#mystra godess of magic

[ottwayking]

Art of Tara napping on Gale while he reads?

Not quite what you asked for but I was inspired 💜

[agathabridgerton]

when you decide to become so static that you end up creating a cycle of grooming for everyone that takes up the mantle of goddess of magic 🥴

[static-sulker]

Thinking of Astarion using his tactics of romance as he has done for decades upon decades on Gale and expecting it to go as flawless as usual, but then realizing this man is WAY more dense to flirting then he expected. Like...He is VERY smart don't get me wrong hes incredibly intelligent but ever sense he was with a literal GODESS who could tell what he thought before he even knew it, he has become rather inedept at reading people without the connections of magic with Mystra.

So he has to try other methods. While also not noticing that Gale is trying as well.

Both comically falling over banana peels as they try and romance each other while the rest of the crew is pitifully watching. I think that would be awesome if they both were like obviously flirting with each other while completely unaware that the other is trying to flirt with them.

I think Halsin would try and support Gale by softly coaxing him into the idea that maybe MAYBE Astarion is trying to court him, while Shaowheart is 100% just calling Astarion a dumbass for not realizing that maybe Gale giving him 12 different books as a gift might be his way of I dunno...proclaiming love????

[oops-all-concrete]

Gale stans, I've had more thoughts on Gales romance scenes that now need re-contextualising with new light, grab tissues and brace for emotional impact-

And spoilers below the cut!

So, each of Gales romance scenes include the use and option for magic/weave to be involved, which could easily be passed up as 'oh, haha, he's a wizard, of course there's magic' which, I think is fair, he is obsessed with weave. (Special interest? Special interest) But-! There's another layer of complexity with this as well.

Now, unlike Lae'zel and Astarion where sex is the more casual/unimportant part of their romantic development, Gale sees sex as quite intimate. It's not casual at all, it's a display of passion, connection and most notably for Gale- offering. In his first scene he invites you to spend time with him- using a weave-hologram of himself, he makes his own aurora borealis for the two of you to enjoy privately, and then no matter how you proceed, there's more magic. (unless you leave of course)

Some people see it as showing off- but he only does this with Tav. Because the offering is to them. It is intimate, but it is about a much more transactional thing, similar to Gale teaching Tav how to use the weave. It's proof he's got his talents, if nothing else. Proof he can be good. Worthwhile, even when cast aside. And of course he does this- his first and most important relationship was with Mystra.

Gale was young when Mystra took interest in him- and she was the godess of his lifes commitment, so of course this has changed the way Gale sees weave. For her, he was a devotee. Someone who committed himself to pleasing her. To him, she was as he says "my muse." There's dialogue accusing him of being arrogant to reduce her to simply a mortal muse, but to mortals, muse is everything. Inspiration. Admiration. Source of devotion. They were lovers, which is something Gale knows how to be. A lover. But lovers are equal, and no matter how you slice it, Gale was never Mystras equal.

So to lose all that from someone as grand as Mystra? Not just his inspiration, but his lover. His purpose. He wasn't just broken up with, he was cast aside by the source of his life's commitment. Rejected by weave. So of course, he needs everyone (namely himself) to know he can still be good. That despite what Mystra thinks, he can still be great, worthy of praise and love. Because failing greatness cost him that.

He doesn't need to be told he's great. He needs to be told its okay if he isn't. That his worth isn't dependent on power or weave. It's dependent on what kind of man he his. What he chooses. Who he chooses. (My Paladin Tav (Azaezel) and Gale below, because they cuties)

[kirain]

Thank you so much for the DND lore about Mystra and Gale ! I'm so exhausted by the hate. I felt emotionnaly connected with him and he slowly became my comfort character. I don't understand why so many people make videos about him "mansplaining" (when it's supposed to be funny lines) or "talking too much about his ex" (his goddess, the litteral godess of magic). No one complains about Cazador or Shar. It's driving me crazy. I just saw a popular video reaction where someone throws up during the kiss scene ! What's wrong with the fandom ?

long post to say that you made my day and it was nice to read your insight.

I'm so glad my posts gave you some happiness! I think what a lot of people don't realise is that Gale doesn't mansplain, he info dumps. It's the result of being alone for over a year, with no one around to talk to. If you call him out on it, he'll admit he's still "getting used to being among peers again".

The man's just lonely and out of practice, not to mention dealing with more than just a simple "break up". He's been damned and abandoned. He's going to die unless he can get his goddess to forgive him. He has every right to worry. Yet, despite that, he's always optimistic and excited to share his expertise, because learning is his own personal passion. I hope in the future players will take the time to get to know him the way you have. 😊

[likorys-shimenawa]

Dude, so many people try to force "Mystra groomed Gale" as canon down my throat.

Then block them instead of being a twat to other, completely uninvolved people. That's what I do when certain Astarion 'idiots'fans' say having him Ascend makes me an abuser and that having any sec with him ever makes me a rapist (baring when I might refute specific things that go against in-game canon).

I made a post about those people.

No, you made a post claiming what Mystra is canonicaly. That is my whole issues - make rants all you want, but don't try to paint them as canon, because all you do is create more in-fighting in the fandom.

Most of the stuff I see from "Mystra groomed Gale" is stuff like this, so yeah, most of my post was directed at that.

I don't care what posts you respond to (without quoting them for context) - you implied grooming only counts once sex is involved, which is untrue and very disgusting victim blaming concept that shouldn't be spread, even at fictional characters.

Also, plenty of people find strength in their faith,...

...and now you're saying to 'pray the depression' away, which is even worse.

This is not how Gale's character is written: his relationship with Mystra hurts him, at it's core, divorced from any decisions they make. IF Mystra was a 'true good' god then she would've left him as Chosen she speaks to and not taken him as a her personal pet lover.

Yes, Gale has insecurities. They suck. This kind of insecurities also don't come from nowhere and Mystra is clearly written as major source of them and of Gale seeing himself as not enough, as seen with Gale's sex scene.

Minsc is an unreliable narrator.

Narratively, he's a 'character so dumb they accidentally speak wisdom', which means you're supposed to think about what he says at the very least (he criticized Soundries for hoarding magic, calls Umbrelee's clerics nasty, calls Shar evil and Shadowheart who choses Selune cleaned - his whole thing is simplifying things to their bare concepts).

The fact that this lines exist at all makes it clear the developers wanted you to chink about what Mystra's actions look like to any onlooker - and they look like a godess grooming a toy to discard when she grew bored.

He becomes the God of Ambition. That's not exactly a domain of goodness. Ambition can cover a LOT of shit.

Yes, so does magic. How does every spell created to murder change Mystra? How did Karsus' spell? Gale's frst act of Godhood was to bring his love into godhood as well despite mentioning that Ao is keeping watch over him. You can imagine and headcanon whatever you like for after that, but canonicaly his completely capable of avoiding corruption.

Either all gods are made in ancient ways, where they are humans taken to extreme, which makes Mystra more than capable of being a cunt, or they are manifested traits that never go outside their allignment, which makes your insistance on 'Mhystra god good, Gale good bad' very weird.

You can't have both.

I have no idea what you're talking about here? Where did you get that information?

The way narrative, canonically, shows you Gale's abusive relationship with a god that demands death of him at the same time you see a relationship of mortal and half-god that is much more healthy despite having the same problems of Gale's relationship (Isobel was cleric of Selune as Gale is Mystra's Chosen, Aylin has poblems with behaving as fully human as Mystra would have - yet you see clearly they love and respect each other).

Hint: the fact that I keep bringing narrative is because you started talking about canon. Canon relies on narrative, not 'this people said', which the only reason I'm annoyed here.Seizing godly power for mortals never goes well.

he also suggests it was because of a bunch of wizards causing some kind of disaster

Can't find this bander, could you quote it so I know the full context?

Seizing godly power for mortals never goes well.

And this is a point where I cackled, say LMAO Midnight would like a word and repeat: rant all you want, but stop calling your pesonal headcanon canon and making weird excuses for grooming.

It is damn near impossible to enjoy Gale content or discuss Gale stuff

It's extremely possible and it's called 'curating your fandom expirience'. I'm Ascended Astarion lover and manage. I also have a toxic incest OTP in another fandom and I'm doing great following right people and sitting comfortably in a fan discord while blocking people who say dumb shit - I advise you do similar.

OK I think I understand some of why some people in the fandom choose to make Mystra some kind of a terrible, grooming abuser to Gale. It's because every one of the companions has like a specific person you can point to and say, that is the abuser. That right there is the person who has caused the companion grievous harm. Gale and Mystra are a little more complex than that.

Shadowheart and Lae'zel technically have a whole cult/culture backing up the abuse, but you can still pretty directly point to Viconia and Shar for Shadowheart, and ultimately Vlaakith for Lae'zel as well as just... every Githyanki she ever met, except for Kith'rak Voss.

Wyll has Mizora, Karlach had Zariel and Gortash, Astarion has Cazador, all very obvious and self explanatory in the game. They were innocent, kidnapped, coerced, sold, played like a damn fiddle. But Gale?

Gale has Mystra, a goddess he loves, who also loves him, and the things they did to each other were both fucked up, and a lot of the fault totally lies with Gale! The other companions all had external forces affecting them. Gale's was mostly internal. He refused to believe he was good enough. "As inconceivable as it seems to me now, I shared a bed with a goddess and I still wasn't satisfied." A literal goddess, the one he favored, the one he was in love with, who favored and loved him back, consistently told him he was perfect as he was and he straight up did not believe her. He placed himself on a higher and higher pedestal he could never reach the top of because if he wasn't constantly climbing to some nebulous goal of perfection, then could he be good enough for Mystra?

Y'know, instead of just believing the woman he was in love with. And I get it! Insecurities suck! Especially when you've been the gifted child your entire life, perfectly talented at something that all the adults in your life go nuts over. But also, it is extremely arrogant to assume you know better than your literal goddess and be like "yo, there's a missing piece of the Weave and I can go get it" like... Mystra is the Weave, she would have known and probably sent someone on a quest if it were actually Her Weave and not Karsus' Weave.

Gale is INCREDIBLY hubristic and he keeps falling for that trap. He's overconfident. Hell, even after his year in isolation where he comes out humbled, a small group of people believing in him for a short amount of time gets him to go "omg, crown of karsus = godhood, I can totally do that and tell the gods they SUCK and overthrow Ao's rules!"

Like, babyboy, no.

Of course, Mystra is not without some fault. After Gale's initial... Folly-up, she just ignores him for a year. Damn, girl, what the hell! Well. You see. The Netherese orb is a fragment of the magic that Karsus used to try to ascend and steal her throne with. The magic that she realized was going to kill everything if she didn't sacrifice herself. For a moment, all magic ceased to exist, including Mystryl herself, and Karsus died. Then Mystra came into being. Gale tells you a short version of this story himself! So it kind of makes sense that Mystra would see this shard of magic and just... kinda have a trauma reaction! And to gods, time flows differently. It wouldn't shock me to learn she didn't realize it had been a year by the time Gale left his Tower due to mind flayer shenanigans. Naturally, she does not want to discuss the thing she's so terrified of, and just tries to have it destroyed without her having to touch it—the plan to have Gale blow himself up on the Absolute itself, and she would save his soul. And even after he disobeys her instruction, she still allows the orb to feed on the true Weave! She still lets him live without fear of blowing up randomly, even though it greatly distresses her to let this magic that killed her once feed on her own life force.

Then he reaches the city, and reads The Annals of Karsus, and realizes she's going to have to explain, despite not wanting to. And she summons him. Tells him exactly what's in his chest. Asks him to turn over the Crown and she will destroy the orb and face her own trauma, because Gale... doesn't want to die. She understands that. And she still loves him and his big beautiful brain despite how stupid he's been, and she wants to have him as her Chosen again.

Things will never be the same, of course. They both fucked up. Gave each other a bad time. But in the end, they forgive each other and move past it. Not as a couple, because things broke too much for that. But they can have a healthy relationship as Goddess and Chosen once more.

And that is what sets Gale and his trauma apart from the companions. He doesn't have a direct abuser or live in a horrific abusive society. He almost killed the goddess of all magic a second time and she had an understandably harsh reaction to that, even if it was still too harsh. I just don't believe it's only Mystra who fucked up here. Not by a long shot. Much of it lies squarely with Gale.

And, as for the grooming allegations [as far as people trying to say it is canon], literally just no. She's a True Neutral goddess. Gale literally tells you that you are not his first mortal lover, he had a few before he ever fell into Mystra's bed, and you're just the first since the breakup about a year ago. The game doesn't shy away from sex and sexual abuse in the least. Why on Earth would this be something hidden behind several layers of nonexistent subtext? It's definitely fun for AU's, but by Ahghairon's lost nose, no, it's not canon!

[ask-fantasy-sanders-sides]

Logan, apart from Sune, who are the main gods/goddesses worshipped? -🐿️

Logan: Do you mean “who are the gods worshiped in Rótaldë?” If you asked me to summarize every god hailed to on the Prime Material Plane, that would take days…

Roman: Still, that is an extensive list!

Logan: Yes, one you might be more familiar with than me, if I am to be honest. Let’s see… There are various deities that are worshiped by nearly every human society, so I will not go far in-depth with them. They embody things that most people in the city see to in their day-to-day: trade, nature, et cetera. 

Logan: Of the 'good-aligned' gods and godesses, we have: Chauntea, goddess of agriculture; Eldath, goddess of peace and nature;Lathander, god of birth and renewal; Selûne, goddess of the moon; Mielikki, goddess of forests; Mystra, goddess of magic; Tymora, goddess of luck; Bahamut, dragon god of justice; and of course, Sune, goddess of love and beauty. And, then, there's the Triad.

Roman: There's this war between the gods, I mentioned it before. They're all still mad about the war with the primordials, and various things that have happened since then. At one of the major points of this conflicts sits the Triad and the Dead Three, on the sides of 'good' and 'evil' respectively.

Logan: The good ones are Tyr, the leader and god of law; Torm, god of courage and self-sacrifice; and his lover Ilmater, god of endurance and scars.

Roman: Hell yes, Torm says bi rights~! --Oh, and Ilmater's the guy who Nicodemus worships now, by the way. They oppose the Dead Three: Bane, god of tyranny; Bhaal, god of murder; and Myrkul, god of death. They're real bad news, and they have cults everywhere.

Logan: In the Dead Three's army are Loviatar, Bane's wife and goddess of agony, and Talona, goddess of disease and poison.

Roman: Loviatar is the one who kidnapped Ilmater and tortured him, she's the reason he looks all.... well, the way he does. M--I mean, Sune is good friends with Ilmater and despises those two -- especially Talona -- so she joined the war on the Triad's side. So, people who worship gods among the Dead Three’s team often attack our temples and followers, as a way to get to Sune. That’s one of the reasons Marissa, who is a Talonite, has such an issue with me...

Logan: There are various other evil-aligned gods that either have cults in the area, or people pay tribute to them out of fear, and some promise they will leave them alone if a tithe is paid. These are Talos, god of storms, and Umberlee, goddess of the sea.

Logan: Then, there are the 'neutral' gods, most of whom haven't picked a side in the conflict. Among them are Tempus, god of war; Silvanus, god of wild nature; Waukeen, goddess of trade; Leira, goddess of illusion; and Mask, god of thieves -- the latter two are celebrated on Liar's Night, a holiday that takes place the day after Halloween. There are two more neutrals that have taken the Triad's side, though: Helm, god of protection, and close friend of Torm; and Ioun, goddess of knowledge, who my Mother worshiped when she was alive.

Roman: Sune is not a fan of Tempus, just because she's not a big fan of violence in any form... But, she's good friends with Mystra, Lathander, and Selûne! And they work with Chauntea, Eldath, Tymora, and the Triad to keep the 'Dark' away when they can.

Logan: And, since we have spoken of her before -- of course, Lolth is on the 'evil' side of this war, in opposition to her ex-husband Corellon. Loth being the goddess of spiders, cruelty, betrayal, and the Drow, and Corellon being god of magic, the arts, warfare, and Elves as a whole.~~~

((*!!! to clarify: all of these gods are cannon d&d deities, but the characterizations of them is mostly a result of how they’ve been portrayed in games i’ve played with friends since we were all much younger. 

The domains and stuff are all cannon to the source material, but some of the relationships are not -- for example, Torm and Ilmater aren’t a romantic thing in the books. But it happened in a game I was a player in a few years back, so now I ship it and i cant stop im sorry lol))