#after meeting Gandrel
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When you tell your traumatized vampire boyfriend he’s safe with you 🥺
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#after meeting Gandrel#sorry bb#this Gale is cursed#meme redraw#bloodweave#astarion origin#bg3 memes#bg3 shitpost#bg3#bg3 fanart#baldur's gate 3#bg3 art#bg3 companions#astarion#astarion ancunin#bg3 astarion#astarion romance#bg3 gale#galemance#gale x astarion#astarion x gale#baldurs gate gale#gale#gale dekarios#gale of waterdeep#bg3 act 1#baldurs gate astarion#bg3 dialogue
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There's this face Astarion makes sometimes and I'm not entirely sure what emotion he's trying to convey but he fails at it regardless. ID in alt text
#astarion ancunin#baldur's gate 3#bg3#bg3 astarion#for context this screenshot was taken by me after you first meet gandrel#so this specific instance is ''i'm trying not to look like a vampire and i'm about to say something racist''#but he makes this face multiple times. each time more confusing than the last#this is what not having a reflection for 200 years does to a man.
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// how does seira explain that his impeccable performance as an evil drow isn't based on stereotypes but on the real evil drow who raised him
#i think i never posted this anywhere but yea val (not her real name) was a mean drow lady#i was reminded of this because if you meet gandrel before learning that astarion is a vampire things go... differently#tav leaves thinking that astarion is a fucking racist#next night they wake up with astarion trying to bite them and they're like aaaaaah you're not racist you're just a vampire!#so. seira being unable to explain himself either because he's trying to keep his whole backstory a secret#he's just not great at it after a while#ooc#tbd
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deeply embarrassing to want to maybe commission someone to do a fic but having so many details already i should just write it myself at this point. like hey yeah could you write this except good please thanks
#also despite being also being sort of a writer the idea of asking someone for a writing comm idk why what reaction am i expecting#if anybody does comms would be interested in writing a scene where astarion and tav get into a huge verbal row after meeting gandrel and#they're both their nastiest selves in ways that would get callout posts written about them both. hmu
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Can we talk about Astarion's casual Rascim?
I know there's already a post out there like this (check it out!!!) but I wanna throw in my 10 cents.
It is scary to see how normalized Astarion's casual rascim towards the Gur (also it feels so wrong to say this like holy fuck) is. like for example when you first meet Gandrel Astarion just wants to kill him, and like for no proper reason too, because Gandrel is a pretty chill dude and he will accept if you don't wanna give up Astarion and you can resolve the conflict without violence, and with the knowledge i have now I really regret killing him in my first playthrough because I just believed what Astarion told me (and also because I did not know that the Gur are infact based on Romani People like holy fuck I feel horrible for being so mean towards them).
"bUt TeA aStArIoN hAs A rEaSoN tO dIsLiKe ThE gUr, ThEy ArE tHe ReAsOn He BeCaMe A sPaWn AfTeR aLl" you may now say.
Well no, Astarion got what was coming for him. He was a corrupt and racist magistrate activley making laws to oppress the Gur.
Also Astarion is so unapologetic about kidnapping their children. He kidnapped their children!!! CHILDREN!!!
it is scary to see how this casual racism is just brushed over when people talk about him and baby him and act like he can do no wrong. Especially with how prevolent Racist and Facist Ideology is nowadays here in Europe.
His racism is pretty much framed as justified because of what happened to him, and what's scary is how similar this framing is to how Racists/Facists frame crimes of immigrants/non-white people to justify their hatred/crimes towards them (which I might add are idividual crimes made by individual people and does not mean an entire group of people commit these crimes)
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Zelink gets Isekaied into BG3 Pt6: Team Link and the Fetid Bog
Zelda- High Elf Draconic Lineage Sorcerer
Link- Half Wood Elf Champion Fighter
So far: Zelda kissed Link before the party split up, Team Zelda has explored the Risen Road, and Team Link is off to explore the Moonhaven area.
Team Link- Link, Wyll, Shadowheart, Gale
From the center of Moonhaven, Link leads the team south and finds a familiar face cornered by a couple less-familiar faces.
Wyll instinctively tries to help Auntie Ethel, but Link notices Gale looking around suspiciously and Shadowheart staring at Ethel.
Link asks Shadowheart what's wrong and she takes that opportunity to ask Ethel why she's all the way out here. Alone. So close to a Goblin camp. Really far away from the nearest friendly settlement.
Ethel explains that she lives in a house in these Sunny Wetlands. Gale puts the final nail in Ethel's story-coffin by dispelling the illusion, revealing the Putrid Bog.
Ethel gets all pissy and poofs back to her shack. The brothers charge into the swamp. While the group takes a moment to discuss. While the Goblins are their main objective, whoever Auntie Ethel is presents a clear threat as well. Ultimately, they decide to head into the swamp.
After passing the Redcaps (that still think they are disguised as sheep) and finding the brothers' corpses, they run into Gandrel, who's apparently hunting a vampire spawn by the name 'Astarion.' Team Link leaves him alone after learning about the spawn attack and child abduction. They'll have some questions for Astarion when they meet up.
Link asks the party about the Redcaps, and they tell him how they're inherently homicidal. He tells the party to scout the teahouse while he deals with the Redcaps.
When Link returns, he's splattered with blood and a few alchemy ingredients richer, but isn't shaken.
They enter the Teahouse, give Ethel's deal the finger, tell Mayrina about her brothers, and follow Ethel (who has revealed her true form) into the tunnel.
After using wits, wizardry, and breath-holding, Team Link find themselves in the Ancient Abode, where Ethel is holding Mayrina.
Ethel is tough, but Team Link is fast and clever and forces Ethel to concede the fight. The team intimidates Ethel into surrendering her boon AND Mayrina before she poofs away again.
Wyll and Shadowheart console Mayrina, who's devastated. Link and Gale search Ethel's workshop. Well, Gale investigates the workshop. Link somehow cooks Ethel's scalp into a very dressed-up-looking chicken parm dish. Link is the only one who eats it. It's fine.
Gale finds the Bitter Divorce wand, analyzes it, and tells Link about it. That it can raise the dead, or the undead to be more accurate.
They find Mayrina outside by Connor's coffin, still flanked by Wyll and Shadowheart. Link stays quiet for a minute looking at the scene before taking out the wand and offering it, and an explanation, to Mayrina.
She raises her undead husband, thanks the party, and heads off to Baldur's Gate.
When asked why he gave her the wand, Link responds with, "I get what it's like... Not giving up."
#Baldur's Gate III#Baldur's Gate 3#BG3#Legend of Zelda#LoZ#Breath of the Wild#BotW#Tears of the Kingdom#TotK#Zelda#Link#Hero of the Wild#Shadowheart#Lae'zel#Astarion#Astarion Ancunin#Gale Dekarios#Gale of Waterdeep#Wyll Ravengard#Karlach#Karlach Cliffgate#Zelda x Link#Zelink#Mayrina#Auntie Ethel
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I don't know if anyone else does this, but I wanted to share my particular cope with my bg3 hyoerfixation.
Below the "read more" is the roadmap for my playthrough with my resisted durge Dinah, romancing Shadowheart (for the 40th time, I am not being hyperbolic).
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Dinah Restart Roadmap
Notes -
Don't learn about Halsin, at all
Get Zorru then save Sazza and follow gut lead then kill leaders after gut confrontation
Agree to kill leaders because you need time to find Iron for Karlach upgrade
After leaders don't attend party, go to creche instead
Nautiloid
- fail to open Shadowheart's pod (time to save scum)
Beach
- talk to Shadowheart, don't join up
- fight brains
- kill mindflayer
- see Gale but leave without interacting
- rest (urge)
Day 2
- enter ruins - beach side
- get Withers
- find bandits - run for it
- grove fight
- don't talk to Zevlor
- recruit Shadowheart
- rest - how do you feel?
Day 3
- back to ruins
- get Lae'zel
- clear ruins
- rest - hand hurt
Day 4
- get Wyll
- save Mirkon
- play with Alfira
- talk to Arabella's parents
- save Arabella
- find lead on Kagha
- meet Mol - agree to steal idol
- zorru
- save Sazza
- rest - playing with artifact + last night in camp
Day 5
- Investigate Kagha - mud mephits
- go backwards through blighted village (we got lost)
- cross bridge, fight hyenas
- meet paladins
- Recruit Karlach
- expose Kagha
- knock out Alfira
- rest - Quill
Day 6
- inquisition
- Gith Convoy (fail, Shadowheart escapes and resurrects everyone)
- kill Paladins
- steal idol
- talk to Dammon
- rest - Mizora
Day 7 (don't find metal)
- get Gale
- get Astarion
- Owlbear cave
- Scratch
- Smuggler's ring
- Wakeens rest
- kill all gnolls
- meet the zhent
- open barn
- save Barcus
- Necromancers Basement
- Spiders (if we have the stamina) through well
- rest - Astarion bite
Day 8
- Andrik and Brynna
- talk to Zevlor
- goblin camp - courtyard stuff
- goblin indoor stuff
- get brand
- get kidnapped by Gut
- kill Gut
- save Volo
- Ask Shadowheart thoughts on parasite
- rest - Dream Visitor
Day 9
- talk about dream (Shadowheart gets ersatz eye while talking)
- chicken chasing
- poison Goblins
- knock out Minthara
- Kill Ragzlin
- pick off straggler goblins
- rest - ?
Day 10
- return to Zevlor - lie and agree to party
- fix Karlach's heart
- fight Gith convoy
- to Crèche, no party
- rest -
Day 11
- buy what we want from Esther then kill her
- Kobolds
- Gremishka
- Open door to monastery
- place 3 weapons
- rest - owl bear cub
Day 12
- place last weapon
- Enter Crèche
- Do Crèche stuff
- get Lae'zel's son
- Zaith'isk
- Captain
- inquisitor
- prism
- rest - owl bear cub 2
Day 13
- blood of Lathander
- fight our way out of Crèche
- Give Gale last treat
- back to first area
- rest - Voss
Day 14
- bah at redcaps
- auntie Ethel
- Gale gets eye
- into Ethel's lair
- take deal and Mayrina CON +1
- resurrect Connor
- meet Gandrel
- get crossbow
- to grove
- meet Halsin
- get Sorrow
- rest - Lae'zel and Shadowheart confrontation
Day 15
- open Selûnite way to Underdark
- spectator
- bulette
- boooal
- arcane tower - except last floor
- rest - ?
Day 16
- top floor arcane tower
- Duergar on beach
- myconid colony
- Omeluum
- find Baelin
- Filro
- back to colony
- rest - ?
Day 17
- to Grymforge - use brand
- architect dude
- rothe
- get Shar idol
- conspire with duergar
- return Sargent's boots
- talk to gnomes
- fight merregon
- fight ooze
- find Philomen
- kill dudes by water
- Poison slavers
- talk to spiders
- kill myrmath
- rest - ?
Day 18
- Nere
- get monk necklace
- turn in head
- last minute shopping
- rest - ?
Day 19
- take elevator to Shadowlands
- send Elmister to camp
- talk to crew
- learn about Shar worship
- save Harpers
- meet He who was
- talk to Elminster
- talk to everyone
- start long rest - Mizora
- ask about Shar Worship
- rest - dream visitor
Day 20
- test dark Justiciar Convo
- to last light
- get Karlach upgrade
- talk to Mattis
- talk to Florrick
- talk to Cerys
- talk to Alfira
- talk to Barcus
- talk to His Majesty
- talk to Raphael, no Astarion
- talk to Mol
- shop
- talk to Rolan
- talk to Jaheira
- talk to Isobel
- fight Marcus
- start long rest
- ask to get to know Shadowheart
- rest - Sceleritas
Day 21
- Mother Superior?
- memory?
- shitload of shopping
- Harper ambush
- save Rolan
- back to last light, check on Rolan
- talk to Bex
- talk to Shadowheart about hand hurt?
- rest - dance with Wyll?
Day 22
- Gerringothe Thorm
- finish off patrol
- moonrise
- trial
- Dungeons
- save gnomes, teiflings & Minthara
- tell Isobel you won't hurt her
- recruit Minthara
- talk to everyone
- start long rest
- missed our chance?
- rest - Gale?
Day 23
- blood merchant
- gnoll Control
- talk to Z'rell
- explore Balthazar's room
- explore moonrise
- meet absolute
- rest - blood merchant talk
Day 24
- Back to first area
- get noblestalk
- go past poison geysers area
- get mithril
- fight grym
- forge stuff... Dunno what
- rest - drinks with m'lady
Day 25
- maybe don't talk to her right away
- any other cleanup stuff that could be in first area
- back to Shadowlands
- Thisobald
- get ledger
- town square fight
- find Arabella
- start long rest
- dtr with Shadowheart
- rest - ?
Day 26
- back to he who was
- fight trees
- play hide and seek
- shopping
- rest - ?
Day 27
- find Arabella's parents
- Malus Thorm
- morgue
- Kua toa
- up the hill to Raphael
- tell Arabella bad news
- rest - ?
Day 28
- wake art cullagh
- defend portal for Halsin
- shop!
- clear moonrise docks
- enter mausoleum
- talk to Arabella - cooled off?
- rest - ?
Day 29
- Enter temple of Shar
- first trial
- wall of bone and blade
- learn about trials
- to camp - talk about being in temple
- Meet Balthazar - agree to work with him for now
- kill Yurgir
- lick spider/start rat fight
- finish rat fight
- rest - stupid Raphael
Day 30
- last minute shopping
- town square trials
- Shar Olympics
- pray before Shadowfell
- last, last minute shopping
- questioning faith Convo, pretty please?
- enter Shadowfell
- kill Balthazar
- save Nightsong
- talk to camp
- to last light by way of shadowed battlefield
- talk to Isobel
- assault on moonrise
- Ketheric first defeat
- dtr with Shadowheart part 2
- rest - urge
Day 31
- illithid colony - Shadowheart, Wyll & Jaheira?
- get Us
- save Zevlor
- mizora
- get Wyll's sword
- remember to fucking talk to companions!
- check Durge pod
- Kressa
- big room full of dudes
- Brain machine
- kill Ketheric
- talk to everyone in moonrise
- leave moonrise
- rest - Shadowheart truth (no talk before sleep)
Day 32
- take Halsin to Oliver
- break curse
- Selûnite Resistance quest
- ritual circle
- last minute shopping
- gith patrol
- double, triple, check done with everything
- leave act 2
- chat around camp
- smooch lady many times
- rest - fucking stupid emperor
Day 33
- talk to everyone
- enter Rivington - Shadowheart, Jaheira, and Minthara
- swap Shadowheart for Wyll
- meet Ferg - bound weapon buy all shit
- swap in Astarion
- Talk to strange ox (w/Astarion and Minthara)
- meet gur
- back to main team (Shadowheart, Lae'zel, Karlach)
- help refugees in house
- enter circus, don't talk to dryad, maybe dribbles (save scum to learn if it effects love test)
- genie
- get trident
- meet necromancer lady
- steal hat
- go to open hand temple
- agree to solve murder
- help monk
- fight doppelgangers in cave
- exit to beach
- find dying guy/Orin
- fight guild and stone Lord dudes
- rest - Vlaakith
Day 34
- meet Ferg w/Shadowheart
- break into toymaker's basement
- Wyrm's Crossing
- meet gnomes
- take Astarion to meet siblings
- shakedown toymaker
- talk to stupid fucking elephant
- Voss
- tell Raphael to fuck off
- circle back to learn about bear bombs
- Harper ambush
- Wyrm's Rock
- learn Bhaalspawn heritage
- steal flaming fist uniform
- coronation
- rest - mizora (sandcastles?)
Day 35
- lower city
- talk to Jaheira
- find guild
- talk to nine fingers
- counting house
- get Minsc through back entrance
- back to guild, deal with Zhent
- rest - Minsc and Jaheira watch me sleep?
Day 36
- follow up on murders
- elf song
- rats in basement
- stupid emperor dumb shit
- save lady at wine tasting
- find bodies
- talk to lady at salty mermaid
- save Figaro
- meet Araj
- stop the presses
- rest - ?
Day 37
- hag survivors
- follow up with Vanra's mom
- salty mermaid, Ethel
- fight redcaps
- fight masked people
- fight Ethel, save Vanra
- follow up with Vanra
- follow up with Mayrina
- rest
(Should have had either kidnapping or Astarion family reunion at this point maybe both)
Day 38 (swap to immediately after kidnapping, if needed)
- Get elf song room
- go to coffin makers place, whatever
- unholy assassin
- buy all good stuff
- kill Saravok anyway
- snoop to learn about Orin
- go to sewers
- fight dumbshit sorcerer
- buy sweet druid robes
- open way to Bhaal's temple
- rest - ?
Day 39
- Bhaal trial
- find brain rats
- chat with Sceleritas
- go to Orin's room
- chat with her mother
- confront Orin
- kill Orin
- huzzah!
- rest - ?
Day 40
- find grave, leave night orchid
- find grafitti
- house of grief maybe?
- prepare to cry maybe?
- if we have stamina - fight poltergeists
- rest - cry my eyes out
Day 41
- go to hell
- house of hope
- kill Raphael, the bastard
- steal Voss' Silver Sword for me
- get Lae'zel's silver sword
- find mummy lord
- find zombie
- track down organs
- kill mummy lord
- return to Oskar
- tell Jannath she can do better
- rest - ?
Day 42 -
- Save Volo
- break into foundry
- talk to blind dude
- wavemother, agree to kill monster
- to society of brilliance
- talk to Blurg
- Jaheira's house
- sorcerers sundries
- fucking Aradin
- Laroakan
- Vault
- stupid Gale
- meet Mystra
- shopping, stalk up for iron throne
- Worg warehouse
- rest - ?
Day 43
- Iron Throne
- get Wavemother dress
- how are we feeling? If all good start ansur
- love test first
- do all trials
- rest - ?
Day 44
- fight ansur
- feeling ok? Start Cazador's Manor
- clear upper level
- rest - ?
Day 45
- talk to skull
- kill Cazador
- prepare to cry
- not too beat? Fireworks!
- rest - ?
Day 46
- *sigh Gortash
- lead out to roof? Stand in one place, ranged only? Either way, try not to set off traps
- talk to other 2 first, then karlach
- cry
- talk to companions again
- cry
- talk to Karlach again
- cry
- anything to clean up?
- rest - ?
Day 47
- anything you've forgotten?
- did you steal the tithes?
- did you find dribbles?
- mindflayer in windmill?
- dryad sex worker?
- adventurer's dad?
- double, triple, quadruple check
- rest - ?
Day 48
- brain rats
- fight brain
- win!
#bg3#baldur's gate 3#bg3 shadowheart#shadowheart#bg3 durge#durge#baldur's gate shadowheart#baldurs gate 3#BG3 roadmap for Dinah#baldurs gate shadowheart#baldurs gate durge#baldur's gate durge
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Gandrel: "Are you alright my friend? You look a little Pale."
This was so sad to me 😭 Playing the Astarion Origin run has been kind of rough because I am missing Tav to comfort him so much. When Astarion meets Gandrel in the swamp, the ONLY person that checks in on him during, or even after the conversation is fucking Gandrel (for the obvious reason that he doesn't know with whom he's speaking). I thought for sure someone would jump in, or at least have something to say afterwards at camp that night, but noooope. Astarion just has to go it alone. Have this conversation with a man who is hunting him. Have this stranger look him in the eye and say how he wishes he could kill this Astarion. He has to process this all in real time and maintain his facade all while his companions stand silently behind him and do nothing but look on. Look how scared he is 😭😭😭
Narrator: "You remember the night well. The shouts of battle, the screams of the children as you dragged them away..."
2. "I wouldn't blame the vampire spawn. I hear they have to follow their master's orders."
He can't even help but defend himself even though it's an objectively a stupid thing to do. Defending the Vampire Spawn to the Monster Hunter? Yeah, that only hurts his cover.
It puts him at risk of the thing he fears the most, being captured and brought back within Cazador's grasp, but he can't even help himself.
Somewhere in his little babygirl head, making that comment was worth the risk. He so desperately wants someone, anyone, even this guy he hates, to recognize and validate that his actions under Cazador are not who he is. (Naturally Gandrel dismisses this quickly.)
#bg3#baldurs gate 3#astarion#astarion origin playthrough#bg3 spoilers#akfjhsadkjflas this is so fucking sad Tav where are you honey
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Some people seem to think that he suddenly turns evil after he Ascends while ignoring pre-ascension:
-Him pulling a knife on you when you first meet him, threatening you.
-On the first bite where he sneaks up on you in your sleep to bite you without consent, if you fail skill checks he won't care about you telling him to stop and he kills you. Then after speaking to him about it the morning after, he doesn't care.
-Him grabbing his sibling Petras by the throat and burning him under the sun's rays, torturing him to extract information.
-Stabbing an innocent Gur Gandrel in the eyeball, killing him.
-Him lying, manipulating and seducing you for protection?
-He's literally racist to Gur, Halflings and Gnomes?
-Him supporting slavery (he approves when you buy the painter as a slave and disapproves when you help the gnomes escape slavery).
-Before he turned he was a "corrupt elite" confirmed in the artbook.
-Is extremely power hungry and selfish, wants to control the Absolute cult and dominate the world.
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meeting Gandrel after the tiefling party
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#listen i know i'm years late with the jokes but i think i'm somewhat amusing#astarion#solas#baldur's gate 3#dragon age inquisition#(i've been away and need the validation for something that took me two seconds to make)#because IMMEDIATELY thought 'oh no not again' when he started explaining the gur
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The impromptu (but necessary) fight with the monster hunter Gandrel went... we'll say poorly for Astarion. Ronan's blessing on them could only help so much and as the hunter focused him down with a barrage of burning crossbolts, it was easy to start making mistakes. The thought of killing the man with his teeth was too poetic to deny, but ended with a bolt to his stomach and his knees meeting the ground with the rest of him swift to follow.
Six seconds of panic. Of pain. Of being assured he'd met his end, his flesh burnt and the bolt in his stomach twisted and deep.
But there it was. A rapturous feeling. A holy light lifting him from edge when it should have been shoving him down, and through the smoke, Astarion met Ronan's burning eye as he healed him with a prayer and a snarl before a morning star to the temple sent the hunter to the ground instead.
He struggled to stand until there was a clawed hand around his arm, pulling him up, patting out whatever was still burning on him. A potion thrust in his hand. An order growled out to the other two they'll be making camp early tonight, followed by a flurry of activity he scant remembers much of besides holding the thing in him still.
The first step is taking out the bolt before the sun is set and a fire is built. He assures Ronan he's been through worse, tells him about it, about who no doubt sent the hunter as the cleric still works efficiently and lays him down. Carefully takes off his burnt armor and clothes for Gale to mend with his magic.
It'd be intimate in any other setting, but prodding claws dipping into the wound to find the barbs of the bolt make it anything but. And when it's time to pull it out, Ronan prepares him, talks him through what will happen, offers to hold his hand.
"You know, despite the face, your bedside manner is impeccable." He teases breathily, looking anywhere but the fist the size of his head grasping the shaft sticking out of him.
It earns him something approximating a grin before the bolt is pulled free in a single motion, a rough palm on his chest keeping him from curling in on himself from the pain. It is tossed elsewhere, Ronan's free hand slapped over the hole in him with another prayer that fills his lungs with air and numbs the hurt, expediting the healing that will happen after he's gotten something to eat.
When he's caught his breath and Ronan has taken his hand away, he sits Astarion up, inspecting smaller wounds. The burns, the cuts, the splinters of wood from the shattered bolts lodged in his skin. With his claws and some tweezers, he pulls them out, inspecting anything bleeding with a practiced eye.
"You don't have to do that, really-"
"Heals better." He says gruffly, brushing him off, contrasting the care with which he extracts another splinter and the gentle way he holds onto Astarion's arm. "You wouldn't want anything stuck in you."
He changes the subject, asks further about Cazador to keep him busy. And busy it does, like a poison being expelled from him. Even the small amount he relays is enough for a different kind of relief, one that's compounded as Ronan assures Astarion he'll watch his back should anyone else sent their way.
Once he's satisfied, Ronan sits back, goes for his bag for any kind of burn relief but Astarion stays him. Assures him he'll be fine after he gets something to eat, shockingly prompting Ronan to ask if he needs help. He points out he's still weak, staring pointedly as Astarion struggles to stay sitting upright, the muscles in his abdomen still freshly mended.
"There is, ah, one way you could help." Astarion says, "A little top up couldn't hurt. I wouldn't take much. Just enough to...speed things along."
He gives Astarion long stare, and for a moment he assumes it'll be another no until there's a clink as he undoes the leather at his wrist, presenting it to Astarion without a word. Doesn't flinch or look away as he bites through the delicate scales found there. Astarion can feel his pulse on his tongue, beating rapid as he watches his blood be taken.
Perhaps he isn't the only one enjoying the moment.
When Ronan pulls away, he is quick to stay the bleeding with a prayer, but Astarion is quicker to snatch his arm back. Lap up whats left and confirm what he's suspecting at the flare of nostrils and the fiery pupils dilating at the sight. He's not as indecipherable as first appears.
"You were going to wipe it away anyways. Why let a good thing go to waste?"
There's that rumbling hum again, a sound he's finding to mean the man is pleased by something. Ronan still stands though, tells him to rest a little more before he goes off hunting. Says he'll keep an eye out for his return.
Astarion watches him leave, lumbering toward Lae'zel to see over her burns and no doubt be told off for the recklessness that got them here. There's still pain, but it's waning under the prayers and the blood on his tongue. He'll get up in a moment, content to lay here, this modicum of safety one to enjoy.
#jacq writes#tells myself i wont write fanfic of bg3 till next chapter of left turn is done#keeps fucking doing it anyways#i had to get this idea out of craw cause i liked how that whole fight went down#very good very narrative#and then right after it and we took a long rest#i had that fucking magic scene with gale#and the next morning i talked to astarion and he gave me the dtf speech#which i reloaded and will have that convo with him next long rest#i speed ran that shit apparently#killing hunter man was apparently the yes sex button for him. cool.#but im not playing again till i finish the chapter im working on#anyways#bg3
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The Spawn and the Siren
Chapter 4: The Devil you don't remember.
Astarion does some self-reflection as he lays out his plans, the siren meets her butler... and the party becomes acquainted with a cunning devil that seems to already know Zenosyne...
This is my first attempt at a multi chapter fanfiction in a very long time.
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Some weeks had passed following the events at Ethel’s cottage, and Zenosyne found herself heartbroken at what she had seen of who she was. Still, she longed to learn so much more about herself. The revelations imparted to her left more questions in her mind than they had answered. Who was Raphael? Who was the pale, otherworldly woman she had called sister? Why was her mind burdened with the overwhelming allure of blood and death?
Like so many times before, she found herself in her siren form, laying in the river as it ran over her like a baptism washing away whatever sins of the day that she had committed. Her skin was cold, and the icy waters made her feel alive and grounded when her mind would pull her to dark places. Lazily her tail swayed back and forth as it pulled the water along in its wake. Her arms were crossed out in front of her as she laid on her stomach. Her head rested firmly in her forearms as the little parasite wiggled in her mind with power.
There was still the matter of her bloodlust. She pondered over the guilt that gnawed in her mind over what she had been wont to do over the past few weeks. When her secrets began to unravel before herself and the members of the party, and she realized that silent powers were hidden in her siren form, she used them as a shield against her fears. Unsuspecting goblins and other enemies would find themselves entranced up until the moment she would strike- each time she became more and more creative with her deadly fury, savoring the chase. Her blade tasted blood at every chance she could find. And while the others did what they had to in order to survive, she lay there in the water trying to quiet the loud voice in her head that berated her and demeaned her. She found no comfort in who she was finding herself to be. Neither did the others that she traveled with.
Then, there was still the matter of Astarion to reckon with. Following her near-demise Astarion had carried her back to the camp until she found the strength within her to walk again. The others had seen as much as she had in her dreams as they looked into the hag’s mirror, and their trust in her wavered. Very few sirens still existed, and what few did still live remained in hiding beneath the dark oceans. They remained ever loyal to Umberlee and to themselves alone, finding no allies on the surface. Astarion had teased her at first about it.
“Such a rare catch you are, little fish!” He had said in that melodic, seductive tone of his that pulled at Zenosyne’s mind even in her sleep. “Aren’t we lucky to have found you. Now, you know my secret, and I know your’s!”
He was of course referring to what had been revealed the day that Gandrel had announced he was searching for the vampire spawn Astarion. The way that Zenosyne had, without missing a beat, nodded and played along with the ruse had shocked him. She’d unquestioningly protected his identity- and then protected his life that day. It was the first moment in his life, he recalled, that he felt as though someone other than himself was watching his back. That was the moment he realized he did not want to have to go without that ever again. If the siren was willing to stick her neck out for him, he would play that card for as long as he could. It had been a knee-jerk reaction from years of survival at the hands of Cazador. Yet, the longer he thought about it- the more he felt like her demonstration of care had meant even more to him that he wanted to acknowledge.
I’m not a details person, Astarion thought to himself, …But I can enjoy this, can’t I? I don’t see why I can’t enjoy it. I deserve it, after all. I’m owed something for myself after all these years of misery and hells.
“You seem to be the only one making light of this discovery.” She replied, unable to hold back the quiet sigh that danced on the edge of being a laugh.
“Darling, I don’t care what you are, or where you came from, when you’ve proven to be such a formidable adversary to our foes.” He had remained on the word darling for a moment- he knew that she had taken notice of his suggestive pet names- small hints at his master plan. She was falling hard.
“And what’s more” he went on, “It’s always a pleasure to see a siren ensnare her prey so close- at a distance most mortals could only dream of and live to tell the tale.” One of his pale, dexterous hands reaching up to grasp at the air in front of him- just close enough to her face to keep her eyes busy as she absorbed his words like a sponge.
“Some people would call me a monster.” She said plainly, her eyes betrayed her reticence to accept his praise.
“Some people would call me a monster.” He echoed.
His simple statement left Zenosyne open mouthed- ready for her rebuttal. She found none. He was right. He was, by definition, like her. Monstrous.
“That gives me an unreasonable feeling of...?” She struggled to find the words that might describe the feeling that made her shoulders relax, and her breath release from their tight grip within her lungs. At her genuine shift in demeanor, she thought she saw a hint of something change in his eyes- as if he were faltering. His sure and arrogant smirk cracked for a split second, but whatever she saw- or thought that she saw disappeared just as soon as it had come.
“I feel like…”
“Feeling… understood?” He asked. His voice was a little lower this time. There were less theatrics behind his stance now. His arms fell slightly under an invisible weight. The truth was, he was very good at what he did. He could lead someone on and seduce them into doing whatever he wanted. It took a little poise and tweaks here and there to appease the individual in question, but the game remained largely the same. However, it would work often enough and quickly- so that all of it was over by morning, and he could move on to the next one. There were few facades he had to maintain for this amount of time. He tried desperately not to get to know the people that he…
No, no stop it now. Astarion thought to himself.
“I think so.” She said, even quieter. She reached out to him instinctively, as if to find some kind of comfort. She didn’t expect him to flinch at her advancement- and when she saw it, she let her arms fall quickly, her hands grasping each other in front of her.
“Thank you.” She said quickly, turning away from him. “That means more to me than I can say, truly.”
Her mind snapped back into the present, and the cold water suddenly felt a little warmer. Her face lifted from it’s daydream to meet the eyes of a terrifying, quite ugly creature.
“Your excellence!” it said.
She screamed. It was the small butler she had seen in the dream she had while under the hag’s spell. His tall hat smelled of the hells- like he had just come from the inside of a hot, raging volcano.
“No, no, your unholiness, please! Don’t be alarmed! I bring you gifts!” He bowed low, his voice excited. “A small piece of your most wonderful inheritance.”
“Inheritance? Are you the…”
“Sceleritas Vel, my lady. Your butler, humbly at your service as I have always been, and always will be!”
A red cloak appeared suddenly in his outstretched hands, his face still downturned in reverence at her shocked expression.
“Tell me who I am!” She demanded. She wasted no time in getting to the point. She wanted answers.
“No, no, my lady I’m afraid I cannot do that. That is not for me to reveal, not for me to say!” A hint of nervousness was in his voice now. He feared what she might do.
“But know, my lady, that your actions have not gone unnoticed by your father. He is most pleased with the fearsome initiative you have taken of late!” The excitement in Sceleritas Vel’s voice began to rise up again.
“Initiative? I wouldn’t call it initiative. I’ve been unable to… stop myself.” She said, her brows raising together in concern.
“Because you cannot hide from who you are destined to be- who you have always been destined to become!” He said, his encouragement would have been very motivational, if it were used for the right purpose. As it was- his words were bittersweet to Zenosyne and twisted with evil she could not ignore.
“What CAN you tell me?!” She shouted, grabbing at his jacket collar. She shook him with fury in her eyes and bared her teeth. She felt her gums in her mouth give way a little- and it almost felt like a relief when the long, needle like teeth pushed their way through. Her grimace widened to an unnatural size- what was once a pair of rosy cheeks was now all sharp and curved fangs, overlapping and horrifyingly sharp. Her lips were something in between a wicked smile and a forceful display of rage- and where her nose had been, a scaly nose-like feature flared with sharp breaths.
“I… No! No, My lady please, do not unleash your anger at me! I have and always will live to-”
Startled by her own growls, Zenosyne let go of Sceleritas. With a gasp her face quickly eased back into the one she had come to know up until that point. She had never become a monster like that before. Not insofar as she just had. She had literally changed her form again- into a creature worse than she’d seen in her own twisted nightmares.
She stood up, her tail turning into legs. Slipping her beaded skirt back on with shaking hands she hastily strode in the direction of the campsite. She watched as her companions went about their own business.
Shadowheart was gently and absently petting scratch as she read a book. Gale was reading as well, but much more intently. His eyes scanned old pages that crinkled loudly under his touch. Wyll rested with eyes that slowly blinked away sleep- trying to remain awake at the fireside while Karlach put up her tent.
Just as Zenosyne entered the clearing where the others sat around restlessly, the sound of flames burst from the ground- a place where she’d not ever seen them come from before. She jumped and let out a shriek that caught the attention of the others. Wyll had already drawn a blade from his side- Astarion remaining low in his instinctive prowl. Karlach bolted upright and made no hesitation in picking up her greataxe. Lae’zel was even quicker to assume an offensive stance.
“A devil!” Karlach shouted, knowing right away what was coming.
Yet instead of the flaming, fearsome creature they were all anticipating rising out of the fires and smoke, a tall and proud figure of a man stood before them. His navy doublet pristinely kept and his hair neatly combed to rest with careful control at his shoulders. His expression was one of amusement.
“Well, well, well” He said, very slowly. “…What’s better than the devil you don’t know….?”
Painfully, Zenosyne waited for him to do something. Her heart pounded and she looked to the others, who seemed just as confused as she.
“The devil you do.” He finished.
Before any more could be said, Karlach cut the tension in the air with resolution in her voice- “He’s not some friendly face, despite what he’s making you think” Karlach said, “Don’t trust him. They’re all like that. Devious fuckers.”
“… And what about the devil I can’t quite… remember? Are you another infernal butler?” She asked.
“Hah! Don’t flatter yourself, little mermaid!” He laughed heartily. “Allow me to introduce myself to you once again, sweet Zenosyne.”
The well-kept human looking devil bowed his head and shoulders ever so slightly, as if to show respect but not inferiority.
“Lord Raphael. Son of Mephistopheles.”
“Oh, hells!” Karlach shouted in rage.
“Precisely!” Raphael said with a smile. “But you, Lady Zenosyne, have always had better taste for where you rest than can be afforded out here in the wilds. Allow me to bring us to a more… comfortable place to discuss the matters at hand.”
Just as he had appeared before them, so did they all suddenly appear in a beautifully decorated dining hall. The hall was rounded, columns all around them leading the way in three directions from the large, circular marble dining table that stood prominently in the center of the room. A fire flickered atop an immensely large painting of Raphael himself that was framed in the finest gold money- or, souls- could buy.
“The House of Hope. A most luxurious place in which you formerly loved to spend time.” He said, hands extended to urge Zenosyne to turn around. There was an endless feast of the finest, most beautiful foods she had seen until now.
She chuckled. One thing that she knew about herself- if anything, was that she had an insatiable sweet tooth. Before he could invite her to indulge herself in the exquisite options laid out before them she reached out to one of the little towers that held the small, rich chocolate cakes and popped it in her mouth.
“Don’t restrain yourself on my behalf, please, help yourself.” Raphael teased.
She reached for another, and with her other hand began to sort through the decadent desserts assorted on a silver tray nearby as well.
“We’re in the hells.” Karlach said, a bit of relief in her voice from the eased pain in her chest. Her engine felt a little less hot here.
“I’d know the stench anywhere.” Wyll confirmed, “And the… company.” He sneered. Judgement on his face as he watched Zenosyne dig into the delicious food without hesitation.
“And, ah… how exactly do you know our companion here, if she doesn’t know you?” Astarion spoke up, inserting himself into the conversation.
Raphael turned slowly to the now concerned looking vampire spawn. Zenosyne looked at Astarion out of the corner of her eye as she chewed the overly sweet cake. Astarion’s eyes were wider than she’d seen them before, almost a look of vulnerability. He looked almost childlike when the devil scoffed at him. Then, he recollected himself and sneered back.
“You have a bit of a problem, don’t you, little mermaid?” Raphael asked pointedly, “Yet another resident within your mind. One uninvited guest that won’t leave your brain.”
“You know it?” She asked, her mouth still full of the sticky icing.
He chuckled, “I do. If you… wanted help… you know, you used to come to me for help…” Raphael started.
“Don’t” Karlach interrupted, and Wyll looked at Karlach in silent agreement. His nod said all that he was thinking. There was no trust for this devil among her companions.
Raphael looked at Zenosyne, the dark green locs that fell in soft waves down to her waist swayed with her alluring siren’s magic. To be certain, Raphael mused, she would not have been some extraordinary beauty if she were just another woman. What made her beautiful was a combination of her magic, her easy and soft voice, and the way she knew just how to look into one’s eyes as if the world started and stopped in their gaze. It was enough to make mortals feel something between being needed and wanted. This was the draw of a siren.
Raphael was lost for a moment, thinking about how she had looked at him with those eyes not so long ago in the soft glow of the caverns of the hells. She had come to him, using every charm she had to convince him to help her to escape the temple of Bhaal she called her prison. He heard her pleading voice in his mind again, her small, soft hands resting on his chest as she pleaded. She rested her head there, nestling into him.
“I cannot stay here, with him. I need to go up there. I need to see Faerun for myself.” She cried gently into Raphael’s arms, salty tears falling from her black lashes. “My father would have me live and die down here. What if I don’t want it?” She went on.
“You poor, sweet thing.” He had said, finally pulling her from his chest. “My precious little siren. I would deny you nothing in this world.”
Raphael blinked away the memory.
“I… don’t know If I am willing to take a deal with a devil.” Zenosyne said.
It was a far cry from the pleading girl he once knew. She had no idea.
“I will be here, Zenosyne. Just as I always have been. And when you realize you need me, you will return.” He said.
And suddenly, they were back in their camp.
“My cake!” She cried out, her hands now empty. “Well, shit.”
#baldurs gate fanfiction#astarion x durge#baldurs gate astarion#astarion fanfiction#astarion fanfic#astarion#bg3 fanfiction#bg3 durge#bg3 fic#bg3 tav#bg3 astarion#astarion x tav#baldurs gate 3 fanfiction#bg3#durgestarion#bg3 dark urge
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your OC's personality
thank you @obsessedwhyyes for the tag and for yet another opportunity to talk about my redeemed Durge, Eve 🫶🏻
I need to get more screenshots of my girl but in the meantime, here are some pics form a moodboard I made for her a while back:
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answers below the cut (they include some Dark Urge spoilers)
how would you describe their personality? I talked about this a bit here, but basically: loyal, determined, honest, caring, extremely self-critical, both an overthinker and quite impulsive (she will often blurt things out before stopping to think about her words,) very curious about the world (she wants to learn as much as she can and loves to meet new people and listen to their stories.)
what brings your character joy? post-Netherbrain, Eve has become a homebody. the idea is quite novel to her–having this space that she can truly call hers, where nothing is expected of her, there are no foes to fight or cataclysms to prevent. her favorite days are when she can stay home with Astarion and relish this comfort she never really knew before. she's also an avid reader and will devour any number of books, mostly non-fiction, because she wants to rebuild her knowledge of the world after having forgotten most of it.
what does your character strongly dislike? more than just dislike, but not quite hate? hm... I guess this sense that she never truly belonged anywhere. she doesn't have a lineage she could track, or a family in the traditional sense of the word. she was just... made for one purpose and one purpose only, and after that's gone, after Bhaal disowned her, she's just this oddly isolated individual, the Child of None as Withers called her. but isn't that what found families are for?
is your OC scared of anything? losing control. hurting those she loves. does that sound familiar? basically, the night the Urge set out to kill Astarion was Eve's worst nightmare coming true.
what is their alignment? chaotic good. she strives to do the right thing, but doesn't necessarily care much for rules. she also definitely murdered some people just because they really annoyed her or offended/threatened those she cares about (side-eyeing Gandrel and Esther) and she has precisely zero regrets about that.
it took me a week to respond to this, so some of you have probably been tagged already, but still: @khywren @xxnashiraxx @verbenaa @funniestbitchinfaerun–I'd love to read your answers if you feel like sharing ✨
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BG3 anon here. Glad to see you've finally dealt with Ethel! The trick with the Protection Against Evil and Good is really neat, when I first played the game I had no idea it could work like that! I remember putting one of the masks on my Tav and she got possessed by it so I ended up fighting her minions and knocked all of them out except one. I'll definitely use that trick in my second playthrough though, I already reached level 4 and will have to deal with her soon enough. By the way, to successfully knock out a character you can't use ranged attacks and spells on them, that might be why you got all her servants killed. Or, if you use such attacks make sure the last, dealing blow isn't one of those, but a melee one (so swords, axes, maces, thing like that). Also, try not to use poison on your weapons or inflict other lasting conditions (like bleeding) on your targets as that can fuck the whole thing up in case the character you want to knock out is one of those who can show up later in the game. You should be safe though if the game says they are knocked out and they don't die when you exit the combat.
I wouldn't worry at all about missing some any important items from Ethel. She had a nice staff you could buy (you'll find better ones soon enough anyway) and some potions of Hill Giant Strength which are great, but it's not like you can't go on without them. Plus, you will meet other merchants selling those.
Yes, the dialogue with Gandrel is different depending on whether or not you found out the truth about Astarion being a vampire. It's also a bit different if you meet him without Astarion in your party! Honestly, I don't know if knocking out Gandrel works. Some characters will appear later on if you don't kill them and choose to knock them out instead (like Minthara will) but for story reasons I assume, some others won't. It is possible the game will consider him dead regardless, despite him not being technically dead. The only thing I want to point out is that it makes absolute sense from a role-playing perspective for Tav to deal with him considering he's looking after one of your companions and let's be honest, it's not like a monster hunter will spare a vampire once he's done with it. After all, vampires are considered irredeemably evil monsters in their world. I do agree that him trying to get help from a hag is quite stupid, he should know better being a monster hunter, shouldn't he?
As for Mayrina, I don't think you can grab Connor without her knowing so I would ignore her cries...she's better off without his stinky zombie ass anyway.
you're very welcome about the Protection Against Evil spell!
i think that's where i failed with the masks, because i used ranged attacks and spells on them. it would have been way easier to incapacitate them first and then just fight ethel with 3 people. if you succeed in doing that, make sure that, when you loot their knocked-out bodies, you don't take their masks off. otherwise they die. just take their other stuff
i dunno if gandrel will appear again in this act at least but if he pesters me i will deal with him at the time :)) aside from seeking help from ethel of all people, i'm not sure i can blame him for hunting a vampire (conceptually-speaking). ofc, astarion insisted that he must have been hired by cazador, but i clicked the option of asking why would the gur work with another vampire?
he told me they might not be aware who they're working for. but you know. :)) i'm already aware astarion did do some shitty things to the gurs :))
i'll see if i can make it up to the gurs later on
yeah, you know, i feel like after all this work i'd have earned at least a persuasion check on mayrina! i did leave her her necklace and all. this was hilarious bc she started talking to the nearest person, which just so happened to be astarion, and i made him say very sympathising things that i'm sure he very much did not mean :)) and, after all this bashing, i do have to say i thought it relatively cute how, when you enter turn-based combat with him against ethel, he tells you smth like "if you want to save the girl, you have to do it NOW". i was expecting him to advise me to ditch her and save our necks or start blaming me lol. it's the bare minimum in this camp!
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Played a little bit more of Prince's playthrough today and I have to say, seeing how their interactions are with Astarion considering I'm not planning to romance him is really interesting.
Unlike Tavanna (romance) and Naberius (short fling before hearing Astarion's truth and deciding he needed a friend more), Prince is a lot more cautious and wary towards Astarion. They don't dislike him, but they do sense that there is much more to his character than what Astarion is letting on, and the way things developed in-game today between conversation options and decisions taken really made the moment Astarion decides to work on seducing/manipulating a Tav to ensure his own safety more obvious.
A few things to note for Prince that are important before I unravel this play session:
Prince let Astarion drink from them, but died during the event. They've never really let Astarion forget it, and are more wary of how Astarion feeds (Tavanna and Naberius were a lot more willing and offering to it when and if Astarion needs it, whereas Prince sees the risk to it)
Prince learned about Astarion's vampirism much sooner than Tavanna and Naberius did. Rather earlier on, in fact - and now that their party is heading to Ethel's swamp, they have this knowledge when meeting Gandrel.
Prince however knows nothing about Cazador before Gandrel. Astarion has kept that very hidden.
Before the Gandrel encounter, Astarion's approval meter was at neutral. Both Shadowheart and Wyll (who frequent Princes' parties) were already at high approval. Astarion's changes to high right after Gandrel in Princes' playthrough.
Princes' planned romance is Shadowheart, and the romance path has already started for them.
So the first stage of this breakdown starts with meeting Gandrel in the swamp. As mentioned above, Prince enters this meeting knowing that Astarion is already a vampire, and so when they learn that Gandrel and the Gur are looking to capture him, Princes' alarm bells are set to caution. Prince is a friendly and kind sort, who is doing their best to build trust and friendships with those in the group. So, they keep Astarion's secret for him, and eventually, sensing the danger Gandrel offers, gives Astarion the okay to kill him.
After the battle, Shadowheart quickly says that she's 'surprised Prince sided with Astarion', to which Prince responds that they hope it won't turn out that the decision will bite them in the future (I see what you did there, Prince).
Now, for Astarion, this seems to be a critical moment in which he decides Prince is worth trusting his safety in. Once the party eventually returns to camp a little later and Prince starts their discussions with the party, this is the moment where Astarion freely mentions Cazador to them for the first time. Sure, there's a reluctance to talk about his past - and Prince offers him the choice not to say anything - but Astarion tells Prince the details anyway. Prince listens, and instead of offering hollow or comforting words like 'I'm so sorry that happened to you', they gently press for more understanding of his history.
Prince leaves him alone after the discussion - probably with a lot for Astarion to think on for the evening - and goes to talk to Shadowheart, where they unlock the first romance scene with them (talking together over wine / first kiss). The next morning, Prince and Shadowheart both mentioned that they liked the company they shared.
Now, Prince went to talk to Astarion again after this - mostly because I expected a comment about them and Shadowheart - but what I didn't expect was for Astarion to push the early, pre-tiefling party hookup conversation.
After this discussion when I checked his approval, I was surprised to see it was high already - I've been taking Prince's playthrough slowly! We've only just wrapped up the Shadow Druids story! We're trying to build our money up for the special Zhentarim bow! We haven't even fought the paladins for Karlach, or stepped foot in the Goblin camp. We're only just facing Auntie Ethel in her house? Prince isn't a particularly snarky character - yet this?? Was happening??
Then I realized; storywise, it makes sense for Astarion to choose this moment to put his manipulation into play. He has grown to trust Prince in some respects, enough to know that they can offer a sense of security to him that he hasn't ever had before. He has a place in a party that maybe can take down his abuser if he plays his cards right. Prince knows he's a vampire, has seen him kill a hunter for his own protection, and has heard about Cazador - and yet Astarion still hasn't been shunned or thrown out of the party.
For someone in Astarion's position and with his thoughts and expectations - whilst also seeing a closeness building between the party members (especially with Prince and Shadowheart) - now seems like a perfect time to cement his place in the group.
Yet he believes that all he has to offer is his body, so his only gift to Prince is sex.
During this conversation Prince is very ???, because the alarm bells are ringing for them once again that something is very wrong here. They haven't entertained Astarion's flirtation, as Astarion tries to say that 'they found enjoyment out of Astarion biting them', Prince quickly counters him with the 'not really. I died, remember?' To Prince, there is no reason for this attempt at seduction to be happening - and they're intuitive enough to sense that likely, this isn't even Astarion himself really wants.
There was a moment in this discussion where the dialogue really hit me and how wonderfully the writers have written this if you play a character that truly pushes and challenges Astarion here rather than just immediately responding to it. I purposely play my characters differently from one another as I love seeing how stories can diverge; so for the past seduction scenes (which, mind you, both happened at the party ((although Naberius got a second proposition scene since he ran off with Minthara first at the goblin party))). Tavanna was already fond of Astarion at this stage that she didn't really hesitate to enter a friends-with-benefits situation with him, and Naberius is such a self-centered ass at times that he just went along with it because he thought it would be fun sleeping with Astarion (and he was a bit prideful that Astarion asked twice).
But Prince has no romantic interest at this stage. They consider him a tentative friend, but they consider that about most of their party.
I have to apologize since for the first time I didn't save footage of this (the one playthrough I don't and it's the one that makes me think the most, lol), but the dialogue that hit for me went something like this:
Prince: I didn't enjoy it. I died, remember? Astarion: which is even more reason for me to make it up to you! And what better way to do so than this? Prince: ... you do understand that you don't owe me anything, right? And you certainly don't owe me sex? Astarion: this isn't me owing you as such ...
^ I'm definitely paraphrasing there - but the important thing to note is Astarion makes this offer sound like a transaction he owes, and Prince very quickly notices that and answers with 'you do understand you don't owe me?'
And we know that Astarion, realistically, doesn't know that. He has been conditioned to expect that his worth comes in only what he can offer via his body and that it's a truth he doesn't like, but he knows nothing else so continues with it anyway.
I just found this so interesting because as someone on their 4th playthrough, I know that this is something that gets discussed in more detail in act 2. But to see how the seeds are planted so early in act one and how Astarion's approval isn't so difficult to gain if you listen and seem to value him (again, Prince has had far less interaction with Astarion compared to what Tavanna and Naberius have had on past playthroughs; yet the interactions have been ones that have seemed to resonate with the character: the trust with the vampire reveal, gifting Astarion the book of necromancy, allowing him to protect himself against Gandrel, listening as he spoke about Cazador). I'm also playing on a Tactician run and have purposely been avoiding the use of the 'Friend' spell to help with dice rolls on character discussions. To me, it was just really neat to see how you can choose to challenge the truth of the cruel, harsh world Astarion has been forced to live in for 200 years earlier than perhaps a player thinks they can.
#astarion#astarion ancunin#bg3#baldur's gate 3#ch: prince#ch: astarion ancunin#gaming: badur's gate 3#misc: gaming#misc: meta
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[I can't really access my pics of Clover atm, and if I keep putting this off until I do I swear I'll never post it! I added a description below in lieu of pics lol (although, I think it would be fun to see how everyone describes their Tavs themselves, too!)]
This "meet my Tav" is brought to you by the wonderful @galeorderbride, who tagged me! I tag @thecurlyginger and @silent-words :)
This is my first Tav, so there will forever be a special place in my heart for her. Where it all began! Description: Imagine a constantly dirty lil wood-elf with olive skin, brown hair that glitters green when it catches the light, cut functionally to the scalp with a hunting knife. Her lips are naturally tinted green, and a customary tattoo of pale green vines snakes up her neck and frames her face - an empty space at center of her throat for when she earns the symbol of her ranger conclave. She has big, dopey forest-green eyes. Smol. Doesn't really sit down - just sort of perches herself precariously. A very serious-looking raven is always either on her shoulder or perched nearby (though, if you have "speak with animals", his voice is SUPER goofy and it's clear that he's just a silly little friend). Catch this shy bean in the shadows drawing all the cool plants and creatures she's encountered during their travels - after she's hunted and hung a wild boar to drain to keep everyone fed, of course. I have, as you can see, thought about this a normal amount.
Name: Clover
Age: 170-200ish, she doesn't know for sure, exactly.
Race: Wood elf
Class: Gloomstalker Ranger
Alignment: Started neutral good, but this whole mess ground her down to true neutral.
Deity: Simply, the land of whatever Plane she's on. But will send an occasional prayer to Sehanine Moonbow.
Favourite spells: Find familiar! (always the raven - naturally lol - his name is Eugene)
Armour act 1: Oak Father's Embrace, then hide armor +2
Armour act 2: Yuan Ti scale mail
Armour act 3: Helldusk armor (plus the helmet. Dyed it all green. She looked like a cute little swamp creature - I WILL update this with pics!)
Favourite dye: sage green
Weapons act 1: Gandrel's Aspiration (rip Gandrel, it all happened so fast)
Weapons act 2: the Joltshooter
Weapons act 3: The Dead Shot
Buffs: Longstrider. All day every day
Love interest: Lae'zel (her primal, aggressive flirting had Clover swooning in an instant), Gale as her bff
Favourite NPC: Malta, that prophetic cat in a random alley in Act 3 (I hc that they reunite again in a few centuries, as was prophesized)
Favourite enemy: Raphael. She marked him as prey since Act 1, so the kill was *so satisfying*
Favourite battle: Orin. Smoke powder arrows were the MVP of that fight.
Favourite dialogue: "Will you stay with me, for good?" from Lae'zel, which was said with the biggest puppy dog eyes known to man.
Decision about the Absolute: Chose Orpheus (what kind of gf woud she be otherwise!?), ended the brain and killed the tadpoles, let Lae'zel go off to fight a revolution - Clover hatched and started raising their child while she awaited Lae'zel's return. HC the three of them stay on Toril until Xan is of age, roaming about the wilds of Faerun and visiting their friends at random and without notice, and now they bounce between the Astral Sea, Toril, and all kinds of new planets and places like a cute lil happy space pirate family.
#FINALLY posted it omg!#Enough was enough#my tav#bg3 oc#bg3 tav#wood elf#gloomstalker ranger#Clover#Lae'zel x tav#bg3 spoilers#bg3 spoiler warning
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