#i love ascended astarion but he is unhinged
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(Quick) Notes and an Update: Come and Knock on My Door...
pictured above: Ascended Astarion before this Tav is like "Nah, bruh, i think this might be toxic OK gotta go bye" 5 Years Later...
Happy Tuesday, my sweet summer children!
And y'all salty ones, too :D
So Chapter 12 is up, and it's deadass over 5000 words of Astarion at different levels of unhinged and Tav at different levels of drunk af.
looool I mean, I had a lot of fun with it.
Quick Notes:
ON THE MF EPILOGUE:
OMG y’all, so Patch 5, amirite?!
Given the nature and content of an echo, a stain, OBVIOUSLY I AM EXCITE.
A couple of things for the record:
Everything through Chapter 12 of this story was written as published before I saw any type of Ascendant epilogue.
I don’t have an Ascendant Epilogue of my own to review because though I was in EA from jump and have 1700+ hours in this game (lol michaeljordangetsomehelp.gif), I've only completed one playthrough so far and I definitely failed the constitution check to complete the game with Astarion Ascended (listen, I love writing Ascendant Astarion but at the core of my being I'm here for ProcessingTrauma!Astarion and in the game, that's my SpawnStarion, baby)
My beta watched a video of the Ascendant epilogue and took notes, then gave me a bulleted list an echo, a stain was right about both in the parts that have been published, the parts that are still in progress, and the notes/outline for the rest of the story... loool it's a long list. tl;dr an echo, a stain remains pretty canon-compliant even post-epilogue.
I'm going to stop promising things about what I'm going to write in my notes. I really always do this with the best intentions, but once I drop a chapter, very frequently the day gets away from me because dropping the chapter took longer than I thought and/or I have other things to do.
If you have a specific meta question, don't hesitate to ask! I'm a teacher and a librarian and there's nothing I believe harder than "There are no dumb questions."
Normally I try to put out two new chapters each week, but after I dropped Ch 12 I started working on what was supposed to be Ch 13 and this motherfucker turned out to be 24 pages / 10K words.
I'm going to do my damnedest to get it posted today, but the revision process on this thing is already more involved than usual for a number of reasons. My incredible beta whomst I don't even deserve and I are working hard on figuring out how the MANY different things that happen in those 10K words best go together, best fit into the story, and also fix my Britishisms because during that torrent of word vomit I definitely started slipping into my native New Yorker / New Jerseyan f-bomb city patterns here and there. looool
Aight beautiful people, that's what I've got for now. I actually honestly do have about 2K words on alignment, good vs. evil, how they work (in my opinion) in BG3 and this story that are going to be pretty relevant to the HECKIN CHONKER of stuff that's coming up soon, but... we'll get there when we get there. Have a delicious day!
#bg3#astarion bg3#ascended astarion#astarion x tav#astarion fic#bg3 fic#banter#bard!tav#slow burn#manipulative astarion#tav's insight proficiency tho#bg3 tav#bg3 astarion#baldurs gate#tav#astarion meta#i love ascended astarion but he is unhinged#how do i even tag this
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Some rambling personal thoughts on Astarion's endings since I can't sleep.
I find myself really loving Astarion's spawn endings and ALL of their variations even more the more I think about them (the exception ofc being the cursed af endings where you don't help him AT ALL and he either gets turned into a zombie or is still being hunted by cazador even after the game, but I'm obviously not talking about those).
I think I, like many others who grew very attached to his character, were left feeling very torn over his initial spawn ending before the added epilogue. Because Astarion being free from cazador and learning to truly relish in that freedom AND use it towards more positive ends is the entire point of his spawn endings. But we don't really get the chance to see that fully paid off in the narrative. One could argue that we do see the very beginnings of it with the graveyard scene and the morning after scene and how he makes several comments about never being a slave again after he kills cazador. But then we get a rather painful reminder of the fact that he's still been forced to give up something he's come to love and cherish so much over the course of your journey. And then we just kinda end on that note.
I definitely didn't regret keeping Astarion a spawn, even after that. But I will admit there was a part of me that still really wanted to see more for him. And that's why I really do adore the epilogue. I know people have their issues with it and say it's unrealistic for Astarion to be so "healed" after only 6 months but I disagree with this take because we're literally only seeing a glimpse of him on one really good, happy night, it's not necessarily a reflection of how he usually is. He could very well still be having days where he struggles, and he almost certainly does. But comparing his previous 200 years to his possible (good) spawn endings, it's not really surprising that he's thriving. Same with the "counterweight" comment. He's not saying the 6 months you've been together completely negates and erases the 200 years of torture. He's saying his freedom and your love have been such a HUGE contrast to what he's had to live through for so long that they feel like a counterweight to the horrors.
I think about how far he has to come for him to actually get to those endings. His bounty hunter/adventurer ending? Amazing! He's relishing in violence and living his best rouge life. Leading the spawn in the Underdark? Speaks so much to his character development that he actually cares enough about them to even attempt such a massive undertaking. Lots of potential for healing of course but also: Holy shit the potential for unhinged shenanigans as well. Going to the hells with Karlach? Incredible! He's not just getting to enjoy tearing up cambions all day he's devoted to Karlach and helping her it's literally so beautiful.
Something else I really adore about his spawn ending vs. his ascended ending is that he burns down cazador's palace in his spawn ending. Burns it to the ground and destroys it for good. Whereas ascended Astarion literally moves into the palace and like...sure you can headcanon that maybe he eventually has a new, even grander palace built. But the mental image of Astarion wandering those halls is just so fucking sad to think about. He could go anywhere and do anything but he's still physically occupying the space that hosted so many horrors and tortures for him. And it to me that just screams that he's still there mentally.
I'll always defend people who like the ascended ending because I understand the appeal of it. As a dark romance enjoyer, I very much understand the appeal of the dark consort ending. And I don't even think this is the "worst" ending for Astarion because there's at least still potential for him (as opposed to the endings where he dies or is still being hunted, which ARE the worst endings for him). But it does feel like a step backward for him. And I think the people who go "Well this is just NATURAL character progression for him he's selfish af of course he would want this" Think too little of him or at least underestimate his capacity to care for others.
Because he very obviously DOES care. And allowing him to get to a place where he can foster that sense of compassion for others is truly so beautiful and so profound to see. I'm someone who is easily moved by fiction already but Astarion's story really touches my heart just because of how rewarding it is to see how far he comes in those endings.
#this is all just my personal opinions not trying to start another spawn vs ascended debate PLS#bg3#astarion
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Astarion x Tav Fic Recs
These are just some of my favorites! <3 Mix of during game and AUs
Epistles of Saints & Sinners @elegantduelliste - Soulmate Marks AU during game. Astarion recognizes Tav’s soulmate mark, it matches his own, but he's not going to tell her that; he can't have a soulmate, it's just one more thing Cazador has stolen from him. Tav is just as drawn to Astarion, but her own history has left her guarded and wary of being vulnerable. Elle’s writing of the push and pull of their relationship is breathtaking and heart-wrenching. Matching a bard Tav, Elle's prose takes on a lyrical quality and her use of imagery is unparalleled.
The House of Astarion by Throckmorton420 - Labyrinth AU post-Elderbrain. Ascended Astarion lost interest in conquering Faerun once he came across the Labyrinth, it's much more his style anyway. Stealing Tav’s violin, he offers her a deal: solve his Labyrinth and he'll return her violin and grant her a wish. Realizing this is her opportunity to reconnect to the Weave, Tav agrees. Did I mention goostarion? Because there's goostarion! This fic is filled with mischief, whimsy, and so much heart.
Fools' Work @semper-draca - Pre-Tadpole AU. Cazador has sent his spawn after a mysterious box and luckily for Astarion, his latest target happens to have a lead. It should be easy to seduce her and steal the prize! Too bad she’s not as naive as Astarion believes. This mercenary Tav is perceptive and delightfully unhinged that makes her a great matchup for a scheming Astarion.
When the Dawn Breaks… @harcourtholmesii - set during game. Before Astarion was turned, he ignored his family’s disapproval of a Drow lover. Two hundred years later, Lavender has found the lover she grieved and believed dead. Astarion brushes away her questions but still sweeps her off her feet. He can’t believe his luck in finding a target that presumably knows him, one easy to lure back when he so desperately needs to keep in good graces with his master.
Until You @bloodinwine - Post-Elderbrain with modern world AU flavor. Effy thought Astarion needed a friend more than a lover, so now here they are as roommates and definitely not hopelessly in love pining after one another. Effy struggles to fight her way free of self-destructive tendencies and be the person Astarion needs her to be. This Tav is a loveable hot mess! I have never wanted to take a character by the shoulders and shake them so badly, thank you June for spinning Effy into the world.
Lacunae @karinamay - Series set during game. Tav was once Astarion’s target, but she slipped away. Upon meeting after the Nautiloid crash, she remembers but Astarion does not. This is the one that inspired me to start writing again. It’s sweet and heartbreaking and deliciously spicy!
Pour One Out @aevallare - Modern AU/1000 years post-Elderbrain. A spinoff from the much loved and fandom favorite Kindred featuring an anxious Auri that doesn't remember her past life and a tailor Astarion that's in awe of finding his love again. This is an Astarion that's had centuries to heal from his ordeal with Cazador, one that's been able to flourish in freedom. Astarion gets his chance to be a hero for Auri this time around. Aevallare's characterization of Astarion is absolutely unmatched.
All these fics are ongoing so you must be patient, but DO give them a read and the authors some love/kudos/comments!
#fic recs#bg3 astarion#astarion x tav#astarion x oc#fanfic#bg3#astarion#baldur’s gate 3#bg3 fanfiction#bg3 fanfic#fanfic rec#epistles of saints and sinners#The House of Astarion#Fools' Work#When the Dawn Breaks...#Until You#Lacunae#pour one out
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i absolutely love it when i occasionally stumble upon unhinged astarion discourse, like "letting astarion ascend is abusive" "not letting astarion ascend is abusive" "romancing astarion and doing xyz is traumatizing" ok well he is pixels
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I have mixed feelings on the discussion about how "nice" Astarion gets if you go the Spawn route with him. Now, I am not reading fic so I've not personally seen the extent of how far people are running with the “redeemed” narrative. I might be completely unaware of some truly unhinged “Astarion helps old ladies cross the road with a smile on his face and kindness in his heart” takes. And I will be the first to point out his approval in Act 3 doesn’t always point towards a huge change of heart.
The flip side of that conversation that I’m not seeing discussed that much is the way Astarion talks about himself as well as the way the companions talk about him after choosing the spawn ending. In the scenes directly afterwards, and even in the epilogue a bit- you can see a very changed man. Not necessarily a humane society volunteer, but at the very least someone who’s taking responsibility for their life and viewing the world in a way they hadn’t before. Spawn Astarion’s growth cut scenes were almost jarring for me to watch after years of being comfortable with the bitch boy from Early Access.
Astarion is not the only one talking that way though! Karlach, Wyll, Minthara, Jaheira! They all respond to him as though he is a changed man. I scoured to find the actual lines since I’m away from my computer, but no luck. That being said, I do know that pretty much each companion reacts to his decision not to follow through with Ascension and his time afterwards by essentially saying, “You can’t fool me, we know you’re a good person.” In various degrees of intensity.
I know in his dialogue with Minthara he dead ass says, “Yep, love fixed me. I’m better now.” And he says it with zero shame, he’s happy about it.
At points the way the companions and he talk about it makes me frustrated with certain reactions and approvals that remain in Act 3. The further you get from finishing his plot line, the less of a changed man he really seems. His approvals in general still line up with Ascended Astarion’s. Some of his reactions to things seem out of touch with the man seen in the grave yard. For example, his reaction to being cheated on with Mizzora. Not only does his acceptance of that just seem like a different character than the one we see in his scenes after the palace, a man who clearly views your relationship as a serious commitment that he is proud of. But it also seems bizarre that he would be okay with you betraying Wyll at this point in the story. The man we see telling the spawn to go to the underdark, who thanks Tav for standing by him, and gushes about being excited to live again and embrace the good with the bad seems entirely juxtaposed to the asshole he continues to be.
Which is not to say that I want him to be all sunshine and rainbows. It just seems inconsistent. I think a part of that comes from the need to keep his reactions neutral enough that they might work for both endings. The problem with that being that Ascended and Spawn Astarion are such vastly different people in their main story scenes that it’s kind of impossible to line them back up again afterward. For me, it was hard to find it believable. Either his post Cazzador scenes were out of character, or his continued reaction scenes were out of character- it just depends on which you prefer.
Circling back to my original point, I guess what I’m trying to say is that his graveyard scenes and the companion commentary do make me think that he is still heading in a redemption arc direction. That it isn’t inherently out of character for him to be written as a character with a complicated relationship with morality, but more often than not ending up on the good side of the spectrum these days. The way I interpret it, it’s not so much because suddenly he’s altruistic and nice. It’s that he’s actively choosing change, which feels like a continuation of his recovery. He’s surrounded by people who hold him accountable. He’s trying to be better than he was. He’s trying to do right by the people who have helped him. He’s still going to bitch about it, and act like it’s stupid. But he’s going to independently prompt that the group save the kid from the hag because “that’s just what we do, I’m done fighting that reality.” In his post-Cazzador life, his only real loyalty is to his team. If that team is full of annoying do-gooders? Their his annoying do-gooders. He’ll complain about it, but he’d not trade his found family for anything. It kind of gives Loki in Thor: Ragnorak showing up with the ship. Or Megamind saving the city. I’m here. I’m going to be the hero because I guess I have to. I’m going to be positively insufferable about it though.
I certainly don’t think he’d be nice all the time. I think he’d still be a loose canon that lashes out. He’s in the middle of healing, not at the end of it. But I think if his redemption journey ends where it did in the game, the emphasis on how changed he was in his scenes and the companion commentary was a bit over done.
#bg3#bg3 spoilers#astarion#astarion ancunin#brekkie thoughts#idk it’s late this is kind of rambles#apologies#i dont want him to rescue puppies or anything i just think him being the bitchiest hero is fun#like ugh i cant believe i am gonna rescue that old lady#random passer by: you don’t have to#astarion: oh no#im gonna
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Here is my fucked up though about ascended Astarion. I see how the entire fandom loves to play dress up barbie dolls with him and give him the most unhinged outfits and underwear and thats exactly what he would do to Tav.
Oh, he would too. Once he became a true Lord, it's all the finest from thereon out. Taking over Cazador's old estate and his previous adventures leave him flush with gold, so he can afford it.
He strikes me as a man with a very particular fashion sense. He enjoys fine fabrics and the latest styles. Spends a lot of gold looking good, as he states openly that he loves petty vanity.
As cute as Tav looks in rough leathers and strappy metal plates, he really must insist that they look the part. They're the most important people in Baldur's Gate, after all. No expense can be spared on making sure that is known. Whether it's flowing dresses or well tailored suits, he wants to ensure his darling is always clothed in the latest fashions.
(The alternative is bound in his chambers, wearing nothing at all. He makes that very well known.)
Playing dress up with his adorable spouse comes with the territory of being married to them.
(On a sidenote, my sister has kept him in this ridiculous tricorn hat through the entire playthrough, even in his touching moments, and holy fuck, it kills me. He looks so ridiculous. I love him.)
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🌸🌿🌈
BECAUSE I LOVE YOU BITCH
I LOVE YOU TOO GIRLY 💗����
i. is there a ship you wouldn't write a whole fic for, but love in the background? If we're talking companion characters, I do like Bloodweave (aka Gale x Astarion) quite a bit, but as a woman, I don't feel comfortable writing about a (male) homosexual ship. Love seeing the content, but I'll stay on the outside, appreciating the amazing Bloodweave creators, such as @shellytheleo and @calolily I wouldn't say no to adding that relationship in the background though.
ii. Rec one of your fics and tell us what you like about it! Considering I currently only have one BG3 fic, I begrudgingly have to recommend fire and ice - a Gortash x Tav fic, beginning around five years before the canon events of BG3 start. Idk what I like about, but I love being as unhinged as I can be with Gort, lol. Here's a sneaky sneak peek for chapter two bc Gort is absolutely not normal: A drow had tickled Enver's fancy - the woman small and slight, though far more voluptuous than his soon-to-be wife. She was pretty enough, even if she would have been hardly worth a second glance outside the tawdry meat market of a place he had entered. Her body, while graceful and smooth, hardly aroused any desire in him. He imagined another entity entirely beneath him, with skin more white and hair that shimmered silver and a voice as sweet as a lullaby, begging Bane to let Enver fill her up. The whore, whose name Enver had forgotten as soon as he had paid for her services, almost looked offended when the name 'Elodie' spilt from his lips in place of hers, but a single look silenced her before she could begin to speak. Pathetic, he thought, before he left the chamber, knowing Elodie would have never submitted that easily.
iii. Rec someone else's BG3 fic and tell us what you like about it! Oh Lord. I've done some fic recs a while ago here, and I stand by @gufu-vire "O, Fortuna" (cannot recommend it enough!), as well as "His Star - His Queen" by @random-introverted-blog, and all the others I recommended a couple weeks back. I still love them all. In Gufu's words, I am 'woefully illiterate' these days (seriously, my tbr is endless) and don't have many fics to recommend BUT I did start reading "dealbreaker" by @goodgirlgonebard which I have really enjoyed! I like seeing various takes on Ascended!Astarion, because while I will forever prefer the spawn route, his ascended ending has incredible depth in terms of morality, abuse cycles and power dynamic.
"Dealbreaker" explores the dynamic between Tav and A!Astarion as they try to navigate their feelings for one another post breakup and post-brain, both with wishes and desires of their own. The exploration of their desires and motives is both gripping and logical and I enjoy seeing it all play out.
#ask strawberry#bg3#bg3 fic#bg3 fanfiction#fic recs#baldurs gate 3#bg3 astarion#astarion#gale dekarios#gale of waterdeep#bloodweave#gortash#gortash bg3#ask game#answered asks#when i say my 'tbr' is endless i MEAN it is ENDLESS#its not even funny atp#woefully illiterate indeed#fic recs pt 2 will come at some point i promise haha
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Characters: Ascended Astarion x tav tiefling Pairing: M/F Status: Happily evil together. In a stable relationship. Warnings: Heavy smut, murder, villain couple, dark romance, dark humor, unhinged horniness. Long story! Keywords: Mutual masturbation, hand job, rim job, oral sex, threesome, biting, vaginal sex, light dom/sub, light degrading, femdom, teasing. Notes: This is a third story....yeah.....it's sad. The brainrot is thriving. It's smut with a plot and i tried to world-build, though it might stray away from canon...a little. Ao3 Summary: After defeating the Elder Brain ascended Astarion and his tiefling bride decide to travel the world. The first place they visit is a town in the north with interesting pagan traditions. The couple gets bored after a while and Arsenia proposes they convert their first spawn. A certain elf of high class has caught her eye and the couple decides to seduce him.
After everything was over, it was time to move on. I said i didn't want to settle down and Astarion has been stuck for 200 years. Stuck in those 200 years. He wanted to see the world. I was used to travelling and could travel some more.
I said we could hang a map on the wall and throw daggers at it, see where fate takes us. He said i was too dramatic.
„I excelled in geography and i'm very good with daggers, my love. I couldn't make a random throw even if i was blindfolded.“
I said i will throw him at the map if he doesn't make a choice. So, we did the next best thing. We were staying at an inn, so, i went downstairs, snatched the most disheveled drunk and threw him at the map. He survived the encounter, but the mark left by his bloody nose was enough to start our quest. The location happened to be lovely as well. We were quite lucky, as it appeared.
Before leaving we had to make a one last trip to the Cazador's palace. Astarion gathered his mortal minions and gave them instructions to clean out the castle. There were a lot of gore leftovers in the dungeons. The castle had to be maintained while we were gone. A few days later we rented a carriage and left Baldur's Gate. I wore a suit topped with a long coat. I considered a dress, but decided against it. Astarion made sure that my suit was made from the best fabrics and finely tailored. I had never felt so fancy in my life. Our destination was a large town in the North, it was a place i have never been to.
As we approached our destination the landscape began to change dramatically. Dense forests encircled boulder fields, eroding cliff edges broke the surface of meadows coated in dead grasses. The closer we got, the whiter the earth became. One morning we opened the carriage curtains to witness falling snow. Air became colder, snow thickened. Soon we exchanged our carriage for a horse-drawn sleigh.
We entered the town coated in furs and blankets, with frosty eyelashes and visible breath. It was very different to the views we were used to, however, it was breathtaking. The streets were decorated with lanterns, evergreen branches hanging from doors and windows. Colorful ribbons and ornaments - woven from twigs, hay and carved from wood - adorned the greenery. We rented a small house near the wall and sat by the fireplace. The nights were long and short days heavily clouded. Every morning workers shovelled snow on the streets. Strange creatures of all sorts pulled sleighs around town, horses, furry horned beasts, odd deer-looking things. Even a couple pulled by dogs!
Daily walks became our routine, my hand in the crook of my lover's arm, both of us dressed in furs.
„I can't believe i killed 7000 spawn just to move to a place without the sun,“ Astarion groaned as we were walking between shops.
„What is your obsession with the sun? Do you want a fucking tan?“
„I'd look great with a tan, you must admit,“ Astarion smiled amusedly.
„You look good in anything, beloved,“ i teased him. „I like it here. It's beautiful, peaceful, the air smells fresh…“
„That's because the sewers are frozen, my love.“
“That certainly helps,“ i smirked, gazing up at the sky as flashes of color snaked across the darkness. „Look up. You can't see that in Baldur's Gate.“
Astarion turned his eyes to the sky and we both watched the Northern Lights in silence.
“I have seen these before. Back when i used to travel and work as a blade for hire. I always wanted to see them again.“ I fought back distant memories, now that time has passed a dusting of bittersweetness coated them. Astarion caught on to that.
“Is that longing in your voice that i hear ?“
“Maybe“, i sighed.
Astarion turned to face me and took my hands. „Sounds like you're missing your former life filled with danger and adventure. We don't have to carry on like this, you know. Pretending to be an honorable married couple. We're on vacation, after all. We can do whatever we want.“
I squeezed his hand, bringing it close to my heart. „You're so sweet that you're making my teeth rot. I don't want to spoil our fun. I love travelling with you and i need a vacation. It's just…i liked my job. New day, new person to find, a new skull to smash. There were ups and downs, for sure, and i don't miss working for assholes…but….i feel like an impostor. We don't quite fit in, do we, love?“
He liked my train of thought, it was safe to say he felt the same.
“I always knew you're a thrill-seeker, it's one of the many things i love about you. So, tell me, what twisted little ideas are festering in that demented brain of yours?“
My smirk grew wider, menacing and flirty. „Too early to say. The city needs exploring. But, lover, you'll be the first to know.“ I reached out and twirled a curl of Astarion's hair, then ran my hand down the front of his coat possessively. I have always been very…tactile. „Lets pay less glamorous parts of this city a visit, shall we?“
“Excellent choice, my treasure. Lets remember the good old times.“
We walked to the poor section of the town. Buildings were smaller here, still in good condition, but visibly older. It was like going back in time. People walking past us were also dressed simply, mainly wearing goat or sheep skin coats. Astarion spotted a lively pub and we entered the rustic, dimly lit building. We took a seat near the back and gave a lovely maiden, who approached our table, the order. Coins were exchanged and our drinks arrived soon. Astarion got himself a cup of wine, while i took some ale. Both locally brewed, with unusual spicy additives, and pretty good!
The buzz hit me quickly and i relaxed on the bench. We were eavesdropping and the conversations were exactly what you'd expect to hear in a pub. Although, one peaked my interest. It was held by a two men behind a corner table. The taller man was chewing on some dried meat, while the stouter one was downing his ale.
“The solstice is coming, i promised my daughter a new skirt. She will be taking part in the celebrations, doing the ritual. It's not proper to show up in a patched dress. She wants to impress someone, she said,“ spoke the taller man.
The other nodded in a daze. „I will be at home. Marena will be working.“
“Working during celebrations?“
The stout man sighed, „She's working at the house of Anvegg now. She's in the kitchen and the fancy folk are having a ball. All the big noses will be there.“
“Right, right. It's not posh enough to celebrate amongst the commoners.“
I scraped my claw on the table, it was our sign that i was interested. Astarion looked at me with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Felt an urge to mingle with high society? Although, crashing a ball would be an act of rebellion in itself. These kind of things are usually invitation only.“
“I think the house of Anvegg is one of the oldest elf families ruling this town.“ This town had more elves and half-elves than any other race. It was quite diverse otherwise, except for humans. It would be curious to see the forces behind this place. Especially as old as these.
Astarion's eyes unfocused, he was somewhere else for a second. „Hmm, Cazador had spawn for these kinds of activities. Prowling around crowded places, hiding in dark alleyways, sharpening fangs on unwilling necks…“
“…and look where it got him. Tigers who don't hunt become lazy. And overconfident.“ I filled the pause, spitting venom at that lost name.
Astarion smirked, he seemed to experience a special kind of joy each time i bad-mouthed his former master. I liked to indulge him, but he knew i was right. I wasn't going to let my lover become stagnant, he was mine and i will look after him.
“It does feel nice being back in the trenches,“ he admitted. „Watching the events unfold, being in control.“
I touched his hand, my face hidden by shadow. My touch was passionate as i played with his fingers. I wanted to reassure him, bring him some peace of mind. Every time he mentioned his former master i felt a violent impulse to cuss out Cazador. However, his reminiscing was becoming more frequent. After the ritual his confidence was soaring, just mentioning his former master's name could send him into rage. Time passed and he started to change. He began mentioning his spawn life again. Something about that filled me with sadness and a carnal desire to comfort him.
“Control is everything, my darkest desire,“ i lulled a song of seduction.
His response was fiery, his hand caressed mine as he leaned over the table.
“You are right, my little dragon,“ his tone carried a similar amount of allure.
“We need more information about the upper echelon, if we proceed.“ I tilted my head, a plan already brewing.
“I love seeing you scheme. The wickedest ideas rise from the depths of that deviant little mind of yours, especially when you look at me like that.“
“Call my mind little one more time and i'll fuck you right on the spot.“ There was a threat hidden in my lustful whisper. My tease carried the intensity of the sun.
“You're making it very hard to stop, my little love.“
His eyes burned me and i felt an urge to make him scream. It sent shivers down my spine. I would never say that to him – it would be simply too cruel - but Cazasor was right when he said his screams sounded sweet. Besides, i didn't want to give him the wrong impression. His suffering did bring me pleasure, but only if it led to delight. And bringing him delight was equally arousing to me. I adored messing with his head. My love has always been toothy and bloodstained. It was understandably too much for the majority, that's why my list of lovers was so short. I think he was attracted to my duality.
“Go on, try me.“ My voice challenged him.
Astarion snatched my jaw and pulled me closer. Our eyes met, holding a staring contest. A tingle danced between my legs. His thumb brushed over my lips, repeating the motion after reaching the corner of my mouth. I parted my lips and bit his thumb. His eyebrows furrowed as he gasped from pain.
“You're fucking feral…mmm, i'm glad i made you mine.“ He leaned to kiss me and the crowded room melted away, there was nobody else but us. The spot between my legs moistened and throbbed in yearning. I grabbed the back of his head and sat up in my seat. Astarion broke our kiss.
“We should find a more private place,“ he said.
I took his hand and pulled him up, we swivelled the tables and escaped into the snowy streets. He led me down a narrow street, snow crunching under out boots, and we stopped in a passage between two buildings. Conveniently, there were no windows. Astarion pushed me against the worn stone wall and unbuttoned my coat. I lifted my leg and he pressed it to his waist. Our kiss was raw. His hand made its way down my pants, i throbbed and let him play with myself. His hand was stroking my folds, drawing circles around my bud. It was wonderful, i could do anything when i felt like this.
I began opening his coat, then his pants. My hand clenched his member, toying with it like it was my treat. His breath quickened as his hips thrust into my hand. I started kneading his length, finishing each motion with a tight squeeze at the base of his shaft. He was my plaything and couldn't keep my hands off him. It was driving him crazy and he repaid me by pushing his fingers inside me. My silky walls clenched around him and he thrust his fingers into me. It was blissful!
My hand clamped around my lover's member, kneading it upwards. Once i reached the tip i pulled aside his skin and circled the head. Astarion shuddered and dug into the crook of my neck, his fangs meeting my skin. I arched my back, welcoming the bite. It turned me on like nothing else, electrified the tips of my nerves. Asatrion knew it well. He released my neck and dragged his tongue down my skin, only to suddenly bite me again. I undulated against him, moaning from delight. My fingers were swirling delicate patterns into the tender head of his member. He thrust his hips, looking for some kind of friction to end my tease.
I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. I removed my hand from his length and slipped it under, caressing his balls, then moved deeper down to stroke the tender skin around his rear entrance. Astarion exhaled with pleasure, his hot breath wafting over my neck. His fingers were moving at a steady pace inside me, my wetness dripping down my thigh. It was wonderful and i didn't want it to end, not yet.
My fingers stroked him, giving him a delicate rim job. I could feel him clenching under my touch, his breath quickened and his teeth sunk into my shoulder. The pleasure was building inside me, i would finish soon if he let me.
„Slow down your fingers, just a little,“ i mumbled in his ear.
Astarion was kissing and nipping my neck, his hand complied with my request. Meantime, i was caressing his back entrance, pushing a finger into his tight bundle of muscle, then easing down. He was heaving his hips in unison with my fingers, his fully hard member brushing against my arm, smearing precum on my skin.
We spent a while like rutting animals, grunting against the cold wall. Then i removed my hand and he pulled down my pants. It didn't take any effort to slide inside me. I exhaled in ecstasy, grasping at his clothing, awaiting him to speed up his hips. He did exactly that, unwilling to wait any longer. He fucked me right there, in the snow, my hands clenching is ass. The orgasm was delicious and my vampire lord finished soon after, my clenching silkiness driving him over the edge.
Next day we had to go out during the working hours. The sky was heavily clouded by gray, wide snowflakes were falling from the sky. I took us to a bookshop, it was a beautiful room filled with dark wood. I introduced us as traveling merchants who are looking into expanding our business. The shopkeeper was a sweet woman, who took kindly to my conversation. Of course, our fancy clothing and furs helped to sell the illusion. I bought a book about local poetry and asked about the city. The woman told us everything we wanted to know. It appears there were three major houses who ruled the city. Three big elven families who had formed a council.
I also asked about the celebrations. She told me about the winter solstice and the goddess of death and cold. They held huge celebrations each winter, when the night was the longest. It was a local deity, whose familiars haunted the barren winter lands. We were lucky, the solstice was happening very soon.
We enjoyed the town until that day. Explored streets, buildings. I rented a sleigh and we drove around like royalty. Locals were skiing in the hills and ice skating on frozen lakes. I bought some skates and tried it out. It was a lot harder than it looked, but my vampiric reflexes helped. I wanted to experience as much as i could. Surprisingly, i managed to get Astarion to try out ice skating too. It was amusing to no end seeing a vampire lord on ice. I was so proud of him, although it took some convincing. In the end we managed to explore the frozen lake together, holding hands like the cheesiest old couple.
Two young girls passed us. I heard one say that were were adorable and she hopes to be just like us when she grows old. I almost turned around and ripped their heads off but Astarion stopped me.
The day of the solstice citizens lit candles on their windows. The day itself was incredibly short, the night, however, lit by golden lights. We heard the commotion from our house. People were wearing masks and clothing in bright colors, chanting and singing. Many masks depicted skulls, decorated with ribbons and runes. It was the night to execute our plan. I wore a dress with a tight bodice – that gave be excellent cleavage – and a huge skirt. Astarion dressed in an elaborately decorated suit. We had no chance entering through the main doors without unwanted attention, so we had to sneak in. While inside we had to look the part, so we fluffed our feathers like a pair of peacocks.
We put on our fur coats and hired a sleigh to take us to the upper city. My jewelry felt cold and heavy against my chest and neck. It was a freezing cold. We sneaked as close to the Anvegg palace as we could, but the streets were crowded by sleighs. People were waiting in a queue to pass through huge metal gates. The palace itself was magnificent, resembling a castle. Its architecture was elegant and detailed. We spotted guards everywhere and had to sneak along the palace wall. After careful inspection we decided to climb over the wall behind the palace gardens. The guards were pacing along the wall, but since it was so long they were fairly spaced out.
Astarion shapeshifted into mist and flew up the wall, there he snapped the neck of the nearest guard and threw him into the garden's evergreen bushes. I – being a sorcerer after all – conjured a spell that allowed me to fly. From there we jumped down and hid behind the bushes. Astarion called forth a fog and it blanketed the palace like a tender curtain. We snuck in through the palace backdoor, but not before casting a spell of invisibility upon us both.
We made our way to the ballroom and stood at the back. The scene was a sight to behold. Elves and races of different kind were dressed to impress. The room was adorned by evergreen branches, lanterns, candles and decorations made of crystal. The latter reflected light in different colors, creating prismatic speckles on the walls. Drinks flowed freely, a table with light foods and desserts was under arched columns. Musicians were playing a fast-paced, but oddly melancholic, tune. Nobody was dancing yet, people were exchanging pleasantries, still entering.
“Looks like we got here too early,“ Astarion noted.
“Bollocks, i'll fetch us some drinks.“ I dodged people masterfully to get us two glasses. The drinks were spicy, but very good.
“So, this is how the upper crust parties in this piece of the world? Is this what you expected?“
I glanced around and sipped from my glass. „Yes and no. With the masks and sad music there better be a sacrifice coming.“
I found it odd that although all the townsfolk was masked, no one in the ballroom was wearing one.
“The nobles have too much money and status to hide their face. Just showing up here is a sign of success. Why hide that?“ Astarion spoke, tasting his drink. I think he noticed me glaring at people.
The ballroom was filling up and the song changed, still melancholic. Soon a chime of bells echoed in the hall. People's murmur quieted down and a figure appeared on a balcony above the crowd. It was a handsome finely-dressed elf.
“Dear guests, beloved neighbors, and those who had to make a long journey to get here, i welcome you in the house of Anvegg. I'm lord Ronegard Anvegg and this palace has been the heart of our family for more than 500 years. Ever since it was built, it has been welcoming to guests and hosting a winter solstice ceremony to ward off dark spirits of the cold and thank the winter goddess Lendera. This year we have something special prepared. But, until then, let us dance and drink like the sun will never rise! We shall honor the eternal night!“
The crowd cheered. Lord Ronegard smiled and raised his glass, then continued.
“To those who are new, i'd like to present my family. My beautiful wife Ereida. „
A stunning woman walked forth, taking her husband's hand. She wore a gown with a long train, jewelry and a headdress. The crowd sheered again.
“Be warmed by the light of Anvegg's palace. Friends will always find a refuge here,“ she said, her voice like a song. By the whispers it became clear she was greatly loved and admired.
Lord Ronegard spoke again, holding his wife's gentle hand, “this is my oldest son, Obreon!“
An elf nodded at the back of the balcony, while making a step forward, surrounded by his siblings who were waiting to be presented. My eyes snapped onto him and never left. I don't think i have seen such a face in a long time, the noble modesty and elegant movements crowned him in excellence. He was stunning, long white hair that glimmered in light blue, dark gray eyes, sensual lips. The handsome elf was wearing a suit in gray and blue colors, silver rings and an elegant silver headdress.
“���.Obreon is a skilled dancer, sorcerer and talented musician.“
The named son kept an impassive face, but his mask cracked as a glimmer of annoyance sparked in his eyes. He stepped back into the row and his father proceeded to present his other children, two sons and three daughters – all equally gorgeous. My eyes were glued to Obreon. I recalled what the bookshop keeper told me. Anvegg family were powerful sorcerers, who wielded old magic, kept magical artifacts and had fought battles for this city.
There was something about him that i couldn't comprehend, something magnetic, something familiar. I wanted to possess him. Add him to my collection. Break him, make him kneel. Desire and violence mixed in my twisted head.
I turned to Astarion and whispered in his ear, “you wanted an army of spawn. Have you though about turning somebody?“
“Who do you have in mind?“ He lowered his head curiously.
“How about the oldest son of the Anvegg family?“
Astarion looked up at the balcony, eyes narrowing. He noted the white hair, his overall visage and raised an eyebrow, snickering loudly. „You clearly have a type. Taking the son of a powerful family will blow our cover, not to mention put a target on our backs, my treasure. Maybe you should make another choice?“
My tongue thrashed, rubbing against the back of my teeth, an animal trying desperately to escape its cage. Astarion was right, it was a huge risk, but i couldn't stop thinking about it. The more i entertained the idea, the more i liked it. My hand slid up his chest, stopping on his shoulder.
“It will be dangerous, but if we play our cards right this might become our secret weapon,“ i whispered in his ear.
“You love this city, if we make ourselves the public enemy we'll have to leave.“
I glanced at the balcony, the noble family were slowly disappearing, probably going down the stairs to join the ballroom. I knew this, i didn't feel like leaving, not yet. The danger of this idea, however, had a hold on me, it made me tingle.
My lips were almost touching Astarion's ear as they formed a breathy purr, “imagine, the beloved son of this city as your spawn…listening for you, being your eyes…the most powerful house would stand at your feet. There won't be a better way to infiltrate.“ My siren song tickled his neck, wafted curls of hair across his skin.
“You'd have to use your master's restraint on him…maybe spice it with some spells. As long as he doesn't talk, who will rat us out? We're the heroes of Baldur's Gate, remember.“
He turned to look at me, our faces almost touching. “You know how to be convincing, but be honest with me, why did you pick him?“
“He would make a great plaything, in more ways than one. Can't give you a solid reason, my darkest desire. It's just instincts.“
Astarion chuckled victoriously, his voice sweet and sedative. „So that's how it is then? My treasure has finally started shopping for some bedroom furniture? You started quite late, i expected someone with your appetites to begin a lot sooner.“
“Maybe he won't be any good at all. For his own sake, he better be. Do you like him? If the sands of time ran backwards, and you were standing in a dark alleyway, would you have taken someone like him?“
He paused, looking out into the crowd. The noble family had entered the room, scattering to greet their guests, old and new.
“I had low standards in my former life. He's the sort you'd rarely find in one. Had i met him back then…well…“ he drawled, voice cracking, eyes locked to something in the distance, „he would have certainly caught my eye.“
I smiled, it was all i wanted to hear.
“He looks like he could be your son….or a long lost relative. Maybe fathered in the bushes of some lost elven kingdom,“ i teased.
Astarion snorted with amusement, „Not all elves look the same, you know. It's flattering, but don't ascribe me any children, i assure you, i have none. I'm one of a kind.“
“We'll have to wait until he's alone. This greeting ceremony will go on for a long time.“
So we waited, crawling around the ballroom like shadows, waiting and watching. Guests started making merry, cups were filled and couples danced. I pulled Astarion to an empty hallway and took his waist.
“Excuse me, noble sir, will you spare me a dance?“ I was feeling playful and the night was simply too good waste. The fast-paced melancholic music echoed in the hallways, bouncing off high ceilings and candelabras. Astarion held my hand, whilst enchanting me with an elegant bow.
“It would be a pleasure, my lady.“ He placed a hand on my waist and i took the long train of my skirt into my hand, we started swirling around in a light-footed dance. We were ghosts haunting this castle, invisible yet present.
The night went on and soon another chime of bells wafted through air. It was Ronegard Anvegg standing on the steps of an elaborate staircase.
“Dear guests, it's time to witness the ritual and fulfil the hunger of winter's ghosts. Please, proceed to the inner garden, our servants will lead your way.“
Servants in fancy clothing and holding lanterns stood near the main doors. A flow of guests began moving outside, where more servants lit their way. The night was cold, a light sprinkling of snow descending from the sky. The winter moon hung low, enormous like a bulging eye. The passage of guests, who had put on their coats and gloves, was travelling to the garden located in the inner circle of the castle. We followed, still cloaked by the invisibility spell. It was a joyful trip, full of murmur and excited conversation. I had a strange anticipation in my chest, the thrill of something great and menacing igniting my nerves.
The crowd gathered in an open area with a frozen fountain at the back and evergreen trees surrounding the space. There was a tall stack of dry wood and hay in the center of the arena, decorated with red ribbons. Two dead hares were placed on each side, adorned with fresh flowers. Lord Anvegg walked in front of it, his family kept to the side of the funeral pyre.
“Some of you know these lands well, while some have not yet had the time to become acquainted. These lands are bountiful in summer, yet deadly in winter. For centuries locals held rituals to make wintertide a safer time. Before, the hungry ghosts of Lendera's familiars roamed the lands, hunting people down, spilling blood. Venturing outside was not safe, going into the woods was deadly. Only by appeasing the winter soul have we gained safety and freedom.“
Ronegard gestured to his servants and they carried something to the arena. It was a tall bundle, tightly bound by colorful ribbons. The servants carried it to the stack of kindling and rested it against the wood. It stood up, now vaguely human shaped.
“Each winter solstice we give the winter's kiss a sacrifice, usually we choose someone from the town's prison. Someone worthy of death. This year, however…“ He raised his hand elegantly and a servant lifted a flap of fabric from the top of the bundle. A pale face emerged, eyes wide open, cheeks glistening with tears. A gasp travelled through the crowd, some were snickering.
“Tonight we are giving away one of our own. Some of you know him as Florian Denere, an elf who worked for the council. It was discovered he had been selling our information and filling his pockets with our gold. A betrayal is an act worthy of death in these parts, we keep close to survive and there simply isn't any room for those who put themselves above everyone else. Today, we shall give him to the winter hounds!“
His last words turned into an ecstatic yell, making the crowd cheer and clap. The sacrifice stared at the crowd, sweat running down his face, unable to speak as his lips were sewn shut. A servant brought Ronegard a torch and he placed in onto the kindling. The fire catched on and started to spread, a yellow glow reflecting in the terrified eyes of the sacrifice. He seemed paralysed by some potion, the only part animated being his eyes, those were nearly bulging out of his head, staring at the fire that was creeping closer to his feet.
Ronegard lifted a cup and yelled out into the night, „goddess of winter, ruler of death, take thy offering and stay benignant to our people. This soul is yours!“
The crowd screamed out in bloodlust, though some were averting their eyes in horror. I was spellbound by this sudden act of violence, my eyes taking in every movement, every scent and sound. The hair on my neck stood up, the energy of this ritual was unmatched. The sacrifice's eyes reflected a golden orange as the flames swept over him, he was engulfed in seconds, the fabric soaked in something flammable. My hand reached out for Astarion, grabbing his hand into mine. He squeezed me in return. Coming here was worth it after all.
“What an unexpected turn! The noble family is a lot more unhinged than i imagined! Bloody human sacrifices for old forgotten gods, how quaint! I have to admit, Ronegard knows how to throw an unforgettable party. I think some guests will be revisiting the highlight of this event in their nightmares,“ Astarion laughed, enjoying the performance as much as i did. The stench of burning human hair and flesh washed over the guests. It was so revolting that many covered their noses, some retched.
Ronegard was standing motionlessly and gazing into the flames, captivated by the sparks rising up into the night sky. Or maybe there was something else he saw in the fire? His eyes were oddly absent. He woke from his stupor and turned to guests with a wide smile.
“Dear guests, i'm asking you to go back inside. The ritual is over and it's getting rather unpleasant.“
He left the scene surrounded by servants who began guiding the crowd inside. The Anvegg family was last to move, they exchanged a few glances and haste words, then dispersed into the darkness. All but one – Obreon, he stared into the fire for a few more minutes, then began slowly sauntering to the castle. I nudged Astarion, it was our chance! I removed the invisibility spell. We had found a secluded spot away from the crowd, near the evergreen trees, where we could remain undisturbed.
“I want you to approach him first,“ i whispered. „Get a feeling for him, then introduce me.“ „Keen on watching, are you?“ He was joyous, eyes glinting from the anticipation of a challenge. „You always liked to see me at work. Don't forget to blink, darling.“
He was teasing me, but not too far from the truth. My eyes were fixated on our target, predatory, merciless.
Obreon didn't see him coming. Astarion just popped out from the dark void, that was this night, making the elf wince.
„What a powerful performance! It's going to be the talk for days to come. Not to mention a masterfully crafted exposition of a warning.“
The surprise on Obreon's face dissipated, replaced by formal coldness. „Excuse me, i don't think we've been introduced?“
„That is entirely our fault. We had to undertake a very long journey to get here and exprienced a few delays. We were late, but lucky enough to see the main event.“
„Oh, i'm sorry to hear that. It explains why i didn't see you at the dance.“ Obreon's demeanor seemed to soften up a little.
„You have an extraordinary memory, Lord Anvegg. How many people were there? A few hundred?“
„It's more of a curse, really,“ Obreon sighed. „I wanted to take a little walk, you may join me, if you don't mind the cold.“ The two began slowly encircling the gardens, snow crunching under their feet.
“I couldn't help but notice your disapproval during the ceremony. Were you close with the burning man?“ Astarion's question was blunt, yet not carrying any kind of accusations.
Obreon looked up in to the sky, the snowfall was becoming denser.
“I dearly hope it wasn't that obvious. Yes, i knew him. At one point i may have called him a friend, but it was a long time ago. In the council everybody knows each other. It was a shock to find out what he had been doing.“
Astarion sensed that the elf had nobody to talk to about the loss. It was an open door.
“It's always the ones who we least expect that tend to surprise us. My condolences for the loss of your friend.“
Obreon thanked him with a tired, yet grateful smile. “I will be fine. He knew what he was risking. The council has always been ruthless to traitors.“
“So you're telling me, private executions are widely practiced in these parts?“
“Private – only on special occasions. Public – not anymore. I'm guessing you outsiders think it's barbaric.“
“Not really, if the sacrifice is a criminal, then does it truly matter what kind of a punishment they receive? At least they're spending their last moments doing something useful. Or do you think otherwise?“
Obreon moistened his lips while admiring the castle. Snow was building on his head and coat.
“I would be a hypocrite to say that i care about the sacrificed. The dangers my father spoke about are very real. Townsfolk used go missing during wintertide, then be found ripped apart. The messengers of the goddess howled and scratched behind closed doors. People were scared to go into the forests, to go outside at night. Although, attacks happened during daytime, too. These are a necessary measure. A life has to be given, a thinking feeling being, such is the law.“
“Ah, gods love exercising their unyielding power, often as a detriment to their own worshippers. Are there any more human sacrifices planned in your yearly calendar? I can free up a spot in my schedule.“ Astarion's voice dropped flirtatiously. It worked as Obreon smiled.
“Not this kind. We celebrate summer solstice, but only sacrifice animals and wine during the ceremony. Some may sacrifice their virginity, but that's up to the gods of luck to decide.“ Obreon stopped and turned to look at Astarion. „You didn't say your name. It's not fair since you know mine.“
“I'm lord Astarion Ancunin and there's someone i'd like you to meet.“
“It's a pleasure, though, i haven't heard your name before.“ Obreon followed Astarion, who was leading them towards the row of evergreen trees.
“It's to be expected, i've led a rather secluded lifestyle and made my debut recently.“
I was watching from the bushes in silent awe, the plan had worked out perfectly. Astarion was enchanting to observe, his performance truly noteworthy. I could never get tired of this. He was good at what he did best – seducing. Cazador, you bastard, you made the perfect monster.
Astarion's hand reached out for me, parting the snow coated branches, and i gave him mine. He guided me out of the shadows, where i could see Obreon up close for the first time. He didn't disappoint, still as magnetic as when i first saw him, only now he wore a cautiously furrowed brow.
“This is my consort, my love and my partner in crime – Arsenia.“
I smiled, trying to not scare the elf with my intense staring. I stretched out my hand, as was customary. He took it gently and brought it to his lips. It was a gentle kiss, i barely felt any warmth. I caught his gaze and smiled. Obreon's eyes stayed on mine for longer than was decent.
“I apologize for stalking you in the bushes, but i was dying to meet you.“
Obreon was amused, „it seems i walked into an ambush. You must be freezing, you had to wait a long time for me.“
“I don't mind the cold, especially on a night like this. The gardens are beautiful, i went on a stroll.“
It was so difficult not to stare, i tried my best to soften my expression, but the hunter in me was enthralled by the chase. I was hyper-aware of myself, the air and the falling snow. I felt alive! There has always been a predatory aspect to my being, which was amplified by me becoming a vampire spawn. No, a vampire bride. I had tasted my lover in more ways than one. He had given me his blood. I was truly free to unleash my horrors into the world.
Obreon sensed the energy, there was no way for it to be unnoticed, it crackled through the air like distant lightening, filling the air with the scent of ozone. I doubt he understood what it meant, yet he was enticed. The elf's gray eyes darted from Astarion's smug smirk to my alluring little smile. My eyes were full of unspoken promises. Calling to him, inviting him to take part of unfathomable pleasures. Astarion's act was unmatched, he was spellbinding and gentlemanly.
“The gardens are one my favorite places, too. It's even more beautiful during the summer when everything is in bloom,“ Obreon said.
“It's also very private, i noticed. A lot of alcoves to hide in.“ My voice was silky smooth, brimming with temptation.
Obreon looked down shyly, a playful smile lingering on his lips. “It's by design. Many unions have been formed in this greenery.“
“I imagine many confessions of love, as well. This maze of green is built for the lecherous whispers of lovers and their hastened breaths,“ Astarion noted, his voice becoming deep and seductive.
We started moving, walking slowly between the snow-capped trees and bushes, many of which still held on to their berries. White pearlescent drops peeked out from the snow. As we were ambling the gardens Astarion drifted to Obreon's left side, while i kept to his right. He was cornered, the poor thing didn't even have a clue. Or did he? Perhaps he was waiting for a special kind of treat?
Obreon nodded with amusement. „If it was warmer these paths would be filled with guests. I'm ashamed to say that i have seen lifted skirts and bare thighs on more occasions than i dare to admit. My family turns a blind eye, as long as the guests are content.“
Astarion leaned closer. „Have you ever thought about joining one of them?“ His tone was controlled, yet flirtatious.
Obreon was impressed and entertained by his bluntness. “I have received a few invitations over the years, but none of them enticed me.“ The elf glanced at Astarion playfully.
I wrapped my arm around his bicep, caressing the silky fabric with my fingers. “It was brave to admit that, but it would be even braver to explain why.“
Obreon turned to look at me, our eyes met and his gaze travelled down to my lips, then to my cleavage, before bouncing back up. I let him know i caught him staring, he could look if he wanted to. I certainly didn't hide my wandering stare. My glowing tiefling eyes ran down his delicious frame, stopping briefly at his crotch.
Obreon gulped, „i'm very selective when it comes to that. There wasn't any chemistry between the us, or there wasn't enough of it.“
Astarion looked at him intensely. „Having high standards is paramount in these times, but especially to a person of your importance. Do entertain us, how do we measure up to your desires?“
Obreon's cheeks flushed, he gathered himself and looked in Astarion's eyes. „Are you going to make a proposal?“ The question was soft and quiet, more of a whisper.
“Would you like to get one?“ I squeezed his bicep, coming to a kissing distance of his lips.
Obreon smiled anxiously, his breath quickened. He stopped the walk. Large flakes of snow were gliding from the sky. It was so still and peaceful outside. The elf was firmly pressed between us, cornered like a deer by a pack of wolves. Yet, he didn't seem to want to run.
“Maybe,“ Obreon whispered lustfully.
I brushed his long hair out of the way and kissed his neck. Obreon closed his eyes, inhaling slowly, blissfully. Astarion touched Obreon's jaw to turn his face and kissed him on the lips. Obreon accepted the kiss eagerly, melting into position. He moved his hand to Astarion's neck, holding him gently.
I wrapped my arms around the elf, allowing them to wander shamelessly. My kisses on his neck were demanding, my tongue made an appearance and licked his soft skin. He tasted of nothing, maybe with a barely noticeable flavor of salt. His hair was silky soft, a lot of care went into it's upkeep for sure. I played with it, letting it slide between the tender flesh of my fingers.
Having him in our arms was victorious, the aloof prince at our mercy. The pretty man in a lion's den. I watched him kiss my beloved one, the scene made my heart beat faster. It was unusually satisfying to see my lover in action from a bystander's point of view. I could fully appreciate his beauty only when observing him from afar. Well, not afar in this case. I was still up close.
Astarion's lips moved in a hypnotizing way. They were soft, skilled and deadly. Those very lips that brought me pleasure were now making someone else sigh lustfully. I heard Obreon, i couldn't be fooled. I watched, tilting my head to catch every minute detail. The place between my legs tingled, becoming tender and responsive to every movement and friction. I needed to see Obreon flinching, his body was a plaything i wanted to engage.
I pressed my hand against Obreon's crotch and felt him through the fabric. He winced, gasping from the pleasant surprise. I rubbed him through the clothing and he thrust into my hand. This sent waves of pleasure up my body. I cupped his face and snatched him from Astarion, then kissed him passionately. Obreon let me inside his mouth, let me play with his tongue, while his hand touched my breasts that were mischievously bulging out from by bodice.
Suddenly, i felt a brush of wind on my neck. It was Astarion, he stood behind me, kissing my neck and nipping my skin. My pussy throbbed, eager to be touched. He caressed my shoulders, his fingers were running down my back, squeezing my waist. It was fantastic and i channeled that into the body in front of me – Obreon.
My hand was stroking him harder and faster, making the elf squirm underneath me, his kisses became more savage. I unbuttoned Obreon's trousers and slipped my hand into his undergarments, his erect cock fitting perfectlty into my fist, burning it with heat. Obreon moaned out loud, his hips bucking into my hand, begging to get off. I began stroking him, pausing to play with him like i saw fit, teasing him, edging him.
Meantime, Astarion was decorating my shoulder blades with toothy kisses, finally lifting up my skirts to touch me. His hand fluttered to my crotch and slipped a finger into my wetness, gently rubbing my swollen bud. I never wanted him to stop. His finger glided over my bud so delightfully, every stroke sending flickers of pleasure up my nerves. I uttered a blissful growl, the wetness dripping down my thigh. Then his hand started rubbing me in circles and i felt ecstatic! My hips started moving on their own, helping the orgasm build. My swollen bud was overly sensitive and the epicentre of my current state. I broke Obreon's kiss, my head tilted back in ecstasy.
All this time i made sure my hand in Obreon's pants never stopped for a second. The noble elf was watching us now, eyes darkened by deviant, perverted lust. He was breathing heavily, lips parted, tongue slithering behind the white cages of his teeth. He lunged forward and kissed Astarion over my shoulder. There i was, squeezed between two warm bodies, flushed and dripping wet.
Obreon took my leg and pulled it up to his waist, holding me, clinging to me like i was a wuthering wave and he a drowning sailor. The tingling delightfulness in my groin started to expand and my walls flexed, welcoming an intense orgasm. My eyebrows furrowed and mouth gaped as it shot up inside me, the wonderful spark-filled sensation. My eyes drifted out of focus, my head falling back, i was enjoying the aftertaste. My hand was still working on Obreon, now speeding up with the intent to make him groan.
Obreon tightened his hold on my thigh, his hips moving along with my hand. The cheeky bastard was basically jerking off into my hand. There was a viciousness to his movements, a desperate kind of lust.
Astarion parted their kiss and grazed his lips down the nobleman's neck, sucking on him, teasing his flesh. Obreon whimpered in bliss, allowing himself to be devoured. He was in a state, cheeks adorned with a heavy blush, clothes and hair disheveled. His voice formed a hoarse moan, whilst his hips continued to hump my hand. I was holding him firmly, moving quickly along his shaft. My thumb made sure to brush the tip of his member as it pulled out.
Obreon's voice cracked in the middle of a moan, his body shuddered and slowed down. I felt his seed in my fist, but i kept on stroking him. Obreon embraced me tightly, his thumb caressing my thigh. He was breathless as he humped me jerkingly throughout his orgasm. I pulled out my sticky, semen coated hand and shoved it into Obreon's mouth. He sucked on it obediently, cleaning my fingers with his tongue.
„Mm, what a good boy,“ i exhaled sweetly. Astarion glanced at me, he was still toying with the nobleman's neck. We understood each other well. His jaw flung open, sharp fangs glistening with saliva, and latched onto Obreon's flesh. Obreon gasped, but was still licking my fingers in his mouth. I smiled watching my lover drain him. My fingers dug deeper into Obreon's mouth, caressing his tongue possessively. His eyes drifted shut, long eyelashes fluttering as if he was dreaming. I could feel him sucking my finger, a heavy lustful gasp flowing from his lips.
„You were such a delight, my lovely elf,“ i whispered in his ear.
Obreon's body began to weaken, his hand released my leg and it dropped to the ground. Astarion embraced him and held him up, while the nobleman drifted silently into a dreamless sleep. Obreon's body fell limp, his beautiful face peaceful and dignified. Astarion placed his body into the snow. He stood back up and stared at the lifeless shape.
„It was beautiful, my love,“ i said serenely and reached out to wipe away the blood on Astarion's chin.
He turned to look at me, smug and pleased with himself. A hint of dark passion glinted in his red eyes.
„It's been a long time since i've seen someone welcome death so willingly. I expected him to put up a fight. Well, i guess this is what happens if you let yourself starve.“ „Or his parents never taught him to be wary of strangers.“
Astarion touched my cheek lovingly. „We must bury him, my darling. We have to find a place where we can meet him tomorrow, without prying eyes. He will be confused and in need of soothing words. Potentially dangerous.“
„We'll bury him in the forest. The ground is frozen, but i will melt it with fire. And i'll need you to call upon a mist even bigger than envelops this castle.“
„Aren't i lucky to snag a sorcerer. Consider it done, my dear,“ he smiled.
I kissed him and it tasted of dark lust. I couldn't stop, my hand drifted to his loins and squeezed his cock. It was hard and begging to be played with.
Astarion groaned into our kiss and mumbled, „behave now, my insatiable lover, there's a dead body that's in need of a burial. After it's taken care of i'm all yours.“ I gave his member a possessive squeeze before letting it go.
„As you want, my desire,“ i growled.
The fog that came over the town was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. I heaved Obreon's body over my shoulder and cast a flying spell. Astarion turned into a swarm of bats and we departed our hunting grounds. Roof tiles clanked under my heels as i soared from building to building. The swarm of bats was faithfully by my side, sometimes surrounding me like a halo. Below us echoed the cheers and chanting of the partygoers, some exclamations of surprise, some curses at the mist. Street lanterns gave the mist a golden glow, so defused and distant that it seemed unreal. Like the light that's seeping between the eyelids when they're barely open.
We jumped off the town wall and wandered into the dark forest. It was pitch-black but the snow made it seem lighter. It was still snowing, the moon was our only witness. We travelled deep into the woods, so deep that nobody should wander there by accident. I placed Obreon's body into the snow and looked around. The trees here were ancient and contorted, branches and nubs covered in fluffy snowcaps. Near me the flock of bats undulated between trunks, descended and took the shape of a man.
„There's a clearing worthy of a grave,“ Astarion said and trekked through deep snow to a place below a rocky hill.
The ground there was flat, no big trees around. The hill with boulders provided cover.
„Мove aside, dear,“ i said as i started moving my hands in circular patterns, channeling my fire.
A huge blazing sphere materialized above the clearing. I danced my fingers in the air and it lowered closer to the ground, melting the snow. When green grasses appeared i pushed the sphere even lower and it touched the ground. The smell of burning wafted up and i clenched my fists. The fire snuffed out. This wasn't enough, still. I cast a spell that allowed me to move objects around, then focused on the dirt and scooped a human-sized hole into the earth. Astarion carried Obreon to his grave and laid him to rest. I commanded the giant clump of soil to move back into its place and the body was finally covered.
I stared at the fresh grave. The deed was done, there was no way back. Tomorrow we will have to welcome whatever crawls out of that grave, be it doom or blessing. I could have summoned a snowstorm to cover the naked dirt, but we were too far into the woods to have a need for it.
„I hope it's not doubt in your eyes that i'm seeing,“ Astarion whispered with amusement, while embracing me from behind. „It was your idea, after all. His family will slaughter us with a concerto, if they find out what we did.“ His voice lowered in tone, becoming a breathy, sultry whisper.
He was pent-up ever since our debauchery in the gardens. His hands encircled my waist.
„I'm deeply impressed by your sixth sense for masochists. Perhaps i should leave finding all future spawn to you…that, and i love indulging your whims, my darkest dream.“ As he was talking his lips were leaving a trail of kisses down my neck. I sighed with delight, letting him seduce me.
„Кeep talking….and kissing me, my love. I was hoping you would want to fuck on his grave.“
Astarion laughed alluringly and spun me around as if we were on a dance floor. My hands landed on his shoulders and snapped to his neck.
„We were in the middle of something. Well, you were, at least.“
„Want me to continue?“ I laughed smugly.
„Mmm,“ he drawled lustfully, „a certain part of me has been waiting very eagerly to meet you again.“ Astarion pulled my hand from his neck, pressed it against his face and traced his lips with my fingers.
My eyes were burning holes into him. Astarion opened his soft mouth and stuck his tongue out, running my manicured fingers across its moist surface. A sting of pleasure shot up my loins and i snapped my other hand from his neck and cupped his crotch. Astarion's heavily-lidded eyes were glued to mine, desire written on his parted lips.
My walls throbbed, i simply could not resist him. My hand clenched his member through his pants, traced its prominent outline, then kneaded it possessively. Astarion's mouth gaped further open, it was inviting me to do horrible things. I pushed my lips against his, but didn't kiss him just yet. My lips rubbed against his, teasing, soothing. My hand on his crotch began rubbing him off. Astarion shivered from delight, his hands grabbing my waist and starting to lift my skirts.
I smiled and took his lower lip between my teeth, sucking it, then clamping down at full force. Astarion moaned from the sudden pain, his brow frowning, but he didn't stop me. I sucked on his lip while my hand was hard at work on his cock. The opposing sensations were driving him mad, conflicting in his brain, enhancing one another. I released his lip and grasped the front of his jacket, beginning to lead him backwards towards the fresh grave. He complied, staring at me with vengeful lust. I shoved him onto the ground. It turned me on that our 'third wheel' was underneath us, even in death. You shall serve, Obreon, serve in every possible way.
Once my lord was down i crawled on top of him, my hands reaching for the clasps of his pants. I opened them and set his hard, aching member free. Just looking at it made me wet, it was mine, only mine, i will do whatever i damn please. I stooped and stuck my tongue out, licking up his shaft. I made a dramatic pause at the tip and began teasing it with my tongue. A pair of shaky moans from below let me know just how appreciative my lover was. His moans echoed with tingles in my crotch. I reached down and stroked my bud, making sure that Astarion sees it. He stared, moistening his lips with his tongue. I lowered myself to suck his tip again, prodding it with my tongue, all this time rubbing myself. It was heavenly.
Astarion closed his eyes in delight, his hips thrusting upwards, asking for more. I gave his shaft a few strokes, while my mouth was working on him with wicked devotion.
„Just fuck me already, my love,“ he groaned out grimly, while in desperate need of release.
I gazed up at him with evil self-satisfaction, as my tongue was swirling around his tip. I was pleasuring myself shamelessly, putting on a performance.
„Is this begging worthy of a vampire lord? Don't think so,“ i teased him cruelly, returning back to slurping his length. I sucked his tip like a lollipop.
Astarion shuddered and moaned out loud. „Damn you, do you want me to beg?! You evil, wicked, wretched little…“ His cursing got cut off by a needy groan, since i sucked him in and gave his member a few rough, fast-paced bounces. I spat him out shortly and began kneading him.
„Shit,“ he swore crudely.
I chuckled and heaved my hips, my hand still between my legs.
Astarion gulped and gathered himself, it wasn't easy since his mind was foggy. „Alright…“ he panted. His voice became low and seductive, the kind that drove me feral. „I need you to fuck me…i beg of you, my darkest desire.“
I listened intently, of course that voice got to me. I took great pleasure in stroking myself faster as he spoke. I nearly gave in, but decided to torture him further.
I smiled looking at him, then shook my head cruelly.
Astarion huffed annoyingly and frowned at me. His mask was quickly broken.
„Fuck, what do you want now? A poem of 50 paragraphs?!“
His frustration was deeply amusing to me. Watching him squirm made my bud grow bigger and more sensitive.
„You wouldn't be able to make one, you're a shitty poet,“ i said with a hoarse chuckle.
Astarion glared at me without blinking, eyes narrow. My evil foreplay was starting to dawn on him.
„I could command you…“ He started, but i cut him off.
„Command me to what? Sit on your cock? No you fucking can't….“ I laughed loudly, getting a deep satisfaction from his blight. I moved down and ran my tongue across his length, leaving a kiss on the tip. Then sat up and added, „or you would have already done so. You're powerless, vampire ascendant.“
Astarion trembled as i teased his member, something in his presence shifting. His face turned emotionless while his upper lip curled, exposing his fangs. He lunged forward and grabbed my neck. He pulled me close until our faces almost touched.
„I'm powerless…and yet here you are grinding yourself against me. Look at yourself, you're absolutely dripping feral, you'd do anything for me. What is this if not power?“
I looked at him silently. This was a fun turn of events, i loved it when he grabbed me like that. I grasped his member and smirked widely.
„Not bad, but i'm not afraid of you,“ i said and shoved him back onto the ground.
He wasn't expecting that and growled at me.
„You witch!“
I waved my finger, scolding him alluringly. „No, no, be nice now, my beloved.“
Astarion stared at me with a deep frown. „You're enjoying this, aren't you? Does my suffering satiate your sadistic little heart?“
I licked my lips, my hands moving to undo the lacing of my bodice. I moved up on his body so that my hips were right above his. I sat down, my wet folds pressing onto his length. As i was untying my bodice i rotated my hips, grinding myself against his hardness. Astarion inhaled sharply and arched his back, enjoying the delightful friction. I opened my bodice and freed my breasts, my hips now grinding more intentionally. A groan escaped him and his hands snapped onto my hips, making sure i never stop.
„You have no idea, my beloved,“ i purred, carried away by the sweet sensation between my legs.
I humped him further, my movements becoming more rough and desperate. My vampire was grunting underneath me, jerking my hips faster and faster. I needed him inside me. I reached down, grabbed his cock and guided it inside me. It slid in effortlessly for my wetness had stained even the front of his pants. Entering me made Astarion gasp out in ecstasy, his chest heaving with each heavy breath. I started riding him, angling myself in a way that i could grind my bud against his stomach. Astarion's hands dug deeper into my hips, pushing me down harder. I was panting, moans of pleasure flying from my lips each time his cock brushed against my walls. We spent a while like this. Astarion's frown softened, his visage revealing a desperation for pleasure.
Suddenly he sat up and pushed me to the ground, nudging my thighs up and entered me again. It was fantastic! He held my legs and thrust into me with speed and vigour. Each friction of his delicious cock against my throbbing walls sending waves of bliss up my body. I sunk my claws into his shoulders and let him have me however he wanted. The ecstasy in his eyes was unlike anything i've seen so far – bliss, impatience, adoration. I felt the orgasm build and screamed as it expanded, my head flying back, eyes fluttering shut.
Astarion fucked me through my contractions, groaning from the intensity of the sensation. There was an absence in his eyes that told me, he was coming soon. His hips kept moving, unable to stop even if he tried, aching for the sweet kiss of release. Finally, he moaned loudly and grabbed me into a tight embrace. His hips were still moving, riding out his prolonged frustration. I stroked his hair and held him lovingly. Once he stopped we just lay there in each other's arms. Gasping and covered in dirt.
We returned to the city and enjoyed the luxuries of our rented cottage. We filled the wooden tub and had a bath, drank wine, rested on soft fresh sheets. I asked Astarion to wash my hair and he fulfilled my request. Then i washed his. I have become used to his presence, even during the most intimate moments, and i demanded the same from him. He didn't seem to mind it either. Astarion said he was always watching, but so was i. I watched him unbashfully as he bathed, changed or slept. He was a feast for my eyes, something worthy of admiration.
„You always stare so eagerly,“ he noted.
„You can return the favor, i don't mind feeling your eyes on me,“ i smirked alluringly, or…have you become bored of this?“ I ran my hand down my leg to make a point.
„How could i possibly get bored of you, darling? I chose you as my consort for a reason,“ he flirted back.
„I hope you chose me for my personality, because you'll never get rid of me.“ My flirtation had a dark aftertaste, a playful warning just under top layers. „The only acceptable divorce i'll take is decapitation.“
„Are you threatening me or flirting? It sounds the same coming from your lips, my love.“ Astarion leaned closer to brush my neck, whispering, „Do not fear, my love, i know about the hidden recesses of your mind, ah, the horrors that lurk in that darkness are abundant. I met you when you were a merciless assassin and was captivated by your steady hand, by your stoic character. Though, i know now that your stoicism was simply a facade, there's hardly anyone in Faerun more passionate in nature than you. We're a good match, don't you think ?“
His seduction worked well on me. I put my hand on his chest, my claws dragging on his skin.
„Say it!“ i hissed, my eyes burning with fire.
His lips formed a devious smirk, but his eyes were clouded by lust.
„I love you and i will burn the world down for you.“
I laughed victoriously, drunk on desire.
„I will slaughter anyone who dares to lay a finger on you.“
Astarion lowered himself slowly onto my lips, his voice a hoarse whisper.
„It's a promise.“
Next night we made our leave, i used a flight spell again. It was still snowing and the forest was even more difficult to travel. Large snowdrifts were leaning against trees, the wind was knocking the buildup of snow from tree crowns. The grave site was coated in a blanket of snow, but still lightly dented. The hill made finding the spot a lot easier. We stood at the foot of the grave, dressed in our furs and waiting.
„It's quite romantic,“ i said playfully. „Еven while waiting something to chew its way out of the dirt.“
„The noble family has probably noticed the absence of their oldest son by now, but there's no commotion, no search patrols on the streets.“
„You think they're keeping it quiet on purpose? The palace is being searched, i'm sure of it.“
„The Anvegg family wants to save face, we must use it against them.“
An eerie scream echoed in the distance, bouncing off trees and stone. I grabbed Astarion's hand out of instinct. He comforted me.
„It must be one of those hungry winter ghosts Ronegard was speaking about. It's a good thing they have been appeased.“
I looked into the darkness of the forest, something was watching us, something ancient and incorporeal. This land was truly haunted, haunted by monsters scarier than us. Suddenly the snow on the grave started moving, a hollow formed on its surface, and a pale hand reached out into the sky.
„He is coming,“ i noted calmly. We watched as the snow got shovelled aside, mixed with the darkness of dirt, and a figure crawled out. Obreon was hard to recognize, his clothes were filthy, hair tangled and stained by soil. His gorgeous eyes we now red, wide from fear and confusion. Obreon clawed at the snow, pulling himself further into the moonlight. His head was whipping around, looking for something in the trees. Then he finally noticed us and froze.
„Where am i? W-what have you done to me?“ The nobleman growled.
„You have been reborn, sweet prince,“ Astarion spoke to him smugly.
„With term and conditions, dear. Now you belong to us.“ I stepped closer and squatted down in front of him, gently touching his hair.
„What are you saying? What did you do? Did you curse me?“ Obreon stared into my soul. He was so confused, so dazed.
„You're a vampire spawn now. He is your master.“ I stroked his hair, cleaning it from dirt, nodding towards Astarion.
Obreon frowned and shook his head in disbelief.
„No, no….no! This can't be true!“
I took a small mirror from the pocket of my trousers and held it up in front of Obreon's face. His eyes locked on it, widening with horror. He crawled closer, staring into the glossy surface that showed no reflection. Something inside him broke, his head dropped, long hair dragging on the snow.
„Мy family will kill you for this,“ he mumbled.
„I'm afraid you won't be able to tell them. I don't want to exert total control over you, so i need you to behave. Being a spawn doesn't have to mean endless suffering, however, if you to put us in any danger…“ Astarion was menacing, confident and powerful.
He was going to be an excellent master and i was so proud of him. He was all mine.
„..Astarion will command you to walk into the sun,“ i finished the sentence for him.
Obreon clenched his teeth and made a loud whimper - as if about to cry or burst out laughing, a grotesque gag of a sound. He raised his head, eyes glistening with tears, mouth contorted.
„Whatever you planned is destined to fail. My family….the council… will never let themselves to be influenced and if they find out that i'm a…“ he struggled to utter the word, „they will burn me as a traitor.“
„Вurn their own son?“ i chuckled, my hand caressing his head. „That's too heartless for a man who introduced his family so lovingly. Come on now, it's not all doom and gloom. We will take care of you, i promise.“
I knelt and pulled the elf into my lap. Obreon didn't resist and laid his head on my thigh, i started gently stroking his head. It was an odd scene, but he seemed to calm down.
Astarion was satisfied with the outcome, he stood and watched us quietly.
„What happens next?“ Obreon asked.
„We will take you home, but first, you have to make yourself presentable,“ Astarion replied. „Your family should remain blissfully unaware of your nightly escapades.“
„You can take a bath at our place and we will clean up your clothes,“ i chimed in, brushing dirty hair off his cheekbone.
„And you will tell your family a story with a very happy ending: you succumbed to a night of wild debauchery with two of your guests, who lured you out of the castle. You got drunk and passed out somewhere, only to stagger back home the next day. You can add whatever details you desire to make it more convincing. Lying shouldn't be too difficult, since it's basically the truth.“
Obreon listened quietly, eyes distant. Confusion and shock was written all over his face. He was scared, too. I tried my best to calm him, we didn't need him to panic.
„And…what do you want to be called? Should i call you master now?“ The nobleman barked bitterly.
Astarion rolled his eyes. „Мaster is such an old-fashioned, formal title, i prefer something more…casual. You may call me by my name.“
„You must stay out of the sun and be ready for the hunger, sweetheart. Astarion, will you read him the rules?“ I averted my eyes to my beloved.
The vampire hummed and replied with a delay, „Things will be different from when i was a spawn and it's no secret i feel aversion towards my former master's rules. Mine will be a lot easier to follow. Keep your nature a secret, i recommend drinking from criminals, it's about time they'd be useful for something. Animals are another good source to keep in mind. Secondly, obey my every command. You won't mention us to anyone. And you will come when called.“
„Think of us as your extended family,“ i added tenderly.
„It's time, my love,“ Astarion gestured.
I cast the flight spell on myself and Obreon, whilst Astarion shapeshifted into a swarm of bats. The mist was still veiling the town, so there was no chance of being seen. I held Obreon's hand as we jumped from rooftop to rooftop.
„So, you're a sorcerer,“ he mentioned midair. „He isn't building an army of sorcerers and wizards, is he?
That made me laugh. „Оf course not, it was i who chose you.“
Obreon stared at me with a frown, worry and confusion plastered all over his face.
We landed on the balcony and entered our humble abode. I filled him a lovely hot bath. The noble elf seemed to enter another stage of apathy, he just stood in the middle of the room stolidly, eyes vacant. I had to undress him and he behaved like a doll, allowing to be manipulated without any resistance. I guided him into the bath, where he sat in silence. I washed his body, then his hair, led him out of the bathtub and wrapped him in a blanket. Astarion stood next to a wall, sipping a glass of wine. He offered it to me, as i passed by, and i took it gladly. I downed the whole thing and pressed the empty glass back into his hand.
The next thing that needed to be done were Obreon's clothes. I washed them, then used a fireball to heat up the room and speed dry the garments. When i entered the room with fresh laundry in my hands, i stumbled upon a charming scene. Astarion was drying Obreon's hair with a towel. He did it so gently, so methodically. Then he picked something from the table and proceeded to comb his hair.
I placed the folded clothes on the table and sat down, enjoying the view.
„Has he said anything?“
„No, he's been ruminating.“
„Can we really send him back in such a state?“
„He will be fine in a minute. I was in a similar state myself. Though, a lot more self-aware,“ Astarion snickered.
„Poor thing, he must be blaming himself,“ i said mockingly, tilting my head.
„This is just the first stage, rage will come next.“ Astarion knew what he was talking about.
In a way, Obreon was at fault. He did follow two strangers into the night and succumbed to their seduction. At the same time, his decisions didn't have much gravity in the outcome. We would have turned him even if he resisted. In that case, he would have been at a greater risk of death. I wasn't sure i wanted a spawn that fought against us. There was no use for a biting dog. Astarion would trust my opinion, i'm sure, he knew i was good at picking people apart.
I walked up to Obreon and cupped his face with both hands. „Don't blame yourself. If you want to hate someone, hate me. Your hate shall be the wind under my wings. I can promise you one thing, if you accept us, we will keep you out of harm's way. You shall taste all the pleasures of eternity,“ i said to him in the most charming way.
I needed Obreon to be strong and cast aside his doubts. He was going back into the lion's den and had to be mentally sound. Astarion, who was still combing his hair, sent me an amused glance.
„I'm giving him something to focus on,“ i whispered to my beloved. „It's better if his aversion is aimed at me, not at his master.“
Astarion shook his head in charming disbelief. „You're positively diabolical, my darling. Not to mention impishly clever.“
His praise tickled me like nothing else. „Мove aside, i'll dry his hair.“ My smile was sly and flirty.
I brought my hands in front of me and summoned a fireball. The brightly colored flame filled the room with elongated shadows. I blew onto the fire ever so gently and a wave of hot air wafted over Obreon's hair. I repeated this a few times before extinguishing the flame.
Astarion began combing his hair again as if nothing happened.
„I wish someone took care of me, instead of feeding me dead rats and carving my skin off. My spawn should be grateful to have me as their master.“
„I wish i met you sooner, i would have draped his intestines on palace windows. You will be a better master than him, it will be your advantage. Your gift to those ingrates.“
„You're as lovely as ever,“ he stated.
Astarion put the comb down and walked out of the room.
„I'll fetch us some more wine.“
I followed him with my loving eyes, but i got interrupted by the pressure around my arm. I looked at Obreon and confirmed that he was indeed holding me. His red eyes were glued to mine, bottomless and glistening.
„You never answered me.“
„What was the question, my dear?“
„Why did you choose me?“
I lingered with my answer, letting Obreon's eyes melt into mine, his expectations to churn and tangle.
„Because i liked you.“ My answer was blunt, yet alluring. „Weren't you attracted to us, too?“
„You seduced me.“ Obreon was feverish.
„And you enjoyed it.“ My voice was sweet as honey, dark charm in full bloom. „In fact, it seemed you were waiting for it your whole life, judging by the way you were humping my hand.“
I could swear i saw the shadow of hesitation sliding across Obreon's face. He was doubting himself, questioning everything, ashamed.
„I will neve forgive you,“ he said, „but i can't hate you either.“
Simply admitting that made him feel small and guilty. It made me happy to see that we had made such a memorable impression on him, that we were messing with his pretty little head.
„There's no need to sulk. Eternal life is a gift not offered to many. You shall prosper under a reasonable master. You ought to be grateful to have Astarion,“ i cooed and leaned in to leave him tender kiss on the lips. „Get ready now.“
Obreon stood up, wrapped in his towel like a protective shell. I turned my back out of politeness and heard his towel drop to the floor. He started dressing himself. After some time i turned around and he was in his evening outfit. I ran my hand up his chest and smiled.
„So handsome. You'll need a spell to hide those eyes.“
Obreon nodded silently. He closed his eyes and began chanting. I felt a burst of magic and when he opened his eyes, they were his former color.
Astarion was back, holding two glasses of wine. He seemed pleased to see that things were going well. He walked up to us and splashed wine all over Obreon's outfit. The latter stared at him in shock, but the vampire lord simply smirked.
„You're far too clean for someone who spent the night hugging the bottle,“ Astarion said. „This will help you with your mission.“
I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and dried his face.
„Just remember this, your new abilities brought you a lot of advantages, not just weaknesses. We will meet again soon.“ I kissed him sensually and he succumbed to the charm once more. My hands moved on their own, slithering down his chest and grasping at his sides. A heavy sigh fluttered from Obreon's throat. I kissed him for a second longer and pulled away.
„You have to go now,“ i said. „I'll take you.“
Obreon shook his head, still recovering from the kiss.
„There's no need. I'll go alone. It won't be hard with a dense fog outside.“
„Have a safe journey.“
Obreon dashed past us and down the stairs. I heard the door open and slam shut. Once we were alone Astarion burst out laughing.
„That poor boy! You messed up his head and his loins! I wouldn't be surprised if he is infatuated with you, anyway, he will be eating from your hand.“
I huffed flirtatiously, „Me? You were there too, if i remember it correctly, messing with his head just as keenly as i was. He's in love with us both. He just doesn't understand it yet.“ My hand slid down the trim of his jacket.
Astarion's hand took my waist and pulled me closer. „We woke his hunger and he will be coming back until it's satiated,“ he spoke in a soft, tempting voice.
„I hope he does. Lust is more powerful than fear,“ my eyes had a sinister glow. I took the glass of wine Astarion was holding and sipped.
#astarion smut#astarion x tav#astarion x female tav#astarion x female oc#ascended astarion smut#ascended astarion fic#ascended astarion x tav#ascended astarion x female tav#astarion fanfic#astarion fic#astarion brainrot#dark romance
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Relief (BG3 Imagine)
Title: Regrets
Pairing: Ascended Astarion x Good Dark Urge (OC!Zurge)
Warnings: Spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3
Parts: 1, 2
Word Count: 1,719
Summary: Several centuries have passed since the groups’ fight against the Absolute. After saving the world, they each went their separate ways. Some stayed in touch, but they all eventually drifted apart. Especially due to the merciless passage of time. Astarion wanted nothing more than to reunite with Zurge, but after the mistake he’s made, he can’t bring himself to interfere with her life. Now that the 700th year since their separation is approaching, he can’t help but wonder what happened to that elven mortal - the only one he has ever truly loved.
Note From Author: This fanfic is largely inspired by the popular "You came, You called" meme I'd often see on almost all social media platforms. I only recently learned it was from a series called, "The Sandman" and ended up watching an extended clip of the scene (episode 11, for those of you wondering). That's when this idea came to me, so please enjoy! The title may change (it's a work-in-progress).
Part 2 - Relief
Drip, drip.
It was the loudest sound that echoed in the darkness.
Drip, drip.
The cold stone floor. The whistling of the distant wind. And the sound of water that never seemed to end.
Drip, drip.
It was enough to drive a normal person insane. But sadly, the sole tenant of this place had already been broken, mended, then broken again. No amount of torture seemed to be enough to shatter her sanity. Not yet, anyways.
Drip, drip. Rattle.
A new sound. Metal clattering against one another as a figure twitched. The sound of chains scraping against stone. A familiar noise.
Zurge stirred from her spot on the ground. Her hands moved forward, slightly trembling from the lack of strength. They waved around, sweeping the ground, in an effort to make sense of her surroundings. She had resisted the effects, time and time again, but it seems she was effectively blinded once more for the next few seconds.
Shading her eyes, Zurge squinted at where she assumed the cause of her condition lay. The Blood of Lathander. Her once beloved weapon, now used against her for… How many years had it been? She had lost count after the first few decades.
Her body collapsed back down onto the cold, rocky ground. Some of the sharper pebbles cut into her raw flesh, but she had long since grown numb to such sensations. Instead of wiping away the blood from the cut that had already begun to heal over, she placed a shaky hand to her matted, disheveled hair. Her fingers caught in all of the tangles, painfully pulling at her scalp, but her face did not contort in pain. After so many years of torture - after all the anguish she had grown used to - her facial muscles now barely moved. Barely even twitched.
She blindly felt how long her hair had gotten. How much it had grown. Perhaps it would have been a good indicator of how much time had passed, had they not hacked it all away at one point during her imprisonment. For fun, they had sneered. Because they were bored. But their taunts fell to deaf ears. When she didn’t react how they wanted, they changed to other, crueler acts.
No part of her body was left untouched. She felt the grime that covered her. The blood that had dried and caked all over her skin and clothes. All the bruises that littered her body. All parts of her limbs. Her hips. Her…
Zurge closed her eyes, trying to suppress the memory. Her jaw clenched, but even that much proved to be painful to her weakened body. In exhaustion, she relaxed her muscles and lay silent once more. How long had it been since she had last cried? Last tranced? How long had it been since she last fed?
Perhaps it was better this way. Although the hunger was maddening, it was bearable. The first few decades of it, Zurge may have acted unhinged. Like a crazed beast, only able to think about the next meal. But now… She was used to that too. And compared to everything else she had endured, torture through starvation was like a breath of fresh air.
However, in endless silence, the mind can prove to be the worst companion.
Memories flitted back into her mind. Like a curse, all the horrors she had experienced played back in vivid detail. She curled herself up, only feeling the cold from all around her, as she tried her best to quiet her thoughts. The phantom touches that seemed to brush against her skin. The wave of nausea she felt anytime her captors did more than just physical violence against her. And the utter helplessness she felt when first being thrust into this situation.
When Zurge opened her eyes, she could see again. Her vision had returned to her as she successfully resisted against her weapon’s blinding light.
Her captors had found the light just as unpleasant as she now did, but they had decided to keep it in her cell to cause her discomfort. They knew that if she had her way, she would have used it to end her life long ago. Just her weapon. Just one spell. It was all it would take to end her miserable existence. And that was why it remained so close to her side. Placed just out of reach, to constantly show her the hopeless predicament she was in. And a never ending reminder of what she had become.
Gathering what little strength she had, Zurge pulled herself upright. The chains that still restrained her had severely rusted due to the poor conditions of the dungeon she had been imprisoned in. Her captors hadn’t appeared before her in quite some time. Perhaps they had finally grown bored of her. But she couldn’t care less about their whereabouts. Just the fact that her metal bonds were weakening from the passage of time.
Without an ounce of hesitation, Zurge violently pulled her arms away from where her chains were connected to the stone walls. The metal rattled loudly, and an unpleasant screech echoed all around her. Ignoring the sounds, the pain, the blood… Zurge pulled again. And again. And again. Until it felt as if her wrists would be sliced off before the shackles broke free. At this point, she didn’t care which came first.
Blood now pooled on the floor. She had even gone blind a few times, unable to resist against her weapon’s glow. But she still persisted. Relentlessly. Her eyes never leaving the wall that connected her shackles, regardless of whether or not she could even see them. And then… It finally happened.
Crack!
The metal broke free from the stone, clattering loudly onto the floor.
Zurge, regaining her sight, blankly stared at the broken chain. It would’ve made any person in her situation weep in joy. Perhaps even jump around and cheer. And had it been a few years - centuries - earlier… Maybe Zurge would’ve done the same. Done something. Felt something. Anything. But she didn’t.
She just turned away, dragging along the broken metal, as she made her way towards the Blood of Lathander. Yes. Not the cell door. Not towards the exit. But towards the light that had reminded her over and over again, that she was now a spawn. A vampire spawn. And like any disobedient spawn, she was given a command. Just one, single command. To never leave her cell. Her prison. Her cage.
They didn’t even bother to lock it. That’s how much power they had. And how much she had lost.
“Finally…”
Her voice cracked from the lack of use. Or maybe her vocal cords had been so damaged from all the screams that this was now what she would sound like. But what was the use of wondering? It was all going to be over soon. So very soon.
The grip on her beloved weapon, her saving grace, tightened as she summoned up the last of her power. A wave of magic flowed into her, her eyes closing from the warmth. The spell was just within reach. She just needed to release its power. To let it all go.
Drip, drip.
Those sounds weren’t caused by the water falling continuously from the ceiling of the dungeon. They were lighter. A bit quieter. It was the reason why her cheeks were now wet, her vision blurry from something other than the light. Tears. Tears of sheer relief.
A commotion could be heard just outside the dungeon, creeping closer and closer, but nothing registered to her anymore. Not now. Not when the end was so near. So close.
Zurge opened her eyes, but it was only darkness that greeted her. She was blinded yet again, but she didn’t care. How could she? At least now, the dungeon wouldn’t have to be the last thing she sees.
Perhaps it was because her death was close at hand, but a face she had nearly forgotten flitted in her mind for a brief moment. But the impact it had on her was so severe that her heart jolted in shock. The pale elf that flaunted a confident, sideways smirk. The sound of his voice, always able to bring a smile to her face. And the look he had in his eyes whenever he looked into hers.
A genuine smile blossomed on Zurge’s face. Even with all that had happened between them, she was glad that his face was the last thing she would remember. The last thing she envisioned before the end.
With just a thought, the spell from the Blood of Lathander activated. The scorching blaze, the pain it brought on, Zurge welcomed it with open arms. In a matter of seconds, her skin cracked and crumbled to dust. In another moment, she would be reduced to nothing more than ashes. It was exactly what she wanted. What she begged and prayed for with each excruciating day. But she should have paid more attention to the commotion. To the noises that were now just outside her cell. Maybe then, she would have been able to dodge what came next.
“NO!”
A scream, filled with desperation and despair.
Before Zurge could register who it was, she felt her body being tackled to the ground. Her weapon clattered onto the floor, but the spell had already been activated, so there was no stopping the light. Still, whoever was atop her used their body to shield her from most of the damage. Just as she was about to fight back in a panic, to throw whoever it was off of her, a pair of arms engulfed her emaciated, dirt-covered self.
“Please,” a soft voice begged in her ears.
She froze, unable to move a muscle. Zurge didn’t need her sight to recognize that voice. No matter how hard she tried, she could never forget him. This was the man she swore to never forgive. The man who broke her heart. And the only man she would ever love.
Just as her sight returned to her, she finally saw those ruby eyes piercing through the light, peering into her very soul. And just like that, their surroundings seemed to fade away. All she could see was him. Here. Right in front of her. Like an impossible dream.
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#baldur's gate 3#bg3#bg3 astarion#astarion#bg3 dark urge#dark urge#bg3 durge#durge#astarion x dark urge#astarion x durge#astarion x durge fanfic#bg3 fanfiction#bg3 fanfic#astarion romance#ascended astarion#ascended astarion x dark urge#ascended astarion x durge#fanfic#fanfiction
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bg3 anon, answers under the cut for ease of scrolling! 🤝
Anonymous asked:
"you’re right. i think i’ll perhaps do it as a safety check because i don’t intend to be respectful of the bloodsucker twink lmao. i put him in a ridiculous looking outfit and it’s so hard to take him seriously AT ALL i’ll see how it goes. he’s currently leaving me on ‘Seen’ with an approval rating of 3" Darling (pun intended, sorry, couldn't help myself) it's going to be a problem starting his romance if you're still at 3 approval. I would suggest checking the BG3 wiki, it has most of his approvals and disapprovals listed so you could farm them, but that would be way too immersion breaking to be fair as it goes against the beauty of role playing, at least if you are the type who truly immerses oneself like I am...sometimes I can't bring myself doing things I personally want to do it in a game because it would go against the character I am playing...it's super weird lol.
If romancing him doesn't work out maybe you can go with Gale instead? Or why not maybe Shadowheart will grow on you haha By the way I don't know if I mentioned this but to successfully romance the bloodsucker, you need to sleep with him at least once in act 1. You can't start his romance later.
As for ridiculous looking outfits…here's a suggestion you may want to keep in mind: at the start of act 3 there's a circus where you can loot a clown outfit and buy clown makeup. I put everything on Gale personally because why not? However, sadly the only clown in this whole affair was myself considering I spent 5000 gold on making Astarion a fucking statue, which stayed in my camp for the remainder of act 3. And he didn't even comment on it!!! Well at least I didn't go for the naked version of it, but next time I'm definitely choosing to make a statue for my Tav lmao.
"well the wives are the reason i’ve started to play actually, as counter-productive as that sounds 😂 i have a friend who explained the lore to me, so i know most of astarion’s background and what happens with him, though i don’t remember details, of course. she told me how delulu they are in excusing every thing he does, even his insane decision to become the no 1 ascended vampire boss. how they deceive themselves into believing astarion becomes in love with them if they act like complete doormats and go along with whatever fuckass thing he wants, even if the 'detect thoughts’ option clearly indicates that he thinks badly of them :))"
I didn't want to mention the possible ascension because of spoilers but since you know a lot about him already thanks to your friend…yes, it's all true. The ascension wives are the most unhinged subsect of the Astarion fandom. If you let him do it he even becomes abusive if you are in a romance with him and you'll even have to agree to let him turn into his vampire spawn otherwise he'll break up with you (some of the wives 100% believe he turns you into his vampire bride, but obviously there is nothing in the game confirming this, on the contrary, the evidence is quite flimsy). The craziest thing is the wives think YOU are the abusive one for not letting him sacrifice 7000 souls (including children) in a diabolical ritual, a deal with a fucking archdevil in order to let him ascend, because how can you condemn pookie to a possible life without the sun while still feeling a vampire's hunger? They think you are robbing him of his own agency and infantilizing him. Not to mention that once you get rid of the tadpole, he won't even let you break up with him anymore. Like, at all. You have no choice anymore. He outright laughs at you and says "your future is mine to decide." Also, if you break up with him just before he's about to turn you into his spawn he admits he would've used your love for him against you until "you were nothing", that he appreciates you for doing this, saying he didn't think you had it in you (breaking up with him, that is). Oh and since you mentioned playing the game for meme potential, well, here you also have the option to kick him in the balls when he says "on your knees, darling" to your Tav, before he's about to transform them into a vampire. But be careful, he breaks up and leaves the party permanently after doing this to him lmfao (like any Real Man™ would).
But no, the wives won't hear any of this, in fact they blame you for only choosing the confrontational dialogue options and say that if you are nice to him, he doesn't turn abusive. What??? That's not how this works lmao.
Yes, he has all that power, glory and money if he ascends, but at what cost? He totally loses himself and any positive character growth he had is totally gone and nullified by the ascension. Like yeah he does push for ascending, but does he really need it? There is a difference between wanting something (for all the wrong reasons imho, he can be safe and free without doing this as his good ending proves it) and needing something and you as his friend or lover should know better rather than have him give in into his worst impulses. Tbh I think many of these wives genuinely believe that if he says he wants something, you have to do it because how can you deny your boyfriend this "but he said so!!!". Loving someone doesn't mean agreeing with them every single time, that's not how actual relationships work. That's not to say one can't enjoy toxic relationships in fiction, but that's not what these people are doing here, let's be real. He actually approves and genuinely thanks you if you talk him out of ascending, by the way. He says he was not himself back then when he was just about do it and although he did not appreciate it at the time, is now grateful for saving him from himself, that you saw and believed he is enough just way he is, that now he is "truly and honestly free". The game couldn't be more clear about this, the parallels, the foreshadowings are all there from the very beginning but everything completely flew over these people's heads. Sure, he gets sad when he loses the tadpole and can't be in the sun anymore but eventually he embraces the shadows (in a good way this time) and realizes he can be free and happy like this as well.
Did your friend mention the fact that the wives also harassed and stalked one one of his writers for calling this ending the bad one for him? Because they did this. (tbh personally I do think that writer unprofessional in how they expressed their opinion but they still didn't deserve to be harassed for it…and it's also not like the text itself doesn't confirm what they said).
I do feel bad for those who do like his evil ending for what it is without trying to whitewash it because they often end up catching strays thanks to the crazies, like people telling them they'll be abused in real life by their partners because they like this version of Astarion…which is not a nice thing to say to someone even online. On the other hand these wives claim they are genuine villain fuckers, that they love Astarion as evil as he can be, they also claim to love dark romances but then they totally dumb down the toxic elements of the relationship with him and turn it into uwuuu loving evil power couple. Come on…they genuinely insist his bad and evil ending is the GOOD one! Most characters have a good and evil or bad ending yet fans of other companions don't pretend the bad ones are secretly the good ones "for reasons" or "but they said so, they said they wanted it". I've yet to meet a Shadowheart fan who genuinely thinks her bad ending is in fact her good one, for example. Or a Lae'zel fan.
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Darling (pun intended, sorry, couldn't help myself) it's going to be a problem starting his romance if you're still at 3 approval.
i shot up to 28 now! 🤙 without basically doing anything evil, apart from letting him feed on Gandrel (but i kept him alive, at least) out of curiosity, i'm going to go back and see if that gained me any approval points or not
I would suggest checking the BG3 wiki, it has most of his approvals and disapprovals listed so you could farm them, but that would be way too immersion breaking to be fair as it goes against the beauty of role playing, at least if you are the type who truly immerses oneself like I am...sometimes I can't bring myself doing things I personally want to do it in a game because it would go against the character I am playing...it's super weird lol.
oh, i am so tempted, but i'm trying to maintain at least a semblance of unpredictability and candor! i totally get not wanting to do smth if the character would be against it
If romancing him doesn't work out maybe you can go with Gale instead? Or why not maybe Shadowheart will grow on you haha By the way I don't know if I mentioned this but to successfully romance the bloodsucker, you need to sleep with him at least once in act 1. You can't start his romance later.
good to know, soldier! 💪i am not refusing any of his (most likely) cringe sex proposals if i can get them 🤡
As for ridiculous looking outfits…here's a suggestion you may want to keep in mind: at the start of act 3 there's a circus where you can loot a clown outfit and buy clown makeup. I put everything on Gale personally because why not?
LOL i have a mod that gave me a clown outfit and i put it on shadowheart 😂 but gale sounds hilarious, too
However, sadly the only clown in this whole affair was myself considering I spent 5000 gold on making Astarion a fucking statue, which stayed in my camp for the remainder of act 3. And he didn't even comment on it!!! Well at least I didn't go for the naked version of it, but next time I'm definitely choosing to make a statue for my Tav lmao.
i was in tears when i read this :))))))))))))))))))) anon, i'm so sorry :)::):):)::):):):):) i can't imagine
i'm fine with letting astarion drain my blood, but i draw the line at spending so much money on his ungrateful arse 😂 priorities 😂
The ascension wives are the most unhinged subsect of the Astarion fandom.
the stories i've heard reveal such a fascinating level of delusion :)) like you said, not being able to accept the distinction between vampire spawn and vampire bride: he tells you (or least i chose that dialogue option) how one can become an actual, full-blown vampire and that no vampire would create a competitor! straight out of his mouth
Not to mention that once you get rid of the tadpole, he won't even let you break up with him anymore. Like, at all. You have no choice anymore. He outright laughs at you and says "your future is mine to decide." Also, if you break up with him just before he's about to turn you into his spawn he admits he would've used your love for him against you until "you were nothing", that he appreciates you for doing this, saying he didn't think you had it in you (breaking up with him, that is).
to think!! i would crawl straight into the depths of the mariana trench 😭 no way is this loser going to pull this level of insolence on mirta
Oh and since you mentioned playing the game for meme potential, well, here you also have the option to kick him in the balls when he says "on your knees, darling" to your Tav, before he's about to transform them into a vampire. But be careful, he breaks up and leaves the party permanently after doing this to him lmfao (like any Real Man™ would).
i puked a little in my mouth 💀
There is a difference between wanting something (for all the wrong reasons imho, he can be safe and free without doing this as his good ending proves it) and needing something and you as his friend or lover should know better rather than have him give in into his worst impulses.
yeah, that's what i was talking with my friend about, that you'd be out of your mind to accept for him to ascend. and, like you said, it would negate any kind of character growth he might have had until then. so far, my friend was able to talk him out of it and he was grateful, whereas my boyfriend didn't have a good enough approval rating so he had to kill him off. very different outcomes!
but neither of them have managed to fuck him so we'll see on which shores the tides of love take us 🤡
Tbh I think many of these wives genuinely believe that if he says he wants something, you have to do it because how can you deny your boyfriend this "but he said so!!!". Loving someone doesn't mean agreeing with them every single time, that's not how actual relationships work.
very well said!
also, i think that maybe in another game, it would matter more towards making him "happy" if you just went along with everything he says, but the game mechanics here are a little different and it's obviously telegraphing hard that this is Not A Good Path
That's not to say one can't enjoy toxic relationships in fiction, but that's not what these people are doing here, let's be real.
exactly, there needs to be a level of awareness here of what the dynamic actually is, not a senile denial of basic power imbalances
Did your friend mention the fact that the wives also harassed and stalked one one of his writers for calling this ending the bad one for him? Because they did this. (tbh personally I do think that writer unprofessional in how they expressed their opinion but they still didn't deserve to be harassed for it…and it's also not like the text itself doesn't confirm what they said).
not yet, i don't think! she just mentioned that they're very weird with the voice actors as well. she sent me a very long and lachrymose tumblr post, bemoaning that his actor showed his discomfort with ascended!astarion fans during a livestream, how unprofessional and hurt they were by this very normal reaction
on a different note, she showed me the post with the life-sized astarion sex doll someone commissioned
I do feel bad for those who do like his evil ending for what it is without trying to whitewash it because they often end up catching strays thanks to the crazies, like people telling them they'll be abused in real life by their partners because they like this version of Astarion…which is not a nice thing to say to someone even online.
of course, you can enjoy even that ending. i can see myself playing with my friends and making the most idiotic choices, howling with laughter. every one has a kind of setup that allows them to revel in the silliness or (why not) the kink-factor of these situations. it's the "convincing yourself this isn't abusive" part that's the issue
On the other hand these wives claim they are genuine villain fuckers, that they love Astarion as evil as he can be, they also claim to love dark romances but then they totally dumb down the toxic elements of the relationship with him and turn it into uwuuu loving evil power couple.
i wanted to highlight this because it's so true and something i've seen in more fandoms as well. i would say that aly$m0nd was a similar case, where a lot of shippers refused to engage with any potentially problematic aspects of their relationship and just pushed a sanitized true love narrative.
I will address the rest all at once without quoting separately since it's faster. Hopefully I didn't miss anything important:
The spear you found in Withers' place is okay for Shadowheart momentarily but it will soon become obsolete as you will find a much better weapon for her just before entering act 2. It's a mace called "The Blood of Lathander" and is located somewhere within the Githyanki Creche (you will have to go there as it's part of Lae'zel quest). Just deal with the giths first and then go and search for the weapon. It's super good for clerics especially and it's one of those weapons that is effective even in act 3 by the end of the game.
I heard about this mace! I will keep an eye out for it. Add it to my list of items I need to find while still in Act 1.
Entering turn based mode is also a good idea when stealing from merchants.
Yeah the weightless consumables mod is a must have. It seems useless now but when you start collecting all kinds of arrows, potions, scrolls, gold you will become encumbered really, really quick.
I'll see how much longer I'll mentally last with loading and unloading all of the crap I pick up. :))
I think you can sneak past Ethel's masked servants, some players managed to do it (perhaps you could try and make everyone invisible?). Personally I fought them as I didn't want to complicate myself by trying to sneak.
Oh yeah, I go more in detail in my last post about my Ethel adventures.
The Ethel point, if not used on your character, might very well go on one of your companions as I may have said in one of my previous asks. If anyone's main stat is still 17 use it to get it to 18. Then use the ability increase feat to even other odd ability points left? Mayrina will be angry with you no matter what you do so don't worry, it will pass.
So, I requested an INT +1. And my plan currently is to summon the ogres when I go to the goblin camp, make sure they die, if not felled by goblins, then by my hand, and pick up the Circlet of Intelligence or whatever it's called. It pumps INT up to 17, I think? I can then dump all of my INT numbers down to the minimum of 8, add Ethel's +1 and I'm up to 18. With a lot of points free to distribute someplace else. If I can get my hands on the Gloves of Dexterity, too, I can almost turn Mirta into a tank. I feel that secretly she longs for the bloodsong of the battlefield, but is keeping real quiet about it. :))
Nice that you persuaded the ogres to fight for you!!
You got the necromancy book? That's great. Buuuut you might have wanted to take Astarion with you as he has an interest in it. Giving it to him will also grant A LOT of approval (10 points I believe?) which is desirable since you want to romance him. And no, he won't do anything funny with it, the book will be safe in his hands. I mentioned in a previous ask about trusting and agreeing with some of his less insane suggestions, well, this is one of them.
Thank you so much for this suggestion! I wouldn't have known otherwise. There are a lot of details or paths in this game that you could easily miss, some of them very random!
As for your latest incident I should've mentioned that trusting him to NOT drain you dry isn't a good idea lol. I'm sorry once again however it's still extremely funny what he did to poor Mirta. At least she punched him!!
She's in her emo princess era currently. No time like the present to bust out the intense eye makeup!
After you are done with all the side quests in the area you can go to the goblin camp and do what's needed to be done there without needing to kill ALL of them. Rescue Halsin if you want to (he is a nice guy but a boring character overall and the bear sex stunt turned me off his character a bit I fear) and kill the goblin leaders. Not sure if you know, but one of their leaders (Minthara) can be recruited later in act 2 if you knock her out. So no killing - so don't use spells and ranged weapons on her if you want her to survive and have her in your party eventually.
Yeah, the bear sex I honestly find hilarious. I'm going to try to recruit as many as I can, because free labour and help? Why not? Though I'm not sure I can have both Minthara and Halsin in my camp (apparently they can't stand each other?). My bf said I had to choose, but I wonder if I can't get those two crazy cats to get along with my high CHA.
You may want to expose Kagha and the shadow druids before doing the goblin camp.
Good to know, thanks!
This is weird, when it comes to dialogues you should have the possibility to select the Friends cantrip in the bonus section before you roll the dice. It should be there near Shadowheart's guidance. Once you select it two dices will show up on your screen, then the dice with the higher number will be taken into consideration. You may have a bug if it doesn't show up. But yes other than dialogues, there's not much practicality for it.
You're right about that, I will reconsider the Friends cantrip later on maybe. I imagine I get more cantrip slots as I progress.
Also, if you want access to the Guidance cantrip, there is a necklace that grants you this spell so you won't need to drag Shadowheart around you. (a short video with the location so I don't have to explain it to you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_abMisavwU )
This would be so useful, thank you very much!!! V excited about this!
Yep, Dancing Lights disarming traps and vents is apparently a thing which I found out quite late in the game. I always threw stones and random weapons at vents to cover them and then I had Astarion disarm them and any other traps.
As for lightning and ice spells or cantrips: Shocking Grasp and Ray of Frost are the only cantrips available, but you may want to look into spells. I know the temptation is to not spend your spell slots and focus on cantrips since you can cast them endlessly but trust me, sometimes you'll have to use spells. Once you hit level 5 you'll begin to have access to other cool lightning and ice spells. Lightning Bolt and Glyph of Warding (this one lets you choose the type of damage you will deal and both ice and lightning are available - Shadowheart as a cleric will also have access to this spell) and on later levels there are even more cool ones. You probably missed this one but on early levels there is also Chromatic Orb which is similar to the Glyph.
Oh, yeah, I do use spells, too, but you never know when you might need an elemental cantrip you can cast without limit.
The only items Gale can eat will have a text written under them that should say something like "Gale can absorb this item". He has standards, he won't eat just anything!
Too bad I didn't figure that one out sooner, but no real harm done!
Not you giving Gale the Dancing Lights amulet. You are right that it is redundant but it has sentimental value since it's from Arabella's parents. How could you???
The bard hat must be worn by a bard, even if you gain that ability from Alfira it won't work on your character. Bards, depending on their current level, have a number of "Bardic Inspiration Poins" which are similar to cleric's Guidance cantrip and will grant other party members bonuses when they roll their dices. Some of their attack actions are also dependent on this system and may cost bardic inspiration points. If you don't intend to respect someone into a bard or use multiclass (a feature that's not available on your difficulty level anyway) on a party member, then the hat will be useless and Gale can eat it.
Oh.... Well, it was worth a shot. I did look goofy while wearing it. Gave it to Gale after all.
Gloves of uncommon power? Did you mean gloves of power? They are fine on Lae'zel or maybe even better on Astarion due to the Sleight of Hand +1 bonus. You could give them to Gale and then buy the Gloves of Thievery for Astarion from the Zhentarim merchant (I think you need to deliver the shipment from the caravan to them without opening it in order to have access to them and other cool items from full inventory).
These names sort of blend into each other after a while. :)) I'm writing down the Gloves of Thievery, thanks. :))
thank you for the Magnus Archives podcast link!
You're very welcome, I hope you liked the episode!
Anonymous asked:
"lmao anon don't worry! i genuinely did it for the lols at least i got him to an 18 approval rating for me, more than karlach, lae'zel OR gale somehow (motherfucker, and this is AFTER i gave him an artefact to consume)" Thanks the gods lol, I was surprised a bit since most players did not genuinely trust him to not do something stupid. The fact that you have options to make him stop is enough of a warning imho, the game is pretty much like "are you sure about trusting him, hmm?".
Tell me about it, but you can't really think clearly with vampire fangs down your neck, right? ☠
And how did you manage to have fucking Gale at a lower approval lmao, now I feel stupid for suggesting in my other message to go for him instead if you can't manage to romance the vampire. Gale and Shadowheart were the only ones I managed to have much high numbers compared to Astarion, and quite early on. Karlach was the hardest for me, followed by Lae'zel.
I'll have to check how I stand with them in this post-Ethel administration! 💪 Shadowheart and Wyll are quite keen on me.
"i'm glad he's fucking "happy", what can i say 🤡 maybe now we're not going to fail every perception check in ethel's cave at least. we're going TODAY so i can benefit from this bonus (i did work my arse off for if after all!)" From now on up until the end of the game you can use his bite ability on enemies when in combat and he will gain the "Happy" condition each time, including the +1 bonus. Alternatively, you can also have Mirta become his willing blood bag and invite him to feed on her each night or so lol & the following morning he will gain the condition that way as well, but I think letting him feed on enemies is better.
Yeah, I can imagine the blood bank fics, 😅 but, unfortunately (or fortunately for the sane ones amongst us), Mirta would wake up with some of her abilities depleted at the cost of Astarion's boosts. And that doesn't really work for her since she's discovered her own penchant for dueling after her brush with death. How can she take all that damage enemies frontload on her in combat otherwise? 💬
A fun happening which I forgot to mention previously but there is this Rha*nicent fan art that's been living rent free in my head ever since I saw it back in august (link: https://x.com/kknoahh/status/1825991659835867357) with short haired Rha*nyra, who I genuinely thought to be…Astarion at first. I was like who the fuck started to ship Alicent with him lmao, like can you imagine this crackship.
Oh my goodness, Rhaenyra really does look like him. 😳 Alicent really out there catching all strays and being shipped with anyone with the slightest potential of becoming psychosexually obsessed with her. :))
Have fun at the birthday party!!
Thanks so much, it was nice to go out and see my friends!
Anonymous asked:
Well, Gale isn't in a position to criticize Astarion for hiding his true nature, to be fair. You'll find out soon enough when he confesses the full truth about his condition and why he really needs to consume all those magical artefacts. I don't remember if the rest of your companions have something to say each time after you give items to Gale to eat but after you feed him for the third and final time they should have something to say if you click on them, at least those who are in your active party at the time (again, no exclamation mark will show up above them).
This tip has proven very useful and I always make sure to check on them at the end of the day and after I hit long rest. Most of them did comment on Gale some way the other, but NONE of them had ANYTHING to day that the leech spawn KILLED ME. Forsooth!
Astarion will be like "who would hide something like this from his friends? you can't trust anyone this days", which is quite hilarious considering Gale was more understanding lol.
This line is even funnier if you think he's being self-aware while saying it. :))
I may offer you a hint that won't spoil anything: make a quicksave to be sure just in case and then use Astarion's bite ability on Gale. You'll see that something is wrong with the guy… ;)
He did ask me whose blood I'd suck, which was quite hilarious, and insisted I'd answer. :)) I picked Gale for the lols, hoping it would trigger what you said, but nothing happened. I guess fang boy abides by our deal and keeps to hunting animals? Who would have thought? But maybe I'll try to bite Gale tonight, to see what he does.
Unfortunately, backgrounds don't matter so much, Tav is pretty much a blank slate. You get some specific skill proficiencies and maybe some unique dialogue options here and there but other than that? Pretty much nothing, except for also receiving inspiration points. It's really a missed opportunity and one of my main criticisms of the game, there are plenty of occasions in the game where your background could've been taken into into consideration. You actually gave a good example about perhaps being allowed into spaces common born people aren't, but unless I missed something, nothing like this happens. You even meet Baldurian nobles in act 3 and you have no dialogue options with any of them when normally you should've been familiarized with at least some of them, being a noble yourself. Two of your possible companions, Wyll and Minthara, are of noble birth as well and you can't have a noble to noble conversation with them (you have a noble dialogue option with Minthara but only if you play as a drow noble, other races aren't acknowledged and as far as I can recall, Wyll has no specific dialogue for other nobles).
That's unfortunate. It would have been a great addition. Like, I imagine noble characters could start out with more coin in their pockets or that common-borns could have streets smarts (survival proficiency) or knowledge about the local flora or fauna or small settlements. I sometimes have dialogue with people about aspects my tav should already be aware of, even general world-building stuff, like fellow races or just current events. :))
Also, it's rather annoying to be playing a Baldurian character but they're seemingly unaware of anything going on in Baldur's gate. For example, Mirta should have been aware of Cazador, I feel? At the very least that there's a coven of vampires in her home city and that no one is doing anything about it. :)) Or just generally question Astarion's magistrate background.
Good luck with Ethel!!
Thank you! Whole other post below on my hag struggles. :)
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Okay I've been stuck on it since I wrote the drabble about it BUT
(spoilers for Durge Epilogue under the cut)
WHY ISN'T IT THE CANON END THAT THEY TRAP YOU IN THE ASTRAL PRISM?? Like is it just me or would that be a cool little full circle?? Like that would even be a more satisfying end than the one we got if you had succumbed to the urges! Like you could arrive to the camp when Withers is making his speech and you could still have the unhinged moments on the log bridge but then someone spots you? And depending on your relationship level with each of them they probably have some kind of their own dialogue?
Like remember that you disappeared six months ago directly after saving the world. Whether or not you jailed yourself or not they still had no idea where you went!
Like imagine what an ascended or unascended Astarion would say if he saw you like that. If he was your friend or your love.
Imagine Shadowheart? Whether she would be following Selune or Shar she would surely mutter a prayer in shock
And assuming that despite being somewhat evil and if you had kept/loss companions, just overall imagine the shock. The heartbreak in your friend's eyes when they see you.
Imagine Karlach seeming overjoyed at first, calling soldier out to you only to stop short when she realizes just how twitchy you are, and the blade you carry. Imagine Wyll cautiously readying his weapon- out of anyone he would have heard of the strings of murders that begun after the gate was saved, and would have had the suspicion it was you.
And just overall, if anyone would have the power to seal you in the Astral Prism, Withers certainly could. And there could be a cutscene perhaps where someone becomes the keeper of the prism (probably your lover) and promises to help you, or when the end of their days has come to join you inside or something along those lines.
Larian I'm just saying,,, it was all right there!
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I know this is a yandere blog, but you mentioned BG3 and I just have to say (keeping these vague to avoid spoilers where possible)...
My first romance was Wyll. I don't know how I, someone who usually goes for the characters that clearly have something deeply concerning about them, ended up with the literal prince charming of the game AND LIKING HIM. His romance was so pure, no horny, and I just... I love him and felt guilty every time I even looked at someone else (it didn't stop me from romancing my Guardian, but that's a different story).
Second run through? I went after Minthara and that relationship was so unhinged. Woman sat on the throne of her vanquished foe and she stole my entire heart. Every time she offered violence in my honor I had to stop from having a make out session.
Astarion is my next romance, but that file is still in act 1. Can't wait to see how that ends up.
I always love to chat though, so no worries! I'm just not taking non-yandere requests but otherwise everything is fair game ^-^
Oh man, I really like... want to romance Wyll because he is soooo sweet and wholesome, but in my first playthrough I found him and Karlach way too late (think I did half of the map and interactions of Act 1 without finding out how to recruit them) so he wasn't really interested in flirting with my first Tav and now with my second I kind of kindled the flame but I couldn't get myself to choose any of the monogamous LI for the tiefling party since that Tav is meant to be with Halsin (and good Astarion probably).
But I look forward to my Durge run because I will finally be able to recruit Minthara there ♥ I love her so much because I am a bit biased towards Drows in general, but I am not sure if I will date her since even before starting to play, I learned that with Ascended!Astarion you can get some special dialogue if you take over the brain and I kinda want that for my Durge. Maybe I'll need to go for a fourth run at this point because I really like Minthara, she's the better 'mean' character in my opinion, sorry Lae'zel >-<
Honestly, I wish I could date everyone lol. I just want to have all the romances at once but I also like that it's realistic and you can't just be in a relationship with everyone in camp, lol.
Good luck in your future runs! May you be blessed with all the romance you want ^^
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Rate bg3 companions based on the voted most likely to meme👀
Wait wait wait do you mean like the order of the companions being memeable because oh I've thought about this quite a lot and have the answer ready
1. Gale. No comment on this. I love bullying him (affectionate). Ive played this game several times now and I constantly feel the need to shove him against a locker. He's so unserious
2. Astarion, especially ascended. Don't get me wrong he's my favorite but by god I would be lying if i said he's not perfect meme material. His ugly little grinch face. His entire attitude. I love him sm but oh my god i need to throw him around
3. Karlach!! It's just in her nature. She's so silly and my baby and i would kill for her mwuah she's naturally funny
4. Lae'zel because she's actually soo cute and so mean at the same time. It would be fair to humble her a little bit but also she's hilarious. Her dry delivery of lines adds so much to it.
5. My girl shart. She has a bit too much angsty backstory that i relate to but to loosen it up a little I love making jokes about how emo she is. She also has absolutely 0 chill and i love having her in my party paired with astarion cause they both drag each other thru the dirt and it's the funniest shit ever.
6. Wyll is only so low because he's actually the biggest sweetie and i love joking about him being a bit stuck up and too perf because thats the only weak spot he leaves me to attack. He's perfect in combination with the others that are more chaotic bc he's the opposite. Gives a lot of potential for memes
7. Mins should be higher cause he's braindead and carries a Hamster around come on man he's perfect meme Material. Only so low cause he's often left out of main companion stuff
8. Halsin. He's also a bit too perf and chill for me to make fitting jokes. I like the memes of him being like a hippie uncle or boomer dad. Gets a good chuckle out of me
9. Minthara is so low bc i only recently got her to join my party and i know she's unhinged and hilarious but i haven't used her enough to see the meme potential
10. Jaheira is badass and mother i won't be dragging her thru the dirt she would beat me up sorry
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thinking about my bg3 playthrough (ass-cended ass-tarion and durge thoughts-dump, some spoilers)
ascended ass-tarion got me feeling things, such a perfect match with my durge. que me just sighing dreamily of this evil as FUCK, UNHINGED duo.
so I RPed my Durge to be at first scared shitless of his mysterious urges, acting nice and heroic and doing good deeds as kind of like a way to surpress those feelings and act normal, focus on his empathy and use it to help people, tho secretly enjoying the bloodbath of his own creation, and the two of them in the beginning had these tense interactions and i'm pretty sure they could each sense in one another that they were fake as fuck, hiding behind these pretty, elaborate masks and lying through their teeth, and still kind of dancing around one another in this intriguing game of guessing, push and pull, seduction
and then as time goes on they both gradually let down their guards and both basically find out they're quite similar, and as durge learns of his bhaal stuff and astarion ascends they both ease into being unapologetically power-hungry and unhinged and obviously have huge control and dominance and obsession issues, and they bring out the best and the absolute worst in each other and throughout all their flaws and shortcomings... they accept one another as they are even when all others leave their side, and i think that's beautiful... as far as dark fictional romances go. ofc they're both completely off the rails in actuality, toxic as all FUCK beyond one's wildest imagination, like when they get into fights over the stupidest shit and it lasts for fucking decades or whatever and then they get back together again only to backstab each other again soon enough. they probably break up at least a dozen a times a century but they always come crawling right back to one another. tho the s3x they have down the line must be absolutely fucking insane, my god...
and also idc about canon, I just know that my durge ascended astarion and took the gift but did not become his slave or anything
i just imagine the scene going on where astarion is more or less convinced durge is gonna kneel and take it, then just durge grabs him by the jaw and is like 'know your place baby vampire you forget yourself, i made you and i could still end you in an instant' and then they almost kill each other but they don't, and eventually durge caves (durge loves to be slapped around hard every once in a while, come on) and then later on durge controls the brain but gives his allies and those worthy free will, and astarion realises again that he once again is subservient to someone and that kind of stings heh but oh well- it's never impossible to make changes to the arrangements again, if one plays their cards right...
actually i think my durge would give nearly everyone free will just for entertainment (kind of like playing sims and turning on free will and watching them piss themselves and die in their own kitchen fires) up until people start getting a bit too disobedient for his liking
and then of course he'd get too cocky and too in love with his own existence and power and murder, and some brave adventurers eventually take him down and he goes down gloriously. and then it's astarion to the rescue, because as much as they bring out the worst in one another, they're absolutely fucking obsessed with each other. they very much have serious issues but they have all of eternity to work through that, or get even WORSE
now that would be an interesting idea if i ever decide to develop a mini dnd campaign. the evil twink demi god villain and his vampire lord bf the power couple who rule an entire realm. kind of like the whole thing with strahd
or maybe it's canon for my durge that he gets so cocky that he defies daddy murder god at some point, either by destroying the brain or something else, and then is stuck in that bad bhaal ending and hunts and begs his friends to kill him. that's such a disturbing ending, i love it. idk if astarion would want to keep him in that state, too much trouble, he'd either give the mercy kill he yearns for or obsessively search for the cure and tear the whole world asunder in the process, depending on when and how that exactly happens
such a fucking DISASTER, i love it. people usually say that ass-cended ass-tarion is bad for him but idk, i dig the narrative. and at first i felt bad about my character 'suddenly' turning evil because it seemed ooc due to how 'good-aligned' he was up to the bhaal reveal but i explain it to myself that he even had ME fooled with this act of being a reedemable good guy he had going on. all around a very interesting playthrough, gg
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i thought it might be fun to write out my headcanon dynamics for neph and the companions in her party ( this is solely based on my playthrough and doesn’t necessarily reflect how neph feels about any of these muses in threads i might have with anyone, and neph’s feelings about companions also don’t reflect MY personal feelings of said characters, i promise i actually really like gale. ).
astarion ; nepharia started manipulating him from the beginning, very quickly picking up on the fact that he was doing the exact same thing to her. after each of them realized that the other was being disingenuous, and only using the other, desperately seeking someone they could trust in these stressful and dire times— an actual bond began to form. a trauma bond, mostly, opening up about their time as slaves to people more powerful than them. nepharia encouraged his hunger for power, just as he did her — they were partners, but ultimately realized they needed a friend more than a lover in the other. eventually, she helps him ascend.
shadowheart ; the cleric’s secrecy and incredibly reserved demeanor bothered nepharia none, because she didn’t want to talk about herself either. she didn’t want to reveal to anyone the true nature of what she was, lest they not trust her, or worse, leave her alone to deal with everything by herself. she respected shadowheart’s privacy, and never pushed for information that wasn’t willingly given. now with shadowheart, though— nepharia convinces her not kill the nightsong, not because she didn’t want to see shadowheart get the things she wanted, but because she knew that their next battles would be far more difficult without a powerful demigod on their side. neph even helped save her parents. :’) i like to think these two are close.
lae’zel ; the way lae’zel would compliment neph’s brutality in battle is what made this demon really like lae’zel. having lae’zel in combat was always such great motivation. and scary devil though neph may be, she knew better than to get on lae’zel’s bad side. did she think she stood a chance in a fight against her? honestly, it’s a 50 / 50 in the succubus’ mind, but only if she was in her true form. out of it, she stood less of a chance.
minthara ; as much as nepharia loves dabbling in her fair share of vicious and brutal bloodshed, releasing those atrocities on innocent refugees certainly wasn’t the succubus’ idea of a fun time. but it was the safer choice, better than going up against the entire goblin camp and risk blowing her cover as an unsuspecting tiefling, or worse, dying. she doesn’t reciprocate minthara’s advances at camp that evening, and not because she didn’t find minthara— intriguing, something about her immediately made nepharia curious. what was a woman who wields so much power and authority in the sound of her voice alone doing with a charge of… goblins? and why attack meaningless, minuscule tieflings, when she seemed so very capable of so much more than that? nothing about it seemed right, but nevertheless, the image of dead tiefling children etched into her mind was enough to kill any sensual mood, even for a succubus. it’s not until they meet again at moonrise towers, when nepharia smells the sheer terror and helplessness coming from the drow, that the devil for the first time empathizes with minthara. she’s known that fear, that helplessness. minthara becomes neph’s biggest motivator in every sense of the word, and encourages her to take control of her life again— she gives neph that fire back, that absolutely unhinged, feral drive that she lost long ago.
gale ; neph honestly almost didn’t pull him out of that portal as soon as she heard his voice, and then when she did, and he didn’t. stop. talking. she wanted to shove him back in. she resisted the urge for a very long time in the beginning to seduce and kill this man, the only thing really stopping her was the orb in his chest, not knowing whether or not it would kill them all off if she did. she found him unbearably sad and pathetic, but eventually— he does grow on her, as much as she’s annoyed by it, and she might not ever admit it. but he hated her guts for a while as well, especially after the grove raid…
karlach & wyll left the party. :’)))))
#headcanons.#idk this is just what’s happening for me in my game personally xD#thought it would be fun to write out and i was right
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Thanks for the Tag (and for bringing all these wonderful pieces to my attention as well!)!
My favourite fics change from day to day but today I made this list so here we go:
A Modicum of Decorum
SFW - An old friend attempts to visit Gale. Unfortunately Tav is at the door. (Gale/Tav)
I had a lot of fun imagining and writing this one. I have a little love/hate for Elminster and wanted to describe how accurately I would react to his impromptu visit and attempt to pirate my pantry. This is comedy with domestic bliss undertone.
Beyond the Bridge
SFW - Lae'zel hates the wizard's nose!… Until she doesn't anymore. (Astralweave: Gale/Lae'zel)
This one was also fun. I have learned to love Lae'zel but it took me long to warm up to her. In my Origin Gale playthrough that I realised how great of a match she is for Gale (I love Bloodweave but to me Astralweave is just perfect, they would stay together forever). Also Lae'zel is extremely over dramatic in this piece and it makes me cackle.
A Night to Remember
SFW - The drunken shenaningans of two tadfools out in Baldur's Gate. (Astarion & Shadowheart)
I strongly believe Shadowheart and Astarion would be great buddies. I wanted to balance angst, introspection with a little bit of humour. I got attached to drunken Shadowheart. She behaves like an unhinged teenagers (which, let's face it, she is at heart). Also got attached to Linus; he is a very unfortunate collateral of this story.
A Whirlwind of Caresses
NSFW - Gale is not keen on mingling with the drow twins but if that's what Astarion wants he'll obliged (Bloodweave: Astarion/Gale)
This one is a good example why I think Bloodweave works and also does not at the same time. It's all about boundaries and support. I like that for them.
What is left of what once was
NSFW - Astarion has ascended. He has all he has ever wanted. Except you, since you chose Gale over him. Now that he is a Vampire Lord he will not let you go so easily. (Gale/Fem!Tav - Ascended Astarion/Fem!Tav)
That one is a bit tough with heavy themes (non-con, grief, betrayal... etc.). It was one of my first fanfiction ever (I think the second.) and as such has a special place in my heart.
I have been getting into a little bit of a writer's block as of late... Hopefully I get out of it soon. How do you do that when that happen to you? Would welcome advice and coping techniques <3
Tag: Anyone who sees this and thinks dang I wanna do one of them list too !
Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love ❤️
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Well, my favourite fics are the one hat live rentfree in my head. Forever with perfect narrative and dialogues, never ever written down a single word. Because when I start to type, everything is gone. Until my brain starts to forget it too. Lost forever. Or the WIPs I thought over and over in my head, written a few words and never continued, because I really don't know what is wrong with me. I just don't know. So how about I rather more present you the last things I have written? Thanks for the tag my sweet luv 😘💕
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Most proud of: A Lullaby For You - Resident Evil
Old and really not good. But I am proud, because at this time I had not the problem, that I forgot what I wanted to write while thinking about it/typing it. I wrote so so much and this frequently. And therefore I am proud. The story is cheesy and pointless for anyone else because it came out of years of RPG, so character development doesn't make sense to anyone else. But I just wrote.
2. RE: Umbrella Asylum - Resident Evil
Wanted to be done by March 🤡😅🙈🥲 But after ten years, this brought me back to writing. I like it. I hope I overcome my medical science writing block and can continue.
3. House Halloween Haul: Trick or Doctor(Chase)! - House MD
Got it done in time and this with my inability that I never had as a writer before. That's why I'm proud. When I write something for others, I always manage to do it. Or more likely. Writing just for myself doesn't work for me.
4. Kissing every one of your ridges – With horns and tail and everything - BG3
Wrote it straight away and had not to translate it. Made it easier and I still like it no matter what. Was really only for myself. The first thing I did about my own Tav Saulus x Astarion. Got inspired by the wonderful stuff of lovely Aristen <3
5. Fangtastic days of our lives - BG3
I think it is a sweet little story. My first BG3 fanfiction ever. Was a birthday gift. Managed to put in so much likey stuff and insiders. Gave mutuals Tavs cameos and I think I did a good job to place them all recognizable in it and that it was a fun idea. I like it.
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So...no it is not only what I wrote at last, it IS what I am most proud of. I have written it. I have not tons more to choose from. Each single one is special to me. I like it. I am proud, that I did it. I wish my tons of WIPs would finish themselves.
I will make no asks but can I do no pressure tags? So if my writer friends want to do these too, please go one, appreciate your writing, do so. I think your writing deserves it! If your not feeling in the mood, no problem, just ignore ☺
I pass on to: @alpydk @yennefer-of-vengerbergs @medra-gonbites @forget-me-maybe @weaveandwood
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