#bg3 ramble

[whathebeep]

Domestic Life with the companions: Astarion

So like, how I imagine things would be once you and your partner(s) settle down, ofc depending. If folks like this I'll certainly make this a series!

I imagine you two spend a long while adventuring before settling. I like to imagine (whether you declared it to him or not), the goal was always to find a means to get him safely in the sun again. I imagine it took YEARS of travelling to try and find it, but eventually you do come across it. Not a cure by any means, but a ring lost in an abandoned vampire crypt that took you ages to learn about, and ages more to find. And he slips it on his finger and it gives him the means to not only step in the sun, but it also hides his vampiric features, if he so wishes. (I like to think it will make him look as he did before he was changed).

When you make your way back towards Baldur's Gate, you make a point to visit old friends along the way. Visit the now thriving town and nearby Selunite temple, restored to it's glory over the years, thanks to Isobel and Aylin. Shadowheart lives in the small town, I'd like to imagine, having settled there upon her finishing adventuring. She's of course, pleased to see you both and host you, sharing glasses of wine and some good stories and gossip. You two stay for a week or so, taking care to take in the sights, visiting the grove, the old crash site, hell, even Auntie Ethel's former house that had been taken over by some of the druids. You're surprised to discover that even the forge in the underdark has some new occupants, some of the spawn that were freed by Astarion; they have started up a mining operation, and are making quite a good living, the ore they find making good weapons to be made in the forge. From them you learn more settled in the underground near Halsin's community, and would certainly be worth a visit.

Next comes the former shadowlands and Halsin's community; by now so many of the kids he brought along and raised in the orphanage are much older now, either teens or young adults. Halsin, as you can imagine, probably beams at the sight of you two, especially Astarion in the sun, and most certainly drops whatever he's doing and runs over, picking up and hugging you both. He's happy to host you at his home, ThanieI's former place of residence. The building is a lot larger now, but still a homely stone cottage look to it, moss growing up the side and a sizeable willow growing to the side. I imagine you two stay there a few weeks, as there is a lot to see if what has changed, and Halsin is more than eager to show you both around. Everything has been restored and repurposed; Surprisingly, Moonrise has become a school, last light restored to a fully working inn, the inn near moonrise repurposed as the orphanage, the hospital back in working order- hell, even the former Sharan temple in the underdark has been inhabited by a large portion of the spawn and the community there is thriving. Hell they've even constructed a proper entry and exit point that doesn't require them walking through the graveyard, and instead leaves out of that old Shar shrine under the statue in town. (Of course, all Shar symbology has been removed). The area is lively and it's nice to relax, take in the clean air and admire how the land has healed, and the community has thrived.

When you have to leave, Halsin asks you to write once you're back in Baldur's Gate, and promises you a place there, if you ever tire of the city.

Astarion almost seems sad when you two leave.

It doesn't take long for you two to return to the city. When you do, you stay in a room at the elf song while you try and sort out an apartment or home, but within the first day back you're off to see Wyll and Karlach; both back in the gate after a few years in the hells. Her engine repaired to the highest degree, they've settled down together in a home of their very own, and it's of no surprise when there's three kids scrambling about. The two of you had been gone for nearly a decade exploring, I'd like to imagine; so it's of no surprise that they've got three kids, all half tiefling half human, the oldest being five, and the other two being 3 year old twins. Wyll and Karlach both have jobs, Karlach having taken to working at the forge with Dammon, and Wyll working as a private investigator, occasionally writing for the Baldur's Mouth Gazette too.

Seeing them settled like that, Astarion, when you two are relaxing in your room at the elf song, drinking some wine, tries to laugh about it. "Could you imagine settling down like that? Hah!" He says it in a mocking tone, but after nearly eleven years together, give or take, it's easy to see the way he frowns into his wine glass when he looks the other way.

A few weeks after returning to the gate, you receive a letter: Gale is going to be coming through town, and he'd love to visit the two of you. Coincidentally enough, he's moving to Halsin's community, to teach at the school, and will be in town for a day or two and would want to visit.

Upon his visit, the whole group in town get together for dinner and drinks together, Grandpa Ulder having taken the kids for the night. Gale has become quite the accomplished teacher, and has even written more than a handful of academic papers. His move was inspired by wanting to learn more about he other fields of magic, and also to help teach the youth of tomorrow about it too.

There's laughter and jokes and fun stories all around, and eventually Gale asks how the house hunt goes for you and Astarion. The city is ever expanding of course, but there isn't quite anything that the two of you feel confident about quite yet; and there's well wishes on that, and eventually everyone departs for the night.

That night Astarion suggests it, moving there as well. Having a house built on the edge of town, maybe by the water, or up on a hill. It's then that he admits that even though Baldur's Gate had always been home, there's far too many bad memories; and that he'd like making new memories somewhere else.

It takes maybe 3 months before the house is completed. The two of you had travelled back, and stayed in last light until construction was completed. Plans had to be drawn up with what the two of you wanted, a location scouted out, and then of course the process of building it. Stone and wood, two floors, and just up a hill from the water.

Within a year of living there, the house is truly a home. Astarion was enjoying a lot of his free time reading, to the point that a second bookcase had to be commissioned. He took up a job working as a bartender at the last light inn, and a few times a week the two of you meet up with Halsin and Gale to chat, have drinks, discuss things; and whenever it calls for, the two of you pick up your weapons to travel again, albeit a lot more short term.

What more could you ask for?

[sofancydancy]

"C'est La Vie" / Gale & Astarion ramble 1k words, as I try and figure the characters out... ✦

✦ I wrote all night, Like the fire of my words could burn a hole up to heaven, I don't write all night burning holes up to heaven, no more... ✦

Gale sat near the heat of the blazing campfire, his brown eyes reflecting the stars above him. Everyone else had gone to bed not too long ago, and he would leave for his tent after a moment. 

Just…a few moments more. 

He just wanted to watch the stars a little longer. He wouldn’t have too many moments left to do so, he could feel it. Be it Mystra’s will, or his own mortality beckoning, he felt it like it were breathing down his neck.

Gale took in a steady breath, the night air crisp, like it could rain any second now.

Oh, how he wished it would rain.

He closed his eyes and pressed one palm against the Orb, feeling it pulse beneath his skin. He tried to quell the hurt there, taking in a steady breath. The Orb wasn’t really the problem anymore, but his soul. It ached in his chest, a thrum of anxiety wedged deep between his ribs.

Everything he was raised for—everything whispered to him, given, was all to come to an end. It was his fault, all of it.

He was already planning how to accomplish his task, even if he felt his fingers tremble upon his chest.

He would try and separate himself from the group—thinking on how to save them from himself. It wasn’t their fault, their sin. Gale would do everything and anything to see to their safety. 

Everyone had all been so terribly gracious to him as it was. Even after learning his folly, they would go out their way to see that he received the magical item that would both quell the weave’s hunger and sate their pockets. 

They shared their fire, food, laughter, and sometimes even their pain.

He was so terribly thankful.

He felt like such a burden. 

Gale huffed a small laugh and rubbed his eyes, blinking away the burn he felt behind them. He had no right to cry about it. He was given a chance of redempti—

“Not getting all weepy, now, are we?” A silky voice asked, and Gale felt the anxiety bloom in his chest again, taking a moment to blink away the pain.

“Gods, Astarion,” Gale hissed at him, the vampire’s hands raised in the air, fingers spread wide. Astarion looked at him, his head cocking to the side curiously. His red eyes looked concerned—wary, even.

“Is it giving you hell? That thing on your chest?”

Gale looked up at him, nodding when Astarion gestured at the log to the left of him: may I?

“Not like it was,” is all Gale could say, looking away. Which was true. Mystra had given that one blessing, at least until he could finish his quest. 

“You sound content, considering what has been asked of you. Or rather…demanded of you.” Astarion spoke, his words clear. Gale looked at him and Astarion’s red eyes pinned him there. He had a stiffness to his jaw he hadn’t before.

This was a glimpse to the man’s own hurt—one Gale had only been seen revealed to Tav a handful of times. Now, those too red eyes revealed something to him.

Gale took a short breath, looking up at the stars again. His brown eyes were glassy, reflecting the sky. “It’s no more than I deserve.”

Astarion tsked with a grimace, one corner of his upper lip lifting to reveal a very sharp canine. He started fiddling with a spot of something on the sleeve of his blouse, annoyed or nervous, Gale wasn’t sure. 

“You deserve better than that. A God demanding yet another sacrifice…” Astarion trailed off, his eyes dimming, his fingers pausing on the spot.

“But if I hadn’t done what I had, I would still be—”

“Used,” Astarion finished for him, firm. Gale felt hot rage then. He stood up quickly and just stared at the vampire, brown meeting red.

He was so mad, but…

Astarion tilt his head, his eyes the softest Gale had yet to see them.

Pity?

Sympathy?

Understanding?

Gale looked away, his jaw tight.

“You know, before you go off stomping all dramatically, I want you to hear something,” The vampire started again, picking at the spot again, nervously.

“I don’t pity you, Gale of Waterdeep. I pity you only in the way that you are giving up so easily. In my time upon this wretched earth, crawling in the dirt and all the shit of the world, I prayed to many a God. None of them answered. Your goddess answered too pointedly. She’s hiding something, I know it. I’ve lived it.” 

Astarion’s eyes trembled with deep hurt and endless rage. A muscle in his jaw jumped, like he was grinding his teeth.

“You don’t give up, you go kicking, or I’ll kick your ass before you even get the chance to blow yourself up.”

Gale huffed a laugh at that, his eyes stinging again. Out of everyone, he never thought that Astarion would be the one to tell him to think of any other way, and not so soon after Tav. 

“Thank you, Astarion,” Gale said, gently, watching him with a small sad smile. The vampire was already looking stiff—uncomfortable, like he’d revealed too much. “Truly. Honestly, I thought you didn’t like me, but I want you to know that I really appreciate the kindness you have shown me.”

“Kindness,” Astarion focused upon, mulling the word in his mouth, like it tasted awful.

“Yes,” Gale told him, a twinkle in his eye. “I won’t say more, as I know this is a territory that is making you literally squirm in your seat but…thank you.”

Astarion blinked up at him, unsure what to do with himself. His mask had fallen, revealing a very lost creature that hid behind his usual facade. Gale sighed and, very gently, pressed a feather-light touch on his stiff shoulder as he passed him.

“Sleep well, Astarion. I hope you found a nice enough dinner. I won’t forget this and hope to return it in kind.” 

What kind, Gale kept to himself.

Astarion could only blink at the open space before him, the spot where Gale had touched feeling too warm. When he finally could turn around, Gale was already in his tent. Astarion’s eyes flicked back and forth, the vampire swallowing thickly. 

“I don’t dislike you,” Astarion told the night, his eyes glassy. A few raindrops fell then, and he blinked up into the sky, a few more drops running down his cold cheek.

✦I waited for days for your voice to answer to me, I don't wait up for days for your voice to answer to me no more...✦

[noonbeam17]

psst. guys did you hear. they made up a new game that everyone you know suddenly got really really into in the span of a day and you never heard anything at all about it prior

[flushwithdarlings]

going to start calling him my little lemon

[fangswbenefits]

Patch 6 drops next week, and we're getting new kissing scenes animations 🩷 FOREHEAD KISSES

[vlaakithsfinest]

not now kitten daddy is too busy contemplating the minutia of death cult office politics to kiss

[serenbriar]

Do you ever think about how Astarion must begin to finally enjoy non sexual acts of intimacy once he realises there is no expectation of them leading to sex.

Imagine him and Tav showering together because it feels so good for someone else to wash his hair for him, and plus the added bonus of each of them getting the filth off of their skin where they can't reach.

Or him and Tav giving each other massages after battle to ease their muscles, taking extra care with the tender parts, adding small kisses to the grazes as they go.

Cuddling in the silence of the night because it feels warm and safe, looking at the stars with their hands combing through each others hair and legs tangled together just because being close eases his heart.

It makes me so happy to think about him finally realising that these body focused intimate moments are just purely for love. They are gentle, kind, and everything opposite of what he was used to.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to him being able to just be with someone. He is enough, more than enough. And to Tav, he is everything and more.

[agent-oo-z]

Something about the way Karlach just fully and instantly trusts and loves Astarion. Like. If you’re playing as his origin and she asks about “where you’d be without the tadpoles” and you mention Cazador she’s instantly like “That bitch is lucky you can’t kill him because of vampire rules because I know for a fact you’re capable of it” and then there’s the dialogue where Astarion mentions how nice it would have been to be untouchable sometimes given what he’s been through and Karlach is like “if I could have given it to you I would”

She’s just so fully devoted to him as a friend and/or lover so instantly and also understands that he’s not implying she has it easy or anything with the engine. She knows what trauma does to a person and looks at him with sympathy and also reminds him that he’s powerful of his own right and just

Fuck man. She loves everyone so much but their dynamic in particular is really touching

[usurperss]

Created a hot lesbian tiefling sorceress for fun and

[sadmages]

In my mind palace my tav and Astarion are playing the exact same game of 5D chess and they don't realize it yet

[artist-rat]

some epilogue vibes (an excuse to draw some hugs. and my durge so many times)

[lazylittledragon]

look i know the logical thing is that shadowheart used magic to change her hair but i still think it would be extremely funny if she only got a partial rest at the end of act 2 from staying up all night doing a full level 10 bleach and tone

[fkitwebhaal]

Anyway, here are my thoughts about what each of the companions would present on if they had to give the rest of the party a PowerPoint presentation:

Gale: A completely accurate and detailed lecture regarding the theories of teleportation magic, how it works, and the differences between it and plane shift. There are multiple charts and graphs.

Wyll: “Choosing your hero name: an adventurer’s guide” He does have suggestions for the entire party.

Karlach: “Ranking bars in the gate based on how much they remind me of Avernus.” She has provided illustrations that she made herself. Anything in the Upper City is ranked “like Avernus” because “occupied entirely by pricks.”

Shadowheart: “So I was wrong about Shar: a reluctant apology.” It’s mostly a debunk of Shar’s lies but the entire time it does look like she is pulling teeth. However, she cheers up considerably when she presents on some of the church’s secrets, including the weird ass code names for things that she always thought were a little silly.

Lae’zel: a very educational and complete history of her people’s war against the mind flayers. It’s all rather academic until the last slide which says “AND THIS IS WHY WE DON’T EAT THE WORMS” in all caps.

Astarion: “Ranking you by whose blood I’d want to drink most.” In order, it is as follows Gale (rancid), Karlach (spicy), Minthara (probably is poisonous after all the poison she’s been exposed to), Jaheria (that story about what she did to one of the spawn was memorable), Shadowheart (does cleric blood taste radiant?), Lae’zel (curious how Gith taste, doesn’t want to die), Minsc (large and has extra blood to spare), Halsin (can turn into a bear, think of all that real estate), Wyll (canon verified snack)

Halsin: “Foraging: what’s edible and what isn’t” Gale takes very dutiful notes given someone gave him a mushroom two ten days ago that gave the entire camp food poisoning. Astarion, the only one who did not get food poisoning, who has completely forgotten what he foraged was the culprit, takes 0 notes.

Minthara: Battle orders and tactics. All of these fools need to get whipped into shape.

Jaheria: “Get it Fucking Together: Stop Doing this Shit.” What follows is a callout of everyone’s worst habits and decisions. One slide just says “stop snitching.”

Minsc: it’s just pictures of Boo.

[bellaralutare]

💕

[fangswbenefits]

LMAO????

[kirnet]

fight went well