#i think also when astarion says his parents probably never cared about him

[digiships]

wait ok befoee i take a nap i think kaz'rith and astarion end up in the kind of friendship where kaz is often woken by astarion in the dead of night bc he either cant sleep or was woken up by a nightmare and he holds him close and kisses the top of his head and murmurs elvish lullabies to him or tells him stories of his life to help soothe him. bc in kaz's eyes he's still just a boy. he's still just a little star.

[merilaurecus]

Companions reactions to Modern!Tav from Earth coming back to Faerûn to visit

Gale (Blackstaff Academy Professor ending)

He was the one to help you get back (with a bit of help from Elminster I suppose)

More than happy to see you (and that his magic worked!)

Will do his best to stay quiet about your little comeback (Tara will do her best to keep him quiet too)

Will offer magic lessons since you're back in the world where The Weave™️ exists (this dude loves magic, won't let an opportunity like that slip, especially when he becomes ✨Professor Dekarios✨)

Will tell you everything that happened in your absence, much like the others

Genuinely happy to have you back, even if it's for a moment

Will cook something, you can prepare an extra pack for faerûnian food from him

Tara demands pets. Just not on the belly.

You're free to spend a while in the Academy, even join some lesson as a guest or a guest teacher

Astarion (vampire spawn in Baldur's Gate ending)

He finds you in the dead of the night, thinking you're one of the bad guys

When he pins you to the ground with a dagger it just feels like the old days

Immediately loosens his grip when he recognizes you

"What in the hells? What are you doi- How did you even do it?!"

Happy to see you as well and does not even need to hide it as he'd usually do

Together you hunt someone that night, for the sake of the old times

You both recall what you've been up to

If you let him drink your blood again he'll be elated

But careful as a babe. This time he'll be good to his words

Surely has some news from the spawn family (if he didn't join them in the Underdark). Reads you some letters from Gur and other spawn. Takes breaks while reading the one from Sebastian. You hug him understandingly

You end up watching the sunrise before the sun is too high and you leave to seek other companions

Wyll & Karlach (yeet into the Avernus ending)

You kind of didn't expect to see them

They went to Avernus after all

They're the ones to spot you

"SOLDIER?! IS THAT YOU?!" are the only words you hear before you're pulled into Mama K's tight hug, unable to let go

Anyway you're not willing to let go. I mean who would want to?

Wyll's surprised too, they're both excited and curious how did you do it.

They were just about to meet his father (obviously), last thing they expected was to see their friend from another world.

You just jump in and go with them, asking how things are going with Karlach's engine, both excited and worried

Finally hearing good news (about the forge) makes you talk about heart surgery again ( @tavshortfortavern thanks for the idea!; also special thanks for inspiring me to write my own headcanons, love Yours!)

You spend the rest of the day meeting with Ulder, training, talking and having a drink in the Blushing Mermaid in the evening with Astarion who 'accidentally' found you

You all almost get too drunk but you don't care, because it's a memorable night

You toast for Gale who pulled it off and thought about it in the first place

Lae'zel (Freeing Githyanki edition)

Also kinda unexpected and brief meeting

You can see she's pleased with meeting you again (even if she's reluctant to show it)

She tries to keep her cool, she's leading a rebellion and most likely has an important meeting here

'Never thought I'd see you. Did you get lost in the realms again?'

After finding out how did you do it she nods in acknowledgement. Probably doesn't want to compliment the wizard

You quickly recall your current state of life and say goodbye, but for longer than usual (a little bit of slavic way of saying goodbye for an hour)

You're sure you spied a smile on her face, but she'd rather die than admit it (if she's with her fellow githyanki warriors)

Shadowheart (both good endings)

Parents freed & alive

She visited Gate for some groceries and maybe running into friends

And exactly both thing happens

She's not sure if she saw who she saw, has to blink and make sure

'You... you're back? How'd you do that?'

'Then it's a fine wine bottle for Gale then. What you've been up to? I was sure I'll never see you again!'

Also turns into a hug mode, girl does not take prisoners

After hearing from you she tells you about her cozy life with her parents

It's pretty much calm, nothing changed much (which is good considering her mother's state)

Can't stop looking at you like you're something magical or just a dream

You grab the groceries and head back to her house where you surprise her parents too

Her mom does not recognise you, but you understand. Her father still shoots out best jokes in this part of galaxy

Coziest evening in a while

Parents freed & gone

Pretty much all of the above but she might have someone on her tail and gets scared you may get hurt (just like in Waterdeep, when you romance Gale she tells you she's been there with someone on her tail exactly)

Gets you under her protection and if you run into any of your companions you're under their protection as well

If not, you'll just happily walk around the city and have some dinner and recall your life after you left Faerûn

But you could easily tell she still misses her parents, which makes you turn into a hug mode too

You may even spend an evening drinking somewhere secluded (beach maybe?)

Jaheira, Minsc & Boo

'The cub has found its way back. Though 'how?' still remains a question'

You explain and she admires how far the wizard has come to get you back for a visit

Minsc does not understand it, but is glad to have otherwordly friend back

Same with Boo, he's vicious but not towards Tav who occasionally fed him with extra snacks

Yes, hugs are mandatory even if none of them will show it (little hug for Boo as well!)

Jaheira is still busy with Harpers network rebuilding, might have to order few of them around as you speak

Takes you to her home where the kids also get a fucking aneurysm because they were sure you coming back was not possible

When you tell her your last life events she looks proud

But, like, tough auntie proud

'Seems like that world of yours is in the good hands'

You try your best not to go with explaining how it isn't so easy back there

Generally a day with the Busy Mom™️, the Madman and his Rodent

Halsin

After you made your little tour at the Gate & Waterdeep it was time for the *trip*

You did your best not to show on the road, just for the sake of surprise

Though you were nervous about the animals you've met

Not because they could eat you, but you remember the wildshape

No bears though, you feel safe

When you reach Moonrise you use every little stealth skill Astarion has taught you

Though your knees protest against that

You spot him somewhere near The Waning Moon, fixing something

Your sneak behind him would make Astarion proud as fuck

Daddy Bear doesn't notice a thing (or so you hope)

With only few seconds to act you just tap his shoulder

He turns back expecting a kid perhaps, but instead his eyes widen upon seeing his old (young?) friend

The one he was sadly sure never to see again

He's not quite sure what to say for a few seconds so you just pull him into a hug

He hugs back with his and probably Silvanus' might

He's just so excited, but fortunately doesn't wildshape (iykyk)

He's also impressed in Gale's skill (even if it involves Elminster)

Eager to show you around, proud of his work, but don't you dare bring it up yourself! (unless you want him to turn into a mouse or just threaten you to do so, even as a joke)

You almost don't recognise the place without the curse

Thaniel & Oliver take you by surprise in turn, but it's also a lovely reunion. Without the curse they're flourishing and thriving, just like the nature around

Whole. Fucking. Ton. Of. Kids.

And stray people willing to start a new life here

But they're all happy and taken care of. It's loud, it's messy, it's chaotic, but it's lovely.

You can easily see Halsin put his heart into that and truly found his place in the world

'My friend. Would you like to stay?' his voice radiates with hope, and if you say yes, he's even more happy. If you can not, he understands

He's surprised you remember about the old druid. You ensure him you never forgot

You help around with the kids & the place, maybe even tell them a story or two to let Halsin rest (even if he's sleeping behind you in his bear form)

You may also get back with druidic magic here, even if you won't use it in your world, Halsin would gladly spend time teaching you and recalling your latest life events

You also visit Art's Grave if he passed away (which could occur)

NPCs REACTIONS WILL JOIN SOON

[baldursgay3]

It's time for me to ramble about my tav and his relationship with the group but also what will probably be a Lot about astarion

i will put this under a read only for most of it past act 1 to avoice spoilers dfor people but 

TL:DR:  Yandarai wants to see his friends and new family free of their gods and masters and seeing astarion so desperately want to be free makes him want to rip cazador's throat out himself so they can go cuddle on the fanciest bed possible with scratch and owlcub in their own fancy beds at the bottom of their own

(I also use the party limit begone mod so everyone comes with me all the time (this does not make the game any easier because i am incredibly bad at the game))

so preface Yandarai Irian is a "Half-Elf" archfey warlock who's patron Milkenan is his papa, and his other father Gyenodi also had a pact with Milkenan before they fell in love and he spirited him away from his noble family to the feywild to get married

Both of Yan's fathers are technically Elves (in appearance) but they're different types so he is often referred to as a Half-Elf, although he's closer to Eladrin (and with the fantastical multiverse mod in EA he was Eladrin )

Milkenan is Archfey/Noble Eladrin so powerful he could be considered Archfey, Gyenodi is High Elf

(Yan says he's a Half-elf but when asked what the other half is he'll only reply "elf" because he's a shit)

Before coming to faerun the only frame of reference he had for mortal beings was Gyenodi who has been in the feywild so long that he isn't as mortal as he once was anymore, and was a bit of a bastard before he left anyway, so Yan has no morals over things others would consider obvious, but he does know the Rules of the Court as thats all Gyenodi really remembers

He'll protect children and animals, but if neither of those are involved it'll be whatever he finds funniest

Until he catches friendship, and then also catches Feelings

platonic affection first comes for Shadowheart, she's standoffish and snarky and her secretive nature is something he loves because she's Interesting!! This funny girl is trying to hide that she's a sharran while wearing shar's emblem in 200 different places and she also has a toy that's stopping us from dying!!

Laezel comes next solely because she's so ready to just throw hands with everyone and the drama that causes is so good!! and then she opens up and he learns that she's just as isolated and alone and unsure of how this world works as he is

Gale is a funny little wizard guy who made so many bad decisions in the name of  love that Yan can't help but enjoy his dumbassery

Wyll is mostly in the same boat as Gale and he's even more interesting with the cool horns than he was without them. He knows what it's like to be a noble with some expectations to be more refined than he truly is

Karlach's enthusiasm is infectious even if they don't always see eye to eye on some matters, and he loves seeing her get so happy over simple things and finally being able to touch other people again. he gives her her first hug in a decade, and never shies away from any of her 

warm, friendly touches.

Halsin is Big and interesting and cares for animals and children as much as he does

Jaheira is Funny and that's the best thing you can be for Yan. She's been through a hell not that different to their current situation and she's still bantering and quipping with him. Her parenting is also funny to him as she's annoyed her own children who she raised clap back at her just as well as she does.

(I haven't got the minsc yet)

And then we have Astarion.

He's snippy, he's overly dramatic, he's the only companion who seems to actually use the tadpoles, he's even Bi

Yan knew something was Up with Astarion before the biting scene, but when you meet a guy with sharp teeth but literally nothing else that ticks the vampire list you don't really think too much on it you know. And then of course the Bite, and he lets him keep feeding while he sleeps because they have to stick together! If he's weak they're all weak and the situation they're in right now means any interpersonal issues will have to be put on hold, he's not the only person there that has tried to kill him already

The first night they spend together is fun, and the rare moment he's vulnerable in the sunlight about his scars is insightful and intimate in a way that he can tell is hard for Astarion. The second night once the grove has been saved is just as fun, even though it's mostly just groping each other in the forest while trying to eat each others faces because they're still battered from the fights in the goblin camp and it'd nice to just feel eachother up sometimes you know?

He calls him pretty when he offers to tell him what he looks like, although he would have much rather have been able to talk about all the little things like how the hair curls around his ears and how sometimes when he smiles his eyes crinkle up or the way his eyes get big and serious and shiny when Yan does something he genuinely appreciates and how long and gentle his fingers were when they were trailing down his neck and —

It's not love, or at least not yet. They're still in so much danger and there's no way this will last past them reaching the moonrise towers, let alone Baldur's Gate itself.

And then he asks Raphael to help him with his scars and also shows Yan just how much he wants to be Free of doing what other people want him to, even if it means taking over a whole cult to do so, sharing traumatic parts of his life under Cazador and how he does care for the other spawn in his own way.

He's still haunted by this man who is miles away, and for some reason Yan feels he Needs to help him get free far more intensely than he feels for the others in the group. They all have their own gods or masters who still Own them in some way, but only Astarion's spectre of the past fills him with Rage.

It seems it all comes to a head after meeting the drow woman in Moonrise towers. He'd already made up his mind that if Astarion wanted nothing to do with her, then he would do nothing to persuade him otherwise. But asking the woman about the potion she would offer them seemed to have given the other man the wrong idea.

Yan wouldn't deny it stung him a little, for Astarion to think that he would force him to, but the look on his face when he makes that clear is more than enough to soothe the hurt.

And then that night? The man admitting that while their nights of passion were just for his own protection at first? that hurt just as much somehow.

But it being followed up with Astarion Confessing his own feelings felt like heaven, as did the hands on his back and his head on his shoulder when Yan closed the distance to hold him.

It still wasn't love, but gods did it feel good having the other man smile against his lips.

It's only once they reach Rivington, having fought an avatar of death to get here, that he's able to think about everything that's happened. The others are asleep or meditating, the young child they've taken in curled up in a corner close to him. He can hear the owlcub hooting quietly at the other end of their camp, and he finally works up the courage to ask his papa through their bond

and Milkenan Laughs at him

You love your friends, but you're In Love with the sickly looking twig. Take care not to snap him by being too rough.

And if he were to hurt you, your father will come to make him regret ever living.

He takes that as their blessing, but keeps the words of his true feelings to himself for what might as well be a million years.

(he so desperately wants to curl up in a bed with him for a full tenday, just be safe and warm and pressed up against the other man at all times. Maybe when this is all over Astarion will let him drink his essence for a change)

The meeting with the Nymph only intensifies this, the True answers to the woman's questions being far too intimate for admitting in front of her, but knowing deep in his soul that he can Never be happy while Cazador lives, that he'll never be free if he goes through with the ritual himself. No longer a slave to a master, but to his own fears of becoming one once again.

The mansion and the echoes of the horrors that took place in it make it worse, the burning hot anger feeling like bile in the back of his throat. The screaming for Cazador's spine reach fever pitch as Astarion is ripped from them in the ritual room, and doesn't let up the entire battle.

It's only as he sees they have gotten through to Astarion when it comes to the state of the ritual that the screaming and the bile and the Hatred fizzle out into pure Relief, watching the man that he loves plunge the knife into Cazador again and again until there's no more movement and the man is Finally Free.

They free the thousands of souls from the crypt, far too drained to think of the consequences past they're innocent in all this. The Gur outside are (rightfully, Yan agrees when he can breathe again) upset at this but let them past, having fulfilled the promise to end Cazador. The walk through the mansion with the knowledge of the vile torture (that happened to your love) that went on inside those walls weighing so heavily on Yandarai's heart.

Karlach insists they have a drink in the Elfsong proper before going back to their rooms, all so proud of Astarion even if they'd never say it.

And then Astarion asks Yandarai if they can take a walk together. So he can show him something Important.

How could he say no to him? Even if it is just a cover to go kiss in the moonlight, Yandarai would gladly go along with any excuse.

Until they come to the Grave.

Astarion Ancunin. 

Only thirty-nine years.

Yandarai isnt sure how old he is, since the Feywild moves at whatever pace it feels like. He could have been born 1000 of Faerun’s years ago, or the day before he stepped through the portal out of his home realm and right into the mind flayer attack. But he Knows that thirty nine years is Nothing compared to 200 of pain and suffering and knowing you’ll never escape.

The gentle look on Astarion’s face as he carves his new death date in the stone makes Yan’s heart skip.

They kiss and hold eachother close right there, Yan whispering reassurances and praises into skin. He’d rather not be making love in the middle of a graveyard - his coat was expensive and gravedirt is so hard to wash out -  but it seems they just weren’t meant to have each other in a bed (or even inside) just yet. Frankly they could have just shared a chaste kiss and then headed back and Yan would have been ecstatic, but the trust and care and Love Astarion is showing in this moment with him, baring himself on his own grave to Yandarai is something he’ll never forget or be able to reciprocate. 

They head back and brush off what they can, trying to act casual around the others and less like they’d almost been caught by a mortarch fucking on a recently vandalised grave. As funny as it would be to see how they would talk themselves out of being shamed and kicked out, he was in far too much of a sappy mood for it to be ruined like that.  

He might be slightly possessive over the vampire spawn at times, but only in the sense that he doesn’t want anything bad to happen to him (or for anyone else to touch him or even look at him slightly funny) a little more intensely than he feels about the rest of the group.

But Astarion can look after himself just fine, and is his own man for the first time in two hundred years. He’s allowed to do what he wants! As long as he can watch and keep kissing him in the middle of exploring horrible deadly places as shadowheart makes a gagging noise and jaihera rolls her eyes at the sickening display of affection

(In another timeline where Astarion went through with the ritual, Yandarai can no longer look him in the eye after the man gives him the ultimatum, become his spawn forever and always be seen as degrading himself for the Vampire Lord or break it off and part ways once the Elder Brain is dead. The Astarion of that time is not the man he could tell he loved. Not the man who could have truly loved him back.)

The long slog of battles to gain access to the upper city is dark, the amount of bodies piling up by the minute. It’s only made bearable by the times they eat dinner together in the little pit of the room, Astarion’s thighs pressed against his own as they sit in a mound of pillows and he complains his cup is empty. 

[crossdressingdeath]

#oh thats a good point about their reactions#yes based on that i definitely can see Astarion Gale Halsin and Minthara as team Durge#it is very complicated with Wyll because unfortunately they just don't give him enough lines#we could say his lack of reaction was due to him being distracted by his father#but really larian just didn't give him enough lines#he does focus on Durges ability to still be good in the bhaalspawn reveal conversation#but i think he could see the preamnesia durge as someone without the true ability to choose#I'm currently romancing Wyll as origin Astarion and i want to see his reaction to the Sebastian reveal#i think that will help me decide how Wyll would react in the moment#but yes i would love for there to be tension around camp for awhile following the reveal#nobody hates durge but they're feeling conflicted after the reveal#meanwhile Astarion and Minthara would be defending them up and down#halsin and gale would be trying to keep the peace but still show durge theyre on their side#karlach would probably want space for a little bit#Shadowheart would probably pray for them#i could see laezel keeping to herself more too and maybe just being silent around durge as she tries to decide how she feels about it#Mama Jaheira would be giving full disappointed parent vibes#maybe they even have a camp meeting to talk it over and finally decide they all still trust durge (tags via @litterateur97)

Another thing that I'd kill for is the option for Durge to... y'know, respond to all their friends talking like they hate them? As it is Durge just has to stand there and let the party yell at them. Everyone else gets the option to actually talk about the things they did, whether to defend them or to agree that it was fucked up! Durge just... doesn't. Which given they're guaranteed to be the player character if present seems a bad call; Larian, did it really not occur to you that the players might not enjoy having to stand there mutely while the party tells them off for things their character doesn't remember? (It was especially wild when fellow amnesiac Shadowheart yelled at Durge for not telling the party about it beforehand, but I believe Larian recognized that that was just a teensy bit unfair and changed her line.) Durge gets no opportunity to defend themselves and no one defends them and that makes the party's treatment of them come across as... pretty shitty, even though their anger is understandable. There's no opportunity for understanding and empathy like Durge can show to everyone else. And to be clear I think like 90% of that is Larian's unwillingness to give Durge's story any nuance (either you reject Bhaal completely and become basically Tav and there's no acknowledgement that maybe losing the only family you had and getting a piece of your soul ripped out and also dying was maybe somewhat upsetting and traumatic, you're fine now, no one's going to ask if you're okay, or you agree to reclaim your place as Bhaal's Chosen and clearly you're pure evil and doing this because you like hurting people, no one cares that Bhaal owns your soul and made it clear he'd kill you if you said no, you're a monster and all your friends hate you and lowkey want you dead and will be abandoning you as soon as the brain is dealt with)? But it also is like, guys. I have been nothing but understanding about your shit and you learn one bad thing about me and respond like this? And never give me a chance to explain myself? Come on. Should I be mad at the characters for showing zero understanding or compassion towards their friend who's been nothing but understanding and compassionate towards them, or mad at Larian for deciding this is a black and white morality situation? This is why my extremely long post-coronation WIP is just Kyvir (my Durge) being miserable and making bad decisions because he's convinced everyone he's come to know and love hates him forever now...

Gale: The tadpoles, the Absolute... it was because of you? I think you've said and done more than enough. Leave me be.

Ouch. The fact that there's no real followup from this drives me nuts, Gale is like "You've done more than enough, get away from me" and then you talk to him again and it's back to "Hi friend, so glad to have you around!" like nothing happened? Come on. There's so much tasty angst in the whole thing, give me the party clearly being on edge around Durge until/unless they reject Bhaal entirely!