#it's interesting to be a drow for those bits for sure you don't have to do any checks basically

[3gremlins]

i wish bg3 had a better middle path for some of the choices like i feel bad murdering all these goblins after i've talked to them all and learned their names and penchant for poetry and stuff (and some of them are children! sure they're all a little bloodthirsty but murder hobos in glass houses and all that) but i also don't want to turn around and slaughter innocent tieflings either.

like there's a teeny bit of one if you just go assassinate their leaders and then don't ever go back to the goblin camp but not really?since they'll all be real hostile to you if you do go back. I suppose you can also turn on the passive and not kill them (just knock them out, but that gets hard when half your party does elemental damage and might "accidentally" throw a fireball into a smoke barrel or a patch of grease and combat already takes an hour+ for everyone to take their turn like larian please, i have places to be) like i wish there was a way to talk them round (the way you can with that little ogre band) and come with a more peaceful solution all over (i know part of it is just plot mcguffins to get you into the next area but i think there could have been a way to narratively get around it)

[meanbossart]

What do you mean with 'an incident he just kind of stumbled onto' referring to Du drow's loss of virginity? I don't recall you talking about his first time with sex so sorry if you've already addressed the topic

Hm I'm honestly not sure if I have! I'm just doing to assume not.

A bit of context: DU drow operated as a vagrant between the ages of 12 through 18. He resided and sustained himself mostly in the woods between cities and occasionally stopped by towns to take odd-gigs and supplies he might be in need of. While he did know how to speak and act around people to at LEAST not be considered a complete lunatic, he definitely came off as a major odd-ball and probably became a bit of a character wherever he went.

Most people were not interested in becoming acquaintances with him, let alone friends or lovers. It's also worth remembering that he looked vastly different back then - he was a 6'5" lanky young man with a gaunt face, sinewy body and almost hip-length hair that he didn't comb and barely washed, not to mention assumed to be a drow of some sort by most and hence, stigmatized and avoided wherever he went. This was the one exception:

He met an elven woman in the outskirts of town who offered him shelter for a night, a bath and cooked food. She was a widower and a lonely person in her own right who was probably charmed by his eccentricity and the mystery surrounding him. She wasn't a seductress or with any kind of evil intent - rather, somebody who felt a connection to this man who she assumed to be an ostracized drow just trying to get by, and believed that a little kindness could go a long way. And to emphasize: someone who was very lonely and likely had baggage of her own.

DU drow was socially inept but he still developed as any "normal" man would, he had a vague idea of what sex was even without having ever partaken in it, and he found her attractive. So, when she shyly came onto him during that night he simply went along with it, and they had an encounter that though awkward, was otherwise normal by all intents and purposes.

Afterwards, the elf attempted to get him to open up to her in conversation and in the process, found out that DU drow was only seventeen years old. She became upset and asked him to leave, which DU drow would have done without inflicting any further harm had Sceleritas not stopped him on the way out.

DU drow has always experienced an emotional overlap of sorts between sex, love and violence, and would have had visions and urges around this woman the same as he goes on to have with Astarion, simply choosing to not act upon them because he saw no reason to. Sceleritas told him that those experiences were a sign, and that taking this person's life was now a part of his supposed "trials". Since DU drow had let himself be entirely brainwashed in this pursuit for greatness at that point, he fulfilled the butler's bidding with no questions. Going back into the home, killing the elf in her bedroom, and leaving the town that same night.

[thatfreshi]

I Know - (Astarion x Reader)

Post-ascension angst, where Tav leaves Astarion. (Also Gale makes an interesting appearance??)

tw - mentions of sex, mentions of drinking, themes of death, grief, rebounds

Recommended Song: cardigan - Taylor Swift

It's been a long three decades. Sure, compared to two centuries it's barely anything, but two centuries of a man leaves quite the impression. It's been thirty years since he told you how much he appreciated your support with that damned drow Araj, thirty years since you stood in the shadow-cursed lands holding hands, wrapping your arms around him and his shaking figure. You could recite that entire conversation from memory, how he held back tears saying that not sleeping with you almost sounded like a challenge. It's also been thirty years since you lost him.

You're in that sad old graveyard, sitting by Astarion's 'tombstone.' It's been exactly thirty years since he left, since you lost the love of your life to rancid fate. Cazador was there, lying fearful on the floor of his palace, and Astarion had that damn ritual dagger.

"You'll be just like him if you do this, you'll lose yourself in it."

You pleaded, almost screaming. Your fellow companions simply watched, knowing if anyone could convince him it would be you.

"But no one will hurt me again Tav. You'd deny me that?"

"You can be safe in my embrace, or safe in this ritual, but you can only choose one."

"You said-"

"I know what I said. But this? You can't do this and be the man I love."

He's practically ignoring Cazador now, knowing he's already won.

"We could have everything my love, I can only have everything I want if I have you."

"I won't have you if you do this, I'll have a master. You and I both don't want to see it come to that, me fall to your whim, you become what you despise."

You know in that moment, that the words don't matter. You're fighting a losing battle, one in which the words only pour in one ear and out the other. Stubborn, one thing he's always been. And yet you don't blame him one bit.

"I'm sorry Tav. I can't risk this, I can't live in fear anymore."

Anger, sorrow, guilt, numbness. The water fills your eyes.

"I know."

The memory fades, knowing you walked away without a word, that his cries of 'I love you' fell on deaf ears. You went to Waterdeep with Gale for a while, while he packed up all his things to move to Baldur's Gate.

"You did everything you could've, you know that right?"

His words woke you from a warm cup of tea, Tara rubbing against your leg.

"It wouldn't have mattered what I did Gale. He knew what he wanted before I spoke a damn word."

It manifested as anger for a long time, for probably five years it was nothing but rage. You lived with Gale for those five years, complex relations. Looking back on it, he probably deserves an apology. You overstayed your welcome, crossed your own boundaries to try and heal invincible wounds. He knew you were grieving, that it was impossible for you to truly love him in those moments, but he let his hopeless romanticism get in the way of the truth. You'd be lying if you said there weren't nights that you closed your eyes, imagining a very different man than who was before you. Rage makes a good, passionate lover though, reckless nights, drunken stupors, meaningless whispers that made his hair stand on end. Just like Astarion, getting what you want to avoid what you need.

After five years of 'what are we?'s and screaming matches and intimate moments, he kicked you out, knowing he was a plaything, just like he was to Mystra. You tried coming back, tried telling sweet lies to suppress that anger deep inside, but he knew better. You spent the next ten years wandering aimlessly, sleeping with strangers, occasionally staying with an old friend. Not your old companions though, who heard of what you'd done to Gale. You received many messages expressing their disgust in you, how Astarion's choices didn't need to make you a monster too. After those ten years of drifting between bodies and jobs, you tried to get back on your feet, buying a small apartment in the city.

It was around this time that you started noticing the vampire spawn crawling the city streets at night. Hard not to recognize them after a whirlwind romance with one. They would try to approach you, and you'd simply walk away, knowing they had some message from your ex-lover, knowing Astarion knew you were still in the city. Over the last fifteen years you slowly put your life back together, avoiding any communications from the vampire lord. You tried to fall in love a million times, only ending in tears and heartache, never truly finding what you lost. You even tried writing to Gale, telling him you were sorry, telling him he deserved better. He never wrote back.

Sitting in the graveyard now, it's the first time you've visited his grave in thirty years. You slowly let the sorrow unravel, the tears fall, the emotions run wild like ghosts from the nearby crypts. You're screaming at the empty grave, knowing there's no body, knowing he got everything and you were left with nothing. You could piece together old parts of yourself, but you'd remember his betrayal for a million lifetimes. In all the rage, you see the first time you were intimate again after everything at Moonrise Towers, how he said this was the first time he truly felt alive since he died. Ecstasy, teeth in your throat, hands grasping hair. That night you went til the sun rose, staying wrapped up in each other whispering sweet nothings and giving each other things you'd never imagined taking from someone else. The screams die in your throat, and they turn into soft whimpers, salty tears in your sleeves.

That's when you feel steps behind you, and a body lightly sitting next to you, not daring reach out.

"You came, after all this time. Surprise after surprise with you."

"I didn't come for you. I came to let you go."

"I figured, after hearing you yell at nothing but thin air."

Astarion chuckles, that old joy in his laugh long gone. You don't turn to meet his gaze, knowing he's taking your image in.

"You have to stop sending your messengers. I'm not going to respond."

You try to be cold, try to remember why you're here.

"But wouldn't it be nice to at least stop by? See what I've done with the place."

"No."

That's when he tries to wrap his arm around your shoulder, and you shrivel away from his touch.

"Come now, I may have a consort now but it's not as if they're anything like you. You're the last missing piece Tav, the last thing I need."

Those honeyed words, the same he used on you forever ago at the tieflings' party.

"I'm the last thing you want. You have everything you could ever need."

"I suppose that's true darling."

There's silence, the static air of the graveyard and the scent of overgrowth.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

He meant it back then, but not now. It was a ploy to get you wrapped around his finger again, so you could be some furniture piece in a palace that was never meant to be his. You smirk, realizing you've won. No matter how happy he is with this power, no matter how no one could ever hurt him again, he'll never have that last piece. He'll never have you, and it will haunt him for centuries to come, that last piece of the man used to be.

"I know."

And the same way you did thirty years ago, you walk away without another word, finally feeling some peace, knowing he will never have you, knowing he can have all the safety he wants, but it comes at the price of love. Somewhere deep down though, you know he did what he thought he had to, that he was petrified, that you couldn't offer him the safety ascension could. And somehow you don't blame him, even now. Maybe that's a part of letting go, coming to peace with being left behind. You don't know how long he stayed in the graveyard afterward, if he stared at his tombstone wondering who he used to be, wondering what those feelings for you truly were. All he knows it there's something out of place, and it will never be fixed. In the end, he lost. You both lost, but you were done playing the game. The sun rises, and you walk home, not letting yourself cry any longer. It's over. Thirty years later, and it's finally over.

[justporo]

Dumb Ideas

"Staeve's arm was around the vampire’s shoulder who - like every night - acted like he was disgusted by all the affection but leaned into it as soon as one of you tangled their limbs with him. You had one arm slung around the pale elf’s mid with your head on Astarion's shoulder. Which also had the advantage of Staeve being able to caress your cheek and play with your reddish-brown hair - or pinch your ear. Meanwhile you were in the perfect position to nudge the half-drow's side whenever he got too feisty."

Staeve and you decide it's a good idea to pierce each other - while Astarion can't stop commenting on how idiotic that is...

MASTERLIST | AO3

Author's Note: So uhm, @velnna has allowed barbies being smashed with his Staeve and... my brain started to think of a sweet polycule with Staeve, Astarion and my own girl, Tav (the hero to almost all my fics)... how could I resist? And you might be saying "Poro, isn't this very self-indulgent?" to which I would agree, but have you considered that I am down bad for this half-drow? So, @velnna, big thankies again for letting me borrow Staeve again, he's wonderful as are you! <3

Pairing: Astarion/Staeve/Fem!Tav (You) Warnings: well, they pierce each other, so don't do this at home, kids? Wordcount: 4,5k

In today's spoils from taking out the occasional bad guys on your way to bigger fish you had to fry in Baldur's Gate, there was something a bit peculiar.

Quite obviously just before you had gotten to these bandits they must've relieved someone else of a lot of jewellery: beautiful golden necklaces, amulets adorned with shimmering stones of all colours under the sun, delicate silver bracelets - and a surprising amount of piercings.

Back in camp now after a full day of adventuring, the party had started sorting through the valuables.

Staeve was just inspecting the pieces when you came over to him and the vampire. He was turning them around in his fingers while Astarion was captivated by a collier with rubies that matched the colours of his eyes very nicely.

When the half-drow saw you coming out of the corner of his black and teal eyes he looked up and threw you a grin: “Looks like I got myself an upgrade for my ears.”

He winked and immediately pocketed a few golden earrings - just to be sure to have them. You raised an eyebrow at the rogue: “Who says it's only you getting some new ones, eh?”

Stepping closer you grabbed Staeve's hand which still had some more gold rings and bars in it. And then while getting so up close and personal with him that the tips of his forest green hair almost tickled your face you wrung the remaining pieces out of his hand. He let you. And grinned benevolently at your audacity - thieves among each other.

“Sharing is caring, love,” you whispered and mimicked his wink from before exaggeratedly and stood on your tiptoes to press a quick peck onto the half-drow's lips. You felt the corner’s of his mouth curl up more as you kissed him. 

“Oh, don't worry, there is plenty to go around!” Staeve declared cheerfully and opened up his other hand with much more loot.

You narrowed your eyes at him while he rewarded you with a shit-eating grin. “There should be enough for all of us, even for Karlach. Although I'm not quite sure how many she might have,” Staeve mused and looked around to find the barbarian enthralled by Gale explaining to her in excruciating detail how to recognise a real diamond over a fake one.

“Or maybe we could do new ones. Especially since I don't know what these are for,” he held up some half-moon shaped pieces with a bar connecting the curve.

You just shrugged.

Unbeknownst to the two of you, Astarion had snuck up behind you in the meantime. Having - just like Staeve - secured his more than fair share of the spoils already.

“If you're intending to pierce your nipples, darling, I'd be more than interested to see that. Because that's what those are for,” he explained and pointed one of his long fingers at the thing Staeve was still turning around in his hands.

“Or maybe our sweetheart Tav would like to try that out?” Astarion teased as he stepped up even closer  behind you and you felt his hands suddenly cupping your breasts for a short moment and squeezing them upwards - making you yelp. “I'm sure it would suit you terribly well and would make for some extra fun for Staeve and me,” he haughtily whispered close to one of your pointy ears while he tried to make eye contact with Staeve. But the half-drow was too mesmerised by the sight of long elegant fingers presenting a quite alluring view of you exactly in front of his face.

And before you could swat the vampire’s naughty hands away he had already disappeared again with roguish quickness, just laughing. But you wouldn't let yourself be treated like that - not in public anyway. So you went after him, trying to get some revenge.

Meanwhile Staeve held the supposed jewellery for a nipple in front of his chest and looked at it curiously, his lips pursed. Then he simply shrugged and went after his two lovers who were hissing and swearing at each other somewhere at the back of today's campsite.

***

The rest of the party had split up the loot with everyone humming contentedly about the sudden wealth you had fallen into. Astarion had put on the ruby collier to everyone’s entertainment and Karlach had been happy about the still huge amount of new piercings she could take her pick from. Quite some more jokes about how other companions could adorn different parts of their body were made over a generous dinner. The wizard had thrown in a little extra effort and ingredients to celebrate the unexpected financial triumph for it to everyone’s delight.

And once everyone had had their fill of food, laughter, amiable companionship and the sun had set, everyone had retired to their tents - or each other’s for some.

Astarion was languidly laying on the pillows in front of his tent reading, one leg casually angled, the other splayed. He hadn't stayed solitary for long.

Staeve and you had bundled up with him like it had become second nature for all of you: Astarion in the middle, all smothered by you, the other rogue and your joint, multiplied love for him.

Staeve's arm was around the vampire’s shoulder who - like every night - acted like he was disgusted by all the affection but leaned into it as soon as one of you tangled their limbs with him. You had one arm slung around the pale elf’s mid with your head on Astarion's shoulder. Which also had the advantage of Staeve also being able to caress your cheek and play with your reddish-brown hair - or pinch your ear. Meanwhile you were in the perfect position to nudge the half-drow's side whenever he got too feisty.

On top of that you had hooked one leg around the vampire's while Staeve had one of his threaded through the angled one. Effectively you had all immobilised each other as you lay there all knotted.

You were talking about and presenting each other the pieces of jewellery you had saved for yourself, talking about which fit whom better. Or, Staeve and you did. Passing the delicate golden earrings between you, just over where the vampire held his book.

Astarion just occasionally threw in some teasing commentary and eyed the glinting ornate pieces - more than once trying to swat them out of your hands when he got too annoyed with the two of you disturbing his peaceful reading.

Having two lovers so eager and physically affectionate was surely a blessing for the tortured soul and body of the vampire - but it still took him some getting used to. So his usual coping mechanism was to be sassy about everything. Staeve and you knew that by now and usually took it as a hint to give your third a bit more space - however that may look like in the moment.

Right now you had each picked out several pieces and were getting bored anyway. The conversation drifted off. Peaceful silence spread between the three of you.You were toying around with the laces on Astarion’s shirt while Staeve had stuck his nose in the vampire's curls and pressed soft kisses to his scalp.

With your other hand you fidgeted with one of the piercings, letting it wander around your fingers. And while it made another turn around them, a thought slowly formed in your mind. But before you could voice it, someone else broke the quiet moment.

“You two are terribly silent - it's disturbing,” Astarion burst out after a while of neither you or the half-drow saying anything. Sassy, just like you were used to.

“First you're annoyed by us talking and now of the opposite. Make up your mind, darling,” Staeve muttered flatly and softly bit into one of the vampire's pointy ears.

Astarion hissed and snapped his face around to his insolent lover. Pushing him away with his long fingers splayed over the half-drow’s face, his pale skin contrasting with Staeve’s darker skin.

“I was annoyed at you for passing things right in front of my face while I am trying to read,” Astarion snapped back. “Also usually when the two of you are silent like this one of you is about to come up with a really dumb idea that will come back to bite us all,” he snarled in response to the other rogue’s complaint and Staeve grabbed his hand off his face - but not without a small kiss to it.

“You're one to talk Mr ‘I-am-not-a-details-person’,” Staeve gave back, unwilling to be called out by someone with so little talent for coming up with plans himself.

“Rich coming from someone who repeatedly almost got himself killed with his stupid need to throw himself at every blade pointed at Tav or me, my love,” Astarion snapped back again.

The two of them kept bickering and teasing each other playfully until Astarion rolled his crimson eyes and decided to end the argument by grabbing Staeve's face and kissing him. Up until both men were merely softly humming and moaning, content with being wrapped up in each other.

This so far had always ended any dissonance between the three of you for good. No opportunity for arguing when mouths were occupied otherwise.

You observed the scene as those two turned more to each other, laying on their sides. You moved so you were basically spooning the vampire, your head still on his shoulder but now from behind. You let your hand wander from Astarion’s waist to Staeve’s hand that was cupping the vampire’s cheek along with the kiss. Letting your fingers softly trace down his freckled arm and eliciting a light shiver from him. His eyes flew open, gaze softening at you and your soft caress. The three of you stayed like that for a long time, making you almost forget your idea.

“But what if we actually got some new piercings?” you posed as a question when the two rogues finally broke their kiss and stared tenderly at each other after.

Staeve's gaze immediately snapped to you and he began grinning, face lighting up with some radiant energy. You could always count on him for a quick and probably somewhat stupid idea.

“Absolutely not,” Astarion exclaimed though and huddled around so he lay as before, picking his book up again and forcing both you and Staeve to readjust positions again. Well, his standpoint on the whole thing was clear.

But Staeve and you were still grinning at each other in agreement.

“You do whatever you imbeciles want but no one is touching me with a needle!” the vampire reiterated and shimmied himself around deeper into his pillows. A steep wrinkle formed between his furrowed brows as he made a show of focusing on his book again, basically making the pages snap as he opened it up at his bookmark. But Staeve was already up and about to grab supplies for your endeavour.

“Your loss then,” you whispered to Astarion and leaned over for a quick kiss to take the frown of his face. It worked quite nicely.

“Don't let Staeve poke your eye out, darling,” Astarion purred when you pulled away again, raising one of his eyebrows.

You stuck your tongue out at him and made to get up. But the remaining rogue quickly grabbed for your wrist and pulled you back onto him for a longer, deeper kiss - arm around your waist so you couldn’t so easily escape.

“Don't poke out his either, sweetheart,” Astarion mumbled when you withdrew “I like my lovers each with both their pretty eyes.”

You gave him a peck onto the tip of his nose.

“Well, who says I'm not doing the nipple piercings after all?” you retorted and jumped up to go after the half-drow while Astarion offered you a fiendish grin at the proposition.

Shortly after, you and Staeve had returned with supplies: needles out of your packs, strong liquor from the camp supplies and of course some suiting gold rings.

Despite the expressed interest for something else, you had decided to let Staeve pierce your bottom lip so you could put a ring through it. And now after he had poured some alcohol over the needle you were sitting in front of each other with crossed legs - while Astarion watched from the back with a perpetually raised eyebrow.

“Have you done this before?” you asked the half-drow as he bit his lip and obviously didn't know how to get going.

“Of course! I've done all my piercings myself. Also pierced others before,” he answered and kept inspecting your lips as if there was something new to see. As if he wasn’t staring enough at them every single day already.

You eyed Staeve's ears and the rings dangling from them. Some of the spots had healed a little roughly it seemed. “And all your victims so far still live?” you asked sceptically and grabbed the bottle of liquor that Staeve still had beside him to take a good swig from it. Staeve pressed his lips into a thin line as he watched you drink, clearly not even thinking the question worth an answer.

“Having second thoughts, darling?” Astarion threw in sarcastically, staring at you from under his brows when he had seen your questioning glance at Staeve's answer.

“I'm surprised you'd let him put a needle into you. Some days I'm surprised he remembers to use the pointy end of his dagger,” the vampire continued while letting his eyes drop to his book again and pointedly turned over to the next page.

Staeve puckered his lips and stared down Astarion who must've felt it and lifted his gaze again to stare right back. “Just leave me something to kiss,” the pale elf concluded and went back to reading.

The half-drow sighed and grabbed the bottle of liquor from you and also downed a fair amount - not exactly adding to your trust in him. But with some liquid courage within him he cracked his neck and made to get to work.

He softly grabbed your bottom lip between his index and thumb, softly tugging. His teal eyes flitted over it while he hesitantly brought up the needle to it. Meanwhile your silver eyes remained firmly on your partner, watching as his lips slightly parted and a light frown formed on his face. Silence spread for a few long heartbeats.

“Your hands are trembling, love,” you muttered, with as much clarity as your caught bottom lip allowed for.

Staeve's eyes jumped to yours, a hint of desperation lit up in his eyes.

“How am I supposed to do this with you staring at me like that, sweetie, hm?”

One of your eyebrows jumped up, lips curling into a smirk.

“So what you're saying is I am distracting you with my piercing eyes?” you teased.

Staeve rolled his eyes at you but smiled. And both of you heard how Astarion clicked his tongue at you.

“I don't want to hurt you,” the half-drow whispered once he had shaken off your stupid joke.

“Surprisingly this doesn't seem to be a common problem with you,” you gave back slightly breathy and watched a soft shade of pink colour Staeve's cheeks.

Then he tugged harder on your lip, making you whimper slightly in the process. “Well, if you say so, Tav,” your lover teased in a low tone, leaning ever closer to you with a mischievous glint in his eyes, biting his own lip now.

“Please, don't have too much fun without me,” Astarion commented from the back in a mockingly dry and bored tone.

Your eyes jumped to the vampire who wasn't even looking at you.

And suddenly you felt a sharp sting that caught you off guard. A single yelp left you, then you looked back at Staeve and - blinking a few times to manage the pain - realised that he had pushed the needle cleanly through. He grinned triumphantly at you.

Without letting go of the needle he grabbed the golden ring you had picked out and carefully threaded it around your bottom lip once he had pulled the needle out. Then he softly dabbed off some blood with some clean cloth.

You didn't even further react to all of it until he finished his job with a very delicate kiss on your lips (that still sent another sting of pain through the wound but you barely minded).

“There you go,” Staeve grinned at you. “Looks hot!”

You grinned back and flinched only a little when you felt some pain from the movement.

“Turn your head for me, darling?” Astarion demanded back from his vantage point. You obeyed and underlined your new accessory by adding a playful wink. The vampire rewarded you with his signature smirk and hummed approvingly: “I have to agree with you, Staeve darling, it does suit her.”

The half-drow puffed out his chest in pride, extremely satisfied with himself and his work. He kept looking at you, eyes wandering over your new piece of jewellery again and again.

Then, while pain began to slowly throb through your lip you got up from your cross-legged position.

“Now your turn,” you said as you got up and grabbed a fresh needle. Staeve's mouth moved silently as you quickly poured some of the alcohol over the needle and were already reaching for one of his ears. He had opted for another earring for a longer row down his pointy ears.

What he had not opted for was how fast and eager you were to get to it now that you were already dealt with. He lifted his hands defensively and leaned away from you.

“Don't you just want to take a break first, see how you are with the pa-” “Don't chicken out on me, darling,” you immediately interrupted him and grabbed for his ear with a wicked grin and glint in your eyes.

Staeve yelped and still tried to lean away from you despite you already having a grip on him. This went on until he lost balance and toppled over. You had no problem with this and quickly followed him, climbing onto him until you were straddling him - his ear still in your grasp and in your other hand the needle.

“Love, I'd really appreciate some of the restraint I showed towards you,” the half-drow pleaded, one hand still held up to guard himself and with the other holding himself slightly upward to not fully lose control of the situation.

“Looks like someone delights a lot more in pain than you do, Staeve love,” the vampire once more threw in. This time he had actually lowered his book. This was all way too entertaining now.

You answered your vampire with another fiendish grin, then looked at the rogue beneath you once more.

“Have mercy, darling!” Staeve pleaded once more but you saw now how he could barely contain a grin himself. The twitching corners of his mouth gave him away.

“This is going to be it, Staeve? This is how you'd beg when she basically has you by the balls? Pathetic,” Astarion teased ruthlessly and then clicked his tongue again. Staeve and you shared a glance. Both of you knew the vampire would make much more of a fuss would he be in the half-drow’s position now.

The rogue beneath you made a slightly despaired noise, then took another breath and looked you straight in the eyes: “Alright, you know what. Tav, ge- wait a second!” He interrupted himself and grabbed the bottle of liquor again, downing the rest of it with impressive speed.

“Get it over with,” he finished and then turned his head slightly to give you better access to the side of his head. He was still eyeing you cautiously.

And as you moved in until the needle was almost touching his ear, his free hand snapped up and grabbed your hand: “Count to three? Please?”

His eyes were genuine this time when he asked that of you. Your gaze softened, your hand with the needle dropped slightly. And with your other you softly let your thumb wander over your lover's much darker skin.

“You don't have to do this, Staeve,” you whispered and let go of his ear to softly cup his cheek and turn his face around to you. You softly pressed a kiss to his lips, biting through the pain immediately shooting through your lip doing this. Staeve let go of your hand to mirror you, the pad of his thumb softly stroking over your cheek as you kissed.

But when you lifted your head up again you saw the determined glint in his eyes, being sure he wouldn't pull out of this, no matter what.

“Hells no, I want to do this. Just - count to three,” he asked of you. You simply smirked and grabbed his chin to turn his head back to the former position.

“Ready?” you asked and felt how some nervousness welled up inside you too as you carefully aligned the needle with your partner's ear.

Staeve slightly nodded as he looked at you. He trusted you after all. Even Astarion was still watching right now.

You took a deep breath - as did he. Your eyes were firmly on him.

“One,” you said - and pushed the needle through the half-drow’s ear.

Naturally, you took him fully by surprise. His mouth opened, ready to let out a yowl of pain but then realised it wasn’t nearly as bad as he thought. “Oww?” he made, more question than exclamation of pain, while you already pulled the needle through and fiddled with his new earring.

“Well, I could do that again anytime,” Staeve boasted afterwards and leaned forward - until he had to wrap his arms around you to stop you from falling off his lap. You grabbed a cloth and cleaned up his ear while he kept grinning at you insufferably and you pouted at him for how easily he swatted away his hesitancy from before.

“You like it, darling?” he shouted towards Astarion fishing for a compliment like you had gotten and meanwhile fully ignored your attitude.

The vampire rolled his eyes then nodded in exaggeration at Staeve, putting on some massive histrionics. Then he rolled his eyes again and went back to reading.

“Are you guys done now? Can I finally read in peace again?” Astarion spat towards you as Staeve let his hand wander up your back and rubbed the tip of his nose against yours.

“Still no nipple piercings for you?” the half-drow suggested cheekily and threw his other lover a glance. But the addressed vampire just stared at him in annoyance for his insolent proposition and shook his head - moving up his book to block both of you out of his view while he muttered something under his breath. Something about what he must have done to end up in this situation.

And while he kept softly muttering to himself, Staeve looked back at you, softly motioning towards Astarion with his head and a slight grin on his lips. You immediately fully understood his intention.

Without further need for communication the two of you dashed back towards your third and smothered him in between you: showering him with kisses while wrapping all of your limbs around him. Basically giving him not a single chance to escape your joint affection. The book was quickly wrestled out of his hand and discarded to the side.

Of course the vampire took it with hissing and many very verbal complaints but he simply couldn’t resist his partners showering him with the love he deserved. In the end he let himself be happily swept up between the two of you. All of the affection making him almost forget that it hadn’t always been like that.

It took a while before the tangle of limbs calmed down again. By the end you were almost in the same position again as you had started the whole night with, neatly wrapped up in each other.

Astarion looked at the two of you softly since you had seemingly used up all of your chaotic energy for the day.

When he took in your face, one of his eyebrows jumped up as he looked down to your freshly pierced lip. By now you could certainly feel it swell up and how it began to throb in pain.

Before you could question his intention, Astarion leaned towards you and softly licked up a fresh trickle of blood from the wound. All while retaining eye contact with you and sending shivers down your spine. Afterwards his lips stayed for a kiss - cautious of course, to not cause you more pain. You would have loved to deepen the kiss more and see where it could possibly lead. But you knew the pain would make you regret it and so it remained quite chaste.

When the kiss ended, Staeve immediately inserted himself back into the situation: “And are you taking care of my ear too, or…”

“I’m definitely not going to lick your godsdamned ear, Staeve!” Astarion answered with a snarl.

The other rogue pouted.

And that surprisingly was all that had been needed for Astarion to give in despite himself. With a loud sigh, he turned over and softly pressed some light kisses to his lover’s new earring. Staeve grinned at him contentedly and drew him back in for another open-mouthed kiss that went on until all of you slowly felt the exhaustion of the day finally catch up with you.

Slowly the three of you settled into serene silence: only the campfire still crackling, soft breaths drifting off into the aether and the sound of two hearts beating for three filled the night now.

It would have been perfect to just drift into your dreams now - if only it hadn’t been for the pain that now really kept bothering you.

You caught Staeve’s gaze and saw the same agony mirrored on his face - especially since he was laying on the side of his freshly pierced ear. You made a face towards your half-drow partner. He answered you in like.

But neither of you would have bothered to get up and do something about it. Especially not if it meant letting go of your vampire for only a second.

But Astarion noticed anyway.

“Regretting the consequences of your actions, darlings?” he teased with a bit of bite in his tone. But when both you and Staeve made big eyes at him, he simply sighed. Then he tried to detangle himself with quite some effort and got up.

“Where are you going, Astarion? You can’t just leave us here, not if we’re hurting!” you exclaimed and immediately shimmied over into Staeve’s open arms since the spot between you was empty now.

“I’m going to get the druid to fix you up. I can’t have you die of an infection because of this. Not before either the tadpole or I get to you,” Astarion responded with some annoyance masking his actual care for the two of you as he was already stomping away.

“Or do you rather want me to get Shadowheart?” the vampire teased you.

Staeve and you looked at each other. Both of you could imagine the amount of judgement you’d receive from the cleric.

“Halsin,” you exclaimed in unison and heard Astarion laugh slightly in response. And then you waited until your temporary missing piece returned to make the three of you whole again.

Taglist (DM if you want to be added please): @spacebarbarianweird @sunfire-ancunin @tragedybunny @dependsonthedream @tallymonster @magazzne @micropoe10 @aoirohi @my-bunny-prince @lumienyx @fayeriess @darlingxdragon @hereliesblackdragon @ayselluna @ajokeformur-ray @i-cant-get-into-my-other-account @rikuyrk06 @marina-and-the-memes

[karniss-bg3]

I just want to add to the last ask, it's so hard to figure out Kar'niss actual alignment because he is given so little space for his own personality to show. He is being used for a cause and his mind was messed with to align with that cause. He was cast out by one horrible cult and before he could go through any phase of self discovery (cause, you know, a cult barely leaves space for that) he was snatched by another cult. It's pretty safe to say that there was no space in his life to ever figure out what HE wants.

Following the Absolute he pretty much has his sense of self entirely tied to that. And it's so tragic. There is no room for anything else and given that nobody bothers to interact with him on a normal level, it's truly all he has left.

I found it quite frustrating that upon meeting him we can't even talk to him in peace without being interrupted by someone else in almost every conversation choice.

He's not treated like a person by anyone really. They say horrible things either straight to him or so loudly that he'd definitely hear it. And those who don't simply are too afraid, like Kansif who can't even look him in the eyes.

And yet, if you talk to him in the few moments where you actually get to do so without being interrupted, there's not a single meanspirited thing coming from his side towards the player.

He's very very mentally ill and disturbed, but he's not a rabid animal that will attack unprovoked.

Every time he gets angry, there's a reason for it that could have been avoided. Like people not listening to what he told them and the 'compliments' you can give him as a Dark Urge aren't really compliments. You can't call someone beautiful and an abomination in the same sentence and expect them to be happy. And when you ask him if you can look at the lantern it's also so ... idk, it's icky. You do it in a way as if you already assume you can. It's like as if someone I just met wants to inspect my phone and assumes it's gonna be fine, I'd also be like wtf?? No?

If we had the option to interact more with him and overall be nicer and more considerate I'm sure some things would play out very differently.

And I think if given the chance he'd have one of the most interesting and emotionally intense romance routes in the game.

There is SO much to unpack. There is so much to work through, but also so much potential for an amazing outcome. Or something deeply tragic. Either way, I'm sure it would leave an impact and it could be great. But his story would need a lot of time to make it work, and it needs to be handled very delicately. He's not like a quick fling you can just write into the game, like for example the drow twins. I can barely imagine anything more cruel than giving him a bit of actual affection and a connection outside of the Absolute and then just leaving him behind and taking it away again.

So I personally think the most we can realistically hope for is a few interactions where we can at least NOT be rude or outright awful to him.

But maybe the devs will surprise us and figure out a way to let us bring him along. I'd honestly be so insanely happy. I really want something good for him. He is one of those characters who feels the least deserving of the fate and treatment he got and it's so heartbreaking.

I love this response, no notes to really add. This sums it up in a solid way. I'll always hope for better options in terms of Kar'niss, side character be damned. We love who we love, can't help that!

Thanks for the response!

[ohsayit]

Fishing out voiced lines (part 1)

So, I have been trying to datamine for the cut Absolute Zevlor. I can't seem to get the parser to work so I have only been looking at the dialogues from 1.0 onwards.

Couldn't find anything other than the one line on the top of one of the files that says he reveals himself a traitor in a conversation but with no actual dialogue being shown. At the moment, I am going through this video from 3 years ago, so pre release I believe. I am trying to fish out bits that sticks out to me that may possibly be part of the cut Absolute Zevlor lines, and also cheery pick some lines for my own liking. They will possibly will feed into the unknown HC of Absolute Zevlor of mine : )

I'd ask who you are, but I've heard of the Blade of Frontiers. I've heard he was a hero though, not a thug.

I have no idea what you mean, my friend.

Allegiance is a murky thing, particularly for a drow.

This is it. I pray I haven't led them all to ruin.

Who in the Nine Hells do you think you are?

(Speak with the dead) Finish..the plan...

(SWD) Go...where...they belong...

Just how much did that damn goblin tell you?

I..I didn't expect to meet a True Soul here.

I know how to pick my allegiances toom, and the Absolute has already won this war.

Ready, at last. Gods, how I've waited for this day.

That was close. Far far too close.

She was not yours to kill. We Might have bought save passage with her.

And you name me the traitor? Gods above, you are working with them!

It's good to know about your story at true.

Looking for information about her tribe. The same fellow who attacked at the gate.

And the Absolute wants them, badly. I will have my reward. I am sure they will be taken care of.

No matter this idiot overheard me. The others will never believe their reluctant leader Zevlor follows the absolute.

You, however, don't factor into it at all.

And so are you. If you ever interfere in my business again, that I promise you.

Shh. Not in mixed company, my friend.

To that point, there is something I'd like to speak with you about, but not in mixed company.

If you stop shouting, they might not find us!

Tilly, there will be time to explain, but we cannot let ourselves be divided now.

Do you have any idea what you have done? What you have ruined?

(SWD) I would have...sacrificed...them all! For the Absolute...

If these sheep can buy me a place among the wolves, then I will use them as I will.

What did you just say?

Ah, a new deity the goblins have taken to. I hoped the prisoner might be more forthcoming about their plan if she thought me had sympathise her.

Tell me what you know.

These people are mine. She can't have them.

I don't know what waits and I don't care. They chose to put their lives in my hands. Why thank you.

Around here? That sounds...dangerous. There is only so far you can push people.

You will soon find out how wrong you are...

You throw away everything I worked for. Why?!

(SWD) I heard tells...whispers...a new power...could raise up those who had been cast out...

Unskilled in the liar who convinces only himself

But they flocked to me when Elturel rejected us. When they needed a sword arm.

You..! Where did you get that mark?

What do you know about the Absolute?!

This one is interesting. It says he is not a Rider. I thought about if he was lying about it, but it doesn't make any sense. It's interesting to see there was an alt background for him. Though I am still die hard fan for Rider Zevlor. Delicious old man.

"I am Zevlor, by the by. Former school teacher, presently, well, something of a defacto leader to beleaguered people"

And he also have some voice lines that belongs to Aradin? lol

We've got a contract to track down some relic. And he wanted in on the job. Eyes lit up when he heard about it.

Well, this is going to make a part 2 to it when I am in the mood to carry on with my English listening test I guess :P I am half an hour in for 1hr 25mi ish audio recordings. Though I feel like a chuck of them are repetitive as I've already listened to.

Sorry I have to put the tag headcanon with this one. I don't have another tag for character analysis (my more written up gibberish) and these sort of bits of information and what not.

[we-ask-beforewe-bite]

Gale: This is a bit much for me. Back home in Waterdeep, I prefer to have Tara leave the room before I undress. Levis: You're quite sure? I promise it would be a tressym-free tryst... Gale: I appreciate that - but I can't help how I feel. I'd rather tangle with a dragon than get tangled in all those limbs.

[ Full transcript ⇩ ]

Nym Orlith: My, my, I can tell you are a special one from a single glance. You have but to ask, and we can grant you a moment of pleasure. Don't be shy. Levis: How did you end up here? Sorn Orlith: I used to work as a courtesan back home, and my sister as an artisanal masseuse, but men are treated like dogs by the Underdark's Matriarchs, so we fled. Nym Orlith: We found surfacers crave the body of a Drow like a drug. Life is easy in our line of work. Levis: Don't you want a change? Nym Orlith: Perhaps once we have saved more gold another adventure will begin. We've had busier days, but life is comfortable here with Mamzell. Levis: Maybe I would like to share it with you, then. Sorn Orlith:Trust me, you don't want to miss my signature Menzoberranzan Love Trick. Nym Orlith: And is that your partner with you? What a gorgeous couple... perhaps we could come to an agreement. Levis: Why are you interested in my partner? Nym Orlith: Well, there are two of us, aren't there? Use your imagination. Levis: I would like to hire both of you. And I hope my partner will join us as well. Gale: This is a bit much for me. Back home in Waterdeep, I prefer to have Tara leave the room before I undress. Levis: You're quite sure? I promise it would be a tressym-free tryst... Gale: I appreciate that - but I can't help how I feel. I'd rather tangle with a dragon than get tangled in all those limbs. Nym Orlith: A shame, but either, one of us will be ready for you, if you wish to have us.

[silver-horse]

the topic of the shield of screams and the cut zevlor scene reminded me why this game in some aspects was a tiny bit of a letdown. (at least compared to early access because it's still one of the best narratives I ever had the pleasure of playing through) Many things added to the game during early access were so much more detailed, such thought went into them.

During the party celebration you went to camp and you saw Volo performing! (that was also cut) Then you had that talk with Zevlor after all he is the leader of the people you saved. It all felt so lively and natural.

And they considered things like "ok Nere is a sorcerer not a wizard. sorcerers don't learn their spells, they don't have full control over it so let's add a spell that is entirely unique and personal" and that is not only interesting but also a brilliant story telling tool for a video game. And the game was full of this stuff. This applies to the player character as well. NPCs reacted to your character based on what race or class you were playing. I wrote posts about how my chosen race (half-drow) has ZERO reactivity in acts 2 and 3. Every single reaction line NPCs have is the act 1 stuff that was already there when I played early access. Basically when it comes to the finer details the difference between ea and full release is noticeable. In large strokes they made an incredible game and story. But your individual experience won't be all that unique because the minor details are lacking in later acts.

Act 3 feels much more rushed and surface level compared to act 1. And so many scenes were cut from Act 1, I really do wonder if they cut those just to make sure Act 1 doesn't feel too good compared to the rest. tbh during ea I got used to how everything was full of life and realistic reactivity. I sometimes reload many times to look at every dialogue path or I try to check "what ifs". what if I do these quests not in the traditional order etc. During early access my experience was "wow they really considered that weird possibility. there is a reaction to that" In act 3 or even act 2... most of the time if I do slightly odd things, the game cannot react, there is no dialogue acknowledging certain choices, there isn't even dialogue where npcs notice the player's race, it's like npcs are blind to some things around them (like in most games).

I am just sad they didn't spend more time developing. because we would have been happy playing early access for as long as it lasts. it was enjoyable following the development and waiting for the new little tidbits. and everyone who didn't participate in that would have bought the full game later and they also would have been more pleased with the final result. it's just a pity act 3 was so rushed. I hope they will keep working on it. I hope new patches will be a bit like early access where with each new patch some new things were added. because especially the big ending is super rushed compared to the rest of the game.

[optiwashere]

Are there any fics about Asheera and Shadowheart talking about specific scenes that the do in the fics? I was reading Bend to Break to Mend (10/10 will read again) and although it's implied in the text I.e "tapping Shadowheart's toe on Asheera's boot" I don't know if there is any out right discussion about it.

Id guess a reason would be Shadowheart being raised the way she was would make it almost impossible to directly express those desires but she must have said something right?

Hey anon!

Thanks for reading that fic, it's one of my personal favorites of my own work 💜 The third chapter still hits me emotionally, at least if I can stomach to reread it without wanting to make a million edits lol.

Bit of a long post.

If I assume you mean a type of setup scene — kink negotiation, discussing safety measures — then that's something that I think, personally, works better as allusion most of the time rather than as a fully written scene.

We know that they've discussed safety in the scene you're talking about, and I made sure to use that "tell" multiple times in that chapter to really highlight this. There's one point where I wrote that Shadowheart uses a "halting command" or similar language for the same reason.

Additionally, the CNC scene you're talking about is referenced briefly in chapter one as Shadowheart having shared the fantasy.

So it's not that they don't talk about this, but rather that I prefer to weave it into the writing instead of having a stock "Negotiation Scene -> Kink Scene -> Aftercare" sequence all the time where the characters go point-by-point about what they want to do.

That said, I've definitely had that kinda sequence! Her Private Shore, Make a Mess of Her, Rope Has the Finest Touch... maybe more? Some of the Kinktober fics are a bit fuzzy in my head lol. Her Private Shore at least is a fic where, like parts of Bend to Break to Mend, Shadowheart specifically talks about wanting to indulge in kink or various types of kink.

Otherwise, in shorter works, I tend to assume the reader will buy in to the type of scene as something they've discussed beforehand. Not that that can't be interesting to read, but it's genuinely difficult to thread the needle from "kink negotiation" to "sexy scene" in fiction. In real life, we can't allude to discussions or boundaries and we have to set them early on. In fiction, if written well enough, the reader can be led to believe that the discussion's already been had.

It's a very fine line that I try to walk between showing negotiation or safety setups all while keeping things spicy and fun. I don't wanna turn the erotica element into a "how-to guide" so to speak.

As for the last bit...

Shadowheart would have issues pushing for these things but is, in a moment of excitement for some reason or another, delighted to share fantasies that she might not have been able to indulge in before. In-game, if you have group sex with the drow, it's literally said that she has fantasies she's all too willing to express once she's in the moment. Asheera and Shadowheart don't wind up doing that, so it's generally part of the fic buy-in. But Shadowheart is also more open with Asheera in the fics anyways because I assume the readers are familiar with the game.

It's also not like Sharrans reject sexuality, but it's used as a tool rather than for pleasure.

So Shadowheart might not necessarily have trouble expressing sexual desire, but rather that she has a very skewed view on what sex is and that causes issues for her.

[theladysherlock]

talk shop tuesday! you get to talk about music a lot on your blog (and i can't help but to admire how diverse it is!). does music play a part in your artistic process? if so, is it inspired more by lyrics or the tune itself?

Haha, once again thwarted by my inability to shut up. haveyouheardthisband has been a boon to my blog, truly. The trick to having a diverse music taste is to have a friend who knows more about music than you do and will give you recommendations. This has never failed me before.

In general, I usually prefer lyrics to the melody when I'm listening to music, or at the very least I find that interesting lyrics are what turn a good song into a great song. So when I get inspired by a song to make an art piece (which is often) it's because there have been some lyrics rattling around in my head like stones in a rock tumblr.

I have lots of ideas for lyric-based drawings but I haven't quite figured out how I want to set them up, so they're on the back burner for now. I also do NOT have the patience for animatics, so I won't be making any of those anytime soon (but I have edited them before and that was a lot of fun! if anyone has any animatics ideas they want to draw but they don't want to edit them feel free to hit me up)

The two most notable song-based drawings are pieces I used to experiment with some lighting techniques. And I still really like them, so I'm going to brag a little bit. Under the cut!

[ID: A drawing of Alek from Leviathan in casual wear, looking up, shielding his eyes from the sun, and grinning at something off camera. He's in the middle of a sunny quad with a Neoclassical Building in the background]

Starting off with this drawing of Alek! This is an older piece ("older" meaning early 2021) that I still like. It was my blog banner for a loooong time and I stand by that. This drawing was the first time I used multiply and overlay layers for shading, and I wanted to play with colored highlights and shadows, and mixing hard and soft shadows. I think it worked pretty well, especially for my first attempt.

The song associated with this one was Heirloom by Sleeping At Last, which is about generational trauma and escaping cycles. I got really really emotional about the thought of Alek being truly, legitimately happy after the end of the books, which was only possible because he rejected his claim to the throne. "You are so much more than your father's son / you are so much more than the wars you've won" just rattled around nonstop in my brain, and I'm pretty sure I hid the line somewhere in the grass and then blurred it beyond all legibility.

Now that I think about it I should do a redraw of this one

[ID: a nighttime drawing of Mina, a brown-skinned Aasimar woman cuddling with Halia, a drow elf woman. Both are in their nightclothes and Halia is asleep. Mina has a concerned look on her face.]

This piece is from only a few months ago. Unlike the drawing of Alek, I didnt originally intend for it to be a lighting experiment. This was fully inspired by the song The Crow by Dessa, which is such a Mina song that I couldn't escape it. Specifically, it was inspired by the line "I can't ask you to show love / but would it kill you if you did?" I just really wanted to draw my girl visibly struggling with the mortifying ordeal of being known.

Once the main part of the drawing was done, I started playing around with the night lighting, and I got excited about the idea of showing a street light shining through and casting some shadows on the two. If I had planned it out that way originally I think I would have done some more work to make the shadows follow contours, but for a spur of the moment decision I'm really happy with it.

[porphyriosao3]

Buried Pasts

"I want to apologize," Gale said uncertainly from the edge of the clearing.  Tav glanced up, then away, mouth still pressed in a firm line.  "I'm not sure what... that is, I certainly didn't mean..."

"If we are going to spend much more time together, Gale, you should understand that when I say 'leave me alone for a bit' it's in your best interest to do so," the drow snapped.  After a moment Tav visibly forced his anger away, sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose.  "No, you're here now, I suppose.  By all means, sit."  Gale stepped forward with a cautious look, seating himself on a fallen log after a drying cantrip ensured the dampness wouldn't soak through his pants.  Tav folded down as well, though barely within arm's reach - some habits were very hard to break.

"I... thought I was paying you a compliment," the wizard murmured.  "I certainly never meant anything..." he trailed off.

"I know."  Tav's fingers smoothed across his thighs, erasing invisible wrinkles from the fabric of his trousers.  "We all have pasts, Gale."  Turning, red eyes caught dark ones in the gloom.  Tav's moon-pale hair seemed to glow in the evening gloaming.  "Tell me, then.  If I said 'it seems strange that you bother to be good at magic when you could have stayed Mystra's toy boy', how would you feel?"  Hurt flashed across the bearded face.

"Toy boy?"  Gale said, face flushing and clearly making an effort to restrain his fury.  "I never... I wasn't..."

"Exactly.  But in some contexts, it could seem that she groomed you into a loving relationship, couldn't it?  Made herself the focal point of your life, kept you from other friends, made her opinion of you - her praise - the most important thing in your life?"  Gale was clearly furious now, breath coming hard.  Tav gave a polished, brittle smile that would have made Astarion proud to give it.  "You see how things change based on how they are presented?"

"I don't have to sit here and listen to..." Gale shouted before stopping himself and taking a breath.  "Alright.  Alright.  I'm going to try to see what you're saying, and ignore how insulted I feel right now, because I'm sure there's a reason.  Please explain to me what I said that made you think saying that was justified."  Tav was impressed, in spite of himself; he was half expecting the wizard to storm off.  He wasn't sure it would have been the worst thing; he really didn't want to explain himself, but it seemed that was in the cards after all.

"As you say," Tav grimaced.  "You have survived the return strike, custom demands that you receive your explanation."  At Gale's raised eyebrows, Tav smiled mirthlessly.  "A custom of my people, you see.  Not one most survive encountering, but you have done so.  When we are hurt, we offer the same hurt back.  To fail to do so is a mark of weakness... or intentional disrespect.  I respect you enough to return the blow, and... and I will never again be too weak to do so."  The jet black features were as still as a statue made of obsidian, but Tav's eyes burned.  "Never again."

"I... see," Gale said as he clearly did not.  "Thank you?  Maybe?  Though if that is how I made you feel I apologize again.  It wasn't..."

"Words do not apologize, my sweet," Tav smiled.  "Words are a weak reed.  Deeds are everything.  Let me tell you a tale, then, so that you will understand.  Say there was a child... a noble child, but a man-child.  No future priestess, this, nor general, for all his famous blood and his family's prestige in the service of the Lady of Webs.  His name was long, his lineage storied, but at the end he was just a boy.  Useless."  Gale's eyebrows drew down, clearly visible to Tav in the gloom.  Clearly the wizard was beginning to understand.  Tav wished he wouldn't, but... honor demanded the rest of the story.  Sometimes he hated being Drow. "Say also, that this family had enemies, as all the great houses of Menzoberranzan did, and do, and ever will.  Say that those enemies demanded a penance for a wrong, real or imagined, and this family decided that their son... this useless, worthless son... be offered as their sacrifice.  He was pretty, this boy, and his blood was the purest of the pure.  He had all the marks of the highborn.  His hair was cobweb pale, his skin was clear and obsidian-dark, he... he had the web of the Lady as a birthmark."  Gale's harsh inhale was clearly audible.  He had seen that mark himself on his lover's shoulder.  "He was sent to the Houses of Pleasure, since many of the lowborn would revel in the chance to bed one of the great ones, you see?"  He smiled, a twisted, angry thing.  "To take some tiny bit of their misery out on one who could represent those who had wronged them."

"Tav..." the wizard's hand found his arm and he twitched away, not wanting to be touched.  "I'm... I had no idea."

"This boy," Tav continued evenly, voice stable as if he was telling a bedtime story, "this boy went with all the pride in his house, and for ten long years he was trained in the ways of so-called pleasure.  Pleasure for others, of course; never for him.  Even so, he was taught each step, and that vaunted pride of his was taken from him slice by slice, piece by piece, bit by bit... until there was nothing left but a fearful whore."  For the first time his voice trembled, just a bit; these were not memories he could stand to examine much.  "His name was taken, of course; there was no possible reason to allow a prostitute a name longer than a single syllable.  And so it stayed, for years.  Long, long years."

The woods had darkened while Tav spoke, and he knew Gale could no longer see in the gloom though the wizard's face was as clear to him as if they sat in bright daylight.  He knew, also, that Gale wasn't thinking of that, else he would never have let his horror show on his face like he was.  "And..." the wizard rasped, then cleared his throat before continuing.  "And what happened then?  To... to this boy?"

"Ah," Tav said, "a curious thing.  One day, this boy... now a man, full-grown, though accounted just as lovely... one day there was a shaking of the earth.  Earth tremors on the surface are unnerving, I'm told, but unless severe they are disregarded.  In the Underdark, tremors are deadly, and more than.  They are the killers of many.  Menzoberranzan is guarded by webs of spells, but Lady Lolth thinks it amusing to have them fail betimes.  It is how she keeps her faithful needy, you see... and one day, a quake struck and the web failed.  Just a bit, but enough to smash the House of Painful Flowers.  And this noble son, he saw a chance to escape his life of misery, if only by an early death, so into the rent in the wall he went.  Racing, falling, stumbling, he went, until he was scraped and bleeding, and even his eyes were failing to pierce the gloom.  And there in the deepest places he found a room lost in time.  There was a statue there, and on the statue there was a symbol that was like nothing this boy - this man - had ever seen.  And there he bargained with the thing that statue was made to represent, and there he got the power he needed to escape the guards who searched for him, to make his way to the surface, to begin to actually live after decades of living death."

"How long... how long had you..." Gale began to ask before an ebon hand sealed his mouth.

"Shut up," Tav hissed furiously.  "Not me!  Keep your tongue still, and do not offer me insult.  I do not say this is anything to do with... with... just be silent, for once."  If Gale couldn't realize that Tav would have to kill him if he insisted.  He drew in a shuddering breath before continuing.  "Some say that once this person we discuss had come to the surface, they were barely there a week before he was captured by a flying ship of the haszakkin.  But others may tell the story differently.  We may never know the truth."  With that traditional ending, he pulled his hand away, hoping the wizard had heard everything... including the bits that could not be said.

"I... yes, well," Gale said, picking his way with care.  "It seems to me that a young man in that situation - any young man - is far braver than anyone gave them credit for, and deserves nothing but the best ending to their story."  Tav was silent, ignoring the moisture on one cheek.  The hand on his back was more welcome, now; it seemed the wizard had heard him after all.  Perhaps he wasn't totally hopeless.  "And... I think now I understand why anyone would make a deal such as you describe.  So would I.  So would anyone."

"Let's go back to camp," was Tav's response.  If he held the wizard's hand on their way back... it was only to guide him safely, of course. 

[zandalorscat]

How do I decide which class and race to play first when Baldur's Gate 3 is released? How will you decide?

My own brainstorming below. I haven't tried early access or followed the early access coverage, so I'm coming in fairly fresh and am going off what I like to play in DnD 5e.

Classes

- Druid would be fun, because I love Speak with animals and wildshape. I can't wait to see all the animal dialogues and problem solving you can do with those, Larian seem to have worked incredibly hard to provide fun content like that for us to find. Also, it's a huge plus that druids are good healers.

- Cleric, because clerics are my all-time favorite class. Great at healing and can also cast Speak with animals, I think. If I do go cleric, do I base it on a character I've played in DnD before or pick something suitable based on race?

- Paladin. I know very little about how paladins work in BG3, but at some point I'd love to play one. There is just something very compelling about them. Also, they can do a bit of healing and deal large amounts of damage in the right circumstances.

Races:

- Drow. I've loved drow ever since I met Viconia in BG1. The Underdark is so interesting. I'd probably play a Good surface drow from the start rather than one who starts out as a Lolth-worshipper and changes her ways during the playthrough. I don't enjoy playing Evil at all and doubt I'd stick with it for very long.

- Elf. This is the first RPG that actually makes elven PCs look attractive and interesting to me. I'm generally not much of an elf person, except for drow.

- Tiefling. They're visually cool and it would be interesting to let my OC tiefling war cleric meet Karlach.

- Halfing. I love halflings a lot and they look great in BG3. I'm not sure how much being halfling is going to matter in this game though. I know we'll meet a bunch of humans, drow etc. but how often will we come across halflings?

[morgana-ren]

Do drow have any cool lore bits that isn't stomping their men into the ground lmao xD

I mean, I'd say under most circumstances, that's pretty based. They're a matriarchal society in the most serious form of the word. You know how men tend to treat women here? That. Men are nothing but sex objects and something used for breeding and pleasure and then are cast aside. Real Tate Sisters 'speak when spoken to' shit.

Drow were essentially banished from the surface, so you'll typically find them dwelling in the underdark. They aren't treated on the surface well either, and are discriminated against similar to Tieflings-- although probably worse. Drow are seen as evil creatures that are going to steal your children in the night. They tend to face a lot of hardships even just trying to lead a simple existence when it comes to surface dwelling. You'll note how everyone reacts to a playable drow character in Baldur's Gate. It's a lot like that... but probably worse.

Little known, there's actually two factions of drow that boil down to the bare bones of 'good' drow and 'evil' drow, or Seldarine Drow vs. Spider Queen Lolth faithful drow.

Seldarine are much more stereotypical good, nature, harmony, beauty and song and all that real hippy shit. Lolth Sworn... will steal your children in the night. Yeah. Their loyalty lies to their ruthless spider queen, and yeah, they would do it if she asked.

You've seen what Lady Lolth does to those who fail her. See: Driders.

Being dwellers of the underdark, they have photosensitivity. Like, they get disadvantage when you drag their ass up to the surface. They vastly prefer the dark, it seems.

Drizzt Do'Urden is a notable drow 'hero' that, in short, forsakes the spider queen and runs around on the surface. He faced plenty of hardships on the surface world being a drow and all, but like I said, he's a hero, so clearly word must've got around. I'm sure he's still running around somewhere. I'm actually not too sure, but I think he's technically still alive. There's a series of books about him if you're really interested in his exploits.

Remarkably intelligent little bastards. Look at Minthara. They are, in a way, all like that. Very analytical and calculating. I've heard they're also decadent, but boy howdy, you'd have to hang around Menzoberranzan to find out, and I don't think I want to end up someone's lawn decoration, thank you.

It's kind of sad. They have the perpensity for kindness and love, but the brutal political environment of their homes basically nixes it out. Backstabbing and all sorts of sabotage are pretty common-- even in ones own family. It's fucking brutal.

[findyourrp]

21+. She/Her. EST.

Please be 21+ to interact!!! 🧙

About Me: I write on Discord (primarily) or through Tumblr messages. I write in third person, past tense and around 200-400 words. I work full-time Monday through Friday so daily replies and doubling will not be happening. Replies can happen anywhere from 2 days to closer to a week so patience is a must. If it's going to take longer, then I'll try to remember to let you know. I also don't expect more than one reply out of my writing partner per week.

What I'm Looking For: Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3) roleplays. Mainly MxM ships. I do enjoy writing NSFW/smut/spicy things, but you can talk me into keeping things clean.

The Specifics: I want to write my "Tav" (a Seldarine Drow Wizard) against canon characters or OCs. As far as canons go, my top three biggest ships for him are (in order) Gale, Astarion, and Raphael. However, I'm happy to write him against anyone I know. Know being a key word. I haven't made it past Act One yet, so plots will have to take place somewhere around there (or pre-game, as I'm fine with getting a little bit AU). I don't mind minor spoilers, as I'm sure they'll slip out, but any major storyline spoilers I would like to keep away from. If you're ever unsure of what might qualify as crossing the line, please ask.

I also might be willing to try my hand at writing Astarion (possibly Gale). In those cases, though, keep in mind, while I know a lot about their backstories, I don't know everything yet, I'm sure. An amnesia plot might work well there, if that might interest anyone.

If you'd like to work something out, please message me (preferred) or like this post and I'll reach out to you first.

.

[findroleplay]

21+. She/Her. EST.

Please be 21+ to interact!!!

About Me: I write on Discord (primarily) or through Tumblr messages. I write in third person, past tense and around 200-400 words. I work full-time Monday through Friday so daily replies and doubling will not be happening. Replies can happen anywhere from 2 days to closer to a week so patience is a must. If it's going to take longer, then I'll try to remember to let you know. I also don't expect more than one reply out of my writing partner per week.

What I'm Looking For: Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3) roleplays. Mainly MxM ships. I do enjoy writing NSFW/smut/spicy things, but you can talk me into keeping things clean.

The Specifics: I want to write my "Tav" (a Seldarine Drow Wizard) against canon characters or OCs. As far as canons go, my top three biggest ships for him are (in order) Gale, Astarion, and Raphael. However, I'm happy to write him against anyone I know. Know being a key word. I haven't made it past Act One yet, so plots will have to take place somewhere around there (or pre-game, as I'm fine with getting a little bit AU). I don't mind minor spoilers, as I'm sure they'll slip out, but any major storyline spoilers I would like to keep away from. If you're ever unsure of what might qualify as crossing the line, please ask.

I also might be willing to try my hand at writing Astarion (possibly Gale). In those cases, though, keep in mind, while I know a lot about their backstories, I don't know everything yet, I'm sure. An amnesia plot might work well there, if that might interest anyone.

If you'd like to work something out, please message me (preferred) or like this post and I'll reach out to you first.

-

[theurgic-necromancer]

Yeah, that's a good point. Even if you use Speak with Dead, if you're a dick to the corpse it can choose to be a dick right back, haha. And even if you're nice, the answers can be fairly cryptic. And pretty much just murder as far as the false charges are concerned. I also used to get in trouble for breaking into places I wasn't allowed in as a kid, but I was actually guilty of that, haha.

Well, there's all sorts of gods, living and dead. Among the living we've got gods like Shar and Selûne, goddess of shadows and goddess of the moon respectively. There's Kelemvor, current god of the dead; Mystra, goddess of magic who's died and come back so many times; Lolth, the spider goddess of the Drow; Corellon Larethian, god of elves (like me). Among the dead we've got multiple very old gods whose names I could not possibly begin to pronounce, because they're so old I'm not sure those languages are even spoken anymore. In fact I'm pretty sure they aren't.

Ha, maybe if I have a chance someday I could teach you a thing or two about wizardry. I can understand why you might find the subjects a little boring if you're not allowed to do the really cool shit. On the other hand... maybe if more teachers were like yours there wouldn't be such a high mortality rate among aspiring wizards.

Little bit of both. Lots of backstabbing, lots of random acts of cruelty and outright torture. Weird that you don't have "fantasy" creatures... though I have to ask what constitutes a fantasy creature to you, haha. Meta-humans sure sound interesting, though. A bit like a combination of stuff like tieflings and sorcerers. Though tieflings are generally born with their infernal traits already visible rather than those suddenly appearing later in life. Unlike a sorcerer, whose first hint they have power may well involve burning their own house down.

Probably not very admissible lol. My family had a whole powwow about this, and ultimately the reason why it won't be admissible in court is because there's no real penalty you can impose to a dead person for lying. Not like the living anyway. Oooo. That sounds juicy. What sort of crimes have you been accused of?

What sort of dead gods you got here? And I guess living gods too? I mean, if you have all magic and stuff, what's the difference between a god and super-duper-roidded mage?

Noooo. Ewwww. This is a conspiracy. Everyone's telling me to study. And IF WE HAD COOL STUFF LIKE WIZARDRY, I'd totally be up for it. But all we have is chemistry and physics and biology - and if there is fun stuff, they absolutely refuse to teach it. Like I'd totally love to learn how to make stuff blow up - none of that weak alka-seltzer + mild acid combo - but noooo apparently it's just not safe to learn anywhere. Otherwise, I'd totally be as smart as Hannah.

Honestly, the only interesting stuff to learn is the law. And that's only because it's useful to know what you can get away with. Technically correct is still correct. lol.

How messed up is messed up? Like chronic backstabbing syndrome messed up? Or horrible tortures for fun messed up? No, we don't really have any fantasy creatures here - well, I guess to you, they're normal. They don't exist here. The most we have are meta-humans, but they're like y'know weird genes causing you to have weird features. Like winning the lottery - some people just get furrier in a literal sense, and then some people learn how to generate fire and lightning and all that stuff.