#oh well nautiloid here i come again

[gender-euphowrya]

pray for me my durge playthrough is going fucking horribly

[serpenlupus]

About Wyll and his horns (and what they mean)

Let's say I was writing a part of my Tav's story with Wyll directly connected to the dialogue he has during the tiefling party, and while struggling with this bit, I've realized there's quite a few misconceptions floating around. I felt compelled to add information to the table that might clear them, so here we go.

First, what exactly happens to Wyll when he disobeys Mizora in act one? Well, he doesn't get turned into a devil, he certainly doesn't get turned into a tiefling, he's not a half fiend, not a demon, none of that. Wyll stays human, but he has horns and red eyes (and other features we can't see on his model as of now).

(Everyone has their race listed, Wyll's remains "Human")

This is because when a warlock fails to uphold some part of their contract they can suffer a certain number of consequences, Wylls is “The character grows horns, a tail, or some other devilish features that can't be removed by any means short of divine intervention. As long as these marks persist the character detects as a fiend when subjected to Detect Evil and Good spells or similar magic.” ( from Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus, page 214)

And I’ve come across some people that think it wasn’t so bad of a punishment, that he was being racist towards the tieflings, or just not being justified in being upset after having his body forcibly changed against his will. I think they are missunderstanding just how insidious Mizora’s actions were, and here I just want to give some context to maybe bring a better understanding to the situation. Your conclusions are up to you.

Gonna start by using a not exact analogy, but I think it’s going to make the explanation easier. Stick with me for a minute.

Remember Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean? He had a branded “P” on his arm that marked him as a pirate. A murderer, robber, criminal, etc. in the eyes of the society he was a part of. What did Jack do to earn the branding? (if you don’t know this I suggest you look up the “people aren’t cargo mate” scene) He refused to transport slaves and later freed them, and Beckett had him marked as punishment.

Then, in the first movie, he saves Elizabeth, a woman he didn’t know, from drowning. Right after however, when Norrington sees he has a branded “P”, he’s like “alright, off to jail with you, and then hanging”, no other option crosses his mind. Again, Jack doesn’t know Elizabeth, isn’t indicated to think he is going to be rewarded for helping her, he just sees a drowning person, sees that no one else is going to help, and chooses to save them. That is a pretty selfless/good aligned thing to do, for no other reason that he was the one able to do it, yet the branding in his arm overrides any good action he could ever do, marking him as a criminal for execution and no further thought.

In a way, that’s what Mizora did to Wyll; she forever visibly branded him as someone that has made deals with devils, and that in the world of DnD is a VERY BAD THING. Personally I really like the mod that gives him more devilish features, but at the same time I think there was something clever about choosing to leave him looking more human. He can’t be confused with a tiefling, he doesn’t have the ears, the claws, the tail, all those features that characterize them. He looks kind of uncanny, and that would be like a red flag for anyone in that world. (Beyond the already existing hate for tieflings that I’m not gonna tackle on here because it’s a complicated thing that deserves its own post). And Wyll wants to do good, he wants to help people, to be a positive force in the world so, so badly. This dude got abducted by a nautiloid, got tadpole’d, and the first thing he did right after that was come across the Tiefling refugees and be like “Oh you need help? No worries let me teach you self defense. Oh you being attacked by goblins? Let me blast them real quick”. His way of saying fuck you to all the awful things that have happened to him is being aggressively good and kind. Mizora knows this very well, wants to see him suffer for her amusement, wants to remind him he can't escape her claws, so her choice of punishment was to forever taint his future interactions with mistrust and suspicion. Some people can go real fast from “oh thank God they saved me” to “oh no, are they gonna rob me, are they trying to trick me, are they in cahoots with the ones that attacked me first?” just because of outward appearances. Especially in DnD world. And that deserves its own conversation, but we're focusing on Wyll here.

(Mizora, when I catch you Mizora)

“Well, maybe he shouldn’t have made a deal in the first plac- - “ He was seventeen, alone, preyed upon by Mizora and put in an impossible situation. Please PAY ATTENTION to the story you’re witnesing.

Anyway.

About the tieflings. I know it’s easy to think his words can be derisive towards them, but it’s less about the horns and more about his body being changed against his will. Imagine instead that he got half his face burned, or something that disfigured him. I think his feelings at the moment were closer to that, and yeah they are pretty insensitive words to say to someone with a similar condition (horns or disfiguration), but when feelings are fresh and raw like that it’s easy to say insensitive things. Not saying it was ok for him to say them, but there was no malice in his words. I’ve also seen some people share that they think Mizora wanted to change him more to make him unrecognizable to his original self, the Wyll Ravenguard kid, and I think there is some truth to that too. She wants to make sure that Wyll remembers that he belongs to her, there's no question to that.

(MIZORA, WHEN I CATCH YOU MIZORA)

Whether the Tieflings refugees would feel unsettled by Wyll or not? Yes. In a way, they would. From reasons aside from the ones I explained above, remember that these specific tieflings come from Elturel. If you didn’t pass the History check or don’t remember, Elturel is a city that was literally ripped from the land and dragged to Avernus, First layer of hell (it left a hole on the ground and everything) because their mayor made a deal with the Archdevil Zariel some decades back in the timeline. He sold the souls of all its citizens and the city itself.

This was probably one of the worst times of their lives. Some even got captured and forced to participate in the blood War, like Dammon as a mechanic. And after Elturel got returned to the surface, the tieflings lost their homes because they reminded the other citizens of the literal Hell they’d just gone through, and they kicked them out. And remember, they met and saw Wyll as a human, and then saw him with horns. It’s not unreasonable to think that by looking at him they would be reminded of all the events that led them to the awful situation they’re in. Because of someone that was making deals with devils, just like Wyll. Even if his situation is completely different. And Wyll knows that, that’s why he tells you the tieflings are unsettled by him and chooses to stay away during the party.

It was never just about the horns.

And I know Wyll calls himself a devil but I think it’s because it’s the closest thing he looks as; devils are a whole different race with their own intricacies, although humans can be turned into devils ONCE their souls go to Avernus and they start climbing the power hierarchy there (Mizora and Raphael are cambions/ half-devils btw, which is a different thing,  there are plenty of videos exploring those details more in depth).

Do I think Larian should have made some of this information clearer/easier to access? Maybe? but to be fair, it's a game focused and dedicated to a crowd that was already somewhat familiar with the source material, that blew up waay out of what they originally expected to reach. Hopefully they’ll add some clarifications like they did to other quests. 

Anyway these are my two cents to the conversation, have a nice day, and don't hesitate to add your two cents if you feel like it!

[galedekarios]

gale & his mother, morena dekarios

i thought it'd be nice to have a place to compile everything i could find about gale's mother, morena dekarios.

the first time you as the player get a vague mention about gale's parents is after saving mirkon, when gale brings up a story about his parents denying him a kitten when he was still a child:

Gale: One time my parents denied me akitten, so I summoned myself a tressym.

if you play a gale origin playthrough, you get a mention of her much earlier from tara, after she joins the camp.

this is a camp dialogue with its variants from act i:

Tara the Tressym: Well, if it isn't my favourite fellow himself. Player: How are things back in Waterdeep? Tara the Tressym: More or less the same - though news of some mad faction calling themselves 'Absolutists' is starting to trickle in. Tara the Tressym: I told your mother not to worry. That if they were anything to worry about, Baldur's Gate would handle things quick-sharp. Keep them from spreading their tendrils north. She still wants to know when she'll see you again, sir. I avoid giving any answers. But she misses you. Player: I miss her too. Tara the Tressym: I'll tell her. With my Cat Flap of Displacement, I can afford the occasional visit. I'd bring you along, if I could. Perhaps some day. - Player: I can't risk putting her in danger. Tara the Tressym: I know that, but she doesn't. She'd keel over if she knew just how you'd tried to manipulate the Weave. Or maybe she'd just say something like, 'My Gale always was one to make the impossible possible.' Oh, but she adores you. - Player: No more guilt trips, Tara. Please. Tara the Tressym: But then whatever will we talk about? Anyhow - I'm keeping my senses pricked for any sign of another item that might be of use to you. Hopefully something will turn up soon.

it's clear from the dialogue that gale's mother worries about him and loves him - adores him, really.

it also becomes clear that she doesn't know what happened to gale and that he nor tara has not told her.

another mention from act i, again from tara:

Tara the Tressym: Please tell me you've at least made inroads when it comes to finding someone to settle down with. Myself and Mrs Dekarios are starting to think you intend to die alone. Player: You've been visiting my mother? Tara the Tressym: Naturally. After you abandoned her, there was only me left to keep her company. She's very good company, though. Ah, the stories we've traded over toast and tea. You're a highly entertaining source of speculation. But speculation only goes so far! Tell me, Mr Dekarios - how have you been?

tara and morena are implied to have tea together regularly enough to trade stories about gale. tara is implied to be a sort of messenger between the two of them, likely after gale's isolation and subsequent abduction by the nautiloid, keeping morena informed, yet without revealing gale's secret and shame.

the devnotes also state that tara loves morena - high praise since other devnotes states that tara hates everyone except gale - and that she talks of her in an affectionate tone.

this is a dialogue in act ii after mystra has tasked gale to use the orb the moment he finds the heart of the absolute:

Tara the Tressym: Promise me, Gale. Promise me you'll find another way. Promise me you'll return home, when this is all over. Player: I can't make that promise, Tara. Tara the Tressym: You're going to kill me. And your mother. And then there'll be no one to mourn you when you've wasted yourself for no good reason at all.

i find it very interesting here in terms of other relationships that tara explicitly says that there will be no one to mourn gale except morena and her should he heed mystra's instructions and sacrifice himself. it speaks of the bond between tara, morena and gale - but also even more of gale's isolation and loneliness. we know from tara that she considers herself to be gale's only old friend and gale echoes as much. we also know that gale describes the dekarios family as the dekarios clan, that is "scattered" far and wide.

at the same time, the loud silence about gale's father becomes really apparent again. a while ago, i speculated about gale's father and i truly do still think that he abandoned morena and gale.

another snippet from an act ii convo, before gale reveals the details of elminster's letter to tara (or chosing to keep it to himself):

Tara the Tressym: I'm not one to pry. I'd rather make up all the juicy details myself over tea with your mother.

which again ties in with a similar line from act i, further cementing the fact that this is a regular thing between tara and morena.

still in act ii, tara says this if gale asks her if she'll still love him if he is a mindflayer:

Player: Will you love me when I'm a mind flayer? Tara the Tressym: Depends. Are mind flayers warm-blooded? If so, my prize napping spot on your lap won't be compromised. In which case, I suppose we could find an accord. And, of course, your mother would still think you a prince, no matter how many tentacles you had. And with a nautiloid, you may even manage to visit her more often.

again, gale's mother truly adores him. tara is utterly convinced she'd love him even if he'd turn into a mind flayer. at the same time, the dialogue again hammers home the fact that gale's been keeping his distance from his mother after he has acquired the orb.

the following lines are a compilation of some of tara's lines from act iii, all once again stating that she is a messenger between gale and morena, keeping morena informed about gale's well-being, while also looking after morena in gale's absence from waterdeep:

Tara the Tressym: You're almost at the end of this, Gale. You're nearly there. And not a moment too soon. Myself, I must away to Waterdeep. Your mother will be worried silly not to have heard from either of us - and now I can bring her the good news. When this is all over I'll be waiting for you, with a crackling fire and good book at the ready. Good luck, darling. - Tara the Tressym: I'm well past due to return to Waterdeep. I'm going to tell your mother that you'll be home soon. Don't make a liar of me, darling. - Tara the Tressym: I'll have to make up some good news for your dear mother, then. I'm going home, Gale. To look after Mrs Dekarios, and to remind you that there are people waiting for you in Waterdeep.

going back to companion gale, the next mention of gale's mother after saving mirkon, is from gale in an ambient with karlach:

Gale: I don't suppose you've any clue where we are in relation to Waterdeep? Karlach: From this distance between Elturel and Baldur's Gate, I'd say... a long way away.devnote Gale: Ah. That will make getting word to my mother rather tricky. No matter - what she doesn't know can't hurt her. Not at this distance, anyway.

it echoes the lines of dialogue that origin gale has, believing he endangers his mother with his condition and thus keeping his distance.

gale mentions his mother in an act iii dialogue after meeting tara on the rooftop of the open hand temple:

Gale: My tower in Waterdeep boasts an excellent kitchen and a wine cellar to rival Ondal himself. Not to mention a larder stocked with my homemade hundur sauce. Player: Hundur sauce? Gale: A Waterdhavian delicacy, spiced to leave exactly the right amount of heat lingering on the tongue, and served with that most sharp-toothed of aquarian residents, the quipper fish. I make it to my mother's recipe. It packs quite a wallop. As does she.

we know that gale's the designated camp cook from a conversation with wyll, and i think the conversation makes it fair to assume that gale's mother taught him how to cook.

still, maybe it's because i'm not a native english speaker and i might be missing some cultural context here, but the line "it packs quite a wallop. as does she." stuck out to me:

wallop. to hit something / someone hard.

this could mean that gale's seen her hit someone and packing quite a punch behind it. with what's been described of morena so far, i doubt it's because gale's ever been on the receiving end of that.

or perhaps it's less literal and more in relation to her seemingly larger than life personality that gale also hints at later, describing his mother as "intimitable" and "sometimes unavoidable". this description is from the following conversation that is currently sadly still bugged:

Player: So your last name is Dekarios? Gale: It is. Courtesy of my mother, the inimitable, dare I say it sometimes unavoidable, Morena Dekarios. It's been so long since I've used it. 'Gale Dekarios' cut a poor figure next to the wizard prowess of 'Gale of Waterdeep'. Player: Gale Dekarios... I think I like him more. Gale: You like to many things about me I'd have sooner discarded... Your generosity is quite wonderful. Gale Dekarios likes you too. Very, very much. Though let's keep his exitence between ourselves for now. - Player: Doesn't your matter mind? Gale: Oh, she's happy if I'm happy. Morena couldn't care one jot what I call myself. Tara's the real stickler for using it. Has done since I summoned her. I'd prefer you not follow her exmaple, if that's all the same to you. 'Gale' is more than sufficient. - Player: You're right. Just 'Gale is better. Gale: I agree. And on the plus side, if I get myself into any truly cataclystic straits during the remainder of our journey, my family name will go untarnished.

i love this banter so much and it makes me very sad that larian still hasn't fixed the issue of it not triggering. there's so much lore to explore here:

from gale dropping 'dekarios' in favour of 'of waterdeep', at first, to appear perhaps more grandiose, more suited to the ambitions he held when he was younger, to morena, apparently, not minding it, yet tara clinging to 'dekarios' (perhaps to keep gale's feet on solid ground as much as she could), to finally finding out that the reason that the gale we meet now is not using 'dekarios' still is because he doesn't wish to tarnish his family name should he indeed fall victim to the orb.

the last mention gale makes of his mother is during his act iii post final battle dialogue, in which he proposes to the player:

Gale: That being said, I wondered if you might consider accompanying me back to Waterdeep as a new member of the Dekarios clan? Player: Are you asking me to marry you? Gale: I suppose I am. Tara would be delighted. Not to mention my mother. But I'd be just as happy without such ceremony, so long as we're together.

this again mirrors what tara has been saying in her dialogue with an origin gale in act i: that morena and her were hoping he would find someone to find happiness with.

i think overall, even with only the very few bits and pieces we learn of morena, it's easy to tell that she truly loves and adores and cares her son, and that that love and care is clearly echoed back from gale to morena.

still, or perhaps more likely because of that love, gale keeps his secrets and his distance to morena because of the orb and the shame he feels he brought to his family.

it's all too easy to imagine that he wishes her to be proud of him and that he feels he has disappointed her and given her little reason to be proud of him in the same vein that he feels he has done with tara:

Gale: She'd [Tara] be most impressed by our efforts saving these tieflings. Proud, even. And I've given her little to be proud of recently.

anyhow, i hope i caught all mentions and that this was helpful to someone. 🖤

[mumms-the-word]

A Final Death

Pairing: Gale x gn!Tav Summary: Gale has ascended and has returned to his chronically ill lover in order to ascend them, only to realize that they have died while he was exploring godhood. He departs for the Fugue Plane to find their soul and offer them divinity once more. ao3 link A/N: This is inspired by an angst ask I got in my inbox (hi anon!!) but it got so long that I decided to make it its own post. CW: death

Wait for me. Give me time. Soon, I will return with the means to ascend you, and you will never have to fear dying again.

Those were the last words he had said to Tav before leaving them. The sight of them on the docks watching him bow and back away was burned into his mind, even long after ascension. They were stunning in the light of the rising sun. As beautiful as they had ever been, and more.

And oh so fragile. Brittle. Broken. The condition they had maintained so carefully before being taken by the nautiloid had proven taxing, dangerous, even deadly on the road to Baldur’s Gate. True resurrection should have cured it, but it never did, no matter how many times they sought Withers’ help, resurrecting their broken, dead body with true resurrection spells.

A curse, Tav later told him. The nasty result of a hag deal gone bad. Since then, every injury healed wrong. 

The evidence of the curse was staggering. Broken bones that never fused together just right. Bruises that never seemed to fade. Cuts that always seemed only half-healed. A persistent cough that would go away only to be replaced by other pains, other illnesses. A perpetual state of pain, never ending, ever changing, managed only by a careful schedule of potions and healing spells and rest. Some days were worse than others. Some days they felt only the dim pains of a single bruise. But never, not even once, had they admitted to a single pain-free day.

But there was no promise of rest and healing on the road and no end to the fighting. Yet still, they pressed on. Still they fought. Still they endured. Until finally the Netherbrain crashed, defeated, into the Chionthar, and Gale had the means to end their suffering at last within reach. For the first time in months, they could rest.

He hoped the last few months had done them good. That they had found ways to heal and secured the rare, nearly-pain-free day as they waited for him. He had dedicated all of his time in the pursuit of ascension, and then after that, in testing the limits of his godhood. He had to know what he could do, what he was capable of, before he returned. He only had one chance to ascend them. He wanted it to be perfect.

As he materialized outside the Elfsong Tavern room, the one they sometimes shared when he and they longed for a night with just the two of them away from the others, the one his beloved had promised to be in while they waited for him, he wondered what kind of god they would become. Perhaps a god of healing, focusing their efforts on healing spells and potion crafting. Or perhaps they would hate that idea and surprise him. The god of knitting, they might suggest, the most mundane thing possible, or the god of puns, making use of that humor they used nearly every day to cope with the pain. He smiled to himself, remembering their many jokes, as he waved a hand for the door to open on its own.

He stepped inside, dimming his celestial light, only to find the room was quite dark without it. His smile faded as he gazed about the room.

Empty.

No, not empty, he realized, as a figure unfolded themselves from a chair in the far corner. The figure approached, slow and silent, the whisper of their ragged robes the only sound in the room.

“Jergal,” Gale said.

“Well met, young god,” Jergal said. His expression was that same old blank expression, his mouth just shy of a faint smile, and his eyes glimmered in the dark just as they had months ago, back when Gale had been mortal. “Thou come seeking that which is no longer here.”

“I can see that.” He could sense it, too. Though other souls slept, ate, and drank in other rooms beyond this, the only two entities present in that room were himself and the Final Scribe. “Where are they?”

“Gone.”

Gale tried to ignore the flicker of irritation kindling within him. “Yes. I’ve noticed. Gone where?”

“They are where they must be…until they goest where they must go.”

The irritation only grew. Jergal had always been vague, but that was when Gale had been mortal. Now, they ought to speak as gods do, one deity to another. The Final Scribe need not hide divine secrets from the God of Ambition, now that they were equals.

“Fine, if you won’t tell me,” Gale said, “then I shall simply have to find them myself.”

“Thou wilt search these planes for some time, I fear. They are not here. They are…beyond.”

“What do you…”

All at once the meaning came to him. Gone. Beyond. 

Dead.

“That…cannot be,” Gale said, refusing to believe it. But Jergal merely stared, silent. Waiting. Waiting for him to accept it.

Again he refused. He cast his senses wide, stretching out his mental presence far beyond the reaches of the Elfsong Tavern, over the whole of the city, and even further beyond, briefly touching hundreds of souls at a time, seeking, searching, hoping to brush against the soul that had once called to his own. The soul that had been his match. He would know it as soon as he found it, so familiar was it to him, though this was the first time he sought it out as a god.

But there was nothing. Though he felt the first embers of pride, the fanned flames of hungry ambition among dozens of souls, he couldn’t feel the one singular soul that he desired.

They were gone. And he knew, even if he searched the entire surface of Toril, that he wouldn’t find them. Not on this plane.

Tav was dead.

He struggled to find his voice “When?”

Jergal’s gaze softened briefly. “Nigh on forty days past.”

“That long?” he asked. “It can’t be, I was only gone for…” But even as he said it, he knew his estimation would be wrong. Jergal looked sympathetic.

“Time runneth differently when one is immortal,” he said. “As thou well know.”

Again Gale struggled to comprehend the news. Not because he misunderstood—he could see the truth as clear as crystal. Tav was dead, their soul having departed from the mortal plane days ago, and he had missed it. 

That was the part he couldn’t fully grasp. How had he missed the day, the very moment his own beloved had faded out of this life? Their brilliant life, bright as a star in the sky, snuffed so quickly—again. 

He should have felt it. It should have been, to him, the same sort of feeling as losing the light of a single candle’s flame in a vast darkness. Or perhaps a feeling like a chill, a dread, a pit in his stomach. He was divine. He could sense souls in a way he never could as a mortal. He should have felt Tav’s passing.

But he hadn’t. He couldn’t even recall what had been the focus of his attention forty days ago. A single day was like a breath to him. There and gone in a flash. One didn’t count every breath they took in an hour, much less in a day or a week. Had so much—so little time passed without him noticing?

He set aside those concerns for now. “I see,” he said quietly. “That is unfortunate. But it is time to bring them back now, if you would. That is why you’re here, is it not? To resurrect them?”

“No.”

Gale frowned. “No? I don’t understand.”

Jergal was quiet a moment. By the time Gale was certain he would simply refuse to elaborate, he closed his eyes briefly and then reopened them.

“I came to them in their final hour,” he said. “To offer them my services. They greeted me as a friend.”

He paused. Then he lifted a hand to his head and touched his temple. As he drew his hand away, a small orb of light followed after his fingers. A memory, Gale realized, as Jergal sent it floating toward him. Gale cradled it in his hands, letting it sink into his silvered skin, and immediately his vision was flooded with the memory.

He saw Jergal approach the bed in the room, sitting down in a chair at the bedside. For a moment, Gale almost didn’t recognize the figure on the mattress, lying beneath the folded sheets, but as he drew closer there was no denying who it was.

Tav.

He had never seen them look so frail. The months since their victory had wasted them away until they were left looking more dead than alive. Their skin was as thin as paper, their usual tones now cast over with a gray pallor. Dozens of bruises bloomed on their skin, all in varying stages of healing or freshness, and their lips were colorless, their hair thin. He could see their bones sticking out, their skin stretched over them, as though half their muscle and fat had dissolved away. They had the look of a corpse about them, even as they opened their sunken eyes and turned their head toward Jergal. 

He wanted to think them beautiful—this was his beloved—but he could only stand, vaguely horrified at the sight of mortality at its worst. There was very little beauty here, only wretchedness. He hated the sight. Not Tav—never Tav—but all the evidence of what the illness had done, the pain, the injuries.

Why had Tav not sought healing?

The sight didn’t seem to alarm Jergal as he sat at their bedside. “I heard thy call,” he said quietly. “What dost thou require?”

Tav turned their eyes toward Jergal and reached one weakened hand toward them, a faint smile on their lips. “Maybe I just wanted to see an old friend one last time.”

“Thou art dying.” It wasn’t a question.

“I know.”

“Then dost thou require my resurrection services?”

“No.”

Gale jolted. No? No?

“He isn’t coming, is he?” Tav whispered, their hand still outstretched toward Jergal, lying inert on the sheets. 

“Thou speakest of thy wizard. Thy newborn god.”

Tav’s lips twisted. “He’s not my god.”

Gale stared, his fists clenched at his sides. Shock and pain and anger swirled within him, tangling together in a complicated knot that was all too familiar, all so dreadfully mortal, that he couldn’t help but hate it.

“He’s forgotten me, I think,” Tav whispered.

The knot in his chest stopped swirling all of a sudden, frozen and cold. Forgotten…forgotten? 

He wanted to rage. To tear this memory to shreds. To claw his way back in time and make Tav see the truth. Forgotten? Never.

But even he couldn’t alter the fabric of time.

You’re wrong, he wanted to scream. You’re wrong. I’m here. I’m here!

But it was just a memory.

Jergal said nothing at first to their remark, but at last he spoke. “Thou knowest I can give thee more time. Is that why thou hadst called?”

“No.” They breathed in shakily and Gale could hear the rattle of their breath as their lungs struggled to take in the air. “No. I just…didn’t want to be alone. When I died. For the last time.”

The last time.

The words echoed in his head, but he couldn’t stop the memory from playing out.

Jergal nodded slowly. “I see. And so thou didst call me.”

“Yeah. I decided…who better to watch me go than the Final Scribe?”

Jergal chuckled softly. “Ah. Thou hadst found it out.”

Tav’s smile was crooked, a ghost of their old humor. “I followed the clues. You made it kind of obvious.” They moved their hand closer again to Jergal’s. “Will you stay with me?”

“Is this truly what thou wishest? To die, and not return? If I recall, thy wizard hath promised thee eternity.”

Tav swallowed once, twice, silent. When they blinked, the glimmer of tears appeared in their eyes and then was blinked away. “I…don’t think I can wait for that chance, old friend. He’s been gone for months. Silent for months. What if he has forgotten me? And even if he hasn’t, this body…all the pain that just keeps building, I…” 

They swallowed again, and this time the tears leaked from their eyes, dripping down the sides of their face. They took another shaky breath, and then couldn’t speak the words. Another rattling breath, and then a faint whisper, choked with tears.

“I don’t think I could start over and endure all this again. I don’t think I’m strong enough to wait for him.”

The words nearly drove Gale to his knees. He had been so close. Only days, mere days separated this memory from his reality. Tav couldn’t endure for a few more days, after yet another resurrection brought them back to life? They couldn't have endured one more cycle of death and rebirth, for him?

Why couldn’t they have waited?

For the first time, he began to understand the pain they kept hidden from him. Even as he understood, at the time, comparing the pain of the orb to Tav’s experience, even as they had bonded over a mutual knowledge of what it meant to be in pain every single day…he’d never realized the depth of their pain.

That it would be so bad that they would wish for death, even when promised eternity.

I don’t think I’m strong enough…

“Oh, my love,” he whispered. “If only you could have endured it, I…”

But the memory didn’t wait.

“It’s stupid,” Tav said, swallowing and finding a bit of strength to speak above a whisper. “I’ve died so many times since the nautiloid. I used to hate it. But I realized a while ago that…waiting there in the Fugue Plane…it was the only place I was free of this pain.”

“Thou were free of thy physical body in death,” Jergal said. “And where the soul doth go, physical pain doth not follow.”

“Exactly. You understand.” Tav took a deep breath, this one less difficult. “I think that’s why I’ve decided…the next time I die…I want to stay there.”

Jergal offered no opinion, he merely tilted his head and watched Tav, his glimmering eyes unblinking.

“So?” they asked. Again they inched their hand closer to Jergal. “Will you stay with me until I go? I know my soul is in safe hands with you.”

“Yes,” Jergal said, and at last he reached out to take Tav’s hand, his withered fingers curling around theirs. “I shall guide thy passing, as in days of old.”

Tav smiled again, their relief relaxing their entire body. “Thank you,” they whispered.

The memory faded as they closed their eyes, the moment of Tav’s passing obscured from Gale’s vision. He tried to cling to the memory, to see the moment of their final breath, but it was gone. Jergal had kept it from him.

He felt…empty. Hollow. For one, terrifying moment he wondered what all this divinity was for. If not to share with his lover, then…what?

But a spark kindled within him again. Was he not the god of ambition? Was he not the god of taking risks for the highest rewards? What was death to a god like him?

“You know where they are,” he said, turning once more to Jergal. “Take me to them. To wherever their soul resides.”

“Thou knowest as well as I that it would be of no use,” Jergal said. “Thy beloved’s soul is beyond thy reach, now. They hath made their decision.”

Gale could feel his anger rising, as it always did these days when someone dared to suggest what he could or couldn’t do. Anything was possible, given enough time and enough power—that was his creed as the god of ambition. 

“Fine,” he said, keeping his voice carefully controlled. “Then I will seek them out myself.”

“Go, if thou pleaseth,” Jergal said, watching him turn away. “Perhaps it is best thou see them for thyself. But I will not aid thy search.”

“No matter. I will find them. Even if it takes me aeons.”

So saying, he left the material world, casting his essence through the planes, heading for that ever-shifting realm of the dead.

———

He materialized at last in the Fugue Plane, obscuring his presence and divinity in a fog that matched all the rest as he moved through the vastness of the gray plains, seeking, searching, looking for Tav. He scarcely knew what he would say to them, other than all the questions he wanted answers to. But he had to see them.

Why couldn’t you endure? Why did you think I had forgotten? Why did you stop believing in me? Why didn’t you wait?

Anger and despair fought for dominance in his mind, anger at Tav, anger at himself, despair at losing Tav, despair at his own follies. But something in his divinity kept him from ever really taking the blame. He was a god, after all. He knew better than mortals. It was Tav’s mortal reckoning that was the problem. Their mortal frailty. Their mortal inability to see the scope of eternity beyond their brief lifetime of pain. Perhaps if he had given them more glimpses of divinity, to show them what they had to look forward to…

His train of thought halted as he finally found them standing among the gray. Tav. His love.

They looked as they had in life, when they were at their very best. Healthy, standing straight, their hair full and thick, their skin clean and without blemish. They were stunning. Beautiful.

But gray. All over gray, in the same shades as every other wandering spirit here. Colorless and without vibrancy.

Yet...more solid than the wandering souls around them. Gale paused, remaining in the fog, watching. They stood on the plains, looking around, but not with the dull, aimless look of a soul shambling directionless in this plane. No, they appeared alert and confident, as if they knew themself, as if they had purpose.

After a moment, they seemed to find what they were looking for. They walked over to another soul that was sitting on the ground. The soul’s gaze was lifeless, dim, just the same as every other soul around them. This soul was a shade of their former self, their memories and life already slipping from their grasp. Tav softly called their name and held out their hand.

Kelemvor has sent me, they said, offering the soul a kind smile as the soul looked up slowly at them. I can take you to the City.

…Kelemvor?

Suddenly Gale understood.

Thy beloved’s soul is beyond thy reach.

So that’s what he meant. 

Gale had come with two, perhaps three ambitious plans in mind. If he couldn’t convince Tav to be resurrected and then ascended, he had planned to ask them to be resurrected and then become his Chosen. If Tav didn’t agree to either, then Gale was prepared to ask them to join his domain in death. One way or another, he thought, they would be together. As gods, as a god and a Chosen, or as a god and a faithful soul. Together forever.

His divine mind hadn’t conceived of a fourth option. He hadn’t anticipated what was now clearly Tav's new reality, irrevocable and unchangeable. Yet it stood before him, the evidence as obvious as day.

Kelemvor had claimed Tav’s soul before he could. Tav was beyond his control.

Though his anger flared up briefly in response��how dare Kelemvor claim his beloved before Gale had even had a chance to speak with them?—his anger soon cooled as he watched Tav take the hopeless soul by the hand and help them to stand.

Come with me, they said to the soul. I can guide you safely to the city.

Tav had been chosen as one of Kelemvor’s spirit guides, to help guide souls to the City of Judgment, or perhaps even to other gods’ domains, if Kelemvor’s judgment were so inclined to send them there. As Gale watched the two of them disappear into the fog, Tav leading the other soul gently by the hand, all his questions, all his anger, all his despair melted away,

He was left feeling hollow.

His ambitious plan had been thwarted, long before he’d even had a chance to enact it. The defeat should have stung, but instead he felt numb to it.

All that time spent exploring his godhood in order to ascend Tav, wasted. Yes, he had to admit, despite the humility churning his gut with discomfort, he had been too enamored with learning the limits of his power. But he hadn’t been gone long.

They chose this over him…?

He hovered in those gray, shifting plains, a cloud of fog amidst more fog, as he contemplated the matter to himself. Ran a thousand useless scenarios in his mind for how this could have gone differently. Tried to tease out new paths forward, only to be blocked at every turn by the rules of divinity and souls. He didn’t notice how much time had passed, until movement drew his gaze back to his surroundings.

Tav had returned. Only this time, it was clear they weren’t looking for a particular soul. They looked around them slowly before saying, out loud, “I know you’re there. You can come out now.”

They wouldn’t say such things to a soul they had been sent to guide. Which meant only one thing.

They were looking for him.

He hesitated at first but then decided that no more harm could be done. Not to them, anyway. And how much worse could his divine heart break, really?

He dropped his cloak of fog, settling down to stand just a few feet away from them. As soon as he materialized, their eyes were on him. Not shocked or surprised. As if they had been expecting him.

There was, however, a faint hint of nervousness in their face.

They locked eyes in that gray space, the fog swirling around them. A silver-toned deity, glowing with electric blue divinity, and a grayscale spirit guide, their eyes burning with silver light. They watched him silently for a moment, waiting.

Gale opened his mouth to speak, to apologize, to beg, to argue, to weep, but not a sound issued forth. What was there to say? They were out of his reach now. Separated from him for an eternity.

In the end they spoke first.

“Kelemvor said you were looking for me,” they said, in his silence. “I suppose you have questions.”

He had so many questions. But has he watched them stand before him, looking more alert, more confident, more vibrant with energy and vitality than they had been in life, even on their best mortal days, his questions all died on his tongue. All save one.

“Are you…content?”

The question surprised them, he could see it in their face. They nodded. “I am. You’ve probably already guessed what I am, then?”

“One of Kelemvor’s spirit guides. To lead the lost souls wandering this plane to the City of Judgment to await Kelemvor’s judgment of them.”

“Yes.” They hesitated. He could sense the words on their tongue that they wanted to say but were uncertain about. He saw them swallow the words back.

“I have a purpose here,” they said, instead. “There are so many I can help. So many places to travel in this line of work. Sometimes, when Kelemvor decides someone fits a different god’s domain, I even get to visit it with them as I take them there. I’m still trying to figure my way about, but…”

They trailed off, again uncertain. Gale could only smile.

“It suits you,” he said softly.

And it did. In life, they had longed to travel, to see new sights and meet new people. And then when forced to travel, it had brought them nothing but pain. Yet even so they had pushed through, seeking to help everyone they could, even as they themself were hurting, broken by battle and their curse.

He still felt there were better alternatives—could he not have made them a god of new things, of rebirth, of travel, of care for the downtrodden, or more? But they had chosen this instead.

He should have expected nothing less and nothing more.

“Thank you,” they said. Again they hesitated, until finally, in a burst of words, “Gale, I’m sorry. I know you said—”

But Gale held up a hand, stopping them. “No. No need to apologize. You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”

They frowned. “And yet you must think me the ultimate fool for giving up your offer of godhood for an eternity of playing messenger and guide.”

“What I think doesn’t matter,” he said. “But…no. I could never think you a fool. You simply…chose the path you felt was best for you.”

And now there was no turning back. 

They both lapsed into thoughtful silence at that, each of them watching the other. He could feel them studying him, taking in the new glimpses of his divine presence, the silvered skin, the lightning crackling at his temples, the white-blue glowing eyes. Here in the Fugue Plane, the two of them didn’t look that dissimilar, with all the grays and silvers that coated Tav’s body now as well. 

He still loved them, he realized. And he would always, he felt, love them. But that love had shifted. He was the god of ambition now, and they were a spirit guide of Kelemvor. Separated in death, yet still part of the same godly realms.

“Gale,” Tav said uncertainly. “I know you’re a new god, and there’s no one, that I know of, who is worshipping you who has died just yet. But when they do…perhaps Kelemvor will be kind enough to let me guide those souls to your domain. Maybe then we could…see each other. Once in a while. From a distance.”

Gale smiled at that. He could just picture Tav arriving at the edge of his domain, leading an ambitious soul to him. “A visit every now and again? I’d like that.”

“It won’t be every time, mind you,” Tav said. “There are a lot of guides. And you’re responsible for picking up your own faithful.”

Gale chuckled. “I am aware.”

“But other souls…ambitious souls who didn’t know you but that might fit your domain…well.” They offered him a little smile. “I’m just saying maybe this isn’t goodbye. It’s just…until we see each other again.”

It wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. Gale would never forget the chance he missed with them, to have them reign as a god at his side. But the hope shining in Tav’s silver-toned eyes was impossible to ignore or destroy. If they were content with this lot, perhaps, in time, he could be too.

“Very well,” he said. “I look forward to your first visit to my domain, then.” He gave them a little bow, a return to some of his mortal mannerisms.

Tav nodded, their smile faint, but as full of love as they had been in life. “Until we see each other again, Gale.”

He returned their smile and gentled his voice, bringing with it all the tenderness and love he still felt for them, and may yet feel for them for an eternity.

“Until then, my love. I will be waiting.”

[whaledenwtf]

Gale Dekarios X Sorcerer!Reader - Spin the Bottle

The Gale girlies of tiktok got their clutches in me and I want him. I already had my hands full with wanting Astarion AND Halsin but now Gale too? I can't believe I've dedicated so much time to PIXELS. Anyways, here's some wizard sex. :)

AO3 LINK: Here Baldur's Gate 3 Masterlist: Here

Warnings: afab!reader and Male Smut, Body Worship ( Female Receiving), Creampie, Oral (Female Receiving), Misuse of the Mage Hand Cantrip (oh yeah), Praise Kink, Spin the Bottle Trope, Angst too!!! Sorry

I try to keep Gale as close to his character as possible but the idea of even entertaining Mystra in the fic for more than half a moment fills me with anger. So I try to only bring her up during the angst.

WORD COUNT: 5325

The last few days... weeks? Have been awful. Ever since you met all your companions in the wreckage of the nautiloid ship (and evidently, the wreckage of any normalcy) you've spent every day exploring the Sword Coast looking for answers and seeking guidance on how to rid yourselves of the tadpole. During the day, the heat is cooled by the breeze of the ocean, but nothing can quell the stress of the band of misfits you find yourself surrounded by.

"We should head to the cre'che. You may be too far gone, too weak, but I need the guidance of Queen Vlaakith." A chorus of groans echo Lae'zel's words.

"All offense, but I do not want a githyanki prodding in my skull." Shadowheart tells her annoyed. You roll your eyes, bracing yourself for the oncoming fight. You've been around them long enough to know that the daily Lae'zel and Shadowheart fight will have to be broken up by you, again. Lae'zel unsheathes her sword and points it towards Shadowheart.

"Just because you are a k'chakhi, doesn't mean (Y/N) can't understand reason." You look around and see everyone look annoyed. Well, almost everyone. Astarion always watches the fights with glee, bright smiles and wicked intentions.

"Excuse me? What did you just call me? I'll make sure Shar punishes you greatly." Shadowheart pulls out her mace. You can already tell this will get bloody. You walk in between them and put your arms out.

"Enough. For gods sake, both of you need to relax. You're both acting unreasonable." You cringe the moment you say those words.

"Unreasonable?!" They both respond, aiming their weapons at you. You roll your eyes, pulling out your staff.

"Point those weapons at me again and I'll make sure to cast a Hold Person so well you'll be stuck here until you transform." Everyone's mouths drop open at your words. You were a sorcerer, usually kind tempered, or you'd like to think so. This has been the tenth time you had to break up a fight between the two in the last three days. It was sickening, and you were at your wits' end. Astarion giggles with glee, clapping his hands at your words. You point your staff at him too.

"I'll cast it on you too-" He pouts at your words, no longer finding the threat fun when it's directed towards him. "Now all of you shut the hells up so we can go find more answers on what to do. No more fighting." Everyone nods silently. You exhale loudly and smile.

"Now let's go." Lae'zel scoffs, sheathing her weapon and bumping Shadowhearts shoulder as she walks past. You turn away and lead the group forward, going towards the Goblin Camp that is holding Arch Druid Halsin captive; the druids in the grove said he may have information on your tadpoles.

"I'm afraid that I cannot heal you. These tadpoles are different, and have magic that even someone as experienced as I cannot remove them." Halsin tells you sadly. The group groans at the tall elf's words. After completely eradicating all the goblins and other beasts in the camp, Halsin is still unable to help.

"However, I was able to track that they are coming from the Shadow Cursed lands, and may be tied to the Moonrise Towers." This was news! Not as good as you were hoping, but its a lead! A start to an otherwise longer journey.

"I appreciate you trying Halsin. Thank you." You tell him quietly. He nods, his hand on your shoulder.

"I should be the one thanking you. You have freed me and explained what Kagha was planning to do to the Emerald Grove-" Astarion cuts off the Druid.

"Yes yes, we get it. We helped. Seems like we did it for no reason." Without turning your gaze away from Halsin, you wack him with your staff. After a loud thump and Astarion's "ow", you smile at the elf.

"No need to thank me, Halsin. Your information will guide us onward." He nods, frowning for a moment.

"Once I get back from ending the Rite of Thorns, I will meet you at your camp and join you on your journey. I hate to ask more of you, but I need assistance with eradicating the Shadow Curse."

"More help?!" Astarion exclaims. You turn around, ready to strike again, but Gale beats you to it. He does you a solid and wacks him upside his head with a large tome. Astarion flinches, complaining about his hair. You smile at Gale in thanks, who winks in response to you before you turn back to Halsin, blushing.

"I'm sure in ridding the curse we may find more information about the parasites." Halsin engulfs you in a hug, and you laugh patting his back.

"Thank you, little one. I will trek to the Grove now. You are more than welcome to join me." You turn to look at all your companions, some of which seem eager to go back to the Grove.

"I think we should, just incase a rampant goblin attacks you again." Halsin chuckles, before letting go of you.

"Then let us make haste."

At the Grove, you watch as Halsin berates Kagha. Afterwards you see Zevlor run up to you.

"We must thank you (Y/N)! We gathered all our gold so we can give you something for your troubles." You watch as the man pulls out a small pouch, filled with everyone's gold. You felt pity, as the need to do good outweighed any reward, especially one so small. You knew taking their gold would leave them only with the clothes on their backs, and the supplies they had.

"Oh Zevlor, I cannot take this from you. Keep it for Baldur's Gate. We are just grateful we were able to help in time." He shakes his head.

"At least let us thank you. We can celebrate at your camp and share our wine and food with you." You ponder this.

"Something to destress may be necessary, lest we hear Lae'zel and Shadowheart fight again." Gale whispers in your ear. Your breath hitches. Ever since you pulled Gale of Waterdeep from the collapsing portal, you've been smitten. Despite his very human nature, his soft brown eyes, beautiful features and prose had caught your attention. He was gorgeous, and your heart yearned for him, mind, body and soul.

"If I have to hear the word cre'che one more time I might gauge my eyes out." You whisper back. He chuckles, the sound warm and it shoots straight to your core. You make your decision.

"I think a celebration with some wine, food and good company would be a great reprise from all the stress. We'll see you at sundown." The group cheers, excited for some wine and relaxation. This seems like the first decision everyone agreed with. You smile at them as Zevlor walks away, telling the tieflings about the celebration.

You were already drunk off the vinegar-like wine, teetering on the edge of consciousness and depravity. You see all your companions scattered across the camp; some entertaining the company of the tieflings, others drinking on their lonesome. This won't do! Your drunk mind exclaims. Before you could act on it, Astarion walks up to you, smirking.

"Well, hello to you sweetheart." You blush at his forwardness. It seems everyday you spend together he gets more bold in his words and touches, but he isn't Gale.

"H-hello Astarion." You tell him, stuttering from your inebriated state. His cold hand meets your arm, and you startle, sobering up momentarily.

"Just a hello? I was hoping for a better form of greeting." You roll your eyes at his theatrics.

"And what would that form of greeting be, my beloved?" You ask him sarcastically. He grins, his fangs glistening in the lowlight of the campfire and lanterns scattered about.

"Perhaps a kiss? Maybe a night, with yours truly? I can make you feel things no man has ever made you feel before~" He grabs your waist and pulls you close.

"No things a man has made me feel before? That's cute, but won't work on me." You tell him, slapping the side of his face as though he were a child.

"Won't work? Darling, it's true! I will make you crave my touch~" He whispers to you. You laugh in his face, and he frowns at your response.

"You should go into comedy with such jokes!" He lets go of you and pouts.

"You're no fun." You smirk at his words.

"Oh I'm plenty of fun. You're just not my type." He is taken aback.

"I'm everyone's type, sweetheart. You're just lying to yourself- or your standards are quite low." You really can't entertain his theatrics any longer, your eyes already looking around for Gale.

"Alright Astarion. As lovely as this conversation was, I've got to go." You pull away from him, spotting the wizard near his tent, a glass of wine in one hand and tome in the other. You rush towards him, before your journey is cut off by Karlach.

"H-hey soldier!" You smile at the tiefling.

"Hi Karlach. Are you enjoying yourself?" She nods, her body swaying.

"Of course! Between my engine sort-of working for now, and the booze, I'm on cloud nine!" She tells you, spinning in place. You giggle at her theatrics, before stabilizing her when she gets too dizzy.

"I was thinking of playing spin the bottle! Now that I can't burn people it would be fun to play-" She gives you puppy dog eyes. You feel bad for Karlach, you really do. A victim to Zariel, and now to her infernal engine, you can tell she just wants to be hugged and loved. You hug her, grinning. She grips you back tightly, sighing into your arms.

"Let's gather the others! Can't wait for the inevitable Lae'zel and Shadowheart kiss." You both laugh. You let go of each other and rally the others. You manage to get Lae'zel, Shadowheart, Gale, Wyll, Karlach, Astarion to join you near the campfire. Even Halsin decides to join, after you ask him sweetly. You're all sitting in a circle, with Halsin to your left and Astarion on your right. Gale is sitting directly infront of you, and you catch his gaze more than once. You decide that if anyone asks, the blush is not from the handsome wizard, but the booze. Yeah that'll work, you think to yourself.

"Can't wait to kiss you, sweetheart." Astarion tells you. You roll your eyes, taking a sip of a new bottle of wine.

"Get in line, fangs." Karlach tells him, smirking at you. You laugh at her words.

"Alright, alright. Let's get to kissing!" You smirk at everyone. After a minute of downing the bottle in your hand, you empty it and put it in the center of the circle.

"Now that little alchy finished drinking, who wants to spin first?" Astarion speaks up, smirking at your companions. With enthusiasm, Karlach shouts.

"ME ME ME!" You chuckle at her reaction, and give her the go-ahead. You watch her buzzing in her seat as she spins the bottle. It does one, two, three spins before landing on Wyll. They look at eachother, eyes wide.

"Oh shit-" Karlach whispers. The whole circle starts chanting, and after a minute of tense stillness they kiss. You all cheer, laughing and smiling. Then they don't let go, still kissing. The cheering gets louder,

"Oh gods, split it up." Astarion says, fake gagging. They split, gasping. Both of them are blushing, and you smirk.

"Had fun?" You tease them. They look away from each other, realizing the implications of their kiss.

"Alright, now Wyll's gotta spin!" You tell them, grinning. Wyll shuffles closer to the bottle, watching it spin until it lands on Halsin. You gasp, before cheering. Their kiss was quick, but you could tell Halsin was in control. He chuckles as they part, and Wyll sits back down. Halsin spins the bottle, and it spins for a solid ten seconds until it lands on Shadowheart.

"Now this will be interesting." Astarion whispers into your ear. You giggle into your hand, nodding. Your eyes split from Halsin and Shadowheart to see Gale watching you and Astarion's closeness with a frown. Before you could give him a look, you hear cheering. Your eyes glance back at Halsin, who pulls Shadowheart onto his lap and grips her tightly as they are kissing. Your eyes widen, lips parting.

"Oh." After a minute, they split, panting. Shadowheart stands from his lap, her legs left unstable from the powerful kiss. She fans herself for a second before spinning the bottle. It barely does a full turn before it lands on Lae'zel. You start laughing loudly.

"Absolutely not." She says loudly, already reaching for the bottle.

"Hey! No respins!" Karlach says, eyebrows furrowed. Shadowheart huffs. Lae'zel hasn't spoken up, just watching Shadowheart's plight with a grin.

"Fine. But watch yourself, githyanki. I will not hesitate to end you if there's any funny business." Lae'zel rolls her eyes, before pulling Shadowheart into a passionate kiss. Everyone's jaws drop as they kiss, all their verbal fights (and some physical, mind you) seemingly have turned into sexual tension. Lae'zel pulls Shadowheart into her, before pushing her under her. After hearing someone moan, you decide to cut it out.

"Okay, stop! Holy hells, if you're gonna do that do it in the privacy of your own damn tent." You tell them, grimacing at the sounds coming from them. Without a word, Lae'zel picks up Shadowheart and walks away from the circle. You guffaw, before turning back to the other companions, eyes wide.

"Um-" Astarion cuts you off, smirking.

"Alright! Since they left its my turn!" He claps, before spinning the bottle. It lands on you, and you groan.

"Come here, sweetheart." He whispers. As he closes his eyes, you give him a quick peck and turn away before he could wonder what happened.

"That was hardly a kiss!" He shouts, crossing his arms.

"Oh, boo hoo Astarion." You tell him, laughing. You spin the bottle. It does one, two, three, four turns, before it lands on the object of your attentions. Gale's eyes widen, and he freezes up.

"Pucker up wizard, it'll be done before you know it." Astarion sulks from beside you. You crawl towards him, blush deepening. When you get into his personal space, you sit down on your haunches and get comfortable. His hand goes to the side of your face, while the other goes to your waist. Your arms wrap around his neck and you meet in the middle.

This kiss was unlike any other you had in your life. The world around you disappeared, sounds muffled. All you could feel was Gale and his magical essence. You became tuned to one another, magic flowing freely between you both. His hands move around, the one on your hip going to the small of your back and pulling you closer, as the one that was holding your face goes to the back of your neck to hold you to him. Your lips open when his tongue traces the seam of your lips. Your tongues battle for dominance, and you moan into his mouth. That seems to snap him out of the trance, and he separates from you. You can see his deep blush, and he gets up and runs off. Your eyes follow him, and you furrow your brows.

"If he ran away because of your kissing skills, maybe I should be grateful you only gave me a peck." Astarion says. Your eyes snap back to his.

"My kissing isn't the problem. I'll go check on him." You get up, dusting the dirt off your legs and walking towards his tent. When you turn around, to glance at your companions, you see Karlach and Wyll cheering on Astarion and Halsin as they kiss. You roll your eyes and look forward, going into a jog so you could reach Gale's tent sooner.

When you get to his tent, you cough outside so he can hear you. You hear him mutter a "come in" so you enter slowly. When you enter his tent, your eyes widen. Its larger on the inside, and looks homely. There are towers of tomes and books, some old and some new, and your eyes are taking in the beauty of the bigger-on-the-inside tent that reflects Gale's personality. When your eyes stop wandering, you notice Gale sitting on the edge of his large bed, hands holding his head as he sits dejected.

"I wanted to check in on you." You tell him quietly, walking closer to him. He sighs, and looks up at you.

"I'm sorry-" You reach him in two short strides, and kneel so you are below him. His eyes follow your movements, and you see the sorrow and sadness lurking in his beautiful brown eyes.

"You never need to apologize to me Gale. Are you okay?" You ask him softly. He sighs again, frowning.

"I'm not." He says quietly. You know he's upset, by the succinctness of his words.

"You can always tell me what's wrong. You know I care about you-all of you." You save yourself at the last moment. Now's probably not the time to admit your feelings, especially when he doesn't seem receptive to your advances.

"I'm just-" He exhales loudly. "You're not the issue here, (Y/N). I am. Everything I have done, everything I do, was for her. Now I feel lost, between the bomb inside my chest and the tadpole in my head, I feel as though I have no control over anything." Your hands gently takes one of his, holding him softly.

"You are the most talented wizard I have ever met, Gale of Waterdeep. You have control over everything, more than most of us." He shakes his head, eyes getting misty.

"You're wrong, you know. I have lost favour with my goddess, and have lost control over my emotions it seems. I just ran away from you and you still check in on me. Gale's Folly, I once named my demise. But it seems everything I do adds to my torment, and it affects others." You go to deny him but he cuts you off. He turns to the side, looking in the distance.

"I have always known my purpose, since I was young. Hone my powers, control the weave. Serve my goddess. The universe that was once kind to me has turned against me, against my reverence for Mystra. I was cursed, am cursed. In the deepest darkest shadows of my folly, I met you. A sorcerer who I respect and admire greatly. Now I am destined to lose that too-" You grip his hand tightly.

"You have not lost me yet, Gale." You whisper gently to him. His face snaps back to yours, his eyes searching yours for the truth. All he sees is your honesty and admiration.

"I do not deserve you." He whispers, shedding a tear. You wipe the tear away, holding his face.

"It is I who does not deserve you, Gale. You've been hurt, badly. I would never expect anything from you more than what you are ready to tell me. You must know how important you are to us, to me." He looks down at his lap, pondering.

"I've always felt the need to do anything to serve Mystra. Even sacrifice the deepest parts of myself for her, if she had asked. Many times, she had. But you; you ask nothing more from me. You give without taking, and I don't understand how you think I am deserving of your kindness." He whispers.

"Gale. You are magnificent. I care about you, more than I care for the others. Ever since I pulled you out of that portal I knew that you'd be someone I'd care for. Since then, all I've done is fallen more for you. You don't need to reciprocate any feelings, but you have to know how much someone cares for you- I care for you. You are worth much more than Mystra has ever given you credit for." His eyes snap back to yours, widening at your words.

"I did not realize-" You cut him off gently, the hand on his face squeezing slightly.

"I was afraid to say anything. I understand your trepidation regarding your situation. If I was in your position I would have given up long ago. But please, please do not think for a moment you are not worthy of love. You are kind, good of heart and deserving of more than most of us in camp." He pulls you into a hug. Your arms find themselves around him, squeezing him tightly. Your head finds itself in the crevice of his neck, inhaling his scent of old books and hazelnut; a scent you could only describe as Gale.

"I'm sorry. I do care about you, deeply. I have not felt such a way since Mystra, but sitting here with you now, I have never felt such acceptance and understanding. I'm afraid of what darkness the future holds, but it does not seem as dim if you are there with me." He tells you into your ear. You sigh, nudging your nose deeper into his neck. You leave a soft kiss on the side of his neck before pulling away.

"I'll help you rid yourself of the Netherese Orb, and then the parasite. You are not alone." His hands grip the sides of your face.

"I can never feel alone when I'm with you." He pulls you into a kiss, and the adoration he feels for you translates in the movement of his lips. You kiss him softly, before pulling away.

"I do not want to take advantage of you when you are feeling so low." You gaze at him, admiring his looks. His eyes, long dried from the tears, shine in the light of his tent.

"I want to be here with you. No advantages are being taken. Please-" He pleads, begging for you. You bite your lip, and his eyes follow the action. He rushes forward, sliding off the side of the bed and kneels in front of you. He pulls you into a kiss, desperation and need coursing through his blood. You moan against his soft lips, all worries and fears dissipating into the night air. He pulls away from you, panting.

"Those sounds... You're entire being... No magic can compare to your beauty." He whispers, his breath fanning against your lips. You blush under his gaze and words, unable to reply.

"I want to show you my love the way gods do, please let me." He tells you against your lips, kissing you again. Your hands cradle his neck, thumbs trailing up and down the column. You pull away again, shaking your head.

"I don't need magic, or gods. Not when I have you right here infront of me." He pulls away, a deep blush on his face. You notice that it goes down his neck, reaching his chest; as well as the tips of his ears, which are also tinged crimson at your words.

"Are you sure? I can make you feel things, see things.... experience things beyond your wildest imaginations-" You cut him off, pouting.

"You already make me feel those things, Gale. Can't I have the man in front of me? I am no goddess, and you needn't seek my approval. You already have it." He nods, before taking your hands and pushing you forward so you're laying against the floor. His fingers link with yours and pull them above your head. You're panting, breasts heaving and grazing his own chest. His gaze trails from your features down to your neck, then further down to your chest.

"Gods. Seeing you in such a state makes me reconsider if I am truly cursed. You're ambrosial." His face goes to your neck, peppering kisses and licks up and down. You moan again, your arousal climbing higher. Your hips begin to grind the air, praying for solace, pleading for his touch. He bites down on you, blunt teeth tickling your skin. You gasp out, back arching so your bodies are fully touching.

"Please, please Gale." You whimper, eyes closed and lips parted.

"What do you need, my love?" He asks you huskily, still licking and kissing your neck.

"I need you." You wail out, eyes watering from his teasing.

"Not as much as I need you, my sweet." With a wave of his hand, both your clothes dissipate. His eyes wander, admiring your body. Your hands go to his chest, caressing the hair there. For a moment, your fingers hover over the tattoo, before touching it with such gentleness. He exhales at your touch, eyes closing while your hands wander. Your hands go to his shoulders where they caress the tense muscle there. He smiles before opening his eyes, adoration shining in them.

"You are a goddess." You squirm under his words, blushing deeply. His hands start to caress the sides of your torso, going up to your breasts. His thumbs start rubbing against your peaks, the rough texture of his fingers making you whimper. Your hands squeeze his shoulders, as you look at him pleadingly.

"Gale, don't tease me." His eyes glace up to your face, as he lowers himself closer to your chest.

"Don't worry my sweet sorcerer, I'll make sure this night is magical." His lips take in one of your nipples, as he begins to suck and bite. You gasp, your nails digging into his shoulders. As he worships your nipple, his other hand begins to play roughly with the other one. His empty hand waves, and a mage hand appears and takes both your wrists in its mystical grasp, placing them above your head like Gale had done moments before. He moves to the other nipple, giving it the same treatment.

You whimper under his actions, panting and arching into him. One of his hands trails down to the apex of your thighs, and begins to caress your core. You exhale loudly through your nose as you bite your lip, groaning. He comes off of your chest with a pop! and grins at you.

"My sweet, are you this wet for me? Can't wait to spread you open and taste you for myself-" His hands spread your legs as far as you can go, as he lowers down. You feel his breathe on your core. For a moment, nothing happens, but then he summons two more mage hands to hold your thighs open as he begins to taste you.

His tongue licks the side of your thighs, as he places open mouthed kisses on your hot skin. He does this for a minute, just worshipping your skin, and then he licks up your core. He moans into you as he tastes your slick, eyes closing.

"Ambrosial, just as I suspected-" He opens his eyes and looks at you as you watch him attentively. "I can't wait to taste you until I bring you to other planes of existence." He attacks your pussy with fervor, licking and prodding at you. His ambidextrous tongue works wonders on you, he spreads you open further with his fingers, as he brings his tongue into you. You gasp at the intrusion, hands struggling against the grip of the mage hand, wishing to push him further into you. As he continues to taste you, his concentration wavers and the mage hands dissipate. Your hands latch into his dark curly locks, tugging at him as you continuously plea don't stop. He chuckles into your skin, as he pulls away.

"I won't stop worshipping you until the end of the night, my beloved. I promised you magic, and you'll take it like a good girl." You whimper at his words, slick leaving you. He licks it up from the source, moaning into your skin. As he goes to take your clit into his mouth, two of his thick fingers caress at your entrance before going in to the hilt and curling upwards. You caterwaul at the attention, hands gripping his locks tighter. He licks and sucks at your clit, fingers pistoning in and out of you. You feel your nirvana quickly approaching.

"G-Gale I'm close, so so close. Please-" You beg him, eyes closed. He hums against your clit as he curls his fingers curve upwards. You've hit your peak, back arching into the sky and thighs tightening against his head. You see explosions of colours behind your eyelids, and your body is weightless for many moments. As you come back from your high, you open your eyes to see Gale admiring your face; his fingers lazily pumping into you. You clench around his fingers as you pant, eyes still unfocused.

"O-oh-" You whisper, head hitting the floor as you close your eyes to try to get your bearings. Gale chuckles at you as he removes his fingers from you, tasting your spend on his skin. As your breathing gets back to normal, you open your eyes again to gaze at Gale.

"I want to please you-" He cuts you off, picking you up off the floor with relative ease and depositing you onto the bed.

"If you do that I know I will not be able to please you as long as I'd like." He tells you honestly as he licks his lips. You surge forward, capturing his mouth against yours. You can still taste yourself on his tongue, and it excites you further. Your legs lock around his waist and pull him into you, his cockhead bumping into your clit. You split from each other, admiring one another.

"Take what you want from me, Gale of Waterdeep." He moans at your words, and grasps his cock in his hand.

"You don't know how you affect me, (Y/N). Your words, your scent, your taste. I can't wait to take you and make you mine." As he speaks, he thrusts into you in one quick motion, bottoming out inside of you. You both gasp, the connection unlike any other you had ever experienced in your life.

"Please make me yours Gale. I'll be anything you want, do anything you want. Just make me yours." He begins to thrust into you, his pace rough and deep. He continues to hit that spot, and you feel your orgasm coming again.

"I'm s-so close." You whisper into his ear, kissing the side of his face. He turns and pulls you back into a passionate kiss. He pulls your legs over his shoulders, and you feel his tip kiss your cervix. You gasp against his lips, panting.

"That's right, sweetheart. Let go-" His words bring you to your crest, and you babble as your brain short circuits. As you reach your peak, he does as well, moaning out your name against the column of your neck. His hips stutter to a stop as he releases inside of you, the clenching of your pussy too much for him. He collapses onto you, kissing your neck and whispering sweet nothings to you. After a moment, you pull him into a gentle kiss, savouring the moment with him.

"You are perfect." He whispers to you as you part. Your hand caresses the side of his face.

"You are the perfect one. I hope I can spend the rest of this journey reminding you." You tell him softly. He closes his eyes, smiling at your words.

"How can I ever consider myself less than when I am in your embrace?" You blush, pulling him into a hug. After a moment, he gets up, getting a cloth to clean your mixed spend from between your thighs. Once he deems you clean, he lays back down next to you. You spend the rest of the night cuddling, hushed words of love and appreciation to one another.

The End.

[thatfreshi]

can i request the reader has an emotionally abusive parent and astarion finds out and protects and comforts her?

TW - Emotional abuse, gaslighting, domestic violence

Recommended Song: The Archer - Adam Melchor

After settling down in Baldur's Gate again, you and Astarion have been slowly trying to fit back into the city. It's hard though, after such a long adventure, after trauma and perilous feats, to just be a person. You've reached out to a couple of old friends, trying your best to explain everything without revealing too much, especially without Astarion jokingly baring his fangs and saying "Be warned, I bite." The dumbass seems to think reverse psychology works on everyone.

So word slowly gets out that you're back in town. People that you knew forever ago suddenly stop by the house, and each time Astarion has to double-check that you know them, paranoid about people coming into the home you've built for the two of you. You don't blame him one bit.

It's a Summer afternoon, and you've just come in from tending your little backyard garden. Astarion calls out to you as you come in the back door.

"Darling, there's yet another person here to see you."

He gets a little overwhelmed by all these people wanting to come see you, but he tries his best to be supportive.

"Alright, coming."

You take off your gloves and hang them up by the door, making your way to the front of the house.

"Who is it?"

"Not sure, she wouldn't say."

He opens the door, and a shiver runs down your spine. Your mother.

"Oh, it's so good to see you Tav."

She lunges for an embrace before you can step away, your body is in shock. 'Why is she here?' 'How did she find out?' 'Who could've possibly told her you were back in town?'

"And who is this handsome man?"

Astarion realizes you're a little stunned, and he takes over the conversation for you.

"Astarion, and who might you be?"

"Well I'm Tav's mother of course! I'm sure she's told you all about me." He words are lined with spite, poison dripping out of her mouth. Your vampiric lover senses the tension, and yet you quickly switch tones.

"Come on in mother, we can show you around."

A fake smile, a facade. He's taught you well how to hide your intent, especially in peril.

"Yes, of course."

His voice trails off, wondering what you're up to. You simply start a tour of the house, acting like you would with any old friend.

"So obviously here's the little living space. I'd like to have some more plants in here, but somebody has to have a place to store all his books."

You try to shoot him a playful look, but when you meet eyes both of you know it's wrong. You chuckle a little too late, almost robotically.

"Ah yes, Tav here used to read all the time as a little one. Read all those silly little adventure books, even wanted to go on one."

"Yes, but-"

"BUT, instead we kept our lovely little offspring around to help with the business for a while, convinced Tav it was best to help the family."

Something triggered in Astarion's brain, the way she said family.

"Yes, of course mother. It was the right thing to do after all."

He realizes you never spoke about your parents, or about any of your family members for that matter. You've always spoken so freely, without a care in the world. Suddenly you were stiff, conforming to a conversation that you had no control over.

"Well, everyone must leave the nest eventually."

He smiles, trying to relieve the tension, still analyzing your movements.

"Well, my child here just up and disappeared a couple years back, left me and my husband in shambles."

Clearly she didn't know about the nautiloid, or about any of your adventures.

"And yet suddenly here you are, a house, a lovely man, and you feel no need to tell your parents you're home? After all, we could always use the help."

"Well, Astarion and I have been very busy mother, finishing up the house, settling in."

"You know I could've helped with all that."

"We've been managing fine."

The conversation starts to get aggressive. Astarion goes into that protective stance of his, standing tall next to you and wrapping his arm around you.

"Yes, if we ever need help we'll certainly reach out."

There's a slight hiss at the end of his sentence, and you nudge him in the side, trying to get him to keep his composure.

"No need to get all defensive. Tav and I, we understand each other. I just worry, my child being out in the wild, adventuring through forests with all those miserable monsters."

"Would've been better being away from the worst of them."

You mutter under your breath. It's frustrating, this woman coming back into your life, trying to convince you to come back and 'help' her out with the business. You did almost all the work, under her hand. And when you said you wanted to leave and go out on a grand quest...

"You know what, you need to leave."

You finally speak up.

"Excuse me?"

She's shocked.

"Yeah, before there's another accident. Would hate if I broke my leg again."

Astarion's grip tenses.

"That was a sad coincidence and you know it Tav."

"No, you pulled the ladder out from under me while I was climbing to fix something on the roof, and I fell and shattered my leg, and this just so happened to be the day after I told you I was going to leave the city."

"I was trying to stabilize it after I saw it was falling. Don't blame your poor mother."

"And what about when you refused to have a cleric come see me, and I was on bed rest for months on end, while you did nothing."

Your mother goes to speak again, but Astarion cuts her off.

"As my lovely partner here has already said, I think you need to leave, now."

He unwraps himself from you, stepping towards the defensive woman.

"There's no way you believe Tav's idiotic lies. Don't be a fool."

"You're the fool, a fool who's about to lose their head if you don't turn around and leave this house."

She goes to say something else, watching as he goes to grab his trusty dagger. Instead she simply huffs, and storms out the door. Astarion slams it behind her.

"You'll come back Tav, you'll see reason!"

He quickly deadbolts the door and comes back over to you, and you finally break down. That woman, she terrorized you your entire childhood, and some mind flayer ship took you away from her, thankfully.

"You... you never told me about your mother."

"Yeah, I didn't think it really compared to all of your shit."

You wipe at your eyes.

"Now, we don't need to compare apples and oranges my love. It's abuse, all the same, all evil."

He holds you for a while. You're still nervous you'll hear banging on the door, but hopefully Astarion scared her off well enough.

"She'll never be back here, not if I have something to say about it. Here, come sit."

You make your way to the sofa, and he just holds you for a while. It's silent, except for his breathing and a few soft sobs from your sorrows.

"You know, I don't mean to pry, and you don't have to answer if you don't wish to... but did she really let you suffer like that? With your leg just, shattered?"

"Mhm. I couldn't walk for months. I still don't think it ever healed properly. I begged for her to get someone to come look at it, and she just kept saying 'no Tav, they'll just charge us for some bogus potions' and that was that."

He wraps his arms around you tighter than ever. He's lost in thought, going between thoughts of your pains and his own.

"We're so lucky."

You're a little surprised. It's not often he's such an optimist, especially at times like this.

"What do you mean?"

"I think we understand each other better than anyone. Your griefs echo mine, it just makes sense. Not to say I'm happy you went through that... but we're just lucky, lucky to have each other."

You plant a gentle kiss on his hand.

"I agree darling. Thank you, for always being here for me."

"Only because I know you'd do the same for me, my love."

The two of you stay cuddled there for a long time, not really saying or thinking anything. Just two people, sitting in the air of each other's freedom. Just two lovers who were the first to be loved by one another.

[victoria-grimesss]

can you write the group in bg3 teasing Tav for going around in circles, not being able read a map and going one way only to immediately go the other way? :D

Map-Reading is Hard for Tav :( masterlist This one was so fun to write! Enjoy :)

---

"This is pointless, I've seen us pass that rock at least a dozen times now!" Astarion is exasperated, leaning dramatically against it.

"This is true, not many times have I encountered the same terrain, oh look, it's that goblin I killed just a few hours back."

"Okay, Lae'zel you are not helping." You turn the map once then twice, flipping it each way before turning it back again.

"I'm truly concerned with how you got around before the Nautiloid." Shadowheart looks pleasantly amused at this whole scene, and poor Karlach and Gale are just trying to help in any way they can.

"Alright, I think I've got it, if we just go this way we'll definitely get there I'm sure of it." You're still chipper despite the number of times you've walked in a circle.

Astarion scoffs, "By all means, go right ahead I will wait right here, I doubt you'll make it that far, might as well save myself the trip, my shoes are looking worse for wear."

"Yes, scurry along istik, with your poor map-reading skills we may all reach ceremorphosis by the time you come back. Why don't you lend the map to someone more traveled?"

Your brow is furrowed tightly trying to make sense of the landscape and which path leads where, "No. no. I've got this, I just need to go- wait, yes this way!"

"Well, I'll come with you just so you don't walk yourself off a cliff soldier." Karlach's never-ending enthusiasm sure spurs you on, with a hearty clap on the back from her and a pained look from Gale you're on your way again.

"I certainly could take a look at it if you want?"

"I've got this Gale!"

"I question that."

You think you've got it this time, rounding a corner and certainly somewhere new to get you right to...

"Welcome back."

"It seems the tadpole has scrambled your brain rather violently, now I had some time to sharpen my sword but I've grown sick of standing around, let someone else take the map."

"Gladly!" Your mouth is agape as Gale snatches the map turning it right side before directing everyone on the right path.

"It's alright soldier, if we ever encounter a place where we need to go in a circle I'll be sure to let you lead the way, who knew a wizard would be better at a map than you huh?" With her arm slung over your shoulder, you trudge along.

[talizoraa]

Some early game Baldur’s Gate 3 tips

- Once you’ve rescued Shadowheart from her pod on the Nautiloid, you can press K on pc (idk about controller) to see her spell list and change her prepared spells. Swap out one of her spells for Command. Now you can use command to make the devil drop his sword and easily go and pick it up. Even if you can’t use it, this is a very strong early game sword even for your party members and there’s no reason not to do this. Once he’s dropped his weapon it’s easier to kill him, but still very tough. He gives a lot of xp though, so it’s your choice. (Thanks to my gf for this she’s a genius)

- Long rest as often as possible. Especially if you care about your companions personal stories and your relationships with them. As you progress the story and recruit your party members, camp events get added to a queue with different urgency attached to them. If you don’t long rest enough, you will miss a lot of these. Some of them are important for quests, some are just for learning more about your companions, but you can get a lot of approval if you do them, if that’s something you care about. The majority of the time there is no downside to long resting frequently, with camp supplies being very easy to come by. There are a small number of quests that will change after you long rest, but by far fewer than I thought there would be. If you’re worried, you can f5 to quick save before long rest. On my earlier saves, I used long rest very sparingly and missed a lot of events I would’ve liked to have seen. (Also obviously restoring spell slots and hp and stuff)

- If you are not playing a cleric or a druid, and don’t feel like constantly having Shadowheart in your party, you can go here to loot a necklace with Guidance on it. Guidance is extremely good for dice rolls and I absolutely recommend picking this up.

- This last ones mostly just for fun, once you reach the Emerald Grove, head up the path to the east from the entrance and you can meet Alfira the tiefling bard. Talk to her and offer to play with her, pass all the difficulty checks and you’ll learn to play musical instruments. There’s also a chest here with an item for bards inside. Head north east from her to fight some harpies and rescue a tiefling boy, who will give you access to the kids hideout. Again these aren’t super important, just helpful, and the instrument proficiency is fun. These will NOT be available after you complete the main quest for the zone. (Image is from google, don’t know what the other markers are)

- Oh also, these are pretty well known but just in case. As I said, F5 to quicksave, F8 to quickload. Hold ALT to see almost all lootable objects. Hold SHIFT to see enemy’s cones of vision.

These are just a few tips that would have helped me out had I known them sooner, that I’ve hardly seen mentioned anywhere else. There’s more obvious ones, like making sure you recruit Wyll and Karlach before moving on to act 2, as they’re easily missable, and fully exploring the crash site to find all the available companions. Feel free to let me know if there’s any more I should add or reblog with your own!

[sodapopseagull]

Got tagged for a WIP Wednesday by the lovely @kittencombat and thankfully it's definitely still Wednesday 😌😌😌 so here's a snippet from a test chapter of my upcoming post-canon bloodweave AU longfic where Gale didn't get abducted by the nautiloid for... reasons. Idk if it'll stay as it is by the time I'm ready to post, but I really like this little segment 💜

Lost. Absolutely lost. Not a single memory surfaced about Gale, nor about some mysterious offer, though from the intensity of his ruminating, Astarion could only assume it was something rather severe. Or stupid. Gale looked like the type to propose marriage after a one night stand.

Hmm... Had they fucked?

Astarion narrowed his eyes as if he could see beneath Gale's dreadful purple robes. A thousand bodies flashed before his eyes, some of them with a similar height and skin tone, but none of them stuck out as distinctly Gale. No, he did not seem the type that would appeal to his dearly disemboweled tormentor, scruffy and awkward and altogether too cute with those crinkly brown eyes and pouty pink lips.

Cazador preferred ethereal beauty. Gale was decidedly human and all that came with such a thing.

"Oh, well I am sure there's a way around it." Goodness, what a talker. "Either way, it is good to see you. A relief, even. I take it you were able to perform that little mind-shielding trick after all? You seem in much better spirits." That smug look had been replaced by something far worse: sincere affection. Astarion could take it from his friends in small enough doses, but a dead wizard he barely knew? Ugh, it made his skin crawl. "That makes everything much easier. Much easier indeed."

Gale clapped, the sound echoing through the tower's hollow center. "Ah, but I forget my manners! It has been so long since I've had guests. Come, come." Beckoning with a translucent hand, Gale drifted 'round to the other side of the landing and willed open the heavy, ornate doors. "I apologize if the timing of it is inappropriate," he called over his shoulder, "But I am afraid the only potable refreshments I have available are wine."

"Astarion, who is this man?" Shadowheart whispered when neither of them decided to follow.

"Haven't you been listening, my dear? He's Gale of Waterdeep." Even in a whisper of his own, Astarion attempted to capture his pompous demeanor.

"Apologies again! I neglected to introduce myself."

Both of them froze, wide-eyed as Gale swept back over to them, a ghostly hand extended to Shadowheart. "Gale of Waterdeep, at your service." Then, perhaps noticing their shock, he chuckled. "Ah, a feature of the tower's architecture. Round walls carry sound quite differently than a polygonal room would. That which is whispered against the walls can be heard all the way around." His brown eyes flickered over to Astarion, that jovial grin turning a bit wry. "The impression could use a bit of work."

The cheek! Astarion scoffed, and much to his horror, he found himself fighting a grin. As soon as he knew what this wizard's deal was, he was going to kill him. Again. They were both undead after all.

---

Zero-pressure tags 💜💜💜 @medra-gonbites @badmarilynart @dummptruck @ayvaines @lunarwench

[tragedybunny]

Fangs and Fairytales - Chapter 5

Summary༻

“As I was saying, you're right, things can't stay the same.” Beside her, she felt him tense. “Living at night is going to be an adjustment, I'm sure. It may take me a while. And we'll have to find ways to make sure you're always safe.”

“You don't-”

“I told you on the roof that day, I'm not going anywhere.”

Now. She reached out, and, careful to avoid his burns, pulled him into her arms. 

“It won't always be easy, I know that. But I'm not giving up.”

There was a time when he would have argued with her, told her she was wrong and this wouldn't work. Instead, he leaned his weight against her and drew a breath he didn't need. “Promise?”

Serafina, a warlock with a hidden past. Astarion, a freed vampire spawn. With the Netherbrain defeated, life and happiness are theirs for the taking. Together they’ll set out on a new adventure to find a way for Astarion to walk in the sun again. There’s no easy path to happily-ever-after though as they quickly find many obstacles blocking their way, including Sera’s own Patron, the Fey Queen Titania.  

Chapter 5: Serafina meets up with an old friend. Her and Astarion have one last night with their companions before heading out to adventure on their own.

༺Pairing༻ Astarion x Serafina (Female Tav/OC)

༺Rating༻ Mature

༺Warnings༻ A touch of angst

༺Word Count༻ 4593

༺A/N༻

Hello Lovelies!

Hello Lovelies - we're on to chapter 5, thank you for reading. Thank you to @icybluepenguin for betaing right after Thanksgiving lol. Your dinner almost had a side of Astarion. We've got guest stars! Tali is back, borrowed again from the lovely @snowfolly. And a mention of Asmodea - from the one and only @vixstarria.

So this story may take a pause. I've got a Big Bang fic to work on and another fic I'm looking to finish. I think this is a nice stopping point. If you could, leave me a comment and let me know what you think so far.

Read on AO3

All chapters here on Tumblr

Splash. A stone broke the water near a small fishing boat trying to tie off for the night and the sound of cursing followed in its wake. 

“Taliesin Straeth!” Sera playfully scolded and nudged the elf beside her with her elbow. 

“Oh he’ll live, it was just a little fright,” Tali shot back before unceremoniously stuffing a piece of fried fish in his mouth from the paper cone clutched in his hand. “Gods below, you can forget how good the food down here can be.” 

Down here. The lower city, a place that had been off-limits to her when she had first met Tali. Not that they didn’t sneak down on the occasion, and not that he was the only she’d come here with, but he was honestly the best of them - in his own strange way. 

Now they sat on a walkway above Grey Harbor, the boats coming in as the sun began its descent, sharing fried fish made fresh from the day’s catch and companionship that was rare for Sera; the companionship of one who knew of her before the Nautiloid and the tadpole. 

“Been too busy with the posh upper city life to visit lately?” she teased before taking a piece of her own generous pile. A silence fell between them that was not quite as comfortable as it once had been. 

Tali had been the most famous bard on the whole of the Sword Coast; doors opened for him everywhere and the Patriars of Baldur’s Gate embraced him where other bards may have been looked down on. It certainly didn’t hurt that his family name was known Elven nobility. So he was a welcome addition to her small circle in her mother’s eyes, with her ignorance that Tali despised most of her kind and would often escort Sera out on whatever bit of mischief he had come up with for the night. 

He was different from the others; she didn’t know how back then, but she’d come to realize that all of them had little regard for each other, her included. With Tali, it was … he seemed to, well … not disregard her. There was even a moment when she thought there could be more than not-disregarding but Tali was a bard, and a bard was wont to roam by nature. So Tali had left with a troupe and Sera had met Ophelia soon after. 

How strange it was that Tali was here and Ophelia was nowhere to be found. 

The fish was fresh and briny, the batter crunchy and delightfully salty; a delectable reminder of stolen moments from another lifetime. She took a moment to savor another piece before finally asking what had been on her mind. 

“So how do you do it? How do you see through the fey glamour?” The terms had been made clear to her when she’d pacted herself to Titania: she would be forgotten by everyone she had ever known, able to vanish without a trace, as long as she never spoke of her past in detail. 

She'd kept her end of it with excruciating tenacity, a fact that often cause tension between her and Astarion. And yet Tali still recognized her last night. 

“Well you see I met this woman, gorgeous, a little insane.” 

“Tali!” Sera groaned and rolled her eyes. 

Tali waved his hands around in a grandiose gesture to ward off her irritation. “No - wait. The thing is, she’s like you, made a bargain with some fey - calls it Fuckface of all things. We’ve gotten close, really close. Met her playing this absolute shithole, still think she might have been planning to rob the place after. Anyway, the point is, I think being around her has some of the fey magic rubbing off on me. On our way back to the city I swear I saw a crystal frog in the morning rain!” 

The crystal frog had been one of Tali’s pet obsessions; a creature of the feywild appearing on this plane and bringing luck to anyone who could spot it. 

The steady influence of another fey could possibly explain Tali's immunity and really, it was the only plausible notion at the moment. Other than Titania hating Astarion enough to want to bend her own rules just to upset him. Which Sera found doubtful… but not impossible. 

Silence settled over them for a moment while she contemplated the possibilities. 

“So what now for Lady Serafina, the Hero of Baldur’s Gate?” Tali snickered while heaping titles upon her. 

“Oh, stop it.” She felt herself flush; it was impossible to get used to people calling her that. “We’re going to travel a bit, the whole reason I made this deal in the first place. Get far away from this city. Though with any luck, mother’s house has been caved in by Nautiloids.” 

“You and your remarkable pale, ruby-eyed paramour?” Tali waggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

“I suppose he is a bit pale…” Sera tried but she had a sinking feeling the truth was obvious.

Tali leaned in conspiratorially. “He’s a vampire right? That's why you need to head back at sunset.”

“How did you guess?” He'd never lost the ability to be entirely vexing, it seemed. 

Throwing back his head, he laughed merrily. “I keep myself well-read up on these things, you know - the great macabre matters. And he doesn't do a very good job concealing those fangs. Lucky you, a vampire lover.”

“Admit it, you’ll be curious forever.” The sun was kissing the horizon and Sera would head back and meet up with Astarion soon. Tali too had some place to be. Their reunion was at an end, it seemed, and a slight ache spread through her chest. She'd resigned herself to having no one from her past, and now she had one of her dearest friends - a part of her hated to lose that again so soon. 

“And what of Taliesin, Faerûn's greatest bard. Where are you headed now that you've seen at least some of the city still stands?”

“I'll meet back up with the rest of the troupe, maybe head north before the snows set in, see what trouble we can make.” Tali turned to look at her, munching on the last piece of fish. “Don’t be so somber, it’s a bad look on that pretty face.” 

“Better?” she said, forcing a small smile onto her face. “It feels too soon to part.” 

“That’s painfully sweet, fair lady, but we’ll keep in touch. Your wizard friend has a tower in Waterdeep right? He won’t mind holding messages.” 

She couldn’t help but laugh. Only Tali would presume that the wizard she’d just told him was quite powerful would accept being their messenger. “Maybe if I actually ask him.”

Tali made a dismissive noise. “If you must.” Standing, he stretched his hand out to help her to her feet, and ended up tilting his head to look up at her. “Time to get back to your sanguine love.” 

Tali wasn’t the only goodbye she'd be saying in the days to come. The very next evening was Duke Ravengard's mysterious dinner. Those who remained behind of the companions had been invited to dine with him, Counsellor Florrick, Liara Portyr; the de facto leadership of Baldur’s Gate. 

When the invite had first come, Sera had worried about the possibility of a forced reunion with her beloathed mother. Not that Lady Glacies should recognize her with Titania’s spell, but Sera wasn’t keen on testing the limits. In addition to the rather grim prospects for Baldur’s Gate with her mother in a seat of power. She had pushed until Ravengard named names, and then, satisfied, agreed to attend.

Now she was standing in Shadowheart’s screened-off dressing area in a dress of purple satin, simple but elegant, eyes closed while Shadowheart applied color to her eyelids.

“There,” Shadowheart said, “all done.” 

Opening her eyes, Sera took a moment to study herself in the mirror. The dress was nicer than anything she'd worn since the Nautiloid, with flowing skirts and soft lines accenting her figure. It was complimented only by red tint on her lips and silver color on her eyes. 

Evidently Shadowheart hadn't been able to arrange for jewelry in this surprise, and anything they had found on the road had been sold quickly to pay for supplies. 

She'd come and dragged Sera away almost as soon as she'd gotten out of bed for the night, barely leaving her time to scribble a quick note to Astarion. It was nice to see her friend genuinely excited. She’d had her own struggles, and while she'd aided the refugees of Baldur’s Gate with aplomb, she seemed to be lacking a bit of spark. 

When they'd reached the space she'd made for herself in the encampment of families, Shadowheart hadproudly presented a pair of dresses obtained from Figaro's shop 

“Since we’re both headed back out onto the road and a life of roughing it, I thought we should get one night of refinement.” Shadowheart would be accompanying Gale on the way back to Waterdeep, and then off on her own adventures. She wasn’t ready to trade one goddess’ cloisters for another’s. 

“You just want to see me all dressed up,” Sera had teased, deflecting the wave of sadness at the thought of parting with yet another dear friend. 

“Maybe I do, Astarion shouldn't get to have all the fun with you.”

The flirty exchange had reminded Sera of the early days of their journey when she'd felt a pull towards the mysterious cleric she was still puzzling out. That was before she woke to fangs flashing in the moonlight.

But she suspected Shadowheart had also found another home for her affections. 

Leaving Sera to inspect her handiwork, Shadowheart started on her own finishing touches, accenting her dress of dark green with kohl black eyes. Green was an unexpected pick for her; perhaps her mind was on that object of her affections when she chose it. 

“You miss her, don't you?” The words were tumbling out before she could think better of them. 

Shadowheart paused and breathed deeply.. “I do, but what’s there to be done? Only wait and hope. I should have said something sooner. I wanted to, at the end, but if I stopped her, she’d regret it forever. Lae’zel won’t know peace until her people are free.” 

She sniffled but caught herself before tears could appear. “I suppose that’s a bit more than you asked,” she said, offering a weak smile. 

“But about as much as I had guessed. I should have taken that bet with Astarion and Gale.” Sera came to stand next to her, placing her hand on Shadowheart’s shoulder, hoping she was a reassuring presence. “I think she knew though and I don’t believe you’ve seen the last of her forever.” 

Shadowheart waved her off, definitely not trying to hold back tears. “Oh gods, what was that tripe? Is that what being with Astarion does to a person?” 

Sera snorted a laugh in response. “I feel like my romantic nature has been insulted. But I’ll relay your compliments to Astarion.” 

The two of them dissolved into laughter, the pain, for the moment, buried.

Astarion was waiting when Shadowheart deemed them “refined” enough looking for the evening. He was at the stairs leading out of what once was the temple proper, away from the general chaos of the camp. 

Dressed splendidly himself in a black and gold brocade coat and matching trousers, Astarion was an ethereal vision. Turning, he caught her eye, and smiled at her. Not the smile of false charm that he’d once used on her, but one genuine enough that it changed the whole character of his face. 

“Darling, there you are!” His eyes widened, taking in the whole of her appearance, and then narrowed to a seductive hooded gaze she knew all too well. His voice turned to a sultry purr. “Don’t you look good enough to just eat right up?” 

Taking her hand, he brought it to his lips, lavishing a kiss on it, and then another on her wrist. 

“Can we save the ‘eating her right up’ part until you’re back in your room? I don’t wish to be late to whatever the Grand Duke had planned,” Shadowheart said, a smile in her voice giving away her lack of any real irritation. 

Astarion sighed dramatically. “Fine, if you insist on spoiling the fun.” 

“I do, in fact,” Shadowheart shot back. 

Taking Sera's arm, Astarion pulled her tight as they made their way up the stairs. Leaning close enough that his breath tickled her ear and sent shivers down her spine, Astarion whispered to her, “You truly look stunning, love. Ah, if only I could keep you in such finery forever.” 

Sera scrunched up her nose; old memories of balls, receptions, and banquets making her stomach turn. “I’d prefer it be a rare occurrence.” 

“Ah, right,” Astarion sounded a bit dejected. Despite how little she had been able to share with him, she’d been able to convey that her home life had been both privileged and deeply unhappy. “I suppose that suits our plans well though,” he recovered with a dashing grin. 

“Plans I wouldn’t have any other way,” she said,with fantasies of the adventure ahead already filling her mind. There was a whole world beyond Baldur’s Gate just waiting, and they could see it without worms waiting to rip apart their brains. 

But first the Duke’s dinner. 

The invitation had been unusual in that the Duke had summoned them to an address in the lower city. A modest house stood at the location, two stories with a small courtyard. On one side, across the street a forge was being rebuilt, on the other, a building that might have been a shop at one point. She and Astarion had briefly discussed the mystery but concluded maybe the Duke wanted privacy from every Patriar looking to secure a place in the new order of the city’s leadership. 

In the light of lamps hanging on the iron fence, Duke Ravengard waited along with Counsellor Florrick, Liara Portyr - a newly minted Duke herself since that morning - along with Gale who was fussing over a sigil he was marking on the stones of the courtyard. 

The three of them approached to warm greetings as they heard arguing down the street. 

“... but we are not late Jaheira, and we could not allow Boo to miss the celebration.” 

Sera could swear she heard Jaheira sigh from where they stood. 

“There’s no harm done, look everyone has just gathered.” 

Halsin’s strong voice carried to them and Sera felt a concern she hadn’t realized she’d been carrying melt away. Halsin had come. Things had been strained between them before he’d left. The confession of his affection that she’d not been able to return had changed the whole dynamic. Where once she’d found the Druid warm and outgoing, he seemed reserved around her, and especially if Astarion was about. Though Astarion made no secret of glaring daggers at the large elf and hovering over her as if to stake his claim on her. 

He hadn’t even given them a proper good-bye. Just one day he announced his plans and the next he was gone. She wanted to at least feel they parted as proper friends. 

Sera waved the three of them over, a smile pulling up the corners of her mouth. Halsin caught her eyes and inclined his head, acknowledging the greeting. A reassuring gesture, it wasn’t all wrong between them still.

“Ah look, Boo, Sera is excited to see you! And Astarion is not lost in the shadows. Too bad we do not have a sunflower.”

“It’s good to see you too, Minsc.” Sera artfully dodged one of Minsc’s crushing hugs. There would be more throughout the night, she knew. 

“Behaving yourself, Astarion?” Jaheira teased, pulling him into a hug. 

“Yes, mother,” he grumbled, not resisting her. 

Gale cleared his throat to draw their attention. “Well, seems like we’re all here then. Except one.”

Turning back toward his sigil, Gale began to move his hands, steadily channeling the Weave. “Invoco Te.” 

A flash of brilliant red light filled the air, followed by the smell of sulfur. When it cleared, a figure stood in Gale’s sigil with a warrior’s bearing and crowned with horns.

“Wyll!” It felt like the exclamation came in unison. 

And then everyone was crashing upon each other like waves on the shore, the group mingling together as though it were a night back at camp. Only Sera hung back for a moment. Wyll was a dear friend, true, but there was one person who’s absence his presence had made glaringly obvious. 

“Couldn’t figure out how to keep her heart from exploding instantly.” 

Sera jumped, she hadn’t even noticed Gale walking up next to her. 

“Elminster is working on it, but it just didn’t happen in time. But she is somewhere safe, for right now.” 

She tried to shake off the melancholy of Karlach’s absence but it had dug its claws in deep. All of them should be here, one last night before they all truly parted ways. Yet the one who deserved it the most was languishing in Avernus. 

“Promise me she won’t be forgotten.” Sera turned to Gale. “You and Elminster, you’ll solve this.” 

Gale nodded solemnly. “We won’t stop, I swear. Now go, join the party, rescue Astarion from Minsc’s affections.” 

Following his gaze, she found Astarion, caught in one of Minsc’s bearhugs. It was lucky he didn’t need to breathe. 

“He does look a bit in need of a hero.”  

The rest of the night passed with feasting from a dinner prepared by the Duke’s own staff, plenty of wine, and warm conversation; the hours slipping by far too quickly as the group moved between the courtyard and the dining table. The windows of the house remained open, beckoning in the warm air of the late summer evening, the scent of the sea arriving with it. Eventually when voices began to grow quiet as they lounged around the table, Ravengard stood and called for quiet. 

“I wanted to thank you all again - without you the fate of Baldur’s Gate and all of Faerûn would have been grim indeed. I’m sure you’re all wondering, why choose a home in the lower city for this occasion?” They all nodded and as he looked squarely at Sera. “That is itself, another thank you.” From his pocket, he produced a latchkey and extended it to her. 

Sera knit her brows together in confusion, still unsure where this was going, and hesitantly accepted the key from him. 

“Serafina, both you and Astarion have no home of your own. I know you intend to travel, but the Gate takes care of its own. This is your home, whenever you wish to return to it, even just to keep some belongings here. It will be well watched over. Your friend Dammon has purchased the forge next door.” 

Emotions swelled and warred in her heart. A home of her own was no small thing - but here, in Baldur’s Gate, where her family lay just beyond the border to the upper city? Would it truly ever be home? 

“A home…” Astarion breathed from where he sat next to her. 

And Astarion had no home at all that he could remember. Despite his use of the word, Szarr manor was anything but a home. 

Titania’s magic would hold and keep her hidden, she had to believe it. This would mean too much for both of them. She squeezed the key tightly in her hands. “Thank you, your Grace.” 

“Don’t thank me alone, your friends petitioned for this as well.” 

“And to make sure you weren’t too far of a walk, Cub,” Jaheira said. 

“It’s true, she was very specific,” Shadowheart confirmed. 

“At least you know I’m not to blame if she’s too close,” Wyll added, with a light-hearted laugh. 

As the conversation started to flow again and some wandered back to the courtyard, Gale made his way over to her and Astarion. 

“Oh no,” Astarion grumbled. “Don’t tell me you're here to share some ‘words of wisdom’. I’ve had quite enough of those for my endless lifetime.”

Gale answered with a sincere chuckle. “Never let that rapier wit dull, my fanged friend.” He settled himself into a chair across the table from them. “No advice, only a gift.” Producing a sapphire from the pocket from his fine robe of deep purple, he crushed it and spoke an incantation. “Ex Textura.”  Where the sapphire had been, a plain wooden box appeared. 

“Theatrics,” Astarion mumbled. 

“Protection, and you’ll see why.” Gale was not put off by Astarion’s spikiness. Sera had come to believe it was a form of affection between him and their wizard friend. 

Setting the box on the table, he opened it where they couldn’t see, and pulled his first offering from it. “A bag of holding, so you’ll have anything you need on the road.” 

“Gale,” Sera started, warmed by the gift, but he held up a hand to pause her words. 

“One more thing.” Another bag was drawn from the box. “See this is something quite extraordinary, if I do say so myself. Even had a bit of a hand from Elmister. You see, in this bag is a tent, but not just any tent. From the outside it looks like something an ordinary traveller would use, but it’s bigger on the inside. Inside you’ll find it like the pavilion of royalty. All you need to do is set the bundle on the ground and speak the words. It will keep anything you place in it - trunks, rugs, furniture. And the sun’s rays won’t pass through it.” 

“That’s…” Astarion spoke softly. “Well, very up to your usual standards of being grandiose.” A sharp, forced laugh followed his words. 

“I think you mean ‘thank you, Gale,’” Sera corrected. “Come on, I know you can do it,” she punctuated her words with a playful poke to Astarion’s ribs. 

Raising his hands in defeat, he sighed. “Fine, fine. Thank you, Gale. Are you happy?” 

“Very.”

 With a quick kiss to his cheek, she rewarded his efforts. 

“You two are most welcome. Couldn’t let my dearest friends wander around Faerûn without the most comfort possible.” 

Beside her, Astarion sniffled, but none of them made mention of it. 

Gradually, the evening wound down and the hour of parting arrived. While Gale assisted Wyll in returning to Avernus and Karlach, and Astarion was receiving some last advice from Jaheira, Sera sought out Halsin. 

“Returning to Reithwin tomorrow?” Something casual, something safe to talk about. 

“Indeed. There’s much work to be done. Perhaps you and Astarion could visit sometime while you are traveling.” 

“I’d like that,” she said sincerely. “I hope you find peace there,” her lips said, but her heart beat a chorus of “I’m sorry. Sorry I couldn’t be that person for you, sorry if I somehow led you on.” 

“I think I will. My destiny seems tied to that place.” Suddenly, he pulled her into a quick, but strong hug. “Be well, Serafina. And take care of Astarion.” 

Halsin inclined his head toward Astarion, who had wandered over to her side. 

“Take care of yourself. We’ll not be around to rescue you from goblins again.” 

Halsin answered with a merry laugh. “I shall indeed keep that in mind.” 

With that, the two began to make their way toward the gate of the courtyard. 

“One more goodbye?” a familiar voice called.

Astarion tensed. “Hello, Dal, what do - is that Midnight?” 

Dalyria stood just beyond the fence, a black tressym of all things cradled in her arms. “It is, I couldn’t leave her in that awful place. So I thought perhaps I’d show her some place better to call home.” 

The two of them had slowly crept closer to each other, until they stood at the very fence line, postures wary, eyes wide. 

“How did you even know where we were?” Astarion asked with suspicion. 

“I ran into your wizard friend while looking for you, had to follow rumors of a pale elf that saved the city. He’s very…chatty and let slip about this. I suppose he realized I couldn’t come in anyway unless invited. I was hoping you’d let Midnight stay.” 

Astarion reached out to gently stroke the tressym’s head. “Of course Midnight can stay.” He turned to Sera. “She used to prowl Szarr palace. I suppose we were all a bit fond of her.” 

Midnight waited for no further words, leaping from Dalyria’s arms into the yard and making her way toward the door. It seemed they had a tressym to watch over their home as well. 

“You may as well come in too,” Astarion said stiffly, gesturing for her to join them in the yard. 

“That Gale does certainly know a lot about tressyms,” she said, her lips quirking up in a short-lived but warm smile.

“I suppose you didn’t just come here to deliver Midnight,” he spoke warily still. Sera wondered if a part of him would always view the others with suspicion, not that she would blame him. 

“As I said another good-bye. I’m following the others to the Underdark. I stayed to sell what I could from the manor, we need funds to trade with. And I wanted to give you this.” 

Dal handed him an envelope that Astarion took stiffly. “Inside is coordinates to where we’ve settled. And the Szarr vault key. I’ve left part of our ‘inheritance’ in the Counting House for you. I would have told you sooner…but you didn’t come back.” 

“I didn’t have a reason.” Bitterness lurked at the edge of Astarion’s words. 

Dal gave him a sad look, before a hug that lasted merely a second, leaving Astarion too stunned to react. “I know you feel that way now, but if you change your mind, come visit us in the Underdark, brother. You too, Sera. I’m glad he has you.” 

And with that, Dalyriawaved and walkedk away.

Astarion tucked the envelope in a pocket and reached out to squeeze her hand. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Sera asked gently.

“No - not right now anyway. Let’s get back, you need rest before tomorrow night.”  Kissing her temple, he kept hold of her hand as they started their last walk back to the refugee camp. 

The last of the night passed peacefully into dawn. When the sun set again and the stars rose, they found Sera and Astarion, back at the house in the lower city. The house that they would call theirs from now on. 

The courtyard had an unused patch of garden, as though it awaited them to leave their mark on this place. By the light of the moon, Sera was digging a small hole in the dirt. 

“Are you sure this is where you want to leave it?” Astarion asked wistfully, a small pot the colors of twilight containing a plant with blue blossoms cradled in his hands. 

“I’m sure. This is where it’s meant to grow.” Sera took the forget-me-not from his hands and gently transferred it to the waiting spot in the dirt. 

Standing back up, she wrapped her arms around Astarion’s neck and pulled him into a deep kiss. “This is home, our home. No matter where we go, we can always come back here.”

Astarion buried his face in her neck and was still. “Wherever you are is home enough for me, Sunlight.” 

“Then let’s get this adventure started, Starry Sky. The road awaits.” 

[lanaevyssmoved]

Baldur's Gate 3 Companion!Tav Ask List

What if your Tav was a recruitable companion, instead of the main character? (contains major spoilers for the game, and for some dark urge runs as well)

General

Where can your Tav be recruited?  Are they first encountered on the Nautiloid, or in the Nautiloid crash region?  Or are they not recruitable until a later act?

afhiri would be recruited in the crashed nautiloid near the dying mindflayer!! you'd find her looking around at the floor for her flute, they'd be rushing about back and fourth but not actually grabbing at or moving things around to see if it's under anything - just lots of staring and hoping it'll suddenly pop out, they'd also be yelling out "where are you? where did you go?!" "pspspspsp come out!!!" and other various things fdlfdkgdg yes yes there's a mindflayer about but there's more IMPORTANT THINGS .. when recruiting them you can be like "so that mindflayer over there" and afhiri will let you know they hadn't even noticed it <3

Do the other companions have special comments or reactions upon recruiting your Tav?

scene.. afhiri is still obsessively looking for her flute. its almost like u didnt just recruit them

gale: "well they're certainly.. enthusiastic. we best keep an eye on them else we may lose them... hm." accepting he's about to become a babysitter

shadowheart: "are you sure it's wise to bring them along? they'll be more of a hinderance than a help." literally does not want afhiri here

astarion: "wonderful, you've recruited an actual clown! at least we'll have some on road entertainment." completely sarcastic btw... also doesn't want afhiri here

lae'zel: "chk, if nothing else they will be decent cannon fodder in the battles to come." ALSO doesn't want afhiri here.. fuck man

wyll: "what a delight afhiri is, it's good to have someone around who can find the joy in things despite our predicament." happie :)

karlach: also looking around for the flute now. been dragged into it

Does your Tav have any comments or advice when you recruit other companions?

@ gale: "oh my god he came out of a rock!!!!!!!" eyeing him up intensely.. "A CLOWN!!!!!!!!!!" proceeds to lose her shit

@ shadowheart: "she's quite pretty, isn't she? i like her toy! i wonder if she'll let me play with it too" ^_^

@ astarion: eyes him up and down "i think i've seen him before...." never mentions this again and if u ask them about it they're like huh??

@ lae'zel: doesn't really have anything to say.. "lae'zel looks pretty cool" with a big smile :D

@ wyll: "I'M SO GLAD YOU BEFRIENDED WYLL DID YOU SEE HIM AT THE GATE DID YOU SEE HIM STAB THAT GOBLIN WITH HIS QUIPPY ONE LINER HE'S SOO COOL HE WOULD MAKE SUCH A GOOD PERFORMER I WONDER IF HE'S EVER BEEN ON STAGE BEFORE!!!" bursting at the seams

@ karlach: "it would have been a crime to kill someone so hot..." nods sagely. misses the literal irony in her statement

What sort of general actions raise or lower their approval?

in general afhiri is super easy-going and befriends people who don't even like them.. ^_^ so losing approval will be harder but that doesn't mean raising is super easy! afhiri is just very nice to people in general!

raise:

helping tieflings

helping the poor, the downtrodden and lower class

being disrespectful to authority figures!

making jokes and doing silly things (includes lying)

performing! (you gain a lil bit of approval on performing even if you're bad)

lose:

siding with the goblins (this is the largest approval hit)

hurting + killing animals

not taking new opportunities (refusing to do quests, attacking enemies before letting them talk, etc)

being a stick in the mud with a pole up ur ass!! have some fun!!

scolding her for her antics or otherwise talking down to her

you can honestly view afhiri's approval as similiar to sera from dai if you're aware of her general likes and dislikes !!!

Are there any instances where your Tav can permanently leave the party, depending on player character actions?

no, but afhiri really won't like you killing the tieflings. they don't really give a shit about the druids but heavily empathises with the tieflings and this is the literal only time you can make afhiri genuinely angry at you. it's super easy to convince afhiri to calm down and stay however, and you can even gain the lost approval again depending on how you approach her at the party!!! (manipulation goes a long way <3)

Do they have any secrets that can be revealed?  What are the prerequisites for this secret coming to light?

afhiri doesn't necessarily have secrets, but you CAN learn that the afhiri you know is essentially a persona. it requires maximum approval and very specific dialogue choices - afhiri will reveal to you that they're running from themselves and they don't plan on stopping. if you try to encourage afhiri to accept who they are and stop running, you'll take a large approval hit and afhiri will cut the conversation short and you'll take small approval hits if you ever try to bring it up again ^_^

Do they have their own personal quest that spans the course of the game?  Can it take different branching paths depending on the choices the Player Character makes?

they do but not in a typical sense.

act 1: getting afhiri a flute, once you do this you'll unlock new bardic abilities for gameplay and combat! afhiri will also be seen playing the flute in camp ^_^ you can only pursue afhiri's romance once a flute has been gotten.. other instruments don't work !

act 2: you will get a sweet scene where afhiri tells you she's written a song about you and wants to perform !! afhiri will sing and dance and play their flute for you and the song will be from a selection of pre-made ones based on various decisions made in act 1! at the end of the performance you'll be given options that allow you to continue or end the romance ^_^

act 3: you've forced afhiri to return to where she's running from :) afhiri will, if your approval is high enough, mention her family. you Cannot visit, but if you encourage afhiri to pop in to see them they will Without you. if you ask afhiri how it went they'll be super dismissive and just say it was fine with a smile, afhiri won't say more even if you press the issue. it won't be satisfying and will likely get "i wish they did more with this" "did they cut visiting her family?" "that was pretty shit"

though there is some stuff that kind of counts if you keep reading ^_^

What do they say when the Player Character asks them to stay in camp?  How about when the Player Character asks them to come adventuring again?

stay: the biggest wet eyes and pout you have ever seen. you are going to make the clown cry. their bottom lip is wobbling. oh my god. if you confirm they are indeed staying they snap out of it immediately revealing it was a manipulation and just sulks like FINE

come: THIS PROVOKES PURE JOY!!!! afhiri is bouncing and resisting grabbing you (where their hands instinctively go to grab changes if ur romancing!) biggest smile ever. gonna play their absolute best for you u will NOT regret this!!!!!

Does your Tav have any escalating conflicts with one of the other companions, like Lae’zel and Shadowheart’s knife-fight?

no but afhiri will have escalating flirts :).....

Are there any unique NPCs associated with your Tav that can show up during the course of the game?

hehe.. yeah <3 candor

candor will appear and if you agree, will join as a camp companion! (ideally they'd both be companions but that isn't what this is ABOUT) you get a scene in each act where afhiri and candor interact with each other and you can chime in with your thoughts!!

act 1: they meet again for the first time since tadpole, afhiri jumps into candors arms and they have .. a moment. that feels invasive to watch. this is a scene that makes you think afhiri is Not available for romance ^_^ afhiri asks you to allow candor to come with you!

act 2: you accidentally walk in on them talking quietly by themselves. afhiri is resting her head on candors arm and it has its hand on her leg... another moment where you think afhiri isn't actually available.. extra drama if you're romancing afhiri !! this is the moment where you can ask about them, you learn about afhiri being poly, you're given the option to end the romance if you're not comfortable.

act 3: takes place after afhiri's act 3 quest, meaning you need that approval to see this! afhiri and candor are having a heart to heart about being back in the city and about afhiri's wild magic!! this is when candor confesses to afhiri that it's been protecting afhiri from wild magic for longer than originally thought. you can chime in, side with afhiri, who is upset specifically because she believes candor could have done more, befriended her sooner, helped her with her loneliness and troubled childhood, or side with candor, who believes it wasn't its place to interfere and only chose to eventually interfere because it felt it had to for afhiri's continued survival - it wasn't required sooner because afhiri wasn't in danger despite the hard life they were living. you also have the opportunity to not get involved, either by not taking a side and seeing BOTH their points, or by walking away.

in order to see afhiri's TRUE FULL QUEST!! u need to bring candor as a camp companion :) fuck everyone who refused candor to join. especially if they did it out of possessive jealousy of afhiri!!!!!!! PUNISHMENT!!!!!!! (yeah. gamers wouldn't like me)

Are there any moments in the game that trigger unique dialogue for your character? (Like Gale’s anecdote about the barfight after you save the goblin prisoner) 

the first time you perform ^_^ so it requires you to either be a bard, get the instrument proficiency feat, or just play a random instrument you find very badly! so it's pretty missable!

no matter what, even if you're bad, afhiri gets excited and wants to play with you!! you also gain approval ^_^

Story Specific

How does your Tav advise the player character when it comes to the Dream Visitor?

afhiri has no advice :) it was just a dream man idk. did you eat something funky

How do they advise the player character on Raphael?

raphael looks like a rich snob with too much money so afhiri DOES NOT LIKE. so afhiri will, not really getting what's going on, not want you to take the deal on the fact that he looks like a prick they should rob instead

How do they react to Astarion biting the Player Character?

afhiri, not knowing or understanding what a vampire is, "did you at least ask for consent"

How do they react to the Player Character letting Abdirak whip them?

head tilt of curiousity and naivity until there's blood and you're screaming and then they're looking around like what the fu

How do they react to the Player Character taking their first tadpole power?

afhiri will think it's kinda icky but won't comment beyond that!

Will they stay with the Player Character regardless of siding with the goblins or the tieflings, or is it possible for them to leave the party permanently?

they'll stay!

What can they be found doing at the tiefling/goblin party?

performing! afhiri will be playing her flute in her idle animation ^_^

Do they have comments on who the Player Character chooses to spend the night with? 

i'm gonna say no because i highly doubt afhiri fucking noticed or fucking cares. like if you approach afhiri and you're like HEY.... DID SMTH NASTY LAST NIGHT WITH WHATS ER FACE. yeah afhiri's interested now... but in general afhiri is not shoving nose where nose is not wanted. act 1 too early for afhiri to be a prying bitch

Do they have unique dialogue if the Player Character lets them die when they steal the Blood of Lathander?

probably smth really dumb like. "well that was bright!!!! anyway hi :D"

How do they react if the PC licks the dead spider in the Gauntlet of Shar?

"did it taste good? can i lick it?" you're both dead on the ground

What do they say if the PC tries to force them to go up on stage with Dribbles the Clown?

this is the best moment of afhiri's life. feels kinda nervous because oh my god, oh my god, it's DRIBBLES!!! this is their moment. their moment to prove themselves. FINALLY! FINALLY THEY CAN SHOW DRIBBLES THEY ARE THE BEST CLOWN!!!!! afhiri is PUMPED. this moment is EVERYTHING. this is the afhiri's nightsong moment, afhiri's ritual.. you get the point

Is it possible for your Tav to be kidnapped and replaced by Orin?  How is Orin's deception revealed?  How do they react to the PC rescuing them in the Temple of Bhaal?

afhiri cannot be kidnapped because afhiri would simply dodge orin. u cannot kidnap a circus weirdo. however i could have some insane thoughts about orin ATTEMPTING it and giving up with frustration :)

How do they react to the PC either allowing Astarion to ascend or convincing him to spare the 7000 spawn?

afhiri does not grasp what this means. afhiri cannot visualise 7000 souls as 7000 living breathing people - except they're not they're uh. dead. anyway. afhiri can't do it. so will afhiri react? no. very like "huh?" and no one will take the time to explain . gale might explain later at camp. then its "huh..." and u got nothing else cuz THEY CANNOT VISUALISE IT ......

How does Tav react to the PC becoming a mind flayer?  Can they offer to become one themselves?  Does their reaction change if they’re romanced? 

afhiri would give a very chill oh that's cool!! that's pretty sick!!! ohhhhhh !!!! awesome !!!!!! type of reaction. would not offer however because afhiri don't understand what the fuck goin on thinks ur doing it just for funsies. cuz u wanna. ^_^ romance would get no other reaction beyond maybe a line about being curious how u kiss each other now and also what those tentacles do

How do they react when the Dark Urge first reveals their amnesia and murderous thoughts to them?

afhiri don't rly know what amnesia is. once u explain its very oh..... okay..... F. reaction. emotionally stunted and unavoidable gamer reaction. murderous thoughts? very haha and then what. afhiri doesn't take this Seriously.

How do they react to the Dark Urge killing Alfira?

see this will make afhiri very sad because ALFIRA BARD FRIEND. WEARING A FUNNY JESTER OUTFIT. ALFIRA :HANDSHAKE: AFHIRI!!!!!! so afhiri would be sad to find out alfira is dead but likely would not believe the durge did it because durge is friend :)

If romanced, how do they react to the Dark Urge trying to kill them in Act 2?

i basically just answered this huh. haha and then what :) its so funny how i keep saying afhiri don't take shit srsly. like afhiri would not believe ur actually gonna try and kill them. they're just vibing and think ur being a bit kinky

Romance

Is your Tav a romanceable character?  Are there any specific requirements to romancing them?

afhiri is romanceable and without the flute from her act 1 quest the romance is locked out entirely. if you enter act 2 without giving the flute, romance is locked for good!

Does your Tav need to be flirted with to start the romance, or will they approach the PC themselves if approval is high enough?

afhiri needs to be flirted with at least once for her to see you in that light. if you don't keep flirting, afhiri will approach you!

Are they a polyamorous or a monogamous option?

poly!!! if you ask afhiri to be mono it will ONLY work if you didn't recruit candor or you sought to drive a wedge between them, so they never reached a romantic point, however they will STILL be very close and intimate, otherwise afhiri will say no because candor is too important to them.

afhiri will accept poly with every single companion no questions asked ^_^

Do they have a special romance scene at the tiefling/goblin party?

afhiri does!! you approach them and they're all exhausted and tired but immensely happy and in their element because they've been playing and performing the entire party, and you talking to them is giving them a short break. if you ask, afhiri will come to you after the party when they've finished performing and everyone's going to bed!

the scene will be you and afhiri by the water. u sit down and afhiri gives u a private session thats a much more delicate and gentle song just for u . she doesnt sing its just a tune. (note: if u romance her in act 2 she will play this same tune but this time will start singing a song she wrote for u) u then talk a lil bit about the party and everything uve been thru so far. afhiri is pretty useless during it but its used as a way to show the player how disconnected afhiri is. afhiri acts as escapism for the player from the story!

Does the romance have different branching paths, or just one route to take?

it'll have just one path, but micro changes (like small dialogues) based on candor things!

How do they react to the player character breaking up with them, or choosing another character over them?

hmm.. afhiri would ultimately be very chill about it. theyd be sad about the fact you cant hold hands and cuddle at night and kiss and stuff anymore. and theyd ask if you CAN still do that stuff but as friends (offering a fwb alternative!!!!) if you say no theyll be fine but a tiny bit moopy because they had fun with you and liked being close to u. but ur not gonna get no grand statements or tears from afhiri! and would be happy for you if u found love with someone else c:

What questions can Zethino ask the PC about Tav in the Love Test? 

question one: what kind of performer has afhiri always dreamt of being?

available answers: a bard, a clown, something unique and different

something unique and different is the correct answer! no approval changes.

question two: afhiri has left their life behind on nothing but a whim, what is afhiri running from?

available answers: responsibility, their family, dribbles

dribbles is the correct answer and gains approval! if you select responsibility or their family it will also be considered correct but will gain disapproval.

question three: what does afhiri need the most?

available answers: to grow up and act like an adult, freedom, to become the best clown in the world

to become the best clown in the world and freedom are both correct. no approval changes!

If they’re poly, do they have a reaction to the PC engaging in a relationship with Halsin?

down for it. down to be a polycule. down to also date halsin. down for threesomes. down for it all!!!!!!!! afhiri a free spirit baby.

How do they react if the PC has sex with Mizora? The Emperor?  Haarlep?

GET IT!!!!! GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! afhiri doesn't really have any concept of like. sleeping with a devil or an incubus is like, realistically a bad idea, so its just. DAMN YOU FUCKED THAT HOT PERSON?? NIIIICEEEE!!!! high fives!!!!! with the emperor its just the same thing. you got laid? fuck yeah. high fives!

Will they join in with the PC and the Drow Twins, or no?

ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!! AFHIRI IS DOWN!!!!!!!!!! u have got the most giddy tiefling right behind you, going 'eeeeee' with excitement, bouncing up and down looking at you with large pleady eyes CAN WE PLEASE? CAN WE PLEEASSE??? I REALLY WANT TO!!!!!!! if tav says no you bet ur ass afhiri is hanging around there like hehe can i anyway

What are Tav’s plans for the future?  Do they propose to the PC, or is marriage not something they’re interested in?

afhiri is an independent soul .. doesn't wanna get married ... doesnt rlly wanna move in either.. being with afhiri longterm is accepting uve got a partner whos adventurous and wants to explore and see the world and meet new people!!! now afhiri WILL settle down after years together because afhiri will lowkey become commited with you without labels - if YOU involve labels thats just gonna push afhiri away. so just be patient with her.. like a stray cat who sleeps in ur house and eats ur food. one day they'll just stay if you're patient with them!!!!!! also being with afhiri is accepting her free spirited nature... afhiri is gonna date and sleep with other people, AND YOURE ALLOWED TOO!!, so afhiri long term is not for anyone who wants the domestic monogamous life

[emmy-dekarios-bg3]

Heart of the Weave - chapter 12 - Emmy’s POV

After our challenges along the way, both to Baldur’s Gate and back to Waterdeep, we finally make it back home and unfortunately have to part ways with Wyll and Karlach. I hope they find a way to visit us again soon.

“We have to head back to Avernus, but luckily we won’t have to be there much longer,” Wyll says. “After our wedding, we will be looking for a home here in Waterdeep. I won’t lie, I enjoy the scenery and architecture here. Let us know when your baby shower will be, and we will be sure to make it. Just ring up Withers.” I chuckle, slightly sad that my friends need to leave for the time being but thankful they’ll always be around.

“And you guys let us know when the wedding will be. We’d be happy to come,” Gale says. “Thank you both. For everything.” Hugs are exchanged and just like that, they’re both summoned back to the Hells to fight off creatures that wouldn’t dare to be seen here on Earth. Gale and I walk back to the tower, our hands holding one another comfortably as we walk into the evening sunset. The soft breeze and salty scent of Waterdeep brings me back a sense of comfort that I missed, even though we were only gone for roughly five days…longer than what we originally planned.

We finally make it back home, and Tara is waiting for us outside the front door. It’s as if she knew we were headed back home, or maybe she is just conveniently hanging outside. Either way, she looks thrilled that her favorite humans have made it back safely to live comfortably in her presence.

“By the moon and stars! It felt like ages since you’ve been home. I was worried sick, you hooligans! Sheesh! So,did you lovely people get the answers you were looking for?” Tara asks, flying around the living area ecstatically.

“Well, answers we weren’t exactly expecting, but news nonetheless,” Gale says. “I’m just glad it wasn’t a fatal disease or something of the sort.”

“Let me take a wild guess – you’re going to be a daddy! Just make sure I get attention too, once the little person is here. I’m not asking too much, just occasional pets and a bowl of cow’s milk every now and then. Read me a bedtime story on the Astral Planes. I’ll do everything to help out, though. Except the diaper changes. Those are on you, Gale. Alas, I only have paws, and I get nauseous easily.”

“Wait, how did you know about the baby?”

“Like I said, just a lucky guess.” She giggles and flies away into the kitchen. Gale rolls his eyes.

“Oh, for the love of… Tara.” I smile, admiring the cozy home we’re finally back in, thankful to be alive and safe in the comfort of the tower. I thought I missed adventuring, but turns out I only missed my companions. Oh, and it’s a delight to have Tara around; I don’t know how Gale did it all those months after the nautiloid crash.

“Well, my love, I am going to the library to write to my mother about the news. Would you like to join me?” I finally hear excitement in his voice about the baby, and I’m sure he’s ready to see his mother again. I smile and take his hand, then he proceeds to lead me upstairs.

“I just have a feeling our parents will show up out of the blue,” I tease. “Who knows how long they’ve been wanting grandchildren?”

“Oh, without a doubt!” We make it to the library and I sit next to him at the desk, both of us surrounded by the various books in his magic library. By magic library, I mean all the books are related to the study of magic. As we sit to write, Tara flies back upstairs with us and gets comfortable in my lap. Ah, sweet Tara.

Six months pass. Six months of horrific pregnancy symptoms, the worst one being fatigue. Six months of nesting and getting the house ready. Six months of Tara following me around everywhere to make sure I’m alright while Gale is teaching at Blackstaff. No signs of Raphael or any other devil ready to corrupt the peace that is currently my life. No more bad dreams these past few months, just several relaxing baths a day due to body pains and a constant hunger for fettuccine.

During these months, my mother came to visit, as well as Gale’s mother. We enjoyed the company of our families and it’s safe to say both sides were thrilled about a new baby being around, especially Gale’s mother. Each time she visits, she brings a new gift for the little one. My mother brings us delicious foods grown from her garden and homemade soup.

It’s here – the day of my baby shower! Gale’s mom showed up yesterday due to a schedule conflict (alright, she may have thought it was yesterday and not today, but we enjoyed seeing her regardless). Every friend except Lae’zel, Jaheira, and Minsc show up to the shower, thrilled to celebrate. Astarion tries to act like he isn’t excited, but deep down, he definitely is.

“You know, the old me would have never thought to ask this, but…may I feel your belly?” Shadowheart asks, smiling. “I used to never want kids, but the thought has crossed my mind lately.”

“You’re like my sister. The maid of honor at my wedding. Someone I love with all my heart. Of course you can touch my belly,” I tell her. She places her hand gently on the globe of life, her eyes widening as she feels the baby kick her hand. I smile back at her, admiring her love for my unborn child, and realizing how truly beautiful she is. Happiness looks good on her.

“Thank you. I got to feel…movement. It made me so happy.” Gale smiles and gains comfort in knowing we have so many supportive people here around us for the little one.

“Okay, okay, ignore what I said before,” Karlach says. “You know, when I said I wanted to wait until the creature was a little older for me to babysit. I could settle for this.” Gale gasps sarcastically.

“Are you, Karlach Cliffgate, saying you’d allow us a date night while the baby is still little and not six years old?”

“Maybe I am, Dekarios.”

“You can just call me Gale, that’s fine too.” I chuckle, releasing a sigh of relief as I enjoy the presence of our friends. The celebration, the love, the laughter… I love feeling at peace, though this pregnancy could be a little less intense.

“Don’t get too excited or you’ll burn the place down. We don’t want another ‘Blushing Mermaid’ incident,” Astarion says. Gale and I look at Astarion with puzzled expressions, then at Karlach, wondering what on Earth she did and why. I’ll be brutally honest though, it doesn’t surprise me that she would burn down an entire bar by accident.

“Wait, what happened at The Blushing Mermaid?” I ask, fighting laughter. “An intoxicated Karlach, perhaps?”

“Well, back when I had that shitty engine, I may have burned the whole place to the ground. Minsc and I were having a competition on who could roar louder, and…I took it too far. The owners had no idea it was me, thank the stars. Astarion, you have nothing to worry about. I can no longer catch on fire, thanks to my new engine.”

“Wow, what a delight. Though you know me, I’m always down for some hedonistic debauchery.”

We all eat rather delicious food, reminiscing about old adventures and talking about what our futures may hold. Wyll and Karlach will soon be our new neighbors, Shadowheart and Astarion have no plans to leave Waterdeep. I look at those two and wonder if they’re secretly together, or if they’re more like siblings who happen to be roommates. I try not to stare at them both, but I really want answers here. I have to constantly tell myself to mind my own business.

Gale and I stand up for a toast. While everyone is drinking either a wine or martini, I’m over here with my delicious mocktail that tastes of peaches and a hint of raspberry. I don’t miss alcohol honestly; I’ll stick with my sweet fruity drinks that will get me ‘drunk’ just from the sugar alone.

“Thank you all for celebrating with us. You are the best friends I could ever ask for, and our little one will be surrounded by such amazing – uh, people and humanoids,” I say, giggling. “He or she will be loved beyond measure, and I’m thankful for such a great group of people.”

“On top of that, we appreciate all the gifts for our child. Being first time parents, we weren’t exactly sure what all we needed, and we are so thankful for everything you’ve given us,” Gale says, raising his glass. “To our new baby, our friends, and a good life ahead of us.”

“Cheers! If either of you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to let me know. I wish you the best for a safe delivery,” Halsin adds. If we were to ask anyone for advice on children, it would definitely be Halsin, though I’m not sure if he would have any advice on infants. With him being a three-hundred-fifty year-old elf, I don’t doubt that he does.

“Thank you, Halsin.”

As all eyes are on me while we give the toast, an overwhelming sensation courses through my body; a feeling of lightheadedness and tickling of the brain. More vertigo, but it appears to be different than what I felt before; something familiar.

Praise the Absolute.

The Absolute will always live.

Die, Die, Die!

Become one of us.

Fuck. Is this some sick joke? Surely I don’t have the tadpole in my head still, because what the Hells was that? So many voices are invading my mind, trying to fool me into something wicked. The room begins to spin more rapidly than before, and my surroundings become a blur. Some sort of psychic interference, perhaps?

“Oh, she doesn’t look so good,” Astarion says. “Emmy?” Gale touches my shoulders, but I can barely feel his hands; it’s as if my body is going completely numb.

“Baby? Are you okay?” His voice fades as I begin to collapse on the floor, and all I can hear is a voice in the distance saying “oh shit!”

After several minutes of unconsciousness, I find myself waking up to everyone in my face as I’m lying on the floor. The world isn’t spinning but my head hurts like no other. Probably because I collapsed on the wooden floor.

“Oh, thank goodness you’re okay,” Gale mutters with a stressed tone, taking a deep breath. He looks as if he had just been sobbing. Astarion pats him on the back in a sincere way, to comfort him and rid him of the anxiety. I’ve never seen him act that way toward Gale before. “I thought…I thought you were dying. What happened?”

“Oh Gale,” I murmur, trying to recall what happened. My voice is weak and a little raspy as I try to speak. “I…I don’t know what happened. All I remember is that I heard these voices in my head about the Absolute, and then next thing I knew, I collapsed.” I swallow, feeling a nasty flair of acid reflux in my throat. “Could it be the– no, surely not.”

“The tadpole?” Astarion asks. “How would that be possible?”

“What else could it be?”

“Someone or something messing with your head, perhaps?”

“Do you recall anything happening when Raphael abducted you several months ago?” Wyll questions, a bewildered expression on his face like the others. He brings up a good point.“Anything at all?”

“Wait, you got abducted by that heinous devil?!” Shadowheart exclaims. I suddenly remembered she wasn’t there when it happened. Her and Astarion had left for Waterdeep before the entire ordeal occurred. Still, I should have told her.

“Yes. I’ll tell you more about that later. I’m just now having strange issues, so I doubt it has to do with anything that happened in the House of Hope. I’m alright now at least.” I do feel better, besides my unusual craving for ice water. I take a deep breath as Gale helps me up, and luckily I don’t have any waves of vertigo now. What a strange occurrence that was. I hope it was just post-trauma dissociation, but who knows anymore.

“Ah, nothing like the potential of becoming a mindflayer…again…when you’re about to have a baby. Splendid,” Astarion says sarcastically, and then proceeds to look at me with worried eyes.

Despite the spontaneous and unfortunate fainting that left everyone worried, especially my poor Gale, the baby shower ended up turning out wonderfully. The questions still remain: What the fuck happened? Is there a tadpole that I’m somehow not aware of? Do mind flayers still exist?

[baldurs-gape]

Something nice I've done for myself? I finally ordered the cosplay I've been wanting for ages!!

For a prompt... anything Halsin centric has my heart, as you know ❤️

Love you friend 💞

Your cosplay is going to be astounding! The picture you showed of the order had me thweeping in excitement, you're going to look incredible.

As for anything Halsin centric...I have something just for you <3

Party Time

The idea had been a fairly simple one. They were in the tavern, a lot of shit had happened and there was every chance they were going to die. So the only natural conclusion to be drawn from that was they needed to have a party. Not just any old party, a fancy dress one. Perhaps a bit more thought could have gone into it, they had half a day to come up with an appropriate outfit. Then again, they were in Baldur's Gate which had everything anyone could ever want, allegedly. Unless you listened to Gale who was adamant Waterdeep was better in every single way.

It was all well and good for those who were Baldurian or accustomed to city living. But Halsin? He was a bit of a fish out of water. While Astarion had sticky fingers, Halsin had morals and not much in the way of spare coin.

"What you thinking of doing?" Karlach asked with an easy grin.

"I have rather limited options, I'm afraid. Either as a retired arch druid or a bear." Arms spread a little, he gave a half shrug. "How about yourself?"

The look Karlach gave him spelled trouble and Halsin didn't fell reassured when she wrestled Astarion for a box of make-up. The indignant warbling of his was only silenced when Karlach scooped out the colour she wanted onto a cloth and chucked the rest back at him. Thankfully, Astarion wasn't bothered by the lack of red in the palette.

Come evening, the group convened in the centre of the room. Gale had conjured up a lovely illusion of enchanted woods to set the mood. He was in some mighty fine wizarding robes, next to Astarion who was elegant in his outfit and masquarade mask. Standing with some wine in her hand, Shadowheart looked regal in flowing robes while Lae'zel drew eyes in a tightly fitted suit that plunged down indecently low. Naturally, Wyll looked ever dashing, comfortable in clothes he would have probably worn to court dances while Minthara was in a similar outfit to Lae'zel but more ornate.

From behind a folding screen came a lot of giggling as Karlach and Halsin added finishing touches to their outfits.

"This is going to be epic." The whisper was more of a hushed shout of excitement from Karlach. "No, just twist it this way. Almost. Come here, let me."

"It's a marvel how easy you make this look."

The others eschanged looks, almost nervous about what was going on. Karlach's "on three, ready?" was heard by all. Still, nothing could prepare them for the yell with which she and Halsin jumped out from either side of the folding screen.

In the sudden silence they all blinked at each other. Karlach was in Halsin's usual outfit, a couple of toy birds affixed to her horn and one on her shoulder. Meanwhile, Halsin was smeared red from head to toe, rags twisted and knotted to form horns. He sported Karlach's outfit from the nautiloid, even brandished a great axe.

"Where's your fancy dress?" Karlach asked the others.

Awkward glances were exchanged. Eventually, Wyll cleared his throat.

"We are in fancy dress."

"But-oh. Oh no." Karlach covered her face with her hands, almost knocking one of the toy birds off. "You meant fancy fancy dress. Not just fancy dress."

Laughter boomed in the room as Halsin lost the war against keeping his emotions in. Grinning, he bumped his shoulder against Karlach's.

"Come along, Arch Druid, we have a party to liven up. These stuffy old fools don't seem to know the meaning of fun."

Grin back on her face, Karlach nodded. "Right you are, Tiefling Barbarian. Let's party!"

[galedekarios]

Hey! You're my go-to blog when it comes to Gale. I love your meta about him, your insight and your knowledge of his character. This being said, I'd like to know your opinion of this line in his romance:

“To know you love me for the man I am, and not the magic I command... None have loved me so purely before.”

Do you think he's talking about romantic love here? Because his mother and Tara clearly love him for the person he is, too. Or are his insecurities and the idea of himself so strong that he can't see this? Thank you in advance, have a great evening!

thank you so much! 🖤

personally, i do think that he does mean this in a romantic context.

HOWEVER, having said that, i do think there are different insecurities woven into his perception of relationships that venture outside of his worth due to magic, and into his worth as a person who is in need of help and support - yet considering the core of why that is, they are also connected.

what i mean by that is that there are moments in particular that make me believe he feels a burden to people, because he is in need of help and - from his perception - makes others 'work' to help him, he asks a "sacrifice" of people (needing magical artefact so he consume the weave inside to stabilise the netherese orb) that is so great in his eyes that he feels the need to convince them that said sacrifice is worth the "investment".

i realise this is sort of going in two directions, but i don't think i can answer this differently so i hope you'll bear with me for a bit:

i'll try to look at the relationships you mentioned in your ask separately to illustrate what exactly i mean.

1. from what little we do know about morena, nearly every time she is mentioned it's made clear that she truly and unequivocally loves gale, and i do believe gale is aware that she loves him, too - and really, truly just for him.

we have these two convos with tara that highlight how that love (both are from gale's origin playthrough):

Tara the Tressym: Well, if it isn't my favourite fellow himself. Gale: How are things back in Waterdeep? Tara the Tressym: More or less the same - though news of some mad faction calling themselves 'Absolutists' is starting to trickle in. Tara the Tressym: I told your mother not to worry. That if they were anything to worry about, Baldur's Gate would handle things quick-sharp. Keep them from spreading their tendrils north. She still wants to know when she'll see you again, sir. I avoid giving any answers. But she misses you. Gale: I miss her too. Tara the Tressym: I'll tell her. With my Cat Flap of Displacement, I can afford the occasional visit. I'd bring you along, if I could. Perhaps some day. - Gale: I can't risk putting her in danger. Tara the Tressym: I know that, but she doesn't. She'd keel over if she knew just how you'd tried to manipulate the Weave. Or maybe she'd just say something like, 'My Gale always was one to make the impossible possible.' Oh, but she adores you.

and this one from act ii:

Gale: Will you love me when I'm a mind flayer? Tara the Tressym: Depends. Are mind flayers warm-blooded? If so, my prize napping spot on your lap won't be compromised. In which case, I suppose we could find an accord. And, of course, your mother would still think you a prince, no matter how many tentacles you had. And with a nautiloid, you may even manage to visit her more often.

from the one tiny snippet (that is still bugged) in which gale mentions his mother to the player character, he seems quite assured in that love his mother has for him as well:

Player: So your last name is Dekarios? Gale: It is. Courtesy of my mother, the inimitable, dare I say it sometimes unavoidable, Morena Dekarios. It's been so long since I've used it. 'Gale Dekarios' cut a poor figure next to the wizard prowess of 'Gale of Waterdeep'. [...] - Player: Doesn't your matter mind? Gale: Oh, she's happy if I'm happy. Morena couldn't care one jot what I call myself. Tara's the real stickler for using it. Has done since I summoned her. I'd prefer you not follow her exmaple, if that's all the same to you. 'Gale' is more than sufficient.

she's happy if he's happy.

i think the only thing that detrimental to the relationship with his mother is the orb, the shame he feels over what has happened and fearing he may put her in danger. which, sadly, is a valid concern to have. these fears aren't only echoed in the conversations with tara. we have this bit from the same conversation as well:

Player: You’re right. Just 'Gale’ is better. Gale: I agree. And on the plus side, if I get myself into any truly cataclysmic straits during the remainder of our journey, my family name will go untarnished.

his family name will go untarnished and with that, his mother's name.

this is more speculative, but in another meta i mentioned that i do believe that gale's father left the family at some point, abandoning morena and gale. his father also is not mentioned in the letter from elminster in god!gale's ending:

this could of course be meaningless and his father simply may not have been there at this point in time, but i think this overall goes with the theme of an absent father and it may have brought gale and morena even closer.

2. tara herself doesn't let gale doubt her love him when the game allows her to be there.

she is extremely quick to try and beat any and all self-deprecating remarks gale may make. she is aghast at mystra's demands to the point of saying that she is considering picking up a crossbow to "put the gods" out of "our business." she's always been there for him, and she always will be. she's his longest friend and companion, as well as colleague.

i've picked a another example here to illustrate what i mean:

this very sadly appears to be cut content (tara was supposed to be there for a companion gale as well), but:

Gale: You seem to have fared well enough without me, Tara. You look positively prosperous. Gale: Or should I say, positively proser-puss! Ha! Tara the Tressym: No, you should not say that ever again. Gale: Apologies! Couldn't help myself. Tara the Tressym: True enough. That's why I came looking - to help, if I could. Gale: I have not failed to notice. I truly do not deserve such loyal companionship. Tara the Tressym: Yes, you do.

unfortunately, like i said, tara as gale's familiar and companion was cut from the final version of the game, so while we do know that gale is aware of all that tara has done for him (considering the conversation from the tiefling party, helping him through his isolation, finding out what his condition needs to be treated, getting magical artefacts for him, etc.), we have act iii companion gale saying this:

Gale: Tara remains as wilfull as ever, but I'm glad you've finally made her acquaintance. Given the length of my time away, I feared she might have given up on me. I should have known better - she'd never do such a thing.

while this is not gale thinking tara doesn't love him for who he is, it is very much gale thinking that tara may have given up on him because of their time apart.

there are definitely insecurities lurking there in the vein of "i cost her so much effort and so much work, so maybe now that i've been away for so long, she's finally had enough."

it's very sad to see.

3. when gale talks about previous lovers he has this to say:

Player: Gale, am I the first... mortal being you've been with? Gale: What a question... Gale: No, you are not the first. Though you are the first since my relationship with Mystra came to its ignominous end. Gale: When the true danger posed by my condition became apparent, I had no choice but to sequester myself away from civilised society. A reclusive wizard - who'd have thought? Gale: After so long with Mystra, I have to say the pleasures of mortal love are much sweeter than I remember. Though perhaps that's simply because it's with you.

this tells us that he must have had at least one lover before. yet, and that is where the quote in your ask is from, he also says this:

Player: What does our relationship mean to you? Gale: You must know, our relationship is the brightest spot in our otherwise bleak endeavour. Gale: To know you love me for the man I am, and not the magic I command... None have loved me so purely before. Gale: You are everything to me, and yet our relationship is only a nascent fraction of what it will become. You give me hope, and I've not had that in some time.

i think we can extrapolate from that that not only his relationship with mystra made him feel these insecurities, but that the relationships he had previous may have also fed into this perception of his worth as a romantic partner is tied to his magical abilities.

it's not hard to imagine: waterdeep is very much a city of intrigue. gale was not only a graduate of blackstaff academy, but a powerful archwizard and a chosen of mystra.

4. lastly, i want to talk a bit more about what i said in the beginning and when i talked about tara and companion!gale: that gale feels he is a burden / an investment.

it's already reflected a bit in the way that he believes his relationship with tara has deteriorated in act iii simply because of the distance between them now that he has been away from waterdeep for a prolonged amount of time.

the first time you can get a sense for this aspect of gale is when you agree right away to help him with his condition. there's a prolonged amount of silence and it's clear on his face that he didn't expect you to agree so quickly and without needing to be persuaded.

Gale: Thank you. I see my trust in you was not misplaced! Gale: I'm sure we won't have to look very far to find what I need: Faerûn overflows with magic-infused treasure. Gale: As do our packs, as a matter of fact. We've such an item already in our possession, primed for the moment the need arises. Gale: I know the allure magic artefacts hold. I understand their value and their power. All this to say: I understand the sacrifice I ask of you.

Player: No. If you aren't willing to tell me the truth, I'm not helping you. Gale: I understand that I'm asking for a lot, but I can't tell you everything.

he makes sure to thank the player deeply every time they do give him an artefact, bowing to them, citing their "boundless kindness" and it's also why he is also quick to reassure them that there will be an upside for them, making this "sacrifice" for his sake.

gale's power and knowledge and skills as a wizard.

he is useful and he can make himself useful.

your "investment" in him now will be "worth" the return later.

in conclusion, i hope now it's clearer why i felt like i had to bring these two things together. i believe they are clearly interwoven with each other.

also sorry for rambling! this got away from me a bit. 🖤

[little-paperboat]

Through Shadows To The Edge Of Night

Part 2 of my Rolan x Tav slow-burn series is hereeee! Through Shadows To The Edge of Night takes us to the Last Light Inn, where Tav meets Rolan again and... well, things are not exactly playing out the way she thought it would.

I also wanted to say that I was blown away by all the positive feedback I received on the "Wild Winds" chapters, the kudos and the comments! It was very encouraging, the Holy Rolan Empire really is the best <3

I hope that you will like what's coming as well 🧡 As usual, little sneak peek under the cut. The next chapter will be uploaded next Monday most likely!

Read on AO3

Read Part 1: Wild Winds Are Death To The Candle (2/2)

Tav and her companions have finally reached Last Light Inn hoping for safe haven, but all she finds there are a grieving drunk Tiefling and the overwhelming urge to make things right. (or, Tav understands that her actions have consequences and Rolan finds that truly hating someone is not as simple as it sounds.)

“Rolan?” 

He turned around in one swift movement, and she was taken aback by the look in his flaming eyes. Vicious.  

“Oh, it’s you,” he snarled. “I’d recognise that self-righteous tone anywhere.” She recoiled as if he had hit her but he ignored her, instead going back to his drink, shoulders slumped and words slurred. “If you’re here to save the day again, you’re a little late this time.” 

The knots in her stomach twisted into something uglier, hurtful, and she felt an overwhelming wave of panic wash over her. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.

“Rolan what’s wrong? Can I help?” 

If looks could kill, she would’ve been dead on the spot. Rage flamed in his eyes and she took a step back as he addressed her, his voice dripping with anger, his words too loud in the silence of the inn - I’m only here because you “helped” me and my family. Her head was pounding, her heart racing, but he would not relent. His blame felt like an acidic burn, corroding her skin, rotting her bones. You had other ideas. Cal and Lia were taken in by your crap. Her fault - a ruthless accusation, again and again. He leaned closer to her. The alcohol on his breath was strong, and worrying dark circles were blooming under his eyes. 

"You convinced them to play hero and now they’re gone! If you hadn’t filled their head with all that self-righteous crap at the Grove, none of this would have happened!” His voice cracked under the weight of his grief and she brought a trembling hand to her mouth, fighting the nausea. Shit. Shit. She hadn’t meant to- she never wanted…  All words and excuses flashed through her head, but he didn’t stop, and she didn’t speak.

“You know what the worst part is? They liked you. They looked up to you. And look at where it got them! They’re dead for all I know, they’re dead and I… and you…” She clumsily attempted to put her hand on his shoulder, but he slapped her away ferociously, sharp teeth bared like an animal cornered. “Don’t,” he growled. 

She hadn’t cried since the day of the nautiloid crash, a million years ago, but she very well felt like the tears would just burst out of her now, filling her lungs, drowning her to death. She could barely breathe - yet she forced the words out, to say something, anything, because she couldn’t bear the way he was looking at her. 

“Rolan I’m so sorry, I didn’t know - I’ll get them back, I prom…” 

“No! They are my responsibility!” he roared, the grip on his tankard tightening so much he spilled his wine on his pristine robes. “Enough of your excuses and brilliant plans. You go save the world, or your own arse, or whatever it is you do - just get out of my sight. I’ll fix this.” 

He turned around, his back resolutely facing her while she stood there, helpless, on the verge of throwing up or crying - or both. Fuck. Her head spun and she started walking aimlessly until her legs gave out, finally crumbling on the floor outside the Inn. Luckily there was no one around, and she crawled into a corner, limbs trembling while the tides of panic washed over her senses.

Rolan was right. 

She hadn’t meant to create this mess. None of this was supposed to happen. No one was supposed to have been inspired by her - not for this, at least. 

In her head, she pictured Cal and Lia’s lifeless bodies, half buried in the ground like the other tieflings, mangled, mutilated, their last dying thought being that they could be brave like her, not knowing that it was all an act, of which she just claimed the credit. 

(...)

— Read the rest on AO3 :)

(c) divider by saradika

[nikatyler]

Random BG3 Shenanigans

The only braincell in the group goes to Lae'zel today

Wonderful note to end on for now innit

"gods, you're worse than me and my siblings and I didn't think something like that is actually possible"

obsessed with their face and their glowing green eyes

IT'S ON LET'S GOOOOOOO SHADOWLAR TYHEART OR WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL THEM IT'S HAPPENINGGGGGG

(it was not happening, I never played that save again)

ohh i'm probably gonna be getting comments about mizora from annoying people if i keep him like this won't i (red hair/blueish skin)

dude's got nothing to do with mizora! in fact if you bring her up he'll probably cry!!! he's a burned out depressed student ex wizard now knowledge cleric of mystra! 😤 (definitely didn't base the burned out depressed part on anyone particular, nope not at all) wyll's a bestie!!

question, he's one of three siblings (triplets actually), his brother is purple, do tiefling siblings have to be similar colours? i suppose they have to huh because like…they're full siblings

he is not fit for an adventure he's gonna start every morning with a mental breakdown (real)

five seconds in Lae'zel's presence and he wants to cry

(btw I'll introduce him properly later when I also create his sister and my tiefling trio is complete but if you know my sims, you might recognize who he's based on and that could give you an idea)

(I did not introduce him properly, I never posted him again)

Couldn't find a fitting head preset for her and so she doesn't look mean enough but know that you piss her off slightly and can expect a fireball coming your way. 🔥 anyway 3/3 triplets done yay!!

Taking my army of tavs from the nautiloid, one step at a time. I think everyone I've created so far has now made it out...time for another batch, I guess!

Still feel like Byanka's face is too cute and doesn't reflect her personality too much but oh well, looks can be deceiving I guess!

That went uhh...that went. Yeah. Not well though.

At least you're not dead like the rest of the party was just a moment ago??

Byanka thread? Byanka thread. And I'll try to keep her entire playthrough here instead of starting a separate one every day.

Fingers crossed I'll do what I planned to do with her and won't chicken out of it. Sorry grove, sorry tieflings. Just this once, let me have this 😭😂

These shots are obligatory.