#i see you larian and i'm going to kiss you on the mouth

[bhaalbag]

ok hear me out i have a theory.

I was maybe 50/50 on it before, but after seeing this post that details Astarion's punishment for his first and only attempt of escaping from Cazador I'm almost certain: Origin Astarion's nightmare was him re-living a twisted memory of when he ran, and when he was caught.

At first, I thought the presence of sussur trees was just the devs trying to lend to dreamscape ambience; but combined with Astarion's knowledge of the tunnels that lead to the Underdark, (he had no idea about the underside of the palace, so I can only assume he means the sewers) I've been thinking differently. What if he tried to escape through there before?

It makes sense. It's in line with how Larian has written his story. After all, how poetically cruel would it be that after being plucked from Cazador's grasp, he's almost immediately taunted by dreams of his own failure to save himself? To be reminded that he'll never escape, not really, not in his heart or mind, until his tormentor is dead and further reinforce his character goals?

[llamamamarisen92]

Larian won't let Durge and Gortash kiss... but I will...

Warning: Smut, NSFW, M/M, anoose action, explicit, super 18+, just a couple of gay men doing gay men things.

Johim is an insert for Durge. Not the typical dragonish durge. This is my own home brewed overly confident chaotically bisexual red headed half elf.

Gortash and Durge have a... productive business meeting.

The meeting between the three chosen had grown tense. The looks of dissatisfaction from Ketheric increasing as Johim and Gortash worked through their plot. Pointing at this place and that on the map as they figured out the major players they had to either entice or kill to further their cause.

Johim watched Ketheric from the corner of his eye. It wasn't his first choice to bring Myrkul's chosen into the fold. But it seemed Bhaal and Bane needed him for something. They never got a long. The generals little disagreements increasing by the day.

"Ketheric, if you're just going to sit there and pout you may as well go check what the kitchen has prepared for supper."

Ketheric's lip twitched into a snarl at the mockingly sweet tone.

He added further insult to injury as he leaned in with his hand cupped around his ear. "Hmm, what did you say? Nothing?"

Johim turned back and noted the warning in Gortash's eyes. He sighed heavily and continued to listen to Gortash as they mulled over the different paths they could take. Always three steps ahead. They worked together because it was commanded of them. But Johim was delighted to be in the presence of a mind that could keep up to his own.

Their ambitions grew each day as the pieces fell into place.

"You know, I heard that the Grand Duke's steward has tastes that are a bit more exotic. I could always… persuade some information out of him."

Ketheric scoffed, disgusted with the suggestion.

"What's wrong old man? Are you feeling sore because I have two working blades at my disposal?" Grinning as the old elf shifted uncomfortably.

"You act as if the world is merely your play thing. You cajole and seduce but I still have yet to see you sitting on a throne." Venom dripped from Ketheric's tone.

"Oh?" Johim stood up and sauntered over to Ketheric. He ran his fingers delicately along the old mans cheek as his lips were mere inches from his ear. "I'm not the only one here willing to whore himself out for a cause. How many gods has it been… one… two… or three?" Grasping his chin firmly in emphasis on the last word. He forced Kethric to look him in the eyes. All playfulness replaced by calm murderous intent.

"Stop this! We need to work together. If you continue to bicker like children nothing will get done." Gortash tried his best to reason with both men. Johim continued to hold Ketheric's chin, increasing the pressure. "Johim! Please. Stop!"

He pushed the old mans face away, getting up and moving back to his seat unhurried. He took note of the way Gortash's eyes were a bit more heavy lidded than they had been before, looking Bhaal's chosen up and down. A small smile curved at the side of Johim's mouth as he winked.

"Relax, Ketheric! Tomorrow we bring back your daughter. Maybe then you will be in better spirits." Johim's tone returning to it's playful lilt.

---------------

After dinner Gortash washed up before going to his rooms. He was endlessly fascinated by Bhaal's creature. He was not a mindless killer like so many of the murder god's spawn. He was a lion among men. Charming and playful. Domineering. Charismatic. When he entered a room everyone in it instinctively waited upon his every word. His every movement. Gortash was embarrassed to admit he was among those who found special delight in Johim's presence. Secretly of course.

He closed the door to his bedchamber and lit a candle to illuminate the dark surroundings. Nearly dropping the candle when he saw his partner in crime stretched across his bed.

His arms were crossed behind his head. Wearing nothing more than a loin cloth. Lean muscles glistening with oil that must have been newly applied. Gods he was a beautiful man. Kissed by the sun. A thousand freckles that lead his eyes to strong thighs and the impressive length hardening between them. He shook his head a bit, trying to shake the headiness that was taking over his thought process.

"You shouldn't be here."

Johim smiled lazily as he tilted his head to the side. That sharp amber eyed gaze never leaving Gortash's face.

"Why not?"

"It's not proper. We are business partners. Colleagues."

"Well, I have a particularly… delicious proposition for you tonight."

He couldn't keep the blush from his face as he tried to hide the effect this was having on him. He didn't have time to register how quickly Johim moved. Suddenly standing behind Gortash breathing deeply into his neck.

"Gods, I love the way you smell after you've been working in your shop." His arms wrapping firmly around Gortash's waste bringing him in closer.

Gortash was quickly losing control of the situation as the other man caressed the bare skin above his waist band.

"You've been working so incredibly hard, let me take care of you. Just for tonight." His lips pressed against the back of Gortash's neck. Opening his mouth so his tongue could caress the sensitive skin. His hand now slipping beneath the waste band.

Gortash knew this man would be his downfall. It's not as if he hadn't thought about it. And Johim had not been subtle about his interests. But all thoughts of breaking away left when he felt a strong hand gently wrap around his cock. He leaned into Johim at that moment, pressing his back against hard abs as he let him continue his ministrations until he to was fully hard.

Smirking, Johim moved his lips along Gortash's neck. Nibbling on his ear before he used his other hand to guide Gortash's face so that he could capture his lips with his own. Triumph flooding him as the Banite finally surrendered.

"Tonight, dear one, Bane will not be the only god that possesses your body." At that he firmly pressed Gortash forward until he was laying on his stomach across the bed. Gortash's eyes filled with a mix of desire and trepidation as Johim crawled between his legs, using his thighs to spread him wider.

Gortash's breathing grew heavier, grasping the sheets as pleasure coursed through his body. Johim grabbed the blade that was always strapped to him. His dagger which had been encrusted with one of the three netherese stones. He used it to slice into Gortash's pants before placing it down and ripping the fabric with with his bare hands.

A ferociously lustful smile wide across his face as Gortash was now bare beneath him.

Johim leaned forward so that his lips were mere inches from Gortash's ear before he lined himself up with Gortash's rear entrance. "I'll try to be as gentle as I can." And then he took Gortash in one thrust from behind, firmly wrapping his hand around to stroke Gortash's cock to the rhythm of his thrusts.

Gortash's cries of pleasure and pain carried deep into the night. Johim proving himself once more a conqueror of men.

[wetcatspellcaster]

I am very curious after reading pieces... How do you feel about Tav/Rolan as a couple?

(sorry if this has been asked before!)

Oh boy, anon. Dangerous question!

I am a big fan of Rolan/Tav, tbh, and I think the parts of it that I like most did sneak into Pieces, even if it is doomed to fail with Rosalie.

While I'm more than happy with all the romances in bg3, I think the appeal of an NPC romance option to me (that isn't in a brothel lmfao) is the like, hero worship/idolatry of an adventurer who passes in and out of your life, has a massive, seismic impact on it almost by chance... and then the gradual dismantling of that hero worship as you get to know them.

Dammon/Karlach has it, bc he gets to see her at every major step of her own personal journey and help her with the biggest issue in her life, even if they're just ships passing in the night. And Tav/Rolan have it bc I think Rolan is one of the NPCs who has the biggest change from Act 1 to Act 3, and Tav is present for every single beat of his character development, and is instrumental in some of it (Act 2 and Act 3).

That's why the dynamic he has with Rose in Pieces is conceived of as a kind of futile 'I know this is never going to happen but still, I owe everything to you' kind of crush. Rolan's arc (to me, as a 'humble that man' enjoyer) is about him becoming more humble and going from big ambitions to having becoming disillusioned with those big ambitions and deciding to value his family (and still getting the wizards tower, I am kissing Larian on the mouth). Unfortunately for him, my first Tav also happened to be a wizard who's power is her compassion and who doesn't aspire to much greatness at all, it's all a side product of like, her bigger goal of 'love and protect my friends and my awful boyfriend'. So I just couldn't imagine a version of events where he didn't idolise her as the model he should've always been following, rather than Larroakan.

On a much more basic level, I long ago fell prey to the 'what's sexier than wizards? nothing' disease so of course I love Rolan. Of course I do. Maybe one day he'll get a Tav all to himself lmao

[carryoncastiel]

I'm gonna have a controversial opinion on this:

I actually like that he doesn't have a (fully animated, nude) sex scene.

Now, before you get your pitchforks, let me clarify.

I'm thinking back to my first playthrough, way before I sank 400+ hours into this game and before I knew of the disparity in content for the origins.

The one thing I really liked about Wyll's romance that made me ultimately go for his route?

That he mentioned dancing and he wasn't in your face horny like all the other companions.

Granted, the horniness was my perception at that point (though Gale was definitely horny before they patched him), because not all companions sleep with you immediately, but that was how it came across.

And as an a-spec person that was really not appealing to me.

So Wyll's whole focus on romance is what really got me. And as bare-bones as his romance might be compared to the others, that part is what runs through the entire thing.

You can literally not sleep with him until he has proposed to you and you say yes. You can't do a completely sex-less run (unless you go to Avernus) but sex is really not the important bit with him.

I did not care at all that I didn't get to see my character and him fully animated naked together. The fact that he proposes to you was the highlight of the entire thing for me.

It's only in comparison with other companions, and him generally being neglected content wise, that this becomes an issue. If I didn't know he was the only romanceable companion who doesn't get a fully animated sex scene I really wouldn't care.

The thing that always bothered me about the Act 3 romance scene though? That the animation is bad.

The mouths don't line up when they kiss and it looks really awkward. Larian never fixed that in any patch.

Had that scene looked great and if he had more romance scenes in general, maybe if they had also implemented a "I don't want sex at all" choice with Wyll being totally fine with it - that could've been pretty amazing actually.

Make it intentional instead of it being Larian obviously just putting less work into his character.

(Also get rid of the Mizora sex scene. I don't care about the cishet male gamers who wanna fuck the sexy devil lady that choice should be put into the trash where it belongs or alternatively make it a bad choice with actual consequences & let me be able to get rid of her otherwise)

out of 8 romanceable companions the only one to not get a sex scene is the singular black companion. how are we not constantly in an uproar about how racist that is

also you can have a sex scene with the devil abusing him. but not him.