from 'huh' to 'yeah' to 'fuck' to 'okay' to 'all right' to 'sure' to 'go on' to 'indeed' to just laughing out loud. The list goes on. Raphael is team 'indeed' lmao.

Sentence structure. Raphael's sentence structure is - when he's most comfortable - gently provoking, teasing, vaguely threatening, and makes liberal use of simile, metaphor, fairy tale, rhyme, sayings, colloquialisms and more. Raphael talks like someone who knows someone could quote him at any moment lmao. But from here, how a character structures their sentences can be helpful to know. Go back to 'the tone of their voice.' Those notes will give you an idea of structure.

Emotionality. How emotional are they? Do they have rage rants? Joyful giggling dialogue? Do they infodump with little emotion? Or with sheer excitement? Does their dialogue feel fake or real? Opaque or transparent? Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves, and others will never be able to say 'I love you' in anything other than actions. Raphael's emotionality in dialogue is more present in his anger and irritation, and also when he feels triumphant and/or turned on.

The symbols, sayings, colloquialisms and metaphors themselves. Not all characters use these. But some people/characters will talk through analogies, colloquialisms. This is actually Raphael's biggest dialogue departure from Astarion, imho, aside from the fact that Astarion is a lot more emotional with his dialogue.

Take into account their culture, ethnicity, conceits, upbringing, education and the people they're close to:

This one is vital. Firstly, some people tend to 'absorb' elements of those around them. A person raised by affluent people will often 'sound affluent' and a person raised in poverty will often have dialogue that reflects this and if they don't there will be reasons for that. It might be a conceit (some people self-teach themselves different accents), it might be education, it might be training, it might be the subculture/s they've entered into, and so on.

~

When doing this research, you'll end up with a kind of master-list of actual words and probably some sentences you've written down, along with a lot of notes. You can also do this for any original characters you're making at all, you're just then making it up based on the character, and this research will also give in many ways the shape of the character.

It's a fun exercise and I highly recommend everyone tries it literally for people who don't exist and also observe your friends and family, and do a dialogue cheat sheet for some of them. It's pretty eye-opening! Even one page will teach you more than nothing at all. You can go deep and write many pages, or you can do what I do and keep it lean at 2 pages. Anyone who struggles with characterisation I suggest at least try this exercise, because anyone can put on a YouTube video and/or streaming service or even a favourite Tiktoker and start doing dialogue research! It's a way of building a character from the top down while also getting information about their foundations.

[tyran-the-tyranical]

That one line from Raphael's Second Diary will never cease to get me 🥺 LIKE MIGHT I ADD- these are his private thoughts, separate from his manipulation attempts and so he, with his full chest, admits so much in his second diary, like when he says "never have I been so attracted to mortals as I am to those infested by the tadpole." AHH, (my delusions are so real, trust)

BUT WHEN HE SAYS "They gestured to the melting hooks, suddenly glanced my way, and in their face I saw they had the best of me." look, I get the subtext behind all these quotes, but a girl can just ignore all that media literacy and take it for face value, OK? 💅 but also reading into it, he does admire Tav to a certain extent, and I have to wonder, why? Tav isn't an origin character and Tav's actions and character basically changes with every playthrough (Same with Durge, as they can change too) So I have to wonder if it's because Tav is controlled by the player, since, Raphael does end up breaking the fourth wall in his epilogue speech, so perhaps that's what he sees.

Another way to look at it is, either way, no matter what the playthrough, he sees something in Tav, something that makes them stand out much brighter than their companions (For some reason???)

To further that statement, what is the best of Raphael? I mean, if its an evil playthrough, that would be obvious, but if you're playing a good playthrough, what then? perhaps what he sees is someone he can finally use to get the crown, that's also very likely. Still though that's a very to the point (IMO) not as interesting of a reading since it's literally just his end goal for us, BUT STILL A VALID ONE, because, it is true, that's what he wants from us the most.

Also his third diary where he just straight up admits that he's being so honest with us so he can manipulate us, love that for him, "I am master here. A prince of bargains cloaked like scarlet satin. All that hidden under sublimely obvious truths that cannot be discounted." Which also makes me wonder, is Raphael actually an honest person? I mean, Korilla thinks he's at least decent, but honest? outside of helping us, if we look at Yurgir, he really fucked him over lol. Obviously, Raphael isn't what he seems, even if he's honest with us, to what extent? he says it himself, he's honest about "...sublimely obvious truths..." but what about when he says he's grown quite fond of us in his own way, HMMMM?

I wish this man got a proper story arc in the game, outside of the whole deal for the hammer and House of Hope, that's all plot related for the hammer, but a storyline about Raphael as a character? I mean yea, maybe that would whisk away some of his mystery, his intrigue, but I'm sorry- you cant just end it with him fucking himself (poorly) and trying to break Hope (making her a metaphorical symbol of hope anyway, I think....) AND LEAVE IT THERE?!?!? at the same time, I do like the ambiguity of his character, you could think of him as a cruel bastard after seeing what he's done in the House Of Hope to his debtors and Hope herself or perhaps just a Pathetic lil guy who's shit in bed lol, or maybe even soft, if you go off Korillas words and what he does for us in game he can come across as quite nice, especially after we've interacted with Mizora who's is the only other Cambion example we can go off of.

I also just think it's interesting that he sees anything in Tav/Durge at all. Ofc he says he sees the best of him (Always gotta relate back to himself lol) but that especially a mortal is what he could see himself, the best of himself, but then again he does see potential and ambition as admirable (?) or just something he appreciates, you can see that with Mol and Gortash to some extent anyway, But what ambitions does Tav have outside of just trying to survive? Like, the obvious answer is he wants us to give him the crown and we're the underdog in the story but then why does he refer to Tav so differently then? I fear this has turned into another rant again, lol.

Just a final thought here, but, if he did ever get a story arc, similar to the companions, would they give you multiple directions to take his character? i mean with Shadowheart for example, you could help her break from shar or have her fully convert into shars chosen, but even then, if you free her from shar theres the point of saving her family or freeing her from Shars (curse?) there's multiple ways for her story to end. Though, Raphael isnt a companion, so would he have something similar to idk a minor companion like Halsin or Minthara, who don't really have that much of a diversion (I think) in their endings, they don't really have the option, only really if the player decides to be evil or not, they kinda just follow them either way, it doesn't really impact their own stories. Obviously, I would prefer something with nuance but also, HE ISN'T A COMPANION 😭 and pressingly some of the companions need more work done than he does atm lol. Maybe that's me just projecting lol, once again, me wanting to have my cake and eat it too, anyway, that's me done... for now lol

[yandere-sins]

Ummm... Not a smutty thought, but I was having a thought and I'd like our resident yandere enthusiast's opinion. You know Raphael (BG3)? Well, a huge chunk of the fandom is obsessed with him and I know many people who want to jump his bones. The only issue with that is... he's only attracted to himself. So, you know, I guess I am asking what you think it would be like if Raphael really did get interested in Tav/Durge? Does he try to change them? Does he mansplain and manipulate his way into making himself sound reasonable? How does the savior of the city even react to their very powerful, very creeping admire?

As someone who is, in fact, obsessed with Raphael (he's probably my favorite character, and yes, my taste is that bad, and I am choosing him over Halsin, I'm so sorry ;;), I can only tell you that even in my daydreams with him, I agree that it's probably not 'love' what he harbors for someone else but merely 'interest'. But people have married for less, so why worry, lol. All he wants his object of interest to be is... interesting. That's what we can give him! xD (And yes, I do believe I can fix him, but if we're talking Yandere!Raphael, even I give up, lol)

Also, I am one chapter into a Yandere!Raphael story, and I had to ask myself these questions, too, so you came to the right place >:3

After establishing my credentials, here is what I was going off on as to how Raphael could even be seen getting a darling:

Raphael isn't above chasing someone. Not necessarily for very long, but he does make quite a few attempts before sending you to hell (hehe). That is if you are interesting enough to chase. So you need to have something that will keep him holding onto wanting to chase you, be it strength, power, or my personal favorite (and yes, my delulu is that this is one of the reasons he is so interested in the Tav), no interest in him. And he has Korilla stalk Tav; let's never forget that. So, he can be interested in someone and make them majorly uncomfortable while at it.

As narcissistic as he is, he likes it when you do what he says. I am sure he's not above wanting to be admired(considering he admires himself so much and what his goals are). He's all about someone raving about how amazing he is, and if they prove to be useful, then their soul is twice as valuable to have. There is value in raising and shaping the object you desire into what you want them to be, even if it takes some effort. (The same could be said about Mizora if I think about it...)

Strictly speaking, Raphael has someone akin to a darling: Hope. And he clearly is amused by and keeps tormenting her. I am not usually one to encourage more than one darling, but I am willing to forgo Hope's darling status and say she'd be an excellent support to a darling because she's so optimistic still? Despite the torture, she seemed pretty courageous. She could influence the darling, which, in turn, makes them more interesting again. The principle is: He did it once, nothing is stopping him from doing it again. And clearly, he can be interested in people other than himself. (Not to say that his darling will always have his full attention all the time only on them, but I do see that he'd have a good reason to come back to the House of Hope to check on them because the thought of them lures him back.)

(There are surely more reasons I came up with, but it's been almost three months since I wrote my story, so I honestly can't remember lol...)

As to what he'd do with them... it depends on what the backstory is like. What he wants from his darling and how his darling reacts depends greatly on the situation. There is always the good ol' "boredom" excuse but in such a big world with so many possibilities there can always be a good reason how he comes into possession of his darling and why he keeps them.

In most cases, I think he'd try to break them, use them for his own means, manipulate them into turning away from what they've known/loved and towards worshipping him, or simply want to see their suffering. It's a matter of what kind of interest he has in the darling.

In some research I did (and sorry, I cannot find the source, and it might be wrong since I'm not really into the DnD lore that much), I read that even if cambions are raised only with the "good" parent, they'd still be evil by nature. So yeah. Maybe he just enjoys watching his darling's dreams and hopes be shattered continuously and watching them slowly crawl back to his feet, asking for forgiveness even if they'll try refusing him again the next day. Or maybe he wants them to make a contract with him by all means necessary.

Overall, it's a big game for him. It's fun. Watching you lose the light in your eyes or cave in and do as he says no matter how degrading it is. Raphael just wants to control you and have his way exactly how he wants it, but he doesn't mind breaking down your resistance piece by piece over a certain amount of time until he has you exactly where he wants you to be and how he wants you to be. It makes things more interesting and you more valuable. And the more you struggle, the better, so do your worst.

Hope I could answer some questions! Many of them depended on the scenario we're working with, but I hope you got the gist! I'm so feral normal about Raphael, but I hope I didn't ramble too much, lol.

[strandsofgold]

You asked for short blurbs! Here are your blurbs!

-Tav hates the wine that Raphael picked for their dinner/date

-The Crown of Karsus doesn't fit between Raphael's horns

-Raphael receives a human heart as a valentine from Tav

Thank you for the prompts @punderdome! I absolutely adore the heart one, and since I'm in no way equipped to write anything even slightly funny (which I think the other two prompts definitely require), I've gone with that one. Hope you enjoy it <3

A gift

The heart is rather mundane. Dull. A fixture both in hell and his house.

Still. It is pretty, all flushed and strong—still beating in his clawed hand, no doubt through magic.

A gift.

That is what Korilla called it. From the hero of Baldur's Gate. His little mouse.

Raphael brings it to his mouth and does what he does best. He consumes. Devours. Teeth dig into the epicardium, through the thick myocardium until they pierce the endocardium, all as blood spills out and over his lips, down his chin—scarlet and bright and fresh.

He moans at the taste. His teeth and tongue works at the organ until every bit has been chewed and swallowed. He can picture it, a warm corpse staining Tav's hands just as he has stained her soul. It only makes him savour it more.

A single, unbidden thought worms its way into his mind—obnoxious and intrusive. Unbecoming.

If only it was hers.

One day, he tells himself. He will not be denied.

[unreadpoppy]

An heir is born

Raphael x Gwen

The sequel to this.

A/N: Not my best but today was bad brain day, so i'm glad i was able to finish it. Finally, actual, dad!phael.

tags: @bg3fan

Someone had smacked Raphael on the chest while he was asleep.

Hard.

He sat in a hurry, looking around the room, worried that someone might have entered and tried to attack him.  

Instead, when he turned his face, Gwen was standing next to him, holding her belly. 

“What happened?” He asked, a frown on his face. He covered her hand with his. 

“The water broke…” She whispered. 

In the months leading to the delivery, Raphael had spared some time to read upon childbearing, including labor. Although he knew that any child he produced would be a tiefling, a very small part of him still worried that they would come out as he did - murdering their mother. 

And so he was ready for this moment. Raphael quickly stood up and called Korilla. 

“Yes, master?” She asked in a tired voice. 

“Go call the midwife.” The warlock nodded and left. Raphael held one of his wife’s hand and placed the other on her back. Together, they walked out of the room, and slowly went to Gwen’s old chambers. 

“Remind me why you can’t just snap us away?” She asked, hissing. 

“Walking will help put the child in the right position.” 

“Hmpf.” Was all she could reply. Eventually, they arrived in the room, and he helped Gwen sit down on a rocking chair. 

They stayed there in silence, the only sound in the room being Gwen's breathing. Raphael paced around, not sure what to do with himself. 

“Are you alright?” Gwen asked. 

“I should be the one asking you that.” He replied. She chuckled.

“I’m managing, but your pacing around is making me nervous.” Raphael walked towards her and she held one of his hands, and kissed his fingers. “Everything will go well, my love.”

“I know.” He sighed. He didn’t want to worry or care about this as much as he did, but the thought of either of them dying put some fear into him. 

Raphael was taken out of his thoughts by the arrival of Korilla, alongside the midwife. The woman was also an old dwarf and she had brought along her assistant, an elven maiden. 

The women explained how things would go on from now and politely asked Raphael to leave. 

“No.” He said. 

“Sir, please understand that it would be better if you stayed outside.” The elf tried to reason. Raphael took a step back and placed a hand on Gwendolyn’s shoulder. Before he could rebuke, she spoke up.

“I think they’re right, Raphael.” 

“What?” 

“Look, things are going to get messy, and we all know how you don’t like chaos. Besides, I don’t want you hovering around these ladies and trying to bark orders at them if anything went slightly wrong.” She told him. 

“Are you sure?”

Gwen nodded. “I promise they’ll call you as soon as the baby arrives.”  He sighed but obliged. 

Raphael waited outside, to what felt like hours. He even had time to change his clothes. As he heard the screaming from inside, he couldn’t help but want to barge in and see whatever the hell was going on. But, alas, he remained outside. 

After only the gods knew how long, the screaming stopped and the door opened. The elf smiled at him. “Come in.” 

He walked past her, looked at Gwendolyn. She was still sitting on the rocking chair, though by the look of where the blood was, she had not given birth there. Her purple hair clung to her sweaty forehead. In her arms, she held the babe, who was wrapped in cloth. She gave the child a tired smile. 

Raphael walked towards them. “It’s a girl.” She said, in a raspy voice. Gwen raised her arms towards him, and he was able to take a better look. 

The girl’s skin seemed to lean more on Gwen’s color, pink. She didn’t have much hair, so they would have to wait to figure out the color. He could see two small stumps on her forehead, that one day would grow into proper horns. She was asleep, so later he would figure out the color of her eyes. 

With a careful finger, he gently rubbed her cheek. “Have you thought of a name?” He asked Gwen. They had discussed names previously but hadn’t arrived at a conclusion. 

She nodded. “I think… something to homage my mother, without giving her the same name. Maybe…Natahlia.” She paused for a moment. “I know it’s very human sounding but-”

Raphael interrupted her. “If that is what you wish, then Natahlia it is.” 

…

It was late at night. Gwen had finally put Natahlia to sleep. The two weeks since her birth, the girl had been very vocal. Because of his duties as Archdevil Supreme, he hadn’t had the opportunity to spend as much time with his newborn, which caused a conflict between him and his wife, who was stressed from taking care of the child. 

Due to that, when Natahlia suddenly began crying, Raphael told Gwen to stay in bed while he walked towards the crib. 

Now that it had been some time since she was born, some of her features were slightly different. For once, her skin had darkened to a more red, raspberry color. She was a big baby, with chubby cheeks, but he could already tell she had his nose. The small tuft of hair she had was a dark shade of purple. 

He picked her up, shushing her. She kicked her little legs, still crying as he rocked her up and down. 

“Shh…you have to go back to sleep, little lady, before your mother awakens again.” He whispered to her. “You have a grand legacy to carry on, my heir. But do not fret, under my guidance, you’ll do great things.” 

She began to calm down, looking at him with big eyes, which were both blue, the same shade as the one blue eye Gwen had. Most lords would have preferred a boy, but he had secretly wished she’d be a girl, one that would be as beautiful as her mother. 

He smirked and began to lower her back on the crib. Once he fully settled her down, she started to cry again. Raphael sighed and gently rocked the crib. 

“Maybe you’ll prefer a song.” He said, putting a finger on her wet cheek. “How was that one your mother sang?”

He thought for a moment, remembering the lyrics and began. The lullaby had been originally written in infernal, which was how he sang it, but the translation to common was this: 

The carnation fought the rose 

Underneath a balcony 

The carnation left hurt and the rose shattered 

The carnation got sick, and the rose visited him

The carnation fainted and the rose started to cry 

It was not one he particularly enjoyed much, but it got the job done, and soon, Natahlia was fast asleep again. As he looked at her belly gently raising and falling, he couldn’t help but genuinely smile. His legacy would live on.

[rinwellisathing]

Orphanage AU-

Trans masc! Astarion

Bloodpact

Wyll and Astarion are also wards of Raphael's at his 'House of Hope' for wayward boys.

Content warning for abuse, threats of SA, and misgendering.

Astarion wrinkled his nose and took a step back, tensing as he found his path blocked by the wall of the dormitory, the older drow boy looming over him with a cruel smirk and a hungry look in his eyes.

"Didn't think they let girlies stay at places like this. Too dangerous for your precious virtue." He licked his lips, violet eyes narrowing as he looked the younger high elf over.

"Ha! Please, you're deluded if you think anyone in this place has their 'virtue'intact." Astarion scoffed, rolling his eyes. He ignored what the older boy had called him, best to avoid a fight he probably couldn't win, the boy was bigger and from what he'd gleaned in his time here, half crazy.

"Still like as any to be a tight little thing, small as you are." The drow growled, one hand moving to Astarion's throat. The younger elf instinctively shoved the bigger drow. Purely reflex, the memories of life with 'Papa Cazador'before he'd run off too present in his mind to stop and think.

"Don't touch me." Astarion frowned, glaring up at the drow. Shit, what he'd give for even just a sharp piece of wood or a broken bit of glass right now.

"You're a mouthy little bitch!" The drow crowed. "I like that."

"Seems like the feeling isn't mutual, though." A confident, calm voice broke the tension. Both Elves looked to see who had come in and watched as a human teen with warm brown eyes and an even smile placed some freshly folded linens on a nearby table before approaching. "Maybe you should see to your chores rather than terrorizing the others, Jackal."

"Fuck off, you little ponce. This is a private conversation." The drow growled, rounding on the human.

"In the middle of the dormitories? Perhaps you need to brush up on your words, doesn't seem very private to me." The boy replied with a shrug. "But, if Astarion agrees with you, then maybe I'm simply barging in..." He looked to the pale elf, noting Astarion's refusal to look him in the eye and his tense demeanor. "Well, there you have it. Not so private after all. And besides, if my memory is correct, you're supposed to be assisting Gale, Ilya, and I on laundry duty this week. Your absence is sorely felt."

"I've seniority. You little shit. Besides, between the three of you I think you can handle some sheets thatve been wanked in or pissed." Jackal growled.

"Oh, no doubt we can. But I'm not certain Sister Korilla agrees with your assessment, shall I ask her?" Wyll smiled serenely, folding his arms across his chest with the slightest raise of his brow.

The drow growled a moment and glared Daggers at the young man before taking off in a huff, shoving Wyll as he went.

Astarion frowned and looked away, unable to meet Wyll's gaze. "Thank you..." He finally murmured, almost grudgingly.

"There's no shame in needing help, Astarion. He's a brute after all and quite a bit bigger than most of us. Hells, he's the oldest one here. It's not weakness to need an ally to face down a monster." Wyll approached the elf, frowning at the bruises on his face.

"I'm not some damsel who needs protection." Astarion shot back, gripping his upper arms and tensing.

"No, but sometimes a brother in arms needs a friend to back him up." Wyll reached out a hand gently. "It's not weakness to ask for help." He lowered his hand when Astarion shied away from a touch and looked to the pile of linens. "Speaking of needing help..."

The pale haired elf rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically, forcing a smug smile and scoffing. "Oh of course, coming to my rescue so I'll help you turn down the beds. How noble."

Wyll gave a little laugh and smiled warmly. "You've found me out, Astarion, guilty as charged."

With that, the two began to silently strip the beds and replace the old sheets with fresh ones, working side by side without a word, though there was the occasional stolen glance neither openly acknowledged.