#she’s just all panicked and will only go ‘where’s Jaheira!?’

[moghedien]

It’s so funny that Jaheira straight up admits that she knew Isobel is Ketheric’s daughter the whole time while Isobel clearly doesn’t realize she knows. Because it 100% makes sense for Jaheira to know if she was around and fought Ketheric when he was Sharran and she says she went into the Thorm family mausoleum herself back when Isobel would still dead and buried in it.

And like right when you’re having trouble with undead and Shadow Curses and Ketheric again, a random half elf cleric of Selune named “Isobel” who refuses to give a last name comes to help and spends all her free time yelling at a bust of Ketheric and also just doesn’t know anything that happened in the last 100 years and won’t say where she came from, you might suspect something is going on there. It’s like so funny that Isobel would probably have heard of Jaheira’s history and still be like “no one suspects my secret…”

like she’s so bad at being discrete, you probably coulda guessed without knowing Ketheric had a daughter or being around 100 years ago and Isobel would never know everyone knew. Jaheira probably casually called her “Isobel Thorm” once or twice just to see if she would notice or react and Isobel never fucking did other than to be like “oh you need something, Jaheira?”

[sovonight]

just one bed | xan/radri, bg1

—✧✧—

[BG1, at an inn. Most of the party is waiting/resting in the common area; only Imoen has joined Radri in securing their rooms from the innkeeper, and Imoen lifts one of their obtained keys on a finger.]

Imoen: So, are we sharing again?

Radri: Actually, I was thinking…

Imoen, without skipping a beat: You wanna share with Xan?

Radri: Huh? How did—Wait, you—?

Imoen: You've been falling asleep holding hands together, sis, it's kinda hard not to notice. (Grins) You've had the hots for ol' grumpyrobes for a while now, right? Congrats!

Radri panics, clamping a hand over Imoen's mouth.

Radri: Shh, not so loud!

Imoen, muffled: But everyone already knows—

Radri, whisper-panicking: It's not what it looks like!

Imoen: …

Imoen, still muffled: Then what is it supposed to look like?

Radri, bringing her hands back close to her chest: …You know those… nightmares… I've been having? He's been helping me with them. That's what the handholding is for—it's just so that I can shelter in his mind.

Imoen, joking: Is that the excuse he came up with?

Radri, admonishing: Imoen! Please, not when—he could hear.

Imoen: …Okay. You only want to room with him to deal with your nightmares, and he's only helping you because he's just that upstanding and helpful of a fella. There's nothin' else going on here at all.

Radri: (sigh) Do you need to make fun of me?

Imoen: I'm not! I'm just making sure I have my facts straight.

Radri gives Imoen a skeptical look, and Imoen sobers, growing worried.

Imoen: …I didn't know the nightmares were this bad, Radri. You coulda told me…

Radri, managing to summon a quick smile: You don't need to worry about it, Imoen. It's no big deal.

Imoen: If you asked him for help, it is.

Radri blinks, then gives a tired smile.

Radri: Actually, he offered. I had never thought, to…

Radri: He's really kind, Imoen. And patient.

Imoen looks at her, then puts a hand on her shoulder with a small smile.

Imoen: Okay. If you're sayin' that, you have my blessing.

Radri: Bless—? (Realizing, annoyed) You've read too many love stories, I swear. Nothing's going to happen between us!

Imoen laughs as Radri shoos her and her blessing away.

—

Having said that, though, she still has to ask Xan if he wants to share a room. She gives keys to Jaheira & Khalid, Branwen, then stops before Xan. Xan holds his hand out for the last key out of habit, but Radri doesn't yet release it.

Radri: U-um, I…

Radri: I was hoping we could share a room, this time. (Branwen and the others shuffle away) To… continue to… share our reverie together.

Suddenly worried it might come across as her coercing him, since she's already handed out the other keys, she stammers—

Radri, bright red, staring down at the key clutched in her hand: Y-you can refuse. I know I've already imposed on you, so much! A-and—I don't know if your offer of help has expired, now that we're not camping outside—

Xan: It has not.

Radri peeks up at him—his expression is neutral, and slightly pink, but she doesn't have the presence of mind to process that—and Xan takes the key from her palm gently.

Xan: I will join you once I have memorized my spells.

Radri: Ah—well—I still have to write in my journal, too. Rather than force you to stay down here, we could go up… now… together?

A new wave of heat crosses her face, and Xan's gaze softens a little, but he shakes his head.

Xan: You can go ahead. You prefer to write alone, do you not? I will not distract you.

Radri: T-then… I'll see you.

She leaves, heading for the stairs, risking only one glance back to see Xan standing where she'd left him, gazing at the key.

—

Her journal entry is complete. Through writing, she's managed to bring her nerves down… and then comes the knock, which just spikes them back up again. Radri jumps up, rushing to the door, and cracks it open. Xan's gray eyes meet hers through the gap, and they stare at each other, until Xan nods towards the door.

Xan: Will you let me in?

Radri: Oh! Right. Yes.

She pulls the door open wide. Too wide. Xan comes in, with his bag over the shoulder, and she realizes she could've offered to bring it up for him, until she sees his spellbook peeking out of it, and remembers he would've needed it for his spells, so no she couldn't have brought it up for him, and—

Xan: Are you going to close the door?

Radri: Oh—yes.

She closes it. Too hard. It's loud, and she cringes, still facing the closed door, closing her eyes tight. There were no doors in the forest; no rooms, no confines with perceptions of intimacy. Her first night outside of Candlekeep, she thought she would never miss the outdoors, but here, she does; it is so much easier to find Xan by the dying fire, to lay her bedroll beside his, than to hand him a matching key that defines the space they will share and ask him to join her in it.

Xan: Are you alright?

His voice floats over her shoulder, from mere paces behind her.

Radri: Y-yes—why wouldn't I be?

She turns to face him, just to prove that she can still be normal, and her gaze is drawn to his—his eyes, in shadow, his figure edged in moonlight. His cloak is gone, and his traveling robes with it, leaving only the light layers he rests in.

She jerks her gaze away from him, feeling suddenly overwhelmed—and takes proper notice, at last, of the room. Outside, their bedrolls were placed side by side, so that they could take each other's hands with ease; but here, the beds are apart, and so set in the floor that they cannot be pushed together without making what would surely be a horrible, loud, drawn-out screech. They could use the beds as they are, and reach across the nightstand at the center to hold hands, but the distance is awkward and the edge of the wood would dig into their arms, and she would not be able to rest knowing she was at fault for his discomfort.

Her chest grows cold. She'd been so wound up about asking him, having him here, that she hadn't taken the time to survey the room beforehand. She's wasted his time; her request is not possible after all. But Xan takes one glance at her dilemma and says,

Xan: Choose a bed; I will set my bedroll on the floor beside it.

Radri: What? No! That's—I couldn't ask you to do that!

Xan: (shrugs) I am accustomed to cold, hard floors—they are an unfortunate reality for any traveller, and I have spent much more time on the road than you have.

(This has the opposite effect of reassuring Radri, and she just feels bad for him)

Radri: All the more reason for you to take the bed! I'll take the floor.

Xan: It would only make your reverie less restful, and you would regret it in the morning. If you will allow me…

He smooths a strength spell over his shoulders, and before she realizes it, he's picked her up in his arms.

Radri: Xa—Xan!

She can't help but clutch his shoulders, still so unused to the vulnerability of not standing on her own two feet, and he brings her towards the bed by the window.

Xan: I have a feeling…

He sets her down gently, her head perfectly aligned with the pillow. With a hand, he smooths her hair from her forehead, and gazes down at her with a small smile on his face.

Xan: …That you are so tired that you will not want to get back up.

Her nervousness had kept her amped up, but exhaustion is setting in now, and she can feel it in her leaden limbs, which have begun to find this inn's common, worn mattress to be the softest cloud they have ever rested upon. She doesn't want to stand again, but if she's tired, so is he—and though his amusement brightens his features, if she looks she can see the exhaustion behind them. She grips his sleeve.

Radri: …You should take the bed.

Xan, shaking his head, ready to refuse: I am resolved to—

Radri: We should share it. Shouldn't we?

Xan stills. Radri finds herself gazing up at him, her mind in that space between states of consciousness where her anxieties fail to sound. Her eyes are no longer on his features in order to gauge his reaction, but merely to observe: the blink; the slightly parted lips, mid-word; the light flush that touches his cheeks. She lets the weight of her arm pull his sleeve down, in turn pulling him to her— his hand meets the bed, his arm straight, braced against it.

Xan: Radri… I…

Radri: I liked laying beside you, in the forest… tracing the patterns in the treetops, trying in vain to spot the stars through the gaps in the leaves. The only part I didn't like was how hard the ground was under my bedroll.

Xan looks as if the treetops and the stars are the furthest thing from his mind right now, but somehow, her words contained the assurance he needed; that frozen expression on his face softens.

Xan: There are no stars here, save for the ones caged by the lone window… but perhaps I can show them to you, still. Shall we walk in my memories again, tonight?

Radri hears the word "walk" and her lips quirk to the side, dissatisfied.

Xan: What is it?

Radri: (sigh) Nothing. Just come over here.

Xan pushes himself off the bed, escaping her loosened grasp on his sleeve, and for a moment she thinks this was all a ploy for him to just sleep on the ground like he'd suggested, but Xan walks around the bed to join her on the other side—to avoid having to crawl over her, she realizes. It's polite, but she wouldn't have minded if he'd done so. Imoen had crawled over her legs to join her, to read stories by borrowed light deep into the night, many times in Candlekeep…

Xan's hand slips into hers.

Xan, prompting: Radri?

Radri: Hm?

Xan: Shall we center my mind, or yours?

Radri: Yours. I want to see your promised stars.

Xan: You seemed rather unimpressed by them, just seconds earlier.

Radri: No, I was only thinking I'd rather have you carry me.

Xan: Carry you?

Radri: Instead of walking. "Walk in your memories…"

She smiles at her little joke, and she can't see the look on his face when her eyes have already fallen closed, but Xan squeezes her hand lightly.

Xan: Then I will. The world will move around us… you need only watch.

—

When Radri wakes, she's curled up on her side, against a warmth that bears Xan's scent. She nestles in closer, until her waking mind realizes that if it is Xan, then she should be keeping herself a modest distance away—

She opens her eyes in a panic. It's a pillow. Radri sighs in relief, then looks across the otherwise empty bed to realize two things: one, she is alone, and two, at some point during her reverie she had escaped her half of the bed, sprawling over to Xan's side. Now that she's well-rested, it occurs to her that intruding on Xan's personal space is a real threat now that she's not bound by the confines of her narrow blanket and bedroll. Had she sprawled across him, too? Is that why he left? She's ruined all of this in a single night, hasn't she?

Sighing, she rolls onto her back, letting her arm hang out over the edge of the bed—and in the corner of her eye, sees Xan, sitting quietly on the opposite bed. He looks up from a collection of items scattered across the blanket—spell components?—and meets her eye.

Radri: Oh.

Xan: Just in time. The others are awake, and we are still set to leave as planned, if you eat in the next ten minutes or so. Shall I bring you something from the kitchen?

Radri stares at him. He doesn't seem to hold any extra disgust for her, which is a relief, but she can't completely read the look on his face, either.

Xan, at her lack of response: Or do you need to rest an hour longer?

Radri, embarrassed, mumbling: …No… I'm…

Xan: I doubt your nightmares will visit you in such a short span of time, but I can watch over you, regardless.

Right. It's just another task for him—an obligation. Perhaps protecting her is just another aspect of his duties as a moonblade wielder. Although, in the back of her mind, she must admit she can't imagine Xan allowing just anyone into his memories, nor offering to fetch any other waylaid elf breakfast in bed… but she pushes those thoughts out of her mind before they can sow hope in her chest.

Radri: I didn't… bother you too much… did I?

She can't help but ask, and Xan pauses before delivering his answer.

Xan: ...Not particularly.

"Then why did you leave me?" is right on her tongue, but she can't say it—it's too petulant, too needy, especially when he has hardly "left her," merely moved across the room. She sits up, letting her loose hair fall into a curtain between her face and Xan's gaze.

Radri: It's just gruel, isn't it? In the kitchen.

Xan: It is, but there are dried blueberries to be added to it, if you wish.

Radri, sighs: They're already gone. Imoen polished them off yesterday—I didn't even get more than a handful.

Xan: Are you certain?

He holds up a small pouch, and she looks over at it: peeking out from the drawstring opening are dried blueberries.

Radri: Huh? But—how?

Imoen would've found them; Radri rarely bothers hiding anything with how nosy she is. Xan wears a slight, smug smile.

Xan: A wizard has his ways. Here.

Radri: You're… you're giving them to me?

Xan: You sound as though I am giving you water in the middle of a drought. Radri, it is only fruit.

Her face heats a little, but she quickly accepts the pouch before he has a chance to change his mind.

Radri: If it's "only fruit," I'm having all of it, then.

Xan, shrugs: Such was my intent.

Radri: ….

There's no winning against him, is there. Xan moves some of his organized spell components aside and stands, lifting the moonblade from its place beside the bed as he does so.

Xan: I will return with your breakfast.

And he's gone, before she can even form the words to stop him. He doesn't need to—she can get her own breakfast. But sometimes the cook is brash and impatient, and her request is drowned out by morning chatter and the clangs and clatters of the kitchen, and she forgoes even gruel in favor of whatever she has left in her pack…

Radri looks down at the small pouch of blueberries, and after a moment, lifts one to her lips. Perhaps this feeling in her chest is gratitude, too.

[blackjackkent]

Wellp, I meant to hop back into BG3 several hours ago but I just accidentally took an incredibly long and deep nap. I slept terribly last night and spent the day going crazy over several different angles of house paperwork, so when I laid down my brain just decided it was time to shut off completely and I woke up having slept so deeply that I thought it was morning and was trying to figure out why tf it was SO dark at 8:30am, when it fact it was 8:30pm. XD

But. I am awake now and ready to examine the aftermath of The Wreck of the Iron Throne.

Hector, bless him, is as tired as I am, I suspect. XD

Narrator: Calmness greets you as the submersible slows to a halt. Unlike the Iron Throne, you remain intact.

Hector was the last one out of the underwater prison, just as it was collapsing, and he is still gasping for breath, crouched on the floor, all the adrenaline-fueled energy leaving his body only slowly.

The whole thing - from docking with the Iron Throne, to opening the cell doors, rescuing Ravengard and the gnomes, facing down Mizora, dragging Omeluum from its experimental cage, and the panicked run back through water and flame and sahuagin blades - took less than a minute. All of them have been subject to the reality-distorting, adrenaline-surging effects of a potion of haste, and all of them are suffering the painful comedown that follows it - aching muscles, blurred thoughts and tangled emotions.

And though Karlach has not said anything - though she knew the necessities of the situation - he knows the panic she felt in those last few terrifying seconds when he had not appeared. He felt her terror mingled with his own in the unstable net of the tadpole connection that binds them all, the wordless cry -- Hec, there's no time! There's no time! Where are you?! - and then the blinding relief as his dark hair and pale eyes and lithe frame, all stained with blood, emerged up through the porthole and collapsed across the decking and into her arms.

He was only vaguely aware of the low, resonant hum of Omeluum teleporting into the submersible itself, of the heavy thunk of the sub disconnecting from its moorings and the earthquake-like rocking as the explosion, barely avoided, sent them blasting through the superheated depths.

For a long moment he allows himself the complete surrender to the potion hangover and the warmth of Karlach's arms around him.

Slowly, though, the world becomes clear again around him. The gnomes have all gathered into a frightened knot at one end of the submersible, all casting confused and wary glances at Omeluum, who is hovering, heedless to their attention, near the cockpit and staring out into the dark water. Minsc and Jaheira are both sitting with some approximation of dignity in the sub's metal seating, but Jaheira's pale, wide-eyed expression and Minsc's tightly clenched muscles betray their agitation. Karlach just sits with him on the floor, holding him without words, her fingers brushing in rhythmic, soothing motions through his hair.

Ravengard, as stunned as anyone about the chaotic and reckless rescue that saved him, sits cross-legged nearby, visibly struggling to wrap his mind around the situation.

Narrator: Duke Ravengard approaches you, looking confused.

The Emperor whispers in Hector's mind. "He's tadpoled, but under my protection now, just like you." It is the first Hector has heard from it since their showdown over whether to rescue Minsc. There is still a certain coolness in the mind flayer's mental tone - but the anger, it seems, has faded. "His mind is his own again."

"I'm... free..." Ravengard whispers in bewilderment. "In my own mind again, wholly." He pauses, squares his shoulders, his eyes hardening with determination; Hector can see how this man has come to the reputation for bravery and strength that he holds, with how quickly he appraises the situation and rises to meet it. "I will not take it for granted."

The Duke reaches out and rests a hand on Hector's forearm; Hector stirs, trying to rouse himself from his lethargy and meet his gaze with equal firmness. It only half works; he looks as if a carriage has run him over, and Ravengard smiles very slightly, hearteningly. "You acted quickly, decisively, and compassionately. I - nay, all of us..." --he shoots a look of perplexed thoughtfulness in Omeluum's direction-- "owe you no less than our undying gratitude."

Hector draws a hoarse breath. He cannot quite wrestle himself from Karlach's embrace just yet, even to speak to a duke, and cannot muster the energy to be embarrassed about it, but he sits up slightly. "The Absolute's voice has gone silent," he says softly. "It must be a relief."

Ravengard shudders. "The... the Absolute. Its voice was clear as crystal, beautiful as a nymph's smile. It showed me the darkest lies and convinced me of their truth. To be free is like knowing the sun's warmth on my face for the first time." He looks up as the sub rocks again, slowly sliding into its berth back at the warehouse docks. "My thoughts are my own now," he adds firmly. "And my purpose certain. I will wait at your camp - we can speak more there."

Hector thinks about mentioning Wyll - explaining that the man's son is free from his pact, free to meet him on equal footing again for the first time in so long... but decides he does not have the words. There will be enough time for that later. So he just nods slowly and lets himself sag back against Karlach's chest.

We did it... he thinks wearily, and as the adrenaline finally begins to die away, a small flame of elation starts to burn in his chest. We did it. Gortash could not stop us. For the first time, a real wrench thrown into the wheels within wheels of his plans. Perhaps we can do this after all.

[beecreeper]

Since I'm completely out of the loop; what's the deal with all your Tavs and Durges? Who are they? What are they like? Do any of them belong in the same timeline?

(Basically go ham and tell me everything, I wanna knooow)

I have the basic rundown of my main three OCs in my pinned post but I'll also give you the lowdown on everyone under the cut because I looooooooove yapping

SO I got five Tavs/Durges, but I do way more with the first three than the other two. Briar and Ferox are durges and Molli, Myrala, and Poppy are tavs.

Briar is a spore druid and full evil. She finds her urges to be the only thing that gives her a purpose and identity, ESPECIALLY after the lobotomy memory wipe leaves her with practically nothing but the urges left in her head. She loves manipulating and messing with people and is just the wooooooorst I love her so much. Loves mold so so much. She also loooooooved being a toxic messy bitch with Gortash >:3

Ferox is my redeem durge. He's an oathbreaker paladin (broke his oath pre-tadpole when he durge murdered his wife). He's fuuuuuuull of guilt and considers himself a monster and is constantly yearning to be someone different but feels like he can't (spoiler: he can!). I still haven't actually uuuuh played him past the prologue yet but I'm probably gonna have him romance Lae'zel

Molli is my most self indulgent oc and a blatant self insert. She's a silly little guy! A bard who made a warlock pact while panicking and trapped in the nautiloid. Also she used to be held captive by Gortash because uuuuuhh don't worry about it. Normal reasons. She's got two alternate romance paths -- either Karlach or Astarion depending on whether she leans towards her good ending or her bad ending.

Myrala is actually Ferox's dead wife! I loved her so much I decided to make an AU where she never meets him and thus doesn't get durge murdered. She's a cleric/rogue. She grew up as a street rat thief in Menzoberranzan (lost her hand as punishment for stealing) until she hit rock bottom and converted to Eilistraee and fled to the surface. In her tav AU she moves to Baldur's Gate to try and establish a branch of Eilistraee worship there and help out drow refugees and stuff but she has a haaaaaaard time of it because of discrimination from the citizens and apprehension from the refugees who low-key believe that Lolth is gonna strike them down if they openly switch religions. She swore off stealing when she converted, but things are getting so difficult that she's getting a little tempted to take Nine Fingers up on her recruitment offers... And that's roughly where she's at when she gets tadpoled. She's gonna romance Wyll!

Poppy is my last tav and the least specific to BG3 because she's actually an old D&D character of mine but I am DETERMINED to play in BG3 eventually because this is exactly the type of BS she'd get pulled into. She's mostly a rogue with like one or two levels of ranger (in D&D proper she was the scout rogue subclass but we don't have that here). She was raised by a group of misfit outcast mercenaries that all treated her like their adopted daughter (her mom was the group's resident weaponsmith). At round about 17 she left the group to go "find herself" and is essentially traveling as far and wide as she can. She has the vibes of someone taking a gap year to backpack around Europe but she's been doing that for like 7 years. She also collects surrogate parents like playing cards and is going to LOVE Jaheira and Minsc so so so much.

Officially their "canon" universes are all separate, but I love to throw around aus in my head all the time. Particularly with Molli crossing over with either of my durges, because her past with Gortash means that she would recognize them and that changes A LOT of things.

Also thank youuuuuuu for asking. If you wanna DM me about OCs I would LOVE to hear more about Aurora and Jay 👉👈

[thistle-spores]

Some rambling thoughts on the Shadowlands

(contains discussion of Jaheira and Halsin's deaths)

*Please note that this is my first time really doing the Shadowlands and I'm going into it mostly blind (I do know some major plot stuff, but their locations and how those quests play out I'm not familiar with)

So Standev keeps failing at things and this is definitely because I'm unprepared for the fights, especially the swarming group fights with npcs to protect. That being said it does really add to the ambience of the Shadowlands, and I do think that playing as a Durge has made this even more interesting.

Standev has been very successful so far at overcoming the urges and striking a "balance" between the need to kill on the adventure and trying to only do it for good and productive purposes. But suddenly at the Last Light Inn when they try and do the same thing again, they fail. Isobel was felled running away from one of her attackers before Shadowheart could heal her. Jaheira panicked and cast an ice storm too close, taking out Shadowheart and injuring herself badly. Gale, Shadowheart and Standev died, only able to continue the adventure because Karlach ran around the back of the Inn to escape and got Withers to resurrect everyone. And so Jaheira is dead. Dammon is dead (though we did get Karlach's upgrade first, thank fuck). Everyone is dead.

Poking around Last Light Inn the group found Art Cullagh's corpse and figured out where to find Thaniel. Queue Halsin wanting to enter Shadowfell to find him and well...... he died too. So the Shadow Curse can't be lifted (as far as I'm aware).

These were an interesting series of events as Standev was technically doing everything "right" and "good," but they still failed and the world continued to get worse. They can control their urge, yet good and important people continue to die. Sometimes by their hand!

After the slaughter of Last Light Inn there is some Durge specific dialogue. I only picked 2 of the 4 options because some of them really didn't make sense for Standev (Wyll and Karlach's). I think it's interesting how the dialogue doesn't consider that the Durge just,,, failed to save the Inn. That being said it was very interesting that neither Shadowheart nor Gale lost approval for choosing the dialogue.

Also I don't know if this is part of the game or a glitch, but Standev in addition to Shadowheart was unaffected by the general Shadow Curse. Bhaal and Shar's influence feels very strong. Especially since both Shadowheart and Standev had bad reactions to the blessing of Selune.

Speaking of Shar. I think before the Shadowlands Standev was actually very curious about Shar? The endless night and numbing embrace that Shadowheart talks about is very tempting and comforting to Standev who alternates wildly between murderous urges and ecstasy, and psionic neutrality and deep emptiness/hunger. But then they get to the Shadowlands which seem to be taking away everything they've worked towards. They start questioning what Shadowheart says about the goddess, start doubting how Shar treats her (she has died twice). It's definitely leading up to Standev trying to turn Shadowheart away from Shar.

And on a final note on gods. Standev and crew all had Lathander's blessing (or whatever it's called) when going in to the Shadowlands and it definitely helped when saving the Harpers. So I think there's probably some incentive to go back and get Lathander's blood, since saving the Harpers was the only thing to go right so far, and especially since there's now no way to lift the Shadow Curse. Because Standev was definitely going to leave it and the creche alone (they did not recruit Lae'zel).

Anyways, ramble over I can't wait to see where this shitshow goes next.

(Also can we just pour one out for Karlach. She finally can touch people again only for Mizora to show up that night and then all the bullshit mentioned above rip).

[thefallenangelsgang]

PLOT

[YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO USE MY IDEA FOR ANYTHING YOU WANT, I ONLY ASK YOU CREDIT ME]

(break to save your dash)

Oh am I excited for this. Before we get into it, I am glossing over anything that doesn’t change from the source material/is particularly dialogue heavy. I don’t have a script in front of me. So there might be a few instances of “blah blah blah xyz from Mamma Mia’s story” 

Reminder: For ease of writing Tav’s Kid will be referred to as Soph.

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH

So let’s talk about what happened 20 years before this clusterfuck starts. I’m choosing to kick it off right after the Elder Brain debacle. I guess in this AU Tav and Gale were together during the adventure but Gale gets called upon by Mystra and can’t find it in himself to deny her. So he leaves, leaving behind a heartbroken Tav and possibly a bit of himself behind with them (whether that is his heart or Soph is up to interpretation)

Tav rebounds with Halsin and it heals a bit of what Gale left in his wake, but Halsin also needs to leave to start rebuilding Reithwin. Tav is able to let him go because what they had was special but it wasn’t what they wanted forever. They turn down moving to Reithwin with him.

Astarion comes along soon after on Tav’s final night in Baldur’s Gate. They’ve decided they want to get out of here and Jaheria has gently nudged them into traveling to a small keep she’s been to in the south, between Candlekeep and Baldur’s Gate. As it goes in Honey Honey “One thing led to another and…” 

Tav leaves for the keep which is a coastal town with islands nearby. They find a breathtaking one with the ruins of a town on it and the idea for an Inn pops into their mind. They use their loot from the Elder Brain adventure to purchase the place and fix it up. Unfortunately just as they’ve got their footing, they realize they are pregnant. 

Here comes the panicked sending to Jaheira and off she goes flying to the rescue. And this is where Jaheira picks up the Great Aunt Sophia mantle. She helps Tav through the pregnancy and first few years (though after the first few months of Soph’s life she begins traveling to check in on home. Tav did make her start writing letters after the second month of listening to Jaheira sigh when one of her kids would Sending her). But eventually she distances herself until Tav can stand confidently on their own. 

Tav raises Soph with occasional visits from most of the gang. The girls visit most frequently, Wyll and Karlach don’t get the chance until after they solve Karlach’s engine issue. Minsc is there more often than he is not. Even NPCs come and visit. 

Gale, Halsin, and Astarion never make it.

So Soph spends 20 years growing up around the most chaotic family possible and hearing stories of yore from their eclectic group of aunts and uncles and sort of siblings/cousins (Yenna ends up with Tav and Mol and Arabella filter in and out at will). They make friends who are their age and at some point they meet a nice partner that they desire to marry. Thus the impetus for this masterpiece. 

Without Tav’s express permission, Soph sends invitations to ALL of their tadpole friends. (I Have a Dream) They know Astarion, Halsin, and Gale exist, they’ve just never met them before due to various excuses from Tav and some legitimate ones from the other three. Astarion, Halsin, and Gale know Tav has a kid but not how old or what gender until the invitations go out. All three decide to go on a whim.

Soph meets up with their friends and family in their age group (including Yenna and Arabella) revealing that they have Tav’s diary from the Elder Brain Crisis up until they leave Baldur’s Gate for good. (Honey, Honey) It includes vague details of 3 trysts right around Soph’s conception and who they were with. That is why Soph went out of their way to invite three men that have never been involved in their life.

Blah Blah Blah the girls arrive and Tav laments the money it costs to run an Inn and misses their adventurer days where they hauled back a shit ton of wealth (Money, Money, Money)

The rest of the gang arrives shortly after and Tav has a mini breakdown about Halsin, Astarion, and Gale being here. It makes sense but they’re going to find out that one of them could be Soph’s dad and that can’t happen during the wedding of all things! (Mamma Mia)

The girls bundle Tav into a different room and sing Chiquitita with Jaheira (who lives with Tav in her twilight years much to Rion’s chagrin) while Soph manages to persuade the guys out of the house on a tour of the Island and it’s grounds. Finding the area deserted of all ne'er do wells, the girls sing Dancing Queen to cheer Tav up.

Meanwhile Soph has gotten a conversation started about the Elder Brain Crisis and how everyone met (Our Last Summer). This is the first major song change. This is the movie’s placement of this song and in the movie it is sung by Harry, Bill, and Sam. It’s more about they’re last summer with Donna and Sophie is learning fragments of the men who could be her father. This version is sung by all of the companions across the afternoon. Soph is learning why this group loves each other so much. 

Soph’s Partner takes them on a little outing before their Bach Parties (Lay All Your Love on Me) and later that night they have them.

For reference, I’m operating with Tav as a Bard because that makes the most sense given the nature of a musical. So they sing Super Trouper to Soph with Karlach and Shadowheart (Because I firmly believe Lae’zel, Minthara, and Jaheira would sooner kill Tav then get up on stage to sing. Even Shadowheart has to suitably pregame. Karlach is just down to clown always)

Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie! happens and instead of Bill’s counterpart doing the “How old are you?” “twenty!” “AUGHH” bit it’s Soph and Astarion  (Sorry Halsin is too unflappable for this and Astarion is just too funny). This starts The Name of the Game. Nothing changes other than a different dad is on deck.

While this above scene is happening Halsin confronts Tav during the party starting the first of the two songs I have added from the sequel, Why Did It Have To Be Me? It’s frankly kind of perfect for Halsin and Tav’s fling. It’s about something that is supposed to be fun turning into something more serious and genuine, mirroring how Halsin asks Tav to go with him to Reithwin and Tav denies it to run to this island.

We round out the night with Voulez-Vous and Gale and Halsin realizing they also are possibly Soph’s parents. End Act 1 lmao (but literally, this is the end of Act 1 in the stage show)

Opening with Under Attack which is only in the stage production and is a banger song nothing changes though so I’m going to move on cause shit’s about to get wild in terms of song changes.

Starting strong with the second of the added sequel songs. In my mind these next couple take place on the same “set” for lack of a better term. The Companions + Tav  are all chilling on the beach hanging out. Someone comes and flirts with Gale (which hell yeah, talk about a silver fox *wolf whistles*) prompting Tav to sing Angel Eyes which is a song all about warning the next person to come along about your former partner. Gale fires back with Knowing Me, Knowing You, a song from the musical. The major change here is that I’ve screwed with the order of it. It now happens significantly earlier in the plot.

After Tav and Gale have thoroughly soured the vibe and both stormed off, Mol siddels up and decides she’s got a shot with women nearly 3x her age who could kill her with a look. Minthara and Lae’zel sing Does Your Mother Know (which either can be a dig at Raphael if you think Mol still has her contract or her new patron because I sincerely believe Mol is destined to be a Rogue/Warlock multiclass or also just vaguely fucked up cause Mol is an orphan OR EVEN BETTER it’s in reference to Nine-Fingers Keene). This song has also changed positions, happening much earlier but I think it rounds out a scene with very few loose ends.

I think this is where the scene of Gale trying to talk Soph out of getting married happens. It doesn’t go over well to say the least. Minsc swoops in after Gale has retreated with his tail between his legs and gives that convoluted, somewhat similar but heaps less serious monologue I mentioned in the character explanations.

Anyways Gale decides to appeal to a higher power, that being Tav who has retreated to their room after the beach fiasco. I feel like Jaheira would be there comforting them not going to lie. I’m still not convinced the old Harper would be up to a beach day with the spunky and much more youthful heroes of Baldur’s Gate. She’s the one that lets Gale in before scooting off to give them some privacy.

More Musical scenes! Gale comes at first to ask if Soph is really sure about this because they have their whole life ahead of them and so much talent (I mean who wouldn’t with the family and friends they’ve grown up around). They should be off finding adventure, not settling down. It spawns an argument that ends with them both realizing they don’t want to fight anymore and both really miss the way it was before and regret how it ended. But this where Tav lays it bare to Gale that he broke their heart and they are still mad and don’t know if they can forgive him. (One of Us) 

SOS follows right on its heels. I can’t remember if in the stage production SOS is sung face to face or if Donna and Sam are in separate areas like the film. I really like the way it’s framed in the film and I’d like to make it angstier by having them sing it on opposite sides of Tav’s bedroom door. 

Now here is where I waffle once again. In the musical Donna basically spends the entire afternoon getting bombarded by the dads in her room talking to her about the past and about Sophie and the wedding. Everyone gets a song except Bill for some reason? But I think it's a character choice because he does later state he’s not one for singing (Halsin getting a sequel song was to make up for this oversight). Sam gets SOS and Knowing Me, Knowing You a little later. Harry gets Our Last Summer. We’ve already run that song movie style  but I still really like it’s context in the Musical. So I considered Astarion for a little bit but it was missing the mark. Then I considered Halsin doing it because that kind of romantic wistfulness is much more his style and it still wasn’t totally hitting the mark. So I decided to make it a reprise sung by all three of the dads. This time it is as it is intended, a song about reminiscing on romantic past encounters. 

This also serves to pull the three away so Soph can ask Tav to help them get ready (I like to imagine Gale, Astarion, and Halsin are getting ready for the Wedding and reminiscing). This starts Slipping Through My Fingers and cues the waterworks from me. Fuck I love this song. 

Blah blah blah, final wedding prep and it’s time for a power belt from our resident Donna. Gale comes along and tries to talk with Tav AGAIN, beginning The Winner Take It All. 

Escaping Gale, we start the wedding. I’m not entirely sure I want Soph to decide to call the whole thing off mid ceremony and decide to have adventures with their partner. I honestly feel like they could still get married and the end result will be the same, so that one is dealer's choice. 

Whatever you decide, Tav has to announce during the wedding that Gale, Halsin, and Astarion are the three possible fathers and they isn’t sure which. IDK mushy shit can happen here with all the companions stepping up to be recognized as Soph’s parents cause they all collectively helped raise them. Once again the dealer's choice but we need that final angst.

When the wedding ends, prematurely or otherwise, Gale decides to give it one last shot and proposes to Tav (“why waste a perfectly good wedding?”) and that starts I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do. Tav and Gale get married and here comes another big music change! Waterloo! Which only is an encore track. Here, it’s serving as a transition song. It’s Tav and Gale reflecting on their love story while we move from the wedding into the reception.

The reception is undoubtedly is a blast and a half with people like the Companions present. Gale sings When All is Said and Done as a wedding toast (this song is also only featured in the movie and Pierce Brosnan tries which is all we can ask of him lmao)

While the party is ramping up Karlach realizes love is in the air and this shit is now or never. She sings Take a Chance on Me to Wyll. 

This is why I didn’t go with Wyll for Sam/the one to end up with Donna (cause I’m sure with some finangling/dialogue scenes Tav could easily end up with someone else. The Winner Takes It All can wrap Sam’s story up nicely). I really wanted the frankly adorable idea of Wyll and Karlach finally realizing they’ve been through a lot and they really like each other. 

There is a Tanya and Pepper verse in there that can be covered by Mol and whichever cougar you choose, Minthara or Lae’zel. Personally I think Minthara is the funniest choice cause Mol has NO IDEA what she’s getting into. 

We wrap the banger party with an I Have a Dream reprise sung by Soph.

Roll Credits

BALDUR'S GATE 3 x MAMMA MIA! AU

CHARACTERS

[YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO USE MY IDEA FOR ANYTHING YOU WANT, I ONLY ASK YOU CREDIT ME]

(break to save your dash)

Now, not every character is going to fit cleanly into character slots (there are too many characters to fill the main cast) so some of our Baldur's Gate loves will be sharing character traits and plot devices amongst each other.

Let’s start with Donna: She will be played by Tav obviously. I mean there really is no other choice here. We need someone who has gotten romantically entangled with multiple if not all the companions. The one unfortunate snag is that Tav has to carry or otherwise create the child of dubious parentage without the other parent knowing. That does pigeonhole the characterization a bit unless you want to go the magic route with it (which opens a line of ethical questioning beyond not telling the Parent of your child about the existence of said child)

For the purposes of this thought experiment, I'm operating under Tav being AFAB and having a womb to carry the baby. I’m also operating under the idea that all the companions have the reproductive organs of the gender they present as in game. If anyone wants to actually do something with this they are free to do whatever the fuck they want and use whatever headcanons they want. 

Sophie is going to be played by Tav’s kid. This one doesn’t have a hard and fast gender rule (TIL Sophus is the masculine version of Sophie) but they have to want to know who their other sire is and be generally chaotic which is not hard when they’ve grown up with the Tadfools as their role models. It is important that they display mostly Tav’s traits with others that could be any one of their other parent’s. (think Amanda Siefried and Meryl Streep are both blonde and similarly built. Sophie draws like Sam and sings and plays like Harry and has Bill’s adventurous spunk)

For ease of writing Tav’s Kid will be referred to as Soph from here on out.

Speaking of Sires, the Dads:

Sam: I waffled a LOT on who to choose out of the Baldur’s Boys because I wanted to keep it to just the traditional three and to just companions. You can obviously shuffle around people (I'm sure the Rolan girlies (gender neutral) would love putting him in this AU) and expand the possible dad list (though I don’t know how to split the characteristics like the Donna’s Friends). I chose to go with Gale here. I think he fits the very no nonsense and very anxious vibes from Sam in the show/movie. Instead of a business person who “went home to get married” perhaps Gale got called upon by Mystra as her Chosen and left to focus on his Wizardry. He is definitely the kind to break Tav’s heart over duty and be so ashamed he doesn’t really speak to them for 20 years. 

Bill: This one was damn near a no brainer once I was considering it. It’s Halsin. Who better to be the Hippie, fun-loving, sex god and travel writer? He retains all his Baldur’s Gate characteristics. His experience with Tav is truly just a bit of fun before they both go their separate ways. Their relationship is HEAPS less frigid than Gale and Tav’s. 

Now this is where you can go two ways with this. You could give Halsin is canon good ending (Reithwin with the kids) BUT we miss Bill being scared shitless at the prospect of having a child which I always loved as a characterization (Skarsgard plays it like a champ in the film, he looks like he’s gonna have a heart attack lmao). I feel like Clan Dad Halsin after 20 years is way too open to the idea of having something permanent like a kid. Wandering Arch Druid Halsin might be a little more scared shitless at the idea. That one is a personal preference, I think I’d prefer Reithwin Halsin even though I miss the majesty of an internal conflict.

Harry: Now this one also was a no-brainer but needs to be explained with some tact. It’s Astarion. It is not because Astarion is the most effeminate of the group. For those that don’t know, Harry is canonically gay. The companions are all pan. I chose Astarion because there is an opportunity to do something else transformative with Astarion and Tav’s tryst. 

In Mamma Mia, Harry talks about how Donna is the last and only woman he’s loved and their time together helped him accept his sexuality. In the stage show he’s in a committed relationship (his partner's name is fully escaping me atm). It always stuck out to me that Donna changed Harry and that’s why he still loves her after all these years. Sam obviously regrets leaving to do what was expected of him because he didn’t love his first wife. Bill sees the life of adventure and companionship he could have had with Donna but acknowledges that that time is behind them and still loves her anyways. And Harry loves that Donna made him see himself clearly for the first time in his life and loves her for it. You can see why Astarion came to mind I hope. 

Astarion’s night with Tav was him figuring out what intimacy meant to him after finally closing the Cazador Chapter of his life. The encounter was brief but it changed him for the better and allowed him to start healing.

EDIT: I realized I didn’t cover Astarion’s Vampirism at all. For story purposes assume he has some kind of temporary solution to the sun issue because I need his ass to be present when this is set on a fantasy Greek island. The Dhampir issue is… something. I sludged through some further thought experiments. Tav and the kid being Tieflings hides the fang coloration issue. Explaining away that the characteristics haven’t presented yet because the kid is still quite young by nearly all standards (20 is just barely of age for humans, and though they are full grown biologically they are still children in Elven society) and also have been largely sheltered from danger their whole life also works.

But to be honest, despite what the second movie and its director want you to believe, I think Harry is the least likely father of the three. I am comfortable extending this to Astarion. 

Okay now we are into the Dynamos! Fuck yes! Rosie and Tanya are my favorites (it helps that they are PERFECTLY casted in the movie oh my god). I have split their characteristics across the girls. There are some of the companions that are obviously one or the other (Karlach is the most Rosie coded while Minthara SCREAMS Tanya) while others send mixed signals (Shadowheart is the most even, skewing towards Tanya slightly while Lae’zel has Tanya’s bitchy attitude and Rosie’s  “lone wolf” outlook) SO I’m going to make a chart

Like Astarion, for story purposes, assume Karlach’s heart issue has been solved.

Graphic design is my passion

ANYWAYS you may have noticed three of our friends are missing from this line up. Our intrepid Folk Hero Formally Known As The Blade of Frontiers, Wyll, Pack Mother, Jaheria, and her trusty ride or die Rashamen, Minsc (and don’t forget Boo!). 

I had some trouble with these nerds because initially I was playing with making Wyll the second half of Sam, he would have usurped the businessman and maybe the gone home to get married bit while Gale was the heartbreaker and took something from Bill’s characterization, but I was having trouble with losing character motivations. Plus Wyll is canonically not the type for flings. So I am having him be a good family friend invited to the wedding but not involved in the parentage. He essentially is a more involved part of the Greek Chorus. He could take Sam entirely if you are not the type for Gale but you will see why I did this when I get into the songs (yes I am that fucking insane about this.) 

Jaheira does have the countenance to be a Dynamo BUT there is this minor character that I think about way too often that I wanted her to take. She is only mentioned in the first movie and the stage show in one line and seen a little in the second movie (which is a fever dream and convolutes the “lore” but I love it anyways). It’s Bill’s Great Aunt Sophia that left Donna the money to start Villa Donna. OBVIOUSLY she isn’t directly going to be playing Halsin’s Great Aunt or be dead (though she will be ancient by then) but she’s going to fill the mentor role for Tav and help out with Soph. She is the only one who knows that Gale Halsin and Astarion are the possible fathers until the beginning of the shenanigans.

Minsc, like Wyll, doesn’t have a direct parallel. He is also a part of the more involved Greek Chorus. He is Soph’s crazy uncle. He got them into all kinds of trouble and still does to this day. He gives a less emotional and personal version of Sam’s “are you sure you want to do this, you are so young” speech that essentially is offering to run off and be warriors (His plan does not get them away from anyone, he’s unanimously elected that the entire tadfool group is coming with them). But he does it after Gale gives the original speech that severely upsets Soph so it serves as a cheer up speech (“Minsc is unsure if the Wizard should come along seeing as he has upset the little warrior so, but Boo says he is very useful and Minsc agrees. So he can come with, but he does not get to pet Boo’s furry little bottom!”). 

The rest of our Greek Chorus and people like Sky and Sophie’s Friends are filled out by various NPCs. Pepper is played by Mol. Ali and Lisa are open to OCs to be honest but the idea of Yenna and Arabella hearing the saucy details of a story they were partly involved in is really funny to me so they are listed in the song list as the backup singers. Sky is an OC because I wasn’t fully comfortable using any of the child NPCs. He’s referred to as Soph’s partner.