#this is in reply to all the posts about him at the tiefling party

[fallen-goldfishcracker]

okay but does it ever kill you how much Wyll loves being the Blade of Frontiers? I think we tend to think of Wyll as this serious, stoic guy, but he's so ridiculously silly about his whole superhero persona. He grew up absolutely in love with storybook heros and tales of bravery and all the bard songs and legends. Look at his reaction to meeting Minsc and Boo!

He must love getting to be a figure like that for a whole new generation of kids. He loves the bard songs (even the bawdy ones!) and the title and the stories, but he just loves being someone brave and worthy and able to help. He loves being a hero!

And to add on to that, its definitely a coping mechanism for him. Perhaps a bit of a messed-up one, but hey, its working.

Which is why the body modification by Mizora seems doubly painful- it doesn't matter that Wyll got them for noble reasons, what the horns do- (and what Wyll knows they do, because he's not an idiot and he understands the common people better than probably anyone else)- is send that whole dream crashing to the ground. He's immediately marked as other. Florrick almost completely passes over him. The tiefling refugees shrink around him. The guards at the doors of his own city don't recognize him. I think Wyll could absolutely win the people's hearts back, he's Wyll Ravengard, of course he could! But in the short term, by gods that's got to hurt.

This is at least the second time in his life he's lost everything in one fell swoop. No wonder he's miserable at the tiefling party- I would be too! It's a testament to his frankly astonishing emotional fortitude that he's barely even moping.

[lucrezianoin]

"Say please" Astarion's reaction - Goblin party vs Tiefling party (well done vs good boy)

Here we go, I need to analyze the party proposal from Astarion. So, if you do not get Astarion to proposition before the party he will do so at the party (if you have high enough approval). But the way he does it is OH SO different, and I think it might gives some clues on him and in general how he regards Tav/Dark Urge (which I will call Tav from now on).

Look, I played as female one and male the other, I don't think that gender is the reason for any difference here.

First of all, how to get to the party:

Goblin party: it is the evil choice. Not only you kill refugees, but you also ally yourself with the Absolute (which is the thing you are trying to hide from and attacked you). Your companions will react like this is the evil choice (Gale will threaten to leave, Wyll and Karlach leave, Lae'zel cares little, Shadowheart pretends not to care but she drinks herself into a stupor, and Astarion well, I will talk about it in this post)

The tiefling party: It is the good choice. Even the atmosphere of the party is better, there is music, dancing etc. You defeat the goblins, you save the day.

So, to start, to make sure I take everything in consideration, these were my approval scores with Astarion: 41 (identified by the game as High) at the goblin party (evil choice) vs 38 (medium) at the tiefling party (good choice).

OKAY HERE WE GO. So at the party, the scene will be different. I will post screenshots too, but if you want to see these two scenes back to back: first is the "evil one", and the second one is the "good one":

I will focus on three things:

The "say please" moment + "what"

the fact that you can tell him good boy in the good run, but not in the evil one (and how he reacts)

The general way Astarion acts

"SAY PLEASE" -> good boy vs well done

So in the above video you can check "say please" for evil choice at 2:01, and for good choice at 0:22.

So in the evil version we flirt and then when we refuse to go to bed with him (everything is so much more direct), we can ask "Say please". His reaction is a short, almost annoyed "What." The intonation sounds so flat, indignant.

In the good version, his flirting is much more subtle (as in, Tav is not completely on the same page), his "What?" definitely has a not of surprise and is much softer. I cannot tell if it is a good surprise or a bad one, but the general sense of it is more sensual?

The note from the devs is that he never had to be in this position (asking someone please for sex) so he is surprised. Interestingly, this note does not exist for the goblin party, only for the tiefling one.

Just look at his face:

He does seem more collected in the second one, maybe like he is keeping his flirty mask more secure on himself. There is definitely a smile, but with him it is hard to get if it is his mask, or him being positively surprised. BUT what we can say is that the mask slip in the first version, and he is much more annoyed.

I also noticed that the way he is animated to say PLEASE IS DIFFERENT. Top row: evil choice vs bottom row good choice

The first pic of both rows is his face immediately after the roll, when he starts to say please, one is definitely... not super happy about it, the other seems surprised. But the ending result is similar... still, the evil choice one has him in a much more seductive movement, that thing he does where he lowers his head and looks up so his eyes are half lidded? He does that a lot in act 1 seduction, where he is trying to sell you the fantasy.

The note from the dev was "through gritted teeth" so I do not think he is happy in any of the two choices.

Now, in reply to his please, you also have different options, which for me are the most interesting one:

(also in general the good version has more close ups to the characters faces for some reason)

In the evil one you can tell him "Well done! I will see you tonight" and in the good one you can tell him "Good boy! Let's get together tonight".

I THINK this is the focal point of why that "please" scene is so different. In the evil playthrough he saw you killing innocents, having little to no empathy, siding with, well, basically the villains. Your "say please" is more likely to come from a position of needing power over him than a fun flirting line. You literally slaughtered children, and now you are telling him to "Say please". He also could be surprised because he thought he was more of an equal to you? And the "well done" sounds very military-like. Yes, you did, just like I told you to, now get on with it.

In the good playthrough, instead, you have saved innocents, he even calls himself a hero and he is surprised to be on the hero side. Up till now, you have mostly done a very good deed out of the kindness of your heart. Asking him to "say please" would be cruel unless it is... kinky? FLIRTING? I think because of who Tav is the choice to ask him has to end up in the playful seduction category instead of the "I want you to grovel" category. His reaction is maybe surprised because that is unexpected, to hear you ask that after you have been so kind, but it is still firmly in the realm of sexy times. You don't tell him "well done", you tell him "GOOD BOY". That is definitely in the realm of sexy times much much more, and kinda gives a different sense to the scene.

Just look at the difference between these two faces!! It is the same line, but in one case he is a bit closed off, in the other his face is so much more open. I can almost read... hope?? Because you are a good person?

General attitude

The thing is, it could also just mean that he is THAT good. I still think the "what" is a slip of his mask, but in general the way he acts could be just tailored for who you want and who you are. So of course, if you are good and kind you would probably be manipulated more easily by puppy easy and open looks, so the second option would work better on that Tav.

Or simply, he is already changing?? He is seeing that there is a different way to live and not being killed.

In general, the way he flirts with Tav is also quite different:

In one case (first one, evil) he is more direct. He is not beating around the bush, he asks you what happens next and you can literally tell him "well, I will sleep with you".

In the good version, he is much more elaborate, and even your choice to ask him to sleep together is much less direct ("quality time").

In general, I think what DorianDarkstar @doriandarkstar (twitter account) (WHO HAS SO MANY GOOD INSIGHTS ON ASTARION and is often subjected to my endless posts) said in reply to me mentioning the scene makes the most sense:

Also, I just wanted to add the two Tav faces:

No idea if this is just a difference of drow vs tiefling, but my drow (evil choices) is much more annoyed and confrontational!

[meanbossart]

i appreciate you as an astarion Understander, but shadowheart is my pookie so i gotta ask what you/du drow think of her...i mean they're bestfriends obviously but what did he make of her pre-shadowlands? what about during act 2? post gauntlet of shar? personally, the shar temple really endeared me to her even if i found the act of doing some of the trials a bit annoying.

Oh I found Shadowheart to be the Most annoying character when I started to play the game and disregarded her as "the hot goth with no substance that they put here for the Morrigan fans" of the story, at least for the majority of act 1. She very slowly became one of my favorite companions though - her development is Wonderfully paced and I love the "open-endedness" of her quest (at least as I went about it), she's facing a similarly terrifying predicament as Astarion and DU Drow where, yes, she may have freedom now - but she has nothing else at all. Not her parents, not her memory, not her god (since I dont personally like the idea that she would just flip to Selune immediately).

What I find kind of interesting about her is that she gets... Less confident in herself as the story goes on? And how, in her particular case, that's both a bad and a good thing. She learns that the world isn't so black and white and that she's been fed lies through most of her life, but that seems to leave her with this frightening uncertainty that she must now contend with, instead of turning into anger or righteousness. It's a surprisingly faithful representation of what's like to escape a cult mentality. In a lot of ways she gets a lot LESS cool as her story progresses - but In a way that I really like, if that makes any sense.

DU drow would have found her similarly annoying at the start (Just took her as a naive religious nutbar) but she slowly endeared herself to him by having a mean streak of her own. They often saw eye-to-eye in their "fuck you, got mine" kind of attitude and DU Drow would have really appreciated her straightforwardness. The moment where I realized those two would get along was during a dialogue you have about her mission, I don't recall the exact wording, but she says something in defense of her blind faith and you have the option to reply along the lines of "Spoken like a true pawn", which I did, because I was playing an asshole. But instead of getting mad she just... Acknowledged it with a little humor and then let it roll right off her back. DU drow really appreciates people like that 🤷

I surmised that, with that attitude plus their shared memory affliction, they would have grown found of each other pretty quickly. If she had been the one to turn me down at the tiefling party instead of Astarion, I would have probably romanced her instead, which is a funny alternate reality to think about.

Then, her and Astarion egging him on with the Loviatar priest pretty much cemented their threeway dynamic for me LOL

Past that point, Shadowheart played a key part in DU drow's own "questline" as the person he later mirrored himself off of. She defied her deity of her own will (I didn't persuade her to spare Nightsong, I just let go and let god) she gave up on her own destiny and greatness in favor of just... Being her own person. It would have gotten DU drow thinking a little more deeply about these things, specially once he found out he was Bhaal's chosen.

Also, they both have a soft spot for animals.

[thechaoticdruid]

Welcome to my humble party!~

[My Astarion Fanfic Masterlist]

Just call me Druid since I really have no intention of revealing my real name for the foreseeable future.

I decided to make a masterlist just to help organize my stuff!

~Original Characters for story or RP stuff~

Winnifred The Druid -My Tav

Arva Nightshade -Winnie's closest pre-tadpole friend.

Fi The Hornless -A talented bard and a member of Arva's pack. She helped look after a juvenile Winnie.

Elora Ancunin -Under developement...

RP Note: Winnie is currently open to answering questions from all of you beautiful people! She is an open book so do not be afraid to ask away! Astarion may even make an appearance in the reply depending on the question. No he will not bite you, Araj! Just make sure to label your ask; Dear Winnie, Question for Winnie, Hey Winnie, I dare Winnie to, etc, and we will let the fun begin!

More NSFW type questions are accepted, but only by people who have their age visible on their blogs. Minors attempting to ask or anons without any age identification will be blocked/ignored. (Also let's try not to ask anything too gross okay.... I'm into some weird stuff but you know limits, my dude.)

~During campaign Winnie fics Masterlist~

[Click Here Darling~]

~Multi-part Fanfics~

[This Bites] Astarion x Chubby Female MC

A young woman ends up literally stuck with a fictional vampire from her newest video game obsession! She now must deal with keeping him safe and hidden all the while dealing with stress from her shitty stepdad.

Chapters: 1, 2, 3 ,4 , 5 , 6 , 7

Valentine's Day Special: Eat Your Heart!

[The Spawn Vs The Ascendant] (Fem) Tav x Astarion(s).

Astarion and his lover Tav are happily together after defeating Cazador and freeing 7000 vampire spawn into the Underdark. They are now preparing to take on the Elderbrain when an Astarion look alike, claiming to be 'The Vampire Ascendant' appears and demands the Spawn hand Tav over to him.

Parts: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4

The Spawn vs Tav vs The Ascendant: A smutty one-shot that doesn't really take place in any particular time during the events of TSvTA. MDNI 18+ (Though if I'm honest it probably takes place post story.)

[Firsts] (Named!Fem! Tav x Astarion) Winnie has noticed her vampiric companion had been acting much more aggressively flirtatious lately. Of course, he flirted with everyone, this was common sense. But ever since Winnie had given him a taste of her blood it seemed she was the main target of his affections. Which quite frankly confused the hells out of the young druid. He couldn't actually be interested in her? Could he?

MDNI 18+ There is smut! The second half involves the Tiefling party!

[1/2] [2/2]

[Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts] (Chubby F!Tav x Astarion) After failing yet again to find a good lead on the Ring of the Sunwalker Tav and Astarion return to their current and hopefully temporary home in the Underdark only to be greeted by a distress signal from an old friend and an invitation to extravagant soiree hosted by an eccentric stranger!

Chapters: One ,

~Headcanon lists!~

[Astarion x chubby!reader headcanons!] (GN! Reader)

[🍿Watching movies with Astarion!🍿] (GN! Reader)

[BG3 companions babysitting your kids!] (GN! Reader)

[Telling the companions baby news!] (GN! Reader)

[Meet the Parents!] (A fun little writing challenge I put together. I wrote up headcanons of Astarion meeting my Tav's parents and Winnie meeting Astarion's parents.)

[Astarion's Teddy 🧸] (A little HC about Winnie giving Star a plush.)

~Other~

[All Wrapped up!] A short AstarionxF!Tav Christmas one-shot inspired by my God-awful ability to wrap presents.

[We'll Protect Each Other] While staying at an inn in the Underdark Tav and Astarion are forced to protect each other. Tav defends her lover's honor which later leads to a visit in the night from a familiar face. (Protective! Tav x Astarion One-Shot.)

[The Bite Scene] A rewrite of Astarion's bite camp event with my Tav, Winnie. It was basically a draft from my abandoned long fic.

[The Monster Hunter] Happens right before the The Bite Scene. It's a rewrite of the encounter with Gandrel out in the bog. Another draft from my abandoned long fic that I just decided to share.

[Indulging Curiosity] (F!Tav x Astarion SMUT MDNI) After a particularly bloody battle with a pack of gnolls Astarion finds himself rather hot and bothered seeing his favorite little druid absolutely drenched in blood. Unable to help himself he invites her to join him for an evening of pleasure where he indulges in some of Tav's sexual curiosities.

[Seriously, now!?] (Named!Tav x Astarion, period comfort fic) After causing a scene, embarrassing and being shouted at by the party's own resident wizard, Winnie storms off alone to sulk. Her monthly bleeding is upon her and making everything seem so much worse! But perhaps her vampiric lover can make it all better? (MDNI, slight smut at the end.)

[Forever] A requested rewrite of the camp event where Astarion's siblings come to kidnap him, but featuring Winnie!

[Delicious] (Named!Tav x Astarion) While camping in the Underdark the tadpole crew gather around the fire telling stories to pass the time. One way or another they turn into tales of old lovers. Which brings up a curious question? How come Winnie had no lovers before Astarion? (MDNI SMUT AT END)

~Taglists~

[This Bites] Comment on the latest chapter to be added!

[Winnie during BG3] Comment here to be tagged whenever I drop any fics that take place during Baldur's Gate 3 campaign!

[The Spawn Vs The Ascendant] Comment here to be added to the taglist, but hurry! This fic will soon be complete!

Ao3 Account Though most of my stuff will probably be updated here on Tumblr first!

Blog Rules ig: Okay so I normally try to promote positivity it's why my fics are mostly comedy based. That being said, anyone who comes here acting like an asshat is getting blocked. I don't tolerate homophobia, heterophobia, biphobia, panphobia or really any kind of discrimination towards anyone's sexuality. Transphobic behavior is also unacceptable and will result in a block. Racism, or sexism of any kind is also not tolerated, understand? We're all going to be friends here. Treat people the way you want to be treated.

Requests???

Hi, friendly neighborhood Druid here. My ADHD gives me a shit ton of trouble writing so I'm real iffy about doing requests of any kind. That being said, I'm currently only taking specific requests involving Astarion x my Tav Winnie where I rewrite a scene from the in game campaign. I've already done the Tiefling Party so that is out of the question. And so is anything post Act 3 final boss. I'm also honestly just open to chatting through the asks.

-Druid

[raviolirash]

Astarion and Vele hanging out in a hot spring together and having a nice time

Best I can do right now are Act 1 makeshift hot spring shenanigans. Post Forest Scene, pre tiefling party. Errors ahoy.

Vėlė made due. As she always had. A few spells here and there, and a small private patch of the lake was made very warm and relaxing. The steam wafting out of the lake made a perfect haze through which to relax after a grueling day of misery that the wilds and cultists provided their newly formed group.

She sunk underneath the warm water until only tip of her head was poking out. Blood washing off of her body tainted the waters, complimenting her red glowing eyes.

The drow had to admit, it was difficult to sink into a pit of rotten thoughts when relaxed like this. She couldn't remember last time she gave herself such a treat. If only such relaxation could last a while longer. But, of course, in an hour or two she'd be leaving these comforts behind in favor of more misery.

If one of her companions holds a knife to the throat of another again...

There was no allowing to dwell on it. Vėlė reached out to grab the bottle she brought with her, aged brandy they stole from the Grove. Sweet alcohol trickled down her throat, bringing a small warmth back to her body and mind.

This was nice. A pleasant, quiet place. The best escape she could ever wish for. Vėlė looked around in slight joy. If only her life was this pleasant. The grove. The forest. This beautiful lake. All perfect, like this. Almost made her forget about the worms and Lolth waging a war in her head.

Something rustled behind her.

Of course.

Blood always brought out the bloodhounds.

"Can't keep your mind free of me, can you?" Vėlė leaned her head back to see the vampire lurking next to a tree. Always him and trees. "Looking at anything in particular?"

"I do find all of you fascinating." Astarion replied with his usual dull tone masquerading as seductive, as if that was the best possible thing he could ever say. "All the blood in the air made me wonder if I was missing out on a fight."

"Ugh. Bugger off, please." Vėlė shook her head. He didn't have much use for her at that moment. However, messing with him was fun. She twirled around in the water, resting her arms on the rock and looking up at him sweetly. "Unless... you intend to come and join me?"

"Darling..." His voice became low, yet very calculated. "I'd be delighted to."

It was quite difficult not to steal glances as he removed his clothes. Astarion was quite perfect looking, there was no way to deny that.

Yet drow were lauded as the beautiful ones.

No wonder Lolth was so upset.

"No funny business." Vėlė warned sternly as she moved back a little in the warm water, to give him some place to be. He stiffened up a bit, unsure what to do for a brief moment. Astarion composed himself quickly, believing she didn't notice.

"I'll be on my very best behavior, tempting as you are."

"Uh-huh."

Vėlė fully submerged herself in the water again, getting the blood out of her hair, to meet a disappointed Astarion when she re-emerged.

"Aww, not going to leave any for me?"

No matter what dumb predictable thing he said, she was always full of surprises.

"I'd rather not let you grovel for scraps anymore, if it's all the same to you. Sucking blood out of a drow's hair is rather undignified. I'm sure Lolth would find it very funny, though." Vėlė didn't know what it was that she said that took him aback. Vėlė stretched out her arm to him, exposing her wrist. She'd had enough of her own blood for today, and he looked worse for wear. "Here. Go ahead."

He didn't understand it. It was odd to ask for something he needed, whether it was help or food, and actually receive it.

"You're being quite generous, darling." He gently took her hand and positioned it where he wanted it, cold fingers leaving goosebumps on her grey skin. He toyed with it for a moment, caressing the area he was about to sink his fangs into. All it did was earn an eye roll, which was difficult to miss in the corner of his eye. Vėlė felt the bite, and heard the hiss as Astarion's fangs pierced into her skin, but the bite itself was nothing. It was the aftermath that mattered.

Astarion couldn't help but chuckle as he felt the warmth of her delectable, sweet blood filling him. Like a drug, it brought back all of the senses that he'd been so dulled on. It filled him with life and excitement, all from one source.

He pulled himself away once her pulse started to grow weak, and looked at her. A part of him expected her face to be covered in pleasure, why would anyone offer their blood to a vampire if not for their own pleasure? Instead, she was trying to hide the pain and discomfort she was feeling by forcing a smile.

"It's not something I like to do, to be honest." Vėlė took her hand back before he could do something weird with it, like lick it clean. The only thing Astarion truly understood in his life was his hunger. "But, I know how it feels to go hungry. A worthy sacrifice."

"Really?" Astarion was truly baffled. "We are two beautiful people naked in a lake, yet your concern is keeping me fed and being a nice person?"

"Sometimes people just bathe together, Astarion." She held her bleeding wrist above water as she searched for a red potion bottle in the rucksack she had with her. Vėlė found the small bottle after a great deal of struggling, watching the wound close with strange fascination after she drank its contents. She noticed the odd silence, Astarion of all people struggling with words was a new one. "What?"

"I wasn't expecting any selfless hospitality from you, truthfully."

"I don't have any, really." Vėlė shook her head, avoiding him. "A good meal, on the other hand, is always a welcome thing to people."

He had a hard time adjusting to someone looking out for him, to someone saying kind things to him. It was very unusual to have these feelings from one person, no matter what. His eyes were filled with an unnatural life from the blood, for which Vėlė couldn't bring herself to do anything but stare.

"Well, it's still quite nice of you." Astarion moved closer to her, his hand on her thigh now, falling on cursed instincts yet again. "I just want you to know that it's very much appreciated."

At first, she was annoyed. Then she grew slightly sad. It was very easy to be caught up in his games, in the way he would say something and make it sound like she was the one that was wrong for not agreeing.

Vėlė purposively crossed her legs, making his hand slide off her thigh. It wasn't amusing.

"You're a strange one, if you're actually thinking of showing gratitude like... that. Again."

Astarion looked offended, and bit flustered. It was an odd thing to get offended by what she said.

"I... well... it's just what I'm used to." The words tumbled out of his mouth, almost as if he wanted to forget that he'd spoken at all. "And I happen to be very good at it."

What was wrong with him? Why was he like this? Habits from 200 years of charming people had him in unbreakable chains. It was like someone else was puppeteering his body.

"Don't get the wrong idea, Astarion. You're cute." She gave him a look that was cold and stern. It melted despite her fighting to keep it up. "If you want to thank me, there is a favor I've been meaning to ask."

"Oh? Such as?"

"There..." Vėlė cleared her throat. A hand on her thigh? She remained steely, no problem. But asking for a personal favor was horrific. "There is a hole in my armor."

That wasn't what he expected. Getting flustered and shy over a bloody hole in her armor?

"Excuse me? I'm not a grandmother, or a seamstress for hire!" He rolled his eyes and told himself he didn't give in because of those puppy eyes of hers. "I suppose I can make an exception for you. Fine."

With a small yet excited smile, she grabbed the armor she had discarded nearby. A seam had ripped open on the side, making it quite scandalous.

"Got into a sword scuffle ten years ago, and been repairing it monthly ever since." Vėlė showed off the horrific stitching of hers on the inside of it. "My mother was a baker once. That's the extent of my skills in this field."

"I never pictured that someone would be more excited about my sewing skills than any other talent I have on offer."

"Well. Sleeping with someone can't offer me protection. Armor can."

Astarion didn't believe in any gods, but for the first time in his life he thanked all of them that she didn't notice how he completely froze up at what she said. If there was one thing that was certain in his life, it was that he didn't like someone calling him out on his own tricks.

Intentionally or not.

He had to pivot somehow.

Astarion went with the first thing that came to mind.

"I should have been a drow. You have such stylish armor." Pivot in the worst way possible. "I think I'd make a fantastic drow, really."

Vėlė raised an eyebrow at him. He wasn't sure if it was her noticing that he was trying desperately change the topic, or her knowledge about how the drow treat pretty boys.

It was neither.

"Well, I don't. I think somewhere in there, you have a kind heart. That's what drow don't want." Vėlė's words had the same effect as if he had been told that the sky was green. "We don't want people who care, you know. We want people who can see the darkness and want nothing more than to be a part of it."

Astarion scoffed loud enough for the camp to hear. He bore witness to the very first time he has seen her be wrong about someone.

"Yet you're the one rescuing puppies left and right."

Sometimes literally, as a distant bark reminded him.

"That doesn't mean I care." Her cold voice was almost enough to cool down the water. "If I don't use all skills and strategies that Lolth taught me to keep a small army happy to get rid of the tadpole in my head, then what's the point of my suffering?"

They were both exquisitely shaped by their tormentors, more than they'd like to admit. It was hard to fight that feeling that, at some point, Vėlė wanted to be free, but only so she could find that dark corner and go back to it again and again and again.

"And every time I think I have you figured out, you manage to surprise me."

"You'll never have me figured out, darling." Vėlė teased, with that smile of hers. "A drow is like a horrible broken pendulum that defies rules. When things swing around, they end up hitting you. I think I am a big black hole that will suck any warmth and light away."

"Sounds like you're the perfect woman for me."

"Don't be ridiculous." Vėlė waved him away. "Well, if there was anyone I'd trust with fixing my armor, it'd be you."

"Aww, is this some special, deep drow word of endearment? Is it the drow equivalent of 'You're the only one for me, really.' Or is this some new trick you're trying?" He grinned, a cheeky smirk that caused her to scoff at him. "Or is it perhaps, 'I have decided that this week isn't the one I murder you'?"

"It is whatever you want it to be."

[bareee]

are you planning to ship your tav with any of the companions? youve mentioned that the main 6 he would considsr too young but halsin or someone along those lines? i think the mutual stability in their characters would soften each others edges in a very sweet way but if you plan to keep your tav single i think their friendship would be extremely interesting too! will minthara get killed or added to the party? im so excited to see how all the characters resolve their arcs and how the creche and moonrise and everything else goes :D your art is so gorgeous too!!! the way you draw all of the characters is just so good <333 you really catch all the aspects of them that make people adore this game and thats such an amazing skill to have!!! i hope you have a good whatever it is when you read this!!!!!

Imma try keepin this short…but I doubt it’s gonna be XD

1. ‘Ppreciate ya~ happy ya enjoy my mess XD even though Im always over in the corner muttering about my poor consistency that drives me crazy

2. I’ve said this many times I’m pretty sure as replies to comments lost in the void somewhere, Through the 2 full playthroughs I’ve done, I didnt care to romance cause I couldn’t help but cringe myself even at the gale and Astarion stuff I couldn’t get away from. Im not good at romancy stuff movin so quickly like the game puts ya through,so I was dyin. And ‘in game wise’ Mark is like how Jaheria is, I’ve found thats the best way to put it. He’s gone through enough for himself to handle already at this point in his background story, and the best way to describe it is he’s just tired. Maybe in post game he’ll warm up, I think Imma leave that up to all yal and yer votin’ honestly. I’ve thought about it for a bit now and yal’s choices in Mark’s story I give you directing who he grows close to works well for me as I warm up to these goofballs, course as I said It’d still be more post game when he relaxes with stuff like that depending on what path yal put him on.

3. Kinda related to #2, Half of the main six are too young, not all. Gale is i think literally Mark’s age if not close and if I ignore elves and their age weirdness, Astarion and Shadowheart are fine. If/when the vote options open Mark up more to someone, Wyll,Karlach, and Laezel will never be more than family/kids to him. Nu….

4.We’ll get to Halsin…. I know I say that a lot when he comes up, but ughhh…. I will say I agree him and Mark have a lot they share and can grow together, but the horny side of Halsin drove me insane in the game and really made it where it was hard to talk to him cause the niceness felt so….uggghhh…. I’ll get to it,I’ll get to it, I’m gettin around that part of Halsin that loves to be constantly shoved in front… but aghhhh. Jaheria’s my favorite outta the side peeps obviously XD and Minsc is fun

5. Spoiler, I’m letting yal decide on if Minthara stays around! Wooooo, we’ll get thereeee XD And if yal choose to keep her alive it wont mean other peeps leave like the game does, we’ll see how that goessss. Halsin and wyll and whoever else will stay around of course, Wyll’s adorable and yal ain’t takin em away from me. In my playthroughs I could never go her route officially, never will. Little baby tieflings too cute, I refuse…

Think that’s all of it, woooooo I did ittttt! Hope I make senseeeeee yaaaay

[psalacanthea]

Fanfic Friday!

Since the game canon Zyn x Astarion was voted, I worked on Dissonance and Debauchery for my writing time the last couple days! I still can't promise when it'll update, but I have made progress on the next chapter. So here's a bit from it, for all of you that voted!

Astarion x Tav (drow bard), tiefling party night post-coital cuddling negotiations. 1900ish words.

Languidly Zyn accepted the kiss that was being pressed on her, lips swollen and lax.

Astarion stroked a finger from under her lip to down the line of her throat, with just the edge of a nail dragging.  It felt nice.  Grounding.

“There we are.  See?  Much better when you’re properly rested and sober.”

Zyn gave an impish little smirk, but couldn’t quite maintain the energy for it.  The smirk went gooey.  Loose.  “And when you’re not in danger of killing me?”

With a long, self-satisfied sigh, Astarion abruptly sat up, pulling out of her line of vision.  Turning her head to the side, she watched as he straightened, arms stretching languidly over his head, fingers spread.  With a slow exhale he collapsed, arms falling to the bedroll.  He tilted his head to the side, hair spilling across his forehead, and their eyes met again.

“You can go now,” she offered lazily.

Instantly his posture stiffened, a wrinkle forming between his eyebrows as he snapped waspishly, “I’m sorry, are you kicking me out of your tent?”

What?

“No, I’m saying that if you want to go, you can go,” she replied, grabbing the discarded pillow from above the bedroll and dragging it back under her head.  Gods, her hair was going to be a mess.  Hmm, chopping.  “I’m not going to try and get you to stay this time.  You obviously have no interest in it.”

His lips pursed, thinned, and then twisted to the side before he rolled his eyes to the side.  “Stop assuming things about me, it’s irritating.  You’re not as all-knowing as you think you are.”

“Mmh,” she replied dismissively.  He just didn’t like that she was right, that was all.  Maybe up to the shoulders?  Higher?  Oh, she could be bald.  Hmm…

His voice turned ingratiating, which drew her attention back instantly.  The actual words, however, were displeasing.  “Pet, stop pouting.”

Why would she– “I’m not pouting, and you’re ruining the mood.”

“You ruined the mood when you told me to get out,” he retorted, voice a little sharp as he dropped the facade, obviously annoyed by her refusal to play along again.

Ugh, was he serious?  Why did he keep acting as if her drawing boundaries was her having a snit?  If he didn’t cuddle, fine.  That made them incompatible.  “I didn’t say you should get out, I said you could if you liked.”

His hands slapped down on his bare thighs, noisily.  Shifting back, his scarlet gaze bored into her, chin lifting so he could assert his superior position by sticking his nose in the air.  “Well, I want to stay!  What about that?”

Zyn’s cheeks puffed out as she blew them out.  “Then stay?  I’m not going to tell you what to do, you’re a grown man.”  Part of her really didn’t want to say anything, but another part of her was tired of how confusing he was.  “Sometimes you make absolutely no sense to me.”

“Oh, you never make any sense to me,” Astarion replied, chuckling grudgingly when it made her laugh, slow and drowsy.  “What is it that you want?”

Zynatheri gave him a look of sheer disbelief.  “I have been completely upfront about what I want.  What do you mean what do I want?”  Was he really being this obtuse?

His lips curved into a very ill-timed seductive smile.  “Well, darling, if you’re not satisfied…”

“Ugh, you’re doing that again,” she sighed, regally waving a dismissive hand, forcing him to lean back.  Gods, did he have no artistry in his sou– oh, right, no soul.  “Sex is not just the thrusting bits.  Don’t you enjoy the comfort of just…being around another person?  Listening to a heartbeat?  Feeling the warmth of a body?  Brushing someone’s hair, being massaged, counting freckles?  Listening to stories?  Just enjoying learning about a person.”

“I…no,”  Astarion replied, voice surprisingly subdued for a split second.  And then it took on a humorous edge.  “Maybe I’m just not much of a cuddler.  What’s wrong with that?”

“And I’m not used to sleeping with the same person twice,” she retorted, a little sourly.  How dare he only take, and not give.  That sealed it; if he didn’t cuddle, she was done with him.    “This is new for both of us.  I am reluctantly forced to admit that…”  The earlier incorporeal god botherer had really driven it home.  “This little adventure is unprecedented in my almost two hundred years of life.  I think you feel the same.  So why can’t we both try something new?”

“Not the worst argument.  But still…”  Astarion gave her a sidelong look, the charmingly tousled state of his hair giving him a rakish air.  “Your obsession with pillow talk is bad enough.  If I let you cuddle me, I’ll never be free of you.”

Aah.

He wanted to be convinced.

“Trust me, my sweet viper,” she reached up and caressed his chin, a playful little beckon.  “I’m not going to be catching feelings.”  And he couldn’t, which she had to remember.  Vampire.  He was undead, he didn’t feel things like other people.

Astarion was safe.

Which was why his next words didn’t bother her.  “That sounds like a challenge.”

“I know you’re at least considering giving me what I want– I can see it on your face,” she said, smirking when he rolled his eyes and glanced away.  She rolled onto her back, stretching languidly.  “Mhmm.  Darling, this isn’t a case of me lacking interest in you.  I find you very entertaining.  But I don’t like sleeping with the same person twice in the first place, and especially not when I don’t get any cuddling out of it.  I’m already compromising by not pretending you don’t exist the next morning.”

It broke him, a twitch of a smile touching his lips despite his efforts to keep it back.  When her grin widened, wickedly, he reached down and pinched the end of her nose.  “You do realize how insane you sound, don’t you?”

Jerking her chin up, Zyn snapped at his hand.  Pulling it back abruptly, dramatically, Astarion gave her a wide-eyed look of horrified shock. And then he smacked her cheek, very lightly.  Much like he spanked her, it was a little too hard to be a pat, but she’d be exaggerating to call it a slap.

It pleased and amused her that he never treated her as fragile.

Flashing him a wink, she didn’t deny the accusations.  “Well, always!  It’s part of my charm.  It’s up to you if it’s worth it to you or not– I must emphasize, I’ll hold no ill will at all.  I’ll think fondly of you.  Write a few dirty songs about you.  In fact…”

She rolled over onto her side in search of her lute, only to be grabbed and yanked back over.  

“Get back here!”

She blinked, sprawled out underneath him as he released her upper arm.  He gave a small ‘ugh’ of frustration, tilting his head back, the heel of his hand pressing into his forehead.  How dramatic.  It made him look extremely pretty, though.

That didn’t mean she missed the lascivious little peek at her bouncing tits, though.

The words ‘don’t touch me’ had yet to make an appearance, in that fretful, almost reflexively irritated voice.  She imagined he said it a lot.  Not wanting to follow that thought any deeper, though, she set it aside and focused on her reaction when she poked him testingly in the thigh.

Had he put his shield back up yet?

It seemed not, because he just sighed like a diva, raking his hair back and away from his face.  She took advantage and threw her arm across his waist, curling up against the side of his thigh and arse.  Astarion tilted his head slightly to stare down at her, ruby eye glinting faintly in the hints of light that pierced the cracks in the tent.  She wrinkled her nose at him.

“You’ll do it regardless,” he told her imperiously, like the brat he was.

“Do what?”

“Write songs about me.  There’s no point hiding it– I make a perfect muse.” His voice lowered to a beckoning purr.  “Don’t I?”

She smiled, unabashedly smug.  Oh.  Did this mean she was winning?  “Mmh, I suppose.  So you’re…compromising?”

He tapped her nose again.  “Just for now, my little fox.  To…keep my options open.  I haven’t decided if I’m done with you or not yet, and I’d rather be the one to decide if we’re done or not.”

Zynatheri giggled, full of mockery.  “Oh really?  Is that how this works?  You know, I never asked.  Why ‘fox’?”

He leaned over her, a hand planting next to her shoulder as he twisted to stare her down from a closer vantage.  She made a small contented noise as he sprawled on top of her, enjoying the triumph maybe a little bit more than his presence.  But they were both enjoyed.

“Because…darling, you are a smug little trickster who thinks she is the cleverest creature to ever grace this plane.”

Oh, well, when he put it like that…

Zyn nodded slowly in acknowledgement.  He was right.  Very well, she could add that into her mishmash of identities somewhere.  “Mmh, I see it.”

“Just as you call me ‘viper’ due to my deadliness, grace, and–”  Astarion glared down at her as her smug smirk widened.  “Oh no.”

How dare he leave himself vulnerable for such an attack?  If Zyn didn’t take the opportunity, it’d be a waste.  “Because you have fangs and you’re cute,” she told him quite seriously.

His expression soured, instantly.  “I hate you.”

“I have a book you haven’t read, and a very comfortable lap.”  she didn’t bother to hide the luring little purr in her voice.

“Mmh.”  Astarion wrinkled his nose.  Pushing up onto his forearms, he scooted further down.  Before she could ask what the Hells he was doing, he collapsed, face-first, into her chest.  It did hurt, slightly, but men could be like that about tits.

“Just because they’re soft doesn’t mean they’re invincible,” she groaned in annoyance as he burrowed in.  Irritated, she gently swatted the back of his head.  “What are you doing?  Awful bloodsucker.”

Much to her great relief, he pushed up on his hands, smirking down at her.  “Bloodsucker?  Was that an invitation, my little fox?”

“Don’t you dare bite my tits,” she scolded, lifting a finger in front of his nose.

“Mmh,” his eyes left hers, raking down her body.  “I do love forbidden fruit,” he purred.

“Decide, you absolute stray tom.  In or out?” she sighed, quite over his waffling– even if it was playful now.  Instinct had her snapping, before his mouth had a chance to do anything but open, “do not say something sexual.”

Astarion pouted, jaw tight as his mouth closed.  Reaching up, he intercepted her hand as it reached for his cheek, flinging it away lightly.  Before she could protest, he rolled off of her and sat up again, lifting a hand reflexively to fix his hair.

“I was promised a book and a lap, I believe.”

Zyn smiled delightedly as she sat up, endlessly amused by the snobbish facade.  It made him so fun to play with.  Addictive, the desire to poke and prod, tease, annoy, anger, seduce…but no.  No.  She’d just won, she should be gracious.

Let him be the Lordling tonight.

[actuallyevilgay]

The Apathy (Part 6)

Astarion x Male Reader/Tav

DNI if you are a minor. Dead dove don’t eat. Please read my about before replying. Content: Ascended Astarion x Male tav, this is post epilogue.

Summary: Astarion's experience of the hand-holding got a little too intense for him.. Meanwhile Gale is trying to figure out what's going on with Tav. Content Warnings: This part contains some smut! NSFT!! A/N: We get some much-needed Gale pov! Hell yeah. Hope you enjoy. Read on ao3 as well!

......

On the way back to the homestead Astarion was renting, his head was racing with many conflicting thoughts. He thought he could keep his cool.. But didn’t expect to so quickly lose sense of his composure after Tav ran off.

The smell.. He was obsessing over it and certainly needed some privacy to come to terms with what happened today. He made a mental note to look into the crazy woman situation, since she would likely show up again sooner or later, his tiefling disguise may have another role to play soon. Just in case, he had commanded the local vermin to keep an eye out for Tav. 

Tav may have tried to hide his magic powers due the guard incident, strange as it was for him to cower behind a complete stranger, perhaps he was trying to lie low.. Something about how helpless Tav behaved put Astarion on edge. He’d never seen him like that. 

Then again, if he’d been here all this time without anyone knowing he would have built a new identity for himself. No hero of Baldur’s gate, just a barkeep at a tavern which serves tea apparently. Perhaps the final fight with the netherbrain made Tav want to retire into a simpler life, leaving the idea of adventuring behind. Astarion could only speculate on the reasoning.

Astarion didn’t say a word to either Vand or Ty when he entered the house, just traded eye contact and dismissed them by silent command. He headed up the stairs to the bigger bedroom, taking off all his garments and clothes until but the undershirt and pants were left.

With an annoyed grunt, he settled down on the bed in a meditative position, only to swap resting angles several times.. Reverie would not come for him as easily today.

‘’What am I doing..?’’ The mumble tumbled out of his mouth, his fingers slid over the soft covers, finding a pillow to dig his face in.

‘’..Tav..’’ He moaned, squeezing his hands together. The vision of their fingers intertwined returned to him. ‘’Oh.. Dearest..’’ his voice muffled under a deep breath.

A cold hard yearning welled within him, building and building, becoming harder to contain with every second. A single tear escaped from his eyes.

He needed to clear his head as soon as possible.. There were things to be done.

For his trance, he decided to focus on a memory, a particularly fond one he hadn’t revisited since the break up. It was the second time he slept with Tav, only to realise he had grown fond of him in ways he never perceived himself to be able to.

The tiefling party was definitely not to his taste, even now, it still made him feel weird to be celebrated as a hero. Back in Baldur’s gate, that's what he now was known for. It took a lot of manipulating and gaslighting to make sure no one questioned him taking over the szarr estate, ensuring his road to securing the city as his territory.

Back during the adventure, the parasites were the furthest from his mind, he could only think of how worried it made him a monster hunter had joined the band of travellers.. Playing hero had never been part of the plan, the plan was to just survive and slay Cazador.. The road to freedom.

The very first time he slept with Tav was almost no different from when he slept with his marks. The smell of alcohol and dopamine intertwined with adrenaline was Cazador’s favourite part of his ritual. Only to end it with watching his slaves dine on dead putrid rats while he had finished feasting on his victims. 

But the second time, at the party, it.. The air had changed. While Tav had not been a victim or target in his mind, the first one night stand was without feeling, just sex. 

Asking him the first time was easy, the second time not so much. He was more hesitant, nervous about the journey and going out to sleep in the woods again.

With every pick-up line possible, Astarion kept shooting his shot, wondering to himself why he had been so insistent to sleep with him again even though his protection should be guaranteed by now.

It was less ‘’need to’’ and more ‘’want to’’ or.. ‘’I yearn to,’’ With a lack of better words to explain what he was feeling.. Unsure how to express it beyond physical touch.

When he eventually managed to convince Tav he would be safe, they sneaked away from the festivities to their previous spot.

He recalls walking to the little moonlight lit grove, only to turn around to see Tav quietly and slowly slid his shirt off his shoulders. The light reflected off his skin, glimmering.

While Astarion had pictured this is what he looked like to Tav that first time together, now the roles were reversed and he was mesmerised. There was something incredibly dreamy to him, unforgettable. An ache in his chest and a throb to his undead heart.

Astarion stalled, his fingers firmly clenching his own shirt while he watched Tav never take his eyes off him while undressing himself.

He didn’t realise he had frozen until Tav walked up to him bare, laying a hand on his and guiding him only to stop. ‘’Are you alright..?’’ Tav questioned in a gentle tone.

‘’Are you sure you want this right now?’’

‘’I want you.. I want to devour you.’’ Astarion replied, unfreezing and quickly undoing his clothes to join him bare.

The kiss that followed left him wanting more and more as he drowned into the touch, that uncomfortable feeling of arousal rose up and down until it found its rhythm, sending a wave of pleasure flowing through him.

His hands travelled over Tav’s skin, dancing across tiny hidden scars, pinching the subtle curves in his body. Tav’s back arched, he moaned the second Astarion’s lips found his neck.

He could bite him right there and then, but preferred to tease him.

The scent of alcohol intertwined with dopamine had something to it.. It was much sweeter without the addition of Adrenaline, which had a salty and unsettling flavour to it.

Tav kept drawing him in, his hands caressing gentle patterns over Astarion’s back and his arms. It wasn’t long until their bodies crashed onto the bedroll, with Astarion thrusting himself into Tav’s embrace.

Tav moaned so sweetly, covering his face with his arm out of vulnerability. Astarion wanted to yank his arms above his head, but decided on a gentler approach, kissing his neck until he relaxed in between the thrusts. 

When they found a common ground within the rhythm, Astarion started moaning loudly into Tav’s skin. Burying himself with sloppy kisses across his collar bone, licking the sweat off his neck.

He cried out Tav’s name, who only moaned in response at their shared climax. He took a loud breath before opening his eyes looking into Astarion’s directly. Astarion stared back dreamily, pondering in silence.

This was bliss.. It must be. It has to be.

Tav looked at him with cheeks flushed, brushing Hair out of his face. ‘’Careful now, if you’re going to keep looking at me like that I might actually start to believe you’re in love with me.’’ His chest heaved, a pure moment of honesty.

Astarion remembers the weight of the pit in his stomach. Such a sweet moment, one he ruined like so many others.. ‘’Only for tonight, darling.’’ A charming line, perhaps the biggest lie he’s ever said, and he did it so confidently. Scripted, rehearsed.

Tav’s eyes glazed over somewhat, he released a sigh, stretching beneath Astarion. ‘’You haven’t pulled out.’’ He muttered, looking away almost embarrassed as if they did not just have extremely hot passionate sex.

Astarion smirked, feeling rather gloomy when he pulled away, he frowned at Tav, who had now turned to his side, avoiding eye contact.

The vision of the memory began shifting by force, making Astarion roll his head during trance. He couldn’t control what he’d see next.

Astarion could see Tav’s vulnerable bare body one moment, only to be exchanged with a tearful and exhausted expression of shock back at the elfsong inn.

‘’You’re asking too much of me right now, I just want to sleep, to rest.’’

‘’You want to rest? Right now? Walk away in the middle of the most important conversation you’ve ever had?’’

‘’Astarion I-’’

‘’You know what, forget it. I don’t need this.’’

‘’What? I didn’t mean to insult you- today has been a lot for both of us-’’

Astarion couldn’t hear the words he shouted even though they came out of his own mouth, the once so sweet dream now ruined by the night of his enlarged ego. The rush of power fresh in his veins, only to be aimed in the wrong direction.. He didn’t mean it, he didn’t. He was overcome with emotions he could not control, and in that moment he broke his own heart in two.

‘’I’m just so tired..’’

The exhaustive look on Tav’s face came back into his mind, as he turned around and disappeared through smoke and dust.

‘’I’m sorry.’’

The words echoed loudly, sounding just as real and new as the first time he’d spoken them. Astarion could envision the scared look on Tav’s face back in the alley, the nervous glances before he ran off.

He could feel the pressure of his squeeze in the palm on his hand, which shook him out of trance. The wet dream had been pleasant, but now there was just the scent of guilt hanging in the air.

‘’I need a bath..’’

……

The wizard of Waterdeep! Gale Dekarios.. A Teacher at Blackstaff Academy teaching Illusion. Exalted wizard of a  and Ex-chosen of Mystra. Son of Morena Dekarios and beloved friend of Tara the tressym.

Not too long ago, he visited his friends 6 months after the defeat of the netherbrain on invitation by Withers.

Gale had been elated, exhausted, as his new job came with a lot of complications.. And he was much in need of seeing familiar faces. ‘’A social palette cleanser’’ Tara called it, ‘’Since you have no other friends,’’ and it had been.. Refreshing. Surely.. Up until the revelation that everyone’s busy lives meant no one had actively looked for Tav. Except for Jaheira perhaps..

Gale’s priority had been to fulfil his promise to deliver the crown to Mystra and be rid of the orb, at the time he had hoped to run into his friends again as soon as it was over with. Eager to get out of Mystra’s hair and her eye, her hands and her whims.

Who would’ve thought that being a goddess’ lover was to be a sour experience? He was over her, that much was certain.. But his acceptance of his mortality and station somehow invoked in her the idea that she could potentially influence him again. To control him.

Requesting Gale to kamikaze had been the tipping point for him to realise their power dynamic, he nearly went over the edge, compelled to take the crown for himself and pursue godhood. But no, he was above it. He was above her antics, even as a mortal.

And this time.. Gale rejected Mystra. He worried she’d smite him for the act, but no. She was satisfied and tossed him out of her realm after business had finished.

No more social calls from Elminster occurred since. Nothing, not even a letter. Perhaps the centuries old arch mage tried to distance himself from Gale for good reasons. Or, Mystra had demanded it. And Mystra gets everything she wants.

Not that it mattered to Gale anymore, he was on a different mission now. One that had nothing to do with mindflayer invasions, hoax cults on the rise, ancient artefacts, or the goddamn goddess of magic herself. 

Tara had looked forward to Gale taking a vacation from his stressful job of teaching young adults the wonders of illusion magic, so she could perch in his lap without him enduring overtime on writing original lesson material..

Gale was a stickler for details, much to the academy’s dismay.. He could not keep his word to give his class a beginner friendly course, so they saddled him with a class of chaotic mages instead. A challenge he gladly undertook, enjoying the opportunity to put his students in their place by threatening to blow himself up every now and then.

To his students' obliviousness, the orb was long gone. No more netherese influence for Gale. No more worries about blowing up the wrong place at the wrong time.

Unfortunately for Gale, his life had become chaotic still. Not because of orbs or goddesses, but because the quest to locate Tav in neverwinter had been much easier than he thought it would be.

He’d only just arrived at his holiday location and secured a place of stay when he came across a quirky little tavern tucked away in a very busy district of the city. Gale made a mental note to visit it, when he was stopped by a sending spell sent directly into his mind.

‘’Professor Dekarios. Urgent. Dharma’s gone missing. Think she went after you. Very worried. Please be lenient. Need the class. Send her home.’’

Twenty-two words, three short for a sending spell. But he recognised the voice of Dharma's mother. The woman had been dismissive of her daughter’s increasingly concerning demeanour towards him. If she was coming after him on his vacation, Gale could finally begin the procedure to ban her from his class formally…

With a flash of orange hair dye, she was right behind him, not moments later. He eyed the young woman trying to convey his disappointment by facial expression alone. He could lecture her of course, but she wasn’t worth his personal time nor his elaborate vocabulary. Learning from his past relationship alone, he opted to ignore her to see if she could take a hint.. But it simply invited her to follow him into the tavern.

After scolding Dharma with much needed help from the halfling tavern owner, Gale clapped eyes on a malnourished and gloomy looking Tav. They never spoke a word, but it kept him thinking. At first Gale thought Tav was pretending to not know him.. He looked depressed at most. Gale felt guilty.. But also suspicioned something else was going on.

The halfling was too excited for his repeated visits, and Tav’s quick glances were that of a complete stranger. Gale hoped Tav would call him out, tell him to leave. Yell at him for not coming after him.. For not helping him with whatever he appears to be going through. 

Yet.. He never does. Never, even if he had every opportunity to do so as Gale kept visiting. Gale enjoyed his little vacation exploring books with Jilvy’s other customers during club hours. A means to pass the time.. To observe.

Tav’s body language did not change. Tav’s expression did not change. A moment had passed where he could’ve feigned a look of recognition, and Gale wanted to speak up, he simply couldn’t make himself do it. Tav never questioned his silent attempts to make conversation. Didn’t question him for staring. He kept working, never sitting still for too long unless he started feeling sick. And he was sick very often.

Finally, he concluded that Tav was experiencing some sort of memory loss. Unsure of the cause, he reflected to the last moment he saw his dear friend. The absent-minded glossed over eyes, apathetic and exhausted. The same look that he bears on his doll-like expression every single day nowadays.

What could’ve caused this? The trauma of the final fight? He recalls some debris hitting Tav’s head during the fall into the chiontar.. But shadowheart fixed him up before he suddenly walked off, so.. They’ve been through many battles and Tav always kept standing right back up leading the party through the fray bravely.

Gale searched his memories, pondering for some time.. Quickly he came to a stop. There simply was no way to be sure about Tav’s situation if he didn’t talk to Tav to begin with.

Observing him quietly was weird and doing so made Gale feel creeped out by himself.

He’d hoped to run into Jaheira, Shadowheart… Or anyone else really, to converse about the situation. No. It was time to take the matter into his own hands.

He had to confront Tav. To confront his guilt for abandoning him. Surely Tav would understand he had to rid himself of the orb? But.. Then he got a job as a professor and lost track of time..

Tav was an empathetic person, but also a survival-centred individual. He definitely would’ve understood it wasn’t personal.

This conversation had to happen regardless of how Gale felt about it. He owed it to Tav.

When he made it to the tavern, it was the closing hour. He’d hoped to pass a letter to Jilvy to request a private conversation with Tav in a safe environment outside of work. He wasn’t sure how Tav would take it if he really had amnesia.

Only.. The door was left wide open. Gale stared at it, sensing an arcane disturbance in the air. He turned his head to see Jilvy waltz up to him with suspicious eyes.

‘’What’s the meaning of this?’’ The halfling looked up, carrying a large bag of supplies over her shoulder. Her suspicion faded when she recognized the worry in Gale’s eyes and took note of the letter in his hand.

‘’I shouldn’t have taken too long..’’ Jilvy drops the bag into Gale’s arms forcefully as she inspects the door. One of the hinges had come loose and it was dangling from the spare.

‘’Tav is your lost friend, isn’t he?’’ Jilvy continued, looking for the door’s missing screws in the snow. ‘’You knew?’’ Gale’s eyebrows raised in surprise from Jilvy’s casual tone.

‘’I figured as much, the boy clearly has amnesia. And I assume you figured that out yourself as well?’’ She turned her head up to Gale with the recovered metals in her hands.

Gale didn’t answer her, he looked at the footsteps in the snow, noticing a disparity in pacing. He turned around to follow the pattern, recognizing fresh imprints. One was from someone who’d have jumped abnormally far, blowing snow out of the way while doing so.. The others were dragging their heels, moving with force, as if carrying something heavy that needed focus to maintain stability.

‘’A moment, miss Fogwater.’’ Gale handed back the bag of supplies to Jilvy as she watched him draw a few symbols by hand and mutter some incantations.

‘’vide magica.’’

The divination ritual spell takes hold, and Gale sees the traces of magic. Psionic, and very familiar.. One he had only rid himself off months ago. Netherse magic. Tav must’ve retained a semblance of his illithid abilities to make that forceful jump forward. The psionic energy lingered on the ground and the door..

The remainder of the arcane traces of weave he saw were much more worrying. A failed charm spell, and a disintegrate spell, unfired. 

‘’This is bad.’’ Gale mumbled, Jilvy was about to ask him what he meant by that when Tav came running back out of breath. He nearly tripped over a pile of toppled snow when he saw the wizard with his boss. 

‘’Tav! You’re back.. Oh dear. I’m sorry-’’ Jilvy puts her groceries down on the ground this time, not pausing to make sure it wouldn’t fall to its side.

Gale puts away the letter in his coat, silently watching the halfling comfort Tav as if he were a lost boy. 

Tav, out of breath, barely able to speak, manages to stutter. ‘’T..The- Door..’’

‘’Dharma.’’ Gale can barely hear the name as it falls from his lips, only to see Tav shockingly look behind him, trying to find Dharma. He figured out she went after Tav because of his visits.. Tav’s reaction speaks volumes.

‘’Dharma who? She owes me a new door. The brat.’’ Jilvy continues patting Tav’s back as he’s trying to regain composure. ‘’I’m fine..’’ He mutters, walking over to grab her groceries for her, the halfling stops him midway. ‘’You’re not fine! You’re sweating rivers in the middle of a very cold winter evening!’’ She pulls his hands away and holds them together.

‘’Come, come, come inside. Tell me what happened.’’ She nods to Gale, suggesting he better join them.

Tav, nauseous from his experience, takes a moment to recuperate so Jilvy serves him a hot drink. Not tea, chocolate milk.

He takes a large gulp before he speaks his story, retelling from his weird night time experiences and hearing movements.. To the visit during closing hours and being pursued.

‘’Why didn’t you ask the guards for help? No- you would.. They’re.. Ugh, no matter! Those folks are too busy trying to catch a homicidal freak. Dharma owes me a door and food supplies!’’ Jilvy huffs. ‘’Has no one respect for small business owners these days?’’

Jilvy stops mid tantrum when she takes notice of Tav’s posture stiffening. ‘’And my dear employee, of course.’’ She puts her hand on his, trying to comfort him.. Tav’s stiffness does not let up. He lets out a nervous breath.

Gale raises his eyebrows at that. There’s a homicidal freak going around neverwinter? He’s only been here for little more than a week and he’s never heard of it. ‘’Homicidal freak..? I thought neverwinter was the most civilised place out there.. Well, I guess Volo doesn’t know the splendours of Waterdeep very well.’’ He jests, referencing a quote of one of Volo’s guides.

Then again.. There was some commotion in the town squares not too long ago. Perhaps he overlooked something, too busy with his vacation activities.

‘’Aye, red curved dagger. Attacked a wintershield guard during his off duties. Unusual, there’s posters of it drawn up everywhere.’’ Jilvy interrupts his thoughts.

The description, it just.. It just clicks. For Gale at least. A red curved dagger.. Unusual design, and the only likely culprit.. Tav may appear nervous on the outside from Dharma’s murder attempt, but he might in fact be hiding for committing a crime.. Whatever for? 

Tav wasn’t someone who’d just lash out against authority figures on a whim. He was very particular about avoiding the flaming fist while they were trying to figure out how to get rid of the steel watch.

‘’I’ll make sure to write a lengthy report to the blackstaff academy, if you could.. Write a complaint I can add, seeing as your business was damaged in the drama of uh.. This student’s behaviour.’’ Gale swallows. ‘’If you could, keep it out of the wintershield’s hands, I aim to look for Dharma and have her sent off as soon as possible. This is my problem to begin with.’’ He searches his pockets for his wallet. ‘’And mine to fix..’’

‘’No, no.. I can’t just take your money, dear. I’ll write a lengthy report of expenses with my complaint.’’ Jilvy answers. ‘’I prefer earning it the normal way. Besides, Tav is a victim here as well. And.. You two need to talk.’’ She brushes gently against Tav’s arm, giving his hand another squeeze. ‘’Just yell my name if you need me, dear.’’ Then, she departs with the bag of groceries in hand, not before putting a curtain in place of the broken door.

The chill creeps in, Gale takes a sip of his cup of water, watching Tav’s absent-minded eyes for a moment. He can see him shiver.

‘’Do you remember me?’’ Gale asks, finally. And to his dismay, Tav’s eyes remain the same. He looks to him as if he’s a barely familiar stranger.

‘’You’re the wizard that’s here on vacation.. Gale, right?’’ Tav answers, he brushes his hand through his hair, fidgeting with his cup.

Gale tries to figure out if now is really the best time to break the news.. Tav is vulnerable, but he isn’t sure how vulnerable.

 ‘’Yes, that’s correct.’’ He pauses. ‘’And I came here, looking for you.’’ He looks into his water, avoiding eye contact.

Tav stammers a bit, he puts his cup down and avoids looking at Gale as well. ‘’A-ah..’’ The room grows quiet as more of the eerie wind outside creeps in.

‘’..Am I a bad person..?’’ Tav whispers.

‘’What..?’’

‘’..I.. Must be.. I keep seeing these flashes..’’

Gale isn’t sure how to answer that, but it does answer some of the riddles.. Tav’s amnesia is definitely traumatic. He should’ve known. The signs were all there.. The absent eyes, the apathy and gloom. His self-neglect, he isn’t acting like himself.

‘’I think I’m being punished.’’ Tav sobs, hiding his face in his hands. ‘’You came looking for me.. I don’t even know if I deserve it-’’ He wails softly, trying to hold back his cries and plants his face on the table.

Gale stands from his seat and sits beside him with his knees on the floor, pulling Tav from his position into a hug. ‘’You were a hero. At least to me.’’ He allows him to stain his coat with tears and mucus as Tav continues to cry in his confusion. When he calms down, he wipes the snot from his nose, looking uncomfortable from his own actions.

‘’I don’t even know who you are.’’

Gale gives him a gentle smile and grabs his hand, reassuring him. ‘’I’ll tell you all you want to know my friend.. But first, I need to take care of this Dharma problem. I endangered you necessarily.. This is my fault. You shouldn’t be..’’ Gale shakes his head. ‘’I’ll come back, make sure to stay with your boss, Jilvy, you’re safe here.’’

Tav looks confused by his words and gentleness, the wizard is determined to act and return as soon as possible so he could help Tav. To repay the favour. 

It wasn’t too long ago Gale had spent days thinking of ending his own life.. And Tav was the one to tell him he deserved to live. And live he did.. Time is of the essence.

…

It wasn’t just Gale who was concerned with spending his time wisely. The next day, Astarion stumbled on towards the tavern, noticing the posters plastered all over the windows. As a Tiefling adventurer, he did look a little similar to his noble Elf self.. But only a keenly trained eye could notice the similarities. His curls were black and long, and so were his sclera dark and intimidating in this form. The red skin and ridges matched with glamoured armour did a lot for this disguise. Attractive on its own, he thinks.

He casually stood there, reading the advertisements the tavern owner had put up.. Something about a book club and a bookstore offering discounts for members.

He pondered for a moment if he should just knock on the door and act as an oblivious customer when a halfling popped the crooked door open and started chattering about the posters to him.

Astarion barely listened to her rambling when he turned around and smiled friendly.

‘’..And I suppose I could really hire someone to look after my employee.’’

Oh, damn. He really should’ve listened to what she was saying.

Given the context, this was Tav’s boss.. She likely heard of the attack yesterday and worried about him. A little odd, he thought. This halfling spends money to protect her lone employee..? A motherly look in her eyes softened his suspicious concerns for her reasoning.

But.. The door looked awfully damaged.. Perhaps she was just looking out for her business.. No, she could fire Tav from his job if she didn’t care for him. 

What an opportunity!

‘’You want to hire me as a bouncer..? For your.. Tea tavern?’’ Astarion asked, making sure.

‘’Yes, that’s what I was getting at, you look like the opportune sort? Fancy the job? I don’t want my employee and customers to worry though.. So you could pretend to be a regular.’’ The halfling nodded, clearly happy with her idea.

‘’That makes sense.. I’m expensive though.’’ Astarion thought about it, he needed to look professional to make sure the woman didn’t get second thoughts. ‘’To be honest, I think I ran into your employee yesterday- he was being chased by a.. Mage. Asked me to pretend to be his boyfriend. Are you sure hiring me is a good idea?’’

‘’Hmm.’’ Jilvy eyed his tiefling form, thinking long and hard. Then she grins. ‘’If you give me a discount on hiring you, you eat for free.’’ This halfling.. He liked her attitude. ‘’Just don’t eat all my supplies, deal?’’

‘’I wouldn’t dream of it. My name is..’’ He paused, trying to think of a good tiefling name. He had to decide fast so hoped the name wasn’t too unusual for a tiefling. ‘’Morlock.. Grey.’’ He’d almost used Karlach’s last name, but that wouldn’t be good for cover. If his friends were around, they’d put one and two together.

‘’Your name means Black Grey? Huh. Parents weren’t the creative sort.’’ The halfling then realised her tone may have been a bit.. Offensive. ‘’Oh, sorry. That was unprofessional. I am Jilvy fogwater.’’

‘’Hah! I’m a tiefling Ma’am. I don’t need to explain my.. Past, obviously.. It’s not the pleasant kind, all too common for someone growing up with horns and a tail.’’ He figured that she wouldn’t ask more, considering how he remembers the elturel tiefling refugees being treated by their surroundings. All tieflings experience some sort of discrimination. Many aren’t even born to tiefling parents..

Jilvy grows a sympathetic look, she stares at the ground for a moment. ‘’Well, nice to meet you, Morlock.’’

‘’Let's talk business, how many hours per day? How much? Will I be paid weekly or per hours?’’

‘’I knew I liked you from the moment I saw you, Morlock.’’

‘’Likewise.. Mrs fogwater.’’

He follows her into the tavern, partially listening to Jilvy pretending that he’s signing up for the book club and discussing the latest hot novella gossip.

He’s only been there barely three seconds when his eyes meet with Tav again. He doesn’t seem too surprised, just put off by a familiar face with a raised brow. Then, without a worry in the world he continues checking on his baked goods.. Working efficiently and unbothered by Astarion’s presence..

To him, there wasn’t Astarion though.. There was Morlock, the tiefling adventurer who’d saved him the day before.

‘’Aye, Tav, come here for a sec. I heard you met Morlock?’’ Jilvy chimes in, it's almost as if she read Astarion’s mind.

‘’Oh, yeah- I didn’t catch your name…B-before.. Hi.’’ He looks flustered. If only for a little bit, the glazed-over doll eyes disappear. There is a light in the darkness.

Even in this disguise, Astarion has some hold over him. Not that he can tell it’s Astarion though.. Which is the point.

But, that aside.. Astarion feels a little jealous at the looks he’s giving to Morlock.

So.. His plot thickens, while he schemes to create the perfect scenario to get Tav back in his arms, as soon as possible.

[eye-of-yelough]

@gaychocolatehomicide was gonna write this as a reply but it would’ve got too long.

tbh “he cheated on Lae’zel with Minthara” was a huge oversimplification. as i mentioned in my last post, he falls in some twisted kind of love with Minthara (secondhand Gortash feelings. ive said before that Gortash is like heroin to Aeryn, and if that’s the case, Minthara is methodone) pretty much At First Sight.

But then Minthara leaves the morning after, and while he misses her terribly, he’s not gonna chastise himself. He’s not even sure he’ll see her again. So when Lae’zel and Astarion make their moves, he’s not gonna say no. He will do the exact opposite, he will be so overeager it actually makes Astarion hate him a little bit. but they still fuck. because they both hate themselves. messy bitches. and he kinda gets sucked in by Lae’zel. even though it’s not how it happens in-game, (at least not with how i play) Lae’zel’s “source of bruises” scene happens before they reunite with Minthara. and he agrees because he genuinely really likes lae’zel. and then when they do reunite with Minthara literally like 6 or so hours later….

It just goes to shit. Emotional cheating all the way. thinking about her every time they have sex, confiding in her in a way he doesn’t with anyone else, keeping her permanently in his main party, the “power suits you, i killed the tieflings to impress you, i envision you in my heart as a lover” stuff while Lae’zel is like. 15 feet away. So long story short she sees it coming and the only reason she doesn’t dump his ass first is she just. doesn’t get the opportunity before they sneak off together to fuck on Ketheric’s throne 😬

as for how Minthara feels, if she comes on to you and you tell her you’re with someone, she says “you can be with me instead” like she has NO qualms about being a homewrecker lmao. as long as Aeryn breaks up with Lae’zel immediately after, so he can be hers alone, which he does. ultimately, despite the awfulness and hurt feelings, it kinda works itself out. Lae’zel is professional like that.

if that’s not awful enough for you, you’ll be happy to know that he also cheats on Minthara with Gortash like 9 days later. because he’s literally the devil. Minthara isn’t professional like Lae’zel is, that whole mess gets UGLY. but then he kills himself in Gortash’s arms in the Astral Plane and Lae’zel, Minthara and Shadowheart save the day, so. it’s not all bad.

[the-eldritch-it-gay]

@thedragonagelesbian replied to your post “Oughhhh they're in love...”:

what's going thru majexatli's mind during the dance?? the people (me) want to know

​Oh,.. So much. They're trying to play it cool but their mind is racing so much.

Because like, it's such a genuine and sweet moment, yeah? And Majexatli is I think like, really realizing like "oh he cares about me" and also "oh fuck, I think I seriously care about him". Like, they had kissed Wyll at the tiefling party and from the beginning have been on his side and caring about him. But I think the dance is when they like, properly realize like oh, oh, this is more than just some flirting or a quick fling.

Majexatli has never really been romanced. Over the decades since Althyran, they've hooked up on occasion, and other than those flings, their only prior experience is Althyran. And I think there is a bit of that realization, right, the fact that Althyran never was romantic, he never would have danced with them. They had normalized it so much in their head, convinced themselves Althyran was kind and had at some point cared about him. But the more they experience love and affection now with Wyll, they realize just how much they've missed out on.

There's like, what I said once about how with Althyran, Majexatli wanted some storybook romance. They thought Althyran was some prince charming. All they wanted was a love story where they end up married and have a family, and that's still something they cling to as an ideal. They never got that with Althyran. And now here Wyll is, teaching them how to dance by the fireside, saying how he wants to romance them properly, like the old tales of love sung by bards. Wyll is the ideal partner they've dreamed about. The ideal that they've basically given up on and believed they would never get or deserve.

There is something wonderous and soft and new and blooming and alive in the kindness and love and sincerity Wyll shows towards them.

But it also brings up a lot of fear and doubt and angst.

But! They still have their initial knee-jerk reaction of this has to be an act. And they have the feeling that Wyll loves the persona they've put on, he wants to romance the gentle sage Druid, not the bitter monsterous Malarite that they are. And the guilt that they feel they're lying to him by letting him fall in love with a version of them that is fake.

So you know. There's just. So many layers.

Having a genuine moment of respite from all the horrors

Experiencing genuine romance for the first time in their life

Realizing how much Wyll cares for them and that he loves them

Realizing that they somehow have grown to deeply love and care for Wyll despite everything

Realizing that they can have the fairytale romance they wanted when they were younger

Realizing how far from a fairytale everything with Althryan was

Fearing that if Wyll is genuine, then they've been horrifically dishonest and cruel by letting him fall for a version of them that isn't real

Fearing that maybe Wyll is like Althyran, like they thought initially (they thought Althyran and what he gave them was something picturesque and magical, though know in hindsight it wasn't. What if years down the line they look back and see that they were wrong for believing Wyll was some prince-charming type)

Fearing that they're falling into the same trap they did when they were younger with Althyran.

Fearing that they don't belong in a fairytale romance or a love story

Fun fact. The WIP I've shared a bit of? With Wyll fighting a wolf (that is Majexatli)? Yeah. So. In my canon, that happens the same night, after the dance. They hold themselves together long enough but once Wyll returns to his tent, Majexatli transforms and runs off into the night to tear apart anything they can find that's living.

They don't know how to process everything they're feeling, but to them, their worship of Malar is about honesty, about truth, as messy and violent as the honest truth can be. They need to work through all the issues that Althyran left them with and come to terms with their feelings for Wyll (as terrifying as they are) and Wyll's feelings for them. So much old pain and new worries and unknowns and not knowing how to move forward. And they can't process it all as Majexatli, they need to be the messy imperfect emotional being that they only feel they can be when they're a monster.

Something something fantasy high junior year and all the talk about the relationship between doubt and rage.

[antivanbrandy]

hey I have a Q about BG3!!! And romancing elven vampire man. How are you romancing him and how do u like it so far? I love his energy and personality he just seems so into cruelty and evil decisions I can’t bring him trips LOL…… and I didn’t know if that carries into his romance, so haven’t pursued him.

hi hun! a quick heads up for you and anyone else reading this, but there be (light) spoilers in this here reply <3

so i finished my first playthrough two days ago, and romanced Astarion with a chaotic good tiefling lore bard, Rhapsody. i took him EVERYWHERE, and only left him in camp once because i needed three of the others at the same time, and i hated every second he wasn't in my party xD

i found it surprisingly easy to get his approval up, and never had to deviate from the actions my goody two shoes 'please let me help you' tav would take. his disapporval hits were never more than 1 out of 100, so in the grand scheme of things it really didn't make too much difference. there was a section in act 1 where it felt like Rhaps was immediately losing every step of ground she made with him, but by the time i got to act 2 and got the post-Araj Oblodra scene, he was sitting at mid 70s approval, and once i hit act 3 he was at max 100. the more you get into the story and the more opportunities you're given to listen to him, learn about his past, and help him, the more he warms up to you and begins to see things from your side

i found that by as early as mid act 2, he was beginning to be charmed by how kindhearted a good-aligned tav is, and from memory there were two seperate soft conversations he had with Rhapsody where he mentioned how kind she is and how much of an anomaly she is in his experience

it's genuinely become my absolute favourite video game romance i've ever experienced, hands down. i cannot overstate just how rewarding it feels to stick by this man as he learns about himself and his new place in the world, reclaims his bodily autonomy, and learns that cruelty and power aren't the only options open to him ;u; he still has his jerk moments of course, being a bratty little shit is part of his personality after all lol, but, just, god. the way this man becomes soft and sweet and caring with a tav who's there for him.... the way he learns about non sexual intimacy and affection.... my god, i just adore every second. i highly recommend sticking with him! he's so worth it TuT

[detectiveneve]

I’ll grab my screencaps when I’m home but one of my favorite conversations just as a player is party post-goblin camp where you talk to Astarion and you tell him that he “saved lives,” to which he replies that (paraphrased) the scale of lives didn’t change, they just killed goblins for tieflings. It’s fairly offhanded and unaddressed beyond that, but it’s one of those little moments that reconciles with the violence the player did in such a minute way that I think about it all the time. Because leading up to destroying the goblin camp, and even after, we are fairly secure in our positions and our choices, we aren’t really given many causes to doubt ourselves in game as players. Killing the goblins feels like the better answer—and of course, arguably, it still is—but in the goblin camp you can do a lot of fairly shitty things without much blowback, because you’re doing them to people your companions don’t like or respect or see as valuable, as real lives in comparison to others.

And again, within the frame of everything, the goblin camp is as a whole fairly horrible, their plans and their behavior was horrible, but does it justify you thus reducing yourself to their level if you use your tadpole powers to degrade and belittle and destroy them? debatable! people still died! and it was, if you’re of the mind, necessary to save the more “innocent” tieflings. but it’s not like there werent children in the goblin camp too—children that you can kill, outright, and just breeze right past that with no doubts or questions or eyebrows raised. there’s an…. inconsistency of thought there in lots of the choices you can take and still feel good about (because of who you’re doing it to) that fascinates me because most of the actions in there feel fairly justified in the moment. they’re done to goblins, who are framed in such a way that it’s easy to decide they’re all evil and irredeemable. And the only person to really point that out—in such a manner and way that it’s clear this whole thing means nothing to him either way, he doesn’t care either, and maybe that makes it even more interesting, because Gale/Wyll/Shadowheart all feel pretty justified in what happened there—is Astarion. you just traded lives for lives. is there really glory in righteousness here for you. it feels like one tiny moment that really drives home what BG3 as a whole is going for in terms of subverting the expectations of your choices and being a “good guy” in fantasy rpgs and what your heroism actually is, if anything. because you won’t get out of this fully right no matter how much we can ends justify the means it. to save the tieflings it was necessary but maybe there isn’t a right answer, or at least not a perfect one.

[tavyliasin]

A Thief in the Forge - Short Fic

Look, darlings, I can do short if I really want to...

Astarion's sticky fingers have landed him in hot water with the Forgemaster once again, and this time he's going to have to work off the debt. The trouble is, the friendly Tiefling doesn't quite think through the meaning of his words, and far be it from the elf to leave an innuendo unnoticed... The first half of the work is below, or you can read the full version HERE on AO3~ (it was still too long to fit entirely on Tumblr...I need to work out the post length limits)

Halsin sat back in a chair by the exit to the Forge of the Nine. He had accepted the task of keeping watch over a certain unruly vampire with sticky fingers. Astarion had been caught stealing from Dammon, again, and the party had agreed that the pale elf would be put to work to pay off his debt. Of course, nobody quite trusted that he would follow instruction and pay his penance, but he was at the very least a reasonable salesman. A pretty face can draw in a crowd, so it seems. The druid smiled to himself, taking a long sip from the cold drink on the table beside him. There were worse ways to spend a day. — Dammon pored over his long list of work orders. Some of them were simple household necessities, others on the slightly more dangerous side. He was glad for the business, but he was beginning to wonder if he should actually have an assistant to help with the more physical work. He watched the oddly pale man wave off another customer, getting a nod from Halsin that all the coin was present in the pouch before taking it and tucking it safely into his apron. “That’s enough sales for one day, Astarion. But you’re not off the hook yet. I need more help around here.” He watched the elf put a hand on his hip, a cocky stance that was becoming all too familiar. “Do you have any experience handling hot things?” “Well, darling, I handle Tav and Halsing all the time~” He smirked with a wink. Somewhere nearby a druid regretted the timing of his drink and hastened to dry his leathers with a cloth. Dammon simply frowned. “I meant MOLTEN METAL.” “Oh! Then no, I do not.” Dammon let out a long sigh, brushing a stray strand of hair back behind his horn. “Ok, do you think you can get down on your knees and blow?” “Buy me dinner first, Forgemaster!” Another splutter from the other side of the forge quickly followed Astarion’s reply. “THE BELLOWS, Astarion, for the fire-” “Well why didn’t you just say that in the first place?” The elf shrugged disarmingly. Dammon stood a little taller, glowering slightly with bright blue eyes that almost glowed with a slight hint of orange. “Because not everyone has such a filthy mind.” Astarion stepped back, hand on his chest, a look of genuine horror on his face. “They don’t?!” The Tiefling tried hard to ignore the poorly stifled laughter from the druid in the corner. “Look, you’re obviously very sharp witted, now how about you put some of that into sharpening these kitchen knives? That’s easy enough, isn’t it?” “Oh don’t worry I have plenty of experience grinding.” He grinned. Dammon rubbed his temples, wondering why he ever agreed to this. No, Dammon, think of the sales, the workload, he can be useful. It’s good penance too, he can’t be enjoying this that much. Right. That’s it. We’re teaching him a valuable lesson. “Let me teach you how to sharpen it properly, first.” The Forgemaster did his best to appear as a schoolmaster instead, taking a firmer tone with the…far…older… Doesn’t matter, he has to learn. “Oh you should know I’m an excellent learner, I was always teacher’s pet~” The hint of sharp teeth accompanied the wink. “Could you just for one moment stop with the flirting and the jokes, please?” His patience wore thinner than the edge of his finest blade. “Absolutely not.” The elf looked positively offended by the very suggestion. “Where would the fun be in that?” **Continued on AO3**

[ellekhen]

Hand, Hearth, and Home

Chapter 52 - Lost in the Dark

Chapter Summary: We find ourselves back at the beginning where we first found Church and Astarion at the House of Healing. Church once again confronts his feelings of guilt and loss. Much to his horror, the other half of the party falls under attack. Church breaks the news to Arabella about her parents, and realizes quite a bit more as a result.

Pairing(s): Astarion x Male Tav (Main); Past OC x Male Tav Rating: Explicit Length: 272K+ words; Chapters 52/70 (Master Post)

Excerpt below:

While they wait, Church seeks out Gale, relieved to see his friend intact and well.

Or, rather, as well as he can be. Gale looks deep in thought as he stands by the river, eyeing Moonrise Towers in the distance.

“Doing alright?” Church asks him softly. The wizard turns around with a start, but smiles tightly at the tiefling.

“I would have asked you the same question,” Gale replies affably. “Karlach told me about that utterly horrifying scene you encountered within the House of Healing. That’s not something one can simply walk away from — least of all you.”

Church rubs the back of his neck, grimacing. “I’m coping. It’s not me I’m worrying about — it’s Arabella.”

Gale nods, grimly. “And you have every right to. How she survived this past week alone in the shadows… all thanks to strange magic, yes, but it still takes tremendous will not to give up entirely when alone with your thoughts.”

“I know the feeling well,” Church says dryly. 

Gale eyes him carefully. “Karlach also told me you were in a bit of a state before you all arrived on our side of town.”

“Yes, well,” Church clears his throat. “I’ve… got to be honest. When I heard — and saw — the explosion, I…” 

His voice catches unexpectedly, and Gale turns to him, taken aback with concern as the tiefling glances away with burning wet eyes.

“Gods, I thought I lost you,” Church admits softly, before sheepishly adding, “So yes. I… may have panicked a bit.”

“...oh! Whyever would you…?” Gale asks, puzzled.

“I thought it was the orb,” Church explains, gesturing vaguely at the wizard’s chest where the sigil of Netherese magic is barely visible beneath his shirt’s loosened collar. “I thought something happened and you… detonated.  

“I was… I was terrified I was too late. Again. So seeing you there, even getting wailed on by those githyanki?” he looks up to meet Gale’s eyes as he fights back the tears that he doesn’t have the strength to hide. “Gods, it’s just so good to see you just… here, you know?”

He huffs a helpless laugh and steps hesitantly forward to wrap his arms around the wizard, holding him tight.

“You…” Gale seems at a loss. “You truly were concerned for me?”

“That’s… basically what I said,” Church mumbles, still holding him. “It didn’t help that Astarion couldn’t link with your mind again, and neither could I. But like I said, I was afraid…”

Gale finally returns his embrace, resting his head down onto Church’s shoulder.

“Well, you needn’t fear,” the wizard says, clearing his throat as they finally part from each other. “That method of destruction is reserved for one thing only — the Absolute. I wouldn’t allow it to go to waste on a few zealous githyanki.”

“I mean, I didn’t think you’d do it intentionally, but I thought maybe a githyanki might’ve hurt you badly enough… to…” Church trails off, regarding Gale incredulously. “You… you still plan on doing that, then? Using the orb — yourself — to destroy wherever we find the Absolute?”

Gale smiles grimly at him and shrugs.

“Well, why not? It would all seem so straightforward,” the wizard says with forced levity. “Find whatever mausoleum that necromancer went off to, destroy the artifact, destroy Ketheric. And then we locate the heart of the Absolute and… destroy that too.”

He frowns, not meeting Church’s eyes as the tiefling ogles at him in disbelief.

“But… we don’t even know what any of that entails, right?” Church reminds him. “The mausoleum, or the artifact. Or whatever Ketheric has up his sleeve. Nor do we know what the hells this ‘heart of the Absolute’ is.”

“No, but I imagine that when we do find it, we won’t have time to ruminate on what to do next,” Gale replies evenly. “We will need to move quickly so that I may have the best advantage, and so that you all can clear out in time.”

“Oh. Gods, Gale…” Church balks. “I told you. We’ll find another way, and…”

“Well, have you found another way?” Gale snaps. “No. You have not. None of us have. I remain the one sure-fire way to destroy the Absolute. Are you telling me that I should forsake my duty to my goddess? To my friends? To…” his voice breaks, “...you?”

Church feels lightheaded. 

“There has to be another way,” he says numbly. “We just… haven’t found it.” 

Everyone you ever cared about… the voice reminds him. Doomed to die. Doomed to leave you behind too soon, because you were too slow…!

Church’s heart and mind race as his hand twitches up to reach towards his friend. “Gale. Please… I’m not… I’m not ready to lose you.”

The wizard closes his eyes and rubs the back of his neck, turning away from the tiefling. “This is bigger than you and me,” he says, and Church wonders if it’s just sheer coincidence that he’s quoting Tavi. 

“Don’t lie to yourself,” Gale scoffs. “I… know you. If it were your decision, you would give yourself up to save the world, wouldn’t you?”

Church stares after him, stricken.

“Well?” Gale demands.

“...yes,” Church whispers, defeatedly. “I would.”

Gale turns away, nodding. 

“Then do not pass judgment on me for preparing myself to do the one thing I know to be right,” he says, resigned to his fate. 

Start from the beginning!

[ryttu3k]

List of cool bits of foreshadowing, compiled from this post

Volo being freed from the Goblin Camp: "I can't wait to pick your brain!"

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'Wyll thanking Balduran that we haven't sprouted tentacles yet.'

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Raphael in act 1: "Hope… SUCH a tease."

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'First time I heard Barcus Wroot say "If we meet again, then we will have met again," I knew I'd be seeing him later.'

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'After saving Arabella, I was SHOOK about Arabella’s parents in Act 2 in my first run. In my second run, after you save the Grove, their parting words are surprisingly negative compared to everyone else’s and it’s very sad in hindsight. Komira says “We didn’t die today. Tomorrow perhaps, but not today. Thanks to you” and Locke says “One sorrow ended. The next soon to begin.” the FORESHADOWING-'

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'Astarion's sardonic laughter upon discovering what the tadpole will do'

'of course it will turn me into a monster…'

'hows this one foreshadowing?'

'The laughter comes with the line "of course it will turn me into a monster"

It's foreshadowing that he is 1) already a monster (which the PC technically doesn't know yet) and 2) his whole situation around escaping from cazador

He says it with a tone that's like "oh of course, I thought I was free but in reality I'm about to turn into another fucking monster bc that's just how shitty my life is." You don't really pick up on this tone until your second playthrough, after you've learned more about him'

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'Better: He say “I hope when we next meet, we’ll be wearing the same skin” if you don’t recruit him, and when you see him again at Cazador’s, he’ll have been flayed.'

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'Similarly, the option to say "It felt like you weren't really there" after the first romance scene with him. I remember thinking it was kind of a strange choice to include and his excuse about not wanting to lose control seemed convincing but somehow off.

Finding out why that line was an option in Act 2… oof.'

'He's also not even aware of whats happening to him in act 1. he only realizes this in act 2 when he starts to be more self-aware about his own feelings and starts to prioritize them over the whims and lusts of other people. Until act 2 he doesnt think about his own feelings at all. in act 1 he has almost fully convinced himself that he wants to do this because he cant see why he wouldnt. there are only benefits to sleeping with Tav. Tav is attractive and the leader of the group who can protect him so theres no reason for him not to do it. but If you play with karlach origin he has a reason not to do it(her burning condition) and is relieved but doesnt understand why he's relieved. So he lashes out at karlach to blame her for the night being ruined rather than his feelings of relief that he has a perfect excuse not to have sex with her.'

'It’s a great example of what long term disassociation does!'

'Yup. And if you manage to get him to proposition before the tiefling party he tells you “you deserve a reward” (for letting him drink blood) and you can reply “you don’t need to do that just because you feel like you owe me” and shrugs it off and says “its more of an excuse it anything”. its like hes trapped in his own coping mechanisms.'

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'Coming from someone who knew nothing about the Forgotten Realms before Bg3, I love the books you can find and read very early in Act 1. They hint at the Dead Three, Astarion’s vampirism, and Shar’s evilness. My favorite book may just be the Shar one, “The Unclaimed.” Is that not a warning for what awaits Shadowheart if she continues down the path of Shar? Amazing foreshadowing about what’s at stake, and the book didn’t quite hit me until my second playthrough, running into it again, and realizing just how much was at stake for Shadowheart. We were fighting for her soul.'

'to add onto this, theres the book that talks about Selunite rituals of children having to fend for themselves in the forest and find their way back to civilization in order to become her follower (paraphrasing) then our first glimpse into Shadowhearts memory is… her lost in the forest.'

'Withers' library of foreshadowing books.

Bro has The Unclaimed, The Curse of the Vampyr and The Mortal View: Eyewitness Accounts of the Bhaalspawn Crisis all in his library, all appearantly hundreds of years before we even come across it.'

'In my head, he actually prepped the temple in a hurry before the gang makes it there.'

(Ry's note: On that note, Withers being Jergal is pretty much spelled out long before any plot-relevant stuff like Durge rejecting Bhaal and the ending scene, mostly in the temple itself.)

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'Talking to Alfira in the grove you can ask if she’s having trouble with her song, she says “I’m about to suffer a grisly death… at the hands of this bloody song”'

'To add to that - the song is called Weeping Dawn, and Durge likely kills her right before the dawn, as you have little time to react before the companions wake up'

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'The cow in Grymforge that reveals Ketheric is back.'

'He also tells you it was a devil that destroyed the place'

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'The extremely blatant musical foreshadowing of the Emperor being Balduran, with a bit of melody first appearing in an instrumental when his true form is revealed and then re-appearing as “The Song of Balduran” in the Elfsong, the lyrics of which tiptoe right up to just spelling it out plainly.

Super obvious and in your face and yet I absolutely did not notice until like my third playthrough.'

'Not to mention the opening Larian logo animation when you first boot up the game :)'

'It just occurred to me that, since the singing in the Elfsong is supposed to be the actual ghost singing, it could literally be the ghost singing to the players about the Emperor, who is also in the room with them. The lyrics to the song actually appear in the game after all, in a book, so they aren't "meta". And the ghost would clearly know who the Emperor was, since his hideout was in her basement.'

'When you meet the Emperor for the first time (the reveal that he's a mindflayer) it's playing an instrumental version of the Song of Balduran in the background.'

'Speaking of the Emperor, he's the first guy we see when we boot up the game as there's a statue of Balduran on screen right before the main menu.'

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'shadowheart will say "we can't save them all" in a banter referring to the refugees at the grove. after my first run, i found out it was an achievement.'

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'Volo says “every story benefits from a dragon!” and then there’s a random dragon in the final battle'

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'Omeluum telling Durge someone else has been in his mind and carved a tunnel through it was a pretty good bit of foreshadowing on the Durges story.'

'Similarly, I love finding the "Disorders of the Nerves and Mind: A Treatise" book everywhere. It's such a cool Durge-related story (very tangentially related). Ditto with Durge's prayer you find in the colony in Kressa's room.'

(Ry's note: The Prayer for Forgiveness gives away everything. That Durge is a Bhaalspawn, that it's the Chosen of the Dead Three behind everything, that they used to be Chosen, that Orin is their sibling and thus Bhaalspawn herself, and that there was some kinda Thing between Durge and Gortash. Even if you're not playing Durge, it still gives away that Orin is only a replacement Chosen and there was another one earlier on.)

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'All the hints of Yurgir in Grymforge in Act 1. You find evidence of some massive hellish creature that seemingly wiped out all the Dark Justiciars, but it's a mystery that won't be resolved until Act 2'

'And you piece together why they’re there in the first place if you read books in the shadowlands, as well as seeing a certain debtor in the house of hope'

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'"Who's to say ? Perhaps my Goddess is keen to see me corrupt you . She'd be delight so see a follower of Selûne towards the darkness"

When you romance Shadowheart as a selûnite . It's pretty funny the first time but once you know what happens then it's a little bit more amusing to hear her say that'

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'just got one last night where lae’zel says that she feared the dream visitor was some illithid deception, but after speaking to voss, she believes the dream figure can help them. oh lae’zel, you truly were onto something…'

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'There's a note outside of Waukeen's Rest that basically reads "Statue of Beloved Ranger missing, please return." As someone who didn't play the previous games, it took until act 3 to learn that Minsc is the beloved ranger, he'd been turned into a statue, then un-petrified (hence the "statue" is missing), and also that's why his crime boss name is Stone Lord.'

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'Astarion's comment on Malus Thorm "He just like Cazador, utterly insane!" and both Malus and Cazador actually share the same battle theme'

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'Alfira casually dropping the line, “I’ll be gone by first light”

Yeah, she will.'

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'Act1 Astarion: the biggest threat to a vampire is another vampire. They are scheming paranoid, power-hungry beast, so why would any vampire give up control over response to create a competitor?

Ascended astarion: you wouldn’t just be some spawn on your far more than that to me my dark consort, my right hand, my most beloved spawn.

Tav: spawn? I want to be a true vampire.

Ascended astarion: and you will in good time.

Later when you ask him if whats going to happen to you now that youre his spawn:

Ascended Astarion: 'Spawn' is an ugly word. I really do prefer 'consort'.

Six months later in the epilogue Tav is still a spawn. Well, well, well, if it isn’t the consequences of my own actions.'

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'Shadowheart's wound flaring up anytime she interacts with something Selune-themed in act 1 is my favorite. Shar's method of negative reinforcement is subtle.'

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'There’s a book in True Soul Gut’s chambers that is contains what is very clearly an account of Orpheus pre-imprisonment appearing before some random citizen of Baldur’s Gate, that just seems like normal flavour text when you’re unaware'

(Ry's note: And this appears as early as the Nautiloid!)

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'the symbol of the Absolute being a mashup of the symbols of Bane (handprint), Bhaal (skull surrounded by blood drops), and Myrkul (skull in a triangle). it’s there as early as the goblin camp brands in act 1, well before you learn about the three'

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'When you explore the Emperor’s Hideout and the Emperor points out the cutlery set on his desk, he states that the butter knife is gone/missing. A direct reference to the colloquialism “by Balduran’s butter knife”.'

'Not just that!

Balduran's Butter Knife is a weapon from the previous games. It is enchanted to be stronger against shape-shifting foes.

The Sword of the Emperor, found in the same hideout has the same enchantment.'

(Ry's note: I wonder if that includes dragons who can take dragonborn-esque forms?)

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'You can find a book written by Gortash in the zhentarim hideout in the act 1 inn, before he’s ever mentioned'

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'Right before they meet with Gortash for the coronation, Wulburn fucking Bongle tells Durge, “You have a knack for passing amongst these bastards as if you were one of them.”

There’s lots of other ones, but that one was very TRAGIC! Worst person makes great point!'

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'I just realized that in the camp in the act 2 -> act 3 transition (maybe before that too?? I'm not 100% positive) if you ask Halsin a lot of questions he asks "you're not a doppelganger are you? Trying to learn all about me to take my place?" and I GASPED. It's only sort of foreshadowing since we see Orin shape-shifting in the scene between her and gortash RIGHT before but, you know, still funny'

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'Probably that Durge-specific line with Astarion during the cutscene where he asks how you would like to be killed if you turn into a mindflayer. If you ask him how you should kill him, he says "Oh my dear, I'd like to see you try". Hits different now that I romance him each time as Durge'

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'You can see Bhaal's glowing red circle on the floor beneath the Dark Urge, when customising his character.'

[sequesteredbhaalspawn]

I need to double check my math on this, this is really just me saying stuff. @petrasdisapproves (this might be better than the replies I gave your, sorry, 😂)

I really need to get around to rewriting my travel time paster post, and add in the camp events to it (like the first night before you even leave the beach, Lea'zel saying she'll kill everyone and herself, the contravention between Wyll and Karlach, Mizora showing up, etc. for all of the acts- Durge would be a longer campaign do to The Buttler Scenes).

but yeah, Travel time is a tenday minimum (if the party was being very efficient with their time), and two tendays maxium (if their being dumb about their time when knowing they have limited time).

That's just travel time. The party "basically" shows up at the haft way point between Elturel and Baldur's Gate. So what would be a 200 miles trip, travels at 3 miles per-hours (and this an about 61 hour trip) becomes a 100 miles trip travels at 3 miles per-hour (and this is an about 33 hour trip).

You only get 24 hours a day, minus 8 hours to sleep. That's 16 hours left over. A Tiefling in the grove says it's a tenday trip. So 3 and half hour hours of travel each day only that has to be done, just to fit the tenday timeline.

Edit 2: so the party about 13/12 hours a day to do whatever else. Note: the party are weirdo "one meal a day'ers"

What bumps up the time is the free long rests (there are 3? One for each act tranisition 1 to 2, 2 to 3. The Tielfing/Goblin Party. Correct me if there are more), and camp "events" The 1st night you get to talk to everyone, Lae'zel saying she's going to kill everyone, Shadow heart and Laezel fight, Wyll and Karlach, Mizora, Tthe Butler showing up, Killing the bard, being told to kill Isobel, The Githyanki attack on the dream visitor, etc (that's just what I can remember off the top of my head).

First night you get to talk to everyone.

Gale's Mirror Imagine/Magic weave stuff with him

Lae'zel saying she'll kill you, eveyone else and then herself.

Butler Showing Up for Durge (might overlap with other events)

Killing the Bard

Shadowheart and Lae'zel trying to kill each other.

Wyll and Karlach confrontation in the camp (if you got them separately from each other)

Mizora showing up for Wyll.

Durge being told to kill Isobel

optional: Butler saying Durge has to kill their closest companion

Durge getting or not Slayer form, and getting a dream about Orin.

Githyanki Attack on the Emperor

Orin kidnapping a character.

(that's some of these are optional, and some are only for Durge, let me know if there are more camp events I'm not remembering, the Tief/Gob party is counted in the free long rests)

I really need as list of all of the camp events but the bg3 wiki has nothing on it.

So One month is really the best call, I guess. And if you as a player long rest a lot then more.

Edit: combat is a nonissue when it comes to calculating the amount of time spent. 6 second is one ROUND of combat (not each turn). So even if someone is bad and get over ten rounds (that's my opinion, you don't need to read into that) that is still only a minute the characters lives.

Edit 3: The party got incredibly lost, ended up in Amn at the Cloud Peak Mountains. Is the the only viable explanation for Mountains.