#i'm imagining wyll like a few years into this whole thing

[unreadpoppy]

I have a question:

Was 'Blade of Frontiers' a name that Wyll picked for himself or did people just start calling him that?

[itsonlythee-sims]

I am once again starting too many new things and losing track of time :/

I have a convention in a month and a lot of art I was trying to get finished before then but procrastination keeps hitting hard. I started watching Breaking Bad yesterday and found that so engaging that I didn't make much progress on the stuff I was multitasking with (I usually have a show or podcast going while I draw, work in blender, or play ts4). Sleep's been bad so focus is worse than usual and I have so many things I wanna do that I often just. Don't. Very frustrating, I imagine many of you can relate since most of us seem to be some flavor of brainweird here on simblr (and tumblr as a whole).

I started working on a 70s/80s style dishwasher for ts4 and I think that looks pretty good, but I also had some Simblreen stuff I need to finish in time for the 2 Simblreen weekends, less ambitious than last year, but still. I also was doing Dungeon Meshi cc, mostly personal edits but maybe sharable in the future, and then I was ALSO working on BG3 stuff like Lae'zel's body and face markings, Wyll's face scars and his stone eye, some clothing edits to make them vaguely fantasy rpg compliant (leather, rough cloth, silks, etc), Karlach's tattoos and scars and infernal bits, etc. I was also doing Promare cc and Hunter x Hunter cc (both of these were why I started learning to Make stuff besides recolors in the first place).

((Another reason was that being an artist in this age of genAI, anti-human algorithmic social media feeds, rampant online censorship of anything queer or vaguely nsfw (and actual nsfw), dropshippers, disinformation, art theft, and devaluing of creative fields like animation, film, and the games industry has been incredibly demoralizing and I needed to learn something new that I could see I was making progress with. I'm glad I started learning Blender as it's something I'd always wanted to explore, and it's been rewarding to me helping other people with their projects as well.))

I've been making a lot of stuff but so much is unfinished because I can't control where the focus goes and it sucks not having that much to show for it because of my inconvenient perfectionism. I've even gotten a few messages in my commission form on my website asking if I'd released some of my early WIP meshes. If you're one of those people who messaged me, I'm sorry that they're not done yet, but hopefully soon.

[caffinedragon]

This started off as a funny image in my head but then got away with me.

Plot: Talon(tav) spies Wyll reading one of the books he wrote years ago, a specific special limited edition version in fact and decides to have a little fun. Fun that turns into some much needed comforting for his favorite lonely folk hero.

Takes place during the shadow curse and shortly after the dance scene.

As he got to the final turn before the entrance he took a deep and steadying breath, praying to the God of Dragons it was just some new armored fool trying to test thier metal.

But when he turned that corner, the armor, cloak, shield and sword marked with the symbol of Amethysts Knights, combined with the symbol of domination drawn on his forehead, were unmistakable.

He felt his heart start to break as Sir Gilmore readied his sword and shield at his approach, battle stance at the ready and eyes far away.

"Roland?" He tried as he took a few tentative steps towards him but kept out of reach of his weapons.

There was a beat of silence. Then another. Then...his eyes focused on their own.

Roland sighed as tears filled his eyes and his arms relaxed, dropping his sword and shield into the dirt.

"You were right." A shaky soft version of his normal earthy tenor laughed. It was a broken thing filled with both relief and not a little bit of anger. "The mages have no true magic. They have no power over me. They never did."

He watched with pride and relief as Roland began ripp8ng away the signs if his former allegiance.

"Fuck... They did the whole ritual." He tossed his cloak to the floor. "Did all their chanting and speeches." He ripped off the badge on his armor. "Drew the symbol on my forehead." He wiped the mark off. "Even ordered me to come kill you." He pulled off the chain mail and greaves, letting them drop to the floor. "So I figured..." He kicked off his armored boots hard enough to slam against the cave wall and leave a dent. "Let them think I'm dead."

He let out a sigh of relief and smiled, his chest warm and happy for his knight's new found freedom.

"So, what now?" He asked as Roland walked up to him, clothed in only the faded burgundy shirt and as equally faded brown leggings that left little to the imagination.

"Now..." He looked into his eyes, the deep ocean blue of his irisis shining with a hunger he thought would never be pointed in his direction. "I finally let myself go after what I want for a change."

He could feel his old dragon heart start to race and his veins burn with want.

"And what is that?"

Roland didn't say, but when he reached up and pulled Talthorian down to slam his mouth into his, he didn't need too.

Talon smiled warmly as he read over Wyll's shoulder, recognizing the book he was currently engrossed in. So engrossed in fact, that he had been standing there for a solid five minutes, his 6'4" half dragon frame dwarfing The Blade of Frontiers, as he quietly leaned over his shoulder without the man even glancing in his direction.

You would think he would have noticed the dark blue, silver eyed tielfing adjacent looking man by now but apparently not.

Not that he minded much.

Being this close to him allowed him to see the gentle blush beneath his dark skin as he sank deep into one of the spicier parts of his book. Combined with The way he was lightly chewing on the tip of his thumb, the scent of arousal on his skin and the little gasps he tried to hide as his heart raced were making him want to throw the man over his shoulder and show him a real life demonstration of what he was reading.

But, Wyll made it clear that he wanted to go slow so he behaved.

Instead he decided to play with him a little, something he did often as a way to show affection, and waited until he got to the page where Taltharion gave his Knight exactly what he had begged for a two pages prior. Once he got to the page where the dragon slowly sank into his knight like he deserved, Talon leaned forward so he was right next to Wyll's ear and with a purr in his voice very similar to Astarion's but a bit deeper and rougher said,

"If you ever want to know what that's like...I'm right here."

The response was immediate, adroable and hilarious.

"Baldrun's knickers!" WYll shouted as he jumped away, tripping over his own feet.

In order to prevent him from stumbling straight into the campfire, Talon lashed out with his reptilian but still prehensile tail and used it to grab a belt loop and pull him towards him. The sudden change in direction made Wyll loose his balance for a second time but with much more pleasant results.

Instead of tripping towards the fire, he fell nearly face first into Talon's broad, cloth covered chest, still holding the book in his arms.

Before Wyll could right himself and pull away, Talon wrapped his arms around his shoulder's, smiling mischievously at him.

"Well, hello there." He smirked as he lessened his grip so Wyll could at least stand up straight. "Find your feet?"

"Not without you scaring the life out of me first." He scowled halfheartedly as he pressed the book to his chest.

"Couldn't help myself." He grinned with his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth.

"I have a feeling you did not try very hard." He mock glared at him.

"Nope." He smirked playfully, "Besides, It let me catch myself a rare Blade of Frontier's. Whatever shall i do with him, i wonder?" He smiled in a teasing manner, keeping his grip tight enough to keep him still but not too tight to where he couldn't easily break out of it if he chose.

Which Wyll didn't.

He instead just sighed, annoyed but with a warm smile on his face as he played along.

"Swap stories over the campfire perhaps?" Talon asked himself, pretending to think of options. "Sparring contest in the middle of camp, that would be fun." He nodded to himself, before he locked eyes with Wyll, a much more sultry grin appearing on his face. "Or..."

Wyll raised an eyebrow, "Or?"

He slipped the deep purr into his voice again, "I could through our young hero over my shoulder, take him out to the woods, lay him down and devour him like a good man deserves. How's that sound?"

There was a split second where he could tell Wyll was considering it, but two blinks later the blush returned to his face and he shoved him away from him with an amused scoff.

"Your an ass."

"With a great one." Talon fired back as he turned around and wiggled said ass back and forth tail snapping with sass.

Wyll just pinched the bridge of his nose as he shook his head, the same fond smile on his face.

When Talon turned back around he put his hands behind him, resting them on the small of his back.

"Sooo..." He slowly approached again but keeping his hands to himself this time. "Couldn't help but notice what you were reading. That is one of my books, isn't it?"

"Heh." He chuckled awkwardly, scratching his jaw with a finger. "I suppose you have caught me."

"Of course. I know my own writing, however..." He glanced down at the copy he was holding knowing full well none of his copies were missing. "That..." -he pointed at the book- "isn't one of my copies."

Wyll's face started to redden again, "No. It's um...mine."

"Oh?" He held out a hand, "May I see it?"

"Why?" He asked as he handed it too him.

"I could sign it for you. Put a nice little message in it...make it saucy."

"You already did."

"I did?"

Wyll flipped open the cover of the book and read the inside. "To my hero, the Blade of Baldur's Gate, may you aspire to be a mighty knight like Sir Gilmore and one day find a dashing dragon of your very own. T.A. Silverscale."

It was then, as the firelight hit the front cover, he recognized the design.

The engraving in the cover was a short lived design that showed Sir Gillmore wrapped up in a passionate embrace with Taltharion that showcased the dragons, horns, wings and thick tail that accompanied his more humanoid form. Due to a misunderstanding of the species of creature on the cover, that edition was banned in Baldur's Gate. Because of it that design was rare in and of itself but the silver scales embossed in the corners were from a limited edition printing that was only sold at his in person book signings the year it was published.

When he looked back up at Wyll, a memory filled his head of a much younger Wyll defending his honor from a "fan" that was getting a bit to bold with their hands.

The "fan" turned out to be a patriar that was supposed to be at a meeting with his father and he had used that information to remind the man that instead of being at the meeting, he was here, harassing the Duke's Son's favorite author.

As a thank you for his help he had given him the book for free and signed it with that message. A genuine wish for the kind hearted boy.

Talon smiled fondly as he spoke. "Well, well, well...the Prince of Baldur's Gate became a hero after all."

"You remember me?"

"How could i not after you so deftly defended my honor." He handed the book back, watching as Wyll gently put it down on a stool next to him. "In fact had you not been 15 at the time, i would have thrown you over my shoulder, con-sensually of course, and given my hero the reward he so selflessly earned." He then stepped back into Wyll's space, gently resting his hands on his hips. "Of course, better late then never." He purred as he gently pulled him flush against his body.

Wyll leaned in close, his eye dark and half lidded, their lips mere scant inches away from each other. "You are making it very difficult for me to remain a gentlemen."

"I know." He smiled as his arms moved from his hips to wrap around his back. "But in all seriousness," He dropped the purr from his voice as he pressed their foreheads together, staying mindful of each others horns. "If ever my teasing and flirtation ever pushes to far, please tell me. I do not wish to make you feel pressured to move faster than your comfortable with."

With a fond sigh, Wyll wrapped his arms around his shoulders. "I know, Talon. And you haven't. Far from it in fact. You have been a light in this dark place. Something tangible and warm to turn to when things get grim." A deep sadness began to leak into his voice as he began to cling to him. "I have not had that for a long time."

Talon wrapped his arms tighter around him as his thick tail wrapped tenderly around their legs, "Then if it is within my power, you shall never have to go without. My knight will want for nothing so long as i remain."

Wyll smiled warmly, "You are starting to sound like Taltharion."

"What do you think Talon is short for?" He grinned.

Wyll raised an eyebrow, "Are you telling me, My Dragon Knight is less of a work of fiction and more based on a true story?"

"Maybe." He smiled teasingly.

A dark and sultry look entered Wyll's eyes that made Talons blood burn and his slit ache, "So is it safe to assume that their is some...anatomical accuracy to the story?"

"I mean...you would have to-ah!" The words died in his throat as Wyll ran his fingers down the back of his neck where his spine ridges would be if he was in full form. The bolt of pleasure from the gentle touch ran straight to his core, forsing him to bury his face in the crook of his neck to keep him from making more telling sounds in the middle of camp.

"Hmm..." Wyll purred, clearly proud of himself. "Seems their is some truth to the tale. I will have to make sure i study it most throughout from now on."

"Quite the scholarly pursuit." He purred as he faced him again. "I will look forward to testing you on what you have learned."

"In the meantime," Wyll closed the gap until there lips were almost touching, "May your Knight have a small portion of that reward you promised?"

"What would my heroic knight wish?"

"To taste your lips again. I find i am quite starved for them."

"Then you shall have them."

Talon kissed him slow, savoring the press of his lips, the taste of his tongue, and the feel of his body in his arms. It was languid, warm and comfortable.

He could hold him and kiss him like this for days had he had the time. Their bodies tangled, snuggled down in his nest, lost in each other not caring how much time had passed.

He wanted that for him.

He wanted to give that too him.

It was the least he deserved.

But for now, he would settle for this.

It was Wyll who pulled away slowly, carefully, as if Talon would take off if he moved to quickly.

He loosened his grip, not enough to let go but enough for Wyll to easily remove himself should he decide too. Like he expected him to.

But instead, Wyll clung to him, shaking, as if the kiss had woken something up in him that scared him half to death.

"Stay with me tonight?" Wyll whispered as if he was afraid to ask lest he be punished.

"In what way?" Talon asked, wanting to make sure their were no miscommunications.

Wyll couldn't seem to find the words, but the Tadpole's did.

An image filled his head of Wyll wrapped in his arms, his wings and tail covering him like the strongest tower shield. He was tired, he was lonely, and so very very afraid. He wanted comfort, safety, and to be the one protected for once.

Talon tightened his grip.

"The darkness of this place has gotten to me." He spoke, the shake still in his voice. "I fear, i may have become too selfish." His breaths stuttered as tears began to rim his good eye, "But I need you and i am tired of pretending i don't."

"Your starting to sound like Sir Gilmore." He joked.

Wyll laughed, a tired broken thing between barely contained sobs.

Talon cupped his cheek in his hand as he placed a gentle kiss to his forehead, "To be honest, Wyll, your not selfish enough in my opinion." He wrapped his wings around them both. "You have lived a life where you were expected to give up everything and ask for nothing in return lest you be 'selfish'. But i intend to fix that." He then tilted Wyll's face up to meet him. "I will stay with you, tonight and for as many nights as you will allow, until you no longer have need of me."

"What if it's every night? What if i never not have need of you?" He asked, the confident mask of the hero having fallen away, leaving a terrified and lonely man exposed behind it.

"Then you will have me. You, Wyll, my Wyll, my valient hero, my Blade of Frontiers, my greatest treasure, will want for nothing. And it will be my honor, my most exquisite privilage and my greatest pleasure to provide whatever your heart desires."

"Then kiss me again, please." He begged, a desperate need in his voice.

"With pleasure."

When their lips connected again Wyll kissed him with the desperation of a man who was starved of any sort of care and affection for far too long. He clung to him like someone who had been told that they didn't deserve to be held but gained the courage to reach for it anyway and finally found someone reaching back. He could feel how he shook with the force of all of his loneliness and touch starvation releasing at once and made sure he gave back just as good as he got.

When he pulled away, Wyll was smiling amidst tears that were long overdue. He nuzzled into his cheek as best he could as he calmed his breathing and racing heart. He looked lighter, happier and it was all Talon cared about.

"I don't deserve you." He whispered, exhaustion starting to creep into his voice.

"Not your call, Wyll." He chuckled as he pressed another kiss to his forehead.

"I suppose not." He sighed, his eyes starting to droop shut. "I love you, so much. I...can't seem to find the words."

He chuckled again as Wyll's head fell onto his shoulder. "Knowing you, you'll find them eventually. But until then," He lifted up his head by his chin, seeing the man's eyes already half closed and glazed. "I love you too."

Wyll smiled sleepily.

"Now let's get you to bed, yeah?"

"Yes. I...seem to have exhausted myself with that emotional display."

"They tend to do that. Let me carry you so you don't fall down."

Wyll lost his balance for a moment, causing Talon to catch him. "Good plan."

Talon then scooped up his crashing knight and carried him into his tent.

[punchratt]

Indulging in my brainrot again, heres that longer bg3 character design post i was talking about! (@dragonageshitpostingelves, i didnt forget you <3) Also, Spoiler Warning, i talk a lot about the companions backstory and quests, so don't read if you haven't finished those. Or do, I don't care.

Im gonna be honest and admit right now that I am sadly NOT a professional character designer, but instead just a nerd who likes to draw. I think the bg3 designs are amazing as they are and deserve a hell of a lot more praise then their already getting. That being said, i have many opinions about these funny little tadpole people. The first of them being that Gale, Wyll, and Astarion should not look like that. I mean, they all literally have the same body model, just give or take few scars and some hair, then swap the head. Which i think is a little shocking considering that the girls have much more diverse body types. Normally its the other way around.

First, Astarion. I love him, but i should not be able to grate cheese on his abs. Dude was a slave surviving off rats and living in the shadows for over 200 years, he's a rouge with 8 strength and no work out plan other then squatting so he can hide better. The last thing he should have is a six pack. I am a firm believer in scrawny Astarion, that man is wet noodle, he is malnourished and it should show. I should be able to see that mans ribs. Play that boy like a xylophone. This twink is not twinking right now and its driving me insane!

Im not saying he cant be sexy, in fact i think its very important that he is sexy. A big chunk of his story has to do with his relationship with sex and how he views romance as a whole. The whole point of his story is that he seems like the sexy vampier stereotype, but is actually a much more in depth character with a very complicated relationship to sex and romance. He needs to look sexy for that to work. But you don't gotta have a six pack to look sexy! Whenever i see him without a shirt all i can think of is that abs just don't look right on him. Everything else i think they've gotten perfect, he really does look like the character he's supposed to be and i can only applaud Larian for getting it so right, just.. lose the abs.

Second, Gale. I feel like I've already summed up how i feel about his design in my last post, but i like talking so i'm gonna say more! Gale should be chubby!! All he likes to do is ponder his orb, talk to his cat, and study magic. I firmly believe that he also has a side passion for food. After all, what is cooking if not potion brewing but different? Gale can appreciate a good meal and it should show! After all, eating and food is integral to his character with the whole arcane hunger thing he has going on. Give me my dad bod Gale and all wrongs in this world will be righted.

But to be a little more serious about this, i think his story becomes all the more poetic and tragic if you view him as someone who loves food. Because just imagine that you have three things you love, magic, food, and your goddess girlfriend. Now imagine that one day, to impress your goddess girlfriend, you do something kinda really stupid and end up with a magic nuke in your chest. But wait, it gets worse! Because of this failed grand gesture your goddess girlfriend breaks up with and banishes you. She leaves you to deal with this whole thing by yourself, all you have now is your cat and cooking. But wait, it gets even worse!! No matter how much you eat, yu arent ful, so you're constantly starvinng now, and thats how you find out that the bomb in your chest feeds on magic! Which means that now Gale has to ether find a way to keep it fed or he's gonna kamikaze half the swords coast. Meaning he has to eat any magical artifacts he gets his hands on while also dealing with the emotional damage of everything else. Food, one of the only things he had left, is now a stressful reminder of the fucked up situation he's in.

Now I don't think that means Gale starts to hate food, or resent it in some way, I still think he's the adorable little foodie goofball dork who insisted on being the camp cook. But i do think it makes his whole relationship with food something much more bittersweet, which is very interesting and something i feel could be reflected better in his already amazing design.

Third, Wyll. Wyll, I believe, is the most likely to be buff out of these three. Though, I don't think he'd show it as much as he does. We know he likes to dance, and that he enjoys a good sword fight more then anything! He used to fence with his father and overall is a very active guy. He is probably the character that most matches his body, there aren't many things I'd change. That being said, he is still a warlock with less strength then a hamster. He wouldn't be that muscly.

My dude is the son of a Grand Duke, he's had a relatively cushy life that didnt really get all that much harder after his dad gave him the boot (dick move btw). He's struggled, defiantly! But i don't think it'd be a reach to say that Wyll might have a little fat on him. I dont really have much to say other then i think he'd benefit from taking those abs away and putting that bulk somewhere else. When I imagine Wyll I imagine a man with some arm game and a pudgy belly. Maybe some calf muscle too, but overall nothing too defined since he doesn't really use strength in combat. I mean, why does Wyll have more defined abs then Lae'zel? Of all the origin characters she should have the most defined abs of the group. Not these three clowns(affectionate).

Wyll is a softie with a heart of gold, he should get to have a soft body to go with it. Plus it'd add more contrast between what parts are devil and what aren't. Sharp rough horns, a scarred face, and striking but intimidating eyes juxtaposed against a soft but somewhat built frame, quick whit, and a generally nice attitude make for a very interesting design! One that i think would be much more compelling then the kinda default muscly hero build he has now.

Now compare those to the secrete fourth option i didnt tell you about! Halsin! I think Halsin is designed perfectly and there is nothing i would change. He uses a unique body model from the other three and his design perfectly captures who he is as a character. He's big, appropriately buff, and looks kind. I look at that man and i think "yeah, thats a guy who occasionally turns into a bear", and he does! He looks like a natural born leader who knows how to make those tough decisions, he looks as inviting as he acts, and he looks like he gives amazing hugs. Bear hugs if you will! That man is a bear in every sense of the word, and whats more druid then that?

I only really brought him up to set him as sort of a standard for the designs of this game, because almost every single design is just as perfect and well thought out as his. I could go on for several more paragraphs about other characters and why their also perfect, or what other small little changes id make to their designs (cough cough, Lae'zel abs, cough) but this thing is getting long enough as is.

So to conclude. Fuck abs, and get them off my boys! If you've actually read this whole monstrosity, thank you. It took me over half a day to write and i still feel like i haven't touched on everything. Like, i didn't get to praise their designs nearly as much as i wanted to, but oh well. Maybe I'll make another post about the girls, maybe ill ramble about what i do like about the boys designs, i don't know. Depends on if anyone wants that, or if i still got gas left in the tank after this. Finally, please excuse any spelling errors and the inconsistent capitals. Its late, i have dyslexia, and i'll probably go back and fix it later. Thanks again for reading!

[bladeweavedance]

More Ship Meme Details!

This one says car, and there's no cars in Faerun, so I changed it to carriage. Originally, I thought "Nah, neither of these guys know how to drive" but then I remembered Wyll has Animal Handling and given his nature as a hero, he's totally had a moment or two or three where there's been a run-away carriage, and he's swooped in like the dashing and daring hero he is to take the reins and stop the thing and the horses before anyone gets hurt. So… Yeah.

We all know Gale is the camp cook, and if Wyll's dialogue is anything to go by, it sounds like he's quite territorial about it. But Wyll can be pretty determined and insistent, and I headcanon that he's not a bad cook himself. He might have started out that way (as the duke's son, he probably didn't have to cook his own meals - so he had to start from scratch when he was kicked out of Baldur's Gate), but I think his years of surviving on his own - he might have learned a few thing about seasoning with wild herbs and whatever spices he could pick up along his way as well as experimenting with various ingredients.

PDA - While both Wyll and Gale are on the more modest side of things (especially Gale given his whole "I won't undress even in front of my tressym" thing and wearing full-on long-sleeved pajamas and Wyll seems at least willing to wear a crop top) - so I can't see them engaging in more, err, private activities - I can definitely see them doing things like praising each other in public, saying romantic things to each other in public, holding hands, kissing, a face caress, hugs. They're both very affectionate people who aren't afraid of showing affection.

Wyll, being the hero that he is, has a natural inclination towards protecting people and can be especially fierce when it comes to protecting the people he loves. This is also evidenced in his origin if you romance Gale and make Wyll the Blade of Frontiers (he talks about keeping an eye on Gale, and Gale is touched that Wyll is so protective of him). Given how deeply Gale loves and the fact that he's a powerful wizard, though… I imagine Gale ALSO has a protective streak towards the ones he loves as well (you see this in his trying to distance himself from his mother because he believes himself to be a danger to her, and if you play his Origin, he can give Tara a stern talking to for traveling outside of Waterdeep where it isn't safe). Wyll, of course, is plenty capable of protecting himself, but that won't stop Gale from unleashing all of his magical fury on anyone who might threaten his love.

Relationship experience! So, we know Gale has SOME relationship experience - there's his relationship with Mystra which likely lasted years, but he also mentioned having mortal lovers before that. There seems to be some inclination that he didn't have A LOT of lovers before Mystra, maybe just a couple or a few. So, he's got maybe a moderate amount of experience; though, I get the feeling very little long-term experience and his relationship with Mystra probably left a lot to be desired in terms of how a normal relationship is supposed to work. That being said, due to his age and some things Wyll has said (more on that in a moment) - He has a LOT more experience than Wyll.

So, now we come to Wyll, sweet Wyll. First, I'm going to point out that Wyll says to Astarion in the Blushing Mermaid that he didn't have his first kiss until he was 15 years old. It's important to remember that Wyll was kicked out of Baldur's Gate when he was 17. So, that leaves two years where he could've possibly had a relationship (or a few really short-term ones) before he's trekking the wilderness and saving the day and having to deal with Mizora on a regular basis (which likely put a dent on his seeking relationship prospects).

Next, in some banter with Halsin, Wyll suggests his romance (if you're romancing him) is his first love. In another banter with Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate, Wyll specifically says he's "tight-laced" and "never been the type to sow his wild oats." Add that to his insistence on a fairy tale romance, the fact that he proposes to his partner before even considering sex with them and well…

What I'm saying there is a VERY HIGH chance that Wyll is a virgin, so yeah he's very close to the No Relationship Experience side of things.

[undead-potatoes]

So! Tell me about Aurora! Did they have a life before the Urge came calling? How has their journey been through the game? Are they romancing anybody or do they have any other significant bonds?

I hope you don't mind, but I decided to split this into two posts. You asked about her journey through the game, and suddenly I had written 1400 words that didn't fit with the rest. So uuh yeah, here's the first and the last question at least!

I'm still a little unsure about her life before the Urge. There's the few "canon" things we're given through bits of dialogue (like murdering their parents as a child), but I honestly don't tend to get too caught up in canon if I want to do something different.

She had a lot of nightmares as a child (thanks dad), and it made her a very skittish and nervous child. In combination with minor Urges which made her say and sometimes do off-putting shit, I imagine she wasn't exactly a social butterfly. Like once she probably bit someone when the Urge overtook her, but bc they were baby urges and she was like 6-years-old it didn't really do much but alienate her.

But I think she was otherwise a good kid, doing her best and loved by her adoptive parents, even if they probably worried about her a lot.

I kinda like the idea of her being slightly older, someone who briefly escaped her heritage due to Bhaal's death before he returned in full, and the Urge became too strong to ignore. To have the Urge hovering around in the background her entire life, but always being able to repress it, until she suddenly couldn't.

Idk there's just something to the tragedy of being so close to escaping your predestined fate, when in reality it was always going to end like that, on way or another. You never truly escaped anything, you simply just delayed the inevitable.

She could still have murdered her family, still living with her adoptive parents and possible siblings, or maybe she had her own family by then. Either way, Bhaal would have wanted them out of the way.

The Urge building and building, sending her flip-flopping between moments of bloodlust and lucidity filled with fear, until the Urge took her away completely.

(Would the Urge even work like that for any of this? Who cares, just gonna do as Larian does, my city now).

TL;DR: I don't even know, it's still stewing in there.

- - -

Though I've watched like every Durge related video on YouTube, I haven't actually played very far in Aurora's playthrough, mostly bc I'm waiting for Larian to stop breaking the game with every new patch 🙈

Meaning I haven't actually had a lot of time with her interacting with the companions and gotten a good feel for where they're at.

Wyll and Shadowheart are possible candidates for some at least surface level boding. Like Wyll's whole "self sacrifice for the good of others" thing, and with Shadowheart they both have been brainwashed and forced into cruelty in service of an evil god.

And Karlach bc I love her and I said so.

Maybe some more interesting dynamics will pop up once I really get in there with her 🤔 (Larian fix your shit already, I want to plaaay)

There's also Jay who's already wrangling every other companion and their problems, so I'm sure he'll have some fingers in her pies too eventually (it's what he does, after all).

-

The only solid relationship to have formed in my head as of yet is her romance, and bc I'm as original as a pair of earbuds from AliExpress, she eventually starts a thing with Astarion.

He initially sees her as an easy target, a shy and possibly meek person quite literally removed from the others at camp (a deliberate choice on her part), but it doesn't go quite as he had planned.

I've written a whole post about it that's hanging out in my drafts, but tl;dr: he tries to bite her, but she wakes and angrily sends him away. She later comes to him one night, panicked after the Murder At Camp™, and he (begrudgingly) agrees to help her with the body. This begins this weird partnership where they keep each other's secret, and she lets him drink from her as thanks for helping her.

Their relationship is a bit rocky at first, like they don't hate each other or anything, but there's a fair share of bickering and such. She can be a bit blunt, and is too impatient and exhausted from the urge to deal with his very obvious mind games, tiredly telling him "stop trying to seduce me, you already have what you came for".

When he offers to sleep with her at the party, she thinks "why not". They're already putting each other at risk, so might as well have some fun with it. He might have tried to bed her sooner if she hadn't been so blunt and unapproachable, but it did also give him some time to rethink his strategy. Based on finds with the freecam during his party sex scene, he has set up a lil spot on a blanket, with wine and maybe some food, in an attempt to seem more genuine, which admittedly she does find a little cute.

Ultimately it's all the bits in between, the quiet moments after feeding or sex that gives them an excuse to talk, and they realize they enjoy each other's company a lot more than they first thought. She vibes with him a lot more when he's being genuine, something she sees more of when he's fed and generally less guarded.

She've kept her distance from the others bc of the urge, in fear of either harming someone, or being discovered through the tadpoles somehow. It puts her on edge constantly, but Astarion already knows, and she knows he doesn't judge her for it, so she's more at ease too.

Aurora can become ride or die pretty fast, especially in combination with other intense personality traits (hello devotion), and I think maybe Astarion picks up on that and thinks he can use that to his advantage. At least until he too accidentally catches feelings and becomes pretty ride or die himself lmao. Great job idiot.

Which is also when her more self sacrificing nature goes from something that could be to his advantage, to something that actively upsets him. Stop it! Stop sacrificing yourself for others who probably don't even deserve it! Stop putting yourself in situations that could take you away from me for no good reason.

They're note super lovey-dovey either. Like sure there's romance and tenderness there, but there's also some clash of personalities ("stop being an asshole" "stop trying to be such a bloody hero"). Nothing too bad but there's definitively something for them to work on.

This became the Aurora and Astarion post, sorry about that (not really). I hope to have some better answers to these in the future, my brain is still cooking (unfortunately it's a slowcooker).

[1800duckhotline]

Ok ok so I gotta know, what is Salice's dynamic with everyone in the party? Does she generally get along with them or would she feed them to the wolves if it wasn't for the brain worms?

A/n: This is long. im sorry. this goes under readmore. What playing the game for 2 week straight does to a mf

SO ITS FUNNY. Salice is generally a kind of dry, sarcastic bitch that generally doesn't particularly enjoy 'befriending' people. The only person she's ever been truly friends with is her is her best friend & (previously) colleague Allen Owen, a wizard of the school of conjuration, who she met when she was studying law way long ago, like 10 years or so prior to the start of the story.

At the start she's kind of neutral towards everyone due to the Circumstances. she is kind of a bitch, and rude, but due to the situation (that being, you know, the brainworms and possible transformation into an illithid) she tries to be less of an asshole simply because she does not want to risk being killed by the few people she's met that are sound of mind and not Absolute fanatics

This is also me generally throwing spice on the concept as a whole since the game isn't really full ofliberties in terms of shaping your tav's personality. In general, she tries to do the good thing, but can be a dick about it, and isn't against doing scummy stuff if it means getting to the bottom of things or resolving matters without necessarily risking certain death. This means she's generally more likely to get along with Shadowheart, Wyll, Gale, and even Karlach. I imagine with Lae'zel and Astarion the relationship is definitely on the neutral side. She doesn't really hate anyone but doesn't really like Astarion tbh lol

She has issues with being closed-off and has difficulty opening up to people. She has a full-on machismo complex caused by her father and tends to be very competitive when it comes to putting in show her skills especially when she meets masculine people like her (regardless if they're men or not), HOWEVER...Circumstances make this a little easier to break through.

TO PUT IT SHORT BECAUSE I'M ALREADY RAMBLING:

Wyll: They're pretty good friends by the time of Act 2 (where I've played until now), they bond over the fact that they are warlocks stuck in bad contracts with bitch devils. Unfortunately he's genuinely a fully good person which means she feels too bad to truly talk to him about Her Contract and who Her Patron is bc it's a weird, and not exactly "good-natured" story lol. I imagine he thinks of her as someone he can relate to due to their similar situations but I can't think he'd be exactly approving of the selfish reasons behind her pact.

Gale: I have to be frank she initially finds him weird and awkward but very very fast starts liking him - he's the one she's most likely to get feelings for, truth be told, because Salice has a weakness for nerds of that type. That and it seems fated (to her) that she ends up being chummiest with wizards, for one reason or another. She does not handle her own feelings well tho so if I had to write the whole thing instead of having to follow the way the game does it it'd be a liiiiiiiiiittle complicated.

Also consolidated because of this insane ass line

Because she probably does in fact NOT bathe that much during adventuring. Anyways . I can't fully develop thoughts now. Tl;dr they get along well. Much to everyone's surprise

Astarion: boy she can't stand his ass....she feels sorry for him and everything like it sucks obviously. He had a shitty life. But she honestly sometimes is like "king just because you have been miserable you don't need to make everyone else miserable too. whats with you". The feeling is otherwise mutual I imagine because he also is like "this bitch has the audacity to tell me how to act after 200 years of Torture when she's in a contract with a fucking DEVIL.." which he is right for also. but they can be friendly sometimes. She lets him drink from her and such because she dgaf that much. frenemies. Would hit it if he acted straightforward for once though

Shadowheart: Salice would think she's okay and feels sorry for her that she's devoted to the point of mindlessly accepting her own suffering as part of her devotion. She doesnt care that shadowheart is a follower of Shar, she just thinks she needs to reevaluate at what point her religion should override her own comfort. Another case of damn that sucks on salice's part and Shadowheart also thinks Salice is fine herself, evenif she thinks it's weird that after opening up to her about her own struggle Salice has basically like. Said almost nothing about herself to her. Is considering holding her at knifepoint just to know ANYTHING (this is because salice is paranoid about sharing anything abt herself). But little does she know all she needs is a little alcohol and salice will be babbling in no time

Lae'zel: I think she and Lae'zel are on good terms because of a few things: Salice is cutthroat and can also fight well and LOVES to fight, honestly. they definitely banged once (and fought for dominance while doing it) but salice was like that was awesome but i think im good for a while (clueless about things to come) (Faerun's most sexually repressed woman [in the sense she likes showing off but can't take back what she dishes out]). Salice is just like, nice to Lae'zel because she's like what am i gonna do? Act like a bitch to her when she's helpful and surprisingly refreshing to be around ? Absolutely not. They're good friends who spar sometimes

Karlach: Salice likes Karlach because she thinks she's so Genuine and its so Rare to see . And as a result salice feels a little inadequate to being her friend but, considering everything and their shared passion for fighting, she does what she can to help her out. Even if it ain't the easiest task sometimes. I gotta think about this specific dynamic some more, but in general, they're on friendly terms. But Karlach wishes that salice was a little nicer and less of a cunt at times (not directly at her but at the others & people in general)

(smiles painfully) i think that's it. for now. Anyway. Thank oyu for the question i hope it helps

[umbralsong]

Addendum:

Player: Will you save the children of Ulma's tribe like you promised? Astarion: I'm not sure, I've been weighing my options. On the one hand, they're the key to my unlocking eternal power and freedom. On the other... Well. It's my fault they're here. Yes, it was Cazador's command, I had no choice. But... It seems now I do.

Devnotes say he says it with a sigh. He's resigned to taking whatever responsibility falls on his head.

Patch 7 gave Astarion a few more lines in his Act III quest, which means more racist fans are out telling people he is perfectly innocent by virtue of his enslavement. Imagine being related to genocide victims, or being someone currently suffering under genocide, and seeing the fandom of the Game of the Year gleefully declare that marginalized children should be murdered and condemned to the Hells for more power for a white man.

Let's hammer home the astounding lack of sensitivity in the writing surrounding genocide victims for the sake of the illusion of edginess:

More excellent tags by eyebagtree:

#the most bizarre choice about the game (given i don't play dnd so this may have been a bullshit “following the lore” thing)#was just how racist nearly every damn romanceable companion was#and how it's brushed off as a “haha funny casual banter” thing by not only the fandom but *the game itself*#i.e. shadowheart's constant racism towards lae'zel that a lot of the fandom turns into “tsundere lesbians” or whatever#(not to mention that there were entireties of marginalized races in there that were deemed as “having an inherently evil culture”)#(esp. the drow)#you have an entire world where there isn't queerphobia but pretty much everyone has to be wildly racist???#and the one black character having the least amount of story and personality and pretty much no backbone???#no matter how much i love the game or the characters within it it beyond pisses me off with how sloppily the racism is written in#as if it was tacked on as an afterthought and seen as a generic “conflict and tension” thing#plus the whole gnome slavery thing and how shittily that was handled#i mean jesus were there no sensitivity writers in the room whatsoever??#not to mention that while all of the other characters are given freedom from their abusers wyll has to deal with mizora just#staying in camp constantly??#AND larian thought it was a good idea “for the lols” for the player to have sex with said abuser??#just careless writing all around

1000% agreed. Racism isn't "conflict and tension," and it's disgusting to cheapen the history-altering effects to a character flaw. [Queerphobia is inherently linked to racism and settler colonialism], so that shit falls flat for me. If Larian wanted to write an Astarion in-line with what this shit really means:

The Psychology of Colonialism: Memmi splits the psychological conditions of the colonizer and the colonized into four parts. The colonizer who accepts, who I’ll call Christopher, the colonizer who refuses, who I’ll call John, the colonized who accepts, who I’ll call Candace, and the colonized who refuses, who I’ll call Nat. The Colonizer Who Accepts: Christopher When Christopher the colonizer accepts his The Colonizer Who Accepts role, he becomes a colonialist. But it means he has to accept the fact that his position of privilege is nonlegitimate. He usurped it by force. So the only way he can really enjoy his position would be to absolve himself of the guilt of the conditions under which it was attained. That’s why Christopher falsifies history, creates racist mythology, rewrites laws, and attempts to whitewash his legacy. That’s why he emphasizes his superiority while casting aspersions on the colonized. He has to do whatever it takes to justify his evils, to uplift himself to the skies while grinding those below him under ground. Deep down, Christopher knows all this is messed up, but he can’t admit that to himself, he has to keep degrading the colonized. And so, just as the colonial situation manufactures the colonized, Christopher the colonialist is also transformed. Now he cheers on torture, discrimination, and massacre. He becomes a reactionary, a conservative, and a fascist. But the condemnation that he carries in his heart can never truly be erased. It pisses him off that he relies on the colonized to maintain the colony, even though he came looking for profit and already has a homeland. But he has to direct his anger somewhere, so he becomes a racist. And not just any racism, a racism so fundamentally ingrained in his personality. His racism is built on three major components: 1) That there exists a major gulf between him and the colonized, 2) that he can exploit these differences to his benefit, and 3) that these differences are absolute and cannot be changed. Therefore, he’s able to remain separate from the community of the colonized by halting any social mobility and he’s able to continue to justify his superiority. Added bonus, he gets to feel good about himself while doing it. He becomes a “humanitarian”. Surely, the colonized needed him to bring the light of civilization. Look at them, so stupid and servile. All this is natural, and eternal, so he has nothing to worry about. If he enjoys a couple perks in his quest to civilize them, well surely it’s just justice. The colonized should be grateful. Christopher, “benevolent master of the natural order”. Don’t question it. Aimé Césaire was right to say that: “Colonization dehumanizes even the most civilized man. [It] inevitably tends to change him who undertakes it; that the colonizer, who in order to ease his conscience gets into the habit of seeing the other man as an animal, accustoms himself to treating him like an animal, and tends objectively to transform himself into an animal.”

This feels to me like when a certain white male writer wrote for Dragon Age (who wrote two Brown elves who were former sex slaves), and every game let you commit genocide against Jewish/Indigenous/Roma-coded people with little consequence, and the last one was named for a straight-up [Catholic church-approved genocide]. Someone has some deeply disturbing views, or is incredibly irresponsible.

Racism in Astarion's Writing

There is a fascist takeover happening in Europe. Again. With pogroms targeting racialized and marginalized groups. Being at all silent about how media affects our perception of reality would be irresponsible of me. I stand in solidarity with you all. I will polish this as I go along, but this is for anyone who wants to understand.

Block, report, and move on from the inevitable racist shitheads. We have work to do.

Donate to Gaza here: https://gazafunds.org/ Support good causes with a click here: https://arab.org/ Ceasefire Now: https://ceasefire-now.com/ Donate to the [Sidewalk School] [Pay your rent], settlers. [KOSA Resources]

There is a... let's be charitable for a moment and call it "knee-jerk" reaction to discussions of racism in fandom. To call it character assassination, exaggeration, slander - anything but to acknowledge the dehumanizing system of power that underlies every part of this imbalance. It's only scary if you don't understand it, and as part of another group under siege for half a millenia, I am intimately familiar with it.

There are Romani perspectives on Astarion's storyline I would encourage everyone to read before mine. I don't wish to link them in case this post gets targeted. Please lend them your kind support and sincere gratitude for their contributions.

I do not "forgive" a character for questionable biases. I wonder why the writers put it there. I question its purpose in the narrative and the effect it has on the story and audience.

Let's discuss the effect:

The racism in Astarion's storyline serves no purpose, but the effects are harmful.

I've played evil (poorly). But I also have a very fucked up sense of humor and understand the appeal of a well-written fucked up little dude. Take, for instance, this Warlock from a BG3 playthrough:

Absolutely vile, but a clearly theatrical/satirical look at a classist piece of shit, you know, that sort of character. Take it as a palate cleanser after reading, and then gather your strength.

This is not a post about liking flawed characters. Please take your strawman, dust behind you, and move along.

I often find the trouble with depicting racism is the inherent unfamiliarity with the subject in a majority-white writer's room and company. There is an idea of what it entails, but not its purpose, and not its day-to-day application.

There is a veritable treasure trove of knowledge out there that I've ended up having to take in small parts. It is not easy hearing about the ways people have hurt others, systemic and otherwise. I genuinely want us to learn from this and be better for one another.

So when I see depictions of people who are Indigenous and Romani and Sinti, I wonder... why? And why were these writers chosen for this character/storyline?

In Astarion's storyline, from what I can tell, he makes light of stealing the Gur children. I can tell this is meant to be a depiction of guilt and deflection. What sucks is the fact that he's ultimately a white man making light of the fact that's... historically what they do.

The point, I believe, of him "following Cazador's orders" is to invoke the Nuremberg Defense. The tragedy is that Astarion, by D&D logic, literally couldn't do anything but follow his command. It's implied because he's defensive as hell, but he feels exceedingly guilty regardless. For all we know, it's earned.

Is Racist Magistrate Astarion still canon? If so, his "grudge" against the Gur is motivated by racism. Is that something we are prepared to confront with more than a line? Was he just a (maybe recently?) privileged asshole exercising his newfound power? In that case, his use of systemic power over the Gur may be read as a parallel to his storyline. But then the Gur need autonomy as well.

There is something to be deconstructed here, but I would not know its intimacies from my perspective. Others would. They may restructure it altogether so that it makes sense for their experience.

Here is what I know, and it should not be on this group alone to point it out: The inappropriate misuse of these tropes has encouraged racism in the fandom at large.

Performing a script well is not the fault of the voice actor, nor is the twisted logic of fans the fault of the writers. I am pointing out that reckless inclusion of certain ideas can have very unfortunate implications:

So stealing their children, expressing little remorse, and then "sparing" them the pain of executing stolen marginalized children is a good ending? I'm adding some untagged comments here for emphasis:

I find it interesting the game recognizes the complexity of the situation regarding the spawn and doesn’t punish the players or Astarion whatever the choice as long as they aren’t doing it for selfish reasons. Some good, thoughtful writing there.

Wow, even as a dedicated Astarion romancer, I was beginning to feel like it was a little unfair how much more recognition Neil is getting over the rest of the cast, but now I’m reminded of why. I’ve finished the game 3 times and never even considered not sparing the spawn, because if he deserves a chance, why don’t they? But the conviction he has behind his words in this makes me think I’ve been making the wrong choice.

Person 1: I really dislike Ulma. She’s such a judgmental Monday morning quarterback. Person 2: same, no matter what you do she'll blame Astarion for things that were outside his control

Spawn Astarion sparing their children as spawn is better and in line with his story, but for some reason, that isn't acknowledged through commentary, dialogue, or mechanics... thus, again, unfortunate implications:

To the spawn Astarion, Greetings from the family of Ulma, hunters of monsters and keepers of peace across Faerun. We know this letter finds you well, for although we hunt you no longer, we do sometimes keep a watch. Your restraint and control over your bloodlust has been admirable. Indeed, it has been an inspiration for our children, who have struggled with their own hunger. These last months have been a difficult time for our people. We have protected and nurtured our children as best we can, and we have learned much. Herbs we once used to dull our foes' minds are now sedatives to ease hunger and pain, restraints built to hold the undead now protect them from themselves. There has been a lot of pain, but a lot of progress too. Our children learned discipline and control, while we learned compassion and patience. There was a time when we would have destroyed any undead creature, our own blood or not, and called it a mercy. But then we met you. Wer saw that redemption was possible. Difficult, yes. Painful. But possible. You saved our children first from Cazador, and then from us. For that, we thank you. We will watch you still, but with more admiration than fear. Walk in peace, Astarion.

And, according to these commenters, it's better to kill them because the marginalized Elder is never satisfied with the man who stole their children?

It sounds so casual, I think. Perhaps they don't know what stealing children from a community really means.

60s scoop/residential school/reeducation camps trigger warning:

(The Scream by Kent Monkman. Alt text in link.)

Look at this painting.

Take it in with me for a moment. It is a scene taken from many memories and one. Look at how these families fought to stay together. Look at how they fight priests, nuns, and state officials - ones who my friend assured me are very friendly - how they grasp at their children with such painful desperation on their faces. It is a way for one to bear witness to unfathomable love and heartbreak.

When genocide deniers play their games, this is what they want you to pretend never happened. Don't mind the tens of thousands of child graves, or the stolen land. Just pretend these people are criminals out to swindle you, or steal your wives.

Growing up, listening to survivor testimonies, and the sweet reverberance of the remnants of survivors of slavery, you appreciate what you have. You remember every kindness. You love what you lost, and what you gained through gritted teeth.

And, you remember the unfathomable pain. It's why you promise to stop it from ever happening again, to anyone.

It is very sad. A heart is a heavy burden. Embrace it. To love is to live again, and to live again means you understand Never Again. Because people deserve to be happy. And that's worth a fight. That's why it's worth depicting with care and love, even when the subject matter threatens to choke you.

Let's get into Cazador Szarr.

I've played the game and understand that he has a backstory and some depth. What disturbs me is that an Asian man has the bloodiest, most brutal scene in the game with a white man killing him.

I can't let this be undiscussed as sinophobia rises in a pandemic. I am no authority, but I'm not ignorant. These posts are found in discussions of racism in BG3 and I would, again, prefer not to put a target on their back. Instead, show them support.

In terms of diverse storytelling, casting, and roles, I would only ask that a historical and sensitive look be applied. Hire people from these communities to act, direct, and write for that role. Writing is never easy. There is a weight and responsibility to it, but it's worth it to touch as many souls as possible.

I respect this history. That is why it is not something I believe should be thrown in as flavor text. It's why history needs to be respected as a great backstory to everything we create. We need each other, and we need art we create together.

The debt is yet to be paid.