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theonewiththefanfics · 1 year ago

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Seal It With a Kiss (one-shot)

Synopsys: After a looting session goes wrong, Astarion and Reader have to face the music and confront their feelings. Whatever they might be.

Pairing: Astarion x fem!Reader

Genre: angst, fluff

Warnings: talks of blood, injuries, swearing, mentions of abuse, but nothing explicit

Word count: 3234

A/N: I have not played Baldur's Gate 3 (I don't own a PS or a PC where to play it. all of this is based on the info gathered online and through Neil's own gameplay etc. Please be kind :) )

The light was too bright. And the ground was too hard. And the pillow too tough and lumpy. And why did Y/N feel so hot when it was literally snowing? And, actually, when had it started snowing? From bright blue skies, might she add?

Slowly, haziness dissipated from her eyes, and the world around came into sharp, painful focus. The light was too bright because half of her surroundings were on literal fire. The ground was too hard because she was half on rubble that once was a palace roof, and the tough, lumpy pillow was a rock her head had smashed against, while the snow was ashes flowing down, covering everything, including her, in a grey layer of soot, the sky peeking in from the hole above.

Although her sight was clearing, a sharp ringing pierced her ears. Or was it shouting?

A shadow crossed the sky, and above her, she could see their resident vampiric elf’s mouth moving.

“ – were you thinking?!” Finally, her ears started to clear as well. “You absolute imbecile! Why would you do that?!”

Y/N just groaned in response, as her memories came back in quick flashes. Everyone was arguing about where they should look for another magical artefact, Astarion shooting down what Gale had proposed, Wyll trying to make a sensible plan while Lae’Zel interrupted Shadowheart at any given moment. A deep rumble from the depths of the abandoned palace they were in silenced them all, Karlach throwing them a worried expression. And then the whole building exploded.

On instinct, Y/N had pushed Astarion as far away as she could before the ceiling came crashing down on top of her. It was nothing short of a miracle, she had managed to survive. Bruised, battered, no doubt with broken bones, but alive nonetheless. Maybe she’d have to thank a goddess or two. That was if Astarion didn’t rip her to pieces beforehand with how furious he looked.

Slowly Y/N tried to lift herself onto her forearms, and for all his admonishments, Astarion was quick to crouch down and help her, putting his arms under her pits and letting her rest against his chest.

“Oh dear,” she mumbled, noticing a large bannister lying across her leg. “That’s not good.”

“Not good?!” Astarion practically shrieked, his hands tightening around her ribs. “How hard did you hit your fucking head? This is so beyond not good I can’t even think of a level!”

Y/N winced at his tone. “Can you stop shouting, please? Gods, my head is splitting.”

“Oh, is it now? It would be quite the fucking miracle if it wasn’t, seeing as a whole fucking palace just toppled on you!”

“Quit being so dramatic and help get that thing off me! Where’re the rest?”

“Frankly, I don’t fucking care right now!” Astarion gently laid Y/N back down and went to the large boulder.

His arms strained as he lifted the piece of the pillar, her eyes widening at the display of strength.

She sometimes forgot how strong Astarion actually was, how easily he could snap her neck with just a twist of his hands if he so wished while Y/N allowed him to drink from her. But he was always gentle instead, with how he held her nape, fingers soothingly pressing into her scalp and knuckles brushing against her collarbones once he was done in a sweet gesture of thanks.

As quickly as she could, Y/N scooted from under the rubble, Astarion dropping the boulder back unceremoniously, and he was back by her side in a second, an arm wrapping around her waist, so she could lean on him.

“We have to find the others,” Y/N hissed as she stood. Her whole body screamed in pain, but they had to get out of the now-ruined palace, lest another explosion happen.

“They can find their own way out,” Astarion grunted, as he led them towards the exit.

“Astarion!”

“No!” He snapped his head to look at Y/N, and his scarlet eyes held such a desperate gaze in them, that she pinched her lips shut. “I will knock you out if I have to. I am not letting you get hurt again.”

“Astarion, they’re our friends,” Y/N’s voice was gentle. “We have to help them if we can.”

For a moment, Astarion truly looked like he might just throw her over his shoulder and march out of the place. But then he sighed, hanging his head in defeat before looking at her with pain distorting his features. “Why do you always have to be so good?”

Something tugged at her heart. That expression on his face, as if it physically put him in agony to lead them around the ruined palace in search of their companions, as he flinched and tightened his hold on her whenever something crackled, ready to throw his own body atop hers, in case something happened. It wasn’t selfishness, not one bit. Something deeper lay beneath Astarion’s reluctance.

It took them a while to find their party, but luckily no one was injured, and Y/N was the worst one off. Shadowheart was by her side in an instant, giving her a healing potion.

“Should keep you set until we get back to camp.” She patted her shoulder. “I’ll heal you fully once we’re out of immediate danger.”

“Thank you.” Y/N smiled at the cleric.

She was just about to ask Astarion whether he was alright, but the vampire had already detached himself and was glaring at the ground, arms crossed over his chest ten feet away from her.

Y/N couldn’t deny – it stung. He’d been so worried just a few moments ago, yet now he couldn’t even look at her?

Her feet worked on their own accord, moving in his direction, but the way he turned his back to her, told her all she needed to know – he didn’t want to talk.

Pain shot through her heart, and it was definitely not because of the explosion, but Y/N respected his privacy, so she didn’t approach him any further, even though they always, always, walked next to one another.

“We should head back,” she spoke up, eyes remaining on Astarion’s taut back. “Maybe get some rest as well. We still have tomorrow anyway to search this place.”

When Astarion left the palace without even waiting to see if anyone was following, Y/N could do nothing but sigh and depart as well.

The walk to where they’d set up their camp was uncharacteristically quiet, especially from the pale elf’s side. He’d usually fill their travels with mindless talk and sarcastic quips, but this time around, he hung towards the back of their group and was as mum as a grave. He didn’t even comment on whatever Gale was saying, which made Y/N all the more uneasy.

She couldn’t wrap her mind around why he’d become so distant all of a sudden. What’d happened at the palace was nothing unusual. They risked their lives on the daily, saving others and themselves, so why in the world was Astarion so pissed about this, she had no clue.

Karlach leaned to the side, watching as the vampire entered his tent, closing the laces immediately. “Fangs is quite in a bad mood. Anything we should know about, soldier?”

Y/N huffed. “Probably broke a nail or something. In any case – nothing important enough to be acting the way he is.”

“Maybe I should go and – “

She put a palm on Karlach’s shoulder, stopping her, and giving her friend a wry smile. “I’ll talk to him. Better he’s angry at me and only me, not someone else as well. Apparently, I’ve pissed him off as is.”

“You sure?” the tiefling asked.

“Yeah.” Y/N nodded. “I think we need to have a talk anyway.”

With a “good luck” from Karlach, she sighed and steeled herself against whatever the vampire would throw her way. She unlaced the ties and lifted the flap to the side. With crossed arms, she entered Astarion’s tent, only to be greeted by his back as he stubbornly kept looking at a book in his hands, not even acknowledging her.

“Are you seriously pouting right now?” Y/N asked after a minute of silence.

“I’m not pouting, I’m brooding. There’s a difference.”

“Well, does brooding involve giving the silent treatment, or can we talk?”

Astarion threw a withering gaze over his shoulder. “What is there you want to talk about? Unless it’s an apology, I don’t want to hear it.”

Y/N let out an exasperated huff. “I’m sorry to disappoint, but I won’t apologise for saving your life.”

“By putting your own life in danger?!” Astarion spun around, throwing the tome he’d been holding onto his bedroll.

“Comes with the territory.” She shrugged. “You should know how it is.”

“Letting a whole building collapse on top of you is very different to knocking a blade out of the way!”

“Why are you so angry with me?” Y/N raised her voice, matching Astarion’s furious tone. “I saved your life!

“I didn’t ask for you to!”

She let out a disbelieving scoff. “Well, sucks to be you then! Because I was not just going to let you get crushed underneath all that rubble! Your life is just as important as everyone else’s!”

“Not to me! Not when it comes to you!”

Now that shut her up completely, her lips pinched in a thin line, eyes wide in shock. She and Astarion were friends, at least Y/N would've liked to think so. She most definitely had developed deeper feelings than that, but would only admit to it over her own dead body. The thought of Astarion’s rejection made her want to crumple into a small heap, but his reaction put thoughts in her head that maybe, just maybe, her feelings weren’t one-sided.

“What do you suppose I would do if you – if – if,” he stumbled on his words. “If I had to go on without you? If you were no longer with us… with me…”

“Astarion…”

“Do you understand how it felt to see you go down?” He sighed, hanging his head. “When I saw the roof caving in and then felt you push me away before you vanished beneath rubble and dust and ash… I’ve never been more terrified in all of my life, two hundred years of which were spent under the rule of an absolute sadist, where horrors awaited around every corner.”

His eyes bore nothing but pain and despair he’d felt in that moment. “I heard everyone else screaming - Shadowheart calling out, Wyll and Karlach making sure Gale and Lae’Zel were alright but nothing… not a single whisper from your voice. You tell me I’m pouting, but all I can see when I close my eyes is you… how you would look… dead. Your eyes closed forever, your blood spilling out of your body and I… I have to stand and watch as I am unable to save you.

“But I’m alright.” Y/N stepped up to him, taking one of his palms in hers, and squeezing it. “Astarion, I’m alive, and I’m fine.”

“But you almost weren’t!” he hissed, pulling her closer, bringing their clasped hands to rest against his chest. “And all I would have been left to do was wait for the dust to settle and dig out your broken body. You would have condemned me to eternity without you… I just almost lost the person I love... and that fear is something I never wish to experience again.”

Y/N’s breath hitched in her throat at such an honest confession. “I umm I didn’t know you felt that way about me.” Friendship was one thing, but love? That threw her completely off balance.

“Feel? Felt? What does it matter anymore? Clearly, it’s not like it’s reciprocated.” He scoffed, back the mask of bravado and not caring, but Y/N wasn’t having any of it.

“It matters to me.” Her brows furrowed. “It matters a great deal to me. Why do you think I did what I did, exactly? Because it’s fun? Because I enjoy blocks of buildings dropping down on me? Because it’s such an absolute delight to realise - if I don’t push you out of the way, you will be in direct line of fire, and I might lose you?”

Astarion’s mouth opened and closed. “I didn’t – I –“

“No!” Y/N pointed an accusatory finger at him. Now she was angry. “You don’t get to play the "I'm in love with you" card and be angry with me. Not if you dare tell me how I feel without asking first!”

“You...” He shook his head, a crease to his brow. “You never indicated you held anything more than… friendly affections towards me.”

Y/N rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Yes, because I let everyone in this party use me as their personal snack each night. I’d say that should’ve been your first clue.”

“I’d say you’re a full-course meal, my darling, but I understand the sentiment.” And though back was his usual air of sarcasm, a deep vulnerability could be seen shining in his crimson eyes as he weaved a gentle hand to wrap around the small of her waist, brushing underneath her sleep tunic to rest against her skin.

Cold met warm, and Y/N gasped as a shiver ran down her spine. His slender fingers dug into her back as he pulled Y/N closer, their breaths mingling, and if they only moved just a couple of centimetres, lips would touch.

“I just – I cannot stand and watch you throw your life away for someone like me. The thought of your brightness being extinguished because of it… I couldn’t bear it.”

Y/N tilted her head to the side. “Someone like who exactly? Someone who I’ve grown to look at as my dearest confidant? Someone who I know will always tell me the truth and be there if I cannot handle it? Or someone who so deftly has stolen my heart, he cannot even comprehend it’s been his the whole time? Besides, even if it wasn’t reciprocated...” She played with the string of his shirt, “you can’t tell me to be more careful, to not save you when you do the exact same thing.”

“How can I not?” Astarion’s voice was uncharacteristically soft, and for once, he seemed to want the moment to reflect what truly lay in his soul. “You make my heart beat on its own. If I had to give up walking in the sun for the rest of my life, I would. As long as it meant you were safe and happy. I’d even gladly go back to Cazador if you were on the line. Without a second to spare.”

“Don’t you dare fucking say that!"

“But it’s true.”

“Not if I can help it,” Y/N grumbled, tightening her hold on his shirt by his hips, pulling him closer like she had to make sure he wasn’t going anywhere. “He’s not ever going to get near you. I’ll level the whole of Baldur’s Gate if I have to.”

“And I am being honest when I say, if I had to choose between you being unhurt or me being imprisoned, being used as I was, I would always put you first.”

Y/N was on the verge of tears. “You listen to me you pompous blood-sucking elf – you will do no such thing. Whatever comes, we both will get through it. And Cazador will have his head ripped from his shoulders, but not before I gouge his eyes out, and do every single vile thing he did to you back onto him. I will skin him alive and then throw him in a tomb with nothing but cockroaches. Let him drink his own blood and see how he likes it.” She shuddered, taking in a deep breath. “Your life is not worth less than mine. Don’t you ever dare think that way.”

A watery chuckle escaped Astarion, and his eyes brimmed with silvery tears. “Can I kiss you?” He didn’t dare lift his gaze, focusing on their intertwined fingers, resting against where his heart no doubt would have been rattling a crazy rhythm if it still beat.

“If you want to.” Y/N’s reply was as quiet as his question had been, but there was no teasing in her tone.

His eyes flashed for a second, but she didn’t get a full grasp on what it was she saw. Maybe surprise. Maybe gratitude? She couldn’t tell really, all she knew was that the emotion caused a pang to ring to her very core. She’d kill Cazador with her own bloody hands.

“I want it.” He nodded. “More than anything.”

“More than my blood? That first night you almost drained me dry,” Y/N’s words, though true, held no malice, only gentle teasing.

“And how do you know that first time I wasn’t trying to wake up the sleeping princess with a magical true love’s kiss? The feeding just ended up being a bonus.” He brushed her nose with his, and couldn’t help the way his own lips turned up as Y/N smiled.

“Well, this sleeping princess would’ve punched you in the nose, had you awoken her for such silly things. Besides, you did miss my lips.”

Astarion chuckled, relishing the way her body pressed against his. “But I am allowed to awaken you to drink from you?”

“Well...” She nudged his nose with hers now. “Seeing as you become absolutely unbearable when hungry, I think for my own peace and everyone else’s, that does count as a vital reason to rouse me."

Gentle hands cupped her cheeks. “Allow me to demonstrate then how vital a kiss can be to one’s survival.”

And then their lips met.

She’d never admit it out loud, for his ego would surely grow larger than it already was, but it did feel like a magical kiss of life. Her whole body sang as his fingers slid against the nape of her neck, pulling her closer, almost like Astarion was afraid she’d pull back, but she could never. Not when he slipped his tongue past her lips, and her knees almost crumbled.

Y/N had to tighten her hold on his waist to not completely lose it, and she could feel the smirk growing on the vampire’s face, as he realised just how incapacitated his kiss had made her. He nipped at the bottom of her lip and relished in the small whimper he got to devour.

After what felt like ages, they pulled back, panting, but not going too far as Astarion rested his forehead against hers.

Y/N smiled. “True love’s kiss you say?”

“It feels like it,” he mumbled, allowing himself to indulge in the tender touch of her fingers skimming up and down his back. “Though I don’t know much about… love… I’d like to experience it with you. All of it. The good and the bad that might come with it.”

“I’ll be here,” Y/N promised. “As long as you want me to, I’m not going anywhere.”

“And if I ask for forever?”

She let out an over-exaggerated, dramatic sigh. “Forever’s quite a long time, don’t you think?”

“Not long enough,” Astarion replied, a smile tugging up his lips. “It’d never be long enough with you.”

Y/N quirked a brow. “Is that a challenge?”

He chuckled at that. “I’d say it’s more of a promise, if anything.”

“Seal it with a kiss?”

“Deal, my love.”

Tags:

Everything tags: @palaiasaurus64 @supernaturalbaesduh @thatawkwardlittlefangirl @sea040561 @staryeyedgirl @deathbyarabbit @m-a-t-91 @maladaptive-ninja-returns @averyrogers83 @gallifreyansass @dewy-biitch @avxgers @unlikelygalaxygiver @magicwithaknife @ollyoxenfrees @bnhvrdy @tvwhoresblog @thatkindofgurl @sj-thefan @lestersglitterglue @im-squished @strangersstranger

Astarion tags: @spacebarbarianweird

A/N: my tags are always open, so just drop a message if you want to be tagged :)

P.S. do not plagiarise my work or repost it on other platforms!!!

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johnny-depplyloveyou · 11 months ago

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[Spoilers] Methods to check Gale's true attitude towards godhood to prevent his “Sneaky God” ending (with a full list of dialogue options that determines his human/god ending)

Several people mentioned that they are playing on console and therefore can't check his flag status in my last post about using console commands to avoid his sneaky god ending(it is where you reject his proposal of ascending together in the boat scene, although he acted convinced but will then leave you and ascend to godhood alone), after searching through dialogue files, I found that it's actually possible for all players to check which ending he'll get after you have done his act 3 scenes(book scene, meeting Elminster, meeting Mystra, boat ride scene), but that involves killing him, which is not optimal :((...

So here's how you do it: first, send him to camp, enter turn-based mode, use your party members to kill him in one turn, switch back to your avatar and cast "Speak with Dead" on him, and ask him: "What were you trying to achieve?", if his answer is "Seeking... Karsus' power... failed..." then he's going to ascend at the end of the game, if it's any other answer, he'll remain human. Now revive him or load a save before this event!

You'll need to redo his Act 3 scenes if you got the Karsus answer, and if you want to know which dialogue options you need to choose to ensure he's convinced, I gathered a list of options you need to pick or avoid under the cut. If you really don’t want to kill him, you could load a save right after his act 3 scenes and view dialogue history to count options you chose with each flag and figure out which ending you’ll get.

If you are playing on PC, you have progressed too far in the game and don't want to redo the entire Act 3 when you find out about this, or you just want to see other endings of him with your character without replaying the game, here are some console commands for you to alter his ending using Norbyte's BG3 Script Extender’s console([X]this is an old version with a config file that enables the console, it will automatically update once you start the game, or you need to manually edit the JSON file if you download the latest version from the first link). These codes should still work during the scene when you defeat the Netherbrain before his part starts.

To get the normal human ending, copy and paste the text below in the console repeatedly until it returns a 0

Osi.SetFlag("ORI_Gale_State_RejectedBeMyGodProposal_de72eaa6-c6f4-014c-b1a2-213c243c1dba", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) Osi.ClearFlag("ORI_Gale_State_AcceptedBeMyGodProposal_3d452ca4-14e6-176a-88ad-47d0ef8271d3", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) Osi.ClearFlag("LOW_StormshoreTabernacle_State_WantsSurrenderCrown_4f748986-27db-df27-bd9d-115c101ab015", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) Osi.SetFlag("ORI_Gale_Event_PushAwayFromCrown_303eeb6d-22cb-4832-a186-f366a4a6eacc", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) print(GetFlag("ORI_Gale_State_SwayedTowardsCrown_76150a10-511d-4eeb-b263-46994bab0b48", GetHostCharacter()))

To get the normal god ending, copy and paste the text below in the console repeatedly until it returns a 1

Osi.SetFlag("ORI_Gale_State_AcceptedBeMyGodProposal_3d452ca4-14e6-176a-88ad-47d0ef8271d3", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) Osi.ClearFlag("ORI_Gale_State_RejectedBeMyGodProposal_de72eaa6-c6f4-014c-b1a2-213c243c1dba", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) Osi.ClearFlag("LOW_StormshoreTabernacle_State_WantsSurrenderCrown_4f748986-27db-df27-bd9d-115c101ab015", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) Osi.SetFlag("ORI_Gale_Event_PushTowardsCrown_96fad101-7c29-495c-91d3-3645b30c2bab", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) print(GetFlag("ORI_Gale_State_SwayedTowardsCrown_76150a10-511d-4eeb-b263-46994bab0b48", GetHostCharacter()))

To get the sneaky human ending, copy and paste the text below in the console repeatedly until it returns a 0

Osi.SetFlag("ORI_Gale_State_AcceptedBeMyGodProposal_3d452ca4-14e6-176a-88ad-47d0ef8271d3", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) Osi.ClearFlag("ORI_Gale_State_RejectedBeMyGodProposal_de72eaa6-c6f4-014c-b1a2-213c243c1dba", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) Osi.ClearFlag("LOW_StormshoreTabernacle_State_WantsSurrenderCrown_4f748986-27db-df27-bd9d-115c101ab015", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) Osi.SetFlag("ORI_Gale_Event_PushAwayFromCrown_303eeb6d-22cb-4832-a186-f366a4a6eacc", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) print(GetFlag("ORI_Gale_State_SwayedTowardsCrown_76150a10-511d-4eeb-b263-46994bab0b48", GetHostCharacter()))

To get the sneaky god ending, copy and paste the text below in the console repeatedly until it returns a 1

Osi.SetFlag("ORI_Gale_State_RejectedBeMyGodProposal_de72eaa6-c6f4-014c-b1a2-213c243c1dba", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) Osi.ClearFlag("ORI_Gale_State_AcceptedBeMyGodProposal_3d452ca4-14e6-176a-88ad-47d0ef8271d3", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) Osi.ClearFlag("LOW_StormshoreTabernacle_State_WantsSurrenderCrown_4f748986-27db-df27-bd9d-115c101ab015", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) Osi.SetFlag("ORI_Gale_Event_PushTowardsCrown_96fad101-7c29-495c-91d3-3645b30c2bab", GetHostCharacter(), 1, 1) print(GetFlag("ORI_Gale_State_SwayedTowardsCrown_76150a10-511d-4eeb-b263-46994bab0b48", GetHostCharacter()))

If you wish to do this on other characters, change their flags etc., this list of all the uuids of items, character tags and flags in the game could be useful, and you could look into datamined dialogue files from this post by @roksik-dnd to find which flag you need to look to get things done.

You'll need to choose more options with "PushAwayFromCrown" than "PushTowardsCrown" for his human ending to work, for his god ending, you should choose equal or more amount of "PushTowardsCrown" than "PushAwayFromCrown". You do not need to choose every possible option or ask him to seek Mystra's forgiveness to get his human ending. u/airydandelion explained this mechanism in detail in their reddit post, you should check it out if you want to understand how this works!

Dialogue options with the "PushAwayFromCrown" flag

In the discussion after you give him The Annals of Karsus

Romanced with Player

That crown is an abomination, Gale. I don't need a private conversation to understand that.

Not romanced version

I thought you were past this kind of temptation, Gale. You know exactly where such over-reaching leads.

Or to destroy the next wizard who attempts it. The attempt would kill you as it killed Karsus.

(after choosing "This is no ordinary artifact, Gale. Do this and you'd challenge the gods themselves.") Wallowing in the dirt? Is that what our time together has meant to you?

(Mystra is Player's deity) What you're suggesting is blasphemy. You'd be wise to banish these notions from your head. ['Gale -1']

(after choosing "Gale - I'm urging you to drop this. This Crown cannot be reforged." ['Gale -1'])You're still destined for greatness, Gale. But you won't find it chasing Karsus' shadow.

(after choosing "Gale - I'm urging you to drop this. This Crown cannot be reforged." ['Gale -1'])Don't give up yet. There will be an answer - it just isn't the Crown.

(after choosing "Gale - I'm urging you to drop this. This Crown cannot be reforged." ['Gale -1'])You're deluded, Gale. The crown is clearly dangerous, as is pursuing it.

In Stormshore Tabernacle before meeting Mystra

Seek her forgiveness, Gale. It might be your only hope of curing the orb.

After meeting Mystra

if SwayedTowardsCrown=true (n(PushTowardsCrown)>=n(PushAwayFromCrown))

No, Gale. This all sounds far too dangerous - Karsus' magic must be destroyed.

if SwayedTowardsCrown=false (n(PushTowardsCrown)<n(PushAwayFromCrown))

(after choosing"Is that what you want?") We're going to cure you - I promise. ['Gale 2']

(after choosing"Is that what you want?") You're a great man, Gale. With or without the orb. ['Gale 2']

(after choosing"Is that what you want?") A better incarnation of you, I hope. Not the impulsive wreck who unleashed the orb in the first place. ['Gale -2']

(after choosing"Is that what you want?") And what then? What will you do?

(after choosing "Sod redemption. With the Karsite Weave and the Crown, you could be a god.") You'd be more of a fool for chasing godhood. Take up Mystra's offer - it's the best way.

Boat scene

(Gale has not met Mystra in Stormshore Tabernacle) So much power will only prove dangerous. You should forget it.

(after choosing "I feel the same. Whatever you need of me, consider it done.") Wait. Perhaps I'm being too hasty... and perhaps you're overreaching.

(after choosing "I love you. But for the man that you are. Not the god you'd pretend to be.") Stop his protests with a kiss.

(after choosing any options other than "I feel the same. Whatever you need of me, consider it done." or "I love you. But for the man that you are. Not the god you'd pretend to be.", then ) You're already everything I need you to be.

Dialogue options with the "PushTowardsCrown" flag

In the discussion after you give him The Annals of Karsus

You're a convincing man, Gale. The crown sounds promising. ['Gale 5']

(Shadowheart origin Dark Justicar route) Mystra is no friend of the Dark Lady. If you can dethrone her, you have my support. ['Gale 5']

(Player is a wizard) The pursuit of knowledge and power is in our nature. There's no question - you must do this. ['Gale 5']

In Stormshore Tabernacle before meeting Mystra

Make her squirm. Tell her the Crown will be ours soon enough.

After meeting Mystra

if SwayedTowardsCrown=true (n(PushTowardsCrown)>=n(PushAwayFromCrown))

Of course. ['Gale 1']

We're usually inclined to agree on moral matters. That's good enough for me. ['Gale 1']

Morals be damned - this is an incredible opportunity. You must take it. ['Gale 1']

I'm right beside you. Time to make you a god.

if SwayedTowardsCrown=false (n(PushTowardsCrown)<n(PushAwayFromCrown))

(after choosing "When you put it like that, it sounds rather easy...") I thought you were more ambitious than this, Gale. Why settle for mortality when immortality is on the table? ['Gale 2']

(after choosing "Sod redemption. With the Karsite Weave and the Crown, you could be a god.") You're right. This opportunity is too good to pass up. We need to get you that Crown.

Boat scene

(Gale has not met Mystra in Stormshore Tabernacle) I'm here to support you, no matter what you want. ['Gale 10']

(after choosing "I feel the same. Whatever you need of me, consider it done.") Kiss him.

(after choosing "I feel the same. Whatever you need of me, consider it done.")(Karlach origin without the second heart upgrade) You know I would if I could. But I'll sit with you as long as you'll have me.

(after choosing "I love you. But for the man that you are. Not the god you'd pretend to be.")You're right. We should not deny ourselves such a gift. The crown must be ours.

#gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #bg3 gale #gale bg3 #gale x tav #tav x gale #galemance #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 spoilers

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lynnlovesthestars · 8 months ago

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The veil.- Intro

Astarion x OC ( @wisterialynn )

Genre: reverse isekai.

Synopsis: Astarion falls in love with whoever is hiding behind the veil, and it hits him so hard that he can't forget him. Not even when Lynn starts a new save.

AN: hello this is the prologue of the reverse isekai story I've been working on for a while.. It's supposed to be a lighthearted story, mostly fluff and crack, low on drama, but low-key healing since both oc and Astarion have plenty of trauma. Basically domestic ff.

Also I think I will add some of the renders I made of Lynn and Astarion as I publish the chapters since I have so many - and are so cute.

Taglist: @spacebarbarianweird @sessils @roguishcat

Lynn couldn't help it. When something caught his mind, it was hard to pull him away, so when a new game came out and he downloaded it, he knew he was up for sleepless nights.

It was a breath of fresh air in his monotonous and grey life. It had been ages since he allowed himself to feel something that was not sadness or anger. He sat in front of his screen and he came to life.

He didn't speak much in his day, neither with peers or family since he distanced himself from his roots, moving to a different town, focusing on his work, but once he was knees deep in his little and silly game? He'd comment, talk, sass even, he truly came out of his shell.

It was something Astarion had grown to adore, from the moment Lynn had first loaded his game, and Astarion felt something.. different. He felt out of place to say the least.

Gale blamed the necromancy of Thay, saying it probably connected him with something deeper, just like he was connected to his netherese orb, but Astarion knew it was something different.

And once he was freed of Cazador as well, he couldn't believe his ears.

Astarion could feel that connection becoming deeper, the veil between the two coming closer and thinner.

As he fell for his Tav, he couldn't help but fell harder for him. For his witty comments, his giggles at Astarion's compliment, his humming as he worked and forgot his side of the connection on- aka his PC.

Astarion had heard everything, every comment for the elf, every sob he let out in front of the screen, and god only knows what other sounds coming from Lynn.

Only when Lynn started his second run Astarion became gloomy. The attentions he was so used to receive shifted, Tavgliatelle- or whatever name he gave his character that time- was different, so focused on Karlach.

It didn't mean Astarion couldn't hear Lynn, how he still commented on Astarion, how despite everything he was trying to resist the urge to romance him again. Astarion understood it was just a loop, the more he'd spend time at camp, the more he'd trying and break free of the loop, the more he'd fall for the person at the other side of the screen.

He prayed.

He attempted magic.

He tried to find that small door that could lead him to his lover, until he did find it.

Lynn wanted to say he loved Astarion a normal amount, just like how you love your favourite character, but there was something different.

Astarion had touched him differently than any other, he felt his chest clench, hurt, for a bundle of pixels, he had empathized so much with him. Astarion understood Lynn and Lynn understood Astarion. And yet whatever his heart was hatching was meant to stay there, just within him and his head. In his daydreams and his sweetest nights.

"Lynn?" A rough hand gently pressed against his back as the figure hidden in the dark kneeled next to him. "Love, let's move to the bed" The voice cooed as he gently lifted Lynn from his chair, admiring for a moment his features while they were enlightened only by the light of the screen.

Astarion was glad his vampiric strength didn't get lost, as he carried the man to the bed.

He couldn't help but admire how he laid peacefully. The serious smirk he had when he was hunched over the desk, was replaced with a soft smile as if he knew who was gently sliding under the cotton sheet with him, as if he knew whose arms were wrapping around his middle, as if he knew who cradled him to his chest.

His soulmate.

Astarion's fingertips gently grazed the exposed back, the new feeling spreading all over his body as everything was so new, so real.

All his life no man or woman he had bedded or kissed awoke in him what the man in his grasp was doing without effort.

"My sweet sweet love" He whispered as he kissed the man's temple gently, trying his best not to stir him awake.

He had truly made it, he had crossed the veil that separated him from his love, and now he was laying against his chest, soundly asleep.

The sigh that escaped the other's lips said it all, how peaceful he felt despite being unaware. Astarion liked to imagine that Lynn was feeling safe in his grasp as if his body knew he was being held and protected by him.

The man stirred awake, his body aching from the day before, hissing as he tried to turn, while his body was stiff from sleep.

"There there, sunshine" Astarion cooed as he gently guided him back to lay in his arms. "You need rest"

"I do.." Lynn hummed as his hand gently reached for Astarion's cheek to rest there.

It took him a moment to realize he was not alone, tangled to the cold yet oddly familiar body.

"What the fuck" Lynn jumped up on his seat, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes, as if the Astarion laying in his bed was just a remainder of his dream, still stuck in the inside of his eyes.

"Good morning to you too, darling" Astarion chuckled as he gently caressed him. "I suppose that's human's way of saying 'oh my god Astarion, it's so nice to finally hold you" He teased as if sitting in Lynn's bedroom was normal, as if he didn't come from a game, but simply from his window.

"You can't be-" Lynn placed his hand on Astarion's cheek, trying to gauge at reality, only to be met with the cold skin again.

"I very much am, love" The vampire nodded smirking proudly as he brushed back his hair with his fingers.

"I'm still dreaming, that's it" The human couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief, as if that could erase the pungent smell of bergamot that suddenly enveloped his room.

"No, you are awake" Astarion quipped smiling and itching to move closer to shut him up with his lips.

"Astarion you are not real" Lynn said out loud, spelling each word slowly.

"I'm clearly here aren't I" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"Astarion don't be an idiot" Lynn shook his head one step away from facepalming himself.

"What if you are the one not real" Astarion clapped his hands together as if that was his gotcha moment.

"Don't start this" the human, still skeptical crossed his arms together, yet before he could completely close them, Astarion grasped at his wrist and bit the soft flesh.

The sweet taste of his blood awoke something in him, the way it slowly went down his throat thick and warm, made him dizzy but most of all left him breathless for the other man.

"That felt real" Lynn sighed as he pulled away his wrist, massaging where Astarion's lips were a second prior. That was real.

Astarion laid back for a moment, trying his best to contain the euphoria spilling from his every pore, he had a taste of divinity. Completely different from the taste of blood he was used to.

The way it ran through his body, it was real.

"I was trapped in that thing, god knows for how long, I am just a poor vampire in need of a cuddle" He admitted as he caught his breath and opened his arms to invite Lynn in.

"That's it I'm going out of my mind"

Astarion groaned. "IM GOING OUT OF MY MIND CAUSE YOU HAVE NOT HUGGED ME YET"

#baldurs gate 3 #bg3 #astarion x reader #bg3 astarion #astarion #astarion x tav #lynn: updates☆#bg3 x reader #astarion ancunin #astarion bg3 #baldurs gate astarion #astarion baldurs gate 3 #astarion ancunin x reader #astarion baldurs gate #lynnlovesthestars #vault: lynn ☆#lynnstarion #bloodshift #the veil

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theaawalker · 3 months ago

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the last snow to fall ❆ peeta mellark

Pairing: Peeta Mellark x fem!oc Song Inspo: Tethered by Sleeping at Last Word Count: 2,348 Summary: Snow is dead, but his heiress still lives. Does she deserve to be executed? Coin is dead, but her successors still want to have the Capitol Games. How can Peeta Mallark, still recovering from the loss of Katniss, stop it and save her? Warnings: mentions of family death, mentions of whipping, mentions of public executions, mentions of massacres Masterlist: see fandoms (pc-friendly)

"They found the girl," said the nurse.

"What girl?" asked Peeta. He didn't really care, what he wanted was news of Katniss. But he wanted to be polite, and the nurse was careful to keep him up to date on the news while he was stuck in the hospital.

"President Snow's grand-daughter. She disappeared the day of the Slaughter of the Innocents. Turns out that her nanny was hiding her. I hear, that they're both going to be whipped, at the least."

"WHIPPED?" echoed Peeta, his attention suddenly caught.

Peeta frequently thought in visual images, an advantage to a painter. The word WHIP evoked the horrible day in District 12 when Thread was torturing Gale at the whipping post, and Katniss accidentally got hit in the face by the lash trying to rescue her friend. Now take the image of Gale's bleeding back, and imagine a frail Primrose-like girl being tortured instead, and you got an image of utter horror. "Why would they whip them?"

"I don't know," said the nurse. She seemed nonchalant. Maybe she was from a District where beatings were common. Or, more likely, she was numbed by all the recent events: the invasion of the Capitol by the Districts, the Pods that didn't seem to care if they shot innocent bystanders along with the invaders, the Slaughter of the Innocents, the announcement of new Games, the assassination of Coin, dying within minutes of her defeated enemy. But the nurse had promised to bring Peeta news: Peeta was her patient and a Victor and she wanted to keep him happy. "Do you want me to ask?"

Peeta thought about it. It was likely that the city was still in chaos, there was still no reliable news service, and it would be impossible for the nurse to get a credible story.

"No. But please send a message to Plutarch Heavensbee, and tell him that I need to talk to him."

Her eyes opened wide. "HEAVENSBEE? He's involved in all sorts of government business – probably impossible to pull away –"

"Please. Just send the message and I'll see what happens."

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you, you're being very helpful." It wasn't her fault that civilization was crashing around them.

After she went out Peeta sank back in the hospital bed, feeling helpless. The last coherent thing he remembered was preventing Katniss from taking the suicide pill, after the assassination of Coin. He had thought that he was saving her life, but had he just saved her for a worse fate?

He had blacked out frequently since then. It was a combination of the pain medicine that he was taking to soothe his burns, and the residual effects of his hijacking. "At least now you're going catatonic instead of flying into homicidal rages," Dr, Aurelius had observed. "I suppose that's an improvement."

Whenever he got coherent and asked about Katniss, he was told that she was still in prison, and seemed to having severe psychological problems of her own. Peeta wanted to help her, but how? And now he had a new worry.

To the nurse's astonishment, Plutarch came the next day – and what's more, made no complaint of being dragged away from important tasks.

"I know that you want to know about Katniss," said Plutarch, "but there's been no change in her legal situation, though basically the debaters have formed two factions. Irene Gold was one of Coin's most trusted assistants, and she wants Katniss executed as an assassin. Paylor claims that Katniss was a hero who cracked under the strain, and can't be held responsible. Popular opinion seems to be on Paylor's side, but nobody has enough power to override the other side."

Peeta was careful not to ask what "side" Plutarch was on. He knew that the old schemer was trying to play one faction against another and try to remain on top. But as far as Katniss was concerned, Peeta knew that Plutarch wanted to save the Mockingjay, even if it required some political chicanery, and Peeta would simply have to trust him.

"There's something else that I wanted to ask. I heard that Snow's grand-daughter has been found and they want to whip her for committing a crime. What's that about?"

"It has to do with the proposed Hunger Games. Gold insists on carrying out Coin's wishes and having a Games with tributes from the Capitol. The rules for the Capitol tributes have not been drawn up yet, but the grand-daughter is an obvious target, and Gold says that she was trying to flee getting reaped into the Games. It's a powerful accusation. What happened in the Districts when somebody eligible for reaping didn't show up?"

"It never happened in 12 – nobody dared," replied Peeta. "But I suppose something nasty would happen to them."

"It's happened occasionally in other districts, and yes, it could be pretty nasty. So now that the shoe is on the other foot, Gold is saying that the Snow girl should be treated equally badly. It's a popular stand, in the Districts."

"But the girl did nothing. She's just a scapegoat."

"So were you. The Hunger Games was always about scapegoats."

Peeta thought it over. "What's Paylor's take on this?"

"She challenges the validity of the vote that you Victors made. She interprets it like this: if Katniss's sanity is in question, her YES vote should be thrown out. Heymitch said he was following Katniss's choice, so his YES vote should also be thrown out. That leaves a 3-2 vote AGAINST the Games. But it's rather legalistic, and popular opinion in the Districts favor the Games. The Capitol doesn't get a choice, of course."

"What's your stand?"

"I don't think I can stop the Games, so I don't think I'll try," Plutarch said frankly. "But until they're set up, you can't accuse the girl of trying to escape them. I tell people that it was perfectly natural for an innocent girl to want to disappear when her grand-father was about to be publicly executed. But I'm not getting many takers. Too much hate going around."

Peeta thought through it. Why was he so concerned about Snow's grand-daughter, of whom he knew nothing? For all he knew, she could be a spoiled brat. But that very lack of knowledge enabled Peeta to think of her as a symbol. She was a child caught up in somebody else's vicious quarrel, just like Rue, like Prim, like -

An idea started forming in his head.

"Plutarch, could you arrange for me to make a speech to the whole nation?"

"A speech? Yes, I'm in the communications ministry, and since you're one of the few remaining Victors, people will be curious about what you have to say. But I don't think you should get involved in the fray at this point. You don't want to make an enemy of Irene Gold."

"I'm not going to challenge Ms. Gold. I'm not even going to talk about Snow's grand-daughter."

"Then what DO you want to say?"

Peeta told him.

"People of Panem, I'm Peeta Mallark, co-Victor of the 74th Hunger Games, and I want to talk to you about those games." It was a weak beginning from the narrative-hook point of view, but Peeta was counting on the public curiosity about Hunger Games Victors, and the 74th Games in particular.

"I'm not going to talk about me, or about Katniss, but about another tribute. Katniss and I didn't even know her name; we called her Foxface, because she was red-headed and smart as a fox. She was the girl from District 5."

"Foxface had high ethical principles. She never touched a weapon during the Games, never tried to hurt anybody. Sheer hunger drove her to pilfer food, but she took only what she needed to survive, and left the rest to the "owner". But as the Games wound down, the food supplies dwindled, and she started to starve. Eventually she became so desperate that she ate some unfamiliar berries, and died."

"Later, stopping at District 5 on our Victory Tour, I tried to learn more about her." That was hard to do, because Snow was trying to make it difficult for the pair to contact fellow Victors, or rebels in general, but Foxface was unimportant enough that Snow didn't mind Peeta's inquiries. "Her real name was Finch. She was studying engineering, so that she could get a job in District 5's power industries when she grew up. Her teachers told me that she was one of their best students, even working on a new battery that would store energy better. But before she could finish her work, she was reaped into the Hunger Games and spent her last days dodging murderous tributes in a forest arena and dying of hunger when she could have been advancing science. What did the inventive, decent girl do to deserve such a horrible fate? Nothing. She was the descendant of a generation and district who had rebelled against the Capitol, and that was enough to make her life worthless in the eyes of the Capitol."

"So once more we talking once more about having a Hunger Games. About declaring a group of children worthless and throwing their lives away. Is that how we want to start the new Panem, slaughtering innocents again? Think about it."

"Your speech worked," said Plutarch. "The Council responded to the new public mood, and abandoned the planned Games. Gold eventually gave in, but only after losing a lot of support. Paylor's more powerful now, and maybe she can protect Katniss. And from a much broader view, I think you've persuaded the empire not to stick to Panem's bloody path, but to try to transcend them."

"Good. But I can't claim all the credit. I just encouraged people to think it through."

"Whatever. Now, I've brought a guest who wants to meet you." Plutarch went to the door of the hospital room and brought in a young blonde girl who was wearing her hair in a one-sided braid like Katniss's.

"Hello, Mr. Mellark," she said respectfully. "I'm Jan Snow. I wanted to thank you for saving me and the other Capitol kids. Mr. Heavensbee said all this started because you were shocked about the threat to me, so I owe you special thanks."

"You're welcome."

"There are a couple of things I think you should know. My mother was assassinated when I was a baby, you know. Just recently I was able to get hold of some letters she wrote to friends. She told them that she hated the carnage of the Games, and that she would try to reform them if she became President. I think somebody learned about her views, and murdered her to keep the Games going. It – it might even have been Grandpa."

"Sounds like your mother is a hero, then."

"There's another thing. I'm grateful for your attempts to protect me from punishment, but I've decided to let them w-whip me." She shuddered.

"WHAT? You were innocent!"

"Am I? I've heard a lot about the suffering out in the Districts. Children dying in infancy, or being malnourished, or killed in the Games, or beaten for not following orders, all so that Capitol kids like me could be spoiled rotten. People hate the Capitol, and particularly my Grandpa, for a reason. I ought to pay for it."

"No, no, no. If you've done something wrong and feel guilty, that's one thing. But you – you're acting like Katniss. She keeps feeling guilty about killing tributes in the Games, or encouraging fighting in the rebellion, and supposedly provoking Snow into bombing District 12. Katniss can't see the big picture, that she was caught up in a worldwide crisis. It's healthy to feel responsibility, but not to seek out punishment for stuff that was far beyond your control."

"But—"

Peeta felt sorry for the girl. Katniss had been guided by the inspiring memory of her dead father. Jan Show had had no moral guidance at all but an evil grandfather. She was now learning horrid stuff that she had probably been hidden from her during most of her life, and was trying to figure the right thing to do. Maybe Peeta could give her that guideance.

"I saw a friend tied to a whipping post and flogged. Nothing moral or redeeming about it. It just HURT him, a lot. It was part of a Panem that doesn't exist anymore. The nightmare is OVER. No more Games. We're going to build a new Panem now. You want to do penance for something? Help build it!"

A month later Paylor was elected President of Panem, defeating her rival Irene Gold. She confirmed the abolition of the Games, banned the use of whips for punishment, and commuted Katniss Everdeen's sentence to exile on the grounds of diminished mental capacity. And along with some supporters, she is hailed in history books for leading Panem into a new enlightened age.

THE END

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